English Paper or Wade Brookbank story? Brooksy, of course! :D
Wow, I really should be working on my Research Paper, though.

Hurricanes won last night.
Brookbank got into 3 fights. One wasn't exactly counted as a fight, so he didn't get kicked out of the game. The ref called a "Roughing" Penalty. As much as I disliked those refs, I was glad he didn't kick Brooksy out. :D
Pretty Bloody game, though. 38 total penalties. 5 people in the Atlanta box at the same time... 3 in ours (Brookbank one of them). You know the "Too Many Players on Ice" call? Well, apparently, the people who work the big TV screen put, "Atlanta - Too Many Players in Penalty Box." Yeah, we had fun laughing at that one.
Oh, yeah, and we won 7-1. We scored in the first 43 seconds of the game. Can you say, Atlanta sucks? Sorry to the fans out there, but you know, without Hossa, you're nothing. xD
I do love Recchi, though.

Anyway, excuse my arrogant little speech. On to what you came for;;


You Put the Sun to Shame - Wade Brookbank

"So why you callin', sweetie?" Mom asked through the phone. It did hurt me that she knew I wasn't just calling to say hello.

I sighed and began speaking about the plans that I did not want to make at all. "Well, Wade and I wanted to come down and visit for about a week if that's okay with you and Dad."

The other end of the phone line was silent for a moment. "My goodness, of course you can, baby! You know we've been wantin' to meet that Wade of your's. He sounds like a real nice fella. When do you think y'all will be down?"

I mouthed the question to Wade and he shrugged. Once again, I rolled my eyes at him for making such a big deal about this and then not even knowing when he wanted to go down.

"Actually, Wade's hockey team is having a End-of-Season celebration tomorrow night to kind of say goodbye before everyone goes back to their off-season homes."

"Oh, that's right, I forgot he was a hockey player like you. I shoulda guessed that," she said with a little chuckle. I honestly didn't know what was funny about that.

"I was thinking we'd take a plane down on June 21st? It's a Monday two weeks away."

"Sure, that sounds like a plan. Y'know, Dusty and Billy are gonna be real 'cited to see ya. You're comin' just in time, too. The Alabama State Fair's gonna be up in Birmin'ham that week that y'all are down."

I was happy to hear about the State Fair. How could I forget? That was definitely my favorite part of the year when the big rides, the fattening, greasy food, and the famous rodeo was in the capital of Birmingham. "Wow, that's great."

"Mhmm, it sure is, sugar. I best get goin' your Daddy's gonna want to hear this, and he's gonna want his breakfast, too. I'll see you then, Kathy. I'm real happy to hear that we get to meet that boyfriend of your's."

Now was the time that I should have mentioned that Wade and I were going to get married but for some reason I bit my tongue. For some reason the words just wouldn't come out at all. The only thing that I could say was, "Me, too. Bye, Mom."

I hung up the phone with that bad feeling in my stomach. I couldn't believe I was going to Alabama.

"Why didn't you tell her we are getting married?" Wade asked, standing up and walking over to the coffee pot to pour more in my cup.

"I'm not sure. Something told me to hold it in until we get there. I don't know what it was, but I just think that I should tell her in person after pretty much ignoring my family for five years." Wade nodded in understanding - thank God for that.

"Okay, I get it. It's fine, I would be the same way. I did call my parents this morning and they were ecstatic." He was about to hand me the cup of coffee, but instead set it down on the counter and gave me a hug instead. "I know you don't want to go, Katherine, but this is your family and they really want to see you. I'm not trying to force anything but think about if you had a child and they go off to live in another country at 16 and you don't see them again until they're 21. How would you feel about that?"

I took his words in my head and let them take a tumble in my brain. Somehow, this trip didn't seem as dreadful as I thought it would be now. I was actually excited about visiting my little brothers and the animals that I left behind. Then again, I could only pin-point one ice rink that was about 45 minutes away from my house.

"I guess you're... right," I told him reluctantly. Even though I now believed what he said, I didn't want him to get big-headed. Wade had a history of arrogance when you told him he was right.

"I'm what?" A smirk started to form on his face and soon all seriousness was gone from his face.

"You're..." I mumbled the word 'right' inconherently.

"What?"

"You're right! Damn you! You're right!" I burst out angrily. His smile never faultered, he just stood in front of me with a cheesy smile. I wanted to slap it off, but I resisted.

"I know."

"You are so full of it," I snarled. Before I sould say anything else, I decided to just walk away. As I turned to leave, Wade quickly wrapped his arms around me and pulled me back to him. I wriggled in his arms, trying to get away.

"And you get the most random mood swings," he whispered, obviously trying to sound sexy. Which he did, but I wouldn't let him know. I thought it would be best just to be quiet and not say anything.

I felt those lips touch my neck and I, once again, attempted at silence.

"You want to talk, you want to talk," he sang under his breath, giving me another kiss on the neck.

Oddly, the atmosphere seemed to change. I felt Wade wave it off and I knew that when he opened his mouth, he'd bring up a new subject.

"So, about the party tomorrow night," he began. "I think you should wear that dress that you like so much."

I gave up, it was impossible to be mean. "You mean that black one that Amy and I bought last weekend?"

Wade sighed, apparently relieved that I was talking to him again. "Yes, that one."

A thought entered my mind and I turned to him to ask him a question. "Why do you put up with me?"

"What do you mean?" He was surprised at my question.

"Why do you love me when I'm such a bitch to you all the time? I mean, I just realized how mean I am to you."

He seemed to ponder this for a moment. "Well, it's because," he finally said, pausing for a moment, "I love how you're this tiny little thing that gets so worked up by everything. I love it when you rant, I never find it insulting because I know you so well by now that I know you honestly don't mean it."

My heart skipped a beat. "Really?"

Wade laughed and nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I mean it."

"Well, if it isn't the newly, umm, engaged," was the first statement that entered our ears as we entered Ray Whitney's house for the big Farewell party. Chad LaRose had said the comment. The news of our engagement had spread like wildfire throughout the team. I knew this because the only people I told were Bridjet, Amy, and Gee.

All the people who were there so far waved at us. "Hey Rosey," Wade laughed as the little 5'9" guy approached the two of us.

"Congrats guys, Cristina heard from Amy last night and burst into the apartment screaming, 'Katherine and Wade are engaged!' I mean, are you guys that popular?" Chad began his usual never-ending chatter. I held my laugh in at his hysterical mannerisms. Chad was the guy on the team that never stopped being funny, he could keep you laughing all day.

"Thank you," I told him, watching Cristina walk up to him with a dazzling grin on her face.

"Oh, my gosh! I'm so happy for you guys," she squealed, hugging Wade and I. Soon, Cam and Cody Ward, Tuomo Ruutu, Tim Gleason and their dates, and Eric and Tanya Staal were talking to us about our summer plans.

What seemed like an hour later, every player with their wives, girlfriends, etc, was there in the Whitney house, talking as if they were never going to see each other again.

"Excuse me, everyone," a voice interupted the chatting. Chad and Ray were standing next to each other with smirks plastered on their faces. When both pairs of eyes wandered to Wade and I, my heart dropped in fear of what immature thing they'd make us do.

"Oh, no," Wade muttered, evidently feeling the same pain.

"As many of you all know, there are two people here that are to be married. Miss Kathy-rin and Brooksy," Chad's smile widened, as did Ray's. "If you two could come join us for a second."

Wade and I slowly made our way as every person watched us with cheeky smiles. Once we were standing next to Chad and Ray, I knew for sure that we were in trouble.