Amazing Grace (Jonathan Toews)

See You Later

Gracie

"How long are you going to be gone for" I whimper as I look up into Jon's doe eyes. His face right in front of me as I softly touch his strong jaw line.

"Two weeks" he replies and I start to pout. I cup his chin so he can't look away from me.

"That's so long" I whine.

"It's not my fault, the circus is coming to the United Center but we still have to play games. So we're going around Canada and the west coast before coming back" he explains.

"Do you have to go" I ask and he starts to laugh. I let go of his face and he just shakes his head. "I'm just kidding. You're an amazing player and it would be a disservice if I keep you to myself. I know you have to go, be a leader and score some goals. Maybe fight a guy" I smirk.

"Do you like it when I fight" he wonders.

"It's kinda sexy" I admit and he nods. He doesn't fight a lot but he does talk a lot of mess and it's really hot actually.

"Noted."

We sit in his apartment and continue to watch movies together. We were cuddled up on the couch watching whatever was on tv.

"Where's Patrick" I finally question.

"He's going through a phase where he wants to buy all new clothes every time we go on a trip instead of using the clothes he already has. Give him a little raise and all of the sudden thinks he's Bill Gates" he laughs.

"That sounds like Patrick" I agree. "What are you going to do with your extra money" I wonder.

"I usually send it back home. I know it's silly, but my mom handles all my finances. Patrick used to tease me that I didn't have a girlfriend because I spent too much time taking to my mom" he explains.

"You give me a hard time for being a daddies girl when you were a mommas boy all along" I gasp and he laughs.

"Hey, my mom hasn't offered money for you to leave me alone" he says and I stop laughing.

"Excuse me" I ask and he soon stops too.

"It's a metaphor" he tries.

"No it's not" I say. "Jonathan, I don't want you to lie to me. I don't want lies to come between us and I don't want you to feel like you're hurting someone by telling me the truth. But I need to know... did my dad offer you money to get out of my life" I ask.

He mutes the tv and turns to me. I can tell this has been bothering him, I can see it in the way he was looking at me. I pretty much already had my answer.

"It's was in the preseason, right after you told him we had been seeing each other behind his back. He somehow got down into the tunnels and had a assistant coach come get me. He had $100,000 in a envelope and told me to take it and get lost" he explains and I sigh.

"And what did you do" I ask cautiously.

"Well I'm here, aren't I" he says and I let out a sigh.

"I'm so sorry" I whisper.

"It's okay" he claims.

"It's really not. This is the farthest thing from being okay. He went to your job, he put a price on me and tried to write you off. That is so wrong on so many levels" I insist.

"I don't care about what your dad throws at me. It could be my name in the hall of fame or eternal life or a million dollars. It doesn't matter because as long as you still want to be with me, I'm not going anywhere" he explains.

"The problem is not that I think you're going to give in to my father. My issue is that he puts so much effort into hurting you" I insist.

"I'm okay with it Gracie" he claims.

"And I'm not" I say.

"Why are you so hurt by this" he asks.

"Because I love you Jonathan" I yell and he stops arguing with me. I run my fingers through my hair as I look him over. "I love you so much Jon, so much. I never fell in love before, but I know that I'm feeling. And that's why it hurts me that my father is being so mean and can't just be happy for me. I'm hurt because I love you and what my father is doing to hurt you is hurting me.

And that's why this is such a hard thing for me to hear. It hurts me to know that the man who is supposed to love me more than anything in the world is trying to hurt you, to hurt me. He went out of his way to show you that he doesn't like us together. And he's my father and I should listen to him or respect his wishes at the least.

But I can't, because I love you and I can't go on knowing that my father hurt you" I say.

"Why are you telling me this now... before I leave for two weeks? That's so mean" he says and I laugh.

"Life works out in mysterious ways huh" I ask.

"It does. Because if you told me at the beginning of this year that I was going to fall in love with the most beautiful girl in the world who wants nothing more than to see the best in me I would have laughed at you. Maybe it's because I never thought I could be with a girl like your or even was capable of loving anything that isn't hockey.

But these things with you is never like I thought it would be. I never thought I would feel this good and I never imagined that loving you would be so wrong. I mean, I sat in my room and packed for this trip and I actually cried because I wouldn't see you for a while. I usually don't cry, but the thought of being without you was scary. Not being able to love you the way you should be loved. Me without you isn't all that great of a person, but you never let me underachieve or be a bad person. And I'm scared that when I'm gone and I come back that things are going to be different" he claims.

"My mom used to tell me that you can love the same person in many different ways. And being apart is only going to strengthen my love for you" I insist.

"But I don't want to miss you, I want to hold you like I am now" he claims as he softly runs his thumb across my cheek.

"Just remember that I'm yours. I'll be counting down the seconds until you get back" I say.

"Can't you come with" he asks.

"Oh yeah. Like my dads going to let me follow you around the continent when he doesn't even like me seeing you when you're home" I laugh.

"Well then I guess this is goodbye for a while" he says.

"I don't want to call it a goodbye. How about a see you later" I say.

"Okay. Then Gracie, I will see you later.