Holding On

Chapter 36

Sarah had mistakenly started to research the injuries linked to ice hockey that night before bed. She knew she definitely shouldn't have watched the videos, seeing as she couldn't sleep for hours afterwards.

She didn't think it would be easy to watch her friends play anymore. Specially not Connor.

Jason, loyal to a fault with people he connected with, would not leave the house the next morning without a slice of toast. To say their Mom was confused was an understatement.

Sarah felt terrible for Jay, after pining after Erin for years and finally getting together and now her moving away? She knew she couldn't eve

n think about the possibility of Connor ever leaving. No wonder Jay had been down the past couple of days.

"But why toast?" Her Mom asked.

"Because Jay doesn't feel good and Sarah always makes toast that makes my tummy better Mom."

"Jay's girlfriend might be moving and he's sad." Sarah said and then out the door the siblings went with Jason carrying a slice of toast in a napkin.

Jason took his normal seat, "Here." He shoved the napkin in Jay's direction.

"What…?" He asked, bewildered, as he pulled his earphones out.

"You don't feel good. You'll feel better with Sarah's toast. It's magic for me, so it'll be magic for you. Like Katie's soup, it made Sarah feel better."

"Thanks?" Jay said with a shy smile.

"Jason is worried about you." Sarah supplied.

"And we want you to stop moping around." Will added before Sarah hit him.

"Yeah because you're one to talk." Jay told him. "Thanks Jason, it's real nice of you. It'll definitely make me feel better."

"I'm worried about Jay." Emily admitted when she sat next to Sarah at the empty table at lunch, resting her head on her hand as she watched their friend cross the cafeteria to talk to Antonio.

"Erin's really leaving?"

"Apparently so, something to do with her Mom.." Emily said, "But Jay looks like he's so lost."

"At least the game tomorrow should take his mind off it right?"

"I hope so." Emily sighed. "Speaking of which, I hear a certain boyfriend of yours is playing again? And you are wearing his number, right?" Emily gushed.

"Oh...I guess so?"

"You totally will." Emily waved it away as a done deal. "It'll be so cool watching him play again, he's really good."

"Did you go to the games last year?"

"Oh yeah, Jay needed someone to help him take notes on the plays and to keep him company." Emily shrugged, "Plus, watching cute guys play is fun too." She laughed.

"Yeah…"

"What's up?" Emily obviously caught onto her less than enthusiastic response.

"I'm just worried. Connor really shouldn't be playing, what if he gets really hurt?"

"You can't live your life in fear, sometimes you have to go after what you love." Emily said and Sarah was slightly blindsided by her friend's serious response.

Emily just shrugged, "It's one of my parents sayings, after they had Ethan and couldn't have another baby, and they were worried about starting the whole adoption process and then going through the whole ordeal with the chance of not getting a kid, they said it was worth going after something you really want, you know?"

Sarah blinked, Emily was a bundle of contradictions, just when she thought her friend couldn't much be more happy go lucky, she went and showed she had a serious side. "Yeah I get it."

"Connor probably loves the sport and wants to have a bit of fun and considering everything with his Mom, he deserves it. If it makes him happy, then it's okay, isn't?"

Well, when Emily put it like that, it made sense and all she wanted was for Connor to be happy, but it didn't mean she would stop worrying about him.

"Hey Connor can I have a word?" Claire practically dragged Connor away as soon as he said hi to their Mom after school.

"What's going on Claire?" Connor asked, slightly alarmed.

"So I did a bit more digging, my classes can be very boring and anyway you will never guess what happened with Ava?" Claire declared as soon as she got out of hearing reach of their parents.

"What?"

"Her Dad made some bad investments and boom, bye bye his huge company." Claire said, her eyes wide.

"So? It's not like he's self made, didn't he inherit fortunes?"

"All. Gone." Claire stated slowly. "They are trying to keep it under wraps because apparently some of it got shady, transferring accounts to Ava and her Mom and offshore but…"

"Wow, seriously?"

"Yep. They've lost everything. They've lost everything and now they owe a lot to like everyone."

"Oh…"

"Yeah, nobody saw this coming."

"You can say that again, Dad is always harping on about how really rich they are."

"Yep, not any more huh?"

"Kids?" Katie called, "Are you there? Dinner's almost ready!"

"We're coming." Claire replied, before lowering her voice and turning to her brother. "Talk about getting what was coming to them huh?"

Sarah knew her Mom was coming around to Connor again but she was trying to ease her back in and ended up carpooling with the Halsteads to the game so she could still be in good graces.

Sarah was surprised Nina wasn't with them but Will made some excuse so she didn't push it.

"How are you feeling about tonight?" She asked Jay.

Jay shrugged, "Okay I guess."

"Man, you have got to get your head in, at the very least for Herrmann's sake, the man has not stopped sending you plays and is practically your personal cheerleader." Will said.

"Is Erin coming?" Sarah asked softly.

"Yeah, probably her last one." Jay admitted. "I know she doesn't go to our school but I'm giving her my jersey anyway."

"Seriously? Dude. That's a bit fast don't you think?" Will asked.

"No." Jay shot back.

"I think it's sweet." Sarah reassured him.

"What about you Reese? You getting a jersey today?" Will asked with a grin.

"I don't know…" She answered and both boys just laughed.

They arrived at the rink and Sarah noticed Connor waiting for them.

"Best of luck guys, you'll be great." she said, hugging them both, "And be careful." She told them sternly.

"Yeah, yeah,yeah I know, I'll have Rhodes' back." Will rolled his eyes with a smile

"No, I mean you two be careful as well, okay?" Sarah hissed but Connor hadn't seemed to have heard them.

"We will, thanks Sarah." Jay said, before pushing Will away, leaving her with Connor.

"Hey you." he said with an easy smile.

"Hi."

"So I was getting ready for the game and I remembered something really important."

"What?" She asked in a bashful manner, grabbing his hand.

"Well, two things actually, first…" He said, closing the distance between them and kissing her softly. "That I love you." He whispered before capturing her lips with his again.

She sighed softly, falling into his embrace, her heart racing.

"Oh and the second one..." He murmed with his eyes still closed, "Would you want to wear my jersey for the game?" He asked almost shyly.

"Really?"

"Yes of course."

"I'd love to." She admitted with a smile.

He produced a freshly pressed jersey from his gear bag having and helped her put it over her sweater as she took her jacket off.

"Looks good?" She asked.

"Amazing." He told her with a wide grin, kissing her again before they heard Antonio shouting for him.

"Good luck and be safe." She told him, holding his arm to stop him leaving just yet. "Promise me?"

"I promise I'll try." He told her sincerely. "I'll be looking for you in the crowd."

She smiled and leaned to kiss him softly as the senior called again. "I love you." She said as he graced his finger on her cheek and walked away.

Sarah made her way over to the bleechers only to be met by Natalie and her parents and siblings, she said her hellos and then took a seat beside Nat a little further from them. "That number looks good on you."

"It does?" Sarah smiled but Natalie knew something was going on inside her friend's head. "How bad was his injury?"

"Bad." Nat replied, her hand resting on her ever growing tummy. "He was advised not to play sports so he wouldn't have to have surgery." Sarah blinked. "I was actually surprised to hear he was playing but...it makes him happy and Sarah you should see him out there is like all of this labels he's had since birth just disappear and he just shines."

Sarah could live with that, she guessed. Natalie then proceeded to reassure her and Sarah admitted to her, her conversation with Will.

"Well then, you have nothing to worry about."

Emily, Monique, Erin and even Nina joined them as the game began. Sarah saw Hermann, Cindy and the kids also there, they'd made a sign for both Henry and Connor and Luke held a phone the entire time recording everything.

As soon as Connor came out, Sarah's mind began to reel though and she worried as Will sent a nod her way.

The first half of the game went just fine, Jay seemed to have been focusing although he'd glanced to the crowd every now and again.

Connor would look over his shoulder too and smile, she even saw Antonio give both boys a slight smack on the head so they would focus back.

Jeff was there too and Will kept his eyes mostly on the puck or his feet. It was clear both of them were trying to just focus on the game.

Connor was really good, just like everyone had said and he and Will made it look so easy when they would pass the puck around and do a formation, working as a team.

Granted, they could stand the other now and share food, not go at each other because they had an understanding, over Nat and even Sarah.

They could work their friendship around that. "Are you doing okay?" Emily asked.

"He's amazing, isn't he?" Sarah sighed and Emily smirked.

"They make it look so easy." Monique commented. Sarah nodded, she would have to ask Connor for a new skating lesson soon.

"Hey guys, can I sit with you?" A voice said behind them.

"Here." Monique said so she could sit beside her and not in the middle of Emily and Sarah.

"Thanks." The girl said with a smile. "They weren't kidding about Connor, huh? You must be swooning Sarah."

"Yes, he's for real so perfect. Last week she was sick and he babysat Jason." Emily commented. "Oh and took care of her too."

Sarah turned tomato red, remembering the whole thing. "So, have you and Connor, you know…" Gaby eyed her. And Sarah understood, she also knew the girls were a bit older than her, they were about to be 16. Natalie turned to Gabby and was about to speak when there was a loud gasp.

Someone was on the ground. Sarah searched for Connor's number quickly in the crowd and found him beside Will and Jay, sighing with relief.

The boys were on fire, Jay and Will each scored and Jeff who was the Goalie, kept making it harder for the other team to score so the game went quicker than usual, or maybe it hadn't but Sarah was finally making sense of it.

The other team didn't make it easy on them the next quarter though as Henry had been the only one who had scored. Sarah and Nat turned their heads to glance at Hermann who cheered and Henry, Sarah could have sworn rolled his eyes from the rink. "Do you think he's okay?" Emily asked the other girls who giggled.

Sarah then looked on the far side, she hadn't noticed Claire Rhodes was sitting by the corner with Lily on her lap. "She used to come to every game and record it for Elizabeth." Natalie told her. "Last year though, she kind of didn't come as often and Connor noticed. It was yet another thing that made them pull apart."

Sarah glanced at Connor's sister who noticed her and gave her a shy smile.

Nat then pointed to the Halstead's dad and Sarah was glad to find him in the crowd cheering for the boys.

The game advanced without too much drama, there was a moment in which Connor had been pushed to the side by one of the other team members and he almost fell, face front on the ice but it looked like Will had pulled him up before he could fall.

Sarah sighed with relief. "Only two minutes to go and we're losing!" Monique said, "We're so close!"

Then, everything happened pretty fast as Sarah saw Henry, Connor and the Halstead brothers in formation. Will passed the puck to his brother and Connor called for Henry as he tried to shoot the last goal of the night but missed, having Connor make a last minute call, swooping in by the side to skate closer and under the Goalie, scoring.

The crowd cheered and Sarah felt herself clapping as she saw Connor beam at his friends who congratulated him but not missing a beat to glance at her in the crowd with a charming wink and a smile too.

They'd won and Connor had made quite a comeback.

The boys gave each other handshakes and each team dispersed on the rink. Sarah saw Erin leave the bleachers with Nina following closely behind. "You should go find him." Nat said and Sarah nodded, making her way down, and as she was about to turn her feet on the last step she saw Connor making his way over to her instead with a wide smile on his face and hair all plastered with sweat. He honestly looked hot.

She leaned into the rink's side to meet him halfway as Sarah then threw herself into his arms, he caught her just in time for her to kiss him.

It was sloppy and honestly took him by surprise at first but he returned it gladly. Right now, Sarah honestly didn't think about who might be watching, she was so proud of him and so happy he was okay.

"You were amazing!" She said breaking the kiss.

"I didn't know how much I'd missed it," He beamed at her. "You looked pretty cute in my jersey by the way." Sarah turned red and he kissed her again.

Someone called for him and he broke the kiss reluctantly. "I need to go, I'll see you in a minute?"

Sarah bit her lip. "Okay."

"What?"

"Nothing, you just...I love you."

"I love you too Sarah, thank you for being here tonight." He said touching her cheek with his cold fingers. "Hey, I'm pretty sure we're all going to Molly's. You think your Mom will let you?"

"I don't know…" She admitted.

"Rhodes, let's go!" Antonio called and he hung his face down sighing. "You can kiss all you want later!"

"Go, I'll be here." She said with a smile as he leaned to peck her lips again quickly before following the rest of the team.

Sarah sighed as she went back to her friends while texting her Mom and praying she'd let her hang out with them.

"Sarah! There you are…" Emily said placing a hand around her shoulder. "Did you have a good victory kiss?"

She turned tomato red. "Oh, Come on!" She mused. "We all saw"

"It was amazing…" Sarah admitted shyly.

"I bet." Emily winked "So, we're getting some Molly's hot cocoa. Is Connor driving you?"

"I'm not sure my Mom will let me. She's just getting on the good side with him again and I don't want to push it."

"Oh, is she?" Emily said. "Come on, what else could she ask for in a boyfriend huh? He loves you, respects you and adores your brother. What more proof does she need about him?" Sarah sighed. "Oh hey about what Gabby said…" Emily bit her lip. "You know about you and Connor? It's not like she and Matt had done anything either, I mean we all know what could happen…"

Sarah was about to answer when Natalie made her way over to them. Talk about subtilty "Hey guys, I'm sorry, I'm missing Herman's show off at Molly's but I'm so tired."

"We get it Nat, don't worry." Emily smiled. "We're still on for baby shopping tomorrow though right?"

"Yeah, for sure." Nat beamed at her. The guys were making their way over as Nat worked out the details with Emily about which car they should take to the mall.

"You are coming too, right Sarah?"

Yes, she'd already convinced her Mom, that's why she wasn't sure she'd allow her to go to Molly's.

"Yeah, Emily is picking me up."

"Awesome. Oh, there's Henry, I'm going to go say goodnight."

"So, I didn't make an entire fool of myself in front of Claire, did I?"

"No, are you kidding? You were awesome." Henry gave her a smile.

"And Connor, it was like he never left huh? Not that he hasn't secretly being practicing.." Henry pointed out.

"How did you…" She wasn't the only one who knew, although honestly they didn't know how he had found the time with all he was trying to balance in his life.

"I have my ways…" Henry mused. "I might be mostly clueless but not as much."

Nat smirked.

"Hey guys." Connor met up with them a moment later, not missing a glance at Sarah who stood with her friends. "You going home?"

"Sadly. I don't think I can stay awake much longer, but hey… you two were amazing. Just like old times huh?" Nat beamed at the two of them, waving them away and winked at the other girls as she joined her family over.

Henry and Connor walked to where Sarah was with her friends. "Ready to go home?" He asked her.

"Actually, my Mom said I could hang out a little longer." She said as he walked with her hand in hand. "But just for an hour or so."

"Okay…"

"And Will has to drive me back…" Sarah said sadly. "Sorry, she's just stressed about work and…"

"Sarah, I get it. It's fine."

They made it to Molly's, Sarah having Jay and Will to chaperone, but Connor was way too happy about the game to even care.

Hermann was beyond himself with excitement over the West Chicago Penguins making it to the next phase of the tournament and Antonio didn't lose a beat to assure Connor he was not letting him go this time.

"I'm a senior now Rhodes, this is it for me. You gotta let me have it man." He said as he slided to their table. Sarah saw her boyfriend battle with himself.

"I'll think about it." He said finally, not looking at Reese.

"That's all I ask." Antonio smirked and joined the others by another table, Henry sighed.

"At least he's not all over me. Unlike some people." He said eyeing his Dad.

"Aw, Henry he's just happy about the game." Sarah piped up.

"No, you don't understand. I'll never live it down." He said, sipping on his drink. No work for him tonight, Hermann was way too happy. "And you man, how do you feel?"

"Okay." Connor said. "I'll live."

"So, you're playing next saturday, right?" Jay asked, sitting beside Erin. Sarah glared at him.

"I'm not sure. I'm going to see how I feel, I really don't want to push it."

"Or make her mad you mean." Jay mused and Erin elbowed him. "What? I'm just saying, Sarah here was freaking out."

She didn't reply but rather avoided Connor's gaze. "Well, we worry about all of you, you could get seriously hurt." Erin put in, making her relax and get back into a conversation, until her eyes drifted to the side to where Will was talking to Nina, Sarah was pretty sure they were walking on eggshells now, but she'd shown up and supported him either way.

Feelings were still there.

"Hey, are you okay?" Connor asked into her hair.

"I'm fine." She said, tapping her fingers on her cup. "You?"

"I could get out of here." He told her. Sarah raised an eyebrow when he offered her his hand. "Just for a little while, you'll be back and Will can drive you home." His eyes were burning into hers and his lips were too close to her neck for her to think straight.

"Oh, you're going?" Jay piped up. "Are we boring you?"

"A little." Connor bit his lip and Jay didn't seem amused. Henry then got called over by his Dad and Connor took the chance to pull Sarah away from the crowd as Erin and Jay were left alone.

"You did that on purpose?" She asked as he held out the door for them and they made it out into the night.

"Yeah, I figured we could give them some time alone." He winked.

"You're sweet." She commented but then felt self conscious about the fact they were once again behind Molly's.

By themselves.

"Well, I feel like we all need to celebrate our own way huh?" He mused pulling her closer. Sarah smiled. "And I might have wanted you for myself for a minute."

Connor bit his lip as he leaned in to kiss her. Sarah closed her eyes as her hands wrapped around his waist, kissing him back gladly.

Henry had seen Claire at the game. He'd told her about it and of course she would be there supporting Connor, the two of them seemed to be on better terms now and he was glad, they would be needing each other in time.

"Henry." She said as he was on a table talking with Will and Nina, but they seemed to be pretty much occupied on their business to notice.

"Hey Claire." He smiled.

"You were so good out there, I kind of missed seeing you play…" She mused and Henry went a little red. "Your Dad sure seems proud."

"Don't remind me." Henry laughed. " Did you record the game for your Mom?"

"Yeah, there wasn't anything too bad and Connor told her he was playing, she was a little worried over the whole knee thing but he's going to have it checked out on Monday, so.."

Henry smiled again. "He was happy though."

"He was." She agreed. "And you seemed on your element. You could be captain next year." The younger boy blinked.

"You… you think so?"

"Absolutely." She offered him a smile. "Hey, have you seen my brother anywhere?"

"He, uh, last time I saw him, he'd gone out with Sarah to the back."

"Oh, alright." Claire said with a knowing smirk. "Well, will you tell him I'll see him at home?"

"For sure." Claire smiled again and said her goodbyes.

"Thanks, I'll see you Henry and hey I heard you took a makeup math test and did really good. That's great."

"Well, I… I have you to thank for that." Henry admitted shyly.

"Nah, I'm sure you did it all on your own, you just needed a little push." She winked at him and walked away.

Will's voice made Henry snap out of the daze that was Claire Rhodes. "Need a napkin Hermann?"

"Uh, what?"

"Nothing." Will mused, glancing at his phone. "I better go find Reese, I'll see you Henry."

Will said nothing more as Nina offered Henry a kind smile and followed her boyfriend in search of Sarah.

Soo, how amazing are the boys? And Henry and Claire. OTP, right?