Title: When the Whistle Blows
Author: A. Lynne
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Yes – please! :)
Fandom: Movie - Miracle
Summary: When Jack O'Callahan comes down with a fever before the Norway game, he – even with the persistence of his friends – won't call it quits until he falls down.
Characters: Jack O'Callahan, Mike Eruzione, Jim Craig, Herb Brooks, Coach Patrick, Doc., and other misc. USA team members
Date Posted: 8-4-04
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these people, nor the "Miracle" concept. I am very respectfully borrowing them with no intent of profit.
A/N: This is my very first fanfiction for the movie Miracle- and I'm excited to write it. There will be no girl/boy relationships going on, nor any "lemons" [or what ever you guys like to call it. I'll be updating as much as possible!
Oh, yeah – and I ought to let you know – I've used some of the quotes from the movie. You'll know when there is a star [] next to it.
Ex: "You guys don't want to work during a game? No problem. We'll work now. Goal line – that one!"
I'd also like to tell you that anything that is in parentheses, and in italics, are thoughts.
Ex: [This is gonna be one hell of a game]
Alright – you can get on to the story now :)
Chapter 1
Part 1
"Hey, O.C.," Mike said, walking up the young man leaning up against his locker, "You alright?"
O.C.'s face turned immediately to stone. He was never one to either show or open up to what he was feeling, "Fine, Rizzo."
"You don't look too hot," Mike argued. O.C.'s features were already pale and sweaty; his breathing shallow and rapid, "Maybe you should sit the game out? I'll tell coach for you…"
"I'm fine, Mike." He said forcibly and standing upright. Jack picked up his jersey from the bench and quickly fit it over his head; pulling it onto his body.
Jim Craig watched from across the room, not normally intent on listening into other's conversations, but couldn't help but overhear. He walked over to the two bickering players.
"Just take it easy tonight, O.C. Coach'll understand –"
"You're not my mother, Craig! I'm capable of –"
"I don't care what you're capable of, Jack," Jim said seriously, "Just don't expect us to come and lift you up when you collapse." And with that, he grabbed his goalie stick, and walked out from the room.
"Yeah, well," O.C. called after him, "don't come cryin' to us when you get hit in the face with a hockey puck…again!" Taking his hockey stick from the nearest wall, Jack sighed and left.
Mike, the only one left in the locker room, groaned.
[This is gonna be one hell of a game.]
Part 2
"You guys don't wanna work during a game? No problem, we'll work now."
Coach said, obviously disgusted with the team, "Goal line. That one!"
O.C.'s face dripped with sweat, [not now]…He could feel his body raging, not only with the heat from after the game, but also from his newly acquired fever. Still not able to catch his breath, Jack prayed to the Lord that this would be quick and simple so he could go to his room and crumble with exhaustion.
His teammates groaned and slammed their sticks to the ice with anger and frustration. He knew he wasn't the only one with his stomach sinking.
Once everyone was at the goal line, Herb nodded his head, Patrick blew the whistle – and they skated.
It only took a few rounds for everyone to be panting and bent over, trying to catch their breath. But Jack, leaning on his hockey stick, coughed and wheezed. The air didn't seem to come in fast enough for his body to be satisfied.
"Again!" Whistle. Skate.
"Again!" Whistle. Skate.
"Again!" Whistle. Skate.
O.C., just on the brink of collapsing, shut his eyes tight. [breath!] He told himself [just breath!]. After preparing himself for another round, he quickly opened his eyes. Did he miss the whistle? Was the he that much closer to insanity?
But, instead, he watched as Doc quickly pace over to Brooks. Almost too thankful for the moments rest, he shut his eyes again.
"…rink manager…clean…wants to leave…"
"…lock up…again!"
He only heard snaps of the conversation over his abnormally loud pants, but was able to fully understand what was going on.
[oh, no] O.C. opened his eyes and saw Patrick blow the whistle [damn it!]
But he skated – just in spite of himself being on the team [although he could really care less at the moment], and his reputation.
"…keep playing this way…won't beat anybody…"
O.C. couldn't take it as he, and several others, collapsed onto the blue line.
"Again!"
[no, please]
Taking up as much strength as he could muster, Jack pulled himself up with his faithful hockey stick, yet still could not open his eyes.
But just before the whistle, he heard an echoing 'bang' around the stadium.
…Maybe someone had shot Coach??
"Oh, thank God," He heard.
Yeah. Maybe someone did…
"Maybe we can get out of here?" Someone said to his left.
Upon hearing those words, Jack opened his eyes. It was dark – almost pitch black. But just before he could move, as all the others were, Brooks called out,
"Where you going?...on the line!"
O.C. knew he couldn't have gotten away that easily, although in his partially delusional mind – he couldn't help but wish. Still wheezing, he waited for the long-hated whistle to blow.
"Again!"
"Again!"
Each time getting weaker and weaker, closer and closer to hitting the ground and not getting up…
"…first to quit? – you O.C.?...ready to go down?"
[…almost…]
"Send them. Again!"
Only making it halfway through, this time, Jack's vision swam, black spots rimmed around his eyes, and he could feel himself falling…
There was silence.
-Well, aside from the panting back on the goal line. O.C. was sure everyone had gotten back but him…
"…looks like…first quitter, boys."
[not a quitter…!]
"Not-" Wheeze "A quitter!" He heard Rizzo yell back, "He's" Pant "Sick!"
O.C. heard quick footsteps coming towards him, but they were stopped short by Coach's booming voice,
"…fine, Doc!...can get up…his own!" The footsteps, almost seemingly regretful, receded.
"Again!" A Pause. "Again!"
The whistle blew.
He heard skates pass him, but faintly, only because more than half of his hearing was taken up by the wet coughs and gasps that he, himself, was making.
Jack tried so hard that tears almost came to his eyes, to just even move his leg, however even that fell short. But suddenly, he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders that turned him onto his back.
"Eruzione!...back on…damned line!"
Rizzo, clearly not paying attention to his Coach, gently started talking to O.C.
"…'C…hear me, bud?"
[yes – I can…]
"Doc!...think…passed out!"
[no – I' m fine…] Pulling his wits together, O.C. cracked open his eyes.
"Mi –" He tried saying, but was surprised was it came out barely audible and as a harsh rasp.
"…buddy. Doc's comin'…alright?"
" 'nt," Wheeze "Breath,"
"Just hold on…be just fine," Another set of footsteps came rushing towards him.
"Jack?" He heard. Doc. Looking at him through the slits of his eyes, he saw worry playing on the man's face.
"Jack?...-ear me?" His vision was swirling again, and a continuous 'beep' persisted in his ears.
"…Jack?"
"Listen to me!...O.C…"
There were suddenly two Doc's above him. Since when did he have a twin?...
He abruptly couldn't feel his legs, and the numbness continued to travel up his body, seemingly engulfing everything that stood in its path.
"…O.C.!..."
[…help]
And with one last blink of his eyes, Jack O'Callahan's world was covered in a blanket of darkness.