SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Myrle 16: Thanks. I understand, I'm fond of them myself. I'm glad you're able to enjoy it regardless.

Thugalet: Glad I could help. Okey-dokey.

DISCLAIMER

Belongs to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own the plot.

Minutes later, Casey and Emily were showing Lucas around town. They pointed out an ice cream shop, a couple of sports stores, a gas station, and some banks, among other things.

"Wow. It's pretty cool," Lucas noted.

"Oh, I don't know. They don't have a local ice rink," Casey said.

"Well, that's lame," Lucas commented.

"Exactly," Casey stated. Emily looked at them.

"What do you care about an ice rink for, Case? I've never even see you skate," she said in confusion.

"Doesn't mean I don't do it," came the response. Emily fell silent. She supposed that was true. After they had seen everything, they headed back.

"So, uh---" Lucas started to say.

"Emily," Emily supplied.

"Emily," Lucas repeated. "How'd you and Casey meet?"

"We met on her first day of school after her mom got married to Derek's dad," Emily answered.

"He seems to be pretty dedicated to hockey," Lucas said casually. Casey kept quiet, recognizing that Lucas was doing his own recon of Derek.

"Oh, he is. It's like---his whole life," Emily replied. Casey looked at Lucas. I know how that feels, she thought. As if he could read what she was thinking, the boy grabbed her wrist and rubbed it sympathetically. Meanwhile, Adam and Charlie were talking to Coach Greg Walters about Sam and Derek, as well as other members of the team.

"Sam's a good player and he has the good grades, but Derek wants it more, even though his grades go up and down, and…" Charlie and Adam listened Coach Walters verbally reviewed the team as they perused game stills and tapes. The two co-coaches looked at each other. What they were hearing was interesting, and it gave them a lot to consider.

"Okay, here's the big question: if you were in charge of the Junior Good Will Games and could only pick one player to join, who would it be?" Adam asked.

"Oh, that's easy. I'd pick him," Coach Walters replied, pointing to a picture.

"Do you have his address?" Charlie questioned. The man wrote it on a piece of paper and handed it to him.

"Okay, then. Thank you," Adam said, and the two walked out. Back in town, Emily followed Casey and Lucas who had begun to reminisce about old times.

"Hey, you remember when both Coach B and C got sick and we had that sub?" Lucas asked.

"Yes! I also remember you convincing him that lobster and ice cream were part of the team's diet," Casey recalled. They laughed.

"But that doesn't compare to the Zamboni machine stunt you pulled!" he stated. They laughed harder.

"The look on his face! I thought he was gonna croak!" Casey chuckled.

"He nearly did, remember? He started yelling and everything!"

"Oh, yeah! That's right! His face had started to turn this weird shade of purple and he started gasping and we were all sure he was just gonna keel over and then Leslie somehow tripped over her own feet and fell on her butt, and he started laughing!" Emily stared at the two in confusion. What was going on? Casey and Lucas were talking as if they had been on the team together, but Casey didn't play hockey…or any sport for that matter.

"Heck, she started laughing!"

"Yeah, she was such a klutz!" This went on for several minutes, mentioning various other pranks and shenanigans, and Emily found herself feeling left out. The way the two talked was almost like the two of them. Presently, Casey became aware of how quiet her friend was being.

"Oh, my gosh! I'm sorry, Emily! I didn't mean to leave you out!" she exclaimed.

"That's okay. You were catching up with an old friend," Emily responded. Then, "But I have to say, I've never seen you so excited about hockey…not even when you were dating Sam."

"You dated another hockey player?" Lucas asked, feeling hurt. She broke up with me because she couldn't play hockey anymore and then she turns around and dates someone else who plays hockey? he wondered.

"Yeah, I thought enough time had passed where I could handle being around hockey again, and I could, but it wasn't the same. I mean, he was a boyfriend, but he wasn't…Boyfriend," she responded. Lucas nodded.

"I guess that makes sense. I had girlfriends, but they weren't…Girlfriend," he said. Emily's brow furrowed. What were they talking about? Why were they stressing those particular words? Then, Lucas changed the subject.

"Is this the whole town?" he asked.

"Pretty much," Casey responded. Then, "You're bored, aren't you?"

"Just a little." With that, the three headed back to Casey's house.

"Hey, whose car is that?" Emily wondered, seeing a sedan.

"That's Coach Banks' car," Casey said in surprise.

"Huh. Must've made his decision," Lucas noted.

"Yeah, I guess," Casey said. They walked in to see Derek beaming radiantly.

"Congratulations, Derek. Being on Team USA is a great honor," Casey said through gritted teeth. Then, she ran upstairs.

"What---" Emily began to ask.

"I got her," Lucas answered, and then followed her. Upstairs, Casey paced in the halls. It's not fair! He always gets everything! I should be on that team! she thought angrily.

"Casey," she heard Lucas say softly. Then, with a cry of anger, she punched the wall with her fist. Then, she began to cry. Lucas came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.