A/N: So I decided to change the pronouns of AJ from she/her to them/they/he/his, in the beginning just because it not 100% clear what her gender was and everyone thought she was a boy until the "bar" scene so that's when I changed them.

Gordon Bombay is back with the Ducks for their sophomore year of high school, coaching alongside Orion. No one had asked why he did not stay with the Jr. Goodwill Games; they were just all happy to have him back with the team. The practices leading up to the new school year were rough, as it was the first time the team had two coaches, ones that butted heads… a lot, but eventually it had mostly worked out, leading to a team that was getting stronger with every passing day. Even when the ones who lived outside of Minnesota arrived a few weeks before school started, it had felt like they were never apart.

It was now a week before the first day of school and Gordon was out to lunch with Casey, Charlie's mom, and the rest of the team now that Portman, Julie, Luis, Kenny, Dwayne, and Russ were back in Minnesota. Bombay and Casey had recently started seeing each other again when Gordon had returned, things not having worked out with the Goodwill Games or Michele, but he was glad no one asked about either.

"So, you excited to be back with the Ducks?" Casey asked as they exited the restaurant, headed in the direction of the skating rink, the kids wanted to go to. The rest of the team were ahead of them catching up with each other.

Gordon let her link their arms together, smiling longingly at her, making her giggle a bit. "I am."

As they got to the old skate rink, they could see a crowd gathered around the outside of the rink, watching someone toying with a couple of police officers inside. Upon closer look, it seemed to be a someone about the team's age, skating around with ease as the police officers tried to grab them. The teen had on a black bandana covering the bottom half of their face and the hood of their sleeveless sweatshirt was pulled up to conceal the top half, so no one could identify them.

Once either of the two police officers would get close to the skater, they would either jerk to a stop or spin just out of reach, making the officers curse loudly, the crowd erupt in cheers and the teen laugh at them. Even the Ducks were playing along with the crowd, Portman, Fulton and even Goldberg were shouting jokes at the officers. This went on for a few more minutes before the teen was able to slip through the rink's entryway and down the street all before the police officers could even find the exit. No one in the crowd answered when the officers asked where the person had gone, some even walked away once the entertainment was over.

"Charlie! Luis!" Bombay called out to the two boys as he kept an eye on the skater. "Try and catch him!"

The two looked confused for a second but then started chasing in the direction their coach was pointing. Gordon knew, even without skates, Luis was the fastest on the team, so if anyone could catch up to them it was him.

"What are you thinking, Gordon?" Casey asked as she watched Charlie and Luis disappear around the corner.

"Yeah, Coach, are you turning him into the police?" Averman came up next to the couple, the others lingering behind a bit wondering the same thing.

"Not exactly," Gordon said. "Come on."

He led his team the way the three went. They met with Luis and Charlie a few blocks away, both out of breath and with a defeated look on their faces.

"Sorry Coach," Charlie stood to his full height. "We lost him."

"We were so close but then he turned another corner and was gone."

"We even checked some of the buildings, thinking he went in one."

Gordon sighed, running his hand through his hair. "That's okay. Thanks for trying you two."

"Why'd you want them to chase after him anyway?" Goldberg asked, just as out of breath as the two chasers, even though he did not run all that much.

The others questioned their coach as well.

"He was a good skater meaning he might be a hockey player too," Gordon explained, still looking around, hoping he might spot the teen, but it was not looking promising.

The team made the connection well all but Dwayne. "I don't get it."

"It means Bombay wanted to recruit him," Julie clarified with an eye roll, the others groaning at the cowboy's obliviousness, when he finally made the connection.

"Alright Ducks, let's get going."

-Next Day-

Gordon decided to come back the next day when the Ducks did not have practice and continue the search, determined to find this skater. He walked past the old skate rink just as someone exited it with a stick in hand. They started skating off with such ease that it looked like they could skate better than they could walk. Gordon could tell it was the same person from yesterday just by the way they skated, and it also helped they had on the same hoodie just with a peewee hockey jersey over it now.

"Hey!" Gordon shouted just as the teen walked between a couple, mumbling a quick apologize when they bumped into them.

The teen whipped their head around with widen eyes taking off seconds later, knowing that they were caught. Bombay cursed as he started after them.

Gordon kept the teen in his sights seeing that it was near to impossible to keep up with them since 1) they were on skates 2) Gordon was not as young as he used to be and 3) his knee was already killing him. Unfortunately, he lost them once the teen rounded the same corner, they lost them on the day before, having him repeat what Charlie and Luis did yesterday by going into a few buildings. Again, with no luck. He was beginning to believe this person was a ghost or didn't even exist and just was a figure of his imagination. But one positive thing, if they were real, was that he caught a glimpse of the name written on the back of the sleeveless jersey they were wearing over the equally sleeveless hoodie. Harper.

A little while later he met up with Charlie, Guy, Connie, and Adam at the skating rink, asking if they could help. They all asked why Gordon was trying so hard at recruiting this skater and his reply was that he had a good feeling about this but either way they were going to help so they did not push the matter any farther.

"So, you still didn't get a look at his face; only her name?"

"Yup."

"How do you know it's his name?"

"Hopefully, it's his or a relative's with the same last name."

The four followed him into one of the last buildings on the street, a building Charlie and Luis had not looked in before. It looked to be a bar but for people under 21. There were pool tables, dart boards and even a bar area that clearly stated no alcohol beverages were served there. How they did not know about this place was beyond them, but it looked to be a cool hangout in this part of town. Charlie made a mental remainder to tell the rest of the team about this place next time he sees them.

They walked up the "bar" and waved down the burly tattooed man behind it.

"We don't serve alcohol here." The man crossed his arms, looking at Gordon.

"I'm not here looking for a drink."

"We were wondering if you know anyone with the last name of Harper." Charlie leaned his elbows on the counter.

"There's only one person I know of with that last name and that's AJ," the man stood his ground. "What do you want with AJ?"

Gordon walked over to the wall at the end of the counter. Pictures were lining the wall just like in Hans' hockey shop, some of winners from various food eating contests and others from different sports teams. He spotted a group shot of the huskies' peewee team; the same team they beat that year. With the quick look he got of the number earlier he found the same kid in the photo. She had her hair in two French braids, smiling from ear to ear, with the same glow the Ducks had on their faces that year they won the championships.

"A girl?" Gordon whispered to himself before asking, "Number 14, that's AJ, isn't it?"

"Yeah, best player on the team, could have gone somewhere, that is until she left the team a few weeks after that photo was taken."

"Why?" Connie asked.

But the man ignored the girl and repeated, "What do you want with AJ?"

"I want her to join my team."

"What?" The man was dumbfounded.

"You heard me; I want AJ to join the Eden Hall ducks."

The man seemed to be contemplating something before saying, "If you leave now, you might be able to catch up to her. Just keep going straight the opposite way you came."

"Thank you!" Gordon and the other four ran out the building and followed the man's directions.

"Should have told them to watch their pockets," the man mumbled to himself as he began cleaning the bar top.

"Is that ...?" Charlie pointed to the figure on skates with over ear headphones on and a black beanie replacing the hood.

"It is," Gordon cheered inwardly, he was exhausted from all this running around. "Can you catch up and stop her?"

The others nodded then took off after the skating figure. Luckily, they all had roller blades on this time, or it would be a short chase for them again. They weaved around bystanders, apologizing to anyone they accidentally ran into. Charlie was the first one to get in reach of her, so he stretched out his arm but instead of grabbing her shoulder like he planned, he grabbed the hood, causing himself and AJ to fall.

Gordon and the others caught up just in time for AJ to stand and turn to Charlie.

"What the hell was that for?" AJ hissed as she dusted the dirt off her baggy basketball shorts.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to grab your hood." Charlie stood, hands up like he was surrendering. "Are you AJ Harper?"

"Who wants to know?"

Gordon caught his breath and stuck out his hand. "I'm Gordon Bombay. The coach..."

"I know who you are, everyone in Minnesota does." AJ crossed her arms, glancing at the ones behind him. "What do you want with me?"

"I want you to play with the Ducks."

"I don't play hockey anymore," AJ turned to leave.

"Why? If what that man said was true about you being the best player on the team, you could have gone up against the Hawks and the Ducks, possibly making the playoffs." Gordon stated.

AJ looked down, sighing. "I don't play hockey anymore."

Charlie and Gordon exchanged looks before AJ turned once again to leave.

"Look I know can't force you to play but it is better than skating around pickpocketing people." Gordon's comment made her stop midway from putting on her headphones and glance back over her shoulder. "If you change your mind, we have practice on Friday. And since you probably grew out of your old ones, there'll be new hockey gear waiting in the Eden Hall's JV locker room for you."

AJ just placed her headphones on her ears and skated away.

"She doesn't seem all that interested." Connie said.

Guy agreed. "But I thought she was a he."

They turned back to head home.

"Are you sure about this coach?" Adam asked.

"Yeah, I am."