"Let me see your arm

"Let me see your arm." Bombay demanded. He noticed that I was holding it behind my back.

"Come on Coach, I can still play." I protested, but I knew I really shouldn't. the pain was almost bringing tears to my eyes and it was taking a lot of control to not show it.

"Damn it Amore, let me see your arm." Bombay ordered. I held out my left arm and the sleeve of my jersey was already spotting with blood. Bombay carefully took off my glove and rolled up my sleeve. The once white bandage was now almost completely red.

"Oh god!" Charlie said putting his hand over his mouth. "That looks worse than the first time."

"Come on." The ref said as he took my other arm. "Let get you to the ambulance."

"Come on ref cant I just bandage it up." I asked. "I can still play. See look."

I rotated my arm and flexed it a little. I tried my hardest not to show my pain. I sighed knowing that I wasn't going to win with this one. The ref escorted me off the ice. I heard the announcer explaining to the confused crowd of why I was being escorted off the ice.

"It seems that the Duck's player 66, Amore Witts, had reopened n injury from her game against the Cardinals. It looks like the Hawks aren't taking any chances. That is two star players the Duck have lost in this game tonight. I hope Bombay has some tricks up his sleeve because they are going to need them with Witts and Banks out of the game." One of the announcers said and I bowed my head.

"You may be right." The other announcer said. "But Witts and Banks are the newer players to the team. Witts had started out on the Ducks when they were D5 this year then had switched back to her old team the Hawks. She later returned to the team as a Duck. As for Banks he was a Hawk till he had found out the district lines had been changes so he then became a Duck as well. The Ducks had made it with out them before, so maybe they can pull through this."

I smiled a little. It was true. The Ducks had tied with the Cardinals the first time they played them. Then both Adam and I were on the Hawks team.

"Amore!" I turned to see my brother racing towards me. "Oh my god are you ok?"

"We got to move her along son. The ambulance isn't going to wait much longer with the Banks kid in his state." The ref said. We hurried to the ambulance and I go in the back.

"Sorry two of you are going to have to stay behind." The medic said to Alex and Phillip.

"Amore? What are you doing here." Alex asked then he saw my arm. "Oh Fuck."

"Alexander Joseph Banks." Phillip scorned. He stood up and got out of the ambulance. "I'll drive my car. Jason you can fallow me."

"Amore?" Adam asked I went and sat by him. "Why aren't playing?"

"McGill busted my arm open again." I said with a sigh.

"Great now they are going to have trouble." Adam said with a heavy sigh.

"I doubt that. Now that McGill has gotten us out of the game they'll most likely lighten up thinking they have nothing to worry about and then Bombay will think of some brilliant plan." I said with a smile. Adam still looked doubtful.

"Well their will always be next year." Adam smiled back. I hadn't told him yet that for me there would not be a next year. When we got to the hospital Phillip and Jason was already there. Jason went with me to get my stitches while Phillip and Alex went with Adam. I got ten stitches and the doctor didn't seem too pleased. He kept me in the hospital so he could do some tests to make sure none of my nerves or main veins were injured.

When Adam got all of his testing done they put him in my room. They figured it would be easier on them to do that than having us walk around. Adam was only in the room for at least half an hour when the Ducks raced in.

"We won!" Charlie said then sat down on my bed. The rest of the Ducks circled around Adam and my beds.

"It was amazing!" Tammy said giving me a hug. "We tied with them and then McGill knocked Charlie down."

"Charlie then got a penalty shot." Fulton said with a smile.

"None of us thought he would make it." Karp said shaking his head.

"You know because Spaz-way has a bad habit of fanning." Peter said.

"Then he triple deaks!" Jesse said excitedly "Then…"

"Score!" The team exclaimed all together.

"The Ducks win." Bombay said happily. I couldn't believe it. I was so proud of my team. I just wished I could have been there.

The next day every one came and hung out at my house. I still didn't tell Adam or Bombay that I was going to be moving to LA. That way I would be easier for Bombay to go to try outs. We watched all three fast and the furious movies when Jason came down holding his camera.

He snapped a bunch of ransom shots of every one. And I knew he was doing it for me.

"Ok every one. Get together and we'll take a team picture." We got closer and I put my arms around Adam and Charlie. I was so happy to have them there with me but it broke my heart to know that this would be the last time we were all together. Jason snapped the picture and smiled. "That was awesome. Thanks.

Jason went back up stairs and Bombay looked at his watch. It was time to take every one home. Adam stayed when the others left. We had planed a Guitar Hero Championship against Jason and Alex that night. Before I knew it I was thrown down on the couch with my right leg pined up above my head.

"Now lets see you get out of that!" Alex exclaimed. I laughed and tried my hardest to get free with no luck.

"Adam a little help here please." I begged. Adam just stood back with a smile on his face.

"You two are on your own." Adam said and Alex let me go. Jason came down the stairs with munchies.

"Come on boys! I'm ready to kick your butts." I said and grabbed the guitar.

I ended up losing big time. Adam won then Jason and then Alex. I was never going to live this moment down. They would remind me of it for the rest of my life.

When Adam and Alex left I went up to my room and finished packing some of the things I couldn't leave behind. Jason walked into my room and sat down on my bed. He had a book in his hand.

"What's that?" I asked sitting down next to him. he handed me the book and I smiled. It was full of pictures he had taken from the games he had gone to and from tonight. I gave him a hug as the tears started to stream down my face. "You have to come and visit me."

"Nothing will keep me from it." Jason said then stood up. "Get some sleep. Your going to have a long day tomorrow.

The day Bombay left we were all there. We all lined up at the bus stop. I stood next to Charlie and his mom, because I knew they'd understand how upset I would be.

"Look don't take any bad dives, okay?" Peter said as Bombay walked down the line saying goodbye.

"Just remember, keep your head up man." Jesse said.

"Cake-eater." Adam teased and I smiled. They were the only two that didn't know that sitting behind the bus in a black Lincoln was my mother. I'd be leaving right after the bus pulled away.

"Remember concentration, not strength." Fulton said it was the first time I realized Fulton was about the same height as Bombay.

"And for God's sakes, soft hands." Averman said and the Ducks smiled. Adam and I were the only ones who didn't get the joke. He then came to me.

"Keep in touch." I said giving him a hg. I ten whispered in is ear. "I'm proud of you….Dad."

He smiled at me.

"Anything else?" He asked jokingly.

"Yeah have fun, Coach." Charlie said. He gave him a hug and I heard him whisper. "We'll take good care of her."

"Thank you." Bombay whispered back. "I must be crazy. A tryout with the minors. I'm gonna be going up against kids half my age."

"Just have a good try out Gordon." Casey said with a smile. "One step at a time."

"Yeah your right." Bombay looked like he was going to hug Casey and I winked at Charlie as he went in for the kiss. The Ducks hooted and applauded.

"Bye, I'll call you when I get there." Bombay said getting on the bus. The door closed behind him and he put his bag down in the front seat. He then headed back down the bus stairs and the bus driver opened the door for him.

"Hey Ducks! No matter what happens, we'll see you next season. We got a title to defend."

Every one but me cheered. All the trouble it was for me to be on the team and I'd most likely never see them again. The bus drove off and the Ducks ran to the end of the sidewalk and waved goodbye. I started to walk to my mom's car as their backs were turned. I didn't want them to see my crying.

"Amore!" I turned to see Charlie racing my way and slowly the Ducks walked towards me also. Adam looked confused. Charlie gave me a hug. My tears became heavy. "Don't forget your Ducks."

"Never." I said in between sobs. "I'll never forget you."

One by one they each gave me a hug. They left Adam for last. He looked down at the ground then up at me. he was also crying and the sight of him broke my heart. He held out a box to me. "The team gave me this to give to you. They told me to save it for the right moment."

I opened the box and inside was a beautiful charm bracelet. There were hockey sticks, skates and the logo of the Duck. But what really got me was the personalized charms. Each player had put something on there so I'd always think of them. There was round gold charms and on each one had the Ducks names and on the other side was their nicknames. Next to their names were their numbers. There was also an oreo cookie charm, Ducks flying in a V charm and then my number in gold with diamond studs on it. I gave Adam a hug.

"Thank you." I said wiping away my tears. "All of you. I promise to keep in touch."

I got into my mom's car and we drove away. The whole ride I never once talked to her. I knew it was not her fault but I just wished she would have told Mike no, that she wanted me to stay in Edina. I had been asleep when we reached my new home. It was very large. And very…modern. I was wondering how much of a raise my mother had really gotten.

"Welcome to LA honey." Mom said opening my car door.

Adam sat in his room looking at an old picture of the Hawks. Amore was sitting on his and McGill's shoulders. Brown and Larson where on either side of him and McGill, holding on to Amore's arms so she wouldn't fall. He looked closer at Amore and for the first time realized her smile was fake. He put the picture down and took up the newest team picture. The Ducks. I was taken the day Adam got out of the hospital and the day before Bombay and Amore left. It had been at least two weeks since then. Amore had her arms around his and Charlies shoulders as she hugged her two best friends close. around them the Ducks smushed together. Amore looked sad, yet happy to be with her friends. He heard a knock on his door. He looked up to see Alex.

"Your going to want to come down stairs." Alex said sounding upset. Confused Adam fallowed his brother to the living room where Jane Witts was. She looked like she had been crying for days. She quickly embraced Adam.

"Oh Adam, please tell me you've heard from Amore." She said and Adam was even more confused.

"I haven't talked to her since she left." Adam said an Jane looked like she was going to burst into tears. "Why whats wrong?"

"Amore didn't come home two days ago." Jane said. "We've been looking everywhere for her. I was just hoping she would have contacted you."

"No, but I'll call Charlie." Adam said as he quickly raced to the phone. As soon as he was about to pick up the phone it rang. He picked it up.

"Hello?" Adam answered and the only think he heard was Amore's happy voice.

"Adam?"

"Amore? Where are you?" Adam asked in a hushed voice.

"Mom is there isn't she?" Amore asked but didn't allow him to answer. "Tell her that I'm ok. And tell the Ducks I'm sorry. I love you All-Star. I'll miss you."

The phone went dead. She was saying goodbye for good.