The loud echoing shrill that signaled the opening of iron bars brought Tim away from the thoughts that wracked his brain. He was finally going to be a free man, but that cost was expensive, real expensive.
When he walked to that shameful door of the Dillon County Police, he felt like all the air was sucked out him. He couldn't breathe his aching body ready to crumble. Not once, all the pain and tribulations he'd gone through cause him to feel that way.
As loud as it was here, he never felt more alone. It was cold, and far from complacent.
Day after day, it was nothing but him and himself alone. He often thought back to what it was like to be home. What everyone was doing at this very moment.
Phone calls and visits never lasted as long as he hoped for. He was surprised at the amount of people who offered to have their phone registered for the connecting capability, Billy, Jason, Tyra, Landry, Matt, Becky, but those weren't all that surprising.
The Taylor Family signing up for not only the phone calls, but on the visitors list was.
What had shocked his system was that he and Julie formed the lost friendship they once had. Their lives took completely different turns, separating for the good.
Julie had gotten back together with Saracen and his relationship with Lyla took the only turn it knew, bad. Tim along with Lyla graduated that year signaling the end of everything he knew to be true.
Julie was left behind in school, looking for better things than Dillon Texas. She found it but soon returned; Texas was her calling.
The hardest part of the whole ordeal was realizing he would never be enough. Not only with Lyla but everyone that came into his life. His teammates being the only regular faces other than Billy to stick around and even then it comes to an end.
Nothing lasts forever because in the deepest storms, you'll be torn apart.
He never knew the words that would make anyone turn around to stay. He never knew how to bring the smile across their lips that was long overdue. He was sorry for that all. Just sorry.
Only one person understood this. Julie. His thoughts going completely back to her.
He stepped outside the bars stopping at the front desk. The state employee slipped his wallet from beneath the glass wall. It was the only thing he forgot to give to Billy before turning himself in.
Hauling the bag containing his other items, letters, notebooks, pencils, radio, headphone, and a small miniature fan he turned to walk outside. He hesitated.
It wasn't the first time he saw daylight or anything close to that form but he wasn't dubbed in a beige jumper. He was downed in his signature plaid shirt, jeans that snug against his thighs and his long missed cowboy boots.
The black pavement felt like it was never going to come to an end, and the large wired eclectic fence wouldn't open. One of the guards would come down, apologizing for the mix-up and bring him back inside.
Tim never had much luck, but luck was going to have be enough.
Open your eyes; it's time to see if you still believe me. He looked on in the parking lot, mothers, fathers, wives, and kids all stood aloof waiting.
He sighed letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
Julie had come to get him and only one thought lingered. You can't outrun your past. He ought to know that really good since he naturally did it all the time.
But sometimes the past brings back good things too, Julie Taylor being one of them.
Even from he was standing he could see the thoughts accumulating in her head. Her eyes were large, anxious and grateful. But he they also held the very nature they always held.
The look of devastation as she watched all his dreams die.
Tim walked towards his visitor that showed up unannounced. Almost every time someone would come to see him, they would let him know. In that preparation, he would clean himself up. Brush his hair, try to get some more sleep so the bags wouldn't go so noticed but more importantly shaved.
Today he had scruff, his hair was un-kept and he hadn't slept in the last twenty-four hours.
Usually right away he could tell who it was. Straining his eyes to look across the visiting yard, he could see her.
Shoulder length blonde hair, petite frame, and with the Texas sun shining down upon them was she wearing dark skin tight jeans, tan heels and a white flowing top.
Hearing his approach she turned towards him, eyes wide with embarrassment on his part, something flickering inside him recognizing who it was.
"You cut your hair?" was the first words out his mouth. Not a hello, not a how are you, not even a smile.
Julie nodded her head glancing away,"Yeah I did. It was a time for a change."
He sat down across from her, squinting his eyes, trying to ignore the blistering sun gleaming in his eyes.
"It's good to see you Tim." Her voice soft, "I'm really glad that I took the time out to come visit you."
He wasn't sure what to say. Never was he one for small talk but he couldn't just sit here in silence. "Thank you."
"So how are you?" her eyes dark shading the familiar reasoning of how he could end up here. She always believed in him more than she should and it cost her. That guilt was troublesome.
"I'm as good as I can be in here."
"Not exactly the grandiose place you pictured it be?" she questioned.
Tim sighed rubbing his jaw before folding his hands resting them against the rust bucket called a table, "No it's exactly how I pictured it. I just thought maybe I had a chance to end up here."
"I never thought you'd be in here either to be honest."
Tim's head cocked towards her in a seconds flash. She must have been joking, saving him more shame than he already had. "You don't gotta lie."
She smiled warmly, "I'm not lying Tim. When I met you, sure you were quite the rough picking. You drank, slept with more girls, and maybe even skipped school more than you should have. But we all make mistakes. Mistakes that shouldn't define you for the rest of your life because you tried to fix those wrongs."
She was right in some aspect but it didn't matter. Not when you lived in Dillon.
"Why'd you come here?"
Julie felt selfish, not really wanting to answer him. It was for her, not him. "I…I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"You got a peace of mind now?" he questioned. Julie had a big heart and she was nice enough to come visit him even though they hadn't spoken often since he lived with her.
"No, not really." Julie muttered.
Deliberately throwing a question back at her, he asked, "What will then?"
"Do you want the shortened version or the long list?" she answered searching his face for answers. It was a hard stare, distant. It showed no recollection of the vicarious Tim that was hidden behind his brooding bravado. "When you come home then I'll know you'll be okay."
She always did wear her heart on her sleeve.
"Jules, I keep to myself in here. I still get some trouble with the big guys around here but that's because I'm new. Other than that I eat, sleep as much as I can and write letters to the ones I've gotten. Visitors come and go just like you will in a few minutes."
He hadn't meant for it to come out so hostile. It was hard to come to the brink of how much of his life was going to be different from here then out. He did it for Billy and he swore if he screwed that up, he would strike down upon him with a force far worse than god.
"Remind me where the light is. You once said that to me." she blurted out randomly.
He tilted his head to the side, wary of where she was going with this.
Julie reached across the table taking a hold of Tim's masculine hand, "You're gone. You're here. I keep my living room lamp on every night. I stare at my ceiling to try and forget that you can't see that light. And I wish with my whole heart that you didn't decide to make a chop shop."
Before Tim could come up with a rational response, the guard had called time. He had to go back inside his concrete cell and Julie would escape back into the real world.
They both stood up walking around the table to meet each other. Julie's arms wrapped around his body pulling him as close as she could manage, "If I could take your place I would." She whispered sweetly into his ear.
Giving him a soft kiss on the cheek, "Be careful."
All he could do was watch the blonde that was sitting in front of him moment's earlier walk away.
Julie's eye built up with an anticipation of tears. Over the two years that he had served, he was able to get out on early release for good behavior. She had waited for this moment.
He deserved to be home with his family and friends. Billy couldn't contain his enthusiasm when he found out the news. He practically screamed the news to everyone and anyone willing to listen.
She was happy and relieved. He took his youth for granted but she doubted he would ever do it again.
Dillon without Tim Riggins didn't feel so much like Dillon.
Since the moment she stepped foot on this soil she knew that she needed to befriend Tim again. He needed the support and after knowing him for so long, even counting the unspoken years, he was her friend.
Rescuing her every time she needed it and to give back, she wanted to rescue him.
Her blonde hair whipping behind her as she ran towards him was quite the vision from his part. He welcomed her with open arms feeling wetness on his neck.
"Why you crying?" he asked stepping back to look at her but still bracing her body. The only thing between her and the ground was his grip.
Julie looked up at him with damp lashes,"I'm just so happy that you're coming home." It truly just popped up on her. She could be so damn emotional.
"Just have to keep moving on." He answered in a husky tone.
She regained her composure giving him smile full of pride, "Just wait until you see what's at home."
He was going home, where the loudness meant he was no longer alone.