while fulton had decided to come back to eden, charlie still wasn't there yet. the first time any of us had seen him in days, was at hans' funeral.

he stood across the yard from the rest of us, choosing to grieve alone. adam and i stood by each other, holding hands for the first time in awhile. he was taking this whole thing very hard, and though i didn't know hans all that well, he was a big part of all of our lives and impacted them in ways i can't even begin to understand.

"forever and ever. amen," the preacher finished his prayer over hans' casket,"now, if-"

i looked with surprised eyes as bombay walked to the casket, setting a ducks jersey on top of it and turning to address us,"every time you touch the ice, remember it was hans who taught us to fly."

i watched a tear slide adam's cheek, and i squeezed his hand reassuringly. i turned to see charlie walking away, unable to handle all that was going on.

i frowned, thinking about going after him, but it wasn't me who needed to talk to him. it was coach.

we watched as hans was lowered into the ground, coach coming around to hug us all.

"hey, coach." i smiled lightly, standing in front of him.

"scarlett," he replied,"a little birdie told me that you're the captain of the team."

i sighed looking over at a guilty looking averman,"yeah, a really shitty one."

bombay sighed,"i'm sure you're a great captain."

"oh, you'd be surprised," i said, then shook my head, knowing this wasn't the time for me to be complaining,"i'm really sorry about hans."

he smiled flatly,"thank you."

i nodded, putting a hand on his arm,"you should probably go find charlie, though. he's been taking everything pretty badly for the last few months."

"i know, i'm hoping to get through to him tomorrow. i have a plan, scarlett, don't you worry." he informed me.

"okay," i glanced over at adam, who was standing with russ,"i should go over there, banksie is...you know."

he nodded,"it was great seeing you, scarlett."

i smiled,"you too, coach."

•

adam and i sat on my couch, sitting far away from each other. i knew he didn't want to be alone, and i had actually been doing some thinking since the funeral.

and while i thought expressing your feelings of affection was one of the worst possible things you could do, i didn't have a choice. and adam was worth grossing myself out.

"adam," i started, turning to him and sitting with my legs crossed,"i think my timing for this is really inappropriate, but...i don't know, i don't want to waste my time anymore. the funeral showed me that, you never know when something is gonna get taken away from you. i don't want to not be with you anymore."

he smiled lightly, staring at the floor,"i know that was really hard for you to say."

"god, you have no idea." i shook my head, letting out a breath.

he laughed, and stared at me for a moment, thinking over what i had said.

eventually, he held his arms open, waiting to embrace me.

i bit the inside of my cheek, trying to hide my smile, before scooting closer and wrapping my arms around him. i rested my head on his chest, and felt him kiss the top of my head.

"i'm glad you've come to your senses." he said, causing me to laugh.

"shut up." i answered, before hearing a knock at my door.

"who's that?" adam asked as i sat up, removing myself from his touch.

i looked at him cluelessly,"i don't know, i don't have a clear door, adam."

he laughed,"we just made up, you can't start being mean to me already."

"i beg to differ." i replied, standing up and walking over to the door.

when i opened it, luis stepped into the room, "hey, guys."

"luis," i smiled awkwardly, watching as he sat on my couch,"please, come in."

he returned the smile,"thank you, scarlett."

i shut my door and adam turned to him,"what brings you here, man?"

"the team wanted me to invite you guys to play street puck with us tomorrow." he explained, and i frowned, knowing i had a prior engagement.

saturday was the day they i would be skating coach orion's daughter.

"i actually have something to do at about one-ish, but i'll swing by after." i answered.

adam gave me a confused look,"what are you doing?"

i knew i couldn't tell him what i was doing, so i gave him an awkward smile,"i'm working on a forensics project with this girl in my class, jessica."

he nodded slowly, returning his attention to luis,"well, i'll be there."

"great." luis stood up, and left without another word.

•

as i skated with coach orion's daughter, i couldn't help but notice two people in the audience. i didn't look too much into it, focusing on charlotte, who was giggling as i pulled her around the ice.

i thought the wheels on the wheelchair would be hard to maneuver on the ice, but it was surprisingly easy.

"so, my daddy made you captain?" she asked, looking back at me.

he laughed and nodded,"yeah, i did."

she smiled,"i think it's really cool that a girl is captain."

i grinned, her words making me feel better than anything that anyone else had said to me in the last few months,"i think it's really cool too, charlotte."

"do you wanna do hockey forever?" she continued to ask.

i looked up thoughtfully,"i don't know. what do you wanna do when you're older?"

she smiled, her mind set,"i wanna be on broadway."

coach orion smiled,"broadway on ice, right?"

"definitely." she answered.

i spun around with her,"i love broadway. i did a theatre program this summer where i got to work with real broadway choreographers."

she looked at me in awe,"cool! did you learn any songs?"

i nodded,"we did grease, and i was sandy."

"can you sing for me?" she asked, and i looked at coach orion, wondering if this would affect how he saw me on the ice.

though, to be fair, what i had seen from him today, most definitely affected how i saw him
on the ice.

he stared at me for a second, then nodded, allowing it to happen.

i looked down at her,"what song?"

she looked up at the ceiling, trying to think, and eventually choosing,"hopelessly devoted to you."

i smiled,"good choice."

...

i walked out of the rink, my skates tied to together and hung over my shoulder. i had said my goodbyes to coach and his daughter, and planned to grab my roller skates and head to play street puck with my team.

but i stopped in my tracks once i saw charlie.

he turned to me and i bit my lip nervously, realizing my secret had been revealed.

"charlie..." i stared at him with piercing eyes, "hey."

he walked over to me, tears falling out of his eyes. he grabbed my skates and set them down, pulling me into a hug.

"charlie." i pushed my bottom lip out, putting a hand on the back of his head.

for some reason, his crying was affecting me, and i could feel that i was also tearing up.

i sniffled as he pulled away. he laughed,"scar, why are you crying?"

i wiped my face,"i get emotional when other people cry."

he smiled and helped wipe my tears,"i'm really sorry for how i've been acting."

i nodded, glancing back at the rink doors,"i take it that was you up in the stands?"

"with bombay," he answered,"and i guess that's why you and coach are all buddy-buddy. you know his daughter."

i smiled lightly,"i volunteer at the peds ward of my mom's hospital. she was brought in one day with a rare bone disease, that only mom could fix. she was there for awhile, so we got to know each other."

"wow," he breathed out,"i'm such a dick."

i laughed, as we started walking down the hall together, linking my arm with his. he had grabbed my skates, carrying them for me.

"i won't contest," i answered, causing him
to chuckle,"but listen, the team's playing street puck. bombay could come too, if he's still here."

charlie nodded,"he is. i told him to wait, cause i needed to talk to you."

"and you did-"

"mostly," he started, meaning he had more to say. i braced myself as he continued,"what orion's kid said, about a girl being captain...i just wanna say, you know, i'm proud of you."

i snorted, rolling my eyes,"why? i suck at it."

he waved his hand dismissively,"and it's my fault. danny said you were a kick ass captain in washington."

i had no idea what bombay had said to him, but charlie was like a completely different person. i didn't think he would ever give up the power struggle for captain. his rapid acceptance and growth was a little alarming.

i knit my brows together, deciding it would be best not to question it,"well...thank you, char. it means a lot, especially from you."

he shrugged,"yeah, i'm officially endorsing you. congratulations."

i smiled and rested my head on his arm, that was linked with mine,"i love you, you little bitch boy."

he laughed,"i love you too, you backstabbing traitor."