Disclaimer: We don't own the Ducks and probably never will because they belong to Disney. However, Emaliar Malfoy does own Bella, Ollie, Seraphina, Alex, and Patrick "Paddy" Ridley. Bobcatwriter owns Annie, Mike, Travon, all the characters at Lakeshore Academy, Baby Hans, Paddy's family, The Lebrie Family, Reese, Mark, Judges Stone, Murray, a few of the other students and teachers from Eden Hall.
A/N: This is the sequel to the other Mighty Ducks story's: "The Way Things Are", "The Way Things Were" and "The Way Things Should Be". We recommend you read those three first. However, this can also be read as a stand-alone story. Please read and review.
Chapter 29
May 22nd, 1999
Adam's POV
55 Days until I see Gunnar
I waited up for Ollie last night, I managed to close my eyes for two seconds and fell asleep. Ollie snuck in after I fell asleep last night and snuck out before I woke up this morning.
"Have you seen Ollie this morning, Jeremy?" I asked, as I walked out to the dining room. He was helping Fredrick, who recently joined Lakeshore, get some homework done.
"Nope he said something about going to school and studying for finals week. Why do you need someone to run with you?" Jeremy asked.
"Yeah," I said.
"Okay let me see if Annie will take over here and I will get changed and meet you out front," Jeremy said.
"Okay, great!" I said as I quickly walked to my room to go and changed into my running gear.
Gunnar's POV
Today was the day that I was going to surprise Adam out at Lakeshore. Portman said that he was going to stay with Fulton for the summer, because he could not stand his mother's new boyfriend. I had to get up early this morning. I had moved my stuff to Charlie's house during finals week, so I didn't have to worry about it during the weekend. Connie said that she would take my sheet's to Charlie's at some point in the week so that I would have them for next fall.
Julie drove Dwayne, Russ, Ken, and Me to the airport before she loaded herself back up and headed out east. I, Russ, and Ken were on the same flight to Phoenix. Ken's connection to San Francisco would be behind mine and Russ's connections.
"So, what are you planning on doing this summer, Gunnar?" Ken asked.
"Vell, going to fivsit with Adam for a couple of days and then I don't vnow. Vou Ken?" I asked.
"Relax and work on my hockey skills. What about you Russ?" Ken asked.
"Easy hang out with my boys. Haven't seen them since Christmas. I am ready to go home," Russ said.
"Vell it's a good thing ve is almost vhere," I said.
"Amen," Russ and Ken said together. The next thing we knew mine and Russ's flights were getting called for boarding.
"Vell see vou in August," I said.
"Yeah, we will be seniors. Ready to show that place how to party," Russ said.
When I arrived in Reno, Ollie met me at the Airport.
"Vey Ollie," I said.
"Hello Gunnar, good to see you," Ollie said.
"Fodd to see vou too. Is Adam veady for his surpvise?" I asked.
"Yeah, he has been antsy all week. I have had to avoid him the last couple of days. It hasn't been easy. But I will be glad when the surprise is over. What time is your flight on Monday?
"12:35 pm, Vhy?" I asked.
"I need to know so I know when to pull Adam out of class. They have school for a couple of more weeks and then they will be done for the summer. It's going to be a short summer break, for Adam he gets done with school on the 11th and then one more month at the Academy, then we move home and then a month later it's back to Eden Hall," Ollie said.
"Vhat vill Adam be toing fow?" I asked.
"Well lunch will be in a little bit and then he will probably be working on homework later," Ollie said.
"Vkay," I said, and we made our way out to Ollie's car that he was driving. It was an older used car, but it seemed nice. I didn't check a bag on the flight because I knew that it was a quick turnaround trip.
"Nice car," I said.
"Thanks, I bought it in January. I take it back and forth to school and such so it gets me from place to place.
I spent much of the next two hours admiring the scenery, I kind of wished that my visit; was going to be for more than a couple of days. But I understood completely because Adam could not have the distraction of me for more than a few days. I could not wait to see the surprise look on Adam's face.
When we finally reached Lakeshore Academy Ollie said, "Stay here, I need to find out where Adam is. If he's out back, I will come and get you."
"Vkay," I said.
Ollie's POV
I headed inside the residential house. I had been planning this surprise for months with Gunnar. I had to ask permission from Dr. Binford and Dr. Freeman. I promised them that Adam and Gunnar would behave themselves and I noticed that Adam was getting a little down about it being so long before he is reunited with Gunnar. We were down to 54 days until we would get to Minneapolis, so short and yet so long as well.
"Where's Adam?" I asked Mike.
"Out back, he just got finished with his homework 20 minutes ago and he went out to the basketball court to take practice shots. Do you want me to call him inside?" Mike asked.
"No, it's okay," I said as I made my way towards the door. I quickly knocked on the car door and flashed the okay sign to Gunnar.
Gunnar got out of the car and grabbed his bag and I brought him inside to sign the visitor log and then showed him down mine and Adam's room.
"So vhere is he?" Gunnar asked once we were inside our room.
"Look outside," I said.
Gunnar went over to the window, looked outside and said, "Oh I see him. I can't vait until he knows vhat I fere."
"Alright so here's the game plan I am going to go outside, I want you to hang back in the house and once I have Adam sitting on the table, I want you to sneak up on him. Make sure that you open and close the door as quietly as you can," I said.
"Ok," Gunnar said.
I and Gunnar walked to the kitchen so I could fill a water bottle up for me and Adam. Not that it was particularly hot, but I knew he was going to need to rehydrate. Then I showed Gunnar to the back door in the basement for him to watch for when he could come up and surprise Adam.
Adam's POV
I had been out on the Basketball court shooting goals into the goals into the trash can. Now that the Lake wasn't frozen over except for at night anymore, I could not skate because it wasn't safe. So, I had to do the next best thing rollerblades and puck shooting. Some of the guys would take up half of the court and play some Basketball while others would throw a football around. Every once in a while, I would indulge in another sport. I was okay in Basketball, me and football was another story because I could not get it to spiral. I heard the door open and close.
"Hey Adam," Ollie said.
"Hi," I said.
"Look man, I am sorry about this morning. I totally forgot that I was supposed to be meeting my group for a study session so that we could practice our presentation for finals week," Ollie said.
"No, it's okay, I understand, I guess. I have never heard of a non-test for finals week," I said.
"Well going to college is different than high school," Ollie said.
"I guess so," I said and then I took a shot.
"Why don't you come and take a break, I heard that you have been out here for a while," Ollie said while holding a water bottle.
"Yeah, I could use a break," I said as I skated over to the picnic table and Ollie climbed up on it. I took a sip of water.
"Come on, sit down," Ollie said.
"Why do you want me to sit down?" I asked.
"Maybe because it looks like you could use a break," Ollie said.
I sighed heavily before I followed suit on the table, but I didn't dare put my rollerblades on the seat of the picnic table.
"You have been so mysterious these last couple of days, what's going on Ollie?" I asked.
"Nothing has been going on, I swear Adam!" Ollie said holding up his right hand.
"Yeah right, we all know that you cannot keep a secret," I said.
"You said that I have been mysterious, how so?" Ollie said.
I scoffed before I said, "Well you have been cleaning our room like someone is coming over. I know mom did that every time she had a relative come over, going through the house with a fine-tooth comb to make sure every room in the house was spotless, it drove Bertie nuts."
"I know it drove her crazy, I am surprised she stuck it out with mom and dad as long as she had," Ollie said.
"Does that mean we are going to end up like them?" I asked.
"No, that doesn't necessarily mean that," Ollie said.
"I guess not, I don't know. But you are sure acting like mom," I said. The next thing I knew a pair of hands covered my eyes and I heard in a deep voice, much too deep for Gunnar, "Guess vho?"
"I don't know, who are you?" I asked.
"Gee I don't vnow maybe vour boyfriend," said the guy and then my eyes were uncovered, and I turned around
"Gunnar?" I asked.
"Yah, Hello Adam!" Gunnar said.
"Oh My God, GUNNAR. When? How? Why?" I asked.
"Are vou sufpfised?" Gunnar said.
"Are you kidding me? Yes! I am so happy to see you!" I said as I hopped off the table and went to hug him and landed on my ass on the ground.
"Vou, okay?" Gunnar asked as he helped me back upright.
"Yeah, I can't believe it,' I said as I went in to hug him. I hadn't seen him in almost 5 months. It felt like a lifetime. 'Was this the reason you were acting so weird this week Ollie?"
"Yep, because I had to get ready for this visit," Ollie said.
"Please tell me you are here for the summer?" I asked.
"No, I am not here for the summer Adam, just until Monday. I have to be on a plane for Minneapolis at 12:35 ," Gunnar said.
"Oh," I could feel the disappointment in my stomach. I only had my boyfriend for 45 hours. That was not near enough time at all. I looked at Ollie.
"Go on; go be with him, I will clean up!" Ollie said.
"Thanks Ollie," I said, and I took the rollerblades off and Gunnar and I walked hand in hand up to the house and I showed him down to mine and Ollie's room. When we got there, I saw that Gunnar's bag was already on my desk chair.
"I guess you are staying here this weekend?" I asked.
"Vah," Gunnar said. I kissed him hard oh, how I miss his kisses. I then quickly locked the door; Gunnar drew the shade. I pulled out Gunnar's mattress from under the bunk bed and we laid down together. We just held each other and kissed all afternoon and had the most amazing sex. I was scared because I was out of practice, but Gunnar reassured me the whole time that I was fine. I touched Gunnar and poked him in the stomach and sides.
"Vhat are vou doing Adam?" Gunnar asked.
"Just making sure you are not a figment of my imagination," I said.
"Oh no, I am bery much real and I am right here, and I love vou," Gunnar said and then he started to give me butterfly kisses all over my body. How much I loved those kisses.
Gunnar and I went out into the woods for a walk after dinner tonight, it was good to be holding hands and talking. We talked about what had been going down between the Ducks lately, with Charlie and Reese breaking up. I asked what Paddy was like. I got some good vibes from all the words that Gunnar was telling me, I could almost picture what Paddy was like, and I thought that maybe we would get along together, but that was to be figured out when I came home.
We had settled on a small hill watching the sun set in the west, Gunnar was behind me, and I was feeling every time he breathed in and out.
"It's so pretty, here," Gunnar said.
"I know, you know I would not mind retiring up here one day, after everything that we will do together," I said.
"Vou see us together after vou retire from vhere?" Gunnar asked.
"The NHL, I think it would be perfect up here in these hills. Away from everyone and everything," I said.
"Vah that would be nice, but do you seeing vourself making it to the NHL?" Gunnar asked.
"Yeah, maybe. It sure would be the icing on the cake to my old man," I said.
"Coach Bombay?" Gunnar asked.
"No, my father Phillip. He told me once that I was shameful to even put on skates. I think that he thought that Bella and Ollie would go all of the way, before I would," I said.
"That is sad and disappointing," Gunnar said.
"I know, he didn't like it when I cried. He said tears are for babies. I know this, If I ever have a child, I will not ever say that to them at all," I said.
"Do vou want a child?" Gunnar asked.
"Yeah, maybe someday. I haven't made up my mind, don't you?" I asked.
"Va, I guess. But I don't know how. Ve are not exactly velcomed into the community," Gunnar said.
"I know that. That's why I thought maybe international adoption. Or I don't know maybe a surrogate," I said.
"A…. a surrogate vhat's that?" Gunnar asked.
"A person that would carry the baby to term for us, then would have the baby. We would take the baby home and raise him or her," I said.
"So ve vould," Gunnar started to ask.
"One of us would have to get the egg fertilized and then we would implant the baby into the surrogate," I said.
"How do vou know this," Gunnar asked.
"Back after I broke my ankle and had to be on house arrest. Annie and I got to be quite close. Anyway, she and Mike were talking about getting a surrogate at the time. But that was before Annie got pregnant this time," I said.
"Annie von't look that old," Gunnar said.
"I know. But apparently, they are in their mid-thirties. I guess women kind of crap out of childbearing at 35," I said.
"Vhat sucks," Gunnar said.
"I know," I said.
We sat in silence for a few minutes before Gunnar asked, "Do vou think vou are ready to go back?"
I shrugged and then said; "I'm ready to go home but I'm not out of the woods, I may not ever be."
"Vhat?" Gunnar asked.
"I mean I don't think I'll ever be truly 'cured', I can just tolerate it now, the anger and the sadness and the urges and the anxiety. It's like… it's still there and I still feel all of it, the ups, and the downs, but it's always been like that, even since before I first cut, it's a part of me now, and I know that it's not supposed to be like that, and that it's usual for boys to walk away with from here with their problems fixed, but when exactly have the Banks children done anything conventional? I mean, Ollie moved to France, because he didn't like the fucking laws here, not because he preferred it. Bella filed for emancipation against the parents who gave her everything she wanted except her big brother, and then there's me! I used to be suicidal, bulimic, I'm gay, I was disowned at 14, I'm the best male junior hockey player in America, and that is not a brag, ask anyone! So, yes, I am ready to go back, and make sure I live everything to its fullest for now on, and win the Minnesota State Varsity Championship, and go to the U, and maybe life is the one battle I can't win, but I'm sure as hell going to try," I said.
"And I am going to be vhere to fight each and every battle, vith vou Adam," Gunnar said.
"You mean it Gunnar?" I asked.
"Ves, if I had a ving I vould ask vou," Gunnar said.
"To get married?" I asked, stunned.
"Ves. But I don't have vhat ving. Vhats back in Ísland," Gunnar said.
"That's okay, Gunnar. We can't exactly get married, but we could get engaged with the hope that one day we will be married. Who says that marriage has to be between a man and a woman?" I asked.
"Vhat's an idea, Adam. Although, I am not sure if vou vill be accepted by my parents. Maybe ve vill be accepted by then," Gunnar said quietly.
"Huh? What was that last part?" I asked.
Gunnar swallowed hard before he said, "Never mind, dear sweev Adam, Never mind."
I had started to get a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach, like Gunnar's parents didn't know that I was with him. "Oh, Adam you are being ridiculous," I said to myself.
We had sat on that cliff and watched the sun go down, once it was just below the horizon I said, "We better go back, before they send a search party out for us."
"Veah vhat's a good idea," Gunnar said
We walked up the back steps up to the house just as the nautical twilight was ending. Mike was rubbing Annie's feet. "Oh, thank God, I was going to give you boys 5 more minutes before I started to organize a search party for you," Annie said.
"Annie, I told you they would be fine. Adam has come a long way in the last year," Mike said.
"A mother gets worried, Michael!" Annie said.
"Annie, Mike I am fine. And we are sorry we took a little rest break to watch the sunset from the cliff about a half mile from here, it takes a little bit to get down from that cliff. After all, I still need to be careful with my ankle," I said.
"Well alright," Annie said.
Gunnar and I started to walk to the door, when "I think the boys are downstairs watching a movie or playing games," Mike said.
"No thanks, I have a guest and we kind of want to be alone. Goodnight," I said.
"Good night, Adam and Gunnar," Mike and Annie said together.
"Góða nótt, (Good night)" Gunnar said.
Gunnar and I had slept together on the floor that night. I don't think that Ollie came and joined us at all.
A/N: So, what do you think? Please leave a review! Thanks!