Author's Note: I'm back! Yay! Just a quick note before this chapter begins. I try my best to not change things that are actually in the movies, but the scene of Hans' funeral really bugs me because a) the old Ducks are not there and b) the jersey placed on the coffin is Karp's number. Now of ourse I understand why they couldn't have all the original Ducks for the funeral scene, but for the purposes of this story, I'm deciding that all the original Ducks are there and the number on the jersey was actually 10, not 11.

As soon as they saw Terry walk through the door, Adam and Jesse knew something terrible had happened.

"What's going on, Terry?" Jesse asked.

It took him a few tries, but Terry finally got the words out.

"Hans is gone."

It took both boys a second to comprehend. Because that couldn't mean what their first instincts told them it meant. There was no way.

"What do you mean he's gone, Terry?!" Jesse asked anxiously.

"He...He's dead. He died in his sleep."

After that, the apartment was silent for the longest time, save for sniffling and the occasional sob.

Each of them was lost in their own world.

Jesse was in shock. Hans was like a grandfather to him. Always there with warmth and advice. Knowing that he was gone, the world suddenly felt so cold...

Adam felt like he couldn't breathe. After everything else that had been happening to him lately, this couldn't be happening too. They couldn't lose Hans.

Because of everything with his parents, Adam didn't do well with abandonment or rejection once he had grown attached to somebody, come to trust them. And as selfish as it sounded in his head, that's what it felt like. It felt like Hans had abandoned him. Without even saying goodbye.

He battled with his emotions all the way up until the day of the funeral, never saying a word about how he was feeling to Jesse, no matter how much he pushed.

The morning of the funeral, Adam got dressed in his room at his parents' house, his anger and frustration coming closer to boiling over.

His parents dropped him off and he slowly trudged his way to where Hans' body would forever be laid to rest.

He was relieved to see some friendly faces there. All of the original Ducks had shown up, all visibly upset, as well as the current Ducks of course, but Adam paid them no mind.

He watched as Terry tightened his arm around Tammy as she cried into his shoulder. His eyes caught Jesse's, who of course was staring right back at him, as he stood next to James.

Adam had to look away. He wanted so badly to run to Jesse and just sob his heart out, let Jesse love and comfort him, like he always did so well. He just couldn't bring himself to do that. He wasn't through with his anger at the world.

It turned out, he was going to confront his emotions whether he liked it or not.

After Coach Bombay had made his speech and everyone started breaking away, Jesse made a beeline for Adam, grabbing his wrist in a firm hold as he tugged him away to a more secluded area.

"We're gonna talk. Now."

Adam had a feeling this was coming. His boyfriend had been nothing but understanding but he had been refusing to talk.

"Okay, what's going on with you? I try to talk to you, you don't say anything. I try to be around you, you want nothing to do with me. What, do you want to break up with me?"

At that moment, Adam wished Jesse could see a visual of what it felt like his heart was doing. It plummeted into his stomach and shattered into a million pieces. How could Jesse ever think that he wanted them to be over? Jesse had become...and he was just now finally admitting this to himself...the most important person in his life. He was his reason to get up in the morning. His support, his motivation.

His love.

Without another word, Adam burst into tears, finally crying for everything that had happened.

He cried because his parents didn't give a single care about the real him. He cried because the friends who he had grown to trust had turned their backs on him. He cried because Hans was gone and he hadn't been able to say goodbye. He cried because the person he loved more than anyone else in the world actually thought he didn't.

It was just too much to keep built up inside anymore.

He told Jesse everything going on in his head. About feeling abandoned by Hans and not knowing how to cope with that. About the fear that everyone he cared about would leave him sooner or later.

And that was the heart of the issue.

The anger fell away from Jesse's face and he pulled his boy into a deep hug.

"Listen to me, Adam. Are you listening?" He felt the other boy nod into his shoulder.

He lifted his head by the cheeks so he was looking into his eyes.

"I'm not leaving you. I'm never going to. Me and my dad and Terry...We're always going to be there for you. Always. That's not something you have to worry about losing one day. It'll always be there. I promise."

Letting out a shuttering breath, Adam pulled Jesse in for a strong hug, relief washing over him in waves.

"I love you."

As soon as the words softly left his lips, Adam tensed, scared of what would come next.

Jesse pulled back and looked him in the eye once again, the expression on his face unreadable.

"What did you say?" he asked.

"I...I..." Adam stuttered out. He knew he had to own up to it though. After all, the words were the truth and Jesse and James both had been encouraging him to be honest with and about himself.

"I love you."

The smile that came to Jesse's face was one that Adam would always remember. It was pure and full of unbridled happiness.

"I love you too, Cake Eater," he smiled, causing Adam to let out a relieved chuckle before falling into Jesse's arms. After a long hug, he pulled back, planting a deep kiss on his lips and wrapping his arms around the smooth neck. When they finally pulled apart, neither could contain their matching grins.

They were broken out of their own personal bubble when they heard someone clearing their throat behind them, turning to find Guy standing there awkwardly.

"Hey, um...listen. I just wanted to apologize for the way we've been treating you, Adam. Even though you're on Varsity, you're still you and I think we let ourselves forget that. I'm sorry for everything we did to you. We all are."

Jesse held his breath until he saw Adam smile once again.

"It's okay, Guy. I'm sorry too."

Both boys hugged briefly before Guy spoke again.

"We were talking and were thinking of having an old game of street hockey tomorrow.

What do you say?"

TBC

Finally! An update! I know it's not very long, but it's something and I hope you like it. It's not my best work, but it did take on a bit of a life of its own so I hope it satisfies. There should be another update coming soon. Thanks so much for reading! Please review!