Gabi sat in RBC with her family for game seven. She had a feeling when the series started that it was going to game seven. Eric was nervous, she could tell. She was always could read him like a book and could always read her. Her mom said that was a sign of true love. Gabi didn't know if that was true. She did know that she did believe in true love but whether Eric was her one true love, she still didn't know. Gabi knew that she loved him, she really did but it was hard to get over what happened. She felt like they had to start over and leave the past in the past if they are going to work. In her heart of hearts for them to have a future they have to start over from square one. Gabi didn't trust Eric not to hurt her again and that was the main problem. He had to earn her trust again and that was going to take work.

"Gabs?" Whitney asked shaking her out of her thoughts. "Ready for Game 7?"

Gabi smiled, "As ready as I'll ever be. It all ends tonight. Either the Canes become the champions or they go home empty handed. I don't think I have been this nervous for Eric since he was drafter three years ago. Not knowing if he'd go to Pittsburgh or Carolina or somewhere else. It was nerve wrecking and this is worse. I can't imagine what Eric is going through right now."

"He threw up this morning," Jordan interjected. "Eric was a bundle of nerves."

Gabi nodded her eyes scanning the ice as the teams hit the ice. To say that Eric was a bundle of nerves, wasn't right, Eric is a bundle of nerves was better. She could see it from where they were sitting. He was focused though. Focused on the task at hand. At this point nothing matter to him but finishing this game with a win, and bring the cup to Thunder Bay or at least that is what Gabi thought. If anyone asked Eric, he would say that there was one thing that matter more to him than winning the cup, and that was winning Gabi back but she didn't know that. She closed her eyes and took a deep breathe as the puck was dropped.

"And Game seven starts," Jordan said with a smile. "I hope I never have to a part of a game 7. I'd never want that pressure."

"That's if you make it to the finals in the first place," Whitney chipped in. "Or an NHL team for that matter. Just because you get drafted doesn't mean you'll actually play in the NHL."

"Jordy will play in the NHL, Whit. I see him going either second or third this draft. Depending on if Shero goes for Toews or not," Gabi said shushing her sister. Now wasn't the time to their tit for tat. "Jordan is a good player, and he might fight into what Shero is looking for. A center that can play both ways. He has Crosby and Malkin that are great offensive forwards and can play some pretty good defense but Jordy has that big 6'4 body that can block shots and kill penalty time. So maybe Shero sees that and takes him. Either way I think he will play some good minutes his first season in the NHL."

Jordan smiled, "Thanks Gabs. You have always believed in me."

"It's what friends do, Jordy. We build each other up," She gave him a hug. "I love you, Jolly Green Giant."

"I love you too, Gabs. You were always the sister I never had but kinda always wanted," Jordan said with a smile.

Not much was said for the rest of the game. Aaron Ward scored first for the Canes then Frantisek Kaberle, so the Hurricanes were up 2-0 going into the third period. Twenty minutes separated them and the cup, something that all hockey players have been dreaming of doing since they were little boys playing make believe game sevens on the ice in their backyard. During the third Fernando Pisani scored cutting the lead in half and it stayed that way for a while. With under a minute to go the Oilers pulled the goalie. Gabi stood seeing Eric get a pass from Bret Hedican and smiled when Eric passed the puck to Justin Williams and watched it slide across the goal line to score and with that goal the Canes went up 3-1 which was the finale score. The Hurricanes had done it, they had won the cup. Eric had done what he had dreamed of since he was a little boy and he had done it on home ice in front of thousands of Canes fans. Cam had become the first rookie goalie to win the cup since Patrick Roy. If he didn't get the Conn Smythe Trophy then he was robbed.

Gabi headed down to go on the ice with the Staals and her parents and watched as Bettman came out to give the cup to Rod and smiled bigger with Cam was announced as the Conn Smythe winner. The biggest smile was saved for when Justin Williams handed the cup to Eric. As he lifted it over his head and gave Lord Stanley a kiss, she smiled thinking of all the times they talked about what it would be like for him to win the cup and now that day had come and nothing could describe how she felt watching him with the cup for the first time. Gabi let his family get their moment with him and she stood to the side watching him hug each of his family members. As soon as he had hugged everyone, he came over to her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"You did it Eric," Gabi said with a smile. "You are a Stanley Cup Champion! I'm so proud of you."

Eric smiled, "Thanks Elle. I still can't believe it. I don't know if I will ever fully believe it!"

Gabi smiled up at him, her breath caught in her throat when her blue-green eyes met his caramel brown eyes. She slowly backed away from him not wanting to get caught up in the moment with him. Eric nodded understanding what was going on and then skated away to go back to celebrating with his team. Gabi let out a shaky breath. At that moment she knew that being alone with Eric was not a good idea right now. She said goodnight to everyone and headed back to the hotel, she needed to collect her thoughts. Tomorrow began the task of rebuilding the friendship between Eric and her and there was a lot of things they still needed to talk about. For one she wanted to know about what he did the summers she wasn't at home, what was so bad that he had everyone promise not tell her. Right now, Gabi would let him celebrate his win with his family and teammates and she would get some sleep. It had been a long couple of days, seven games. Monday, June 19, 2006 would always be one the best days of their lives. You only win the Stanley Cup for the first time once and that is special.

Notes