Hey guys! Thanks to all of my reviewers. This is my first story ever and it means a lot to me that you like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Miracle or its characters. Izzy and anyone that you don't recognize are mine.

Chapter 2: Won the battle, but will she lose the war?

August 1979

Minneapolis, MN

Jack O'Callahan raced down the path and turned a corner. Spinning around, his eyes landed on the object of his search.

"Isabella," he called.

The tall brunette turned and smiled at her secret boyfriend. Placing a finger to her lips, she beckoned him forward. Jack resisted the temptation to sprint towards her, instead strolling casually in her direction. She saw through his act and rolled her eyes. When he finally reached her, their formal behavior halted and with and quick glance around to make sure that they were alone, they met each other's lips in a short but passionate kiss.

Their mouths parted but they stayed close. Jack kissed Izzy's temple and leaned down to her ear.

"Marry me" he whispered softly.

Izzy backed away with a startled look on her face. She starred at him for a moment and then broke into laughter. Seeing the hurt look on his face she stopped.

"Oh Jack, I'm sorry. I though that you were kidding. I mean, you weren't really expecting me to say yes were you?"

"Well, yeah! Of course I was. We've-"

That was all he managed to get out before she collapsed to the ground in a fit of giggles. At that moment Rizzo walked in.

"Izzy, are you ok?" Rizzo asked with concern.

"Jack… just… me…marry…him!" that was all Izzy managed to gasp out between bursts of laughter.

Rizzo also began to laugh, and the rest of their families began to trickle into the courtyard. All of them were pointing and laughing.

"You actually thought she'd say yes?" sneered his father.

"What a joke!" said Izzy's mom.

"Stop laughing! I thought she'd say yes…I thought she'd say yes…I thought she'd say yes1Leave me alone! Izzy marry me please!"

Back in his dorm, Jack woke with gasp. He brought a hand up to his forehead and wiped it off. As he did so, he realized that he was drenched in beads of cold sweat.

Nearly every night since their breakup, he'd been having that dream, or some variation of it. Surprisingly enough, the real thing was much worse. She hadn't laughed, and their families didn't show up. But they'd had an enormous fight ending in Jack calling off their entire relationship. And since then, the two had barely spoken.

He glanced over towards Rizzo, his roommate and one of the primary reasons that Izzy wasn't in his arms at that very second. Not that he would ever know that. A picture on Rizzo's nightstand caught his eye, and he reached over to pick it up. Smiling, he recognized the photo. It was from New Year's Eve last year. He knew that the same picture sat in Izzy's room, and used to be in his also, before he threw at his wall in a fit of anger. The three of them looked so happy in that picture that it was hard to believe that two of them weren't even on speaking terms now. He gently replaced the picture, and for a moment Rizzo stirred. Jack grimaced then relaxed as he gave a great snort and settled back in.

For three months, Izzy and Jack had been avoiding each other and considering that there had been several hundred miles between them for most of that time, it hadn't been a problem. Unfortunately, tomorrow, she'd be arriving here in Minnesota to go to college at the U of M.

"Figures," Jack thought "Izzy never could stand to blend in that family."

He'd been a jerk and boy, did he know it. Looking at Mike again, he decided that it would be best for all of them if he and Izzy put their relationship behind them. Maybe they'd be able to go back to being friends.

Nodding to himself, he laid back down.

Yeah, and maybe he'd be able to restrain himself from bashing MacClanahan's face in.

The next morning Jack woke up late, again. By the time he had lumbered out of bed, most of his teammates had showered and were dressed. Mustering all of the speed he could at 6:30 in the morning, he rushed into the bathroom to clean himself up a bit.

"Hey OC," called Rizzo, "Got any plans for after practice."

"Rizzo, I just woke up, I don't have any plans for how I'm gonna get to practice!"

"Well then, how'd you like to come with me and Silky to the airport to get my sister?"

Jack stopped brushing his teeth momentarily to think about Rizzo's offer. Spitting the foam into the sink, he turned to face his friend.

"Sure Rizz, it'd be great to see the little monster."

Hours later, Mike, Jack, and their teammate, Dave Silk stood at the gate waiting for Isabella to step off of the plane.

"Rizzo, do you really think the sign was necessary?" asked Silk

Rizzo looked down at the sign in his hands.

It read: Welcome to the Midwest Izzy Boo Boo Monkey

"What's wrong with the sign?" said Rizzo in a hurt voice.

"I don't know don't you think it's little embarrassing?

"For me or for Izzy Boo Boo Monkey?"

"For me. How am I ever going to meet a hot stewardess with you sitting next to me holding a pink sign with your sister's nickname from when she was two written on it?"

"Shut up Silky" said Rizzo defensively.

"C'mon OC, you agree with me don't you?"

"Shut up Silky" said Jack with a bit of an edge in his voice.

"Thanks Buddy! Told ya my sign wasn't embarrassing" said Rizzo

"You too Rizz"

"But I" was all Silky managed to get out before Jack's icy glare made him shut his mouth.

"Aren't we a bit testy today?" teased Rizzo, which earned him his own death glare.

With that the three friends began their silent wait for Izzy's plane. Rizzo was playing with his sign, Silk was smiling and waving at every reasonably attractive female that walked by, and Jack sitting tensely, wondering why he even decided to some along.

Luckily, the plane finally arrived, barely 10 minutes after Jack's miniature outburst. Izzy was one of the first people off of the plane and upon seeing her brother and friends, her face broke into a huge smile and she ran towards them. When she reached them, she jumped into Rizzo's arms giving him a huge bear hug.

Once they had released, Rizzo lifted up his banner, proudly saying "Look, I made you a sign Izzy B-"

"That's great Mikey" she exclaimed, cutting him off before he could say her tremendously embarrassing childhood nickname.

"Hey Iz" Silky said as he extended his arms in an offering of a hug.

"Great to see ya Silky. How many hearts have you broken over here in Minnesota"

"Not too many, I've been waiting for my partner in crime."

They both smiled and laughed knowingly.

Izzy turned towards Jack, and grinned shyly.

"How are you Jack?"

"I'm decent, not too great, not too bad."

This answer earned a frown from Izzy, but she decided not to press him in front of Silky and her brother.

"We should probably get going. The rest of the boys are waiting for us at the bar" said Silk excitedly.

'Yeah, Izzy, you sit here and relax, I'll go get your bags, Silk you pull the car around, and Jack, stay here and keep Izzy company."

The two men left to do their jobs, leaving Jack and Izzy to stand there awkwardly.

"Do you wanna sit down?" questioned Jack.

"Sure, why not?" replied Izzy.

They sat stiffly on the bench for a few moments before Jack broke the silence.

"Iz," he said softly, "I want you to know that I'm sorry for the way I've been acting."

"Jack you don't" started Izzy, but Jack cut her off.

"No, I do. I was an idiot, and you were right, we were nowhere near ready for marriage. But I'm sorry for the way things turned out, and I want us to try to be friends again."

Izzy looked a little bit wary.

"Jack, we tried the friends thing and you have to admit, we abandoned that pretty quickly." They both smiled the memory of the first few months of their relationship.

"That is true. But we can't really avoid each other now that we're both living on campus and pure, unadulterated hatred is not an option, unless you want to answer a lot of questions about why we're so angry. We could try to go back to 'special friends' stage, but not even your brother is oblivious enough to not notice that when we're completely isolated out here in Minnesota. Therefore, our only alternative is an actual, honest-to-God, no funny business friendship."

"No funny business?"

"None, you have my word on it."

"Well, then I guess we could attempt the being friends thing again."

"Great" Jack said, extending his hand in order to seal the deal.

Izzy accepted his hand and tshook it firmly.

Moments later, Rizzo rushed in carrying an armful of luggage.

"Christ Izzy, did you take the house along in brick by brick? Jack, could you take one of these? The last thing I need is a messed up shoulder."

"Sure thing Rizzo" Jack replied cheerfully.

"Well, well, well, looks like you're warming up Minnesota already Sis!"

"Yeah, I better stay away from the rink."

Jack and Rizzo laughed at Izzy's corny joke, and together the three of them started off towards the exit.

That evening, followinga significant amount of unpacking and moving of furniture, the quartet arrived at the usual bar.

"As a reward for all of your hard work today, the first round's on me."

"Make it the first four and we'll be even," argued Silk, who was rubbing his lower back dramatically.

"How about the first two and a back rub for baby Davey later?" proposed Izzy laughing

"You gut yourself a deal, Hotshot!"

After buying their drinks, the group made their way back to join the rest of the team. A chorus of greetings shot up from the crowd as Rizzo introduced Izzy to his friends.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet my wonderful baby sister, Izzy Eruzione."

"Try saying that five times fast" joked Verchota.

Once all the proper introductions had been made, the boys dispersed throughout the bar, leaving Izzy alone with Jimmy, Buzz, and Robbie.

"So, tell me MacClanahan, how'd OC deal with having you on the team?"

"With his fists, mostly." Robbie answered playfully.

"You guys got into a fight?"

"Yup, first day of practice. But besides that we've managed just fine."

"I'm glad to hear it. So boys, anyone up for a good old game of pool?"

"Yeah right Isabella, I lost enough cash to you in college to last me a lifetime!" said Jimmy quickly.

"I'd love to, but with my skill level, and the way Jimmy introduced yours, I think that we can call this one right now. You win" declared Buzzy.

"Scaredy-cats! How about you Mac? Are you up to the challenge?"

"I'm always up for a challenge!"

"That's what I like to hear. So Robbie, you got any Nordic blood?"

A/N: Well, there's Chapter 2! A whole lot longer, and hopefully not too bad. If you guys have any ideas just send them to me. I'd love a little input.

Thanks again for the great reviews!