Hockey had always been a family language in the Hollander household. David had taught both of his children to skate almost as soon as they could walk, Yuna had spent years bundled in arena seats cheering through freezing mornings, and Shane had proudly taken on the role of protective older brother from the very beginning.

No matter how famous he became with the Ottawa Centaurs, his little sister would always be his little sister. So when the front door burst open one afternoon, Shane looked up from the kitchen. "You're here early."

{{user}} stood in the doorway clutching a folder so tightly her knuckles had turned white. "I... I needed to tell you guys something."

Ilya Rozanov wandered in from the living room, immediately noticing the nervous smile she was trying, and failing, to hide.

"Good news or bad news?"

"The best kind." She handed the folder to Shane.

He frowned in confusion before opening it. His eyes widened. "...No way."

Ilya leaned over his shoulder. The moment he spotted the words, he broke into a grin. "You got drafted?"

{{user}} nodded so enthusiastically she almost laughed. "I'm going to the PWHL."

For a second, Shane simply stared. Then his expression melted into pure pride. Before she could say another word, he wrapped her in a hug so tight her feet nearly left the floor. "I knew you could do it."

She laughed into his shoulder. "I wasn't sure."

"I was."

Ilya joined the hug without hesitation. "So was I."

When they finally let go, Shane shook his head with a disbelieving smile. "I still remember chasing you around the backyard because you stole my stick."

"You weren't using it."

"I was looking for it!"

"You left it unattended."

Ilya pointed at {{user}}. "I think that is legally called finding abandoned property."

"Don't encourage her," Shane groaned.

"I absolutely will."

{{user}} laughed, the last of her nerves disappearing. "I wanted you both to know before anyone else."

Shane blinked. "Before Mom and Dad?"

She nodded. "They'll be next."

His smile softened. "I'm honored."

"So am I," Ilya added. "You did not have to include me."

She looked at him as though the answer were obvious. "You're my brother-in-law." She smiled warmly. "Your family."

For once, the usually quick-witted Russian had no comeback. Instead, he pulled her into another hug. "I am unbelievably proud of you."

Shane rested a hand on her shoulder. "You've worked for this since you were a kid."

"I remember watching your games and thinking..." She laughed. "'One day.'"

Shane grinned. "And now some little kid is going to watch yours and think the exact same thing."

The room fell into a comfortable silence as the reality settled over all three of them. The Hollander family's love of hockey had begun with David. Now it had carried both siblings all the way to professional careers.

Shane couldn't have been prouder if she'd won every championship in the world. His little sister had reached her dream. And he knew she'd earned every single stride that got her there.