Disclaimer: We don't own the Ducks and probably never will because they belong to Disney. However, Emaliar Malfoy does own Bella, Emily, Alex, and Johnson. Bobcatwriter owns Annie, Mike, Travon, and all the characters at Lakeshore Academy.

A/N: This is the sequel to the other Mighty Ducks stories "The Way Things Are" and "The Way Things Were". We recommend you read those two first. However, this can also be read as a stand-alone story. Please read and review.

Chapter 20

August 28th, 1998

Adam's POV

Today was the day, I was being released from the psychiatric hospital. I was afraid that I would have been bounced to another facility in another state, to finish my recovery from both the bulimia and the cutting. I haven't done either since I went into the hospital. I haven't cut in over 6 months. And I haven't made myself sick since July 3rd, 8 weeks today. I had learned from Coach and Ms. MacKay that I would be returning to Lakeshore Academy once I was released from the hospital.

I had put on a good 15 pounds again and I was scared that I was going to balloon back up to 229 or more. But after the MRI imaging both Dr. Jobman and Dr. Caseman said that I was regrowing my kidney and liver that had been ate away from me being stupid. I asked them about my heart, and they said that they did not know if it would regrow back. I was also rebuilding the muscle tone in my arms and legs. Once I build enough muscle, I would be able to burn some of the remaining fat that is bad for me and yet keep the fat that I need to keep me healthy and alive. I would need to make changes to my diet and exercise program which meant start working out with weights.

I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to do this back at Lakeshore because of their lack of weight equipment in there gym. Luckily, the physical therapist gave me lots of ideas of what I could do to lift "weights" without buying real weights. I would have to borrow a couple of full gallons of milk to use them to pump iron. I would start with one full gallon of milk which weighed about 8 pounds and work my way up to lifting a hay bale which weighed about 50 to 60 pounds. I could have also used a container of milk that was used and about to be tossed out and put water in it and reseal the gallon up.

I was ready to go home, I mean back to Lakeshore. Coach had managed to get me out of the hospital that morning. I needed to see the dentist to find out what kind of damage I had done to my teeth from when I was stupid and to get my tux from the tux shop. Because get this Coach was getting married to Michele MacKay, tomorrow. Eleanor Bombay and Mr. and Mrs. MacKay had made the trip to California to witness this occasion. I was going to be coach's best man; Hans was going to be a cute ring boy. Mr. Tibbles was even coming to the wedding.

"Coach, what about the ducks? Aren't they coming?" I asked while we were on our way to the dentist office.

"Unfortunately, no. Because they started school on Monday and Eden Hall would not let them come. But don't worry about it, Michelle and I have plans to really make it official when we move back to Minneapolis next summer. It will probably not be next summer but the summer after you kids graduate from Eden Hall. We are going to throw as Portman calls one kick ass party," Coach said.

"Wait, we are moving back to Minneapolis next summer? I thought we were moving back in January?" I asked.

"Well because of your hospitalization's your stay at Lakeshore has been extended 6 months. Dr. Freeman didn't feel comfortable with releasing you in January with only 9 months of continuous therapy with them. They wanted to make sure that you were ready to get out into the real world, since you would be dealing with senior year and the rest of your life. I hope you're not mad," Coach said.

"So, I will graduate from Lakeshore when?" I asked.

"July 6th, 1999, and then we will have a week here in California to pack up and then we are moving back to Minneapolis the following week. You will start at Eden Hall as a senior," Gordon said.

"I will be a senior? Meaning they are going to be taking my credits from Lakeshore Academy? I will get to graduate with Bella and the Ducks?" I asked.

"Yep you might have a little more homework then the rest of the students at Lakeshore to get you caught up to Eden Hall's standards. But that will be okay," Coach said.

"Yeah, that would be okay. If, I get to graduate with my sister at the end," I said.

"Good, then comes the one thing that' he shuddered, 'you would have to learn," Coach said.

"What's that Coach?" I asked.

"Teaching you how to drive," Coach said.

"That's right, I turn 16 in less than a month. Bella will have a driver's license before I will," I said.

"I know that's a scary thought you kid's out on the road," Coach said.

"You know what is going to be even scarier, when Hans is driving," I said.

"Oh GOD, I'm going to be an old man at that point. I am going to be older than my father was," Coach said.

"What happened to your dad?" I asked.

Coach hesitated before he said, "Car accident, He was driving home from work in a blizzard, a semi-tractor trailer side swiped him, and the car hit a tree. He died instantly; a snowplow driver found him about an hour after he died. He didn't believe in seat belts. Does it make sense as to why I insist you kids have your seatbelt on in the car?"

"Yeah," I said as I was tightening my seatbelt.

"God, I will never forget that night," Coach said as he was pulling into a parking spot at the dentist.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Well we had been released from school at noon for a snow day, my mom came and picked me up. I had begged and begged her to let me go out onto the ice behind our house. So I could practice my hockey. She finally gave in at about 4 o'clock and said fine go! It was snowing great big, huge flakes. I was called into the house at 5:30 for dinner. Dad hadn't come home yet. He called and said that he was on his way an hour earlier Mom said. So, we ate dinner without him. I sat down and did my homework in the living room after dinner that night. Then I noticed a cop car pulling into the driveway, with its lights flashing. The police officer comes to the door. I of course answer it, he says I need to speak to Mrs. Eleanor Bombay. I invited him in from the cold. Mom asks him to come into the living room. He tells us that Gregory Bombay, my dad, was in an accident that evening. My mom asks is he okay? The cop says no, Mrs. Bombay. Your husband has died. That crumpled mom like that," Coach said as he snapped his fingers.

"Wow," I said.

"I had taken off to Hans shop, mom didn't even know I was gone. I was crying when I walked into the back door of the shop. Jän was working in the front while Hans was in the back-sharpening skates. I told Hans what had happened. He and Jän closed the shop early for the evening. They took me back home. Hans was comforting mom and Jän put me to bed. Both Jän and Hans were rocks for mom and me during those first six months after dad died. Everyone came to dad's funeral, even Jack Reilly," Coach said.

"Wow," I said.

Coach gulped before he said, "I quit hockey, the year dad died. Mom had to sell the house before Christmas that year. That was hard moving out of the house I spent 10 years in on Thanksgiving weekend. She said she couldn't bear to live in the house, much longer. We rented homes for the rest of my growing up years. I started working in Hans and Jäns shop at age 12. At fourteen I got enrolled to Eden Hall Academy, fell in love with debate, was captain my senior year. I didn't even want anything to do with hockey,' Coach laughed, 'You're not even going to believe this, but when I was going there, I even debated with the school board to terminate the hockey program at Eden Hall."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because of my bad memories with it, I couldn't stand to be around it. That and Eden Hall Varsity Hockey Team was not particularly good in those days. That was before Coach Wilson took over and the team became what it is today," Coach said.

"Wow," I said.

"Yeah, I still can't listen to Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay, without thinking of my dad. Well let's go find out about your teeth. Shall we?" Coach said. We got out of the car and walked into the dentist's office.

I was scared about what the dentist would say so I had Coach come back with me. He even made me smile when the dental hygienist left when he said, "Hey Adam look a drill." Then he started to make a drill noise, while poking the side of me. How I would have given anything for coach to be my dad. As much as I loved Ollie and Bella, I wished that Coach were our dad. I think we would have had a lot more fun growing up. At least I would have known what it would have been like to wrestle with a dad. My father would not want to wrestle, said it was beneath the Banks family to be doing something so barbaric. The dentist said that I was lucky, I only had 1 cavity and the enamel was wearing away from my teeth. I would have to return to the dentist the next week to get that cavity filled. If I didn't throw up anymore, continually I should have no problems, after that I was to return to the dentist every 3 months to have a checkup for the next two years.

After the dentist and getting our tuxes it was time to go home for dinner that night, I was glad to have my freedom back. I called Bella and the Ducks, and we talked for a long time that night. They were going to throw their annual house party the next night, after Coach and Michele tied the knot.

A/N: What do you think? The next chapter will have Gordon and Michele tying the knot. What would you like to see in the Banks' future? Please be kind and leave a review.