Disclaimer: I don't own the Ducks. Only Bella, Jonson, Emily and Alex, bobcatwriter owns Treban, Ms Gables, Steven and most of the people from Lakeside

August 30th 1998 Adams point of view

I had woken up at 7:30 in the morning prepared to go back to Lakeside, my bags were already packed. I went to the garage to go workout on the treadmill that Coach had, I had ran about 4 miles and worked out with the weights for about 25 minutes. Coach told me before he left for his honeymoon to be careful with the weights. When I was finished working out I had decided to go grab a quick shower and finish my packing. Mike was showing up at about 11.

When Mike pulled into the driveway I ran out to meet him. "Hey Mike," I said.

"Hey Adam you're looking good you're looking fit," Mike said.

"Thanks" I replied as I showed him my body.

"You ready to go?" Mike asked.

"Yeah let me go grab my bags, say goodbye to Eleanor and Hans and we will be on our way.

"Hey Eleanor, Mike's here I will be heading back up to Lakeside now," I said as I walked into the kitchen.

"Mike's here already? I was going to fix lunch," Eleanor said.

I shrugged my shoulders, "Sorry, we will get a bite up on the way. It's a long drive," I said.

"Are you sure Mike doesn't want to rest a while?" Eleanor said.

"Oh, I would love too mame, but like Adam said it's a long drive," Mike said.

"Are you sure you don't want me to make you some sandwiches for the road, we have plenty of cold cuts left over from the wedding, that is going to go bad," Eleanor said.

"Eleanor enough, this is where coach would say stop mom. We are fine we will get a bite in Chico, besides I had a late breakfast and I just had an orange for a snack 20 minutes ago," I said with a smile to my face.

Eleanor's shoulders slumped before she said, "Ok I just worry about you is all. Your like my grandson, I worry about my boys all of my boys."

"I know its okay I promise," I said.

"Ok give your grandmother a hug. You be safe up there," Eleanor said.

"I will be and I promise, I wont do anything stupid," I said.

"You better not, I don't need you to be scaring me like that again! Go say goodbye to your brother," Eleanor said as she rubbed her fingers across my cheeks, what she could reach anyway.

"As soon as I grabbed my bags from my room," I said. I went into my room and took a look around the place. I knew that I would be back for Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, Easter break and several weekend visits in between. Then it would be time to pack up my room and move out east again, I grabbed my suitcases and headed out to the living room. Baby Hans was on the floor underneath his play mat, playing with his toys. Actually he was drooling on his toys, I had a feeling he was going to be getting teeth in soon.

"My God he has gotten big, how old is he now," Mike said.

"4 months," I said.

"It won't be long and he'll be walking and talking," Mike said.

"I hope it will be a while," I said.

I grabbed baby Hans and I said, "Hey Hans I am getting ready to leave. I want a hug from you."

"A-ba a-ba a-da a-ba," Hans said.

"I know, I'll miss you too," I said as I gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. I then put him back down on his back and played a quick game of Peek-a-Boo. Hans just giggled.

Soon I was loaded up in the car and on my way up to Eagle Lake. I just watched the miles past in front of me. It was when we were close to Chico that I asked, "So, how's it going up there?"

"It's going, there has been a lot of change since you've been gone, but we kept your room just like you left it," Mike said.

"Change? What kind of change?" I asked.

"Well Treban, Xavier, Luke and Kevin have graduated. Kyle and Steven leave in a couple of weeks Thank God. We have several new faces that you will meet and a new staff member," Mike said.

"Do I have a roommate?" I asked.

"Yep, I think you will like him," Mike said.

"What's his name?" I asked.

"Oliver, he's a real quiet boy," Mike said.

"Oh cool," I said. After we spent some time talking about what was going on, I told Mike the story of mine and Bella's break up with our boyfriends and how Charlie tried to get back together with Bella. And the other crazy stuff I was doing while I was in the hospital. I told him that I was starting to get into Yoga.

"Well maybe you could lead a class," Mike said.

"Yeah that would be cool," I said. I asked about Henry the duck and found out that after I left how Henry was lost without me.

Finally we turned into the Academy, "Here we are home sweet home," Mike said.

"Yeah," I said with a worried look too my face.

Some of the guys came out to greet me; Lance, Billy, Michael, David, Ryan, and Tim all came out to greet me.

"Well look who's back little baby Adam. Waah, Waah, Waah!" Steven said. I had to slowly count to ten, otherwise I might have strangled him. I could not wait for the next 14 days to pass quickly and Steven to be GONE!

Then I heard Henry quacking at me, "QUACK, QUACK, QUACK, QUACK, QUACK, QUACK, QUACK, QUACK."

I squatted down and said "come here Henry!"

"Quack, quack, quack, quack quack!" Henry said.

"Look at that Little baby Adam is talking to a duck! HA HA HA HA!" Steven said.

Annie yelled out, "Steven office now!" I took one look at Annie she had changed.

Henry came up to me and I petted him, "Quack quack quack," Henry said.

"I know I missed you and I love you too," I said.

I went to my room and saw how the room tags had changed from a Baseball to a football. I saw my name and then I saw Oliver, Staff. "Great, I am rooming with staff member. That happens to have the same name as my brother. I won't be getting away with as much stuff as I would if I had a regular roommate." I thought to myself. I unpacked my stuff and hung Bella's drawing on my cork board and made my bed.

I was just finishing tucking in my sheets when I heard, "Hey Roomie," my roommate Oliver said as he walked in. I rolled my eyes and then slowly I turned to face him.

"My name is Adam, not ro- OLLIE?" I asked.

"What's up bro?" Ollie said to me.

"What, where, when, why, how. What are you doing up here?" I asked.

"Oh didn't you get the staff member part of our board? I work here now," Ollie said.

"What happened to France? What happened to hockey?" I asked.

"I quit and moved here. Dr. Binford offered me a position here and I took it," Ollie said.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.

"Because I wanted to see that stupid look that you get on your face. When something surprises the ever living crap out of you," Ollie said.

"Does Bella know?" I asked.

"Yeah, she knows. Even Coach Bombay knew," Ollie said.

"What about dad?" I asked.

"I haven't exactly told him yet or mom. I am waiting to see if he sends the private dick, to look for me, before I fess up to where I am at," Ollie said.

"I am so glad to see you," I said as I gave him a hug.

"Yeah I am sure, but just because you have a staff member that's a brother, you can't go around here acting all high and mighty, because I will shoot you down. When we are in private and your acting like a jerk, I do have permission to put you in a headlock." Ollie said.

"Got it. Can you throw Steven out faster than the two weeks to graduation?" I asked. "Ha I wish. I tried my first week I was here, but he just has 13 more days, here. In fact he goes home on Saturday for a weeks visit," Ollie said.

"I can make it until Saturday. So what is your job?" I asked.

"Grant Procurement Officer," Ollie said. I gave him a confused look. Ollie rolled his eyes before he said, "Basically my job is to go and raise money for this place. I am helping the kitchen out as well in developing a healthier meal plan for you guys. While I am working on the contacts to help get grant money in here to make this place better for all."

"Are they paying you for this?" I asked.

"No, college credit at Lassen Community College," Ollie said.

"What? You've gone back? Why?" I asked.

"Because I can't play hockey forever, Ads. Even dad proved that one," Ollie said.

"What are you studying?" I asked.

"Business Administration. It's a transfer degree program so hopefully I will be able to transfer everything back to the U when we move home next summer," Ollie said.

"We? Your moving back to Minneasota with Coach, his family and I?" I asked.

"Yep, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I will be around in the afternoon. Tuesday and Thursdays I will be around in the mornings and I have a night class on Thursdays," Ollie said.

"Please tell me that you are going to take this seriously?" I asked.

"I should, I am paying for this not dad and I am staying here is part of my job and so I wont get involved into the party life on campus," Ollie said.

"Well congrats, I am proud of you," I said.

Then there was a knock on the door, "Come in," Ollie said.

"Adam Dr. Binford wants to talk to you," Mike said.

I rolled my eyes, "Adam relax it's probably nothing," Ollie said.

Ollie was sure right about that one. Dr. Binford had me sign the extension agreement for my continued enrollment at Lakeside. I made sure this time that I read the entire contract through before I signed where I needed to sign. Coach was going to resign on the first parents weekend that was coming up in a couple of weeks.

A/N: And that concludes The Way Things Should Be. But fear not, there is another one on it's way. Under the title of the Way Things Could Be. Thank you of course to my wonderful co-writer bobcatwriter.

Summary for the Way Things Could Be: It's Junior year! What could go wrong? Well if your Adam and Isabella Banks well a lot! Follow Adam, Bella and the rest of the ducks through the ups and downs of Junior year at Eden Hall and Lakeside Academy. Will Adam graduate and finally be healed from the sins of the past? Read on and find out.