Welcome to a new story. First and foremost: I will only say this once, I do not own the Mighty Ducks or anything else that has a copyright on it that may appear in this story.
Second: a huge thank you goes out to God'sgirlforever. Without her help I am certain there would be a ton more errors in this story. Any remaining ones are due to the fact that we are both human and can't catch everything.
Third: This is a semi-offshoot of my other story When Ice and Dirt Mix. Though you do not need to read that one to understand this one, if you have you will notice a lot of similarities between the two. In fact this story is a basic what if off that one. In that story when Matt dies Lizzy pulls away from hockey and never wants to be involved in it again. In this one she throws herself into hockey and it becomes all she cares about.
So without further rambling:
Chapter One: An Offer
Lizzy covered her face with her hands and rested her forehead on the table as Judge Astin considered the Prosecutor's offer in front of her. "Look at her," Gordon hissed at Lizzy.
Lizzy looked up and sighed. Here she was sitting in a courtroom in central Minneapolis on a Friday in October when she should have been anywhere else. The Prosecutor and Bombay had both agreed to the deal and they were just waiting for the judge to agree. Bombay had said it was just a formality as he had been in this judge's courtroom before and more often than not she had accepted the deal offered. Lizzy couldn't wait until the whole thing was over and she was as free as she could be considering the situation. Sure she had technically broken the law but the sentencing deal being offered was rather fair. The State of Minnesota was charging her with the only thing they could: truancy, as running away wasn't illegal but skipping school for a month was. Also since Matt owned the house she had been staying in, and he was her brother he wasn't pressing any breaking and entering charges, so they had nothing else on her.
It had really all started four months prior in the middle of May in her seventh grade year. Lizzy Jacobs had been starting center for The Austin Sparks female Peewee Hockey team. As there were a total of eight female hockey teams in the state of Texas, her team often played exhibition style matches against the local boys' teams when they weren't playing actual games. Her favorite team to play was the Crockett Cougars, one of the best boys' teams in the state. Not only did it remind her of the time she played hockey in Minnesota with her old team but it was also the team her boyfriend played on.
It happened after the final hockey game of the year. The girls' state championship team played the boys' team in an epic battle of the sexes and the winner had bragging rights for the next year. This year both teams happened to be from Austin and it was being referred to not only as a battle of the sexes but also as a battle of the city. The Austin Sparks, captained by Lizzy, took on the nearly undefeated Crockett Cougars. It was a hard fought battle and with a score of two to two with 10 seconds left in the third period, Lizzy pulled out all the stops and scored one final goal; winning the game Sparks three, Cougars two. The boys never held it against the Sparks when they won, knowing that Lizzy had been trained to play by one of the best players to ever hit the Hockey Minors. After the game Lizzy headed towards the boys' locker room to see if her boyfriend wanted to grab some dinner when she was stopped by a man in a suit.
"Afternoon," he said.
"Evening," Lizzy answered.
"My name is Don Tibbles; I'm the senior V.P. of Hendrix Hockey Apparel."
"Lizzy Jacobs, captain of the Austin Sparks Peewee hockey team."
"I've seen your tapes; you're very good."
"You mean for a girl," Lizzy answered, trying not to roll her eyes. She was often told how good she was, but it was always followed by the phrase for a girl.
"No, I don't. You are just as good as the boys. How many years in a row have you gone to State?"
"This year and last year. Uh ... I've been playing hockey since I was big enough to skate but I've only been on a team that made it past the regular season for the past two years. This year and last year in Minnesota. In Minnesota I got to play on co-ed teams. Last year we won State, the year before that I was on a different team and our coach quit; the year before we were terrible; the year before that I was nine and we had to drop out of the season because half the team came down with chicken pox. Before that there wasn't really a state competition. Most the teams just play for participation."
"And you were captain the past two years?" Tibbles asked, motioning to the bright gold C on her purple jersey.
"Just this year. Last year we didn't really have a captain. At least not on the roster. Mr. Tibbles, what does Hendrix Hockey Apparel want with me? I'm not a model or anything," Lizzy asked, fiddling with her bag strap.
"No, you're not. You see Hendrix is the official sponsor for Team U.S.A. Hockey during the Junior Goodwill Games."
"You mean the kid Olympics?"
"Yes, that's basically what they are. We want you to play for Team U.S.A. Hockey."
"What do you mean play for Team U.S.A.?"
"We want you to play center during the Goodwill Games."
"Me? Are you sure?"
"Yes, it's an international competition against the best in the world; but Team U.S.A. is comprised of the best players in the country. They're coming from Minnesota, Chicago, Maine, Florida, California, and right here in Texas."
"You do realize all of those you just said were states except Chicago, don't you?"
"So what do you say, ready to be the best of the best? Are you ready to make your country proud?"
"Depends. Do you have a coach that is willing to stay until the end of the season?"
"He'll be under contract and can't leave until the tournament is over. What do you say?"
"What the heck?" Lizzy shrugged. "I've wanted something to do this summer."
"Great, we'll get your parents to sign the contract—" Mr. Tibbles smiled.
"Parent. My dad's a lawyer and the only one to sign things."
"Okay, your father will sign the contract and in a week you'll meet the rest of your team and your coach in Taylor Falls, Minnesota."
"Taylors Falls, Mr. Tibbles. It's like an hour from Minneapolis."
"How did you know that?"
"I grew up in Stillwater. Taylors Falls is only 35 minutes north of there. What do you mean I'll meet them in a week? I have school next week. We don't get out for three more weeks."
"We've worked it out with the school board that you'll be allowed to leave to join the team. You're actually the last player we need for the team."
"So the contract my dad has to sign?"
"If you'll point him out we'll get him to sign right now and I'll drop off your plane ticket the minute I get it."
"Yeah, he's not here. My dad doesn't come to my games; he's too busy being a lawyer."
"Then perhaps I can speak with him in person tomorrow?"
"That will work. Just drop by any time after five and he should be home. You have my address, right?" Lizzy asked.
"Yes, and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow." Tibbles answered. Lizzy took the packet of information he offered and watched him walk away. When he was gone she turned her attention back to the boys' locker room to see her boyfriend heading her way.
"Who was that?" he asked.
"A guy congratulating me on the game. You're not mad are you?" Lizzy asked.
"About you winning? Naw, I know how good you are. Plus ever since your brother died, hockey's the only thing you do." He kissed her cheek and Lizzy blushed. Her boyfriend wasn't big on displaying how much he liked her in public but Lizzy thought that made him sweeter.
"He taught me to play and even though the game took him from me, it'd be a dishonor to his memory if I didn't continue on. Besides it's the only way I feel control anymore." Back in November, the oldest of Lizzy's four brothers had died at the bottom of a pile up on the ice the same day he got word he was being called up from the minors to play for the Detroit Red Wings. Lizzy had been devastated when she had found out. For the first three weeks she had wanted nothing to do with hockey but then her aunt had called and reminded her that life had to go on and she wasn't respecting her brother by sulking and giving up on the sport they both loved. After that she ate, slept, dreamt, and breathed hockey.
"Lizzy, dinner?" her boyfriend asked.
"What?" Lizzy asked, snapping out of her thoughts. Her dark haired, dark eyed boyfriend raised the brim of his black cowboy hat and looked at her. "Oh dinner, right. Let's go." Lizzy smiled.
"Is everything alright?" her boyfriend asked as they sat down to dinner.
"I really like you, Babbit," Lizzy grinned.
Her boyfriend smiled at the nickname. He was her little bad rabbit. She had come up with the nickname shortly after they had started dating during the middle of the season. He could be very soft and cuddly and gentle with her off the ice but once he was on the ice it was a different story. He tended to showboat a little and he had a bit of a hard time remembering to play the game if his team went too hard after the girls when they played. He was a gentleman first, a showoff second, and a hockey player third. It was a bad combination.
"You know how much I like you. You've been a real blessing this past year and a half. I don't think I could have made it without your help. This summer's going to be killer though," she said.
"What do you mean, Lizzy?" The boy asked.
"I think we should take a break this summer, see other people maybe."
"You takin' a likin' to another boy? Just tell me the truth, Kitten. I can handle it."
"It's not that. I'm just going to be real busy this summer and trying to maintain a relationship won't be easy. I can still call and everything but I won't be able to see you. I don't want you to hold out hope for a devotion that I can't promise."
"I'm going to be busy this summer too but you don't see me trying to break things off."
"Babbit, please. Don't do this."
"Kitten, I promise we can make things work. Anything worth having is worth fighting for."
"I know that but I also know that I need to focus on aspects of my hockey and I can't—"
"You can't have me around while you do that. I get it. If that's how you want it then fine, consider us broken up." He stood and walked away. Lizzy closed her eyes and tried not to cry. Even if the breakup had been her idea, it still hurt that he hadn't put up that much of a fight to stop it.
The next day the papers were signed and a week later Lizzy was on a nonstop flight to Minnesota. Stepping out of the airport and into the twenty degree cooler weather made Lizzy shiver but it was also like a breath of fresh air. It was so good to be home again. Now she just had an hour long limo ride and then she'd be back to playing the game she loved.
The limo stopped outside the rink and behind a charter bus with a banner on the side that read Team U.S.A. Beside the bus were several suitcases and duffle bags. Mr. Tibbles was speaking to the bus driver and they were both staring at the map in their hands. Lizzy cleared her throat and they looked up. "Ah great. Everyone is here now. Ms. Jacobs, you can put your bags with the others and then head inside and you'll meet the rest of the team. They should be on the ice dressed for practice," Tibbles said.
Lizzy sat her rolling suitcase with the rest of the luggage then went inside. She easily found the locker rooms and changed then made her way to the ice with her stick.
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