Chapter Title: Moving On
Summary: The summer before college everything changes. But can they handle it?
Paring: Charlie/Connie and Portman/Julie
AN: I have been wanting to write a MD story for a while. I finally found a plot I liked. I hope like it too, if you do… hit that review button. Please? Feedback is like caffeine, it makes very happy.
They started out as kids doing what they loved. Six years and six extra people later they stood staring at the school that they had come to tolerate. Charlie Conway wasn't one to get sentimental, but he couldn't help but feel nostalgic on this day. They were graduating high school, and in a couple of days they would be scattered across the country all over again. Who knew when they would all be together again? He wanted to make this moment last forever.
"Come on Charlie, it's the last time we'll be walking through here. It won't kill you to be on time once." Adam said breaking Charlie's train of thought.
Adam Banks, he was one of Charlie's best friends. Yet they were nothing alike. Charlie was a fearful leader, where as Adam let things roll of his back. He looked at all of his friends. Or as he liked to call them 'his family', they were a crazy brood. But he loved each of them just the same. Charlie felt someone put a hand on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Russ. Russ had been a add on, but Charlie had always treated him like they had been friends since birth. He did that with all of them. But he honestly meant it with Russ.
"Can you believe we're graduating?"
"I know, I thought me and you were gonna have to spend another year here." Charlie said draping an arm over Russ's shoulder.
"You two owe me some credit for that one." Connie said coming between them.
Russ draped an arm over her shoulders as Charlie wrapped an arm around her waist.
"We will forever be your servants Connie." Charlie said looking down at her.
"I like the sound of that." She said perking up.
Charlie and Connie had grown up living down the street from each other. It was going to be hard leaving her in the summer. He wouldn't be around to settle fights between her and Guy anymore. Charlie kept her from killing him sometimes. Guy was a good guy, but the guy just brought drama wherever he went sometimes.
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Inside the school everyone was clearing out their lockers when Julie heard someone call her name.
"Gaffney!"
Julie looked up shaking her head. Fulton and Portman were running at her at full speed.
"Do it and die!" She said knowing what they were going to do.
They sandwiched her between them and wrapped their arms around each other.
"Give it a rest!" She said trying to push them away.
"Aww, where's the love Catlady?" Fulton said messing with her hair.
"I love you guys, you know that. But one of these you're going to squish me!"
"Aww, you don't wanna be part of a Bash Brother sandwich?" Portman said draping an arm over her shoulders.
"Ask Connie." Julie said going through her locker.
"Yeah right, I wanna live to be old enough to drink." Fulton said before walking away.
Julie shook her head wishing she didn't have to leave. She had grown close to the two of them. They were her protectors, even though they both knew she didn't need it. She picked up a jersey realizing that it was Portman's.
"I'm gonna miss you leaving your stinky clothes in my locker." She said throwing at him.
"I'm gonna miss you too." He said pulling her to him.
Julie laughed knowing she would miss him the most. They had been add ons, they had formed a bond that her and Fulton hadn't. She told him things she wouldn't tell anyone else. She hugged him knowing he would soon pull away. He had a reputation to protect. When he didn't pull away Julie looked up at him. He kissed her forehead before pulling away.
"I'll see you outside." He said before walking away.
"Yeah." She said wondering why he was acting so weird.
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The whole team was crowded together so Casey Conway could get pictures. Connie was on Guys' back and he was looking up at her with a smile on his face. Fulton and Portman had picked up Julie and she was at 'their level' as they called it. Charlie, Adam, and Russ stood back to back with Charlie in the middle giving the camera a serious look.
"Charlie, Adam, Russ you three don't fool me. Smile!" Casey said laughing at her son.
The girls were laughing because Fulton had taken off with Julie on his back and Guy was chasing them with Connie on his. They weren't going to be too many more times like this. Not for a while, so they were taking advantage of it.
"Come on you two, bring the girls back. I only want a few more pictures. Gordon, you should be in these." Casey said nudging him.
Bombay had surprised them by showing up that morning. He had said he didn't want to miss out on seeing 'his team' graduate. He looked at them with pride; they really had come a long way from the kids he remembered.
Casey finally got the pictures she wanted. It always took forever to get them to calm down, seeing as there were so many of them and only one of her. She was glad Gordon was there. She would have been upset if he had missed this.
The group separated with all of them saying that they would meet at Charlie's later. Casey was throwing them a party, which Gordon thought was crazy. Considering all their families would there too. Casey was a saint, and everyone knew it.
XXXX
Julie was sitting on the back steps at Charlie's that night when Connie sat next to her. She put her head on Julie's shoulder and choked back a sob.
"Connie, what's wrong?" Julie asked pulling away to look at her.
"Guy broke up with me." She said letting the tears flow.
"You guys will work through this. You've had rough spots before."
"I think he meant it this time." She said putting her face in her hands.
"What happened?" Julie asked rubbing her friends back.
"Can we get out of here? I don't wanna be here right now."
"Yeah, just let me tell somebody we're leaving. Stay here."
Julie and Connie had always been close. Being the only girls on a hockey team they couldn't help but be friends. They stuck up for each other; they listened to the other's problems. Connie was the sister Julie never head. She found Dwayne standing by himself.
"Hey Cowboy." She said putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey Jules." He said smiling down at her.
"Me and Connie are gonna take off. Can you tell everybody?"
"Sure."
"Thanks Dwayne. I'll see you tomorrow." She said hugging him.
Julie made her way back to Connie wishing things could be different. She didn't want to leave her friends. But she knew had to grow up sometime. What made it worse was that her dad wasn't there. He had a big case he was working on, and he couldn't take time off. Her brother was away at college and had opted to stay in California for the summer. At least her dad had called to tell her he was proud of her. They were going to celebrate when she got home.
Julie and Connie were at Connie's house when Julie finally got her to tell her what happened.
"He was talking about wanting to get married. And I told him he was crazy. With him leaving for Canada in August to start training and me staying here for college it would never work."
"And you told him that?" Julie asked letting it sink in.
"Yeah." Connie said nodding her head.
"And he broke up with you because you won't marry him?"
"Yeah."
"I'm gonna kill him. I take that back, Charlie is going to kill him." Julie said thinking of their hot head of a captain.
"Oh my God you're right! What am I gonna do?"
"Just don't worry about it. Their big boys, they can take care of themselves." Julie said trying to calm Connie down.
Half an hour later Connie was asleep while Julie was awake. She couldn't figure out why Portman was acting so strange. He had hardly said two words to her after what had happened in the hallway. Fulton had caught on not long after it happened. Julie didn't know what to tell him. Maybe Portman was having trouble dealing with the fact that it was all over. And he was leaving his friends behind. Julie planned on cornering him tomorrow before they left.
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Portman stared across the airport watching Julie and Connie talking. He wanted to go over and talk to her but he knew he was risking getting his head bitten off by Connie if he did. He saw Charlie walk up to the girls realizing he had a chance to talk to Julie. He walked up to them and put a hand on Julie's arm.
"Can I talk to you?" He asked looking her in the eye.
"Sure."
"Go, I'll stay with her." Charlie said sitting in the seat Julie just gotten up from.
Portman led Julie through the crowded airport to a table. They sat down and Julie wondered what was going on. She had never seen him like this.
"I know you think I'm acting weird, and I am. I wanted to apologize."
"You don't have to. You're not ready to leave, I know you." She said smiling at him.
"How do you do that?" He asked staring at her.
"It's a gift." She said shrugging her shoulders.
Portman smiled at her wishing she could come with him. He definitely wouldn't be able to make it through the summer without seeing her. Forget her going to college. That was something else, she had refused to talk to him for almost a week when she found out he was taking a year off to decide what he wanted to do with his life. He had four years to decide that and he still didn't know what he wanted.
"I got you something." He said pulling something out of his shirt pocket.
"You didn't have to." She said looking at him.
"I wanted to. You can't open it until you get on the plane though." He said handing her a small box.
"Why not now?" She asked giving him a confused look.
"Because I said so." He said sounding like the Portman she knew.
Fulton saw them and smiled. He had always thought they would be together by now. They had skated around the edges for years, but had never done anything about it. If they didn't act on it soon he would have to do something about it.
An hour later Russ and Kenny were the first to leave. They said goodbye to everyone stopping at the girls to hug them. Russ picked Connie up off the floor whispering in her ear. She smiled then nodded.
"Take care Catlady." He said pulling Julie in for a hug.
"See ya Russ." She said taking his hat.
"You keep that."
"I'll think of you when I wear it." She said putting it on.
"I'm next." Kenny said stepping where Russ had just been.
"I'll see you in August." She said pulling him in for a hug.
"Yeah, who knew we'd both get into UCLA?"
"Not me." She said smiling.
Dwayne was next to leave telling everyone he didn't want to hug them one at a time.
"Group hug y'all! Don't make me break out my rope!" He said making everyone laugh.
Luis was next and he couldn't say anything. He was speechless.
"Come on Casanova." Julie said pulling him over to her and Connie.
"We'll keep in touch." Connie said rubbing his back as he hugged her.
He nodded not saying anything to the guys. He looked over his shoulder and grinned at all of them. The guys started laughing knowing he was faking it.
"You jerk!" Connie said throwing ice at him.
Portman was next and he pulled Connie into a hug.
"You take care of yourself. And don't hand me that 'I can handle him' shit. I know he hurt you. You let me know if you need me to beat him down."
Connie laughed nodding. She had never known him to act like this. He had never even hugged her before. A hand on the shoulder yeah, but this was the closest she had ever come. She watched as he pulled Julie and Fulton off to the side. She never would have thought Julie would become friends with either of them. But she was glad she had.
Portman and Fulton made stupid faces as Julie took their picture.
"Come on you two be serious." She said rolling her eyes.
They gave her puppy dog eyes making her laugh then roll her eyes. She took the picture anyway. Leave it to those two to make her laugh when she was trying to be serious. Fulton walked away leaving Portman to say goodbye to Julie. He picked her up off the ground and looked into her eyes.
"I'm gonna miss you." He whispered.
"We can always e-mail each other. And I'd feel offended if you didn't call me." She said looking at him.
He nodded not wanting to put her down.
"If you don't leave, you're gonna miss your flight."
He put her down but didn't let go of her.
"Take care Jules." He said hugging her.
"You too." She said sighing.
He pulled away and started down the terminal. Julie watched him not noticing that Fulton had come up beside her.
"I'm gonna miss him too." He said draping an arm over her shoulder.
"I know." She said watching Portman walk away.
"Did I see him give you something earlier?"
"Yeah. I'm not allowed to look at it until I get on my plane though."
"Can I see it? I won't tell you what it is."
"Sure." She said pulling it out of her bag.
A little while later Julie's flight was called. She looked around at the rest of her friends. Adam, Charlie, Fulton and Connie were still there. Goldberg had left early that morning to go to Philadelphia, and Averman had to leave because he had to work. Jesse had even showed up. She had grown close to these people, Jesse included. They were her family.
"You're always last Gaffney." Adam said stepping in front of her.
"See ya Banksie." She said hugging him.
"I've gotta go through this again?"
"Shut up and hug me Jess." She said smiling at him.
"See ya around." He said messing up her hair.
"Come
here Captain Spazway." She said pulling Charlie to her.
"Take
care of her." She whispered in his ear.
"I will." He said kissing her cheek before he pulled away.
Fulton stood off to the side waiting for his turn. He handed her the box and let her put back in her bag before he pulled her into a bone crushing hug.
"If I ever had a sister I'd want her to be like you."
"Thanks Fult." She said brushing a piece of hair out of his eyes.
"Take care of your yourself."
"You too." She said before pulling away.
They all watched her walk away. Each of them had made an impact on each other's lives. They were going to stay friends even if it killed them. Julie looked over her shoulder waving one last time before she turned the corner. She found her seat and waited for the plane to take off before she reached for her bag. She felt around for the box before pulling it out. Inside she found a pair of Sapphire earrings. She had tears in her eyes as she read the note that came with them. 'I saw these and thought of you. I hope you like them. Don't forget me, because I won't forget you. Dean'
AN2: Well, that's the first chapter; I know it's a little long. But most first chapters are. Let me know what you think. I'm a big girl I can take it.