A/N: Thank you so much to whoever prompted this for brittana con. I play roller derby irl so was very excited to write it. So excited I ended up drawing something as well for the first time in over a year! (Go to 'roller derby brittana' tag on my tumblr laurasfantasia to find it.) This is based more on the reality of roller derby (with a little artistic licence) than the version shown in Whip It, but hope you enjoy :)

Brittany blinked once then twice at the words on her screen. That couldn't be right. It was just too crazy, too improbable. But if she knew anything about math it was that the improbable could and inevitably would happen if you gave it enough time.

B-Spears 20.13: Ur at the game tomorrow? In Chicago?

Snixx 20.13: Yeah

Brittany bit her lip as she fistpumped the air, almost knocking Lord Tubbington off her desk.

Snixx 20.14: You are too? What team do you play for?

Snixx 20.14: Sorry, forgot the rules. You don't have to answer.

B-Spears 20.15: I don't mind. I think i know you enough now that you're not going to come stalk me ;)

B-Spears 20.16: I play for Lima Limelights.

Snixx 20.16: Are you fucking serious? I grew up in Lima! Then my parents moved to Fort Wayne.

B-Spears 20.17: So we've been talking all this time and you're only an hour away?

Brittany leaned back from her keyboard and laughed aloud at the ceiling. Her heart hammered against her chest as it fully hit her; tomorrow, she would be in the same room as the mysterious Snixx.

B-Spears 20.19: What team are you? R we playing?

Snixx 20.20: Yuppp! Ft. Wayne Wailers. See you on the track baby!

B-Spears 11.18: Are u here yet?

Snixx 11.23: You are officially worse than my mother!

Snixx 11.24: Just kidding bae. We're parking up now.

Brittany flushed as she stowed her phone away and tightened the wristguards that made it so hard to text. It had only been five weeks since she had first stumbled upon Snixx's blog – five weeks of harmless chatter. She had been extra careful about not giving away any personal information until last night; sending a message to a stranger had been weird enough. It was a standing joke in the team that Britt Spears could not handle computers and would delegate anything involving them. Math, awesome. Camcorders? All fine and dandy. Microsoft Word? Yikes. It had only been her teammates' insistence that she read this new, anonymous derby blog that had caused her to discover the wonderful world of

It didn't feel like she had only ever talked to Snixx over the internet for a few weeks. It felt like they had been friends – maybe even more than – for years.

She couldn't find it in herself to be nervous. Even if Snixx turned out to be some ugly old man, which she doubted, she had all her team here. And if she was as amazing as it seemed – well, the after party would be interesting.

"Hello there captain daydream? Time for warm up!"

Brittany flashed a grin at her co-captain Skull and Cross Jones, jumping up and pushing off on one toestop to skate onto the track.

"Pace line!" Brittany bellowed.

Her team, all clad in matching lime green uniforms, morphed into a single line in front of her.

"Stops on the whistle!"

Each time she tooted the fluorescent green whistle between her lips, her teammates stopped perfectly in sync.

"Pack it up! Five fast laps!"

They zoomed around the track. Brittany reached out for Skull and Berry Bomb, exchanging a grin as they swerved left.

"We got this, Spears."

"Those Wailers don't stand a chance."

A bustling group of skaters in red and white uniforms appeared in the doorway of the warehouse. Brittany wobbled, bumping into Bomb.

"Sorry," she muttered, pulling her eyes away and focusing on the track. She didn't even know what Snixx looked like. But if they were going to win this game, she had to get her head in gear. She could find Snixx after. To get to the final, they had to win today. They had been training hard and they could do it – if she kept her nerve.

They left the track and she kept her back to the Wailers as they quickly got their kit on and warmed up. She heard her phone beep but ignored it as she gestured at her teammates to join a huddle.

"Come on Limelights, we're gonna smash this! Play hard, wall up tight and don't let them get in your heads. Love you limelights!" She stuck her hand in the middle and every other skater did the same. "3 2 1 LIMELIGHTS!" Their hands flew in the air as they stamped simultaneously.

"Thirty seconds till the first jam," an official called over to them as she passed.

Brittany pulled the jammer panty over her helmet and skated over to the jam line, four other skaters with her. She crouched, glancing over at the Wailers' jammer and her jaw falling open slightly at the five red letters emblazoned on the girl's helmet and the C drawn onto her arm. Snixx was captain?

Snixx was beautiful.

"Five seconds!"

She forced her eyes away and stared at the empty space of the track beyond the Wailers' blockers. She filtered out the roar of the crowds and focused.

The whistle blew and she slammed forwards then left, battering a blocker out of the way and leaping through with long legs. Another blocker appeared and she feinted right before sliding sideways around them. The whistle beeped. She was lead jammer. But Snixx was right behind her.

She raced around the track, gaining a little on Snixx. The blockers had walled up again but she didn't slow down. She focused on the tiny space between their arms and smashed into them. Her hands were already patting her hips to call of the jam as she pushed her hips between the gap she had created.

FT. WAYNE WAILERS 0 – 4 LIMA LIMELIGHTS

"That was awesome Spears!" Skull yelled, lifting a hand to high-five her as they switched places.

Brittany grabbed her water bottle and took a huge gulp. Her heartbeat raced more than usual after a jam. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Snixx take a seat on the Wailers' bench, cheering out for their next jammer Unique. As Brittany watched, Unique blew their wall apart. She wasn't fast, but she was strong. Four points for the Wailers.

The first half passed in a blur of sweat and hits and points. Brittany didn't face Snixx again when jamming, but several times they were on track at the same time and she learnt just how hard Snixx could hit despite her small size. As the half time whistle blew, she rubbed at a spot on her arm that was sure to be purple tomorrow thanks to Snixx's shoulder.

FT. WAYNE WAILERS 139 – 124 LIMA LIMELIGHTS

"It's so close… we can make up those points!" Skull said, patting her on the back as she arrived back at the bench.

They gathered up water bottles, skate tools and candy to switch benches. When Brittany stood, her arms full, Snixx stood next to her.

"Well hi there Ms Spears."

Brittany's brain raced for something to say in response. She'd been speaking to Snixx non-stop for weeks. Now she could finally greet her in person.

"Hi."

Snixx grinned. "Derby getting to your brain?"

Brittany nodded mutely, praying she wasn't blushing too much.

"Well we can talk later after the game. Nice jamming by the way!"

She went past Brittany and Brittany nodded again, skating over to their new bench. With everyone else scattered around the hall looking at the stalls or chatting with the crowd, Brittany stayed on their new bench. She closed her eyes, drinking more water. Half an hour left to think of something to say. Half an hour to win the game.

All too soon she was lined up on track again. Snixx wasn't there, but she faced Unique. And when the whistle blew, Unique crashed into her, sending her off track before breaking through their wall. Brittany scrambled up and jumped onto the track.

"Green 4, cut track!"

She bit her lip to stop herself swearing as she skated off the other side to the penalty box. The Wailers' blocker Quick Fabray, who had somehow sneaked behind her, now ran forward to cause chaos in the Limelights' wall. Unique got through again and continued around the track. With Brittany in the penalty box, she had no reason to call it off. She could continue skating and get as many points as possible.

Thirty seconds ticked past and the points racked up. 5. 10. 15. Catching up with the Wailers had just got all the more difficult.

"Green 4, done!"

She jumped out of the penalty box and back on track, dodging around Quick and three other blockers. Urgency lent her more speed than usual and she swerved around the apex. The Limelights were holding Unique back and she hadn't noticed her yet. Brittany crouched lower as she approached the pack.

"Call it Unique!" Quick yelled. Brittany shoved past her and all three other blockers right before the whistle went. Four more points.

FT. WAYNE WAILERS 154 – 128 LIMA LIMELIGHTS

It would be tough. But they could do it.

"Come on Limelights!" Brittany bellowed.

Slowly, so slowly, they crawled the points back. Every jam she wasn't skating in, Brittany cheered encouragement from the sidelines. The smiles stayed on every Limelight's face and there were high fives galore when exiting the track.

"Rex, you jam this one," Brittany said to Tina-Rex. She was the newest skater on the team, but she was fast. Her eyes widened, then her lips pressed together and she nodded firmly, pulling the jammer panty on. Brittany lined up as a blocker in front of her. There were three minutes left and five points between the teams. Rex was fresh. She would have speed the Wailers wouldn't be expecting.

The whistle blew and Brittany wrapped herself around Quick, forcing her away from the inside line. Rex darted past and second later got the whistles to mark her lead jammer. The little huddle of Limelight supporters in lime green t-shirts roared with applause and Brittany set herself back in the wall – but Unique was already through, leaving Skull sprawled across the floor.

Rex was halfway round the track. She had some time – Unique would not catch up. A screech of wheels echoed through the hall and seconds later came the clatter of someone falling thanks to Quick's attack.

"Bomb's down!"

Brittany crouched lower and skated fast, getting to the front of the pack. Rex struggled against the wall but Unique blasted around the corner, coming faster than expected. The second she was close to parallel, Brittany charged. She slammed her hip into Unique's thigh and the jammer flew out of the track, colliding with a referee. Brittany pivoted on one foot, skating back around the track as Skull and Bomb regrouped, forcing Unique behind them all again. The crowd cheered but Brittany gritted her teeth, holding her ground as Unique tried to slip past. She knocked her off balance again with a well-placed skid.

Four sharp whistled blasted through the hall and Brittany sighed through her mouthguard in relief.

FT. WAYNE WAILERS 198 – 197 LIMA LIMELIGHTS

"That was awesome, Rex," Brittany said, pulling the jammer panty off her helmet and onto her own as she lined up again. One jam left.

Snixx stood next to her on the jam line. Her expression was tight and Brittany felt a moment of apprehension, but then her head turned and she smiled.

"Amazing game, Spears. Best I've had in months."

"Five seconds!"

BEEP

They ran forward together, breaking through the walls simultaneously. Snixx was hot on her heels around the track, but Brittany had lead. Ahead of them, the teams raced each other to the front. It was close. She could call it off now to stop Snixx getting more points – but then they would lose.

Brittany crouched. They were approaching the turn in the track. The Limelights were behind – but the Wailers were in the perfect position for her. The second her wheels were close enough to the rope marking the edge of the track, she jumped.

Brittany soared over the inside of the track, passing all four Wailer blockers. Her skates crashed back down onto the track, skidding to the right as she flapped her hands against her hips.

The final whistle blew.

FT. WAYNE WAILERS 198 – 202 LIMA LIMELIGHTS

"We won! We're going to finals, Spears!"

Skull crashed into her, knocking her to the floor as she laughed.

"Finals! We made it to finals!"

The whole team surrounded them. Every last lime-coloured shirt in the hall, supporters and skaters, joined the huddle of hugs and laughter and excited chatter.

"We won," Brittany repeated to herself in wonder. Through a gap in their huddle, she saw Snixx salute.

"You avoiding me Spears?"

Brittany spun, a bright green cocktail in one hand, to find Snixx facing her. The bar was crowded and she had to shout to be heard.

"No. Just had team celebrations."

Better than last time, at least. More than one word.

Snixx motioned with one hand to follow and Brittany did, walking through the bar and up the stairs to an outdoor terrace at the back. None of the other skaters had discovered it yet; it was empty except for several abandoned beer bottles.

"Congrats on the win."

"Thanks. You gave us a tough game. Didn't realise you were captain."

"Well I did text to let you know."

Brittany remembered the beep from her phone earlier that day and fished it out of her bag.

Snixx 11.54: You're captain too? This'll be great. Good luck!

Snixx 11.57: PS you're actually prettier than I always imagined.

Brittany bit her lip as she locked her phone again.

"You too. You hit hard."

She rubbed her arm again.

"Well I am badass. You should know that from my blog. Can kiss it better if you like though?"

Brittany blushed as she laughed. "I haven't showered yet."

Snixx took a step closer. "Neither have I. But I should probably leave it a while before making some innuendo about how we both need showers, huh?"

"Maybe just a couple more weeks," Brittany replied with a grin. Snixx stood so close Brittany could make out the tiny freckles on her nose. "I feel like I've known you forever."

"But I still don't know your real name."

"Brittany Pierce."

"Santana Lopez."

They leaned in simultaneously and their lips met in a soft kiss. Brittany's final nerves shattered into nothing. This was where she was meant to be.