A/N **Blu: Okay, this truly is the end. Although...I may consider another Mighty Ducks story, haven't quite decided yet. Anyway, just want to say thanks to those of you who have stuck with me throughout this flashback adventure. I appreciate any true criticism and please that I learn from it.

Oh, if anyone is looking for a new story try out Takara Matsudaira's fanfic XD

And finally... I hope you all have a beautiful Valentine's Day!

EPILOGUE

They say time can heal all things, that it can heal broken hearts and mend fractured souls.

Julie just didn't think it applied to her. A lot happened in the year and a half since she parted ways with him. Not a day passed that she didn't remember. Not an hour went by that she didn't touch the pendant that still hung from her neck. There had been a few long distance phone calls, a dozen or so letters exchanged, but it wasn't nearly enough. The small amount of contact between them just wasn't enough and she knew she was going to have to let him go. Gunnar Stahl was going to have to fade into nothing but a bittersweet memory.

Things were different now; she was living in Minnesota with the rest of her Duck teammates attending Eden Hall. She shared a dorm with Connie and they had their own separate rooms. It seemed her beautiful brunette friend blossomed right in front of her. Connie had broken things off with Olaf before they even got on the plane leaving California so long ago. It didn't take long for her to move on with Guy Germaine all over again, after all…he was the safe choice, the choice that wasn't half a world away. Julie saw that her friend was happy, though sometimes she wondered if it was all a front. Or maybe it really was just her who felt so damn miserable.

Another summer passed and this time there were no phone calls from Iceland. She didn't get any letters from him, there was just nothing, everything had stopped. And it hurt. It hurt like nothing she'd ever experienced. The worst physical pain could never compare to the silent sound of her heart shattering into millions of pieces as she realized that he didn't want her. For her; it wasn't over, she was still in love with him. Maybe she always would be.

"So what do you think?"

Julie's attention was caught by Adam's question. She forgot for a moment they had been talking as they walked down the hallway to the final class for the day. It was nearing two years since that last day in California, two years since she'd seen his face. Here was her best friend asking her something important and she was still stuck in the past. "I'm sorry Adam, can you say that again?"

He sighed heavily, "Me and you, we go together, as friends only of course."

She tried to smile, "Sure, that would be nice."

And it would be. Adam was her rock; he was there for her always, no matter how far she tried to push him and everyone else away. Here it was their senior year at Eden Hall and the last dance was coming up. They called it a ball, but it was more like a prom for the rich kids. And if her best friend wanted to go to this dance with her then she'd gladly go.

Time continued to pass. Days and weeks turned into months and the ache of missing him never lessened. But day by day she was getting back to her old self, going out with her friends and letting herself enjoy life. Adam helped the most. He made sure that she stayed involved with everyone. She could have fun now, and when his name was occasionally brought up she didn't feel the need to run away and hide. That didn't mean that time was healing her. All it meant was she learned to put up a façade, even fooling herself at times. It didn't mean that she never pulled out the precious photo strips they had taken at the arcade two years ago. Because she did, she looked at them every night when she was by herself.

And the one thing that wouldn't let her go was the same thing that had haunted her for over three years now. Every single time she went to close her eyes and fall asleep there he would be. Staring at her with that dangerously sexy smirk and those smoldering grey eyes. Even now, his stare was intoxicating. And it was so much worse than before when it first started. Because now, now she knew what it was like to touch those lips with her own. She could so easily remember the way he would look at her as if she was the only thing that mattered. At times, when the loneliness and memories became to much, she would find the one shirt she managed to keep that was his. It was just a regular t-shirt, black of course, but it still smelled like him. Perhaps it was sad that she was still so completely into him. That mattered little when she inhaled his scent and managed to feel a little better.

"Wow Cat, you look amazing!"

"Thanks Connie," Julie grinned at her friend and eyed her up as well, "Guy isn't going to know what hit him!"

Connie did a little twirl, "Red is so my color!"

The girls laughed and continued to get ready for their dates. Guy and Adam showed up together and presented a corsage for the ladies they were taking out. A deep red rose was given to Connie that perfectly matched with her gown. Julie was surprised that Adam found a blue rose that fit nicely with her own dress and gave him a small kiss on his cheek for his efforts.

They rode together in the limo that took them to the beautiful banquet hall where the evening's festivities were being held. There they met up with the rest of their friends and teammates, including quite a few new friends as well. Several of the guys had found themselves girlfriends and they all seemed pretty nice and easy to get along with.

The night was fun and full of laughter with plenty of dancing. Before Adam invited her to go with him, Julie was sure she wasn't even going to bother with going. Now she was glad to have this memory with her friends. In less than a month they were going to graduate and go their separate ways. In a lot of ways, they had become a family. They loved, they laughed, they talked, and they fought together. The Ducks were always going to be a part of her and she was very grateful to have made it tonight.

Connie had told her previously to not wait up for her. And at the end of the night Adam walked her to her door. He held her in his arms for a good while, and this time when he kissed her…it was on the lips, sweet, short, and chaste. It was a kiss shared between best friends and they both understood that's all it would ever be.

Julie let out a deep breath as she closed the door to her dorm room and leaned against it with closed eyes. It wasn't long before a broken sob escaped her throat and tears gathered in her eyes. She loved Adam and deeply appreciated their friendship, but it didn't stop the feeling of her heart breaking all over again. He was the first person to kiss her lips since him. It was as though that kiss between friends just washed away the last hope she carried within.

The tears fell; she had to get through this…had to get over him. Just because she still loved him two years later didn't mean she had to keep breaking down like this. Wasn't she supposed to be stronger by now? Why? Why did it hurt so much? Why didn't he want her anymore?

Slowly; brokenly, she slid to the floor. It was for the best, because if she kept hearing from him then she would just keep wishing for an impossible future. So no more; she wiped her eyes and picked herself up. No more tears, no more crying, it was finally time to really let go.

Julie didn't bother to change out of her dress; she simply lay on her bed staring up at her ceiling for hours. She dragged herself up at the persistent knocking. Clearly Connie forgot her key again. It was late, after 3 in the morning and Julie stumbled through the rooms refusing to turn on the lights.

She sighed as the knock came again. Unlocking it she simply turned right back around and went to her room, closing the bedroom door behind her. Connie would understand, she always did, and tonight Julie just needed to be alone.

There was another knock, this time coming to the door of her own room and Julie let out a deep breath, "Come in."

The door slowly opened as she lay face first on her bed, knowing that Connie would join her so they could talk. She heard the footsteps and closed her eyes, wishing that her friend could have waited until morning to tell her about her night. Couldn't she see that Julie simply wasn't able to do this tonight? It was a night meant for romance and love, not heartbreak and broken promises.

"Julie."

Her eyes snapped open. It wasn't Connie. That voice, it didn't belong to her female friend. Unconsciously her hand went to her neck and started to finger the "G" found there.

"Julie, will you look at me?"

No. It couldn't be. That voice, that accent, she would know it anywhere. Her heart slammed against her ribs and her eyes watered in disbelief. Now she was hearing him? She was so broken inside that she was beginning to hear his voice, how much more pathetic could she get?

"I'm here, I'm not going anywhere. Please, talk to me Julie. I've missed you so much."

She wasn't imagining this? Slowly she turned her face up, eyes wide, and felt the tears slip down her cheek, gasping out, "Impossible."

That smirk, oh God that smirk. And those beautiful perfect lips. It really was his incredible eyes looking at her. It was him. It was really him! "Julie," he looked over her body, his gaze taking in all the lovely changes that was made over two years time, "you are so beautiful, it almost hurts."

"Gunnar," her voice was shaky as she sat up and gaped at him with wet eyes, "Gunnar?"

He kneeled before her, his hand gently pulled up the pendant hanging from her neck between them and eyed it closely. His smile was absolutely stunning when his gaze lifted to hers, "You still wear it, does that mean you kept your promise Julie? Did you wait for me? Do you still love me?"

"I never stopped," she said breathlessly, wanting to pinch herself just to make sure this wasn't a dream. "Gunnar," her voice cracked and more tears fell from her eyes.

"Don't cry beautiful," his hands framed her face delicately and wiped her tears away with his fingers, "I missed you so much."

Julie felt a smile finally pull at her lips, this was really happening. The matching tears in his eyes confirmed it, he was here. He came back for her, "Gunnar!"

He wrapped his arms around her as she pushed herself into his chest, Gunnar could feel her hot tears on his shoulder and felt a few of his own slide down to his chin. Two years, two miserable long years and it was all worth it. He'd worked hard to make this happen, hoping against all hope that she would still be here waiting for him. If she would still have him he had their future secured.

"I love you Julie," he pulled her face to his and pressed his mouth to hers over and over and over, "I love you so much, I'm never leaving, never again."

"I can't believe you're here! I love you too!"

They kissed as though starving for one another, and in a way, they had been. They held onto each other tightly, fearing that if they let go the other would disappear. There was no hesitation in their hands, no need to seek acceptance or approval for their actions.

It was the most beautiful night of their lives.

And it was only the beginning.