For Disclaimers see the beginning of the fic.

I want to thank everyone who reviewed as well as put this fic on alert and/or are following it. Hope everyone enjoys the new chapter.

Chapter Ten

Nothing But the Truth

~o~o~o~o~o~

Walking around, Adam looked at the hockey equipment that was spread out in every area of the shop. It was different than the newer store in Edina, which had been in business for five years. This one looked much older.

As Adam got to the counter, he looked at all of sports memorabilia that donned the wall. Something on the wall got his attention. From where he stood, Adam could see a newspaper, which was among the other pictures. It was framed as well as yellowed and faded with age compared to the rest. Adam wanted to be able to see the headline, so he leaned over the counter to see what it said.

Hawks' Championship String Ends.

Straightening, Adam stared at the clipping from the distance he was at. He couldn't read the rest from this far away, but he could if he was behind the counter. Going around it, Adam's curiosity got the best of him. Even though he was not very comfortable going in an area of the store, which he knew must be off-limits.

He began to read.

The Hawks suffered a disappointing loss against Duluth last night. Hawks' star player, #9, Gordon Bombay, their leading scorer and one the youngest players-

Adam stopped reading and went back to the name he saw.

Coach Bombay had been a Hawk?

It all made sense now. The undertone of abhor that was between Adam's familiar Coach and Adam's current one. Looking back on it, when Coach Bombay came with that official to let Coach Reilly know that he was a Duck, it been notably there. Now without the disbelief of the fact he was a Duck clouding his judgment, Adam could see it clearly.

Looking at the date on the paper, the Hawks' loss happened in the winter of 1973. The timeframe matched with the lone yellow banner in the long line of black and blue banners that hung proudly in the Hawks' arena.

"Hey Adam," Charlie called as he came around the entryway from inside the shop. Adam was startled from Charlie sudden reappearance. Charlie himself paused as he saw that Adam stood in front of the wall full of hockey memorabilia.

Adam clearly saw the conclusion that Charlie was coming to as he glanced at the wall then back at Adam. Adam meet Charlie's gaze and he realized that Charlie knew about Coach Bombay's past.

Did the entire team know? It wouldn't surprise him if they did. Adam doubted there many secrets among the Ducks.

"Hello, Adam, my name is Hans."

Adam looked at the tall older gentleman that stood behind Charlie. He was smiling warmly at Adam in greeting. Walking over toward Adam, he offered his hand.

He could tell the man wasn't a native of the States, his accent thicker than most people Adam knew. He was not sure from where, Denmark possibly, he was only guessing, it was European.

"Hi."

Adam shook the older man's hand. It was a firm handshake. Hans' calloused hand held the stories of years of hard work.

"Charlie tells me you have a pair of skates that need sharpened. Why don't you let me have a look at them before I take them in the back?"

"Sure," Adam answered.

Adam was surprised that the older man wasn't going to question why he was behind the counter. Unzipping his bag, Adam got his skates out of it. He handed them over to Hans.

Looking them over, Hans ran his thumbnail over the edge of the blade. "It shouldn't take too long to get these sharpened."

"You won't have a problem doing them now?"

"No, it's not a problem," Hans smiled at him. "It should only take fifteen minutes." He went around back again to sharpen Adam's skates.

That left Adam and Charlie alone to explore the store.

Setting his bag down in front of the counter, Charlie unzipped his coat, but did not remove it.

Adam set his bag down also only because it would give his shoulder a break. The store was warm; he didn't want to get overheated, so he also unzipped his jacket.

"How do you know Hans?" The question had been brothering Adam and he wondering about it. Something looked familiar about the man, but he couldn't place it.

"He's a friend of Coach Bombay's," Charlie answered as he started to walk around. "Coach brought the whole team here for equipment."

"Is that when you become the Ducks?"

"No," Charlie shook his head. "We didn't become the Ducks until we played the Cardinals."

That could have meant any length of time for Adam. But he didn't ask. All he knew was the two months after District Five played the Hawks to the time he transferred to the team, they got new players, better equipment, and could actually play. The team District Five was long gone; in place were the Ducks.

They continued to walk around the store without saying a word.

It was strange really. Adam could talk to Charlie, or anyone on the Ducks normally if it was during a practice. Yet as soon as everyone was off the ice, lines were drawn again, most of the team still felt he wasn't a Duck.

He feared that wouldn't change for what was left of the season.

They went in front of a stand of hockey sticks. Adam picked one out among them to test it. The stability and feel of was fine, but he wasn't sure if he liked the style.

How do I even ask him about Coach? He seems to know, but should I just ask outright? I just asked him about Hans, and I can't ask him about Coach?

"Charlie…" Adam wasn't sure what to say, how to ask. As he glanced at the other boy, he saw that Charlie was glaring at the setup of hockey sticks, like they would attack him.

"Charlie," Adam tried again, he put the hockey stick back. "Coach Bombay was a Hawk wasn't he?"

"Yeah, he was. When he was young."

Adam figured that much. He wasn't sure he wanted to know the truth.

"We didn't find out about Coach being a Hawk until-" Charlie stopped unwilling to continue his sentence.

"Until?"

Charlie looked noticeably uncomfortable. He glanced away from Adam and looked toward the wall that held the news clipping that had the Hawks '73 loss. He let out a breath. "Peter told everyone about it, after the Coach had told the team that you would be joining."

"I see," Adam answered quietly.

Looking back at Adam, Charlie went on, "It's a little complicated to explain, but it ended up because of a misunderstanding, but it got straightened out in the end."

Walking over to a display of skates that were on display, Adam looked at them without really seeing them.

So Coach was a Hawk at one point, and even the other Ducks still accepted him.

"Adam."

He could hear Charlie walk over to join him. But Charlie didn't speak until Adam gave Charlie his undivided attention. "Despite everything, and how you started on the team, you're still a Duck."

He looked at Charlie in a bit of surprise, mostly because Fulton told him the same thing a week ago. He said as much, "Fulton told me something very much similar."

Charlie let out a laugh, which Adam hadn't expected. "Why am I not surprised by that?"

Adam wasn't sure if Charlie was asking him that or speaking to himself.

"I had noticed you and Fulton talking and hanging out at the Met Center," he went on. "I guess Fulton did talk to you at some point?"

Adam nodded, but decided not explain. It was obvious that Charlie knew something of Fulton's belief in Adam being a Duck.

As he looked at Charlie he realized something. "You know the whole story, I mean behind whatever happened to Coach as a kid, don't you?"

"No," Charlie answered, "Just enough. Some of it I figured out, the rest Peter told me. Yes, I did get Coach's side of the story, but most of everything was from the news clipping over there." Charlie nodded toward the wall.

"I didn't really get to read it, you came back when I had started to read the article."

Charlie's mouth opened slightly in surprise, but managed to ask, "So you only got far enough that you found out that Coach was a Hawk?"

"Yes."

Charlie looked like he was debating with himself whether to tell Adam about what he knew or not.

"Okay, here's what I know of it. You know it was a championship game," Charlie only paused for Adam to confirm it. "The game was tied, and the Hawks had a penalty shot. So Coach goes in, does his triple deke to fake the goalie out; the puck is heading into the goal. Clang." Charlie hit his right fist into his left palm to demonstrate.

"Oh," Adam shook his head. He could almost see Coach as a young boy missing this goal.

"It hit the goal post. They lost in overtime," Charlie finished.

Adam had to wonder what effect losing that championship game had on Coach Bombay. Charlie stated the Hawks lost in overtime. Adam knew that must have upset Coach Reilly also, because winning was everything to him.

"It's not worth winning unless you win big."

Adam sighed quietly.

What about Coach Bombay? What was the loss of the game like for him as a kid? How what about now?

But Coach Bombay wasn't like that. Winning wasn't everything to Ducks' coach. Even when they played the game against the Huskies, and Coach wanted them to win it, something told Adam had they lost, Coach would have still be proud of the team.

The last couple of weeks he had been on the Ducks, it seemed a key thing to everything was having fun. The Ducks practiced hard, but they had fun while doing it.

Coach Bombay's techniques may be strange, but they seem to work for the Ducks.

"Listen," Charlie told him. "I don't think I have to say that if you want to talk to Coach about his time on the Hawks, you may want to do it when none of the other guys are around."

Adam frowned. "I figured as much. I didn't know if I would ask him about it, it's still a little surprising."

"Yeah it took awhile to sink in," Charlie agreed.

Hans came back from the back of his backroom. Walking over to Adam and Charlie, he handed Adam his skates. "Here you are. You're ready to go back on the ice now."

"Thanks." Adam took his skates to put his to back in his bag.

Adam paid Hans his fee, which Charlie had been right, it was cheaper than what he would have paid at the Edina store. Once they got their bags and re-zipped their coats, Adam and Charlie said their farewells to Hans. The older man told them he would see them at the Hornets game that Saturday.

Stepping back outside, the sun had completely set, which caused the temperature to drop.

"There's a bus stop at this corner, I remember seeing it before," Charlie said, his breath came out in mist because of how cold it was. "There should be a stop on the way that you don't have to wait that long that will get you home."

"Is there one that will be coming this way soon?" Adam hoped they wouldn't have to stand out in the cold for too long.

"Hopefully within the next ten minutes," Charlie answered as he looked at his watch.

Charlie was right, about five minutes later; a bus came and stopped to let the boys on.

Once they were seated, it was a quiet ride for a couple of minutes.

It was only quiet for another minute before Charlie asked out of the blue. "Do you think the Ducks have a chance to beat the Hornets in Saturday's game?"

"I have no idea how the game's going to turn out," Adam answered, once he got over the surprise of the question. "I mean I hope we win of course."

"It's not only that," Charlie explained. "You saw how bad we were before the team was even called the Ducks. Now that we're the Ducks and with you being on the team, how much do you think we have improved?"

Adam looked at his teammate. "Greatly. You don't think you and the others haven't improved?"

"No, I see how much we've gotten better and how well everyone can play," Charlie admitted. "I just wondered what you thought."

"You don't need me telling you that the Ducks seem like a whole different team, literally, from how you guys were from District Five."

"Yeah, well, that was all Coach Bombay's doing."

Adam saw that the stop he needed to get off at was coming up. He signaled to alert the driver he wanted to stop.

"I'll see you at practice, Charlie."

"See you later, Adam." Charlie answered in return. "But you want to know why Coach managed to have such a difference in the team?"

Standing now, Adam grabbed his bag, but answered Charlie anyway. "I guess it's the way he coaches. At least, it's different."

"There's that," Charlie agreed. "But he taught us how to fly. But something tells me you didn't get to really do that during your time on the Hawks."

Adam looked back at Charlie, who met his gaze. He looked away first, and exited the bus.

As Adam waited for the next bus that would take him home, he couldn't stop thinking about what he had learned at Hans' shop.

Coach Bombay had been a Hawk when he was younger.

What happened with Coach Bombay's career after the game? He must've been pretty good if he was on the Hawks at a young age. And Coach Reilly is only interested in the best players.

Adam shivered from the cold night air.

Coach Reilly had to have been disappointed by the loss. Adam never experienced a time where he lost a game. What would that be like? Losing games was inevitable in hockey. It never happened when one was Coach Reilly's team.

Never say never. Coach Bombay didn't plan to lose the game. So what happened once he did?

~o~o~o~

The day before the game against the Hornets, Adam's mother told Drew and him at breakfast that they were expecting company that evening. When Adam learned it was Mr. Ducksworth, his father's old friend and boss, and his wife, he remembered who it was. The meeting in which his father had tired to keep him on the Hawks; in which Coach Bombay refused to stop his petition.

In light of everything, not only with Coach Bombay's past, Adam was in a way relieved that it hadn't worked. In hindsight if he knew than what he knew now, he wouldn't even have wanted to be on the Hawks.

Ever since Adam found he was supposed to play on the Ducks, school felt like it wouldn't end. Today it was the same as it had been for the last two weeks; he was ignored by nearly everyone. He had only really been friends with Jordan and Zack, and the bit of popularity, or the sense of belonging, must have hinged on his spot on being on the Hawks. Once that was gone, so was his elite place, not just with the team, but in school as well. His peers didn't just care how much money his parents made.

Most lunches he ate alone. Adam learned quickly, if he wanted a relatively peaceful lunch was to hide out in the library with his a bagged lunch. At least it gave him some time to himself and he did get some studying done than too. He usually never was bothered during that time.

When Adam was in school he thought back to that morning. Adam had remembered that he had practice with Fulton that afternoon. He tried telling his mother that he busy that afternoon, but without telling her why, didn't work. His mother wouldn't have any of it, she wanted Adam home, and he had to do his homework.

Adam knew he would have to figure out a way to get to the lake even for a few minutes that afternoon, even if he couldn't stay. He would have to tell Fulton he couldn't.

Later that day, Adam was about to leave for the lake when Drew came home. He had to convince his brother to let him out of the house.

"Drew, hi." Adam greeted his older brother.

"Hey, bro," Drew answered back.

"Drew, I have to go out for a bit, I'll be back in twenty minutes," Adam told his brother.

"That's fine."

Adam started to turn to the door, before Drew's voice stopped him. "Not so fast."

I should have known that wouldn't be so easy.

"I want to know where you're you going."

Turning back around, Adam faced his brother again. "Please don't ask me to tell you."

"Adam, I just want to know where you're going."

"The lake."

Drew frowned. "Usually you take your hockey stick and skates with you. And Mom said she wanted you to stay home today. Adam, what's going on?"

"I can't say," Adam sighed, "Drew the longer I'm here, the later it's going to be in the long run. Please, just let me go, I'll be there and back. I promise."

"Fine." Drew said as he let out a breath. "But a half an hour."

"Thanks."

Adam was out the door and flew down the steps and took the sidewalk at a brisk pace. He tried to keep it to a steady speed, since he would have to walk back home in a few minutes.

By the time he got to the lake he saw that Fulton was waiting for him. Once Adam told the taller boy why he couldn't practice with him that day, Fulton understood. They said their farewells and said they would see the other at the upcoming game the next day.

Adam quickly walked back home, but when he came onto his driveway, Adam saw his father's car.

What had Drew told Dad? And am I going to be any trouble? Adam wondered as he opened the front door but closed it as silently as he could.

He did not see his brother or father in the den, but he did see that his father's study door was open. As Adam was walking toward it, he could hear their voices, he slowed his pace, listening.

"…finish the playoffs."

"Drew, I wish-"

"Dad, I'm sorry," Drew's voice cut his their father off. "I know Wilson wasn't happy, but with the state championship game next month, I can't let the Warriors down."

Adam knew he couldn't just hover at the door, so he appeared in the doorway and knocked.

"Adam," his father turned to him. "I wondered where you were."

"I, uh," Adam started, not sure how to explain. He knew he couldn't, and shouldn't lie to his father. But at the same time, he couldn't tell him that he was at the lake.

"Dad," Drew cut in. "I already told you. Adam only wanted to take a short walk. You must have just missed him when you came home."

"Didn't your mother tell you to do your homework when you got home?" his father's next question was again directed toward Adam as he frowned at him.

"I got it done," Adam answered. "I'll get it if you want to check it."

It wasn't something his father always did, but Dad sometimes looked at his homework from time to time. He had to maintain his high grade point avenge.

"I'll look at tomorrow before you have to leave for your game," his father told him. "Now your mother should be home any minute. Gerard and Sophia won't be over for dinner until later."

"Okay, Dad." Drew answered.

Once they both left the study, Drew headed for the den. Adam followed him.

They both sat down on the couch. Drew grabbed the remote to start looking through the different channels to see if there was anything on. Finally he found and paused at a station, which was airing a Timberwolves basketball game.

"Thanks." Adam told his brother his eyes stayed on the screen.

"No problem, bro."

They watched the game for the next ten minutes before Adam spoke again.

"Drew," Adam paused. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"There's something going on, you and Dad have been at odds lately."

"It's nothing, don't worry about it." Drew ran hand through his brown hair.

Adam frowned at his old brother.

He remembered the other day. "So why were Kev and Bran over here? They were worried about something."

"Kev and Bran are always over here," Drew turned away from the TV and faced Adam. "We were just talking about Warrior stuff. Nothing important."

"Yeah, but I-"

"Adam," Drew told him. "You don't have to worry about it."

Maybe next time he asks me about anything I should say Duck stuff. Adam looked at his brother in exasperation.

"Besides," Drew went on as he ignored Adam's glare. "You'll end up being on the Warriors one day anyways."

Another new team to worry about.

When Adam wished he wanted to be on the Warriors a few weeks ago, he never thought of any of the hardships he might face if he was on the team. Adam didn't think he would have to go through the same things like he was with the Ducks. But it still was a new team, different players to get use to. Adam still had to prove himself.

Was it even worth it?

The Ducks weren't a bad a team. Adam would admit that much. It was only he wished that his teammates would… accept him, even a little. Not just as a player either. It would nice to belong.

~o~o~o~

Coach Bombay's office was small, but cozy looking. There was some hockey gear tucked way in the far corner – a hockey stick, skates, and even a couple of pucks. The oak desk, though it looked used, wasn't that large.

"You're early." Coach Bombay's voice held surprise. Before Adam could explain why he was early, the older man went on. "Is anyone from your family coming to watch the game?"

"My brother said he might if he can," Adam answered.

Adam didn't need to say anything about his father, because Coach knew as well has he did, that his Dad wouldn't watch a Duck game.

"Actually there was a reason I came early," Adam shifted from one foot to the other while tightening his grip on his hockey bag. "I wanted to talk to you."

"Why don't you have a seat, whatever it is, it sounds important."

"Thanks." Adam said as he came in and sat down in a seat that was in front of the desk.

His eyes caught a photo that was near the edge of the desk. It was of a man and woman; they were both smiling, with their arms around each other. There was something else Adam noticed was that the woman's eyes seemed to be for the man alone. The photo, the clothes the couple wore, seemed out-date.

"What's going on?"

Adam eyes returned to his coach, he wasn't sure where to even start. "Could I ask-"

A knock sounded on the door, interrupting what Adam wanted to say. "Lewis, welcome back," Coach Bombay said. "When did you get in?"

Adam was surprised to see Lewis. He hadn't seen the tall man since the time the Ducks went to the Met Center. Adam a noticed he had not bee around for the last week, but didn't ask about it.

"Thanks, sir. I only got back yesterday. I didn't want to miss today's game," Lewis told Coach Bombay. Turning to face Adam, he greeted him. "Hi, Adam."

"Hi."

"Lewis, I told you, Gordon is fine. But I'm glad you made it. How was your visit to your sister's? You said you had a new niece, didn't you?"

"I did, and she completely adorable," the proud uncle told them as he smiled.

"Congratulations," Adam was not sure what to say. It was happy news, but he didn't really know Lewis that well to ask or say much more.

"How are your sister and her family doing?" Coach asked.

"She's doing good, all things considering with a new baby. Our mom is down there being a doting grandma. I keep telling the whole family they should come up here to visit."

I guess Lewis' family doesn't live around here.

"Good." Coach smiled. "Listen why don't we talk about this later on?"

"Sure, I know you have the game to prepare for," Lewis answered. He left, leaving Coach Bombay and Adam on their own once again.

"Sorry about that interruption," Coach told Adam. "So, what's up?"

"It's fine," Adam told the older man. "Why did you get me off the Hawks?"

Adam wasn't sure what he had been planning to ask at first, but that had been bothering him. He could tell he surprised Coach by the change in his expression.

"You already know the reason. I did it because the district line change."

"I know." Adam acknowledged. "But what else was it? You and Coach Reilly seem to know each other whenever you showed up that one time."

Adam knew he was putting Coach Bombay on the spot. And aside for just blurting out he knew Coach was a Hawk, Adam wasn't sure how else to go about this. He wondered if his Coach would admit to his past about being a Hawk or not.

Coach Bombay looked at Adam for a minute before saying; "I played on the Hawks when I was a bit younger than you are now."

"I already know you were a Hawk, Coach." Adam glanced away and looking at the wall only for a second before facing the older man again.

Surprise fell over Coach Bombay's face. "How did you know?"

"I found out when I was getting my skates sharpened at Hans' shop," Adam admitted.

"You got your skates sharpened there?"

"I went with Charlie the other day, he suggested I get my skates sharpened there instead of having them done at the place I usually take them at," Adam explained.

As he saw the understanding dawn on his coach's face, Adam wasn't sure if he should have admitted that. A thought came to him then, he said, "Don't blame Charlie, I don't think he intended for me to find out about you being a Hawk."

"Don't worry, Adam. I'm not going to blame Charlie for anything. I had planned to talk to you about my own past at some point, since the other Ducks know about it."

"The others…" Adam paused, and continued on quietly. "The Ducks, I mean, they didn't take the news well, did they?"

"No, they didn't. But Charlie should have mentioned that."

"He mentioned it. But he didn't really say to much on it."

Coach nodded in understanding. He let out a sigh. "I imagine you have questions about when I was a Hawk."

Part of Adam wondered what happened with Coach Reilly and that game. He wondered what happened to Coach Bombay after he lost. But he wasn't sure if the man in front of him had the answers to these questions.

If you had been the one who had lost, would you want everyone else to know or ask about it? No, I'd have been too ashamed by it. Besides, if I did ask Coach about it, I'm just being nosy.

"I don't think I have to ask, Coach," Adam answered. "I mean I know Coach Reilly couldn't have been happy about the loss."

"That is understatement," Coach Bombay smiled grimly. "Did Charlie say anything about my father?"

"Your father?" Adam looked at Coach dubiously. "No, he didn't."

"That's a photo of my parents," Coach Bombay nodded at the picture that was near Adam.

"My father passed away two months before the championship game that year," the older man explained.

Adam inhaled sharply. "Coach… I'm sorry."

"I didn't say that to get you upset, Adam," Coach Bombay told him. "But my Dad's death that year did affect my playing ability."

Adam never had someone close to him pass away. But if what Coach said was true, it would have not just affect hockey, but also every part of one's life. At the same time, people say that you can't dwell on fact that someone is gone, but to remember the good times.

"And Coach Reilly knew that too?"

"Reilly actually was a family friend at least until that year," Coach admitted. "After the game, I didn't see him. Honestly, the Hawks/District Five game was the first time I've seen him in twenty years."

Something bad had to have happened. Adam knew that right off. And whatever it was it had to do with his old coach causing his current one to give up hockey for good. Coach Bombay didn't have to say so, but Adam could put two and two together.

"Adam," Coach Bombay told him seriously. "Whatever differences Reilly and I have is in the past. I know you were a Hawk, and Reilly was your coach, I understand that."

Adam almost wanted to ask, Taking me off of the Hawks wasn't anything personal against Coach Reilly? He held his tongue.

"Okay, Coach."

Coach Bombay's coaching methods were different from their former coach's; Adam knew that. He made such a difference that the worst team in the state was now in the playoffs. Wasn't that saying something?

Charlie had said that Coach taught the Ducks how to fly. Why had Charlie even mentioned it? Adam figured if he brought it up, he might have to mention what else Charlie had said before he got off the bus.

"What made you decide to not coach like Coach Reilly does?" The question slipped out before Adam had time to really think about it.

Coach Bombay looked at him before answering. "I'm not sure if you remember how I coached when District Five played against the Hawks. If you call it coaching," Coach chuckled.

The only things Adam remembered were that Coach Bombay had the team try to chant 'win' which didn't work. The only reason Adam remembered was because Zack said something rude. Like District Five being able to win any game, ever. Other than that, Adam only remembered Coach Bombay not doing much to help the team in any way.

"No, not that much," Adam answered.

"I knew how bad District Five was, so I wanted to use that to our advantage. The next few practices I wanted everyone to take falls, I knew it was the only way for the team to score a goal was if they got a penalty," Coach let out a breath. "That didn't work out to well. Charlie wouldn't have it, and he refused to cheat."

Adam was now beginning to see were the bond between Coach and Charlie came from, or at least guess were it started.

"I had to apologize for what I had done," Coach Bombay went on. "But it wasn't just Charlie that changed my thinking," Coach went on. "You asked what was different about my style. Hans, you see had bit of an influence. Not only that, but my Dad, taught me a lot about hockey too. That winning wasn't everything, no matter the number of goals a player scores. That it was more important to be part the team, to belong. Because when everything is said and done, after the game, what's left is the team."

Adam knew some of what the Coach meant, but the rest-

"I know the rest of the team should be getting here any time now," Coach broke into Adam's thoughts. "So you probably should go on and get ready for the game."

Adam nodded. He would have to think about what Coach said later. As he got his gear and was ready to leave Coach called out to him.

"Adam," Coach said.

Turning back around he faced the older man.

"Have fun out there today, alright?" Coach Bombay asked as he grinned.

Adam smiled in return. "Sure, Coach."

As he left the office and headed to the locker room, Adam thought about what Coach Bombay told him. Coach lost his father when he was just a kid. Adam had no idea what his Coach want through.

As Adam opened his locker to put his things in it he began to change into his Duck uniform. The quiet didn't bother him. He knew after the game was going to be different.

His thoughts turned to his former coach. Adam knew Reilly was hard on his players; he had been a Hawk once. Now that he knew Coach Bombay was a Hawk, Adam had to wonder, why did Reilly just abandon the family friendship?

Was it because Coach Bombay had lost? Was winning that important? Is that all Reilly cares about - players that win? If they can't, then they're expendable?

Adam shivered, and quickly put his jersey on for the warmth. He glanced down at the familiar duck logo. He took a piece of lint off.

Coach Bombay might understand that I was a Hawk once. What about now? I don't want to be one now; or haven't wanted to be for some time.

As for a being a Duck…

Thanks for reading and please review. Thanks, Jenn.