Disclaimer: I don't own anything here (except for Al and TJ) and am just doing this for fun and to pass the long months until Season 4.
When Jay and Lyla arrived, the older were watching a movie because dinner wasn't quite ready yet. Al was in the living room with both babies, so Tim sent Jay and Lyla there while he got drinks for everyone. After some small talk, Al looked at her watch.
"It's bedtime for babies," she said as she stood up.
"Want some help?" asked Jason.
"Thanks, Jay. That's very sweet of you." Al picked Cody up off the floor and placed him in Jason's lap, waiting until Jay had an arm around the boy before stepping back to scoop Nicky up. Jason followed Al out of the room, toward the hallway.
"Tim, I'm really sorry to hear about Billy. That must have been so awful and scary," said Lyla.
Tim shrugged and took a long pull from his beer. He didn't really want to talk about it and hoped Lyla would get the hint.
"He's just sad, is all," said Lyla softly.
Tim sighed. "That's what I keep telling TJ and Amber. Maybe if I say it enough, I'll start to believe it too."
"I know I don't have your vast experience with drunks, but I don't think Billy is one or that he meant to hurt himself. I know it's been a long time, but I know your brother. He'll find his way eventually.
"I hope so. For their sakes." Tim nodded his head in the direction of the television room.
Lyla took a sip of wine and looked around the room. "Al's looking well and Nicky is just adorable. You must be so proud."
"Thanks. He's a lot of fun. He figured out how to roll over onto his back the other day."
Lyla smiled. "Is Al planning on going back to work?"
Tim groaned softly. "How do you do that?"
" Do what?" Lyla asked, her forehead wrinkled in confusion.
"You always manage to find the last thing on earth that I want to talk about and then bring it up."
Lyla blushed. "Sorry, I didn't know...I was just trying to.....have a conversation."
"It's okay. It's just things are so unsettled right now. Hey, if I tell you something, you promise not to laugh?"
Lyla nodded.
Tim leaned forward. "I'm thinking Al should go back to work and I'll stay home and watch Nicky. Maybe Cody and Jack too, get them out of daycare."
Lyla laughed then clapped her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry, Tim. It's just...."
"Is it really that ridiculous?" Tim looked down, knowing that the hurt was printed on his face as plain as newsprint but he didn't care.
"You know there's more to watching babies and toddlers than just drinking beer while they nap, right?"
Tim rolled his eyes, annoyance replacing his original feelings of inadequacy. "Yes, Lyla, I know that. I've been a father for a few months now and had a houseful of extra kids for a lot of that time."
"Sorry, I really didn't mean to laugh," said Lyla, still smiling like it was all one big joke. "It's just, you're Tim Riggins."
"I'm well aware of who I am, Lyla," said Tim, pinning her in place with an intense stare.
She fidgeted and looked away. "Maybe it's just me then. Maybe it's that I don't know who you are anymore."
"Maybe not," agreed Tim softly. "I like taking care of Nicky. And it's not that Al doesn't like taking care of him, it's just that she needs so much more in her life than I do."
Lyla looked up at Tim with sincere eyes. "I'm sure you'll be good at it. It was just a surprising thing to hear you say, that's all."
Tim and Lyla were saved from further conversation by the arrival of Al and Jason. Al gave Tim the unit for Cody's baby monitor and took Nicky's monitor into the kitchen with her, assuring everyone that dinner would be ready very soon.
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Dinner went very well and Tim was glad for Jay and Lyla's company. They provided an excellent distraction from a less than stellar day. The macaroni and cheese, while perhaps not traditional holiday fare, was excellent. After dinner, Tim made coffee for the adults and hot chocolate for the kids, which they drank while they ate the red and green frosted cupcakes that Lyla had brought over.
"Can I go over to Noah's tomorrow to watch game film? He says Bones Miller is the best quarterback ever, but I don't believe him," asked TJ.
"He is," insisted Noah with a quiet, dignified certainty.
Tim looked up at Al. He didn't quite know what the rules were here, who should be making these sorts of decisions. Yet another item to add to the steadily growing list of Things They Needed to Talk About.
"Um, did Noah ask Jay and Lyla if it was okay?" Tim hedged.
"It's fine with us. We're not going anywhere tomorrow and I'm happy to help Noah make that argument because Bones is damn good."
"You scout the kid, Streeter? You might have a conflict of interest," said Tim with a smile.
Jay shook his head. "Nope, he was before my time, but he really is pretty amazing. He's tall, but scrawny, hence the nickname, and you can't imagine when you look at him that he'd be able to play the way he does."
"I don't know, that's still your team. Your judgement might be clouded. I just might have to come over to provide an outside, balanced opinion."
"Timmy," said Al, a warning in her voice and eyes.
"Oh yeah," Tim ducked his head and shrugged. "I forgot – some errands I've got to run tomorrow. Maybe another time for me, but yes, TJ, you can go."
TJ and Noah exchanged grins and and high fives.
"Uncle Timmy, can I go too?" asked Amber.
"You don't even like football," said TJ, rolling his eyes.
Amber stuck her tongue out at him. "How'm I going to know unless I watch some more? Maybe the games I watched before were just boring."
Jay caught Tim's eye and grinned. Tim tilted his head slightly, praying that Jay would read the signal and make the call, because he didn't know if it were better to let her go or not let her go.
"You can come over anytime, Amber, but it might be boring for you," said Jay, proving once again that he was Tim's best friend.
"I won't be bored," said Amber as she shot her brother a triumphant look. If it bothered him that his sister was going to tag along, TJ hid it well, showing almost no reaction to the decision, just a slight downturn to his mouth that you'd miss if you weren't looking for it.
"Jason, I think we need to be going home soon," said Lyla. Tim knew that 'soon' usually meant now. (He also knew that 'we'll see' meant no and of course 'I'm not mad' meant that the other person was really in trouble.)
Jason nodded and pushed himself back from the table. They left in a flurry of thank-yous, compliments and promises to get together soon.
"OK, bed time – y'all go brush your teeth and we'll be in to tuck you in soon," said Al.
"Can't we just stay up a little longer?" pleaded Amber.
Tim didn't have to look at Al to know the answer to this one. "Nope. You've stayed up plenty late enough. Go on."
Amber gave him the pleading eyes for about 30 more seconds, but when they got her nowhere, she sighed and followed TJ and Jack back to the bathroom.
Tim was looking forward to a little bit of peace and quiet that evening. It wasn't the worst Christmas ever, but it certainly wasn't the Christmas he'd expected to have or one that he'd ever have wished on his niece and nephews. He just hoped that Billy'd had a good long think about things and was ready to start behaving like a responsible adult.