Patient Futures

Maddie wandered down the hall after dinner, it was late, twelve o'clock late and she wasn't tired. She had been sleeping the whole day from eight to six plus the night before. She continued walking until the door at the end of the hallway cracked open. Maddie backed up against a door and watched as Alex and Buzz walked in sneakily. Maddie smiled as they passed her, unnoticed but she tapped Alex on the shoulder.

"AHHH!" Alex screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Shush." Maddie hushed her but it was too late.

Most of the guys in the dorms already stood in their doorways, rubbing eyes and yawning. Some stood in only pants.

"Sorry." Buzz stated although it was none of his fault.

Maddie put on her innocent face and wandered towards her room. She was closely followed by Alex and Buzz. Maddie picked up the pace and pulled a u-turn heading back down the hall. Robbie was just about to close his door but Maddie stopped him and pushed herself into the room, Alex knocking furiously at the locked door.

"Why do I have a feeling you had something to do with that?" Robbie asked as Maddie sat against the door, two boys in their beds.

"I…I…I didn't do-" Maddie stopped in mid sentence. "It was an accident."

"What are you doing up now anyways?" Robbie asked.

"I was sleeping all day."

"True." Jack added. "All day, not until six then she woke up and we went out for food."

"Yeah." Maddie agreed. "It's true, so, where do I sleep?"

"In your own room, come on." Robbie replied sternly.

"Jack." She whined.

He faked a snore and waved goodbye. Maddie made a face at him but he didn't see. Robbie walked her down the hall and opened her door, looking into a room holding an angry Alex. She glared at Maddie.

"Sorry." Maddie said sincerely.

"Yeah fine."

"Please?" Maddie dove onto her knees and pleaded.

"Fine."

"Please." She faked a tear. "Please?"

XxxxxXxxxxX

Alex walked out of the room the next morning and headed out the doors. She was going to walk along the strip and if she happened to see a certain someone there…maybe they could walk together. Alex marched along the side of the street she was on the previous time with Maddie and her eyes caught a glimpse of Buzz. He was alone and Alex headed towards him, putting on a smile.

"Hey." Alex smiled.

"Funny to see you here." Buzz joked. "How'd you get over last night?"

"She begged, literally, she was on her knees pleading so I just said fine."

XxxxxXxxxxX

Robbie sleeping in one bed, Jack half sleeping in the other. Maddie pushed the door open, fully dressed in a mini skirt and t-shirt, ready for the day.

"Rise and shine." She called.

"I don't want to go to school." Robbie muttered and pulled a pillow over his head.

"School? Not school, practice." Maddie retorted confused.

"Practice, I'm up." Robbie darted out of bed and right into the shower.

Maddie wandered over to Jack, still in bed, obviously not hearing a word she said or even looking at her. She jumped up and sat on the bed, jerking him awake.

"Morning." Maddie smiled.

He groaned at her and rolled over to look at her. She still smiled, not as big but her smile was still there.

"What time is it?"

"Eight. You hungry?"

"Yeah." Jack replied.

"You coming out with me then?"

"Only if I can go in my 'jammies'." He joked.

"No, I can't let you do that." Maddie opposed as she hugged him.

"What, am I dying?"

She faked a sob and slowly shook her head yes. He just looked at her, dumbfounded as to what she was doing.

"Take a joke around here." She muttered. "Yeah, you coming?"

XxxxxXxxxxX

There was no practice, Maddie always found it funny to see Robbie run around the room getting ready for the practice he didn't have. He realized that when he hit the rink and none of the others were there, she was kidding so he headed down the strip, catching some of the others.

"Hey Mac." Jimmy waved.

"Have you seen Maddie this morning?" He asked.

"Yeah, she was with-"

"Jack right Rizzo?"

"Yes, but have you noticed Buzz yet, he's down the strip with your cousin." Ramsey laughed.

"My whole family has turned against me." Robbie joked.

He spotted Maddie and Alex with the two in question walking towards them, Jack still on crutches. Robbie chuckled at the sight of them, he waited for Maddie to high five him before speaking.

"Where have you been?" Johnson joked.

"I was out back screwing some freak I picked up off the road." Alex replied sarcastically.

Maddie held back a fit of laughter. She could see the look in Robbie's eyes as he received that remark. He was shocked.

"Um, Robbie." Maddie called to him. "She's kidding."

"I know but still, her mind is worse than yours."

"Who's up for a cookie?" Alex asked.

"Not me, I'm way too full to eat anything." Maddie answered.

"Yeah, let's just ignore them for a while." Jimmy suggested.

"So O.C. you think you'll play in the Soviets game?" Silk asked.

"I don't know." He shrugged.

"With the luck you've been having, it wouldn't surprise me if you got to play that and the one a few days from now, man, look at the good luck streak you've got." Rizzo remarked.

"It's me!" Maddie yelled out against Alex. "Sorry."

"The girl speaks the truth." Robbie stated. "When she was going out with Jake he was having really good luck at everything except with her, man he was an ass."

"Is it that short?" Maddie questioned as she looked behind her at Robbie.

"What?"

"The skirt." Alex shook her head. "Duh."

"I like it." Jack remarked.

"But you can't see my butt right?" She asked.

"He wishes." Alex remarked.

"Be nice." Buzz added as Alex received a smack on the arm.

Maddie stood, shaking her hand in pain. She looked around the area and spotted something. She whispered to Jack and he handed her a crutch.

"Run!"

Alex took off down the street but didn't notice Maddie not chasing her. She smiled triumphantly and watched her cousin skitter around the strip.

XxxxxXxxxxX

Practice was later that day, after dinner, Jack was out on the ice but not doing a lot. Maddie and Alex sat in the stands and watched the team practice. She sat, not being able to sit still and eventually Maddie notices Alex's eagerness.

"Sit still." Maddie growled.

"Sorry." Alex replied.

"Why are you so antsy anyways?"

"My sister is supposed to be calling me today around seven."

"Go then you idiot." Maddie pushed her out of the seat and watched her run out the door.

XxxxxXxxxxX

Alex ran into the room and dropped everything when the phone rang. She picked it up on the end of the first ring and listened. A hello on the other end and a reply of hi from Alex. She listened carefully and burst into tears just in time for Maddie to pop in through the door. She slipped on the bed beside her and waited for the hang-up and when Alex did, she dove for Maddie.

"What's so saddening?" Maddie asked.

"It's not sad, it's happy, Kate's…"

"What?" Maddie asked eagerly awaiting the answer.

"She's pregnant."

Maddie shrugged off her suspicion and comforted her cousin.

"But how?" Maddie asked, it tugged at the back of her mind.

"You're honestly asking that?"