I updated! Miracles DO happen! I must admit that trying to think of a
title for this chapter probably took me longer than the chapter did itself.
There wasn't really any one thing I could use...I was very distraught.
Things like that bug me. ::notices something:: Wait! This is the the story
where I'm totally unoriginal and don't bother to give each chapter a name!
Kekeke...Man, I wasted a lot of brainpower on that. Never mind. Ignore me.
Gosh, I'm a loser...
Ugh...I have some of it written out in a notebook, but I SO do not even feel like typing it out... ::whimpers:: ...I want to cry... ::sniff sniff::
Heh. So much for the quick update...heh...but now I'm gonna have to get my butt in gear becuase its summer, and I must say to leave you hanging too long after this update would likely be the Eighth Deadly Sin...Yes, I KNOW there's only seven, but shh! I added one...
Hotashell99- I'm glad you liked the update. Uh oh. I don't want to be stalked by an Update-Demanding spirit, so I guess I'll update.
Banksiesbabe99- Yeah, they're blind. Every last one of them. I hope you enjoy this chapter too!
Nebula- I know...I scared myself with all the updates too. o.O I am feeling a little odd. ::feels forehead:: Hmm...Well, I'm glad you found the update worth the wait. I was worried. I figured you'd like the whole 'let's add Adam in' bit. Lol...Hehe. Yeah, having Adam be on the team with Charlie would've defeated the purpose, so...yeah. Lol. Don't you love my awesome speech skills? ::hangs head:: I'm sorry for being so mean to Adam. I couldn't help it. Hehehe. Yeah...the idea was to add suspense and stuff. One of these days they WILL meet up though. Ya just never know. I don't think I even know when it'll happen. Lol...it'll surprise me too!
Sarah- I'll try! I hope you find the update suitable. ::smiles::
Liz- Ha ha...It's a ssseeecccrreeettt...Lol...ha... You'll just have to see! BWAHA!
Denverhockeygirl- Hee hee. Yes...I udpate every now and then. Yes...I will do my best to keep it angsty. I will try hard. ::salutes:: Yay! I love shoutouts! ::smiles:: They make me feel sPeziAL...o.O
grneyedgoalie182- Sorry for the wait, and I hope te suspense didn't kill ya too bad. Thanks for reviewing!
anitIRONY- Heh...yeah...I guess he is a bit stalkerish...but shh! Don't tell... I need at least a LITTLE unbelievability... I agree that fiction is a wonderful thing.
Christy S- Lol...thanks. I'm glad you at least understand. I'm defnitely trying.
Disclaimer- I don't own the Mighty Ducks.
-Chapter 8-
Charlie walked off after leaving Jeremy at the door. He still had an hour or so before dark, and he decided to find the other guys.
He whipped out his cell phone and dialed one of his other teammates' cell phone numbers.
"Hey man," he said when it picked up. "Where are we meeting up to head back??" he asked and waited for a reply.
At the answer, he nearly dropped his phone...
"What do you MEAN you're already back?! I told you not to leave me!" Charlie nearly shouted into the phone with a mix of anger and confusion. "Coach is gonna KILL me!"
Charlie stood in the middle of the sidewalk, perched in a position ready to lurch out and had his cell phone glued to his ear; his mouth gaped slightly as he listened to the voice on the phone.
"What the-?! You didn't NOTICE I wasn't there? What the heck is THAT supposed to mean?!" he yelled into the phone, earning a strange looked from a passing woman. Charlie then began walking as he talked. "You had BETTER tell Coach it wasn't my fault...It WAS you fault! You freaking didn't TELL ME when you were LEAVING and LEFT me here! I'd have to say that would be YOUR fault...No, no, I'm not mad. I'm perfectly calm. Don't you hear my calmness?" he asked before pausing. "Never mind, don't answer that."
He let out a sigh as he checked his watch. He might still be able to get a hotel room...
"No, no...No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I was just a little caught off guard. If you could just tell Coach for me, I'll get a hotel room here for tonight. We don't start practices until the day after tomorrow...Yeah, I'll see you later man...Okay, see ya. Bye," he said before hanging up his cell phone and stuffing it in his pocket.
Charlie rubbed his temples and sighed as he continued to look for a hotel to stay in.
Letting out a sigh, he stopped at a cheap hotel and walked in. It wasn't anything flashy, but it was only one night, and Charlie didn't have a whole lot of money with him at the moment.
Walking up to the counter, he pulled out his wallet. "Hey, um, how much is it for one night?"
"Twen-ee five dollah," the Asian man said with a thick accent. "You stay?"
Charlie nodded and handed the man a twenty and a five dollar bill.
The Asian man gave him a toothy grin. "Enjoy stay."
The six-foot-two man nodded and accepted the key to his room. Running a hand through his tangled brown hair, Charlie searched for the dingy room in which he would be sleeping.
When he found it at the end of the hall, he unlocked it and walked in. It had a bed on one wall and a bedside table with a lamp next to it. The dingy curtains were drawn away from the window; he turned on the light, unleashing a yellow glow on the room.
Charlie let out a sigh and closed the door behind him. He walked over to the bed and collapsed onto it.
He kicked off his shoes and crawled under the sheets, not feeling like getting up and turning the light off again.
When morning came, Charlie blinked his eyes open and groaned. He had barely slept a wink, and he felt grumpy. His clothes were wrinkled, he couldn't' sleep, it was WAY too bright for his liking, and his hotel was pitiful.
He put his feet on the cheaply carpeted floor and yawned. He blinked his eyes and walked to the small bathroom, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
The man grabbed a towel from the tiny cabinet and peeled off his clothes, stepping into the shower.
He was afraid to lean up against the wall for fear of getting grime on him from the wall, thus defeating the purpose of the shower.
Charlie ran his fingers through the tangled curls of hair, soaking them through to the scalp. He leaned his head back into the steamy water and allowed the water to stream down his face before turning the water off again.
He dried himself off and towel-dried his hair before wrapping the towel around his waist.
Charlie then remembered he only had one change of clothes, so he turned back around and picked them up off the floor with a sigh.
After changing back into the clothes from the day before, Charlie brushed his hair out wit his fingers while making sure he wasn't forgetting anything.
Not that he had anything TO forget at the moment.
When completely satisfied, Charlie left the building, giving a final nod to the man behind the counter before stepping out into the fresh morning air.
As Charlie passed the bus station, he debated whether or not he should go back to his original hotel.
He stood there for roughly five minutes before shrugging and continuing to walk. Might as well explore a little longer before heading back.
Charlie appraoched a shopping center and shrugged. He needed another change of clothes, so he would just go ahead and buy some.
He walked into a sporting goods store and picked out a jersey and pair of jeans. He was practically kicking himself when he realized he could have stayed at a nicer hotel; he had gone to the ATM machine the day before.
Yeah, he felt pretty stupid.
He bought the clothes and found a bathroom to remove tags and change; the clothes he was wearing were beginning to bug him.
Once changed, he stuffed the dirty clothes into his bag.
He decided to visit the pond he used to skate on when he was younger; he hadn't been able to go the day before.
When he arrived, his breath was caught in his throat. He folded his arms and let out a breath, staring at the iced-over pond.
Just being there seemed to take him back in time.
Charlie walked to the edge and touched the cold surface with his fingers in a nostalgic manner. He still couldn't believe he was back in Minnesota after all those years...
The man was really wishing he had some ice skates on him.
Charlie heard footsteps in the snow behind him. He saw the form of a young boy huddle next to him.
"Hey Charlie. What'cha doing?" the boy asked.
"Just...looking," he said with a faroff look.
"Why?" the child asked.
"No reason, Jeremy. It's...hard to explain," he said, watching a few kids skate around the pond.
"We're about to have practice. Wanna stay?" Jeremy asked with hope. His dad would never believe he had met a REAL professional hockey player!
"I can't; I should probably head back. My team decided to leave me here, so I need to check back in and rest up for my own practice tomorrow. Our game's in two days," Charlie said.
"Monday, right? I'll have to beg my dad to let me go even though it's a school night. Can you talk him into it? Please?" Jeremy begged.
"I don't know if I can, kiddo," Charlie said with regret.
"Aw man..." the boy said with a sigh. "Oh well. Maybe he'll be super-nice and let me go if I'm really good in practice today. Do you really have to leave? I want you to meet my dad," Jeremy said with a slight whine to his voice.
"As nice as that sounds, I should probably leave; my coach is probably ready to throttle my neck as it is," Charlie said with a hint of worry.
The young boy sighed and nodded. "Okay. If I come to the game, I'll look for you. Bye!" he said as Charlie began leaving.
"See ya, Jeremy!" Charlie said as he made his way to a bus.
"Jeremy!"
The boy turned and faced his father approaching. "Hey dad."
"You ready for practice?" Gordon Bombay asked his son.
"Yep!" Jeremy chirped as he skated and began formulating ways to get his father to let him go.
After practice, Gordon led Jeremy to the car and waited as the boy buckled his seatbelt.
When Gordon began driving, Jeremy kicked his feet absentmindedly and looked at his father. "Dad?"
"Yeah?" Gordon Bombay asked, acknolwedging the statement.
"Can we please go to the game on Monday?" Jeremy asked with hope.
The boy's father sighed. "Jeremy, we just went a few days ago."
Jeremy stuck out his lower lip. "But DA-AD! I wanna go! I won't ask for a really long time! PLEASE!" the boy begged. "Not everyone has to come this time; it could just be me, you, and maybe mom. I can pay you back in chores; I REALLY wanna go! The Ducks are my FAVORITE team!"
Gordon sighed. After glancing at his son's pleading eyes, he couldn't help but give in. "...Fine."
Jeremy didn't even hear his father as the man reminded him he would owe chores.
He was going!
= = =
Game day had come, and Charlie was standing outside the locker room with his hockey gear on. The game would be starting soon, and crowds were migrating to their seats.
Suddenly a familiar blonde head of curls lurched at him.
"Uncle Charlie!" the small girl squealed.
Charlie scooped the girl in his arms and grinned back broadly at her. "Amerz! How are you, sweetie?"
The child beamed at him, looking up in admiration from under a large 'Anaheim Mighty Ducks' cap. "Good!"
Closely behind came a blonde-headed woman in her late twenties, smiling and shaking her head.
The hockey player gently sat his 'niece' back on the ground as he found the other familiar blonde embrace him.
"Charlie!" she said in excitement.
"Hey Jenny-Penny!" he said cheekily to the woman. "It's great to see you!"
The blonde woman pulled away. "Call me that again, and I'll beat your face," she said with a smile, her eyes laughing. "It's good to see you too, kiddo. So how's my favorite hockey star little brother?"
"Good, good. I see you brought the munchkin along for the ride. I feel sufficiantly loved, Jen," he said, earning a beaming smile from Amy.
The little child held up her arms, and Charlie picked her back up. "Has everyone back home been behaving, Amy?"
She pretended to think it over. "Yep."
"Wow, even your mom?" Charlie asked, feigning shock as Jen glared at him.
Amy nodded. "But I miss you. Miss Joey doesn't give me cookies and let me play with the TV," the girl pouted.
Jen looked at Charlie with shock, scrunching up her nose slightly.
"So YOU'RE the one who introduced my daughter to dessert before dinner! I know you couldn't be trusted," Jen said with mock-accusement as she poked Charlie in the shoulder.
"Shh...Amy, you aren't supposed to tell..." he whispered in the child's ear.
"I heard that, Charlie. Against common belief, I am NOT deaf, and I CAN indeed hear you," Jen said with raised eyebrows.
Charlie snapped his fingers. "See? Now I've been found out and your mommy will take away my babysitting rights."
Amy giggled. "You're silly, Uncle Charlie."
"I am? Well I guess that's good. Is Miss Joey not a fun babysitter?"
Amy shook her head while Jen gave Charlie 'a look.'
"Nope; she hides the cookies and the remote."
"That's a bummer. Joey's just boring that way...She has no sense of fun at all," Charlie said with a grin while Jen hit him in the shoulder.
"You're lucky Amy's there, or I'd have to slug you for Joey," Jen warned, though it was no more than banter.
"Trust me, Jen, it'd hurt you more than me. This gear isn't made for hockey for no reason," Charlie pointed out cheekily.
"Shut your face, Conway," she said with a lopsided grin. "Well, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, Amy and I have some seats to get to. Good luck with the game, and I'll see you after. Knock 'em dead, kid!"
"You bet!" he said, grinning at her as they left for their seats. He had forgotten how nice it was to talk with Jen and Amy; they had become his family over the years, and it was always a morale boost when they made the trip to visit.
He scanned the crowd as he heard his coach call him over. Just as he was about to leave for the ice, he saw a face he hadn't seen in years. Locking eyes, he felt the blood drain from his face as he stared...
...and his heart froze.
Ugh...I have some of it written out in a notebook, but I SO do not even feel like typing it out... ::whimpers:: ...I want to cry... ::sniff sniff::
Heh. So much for the quick update...heh...but now I'm gonna have to get my butt in gear becuase its summer, and I must say to leave you hanging too long after this update would likely be the Eighth Deadly Sin...Yes, I KNOW there's only seven, but shh! I added one...
Hotashell99- I'm glad you liked the update. Uh oh. I don't want to be stalked by an Update-Demanding spirit, so I guess I'll update.
Banksiesbabe99- Yeah, they're blind. Every last one of them. I hope you enjoy this chapter too!
Nebula- I know...I scared myself with all the updates too. o.O I am feeling a little odd. ::feels forehead:: Hmm...Well, I'm glad you found the update worth the wait. I was worried. I figured you'd like the whole 'let's add Adam in' bit. Lol...Hehe. Yeah, having Adam be on the team with Charlie would've defeated the purpose, so...yeah. Lol. Don't you love my awesome speech skills? ::hangs head:: I'm sorry for being so mean to Adam. I couldn't help it. Hehehe. Yeah...the idea was to add suspense and stuff. One of these days they WILL meet up though. Ya just never know. I don't think I even know when it'll happen. Lol...it'll surprise me too!
Sarah- I'll try! I hope you find the update suitable. ::smiles::
Liz- Ha ha...It's a ssseeecccrreeettt...Lol...ha... You'll just have to see! BWAHA!
Denverhockeygirl- Hee hee. Yes...I udpate every now and then. Yes...I will do my best to keep it angsty. I will try hard. ::salutes:: Yay! I love shoutouts! ::smiles:: They make me feel sPeziAL...o.O
grneyedgoalie182- Sorry for the wait, and I hope te suspense didn't kill ya too bad. Thanks for reviewing!
anitIRONY- Heh...yeah...I guess he is a bit stalkerish...but shh! Don't tell... I need at least a LITTLE unbelievability... I agree that fiction is a wonderful thing.
Christy S- Lol...thanks. I'm glad you at least understand. I'm defnitely trying.
Disclaimer- I don't own the Mighty Ducks.
-Chapter 8-
Charlie walked off after leaving Jeremy at the door. He still had an hour or so before dark, and he decided to find the other guys.
He whipped out his cell phone and dialed one of his other teammates' cell phone numbers.
"Hey man," he said when it picked up. "Where are we meeting up to head back??" he asked and waited for a reply.
At the answer, he nearly dropped his phone...
"What do you MEAN you're already back?! I told you not to leave me!" Charlie nearly shouted into the phone with a mix of anger and confusion. "Coach is gonna KILL me!"
Charlie stood in the middle of the sidewalk, perched in a position ready to lurch out and had his cell phone glued to his ear; his mouth gaped slightly as he listened to the voice on the phone.
"What the-?! You didn't NOTICE I wasn't there? What the heck is THAT supposed to mean?!" he yelled into the phone, earning a strange looked from a passing woman. Charlie then began walking as he talked. "You had BETTER tell Coach it wasn't my fault...It WAS you fault! You freaking didn't TELL ME when you were LEAVING and LEFT me here! I'd have to say that would be YOUR fault...No, no, I'm not mad. I'm perfectly calm. Don't you hear my calmness?" he asked before pausing. "Never mind, don't answer that."
He let out a sigh as he checked his watch. He might still be able to get a hotel room...
"No, no...No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I was just a little caught off guard. If you could just tell Coach for me, I'll get a hotel room here for tonight. We don't start practices until the day after tomorrow...Yeah, I'll see you later man...Okay, see ya. Bye," he said before hanging up his cell phone and stuffing it in his pocket.
Charlie rubbed his temples and sighed as he continued to look for a hotel to stay in.
Letting out a sigh, he stopped at a cheap hotel and walked in. It wasn't anything flashy, but it was only one night, and Charlie didn't have a whole lot of money with him at the moment.
Walking up to the counter, he pulled out his wallet. "Hey, um, how much is it for one night?"
"Twen-ee five dollah," the Asian man said with a thick accent. "You stay?"
Charlie nodded and handed the man a twenty and a five dollar bill.
The Asian man gave him a toothy grin. "Enjoy stay."
The six-foot-two man nodded and accepted the key to his room. Running a hand through his tangled brown hair, Charlie searched for the dingy room in which he would be sleeping.
When he found it at the end of the hall, he unlocked it and walked in. It had a bed on one wall and a bedside table with a lamp next to it. The dingy curtains were drawn away from the window; he turned on the light, unleashing a yellow glow on the room.
Charlie let out a sigh and closed the door behind him. He walked over to the bed and collapsed onto it.
He kicked off his shoes and crawled under the sheets, not feeling like getting up and turning the light off again.
When morning came, Charlie blinked his eyes open and groaned. He had barely slept a wink, and he felt grumpy. His clothes were wrinkled, he couldn't' sleep, it was WAY too bright for his liking, and his hotel was pitiful.
He put his feet on the cheaply carpeted floor and yawned. He blinked his eyes and walked to the small bathroom, rubbing his eyes sleepily.
The man grabbed a towel from the tiny cabinet and peeled off his clothes, stepping into the shower.
He was afraid to lean up against the wall for fear of getting grime on him from the wall, thus defeating the purpose of the shower.
Charlie ran his fingers through the tangled curls of hair, soaking them through to the scalp. He leaned his head back into the steamy water and allowed the water to stream down his face before turning the water off again.
He dried himself off and towel-dried his hair before wrapping the towel around his waist.
Charlie then remembered he only had one change of clothes, so he turned back around and picked them up off the floor with a sigh.
After changing back into the clothes from the day before, Charlie brushed his hair out wit his fingers while making sure he wasn't forgetting anything.
Not that he had anything TO forget at the moment.
When completely satisfied, Charlie left the building, giving a final nod to the man behind the counter before stepping out into the fresh morning air.
As Charlie passed the bus station, he debated whether or not he should go back to his original hotel.
He stood there for roughly five minutes before shrugging and continuing to walk. Might as well explore a little longer before heading back.
Charlie appraoched a shopping center and shrugged. He needed another change of clothes, so he would just go ahead and buy some.
He walked into a sporting goods store and picked out a jersey and pair of jeans. He was practically kicking himself when he realized he could have stayed at a nicer hotel; he had gone to the ATM machine the day before.
Yeah, he felt pretty stupid.
He bought the clothes and found a bathroom to remove tags and change; the clothes he was wearing were beginning to bug him.
Once changed, he stuffed the dirty clothes into his bag.
He decided to visit the pond he used to skate on when he was younger; he hadn't been able to go the day before.
When he arrived, his breath was caught in his throat. He folded his arms and let out a breath, staring at the iced-over pond.
Just being there seemed to take him back in time.
Charlie walked to the edge and touched the cold surface with his fingers in a nostalgic manner. He still couldn't believe he was back in Minnesota after all those years...
The man was really wishing he had some ice skates on him.
Charlie heard footsteps in the snow behind him. He saw the form of a young boy huddle next to him.
"Hey Charlie. What'cha doing?" the boy asked.
"Just...looking," he said with a faroff look.
"Why?" the child asked.
"No reason, Jeremy. It's...hard to explain," he said, watching a few kids skate around the pond.
"We're about to have practice. Wanna stay?" Jeremy asked with hope. His dad would never believe he had met a REAL professional hockey player!
"I can't; I should probably head back. My team decided to leave me here, so I need to check back in and rest up for my own practice tomorrow. Our game's in two days," Charlie said.
"Monday, right? I'll have to beg my dad to let me go even though it's a school night. Can you talk him into it? Please?" Jeremy begged.
"I don't know if I can, kiddo," Charlie said with regret.
"Aw man..." the boy said with a sigh. "Oh well. Maybe he'll be super-nice and let me go if I'm really good in practice today. Do you really have to leave? I want you to meet my dad," Jeremy said with a slight whine to his voice.
"As nice as that sounds, I should probably leave; my coach is probably ready to throttle my neck as it is," Charlie said with a hint of worry.
The young boy sighed and nodded. "Okay. If I come to the game, I'll look for you. Bye!" he said as Charlie began leaving.
"See ya, Jeremy!" Charlie said as he made his way to a bus.
"Jeremy!"
The boy turned and faced his father approaching. "Hey dad."
"You ready for practice?" Gordon Bombay asked his son.
"Yep!" Jeremy chirped as he skated and began formulating ways to get his father to let him go.
After practice, Gordon led Jeremy to the car and waited as the boy buckled his seatbelt.
When Gordon began driving, Jeremy kicked his feet absentmindedly and looked at his father. "Dad?"
"Yeah?" Gordon Bombay asked, acknolwedging the statement.
"Can we please go to the game on Monday?" Jeremy asked with hope.
The boy's father sighed. "Jeremy, we just went a few days ago."
Jeremy stuck out his lower lip. "But DA-AD! I wanna go! I won't ask for a really long time! PLEASE!" the boy begged. "Not everyone has to come this time; it could just be me, you, and maybe mom. I can pay you back in chores; I REALLY wanna go! The Ducks are my FAVORITE team!"
Gordon sighed. After glancing at his son's pleading eyes, he couldn't help but give in. "...Fine."
Jeremy didn't even hear his father as the man reminded him he would owe chores.
He was going!
= = =
Game day had come, and Charlie was standing outside the locker room with his hockey gear on. The game would be starting soon, and crowds were migrating to their seats.
Suddenly a familiar blonde head of curls lurched at him.
"Uncle Charlie!" the small girl squealed.
Charlie scooped the girl in his arms and grinned back broadly at her. "Amerz! How are you, sweetie?"
The child beamed at him, looking up in admiration from under a large 'Anaheim Mighty Ducks' cap. "Good!"
Closely behind came a blonde-headed woman in her late twenties, smiling and shaking her head.
The hockey player gently sat his 'niece' back on the ground as he found the other familiar blonde embrace him.
"Charlie!" she said in excitement.
"Hey Jenny-Penny!" he said cheekily to the woman. "It's great to see you!"
The blonde woman pulled away. "Call me that again, and I'll beat your face," she said with a smile, her eyes laughing. "It's good to see you too, kiddo. So how's my favorite hockey star little brother?"
"Good, good. I see you brought the munchkin along for the ride. I feel sufficiantly loved, Jen," he said, earning a beaming smile from Amy.
The little child held up her arms, and Charlie picked her back up. "Has everyone back home been behaving, Amy?"
She pretended to think it over. "Yep."
"Wow, even your mom?" Charlie asked, feigning shock as Jen glared at him.
Amy nodded. "But I miss you. Miss Joey doesn't give me cookies and let me play with the TV," the girl pouted.
Jen looked at Charlie with shock, scrunching up her nose slightly.
"So YOU'RE the one who introduced my daughter to dessert before dinner! I know you couldn't be trusted," Jen said with mock-accusement as she poked Charlie in the shoulder.
"Shh...Amy, you aren't supposed to tell..." he whispered in the child's ear.
"I heard that, Charlie. Against common belief, I am NOT deaf, and I CAN indeed hear you," Jen said with raised eyebrows.
Charlie snapped his fingers. "See? Now I've been found out and your mommy will take away my babysitting rights."
Amy giggled. "You're silly, Uncle Charlie."
"I am? Well I guess that's good. Is Miss Joey not a fun babysitter?"
Amy shook her head while Jen gave Charlie 'a look.'
"Nope; she hides the cookies and the remote."
"That's a bummer. Joey's just boring that way...She has no sense of fun at all," Charlie said with a grin while Jen hit him in the shoulder.
"You're lucky Amy's there, or I'd have to slug you for Joey," Jen warned, though it was no more than banter.
"Trust me, Jen, it'd hurt you more than me. This gear isn't made for hockey for no reason," Charlie pointed out cheekily.
"Shut your face, Conway," she said with a lopsided grin. "Well, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, Amy and I have some seats to get to. Good luck with the game, and I'll see you after. Knock 'em dead, kid!"
"You bet!" he said, grinning at her as they left for their seats. He had forgotten how nice it was to talk with Jen and Amy; they had become his family over the years, and it was always a morale boost when they made the trip to visit.
He scanned the crowd as he heard his coach call him over. Just as he was about to leave for the ice, he saw a face he hadn't seen in years. Locking eyes, he felt the blood drain from his face as he stared...
...and his heart froze.