The Greatness You Are

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING (except Grace and the occasional outside character).

Author's Note: So this is the chapter where the "Miracle" begins. Yay! So these are the try-outs for the Olympic team in this chapter. Ok, at the time of try-outs, Grace and Rammer are both 19 and would be entering their sophomore year at college if it weren't for the Olympics. I'm trying to make this story as interesting as possible and not just going along with the movie line so I'm going to try and put in a lot of the player's relationships with Grace and each other. Sorry this one's so short! Keep reviewing and tell me what you think!

Thanks so much to all of my reviewers!
Meadow567: I'm really glad you like the flashbacks and you can't wait to read more! I'm definitely going to put more flashbacks in for future chapters. Thanks for the great review!
B: I was so excited after reading your review! I'm so glad you like my story! Haha I'll see what I can do for you about the Grace and Rammer situation for you. ;-) Keep reviewing!

It's not about what happened in the past,
Or what you think might happen in the future.
It's about the ride. There is no point in going through all this crap,
If you are not going to enjoy the ride.
And you know what...
When you least expect it something great might come along,
Something better than you even planned for. 1

Waking up from a deep sleep was not one of the things Grace had wanted to do on her peaceful Saturday morning. Herb had given his players the day off, as well as Grace and it would be the first one for her in a while. She had been helping Herb nonstop with try-out preparations as well as practices at the U. Rolling over in her bed, Grace hastily got out of the warm confines of the sheets, yawning loudly and slowly making her way downstairs.

The house was empty except for herself. Herb and Patti had taken Danny and Kelly out to the zoo for the day. Grace thumped downstairs in her tank top and boxer shorts, that actually in truth belonged to Rammer. She had stolen them from him a long time ago, after wearing them one night at his house, having misplaced her clothes for their spontaneous sleeping arrangements at his house one night and had never gotten around to giving them back. In truth, half of Grace's wardrobe actually belonged to Rammer, a mess of forgotten t-shirts, sweatshirts and sweatpants that she had never gotten around to returning.

Upon opening the door, Grace was embraced in a bear hug that lasted seconds before its owner released her moving back a step to survey her appearance. It was Rammer. Looking Grace over, he laughed at her grumpy looking expression, but his smile quickly faded, his mouth hanging slightly agape as he surveyed her sleeping attire. His breath caught in his throat seeing her in his clothing. There was just something about when she wore his clothes that made him feel nervous and excited. It was kind of scary thinking of his best friend that way, but Rammer always shrugged off the feeling, reminding himself that she was his best friend, keeping himself in check.

"Hey Gracie, check this out! Look!" Rammer shoved a piece of paper in front of her face, excitedly. She grasped the paper in her hands, realizing that it was a letter. Her eyes growing wide with excitement, Grace couldn't suppress the huge grin that was rapidly forming on her face.

"Rammer! I'm so proud of you!" Grace squealed before jumping into his arms. She was lifted off the ground as Rammer spun her around. After being set down, she looked over Rammer's shoulder to see two more familiar figures approaching.

"Gracie!" Buzzy and Robbie ran up to her waving two papers in their hands, which looked very similar to the one Rammer had shown her previously.

"You guys!" Grace smiled ecstatically as she leapt into the boys' arms screaming in her excitement. "I knew you would all make the team!"

"Well, we technically didn't make the team. We were just invited to try out." Buzzy offered her in response to the exhilaration that shone all over Grace's face.

"Psh, whatever Buzzy. You're all gonna make the team. I know it." Grace looked around at her boys. Their pride was written all over their features, and she was finding it increasingly difficult to restrain her growing feelings of satisfaction for them either. Robbie had a smug look gracing his face, while Buzzy looked excited and Rammer appeared somewhat flustered. "We're all gonna get to go to the Olympics together!"

Now it was the boys who couldn't contain their liveliness. They would all be spending the next nine months of training together. For them, it meant nonstop parties, sleepovers, (well their idea of a sleepover, which was passing out together), and of course they would never go a minute without seeing Grace. Well, if they made the team…

--

Carting her luggage proved to be a more difficult task then she had at first made it seem. Struggling under the weight of her three large duffel bags, as well as his own, Rammer fought to keep his balance as Grace sauntered happily along behind him. Three more gates to go. Rammer thought as him and his best friend walked through the airport. He was carrying both his and Grace's luggage, which was proving to be an excruciatingly arduous task.

The whole week Rammer had been overflowing with anticipation for the Olympic hockey team try-outs in Colorado Springs. Now, him and Grace were walking to their gate in order to board their plane that would take him and her exactly to where they wanted to be. Herb had flown up a day earlier to set up for the event, and so he had left Grace in Rammer's care. Robbie and Buzzy had taken later flights to spend more time with family and friends. Rammer had taken an earlier flight, pointedly because he didn't need to say goodbye to Grace, which was really the only person he was concerned about, other than his family, who he had already given a heart felt goodbye to.

Looking over his shoulder, and giving a great heave as to not drop everything he was carrying, Rammer saw Grace casually strolling behind him leisurely licking at an ice cream cone. Slowing down to her pace, Rammer bent down and took a gigantic bite out of her ice cream cone. Grace smirked at him.

"Only three more gates to go big guy." Shoving the rest of her ice cream into Rammer's mouth, she picked up her pace to match his, and patted his shoulder with fake reassurance, continuing on ahead.

Once arriving at their designated gate, the two sat down to wait until their flight was called. Grace dramatically fell down into her seat feigning exhaustion.

"Wow I'm so tired after all that walking." She wickedly stole a glance at Rammer who in turn rolled his eyes and muddled her hair with his large hand, which was placed squarely above her head. Laughing and slapping his hand away, Grace rearranged herself to an Indian-style sitting position, while Rammer stared out the window at the incoming air traffic. Their flight would soon be called, and until then, they were just content in being in each others' company.

--

The air rushed up at her face as Grace ran on the side of the road, not caring what cars drove by or saw her; just running to relieve stress and get ready for the day. Her cheeks were red, and she was inhaling in short gasps. She had spent almost the entire week sorting through papers for her uncle, who had piled them up in order to make last minute preparations for the Olympic try-outs, which were to begin today. Grace could feel her hair tickling her back, her pony tail swaying loosely behind her. She was currently wearing a pair of work out shorts and a tank top that clung tightly to her midsection. It was a cool, breezy day, but Grace, tired from running felt hot and smothered.

Just as she was about to turn the corner of the street she was running on, she felt a cool trickle of water run down her face and looking up to the sky, saw that it was raining. Beginning as a light drizzle, Grace thought nothing of it and kept going, but within seconds it was pouring and in an instant she was soaked.

"Shit, shit, shit." Grace yelled at no one in particular. She was soaked through and through, the white material of her shirt becoming slightly transparent and her hair in a state of distress. Looking around for a moment, Grace quickly turned and ran in the opposite direction, straight towards the Olympic training center where try-outs were being held. She had not wanted to interfere with the try-outs, but it looked like she would be forced to. Herb had wanted her to be there anyways, her being the manager of the team, but she had wanted to meet the guys under different circumstances, possibly where she was not completely drenched and looking somewhat decent. This sucks. Grace thought as she ran sprinted through the parking lot towards the massive building.

Upon her entrance inside the Colorado Springs hockey arena, Grace inspected the building. All in all, it looked nice. Not spectacular, but just plain and ordinary. She looked for something she could put on to cover her chilled form, a discarded shirt, a towel, anything, but there was absolutely nothing. Turning on a dime, Grace decided that she could ask Herb for something to put on. She looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was still somewhat early in the afternoon. Figuring Herb would be finished with try-outs, she didn't hesitant in running into the seating area of the hockey rink.

--

Bad idea. Right as Grace began her entrance into the arena, a pack of boys began filing out, pushing past her with disgruntled looks, and after noticing her, giving her looks of curiosity, which soon turned into appreciative stares. Uncomfortable under their watchful eyes, Grace hurried to find her uncle, but once again, upon admittance into the room, saw a look of disproval from Herb and twenty six pairs of eyes glance in her direction. Herb had apparently been talking to the boys, and a glower came over his face as their attention turned from him towards Grace.

Looking around, she noticed a lot of the boys from watching hockey films with Herb and many of the Minnesota boys, three especially, her best friends. He had made her watch old games with each of the players she saw in the room currently, and the twenty six boys in front of her had been on the list her and her uncle had constructed months in advance. Grace looked around and Herb turned back to the team ignoring her. Grace just stood there, still soaking wet in the doorway waiting for Herb to finish. She smiled, once realizing her three best guys made the team. It wasn't final, but it might have as well been.

As she stood watching her uncle wrap up his speech, she felt a towel drop over her head. Taking the towel off her soaking form, Grace looked up and saw Rammer. She mouthed a "thanks" and nodded over to her uncle rolling her eyes. Rammer laughed silently to himself and turned his attention back to his coach. Grace looked at the towel in her hand, noticing it had his initials sloppily scribbled out on the tag. Gross, Grace thought to herself, realizing that Rammer probably used this towel to dry himself off after sweating during practice and after games. Nonetheless it was all she had at the moment and so she commenced in trying to dry herself off. Oh well, I've used other stuff of his that was probably even more disgusting than this. Grace thought as she rubbed the offending piece of material over her arms and legs.

After her somewhat successful attempt at drying off, a stack of tests was shoved gently into Grace's hands as she tried to move upwards in the stands to locate her uncle.

"Hey, Grace. Would you mind passing these out?" She looked up to see a hopeful Coach Patrick with a large stack of papers in his hands. Grace recognized them as the psychology tests Herb had showed her prior to traveling to Colorado Springs.

"Sure Coach Patrick." The younger coach gave her an appreciative smile as he handed her the remainder of the tests and headed out the doors of the arena. Turning around, Grace was greeted with a large hug from Rammer.

"So Gracie, I made it!" He was beaming. Grace looked at him and couldn't help letting a large grin play across her face. Handing him a test, he kissed her forehead, telling her that he would wait for her outside.

Behind a slew of other Minnesotan boys, resided a clump of Bostonians, content on staying behind and filling the air with idle chit chat. Glancing at the young woman passing out their "homework", many of the boys from Massachusetts, as well as those from the more Nordic regions gawked at her approvingly, ogling her long legs and gorgeous blonde locks.

Glancing over his shoulder before leaving the arena completely, Rammer could see the other hockey players openly gazing at Grace. Halting his footsteps, Rammer stopped and leaned against a wall, deciding that he would rather wait for her inside by the hockey rink rather than outside. One of the boys that dared to look up was met with an angry glare from Rammer, putting a damper on any hopes that this girl was available; clearly she had a boyfriend. That was the consensus most of the boys gathered, after seeing Rammer watching them carefully.

Already bored with passing out the psychology tests, Grace placed the remaining ones on the ground for the boys to pick up and ran to the back of the line to greet Buzzy and Robbie. They were both clearly pleased with how try-outs had gone for the day and each held satisfied grins on their faces. She silently approached them, embracing them each in large hugs and kisses on the cheek.

"Congrats guys. You did awesome." Seeing her boys accomplish this was equivalent to achieving it herself. Grace was so proud of them.

"Thanks babe." Buzzy winked at her playfully before commenting on her state of appearance. "Aww, you didn't need to dress up for us." A large smile spread across his face as Grace laughed at his stupid comment before making one of her own.

"You moron. I got caught in the rain." It was the boys' turn to laugh as they inspected her more carefully.

"Hey us and some of the guys are going down to the bar tonight. You coming?" Robbie looked hopeful while he awaited the answer to his question. No doubt it wouldn't be half as much fun if Grace wasn't going to go.

"C'mon you guys. You know me better than that. Have I ever turned down a bar night?" This statement was received with humorous looks from both Robbie and Buzzy. "I guess I'll just have to break out my fake ID and meet you guys there." She added the last part with a wink, the boys shaking their heads humorously due to her lighthearted tone, remembering days past, where her mischievous behavior had paid its price.

--

The air was warm outside as they waited for admittance into the local club. Robbie and Buzzy glanced around nervously. This was their first time taking Grace and Rammer to this specific bar and both were worried their two younger friends would get carded. Now stepping to the front of the line, Buzzy and Rammer were accepted with ease, neither asked to show ID. Upon Grace's appearance though, the bouncer at the door asked to see her identification.

Confidently, Grace pulled out her fake ID, handing it to the rather large bouncer without a second thought. He inspected the piece of plastic carefully a few times, glancing up at Grace and testing the card's weight before turning to her and asking her to step aside. A look of sheer panic graced her features as she tried to keep her composure, side stepping away from the line.

Suddenly, and without thinking, Rammer grabbed the ID out of the bouncer's hand and shoving it into Grace's.

"Run Gracie, run." Rammer shouted it over the commotion outside the club. Grace, looking at him and hesitating for a moment, was given a shove by Robbie, and she turned to follow him running away from the scene. Police officers swarmed Rammer all at once and he was quickly taken down. That night marked the second night of his stay in a holding cell. It was even worse without his friends.

Grace had stayed with him all night, although not in the holding cell, she was allowed to pull up a chair directly next to him. She had held his hand the entire night, even through sleep and drove him back home the following morning, clearly grateful for how the events had unfolded the previous night. That soon became their first and last fiasco with using fake IDs and they soon opted for sneaking in to bars and clubs. At that moment, Grace had realized how much Rammer loved her, and that they truly were best friends. It was obvious. And she loved him back.

--

Snapping out of her thoughts, Grace waved a quick goodbye to the boys and began heading out. Arriving at the entrance of the arena, she found Rammer leaning against the door frame, anxious to leave. Grace linked her arm with his and strolled with him out into the now clear day outside. Leaning against his muscular bicep, Grace muttered three small but distinct words.

"I love you." Smiling at this, Rammer repeated the words back to her as they continued their way through the parking lot, wondrous in anticipation for the events to come.

1. Irving Feffer, from Along Came Polly

A/N: Well I hope you all liked that chapter! The next one's going to include the bar scene from the movie. Send me your reviews!