Sticks and Skates [Wayhaught]

Watch Your Mouth

The Blue Devils immediately took off for a three-game road trip on the Monday following the All-Star Game, looking to extend their win streak from six games, to a franchise record-tying nine games. And they did just that, following a 4-2 win in Prince Albert, a 3-2 win in Steinbach and a clutch 1-0 shootout win in Brandon.

As far as Nicole was concerned, things were going more than great. Bunny hadn't been nearly as vocal as she had been earlier in the season, the team was winning, and she was producing at levels not even she could've imagined she was capable of. They'd locked up a playoff spot halfway through January, but were looking to win the division and the conference to secure home ice advantage throughout the playoffs.

Everything had been going so well, in fact, that when Nicole had received a call from Nedley while she and Waverly were enjoying breakfast on a rare day off following the team's return from the most recent road trip, she was a little more than confused. The coach had told her that she'd been needed for a meeting that afternoon, but hadn't said for what specifically.

Pulling up to the arena in Waverly's Jeep, Nicole mentally rolled through everything she had done within the last couple weeks that could warrant a meeting with the team's head coach, her mind drawing a blank. She figured that it couldn't be too serious, or else she would've remembered it.

Following Waverly into the ticket office, she took a quick glance at the clock, seeing she'd had about ten minutes before she had to meet with Nedley. Or so she thought when she saw that her phone was ringing and it was the Sheriff yet again.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Nicole? Are you here already?"

"Yeah, I thought I had ten minutes, but I can come meet you in your office right now if you're already ready." Waverly eyed her questioningly from across the room and mouthed a "what's that?" to Nicole, who just shrugged her shoulders.

"Actually, we're gonna have the meeting upstairs in the film room."

"Okay, I'll be right up coach." Nicole said, ending the call. She found it odd that Nedley would be cryptic about something so mundane as a film meeting, but chalked it up as nothing to worry about.

"Good luck in your meeting." Waverly approached her, getting up on her tiptoes to place a kiss on the side of Nicole's head. She smiled at the action, reciprocating the kiss and then made her way purposefully upstairs, readying her mind for film analysis.

The door to the film room was closed as she approached it, which again she found odd considering Nedley's usual open-door policy, and knocked gently before entering. She heard Nedley invite her in, her cue to make her way through the door.

She'd expected to see Nedley sitting at the film table with some game footage cued up, but that wasn't quite what she found. Nedley was there, at the table, but he wasn't alone. Across from him was Dolls, looking stuffier than ever, and Bunny Loblaw on Dolls' right, wearing her usual "disgusted with everything" look.

Nicole felt her stomach drop. Her last interaction with Dolls was when he'd reprimanded her and Waverly for playing tag, and she hadn't even so much as spoken to Bunny on the phone, never mind in person. She couldn't imagine a scenario in which a meeting that involved the head coach, General Manager and team owner was a good one.

"Sit down, Nicole." Bunny instructed, and Nicole swallowed thickly as she complied. "I assume you know why you're here."

No. Not really. She thought to herself. Should she?

She was about to open her mouth when Nedley spoke up instead.

"I'd like to know why I'm here; why we're all here."