Chapter 96 TAKE ME HOME.

Chapter 96 TAKE ME HOME.
THANE'S POV:
"In the absolutely stunning turn of events," the commentator announced, "it appears Thane Slade's mother and 'fiancée' have rushed onto the ice! Ladies and gentlemen, the emotional reunion is happening right here in front of us!"
Madison smiled through tears. "It's me. I'm really here."
She pulled me into a hug so fierce it hurt. Mom joined from the other side, the three of us tangled together on the ice while thousands watched.
"I forgive you," Madison whispered in my ear. "I forgive everything. But if you want me back, really want me,vyou need to win tonight. Can you do that?"
"I never hated you," Mom added, stroking my hair. "I just needed you to learn. To understand what you'd lost. But you've suffered enough, sweetheart. Now get up and show the world who you really are." Mom leaned closer. “You’ve always been a fighter. Don’t stop now.”
I nodded, “I can’t lose any of you.”
Madison smiled radiant, fierce. “Then don’t.” She gripped my shoulder, her gaze fiercely holding mine. "You're Thane Slade." She pulled back to look at me. "The best hockey player I've ever seen. The man who taught a ten-year-old girl that being kind matters more than being strong. The person who makes me believe in love even when everything's falling apart."
Her words seeped into fractures of my heart, filling void spaces.
"Can you get up?" Mom asked gently. "Can you finish this?"
The referee skated over. "Mr. Slade, do you want to withdraw? We can substitute—"
"No." I gripped Madison's hands tighter, using her strength to pull myself to my feet. "I'm finishing this."
Madison stood with me, her hands on my face. Then she kissed me right there in front of everyone, passionate and claiming and absolutely perfect.
The crowd lost their minds. Roars bounced off the arena ceiling.
"WAIT—" The commentator sounded stunned. "ISN'T THAT MAVERICK TORRE'S WIFE? THE WOMAN FROM THE TRIAL?"
I pulled back just enough to search her face. "What about Maverick? Aren't you—"
"Divorced." She smiled. "I'm all yours, Thane. I had to follow my heart. And my heart has always belonged to you."
Fire ignited in my chest. 
"I'm going to win this," I told her. "For us. For everything we lost and everything we're going to build."
"I know you will." She kissed me once more, quick and sweet. "Go be magnificent."
I signaled the refs that I was ready. Callahan slapped my back so hard I stumbled forward. "THAT'S the spirit, boy! NOW GO REMIND THEM WHO YOU ARE!"
Security ushered Mom and Madison off the ice. They settled into the family section, Madison right in front, hands pressed against the glass, wearing my jersey like armor.
The puck dropped.
Everything changed.
I saw the ice differently now. Every angle, every opening, every possibility. The panic that had paralyzed me transformed into razor focus.
I stole the puck from their center in the first thirty seconds. Passed to Aaron, who shot and missed. But I was already there for the rebound. 
Goal.
Five to two.
The arena erupted. I pointed at Madison through the glass. She jumped up, screaming, hands in the air.
"SLADE SCORES!" The commentator's voice climbed. "WHAT A TURNAROUND! HE'S BACK, FOLKS!"
Two minutes later, I intercepted a pass meant for their wing. Skated it down the ice so fast the defense couldn't keep up. Faked left, went right, and slammed it home.
Five to three.
Madison was crying now, happy tears streaming down her face while Mom hugged her from behind.
"ANOTHER GOAL FROM SLADE! THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED! THE MAN WAS HAVING A PANIC ATTACK FIVE MINUTES AGO AND NOW HE'S SINGLE-HANDEDLY BRINGING HIS TEAM BACK!"
The clock ticked down. Seven minutes left. We needed two more goals.
Their team rallied, pressing hard. But I was everywhere, blocking shots, stealing passes, moving like I'd been possessed by every hockey player who'd ever lived.
Four minutes left. Marcus got the puck to me in the neutral zone. I saw it, the path, the timing, the perfect angle.
I took the shot from center ice.
The puck soared. The goalie jumped.
Too late.
Goal.
Five to four.
"UNBELIEVABLE! SLADE SCORES FROM CENTER ICE! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE ARE WITNESSING HISTORY!"
Madison was on her feet, screaming my name. Vaughan lifted his kids so they could see better. Mom had her hands pressed to her mouth.
Two minutes left. We needed one more.
The opposing team fought desperately, protecting their lead like lions guarding a kill. But they were tired. Scared. Starting to believe they might actually lose this.
Forty seconds on the clock.
I got the puck behind their net. No angle for a shot. But Aaron was positioned perfectly in front.
I passed it through two defenders' skates, a no-look pass that shouldn't have worked but did.
Aaron slapped it home.
Five to five.
The building shook with noise. Thirty seconds left. Overtime loomed.
But I wasn't done.
I won the face-off. Pushed forward with everything I had left. Their defense converged, three on me, trying to stop the momentum.
I saw Marcus cutting in from the left. Saw the opening. Passed it over.
Marcus took the shot but the goalie saved it.
The rebound came right to me.
I didn't think. Didn't calculate. Just reacted.
The puck flew off my stick in a rising shot that caught the top corner.
Five to six.
The buzzer sounded immediately after. Game over.
We'd won.
The team exploded, swarming me in a pile of bodies and screaming and disbelief. The crowd's roar became a physical thing, vibrating through the ice.
"GOAL! GAME OVER! TEAM NEW YORK SENTINELS USA WINS THE OLYMPIC GOLD!" The commentator was yelling now. "THANE SLADE HAS JUST PULLED OFF THE GREATEST COMEBACK IN OLYMPIC HOCKEY HISTORY! FOUR GOALS IN THE FINAL PERIOD! THIS IS LEGENDARY!"
Callahan hauled me up, spinning me around. "YOU MAGNIFICENT BASTARD! YOU DID IT!"
Jules was crying. Marcus was yelling something I couldn't hear. The entire team lifted me on their shoulders, chanting my name.
But I wasn’t listening. All I could see was Madison.
She stood at the glass, hands pressed against it, tears streaming down her face, mouthing words I couldn't hear but understood perfectly.
"I love you."
The ceremony happened in a haze to me. Gold medals draped around necks. National anthem playing while we stood on the podium. The crowd singing along, pride and joy and celebration filling every corner.
"In addition to the gold medal," the announcer continued, "Thane Slade has been awarded MVP of the tournament, the highest individual scoring record in Olympic history, and has achieved what many thought impossible."
I barely heard it. Barely acknowledged anything happening around me.
All that mattered was getting to her.
I slipped away while everyone celebrated, skating toward the family section where Madison stood waiting. She'd climbed over the barrier somehow, standing right at the edge of the ice.
I didn't slow down. Just opened my arms and caught her as she jumped.
We collided, her legs wrapping around my waist, my arms crushing her against me. Then I kissed her because she was air.
The crowd went absolutely wild. Camera flashes exploded around us like stars. Fireworks erupted overhead, part of the planned celebration, painting the sky in gold and red and blue.
 I felt was her. Her hands in my hair. Her tears on my face. Her heart beating against mine in perfect rhythm.
When we finally pulled apart, gasping for air, I pressed my forehead against hers.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "For everything. For not believing you. For choosing pride over love. For almost losing you. I'm so fucking sorry, Madison. I don’t deserve forgiveness."
"Maybe not. But you already have it.” She cupped my face. "I forgive you. I've always forgiven you. I just needed you to forgive yourself."
"I love you." The words came out fierce. "I've loved you since we met when I was fifteen. I'll love you until I'm dead. I'll love you beyond that. You're it for me. You're everything."
"I love you too." She smiled through tears. "Now and always."
I kissed her again, softer this time. Promising. The fireworks continued overhead, the crowd still roaring, cameras still flashing.
But we stood in the center of it all, finally whole, finally together, finally home.
"Marry me," I said against her lips. "Not because you need papers. Not because anyone's forcing us. Just because I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life proving it."
"Yes." She laughed, the sound brighter than any firework. "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. You know I've wanted to marry you since I was ten."
Through chuckles, I kissed her again.
 "And, I no longer need those papers and I'm rich. So, nobody would say shit concerning that."
 Madison was my past, my present, my future and she was smiling at me like I'd hung the stars just for her.
"Take me home,” she whispered.
“You are home,” I said, and kissed her as fireworks crowned the ice in gold.