A/N: Thank you all so much for the great reviews! Sorry I couldn't get this up sooner. I tried, but I was very busy this past weekend and yesterday the document wouldn't upload.

krazioapluvnreject: I'm glad you liked it and thanks for the review.

Meadow567: I guess you'll have to wait and see on all of that stuff. You won't find out what July 6th is this chapter though. Sorry. Thanks for the review.

Emador: Yeah, reviews are very addicting. And thanks for that little tidbit of information about the tryouts, I didn't know that. I'm you like it so far and thanks for the review.

Nelliebly413672: I'm glad you like Maddie. You'll find out about July 6th soon enough. Thanks for the review.

Flowers761: I don't know, what are you thinking, lol? I'm glad you like it so far and thanks for the reivew.

Okay, on with the chapter and again I don't own anything.

Chapter 3

A little after seven that night, Jack arrived at the bar. He sat at a table with Silky, Rizzo, and Coxie. The division between the team was obvious. East coasters were on one side, and the Midwest guys were on the other. Most of the guys were intent on keeping it that way, especially Jack. The Boston guys were trying to finish the test Herb was making them take. Silky was complaining about taking it, and no one really understood the point to Herb making them take the ridiculous test.

Even though Jack wasn't thrilled to be answering psychology questions when he should be celebrating, he was having a decent time. That is until Robbie walked in. Actually, Robbie's presence wasn't the entire reason Jack decided to leave. It was because Robbie said hi to Rizzo and acted like the two were friends or something. Making it worse, Rizzo began talking like he was on Mac's side. Rizzo assured Jack that he wasn't, but before Jack said or did something he knew he would later regret, he just got up and left.

When Jack arrived back at his hotel room, he decided to call his family. He knew his parents would be thrilled with the news. His sister, Erin, answered the phone.

"Hey Air. Guess what?"

"You made the team?"

"Yep."

"That's great! I'm really happy for you." Jack could hear her talking to someone in the background. "Yeah, he made the team." He then heard clapping and cheering, presumably from his parents, and mostly his mom.

"I'm gonna give you to mom now," Erin said, although he could barely hear her over the background noise.

"Jack, I'm so happy for youཀ"

"Thanks mom."

"I can't wait to see you play. Will you play in Boston at all?"

"I don't know, mom, the tryouts were today after all. I don't even know everyone's names yet, let alone when the pre-Olympic tour starts and who we're playing."

"Well, let me know once you find out. I can't wait to see you play. My baby's going to be in the Olympics!" she said excitedly.

Jack reminded his mother that it was really only the first cut, even though he knew his chances were very good. His mom dismissed it. She knew he would remain on the team. Jack talked to his dad next, followed by Erin again. She couldn't wait to tell her friends. Jack knew Erin looked up to him, even if she rarely showed it. Just like Jack, Erin was very stubborn and had a bad temper. Their parents would always tease the two, saying that they were twins born five years apart.

By the time Jack got off the phone with his family, it was getting late. He turned on ESPN for a while and then went to bed, thinking about how he would get Robbie back and teach him a lesson. Jack remembered Maddie's warning but thought, He needs to get what he deserves.

One week later . . . July 13, 1979

A week later, the guys were all in Minnesota, ready to begin practice. Jack decided to settle things between him and Mac once and for all and hit him hard. He felt really good about taking Mac out, but Herb however, was far from happy with their behavior. Jack didn't worry too much about Herb's reaction, because it was out of his system and Jack knew it wouldn't happen again. Of course, Jack still didn't plan on becoming friends with Mac anytime soon.

That night, Rizzo made spaghetti and meatballs for the team. His specialty. Well, Jack thought it was far from a specialty, but it was his only option. If he didn't eat Rizzo's food, he'd starve because he was far too lazy to make his own dinner.

"So Jack, have you talk to Maddie at all since we've got here?" Rizzo asked him.

"Rizz-oh," Silky groaned. "Why did you have to bring that up? You know the answer is three times a day - at least." Jack hit Silky, wanting him to shut up.

"It's more like once a day," Jack said in defense.

"Who's Maddie?" asked Bah, who was sitting nearby.

"My girlfriend."

"You have a girlfriend?" Verchota asked, clearly shocked.

"Yes, I have a girlfriend," Jack answered. It was with a tone like, 'Why wouldn't I?'

"You don't seem like the type to have a girlfriend," Verchota commented.

"Maybe she's just the lucky one that got the week before Jack left. Jack probably has a policy like I've heard you have," Bah directed toward Verchota. "You have to date them at least a week, or sleep with them eight times, whichever comes first. Normally, that system works in Jack's favor and he only has to date the girl a few days, but since he left, he probably still owes her one or something."

A few guys nearby laughed, and Verchota tried to defend his "system."

"That's not how it works, Bah. If the girl is cute enough, I'll date them even after a week is up."

"And how many girls actually want to stay with you more than a week?" Buzz asked.

"Well, unfortunately, I can count them on one hand." Everyone laughed at Verchota and he added, "But now, with my status on the Olympic team, I'm sure the ladies will see things differently."

"Yeah right Verchota," someone said, laughing harder.

"So back to this girlfriend of yours OC," Bah said. "Is she part of a system like that?"

"Definitely not. Maddie's nothing like that. We're like, perfect for each other."

The guys in the room looked at Jack like he had two heads. Everyone was speechless.

"Wow, Jack O'Callahan has a sensitive side," Robbie dared to comment. Jack ignored him.

"Is she hot?" Verchota asked, with a smile and very readable expression on his face.

"Verchota," started Bah, as if warning him.

"Don't think about it," Jack said seriously. "You so much as lay a finger on her, and you're dead." Verchota put up his arms in defense.

"Whoa, easy Jack. I'm not going to try anything with your girlfriend. I was just

joking."

"Is she coming here to visit?" Robbie asked.

"Yeah," Jack said, trying not to say more than he needed to. Robbie took the hint and stopped talking to him.

"So, you never said whether she was hot," continued Verchota.

"Do you have a one-track mind?" interjected Bah.

"No three," Buzz said, then explained. "In addition to hot girls, he also thinks about beer and sex."

"What does she look like?" Bah asked Jack.

"She had straight, brown hair, green eyes, and she's average height."

"Sounds hot," Verchota commented.

"She is," answered Jack. Silky, Rizzo, and Jimmy looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"She's pretty," Silky cut in. "She's not as hot as OC makes her out to be, he's just biased."

"Well, when you first met her, did you picture yourself sleeping with her?" Verchota asked Silky.

"They never dated," OC said.

"I just meant, would he have if he had the chance?" Verchota continued.

"I had the chance. Maddie was single for a while. I would have never dated her though. Definitely not my type. She's an okay friend, but that's it."

"Yeah, and if I recall, at first you tried to tell me she wasn't my type either," Jack said.

"I didn't think she was. And I stand corrected."

It was no secret that Silky didn't always like Maddie. He thought she was a good person, and an okay friend, but he never thought OC should date her. Once Jack and Maddie started dating, Silky did everything in his power to make Jack realize that he was wasting his time with Maddie. Luckily, Silky and Jack didn't see things eye to eye. Jack ignored Silky and continued dating Maddie. A few months later, Silky finally came around, and realized that maybe Maddie was a good girlfriend for Jack. Now, Silky didn't have to fight with Jack for the girls.

"So anyway," Buzz started, desperately wanting to change the topic of conversation away from Maddie.

"So since we're talking about our girlfriends and stuff, how's married life Buzz?" Jannie asked.

"Great. Well, other than the fact that I'm expected to sleep in the dorms and she's living in our apartment. It's kind of hard to act like newlyweds when we don't sleep together every night."

"Woah, that was an over share," Silky said.

"Well, lucky for me, Mac is my roommate and he likes Gail."

"That doesn't mean I want to witness newlywed things going on," he said dryly while the other guys laughed.

"Some night, everyone should bring their girlfriends, or wife, in my case, out to a bar or some place with the team. That way, the girls can all get to know each other and have some company when we're on the road."

"Good idea, except not many of us even have girlfriends. And most of us that do, won't be dating them throughout the Olympics," Jannie said.

"Well, everyone that does have a girlfriend then."

"I think that's just you, me, and OC at the time being," Mac said.

"Then I guess it's not such a good idea," Buzz said, thinking about how Mac and OC don't get along.

"Hey, by the way," Verchota started, getting everyone's attention. He hadn't even been contributing at all to the previous conversation, and out of the blue he started again. "Jack, does Maddie have a sister?"

"Oh my God, Philly, shut up!" Buzz said.

"I'm just wondering."

"Yeah, but you're not dating her. She's like, sixteen."

"That's okay. Is she as hot as Maddie?"

"You've never even seen a picture of Maddie," Bah pointed out.

"So, she sounds hot."

"Rachel looks a lot like Maddie in some ways, but personally, I don't think she's as pretty."

"Well, you can't think she's as pretty. You're dating Maddie. I however, can think she's as pretty," Jimmy said.

"Oh, does someone have a little crush?" Buzz asked Jimmy.

"No," he said, his face turning slightly red.

"Oooh, Jimmy likes Maddie's sister," Verchota said. "Well, I guess that means she's off limits too."

"She would be off limits to you even if Jimmy didn't like her," Jack said. Mac chose this moment to speak up, and directed his comment to Jack.

"So, I still don't get it. You keep saying Maddie's hot and you told us what she looks like, but honestly, what's so special about her? I know plenty of girls that look just the way you described Maddie." Jack didn't look too happy hearing Mac's comment. The other guys waited to see Jack's response. Was Mac really trying to start another fight?

"What the hell is your problem, Mac? You just have to push me, don't you. Can't you just let it go?"

"Let it go? You want me to let it go? What about you? As I recall, you're the one who wouldn't drop it. I let it go. I let it go back in '76!"

"That's not what I'm talking about! I got over that too. Right after I kicked your ass. I'm talking about letting go the fact that you can't take a punch - and you don't fight back very well either."

"That's it! I've had it with you," Mac said, ready the charge Jack. The guys around them, who had been watching this unfold, grabbed Mac and held him back. OC turned away and left the room.

It took Mac a few minutes to cool down after Jack left. He didn't mean to start anything with Jack again. Earlier that night, Mac was actually trying to talk to Jack. He only made the comment he did because Jack was still being a jerk. If me and OC don't turn things around, it's going to be a long seven months.

After Jack got to his room, he started thinking about how stupid he was being. Jack knew Mac had only asked him that to see how he would react. If Jack just ignored him, or answered the question, Mac would have probably dropped it. From now on, Jack was determined to not start anything else between him and Mac, and if avoiding Mac was the only option, it was better than nothing. If we can't start at least being civil toward each other, it's going to be a long seven months, Jack thought.

A/N: Coming up next . . . Maddie comes to Minnesota! It will be up by Thursday, but maybe sooner. I love reviews and they really inspire me to get the chapters up faster, wink, wink.