Prologue

"You're coming to the game right?" asked a young Tim Riggins, 15 years old, pushing Amy, 14 years old, on the swing in her backyard.

"Of course I am, Riggins" She laughed and turned her head to look at her best friend since fifth grade. "Have I missed a game yet since you got on the team?"

He grinned and pushed her harder. "No."

"I wouldn't miss it even if Chris Matthews asked me to go on a date with him."

"Ew, Chris Matthews, he's disgusting! I hope you never go out with that prick! He has a bigger fowl mouth then me!" He didn't mean for the jealousy to come out of his mouth like that. Truth is he really likes Amy he hasn't approached her with it, no; he was waiting till later tonight. At the after party, he was going to ask her out. That's why he was hoping she would be there. Then he can take her to the party and ask her out. It was all planned out nothing could go wrong.

"Hey you two, get in here, moms going to tare your hides if you don't eat dinner before you go. Especially you Riggins since you're playing tonight," said my brother, Nick sliding the sliding glass door.

Amy smiled at her twin brother and hopped off the swing and turned to Tim. She grabbed Tim's hand. He felt something stir in his stomach and he liked the feeling. "Come on Riggins, full backers got to eat."

Amy and Tim walked into the family room and into the dining room. The Thomas's home was bigger than Tim and his brothers' home. This was one of the two places Tim like to always be. Here with Amy and her family or with Jason Street and his family. It's probably because they all treated him like family and he always felt welcomed and wanted in these two homes. Amy and Tim walked into the dining room to see her huge family sitting around the table and her mom bringing out dinner. Her father, Jim, was sitting at the head of the table with Nick on his right. Next to Nick was an empty seat, where Amy usually sat, then where the youngest son, Dylan sat (3). The other head was empty where their mother, Christina, sits. Then there's a baby seat for Sarah the baby sister who is only 1. An empty seat for Tim and next to Tim would be the eldest brother, Ray. Tim and Amy smiled at each other before taking their seats.

"Ray still at the shop, Mama?" asked Jim. Ray worked at the famous mechanic shop where everyone goes to get their car fixed or whatever.

"Yes, Papa," said Christina sitting down at her seat. "He's going to be late."

"You boys ready for tonight's game?" asked Jim. "I heard the Bridgeport Bears are really tough."

"Aw, dad with Riggins on our side, we can do anything. Those bears are wimps," said Nick grabbing mashed potatoes.

"Well, you boys get some good food into your stomachs tonight. I don't want to see you guys out there on an empty stomach," said Christina. Amy smiled at her mother. She loved her family. Everything was perfect in her life. She of course was known for her perfect everything in this town. Perfect hair, perfect skin, perfect body (for a 14 year old), perfect family, perfect best friend, perfect friends, perfect attendance at school, perfect grades, and just plain perfect life. She was always smiling. It was a rare occasion to see her not smiling. Everyone wondered why she was never a cheerleader because she was bouncy and cheerful all the time. That's one of the reasons Tim liked her. She was always looking at the positive sides and keeping him out of the darkness of his family problems.

At the football game, the Panthers were winning 14 to 10. Of course Coach Taylor was taking this good because the Bears could easily steal a win. Amy sat as close as she could without being on the field so she could see Tim as best as she could. That's the only reason she ever went to the games was just for Tim. Everything she did with football was for him. Accept for cheerleading. He always wanted her to become a cheerleader so they could ride the bus together to games and do everything together. But she just refused to do it. She said there's no way she would be caught jumping up and down screaming "Go! Fight! Rawr!" for a bunch of horny football players. She was flexible so she could do everything but that was because of her dancing and gymnastics she did when she was younger.

The game was over and the Panthers won 18 to 10. Coach Taylor was happy, the football players were happy, the town was happy and everyone was running onto the field. Amy was one of the first to the players. She felt a pair of arms wrap around her and spin her around. She screamed knowing whose arms they were. He put her on his shoulder and she screamed "Go Panthers!"

Everyone around them screamed it too. Tim put her down and she smiled up at him. "Great game Riggins."

He laughed. "For once could you call me Tim?"

She made a face thinking about it. "Maybe, Tim." He hugged her and she hugged him back.

"You're going to the party right?"

"Yeah."

"Great meet me outside the locker rooms, I'm going to drive us there," he said having a goofy grin on his face.

"You don't even have a license yet. You are going to get in deep…"

He put a finger on her lips. "Not if anyone finds out that cares about the law."

Amy smiled that loveable smile he loved so much. He just wanted to grab her face right there and kiss her like he has been dyeing to do since he noticed that he liked her more than a friend. "

"Go wait by the truck and I'll be there as fast as I can."

She nodded and watched him walk away with my brother and Jason Street. "So tonight's the night?" asked Jason elbowing Tim in the ribs. Tim smiled as they got into the locker room.

"What are you doing tonight?" asked Nick as they reached their lockers.

"Riggins is getting down and dirty with your sister," said Jason laughing.

Nick got all flustered and felt rage overflow him. "What?!" That was his sister, his twin sister, and they are talking like that about her! Especially Tim!?

"No, I'm going to ask her out," said Riggins sheepishly and hiding his face in his short hair that he was growing out.

Nick raised his eyebrows and smirked. "I was wondering when you were going to grow a set of balls and ask her out."

Amy leaned against the truck staring up at the night sky. She watched as an airplane went by.

"Hey you what are you looking at?" asked Tim as he came towards his truck.

"Nothing," she said smiling at him. He was cleaned up and smelled better then when she met him on the field. "Thank goodness you don't stink anymore."

"Hey!" he said and grabbed her on her sides. She laughed because that was one of her tickle spots.

"Alright, alright! Let's get going before the party gets boring without us," she said and he opened the door for her and she got in. He threw his duffel bag in the back of the truck and was grinning ear to ear. Tonight was going just as he planned. Everything was going to be perfect!

As they got to the party they saw people were already drunk.

"See, I'm not that bad of a driver," said Tim putting the truck in park. Amy laughed and got out of the truck. They met at the front of his truck and he put his arm around her. Yeah, tonight was his night.

It was an hour into the party and Amy and Tim were dancing in the living room with the others. Amy didn't drink that much because if she went home drunk her parents would kill her.

"Hey, I'm going to get a drink, want anything?" Tim asked.

She shook her head and kept on dancing. He smiled at her and walked into the kitchen. He put his hand in his pocket and felt the ring he was going to give her. It was burning a hole in his pocket all night. He grabbed a drink and saw some of the kids running out the back door.

"What's going on?" he asked as one ran into him.

"Cops are here," he squeaked and ran out. Tim dropped his cup and ran to the living room to see Amy talking to the cops.

"Wait, what are you talking about?" he heard her ask. He walked up to her and the cops looked at him.

"We aren't here to bust up this party," said the one cop to Tim.

"Amy, we need you to come with us. There's been an accident."

"What sort of accident?" asked Amy and she felt Tim's hand on her shoulder.

The cops glanced at each other knowing how hard this was going to be for her. "I think its better you come with us and you see for yourself."

"Can Tim come?" she asked. Whatever this was, she didn't want to face this alone. The cops nodded and escorted them out of the house and into the back of the patrol car. Amy felt in the pit of her stomach something was seriously wrong. Everything was quiet in the car. Tim looked at her and saw how worried she was. He had never seen her so worried in his life. He grabbed her hand that was sitting on her lap and squeezed it. She looked at him and gave him a small smile but he could still see that in her eyes she wanted to cry because she didn't know what was wrong.

"Where are we going?" asked Amy as she noticed they started going the opposite way of the police station.

The driver looked in his rearview mirror and looked at her. "The hospital."

"What? What is going on please? Who's hurt?" asked Amy pleading. She never let her guard down this bad in her life. She felt tears forming in her eyes and Tim just kept staring at her not liking the way she was looking and feeling. It made his heart sink to the bottom of his stomach.

"Amy, your parents have been in a car accident," said the cop in the driver's side.

Amy felt herself choke and stop breathing. "Are they ok?!"

"We don't know what the details are, Amy. You're going to have to talk to the doctors."

Amy felt herself start breathing again but this time she felt like her breathing was going faster. She felt Tim's hand squeezing her hand again. She just wanted to get to the hospital; she wanted to know that her parents were going to be ok, that everything was going to be ok. They were just going to have a bumps and bruises that's all nothing else.

They finally arrived at the hospital and the cops opened the doors for them. Amy ran inside with Tim following behind her. She ran up to receptionist and banged on the desk. "Hello, excuse me; I'm looking for Mr. and Mrs. Thomas. They're parents." She told the nurse and the nurse was on the phone. "Come on!"

"Amy!" yelled a voice behind her. It was her brother, Ray. She ran up to him and hugged him.

"What's going on?" she asked with tears falling out of her eyes.

"I don't know, the doctors haven't come out yet."

They heard running behind them to see Nick coming through the door and he ran to them.

"Where's Sarah and Dylan?" asked Amy.

Ray pointed towards where the toys were and Amy saw them and smiled. Her and Tim walked over to them and sat with them. Amy rubbed Dylan's head and he smiled. She put Sarah in her lap and looked up at Tim and felt more tears coming out of her eyes.

"Everything is going to be ok," he reassured her but he was thinking that something wasn't right. It's never this long with just bumps and bruises.

"Eh, Thomas children?" asked a voice. They all looked up. Amy put Sarah back on the floor with Dylan and walked up with Nick, Ray and Tim.

"Is everything ok?" asked Nick.

"Are they going to be alright?" asked Ray.

The doctor put his hands up for them to be quiet. "I'm Doctor Shinar, I did everything I could, but the accident was just too horrible. I'm sorry; your parents are bleeding internally. There is nothing we can do. I'm giving an estimated time of about twenty to thirty minutes until they are gone."

Amy heard his words but they didn't comprehend. They didn't make sense. Her parents, they were dying. Before she knew what her body was doing she fell to her knees and began crying hysterically. No one has seen Amy cry this hard at all in her life. Not since she was a toddler. Tim kneeled in front of her pulling her into him. She cried into his chest and grabbed onto his shirt.

"Tim, get her out of her," said Ray. "You can't let Sarah and Dylan sees her like this."

Tim nodded and picked her up. "Come on baby. Come on you have to get up."

Amy was shaking her head. "No, no, I want to see them."

"I don't think that's a good idea," said the Doctor. "They're pretty…"

"No!" screamed Amy. She whipped the tears from her face. "I want to see them. I want to say my goodbyes before they are gone."

The doctor looked at Ray and he nodded. "Ok, come with me. Anyone else?"

Nick nodded. "Ray, I can stay with Sarah and Dylan," said Tim. Ray took his offer and followed the doctor. They walked to the end of the hallway where it said critical care. They walked past a couple more doors and then Dr. Shinar stopped in front of one. Ray walked in first and Nick and Amy followed. When Amy saw them she felt her breath catch in her throat. Her parents had cuts and bruises and blood all over them.

"I don't think I can do this anymore," said Amy about to walk out.

"No," said Nick grabbing her arm. "You need to do this."

Amy walked over to her mother. "Hi, mom." She saw her mother's eyes moving as if she was just dreaming. "Mom, uh, I just wanted to say thank you for everything. You made our lives perfect and never let us quit. Always let our dreams become reality." Amy put her hand on her mother's head and felt tears falling from her eyes again. She looked at her father where Ray and Nick were. She walked over to her dad and kissed his forehead. "Goodbye daddy."

After about ten minutes of saying goodbye, the three of them walked out of the room and headed to the waiting room. Amy was the first to walk in and saw Tim sitting with Dylan and Sarah. Sarah was sleeping peacefully in his lap while Dylan was playing with the toys still. Tim looked up and didn't know if he should smile or not. Amy smiled at him and sat down next to him.

"Are you the Thomas kids?" asked a lady in a black suit. Ray nodded and walked up to her.

"Hi, I'm Ray Thomas. Can I help you?"

"I'm Cassandra Storms, I work for child services," she said.

Amy felt her heart start racing again. This couldn't be good. She put her hand on Tim's shoulder and squeezed it. He was watching Ray and the child services woman talk.

"You're not of age yet to take care of these children, Ray."

"I will be, in another years. What's the difference? I have a good job and work hard at it. I'll keep food on the table. I can take care of them. All of us will take care of each other."

"I'm sorry Ray. I'm going to have to take you all and put you in foster homes."

Amy felt herself shaking her head. "No."

"No you can't separate us," said Ray. "You just can't not at this time. We're all we have."

"Only until you come of age and the courts feel you are ready."

"But that could be a couple years. We can't be away from each other that long."

"Don't worry, I'll have Sarah and Dylan put into good homes. Nick and Amy will be together…"

"You can't separate us!" yelled Ray.

"Don't raise your voice at me."

It was the day of the funeral and everyone from town was there. The Thomas kids sat in the front. Tim sat on the other side of the casket and watched Amy the whole time. She had sunglasses on and wore a black dress. She was leaving, they were all leaving tomorrow. The whole family looked so depressed. No one in town has seen them like this. They were always the happy family next to the Streets.

After the funeral the Thomas's said goodbye to everyone before they went back to their families' home. If it was considered home anymore. Amy dressed Sarah and Dylan into comfortable clothes for wherever they were going.

"Now, remember," Amy said as she pulled Dylan's shirt over his head. "We will always be family. No matter what happens. I will always love you two." Dylan touched her cheek and smiled at her. She smiled back.

She had Dylan walk in front of her and she held Sarah and walked down the stairs. The Social Worker was there and grabbed Sarah from Amy. Amy was the last in the house and she looked around. It was empty except for a few things in the corners here and there. She took a deep breath and walked out closing the door behind her. She found Tim sitting on the steps of the porch.

"Came to say goodbye?" Amy asked. Tim turned around and got up walking up to her.

"Amy, I-I'm going to miss you," he said and he gave her a huge hug. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. He was always there for her. He was the best thing in her life and now he's being taken away from her. "Promise me something?"

Amy let go and looked into his gorgeous brown eyes as he looked back into his. "Promise me, you'll come back one day, come back to me."

Amy nodded. "I promise Tim."

He smiled a little as she put her hand on his cheek and softly rubbed it. "You called me Tim."

She smiled at him. "Amy, there's also something I wanted to give to you." He put his hand in his pocket and grabbed the ring. He put it in her hand. She felt the coldness hit her hand. She opened her hand up to find a ring in it. She looked up at him confused. She picked it up and read 'Riggins.' She smirked and looked back at him.

"I was going to give you that the night..." he looked at her unsure how to say this. "The night the accident happened. I was going to ask you to be my girlfriend."

Amy took the ring and put it on her ring finger on her left hand. "I'll always remember you Tim Riggins." She kissed his cheek and started walking down the steps. She was halfway to the cab when she felt a hand grab her arm and turn her around.

"I've been wanting to do this for a very long time," he said and cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her softly. She felt her eyes close and she kissed him back. He let go of her lips and opened his eyes to see hers still closed and her lips a little red. She slowly opened her eyes and he saw a tear roll down her cheek.

"Don't keep me waiting," Tim whispered.

She smiled. "Don't wait up."

He watched her walk to the cab and get in. She looked out the window and stared at him. She put her hand against the window and they started to move. She watched her house go and she watched Tim stay as she moved away from them. She didn't know she would ever be back.

Amy woke up in a pool of sweat and couldn't remember where she was. She looked to her left to see her brother Nick sleeping in the bed next to her. She got out of her bed and walked towards the bathroom. She remembered where she was. She wasn't in a foster home anymore. She was with her brothers and sister in a motel room headed home. They've been on the road for days. Ray finally got custody of all of us but it's been three years since then. It took them till my brother was twenty to let him have custody of all of us. Sarah was three, Dylan was 6 and Nick and Amy were seventeen.

Ray wanted them to move back home, back to Dilion Texas. He said mom and dad would want them to be there close to them. Close to their friends. Where they all grew up, where Sarah and Dylan could grow up, around people that loved them. Amy looked in the mirror, she changed since the last time everyone seen her in Dillon. They all changed. Amy now had dark hair like her mother's was, she grew a few inches, and her body slimmed out. Amy put her hand down her shirt and found the necklace she has been wearing for three years. She took it out of her shirt and looked at the ring. 'Riggins' was still engraved and still looked like it did the first day he gave it to her. Will he remember her at all?