Connor walked off the field after practice walking alongside Steve as they headed back to the locker room to shower and change. He was tired, but it was the good kind of tired, the tired that told him that he had worked hard and he could feel it throughout his body.

"You have been killing it Stevens" Steve said with a smile. "I don't know what's been happening with you lately man but whatever it is keep it up!"

Connor smiles at him as he walks into the locker room, peeling off his pads and equipment. The rest of the guys are all there, talking and laughing as they toss their uniforms into the laundry bins. Connor finishes stripping down before grabbing his towel and soap and heads to the showers as him and Steve continue talking. Steve has a new girlfriend that he is totally into and he is going on about her for the entire time they are in there. Connor feels a pang that he cannot say anything about Jude, but he knows it is a small thing. The guys tease Steve about his gushing and they are all laughing and smiling as they get dressed and head for the parking lot.

"You need a ride?" Connor asks Steve as they walk to the edge of the lot.

Steve smiles and waves at Jude, standing beside his car waiting for them. "Nah. Cheryl is picking me up in five so I'm good" he tells Connor. "Hey Jude!" he calls over and snickers.

"Dude…still not funny" Connor says shoving him.

Steve laughs and heads to the front section to wait for his girl as Connor gets in the car and they take off. "Good practice?" Jude asks with a smile.

"Great one" Connor tells him. "It's been strange these last couple weeks after everything happened with my father, but I have been playing the best I have ever played. I really like these guys Jude and I am loving this" he says with a satisfied sigh.

Jude smiles knowing that Adam's death affected him more than he wants to admit, but he poured himself into the game and has been amazing. Jude has been enjoying going to the games and watching and learning more about baseball than he ever thought he would.

"Are we still going to dinner with your moms?" Connor asks Jude.

"Yes" Jude says happily. They drive over to the Adams-Foster house for a home cooked meal with Stef and Lena. It has become a tradition that they try and do at least once a month, more if possible, but Connor really enjoys the feel of a normal, healthy family.


EARLY SEPTEMBER

Connor gets the message to report to the Padre's GM's office after their game and he is not too sure what's happening. They had won the game and he was happy with his performance, 3 for 6, 1 HR and 5 RBIs and an assist, so he didn't think there was any reason for management to be unhappy with him, but it always made him nervous to get the call.

Connor walked into the office after being waved in by the GM's secretary. Walking in he saw the GM as well as the Padres' coach waiting there in the office and he felt his pulse start to race.

"You wanted to see me sir?" Connor said pleased that he was able to keep his voice steady and cool.

"Stevens, come in" AJ said with a smile. "You know Maguire, our manager?" he said pointing at the new manager who smiled at Connor.

"Sir" Connor said with a nod.

"Not going to waste time Stevens, but you have been phenomenal this season and with both Martinez and Roberts on the injury list, we are calling you up" AJ says with a chuckle at the shocked expression on Connor's face. "Congrats son. You made it!"

Connor is speechless but he nods and smiles as he realizes that he has made it. He will be playing for a major league baseball team.

"You report to training tomorrow" Maguire tells him. "I will have the details sent to you later tonight, but we will see you at 9:00am tomorrow morning. Good?" he asks standing up. Connor agrees and shakes his hand before the manager walks out.

"I will send all the legal and contract stuff to your agent in a bit and I am sure that the two of you can talk over things once you have had a chance to look it over" AJ says shaking his hand. "Welcome to the Padres. We expect great things from you" he says smiling.

Connor walks out the office in a fog. He heads to his car and he sits there for a few minutes before he collects himself enough to call Jude.

"Hey!" Jude says cheerfully. "Where are you at? I thought you would have been home a while ago. You go out with guys?" he asks sounding distracted. Connor knew that Jude was in the middle of writing an article and had been pretty focused on it for the last two weeks.

"I got called up" Connor said slowly.

"Called up…uh huh…wait, called up where?" Jude asks suddenly paying attention.

"The Padres…they called me up. I'm playing with the team starting tomorrow" Connor said not sure he was believing the words he was saying.

"Connor?" Jude said carefully. "I'm not sure I understand this. Did you say that you are playing for the Padres…the big team?" he clarifies.

Connor laughs. "Yes!" he shouts. "I made it Jude! I am on a major league team" he screams into the phone laughing as he hears Jude start screaming at him. They laugh and yell for a few minutes before Connor cuts in. "Jude…we are going out! I am on my way home. Get ready as we are going out to celebrate!"

Connor burst into their apartment and was engulfed in a hug as Jude grabbed him as he walked in yelling "You did it!" Connor laughed as he returned the hug and they jumped together and Connor couldn't stop smiling.

"We are going to celebrate!" Connor roared and they headed to the bedroom and suddenly he felt Jude pressing against him as he felt Jude's lips on his as they kissed with a passion that was fueled by the high of his success. They collapsed on the bed and Connor ran his hands down Jude's back before slipping under his shirt lifting it up as they slid up his spine. Connor felt Jude smiling into their kisses when his phone rang and he recognized Tanisha's ringtone. Jude groaned in frustration at that sound.

Pulling back he looked at Jude and smiled. "That's Tanisha" he said and seeing the disbelief on Jude's face, he laughed. "They were sending her my new contract details so that must be it" he assured him.

Jude smiled and rolled over as Connor answered the phone. "Hi Tanisha…so you got it?..." Connor looked over at Jude and lifted his eyebrows in question "just a second" he told her before covering the phone and looking at Jude. "She wants us to come in right now to look it over since I am supposed to start tomorrow. Can you come?" Connor asked him.

"You want me to come?" Jude asked surprised.

"Yes and Tanisha suggested you come too" Connor assured him knowing that his agent made Jude nervous. Jude nodded so he smiled and moved his hand. "Sure thing Tanisha. We will be there in 30 minutes" he said before hanging up.

Jude braced himself for this meeting and felt Connor's hand grasp his own and squeezing it as they rode the elevator up to their floor. "This is a good thing" Connor assures him.

Jude nods in agreement but he feels a heavy weight in his stomach. They separate their hands right before the doors open and they walk in heading for Tanisha's office. She is standing there and spots them immediately and she smiles hugely at Connor.

"We did it!" she cheers him. "The contract just came in and it looks really good" she assures him as they both walk into her office.

Tanisha spends a few minutes going over the financials for the contract and though it is a lot of money in Jude's opinion, she seems a bit disappointed. "Now, this isn't too bad for a late season call up. But it's less than you are worth definitely. However, if you do well, we can expect something better next season" she assures him.

Connor is more than happy with the contract mostly because he will be able to play major league ball, the money is just gravy.

"However, all of this, your chance to play is at risk and it's because of your relationship" she says with a brief glare at Jude.

"What do you mean?" Connor says slowly.

"Connor…you have the chance to play the majors. Being gay could cost you that" she explains.

"I am gay Tanisha…nothing will change that" Connor says firmly.

"Yes, I know. But you can…tone it down, so that it doesn't become an issue" she says with a sigh of exasperation. "There are no gay baseball players…do you want to be known for that or do you want to play?" she asks him.

Connor sits back looking unhappy. "What, exactly, do you mean by 'tone it down'?" Jude asks into the silence.

Tanisha looks over at him unhappily before looking back at Connor. "I think it would be better if Jude didn't come to your games anymore. You should probably also avoid being seen in public together as well" she says.

"So we can't do anything together?" Jude says feeling angry.

"Being seen as gay can cost you a lot Connor" Tanisha says directly to him. "Now that you are in the majors, if you do well, we could be looking at sponsorships, endorsement deals, big salary contracts. Going public with your relationship could cost you all of that. Look at Michael Sam. He was out and proud and what happened? Despite his stats showing he should be playing pro football he isn't on a team. Is that what you want to happen?" she looks at both of them shaking her head. "You are being called up to finish the season. You get outed and this will be the end of your professional career."

Jude looks over at Connor who looks disturbed and unhappy. Connor looks at Jude and he can see the gears moving in his boyfriend's eyes. "Maybe…maybe you should think about this" Jude says tentatively.

Connor's eyes widen. "Are you saying you want to do this?" Connor says disbelievingly.

"I don't like it. I hate it" he says looking directly at Tanisha so she can see his emotions. "But she has a point. It's not right or fair, but it could cost you everything. But what about our living together?" Jude asks looking directly at her.

Tanisha leans back and takes a breath before she answers. "No" Connor interrupts her and says clearly. "That's not negotiable. Lots of guys have roommates so that's what we will be to anyone else." Connor looks fiercely determined as he says this.

"Of course" Tanisha quickly agrees. "We wouldn't need to do that" she assures Connor.

Jude takes a deep breath but nods. "Then okay…I can do this." Connor reaches over and grabs his hand in gratitude.

They walk out of the office and get in the elevator. "So, dinner?" Connor starts but freezes when Jude looks over at him, the pain clear in his eyes.

"We can't…remember?" Jude says his heart in his throat.

Connor nods and they drive home, the feelings of joy and excitement now gone and replaced by a bitterness that neither of them like. They order Chinese delivery and end up watching a movie on Netflix to celebrate Connor's getting to major league baseball. A rather cold and disappointing alternative to their earlier plans. That night they crawl into bed, saying little, but Jude sighs when Connor wraps himself into Jude's side.

"I'm sorry babe" Connor whispers.

"I know" Jude assures him. They fall asleep wrapped together and Jude holds him tightly fearing that he is slipping away and he doesn't know what to do.

Three days later Connor plays his first professional baseball game with the Padres against the Red Sox and Jude is sitting at home alone watching the game on TV. Connor plays an amazing game, even the commentators are talking about him and his performance. He goes 4-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI at the plate and tags out two runners at home. Jude is screaming at his TV, concerned that his neighbors will complain but he doesn't really care. He sees Connor several times on the TV and each time he is beaming and his smile is lighting up the screen.

Jude can't wait for him to get home so he can celebrate with Connor when his phone goes off with a text.

Connor: Team taking me out for celebratory drink…sorry
Jude: It's okay – have fun. Can't wait to see you!

Jude putters around the house for a bit and then goes into their room and tries to relax with his book but he is really excited so he keeps getting up every few minutes. After the first hour he starts to calm down thinking that Connor needed to shower and change and head out to their celebration before he could come home. The second hour passes more slowly though Jude is finally able to calm down a bit. After four hours Jude looks at the clock and sees that the time has rolled past midnight and Jude hasn't heard from him since the first text.

Jude gets up and tosses the congratulations flowers he picked up earlier into the trash can and puts the champagne he had gotten out back in the fridge while he puts away the glasses. Walking to the guest room Jude shuts the door, turns out the lights, and lays down on the bed to sleep.

The last thing he remembers is looking at the clock and seeing the time at 1:18am when he finally turns over and manages to fall asleep soon after.

Waking up Jude is slightly confused as to why he is in this room before he remembers why he didn't want to be in their bedroom when Connor gets home. Getting up he walks into the kitchen and makes himself a cup of coffee. He stands there for a bit before steeling himself to walk to their bedroom. Sticking his head in the room he sees Connor sprawled across the bed fully dressed. He is still wearing his shoes and his jacket and tie. Jude walks in and smiles slightly at the sight of the drooling boy in his bed before he remembers that he supposed to be mad.

Sighing he grabs a glass of water and several painkillers and places them on the nightstand next to Connor before he grabs clean clothes and goes to shower in the other bathroom. Walking back into the kitchen freshly dressed he grabs the notepad and writes a message before grabbing his bag and leaving the apartment for the meeting with his editor.


Connor slowly wakes up feeling confused and with a horrible taste in his mouth. He starts to sit up and suddenly realizes what a bad idea that is and lays back down before he realizes that he is still fully dressed. He looks over and frowns as he figures out that he slept on top of the bed that was still made up and there was no sign of Jude.

'Jude!' Connor groans. They guys had dragged him to the bar after the game and the press meet and while Connor had only planned on a single drink, it quickly escalated to shots and then his brain got fuzzy. He vaguely remembered a taxi ride home but he doesn't remember much else. He looks over and sees the water and pills and gratefully grabs them and swallows. 'Thank you Jude!' he thinks.

Stumbling into the kitchen he looks around but there is no sign of Jude here either. He manages to get the coffee brewing before he sees the note sitting on the table. Picking it up, it takes him several tries before he can focus enough to read it.

Connor –
Don't forget you have another game tonight. You have games for the next three days and then a seven day road trip. See you next week. Congrats on your first game.
Jude

Connor stares at the note confused at the lack of emotion and the 'see you next week' comment. It's like he doesn't expect to see Connor because he's playing. Connor sighs at Jude's drama and he opens the fridge to grab a protein shake when he sees the champagne bottle and he blinks. 'We don't have champagne' he thinks as he pulls out the bottle to look at it. Turning around he sees a splash of color in the trash can and walking over sees the flowers lying in the trashcan. Reaching in he pulls them out and sees the attached card reading 'Congratulations' and he gets it. He groans and sits down, head in his hands as he realizes that Jude must have spent the night waiting for him. He grabs his phone and calls Jude but the phone only rings once before going to voicemail…call declined.