Reconciliation:

"Enough you two!" Blip yelled at both of them after the game in the locker room. The rest of the team looked on in shock. "We are two games away from the play-offs. I can't have you bickering in the dug out. We can only keep you separated on the field so long. Duarte needs a break and I know you want in the game Mike." Blip finally realized the rest of the team was staring in dead silence. As soon as he glanced around the room, they busied themselves changing and getting ready to leave for the day.

"It's a Sunday… Have you ever heard of a Sunday drive? Take one – together." Mike started to open his mouth in protest. But Blip continued, "I don't care what you have planned – cancel it. We leave for Arizona tomorrow. Figure out how to be civil to each other, or I'm going to figure out how to make you ride on top of the bus – GO! NOW!"

Ginny shrugged her shoulders and ran off to grab her bags from her separate locker room. While she was gone Blip move towards the exit, arms across his chest, waiting for them to leave. Al came over, "I hope you know what you're doing and didn't just create a moving explosive," then left down the hall to his office.

Ginny returned, looked at Mike and said "well old man – we 'doin this or what?" Mike pretty much just growled. And walked off towards his car, Ginny two steps behind, and Blip another few feet behind her. Blip was going to make sure they at least got in the car together.

Once in the car, Mike asked "where to?"

Ginny, without hesitation said, I've always wanted to hit a few golf balls out at Torrey Pines. It's about an…"

Mike cut her off, "I know where it is, I've lived here much longer than you." The drive up the coast was more beautiful than Ginny imagined. Most of her time in San Diego had been consumed in Petco Park, Nike meetings, bars with the team, or traveling. But this was the part of the city she longed for. Texas didn't have coastlines like this. Texas didn't have beached like these. For once, narcissistic Mike kept his mouth shut, and she was able to soak in the scenery. About an hour into the drive, Mike pulled into a country club with a private gate. The attendant recognized him and immediately welcomed him by name. Figured.

Car parked, "Come on, Baker." They headed off to the side of the building and down a narrow, but well landscaped path to a small building. Mike was again greeted, "Hello Mr. Lawson, how can I help you today?"

"My associate and I would like to hit a bucket of balls, but don't have our clubs and need to rent a few."

"No problem, we'll get you set up on box 9. If you want to head that way, someone will be with you shortly."

"Associate, I'm an associate to you now?" Ginny asked as the walked off.

Without looking at Ginny he responded, "Well, we're not doing so well in the friend zone and our teammate status sucks." Silence again. They arrived at their driving range tee box and Mike naturally took the first few swings. Decent, but it was clear, he would never be a pro golfer.

Then he stepped off to the side, making way for Ginny. Her swing on the baseball field was nothing compared to Mike's, he had raw power to hit a home run like nothing else. Ginny had always struggled in comparison. Now was her chance to show her talent. Golf wasn't about power, but finesse and accuracy. After a few warm up swings, her first swing at the ball was near perfect. She looked up at her Captain's face, just what she expected… a slight draw drop. Four more swings, nearly as perfect as the first, then she stepped back to let Mike have his turn.

He took his 5-6 swings, average, but they just didn't compare to Ginny. Her turn again, and she showed him what she had. But she wasn't smug about it, all class, which he wasn't expecting.

His turn again and his first two swings were awful, almost too much power. He looked at her and finally said, "ok, you know you want to correct me – go for it." She stepped up behind him, her chest just touching his back and wrapped her arms next to his. Suddenly, she was keenly aware of how much larger in stature he was.

"You have too much power in this game, let up, just a little, and breath." She demonstrated with an inhale that made her chest move gently next to his back. Then she move their arms together backwards and up as to mimic the first part of the golf swing. "On your back swing…"

Mike interrupted her "I can't," he said softly as their faces came close enough to kiss for the second time since 'that night.'

"Sure you can, old man."

He dropped his club to the ground "You never really answered me that night, did you know why I was really leaving?"

"To win a championship?"

"It was more than that, I had just got through lecturing another teammate, and no I won't tell you who, that he was not in love with you, it was a crush, and to get over it. I listed all the reason why he was not in love with you. And by the end of the day, I realized I had fallen for you. I was going to be a distraction to you, to me, to the team. The best thing for me to do was leave. But when I found myself face to face with you that night, I thought maybe, just maybe, this amazing person might feel the same way. Now I'm stuck here and I can never know. And don't answer, if I find out you feel the same way, it will be torture. If you don't feel the same way, I'll be crushed. So don't say anything." He paused. "I think we should head back now." He pushed the remaining balls off to the side and turned and headed to the car, fidgeting with his keys.

She let him have a few moments. He was sitting in the car, hands on the wheel, clearly ready to go. She got in and looked over at him, and finally he looked back at her. Their eyes met and she smiled. She put her hand out, not saying a word. He placed his hand back in hers. She gave his hand a little squeeze.

They held hands all the way back to Petco. The ride back was silent again. But there was a peacefulness this time in the car. The tension had gone.

When they arrived at the parking lot, still not a word had been said, but they had to break their connection. She got out of the car and looked over the rooftop, saying only, "Lawson, YOU are MY catcher."

His eyes let her know he got the message. "See you in Arizona, Rookie." That was the first time he'd called her Rookie in weeks….