Hockey Imagines

Cut Or Not? - Jack O'Callahan

"Fuck." Jack hissed as doc moved his knee again. Violet's face contorted into pain for her crying boyfriend, who had just gotten injured in their game against the Soviets. Her hand found his in a comforting gesture.

Doc heard Coach Brooks down the hallway swatting off reporters and left to give him an update. Jack looked up to his girlfriend, who flew down to watch him play live in person throughout the Olympics. His eyes were sad and showed a pained expression after doc left without telling him what would go down for he and his career on the team.

"It'll be alright, Jack." She whispered. Her hands brushed lose hair from his laid down figure. A slight smile grew on his face as he nodded. When the door opened and closed, that look disappeared as his coach walked in.

OC sat up with a pained expression, looking at his coach who sat down at the end of the bed. Violet's hand was on Jack's back to support him so he didn't accidentally use too much pressure on his knee in order to sit up. Herb's face held a stern look as he looked at the injured defenseman. 

"What did doc say?" Jack asked Herb. Herb looked down at his hands and sighed.

"He doesn't know yet." He replied. "He's gonna go with you to the hospital and get a picture of your knee taken." He explained. Jack's face looked as though he was holding back emotions from his coach, which, of course, he was. "Then we'll see." Herb finished.

He walked over to the defenseman on the opposite side of the table than Violet as if he wanted to say something. Though after a moment, he exhaled and patted Jack's shoulder before walking back to the locker room. Once he was gone, OC looked over to his girlfriend with tear filled eyes.

"Oh, Jack." She sighed, hugging the boy close as a few tears left his eyes. 

"What if I can't play with the team? What if Herb cuts me and sends me home?" He frantically asked. "You flew all the way out here to watch me play, not to watch me injure myself and get cut." He groaned, laying back.

Doc walked in a moment later to bring him to the hospital in order to get the pictures taken. Jack looked at Violet with pleading eyes, asking her to come. However, she knew that she couldn't and ran her hands through his hair.

"I can't, baby. But I'll see you when you get back to the house, alright? It'll only be a bit." She told him, kissing his forehead. He sighed and nodded, hugging her tight before letting her go.

Housing

Violet sat on the small couch with the television on some random channel, waiting for Jack to arrive back from the hotel. She had already called her family and wished them goodnight, saying it was around eleven at night. The front door opening knocked her out of her thoughts. Rizzo was revealed opening the door and a figure came in behind him in wooden crutches. 

Jack nodded at his captain in thanks. He nodded back and closed the door. The girl on the couch ran over to him and hugged him very carefully. The boy side and hugged her back as best he could, closing his eyes. 

"Doc said I won't need surgery, but didn't give me an estimated time out." He mumbled. The red head nodded and told him to get ready for bed.

As mentioned, it was eleven at night and he had a rough go of it. He nodded in agreement and went to get changed. Vi sighed at how down Jack seemed. In the ten plus years she'd known him, she'd never seen him this upset. Not counting the '76 loss that he continued to be pissed about even four years later.

The Revelation, on the ice with Jack and Herb

Herb looked out onto the ice and saw Jack standing out there all alone with a blank look. He looked over to Violet, who shrugged and gestured the coach to the ice, walking back to the bus with Mac and Rizzo. 

The coach and hockey player stood in silence for a moment. The silence was broken as Jack began talking.

"Doc said no, right?" He asked gloomily. 

Herb somewhat shrugged. "He said you might be able to go in a week. Maybe two." He answered the young boy in crutches.

Jack looked up and over at his coach. "What if it's two?" He countered.

"Puts me in a tight spot, doesn't it?" Herb replied with a rhetorical question. Jack didn't say anything, just looking forward. "I got twenty guys to think about and they're all looking at me to do what's best."

"I understand, coach." Jack responded. He was waiting for Herb to say the words for him to leave. But then he said something he didn't expect.

"Which is why I'm hanging onto you."

Jack's head shot up to him and he moved his body to face his coach. "I swear to God, Herb, if you're not being serious.." He spoke with an anxious voice.

"I'm only saying this if you promise you won't ask me to play until I tell you.." Herb explained.

"I won't. I mean, I will. I promise you coach." Jack spoke in the most honest tone he could muster.

"'Cause if you do, I'll stick your ass back on an airplane and back to Boston with your girlfriend." Herb said only half jokingly. Jack's signature grin grew quickly onto his face. "Alright, doc's waiting for you." Herb shooed him off.

"Thank you, Herb." Jack smiled. He nodded with a slight smile to the defenseman. "WOOO! OC is playing baby, ha ha!" He yelled loudly throughout the completely empty arena as he worked across the ice on his crutches.

Violet came running out of the bus when she heard yelling. "What happened?" She frantically asked, but calmed down when she saw her boyfriend's massive grin.

"We're stayin' here!" He exclaimed. The two hugged tightly and got back onto the bus.

Soviets vs USA

Jack was sat with doc as he checked out his knee to see how it was doing. The boy only looked up when Coach Patrick began speaking to him.

"You ready?" He asked the player on the makeshift medical bed. Jack looked up at him.

"You serious? Am I playing?" He asked in excitement. Craig shrugged with a big smile.

"Suit up." Jack grinned down at doc, who smiled back up at him. 

Post game

The entire team jumped off the bench, throwing their gloves and helmets across the ice as the final buzzer went off. All of the Americans in the stands were yelling louder than ever, the Soviets and their fans all disappointed. Herb and the Russian coach made eye contact and nodded at each other, the Soviet coach with a slight bit of admiration in his eyes for the American coach.

Violet had made her way down to the locker room doors before the huge fan rush, knowing she'd get her opportunity to celebrate with her boyfriend and his team. It took around an hour and a half, but players eventually began walking out of the hallway leading to the American locker room. When Jack walked out he made a b-line for Violet. The girl smiled and ran into his opened arms, hugging him tight.

"Told you everything would be alright." Vi quoted herself from weeks ago. Jack grinned his goofy grin and held her closer.

"I love you so much, Vi. Thank you for being here." He mumbled into her volumized hair.

"I love you too, OC. I wouldn't miss this for the world." She smiled at the rare vulnerability of her boyfriend.

She was right. From the injury, to beating the Russians, to winning the gold medal against Finland, she was there throughout all of it. He was forever grateful for it, and for Herb for believing in him and never cutting him. Even when his time out was undetermined.

***

I just rewatched Miracle and istg I'mma go on a run with them again

WC: 1329