Here's the next chapter. Thanks for the amazing response to the last one. It's awesome that so many people are enjoying this story. Hope you enjoy this update :)

Because of You

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I was still laying with Jason when our mum banged into his room, frowning when she saw us both laying next to each other. Even though I had migrated away from Jason's chest, she still didn't approve of us being so close together for some reason. She was holding the phone in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other. My mum was the queen of baking. "Julie Taylor's on the phone for you" she explained, I sighed but took the phone. I didn't really feel like talking to anyone at the minute. I waved to Jason and trudged up the stairs to my room with the phone pressed to my ear. "hey Jules"

"Lexie, thank god, why aren't you picking up your mobile"

I didn't feel like explaining the past few hours to Julie. I didn't think I'd be talking about Walt Riggins any time soon so instead I settled for an age old excuse "sorry Jules I lost it again"

Julie sighed down the phone at me "of course you have, when have you ever not lost the damn thing, or thrown it off a cliff, or…"

"Julie as much as I love being ranted at about my inadequacies was there an actual point to this phone call"

"What" Julie asked, shocked out of her rant.

"A point" I said again.

"Oh yeah, Tyra called me she said she saw you and Tim shouting at each other at the Alamo and I wanted to check you were ok, I forgot to ask at powder puff"

My anger at her rant went away pretty quickly after that. My voice hitched slightly as I said "yeah, I'm ok. It was just a stupid misunderstanding"

"Are you and Tim ok?" Julie asked.

I hesitated at that. No, me and Tim weren't ok. I had gone to try and fix it and instead had found Walt Riggins. His face popped into my head and I shivered again. Pulling a blanket around my shoulders. I had obviously been quiet to long as Julie asked again.

"Lexie, you and Tim are ok, right?"

Eventually I settled for "I'm sure we'll be fine" I didn't sound convincing even to myself and Julie must have picked up on it, bless her though she didn't ask anymore, because if she had I was pretty sure I was going to break down again, and that was the last thing I wanted to do.

"Alright, well I'll see you at school tomorrow ok?"

"Yeah alright Jules. See you later" I hung up the phone and dumped it on the floor next to my bed, before I curled up on my bed. Walt's face was hanging in front of my eyes, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get the feel of his lips on my cheek out of my head, along with smell of his breath and the hungry look in his eyes. Shaking slightly I pulled the blanket tighter around me, and closed my eyes. Trying desperately to get to sleep. When I realised a couple of hours later that this wasn't going to happen I uncurled myself and went quietly downstairs and back into Jason's room. His light was off and he was snoring softly, obviously asleep. I smiled though when I saw the pillow at the bottom of the bed in its usual place when we topped and tailed. Gratefully I slid into the double bed and soon fell asleep next to my brother.

It was freezing the next morning while we crowded round matt waiting for Powder Puff to start. The cold was not helped by that fact that we had all been given tiny shorts to wear, with special Velcro tabs on them to stick our scarves on. Unlike boys we were apparently to delicate to mange tackling so we were given scarves and told to yank them off the other persons shorts. This constituted a tackle and game play would stop from the moment the scarf was pulled off.

Tim was still ignoring me and I couldn't help but wonder whether Billy had even told him what had happened last night, what Billy had witnessed there father doing, because surely if he had told Tim, he wouldn't still be ignoring me, or sending me the death glares that he currently was doing. I wasn't given long to wonder though as we were soon lined up ready for the whistle. For some really annoying reason I had ended up with the number 33 shirt and it had pissed me off for a while. Soon though I couldn't even remember what shirt number I was wearing as Tyra and Lyla went at each other. I looked questioningly at Julie who just shrugged, to say she had no idea what was going on with those two either. They weren't even using the scarves! As Tyra once again barrelled into Lyla, I saw them exchange angry words and Tyra gesture wildly at the stands, looking up I to saw what she did. Her mother was getting very close to Buddy Garrity, Lyla's father. I suddenly understood Tyra's anger. Lyla obviously didn't though as she went back to her line with a horribly crushed expression on her face.

At then end with only one play left we were all tied 14, 14 and Matt was making up some drivel about going home with a tie was as good as going home with the win. I quickly cut him off though. "Lets say we win this thing girls"

Julie smiled "I agree. We run the 25 sprint option"

I smiled widely and nodded. "Run it"

Julie lined up and shouted the option, as soon as she shouted I ran, straight down the line. Tim was waving his arms around at the side motioning at me who wasn't even being blocked but none of the girls were listening, instead screaming and laughing as they tried to get to Julie who was lining up for the throw. I took a few seconds to wave at him before looking back, I nodded at Julie who threw a magnificent pass straight over the screaming girls heads into my arms, Tim looked furious as I easily ran the rest of the pitch straight into the end zone as the whistle blew for full time a few seconds later. Julie and Tyra ran up to me screaming as Matt threw his clip board to the floor, for once forgetting his paralyzing shyness as he lifted me into the air and spun me round in dizzying circles. Somehow we had managed to win Powder Puff. I looked over to try and find Tim when Matt finally put me down, but he had gone. Surprisingly that hurt me more as well.

I was barely through the door that night when Jason flew into the hallway. "I've gotta talk to you"

For a horrifying moment I thought somehow he'd found out about Walt, however when I looked again I could see that he was happy, which he wouldn't be if he had found out what thought he knew. "Ok"

We went through to living room, where Jason practically pushed me to the sofa by banging into the backs of my legs with his chair. "Jesus Jason, what's so important"

"If you'd hurry up and sit down I'll tell you" he demanded

I did as he asked and slumped down on the sofa, "well?"

"you're so not going to believe this" he said excitedly. "but I got invited to nationals"

My brain was apparently not working on the same wavelength as Jason's at the minute because I couldn't for the life of me think what he meant. "Nationals?"

"You know, Nationals, Quad Rugby Nationals" I couldn't answer this so Jason carried on for me. "The Quad Rugby team is having try outs in Austen for a couple of weeks and they got four spots open and invited me"

"Wow Jason that's awesome. What happens if you make the team?"

"I could be going to Beijing later this year. For the Paralympics"

I pulled my legs up to my chest and stared over at him "Beijing?"

He nodded "Yeah, god Lexie you've no idea how great the idea of being back in sports is to me"

I sort of did, I always knew that football had been Jason's life. He might have done alright with his other classes because he had to, no pass no play was the teams motto. His heart however had always been with football. This quad rugby had given the chance to pour all the passion for his football into something else. He hadn't however thought of the practical aspects of this plan. "Look jay, I'm thrilled for you, truly I am, but what about school?"

"What about it?" Jason asked grumpily.

"Don't you want to graduate, I thought you had come back"

"That's the problem right there Lexie" he shouted "I don't want to go backwards what's the point in going backwards when you can go forwards"

I had to admit he had a point there. "have you told Lyla?"

Jason shook his head "She's coming round later, I was going to tell her then"

"There's a conversation I wouldn't like to have to have" I said.

Jason frowned "you don't think she's going to be happy for me"

I shifted uncomfortably, eventually putting my legs down on the floor and leaning forwards towards Jason. "Do you?"

Jason sighed and I knew he didn't think she would. "I don't know"

I took his hands and squeezed them "She'll come round to it. She loves you Jason"

"Are you happy for me?"

I nodded, "Yeah, of course I'm happy for you"

"good" Jason suddenly looked at me "I never asked last night, what had happened. When you come into my room looking like hell, and crying your eyes out. I never asked why you can't sleep on your own and you shake all night screaming out loud with nightmares. But I'm asking now, before I go away for a while. What's happening Lexie?"

I looked away from Jason, I hadn't remembered having nightmares I wasn't going to disagree with him though. The way I had been feeling it would have been quite reasonable that I had had nightmares about Walt.

"Lexie tell me?" Jason urged.

I couldn't tell him though, if I did then Jason wouldn't go. I knew enough about my brother to know that. He wouldn't go if he thought I was in trouble, and I wanted him to go. He deserved this, so instead I just shrugged looking back up at him "me and Tim just had another argument. It upset me"

Jason didn't look convinced "really, about what?"

"Walt" I said shakily.

Jason sighed, obviously he could believe that we had fallen out about Walt. It didn't seem like many people in Dillon liked Tim's absentee father very much. "just be careful around him Lexie. I don't like him"

"trust me I'm not going anywhere near him" I assured Jason who nodded and leant forward to kiss my cheek.

"Lyla will be here soon, I'm gonna go tidy up a bit"

"alright" I agreed, "I'll flick through TV for a bit"

Jason just smiled and nodded while I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.

I knocked softly on the door to the guidance counsellors office. All day I had been debating whether or not I should come and talk to Julies mum, but eventually my feet had taken me here anyway. Tim had still been ignoring me, and seen as Walt was obviously still at their house it made me wonder whether Billy had said anything or not. Probably not, and the more I wondered the more nervous I got. It wasn't like me but the thought of that man still being in town made my stomach turn.

"Come in" Tami's voice shouted, making me jump slightly as I pushed the door open. Tami smiled at me when she saw who it was. "Lexie, darling what can I do for you"

"I think I need to talk" I said softly.

Tami frowned at the tone of my voice. "Of course"

I sat down on the sofa she had in the side of her room, crossing my legs underneath myself.

"What's wrong Lexie?"

"Did you now me and Tim had fallen out?" I asked.

Tami nodded "Julie did mention something about Tim being an idiot. Is that what's bothering you, Tim Riggins"

"Sort of" I muttered. "I mean it is a Riggins, just not Tim"

Tami frowned "Billy?"

I shook my head. "No Walt. Tim's father. He came back to town a few days ago, and something…. Happened"

Tami nodded and twisted on her chair to face me more. "What happened sweetie?"

"this is confidential right?" I asked "you won't tell anyone else"

"unless your in danger, then no I won't tell anyone else. Lexie honey tell me?"

"Walt he was drunk… and I'd gone there by myself to find Tim. I wanted to apologise. Tim wasn't there though only Walt was" I trailed off now, thinking about the smell of Walt's breath and his hands locking onto me. I shuddered slightly at the memories. "he wouldn't let me leave, and he was holding onto me, keeping me close to him when Billy arrived and let me go. I don't…. I don't know what he would have done if Billy hadn't come home"

Tami was quiet for a few moments staring down at me. "Did he hurt you?" she eventually asked, her voice although quiet was laced with something stronger, steel.

I shook my head. "no. He didn't have chance"

"Does Tim know about this?"

I shook my head again, tears clouding my eyes at the mention of Tim rather than what I had just told Mrs Taylor. "I don't think so, surely he would still let Walt stay if he did. He must like me more than that right? He wouldn't let his father stay if he knew" tears were falling down my cheeks now, as I realised I wasn't so much upset about Walt Riggins anymore, I had gotten over that rather quickly. Having always known he was a creep, and knowing that nothing had happened to me. What upset me more was the thought that maybe Billy really had told Tim about what he had seen and Tim hadn't cared. That he liked his father more than me. That he was willing to forgive Walt for doing that to his girlfriend and not me.

Tami leant forward and grabbed my hands. "Tim Riggins is a good boy, even if he may not act it very often" she insisted "If he knew he wouldn't justify this. Lexie you need to tell him"

"I can't" I whispered

"Why?"

"what… what if he doesn't believe me"

Tami smiled softly at me. "Sweet heart that won't happen. You need to talk to Tim"

Eventually I nodded. "ok" I got back up and made to leave the office.

"Lexie"

I turned back round to face Mrs Taylor "Yes"

"This isn't your fault. You shouldn't feel guilty for separating Tim and his father. It's Walt's fault not yours."

I ducked my head down as tears threatened to fall again. "Thank you Mrs Taylor"

"No problem"

I closed the door behind me gently and quickly checked the clock on the wall behind the main office desk. I had time if I hurried to make it down to the football pitch to catch Tim after the end of practice.

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Ok there you go, also i am aware that julie ran the final play in powder puff, and normally i stick to the script however this time i just couldn't resist letting lexie win it.