The Best is Yet to Come

Nicole's P.O.V.

I waved goodbye to my dad as he drove away in a cab to the airport. I was going to miss him, the next time I'd probably see him was at the end of the season.

I smiled sadly and walked back to the Canada house. I ran up to my room knowing I was on a time crunch, I went up and slipped on my Määttä shirt, then my hoodie. I headed down to the village and walked, more like ran, over to the Bolshoy ice dome.

The puck had just dropped as I walked into the arena. I found Mrs. Maatta and sat down.

"Hi sweetheart. Congrats on the gold." She smiled at me.

"Hi, thank you."

She quickly hugged me and then turned her attention back to the game in front of us. As soon as Olli hopped onto the ice she grabbed my hand nervously and squeezed the life out of it.

Finland struck first, and as the game went on it was clear that the Finns had the game in the bag. They were up 4-0 in the third and then Olli receive the puck in the slot and wound up and shot. The bullet of a puck zipped past Quick and went top shelf.

"Ya!" I jumped up and cheered with half of the arena.

"That's my boy!" Mrs. Maatta beamed.

"He's gonna win a bronze medal." I told Mrs. Maatta.

She didn't say anything, she just smiled and tears of joy welled up in her eyes. I placed my arm around her shoulder and pulled her into my body.

We sat back down and waited for the final buzzer to sound, when it finally did we jumped up and cheered, and smiled. I couldn't believe it, my little Olli just won an Olympic medal.

"Here come with me." I grabbed he hand and lead her down towards the ice.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"To see our bronze medal winner." I answered simply.

She didn't respond, she just followed me as I lead her down to glass level. I quick showed my pass and then we walked around to the where the guys come off.

"You know he won this for you." Mrs. Maatta said just as the guys with the medals walked out.

"Olli? He won this for me?" I questioned.

"Yes. He figured since he's dating a gold medal winner he should have at least a bronze medal." I blushed at her words, "he couldn't stop talking last night at dinner about how proud he wanted to make you."

"God he's such a sweetheart." I laughed, "you know he could have come in last in whole tournament and I'd still be proud of him."

"Yes. But he also wanted a reason to celebrate with you tonight." She winked at me.

I practically choked at her words, "he told you that?"

"No. But it was implied."

Just then Olli's name was called and he received his medal. The two of us girls cheered and clapped, proud of him.

The boys started to head off the ice and Olli saw us and stepped to the side we told him how proud we were of him and he told us (quietly) that he loved both of us.

Mrs. Maatta and I headed up to the lobby area and waited for him to come up. She asked more questions about our love life which I answered happily. She was much easier to talk to than my mom, and she had a since of humor that I fell in love with.

Olli came up and we congratulated him, each of us giving him a hug.

The rest of the day the three of us walked around the Olympic village and ended up watching some speed skating.

I kissed him goodbye as he was going to dinner with his mom and I was going to go back to the Canada house, get changed and then go to the men's gold medal game with the girls team.

The gold medal game had the outcome everybody expected. And by that Canada scored three goals form Tazer, Sid and Kuni, meanwhile Carey had an outstanding game with a shutout.

By the end of the night we all stood there shoulder to shoulder singing our beautiful national anthem, and in that moment I didn't feel like I just won that gold for the team, I won it for my country.

I got a text from Olli that read 'tell Sid and Kuni congrats. Meet me at the Finn house in 20'

'Will do. See ya in 20 ;)' was my response.

I excused myself and told Brianne I'd be back at the room later.

I made my way to the Finland house and made my way up to Olli's room. I knocked on the door and he answered and pulled me into the room, and into his arms.

"I am so proud of you." He mumbled into my mouth.

"Me too." I said taking his shirt off him, "your roommates not coming back is he?" I asked as he stripped me of my Canada hoodie.

"No. He promised he'd be gone until maybe 2 am." He told me undoing his belt buckle.

He pulled his jeans down and kicked them off and pushed me aggressively onto his bed. We made out until I decided I wanted to be on top and rolled over and onto the floor. We landed with a thud and started laughing.

"I think we should stay here." I smiled.

"Ya." He mumbled into my skin.

***

"That was the best we've ever done." I panted.

"Ya, defiantly. I hate to kick you out, but it's like midnight." He said as he started playing with my belly ring with his fingers.

"Ok. But walk me down. I'm not doing the walk of shame by myself." I told him getting up and slipping my jeans on.

"Ok, deal. But only if we can pick this up when we get back in Pittsburgh."

"Ok. Fine."

We got dressed and I fixed my makeup that as smudged from sweating, and Olli walked me down to the front door. He faired me a goodbye and I walked away from the house with a mile on my face.

I got maybe 100 feet from the building and my phone buzzed.

*one new text from Olli*

'I love you.' It read.

I smiled and replied, 'I love you too.'

The Olympics ended and the closing ceremony was bitter sweet. I was happy that the Olympics ended so I could get back to some normalcy but I also liked having a team full of girls, it was more fun than I thought it be.

We arrived in Pittsburgh and some guys were happy about the Olympics but Geno sure was down about it. He went to his home country and didn't even medal, and sadly it showed in his game. Plus Paul broke his wrist, that's what sucks the most. He went to Sochi to try and win a gold medal, but he come back with no medal and an injury, I really felt bad for the guy.

We played our first game back in the Burgh against the Canadians and lost 6-5 in a shootout. We just brushed it off and then paid for it in practice the next day.

I was looking forward to the stadium series game against Chicago, it was going to be amazing. I could just tell.

We arrived for the Saturday night game on the Friday before and I wanted to be a total tourist so I went around and explored the city. And by explore I mean I went for a run to help burn off the remaining jet-lag I was suffering from flying home from Russia.

I ran for about an hour before I decided to slow down to a walk and really take in the city. It wasn't snowing yet, but it was really cold. I loved running in the cold.

I was walking Soldier Field when I felt somebody walk up next to me.

"Hey gorgeous how are you-" he said before I turned to him.

"Kaner?" I questioned.

"St. Claire?" He said in shock.

"Ya. What was that about gorgeous?" I smirked.

"Ya. Sorry I didn't know it was you." He blushed, "this is awkward."

"Yes. Yes it is." I laughed, "well I'd love to stay and chat but I'm gonna finish my run. Good luck tomorrow, you'll need it."

"What ever." He laughed as I started to run again.

I ran back to my hotel and found Olli asleep on his bed. I had to laugh at his shirtless gangly yet muscular frame sprawled across the bed.

I let him sleep and hopped in the shower. The water must have woken him up because when I was done I walked to my bed in nothing but a towel and the TV was on and Olli was watching some documentary on WWII.

"You're such a nerd." I laughed at him.

"Ya. I am." He admitted.

"But you're a cute nerd." I smiled as I kissed his cheek.

Before I could pull away he grabbed my face and pulled me down on top of his.

"I have to get dressed." I stopped him.

"No. I'd be ok if you were naked."

"Ya, but the NHL would probably frown on me playing hockey naked."

"They'd get better ratings." He smirked.

"You are such a perv." I laughed at him swatting his chest, he just blushed.

I went and changed into my everyday T-shirt and sweats. I climbed into the same bed as him and snuggled into his bare chest. After a while between his breathing, steady heart beat and scent I slowly drifted to sleep.

I woke up the next morning in the same bed but I was on my stomach and Olli's head was resting on my back and his legs were hanging off the bed. I moved so I could get ready for the family skate today before the game and that woke him up.

"Good morning gorgeous." He said his voice rough with sleep.

"Good morning." I responded as I sat up and the edge of the bed and stretched.

He came up behind me and started placing small kisses all along my neck, shoulders and back.

"We have to get going." I said even though I didn't really want him to stop.

We arrived at Solider Field and practiced then we had the family skate. It was really fun and I ended up skating around talking with Emily Glass and Sawyer.

We were throwing a football around and I impressed the guys yet again with my sports skills.

"Ok Nic I have a question." Tanner said, "you kicked ass with baseball, you run like everyday, you have a beaut of a spiral, and you play hockey. What aren't you good at?"

I thought about it for a minute, "Umm soccer." I laughed.

"Fair enough."

We went back to the hotel and I took my pre game nap before We headed back to the stadium for the game.

The game really sucked. Not only did we get hammered 5-1 but the weather was terrible. You couldn't keep your eyes open and it was freezing, and the puck moved 3 times slower than usual.

After the game we got on a plane back home right away. The ride was uncomfortable and quiet, that's probably the only way I can explain it.

Olli and I went back to my apartment and I was still freezing cold, even 5 hours after the game.

"Come shower with me." I told Olli pulling him to my bathroom.

"But we already showered at the stadium." He said looking confused.

"I know. I'm still cold and I want to warm up in the shower with you." I pulled him into a hug.

"Ok." He smiled at me.

We stripped each other out of your outfits and I turned on the shower before we both got in. We didn't do anything we just stood there and I had my head in the crook of his neck and he was drawing small shapes on my back. After maybe 20 minutes I decided I was warm enough and turned off the shower.

Olli and I silently got dressed and I crawled into bed while he went to the kitchen to get something.

He came back to the bedroom with a cup of hot chocolate for each of us.

"Thank you." I said before taking a sip of the hot liquid.

"You're welcome." He smiled before he took a sip of his drink, "I'm sorry we lost."

"It's not your fault."

"I know. I just know you wants to win really bad."

I took his cup out of his hand and set it on the floor, as I didn't have any night stands.

I rolled over and straddled his lap and he looked up at my smile a smile, and placed his hands oh my hips.

"Do you love me?" I whispered.

"Of course." He said quietly.

Notes