For the 32nd time I do not own the ducks or Eden Hall I just like to play around with them for the entertainment of others. I also do not own Wendy's or McDonalds.

Chapter 32: Another jerk causes a fight.

"Hey Joey, it was nice to see you again." I said hugging Joey as well.

"Always a pleasure with you Lizzy," he answered returning the hug if only briefly. "Can I call you sometime?"

"Sure hand me your phone." I programmed my number into his phone and then handed it back to him. When he took it I looked back at Dean and saw him having a silent conversation with Fulton.

Fulton's looks were easy to read, but Dean's were a bit harder.

'She'll love it trust me.' Fulton's look said.

'She better, how far can I get?' I think Dean's look said. That really scared me for some reason.

"Fulton, don't let him take me and have his evil ways with me." I begged.

"What?" Connie asked.

"Please Fult, you're my best friend don't let him take me."

"Lizzy, stop that, you know I wouldn't let him hurt you." Fulton said.

"Yeah, but what about where he's taking me? You won't be there."

"No, I won't, but he won't have his evil ways with you. If he even had it somewhere in his mind I wouldn't let him anywhere near you. I trust Portman with my life and I know I can trust him with yours and more importantly your heart. I wouldn't let a guy be alone with you if I couldn't trust him."

"But..."

"Look, Lizabeth shut up and trust me." Fulton barked pushing himself up and placing his hands down flat on the table. I swallowed hard and backed away slowly from the table fearing his stance. Deep in my rational mind I knew he wouldn't hurt me, he was my best friend and I don't think he was capable of hurting me, but right now I wasn't exactly rational. Fulton shook his head, and dropped his hands to his sides rolling his shoulders. "Oh God Lizzy-gator I'm sorry I didn't mean to be so hard on you or say it like that it's just sometimes I get the feeling you don't trust me."

Out of nowhere the diner faded from my view and was replaced a bedroom with deep cherry wood furniture. The bedroom had deep red walls and I knew I had been in this room before. Then a guy appeared in front of me with dark blonde hair and deep green eyes. I was cowered against his wall trying to escape his loud voice and menacing look.

"Lizabeth shut up and trust me. Just try it you'll like it I promise. You are my girlfriend aren't you?" David growled towering over me. I looked up at him and saw the bottle inches from my face. All I had to do was reach out, grab it, and take a small taste and he'd leave me alone. "Come on Elizabeth just try it." He said again.

"I don't want to."

"Come on I promise you'll love it."

"I don't want to try it just drop it."

"Try it you little bitch. It's not going to hurt you."

"Elizabeth, sweety come on look at me, please no one here is going to hurt you." Aunt Casey said her voice barely breaking through the memories.

"Please, I just don't want to, leave me alone." I begged David as he came closer to my face.

"Elizabeth, please just look at me." Aunt Casey tried again. A soft sweet kiss was laid on my lips and the diner came back into view. The boy pulled away and I saw it was Dean. I looked around and saw the entire team, Joey, Jesse, Terry, Karp, Peter, my dad, Seth, and Aunt Casey looking at me. I noticed then that I was sitting on the floor with my back against the wall and they were crowded around me.

"What happened Lizzy?" Seth asked kneeling in front of me.

"Move someone must, now." I said.

"Ok Yoda. Y'all got to give her an exit." Seth answered.

"Huh?" Several people asked, but they moved giving me a straight shot to the door.

"Claustrophobia?" Karp asked.

"Sorta, but not exactly. Kinda like clithrophobia, the fear of enclosed spaces, but it's basically the fear of not having an exit." Dwayne answered.

"Lizabeth, sweetheart what happened?" Dad asked. I looked at Adam and whispered two words.

"David Smith." Adam's expression changed from extreme concern to pure hatred. He turned and slammed his hand down against a stool.

"That bastard better be glad I can't get my hands on him." Adam growled. I saw some peoples eyes widen because Adam was normally so passive. Adam came and sat down next to me and wrapped me in a hug.

"Slapshot?" Seth asked hesitantly.

"That's what that jerk did to you? I'll break his neck when I get home." Dwayne said angrily.

"Lizzy maybe you oughta tell them what happened before they jump to the wrong conclusions." Adam suggested rubbing my shoulder. Dean lifted me a bit and slid into my spot before pulling me into his lap.

"That's the thing, nothing happened." I answered. Dwayne shot me a confused look. "It's just the thought that something could have happened."

"Stop lying Liz." Adam hissed.

"Who's David Smith?" Dad asked.

"In Austin he lived halfway between me and Lizzy about a block away from us. About a month after we started dating we had a huge fight and she dated our friend Kirsten's older brother David. Two weeks later Kirsten told me that David was forbidden to see Lizzy and he had hurt her in some way, but Kirsten wasn't allowed to say. I never found out, but apparently Adam did." Dwayne explained as Adam's hand found mine. The attention turned from Dwayne back to me. "Kitten, what happened?"

"It's..." Adam cut me off.

"Every time you lie about this I will smack you," he said. I looked up to see that he was dead serious. Looking around the dinner I saw Peter, Karp, and Terry hovering by the doors, but soon they walked out. Joey nodded to me, held up his phone, and then walked out. The other waitress said she had to go check on the cook and walked away.

"Lizzy-gator, tell us what happened." Fulton prodded.

"I can't." I whispered. Out of nowhere my cheek started to sting.

"What the hell Adam?" Luis asked. I looked over at Adam and he raised his eyebrows at me as if to say 'I told you so.'

"I said I'd smack you if you lied about this. You can and you will tell them what happened."

"That took balls Adam, I'm so proud of you." I said rubbing the back of his hand with my thumb.

"Don't you dare change the subject; tell them what he did." Adam said glaring at me.

"Alright just don't leave my side." I said.

"I won't I promise."

"About a week and a half after David and I started dating he became more vocal and pushy about what he wanted me to do and when he wanted me to do it. One day, a couple days later I had gone over to his house to figure out what he wanted. He had started pushing me to do stuff that I didn't want to and when no one was around, but I turned him down he would smack me. Never in the face, he said it was too pretty to mess up. So when I was looking around his room waiting for him I found a stack of letters from Adam, Charlie, and Fulton in one of his desk drawers. The earliest postmark was dated two months prior when my crush on Dwayne had started to show. I stuck the letters in my pocket and continued looking.

"David came in and asked me what I was looking for. I told him it didn't matter, but I guess he didn't believe me because things escalated. Eventually he had me sitting on the floor pretty banged up and was trying to get me to drink some beer. Each time I said I didn't want to he'd kick my side and tell me that I was his girlfriend I was supposed to trust him if I loved him. A bit later Kirsti came home from watching Dwayne's hockey practice I think and saw him send his boot into my side. She was so pissed she jumped at him and threw him over backwards screaming at him and punching him. She stood back up and led me into the kitchen where she cleaned me up and after profuse begging from me said she would only tell her parents. She got me to go home and later told me that her parents sent David to a rehab facility somewhere in Dallas I think. I haven't heard from her, but I believe that's where he is now." I finished explaining and promptly burst into tears.

"Shh Slapshot, he ain't going to hurt you anymore." Seth said rubbing my leg.

"E-Eeyore? I want my Mattie." I said looking up at him.

"Slapshot, Mattie's on a plane to Detroit. I'm so sorry." Seth answered.

"I WANT MY MATTIE!" I screamed.

"Baby, please calm down," Dad tried.

"Hush now my little Teddy Bear, Mattie won't let the mean bastard hurt you no more." Matt's voice said as I was picked up in one set of arms then sat in a lap. Turns out I was now sitting on Matt's lap. "You hush now; I won't let you get hurt. Hush now little one." He whispered rocking me back and forth.

"Mattie, but...but Eeyore said...he said you were...you were...plane...Detroit..."

"I said hush now and I mean it. My flight was canceled till morning so I went back to see Dad and Alicia said he got a call to come here." Mat smiled slightly. "Now relax and Mattie will tell you a story."

"One about a princess?" I asked.

"About a baseball pitcher and her handsome hockey enforcer." He said. By the time he had finished most of the team had gone back to their ice cream and I had calmed greatly. "See I told you, you had nothing to fear, I'd never let you get hurt."

"Yeah I guess."

"Now has he earned his status yet?" I shook my head and wrapped my arms around Matt. I knew I was being a baby and over-reacting, but sometimes I couldn't help being such a baby around Matt. "You know I've always like knights better anyway. A prince has a tendency to sit on his butt and be spoiled, but a knight is used to fighting for what he wants, that is unless it's a knight that married a princess to become a prince then he's good in my books." I smiled.

"Thanks Mattie."

"Why don't you come back to the hotel...?" Matt trailed off as Dean whispered something to him. "On second thought you'll go out with Dean and have a good time and if you're still scared at the end of the night and he can't calm you down then and only then can he take you down to the Best Western on seventh downtown." He corrected.

"But I..."

"Look at him, Teddy Bear." I turned my head and looked out the window. Matt sighed and grabbed my chin turning it to face Dean. "Tell me what you see standing in front of you."

"Dean Portman, six foot two, brown hair, hazel eyes, average B plus student, hockey enforcer, joined the Ducks when offered the spot before the Junior Goodwill games two summers ago, stayed in Chicago before he was prodded to go to Eden Hall, and he's my boyfriend. So what?" I said.

"Now tell me who you see." Matt coaxed.

"But I just..."

"No, you told me what he is; you have yet to tell me who he is. What we are never changes; who we are is always changing. Now tell me."

"He is..." I paused not knowing exactly what Matt wanted.

"Come on it's not that hard to describe Dean to me is it?" Matt said.

"Well he's cute, he's protective, a lot of people don't think he's that bright, he's nice, a true friend, he has a wicked smile, strong, loveable, he'll stand up for what he believes in, is barely afraid of anything..."

"You sent me an e-mail once and compared him to an animal. Which animal was that?"

"I said he was like a soft squishy teddy bear."

"Tell me why I call you that and why you call him that. Hint is, it's the same reason." I looked away to Matt for a moment before turning back to Dean locking gazes with him.

"Because bears are strong, powerful creatures, but they can also have a soft side and the teddy bear is often a source of comfort for a small child."

"See after all you've said about him do you really think he's going to hurt you?"

"Maverick, would you just listen to what you just said?" Dean asked kneeling in front of me. "What did I tell you that day we were interrupted in my room over break?" I shrugged. "No, you know exactly what I said."

"You told me I was beautiful and that you would never hurt me and that you promised." I whispered.

"Actually I believe I said incredibly beautiful, but that's besides the point. What else did I tell you, about your limits?"

"Limits?"

"Lizzy, cut the bull crap."

"You said you had to test them to find out what they were."

"Now why would I do that?" He asked gently.

"So you could be a jackass and push past them?"

"Damn it Lizzy, I said I wouldn't hurt you and I meant it. I'm not David, I'm not Riley, and I'm not an asshole who just wants your virginity. I'm me, you said I'm protective, I'm a nice, caring guy, hell you even said it yourself that you think I'm a source of comfort. I am not going to hurt you. I wanted to know your limits so I wouldn't push you into something you didn't want or weren't ready for. You have to believe me." He was down on his knees and he was practically begging me.

I don't think he cared that the entire team and my dad, Seth, Matt, and Aunt Casey were watching and listening to his every word. For some reason he switched from his puppy dog pout that was slowly melting the chains on my heart to his killer smile that completely broke the chains. I nodded and slowly removed my arms from Matt.

"Well take this as slow as you need to, just make sure you tell me if I go back on anything I've promised you." Dean said. I nodded again.

"See there we go, that's a good girl." Matt said.

"Now what?" I asked.

"Now," Matt said turning my face toward him with a finger, "Now you're going to go with Dean and have a good time then if you're scared he can bring you to the hotel, but I don't want to see you scared again tonight alright Lizzy?" Matt asked stroking my cheek with the pad of his thumb. I nodded. "That's my Teddy Bear. Now get going or you won't make it back for curfew."

"Thanks Matt." I whispered hugging him once more before I stood. I looked around at the team then blushed. "I'm sorry I broke down like that guys, it doesn't happen often."

"Let's go." Dean said softly taking my hand.

"Go where?" I asked.

"I've already told you where we're going and if you can't remember then you'll see when we get there." He answered. "We'll see you later guys." We walked out the door and to my car. As I patted my pockets looking for my keys I heard yelling explode from inside the diner.

"Would you stop babying her Matthew? You're not doing anything for her." My dad yelled. I cringed knowing that somehow I caused this fight.

"Obviously I did something for her. Normally when a little girl gets scared and upset she'll run to her daddy but I was the only person she wanted." Matt yelled back. I stopped looking for my keys and listened to them.

"Damn it Matthew if you knew your sister, you'd know she doesn't want that. She hates being babied."

"I wasn't babying my sister I was comforting her."

"Looking for these?" Dean whispered in my ear holding my keys in front of me. I nodded and he led me around the car.

"You wouldn't know how to comfort her if Fulton wasn't hissing instructions in your ear. You've been gone for five years you don't know her." Dad yelled. I kept the door open as Dean hurried around the car.

"It wasn't like I had a choice. Alicia told me not to talk to her and you agreed. Elizabeth is your daughter not Alicia's. Face it old man you know less about Lizzy than I do." Matt spat back. Dean moved to put the key in the ignition but I put a hand on his arm and shook my head.

"I know more about her than you ever will. I love her."

"She's not Mom nor will she ever be. You think she is." Even though Matt was yelling there was a bit of disappointment in his voice. "Lizzy isn't Mom. Mom was beautiful, strong, intelligent, brave, a fighter, caring, gentle, and she loved all of us. Lizzy is like that too but Mom had features and characteristics that Lizzy doesn't and vise versa. Mom was patient, caring, slow tempered, truthful, and sweet. Lizzy is almost the exact opposite. She's quick tempered, stubborn, honest if not brutally, manipulative, sneaky, and definitely a charmer. We lost Mom 16 years ago and even though she shows herself through your children you have to let her go, not forget her but let her go."

"I know perfectly well who my daughter is and isn't thank you."

"I don't think you do."

"Do not accuse me of mistaking my daughter with my wife, may her soul rest in peace, I know the difference."

"You would know the difference if you spent some time with Lizzy, she tells me that you're always working, leaving early in the morning and not coming home until late at night. Ben tells me the same. I have half a mind to take custody from you." I stood up and leaned my arms on the top of my window.

"No judge in their right mind would put her in the custody of a hockey player whose schedule is more unpredictable than mine. You live in Detroit for ¾ of the year and then on the road most of that time."

"She's at Eden Hall on scholarship for nine months of the year and the three that she isn't is the off season. Lord knows I make enough to support her." Matt snapped as him and Dad and everyone else came out of the diner. Charlie looked at me and then back at the pair.

"The judge will give her a choice if you do take this to court. I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't choose either of you and asked Grandma Jacobs to take her in. None of us knows her except maybe Ben. Alicia's too much of a girly girl to get to know her, aside from baseball her and Chris have nothing in common, Dad you work too much and see her as nothing more than a younger version of Mom, and Matt you've been gone for five years and Lizzy's changed dramatically and isn't the same little girl you knew back then. As far as Lizzy and I go I'm nothing more than a jackass with anger management problems. Ben knows her better than all of us combined so I think the two of you should shut up and stop arguing because you're really pissing her off." Seth said looking directly at me.

"She and Dean left..."

"No we haven't. I'm still standing here wondering what the hell I did to start this fight but you know what? I'm done caring fight all you want because I have better places I need to be right now. Let's go Dean." I dropped back into the car and slammed my door shut. As he started the car we both put our seatbelts on and he took me to Wendy's.

"I hope you don't mind it's just that Dwayne said it was your favorite." Dean said.

"While it's true I love Wendy's I love McDonalds more, but this is good tonight. Not to mention I was in the mood for chicken and this place has the best chicken in the world." I smiled and took his hand as he pulled me out of the car and into the fast food joint. As we ate we talked about random stuff from hockey to movies to grades to the weather. Just random non-important stuff till we finished eating around 8:15.

"Shit, I wanted to take you to a movie but we'll never beat curfew if I did." Dean said taking my hands as we stood in front of my car.

"Oh Dean that's really sweet of you but dinner and a movie is a little too cliché for me on a first date." I said looking up at him.

"Oh."

"How about we go people watching instead?" I asked.

"People watching?"

"Yeah you just walk around town and you watch the people around you. I've never done it before but I've always wanted to."

"How 'bout tomorrow or Sunday when we have more time?"

"Alright. We could always go back to the dorm and watch a movie there?" I suggested. He looked at me for a bit thinking or just watching I wasn't sure which.

"Alright the dorm it is." He said finally. I smiled as he opened my car door. "After you my lady."

"Thank you kind knight." All the way back to the dorm and there he was a true gentleman opening doors for me, minding his manners, and generally taking care of me. After we plopped down on my bed he looked at me.

"And what does my fair lady want to watch?" He asked. I pulled out my older than dirt teddy bear and hugged him close to my chest.

Well that's all you get for now. I'm sorry for the wait and I hope that the length made up for it. I'm on summer break now so I should start posting faster but if not I'll blame it on working so much. It's also my birthday which inspired me to post these.

Tune in next time to see a fight and meet some knew characters.