Nikki sat in the locker room the night of the big game. OC was going to play for the first time in weeks, and Lola was up in the stands waiting faithfully to cheer him on.

The rocking horse came

From an old oak tree

Just missed the house

When it was hit by lightning

My daddy painted that horse

A midnight blue

Shooting stars and silver horseshoes

And it was something magic out of something frightening

That's how I live my life

I take it as it comes

And I find the hidden love

When it's pouring down on me

In my mind I see

The rocking horse inside the tree

Nikki was carefully observing each of her team mates. Mac was taping up his stick, Mark sat back psyching himself up for this, Jimmy was leaned back in his little corner mumbling something to himself as he rubbed his fingers together; she thought he looked like he was counting Hail Maries. Bah was...trying to light his stick on fire with a blow torchWow that one had her baffled, but there was her loving boyfriend staring himself down in a mirror. She smiled to herself walking over to plant a kiss on his temple and whisper:

"No matter how long you look it's never going to change." He sighed.

"I know, but I can't help it."

"You're nervous," she began knowingly (Author's shameless interjection: "No dip Sherlock!") "You'll do fine."

"Hey," Coach Patrick began, as he approached her. "You're dad said he was going to be a minute. He asked me to tell you to get things started in here."

"'Get things started'," she repeated. "Whats that mean?"

"You know, talk to the boys," Craig went on.

"You mean the talk that my dad is supposed to give them like now," she said nervously. "I can't do the talk. You need to have time to prepare for things like that."

"It's not that big a deal," he assured her. "He'll be here in five minutes."

"So guys," Nikki began, heading to the middle of the room. "Apparently my dad's a little tied up. And he wants me to get things going in here. I'm not exactly sure what that entails, so this is going to sound really stupid, so bite your tongue and consider this is coming right off the top of my head."

"When I was a little girl, we had this big tree in our backyard, one winter we got a little too much snow and the tree fell over. It missed the house by a matter of inches. The next afternoon my dad came into my room with this absolutely beautiful rocking horse...it was blue I think, with stars and horseshoes painted on. He told me that he had made it out of the tree that, nearly demolished my bedroom.

"He was lying of course. I knew that—I think he bought it at Sears and Roebuck—but it made me happy, because he wasn't lying for himself, to make himself look good. He lied form me. To turn that moment of panic when I thought we were all going to die, into something beautiful, and fun."

A broken heart

Means deeper feelings

A thorn in the flesh

Means room for healing

Oh salt in your tears

Can open your eyes

Wounded years

Make you realize

It's just something magic out of something frightening

That's how I live my life

I take it as it comes

And I find the hidden love

When it's pouring down on me

In my mind I see

The rocking horse inside the tree

"You can look at anything that way, I think," she went on. "A moment of weakness is an opportunity to rise to the challenge. You boys, you trip and fall and giant human Zambonis mow you over and every time you find the strength to get up and go on.

"What I'm basically trying to say is even though this is kinda scary—I know I'm terrified and I'm not even playing. You boys can turn this into something magic, like my rocking horse--No," she cut Mac off. "I don't want you to turn the game a rocking horse—we can turn this into something an entire country can be proud of.

Things aren't always as they seem

Take the nightmare from my dreams

That's how I live my life

I take it as it comes

And I find the hidden love

When it's pouring down on me

In my mind I see

The rocking horse inside the tree 1

"And whatever happens I just want you all to know meeting you, seeing you, being a part of this family, with the exception of Jack of course he's just my lawyer, has been the greatest experience of my life, and I want to thank you for giving this to me...to my dad...and to America. You guys are something else, and when you get out on that ice just, do what you do best, be strong, and everything will turn out."

"Bravo Nikki," her father sounded behind her.

"Oh thank God," she sighed in relief as her father took over the inspiration train.

"Great moments," Herb began. "Are born from great opportunity. And that's what you have here tonight. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game. If we played them ten times they might win nine, but not this game. Tonight we skate with them, tonight we stay with them, and we shut them down, because we can!

"You were born to be hockey players, every last one of you, and you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done, it's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have—screw them—this your time, now go out and take it."

And with that, the long slow walk out to the ice rink began. Nikki would be cheering her boys from the stands on this one, but they knew she was right in there with them. Coming down the hallway, the walls were lined with letters and telegrams, and as the boys made their way, they would just tap them with their hands or with their stick. It felt good knowing there was a piece of American hearts with them here.

Security held them up for a moment waiting for the 'All Clear.' And then in clumps of about two or three they phased out onto the ice, Rizzo was standing off to the side, patting backs, touching shoulders as they went until he was the last one left.

"Rizzo," Walter called. The young man turned around and got a smack on the helmet. Rizzo smiled and turned to skate out onto the ice after his teammates.

Nikki trekked up the stairs to find her mom, Lola, Danny, and Kelly waiting for her in their seats.

"We got you some hot chocolate," Lola began handing over the cup. "Is O.C. gonna be able to play?" Nikki nodded refusing the drink politely.

"I don't think I could keep it down," she said noting the nachos in her friends lap with a questioning expression.

"If they lose, Jack comes home with me, if they win I stay here with Jack for a few more games," Lola explained. "The way I see it, either way I win."

"That's a wonderful way of putting it," Nikki shot sarcastically. "Look there's Jimmy's dad. Hi Jimmy's Daddy!" She shouted, waving, over to the other section, but Mr. Craig was too busy exchanging encouraging looks with his son to notice her. "How rude!" she noted, plopping down into her seat.

The boys who started where huddled around the goal with their hands in. "U.S.A." And they skated out to their positions. The puck hit the ice and it was Johnson on Mikhailov.

1 The Rocking Horse, Sara Evans