The Greatest Assist (Patrick Kane)

47| Be With You

Chelsea

Spring time is my favorite time of the year because it gives me a excuse to be outside. While being outside usually meant going to the beach to me, Chicago has many beautiful gardens and walkways to explore now that the weather is warmer.

So I decide to go clear my mind and see some parts of the city I haven't seen in a while. The trees were in bloom and people were planting flowers. This city never ceases to amaze me, the views and the way of life. Everyone around here works hard and that's something I appreciate after watching everything be handed to me for so long.

After getting in a good walk I go back to my apartment. I see the door cracked open and I look at it weird. I swear I shut it on the way out but maybe I was wrong? I walk in and I find Patrick sitting on my couch with his shirt off and some leftovers sitting on his chest as he shovels it into his mouth.

"You are getting way too comfortable" I accuse as I close the door behind me.

"I don't see how that's a bad thing" he argues with his mouth full.

"You left the door wide open Patches, not you're smartest moment" I remind him.

"Well I saw people in my jersey waiting down in the common area of my apartment complex when I got home from practice so I knew I couldn't go up there. So I came here for a while and you were gone but you gave me a key so now I'm eating your food" he explains as he moves the container and spoon the the table in front of him.

"You can still close the door behind you. I don't want unwanted guests coming in" I joke.

"That cuts deep Chels" he claims and I laugh.

I walk over to where he was and sit myself in his lap. He swings my leg around so I was straddling him as what I thought was going to be playful turned into not so playful almost immediately. I rest my hands on his chest as he looks up at me.

"Where have you been all morning" he wonders.

"Just walking around the city, thinking" I explain.

"About what" he wonders.

"Everything really" I admit.

"We're you thinking about me" he asks as he bites his bottom lip.

"Well you are something" I tease.

"I'm serious" he whines. "What we're you thinking about me" he begs.

"Just that I love you, a lot. And this life we've built in this city has been nothing short of everything I ever dreamed of. I'm just scared of what happens next" I admit.

"What happens next" he wonders.

"I don't know, that's what is so scary" I say.

He reaches up to me and softly cups my cheek with his large hand. He softly pulls me closer as I get lost in his ocean blue eyes. I feel my breath get stuck in my throat as I swallow hard. I could feel his breath on my lips as my eyes softly shut.

Right before our lips touch I hear a knock on the door. I immediately pop up and stare at it as the whole place falls silent.

"I swear I made sure no one followed me up here" he promises.

"That's my sisters knock" I whisper.

"Wait seriously" he gasps as he sits up the rest of the way.

I jump down as I get up off of him and walk to the door. I look through the peep hole but I don't see anyone there. So I open the door and look down to see my sister in a wheel chair. She was missing a leg but still in her army gear with a backpack on her back. She looked so broken but this was the first time I've even heard from her since my accident.

"Lizzie" I gasp as she sends me a sad smile. She had tears in her eyes as she looks up at me from her wheel chair. It was defiantly my sister, but not as I remember her.

"Hey Little Star. It's been a while Huh" she asks.

"I thought you were dead" I whimper.

"Only on the inside" she tries to joke.

"What happened" I question.

"I got caught in a house that was bugged and it blew up. I got lucky because my best friend died in the bombing and my other one is still fighting for his life. I tried to get out as many people as possibly but my leg got caught under part of the house and I couldn't get it off. Eventually help arrived and they got me out but all the nerves were severed and I was losing too much blood so they cut it off and sewed it up" she says.

"Why haven't you written any of us? We were waiting for someone to come to our door telling us that you were gone" I whisper.

"Is that any worse than this" she asks as she pointed to her missing leg. Growing up her physical capabilities was everything to her so I know this is hard.

"Absolutely! Elizabeth you are my best friend, you mean the world to me. I will have you any type of way, both legs or not" I argue.

"It's not going to be that easy Chels. There is no way I can act like nothing happened and move on with my life. I have to learn how to live without a big part of me. I can't walk or cook for myself or get changed or shower on my own" she defends.

"Because you don't know how to. If you learn I promise there is more to this life than you know" I insist.

I get cut off by a crashing noise from inside the apartment. I look and see Patrick trying to pick up my CD's I had put up when I was cleaning up yesterday. He had a shirt on now but it looked like he was making a mess in the process.

"Sorry" he yells out as I just shake my head. Leave it to him to lighten the mood.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you had company. I can come back" Lizzie insists as she try's to turn around in her wheelchair.

"No! Stay. You can stay with me until you learn to live on your own. I have more than enough room for you and everything is wheelchair assessable" I promise.

"This isn't your problem" she argues.

"You know I wasn't her problem either" Patrick says as he comes up to us. "But there's not a person in this world who is better at making you feel valuable and wanted than your sister.

I know that you feel like you're in a place so low that you'll never get up again, but let her be your light. Let her help you find your way, I promise it makes the world of difference" he insists.

I rest my hand on his shoulder as he smiles down at me. I mouth a "thank you" as he winks at me.

"Well I'll stop imposing and let you guys catch up. Lizzie, it was great seeing you and I hope to see you again really soon" Patrick says to my sister.

"Of course" she smiles.

He softly kisses my forehead before pulling me into his chest. I give him a hug and he takes off to god knows where. I just hope he stays out of trouble.

I turn to my sister who was just smiling so big up at at me. "I know we have a lot to talk about but you have got to tell me what's going on with you and pretty boy" she begs.

"We will get there. But first we need to make sure you're all set up.

I'll move things around in the spare and you can stay in there. We can find you a doctor to get you a prosthetic because I know you won't be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of your life. There's a great wounded warrior organization in the city that will help you with physical and mental therapy and answer any questions you may have.

For right now I just want to be with you, if that's okay with you" I say.

"That's all I wanted" she smiles.