Megan sighed and buried her head in her hands a few weeks later. They had just come off a tough loss to the Sharks in San Jose and she was tired. She felt Val rubbing her shoulder and smiled. He did this a lot, especially when she was upset. "You okay, squirt", he asked. Megan looked up at him. "I'm just tired. You know I haven't been sleeping well since…" "Since David left", Val finished her sentence. Megan's phone rang just then and, with a nervous glance at Val, took it out into the hallway. "Hello?" "MEGAN! I HAVE SOME WONDERFUL NEWS FOR YOU", her mom yelled. Megan pressed her phone closer to her ear. "I'm listening", she said. "When I took dad to the hospital, there was a Christian family there. When they found out, they told me they were going to pray for him. Well, yesterday, when I went to see him, the doctor said that HE HAD NO SIGNS OF CANCER LEFT". Megan nearly dropped her phone in joy and relief. "Oh, mom, that's the best news I've ever heard. I… I can't describe how I'm feeling right now", she said, tears forming in her eyes. They talked for several more minutes before hanging up. Megan wiped at her eyes before heading back into the locker room. Val was looking at her with concern on his face, but Megan smiled and sat down at her locker. Val touched her hand. "Meg", he said. Megan turned to look at him, her eyes wet with tears and a smile on her face. "Val, you have to hear this", she said, proceeding to tell him what had happened. Val hugged her tightly when she finished. "That is a miracle, Meg, a pure miracle", he said.
Megan covered her mouth with her hand as she made her way to the team bus with Val, unable to stop the laughter. "I bet he was so mad", she said, still giggling. "He was. Didn't speak to me for three days after that", her line-mate replied, reaching over and ruffling her hair. Suddenly, Megan froze. Leaning on a flag pole near the bus was her ex-boyfriend David. Val placed a hand on her shoulder and she swallowed. "I thought I'd find you here, Meg", David said, walking towards her. Megan scowled and Val gave him a glare. David seemed to notice the hand Val had placed on Megan's shoulder. "Get your hands off my girl", he growled. At those words Megan grew angry. "I'm not your girl anymore, David. And even if I was, Val is like a brother to me, so it's a brotherly gesture", she said in an icy tone. David narrowed his eyes and stood in front of her before pulling her out of Val's grasp. "No, you are my girl. I'm taking you back", he said, lightly touching her face. Megan felt the anger run through her veins. She brought her hand up and smacked him hard across the face. "NO! I'm not your girl and I never will be again. You walked out on me, David, when I was scared and sad. You walked out on me when I needed you", she said, her tone making it clear that she was disgusted with him. David sighed. "I know. It was a big mistake on my part. I want you back". Megan shook her head. "No, David, I'm afraid you're going to have to find someone else. I'm done with you", she said. David's face grew red and Megan knew he was growing angry. "I'm leaving now. Be warned: I will find you and take you back as my girlfriend", he said, smiling in satisfaction at the look of horror on Megan's face. The young forward felt someone's hand on her shoulder and before she knew it Val had her ex-boyfriend pinned against the flag pole. "Don't ever threaten her again. I can definitely see why she doesn't want you as her boyfriend. Most boys that I know of wouldn't have walked out on their girlfriends like that, especially when they're upset. You could see that she was sad; you could see that she was crying, but did you care? No, you're one of those boys who can stand being a boyfriend only when times are good. When times are bad, you're out of there. Boyfriends are supposed to be boyfriends and friends are supposed to be friends in good and bad times", Val said through clenched teeth. He pushed David away from him. "Now, do you want to leave on your own or should my teammate (he waved a hand towards Nick, who was standing behind Megan) make you leave", he asked. David looked from Val to Nick to Megan and he scowled and walked away. Megan was near tears and had to swallow hard to stop them from coming. She felt Val wrapping her into a hug and started crying. "Shh, it's okay", Val said. His arm went around her shoulder and he led her to the bus, Nick right behind them. Later, when they were on the plane, Megan thanked Val for what he did. "He deserved that talking-to. That guy is an absolute jerk", Val replied. Megan soon felt her eyes closing and tried to force them open. Nick and Val grinned at her efforts. "That's one battle you're going to lose, Meg. Just go to sleep", Nick said. Megan made a face at her teammate, but agreed and was soon fast asleep.