This is appropriate for any reader. It's my first fan fic. It's
called "Necessity." It's the first chapter, so give me some feed back to
work with! Thanks! Starstudded
Chapter One: The Night
If there was a reason why, nobody ever told Charlie Conway. After awhile, he just passed it off as a nice coincidence.
He was a hockey player and the grueling workouts usually sent him into a deep and restful sleep every night. Every night, it turned out, except this one. It wasn't without cause. He was troubled by thoughts of his on-again off-again girlfriend, Linda.
The red number on his alarm clock burned 3:14, piercing the silent darkness. And though he couldn't see him, Charlie could hear his roommate and fellow hockey teammate, Adam Banks, breathing rhythmically across the room.
Charlie sighed. A glass of water, he thought. Maybe that would help.
He maneuvered himself carefully to the fridge in the still black, his eyes adjusting to the lack of light. As he stood there raising the glass to his lips, a faint rattle at the window caught his attention. Crossing the room he peered outside.
It was a sparsely clouded and windless night. Had he been able to see the stars he would have wished on one, but they were all hiding.
But Charlie knew the moon was out there. He could see it behind a cloud, making the cloud's outline unusually bright compared to all the others.
It wasn't long before his thoughts turned to Linda, as they so often did these days. The mixed emotions flooded his mind, making him uncomfortable. But he was getting used to it; he had this feeling for so long, it was practically a part of him now.
"What should I do, Moon?" he asked the night. "We're so different. She just doesn't understand. I know she tries but I just don't think she'll ever get it. Can she really be for me when she will never understand this part of my life? Will she ever really know me?"
The moon slipped out from its hiding place, shining silver rays on its late visitor.
Charlie smiled, but he wasn't surprised. I haven't looked at the moon like this, really paid attention, in a long time.
Do you remember the last time you did? The moon seemed to ask.
You remember that night, too? Charlie wondered as it all came flooding back. It was the last night I ever saw Hans.
The memory was so clear it was like Hans had never left. The night can have that effect on people.
He remembered his angry voice saying "I gotta walk" and winced. He had known, somehow, that something was wrong with Hans. But when Charlie questioned him, Hans had held up his index finger in reference to a joke he had always loved to play.
Hans liked to pretend he had cut his finger while sharpening skates. He used to be able to make Charlie fall for it when he was younger. But eventually, he caught on that the red blood was really just catsup.
Charlie had stormed out, leaving Hans and his old radio to listen to the Ducks hockey game alone.
Charlie had gone to the old duck pond that night, where he and the original Ducks used to practice. It was the place where they had met the coach that was destined to change their lives. He went there and looked at the moon for hours. While he sitting there staring up at the sky, Hans was going on a trip of his own. He had taken his place among the stars.
That old moon. He and Gordon Bombay even playfully wrestled under it one night outside his apartment after hockey practice.
Charlie wished he could talk to Hans about Linda. He shuttered thinking of all of those long years ahead, and how many more times he would wish he knew what Hans would say.
But I can't. Hans is dead, he reminded himself. I've just got to do the right thing. That's all Hans ever wanted.
And I have to go to bed, he admitted practically, observing the time on his clock which now read 3:50. Coach Orion had called an emergency meeting tomorrow morning. Charlie figured it must be pretty important.
He set his glass down on his desk. Hard.
Adam stirred in his bed. "Charlie, is that you?"
"Go back to sleep, Cake eater," Charlie instructed. His vulnerability vanished and his natural leadership qualities came flooding back.
He didn't need to tell Adam twice.
Time to take your own advice, Conway, Charlie thought. He had a feeling tomorrow was going to be a big day.
He cast one last glance back out at the starless night but he moon had already retreated back behind the clouds.
Until next time, Charlie thought, Sleep came easily this time, though his problems were still unsolved. He found comfort in knowing that even on the darkest nights the moon could still find him.
Chapter One: The Night
If there was a reason why, nobody ever told Charlie Conway. After awhile, he just passed it off as a nice coincidence.
He was a hockey player and the grueling workouts usually sent him into a deep and restful sleep every night. Every night, it turned out, except this one. It wasn't without cause. He was troubled by thoughts of his on-again off-again girlfriend, Linda.
The red number on his alarm clock burned 3:14, piercing the silent darkness. And though he couldn't see him, Charlie could hear his roommate and fellow hockey teammate, Adam Banks, breathing rhythmically across the room.
Charlie sighed. A glass of water, he thought. Maybe that would help.
He maneuvered himself carefully to the fridge in the still black, his eyes adjusting to the lack of light. As he stood there raising the glass to his lips, a faint rattle at the window caught his attention. Crossing the room he peered outside.
It was a sparsely clouded and windless night. Had he been able to see the stars he would have wished on one, but they were all hiding.
But Charlie knew the moon was out there. He could see it behind a cloud, making the cloud's outline unusually bright compared to all the others.
It wasn't long before his thoughts turned to Linda, as they so often did these days. The mixed emotions flooded his mind, making him uncomfortable. But he was getting used to it; he had this feeling for so long, it was practically a part of him now.
"What should I do, Moon?" he asked the night. "We're so different. She just doesn't understand. I know she tries but I just don't think she'll ever get it. Can she really be for me when she will never understand this part of my life? Will she ever really know me?"
The moon slipped out from its hiding place, shining silver rays on its late visitor.
Charlie smiled, but he wasn't surprised. I haven't looked at the moon like this, really paid attention, in a long time.
Do you remember the last time you did? The moon seemed to ask.
You remember that night, too? Charlie wondered as it all came flooding back. It was the last night I ever saw Hans.
The memory was so clear it was like Hans had never left. The night can have that effect on people.
He remembered his angry voice saying "I gotta walk" and winced. He had known, somehow, that something was wrong with Hans. But when Charlie questioned him, Hans had held up his index finger in reference to a joke he had always loved to play.
Hans liked to pretend he had cut his finger while sharpening skates. He used to be able to make Charlie fall for it when he was younger. But eventually, he caught on that the red blood was really just catsup.
Charlie had stormed out, leaving Hans and his old radio to listen to the Ducks hockey game alone.
Charlie had gone to the old duck pond that night, where he and the original Ducks used to practice. It was the place where they had met the coach that was destined to change their lives. He went there and looked at the moon for hours. While he sitting there staring up at the sky, Hans was going on a trip of his own. He had taken his place among the stars.
That old moon. He and Gordon Bombay even playfully wrestled under it one night outside his apartment after hockey practice.
Charlie wished he could talk to Hans about Linda. He shuttered thinking of all of those long years ahead, and how many more times he would wish he knew what Hans would say.
But I can't. Hans is dead, he reminded himself. I've just got to do the right thing. That's all Hans ever wanted.
And I have to go to bed, he admitted practically, observing the time on his clock which now read 3:50. Coach Orion had called an emergency meeting tomorrow morning. Charlie figured it must be pretty important.
He set his glass down on his desk. Hard.
Adam stirred in his bed. "Charlie, is that you?"
"Go back to sleep, Cake eater," Charlie instructed. His vulnerability vanished and his natural leadership qualities came flooding back.
He didn't need to tell Adam twice.
Time to take your own advice, Conway, Charlie thought. He had a feeling tomorrow was going to be a big day.
He cast one last glance back out at the starless night but he moon had already retreated back behind the clouds.
Until next time, Charlie thought, Sleep came easily this time, though his problems were still unsolved. He found comfort in knowing that even on the darkest nights the moon could still find him.