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"I want to make Mr Hannity eat his words," Gray practically snarls

There's a lot of fuck yeah's in response

"It won't be easy," she continues "The pressure will be great The scrutiny will be jaundiced But I know so that cunt of a reporter doesn't know"

Lots of snickers from the players, myself included

"I know that every person sitting in this rooot a huge, fucking hard-on for that Stanley Cup, and the brass balls to go out there and get it"

Clapping, affirhout the room The prickles on my skin intensify

Gray holds her hands up and ain

"I'm proud of you," she says so softly that all traces of her recent vulgarity have been forgotten She's speaking froht now "I'ness to claw your way to the top I've got the hardest working people I've ever known, and I'm not sure this team could be any more blessed"

The room is silent and thick with emotion We all want to continue to make Gray proud of us

Without a word, Gray steps aside from the podiuh on theca in anticipation of how bad they're going to be hurting by the end of the day Nocan ever keep my muscles conditioned the way they beco to be a brutal feeeks co up, but I'd have it no other way

After Pretore moves away froot any announcements they need to make?"

The sound of so to look over h as they co as he stares down at his fiancee, Vale Ca in a line of coaches and trainers behind the podiuo pink and I turn to look back at Hawke

He clears his throat and says, "Just wanted to let you guys know that, unant"

There's a ruratulations, and those closest to Hawke thump him on the back

"She's due early next March," Hawke continues, his voice a little thick with e soet on her hor on you"

My head swings back to Vale, and she shoots Hawke a death glare, but then she set to torture us more than she already does My muscles contract in protest of the pain that's sure to come at her hands, but I couldn't be happier for her

Hawke clears his throat again, this tioes quiet "Just as ietis off the table, but we're going to throw a hell of a party before it gets too cold You're all invited, of course"

Several of the people in the rooh, and the overall atood It speaks to the heart of this team and hoe have each other's backs

Always

My eyes cut over to Reed, who is sitting one ron fro up at Hawke, and a rush of fondness for ht these last feeeks that he's a dick because of the way he's riddenGracen, but I know deep down that he was doing it because he cares about me

"That's wonderful news," Gray says fros that way She turns to look at Vale "And anything pregnancy related you need to know, my office door is open"

Vale blushes as she nods at the general nancy That's just Gray being all girl, and that's also all right by us

"Any other news?" Gray asks briskly as she grips the edges of the podium

I look around but no one stands up My gaze goes back to Gray, atches us all for ais over She leans forward and opens her e up out of my seat

"I have an announcement," I say as I tuck o shorts

Gray's eyes alight on me and she nods

"I've got so news too," I say, surprised that this isn't as hard as I thought it would be "I found out a feeeks ago that I'm a father"