Chapter 33, enjoy! Only fitting that Riggins plays some football in this chapter, ya think?

"Ladies and gentlemen... the Dillon Panthers!" The announcer introduced as the players run out of the tunnel of AT&T Stadium.

The game started off with the Panther's scoring an easy touchdown, but after that the other team turned their defense on and forced the Panthers to repeatedly turn over the ball. The defense was all over Tim, and as a result they struggled to get a 1st down. The young JD McCoy was really struggling in the big shoes of quarterback, and some passes he threw into the arms of the other team. At the end of the first quarter, the game was tied, and it was Panther ball. As the offensive players were jogging onto the field to begin the second quarter, Tim grabbed a hold of the back of JD's jersey.

"You better pull your head out of your ass," Tim sternly advised. But JD obviously didn't listen, for he called the wrong play. Then called the wrong play again. Then he misjudged the distance between him and Riggins and when the huge defensive player plowed over Riggins the defensive player recovered it while Tim laid in pain. Tim was face down on the turf with pain shooting through his shoulder. He pulled his knees up to his chest in an effort to get up, but the pain only worsened with any slight movement.

"What's going on?" Julie wondered outloud when she noticed Yim curled up in pain. Is he ok? Julie wondered. Ever since Jason Street's tragic accident any time a player went down Julie got nervous. Tim was a tough player, but even he got hurt sometimes. This incident reminded Julie of another time Tim was injured just after they had started being friends, it had really made her realize how much she cared about him.

Flashback: Previous Football Season

Buddy had decided to sit next to Tami this particular game, so Julie sat beside Lyla. The Panthers were playing a highly competitive and physical team. This play, the ball was thrown to Tim who made a break for the end zone. Before he made it to the end zone, a defensive player ran into Tim head on. The clink of the helmets hitting each other was heard by everyone in the crowd. The crowd went silent when Tim didn't get up.

"Oh my God..." Julie mumbled, voice full of fear. A couple of the coaches ran to Tim's side and began tending to him. "Why isn't he getting up?" Julie asked no one in particular, her voice thick with fear and anxiety. She was biting at her fingernails to relieve the stress she was feeling about what was unfolding on the field before her. On the field, Coach Crowley gently removed Tim's helmet. Julie watch from the stands as Tim brought his hand up to his pounding head. Relief flooded her, at least he's not paralyzed. With the help of the coaches, he sat up and was eventually helped up and off the field. He took a seat on the bench, where he remained for the remained for the rest of the game. I wonder what happened? Did he get a concussion? Julie wondered for the rest of the game.

"What happened to Tim tonight?" Julie quizzed her father as soon as he entered their house that evening. She had been anxiously awaiting the arrival of her father so that she could get an update on Tim.

"He got a concussion, he'll be out for two weeks and then he should be fine," Eric answered. Julie was relieved that he didn't have a more serious injury. Why was I so worried? Do I like him in a romantic way? I think I do, Julie realized.

End Of Flashback

"He'll be fine," Billy, who was sitting next to Julie, calmly reassured. "He's tough," Billy added. One of the offensive linemen helped him to his feet.

"He's holding his arm like it might be his shoulder," Tami noticed. Tim had sweat dripping from his hair and facial expressions representing the pain he was feeling.

"Come on Riggins let's take you back to the locker room, I think your shoulder may be out of place," McGill instructed, guiding Tim to stand up and leave down the tunnel to the locker room while the game was still going on.

"Where is he taking him?" Julie fearfully asked after seeing McGill and Tim leave the field while the game was still being played.

"Probably to the locker room," Billy guessed. McGill took Tim to the locker room where they discovered Tim's shoulder was in fact out of place, but he insisted McGill put it back in so he could finish the game. This is the last football game I will ever play, so I've gotta give it all I have. McGill got the team trainer who fulfilled Tim's request. The half was almost over, so they kept Tim in the locker room to ice his shoulder. This caused the Riggins and Taylor group in the crowd to panic, not seeing Tim return to the field caused them to begin to believe something was really wrong.

"Why isn't he out here yet?" Billy asked, starting to get worried about his little brother. A little while later the half ended and the players all went to the locker room.

"Saracen get warmed up, your at quarterback," Coach Taylor stated, making the decision to pull JD in a hope to save the game. "Riggins, are you good to play?" He asked.

"Yeah coach, I'm gonna play," Tim responded from his position on the bench with a bag of ice on his injured shoulder.

"The OG's are back, and we're gonna bring home a ring," Saracen said to Tim as he walked past him giving him a fist bump on his way to get warmed up.

"It looks like he's gonna play!" Julie exclaimed as the boys returned to the field and Tim walked on the field with the rest of the offensive players. They fought back to tie up the game by the fourth quarter. Sadly, at the last second the opposing team kicked a field goal. Tim and Matt held hands on the sidelines, willing the ball to not fall between the yellow poles. The crowd held their breath, the Panthers fans hoping it wouldn't be good. The refs blew their whistles as a signal to count it - the field goal was good. The Panthers lost. Teary eyed Tim and Matt embraced, feeling defeated that they lost their last high school football game. However they felt somewhat satisfied, they played their hearts out and left it all on the field. They slowly returned to the locker room and changed out of their football gear for the last time. They left the locker room where their family members met them. Tim located Tami, Julie, and Billy easily. Tim weakly smiled at Julie who was adorably swallowed in his large denim jacket. She left her spot against the wall and gave him a tight hug, but was careful of his slinged arm. They each had tears in their eyes, and stayed like this for a long time, saying nothing just Julie comforting him. Tami and Billy watched as the two shared this moment. When they separated, a tear that had formed in Tim's eye rolled down his cheek and Julie gently wiped it away. Billy was next, he shook his brother's hand and pulled him into a hug.

Wow that was long and action packed. I hope you enjoyed, let me know your thoughts! This episode (3x12) was my all time favorite and if you pay close attention, Tim is icing his shoulder in the background of the locker room scene and then has a sling on when he leaves his cleats on the field, but we never get an explanation. This may be my favorite chapter to write so far.