1:00 PM…

Nadia awoke from a ruffling of blankets next to her. She opened her eyes and was face to face with Vladislav. She could feel his warm breath on her face as he slept, unaware that she was looking at him with love. Nadia moved a little closer to him, her side hurting as she did so. She gently laid her lips on his and he opened his eyes.

"Nadia?" he said.

She pulled away, a little embarrassed.

"Hey." She said, quietly, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, how about you?" he asked.

"Okay." She said, "Where's your teammates?"

"Probably getting lunch. It's," he looked at the clock, "1:02."

"Oh, wow. I wonder if Sally knows where I am." Said Nadia and got up slowly.

She walked to the door, hunched over from her injury, and walked into the main room in the suite.

"Is anyone there?" called Vlad from the bed.

Nadia looked around and saw no one.

"No, it's just us." She said and walked slowly back into the room.

Vlad looked at her bandaged side, which was visible through her white shirt.

"Why didn't you tell the doctor who hurt you?" asked Vlad.

"Because…because I couldn't." said Nadia sadly, "I'm not that heartless."

Vlad got up and held her in his arms.

"I wouldn't have done it either." He said.

Nadia and Vladislav kissed and held each other tight.

"Maybe we should find your team." Said Nadia, "I don't know how Viktor will take it when you tell him you stayed up all night."

"How about we see if he's in a good mood first." He said.

"Good idea." She said.

Nadia and Vladislav looked at the clock, which read 1:10 and decided to check the practice rink. They were just about to walk out the door, when they heard someone coming.

Vladimir Petrov, Vladimir Myshkin, and Valery Kharlamov came in the door and looked at Nadia and Vladislav standing there.

"I thought you said you weren't going to think about love." Said Kharlamov.

"Look, I just took Nadia back here because I was tired and she was hurt." Said Vlad.

"Sure." Said Kharlamov, "You're our best goalie and even though we're the best team, we can't let you get pulled."

Vladimir Myshkin, standing 5-foot-9, looked up at Kharlamov and scowled.

"No offence." Said Kharlamov, apologetically.

"I have no doubt that we can beat the USA team." Said Petrov, "Just don't do something that will make Coach angry at you. He's know to do stupid things like pull the best players when he's under pressure."

"Thanks, guys." Said Vlad, "And, really, nothing happened."

"Yeah," said Kharlamov, "You would look a lot more tired if something did."

Nadia blushed and Kharlamov saw this.

"Oh, so Nadia knows a little about this." He said.

All of them laughed.

"So, where's the team?" asked Nadia.

"Oh, they're probably finishing up their lunch."

"Yeah, Coach gave us a day of relaxation." Said Myshkin, "That was defiantly surprising!"

"Yeah," said Vlad, "That's good."

"Hey," said Petrov before they left, "I heard a lot of the Swedish players talking about going to a club later tonight."

"So?" asked Vlad.

"Maybe we can go." Said Petrov, "I mean, the Olympics are almost over and it sounds like fun."

"Are you crazy?" asked Vlad, "What will Tikhonov say?"

"He doesn't have to know…" said Petrov.

Vlad looked at Nadia, who was giving himworried eyes meaning that he shouldn't go.

"No," said Vlad, "I won't risk it."

"Are you going to learn to think for yourself?" asked Petrov, annoyed, "Stop listening to your girlfriend and go! You know you want to!"

Nadia could see that Vladimir Petrov was trying to make her the enemy in this conflict and decided to go.

"I think I'll go." Said Nadia, nervously, "Bye Vlad. Bye guys."

Nadia huggedVlad the best she could and started to walk out the door.

She turned and said, "You can go if you really want to."

She smiled slightly at him and he smiled back.

"Would you come with me?" he asked.

"If it's what you truly want, than yes, I'll go." She said.

Nadia knew that this was a bad idea, but didn't want Vlad to think the worst of her. She sadly went along with Vladimir Petrov's idea. Vladislav smiled at her, but secretly inside also knew that this idea wasn't good.

9:00 PM At The Club…

Nadia Petrova and Vladislav Tretiak walked into the club following Petrov, Kharlamov, Mikhailov who had Sally with him, and a few other guys on their team. The club was filled way over maximum capacity. There was loud music playing and people dancing. Vlad looked from the stairs at all of the people in the club. He noticed that most of them were hockey players or other athletes competing in the Olympics. Lots of them had dates. Vlad all of a sudden felt a hand take his and bring him onto the dance floor. He looked to see two girls he didn't know dancing very closewith him.

"Hey, I have a girlfriend!" he said and walked away from them.

He looked all around the crowd, trying to find Nadia. He didn't spot her or any of his friends anywhere. Vlad turned around to go up to the stairs to get a better view when he bumped into OC.

"Hey!" shouted OC, "Great club, right?"

"I'm looking for Nadia. Have you seen her?" asked Vlad.

"Not lately."

"Can you tell me if you do?"

"Sure!" said OC.

As soon as he started dancing, two girls came and grabbed him.

Vladislav walked away from the bigger crowd and over to the bar counter. There was a big bowl of punch on it. Vlad was worried about Nadia, so to calm his nerves he got a cup of the punch. He drank the whole cup and felt hyper. Vlad decided to have another cup to feel better. After his 4th cup, two girls walked up to him. The girls were a little taller and older than Nadia. One girl had aqua blue eyes and light brown long hair. She had very fair skin and a light yellow mini dress on. The other girl had hazel eyes and tanned skin like Nadia. She had blonde hair, a light blue tank top and black hip huggers.

"Hey." Said the blue eyed girl, "Your hot!"

Normally Vladislav would have gotten upset at this comment because of his love for Nadia, but he wasn't thinking straight.

"So are you." He said, with a drunken slur in his voice.

"I'm Kit." Said the blonde girl, winking at him.

"And I'm Cady!" said the brunette.

"I know you! You're Vladislav Tretiak, the Russian goalie!" said Kit.

"Yeah!" said Vlad, "That's me…"

"Lets dance!" said Cady and pulled Vladislav onto the dance floor.

Meanwhile…

Nadia was looking all over for her boyfriend. She was starting to become worried about him missing. She went to sit down to rest her side. When she sat, she looked beside her to see Vladimir Krutov.

"Krutov!" she shouted.

"Hey Nadia." He said.

"Thank God I found someone!" she said, "I've been wandering around, trying to stay hidden so guys won't grab me in uncomfortable places!"

"I'm sorry to hear that." said Krutov.

"Do you know where Vlad is?" she asked.

"Haven't seen him…" he said, "Why? Isn't he with you?"

"No, we got separated." Said Nadia.

"Well, I'll help you find him. I was planning on going back to the suite anyway."

"Thanks." Said Nadia, "But I can't see anyone. I'm too short!"

"Here…" said Krutov and put her on his shoulders, giving her a better view.

"Okay…" said Nadia, looking around. She immediately spotted him.

"I see him!" she said, "Just walk straight!"

Krutov walked until they reached Tretiak dancing with Cady and Kit.

Nadia rushed over to him and embraced him warmly.

"Vlad…" she said.

"Who are you?" he asked in a drunken voice.

"What!" asked Nadia, "You know who… I mean, what are you…?"

She was looking at Kit and Cady who were hanging onto Vlad giving her evil looks.

"Hey, go find your own guy!" said Kit, also sounding drunk.

"Yeah, go find… another guy!" said Cady.

"I don't know you!" said Vladislav, "Your not as hot as my girlfriends!"

Nadia had to try hard to hold back her tears.

"Come on, your coming with me!" she said.

"No, he's staying!" said Kit.

"No bitch! He's coming with me!" said Nadia, angrily.

It was rare that she swore. Krutov realized this and stepped in.

"Hey, get off of Vlad!" he said.

"You're hot!" said Cady to Krutov, "Want to dance?"

"No!" he said, grabbing Vlad's arm, "Get away!"

They wouldn't let go of Vlad, who was looking tired.

"Hey!" said Vlad, "Where's the bed?"

"Shut up, Vlad!" said Krutov.

"And you two!" said Nadia to Kit and Cady, "Get off of Vlad or I swear I will..."

"Fine bitch!" said Cady walking away.

Krutov helped Nadia pull him away and as soon as they looked at him, he had fallen asleep.

"Oh great…" said Krutov sarcastically, "Just what we need."

Nadia was glad to hear his funny sarcasm again. She wasn't used to him being serious.

Nadia and Krutov carried the sleeping Vlad back to the hotel area. Nadia was going to bring him up to their suite but Krutov said, "We can't do that! What would Tikhonov say?"

"Yeah." said Nadia, "Lets bring him to my room."

They kept walking until they got to the elevator in Nadia's hotel. They set Vlad down and as soon as he hit the floor, Nadia bent over in pain.

"Nad!" he shouted.

"My side…it hurts…" she said in between breaths.

Krutov carefully pick her up and she fell asleep in his arms. When she awoke, she was tucked in her bed. Krutov was looking out the window at the night sky, in deep thought.

"Vladimir," she said, "Where's Vlad?"

"In that chair." He said in a tired voice.

Nadia looked beside her bed and saw Vladislav Tretiak asleep in the chair. She carefully got up and tapped him on the shoulder. His eyes slowly opened to her smiling face.

"Hello Nadia," he said smiling, "What time is it?"

Nadia looked at the clock. "4:00" she said.

"I feel awful." He said.

Nadia felt his head and he felt normal. She decided to tell him the story of his night of "fun."

"Wow…" he said sounding exhausted, "I'm so sorry Nadia…"

"No, it wasn't—." she started to say, but stopped.

Vlad had fallen asleep in the chair.

"Goodnight…" she said softly.

Nadia got up from where she was kneeling and walked back to bed, hunched over with pain.

"Ah…" she said softly, because of the injury. Krutov looked at Nadia and knew that it wasn't just physical pain she was in.

"It hurts, huh?" he said.

"Yeah, my ribs are—."

"No, I mean at the club."

Nadia frowned.

"Yeah… but I know it wasn't him… but it still…hurts…"

"I know. And believe me, Vlad would never get drunk on purpose and treat you like that. You're the world to him."

"Thanks." Said Nadia.

"And I don't think you should go to our game tomorrow." He said.

"What! Why not?"

"Because look at you. Look at the pain you are in!"

"No, I am going!"

"I want you resting!"

"I've already missed most of your games! I won't miss this one!"

With that, Vladimir Krutov pulled Nadia Petrova close to him, looked deep into her eyes and spoke from his heart.

"I care about you too much to see you hurt! But Vlad would rather die than see you in this much pain!"

Nadia burst into tears and Krutov held her close.

"Vladimir…" she cried, "I'm so confused!"

"Talk it out with Vlad in the morning, when he's better."

He said. Nadia just nodded and closed her eyes. After a few seconds of silence and being held by one of her boyfriend's closest friends, Nadia went to bed. She woke up at 12:00 AM.

12:03…

Nadia awoke at 12:03. She felt a lot better than she had earlier. She was going to talk to Vlad about the game, which was at 17:00, or 5:00PM. Nadia looked in the chair where her goalie had been sleeping and found a note. It said…

Meet me at the hotel café. Again, I'm sorry for hurting you. Let me talk to you. I must hear yourvoise.Love, Vladislav

Nadia's heart rate got faster as she thought of sharing love with Vladislav Tretiak again, like they did in April. She quickly got dressed and went to meet him.