Of Dreams and Miracles
By Misha

Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.

Part Fourteen: Rules are Meant to Be Broken

Mid-November, 1979

"Soviet style of play boys," Herb said, providing commentary for the film he was showing the boys.

They were sitting attentively, their eyes glued to the screen. It was casual, so the boys were all dressed in the clothes that they wore under their jerseys and equipment, which meant mostly t-shirts and sweats.

Elizabeth was curled up in a chair in jeans and a sweatshirt, watching along with them. Her father had declared the film session mandatory for everyone, including her. She didn't mind, because she enjoyed watching films of the Soviet team, though it might have been nice to have a choice. However, with her father she was used to it.

"Fluid, creative, forwards are constantly circling." Herb continued. "They don't so much look for a man as they do a patch of ice. You get the mismatch, two on one, easy goal."

Most of the boys went "woah" in appreciation as a particularly impressive goal was scored.

"Looks kinda like me out there, huh, Buzzy?" Bah asked, receiving laughs from several of the boys.

"Boris Mikhailov," Herb continued, "captain of the team. He is the best player in his position, including, as we've just found out, the NHL."

"Do these guys ever smile?" Bill Baker inquired.

"They're Russians, they get shot if they smile." Jack informed him with a smirk, causing everyone to laugh.

Everyone except Herb, he continued as if Jack had never spoken. "Vladislav Tretiak," he introduced, as the footage went to the goalie performing some of his signature moves, all impressive, naturally.

Elizabeth perked up. She loved watching Tretiak, he was an amazing goaltender. Of all the things she loved about watching hockey, was the goaltending. A good goaltender was spectacular to watch and there was no one better than Tretiak.

There were lots of exclamations going around the room.

"If you score off Tretiak, keep the puck, ëcause it doesn't happen often." Herb informed the team. "Forty-two games in the last three months, forty-two wins," he went on. "Their main weapon is intimidation, they know they're going to win, and so do their opponents."

The film was switched off as he went on. "Look, I can give you a load of crap about how you're a better team than they are, but that's just what it'd be. Everyone knows what they're saying about our chances. I know it and you know it. But I also know there is a way to stay with this team."

All the players leaned forward in their seats, eager to hear what Herb had to say. Elizabeth leaned forwards as well, because she had no idea what her father's plan was. He had been strangely close-mouthed, keeping it all to himself.

"You don't defend them," Herb instructed, drawing a big ëX' on the chalk board. "You attack them. You take their game and you shove it right back in their face The NHL won't change their game, but we will. The rest of the world is afraid of them, boys, we won't be. No one has ever worked hard enough to skate with the Soviet team for an entire game. Gentlemen, we're going to work hard enough."
---

"So how's practice going?" Patti asked that night after dinner.

Elizabeth was home in time for dinner for the first time in a while, because Herb had basically ordered her to be. She didn't actually mind, she liked hanging out with the boy, but she spent the majority of her free time with them, so one night with her family wouldn't hurt.

"Daddy has them all scared witless." Elizabeth answered for her father. "But he also has them totally pumped."

"Do you think they'll be ready in time?" Patti asked, directing the question at her husband.

"I don't know." Herb answered. "I'm going to do my best to make sure that they are. What do you think, Lizzie?"

"I think they can be." She answered. "They have it in them." "You spend a lot of time with the players." Patti commented quietly. "In fact, it seems like these days we never see you, you spend all your time with them."

"It's kind of my job." Elizabeth answered. "Dad can't be their friend, so am I."

"But not too friendly," Herb interjected. "I meant it Elizabeth, I don't want you getting involved with any of these boys, not like you did at the U."

Elizabeth winced, her father was never going to let her past mistakes go. But, to be fair, he wasn't too far off, after all, she was breaking his rules. He just didn't know it.

"Herb, Elizabeth's an adult, you can't her who she can date and who she can't." Patti interjected, coming to Elizabeth's defence.

"I don't want her dating one of those boys; they can't afford the distraction." Herb answered. "I need them concentrating and I need Elizabeth getting along with them."

He turned his attention towards Elizabeth. "I can't have you dancing around any of these boys, like you and Mac were for so long."

Elizabeth didn't say anything, just scowled and stood up. "Thanks for the rules, Coach."

Herb looked at her, no smile in sight. "I'm serious, Elizabeth, I see the way Mac looks at you and I'm just warning you--do not go there again."

"Don't worry," she assured him grimly, "I won't. Now, I'm going out. I'll see you later."

She turned and walked away, but she could hear her mother scolding her father as she exited the house.

Elizabeth sighed, she hadn't technically lied to her father. She didn't intend to date Mac again, which is what her father seemed to be afraid of.

She walked to her car and got it, but just sat there. She had known all along that her wouldn't like the idea of her and Jack when he found out, but now she knew that he was going to be furious.

Well, we just won't tell him. She told herself as she started the car. What he doesn't know won't her anyone.

Of course, when he did find out there'd be Hell to pay, but hopefully, if all went well, that would be after the Olympics when all this was finished.
---

"My dad told me under no circumstances am I allowed to date any of you." Elizabeth told Jack a little while later. She had gone to the dorm to see him, to vent out her frustrations with her father. "He says that none of us need that kind of distraction."

"Are you going to listen to him?" Jack asked her quietly, playing with her long, blonde hair.

She shook her head. "No." She sighed. "I've thought about it, but I can't walk away. Even to prevent my father's wrath." She looked Jack in the eye and smiled ruefully. "You know if he finds out, that there's going to be Hell to pay, don't you?"

"So, we won't tell him until later." Jack assured her. "You said yourself that you wanted to keep it quiet for a while, anyway, so we will, until the time is right." "

I wish we didn't have too." Elizabeth told him softly. "You're such an amazing guy, Jack O'Callahan and I wish I could shout to the world that you're my guy."

"I want the same thing." He told her quietly. "When we're out with the guys and everyone's flirting with you, I want to tell them to back off, that you're my girl."

"You're my girl, I want the whole world to know it."

The words came unbidden to Elizabeth's mind, a memory of another place and another time. She could hear the words and remember her own laughing response. "I'm you're girl, am I? Prove it."

So much had changed that night long ago. The night, that after months of dancing around it, she officially became Robbie McClannahan's girl.

Elizabeth shook her head. That night was a long time ago, another life, a lot of things had changed since then. She wasn't that same girl and she wasn't going to do this, she wasn't going to waste her precious time with Jack thinking about the past.

It was all ancient history, but in that the moment the past had seemed so clear. It was like she was back in that moment, living it all over again.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked, sensing her distraction.

"Nothing." Elizabeth assured him. "Just an old memory, nothing worth talking about." She smiled at him. "Besides, I can think of better things to do than talk."

"I like how you think." Jack said, leaning down and kissing her deeply.

Elizabeth let herself drown in his kiss, pushing everything out of her mind. At least for the moment, anyway.
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