Now that we made it into the Stanley Cup Playoffs after beating the Flames in two games, a Dallas in another. We beat the Avalanche, and we're onto the divisional finals. The Hawks beat the St. Louis Blues with a 4-0 lead in the series. The first two games are being held here in Saint Paul.

~~~~~~~~~~

"So, what happens when I have to go back to Maine for senior year?" I ask Cole as we walk together into the stadium before our first game against the Hawks. Our hands are clasped together Cole looks down at me, I in his visiting game jersey.

"Why do we have to talk about this now?" he whines slightly, stopping me and pushing me into the wall softly. I lay my head on the concrete wall and look up at him. His arms cage my head and neck to the wall. "I get the time I get. Now, we're going to walk into that locker room before I kiss you here, and I won't stop. I have a game to win. You can count on it". He makes my heart flutter and my stomach drop.

Cole grabs my hand once again and we walk into the Wild's locker room. We're one of the first in. Cole sets his stuff down in his locker, and I put my purse in there for safe keeping.

"Hey, I have to go talk to Maria, then I'm going to say hi to Jonathan. I'll be back in a few minutes", I say to Cole.

"Okay. Tell him I said hi, too". Cole kisses my cheek and I walk out of the locker room.

"Hey, Maria", I say as I walk into the office and grab what I need from my desk and walk to Maria. "How've you been today?"

"Not too bad, but my son is sick at home. He told me to come in and do what I needed to, but as a mom, I hate doing this. We need every piece of info we can get for tonight's game", she says to me, rubbing her forehead stressfully.

"I can do everything. Sit on the bench for half of the game, sit in the box the rest. I'm okay with it. Just make sure Avery feels okay".

Maria thinks for a moment, then looks up at me. "I don't know. This is a really big game for the team".

"Maria, I have been writing my own summaries of the game for five months now, sometimes without your notes", I give a nervous laugh. "I can do this. Go home, take care of him. I promise I'm okay without you. You did it for how long without anyone else. You are a miracle worker, and I learned from the best".

Maria thinks again. "Thank you, Meredith. I owe you big time. Just make sure the summary is up within an hour after the game", she says to me as she shuts down her computer.

"I guarantee it", I reply and walk out of her office again, grabbing my pile of must needs for the game and I head down to the Blackhawks locker room.

"I am looking for the man we all call serious", I announce through the locker room as I walk in. All of the men, who are only half dressed in their uniforms, look up. Most of them smile.

"Hey, Short Stack", Crawford, Toews, and Kane say at the same time.

"How's it going", I say to them. Jonathan gets up and gives me a hug.

"We're good", Jonathan replies for them. "We're all very excited to kick some Wild ass". 

"Blah blah", I fake gag. "In your dreams."

"Okay, suit up." Q stands in the doorway. "Meredith, lovely as always, but you gotta go."

Waving goodbye to everyone, I wish Q and the team good luck. 

I walk back into the Wild's locker room, sit at Cole's locker and watch the hustle and bustle of the crowded room. Staff scurries around looking for things. Players look for their helmets, water bottles, lucky charms; which are usually necklaces because that's the only outside item allowed on the ice; their perfect hockey stick, other things that I'm not even sure about. Cole spots me from the opposite side of the room and gives me a smile before rushing off to who knows where.

"Okay team, take a seat. Meredith, wall", Boudreau motions for me to stand at my usual spot against the wall to start out my summary of the game. I write down the time, and then listen intently to our head coach as he starts his pre-game speech. "We did it, boys. We made it to our division finals. Don't ruin it. We're going to the finals. We're going to beat either the Flyers, or the Lightning. Both are easy wins. But, first we need to get through the Hawks, and this is easy too. Come on team. Let's show those Hawks who they're going to lose to".

The team cheers loudly and rush towards the door. They all gather in a line and strap their helmets to their chins, their gloves to their wrists.

Let's go team!