I groaned as I awoke from a dreamless sleep, feeling as if my brother had taken a granite mallet to my skull while I was asleep. I could barely open my eyes from lack of sleep.

"Banksie! Up up up!! Don't be a lazy daisy!"

I cracked open one eye and stared at Averman sauntering around the room, fully dressed like a jack rabbit. "What the hell is wrong with you?" I growled at him, covering my head with my sheet. "You're like Averman on speed or ecstasy."

He stopped in the middle of the room and glared at me. "I take offence to that. I am not on drugs." He shrugged and turned to make his bed. "I just happened to have a very good night that's all."

"Good night? You spend all day with your imaginary girlfriend's boyfriend." I said leaning up on my haunches.

Averman spun around and got right in my face. "She is NOT imaginary. She is real. You met her."

I covered my nose and closed my eyes. "Brush your teeth man. That was disgusting."

He took and step back and grinned. "Ah... the effects of waiting to brush your teeth. Disgusting, but effective." He sauntered into the washroom and the sound of running water filled my ears.

I exhaled knowing I had to get up to face the day and grabbed a T-shirt off the ground and pulled it over my head for the time being and got out of bed and walked toward the washroom, leaning on the doorway, yawning as I waited for Averman to get out of my way. "Fine, she isn't imaginary." I stifled a yawn and shrugged. "But she isn't yours."

He frowned, his mouth filled with white suds. With his red hair in his eyes and the growl that seemed to emerge from his throat, he resembled a rabid tiger. "Shut it Banks." He mumbled through the lather.

I shrugged. "Averman, it's true!" I said raising my hands in defense. "Ok, so what are your goals with Laney, tell me that."

He spit out a wad of suds into the sink and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. "That's simple. She falls in love with me."

I raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Laney falls in love with you for no apparent reason." I nodded and crossed my arms. "How long has she and Bobby been going out by the way?"

Averman shrugged. "Bobby said since the beginning of her freshman year, so about a year and a half maybe?" He shoved his toothbrush back into his mouth roughly and grumbling at my question. "So?"

I nodded and licked my lips, leaning against the doorframe tiredly. "Year and a half. That's practically engaged." I nodded. "And engaged means humping like bunnies."

Averman dropped his toothbrush in the sink and stood completely shocked. "Adam! Why the hell would you TELL me that?!"

I shrugged and yawned. "Because it's true. My brother used to gross me out with facts like that last year when he was taking this statistics course in University."

Averman shivered slightly disgusted and continued to brush his teeth. He stopped and stared me straight in the eyes. "Are you serious? I mean do you think that they are..."

I shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know." I watched as his shoulders slumped slightly. I knew it was my job as the teammate, roommate and most importantly friend to try and cheer him up. "So, I'm just wondering, how exactly are you planning on getting Bobby out of the way?"

"What do you mean?" He asked tapping his toothbrush against the sink and putting it into the Ducks cup he was given right after the Goodwill Games by some vender on the street.

I stepped around him and grabbed my toothbrush and smeared the green paste across the bristles. "Best case scenario, what happens with Bobby?"

He licked his lips and smiled. "Oh, that's simple. I reveal him as the jerk he is on the inside and Josie runs into my arms." He stopped and frowned. "Either that, or he gets struck by a steaming locomotive and Goldberg's family caters the funeral."

I laughed despite my mouth full of suds. Averman should seriously consider a career in entertainment.

The rest of the day seemed uneventful, even math which usually was awkward between Josie and I. But I had realized that whenever she went somewhere with her family, she seemed to miss the next day of classes. It worried me even though she told me that she had enough people worrying about her.

I stepped out onto the ice about a half hour before the rest of the team came. It had been a while since I had last touched the ice, couple days to say the least. I used my edge giving me a quick push off from the boards, listening to my edge scratch the surface gently. I leaned on my edges, side to side. It felt so much better to be back on the ice.

"Never again. Never again do I ever go this long without coming here." I whispered as I circled around the center dot and touching the ice with my bare hand. It was like I was promising the rink I would never leave it for so long. Like an apology.

"I was wondering when you would be here."

I spun around once and looked around the arena. "Who's there?!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the stands eerily. I stared at the benches and spun around again.

"Me."

I turned around and breathed a sigh of relief. "Coach." I huffed. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Sorry." Bombay offered with a laugh. "I didn't want to bother you. I just wanted to say hi to some of the Ducks before I talk to Ted."

I shook my head immediately. "You're not bothering me. I'm just warming up." I explained, skating over to the glass as Bombay stood on the boards staring down at me.

He licked his lips and blinked calmly at me. "Didn't look like you were warming up. It looked like you were in deep thought."

I shrugged. "I try not to think on the ice. It's distracting. You have to let your instincts drive you."

Bombay laughed at that. "Is that so? Myself, I find that skating is the one place I can figure things out." He stared me straight into my eyes. "Every time I felt like I messed up with the Ducks, I went out and skated and worked things out. It was almost theraputic." He smiled gently. "Always worked for me."

I licked my lips, breathing in the cold air. "I don't understand."

He shrugged. "Neither do I, but I think that's the point." He grinned and waved at someone at the other side of the rink.

"Hello there!"

I spun around and say Orion waving madly from the rink doors. I had never seen him like that before. He was almost glowing.

"Hello Ted! I hear you have a new addition to the family!" Bombay called back with a grin. "How's the bundle of joy?!"

"Broderick is fine!"

Bombay jumped down from the boards with a thump. "You named your son Broderick?!" Their loud conversation was heard until the sound of Coach Orion's door closed behind them.

I looked around the ice, my breathing echoing around me. It was so silent. So perfect. I frowned and bit my lip. How the hell was I supposed to figure this out on my own? I breathed deeply and skated off toward one of the nets, my fingers grazing the painted metal and nylon netting.

Bombay was crazy. He has no idea what he's talking about.

I shrugged and skated along the boards to the bench, opening up the door and stepping in, and taking a seat.

All she said to do was give her time. So I guess that's what I do for now, right? I chewed on my thumbnail furrowing my brow. I mean she has to figure some stuff out for her. That's her business and I should stay out of it.That's how I got in trouble in the first place. So I should leave her be and do exactly what she asked. Nothing.

Right?

I mean that's what she's probably doing right now. She was probably figuring out everything that she needed to before we even attempted to be friends. That's why she missed class. I mean it was just a coincidence that she was sorting things out the day after she saw her father. I mean it could've been any other day, but it was just luck of the draw...

Right?

I rubbed my hands together and bit my lip. Well that was one of those problems; it just didn't seem right.

And I wanted to know what was wrong.

A/N: Wow!! Long long long vacation from this story! I didn't mean to I swear! However I have a feeling I won't be having as much time to write anymore! I had to apply for an actual job, I have exams next week and in July I'm going to New York for a little while. However, I will be writing as much as I can. So, I'll try and keep updating (I am now writing 2 stories...) So I'll try my best and keep up with this one alright? Ok... it's been a bit too long to reply to the reviews (but I will next time! I swear!). So to everyone, thanks for the reviews and support and I will get on writing the next chapter really soon! Thanks a bunch!

Toodles

KatieGirl