Thank you so muchfor all of the wonderful reviews guys! I got a new record for myself for the last chapter. Yay me!
krazisoapluvnreject: Thanks. I'm glad you like it.
meadow567: Yeah, I tried to make my story different. One day, I was just thinking, what if one of the guys had a pregnant girlfriend. Then I was like, well it has to be OC. So a story was born, lol. Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like it.
surfer-kel: I'm glad you like it, thanks for the review! And to answer your question, sort of. Maddie was supposed to get her period before that, but didn't realize until July 6th that she was late. (I figured out the timeline of everything before I wrote the story.) July 6th is actually just a random date that fit with the story. And again, Robbie won't steal Maddie away. He's just being really nice. Sorry if that disappoints you. In later chapters, you'll see a little more of him and Laura though.
Flowers781: You better get that magic mirror out, lol. This chapter's very angsty. It's going to be a few more chapters until you find out about Silky. Thanks for the review and I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you too much!
Lien-Wan: I agree. Gotta love Jack. He's amazing. And there should be tons more Miracle stories out there. I tried not to make Maddie being pregnant too obvious, but I wanted to hint at it, so I'm glad you thought I did a good job. Thanks for the review!
Nelliebly413672: I'm glad you liked it. I used to watch the Brady Bunch all the time too. It's so good! There will be more Gail later, but probably not for a few chapters. There are some other issues that need to be taken care of first. . .
Emador: I'm glad you liked the chapter and thanks for the review. Thanks again for pointing that out about the Julie/Laura thing. I completely missed those two spots. They're fixed now though, and I think I got it fixed before a lot of people even read it, so thanks!
A/N: Okay, here it is. Jack's reaction. Just to let you guys know I used a phrase in here that people used to say in the 70's. "The rabbit died" was a slang way to say someone is pregnant. You'll see why I used it later in the chapter, but I wanted to let you know what it meant so you knew when reading it.
Chapter 7
previously. . .
"Okay. I know you will flip out when I tell you this, so . . . "
"Try me."
"Jack . . . I'm pregnant."
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"You're what!" he screamed and stood up, his face showing that he was surprised and not happy at all. "You can't be! Are you serious? I do not believe this!"
"Look, I couldn't believe it at first either. But, it happened. We can't change the past."
"I thought you were using birth control!" he yelled, his face still red with anger.
"I was but it obviously didn't work, okay." He just stood there and stared at her, livid. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Maddie was crying now, tears streaming down her face. "Tell me what I can do to make you forgive me." Maddie knew it wasn't all her fault, but she didn't want Jack to be mad at her.
"You can't okay. There's nothing you can do." He was still being pretty loud. "I... I need to go. I need to take a walk. I just need some time to think." Jack left her room and slammed the door, leaving Maddie there, crying. Jack went outside to take a walk.
For the next few minutes, Maddie was still crying. I knew it would be bad, she thought, but I never thought he would leave like that. At least, I was hoping he'd take it a little better. Maddie couldn't really stop crying either. She felt so alone and scared. Maddie had no one to talk to, and was upset that Jack was mad at her. The thought of raising a baby alone didn't scare her, Maddie just loved Jack so much and wanted his forgiveness. The last thing she wanted was to lose him.
Meanwhile outside . . .
Jack was walking around the campus, trying to put everything together. Wow. I can't believe she's pregnant. I never thought this would happen. Ever. Thoughts kept running through his mind and he had no answers to the questions he had. Jack didn't know how he would be able to handle this, especially now, with practices and going to the Olympics in six months. His whole life, hockey career, and everything he worked for, seemed to be going in a downward spiral.
After Jack walked around for a little while, he went back to his room.
"Did you have fun with Maddie?" Rizzo asked with implication when he came in.
"No," Jack answered honestly.
"Okay, what was the fight about this time?"
"Nothing."
"Then go back there and make up."
"I'm not going back there tonight. I can't even face her right now. I don't know what I would say."
Rizzo decided that he wouldn't mention it again right now. Jack obviously needed time.
Jack began flipping through the channels, not really looking for anything in particular. After a half hour, Rizzo pressed him again.
"So what happened earlier, buddy?"
"Maddie's pregnant." When he said this, Rizzo started laughing at Jack's joke, even though Rizzo didn't think the joke was that funny. "Last time I checked it wasn't that funny," Jack said, with his thick Boston accent, obviously pissed.
"That was good, OC. Now really, what's going on?" Jack ignored him, and flipped through the channels again, and now Rizzo knew he was serious. "You're serious? Maddie's pregnant?" Rizzo paused, taking the news in. "I'm sorry, I thought you were joking."
"Why would I joke about that?" Jack said, glaring at him.
"Sorry man, I don't know what to say."
"Yeah," Jack said continuing to flip through channels.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"What's there to talk about?" Jack was still channel surfing.
"I just mean - you're obviously mad. If you want to vent or whatever. It's fine."
Jack threw the remote down on the bed and took Rizzo's offer saying everything he was thinking before.
"I can't have a kid, not now. With the Olympics coming, I just can't. Everything is just so messed up." He stopped and Rizzo took this opportunity to say something.
"How did this happen?"
Jack looked at him like he was crazy. "Well, you see. Me and Maddie really loved each other and -" Rizzo cut him off.
"OC, I don't want to hear that, you know that's not what I meant. Wasn't she using . . . I mean, like . . . something-"
"Birth control?"
"Yeah."
"She said she was. I just don't know what to do. I can't be a father now. With the Olympics and everything, things are crazy enough as it is, without Maddie having a baby. This is just so . . . so . . . messed up, you know?" Jack said looking at Rizzo.
"Well, you can't do much about it now. I suggest you talk to her though. She's probably having a rough time dealing with it."
"And I'm not?" Jack asked, annoyed. "I'm the one that should be in shock here. Maddie's probably known for at least a few days, enough time to let it sink in. I can't talk to her yet."
A knock at the door interrupted Jack and Rizzo's conversation. Rizzo got up to answer it. It was Mac.
"Hey Mac."
"Hey. Is OC here?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Something's wrong with Maddie. She sounds upset. I hear crying coming from her inside her room."
"I wonder why?" Rizzo said sarcastically, looking at Jack. Mac picked up on Rizzo's remark.
"Did OC do something stupid?" Mac asked, as if Jack wasn't in the room.
"Well, you could say that. More or less. He's the reason Maddie's upset."
"Oh, so maybe I should have checked on her. If OC's being a jerk-"
"Guys, I am in the room you know. You don't have to talk about me like I'm not here."
"Sorry," they said, apologizing.
"What's going on?" Mac asked.
"Nothing," Jack responded.
"Fine. Do you want me to check on Maddie?"
"Why would I care what you do, Mac?" Jack said, a little too nasty.
"Well, I just want to make sure she's okay."
"I don't think Maddie's going to want to talk about it, Mac," Rizzo told him. "Tomorrow I'll go talk to her."
"Okay, see you guys tomorrow."
The next morning, Maddie woke up and decided it was time to go tell Herb. She knew telling him was inevitable, and she figured sooner would be better than later. Maddie walked to the door, and began to get very nervous. She had no idea how Herb would react. The door was open, but Maddie still lightly knocked anyway.
"Hi Maddie," Herb said looking up from his desk.
"Hi Herb, "Maddie said walking in. "I need to talk to you about something."
"Sure, sit down."
"Well, I have a slight problem," she started.
"What is it?"
"I'm fourteen weeks pregnant," she said as calmly as she could. Herb was quiet for a minute, then responded.
"Does OC know?" Herb asked with little emotion on his face.
"Yes," Maddie replied, still unsure how to read Herb.
"How did he take it?" Herb asked, again with little emotion in his voice.
"Well, he was kind of surprised when I told him," Maddie said, not wanting Herb to know Jack was royally pissed.
"Was he upset?"
"A little," Maddie admitted, then thought, That was the understatement of the year.
"Well, I suppose you being here, interning, has nothing to do with the fact that you're pregnant. You would have gotten pregnant whether you were here or not, so I'm not going to let you go, because that wouldn't accomplish anything."
"Thank you," Maddie said, though not really sure how to respond. She was still unsure of how Herb was taking the news. He didn't look happy, but he didn't seem too upset either.
"When will you need to stop working?"
"I'm due in February so I can hopefully work right up to the Olympics."
"Okay. I appreciate you telling me. If you need time off or anything, just let me know. I can't give you too much time off, but since you're not due until February, there shouldn't be a problem."
"Thanks, Herb."
"Thank you for telling me."
"You're welcome."
As Maddie left the room, she breathed a sigh of relief. At least she knew Herb wasn't too upset.
When Jack got up the next morning, he was still in a very bad mood. At practice, he played extremely aggressively. Jack hit harder, skated faster, and played better defense. He felt really good about the way he was playing, but he knew it was mainly just because he was venting his anger. Having not yet spoken to Maddie, everything was still on his chest from the night before. His teammates were getting pissed off for the way he was acting. However, Herb didn't seem to notice Jack's anger, and instead complimented Jack's performance. Everyone else knew something was up.
After practice, the guys were showering and changing in the locker room while waiting for Maddie to come in to give them massages. Jack left the locker room almost as soon as practice was over. It was the fastest anyone had ever left. He didn't talk to anyone the entire time either. No sooner did he leave the room when conversation about him began.
"Hey Silky, did you notice OC's change in mood today?" Buzz asked.
"Yeah, he seemed to be taking something out on us."
"Does anyone know what that was all about?" asked Jannie, loud enough for everyone to hear.
A resounding 'no' was heard from everyone, except Rizzo and Mac, who didn't really say anything.
"I really thought he was going to take me out at one point," Mark said.
"Well, Maddie's not here," observed Silk. "Maybe they had a fight and he's pissed."
"Someone should ask him what's up."
The guys continued to talk about Jack and Maddie, wondering what they could have fought about. When Maddie still didn't come in the locker room a little while later, the guys left and Rizzo and Mac were just finishing up.
"So, are they still fighting?" Mac asked Rizzo, referring to Jack and Maddie.
"Jack hasn't talked to her yet."
"Oh," Robbie said, putting his remaining equipment in his bag.
Jack walked in the locker room a minute later.
"I left my key in here," Jack said, explaining his return.
"Are you going to go talk to her?" Rizzo asked.
"Later."
"Jack, come on. You need to do it now. It's too late to change anything. Just because the rabbit died doesn't mean you can forget how much you love her," Rizzo said, sort of quietly, but loud enough that Mac heard. Rizzo apparently didn't think Mac would know what "the rabbit died" meant.
"She's pregnant!" Mac said, surprised. Jack shook his head in disbelief, wondering how Rizzo could be so stupid to mention anything about "a rabbit dying."
"No," Rizzo said immediately, trying to cover it up. "Why would you think that?"
"You said 'the rabbit died'."
"He may be from Minnesota, but that doesn't mean he's stupid," Jack cut in, annoyed with Rizzo.
"I can't believe she's pregnant!"
"Maddie's not pregnant," Rizzo said again.
"Like I said, he's not stupid," Jack said dryly.
"Oh my God, I don't believe it!" Mac said, obviously the news still not completely sinking in.
"I couldn't believe it either," Jack said, more talking to himself.
"Wow. Maddie's pregnant," Mac said, still trying to comprehend the news.
"Mac, if you say 'wow' or 'oh my God' one more time, you'll have a nice black eye to wow," Jack threatened.
"Sorry, I'm just shocked."
"Welcome to my world."
"But you were there when it happened."
"Doesn't mean I'm not surprised as hell."
"Yeah but . . . never mind," Mac said, now deciding to shut up.
"I think I'm going to see Maddie this afternoon. Make sure she's doing okay," Rizzo said, picking up his stuff and heading for the door.
"See you later," Mac responded, while Jack didn't say anything. Right before Jack walked out the door, Mac stopped him. "Jack, I know this is hard, but you have to talk to Maddie. You can't go on avoiding her forever. Everyone on the team knows something's up too. They were talking about it earlier."
"I need time to think, okay. I am having a really hard time with this."
"Well, obviously Maddie is too."
"I'll talk to her when I want to. Don't tell me what to do. You're not in this situation, so you don't know what's going on. Don't pretend to be able to relate to what I'm going through."
"I'm not. I'm just giving advice."
"Well I don't need your advice," Jack said, leaving the locker room.
After knocking on Maddie's door, Rizzo only waited a few seconds before she answered. Maddie smiled and pretended to be cheery, but Rizzo could see right through.
"Hey Rizzo, I'm sorry I couldn't come by for massages today, I had a lot to get done around here."
"Maddie, I know everything, Jack told me." Upon hearing this, Maddie's smile disappeared immediately.
"Oh."
"I wanted to come by to see how you were doing."
"I'm okay. I just wish he would talk to me."
"I know. I think he will."
"So, how mad was he when he came back last night?"
"He wasn't that mad." Maddie gave him a look saying 'I don't believe you,' and Rizzo changed his answer. "Okay, he was mad. Really mad. But I think the anger is hiding the fear. He just doesn't know what to do."
"What to do? He doesn't need to do anything. There's not anything he can do unless . . . " Maddie paused, mid-sentence, thinking. "Unless he's going to leave me," she said with worry written all over her face.
"I don't think so. He does love you, Maddie. I don't think he'd let a baby change that. In time, it'll probably make him love you even more."
"I hope you're right."
A/N: I hoped you liked it. Please review! I love reading reviews and they make me want to update faster. wink, wink