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.

Author's Note: I really thought this was the last chapter, the epilogue, but it turns out I was wrong. There's one more chapter after this. (And that's it. I swear. :))

Late September

Tim finished strapping Nicky into his car seat, deftly dodging the boy's grabbing hands.

"You might be a whole year old now, Little Man, but I'm still faster. Probably not smarter, but definitely faster," said Tim, smiling as the baby babbled back at him, the only recognizable word 'Da-da.'

"C'mon, Al, game's gonna start," hollered Tim before he got into the driver's seat and started up the car. He drummed his fingers on the wheel impatiently for several minutes before Al finally left the house.

Grumbling, she got into the car and struggled with the seat belt. Tim leaned over and kissed her cheek. "You look good."

She rolled her eyes and looked at him. "I feel enormous. I'm not sure I'm going to last another three months. You might have to widen the doorways and start carting me around in a livestock truck."

"I will not. You might feel enormous but you look fine. More than fine, in fact," Tim whispered and then kissed her lips, lingering for longer than he knew he should when they were already running late.

In the backseat, Nicky squealed, a reminder that they really had to get moving. Tim broke off the kiss, put the car in gear and drove up the road.

"You put TJ's present in the trunk?" asked Al.

"Yep. And Nicky's diaper bag. And your spare outfit. And everything else you asked me to put in there."

"I didn't ask you to put anything else in there," said Al.

"I know," Tim grinned, "Just covering my bases."

Al jumped suddenly and Tim looked over at her. She took his hand and pressed it into her belly.

"Damn. They're really moving around in there," he said.

"Tell me about it. I barely slept last night. I think Baby A wants to play the drums and Baby B wants to be a placekicker."

"You know, Al, now that we know they're both girls, I think we should pick out the names so we can quit this Baby A/Baby B stuff."

"Alright. You still like Maeve Collette?" she asked, waiting for his nod of assent. "One down, one to go. I asked Billy-"

"Wait a minute, you already discussed our babies' names with my brother?" complained Tim.

"Yes and in a second you're going to feel dumb for protesting. I asked him how he would feel about us naming a baby Melinda, you know, after Mindy. He said he was touched and would be happy to see Mindy remembered that way – that we could even call her Mindy for short, that would be fine with him."

Tim kept his eyes on the road but lowered his chin so his hair hid his face. "OK, you're right, I feel dumb."

Al reached over and rubbed his leg. "Don't feel dumb. You like the name Melinda?"

"Love it," he said. "Have you picked out a middle name?"

Al shook her head. Tim was quiet for a minute as he negotiated a series of turns that brought him into the parking lot of Barton's park and football field. He parked the car and then half-turned to face Al.

"I was thinking Avery....Melinda Avery," he said quietly.

Al nodded and squeezed his hand, choked up at the memory of her first daughter. "That's a lovely way to remember her – thank you."

Tim kissed her hand and ran a finger along her jaw. "You want to be the one to tell Amber? She's going to be thrilled."

"Sure."

"OK, let's bring Maeve and Mindy to their first football game, then," said Tim as he got out of the car and opened the back door to get Nicky.

Al laughed. "You know, I don't think it really counts until they're actually born."

Tim gathered Nicky up and held him on his hip, then placed his other hand lightly on Al's back. When they got to the bleachers, they found Billy sitting on the end, three rows up from the bottom with Amber and Jack sitting in the row in front of him. The double stroller was parked next to him, Cody dozing in the second seat. Coach Taylor, Tami, and Lyla in the row with him.

"At least we haven't missed the kick-off," said Tim, relieved.

"What are you talkin' about, Riggins? This is half-time," barked Coach, giving Tim flashbacks of every time he'd ever gotten yelled at in practice.

"You're kidding, right?" asked Tim, annoyed with himself for getting the time wrong.

"Of course I'm kidding," replied Coach, breaking into a wide grin as he stood to greet Al.

Tim laughed and put Nicky in the front seat of the stroller. He put a handful of Cheerios in the little tray and then helped Al up into the bleachers, settling down in front of Coach and Tami. Amber sidled over to Al.

"Al, can I feel the babies? Please?"

Al guided the girl's hand to a spot on her belly. "Amby, Uncle Timmy and I have some good news for you. You're finally going to get your wish – two girl cousins. And the doctor is pretty certain they're identical twins."

Tim covered his ears as Amber squealed loud enough that parents across the field stared at them. After a flurry of congratulations, things quieted down and it looked like the game would start soon.

Tim looked back at Lyla and nodded at the video camera in her lap. "Six off scouting, huh?"

"Yeah. It kills him to miss these games. Noah's very understanding and enjoys watching the film with him, but it's not the same as having his dad here."

Coach leaned around Tami to talk directly to Lyla. "I have it on good authority that there's going to be an offensive co-ordinator position open with the Panthers next year. Mac's finally going to retire. You just put that little seed in Jason's ear, we'll see if it grows."

Lyla blushed and nodded. "Thanks, Coach. I'll tell him. He loves his job, that's the problem."

"But he loves his family more. Won't even be a contest once he has another option."

The referee walked onto the field and blew the whistle, indicating that the game's start was imminent.

"Your girl starting today, Coach?" asked Billy.

"Yes, she sure is. Wide receiver," Coach answered, beaming with pride.

Tim settled back to watch the game. Pee-wee had changed a little since he and Six had torn up the local field. Now, five neighboring towns pooled their resources to create one big league with different levels, which were based on the size of the kids. Although different ages, Noah, TJ and Gracie Belle were all at the same level, since TJ was big for his age, Noah was small and Gracie Belle was on the tall side but very skinny. As an added bonus, the three kids had ended up on the same team, the Lions.

The giant league had many benefits, the best of which was the kids got to play on teams with kids from other towns. Tim knew how stuck you could feel when you saw the same people, every day, all the time, for your whole life. He thought this mixing up the teams was a great idea. TJ also loved it, since it meant that Joey McCoy was on the Sharks, the very team the Lions were playing.

The Lions won the coin toss and opted to receive, so Tim was able to sit back and enjoy the game more than he did when TJ was on the field. He loved watching the kid play, but he couldn't help feeling nervous every time TJ went in for a tackle. He wondered if he'd ever get over that. He told himself that he had a few years to try to calm down before it would be Nicky's time to play.

Noah Street calmly led the Lions up the field with minimal mistakes, capping off an excellent drive with a short touchdown pass to Gracie Belle. The Sharks got the ball back and TJ trotted onto the field, looking up into the bleachers to find his family and give them a small wave before he became all business. Tim loved watching the way TJ concentrated and the intensity he had, the way he lined up every time like it was fourth-and-goal.

A few plays into the Sharks' possession, TJ managed to break through the offensive line, sack Joey McCoy and strip the ball from him. Tim cheered loudly as one of TJ's teammates landed on the fumble. Looking across the field, he was able to pick out JD, who was red-faced and screaming on the opposite sideline.

"Wow," said Coach appreciatively. "I can only hope I'm still coaching in another six or seven years. That's the kind of kid you could build a whole defense around. Like Junior Silverio."

"Honey, you're not going to be coaching in six or seven years. We're going to be retired. On a beach. In Tahiti. Where they've never even heard of football," said Tami, wrapping her arms around Coach.

The game was a massive blow-out in the Lions' favor. Tim soon lost track of the score, although he knew that Gracie Belle scored another touchdown. He was able to keep track of TJ's sacks, which, at the start of the fourth quarter, amounted to six.

The Sharks had the ball and Tim could see the gap in their line before the ball had even been snapped. Fierce and competitive, TJ saw it too and burst through it as soon as he was came off the line. Joey McCoy was flat on his back before he even knew what hit him.

TJ was walking back over to his teammates when Joey came up behind him and punched him in the kidney, then shoved him hard, knocking him over. TJ popped back up and Tim could see his hands clenched into tight little fists, but he didn't turn around. He just shook his head and kept walking as the referee ran over and tossed Joey out of the game.

When the game was over, TJ ambled over, his helmet swinging casually from his hand. Billy gave him a big hug and whispered something to him that made him laugh. Tim smiled, watching them, thinking how far they'd come in the last year. Then it was the moment Tim had been dreading all day – time to head out to Midland to go to Chuck E. Cheese for TJ's birthday party. He planned to stay as far away from the creepy animatronic mouse as possible.

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October, the Sunday after Texas Tech's Homecoming Game

Tim wound his way through the controlled chaos that was Texas Tech's Day-After Party, a special gathering for the coaching staff, team members, and their families. Although they were not technically his family, Jay had managed to use his powers of persuasion to wrangle invites for Tim, Al, Nicky, Billy and his kids.

Tim had just left Noah, TJ and Jack off at the kids' football area. Tim was concerned that Jack was too young for it, but the boy had insisted that he was fine and Billy had okayed it.

The party was on the Raiders' practice field, so it was spread out, but certain areas were still crowded. Tim fought his way through one of these areas, heading for the chairs where he'd left Al and Nicky. He managed to get through the crowd and then walked faster, craning his neck and looking for Al, when he nearly knocked over a small, mousy woman.

"I'm so sorrry, ma'am. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going," said Tim, automatically grabbing the woman's elbows to steady her. "I sure hope I haven't hurt you."

The woman looked up, her face familiar but not quite identifiable, like the hint of a melody heard drifting out of someone else's car when you're stuck at a traffic light.

"Tim?" she asked, drawing the name out into three syllables. "Tim Riggins?"

It was the southern twang, so different from his Texas drawl, that finally loosened the right name from his memory bank.

"Jackie," he said warmly, a grin spreading across his face. He greeted her like an old friend, with half a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

She looked confused, even though she'd figured out who he was. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, my best friend, Jason Street, he's a recruiter for Tech, so he invited us along as his family. What about you? You don't work for Tech, do you?"

"Me? No. You see me coaching football? Absolutely not," babbled Jackie. Tim smiled, thinking that she still talked too much when she was nervous.

"So?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, prompting her to answer his question.

"Oh – Bo. I'm hear because of Bo."

"Bo plays for Tech?" asked Tim, flipping through the players on the team, but he couldn't remember one named Bo.

"Yeah. He just went off to get me a soda. He will be so happy to see you."

Having exhausted players' first names, Tim started through his mental list of last names, suddenly hitting the jackpot. "Wait a minute. Bones Miller....Bones is Bo?"

Jackie beamed with pride. "He sure is."

"No way. That's fantastic. My nephew and his best friend are going to lose their minds when they hear Bones Miller used to be my next-door neighbor."

"I'm sure he'd love to meet them and tell them himself," said Jackie, looking up past Tim to smile at Bo. Tim turned around and looked up, still unable to believe that the once tiny boy was now a 6'5" man with the potential to play pro-football.

"Tim Riggins. I can't believe it," said Bo, shaking Tim's hand firmly and whacking him on the back.

"Likewise, Bo Miller. You're all grown-up."

"Well, I've grown tall. Never really filled out though," replied Bo with a laugh.

Tim and Bo talked football for a few minutes. When Tim mentioned TJ and Noah, Bo's face lit up. "I'd love to meet them. They here with you?"

"I left them off at the football camp thing," said Tim.

"Good – I'll go find them there. They wearing Tech jerseys?"

"Nah – Jay worried that we'd never find them in the sea of red. They're wearing their Pee-Wee jerseys – light blue, gold lettering. Team is called the Lions and their names are on the back. My nephew is number 73 and Noah is number 6."

Bo slapped Tim on the back, delighted to have run into his former neighbor. "OK, I'll go find them. I want to catch up with you later, though."

"Sure thing," said Tim, watching the quarterback walk away. He looked at Jackie and grinned. "I can't believe how tall he is."

"You and me both. Musta been the water in Louisiana or something because we don't have anyone near that tall in all of my family."

"Louisiana is where you ended up?"

"Yes, Shreveport, although I moved up here when Bo started at Tech," said Jackie, pausing to take a sip of her soda. "You know, I bet you don't have any idea how you changed Bo's whole life."

Tim was taken aback, his first thought was that he'd somehow messed the kid up for life.

"In a good way, Tim," assured Jacking, putting a hand on his arm. "You taught him two things I never would been able to – how to fight and how to throw a football. Leaving Dillon, giving him a fresh start, was the best thing for him, but not in the ways I expected. He was able to walk into the new school, put the bully in his place and then make the football team. It was amazing, really, the transformation."

Tim rested his hands on his hips and looked down at the ground, blushing. "It was nothing, Jackie, really."

"No, Tim, it wasn't. And I know you kept hanging out with him after I ended things with you," said Jackie, grinning when Tim looked up in surprise. "That's right, y'all thought you were so sneaky, like I wouldn't notice my nine-year old son climbing out the window to play football in the middle of the night."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"When we were over, then you were able to be his friend, no blurred lines, no confusion. It was good for him. He missed you when we moved – used to follow your games on the Internet. He was over the moon when he figured out he could listen to Panther Radio on the computer. That second time, y'all went to State, you could hear him screaming right down the street when you threw that touchdown. I swear, I didn't think he'd ever get over that loss."

Jackie looked up at Tim and smiled. "So, enough about the past. Tell me about you – what are you up to these days?"

"Well, I'm married, been married for five years. My wife and I met at Billy's garage-"

"Billy has a garage?"

"Yeah, Riggins' Rigs. He opened it...wow, must be eight, nine years by now. I went to college, but that didn't work out, so I went to work for Billy, which is where my wife was working."

"So you're still working there?"

Tim smiled and shook his head. "Nah. She's the better mechanic. I'm a stay-at-home dad and I watch Billy's kids as well. Hang on a second, there she is, I'd like you to meet my wife."

Tim took a few steps away and shouted to Al, who turned and came over slowly, Nicky walking next to her.

"I thought Billy was watching him," said Tim, scooping the boy up and holding him out to Jackie.

"Nicky, Al, I want you to meet my old neighbor, Jackie," said Tim.

"Hi, Al," said Jackie to Nicky, then she turned her attention to Al. "Hi Nicky, nice to meet you."

Al smiled. "Timmy, how many times do I have to tell you that you gotta introduce us better. You just confuse people all the time. I swear you find it funny or something."

Jackie blushed at her gaffee, but Al shook her hand and tried to reassure her. "Happens all the time, believe me."

"Well, it's great to meet you. Your son is beautiful – I love his eyes. And looks like he's going to have a new little brother or sister soon. Congratulations – when are you due?"

"Beginning of January."

"She's having twins," said Tim proudly. "Nicky's going to have to look out for two baby sisters."

"Timmy, when you talk about me like that when I'm standing right here, you make me feel kinda like your prized heifer at the state fair."

"Sorry, Al," said Tim, kissing her cheek and putting his hand on her shoulder, his fingers gently squeezing it.

"I know you didn't mean anything by it," she said, leaning into him.

"Hey, guess what, Jackie here is Bones Miller's mom. I just sent him over to surprise TJ and Noah."

Al grinned. "That's great for them, but poor Bones. Those kids are going to drive him to distraction. I better go check in on them, make sure they're not making total pests of themselves."

"Oh, I'm sure he'll be fine. Bo loves kids," said Jackie.

Al held out her arms for Nicky, who reached for her, but Tim held him back. "Timmy," she said in voice with a warning edge. "How many times do I hafta tell you? I'm-"

"Pregnant, not crippled. I know, I know," he said with a sheepish smile as he handed over their son.

Al took Nicky, then pulled Tim down so she could kiss his cheek and whisper in his ear. "So, that's the old lady, huh? Can't wait to tell Tyra."

Al said goodbye to Jackie, gave Tim a wide, mischievous grin, and then headed off in the direction of the football camp.

Jackie smiled at Tim. "You seem so happy."

"I am," said Tim, his eyes still following Al through the crowd.

"It's so good to see you got what you wanted."

"What was that?" asked Tim, one eyebrow raised.

"A family," said Jackie quietly, then shook her head, as though clearing away old memories. "So, tell me, how's Billy? You said you've got a nephew?"

"Three of them, actually and one niece. His oldest, Amber, is eight and the youngest is just a few months older than Nicky."

"And tell me about his wife. She must have her hands full with a bunch of boys running around the place."

"His wife died in a car accident, a little more than a year ago," said Tim, looking down.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. That's just awful."

"It was. He's doing a lot better now, though." Tim rocked back on his heels and stretched his neck, looking over toward the cheerleading area. He spotted his brother, trying to clap for Amber even though he had Cody in his arms.

"You know what," said Tim, moving Jackie so she could see where Billy was standing. "You should to over there and talk to him."

"Oh, I don't know," said Jackie, blushing and fidgeting. "You know, he might not want to see me."

"Jackie, seriously, he'd love to see you." Tim gave her a look that he hoped would say everything inside his head – that they all were, at heart, the same people, just in completely different places in their lives and that things could be so different this time around.

"Is it okay....with you?" she asked.

Tim grinned. "It's fine, more than fine, in fact."

He put his hand in the middle of Jackie's back and gave her a gentle push, then stood with his hands on his hips, watching her drift across the field. She approached Billy tentatively, almost as though she expected not to be recognized or acknowledged. Tim watched surprise, recognition and then happiness move across Billy's face and he felt, for the second time in his life, like he'd put something right that had been broken in the past.