Chapter 41

The Championship Match

As Jackson came down, he was out of position and made first contact with the side of his foot. The weight of his body buckled his ankle and his foot rolled under his leg as he continued coming down onto the sand. The spike of pain escaped his mouth. Jackson grabbed his leg just above the ankle as he rolled on his back in the sand.

"JACKSON!!!" Cooper yelled as he dropped down by his side.

Miley screamed and started to climb over the railing but Robbie pulled her back. She fought with him for a few seconds before she gave into his hugging embrace. Holding tight to her dad, she stared at Jackson with tears in her eyes. As she watched, the medics were at Jackson's side and tending to him.

With the initial shock of pain over, Jackson got his self back under control and was sitting up against Cooper. Looking down at his ankle, Jackson saw that it was starting to bruise. After examining the ankle, the medic decided it wasn't broken.

"Looks like a bad twist right now, it might even be sprained. We'll have to see if you can put any weight on it."

"Okay." Jackson acknowledged.

A medic got on each side of Jackson and Cooper behind him. They all lifted Jackson up and let him get his balance on his good foot. The crowd all clapped as he came to his feet. Jackson tenderly put some weight on his foot. It hurt. But he but more weight on it. He had too. He had one more match to play. Jackson took a deep breath and determinedly put his full weight on his foot. Bad choice. But he stayed that way.

"Try to take a couple of steps." The medic ordered. Jackson was able to take a couple of labored steps. The steps give him the courage to shake off the support and slowly, ever so slowly walked over to the bench area. The crowd cheered him on.

"You can't play with your ankle like that J-man." Cooper turned to tell the tournament officials. Jackson grabbed Cooper and pulled him back. First Jackson looked at the scored board and got the time.

"Look, it's four-thirty. I've got two and half hours before the final match. Lets wait. Please."

"Okay. But if you can't move, let alone jump, then we have to call the match."

"Agreed." Jackson's resolve failed him.

"Well, if your going to try to play, then lets get you to the medical tent so we can work on you ankle." The medic told Jackson. A golf cart had appeared and Jackson carefully move over to it and sat down. The cart drove off. Cooper walked over to Robbie and Miley.

"WELL?" Miley asked before Cooper reached them.

"He twist his ankle real bad."

"Is he going to be okay?" Robbie asked.

"Yeah. But he wants to play the last match. So the medics are taking him to the medical tent to work on his ankle."

"Can we go there?" Miley blurted out.

"Would no stop you?"

"NO!"

"Well I didn't think it would. Come on, the tent is this way.

When they got Jackson to the medical tent, the first thing they did was get his ankle wrapped in ice and elevated to reduce the swelling. They also gave him something for the pain. Jackson was laying there with his arm over his head hoping against hope that he would be able to play. That's how Jackson was when Cooper lead Robbie, Miley and Maddie into the tent.

"Jackson are you okay?" Miley asked as she run up to him.

"Yeah, I'm fine Miles."

"You get a boo-boo sweetie?" Maddie asked as she kiss his forehead.

"Just a small scratch."

"Are you sure you want to play?" Robbie asked.

"I have to dad. It's my dream."

"Okay son." Robbie smiled at his son with pride and love.

"Come bud, lets leave these two alone." Robbie pulled at a Miley that didn't want to leave but gave in to the gentle pulling of her dad.

-------------------------------------------------

Robbie and Miley went back to join the others at the picnic area.

"Hi Miley."

"Oh, hi Jake. When did you get here?"

"About fifteen minutes ago. How's Jackson doing?"

"We won't know until it's time for the match."

"What does it look like?" Lilly asked.

"I don't know. They have it completely wrapped in ice." Miley told Lilly.

"Where's Cooper and Helen?" Robbie wondered.

"Cooper's and Helen's parents went to get something to eat." Carey answered.

"What are we going to eat?" Zack asked.

"That's a very good question." Oliver agreed.

"Well, yours truly thought ahead and ordered pizza."

"That's great daddy! When's it get here?"

"That's the problem bud. We have to go get it. Any takers?"

"I'll go!" Zack volunteered.

"I better go too. Someone has to watch the pizza while your watching the road Mr. Stewart." Cody warned.

"Are you implying that I would eat all the pizza my good man?"

"Good man, yes. Implying, no. You have a long and colorful history that transcends implying."

"I wish you would use English Cody."

Miley, Lilly, Oliver and Jake rolled their collective eyes.

"He means that since you have done it in the past, you well do it in the future." Jake explained.

"Well why did you just say that Cody?"

"HE DID!" Our friends responded.

"Come on you two. We'll be back in fifteen."

"Bye daddy."

After Miley's dad left, she was beside herself with worry over Jackson. First she sat. Then she paced. This was followed by sitting again. Miley mumbled to herself the whole time. Lilly, Oliver and Jake sat at a table watching the whole thing.

"Come on Miley. Take me to see Jackson." Jake asked.

Miley looked over at Jake and appeared to have a relieved look on her face for being asked to take someone to Jackson as an excuse to go herself.

"Okay, come on."

Jake followed Miley through the maze that lead to the medical tent. There was Maddie sitting and talking to Jackson. The medics were working on Jackson's ankle again. They had it in the air. They had just finished removing an elastic wrap from the ankle. It was black and blue and a little swollen.

"Move your foot please."

Jackson moved his foot through it's range of motion. He was moving it slowly but moving it never the less.

"You're doing a lot better Jackson. You have more movement and the swelling is going down nicely. How's the pain?"

"If I said it didn't hurt would you believe me?"

"No."

"Well then, it's okay."

"Well, what we'll do is wrap it as tight as we can again and ice and elevate it. We'll wait until closer to the match and give you something for the pain.

Half hour before the match, we'll tape the ankle and put heat on it to loosen up the joint. Then it's up to you."

"Thanks Jim."

"You're welcome."

When the medic had finish and left, Miley came over and sat down on the edge of the cot that Jackson was on. She took his hand into hers. Jackson reached up with his other hand and wiped away a tear. He smile and squeezed her hand.

"Why the tears?"

"I'm upset for you."

"I'm not. We still have a chance. You just have to believe for me. Do you believe?"

Miley looked up to Maddie. She was smiling at her. Jake was smiling at her too. Miley looked at his ankle and back to Jackson. She wanted to believe. Oh, she so wanted to believe. But it was hard to do with Jackson on his back and his foot in the air and bags of ice wrapped to his ankle. He was asking her to believe in him. In his dream. Just like he always believed in her and her dream. She looked away as the tears threaten again. Miley looked at Jackson again and saw that the delay in her answer had left a look of pain on him that made his ankle injury seem painless. The look cut her to the care as she released what she just did to her brother. Her hero. Miley close her eyes tight forcing out the tears and slowly at first started nodding to Jackson.

"I believe you Jackson. I believe you."

"Then I'll win." Jackson smile.

"Your dad is coming back with pizza. I'll make sure he brings you guys some." Jake told them.

"Thanks Jake." Maddie answered.

"Come on Miley. We need to get back." Jake gently pulled on Miley's arm.

Miley let Jake pull her up, but before she left, she kiss Jackson on the cheek.

-------------------------------------------------

Robbie came back from taking the pizza to Jackson and Maddie. Maddie had came back with Robbie because they were starting to get Jackson's ankle ready to play.

"How's he doing daddy?"

"Hard to say bud. Guess we'll found out soon enough. Cooper got there when we were leaving. His parents and Helen and her parents are finding seats right now."

"Then we better go get to our seats too daddy."

"Tell you what. You kids go and get seats and we'll clean up here. Okay?"

"Love ya' daddy." Miley said as she went past him. Lilly and Oliver looked at each other and shrugged. Then they quickly followed Miley. They in turn were followed by Jake, Zack and Cody.

"How's he really doing Maddie?" Carey asked.

"It's going to be fifty-fifty."

-

"What do you think J-man?" Cooper asked Jackson as he walked on his ankle.

"I don't know yet."

"J-man, a word please."

"What?"

"Don't feel you have to do this for me. We're young. We won't be over the hill by the time the next Olympics comes around."

"I know Coop. But this is all I've been thinking about the last two months. This is all we've eaten and breathed for the last two months. We're so close. Besides, I believe you can do this."

"For two matches. Six games."

"Yes I do."

"Then lets go do this!" Cooper and Jackson did their handshake.

They walked to the warm-up court to get ready for the game.

-------------------------------------------------

Miley was getting fidgety. She had chewed her nails down. Yet she was still chewing on them.

"Miley……Miley……MILEY!" Lilly yelled in her ear.

"WHAT?" Miley jumped and turned to Lilly.

"Stop chewing you nails." Lilly grabbed one of Miley's hand and held her nails up in front of her eyes. Miley looked at the stub of her nails.

"You won't have any left for the matches." Lilly told her.

"Sorry. I'm just nervous."

"Ya think?"

The crowd started to clap as the players came out onto the court. Miley's eyes, just like everyone else's, were glued to Jackson. Jackson walked almost normally. There was a small limp to his step. Once Jackson and Cooper settled into their spot, they looked around for their cheering section. Thanks to Miley's sign, they found it right away. Both waved.

"Welcome to the Championship match of this Olympic qualifier tournament. The winner of this meeting will be allegeable to tryout for the U.S. Olympic team in Colorado Springs in two months. Let's meet the two teams. Coming into this match with no loses is Eddie Fisher and George Hooker.

(They stood up and waved) And their opponent coming into this match with one lose is Cooper Lawson and Jackson Stewart. (They stood up and waved) And now if you would all raise for the sing of the National Anthem."

The first game was ugly. They lost 25 to 15. Jackson and Cooper didn't score a point until they were down by 10. It was about that time that Jackson's body had enough endorphins and adrenaline pumping through his veins to cancel out the pain from his ankle. From there, they started to play a lot better. They made a spectacular come back in the second game to win 26 to 24. The third game was also hard fought. But they pulled it out in the end by holding off the other team 17 to 15. Lawson/Stewart won the first match 2 games to 1.

The second match started forty-five minutes after the first. This was the hardest on Jackson. After the first match, he went back to the medical tent and they retaped his ankle right over the old tape. The most Jackson risked resting was fifteen minutes. The fear being that his ankle would stiffen up on him.

This time the first game came out differently. Cooper and Jackson won 25 to 20. The second game didn't go as well. They lost that game 25 to 23.

The winner of the last game would be heading to the U.S. Olympic training center for the final tournament. But the results were up in the air at the moment. So was the ball. Fisher had just set the ball for Hooker how as at the moment going up for a spike. Jackson was going up for a block. The ball fall to the sand in front of Hooker's feet. Lawson/Stewart 27 – Fisher/Hooker 26. Cooper took the ball for the serve. Tossing the ball into the air, Cooper sent it sailing over the net with a strong swing of his arm. The ball landed anti-climatically in the sand between Fisher and Hooker.

Jackson and Cooper on the other hand were jumping up and down in each others arms. The scene was much the same in the stands too. Miley was jumping up and down with Lilly. Jake and Oliver were giving out high fives. Miley turned and give Oliver a hug and quick pick on the cheek. This she also did with Cody and Zack. But when she realized she had did the same thing with Jake, she step back quickly and hide her blush by hugging her dad. By the time Miley was hugging her dad, Jackson and Cooper had worked their way over to their cheering section. Jackson and Cooper gathered in their girls and sealed the victory with kisses. Miley waited and then jumped Jackson as he and Maddie came apart.

"YOU DID IT!!! YOU DID IT!!!"

"Watch the ankle. Watch the ankle."

Miley was jumping and turning at the same time.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

-------------------------------------------------

The answer to that question came when Jackson was back in the medical tent. They were about to take the taping off of his ankle.

"I assure you, you will needed the pain killers when I cut the tape off."

"Come on Jackson, listen to the man." Robbie told his son.

"Okay. Let me have them." Jackson took the medicine and waited for the tape to come off. As the medic started to remove the tape, the support the ankle was getting was taken away. The pain returned with a vengeance.

"That REALLY hurts!" Jackson said through clinched teeth.

After the tape was removed, the medic wrapped it with an ace bandage and set-up a pair of crutches for him.

"Ice it down when you get home and see your doctor a.s.a.p. Mr. Stewart."

"Thanks we will." Robbie answered.

"Don't forget that tomorrow you will need to use heat to loosen the joint up."

"Loosen the joint up?" Miley asked.

"Because of the soft tissue damage, the ankle will loose it's flexibility overnight."

"Thanks for the warning." Jackson replied with a look of forbearing on his face.