A/N: Hi. This is another Mighty Ducks story (thanks for the reviews for the last one) and is quite dark and very short. It will also contain SLASH-y goodness and probably not make sense (but I hope it does). Sorry if I get Charlie's eye colour wrong (I wrote that it was dark blue), but I needed it for the story - work with me here, this is fan fiction, people! And REVIEW RIGHT NOW! Or flame. I like flames . . . flames are niiiiiiiiiice . . . Oh yeah, and ~ these signs with words in between them ~ means that Adam's imagining what Charlie's voice is saying in his head. Charlie never actually says/said any of it. Read and enjoy.

Disclaimer: Disney owns the Ducks, and I own . . . the plot to this little thing.

%^%^%^ Freedom ^%^%^%

"Hey, Banksie. You alright? You seemed a little off today," Charlie's cheerful voice cut through Adam like a knife, making him look up.

"Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me, Spazway, I'm good," he said. "Really," he added, seeing the disbelieving look on Charlie's face.

"Alrighty then. I'll see you tomorrow at practice, 'k? I got a date with Linda right now!" Charlie said, winking at Adam, who had forced a smile onto his face.

"Have . . . have a good time," Adam said meekly, his fake smile weakening.

"Oh yeah, I will!" Charlie grinned, before practically bouncing out of the door.

The Eden Hall Ducks were now eighteen-years-old. They had insisted that their name was not changed to 'Varsity' or 'Varsity Ducks'.

And as they grew older so did Adam's feelings for Charlie.

And they were feelings as in feelings //feelings//. Not just best friend feelings. They had developed into something more than that somewhere along the line - Adam didn't know where.

How long can I keep this act up? Adam thought. Pretending that I'm happy for him when my heart is breaking every time I look into his eyes. Those deep blue eyes . . .

Adam sighed and finished packing away his practice clothes into his sports bag.

He was always the last one to get changed now.

He slowly made his way to the door, hand reached out to open it, when suddenly he stopped.

He had the sudden urge to go somewhere. Not . . . not back to his dormitory, not back home (after all, Eden Hall //was// his home now), but to go . . . somewhere.

He dropped his sports bag on the floor, and walked towards the back door of the changing room, pulling it open and ignoring the 'Fire Exit open in case of fire' written on it.

He started walking up the stairs.

Fifteen minutes later, he wasn't even panting, but he felt quite tired.

Damn, there are a hell of a lot of stairs in here, he thought.

He continued walking up the stairs, not sure when he'd get to the top of the building.

After a few more minutes he reached another door. He pushed it open . . .

And was greeted by the bright sun shining right in his face.

Adam squinted his eyes a bit, and stepped onto the roof, keeping his head turned away from the sun.

When he looked back he saw the sunset.

It was . . . nice.

Nice just standing there and watching the sunset. Nothing special, but nice.

After a while it started to get dark.

Adam still stood there. He was busy thinking. About Charlie, about life, about his future, about what career he was going to choose, about everything.

Before he knew it, the sky had turned an extremely deep blue colour.

The same colour as Charlie's eyes . . .

He still stood there, his back facing the moon. He didn't want to see the light at this time. He walked until he was right on the edge of the building, looking at the sky, at Charlie's eyes . . .

All he wanted was to face the dark.

And he suddenly understood it.

//This// was his destiny. Not some stupid hockey career or some stupid lawyer job or some stupid stupid marriage to the Prime Minister's daughter. But this.

Freedom.

Freedom in the deep blue of Charlie's eyes.

Adam closed his own eyes.

~ Jump. Go on, jump. I dare you. ~

Charlie seemed to be daring him even in the depths of his mind.

~ Come on, Banksie. Don't be a chicken. Chicken chicken chicken. ~

"I'm not a chicken," Adam whispered to himself, eyes still closed.

~ No, you're not a chicken. You're a Hawk. And you've never been anything //but// a Hawk. ~

"I'm //not// a Hawk." Adam said firmly.

~ Oh yes you are. ~

"I am //not//." Adam said, a little bit louder. "I'm a //Duck//."

~ You're a Duck, huh? Huh? Putting on the shirt doesn't make you a Duck, preppie. ~

"I know it doesn't. But I've //become// a Duck." Adam said, briefly wondering what his team mates would say if they found him like this - on the edge of a very high building, eyes closed, and talking to himself.

~ OK, OK, punk. If you're a Duck, prove it. ~

"How?" Adam asked aloud.

There was a bit of silence before Charlie's voice replied with one word in his head.

~ Fly. ~

Adam hesitated for a moment before he stepped over the edge of the building.

And he fell.

END