A/N

This one is from Jake's point of view, and falls within chapter two. Can you tell I love rugby?


"Crouch, touch, pause."

Concentration and intimidation as our side faces theirs.

"Engage!"

They slam together and I watch our scrum-half as he puts the ball in. Our boys are doing well, pushing them back little by little into their own territory. My eyes are fixed on them as I pace up the field, the line of my team-mates keeping me connected to the scrum.

"Go, go, go!"

The ball is out! All our preparation will be put to the test now. The ball is flying towards me, scorching from hand to hand between players, but they and I know it's coming to me. Closer, closer, closer, and it's cradled against my side as I shoot forward, turning on all the speed I can.

"Run, Jake! Go! Faster!" I can hear my sister in the crowd, and as always I do as she tells me.

I see someone heading my way, clearly planning to take me down. I feint left and sidestep to the right, just wrong-footing him enough; I feel his fingertips brushing like feathers against my ankles as he dives a fraction too late. I force more speed from my legs as I head for the try line. Fifteen feet, twelve, ten, eight.

"Shit!" I curse as someone slams into my legs and I fall in slow motion. I stretch my arm out, desperate to get the ball over the line. The team will never let me forget it if I don't get this, I should have kept a lookout for tacklers. Thank fuck I'm tall; I smash into the ground with the ball in my hand a bare inch beyond the paint.

Sound floods my ears, the victorious whistle and the cheers of my team-mates. My legs are released amid a torrent of unfocussed abuse. I rise up, throwing my head back as I clench my fists and feel the relief and the triumph fill me as hands beat my shoulders. I search the crowd for Bella. She's waving wildly, gloved hands a blur as she leaps up and down. She has friends with her; the ever-faithful Alice who mirrors my sister's excitement, their arms linked together. I do not recognise the slender man who stands with them. He stares at me, face draining of what little colour there was, before quickly looking away, seemingly preferring to applaud the girls' enthusiasm rather than our triumph. He is clapping slowly in the polite manner of someone who is doing what he knows to be correct rather than because he feels any kinship to the achievement he has witnessed. I wonder idly what he's doing here, he looks out of place; too delicate and too reserved, especially to stand with my little sister as she carries on cheering and bouncing like she doesn't give a shit who's watching.

No matter. I give a thumbs-up to Bella and head back for the restart.

:::::

"Yeah!"

The final whistle blows and my team-mates cheer. We've won the match by a healthy margin, and have had one of the best games that I can remember. As we all jog slowly back to the pavilion I look back to Bella and wave until she looks at me. I tip my hand in front of my mouth, as if I'm drinking an imaginary pint, and she rewards me with a thumbs-up. I grin back at her, and head indoors.

The changing room is thick with steam and the babble of voices. I strip off and join the others in the shower, elbowing my way past people so I don't have to use the end one and stand in the draught. Sometimes being the biggest guy on the team can have its advantages.

"About time, Black, thought you were gonna stand out there flirting with that bird all night."

"Shut the fuck up, Riley, that's my sister." I don't bother looking at him. Every time she comes to watch a match he makes the same crappy joke. Fucker thinks he's funny.

"Oh, right, right. Well, if it's not her, it must be that guy with her, then."

"Nah, he's not my type. I prefer blonds, with a bit more muscle," I say, looking Riley up and down before meeting his eye and winking at him.

Distraction techniques work; the boys start making gay jokes at Riley's expense and the conversation is safely away from both my sister and her friends.

We're all pretty much dressed when our team captain, Sam, comes in with a stereo and a massive grin on his face. He plugs it in and we're almost deafened by our traditional victory song. We sing along all the way through and are still repeating the chorus as we pile down the road.

I've barely set foot into the pub when Bella launches herself at me and drags me over to Alice and her friend. I hug Alice and turn to the unknown man, holding out my hand.

"Hiya, I'm Jake, long-suffering brother to Bella, here."

He flashes me a quick, tight smile and speaks softly. I can hardly hear him over the noise.

"Jasper."

Why do I recognise that name? I open my mouth to ask, but Alice's warning look stops me. I stare at her as she leads him over to a quiet table. My brain is in overdrive trying to figure it out.

Bella puts me out of my misery.

"You know who he is: the one whose boyfriend drowned. Alice has been trying to get him to do something normal for weeks, so be nice to him. She was shocked he agreed to come out at all."

It all clicks into place as I remember the reports on the local news, in the paper, and the crowds of police down on the beach. I remember how my heart had gone out to this man, Jasper, before I'd even found out that he and the dead man were friends of Bella and Alice's. I can't think of what to say.

"Oh right. The poor guy."

I look over to him and wonder how I didn't see it before. He looks so vulnerable, and I can't help but feel protective as well as pitying. Bella looks up and smiles at me as we walk over. If I can help him, I will.


A/N In case you're interested, the victory song is, of course, Queen's We Are The Champions :o)