Rising Star (Patrick Kane)

Chapter Fifty Six- Letting Go

Patrick

I arrive home from the Olympics in late February and not much had changed. Besides the fact we left without a medal it was a successful trip mentally. I was able to hang out with my family and we got our mind off of the darker things. It was cool that I still have a bunch of people who cared about me around and I was able to have a little bit of fun up in Canada. And with Elizabeth leaving in a few days it was really important I got to spend time with her too.

I have to admit, I wasn't ready to let her go. When I left I had hours to turn it al around, I've been watching her slip out of my hands for months now and it's killing me. She is already all packed up and is ready to start this next chapter of her life. I don't know how she did this last time, me just thinking about her being away from me makes me want to cry. But I know she's going to travel around the nation making people's lives better and I can't stop her from that. I just can't.

But before she left I still had some business to take care of. The first concert was friday and my family was coming in town for it. I got her adopted family and real dad and his family tickets for the show. It was hard because every show was sold out after 48 hours after they were released but I have my connections, and my agent to work things out. This night had to be perfect and there was a lot I would do to assure it was.

As soon as my sisters get in town they help me find a ring and I put it in a safe place. The next order of business was to talk to the band and producers so we were all on the same page.

"Okay, so let me get this straight. You want to purpose on stage" Andrew asks.

"Yup" I assure him.

"I don't know. Do we approve of him" Kurt teases as he taps his chin and I roll my eyes.

"I don't have time for this" I groan.

"Lizzie doesn't have older brothers but we always saw her as a little sister. It's what we do" Kurt shrugs.

"I don't know. I kind of like him... he make Liz happy and he gives us free hockey tickets" Andrew claims and I shake my head.

"Okay. So there's a moment where we all leave the stage and it's just her. It's after Don't You and before Take A Shot where she'll just improve some stuff while we rest before we come out and she gets to rest. So we can do it then" he suggests.

"Yeah. We'll come out at the end of her first song and have all the lights come on. Then you can pop the question right up there" Allison says.

"That sounds great, and sounds like there's a bunch of ways this can go wrong" I admit.

"Come on, it's Elizabeth we're talking about. You'll be fine" Vivian assures me.

After getting everything ready all I could do was wait. I go home and see my family all chilling around the piano.

"What's going on" I laugh.

"This is so cool! So since Lizzie is totally amazing, and we're the most extra family ever, for the past three hours we've been yelling songs at her and she's been able to arrange and perform it with her own twist on the spot" Jackie informs me.

"So you've been using my girlfriend" I laugh and they all nod.

"Well you're useless unless you're on ice" Jessica claims and I gasp.

"So hurtful" I joke. We mess around some before it was time for dinner. We end up ordering pizza and watching home videos. The girls all retreat to our room because they wanted to see the outfits Elizabeth had picked out for the tour leaving my dad and I to watch for whatever game is on tv.

"You ready for tomorrow" he asks.

"I'm excited to purpose. Just knowing that she has something to look forward for getting back to makes me feel a little better. But I'm still not ready for her to leave" I admit.

"I can't wait for her to be a part of the family. She's one of the few girls I'm okay with taking our last name" he admits.

"She hasn't even said yes" I laugh. He gives me that "come on" look and I roll my eyes. "I know she will say yes but still. I need everything to go right and I don't want to jinx it" I claim.

"Everything will be fine. If she's put up with you this long I don't see why that would change now" he teases and I send him a glare.

"Geez dad... what ever would I do without you" I joke.

"You know I'm just teasing. Everything will be fine, I promise" he says. I sure hope he's right.

Eventually the girls join us again and Elizabeth curls up on my lap. I latch my arms around her and I don't want to let go. I can't just yet.

Eventually my family goes to their hotel leaving Elizabeth and I alone. We end up laying on the couch, her still tucked away securely in my arms.

"You ready for bed" she asks.

"I don't want us to leave" I claim.

"We can sleep on the couch if you want" she suggests.

"No.. I mean I don't want you to leave me" I say and she looks at me.

"Really" she asks.

"Yes. I mean no. I mean I don't know. I want you to be happy, to travel and meet new people and make people smile through your music. But I also want to be selfish and keep you do myself. I hate waking up alone and I hate knowing someone else is seeing you smile and I'm not" I sigh.

"You're the reason I smile. You're the reason I wake up in the morning. I promise that just because I'm not here doesn't mean that things have to change. I love that you want me for yourself. And just like hockey is your job mine is singing. But no matter where I am, no matter what time of day it is, I will be there for you. I still want you to hear you complain about Sharps pranks and how bad Shaws pads smell. I want updates on Precious and how my beautiful city is doing. You can't get rid of me if you tried" she says cupping my face.

"I will never get tired of you" I admit.

"Good, because I'm yours. Always" she smiles. She tries to get up and laughs when I don't let go. "You're not going to let me go, are you" she asks.

"Not yet. I still have a few more hours with you" I smile. She lays back down and she rests her head on my chest. I look down and choke back tears knowing this is the last time for a while I can feel this way. This great feeling, tremendous sight, it was slipping out of my fingers and there was only one thing I could do to assure her that I can't let her go. And I was ready to do it.