A/N: Thankyou to everyone who took the time to review the last chapter - the response was phenomenal and has really helped me kick start and finish this chapter. My writing style is wacky, when I started writing this fic I had very little beginning, no middle, but the ending was all planned out so your reviews really help keep me focused so thankyou!

Read and enjoy! I'm not too sure how this chapter is going to go down! Why, I'm not too sure, but there you go!

--

Chapter 5

With a sigh of relief Tami Taylor sank down into the comfortable chair at a table situated by the window in one of Dillon's most popular coffee shops.

So far the morning had been a hectic one, between the stressful visit to the clinic for Gracie's check-up where they'd been running behind schedule and her daughter had fussed the entire time, the fight she'd had with Shelly, and the grocery shopping that had taken forever with Gracie needing to have her diaper changed in the middle of it. Not to mention she'd been woken up each time Tim had come to fetch Eric so he could put Julie back to bed, and the two times she'd been woken by Gracie.

Only being woken twice through the night by her youngest daughter? She counted herself lucky by any means, but the added stress of Julie wasn't helping things.

She knew it wasn't Julie's fault that she was having nightmares, it wasn't as though she was acting out at school and getting in with the wrong crowd, but Tami was conscious of the fact that she'd not been as involved in Julie's life since the arrival of Gracie, and with the tough time that Julie was going through, not only with her sleeping problems but the situation with Matt, she felt the estrangement from her eldest daughter more than ever.

Maybe it would be a good idea for the two of them to do something together later on that afternoon.

Eric would be home reviewing game plans and tactic's so he'd be able to keep an eye on Gracie while she and Julie popped into the mall to have a wander round and spend some girl time together.

Julie hadn't mentioned any plans she'd made with Lois, Tyra or any of her other friends, and Matt was out of the picture now so it wasn't likely that she had anything else planned.

Taking a sip of her coffee, Tami glanced over at Gracie fast asleep in her stroller. Assured that her little girl was content, she relaxed into her seat and felt some on the tension drain out of her body.

Maybe the retail therapy wouldn't only be good for Julie.

"Tami?"

Twisting round in her seat, Tami smiled up at Jason Street's mother. "Joanne, Hi." She said in greeting. "How are you?"

"Good, good." Joanne replied, "Do you mind if I…?" She asked motioning to the empty chair across from Tami.

"No!" She replied, good southern manners coming out in full force. "Go right ahead."

"So this is Gracie? I can't believe how big she's gotten." Joanne commented copying Tami's earlier movement by peering into the stroller.

"I know. She just keeps growing and growing."

With a smile, Joanne nodded. "Babies do that don't they? How is she sleeping?"

"Good actually," Tami replied. "Much better than Julie." Both now and then, Tami thought before she could stop herself.

"First baby is usually the hardest."

"Mmm." Tami agreed. "Are you shopping today?"

Joanne shook her head. "Picking up dry cleaning and a few other errands. You?"

"Oh I had a clinic appointment with Gracie and some grocery shopping to do. Julie should be up by the time I get home, so once Eric's home from practice we'll go to the mall for the afternoon. It'll be nice to spend some one on one time with her, I haven't had much of a chance to recently what with Gracie."

"Oh, Julie's not home." Joanne informed Tami. "She went to practice with Tim to watch him play."

--

Mentally cursing her eldest daughter for the gossip she was unknowingly causing, Tami pulled up into the crowed car lot and swung into the first available space.

"I don't know what goes through your sisters head at times Gracie," she said unbuckling the infant from her car seat, "I really don't."

After the commotion she'd caused by breaking up with Matt, and her stupidity of getting drunk at a party a few weeks before Tim moved in, so trashed that Tyra had actually brought her home instead of letting her sleep it off, Tami had thought her daughter would be keeping a low profile for a while.

Obviously that was not the case.

Locking up her car, she headed across to the stands, Gracie balanced in her hip, smiling at a few people and calling out greetings where necessary but not letting herself get sidetracked.

She spotted the pair of them easily within moments of her arrival. They were sat up in the middle section of the stands, sitting next to one another and chatting casually oblivious to the people watching them.

In disbelief Tami's eyes darted over to where her husband was stood, a notepad in hand as he made notes while talking to his fellow Coaches.

He'd be the first one getting worked up hearing the rumours that Tim was corrupting Julie!

There was a ring of available seating surrounding them and it didn't take Tami as long to shuffle through the crowd as she thought it was going to.

People were obviously eager for the showdown they thought was going to happen.

Not one other footballer player was seated in the stand, the rest of the team, and Coaching staff were still out on the field.

"Hey Guys," Tami called out in greeting, a smile plastered to her lips.

"Hey Mom," Julie replied smiling back.

"Hi Mrs Coach."

"How's practice going?" Tami asked the two of them while bouncing Gracie on her hip.

Julie looked across to Tim waiting for his answer.

The Fullback shrugged. "Coach has been running us hard, but that's not surprising it's an important game."

Tami nodded, "And you Julie? What have you been up to?"

"Just listening to some music and reading." Julie said pushing a stray strand of hair back behind her ear. "Better than sitting at home by myself."

"I thought it was unusual for you to want to watch practice." Tami commented keeping a close eye on her daughter to watch for any reaction that she tried to conceal.

After their conversation on the phone the other day, she was aware that Julie saw Tim in a new light. She just didn't want any new saga to take place involving Tim Riggins at any time, let alone when he was living with them and sleeping on the couch.

A couch that Julie seemed determined to join him on even if she didn't know it.

"I offered to bring lunch." Tim announced with a smirk.

Snorting, Julie rolled her eyes and nudged Tim with her shoulder making Tami aware of how close they were sitting together, a small gap separated them on the bleacher, but their legs were in contact and their arms brushing with each movement they made.

"That was before I knew that you were going to try and poison me with horseradish." Julie responded. "Honestly! Mom have you tried any of those sandwiches? You can't stand horseradish anymore than I can so don't!"

"So what have you guy's got planned for the afternoon?"

Julie narrowed her eyes warily trying to judge her mothers expression before answering. If she said nothing she might get roped into something she didn't want to do. It had happened before.

"Uh.."

"I thought it would be nice for us to spend the afternoon at the mall." Tami told her knowing exactly what her daughter was thinking. "Just the two of us, I need to pick up a few bits and pieces and I'm sure you do too."

"Yeah that sounds nice," Julie replied with a grin.

"Well that's great honey. Let me just go down and have a few words with your Dad and find out what time he should be home from practice so he can watch Gracie. Can you just take her a moment while I go and speak with your Dad?" Tami asked her eldest daughter.

"Sure," Julie said reaching up to take hold of Gracie and settling the little girl in her lap under the supervision of her Mom. "We'll be fine for a few minutes."

"I won't be long." Tami assured her.

Nodding, Julie smiled down at her little sister as she burbled and blew bubbles. Shifting Gracie in her arms as her Mom headed towards her Dad, Julie jumped slightly at the loud shriek her sister made.

Tightening her hold on Gracie who was wriggling in her arms, Julie looked round to see what had caught her attention.

Between the nervous way that Tim was sidling away from her, and Gracie's outstretched arms in the direction of the sweaty Fullback she easily put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Gracie squealed again but this time Julie picked up the underlying anger her sister was displaying and noticed her round little cheeks colouring. Tim spoilt Gracie with attention back home, so Julie wasn't all that surprised to see Gracie's annoyance at being ignored.

"What's the matter Gracie?" Julie asked her. "Do you want a cuddle with Tim?" She said glancing up at Tim with a mischievous look on her face.

"Julie." Tim growled in warning.

"You want a cuddle with Tim?" Julie repeated holding Gracie up so the little girl was standing in her lap. "Here you go." She giggled placing Gracie in Tim's lap and forcing the Fullback to take hold her.

Placing one hand beneath Gracie's bottom to help her stand up, and the other across the top of her shoulders to stop her from toppling backwards if she leant back to far, Tim glared at Julie who was sat beside him shaking with laughter.

His reputation was going down in flames.

God he could already hear the laughter and ribbing that he was going to get from his team mates.

Gracie burbled happily against his chest, showing off her toothless smile as she bounced up and down on his lap. A little hand, wet with baby drool reached up grabbed hold of his chin.

"Chillax Tim!" Julie laughed. "Do you have any idea what this is doing to your reputation?"

"I know exactly what this is doing to my reputation," he hissed back.

"You're thinking about the stick your going to be getting from your team mates, what you really need to be thinking about is the major babe points that this is earning you." Julie informed him.

At Tim's doubtful look, Julie continued with her explanation. "Seriously." She assured him. "The girls in this town are going to be over you like white on rice. Not only do you happen to be Tim Riggins, bad ass Dillon Panther Fullback, playboy extraordinaire, now you have a hidden sensitive side that each and everyone of them is going to want to bring out for their eyes only. Trust me, you will be in high demand."

He winced as Gracie managed to grab a fist full of his hair and yanked down on it. Gently he boosted her up higher against his chest and untangled his hair from her grasp.

Gurgling happily Gracie happily latched onto one of his fingers instead of his hair as she grinned up at him.

"You really are good with her," Julie commented a moment later, her voice soft as she watched her little sister make herself comfortable in Tim's arms. "In some ways I'm jealous," she admitted, "You're so much better with her than I am."

She leant closer to the pair of them, resting her head against Tim's shoulder as she caressed Gracie's cheek with her finger.

Gracie smiled back at her as she snuggled closer against Tim's chest, a yawn escaping her tiny mouth.

Unsure of how to reply Tim opted for bravado instead. "Well," he drawled with a cheeky grin, "I've always had a certain way with the ladies."

Laughter bubbled up within Julie and she shook her head with good natured humour.

Pulling back from the pair of them, Julie began to gather the remains of their lunch and made sure that she had everything in her bag and that she was ready to go when her Mom returned from talking with her Dad.

She'd barely finished getting her things together when she spotted her Mom kissing her Dad goodbye.

Collecting her bag and book, Julie stood up and motioned to Tim for Gracie to be handed back to her.

"I've got her." Tim said having decided that Julie had a point having been aware of the looks that were being cast in his direction and that he was scoring serious babe points, not that he needed them, but still it was always good to have them in reserve.

Julie shrugged her shoulders and sent him a knowing grin but didn't say anything as she picked up his discarded football shirt and his shoulder pads.

Together they navigated through the crowd to where Tami was waiting for them having spotted their descent.

"Well Gracie's certainly calmed down." Tami commented as she lifted the sleepy infant from Tim's arms.

Julie snickered and couldn't resist teasing Tim. "Yeah, well apparently Tim's always had a certain way with the ladies."

Staring at her with a deadpan expression Tim said, "Thanks for that Jules."

"Hey, you were the one that said." Julie remarked with a smirk while handing his football gear back to him. "So is Dad ok to look after Gracie this afternoon?" She asked her Mom.

Tami nodded, "We'll head back home now, there's a few things to do before your Dad finished up here and then once he's back we'll head out to the mall for the rest of the afternoon."

A loud whistle blew signalling that the lunch break was over.

"That's me." Tim said. "See you later Mrs Coach, bye Jules."

"See you back at the house Honey," Tami replied.

"Bye Tim," Julie said, "Thanks for lunch."

With a quick nod he was off, headed back to the rest of his team mates and the Coaching staff.

Between the pair of them they made idle chit chat as they headed back to the car and Tami strapped Gracie into her car seat.

As they left the car lot and started on their way home, Tami gave a sigh.

She didn't want to have this conversation with Julie, but she needed to know what was going on in her daughters head, in her life especially now when the rumour mill was running at full speed and every little thing was being taken out of context.

She needed to have this talk now and try and get the majority of it out the way before Eric and Tim got home from practice. Considering the subject, she had the feeling it would be a long one and she'd need ever minute of the car journey and then some before she made sense of it.

"How come you were at practice today Julie?" She asked thinking that it was probably best to ease into the discussion so Julie was less likely to fly off the handle. Julie sure did have Eric's temper when she was riled enough.

Julie bent her head to avoid her Mom's eye, picking at her thumb nail as she explained with a shrug. "I thought it was a good idea really considering…"

"Considering?" Tami prompted.

"There was just some rumours and stuff going round school. That I wasn't in on Friday because of Matt getting it on with his Grandma's nurse."

"Oh." Tami said stuck for words, she'd not gotten wind of that at school.

"Yeah, so, I thought that if I went practice today it would show I'm not, like, purposely avoiding him or anything."

Tami made a humming sound of agreement. By turning up at practice with Tim, Julie had certainly put a stop to those rumours about her and Matt. Unfortunately she'd started a whole lot of new gossip about her relationship with Tim, unwitting though it might be.

"Julie," Tami started, "I'm going to ask you a question. And I need you to be honest with me whatever the answer, ok hon? I just…I need you to tell me the truth."

Julie looked up at her Mom and caught the serious look on her face, her brow creased slightly as she tried to think of anything that she had done that could be the cause of this conversation. "Uh, ok."

"What's going on between you and Tim? And before you give me that look Julie Taylor, let me just mention a few things." Tami said quickly shooting a sober glance in her daughters direction. She tapped her fingers against the steering wheel. "Someone of Tim's…stature within the Panthers Football Team and Dillon doesn't just let anyone wear something of his in public. We've lived in Dillon for over a year now Julie, and not once, not once," Tami said stressing her point, "have I ever seen any girl wearing something that belonged to him. You've got the whole of Dillon wondering just what you've been doing for that boy for him to give you the privilege of wearing a top like the one you've got on at the moment."

Julie sighed, she'd quickly become aware of the fact that by wearing Tim's hoodie in public was going to cause talk. She just didn't expect her Mom to get dragged into it. "Mom, me and Tim-"

"Tim and I." Tami interrupted correcting Julie's grammar.

"Mom." Julie said heaving another sigh of teenage frustration. "Look," she started bluntly. "I know you work in the guidance office at school, and I'm sure that you hear some pretty freaky stuff in there which has to remain confidential and I'm sure that a lot of that is to do with football players and their girlfriends and what the football players want from the relationship, and I use that word loosely. I get that. But me and Tim-"

"Tim and I." Tami broke in correcting Julie once again.

"Tim and I," Julie said repeating her Mom as they pulled up on their driveway, "we're friends."

She snorted as she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out the car, automatically helping as she picked up a couple bags of groceries while her Mom unbuckled Gracie and walked up the path to the front door to unlock the house.

"I don't know if you could say that even." Julie said walking into the kitchen and setting the bags down before turning round to watch her Mom put Gracie in her rocker.

"That's the second time we've hung out in public, if you could even class that as hanging out, I was watching football practice for crying out loud! And the first time was a trip to the grocery store. Just because we've watched a few movies at home and eaten lunch together cause Dad asked him to check up on me…" Julie rubbed at her forehead in frustration trying to get the point across to her Mom. "Based on that, can you honestly say that we're friends?" She gave a helpless shrug of her shoulders not knowing the answer herself.

Turning her back to her Mom, Julie pulled the milk out of the grocery bag and put it away in the fridge.

"And I know what you're thinking." Julie told her Mom seeing the concerned expression that still remained there. "That he's Tim Riggins, and yeah to a point you're right. I'm sure that he has and does take advantage of the fact that he's on the football team like most of the other players, and I'm sure there have been girls in your office crying their hearts out over him for whatever reason. But he doesn't see me like that. Our friendship, relationship, acquaintance, whatever it is that you want to call it; it's completely different."

"But Julie," Tami began watching her daughter with a close eye, "Do you not think that knowing you're not like all of the others gives me more to worry about?" Julie wasn't like the majority of the girls in Dillon but she didn't seem to be aware of the attraction that could be there because of it.

Julie scowled in annoyance, "Jeez!" She cursed in the tamest manner she could get away with. "Your never happy are you? If I was like all the other girls sleeping around with different members of the football team you'd be mad, look at your reactions when I was thinking about sleeping with Matt! And now because I'm not like those girls your mad at me as well!"

"I'm not mad at you Julie! I'm concerned for you! There's a big difference, and you might joke about it like you did earlier, but Tim Riggins does have a way with the women of this town!"

"Mom, I'm sure that if Tim want's to go out and get laid, he will! But he'll do it with some nameless girl that won't invoke the wrath of the Taylor household, where, oh, guess what? Where he happens to be living at the moment!" She snapped sarcastically.

On a roll, Julie continued. "Just because we've hung out a few times doesn't mean that I'm going to fall head over heels for him and offer myself up as a virgin sacrifice to be deflowered in the belief that I'll change him and he'll realise that he's in love with me!"

"Don't take that attitude with me Julie Taylor. I am looking out for your best interests here!" Tami shot back hotly.

Pursing her lips and rolling her eyes, Julie was chock full of teenage attitude, but she hadn't completely lost her head or temper just yet. There was a very nice pair of jeans that she'd seen the last time she went to the mall with Tyra and she had been hoping she could guilt her Mom into buying them for her on account of Gracie's arrival and the lack of time they'd had together.

Taking a calming breathe she tried to continue the so called talk in a calm fashion. "Me and Tim-"

"Tim and I."

Ignoring her Mom, Julie carried on with what she had been planning to say. "Whatever, for want of a better word, connection, that exists between Tim Riggins and myself, it doesn't have anything to do any of that. We're just two people that can be ourselves when the other person is around. It's not big thing." Julie said assuring her Mom.

But it was a big thing. Tami thought silently. It was a huge thing.

"C'mon Mom," Julie said injecting some humour into her voice and trying to lighten the situation, "this is Tim Riggins we're talking about. He doesn't think of me like that and he's way out of my league. I know that I don't have what it takes to play with the big boys, nor do I want to. We're just hanging out on occasion, it's not a big deal honestly."

"It is a big deal Julie." Tami responded. "Do you even want to know what is being said at the moment?"

"Mom, people are going to talk. We live in a small town, it's fact of life. When nothing happens, or comes of it, I'm sure that it will die down." She said thinking positively.

"Well do you know what is a big deal Julie?" Tami exclaimed loudly her voice rising for the first time in their conversation. "You sleepwalking onto the couch with him is a big deal!"

"What?" Julie asked in disbelief before immediately denying the accusation. "No I'm not."

"Yes Julie you are." Tami informed her daughter.

Julie laughed in disbelief, her tone a little too high proving that she wasn't sure whether or not her Mom was telling the truth. "Yeah, sure Mom. I'm sleepwalking onto the couch with Tim. Right. Sure thing."

"This isn't a laughing matter Julie!" Tami exclaimed. "Your Dad was up at least four times last night putting you back to bed! Believe me, I wouldn't joke about something like this."

"I've grown out of my sleepwalking phase." Julie reminded her Mom. "I grew out of it ages ago, and why on earth would I climb into bed with Tim Riggins of all people?! We're not even friends hardly!"

"I don't know Julie! I don't know why you've started sleepwalking out onto the couch with him." Tami admitted. "Maybe it's because you feel safer with him around seeing that he was there with you when the storm hit. I honestly don't know."

"If I was sleepwalking onto the couch with Tim, why wasn't I doing it when the nightmares were really bad?" Julie asked her Mom. "I haven't had any nightmares since I fell asleep on the couch Thursday night."

"It's since Thursday night that that you've been sleepwalking onto the couch Julie. Your nightmares stopped the moment you started sleepwalking."

"Look, Mom, I'm not getting into this. I am not sleepwalking onto the couch with Tim. I'm just not." Julie said bluntly denial lacing her tone as she tried to put an end to the conversation.

"Honey I am not lying to you about this."

"I'm not. I'm not sleepwalking. I grew out of it years ago. I don't believe you."

Tami sighed as Julie's stubbornness kicked in. Yet another thing she got from Eric as she refused to believe that her sleepwalking had started again. "Fine, don't believe me. Ask your Dad or Tim when I get in and they will tell you exactly the same thing."

Heart pounding, and her mouth dry, Julie leant back against the kitchen cabinets feeling out of breathe. If her Mom was willing to let her confront not only her Dad about the matter, but Tim as well then it had to be true.

Why hadn't her Dad said anything to her yet thought?

How was Tim still alive?

Covering her face with her hands Julie groaned. "Oh God I am aren't I?" Her words muffled by the sleeves of Tim's hoodie.

"It's not that bad Honey," Tami said approaching Julie and wrapping an arm about her daughters shoulders. "Tim has been very understanding."

"Dad's going to kill him." Julie wheezed out as different scenarios ran through her head.

"No he's not."

"Tim knows." Horror struck Julie focused on that one point. She been embarrassed and humiliated that he knew she was having nightmares and now she happened to be climbing into bed with him.

How was she ever going to look him in the face again?

Squeezing Julie in an attempt to reassure her Tami said, "He's been really good about it. You don't have to worry that he's going to say anything or use it to tease you Julie."

No he might not tease her about it, but that didn't mean that she'd actually be able to form a coherent sentence in his presence again.

She had trouble forming words when she happened to like a boy, her tongue habitually tying itself into knots as she became flustered and embarrassed.

While she might not like Tim in that sense, she definitely had greater cause to stutter and stumble in front of the boy than she'd ever had with anyone else.

Tim Riggins of all people!

He was like one of the most popular people in school!

Not only that, but he was cool. Not just cool either, Tim Riggins was in a whole other league when it came to the coolness factor. He defined the word.

God she felt sick to her stomach.

"How am I ever going to speak to him again Mom?" Julie asked in a whisper.

"You'll just treat him like you normally do." Tami told Julie calmly. "You don't treat him any different the same as he hasn't been treating you any different. It's going to be ok Julie."

"Yeah? Promise me?" She asked sounding like the little girl she'd only recently grown out of.

Feeling a pull at her heartstrings Tami pressed a kiss to Julie's head. "Promise."

--

Saturday afternoon was spent at the mall with her Mom.

Julie was grateful that Tim hadn't returned home with her Dad after practice, having decided that he was going to hang out with some of his team mates for what remained of the day.

She'd caught the end of a whispered conversation between her parents when she'd finally emerged from her bedroom after seeing only her Dad's car pull up to their house.

For once her Dad didn't say anything, obviously her Mom had put her foot down on that one.

She did end up getting the pair of jeans, a new top and several new books that were on special offer, however Julie couldn't work up the level of excitement over the jeans that she'd felt earlier that day before she'd been informed of her re-occurring sleeping habits.

When they'd sat down to dinner she kept her eyes attached to her plate and remained silent throughout the meal apart from the odd mumble as she asked for the salt to be passed.

Her Mom allowed her Dad to break the 'no football at the dinner table' rule, and a discussion of Arnett Meade's form and the breakdown of their latest games flowed throughout the meal despite the fact that only her Dad and Tim happened to be taking part.

One of her parents had obviously said something to the Fullback as he hadn't once tried to initiate a conversation with her since he'd arrived in shortly before dinner was served while she'd been holed up in her room.

She could feel his eyes on her though.

As soon as dinner was finished Julie excused herself, leaving her Mom and Aunt Shelley to clean the table between them as her Dad and Tim continued their conversation in front of the TV as they watched the previous years game tape of Arnett Meade vs. Dillon Panthers.

Getting changed into her pyjamas and making sure that she was fully covered head to toe because she figured that if she was accidentally sleepwalking round the house she didn't want to flash Tim or anyone else and give herself further cause for embarrassment, Julie settled down with the new novel she'd picked up by Paullina Simons.

The time flew by and before she knew it the clock was saying that it had gone 10 o'clock.

Desperate to use the bathroom and in need of a drink, she knew that she didn't have any choice in the matter and that she was going to have to chance it.

One of her parents still had to be up, and no doubt Aunt Shelley was around some where. Probably drooling over Tim and trying to embarrass him in that way she often did.

Disappearing into the bathroom for a few minutes, Julie emerged and crept down the hallway, pausing as she reached the corner to peer round the edge.

Yep, her Dad was still up with Tim as they dissected game tapes.

Still keeping the noise to a minimum, she went into the kitchen and grabbed a glass. As she opened the fridge to pull out the milk she'd stored there earlier that day she heard movement from the living area as the phone rang and then her Dad telling Tim to pause the tape.

Supremely conscious of the fact that her Dad had left the room and entered his bedroom for some privacy on the phone, Julie quickly tried to pour her glass of milk so she could go back to hiding in her room as quickly as she was able.

She fumbled with the milk cap, cursing under her breath and she dropped it on the kitchen floor and it rolled beneath the fridge. Getting down onto her hands and knees she ran her fingers beneath the small gap and pulled it out.

Keeping her head down and resolutely refusing to look in Tim's direction knowing that he was watching her, Julie washed the cap off beneath the tap feeling her face heating up.

"Jules."

She gasped at the unexpected sound of Tim's voice far closer to her than she would have expected, who'd have thought that such a big person could move so silently?

Swinging round her butt collided with the kitchen cabinet and she felt the edge of the counter dig into her lower back. That was going to be sore for a while.

"T-tim…hey…c-could you uh…'scuse me…" She finally managed to get out as she kept her eyes fastened to her feet as she motioned to the lidless milk carton with her hand.

Tim remained silent and didn't move, instead choosing to watch Julie as a heated blush coloured her face and travelled down her throat. Her hands were fiddling with the milk cap, flipping it over and over.

He was out of his comfort zone, and he knew that he was pushed for time. As soon as Coach came back he'd have lost his chance to speak with her - today at least.

He wasn't too sure what he was doing.

He wasn't really one for emotional girls unless they wanted him to fuck them until they felt better, and he had the slight feeling that his usual approach to the problem wasn't going to work with Julie Taylor.

She was unlike any girl that he knew.

He had no idea what he was doing when it came to any emotional crap, and it was scary as hell going into it with just his instincts. This was a time that he wished he'd actually listened to all of Tyra's nagging speeches.

But he hadn't. Which meant that he was going to have to go with his gut on this one. His head and heart had proved him wrong before, but his gut never had.

"I…j-just…y'know…and then…so…y-yeah…about…y'know…w-what I'm trying…I mean…"

Tim waited as Julie tried to get out whatever it was that she was trying to say, reminded of the way her and Saracen used to dance around each other before they got together and the situation between the pair of them now only it's about ten times worse. He can literally feel the heat from her flaming face.

"Hey Jules," he broke in softly. "It's alright." Tim told her catching hold of her chin and tipping her face up to look at him as he said what he needed to.

Biting her bottom lip, Julie couldn't help but look up at him right in his eyes as he spoke to her. "It's not usually why girls climb into bed with me," he said lightly, "but for you I'm willing to make an exception. We'll keep it between us, ok?"

"Ok." Julie whispered back offering him a small tentative smile.

He gave a half smile back at her and then just to prove that he was in fact still Tim Riggins he went ahead and added, "You were right too Jules, I have scored major babe points thanks to you and your stunt with Gracie earlier today."

They both heard the door to her parents bedroom open and close, and Tim stepped back from where he's been boxing her in so as to speak to her.

"Thanks." He said with a wink picking up the glass of milk on the counter that she'd poured for herself as he headed back to the couch to join her Dad.

--