Second two-parter in this collection of fics.

Didn't We Almost Have It All?
Coach/Tami/Julie/Smash/Matt, Post-Season One, PG13, 1060 words, Title from Grey's Anatomy

Coach runs his hand over his hair before putting his brand new State Champion hat on. He looks at himself in the mirror and smiles. But he isn't as happy as he wants to be. His players are finally champions after one of the most intense years they've ever seen, his wife is finally pregnant again, and he finally has the college job of his dreams. And he wants to be happy. He tries to be happy about it all, but none of it seems to get the job done. He feels like he's making a mistake, taking this job at TMU, and leaving his family and his team behind.

Everything he's worked for, everything he's always dreamed of is here, right in the palm of his hands. And he doesn't even want it.

--

Tami looks at herself in the mirror as she puts her earrings on. She watches as her husband walk around the house like a lost little kid. Whether he's walking inside the bathroom, going into the kitchen, or coming back into their bedroom, he's going back and forth. Like he doesn't know what he is doing, or what it is than he wants. She isn't sure what to make of it, and she doesn't know whether or not to ask him about it. But she decides that a good cup of coffee will do the trick, and make him feel better.

She looks down at her wedding ring and brings her hand to her stomach. Finally. It's finally happening for them again. After years of trying and just giving up, they're finally going to have another daughter, or maybe even their first son. Julie will finally be an older sister. Tami smiles. It's everything she's always wanted for her family. But she feels as if it came with a price. She may be having another child, but she's losing her husband in the process. He'll never be here to help her during her pregnancy. He'll never be here to take care of the baby. And it's all because of her. Because she refuses to leave Dillon. Refuses to make herself and Julie start their lives all over again after they've finally found a home in Dillon.

Tami looks at herself in the mirror again and sees a small tear moving down her face. She quickly wipes it away and goes to make her husband his coffee.

--

Julie closes her cell phone and laughs at herself a little bit. She's staying in Dillon, staying with Matt, and she couldn't be any happier. But the laughing soon stops. Just because she's staying doesn't mean things will stay the same. Her dad is still going to TMU. And in a few weeks it will just be her and her mom. And Julie blames herself for it all. She knows she would like Austin, but she doesn't want to leave Dillon. She's so sick and tired of always following her father wherever he goes. And because she's so against the idea, she's splitting her family apart. And in a few months, she'll be a big sister for the first time. And it freaks her out. Matt tries to tell her not worry about it so much, that it will only stress her out. But he doesn't understand what she's going through. And it tears her apart. All of it tears her apart.

Julie's happier than she's even been in her life.

And she can't even enjoy it.

--

Smash wakes up that morning and presses his hand against his shoulder. It may not be in as much pain as before but it still hurts. He sees all the letters hanging on his wall and grabs his State Champion tee-shirt. He breathes a sigh of relief and joy. This will get their attention, he tells himself. He knows that all his dreams are coming true right before his eyes, but Smash still can't shake the feeling he got when he felt his shoulder pop. It scares him. What if he hurts himself again? What if this time it's something that's not so simple to fix? What if his future ends right then and there like it did for Jason? He has no other game plan. He isn't smart like Matt or some of his other teammates. He can't rely on his academic skills to get him to the big leagues, because they just aren't good enough. If he even had a major injury, he's done. Everything he's ever worked for is gone. Forever.

Smash looks at his future spread throughout the walls of his bedroom. And it scares the crap out of him.

--

Matt lies on his bed and tosses his football into the air. He tries not to think about everything, but he just can't believe what's happened to him these past couple of months. He's become QB1 and has shut up every doubter he's ever faced at the State game. He's finally found someone who makes him giddy with joy every time he sees her. And while he still finds himself struggling to get by from time to time, he has people in his life who are there to help whenever he needs it, and they make life easier to get through.

But even with all the good, he still can't enjoy it to the fullest. His father is still in Iraq, and Matt has to worry every single day that someone will knock on his door and tell him his father is dead. His mother still isn't around and doesn't look to be coming back anytime soon. And Coach is still leaving him to go to TMU. And then there's Julie. He loves her more than he's ever loved anyone, but he feels like he might screw up one day and she'll be gone forever. Just like his mom, just like his dad, and just like Coach. The fear of it all makes Matt quickly get up from his bed and run to the bathroom where he throws up. He sits on the floor and tells himself everything will be alright before getting up and getting ready for school.

Matt doesn't want to hide the smile and the joy that he finally has in his life.

But he doesn't want to look at himself in the mirror and watch his smile break the glass either.