Okay, so apparently my family has banded together to teach me about football-i am currently watching the third game of today, and so I was inspired to write this. For the sake of this chapter, I'm assuming that Kurt went back to the football team after the episode when Ken made them choose. Just because he's the best kicker they have, and Ken wanted him back :DDD Lots more Noah/Kate in this, and I'm warning you ahead of time: I cannot be held accountable for any mistakes when it comes to the football part of this- i'm still learning.

TOUCHDOWN

Kate Nichol pulled her Beetle into the semi-crowded parking lot of McKinnley. The sky was a dreary gray-blue, and the sun was beginning to set. She stepped out, and scanned the lot for someone she knew. Mr. Schuester was about fifteen feet from her, walking with Miss Pillsbury, the guidance counselor. Kate thought about going over to them, but changed her mind.

Instead she walked into the school, away from the football field where everyone else was gathering. She was hoping that she could catch Noah by the door to the locker room, before he had to get ready. She had an answer to his question from the night before, and didn't want to wait until after the game to give it to him.

She found a bench across the hall from the room and sat there. She took out her iPod and fiddled with it, taking videos of a spider that was making his way slowly up the wall next to her. She had taken three videos, fourteen pictures, and named the spider Boris before she heard someone behind her clear his throat.

Kate jumped and looked around, in the middle of a video. Instead of looking at the person directly, she saw him on the screen of the iPod.

"Noah! I, uh... I was waiting for you."

He smiled and walked over to her, the little version of him in the camera becoming bigger with every step.

He sat down next to her, and she turned the camera off, saving the video.

"Let me see."

He took the iPod from her, and Kate was surprised by how warm his hands were- it was only just over 20 degrees outside.

He watched the video, laughing a little at Kate's one-sided conversation with the spider. Kate felt herself blushing- she sounded too girly. She hated sounding girly.

Noah stopped the video after a minute or two, then turned to look at her.

"So, what brings you here?"

He was smiling that same smile, the one that made Kate's heart melt.

"I... I just wanted to tell you that... I've been thinking about last night."

He didn't say anything, just waited, giving her a look. Kate took a deep breath. Hadn't she been telling herself for months now that she was done with jocks? But last night had changed things. Noah had been so sweet to her...

"I just wanted to let you know that... That I'd love to go out sometime." She rushed the sentence, pushing words together a little. But Noah still grinned, and Kate couldn't help but smile back.

Half an hour later, the game was beginning. Kate had a seat in the front row of the bleachers, and she barely had room to move- the stands were full.

The kickoff, and then the other team immediately had possession. Kate yelled and cheered for the Titans, and felt her eyes constantly searching for the number twenty.

About three minutes into the game, there was already a touchdown. For the other team.

And then another one.

Then a touchdown for the Titans.

Then another touchdown for the other team, but their kicker missed the extra point.

It was twenty to seven when halftime was called. The Titans still had a small hope of coming back, but it didn't look good. The cheerleaders- Kate recognized Britt and Santana from Glee- jumped and showed off for the crowd, and Kate let her mind run back to her own cheerleading days. She couldn't really say that she missed them, but still, she had good memories from back then...

Then the game started up again, and after five minutes or so the Titans had a touchdown.

Now it was twenty to fourteen. Only one more touchdown, and they would be tied- or, if their kicker got the extra point, they might even win.

Then, in the fourth quarter, with only a minute left, one of the other team's receivers fumbled, and a Titan grabbed it. Kate's breath caught in her throat- if he threw it, there were only two people far enough downfield to score. Running with it was out. And if he went down on one knee to call the play, they wouldn't have time to get it anywhere near the end-zone. He had to throw. But he was hesitating.

"Come on," Kate whispered. The crowd around her was quiet, waiting for the player to make a move.

And then he threw, and Kate gasped as she watched the ball fly above the heads of the Titans and the other team, all the way to the ten yard line. And then it was caught by a white jersey, with a red twenty on it.

Kate shot up onto her feet as Noah ran the ball and scored a touchdown.

She cheered and laughed as he did a ridiculous victory dance, and was bombarded by his teammates.

But the game wasn't over yet- they were tied, and all that stood between them and victory was the extra point kick.

It took the two teams a minute to line themselves up, then a small kid, with a number three jersey jogged onto the field. Kate squinted- she couldn't make out his face, but the way he moved was strangely familiar.

The ball was snapped, and then held. And then Number Three kicked- straight through the goal posts.

Kate screamed, but it was drowned out by everyone else around her. She was swept to her feet, and she climbed over people to get down on the ground. She ran out onto the grass, and lingered just by the sidelines. Cheering people were already flooding the field, and the kicker was obscured from Kate's view.

Within seconds, she saw Noah, with his helmet still on, come jogging out of the throng towards her. She grinned at him, and he pulled off his helmet. He was sweaty, but Kate didn't care- he was happy. He reached her and pulled her in for a kiss.

They stood there, just kissing, and Kate felt the world slip away. It was just him and her. And she completely changed her mind about jocks.

And that kiss changed something for Noah, too.