I owning nothing but Vanessa, so you no sue or steal, okay? You having very clear grasp of this concept, yes?

Pssssst, reviews make me HAPPY!

Okay, done rambling, on with story...

Chapter 3

"Hey, Herb?" Vanessa called as she reviewed the schedule. "We're playin' the Soviets three days before the Opening Ceremonies?"

"Yeah, how 'bout that?" he smirked. "You alright?"

"Yeah," she answered, returning from her trance. "Yeah, I'm great."

He smiled at her and disappeared into the locker room.

"Hey, Nessa," she heard a voice behind her. Jack O'Callahan. God, could he not leave her alone? Geez, why was she so interesting to him?

"What?" she snarled.

"How're you and Jimmy?"

"Why do you care?" her eyes narrowed.

"Well, after the Christmas football game, I saw you two. You led him into the house…"

"So you were spying?"

Jack nodded. "Was a pretty hot sight too. You and Jimmy…" he looked away for a moment, and smirked at her. "Damn girl, where can I get some of that?"

Vanessa swung back and her foot connected with Jack's testicles. She watched as he sank to the floor, hands protecting his crown jewels. Too enraged to say anything, she stormed out of the arena and got into her car. She knew she shouldn't drive when she was so upset, but she didn't care. She turned on her engine and left the parking lot.

She ran into the dorms and unlocked her door through blurry eyes. Collapsing on her bed, she dug her face into her pillow and sobbed.

"Damn, can you hear that?" Jimmy asked Robbie as they played a round of poker.

"Yeah…" Robbie put down his cards. "Sounds like Vanessa." The two of them left their apartment and knocked on her door.

"Nessa…" Robbie shouted, maybe she could hear him. "You alright?"

No answer, just the sound of heart wrenching tears. Robbie nodded at Jimmy, who backed off, deciding it would be better to let him open the door.

He opened the door to find Vanessa curled under her blanket, her 125 pound body racked with unshed tears. He went and sat on the floor by her bed. Finally he couldn't take it anymore. He got up and gently kissed her temple. "What's up, Nessa?"

She turned over and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Oh, it's you Robbie."

"Yeah…" he helped her sit up. "Wanna tell me what's wrong?" He handed her a tissue from the box on her dresser.

She blew her nose, discarded the offending material into the wastebasket, and wrung her hands in her lap, proceeding to tell her brother from another mother the entire story.

"So you slept with Jimmy, Jack saw you and thinks you're easy?"

She nodded.

"Did you use protection?" Now he was starting to sound like Herb, always making sure she was alright.

"Yes, mother," she replied, annoyed that he would ask such a thing. "I'm not stupid…"

"Wasn't implying nothing," he laughed. "If it'll make you feel any better you could always put the beats on the guy in practice scrimmages."

Vanessa laughed. "I already broke his nose once, and I'm pretty sure he's not gonna be fatherin' anyone's children for at least a coupla months."

Robbie laughed. "So you're the one who kicked O.C. so hard he thought he was gonna die?"

"You know it, baby," the tears were starting to disappear. "But I don't know what to do…" she told him, "I don't want to be with anyone right now, but…"

"You love Jimmy…" Robbie finished for her. "And I understand that. There was a time when I loved him too…"

She raised her eyebrow.

"Well, not love him, love him. But, you get it. He's like a brother to me."

"I don't know," she insisted. "I wanted to make this team, but…"

"Jack is getting to you, isn't he?" Robbie asked, putting an arm around her shoulder.

Again, she nodded.

"If you have a problem with him, you should probably tell Herb."

"I'd rather run the 'Herbies' drill again than talk to Herb," Vanessa's tears were now turning to anger. "I'm on the team because apparently, I 'earned the spot', and when we play the Soviets he's gonna put me on the ice with Jack and the Conehead line…"

"Well the Coneheads aren't so bad."

"No, the Coneheads are great, but…"

"Jack'll be focused on his game," Robbie held her close. "Don't you worry about it."

"Okay," she whispered. She hugged him tightly and let him go. He tucked her into bed and went out the door, gently closing the door behind him.

"Oooh, hard hit by Brooks!" the announcer shouted into the microphone as she landed a hard hit on Boris Mikhailov, the captain of the Soviet team. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, as they didn't cover Jimmy, who'd been yelling for a screen, and the Soviets ended the game with a score of 10-3. Herb was not impressed.

"Hey, Jimmy," Herb called him over while in the dressing room. "I'm thinking about sittin' you out and giving Janny a look."

"What, now?" he was shocked beyond belief.

Vanessa stopped as she finished pulling her shirt over her head. What was Herb going on about?

"Yeah, now. You're too tired and I've worked you too hard."

"That's my net, man. You can't do that!"

"The Soviets just scored 10 goals, Jim. Right now, it's everybody's net." He left the dressing room.

Jimmy was left to contemplate those words, and he didn't give it a second thought when he ran out to catch Herb.

"Wait a second... I've given you all I've got, now you're pulling the plug on me?"

"Have you? Given me your very best? Because I know there's a lot more in you, a whole other level that for some reason you just don't want to go to. Aw, hell, you don't understand what the hell I'm talking about." Herb turned and started walking.

"No... you know what I don't understand, Herb? I don't understand you, nobody on this team understands you. Not even Vanessa, and she's your daughter, for fuck's sake! You, with your ridiculous sayings, and your drills, and those stupid psychology tests you had everybody take..."

"Everybody?" Herb cut him off and starting jogging up the stairs to the door.

"What, so that's what this is about? Because I wouldn't take your test? Fine, you want me to take your test? I'll take your test, is that what you want?" Jimmy yelled, not caring if anyone heard him.

"No. I wanna see the kid in the net who wouldn't take the test." Herb jogged up the remaining steps, and out the back door, leaving Jimmy to contemplate his words once again.

There was a knock on her apartment door as she got ready for bed. She tried to ignore it, but it kept going… and going… and going. Finally, she gave up resisting it and opened the door.

Jack O'Callahan was standing outside her door once again.

"For God's sake, haven't I beaten your ass enough for you to understand that I don't want you anywhere near me?"

"Maybe," he offered her his hand. "Vanessa, I just want to talk."

"Oh sorry, I don't speak moron." She moved to slam the door in his face.

He stopped it with a grasp of the hand. "Vanessa…"

"What the bloody hell do you want!" she shouted, irritated. "What makes me so interesting?" She could see the surprise on his face, but she didn't stop there. "You want me to spread my legs for you? Come on in!"

"No!" he insisted, "I just want to talk to you."

She paused. "Fine." Her voice was dripping with malice. She let him in and they stood in the doorway, door open.

"You know, we haven't really gotten off to the greatest start here…"

"Really Professor?"

"And I really don't wanna fight with you anymore."

Wait a minute… Jack O'Callahan was giving in? That didn't happen, especially when it came to a woman. Perhaps he'd just had enough of getting his nose broken and kicked in the balls.

"Uh huh, go on."

"And I was wonderin'," he stuck out his hand, "truce?"

Vanessa thought for a moment, reached out, turned his hand over, and spat right in Jack's palm.

"Kiss my ass, O'Callahan!" she hissed.

Hee Hee! I love Vanessa... even though she's my own creation! If you want more, go review! Because I'll keep writing!