Hayes (A Carolina Cyclones Story)

25.

Maggie

I have no clue what to say to Hayes. I mean, what could I possibly say to my boyfriend of five minutes who's entire season just blew up like an atomic bomb in his face. Maybe if it was the regular season I'd feel less inclined to baby him over it but he's stressed to me the importance of the playoffs the past few weeks. He's spent all year looking forward to this since coming up short last year.

Rationally, I know that this concussion isn't his fault. The guy who hit him, Petrov, apparently has beef with him over something from when they were drafted. Or that's what Hailey had told me after the hit while I was still sitting stunned in the stands.

To say I had been surprised when an attendant showed up looking for "Hayes Hansen's girlfriend Maggie" would be putting it lightly. The fact that he had put the words out there and sent for me in his time of need meant a lot to me. And when the verdict had been what it was I was again thankful that I was there so that he wasn't alone. I think a lot of Hayes' problems stem from being left to his lonesome when he shouldn't have been. He's been vague up to this point about his parents but last night when I asked if we should call his mom he had been downright adamant that we would not be doing that.

I want to pry into that but I know good and well it isn't my place. Waiting for Hayes to open up to me though will prove as fruitful as waiting for rain in the Sahara though. He needs to be pushed. Maybe if he wasn't constantly trying to lock himself down inside his gigantic, routine filled, walls he'd be a little less tightly wound. The routines are his comfort though. He seeks them for solace and with what I've pieced together so far of his background I can understand why that may have been easier for him as a child. For us to grow though, as a couple and as individuals, he's going to have to be receptive to opening up to me, even if only a little bit.

I pad quietly into the kitchen from the bedroom. I slept over so that Hayes wouldn't be alone as a safety precaution and also because he asked me to. Not to mention he wasn't supposed to be alone for the first night in case he had some kind of reaction.

Luckily, there hadn't been any reason to worry and Hayes had slept just fine, snored even, while I lay awake worried about him, watching his chest rise and fall to ensure that he was still breathing. Because that's what you do when you care for someone, you worry.

It's only just after seven and I'm tired but I've lost any hope I had of getting sleep so I locate the needed items to brew some coffee and after only a few minutes the warm and comforting aroma encapsulates me and following a dash of sugar and a smidge of creamer I'm on my way to being a functioning human being for the day.

Once the caffeine is free flowing through my circulatory system I head for the living room, settling in on the couch and preparing to watch some tv. Hayes has some kind of fancy one though and the controller doesn't have labels on the buttons so after five minutes of playing with it I huff out a sigh and sink into the incredibly comfortable suede couch.

I twiddle my thumbs for a minute, boredom daring to sink in but then I glance around, taking in the place fully for the first time. There are scattered water bottles on the coffee table, random piles of clothes in front of the open accordion door where a washer and dryer set is exposed. I have second thoughts for one second but then stand and get to work, deciding that a man who would be upset over me helping clean his place when he's hurt wouldn't be the kind of man I'd want to be involved with anyways.

An hour later, the dishes from the sink have been washed, theres a load of clothes finishing in the dryer, another in the washer, the kitchen has been scrubbed, the trash cleared away and I feel a sense of accomplishment. I'm just settling back down on the couch, this time to play on my phone for entertainment when the sound of Hayes voice behind me catches me off guard.

"Wow. This place looks great." I turn my head just enough so I can see him. His hair is disheveled, a clear sign he'd been sleeping hard and he's rubbing at his eyes in a way that makes him look young and innocent, like a little boy home from school sick, which I guess is a similar situation to his current reality.

"I couldn't get the TV working and I got bored and I knew you probably weren't going to feel up to straightening things up and I wasn't sure if you had a housekeeper and I was bored so... it's not a problem, is it?" I roll my lower lip into my mouth hoping he won't be upset with me.

"A problem? Hell no. Thank you, Maggie. That was really sweet of you. I actually don't have a housekeeper. I had never even thought about getting one until now."

"For real? If I had your money that's the first thing I do." I laugh. "I mean, I clean up after myself but I definitely wouldn't miss it if I could have someone else do it for me."

"Interesting." He replies and I tilt my head in questioning. "You don't like to clean...but you did for me."

"I like you a little I guess." I say with a playful shrug of my shoulders. "Don't get used to it though. It's just because you're hurt and I feel bad for you."

"Aw, so it was a pity clean."

"Yep."

"Well thank you anyways." He steps towards me, extending his arms and wrapping me into his body. I feel the press of his lips against my head and I sigh taking in a breath only for the sweet moment to be ruined by the stench.

"Um..Hayes?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"You stink."

He burst out laughing as he takes a step back. "Fuck, yeah, I guess I do. I didn't get a shower last night and I was all sweaty. Sorry, Mags."

"It's all good. Maybe we get some of those pain killers the team doctor sent for you in you and then make a shower the priority."

"And then that leaves the rest of the day for me to sit around and feel sorry for myself." He says gloomily.

"No, it leaves the rest of the day for you to rest and recover from your brain injury so you can get back to your team who need you."

"I guess we'll see."

"Where's optimistic Hayes?"

"On the ice, where I left him." He grumbles. "Sorry to sour the mood. Let me try to get in a shower and hopefully things will be better after."

He stalks down the hall and I deflate a little. Wishing I'd been able to do a better job at lifting his spirits.

AN: What can Maggie do to help Hayes?

How does the rest of his recovery go?

Will he make it back to the team before the end of the playoffs?

ILY, Sav