I am putting my comments at the beginning this time as to not spoil the surprise in this chapter! Thanks again for all the reviews!

Mrs. Rizzo- I hope your still out there somewhere.

Emador- How are the boys?

Klinoa- Mid-term time always sucks! Your review showed me a mini-plot was showing as I had hoped. Thanks! Good luck on your exams!

meadow567- But Chevon wants a future with Rizzo. That was music to her ears. She is scared to death of losing him in the last several chapters! Hope you enjoy this one.

Nikkd03- (crying) Hand me a tissue. Thank you for your great, kind comments. PS- I am sure OC would like to see the look on Chev's face too. (Among other things he'd like to see. LOL)

February 21, 1980 Lake Placid, NY

(Press Conference)

I watched my dad on the stage sitting by Walter. It was just announced we were going to play the Soviets. I took a deep breath as the reporters began asking dad questions.

"Where is Herb Brooks? Why isn't he here today?"

"Herb is out preparing for tomorrow's game." Dad told them.

'So much for keeping himself in the spotlight!' I thought. 'Now we're going to play the Soviets. The team that demoralized us two weeks ago and we have to face them again.'

We had come a long way in those two weeks since Madison Square Gardens. No matter what, the team had already done so much more than anyone thought they would. I wondered what Herb was thinking and what was the team thinking.

When the press conference ended I walked with daddy to Herb's office. "Do we really have a chance to beat them?" I asked.

"I don't know. You have had faith in this team all along, don't give up now." Dad said.

"Miss Patrick, here are telegrams sent to the team." One of the officials said and handed me a bundle of papers.

I sat down at the desk to look through them. I picked up one from Texas. It read: 'Beat Those Commie Bastards!'

I picked up another from Maine, 'Good Luck Team USA!'

Dad showed me one from Arkansas, 'Kick those Commie's asses!'

"Why do people have to mix politics with sports?" I asked. "I don't want any undue pressure on the boys."

"We can't help what the public does." Dad said. "Let's leave these for Herb to look at."

(5:00 PM)

I walked into Herb's office to find him digging through even more telegrams that had been delivered. The media had been a circus all day. Suddenly everyone was watching us. I walked over and stood beside Herb.

"I was just getting ready to go out for the evening, do you need anything else?" I asked him. I was on my way out to dinner with Rizzo. He said he had something special planned.

"No, as a matter of fact I am going to meet Patti and the kids soon." Herb said. "Chev, have you read some of these?"

"Yeah. Seems as if like it or not we have been thrown into a political arena!" I said.

"We're playing a hockey game here, against possibly the greatest team ever. Why does politics have to be dragged into it?" Herb asked.

"I don't know if its politics so much as this nation needs good news for a change." I said, Herb looked up at me. "Herb, for the past…seems like forever, you couldn't turn on the TV without seeing or hearing some terrible news. In the past six months it has only gotten worse. The Soviets testing nuclear weapons, fuel shortages throughout the summer. Then starting in November the Iranian hostage crisis and then at Christmas the Soviets invading Afghanistan. But last week, I turned on my TV and saw our team winning games."

"Chev I have been running through the line ups and we just don't match up to the Soviet team. We're younger, we haven't been together as long, and we're more inexperienced…" Herb started.

"Herb, I know all this. I know we don't match up…not by a long shot. But I believe in this team. I believe in these boys." I said.

Herb smiled at me and stood up. "I'll see you tomorrow. You have a good evening."

"You too Herb." I said and to my surprise Herb pulled me into a hug.

I was shocked. Herb was not an affectionate person. But I hugged him back.

"No matter what happens tomorrow, you've already done great things with this team." I told him.

"I am so glad that you and your father have been here with me." Herb said and kissed my forehead.

(6:30PM)

I was at dinner with Rizzo. The place was crowded with tourists in town for the games. We were recognized by a few people and wished good luck.

"So what did you do all day without me?" I asked him after we ordered.

"OC and I went shopping." Rizzo said. "His knee is really coming along. He hopes he gets to play tomorrow. How was your day?"

"A media circus all day long. Dad and I had the press conference this morning. All day long I have been fielding calls from reporters from all over the country. Not just reporters but regular people wanting to wish us good luck." I said. "And the never-ending line of telegrams and letters that have been coming in."

"Sounds like you have been busy." He said taking my hand.

"I have been." I said.

"Well maybe this will make you feel better." Rizzo handed me a small velvet box.

I smiled and took the box and slowly opened it. Inside was Rizzo's Boston University Hockey team ring. It was given to seniors when they graduated.

"It's your ring from Boston University." I said not understanding.

"I want you to have it. I want you to wear it to show that you are my girlfriend and that I am going to marry you one day." Rizzo said. He reached over and took the box from my hands.

I started to cry, "You're using your hockey ring as my promise ring?" I asked.

Rizzo took the ring out of the box and put it on my left hand. "This ring shows what I did for four years of my life, but I want to be with you for the rest of my life." He said. "I don't want you to ever fear that we're not going to be together. I promise you, one day we'll get married."

I was still crying tears of joy. His ring was way too big for me but it was the meaning behind it that mattered.

"I love you so much, Mike. Words just can't say how much this means to me." I said

"I love you too. And I want you to know, I meant what I said. When these games are all over, we're still going to be together." Rizzo said.

"Excuse me? I don't mean to interrupt, I'm the manager." A gentleman behind us said. We turned to look at him. "One of my waiters told me that we had the USA Olympic ice hockey team Captain Mike Eruzione and team consultant Chevon Patrick eating here. I just had to come meet both of you."

"It's nice to meet you, sir." Rizzo said extending his hand.

The man took his hand and shook it. "I have watched all the games. Team USA is just great!" he said turning to shake my hand. "If there is anything at all you need, ask for me personally."

"Thank you so much. We appreciate your support and hospitality" Rizzo told him.

"Well I will let you get back to your meals... which are on the house." The manager said.

"Well thank you so much." I said.

"It's no problem." He said and then patted Rizzo's shoulder. "Beat the pants off them commie's tomorrow son!"

I had to smile as the manager walked away.

"Now, where were we?" Rizzo asked picking my hand up and kissing it.

(9:00PM)

Rizzo and I walked back into his room and found OC watching TV.

"Hey, OC how is the knee?" I asked giving him a hug.

"Great, Doc said he was going to talk to Herb about me." OC said. "How was dinner?"

"The manager recognized us and wouldn't let us pay for our meal." Rizzo said.

"That was nice of him." OC said.

I started wrapping twain around Rizzo's ring so that it would fit my finger. While working, I thought about the game coming up the next day. What it meant to the boys and what it meant to the rest of the nation.

"Chev, you're spacing out." OC called out.

"I opened a telegram today from a woman in Texas. It said: 'Beat Those Commie Bastards.'" I said. "People are putting so much on this game."

"That bothers you?" OC asked.

"We've made it this far. Now the important thing is that every one of you twenty boys lay it all on the line, don't hold anything back. So that win, lose or tie…each of you knows that you gave it your all." I said. "And I don't want you to feel that if you lose, you've let your country down, because nothing could be farther from the truth. You've already done so much more than anyone ever thought you would."

"You haven't lost faith in us, have you?" Rizzo asked.

"No, I believe in this team." I said and smiled.

Rizzo leaned down and kissed me. "How about we get a card game going?"

"Sounds great. OC, you in?" I asked.

"Yeah, it'll be nice to play cards in my own room for a change." OC said.

"OC, I am so sorry, I didn't know that…" I started.

"Chev, I was joking." OC interrupted. "I have never minded giving you and Rizzo time alone. Last year of college, I had a girlfriend and Rizzo was good about giving us our privacy. I was glad to return the favor."

"What happened to your girlfriend?" I asked.

"I caught her at the drive-in with someone else. If Rizzo hadn't been there I'd have probably killed the guy." OC said.

"On that happy note, I am calling Silky and the Coneheads, see if they want to join us." Rizzo said.