Welcome the Ice Hounds! Only not the same as the show because I changed the families so much I thought it would be more fun to make up the team of other DeGrassi characters. So only two members of the Ice Hounds remain the same as the show. Below is a list of the Ice Hounds players for this story with ages and grades. Home towns and positions are in the chapter because I changed those two.
Ice Hounds~
*Owen (duh) ~ grade 11 ~ age 17
*Dave ~ grade 10 ~ age 16
*Dallas ~ grade 12 ~ age 18
*Jeff ~ grade 11 ~ age 17
*Kelly ~ grade 11 ~ age 17
*Jimmy ~ grade 11 ~ age 17
*Craig ~ grade 11 ~ age 17
*J.T. ~ grade 10 ~ age 16
*Bruce ~ grade 12 ~ age 18
*Peter ~ grade 11 ~ age 17
*Danny grade 9 ~ age 15
*Toby ~ grade 10 ~ age 15
Ch. 37 If I Suddenly seem to be Seeing a Dream
(CLARE)
"Mark we have to get to school," I tell him for the sixth time poking his side.
"I don't like school and I'm sure I have terrible classes that I will fail this semester like every semester," he groans rolling over.
"Mark get up you have to go to school. You know that we'll help you with classes and homework," I assert pulling at his arm but he remains in my bed. "If you don't get up I'm going to flirt with every guy at the school."
"No you won't and even if you do your brothers, Owen, Bianca and everyone else would stop them from flirting back."
"Mark up or no sex for a month you won't even be allowed to sleep over in my bed."
"Ugh fine I'm up, I'm up. I still think I should just drop out and work at the garage with Sean and Jay," he sighs sitting up.
"Mark! You have to go to school, you are not dumb I will help you and Sean won't let you drop out. Now get dressed because you can't come to school naked. I'm going to finish getting ready in the washroom, you'd better be dressed when I get back," I command before leaving my room. I go to the washroom but the door is closed and locked. "I need my hairbrush and stuff," I call knocking on the washroom door and a second later Adam opens the door.
I finish getting ready in the washroom with Adam and Fitz comes out of my room fully dressed. He finishes getting ready and we ride to school, I want to get to school and I'm not hungry for breakfast so Fitz and I leave in his car. He parks and we get our backpacks, he puts his arm around my waist and we walk to the entrance. As we approach I see a bunch of black and dark red jackets gathered near the steps. I recognize Owen from the back of his head and so does Fitz.
"Must be the Ice Hounds," Fitz says.
"Yeah let's go say hi to Owen," I comment. I slip out of Fitz's arm, hand him my backpack and run over jumping on Owen's back, and kissing his cheek. "Morning Handsome," I grin.
"You are far too perky for the first day of school," Owen laughs.
"So Milligan who's the cute chick?" One of the other players asks.
"Did he just call me a chick?"
"Easy," Owen says setting me down.
"Boys the one and only Clare Mason," a familiar voice says.
"Jeff!" I exclaim when I turn around and actually see him in an Ice Hounds jacket I freeze.
"Hi Pretty Eyes," he smiles.
"Why didn't you tell me you were an Ice Hound? Why didn't you tell me you were moving to Toronto and going to my school?" I question with some anger and a lot of shock in my tone. Then I turn around smack Owen's arm hard, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I asked him not to tell you," Jeff informs me. I turn back around to face Jeff and now I also see Dallas.
"Jeff," Fitz greets him while putting his arm around my shoulders.
"Fitz," Jeff greets back nodding to him just slightly.
The exchange is not exactly friendly while not being exactly hostile either. It's sort of guarded and civil but the exchange makes it obvious to everyone else that there's history with us.
"What's going on?" One of the players asks.
"Jeff and Blue Eyes hooked up and now she's dating Freckles there," Dallas explains.
"Welcome to DeGrassi, congrats on making the team," Fitz says to Jeff.
"Thanks," Jeff smiles and then there's a few seconds of silence.
"We'll see you around," Fitz comments before he turns us and we continue to the school. We walk up the steps and into the school, stopping at my locker. "I'm sure he had his reasons for not telling you," Fitz remarks as he opens my locker.
"What reason could he possibly have for not telling me he made the team and he's coming to DeGrassi? We talk a few times a week at least, why would he keep it from me? Why would Owen?"
"Jeff told Owen not too. Besides you've had a lot on your mind and a lot going on, Jeff knows that maybe that's why," Fitz suggests putting my backpack in the locker. "Let's go eat," he says holding his hand out to me but I lean against the locker.
"I'm not hungry," I shake my head.
"Okay," Fitz sighs closing my locker, "see you later?"
I nod and he kisses me softly before walking off to the caf. I stay leaning against my locker a few seconds longer and then I begin walking back outside but the Ice Hounds are coming in. Jeff sees me coming and so does Owen, when the two of them stop so does the rest of the team. As I approach them Adam, Maya, Drew and Bianca walk in the front doors and see me standing in front of the team.
"Hey Owen," Drew nods to our friend as they come over to me. "This must be the rest of the team. Hi Jeff," Drew exhales tensing slightly and putting a hand on my shoulder.
"Hey Drew, hi Adam, Bianca, Maya," Jeff nods back.
"Like Jeff said this is Clare Mason and two of her brothers Adam and Drew. That's Maya Adam's girlfriend and Bianca Drew's girlfriend. Their brother Spinner works at The Dot, and all of them are some of my best friends. Guys meet the Ice Hounds, of course you guys know Dave and you all know Jeff and this is Dallas who also comes from Guelph. This is Bruce, Craig, Jimmy, Peter, Danny, Kelly, J.T. and Toby," Owen says.
"Welcome to DeGrassi," Maya smiles.
"Let me make this perfectly clear, you mess with any of them and you will die," Owen tells the team.
"Congrats Dave glad you made the team with Owen, good to see you again Dallas and nice to meet the rest of you. Can I speak to you?" I insist more than request to Jeff and grab his sleeve pulling him with me before he can say anything. I take him upstairs to the second floor, it's not used much anymore there's a couple washrooms, the teacher's lounge and the DeGrassi Daily office. A storage room is up here and access to the roof.
"I didn't tell you because I found out right after you started dating Fitz," Jeff says.
"That's not a reason that's an excuse! We talk all the time and you didn't tell me you were coming here and moving to my school. Worse you convinced one of my best friends not to tell me. You lied Jeff. Is this why I didn't hear from you at Christmas?"
"We only came up for Christmas day," he says slowly.
I growl with slight frustration before storming down the stairs again. I walk past the other Ice Hounds toward my locker again.
"Attention students," Principal Simpson's voice comes over the intercom, "all students please come to the auditorium for an assembly. Homeroom classes will begin after the assembly."
"Come on Clare let's go to the assembly," Maya comments taking my hand and pulling me to the auditorium.
"Will you look at all new junior hockey hunks," Alli grins as she joins us.
"What's the assembly for?" Drew asks coming over with Bianca.
"Probably to introduce all the Ice Hounds," Adam comments joining us with K.C. and Jenna.
When we get to the auditorium I find Fitz and take his hand sitting down with him. The assembly is definitely about the Ice Hounds because they are all going up on the stage with the coaches. I look at Jeff and then at Fitz and sink down in my chair gnawing on my bottom lip. This will be a very interesting semester!
(OWEN)
Clare drags Jeff up the stairs and I feel bad for not telling her he made the team but he begged me not to. With all that she's been through and all that's happened in the last few months I told myself it was better not to tell her so she didn't have it on her mind.
"Oh boy," Adam sighs and then looks at Maya, "let's go to our lockers."
They walk off with Drew and Bianca and then a moment later Clare comes down the stairs. She glares at me slightly and walks past us, a few seconds later Jeff walks slowly down the stairs and rejoins us.
"She hates me," Jeff huffs.
"She doesn't hate you she's just shell shocked, what did you think would happen when you showed up at her school without telling her?"
"Honestly I don't know," Jeff replies.
"Ice Hounds they're calling an assembly to introduce you to the school," Coach comments and we follow him to the auditorium just as the assembly is announced.
We gather backstage and Coach tells us what will happen at the assembly. He wants me to introduce the players after Dave I get announced. Then we go out on stage and wait for the auditorium to fill up with the student body.
"Welcome students," Principal Simpson says into the mic starting the assembly, "as some of you know DeGrassi acquired a Junior Pro Hockey Team. Try outs for the team were held last semester and we recruited from all over Canada. Let me introduce you to the coaches Head Coach Johnathon Cade, Defensive Coach Adam Johnson and Offensive Coach Raymond Deeks. Everyone who's been a student at DeGrassi knows Dave Turner and Owen Milligan both Toronto natives and DeGrassi students, not just the only DeGrassi students to make the team but the only ones from all of the greater Toronto area. I'm now going to hand things over to the Ice Hounds team captain Owen Milligan to introduce the rest of the team."
"Thank you Principal Simpson," I say taking the mic. "You all know me Owen Milligan, number twenty-two team captain and first string Right Defenseman. And you all know Dave Turner, number fifty-three and our second string Right Wing. Mike Dallas comes from Guelph, player number nine and first string Center. Also coming to us from Guelph Jeff MacPherson, number forty-one and our first string Left Wing. Coming to us from Moose Jaw, Bruce the Moose is number is number sixteen and our first string Goalie. Our first string Right Wing, number twenty-five J.T. Yorke from Calgary. Number ninety-two, our first string Left Defenseman, Peter Stone from Regina. Our second string Goalie comes to us from Banff, Toby Isaacs number eleven. Second string Center Danny Van Zandt comes from Saskatoon, he's number five. Number thirty-six from Montreal Craig Manning is our second string right defenseman. From Saguenay our second string Left Wing number sixty-eight Kelly Ashoona. And last but not least our second string Left Wing from Quebec City Jimmy Brooks number seventy-three."
"Thank you Owen and thank you to all the billet families who are hosting one of the players. I want everyone else to help the new team and all our new students this semester feel welcome. I also want to see everyone at the first game next Friday. Now everyone please make your way to your homeroom classes, you'll have five minutes to get to your classes," Simpson announces which effectively ends the assembly.
"Okay grade elevens come with me," I order since we all have native studies this period.
I lead them down the hall to class and we get to the entrance just as Fitz, Drew and Bianca do. Fitz and Drew sit in the very back so do Kelly and Craig. Bianca sits in front of Drew and I sit in front of Fitz, Jeff sits in front of me, Jimmy next to him and Peter next to him. When Eli and Fiona come in Eli sits next to me and Fiona next to him.
"Hey Owen I was thinking we'd have a party at my place tonight to welcome the new team," Fiona tells me.
"Yeah that sounds great," I smile.
"Sweet party," Peter grins just as the teacher comes in.
"Not in class Mr. Stone," the teacher censures and the class laughs.
"Drew you've got tech next right?" I ask when homeroom is over.
"Yeah," he nods.
"Is that technological design and the environment?" Fiona asks and I nod. "I have that too," she says.
"Cool come with us then Jeff, Craig and Kelly have it too," I comment.
I show them to the classroom and introduce them to Imogen when as we sit down. When second period is over we go to lunch, the team is eating together in the caf.
"So I hear we're getting a party tonight," Dallas smiles sitting down at the table.
"Yeah at Fiona Coyne's place, it's a sweet place," I reply.
"Word is already all over the school, I hope Fiona gets some bouncers to keep people out," Dave remarks.
"Bruce can be the bouncer," Dallas says.
"No I want to party," Bruce whines.
"We'll keep the party from getting too full no one needs to stand at the door," I reply.
"Seen a lot of hot girls at this school, I think I'm going to like it here," Dallas smiles watching Alli and the cheerleaders at their table.
"Mike," a girl calls coming over. She's petite but looks a little taller than Clare and Jenna, skin the color of coffee with cream and beautiful dark almond eyes with long hair. "Here's a key in case you need it," she says handing him a house key.
"Well aren't you going to introduce us Dallas?" Jimmy asks.
"Guys this is Vanessa Taylor my ex, she moved here with our son," Dallas says. We knew he was a dad he told us at the first practice.
"Hi, nice to meet you," I grin at Vanessa and she smiles back before walking off. I hope she's at the party tonight.
After lunch I help some guys find their classes and third period is a class I do like, plus Bianca's in the class. Fourth period I have a spare and so does Drew but since we're going to the party tonight we spend the time doing homework. After school the Ice Hounds have practice and the bus takes us to the arena.
"So you and Vanessa are over?" I ask Dallas as we're changing for practice.
"Yeah since before Rock was born but we stayed friends for his sake. This was too good of an opportunity for me to pass up and Vanessa supports me. Her grandparents live here so she moved in with them so I could still be near Rock and see him every day."
"Cool so is she seeing anyone else?" I question and Dallas gives me a look.
"No," he says slowly.
Before either of us can say anything Coach calls us to the ice. We all go out to the ice and the coaches put us through a tough practice and we're tired when it's over. We all get our energy back when we remember Fiona's party. We change and the bus takes us back to school, I have a car and so does Dave so we split everyone up and squeeze them into our cars before driving to Fiona's. The party is just starting when we get there. Eli and Imogen are already here, so are Riley, Zane and my brother.
"Oh good you guys are here, I told everyone else five so they should be here any time," Fiona tells us.
"Nice place," Dallas grins looking around.
"My mom is New York with my dad and brother so we have it all to ourselves and it's soundproofed," Fiona comments and Dallas grins.
"Oh good the team is here," Alli says with a coo in her tone walking in with Sav and Anya.
"Hi Cuz," Jeff greets Anya.
"Hey you meet everyone? Come on I'll introduce to everyone," Anya tells him pulling him with her. Although of the guys on the team, besides me and Dave of course, I'm pretty sure Jeff knows the most people here.
While Alli starts flirting with most of the team my gang walks in, well most of them anyway. Jay, Sean, Emma, Lucas, Paige and Spin aren't here but everyone else is including Johnny. He must have been told by one of the others.
"Hi Owen," Johnny greets me and the others wave or nod.
"I'm going to get some food," Clare says.
"I'll come with you," Fitz tells her putting his arm around her waist.
Everyone else begins to mingle or get food and I almost go with them but then Vanessa walks in and smiles at me and I grin back.
"Hey Vanessa," I smile.
"Hey V you made it, your grandparents agreed to watch Rock?" Dallas asks.
"Yeah but only until nine," she replies.
"It's a school night I don't think the party will go much later than that anyway," I tell her.
"Oh yeah Owen thinks you're hot, our cap is a good guy you'd like him," Dallas comments slapping me on the back.
"He doesn't do subtlety does he?"
"No it's not in his nature," she shakes her head. "So you're the team captain?"
"Yeah, I'm not the oldest player but I made captain because I've been going to DeGrassi since grade nine and the coaches thought I'd be a good leader."
"That's great," she smiles.
"Thanks, do you uh want a drink or something?" I offer and she nods so go over to the refreshments. When I get to the punch bowl I notice Clare on the steps with Fitz, she's watching Jeff talk to Marisol and Fitz is watching her watch him. It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out. "So it was pretty cool of you to give up your life in Guelph and move to Toronto because Dallas got on the team. Especially considering that you guys aren't dating anymore."
"Yeah when I told him I was pregnant he broke up with me. We were young, it was stupid. I know it sounds terrible and makes me sound totally naïve but I had sex with him because I wanted him to like me. He was the best athlete and the most popular guy in school and when he paid attention to me I felt great. And things with us were great until I found out I was pregnant. We were young, he panicked but after a couple weeks he came around. We tried to get back together but the stress of being young parents was just too much. Still he was there for the birth of Rocky and he's a good dad and now we're friends, mostly for Rocky's sake but at least he was around."
"Yeah not every guy would be. My friend Jenna is pregnant by her boyfriend K.C. but he's been by her side. They aren't keeping the baby though it's being adopted by people we know so they can still be involved with the baby. I can't imagine being a teen parent."
"It's pretty terrifying and often frustrating but it's rewarding and I can't imagine not having Rocky in my life now."
We move away from the table and go near the stairs, we both lean on the bannister and talk some more. She tells me about Rocky and moving here and we talk about interests. Fitz and Clare leave the party early but everyone else stays, when it's almost nine Vanessa says she has to go.
"I can drive you home," I offer.
"Thanks that would be great if you don't mind," she smiles.
"Yeah no problem, I'm pretty sure the team can find their way home with everyone here. Just let me make sure that my brother can get a lift home from his boyfriends."
"Your brother's gay? Wait did you just say boyfriends?"
"Yeah I'll explain in the car," I tell her. I find Tris with Riley and Zane and they assure me they'll get him home safe. I thank Fiona for the party then take Vanessa down to my car. On the drive home I explain how Tris got two boyfriends that are seniors. "So he kind of sprung it on me and then told our parents. It's not my favorite thing that he's got two boyrfriends who are almost four years older than him but I haven't exactly been an angel so I can't throw stones. I told him to be careful and I told Riley and Zane if they hurt Tris I'd break them both."
"Aww you're a protective big brother that's so sweet. Oh this is it right here," Vanessa tells me pointing to a house and I pull over. "Thanks for the ride. Tonight was fun. You know I was worried about how I would be accepted, following Dallas here for the sake of our son and just being a teen mom in general. But I'm not worried anymore because I know I have at least one friend at DeGrassi," Vanessa tells me kissing my cheek before she gets out of my car.
I grin and drive home with the feel of Vanessa's lips on my cheek. I think I'll ask her out tomorrow. I wonder if she'll say yes? I wonder if Dallas will really be okay with me and his ex? I wonder if Rocky will like me?
Look no terrible cliffhanger ending but there's also no update until Saturday, August 6th because next week is One Shot Week and then it's Short Story Month. The update will likely begin either the following day or it will begin with party in someone else's pov.