Thank you Nikkd03 I'm glad that you liked the beginning. Hopefully this story will be better then what it was previously.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the extras.


Chapter 2. Mixed Emotions

Annabelle woke up the next morning a little early and couldn't go back to sleep. She looked out the window and saw that the sun was rising and that practice wouldn't start for at least two hours. She got dressed and started to run from the place they were staying at to the rink then to the bar and back. She did this at least three times, until it was time to get ready for the first day of hockey. When she got in, some of the doors where open, Annabelle tried not to look in so she hurried down the hall to her room. Before she could make it to her room, Jack stopped her.

"Still out for those morning walks?"

"Yes. They wake me up. You should know that."

"Well I thought with us being in Colorado that this new environment would get to you."

"Nope. I just watch where I'm going and I'm set. Besides you need to go and get ready for practice shortly. Herb hates late players, especially since this is the Olympics."

"You don't need to remind me."

Annabelle walked to her room and changed before heading to her dad's. She knocked on the door to find no one there.

"You're father is with Herb at the rink. He told me to tell you." Came Doc's voice.

"Thanks Doc."

Annabelle and Doc walked together to the rink talking over things when she was at Minnesota two years before. When they reached Herb's office, he and Craig were about to leave.

"Good morning AB, Doc."

"Good morning Herb." Said Doc walking with him.

"Morning Herb." Said Annabelle following.

"Annabelle wait here I need to talk to you." Called her dad.

"Dad whatever you heard isn't true I didn't do anything bad I swear." Annabelle said jokingly.

"I need to put rules down. And one very important is that I don't want you dating any of the guys here. Herb and I don't want them to have any distractions."

"Dad I don't need to be reminded. Besides I would be a distraction if I were in the crowd, a friend, or what I'm doing now. I'm way out numbered no matter what. I promise I won't do any of that. Ok?"

"Smart ass."

"I'm your smart ass, dad."

Annabelle and Craig walked to the ice waiting for the guys to come out for practice. After Herb went through all the requirements he had them go through the drills.

"Come on Johnson hit him on the other side, alright now hit him on the other side. Come on Johnson. That coast-to-coast stuff might have worked before but not against the teams that we'll be playing against. Next line up."

OC looked over at Mac and as soon as he saw him get up he took over Morrow's spot.

"This is a break away gentlemen, so let's get rid of the puck early."

Herb hit the puck and OC watched Mac before charging at him.

"Oh my God!" Annabelle said as she saw OC hit Mac for no reason.

"What'd you hit him for man?" asked a player.

"Cheap shot OC!" said another.

"Nice hit OC!" yelled Silky.

"Tell your boy here to keep his head up and he won't have to worry about it." Jack said with a cocky smile.

'My God how dumb does he have to be to continue this nonsense?'

Annabelle walked over to her father and Herb waiting to see if Mac would need help. Mac finally got up and looked pissed.

"LET'S GO!" he yelled.

Annabelle watched as her father started to move toward them before Herb stopped him.

"Herb someone has to stop this."

"Let them settle this."

All the players from both sides started to advance at them trying to stop it.

"Stay out of this." Yelled some of the players.

After a couple of minutes OC hit Mac down and that was it.

"That look like hockey to you?" Herb said as he looked around. "To me it looks like two monkeys trying to hump a football. What do you think Craig?"

"Yeah."

Annabelle watched as Herb explained what he expected and that this team isn't about out rivalries. She sat down and occasionally glared at Jack or just watched the game thinking about how his ego was going to get him kicked off the team.


(Later that night)

Annabelle was lying on the sofa listening to some music from her record player. There was a knock on the door that brought her out of her thoughts.

"Hey Jack."

"I see that your mad at me aren't you?"

"Come in and we can talk."

Jack walked in looking a bit uneasy.

"Why so tense?"

"I have this feeling that your going to hurt me."

"Why would you think that?"

"Because of the look in your eyes."

"Look Jack I'm pissed that you kept that grudge for over three years. I just hope that Herb doesn't cut you from this team. You don't know how much I wanted to get in that fight and hit you for being so stupid. I just hope this is settled."

"Yes. And I'm sorry that I made you mad like that. I guess that I better get going so you can cool down."

"No you can stay. I won't do anything I promise. Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Don't do that ever again. And I mean ever again."

"You got it. Annabelle are you going back to Boston after this is over?"

"I don't think so. I mean I want to continue what I started, but I really don't want to stay in the same place for all my life."

"Yeah I can see where you're coming from. Well I need to go and get some sleep. I know Herb isn't going to be easy on us tomorrow. Goodnight Annabelle."

"Hey OC, what's with the formalities?"

"Well I didn't want to piss you off more by calling you Bell so I guess that still didn't work did it?"

"No. But I guess you can call me Bell."

Annabelle and Jack hugged before she closed the door. She put her back to the door and sighed thinking of the next months coming up.

"Hey Jack! What were you doing in AB's room?" asked Cox while coming down the hall.

"Just apologizing for being an ass during practice. Although I think she'll believe that I'm sorry when she sees it."

"Oh. Well I was heading to your room to tell you about this bar close by. The rest of us are going and I also was going to ask AB if she wanted to go."

"I don't know. You'll have to ask her."


(Early the next morning)

When Annabelle woke up she looked around her room thinking of what to do. She looked at her skates by the closet and got up to get dressed. After a little she went to the ice rink and started to skate knowing there was only half an hour until practice.

"So instead of walking today you're skating?"

"JACK! My God don't do that again!" yelled Annabelle whipping around.

Jack skated up to Annabelle and gave her a hug.

"What was that for?"

"I guess saying sorry again."

Annabelle hugged him harder welcoming it. They stayed that way until Annabelle looked up at Jack's face.

"Well do you want to skate?"

"Sure."

"Your it! Bet you can't catch me!"

"I should have known that you were going to do that."

Jack started to chase Annabelle around until they heard the doors open to find some of the team coming in.

"Well if AB isn't up to her old tricks." Yelled Buzzy.

"Jack you need to get to the locker room and get ready. See you after practice." Annabelle skated to the benches and took her skates off.


(In the locker room)

"Oh it looks as if OC's got a girl now!" Silk said.

"She's not my girl. I know that Herb and her dad would kill me if I dated her or showed a different liking to her. The only feelings I have for her are brotherly. That's it and don't push it."

"Oh stop the sorry stuff and say that you like her." Said Mac.

"I like her as a sister."

"Come on OC, we all see it. You two like each other." Said Cox.

"Whatever I don't like her like that and that's it."

'Or maybe I do. Even if I do she wouldn't go with me.' Thought Jack while getting finished putting his practice gear on.


I hope you enjoyed and thank you so much for the encouraging review.

Bye, bye

Icesk8er