Disclaimer: I don't own anything here and am just doing this for fun and to pass the long months until Season 4.

The weeks slipped by and soon it was late October, time for Amber's first birthday party. Mindy had planned a huge bash and Billy took the Friday before off to help her get everything ready. Al sent Tim out to the Alamo Freeze to pick up their lunch. He'd never met a girl who could eat as much as Al did. As little as she was, he just didn't know where she put it all.

He placed the order and was about to sit down and wait for the carry-out when he spotted Tyra sitting in the window, having lunch. He sat down across from her and stole a few of her fries. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You here for the party?" he asked her.

"You think my sister would let me miss my niece's first birthday? The Baby Jesus didn't get such a fuss made over him on his first birthday."

Tim grinned at her. "Don't hold back, Tyra, tell me how you really feel."

"Ha. Ha. So you're back in Dillon for good, then?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Billy said when they got caught up at the garage then we'd figure out my future, but I'm happy here."

"How's living and working with my cousin?"

"Great, although I still can't figure out how you two are related."

"Our fathers are brothers."

"Yeah, I get that part. I'm not retarded. It's just that you're so different."

"Oh, you mean that I'm twice as tall as her?"

"Yeah. Three times as mean, too." He smiled to let her know that he was joking. Well, mostly joking.

Tyra's eyes took in his face in a way that reminded him of one off those scanning machines in a science fiction movie. She'd always been able to do this to him. To look at him and know what he'd done, what he was thinking, what he was going to do.

"Tim, don't even think about it." Tyra's voice was sharp and she was starting to point her finger at him. Dear god, nothing good ever happened when Tyra started pointing at him.

"What? I thought the line I couldn't cross was screwing your sister. Does this line extend to cover all your blood relatives now?"

"Are you seriously thinking of screwing Al?"

"Well," he felt weird discussing this with her. "I wouldn't put it quite like that but I do think she's a very cool gal and I wouldn't mind getting to know her better."

"No, Tim. Don't. Just don't."

Tim didn't understand why she was spoiling for a fight. They'd always been this way together. Like when you put metal in the microwave – the sparks were fun for a little while, but left alone for too long, it could burn the house down.

"Tyra, what's the problem?"

"Well, she's a lot older than you."

"Like what, she's 25? 26? That's only 6 or 7 years. As long as she's not 6 or 7 years younger than me right now, there's no problem. That's a weak ass argument and you know it."

"Tim, I can't make a stronger argument."

"So then back off and mind your own business."He folded his arms and leaned back.

She rolled her eyes. "It's not that there isn't a stronger argument to make, it's just that....you know, you're right, it's not really my business."

The cashier brought Tim's order to him in three big white paper bags. Tim thanked him, then stood up and began to collect the bags.

Tyra put a hand on his arm. "Wait....two things. First, if you hurt her, Mindy will kick your ass into the middle of next week. Seriously. You think I can be a bitch – I learned from the best."

Tim grinned. He'd gotten hints of Mindy's temper when he'd stayed with her and Billy. The Collette blood ran hot, there was no doubt about that.

"Second, you just need to know that Al's a great girl-"

"I know that," said Tim softly.

"I didn't finish. Al's a great girl, but she's got more baggage than Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. For real. She doesn't need any more trouble."

Tim sighed. "Who said I was going to be trouble?"

"Your track record ain't great, you've got to admit that."

"Yeah, maybe it wasn't great. But I've changed. Why is it so hard for you to believe that?"

"My gramma used to say that men never change, they just get better at what they do. And I know what you did when you were with me..." Tyra looked down and then met Tim's steady gaze.

"Tyra, I can't keep apologizing for things that happened when we were both young and stupid. You've changed so much and I really respect what you've done with your life. I just wish you could see that you're not the only one who changed."

Tyra looked up at him. Tim wasn't as good at reading her face as he once was, but she seemed to have listened to him and taken his words to heart. "Yeah. Look, I'll see you tomorrow at Amber's party."

"Of course." Tim gave her a nod and walked out to his truck.