Of Dreams and Miracles
By Misha

Disclaimer and Rating in Prologue.

A.N- This is another chapter that's been significantly altered, I've added a part to it. When I was re-editing this story, I saw how short this chapter really was, mostly because the next chapter had nothing at all to do with this one, so I added some more plot to this chapter and I definitely think it works. That's all for now, enjoy!

Part Seven: Complications

A few days later, Elizabeth was hanging out at the dorms with the boys. She spent most of her free time, such as it was, with the boys now. Though, she deftly tried to avoid one-on-one contact with Robbie.

Because of that, she spent a lot of time with the Boston guys. The guys were getting along better, but there was still a very distinctive division, though they were starting to hang out as a collective.

Elizabeth found herself spending a lot of time with Jack and Rizzo in particular and found that she really enjoyed both of their company. In fact, she found that she liked all the boys on the team.

However, there was only one that she couldn't get out of her mind.

Why am I doing this? She asked herself, as she glanced over at Robbie, for what must have been the thousandth time that night. You'd think I would have learnt my lesson by now.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard she fought against it, some part of her was inevitably drawn to Robbie McClannahan. She shook her head, she needed to get away from him. Fast.

"Well, I'm out of here." She said a minute later, standing up. "After all, I can't be spending all hours of the day in your dorm, can I?"

The boys all complained, but she smiled and bid adieu.

"Wait, I'll walk you out." Jack offered.

"Sure." She agreed with a smile and the two walked in silence.

"So are you looking forward to Norway?" Jack asked after minute, referring to the first game on the team's schedule.

Elizabeth shrugged. "I'm not sure. Sort of. What about you?"

"I guess." Jack answered. "I wouldn't mind a bit of a break beforehand, though. You're father sure runs a tight ship."

"I wouldn't want to play for him." Elizabeth said with a smile.

"I can't imagine being his daughter is much easier." Jack pointed out.

Elizabeth's smile widened. "Actually, most of the time it is. He's a big softy with me, with most things at least, whereas with you guys, he's tough."

"He's certainly not the most accessible guy." Jack agreed.

"He's not there to be your friend." Elizabeth pointed out.

"Good thing." Jack said and then laughed. "But that's what you're there for, right, player liaison?"

"Pretty much." Elizabeth agreed, as they reached her car. She leaned against it. "It just story of worked out that way at the U. I hung out with the players and got to know them and acted as a go-between when serious issues arose and it worked well, so Dad figured it'd be good to have me around now to do the same thing."

"I'm glad." Jack told her softly. "I like having you here."

She blushed. "Thanks."

Jack leaned down and kissed her gently. Elizabeth just stood there, stunned into silence.

Jack pulled away and looked into her eyes. "Liz?"

"I can't do this." She said finally. "First, I told my dad I wouldn't, and secondly, I know from experience that this is not a good idea."

That was an understatement.

She could not get involved with one of her father's players, not again. Never again would she get involved with someone she had to see every day, someone who she would still have to face even if things ended badly. She just couldn't do it.

"Lizó" Jack began.

"Just leave it, please." She begged him as she opened her car door and got inside.

"All right." Jack agreed relunctantly.

Elizabeth smiled slightly and then started her car. She needed to get away from there.

As she drove away, she silently chastised herself.

I'm such an idiot. She thought, yet all she could do was remember the feel of Jack's lips against hers.

Oh, no you don't. A voice in her head warned sternly. Don't you dare go down that road again. Remember what happened before, with Robbie.

Robbie, for a second, she had almost forgotten about him, which was a change. After all, he had been in her thoughts pretty consistently for the past three years, though sometimes she tried her best to not think about him.

The memories rushed back and she was reminded that of all the things that prevented her from getting involved with Jack, Robbie was the biggest obstacle.

After all, Robbie was Jack's teammate, but more than that, he was also the boy whom she had fallen in love with three years before and whom she had never really gotten over.
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Instead of driving home, Elizabeth drove to Kathleen's apartment.

"Hey, what's up?" Kathleen asked, answering the door.

"Jack kissed me!" Elizabeth blurted out.

"Jack?" Kathleen inquired.

"O'Callahan." Elizabeth clarified.

"He's the hot-head from Boston, right?" Kathleen asked, obviously trying to remember what Elizabeth had told her about the various members of the team.

"That's him." Elizabeth agreed, as they made their way to Kathleen's living room area and sat down on the couch.

"Wow." Kathleen said. "Is he cute?"

"Oh, definitely." Elizabeth said with a smile. "Jack O'Callahan is definitely dreamy, but that's not the problem. Kat, he kissed me."

"Since when is being kissed by a cute guy a problem?" Kathleen asked with a grin, then she sobered up. "What'd you do?"

"I kind of stood there and froze." Elizabeth admitted. "Then, I basically freaked out and told him I couldn't do this."

"Mac?" Kathleen asked sympathetically.

"Yeah." Elizabeth agreed. "I can't do that again, Kat. I barely survived it the first time, I can't do it again."

"With O'Callahan or with Mac?" Kathleen inquired softly.

"Either." Elizabeth told her. "Robbie and I are ancient history and I don't want to go there again, butÖ I also don't think I'm ready to get involved with anyone else. Especially not one of his teammates."

"Well, it's up to you." Kathleen told her. "But Liz, Mac made a mistake, a big one, true, but still he's only humanÖ Maybe, it's time to let it go."

"Still holding out hope, are we?" Elizabeth asked with a smile.

Kathleen had never made a secret of the fact that she thought that Robbie and Elizabeth belong together.

"Slap him hard, make him work for it and then let it go." Kathleen had advised Elizabeth when it became clear that Robbie wasn't going to let the past be the past.

"You guys were good together, Liz." Kathleen said quietly.

"Yes, we were." Elizabeth agreed with quiet emphasis. "Were, Kat. What Robbie and I had, it's gone and I can't go back, anymore than I can start something with Jack O'Callahan. I'm just not brave enough."
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