Title: Familiar Faces: It's Time

Disclaimer: Just the usual, don't own anything that you recognise.

Feedback: Yes please, anything constructive would be really appreciated.

Adam POV

Normally the only thing that I can think about for a week before a game is practice, I spend every minute I can on the ice and when I'm not doing that then I'm running through the plays in my head. My life normally revolves around hockey, but right before a game, my life is hockey. Only reason that homework gets done is because I'd be benched if I didn't do it. Well you get the picture of how my life is before a game, but this time I wasn't, I had conflicting things.

Part of me wanted to concentrate on hockey, for my twin, for Emma, but then part of me wants to spend time with her, to get to know her better. The main reason I am so obsessed with hockey is for Emma, I played it to be close to her, but know she is here, I can be close to her by spending time with her.

Over the years though, I have also played for the Ducks, for the team. This left me with a dilemma, I could either concentrate on practice for the Ducks or spend time with Emma. It isn't working doing both, I know it isn't because I'm not playing like I normally do. It's not like I'm playing really badly, but just not up to my usual standard. I thought I had got away with it, but it came to Friday and Coach called me over at the end of practice. 'Banks, help me put the equipment away.'

Now Coach normally picked on the person that had been playing really sloppily, or goofing off, and as you can guess it is normally Russ, Averman or Goldberg. Obviously Coach had noticed my lack of concentration, and everyone else seemed to as well cos they weren't shocked when Coach picked on me. I skated over to the bench and started picking things up to take to the cupboard.

'Leave that please Banks, Emma would you mind putting it away for us?'

'Not at all.' Emma looked to me and smiled, with something as simple as that, she gave me the confidence to talk to Coach. It was the same smile that had got me through many hard times, 12 years and she still had the same smile. Putting the bits I had picked up down, I turned to Coach, waiting for the onslaught.

'Come with me to my office.' So I followed him silently to his office and sat in the chair he directed me to. I was starting to get nervous, was he gonna bench me for the game tomorrow, I'm sure I hadn't played that badly. 'Don't panic, you look really nervous.'

'Well it isn't everyday that I get called into an office.'

'No need to panic, I'm just worried, your game has been off for the last few weeks. Is there something that you want to talk about Adam?' He called me Adam, he never does that, hardly anyone does. Connie and Julie do, and now Emma as well, but to everyone else, I have always been Banks or Banksie.

'No, everything is absolutely fine, nothing is wrong.'

'Now I know there is something wrong. I may have only been your Coach for a little over a year, but from what Bombay told me before I took over and how well I have got to know the whole team, I know that that isn't true. So let me try again, anything you want to tell me?' He was looking at me, not with sorry or pity but concern, no adult had every really looked at me like that before, not that often anyway. The couple of times that I got really injured in hockey then I did, once from Dad and the other from Bombay. It was weird getting it from him.

'Well, there is something, but it won't interfere with how I play tomorrow, I will ignore it and play like I normally do. Just please don't bench me.'

'I wasn't gonna bench you Adam, you play better than some of the team now. You definitely aren't at the benching stage yet.' Relief swept over my face. 'But I am still worried about you, I know all about you bottling things up, and from what I can gather from my talks with Emma, you even bottled her up. Did you really not tell anyone about her?'

'Well, no I didn't, I know it may sound weird but I thought that if I told anyone about her then, they would take her away, take away the specialness. I played hockey for her, the only reason that I continued to play when I had all that trouble first with the Hawks and then Varsity was for Emma. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her and I didn't want to share that with anyone.' I had never been that open to anyone before, 'sorry, I didn't mean to say all that.'

'It's fine Adam, but the way you are playing at the moment has something to do with Emma doesn't it?'

'Well, to be honest, yes. It is really hard to explain, but I used to play for Emma, to be close to her. But then the Ducks came along and I started playing for them as well, but now I want to spend time with Emma to get to know her. I  can't be fun sitting on the bench watching us all the time and so I start to think about her and how she can't be having any fun.'

'Believe me, she lights up every time she watches you play, its the same as how you light up when you get on the ice. She loves watching you play and when I have been talking to her, she keeps asking me questions about the game. She does enjoy watching you. She knows what playing means to you, she can see it in your face.' I wasn't entirely sure he meant this but it was a slight relief even if it wasn't true. 'but that isn't everything is it? Something else is bothering you?'

'Yeah, has Emma told you how my Dad told me that she died?' I was playing with my hands, twisting my fingers around each other.

'No, she never said.'

'Well, a long story short is that something happened around when we were three and Mum took Emma and Dad took me. Dad told me that Emma and Mum had died and Mum had told Emma that Dad had died, but she never told her about me. Emma found out about me at Christmas.' Looking at Coach, he nodded that he understood what I was saying, and to continue. 'Well, you know how my Dad tends to come to all the games, well he is coming tomorrow.'

'I'm guessing that it isn't the game that you are worried about then?'

'Well not really, you see, I haven't told Dad that I have found Emma yet, I was sort of gonna introduce them tomorrow.'

'It should be alright, he should take it well.' He was confused, looking at it that way, there wasn't really anything to be worried about, but he didn't know the main part.

'Er, Emma doesn't know he is coming. I didn't want her to panic.'

'So you have been handling this on your own?'

'Well, no, Charlie knows he is coming. But I'm really worried that they won't get on. It is really important to me that they do, that we find out why our parents separated us.'

'Sounds like tomorrow is gonna be really important to you and Emma then, can I help in anyway?'

'There isn't really anything you can do, but believe me you have really helped me now, just telling someone is such a relief. Thank you so much.'

'Don't worry about it, it's what I'm here for. Just a suggestion though, why don't you use my office tomorrow, it will be better than doing it publicly in the middle of the rink. And tell Emma tonight, don't just spring it on her, that is when she will really panic.'

'Yeah I suppose she would. Could we really use your office, it would probably be better but I don't think that there is any way that I could get Dad to come to your office.'

'Well that is easy, I'll just tell him that there is something that I wanted to talk to him about and bring him here, while you can bring Emma to the office.'

'Thank you so much, I just hope it all goes well. I don't know what I would do if it went badly, I don't think that Emma could take it if Dad rejected her as well.'

'I'm sure he won't, just don't panic and it will all be alright. Now go and get changed, you have a big day tomorrow.' With that I walked out the door and to the locker room, I was expecting a barrage of questions on what coach wanted, but everyone ignored the fact that I had just been summoned by Coach.

'You guys can go if you want, I just need to get changed, I'll see you at dinner.'

                This was answered by a few 'fine's and 'see ya's as people walked out the door, Emma stayed behind, 'I'll wait for you, but be quick cos I'm hungry.'

                'Will do, be back in a minute then.' Then I walked into the shower and got changed.

Emma POV

                I may have only known him for a few weeks, but it felt like forever than I had know my brother, I knew his moods and when something was bothering him, and this last week something has been heavy on his mind. I stayed behind after practice to wait for him and ask him as we walked to dinner. Once he was washed and changed, we walked out the locker room, now was my chance.

                'So you gonna tell me what has been bothering you for the last week?'

                'You promise not to flip or anything?'

                'As you have said that, I'm gonna reserve the right to flip, cos I'm now very worried and there is no chance that you are gonna get out of this now.' I stopped and pulled him over to a bench that we just happened to have walked past. 'Now sit and spill.'

                'You see, Dad normally comes to my games, and well tomorrow is no exception.' Adam was watching my face carefully for a reaction, and slowly it happened, my face turned into one of panic and I started rambling.

                'When were you planning on telling me that he was coming? How long have you known? I can't do it.'

                'Emma, please calm down, to be honest, I wasn't actually gonna tell you until I introduced you to him. That was until Coach persuaded me to tell you, this is exactly why I didn't want to tell you, cos you would have found a way of getting out of coming. Second, I have known since last weekend, and you have to do it.' He said the last bit with such finality that it was impossible to argue with.

                'But what if he hates me? What if he doesn't want to know me?'

                'Please stop that, I've already been through that every day this week, many times a day. I doubt he would reject you, and even if he does then you still have me and all the team. Speaking of which we should get to dinner before they send out a search party. Do you think that we should tell the Ducks what is happening? I mean, Charlie already knows Dad is coming cos he was there when Dad phoned, but do you want everyone else to know?'

                'I suppose we could tell them, it might be good to have their support encase everything goes wrong.'

                'Yeah I suppose so, come on then lets go tell them, oh and Coach said that we could use his office.'

                As I have come to expect of the Ducks, they all were very supportive when we told them, Julie and me were up for a few hours talking, it helped lots, just talking it through with someone. I don't know how I managed to get through life without this support network and I am so glad that Adam had it. Anyway, the evening went by with everyone messing about watching videos or playing games in Julie and my room, and then people slowly drifted off until there was only Adam and Charlie left in the room with us.

                'Night sis, see you tomorrow, sleep well.'

                'Yeah you too, and don't panic, I'm not planning on running off during the night or anything.'

                'Good, come here and give us a hug then.' We shared a long hug and then separated smiling. That was all that was needed to be said and then he and Charlie walked out the door. It was then that me and Julie talked, then we fell asleep. By the time that we woke up in the morning it was coming up to 11 o'clock.

                'Only 3 hours till game time, I'm really excited cos this is the first proper game that I have seen.'

                'Well stop bouncing, your making me feel sick. Everyone is meeting in the dinning room for lunch at 12, so you have an hour to get ready. How are you feeling this morning?'

                'Nervous, believe me this is nervous and excited bouncing at the same time. That is why it is so manic.'

                'Well if you don't stop bouncing soon, I will tie you to the desk chair.'

                'Ok, fine, but you have to help me decide what to wear.'

                'Clothes maybe.'

                'PLEASE Julie, this is really not the time for sarcasm, I'm really nervous. I want to make the right impression, I don't want him to think that I'm a slob or anything.'

                'It's to early in the morning for this, but fine, you go and get washed, I'll look through your clothes and see what I can find.'

                Grabbing my wash bits, I walked to the shower room and set about getting washed. When I returned tot eh room, Adam was there as well. 'Come to make sure that I haven't run away?'

                'Funny, no, I was awake and came to make sure that you were ok, only to find Julie going through your clothes, I helped her and we came to the conclusion that these jeans and this top. There is really no need to dress up for him honestly.'

                'Ok, fine. I'll get dressed and see you at lunch then.' He gave me a hurt look. 'I may be your sister, but I'm still not getting dressed in front of you and I don't think that Julie would want to either.'

                'Oh yeah, sorry, see you at lunch then, I'm gonna go and Join Charlie in making sure that everyone is up.' Walking out the door, he gave me a reassuring smile, 'it will all be fine, I promise. I'll never leave you.'

                'Thanks, now scatt. See you later.' Shutting the door, I looked at Julie and she smiled, 'what?'

                'You two are great together, it's like you have known each other for ages.'

                'Yeah, I feel like I have know him for ages. Anyway, I need to get dressed, seeing as we are meeting everyone in 15 minutes and you need to get dressed.'

                'Might be an idea, Eden Hall doesn't like people going to lunch in their pjs, it happened last year and they got detention.' And so we both got dressed and headed down to lunch.

                Lunch was swiftly followed by lounging around in Ken and Guy's room for half an hour until they all needed to go for warm ups. I went with them, cos I had nothing else to do and it was always fun watching the goof off. First was Cowboy round up, seeing as they needed to do it before the other team got on the ice, then they went and got their gear on, then they came out and practiced shooting against Julie and passing to each other. Then it was 2 and they went back into the locker room, where I followed, as Coach said I could. I had been ordered to sit on the bench with everyone, seeing as I helped with the drinks and everyone said that I was their good luck charm, cos I always helped Adam. I wasn't gonna argue, where else was I gonna sit, anywhere else and I would have looked like a Billy no mates. I would give you a play by play account of the game, but seeing as I don't know hockey that well yet, and I was watching Adam most of the time, I will just tell you that the Ducks won, 5-1. From what I have been told and seen of them playing, I'm not surprised. Adam played a lot better today then he did yesterday, just goes to show that it was really affecting him. Talking about that, the game ending just reminded me that it was nearly time to meet Dad. My stomach is in knots, but with Adam there, I can do it, I can do it for him.

                Adam got showered and changed in record time and met me outside the locker room, getting good lucks from the whole team, we walked together to Coach's office, turning to each other we had one final hug and then Adam knocked on the door.

                'Come in.' A voice shouted from inside. Taking a deep breath we walked in ready to explain everything to Dad.

                'Emma, I thought I saw you earlier.' What? He knew who I was? Surely I had changed from the photo? Me and Adam just looked at each other, really confused.

                'Dad, not meaning to be rude or anything, but how do you know who she is?'

                'Well, you Mum and me write to each other every year, with photos, saying what is happening in each of your lives, it is only fair.'

                'Right, well that leaves us at a loss for what to say. So what do we do now?' Adam looked at me and then at Dad and then at Coach.

                'Well I think it would be best if I left you alone. You know where we are though.' Coach walked to the door and closed it behind him.

                'Shall we sit down and then we can take it in turns to say what has been going on. Sound good to you two?' Adam and I both nodded and moved to the two chairs on this side of Coach's desk. Dad moved the one from behind it to this side to. 'Why don't you two start? How long have you known about each other?'

                'A few weeks. Emma came back from Christmas and had a photo, the one from our 3rd birthday when the tree of us were on the ice.'

                'Oh yes, I loved that, you both loved being on the ice, you were so happy that I had signed you up for the Hawks. You mother wasn't though.' Dad looked down and a sadness came over his face.

                'Yeah, anyway, long story short is that we realised that we were the people in the photo and that is it really.'

                'I was hoping that something would happen, just had to wait.'

                Speaking up for the first time, I asked him one of the questions that needed to be asked. 'Why did you never tell Adam that I went to the school?'

                'Ah, well that is slightly complicated, but I will try and explain it the best that I can. You see, by law, I wasn't allowed to.' Looking to Adam, I could tell that he was as confused as me. 'When your mum and me divorced, part of the agreement was that we would never tell either of you about each other, basically, as far as either of you were concerned, the other was dead.'

                'So that is how you got around the law, with telling me about Emma?'

                'Yeah, that is why I had to tell you that they had both died. Your mum never did tell me what she told you Emma?'

                'Simple, she didn't. It wasn't until she disowned me at Christmas that I found the photos of us, it was when I saw the baby photo that I knew that I had a twin, but I thought that he had died when you did. Does that sound really confusing?'

                'Believe me, I understood the complicated divorce rules, I can understand that.' He smiled at me, it felt so good to get that. 'So any more questions on that topic?'

                'Well there is the main one, being of, why did you and mum split in the first place, and why did you separate us?' Adam asked.

                'This might take a bit of time and I'm hungry, how about we give Orion his office back and I take you both out for Dinner, then we can talk properly and get to know each other. Plus I want to know what you did to get disowned, it sounds very interesting.'

                'Fine, but you have tell us first.'

                'Deal, lets grab your jackets and then take you to dinner.'

A.N.: I have decided to end the fic there, it seemed like the right place, plus after Friday I am hardly gonna get to go on the computer much for the next 3 months, so hope that anyone who is reading this enjoyed it. If anyone wants to do a sequel to it then you are more than welcome to take over, I'm sure you will do a better job than I did. Thank you for staying with me until this point and I'm sorry it took me so long to update it.