Summary: SEQUEL TO FLYING TOGETHER…a continuation of the life and times of the mighty ducks…Focus on Dean, Charlie, Connie, Guy, Adam and Julie…again. What can I say, they're my 6 favorite characters!

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

Grown-ups

By Rebecca

Chapter 10: I'll wait

Dean was prepared for the heartache. The suffering. The grief of losing his best friend. He was prepared to crumble under the pressures of having to find and interview a new roommate, go through Fulton's personal belongings, contact old friends who might not have known. He was prepared for the nightmares, the sweat soaked sheets he woke up in every morning, echoes of gunfire in his ears. What he wasn't prepared for…was how easy it would be.

Dean was torn between the bliss of a new romance and the guilt he felt for being so content so soon. The two were not compatible. How could he allot himself the grief of his loss when all he could think about anymore was Annalisse McHugh. He'd gone whole hours without thinking of Fulton. Whole hours of delight at her sweet and gentle touch. Perhaps that's why the dreams still haunted him. A shameful reminder to a man who'd forgotten his grief. A man who, had Fulton still been alive, may never have met her in the first place.

Annalisse was everything to him now. His savior if anything else. She remained the one person Dean could talk to, share with, embrace and care for like no other. Her smile set his senses aflame. Her touch, spiraling surges of affection. Not a moment passed when he didn't need to fight against every impulse to scoop her up in his arms with the promise of never letting go.

But Annalisse was just as puzzling a woman as she was breathtaking. Those impulses grew stronger every time he saw her because he was never allowed to act on them. They'd never kissed, save for an occasional peck on the cheek. They held hands as they walked from their routine lunch at Roxy's to Tyler's school, but when he tried to slip his arm around her waist, she drew away, always an apologetic look on her face, but never an explanation. Never had he been more perplexed. Never had he wanted someone so much, loved someone so much, having barely even touched her.

These thoughts played on in his mind as he felt her gloved hand in hers, shivering from the late February cold. It'd taken him this long for her to agree to lunch. They'd never actually been out on a real date. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a very young Dean Portman asked himself why he was "wasting" his time. But he couldn't help it. He loved her, more than anyone he'd ever known. The question was, could she learn to love him? Today, he was going to find out.

"I'm gonna have to talk to Giovanni about that turkey club," she laughed, casually linking her fingers with his. "You could feed a third world country with the leftovers of just one of them!"

Dean chuckled, "Maybe next time you'll listen when I tell you you'll never be able to finish it."

Playfully, she slapped him on the arm, "I can handle my own appetite, thank you very much." She smiled up at him, sending his mind spinning as they turned off of Broadway and on to 7th Avenue…7th Avenue. Only a couple more blocks and they'd be at Tyler's school. It was now or never.

"Annalisse?"

"Hmm?"

Dean stopped and made her face him, "I need to talk to you about something."

There it was. Her face fell, all hints of amusement fading as if she'd dreaded the question before it was even asked. "What about?"

"Look, I don't want you to think I haven't thought this whole thing through." She looked down and started swaying, shifting weight from one side to the other as she waited in silence for him to continue. "I just…want to know where this is going…how you feel about me."

"Dean-"

"I know, I know. You have to pick up Tyler. And you've been having a great time getting to know me. And I don't want to pressure you…"

"Dean," she tried again.

But his speech was getting faster. He had to get it out, "But Annalisse, I'm crazy about you. You're all I think about. I never would've gotten through Fulton's death if it weren't for you. And I know we haven't known each other long, but I think I'm falling-"

"Dean! Please," she cried, silently cursing the tears that welled in her eyes. "Please don't do that."

Dean shook his head and stared at the pavement. "Sorry," he whispered.

"No," she said, her voice softer again. She reached her hand and cupped his cheek, raising his eyes to meet her own, "No I'm sorry. I know that I haven't been really…open with you. Believe me, I wish I could be."

"Open about what? What are you not telling me? Whatever it is, you don't have to be afraid."

Annalisse drew back and started walking again towards the school. "I know. I know I don't. You have to believe me Dean. I do care about you…a lot."

"Then why? Why can't you tell me. Talk to me. Go to a damn movie with me for heaven's sake?"

She sighed and watched as a few stray cars rushed by beside them. "Because," she whispered. She looked towards the sky. It had started snowing. Dean watched in awe as the light flakes landed on her eyes and hair, glittering like an angel. "We're just not ready."

That was it. We. That was the kicker. Tyler, her son. It always came back to Tyler. Of what little he saw of the kid, he liked him. But he didn't see much. Only on rare occasions that Annalisse had invited him into the school to say hi. He'd made the grave mistake of offering to have one of his fellow officers baby-sit one night, but she'd hear nothing of the sort. Was Tyler afraid of him? Disliked him…Dean of course wouldn't even let himself think of his greatest fear, that perhaps Tyler missed his father…that maybe Annalisse missed him too.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, stopping at the sidewalk leading up to the front doors. She would disappear soon. Inside to meet her son. And then it would start all over again. He sighed as they stood in silence for a few moments, not quite sure of what to say.

"Look," he finally managed, "I understand the reluctance. Whatever the reason may be, I don't want to pressure you. But you can't stop me from loving you Annalisse. Neither of us have much of a choice in the matter." She tried to look away, but Dean gently pulled her close to him, holding her by the shoulders. "I love you Annalisse," he repeated. "I'll wait as long as I have to."

Stunned in the near embrace, Annalisse mentally checked herself. No, she thought, not here. Just walk away. Turn and walk into the school. Don't look back. She watched his eyes as her mind continuously willed her away from the man before her. But her heart wouldn't listen. She remained there, frozen in place and in time as the two inched closer together, his lips brushing her forehead. Before she could even think, his head darted and kissed her swiftly. Gently at first, but urging, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her even closer. A surge of desire uncoiled inside her and she began to return the kiss, but finally her head won out. She yanked herself away, her flushed face betraying her as she quickly ran inside the school for sanctuary.

Dean nearly ran after her, but he remained in his place, watching her disappear into the huge metal doors as the snow fell heavily around him. Slowly he dragged himself away, unwilling to face her when she emerged. He knew he'd gone too far, but he didn't care. In those few short moments, he'd tasted her own passion, her own impulses and needs she'd kept sheltered from him. She couldn't hide it anymore: Unconditional trust and love. The chance for a relationship with Tyler and an understanding of that bond they share. A world devoid of secrets, grief, and pain. She wanted it all, just like he did.

He took one more lasting look back at the school and whispered, "Someday, Annalisse…I'll wait."

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Drum roll please…and the answer is, " The Iron Giant! " The name Hogarth in chapter 9 comes from Hogarth Hughes, the main character in the Iron Giant. Stay tuned and read and respond. :-D