Of Dreams and Miracles
By Misha

Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.

Part Six: Driven

Early August 1979

The next few weeks passed relatively uneventfully.

Elizabeth spent the time getting to know the boys, making new friendships and renewing old ones. She attended every practice, sometimes just observing, but usually helping out in some way or another.

One afternoon, after practice, she was stuck in the back of Coach Patrick's car, while he and Doc rode in the front, waiting for gas. Herb had had meetings, so he'd asked Craig if he could give her a ride home.

Elizabeth did have her own car, but because of the gas shortage, she wasn't supposed to drive it to practice.

"It's a waste for us both to drive." Het father told her time and time again, but that meant she was on his schedule, which wasn't always the most convenient thing. However, it also wasn't worth arguing with her father over.

"So much hatred and fear," Doc sighed.

Elizabeth perked up with a light, "hmm?"

"Between the Soviets and the West," he explained. "Always these nuclear weapons pointing at each other, it's bound to end in disaster."

"Come on Doc," Craig urged. "They'll work it out; I meant they don't have any other choice, right?"

"It seems that some people just never get along," Doc insisted.

"Like hockey players from Boston and Minnesota," Craig commented, causing Elizabeth to grin.

That seemed true enough.

"Our own private Cold War," Doc noted.

They all chuckled light-heartedly at that. Though, to be fair, the boys were starting to get along better and forget that they were enemies.

"Doc. let me ask you something," Craig began. "You've known Herb a long time, right?"

"Forever," Elizabeth answered before Doc could.

"Not quite forever," Doc corrected, "but I've known Herb quite some time, yes."

"Does he always treat his players like this?" Craig pressed. "No, this, I have never seen." Doc answered.

"Me either." Elizabeth piped up. "I've spent four years going to almost every single practice and Dad's always been hard on his players, but never this hard."

"So why's he doing it now?" Craig asked them both.

"I don't know,' Doc answered, "but believe me, Craig, Herb has a reason for everything he does."

"Well, he's winding up with twenty players that hate him," Craig pointed out.

"Well, maybe if they hate him," Doc began, "they won't have time to hate each other."

Elizabeth and Craig were both silent, taking in Doc's words.

Elizabeth realised that he was right, already their frustration with Herb was starting to bond the team together, making them forget that they were supposed to hate one another.

Still, as affective as it might be, Elizabeth had to wonder if the method wasn't a little too extreme. After all, it meant the next few months would be very lonely ones for Herb.

She wondered suddenly if that was why he had wanted her along, for the support as much as anything else.
---

That night, she was at home, reading a book while her father watched a few film strips of hockey games.

Herb had made her watch with him, though he didn't seem to mind, that she wasn't paying that much attention. She figured he just wanted her company, adding to her earlier thoughts about why he had offered her the job.

After a while, Patti entered the room. "

How much longer are you two going to be in here?" She asked quietly.

Elizabeth shrugged. "Don't ask me, I'm only here to keep Dad company."

"Herb?" Patti inquired.

"We just have a few more," Herb assured her without looking.

Patti nodded and kissed his cheek. "I'm going to bed."

"Ok." Herb said, not taking his eyes off the screen.

Patti turned and kissed the top of Elizabeth's head. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Night mom." Elizabeth said, before going back to her book.

Patti paused, as if remembering something. "Oh, Herb, Kelly has ballet at four tomorrow and Danny's done with soccer camp at around the same time, which one do you want to get?"

"We've got team meetings after practice tomorrow," Herb told her, still looking at the screen.

"Herb." Patti said, her voice heavy with irritation.

He took his attention from the screen long enough to shoot her a look.

Patti sighed and turned to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth?"

"Sorry, I have a dentist's appointment." She reminded her mother. "I'm even skipping practice because of it."

Patti turned to Herb again. "I can't be in two places at once, Herb."

"What about Margie?" He asked, referring to the friend who often helped Patti out.

"They're on vacation." Patti reminded him.

"Well, I don't know honey." Herb told her, eyes still on the screen. "You'll figure it out."

"Can you turn that off please?" Patti asked quietly. After a minute, she asked again. "Please?"

Herb complied reluctantly and Elizabeth knew that it was time for her to leave the room. She slipped out quietly, though neither of her parents seemed to notice.

She stood in the doorway and listened to them.

"This is what happens during the summer, Herb." Patti told him. "The kids are off doing a million different things and every once in a while your meetings are going to have to wait."

"Come on Patti," Herb started. "I'm coaching a hockey team here. We already talked about this."

"Oh, really?" She asked. "Because I don't recall being a part of the conversation; what did I say? Was it interesting? We never talked about this."

Elizabeth hurried up the stairs, not wanting to hear anymore. After a while, she could hear that her parents had taken the argument upstairs to their bedroom.

Elizabeth knew that her mother had never liked Herb's preoccupation with hockey and she had to admit, that this time it was worse than ever before. He was so focused on winning; it was almost as if nothing else mattered.

Her parents' voices were lowered, so she couldn't make out the words, just the angry tone.

After a minute, the arguing stopped and she heard someone, she'd bet it was her father, leave the room.

Elizabeth waited a few minutes, then went downstairs where she found him, sitting in the dark staring at an old picture.

"Dad?" She asked quietly.

He turned around, the picture still in his hands.

Elizabeth looked at it and understood. The 1960 U.S Olympic team. She quietly wrapped her arms around her father, not saying anything, just trying to offer him comfort.

They stood there in the darkness for a long time, no words being spoken, but none were needed.

Elizabeth knew that she couldn't heal his demons and she wasn't sure anything could, except maybe victoryÖ
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