Of Dreams and Miracles
By Misha

Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.

Part Fifteen: Thoughts From the Outside

"So let me get this right, your father specifically told you that you're not allowed to date any of his players?" Kathleen asked in disbelief.

"That's right." Elizabeth admitted ruefully. She had driven over to Kathleen's dorm, to poor out her feelings to her best friend. "But you're doing it anyway?"

"Yes." Elizabeth repeated. "Your father's used to having his orders obeyed." Kathleen reminded her. "And he doesn't react well when they aren't."

"I know." Elizabeth said with a sigh. "But this is my life, not his. He doesn't... He shouldn't have the right to tell me who I can date and who I can't."

Kathleen snorted. "Try telling him that. Remember, how angry he was about you and Mac?"

"Yeah," Elizabeth said, her lip twisting at the memory. When she started hanging out at the U, going with her dad to practices, he'd made a strict rule that she was off-limits to all of her players.

That had held out until she became a student at the U and she was no longer his high-school age daughter, but a college student who was free to date other college students, even if they did play for her father's hockey team.

She and Robbie hadn't started dating until her first year at the U. The victory party after the '76 Nationals had been the turning point, but they hadn't officially gotten together until the next September.

Herb had been furious with them both and had been particularly hard on Robbie in practice for about a month.

"If he learns that you've been lying to him and doing something he specifically told you not to, he's going to be furious." Kathleen warned her.

Elizabeth closed her eyes. "I know. But what am I supposed to do?"

"Pray that he doesn't find out." Kathleen said flatly.

Elizabeth smiled ruefully. "Oh, I am. I definitely am."
---

"I'm sorry about your father." Patti told Elizabeth that night.

Elizabeth figured it was best not to get her father angry, so she had decided to stick around the house for a few days. She hoped that would get him off her back a bit.

"I think it's unreasonable of him to put demands on your social life." Patti continued, her voice sympathetic.

Elizabeth shrugged. "You know what Dad's like."

"Stubborn, pigheaded and very overprotective." Patti answered with a smile. "You're his little girl."

"Kelly's younger." Elizabeth pointed out.

"Yes, but she and your father don't have the same the bond the two of you do." Patti said quietly. "You've always belonged to him. I'm not sure if it's because you're just him, but I know that I've tried so hard to be your mother, to make you love me."

"I do." Elizabeth assured her. "You are my mother."

"I know." Patti said softly. "But you're still more his. Kelly and Danny are ours, but you're his and it has nothing to do with blood. It's personality or maybe in that time when the two of you were on your own, he claimed you and made it impossible for anyone to get between that bond."

Elizabeth wasn't sure what to say, so she just bit her lip.

"You know his reasons for the rule about you dating his players, right?" Patti asked her, changing the subject away from the personal revelations.

"He likes to control everything?" Elizabeth guessed sarcastically.

"No, well yes, but that's not the reason this time." Patti told her. "He doesn't have the time or energy to worry about you and if you were dating someone, he would be."

"Technically, I'm allowed to date, I'm just not allowed to date someone on the team." Elizabeth pointed out.

"When would you get a chance?" Patti asked with a small smile. "Your father and that hockey team monopolise your every free minute. I've barely seen you these last few months."

"Kathleen's been complaining about the same thing." Elizabeth confided. "I know I've been pretty wrapped up in the team, but..."

"It's what your father demands of you." Patti supplied with a smile. "It's what he demands from everyone, especially himself, 100 commitment. But there's the flaw in his logic, he wants you to spend your every moment with those boys, get to know them as well as you can, yet stay uninvolved. Which is easier said than done."

Elizabeth wanted to confide in her mother, but she didn't dare. So, instead she just shrugged. "Rules are rules."
---

"You seem angry at your dad." Robbie commented the next day after practice. The two of them were walking to the parking lot together.

"He was just playing dictator again." Elizabeth confided, knowing that Robbie would understand better than any of the other boys. After all, during the course of their relationship, he had gotten a first hand look at the type of overprotective father Herb Brooks was.

"What about this time?" Robbie asked with a small smile.

"He told me that I was forbidden to date anyone of the team." Elizabeth told him quietly, not sure what he'd make of the statement.

Robbie was silent for a moment. "Would you want to?" He asked finally, looking her straight in the eye.

Elizabeth saw the silent question in his eyes and looked down at the ground. "I don't know." She said finally. "But it irritates me that he's interfering. It's my life, I should be able to make my own choices."

"You're his daughter." Robbie pointed out. "This is because of me, isn't it?"

"More or less." Elizabeth agreed. "If I hadn't gone out with you, then he probably wouldn't have forbid me to date any of you. But he's seen it happen and seen the consequences, so..." She shook her head. "It's all ancient history, anyway, but my father never forgets anything."

There was a moment of silence between her and Robbie at they reached her car. They looked at each other for a long moment and then she turned away.

"I should be getting home." Elizabeth said softly.

"Yeah," Robbie agreed. "You going out with us tonight?"

"Thinking about it." She replied with a smile. "I don't want to get too involved, you know."

Robbie laughed. "We'll back you up with Coach, don't worry. He assured her.

Elizabeth smile widened. "Okay, then I'll see you tonight."
---