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knightsofsliverandgoldstory · 2 years ago

Text

Marc-André Fleury/ F!OC

Cover by @newlibrary ❤️

Summery: A story where a world famous goaltender with a heart and soul of gold becomes a knight in shining silver for a female hockey player in the NHL who is trying to balance being a single mother and athlete after just being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights. Can Marc-André Fleury show Barlow Kane he can be the father her daughter never had, help her make a home and a life in Nevada and be the love of her life she never thought she would find?

Warnings: maybe a swear word or two?

Word count: 2,318

Follow my main account @callsign-denmark or main masterlist to find other stories like this and read on my A03. Use my hashtag "KOSAGstory" when you reblog to find the series!

"I got to go mom. First day of training with the team.... yes mama... I know. Yes.... I love you too. Bye!" After shoving her phone into her bag she throw her bag into the cubby. Running a hand over her dark dirty blonde hair, Barlow Kane pulled it back into a braid. She quickly pulled on her padding, pulling on her uniform before grabbing her #42 Golden Knights Jersey. She pulled on her skates and laced them tight before tucking her hair up onto her helmet. She grabbed a stick and speed walked out to the rink. The 28, soon to be 29 year old pushed off onto the ice as the cold air of the rink hit her face.

Barlow was the younger sister of Patrick Kane, she has been playing hockey almost as long as he had. She had recently been traded to the Vegas Golden Knights from the Edmonton Oilers. This was her first practice with the team since moving. She went to the corner behind the net and began to stretch. She was on of the first ones on the ice. Some of the men were standing around talking before going to get padding on, others just skating around for fun before going to get their gear on. She warmed up before starting speed drills.

Barlow took off like a bullet from a gun, shooting across the ice to the other side of the rink as fast as her legs could carry her. She was ranked the 2nd fastest skater in the NHL. The speed she brought to the ice was insane. She moved faster then most, took turns far sharper and was not afraid to crash. She was crazy in most eyes. But she lived for the Thrill. She pushed her legs faster, picking up more speed. She slid to a stop, snow spraying high on the glass before she was off again, racing for the other side of the rink. She moved with such ease you couldn't tell she was working hard. She smiled as she slid to a stop again at the net, snow flying over the net in a sheet. She took off once more racing for the other other. She slid to a stop and before she could turn to race to the other side she noticed two men standing at the bench watching her. One was taller, his hat backwards as he leaned on his stick. His dark eyes followed her as she moved. He had a strong jaw line and laugh lines around his eyes. He was handsome with tanned skin and cocoa colored eyes that seems to search your soul.

Barlow smiled slightly at him before going back to her speed drills. She raced fast on the ice, snow flying onto the glass as she slid to a stop before turning.

"Who is that out there?" The taller of the 2 men, Marc-André Fleury asked. He watched as she moved so smoothly on the ice, how fast and strong she was. Her blue eyes had seemed to take his breath away when she looked at him.

"That's Barlow Kane. Patrick Kane's little sister. She just got traded to here." The goalie coach standing next to Flower answered him. He looked up to see Flower's eyes never leaving the woman, his face filled with wonder as she moved. He laughed and slapped Marc-André on the back.

"Good luck man. She is not the easiest person to get to know. She typically keeps to herself from what I hear." He tried to tell the star goalie. But Flower was in his own world as he watched her move.

Barlow stopped her speed drills and took some pucks to start some patterns runs. She looked up to see the tall man still watching her. She knew he was, Marc-André Fleury. One of the best goalkeepers in the NHL. And she had been one of the lucky few to score on him inna dramatic way. She saw him disappear down the tunnel, probably to get into his gear. Other players started to come out into the ice and she watched them from her corner. She watched as they warmed up, trying to remember each player and their skills. She passed the puck around her feet, moving her blade fast back and forth. She was standing behind the one net, trying to stay away from the others as she was not ready to make friends yet.

Barlow was so focused on her passes she never heard the skater come up behind her till a voice brought her out of her daze.

"Hello." A soft, french accent said behind her. Barlow jumped and turned around to come face to face with Marc-André Fleury. His soft smile and his deep set dark eyes made her heart flutter. "I'm Marc-André Fleury. But people call me Flower. Welcome to the team." He spoke softly.

Barlow took his out reached hand after she took of her glove and shook his warm hand. She smiled lightly up at him. Her small 5'7 frame looked even shorter next to his 6'2.

"Barlow Kane. Alot of people call me BK or K-Low." She said softly back to him. She let go of his hand and pulled her glove back on. She leaned on her stick as he placed his helmet onto the net. He placed his water bottle into the pocket on the back of the net and he leaned against the crossbars as he looked at her.

"I like Barlow. Its different, like my name." He smiled brightly at her. Barlow shook her head with a smile and grabbed her stick standing up straight.

"I should get practicing." She said as she started to skate away. She felt his eyes on her as she started to do some zig zag drills with the puck. She moved fast. Her skating saying she was sure of her skills. She started to skate backwards with the puck when Peter DeBoar, the head coach came out onto the ice.

"Alright everyone. We are gonna work on shootouts and slapshots. But first I would like you all to welcome the newest Knight to the team, Barlow Kane." He said waving Barlow over to him. She skated over, sliding to a stop and giving a small wave. "Barlow is a Two Way Forward and brings alot od speed to the ice. She is going to really help us this year on our cup run boys." Peter said before patting Barlow on the shoulder.

"Why dont you show us some of your speed and take a shot at getting the puck past Flower?" He asked her. Barlow nodded and took a puck and went to the far side of the rink from Flower. She knew he didnt remember her, but she was going to make him remember. Last year she made a power play move that shocked the crowd. She single handedly took the puck from one side of the rink to the other, snowed out Flower, sending the puck over his head to bar down into the net, winning the Oilers the game and sending them into the Playoffs. So that's what she was going to do now. She was going to show them exactly who she was on the ice.

Barlow dropped the puck onto the ice and clicked her helmet strap together. She eyed up Flower who pulled his helmet down. She smiled and took off at top speed, racing across the rink like a bolt of lightning. The puck was in front of her, she moved it side to side so he couldn't tell which way she was going to shot it. She got closer, she saw him getting ready to go down to block it. Just what she wanted. She came within 10 feet of him before hitting the breaks, snow flying through the air and over him and the net. She saw him duck his head and she hit the puck, sending it over his head and into the net with a loud *Clink*.

Flower looked up, covered in snow and shook his body to shake it off. He stood up and Barlow stood there, and smacked her stick against the ice with a cocky grin on her face.

"Remember me?" She smirked. She saw his face light up, his lips curled into a smile as his eyes danced.

"You pulled that same stunt a year ago. You went to the playoffs then because of it." He laughed. Barlow smiled and took a bow as the other guys clapped or laughed. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Peter standing behind her.

"Nicely done. That gentleman... is how we will get to the Playoffs this year." He said before patting her shoulder again. "Welcome to the team Miss Kane!" He said before walking off. Barlow smiled before skating to the side of the rink as others worked on slapshots at Flower. She took a drink of water, feeling the cold liquid rin down her throat. They practiced for a good 3 hours before calling it quites. Barlow slowly made her way to the locker room, her legs on fire. She stripped of her padding and grabbed clothes for a shower. They had put in a shower separate from the guys for her. She let the hot water rush over her sore body and sighed at how good it felt. She knew she had to hurry, the babysitter was going to be dropping her 3 year old daughter off soon. She soon shut off the water and pulled on shorts and a shirt that hugged her curves before walking out to the locker room. What she saw surprised her.

Her daughter Harper was very shy around new people, especially men. Harper's father had died when she was 2 weeks old, so she never had a father figure on her life to help raise her. Barlow had raised her on her own in Canada with the help of her best friend who babysat her when she was at hockey.

She found her daughter sitting on Marc-André Fleury's lap as he tickled her belly, his nose nuzzled into her soft curly red hair. "Ain't you just the cutest thing." His accent was thick as he smiled at the child. Harper giggled and placed a hand on his face.

"You pretty." She said softly making him chuckle. Her daughter turned her head and saw Barlow standing at her cubby a few down from Flower's and she squealed, wiggling from his arms. "Mommy!" She cried running to her mother. Barlow smiled, bending down to pick up her baby. Harper was her heart and soul. She loved her child more then anything.

"Hey baby." She sighed as she held her daughter, hugging her tightly.

"Mommy I made pretty friend." Harper said pointing to Flower. Marc-André stood up and walked towards them as Harper smiled and waved at him. Barlow smiled, still in shock at how much she took to a stranger.

"She is beautiful. I didnt know you were married." He said as he poked Harper's side. Barlow felt her smile slip and she ducked her head a bit.

"I'm not married. My fiancee died 2 weeks after she was born." She said softly.

"My Daddy is a Angel now." Harper said.

Barlow watched as Flower's smile slipped away and he looked down at the ground before looking at Harper. "My Daddy is a Angel too Little One." He said softly. He looked up at Barlow and she saw companion in his eyes. "I'm sorry for your lose. But you have a beautiful little girl." He said, his accent thick and deep. She felt her heart flutter at the sound of his voice. She held Harper close to her, nuzzling her face into her soft curls.

"Thank you." She whispered. She looked down at Harper and kissed her nose. "Come on Little Bird. Let's go get lunch baby." She said as she shifter her on her hip so she could grab her bag.

"Harper! Oh there you are! I'm so sorry Barlow. I went to the bathroom and she ran out of the room." Katie Deck, Barlow's best friend said as she rushed into the room. Barlow smiled and shook her head.

"No worries. She made a new friend and he watched her while I was getting dressed." She said before flashing a smile at Flower. "See you around." She said before walking out of the locker room with Harper in her hip. Marc-André watched her leave, leaning against the wall. His heart fluttered. Something about the younger Kane made him want to get to know her, and get close to her, and possibly fall in love with her. With a shake of his head he went back to his seat and finished getting dressed, slipping a shirt over his head. Stone poked him in the ribs, making him jump slightly.

"I saw that."

"What did you see, Stoney?"

Mark raised his eyebrow at him and gave him a knowing looking. "Don't play stupid, Flower. I saw the way you looked at the younger Kane."

Trying to hide his smile, Marc looked down at his shoes, tying them tighter. "I was being nice. Her daughter was adorable and I wanted her to feel comfortable."

Mark wasn't fooled in the slightest. He shook his head and grabbed his bag as he stood up. "She is shy and not very talkative. And she has every right to be. Just be careful." He said with a pat to Marc's shoulder before walking out of the room. Flower leaned back against the wall of his bench and let out a sigh. Looking over at Barlow's bunch, he smiled slightly.

"I'll do whatever I can to make you feel welcome here." He thought softly to himself.

#KnightsofSliverandGoldStory #Marc-André Fleury Story #Marc-André Fleury Fanfiction #nhl #nhl fanfic #nhl fanfiction #nhl fic #nhl fluff #vegas golden knights #minnesota wild #chicago blackhawks #marc andre fleury #Marc-André Fleury #nhl goalies #nhl goaltender story #KOSAGstory

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knightsofsliverandgoldstory · 2 years ago

Text

Marc-André Fleury/ F!OC

Cover by @newlibrary

Warnings: swearing, very very mild flash backs if you really look hard.

Word count: 7,568

As always follow my main account @callsign-denmark or main masterlist and my A03

Barlow and Harper were starting to settle into their new life in Vegas. Barlow went to practice each morning, training hard next to her new team before grabbing a quick lunch with a few of the guys. Then she would spend the rest of her day with her daughter, taking her around town to see all the new shops and even the playground. Barlow was getting ready for the preseason start, being a center she was going to run on the 1st line to test out the waters. She was nervous to say the least, like a rookie on their first game in the NHL. Changing teams was never easy, but going to a team that made it to the Cup finals in their first year…. She had a lot to prove. She got Harper dressed and ready for breakfast before she had to go to practice. Barlow threw on a pair of black leggings, a blue and purple sports bra, a white muscle shirt and a pair of runners. She threw her hair up into a messy bun and went down to see if Harper was ready to eat. She sat the toddler down in her chair and grabbed her cereal bowl, sitting it down in front of her.

"Mommy, can I come to pwactice with you?" Harper asked. She couldn't really say her R's that well so they normally sounded like W's. It was really adorable. Barlow sat down and looked at her redhead daughter.

"You want to come and watch Mommy's practice?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. Harper had come to a few practices over the years but got bored quickly just sitting there for a few hours. She watched the little girl take a bite of her food and nod her head. Barlow smiled softly and shook her head before replying "Well Kate is going to take you to get a new pair of shoes today, but how about I have her bring you to the rink earlier so you can see the last bit of practice and then we'll get lunch."

She smiled at daughter who hummed happily as she ate. She finished getting ready for practice, making sure everything was in her bag before kissing Harper goodbye when Kate showed up to watch her. She walked out the door, going to her Honda CR-V and throwing her bag into the trunk. She started her car and pulled out of her driveway, heading to the rink. She watched as the Nevada desert scenery went by her window, the city in all its glory flashing by. She thumped her fingers against the steering wheel in beat to the music she was listening to. Her phone started ringing as she was at a stoplight. She looked down to see her brother, Patrick was calling. With a smile she answered.

"Hey Patty."

"Hey Barlow. How are you and my favorite niece settling in?" Her brother's voice filled her car speakers. Barlow smiled and shook her head.

"Harper is your only niece dork." She chuckled. "But we have moved in and Harper seems to have adjusted well. I'm still trying to get my bearings with the team and all." She turned left to keep going to the rink. She heard her brother sigh on the phone.

"Have you tried making friends?" He asked.

"God, you sound like mom Patty."

His laugh filled her car as she chuckled.

"Seriously Bar, I know you don't try when it comes to making friends. Is there no one on the team you can… I don't know, hang out with for lunch and stuff?" He continued.

Barlow rolled her eyes and turned into the parking lot for team members and parked her car. "Does it count if Harper ate lunch with a teammate and I joined them?" She questioned.

"Wait…. Harper went with one of the guys to get food? Without you? She never does that."

"I know. But she really took to him. She calls him pretty a lot."

"Who is this lucky man?" Patrick asked.

"Fleury" was all she said as she grabbed her water bottle, phone and keys. She held the phone up to her ear so she could finish her conversation with her brother.

"Like the Goaltender Fleury?"

"Yes Patty, the very one. The only Fleury on my team dumb dumb." She sarcastically answered.

"Well damn Sis…. He is single and your daughter likes him. You better pay close attention to that man. It's about time you found someone to make you happy again." He said, trying to reason with her.

"I love you and all, but I'll worry about my own love life, thank you. Now I have to go. I'll text you later. Love ya." Barlow smiled as she got out of her car. She walked around to the back to grab her bags of gear.

"Yeah yeah, it's what older brothers are for. Love you too. Give Harper a kiss for me." Patrick said before hanging up the phone. Barlow sighed and shook her head, throwing her phone into her bag. She brushed some stray hairs off her face and made her way into the T-Mobile Arena. She took the long hallways down to the locker rooms, the gold, white and black walls leading the way. The gold knights and Shields, the team logo lining the vibrant walls. She made her way to the locker room door and pushed it open, going over to her cubby. She dropped her duffle bag and sat on her bench, taking out gear to start gearing up for practice. The first preseason game was in a week and she wanted to be as fit and ready as possible. She was told they were playing her on the first line to see how she does with the team and to see where she fit. She had been here three weeks now and was starting to feel more at ease in the locker room, finding her way around and learning how things were run around there.

Pulling the dark gray jersey with the shiny number 42 on its back over her head, the silky jersey sliding down over her pads. She laced up her skates and then stood up, grabbing her helmet and sticks before walking down the tunnel to the rink. Only three guys were out on the ice, Marc-André, Cody and DeBoer, who was having Cody work on his slap shots and shorthands against Flower. The young rookie was good, but needed a few tune ups here and there, and there was no one better to practice against than Flower for a slapshot or backhand. He was good at stopping those shots, so getting one past him was not something that happened often. Barlow slipped in her helmet, letting her sticks lean against the wall near the bench as she before stepping into the ice and doing some simple stretches to warm up her legs and core before really getting into harder and faster warm-ups. She put her left leg up on the wall at the bench and leaned over it, letting her muscles stretch out before doing it on her right leg. Then she did some twists, going into a toe touch and then bending side to side. Once she felt a bit warmed up and went out into the ice to do some drills to warm up more. She went down into the splits on the ice, bending over her legs, touching her hand to her toes before bending the other way and repeating that. Then she got up and started to skate around, letting her body get used to the ice before she took a puck on her stick blade and started to do patterns with it between her legs, letting the speed build up before she snapped it at the empty net. She did this a few more times before DeBoer called her name.

"Kane!"

She snapped her head up upon hearing her name and skated over to the head coach.

"Hey I want you to show Cody what a real slapshot on Flower looks like. Playoff style." He said, giving her a wink. Barlow laughed and nodded her head, taking the puck near her skates and started moving it. She went down to the far end away from Marc-André and acted like she was just playing around. She saw Flower standing in the net, relaxed and not really ready for an attack. She smacked her stick down against the ice, earning Marc's attention. He snapped his helmet down, and smacked his stick against the bars of the net. She smiled and took off for him. She knew he was expecting what she did 3 weeks ago, to snow him out and then go bar down on the net, like she did in the playoffs. But she had other ideas. She raced for the blue line, pushing herself faster and faster. Flower got ready to block the shot, thinking she was going to pull the same trick as last time. But once Barlow hit the blue line she snapped her stick back like a golfer and hit the puck with all her strength. When her blade hit the puck it made a loud crack, the puck going flying through the air and right between Marc-André's right arm and right leg pad, smacking the back of the net with a loud snap.

Marc-André pushed his helmet up, staring at her wide-eyed before a smile took over his face. DeBoer and Cody were clapping as she skated over to Flower. She slid to a stop, spraying his pads with some snow with a chuckle.

"Well that was unexpected." He said, as he tapped her legs with his stick, making her laugh.

"That's the point!" Barlow answered back. DeBoar skated over to the netminder and the forward and patted Barlow's back with a smile. Cody gave her a fist bump and she smiled.

"And that is how teams make it to the playoffs… and win." DeBoer said to Cody. Barlow blushed and looked down at her skates. She hadn't won a cup yet, but she knew one day she would. It would just take time. "I've never seen someone hit from the blue line and go between the leg and bad before! That's Incredible!" Cody said. He was a bright young rookie who had a good future in the NHL, he just needed some training is all. Barlow smiled before leaning on the net, looking over at Marc-André only to find him already looking at her, a soft smile on his lips, and something in the back of his eyes she couldn't really pinpoint. She smiled lightly at him before ducking her head down a bit.

"I'm glad you are on this team and not playing against me anymore. You're a goalies nightmare with shots like that." Flower said with a chuckle, making Barlow tap his pads with her stick, a smile on her lips.

"Thanks Marc. Every girl wants to hear she is a nightmare, hahaha."

He shook his head before giving her a light shove, then taking off his mask and laying it on the crossbar. "Don't twist my words around BK." He joked. He leaned back against the net and looked between Barlow, Cody and DeBoar. Barlow started asking Cody about draft day, what he thought of Vegas, the team and then his family. The rookie seemed calm around her, his nerves seeming to melt away as he spoke to Barlow about draft night. Other members of the team slowly started to filter in, filling the rink with their soft chatter and laughing. Rookies and veterans alike warmed up, talked and joked as they skated around the ice, just happy to have hockey back up. Soon Barlow was back out on the ice, with Max and Mark as her wingers. They were facing off against Johnathan, Erik and Alex for practice. Barlow skated up to the dot where DeBoar had the puck waiting for a faceoff. She lined up against Johnathan, never looking at her opponent, her eyes never leaving the puck. She watched as it was tossed to the ice, and her stick snapped out to get it. She won the face off and snapped the puck back to Shea. The tall defensemen took off with the puck, before snapping it to Max. Barlow watched as Max took off with the puck towards Robin Lehner, the goalie in the other net. She took off after Max, protecting him from the side as he played the puck. She saw Erik coming from the side, so she quickly moved into position to keep him away from the puck, slowing her speed a bit to be able to get behind Max just a bit. Erik must not have seen that she moved slightly to defend Max and couldn't stop before it was too late. He slammed right into her from the side, his shoulder hitting her high on her shoulder/ neck sending her flying sideways as he went down to the ice. Her body smacked against the ice then slid into the boards, the wind knocked from her body. She laid there staring at the rafters. She knew she was still awake, so she started to do a body check, seeing what hurt and what didn't in her mind before even trying to move. Her left shoulder and her neck has some pain, her back felt fine, her arm kinda felt numb but that could be from the cold of the ice. She heard voices all around her but couldn't make them out. "Shit do I have a concussion?" She thought to herself. She groaned as she tried to push herself up, a strong pair of hands grabbing her arms, helping her sit up. She shook her head and blinked a few times before looking up to see everyone, literally everyone staring at her. Mark was holding her still, Erik, Max, Johnathan, and Alex kneeling close to her as the rest of the team looked on. The head trainer came running out, trying hard not to slip on the ice.

"I'm so sorry Kane." Erik said as he moved aside for the trainer to get to her. She shook her head at him, brushing it off.

"It happens in this sport. Don't worry about it." Barlow tried to reassure him. The trainer bent down and started to feel around her neck where the padding was not covering. He then lifted her arm and felt around seeing if anything was broken. She sat there, trying to sit still and keep a level head. She felt a bit dizzy but a fall like that would definitely make someone dizzy.

"Barlow, can you stand up? I want to take you back and do a concussion protocol on you to be sure all is fine." The trainer said after he checked on it her arms and shoulder around her padding.

"Alright doc." She simply replied, taking Max and Erik's hands to help pull her up. She leaned a bit on Max, feeling slightly dizzy upon standing up. She let her head hang a bit as Max and the trainer helped her off the ice, the boys tapping their sticks for her as she left. They took Barlow to the locker room where Max helped her down onto her cubby bunch before patting her helmet and going back out to the ice. The trainer, Dave as she learned his name was, was not the normal on ice trainer they had but he was covering today. He got to work helping her take off her upper body padding so he could better look at her shoulder. Once the top part of her jersey was gone she sat there, trying to block out the light. She knew she probably had a light concussion, she had some in the past and knew the signs. She waited till Dave checked her eyes, neck and head, making sure no bumps, bleeding or slow eyes were found before moving to her shoulder and arm. She winced a bit when he poked around her shoulder but kept it together. 15 minutes later she was leaning back against her cubby in a t-shirt with an ice pack strapped to her shoulder.

"Well good news is nothing is broken or dislocated and you don't have a concussion." Dave said after returning with some pain pills. "Bad news is you have some whiplash and a nice size bruise at the base of your collarbone. That will take about 3 or 4 days to feel good enough to play again. Nothing major, but you should rest it for a few days so you can play during preseason." He explained as he handed her the ibuprofen and some water. Nodding her thanks she took the pills and swallowed them with water before sitting the cup down.

"Thanks Doc. I appreciate it." Dave patted her shoulder before leaving the room. Barlow groaned softly as she pushed herself upright, leaning her good arm on her leg. She hated having injuries no matter how big or small. Not only did it impact her life at the rink but her home life as well. It meant she couldn't be as involved with Harper like she normally was and had to depend on Katie more to help out. With a sigh she started to pull off the rest of her gear, going slowly so she didn't get dizzy or pull anything. She stacked it all on her cubby bench to be put away once she stood up. She didn't realize time had gone by, or that she zoned out with her eyes closed, head back against the wall till she heard voices talking in the hallway. The high pitched child voice made it clear Harper had entered the hallways to the locker room, and knew her mother would more than likely be there or the rink and she was ready to find her. Around the corner came the little ball of energy, happily bubbling away as she walked with Katie and the assistant head coach.

"Hey baby!" Barlow said as she pushed herself up slowly from her bench. Her shoulder was sore and her head was kinda dizzy but nothing would stop her from holding her daughter. The toddler ran over to her mother, pure joy in her face. She picked Harper up on her good side, grunting lightly as she did so. Katie walked into the locker room and saw the look of discomfort on her friend's face.

"What happened to you?" She asked as she sat down Harper's bag in Barlow's cubby bunch.

"Took a bad hit during practice. Got a little whiplash but I'll be fine in a few days Doc says." Right after she spoke she heard the noise of skates mats and knew the boys were coming off the ice. She smiled at Katie who looked a bit uncomfortable. While Katie was her friend pretty much from the start of her career. They met through her brother who was at the time dating her sister but then broke up soon after that. They stayed best friends and after her fiance died Katie moved in with Barlow to make things easier on her while she played hockey. The move to Vegas was big, but Katie has gone through a bad relationship and wanted out of the city and a fresh start as well. So she came with Barlow and Harper to Vegas to remain as her nanny. Katie had been around hockey men for years but still felt weird about being in the locker room when they were in there. She only would come in when she knew Barlow was there because it meant they were at least covered where it counted. Barlow smiled at her friend before nodding towards the door, letting her know she was free to leave if she wanted to. Katie gave her a grateful smile before walking out of the room, just as the boys began to file in.

"Hey BK, you alright?" Erik asked as soon as he saw the forward. "Hi Harper." He waved at the small child who waved back shyly. Harper sat Harper down on her cubby seat before turning to face Erik. He still had a look of worries and guilt in his eyes and she felt bad, knowing he didn't mean it at all.

"I'm fine. I promise. Just some light whiplash and a sore shoulder. In a few days I'll be right as rain." She could see he still was worried but he didn't say anything, just nodded his head and patted her arm before going to undress from his gear. Barlow turned back to face her cubby and started to pull off her hockey pants when Harper began to squeal and darted off the bunch. Barlow looked up to see Marc with his arms opened wide as he sat on his knees, the little red headed toddler jumping into his arms.

"Bonjour ma petite fleur!" He said as he held Harper close, kissing her cheek. She giggled and grabbed his face, kissing his cheek before grabbing a fistful of his jersey.

"Bonjour Flower." She answered back. Her French had been getting much better with time and she was able to speak a small amount now with no problems. Harper could understand a lot more now then she could speak. Marc smiled at her before standing up, and walking to his cubby. Barlow smiled at the pair as she continued to take off the rest of her gear. Her shoulder was stiff and bending to take off her skates made her dizzy but she pulled through and got it done.

"How come you guys are done already?" She asked Marc as she stood back up. She felt slightly dizzy upon doing so but hoped she hid it enough. Marc looked up at her, after handing Harper his helmet to hold onto and look at.

"He said it was just a light skate today and he also had an appointment he needed to go to so we all just called it quits."

Barlow nodded her head as she looked into his deep brown eyes. The same eyes that seemed to make her lose her mind every time she saw them the last few weeks. She wasn't sure why or what power he suddenly had over her after she basically shut out all ideas of men from her life for years, and suddenly Marc-André had her feeling butterflies. Gigging pulled her from her thoughts and she looked pasted him to find Harper wearing his goalie helmet. It bobbled and slid around as she moved, being far too big for her tiny head, but she laughed and smiled nevertheless, making the others in the room smile as well. Barlow grinned at her daughter as she looked up at her, holding onto the helmet the best she could to stop it from sliding around.

"Look Mommy, I'm just like Flower!" The toddler laughed. Marc laughed and patted the helmet lightly, making the child laugh more. Max walked over with his helmet on and bent down to be eye level with Harper. "Put your head against my helmet Harper. We'll helmet hug each other like Flower does with the players on the ice." Harper leaned forward and bent her head slightly, letting Max tap his helmet against hers, making them both giggle as the helmet bobbled on her head. "Good job!" He said before standing up.

"Again! Again!" She laughed, clapping her hands. The guys all laughed before grabbing their helmets and putting them back on. Marc picked up Harper and helped her stand on the bunch seat so she was taller, holding onto her arms so she didn't fall. "Look Mommy! I do goalie hugs!"

Barlow smiled and grabbed her phone, clocking on the camera to take a video of all the players giving her daughter a helmet hug as the very attractive star goalie held her steady on the bench. All the players lightly tapped their helmets to hers, making her giggle with each one. Marc wore a big smile, helping her stay steady on the bench. He smiled up at Barlow and she felt her heart flutter, and her mind froze. It was like something out of a dream. She had always wondered what a father would look like with Harper, doing something just like this, holding up their daughter as she giggled and laughed as their friends did something to make her happy, his smile lighting up the room as well. It was a dream that someone turned into reality, only Marc wasn't Adam, he wasn't her husband or Harper's father. It was like her heart begged for her to let it fall in love again, yet her mind was scared of being hurt once more. Her mind and heart warred with themselves over the scene in front of her eyes and she didn't know who to listen to.

After the last player tapped their helmet to hers, Marc pulled the helmet off Harper's head and sat it on his shelf, before picking up the child and nuzzling his nose into her soft curls. Harper wrapped her small arms around his neck, holding him close as she looked over at her mother. Barlow put her phone down on the bench and pulled the rest of her gear off. Down to just a sports bra and some athletic compression shorts she grabbed a Tshirt and slipped it on gingerly and then a pair of track shorts. Pulling on a pair of slip-on Docs, she let her hair fall loose down her back. Turning back to her daughter, she walked over to the pair and smiled. Poking Harper's cheek, making her giggle softly, Barlow gave Marc a soft smile to which he returned.

"Hey Little Bird, why don't we go get food?"

"I'll take you guys for lunch. My treat."

Barlow looked up into his cocoa eyes with wide eyes. Did he just say he wanted to treat them to lunch? "Oh no you don't have to Flower." She tried to keep her voice even, trying not to show that her heart was now racing. He just smiled and shook his head, shifting Harper in his arms to hold her better.

"Harper, tell your Mommy to stop being stubborn and let me take the two of you to lunch." He said in a singsong voice. "You want to go have lunch with me don't you Harper?" He then turned to look at Barlow with a mischievous smile.

"Mommy lunch with Flower!! Lunch with Flower, please Mommy!" Harper said, bouncing in his arms, clapping her hands. Marc gave her a bright smile, knowing full well she wouldn't say no to her daughter. Barlow shook her head, letting out a sigh and put her hands on her hips.

"So who's leaving their car here?" She asked with a defeated sigh. Marc grinned and kissed Harper's hair before answering her.

"I took an Uber today. My car is in the shop. I'll drive since you got hurt and then I'll drive you home, and Uber from there."

Barlow cocked her head to the side and gave him a knowing look. "I can drive my own ca-"

"Nope. You got whiplash and need to rest. Therefore I'm driving." Flower said, cutting Barlow off before she could finish what she was saying. With one last snuggle he passed off the toddler to her mother and grabbed his clothes. "I'll be right back. I'm leaving my gear here for the day." He said walking to the shower to change. Harper smiled up at her mother and Barlow shook her head.

"What did you get us into Little Bird?" She sighed before kissing her daughter's head. Harper giggled and played with her mother's hair, snuggling her face into the crook of her neck. Barlow rocked her gently, ignoring the chatter of the guys around her as she went to sit on her cubby bunch, feeling slightly dizzy again. She closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh scent of Harper's shampoo as she held her daughter. After a few minutes she felt a tap on her shoulder and she looked up to find Marc smiling down at her and Harper with soft eyes.

"Come on, let's get you and this little flower some food." He said gently. He picked up Harper's backpack and Barlow's bag, following them out of the locker room, unaware of the pairs of eyes from the team watching them leave, all with knowing looks to each other. Barlow found Katie talking to Shea Theodore outside the locker room. Katie seemed deep into the conversation with the young defenseman and he seemed totally smitten with her. Barlow walked up to the pair and smiled at Katie.

"Marc is taking Harper and I out for lunch. So you can do whatever for the rest of the day." She told her. The blonde smiled softly at Barlow, giving her friend a knowing look before nodding her head.

"Shea asked me to lunch so this works perfectly." Katie said shyly as she smiled at the young player. Shea gave her a grin before Katie turned back to Barlow. "Have a good time."

Barlow followed Marc down the halls and out the players entrance to the parking lot. He walked to her SUV and waited for her to fish out her keys from her bag. Once she unlocked the doors he put their bags into the trunk of her car while she put Harper in her car seat. Once Harper was buckled up she shut the door and handed the keys to Flower.

"Don't wreck my car please." Said Barlow in a joking tone. Marc stuck his tongue out at her before leaning down and kissing her cheek without thought. Barlow was shocked, but didn't pull back as his warm lips brushed the skin of her cheek bone.

"Very funny you are. Now come on, off to feed you and the child!" He said once he pulled back, seeming unfazed by what happened. Barlow shook her head, a warm blush heating up her face as she rounded the car and got into the passenger side. Marc waited till she was buckled up before turning on the car and pulling out of the parking lot. "So pretty ladies, what are we hungry for?" He asked as he looked in the rear view mirror at Harper.

"Nuggets!" The toddler cried out with a clap of her hands. Marc smiled at her before nodding his head, giving her his best smile.

"Nuggets it is!"

Barlow softly chuckled at the two of them. Harper was so at ease with him, it made her heart happy to see her so close to someone that was like her father in ways. Marc spoke the same way, and had the same joy and laughter in his heart the way Adam once had. The way he spoke French or how his accent rolled off his lips made her heart race, and yet at the same time made her feel so calm. It was like finding home again, and it scared her. Here was this man next to her, someone that was so gentle and good hearted, and her mind was so scared to fall again, even though she knew her heart was ready. The way he smiled at her wasn't like most men, it was like how Adam had before they started dating. The same smile of a man who had already fallen hard, but was patient and willing to let it fall into place. Barlow was so lost in her thoughts, she never realized Marc had been talking to her till he placed his hand on top of hers, making her eyes dart up to meet his. He was looking at her with a little bit of concern.

"I'm sorry, I got lost in my one head, what did you say?" She looked down to see his hand still holding hers, so she gave it a light squeeze. Marc waited a few seconds before squeezing back, and turning back to look at the road.

"Is everything okay Barlow?"

"Yes I'm fine. Really. Just got lost in thought. What did you say to me?".

Marc side glanced her before answering "I asked how you like the team so far, and if you felt like you were setting into the city well?"

Barlow was till thrown off by the warm feeling of his hand covering hers but she didn't shake it off. She liked it a lot. She smiled and looked out the window of the car at the city around them.

"I like it here. This town is cool, and always something to see. The fans are already amazing and the pride for this team is great." She explained. "As for the team I feel like I'm starting to find my way. I have always gotten along with my team but being the only female in the league I still stand on the outside a bit, and that's okay really. I got used to it over the years."

Marc waited till he stopped at a red light and turned to look at her. "This team is lucky to have you and the guys talk highly of you. Plus we all love Harper. So don't worry about fitting in. You already do." He said before driving on when the light turned green. His works meant something to Barlow more than she realized they would. When she had been with the Oilers she had Adam and after she had Harper and lost Adam, the team helped her out when family couldn't be there, but she was still on the outside. Some of the older players didn't like the idea of a female player and didn't accept her like some of the younger guys did within the league and the team. She knew it would always be this way but to know she had this team's support meant something. It would make playing here easier on her and Harper in the long run. Soon Marc turned into a small little restaurant parking lot and shut off the car.

"This place has the best food and it will give Harper the nuggets she so much wants haha." He said before getting out of the car. The warmth of his hand was suddenly gone and it felt like an empty spot filled her soul all the sudden. Shaking her head, Barlow opened the car door and got out. Walking around the car she found Flower getting Harper out of her car seat. The toddler placed her small arms around his neck, and smiled at her mother once she saw her. Barlow tucked some of her red curls behind her ear before Marc led them into the restaurant. When they walked inside the restaurant crew all smiled and greeted them.

"Hello Marc! Good to see you again." A tall, Middle aged woman who was wearing black dress pants and the restaurant logoed T-Shirt said. She looked at the toddler in his arms and Barlow standing next to him and smiled brightly. "You didn't tell us you were married! Hello my name is Faith, my husband and I own this place." She said sticking out her hand to Barlow.

Barlow took her hand and shook it while saying. "Oh, we're not married. I'm his teammate Barlow Kane. This is my daughter Harper. We just moved here from Canada, where I played for the Oilers."

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you anyway Mrs. Kane."

"Ms Kane. I um… well… My fiance passed away a few years ago. Never married." Barlow said in a softer voice. "Kane is my maiden name. I'm Patrick Kane's younger sister."

Faith gave her a soft smile and placed her hand on Barlow's arm. The older woman felt for the young mother, but could see the look in Marc's eyes, how he cared for her and the girl already. "I'm sorry for your loss dear." She then pulled her hand away and grabbed some menus. "Let's get you guys some food!"

Barlow followed the group to a small booth in the back, tucked into a corner and away from most of the public eyes. She began to realize Marc was a regular here, and they kept him tucked away from the public eye so he could eat in peace. She thought it was nice of the store owners to do this for him. Sitting Harper down in the seat Marc then went to the other side of the booth so Barlow could be next to her daughter. Faith handed them some menus and pulled out a pen and table.

"I'm guessing you still want your regular coffee Marc?" She asked, hand ready above the table. He smiled up at her with a bright child-like smile, making the older woman laugh.

"You're too good to me Faith."

She turned to Barlow and Harper after writing down Marc's coffee order. "I'll have a raspberry lemonade please, and I'll get her an apple juice please." Faith nodded, writing it down and then telling them she'd be back in a bit to take their food orders before going off to grab their drinks. She was looking around the restaurant, looking at all the decor and out the windows, taking it all in. When her eyes met his it was like all the air from her lungs vanished. The soft look in Marc-André's dark chocolate eyes looked into her soul, like he knew every thought, every worry, every dream that ever came to her mind and heart. She blushed and ducked her head down, looking at Harper who was playing with the stuffed bunny Barlow had brought inside with them. When she looked back up he was still looking at her, a stupid, soft smile on his lips.

"What?" She asked shyly. He smiled a bit more and shook his head, leaning back against his seat a bit.

"Nothing." He said with a blush, rubbing the back of his neck. By this point Faith came back with their drinks and asked if they were ready to order their lunch. Barlow got Harper chicken nuggets and some apple sauce, and then got herself baked Mac and cheese with a small salad on the side. Marc went with the grilled salmon and some mashed potatoes. When Faith went to take the menu from Barlow she saw her right ring finger and smiled. "What a beautiful tattoo! I like that a lot." She told her before walking off to place their order. Marc raised an eyebrow at Barlow and reached across the table to take her hand. Turning so he could see the inside of her ring finger on the right hand he found a small tattoo there of the word "love" written in cursive handwriting and a small blue butterfly sitting on the letter E.

Barlow looked at their joined hands before looking up at him. "It's my late fiance's handwriting." She spoke softly. Marc moved his eyes up to meet hers, and he gave her a small smile.

"It's beautiful."

He let go of her hand and she rubbed the ink on her skin. She looked down at it, and sighed, before looking back up at him. "Adam was Canadian, but he spoke French like you. Actually, I believe you two might have been from the same area. Anyways he grew up in an old fashioned European house where they wear their rings on the right hand and not the left. But since I'm American, he wanted to use the left hands. So we agreed that to keep his family tradition, we would get matching tattoos on the right hand so when I couldn't wear my ring during games, I still had a ring of sorts on the right hand." Barlow explained to him. It was the first time she ever really spoke about Adam, and for once it didn't hurt. "I decided to still get something done, so I did the word love in his handwriting."

"And the butterfly?" Marc asked in such a soft tone. Barlow looked down at the small blue butterfly on her skin and smiled, a true smile as the memory came back to her.

"On our first date we went to the park. A small blue butterfly landed on his head and then flew and landed on my nose. He said it was the universe's way of telling him that he should kiss me. And then he did. It's one of my favorite memories." She said looking up at the men across from her. "Honestly it used to hurt to even think about him. But everyone said that coming here is a new start for me. That Adam wouldn't want me to be alone, for Harper to not have a father." She felt her cheeks heat up slightly as she looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Maybe they're all not wrong. Maybe it's time I find a new happiness."

Marc smiled at her and reached across the table to take her hand that was laying by her plate. His hands engulfed hers, but she loved the feel of his warm skin against hers. The look in his eyes was enough to drive her crazy, a look of wonder and… what seemed like love, shined in his eyes. "It's a beautiful memory, Barlow. Thank you for sharing it with me." His accent was thick and deep, making her stomach flutter. At this point Faith brought their food back and they began to eat, Harper chatting quietly to her Bunny as she ate, and a comfortable silence filled the air. It felt normal. It felt right.

After they finished eating and paid for their food, Faith handed Barlow a small take home box with 3 pieces of chocolate cake with a smile, telling her it was on the house. Barlow smiled and thanked the older woman for her kindness and followed Marc-André and Harper out the door. Once they got settled into the car Barlow punched in her address to the GPS and Flower started for home. Their drive was peaceful, Harper's light bubbling to her toys filling the air around them as they drove. A few minutes into the drive Marc reached across the center console and placed his hand on Barlow's knee. It took her by surprise, but she soon melted into the warm touch in her bare skin. His thumb slowly moved up and down over the skin of her knee as he drove.

"Thank you, for lunch." Barlow broke the silence after a short while. Marc smiled and glanced her way before his eyes found the road again. His hand gave her knee a slight squeeze.

"Of course. I love spending time with you and Harper. I'm glad you let me in, Barlow."

She smiled softly and placed her hand overtop of his. It felt right, and it felt safe. But before she knew it they were pulling into her driveway and he shut off the car. Barlow got out and walked to the back door to grab Harper from her car seat as Marc got their bags from the trunk, but left her hockey gear in there. Once they walked up to the front door it was being a teen again. Standing by the door after she unlocked it she turned to face him, unsure what the next step was. Marc seemed to sense her hesitation and placed the bags just inside the door. Barlow let Harper down and she took off running into the house, and into the living room to play with her toys. Turning to face him, he beat her to the chase.

"I already ordered an Uber, they'll be here in about five minutes."

"You don't want to stay a bit?" She asked.

He smiled and stepped a bit closer to her. Pushing a lock of her hair off her face and behind her ear he licked his lips before speaking. "I would, but I have to go pick up my car, and I promised my mother I'd call before supper. Otherwise I'd stay." His fingers still tickled the skin of her cheek, making her lean into his touch a bit more.

"I had a nice time Marc." Her voice was a bit more gravely as she spoke.

"Me too Barlow."

He leaned down and softly pressed his lips to her cheek, lingering there for a few beats before pulling back upon hearing a car pull up. He turned and saw his Uber had arrived and he turned back to face her with a smile. Her cheeks were red with blush, but a smile graced her lips. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. His arms snaked around her waist, and his face nuzzled into the crook of her neck. When Barlow pulled back she placed a quick kiss to his cheek, before stepping back and opening the door to her house.

"See you soon Flower." She said softly before stepping inside and shutting the door behind her. Marc smiled to himself before walking down to his Uber. He knew right then and there one day, he was going to make her his wife, and he was going to show her what it meant to find love all over again.

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