Shadows (Patrick Kane)

(75) Favorite Person

Sophia

There's nothing that says "post season games" like a game seven. It's both thrilling and nauseating depending on who you ask. To the players it's the highest level of stress but to the fans... to the fans of the teams who are playing it's exactly the same. It's still nerve wracking but it's just not as bad for us.

We end up in Cali for a game seven. Patrick's family was here and Hank decided to come support his buddy since Pat came to most of his Playoff games. It was either going to be a great night or a awful one.

"Does this suit make my butt look good" Patrick asks as we hang out in his hotel room.

I lean over the side of the couch and look him up and down real good before leaning back. "Looks good. Looks better without pants on though" I tease.

"Funny" he chuckles.

"Why do you care about what your ass looks like anyway" I wonder.

"If we loose I want to give them something else to talk about instead of tearing into me" he claims.

"You think you're gonna lose" I ask.

"I am going to do everything in my ability to make sure that doesn't happen. But if it does, I am prepared to literally put my ass on the line" he claims.

"What a savior" I roll my eyes.

"Hey. Gotta take one for the team" he insists.

After he was done checking himself out in the mirror he sits himself in my lap. I wrap my arms around him as he softly kisses my forehead. I smile to myself as I get that feeling that only he gives me.

"You know you're my favorite person in the world, right" he asks me.

"I am pretty cute" I admit.

"And funny. And strong and wise and powerful. So powerful. You always were but you didn't know how to use the power until now. It's been an amazing journey watching you realize just how great you are then showing the world. I know I've been selfish and been hogging you but its not every day you find someone you can connect with. I've spent my entire life looking for someone I thought I could share my life with and I found you. I regret every action I made when I deleted that number off your phone, but I am more than happy you stayed" he explains.

"So is now a bad time to mention I actually have a gig with ESPN coming up" I ask.

His eyebrows raise as I wait to see his reaction. "I'm gonna need a little more information so I don't over react" he claims.

"You mean again" I joke making him roll his eyes. "Don't worry, you have nothing to worry about. It's back in Chicago and it's for the finals. I'm taking a bet on you guys being there so I can cover you. If it's another team I'll still cover a game for them from Chicago but for I hope you win tonight" I admit.

"Posey that's great" he smiles a real genuine smile. "I'm really really proud of you. You worked your ass off and you deserve this. Every bit of this" he insists.

I stare into his eyes to see if he is being true or not. And he was, I could always tell. A smile finds its way onto my face as I cup his chin. I pull him into a kiss as he happily kisses me back.

"You're not leaving me right" he whispers on my lips as I giggle.

"No. This opens the door to me being a guest host but I'm not a part of ESPN. I'm a part of Chicago and that's where my heart is. With my brother... with you" I say.

Eventually time forces us apart and he goes to his job and I go to mine. I sit through hair and makeup and try not to show how nervous I was. As a professional I am supposed to be unbiased and be nuetral in these things. Yes I can outwardly root for the Hawks but I can't be on TV showing my crazy sports fan side of me. I'm here to help bridge the gap between player and fan. Give insight to the game and hopefully make wonderful memories for all the Blackhawks fans out there.

During a break in the game I sneak down and find Patrick's family. They all showed up like always and I hope we get to go out and celebrate tonight.

"You look so calm" Jess claims and I let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad I look it, because I'm freaking out" I admit.

"Seriously" she questions. "You look like you've done this a million times."

"I mean I've been through intense games with my dad. Even my brother had some games that made me pace between the ten and twenty yard line. But football intensity and hockey intensity are very different things. In football there's a lot of down time. Unless there's a turnover you know you have the ball and for how long. It's a very intense game but until the ball is snapped you can't do much.

But hockey is different. Especially in a series like this that all comes down to just one game. You watch these guys lay it all as out there six times and in the end only one game matters. It's insane" I sigh.

"Well at least you'll have a exciting night" Erica teases.

"If I don't throw up. Patrick is calm cool and collected and I am the one who is nervous" I shake my head.

"That's how he is. You can't call his bluff" Jackie claims.

"Oh, I can call his bluff. I have no problem recognizing when he is in way over his head or not. But when he's on the ice it's like he knows exactly where to be and exactly what to do. It's crazy" I admit.

"It is. He's always been like that too. That's why I have to believe he will be just fine out there tonight, all of them will" Jackie claims.

"God I hope so" I sigh.

She and my brother shamelessly flirt up in the boxes and I go back to the media room. The game comes and goes and in a convincing fashion the Hawks beat the Ducks, like there was any doubt. I feel a lot better doing interviews knowing the guys were in a good mood and ready to take on the Lightning in the Stanley Cup final. There's been so many great players this post season for the Hawks. Tuevo was a nice surprise and Patrick does what he does best. The captain looked like a man on a mission and Corey reminded everyone what makes his a elite goalie. But the biggest hero has been Duncan Keith who was basically a machine. Lead in time on ice and was up there with points. As a defensemen it's rare to see someone putting up the numbers he has. But that defense with him and Seabrook and Hammer and Oduya who have been playing together for years is performing like you hoped he would. Even better. And now they have another chance to prove everyone who ever doubted them wrong.