Love Faces Off

Chapter 9

They had eight minutes to go in the first period at Madison Square Garden when Raegan’s world shifted. It had been a rough twelve minutes in this still scoreless game. Several players had already had to be attended to. The refs seemed content with turning a blind eye to the illegal hits. Raegan was sure Coach Collson was going to have a stroke before the game was over. His face was staying a permanent shade of pissed off.

At eight minutes to go, Nick broke free with the puck. He had a two on one situation. Not ideal but as he skated down the wall with the puck it looked like he had an open shot. As he rared back to shoot Brad Drasky blindsided him into the glass and boards. Drasky raised his stick at the last minute making sure is plowed Nick’s head into the glass. In a rare occurrence, the glass shattered. Even above the roar of the crowd Raegan heard Nick shout in pain as he landed in an unmoving heap on the ice.

Raegan yelled out. “NO!”

Then all hell broke out on the ice. Nick lay in a heap on the ice not moving while the remaining players started a slug fest. Raegan wasn’t normally part of the medical staff that went out on the ice. Because of her size she couldn’t really lift a player up.

Dr. Barress looked at her and said, “Get your stuff. Lets get out there. All hands on deck. There is no telling what we are going to find.”

Raegan did as she was told and hit the ice first. She made her way around the fighting players and got to Nick. She was relieved when she realized he was conscious. But he was still screaming in pain and covered in glass. The Ranger fans were standing and leaning over the wall spilling beer and crap all over them.

Raegan shouted to him over the roar, “We are here. Can you get up?”

Nick tried to respond, “Not. Sure. Shoulder hurts like hell. Feels like I’m being stabbed.”

Raegan looked at his shoulder. There sticking out of the joint area was a 10 inch piece of the plexiglass.

“Don’t move. There is glass in you arm.” Raegan looked to Dr. Barress who was examining the area. “How bad?”

Dr. Barress shook his head, “I can’t tell but there is not a lot of blood…yet. We have to get him up and out of here before this trash makes the wound worse.”

Raegan pointing to Nick’s shoulder, “Does the shoulder look displaced to you?”

Dr. Barress felt around the socket, this sent Nick yelling again. Meanwhile the ice had finally cleared and a ref skated up to them.

“Can he be moved? We need to get the safety crew out here to get this glass cleaned up and replaced before these i***t fans climb the wall.”

Nick was still screaming

Dr Barress spoke to Nick, “Mr. Bell, can you get up. I know it hurts but we need to get you into the medical room.”

Nick continued to scream but slowly got back to his skates. He looked at Raegan as if to plead for help. Reagan put her arm around his waist and helped him stand up right.

“I got you.” She told him. “I got you. I’m not going anywhere.”

He dropped his good arm around her shoulders as Dr. Barress tried to keep the bad arm immobilized. The other medical staff got the gear and followed behind to help steady Nick. They had to pass the penalty box where Drasky and several other players were now seated. Raegan gave him a death stare.

Nick chuckled through clenched teeth, “Easy killer. The boys will take care of him.” He winced, “Aghhh, it hurts! God Raegan it hurts.”

Reagan turned her attention back to Nick. “Just a little further and we will have it fixed up. Stay with me Nick.” She said as he got a little woozy on his feet.

“We are going to have to run concussion protocol once we secure the arm.” Dr. Barress told her.

Nick shook his head, “I’m fine its just hurts like hell. Patch me up and send me back out.”

Raegan snorted. Actually snorted, for the first time in her life. “Hockey players.”, she mumbled under her breath.

It seemed to take forever but they got Nick into the medical room. Several other players were in there for busted lips and cut faces as result of the battle that raged after the hit. Nick was priority number one. As they got him on the main exam table, Coach Collson came over.

“How bad is it, Doc?”

Dr. Barress just shook his head, “I know he has a piece of glass sticking out of his probably separated shoulder. Possible concussion. That’s all I know until I can exam him further.”

“They have cleared both teams from the ice.” Coach told them. “They have to replace that plexiglass before we can continue. We are looking at a delay of at least 30 minutes. I’ll be in the locker room, keep me updated. Bell you were a tank out there.”

Nick shook his head as he fought the pain.

“Raegan, we need to cut this sweater away from the wound so I can see how deep it goes.” Doc ordered.

Raegan found the scissors in the medical cabinet and began to cut. As the doctor started probing around the wound. Nick couldn’t handle the pain any longer he began to fight the examination and started screaming out in pain. Raegan’s heart was screaming in pain for him.

“Nick, you have to be still and calm before I can try to remove this shard.” Dr. Barress was trying to get Nick to see reason. Nick was in to much pain for the Doctor’s words to get through.

Raegan asked, “Can we give him something for the pain?”

“Not unless he can hold still for a few minutes.”

As he said this, Nick pushed a tech down that was trying to calm him. Raegan instinctively walked around to the front of nick and stepped in between his legs. With him seated on the table they were finally at eye level. She immediately stepped into his open legs and placed both hands on the sides of his face, his helmet had come off during the hit.

“Nick. Nick, I need you to calm down. Nick, its Raegan calm down for me.”

Nick was still thrashing about so he wasn’t hearing her. A few players remained in the room seeking treatment. One was Pete, he was on his feet moving toward them, worried Raegan was about to be hurt. Nick couldn’t hear her through his pain so she did the only thing she could think of to get his attention. She kissed him right there in front of everyone. At first he just froze. Then instinctively his put his good hand, glove and all, around her waist to pull her closer and deepened the kiss. Raegan pulled back breathless.

“Well, now that I have your attention…”

Nick answered, “You have my everything.”

“Good. Now I know it hurts like hell. But we can’t begin to help you if you keep flopping around and yelling.” She leaned in and lowered her voice, “Besides I thought Greek gods were invincible?”

That actually drew a small pained chuckle from him

“With you in my arms I feel I can be. Ok, Doc, I’m ready do your worse.”

Raegan went to move out of his grasp but he tightened his hold on her.

“Not so fast, Angel. I’m going to need something to squeeze and I would much rather it be you.”with that he dropped his glove and grabbed her ass.

Dr. Barress looked between the two of them. When he was sure that Raegan wasn’t being forced into anything he got to work. Pete stood off in the corner not saying a word.

Dr. Barress began, “O.k., I’m going to give you a local around the shard sight. But we are going to need to get this sweater, pads and under shirt off and as gently as possible.” He looked at Raegan, “We don’t want to move that shard before I see how deep it is in there. It looks like it caught you in between the shoulder pad and the chest plate. Raegan you are, um, probably in the best position to remove the gear.”

Raegan blushed.

“Doc, that is the best idea I think you have ever had.” Nick said with a grin.

“Give me a f*****g break.”Pete said as he stormed from the medical room but not before over turning a medical cart.

Raegan made a move to go after him but was held tight by Nick. She met his eyes.

“The choice is yours, Angel.” he said to her in a low voice.

Raegan looked toward where Pete fled and back to Nick, “Let’s get this sweater off.”

Nick visibly let out a breath. He raised his good arm and let her pull the sweater over his head. She very carefully slide it off the bad shoulder and arm. She reached around his waist to release the strap that kept the chest plate in place. While she did this Doc removed the strap that connected the shoulder pad from the chest plate. This allowed Reagan to remove the main padding over Nicks head and good shoulder. Doc Barress slid the other pads off the bad arm. He then cut Nicks under shirt from around the wound.

Dr. Barress sounded relieved when he said, “This actually looks to be just superficial. It will need stitches but I don’t think it went deep enough to do any serious damage. But this shoulder is partially separated.”

Nick winced in pain as the doc probed the area, “Can you fix me up enough to return, Doc?”

Raegan was shocked, “What?”

“I owe someone some pain, Angel.”

Raegan rolled her eyes at him, “Hockey players.”

“I can get it fixed up.” Doc told him, “ but playing is between you an Coach Collson. I will give an accurate report of the damage. Now, I’m going to give you some local numbing so I can remove the shard and stitch you up. It is very important that you sit still. Hold on to what ever you need to but do not move. Understood?”

Nick wrapped his arm around Raegan waist once again. “Understood.Sorry, Angel, doctor’s orders.”

Raegan rolled her eyes, again, but made no move to get out of his grip.

“While I wouldn’t recommend your earlier tactic Ms. Moore. But if you can find another way to distract Nick it would help.”

Raegan blushed and looked at Nick.

“So, Mr. Bell, seen any good movies lately.” Was her best attempt at normal conversation.

Nick chuckling, “Nice try. But we both know you know my name. And I’m pretty sure the cat is out of the bag at this point.”

“I’m going to take that as a no on a good movies. What about books? Are you a reader?”

Nick winced, “I’m always down for a good swimsuit magazine.”

Raegan snorted for the second time today. But when Nick went to look at what the doc was doing she caught his face in her hands and kept him looking at her. She leaned in close.

“I’m sorry I overreacted.”

“It is understandable. I won’t make you deal with this alone, Raegan. I promise.”

Dr. Barress cleared his throat, “Ok everything is sewed up. Now for the hard part. We have to put your shoulder back in place. If you plan on returning to the ice today it limits me on the meds I can give you. Normally, I would do some heavy painkillers but I can’t put you back on the ice like that. It’s your call, Nick.”

Nick saw the look on Raegan’s face. She wanted him to sit the rest of this one out, but he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t let Drasky win.

“I want to go back in, if coach will let me. I can handle it,” He looked at her, “if you stay with me Raegan.”

Raegan nodded. She knew this was going to hurt him so bad but she couldn’t leave his side.

“O.K., it is settled then.” Dr. Barress turned to the tech and gave him the instructions. Then administered a low dose pain killer into Nick’s shoulder.

“Nick, I need you to lay back flat on the exam table. Raegan, pull out the the extension to support the hurt arm. Then go tell Coach Collson I need several players that are not squeamish to come help us hold Nick down.”

Raegan nodded. She helped Nick lay back and pulled out the extension. When she was sure he was as comfortable as possible she headed toward the locker room. Doc sent the other tech out to get some clean towels. This left him and Nick alone.

“This probably isn’t the right time to address this.” Dr. Barress said to Nick, “But whatever is going on between the two of you ends when we get back to Tampa. I can’t avoid reporting it, there were to many witnesses to it. If you pursue this beyond our return she will be fired and her career ruined.”

Nick shook his head, “Is there no middle ground?”

“Son, there is a lot you don’t know. There used to be but then things happened and management had to take a hard stand on it.”

“I don’t know if I can let her go.” Nick admitted to the doctor.

“That’s what I was afraid you were going to say. I’ve said my peace. I will tell her the same. You both will have to decide what comes next.”

Raegan returned with Andre Cluck and Pete LeBlanc, who looked like he had only murder on his mind.

Doc began giving orders to the players on where to stand and how much pressure to apply. Cluck took Nick’s upper body and Pete the lower. Doc took the upper side of the bad shoulder and Raegan the lower. This allowed her to keep eye contact with Nick.

Raegan placed her hand on his face again, “This is going to hurt at first but it will feel a lot better when it is back in place.”

Nick nodded, “I can take it if you will stand by me.”

“I’m here. I got you.”

At that Dr. Barress popped the shoulder back in place and Nick screamed but then relaxed as the initial pain faded.

Pete seemed annoyed, “Are we done here, Doc?”

The doc nodded. Raegan looked at Pete but he refused to meet her eyes. They sat Nick back up.

“Nick, I’m going to bind your arm as much as I can and you still have some range of movement.” Dr. Barress told him. “Once I get it bound, Raegan, you help get his pads and a new sweater on him.”

Doc bound the shoulder area. As Raegan finished putting the pads on Nick, Coach Collson came into the room with a new sweater.

“Well, Doc?” he asked.

Doc explained the extent of the injury. He was honest that further play could cause major damage but in the end said it was up to Nick and Collson on how they went forward. Doc was very clear with Nick that no more meds could be given if he remained in the game.

Collson looked to Nick, “Well, how do you feel?”

“I want to play coach.”

“Okay, we have about 5 minutes until the period starts again. Once you are dressed, head to the locker room. I will put you on limited rotations until we see how that shoulder is going to hold.”

Collson left the room.

Dr. Barress turned to Nick and Raegan, “I’ll give you two a minute. But Raegan, I need you to stay here when Nick goes to the locker room. We need to talk.”

“Yes, sir.”

Raegan helped Nick get his sweater on. He pulled her close using his good arm. He kissed her deep and tender until they were breathless.

“Thank you. I couldn’t have gotten through that without you here.”

“I wish you wouldn’t go back out there. But I understand why you are.”

“Can we talk tonight after the game?” He asked her.

Raegan nodded and stepped out of his embrace. “You better head to the locker room so I can get this conversation with Doc over with.”

Nick gave her hand a squeeze, “I got you. I’m here and not going anywhere.”He said as he left.

Doc came in as soon as Nick walked out.

“I’m going to tell you the same thing I told him. I don’t know what is going on between you but in needs to end at the end of this road trip. There were to many witnesses for me not to report this when we get back to Tampa. You of all people should know the repercussions of getting involved with players.” Dr. Barress just shook his head, “You have two weeks to decide if he is worth your career and throwing all your hard work away.”

Raegan only nodded. Was two weeks going to be enough to get Nick Bell out of her system? She doubted it but that was all she had.