Author's Note: I'm horrible, I know! I'm so sorry but I hope this chapter makes up for the long wait. Life has been crazy these past few weeks. But thank you SO much for all the support for this story. You guys have been amazing! And a special thanks to those reviewers who have been sending me messages bugging me to update…your push is just what I need sometimes. I hope this lives up to your standards. Please review and enjoy. :)

By the time he reached the hockey rink at Eden Hall Academy, Jesse was sweating profusely. He had put on his skates and raced out of his apartment building, a million different scenarios going through his head. He could tell from Charlie's tone that whatever it was was serious so he didn't ask any questions.

He just ran.

Once he made it inside, his eyes darted around, anxiously looking for his boyfriend. He saw the team practicing out on the ice and tried to spot a 99, but once he didn't see it, he stepped further and glanced to the right, instantly zeroing in on the hunched over form on the bleachers.

He took no notice of the fact that many of his friends were openly staring at them. All that mattered was getting to Adam and fixing whatever was wrong.

Adam heard pounding footsteps approaching and immediately looked up, the relief clear on his face as his eyes landed on the other boy.

He stood up and the two met in the middle with a tight hug. Adam buried his face into his boyfriend's neck, inhaling his familiar scent. Maybe there was hope after all.

Jesse finally pulled back from the hug, cupping the other boy's cheeks.

"What happened, Adam? What's wrong?"

Adam took a breath before they both took a seat. Adam looked at his boyfriend and Jesse could see so much. He saw fear and sadness and confusion, but he also saw a steadfast love. A love directed at him.

"My dad found out about us."

Jesse's eyes grew wide. "What? How?"

"I have no idea how. Somebody must have told him. He came in here, screaming at the top of his lungs. He wanted me to deny it. To tell him that he was wrong and…I just couldn't. I couldn't do that, Jess. That would have been a slap in the face to you. And not just you but to your dad and to myself."

Jesse wanted to wait until Adam had gotten everything out before he showed any kind of reaction, but inside, he was so incredibly proud of Adam at that moment.

"I told him that we were dating and that we had been together since 6th grade. I told him that I love you and that was when he slapped me across the face."

Jesse's expression darkened but he tried his best to rein his emotions in until Adam was through.

"He said I made him sick and he called me a fag. I was a bit caught off guard and hurt, but I honestly expected that so I wouldn't have been that upset, but then he called you a piece of trash and…that word…."

Jesse nodded. He knew exactly what word he meant.

"And I just lost it. The fact that he would have the nerve to call you that…" he brought himself back to the present. "I tried to jump at him, but Charlie and Guy held me back. I basically called him a heartless asshole and told him you were a better person than he would ever be. He said I was dead to him and that he never wanted me to step foot in his house again."

He let out a huge breath. Finally, it was all out.

"Adam…" Jesse brought his hand to his love's face. "Come here."

He pulled Adam to his chest as his mind frantically processed all this new information. He couldn't believe Philip Banks actually had it in him to disown his own son. And because he loved someone?

He knew he could deal with his anger and even his confusion later. Right now, the most important thing was taking care of Adam.

"Listen to me. Everything is going to be okay. I promise you that. No matter what happens, it's going to be alright. We're gonna figure this out, okay?" He felt the other boy nod against his chest, along with a small wet patch forming on his shirt.

"I love you, and I'm so proud of you for standing up to him like that. I just wish I hadn't caused all this."

Adam pulled back, looking at his boyfriend with a look that was both puzzled and angry.

"You didn't cause anything. Don't you dare blame yourself for any of this. He's an asshole. He's always been this way, so something like this would have happened eventually. I wasn't going to stand there and let him insult you. I know you would have done the same for me if the positions were reversed."

Jesse had to agree that he had a point there.

"Okay, so what we're gonna do now is you're gonna get your stuff and come back home with me. I think maybe a nap would do you some good? Then when my dad gets home, we can all sit down and talk. How does that sound?"

Though he was a bit nervous about the proposed "talk" with James, Adam knew that he would be in a place where he felt safe, a place that felt like home. He nodded, a small smile coming to his face.

Their friends, now along with Coach Orion, watched as Jesse took hold of Adam's face and brought him in for a kiss. The non-Minnesota Ducks looked on, dumbfounded, while the Minnesota natives all shared pleased/relieved smiles.

Jesse pulled back. "You ready to go home?"

Adam offered a warm, genuine smile and a nod. "Yeah."

As the two boys left, Jesse looked over, locking eyes with Charlie. He gave his best friend a wink, getting a smile and nod in return.

Russ eventually broke the silence.

"So…when the hell did that happen?"

As one, the Minnesota Ducks answered.

"Sixth grade."

A million voices started speaking at once as the rest of practice was spent recounting the history of Adam Banks and Jesse Hall.

Jesse and Adam made it back to the dorms, where Adam grabbed a quick shower, forcing his brain to not think about anything at all for the moment. Once he was dressed, he threw some things into his bookbag and the two headed towards the familiar apartment complex, neither of them speaking a word.

When they arrived, Adam felt as if part of the weight he had been carrying on his shoulders had been lifted.

"Why don't you go lay down in my bed for a while? I'll be in in a minute."

Too tired to think of an argument, Adam simply nodded, placed a kiss on the other boy's lips, and headed for the bedroom.

As soon as the door was closed, Jesse made his way to the phone, aware both his brother and Tammy were watching him, matching worried expressions on their faces.

He dialed the number he knew by heart, hating to bother his dad at work but knowing his father would want to know what was happening.

After explaining to whoever had picked up who he was, he waited for his dad to pick up.

"James! Telephone call for you! It's one of your kids," he heard his supervisor yell.

He was surprised. The boys almost never called him while he was at work. He quickly went over and grabbed the phone with a thanks to his boss.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Dad. It's Jesse."

"Jesse, hey, is everything alright? You know I don't really like you boys calling me while I'm working unless it's an emergency."

Jesse nodded though his father couldn't see it. "I know, Dad, it's just that…Adam's father kicked him out of the house."

That was probably the last thing James Hall had expected to hear.

"Wait, what?!"

"His dad found out about us. I don't know how, but he did. He came down to Eden Hall and he and Adam had it out. He told Adam he was dead to him and that he wasn't allowed to step foot in their house again."

James was now trying extremely hard to suppress the growl that was dying to escape his throat.

"Did he say anything else?" he asked tightly.

Jesse released a sigh. "He called Adam a fag, and me a piece of trash and a nigger."

Philip Banks was dead. He just didn't know it yet.

James gripped the phone so tightly he felt like he was going to break it.

"Where is Adam now?"

"I brought him back home with me. I told him he should get some rest. He's sleeping right now."

James nodded, relieved. "Okay, good. I'll be home soon and we'll sit down and talk about the next course of action, okay?"

Jesse sighed in relief. "Thanks, Dad."

"No need to thank me, Jesse. And you did the right thing. I gotta go, but I'll be home soon."

They said their goodbyes and James returned to his last task.

"So what was that about?" Jack, the one who had helped James with his National Junior Hockey Summit scheme asked.

By the time he was done explaining, Jack was nearly as livid as James.

"That guy just don't know what he's done, does he?"

James shook his head. "Nope. But he's gonna regret it."

When his father eventually made it home, Jesse heard the door close. He looked down and smiled as he saw Adam, fast asleep in his arms. As carefully as he could, he extracted himself from the embrace and eased himself off the bed, placing a kiss on his boyfriend's temple as he exited the room.

James was just getting himself a drink when he saw his oldest son heading his way.

He hated the fact that his son had to deal with so much already. He hadn't even spent two decades on this earth yet. It just wasn't fair.

"Hey," he greeted as he pulled Jesse into a warm hug. "How's he doing?"

"He's a little better, I think. Being here has really made him relax more. He's sleeping right now."

James nodded. "Probably what's best for him. He needs to rest and de-stress."

The two sat down at the table as Jesse recounted the entire story in detail for his father, Terry and Tammy listening too, all with looks of shock and/or horror on their faces.

Once he was done, he waited for his dad to respond.

"I can't believe that man has the nerve to call himself a father. I would never-" he cut himself off before beginning again. "I'm so sorry you boys had to go through that. There's no excuse for any of it."

Everyone nodded before James began discussing the solution he had come up with.

"So, I was thinking…"

Adam awoke to the feeling of soft lips leaving a trail of kisses from his forehead down to his lips.

He smiled, his eyes opening slowly to meet the bright chocolate ones he'd forever recognize.

"Hey, sleepyhead."

"Hey." He stretched before sitting up.

"How are you feeling?"

The last few hours came rushing back to Adam, but being here like this, it felt like nothing was quite as bad as it could be.

"Better. I feel good."

Jesse's grin only widened.

"My dad's home. You feel up to talking to him? I already filled him in on what happened."

Adam wasn't looking forward to it, but he nodded. The two boys made their way to the living room where James, Terry, and Tammy were all waiting for them.

As he was about to pass him to sit on the couch, James grabbed hold of Adam's wrist.

"Come here, son."

He pulled the boy into a long, warm hug. "It's gonna be alright, son. And by the way, I am so proud of you."

Adam felt his eyes begin to sting. That was more than he could have ever dreamed to receive from his own father.

Once the two pulled apart, everyone took their seats once again.

"So, I've given this a lot of thought, and I've talked it over with both Jesse and Terry. If you want, you can stay here. I'll let you move in to Jesse and Terry's room. I figure, or at least I would hope, that you boys won't do anything crazy since you'll be sharing the room with Terry. But if I find out about any funny business, I'll have to move you to the couch. But regardless, you can live here. With us."

Adam's eyes were wide. There was no way this was happening. This was everything he wanted offered up on a silver platter.

"Really? That's okay? R-Really?"

James offered him a warm smile as the boy struggled to find his words.

"Yes, it's perfectly fine. And with you here, I wouldn't have to worry about you ending up with strangers none of us know. Here, I'd know you were safe."

Adam turned to Terry. "Are you really okay with this?" He didn't want his friend to feel like he was encroaching on his space.

"Yeah, no problem, man. It's all good, I promise."

Adam smiled before a look of hesitation came over his face. As if reading his thoughts, James cut in.

"Don't worry about your dad. I'll go over to that house with you and get what's left of your stuff. And if for whatever reason he tries to fight this, then I'll petition for guardianship. Either way, I'll make damn sure you never have to go back there again."

The relief was overwhelming. Adam got up and hugged James as tightly as he could. Words couldn't do justice to what he was feeling at that moment.

"This is your home now, son. Always. This is your home."

TBC