Life's Full of Little Surprises
Disclaimer: I own absolutely none of the 'Mighty Duck' characters or the rights to the "Mighty Duck" franchise, that honor belongs to Disney. So I would appreciate that I wouldn't get sued over something I don't own.
Summary: Dani's life couldn't be going better. She has finally made it to the Olympics, doing the sport she loves the most. But... after arriving in Minneapolis, Minnesota things change. First she is constantly badgered by her brother, then she falls for one of his friends, and, of course, there is always a stalker!
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PrincessH- Well, Tarah isn't exactly Goldberg's girlfriend just yet... We'll just have to see where this takes him. But your right, it is cute nonetheless. I don't know why, but I have kind of a knack for writing psychos and lunatics and depressing thing... But I've never really thought that much about it to be honest. It's good that you don't really mean to get a patent and that like that people like your ideas enough to use them.
Bad Best Friend- I agree with you about Dani's personality. Actually, that was the reaction to Dani that I wanted, I like to write complex people. I must admit that I am not a fan of people that judge people before getting to know them, I know a lot of people like that and I can't stand them. As for Greg and Tarah, don't worry about it, they will not be forgotten.
Thank you Lilmonkey1507!
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All of the Ducks, minus Adam, as he had to have dinner with his parents at one of his father's business meetings, had found themselves gathered in Dean and Fulton's dorm room. Piper and Scooter was there as well and Dean couldn't help but notice that, while Scooter and Julie were sitting next to each other, they seemed to be farther apart then usual. Not only that, but Piper was sending ominous death glares Scooter's way. Terry and Jesse had come over, not wanting to lose out on any Duck business, and Tammy had also joined and found a rather comfortable spot on Fulton's lap.
Max sighed and rubbed his hands over his eyes, "So, what is the get together for next weekend. My dad is having an old Academy friend over for the day and if I stay I will explode."
Julie smiled, "Well, we wouldn't want that."
"No, not really." Max replied, shaking his head.
"How about, on Saturday, we meet up at the old pond and go from there." Charlie suggested, "If you guys don't mind waiting for about 15 minutes, I want to go with my mom to her doctors appointment." Everyone nodded in agreement about where to meet and about waiting, everyone except Goldberg.
"I can't go anywhere early on Saturday." He replied, "I'll just meet up with you guys around 3:00 or 3:30."
Everyone looked around confused, "Um... Goldie? Why?" Jesse asked.
"I have a date." Goldberg said, nonchalantly.
"You have... A what?" Dean asked.
"A. Date. On. Saturday. For. Lunch." Goldberg replied, "It's a simple concept."
"With who?" Dwayne asked.
"A girl." Goldberg said, not really wanting to get in on the subject.
"Could you be any less specific?" Fulton asked sarcastically.
Goldberg looked around uncomfortably, but figured that he didn't have a way out of the conversation, "Tarah... Tarah Oldman, if you must know."
"Tarah Oldman?" Luis asked, "Tarah from my Creative Writing class, that Tarah?" Goldberg nodded, "I never thought I'd see the day that you asked a girl out for lunch... Or anything for that matter."
Goldberg cleared his throat, "Actually, she asked me."
Everyone stared at him in stunned silence until a voice from the other side of the door snapped them back to reality, "Did you trip and fall into a puddle of stupid? I mean, did an idiot beat you until you joined his kind or something?" Dani opened the door, her back facing the room, "Ew." She shuttered and turned around, plopping next to Dean on his bed.
A person she was speaking to leaned against the door frame, "How is me dating my girlfriend worthy of the 'puddle-of-stupid' line?" The tall and slightly scrawny figure asked.
Dean gave Dani a questioning look that asked her the same question, as he brought his water bottle to his lips, and she rolled her eyes, "Ash, your dating the daughter of Joan and Jack Fischer." Dean promptly spewed all of the water in his mouth over the empty part of his bed. Dani shook her head, but continued, "If you forget, they are one of the most hated couples in Chicago."
Ash shook his head and entered the room, closing the door behind him, "Look, terrore gemellati, Silver is not anything like her parents. She's not their biggest fan, probably less of a fan then anyone." (Italian: twin terrors.).
"We find that hard to believe." Dean said.
"Realmente?" (Italian: Really?). Dani and Dean nodded. Ash smiled and pulled out his wallet and searched it. Once he found what he was looking for, he pulled whatever it was out and placed the wallet back in his pocket and threw what he pulled out over to his twin cousins.
Dani picked it up and saw that it was a picture. Dean looked over her shoulder, "Damn." He whispered. Dani rolled her eyes, this must be Silver. She was very pretty to say the least. Her heart shaped face was set off by her eyes, which were deep blue, and her hair, which was midnight black. Silver's semi-thin lips were pale and the bottom one had a ring surrounding it. Her shapely ears had three studs each and a ring in the cartilage of her left.
"Silver?" Dani asked.
Ash nodded in a semi-angry way, "She was adopted when she was 12. Plus, she's told me that she hates they way her parents treat people, particularly the less privileged of city. I thought you two hated people who judge before meeting."
Dani sighed, "He's got us there." She whispered, "By the way, everyone this is our cousin, Ash. Ash, this is everyone. Dean can finish the introductions, I have to leave." She stood and turned to Tammy, "Tams, can I raid your closet? I never thought that I'd have to say this, but I need a dress." Dean and Ash raised their eyebrows unbelievingly, "What? I have a dinner planned."
Tammy shook her head to relieve herself of her shock, "Sure."
"Thank you." Dani replied hurriedly as she ran out the door.
Ash sighed, "A guy. I know it."
Tammy stood, walked over to Dean, and slapped his as hard as possible on the arm. Dean couldn't make a noise, but looked up at Tammy with a shocked and pained expression on his face, "I blame you." Tammy said deathly calm, "It's your fault that Adam broke it off with her. They were awesome together." She sighed in a huff and flopped back on Fulton's bed with her arms crossed across her chest.
"Dani was dating Cake-eater?" Terry asked, "How did we not know this?"
"I don't want to talk about it." Dean said as he laid back on his bed.
Ash laughed, "I never thought I see the day that Sir Portman let his sister alone with another Knight."
"You and your damned Medieval obsession."
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Dani breathed deeply as she walked carefully into Radisson Plaza Hotel. Gunnar and Gala had called two days after their impromptu meeting in the top floor hallway and invited her to dinner in the Hotel restaurant. She knew that the Hotel was fancy, so she figured that she had better ask Tammy for a dress so that she could look the part. Luckily for her, Tammy's mother often sent dresses for her daughter, even though she didn't know Tammy's dress size, choosing to guess.
Even more lucky was that Dani found one that fit her and didn't look half bad. Fortunately for her it was not ridiculously pink and frilly, like most of the things that Mrs. Duncan sent Tammy, but a form-fitting red outfit made of silk. The dress was a v-neck that wrapped around her, giving the illusion that her chest was bigger then normal. Silky fabric reached to her knees and swayed like a bell as she walked... more like teetered, on two inch stiletto heels. She wouldn't have worn the heels, but she couldn't find anything else that went with the dress. Her hair had been a big issue, so she had decided to just wet it and let it dry and curl.
A hand rested on Dani's shoulder, causing her to jump, "Oh, sorry." An accent voice said.
"Gunnar." Dani replied in a relieved tone, "It's you." She added as she turned. Gunnar nodded and Dani couldn't help but notice that he looked pretty good in a pinstriped pants and a white button up.
"Gala said to wait for her in the restaurant." Gunnar replied, "She has a hard time getting ready for anything that doesn't involve a skating dress."
Dani smiled, "I know the feeling." Gunnar smiled in return, "So, should we go and get out table."
"Yes." He held out his hand towards the restaurant and Dani couldn't help but notice that he was very much a gentlemen. As they reached the door, Gunnar spoke to the usher, who nodded and told them to follow. Gunnar shifted as he walked next to Dani, "I want to apologize for my behavior a few days ago."
Dani shook her head, "There's no need. You had a right to worry about your sister. I know that my brothers would have... WOAH!" She called as her shoes slipped out from under her and she fell backwards. Quick as a whip, Gunnar stooped down and caught her before she landed on the floor, "Wow." Dani said, "Has anyone ever told you that you have great reflexes?"
"Are you okay?" Gunnar asked in a genuinely concerned voice.
"Yeah, thanks." Dani replied, "Heels and I have never really mixed." She smiled as Gunnar flawlessly helped her back to her feet so that she actually had to turn a little and her hair flipped around.
"Hi Dani." A voice said from the table that she had nearly landed in front of. Dani almost dropped her jaw as she saw Monica, Adam, Mr. and Mrs. Banks, and people who looked like business colleagues of Mr. Banks'.
"Hi." Dani replied, "Adam, you remember Gunnar, right?" She asked, although she had an edge to her voice that told Adam he had to be polite.
Adam forced a smile, "How could I forget?"
Gunnar moved shifted uncomfortably again, showing that he remembered Adam and what Olaf Sanderson had done to him, "Hello."
"Gunnar, why don't we go sit." Gunnar nodded thankfully and walked away, but Dani didn't move, "What was that?" She asked once Gunnar was out of earshot.
Adam chuckled sourly, "Dani, if you forgot, his sister is your biggest competition for the gold."
"That's why I'm trying to be nice." Dani spat back bitterly, "I understand friendly rivalry, but if it gets so out of control then it only leads to bad things happening." She sighed, "Besides, this isn't about Gala and you know it. It's about him. Just because you, the Ducks, and the Vikings got pulled into Wolf Stansson's warped world of winning doesn't mean that you can hold that against him now. It's not like it was his idea, he was just doing what he was told. People do tend to listen to their coaches in Hockey... Or have I been reading the rules wrong?"
Adam sighed, "Dani, that may be, but I don't recall Stansson telling that jerk to slam my wrist."
"And your holding Gunnar to that?" Dani asked disbelievingly, "He didn't do it!"
"That's not the point." Adam replied, "You're being completely irrational."
Dani stopped quickly, "And that is exactly what Wilson said when I broke up with him." Adam's face paled, he hadn't wanted to fight with her, much less remind her of Wilson, but they were talking about Gunnar Stahl. He thought that he had a very good point, "God." She whispered as she stalked off towards her table.
Adam threw his fork back on the table in a huff, "Jealousy is a fickle fiend." Monica taunted.
"I'll see you on Friday." He mumbled as he got out of his chair and left towards Eden Hall.
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Throwing open the door to his and Charlie's room, Adam pulled off the tie that he had been forced to wear and flopped onto bed. He banged his fists on the pillow and tried to keep in his tears. Dani hand the ability to make him blubber like a baby and he was fully convinced that she knew that she could and evilly used that power to the fullest extent.
"Welcome back, Banksie." Charlie said as he, Guy, Terry, and Jesse entered the room.
"Are you two allowed to be here?" Adam asked Jesse and Terry.
"Only if we're gone by curfew." Terry replied, "What happened to you?"
Adam shook his head, "Liar." Jesse replied, "Seriously man, what's wrong... But before you answer... How did we not know that you and Dani were dating?"
"I don't want to talk about either of those things." Adam replied.
"Okay." Guy said, "At least we know that what ever is the matter with him has to do with Dani, otherwise he wouldn't get so defensive."
"What happened, man?" Charlie asked, "You'll feel better if you talk about it."
Adam sat up and sighed, "Remember when I told you guys that some old business colleagues of my dads and his partners were coming into town and I had to go to the Radisson for dinner?" They all nodded, "Yeah, well, when I was there, Dani came in -God, she looked gorgeous- and she was having dinner with another guy."
"Dude, you broke up with her." Jesse said, "She's free game."
"That guy was Gunnar Stahl." Adam replied, getting more irritated by the minute. Charlie's jaw dropped, Jesse's eyes widened, Terry plopped onto Charlie's bed, and Guy had to lean against the wall.
"She went out on a date with Gunnar Stahl?" Guy asked.
"From what I can tell." Adam replied, "I figured that he came into town early with his sister, but I didn't see her anywhere." He sighed once again, "I'm such an idiot."
"You let the girl that you are in love with go..." Guy said, "That's pretty much the biggest form of idiocy that anyone can commit."
"Love?" Adam asked himself, "Oh, who am I kidding, I'd jump off the freaking Sears Tower to get her back."
"Maybe it wasn't a date." Jesse tried to reason, "Maybe she was just being nice. You know, trying to keep the news coverage out of the actual performances. Keep the hatred to a minimum."
"She did defend him pretty hard." Adam replied, "I have no idea what to do."
"Talking to her would be a start." Terry chimed in.
Adam chucked sourly, "She's pissed at me. She'll never want to see me again, much less talk to me."
"Give her a chance to cool down." Guy said, "If she's anything like Connie, she'll want to talk through what happened." Adam nodded sadly and laid his head back down on his pillow, "I'll see you guys tomorrow." Terry and Jesse followed and Charlie closed the door behind them.
"It'll be fine man, she still likes you... I can tell."