Sort Of Like A Family
Matt/Coach/Tami, Leave No One Behind, PG13, 770 words, Title from Damages, Also written for the FNL Laundry List (Challenge 25, Prompt #1)

There's nothing wrong with you. There's nothing wrong with you at all.

Coach felt the anger inside him leave his body with every word he spoke. At first he thought Matt was being an out of control teenager. But it was so much more. This was a kid who was pushed to his breaking point. The weight of the world was just too much for him to bear any longer.

Coach looked down at Matt as the water continued to pour down on him. His hands were covering his face, so that Coach couldn't see him cry but already knew he was. Coach moved his shaking hand off of the metal pole that held the shower curtain, and quickly turned the water off. He was already punished enough.

"You get yourself up, and get out of those clothes. I wanna talk to you when you done."

Coach left the bathroom as Matt still sat in the tub. After a while he finally got up, the water dripping off of his clothes and onto the floor. He slowly walked to his room and shut the door behind him. Carefully, he took his coat off, throwing in near the corner of the room so it wouldn't get anything else wet. When he finally got clean and dry clothes on, he walked out into the living room, finding Coach waiting for him on the couch. Matt slowly sat down next to him, without looking or even speaking to him. Coach looked away before finally saying something.

"You listen to me – there is nothing wrong with you. Nothing that has happened to you has ever been your fault. Starting now, I want you to stop believing that. There are people out there who care about you. And they will always be there for you, you know that." Matt finally looked Coach in the face. After leaving him before, Matt didn't know whether to take what he said honestly. But the intensity he saw in his eyes told him the truth. "I may have made some bad decisions in the past, but I am here for you. And if you ever… ever need me, all you gotta do is ask and I'll be there. I can promise you that. You got me?"

Matt barely nodded his head yes, feeling like he might cry again at any moment.

"Okay, good." Coach got up from the couch and began to make his way towards the door, before turning around and speaking to Matt again.

"What's the situation with that car of yours?"

"I'm getting a ride with Landry while it gets fixed."

"You know what, I'll come by tomorrow and you can ride with me. Okay?"

Matt once again, just nodded his head yes.

"C'mere." Coach said to him. Matt got up from the couch and was surprised when Coach gave him a hug. "You're a good kid. I don't wanna see you struggle. Now you get some rest, and I'll see you in the morning."

"I will. Thanks Coach."

"You bet 'cha."

Matt watched as Coach left and drove off. He quietly shut the door and turned all the lights off in the house, before walking into his room, falling on his bed, and passing out almost instantly. Things were going to change. They had to change. Or else he wouldn't last much longer.

--

Just like he promised, Coach came the next morning to pick him up. After practice he gave Matt a hard look as he gave him a pass to go see a certain guidance counselor.

Matt went to see Mrs. Taylor and sat in her office for an hour and a half. He talked. She listened. Not like a counselor, but like a mother. Like his mother. But it made Matt more upset. Where is his mother? Why isn't she here taking Mrs. Taylor's place? Matt knew that she's the one who hurt him the most. And it was tearing him apart.

Mrs. Taylor hugged Matt before he leaves left. Told him everything was going to be okay.

"You're like a son to him," she told him. "And to me."

"Sort of like a family, huh."

She laughed as she rubbed Matt's shoulder.

"Yeah, I guess we are."

Matt stood up to leave and hugged Mrs. Taylor again.

"Thanks Mrs.… Coach." He began laughing. That's not what he had in mind. But he knew it was okay when she began laughing with him.

"You're welcome QB1."

Matt left a few minutes later with a smile on his face. Things were going to change. And they were going to be for the best.