Disclaimer: You know the routine. I own nothing, unless you consider Terry and Bubba worth owning, then I own them. God owns me.
A/N: I do not know much about cars or how much specific parts weigh or cost. I'm a biologist not a mechanic! If some details seem unrealistic in this story I would be glad to divulge how I came to the conclusions later, just let me know if you need them to be elaborated. I'd be glad to share.
Knowing You
Chapter 2
By Silver Elf Child
Two years later
Mac Slugger, as he is now known, has been a happily married duck for a year and a half. He joyfully works on cars at the local body shop five days a week.
"So, Mac, whatcha doin' this weekend?" asked one of his burly coworkers.
Mac rolled out from under the car he was working on. "What was that, Mike?"
"What are you and the Mrs. doing this weekend?"
"I don't know yet. We may"
"LOOK OUT!"
Mac looked up and saw a bulky one ton engine snap from its supports and start to fall. He instantly reacted and tried to roll out from under it's deadly decent to the earth.
***
Mrs. Slugger unlocked the front door and quickly stepped into her apartment and closed the door. The lights were dimly lit and she could hear the sweet melody of Christian music playing on the radio. After hanging her coat in the closet and removing her shoes she stepped into the main room. She found her husband sound asleep on the couch. On the floor rested the Bible opened to Psalm 18. She smiled tenderly before sitting herself on the edge of the couch and rubbing his back. He sighed in his sleep and she continued to give him a massage. She leaned over to give him a kiss, but faltered when he screamed in pain.
"What's wrong?" she panicked, jumping to her feet.
"Terry? What time is it?"
"Eleven ten, are you all right?"
Mac rolled over slowly and rubbed his eyes. "I lost my job today."
"Oh baby, I'm sorry," she said empathetically as she resumed her position on the couch.
"It's all right. It wasn't meant to be."
"What happened? I thought your boss liked you?"
"They dropped an engine on me."
"What?!"
"I'm fine, just a little sore."
"Did you go to the hospital?"
"Terry," Mac looked at her bluntly. "We don't have health insurance."
"So."
"We can't afford it."
"I'd rather pay a million dollars then to see you in pain for one second."
"Terry, don't be so dramatic."
"Mac, you are going and that's final!"
"Yes, dear."
***
Mac laid on the hospital bed and waited for the doctor.
"Terry, I'm fine. Let's just go home."
"No," She adamantly refused. "You are going to see the doctor."
"But, Terry"
"Hello."
Mac turned and faced the doctor. "Hello," Mac mumbled.
"So what seems to be the problem today?"
"He dropped an engine on himself today."
"I didn't drop it. The engine fell after the restraints broke."
"Anyway you go, you were hurt," Terry obstinately pointed out and folded her arms.
"Well, we'll have to take an x-ray to see what damage was done."
"NO!"
"Excuse me."
"No thank you. I don't need one. Besides we can't afford it."
"I see."
"We can't even afford this visit."
"Mr. Slugger, what is it that you wished to accomplish by coming down here if you did not wish for me to examine you?"
"Ask my wife, she's the one who insisted I come."
The doctor looked at Terry, who smiled sheepishly and shrugged.
"I can't do anything for him unless he allows me to examine him and take that x-ray."
"You have my permission to perform anything that you think is needed."
"Terry!"
"He hurt his hip before. I'm afraid that he may have injured himself beyond repair this time."
"I will try to see what I can do." The doctor turned his attention back to Mac. "You said an engine fell on you?"
"Correct."
"So this was an on job accident?"
"Yes."
"Then your company or where ever you work should pay for this visit."
"They won't."
"Why not?"
"They fired me right after they pulled the engine off of me. I hate BMW's. They are difficult to maintain and the owners are so rude."
"BMW?"
"Yeah, a white one. The owner is a real pain. She's always making trouble."
"Mac, he doesn't need to know the details about the car, just how you got hurt," Terry scolded.
"It didn't have a licensee plate that read, SHRKGRL, did it?"
"Yes it did, but how'd oh no, it's your car."
"Actually, it's my wife's car."
"I'm really sorry. They will fix it, don't worry."
The doctor laughed, "I'd say that is just fine. Give my wife a little trouble for a change. Besides she really didn't need that custom engine."
Mac laughed at the comment.
"Since it was my vehicle that caused you this injury I insist on paying your bill."
"You don't have to"
"I insist!"
"Well if you insist," Mac said helplessly holding up his hands in defeat.
"That's better, nurse, I want this gentleman wheeled to x-ray. I want pelvic and chest exposures."
"Yes, doctor."
"Don't worry, Mr. Slugger, we'll get you back on your feet in no time."
***
"See ya guys later. I have to be somewhere like ten minutes ago." Dive waved goodbye to his human friends at Captain Comics as he raced out the door. It was a good thing that where he was suppose to be was the mall's food court. He ran around a few tables, jumped over a few more, before landing at a booth out of breath. "Made it."
"Sorry I'm late, Dive," Mallory huffed as she slid into the booth with her arms full of packages.
"No prob, Mal. I just got here myself."
"We really need to start being on time when we set up a meeting time."
"Why? This makes it a lot more interesting. Besides we always get together at the same time."
Mallory smiled at the blond before setting the bags on the seat next to her. "I got you something."
"Ooh what?" Dive smiled. "I want to see, I want to see." Dive giggled as he browsed through the nearest bag.
"Get out of there!" Mallory scolded, slapping his hand. She continued to rummage through her other bag, searching for the item she had mentioned.
"Mal."
"Yes, Dive."
"I don't think it's my size,' he smiled holding up a pair of Victoria Secret panties.
"Give me that," She hastily ripped the undergarment away. Dive snickered as she shoved it to the bottom of the bag she was searching. "Here it is."
"More panties?"
Mallory glared at Dive.
"Let me see."
Mallory handed Nosedive a small box, which he hastily took from her and opened. "Let me guess it's a bra."
"Shut up stupid. I hope don't mind. I know how you feel about"
"Oh, Mal," Dive said with a lack of breath. He held a three-panel picture frame with a hockey design around the edges. "This is perfect. I've been looking everywhere for something to put Wing's picture in."
"That's not just it. You can put in one sleeve a picture of Wildwing, in the opposite side you can put your picture."
"What about the middle slot?"
"That's where you can put a picture of the two of you."
"Thank you, Mal."
"Your welcome. When I saw the hockey design I had to get it."
Dive smiled at her warmly, leaned over and kissed Mallory. It would have lasted longer, but they heard Duke clear his throat behind the pair.
"Hey, Duke," Dive said with a big grin.
"Do you two mind sharing a seat, or do we have to sit on you?"
"Oh yeah," Dive slid closer to Mallory and let the older mallard have a seat.
Duke shook his head and sat down. He had a hard time believing how much had changed since the day they all decided to stay and find Wing. Even in his young age Dive was turning out to be a pretty good team captain. They had agreed on letting Dive be leader since he had talked everyone into staying. That and they thought that it would keep Dive's mind off the prospect that Wildwing was dead. Not only did Dive change in that respect, but in other ways as well. Duke wasn't sure when it started, but somehow the relationship Dive had started with Mallory was starting to bloom. They made the perfect couple. One goofy and the other powerful. One with great hair, and the other with good looks (you decide who has what). They complimented each other. The funniest thing of all was how as soon as they started going out the pranks stopped. So there were a few played on Duke every now and then, but the ones played on Mal stopped. Maybe Dive decided to grow up and take responsibilities for his actions. Maybe it was due to the pressures of leadership, or it could have been the fact that he had Mal's attention.
They were not the only ones to start up a relationship. Tanya and Grin had stated dating a few months earlier as well. Duke didn't understand it all, but he was glad that his teammates were happy. So what if he didn't have a girl. Soon as he got back to Puckworld he would find his family and everything would be great.
Duke sat quietly watching Dive and Mallory talk about the items Mallory had just bought. Dive had his arm around her shoulder and kept on trying to snuggle. Mal would pull away smiling and continue on with what she was saying. Tanya and Grin joined the group a few minutes later carrying the food that they had ordered for the team. It was good to finally see Dive smiling and laughing again. But Duke knew that the smiles were a façade. The hurt in Dive's eyes grew more and more each day. The only time Dive wasn't hurting was when he was with Mallory.
"So kid, what are we going to do today?" Duke asked breaking up Dive's and Mal's conversation.
"Oh, I really hadn't thought that far ahead. And I thought I asked you to stop calling me kid'. I'm grown up now, Duke."
"Ah, come on, I didn't mean anything by it, Dive," Duke said as he pulled Nosedive into a headlock and gave him a noogie.
"AH! NO! STOP!" Dive flailed his arms. "Mal, help!"
"Okay," she smiled sinisterly before tickling Dive.
"NOOOOO!"
Duke released Dive when Tanya tapped him on his shoulder.
"Hey guys, I want to thank you for everything."
"Sure, Dive."
"Your welcome."
"No problem, kid."
Dive glared at Duke, who shrugged. "I'm grateful to have friends like you."
Duke pulled Dive closer to him and held in half of a hug. When Dive was least expecting it Duke ruffled his hair. The other's laughed at Dive's sour face and Duke's innocent expression.
"I miss Wing," Dive softly said to himself. Duke tightened his grip on Dive's shoulder. "We'll find him, Dive."
Dive looked up at his friend, grateful for the support. The other's had all stopped smiling when Dive confessed his deepest torment. "I'm beginning to think otherwise. Tanya you were right. We should have gone back to Puckworld."
"Dive"
"Can we go back to that forest?"
"Sure Dive. Whatever you want."
***
Two Months later
Mac Slugger looked up from the Bible when he heard the sound of the door being unlocked. A minute later his wife came through the door and smiled at him sitting on the couch.
"How was your day?" He asked.
"Same old, same old."
"I got a job today."
"MAC!"
"What?"
"Your suppose to be on bed rest."
Mac shrugged. "I can't stay in bed forever. Anyway, I got a manager position at the sporting goods store. I start tomorrow."
"Mac, you still have trouble walking."
"They know all about my last job and my hip."
"But Mac"
"Terry, please don't go off. I can't let you work two jobs forever."
"Changing subjects your doctor called today. He said that his friend won your court case. The check is in the mail."
"Good. That will help pay for the back rent."
"Mac, Clancy passed away last night."
Mac looked up in shock. How can she joke like that, but it was no joke. The tears in her eyes added to his grief. Mac squeezed his eyes tight in an attempt to prevent his own tears from falling. Terry sat down next to him on the couch and wrapped her arms around him. Mac placed the Bible, that he had been holding, on the end table and held Terry as she cried. "Praise ye the Lord. He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds," Mac whispered into her hair. Terry looked up and smiled. "Been memorizing again?"
"To every thing there is a season and a time and every purpose under the heaven. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. Ecclesiastes 3: 1,4."
Terry blinked back her tears. Now was the time to weep and morn, or was it a time to dance and laugh?
***
Three months later
The small apartment seemed to grow in light and love, but smaller in size as Terry put on more weight. Mac walked up behind his plump wife as she prepared the evening meal. She turned and her large stomach bumped into Mac's side.
"Oh, sorry baby."
"That's all right," he kissed her cheek.
"I wasn't talking to you," she laughed.
Mac gave her a pathetic look of playful injury, which made Terry laugh harder. He smiled and gathered her into his arms.
"Terry."
"Yes"
"While I was cleaning today I found this bag full of junk in the closet."
Terry looked down in disappointment. She had hoped he was going to say something romantic, but instead he spoke about junk. "Junk? What do you mean?"
"Let me show you." Mac pulled out the oversized bag that read KOHO on the top and sides. He opened it up and the contents spilled out and onto the floor.
"Mac, that's not junk, it's my hockey equipment!" she exclaimed. Terry lowered herself to the floor and tried to put the equipment back into the bag.
"Hockey?"
"Yes, ice hockey."
"I didn't know you played ice hockey. What is ice hockey?"
"It's a sport I played a few years ago. I was going to start it up again, but someone had other plans."
"Who?"
"You silly."
"Me?"
Terry struggled to her feet before giving him a hard look. She placed her hand on her bulging abdomen to emphasize her point.
"Oh, that."
"I guess I should get rid of it. I won't be playing much now."
"Why?"
"Mac, I'm about to become a mother. We are going to have a hard time providing for another mouth, let alone for my sporting adventures."
"Keep it. As soon as I get promoted we'll have plenty of money for you to enjoy playing the sport."
"Mac you spoil me!"
"I know, of course that will have to change once our child is born."
"Why's that?" she laughed.
"Because I can only spoil one of you at a time and I mean to spoil my kids rotten."
"I love you Mac Slugger," Terry said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"And I love you Terry Slugger," Mac said before he kissed her passionately.
***
Duke sat on the rec room couch watching The Count of Monte Cristo', when Dive came bounding over the couch and landed flat on the floor.
"Kid, what are you?"
"Shh, don't let her know I'm here," he whispered.
"Who?"
"Mal," Dive looked around before lying down on his stomach.
"There you are!"
"Duke, I told you not to tell her I was here!" Dive exclaimed, jumping to his feet. Mallory tackled him behind the side couch and started to pound on him. "Duke, HELP!"
"What did you do now?"
"Nothing, oof, honest," Dive laughed.
"I'm going to kill you, Dive."
"Come on, Mal, oof, lighten up."
"Your going to wish Wing was here to save you." The instant the word left her mouth she wished she could have taken them back. "I'm sorry Dive. I didn't mean it like that."
Dive looked up at Mallory with hurt filled eyes. He sighed and stood up. "It's okay Mal. I wish Wing was here to save me too."
"Way to go, Mal," Duke whispered.
"Shut up, L'Orange. Dive, I'm sorry."
Nosedive looked at the clock on the wall. "We've got practice in fifteen minutes."
After dressing out, Mal headed out to the ice. She found Nosedive attacking the net with as many shots as he could fire. Mallory skated up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. She was about to speak when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a passionate kiss. She didn't protest the affectionate gesture. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
"Ahem," Duke cleared his throat.
"What?" Dive shrugged.
"Practice?"
"In a minute. Let me finish what I started," Dive said mildly and returned to his previous activity.
Duke shook his head in frustration. Grin and Tanya stood watching and waiting for instructions. "Come on you two, let's do some laps, while our love sick companions strangle each other with their tongues."
Mallory pulled away from Dive when the others had completed their third lap around the ice. Dive pulled her back and kissed her again, but Mallory did not return the gesture. "Hold that thought," she smiled. "You're going to have to elaborate on it later."
Dive gave a quirky smile before skating to center ice. The others stopped skating the rink and converged on the blond. "Let's start out with skating drills then move on to passing drills before we scimage."
"Sounds good."
"Okay, we'll start with rushin's with forward crossovers."
The team gathered in a corner and started the drill. Mallory quickly turned to Nosedive. "Dive, I'm sorry about what I said earlier."
"No need to apologize, Mal. You were just trying to get me to laugh."
Mallory flashed a quick smile before following Tanya around the face off circles.
After practice, Nosedive hustled off the ice to go change. He wanted to catch Duke before he left to go to the bookstore.
"Yo, Duke, do you have a minute?" Dive asked when he found the older mallard. Duke was still in the locker room changing, looking at his skates.
"Sure Dive, what's up?" Duke said as he laid his skate down.
Dive sat down next to the older mallard and brushed his hair back. "I need some advice." Duke picked up his other skate and inspected it. Dive waited for him to respond, but when he didn't, he continued. "You know that Mal and I are going out."
"Yeah."
"When do you know if how do you know if I mean, what happens when or where does, no wait."
"Dive, spit it out."
"See this is my problem, I don't know how to phrase the question."
"You want to know if Mal's the right girl for you."
"Yeah."
"Well, that's easy. When you can't live without the one meant for you and all you can do is think about her, then she's the one." Duke placed his hand on Dive's shoulder. "Don't worry kid, you'll find her."
"I think Mal's the one, Duke."
"Then you know what you have always known."
"How do I ask her to marry me?"
"Same way you asked her out, I guess."
"It's times like these that I wish Wing was here."
"Dive, we'll find him."
"I don't think so Duke. Tanya was right, it's futile."
"Dive, don't give up hope. He's out there somewhere."
"I'm not giving up hope, I'm just being realistic. Thanks for the advice." Dive waved goodbye.
Duke jumped up and went after Dive. "Kid, do me a favor and don't grow up too fast."
"What are you talking about, Duke?"
"Maybe you and Mal should slow down."
Dive gave Duke a confused look.
"I've seen you going into Mal's room at night and not coming out till the next morning. Dive your too young to get messed up with that kind of stuff."
"What?"
"Stop sleeping with Mallory before you get hurt!"
"I'm not sleeping with Mal."
"Dive"
"I said that I wasn't sleeping with her!"
"It sure doesn't look like that."
"I don't care what it looks like. I know that I'm still pure and so is Mal. I was raised right, Duke."
"Nosedive."
"Why don't you go tell my big brother that I'm up to no good. Maybe he'll come running to save his baby brother!"
Dive stormed away and left Duke in the locker room with his head hanging. What did he say wrong? All he was trying to do was help his young friend. Wing always made this big brother stuff look easy. How could he replace the loss Dive was feeling now?
***
Mallory heard the door to her room open and she looked out of the bathroom to see who it was. Dive crashed onto the bed and buried his head into the pillow.
"What's wrong?"
Dive rolled over to look at her. "Duke, he thinks we have been having sex."
Mallory rolled her eyes. "Sounds like him."
"I told him that we weren't, but he insists that we are."
"Ignore him, he's just jealous."
Dive rolled over again and looked at the picture frame next to the bed. The right panel had a picture of Wing and Dive. The left panel had a picture of Mallory hanging over Dive's shoulder, and the middle panel contained a picture of the Mighty Ducks team. Wildwing sat with his arms around Mallory and Duke on the couch. Grin and Tanya were standing behind the couch and Dive was on the floor in front of Wing. Duke was shaking his head and Mallory was slapping her forehead. Wildwing was rolling his eyes and Grin had a stupid look on his face. Tanya's expression was classic and Dive wore his trademark goofy grin.
Nosedive picked up the picture frame Mallory had gotten for him at the mall and inspected the pictures more closely. Mal sat on the edge of the bed and peaked at the pictures.
"Do you remember when we took this?" Dive asked pointing at the group photo.
"I thought you were going to put pictures of Wildwing in this?"
"I did. See here's Wing." Dive pointed at the two photos with Wildwing's visage implanted on the glossy paper. "Do you remember?"
"How can I forget? You ripped the seat of your pants when you fell."
Dive snickered. "Just wanted to show the camera my good side."
Mallory ruffled Dive's hair as he placed the frame back on the nightstand.
"I love you, Mal."
"I love you too."
"Will you marry me?"
Mallory blinked. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She always knew Dive to be goofy and a bit unpredictable, but this was extreme. What was she to say?
To be continued in chapter 3
Please let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is more then welcome. I hope I'm not getting too gushy on you guys.
Smile, live, laugh, love and God Bless.
