"Ladies and Gentlemen," the announcer began.

Julie sat alone.  She went to the game, the seats were right behind the Ducks bench.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" a voice asked her.

She looked up and hardly recognized the man standing in front of her.

"Charlie?  Charlie Conway?"

"Duchess!"

She jumped up and gave her dear friend a hug.

"How have you been?" she asked.

"I've been great!"

"Tell me about yourself!" Julie said, and then her attention was grabbed by the announcer's voice.

"Number 45 Fulton Reed!"  The announcer said.

"OH MY GOD!  Since when has Fulton played pro hockey?!"  Julie said truly stunned.

Charlie smiled "since he graduated college.  He didn't get to keep his old number though, it was already taken by Rob."

"Wow that is awesome.  Thank you for the flowers, I have missed you too."  Julie said meekly.

"You know Duchess, I would love to take the credit, but I didn't send those to you."  Charlie said with a bit of a smile.

"Then, I guess it was Fulton.  How sweet."

"Fulton gave me this note for you."

It read:  

Hello Duchess, I have missed you too.  Do me a favor and look under your seat.

Julie looked at the note, and put her hand under her seat, to find another note attached to the bottom of her chair.

She opened it and it read:

Hello again,

We need to stop meeting like this.  //like what?  I haven't met you yet, Geez Fulton//

Julie smiled and kept reading.

Will you join me; Charlie and I have a surprise for you.

See you soon, farewell my Duchess.

"What did it say?"  Charlie asked.

"Like you don't know," she said and hit him in the arm "so what's the surprise."

The lights changed they were getting ready for their face off at center ice.

"Oh, they are getting ready to start."  Charlie said and directed his attention to the ice.

*Highlights*

Fulton Reed scored 51 seconds into overtime as the Anaheim Mighty Ducks beat the New York Islanders 4-3.

The Islanders, who got two goals from Brian Savage, squandered three leads.

Anaheim defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh tied the game with a goal late in the second period and set up Reed for the game-winner. Ozolinsh carried the puck deep into the NY zone and moved it to Reed who smashed it past Islanders goalie.

Julie and Charlie cheered, even though they were in NY and it was an upset for the home team.  Too bad, Ducks always come first, once a Duck, always a Duck por la vida.

"So where do you want to go celebrate cat lady?"

"Can we go back and see Fulton?"

"He is going to meet us remember?"

"Oh yeah, Yeah!  Thanks for reminding me, what's this surprise all about?"

"You'll see."

"Let's go.  Did you bring a car?"

"My driver is outside."

"Cool, cause I came by cab, and I would much rather ride in your swanky limo."

Julie smiled. //what am I gonna do with him?//

Charlie told the driver what they had in mind, out of earshot of Julie.  He smiled and was happy to do the favor.

"So where are we going?"  Julie asked.

"You'll see."

They arrived at the airport.

"Charles, what are we doing at the airport?"  Julie asked her driver through the intercom.

"I just drive miss."

He came around and opened the door.

"Charles.."  Julie said with question and warning in her voice.

"Have fun Miss Julie.  Please, have fun, once again, live in the moment and enjoy yourself."

She looked at him a little puzzled.

"I'll see you soon Miss Julie."

He kissed her on the cheek and held his hand out for her to go ahead.

Julie got on her jet and found it was filled with more red roses and red and white roses.  She couldn't stand it, what was all this leading to?

Julie and Charlie caught up on old times while they crossed the country.  The talked about school, and when Julie mentioned Dean, Charlie changed the subject.  She didn't press him on it; he obviously wasn't comfortable talking about it.  She couldn't blame him she never mentioned it either.

They fell asleep in each other's arms; she hadn't been that comfortable in a long time.  It was good to be with a dear friend again.

"We will be starting our final decent to the orange county airport, please fasten your seatbelts.  Welcome to California Miss Julie and Charlie."  The pilot said over the intercom.  Julie sat up, stretched, buckled her seatbelt and grabbed her purse to check her make-up.

A limo and another driver met them. 

They went to the Ayres hotel across from the Anaheim pond.

"So now what?"  Julie asked.

"What you normally do at a hotel lets go check in."  Charlie said sarcastically.

"Very funny." 

They went to the front desk and checked in.

Ms. Gaffney your room is number 234, and Mr. Conway your room is adjacent, it is room number 236.

"So let's go get dinner I am starving," suggested Charlie.

"Sure sounds good."

They went back outside and Kevin the driver took them to a restaurant called King's Fish.

"A table for 2?" The hostess asked.

"Actually, I see our party is here already."  Charlie said.

"Oh ok, very good."  Said the hostess.

They walked back to see a table with Connie, Guy & Fulton.

"Julie!  Oh my god Julie!"  Shouted Connie.

"Connie!" Julie said happily.

They all greeted each other and expressed how happy it was to see each other. 

"What are you guys doing here?"

"Oh we were just in town."  Guy said.

"Fulton has a game tomorrow, and we thought it would be cool to go."

"Right on."

"Yeah we hear he's pretty good," Said Connie.

They all laughed, and enjoyed dinner and talking about 'the good ole days'.

"K guys, I'm wiped and I gotta big day tomorrow, so I will see you all later."

"Where are you guys staying?"  Fulton asked.

"At the Ayres Hotel."  Said Guy.

"So are we!"  Said Julie.

"Great, let's go!"

Julie got up and went to go take care of the check.

"Ready?"  She asked when she got back.

"Yeah, but the check."  Said Guy.

"Oh don't sweat it, I got it."  She said.

"Thanks Jules!" Everyone said.

They got in the limo and headed back to the hotel, and Fulton headed home.

****

The next day at the Game.

They had seats all together behind the Ducks bench.

At halftime, Fulton had a special surprise.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!"  The announcer said, "In the audience today we have the captain and members of the Team USA Ducks.  Charlie Conway, Julie Gaffney, Guy Germane and Connie Moureau!"  The audience clapped and cheered.  Then he showed up on the screen with everyone he was sitting with.  They waved at the screen and cheered.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let's hear it for the Bash Brothers!"

Fulton skated out, and a guy wearing Dean's old uniform skated out with his helmet on, so Julie couldn't see his face.

Tears filled her eyes and the audience cheered. They went around the rink banging on the glass, as is tradition.

The guy in Dean's uniform stopped at the Ducks bench, threw Julie a rose, and skated off the ice.

The crowd cheered and the pro Ducks returned to play the last quarter.

After the game, they all went back to the hotel, where they were met by Russ, Duane, Ken and Goldberg (who was almost unrecognizable because he lost 80 pounds and was on the better side of buff).

While they were talking and drinking, Adam Banks walked in with his now wife, and said 

"Have I got the right place?" 

"Banks!"  They all shouted.

"What's up."

"Julie!" Adam said and went over to give her a hug.

"Adam!"

"It's been such a long time!"

"I know."

"Everyone this is Amanda, my wife."

Adam took her around the room so she could meet everyone by name.

"Don't forget me!"  Said Averman coming through the door.

"You guys started the party with out us!"

Fulton and Portman stood in the door wearing black suits with blood red silk shirts, having the top two or three buttons undone and their right hand in their pockets.

"Damn, I didn't know you had it like that" Connie said loudly.

Julie stood stunned. 

He approached her with a single red rose, and a stuffed kitty cat.

Her eyes overflowed with tears, but she couldn't move.

"This cant be happening, you're dead."  She moaned.

She took the rose from his hand and he stepped to her.

He took his right hand from his pocket and put it on her face. 

She closed her eyes and more tears spilled out.  He lowered his face to hers and kissed her.

Everyone started cheering.  She lifted her arms and put them around his neck.  He lowered his hands, put them around her waist, and pulled her close to him.

After he let her go, she cried, "my father told me you died."

"Well," he said, "no one told me."

She laughed raggedly and kissed him again.

Fulton went over to the couch and threw him a small pillow. 

Dean caught it in his left hand without looking and dropped it on the floor.

He pulled a box out of his breast pocket and got on one knee.

"Julie Gaffney," he began.

Julie gasped.

"Will you do me the honor," he opened the box, "of being my wife?"

Julie grabbed the ring and said, "Yes" with no hesitation.

Everyone cheered more.

He stood up and kissed her again.

She pushed him away after a sec.

"It was you in Paris?"

"Yes." He said simply.

"And at the game today?"

"Yup."

She hit him with her fist on his shoulder.

"You, you!"  Julie said frustrated.

"Yes, me" he said and kissed her again.

"Would you have had it any other way?"  He asked.

She just looked up at him with the glow in her eyes that she had lost, what seemed to be forever ago.

"And you!  You helped him!"  She shouted at Fulton.

"And you knew too!"  She accused Charlie.

Charlie just smiled; he and Fulton shrugged at the same time.

They all clapped and Julie and Portman left the room. "You guys have fun, we'll be back."  He said as he closed the door.