Disclaimer: All italics are Peter Berg's words and/or flashbacks. I own nothing!

Season 1 – Episode #1

The Pilot

He came into the house with purpose. She was sitting at the kitchen table, flipping through the paper, trying to find something interesting about this town other than football. She made the mistake of turning on the radio, hearing her husband's name at least a dozen times before she turned it off. She was intrigued at first, assuming people would say wonderful things about him, things she already knew about him. Sadly, that was not the case and she was feeling her insides burn red hot flames of anger. She thought it might be best to read the paper instead.

He hung up his jacket, walked down the hall, frustrated running his hands through his hair as he lifted his cap. "Do you know there is a news crew following me? Like, I have something earth shattering to say?"

"I heard on the radio that a news crew was following you." She smiled softly, sympathy sparkling in her eyes.

"This better die down a bit. I can't work like this." He leaned down and placed a kiss on her head.

Tami wasn't sure if what she was about to say was true, but he needed her to be on his side. "It's just the hype of the first game. It will get better once the season gets started."

He gave her a questioning look. "Really?" He wished she was right. She usually was.

"Probably not!" She chuckled.

-

The next day Tami made her way to the school, not happy with the information she just heard from some of the women at the grocery store. If it wasn't for the gossipy women, she would be left in the dark leaches

.

She found him watching game tape, studying the television. She made her way over to his side of the desk, wanting to get as much attention from him as possible when there was a television in the room.

"So I heard an ugly rumor." Tami said nothing further, making sure that he responds so she knows he's listening.

Eric leans back in his chair, looking her in the eyes, trying to gauge the level of anger she is measuring at right now. Then his mind drifted of what exact rumor she is referring to. Could it be? Had she heard about the cheerleading coach already? The assistant coaches had been teasing him all week about that woman's flirtatious attempts to make eye contact with him.

He held her stare. "Really?" This town was almost too small, even for him.

"Had to do with you and me and a certain car dealership opening up tomorrow night?" She questioned, watching realization spread across his face. That and a little bit of relief. What was that about, she thought.

"Ahhhh." He played with his hat, a habit that never broke, and runs a hand over his face. He throws his head back, showing that he is mad at himself and admitting defeat. "Shoot!"

"Did you forget to tell me?"

"I think that I did forget to tell you." He said apologetically.


She couldn't let him get away with this type of thing again. She knew he expected her to accompany him anywhere and that meant her presence at the dealership tomorrow. She made a familiar comment about Alaska and how living there, away from the craziness, would be a good option for an easier way of life. In the past, she had threatened her next move would be there if he kept doing these types of things. Unfortunately this was not his first offense. Things slipped his mind all the time. He liked to blame it on stress of his job. She liked to tease him and blame it on the brain cells he killed from smoking pot in high school and college. Although an athlete, he did have a bad boy streak.

She stroked his cheek letting him know she's not really mad. As she comes around to hug him from behind, she can feel the tense muscles in his shoulders, wondering if football will ever not be his number one priority.

-

At home that night, Tami was reading the paper again. This time she was looking at homes for sale. Eric, from his recliner, starts hearing her talk about some property with his and her closets. He's concentrating on the game tape playing but pulls his eyes away to look at his wife. He has been married long enough to know to look at her when she speaks to him, no matter what game is on in front of him.

"His and her closets" she says repeatedly.

"Relent." Doesn't she know how much pressure he is under? He turns his head back to the television.

"I'm just saying..." Tami pushes again.

"I know what you are saying." He stopped her from continuing, but she didn't seem to care.


Julie goes on about how Moby Dick is the perfect metaphor for the town of Dillon. Tami, still intrigued with this house, starts clipping out the real estate ad to the fridge.

Julie is still making her case about Moby Dick and Eric stares at her in disbelief. She was so smart, like her mother. Beautiful and smart.

"I'm not so sure you're mine." He says to Julie, knowing there was no truth to it. "I'm going to have to order up a DNA test, I think". He had a softer side that he allowed his family to see. He was smart and funny. Tami told him when they were younger those two traits were what stole her heart. That and that gorgeous smile. She loved his smile.

"Do you hear me?" Tami interrupts.

He makes a football analogy relating to Moby Dick, letting Julie know he was following her. She was definitely his too!

"His and her closets baby - woo hoo!" Tami sang out as she threw her hands in the air, doing a sexy spin around the kitchen. Yes, Julie was definitely his because that dance reminded him of how Tami danced the night she was conceived.

It was their graduation night. Their parents had just left Austin, leaving the new graduates to their own devices. Their post-graduate lives were well mapped out. Eric wouldn't have had it any other way. Eric had a teaching job lined up with a small stipend to assistant coach. He figured he would get in to the coaching world any way he could and work his way up through the ranks. Tami was planning on attending graduate school. They were to marry that June, not wanting to wait for her to complete her masters. They waited long enough. Eric proposed in the middle of their junior year. They often talked about the future – their future together and where life would take them. They would lay in bed, discussing what NFL team Eric would play for, what cities they wanted to live in. They knew money would never be an issue. During a playoff game the beginning of his senior year, Eric tore his rotator cuff injuring his shoulder and part of his arm. Their future was destroyed in one down of football.

He expected Tami to bail. At times, he wished she did. He knew she could have found someone to give her the lifestyle they talked about. He knew all the luxuries she wanted. They talked about it for hours on end.

But it never happened. It wasn't meant to be. Tami pleaded for him to understand that just because the NFL was not meant to be, that they weren't meant to be. After a month of this constant reassurance, Eric never wanted to let Tami go. He realized her loyalty and honesty trumped his fears of not living up to her previous expectations of him. So he did what was in his heart. He held on tight to the only woman he ever truly trusted. He asked her to marry him. So, the night of their graduation they were celebrating their next chapter. They were out with friends, and he watched Tami have one too many, loving the fact that she trusted him to take care of wherever this night took them. He chuckled as she climbed on the top of the bar, dancing, knowing she thought Eric was the only one watching her. He was well aware of the amounts of eyes on her as she threw her arms in the air and spinning around. He prayed she would always come back to him. When they went back to their apartment they shared, she asked, "Did you like my dance?"

"Baby, if you dance like that for me, you will have me eating out of the palms of your hands for the rest of our lives."

At Buddy's dealership the following night, Tami watches her husband work the room. He always had charm. He always had good southern boy manners that took him places. She remembers thanking her mother-in-law on her wedding day for raising him right.

She sees he is trapped talking to men who care way too much about football. She can visually see how tense he is, knowing he needs an outlet. She walked over, and as she does so, make eyes contact. His eyes are pleading with her to save him.

"Hi Y'all. I'm sorry to interrupt. I need to steal my husband for one second."

He just shrugs, takes her hand and lets her lead him to the moon if she asked. "Thank you." He whispers leaning close to her ear.

She spins around to face him, raising her hands to fiddle with the knot in his tie. "God, you look good in a suit."

"Yeah?" He replied in a flirtatious tone.

"Yeah!" She smiles at him, easing some of the tension. "Always. You okay?"

Before he is able to answer, Eric gets called up to the stage, a request from the mayor. He takes the mic, trying to find Tami in the crowd.

"I'm going to make this quick. As a lot of you know, my wife does most of the talking around the house." He continued to search the crowd for her, making sure she saw the twinkle in his eye, communicating he was joking. "I'm going to get in a lot of trouble for that too".

Tami could have been mad, but she wasn't. She was so proud of him, his confidence being a huge turn on for her. Although that had not always been the case. When they were younger she mistook that now sexy trait as cockiness. She could remember how she once felt about him, how he used to frustrate the hell out of her.

The rest of the evening Tami was attacked by the wives of boosters, asking her to come to some sort of book club meeting. Eric was swarmed by what felt like a million people telling him how to do his job. It went as far as some saying they have been driving by his house, wondering if he was putting in the hours, watching game tape. How many more gentleman were going to say, "We want to win championships! Are you going to be able to bring us championships?" These damn people were crazy, he thought.

When they reached home that night, Eric was particularly quiet. He was trying to digest the millions of requests they presented. Tami went straight to their bedroom and undress and he trailed right behind her.

"God Lord, Eric. Tonight was tough to get through. These women are trying to get me to sign up for a girl's night out, joining their book clubs, and god knows what else." She started taking off her jewelry in the bathroom as he sat on the bed, removing his shoes and socks.

He knew this was not Tami's thing. She always had friends, but they were never made because of some common force. "My night wasn't easy either. You think I like being told what to do day in and day out?" He asked, hoping she would understand his night was much more difficult. "Plus, I had to keep the boosters happy, keep Smash from running his mouth and Riggins needs to learn how to distance himself from the ladies. I care what my boys do in public, Tami." He continued, "Plus, I had to keep an eye on you. I see the way those men flirt with you." He was making a joke, but wanted her to know he always had his eyes on her. "I want you to be happy here too Tami."

She loved when he said the simplest of things, the words carrying so much weight. She had him right where she wanted him. She walked over to the edge of the bed where he was sitting, pulling at the knot in his tie once again. "Take a look at that house for me, by yourself. You don't need me nagging you. I know I can drive you crazy sometimes." She leaned down and kissed him, and instinctively he grabbed the back of her head, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss.

He opened his mouth and slipped his tongue in her mouth, pulling her closer, urging her to lie on top of him. "You drive me crazy all the time, but only in the best way possible."

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