𝗯𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝗯𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿New Beginnings

The call hadn't been long.

Just the other person on the line telling him what he already knew deep down, only with more details and truth behind it.

He was being traded.

He was leaving Vancouver after almost a decade of giving his soul, his tears, his sweat, to that team. His daughter was going to leave the place she had been born in.

It was something all hockey players knew would happen sometime. It was inevitable, and honestly with how the team had been performing, expected.

He left his bedroom, leaving Devon sleeping peacefully on the bed, and walked to Juliana's room.

Her soft snores filled the room, immediately calming Quinn in a way only his daughter and wife seemed to be able to.

He stood there, leaning on the doorway and silently watching Juli sleep peacefully, not aware that she was about to leave the only home she had ever known.

A couple seconds passed by before he heard the soft sound of sock-cladded steps, ones he had come to recognize as Devon's footsteps.

"Hey, baby" She greeted quietly, with sleep still coating her voice.

Quinn only greeted her with a kiss on the forehead, bringing her closer without moving his eyes from Juli.

"I got the call" He announced quietly, tightening his grip on her shoulders ever so slightly.

One look at his expression, and realization covered Devon's sleepy features.

They had been expecting the call for months, and the longer it took, the more nervous they got.

They knew this part of the business. He's known it since before he signed his first contract. He's been lucky. Stable, rooted.

But now there's a crib in the next room. A life that runs on nap schedules and grocery lists. A daughter who reaches for him like he's the whole world.

This isn't just a move anymore.

"Where?" Devon asked quietly, also tightening her grip on his waist.

"Minnesota"

"Minnesota" She parroted back, testing the word on her mouth.

Quinn nodded "Wild"

"Yeah, it is wild" She nodded, a cheeky grin growing on her lips despite the grief.

A smile started to grow on his face too, hers being too contagious "Why are you smiling?"

"They had one job, send you to New Jersey" The young mother said with a playful roll of her eyes, making the hockey player snort.

"I would kill myself if I had to see Jack and Luke everyday" He said honestly, though they both knew he missed his brothers more than he wanted to admit.

"But Moosey!" Devon grinned.

Quinn brought her closer to him, resting his head on top of hers softly "I love you"

"I love you too" She whispered, snuggling closer to his chest "We're gonna be okay"

And they would.

This was nothing to them, just a bump on the road.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

One thing Devon was starting to hate about trades was how little notice they came with.

She was seriously considering going to whoever was in charge of the NHL and demanding why they only had a day or two to pack their whole lives.

Juliana waddled between them, her tiny socked feet slapping softly against the hardwood, clutching her stuffed whale like it was sacred. She babbled nonstop, clearly in the middle of an important story no one else was allowed to interrupt.

Devon paused mid-fold of a blanket, watching her. Her innocent happiness. She was sad they were leaving the house where she had said her first words, her first steps, her first everything. But they had their memories, the stories, the love. They would make sure Juli knew where she came from.

"Up" Juli demanded once she was in front of Quinn, her little arms raised defiantly.

Quinn scooped her up automatically, pressing a kiss to her hair, eyes closing for half a second as the smell of baby shampoo filled his lungs. It steadied him. Devon saw it happen in real time.

"No fair. I want Juli cuddles too" Jule groaned as he taped the last box of kitchen utensils. They only had the bedrooms left and he already looked one box away from collapsing.

"No one wants to cuddle you" Sunny interjected quickly, taking a sip from her bottled water and smirking when Jule flipped her off.

"I'm so sad you're moving away again" Sunny added, softer now "But at least you guys are closer this time"m"Damn" Quinn muttered jokingly, adjusting Juli on his hip.

Jule rolled his eyes so hard Devon was worried they might get stuck "That's cold, man"

Juliana giggled at absolutely nothing, clearly pleased to be the center of attention.Devon leaned against the doorway, arms crossing loosely as she watched them. Her brother bedgrungily placing more things on boxes with tears he was badly hiding, Sunny hovering close and ready to comfort him no matter how much she loves to annoy him, and Quinn with their daughter tucked against his chest like she belonged nowhere else.

The boxes, the chaos, the rushed timeline, it all faded for just a moment.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

Their new house was beautiful, but it was nowhere near being finished.

Boxes still littered every inch of the house, some half opened, some beat up, unlabeled, even some missing. Nothing had a place yet, but it already felt theirs.

Quinn's first game in Minnesota had come faster than she expected.

Now, sitting in the family section of the arena with Juliana perched on her lap, she thought back on all their moments in Vancouver, how they started their life together, all the sleepless nights with Quinn grabbing her hair as she puked because of morning sickness. Or nights together as a little family, all the thanksgiving and christmas and the rest of holidays. It was hard to leave that chapter behind but she was ready.

The noise around them was constant. The cheers, announcements, skates cutting across ice, but Devon barely noticed any of it.

Her eyes were locked on the rink.

On Quinn.

The green jersey still looked strange on him. Unfamiliar. And yet, the moment he stepped onto the ice, shoulders squared, stick in hand, something in Devon's chest loosened. He looked the same as he always did when he played. Focused and calm, completely in his element.

Juliana let out a delighted squeal when the crowd reacted to him coming out on the rink, clapping her hands like she understood exactly why everyone was cheering. Devon laughed softly, adjusting her on her lap and pressing a kiss to her temple.

"That's dad" She murmured "That's him"

She felt it then, not fear of the loss she had expected, not the ache of leaving Vancouver behind.

Just pride.

Pride in the man on the ice, in the life they'd carved out together, in the way their world had shifted and stretched without breaking. Trades came and went. Cities changed. But this, them, had stayed solid through it all.

Quinn glanced toward the family section as they warmed up, like he always did.

When his eyes found hers, Devon smiled.

He smiled back.

Juliana bounced on her lap, oblivious but happy, and Devon wrapped her arms around her daughter, heart full in a way that felt almost overwhelming.

Boxes could wait. Unpacking could wait.This moment couldn't.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

devonhughes

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━ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧𝗯𝘆 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗱𝟰𝟯𝗱GUYSSS BONUS CHAPTER!!!!i was so sad when i saw he was traded but honestly i get it and from how its going hes triving there!!!! lets hope minnesota loves him like vancouver did💗💗💗