Team USA and team Iceland skated around their respective sides of the ice rink during the pre warm-up of the game. All of the players, coaches, training staff, and officials were bewildered with the crowd already going insane and the puck hadn't even dropped yet.
As soon as Gunnar and then Julie stepped out on the ice flowers and bears were thrown out to them. There were posters with hearts and their initials on them, blown up pictures of them kissing from the newspaper, it was crazy. It was all a little more than overwhelming, that was for sure. Seeing that the atmosphere in the building wasn't dying down anytime soon, Bombay and Stanssen told their teams to try and feed off the crowd's energy.
The face-off was won by Iceland and the game was underway. Anytime #9 neared the Ducks net loud girlish screams erupted from the stands. This brought on the amusement of the Viking players as they teased their captain relentlessly. Gunnar simply laughed it off and continued making excellent plays.
It was late in the first period when Stahl landed a huge check on Portman, it was the biggest clean hit of the tournament thus far. Dean made to go after him but was held back by Fulton as the play came to a stop with Iceland saving a goal. It was clear Portman would be seeking some retribution at some point before the game was over and done with.
Both locker rooms were buzzing with laughter and unknowingly Gunnar and Julie were closing their eyes, shaking their heads, and smiling at their ridiculous teammates at the same time. Respectively the two rivaling coaches tried to calm down their teams and focus on what needed to be improved on going into the next 20 minutes.
The second period proved to be all in Iceland's favor with Gunnar leading his team on. Julie was making some great saves but could feel that eventually they were going to get a goal scored on her. She calmed her breathing down and focused on every miniscule movement that caught her eye. A sudden and very fast slap shot came from the blue-line after Reed misread a pass and gave it up. Julie lined up for it to hit her chest but it was deflected off of Ken Wu's stick. At the last moment she reached out her glove and brought it down, covering it for the save and to bring Iceland's pressure to a momentary pause.
Bombay called for his Ducks to make a line change and Portman hit the ice. Gunnar had been skating towards her for a quick exchange when he was unexpectedly shoved down to the ice by the American enforcer. Stahl was quick to get back to his feet and the two stared each other down. The referee came between them but didn't give Portman the roughing penalty as he hadn't seen Gunnar being pushed down.
The face-off was won by Banks who carried up into Viking territory only to have it overturned courtesy of Sanderson. Olaf's pass back to his defenseman was missed and the puck sailed down into the Duck's zone. Gunnar was making chase but Portman got to the hash tags first for the call of icing. Gunnar had been close and made to circle around in front of the Ducks net with Julie still behind it as she collected the puck for the ref.
Out of no where Portman flew around the back of his own team net, he accidentally knocked Julie down backwards and went for the hit on Gunnar. Stahl's shoulder hit the ice hard. He got up fast and was about to go after Dean but saw that Julie hadn't gotten up yet.
In fact, she wasn't moving at all.
Fear gripped his chest and he went to her as quickly as possible. The arena was roaring with loud boo's but there was some clapping when #9 leaned over the Ducks star goalie.
"Julie," his voice came out in a low worried tone but she continued to lie there on the ice in eerie silence. "Come on open those beautiful eyes, let me know you are okay. Julie. Julie wake up." Gunnar remained kneeled over her as panic set in. With shaking hands his gaze quickly sought out the benches and waved for medical attention.
Medical trainers from both teams came running out towards them as Gunnar brought himself back onto his skates. Portman was still skating in circles near center ice, and with all the built up tension and frustration…all the new worry and icy cold fury for knocking his beautiful Julie unconscious, Gunnar took off towards him. It was time to deal with him once and for all.
Gunnar removed his helmet and tossed it to the side of the rink, with his stick and gloves soon following. The crowd absolutely erupted with cheers as they looked on. Portman managed to drop his stick and gloves before Stahl lunged at him with full speed.
Ripping off Dean's helmet Gunnar was a man on fire, every ounce of his body burned with revulsion for Julie getting hurt…once more…because of this moron. His fists connected with Portman's nose, the side of his head, anywhere he could reach. Dean was an enforcer for a reason and put up a good fight but there was simply no stopping Gunnar Stahl when he was this pissed.
Throwing Portman to the ice with a final hit to his jaw Gunnar kept one fist raised over Dean's head, the warning in his cold grey eyes was clear. He ignored the blood splattered on the ice and loud cheering in the arena. All that mattered was for Portman to get it through his thick skull that no one hurt Julie and got away with it…no one. It took the referee and both linesmen to pull Gunnar away. He was still burning with unsatisfied fury, his knuckles bleeding as he and Portman were kicked out of the game.
Gunnar turned to make his way off the ice when he saw to his terror Julie being fitted to a stretcher. He fell to his knees as he stared at her, his mouth open in horror, his heart stopped beating for several life-stealing seconds. Every voice in the arena had gone silent as they realized just how injured one of the players was. Gunnar stood to go to her but could barely skate he was so shaken up by what he was seeing. Olaf, Adam, Charlie, Connie, and Fulton seemed to appear next to him as they made their way closer to see what was going on with their dear friend. Olaf had to steady Gunnar by putting his arm under his shoulder and help him skate.
Bombay was with the medical team and the emergency crew as Julie was finally lifted off the ice strapped to the stretcher. She was still unconscious and not moving as several grown men took slow steady steps to not further worsen her injury.
Gordon eyed his team then looked to the referee, "Ducks forfeit."
"But Coach!" several of his players shouted out.
Bombay eyed them each, "Without Portman and Julie we don't have enough players," he was clearly frightened by what he'd been told by the medical staff regarding his number one goaltender, "Julie's being rushed to the hospital, I'm going with her."
Gunnar felt his world stop for a moment and Olaf had to keep him from falling over. As the Ducks coach started following after Julie he went to go after them, he needed to be with her, to see her, God she had to be okay. With the announcement of the forfeited game, the rest of Iceland and Coach Stanssen joined them on the ice.
Bombay was whispering to Miss McKay to contact her parents and mentioned to make sure Portman was okay. He then noticed quite a few players still following them. Eventually his gaze settled on the Vikings team captain, "I can't let you go with us Gunnar, I'm sorry. Go get changed and clean up those hands, take care of yourself before coming to see her."
"We will take care of him Bombay, just make sure she gets the help she needs," Wolf told him with a nod.
The Iceland coach then directed his team back to the locker room, where Sanderson and Wolf himself helped Gunnar get out of his gear. Everyone was quiet as they had grown fond of the pretty American goalie that meant so much to their captain. Seeing her unconscious and so still out on the ice left a bitter taste, no one wanted to see something like that, it was scary. Yet that was the risk all players took, it was just unfortunate because this could have been avoided. Stanssen led the still shaking star into the restroom and quietly started cleaning the blood from his hands and wrapped them carefully. There was a small cut on his still swelling cheek bone that he covered up with ointment.
Olaf managed both his and Gunnar's hockey bags as several players surrounded their captain to show their support as they made their way to the hotel. Stanssen had a car waiting and got in with his very pale star player. It was silent on the ride to the hospital and while Gunnar's shaking hadn't stopped completely it was getting a little better now that they were heading towards Julie. She had to be okay, she just had to be. His Julie, his beautiful Julie.
Wolf led him to the emergency desk, "A hockey player was just brought in, Julie Gaffney?"
The lady immediately nodded and pointed towards the waiting room because at the moment she was being examined by doctors. The silent duo entered the crowded area and met up with Gordon. The Ducks coach nodded, glad to see that Gunnar was cleaned up.
"When she fell, the back of her head hit the ice hard enough to knock her out," Bombay explained, "She was starting to wake up a little in the ambulance on the way here." Gordon glanced to the young star, "She said your name a few times."
Gunnar closed his eyes painfully, "What did the doctors say?"
"All they told me was she needed some x-rays and probably an MRI to see if blood is collecting at the site of injury. Or if," he choked a little in his own emotion, "her skull has any hairline fractures."
Wolf and Gordon watched the young man fall into a chair, put his elbows on his knees and hold his forehead in his bandaged hands.
Stanssen sat beside him and put a hand to his shoulder. He was about to say something when several flashes started going off. Both coaches swore loudly, no one needed to deal with this right now as people in the waiting room turned chaotic trying to figure out what the fuss was about. They were hockey players not the damn celebrities that littered this town. Bombay angrily yelled at the approaching reporters and demanded the front desk to call security and get rid of them.
An hour later things had calmed down a little finally. Gunnar was looking pale still and his arms and hands could be seen shaking with worry every once in a while. The doctors had come out and explained that thankfully her skull was fully in tact, thanks to the cushioning inside her helmet, but there were some fluids building at the point of contact. When Gordon had asked what that might mean, they were told they might have to operate to relieve the pressure on her brain. Gunnar turned almost ghostly white at the news, it ate at him that she was in so much danger and pain and there was nothing he could do.
They were then notified that one of their top neurosurgeons was looking at her and that she was in good hands. She had woken up briefly but fell asleep shortly after. Only time would tell if the fluids would be re-established into her bloodstream, if that was the case then she would be looking at a concussion in the least. Everyone hoped that was the case.
An additional two hours later and several Duck and Iceland players were seen coming through the doors. To say the waiting room was crowded would be a massive understatement. Charlie told his coach that reporters were parked outside waiting for the chance to get an update. It was insane how the media could focus on two teenagers who just want to play hockey.
The neurosurgeon came out and found himself surrounded by people. He managed to pull Gordon aside and gave the news that the fluid appeared to be lessening. This was a good indication that she would be fine, but they were keeping her a few more hours for observation. He then told them they were transferring her into a larger private room and once they had her secure they would allow two visitors at a time to see her.
When Coach Bombay broke the good news Gunnar stood up and started pacing, just waiting to be able to see her again. Adam and Olaf had just gotten him to sit back down when a nurse announced that Julie was awake and asking for him. Gordon went with Gunnar to see her first, they entered her room and neither of them were quite prepared to see her still strapped down to the point where she couldn't move at all.
But when she opened her eyes and caught sight of her coach and boyfriend she managed a small smile. Gunnar grabbed her hand and stood beside her hospital bed. Gordon did most of the talking and she told them in a sleepy voice that her doctor said her head and neck needed to remain still and not move at all or she could cause further damage.
After a while Gordon grabbed her other hand and squeezed it gently, minding the IV that had been added. He told them they could have a few minutes to themselves before he sent in the next person. Once he left Julie's eyes shifted to her very silent boyfriend and studied his face.
"You're hurt."
He kissed the back of her hand and shook his head at her, "Don't worry about me. Julie," he paused as the emotion of the day caught up to him, "you scared me."
"Gunnar," her voice was thick with her own feelings, her gaze took in the unshed tears in his eyes and it tore at her heart, "Gunnar I'm okay."
"Look at you," he wiped at his eyes, "lying here and telling me its okay. It's not okay, you shouldn't be here. We should be doing something to celebrate another shut-out for you. Something, anything, whatever you want."
She tried to smile, "I know what I want," his gaze caught hers again and she told him, "kiss me."
He looked at her like she was a fragile doll, there was no way he was getting close enough to her precious head to press his lips against hers. No matter how much either of them wanted it. "Think we'll leave the kissing to your hand only."
Julie closed her eyes to savor the touch of his lips softly caressing her hand over and over. Her eyes were full of adoration for him as he nuzzled her hand against his cheek. They stared at each other, exchanging their worry and fear and the love found between them.
Adam was next to arrive and immediately felt the chemistry flowing between his two friends in the room. For a moment he simply watched them looking at each other as though they were the answer to every mystery in the universe. Julie was his best friend and he was glad someone could make her so happy.
He cleared his throat and stepped in, "How ya doing Julie? Everyone's here for you."
"Everyone?"
He nodded and grinned at her, coming to stand on the other side of her bed, "That looks really uncomfortable."
She started laughing then closed her eyes in instant pain. Adam saw the glare Gunnar was shooting at him before checking on her. She waved him off and glanced back to her best friend, "Sorry Adam, laughing hurts. Light hurts," she hesitated, "a lot of things hurt."
"What about talking, does that hurt?" Gunnar suddenly asked as hemoved to turn off the light switch in the room, "is that better?"
Julie sighed in relief, "Yes, very," she yawned, "and as long as no one gets loud then talking will be fine."
More small talk broke out between the three as they spoke in whispered tones for her benefit. Adam stayed for a while then left for the next person to come in which was Connie. It remained unspoken that Gunnar wasn't about to leave her side. Duck after Duck came in to see her then a few of the Iceland players she was closest with.
Olaf stayed for a while and was there when the nurse came in and turned on the light. Julie nearly began to cry as pain shot through her skull at the sudden brightness. Both of her boys were positively glaring daggers at the poor frightened nurse. She announced that the neurosurgeon would be in to see her soon, checked her levels and got out of there as soon as possible…turning the light off as she went.
It was getting late into the night and Wolf had come in and told Gunnar that he would join Bombay in staying so he could be with Julie. Stahl was happy that his coach would do that for him. And for a while everything was fine. Gunnar and Julie spent more time alone. He would keep talking quietly to her to make sure she stayed awake like the doctor advised.
He could see she was tired but wanted to follow orders to ensure she would be okay. Around one in the morning she was wheeled out of the room for another MRI to check and see how much the swelling had gone down. And while she was away Gunnar finally took a seat to think everything over. Deep down inside he knew he would never forget the gripping terror as he watched an unconscious Julie be carted off the ice on a stretcher. Just thinking about it made him cringe. She was such a beautiful person and a fierce competitor, truly one of a kind and he hated to know how badly she really could have been hurt. Seeing her like that, like this here in the hospital still, it touched something within, evoked a certain want to protect and attack at the same time.
A noise caught his attention and when he looked up…Dean Portman was standing in the doorway to the hospital room. The two stared at each other as a tense silence came between them.