DISCLAIMER: We Are the Champions belongs to Queen. But you probably already knew that.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: It's the end! Finally! I'm currently writing A New Beginning, the next story in this series.

A NEW TEAM – CHAPTER FIFTEEN – WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS

"I'm so ready to go home," Fulton sighed as he followed the tired Ducks to the terminal.

Portman nodded and yawned. The USA Ducks had stayed up all night eating pizza and partying. Now, on the ride back to Minnesota, they would all sleep.

"Did you ever see Kestle or Kathryn?" Fulton asked.

Portman shook his head. "No. Kestle called right after the game to say congratulations. She tore ligaments in her shoulder after the vault, you know."

"Too bad," Fulton sympathized. "You didn't happen to get her phone number, did you?"

"Nope," Portman sighed. "I guess it's just not-"

"Dean! Wait!" The Bash Brothers turned around. Kestle and Kathryn were running over to them.

"Hey, bronze medalists!" Portman said. "How's the shoulder, Kestle?"

"It hurts," Kestle said. "And during your game Kathryn and I were both sick, or we would have come."

"But we got a bronze medal, though," Kathryn pointed out.

"Congratulations," Fulton said.

"Same to you for the gold," Kathryn replied with a smile, holding Portman's gaze.

"Bash Brothers!" Ken hollered. "We're leaving!"

Kestle pushed a piece of paper into Portman's hand. "My telephone number," she said quickly, standing on tiptoe to give him a peck on the cheek. "Call me." With that, the two gymnasts were off.

"You didn't give Fulton your number," Kestle pointed out to Kathryn as they boarded their airplane home.

Kathryn shrugged. "I was too shy," she said. "Maybe you can ask Dean for it."

"So you do have her number now," Fulton said.

"Guess so." Portman stuffed his duffel bag in the compartment over his seat. "Kathryn didn't give you hers, though."

"Maybe she's waiting for me to give her mine," Fulton suggested.

Portman sat down in the seat and unfolded the paper. "Or not," he showed Fulton the paper.

Kestle Carter

456-555-7270

Kathryn Dallings

456-555-6743

"Well, don't worry about it," Kestle said as the plane started down the runway. "I gave him your number."

Kathryn was shocked. "When?"

"When I gave Dean mine," Kestle said smugly. "The paper had my number and yours on it. I knew you wouldn't give him your number, so I took care of it for you."

"All righty," Goldberg said. The Ducks had decided to have a campout in Minnesota to celebrate their win. At the moment, Goldberg was trying to heat up a marshmallow over the campfire.

"Five bucks says he burns it," Ken muttered under his breath.

"Ah!" The goalie exclaimed, backpedaling away from the fire. His marshmallow had been set aflame, and now looked like a torch.

"Goldberg!" Charlie admonished, grabbing the stick and stepping on the marshmallow. "What are you doing? You're not supposed to light it on fire!"

The team shared a laugh over that.

"Hey y'all, let's sing!" Dwayne pulled out his guitar and began strumming.

"I've paid my dues," Averman began to sing, just a bit off-key. "Time after time/I've done my sentence/But committed no crime/

"Sing," Portman whispered to Ken. "We need to drown him out."

The Bash Brothers joined in: "And bad mistakes/I've made a few/I've had my share of sand kicked in my face/But I've come through/

"Sing it!" Dwayne told the rest of the team. "And I need to go on and on and on and on…"

"We are the champions my friends/And we'll keep on fighting to the end/We are the champions/We are the champions/No time for losers/Cause we are the champions/Of the world"