Together

Chapter Ten: Toilets

Cam stood behind Buzz as she watched their poker game unfold. Taking a quick glance out the huge window, she saw some of the boys pushing the plane back into one of the hangers. She looked down at Buzz and pushed him slightly.

"Why didn't you go out and help them?"

He looked up at her from his cards for a second before glancing back at them. "Uh, because in case you haven't noticed, it's raining, and cold outside." She fought the urge to roll her eyes at him as he continued. "Plus Jack cracked a joke about me being short. I told him it was fine by me, He could kiss my ass. I wasn't the one going outside to push a plane in the freezing rain."

Cam looked down at him laughing slightly, she bent down looking at his cards over his shoulder. "Hey isn't that a royal flush?" She asked with too much enthusiasm.

"I fold."

She watched as Harrington tossed his cards, followed by Pav. "Me too."

"Fold, thanks Cam." Jannie said putting his cards down on their makeshift table.

Buzz slowly turned, glaring at Cam. She looked at him confused. "What?... Oh… I wasn't supposed to way that huh?"

Shaking his head slowly he continued to glare at her. "Nope."

She gave a nervous laugh as she backed away slowly, as the guys watched them on the verge of tears from holding their laughter. "Oops."

"Cam!" She screamed, jumping slightly, waking Johnson up who was sleeping behind her, when he father called her.

"I didn't do it!"

He eyed her suspiciously before holding out the phone to her. "You're mother wants to speak to you, so does Danny, make it quick he has to go to bed."

She gave him a small nervous smile before taking the phone. "I knew that… I was just kidding."

He nodded still looking at her. "We'll talk later." He walked away towards the boys who had just walked in.

"Hold on a sec mom…" She covered the mouth piece before glancing at Johnson. "Hey Magic, I am so sorry for waking you."

He yawned before answering. "No biggie, I love being woken up from great dreams by screaming girls." Cam laughed when he winked at her and turned her attention back to her mother on the phone.

Herb walked towards Rammer and Robbie as they were shaking off some of the rain from their jackets. "Boys, we need to have a little talk."

Both Rammer and Robbie stopped looking up at Herb wide eyed. "Sure… thing… Her…" Robbie nudged Rammer. "I mean coach." He finished quickly.

He gave them an odd look before glancing back at Cam quickly. "You boys are always with Cam, she tells you boys everything, right?"

They both stood still as Herb waited. Realizing he was waiting for an answer, Robbie nodded. "Yeah."

"She's been acting weird lately, is there something going on with her that I should know about?"

They looked at each other before Robbie spoke again. "Weird, no disrespect sir, this is Cam we're talking about. She always a little weird."

Rolling his eyes Herb crossed his arms at his chest and glared down at them. "When I say weird, I mean out of the ordinary for her. Like she in love." He watched for their reaction, they both looked calm for once since he started talking to them.

"Cam in love coach?" Rammer asked laughing.

"Yeah, if she is, she hasn't said anything about it to us." Robbie motioned at him and Rammer.

Herb nodded bringing his arms down, he turned to leave but not before saying one last thing. "You boys keep an eye out for her. We'll talk about this again some time."

Robbie looked at Rammer wide eyed. He leaned in and whispered. "Should we tell Cam?"

"Yeah… if she finds out Herb talked to us and we didn't tell her. We're as good as dead." They both nodded before joining the rest of the team.

After what seems hours they'd finished checking out the plane and now they were boarding all over again. Cam sighed for what seemed the hundredth time since she'd got back on the plane two minutes ago. She handed her bag to Buzz, who placed in the over head compartment.

She sat across from Dave in the aisle seat and rolled her eyes when Buzz spoke again. "Do you know that, that was my only good hand tonight Cam?" He questioned squeezing passed her to his seat by the window.

"We're still on this? Are you serious?"

He stopped fiddling with his seatbelt long enough to glare at her. "Hello! My only good hand. Do you know how much I could have won with that hand?"

"I'm sure you're gonna tell me." She said nonchalantly as she flipped through a magazine.

"No I was asking you?"

She looked at him in disbelief before turning to Dave. "Do you think I'd do more damage if I smacked him over the head with my magazine?"

Dave laughed shaking his head. "Buzzy you'd better let it go."

"My only good hand!"

"We know!" Cam looked behind her shocked to see half of the team with annoyed expressions on their faces. She snickered when she sat back down and looked at Buzz who was sinking into his seat with his bottom lip pouted out.

"Fine I'll cut you a deal." She whispered quietly as she leaned into him.

"Speak up we wanna know what the deal is?"

"Stuff it Bah!"

Buzz smiled and looked at her. "Continue."

She smiled. "As soon as we get back to Minnesota and we have sometime to ourselves, I will cook you your favorite meal, and then be at your every whim for the entire night. One rule."

"Awe come on, there can't be any rules."

"You want the deal or not, I think it's in your best interest to accept my offer."

"Buzzy you'd better take it or I will."

Cam leaned forward and smacked Silk in the head with magazine lightly. "Mind your own business." She heard him mumble something and leaned back in her seat. "He's right though."

"Okay what's this one rule?"

"You have to let this card thing go, I mean it. No more speaking about it and if you do, the deals off."

He bit his lip as he watched her. "Never?"

"Never again."

"Never ever again? Like this can't be one of those funny stories we tell our kids twenty years down the line about how their mom blow their dad's one good hand of cards in a poker game during the 1980 Winter Olympics?"

Cam grinned at the mention of future children before answering him softly. "That's okay."

He smiled and grabbed her hand the plane began to taxi. "Good, cause I'm sure we're gonna have a bunch of those."

Her eyes seem to shine at his mention of their possible future. "Is that all you see later on down the line?"

He seemed to think of his answer before leaning into her. "I see a lot of things for the future, you just have to know that in each and every one of them… you're right there beside me."

Cam grinned and gave him a quick kiss. "You mister better watch what you say, I might have to take you into one of the bathrooms and have my way with you."

Buzz smiled and sat back in his chair. "Yeah, like I'm really gonna try and talk you out of that one."

Cam walked by the ice as she made her way towards her dad's office, she glanced to see them practicing. She hadn't really seen Buzz lately, between practices and spending more time at home. So she decided to watch him for just a couple minutes. She sat in the stands behind the boys, as she watched Buzz walk out on to the ice. For some reason she noted he looked off. He wasn't as fast as he usually was, and didn't seem to put in to much effort into playing, something was wrong.

She got up and made her way to the bench towards Jack, who was closest to her. "O.C. what's going on with Buzzy?"

He looked up at her and sighed. "I have no idea, he's been like this all practice. Your dad been pretty hard on him, cause of it. I mean he's getting it worse then Rizzo."

"Is he sick or something?"

He shook his head. "No, Dave didn't say anything about him being sick when I asked him."

"What is he doing?" She asked herself quietly before turning back to Jack. "O.C. can you do me a favor?"

"Whatever you need Cam? Do I have to be your date again because you don't even have to ask." He said winking at her.

She laughed and shook her head. "That's good to know, but no, can you tell Buzzy that I need to speak to him? Tell him I'll be in my makeshift office. He knows where it is"

"Sure thing." She gave him a quick hug before walking out.

Glancing at the clock she sighed, Practice had ended over an hour ago and Buzz still hadn't shown up. She knew Jack gave him the message, he knew better. Grabbing some papers off the desk she made her way to her dad's office.

Cam slowly turned the corner to see Buzz walking out of her dad's office, shoulders slumped and his hands in his pockets. Concerned she went in, hoping that something bad hadn't because of his performance today.

"Hey dad I got those papers you asked for." Cam said placing them on his desk. He was standing by the filing cabinet looking for something. She glanced at her feet as she worked up the courage to ask. "So… um… what'd Buzzy want?"

Herb looked at her and sighed placing a folder on his desk. "He's leaving."

"You cut him!" Cam asked shocked.

"No, no I didn't cut him… he quit."

"What?"

"Yeah." Herb said taking his glasses off and rubbing his eyes. "He came in and quit, said he was in love with some girl. Said something about her sacrificing a lot for him. Something about this being the only thing he could do to prove to her that he wanted to be with her. He just rambled for about an hour."

"Yeah?" Cam asked quietly as tears silently rolled down her face.

Herb looked at Cam somewhat confused. Then it all dawned on him, it had been Buzz all along. Giving a small smile, he continued. "You know, if that person truly, and really does love him, they wouldn't let him give it up. Not an opportunity like this. Especially as hard as he's worked for it, but then I guess that's makes it's all the more special for the person he's giving it all up for… Do you think this person loves him?"

Cam nodded and looked up at her dad, tear stains on her face. "She does love him… very much so."

Herb gave a small nod before walking towards Cam and engulfing her in a hug. "Then you should tell him" She looked up at him confused. "Don't worry Cam, nothing is gonna happen to him. He's one of my best players, I'd have to be out of my mind to cut him." Herb paused, and kissed her forehead before continuing. "Just remember, I love you… and your happiness is more important to me than anything."

"Thank you so much dad." Cam pulled away and looked up at Herb.

He wiped away a tear and nodded towards the door. "Go, you can still catch him. We'll talk about this later." Cam smiled and ran out the door.

She was running down the hall way when Robbie walked out of the locker room. He saw Cam running towards him and smiled. "Hey you. Me and some of…"

Robbie was cut off by her "Can't now!" He watched after her confused as she ran passed him.

Rammer walked out to see Robbie watching Cam. "What's the deal with her?"

"I've got no idea." He said laughing.

Buzz was sitting on his bed with his head in his hands, thinking about what he'd done. He'd done it, he's sacrificed his dreams for her, and though it seem as if that was the hard part, the hard part was telling her and having her be okay with it. He knew the second she found out, she'd tell him to go back.

Sighing he got up and began packing his bag. He grabbed his jersey, running his hands over it slowly. A hurried knock on the door caused him to stuff it in his bag. Slowly he walked over towards the door. Before he reached, there was another hurried knock.

"Hold on." He said opening the door. He stood stunned when he saw Cam standing there breathing hard. "Hey are you okay?"

Without a second thought Cam hugged him hiding her face in his neck. "Cam, what's wrong? Is everything okay?" Buzz asked concerned as he held her tight, one arm around her waist the other in her hair. When she didn't answer he turned his head towards her. "Please Cam talk to me."

"I love you."

He closed the door with his foot and held her tighter to him. "I love you too Cam, but what's going on?"

She pulled away enough to look at him. She gave a small smile when she saw the concern in his eyes. "You can't go."

Realizing what she meant he pulled her closer to him. "Cam, I want to do this."

"I won't let you, you can't, you can't leave."

"Shh… sweetie. It'll be fine." He pulled back and let go of her waist. He cupped her face with both his hands and forced her to look at him. "I'm doing this for us, the day we had that talk. It felt so good to have you look at me that way again. It was something I knew I couldn't live without, and I knew I had to do whatever it took to keep you looking at me that way."

"Buzzy, you didn't have to…"

"I know, but I wanted to… it made sense."

"Were you even going to say goodbye to me? Or were you just gonna leave?" She asked noticing his bag on his bed.

He gave her a small smile. "I wasn't gonna leave with out talking to you. I was just trying to buy myself some time before I did. Nothing with us Cam is ever goodbye, you should know that."

"You can't, I won't let you."

He shook his head. "I already did. I already talked with your dad about it."

She pulled away and looked at the ground. "I know, we had our own little talk, well he talked I was a little too emotional to do much." She said chuckling a little. "Buzzy I love you and that means I'd do anything for you, I already told you that. Your going back into that office and telling my dad that you changed your mind, and I'm going to be right there beside you."

"Cam I can't do that if we want to be…"

"I know what you think." She interrupted him, she began pacing in front of him. "He kinda already knows."

"What?" Buzz asked shocked.

"Yeah, he was telling me about you, and I couldn't hold the tears. He put two and two together. He asked if I thought that person you were doing this for loved you. He knew it was me… and I told him that she did, very much so."

Buzz looked away from her and walked towards the bed. He sat on the edge in silence for a couple second before looking up at her. "So, he knows about us? Or at least the feelings between us?" Cam just nodded. "And he's okay with that?"

"Yeah." Cam whispered as she stood in-between his knees.

"And he wanted me on his team? Regardless of all this, even after I quit?"

"Yeah."

He could help the smile from forming on his face as he grabbed Cam and pulled onto the bed with him. She squealed as he turned on his side to face her. She was gigging as he looked at her, running a finger across her cheek, then over her lips. His eyes followed the trial of his finger and stopped on her lips. Seeing his seriousness Cam stopped laughing and watched him.

"Everything I've ever wanted, is right here in front of me." He whispered, outlining her lips. "And all my dreams are coming true, because of you." He looked at her, his eyes searching hers.

She shook her head and cupped his cheek with her free hand. "I'm just along for the ride, you made this all happen yourself."

"Yeah I did didn't I?" Giving her a small smile, he leaned in and kissed her softly. Sighing slightly she leaned further into the kiss running her hand through his hair.

Wrapping his arm around her waist he pulled her on top of him deepening the kiss. They stayed like that, until Cam pulled away slightly, kissing him softly before pulling away completely.

"Shouldn't you be going?"

He smiled and kissed her quickly before answering. "I think you mean we."

"Okay shouldn't we be going?"

"Yeah… I have to go get my spot back." He responded turning them over on the side before standing up. He pulled Cam up as well, and headed for the door.

"Yeah, you know what would suck, if after all this, you got cut." Cam laughed but stopped when Buzz looked back at her with a small smile.

"Don't joke around like that, please." She chuckled and pulled him down the hall.

Cam pulled into the drive way of her house. She turned off the car and looked over at Buzz. He was staring straight ahead of him, biting his lip. She couldn't help but smile at the picture he made. Cam knew he was nervous, everything they'd been avoiding for the past three years, was just a few feet away.

"You know we have to go in sometime, hopefully before my dad comes out and makes us go in." Cam said laughing a little.

He looked over at her and grinned. "It's just funny how I finally worked up the courage to tell him and then he wasn't in his office. Now I have to start all over and… it's kinda scary now."

"Why is that?"

"Because now, it's not just your dad… now it's your mom too."

"Yeah well she's always liked you…" She paused and looked at the house before looking back at him. "Not that my dad doesn't like you, or anything like that… I'm just saying you know, she likes you." She winced at her rambling.

Buzz laughed and grabbed her hand. "You know you really suck at trying to make this situation better."

"Yeah I know."

"But thank you anyway." He glanced at the front door. "So you think they know we're here? Or do you think we still have a chance to…"

"Cam! Buzzy! Get out of the damn car!" Herb yelled cutting Buzz off.

His eyes were wide as he watched Herb go back into the house and shut the door.

"I've got a little… just a little, feeling they know we're here." Cam said getting out of the car.

"Glad to know your sarcasm is still in tact." She flashed him a smile and walked into the house.

"Mom! Dad!"

"Really Cam do you have to yell? I'm right here." Patti said peeking her head out from the kitchen.

"Sorry mom." Cam mumbled, as Buzz closed the door behind him.

They made they're way into the kitchen to see Patti cooking dinner. "So mom where's dad?"

"Up in his office, he's said something about having to change some things around again."

Cam winked at Buzz and then turned her attention back to her mother. "Did he say what he was changing?

"No but he said for Buzzy to go up when he got the nerve to come into the house." Patti said smirking at Buzz and Cam.

He blushed and shifted his weight. "So just go up?"

"Yeah, hon. As soon as you get up the stairs, it'll be on your left. You can't miss it." Patti replied wiping her hands.

"Okay thank you Mrs. Brooks." Buzz said walking out the kitchen.

Cam turned to follow him but stopped when her mother called her. "Cam, just Buzzy."

"Oh." Cam said biting her lip. She leaned on the counter and began was picking at the dishcloth in front of her.

Patti glanced at Cam, knowing she was nervous for Buzz. Taking a seat at the kitchen table, as she watched Cam. "So… Buzzy huh?"

Cam stopped and slowly lifting her head to look at her mom confused. "Yeah Buzzy… why?"

Patti shook her head and put her hands up in defense. "I just had some questions."

Cam straightened up and pulled her self up onto one of the counters. "Questions like?" She asked looking at her mom suspiciously.

"Well you and Buzzy have been friends since college. When did this happen?"

"Sophomore year." Cam said quietly.

"Three years Cam!" Patti screamed looking at a Cam surprised.

Cam winced at her mothers outburst as she looked at her sheepishly. "Well we haven't actually started dating yet." Cam said making quotation marks. "We were waiting for Buzzy to stop playing for dad first, then senior year ended and I thought we had a chance since he was going to try out for the Olympics, which is what we thought when we talked about it, then dad got the job, which I was happy about but it meant we had to wait some more. About three nights before Colorado I couldn't take it anymore, so I broke off our little situation. Until Norway and now here we are."

"Norway huh?"

"Yeah."

"So that's why you went with Jack?"

Cam nodded and laughed. "Buzzy had a date that night so I asked O.C."

"You love him huh?" It was just a simple question that cause Cam's face to light up. "I guess so if he makes you smile like that."

Patti laughed when Cam covered her face. "Yeah I do mom."

She got up from the table and hugged Cam. "I know." Patti pulled away before patting her thigh. "Good now get you butt off my counters, I have to cook on there you know."

Rolling her eyes Cam laughed and hopped down hugging her mom from behind. "Thanks mom."

"For?" Patti asked placing her hands on Cam's arms.

"Understanding."

Buzz stood at the entrance to Herb's office. He watched as Herb studied a film of the Russians. It was different from the ones he'd shown them at practices. He found himself wondering just how many of those films he had, and how did he get them all?

Suddenly Herbs voice brought him out of his thoughts. "You know, I didn't go to charm school Buzzy. So I won't ask you to come in and have a seat."

"Sorry Coach." Buzz said walking further into the office.

Herb turned off the projector and took off his glasses. He looked at Buzz and mentally congratulated himself for the nervous look he had on his face. "So Cam is the girl you were planning on giving all this up for?"

"Yes Sir."

"I knew Cam was in love with someone. I thought it might have been you."

"Coach…" Buzz stopped when Herb raised his hand silencing him.

"I understand why you guys hid it. I don't agree with this. It's nothing personal against you Buzz. I'd rather have you focus on your game. No distractions, not even Cam." Buzz was about to protest when Herb silenced him again. "But today I saw a young man, give up his dream to prove just how much he loved my daughter…"

"Loves… I love Cam, Coach." Buzz said interrupting him.

Herb nodded and continued. "And I saw my daughters face light up in a way I haven't seen since she was eight years old. Davy Jones and the Monkees came to town, preformed at one of the malls." Herb laughed slightly. "She's willing to wait for you. She loves you just as much as you love her. I couldn't live with myself knowing that I took that way from her." Herb got quiet as Buzz stood still waiting for his reaction. He almost jumped back when Herb looked at him, speaking with a low menacing voice. "You fuck this up Schneider, not only will I cut you from this team. You can kiss any kind of career in hockey except for cleaning the toilets at the local ice rink, goodbye. Don't test me." Buzz stood stunned at his sudden change and just nodded, bewildered as Herb glared at him.

"Herb dinner!"

A smile spread across Herbs face. "Stay for dinner Buzzy."

Buzz continued to watch shocked as Herb turned and walked out of his office.

Cam smiled when her dad walked in to the kitchen but faded when Buzz walked in behind him slightly pale.

"Herb! What did you do to the poor boy?" Patti asked looking at Buzz.

"What! We just had a little chat." Herb said nonchalantly as he placed his napkin in his lap.

Cam snorted and sat down next to Buzz. "Mom shouldn't we wait for Kel and Danny?"

Patti sat down shaking her head. "Danny is at a hockey game with Kyle, Margie took them. He won't be home till later on tonight. And Kelly is at a birthday sleepover."

Nodding Cam looked over at Buzz who was still pale. She reached over and grasped his hand. "You okay?"

He smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'm good."

Patti glanced at Herb, who shook his head. Smiling at their exchange as she passed Herb the bowl of mashed potatoes. "Herb did you know Cam waited for Buzzy for three years?"

Herb looked at Cam and snorted. "The girl who won't cook pop tarts because they take to long in the toaster?"

Patti laughed as Cam playfully glared at him. "Funny dad."

"They do take kind of long." Buzz said scooping some potatoes on to his plate.

"Don't they?" Cam said as they both smiled at one another.

Rolling his eyes, Herb put down his glass. "Unbelievable, their a perfect match." He said mumbling to himself.

Patti smiled at Cam and Buzz's bewildered look. "By the way Buzzy, you've got your spot back."

Buzz smiled at Cam before turning his attention back to Herb. "Thanks Coach."

Herb smiled as he ate some. "Just remember our little talk." He laughed when Buzz's smiled faded and his face went pale once again.

Patti pulled down the sheets on their bed, climbing in bed beside Herb. She cuddled up to him as he slipped his arm around her.

"So tell me Herb, what did you say to Buzzy anyway?"

He shrugged and continued to look at some of his paper work. "That I'd cut him from the team and ruin every and all of his chances at any kind of a career in hockey, if he in anyway hurt her."

"Herb!"