A/N: Just to address a review I received I would like to let everyone know that the person who wrote the review mistakenly reviewed the wrong story. The story his review accuses me of emulating is quite good and you should check it out(it's on my favorites list), however bares no resemblance to my fic apart from them both being high school fics.

Raccoon General: One week later

Joey shivered slightly as he stepped into the warm waiting room. The automatic doors snapped shut behind him as a gust of icy wind blew through the large scarcely populated waiting room. Joey blinked his eyes adjusting to the lower light after the blinding white of the snow. Joey approached the front desk where a woman in her early forties was on the telephone. Before he could open his mouth to speak the woman clapped her hand over the phone and looked at him.

"Rebecca's in a single on the third floor. Room 217" The woman said smiling. "She'll be glad for the company."

"Thanks Beth" Joey said as he headed towards the elevator absently swinging the bag from the Super America he was holding beside him. He found Rebecca's room with no trouble, this wasn't the first time he had visited someone here. Joey was surprised to see Rebecca was watching a children's cartoon when he walked in.

"Never took you for a Ninja Turtles fan Becca." Joey said as he stepped into her field of view. Rebecca's head turned sharply from the television that was mounted in the corner of the room and she grinned from ear to ear.

"Well the news is just boring and if I have to watch the price is right one more time I'm gonna have to break into the pharmacy for some better pain killers." Rebecca said still smiling. Joey dropped the bag onto a chair walked up to the head of the bed. He leaned over and hugged her. She clumsily patted him on the back with her cast as he pulled away. Joey felt a sharp sting of guilt as he felt the cast hit his back.

"How are you feeling?" Joey asked as he walked back to the chairs.

"Good as can be." Rebecca said.

"Good enough for one of these?" Joey asked as pulling a king size Hershey's bar from the bag.

"Oh my god yes!" Rebecca said excitedly. "The food here I'm telling you."

"You don't have to tell me anything... I'm quite familiar with it" Joey said handing the candy bar to Rebecca's uninjured arm. He pulled two Pepsi's from the bag and plopped down into the chair. After a moment of watching Rebecca struggle to open the chocolate bar with the cast on her arm restricting her thumb's movement, Joey pulled out his pocket knife.

"Well you certainly come prepared" Rebecca said handing the chocolate back to him.

"Never leave home without it." Joey said slicing the rapper off and giving it back.

"I've only been in it a week and this cast is already annoying" Rebecca said biting off a huge piece of chocolate.

"Least you don't have to aim when you need to take a piss" Joey said as he opened the first Pepsi. Rebecca nearly choked on her chocolate.

"Don't do that when I'm eating!" Rebecca said still laughing. Joey smiled and handed her the soda. "This is the first good thing I've had to eat in days."

"That's rough" Joey said laughing.

"How'd you find me anyway? I thought my Mom gave the nurses orders not to let anyone see me?" Rebecca asked.

"I crawled in through the air ducts" Joey said emphasizing the sarcasm in his tone.

"So the on duty nurse is your Mom's friend or something right?" Rebecca asked sounding shrewd. "Anyway, it's good to see you. I'm going stir crazy up here... So how's everyone else doing?" Joey let his soda free hand smack onto his jeans with a thud.

"Divided, can't decide who to blame or keep from shouting at each other long enough to discuss it for that matter" Joey said in a tone of exasperation.

"Jill mentioned that when she slipped up here yesterday." Rebecca said staring out the window at the still snow covered landscape. "She also said you guys got run over on Tuesday night."

"Yeah eighty to sixty seven. Not really a blowout but to a nobody like Darvers Creek it might as well have been by twenty five... But what can you do when your point guards on crutches, and half the team thinks your acting point guard is the one who put him there and nearly killed his girlfriend."

"What?" Rebecca asked sharply, turning back to him. "This is because of us?" Joey shrugged.

"Billy and Chris are determined to blame Richard for the accident. Leon and Kenneth are convinced it's my fault because they think I shouldn't have lent him the car and there's probably some truth in both of those. Forest is sitting on the fence with me and Jill... Needless to say the guys aren't exactly receptive to my leadership." Joey concluded in a resigned tone.

"How can anyone think it's your fault?" Rebecca asked, shaking her head.

"Forgetting the part where I lent a sports car to Richard in a blizzard, I've taken that car apart and done so much to it that my Dad calls it Frankenstein." Joey said.

"And you want me to tell you who's fault it really is?" Rebecca asked, shaking her head. "Jill tried this too. I'm not adding fuel to the fire Joe."

"I don't give a damn about the fighting or the loss!" Joey said leaning forward. In the harsh glow of the florescent bulbs overhead Rebecca saw that he didn't look very good. He was pale and there were dark shadow's under his eyes. "I just want your side... I just... I just wanna know if I nearly killed my best friends." Rebecca stared at him, weighing whether or not knowing the truth would do him any good.

"Okay, but you have to promise me something." Rebecca said after a moment.

"I won't repeat it unless you want me to... I'm not looking to start more drama. I'm just a miserable guy who hasn't slept very much this week." Joey said. Rebecca recounted the events of the night starting with Billy's advances. It took nearly ten minutes to go through everything and at the end Joey sat with a mixture of confusion and anger on his face. "I guess this explains why Billy's been so quick to put the blame off on Richard. He's feeling guilty to."

"I guess so" Rebecca said as she swigged the last of her pepsi and set her empty glass bottle down next to Joey's half drunk one.

"Well I won't tell anyone... All it would do is make everyone turn on Billy and make things worse... What a damn mess" Joey said, adjusting his bandana.

"Now you know how I feel..." Rebecca. Rebecca stared down at her hand which was tightly gripping a fist full of her blanket.

"Do you hate him?" Joey asked. Rebecca looked up.

"No" Rebecca replied after a moments hesitation. "I don't hate him."

"Do you blame him?" Joey asked. Rebecca gave no reply. She turned her head and stared out of the window again.

"I don't know" Rebecca said, finally.

"Can't say that I know either... Truth is we're all to blame in some way... What a damn mess" Joey said leaning his head against the wall. A moment later Joey stood up. "I hate to leave you with nothing but the television but I have plans to meet someone."

"Sherry?" Rebecca asked, turning from the window and smiling. Joey gave her a questioning look. "Jill said word's getting around... You ready for the gossip?" Joey shook his head.

"When will you get out of here?" Joey asked.

"If everything is good then tomorrow" Rebecca said.

"Well I guess I'll see you then" Joey said, he waived at her and left without another word..

Three Day's Later: Richard's house

"Hold your horses I'm trying" Richard called as he fumbled with the lock on the front door with his uninjured arm. Through the distorting glass of the slim window on the door he could see Jill standing outside pummeling the doorbell. Richard finally managed to unlock and open the door. "What do you want Jill?" he asked.

"Hello to you to." Jill said, and her tone was a cool as the thin wisps of vapor that her breathe formed in the air.

"Sorry" Richard said in an apologetic tone. "Come on in... My parents aren't home." Richard stepped aside to allow her to walk in. He shut the door behind her.

"Christ it's freezing." Jill said as she pulled off her coat. "Even with thermals my legs are numb."

"I wouldn't know... I haven't been outside since they let me come home" Richard said walking into the living room and plopping onto the couch.

"So how's the arm?" Jill asked, eying the gray plaster coating around Richard's right arm.

"They say six weeks in this thing and then I'll be good as new" Richard said waiving it at her as she crossed the room and sat down in one of the large brown arm chairs near the television. "So... How is everyone?"

"Well Leon and Kenneth are being ass holes to Joey. Chris and Billy can't decide who they're more mad at and Forest just thinks everyone involved is stupid. We've got a third of what we need to go on our trip... But that's not what you wanna hear?" Jill asked, grinning.

"No... I know they all hate me." Richard said looking down.

"They don't hate you... They're just angry about everything... And Rebecca seems to be doing alright." Jill added. Richard raised his head up.

"So... She got released?" Richard asked.

"Yeah... It turned out the knee wasn't so bad. She's just gonna be stiff for a long time. Her arm is really messed up though. The doctor isn't sure how long she'll be in a cast." Jill gave him a moment to think before asking. "So when are you back at school?"

"Not sure but maybe after thanksgiving break." Richard replied. A wave of guilt had hit him when he'd heard about Rebecca's arm.

"So... Will you be able to play again, after the cast comes off?" Jill asked.

"I could but... I don't know Jill" Richard said despairingly.

"Why don't you come to the game on tomorrow?" Jill asked. "They could use the moral support."

"I doubt they want me there." Richard said. "As mad as everyone is at me... I'm trying to see if the school will let me finish the semester from home... Just so I won't have to talk to them."

"So you're hiding?" Jill asked.

"If that's the way you see it" Richard snapped.

"They're never gonna forgive you if you run away... Come to the game... You can sit with me Steve and Claire.. Maybe afterward we can all hang out." Jill said.

"Maybe..." Richard said. "What does Rebecca say about all of this?"

"Well" Jill shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Rebecca had told her what she thought in confidence. "She hasn't said what she thinks but I don't think she blames you."

"I'll think about it... I just don't know what to do" Richard admitted. "I mean it was mostly my fault."

"I don't think anyone doubts that... But for all of us to move on... You gotta move on, and stop feeling sorry for yourself." Jill said standing up. "I gotta go and help my Dad with something but let me know if you need a ride to the game tomorrow." The two said their goodbye's and Jill departed.

Jill drove cautiously through the back roads toward town. The cold and snow were constant now, and would be until the thaw in march. Jill slipped her sunglasses on and turned the radio up, blasting Nirvana. As she pulled into town she saw the Best Way had put a sign out for a "Pre Thanksgiving Sale". They had a lot to be thankful for right now. If only everyone could realize that. Jill turned into the parking lot of the "Okay Cafe" and spotted Joey walking out the door. She parked quickly and waived as she got out.

"I thought you had practice today?" Jill asked as she walked up.

"Burton had us run a few drills then let us go... After he told us in detail about how awful we are" Joey said in a depressed voice. "He's not wrong either."

"Everyone still giving you shit?" Jill asked.

"Everyone's giving everyone shit... I just happen to be the guy catching it from all sides" Joey said. "But I've got the house to myself for the next ten days, so I'll find a way to cope." Joey laughed, but it was a hollow noise.

"Your parents aren't even going to be in for the Holiday?" Jill asked. She wasn't really surprised but she felt like she should act like she was. It was common knowledge among those who knew him that Joey's parents workaholic nature was second only to the Birkin's and bordered on neglect at times.

"Na... Not sure what I'll do this year... I doubt I'll be welcome around Richard or Rebecca's houses any time soon." Joey said, sounding uninterested.

"I'd invite you to ours but... We don't really do thanksgiving... Sorry Joe" Jill said in a sad tone.

"It's alright I'll figure something out... You talk to Richard yet?" Joey asked.

"Yeah... He's thinking about coming to the game on Friday but he's worried about everyone... and about Rebecca." Jill admitted.

"Probably some reason to worry about all of those" Joey said. They were the only two who had spoken to Rebecca about the incident. After her release from the hospital her mother was keeping her at home and not letting anyone near her. While Joey had never discussed with Jill everything Rebecca had told him, they both had the sense that they were the only ones who knew everything that went on that night.

"Well, we'll see... Everything will sort it's self out eventually." Jill replied. "I'll see you later Joe, I gotta meet my Dad in here." Jill entered the Cafe as Joey bid her goodbye and headed for her car. The restaurant was crowded. All the stools at the metal counter were full and most of the booths were as well. There was also a substantial line underneath the large sign that read "To Go". Across the room Jill spied her father sitting in a corner booth alone. She crossed the room and sat down opposite him.

"Was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten." Dick said as he folded up his newspaper.

"Sorry Dad. I got caught up talking to some friends." Jill said.

"No matter, we still have plenty of time I got the information earlier today. It should be a simple matter. We'll drop your car off at home and go out to the old utility house near the Delta line. I have the car stashed there... You sure you want to do this Jill?" Dick asked after a moment of silence.

"Yes Dad... We have to." Jill said in a reassuring tone.

"Alright well just remember if you hear sirens get yourself out... I'll run through the details with you in the car now lets go" Dick said standing up and motioning to her. Jill followed feeling her heart skip a beat as she ushered in a new portion of her life, and in the process losing something she knew she could never have back.

Wednesday before Thanksgiving: Gymnasium

"Alright is everyone ready?" Coach Burton asked. There was a slight murmur of consent. "I know you boy's have been through the ringer lately, but tonight is your night! Get ready it's time to show what you're made of!" The starting five took the court and got ready. On the sidelines Claire, Steve and Jill were at mid court cheering them on.

Forest loss the tip and the teams headed up the court. The Trinity high school wolverines were not a ranked team but had still been a team to worry about before the drama had started. Within ten seconds they had scored a lay up over Chris's head. Forest stepped out and threw the ball to Joey before running up the court. Joey walked up, surveying the defense. A one three one zone. They were trying to take Forest out of the game early. Joey signaled for Billy to get out on the wing and Leon to circle him.

Leon ran in front of him and knocked the ball out. The opponents guard seized the opportunity, scooped up the basketball and ran it back for a lay up. Leon stepped out and threw the ball inbound to Joey.

"Nice play Frost" Leon sneered as he ran down the court.

Joey bit his tongue and signaled the play again. This time Leon got the ball and passed it back to Joe as he approached the corner. Joey slashed into the lane and pitched the ball to the corner, but Billy had decided to go charging into the middle of paint. The ball flew out of bounds.

"Fucking retard!" Billy spat and, unfortunately the referee heard him. He blew the whistle for a technical foul with possession favoring the Wolverines. The Wolverines made both free throws. It was now nearly three minutes into the game and the Wildcats had neither scored nor seemed to want to work together. Joey tried once more to get a play to execute. He held up the signal and drove into the lane, he threw the ball back out to Billy who took a long two point shot. The shot hit the rim and bounced out. Forest rebounded but had his shot blocked by the opposing center. Joey ran to the top of the key and Forest threw the ball towards him but Billy ran in front of him and knocked the ball into the hands of the other teams small forward.

Joey turned and tore down the court as the forward sprinted the length of the court. Joey jumped as he passed the free throw line and swung his arm. He hit the boy in the arm and the shot landed on the rim as the whistle blew. After a moments hesitation the ball fell in and the boy now had a chance for a three point play. A moment later another whistle blew as a referee called a technical foul on Chris. Joey stood up in confusion, looking at Chris, who stared back hard faced. At this point Burton was about to call a time out but Joey shook his head. As the boy hit all three free throws to give the Wolverines an eleven to nothing lead, Joey locked eye's with Forest and nodded slightly.

This time Joey simply walked the ball up the court, ran to the top of the key and took a three point shot. The net barely moved as it sailed through. On the next possession Forest got a rebound and held the ball. After the players had cleared he passed the ball to Joey.

"Couple more and that zone is gonna crumble" Forest said. He was right. On four more possessions Joey went to the top of the key and sunk a three point shot. On all except one of those Forest managed to keep their center from scoring. This gave the Wildcats a fifteen to thirteen lead with five minutes left in the first half. The opposing coach called a time out to adjust his defense.

"Well I'm glad one of you showed up to play tonight" Coach Burton said.

"Maybe if Joseph would pass the ball!" Billy said in a voice filled with frustration.

"The way you were playing I wouldn't give you the ball either" Leon said sound equally frustrated.

"Take them out" Joey said flatly.

"Who?" Burton asked.

"Chris, Billy and Leon. Put Josh Brad and Ken in at least they'll work with me and not give the other team free points." Joey said still in the same flat and indifferent tone. The starters looked at Joey with a mixture of anger and disbelief on their faces, the back ups looked excited at the prospect of playing and Burton looked interested.

"Technically it's my call... But I trust you Joe, and you're the team captain. Sullivan, Vickers and Stone you're up. Everyone else park it.

The team took to the court with their new line up and the Wolverines came out in a new formation. They were still in a zone but it was in the shape of a diamond now. With a single player outside of it. The guard ran up to Joey and put his arms out.

"Let's see you make one of those shots now!" the boy said smiling. Joey ran down the right side drawing the chaser with him. Joey dropped the ball and right on queue Ken passed them and picked it up. He turned quickly and charged into the paint, while the teams players still thought Joey had the ball. He wove in and put up a jumper from the middle of the paint that rimmed out. Forest got the rebound and put it back hard. The other team responded with a basket of their own.

This time Joey ran the simplest play possible. He drove into the lane and threw the ball to Brad on the wing who launched a three point basket. It hit the rim and bounced away but Josh sprinted to the corner and recovered it. Josh ran out around the three point line and handed the ball off to Joey who almost immediately threw it to Forest who scored another basket. The next three possessions ended with Forest executing a layup in exchange for Ken allowing a three point shot at the other end. With less than thirty seconds to half time the officials turned off the shot clock. Joey walked to the top of the key with the chaser right in front of him. Joey motioned to Brad who started running around the three point arch. Joey used him as a screen to get to the corner. The maneuver gave him the split second he needed to square up. Joey launched the shot as the chaser jumped and crashed into him a split second after the ball left his hand. The two stumbled backward and a foul whistle rang out and the shot went in. Joey completed the four point play and the Wildcats went to the locker room with a lead.

"Well I hope you've all learned something from the first half" Burton said. "We did much better out there when we have people who will work as a team. Now I've already decided that Ken, Josh and Brad will start and play in the second half."

"You can't be serious!" Leon said, sounding outraged.

"Did I sound like I was joking?" Burton said in a warning tone.

"Fuck this!" Chris said. Before anyone could reply he ripped his Jersey off and threw it to the floor, grabbed his gym bag and stormed out. Billy followed in a less dramatic fashion.

"Anyone else wanna leave?" Burton asked. Everyone looked at Leon, he didn't move. "Well good... We'll have to be a little cautious with fouls from now on but I don't care if there's only one of you fit to play we will finish this game!" Burton true to his word returned the line up from the first half with only Leon on the bench, much to the bewilderment of the home crowd. The second half was much less exciting. The Wildcats maintained a stead seven point lead throughout and by the end of the game Forest had racked up twenty two points and Joey had tied the schools record for three pointers in a single game. As the team sat in the locker room changing, Coach Burton stepped in.

"You wouldn't believe how proud I am of all of you." Burton said confidently. "As bad as things are and without half your team you still managed to come together and get a win and make no mistake, this was a quality team we played... You should all start working on stepping up your game because unless something changes this is the new starting five... After the holidays I'm gonna open up the team for try outs... If Chris and Billy still wanna play they can tryout again but until then consider them to be off the team." The group mumbled in agreement. Burton stayed and watched as they all changed and left, except for Joey who sat with his head in his hands.

"You feeling alright?" Burton asked as he sat down next to Joey on the bench.

"Yeah fine" Joey said and Burton wasn't sure he had ever heard a more defeated sounding young man.

"You should be happy! You led your team to victory in the face of adversity. What's wrong?" Burton asked sounding surprised.

"Chris and Bill will probably never forgive me for what I did to them. Half my friends think Rebecca and Richard's accident was my fault the other half think it was Richard's fault and I get stuck defending both our names." Joey said. "The victory is kind of hollow to me... I'm just taking a minute before I head home."

"Is anyone there?" Burton asked. He knew and liked the Frost's very well. He and Bobby Frost had played golf together a lot over the years and more than once he had made a house call when Barry or one of his family had felt ill.

"Na... But I'm liking being alone more and more these days." Joey said standing up. "Thanks for the concern Mr. Burton but I think I should head home. Happy Thanksgiving"

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Burton asked as Joey took a step toward the door.

"Nothing" Joey admitted.

"You come eat dinner with me and my family" Burton said, standing up. "It'll be ready around two so be there at one thirty."

"Thanks but you don't-" Joey began.

"I don't wanna hear it!" Barry said happily. "Be there at one thirty, you won't regret it, boy can my wife cook." He added patting his stomach. Joey crossed to the door before Burton spoke again. "Oh... And if she hasn't got anywhere else to go, why don't you bring Sherry to?" Joey turned and looked at Coach Burton with wide eyes.

"How?" Joey asked, with no need to elaborate further.

"High schools aren't the only places with gossip son" Burton said his eyes twinkling kindly.

Joey drove home in a semi daze. The entire even replayed itself in his mind over and over again. He wondered what would happen now or if it would even be possible for the damage to their group to ever be repaired. Joey entered his house still deep in thought, knowing sleep would not come easy. He was so entranced that he was completely unaware of the blond girl sneaking up behind him.

"Gotcha!" Sherry yelled as she slipped an ice cube down the back of Joey's shirt.

"Oh ah ah ah" Joey gasped as he attempted to reach behind him to grab the ice. "That's not funny!" Joey said as Sherry continued to laugh hysterically.

"I thought it was funny" Sherry said sticking her tongue out. Joey shrugged off his coat and pulled her into a hug.

"Your parents out of town to huh?" Joey asked.

"Yep, until at least Saturday night, so I figured I'd stay here" Sherry said sweetly. "So what happened at the game?"

"Long story" Joey said walking into the living room. He flopped down on the couch and pulled a pack of Marlboro Reds from his pocket. He lit one up and took a drag off of it before Sherry snatched it out of his mouth and crushed it.

"You know I hate those things!" Sherry said.

"After the night I've had I think I deserve a smoke. Besides we're in my house." Joey said leaning forward to retrieve the still salvageable cigarette but Sherry slapped his hand away.

"Really?" Joey asked sounding tired. Sherry sat down next to him and leaned on his arm.

"What's it gonna take for you to quit those things?" Sherry asked.

"Why is this such a big thing with you?" Joey asked.

"Because my Grammy died of lung cancer" Sherry said in a matter of fact tone. Joey turned away rubbing his eyes.

"I forgot about your Grandma I'm sorry" Joey said.

"That's alright" Sherry said.

"Alright fine I'll... I'll try to quit" Joey said, privately wondering if there was anything left that he could look forward to. This question was answered a second later.

"Glad to hear it... Now I can give you your surprise!" Sherry said playfully. She stood up and Joey noticed for the first time that she was wearing a very short skirt with stockings on underneath. Sherry slowly started unbuttoning her shirt and Joey smiled for the first time in what felt like days.

"Smokes for this? I think I came out on top"

A/N:Sorry for the wait but I've started a few new projects recently. As always let me know what you thought of the chapter, all comments are welcome.