A/N: I still don't own Miracle. Thank you to all my reviewers. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.

Chapter Three

Jack's POV

The second Friday in August, most of the team went to a local bar with Anna and a couple of her friends. For most of us it was a pretty uneventful evening. Anna was wearing some new form-fitting jeans, a tight pale pink tank top, and high heels-well, they were high compared to what she usually wore. She was also wearing a little make-up and she's straightened her hair. Okay, I'm not going to lie; she looked amazing.

And Rob noticed. He kept staring at her the whole night. But she wouldn't give him a second glance. Anna spent the whole night dancing and talking and laughing with me. Every time he looked at us, he took another gulp of beer. By the end of the night, Bah and I had to drag-carry him back to the room. He kept moaning and repeating the same phrase over and over we went up the stairs. "She was so pretty…she looked just like a girl should look."

I knew he was talking about Anna and I'm pretty sure that Bah knew that too. Anna had looked amazing, but that was the only thing I had realized about her lately. Anna is an amazing person. Sure, she was good looking, but she was also nice. She was a good cook and an even better listener. One Sunday night when she was making dinner I found myself in the kitchen with nothing to do so I started chopping vegetables and talking. And before long, I started finding myself in the kitchen every Sunday night. Sunday nights were our thing we did together. That was how our relationship started. We were just friends at first.

I know a lot of people say "oh, we're just friends." But with Anna and me, it was true. We were good friends. I felt "safe" around her, like I could tell her anything and everything. We talked about hockey and music and TV shows and books. It turns out that Anna loves reading and not just boring old books that my sisters read, but also more interesting books like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and more controversial works like The Bell Jar and Howl. She also loved the works of JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis. She was quirky to say the least. She could be a completely serious person but at the same time she could also be silly and goofy.

Earlier that night she had been cracking jokes at the bar and Philly had gasped. "Wow, I never knew girls could be that much fun to hang out with."

I decided not to mention that I did know that girls could be this much fun. First off, I've been hanging out with Anna every Sunday for the past month. Secondly, I have four sisters and they're all great girls. My sister, Kathleen, is always telling jokes and cracking one-liners. Anna reminds me of Kate in little ways.

Okay, so I should explain a little about my family so you don't think I'm this random creature that was sprung out of the ground fully grown. I'm the second of eight children. My parents are Patrick and Eileen O'Callahan; they're both Irish-American and have lived in the Boston area their entire lives. They are also both devoted Catholics and they've raised all eight of their children going to Catholic schools and Mass every Sunday; I guess what I'm trying to say is that my parents' Catholicism has rubbed off on me and during college, I ended up choosing Catholicism for myself. But now onto my siblings…

I have one older brother-Patrick Michael O'Callahan, Jr. Paddy is the apple of our dad's eye. He went to college and majored business. Then he started working with my dad; he's going to take over my dad's business someday.

I'm two years younger than Paddy and my Christian name is John Regan O'Callahan. Regan was my maternal grandfather's name and it was also his mother's maiden name so it's a name steeped in family lore. I went to Boston University on a hockey scholarship and majored in accounting. When I'm done with hockey, I'm planning on working in an investment firm. I also want to settle down and get married…someday…and have a family.

Kate is eleven months younger than me…my Irish twin. Her full name is Kathleen Eileen O'Callahan. It's a horrible name but it's a family name. She's a senior at Boston University…my alma mater; she wants to be a teacher.

Next comes Maeve Maureen; she's two years younger than Kate. She's a sophomore at BU; she's a good girl. She's the quiet one in the family, but she doesn't know what she wants to do with her life.

After Maeve is Owen Matthew. He's seventeen and a high school senior. He likes basketball and girls…I think he likes girls more.

Aidan Timothy is fifteen and a high school sophomore. He and Owen both go to Latin Boys School-my high school. Aidan is trying to be the next me; he loves hockey. In fact, I taught him to play hockey.

Bridget Rebecca is thirteen and in middle school. She's thirteen and acts like it.

Fiona Sarah is eleven and in sixth grade. I don't really know her that well. She's my little sister and I love her but I don't really know her. And the thing that scares me is that I probably never will really get to know her. But I want to get to know her; she is my little sister after all. I don't really want to know Bridget these days because she's so hormonal and scary, but I want to know Fiona.

That's my family. I love them and it's going to be a long, hard seven months without them. But Anna reminds me of my family. She's part-Irish and it comes out her in personality sometimes. And she's vibrant and vivacious and insane. I love hearing her laugh. Just last Sunday, I was helping her in the kitchen when Rammer came in and offered to set the table.

"Sure you can set the table," Anna said. "Just make sure that everyone has a plate, napkin, cup, and silverware."

"And everything has to match?" he asked.

"Of course," she replied with a nod and a smile.

Rammer went and set the table. Then he came back and looked at Anna like a little lost puppy dog. "Anna, I have a question for you and it's sort of important."

She looked at him with what could only be described as a benevolent smile. "Yes, what's the question?"

"Do all the chairs need to be color coordinated?"

She laughed, loudly. Her laugh didn't sound like bells or anything that people always write about in books. It sounded natural, like her. I can't explain it; her laugh sounds like her. That's all I can say.

"Of course the chairs need to be color coordinated. We might die if they aren't."

I was starting to pick up that there was some kind of inside joke involved, and I was getting really confused. But I kept watching and listening and working on my salad hoping that somehow everything would become clear to me. Maybe the onions or the lettuce understood the jokes and could explain them to me.

Rammer turned to me. "Jack, do you like water?"

I blinked and looked at him. "I beg your pardon?"

"It's a simple yes or no question," Rammer said. "Do you or do you not like water?"

I shrugged. "It's good stuff, the liquid of life. I guess I like. Sure," I said with a smile. "I like water."

"That's good," Rammer replied. "I'm always glad to hear that people like water. Water is great stuff. Don't you agree, Anna?"

Anna burst out laughing. "Michael Alan Ramsey, you have spent far too much time around Brian Maybe."

He smiled at her. "And don't you know it?"

"I need to find some new friends," Anna muttered to me. "I spend all my time around men who are half insane and women who enjoy the men's sense of humor.

"Don't look at me," I told her. "I've been told that I'm pretty insane myself."

She smiled, revealing pearly white teeth. "Don't you think she has great potential to be like a princess or a beauty queen?" Rammer whispered in my ear.

I looked at her. She was wearing blue jeans and a black blouse. She'd French-braided her hair that day and then put the braids in a bun. It really flattered her face, her bone structure especially her jaw line and cheekbones. "I think that perhaps she already is a princess but we can't see it because we're too consumed with appearances."

Anna looked up at us from the garlic bread she was making. "What are ye two lads talking about?" she said with a fake Irish accent.

"Oh, you know," Rammer said quickly. "Life, hockey, you know what guys talk about."

Rob had finally fallen asleep. With the amount of alcohol he'd consumed that night, he'd have a terrible hangover in the morning. But for now, he was safely sleeping. And I was free to think about the evening. Other than Rob's boozing, it had been a very successful night. From the minute I sat down at the table, Anna had been at my side.

"Hey, stranger," Anna said sitting down next to me with a bottle of Coke in her hand. "I haven't seen you all day."

"Your stepfather has had me working my legs off," I replied. "And I seem to recall you being one busy bee today as well. I see you running around with files and paperwork all day."

"Well, when I'm not doing that, I'm on the phone talking to people from the AHA, the USOC, and other such acronymic organizations."

"It sounds like you're having as much fun as I am."

She smiled at me; I was in serious danger of falling in love with that smile. "I just might be. Now, tell me, Mr. O'Callahan," she said. "I have a very serious dilemma. Should I order a hamburger or pizza?"

"Well, Miss O'Leary-Brooks," I replied. "I was planning to order a cheeseburger but if you so desire, we could split a pizza."

"I think I'm in the mood for pizza," she told me after studying the menu for a while. "It's not as messy and I don't want to mess up my new clothes."

It was then that I really noticed her outfit. She looked so different from her usual self. Instead of her usual baggy jeans, she was wearing new jeans that clung to her curves in just the right way. She was wearing a new pale pink tank-top that had a scoop neck. It showed her body off to its best advantages. She was wearing simple pink earrings and black sandals with just a little heel-maybe an inch. She'd straightened her hair and it was hanging loose down to her waist. And she was wearing a little make-up but it suited her. She looked wonderful.

"You look great," I told her.

"Thanks," she said with a glimmer of a smile. "I had quite a bit of help from Gayle while you guys were showering and all that junk."

"It turned out really well," I repeated. "Your eyes, your hair, your clothes, you are beautiful."

"Don't let Herb hear you say that," she teased. "But thanks. You don't look too bad yourself."

I was wearing a pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt. She and I had a deal; we wouldn't wear clothes with our alma maters' names on them around each other. It helped us keep the peace. But it was nice to have a little bit of a friendly rivalry with her. She was a great girl.

We'd all been sitting around talking for a couple hours when Anna looked at me. "Hey, Boston boy, do you want to dance?"

I shrugged. "Sure, I'd love to as long as you don't make me polka."

"Don't worry," she replied. "I don't know how to polka."

"One of my aunts tried to teach me at my cousin's wedding a couple years ago and it was a disaster. Trust me; that was an evening that should never be repeated."

She laughed. "My dad's sister taught me to waltz at my cousin's wedding when I was in high school. It was insane; she was teaching like eight of her nieces and nephews and none of the guys wanted to learn."

"But did you end up getting to dance?"

"Yep," she said with a smile. "I danced with the groom's brother, the best man, and two or three other guys. It was fun."

We had started dancing by this point. "Was this a guy cousin or a girl cousin?"

"It was my cousin, Liam. He's my dad's brother's son. Most of my dad's family still lives in Boston so I headed out there for the wedding."

"Did your whole family go?"

"No, just me," she replied. "I only went because Liam is my godfather."

"Your godfather? How old is he?"

"He was fifteen when I was born, so he's thirty-seven now. This wedding was six years ago. His dad was my father's oldest brother."

"If you don't mind my asking, what happened to your dad? I know he died, but how?"

She looked away and I could feel her body tense up.

"You don't have to tell me," I told her. "If you don't want to, it's fine."

"No, it's fine. He died of cancer when I was almost four. I don't remember him well and Abby doesn't remember him at all. But she still considers Aidan O'Leary to be her father. And she treats Herb horribly because of that."

"How old was he?"

Anna thought for a minute before replying, "He was about forty."

"How old was your mom when she got married?"

"She was twenty and he was thirty-five. She got married at twenty, had her first child at twenty-one, her second at twenty-four, and was a widow at twenty-five."

"When did she marry Herb?"

"About four years after my dad died," she said. "They had Danny when I was eleven and Kelly when I was thirteen."

I nodded. I was starting to learn more about her and I was amazed by her life story. I looked at her; a thought had just popped into my head. "Wait a minute," I said. "Is your cousin named Liam O'Leary?"

"Uh-huh."

"Is he an accountant in Boston?"

"Yes, why?"

"Last summer I did an internship with an accountant in Boston named Liam O'Leary. That must have been your cousin."

"Yeah, that's him. He's an accountant in Boston."

"He's a really good guy," I said. "I liked him. He took me home to have dinner with his family a couple times."

"Oh, so you got to meet Mira and the kids then?" she asked with a smile. "Their kids are so cute."

"They are. I really liked Thomas; he's so precocious. He acted like he was four going on forty."

"I went to visit them at the beginning of the summer and I had so much fun with all three of the kids. Tommy is five now, Stephen is three, and Andrea is about a year and a half. They're all so cute."

She clearly loved kids; her face just lit up talking about her cousin's kids. I had met them a few times the summer before and they were really cute kids. It was so weird knowing that I'd interned for her cousin the summer before. "I have another question for you," I asked her.

"I might have another answer for you," she replied with a smile.

"Are you Catholic? I know Liam is Catholic and you said that he's your godfather."

She smiled. "Yep, I'm Catholic. My parents decided when I was born to raise me Catholic and Abby Episcopalian and then when my dad died, my mom promised him that she would make sure I was raised Catholic. So one of our neighbors took me to Mass every Sunday and when I got a car, I started driving myself. If you want, I can take you and anyone else who is Catholic to Mass on Sunday."

"Are you serious? That'd be awesome. Jimmy, Mike, Silky, and I all need a way to Mass on Sundays. We've been walking to the student chapel, but I'm not a big fan of that church."

"No one is," she replied. "I'm never liked it. But I've been going to St. Mary Magdalene at 8:45 since the third week of my freshman year of college."

I smiled. "I'll talk to Rizzo, Jimmy, and Silky and let you know who will be coming."

"Sounds good," she said. "I'll probably pick you up between 8:20 and 8:30."

"That works for me."

I'm glad she's Catholic. My parents have raised me Catholic and although I have dated around bit, I know that I want to marry a Catholic woman. I want to marry someone who has the same morals and values as I do. I learned that when I was dating Denise. She was an atheist and while I've met some very nice atheists in my life, we had very different morals. She was okay with premarital sex; I wasn't. Her political opinions fell more on the liberal side of the coin while mine were more conservative.

From what I've learned of her over the past month, Anna had the same morals and values that I had. But she was also very opinionated. Most of her opinions coincided with mine, but she was very stubborn about getting things her way. She was as stubborn as mule, but damn she was beautiful. And I fell asleep dreaming about her.

The next morning, I woke up to find my roommate puking his guts up in the bathroom we shared with Baker and Rammer. Baker and Rammer both seemed to be asleep still, but that was probably only because the door from their room into the bathroom was closed. Rob looked up at me as I stepped inside the bathroom. "Do you need anything?" I asked him.

"Yeah, make my head stop pounding and the room needs to stop spinning," he moaned. "But then I'll be set."

"I'll see what I can do about that," I told him. I felt bad for him, drinking himself into such a state over a girl. I got drunk out of my skull when I broke up with my high school girlfriend, Joanne. We broke up my sophomore year of college when I found her with another guy. I dated Denise during my junior year of college. They were the only serious girlfriends I've ever had. I've had some short-term relationships/flings over the years, but nothing serious.

And now Anna is in the picture. We're not serious or even official. But as I watch my roommate pay homage to the porcelain god I start to realize that she is important to me. Rob doesn't know how he feels about Anna; he has one thing but he thinks he might want more. He's very confused about the whole thing.

But I know what I want. I want to watch her walk down the aisle in a white dress and promise me forever as I promise her forever. I want to watch her become a mother and raise children. I want to share my hopes and dreams and future with her. I want to grow old and deaf with her. I want her in my life forever. All I want is her.

And as I think that, I heard Rob moan, "Please don't tell Anna about this. She wouldn't understand and she'd probably hate me. Just keep this a secret. Please Jack, don't let her know."

"I won't tell her," I promised him.

But when I went down for breakfast and found Anna talking to Johnson and Pav, I realized that she was there last night. She knew what happened.

"So, how's Rob doing this morning?" she asked me as I sat down next to Johnson. "He's probably pretty miserable right now."

I nodded. "Yeah, he's not feeling too well."

"Poor guy," she said. "But maybe he needs to realize that he can't treat people like dirt and expect them to still like him afterwards."

A/N: Okay, so it's a little different, and we don't know yet how Anna feels about all of this. That will come later. But I hope you enjoyed it. Please review!