A/N: Hey, well I know I waited for another episode to come out before updating but anyway here I am and raring to go…heavy couple of episodes huh? Well here we go…enjoy!

Chapter Ten

Abbey closed the front door of the house and leaned against the door. After a few deep breathes Abbey stood up and jumped up and down squealing.

"EEEE!!" She squealed jumping up in the air in circles.

"Well, one of us is cheery," Her grandmother said coming into the living room from her bedroom. She smiled sweetly at Abbey and Abbey stopped jumping and just smiled.

"I really, really am." Abbey walked over and dropped her backpack on the floor and kissed her grandmother on the cheek. "Things are going really well,"

"Oh well, at least one of my grandchildren is happy." She said slightly absent-mindedly as she sat in her chair. Abbey stared at her.

"Wait, what? What's wrong with Matt?" Abbey asked concerned.

"I think he and that nice Julie might have had a spat." Her grandmother flicked off her slippers and put her feet up. Abbey went to go into the kitchen but stopped.

"Grandma…Grandma are your toenails painted?"

"Yeah, ya like um? Tyra did them for me, such a nice girl."

Abbey stared at her grandmother with her mouth open for a few seconds before running into the kitchen and out the back door. "MATT!!"

Matt was sitting on the bench in the back yard going over his biology notebook. "Matt, why was Tyra Collette in our home?!"

"What? Oh… Uh when you were in the boonies I asked Julie to watch grandma while I was on TV, she brought a friend I guess it was Tyra."

Abbey stared at Matt. "Since when did Julie Taylor start hanging out with Tyra?"

"I dunno…none of my business any more."

Abbey crossed her arms coming over to sit down beside her brother. "What? What happened Matt?"

"Julie and I broke up."

Abbey stared at him, "Why? I thought everything was going well."

"Yeah well it was until Riggins talked me into going into the calendar."

Abbey stared at Matt. "What has the calendar got to do with this?"

"Well, Julie asked me what I had done last night and I lied and she already knew about the calendar…she said I could go and hang out with the rally girls or whatever." Matt was looking at the ground.

Abbey shook her head. "Why did you lie, Matt?"

Matt looked at her, "Because I thought she would be pissed if she found out."

Abbey stared at her younger brother, "Apposed to the bliss you are in right now." Matt glared at her, "And on game day too…that is harsh."

Matt shrugged, "Look I don't wanna talk about it any more, why are you so jolly?"

" 'jolly'?" Abbey asked amused.

"Yes, jolly,"

Abbey shook her head and looked at her little brother. "Tim and I are going out."

Matt looked at her like it wasn't the best news he had ever heard. "Oh fantastic…just fantastic."

Abbey shook her head and smiled, "Look, you have enough on your plate with out worrying about my love life, I'll be fine."

"And you know about the calendar?"

"Yeah and I can assure you Tim's pic was way more provocative then yours." Abbey said rolling her eyes and leaning back.

"And you don't care?"

Abbey opened her mouth to say of course not but thought better of it and chose her words more carefully. "I am a lot older then Julie…"

"Only two years," Matt contradicted.

"Yeah well in high school terms a sophomore and a senior may as well be separated by a generation. And I kinda know what I am getting with Tim, when you and Julie hooked up, so to say, you weren't nearly so….you weren't nearly as football player-ie as you are now." Matt looked at her, "Look if I get a chance to talk to Julie I will, make sure she knows nothing happened."

"I told her that already,"

"Yeah right after you told her the bold faced lie." Matt shook his head at Abbey's words.

"So you and Riggins huh?"

"Y'up,"

"Your on a slippery slope Abbey,"

"Thanks for the encouraging words Matt." Abbey patted her brother on the shoulder and went inside.

Abbey stood in the cold night air with her grandmother on one side and Landry on the other. "Come on Matt!" She yelled at the top of her voice.

It was the dying seconds of the game. Abbey looked over the crowd and saw Billy Riggins standing with his dad. She was really happy he was there, Tim deserved to have him there.

She turned her attention back to the game. Matt caught the snap and handed the ball off to Tim.

"Come on!" Abbey yelled. Tim tossed the ball to Smash. Abbey scanned the field and realised what they were doing. Smash hurled the ball and Matt caught it running it for the touch down.

Abbey screamed and threw her arms around her grandmother both of them jumping up and down simultaneously.

Abbey walked over the cold pavement to where Tim was standing. He had seen her coming towards him and stopped walking waiting for her approach while his brother and dad head towards their trucks.

He was so hot, with his hair still damp from his shower; Abbey couldn't believe he was finally hers.

"Hey you." She said smiling as she came to a stop in front of him.

"Hey yourself." He said giving her a half smile in return.

"You played amazingly tonight, congrats on the win." Abbey took a few steps so she was closer to him. He hefted his bag higher on his shoulder and shifted his helmet in his hand so he could wrap his arms around her waist. She smiled up at him wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Thanks,"

"I saw your dad, and I suppose you guys want to ya know discuss the game and all or else I would suggest we go and celebrate your win."

Tim looked over at where his dad and brother were standing talking. "I don't think they would miss me all that much."

Abbey giggled, "No, you go with them we can hook up later." Abbey raised herself up on her toes and kissed him. She slowly pulled back and looked at him.

"Thanks that make good bye so much easier."

Abbey smiled biting the tip of her tongue in between her bottom and top teeth, "Just to make sure you remember me."

"I don't think I will forget anytime soon." He kissed her on the forehead and let go. "I'll talk to you tomorrow and we can go on a real date."

"Sounds like a plan." Abbey watched him walk over to his dad and brother. She couldn't have been any happier.

Abbey slammed her locker closed and looked at Tim.

"So I was thinking we go out, get something to eat and play it by ear…." He trailed off and looked at her. He was leaning against the wall of lockers. His fingers teased the hair hanging over her shoulder coming out of one of her two French braids.

"Really…sounds very intriguing." She said smiling at him.

"Abbey!" Abbey and Tim both looked over Abbey's shoulder to see Matt running over to them.

"Hey Matt, what's up?" Abbey asked. Tim and Matt shared a very male, very football player nod to acknowledge each other.

"Uh, I was hoping that you could maybe play on my powder puff team." Abbey stared at him and Tim scoffed.

"What's powder puff?" Abbey asked looking between the two of them.

"Oh, uh its when the girls play a game of football." Matt stared at her expectantly. "Usually it is cheerleaders and rally girls. I'm a coach."

"Yeah and I am the other." Tim said looking at Abbey. Abbey looked at him.

"Well, in that case I am defiantly saying no." Abbey said looking back at Matt.

"What!? Why?"

"Not that I wouldn't have said no anyway….because believe me I would have, but anyway I am not going to play against either my brother or the guy I just started going out with."

"There, ya see Saracen, now where were we?" Tim put his arm around Abbey's shoulder. Abbey smiled at him.

"Come on Abb's, we're blood!"

"Sorry, no dice." Abbey turned and walked down the hall with Tim beside her.

" 'Abb's'? Is that what I should start calling you?" Abbey glared at him as they turned into their math class.

"You do and I start calling you Timmy." She gave him a challenging smile.

"Point taken." He sank into the seat beside her.

"Good,"

Abbey sat across the table from Tim and looked over his shoulder. "God Matt looks so pathetic." She said with a sad smile on her lips.

Tim looked at her from his soda. "Is that all you have to talk about, your little brother? Come on this is our first date."

Abbey smiled at him, "Oh so you wanna discuss how stupid MacGill is; that seems to be a hot topic today."

"I would rather talk about anything else."

"Good," Abbey stood up and picked up her plate of cheesecake and sat down in the chair beside Tim. "Want a taste?" She asked him.

"Defiantly," She got a piece of the cake on the end of the fork and lifted it to Tim. He took the fork and ate the cake and then looked at her. Abbey was smiling. "What?" He asked.

"Nothing," She said still smiling provocatively.

"Hey…hey, Mac is on TV." One of the guys sitting around them shouted. Tim and Abbey both looked up at the TV.

"Turn it up!" Another guy shouted.

"Let me turn it up." Tim said standing up. He walked over and turned up the TV and then came back and sat down.

Abbey wrapped her arm around his shoulders and rested her chin on one of his shoulders and looked at the TV. MacGill was making a public apology about what he had said concerning the black player on the team.

Once it was over some other guy turned down the volume, Abbey looked at Tim. He looked over his shoulder at her.

One of the guys commented about how it wasn't a good enough apology, which spurred a discussion that ended in Smash's girlfriend walking out of the diner. Abbey had decided to keep her mouth shut on the matter lest she get her self in trouble, which she was accustomed to doing, but when Waverly walked out it prompted Abbey to scoff in Tim's ear.

He shifted in his seat and looked at her. "What?" He inquired.

"Nothing I just can't stand that girl, she is always on her soap box about something like she knows something about segregation or persecution."

"And you do?" Tim asked. Abbey lifted her chin and pulled back to look at him.

"No, but just because she is black doesn't give her the right to act like she has experienced real racism."

Tim shook his head, "This is heavy, come on lets go."

"Go where?" Abbey inquired as Tim stood up. She followed suit.

"I dunno, come on lets go." Abbey shook her head and followed him.

Abbey sat in her sophomore home economics class and watched Julie beat the eggs in her cookie batter.

"I am just saying maybe you should talk to him." Abbey said measuring out the flour for Julie.

"And I am saying maybe I shouldn't." She said simply looking Abbey in the eye.

"Yeah well, not that I'm not biased seen as how he is my brother and all but I know Matt and he really likes you and I find it hard to believe he would do anything to jeopardize that."

Julie shrugged, "Would you put up with it if your boyfriend was in a calendar with a bunch of rally girls throwing themselves over him and then he lied about it …to your face?"

"Well I am not threatened by rally girls, it isn't a challenge to get into a sluts pants and guys defiantly like challenges." Abbey said putting the flour in a glass bowl and she sifted it.

"Yeah well easy for you to say…"

"Oh I am not so sure." Abbey said and as if on cue the door of the home ec. room opened and Tim walked in.

"Why is he in here?" Julie asked. Tim scanned the room and came over to Abbey's table. Abbey was just thankful the teacher was gone or else she would be on a tirade about how she was supposed to set a good example for the girls and dating a Riggins was not a good example.

"Hey," He said sitting on the table beside where Abbey was standing.

"Hey you, what's up?" Abbey asked. Julie looked from Abbey to Tim.

"Wait, wait, wait you are the new mystery girl dating Tim Riggins?" Julie stuttered.

Abbey looked at her and so did Tim, "Ooh, am I am mystery?" Abbey said Julie looked as if she wanted to say something but closed her mouth and went back to the batter. Abbey shook her head and looked at Tim. "What's up?" She asked smiling.

"Just came to see ya,"

"Don't you have Chemistry?" She asked looking at him.

"Yeah but that isn't really a big deal, look you have fun last night?"

Julie looked over the table at Abbey questioningly. Abbey couldn't help but blush. After they had left the diner Tim had driven her home but they had stayed in the driveway for about half an hour making out before Abbey insisted she go inside.

"Yeah, I did," She said smiling at him coyly.

"Good, I was thinking after school you could come over, we could get something to eat and just hang out…" He trailed off his hand on her waist.

"I have an appointment with Mrs. Taylor after school," Abbey said cocking her head to the side and resting a hand on his shoulder.

"No problem, I have a powder puff practise, you can come and watch my team practise, then we can hang out,"

"Sounds like a positive hoot." Abbey said, "Now get out or I am gonna get a detention."

" 'Kay," Tim stood up but as he walked away He put his hand in her front pocket and pulled Abbey over to him until she was kissing him full on in front of the entire class.

Abbey pulled back, "Good bye, Riggins," He smiled coyly before leaving. Once he left the class broke out into a rally of giggles and catcalls.

Abbey sat down in the office of Mrs. Taylor.

"Hi Abbey, we haven't had much of a chance to talk have we?" Mrs. Taylor said sweetly.

"Uh no ma'am," Abbey said dropping her purse on the ground.

"How are your classes going, I heard you were student teaching my daughter in home economics."

"Oh uh yeah, it's fun, my classes are all going well." Abbey said nodding wanting nothing more then to escape from the office.

"Ah so anything you want to talk about, evidently you have been spending a lot of time with Tim Riggins…"

Abbey stared at her with her mouth open, "Uh yeah I have…" She trailed off.

"There are a lot of jealous girl in this school when it comes to football players."

Abbey smiled and nodded, "Should have guessed." Abbey looked at Mrs. Taylor and came to the conclusion that this wasn't going to end soon.

"So what did you and Mrs. Taylor talk about?" Tim asked as they drove away from the school.

"I dunno, stuff…school…you…."

"Me?"

"Oh yeah, evidently many girls have been in the office crying because you have a new girl and it isn't them." Tim looked at her.

"Oh yeah, you must be happy," He said smiling at her; Abbey scoffed.

"Yeah I think it has more to do with the letterman jacket then what it is wrapped around." Tim smiled and Abbey looked at him. "Although it's contents are pretty damn fine." Tim looked at her.

"Oh yeah?"

"Without a doubt," Tim looked at the road. "Oh, you know what I am really craving?"

Tim looked at her and smiled coyly, "Oh what's that?"

"Oh nothing like that, I really feel like a milkshake."

"Oh," Tim turned a corner, "We can do that and then fulfill one of my many cravings." Abbey looked at him resting her elbow on the car window and looking at him.

"Oh we will, will we?" He nodded, "Yeah well we can discuss it."

"Sounds good enough for me." Tim pulled into the ice cream place and got out. Abbey was a little surprised he would give up that easily. She wasn't about to have sex with Tim Riggins (at least not so soon) but she knew he wouldn't see eye to eye about it with her and she didn't care.

Tim came out of the fast food place without any milkshakes and a face like sin. He got in the truck.

"What's up?" Abbey asked a little unsettled by his sudden change in mood.

"It's that idiot Williams, I told him with all the tension in school over MacGill maybe he should talk to his boys and settle things down a bit." He put the truck in gear roughly and they jerked into the road. "And he got all offended."

"Wait, you didn't use that phrase 'your boys' did you?" Abbey asked bracing herself for the worst.

"Yeah, so?"

"Tim, don't you think that could be taken as…well racist?"

Tim looked at her; "I didn't mean it like that." He snapped.

"I know you didn't…but damn it Tim you are in a spot light all the time being on that football team, think before you speak!" Abbey snapped crossing her arms getting just as riled up as he was.

"Don't get all preachy with me Abbey or this isn't going to work." He said to her pulling to an abrupt halt in front of her house.

"I am trying to give you advice." She snapped. Tim shook his head and looked out the windshield. Abbey sighed. "Look, things are really messed up right now and I think everyone is a little…tense." She looked at him and he slowly looked at her his brow furrowed. "I know you were trying to do right by the team."

His hand, which had been resting on the back of her seat, moved from the seat to her shoulder and then her neck. She stared into his eyes and he didn't look away. "I didn't mean to jump down your throat." He said quietly.

Abbey rolled her lips over her teeth before she shimmied over in his truck so she was closer to him. She closed the gap between them, "It's okay," She whispered his hand went on the back of her neck and pulled her into a kiss.

Her hand went to his chest and then moved up to his neck deepening the kiss. His tongue drew a figure eight over her lips until she opened her mouth to the drowning sweetness. He pulled back suddenly and looked at her Abbey opened her eyes surprised by the sudden loss of contact. "Why don't we go into your room…" He asked looking at her.

Abbey wasn't sure which scared her more the thought that Tim was implying they had sex or the thought of letting him into her house.

Abbey shook her head and tried to put on a confident smile, "Why don't we go to your place." One thing she knew for sure was that she didn't want the night to end just yet, even if she had absolutely no intention of going all the way with Tim (or at least not yet).

"But we are here already," He said smiling waveringly.

"I uh…" Abbey pulled away from him to sit in the passenger seat again.

"What?" He asked sounding offended. Abbey looked at him.

"I…" The words weren't coming as easily as she had thought. "It isn't me it's…."

"What is it Abbey?" Tim asked looking aggravated.

"It's my grandmother," Abbey found herself looking at her hands. She was defiantly not ashamed of her grandmother, but then she couldn't figure out why this was so hard to say to Tim, it wasn't as if he had a perfect family life. "She…she has dementia. She forgets things, like words and track of time and meeting her can be…" She looked up at Tim and shrugged.

Tim raised an eyebrow at her, "Abbey, you came with me practically across Texas to find my dad, you stayed in his run down trailer. What's wrong, you think I am gonna say something stupid."

"No!" Abbey said. "I…it's just…I dunno…"

"Come on," Tim got out of the truck and walked around to her side and opened her door. "We're are going inside and I am going to meet your grandmother."

Abbey jumped down and followed him lamely to the house. She unlocked the front door. "Grandma…" She called as she let Tim in behind her. She was very thankful she had cleaned up the house last night. "Grandma I'm home."

Her grandma came in and looked at Abbey and Tim. She was wearing a yellow housecoat and pink slippers. "Abigail Marie Saracen, you are in late with out a phone call of warning." She scolded. Abbey couldn't believe she was being reprimanded in front of Tim. She could hear him stifle a laugh at her grandmother's words.

"Sorry grandma, I was meeting Mrs. Taylor and then I went out with a friend. Grandma this is said friend, Timothy Riggins." Tim glared at the use of his real name but Abbey thought it only fair is she had to hear her own. "Tim this is my grandma."

"Nice to meet you ma'am," Tim said in a very respectful tone. He held out his hand and shook Abbey's grandmother's hand.

"Well Abbey I didn't know you would be bringing company home." Her grandmother said in a very sweet tone of voice patting her hair. "How are you Mr. Riggins? You play with the Panthers, with Mattie don't you?" Abbey couldn't help but smile, Matt would rather die then know that Riggins knew their grandmother occasionally called him Mattie.

"I sure do ma'am," Tim said smiling.

"Yes I know you, you are a good player... good fast feet." Her grandmother said still holding on to Tim's hand.

"Uh, Tim why don't you go and wait for me in my room?" Abbey said. Her grandmother looked at her with a shrewd expression, "I am helping Tim study for his Math final."

"Well that's good, Abigail is a very good student you know Tim, very smart, do you good to get her to help you study." Her grandmother praised and Abbey rolled her eyes at the use of her first name again.

"I am positive it does," Tim added looking at Abbey and smiling.

"Now you two get to your books." Abbey's grandma said patting Tim on the arm. He moved through the house and went into Abbey's room; he didn't close the door, "You're like your grandmother," Her grandma added. Abbey looked at her grandma, "Good taste in men," Her grandma winked.

Abbey laughed, "Thanks grandma," She said smiling.

"Now you go on and get, don't want to keep a good looking boy like that waiting do you? He could get another tutor and we don't want that." Her grandmother went back into her bedroom leaving Abbey to go into her room giggling.

Tim was looking over her dressing table. Abbey closed her door. "No," He said looking over his shoulder, "Don't want to keep good looking guys like me waiting do we?" He said.

" 'Course not!" Abbey said giggling at Tim.

"By the way I was meaning to ask you, what's this?" Tim held up a black and white picture of Abbey, it was year ago. She was standing in the picture with a big white sweater on, it ended at the top of her thighs, just barely covering her and her hands were pulling the sweater down more in the front. Around her neck were the medals she had won at the state championship of gymnastics in California, five in total. Her hair was out.

"Come on give it Tim," Abbey said diving for it. He raised it out of her reach.

"No I think I want to keep it." Abbey jumped trying to get the picture.

"My friends in Cali convinced me to get it, it was stupid give it back."

"I think it is a very attractive picture, very flattering." Abbey grabbed the corner but slipped so she hit his chest and looked up into his eyes. She still had hold of the picture and he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Give it back Tim," She said simply smiling.

"Or what…" He asked tauntingly.

"We will study math." She said simply. He looked at her for a few seconds trying to judge if she was serious or not, in the end he let go of the picture. "Good choice." She dropped it back on the dresser over his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

He picked her up and walked over to her bed were they both fell down. As they kissed Abbey helped him off with his jacket. After a while his hand managed to work it's way on to her waist and started to head upwards under her shirt.

Abbey put her hand on his wrist and pulled the offending appendage out from under her shirt and put it on her jean covered hip, but eventually it worked it's way back to her shirt hem. Abbey pulled back and looked at Tim smiling. He smiled back.

"What?" He asked panting.

"I think you have had about enough Casanova," Abbey said pushing him up and off of her.

"Oh yeah," He looked at her sitting beside him. He brushed her hair off her shoulder; the simple contact was enough to drive her crazy.

"Oh yeah, defiantly." She got up and picked up his letterman jacket off the floor and turned around. She grabbed his hand and hauled him off her bed. She opened the door and went to lead him to the door but was stopped by Tim who pulled her backwards into his arms, and kissed her again on the lips tantalizingly. He pushed her up against the doorframe but again in an amazing show of will power she pushed him away and smiled. "Come on,"

She led him over to the front door and opened it. "Night," She said smiling.

"Night," He said reluctantly but still smiling as if appreciating the challenge of the situation. As he walked out of the door Abbey heard him say, "Night Mattie,"

Abbey looked out the door and saw her brother standing on the porch who had been about to unlock the door when Abbey had opened it.

"Why was Tim Riggins in our house?" He asked, he looked at her for a few seconds before asking, "Are you panting?….Did he call me Mattie?"

"Don't worry," Abbey said patting Matt on the shoulder. "Actually a little worry is in order I think gram has the hots for Tim."

Abbey watched as Tim walked over the field and towards her. She couldn't help but giggle. He looked so pissed. But he did look fine in his jersey and aviators. She stifled the giggle as he came to a halt in front of her.

"You are a very gracious loser," Abbey said to him. He stared down at her.

"Don't say a word!" He said throwing an arm around her and steering her towards the school.

"I didn't say anything!" Abbey said unable to stifle the giggle from her tone, "Actually I am very proud of you for restraining yourself by not punching Landry in the face." He looked down at her.

"What did I say?" He asked. Abbey giggled and made the motion she was locking her mouth shut. "Good, come on lets go make out."

Abbey burst out laughing unable to restrain herself any longer. "Yes coach," He nodded.

"I could get used to that." Tim said walking them both off the field.