Author's Note: First, thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them. Second, I wasn't planning on this chapter taking as long as it did. I figured I'd have it done about three weeks ago. However, it is about double the length of the first chapter, so I guess that's something.

Again, I did look up parts of California law and NHL regulations. Most of it is accurate, but I did take a few liberties. Do not hurt me if there's any horrible mistakes. Of course, corrections/constructive criticism are welcome!

Disclaimer: I don't own the show, Disney does. Nor do I own Cool Whip, Kraft does. I am not in any way affiliated with Disney, the NHL, its commissioner Gary Bettman, or any branch of the California government. I have taken extreme liberties with Mr. Bettman. Do not take his character as an accurate representation of him.

Wildwing had a restless night. Despite his constant reassurances to his little brother, he couldn't convince himself that everything would turn out okay. Phil's concerns about the NHL were nothing compared to Wildwing's fear of the State of California. His knowledge about social services mainly came from movies and television. In everything he'd seen, social workers only came into the picture when there was a possibility of removing the child from the home. The thought of Nosedive being taken away kept Wildwing from getting more than a couple hours of sleep.

Still, he woke up to the alarm much easier than his brother.

Wildwing crossed their shared room to shut off the beeping. "Come on Dive, time to get up."

Nosedive gave a mumbled response from under his pillow. When left to his own devices, the teen took his sweet time getting out of bed. With that in mind, Wildwing turned on the lights and grabbed Nosedive's pillow off his head. "Mind repeating that?"

Nosedive shut his eyes against the brightness. "I said no sane duck would get up at this hour."

"It's a good thing you've always been a little crazy then, isn't it?" Wildwing joked. "Seriously, Dive, you need to get up and going. We've only got three hours until those people are going to be here."

"Three hours is more than enough time," Nosedive yawned, pulling the blankets over his head. "Just give me ten more minutes, Wing."

"Nosedive, it can take you an hour just to find clean clothes. Now come on, hit the showers and get dressed, and I'll make you breakfast."

The teen poked his head back out. "Pancakes?"

"Sure."

"With M&M's?"

Wildwing sighed. "Yes, with M&M's."

"And whipped cream?"

"Nosedive!"

"Alright, alright." Nosedive jumped down from his bunk and stretched, running a hand through his hair. "Man, I'm going to need to do some serious conditioning to work these things out," he said as his hand caught in the tangles.

Wildwing smiled. "Guess you'd better get started then, baby bro."

"Yeah, yeah," Nosedive replied as he headed to the adjoining bathroom. "And don't forget the whipped cream, Wing!"

Sure enough, an hour later Wildwing, still in his pajamas, set a plate stacked with M&M pancakes on the table, along with a tub of Cool Whip. He glanced up as the doors swooshed open.

"Gotta sweet tooth this morning, Wing?" Duke asked as he came into the kitchen.

Wildwing shook his head. "I needed a motivator for Nosedive to actually get up when the alarm clock went off."

Duke looked at the spread, then back at his captain. "Think the kid really needs that much sugar?"

"Probably not. But I figured it was more important to make sure he was ready for today."

The older mallard nodded, and went to start a pot of coffee. "Is the kid still down about it?" he asked as he spooned grounds into the filter.

"I don't think so," Wildwing said, sitting down. "He seems more upset about our season possibly being ruined."

"That's what I was talkin 'bout." Duke poured water into the coffee maker, then hit the start button. He went to sit next to Wildwing as it brewed. "I'm guessin you're more concerned with our other guests."

"You mean the people who are coming to see why Dive hasn't been in school and if he'd be better off in foster care?"

Duke was slightly startled. He'd figured Wildwing was concerned about his brother, but didn't realize he was scared about Nosedive being taken away. "You're pretty nervous 'bout this, huh?"

"You could say that." Wildwing ran a hand through his short white locks. "It's not that I'm not concerned about the team, too. Believe me, I am. It's just…"

"Nosedive's your brother."

Wildwing nodded.

Duke thought for a few minutes. "I don't know, Wing," he said finally. "I think ya might be jumping the puck a bit. Phil never said anything about them wantin ta take Nosedive away."

"Do you know any other reason a social worker would be coming?"

"Cause they found out the kid's a kid. It's their job ta check on his welfare." The coffee maker beeped and he got up to pour himself a cup. "They'll probably just ask a bunch of questions and fill out a bunch of forms. Ya want a cup?"

"Sure. So you don't think we've got anything to worry about from the government?" Wildwing asked as Duke handed him a full mug.

Duke sipped his coffee. "Not too much. I figure the worst that'll happen is Phil gets swamped with paperwork and we'll have ta pay some money. Does this taste weird ta ya?"

Wildwing drank, and immediately regretted it. "I think 'incredibly bitter' are the words you're looking for," he said as he pushed the drink away from him.

"Yeah, I thought so. Guess I didn't put enough grounds in." The two then sat in silence, staring at their mugs.

A few minutes later, Nosedive strolled in, hair still slightly damp. "Cool, thanks Wing!" he exclaimed when he saw his breakfast. He pulled up a chair and plopped down, spooning generous amounts of whipped cream onto the pancakes. "Bathroom's all your's, bro."

Wildwing stood up. "Try not to eat those all at once, okay Dive?"

"Washa aking bou?" Nosedive asked, mouth already full to bursting with pancake.

"That's what I'm talking about. Just remember, chewing's healthy," he reminded his brother as he headed back towards their room. "Thanks for the coffee, Duke!" he called over his shoulder.

"Anytime, Wing," Duke replied as he went to pour the barely touched beverage down the sink.

An hour and a half later, the whole team met in Phil's office. Their manager was already joined by three men and a woman, all dressed in business attire. They stood when the ducks entered the room.

"Boobies! Great, you're here!" Phil cried, grabbing Wildwing and pulling him close. "Follow my lead and do not tick these people off," he whispered to the other ducks over the captain's shoulder. "Well," he continued, letting go of Wildwing and facing the visitors, "shall I introduce this wonderful, loyal, hard working team? Here's Tanya, Duke, Nosedive, Grin, Mallory, and of course, our very honorable, very trustworthy team captain, Wildwing."

"Phil's sure laying it on thick," Mallory whispered to Duke. He gave a half-smirk.

One of the men stepped forward and shook hands with Wildwing. "Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner. This is my assistant, Paul Hunter," indicating another of the men.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Flashblade," the man said, offering his hand.

"Likewise," Wildwing responded automatically.

The third man came forward. "Peter Robinson, California Department of Education."

"Pleasure," Wildwing replied as his hand continued getting shook.

"Mary Taylor, Child Welfare Services," the woman said, finishing the introductions.

Wildwing grimaced at the affiliation, but shook her hand nonetheless. "Wonderful," he managed to force out.

Eventually his hand was set free. What a weird formality,he thought to himself.

"Well," Phil broke, "how about we all get comfy, huh?" He indicated the folding chairs he'd set up around the room. The visitors returned to their seats on one side of Phil's desk, while the ducks arranged themselves on the other side.

"I suppose we should get down to business," Mr. Bettman stated as Mr. Hunter handed him a stack of folders. "I believe Mr. Palmfeather has already filled you in on our conversation yesterday about this?" he asked, holding up a copy of the Seventeen issue.

"Yes," Wildwing told him.

"Then you are aware of your team's serious violation of the League's eligibility rules?"

"Our manager filled us in on that too, Mr. Bettman. Though I would like to say that before yesterday, none of us knew of the rule, or that Nosedive's age wasn't recorded correctly," he added, shooting a look at Phil.

"Well, that certainly is interesting," the commissioner replied, turning towards Phil. "Mr. Palmfeather, I believe you took care of all the paperwork when the team was added to the League, correct?"

"Yeah, that's right," Phil answered, sweating slightly.

"So you're the one that lied about Nosedive's age being eighteen instead of sixteen?"

The ducks all focused on him. Even though their livelihoods were on the line, they were still very curious about how Phil would handle intense scrutiny about a fraud charge from the head of the NHL. They didn't think he would be able to find a loophole to get out of this one.

"I never lied!" Phil retorted. "I didn't even fill out his form!"

"Oh? Then who did?"

"Your assistant," Phil told him smugly.

The commissioner glanced at the man next to him, who seemed surprised the conversation had turned to him.

"Is that true, Mr. Hunter?" Mr. Bettman asked.

Mr. Hunter cleared his throat and looked through his briefcase. "Um, well technically, Mr. Bettman," he stammered as he pulled out some papers. "When the team first joined in June last year, we were having some issues with the fax machine, so I asked Mr. Palmfeather for the information on the player forms over the phone and filled it in myself. I can assure you, though, I didn't put anything down that Mr. Palmfeather himself didn't tell me himself," he finished.

Mr. Bettman turned his attention back to Phil. "Did you tell Mr. Hunter that Nosedive was eighteen?"

"No!" Phil insisted. "I remember the whole conversation quite clearly. He asked for Nosedive's birthday and I gave it as July first. Then he asked how old he was. I told him Nosedive would turn nineteen."

"So you did lie," Mr. Bettman concluded. "Mr. Palmfeather…"

"It wasn't a lie!" Phil protested. "I never said Nosedive was turning nineteen that year. Just that he would turn nineteen. And, forbidding some horrible tragedy, he will turn nineteen. Eventually."*

The room stared at Phil in shock. Wildwing couldn't tell if the commissioner was trying to keep from laughing or screaming.

Finally, Mr. Bettman turned back to look at Mr. Hunter. "You didn't ask him when the player would be nineteen?" he asked in a very calm tone.

"Well…I mean, I don't really remember exactly what I said, sir. It was a year ago."

"I see." Mr. Bettman looked at Wildwing. "Well, Mr. Flashbade, it seems you have a very… creative manager."

"I wouldn't argue with you, Mr. Bettman," Wildwing said. Secretly, he was kind of impressed with Phil's skills. Upset the whole situation was taking place, but still impressed.

The commissioner opened up one of folders and pulled out some papers. "Creative or not, having a minor play was against rules, and the League has decided to ban the Mighty Ducks for the rest of the season."

Despite the fact they'd all knew it was likely, the team still heaved a collective sigh at the ruling.

"It really is a shame," Mr. Bettman continued. "Considering all the exceptions we made for you at Mr. Palmfeather's insistence, we might have been able to work something out."

Wildwing stared at him. "You might have?"

"Well, yes. I mean, we did let you play with only six of you, hardly enough for a decent team-"

"No offense," Mr. Hunter interjected.

"-plus the fact that two of you are female-"

"Again, no offense."

"-and the fact that you are, well, alien ducks-"

"Seriously, no offense," Mr. Hunter insisted.

"-so I'd hardly think amending the rules to let a juvenile participate would have been much more difficult, at least in this situation. We might still be able to for next season."

At this Nosedive couldn't sit still. "Alright!" he exclaimed. "You totally rock, Bettman!"

"Nosedive, don't you think you might want to, uh, let the commissioner finish talking?" Tanya warned.

Mr. Bettman twisted his face. "I'll take it as a compliment. All the same, there's still the matter that Mr. Robinson and Ms. Taylor are here about. That needs to be taken care of before we could ever accept Nosedive into the League officially."

The two, who had been quietly observing the discussion, nodded. "The fact is, the State of California is very concerned about Nosedive," Mr. Robinson said. "Legally, he should have been attending school this past year. Since his hockey stats showed him as an adult, no one in the district bothered to report it until that article came out. Now he's been reported as truant, and Ms. Taylor and I have gotten involved."

Wildwing nodded, growing tense. "Well, I can assure you that Nosedive's been well looked after."

"That's not the problem, Mr. Flashblade," Ms. Taylor interjected. "I'm sure Nosedive's a wonderful young ma…er, duck," she corrected, "and I have no doubt that you've taken good care of him thus far. However, we simply cannot ignore the fact that he has not been receiving the education he needs."

Wildwing tried to gulp as his mouth went dry.

"A judge has ordered a $100 fine for not making sure Nosedive was in school. Considering the fact that you haven't been previously notified about the issue, the penalty is lighter than it would have been under different circumstances," she finished.

The goalie relaxed his muscles as relief overwhelmed him. "I think that's more than fair," he said, forcing himself to breathe calmly.

The social worker smiled. "Of course, you will have to remedy the situation as soon as possible."

"California law compels children to attend school until they turn eighteen," Mr. Robinson continued for her. "That would require Nosedive to be enrolled this fall."

"I have to go to high school?" Nosedive exclaimed, jumping up. "How am I supposed to play hockey if I'm in high school?"

"Nosedive, sit down," Mallory hissed, standing up to grab the teen's shoulders and forcing him back in his seat.

He crossed his arm. "Alright, girly-girl, relax, would yah?"

"You're one to talk," she mumbled.

"Anyways," Mr. Robinson went on, "Nosedive would be required to enroll in school. However, none of us," he said, indicating himself, Mr. Bettman, and Ms. Taylor, "think that would be in his best interest. High school can be a difficult place for anyone perceived as different, and Nosedive would likely be lost in some of the classes. Because of that, we are willing to allow an alternative."

"What kind of alternative?" Wildwing inquired as Nosedive looked interested.

"If Mr. Bettman is willing to write a letter of request as potential employer, Nosedive would eligible to take the GED test when he turns seventeen," Mr. Robinson explained.

"That means I wouldn't need to go to high school?" Nosedive asked hopefully.

Mr. Robinson nodded. "As long as you passed. I should tell you, though, I highly doubt you'd be able to."

"Then why bother offering it?" Wildwing asked. He wasn't thrilled with someone raising his brother's hopes just to crush them.

"Well, he might to be able to pass before school started in September, but it would require him to do some serious studying. The GED test has five parts: reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. I'm not sure what his abilities are in the first four parts, but I don't think he'd have been able to pick up everything the social studies portion covers in just the year you all have been here."

"But if he did pass, he'd be exempt from school?"

"Yes, Mr. Flashbade. The GED is a high school equivalency test. If he passed, he'd have a certificate held in trust for him until he turned eighteen."

Wildwing turned to Mr. Bettman. "And if he passed, he'd be eligible to play next season, along with the rest of the team.

The commissioner nodded. "Most likely, yes. There would be some formalities, but the pros of having the team, including Nosedive, in the League would overcome any obstacles that may arise. I'd also be more than happy to write the letter of request."

"Well, baby bro, what do you think?" Wildwing asked the teen. "Do you want to try to pass the test, or start school in the fall? It's your decision."

"There's no way you could get me to go to one of those schools!" Nosedive exclaimed. "I've heard the horror stories about those places. Thrash and Mookie don't lie, bro."

"I guess he'll take the test," Wildwing told Mr. Robinson.

He nodded. "In that case, I highly recommend you get him a tutor. Again, I doubt he'll be able to pass the social studies portion without some sort of formal instruction." He stood and went to shake Wildwing's hand.

The mallard stood to receive him, still not thrilled with the custom. "I'll certainly take the advice."

As Mr. Robinson left the room, Mr. Bettman and Mr. Hunter also stood and went to shake Wildwing's hand in parting. "I hope you know none of this is personal to your team," Mr. Bettman said. "This is not at all how I was planning on finals season going this year. But it is my job."

"I understand, commissioner. I thank you for being so accommodating."

"Well, if I'm being perfectly honest, I'd hate to see the League lose any of you. If I may be blunt, you're all great for business. This whole situation is going to be very embarrassing for us."

Wildwing turned and stared at his team, who shared his look of confusion.

"Oh, Mr. Palmfeather," the commissioner added as he stood in the doorway, "I'll be sure to describe your 'creativity' to my colleagues when we're discussing what sort of fine should leveled at the team."

"Fine?" Phil asked, face paling.

"Whatever the circumstances, there was still an unauthorized minor playing this whole season. A fine is inevitable. Good day."

And with that, the team was left with Ms. Taylor, was jotting stuff down in a notebook. "Now that the truancy matter is settled, there something else I need to discuss with you, Mr. Flashblade," she said, looking up from the pages.

"Um, sure," Wildwing replied, sitting back down. After he found out the social worker was only announcing a small fine, he'd almost forgotten about her.

"Are you Nosedive's guardian?"

"Yeah, I'm the one who's been taking care of him."

She smiled. "Again, I'm sure you've done a wonderful job. What I meant was are you his legal guardian? When you're manager worked with the government when you first got here, did he disclose Nosedive's age and make you officially responsible for him?"

Wildwing looked at Phil, who was still recovering from the shock of a NHL fine. "Well, Phil?"

"Huh? Oh, sure, I took care of that before I ever went to the League about you guys. The papers are in the safe with the rest of your documents," he said, jerking his thumb towards the wall safe behind his desk.

"Do you need to see them?" Wildwing asked Ms. Taylor.

She shook her head. "I can check with our records department. They should have a copy." She stood and held out her hand. Wildwing was about to take it for yet another shake, when he saw a small piece of paper instead. "My card," she stated. "If you want any more information on the GED or need help with anything else, give me a call."

"Thanks," Wildwing said, taking the card and sticking it in his pocket.

"Of course. Good luck on your test," she told Nosedive. "It was nice meeting all of you. Have a good day." She shut the door behind her.

And with that, the team was left alone with Phil.

"A fine! Can you believe it? A stinking fine! I can't believe it!" he yelled.

"It could have been worse, Phil," Grin stated calmly.

"It could have been much worse," Wildwing agreed. "I think we can all handle a couple of fines. At least we can still play next season."

"Assuming someone passes his test," Mallory amended, staring at the back of Nosedive's head.

"Hey, I'm a smart duck!" the teen protested. "I happen to watch the most sophisticated and educational of television programs."

"I don't think it matters, Dive," Wildwing said before a war over Bernie the Bear's educational value could be started. "Mr. Robinson was right. You're going to need tutoring before you take this test."

Nosedive rolled his eyes. "Great, summer school. Just what I always wanted."

"I know, Dive, but it's just something you've got to do. Phil, do you think you could start looking for a tutor?"

Phil jumped up from his desk. "What? We can't afford a tutor! We've got an unknown fine coming our way!"

"So what do you propose we do?" the team captain asked, humoring the manager for the moment.

"I'll tutor him," he offered.

At this idea, Nosedive grabbed Wildwing by the collar. "If you have any love for me at all, do NOT leave me in the hands of Phil!" he pleaded.

Wildwing pried Nosedive's hands off his shirt. "Relax baby bro, we can definitely find money for an actual tutor. Right, Phil?" he said, giving the man a look that made it clear there was no room for arguing.

Phil sighed. "Oh, all right. I'll find a tutor. Now you ducks get out of here. I'm going to have to work overtime to make up for all this lost money!" he cried, motioning the ducks out the door. "And don't come complaining to me about any endorsement deals!" he finished, shutting the door in the ducks' faces.

*Apparently Mila Kunis did something similar when auditioning for That 70s Show. Her brilliance, not mine.