Title: More Than You'll Ever Know
Summary: All Adam's dad wants is for Adam to make pro-hockey. All Adam ever wanted was a friend. A friend to stick by him. He'd lost one before, and when she comes back, sparks fly, but not for the better.
Main Duck: Adam Banks
Rating: PG-13 for language especially in this chapter and later violence
Time frame: After D2, before and during D3 maybe after D3 if I feel like it and if you give me reviews =p
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own 'em. I just own Jessica, Ethan, Sally, Jason, and Andrew.
This chapter: First sign of A/J love.
Adam
I found Jessica sitting under a tree on the far side of the courtyard. There were these little puffs of frost coming out of her moth every time she breathed and she looked as if she was lost in her own thoughts. I stopped for a second just to watch her. I didn't' know when I'd felt it, but old feelings of love and desire hit me with such force that seeing her sitting there alone like that gave me an urge to run up to her and kiss her right then and there. But I didn't of course. Instead I stood there and observed what I couldn't have from a distance. That is until I saw her bury her face in her hands.
"Jess?" I stood in back of her small frame. Her head snapped up, eyes meeting mine.
"What's wrong?" I asked. Jessica swallowed and bit her lip before turning the other way.
"When I went to the doctor," she began softly, "I was sent to a rheumatologist, remember? Do you know what that is?"
Though she couldn't see me, I shook my head no.
"It's a disease doctor. And she discovered that I have…lupus." It took a moment for me to digest what she just said. When I did, I was shocked. Lupus? Couldn't someone…die from that? Sure, I'd known that the doctor had been suspecting it, but I'd been so sure that Jessica was completely fine, this was the least I suspected. I actually thought she'd been playing that trick on me. You know, where people pretend that something's wrong, but everything's really fine. And she wasn't.
"Oh Jess…" I fell forward, embracing her in a hug from behind. She turned around, tears shining in her eyes. We held gazes for a second before Jess collapsed into my outstretched arms, sobbing. All I could do was hold her, whispering what I hoped to be words of comfort. 'Lupus…' rang thought my head, trying to get the best of me as the two of us sank to the ground together. But try as it might, I grew resilient to it. We sat there on the cold ground for awhile, Jessica sobbing in my arms; me trying to be strong for her.
"Adam?" she whispered picking her head up from my chest where tearstains now lay.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks you." That took me by complete surprise.
"For what?"
"Being a great friend. You know I'm running low on those nowadays."
"Aw Jess-"
"The thing is, Adam, I know how hard I am to deal with sometimes; I can be a real bitch, and ever since the whole Zak thing, I realized that good friends don't come in a bundle and I'm glad I have you."
I smiled a little, "I'm glad I have you too." We were silent as I led her to a nearby bench where we could talk more comfortablely.
"So how's Ethan taking this?"
"I don't know," she sighed, "I have to go back to the doctor this week."
"Do you want me to come?"
"No, stay with your friends. I'll be okay."
"I'll be here for you. Don't forget that." I hugged Jessica tightly, never wanting to let go.
When I headed back to mine and Cole's room, Cole was trying to battle off the rest of the JV team. He didn't succeed. It was almost hilarious and I would have laughed if 'Lupus…' hadn't still been echoing through my head. Wordlessly I pushed through the bodies, nodding slightly at Cole before dropping onto my bed, staring intently at the ceiling. I felt all thirteen eyes on me.
"Cole just let them in," I muttered. He shrugged then left, probably in search of Riley. The Ducks filed into the room, shuffling their feet uncomfortablely.
"You know," Charlie started, "Jessica's not that bad. I kind of like her."
"I like her. She's funny!" Averman announced.
"She has no right to barge in on us just because she and Adam resolved their differences," Connie protested.
"At least she's nice!" Russ defended her. Guys nodded in agreement.
Fulton shook his head, "She can't just be once of us all of the sudden. That's not how it works."
"But you're the one who-" I cut them all off.
"Are you done?" They stopped abruptly, looking up at me as if forgetting I had been there.
"Look," I sat up almost angrily, "I don't really care if some…most of you still have a strong dislike for Jessica. None of you have to come to her gig, none of you have to be her friend. It's you choice as it is mine. And I choose to be there for her, but it's okay if you don't want to. But take your arguments outside! Stop acting as if I'm not here or like I'm deaf. I'm here, I'm a living person for fuck's sake! And those of you who happened to change opinions, that's cool too. But before any sort of friendship happens, don't you think you owe her a damn apology? If all you guys wanted as to come here and argue about Jessica, you can leave!" Without waiting for a response, I plopped back onto my bed. There was complete and utter silence, another moment of achievement for Averman. Although I felt bad for yelling at them, I didn't regret it.
"Adam we said we're sorry," Russ started. I cut him off again.
"No! You see I know you're sorry about what happened with me. And I forgive you. But have you been listening to word I just said?! Russ, you said she's nice. Guy you agreed. Charlie you said you're starting to like her and Averman you think she's funny. Well don't tell me, tell her. Did you ever think maybe she wants to be friends with you? Did you ever think, even if only for a second, the tormenting you put her through needed an apology? It does!" They all stared at me before they silently left the room. When would they get it?
I know…2 in a day. It's a major accomplishment on my part =D. Please review!