Together

Chapter Two: Hard Hits And Understanding

Cam leaned up against the boards behind the bench, her arms crossed at her chest as she watched the guys runs drills. "Johnson the coast to coast stuff might work here but it won't against the teams we'll be playing."

Johnson skated towards the bench and mumbled an 'okay.' Craig stopped him speaking to him briefly before giving him a little tap on the helmet. Cam patted his shoulder when he sat down.

"Next line up. Lets go. Lets run it again." Herb said skating around. Cam began to pace slowly behind the guys but stopped when she heard Jack.

"Marrow, let me take this one." Marrow looked stunned and so was Cam.

She watched a Jack glanced at Robbie. "Oh shit. Are you serious?" Some of the boys glanced at her as she jumped over the bench, pushing some of them out the way and climbed over the boards. She heard the whistle and rushed towards Craig. "You might wanna stop them before…" Cam was cut off by the sound of Robbie being pushed. "That happens." She finished sighing, Craig just looked at her then back at Robbie on the floor.

"What's O.C. doing?"

"That was cheap."

Cam rubbed her eyes as some as the boys skated in. "What the hell are you hitting like that for man?" Verchota asked as he skated towards Robbie.

Harrington stopped beside him, "That's bush league O.C."

Rammer and Buzz were both bending over checking on him. Cam was about to say something when Silk did. "Nice hit O.C."

Cam glared at him. "And to think I thought he was cute… ah he still his, an ass, but a good looking one." She shrugged and began walking towards her dad.

"Tell your boy here to keep his head up and he won't have to worry bout it." Jack replied skating backwards slowly.

"You alright man?" Buzz asked just as Robbie shot up.

"Let's go!" Robbie said charging Jack. Cam sighed as the rest of the players began coming on to the ice.

She glanced at her dad before speaking. "Remember when you said if there was a big problem… well dad we've got a big problem." She took a step back when he glared at her before addressing Craig.

"Craig let 'em go."

"Stay on him!"

Cam watch and almost cringed when she saw Buzz try and step in. "Stay out of it Buzzy!"

"What are you doing?"

"Stay out of it Baker!"

Cam balled her fist at her sides when she saw Rammer being held by Cox, and while she knew it'd be bad for them all to fight but she hated seeing her friends be bullied. Her attention was turned back to the fight when Jack landed a punch to Robbie's face. She step forwards when they both went down, but stopped when she saw that Rizzo was pulling Jack off Robbie.

Harrington helped Robbie up while Verchota and Buzz stood by. Cam glanced at Jimmy who seemed disappointed in his teammates. She walked towards the boards when her dad started talking. "Well how bout it boys? Look like hockey to you?"

Cam tilted her head to the side as she thought about it. "Well…"

"I wasn't asking you Cam." Herb said glaring at his daughter.

"I was just… shutting up." She pouted a little and watched as her dad turned his attention back to his team.

"Looks like a couple of monkeys trying to hump a football to me. I don't know, what do you think Craig?"

"Yeah." He said uncomfortably.

"You want to settle old scores, you're on the wrong team. We move forward starting now! Skating. Passing. Flow... Creativity. That is what this team is all about gentleman. Not old rivalries. So, why don't we start with some introductions? You know get to know each other a little bit. Who are you? Where you're from? Go ahead." Herb said motioning towards Robbie.

Robbie looked at Cam before answering. "Rob McClanahan. St. Paul Minnesota."

"Who do you play for?"

"For you here at the U."

"Jack."

Jack glanced at Robbie as he answered. "Jack O'Callahan. Charlestown Mass. Boston University."

"Over here." Herb said pointing to another player.

"Uh… I'm Ralph Cox… I'm from wherever not going to get me hit." Cam laughed just as he dad spoke again.

"Very good, Everybody on the line. Lets go."

Robbie sat down on the examination table while Cam wiped the blood off his face. She knew the fight was because the 76' playoffs she just didn't know why Jack went after Robbie the way he did.

"So… what was that about?" She questioned as she moved his face up to see his nose.

"He's from Boston, I'm from Minnesota… 76' playoffs…"

"I know that. I just don't get why… oh… he's the one you…"

"Yep." He said interrupting her.

"And then he got…"

"Yep."

"And then you got…"

"Yep."

"Wow."

"Yep."

"That sucks."

"Yep."

"Well then you deserved it." Cam said crossing her arms.

"Ye… Hey! Come on! Everyone was doing it not just me… and… it was three years ago Cam."

"Yeah great excuse, 'everyone was doing it'." She rolled her eyes at him before continuing. "Well it was bound to come up sooner or later, now at least it's out of the way. By the way you're lucky he didn't break your nose." She replied moving his head from one side to the other.

"Yeah well… I still got the Championship ring." Robbie said amused.

"Hey. Hey now! You don't want to get your ass handed to you again, do you?" She glanced at his face once again before she began picking up. "So that was all about the 76' playoffs… typical. Any other rivalries I should know about before I put all this stuff away?" Cam asked holding up the bandages.

"Well… now that I think about it, you might have one."

Cam giggled leaned up against the counter. "Guys…"

Robbie laughed and hopped off the table. "Seems to me like your faith in men is wavering."

Just then Rammer walked by, clad in nothing more then a towel around his waist. Cam raised her eyebrows as she watched him walk by. "Not exactly."

Robbie followed her gaze and laughed. "What are you trying to do? Make his towel fall off with just your thoughts?"

Cam blushed and began walking away. "You have no idea Mac."

He laughed as he covered his face with his hands. "Sharing to much."

Cam had stayed behind to clean up the locker room some while her dad and Craig had a meeting. She was about to take a seat when Jack walked in.

"You don't like me very much do you?" He asked standing beside her.

"You know sorry if this doesn't sound as rude as I'm hoping it does, but after the way you acted at the bar and today… nope not very much."

"Hey your boy scored a cheap shot on me. Took me out of an important game."

"That was three years ago, and I'll admit he did and it was wrong of him. But you scored one during a drill, on your own teammate and risked being cut from something, I'm guessing, is a hell of a lot more important then some ring." Cam shrugged a little before walking out.

Jack stood there taking it all in before he went after her. "You know what?" He said causing Cam to stop and turn around. "I'm sorry for the way I acted towards you, but I'm not sorry about what I did today. I admit you're right but… he walks around like his that greatest thing, it just… and I know you're his friend and all but you have to see where I'm coming from."

"I do Jack, I understand, and yeah Mac is my friend… one of my best friends, but that doesn't mean I ignore when he's done something wrong, in fact I'm the first one to tell him he's messed up. My friendship with Mac isn't going to keep me from being friends with any of you guys, only you can do that."

He nodded. "I just don't want you to think Coxie, Silky, Jimmy and Rizzo are bad guys because of me, because their not, theirs great guys."

Cam grinned. "I know, in fact the only person I thought was a jackass was you."

Jack laughed and began walking beside her. "Fair enough, I was rude at the bar."

"Yeah, don't worry about it."

"So… I'm not a jackass anymore?" He asked looking over at her.

Cam pretend to think a minute before she looked at him and shook her head. "No you're still a jackass." He looked stunned for a second, Cam giggled and linked her arm with his as she pulled him towards the dorms. "Jeez Boston boy take a joke."

"Hello boys." Cam said taking a seat next to Rammer. They'd invited her to the bar that night to unwind the tension from the day.

"So Cam, how's it going?" Harrington asked sitting back.

"Why do you ask me like that?" Cam asked taking a drink from Rammer's glass.

"Like what?" He smiled.

"Like I know something, and you want me to tell."

"Well you are Brooks' daughter and he did have a meeting with the other coaches today."

Cam smiled as she leaned forward placing her elbows on the table. "Sorry to disappoint Bah, but my dad doesn't share with me."

"You mean to say, you work on the staff, but you don't get any of the perks?" Pav asked laughing.

"None. Sucks huh?"

"Sure does." Johnson replied laughing at Cam.

"So, uh… how's Mac feeling?" Cam asked looking at the guys.

"He's okay. Went to his room after you cleaned him up." Rammer answered taking his glass away from her.

Cam laughed and winked at him. "Just like college."

They all laughed but quieted down when Verchota spoke. "Wait, wait, wait… what about you and Buzzy? When's that happening?"

Cam gave a weak smile before looking down at the table. "When Buzzy wants it too happen."

Rammer looked at the guys before pulling Cam up. "How bout a dance?"

She laughed and looked at all the guys grinning, before she let Rammer pull her. "You guys are the greatest." They smiled and tip their glasses to her. "Come on Rammer show me what you got."

He stopped and looked back at her, eyebrow raise in question. "I don't think Buzzy would like that too much." He joked.

Cam smacked her forehead playfully. "You know what I mean. By the way I got a eye full of it today in the locker room." He stood stunned as she laughed and pulled him onto the dance floor.