Surprise! With the NCAA March Madness tournament just finish and watching nothing but basketball for the past three weeks, I decided to write a few outtakes for Love and Basketball. I loved these characters so much and Lex In the City helped me brainstorm a few ideas. I have about 5 planned so far. I thought it would easier to add that the end of the original story so those who favorited and followed would be in the loop.

Congratulations to the USC Gamecocks for winning the Women's NCAA Basketball Tournament and to Dawn Staley for becoming the first Black coach in NCAA history (men or women) to win multiple national championships.

FYI, These won't be in chronological order and I'm not sure when the next will be. Let me know if there are other one-shots/outtakes you would like to see!

Outtake 1: Tris turns 40 and gets a special surprise for her birthday from Tobias and the kids

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"Mommy are you sure you can't see anything? '' Courtland demands waving her hand in front of her mother who was wearing a blindfold.

TJ and Tobias had put her in charge of making sure Tris didn't take her blindfold off while they set up her birthday surprise and she was taking her job duties very seriously.

"I'm sure, I can't see a thing" Tris confirms while chuckling.

She had already told everyone that she didn't want anything for her birthday. So much was happening that year with her announcing that this upcoming season was her final season in the WNBA. She was already hearing that every final game she played there were going to be presentations after some of her games, especially her final regular-season game and jersey swapping with some notable player, it was going to be bittersweet but she was finally ready.

Now that all the kids were older, Tris loved shuffling back and forth between all of their basketball practices and birthday parties. Even though Tobias was a coach now, he still had a demanding travel schedule during the NBA season but he happily took over duties when it was time for Tris to report to training camp. With four kids and Tobias and Tris both having speaking engagements and practices and games, the house calendar was a color-coded mess but they had never been happier.

Both Tris and Tobias thought the kids would be upset about their move to Atlanta 2 months before but they were so excited about being in the same city with their cousins and closer to their grandparents and it was a welcomed surprise.

"Well how much longer do I have to wear this thing?" Tris asks playfully.

"Until we say so" Courtland huffs dramatically with what Tris knows is an eye roll even though she couldn't see. She had just turned 8 and Tris thought she was going to pull her hair out from the sassy attitude that had emerged. She had no idea how she was going to survive when she became a teenager.

Thankfully Tobias comes up the stairs to their bedroom only a few minutes later.

"Look, Daddy, Mommy is sitting right where you left her and her blindfold is still on!" Courtland says proudly as Tobias chuckles.

"You did such a good job, I knew I could count on you" Tobias grins and holds out his hand for a hi-five

"If you were throwing me a surprise party, I said specifically I didn't want a party this year" Tris scolds as Tobias pulls her up off the bed. It was her 40th birthday and while she kept saying she didn't want a big celebration,

"You look amazing" Tobias grins as he gives her a kiss and Courtland giggles.

"Well I'm glad seeing as you only told me to dress nicely for my birthday dinner" Tris shrugs.

She had decided on a burgundy off the shoulder dress that hugged her body tight and stopped just above the knee. She had gone to the salon to have her hair straightened that day and it flowed around her shoulders.

Courtland and Tobias guide Tris carefully down the stairs to where TJ, Jordan, and Russell are waiting.

"Are you ready for your birthday surprise?" Jordan asks excitedly.

"Shhhhh we can't tell her yet!" Russel squeaks.

Tris chuckles at the banter going on in the car. Jordan and Russel were 11 and their personalities were so different. Jordan was and always underneath Tobias, he was more talkative and social whereas Russell was more quiet and thoughtful a Mamma's boy always underneath Tris. Even though they were different they rarely wanted to be apart.

"TJ get the door," Tobias instructs as TJ makes sure to hold the door open.

Once everyone climbs into their SUV, Tris chuckles again at the attention to detail that the kids were putting in.

"We made you a playlist Ma," Jordan says proudly.

"Yeah, it has all your favorite songs we sing in the car" Courtland yells from her booster seat.

"Wow you guys really went all out for me this year," Tris says trying to not fidget with her mask.

The car ride lasts about 30 minutes so Tris wonders where they could be. She and Tobias chose a house in the same neighborhood as Christina and Uriah when they moved to Atlanta 2 months ago. Lynn and Kima were only two neighborhoods away in the same neighborhood as Caleb and Marlene.

There had been endless weekend sleepovers and pool parties with all the kids during the summer. It was perfect for all of them, being in the same city with everyone.

"Okay everyone get to your positions while I help Mommy out of the car," Tobias tells everyone.

"Wait!" Jordan says.

Tris smiles as she feels one of the twins put in her earbuds and her special birthday playlist starts again.

She holds on to Tobias as they slowly walk to their destination which Tris is sure is a restaurant by the smells of food she deciphers.

Tobias takes out her earbuds and blindfold and she laughs when the entire group in front of her yells "Surprise". She leans over and gives Tobias a kiss. He was always so thoughtful and the kids had learned to be thoughtful from him.

"I told you we could have just had everyone over to the house," She says playfully.

"Well, this whole setup was planned by your children. I just pulled out my credit card for dinner"

"Awwww, Babies," Tris says, clutching her chest and looking around the room.

"My babies are 40, where has the time gone?" Natalie says with a sniffle as she gives Tris a kiss on her cheek and then moves to Caleb.

"Mommy please don't start crying" Lauren whines.

"Oh no one told you not to cry when Si Si turned 16" Natalie huffs back as everyone laughs.

She gets hugs from her parents, Evelyn, Fernando, Hector, Lauren, Harrison, Sienna, Caleb, Marlene, Kai, Natalia, McKenzie, Zeke, Shauna, Amar, Lynn, Kima, Journee, Aiden, Christina, Uriah, Angel, and Javier were all there in the private room of the restaurant.

"Here Mommy, this is for you," Courtland says proudly holding a sparkling tiara for Tris.

"Why thank you Baby Girl," Tris tells her as she takes it and slides it into her hair.

"And you get to sit here, we decorated it" Jordan explains as he pulls Tris toward a chair with a high back that was decorated with streamers and sparkling tinsel. There was a matching chair right next to hers for Caleb and Russell handed him a crown that he proudly placed on his head.

"I love it," Tris gushes as TJ pulls out the chair so she can sit down.

"You knew about this" Tris narrows her eyes playfully at her brother.

"I had limited knowledge because you know I can't hide anything from you" he chuckles.

"How are we matching?" Tris laughs looking at Caleb's outfit and seeing his burgundy tie that matched her dress against his black shirt.

"Freaky twin thing" He shrugs. They would always be connected in a special way that no one could ever explain.

"But seeing as it's my birthday too, I am going to enjoy myself" He grabs his scotch from the table and leans back dramatically in his chair as Tris laughs.

Dinner is lovely and full of laughs. Tris feels her eyes water several times as the kids all get in on her gifts. Tobias and Tris made a deal with all the kids very early on, birthday gifts from them should be made not waiting for them to expect big or expensive gifts because their parents were rich. They all got into it every year getting creative and stretching their artistic ability.

Kai, TJ, and Sienna had made a photo booth and backdrop complete with Props. Everyone enjoys taking photos and videos. The cupcakes were elaborately designed with the number 40 on them and tasted as good as they looked.

Kai and Sienna show a video they made of clips from friends of Tris and Tobias wishing Tris a happy birthday. Tris cries again with all the love from former teammates from Dauntless and the Chicago Sky, Nita, Tori, Will, George, and even one of her teammates from Rome.

"I have one last gift that you get to open. This one is from me," TJ announces as the party winds down. He brings over Tris a box wrapped in elaborate ribbons.

She smiles as she looks at everyone gathered around her watching her untie the ribbons. When she pops the top, she cocks her head to the side when she sees what looks like legal papers. She picks them up scanning them quickly and gasps when it clicks what they are. She lifts her eyes to find TJ smiling wide at her and Tobias has a hand clamped on his shoulder.

"Well, what are they?" Andrew asks as he sees his daughter about to cry.

"I asked Pop to help me with your present this year. I wanted Ma to formally adopt me. She's always been my mother in every way that counts and I wanted it to be on paper too. I want to be Tobias Amari Prior-Eaton" TJ explains to their family and friends gathered around.

Audible sighs fill the room and Natalie, Evelyn and Lauren all wipe tears. TJ was turning 17 in a few months, the fact that he was so close to turning 18 and wanted to do this made Tris feel like her heart was going to explode.

Tris gets up from her seat and pulls TJ into a tight hug.

"I love you so much" she sobs as she goes on her tiptoes. TJ was already as tall as Tobias now and he still had some more growing to do.

"I love you too, Ma" TJ grins as he hugs her.

"How did you get Nicole to sign off on this?" She asks, pulling away, and wiping her tears.

"Our son might have a career as a lawyer if basketball doesn't work out. He did his research and took the papers for her to sign himself" Tobias relays proudly.

"Is that why you went to Miami last month?" Tris says putting all the pieces together in her mind.

TJ and Tobias had flown to Miami for a quick weekend trip to get Nicole to sign the papers, letting Tris believe that he was going to take a college tour of the University of Miami. Nicole had been her usual self and threw a temper tantrum when TJ pulled out the papers for her to waive her parental rights. Tobias had warned him of how she might respond and he wasn't sure TJ was ready for it.

"Yeah, it hasn't been easy keeping this a secret," Tobias chuckles.

TJ reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pen and hands it to Tris. She starts crying again when she takes it. Andrew rubs her shoulders as he stands next to her while she signs all the papers.

"Now you're officially my mother in every way," TJ says proudly when she signs the last page.

"This has been the best birthday present I've ever received, I love you so much," Tris says honestly, wiping her tears as Courtland climbs into her lap.

"I love you to Ma, thanks for always loving me and taking care of me," TJ tells her leaning down to give her a kiss on the cheek.

Tobias comes up and kisses her on the forehead while Jordan and Russell come over to give her a big hug. She grabs TJs hand and squeezes it tight.

"Ma don't cry again" TJ teases not letting go of her hand as he laughed.

"I'm sorry, It's just. I'm so happy and you all are everything to me" Tris gushes giving Russell a kiss on his forehead.

As much as she had decided that she didn't want a party, tonight had been one that she would never forget.

"Is this what you meant when you said you wanted to spend your birthday with all of us?" Tobias grunts as he moves Jordan's foot out of his face.

"Yes, actually it is," Tris giggles as she runs a hand over Russell's curly hair.

He was snuggled up against her between the two of them. TJ was stretched out in front of Tris and Tobias at their feet with Courtland stretched across his back. Jordan had somehow ended up stretched out lengthwise with his head near TJ's.

After the dinner party, the Prior-Eaton clan came home and changed clothes, and piled onto a bed of pillows in the family room to watch Like Mike, Tris' favorite movie. Jordan and Russell had set up the family room and popped Tris popcorn. The younger kids had conked out about halfway through.

"Want me to help get them in bed?" TJ asks sliding Courtland off him and sitting up.

"Thank you, sweetheart, You're such a good big brother," Tris says Tobias moves Jordan off of him so he could stand up.

TJ picks Courtland up and holds her up in his arms and she wraps her arms around his neck and rests her head on his shoulder without waking up.

"Thank you for everything, TJ, you made today so special for me," Tris says as Tobias wakes up Jordan and Russell.

"Love you, Ma" He smiles and gives her a kiss on the cheek before heading upstairs with his sister.

"You and Journee looked pretty comfortable tonight" She calls to him before he heads out toward the kitchen.

TJ turns and grins before heading toward the stairs.

"Mommy, did you have a good birthday?" Russell asks, rubbing his eyes.

"I had the best birthday" Tris reassures him as she rubs his shoulders "Now go get in the bed, Daddy will check on you when you get settled.

"I think we could do birthday parties if basketball doesn't work out, Mommy and Uncle Caleb could endorse us," Jordan says with a yawn.

Tobias chuckles and rubs his head and gives him a gentle push up towards the door. He loved how even though they all wanted to play basketball, they still dreamed big about what a life outside of basketball could look like.

Tris folds up the blankets and piles up the pillows to put away the next day. The Hawks had a game so they would be running around trying to get out of the house on time. With four kids, it was always mayhem before they walked out the door.

She grabs the popcorn bowls and candy wrappers and heads to the kitchen.

"You didn't have to do that Babe, it's your birthday" Tobias frowns as he comes back down to the kitchen.

"Ya'll have spoiled me enough today" She nods her head toward the giant bouquet of yellow roses on the counter.

"There is never enough spoiling you" Tobias moves over and gives her a kiss on the forehead and grabs the next popcorn bowl to rinse and place in the dishwasher.

"So I've got to know, how did you get Nicole to agree to waive her rights"

"That was all your son" Tobias chuckles and Tris feels her heart swell and the thought he was really legally her son now.

"He came to me early in the Spring and said he knew what he wanted you to formally adopt him. I think after the drama that Nicole put him through last year on his birthday, he was just done"

Tris sighs. As much as she and Tobias tried to shield TJ from Nicole's antics she found a way to wiggle her way in and hurt him.

Tobias and Tris had thrown TJ a 16th birthday party with all the stops and gotten him a Mercedes G Wagon for his birthday. They both agreed 16 was a big enough milestone that warranted a large party and a car.

Nicole guilted TJ into attending the party in the first place, and it was the first time she'd seen him in a year. Nicole had gotten belligerent at the party, TJ was embarrassed and the hired security ended up escorting her out.

"You should have seen him, it was like a switch went off after his birthday party. She started her usual crying and dramatics and he put the paper down in front of her and threatened to go to a judge to strip her rights if she didn't agree to sign"

"Really?" Tris asks, leaning back on the counter, her face showing an expression of how impressed she was.

"She signed them, threw then pen down, and walked away"

"Should we send him back to the therapist?" Tris furrows her eyebrows. Whenever Nicole would do something erratic they wanted to make sure TJ had an outlet for his feelings. He hadn't gone in a while but Tris was concerned now.

"He promised me he would be fine and he would write in his journal everything he was feeling. He decided he wanted to wait until your birthday to give them to you"

Tris places a hand on her cheek, TJ was so amazing and she was so proud of the young man he was becoming.

Tobias closes the dishwasher and moves to stand in front of Tris pulling her by the waist.

"Did I tell you just how sexy you looked in that dress tonight?"

Tris grins as she runs her hands up his t-shirt.

"You know there's one thing I really wanted for my birthday that I haven't gotten yet"

"What could that possibly be Mrs. Prior-Eaton?" Tobias teases as he leans and places a soft kiss on her lips.

"A one on one game," Tris tells him in a seductive whisper as she waggles her eyebrows.

Tobias shakes his head and leans down to give her a kiss.

"Go get your hoop gear on" He laughs, pulling away.

"I figured we could make it interesting, the winner gets to come twice. '' She tells him quietly as she trails her hand across his chest as she goes to head upstairs and change.

Tobias gives her ass a hard slap and she giggles before taking off ahead of him up the stairs.

Guess what? I have another story that will be released on Sunday and new chapters will be released weekly! While I thought my next story would be Secrets and Lies, I'm still not happy with where it is just yet. I've been binge-watching Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, and Chicago Med, and the writing muses gave me some inspiration for a new story.

Born of Fire: Tris is a firefighter looking for something new, what is supposed to be a vacation with a one-night stand turns into her finding a new family at Firehouse 51 and possibly the love of her life. To protect the city of Chicago, Tris, Tobias, Christina, Uriah, and the rest of our favorite characters put their lives on the line to make a difference.