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 17: Last Chance Guy

            "A Guiness for my friend here?" Adam called as Guy tossed his jacket on the stool.

            "What are you doin' here Adam?" Guy wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. Besides, where there was a duck, there was trouble. Adam didn't answer, taking another swig of Guiness instead, "Your wife sent you?"

            Adam chuckled, "You think I'd be here otherwise?"

            At that, Guy had to laugh. At least he was honest, "So, what…" he sighed, taking a seat and a sip, "here to reprimand me about my abandoning Connie? Urge me to run after her and throw myself at her feet?"

            Adam shrugged, "That and the free beer. I hear hotels are pretty generous to pro hockey players.

            Guy sighed, "Well you can save the lecture."

            Adam nodded.

            "And the follow-up pep talk," Guy tried again.

            "I know," Adam grinned, finishing his drink, "Can I get another?"

            "Well Jesus man! Why did you even bother coming?"

            He took a deep breath, "to satisfy the wishes of my pregnant and irrational wife."

            Guy rolled his eyes.

            "What?"

            "Nothin'" he grumbled.

            "Like you've never been subject to the whims of a woman in the early stages of motherhood?"

            "So instead of running to the drugstore for ice cream at 2am, you fly to Miami?"

            Adam ran his finger around the lip of the mug, "Jules came home in tears last week after visiting your ex-wife. She was hysterical. Declared herself utterly useless, powerless was the word she used, to help her oldest friend. She said it nearly killed her to see that far away look in Connie's eyes every time she thought of you…which was apparently all the time."

            Guy scoffed, "That woman hates me. I doubt she thinks about me."

            "If you're talking about Julie, yes, she hates you. She invented some rather creative four-letter words for you and said you were horrible for walking out when Connie needed you the most-"

            "I walked out? She kicked me out!"

            "-and you just wouldn't forgive her," he finished.

            Guy stood up, "You've got not a damn clue what you're talking about, Banks!"

            Adam held up his hands in mock surrender, "Don't shoot the messanger, Germaine. I'm just relaying what Julie told me.

            Guy stood for a moment, contemplating whether or not to gouge out his aching heart with a spoon…or sit down and finish his drink. Not surprisingly, the gold, foamy alcohol in front of him seemed more appealing. He slumped back to the bar. "So she ordered you to fly here and give me a stern talking to."

            "Yep."

            "You must've known it wouldn't accomplish anything."

            "That's what I told her."

            "Then why-"

            "Look," Adam jerked to face him, tired of playing the game, "the only reason I'm here is because I don't want my 4 month pregnant wife flying cross-country anymore trying to solve other people's problems, talking sense into a man who doesn't want sense talked to. I've known you since you hated me in pee-wees, Guy. No one can make up your mind but you. There's not a chance in hell that anything I say here is going to change that. You've decided you can live without Connie? Fine. Personally, I really don't care how you waste your time. But I do know there's a girl living alone in Minneapolis who's gonna have a really hard time staying away from the North Stars rink pretty soon, so you'd better be able to back up that mouth!"

            Until now, Guy had only ever heard of Adam losing his temper, lashing out. But he'd never actually witnessed it. It stunned him for a moment as he looked down at his glass, mentally drowning himself in its sorrow. "How'd you know?"

            Adam sighed and turned back to face him in the mirror behind the bar, "I'm in the business you know. Word travels fast."

            Guy nodded, "I can't live without her," he said quietly, surprising himself far more than he did Adam. He hadn't lived without her. He'd been dead to the world for over a year.

            "I know."

            He looked up, "I just…don't…"

            "Guy, if you're lookin' for a sign, I'd say you bein' traded to Minnesota is as good as any don't you think?"

            Guy didn't answer. Instead he gulped down his drink and struggled to remove his jacket from the stool next to him. "Look, I uh…got a lot of paperwork to do upstairs. We found a buyer for the house last week."

            Adam sighed and tossed a generous tip on the bar. He shook his head and shrugged on his coat, "last chance Guy."

            Guy shook his head, "You told her it wouldn't work…I'll give you a glowing review though. You did try."

            A thoughtful frown crossed his face as Adam bent to pick up his briefcase. Then he reached inside his coat pocket and extended his hand. Guy shook it and felt a piece of paper drop into his palm. He looked up skeptically as Adam nodded and turned to leave, "See ya in the playoffs, Mr. Germaine."

            Guy looked down at the paper, turned it over and over in his hands before he unfolded it:

Connie Germaine

7196 Woodward Avenue

Minneapolis, MN 48073

* * *