Summary: Life as a Mighty Duck continues to be interesting for our favorite characters and favorite pairings…Based on the events of GROWNUPS and FLYING TOGETHER – Heavy focus on Charlie, Adam/Julie and Connie/Guy

Disclaimer: The Mighty Ducks and all its characters belong to Disney. I do not own any of it!

Second Chances

By Rebecca

Making Progress

"So you just left it at that?" Connie asked over the phone.

Julie shifted the phone to her other shoulder and buckled her seatbelt. Alan's therapy session had taken longer than she'd expected it to but she wasn't exactly looking forward to going home. "Yeah," she sighed.

"Wow," Connie added, clearly not sure what to say. She and Julie didn't exactly have a perfect record when it came to giving advice about each other's personal life. But she would talk if Julie needed to talk. Lord knows she'd had her fair share of venting in the past.

"I know that Adam gets like this when he's injured," Julie said as she started the car. "I knew that when I married him. But he hasn't been hurt this bad since before the kids were born and I just…" she trailed off shaking her head. "It's getting to them. And it's getting to me more than usual."

"Well maybe you're right. Maybe you all really just need to get out of Detroit for a while. Could be that simple."

Julie frowned. "It's not though. When we get back, he'll still be just as injured. Probably blaming us for delaying his conditioning too," she added, her comment a little more acerbic than Connie was used to hearing.

"Is it really that bad?"

"It's a complete tear, Con. The same one he injured in high school. This is the third time he's hurt it and you know these athletes—"

"No not the leg…" Connie interrupted. "I mean…with you two."

Julie was silent for a moment as she turned off Alan's street onto the main road. "I dunno. It's Adam. You know hockey's always been his whole life."

"No," Connie replied. "You…and Evan and CJ are his life now. He needs to remember that."

Julie couldn't help but smile at the biting tone in Connie's voice. She sounded just like she used to when they roomed together at Eden Hall – sticking up for her as always. "He does remember that. Deep down. He's just…he's just not dealing very well right now. That's all."

"Well, if you need someone to give him a good kick in the—"

"You'll be the first one I call, trust me." She cut her off with a smile. "Listen, I'm getting on the highway. Better watch the road."

"Ok. You sure you're all right?"

Julie thought for a moment and then answered honestly. "I am now. Thanks Connie."

They switched off and Julie sighed as she watched the city recede into the background, wondering if Adam would still be awake when she got home. Wondering if maybe she just hadn't given him enough time to adjust…to process. She was tired of arguing. Tired of pretending that he would ever play pro hockey again. You and Evan and CJ are his life now, Connie's voice echoed in her head. She'd told Connie that he knew that…she hoped she was right.

--

The house was dark when she closed the door behind her and dropped her keys and purse on the little table in the foyer – unusually dark; they typically left the hallway light on in case one of the kids needed them in the middle of the night. But it was pitch black save for the moonlight shining through the windows. She let her eyes adjust and that's when she noticed a dim light coming from the living room and the familiar smell of wood burning in their fireplace. Quietly, almost timidly, she tip-toed into the room and let out a small gasp. The fire, which had likely been burning brightly for a while had died down from lack of tending, but it still illuminated the room with a soft, warm glow, bright enough to see her husband stretched out on the couch. On the coffee table beside him lay two wine glasses – one full and one half empty – flanking a half-eaten bowl of popcorn. She looked across the room at the TV which was on but dark, occasionally flashing the manufacturer's logo like a screensaver, and even across the room, she could see the open DVD case on top of the player: Miracle – her favorite movie – of which he was well aware. A warmth and relief overwhelmed her as she turned back to her husband, tears stinging her eyes. It was then that she noticed the note, his familiar scribblings on a piece of paper by the popcorn. She picked it up tenderly, and read:

If I'm asleep when you get in, wake me up. Couch is bad for my back.

Saved you some popcorn…sorry for being a jerk.

Love you

She grinned as she laid it back on the coffee table. It wasn't at all gushy or sentimental but it was him. It was Adam. You … are his life now. How could she have ever doubted him?

- - - - -

The Frank Capra-quaint-little-village atmosphere of this town was a little too sugary for Charlie Conway at the moment…but he was starving. Eventually, he would have to find something to eat. And since the bed 'n breakfast Connie had booked for him had no restaurant, Charlie reluctantly shrugged on his coat and headed down Main Street. All he needed was a lousy supermarket. He'd walk in, buy a sub sandwich and head back to the inn, but the street was full of nothing but tiny houses converted into shops and sit-down pizzerias with wood-burning stoves. The whole town seemed to be saying "Come in! Stay awhile!" and was quite possibly the most welcoming environment he'd set foot in since the Junior Goodwill games of '94. Of course none of that helped a man who wanted so desperately to disappear into anonymity.

This morning's visit had haunted him in more ways than one. Not only was it bad enough to have the misfortune of running into one of Tracy's relatives, but to hear her gush over how much he'd done for Josh – how important he'd been to both of them – it was too much to handle. Comments he didn't deserve. A welcome he couldn't stomach. Thankfully, he'd be back on a plane tomorrow morning and this whole stupid idea would be over.

After a while of aimless wandering, Charlie at last found a small Mexican take-out place at the end of Main Street. He was about to head in when he heard someone call his name across the street. Startled, and more curious than anything else, he spun around. Who could possibly –

He openly gaped. What were the chances? There she was, looking just as pretty and eerily like Tracy as she had earlier. Lucy Alexander was headed his way, carrying a canvas bag full of what looked like school supplies. "I thought that was you," she said cheerfully, with absolutely no hint of resentment or hard feelings about his abrupt exit this morning.

"Uh, hi," he stuttered.

"It's Lucy," she reminded him.

"Oh yeah…yeah, nice to uh…nice to see you again."

She stopped right in front of him, hopping up on the sidewalk. "What happened, did you miss your flight?"

It took Charlie a second to figure out what she meant and then it hit him: his flimsy excuse from this morning. Got a late flight tonight. He hadn't thought she'd actually believed him…then again, she probably didn't and was being gracious enough to let him off the hook.

"Oh right um…I made a mistake. Forgot I had…had rescheduled for tomorrow." Another flimsy excuse. No one reschedules a flight like it's a doctor's appointment. Lucy didn't flinch though, nor did she show any signs of incredulity. A guilty feeling formed in his stomach…mixed with something else…something he hadn't felt in…

She nodded, "So you're looking for something to eat then?"

"Yeah."

"Well I wouldn't try this place."

He glanced back at the storefront. "No?"

She let out a laugh. "No, you'll be in the bathroom all night. Trust me."

Charlie chuckled. "Guess I'll keep looking then. Thanks." He turned back toward Main Street and started walking but she stopped him.

"Well I was just gonna put these in my car and go get some dinner," she gestured to her bags. "Would you like to join me?"

He shook his head, "That's ok thanks." He kept walking. But this time, she didn't let him go.

"Look, Coach Conway – "

He faced her again. "Please…it's…it's just 'Charlie'."

She took a deep breath. "Charlie…I know this is going to sound really forward and believe me," she looked down, almost shy, "I don't normally invite strangers to dinner." She looked up again. "It's just that for a man who flew from Minnesota to Ohio to visit a cemetery…you seem to be in an awful rush to leave."

Charlie looked down, "Yeah well…gotta…get back."

But as he had suspected all along, this woman wasn't fooled. "It's just that…I know what it's like to go to a gravesite…and not have a clue what you're supposed to say or do."

Charlie's head shot up in alarm. Too shocked to respond, he merely nodded.

She continued to smile that disarming smile. "I go every day for my mom…cuz she won't leave the house," she shrugged. "I have no idea what to do when I get there."

At that, Charlie audibly sighed with relief. As if finally…after a year…someone understood him.

"I guess what I'm saying is that if you'd like to talk…I'd like to listen."

He swallowed hard, a tiny voice in his head ringing painfully: you don't deserve this you don't deserve this you don't deserve this. But for the first time…in a very long time…he tuned it out. "I'd like that too," he said, looking back down the endless road of local restaurants, "Where to?"