miracle fan 9245: Glad you liked it. I love writing the Jack and Izzy moments. Thanks for the review.

Emador: I know that normally newborns wouldn't drink from a bottle, but some do, especially if the mother pumps or whatever. But I completely forgot about the baby food thing. I didn't even think about that when I wrote it, so thanks. And yeah, I love the thought of Jack explaining hockey to a newborn. He's such a hot dad, lol. Glad you liked it though, and thanks for the review!

Jenny: Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like the story so much. And there will be more of Mac/Laura and Buzz/Gail moments, especially in the up coming chapters. Thanks again.

Meadow567: Uncle Bastard?! That's hilarious. Anyway, I know you can swear around a baby, but I'm trying to make the guys not know and not realize a lot of stuff about babies. It makes for funny scenes. Anyway, glad you enjoyed the chapter and thanks for the review!

Nelliebly413672: Glad you liked it, and I hope you like this one too. You'll see more about Mac and Laura and Buzz and Gail soon enough :) Thanks for the review.

Flowersc781: Well, as you'll see soon, cute Jack and Maddie moments...well, read and find out, lol. Thanks for the review though, and I'm glad you liked it. Oh yeah, and as for the guys taking her advice, you'll see that in the near future.

A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews! I love getting reviews and getting six last chapter made me so excited. Hope you enjoy this chapter. I figured you guys might be getting tired of all the cute stuff, so there's some drama and a little cliffy at the end. I'm still not really sure about the whole thing though, cause it changes some things later. (I'm trying my best to be very sketchy here, lol.) Anyway, hope you enjoy.

Chapter 25

January 5, 1980

A little over a week went by since Maddie and Izzy were home from the hospital. Everything was going great, but Maddie was starting to get really stressed out, because she was constantly with the baby. Everyone told her it was bound to happen, but until now she didn't believe them. Gail and Laura and invited her out that evening for dinner and a movie, and although Maddie wanted to go, at the same time, she almost felt a little guilty. After practice, Jack was trying to convince her that it was in her best interest to go with her friends.

"Maddie, it's just a few hours. You deserve a break," Jack said.

"Well, I don't know. Gail and Laura said I could bring Izzy, and we could just watch a movie at Gail's."

"Bringing Izzy would defeat the purpose of a break. Besides, she'll be fine with me. I promise."

"I know that. I'll just miss her, that's all."

"And she'll be here when you get back," Jack said, kissing Maddie's forehead.

"Okay, fine. I'll go and leave Izzy home," Maddie said, finally agreeing.

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A few hours later, Maddie had just left with Laura to meet Gail for dinner when Jack heard a knock on the door. He got up to answer it, carrying Izzy with him. It was Silky.

"Hey Jack. Wanna watch the game tonight?" Silky asked. The Bruins were playing Minnesota in Boston and the game was on ESPN.

"Sorry. I would love to but I can't. Maddie's out with the girls and I've got Izzy."

"Why don't we come over here then?" Silky suggested.

"Who's we?" wondered Jack.

"Me, Rizzo, Mac, Buzz, and Bah."

"All right. But we just can't get too crazy."

"No problem. We can be quiet."

"Watching hockey?" Jack asked in disbelief with his eyebrows raised.

"Izzy won't even know we're here."

"I was thinking more like Maddie can't know you're all here," Jack said, knowing she would flip if he had a party while watching the baby.

"No problem," said Silky, assuring him. "We'll be over at seven."

A few minutes to seven, guys started piling in Maddie's room to watch the game. Jack was very surprised to see more than the five guys that were supposed to come. Phil, Jimmy, and Mark showed up too.

"Hey. I didn't realize I'm hosting a big party."

"We decided to join you guys," Phil said, explaining their presence. "I brought beer."

"Great. Make sure it's gone before Maddie comes home."

"Jack, you're way too uptight," Silky said. "Why would Maddie care that you have a few people over. You're not in high school, and she's not your mother. She can't tell you not to have friends over."

"I know. But I'm supposed to be acting like the responsible adult here."

"Whatever. Let's watch the game," Silky said, jumping onto the couch and turning on the tv. The rest of the guys piled on the couch, chairs, and floor to watch the game. Jack was sitting on the couch with Izzy in his arms. She was wide awake, and looking up at him, and every few seconds, Jack would look down and smile at her. Maddie told him that she couldn't see him too well yet, but Jack refused to believe her. He was sure that Izzy knew exactly who he was.

The game started getting intense and as the guys got louder Izzy began twisting to head to find out where the noise was coming from. When she couldn't figure it out, she started getting frustrated and began crying.

"Don't cry. It's okay, Boston's still winning," Silky said, looking down at Izzy. This just made her cry louder. Jack got up and walked around, trying to calm her down. It worked, and Izzy started getting used to the noise by the end of the first period.

By the second period, Jack was into the game as much as his friends, and a few more guys joined them. Izzy just started to doze off to sleep when Boston scored. Jack jumped up and cheered along with the rest of the Boston guys while Mac threw a potato chip at the tv. Just after he jumped up, Jack remembered that he was holding Izzy and looked down to see a very awake and startled Izzy baby. She didn't cry though, and Jack was relieved.

"That's daddy's little girl," he said, kissing her. "Soon you'll be cheering with us."

Izzy stayed awake for the rest of the game in Jack's arm, reading her dad very well. If Jack got mad at the tv, Izzy would start crying. If Jack cheered for something, Izzy sat contently in his arms.

The game ended up being very close and Minnesota took a time out with five minutes left. The guys were all talking during the break, and didn't even hear the door open because they were so loud.

"What's going on here?" Maddie asked loudly, walking into her room. She saw guys everywhere and didn't even see Jack and the baby at first. Then she noticed him sitting on the couch, Izzy in one hand, and a beer in the other.

"What are you doing with my baby!?" Maddie asked, trying to sound serious. She actually thought the site was pretty funny.

"We're teaching Izzy all about hockey," Buzz said.

"My poor little girl," Maddie said, picking Izzy up. "I hope these boys haven't corrupted you too much yet." Izzy responded to being taken away from Jack by crying. She stopped as soon as Maddie handed her back to Jack. "Oh no. she's already a lost cause," she said, laughing.

"You're not mad?" Jack asked, surprised.

"Why would I be mad?" Maddie asked.

"Cause I'm not being a responsible parent."

"Jack, you're fine. I'd only be upset if she were in her crib crying. Or if her bottle was filled with beer by mistake."

"Could you two please take your lovey dovey, let's make another baby, touchy feely, sickening . . . whatever, outside?" Silky asked. "Some of us are trying to watch a hockey game."

"Let me join you," Maddie said, squeezing between Jack and Silky to watch the remaining minutes of the game.

January 12, 1980

Izzy was almost three weeks old now, and she was still very popular among the guys. Maddie spent a lot of time recently with the team, because the Olympics were only a month away, and the guys enjoyed Izzy being around too. The guys also started teasing Maddie about being in mom mode. She would constantly give them advice about almost everything, tell them to stretch really well before and after practice to avoid strains, tell them what to eat and what to stay away from, and many other things. For the last week though, there had been quite a bit of tension among the guys. They all knew the last cut was coming, and even the guys that were almost definitely safe were worried.

Maddie only spent a few minutes in the locker room that afternoon, because she wanted to catch Herb before he left. She stopped in to see him on the way back to her room. She hoped that he made his decision about the final cut.

"Hey Herb," she said, walking into the office.

"Hi Maddie. How's Isabelle?"

"Oh, she's good," Maddie said, looking down at the sleeping baby and smiled.

"Patty would love to watch her for you sometime. I think she misses having a baby around. And Kelly and Danny would love to be around a baby too."

"Okay, maybe I'll stop by this weekend. I could use an hour to shop by myself," Maddie said. Herb nodded.

"So what brings you here?"

"I was wondering when you're making the final cut."

"Tomorrow. After practice. Unless I change my mind again. But it needs to be done soon."

"Yeah," Maddie said, somewhat sadly, feeling bad for whoever it was going to be.

The next day, Maddie didn't wait around too long after practice, because she didn't want to be there when the unlucky guy got called into see Herb. Her plan on not finding out until Jack told her didn't work too well though, because shortly after Maddie got back to her room, she went downstairs to put laundry in the washer and saw Coxie with a few bags. He didn't have to say anything, Maddie already knew that he was cut from the look on his face.

"I'm sorry," was all Maddie could manage to get out.

"Good luck with everything Maddie. Good luck with being a mom too. It was really great getting to know you and you better keep in touch."

"I will," Maddie said, giving Coxie a hug. "I'll miss having you around."

"I miss you guys too." Maddie and Coxie said their last good byes and he disappeared down the hallway. Maddie was sad that Coxie got cut, but she was also relieved at the same time that everyone else was safe. At least it seems that way, she thought. But with Herb, no one ever really knows.

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The day after the final cut, everyone seemed to be a little less stressed and less on edge. The night before, the guys had all gone out to celebrate officially making the team.

"I feel so sick today," Mark complained after practice.

"You better stay away from Izzy then," Bah warned. "Maddie will kill you if you get the baby sick."

"That's not why he's not feeling well," Maddie said, from the next room.

"Where is that coming from?" asked Bah. "Are there like, hidden cameras and a speaker in here or something?"

"No," said Maddie, walking into the room. "I was just in the other room."

"How did you even hear us though?"

"I'm not deaf," Maddie responded.

"It's all because she's a mom," said Phil. "Once girls turn into mothers, they instantly develop amazing hearing and grow eyes in the back of their heads." Maddie nodded in agreement.

"Well, if you're so smart Maddie, then why don't I feel good?" Mark asked.

"Well, for starters, you were out last night with the rest of the guys. I know you all had a bit too much to drink. I could tell when Jack woke up this morning. I also saw what you ate for lunch. Fried chicken fingers generally aren't the way to go before practicing."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Mark said.

A few minutes later, Maddie was just getting ready to leave when she heard Robbie, Phil, and Rizzo talking about getting dinner later on.

"Make sure you go somewhere Italian and eat pasta. No heavy, fried crap. You have a game tomorrow night and you won't skate well. I also want everyone to drink lots of water tonight. It was a rough practice today and you all need to stay hydrated."

A few of the guys, including Robbie, rolled their eyes.

"I saw that Robbie," Maddie said without looking back. She stopped again before leaving the locker room and looked over at Jimmy. "All of this goes for you too, Jim."

"Yes mom," he joked, but knew Maddie was serious.

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Laura was waiting outside the locker room for Robbie. He didn't know that she was coming. She just wanted to surprise him. She wanted to take him out that night to celebrate making the team. Laura would have taken him somewhere the night before, but he ended up celebrating with the guys instead. She really wanted Robbie to know that she was excited for him and everything, and that she would support him no matter what. Lately, Laura sensed a little tension coming from Robbie and she didn't know whether it was his nerves from the final cut or something else. She hoped that everything would go back to normal between them. Lost in her thoughts, it was a few minutes before Laura even noticed the girl standing nearby.

The girl appeared to be about Laura's age, and looked enough like her being thin and blonde, but the girl was a few inches taller. Laura watched her for a few minutes, wondering what she could be doing there.

"Are you waiting for someone?" Laura finally asked.

"Yeah," the girl answered.

"Who?" The girl gave Laura a somewhat dirty look, but answered anyway.

"Jack."

"O'Callahan?" Laura asked, confused. Who the hell is that? she thought. I know it's not his sister, but what other blonde would be waiting for him?

"Yeah."

"How do you know him?" Laura asked.

"How is it your business?" the girl shot back. What a bitch! Laura thought.

"I was just wondering because-"

"We dated Senior year of high school."

"Is he expecting you?"

"Not really. I wanted to surprise him." Before Laura was able to respond, Jack interrupted them.

"Hey, Lyssa." Jack said, only looking slightly surprised to see her. "Hey Laura," he added as an afterthought.

"How was practice?"

"Good. What are you doing here?"

"Just thought I'd stop by to see you."

"Oh. Have you met Laura?"

"Sort of."

"Laura, this is Alyssa. Lyssa, this is Laura."

"Hi," Alyssa said. "So do you have a minute?" she asked Jack.

"Yeah, sure." Jack turned to Laura. "See you later, Laura." Jack walked away with Alyssa, leaving a very intrigued Laura. She really wanted to know what was going on, because Jack seemed almost happy to see her. Laura had to find out why. She followed them at a distance so she could still hear their conversation, but was only able to pick up bits and pieces.

She heard Alyssa tell Jack that "last night was fun," and from what Laura gathered, they were going out for dinner that night to catch up. Laura really didn't like the sound of it, and she didn't like Alyssa at all. Trying not to be too judgmental, Laura tried to think of good reasons Jack could have for having dinner with an ex-girlfriend, but after trying to come up with something, she gave up.

Laura didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize her friendship with Maddie though, or Jack and Maddie's relationship for that matter, so she decided to keep quiet about the whole thing until the next day.

If Jack doesn't tell Maddie about his dinner plans with 'Lyssa,' by tomorrow, then I'll intervene, Laura thought. Even though Laura did her best to reason with herself, she thought something about the whole situation was a little strange and she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

A/N: Please review! Since Thanksgiving is coming, the next chapter will be up soon. Maybe this weekend, but definitely by next Tuesday afternoon.