Decided to update again : ) Enjoy!

Two Weeks Later…

Alexander Ovechkin sighed as he watched Brooks Laich skate around the Kettler practice facility. Ovechkin's ice-blue eyes missed nothing as he watched his friend and teammate skate around without any real purpose or drive. He flippantly sent a puck at Semyon Varlamov and the young goaltender easily batted it away with his stick. Alex's frown deepened at that as Matt Bradley skated over to him.

"What are we gonna do?" he muttered so that the other players wouldn't hear.

"What do you mean?" asked Alex, his eyes never leaving Laich.

"I mean…what do we do about Brooksy? I understand he's been to hell and back but we can't have a guy on the team whose mind is never in the game. He nearly cost us that game against the Flyers."

Ovechkin shot a disapproving glance in Bradley's direction, "No, our defense nearly cost us that game."

Matt sighed, "Look, Alex I know you guys are close, but you have to think about what's good for the team…"

"Yeah? And what about what's good for Brooks?" snapped Mike Green, his dark eyes flashing dangerously as he skated up to his two teammates, "Anyone stop to think about that?"

"It's nothing personal, Mike, you know that," argued Matt Bradley, "It's just business."

Mike sneered at that, "Sorry I put my friendships over 'business,'" he said as he skated off to join Brooks at the other end of the rink. He cast a final glare over his shoulder at Matt before he started tossing a puck back and forth with Brooks.

"I'll deal with it," said Ovechkin before Bradley could say anything else, "I'm the captain, I'll deal with it, alright? Just leave the guy alone…he just lost his girlfriend."

Bradley growled in frustration, "I just don't want to lose games because he can't put his emotions on the sidelines."

Alex frowned as he watched Matt Bradley skate away to join Perreault and Semin. He knew that Matt didn't mean to come off as harsh and cold as he did. He was just thinking about the team and what would be best for all of them. But Alex had to balance not only what was best for the team, but what was also best for his friend. No matter what decision Alex came to, he knew there was no good or easy answer. How were you supposed to deal with something like this? How were you supposed to confront a guy who lost his girlfriend to a drunk driver and ask him why "his head wasn't in the game?" Alex sighed and shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He had to lead his team through this practice and then he would deal with Brooks Laich…but for now his team needed him. And he of all people needed to keep his mind "in the game."

…

After practice the Capitals filed into the locker room and began to change out of their pads and hit the showers. Alex Ovechkin purposefully stalled in the locker room and waited for Brooks to finish his shower. He busied himself by talking with some of the younger guys on the team, giving them advice and pointers on various plays and stick handling skills.

After awhile the locker room began to clear out and only a few players were left. Brooks emerged from the showers and made his way over toward his locker. He reached inside and pulled out a black t-shirt and pulled it over his head as Alex walked over to him.

"Stick around for a while," he muttered in Brooks' ear, "I want to have a word with you."

Brooks glanced away, predicting what Alex wanted to tell him, "Yeah, sure," he muttered as he finished packing his gear bag.

Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green huddled together on the other side of the locker room, glancing over their shoulders and observing the interaction between their captain and Brooks Laich.

"Shit," muttered Green, "I hate this. Why can't they just leave him alone?"

Backstrom frowned, "I dunno…I guess some of the guys are getting anxious about Brooksy. I think they're afraid that he won't snap out of this and he'll never get back to the player he used to be."

"It's been two weeks!" hissed Mike, "Two goddamned weeks! Give the man a break!"

Nicklas put his hands up in surrender, "Whoa, easy there Mike…I didn't say that's what I thought. I'm just guessing that's what the rest of the team is thinking."

Mike forced himself to take a deep, calming breath, "Yeah…yeah I know, Nicky. Sorry…I'm just a little tense right now."

"Couldn't tell," joked Nicklas as he playfully punched Mike's shoulder, "C'mon…we better get out of here. I think Alex is waiting for everyone to leave before he talks to him."

Mike nodded as he glanced back over at the two star players. He exchanged a sympathetic glance with Brooks Laich and gave him an encouraging nod before he followed Backstrom out of the locker room.

…

"Look, Alex, I know what this is about," said Brooks after the last few players left, "I'll work harder…I'll try and…"

"Brooks," interrupted Alex as he put a hand on his friend's shoulder and forced him to look in his eyes. He paused a long moment before he asked, "All I really want to know right now is how you're holding up. We all know you haven't been yourself lately and that's to be expected. So…how are you?"

Brooks looked a little taken aback by the question. He had expected a full-on lecture about his bad turn-overs at center ice or his fanned shots, not this.

"Um…I've been better," he said with a sad smile, "I've been a hell of a lot better."

Alex nodded, "Do you think you should take some time off? Try and get your mind back in the game? I don't think traveling around, playing a game in a new city every night and sleeping in different hotels every night is going to help you get over this."

Brooks bit his lower lip, trying to fight back the emotion that clogged his throat, "Alex, I seriously doubt I'll ever get over this."

Alex glanced away awkwardly, "Well…I mean…I didn't mean…"

"No, it's okay," interrupted Brooks, "I know what you meant. I think…yeah I think some time away might be good."

Alex saw the pain in Brooks' eyes as his friend admitted his weakness. Brooks was a tough guy. He could play through any injury without complaint. Admitting that he wasn't fit to play was something that Brooks had never done before and Alex could tell it was tearing him apart inside.

"I'm sorry," apologized Brooks, "I don't want to let the team down…"

"Right now you need to take care of yourself first," assured Alex, "The team will understand."

Brooks nodded as he felt moisture welling up around his eyes. The thought of having to step down and not play for a few weeks upset him greatly, but he knew he had to. He was no good to his team in the condition he was currently in.

Alex leaned forward and gave his friend a hug and patted him on the back, "Get outta here, Brooksy. Go take care of what you need to take care of…we'll be here when you're ready to come home."

Brooks felt his throat tighten when Ovechkin called the team "home." Being here really did feel like being home…these guys were like a family to him.

Brooks nodded, unable to speak as emotion overwhelmed him. He grabbed his bag and made a bee-line for the door. As he stepped out into the bright morning light, Brooks knew he had a long road to travel down now. The road to recovery was going to be long, hard and painful…but he had no other choice. He had to go through this so he could move on. He had to learn to let go of her…

…

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