Miracle On Ice One Shots

For Real (Jack O'Callahan- #17)

Jack loved his team. He loved his boys.

But man, he was getting sick and tired of them telling him to find a girlfriend.

All he wanted to do was kick some Russian ass, go play pro for a few years, and then start his own business. Sometime in there he would find a girl- but at this point in time, all he wanted to do was win gold.

He sat in a diner, glaring down at his black coffee. The weather was starting to turn- it was the middle of September and the famous Minnesotan cold was making its first appearance. He didn't want to go back to the dorms- he knew a lot of the guys' girlfriends were in town as it was a weekend at home for once, which would only add to the stressors on his mind.

A few feet away, a girl stood at the landline, phone pressed to her ear. She was wearing the uniform the other waitresses were wearing, and her curly brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail. Her posture suggested severe annoyance, but it was her words that peaked his interest.

"No, mom. I will not be bringing a boy over for Thanksgiving... No- mom, I just started a PhD program like a month and a half ago. I have a lot on my plate... Yes, I'll still be home for Christmas. I literally live an hour away... No, mom please just drop it. I'll find a nice boy when I have my degree... yeah okay. Alright. Love you- bye." When she hung up the phone, she turned around, grumbling. She didn't even glance at him, and just went over to a table that needed to be cleaned.

Suddenly, a great plan formulated in his mind. He was a genius.

He slid out of the booth and slowly made his way over to her. He didn't want to come across the wrong way- this was purely a business deal. He was good at business.

The girl was gathering plates. Seeing as she was struggling, Jack saw his opportunity. "Here, let me help you with that." He grabbed some of the plates and she glanced at him warily. "Thanks."

They started walking back to the counter. Jack took his chance. "So, I couldn't help but overhear your phone call. Sounds like you're in quite the predicament." She stiffened then turned to face him. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

He smiled at her. "It means that I think we can help each other out here." She went still, and her eyes narrowed at him. "What do you mean?" Oh she was a smart one- he could see the wheels turning in her mind.

"Well you see, I'm on the Olympic hockey team. And the boys keep giving me grief about not having a girl- and I don't really want a girlfriend with the Olympics coming up soon. So, I think we could make some arrangement to get your family, and my team off of our respective backs. It's a win win on both sides. What do you say?" He looked at her, watching her absorb the information. She turned to him. "Why should I trust you? I don't know anything about you."

"Well, the names Jack O'Callahan, and I'm 22, born and raised in Boston. I played at BU for four years, and I'm going to be playing for Chicago next season." She still looked skeptical. "And if I decide to agree to this plan, how can I make sure that you aren't some serial killer that's trying to add me onto the list of his victims?" She had a valid point. She had no reason to trust him. Then he came up with an idea.

"We'll set rules. We don't go anywhere just the two of us. You come to my hockey games, that is, if you're not busy, and then from there, we all hang out with the boys. We usually go out to celebrate after games. And if we don't, you can drive me back to my car. That's the full extent of our being alone." She raised her eyebrows, contemplating his words.

"Fine. But I get to tell my roommates so that someone at least knows where I am. And, you have to come home with me for Thanksgiving. Maybe Christmas. You're here until February?" He nodded his head. "That's perfect. All of the major family events will be passed which means I can just focus on my work instead of my family." He smiled. "So do we have a deal?" He stuck out his hand. She stared at it. "I hope I don't regret this." She said before taking it and giving it a firm shake.