A/N - Hello, lovely readers. I just got a visit from the ghost of unfinished fanfics past and now I feel terrible for having left this hanging for so long. That was never my intention. I figured one more chapter was necessary to at least finish what I started. I doubt it was worth the long wait, but I hope you enjoy it all the same. Thanks for reading. :)

Chapter 5:

She is pacing.

First, she had just been standing there. Then, she'd been considering. Now she is definitely pacing. And pacing is never good.

Especially when you're standing in front of someone's house, debating on whether or not you want to ring the doorbell, knowing they could catch you pacing outside….

Lyla stops herself from pacing and bravely faces the front door, which is no longer where it is supposed to be. Instead, it has been swung open to reveal a very amused Tim Riggins leaning in the doorframe.

Of course.

"Garrity."

Busted. Now she can only hope he hadn't been aware of her presence for too long.

"There a reason you been standing in front of my house for the last 10 minutes? The bell works, you know."

Extremely busted.

Lyla has few other options aside from honesty, so she swallows what's left of her pride and decides to stick with the truth. "I wasn't sure I wanted to ring it, Tim."

He chuckles at that, nodding. Clearly, he understands the feeling. It's possible he's even paced outside a few doors himself at one time or another.

His nonchalant response immediately puts her at ease.

She can do this.

"Well, the door's open now. Why don't you come on in?"

He leaves the door open for her as he saunters back inside.

When she enters the room a few moments later, he is already plopped on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table. If Lyla didn't know better, she'd have thought he'd been there all day.

He smiles up at her, patting the seat beside him in welcome. "Make yourself at home."

He is lounging with both arms resting on the back of the couch. She sits down next to him, in the crook of his right arm. She makes sure there is a small space between them, even though she would prefer to be closer.

She can definitely do this.

Smiling coyly, she points to the cold beer resting on the table by his boots, "You know, Tim, it's customary to offer a drink when you have a guest."

He smiles at her without taking his eyes off the television, "You want a drink, Lyla?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

He leans over, picking up his bottle of beer and handing it to her. "It's all yours. The very last one."

She isn't sure if he is being serious, or being seriously lazy. Either way his lack of eye contact isn't exactly what she'd had in mind when she decided to come over. Maybe she had made an error in judgment. Suddenly, she feels foolish for more than just the pacing.

She takes a sip of his beer, trying to wash away her frustration. Can he really find some stupid fishing show more fascinating than her company? She is strongly considering getting up and leaving…

Her heart nearly stops as the arm that had been casually resting behind her suddenly slides around her shoulders, pulling her close to his body. They are now hip to hip; the heat coming off him warms every inch of her.

She lets herself relax into his embrace, settling her head against his shoulder. Had there been anyone around to witness the moment, they would have surely taken the two of them for a couple. Lyla herself has to wonder if maybe they became a couple and she just hadn't noticed. Of course, if that were the case, then kissing would certainly be in order. Not to mention, all the stuff that comes after kissing. And, so far, there had been nothing of the sort. Not recently, anyway.

The moments tick by and she starts to enjoy the stupid fishing show. Okay, no, the fishing show is boring, but she is enjoying the feel of Tim beside her. She is enjoying the feel of his strong arm wrapped around her, lightly caressing her shoulder with his thumb.

She wants both arms. She wants it all.

"Tim?"

She hears herself whisper his name before she has considered the rest of her sentence. She lifts her head, hoping he'll turn to meet her eyes. Thankfully, he complies. Their faces are close enough that not kissing would be more awkward than kissing.

And yet…. the not kissing continues.

She is, however, surprised to see his eyes densely clouded with emotion. It suddenly dawns on her that he isn't quite as calm and collected as he's been letting her think. Her presence is definitely affecting him. "Why'd you come here tonight, Lyla?"

"Do you want me to leave?" She asks quietly, knowing she'd be absolutely devastated if he said yes.

He licks his lips absently. If only he knew what that did to her insides. Maybe he does, which is why he does it so often. She watches as he wages some kind of inner battle with himself.

Those beautiful hazel eyes are briefly averted to the ceiling before finally focusing on nothing but her, "I don't want you to leave."

A slow smile spreads across her face and his follows suit. They are so close that the tips of their noses nearly touch. Lyla swears there is some kind of electric current being passed between them.

And yet, the lack of kissing continues.

"Why won't you kiss me, Ti—"

The words have barely left her lips… when his lips are already capturing hers. Eagerly, deeply and yet sweetly all at the same time. No one has ever kissed her the way Tim does.

She feels his hand slip into her hair, pulling her even closer. She reciprocates, swept away by the moment. Swept away by him. Wishing it wouldn't end. That he won't stop.

When they finally break apart, she is completely breathless and her heart is racing. He pulls back to meet her eyes, leaving his hands softly against her cheeks.

"All you had to do was ask." His voice is soft and sincere, but she can see the slight edge of mischief in his eyes. It is one of the things she loves the most about him.

Love.

She sees that now, too. It is there in his eyes. It had never left. He still loves her. Always had.

He loved her enough not to push when she needed space. He loved her enough to be her friend no matter how much he wanted more. He loved her enough to wait for her to come to him.

And come to him she had.

She is ready to love him back. Had been for a while, in fact. She knows that it won't be easy, but she also knows most worthwhile things never are.

She pulls him close once more, hovering inches from his lips. "Don't stop."

"I don't plan on it, Garrity."

As he proceeds to kiss her senseless, she has one last fleeting thought.

What took us so long?

The End