Dream On (Jonathan Toews)

Chapter Forty-Three| Aint About How Hard You Hit

Mary Kate

First time this season getting to see everyone's smiling faces was enough to make the saddest of people smile. Everyone was excited even if it was just conditioning to see if everyone is in shape. "Hey Mary Kate, how was your summer" Shawzy asks. "Well, Mutt. Since you're so curious" I say sticking up my ring finger. "No fucking way... he finally did it" he asks. "Yup" I smile. "I'm happy for you guys, and I want to be the maid of honor" he tells me. "As much as I would love to see you in a dress, I'm going to have to say no" I laugh and he pouts. "You're no fun" he whines. I greet everyone and wait for my favorite person last. "How's my favorite Slovak" I ask as Hossa walks in. "Great. How's my favorite American" he asks giving me a hug. "Hey... I take offense to that" Patrick says crossing his arms. "Shhhh you're ruining the moment" Hossa whispers petting my head as I giggle into his chest. He was just like my father in the best ways possible, it was kind of crazy. But I latched onto him like he was my real father and he treated me like his child. He was only ten years older than me but I looked up to him immensely.

"You doing training camp with us again this year" Seabs asks me as everyone enters the strength and conditioning room. "Of course, no point of training all the time if I can't show it off" I joke. "I almost forgot how funny you were" Seabs laughs. "How dare you" I ask with a loud gasp while placing my hand over my chest. "Woah woah woah what is this" he asks grabbing my hand. "Didn't Jon tell you" I ask. I guess only Patrick knew. "In the matter of fact he did not. And to think I took him in as a rookie" he says shaking his head.

We get started on the treadmill and they hook me up to the machines. "Is all this necessary" I ask as I feel multiple pair of hands on my body that weren't mine or Jonny's. "Yeah, believe it or not you're helping us. Usually most woman won't do these" one said. "Lucky you, I'm not like most woman" I smirk. I stand in a sports bra and spandex in the middle of a room full of Hawks players and I can tell Jonny wasn't too happy about that. We get started and about ten minutes I find a pace at about 12 miles per hour. "How are you doing Ms. Fletcher" someone asks. "Piece of cake" I say through the Bain looking mask. After a few more minutes they pick the speed up and I was full on sprinting. "Do you need to stop" another asks. "No... I can do it" I heave. Every time I feel like stoping I remember why I started in the first place. I have nothing else to do to prove myself to everyone. I did what was asked to me. But I constantly look for ways to prove to myself that I deserve to be here. Running was my way of avoiding my problems, but now I run not because I feel like I have to but I want to. "Alright, you're all done" they tell me and slowly bring me down to a walk. "That's really impressive" Jonny says leaning on the treadmill and I give him a wink. "How do you feel" he asks and I shrug. "My legs burn like hell but I'm still going" I laugh and he nods. We all continue working out and I feel right at home picking up where I left off. We move outside because these are the Blackhawks and they like to do things outside of the box. We do wall sits against the building and somehow I get put between Shaw and Patrick. "Stop touching me" I say calmly as Shaw hovers his finger over my leg. "I'm not touching you" he sing songs and I roll my eyes. I turn to Patrick but see his ringer right next to my cheek. "You... wouldn't... dare" I test as he grows a smirk. His finger sinks into my cheek and Shaw lets out a cheer. I couldn't help but laugh, these guys were so funny even if they're annoying as hell. "Hello Jonathan" I say as he walks over to us. "We were done with wall sits like 5 minutes ago" he reminds us. "We know, I have a bet going that I'll stay up longer than these two" I say pointing to them. "But they're cheating and trying to break me, and it's not working" I say. "Man my legs are sooo tired... I need somewhere to sit" Jonathan claims looking around dramatically. His eyes meet mine and I squint at him. Before I can say anything he sits himself in my lap and Shaw and Patrick find it hilarious. Little did they know, I had to do my homework in a wall sit... since I was in middle school. I would have my sister sit on my lap and quiz me with flash cards. It was my dads idea, he used to make me do all sorts of crazy things but I was always up for a challenge. Eventually Shaw calls it quits and it's just me and Patrick. "Are you like bionic or something" Patrick groans slipping down. "Nope, just unusually determined" I reply. He falls to the ground and I emerge victorious.

The first day of training camp ends and we were released to wander the campus of Notre Dame. "How are you're legs still working" Patrick asks poking them. "I enjoy feeling the pain. It's a lot better than feeling nothing" I shrug. Everyone stops to look at me as they just stare. "Dark humor is a no go I see" I comment. "No no, you're fine. Just not something I'd imagine you would bring up. You don't talk about it much" Crow says. "Well it's not exactly something I want to revisit. But its a part of me, my history. Nothing I can do change that. Those were the longest 87 days of my life but I learned so much about myself and life there. You know, if you don't laugh you cry" I explain. "What's it like to be paralyzed" Corey yells out and Jon hits his shoulder. "No, it's fine, he can ask. I'm okay with sharing. It's actually terrifying, especially in my situation. When I finally wake up after the crash I couldn't remember anything. All I knew is that I couldn't move. I was only 19 and they were trying to explain that I was paralyzed. I didn't want to believe them. But I tried moving and I couldn't. I felt like I was but every time I looked down nothing was happening. I thought I was dreaming. Then they told me I was the only on who survived the crash, I lost it. For a week I didn't talk to anyone. I wouldn't eat and I couldn't move. I sat in the dark and just stared at the ceiling. But a chance thing happened and I remembered something my dad always told me, he was a big rocky fan and actually had it tattooed on his side. He said nothing will hit harder than life, but it about how hard you hit. It's about hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. God I've probably watched that scene a million times. One day something told me that I wasn't doing my family any justice by laying in bed. So we started physical therapy that very next day. One day I could move my fingers and that was enough for me to keep fighting. It was hard, there's no other way to put it. I've trained all my life but nothing is harder than putting one foot in front of the other when everything is telling you not to. But I fought for everything, if I was given even the slight bit of hope I fed off it as much as I can and now I'm here" I finish as we walk around the campus. "You know, I look up to a lot of people for a lot of different reasons. But you're definitely someone I look up to. You're strong and get stronger every day. You don't use your troubles as a excuse but as a motivation and it takes a real genuine person to be able to do that" Patrick says and I start to tear up. Here is one of the best American players, and by the end of his career probably the best player, to ever step on NHL ice telling me he looks up to me. That's insane. "Thanks Patrick, that means more to me than you will ever know" I say running my shoulder into him. I think I finally found out what I wanted to do with all this money I had.