The Repair Tech (A Jonathan Toews Fanfiction)

Chapter 2

Jonathan's P.O.V | Let's Do This by Outskrts

Wintertime in Chicago, with whipping winds at times it can defiantly be colder than the winters back in Winnipeg.

The only place I seem to be lately is at the gym. Any other year I would be spending it at the United Center under the game day lights on the road ready for a challenge or at the practice arena improving our skills as a team. But this wasn't going to happen this year. NHL is currently in a lock out and as it was looking like hockey was not coming back for the 2012-2013 season. 

I missed my boys, playing with them every day the game we loved. However, with this lock out, the ones without families here went back to their home cities/country. But Chicago was now my home. It has been since 2007.

I go over to the ropes and grip onto the ends tightly before moving my arms up and down, creating waves with the ropes. Slow for 1 minute, fast for 30 seconds was how I normally do this. Usually, the Blackhawks trainer would yell at me when to change the speed I was going but with him gone, I was relying on a timer. I have found myself more at the gym in the last few weeks as it was almost a safe haven for me. The timer beeped it's ending tone showing that this work out was over. I looked at the clock on the wall, 2:45 pm.

I head to towards the showers to freshen up. It was Monday which was the biweekly meeting I had with Q about the season at 3:30 pm. Although Q has smelled much worse coming from us, these meetings were the same thing for the last three months and didn't last more than 10 minutes. Once I get out of the shower, I put on my sweatpants and Blackhawks sweatshirt. Today will probably be the last one as we said if we didn't hear anything by today from the NHL, the season would officially be cancelled. I grab my workout bag and head to my car, throwing the bag onto my passenger seat.

Twenty minutes later, I pull into the United Center to see a van sitting in the parking lot. There were a few cars here as well, most likely getting ready for another Bulls games that was happening tomorrow night at the United Center. I get out of my car and walked to the side door and swiped my badge to get in. I walk down the hallway where I see a woman fixing our printer that sat out of Jason's office. I got a small glimpse and she's not bad looking but that's not why I was here. I walk to Coach Q's office and knock on the door.

He turned around and smiled, "Ah Captain, come in." He said before gesturing to me to take a seat. I haven't seen him smile in a while so this meeting could go one of two ways.

"Any news from the NHL?" I asked as I was hoping for positive news. I was itching to play hockey again as it fulfilled me since I was taking a break from dating as it wasn't fulfilling me.

"Yes, we have," he said and then sat down in his chair. "Matter in fact, over the weekend the NHL has to agreement, and we will have a season this year. 48 games to the playoff then the traditional four rounds to get good old Stanley. Our first game of this short season will be on the road in LA against the Kings on January 19th. First game here at the Madhouse will be January 22nd.

I have contacted the rest of the team. Those who stayed in Chicago will start reporting to practice at the Fifth-third area tomorrow. The ones who aren't in the city should be back by Friday. We need to be sharp and on top of our game but most importantly give it our all. I'm counting on you to help with that."

"Of course, Coach. The itch for hockey has been strong for me and now that it is back, I'll be coming full force." I said to him in my Captain Serious tone which wasn't something I normally pulled out during a meeting.

There was a silence in the room for a few moments, you could drop a pin and hear it. "You doing okay Captain? Like personal life? I see you at the gym every day for almost the whole day. If not there, you're at the arena just skating."

"Unlike you coach, I don't have a family nor a girlfriend at the current moment in time. Those places seem to be places where I can escape the world and forget about everything happening on the outside." 

"I don't think I need to remind you, but you know you can always reach out if you need to talk. I've seen your professional career here with the Hawks on what you have written in the history books so far. And I can't wait to see what you will write next." He said with a smile before giving me the look that I was excused from his office.

I walk out of his office and past the printer again to see no one there. I head down to the locker room to do my prepractice season ritual with my locker. Hockey was back and now my blood was pumping. This was going to be our season to show that we can play, even if it was speedrun hockey. The boys will be pumped, I know them. Time to give Chicago the show they have been waiting for.