Emador- Take a deep breath! LOL, I am happy you were excited about the chapter. I loved your review. I will watch for flattery! LOL Buzz and Jim are both sweeties!

PrincessBethy- Thanks for the review! I see all the team a certain way and then try to write them as such. I am glad you enjoy the way I write them.

Lia06- Patience young Jedi! LOL

Mae- Glad you love the story. I was 10 when my bro was 20, so I also know what men at that age are like! (I can still hear my brother saying to his friends, 'She repeats everything she hears, watch your mouth! LOL)

Klinoa- I am so happy you like Jimmy in this story! Glad to bring him out of the net a little bit! LOL

Meadow567- You make that sound so romantic! LOL Sometimes, even I laugh writing the boys!

BellaLou- Don't die- no killing intended! LOL Loved your review, I think all girls have that conversation with their guy friends!

Babe7878- Take a nap, you'll feel better!

Mid-August 1979, Minneapolis

Herb was working the team really hard. In all the time I had worked with him, I had never seen Herb put so much effort on conditioning. The boys were very tired. Every day, I sat at practice and watched the boys. Bah, Buzz, and Pavelich were playing very well together. We started calling them the Coneheads. Herb must have noticed they were playing well together because he put them together to run several plays.

I also noticed Jimmy Craig struggling in the net. Many times he would lose his temper and hit his stick off the poles. Coach Patrick had told me privately that Jim's game had been off since his mother passed away. I watched Jim and wondered what was going on in his mind. It couldn't be easy on him to have lost his mother and now be away from his dad. And Jim never talked to anyone about his mother.

I decided it might not be a bad idea to visit Jim. Give him a friend to talk to, or maybe we could do something to take his mind off his troubles. So Friday night, after dinner, I drove to the U. I thought I could spend some time with Jim. If nothing else, I could remind him that I would always talk to him if he needed me.

I knocked on his door. I could hear either a radio or TV on inside. A few seconds later Jim opened the door. How is it that just in t-shirt and sweatpants he could look so nice?

"Georgia, what's up?" Jim asked.

"I just thought I would stop by and visit you a little while. You know say hi and see how you're doing?" I said.

"Sure, come on in." Jim said stepping aside and letting me in. "Have a seat."

I took a seat on the couch and saw the TV was on. Jim sat down beside me. "What you been up to?" I asked.

"Nothing much, relaxing mostly. Been watching some episodes of the 'Twilight Zone'." Jim said, pointing at the TV.

"Sometimes I can't follow this show." I said. "And all the episodes they have about airplanes being lost, abducted by aliens, etc…well it makes me nervous to fly." I said.

Jim chuckled. "Couldn't you see those headlines? 'USA Ice Hockey team lost in another dimension!'!" Jim said and I laughed too.

"I suppose, but if we get on that plane for Norway, and there is a creature outside my window chewing on the plane. I'm jumping out of the plane!" I said and Jim laughed again. "What's going on in this episode?"

"That guy there is taking his fiancé to his hometown to meet his family. At the beginning of the episode though, he killed a woman by throwing her under a train in the subway." Jim said.

"Sounds like this could get interesting." I said.

"You want to watch it with me?" Jim asked.

"Sure, but if it gets scary, I may hide behind the couch!" I said with a wink.

We settled down to watch the show. I lost myself in following the man on the TV as he tried to figure out why there was no record of him at his hometown, his family was gone and the town was different.

"Maybe, it's amnesia." Jim said about the show.

"Maybe he was abducted and just returned but doesn't remember being on a space ship." I said.

We watched further as the man found none of his family buried in his family plot. And then the man made his fiancé leave because he had an urge to kill her. I had to admit I was more confused than ever. But than the man cut his wrist and found machinery underneath.

"He's a robot." I said.

"This is getting really weird." Jim said.

"So Jim how have you been?" I asked.

"I've been okay." Jim said.

"Jim, I don't want to pry or get involved where I don't belong, but I know you lost your mom and well if you ever want to talk, I'll listen." I said.

"Thanks, but I'm okay." Jim said but I could tell that he really wasn't. But I decided not to push him.

I turned back to the show as the man/robot found the man that created him. Since he was a machine he couldn't hide that fact for long so he forced his creator to go marry his fiancé. The robot said she deserved better than to be deserted.

"Wow, that wasn't at all what I expected." I said as the credits rolled up the screen Jim didn't say anything. I looked over at him he seemed lost in thought. "Jim?"

"I miss her so much." Jim said.

"Well of course you miss her. That's only natural." I said moving closer and taking his hand.

"Sometimes I worry that I miss her too much and it scares me how angry I am about losing her." Jim said clenching his fists.

"These are natural feelings." I said.

"But I get so angry. She won't be there to see me in the Olympics, she won't be there when I get married, and she won't see my children." Jim said and I could see a few tears start down his cheeks. "And she won't see my brothers and sisters do any of that stuff either."

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. "Jim, I know what you mean about the anger. Something I don't often talk about, but I used to be so angry because I was adopted. I hated my real parents because they gave me away. I hated them because for whatever reason they didn't want me. I was angry and hurt that they didn't even know me and threw me away. But one day I realized, that maybe they had good reason to give me away. Maybe they couldn't take care of me or something. But more importantly I realized that two people had wanted me. That two people brought me into their home and loved me more than anything. I have almost 22 years of memories with George and Velta and I wouldn't trade that for anything in this world."

"I loved her so much." Jim said and finally broke down crying. I started to rock him.

"Rather than be angry that she was taken away, you need to concentrate on all the happy memories with her and be thankful that you knew her." I said. "She got to be there for your first words, first steps, first day of school, first hockey game, your high school prom and graduation. Remember all the good times with her."

"But I miss her, I miss her so much. And I hurt for my dad who misses her too." Jim said through tears. He cried harder and I pulled his head down onto my shoulder as I rocked him.

"Of course you do, she was a great mother. It would be disrespectful if you didn't miss her. But at the same time, I am sure she wouldn't be at peace if she knew you were suffering like this." I said and stroked his hair in an attempt to soothe him.

"But I don't know how else to feel." Jim said.

"You're mom…what was her name?" I asked.

"Margaret." Jim answered.

"Margaret would want you to remember her, but for you to be happy too. Take care of yourself, and your family. She'll rest better knowing that everyone is happy and cared for, but thinking of her in happier times." I said. "If you concentrate on doing that, it'll happen easier."

Jim didn't answer, so I just held to him and let him cry. I rocked him and tried to make soothing sounds.

"You probably think I am crazy…crying all over you like this." Jim said.

"Of course not. If I lost one of my parents I'd be the same way. As a matter of fact, I think you're very brave and strong to leave your family to come train for the Olympics." I said.

"I am so sorry for making such a scene." Jim said.

"What scene? It's just you and me. Besides, it'll do you good to get some of this out." I said still holding him.

I just sat there holding him and rocking him as he slowly calmed down. I felt so bad for him. I couldn't imagine the pain he was in. I don't know how long we sat there, but I must have fallen asleep. The next thing I knew, I was feeling like something was gently tickling my face. And I realized my head was on Jim's shoulder.

I opened my eyes and Jim was brushing the hair away from my face with his fingers. I smiled up at him. "Did I fall asleep?"

"Yeah, I did too. But woke up a bit ago." Jim said

"Oh, you should have woke me; I didn't mean to be a bother." I said sitting up.

"You're not a bother. I was just sitting here thinking about you." Jim said.

"What about me?" I asked.

"Do you know anything about your real parents?" Jim asked.

"Very little. I do know that both parents signed the forms releasing custody of me to the state of Minnesota. I don't know their names." I said. "I was released from the hospital after birth straight to an orphanage, where I stayed until the Nagobads took me home eight weeks later. They adopted me." I told him.

"They named you after your dad right?" Jim asked.

"Yeah, Georgia Grace Nagobads." I said.

"But I still say you had a beautiful biological mother." Jim said.

"Thank you." I said. "I should get going, it's late."

"Aww, its Friday. Why don't you crash on my couch? This time you have dry clothes to sleep in." Jim said with a laugh.

"Stop talking about that!" I giggled and playfully punched his arm. "I'll stay, I guess."

I stood up and stretched out my arms. Jim stood up beside me and pulled me in a hug.

"What's this for?" I asked.

"Thanks for you being so wonderful and such a good friend." Jim said and kissed my cheek. "I do feel better!"

"You're welcome." I said. "I'm always here if you want to talk."

"Thanks, well let's get your couch pulled out into a bed." Jim said.

"I'm going to the restroom." I said and walked towards the bathroom.

"Check the seat before you squat!" Jim called after me.