Casey woke up and turned over to see Derek laying flat on his back, hands behind his head staring straight up at the ceiling. Scooting over, she snuggled up against him and placed a kiss on his chest. Looking up she saw that he was now looking intently at her.

"What's the matter? Maybe I'm being a little shallow here, but usually when I wake up I get to see those eyes staring at me. So tell me, what's so interesting about that ceiling, I mean, do I need to be worried? Who's pushed me out and now occupying that sexy little head of yours?"

He smiled down at her and laughed. "Well, I wouldn't get too jealous unless you think a big Russian goalie by the name of Aleksi is moving into your territory."

"Oh," she said knowingly as she moved to prop herself up on her elbow. "Don't tell me that my Derek is afraid of some little goalie?"

"Some little goalie, Case," he said looking at her like she'd lost her mind. "That little goalie has held every team they've played up until now to a combined score of two. Two goals Casey, the guy has only let two pucks past him."

Casey leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his lips, and then pulling away slightly she told him, "That may be true, but see I know the reason behind it."

Derek raised his eyebrows up at her and asked, "Okay then oh wise one, can you please reveal to me the secret to the mystery?"

She raised her eyebrows right back and gave him a look he knew all too well. A look he had received many times in the last eleven years. "Well, not if you're going to be ugly about it."

Derek had her rolled over and pinned before she knew what happened. He dug his chin into her neck and shoulder blade and she giggled. "Now I suggest you tell me the secret or I will torture you until you comply."

Casey squirmed underneath him, "Okay stop, I promise I'll tell, just stop."

Derek raised his head up and looked at her, her hair all wild, a mixture of a night's worth of sleep and his tickling had caused it to cover part of her face and her breathing was all erratic from trying to defend herself from him. He literally had chills running straight through his body as he thought that she had never looked sexier. He started to lower his head again and he knew she thought he was going into tickle her but instead he began kissing her right below her ear before whispering, "I'm waiting."

He felt her shudder beneath him and a jolt of electricity ran through him, as it had so many times before, knowing that he had the same effect on her that she had on him.

"Well, if you'd stop turning my mind to goo, I'd tell you," she said.

He lifted his head and smirked, "Just one of my many talents. In fact, I can show you some more right now if you want."

"Down boy, today's a big day and we're running late already. We've got to get over to the orphanage by nine if we want to see the furniture and toys delivered and then I believe someone, if I'm not mistaken, is playing in the, what do you call it," she said feigning ignorance. "Oh yes, the uh, gold medal game is it?"

He grinned down at her and shook his head. "Yeah, that's what you call it Case. I'm glad all those years of being around hockey are finally paying off."

"Hey, I told you I knew the secret to Aleksi's success and you still haven't made sure I tell you. So who's the all knowing hockey god around here?"

"You are, all knowing one. Please impart your knowledge so that a mere mortal such as myself may understand."

She reached up and placed her hands on either side of his face. "It's because he hasn't played you yet. You, my gorgeous hubby, are kryptonite to his Super Man. It'll be all over once you hit the ice, I just know it."

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They had made it to the orphanage by nine and had been met by Casey's camera crew. This would be a part of the documentary and Casey was thrilled. Now that she knew Kristen would be theirs she wanted as much documented on film as possible. They had missed the first few months of her life and would miss several more before she was finally theirs, but this would be there forever, showing how this amazing journey all started.

She had found that Anna was just as wonderful and kind as the first time she has met her. She had even arranged to have someone meet them in her office with Kristen. Since they had brought Jase with them it would be the first time that their whole family would be together. Anna had even been kind enough to take a picture of them, and they were thrilled to have a portrait of their new family.

They now were standing in the game room as the children rushed in to see all their new things. As they looked at one another, with Derek holding firmly to Jase as she held on to Kristen just as tightly, they both realized that they had tears in their eyes. Who knew that fifteen thousand dollars, which was really absolutely nothing to them, could make such a difference to so many children?

They were startled by a flash and looked up to see a worker taking pictures. They both thought it rather odd but quickly dismissed it from their thoughts, thinking that they just wanted pictures for the new bulletin board that they had just brought in.

They had made their way back to Anna's office and all too soon, it was time to leave again, and Derek reluctantly handed Kristen back to Anna.

"We'll be back tomorrow to check on all the legal stuff and make sure our lawyer is getting everything in order on our side," Derek told Anna as they walked out of her office.

"That's fine Derek. I wish you good luck, but only enough to lose by one goal and not ten. I believe Aleksi has been waiting for this. The best scorer against the best goalie, it will be quite a match up."

"That is will," Derek agreed. "Thank you for today Anna, for allowing us to spend time with Kristen and for letting us see the children with their new things. It was wonderful."

"My pleasure, we could have never purchased any of those things on our own. We will be forever grateful to both of you."

They exchanged good byes and left, knowing that Derek had to hurry and meet up with the team. He had promised that his not staying in the Village wouldn't hinder his commitment to the team and he intended to not break that promise.

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It was still two hours before game time and Derek had found a secluded area in the arena to sit and think. He always liked to get some quiet time in before a game. He was big into visualization and he always imagined the game playing out in his head, of course with his team winning and him playing great. It was just something he had done since high school and he had to say it had worked pretty well for all these years.

He was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of his phone going off. He expected it to be Casey, calling to wish him good luck, so he had to admit he was surprised to see that it was Rick.

"Hey Rick, you picked a fine time to call; now my visualization is all screwed up. If we lose tonight, the blame goes to you," he joked.

Rick didn't laugh back like Derek expected and he immediately knew something was wrong.

"What's wrong Rick; is everything okay?"

"I'm afraid not D-man. I'm really sorry to call you like this but I really thought you should know."

"Know what?"

"The tabloid shows are going crazy over here. They've got these pictures up and they're telling these crazy half-ass stories."

"Slow down man and start from the beginning. What pictures?"

"There's the one where you left the hospital and you're carrying Jase covered in the carrier and then there's one of you and Casey and Jase when you first got over there. You're holding Jase and have a blanket covering him so that you can't see his face. Then there's one where you're standing at the press conference after the opening ceremonies; you're holding Jase and Casey's standing beside you. And then the last one has the three of you in some big room at an orphanage but you're holding Jase and Casey's holding a little girl they're calling Kristen. They're saying that Casey pitched a fit and is forcing you to adopt her."

Derek began pacing as he listened to Rick's story. "That's a bunch of bull. Casey didn't force anything. She did bring it up but I'm all for it. I can't wait to make Kristen a part of our family."

"D that's not the half of it. They're pulling one of those Brangelina stories where Casey wants nothing to do with Jase. That basically she's said when you get the new baby that Jase is your child and Kristen is hers."

Derek's face was blood red by now and his fists were clinched so tightly that for a moment he wondered if he would break his phone.

"So this is on television?"

"It's not just on television, it's all over television. They're reporting inside sources from the orphanage."

Derek quickly flashed back to the girl taking pictures in the game room that day. He knew what those pictures would be worth, especially with the story they were reporting to go with it. It didn't matter if the girl was fired, she would make more than twice the amount off that picture and her story than she could working a life time at that orphanage.

"Listen, I need you to call Stephen." Stephen was their lawyer and also happened to be Rick's. "You tell him I want him getting it out to everyone that if they run that story on television again or if it comes out in print, I will own them. Do you get that; tell them I'll own every one of their sorry butts."

"I've got you D. I'm not sure if I should have told you or not. I don't want to take anything away from tonight. You're playing for a gold medal, but I just thought you needed to know what they were saying."

"You did the right thing Rick, I promise. You know Casey comes first, Casey always comes first."

"I know, but still, don't let this affect your game. You went there to win and don't let this stop you."

"I'll try man, I'll try. Now please, just call Stephen and get the ball rolling. I'll call you after the game to see how it's going. And I mean it, thank you, you did the right thing."

Derek hung up and yelled, "Dammit."

How in the world did his life ever become so complicated? All he'd ever wanted was to play the game he loved and to provide for and protect his family. But it was becoming painfully clear to him that the game he loved was quickly becoming the thorn in his side. He was sick of it, physically sick. To hell with hockey, if this is what happened by him playing, then they were through. His love affair with hockey was over.

Remember Rick? He's Derek's teammate from the Rangers that was with him at the hospital.