Oh, yes, we're back. /grins/

We just couldn't bear the thought of not collaborating again, now when It's Summer In My Heart is finished, because it's just too much fun. It might even take less than two years to finish this one. It's looking better and better, kids.

The title is based on the song (why change such a winning concept?) by Sugar Ray, and the story has a real plot this time! Weee! Actually, it's a Connie/Guy story with lots of interactions from the other Ducks – and the Varsity team, especially Rick Riley. As Traci Michaels is practically fanon now, apparently, that's the name we're using - a name originally created by VictoryThruTears.

And I just have to add, as Kristine boosted my already quite oversized ego with her last comment in Summer, that I love co-writing with her and I'm just overly delighted that she wanted to write another story with me, and if it was up to me, we'd keep co-writing 'til the day she snuffs it. /nods/ I couldn't be happier that she's my friend, really. We'll conquer the world one day, you'll se.

This story is awesome, by the way. Read it, review, and be amazed at how well we work together.

/Cimmy (who else would be this random?) & Kristine


Chapter One

Guy waited for Connie out on the lawns. Eden Hall had big, green lawns surrounding the prestigious school buildings where he and his friends were earning their high school education through hockey scholarships.

It hadn't been easy so far. Guy and his friends, the Ducks, had been treated like outcasts by many of Eden Hall's financial elite. Poorer, younger, and generally less refined than many of the other students at Eden Hall, Guy and the Ducks had been tormented by the people who considered themselves superior, particularly, the Varsity hockey team.

The team - well, Charlie more than anyone else - had internal conflicts as well, and they'd all had a problem with their new coach, Ted Orion. Hans had died, Banks was gone, and Portman hadn't even shown up. The team was going down the tubes, losing games, and they'd been on the verge of losing their scholarships. If it hadn't been for Bombay's legal knowledge, they would have lost their scholarships, and then the Ducks would have truly been dead. The out of state Ducks would have gone home, and the District Five Ducks would be sent back to their inner-city high schools. Back to the gangs, drugs, and guns; lucky to survive with their lives, let alone an education.

But slowly things had begun to turn around. Charlie found himself, and came back to the team. They'd learned to understand and get along with Coach Orion, who turned out to be a good guy. He seemed to understand them a little better now, too. Bombay had kept them in school, Banks and Portman had both shown up in the nick of time, and with some combination of training, talent, and good luck, the Junior Varsity Ducks had managed to defeat the Varsity Warriors 1-0 in the annual JV/Varsity hockey showdown.

With that victory, the Ducks had won some of the respect they had been denied for the first two months they'd been in school. The Varsity hockey team still hated all things Duck, but they couldn't really say or do anything. The Ducks had beaten them, and earned supreme bragging rights – at least for the rest of the year. And the Ducks were no longer treated so badly by other students. A couple people had even shouted "Hey Guy," as he'd walked down to where he was supposed to meet Connie. He'd smiled at them, but hadn't really stopped to talk to anyone, out of fear of being late. He didn't want to be late and keep Connie waiting.

The strain on the Ducks had driven Connie and Guy apart. Everything had been going downhill so fast that they couldn't stop themselves from feeling that strain on their relationship. Guy was much more sympathetic towards Charlie's feelings than Connie would have liked. She had wanted him to suck it up and stop being such a baby so that they could be the Ducks again, and while Guy wanted that too, he was too afraid that Charlie was going to hurt himself to worry much about anything else.

Anyway, one small fight turned into two small fights, and then two small fights had turned into three, and finally, there was one big breakup, not long before the unofficial JV/Varsity showdown, where the Ducks got the crap kicked out of them and ended with a brawl between Charlie and Banks.

As a result of the breakup, Guy hadn't spent much time with Connie for a couple of months. They hadn't talked much at first, then small talk, and now they were almost friends again. With the team doing better, they started doing better.

But he had found, as the days went by, that he missed Connie. He missed her terribly. He had dreams about her, and couldn't help but noticing more than usual how pretty she was, and how her shirts and jeans fit her so perfectly. He tried to get over her, but he couldn't. He still loved her. He was pretty sure she still felt the same way she always did, because she treated him the same way as she had always done, except she didn't kiss him anymore.

And so he decided to ask her out again. This time they'd figure out a way to separate the Ducks from their relationship. Even though the Ducks were such a big part of them, they'd learn to separate the Ducks from themselves. Guy believed they could do that if they tried. They loved each other, and as far as Guy was concerned, anything was possible.

So Guy waited for Connie out on the lawn where she'd agreed to meet him. It was early November, and the sun was weak, so he wore a jacket to protect him from the chill. He noticed a lot of the kids had nicer jackets then he did, but that really shouldn't be surprising to him, he realized, because they had more money than he did. They'd always have nicer things if their fathers were CEOs of Fortune 500 companies while his father was manager of a grocery store.

He sat there on the grass for about ten minutes, watching the lake, and remembering his and Connie's first kiss. It was just after they'd won the Peewee Championship. Charlie had just made his penalty shot, and Connie had been about a foot taller than him at the time, but it was still one of their best kisses. It wasn't a particularly great kiss, as it was sort of wet and a little awkward because it was in front of so many people, but it was the first one, and there was always something magical and memorable about a first kiss. He was remembering Averman tease them mercilessly three days later when he felt somebody tap on his shoulder and a light voice say, "Hey stranger."

Guy looked up, "Hey Connie," he smiled up at her. "I wanted to talk to you."

"I wanted to talk to you too!" she said excitedly. "I have something big to tell you!"

"Really?" he smiled. Maybe her dad had gotten that promotion he was up for. "What's your big news?"

"Somebody asked me out for Friday night!"

Any elation Guy had been feeling at the thought of going out with Connie again quickly faded. He could feel the blood leave his face a little bit. "Yeah?" he said, trying to keep his voice neutral. "Who asked you out?"

When she answered him, Guy threw up in his mouth a little bit.

"This… this… this is not happening," Guy complained frantically, pacing back and forth in the room he shared with Luis, now and then aiming kicks at the bed. Luis was watching him as he stormed through the room. "I mean, sure, it's awful that's she's even dating at all, but dating that… that… him! What the hell is she thinking, huh! I mean, God!"

"I know, this is-"

"Unbelievable, that's what it is!" Guy interrupted instantly. "And gross! It's… it's… it's…"

"Rick Riley," Luis said with a grimace, wincing at the very thought.

"I know! What is she thinking? That he just suddenly turned into a decent guy? He's Rick Riley! There's not a bit of decency in him anywhere!"

"Maybe she fell for his charm?" Luis suggested carefully. Guy, who had just aimed another kick at the bed, turned so abruptly that he hit his knee against the desk instead. Luis listened while Guy swore loudly, then continued. "I just mean that he can be quite… persuasive… when he wants to be. Look, man, Traci's told me about him, how he is, and-"

"I don't wanna hear it," Guy muttered, throwing his hands into the air. "Connie would never fall for him. She doesn't fall for tricks. She's too smart for that!"

"I don't know what to tell you," Luis said dejectedly. "It's a damn shame that she fell for him-"

"She has not fallen for him!" Guy exclaimed, almost hysterically.

"-but I don't know what there's to do about it, really," Luis finished. "I agree that Connie's a smart girl, which probably means that she knows something about Riley that we don't. Maybe she really-"

"Don't say it!"

"-likes him."

"H-h-how is this supporting me!" Guy asked exasperatedly, once again starting to walk back and forth, now limping slightly with every step. "I have to tell Charlie. I have to tell him. He'll be outraged!"

"Maybe-"

"Not to mention how angry Fulton will be! He will, won't he?" Guy went on, waving at Luis to be quiet. "And Goldberg is gonna… oh, he won't believe it, and Luis will be-"

"I'm Luis."

"Oh, right. Yeah, you'll be mad too, and Averman-"

"Averman?" Luis asked doubtfully, wondering when Guy would come to his senses again.

Guy stomped his foot into the floor, whimpering quietly as the pain in his knee grew. "Of course! Come on, we gotta go tell 'em right away. Riley won't know what hit-"

"Guy, have you ever considered that if Connie likes this guy, she'll be twice as upset with you if you attempt to kill him?" Luis pointed out, hoping Guy would respond to some good old rationality.

"Good suggestion! We should kill him!" Guy replied, nodding and snapping his fingers. "I like that. We should write this down."

Luis watched as Guy stumbled over the desk and snatched a piece of paper out of a notepad. "Guy, man…"

"What did you say? 'Kill'…. 'Him'…" Guy mumbled while scribbling it down on the paper. "We need something more."

"No, you need to chill," Luis finally said loudly, getting up from the bed and grabbing the piece of paper, crumpling it together and throwing it in the bin. Guy whimpered again, as the paper disappeared. "If you don't stop hyperventilating, I'll bring you to the nurse!"

"You don't know how bad this is," Guy explained, putting down the pen on the desk again. "Connie's supposed to be… she's…"

"I know, man," Luis said, sighing deeply. He could only imagine how it would feel if Traci would leave him and start dating Rick again. "But having a panic attack won't solve anything. I doubt Connie would listen to you if you act this incoherent and deranged. You know, there's not one time she hasn't chosen you over, say, someone else."

Guy looked up, unable to give up a short snort with laughter. Luis had been quite the flirt with Connie when they'd first met, during the Junior Goodwill Games, trying in every way possible to charm her, but in the end Guy had won out. Guy didn't feel any resentment against Luis for it; after all, it was years ago now. "I guess you're right. Still think I should tell Charlie, though…"

"Umm, yeah, but leave the list, alright?"

Guy went for the door, looking more determined than ever. "Adam should know his weaknesses, right? After all, they played together for-"

"-less than two months?" Luis filled in.

"Practically best friends, probably," Guy muttered absently, hurrying out into the hallway. Luis sighed, following him, hoping to avert Guy's attention enough to keep him from announcing to the school about how Connie Moreau was dating Rick Riley.