AUTHOR'S NOTES: I'M BACK! Did you miss me? Sorry this chapter's so short. Hopefully another update will come soon.

A NEW BEGINNING – CHAPTER FIVE – REVELATIONS

The Ducks had just played their final game. They'd lost, escaping with the silver medal while Italy took the gold. They were naturally disappointed, but Coach Bombay had told them they had nothing to be ashamed of. They'd played their butts off and gotten a medal. In the absence of a pizza party (the food was nowhere to be found in Norway), the team was sitting in Coach Bombay's room, eating some sort of Norwegian fish and watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail in Scandinavian.

During one scene that had the team in hysterics, Adam slipped out quietly, snagging Coach Bombay on his way. "Can I talk to you?" He asked quietly.

Coach Bombay nodded. "What's on your mind, Adam?" He asked when they got outside.

"Um…" Adam stammered, looking at his feet. "Charlie."

Coach Bombay kept his face remarkably neutral. "Yeah?"

"I, uh, I heard you and Miss MacKay talking the other night," Adam confessed. "I know about Charlie's stepdad."

An alarmed expression came over the coach's face. "Have you told anyone?"

"No!" Adam said quickly. "I thought I shouldn't, 'cause maybe I didn't hear right." He paused and looked his coach in the eye. "Did I?"

Coach Bombay closed his eyes and nodded. "Listen to me, Adam," he said seriously. "Do not tell anybody. Charlie asked that I keep this quiet until we got home. I shouldn't have even told Miss MacKay. Don't even let on to Charlie that you know. Understand?"

"What are you going to do?" Adam asked fearfully.

Coach Bombay looked down and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't know, Adam. This is all going to unfold when we get home, and it's going to be really messy. Charlie and his mom will both need a lot of help and support."

Adam nodded. "I know."

A small smile twitched at Coach Bombay's lips. "You're a good friend, Adam. Charlie's lucky to have you."

The duo reentered the room, both trying to act like nothing happened. Coach Bombay returned to his seat in the back and Adam took his place next to Charlie. Now that his suspicions were confirmed, Adam found it impossible to look at the Ducks' captain the same way. He wanted to hug him and just take it all away. But he couldn't. We'll put your stepdad behind bars, Charlie, he silently promised his friend. And everything will be OK again. You'll see.