Disclaimer: I don't own The Mighty Ducks. If I did, Chadam would be canon.

Adam sat in the stands of the ice hockey rink, watching the love of his life and the love of his life's girlfriend playing hockey. Charlie was teaching Linda, very patiently he might add, how to teach Linda how to play hockey.

Needless to say she was very bad. Even for a beginner.

"I don't know why you torture yourself like this," a voice said, sitting down next to the hockey player. "He'll realize someday, though."

Adam looked next to him to see Julie. He had always liked Julie. She was a great goalie and an even greater friend.

"I don't know either," he replied. "I just like to watch them. If he and I were together, I'd be creaming him out there."

"That's true," Julie said, and they both laughed and Charlie and Linda looked up to see two people in the stands. Frankly, they thought they were alone. "You would be.

Charlie took off his skates and headed up to the stands. Linda wobbled a little, fell and got back up again. She was a little miffed that her boyfriend would rather be with his friends than help her skate out of the rink. She'd never ice skated before, and he knew that.

"Hey," Charlie said, coming up to his friends.

"Hey," Adam said. "You were great out there."

Charlie noticed the way he didn't add Linda's name after that. There was a silence as Linda clunked up the stairs.

"So, we're all going to dinner. You guys wanna join?" Julie asked.

"Sorry," Adam said. "Got a date."

"Nice!"

Charlie didn't know why, but he felt a kind of ache in his stomach. Not like he was sick with a stomachache, but more of a longing ache. One he had never felt before. Even when Linda talked to other guys.

"Who's it with?" Charlie asked a little forcefully, that didn't go unnoticed by the two girls.

"Hey, Banks! Gaffney!" Averman called. "You coming?"

"Be there in a sec! Have to figure out who Adam's going on a date with!" Gaffney called back.

Lester Averman was speechless.

"Dude finally got a date?!"

"Why is that so hard to believe?" Banksy asked. "Can't a guy be interested in me?"

Adam had told his friends that he was gay back in January. It was now March. Adam had first realized he was gay when he realized he was in love with Charlie, back in September, which made his fight with Charlie on and off the rink all the more painful.

"You mean girl…right?" Linda said.

She had never been in the loop with the Ducks. It bothered her very much sometimes. But the Ducks had been together for four years. They were bound to be closer, all being best friends since the age of twelve when the original Ducks met the rest of the USA hockey team.

"No, I'm gay," Adam said. He stood up and grabbed his backpack. "Anyway, I have to get ready for my date with Jason. I'll see you guys later."

He walked outside to his best friends' mouths hanging open.

"You have a date?" Connie asked. "This is great!"

"It'll get you over him!" Guy said.

Adam hadn't told his friends that he was in love with Charlie back when he told them he was gay. Everyone but Adam had guessed it back in November, so when he announced he was gay, everyone but Charlie wasn't surprised. Now, they were impatiently waiting for the Ducks Captain to realize what had been right in front of him for four years.

"Hopefully." Adam smiled. "I'll see you guys later."

Back at the rink, Charlie was almost fuming inside.

"That's good he's getting a date. Not many people are here are like…that," Julie said, hopping down one row. "Nice skating, Linda."

"Thanks," Linda whispered as Julie hopped down the rest of the stands and walked out of the rink.

"Here, let's get you out of those skates and hockey gear and we'll grab some dinner, okay?" Charlie said, trying to calm himself down.

Why am I feeling this way? He asked himself. Adam's got a date. He's happy, so why am I not?

Line break

Adam grabbed his skates from his locker and skated home where Jason Downy would pick him up in twenty minutes. He quickly brushed his hair, his teeth and changed clothes into a nice shirt and jeans. He was just finishing when the doorbell rang.

"And…who are you?" Phillip Banks asked as he opened the door.

Adam closed his eyes tight. He was really hoping his mother would answer the door instead. Even though his father was fine with him being gay, Adam still didn't want him opening the door to his dates.

"James Downy," a deep voice said. "I'm here to pick up your son."

"Adam!" Philip called. "Somebody's here for you!"

Adam raced down the stairs and thanks his father, ushering his date as fast out the door as possible.

"Sorry," Adam apologized as he got into James's car. "He's fine with all of this, but I still don't like him opening the door to people he sometimes wouldn't approve of."

James laughed, his blue eyes sparkling. He started up the engine.

"Fine to me. I felt the same way when I first came out," he responded. "I eventually got used to it."

They made small talk as they headed to the diner where Charlie's mom worked.

Oh crap, he thought as he walked in and took a table with James.

Line break

Charlie and Linda were both out of their hockey gear by the time that James had walked into Adam's house. They were both in Charlie's car, driving and looking around for someplace to eat.

"How about the place where your mom works? The diner? I haven't been there in a while and it'd be nice to see your mom again," Linda suggested.

"Sure," Charlie said, "that'd be nice."

But as the couple walked into the diner and saw James and Adam, Charlie felt that longing sensation again. His mother came up to him and Linda.

"Charlie, Linda, it's so nice that you guys could come by!" Charlie's mom said.

And that's when James and Adam looked up, both recognizing the name. Adam's heart sped up as he looked at the Duck, who was staring back at him.

Oh shit…Adam thought. This is not going to turn out well.