Chapter 8
Epilogue
Part 1
Ok people, here is the last chapter for this story. I can't believe it is already finished. It doesn't seem like it should be done. But I have other stories that I can work on. This chapter is going to be a lot happier that the rest of the story. I hope you enjoy, and please review after you read.
*Responses to Reviews*
C-Chan: I'm glad you are back to being happy with ff.net now. It is a great thing that you are back from being pissed. It means you can post your chapters, and I can send you my chapters to edit. I'm glad you had so much fun in NY and like Phantom. That means when I get the soundtrack for my car we can go around driving and singing to it. J I have the thing memorized. The sad thing is that now that I am going to this class on Sundays, if we spend the night together it is going to have to be on Fridays. Or we well just have to come over in the morning on Saturdays and spend the whole day together. Anyways, we can figure that out later, can you believe that this is the last chapter? *sighs* Oh well. I have other things to write on. Anyways, I guess I'll go on and start the chapter. Thanks for reviewing, TWICE. Enjoy the chapter.
Okay now that my one reviewer has been responded to, I'll start the chapter. I know that you guys are probably busy, I understand, but please review and tell me what you think about this. I really would like some reviews because this is the end of this story and I want to know what y'all thought about it. Enjoy, and talk to you soon.
As the weeks came and went, Julie had good and bad days, but was never alone. Charlie or one of the other Ducks was always with her. Anytime she needed them, they would be there; and when she wanted to be alone, they would nod and respect her wishes.
She was having a little trouble with her schoolwork as well; especially when she first got back home. She would be doing it, but then she would start to think about her mom and space off. She would end up falling asleep and not getting it done. She didn't tell anyone about if for a couple weeks because she didn't want them to worry about her any more than they already were.
However, after a couple weeks, Charlie found out from one of her friends and asked her about it. She told him the truth. She told him that she hadn't wanted them to know because she didn't want them to fall back either. He told her that there was no reason for her to fall back, because the team always did there homework together; that they could help each other, and that they had been wanting her to come with them. She agreed, and he smiled, reminding her when it usually started.
They had been getting closer and closer through the weeks after her mom died. There were several nights that Connie had run to his room to get him because Julie had had a nightmare about her mom and had been asking for him. They had talked about their relationship in more detail and had decided to go ahead and make it official, yet they were going to take the relationship slowly. The Ducks had noticed that she seemed happier after they talked about it; happier then she had been since the accident, and possible since before the accident.
Along with her doing better, solving her problems in school, and her and Charlie deciding to get together, she and the Ducks had made it to the playoffs. In fact, they had made if through the playoffs and were currently getting ready to go to the Championship. The whole team was extremely excited about it and nervous, and Julie was no exemption to that.
When she first came back, Coach Orion had told her that if she didn't want to play in the next game that he understood. She immediately told him that she was not going to miss a game, and that her mother wouldn't want that to happen. He had simply nodded and walked off. She had been playing ever since, with no hesitation.
When they had won the last playoff game that would send them to the championship, she had been ecstatic. As the game approached, the team got more and more excited and nervous, especially for Julie. It was becoming harder for her because it was hitting her that the one thing, besides her and Charlie getting together, that her mother wanted was to see her lead her team once again to the championships. In fact, it occupied her mind even as she sat in the locker room after practice, the day before the game.
Julie was sitting at her locker, still in her gear, staring off into space. Portman walked in, dressed in normal cloths and looked at her.
"Hey Julie, you okay?" he asked, sitting down next to her. When he didn't get a response, he waved his hand in front of her face.
"Julie, oh Julie?" he said, "You in there?"
When he still didn't get a response, he sighed and looked around for a minute. When he saw Charlie looking for his shirt, he got an evil idea; but he knew that it would work.
"Hey Julie...Charlie lost his clothes and is walking around the locker room naked. Do you know where his cloths are?" he asked as seriously as he could.
That worked.
She looked at him with her eyes huge, "WHAT?" She then looked over at Charlie and saw that he was staring at Portman with a "Go To Hell" look, and that he was dressed except for his shirt. "He isn't naked; he just doesn't have a shirt on."
Portman cracked up laughing and clutched his stomach. "I'm sorry, Julie. It's just that you were off in your on little world and that was the only way I could get you out of it. But it was definitely worth it. You should have seen the look on your face! Priceless!"
She grinned, "Yeah, you probably enjoyed that. But from the look you're getting from Charlie, I think you should run," she said and stood up, grabbing her clothes and walking towards the showers.
Later that day the ducks were hanging out in the entertainment room of their dorms and goofing off with each other. Julie and Connie were sitting on the couch talking and watching the guys act stupid. A couple hours later, at around ten, coach Orian walked in the room and told them to set down.
"Ok team, we have a big day tomorrow, so don't stay up to much longer. I'm going to let you sleep in a couple hours than normal, but that doesn't mean you can stay up all night. You need your sleep. You can stay up for another hour, but not much longer. When you get up tomorrow we are going to have a light practice, come back here get are stuff ready and get on the buss. The ride well be about two or three hours long, which will be a good time to rest and relax. I'll tell you a little more about the plans after we get there on the buss. Don't stay up much longer, and I'll see you tomorrow." He told them smiled and waved at them and then turned around and left.
The team all said good bye to him and waved and most of them got back to what they had been doing before Orian had come. Connie had decided to go talk to Guy leaving Julie to sit on the couch by herself. But she didn't mind cause she was thinking about the game tomorrow. She was so intent on thinking about the game that she didn't realize that Charlie had come up and set down next to her, until he spoke.
"Hey Julie, you okay?" He asked her.
"WHA?" She jumped, and looked at him with large eyes, "Oh hey Charlie, what did you say?"
He laughed, "Good to see you to Julie," He said sarcastically but good naturally, "I asked if you are ok?"
"Sorry Charlie, I just didn't know you were there and you scared me that's all." She said, feeling bad about the way she greeted him, "and yea I'm ok, just thinking about the game tomorrow."
Charlie nodded his head in understandment and wrapped an arm around her. "You nervous?"
"Yea, I'm kindof depressed to." She said softly.
"Why?" He asked gently.
"Because the one thing my mother wanted, besides to see us together, was to get to see me play in another championship. I realized a couple days ago, that she isn't going to see me in the game." She said looking down at her hands.
He gave her a sympathetic look and pulled her closer to him. She laid her head on his shoulder, but she didn't cry. She didn't want to cry, not then, she just wanted to be held by Charlie. He held her kissing her head every once in a while and rubbing her arm with his hand.
After a while Charlie pushed her back a little bit and looked into her eyes. "Think about it this way Jules, she may not be here to see it in life, but she is watching you up there. So she well be with you throughout the whole game tomorrow." He told her.
She looked at him for a second thinking about what he had just said and gave him a weak smile. "Your right, she may not be here in life, but she is watching me up there, and is here with me in my heart."
"You think you'll be ok thinking about it like that?" He asked her reaching up and brushing some of her hair out of her face.
"Yea, I think so. I mean I still wish she was here, but I know that she isn't, and I have to come to terms with the fact that she isn't alive anymore and isn't going to be here for me when I need to talk to her. But thinking about it like that, that she is with me in my heart, makes it a little better." She said.
He smiled at her, "That's my girl." He said and pulled her into a hug. She hugged him back and cuddled into his chest.
He smiled and pulled her into his lap and held her for a little while. A few minutes later, he felt Julie yawn against his chest. He pulled her back once again and looked at her.
"You tired baby?" He asked her softly.
"No." She said.
"Julie" Charlie said a little sternly.,
"Yea, a little." She said.
"That's what I thought." He said smiling at her. "Why don't you go on and go to bed?"
"No, I don't want to." She said stubbornly.
"Julie." He said once again and gave her a warning look. "You need to go and try get some sleep. I know how you are before big games, you get stressed out the day before and cant sleep. If you go now maybe you can get a little sleep." He told her.
She whimpered but knew that he was right. "Ok."
"That's a girl. And don't worry about it, we're all going to be going soon anyways." He told her.
"Ok." She said, but didn't bother to get up.
"Julie, are you going to go to bed?" He asked her cocking his eyebrow at her.
"Why now? You just said that the rest of you would be going soon, so I thought that I would wait." She said.
"Julie, your tired, you need to go to bed." He told her.
"But I don't want to, I want to wait tell you are Connie goes, so that I have someone to walk with." She wined.
Charlie sighed, she was working him and he knew it.
"Ok I'm tired anyways. Lets go say goodbye to the team and go on, I'll walk with you." He said.
She grinned, "Ok."
They got up and walked over to the team. "Hey guys Julie is going to go to bed, and I'm going to walk her to her room and then go myself."
"Ok, we're all going pretty soon to." Adam said.
Charlie nodded, "Ok see you tomorrow."
"Night." They all said.
"Charlie and Julie sitting in a tree k i s s i n g. First comes love, than comes marriage, than comes Charlie with a...."Averman started singing but was interrupted when Julie walked over to him and knocked him on the floor. She then bent down and looked him straight in the eyes.
"If you even think about finishing that, or think about singing that again, about anyone, you will not get a chance to come with a baby carriage. Is that clear?" She informed him.
His eyes got huge and he started nodding, "Yes Julie that is perrrrfictly clear."
She growled and slapped him upside his head. "You just couldn't resist yourself could you? But I'm glad that you understand." she said standing up and walking out the room.
Charlie laughed along with the rest of the team, waved and walked out the door. He cought up with Julie who still seemed to be pissed off and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"That was good Julie." He said smiling at her.
"Thanks. I hate that song, always have. It just gets on my nerves." She said.
"Yea, it is obnoxious, but then again so is Averman." He said and Julie cracked up laughing.
They walked the rest of the way in happy silence and their arms around each other. When they got to her room he bent down and kissed her softly on the check. (remember their taking it slowly.)
"Get some sleep Angel and try not to stress out to much, so that you can get some sleep ok?" He told her.
"I'll try." She said smiling at him.
"Ok, if you need me call me ok?" He asked.
"Ok." She said and stepped forward and hugged him
He hugged her back for a couple minutes and then pulled back and once again kissed her.
"Night Angel." He said.
"Night Teddy." She said smiling, happy that she had a nickname for him now.
She walked into his room and he went on to his, to get ready and go to bed.
The next day at around nine o'clock in the morning, Julie woke up to Connie calling her name. She set up and looked around, trying to wake up. finally she was able to see straight and she got up and went to the bathroom.
"Connie?" She called when she came back into the room.
"Yea?" Connie answered poking her head out of her closet.
"What time do we have practice?" Julie asked.
"Um 10. But it isn't really going to be a practice, we're just going to skate around a little bit." Connie told her, "Why?"
"Just wondering." She said
She then started getting ready, packing her bag for the game and getting her equipment bag ready. After that she got dressed in some sweats and put her hair in the normal two braids that everyone was use to her wearing. By the time she got done it was time for them to go meet the rest of the ducks and go to practice.
They both grabbed their bags and walked out the door, hey walked out of the dorm building and towards the skating rink where they meet up with the guys. Connie went to Guy and Julie went to Charlie. "Hey you." Charlie said hugging her, "How'd you sleep? Did you get any sleep?" he aske her worriedly.
"Yea, I actually did. I have a feeling that may come back and bite me in the butt. Because usually when I don't stress out about it the day before, its worse the day of." She told him.
"Well at least you go some sleep, right?" He told her and she nodded. "as for stressing out, you'll be among the best of us."
She giggled and hugged him again, "Thanks Charlie."
"No problem Angel." He said smiling at her. He then noticed something about her hair.
"Hey! Your wearing your traditional Cat lady braids." He said.
"Yea, I was sick of wearing it in ponytails all the time and having to redo them every two hours. Besides its more convertible under the helmet." She said and then got a far off look on her face. "When i started playing, my mom told me that wearing my hair in braids would be more convertible under the helmet, and they would be easier to work with and keep. When I was about eleven she told me that she was going to teach me how to do it my self, and she did. She had to help me a little bit for a while, but soon I got it down pretty good. I've worn my hair like that ever since. Except for the last couple months."
"Well I'm glad that you have gone back to wearing your hair like that. I have always liked it in braids." He told her and she smiled. "How have you been doing? Do you need to talk to my mom or someone?"
She looked at him and smiled, "I've been doing ok. I think. I mean there are times when I still pick up the phone to call her... and then remember she isn't going to be there....I'm 15 for gods sake Charlie, I need my Momma. There are so many things that I need to know, and can't ask her.." She told him with a tear running down her check, "You don't know this but when we got back, your mom called me the next day and told me that if in the future I needed to talk about something, to not even hesitate to call her. She told me that she would be happy to talk to me, about anything. A couple weeks later, something happened, and I went to call my mom, remembered she wasn't there and called yours. She talked to me for about two hours, and told me she was glad I had called her. I thanked her told her she had made me feel a lot better, and told her that I would probably need her again. She told me that was fine, and to tell you she loved you. I think I did. Anyways since then I've called her a few more times. You have a great mom Charlie." She told him.
"Yea I know I do. I'm glad she told you that and that you have taken her up on that. I've been worried about you." He said reaching up and whipping a tear off her face.
"Really?" She asked.
"Yep, I have, because you really haven't been acting yourself. I'm not surprised about that because I wouldn't be myself either if something happened to my mom. But I've been worried about you all the same. Now I'm seeing the old Julie is slowly coming back." He told her and she smiled.
Before she could say anything Coach Orian came looking for them. "Hey you two, everything alright?" He asked.
"Yea coach, I was just asking Julie how she has been doing." Charlie explained to him and walked up to him, "We've been kindof busy in school, and getting ready for this game that I haven't gotten to talk to her much. And when we do we talk about school, or hockey, or going to see a movie."
"Ahh, ok, it's all cool, just wanted to make sure you two were alright." Orian told him and Charlie nodded.
"We were about to come in and get dressed." Charlie said, "We're not in trouble are we?"
"No your not in trouble. Just wanted to know where you were." He told Charlie, "I'm going to leave you alone now, come in when you're done."
"Ok." Charlie said and walked back over to Julie.
"We're not in trouble are we?" Julie asked as he got back to her.
"No he just wanted to make sure you were ok." He told her.
"Oh ok." She said.
He smiled and kissed her on the cheek, "Ready to go practice?"
"Yea." She said and smiled at him.
"Cool let's go." He said and grabbed her hand and led her into the building and into the locker room.
They separated from each other, changed into their gear and walked together to the ice. When they got there, Orian smiled at them, but didn't say anything to them. However when Averman saw them he got an evil grin on his face and skated towards them. Julie saw him and knowing that he was about to say something to them glared at him.
"Averman before you even ask, or better yet, make assumptions, Charlie was simply asking me if I was ok, that is it. We haven't gotten to talk much and he has been worried about me. That is the truth, and if you even think about saying something degrading about me, I meant what I said yesterday, and if you don't believe me about my story ask coach." She said, and preceded to skate off. "WOW!!! Bitchy much?" Averman said in what he thought was a voice under his breath. Julie and Charlie preceded to at the same time charge him. They got to him at the same time and knocked him down and across the ice. However with the momentum that Julie had combined with all of her equipment on fell when she hit Averman and went scooted across with him, and they both hit the boards. (they had been in the middle of the rink)
"OWW!! SON OF A B....!!!" Julie started but got interrupted when Averman pushed her of off of him and got up, and skated off. "DON"T help me or anything bastard." She yelled him.
Charlie skated over to her and picked her up, "You ok Jules?" He asked her.
"Yea. Just pissed." She said. "Thanks for helping me."
"No problem. And don't worry about Averman, Coach is talking to him." He told her.
"I'm not worried about him. But if I were you, I would be worried about him, if he comes near me again today." She told him with a glare on her face.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to let him get near you, and if I interpret your big brothers look he isn't going to either." He told her hoping she would grin but she didn't. "Come on Jules let go back to practice."
She nodded and put her helmet back on, and got between the pipes. Charlie sighed, her nerves were starting to show up. *I just hope nothing else happens the rest of practice* he said to himself. Fortunately enough, nothing did, until the got on the buss.
***On the buss***
The team didn't know it but Orian had decided that since the drive was going to be several hours long that he would treat them with a charter buss so that they could spread out. The only thing he didn't count on was how cranky the buss driver was going to be, and that he was going to make the kids sit together and choose who they were going to sit with.
The team was standing outside their dorms, with Orian, for their buss to get there. He had just told them about the charter buss and they were all talking about it, when it got there.
When the buss stopped the driver came out and stood infront of them. Orian cleared his throat to get their attention.
"Thank you sir." The driver said.
"Your welcome." Orian said.
"Ok, I want you to listen to me, and listen god. I don't like kids, and I really don't like listening to them. So what I'm going to do is put each one of you in a seat, by your self, then I'm going to separate you with a row in between. That way you will not be able to talk. Is that clear?" The driver told them.
The way that he had said that none of them dared to argue with them, so they all nodded. Except for Orian.
"Now listen here, I'm the one that tells them wear to set, not you." He argued. "Plus they have a right to talk and hangout together, they are going to a National Championship."
"I don't care what they are going to, i don't care if you think they should get to talk and hang out on the ride. Because i don't give a shit about them, I'm only doing this to get the money. But if you don't do this I'm going to get back in the bus and leave and you wont have a bus." The driver snapped back.
"No I won't do it your way because these kids have worked very hard to get the to top. Some of them have gone through hell this year and yet they have still continued to play." Orian started, "Every one of them have the right to be able to sit next to their friends and talk about this game. Some are extremely nervous and if they are separated like you want them to be they will just get worse. So if you continue to insist that they be seated your way I will call your boss and ask for a new driver. We have time to wait, if that is what I have to do. Is that clear?"
"Yes, it's perfectly clear." The driver spat out.
"Your going to let the sit where they want to, with who they want to and decide on whether or not they want to talk, correct?" Orian asked
"I don't like it but yes, I will." He snapped.
"Good then I think we're set to get started." Orian said to him, and then turned to the team, "All right guys get on. You can sit wear you want and with who you want."
"Yea!!!!!!" they all shouted happy to be able to get started finally.
They put all of their bags in the compartments on the outside of the bus and then got on the buss. Julie was one of the first to get on and she quickly went to her usual spot on all busses, the middle, and away from the driver. She set down in the set next to the window and looked out the window while she waited for the rest of the team to get on.
She was so involved in looking out the window and thinking about the game, that she didn't hear Connie come up and set down next to her.
"Julie?" Connie said softly so as not to scare her.
Julie still jumped a lttle and then looked over at Connie, "Yea?"
"You ok?" Connie asked her. "Yea, why wouldn't I be?" Julie asked.
No reason, you just seemed kindof distant." Connie told her.
"I'm ok, just nervous about the game." Julie said to her.
"Yea, so am I." Connie said, "I'm going to go sit with Guy, unless you want me to wait tell Charlie gets here."
"No that's ok, you don't have to wait." Julie told her, "thanks for asking thought."
"No problem Jules. If you want to talk to me, about anything, I'll be with Guy. We can just kick him out of the set and talk." Connie told her and she laughed.
"Ok, I'll remember that." Julie said.
"Good." Connie said, "Talk to you in a little bit."
"Ok, bye." Julie said and went back to looking out the window.
Connie smiled and walked back to wear she and Guy were sitting and set down.
"She ok?" Guy asked her as she set down next to him.
"Yea, she's just nervous." Connie told him.
"Yea, I think most of us are." Guy said.
"Yea, but I thinks she is a little depressed to." Connie said, and then continued when she saw the look on his face, "She told me the other day that besides her and Charlie getting together, the next thing she really wanted to see was Julie take her team to another championship."
"Oh, yea I guess this is kindof a sobering day for her." Guy said.
"Yea." Connie said, looking at Julie looking out side.
She watched as Charlie came on the buss and started looking for Julie and as soon as he found her walk over to her and sit down. He then said something and she looked at him and nodded. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her.
Connie smiled, "But she's going to be ok. She'll get throw today, and have a lot of fun."
"How do you know?" Guy asked.
"Cause she has Charlie." She told him.
Ok well I realized that if I wrote this as one chapter it would be way to long, so I decided to split it up into two parts. The next part will be the game and afterwards. It will also be the ending. Hope you enjoy, and please review.
Epilogue
Part 1
Ok people, here is the last chapter for this story. I can't believe it is already finished. It doesn't seem like it should be done. But I have other stories that I can work on. This chapter is going to be a lot happier that the rest of the story. I hope you enjoy, and please review after you read.
*Responses to Reviews*
C-Chan: I'm glad you are back to being happy with ff.net now. It is a great thing that you are back from being pissed. It means you can post your chapters, and I can send you my chapters to edit. I'm glad you had so much fun in NY and like Phantom. That means when I get the soundtrack for my car we can go around driving and singing to it. J I have the thing memorized. The sad thing is that now that I am going to this class on Sundays, if we spend the night together it is going to have to be on Fridays. Or we well just have to come over in the morning on Saturdays and spend the whole day together. Anyways, we can figure that out later, can you believe that this is the last chapter? *sighs* Oh well. I have other things to write on. Anyways, I guess I'll go on and start the chapter. Thanks for reviewing, TWICE. Enjoy the chapter.
Okay now that my one reviewer has been responded to, I'll start the chapter. I know that you guys are probably busy, I understand, but please review and tell me what you think about this. I really would like some reviews because this is the end of this story and I want to know what y'all thought about it. Enjoy, and talk to you soon.
As the weeks came and went, Julie had good and bad days, but was never alone. Charlie or one of the other Ducks was always with her. Anytime she needed them, they would be there; and when she wanted to be alone, they would nod and respect her wishes.
She was having a little trouble with her schoolwork as well; especially when she first got back home. She would be doing it, but then she would start to think about her mom and space off. She would end up falling asleep and not getting it done. She didn't tell anyone about if for a couple weeks because she didn't want them to worry about her any more than they already were.
However, after a couple weeks, Charlie found out from one of her friends and asked her about it. She told him the truth. She told him that she hadn't wanted them to know because she didn't want them to fall back either. He told her that there was no reason for her to fall back, because the team always did there homework together; that they could help each other, and that they had been wanting her to come with them. She agreed, and he smiled, reminding her when it usually started.
They had been getting closer and closer through the weeks after her mom died. There were several nights that Connie had run to his room to get him because Julie had had a nightmare about her mom and had been asking for him. They had talked about their relationship in more detail and had decided to go ahead and make it official, yet they were going to take the relationship slowly. The Ducks had noticed that she seemed happier after they talked about it; happier then she had been since the accident, and possible since before the accident.
Along with her doing better, solving her problems in school, and her and Charlie deciding to get together, she and the Ducks had made it to the playoffs. In fact, they had made if through the playoffs and were currently getting ready to go to the Championship. The whole team was extremely excited about it and nervous, and Julie was no exemption to that.
When she first came back, Coach Orion had told her that if she didn't want to play in the next game that he understood. She immediately told him that she was not going to miss a game, and that her mother wouldn't want that to happen. He had simply nodded and walked off. She had been playing ever since, with no hesitation.
When they had won the last playoff game that would send them to the championship, she had been ecstatic. As the game approached, the team got more and more excited and nervous, especially for Julie. It was becoming harder for her because it was hitting her that the one thing, besides her and Charlie getting together, that her mother wanted was to see her lead her team once again to the championships. In fact, it occupied her mind even as she sat in the locker room after practice, the day before the game.
Julie was sitting at her locker, still in her gear, staring off into space. Portman walked in, dressed in normal cloths and looked at her.
"Hey Julie, you okay?" he asked, sitting down next to her. When he didn't get a response, he waved his hand in front of her face.
"Julie, oh Julie?" he said, "You in there?"
When he still didn't get a response, he sighed and looked around for a minute. When he saw Charlie looking for his shirt, he got an evil idea; but he knew that it would work.
"Hey Julie...Charlie lost his clothes and is walking around the locker room naked. Do you know where his cloths are?" he asked as seriously as he could.
That worked.
She looked at him with her eyes huge, "WHAT?" She then looked over at Charlie and saw that he was staring at Portman with a "Go To Hell" look, and that he was dressed except for his shirt. "He isn't naked; he just doesn't have a shirt on."
Portman cracked up laughing and clutched his stomach. "I'm sorry, Julie. It's just that you were off in your on little world and that was the only way I could get you out of it. But it was definitely worth it. You should have seen the look on your face! Priceless!"
She grinned, "Yeah, you probably enjoyed that. But from the look you're getting from Charlie, I think you should run," she said and stood up, grabbing her clothes and walking towards the showers.
Later that day the ducks were hanging out in the entertainment room of their dorms and goofing off with each other. Julie and Connie were sitting on the couch talking and watching the guys act stupid. A couple hours later, at around ten, coach Orian walked in the room and told them to set down.
"Ok team, we have a big day tomorrow, so don't stay up to much longer. I'm going to let you sleep in a couple hours than normal, but that doesn't mean you can stay up all night. You need your sleep. You can stay up for another hour, but not much longer. When you get up tomorrow we are going to have a light practice, come back here get are stuff ready and get on the buss. The ride well be about two or three hours long, which will be a good time to rest and relax. I'll tell you a little more about the plans after we get there on the buss. Don't stay up much longer, and I'll see you tomorrow." He told them smiled and waved at them and then turned around and left.
The team all said good bye to him and waved and most of them got back to what they had been doing before Orian had come. Connie had decided to go talk to Guy leaving Julie to sit on the couch by herself. But she didn't mind cause she was thinking about the game tomorrow. She was so intent on thinking about the game that she didn't realize that Charlie had come up and set down next to her, until he spoke.
"Hey Julie, you okay?" He asked her.
"WHA?" She jumped, and looked at him with large eyes, "Oh hey Charlie, what did you say?"
He laughed, "Good to see you to Julie," He said sarcastically but good naturally, "I asked if you are ok?"
"Sorry Charlie, I just didn't know you were there and you scared me that's all." She said, feeling bad about the way she greeted him, "and yea I'm ok, just thinking about the game tomorrow."
Charlie nodded his head in understandment and wrapped an arm around her. "You nervous?"
"Yea, I'm kindof depressed to." She said softly.
"Why?" He asked gently.
"Because the one thing my mother wanted, besides to see us together, was to get to see me play in another championship. I realized a couple days ago, that she isn't going to see me in the game." She said looking down at her hands.
He gave her a sympathetic look and pulled her closer to him. She laid her head on his shoulder, but she didn't cry. She didn't want to cry, not then, she just wanted to be held by Charlie. He held her kissing her head every once in a while and rubbing her arm with his hand.
After a while Charlie pushed her back a little bit and looked into her eyes. "Think about it this way Jules, she may not be here to see it in life, but she is watching you up there. So she well be with you throughout the whole game tomorrow." He told her.
She looked at him for a second thinking about what he had just said and gave him a weak smile. "Your right, she may not be here in life, but she is watching me up there, and is here with me in my heart."
"You think you'll be ok thinking about it like that?" He asked her reaching up and brushing some of her hair out of her face.
"Yea, I think so. I mean I still wish she was here, but I know that she isn't, and I have to come to terms with the fact that she isn't alive anymore and isn't going to be here for me when I need to talk to her. But thinking about it like that, that she is with me in my heart, makes it a little better." She said.
He smiled at her, "That's my girl." He said and pulled her into a hug. She hugged him back and cuddled into his chest.
He smiled and pulled her into his lap and held her for a little while. A few minutes later, he felt Julie yawn against his chest. He pulled her back once again and looked at her.
"You tired baby?" He asked her softly.
"No." She said.
"Julie" Charlie said a little sternly.,
"Yea, a little." She said.
"That's what I thought." He said smiling at her. "Why don't you go on and go to bed?"
"No, I don't want to." She said stubbornly.
"Julie." He said once again and gave her a warning look. "You need to go and try get some sleep. I know how you are before big games, you get stressed out the day before and cant sleep. If you go now maybe you can get a little sleep." He told her.
She whimpered but knew that he was right. "Ok."
"That's a girl. And don't worry about it, we're all going to be going soon anyways." He told her.
"Ok." She said, but didn't bother to get up.
"Julie, are you going to go to bed?" He asked her cocking his eyebrow at her.
"Why now? You just said that the rest of you would be going soon, so I thought that I would wait." She said.
"Julie, your tired, you need to go to bed." He told her.
"But I don't want to, I want to wait tell you are Connie goes, so that I have someone to walk with." She wined.
Charlie sighed, she was working him and he knew it.
"Ok I'm tired anyways. Lets go say goodbye to the team and go on, I'll walk with you." He said.
She grinned, "Ok."
They got up and walked over to the team. "Hey guys Julie is going to go to bed, and I'm going to walk her to her room and then go myself."
"Ok, we're all going pretty soon to." Adam said.
Charlie nodded, "Ok see you tomorrow."
"Night." They all said.
"Charlie and Julie sitting in a tree k i s s i n g. First comes love, than comes marriage, than comes Charlie with a...."Averman started singing but was interrupted when Julie walked over to him and knocked him on the floor. She then bent down and looked him straight in the eyes.
"If you even think about finishing that, or think about singing that again, about anyone, you will not get a chance to come with a baby carriage. Is that clear?" She informed him.
His eyes got huge and he started nodding, "Yes Julie that is perrrrfictly clear."
She growled and slapped him upside his head. "You just couldn't resist yourself could you? But I'm glad that you understand." she said standing up and walking out the room.
Charlie laughed along with the rest of the team, waved and walked out the door. He cought up with Julie who still seemed to be pissed off and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"That was good Julie." He said smiling at her.
"Thanks. I hate that song, always have. It just gets on my nerves." She said.
"Yea, it is obnoxious, but then again so is Averman." He said and Julie cracked up laughing.
They walked the rest of the way in happy silence and their arms around each other. When they got to her room he bent down and kissed her softly on the check. (remember their taking it slowly.)
"Get some sleep Angel and try not to stress out to much, so that you can get some sleep ok?" He told her.
"I'll try." She said smiling at him.
"Ok, if you need me call me ok?" He asked.
"Ok." She said and stepped forward and hugged him
He hugged her back for a couple minutes and then pulled back and once again kissed her.
"Night Angel." He said.
"Night Teddy." She said smiling, happy that she had a nickname for him now.
She walked into his room and he went on to his, to get ready and go to bed.
The next day at around nine o'clock in the morning, Julie woke up to Connie calling her name. She set up and looked around, trying to wake up. finally she was able to see straight and she got up and went to the bathroom.
"Connie?" She called when she came back into the room.
"Yea?" Connie answered poking her head out of her closet.
"What time do we have practice?" Julie asked.
"Um 10. But it isn't really going to be a practice, we're just going to skate around a little bit." Connie told her, "Why?"
"Just wondering." She said
She then started getting ready, packing her bag for the game and getting her equipment bag ready. After that she got dressed in some sweats and put her hair in the normal two braids that everyone was use to her wearing. By the time she got done it was time for them to go meet the rest of the ducks and go to practice.
They both grabbed their bags and walked out the door, hey walked out of the dorm building and towards the skating rink where they meet up with the guys. Connie went to Guy and Julie went to Charlie. "Hey you." Charlie said hugging her, "How'd you sleep? Did you get any sleep?" he aske her worriedly.
"Yea, I actually did. I have a feeling that may come back and bite me in the butt. Because usually when I don't stress out about it the day before, its worse the day of." She told him.
"Well at least you go some sleep, right?" He told her and she nodded. "as for stressing out, you'll be among the best of us."
She giggled and hugged him again, "Thanks Charlie."
"No problem Angel." He said smiling at her. He then noticed something about her hair.
"Hey! Your wearing your traditional Cat lady braids." He said.
"Yea, I was sick of wearing it in ponytails all the time and having to redo them every two hours. Besides its more convertible under the helmet." She said and then got a far off look on her face. "When i started playing, my mom told me that wearing my hair in braids would be more convertible under the helmet, and they would be easier to work with and keep. When I was about eleven she told me that she was going to teach me how to do it my self, and she did. She had to help me a little bit for a while, but soon I got it down pretty good. I've worn my hair like that ever since. Except for the last couple months."
"Well I'm glad that you have gone back to wearing your hair like that. I have always liked it in braids." He told her and she smiled. "How have you been doing? Do you need to talk to my mom or someone?"
She looked at him and smiled, "I've been doing ok. I think. I mean there are times when I still pick up the phone to call her... and then remember she isn't going to be there....I'm 15 for gods sake Charlie, I need my Momma. There are so many things that I need to know, and can't ask her.." She told him with a tear running down her check, "You don't know this but when we got back, your mom called me the next day and told me that if in the future I needed to talk about something, to not even hesitate to call her. She told me that she would be happy to talk to me, about anything. A couple weeks later, something happened, and I went to call my mom, remembered she wasn't there and called yours. She talked to me for about two hours, and told me she was glad I had called her. I thanked her told her she had made me feel a lot better, and told her that I would probably need her again. She told me that was fine, and to tell you she loved you. I think I did. Anyways since then I've called her a few more times. You have a great mom Charlie." She told him.
"Yea I know I do. I'm glad she told you that and that you have taken her up on that. I've been worried about you." He said reaching up and whipping a tear off her face.
"Really?" She asked.
"Yep, I have, because you really haven't been acting yourself. I'm not surprised about that because I wouldn't be myself either if something happened to my mom. But I've been worried about you all the same. Now I'm seeing the old Julie is slowly coming back." He told her and she smiled.
Before she could say anything Coach Orian came looking for them. "Hey you two, everything alright?" He asked.
"Yea coach, I was just asking Julie how she has been doing." Charlie explained to him and walked up to him, "We've been kindof busy in school, and getting ready for this game that I haven't gotten to talk to her much. And when we do we talk about school, or hockey, or going to see a movie."
"Ahh, ok, it's all cool, just wanted to make sure you two were alright." Orian told him and Charlie nodded.
"We were about to come in and get dressed." Charlie said, "We're not in trouble are we?"
"No your not in trouble. Just wanted to know where you were." He told Charlie, "I'm going to leave you alone now, come in when you're done."
"Ok." Charlie said and walked back over to Julie.
"We're not in trouble are we?" Julie asked as he got back to her.
"No he just wanted to make sure you were ok." He told her.
"Oh ok." She said.
He smiled and kissed her on the cheek, "Ready to go practice?"
"Yea." She said and smiled at him.
"Cool let's go." He said and grabbed her hand and led her into the building and into the locker room.
They separated from each other, changed into their gear and walked together to the ice. When they got there, Orian smiled at them, but didn't say anything to them. However when Averman saw them he got an evil grin on his face and skated towards them. Julie saw him and knowing that he was about to say something to them glared at him.
"Averman before you even ask, or better yet, make assumptions, Charlie was simply asking me if I was ok, that is it. We haven't gotten to talk much and he has been worried about me. That is the truth, and if you even think about saying something degrading about me, I meant what I said yesterday, and if you don't believe me about my story ask coach." She said, and preceded to skate off. "WOW!!! Bitchy much?" Averman said in what he thought was a voice under his breath. Julie and Charlie preceded to at the same time charge him. They got to him at the same time and knocked him down and across the ice. However with the momentum that Julie had combined with all of her equipment on fell when she hit Averman and went scooted across with him, and they both hit the boards. (they had been in the middle of the rink)
"OWW!! SON OF A B....!!!" Julie started but got interrupted when Averman pushed her of off of him and got up, and skated off. "DON"T help me or anything bastard." She yelled him.
Charlie skated over to her and picked her up, "You ok Jules?" He asked her.
"Yea. Just pissed." She said. "Thanks for helping me."
"No problem. And don't worry about Averman, Coach is talking to him." He told her.
"I'm not worried about him. But if I were you, I would be worried about him, if he comes near me again today." She told him with a glare on her face.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to let him get near you, and if I interpret your big brothers look he isn't going to either." He told her hoping she would grin but she didn't. "Come on Jules let go back to practice."
She nodded and put her helmet back on, and got between the pipes. Charlie sighed, her nerves were starting to show up. *I just hope nothing else happens the rest of practice* he said to himself. Fortunately enough, nothing did, until the got on the buss.
***On the buss***
The team didn't know it but Orian had decided that since the drive was going to be several hours long that he would treat them with a charter buss so that they could spread out. The only thing he didn't count on was how cranky the buss driver was going to be, and that he was going to make the kids sit together and choose who they were going to sit with.
The team was standing outside their dorms, with Orian, for their buss to get there. He had just told them about the charter buss and they were all talking about it, when it got there.
When the buss stopped the driver came out and stood infront of them. Orian cleared his throat to get their attention.
"Thank you sir." The driver said.
"Your welcome." Orian said.
"Ok, I want you to listen to me, and listen god. I don't like kids, and I really don't like listening to them. So what I'm going to do is put each one of you in a seat, by your self, then I'm going to separate you with a row in between. That way you will not be able to talk. Is that clear?" The driver told them.
The way that he had said that none of them dared to argue with them, so they all nodded. Except for Orian.
"Now listen here, I'm the one that tells them wear to set, not you." He argued. "Plus they have a right to talk and hangout together, they are going to a National Championship."
"I don't care what they are going to, i don't care if you think they should get to talk and hang out on the ride. Because i don't give a shit about them, I'm only doing this to get the money. But if you don't do this I'm going to get back in the bus and leave and you wont have a bus." The driver snapped back.
"No I won't do it your way because these kids have worked very hard to get the to top. Some of them have gone through hell this year and yet they have still continued to play." Orian started, "Every one of them have the right to be able to sit next to their friends and talk about this game. Some are extremely nervous and if they are separated like you want them to be they will just get worse. So if you continue to insist that they be seated your way I will call your boss and ask for a new driver. We have time to wait, if that is what I have to do. Is that clear?"
"Yes, it's perfectly clear." The driver spat out.
"Your going to let the sit where they want to, with who they want to and decide on whether or not they want to talk, correct?" Orian asked
"I don't like it but yes, I will." He snapped.
"Good then I think we're set to get started." Orian said to him, and then turned to the team, "All right guys get on. You can sit wear you want and with who you want."
"Yea!!!!!!" they all shouted happy to be able to get started finally.
They put all of their bags in the compartments on the outside of the bus and then got on the buss. Julie was one of the first to get on and she quickly went to her usual spot on all busses, the middle, and away from the driver. She set down in the set next to the window and looked out the window while she waited for the rest of the team to get on.
She was so involved in looking out the window and thinking about the game, that she didn't hear Connie come up and set down next to her.
"Julie?" Connie said softly so as not to scare her.
Julie still jumped a lttle and then looked over at Connie, "Yea?"
"You ok?" Connie asked her. "Yea, why wouldn't I be?" Julie asked.
No reason, you just seemed kindof distant." Connie told her.
"I'm ok, just nervous about the game." Julie said to her.
"Yea, so am I." Connie said, "I'm going to go sit with Guy, unless you want me to wait tell Charlie gets here."
"No that's ok, you don't have to wait." Julie told her, "thanks for asking thought."
"No problem Jules. If you want to talk to me, about anything, I'll be with Guy. We can just kick him out of the set and talk." Connie told her and she laughed.
"Ok, I'll remember that." Julie said.
"Good." Connie said, "Talk to you in a little bit."
"Ok, bye." Julie said and went back to looking out the window.
Connie smiled and walked back to wear she and Guy were sitting and set down.
"She ok?" Guy asked her as she set down next to him.
"Yea, she's just nervous." Connie told him.
"Yea, I think most of us are." Guy said.
"Yea, but I thinks she is a little depressed to." Connie said, and then continued when she saw the look on his face, "She told me the other day that besides her and Charlie getting together, the next thing she really wanted to see was Julie take her team to another championship."
"Oh, yea I guess this is kindof a sobering day for her." Guy said.
"Yea." Connie said, looking at Julie looking out side.
She watched as Charlie came on the buss and started looking for Julie and as soon as he found her walk over to her and sit down. He then said something and she looked at him and nodded. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her.
Connie smiled, "But she's going to be ok. She'll get throw today, and have a lot of fun."
"How do you know?" Guy asked.
"Cause she has Charlie." She told him.
Ok well I realized that if I wrote this as one chapter it would be way to long, so I decided to split it up into two parts. The next part will be the game and afterwards. It will also be the ending. Hope you enjoy, and please review.