I want to thank everyone who continues to read this despite the length of time between the chapters. This chapter got deleted ... rather the changes to this chapter got deleted three times when my computer auto-restarted over night. Anyway, chapter 44 means that Fulton is definitely a major part of the chapter and the most referenced Duck.

It wasn't long after school started that flyers started appearing for hockey tryouts. Lizzy wasn't surprised at all when Bombay was back for another year as coach nor when tryouts were all the team talked about for the week leading up to it. She also wasn't surprised when every Duck that went out made varsity.

A few weeks later, the Ducks were gathered for dinner the day before their game against Hampton Academy. Luis was talking about his history project when Fulton noticed his best friend wasn't in her normal seat. In fact, looking around the cafeteria, Fulton didn't see her anywhere. He leaned over to Russ and kept his voice low. "You seen Lizzy?" Fulton asked.

Russ looked around the cafeteria slowly then shook his head. "No." He leaned over to Adam and asked the same question.

"She said something about having to see the Dean this afternoon. Not sure about what though," Adam answered. Russ relayed the information to Fulton.

"Check the batting cages," Dwayne said.

Fulton stared at him for a moment then headed outside. His eyes trailed over the vast back lawn of the school and near the baseball field he saw an entire area fenced in. He walked out to it and found it was indeed a batting cage. It had two smaller cages and the one on the right was in use. Every minute or so there was the thump of a ball on a wooden bat. He stood and watched her for a bit. "Dwayne said you might be out here," he said after a while.

"It's just not FAIR!" on the last word she blasted the ball to the back of the cage. It slammed against the fence and rolled down into the pit behind the pitching machine. The floor of the cage was sloped towards the center so the balls would roll down into a pit that fed into a basket which auto-fed into the pitching machine when the machine was on. The cage also had a solid roof so no water or snow got onto the very expensive machine.

"What's not fair?" Fulton asked.

Lizzy hit two more balls before turning the machine off. She turned and stared at him as she exited the cage. She stuffed her bat back into her bag then dropped her helmet in there as well. "It's just not fair, but that's life I guess."

"Should I ask again?" Fulton said.

Lizzy shook her head as she pulled off her batting gloves. She took a deep breath and told him what the lawyer had told her. "I don't even know what I'm going to do. I don't even know him."

"Sounds like something Bombay or your dad can tell you."

"I can't tell either one. Neither of them knew him."

"No, but they both know you and they are both lawyers. I'm sure getting another opinion is good for you."

"That's why I told you." She looked up from her bag and glared at him.

"I don't know anything about this stuff. Other than to say: I'm sorry. I know this isn't easy on you."

"Thanks."

"Let's go eat."

"I am kinda hungry."

Fulton dropped an arm around his best friend's shoulders and grabbed her bag with his free hand then steered her towards the cafeteria. He called home that night and told his parents what happened. They were just as sympathetic as he had been but couldn't offer him any more advice than to be there for her when she reached out and if she didn't reach out he should keep an eye on her and let them know.

They were playing against Hampton Academy the next night and were down 1-0. Bombay seemed to be at a loss as to what to do to get them back in the game. Lizzy and Portman were sitting on the bench and Lizzy was watching the team as a plan began to form in her mind. "You got my back?" Lizzy asked.

"Always, you know that," Portman answered. He saw the look in her eyes. It was often the look he saw on Maverick's face in the movie. He just hoped that whatever she was thinking wouldn't get her in any trouble. "You're thinking some of that pilot crap."

She turned to him and grinned. "Portman, Jacobs, Germaine, change it," Bombay's voice cut across the ice.

"I feel the need," she said as she climbed over the wall, taking Connie's place.

"The need for speed," Portman finished with her. The game ended with Eden Hall up 2-1. While Bombay was impressed with the way they had turned around the game, he noticed something was off with Lizzy. He decided it was best to just keep an eye on her.

The next week after the game, he could tell something was really getting to her so he decided to confront her and try to get it out of her. "Jacobs," he snapped as he entered the locker room after the game.

"Coach," Lizzy answered.

"What were you thinking?"

"Coach, maybe—" Fulton started.

"Don't you dare," Lizzy told Fulton. "I was playing hockey and if you hadn't noticed, we won."

"Yeah, that is not the point," Bombay said.

"Coach—"

"Fulton Reed, don't you dare," Lizzy cut him off.

"Get out of your gear and get to my office now," Bombay told her. For a moment, her mind flashed back to an early scene in Top Gun where just after Maverick had done something really brave, though his superiors would call it stupid, he was told to get to the commander's office and formally got his butt chewed for it. Not wanting to face that alone, though she knew Bombay wouldn't be too harsh on her, she called him out on the spot.

"Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of the team," she argued. Ducks flew together and she knew they would have her back.

"Okay then. What you did out on the ice, the way you're playing ... It's dangerous and egotistical and arrogant and not something I expect of someone who wants to be part of this team," Bombay told her.

"I helped the team win. I thought that was the important part. Nobody's ever died playing high school hockey."

"That is not the point, Lizzy. I can't even bench you for it because I know if I do, you're just going to come off it angrier and more driven than before. Even a couple of weeks won't do any good. I'd try to bench you for the rest of the season, but I know all that's going to do is make you quit. If you're so concerned about the team, then there is one thing that can get to you. Congratulations, you've earned the entire team 20 laps at practice on Monday." Bombay dug his hands into the pockets of his coach's jacket as he watched her.

"That's not fair, Bombay. This is about me," Lizzy argued. She nearly stomped her foot but that was too childish for even her.

"25. Want to go for 30? Keep arguing with me." She stared in disbelief. He could punish her all he wanted but it wasn't fair to punish the rest of the team. "I don't know what to do with you anymore, Liz. The only thing that makes you hesitate is when it puts one of your teammates in a position you don't want them in. This seems to be the only thing that's going to work." Lizzy turned back to her locker and stripped down to her shorts and undershirt. She yanked on a pair of sweats and jacket and faced Bombay again. "I don't want to do this anymore than you want me to, Lizzy, but I don't have a choice. Nothing seems to get to you. I don't know what's gotten into you but it needs to stop."

Lizzy turned to Fulton as she untucked her hair from the collar of her jacket. "One word and I will never tell you anything again," she growled. Fulton reluctantly nodded. She shoved her feet into her pretied sneakers and grabbed her bag before storming out of the locker room and back to the dorms.

"Coach, are you really going to make us do laps?" Charlie asked.

"Unless one of you wants to tell me what's gotten into Lizzy, I don't have a choice, Charlie," Bombay said as he looked around the locker room, waiting for someone to speak up. He looked at each Duck in turn but most of them seemed just as lost as he was. Except Fulton and Portman who wouldn't meet his eyes and Dwayne who looked torn. It was like he was battling with himself as to whether or not he could say something. "Any one of you could have stopped her out there on that ice but you didn't. Since no one wants to speak up"—he paused to give them time to do so but no one did—"I have no choice. Good job tonight. Hit the showers, I'll see you on Monday." Bombay left the locker room and walked out front of the school. He thought about going home, he really could use Casey's insight, but maybe, just maybe, he could get something out of Fulton if the other boy wasn't surrounded by Ducks. So he waited on a bench outside the rink and soon saw Fulton walk out with Connie and Julie. "Fulton, wait up a second?" he called, getting the boy's attention.

The boy in question stopped and said goodbye to the girls before heading back over to his coach. "Hey, Coach. What's up?" he asked.

"Walk me to my car?" Bombay asked. Fulton swallowed but nodded and walked with the coach towards the faculty parking lot. "Fulton, I know you care about Lizzy. I do too, but I can't just let this go."

Fulton tucked his hands into the pockets of his long coat and stared at his shoes. He wanted to tell his coach everything but if Lizzy didn't trust the man, he wasn't going to betray her. Not until he knew she was spiraling hard; harder than he could pull her out of. "I know, Coach."

"She obviously trusts you. I know you've had a bond that is very hard to compete with. One that has probably made her feel safe in the stormy sea that is her life."

Fulton nodded. "A lot of people judge Lizzy right off as a spoiled kid who never backs down from a fight and protects her team with everything she's got. You're right that punishing the entire team is probably one of the few ways to cool Lizzy's jets but it sucks for the rest of us, especially when she's got one notion in her head and won't hear otherwise."

"What's going on with her, Fulton? I can't help if I don't know what's wrong."

His heart really wanted to talk to his coach. This man had been there for them for almost everything but Lizzy was his best friend and he had let her down too much in the past. No matter how much he wanted to help her, he wouldn't betray her. "Coach, I would do anything to help protect this team. You know how far I would go for the Ducks. I've proven it on multiple occasions but if you make me pick between them and her ... Coach, I can't. Not even for you. What we have—"

They stopped next to Bombay's car. He laid a hand on the young man's shoulder. "I know, Fulton. But whatever's going on, I can't just let her get away with it," he said.

"I'm not asking you to. I'm asking you to ... help me hold the rope until she decides to sink or swim on her own." Fulton frowned and scuffed his boot. He wasn't sure what else he could do to help her or get Bombay to help her without revealing anything she had told him.

"What exactly are you suggesting?" Bombay asked.

"Offer her a lifeline. Something to hold onto so she can figure out how to beat the storm inside her and until her ego stops writing checks her temper, and Portman, can't cash."

"I will. I just wish I knew what that storm was."

"I wish I could tell you but I won't break that confidence. I can't."

"Ok. If you need anything, you let me know and I do mean anything."

"Thanks, Coach." Fulton and Bombay shook hands then the boy turned to head back to the dorms.

Bombay walked around to the driver's side of his car and saw an envelope tucked under his wiper blade. He pulled it free, then drove back to the apartment where he read it as he walked up. The only thing inside was an obituary for an older man who lived in Austin. One William Hopper. It wasn't someone Bombay knew so he wondered why it was on his car. He got inside to see Casey painting in the corner of the room. She looked up when she saw him then frowned when he didn't look happy. She walked over to where he had sat down on the couch and tucked herself up next to him.

"Lizzy, you should have seen her tonight." Gordon shook his head.

"What happened?" Casey asked. Normally, she would have gone to the game but tonight she had wanted to take time for herself, plus her shift at the diner had run late and she had missed nearly the entire first half of the game.

"I don't know what's gotten into her."

"What do you mean?"

He explained what happened and sighed. "Then to top it all off, I found this on my car. It's like I'm sitting in front of a puzzle and most of the pieces are there but I can't see the picture."

Casey read through the obituary, then she stood up and dug out the family photo album from the shelf. She flipped through the pages looking for a picture she had been sent.

"Casey? Do you know him?" Bombay asked. Casey found the photo she was looking for and brought the album back to Bombay. "That's Lizzy," he said, looking at the photo she was pointing to. The young girl was holding a painting of an older man and smiling brightly.

"In seventh grade. See the painting she's holding? Won her first prize overall for her middle school art fair. It also won her fourth place at the Texas State Fair that summer."

Bombay looked at the painting in the photo and realized the man was the same man from the obituary. "That's ... she knew him?"

"Not well. She met him the summer before and painted his picture as they sat in the park. She didn't get the chance to give it to him."

Bombay looked back at the obituary. "And according to this he died two weeks ago but that doesn't explain ..."

"You ever seen her act like this before?" Casey asked.

Bombay thought back. "Peewees. Our game against the Hornets."

"That game took place two days after we buried my father. My dad loved all his grandkids but things weren't so great between me and my parents or between Lizzy and her dad. He went to all of Lizzy's games to show her she had support, even if he didn't quite understand hockey. She was really hurt when he died. There's a reason the Bash Brothers call her "Maverick" aside from the fact she can quote most of his lines."

Suddenly, the puzzle's picture was clear. He had seen Top Gun once or twice and, from what he could remember, her actions did remind him of Maverick from the movie. "She's hurting and the only way she feels she can cope is by acting out."

"Pushing the envelope," Casey gently corrected.

"You think they knew?"

"About his death and how she knew him? Maybe. Portman and Fulton? No doubt. The rest of the Ducks, maybe. Depending on how and when she found out."

Now he understood why Dwayne looked so torn. He had probably wanted to protect her like Fulton wanted to, but at the same time, he wasn't as close to the girl and he trusted his coach to help where he couldn't. "I think Dwayne did. He knew her in seventh grade and he lived in Austin so his parents would have access to the paper. How do I fix this?" Bombay looked at his wife and the girl's aunt. If anyone knew how to help better than Fulton it would be her.

"There's not a way to fix it. Other than letting her know you're there for her, whatever she decides or needs."

"Makes sense. That's what Fulton said too."

Monday after classes, Bombay waited outside the locker room for Lizzy to show. When she did, Dwayne was with her. "Liz, a minute?" Bombay asked.

"Nothing to talk about," she answered.

"Then you'll listen," he told her.

"For the record, I'm sorry," Dwayne said.

"Sorry for what?" Lizzy asked. He didn't answer; just slipped into the locker room. Lizzy stared after him until Bombay caught her attention.

"My office?" he suggested. Lizzy frowned but followed, taking the seat he offered. He sat down next to her and handed her the photo from the newspaper. "Tell me about him?" Bombay asked.

Lizzy looked down at the photo and bit down on her lip. "There's nothing to talk about," she said after a moment. Seeing the man's face made her heart drop into her stomach. He had been such a nice guy. He also reminded her of her Nono Jacobs.

"I know you knew him and that he passed away a few weeks ago. Lizzy, I'm not here to judge. I just want you to know I'm here to listen or whatever you need."

Lizzy's eyes shot to Bombay. "And I don't need anything."

He sat back in his seat watching her carefully. "Lizzy, do you know why I went into law?"

"To help the little guy? Big money?" Lizzy tried not to roll her eyes. She figured he had a point and he'd get there but according to Charlie and Adam, he wanted to help her get there.

"It's no secret that I played Peewee hockey for the Hawks. Championship game in '72, I had a chance to win it."

"Charlie mentioned that the score was tied and you had a penalty shot, like he did."

"Yep. Same move too. Deeked the goalie right out of his pads. Then the puck hit the post and went out. We lost in overtime."

A single penalty shot would never lose a game. Tied games went into an overtime period where anyone could make the shot to win the game. "Yeah, but that's not your fault. You had a chance to win it sure but your whole team had chances to win in overtime."

"It never felt like that. My dad died that year too. Jan told me they weren't related but when you're ten years old, it feels like they were."

She stared in shock. She didn't know he had lost his dad or that it had happened when he was so young. She hadn't been much older than that when her Nono died. It had been hard on her to loose her grandfather, she couldn't imagine losing her father, especially not as a kid. "I never knew you lost your dad that young."

"I stuck with hockey for a while after that but I never felt the same about it. It tore me up inside when I wasn't playing. So, I thought something completely different would make me feel better. It did at first but soon, that feeling came back. As long as I was making shots in the courtroom, that feeling was really small, but once I was at home or didn't have a case, I was a mess and I didn't know how to fix it."

"Fulton said that having the Ducks did you good."

"No matter how hard I tried to fight what the Ducks did for me, they were good and they made me care about more than just winning."

"They had fun playing, win or lose."

"They did. You know, I know he's not the first person you've lost while playing hockey. And I'd like to think the Ducks taught you and Adam something you couldn't learn just from being good at hockey."

"They did. How to have friends; to work as a team; to—"

"Have fun? Trust people?"

"I suppose that too and I do trust people."

"I'll ask again, what can you tell me about him?" Bombay said, motioning to the photo.

Lizzy stared down at the obituary photo. That's what Dwayne had been apologizing for. He was the only one with access to the obituary as it had been posted in the Austin Times. "I moved to Texas after the Ducks won. That summer, I hadn't really made any friends. Moving in March, school year ended in two months. I ended up in a park, not far from my new place. Couple of times a week, I saw this older man watching the birds. Found out it was something he loved to do with his wife before she passed. I drew a sketch of him the first time I saw him. A few weeks later, I finally painted him. He left before I could give it to him. When I did see him again, we ended up talking about art and the birds and why I was in the park alone. I never did find out his name until about three weeks ago."

"The obituary?"

"No. The executor of his will showed up in the Dean's office."

"Here?" Bombay's eyes widened.

"Yeah. Told me that this guy"—she waved the obituary—"Will Hopper, left me something in his will. I barely knew the guy and he left me something. Apparently, he co-sponsored the state fair art show every year and was there when I won fourth place overall with the portrait of him. That's how he knew my name and then last year when we went to the invitational tournament, it was online so that's how his attorney found me."

"Do you mind me asking what he left you?"

She doubted telling him would lead to him telling anyone else but she wasn't sure if she was ready to let him that far in. This man had hurt Charlie more than once and while she was certain Charlie would say he had more than made up for the hurt he had put them through in the past, Lizzy just wasn't sure. "I don't know. I mean I'm not sure I'm ready to tell you or anyone really."

"You told Fulton." It wasn't an accusation it was just a statement of fact.

Lizzy smiled ruefully. "I tell him everything. When I don't, bad things happen."

Bombay nodded. "Ok. You said you didn't know him well, but I'm sure it still hurts that he's gone."

"Yeah. I did get to talk to him a few times. He was a good guy. Why am I so torn up over a guy I barely knew?"

"You have a strong heart. What my mom would call the heart of a mother. You love hard with everything in you and you'd rather have something bad happen to you than to someone you care about."

"We should get to practice."

"If you ever need to talk or need advice, I'm here."

"I appreciate the sentiment but should I need to talk to someone—"

"It won't be me."

"You wouldn't be the first on my list."

"But I'm on that list if everyone else fails. Don't forget, I do have a law degree in California and Minnesota if you ever need that."

"And you know my aunt, I'll keep that in mind." They went on to practice.