Note: Thanks to KShyne99, Alexis Boscorelli, crazy4nc128, Banksiesbabe99,
DanishGirl and anne918 for your reviews. I was going to post this last
night before going to bed but the power went out while I was typing this
note so hear I am typing it again. I'm not actually sure when D2 fits into
the whole mighty ducks timeline but for the purposes of this story it takes
place in the spring following the championship win against the Hawks in the
first movie. A lot of this chapter is just summarizing in my own words what
happened during D2, which while it may be boring I thought was necessary in
order to continue with my story as I want the rest of it to take place
after D2. Hope you enjoy.
That Christmas was a tense one for the Banks family. Anthony had chosen to go home with a friend from Eden Hall who was from California to meet his family. That left Angela, Phil, Martha and Adam in the house. Phil Banks found stuff to do at the office. Angela through herself into her work with the different charities she was involved with. That left Adam to spend time with Martha which in all honesty he didn't mind.
After the holidays Adam went back to school but things hadn't changed. His former teammates all gave him a hard time. A week didn't pass without him getting into a fight with one of them, usually McGill. He went home with quite a few black eyes, fat lips, and detention slips. After awhile though his opponent usually came out of the fight looking just as bad as Adam if not worse.
The one bright spot in Adam's life was the ducks. Jesse, Charlie and Connie usually called a couple of times a week and it was nice having someone to talk to. He found it hard to do anything with them though because with all the fights he had been getting into his Dad usually didn't allow him to leave the yard. In his mind all the fighting was Adam's fault. Things weren't going well between his parents and the Larsons and McGills either and again Adam knew that his dad blamed it on him.
Around the middle of March the school guidance counselor and principal started requesting a lot of meetings with Adam's parents. By listening to the conversations between his parents around the house Adam knew that they were trying to get his parents to put him in another school. His mother was for it. She wanted Adam away from everything that was going on. His Dad was furious with the suggestion. To him it was an insult.
Before anything could come of it though another opportunity arose for Adam. He was out in the driveway practicing with the net with a cutout goalie in front of it when he heard a noise. It was a duck call. He turned around to find Jesse, Guy, Connie, Averman, Goldberg and Charlie standing there.
"Hey Cake-eater, want to play some real hockey" Jesse had called out.
And like that Adam had went with Jesse, Guy, Connie, Averman, Goldberg, Charlie and Fulton to California to play in the Junior Goodwill Games. The other five couldn't do it for various reasons. Jesse and Terry's parents had gotten a divorce and Terry had chose to move to a nearby town with his mother. Tammy and Tommy were busy with figure skating competitions. Karp had somehow managed to land a leading part in the school play and was enjoying acting. As for Peter, He had gotten into a fight with someone twice his size a week earlier and had ended up with a broken arm.
At Taylor Falls the old Ducks met up with their new teammates and immediately sparks flew. Suddenly Adam found that he wasn't the newest member of the team. The new Ducks didn't like the old Ducks and vice versa. That didn't last for long. Under Coach Bombay's unique coaching style they along became one team and started skating together.
Adam saw this as his opportunity to make things up to his Dad. The scouts were in the stands. If he could catch their eyes then maybe his Dad would forget about last season. Adam wanted so much just to make his Dad proud of him.
Things went well for team USA up until the game against Iceland. That was the point that everything seemed to start falling apart. The one goal that the Ducks did manage to score came from Adam. But he paid for the goal as one of the Iceland skaters brought his stick down on Adam's right wrist. Despite the pain Adam tried to hide from his teammates that he was hurt. It didn't fool everyone though.
"Jesse, he's hurt. I can tell when he plays. We need to tell Coach Bombay," Charlie insisted.
"Man, we can't do that. If it was bothering too much Adam would admit to it," Jesse said not wanting to tell Coach Bombay about their suspicions that Adam was hurt.
"No he wouldn't, Jesse," Charlie insisted. "He's too wrapped up in impressing the scouts. In making his father happy."
"I'm not ratting out a friend," Jesse told him. "Bombay will bench him."
"Maybe, but what if he injures himself more by playing. Could you live with that?" Charlie asked him.
"It won't happen. I told you Charlie, I won't have anything to do with it," Jesse said.
"Then I'll go to Coach Bombay myself," Charlie said. "I'd rather Adam hate me for that then to see a teammate permanently hurt himself by playing hurt."
Charlie had planned on telling Coach Bombay before their next game but as the team gathered at their team bench at the start of the game their Coach was nowhere to be seen. Yeah, he had changed on them but they needed a coach in order to play so Charlie got Ms. McKay to pretend she was their coach. With some prompting from the kids the game went well and Ms. McKay was starting to learn what it was like to be a coach. Then Bombay made an appearance in the middle of the game. He apologized to the team and the Ducks went on to win the game.
"Coach," Charlie said as Bombay started leaving the players bench after the game. The rest of the kids had already disappeared into the locker room. "I think Adam may have hurt his wrist more than he let on in that game against Iceland. I noticed that he's been favoring it lately."
"I noticed it tonight too when he was playing," Bombay told Charlie. "You did the right thing by bringing it up though Charlie and I won't tell him you said anything to me."
"Thanks Coach," Charlie said and then headed for the locker room.
Adam did end up getting benched for part of the tournament. While he was out a local kid, Russ Tyler, joined the team and helped get Team USA to the final game where they were going to face Iceland again. Adam was able to come back for that last game but with Russ now on the team they had one too many players. Charlie gave his spot to Adam and became an assistant Coach for the final game. Charlie knew it was there best chance to win.
After a rough first two periods the Ducks, with new uniforms, rallied back in the third period to win the game and the gold. Adam and his friends went back home champions but Adam knew that wasn't going to change anything at school.
If anything the Hawks were worst when Adam got back from Los Angeles. Angela Banks started to have to force her son to go to school every morning. Adam's parents were no longer talking to the McGills. They were however still getting along with the Larsons which was how Adam found himself sitting through an uncomfortable Sunday dinner at the Larsons.
During dinner he stayed quiet. Shane was sitting across the table from him but Adam did not look up from his plate. Shane didn't acknowledge Adam's presence either.
After dinner, as the four adults retreated to the parlor for coffee and adult talk Adam disappeared to the front porch. He figured he would hide out there until his parents were ready to leave. However, Shane followed him outside. At first the two boys were silent. Adam didn't have anything to say to Shane and he knew his parents, especially his dad would not take him getting into a fight with Shane tonight to well. Finally though Shane broke the silence.
"Congratulations on winning at the Junior Goodwill Games," Shane said. "That must have been so cool playing in an international competition."
"Thanks," Adam said trying to figure out what Shane was up to. They hadn't talked to each other since their last fight before Adam had left for Los Angeles.
"Adam about last fall, I'm sorry about what happened," Shane said. Adam didn't say anything so Shane just kept going. "It really didn't matter to me that you were playing on another team but I just went along with McGill in the others. I guess it was easier to go along with them then to stand up to them."
"It still makes you just as bad as the rest of them," Adam said still looking straight ahead. His voice was flat. Shane had never heard Adam talk like that. "I thought you were my friend Shane and yet when I needed you the most you weren't there for me. You didn't even call to see if I was okay after the game. When I came back to school you still went along with McGill and all the others instead of standing by me. That hurt more than all the others turning on me combined."
"I'm sorry," Shane said.
"Me too," Adam said quietly, "because I can't find it in me to forgive you. Maybe someday but not right now."
Without another word Shane walked back into his house. He knew then for sure that he had lost the best friend he had ever had and he knew it wasn't Adam's fault. It was his. Adam was right. He hadn't been there for him and it was too late to try and make up for that now.
That Christmas was a tense one for the Banks family. Anthony had chosen to go home with a friend from Eden Hall who was from California to meet his family. That left Angela, Phil, Martha and Adam in the house. Phil Banks found stuff to do at the office. Angela through herself into her work with the different charities she was involved with. That left Adam to spend time with Martha which in all honesty he didn't mind.
After the holidays Adam went back to school but things hadn't changed. His former teammates all gave him a hard time. A week didn't pass without him getting into a fight with one of them, usually McGill. He went home with quite a few black eyes, fat lips, and detention slips. After awhile though his opponent usually came out of the fight looking just as bad as Adam if not worse.
The one bright spot in Adam's life was the ducks. Jesse, Charlie and Connie usually called a couple of times a week and it was nice having someone to talk to. He found it hard to do anything with them though because with all the fights he had been getting into his Dad usually didn't allow him to leave the yard. In his mind all the fighting was Adam's fault. Things weren't going well between his parents and the Larsons and McGills either and again Adam knew that his dad blamed it on him.
Around the middle of March the school guidance counselor and principal started requesting a lot of meetings with Adam's parents. By listening to the conversations between his parents around the house Adam knew that they were trying to get his parents to put him in another school. His mother was for it. She wanted Adam away from everything that was going on. His Dad was furious with the suggestion. To him it was an insult.
Before anything could come of it though another opportunity arose for Adam. He was out in the driveway practicing with the net with a cutout goalie in front of it when he heard a noise. It was a duck call. He turned around to find Jesse, Guy, Connie, Averman, Goldberg and Charlie standing there.
"Hey Cake-eater, want to play some real hockey" Jesse had called out.
And like that Adam had went with Jesse, Guy, Connie, Averman, Goldberg, Charlie and Fulton to California to play in the Junior Goodwill Games. The other five couldn't do it for various reasons. Jesse and Terry's parents had gotten a divorce and Terry had chose to move to a nearby town with his mother. Tammy and Tommy were busy with figure skating competitions. Karp had somehow managed to land a leading part in the school play and was enjoying acting. As for Peter, He had gotten into a fight with someone twice his size a week earlier and had ended up with a broken arm.
At Taylor Falls the old Ducks met up with their new teammates and immediately sparks flew. Suddenly Adam found that he wasn't the newest member of the team. The new Ducks didn't like the old Ducks and vice versa. That didn't last for long. Under Coach Bombay's unique coaching style they along became one team and started skating together.
Adam saw this as his opportunity to make things up to his Dad. The scouts were in the stands. If he could catch their eyes then maybe his Dad would forget about last season. Adam wanted so much just to make his Dad proud of him.
Things went well for team USA up until the game against Iceland. That was the point that everything seemed to start falling apart. The one goal that the Ducks did manage to score came from Adam. But he paid for the goal as one of the Iceland skaters brought his stick down on Adam's right wrist. Despite the pain Adam tried to hide from his teammates that he was hurt. It didn't fool everyone though.
"Jesse, he's hurt. I can tell when he plays. We need to tell Coach Bombay," Charlie insisted.
"Man, we can't do that. If it was bothering too much Adam would admit to it," Jesse said not wanting to tell Coach Bombay about their suspicions that Adam was hurt.
"No he wouldn't, Jesse," Charlie insisted. "He's too wrapped up in impressing the scouts. In making his father happy."
"I'm not ratting out a friend," Jesse told him. "Bombay will bench him."
"Maybe, but what if he injures himself more by playing. Could you live with that?" Charlie asked him.
"It won't happen. I told you Charlie, I won't have anything to do with it," Jesse said.
"Then I'll go to Coach Bombay myself," Charlie said. "I'd rather Adam hate me for that then to see a teammate permanently hurt himself by playing hurt."
Charlie had planned on telling Coach Bombay before their next game but as the team gathered at their team bench at the start of the game their Coach was nowhere to be seen. Yeah, he had changed on them but they needed a coach in order to play so Charlie got Ms. McKay to pretend she was their coach. With some prompting from the kids the game went well and Ms. McKay was starting to learn what it was like to be a coach. Then Bombay made an appearance in the middle of the game. He apologized to the team and the Ducks went on to win the game.
"Coach," Charlie said as Bombay started leaving the players bench after the game. The rest of the kids had already disappeared into the locker room. "I think Adam may have hurt his wrist more than he let on in that game against Iceland. I noticed that he's been favoring it lately."
"I noticed it tonight too when he was playing," Bombay told Charlie. "You did the right thing by bringing it up though Charlie and I won't tell him you said anything to me."
"Thanks Coach," Charlie said and then headed for the locker room.
Adam did end up getting benched for part of the tournament. While he was out a local kid, Russ Tyler, joined the team and helped get Team USA to the final game where they were going to face Iceland again. Adam was able to come back for that last game but with Russ now on the team they had one too many players. Charlie gave his spot to Adam and became an assistant Coach for the final game. Charlie knew it was there best chance to win.
After a rough first two periods the Ducks, with new uniforms, rallied back in the third period to win the game and the gold. Adam and his friends went back home champions but Adam knew that wasn't going to change anything at school.
If anything the Hawks were worst when Adam got back from Los Angeles. Angela Banks started to have to force her son to go to school every morning. Adam's parents were no longer talking to the McGills. They were however still getting along with the Larsons which was how Adam found himself sitting through an uncomfortable Sunday dinner at the Larsons.
During dinner he stayed quiet. Shane was sitting across the table from him but Adam did not look up from his plate. Shane didn't acknowledge Adam's presence either.
After dinner, as the four adults retreated to the parlor for coffee and adult talk Adam disappeared to the front porch. He figured he would hide out there until his parents were ready to leave. However, Shane followed him outside. At first the two boys were silent. Adam didn't have anything to say to Shane and he knew his parents, especially his dad would not take him getting into a fight with Shane tonight to well. Finally though Shane broke the silence.
"Congratulations on winning at the Junior Goodwill Games," Shane said. "That must have been so cool playing in an international competition."
"Thanks," Adam said trying to figure out what Shane was up to. They hadn't talked to each other since their last fight before Adam had left for Los Angeles.
"Adam about last fall, I'm sorry about what happened," Shane said. Adam didn't say anything so Shane just kept going. "It really didn't matter to me that you were playing on another team but I just went along with McGill in the others. I guess it was easier to go along with them then to stand up to them."
"It still makes you just as bad as the rest of them," Adam said still looking straight ahead. His voice was flat. Shane had never heard Adam talk like that. "I thought you were my friend Shane and yet when I needed you the most you weren't there for me. You didn't even call to see if I was okay after the game. When I came back to school you still went along with McGill and all the others instead of standing by me. That hurt more than all the others turning on me combined."
"I'm sorry," Shane said.
"Me too," Adam said quietly, "because I can't find it in me to forgive you. Maybe someday but not right now."
Without another word Shane walked back into his house. He knew then for sure that he had lost the best friend he had ever had and he knew it wasn't Adam's fault. It was his. Adam was right. He hadn't been there for him and it was too late to try and make up for that now.