{ZACH'S POV}

I sat at my locker getting ready for practice when Travis came in and threw his duffle bag down angrily on the bench. I watched as he violently ripped open the zipper and seemed to be tearing through the bag. After a few minutes and seemingly not finding what he needed, he sat down and sighed. I looked around the locker room and saw several of our teammates were looking at him, but nobody seemed to want to risk getting their heads bit off.

"Everything alright man?" I asked cautiously, looking over at him as I tied my skate.

Believe me I didn't want to get my head bit off by Travis Zajac either. But I seemed to be the only one with balls enough to ask him.

"Ally and I are well....... Just everything seems to be falling apart you know?" he asked on a sigh.

"What's going to with you and Al?" I asked.

"I should be the one asking the questions?" Travis chuckled slightly, but without humor.

"Woah man, I'm not sure what your talking about." I replied worriedly.

"Oh nothing like that. It's just well....... Ok I'll just come out and say it. Alisha came over the other and let out all of your news to us. If you know what I mean?" he asked, glancing around the locker room to make sure no one else was listening.

I looked around to and noticed that almost everyone had left the locker room. Their were a few stragglers left behind, including one Ryan Carter. I had been making a point of stealing clear of him off the ice, since the other day outside his and Maddi's house. Just the thought of [i]them having a house together turned my stomach. Now I'm starting to think this is how Maddi must feel when she see's Alisha and I together.[/i] It's not that I didn't think Ryan wasn't a good person, I mean I'm sure he was. Wait no stratch that I knew what Ryan was and had since College days, even back to our Pre-teen days when this whole rivalry started. Even Travis knew Ryan's reputation.

But on the ice and at practice I made the effort to get along with him. I had too, for the teams sake. Or coach would have my head and serve it on a platter. I mean at least he was a half decent player when he got on the ice.

"Man are you even listening to me?" Travis asked, smacking me on my shin guards with his stick.

"Yeah sorry man. Just got distracted for a moment thinking," I replied, standing up and heading out to the ice.

Once I got onto the ice I started stretching and skating around the ice.

"So what are you going to do about Ava? How did Maddi take the news? Did you all get something worked out?" Travis asked, skating up to me.

"No we didn't get anything worked out. I want to get to know my daughter. I mean I feel like I've missed out on so much of her life already. You know what I mean? I mean a part of me feels jilted that I've missed so many years. That some way she could have let me know. There's just so much I don't know about Avalon, that I want to know. And I did go over to talk to Maddison, in fact I went over the day I found out the results. Because my dad and Jordan were already over there, but unfortunately I didn't get the chance to talk to her. Someone wouldn't let me speak with her," I said, my eyes flicking over to Ryan Carter. Travis followed my line of vision and nodded in response.

"Look man I know you feel like you were wronged in this situation and I can't even imagine what your feeling right now. So I really can't say I understand, but just know this there were a lot of circumstances keeping you from knowing and not just one. Just take advantage of the situation you've been given and get to know that little girl," Travis replied.

"Yeah I'm going to get to know her. I was thinking of maybe seeing if Maddison would..... Do you think Maddi would let Ava spend the night with me?" I asked, looking over at Travis.

"I don't know man," he replied, making a face at the thought.

"What you think she'd really keep my daughter from me now? Now that I know?" I asked turning on him, I could feel myself starting to get angry.

"No..... No..... Nonononononono man that's not what I meant," he replied hurriedly, his eyes going wide at what he said. " I just meant have you seen how protective of Avalon, Maddison is? She goes into protective momma bear. Plus I don't think Maddison has ever let Avalon go somewhere overnight without her."

"Well I'll just have to get her to change her mind about that, won't I?" I asked, smirking at him.

"Look Zach man, you know we've known each other for a long time. I'm glad you want to get to know Ava, and like I said its about time you knew she was yours. But with that being said I really think you need to think about this. Now before you argue with me, you've to remember there are other circumstances, other people going to be effected by this. What about Alisha? What about Mariann and Michael?" he asked, looking at me seriously.

"Alisha's not going to be a problem for much longer...... Plus it wouldn't really matter what she thought anyways on the matter.... That's my daughter..... With Mariann and Michael well I don't think there should be much of a problem. I mean I'm going to have to explain to them what is happening. Plus anyways Mari already gets along with Ava, their like best friends or something. And well Michael, well he's Michael," I sighed.

Travis was about to say something else, but coach interrupted him by blowing his whistle. We all gathered around and listened as coach gave his little speech and than split all of us into two scrimmage teams. After that we broke apart into our teams and did a little more stretching and warming up. During the scrimmage for some reason Ryan Carter was gunning for me, he tried to slam me into the boards more than once. But I quickly side stepped and and watched as he through himself into the boards. After the seventh time I had got feed up with it, I turned and faced him and shoved him with my stick.

"Hey man what is your problem?" I snapped at him.

"You are," he snapped back with a sneer.

I narrowed my eyes at him. I was about two seconds away from dropping my gloves and going at it with a teammate.

"PARISE..... CARTER..... KNOCK THAT SHIT OFF AND GET BACK TO WORK," Coach yelled at us, breaking up our staring contest.

After our long never ending practice I rushed back to the locker room and got cleaned up as fast as I could. I was one of the first ones out of there today, which was unusual for me considering I was usually one of the last people out. But I needed to get out of there before I knocked out Ryan Carter's lights out.

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After leaving practice I went and picked up lunch and waisted some time just wondering around trying to think of away to get Maddison to let Avalon stay the night with me. Also to waist sometime before I had to pick up the twins from school. I finally came up with something as I felt a smirk form on my face. I just hope it worked, you never knew with Maddi. It could end up backfiring on me. When I finally got to the school I took a deep breath and headed in.

Walking down the kindergarten hallway I saw several parents wave and smile at me. I leaned against the wall outside my kids classroom and heard some giggling and whispering a little ways down from me. I mentally rolled my eyes at the women standing a little ways down from me trying to whisper behind their hands. Which obviously wasn't trying very hard since I could hear them. Don't get me wrong I don't mind the fans or giving a autograph every now and than. But there are just times and places that get on my nerves when people try and get it. [i][b]Like now, at my kids school, when I'm trying to get my kids.[/i][/b]

Finally the bell rang rang signaling the end of school and the doors to classrooms started opening. I pushed off the wall and entered my kids classroom. Mariann saw me first and had a huge smile on her face as she ran towards me. She grabbed tightly onto both of my legs as she slammed into them, almost knocking me over.

"Hey baby girl. Did you have a good day?" I asked smiling looking down at her.

"Yes daddy," she smiled back up at me.

"Where's your brother?" I asked, ruffling her hair.

"Over there," she answered, pointing towards the back of the classroom.

"Alright. Why don't you go out in the hallway and sit on the bench and wait for us. I'll get your brother and come out there. Don't go anywhere but the bench," I said, looking down at her.

"Ok daddy," she answered, running out into the hallway.

Shaking my head at her enthusiasm. I walked over to where Michael was sitting all by himself. Sighing I sat down on the floor next to his legs, leaning back on the bench.

"So how about we have a guys night tonight? Just you and me and nobody else," I asked, turning my head slightly to look at him.

"Really?" he asked, seeming to perk up at that. Turning his head to look at me with bright eyes.

"Really," I responded, with a nod.

"What about Mari?" he asked, scrunching up his nose.

I had to let out a light chuckle at his face at the mention of his sister. Even though they were twins they were complete opposites of each other. Michael was the introvert of the two of them and Mari was the extrovert. Although they had two different personalities I knew they both would stick up for each other no matter what. But it was Michael I was most worried about with Avalon situation. I knew I would have to tread lightly with him on it. Even though I had told Travis there would be no problem with the kids. I was hoping that this news to Michael wouldn't make him pull away from me. That he would realize I wouldn't love him any less, than his sisters.

"Don't worry about Mari. I have a plan for that. So it will be just you and me bud," I answered.

"Ok," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Alright let's go," I said, standing up and waiting for him.

Michael stood and made a grab for my hand and held on tightly. We walked out into the hallway and found Mari sitting and waiting patiently and to my surprise Avalon was sitting there also, swinging her legs back and forth. Or maybe it was just my luck, this might work to my advantage. I went over and sat by Avalon.

"Mari and Michael why don't you go get your backpacks," I said looking at them, than watched as they walked a little down the hallway where their bags where. I turned my attention back to Ava.

"Hi Ava," I said.

"Hi Mr. Zach," she replied, looking down at the ground still kicking her feet.

"Your mom not here to pick you up yet?" I asked curiously.

"No, usually Ryan picks me up," she replied sadly, shaking her head.

[i]'Shit'[/i] I thought. This may not work the way I wanted it to, because I'm sure Ryan probably wouldn't just let me take her.

"You don't like Ryan picking you up?" I asked carefully, I didn't want to pull her in the middle of everything more than she would be. Also I didn't want to be prying too much into their business.

"Mommy and Ryan have been fighting lately," she answered, still looking at floor.

"Really fighting?" I asked.

"Well they haven't been talking to each other and Ryan's been sleeping on the couch," she answered.

"Have they been yelling at each other?" I asked curiously.

"No. Mommy and Ryan don't yell in front of me," she answered.

I felt a pang of disappointment hit me. I realized why Ava had been acting sad recently. She realized her mom and Ryan had been fighting and she had never seen them fight. I mean I guess it would be tough on her considering Ryan is all she has known. But I wondered if she would be open to me being her dad.

"Hey how about if we ask your mom if you can come spend the night with Mari? Would you like that?" I asked her.

"Really?" she asked excitedly, I watched her face light up just like Michaels had.

"Really. But just as long as your momma says its ok," I replied.

"Ok," she replied.

Just than I heard the sound of shoes coming down the nearly empty hallway. I turned my head in direction the footsteps were coming hoping it would be Maddi. To my shock it was and than I looked at her face and was instantly worried. She had a fake smile plastered on her face hoping to pass it off as a real one. But that wasn't what worried me it was her eyes that worried me, you could tell she was upset and crying. There were still unshed tears in her eyes. [i]'I just hope this plan works'[/i] I thought again.