They Can't Tell Us Anything |C. Kreider|

Chapter 17

Autumn's POV

I watch in sadness as the New York Rangers kiss their last game of the year away in the final seconds of Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.

The final horn of the series and season sounds. It is bittersweet losing to a team made up of some of our former players but it wasn't our year, I suppose.

The coaching staffs of both teams, including myself, walk off the bench and onto the ice to shake hands with the opposing staff.

We join the end of the Rangers handshake line, signalling good game to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

I shake hands with a friend of mine by the name of Ben Bishop, congratulating him on making it to the Finals in his first year of being starter. I hug him before continuing down the line.

The Lightning get presented the Prince of Wales trophy and take the pictures and leave the ice.

The New York Rangers salute their home crowd for the last time of the 2014-2015 season.

We head down the tunnel for the last time and head into either the locker room, the trainers room or the offices.

I head into the trainers room, noticing that someone is sitting on the table, fully geared.

I begin to snap into action, when I realize that it is Chris.

I kneel down next to him, putting my hand onto his back. He looks up at me, tears rolling down his face among the tear stains on his cheeks.

I tear up, seeing him like this is not easy at all.

I help him out of his gear and hold him for as long as he needs, not caring how sweaty or smelly he is. I need to be there for him and I am going to do that.

Once he is calmed down, I realize that he is not going to talk about the loss for a long time and I am okay with that on a personal level.

He grabs my hand, remaining silent, and walks with me to the locker room, me holding his sweaty shoulder pads and jersey.

The locker room is silent but somber, that would be the only way to describe it.

None of the guys are taking this lightly, especially against their old captain and teammates for most of them.

I excuse myself from the locker room and walk down to AV's office.

He and I have a special bond, almost a father-daughter type bond. He is someone I can easily talk to about anything and I can go to him for advice on things I wouldn't feel comfortable asking my own father.

I knock on his door, and walk in after hearing him say 'come in'.

He is not taking this lightly either but he is in pretty good shape. He is sad but not clearly expressing it. I walk around his desk and hug him.

I needed that hug after being in the locker room with everyone being as depressed as they were.

He doesn't question me and just hugs me, letting me calm down.

I pull away and he thanks me for the pleasure of working with him and the team this season and informs me of when break-up day is.

I sadly thank him for the pleasure of working with him and walk back into the trainers room, sitting down in rolling office chair behind my desk with my head resting in my hands.

I brace myself for the next few days until break-up day, knowing Chris and the team will need me most.

I hear Chris walk into the room 45 minutes later.

"Are you ready to head home, baby girl?" He asks me, trying to be more cheery than he actually is. I nod.

We start walking out into the staff lot, him grabbing my hand.

"Do you want me to drive, sweetheart?" I ask him, knowing that he wasn't in the mood to have to drive after that. He nods his head and passes me the keys.

We slide into the car and drive the short distance to our apartment.

We park in the lot and slide out of the car, locking it as we walk away. We both walk into the quiet lobby and hit the elevator button, it appearing only seconds later.

We get in and press our floor button, arriving 2 minutes later.

We step into the apartment and decide to go straight to bed after the deflating loss.

I walk into my room and change out of my uniform and into a Boston College t-shirt and some red and black plaid pajama bottoms. I also pull on some fuzzy black socks.

I walk into Chris's room, to see him half asleep in some black sweatpants and shirtless.

I slide into bed next to him and rest my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat and allowing it lull me to sleep.

A/N Hey guys! I'm graduating tomorrow!! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and leave me your feedback! Byeeeeeee