The small stadium erupted as the crowd went crazy! In over ten years their team had not made it this far in the football tournament, and to do it by the skin of their teeth was just the icing on the cake. They had worked hard for this and it showed.

Hank jumped on the spot and ran full speed for the guy now spiking the football as did the rest of the team. Dianna was already rejoining her troop and Presto and Bobby were laughing and dancing along to the school anthem.

Sheila just watched, amazed and thrilled for each one of them as they had all worked towards getting the team into the final. Whether through just support or actually playing. Still...someone was missing and her eyes were drawn to the eighty-five yard line and to where two of the opposite team were getting up.

Number seventy jersey was still down and showed no indication of getting up. Even the two boys on the other team seemed concerned by this and waved towards the bench and two men with a stretcher got up and ran over.

"Guys..." Sheila said quietly as she crossed the side-lines and sprinted over. She had a terrible feeling, one that grew when she saw a familiar black head of hair freed from the helmet. "Eric!"

---

Hank heard Sheila call out and he turned just as he saw her running onto the field towards the coach and the team doctor were looking over a boy, the one who had been hit as Jon ran for the Touch-down. In the excitement no one really realised who was with Jon. Everyone had taken a hit and fallen along side their team-mate. Hank had just been to elated when they actually won to consider those who had fallen, but then it was just a game, no one really got hurt.

Or at least, they weren't meant to.

"Sheila...?" He looked at the others on the side line, Presto, Dianna and Bobby all rooted to the spot with shock and worry. Hank, ran.

He stopped just short of the Doc as he tilted Eric's head back and parted his lips ready to give CPR.

"Eric!" He called out, trying to get a reaction out of his unconscious friend. The coach had already stood to stop the two distraught friends from coming to close and as the rest of the team slowly realised something was wrong, they drifted over, muttering and talking amongst them-selves.

"Stay back!" Coach barked and with mobile phone in hand he was already calling for an ambulance.

"No, no! This can't be happening, Hank." Sheila covered her eyes, unable to watch as Eric was worked upon, and his arm went around her as she cuddled into him. Their was a time she would do that for no reason at all, she still could, he wouldn't ever push her away. Everything that went on with them, they were still friends. It didn't matter what happened or what was said, they had been friends for a long time, and would continue to be.

So would Eric. For all his faults, his heart was always in the right place.

"Come on, Eric..." He silently pleaded. As if to answer a great gasp came from the boy under everyone close observation and the dark haired lad started to cough, the blue tinge to his lips fading fast as he managed to breathe on his own once again. "Eric?" Hank and Sheila tried to get closer.

"Ah, stay back, give him some space." Coach instructed and though it pained them, they did.

---

"That's it, kiddo. Just keep pulling them in."

Eric, felt like he was about to cough a lung up the way he was gasping and choking. It was a strange sensation, like he'd been holding his breath a long time and his lungs were burning with need and he gladly helped to feed their addiction for oxygen.

By the time he had calmed down long enough to realise what had happened he was being escorted off the field by the Coach and the team physician. His weaved path was only put right by the two adults either side of him.

"Have a seat, Eric. We'll call your parents, get them to pick you up and take you to hospital." Coach set the lad down and then headed off to arrange all that while Eric tried to pull himself together on the side-lines, unaware of at least five sets of eyes watching in concern, two of those sets closing in fast.

He only spared Sheila a glance as she sat on the bench with him and hooked her arm under his.

"Are you okay, Eric? You gave us such a fright..."

"Yeah, buddy." Hank remained stood, his shadow hanging over him removed the bright light from the summer sun-shine. "Do you need anything or..."

"No, thanks. I just want to go home." He felt more than saw the look shared by his two friends.

"Not interested in the party?" Hank asked. "We're going to the finals, thanks to some good team work from you."

"Yeah, Eric. You done well out there, all you guys did." He felt her hand rub up and down his arm, the warmth he felt from her small, cold hand made him almost relax and forget the miserable day he was having. Almost. He managed another glance her way and saw her smile, her green eyes sparkling with love and adoration - but it wasn't shown in a way he had hoped. She was such a good friend, the most patient and caring one among them and that patience of hers tested to its limits when she had to deal with him on the groups behalf.

He remembered when he and Sheila first met. She was new in the town when they were ten and Eric was showing off his new bike, only to have it stolen that same day by the - riff-raff - as his mother put it. Sheila had been the one to extend her hand and help him up after the gang had knocked him down and Hank arrived on the scene moments later, stealing the show by showing her how brave he was by giving chase to the thugs. It was instances like that...which probably aided in her and Hank getting together in later years and though Eric hated to admit it, but they were good together.

"What's the matter?" Sheila broke his trail of thought and seemed to blush a little. Her freckles vanishing behind the stronger colour. It was almost as if deep down, she knew what he was thinking and was embarrassed by it. She wasn't that bothered when Hank had shown an interest.

"Nothing." He pulled his arm away from her, the contact starting to break his heart and in typical Eric fashion he decided to lock his emotions away and hide behind that - I don't give a damn - image.

Another look shared by the two. Well they can have their 'looks'.

"Hey," Presto called out as he came jogging over with Bobby and Dianna. "What's going on, is he okay? We saw the Doc and..."

"I'm fine, Presto. Now will you sit down before you stop breathing?" He shot the nerdy boy a glare.

"I think I better, this cold isn't helping when I run." The lad sat wiping his brow, bumping Eric slightly, adding to his irritation.

"You can't even run around the block without hyperventilating." Eric snapped back but Presto only smiled.

"Yeah, you're right."

"Pretty good, play there, Eric." Bobby stretched smiling at his sister.

"Thanks, Short-stack." The nick-name always got the younger boy wound-up and Eric grinned as he sensed the inevitable eruption. But none came, this puzzled Eric and he looked at each of them in turn as they stood or sat, smiling at him. "What!?"

"You can be as cranky as you like, Eric. We're all just glad you're okay." Sheila stated with a smile which melted Eric's heart.

"Gee, you guys really are a Glutton for Punishment."

"What can we say," Dianna stepped in and knelt before Eric, punching his arm lightly - however she was strong and even her light tap hurt his padded arm. "You've been around for so long, we'd actually miss you if you weren't here."

"Love you to, Dianna." He smiled despite himself. "But do you think you saps could step back a bit, I need the air."