Disclaimer: We don't own the Ducks and probably never will because they belong to Disney. However, Emaliar Malfoy does own Bella, Emily, and a few other random characters.

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

Chapter 13

September 21st, 1997

Bella's POV

"Happy Birthday, Ace," Charlie said and then he kissed me. Dad was going to be out of town for the next three days and Mom was on her way to some sort of week retreat in California, I was in the clear.

"Let's do this thing," I said.

I walked into the donation center and the whole process was terribly slow and if I'm being honest just slightly painful. Though I knew it would pay off in the end.

"You did good, Ace," Charlie said to me afterwards as I was gathering my stuff.

"I think that is the sweetest birthday present you could have given Adam," Coach said.

"Thanks," I said as I smiled.

"Good news you are a match for AB negative," The nurse from yesterday said.

"Thanks. Could you make sure that my donation goes to my brother Adam Banks," I said.

"Sure, I will gift wrap it and let you sign the card since it's your birthday today," The nurse said.

I smiled.

When I walked into Adam's room, I saw that all the Ducks were there, both new and old. Emily was there as well. She was holding onto Guy's arm for dear life. Obviously trying to ignore the dirty looks that Connie was giving them. I knew Connie was a jealous person, but I didn't think that she would be that possessive with Guy. Wait a minute this is Connie that we are talking about.

"One would think he'd wake up for cake, being a cake eater and all," Jesse began gesturing to the cake sitting on the tray table that read Happy Birthday Adam and Bella.

I smiled before I said, "Thanks Jesse."

"You're welcome. Happy Birthday," Jesse said.

"Thank you, all of you," I said.

"Is he going to be okay?" Tammy asked.

"It's hard to say Tammy. Maybe. But the chances are good that he won't play hockey for a while or anything for that matter," Coach said.

"I'm scared," Gunnar said.

"It's okay Gunnar. We all are," Charlie said.

"Hmm mmm, yeah. Absolutely," The ducks all said except me.

"Are you scared, Bella," Guy whispered.

"I stopped being scared a long time ago. It's hard and nerve racking. But I am not scared. He'll pull through, he always does," I said.

"You're so brave," Charlie said kissing me again. Averman whistled and a few other's chuckled. Trust him to make light of the situation.

"No,' I told Charlie as I looked at my brother on the bed. He was barely recognizable from the kid who had scored the winning goal at the Junior Goodwill Games. He was pale, thin and sickly looking especially with all the IV's and cords hooked up to him 'He's the brave one."

I sat down on the bed and clasped his hand in mine. He stirred slightly at my touch.

"Hey Ads,' I whispered. 'I'm not sure if you can hear me, but Happy Birthday. Please wake up soon. We all miss you. The Ducks and the Hawks both. I found something last night, a picture of the two of us. I thought you might like it," I said pulling the photo from my back pocket, unfolding it, and placing it in his hand. "It's from when everything was alright, when we didn't have to worry. When it all was going well." That's when I notice something, I hadn't noticed the previous day, some writing on the back.

Dear Issy and Ads,

You played well today. I'm sorry I can't make it to your game this weekend, but I'll call you as soon as I'm on my way home. I love you both.

Daddy

How could I forget? The months of intense therapy that he had to go through. All the testing and the visits to child psychologists. All the flights back and forth to Las Vegas for Daddy. All because we witnessed a car accident over the phone. Daddy didn't come home until 3 weeks before Christmas that year. Daddy came to our last 2 games that year.

This wasn't exactly the birthday I had planned for this year.

"Um, guys you didn't light the candles," I said.

"The doctors said we weren't allowed to," Emily piped up.

"Something about this being a 'hospital' and fire being 'unsafe'. What a load of bullshit," Portman said grinning.

"Happy Birthday to you quack, quack; Happy Birthday to you quack, quack; Happy Birthday to Adam and Bella, quack, quack; Happy Birthday to you QUACK, QUACK, QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!" Charlie and everyone else said.

"C'mon, Ace. Make a wish," Terry said.

I chuckled and shook my head, these were my friends, my Ducks. Trust them to make me smile. Then I took a deep breath and mimed blowing out candles.

"Ace, 15 candles and you still can't blow out all of them, tut, tut," Fulton said as Charlie leaned in and pretended to blow out the final candle.

"Make a wish, Issy," Ollie said.

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"Well?" Goldberg asked.

"I can't tell you,' I whispered looking down at Adam. 'Otherwise it won't come true."

The ducks left around an hour later and it was just Charlie, Ollie, Coach and me.

"He's going to be okay, right?" I asked. It sounded stupid and naïve. It had been asked hundreds of times, but I needed an answer. A proper answer not 'he'll be fine' or 'don't worry'. Yes or no. Positive or Negative. Anything of substance.

Charlie's POV

In between. That's where we are now. In between life and death. Good and bad. Hope and failure. Brave and scared. In between.

A nurse walked in and began to replace Adam's bandages, Bella paled as she saw the still bloody cuts, and then she ran out.

"Hey, hey. Bells, what's going on?" I asked as I caught up to her.

"Have you seen them? The cuts?" Bella said.

"I didn't want to, not again," I said.

"They weren't just cross's this time Charlie. They were words. Worthless. Fag. Useless. Those were the words I used Charlie. I caused this whole mess. I yelled at him. I'm the reason why we're here," Bella said with tears running down her face.

"Ace you have to calm down. This isn't your fault, it's mine, Coach Bombay's and your parent's fault, not yours," I said.

"Oh, but it is," Bella said.

"No, it's not, I ignored Adam half of freshman year. Bombay made you play for the ducks. Your Dad, well I won't go there but you see it's not your fault. It never was," I said.

September 23rd, 1997

Bella's POV

Adam still hasn't woken up yet. I just could not face Eden Hall at all I skipped school, both yesterday and today. I honestly don't think that they would have missed me. I needed to be by Adam's side. At least Dad and Mom was still out of town. Dad would not be back until tomorrow.

A couple of nurses walked in with another bag filled with blood. They did their checks and then hung the bag.

"You Bella Banks," One of the nurses said to me.

"Yeah?" I said as I put the book down that I was reading.

"You ready to see your blood go into your brother? It's the final bag," the nurse said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yep,' the nurse said, as she finished getting the bag ready to go and started the IV machine back up. 'And there it goes."

"Do you think he will wake up now? It's been four days since he cut and it's been almost two days since you stopped the medication that he was on to… to," I said with tears starting to run down my face.

"Since we stopped the medically induced comma?" The other nurse said.

"Yes," I said.

"It's hard to say, you still talking to him?" The first nurse asked as she was starting to replace Adam's bandages again. I looked at Adam's face his perfect face.

"Yeah but we ran out of things to talk about," I said.

"You know I have read that music works with those that are in a comma, it's worth a shot," The second nurse said.

"Thanks, I might try that," I said.

I was lucky that one of the CNA's had a CD with Mariah Carry's and Boys II Men song One Sweet Day, in her car. I borrowed it, along with a CD player from the nurse's station.

Several hours later.

Gordon's POV

I had gotten a call from Dean Buckley. He had told me that Bella has skipped the last couple of days, and he could not get a hold of Seraphina or Phillip. He was wondering if I knew where she might be. I had an inkling, with Adam at the hospital. When I got off the elevator, I heard music coming down the hallway as I got closer to Adam's room, I heard Bella singing out Mariah Carry's parts to "One Sweet Day". Getting it perfect on pitch and on cue. I walked in and stood at the foot of the bed watching her. At the end of the song I clapped.

"COACH?" Bella said startled.

"I didn't know if that was you or Mariah. You have such a pretty voice," I said.

"Thanks Coach," Bella said as she stopped the music and then turned off the CD player.

"Why don't you go out for the choir?" I asked.

"I don't have the time between school, hockey and Adam. Plus, what would my parents say?" Bella asked.

"I think that once you have proven to them that you have a beautiful voice, I think that they would be proud to hear you sing. Didn't they came to all of your concerts when you two were little?" I asked.

Bella bounced her head back and forth before she said, "Mom did but getting dad to attend anything, but hockey games was like pulling teeth."

"Hmm, I see. Where did you get the CD player and disk?" I asked.

"I borrowed it from the nurses. One of them told me that they read that music works with those that have been in a comma. I thought it couldn't hurt to try. Luckily one of the nurses had this disk in her car's cd player. What are you doing up here?" Bella asked.

"Well I am up here because Dean Buckley called me, wanting to know if I knew where you were. Since you didn't show up to class yesterday or today," I said.

"Oh boy. I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Bella asked.

"For skipping school yeah, you are. But I think that I can get you a lighter sentence, since you were where I thought you might be. Helping Adam get better," I said.

"ISABELLA LILLIAN BANKS, WHAT DID I TELL YOU?" A deep voice bellowed.

A/N: Thanks for reading. We hope that you like it. Can you guess Bella's wish? Who did the voice belong to? Was Charlie right and it was never Bella's fault? Or is she the one to blame? What will happen to Adam after he wakes up? A part of this chapter was written by me, Bobcatwriter. Please review, Thanks!