Thanks for the patience! Here is the new chapter to my hockey series story! Ps - Keep a look out for it's follow up sequels interestingly enough all six can be either read after one another or read separately, titles will not be revealed just yet

Chapter 21

Pre-season was soon upon Ashley a lot quicker than she had realized. She already had a lot to do with training and schoolwork she barely took notice of just how quickly the weeks had come and gone. Now though it was time to get really excited with her spending the next few weeks off school though to her dad's dismay as he had felt she had really started to settle well into the school and work hard; and from this point on she was going to be spending more time out on the ice. Her friends were up and arms about the situation as they had wanted to be part of it as well to see how she went, but she couldn't have them around as she'd been told by the other players, that when you had family and friends around it would prove to be more of a burden than a helping hand. Aldo before leaving out of the school Ashley kept a very close eye on Geoff while he hung around their group like a puppy. Jess was completely smitten with him as well as she believed every single word he told her; his keenness to be around her though the rest of her friends tended to think otherwise, and he drew just as much suspicion when he played nice around Ashley though like her friends she knew better and just took what he said with a grain of salt. She was glad to be able to escape the clutches of school for a while though as the pressure hard started to come on of late with nosy reporters hanging around the school always waiting to get her at the right time for a quick sound bite. If they were unable to get her at the school grounds they would then try the home and the rinks, both at the Joe and also where the Griffiths play. This time around though the Red Wings organization was much more prepared for the media rush. They brought in extra security for the arena especially when the teams were at practice and Brett was on constant stand by just in case. Ashley didn't see why there needed to be all this fuss though she had seen it happen a bit back in Auckland the way people were carrying on here confused her.

'Everyone just wants to know about you,' Kris remarked. She cocked her head and burrowed her eyebrows. Today was another day of practice held in the afternoon and the coaching staff had decided to extend the session since the very first pre-season game was in two days and Scotty wanted all of his players to be ready.

'Why would they want to know about me? I'm not that interesting anyway.' She said Kris laughed.

'Well it isn't every day when we come across a player of your talent. It is a rarity in the game.' He remarked she shook her head.

'I still don't get the fuss.' She said.

'You will in time,' he answered.

'Stop chatting and get to work,' Scotty said he walked past them with his usual Red Wings baseball cap, that familiar clipboard and the whistle hanging around his neck.

'Yes sir.' Kris and Ashley answered they quickly skated away from the bench joining their teammates down ice. A small group had gathered around Chris to practice their shooting, another group did a few stretches; the next group was closer to centre ice doing passing drills.

'I have an idea,' he said the grin slowly spreading across his face he gave Ashley a nudge in the side she pretended to not know what he was on about and ignored his nudge.

'You not keen?' he asked she kept a straight face.

'Depends on how you look at it.' She answered.

'What do you mean?' he asked she skated in front stopped and turned around.

'What I mean is, are you sure you are up for getting beaten again?' she asked the corners of her lips curving into a smile Kris grinned he wiped his hands.

'I never turn down a challenge, kid and that is something you will get used to being around me all the time,' he replied.

'Ok then you are on,' she answered.

'Good.' He said.

'Guys, hey guys get out of the way. We got a little race challenge happening here!' Kris called to their teammates everyone else stopped what they were doing looked over at the two with Kris skating to the opposite end of the rink and Ashley took up her spot closer to the away team's bench.

'This should be very interesting again.' Darren said.

'Yeah I wonder if Drapes has a new plan up his sleeve.' Kirk answered.

'He better have otherwise he's going to get embarrassed again and it won't look good for the future,' Joey said.

"He has definitely met his match though I reckon. She is one of the quickest here already and we were probably only seeing her going at half pace just at training.' Brendan answered.

'You guys should have seen her with the Griffiths.' Doug said coming over to join in on the conversation he let out a low whistle.

'Oh yeah, I remember that one too.' Kirk added he nodded his head in agreement.

'More of the same?' Steve asked.

'Yeah and even more than what we have seen. Trust me you guys should have been there,' Kirk added Doug nodded his head.

'He's right we just couldn't believe what we saw her produce with the Griffiths was unbelievable. If she had any chance of breaking into the big time she would go well in all aspects of the game.' Doug answered.

'Get ready!' Scotty called out to the two players they had spent a couple of minutes doing a few stretches to get warmed up for their little race. As soon as they heard Scotty call out though the stretches came to a stop and they quickly lined up against one another at their respective blue lines.

'This is definitely going to be fun. I tell you, if Drapes doesn't win it I won't be at all surprised.' Joey said the big grin on his face the others standing around him burst out laughing.

'Let's see it all unfold then I can't wait,' Brent replied.

'Hey, Scotty!' he yelled, Scotty glanced over his shoulder back at the main group only for a brief few seconds.

'Get it going already we don't want to wait all day!' Brent yelled, the old coach had s sly grin on his face he nodded his head and turned back to face the two challengers.

'Get ready.' He said Kris and Ashley were in position they didn't look anywhere else but to where they were going to skate to Scotty put the whistle up to his mouth he hesitated for several more seconds then blew on his whistle. Kris and Ashley took off in a split second they looked evenly matched heading into the turn to go past the goal posts on either side of the ice. When they came out the other end and sprinted down line towards centre from what everyone could gather Ashley had sneaked slightly ahead but she was unable to build on her lead as they rounded the goals again to come back to where they started, crossing their respective blue lines Scotty blew on his whistle Kris and Ashley pulled up quickly turned around and gave each other a nod and at the benches the rest of the squad looked back at one another nodding their heads and whispering.

'Well coach? What did you think?' Kris asked Scotty shook his head the sly smile on his face.

'Nothing amazes me anymore with the two of you.' He said Kris laughed both he and Ashley swapped high fives and skated back to re-join their teammates.

'Ok enough of the fun and games let's get down to business I want everyone back in the dressing room we have a video session shortly,' Scotty said, all of the players shuffled along towards the dressing room talking as they went Ashley though stopped for a minute she glanced back over her shoulder towards the ice.

'Pearson?' Scotty asked she looked at him.

'Sorry sir but—um—there is something I'd like to try if it is alright with you.' She said he cocked his eyebrows.

'What is it you want to try?' he asked.

'Well it is a bit difficult to explain I think it would be a lot easier if I could show you,' she said he was curious.

'Go right ahead and let us have a look.' He said she grinned.

'Thanks I will be right back,' she answered happily rushed off to the room to find what she wanted Dave nudged Scotty in the side.

'Do you want to tell me what this is all about?' he asked.

'When the scouts guys saw her earlier in the year they said they were most impressed by a particular move she executed in one of the games. So far she hasn't replicated it since and my guess now she is feeling more comfortable around us she feels she can do it even if it doesn't come off the way she might want it to.' Scotty explained.

'I see, I see.' Dave replied.

'Ok, ok I'm back now!' Ashley said bouncing back into view followed by Kris, Kirk, Brent and Doug.

'What will you need them for?' Dave asked she just grinned.

'You will see in a second.' She said and turned to the guys.

'All right so you all ready for this?' she asked.

'Sure are you lead the way kid.' Doug remarked they all stepped back onto the ice, and at the same time the rest of team changed out of their training gear and came back out curious to see what was going on.

'Hey, Scotty what is happening here?' Joey answered.

'Wait and watch Joey.' Scotty remarked. Ashley had her fellow line mates stood at centre ice and she explained what she wanted from each of them although it did surprise her they took it in and didn't as too many questions she wouldn't have minded fielding their questions.

'Ok then so are we all on the same page now?' she asked looking at each of them in turn they nodded their heads.

'It isn't going to be very difficult to do so lets run through it,' Kris said he slid the puck over to Ashley.

'Thanks, all right guys let's show them how it goes hopefully though we don't much it up as I've only told you how to do it but not actually shown you,' she answered all of them though just simply waved their arms back at her.

'No need to fret it will be all under control you have to trust us and we'll trust you,' Brent answered.

'Let's go.' She remarked this time she moved the puck to Kirk he skated backwards giving them a little wave and a salute.

'Ok that is where you are starting from!' Ashley called out when Kirk slid to a stop behind the empty net goal.

'Then the two of you.' She said pointing to Dough and Brent.

'Head out to the sides and stay near the blue line.' They did as told and Ashley then looked at Kris he had the puck on his stick she thought about it for a minute hoping this would work even though they didn't have any opposition against them. She'd spent a little bit of time doing small tweaks to the blue-line back-door rush move, it had been used well in it's original state all through her years but, now that she was in a different league she knew changes had to be made to keep it all a secret. This was just one option she had for the move and if proved to go all right in practice she hoped there would be a chance to show case it during a game.

'You've got the puck so you're going to head behind the net to where Kirk is and the two of you will exchange a fake pass to one another, but do pass it to him and he'll drop it down to me and that's where I take over then let it go from there,' she said he nodded his head he skated off and headed down ice towards the empty net goal Ashley did the same from her direction towards them. Kris did a drop pass to Kirk he deflected it straight behind him where Ashley picked the puck up skated by the two of them, up and around the net heading for the blue line.

'Now cross over.' She remarked to Brent and Doug they skated along with her towards centre ice then just as the two of them reached the centre red line they immediately crossed paths with each other Ashley went up the middle between them and then back-handed the puck into the zone Brent chased after it straight away Doug and Ashley tapped their sticks on the ice repeatedly, Brent flung his pass across the zone the puck slid across towards Ashley she went to shoot using her wrist shot but instead she only deflected the puck between her legs over to Doug he snapped the shot the puck bounced hard off the inside of the goal post and came out again.

'I got it!' Kris yelled the others stopped and let him fly past and over to the empty net and with a little nudge with his stick the puck went in.

'Piece of cake there,' Doug answered Ashley shook her head she had a grin on her face.

'Yeah without an opponent it is easy of course. Maybe next time we'll see how it goes with the added opposition.' She replied they headed back to the bench.

'Where did you learn it all from?' Brent asked.

'I didn't, but my old coach told me to find a way to make use of my speed as best I could.' She said.

'Just tried a few little things and practice and sometimes even in games. Everyone thought it was stupid but they didn't get it,' she replied.

'So how do you manage to pull it off with your line mates?'

Ashley shrugged again.

'I don't.' she said a slightly sheepish look on her face Brent arched his eyebrows curious at her comment.

'When I started it, the whole thing was my idea so it was just my own thing to do and, the rest of them went along with it because the coach told them too. But I don't know I guess some of the guys didn't really mind because it helped make them look good or something like that,' she answered shrugging her shoulders.

'All right everyone get ready we will meet you upstairs in half an hour.' Scotty remarked.

'Will there be food to eat as well?' Brendan asked the cheeky grin on his face Scotty and his assistant coaches looked at one another they had similar smiles on their faces.

'You don't need to worry about it we have everything all sorted out,' Dave answered; all of the players chatted away with each other heading towards the locker room once again Ashley picked up her things and headed towards the bathroom area no one else paid any attention that she'd left.

Half an hour later the entire squad gathered together on the top floor of the Joe heading towards Howe's suite Ashley hadn't been back up here since all those weeks back when everything had unfolded she had fond memories of it.

'Well, well look at what we have here,' Kris replied Ashley quickly shook her head from her thoughts and looked around they had all entered through the glass doors, and all of the tables and chairs had been clearly out and stacked neatly at the far end of the room towards the back end a small table was set up with a video projector and it was facing a portable white flat screen.

'Go ahead and help yourselves first we will start the video session in a few minutes,' Dave said he motioned with his hand to something next to the group they tuned around to look, a large rectangular table stood near by and it was laden with a huge pile of food.

'Ah now this is much more like it.' Sergei said a gleeful smile on his face.

'Once again Dave you have come through for us like you always do,' Aaron answered Dave laughed.

'Just go and enjoy it but it is back to work soon so enjoy it while you still can.' He said all of the players didn't need to be asked twice they grabbed up plates and began to scoop the food into their plates. There were salads, meats and seafood and Ashley helped herself to the freshly cooked prawns toppled with seafood sauce then she next grabbed the salad.

'Don't get too carried away there kid.' Joey said she glanced back over her shoulder and gave him a smirk.

'Lucky me then I can eat anything but nobody else can!' she remarked everyone laughed the coaching staff in particular watched this with interest the youngster had settled in well no one treated her differently and form all reports at the Griffiths she was fitting in well over there too.

'So what do you think Scotty?' Dave asked.

'Time will tell Dave time will tell. There is no need for us to get ahead of ourselves at the moment,' Scotty answered, the players mingled around eating off their plates and casually talking with one another Ashley walked over to the window on the right side of the suite the view over-looked the rink below and form up here it looked small and she could only imagine how small the players would look when they were out on the ice. Ashley also got to wondering about her old friends back in Auckland, she wondered if they missed her, if they were wondering why she didn't come back with the Steamrollers and she is wondered what her old coach was going to do with team for next year.

'What's up kid, you're looking a bit lost there,' Doug said coming to sit near by she glanced at him.

'No.' She remarked shaking her head.

'Missing your friends maybe?' he asked she stared at him her jaw almost fell open surprised out of all the guesses he could make he picked that one. When he saw the look of surprise on her face he laughed.

'We have all been in similar situations you don't have to worry about a thing, you can always come and talk to one of us if you want.' He said she smiled.

'Yeah, I guess, it's just you know really strange,' she said.

'How is it strange?' he asked she didn't reply at first and instead paid more attention to peeling the hard shell case off the prawn Doug didn't push her to respond he waited and watched her work.

'Well, of all the times I have played I do it with familiar people and places and everything was easily supported if something went wrong,' she said.

'Now, now its like one stupid thing and I think it will all go wrong.' She added.

'I think you just need to relax and take things a bit easy.' He remarked.

'I also think you are being a bit hard on yourself,'

Ashley burrowed her eyes brows

'What do you mean?' she asked, Doug settled back on the chair he sat on and put his plate on the empty chair next to him.

'From what I can see you're almost putting quite a bit of pressure on yourself to perform and keep up with what everyone is expecting of you.' He said.

'I was taught to do it every since I started playing.' She replied he nodded his head.

'I know but it is not always about what everyone else thinks. You have to play for yourself too, and do what makes it a great game for you. Sometimes if us, as players keep on worrying bout playing for other people we will only make the game much more miserable and we'd take away the enjoyment.' He explained.

'I guess so.' She answered.

'Think about it,' he added grabbing his plate again he stood up and walked over to the other guys she watched him and thought over his words. * He does make a point I suppose. No, no I had to work hard to get here I can't get slack! He has experience though so he wouldn't know, he wouldn't just tell me all of that to try and scare me. Maybe he and the other guys all feel threaten by me being here. No don't be stupid. * Ashley wasn't going to believe it the whole club had been nothing but nice and helpful to her since her first day and they wouldn't have gone through all of that trouble with talking to the NHL. She looked around the room as the players mingled together with the coaching staff everyone was at ease with one another and while no one came to disturb her she didn't feel quite as out of place as she thought.

'Ok team, take your seats we're going to get the video session started.' Dave said, some players scampered back to the food table to fill up their plates while the rest of the team pulled out the chairs and took a seat. The screen turned blue from the black it showed only moments earlier Scotty went to take his spot next to the screen he had a long wooden stick in his hand Ashley arched her eyebrows just from the way he held onto the stick and faced the group she felt like she was back in school.

'Scotty likes to do this,' Kris whispered.

'Really?' she asked.

'Yeah, he has a lot of fun though all of our video sessions are a little bit like a bonding session with everyone all here together. Similar to being on the ice and training but in a much more enclosed environment,' he answered she nodded and smiled.

'That is pretty cool. My old coaches weren't like that everything was like really business orientated,' she remarked.