Whoo...fun fun...yeah...I, uh, forgot what I was gonna
say...heehee...*cough* Maybe it'll come to me later...
Rachel- Aw, how sad! What time did it move to? I hate missing stuff like that. Luckilly I have it ALL on tape. ^_~ Yay! Tender P/J moments are greatness...I'm always glad (and ego-surged) to hear you like it! *eyes water* You like it! you REALLY like it! Lol...Aww....you think I'm an expert? *gets all glassy-eyed* That's so nice!!! *hugs* I hope my advice was helpful.
MDSWitter26- Yes...Julie knows what she's doing...lol. I'm sorry it's been so long since I updates "Loser." I just got so caught up in everything. I'm trying to update as many as possible, but this is the only one I'm sure of its outcome. Lol...But I'm glad you liked them. I LOVE Pacey angst too. ^_^ Glad you liked it. Hehehe...You were watching the Lion King? I love that movie too...One of my favorite animated Disney movies if not my favorite. ^_^ So glad ya liked it.
MoonlightAngel16- *giggles* I'm glad you like both the lightness and the darkness of the story...lol...Yes, Julie is good. You'll just have to see how everythign plays out! *grins* Hehehehe...I hope you had fun eating your onion rings. ^_^ Enjoy the chapter!
Allie- I like the new name too. ^_^ Whoop! I'm so excited that mine's the longest...whoo...lol...I feel such a deep feeling of honor. ^_~ *whispers* Don't worry, I won't tell your mommy...I'm a good secret-keeper. ^_^ Cleaing is over-rated. *grins* Hehehe, yeah. Charlie was bad for kicking her out, but we love him anyway. Enjoy the chapter! ^_~
Nebula- Aw, you missed me? *feels honored and sufficiantly loved* I'm glad you enjoyed the lightness. ^_^ I hope you like this chapter too! *grins*
Kate- KATE! *hugs* Hm, now who could this Kate-person be? Hm, I don't know...hmm...heehee. Hehe...heh...o.O...*cough* Okay, I'll be normal now. Teehee. Yes, Charlie's a wee-bit slow...*waves* Hello! You know, review really is a boring word...lol...you're silly. Only you would think of that...lol..And I mean that in the nicest of ways, of course. ^_~ It does take great use...It has a totally different meaning to us than the average person..To us...it means the world...All that is beautiful and perfect in the world...lol...heehee. Frappacchinos are a wonderful thing...yum yum. I'm glad I enlightened you with my Revelation Song. ^_^ *gives you a moment* Yes, I know. It's hard for ALL of us to realize Charlie occasionally gets angry...*giggles* FEED! ME! *giggles again* Funnny, funny, funny...Little Shop of Horrors makes me laugh. ^_^ Teehee. I feel honored that you're my #1 fan! ^_^ Even if I only get an occasional review; I still love you! Lol...heh...yeah. o.O Yes, we're all proud of Julie for punching the Evil Girl. Charlie's a very contagious person. ^_^ Averman's first name is Lester...either that or Les...maye Les is short for Lester, but it doesn't matter because he goes by Averman. ^_^ Hehehe. "Way to tell the kid who just tried to commit suicide that he has a problem." Maybe I'm psychotic, but that made me laugh. Heehee. Slow? Sl-sl-slow? Them? Nah...^_^ Hehehe...yeah, that chapter would be a bad example for happy Charlie/Adam friendships...lol...o.O Not exactly the poster-child for happiness. Heehee. School is bad. TV is good. Heehee. I'm glad you liked the chapter, and I hope you get more of that story of your WRITTEN, my friend! I GOTTA RREEAADD!!! *twitches* Thanks for the review! Enjoy! ^_~
Hotashell99- Yes...I figured your brains needed breaks for the taxing angst and drama. Heehee.
French Chipmunk- Wow, mine's the longest you've ever stuck to? I feel so honored! ^_^ I hope you find the chapter suitable! ^_~
Banskiesbabe99- ^_^ Yeah, Charlie is a bit more lovable when he's not biting your head of, but oh well. Hehehe. We take what we can get. Anyway, thanks for the review! ^_~
Katie- Teehee. Yes, Charlie actually behaved. Shocking, huh? I'm glad to hear you're attatched to it also. ^_^ Makes me feel like I'm doing my job. *smiles* Thanks for the review! Much love!
Ashley- I ACTUALLY got you INTERESTED?! *gasps of shock* I can hardly believe it. ^_^ Shocking, isn't it? BWA! You read two chapters instead of one! I can't be doing TOO bad if even YOU got intersted...lol...See? You can't judge a book by it's cover...ermm...even though this isn't EXACTLY a book (well, kinda) and it doens't have a cover...but shh! Don't tell. ^_^ Thanks for reviewing, Ashley!
Disclaimer- I don't own the Mighty Ducks.
-Chapter 49-
Gordon Bombay sat with Fulton Reed in the hospital waiting room. He had been there constantly, but he wasn't even sure if he could handle visiting Charlie. He wasn't sure if he could stomach the rejection if Charlie were to get upset.
He had spoken with Fulton soon after Julie had gone in. Gordon had figured Fulton needed time to digest it all before sharing, but Gordon was glad he had.
They two males had discussed why they thought Adam had stormed off. Fulton had said that he figured it was a more intense version of what had happened with him. Saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
That had made Gordon extremely nervous. The whole time Charlie had been with him, it seemed he had said the wrong thing at the wrong time. All he wanted to do was help, but everything he tried never came out the right way.
When Julie had bounded into the room gleefully, the two men had been dumbfounded. Both times the guys had gone in, they had stormed out with either grief or anger. She had come in like it was Christmas morning. It made them wonder...
The elder of the two men in the room sighed. He felt as if he was failing Charlie; he felt like he had done something wrong, though deep down he knew it wasn't his fault.
He didn't blame Charlie. He couldn't bring himself to if he tried. Something was definitely wrong, but Charlie had become one of those people who bottled it all up inside. He was a stubborn person, and wasn't too keen on being wrong or getting help. When Fulton had told him about the conversation he had with Charlie, he told him that Charlie had claimed there 'was no problem.' Gordon could only guess the teen had psyched himself into believing he was perfectly normal, and it was everyone else who was weird.
Gordon was aware of some of the horrible things Charlie's father had done to him, and it was beginning to show more and more that maybe something emotional had snapped. Something had shifted that caused Charlie to turn against everything he had ever held dear to himself and wanted in life.
When he had offered to take Charlie in, he knew it wouldn't be too easy; but this...this was far beyond what he had expected. Even at first, it wasn't beyond his comprehension that Charlie would be a LITTLE difficult.
But when Gordon had sat in that office and listened to that doctor tell him that HIS Charlie had tried to commit suicide? Well, that was a little bit shocking.
Gordon had run through the possibilities in his head that could prove that hadn't been Charlie's intention. Over and over he tried to come up with reasons why it was all just a big misunderstanding...
He had yet to come up with a good, believable one.
The man wanted nothing more than to just erase the past few months from both his and Charlie's memory. He knew it had been hard for Charlie, but it had been hard for he himself just wondering if they would ever see him again. Ever since he had started thinking of Charlie as a son, he worried more. This time was no exception.
Bombay looked up and saw a more sober-looking Julie walk in. She had a slight drag to her walk, and her eyes lacked the enthusiasm they had seen when she had returned for her backpack earlier.
"Hey Julie. You okay?" Fulton asked her as she sat next to them, pulling her backpack onto her lap.
She nodded. "Yeah, why?"
"I dunno...you just seem kinda put-out." The boy replied.
She shrugged and gave them a half-smile. "I would go that far. Just a little confused," Julie said with a light laugh.
"Did you guys fight too?" Fulton question while Gordon sat down his magazine. He hadn't been reading it; it had kind of just been in front of his face so it looked like he was doing something productive.
Julie shook her head confidently. "No, not a fight. I just got the boot," she said with a smile. "He said he was tired, so I left."
Fulton sighed and leaned back in his chair. "That's more than I can say for OUR conversation...if you could call it that."
Julie nodded in understanding and looked at the clock. It would probably be a good idea to go home, but she didn't think she was ready too.
It wasn't long at all before a concerned-looking doctor approached the middle-aged man sitting with the two teens. He paused in front of Gordon and cleared his throat. Gordon, Julie, and Fulton all looked up at him.
"Sir? Are you Mr. Gordon Bombay?" the man asked.
Gordon nodded. "Yeah, that would be me."
The doctor nodded. "I just wanted to discuss some things we found during our examination."
The doctor walked a few feet away, and Gordon followed. The two teens got the idea that they weren't supposed to hear, but their curiosity got the best of them, so they began to eavesdrop.
"We found some unusual bruises and marks on his back, chest, neck, and head. We were wondering if you were aware of any of this," The doctor stated.
Gordon nodded. "Yeah, he was just pulled from an abusive situation. He was only recently brought back here, and his father put in jail. I don't know the extent, but I'm leaning on the fact that it wasn't pretty," Gordon said quietly, trying not to speak loudly.
The doctor nodded in understanding, a hint of sympathy in his eyes. "I see. I'm sorry to hear that, sir. I hope you work things out-"
Julie and Fulton snapped back in the other direction, exchanging glances.
"I don't think we were supposed to hear that..." Julie said quietly to Fulton, suddenly finding swallowing to be a difficult task.
Fulton nodded in agreement. "I don't either..."
~~~*~~~
After a few more moments of talking, Gordon Bombay walked back over to Julie and Fulton. When he sat down, he could feel the nervousness and awkward tension in the air. He saw Julie and Fulton exchange a glance and look at the floor.
"Guys? You okay?" he asked with confusion, eyeing them strangely.
When they didn't reply, he furrowed his eyebrows. They sat in complete silence, looking like children who had been got with their hands in the cookie jar.
"What happened? Why are you two acting so weird?" he questioned, shifting his glance between the two. "Did you...?" he started, gesturing to where he and the doctor had been standing moments before, realization starting to dawn on him.
Julie bit her lip and looked up at him. "Maybe...we didn't mean to, we just- " she started.
"We didn't think that we would...We didn't think that...We didn't-" Fulton stuttered, trying to form the words.
Gordon held up his hands with a sigh. "Slow down, you two. Don't have a heart attack. I'm not going to yell at you, so calm down," he said, knowing that getting angry wouldn't help.
They both abruptly shut up and sat in silence.
"Now...so you heard our entire conversation?" he clarified.
Both Fulton and Julie nodded in unison, though neither looked pleased about it.
Gordon nodded and sighed. "This wasn't quite how I planned on saying it...In fact, I wasn't planning on saying it at all. It was kind of one of those things I was leaving up to him to tell at his own pace."
"So...his dad really...?" Fulton started, unable to finish his own sentence as he left it lingering in the air.
Gordon nodded in confirmation.
After a few more moments of silence, Fulton spoke up again. "So his arm...his own dad did that?" Fulton asked with almost disbelief.
With a sad frown, Bombay nodded. "Yeah..."
"And all the bruises? Cuts? That was all his dad?" Fulton asked, still clarifying, earning another nod from Gordon.
"What about the cut on his forehead?" Julie asked softly, afraid of the answer.
Fulton turned a questioning glance to her, not sure of what she was talking about. "What cut?"
"The scar...on his forehead." Julie said quietly.
"He has a scar on his forehead?" Fulton asked with question, furrowing his eyebrows.
Julie nodded solemnly, remembering the mark of where an obviously deep gash had been.
Gordon nodded, remembering hearing about it from somewhere. "Yeah."
The blonde girl sighed and nodded, chewing on her lip. That's what she had thought...but how could someone do that to their child? It was just beyond her...Imagining Charlie in that situation...It was weird...and disturbing.
"Is that why he came back?" Fulton asked.
"Yeah, that's why he came back. While he was in Montana, he had told Jesse. When nothing was getting better, Jesse called me, and I went to straighten things out." Gordon answered softly. "It's a miracle anything worked out at all."
"So do you think that's what's been bothering him?" Julie asked, trying to understand it all.
Gordon sighed and buried his face in his hands. "There's just no telling what's bothering him. It could be that, or it could be something completely different. Unless he tells us, we may never know."
"But he'll never tell us," Fulton said with a frown.
"That's the scary part..." Gordon said. "The fact that he won't tell us anything is a big problem."
All three of them sat in silence, letting it all digest.
"I'm sorry to put even more of a damper on your night. You weren't supposed to hear that-" Gordon started.
"We know; we shouldn't have been listening in the first place. It isn't your fault," Julie said, giving their mentor the best smile she could at the given moment.
Gordon nodded and let out another sigh. "I know; I guess I just feel personally responsible for this whole thing..." Gordon said.
Both teens shook their heads in disagreement and opposition.
"It's not your fault. I'm sure Charlie doesn't think that either. I'm sure he doesn't really blame you," Julie objected.
"Yeah, it's not your fault. It's just been kinda tough all around. You should probably go home and get some rest yourself. You look exhausted, Coach," Fulton commented.
Bombay let out a light laugh. "I guess I am a little...but I can't seem to bring myself to leave the hospital..." He said, trailing off a little.
"I know exactly how you feel," Julie said with an understanding nod.
After a few moments of silence, Gordon Bombay let out an exhausted sigh and leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes. He felt the energy seeping away.
"You kids should probably head on back to the dorms," He said with a half- smile.
"But what about you?" Julie asked with a concerned frown.
The older man shrugged and patted the two teens' shoulders. "I might head home later...but I'm going to stay a bit longer..."
Both Fulton and Julie nodded in understand before standing up and leaving.
When both teenagers were gone, Gordon Bombay propped his elbows on his knees and rested his face in his palms.
For nearly an hour Gordon had sat still in his seat. He was having an internal battle over whether or not he should visit Charlie. His logical side screamed that it was a bad idea, but the ever-growing parental side wanted to insure the boy's safety.
After much debate, Gordon stood up and started walking towards Charlie's room. He decided that it was worth a fight if they could at least talk.
When he arrived, he saw the blinds pulled down over the window. Gordon peeked in the door and saw that Charlie was fast asleep.
With a grim smile and a sigh, Gordon pulled his head back out and closed the door again. There was no need to wake him up...maybe the next day...
~~~*~~~
A few days passed, but Gordon never regained the courage to see Charlie. His anxiety was growing, and he was afraid of what would happen. If Charlie was angry with his own friends Adam and Fulton, Gordon didn't want to know how mad Charlie was with him.
Adam had yet to return to the hospital since his blowout with Charlie, and Fulton had stayed in the waiting room. It was obvious he wasn't looking forward to any more confrontation.
This day, however, it was only Julie and Gordon. Charlie would be going home the next day, and Gordon was a bundle of nerves.
A doctor approached Gordon and waved for him to follow. The middle-aged man nodded and followed the doctor, this time into an office.
"Yes?" Gordon asked, trying to figure out what hadn't yet been said. His expression was wrinkled with worry. "Did something go wrong? Is Charlie okay?"
The doctor let out a light laugh and placed his hands on Gordon's shoulders. "Don't worry," he said. "It's nothing directly regarding his health," the doctor finished.
Gordon let out a sigh of relief. That was good news.
"Then what do you need to say?" he asked, now feeling a little bit better.
"I was just curious as to whether you were going to get Charlie any counseling. Physically, he pretty much back to normal. Psychologically, however, we aren't so sure."
Gordon creased his eyebrows and frowned. "You really think he needs it?"
The doctor nodded. "It would be wise. If he doesn't get his act together, the state may feel obligated to take him under special care and evaluation."
Gordon's face fell even more. "You don't mean...No, I'm not sending him away!" Gordon protested when it sunk in.
The doctor held up his hands in defense. "I'm not saying they're taking him right now or anything...It's just a precaution they may take later on if they feel he's any more of a danger to himself or society in general. I just thought I'd warn you that if things don't work out with counseling, it is an option..."
Bombay furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head again. "No, he's not going anywhere," Gordon said firmly.
"I know, I know. I understand. I'm just warning you that it could happen," the doctor replied in defense.
Gordon sighed and nodded reluctantly. He rubbed his temples and the doctor patted him on the shoulder before walking out of the room.
Following him out of the room, Gordon tried not to think of what would happen if Charlie didn't cooperate. He didn't want to imagine them taking Charlie away again...He had already lost Charlie once, and he refused to lose him again.
Rachel- Aw, how sad! What time did it move to? I hate missing stuff like that. Luckilly I have it ALL on tape. ^_~ Yay! Tender P/J moments are greatness...I'm always glad (and ego-surged) to hear you like it! *eyes water* You like it! you REALLY like it! Lol...Aww....you think I'm an expert? *gets all glassy-eyed* That's so nice!!! *hugs* I hope my advice was helpful.
MDSWitter26- Yes...Julie knows what she's doing...lol. I'm sorry it's been so long since I updates "Loser." I just got so caught up in everything. I'm trying to update as many as possible, but this is the only one I'm sure of its outcome. Lol...But I'm glad you liked them. I LOVE Pacey angst too. ^_^ Glad you liked it. Hehehe...You were watching the Lion King? I love that movie too...One of my favorite animated Disney movies if not my favorite. ^_^ So glad ya liked it.
MoonlightAngel16- *giggles* I'm glad you like both the lightness and the darkness of the story...lol...Yes, Julie is good. You'll just have to see how everythign plays out! *grins* Hehehehe...I hope you had fun eating your onion rings. ^_^ Enjoy the chapter!
Allie- I like the new name too. ^_^ Whoop! I'm so excited that mine's the longest...whoo...lol...I feel such a deep feeling of honor. ^_~ *whispers* Don't worry, I won't tell your mommy...I'm a good secret-keeper. ^_^ Cleaing is over-rated. *grins* Hehehe, yeah. Charlie was bad for kicking her out, but we love him anyway. Enjoy the chapter! ^_~
Nebula- Aw, you missed me? *feels honored and sufficiantly loved* I'm glad you enjoyed the lightness. ^_^ I hope you like this chapter too! *grins*
Kate- KATE! *hugs* Hm, now who could this Kate-person be? Hm, I don't know...hmm...heehee. Hehe...heh...o.O...*cough* Okay, I'll be normal now. Teehee. Yes, Charlie's a wee-bit slow...*waves* Hello! You know, review really is a boring word...lol...you're silly. Only you would think of that...lol..And I mean that in the nicest of ways, of course. ^_~ It does take great use...It has a totally different meaning to us than the average person..To us...it means the world...All that is beautiful and perfect in the world...lol...heehee. Frappacchinos are a wonderful thing...yum yum. I'm glad I enlightened you with my Revelation Song. ^_^ *gives you a moment* Yes, I know. It's hard for ALL of us to realize Charlie occasionally gets angry...*giggles* FEED! ME! *giggles again* Funnny, funny, funny...Little Shop of Horrors makes me laugh. ^_^ Teehee. I feel honored that you're my #1 fan! ^_^ Even if I only get an occasional review; I still love you! Lol...heh...yeah. o.O Yes, we're all proud of Julie for punching the Evil Girl. Charlie's a very contagious person. ^_^ Averman's first name is Lester...either that or Les...maye Les is short for Lester, but it doesn't matter because he goes by Averman. ^_^ Hehehe. "Way to tell the kid who just tried to commit suicide that he has a problem." Maybe I'm psychotic, but that made me laugh. Heehee. Slow? Sl-sl-slow? Them? Nah...^_^ Hehehe...yeah, that chapter would be a bad example for happy Charlie/Adam friendships...lol...o.O Not exactly the poster-child for happiness. Heehee. School is bad. TV is good. Heehee. I'm glad you liked the chapter, and I hope you get more of that story of your WRITTEN, my friend! I GOTTA RREEAADD!!! *twitches* Thanks for the review! Enjoy! ^_~
Hotashell99- Yes...I figured your brains needed breaks for the taxing angst and drama. Heehee.
French Chipmunk- Wow, mine's the longest you've ever stuck to? I feel so honored! ^_^ I hope you find the chapter suitable! ^_~
Banskiesbabe99- ^_^ Yeah, Charlie is a bit more lovable when he's not biting your head of, but oh well. Hehehe. We take what we can get. Anyway, thanks for the review! ^_~
Katie- Teehee. Yes, Charlie actually behaved. Shocking, huh? I'm glad to hear you're attatched to it also. ^_^ Makes me feel like I'm doing my job. *smiles* Thanks for the review! Much love!
Ashley- I ACTUALLY got you INTERESTED?! *gasps of shock* I can hardly believe it. ^_^ Shocking, isn't it? BWA! You read two chapters instead of one! I can't be doing TOO bad if even YOU got intersted...lol...See? You can't judge a book by it's cover...ermm...even though this isn't EXACTLY a book (well, kinda) and it doens't have a cover...but shh! Don't tell. ^_^ Thanks for reviewing, Ashley!
Disclaimer- I don't own the Mighty Ducks.
-Chapter 49-
Gordon Bombay sat with Fulton Reed in the hospital waiting room. He had been there constantly, but he wasn't even sure if he could handle visiting Charlie. He wasn't sure if he could stomach the rejection if Charlie were to get upset.
He had spoken with Fulton soon after Julie had gone in. Gordon had figured Fulton needed time to digest it all before sharing, but Gordon was glad he had.
They two males had discussed why they thought Adam had stormed off. Fulton had said that he figured it was a more intense version of what had happened with him. Saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
That had made Gordon extremely nervous. The whole time Charlie had been with him, it seemed he had said the wrong thing at the wrong time. All he wanted to do was help, but everything he tried never came out the right way.
When Julie had bounded into the room gleefully, the two men had been dumbfounded. Both times the guys had gone in, they had stormed out with either grief or anger. She had come in like it was Christmas morning. It made them wonder...
The elder of the two men in the room sighed. He felt as if he was failing Charlie; he felt like he had done something wrong, though deep down he knew it wasn't his fault.
He didn't blame Charlie. He couldn't bring himself to if he tried. Something was definitely wrong, but Charlie had become one of those people who bottled it all up inside. He was a stubborn person, and wasn't too keen on being wrong or getting help. When Fulton had told him about the conversation he had with Charlie, he told him that Charlie had claimed there 'was no problem.' Gordon could only guess the teen had psyched himself into believing he was perfectly normal, and it was everyone else who was weird.
Gordon was aware of some of the horrible things Charlie's father had done to him, and it was beginning to show more and more that maybe something emotional had snapped. Something had shifted that caused Charlie to turn against everything he had ever held dear to himself and wanted in life.
When he had offered to take Charlie in, he knew it wouldn't be too easy; but this...this was far beyond what he had expected. Even at first, it wasn't beyond his comprehension that Charlie would be a LITTLE difficult.
But when Gordon had sat in that office and listened to that doctor tell him that HIS Charlie had tried to commit suicide? Well, that was a little bit shocking.
Gordon had run through the possibilities in his head that could prove that hadn't been Charlie's intention. Over and over he tried to come up with reasons why it was all just a big misunderstanding...
He had yet to come up with a good, believable one.
The man wanted nothing more than to just erase the past few months from both his and Charlie's memory. He knew it had been hard for Charlie, but it had been hard for he himself just wondering if they would ever see him again. Ever since he had started thinking of Charlie as a son, he worried more. This time was no exception.
Bombay looked up and saw a more sober-looking Julie walk in. She had a slight drag to her walk, and her eyes lacked the enthusiasm they had seen when she had returned for her backpack earlier.
"Hey Julie. You okay?" Fulton asked her as she sat next to them, pulling her backpack onto her lap.
She nodded. "Yeah, why?"
"I dunno...you just seem kinda put-out." The boy replied.
She shrugged and gave them a half-smile. "I would go that far. Just a little confused," Julie said with a light laugh.
"Did you guys fight too?" Fulton question while Gordon sat down his magazine. He hadn't been reading it; it had kind of just been in front of his face so it looked like he was doing something productive.
Julie shook her head confidently. "No, not a fight. I just got the boot," she said with a smile. "He said he was tired, so I left."
Fulton sighed and leaned back in his chair. "That's more than I can say for OUR conversation...if you could call it that."
Julie nodded in understanding and looked at the clock. It would probably be a good idea to go home, but she didn't think she was ready too.
It wasn't long at all before a concerned-looking doctor approached the middle-aged man sitting with the two teens. He paused in front of Gordon and cleared his throat. Gordon, Julie, and Fulton all looked up at him.
"Sir? Are you Mr. Gordon Bombay?" the man asked.
Gordon nodded. "Yeah, that would be me."
The doctor nodded. "I just wanted to discuss some things we found during our examination."
The doctor walked a few feet away, and Gordon followed. The two teens got the idea that they weren't supposed to hear, but their curiosity got the best of them, so they began to eavesdrop.
"We found some unusual bruises and marks on his back, chest, neck, and head. We were wondering if you were aware of any of this," The doctor stated.
Gordon nodded. "Yeah, he was just pulled from an abusive situation. He was only recently brought back here, and his father put in jail. I don't know the extent, but I'm leaning on the fact that it wasn't pretty," Gordon said quietly, trying not to speak loudly.
The doctor nodded in understanding, a hint of sympathy in his eyes. "I see. I'm sorry to hear that, sir. I hope you work things out-"
Julie and Fulton snapped back in the other direction, exchanging glances.
"I don't think we were supposed to hear that..." Julie said quietly to Fulton, suddenly finding swallowing to be a difficult task.
Fulton nodded in agreement. "I don't either..."
~~~*~~~
After a few more moments of talking, Gordon Bombay walked back over to Julie and Fulton. When he sat down, he could feel the nervousness and awkward tension in the air. He saw Julie and Fulton exchange a glance and look at the floor.
"Guys? You okay?" he asked with confusion, eyeing them strangely.
When they didn't reply, he furrowed his eyebrows. They sat in complete silence, looking like children who had been got with their hands in the cookie jar.
"What happened? Why are you two acting so weird?" he questioned, shifting his glance between the two. "Did you...?" he started, gesturing to where he and the doctor had been standing moments before, realization starting to dawn on him.
Julie bit her lip and looked up at him. "Maybe...we didn't mean to, we just- " she started.
"We didn't think that we would...We didn't think that...We didn't-" Fulton stuttered, trying to form the words.
Gordon held up his hands with a sigh. "Slow down, you two. Don't have a heart attack. I'm not going to yell at you, so calm down," he said, knowing that getting angry wouldn't help.
They both abruptly shut up and sat in silence.
"Now...so you heard our entire conversation?" he clarified.
Both Fulton and Julie nodded in unison, though neither looked pleased about it.
Gordon nodded and sighed. "This wasn't quite how I planned on saying it...In fact, I wasn't planning on saying it at all. It was kind of one of those things I was leaving up to him to tell at his own pace."
"So...his dad really...?" Fulton started, unable to finish his own sentence as he left it lingering in the air.
Gordon nodded in confirmation.
After a few more moments of silence, Fulton spoke up again. "So his arm...his own dad did that?" Fulton asked with almost disbelief.
With a sad frown, Bombay nodded. "Yeah..."
"And all the bruises? Cuts? That was all his dad?" Fulton asked, still clarifying, earning another nod from Gordon.
"What about the cut on his forehead?" Julie asked softly, afraid of the answer.
Fulton turned a questioning glance to her, not sure of what she was talking about. "What cut?"
"The scar...on his forehead." Julie said quietly.
"He has a scar on his forehead?" Fulton asked with question, furrowing his eyebrows.
Julie nodded solemnly, remembering the mark of where an obviously deep gash had been.
Gordon nodded, remembering hearing about it from somewhere. "Yeah."
The blonde girl sighed and nodded, chewing on her lip. That's what she had thought...but how could someone do that to their child? It was just beyond her...Imagining Charlie in that situation...It was weird...and disturbing.
"Is that why he came back?" Fulton asked.
"Yeah, that's why he came back. While he was in Montana, he had told Jesse. When nothing was getting better, Jesse called me, and I went to straighten things out." Gordon answered softly. "It's a miracle anything worked out at all."
"So do you think that's what's been bothering him?" Julie asked, trying to understand it all.
Gordon sighed and buried his face in his hands. "There's just no telling what's bothering him. It could be that, or it could be something completely different. Unless he tells us, we may never know."
"But he'll never tell us," Fulton said with a frown.
"That's the scary part..." Gordon said. "The fact that he won't tell us anything is a big problem."
All three of them sat in silence, letting it all digest.
"I'm sorry to put even more of a damper on your night. You weren't supposed to hear that-" Gordon started.
"We know; we shouldn't have been listening in the first place. It isn't your fault," Julie said, giving their mentor the best smile she could at the given moment.
Gordon nodded and let out another sigh. "I know; I guess I just feel personally responsible for this whole thing..." Gordon said.
Both teens shook their heads in disagreement and opposition.
"It's not your fault. I'm sure Charlie doesn't think that either. I'm sure he doesn't really blame you," Julie objected.
"Yeah, it's not your fault. It's just been kinda tough all around. You should probably go home and get some rest yourself. You look exhausted, Coach," Fulton commented.
Bombay let out a light laugh. "I guess I am a little...but I can't seem to bring myself to leave the hospital..." He said, trailing off a little.
"I know exactly how you feel," Julie said with an understanding nod.
After a few moments of silence, Gordon Bombay let out an exhausted sigh and leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes. He felt the energy seeping away.
"You kids should probably head on back to the dorms," He said with a half- smile.
"But what about you?" Julie asked with a concerned frown.
The older man shrugged and patted the two teens' shoulders. "I might head home later...but I'm going to stay a bit longer..."
Both Fulton and Julie nodded in understand before standing up and leaving.
When both teenagers were gone, Gordon Bombay propped his elbows on his knees and rested his face in his palms.
For nearly an hour Gordon had sat still in his seat. He was having an internal battle over whether or not he should visit Charlie. His logical side screamed that it was a bad idea, but the ever-growing parental side wanted to insure the boy's safety.
After much debate, Gordon stood up and started walking towards Charlie's room. He decided that it was worth a fight if they could at least talk.
When he arrived, he saw the blinds pulled down over the window. Gordon peeked in the door and saw that Charlie was fast asleep.
With a grim smile and a sigh, Gordon pulled his head back out and closed the door again. There was no need to wake him up...maybe the next day...
~~~*~~~
A few days passed, but Gordon never regained the courage to see Charlie. His anxiety was growing, and he was afraid of what would happen. If Charlie was angry with his own friends Adam and Fulton, Gordon didn't want to know how mad Charlie was with him.
Adam had yet to return to the hospital since his blowout with Charlie, and Fulton had stayed in the waiting room. It was obvious he wasn't looking forward to any more confrontation.
This day, however, it was only Julie and Gordon. Charlie would be going home the next day, and Gordon was a bundle of nerves.
A doctor approached Gordon and waved for him to follow. The middle-aged man nodded and followed the doctor, this time into an office.
"Yes?" Gordon asked, trying to figure out what hadn't yet been said. His expression was wrinkled with worry. "Did something go wrong? Is Charlie okay?"
The doctor let out a light laugh and placed his hands on Gordon's shoulders. "Don't worry," he said. "It's nothing directly regarding his health," the doctor finished.
Gordon let out a sigh of relief. That was good news.
"Then what do you need to say?" he asked, now feeling a little bit better.
"I was just curious as to whether you were going to get Charlie any counseling. Physically, he pretty much back to normal. Psychologically, however, we aren't so sure."
Gordon creased his eyebrows and frowned. "You really think he needs it?"
The doctor nodded. "It would be wise. If he doesn't get his act together, the state may feel obligated to take him under special care and evaluation."
Gordon's face fell even more. "You don't mean...No, I'm not sending him away!" Gordon protested when it sunk in.
The doctor held up his hands in defense. "I'm not saying they're taking him right now or anything...It's just a precaution they may take later on if they feel he's any more of a danger to himself or society in general. I just thought I'd warn you that if things don't work out with counseling, it is an option..."
Bombay furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head again. "No, he's not going anywhere," Gordon said firmly.
"I know, I know. I understand. I'm just warning you that it could happen," the doctor replied in defense.
Gordon sighed and nodded reluctantly. He rubbed his temples and the doctor patted him on the shoulder before walking out of the room.
Following him out of the room, Gordon tried not to think of what would happen if Charlie didn't cooperate. He didn't want to imagine them taking Charlie away again...He had already lost Charlie once, and he refused to lose him again.
