A/N: I'm sorry I haven't had the time to personally respond to each one of your reviews but I do so much enjoy and appreciate them. I'm glad you are all taking to this story and accepting my version of John, Anna, Charles and Elsie. A side note that I suppose I should have mentioned before is that I refer to Charles as "Charlie" only when it's from John or Anna's point of view. The name "Charles" is reserved for Elsie :) I'll admit I know very little of football (or soccer as we in the States refer to it), but I have seen my brothers play and googled enough terms for it. If it's not 100% accurate I apologize, I meant no offense by it. I realize I left you all on a bit of a cliffhanger for this chapter, but to do it justice I had to split the chapter in two. I'm working on part two already. Thanks again to A-Lady-To-Me for helping me out with this one. I hope you all enjoy and please review.

Chapter 10

"Mummy are we almost there?" Aidan asked as he played with his teddy bear along the edge of the car window. He had asked her more than once since they had left the house. It wasn't a particularly far drive, but she could tell by the tone of his voice that he was more anxious than he was excited.

Anna kept one eye on the road, but kept sneaking glances at Aidan through the rear view mirror. He was growing like a weed, even though he was practically swimming in his blue football uniform. He looked so grown up in his cleats, knee high socks, and knee pads. She realized the knee pads were probably a little much for his age group, after all they weren't even keeping score in the youth league. Nevertheless she would not be taking any chances with the safety of her little one. "Almost love bug." she answered with a smile as she turned down the street toward the football fields. "Are you ready for your first game?"

Aidan glossed over her words as he stared at the park coming into view. "Is John meeting us there, Mummy?" he asked curiously.

"He said he'd try my darling. He had a big financial meeting to go to with a client," Anna explained and she noted the disappointment that registered on his face. In some ways it assured her that she had made the right choice in giving John a chance. He was proving himself to be an excellent father figure to Aidan and a wonderful companion for her. Well, companion was putting it mildly she supposed. She still hadn't fully adjusted to the idea that she could call John her boyfriend.

"But it's Saturday," he argued.

"I know love, sometimes grown ups have to work on weekends too," she tried to make him understand. "I'm sure he will try to finish up as quickly as possible. And Mummy will take lots of pictures for you to show him the moves you were working on with Grandpa," she said cheerfully. His frown seemed to dissipate a little and she took the opportunity to quickly change the subject. "Finish eating your celery and peanut butter," she instructed as she pulled into an open parking spot.

There wasn't a cloud in the sky but a bit of a breeze as Fall was fast approaching. The smell of fresh cut grass hung in the air and the sound of children laughing and screaming wasn't far off in the distance. Anna zipped up her light hoodie to shield her from the wind. Parents were already taking their seats in the metal bleachers that were set up on either side of the pitch. Thankfully her father always arrived early, anticipating that Anna would have one hell of a time getting Aidan out the door on time. He had text her twice to ask where she was and said that he had already saved her and John a seat. At least he sounded like he was beginning to warm to the idea of John being a more permanent fixture in her life.

As she ran around to let Aidan out she noticed he had gotten his sticky fingerprints all over the rear window. She busted out a wet nap to wipe it down along with his face and hands before he had a chance to spread the mess any further. Anna glanced up and down the parking lot to search for John's car but couldn't spot it. She'd have to keep an ear out for her cellphone in case he couldn't find them on the field. Anna handed Aidan his ball to practice with before the game but reminded him to hold on to it until they were out of the parking lot. The last thing she needed was him or some other child chasing after a stray ball.

As they approached the pitch she saw her father already standing on the sidelines waving her over. Mrs. Hughes was at her rightful place beside him eagerly awaiting the appearance of her pseudo grandson. Anna gave Aidan the green light to run ahead to greet them once a car had passed by them. She watched as Charlie squatted down to receive Aidan in his open arms, nearly swallowing the boy completely in his embrace. The look of pure joy on his face whenever he saw Aidan was enough to make her heart break. She wished her mother could have been here to see this but Anna counted herself very lucky to have so many people that doted on her son.

After having his hair roughed up by his grandfather, Elsie plucked him up from the ground and placed a kiss upon his cheek. Anna stopped short of her father to set Aidan's backpack on the ground and walked a few more steps to kiss him on the cheek. He held her tight and she relished the way she could hear his heart even through his light windbreaker. The feel of his large, heavy hands cradling her close to him brought her such peace and comfort that when she pulled away she couldn't stop smiling.

"How are you my darling?" he asked.

"Great, it was a hectic morning with this one. He refused to get out of bed," she commented.

"Wonder where he picked up that trait," Charlie said sarcastically.

"Mummy says it means I'm growing," Aidan chimed in.

"And so you are. How are you my wee one?" Elsie asked in a voice filled with love.

"Good. John said after the game we could go out for ice cream," he said.

"Well I see you have your priorities in order. Just like your grandfather," she chastised as she sought out Charles reaction. A small roll of the eye from the man she loves was enough to put a smile on her face.

"He's anticipating a win I see," Charles remarked.

"I don't care if we win Grandpa, I just want ice cream," Aidan clarified with a smile. Charles couldn't help but burst into a smile at his innocence.

"Actually he was rather nervous about it last night, he kept saying he's smaller than most of the boys on the team," Anna commented in hushed tones to keep Aidan's anxiety at bay.

"He's nervous because he's intelligent. Only stupid people are foolhardy," Charles said wisely with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Elsie simply scoffed at him. "Will you just let him be a boy for goodness sake?" she lamented Charles. Elsie went back to straightening out Aidan's jersey and admired his brand new cleats that she remembered Anna told her John had helped pick out. "You're looking very smart in your uniform, I must say. Just like one of the pros," she complimented Aidan. "Someone must be eating their vegetables because you look as though you've grown another inch since I last saw you." Aidan ate her words up like candy before offering to show her some of his fancy footwork that John and his grandpa had shown him.

Anna continued to watch the private moment between the two people that had raised her as they bestowed love and wisdom on Aidan. She was smitten by the picture that was taking shape before her very eyes. If only John were here, she knew how much it meant to Aidan to have him arrive for his first game. Though she couldn't fault the man for having to work on the weekend.

She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped a bit in surprise expecting it to be John but quickly realized it was Joe Molesley, Aidan's football coach. While she didn't hate the man she never felt truly comfortable with him. His advances were relentless and his approach was awkward, to say the least. He wasn't really her type either. Sure he had kind blue eyes and was taller than she was and what little hair was left on his head was dark brown. But she supposed if she were forced to choose a word to describe him, it was 'gangly'. His movements were not very graceful, he was scrawny, and often bumbling. She and John weren't in a relationship the first time he inquired about her relationship status. Now she worried that she would embarrass him or break his heart if she were forced to reveal to him that she was otherwise taken.

"Anna, what a lovely surprise to see you here," he commented in a voice that threatened to crack like a prepubescent boy. He turned a shade of crimson as he offered her a half smile. He seemed to be fidgeting more than usual with his hands and shifting back and forth uneasily on his feet.

"Why wouldn't I be here? Aidan is playing after all," she reminded in a friendly tone.

"Right," he said slowly, realizing his attempt at a casual ice breaker had backfired on him. "Um, I got you this little handbook that explains the basics of football. I know you mentioned at the last practice that you weren't familiar with the sport. I figured...that is if you want me to...I could go over it with you and help explain some of it to you," Joe said as he ran a hand through his thinning hair that twirled in the breeze. As he did, the sound of his windbreaker made a scratching sound and he quickly put his arms back down at his sides.

"Oh, that was very thoughtful of you," Anna said as she leaned over to tuck the booklet into Aidan's backpack. As she did so she retrieved Aidan's water bottle and called him over to hand it to him.

Aidan ran up to get the water bottle from her and took a big gulp from the container before wiping the little bit of dribble on his chin against his uniform sleeve. Anna let out a heavy sigh at the sight and rolled her eyes. "Easy there kiddo, the game hasn't even started yet and I don't need you wanting a bathroom break before the game is over," she reminded him gently.

"Hello there young Aidan," Joe said with his hands planted firmly on his hips.

Aidan simply tucked himself behind the safety of his mother's leg. Stopping to poke a curious eye in the direction of Mr. Molesley as he took another sip of his water.

"Aidan, darling, don't be rude. Say 'hello' to Mr. Molesley," she insisted in a light tone.

Aidan shook his head 'no'.

Mr. Molesley crouched down so that he was propped up by the balls of his feet, "It's okay. Mr. Molesley is my father. You can call me 'Joe' if you want."

Anna gave Aidan an encouraging pat on the back and he finally replied back, "Hello, Joe."

"Well now, that wasn't so hard was it?" Joe asked. He rose to his feet so that he was eye level with Anna once again, "I'm sure he'll loosen up a bit once the game gets going. First game nerves can be the worst."

A whistle came from a ref on the field indicating the start of the game. Anna looked down at Aidan and kissed his head once before directing him towards the field with a gentle pat on the bottom. "Have fun! " she shouted as he ran full speed toward the center field.

"He's a great kid," Joe noted as he stepped closer by her side.

"Yeah," she beamed as she watched Aidan throw himself into the middle of the action.

"I was wondering..." he began to say before he was cut off.

"I should get back to my family Mr. Molesley. Perhaps we can talk more after the game," Anna said as she started to walk off. Her hair whipping in the breeze as she left him standing there with his head hung low.

"Get in there, Aidan! Don't be afraid of the ball!" Charlie shouted out towards the field.

Anna gave him a warning glare, "Dad, please."

"What?" he asked with his hands suspended in the air.

"It's not about the competition, it's just an activity. They don't even keep score for this age group," she explained.

"They don't keep score?" he asked in shock.

Anna shook her head.

"What's the point of that?" Charlie asked with his eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

"Teaches them about teamwork and friendship. Gets them outside for a bit," Elsie explained.

"And he can't learn about competition while he's doing those other things?" he asked.

"Let's just stick to only words of encouragement, please," Anna begged with her eyes.

"I'm just saying, you can't sugar coat life. They have to learn about winning and losing at some point," he asserted.

Elsie stroked his arm in a soothing manner and managed to un-ruffle his feathers momentarily. She offered him a taste of the caramel popcorn she had packed in her bag and that seemed to tame him a little more.

Anna could only shake her head in exasperation. She was about to say something more when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. Anna quickly slid the 'answer' button on the screen over and saw it was a text from John.

"I know I am late. Hopefully I haven't missed too much. On my way as fast as I can. Love you-J"

She smiled at his words. They had been falling into a rather domestic pattern as of late while managing to keep things simple. They still hadn't gone beyond kissing, which John was rather understanding about considering she still hadn't shared all of her past with him. John insisted he loved her all the same and that she was worth waiting for. More importantly, he didn't want to do anything that might adversely affect Aidan. But she wouldn't fool herself into thinking he would wait around forever either. And it certainly wasn't for lack of want. She just couldn't seem to let the past remain in the past. She shook the thought from her head and tried to reply back before he began driving.

"You're not to worry. They barely started five minutes ago. Can't wait to see you. Drive safely. Love-A"

Anna looked up from her phone and noticed Aidan looking in her direction. She waved at him and gave him a thumbs up and he mimicked the gesture before returning to play the game.

John walked around on his cellphone trying to catch a glimpse of Anna on the crowded field. "I don't see you anywhere. Is there a field number? What color are the uniforms?" he asked.

Anna began to answer his question as she strained to hear him over the sounds of the crowd around her and the commotion on the fields. She spotted him then and asked her father to flag him down because he was taller than her.

"Right. Spotted your dad. I'm on the way," he said breaking into a light jog while still wearing his beige morning suit and brown handmade brogues. He stopped then when he saw a familiar face out of the corner of his eye. "Molesley?" he asked aloud.

Joe turned to face him with a clipboard in hand and a whistle hanging from a string around his neck. "Bates?" he asked back with a look of confusion.

"Wow! It's been a long time."

"It certainly has," he remarked as he walked up to John and shook hands with his old comrade in arms. Joe turned to a strapping, young man with sandy blonde hair that was a little too well groomed and said, "Kent take over for a bit." The young man nodded and took off running along the side lines as the commotion on the field continued. "That's James, my assistant," he announced proudly.

"How've you been?" John asked. "Is one of your kids playing?"

"No," Joe replied quickly with a nervous laugh. "Just coaching," Joe said as he gestured to the uniform he was wearing with his team colors. "I don't even have a missus yet, let alone a little one of my own."

For a moment John felt bad, he hadn't seen Joe since their days in the Army together. He wouldn't deny that the first time he met Joe that he questioned the Army's selection process for soldiers during incoming inspection. But Joe proved himself to be made of tougher stuff at boot camp and the two formed a fast friendship.

"Well...I'm sure there's some special lady in your life. One that you have set your sights on you handsome devil," John said with a grin.

"Actually I have. That one right there," he said with a nod of the head pointing in Anna's direction.

John looked to where Joe had indicated and felt a flash of jealousy take over. John remained silent as he swallowed the bitter taste that had formed in his mouth. "Anna? She certainly is lovely," John said as he attempted to contain his excitement.

"Indeed. Do you know her?"

"I have to admit I do," John answered back with a small chuckle. "Do you? I mean aside from seeing her here at the park?"

"A little. I've made a few flower deliveries to the shop she works at, for my dad of course. He's still working in the flower shop on the same street. We've exchanged pleasantries, though I don't seem to be getting anywhere with her."

At that confession John had to smile. "Unrequited love is often the hardest to get past," John said wisely. But his words seemed to go in one ear and back out the other.

"Nice girl, that Anna. Do you know if she's got anyone special in her life?" Joe asked.

"I'd like to say she hasn't. I would, truly, but I'm afraid there is someone, yeah," John admitted.

Joe observed her quietly as his assistant coach, James Kent did most of the leg work on the side of the field. He rolled his eyes in John's direction, his fingers still linked behind his back and his arms at his side. Joe had always trusted John's advice, he knew he could confide in him without the risk of embarrassment. "Do you think he's keen on her or is it worth a go?"

John watched Anna from across the field as she cheered on her son. He thought back on how she had captivated him so fully without even trying. How it was the simplest of gestures that took his breath away and made him want to be a better man, not just for her but for Aidan as well. Sometimes he had to pinch himself to ensure he wasn't dreaming, she truly was his. He also knew that had she not been the first to offer a helping hand or been the first to speak to him beyond 'hello' he probably wouldn't be with her today. He'd always been the more reserved one, but she had opened his eyes to loves possibilities. "Well, he keeps himself to himself. He's very hard to read at times but I'd say he's keen. I'd say he's very keen indeed."

Joe lowered his eyes to the ground and took a moment to compose himself and mask his true feelings for Anna. Although it was hard to hide the disappointment that lingered on his face. Joe silently walked a few feet away and kept his eyes fixed on the net at the end of the field, feigning interest in the game.

Not wanting to make the silence more awkward than it already was John excused himself citing that he had to get to one of the games. He gave Joe a reassuring pat on the back and ran off toward the other side of the field making sure to take a small detour so as not to be seen by Joe. He'd allow the man to keep a shred of dignity by not making any advances towards Anna in his presence.

As John approached the bleachers he couldn't help but notice that Anna and her family were sitting on one side of the bleachers while the other families were all huddled together on the opposite end. It wouldn't have been so painfully obvious if there hadn't been so few families to fill the bleachers to begin with. He pushed the thought to the back of his head as he got closer and watched Anna rise from her seat to greet him.

"There's my girl," John said flirtatiously as he approached Anna with his arms wide open.

He flashed that winning smile that reached his eyes and left butterflies in her stomach. She thought her heart might combust at the sight of the crinkles that had formed at the edge of his eyes. "God he looks incredible in a morning suit," she thought to herself. There was something so indescribably hypnotic about the way he moved towards her so purposefully. His hair looking so deliciously unkempt as the product he had put in that morning began to wear off. And the way his aftershave filled the air around him only made the effect all the more powerful. It probably shouldn't have impacted her as much as it did, but seeing him show up to an event for Aidan meant the world to her. "You made it," she cheered as she threw her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I know you said you would try, but I started to get nervous when I hadn't heard from you at first. Aidan will be so pleased. He asked about you the whole way here."

"I'm happy to be here," John said as he hugged her once more, appreciating the weight of her body against his own. With his head resting on her shoulder he saw a few of the mothers on the bleachers exchange words with one another in hushed tones and two of them had pointed at Anna. When he glared back at them they all stopped their conversations and turned their attentions back to the game. All but one, she had been so bold as to wink at him while her husband sat by her side completely unaware of her intentions. He paid her no mind and instead only squeezed Anna tighter as he placed a kiss into her hair and smelled the aroma of her shampoo as he moved her hair away from her face. Her back facing them, the gestures went unnoticed by Anna, but John made a mental note to inquire about it later.

For now, his sole focus was on Anna and the beautiful smile that was etched on her face. She certainly looked the picture in a faded pair of jeans, white converse shoes, and a pink, long sleeve shirt. Despite wearing a zip up hoodie, he could see her shivering through her layers and rubbed her arms up and down with his hands to warm her up. John removed his jacket and placed it around her shoulders, even though she insisted she was fine. "Your mouth says one thing, but your body says another. You're shaking like a leaf," he said with a small chuckle. "Is that better?"

"Much," Anna said with a subtle grin and took his hand in her own as they walked back toward their seats.

"How's our little man doing? " he asked once her teeth stopped chattering.

It wasn't lost on Anna that he had referred to Aidan as "our little man".

"He's doing great. He seems to be following through with everything you and Dad showed him." Anna pointed him out on the field with her free hand. "Aidan was happy he got to wear number seven on his jersey. He says you told him that was your number in secondary school."

John squeezed her hand a little tighter and kissed her on the lips this time. "Hey look at that," John said cheerfully. "He seems to be managing the ball quite well using the inside of his foot to kick the ball like Charlie showed him." He was watching Aidan do something that he had helped teach him. For John, there had never been a greater feeling of accomplishment in his life up until this point. He was overwhelmed with joy and couldn't help but radiate with pride when Aidan caught sight of him and waved. After they watched Aidan scamper off after the ball he kissed Anna once more on the lips, trying to convey how thankful he was that she had let him share this moment with her.

"Alright that's enough you two," Charles interrupted from the seats in the bleachers.

"Oh leave them be," Elsie said with a playful smack to his arm.

Startled by the audience they had attracted, John slowly pulled away from her but kept his hand firmly encased within her own. "Good to see you again Charlie," John said as he stepped forward to shake hands with the older man. This time Charlie readily shook his hand and offered a half decent smile. "Ms. Hughes," John offered as he made his way down the bench to greet her as well.

"Elsie is fine," she replied with a shake of the hand.

"Elsie it is then," John replied as he helped Anna over one of the bleacher seats. Before sitting down beside her he asked, "So... who's winning?"

Charlie quickly answered, "We don't know."

Without missing a beat John asked, "What do you mean you don't know? You've been watching the game haven't you?"

"They don't keep score," Charlie responded, his eyes still following the movements of the ball across the grass.

"They don't what? Well what's the point of that?" John asks. This time he looks as though he is looking for a line of reasoning from anyone who will offer it.

"Believe me, I was just as shocked as you are. I haven't heard of such piss poor management in all my life," Charlie grunted.

Elsie and Anna simply looked at one another and threw their heads back in a shared laugh.

As they continued to watch the game John's stomach began to growl. "Sorry, I didn't have a chance to grab a bite to eat on my way to the meeting this morning," he apologized shyly.

"You haven't eaten yet? It's nearly one in the afternoon," Anna commented as she glanced at her watch. "Why didn't you grab something on the way to the game?"

"I know, but I didn't want to be any later than I already was," John replied as his stomach began to moan again. He immediately placed a hand to his stomach in an attempt to ease the rumbling.

"Why don't I go get you something at the snack shack then," she offered.

"What about the game?"

"Aidan is on the bench right now. He will get his turn in another five minutes," she assured him. "I have plenty of time, now do you want something or not?"

"Sure, but something light. I want to take the little one out for a proper meal after this. My treat," John offered.

Anna smiled back at him as she asked Charlie and Elsie if they cared for anything. Her father rose from his seat and volunteered to go with her to grab himself a cup of cocoa. They were only gone for a few moments before John turned to Elsie, "So just the two of us."

"Mmhhmm," she replied.

John looked around for a moment to make sure Anna wasn't heading back yet and that there weren't any eavesdroppers. "Can I ask you something? Between you and I?" he asked in a low voice.

"I suppose it depends on the subject," she replied.

John knew he was taking a bit of a risk broaching the topic to Elsie, but it was nagging at him since he had arrived. "Why are we all alone on this side of the bench?"

"What do you mean?"

"I couldn't help but notice that all the other mums and dads are down on that end of the bleachers and it's just us sitting over here. Which normally wouldn't have bothered me, but then when I went to greet Anna I saw some of the hens over there mumbling something or the other about Anna and myself," he explained. He noticed that Elsie was unphased by this revelation. "I just don't understand why such a nice girl like Anna is well…"

"A loner," she finished his statement for him.

"Well...yeah," he replied.

"Most of the mums over there have kids that attend Aidan's school. A lot of the children have been in the same classroom as Aidan since daycare. I guess it didn't sit well with some of the women that Anna was a single mother," she said.

"She's a single mother though, not a murderer," he defended Anna.

"Believe me, you're preaching to the choir. I never understood it myself. I guess they just didn't like the idea of some young 'harlot' walking around the playgrounds sending the wrong message or sharing the same air as their husbands in case she tempted them," she scoffed.

John rolled his eyes in response, "I take it this isn't new then?"

"No it isn't. I know it still bothers her sometimes, but she usually just turns the other cheek. That's Anna for you. She won't make a fuss unless it's absolutely necessary."

There was a moment of silence that passed between them as John watched Anna with Charlie at the snack shack. She appeared to be having a good time with her father and it warmed his heart to see her so happy.

"I wont tell her you asked about it," Elsie said.

"Thanks, Elsie," John said.

"Think nothing of it," she replied.

"It's nearly half time, the kids will be taking a break soon. Would you care to walk down with me and say hello to Aidan?" Anna asked John.

"Do you even have to ask?" he replied.

"I suppose not," she answered back cheekily. She scooted past him, her legs brushing against his as she descended the bleachers. He followed behind her like an eager puppy, only to catch up with her and let his fingers intertwine with hers.

Once they were out of sight Charles slid across the bleacher seats a little closer to Elsie so that his knees were knocking against hers. She smiled at the contact but kept to herself as she tried to keep her attentions on Aidan playing on the field. Charles hesitated for a split second before letting his hand fall at his side and taking Elsie's hand in his own. He felt himself relax almost instantaneously and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in. "Elsie?" he asked tenderly.

"Hmmm..." she replied back still keeping her focus on the game. In truth she wanted nothing more than to look into those eyes that had she had favored from afar for so many years. They were a myriad of colors, almost greyish-blue on the borders, but appearing green in the right lighting, and a deep shade of brown in the center. Even on the happiest of days his eyes seemed to be carrying some kind of sadness within them and so she considered it an honor everytime she saw them light up. As much as she wanted to see his eyes dance for her, Elsie knew that she had to guard her heart above all else, otherwise she could lose him as a friend. Once she met his eyes she knew she would be lost to her feelings for him and after all this time she was going to make him work for it again. Elsie did her best to keep a straight face and steady her beating heart.

"Can we talk?" he asked under his breath.

"We're talking now," she pointed out.

"Seriously, I mean," he said sounding slightly flustered. It wasn't that he was mad at her, but this was taking a lot more courage than he thought he was capable of at the moment. He was stepping out of his comfort zone and taking a big risk here. It didn't help matters either that she looked positively radiant in a grey, silk top that hugged her voluptuous figure in all the right places and left a good portion of her shoulders exposed. She wore an old silver brooch in the shape of a key, adorned with little flowers on her blouse. It was one he had bought her as a joke when she first obtained the cafe to bring her luck, he had realized years ago she wore it whether or not he was in her presence. Her sea blue eyes that were similar to Anna's, but slightly darker, seemed to be looking everywhere but at him.

She turned to face him now and he felt his mouth dry up. When she finally looked him in the eye he was taken aback by the small traces of brown that splayed just beneath the surface. "How could I have known her for so long and not noticed this intricate detail before?" he thought to himself. He should have known, she never failed to surprise him before. He suddenly felt as though he were being suffocated in his t-shirt. When she smiled at him it didn't make him feel any less nervous. "I was wondering if we could go out to dinner," he said sounding rather proper and looking very tense as he sat upright.

"Sure," she replied almost looking like a teenage girl again as her face lit up. "What would you like to pick up after the game? Perhaps we should ask Anna and John if they have a craving for anything in particular."

"No...I mean I want to take you out. Only you," he reiterated. "On a real date," he explained while his hands began to flail more than usual to fill the void that was left by the absence of words.

She wasn't used to such actions from the normally stoic man. "Oh," she said as realization dawned on her.

"Oh?"

"I just wasn't expecting this," she said. "It's not as if we haven't been down this road before. And nothing has changed from my point of view," she said standing by her words. "I still can't tell you what happened with Anna," she reminded him in a softer voice.

Charles lowered his head in dismay at the sound of her words; he should have known better. A girl...no a lady like her wouldn't wait around forever for him. But he knew if he didn't try this time around he would regret it for the rest of his life. "You're wrong about that. I've changed."

"Have you now?" she asked, slightly intrigued. "How so? Because I have to say, I'm very much attached to you the way you are."

"It was wrong of me to ask you to give up Anna's secret. I may never know what really happened to her in those few days when she disappeared but I am grateful."

"For?"

"For having someone like you in her life that she could turn to. You've always been my shelter when I needed it and I'm glad she felt the same way about you. I know you'll never replace Alice for her, but you are a very close second. Quite frankly, I don't know that she would have turned out as well as she did if it weren't for you," he admitted with his hands clasped together. Just as his emotions began to take over he cleared his throat and turned away to wipe at his eyes with the heel of his palm.

Elsie was equally overcome with emotions, this was the most he had ever opened up to her. Even when Alice died he had been so distraught and consumed with being a pillar of strength for Anna; he never cried once in hers or Anna's presence. She knew he'd always be grateful to her for all she did to help him out, but to hear him confess it aloud like this in such a public place, it made it all the more meaningful. Elsie grabbed his hand that nearly engulfed hers and let her fingers trace the lines of his palms, let the pad of her thumb roll across his knuckles, and kiss his delicate but rough skin with her own. Oh how she had missed this simple, but undeniable sensation.

She moved her free hand towards his face, using her forefinger and thumb she redirected his face towards her by hanging on to the base of his chin. His eyes were filled with unshed tears and it broke down any resolve she had left. "I would love to go to dinner with you...only you," she confirmed with a heartwarming smile. When she saw him break out into a goofy grin she pressed a kiss to his cheek; a silent reassurance that all had been forgiven.

Half time had just wrapped up and twenty-two five year olds eagerly took the field. Most of the time they seemed to be moving without a sense of direction, some without form and others without a sense of what position they were playing. Nevertheless it was interesting to watch and the parents couldn't help but enjoy the raucous behavior that was taking place on the field as a single ref attempted to keep some sense of order.

Aidan's cheering section rose to their feet as he made his way down the field, dribbling the ball between his feet like a pro.

"Take it all the way to the hole!" Charlie cheered.

"Come on sweetie, you can do it!" Anna shouted.

"Go! Go, Aidan!" Elsie said as she clutched Charles arm tightly to her chest. She was practically ripping it from his socket as she jumped up and down. Her popcorn having already spilled all over the bleachers, but she didn't care.

"Focus, buddy! You got this!" John added as he cupped his hands around his mouth.

Aidan continued to weave past the other players, his slightly smaller frame proving to be advantageous as he ducked past one of the larger players. Realizing he was about to be outnumbered by three other players who dwarfed him in size, he passed the ball to one of the other teammates and the sound of ball against net soon followed.

"He got the assist, my grandson got the assist! Did you see that?!" Charles asked aloud as he grabbed Elsie and nearly lifted her from the ground in excitement.

"I saw! I saw!" she replied back.

"Way to go Aidan!" Anna and John said simultaneously.

As Aidan turned to to smile at them he was unexpectedly shoved to the ground by one of the bigger boys from the opposing team. He began to rise from his knees when the other boy kicked dirt in his face and told him to stay down.

"Hey! Where's the card ref?!" John shouted as he stormed down the stairs of the bleachers. Anna wasn't far behind him as his rage began to take over. John wanted nothing more than to take the field and teach that boy a lesson.

Charles and Elsie turned their attention back to Aidan at the sound of John's voice. They were equally perplexed as to what could have caused such an outburst.

Anna on the other hand was more concerned with Aidan and watched as he got up anyway. He brushed off his uniform shorts of the loose grass that had accumulated there. Aidan looked at his palms and elbow and saw he had a small scratch, but nothing horrible.

The ref having missed the misconduct didn't pull a yellow card on the boy and he trotted off to his side of the field. "Are you kidding me?" John asked as he stepped onto the field to confront the referee. "My kid gets pushed down and he walks off scot free."

"Look I'm sorry, but I didn't see him get pushed. It's hard to manage twenty two little ones out here on my own," he apologized.

"Well maybe I should get a black and white striped t-shirt and a whistle for myself. Then I could dispense martial law as I see fit," John said in a raised voice and began pointing his finger in the referee's face.

Elsie leaned over to Charles and said, "I'm not quite sure what happened, but I'm certain that boy just unleashed Mama and Papa bear."

Charles gave a slight roll of the eyes in response, but he couldn't say he blamed John. In fact, if John weren't there he was sure he'd be standing on the sidelines of the field right now exchanging words with a twenty something year old that he could break in one breath.

"Sir, please get off the field and return to your seat before I ban you from returning to any future games," the referee instructed.

At this point Anna had stepped onto the field as well. She tugged at John's arm while she protested, "John, come on. It's not worth it."

"Your son just got knocked to the ground for no reason and this guy is refusing to pull a card. Sounds worth it to me," John reasoned with his arms crossed over his chest. John had taken on a wider stance now as he glared down his nose at the younger man.

As much as Anna hated to see John like this, it sent a thrill through her that she hadn't expected. And watching him fight for Aidan instilled in her a new sense of pride for her man.

As John reluctantly returned to the side of the field, Mr. Molesley pulled Aidan from the game to take a breather and see if he needed a band aid for his elbow.

Anna held her arms out wide for Aidan as he walked over to her. "Oh my love, are you alright?" Anna asked as she gave him the once over. She looked at his palms and brushed the little bit of dirt off and placed a kiss on each hand. She took a closer look at his elbow and used one of the wet naps to clean it off before accepting a band-aid from Mr. Molesley. Once it was firmly in place she hugged her baby boy and whispered into his ear how proud she was of him. "I think there is someone else that wants to congratulate you," Anna said as she ushered Aidan toward John.

"Aidan, come here," John waved him over to where he is standing. John takes a look at Aidan's elbow, nothing serious, just a scuff. But he finds himself seething mad at the boy who did the pushing without reason. Aidan didn't even have the ball at the time. This was a new sensation, sure he had been protective over his platoon in the Army, but this was different. He felt like some wrong had to be righted, in the short time he had been with Anna he had come to love Aidan like his own. "You alright?" he asked, more so out of concern for him mentally than he was about his physical well-being.

Aidan's lower lip pouted a little but he didn't shed a tear as he nodded in agreement that he was fine.

"Good, doesn't look too serious. Nothing that a little band-aid can't fix," John said with an uplifting smile. "You must be made of tougher stuff. And you helped your team score a goal," John remarked and this time Aidan smiled back. John pulled him closer and spoke in a low voice, "The next time that kid pushes you don't be afraid to push back."

Aidan's brow furrowed in confusion, one would have thought John was talking in a whole other language.

Anna, noticing the look on Aidan's face stepped closer to overhear the exchange between the two.

"Don't be afraid to give as good as you get," John advised as he pretended to hit Aidan in the shoulder with his fist. Aidan wiped at his nose before nodding his head in understanding.

Anna eyes widened in terror and she almost yanked Aidan away from John at the sound of his words. She would not have Aidan's head filled with such thoughts. "No. No fighting," she said in a firm and even tone.

"I wasn't encouraging him to fight, I'm trying to teach him to stand up for himself. Not to back down. It's all part of becoming a man," he reasoned.

"Is that so?" she spoke up in a slightly louder tone.

"Yes," he answered instantly.

"Is that what makes a man? Using your fists to get your way?"

Aidan was tucked behind her leg, gripping at her thigh as his eyes wavered back and forth between them like a ball on a ping pong table. Conflicted over his mother's words that were spoken out of love and John's words that came out of friendship.

"You're twisting my words. That's not what I said." John was no longer bent over so that he was at eye-level with Aidan, but was standing at full attention. He now towered over Anna, which was no different than usual. But he noticed an almost imperceptible twitch of her eye, like she was flinching out of fear. Her pupils got bigger and her hands clenched into tiny fists. If she had been afraid in that one instance, she certainly wasn't showing it now. She had anger written across her face. It was a side of Anna he had never seen before.

"You didn't have to say it. Disagreements should be solved with words, not brute force," she said.

"I was hardly asking him to use brute force," he said with a roll of the eye.

"Anna, John's just trying to help Aidan," her father jumped in.

"You're on his side then?" she asked. But before he had the chance to speak she started up again. "Do me a favor then, don't help. The both of you." She picked up Aidan and began heading to her car.

"Anna where are you going?" John asked but she was on a mission.

She was not going to be deterred. Even Aidan's pleas to return to the field with his friends fell on deaf ears. "Mummy, my game," he reminded her.

"We're leaving," she said not even stopping to look at Aidan.

"But what about John?" Aidan nearly screamed as he thrust his outstretched fingers towards John.

Anna didn't respond this time as she fumbled to remove her keys from her pocket.

"Anna. Love." John begged as he trailed behind her trying to remain calm for Aidan's sake. "The game isn't even over," John said as he grasped at her wrist, trying to talk some sense into her.

"Don't touch me! Let go!" she screamed in an almost blood curdling fashion. Most of the people in the bleachers were now on their feet trying to catch a glimpse at what had just happened, the children that had overheard her scream stood frozen in place. Charles and Elsie stood by with their mouths wide open as they waited for someone to make the next move.

John immediately let her go and then he saw the pain written on her face. There were tears there that threatened to spill over, her jaw set in a hard line, her breathing sounded ragged. Even her eyes looked glazed over like she wasn't staring at him anymore, but someone else.

Aidan still clutched in her arms stared on in terror as she nearly threw the passenger door open and loaded him into the car. Her hands were moving almost on their own as she mechanically clipped the seat belt buckle in place and shut the door.

"Anna, please talk to me. I didn't mean anything by it," John said in as calm a voice as he could muster.

"I've heard that before," she replied quickly.

John shook his head in confusion. He wasn't sure what she meant by that. He had never said those words to Anna before.

She got into her car and paused for a moment with her hands on the steering wheel. Anna stared blankly at the field ahead as John leaned against the frame of the driver's side window. Her eyes never wavering she replied in a cool tone that was unlike Anna, "I think this was a mistake."

"What? What does that even mean?" he asked.

"I'm sorry. I have to go," she said before she threw the stick into reverse and peeled out of there.

John was left standing there with his fingers interlaced at the back of his head. He finally ran a hand threw his hair and scratched the back of his head in confusion. "Bloody hell," he muttered to himself.

Charles stood frozen in place as he watched the scene play out before him. He had never seen anything like it. Anna. His Anna had never had a bad word to say about anyone. Had never raised her voice in her life. He didn't know or understand what had brought this on, but he knew he had to speak to her.