What keeps us together

On the outside, Nosedive was a wild, rebellious and childish duck. As the youngest of the team, he was the one doing all the pranks, laughing, cheering the others up.

He liked comics, pizza, fooling around – he was just the energetic and cheerful one.

So it was pretty odd to see him all alone in the dark, sitting in the empty hokey stadium in the middle of the night.

„Hey there, kiddo. What brings you here?", Phil asked, surprised to see the young duck out of bed at this hour. They had an important game tomorrow, what was he thinking? He needed his sleep!

Nosedive gasped, placed a hand to his heart and turned to Phil.

„Jeez, Phil! Don't do that. You'll make me lose my feathers.", he sighed, taking deep breaths. Phil had scared the living hell out of him.

It was kind of embarrassing. He hadn't expected anybody to come and search for him at three o'clock in the morning.

Phil only laughed, manoeuvered his human body trough the rows of seats and sat down next to Nosedive.

„So, what brings my golden-goal duck up here?", he asked, sounding concerned. He needed him to be full of energy the next day, damnit!

But the duck only shrugged, leaned forwards and putting his arms on his knees to support himself. He watched the ice rink, but his eyes were much further away.

„I don't know.", he finally said, sighing. He knew that sitting here and thinking wasn't like him at all! „It's just... I.."

Should he really do this? Talking to PHIL of all people? But maybe it was for the best. Talking to someone neutral to the subject.

„You know about our story, right?"

The manager only nodded, urging the duck to continue. He didn't like playing the nice uncle who listened to the little guy with the problems – but being a manager also included that. Besides, he liked the kid. 'And he's a hell of a player.', Phil thought.

„Well, sometimes i think Canard was right. Maybe it would have been better if Wing would have left me on Puckworld."

Nosedive sighed, stood up and took a few steps up and down the row. „Sometimes.. Somethimes i think I'm just in the way."

It was save to say that Phil had never seen the young duck like this before. He was always energetic, with a joke for every situation. Seing him like this made him think that Nosedive was actually vulnerable and – dare he say it – mature.

„What makes you think that?", Phil asked, staying right were he was sitting. He was willing to listen, but he was NOT going to hug the duck. This turned into some kind of 'I'm-gonna-cry-any-minute' situation.

Nosedive could feel the words coming out of him like a waterfall. All this time just thinking about it had made him realise how he actually felt.

„Well, take my brother for example. He's the perfect leader, a strategist. And he always looks after us. Boy, does he look after us. He worries so much it's almost creepy.", he began, sitting down in the chair again.

„All of the others are special in a way. Mallory is this amazingly beautiful fighter, with a temper and strenght I've never seen. She can't compare with Grin's strenght, but he has other qualities. You know he's the calm one, always seeing the positive in every situation. And Tanya, well she's the genius. Duke's the one with the most experience. And all of them are amazing hockey players."

„Yes, they are.", Phil said, now smiling. Now he knew what was wrong with Nosedive. A lot of humans on earth had a phase (or more often than once) in their life, when they just felt useless.

„And now, you're wondering what's so special about you, am I right?"

Nosedive wanted to answer, but he couldn't. Was that it? Was that what was bothering him everytime he couldn't sleep?

He shook his head, sighed, then leaned backwards and closed his eyes.

„I don't know. Maybe?"

Phil did the same, watching the roof of the stadium above them.

„Tell you what? From what I see when i watch you guys, you are the glue."

Nosedive chuckled, turning his head to watch his manager. „I'm sorry, what? Phil, did you hit your head or something?"

The man kept staring at the ceiling while answering.

„Think about it, Nosedive. You have all been here for how long? A year? WildWing told me that you are all like a family. And you are the sticky stuff that keeps the family together."

„Thanks for the very gross comparison.", Nosedive said sarcastically, stretching his legs and arms. Suddenly, he felt very light and refreshed. Like a heavy weight had lifted from his shoulders.

Phil only continued. „You're making the others laugh. You never give up. You're the friggin' image of energy and life. Trust me, everyone of them would give a hell lot of what's dearest to them, just to be as careless as you seem sometimes."

Now it was Nosedives turn to blink in confusion. Everything Phil said seemed to be so crazy, but somehow he knew that the man was right.

How often had he eased the tension between the teammembers when the mood was bad? How often had he tried and motivate the others when they fought a battle that seemed impossible to win? How often had he pushed them to not give up? It sure did take a lot of energy.

„Believe me, kiddo, you're the glue that keeps this team and this family together. You're far from useless."

And before Nosedive could say anything more, Phil stood up and looked at his watch. „Now, go and fetch some sleep. There's a big game tomorrow."

The duck stood up and sighed. „No need. It's already four in the morning. Wing's going to have us practise at five. Might as well shock the others by actually showing up fro breakfast for once."

Phil cuckled and shook his head. WildWing sure did know how to get his team into shape.

Suddenly he feld a strong hand on his shoulder and a short squeeze.

„Thanks man.", Nosedive said, before walking off. But suddenly, he turned around. „By the way Phil. What are you doing here so early?"

But the manager just shrugged, smiling. „Nothing. Just couldn't sleep. You know, a lot of deals to plan for you guys."

Nosedive rolled his eyes and walked off.

Phil watched him leave, and then sighed. Nobody had to know yet, that he was planning a one year anniversary party in here for his gold winning team.

In the meanwhile, Nosedive was walking down the halls of the pond, freezing. He had been sitting at the ice rink barefoot, with only his pyjama bottoms and a shirt on. He could here the muffled and unmotivaded conversations of his teammates at the breakfast table, and smiled.

He just couldn't help it. He loved that bunch of crazy ducks.

'And i really don't mind being the glue that sticks us together.' , he thought, and entered to see the surprised faced of his fellow teammates. 'I don't mind at all.'

–

Hello guys!

This is my first Mighty Ducks fic, and i hope you all like it.

I watched this series when i was like 7. Now, 14 years later, i thought about writing a little fic about my favourite character Nosedive. I loved this cartoon when I was little, and I just realised that it is a series where kids can learn a lot while enjoying the adventures of their favourite ducks.

I hope you all like it (and excuse my english if it's not the best – it's not my first language)

Enjoy!

And constructive criticism is always wanted!