The day was winding down at the zoo and Tim was exhausted. Carter had dragged him around to every exhibit and on every ride. Lyla told him he looked ridiculous on top of an elephant, but he just did it to please the boy. Tim took the time to get to know Carter and he learned that Cater took swimming lessons but as soon as he was old enough he was going to play football. He also learned little things, like he didn't like any green vegetable and loved French fries. Lyla just said he was the typical kid, always wanting junk food instead of a healthier option. Carter also told him about all the friends he's made at day care and that he already has a girlfriend named Kylie.

Not once did Carter let go of Tim during the day, and he asked to hear lots of stories about football. Tim obliged, gladly reminiscing about Panther football, Texas State and even the Bronco's. When Tim asked what position he wanted to play, Carter gladly said fullback, but Tim told him that all the ladies love quarterbacks. He said that the qb is the brains of the team and that all the girls love that. Carter then changed his mind, saying when he grew up he wanted to have five girlfriends at once. Lyla just rolled her eyes at all the football talk, she just stood back to let the boys have their own fun and get to know each other.

The car ride back was quiet; Carter had passed out in his car seat which left Lyla and Tim to their own devices. Both of them were enjoying a moment of silence that they eventually relaxed into, enjoying the brief moment of quiet. When Lyla pulled up outside of Tim's house he undid his seat belt and turned to look at her.

"Last night didn't mean anything." Lyla spoke up before he got a chance to say anything.

"Okay." Was all Tim could think of saying, he stared at her a second longer before responding "Thanks for the day out, Garrity." Tim turned around in his seat reaching out to nudge Carter. His eyes sprung open and Tim immediately smiled back at him. "Time for me to go, see you soon, buddy."

"Bye, Tim!" Carter said.

With that Tim got out of the car and closed the door, he watched Lyla back out onto the road and waved goodbye as she drove off out of sight. He then turned to make his way back into the house, knowing Mindy would be up the wall. Tim managed to sneak in this morning to change into clean clothes when everyone was at church so he went unnoticed.

"Timothy Riggins, where have you been?" Mindy shouted the second he walked into the house. "You have been missing for a whole day, and you never came home last night!"

"I was with Lyla." Tim managed to spit out. He walked over and sat on the couch beside his brother, who was watching Finding Nemo with the kids. Mindy got up from the kitchen table which had books and papers piled high. She walked over and hit Tim upside the back of the head. "Ow, what was that for?"

"I don't like Lyla Garrity, stay away from her." Mindy spat as she went to sit back down at the table.

Tim turned around on the couch, "What she ever do to you?"

"Nothing, I just don't like the way she's raising that kid of hers."

Tim was beyond confused but didn't want to ask any more questions. Lyla and Carter were clearly a sensitive subject to Mindy so he let the conversation go. He returned his focus to the television but was barely paying attention. Instead he was reflecting on the day he just spent with Lyla and Carter. Tim realized that he was starting to love Carter but he couldn't understand the connection that he felt to the boy. He chalked it up to him being Lylas' son and he had and always will love Lyla Garrity.

Lyla gained insight on Tim, things she forgot after years apart. Tim was gentle and understanding, especially with Carter. He just had a way of interacting with the boy and it was something she had never seen from Tim or Jordan before. She was fascinated by Tim; he was able to get along with her son after knowing him for a week. Tim and Carter had become closer in a week than Jordan and Carter had become in four years. Lyla was in awe, she had never seen this side of Tim, and to be honest with herself, she loved this side of him.

As Lyla pulled up to her house she saw Jordan's car parked in the driveway. She had the strangest feeling that things were going to get ugly when she walked through the front door. Lyla had just spent the day at the zoo with Tim and Carter, although it often felt like she was a third wheel. She didn't expect the two to get along so well, but she was so happy that she didn't care what happened next.

Lyla grabbed her sleepy son from the back of the car and held him on her hip as she grabbed things from the back. She walked into the front door and placed Carter down on the ground and he immediately took off, "Daddy, guess what!"

Lyla followed her son as he navigated his way around their house to find his father, he was found watching television in the living room. "What, little man?" Jordan asked as Carter ran and jumped up beside him on the couch.

Lyla sat down on the recliner that was positioned beside the couch. "I got to spend the whole day with Tim! He had breakfast with us then he took us to the zoo and we rode the elephants. It was better than my birthday!" Carter exclaimed.

"Wow, sounds like a fun day." Jordan replied, he shot Lyla a look but she fixed her focus on the television. "I'm going to start getting dinner ready."

Once Jordan left Carter jumped off the couch and cuddled up to Lyla. "You had a good day, baby boy?" She asked.

"Yeah, momma. I love Tim, he's the best!" Carter replied as he snuggled down against Lyla. These were the moments she lived for, when it was just her and her son. She knew she had to tell Jordan the truth and what had happened the past few days and she knew Jordan wasn't going to react well. Lyla held Carter tightly and closed her eyes, exhausted from the day she just had.

"Dinner's ready!" Jordan called, waking Lyla out of her sleep. Carter had left her lap so she was free to get up and walked into the kitchen.

A few hours later Lyla had retreated to the living room with a glass of red wine after she had put Carter down for the night. Jordan followed her in sitting on the couch beside her and turned to her. "Tim Riggins was here for breakfast?"

"Yeah, he stopped by, he thought he forgot something." Lyla quickly replied. She turned on the couch to look at him and saw that he didn't look happy.

"And you just invited him to the zoo with you?"

"Carter did."

"Why do I get this feeling that you were more than friends in high school?" Jordan asked.

"We were high school sweethearts. When Tim left for college we broke up and I hadn't talked to him or seen him since, until he came back to town. " Lyla admitted. By now she was fiddling with her hands, not daring to look up at Jordan. When she finally did look up she saw a hurt look on his face but also that he was thinking hard about something.

"Does he know?" Jordan asked.

Confused Lyla replied. "Does who know what?"

"Does Tim Riggins know that Carter is his son?" Jordan said raising his voice.

"No." Lyla whispered.

"Well don't you think he deserves to know who his son is?" By now Jordan was yelling, he stood up and started pacing.

"Carter has a father, you're his father." Lyla reached out to try and stop Jordan but he jerked his hand away.

"That wasn't my question!"

"It's complicated."

"Do you still love him?" When Lyla didn't say anything he snapped. "Goddammit, Lyla, what are you doing?"

"I don't know, I'm confused and I don't know what I'm supposed to do" She whimpered.

"Well I'll make it easier; I'm going back to Austin."

"You can't leave." Lyla now got off the couch and grabbed Jordan's arm to stop him. "Don't leave."

"Did you sleep with him?" Jordan asked as he turned to look at her.

"What?" She took a step back, she wasn't expecting him to come right out and say it.

"Well wasn't he here for breakfast. I doubt he was just wandering around at 7a.m." Jordan paused rubbing his neck, trying to figure out what he wants to do next. "I need spend time with my family; maybe while I'm gone you can figure things out." Jordan left Lyla standing there stunned as he went to pack his suitcase.

When he came down the stairs Lyla started to cry. "Jordan, please don't go." She reached out to stop him but he didn't want anything to do with her. He ignored her and walked right out the door. Lyla followed him outside, "Jordan!" she yelled. He didn't turn around, instead he got into his car and drove away.

Lyla retreated back into the house crying and found her son was at the bottom of the stairs rubbing his eyes. She realized that their fight must have woken him up. "What's wrong?" Carter asked.

"Nothing, baby." She said as she leaned down and picked him up. Lyla held him close to her, clinging onto the one thing she had left in her life. She took him up to her room and laid him down in her bed. Once changed into her pajamas she jumped into bed beside her son and drifted off to sleep with Carter in her arms.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next one will be up soon :)