I still own nothing.

Thanks to Portmanroxsmysoxs, TBFFNat, Arcadie, and Banksiesbabe99 for their reviews. By the way TBFFNat, I didn't realize I was blocking anon reviews. Right after I post this I will change that.

Please keep reading and reviewing.

Chapter 3: Tears

In planning both the Guy-Connie wedding and the ducks last good-bye, we had all agreed that we wanted it to last longer than the traditional weekend. We also knew that we had to make it extra special. After we decided to spend 3 weeks in Minnesota; the birthplace of the Ducks; we needed to figure out where we were all going to stay. Sure, most of the Ducks are from Minnesota, but it would have felt weird if some of us were in a hotel and some of us were at home. Not to mention staying in a hotel for 3 weeks would have been a bit expensive for some of us. We toyed with the notion of us all staying with different Minnesota Ducks, but that felt weird too. We wanted to be together one last time. That's when Adam said we could all stay at his house. It turns out his parents were going away for a month and the entire house (and let me tell you it is huge) could be ours. It was perfect, not just for us, but for Adam too.

He had told me months before that his parents weren't coming to graduation. It had been one of those nights when he stood at my door with his head hanging. He was so upset. For years he had tried to please his parents, especially his dad. He thought they were finally proud of him. Here he was graduating college and heading off to the NHL. They had to be proud, right? In all honesty I don't know how they feel, but to Adam them not coming meant he did something wrong. I tried to tell him they loved him, I tried to tell him they were proud, but he didn't want to hear me. He cried that night. It was the first time I had ever seen him cry. I have to admit I was a little taken aback. Adam Banks, one of the strongest people I know, was crying in my arms. I didn't know what to do, so I just let him cry.

After he had stopped crying; well I think he ran out of tears; I turned his face to me and told him that it was his parents lose. If they couldn't see the amazing man he had become, then screw them. He didn't need them. He had me....us. The Ducks would always be there for him. I almost slipped to him that night. I almost told him how I felt, but something held me back.

We slept together that night; no not "slept together", we fell asleep together. When we woke up in the morning I found Adam staring at me. He had a different look in his eyes and it wasn't just different from the night before. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I had never seen that look before, not from him. Sometimes I had caught Guy looking at Connie that way...no, no, no. I had to stop myself. It was early in the morning, I was just imagining it. The moment was fleeting. We had to get to practice. Adam thanked me for listening and asked that I not say anything to the team. I, of course, told him I wouldn't and we headed out to the rink.

So I was a little surprised when Adam had offered his house. He told the team that his parents were going to Cabo on their annual vacation and had said that they would change their plans in order to go to graduation. Adam made it sound like it was his idea that they go as planned. Everyone seemed to accept that explanation and his invitation. Who wouldn't want to stay in a mansion for 3 weeks?

So here we are. We have been in Minnesota for a week and have never had a better time together. It has gone by so fast. And now I am sitting hear getting ready for Connie's wedding. She looks like a princess. When we bought her dress she told me it was just like the one she had always dreamt of wearing.

I think every little girl dreams about their wedding. What she will wear, the color of her flowers, who will stand up with her, and of course who her husband will be. For me that was always the foggy part. I knew the type of guy I wanted to marry and how I wished he would look, but when I would envision my wedding his face was never clear. I could never really make it out. I think, no, I know, Connie always saw Guy.

"Hello....earth to Julie....are you with me? We got to go."

I turn to see Connie, fully dressed in her bridal best, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Oh, sorry. Must have zoned out there for a second. Is it time?"

I look around and I see Tammy (another former Duck) and Linda (Charlie's long time girlfriend and an honorary Duck) holding their bridesmaid bouquets and then I see Connie's dad standing by the door. It must be time.