Of Dreams and Miracles
By Misha

Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.

Part Thirty-Six: We Made It

The XII Winter Olympics, Day One

Doc, Elizabeth and Jack were waiting for the others inside the Olympic Village, waiting for the others to arrive.

The rest of the team had been in Lake Placid for two days, but they were just now arriving at the Olympic Village because the games would begin that night.

There were athletes from every country crowded into the lobby, getting registered.

Elizabeth fingered her own identification card as it hung around her neck. It read:

Elizabeth Brooks,
Coaching Staff, Team USA
Hockey

This was real.

She was in Lake Placid and the Olympics were about to begin. She could barely believe it.

A minute later, the team piled through the doors.

"Herb, Herb!" Doc called out.

Her father and Walter headed over to talk to the three of them.

"Herb, it'll be fine, I can fight though it." Jack told him.

"Okay, why don't you go join the boys over there." Herb told him. Jack nodded.

Elizabeth saw Walter send him a vaguely pitying look, right before she and Jack turned away. She felt Jack's dejected and rubbed his arm slightly, silently trying to tell him not to give up.

They walked over to the others. Or rather Elizabeth walked and Jack hobbled.

"How goes it O.C?" Buzz asked.

Jack shrugged. "I'm okay, but Herb still hasn't told me whether he's cutting me or not."

There was a silence following his words. Nobody knew what to say. It didn't seem likely that Jack was staying, yet he was part of the family they had all created and it wouldn't be the same without him.

After all, he was one of them.
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Later, her father took them all out to look at the arena where they'd be playing.

It made it all feel more real. This was it, this was the Olympics. After they had all taken a good look around and gone out on the ice, though not in their skates, Herb told Jack to stay behind for a moment and ordered the rest of the team to go back to the village.

Elizabeth decided to stay behind to support Jack. She went onto the ice with Jack, waiting for her father to come back out. She could tell that he felt very alone, despite her presence.

Her father gave her a disapproving look, but didn't say anything. Instead, he focused all of his attention on Jack.

"Doc said no, right?" Jack asked, trying to keep his voice even. His eyes were dejected and Elizabeth felt her heart break for him. It just wasn't fair.

"He said you might be able to go in a week. Maybe two." Herb answered.

"What if it's two?" Jack asked.

Elizabeth bit her lip. If it was two, then Jack'd be out the entire Olympics.

"Puts me in a tight spot, doesn't it?" Herb answered. "Jack, I've got twenty guys to think about here and they're all looking at me to do what's best for this team."

Jack looked down and Elizabeth knew he was trying to fight teats. She squeezed his hand. She was grateful that her father was doing this gently, though she ah ted that he had to do it.

"I understand Coach." Jack whispered.

"Which is why I'm holding onto you." Herb continued, as if Jack had never spoken.

Jack and Elizabeth both stared at him. Elizabeth was looking at her father with big, hopeful eyes, praying that she had heard him right.

"I sweat to god, Herb--if you're not being serious right now." Jack told him, barely able to get the words out.

"I'm only saying this if you promise me right now that you're not going to even think about asking me to play until I tell you." Herb warned him.

"I will." Jack assured him and then laughed. "I mean, I won't... I swear."

"Because if you do, I'll stick your ass on an airplay and you'll be headed back to Boston." Herb informed him sternly.

Jack gave one of those heart-melting smiles, though Elizabeth doubted it affected her father the way it always did her. "Thank you Herb."

Elizabeth didn't say anything, it wasn't her place, but she did shoot her father a grateful look.

He nodded curtly at them both and they crossed the ice, away from him.

They had gotten all of the way across, when Jack stopped and suddenly threw his crutches up in the air. "O.C's playin' baby!" He yelled out excitedly.

Elizabeth giggled happily. "You are!" She exclaimed delightedly. "Jack, you did it, you're playing in the Olympics!"

He smiled at her excitedly. "I did, didn't I?"

"Yeah." She confirmed happily. "You made it, baby. You made it to the Olympics."
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