Author's Note: Here's a new story I've decided to try out. I'm going to try and associate most of the characters of the show in future chapters so if you are a fan of people I have not included yet, stay tuned…they will show up soon!
Disclaimer: Don't own anything associated with Friday Night Lights.
Spoilers: Through where we are in season 2.
Summary: The psychological aspect of a person's mind is a complicated thing to understand, but should never be ignored.
Down Poison Chapter One
Rain. The pattering of the showers hit the windowpane in what seemed like a rhythmic pattern. Some drops were huge, some very light, almost like early morning dew. The condensation from the moisture made looking through the glass very challenging.
Eric pushed his fingers through the half-opened blinds, running his index and middle fingers through the fog, making two parallel lines. Rain. Why was it raining again? His team needed some good workouts and this weather was only going to do one thing, hinder any step forward for this program. Indoor workouts were never a success. The focus seemed to be elsewhere and the intensity of his athletes was completely sucked out of the room.
He leaned back in his office chair, propping his left foot up on a shelf near him. The metal of his seat squeaked a little, causing him to cringe from the unpleasant sound that bounced off of his eardrums. He sifted through some paperwork, taking notice to Matt Saracen standing in the threshold of the door that separated his area from the locker room where loud laughter and talking could be heard.
"Can I help you with something Saracen?" He lifted his Dillon Panther baseball cap and ran a hand through his disheveled hair, trying to read the facial expression of his first string quarterback.
Matt nodded, entering the room completely. Coach took notice to his hesitation but that was nothing new from Saracen, he always seemed a little nervous and on edge about everything.
"Sir, are we going to practice outside today?"
Coach Taylor smirked, leaning forward. Saracen was a good kid but sometimes he wasn't sure about him. His insecurities made him question just what type of leader he could be out on the field but last season proved enough for him. He had grown into a good guy on the field and off.
"Does it look like we are practicing outside? The field is about 10 feet under water. You feel like swimming?"
Matt shifted his weight, unsure of how to answer him. "No..No sir. The guys were just wondering, that's all."
"I'll let you know son."
"Okay, thanks." Matt made his exit, leaving Coach alone again.
"Practice outside.." Coach mumbled to himself as he stood up and grabbed his blue Panther play book and hoisted it under his left arm. He walked in front of where his team sat, staring at each of them before he began to speak. His coaching staff was present as well, waiting on word from him.
"Unless you boys feel like joining the swim team today we are going to practice indoors." He paused, his eyes moving around the room. "That doesn't mean that the intensity level drops down either, I want to see you work your asses off today, 110 or you go home. Is that clear?"
In unison, each player spoke up. "Yes sir."
"One more time."
"YES SIR!"
Eric was glad to be home. Practice had pretty much gone how he had expected. It seemed like any time there was a weather change that the kids were rambunctious and not focused in the least bit. They probably would've been better off playing on the wet field.
He sat in his Explorer a few moments, staring at the porch light that flickered out brightly onto their sidewalk. He was really growing frustrated with how a few things were going.
For one, he had built up this Dillon Panther program and got these boys playing together. They brought back a state championship his first year. All of that work looked like it had washed down a street gutter and into a drainage lake when he came home from TMU.
There was no chemistry between his players anymore. The spark of the game was gone and the fire inside of them had been dissipated down to embers. How could something so amazing collapse in just a few months? Funny how building up a program can take years but killing one could be a success in a matter of a few days.
He put the SUV into park and got out, grabbing his duffel bag before he made his entrance into his home. He smelled something good even before he opened the door and his stomach growled in response to the appetizing aroma.
Gracie was sleeping in a playpen and Julie was on the couch, watching something while she was doing homework. He greeted Tami by wrapping his arm around her waist and hugging her back as she continued to prepare their dinner.
"Hey hon, that smell is tormenting me." He opened the fridge, rummaging through some leftovers until he found his 12 pack of Coors Light stashed towards the back, grabbing one.
"Making meatloaf. I actually had the energy to cook today, Gracie was in a good mood all day."
He took a long sip of the amber liquid, savoring the flavor on his taste buds. He walked into the living room, leaning over the edge to see Gracie sound asleep. It seemed like every time he glanced at his youngest daughter she had grown some, amazing how babies changed so quickly.
He averted his eyes to his eldest; her stare was still on the open book on her lap.
"Hey monkey noodle, what'cha doing?"
She still did not look up, but pursed her lips and flipped a page over, trying to make it evident that she didn't want to be bothered.
"Earth to Julie." Sarcasm was thick on his voice as he sat beside her on the couch. "You doing alright?"
"Dad, I'm a little busy. I don't have time to talk right now."
He leaned forward, glancing at the TV and back at Julie. Living with a teenager really was taking its toll on him. He knew how rough it would be from being one himself but having a daughter going through it was something he never had expected or prepared for.
"What's your hurry?"
Julie finally looked up, her brown eyes glaring at her father. "I'm going out tonight with some friends so I need to get this done."
"You're going out tonight? With who?" He threw his baseball cap on the table, watching it slide across the smooth glass before it came to a stop on the corner.
"Dad, I've already talked to mom about it. It's some friends from school, everything is fine."
He shifted his weight in his chair, eyeing the TV and then back to Julie. "Go do your work in your bedroom please." He grabbed the remote, quickly turning the channel before his daughter could even object.
"I was watching that!" Her voice raised, causing Gracie to stir in her playpen.
Eric took in a deep sigh, turning the TV off altogether. "If you don't have time to say hello to your father than you certainly don't have time to watch TV while doing homework, now go finish it in your room." He paused, taking note to her facial expression. "End of discussion."
"I'm not sure what I hate more, you being in Austin or you coming back home. Besides, the team sucks anyway, not like you coming back is going to save them." She shut her book firmly and stomped down the hallway to her room.
Eric was more shocked by her comment than anything. His anger flared shortly after, gritting his teeth as he stood up, trying to get in the last word before she closed herself up in her bedroom like she always did during arguments.
"Who in the HELL do you think you are?" His voice echoed through the house, now fully awakening Gracie.
Julie stopped at her door, turning around quickly. Her eyes were red from being on the verge of crying. "I'm your oldest daughter, you know, your first born, or have you forgotten that I'm your daughter too?" Before she allowed Eric to respond she opened the door and slammed it behind her, causing some pictures on the wall to rattle.
Eric stood in the same spot, looking down a now empty hallway. "Go off and run into your room like you always do."
Tami peaked around the corner of the kitchen door, her eyebrow arched. "What was that about?"
Eric walked into the kitchen, grabbing another can of beer from the refrigerator. "Nothing. Let me sit back and enjoy one of the few things that hasn't frustrated me today."
After supper Eric seemed to be relaxed a little more than earlier in the evening. He was sitting out on the back patio, another beer within reach. The sound of the sliding glass door interrupted his thoughts and revealed Tami on the other side, making her way to the table where he was.
"Hey hon, how many of those have you had tonight?" She sat down adjacent to him, leaning in for a small peck on the lips.
He grinned, skidding the aluminum can across the metal surface in front of them. "I'm on my fifth."
"Your fifth? What's the occasion?"
Eric shrugged, staring down at the ground. He wasn't sure what the occasion was; he just wanted to enjoy a nice evening, relaxed without many worries on his mind.
"Just felt like drinking a few." He leaned in, his smile growing bigger as he put his right hand on the side of Tami's face, brushing some of her hair back behind her ear. "How about you have a glass of wine with me?"
Sometimes Tami enjoyed when Eric had had a few too many but right now she was kind of annoyed with him. She could smell the beer on his breath, it lingering heavy in front of her. She grabbed his hand, pulling it away. "Eric, you know I can't drink."
He gave out a faint laugh, the expression of excitement on his face never leaving. "Why not?" His voice squeaked a little, making him giggle again as he sipped on the beer can.
"For one, I'm breast feeding. You want Gracie to get drunk with us because it would be just like pouring it into a bottle for her." It was obvious that she was joking about that, the body obviously would filter the wine through, but it was a line of defense she could use. She paused, rolling her eyes at the fact that Eric was finding this all too amusing and she wasn't. "And two, just what we need to do, both of us get drunk with no one around to take care of her."
He sat the beer can down hard, causing some of it to spew from the top.
"That's great, that's just great. You made me spill my beer."
He watched it go on the table and looked back up at his wife, taking note to the fact that she wasn't enjoying this as much as he was.
"I'm not asking you to get drunk Tami. One little glass of wine is not going to hurt anything." He arched his eyebrow. "Just one glass, for old times sake."
"I hate you," she remarked as she stood up. "You are so damn persistent." She walked back into the house and came back out with a bottle of white wine and 2 glasses. "You sure mixing your liquor is wise? I don't want to have to baby you all night, we know how childish you are when it comes to being sick."
He clapped his hands together, pulling her in for a deep kiss. At that moment all of the frustrations from the day were gone, it was just he and Tami out on the back porch, enjoying each other's company until the next round of life was thrown at them.
TBC….let me know if I should continue, thanks!