The new chapter's up! finally, I know


My Christmas Eve that year was spent at Doc's house, with the boys. Everyone on the team got a gag gift excluding Doc and I, or so I thought.

"And one for Dana," Jim, dressed in a Santa Claus suit, was passing out gifts.

I reached out for the gift tentatively. It was a box you would get new pajamas in, plain white, and easy to fold up. I pulled off the lid and inside was an angel's halo. Only that wasn't it. Attached to the top was a sprig of mistletoe. I was the last one to get a present, Dad already went home, which is why I was just getting my gift now. I looked up from the package to see 21 nearly identical grins.

"See how it looks" Bah called from the couch.

"This is violently unfair." I pouted. But suddenly an idea hit me and I set the halo on top of my head. "But, now that I think about it, I've always wondered what it would like to kiss Rizzo." At the sound of his name, Rizzo's eyes started to bug out. Jack's face turned bright red with anger as I engulfed Rizzo in a passionate kiss. "And you, know," I continued, moving to stand in front of Robbie. "In all our years as friends, I don't think I've ever kissed Mac." Robbie's kiss was just as fervent as Rizzo's and I could tell Jack was trying not to break his neck. I went around the entire room, intentionally passing over Jack, to lightly kiss everyone else in the room, even Craig and Doc, only theirs were on the cheek. I sat back down next to Jack, making sure the mistletoe wasn't above his head. He realized I was teasing him and snatched the halo off my head and put it on his.

"My turn." He said, giving me the sexiest smirk I had ever seen.

I pretended to pout. "If I have to..." Then I leaned over and kissed him. Not just any kiss either, it was one of those magical kisses, the ones that you share with someone you truly love.

"Well, now that we've gotten that out of our systems," Buzz Said, "Let's play some football!"


A few weeks after New Year's, I saw Coxie walking defeated out of dad's office.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked concerned.

Coxie's eyes started to tear up, and he uttered the two words I dreaded hearing from any of 'my boys' "I'm cut."

I reached over to him and pulled him into an embrace. "Ralph, I'm so sorry; you're a great player no matter what though."

He nodded, "Yeah, that's what your dad said. He sounded unhappy about having to cut me."

I held him tighter, "Dad knows how you feel, I'm sure. Jim told you guys Dad got cut a week before his Olympics right?"

"Yeah, when Tim was here."

The locker room door swung open and Jack stepped out. Coxie and I sprang apart and he wiped his tears on his shirt sleeve. Jack wrapped his arm around me in the annoying possessive way I had come to adore. "What'd coach say?"

Coxie took a shaky breath. "Congrats, you made the final cut."

Jack paled. "Is he gonna do that with everyone?"

I gave him a reassuring kiss on the ear. "I think he's talking about you, Jack. He got cut."

Jack looked uncomfortable. "Oh, uh, sorry man. Keep in touch though."

"Hey!" I said, mostly to cover the awkward silence. "How about later tonight we all go to a club?"

Coxie shook his head. "Can't, I gotta pack up, book a flight, you know, all that."

"Oh, yeah. Well um, call me when you get home, let me know if you can make it down to New York I'll save you a seat."

Coxie gave me ghost of a smile ad nodded, before heading out of the building.

Turning away from Jack, I opened the locker room door with one hand, the other firmly placed over my eyes. "Who's ready for the last big night out before the Olympics?"