[3133 words, ready for grading]

note: Part 2 of what is by far my longest narrative piece ever (almost 5700 words total). Enjoy (and in particular this is one you'll want to read to the end)!

Index of all previous chapters

Jamie held up her work to the light, examining it closely. This had to be done perfectly, and every little detail was scrutinized. Her artist's eye was more critical than any layperson would be with the same object, and this item would hopefully last a long time. She'd been working on the project in secret for a couple months now, sneaking away to her studio when she wasn't spending time with Sophie. While this wasn't her first time making something like this, it was the first one that would be this significant to her, and so every hour spent working on it was a labour of love. With a tool in her hand, she applied the last touches to her artwork before once again inspecting it carefully. The warm light of the studio reflected off her work beautifully as she turned it in her hand. Just one step now, one trip to a professional, and it would be ready to go.

~~~

The Quebec City Citadelles' opponent in this Four Star Cup finals series would perhaps be the only team in the league that had faced a more difficult road than they had to get there: the Maine Timber. They'd come back from a 3-0 series deficit against one of the best teams in the league in Nevada to make the finals, and had been through the wildcard round as well. They boasted a deep lineup and were riding a lot of momentum. Mando Lorian had put up the second-most goals in the regular season with 46 and the Timber were getting lots of goals from several players. On the Citadelles' side, Portgas D. Ace and Sophie Bordeleau were leading the team with a strong one-two punch. With both teams having strong momentum coming into the series from improbable comebacks, it was anyone's guess as to which team would be coming into the series with more bite. The first game of the series showed just how much of a roller-coaster ride this series would be. Despite Maine scoring first, the Citadelles' explosive offense struck back and was leading 4-1 by the end of the second period. The original starter for the Timber through the season, Isabella Bouchard, had been benched during the comeback against Nevada but was back in the net. The third period was an exercise in heart palpitations as each team scored four goals and any semblance of defense went completely out the window. Sophie herself was quiet with just an assist, but while there were things that could and needed to be cleaned up for the rest of the series it was good to get a win. After an emotional win at home just to make it to the finals, this game was an opportunity to get the adrenaline out of their system and get back to playing the game they were used to.

The next game at home was more subtle for the two teams, as the excitement of the comebacks in the semifinals was wearing out of their systems and the teams settled into a tight chess match. The Timber jumped out to a quick lead with two goals 19 seconds apart in the first period, but having already faced tough situations several times over the Citadelles were better able to bounce back from this. Quebec did their best to keep pace, but early in the third period they found themselves once again in a 4-2 hole but with much less time than before left to come back. This time, Jack St. Clair was the one to step up, scoring two goals with the help of his line to get the game back to even, but it ultimately fell just short as Maine scored early in overtime to even the series. Heading across the border to continue the finals, Game 3 was where Sophie's line really showed up to play for the first time in this series. In a high-scoring affair, Ace scored a hat trick and added two assists, Sophie had a goal and three assists, and Tam Kove had a goal and two assists on the way to an 8-3 rout. The Citadelles played their game and focused on a speedy, high-octane offense and the Timber just weren't able to keep up, and for a moment it seemed like Quebec had found their blueprint to win.

However, Game 4 would be more of the same roller-coaster nature that had been the epitome of this exciting Four Star Cup championship battle. Playing a critical game to keep pace, the Timber scored a goal in the first period, then added two quick goals early in the second to take an early 3-0 lead. In their resilience, the Quebec players struck back with two quick goals of their own to bring it back within a goal, keeping everyone in the rink and watching at home on their toes in this series where momentum could shift on a dime. Maine would restore their three-goal edge in the third period, but another quick brace of goals by the Citadelles brought it back to a 5-4 game. Unfortunately, they just ran out of time and weren't able to draw even as the series shifted back to Quebec City. It would be a best-of-three to decide the Four Star Cup, and for a playoff year that had been so chaotic a winner-take-all match seemed like the only way this could really end.

In a series that had produced games where the balance of energy could shift on a dime, Game 5 was completely as advertised. The game got off to a rough start when the Citadelles made a bad turnover on their power play, leading to a shorthanded game-opening goal by Mando Lorian that gave Maine an early lead. They would get that goal back when Ace finished off a pretty passing play from Sophie and Tam, but almost right away Maine added another goal to take the lead back. In this matchup no lead seemed to be safe or comeback necessarily successful, and the game went into the third period with the home team down 2-1. The difference by this point is that Quebec was used to playing down a goal and coming back; they'd been doing it the entire playoffs. Tommy Thompson got the home crowd back in it with the tying goal almost halfway through the period, and from there both teams settled into a deadlock, neither one wanting to make the mistake that would give the other the game. With two minutes left to go, Jack St. Clair took a costly penalty for hooking and the apprehension within the arena could be felt. Halfway through the penalty kill, though, the Citadelles caught a break. A shot was blocked and allowed for a chip play up the boards, which was bumped up to Tam Kove who was at full speed on a breakaway. He took a second, lined up his shot, and took it, watching it squirt through the five-hole of the Timber goalie. With a minute left in the game, the Citadelles had their first lead. Maine had to pull their goalie to try and even it up, and in the 6-on-4 situation the puck ended up on Sophie's stick and she was able to put the game away. The win went to Quebec, and all they had to do was win one game to enter the annals of SMJHL history.

Of course, they weren't there yet, and going back to the road team's stadium to try and close out a series is something that's always difficult. Getting dressed in the room before Game 6, there was certainly a sense of anticipation among the team, but for Sophie she tried to stay level and she knew the other veterans were probably doing the same. She'd been taught to act like she'd been in these situations before, and the "A" on her chest reflected what she needed to do. Two previous trips to the Four Star Cup finals that had ended in sadness had tempered her expectations, and for tonight she hoped the third time would be the charm. Once again, however, the first period didn't go Quebec's way as the Citadelles found themselves in a two-goal hole before the first period was over. Jack St. Clair did manage to fire in a goal to cut the deficit in half, but Maine just kept pressing and by the end of the second period the score was 4-1, including a goal just eight seconds from the end of the period. The mood of the team that filed into the locker room after the second period was markedly different from that of the team that had entered the game. There was a sense of exhaustion, and the Citadelles showed it in the third period when they put just five shots on goal in the final 20 minutes to finish out a lackluster loss with no further scoring. The series was tied, and it would all come down to one game back in Quebec City.

Though this series seemed destined for a Game 7 since the start, there was still a sense of apprehension in the team and arena. The last period of the third period had lacked their usual against-all-odds attitude, and the hope was that the team could shake it off and get back to playing Quebec City Citadelles hockey. The Timber once again scored the first goal 11 minutes into the game, but Quebec was able to quickly strike back on a Hunter Havok goal to tie it less than a minute later and then scored again late in the first period to take a 2-1 lead into the intermission. The shots were slightly in favour of the Timber, but the defense had held up so far. The Citadelles trooped back out to the ice for the second period, optimistic that they could continue to play their game and bring home the Four Star Cup. And then it all fell apart. It started with a bad bounce that led to the tying goal against, dampening the excitement of the crowd somewhat. A few minutes later, the Timber scored again to take a one-goal lead, but this hadn't been an issue for this team before and the fans were confident they could get it back. But for a watchful eye observing the Quebec bench, it could be seen that the players were simply out of gas. They'd been playing from behind almost the entire playoffs, and it seemed they had just run out of comebacks. Maine quickly added two more goals, then another later in the second period, and the arena was simply silent at this point. Their beloved Citadelles, a team that had overcome every obstacle in their path, had run out of energy at the most agonizing time possible. When the horn mercifully blew to end the second period and the team got to the locker room, nobody spoke up. They were simply shocked.

~~~

The locker room sat in stunned silence. Sophie had taken off her jersey and shoulder pads and was simply sitting at her locker stall, still wearing her hockey pants and lower gear, staring down at her feet. The biggest game of the year, and they'd been embarrassed. 9-2. The score hurt to even think about. Four seasons, three trips to the Four Star Cup finals, and Sophie and her team had come up short every single time. Beside her, her teammates were all doing the same agonizing ritual of thinking about every moment of the game. What if a breakaway by her or someone else had gone in earlier in the series or the game? What if they'd been able to win Game 6? All of these thoughts rushed to the surface, competing for attention to intrude into Sophie's consciousness. Despite this, she simply felt numb. The Citadelles had consistently won during her time in Quebec City, making it to the finals three times, and she was headed to the SHL with nothing tangible to show for it. Her drive home was silent, and after a shower she simply fell asleep with turbulent dreams of what could have been. 

Sophie spent the first couple days after the loss in shock. She did her best to remember to eat and take care of herself, but for the most part she was quiet and withdrawn, spending more time in her apartment. Jamie tried to get her girlfriend to open up, but for the most part she didn't push the issue too much and was happy to spend whatever time was needed with her girlfriend. Neither of them worked regular hours, after all, and thus they could afford to take time to focus on their needs as a pair. After so long on the road with her team, Sophie was happy to to be home for the summer with someone who loved her so deeply, and the feeling was mutual and helped lift the cloud around the apartment. Soon a few weeks had passed, and the storm was definitely clearing. Sophie had signed a lucrative contract extension with San Francisco which would provide some stability for her long-term plans. The couple were preparing for their big cross-country move, and cardboard boxes were a permanent fixture in the apartment during the summer. In between summer training and other work, the pair took many walks along the riverside in Quebec City and chatted about anything and everything with a learned ease. Seeing the look on Jamie's eyes when her girlfriend laughed at a terrible joke or the sparkle on her face when she talked about her art, Sophie felt like she had everything she needed to be happy right here.

The IIHF tournament this year was taking place in Prague, and one of the toughest parts of these tournaments in past years had always been Sophie having to leave Jamie behind, even it was just for a few weeks. This year, the pair decided to change it up and travel together since Jamie had never been to Europe, and it was an enjoyable trip for both of them. Sophie was feeling more comfortable on the international ice this year and was hoping that her jump in points in the SMJHL would translate over to representing her adoptive represented country, but this year it was not to be. The Latvian side struggled with a 2-8-2 record in this tournament, missing the playoffs, and Sophie only scored one goal to boot. Off the ice, however, the trip was wonderful. The pair took some time after the end of the tournament to visit the old European cities they'd always talked about seeing, taking walks through Prague, Rome, Paris and other cities and marveling at the scenery. Even with the disappointments of the Four Star Cup finals and the IIHF tournament, Sophie felt nothing but love and gratitude at having the opportunity to spend time in such a historic place with the most important person in her life.

One day with a few weeks to go before the big move, the pair had gone out for an evening dinner back in Quebec City and were then walking back along the river to return to their apartment. They were talking about the meal they'd shared, laughing about the memories from their trip, reminiscing about old anecdotes. It was a peaceful and calming time, and soon they were passing by the lights of the Citadelle on their way back. As the two stopped near a bench and looked up at the historic site where so much had happened, Sophie's phone buzzed. She dug it out of her bag to see that the alert was a message from Jamie. "Why are you texting me? I'm right he-" she started, but as she turned back around her words were cut off by the sight of the woman on one knee in the dim evening light. Sophie gasped and brought her hands to her mouth in surprise as Jamie pulled a small box from her purse. "I...you..." she could just barely stumble out before her partner began. "The first time I saw you, I was so drawn to your energy, but you were so cool and all I wanted to be able to do was talk to you. Then we met, and then we became friends, and then we became girlfriends, and then we became so much more than that. The last five years have been the happiest of my life, and I can't imagine having gone through it with anyone but you. I love you, and every single day that we get to be together is the best day of my life. I want to spend every day of the rest of my life loving you," Jamie said with a look of pure admiration straight into her partner's eyes. "Sophie Bordeleau, will you marry me?" The taller woman simply nodded as tears began to flow down her cheeks. "Yes, yes, it's always yes. I love you," she managed to get out before pulling her now-fiancée in for a hug and a kiss. Sophie lifted up her hand for Jamie to gently slide the handmade ring onto her finger, the jewel glittering with the light. 

They were so enamored with each other, they didn't see the two figures stepping outside of the shadows with faces hidden by the darkness. Jamie was the first to notice their presence, and turned to them excitedly. "Did you get it all?" she said with a smile. The taller figure nodded and waved their hand, revealing something they were holding. At last Sophie could identify the figures, and her hands went to her mouth again in a gasp as she saw the smiling faces of her parents revealed. "Bon soir, ma chérie," her mother said as the two embraced. "We're so happy for both of you," her father chipped in. "Jamie approached us months ago and asked for our blessing, and though your answer is the only one that matters we were happy to give it," he continued. "You two make each other better every day, we can all see it. We're so proud of you for the woman you've become," her father finished as Sophie's parents embraced her. "And I made the ring!" burst out Jamie with a smile on her face, unable to resist her pride at her own handiwork. That got a chuckle from the assembled group, but Sophie simply smiled. "It's beautiful. I love you," she gushed. The happy silence was broken by her father, who placed a loving hand on her shoulder. "Come on, let's go home," he said warmly. As the group walked off into the night, Sophie felt only love for her family who had raised her and for the woman who would be her wife.

~~~

N.B. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I really wanted to get this one right, especially the last section. I knew I wanted to finish off the SMJHL arc with them taking the next step, and mulled for quite a while over how to write it to flow smoothly.