A Little More You (Jonathan Toews)

Chapter 33 (Epilogue)

A/N: Soooo here it is.  I'm kind of sad...but since I am indecisive, I decided to write the other ending too, which will be up soon.  Thank you for the reads, comments, and votes.  You are all incredible people. 

"Never was the kind to think about dressing in white, wasn't waiting on a prince to come riding into my life, thought I was happy on my own 'til you came and proved me wrong

I finally found what I never knew I always wanted

I couldn't see; I was blind 'til my eyes were opened

I didn't know there was a hole 

Something missing in my soul

'Til you filled it up with your love, yeah
Never pictured myself singing lullabies
Sitting in a rocking chair in the middle of the night
In the quiet, in the dark
You're stealing every bit of my heart with your daddy's eyes
What a sweet surprise
And now I'm holdin' what I never knew I always wanted
I couldn't see; I was blind 'til my eyes were opened
I didn't know there was a hole
Something missing in my soul
'Til you filled it up, oh, with your love
Life has a way of showing you just what you need
And who you were made to be, yeah
I finally found what I never knew I always wanted
I couldn't see; I was blind 'til my eyes were opened
I didn't know there was a hole
Something missing in my soul
'Til you filled it up with your love" -Carrie Underwood

Mati hadn't moved back to Chicago, instead splitting her time between there and Nashville. It killed Jon but it was progress, and they were doing better than ever. Besides, Mati seemed to make a lot of detours in Chicago.

It was the final game of the season, and the first one Mati was going to after everything had happened. She found her spot in the tunnel, dressed in her Toews jersey, standing next to Jamie, who was sporting a Kane shirsey underneath her trainer's jacket.

The Hawks, having long since clinched a playoff spot, were easily (and lazily) beating the Blues 3-1. With 15 seconds left in the third, Jon tapped a fourth puck into the empty net. Mati went crazy. He made eye contact with her as the team wrapped him up and she shot him a grin, melting him a little inside.

Things changed quickly, however. It all happened so fast, Mati could hardly process what was happening. Jon won the final face off and it all went blurry as the final horn sounded. Ott boarded him and he went down...it didn't look hard but he wasn't getting up. Jamie rushed out onto the ice with her assistants and huddled around him.

Mati was alternating between praying and cursing Ott.

After what was only a minute, but seemed like eternity, Jamie gestured for Mati to come out onto the ice.

This was not good.

Mati didn't realize she was shaking until Kaner met her to help guide her over to him.

"He'll be okay, I promise." Kaner reassured her.

Mati reached him and knelt down to kiss his forehead and grab his hand. His eyes were closed but he was breathing normal, which seemed like a good sign. She heard someone yell behind her and turned around to see the team motioning for her to come back.

"You gotta go, Mati. We'll take care of him." Jamie smiled, a little too big for a situation like this, but Mati just brushed it off.

Kaner met her again and reluctantly, they started back slowly towards to bench when she heard the UC erupt in cheers.

She spun around to see something she never ever thought she would see.

Jon was down on one knee, grinning at her, holding a black velvet box.

Her hands instantly went up to her face and the tears started flowing. She looked at Kaner.

"You knew?!" she screamed over the cheers.

He gave her a lopsided grin and nodded.

She was full out bawling at this point as she stood in front of Jon.

"Matisen Claire Ross" he started, yelling to make himself heard over the crowd. "You are my best friend, my soulmate, my Stanley Cup every single day." she giggled at the reference. "We've been through highs and lows, smiles, tears, and everything in between. There's no one else I would rather do it with. I want all of you, forever and for always, for this forever thing. So Mat, will you marry me?"

She mustered out as strong of a yes as she could, and he stood up, putting the platinum and diamond ring on her finger, and kissed her more deeply and passionately than ever before as the team came out to celebrate, and the UC got as loud as when they won the cup.

To Jon, there was only one person he cared about in that moment and he was holding her.

They parted for a minute to wave to the crowd, and Jon pulled her in one last time.

The scoreboard had started showing pictures of the two of them, and Mati was enthralled with it, until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see both of their families and closest friends standing behind her, which brought on a new round of tears.

Only later that night, as they were in the middle of ripping the clothes off of each other, did Mati think to yell at her fiance. 

 She sighed at calling him that.

"Jonathan Bryan Toews, what the hell were you thinking, scaring me like that?!  I seriously thought you were dyin'!"

Jon smiled at her. "I'm sorry, but it was worth it, wasn't it?"

She raised an eyebrow at him, but when the light caught the ring on her left hand, she forgave him and continued pulling his shirt off.

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They didn't plan to get married less than four months later, but when your team wins their fourth cup, and you have always thought it'd be cool to have it at your wedding, your fiancee tends to agree and plans a wedding faster than anyone thought possible.

Jon had one more moment to add to his "better than hockey moments" list.

Watching her walk down the aisle in white, looking more beautiful than any other person he had ever seen, taking his breath away and bringing tears to his eyes.

That was better than any gold medal.

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When you hold your baby girls for the first time, after watching your wife be the strong woman you know she is, that was better than any Stanley Cup. Watching your wife hold your son for the first time was better than four Stanley Cups.

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Watching your son be drafted to the NHL, your daughter to the NWHL, and her twin take the Grand Ole Opry stage within five years of each other, that was better than being drafted yourself.

They didn't plan for their kids to follow in their footsteps, and always encouraged them to do whatever made them most happy. Watching all three of them take after their parents though made Mati and Jon proud parents.

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When you get inducted into the Hall of Fame, and then get to see your number hanging next to your best friend's, both retired, in the building that cultivated you, and brought you some of the best times of your life, that's better than being named Captain. Watching your wife get inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, that's better than being inducted yourself.

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Jon and Mati split their time between their Winnipeg lake house, and their acreage outside of Nashville, in between visiting their three children in their respective cities, and bugging Jamie and Kaner in Buffalo. As they lay curled up on the deck that overlooked the blue lake in front of them, watching the sunrise, waiting for a phone call from their daughter that their first grandchild was on the way, they both realized that this was everything they always needed.

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