Of Dreams and Miracles
By Misha

Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.

Part Twenty-Two: Merry Christmas

Late December, 1979

It was a few days before Christmas and the entire team, plus Herb, Craig and Elizabeth, had gathered at Doc's for a Christmas party. The boys would all be going home the next day to spend Christmas with their families, so this was their Christmas together.

Jimmy had dressed up as Santa Claus and he was handing out the gifts, all of the gag variety.

"Hey, boys, we've only got a few presents left," Jimmy said with a smile, as he handed a wrapped package to Elizabeth, as usual seated between Jack and Robbie. She was convinced that fate must have a sense of humour, because she always seemed to end up between them.

She took the present hesitantly, slightly afraid of what the boys might have come up with. Several months in their company had taught her that it was best to be cautious.

Elizabeth unwrapped the box and took out a tiara and a small silver bell. She took the tiara, a reference to her nickname 'Princess', and put it on before addressing the group.

"So, do I even want to know what this means?" She asked, shooting them all a grin as she held up the bell. "I mean the tiara, I get, but the bell...? What's that for?"

"You ring it for survive." Mark told her with a grin. "You know, you ring it and we come running, ready to obey your wishes at all times."

"'Cause we all do anyway." Jimmy told her with a grin.

"I'll remind of you that comment, the next time I try to get you to do your own laundry." She retorted and then grinned. "Still, this has possibilities..."

Elizabeth caught her father's warning look and put the bell down. No doubt, he considered that flirting with the boys. Oh, well, she'd just use it later when he wasn't around to scold her.

The boys turned their attention towards Craig. "Coach Patrick," Jimmy said, hanging him the package. "From the boys."

"I thought you forgot," Craig quipped, opening the card. "To Craig... That's beautiful boys." He opened the box. "You're gonna like this," he declared, looking at Herb, and pulled out a colourful plastic whistle. He blew on it.

"Again!" A bunch of the boys yelled.

Craig blew the whistle.

"Again!"

Another whistle.

"Again."

"All right," Herb interjected, grabbing the whistle. "It's going back in the box."

"Coach Brooks," Jimmy continued, handing over the final present.

Herb pulled off the wrapping paper to reveal a bullwhip. "Ah, the gift that keeps on giving."

"No!" The boys all exclaimed at once.

"Speech" A few chorused, then more. "Speech!"

"This may come as a shock to some of you," Herb told them, "but I'm not very good at giving sentimental speeches."

"No way," a few of the boys teased.

"And I don't think I should start now," he continued and stood up. "Thanks for having me over, Velma." Doc's wife smiled warmly. "Good night, Herb."

Herb looked over at Elizabeth. "You ready to go?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm gonna stick around here for a while. I'll see you later." She had driven herself to the party for that reason, but she could still see that her father wasn't pleased by her decision. Still, like the other times when she chose to stay and socialize with the team, he let it slide. She was twenty-one after all, for all that she still lived at home.

"Don't stay out too late," was all he said and then he was out the door.

"Merry Christmas, Coach," the boys called out as he left.

As soon as he was gone, the tone turned to "let's play some football!"

Elizabeth got bundled up and went outside to watch the boys play. She wasn't going to join them, she wasn't that stupid, but she could watch. After all, these last few months she had gotten pretty good at that.

There was a big fire burning and she stood there, watching them horse around. She was glad that they had this night to relax before things got too tense.

After the holidays, the pressure would begin in earnest.

It would all begin.
---

"I'm going to miss you." Jack told her later, after the party had broken up.

Elizabeth had driven Jack, Rizzo and Mark back to the dorm, picking that trio on purpose, so that she could have a private moment to say good-bye to Jack.

After all, both Rizzo and Mark were aware of what were going on and had discretely disappeared as soon as they arrived at the dorm.

Elizabeth and Jack had gone back to his room for a little bit of privacy, though she didn't intend to stay more than a few minutes. She didn't want to risk anyone catching her there this late at night, she wasn't up for the kind of explanation that would warrant.

"I'll miss you too." Elizabeth told him softly.

Jack grabbed something off his dresser. "Merry Christmas." He said, handing her the small wrapped box.

She smiled and reached for her purse. "Merry Christmas." She said, taking out a small package and handing it to him. "Open it."

Jack unwrapped the box and took out a medallion on a chain. He raised an eyebrow.

"It was my grandfather's." Elizabeth told him quietly. "My mother, Laura... It was her father's. He gave it to me a few years ago, he said it always brought him good luck, so I thought you could use it."

"Liz, I can't take this." Jack said quietly.

"I want you too." Elizabeth said softly. "But your grandfather gave it to you." Jack protested.

"Papa would have approved, as long as I thought it was right and I do." Elizabeth said, her voice breaking a little at the mention of her grandfather who had died five years before. "I want you to have it, you need it more than I do."

Jack just nodded and slipped the chain around his neck. "Thank you." He told her quietly. "Now open yours."

She smiled and unwrapped the small box, revealing that it was a necklace, a small silver snowflake.

"No two snowflakes are alike and there's no one else quite like you." Jack told her quietly. "Besides, I thought something wintery was appropriate, since it was the Winter Olympics that brought us together."

"It's beautiful." She exclaimed, leaning over and giving him another brief kiss.

"Thank you." He smiled and took the necklace from the box and put it on her. "It looks good on you, just like I knew it would."

Elizabeth smiled and then sighed. "I should get home, it's late. Merry Christmas, Jack."

"Merry Christmas." He repeated and walked her to the door.

She exited, tucking the necklace into her blouse subconsciously. She walked out of the dorms quickly, not wanting anyone to see her and question her, and headed towards her car.

Soon all this would be over, the Olympics and everything else and she wondered what would happen then.

It was strange to think about, that everything was winding up and would soon come to an end. These last few months had been experience of the lifetime.
---

When Elizabeth got home, she saw that the Christmas tree had been decorated. She was sad to have missed that moment with her family.

She thought back to all the other years, all the other Christmases, when they had decorated the tree together, the five of them.

She caught sight of a piece of paper. Kelly had written a note telling Herb that they had left the star for him.

But they didn't leave anything for me. She thought sadly, feeling slightly cut off from her family.

These last few months, she had barely seen them, let alone spent any quality time with them.

Well, she spent lots of time with her dad, but even that was different. A lot of their usual closeness had evaporated, she wasn't just his daughter, she was a part of the team and that caused tension with her father.

Elizabeth sighed softly. She had spent so much of her time lately with the team, not just the practices and the games, but even most of her spare time was spent with them, at the expense of her family and other friends. She had given 110 to the team, what her father demanded of her, and once again, she wondered what would happen in a few months when it was all over.

Would she be able to step back into her normal life? Would she want to?
---