A/N: The wait is over! Finally I've gotten off my lazy behind and done some writing.

Encouragement

Mickey had a secret, infuriating smile on his lips as the three friends got in the car. Donald seemed to take it as a personal insult. "What are you so damn happy about?" he asked crossly.

"Gee, Donald, I'm just enjoyin' the nice weather," was his sunny retort. A devious look crossed his face, and with an even, almost bland, voice he remarked, "That Carla woman seemed very nice."

"Yeah, she is," Goofy said, oblivious to the trap that his friend was setting for him.

"Have you known her long?" Mickey continued with the same feigned disinterest.

"Oh, I dunno. A few months, I guess."

"She's kinda cute." He shot Goofy a surreptitious glance and was rewarded with the sight of him blushing. Bingo. "What do you think, Goofy?" Oh, I'm evil all right.

"Umm, I guess so." The blush intensified.

Mickey took pity on him and thoughtfully added, "I think she likes you."

"Nah, she's probably just bein' friendly."

"Yeah, real friendly," Donald snorted. "I've never seen a dame go in raptures over you before, but there's a first time for everything."

That earned him a stern look from Mickey, even though that was disturbingly close to his own thoughts on the matter.

"Maybe you should ask her out?" he asked and watched Goofy turn yet another interesting shade of red.

"Gawrsh, Mickey, I don't think she'd want that," Goofy replied uneasily.

Mickey sighed, but he wasn't ready to drop the subject. "All kidding aside, Goof, she honestly seems to like you." He chuckled. "And quite frankly, it's not that hard to see that you're complete smitten with her. Take a chance and ask her out. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, ain't that so?"

For a few minutes the only sound in the car came from the engine. Then Goofy asked with an obvious hopeful note to his voice "Do…Do ya really think that she'd say yes?" Mickey smiled softly. Geez, look at the poor guy. He's really got it bad.

"Aww, gee, you really sell yourself short sometimes." And with a hint of mischievousness he added "If the duck can find a date, so can you."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!"

On the inside, Mickey was laughing, but to any casual observer he looked as calm as could be when he just said, "Gosh, look at that. We're already here," and got out of the car, leaving Donald spluttering with rage in the backseat.

Mickey quietly chuckled to himself. Any chance of annoying Donald was too good to pass up, and the duck would get over it eventually. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed having the whole gang together - it had been too long since the last time he beat the duck at golf. Yes, they brought out the worst and the best in each other, but whatever else one could say, it never got boring with those two around. "Hurry up, you guys - we don't have all day," he said good naturedly as he took their equipment out of the trunk. Still in a great mood, he noticed that Goofy had somehow managed to get his vest stuck in the car door. Typical. But where was Donald? Of course, he's making fun of Goofy's little problem. I should have known. The smile that had been tugging at his lips the whole journey broke out into a full-fledged grin as he with very little fuss freed Goofy from the car and trotted away towards the first hole.

It wasn't until four hours later that Mickey a little tentatively breeched the subject of Carla again. He had wanted Goofy to get more acquainted with the idea of Carla returning his affections before they revisited the conversation from the car.

They'd had a lot of fun with their game, which, Mickey smugly noted, he was winning. It wasn't that he was a (much) better player than Donald or Goofy, but at least he wasn't prone to losing his temper anytime he came near a bunker or to getting himself tangled up with inanimate objects. It never ceased to amaze him how little it took to take Donald to the verge of murder, or how often Goofy got himself into strange situations.

Sometimes he wondered what it'd be like to be that extreme. He was aware that he was considered to be the most normal one out of the three of them, and he didn't really mind that. He might not be the most interesting guy in the world, but his life surely wasn't lacking in excitement despite that. The detective agency, his pride and joy, brought him the mystery and adventure he craved now that he wasn't working odd-jobs with Donald and Goofy, but he still missed the chaos those two could create. Not even his nephews could accomplish anything like that. His nephews, who had become an important part of his life the last few years, although, he had to admit, not as big a part as Donald's nephews played in his. Then there was Minnie, the love of his life. He had often hoped that Goofy would find a love interest someday - if anyone deserved someone to love, it was him. That's why he was determined to get Goofy to ask Carla out. In all the years he had known him, this was the closest the big goof had ever been to an amorous relationship, and Mickey knew that in spite of his front as a happy bachelor, he needed someone to care for.

He rested a little nonchalantly against his club and watched as Goofy relentlessly tried to make his putt. It was admirable the way he kept his good humour even when the world ganged up on him, Mickey thought to himself. But then again, a lot about Goofy was admirable. He might not be the most graceful of beings, but he had a good heart, and that's what mattered most of all. He smiled and said, "Nicely done!" and almost as an afterthought added, "So, whaddya say guys, is it time for a break yet?"

Donald looked up from his scorecard with a frown, and whined, "Already?"

"Well, yeah. We've been at it for a long time, and it's been even longer since either one of us had somethin' to eat."

"Aww, all right." The truth, Mickey was willing to bet, was that Donald was just as eager to take a break as he was. He was just annoyed because he lost at golf. Again.

They walked over to a big oak on the edge of the golf course and sat down in the dry grass beneath it. It was a perfect day for a picnic, and the golf had made them work up an appetite, so for a while they just sat there, happily munching away.

Eventually, Mickey breached the subject he had been thinking of ever since the chance meeting with Carla in the supermarket.

"Ya know, Goof, you really ought to take a chance in this case. It'll be worth it in the end."

"Wha?" Goofy was obviously at a loss, so Mickey patiently continued, "With Carla, I mean."

"You've already said that, and I still don't think she'd go out with a lump like me."

"Hmm. Let's look at this logically. Why don't you think that she likes you?"

"Umm…"

"See, you have no reason to think that!" Mickey exclaimed triumphantly. He continued, "I know that you're not used to this stuff, but ya gotta give it a try. I mean, you like her, and despite what you seem to think, she likes you. A lot." Goofy made a motion as to protest, so Mickey kept on talking. "I'm not making this up, ya know. I wouldn't be so supportive of this idea if I wasn't sure. I'm your friend, and I want you to be happy."

"A-hem." There came a fake cough from Donald's direction.

"And Donald too." Mickey added with a smile.

Goofy looked thoughtful for a while, but eventually he smiled softly and said, "Gawrsh, maybe you're right. I'll give it a try. It's just that…What should I ask her?"

"Whaddya mean?" Donald suddenly chimed in, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

"How do I ask her out? I don't have much experience when it comes to this."

"You've got that right," Donald sniffed.

"There's no need to be snippy," Mickey reprimanded him. "Since you're new at the dating game I suggest that you start with something small. Ask her out for coffee."

"Yeah, that'll do it," Donald agreed.

"That sounds like a great idea, guys. Ehh…When?"

Donald heaved a great sigh, and said "Maybe you should do it while we're still aroun', cause ya need all the help you can get."

"That's swell, making him feel bad about himself right before he asks a girl out." Mickey was definitively disapproving this time. He took a none-to-gentle swing at him in order to really get the message through. The duck could be so thickheaded sometimes.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" He glared at the culprit and rubbed his hand where Mickey's admittedly rather weak right hook had hit him.

"Don't listen to the duck - he lives to make people miserable. Everythin's gonna be alright." He would actually have preferred Goofy to make the move before he and Donald left, but he couldn't say that now that Donald had suggested it in such a rude and potentially hurtful way. He had, however, underestimated Goofy's potential for forgiveness, as well as his insecurities regarding the fairer sex.

"You're right, Donald. I'll ask her tonight. Ya'll come with me to the diner, won't ya?" He gave them a look filled with so much hope that they would have agreed even if they had thought that it was a bad idea. As it was now though, there was no question that Goofy would have backup when he asked the girl of his dreams out for a cup of coffee.

"Aww, of course we will. We'll keep in the background."

"Thank you guys, I really appreciate that." Goofy said softly.

TBC