There were only a few last games of the football season and this Friday’s were under way. Fort Worth High’s game was an away game at Sabino, their biggest, nastiest rival. Paul chuckled as he drove to the field with Mark.

“Oh, the good olʼ days.”

“Bigots. Nothing changes does it?” Mark sighed.

“Well, let’s find out.” Paul waggled his eyebrows.

“Did you tell Colin he could fight?”

“I did no such thing. This time.” Paul smiled.

“Oh, Christ.” Mark sat back and sighed.

Josh and Jason were already in the stands with Jay and Greg. They watched as Sabino’s team came on the field and busted out laughing.

“Wow, they are so small,” Jay snickered.

Damon and Tyler climbed up the stands and noticed them all laughing.

“What?” Tyler asked.

“Look at their players compared to ours.” Greg pointed to the field.

Tyler turned to look and covered his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. They weren’t tiny but compared to their kids they were …short.

“Oh, wow.” Damon snorted with laughter.

“Oh, here come the big players.” Jay laughed.

They sat down and Paul and Mark finally joined them. Stefan and Jordan found them and Heath and Caleb were behind them with Jake and Dante.

“Where are Kyle and Parker?” Paul asked.

“Down with the cheerleaders,” Jake answered.

Kyle was smiling at Katiana — she had her hair in a ponytail and she looked twelve again. There were days he wished she still was. Things were so much easier then. Now, she was growing up and boys sure were noticing.

“Dad, go sit with the other parents,” Katiana insisted. “Go sit with your husband.”

“But we want to be here with you girls.” Parker laughed.

“Ugh.” Katarina rolled her eyes.

“Wow, look at Joshua Reynolds in his tight pants and manly helmet. Lookin’ good.” Parker winked at his daughter.

“Dad!” Katarina blushed.

“Well if you don’t want him, Kat…” Britt smiled.

“I thought you were after Damon?” Katiana cocked an eyebrow at her.

“Any of them will do.”

“I’ll bet.” Lily rolled her eyes.

 

It was halftime, and the Sabino defense had been getting to Damon all night. He glared at Chad and narrowed his eyes. “Hey, douchebag, some coverage would be nice.”

“Hell, you’re the star player, remember? I’m sure any of your buddies can do the job.”

“Jealous much, Chad?” Tanner taunted.

“It’s not Damon’s fault he’s better than you,” Joshua pointed out. “Suck it up, Chad.”

They hit the field again and Caleb cocked an eyebrow at Heath. They looked at the team on the field and then turned to Stefan.

“I know.” He sighed. “It’s going to get ugly, right?” Stefan asked his son.

“Yeah, Dad, it is.” Heath watched his nephews take the field and prepared for a wild half.

Colin ran the ball on the first play and one of the linebackers tackled him much harder than necessary. The air left his lungs as he hit the ground.

“Fuck!” Tanner ran downfield and helped him up. “You okay?”

“Yeah, just got the wind knocked out of me.” Colin looked at the other player and laughed.

“That’s all you got, Brody? Hands to yourselves, boys.” Joshua sneered at the other team.

“Shit, Reynolds!”

“What? Play nice or we fight back.”

“Isn’t that Katarina Greco over there? Damn, I’d like a piece of that.” Brody smiled wide.

Joshua jumped at him and Tanner snatched him back. “Don’t, Joshua! He’s doing it on purpose.”

Brody went back to the huddle and smiled. “Take Youngblood out.”

“Which one?” the whole team asked.

“Don’t care. Make it hurt.”

Damon was in his own huddle and he called the play. They broke and lined up. Damon caught the snap and looked downfield for Tanner — he was already in the end zone and caught Damon’s pass perfectly. There was a piercing whistle from the stands and a shout. Tanner looked up; he knew that voice anywhere.

“Tanner!” Damon Jr. shouted a warning.

The next thing Tanner knew, there were Sabino players piled on top of him, getting in dirty hits, and he couldn’t get any air. People were pulled off of him and then his grandfather was there. He heard voices but nothing made sense and he couldn’t breathe. “Can’t — breathe —”

“Call an ambulance, dammit!” Jordan was shouting.

“Tanner, can you hear me, baby?” Tyler was checking his son’s ribs.

“Air,” he gasped.

There was so much shouting going on Tanner didn’t know who to listen for but he heard one voice through all of them. Nico’s.

“I’ll fucking kill you!” Nico was plowing through the other players, trying to get to the ones who had deliberately hurt Tanner.

“Oh, shit! Caleb!” Heath grabbed his husband.

“I got him.” Caleb took off after Nico.

“Um, Dad?” Tyler watched as his own husband took off down the field too.

“Oh, great.” Stefan looked around. “Josh!”

“I’m on it.” Josh ran and hit Damon off to the side.

“Get off of me!” Damon yelled.

“Damon!” Jordan shouted. “Calm down! Tanner needs you!”

Joshua and Colin had a hold of Damon Jr.; it was like holding onto a freight train. “Jesus! Like father, like son!”

“It’s on! Do you hear me?” Damon was screaming at the other team.

Tanner was finally in the ambulance and Damon took his hand; he could feel the pressure on his own chest from his brother’s pain.

“Go.” Tanner pushed him away.

“Hell, no! I’m going to the hospital with you.” Damon squeezed his hand.

“Beat…the…shit…out…of…them,” Tanner gasped.

“Well, when you put it that way.” Damon smiled. “I love you.”

“Love you.” Tanner felt some medication kick in and he was out.

Damon turned to find Nico right in his face. “What the hell?”

“I wanted to see the game.”

“Come on.” Jordan pushed Nico into the ambulance.

All the girls were crying and Joshua stopped to hug them. “He’ll be okay. Tanner’s tough.”

Joshua put his helmet back on and Katarina took his hand. “Be careful, Joshua.”

“I always am.” Joshua traced his finger down her cheek and ran back onto the field.

“Just make him yours, for crying out loud.” Britt rolled her eyes.

“Shut up, Britt,” Katarina snapped.

“You’d better make a move Kat, or I will.” Britt grabbed her pom-poms.

“As if he’d have you,” Katiana snorted in a must uncheerleader-like fashion.

Damon ran over to the girls and gave them the info on Tanner. Lily took his hand and looked into his eyes. “Be careful, Damon. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Damon kissed her cheek. “I’m good, Lily.”

“I’ll bet.” Britt waggled her eyebrows.

“Jesus, Britt.” Lily rolled her eyes. “I know why you guys broke up. You wanted to fuck him and he said no.”

“Excuse me? Don’t come down on me because you’re still a virgin. That’s not what happened.”

“Are you calling Tanner a liar, then? Because the info came from him. He’s not known to make shit up.” Lily put her hands on her hips. “You’re just like Jaime, aren’t you?”

“At least I’ve had boyfriends.”

“Yeah, for a week at a time until they get what they want. Back off, Britt. Now.” Katarina pushed between them.

Damon ran out to the field and huddled with his players. “I think we know what to do.”

Colin smiled. “Yep.”

“Break!”

Nico sat by Tanner’s bedside caressing his hand with his thumb. He had a broken a rib that had punctured and collapsed his lung. His grandfather and the other doctors had put a tube in Tanner, and it broke Nico’s heart to see Tanner hurt.

“I didn’t know you were here.” Jordan squeezed Nico’s shoulder.

“I missed most of his games. I just wanted to see him in action.”

“He’s good, like his dad was.” Jordan sat beside Nico.

“How long will he be out?” Nico caressed Tanner’s face.

“For a while. I don’t want him to suffer any more than he has too.” Jordan watched Nico with Tanner. “You love him.”

“I’ve always loved him.” Nico kissed Tanner’s forehead.

 

Everyone went to the hospital as soon as the game was over. Damon ran to Tanner’s room and found Nico asleep with his head on the bed. He smiled and softly nudged him. “Hey. How is he?”

“Still out.” Nico sat up and stretched. “I’m not even going to ask if you won the game.”

“Oh, it was a landslide.” Damon nodded.

“How’s he doing?” Joshua and Colin poked their heads in the room.

“He’s doing much better now that we’ve gotten the puncture taken care of and the lung re-inflated.” Jordan walked in with Tanner’s chart. “He’s going to have to stay here for a few days.”

“Where’re my dads?” Damon looked around.

“Getting coffee. They left Nico here in charge.” Jordan winked.

“This must be like déjà vu for my dad, huh?” Damon sat down in the chair.

“Damon had a collapsed lung. Tanner’s was actually punctured. It’s a lot more dangerous but the doctors fixed him up and he’s going to have minimal scarring,” Jordan explained.

The girls came in and Katarina sat in Joshua’s lap. “So, he’s okay?”

“Yes. I’m going to go check on your dads but I’ll be back.”

Lily leaned against the wall and Damon pulled her into his lap. She leaned back against him and closed her eyes.

“God, I feel gross.” Colin ran a hand through his hair.

“I know but we all thought this was more important than a shower after the game,” Joshua said.

“Is that what that smell is?” Katarina chuckled.

Joshua smacked her ass. “Quit.”

“Nico, I didn’t realize Santorno Inc. gave you time off for football games,” Colin teased.

“Shut it, Colin. I just wanted to watch him in action.”

“Well you got that tonight, that’s for sure.” Damon sighed. “This shit with Sabino just goes on and on doesn’t it?”

“I believe Sabino started that rivalry but it stopped in my dad’s senior year when they tried to take him out and my other dad scared the piss out of them,” Colin said.

“No. I scared the shit out of them.” Paul was smiling in the doorway.

“Hey, Dad.” Colin turned toward the door.

“Hello, boys. Nice to know you’re all chips off the old blocks.” Paul winked.

“How’s Uncle Damon?” Joshua asked his uncle.

“Well, your grandfather threatened to sedate him if he didn’t calm down.”

“Wow, Uncle Damon’s got a temper.” Lily seemed a bit impressed.

“So does his son.” Paul narrowed his eyes at Damon.

“Who, me?” Damon tried for innocent and failed.

“Yes, you.” Paul mussed his hair.

“Lily, your father and I are going home. Do you need a ride?” Heath asked his daughter.

“No, Katarina brought me to the game tonight. Thanks, Daddy, I’ll be home soon.”

“Well, I was actually going to head out myself. But if you want to stay —” Katarina started to say.

“I can take her home. I mean, that is, if you want to stay here longer. I’m going to stay with Tanner for a while,” Damon offered.

“Okay, sure.” Lily smiled.

 

Tanner opened his eyes and saw a very blurry Nico sleeping on his bed. He moved his hand and Nico’s head shot up.

“Hey.”

“I thought I was dreaming,” Tanner whispered. “I thought I heard you at the game.”

“I was there. I wanted to see you play.”

“Picked the wrong game.”

“I beg to differ. Before they took you out, you were fantastic.”

“Coming from a running back such as yourself, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

 

Lily woke up wrapped in Damon’s arms and smiled. Damon was in his football jersey, and Lily realized she was wearing his letterman jacket. She moved slowly and stood up.

“Good morning,” Nico said quietly.

“Morning? Oh no.” Lily grabbed her phone.

“No worries, I called Dad.”

“Thanks, Nico.” Lily hugged her brother.

“Lily.” Tanner smiled.

“How are you?” Lily took his hand.

“Sore, but I’d feel so much better if you’d agree to date my brother.” Tanner winked.

“Tanner!” Lily chastised him then kissed his cheek.

“That looks good on you.” Nico winked.

Lily smiled and looked at the jacket. It was at least four sizes too big and hung almost to her knees.

“Just think, if you marry him you don’t have to change your last name.” Tanner smiled.

“I should get home.” Lily patted Tanner’s arm. “Get better soon.”

“I’ll drive you.” Damon stretched and stood up.

“How long have you been awake?” Lily asked.

“Just a few seconds, I think. Why?”

“Nothing. Bye, Tanner.”

“I’ll be back in a couple hours.” Damon winked at his brother. “Take care of him, Nico.”

Tanner smiled as Damon left with Lily. “Yeah, he heard all of it.”

“Do you need me to get you anything? Call anyone?” Nico took his hand.

“Everything I need is right here. You’re all I’ll ever need.”

“I could call Aidan if you want,” Nico offered.

“What for?”

“Well, he’s your boyfriend, right?”

Tanner almost choked laughing. “Ow! No, he’s not my boyfriend.”

“You guys broke up?”

“We were never dating. What made you say that?” Tanner searched Nico’s face.

“Oh, I guess I heard wrong.”

“I’ve never had a boyfriend.”

“Never?” Nico leaned in closer.

“No.” Tanner cupped his face.

A nurse entered the room with her cart. “Well, good to see you awake, Tanner. I need to take some blood.”

Nico sat back and sighed. Damn nurses. “I’ll just wait in the hall.”

As luck would have it, he ran right into Aidan in the hallway. They stared at each other and finally Nico spoke. “The nurse is in there with him.”

“I’ll just wait, then.” Aidan sat down.

“What are you hoping to accomplish, Aidan?” Nico demanded.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Aidan stood back up and realized just how much bigger than him Nico was. He sat back down.

“It’s obvious Tanner doesn’t like you in that way.”

“Well, it doesn’t help that you’re always here! Even when you’re gone, all he talks about is you. God, you just can’t let him move on, can you?”

“What would you have me do, Aidan?”

“Stop calling, stop coming down here. Unless you’re going to make it permanent with Tanner, stay out of his life.”

“I want him in my life.”

“Why? Every time you leave, it hurts him. Just go and don’t come back.” Aidan watched the nurse come out and asked Nico, “Are you staying or going back to Italy?”

“I still have a job there.” Nico ran his hand through his hair.

“There’s your answer.” Aidan walked into the room.

 

“Is Nico still out in the hall?” Tanner asked Aidan.

“He said something about going back to work now that he knows you’re okay.”

“He left? He didn’t even say goodbye?” Tanner closed his eyes to hold back tears.

“Maybe he felt this way was better.” Aidan took his hand.

“Better than what? I want to be alone.”

“Okay, if you need me I’ll be around.” Aidan walked out into an empty hallway and smiled. “Goodbye, Nico.”

“Hello, Aidan.” Nico stood behind him.

“What the fuck?!” Aidan whirled around.

“Did you really think I would let you fuck with me again?” Nico stepped closer; Aidan was backing up. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing. I’m not stupid. No matter how hard you try, I’m not backing off.”

“You’re going to break his heart.” Aidan looked him in the eyes.

“I’m going to break your face. Whatever is between me and Tanner is just that — between us.” Aidan looked as if he was going to cry. “Now, I’m going to go say goodbye to my Tanner.”

 

Tanner couldn’t stop crying. Nico hadn’t even said goodbye to him. He wished he could just get over him but he knew he never would. He was in love and that was never going to change. He looked up and saw Nico leaning against the doorway. “I thought you left?”

“Not without saying goodbye.”

“So, you are leaving.” Tanner sighed.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I’m fine. Thanks for coming to the game.” Tanner closed his eyes. This is how it always was. He spent less than twenty-four hours with Nico and then he was off again.

Nico leaned over and kissed his forehead. “I love you, Tanner.”

“I know.” He bit the tears back and willed himself not to open his eyes. When he did, Nico was gone. Tanner sighed. “Goodbye, Nico.”