read 67 first!

"Are you getting a weird sense of deja vu?" Billie asked Alfie as the pair walked side by side into Richmond's clubhouse where their respective boyfriends were already preparing for the match.

"Yeah, but it's a lot better this time," Alfie grinned as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "You're in love, I'm in love, you're having a baby-"

"Shush!" Billie hissed dramatically with her finger to his lips, "No one here knows yet...well, except Ted, Roy and Colin."

"Yes, boss," Alfie saluted, proudly wearing his Richmond shirt 'HUGHES' printed on the back of it under his denim jacket, just as Billie wore a Richmond jersey with 'TARTT' printed on the back, "I can't believe you're moving in with Jamie tomorrow."

"It feels like it's all happening so quickly, and yet it feels so right," Billie smiled as they reached her office, "I'm glad you and Madds are coming to the end of season party, it feels just perfect."

"It's going to be sick, mate," Alfie grinned, "I'll head up to join Madds, give the boys my love."

"Always," Billie smiled as Alfie left the room.

Billie dumped her bag on her desk chair, smiling down at the photo on her desk that she'd recently had framed of her, Ted, Beard and Roy at the last team karaoke trip.

Two familiar hands covered her eyes, starling her less than it once had, "Guess who?"

"Richmond's fittest dilf, obviously," Billie grinned as she spun around to face Jamie, "You okay?"

"Mmhmm," He nodded, taking his hands in hers, "Just wanted to come see you before the match, make sure you're both alright, 'nd that."

"We are great," Billie smiled, "And I wanted to ask how you'd feel if we told Will, Beard, Higgins, Trent and the girls about the baby today?"

"Well they're family ain't they?" Jamie nodded in approval as he wrapped his arms around Billie.

"We'll tell the boys in the off season," Billie sighed, "Can hardly have them freaking out before the match."

"Too right, babe," Jamie laughed, kissing the side of her head, "Still can't get over Phoebe's reaction when we told her last night."

"I'm happy as long it's a boy so I'm still Uncle Roy's favourite and only niece," Billie smiled fondly as she recalled their evening visit to Hannah and Phoebe's house.

"Yeah, that's it," Jamie nodded.

"Right, I've got to see a man about a job, I'll see you in a bit, yeah?" Billie told him before grabbing her video camera and her DSLR, heading for the boot room where Will was busy folding towels.

"Sounds good, babe," Jamie grinned.

"Alright, kiddo," Billie smiled, closing the door behind her before she took a seat on the bench, "How's it going?"

"Great, perfect in fact," Will replied with an eager smile, "Ready for the match?"

"Yeah, there's something I wanted to talk to you about actually," Billie nodded before patting the space on the bench next to her, "Come here a minute."

"This feels serious, is it something serious?" Will frowned anxiously as he sat beside her, "Did Ted send you in here to tell me something bad? Am I getting fired?"

"No, Will," Billie smiled reassuringly, "I've not spoken to Ted about this, because it won't be his decision now that he's going, it'll be Rebecca and the new manager's decision, but I have it in good authority they'll say yes."

"This is all very confusing," Will whispered.

"I'd like to mentor you, Will, to give you the opportunity that Rebecca gave me when she gave me the job here," Billie explained, "Regardless of what happens today, we've qualified for the Champions League, which means we're going to need even more media coverage."

Will stared at Billie in disbelief, as though no one had ever taken such a chance on him, not since he'd been offered the role of kitman, something he sort of saw as a career bridge until he'd worked out what he really wanted from life.

"When we start next season I'd like you to be the media and marketing team's newest media content producer," Billie told him as he smiled eagerly, "I understand that it's a big jump, so if you need time to think about-"

"I'd love to join the media team," Will interjected as he wrapped Billie in a hug, "Thank you so much."

"Well, we'll be working together until the beginning of December, and then I'm going to ask Keeley to support you in whichever way you need," Billie explained.

"Why won't it be you?" Will frowned in confusion.

"Because I'm going to be a bit busy from December," Billie replied, opening her phone and showing him the photo she'd taken of the baby scan.

Will, who often watched 'One Born Every Minute' with his mum knew exactly what the photo was and was quick to wrap Billie in another hug, "That's the most amazing news," He whispered, "Even more amazing than my new job, I'm so happy for you both."

"Thank you, Will," Billie replied, "It means the world."

After a few moments spent chatting about the new baby with Will, Billie made her way into the coaches' office where Ted, Beard, Roy, Trent and Higgins had convened ahead of the match.

"It don't make sense," Ted thumped his hand against his desk as Billie found herself a spot leaning against the doorframe beside her brother, "Two years ago, we played so bad we had to drop down from the Premier League to a lower league that was called-"

"The Championship," Beard was quick to finish his sentence.

"See, that don't make sense," Ted replied, "Now, this year we played so well, we qualified to get into another league and that one's called..."

"The Champions League," Higgins sighed.

"Entirely different league, pretty much the same name though, that don't make sense," Ted replied, "And now y'all are telling me that to get into the 'Champions League' you can finish as low as..."

"Fourth place," Billie exhaled.

"That don't make no sense," Ted hit his desk again, "Why?"

"Money," Roy remarked.

"Okay, see now that makes sense," Ted nodded, "Thank you."

"Hey," The group turned to see Nate hovering in the doorway.

"Hey, what's up, Nate?" Ted asked.

"Hi, sorry, I'm sorry to interrupt and all that, I just wanted to wish you all good luck...to wish you two good luck for the last time," Nate rambled, and it was as though the old Nate was back, "Last time this season, it's not the last time you ever have good luck, no need for it to be a cautionary tale, I'm not trying to cast a spell or anything."

"Yeah, no, I get it, Nate, thank you," Ted nodded.

"Thanks, man," Beard nodded.

"Thank you, well..."

"Well, this feels familiar," Higgins smiled at the people who filled the room that he considered not just colleagues, but dear friends.

"Oh, yeah." Ted smiled.

"Why don't I step out and let you guys have a proper reunion?" Trent told the room as he stood beside Billie.

"Ahdadada, you stay put, Trenthouse Magazine," Ted insisted, "You're part of the squad now."

"You're stuck with us now, Trent," Billie nudged him with a smile, "Bound by blood and all that."

"That's definitely not what you mean," Beard frowned.

"What if it is?" Billie raised her eyebrows.

"Can I be a Diamond Dog?" Roy asked, stunning the room into silence as they slowly began looking around the small office space.

"Okay, hold on one second here," Ted muttered as he looked under the desk while his friends continued to search the room.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Roy huffed.

"I assume we're all looking for cameras 'cause we think we're on a prank show," Ted answered.

"That's where I'm at," Beard nodded.

"Very Prank Patrol," Billie added.

"I'm not fucking around here," Roy told them as the rest of the room's occupants glanced at each other in disbelief.

"Okay, Diamond Dogs, mount up, let's go!" Ted declared as they all proceeded to bark, Higgins closing the office door while Nate eagerly hopped up onto the shelving unit.

"Do you want me to stay?" Billie asked, because despite having sat in on several Diamond Dogs discussions, she also understood the importance of Roy being able to confide in his friends.

"Yeah," Roy nodded before Nate patted the space beside himself on the shelving unit, gesturing for Billie to join him.

"Okay, Mr Roy Kent, you know, bark away please," Ted instructed him.

"For the past year, I've busted my fucking ass trying to change, but apparently I haven't done fucking shit 'cause...I'm still me," Roy admitted in the most vulnerable state that Billie had ever seen him.

"Wait, did you wanna be someone else?" Ted asked.

"Yeah, someone better," Roy nodded, glancing at Billie and Nate, "Can people change?"

Billie was taken aback by her brother's question, she knew that he had made certain decisions for that reason, because he didn't think he was good enough, because he believed Roy Kent wasn't worthy of such love. She just never expected him to admit such a thing, but she was grateful that he'd found a place where he felt safe to do so, just as she had.

"I don't think we change per se, as much as we just learn to accept who we've always been, you know?" Trent explained.

"And to surround ourselves with the people who love us for who we are, rather than who we once were, or we might go on to be," Billie told her big brother, "It's about who you are in the here and now."

"I think people can change," Nate added, drawing on his own personal experiences, "Sometimes for the worse and sometimes for the better."

"Not me, I'm still the same fucking idiot I've always been," Roy huffed.

"Agree to disagree, big guy," Ted shook his head in disapproval, "I mean, come on, man, you just piped up out of nowhere and finally asked to become a Diamond Dog, pretty big change if you ask me."

"The Roy Kent I grew up with never would've admitted what you just did, not even the Roy Kent who two years ago retired from the sport he loved, and he certainly wouldn't have voluntarily taken Jamie Tartt for a pint," Billie smiled, earning fond grins from the rest of the men in the room, "That's fucking growth, Royo."

"Change isn't about trying to be perfect, perfection sucks, perfect is boring," Beard assured him, in his own Beard wisdom kind of way.

"I mean, except Shawshank, that's not boring," Ted replied.

"Yeah, I mean, there are perfect films...Back To The Future," Beard replied.

"Marley and Me."

"I would say Trent's hair is perfect," Higgins added, earning nods of approval from the team.

"And not at all boring," Ted nodded.

"Sure, you know, attributes, Grace Kelly's eyes," Beard agreed.

"Jamie Tartt's smile," Billie smiled fondly, earning understanding nods from the men in the room.

"The other side of the pillow," Trent added.

"That is absolutely perfect."

"Sure, there are perfect analogies," Beard affirmed.

"Jacket potato, cheese and beans," Nate smiled.

"Fuck yeah, Shelley," Billie offered him a fist bump.

"That sounds perfectly yummy, yeah," Ted nodded.

"Perfect foods, spaghetti bolognaise," Beard continued.

"Billy Joel's The Stranger album," Roy declared.

"Yep, no that's perfect," Ted replied.

"Yes, there are perfect works of art, perfection is all around us, everywhere we look, the mighty redwood," Beard continued, "I was talking about perfection in people."

"Sure, yeah I get you."

"Human beings are never gonna be perfect, Roy," Higgins assured him, "The best we can do is keep asking for help and accepting it when you can, and if you keep on doing that, you'll always be moving towards better."

"Woah," Billie exhaled as everyone in the room nodded in agreement.

"Add that right there to our list of perfect stuff," Ted declared, "Ding, ding, ding."

"Thank you," Roy nodded as the rest of the room barked in approval, "Ruff, ruff...Anyone else wanna go?"

Billie saw the room as an open goal more or less, to share her and Jamie's news with the men who had each given her different types of love and guidance in the time she'd known them, following the pair's discussion the night before about doing just that.

Of course Roy was her brother and in many ways she saw Ted as a father figure she hadn't ever really realised she needed, but in Higgins, Beard and Trent she'd found three uncles, who she felt she could confide in with anything, as well as trust with anything.

"Me and Jamie are having a baby," Billie grinned as the room erupted in barks of delight, "And it actually is perfect."

"Our very first Diamond Pup!" Higgins declared in delight as the men continued to bark.

"Keep it to yourselves, I've not told Keeley or Rebecca yet!" Billie instructed them as they mimed zipping their mouths.

After a quick hug from each of the Diamond Dogs, Billie made her way towards the owner's box in search of Rebecca and Keeley, and after rounding a corner she laid eyes on Rebecca, Keeley and Sassy.

"Ladies!" Billie exclaimed as she approached them in the corridor that led up to the box, "I just wanted to grab you before the match."

"Hello, lovely lady," Sassy wrapped her in a quick embrace, "It's so good to see you."

"You too, Sass," Billie hummed.

"Will you join us for a drink before kick off?" Rebecca asked, and Billie decided that moment was as good as any to share the news.

"It'll have to be a soft one," Billie replied with a slight smile.

"Ah, of course, can't have wobbly hands when you're taking photos during the match," Keeley nodded.

"It's not just that," Billie gave the three women a knowing smile, watching as Sassy and Rebecca gasped in delight, immediately understanding what Billie was alluding to.

"Fuck off!" Sassy exclaimed, "Are you actually?"

"Yeah," Billie nodded as Rebecca and Sassy squealed in delight.

"Oh my goodness, that's amazing!" Rebecca smiled with joy.

"What are we talking about?" Keeley frowned, still unsure of what the women were talking about.

"Jamie Tartt's aim seems to be just as good off the pitch as it is on the pitch...if you catch my drift," Sassy smirked with a dramatic wink, earning a playful nudge from Billie.

"Sassy," Billie rolled her eyes with a laugh.

Rebecca leant towards Keeley and whispered the words in her ear as Billie watched her face illuminate in realisation.

"Oh my God!" Keeley squealed as she flung her arms around Billie, "Why didn't you just say?"

"I was trying to be subtle!" Billie laughed as Keeley swayed her side to side.

"So, you think you've got time to join us for one J2O?" Sassy nudged her with a smirk.

"For you, Sass, of course," Billie grinned as the two women linked arms, following Rebecca and Keeley into the lounge of the owner's box.

"So this is where they're hiding all the beautiful people," Billie heard Rupert's voice as the women approached the lounge.

"I don't condone murder, but the number of dreams I've had about bludgeoning that man to death...I've lost count," Sassy whispered to Billie as they followed behind Rebecca and Keeley.

"I'm right there with you, Sass," Billie muttered.

"Ah, hello, Rupert," Rebecca smiled as she greeted her ex husband, the unofficial 'Rebecca Welton Defence Squad' stood either side of her.

"Rebecca," Rupert nodded, "Hi, Sassy...and Billie...and Keeley."

"Hiya."

"Aren't you the lucky man," Rebecca smiled as Rupert frowned in confusion, "Whatever happens today, a team you love wins."

Rebecca offered him a gentle pat on the shoulder and a smile that spoke a thousand words that any woman in that room could understand. She made her way over to the bar with Keeley, leaving Rupert in Sassy and Billie's murderous company.

"Heard the news, ouch," Sassy remarked, "Looks like you're gonna lose another team, my God, you get through them like wives."

"Or mistresses...Or I'm assuming, tubes of haemorrhoid cream," Billie added, "There is simply nothing I would love more than to see another powerful woman take a football club from your decrepit grasp."

"Always a charmer, Miss Kent," Rupert sighed.

"I'm a Kent, no one said anything about being a charmer," Billie smirked.

"But in all seriousness, we do wish you the best, because you are the fucking worst," Sassy told him.

"God, I can't wait to watch my boyfriend take any remaining shred of dignity you possess and trample it across our pitch," Billie added, her smile laced with sarcasm and venom, because the Richmond that had been defeated by the East London team just months before were now an entirely different team.

Without another word Billie and Sassy made their way over to the bar arm in arm, sharing proud smiles between them. As they walked, Billie's phone buzzed once and she promptly pulled it out to check her messages.

BEARDO
It's go time.

"I've got to go," Billie told Sassy, knowing that her presence was required in the locker room for something special ahead of the match, "I'll catch you after the match, alright?"

"Of course," Sassy smiled, "See you later, you bloody milf."

Billie hurried back to Richmond's locker room, returning to see the boys ready in the kits, just minutes until they were due to walk out onto the pitch. As she entered the room, her eyes widened at the sight of Jamie cradling a massive avocado in his arms as though it were a baby.

"Van Damme," Isaac's voice caught Billie's attention as Jamie gently returned the avocado to its box before Billie could utter a word about how the gesture reflected what was yet to come, "You look like a superhero."

The boys cheered in approval as Billie made her way to the front of the room where Beard and Roy were setting up the TV screen, armed with the USB stick that Billie had given Beard, "You're gonna love what we've done," Billie nudged her brother.

"Alright, fellas, let's listen up," Ted addressed the team, "Hey, nice mask, Van Damme."

"Thanks, Coach, but actually from now on you can call me Zorro," He replied.

"You got it, Zoreaux," Ted nodded.

"No, no, it's pronounced Zorro."

"Oh 'cause of the mask," Ted sighed in realisation, "I got you, nice one, okay...Well fellas, if you're looking for a pep talk from me, you're in trouble, 'cause I'm like Michael Flatley at 11:59PM on St Patrick's Day, I'm tapped out."

"I have no idea what that means," Billie whispered to her brother.

"Luckily though, Coach Beard and Billie have rustled up a little something to help inspire and motivate y'all for our final match together, alright? Coach, let her rip." Ted declared.

"Gather up!" Beard exclaimed as the team made their way towards the front of the room, surrounding the TV.

Billie hit the play button as she stood beside her brother, a tentative smile on her face, having spent the last few evenings working tirelessly with Beard on what the boys were about to watch.

A photo of the team that Alfie had taken of the team, the coaches, Billie, Will, Higgins, Rebecca and Keeley from the last season flashed up on the screen, accompanied by Heroes by David Bowie, followed by a clip of match footage of the coaches giving Jamie the 'signal.'

Various moments of archived footage from the past two and a half years played on the screen, from Jamie and Roy's fight on the pitch to Richmond's first win away under Ted's management.

It then cut to various videos and photos that Billie had sourced from the team's groupchats. Videos played from Christmas, a day out at Thorpe Park, Billie and a few of the boys paddling in the sea on a group trip to Brighton in the off season. There was also clips of the boys rehearsing their performance of Best Song Ever for Billie's birthday as well as the numerous pranks caught on camera.

Billie's favourite that she'd included was a video filmed by Colin and Alfie of Jamie and Billie walking through Winter Wonderland with his arm around her shoulder, a few months before Billie and Jamie got together. The camera turned around to face Alfie and Colin, filmed at an incredibly unflattering angle as they spoke to the camera, "We don't know when you'll see this, but that's your Mum and Dad, they just don't know it yet!"

Jamie's eyes glossed over, sharing a knowing smile with Billie as Roy wrapped his arm around his sister, pulling her into his side. The video cut from Richmond's promotion to their demotion, a reminder of just how far they'd come as their eyes welled up with pride.

'We could be heroes, just for one day.'

"Oh, shit."

Billie stood alongside Ted, Beard and Roy on the sidelines as they watched the teams stand in their lineups ahead of the all important final match of the season.

"Think we might've blown it with the video, Coach," Beard sighed as he watched each of Richmond's starting eleven with tears in their eyes.

"Oh, I couldn't disagree more, ain't that right, Roy?" Ted replied.

"You fucking smashed it," Roy answered in between sobs.

"Yeah," Billie nodded, wiping her tear stained cheeks, "This is fucking hayfever."

Fifteen minutes into the match and the score remained nil-nil, West Ham had a corner, connected from Carter towards Bowen who took aim at the goal, but his shot was swiftly saved by Zorro.

Richmond remained consistent in their style of play, relying on Jamie as their central cog as they passed the ball seamlessly around the pitch while pushing towards the goal. Jamie slipped the ball back on the outside of his boot, passing it to Dani who kicked it straight over the goal, in what could've been a perfect goal.

"Shit," Billie sighed, as she watched Will clinging hesitantly to the camera in his hands, awaiting his opportunity to capture a moment of joy.

"That's alright, fellas," Ted clapped his hands together in reassurance, "Keep calm and get fired up!"

They were almost thirty minutes into the match, and West Ham were playing dangerously well, Ward-Prowse pushed the ball forward to Carter who passed it onto Bowen, who with the inside of his boot, buried the ball in the back of the net.

"Come on Richmond!" Billie hollered from the sidelines as she clapped her hands, "Let's go, boys!"

"You're gonna make a great soccer mom," Ted nudged her with an enthusiastic smile.

With just over five minutes until half time, West Ham continued to maintain possession, leading Richmond to play backwards in an attempt to eventually return play to their half of the pitch.

The sound of phone notifications echoed around the Dogtrack as Billie stood between Ted and Roy, all of them aware of what that probably meant.

"Hey, Nate," Ted gestured for his former assistant coach to join him, "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yep," Nate nodded, "Man City just scored."

"It's alright, it's okay," Ted attempted to reassure himself.

The Hammers remained on the attack, weaving the ball in between them in a style that was synonymous with the footprint of Nate's style of play and on pitch trickery. Richmond could not dare concede in such a position that would further threaten their chances in claiming the Premier League title.

And they conceded on the back of Liam Carter's heel.

The half time whistle blew and the teams swiftly returned to their locker rooms, the greyhounds walking with their heads hung and their tails between their legs. The boys were dotted around the locker room in small clusters while Billie hovered at the back of the locker room with Trent, flicking through the photos taken by Will and sending them onto her phone to be posted on the club's account.

"Shut your butts and sit your mouths down!" Beard exclaimed upon Ted's return to the locker room, earning frowns of confusion from the team, "You know what I meant!"

"Thanks, Coach," Ted nodded as the team returned to their seats on the locker room's benches, "Well, fellas, we got our work cut out for us in the second half, but you know I'll get to all that in a minute."

"Right now, all I wanna do is let you gentlemen know what an absolute honour it's been to be your coach, getting to work with y'all these last three years has truly been one of the greatest experiences of my life," Ted continued, "I've loved getting to know each and every single one of you, learning all about the men you were and getting a front row seat to see the men you all have become."

Billie smiled at Jamie with tears in her eyes that she continued to blame on pregnancy hormones, reminded of the boy she once knew, the man she'd witnessed him become, and the father he would one day be.

"And I wanna thank you for your patience with me, you know, when I showed up here, I didn't know one thing about soccer," Ted added, "But now, well I know at least one thing about football."

"I'm just so gosh darn proud to be a part of this team, you know?" Ted smiled fondly, "And I love you guys, and I'm gonna miss y'all."

"Now, regarding this second half, yeah, I don't know what's gonna happen, you know what I mean? No one does, sports would be a lot less fun if we did, and you all would probably get paid a lot less money, so..." Ted laughed to himself, "We don't wanna know the future, we wanna be here right now."

"And look, I know we're down a couple goals, but I'm telling you man, if y'all play hard, play smart, play together and just, you know..." Ted turned to point at the space above his office wall where the believe sign had once been hung, his voice faltering as he remembered its absence, because the loss of the yellow sign didn't mean the loss of belief, the very same belief that had lived on in the team since the day they understood what it truly meant, "Just do what y'all do, and we'll go out with the peace of mind knowing we did our best, right? That we tried."

That we believed.

"Alright, anybody else have something to say?"

"Coach," Sam raised his hand.

"Yeah, Sam, what you got?" Ted nodded.

Without a word Sam stood up from his seat, picking up the photo of the Nigerian world cup team that he kept in his cubby, retrieving a small piece of yellow paper. He made his way to the middle of the room, unfolding it before placing it on the platform.

Jamie was next to stand up, opening his locker and pulling out his copy of The Beautiful and The Damned that he had once tossed in the bin after Ted had gifted it to him in his first few months. He retrieved another piece of golden paper, joining Sam in the middle of the room, tossing it onto the platform.

One by one, their teammates joined them, revealing the small fragments of belief that they'd been carrying with them since it had been ceremonially torn apart to prove that the belief they shared existed in more than just a poster on a wall.

Isaac had his tucked under his captain's armband, Colin's was behind his shin pad, Richard's was in his wash bag, Zorro's was in his cubby.

Trent glanced at Billie who was sitting beside him on the physio bench, crying yet again over what was a beautifully profound moment of connection for the people in that room.

"Pregnancy hormones," Billie whispered to Trent who simply smiled, "You can print that."

As all the pieces of the puzzle lay jumbled on the locker room's altar the team worked together to put the pieces back together, which in itself was ceremonial, because their belief had always been within them, they just hadn't necessarily realised it.

"There we go," Colin smiled proudly as the boys stepped back, allowing the coaches, Billie, Trent, Will and Nate to step into the circle and admire the boys' work.

"And there it is...number four," Ted nodded with a proud smile, unable to fathom just how much that yellow piece of paper meant to them, "Alright, let's bring it in."

Billie slotted herself in between Will and Trent as everyone put their hands into the circle, a cocktail of emotions hanging over them.

"I know folks like to say, 'There's no place like home,' that's true, you know," Ted sighed, "But man, there ain't a whole lot of places like AFC Richmond either...Captain?"

"Richmond on three," Isaac declared with a bittersweet smile, "One, two, three..."

"Richmond!"

Richmond returned to the pitch with a point to prove as the second half of the match unfolded, as they proved they deserved to be the team that had won sixteen consecutive matches.

Jamie made an audacious pass across to Dani as they closed in on the goal, Dani swiftly cut inside and took his shot but the ball bounced straight off of the post.

Sam took his chance, but the ball rebounded off the woodwork yet again as the Richmond fans sighed in frustration.

Colin made a header and it chipped the crossbar, as the Dogtrack fell into hums of frustration yet again.

From the corner of the box, Jamie collected the ball, chipping it with the inside of his boot and burying it in the top corner of the net.

Richmond's fans erupted in delight as Jamie secured his team a well needed lifeline in the fifty first minute. Billie cheered and hollered as Will ran along the sidelines, capturing photos of Richmond's star player as Jamie's other chant echoed around the stadium.

"Tartt is on fire and he's shagging Billie Kent, Tartt is on fire and he's shagging Billie Kent," The fans chanted in unison as Roy clenched his fists to mask his awkward disposition.

"It never gets old," Billie smirked, proudly folding her arms across her chest, the chant continuing as she watched Jamie run back into play as though he had a point to prove, "And it certainly gets him going."

"The less said about what gets Jamie Tartt going the fucking better," Roy huffed.

"Well, the last thing West Ham can afford to do is let him get going, and this?" Billie smirked as the chant continued, "Is going to do just that."

Less than twenty minutes stood between Richmond and full time, the minutes slipping away like sand in a timer as they attempted chances anywhere they could. Colin passed the ball to Jamie who was in the box, but one of West Ham's defenders brushed past him as he moved with the ball, knocking Jamie to the floor.

Or rather, allowing Jamie to dabble in a bit of acting, depending on which way you looked at it.

"Come on, Ref!" Billie shouted as the crowds hollered in agreement.

Mike Dean blew his whistle and gave Richmond the penalty, Richmond's fans cheering in delight.

"Come on, Starman," Billie grinned as she watched her boyfriend wink at Sam who was quick to help him up off the ground, she had every faith in his ability to score a penalty and Richmond needed just that, but as Billie watched Jamie hand the ball over to Dani she was stunned.

But no more stunned than when Dani proceeded to pass the ball onto Isaac who quickly tried to give it to Colin, the Welshman simply assuring him that it would be fun with a gentle pat on the back as the team's captain, who had never taken a penalty in his professional career stood on the penalty spot.

"I mean it's a choice," Billie exhaled.

"A fucking bold choice," Roy remarked as the team cheered in support.

She watched Isaac place the ball at his feet as the Dogtrack fell silent, both teams waiting for him to take his penalty with bated breath. Billie and the three coaches stood with their fingers, toes and anything crossable, crossed as the whistle blew and Isaac kicked the ball, sending it straight back into the crowd behind the goal.

"Shit," Roy sighed, aware that Richmond had failed to equalise.

"Wait," Billie and Beard nudged Roy and Ted as they watched Mike Dean approach the goal for closer inspection.

He turned back towards both teams, blowing his whistle and awarding it a goal, Richmond had managed to equalise.

"He must've sent it through the bloody net!" Billie exclaimed.

"That's fucking incredible!" Roy laughed, wrapping his arms around his sister.

Both teams retreated to their dugouts for stoppage time while Richmond's grounds team raced to repair the net, allowing both teams to rehydrate and discuss potential options.

Jamie gently tapped Billie's shoulder as she turned to follow his gaze, watching as Rupert stormed down the side of the pitch, headed straight for the dugout with a heavy scowl.

"The fuck does that shrivelled scrotum want?" Billie muttered as they watched him grab at George Cartrick's jacket, pulling him out of the huddle to face him.

"Maybe he don't like squeaky bum time," Jamie remarked as the entire Richmond team watched the interaction unfold.

"Careful, we don't have time to explain that concept to Ted and Beard before they leave," Billie smirked, because if she was a betting woman, she'd presume that Rupert was threatened by Jamie's presence on the pitch, "Regardless of how good your bum looks in those white shorts."

"You know that ain't what squeaky bum time means, don't you, babe?" Jamie frowned, eager to clarify what she'd meant.

"Yeah," Billie nodded, leaning closer so that the rest of the team wouldn't hear, "You do know what pregnancy hormones do to a woman's libido, yeah?"

"Mmhmm, I did read about that, yeah," Jamie muttered, scratching the back of his neck as he did his very best to avoid the associated thoughts.

"Woah!" Echoed around the stadium as Jamie and Billie tore their gaze from each other to see that Rupert had since shoved George to the ground.

"Get up," Rupert warned George.

"I hope my balls don't look like that when I'm old," Jamie muttered, earning a playful nudge from Billie who's eyes widened, noticing how little George's shorts left to the imagination.

"Get up!" Rupert repeated.

"Okay, gents let's go," Mike Dean sighed as he approached the dugout while Disco helped George up, "George, put 'em away."

The whistle blew and the boys returned to pitch, both sets of fans applauding as the match resumed.

"Here we go, boys!" Billie encouraged them as they returned to their positions, trying not to smirk too hard as a downtrodden Rupert Mannion passed her, his gaze lingering on Nate as he walked.

"Wanker!" One fan shouted from the stands.

"Wanker! Wanker! Wanker! Wanker!" The rest of the fans in both the home and away ends continued to chant as Rupert made his departure from the pitch that belonged to the team he had once owned and deep down, had loved.

From the moment the match resumed, West Ham had maintained complete momentum, pinging the ball around like a pinball machine, leaving Richmond unable to retrieve the ball as they pushed towards the goal.

A lob into the box, promptly knocked by Zorro back into West Ham possession, the Hammers took their chance to pounce on an open goal, Ward-Prowse taking aim at the goal and burying it in the back of the net.

"Fuck!" Billie and Roy shouted in frustration as Richmond's dreams slowly slipped from their grasp, Billie, Roy and Beard turning to Ted as he laughed to himself.

"What the fuck are you laughing at?" Roy frowned as his younger sister shared his expression.

"Fourteen was offside," Ted told them proudly.

"What?" Beard remarked as they turned to see Mike Dean declare the goal offside after a VAR check.

"God, it's like the basketball match at the start of High School Musical 3," Billie grinned as she watched Will snapping photos of the boys' delight at the thought of a potential lifeline.

One minute of extra time remained in Richmond's miracle season, sixty seconds stood between them and the chance to make history.

Jamie had the ball, but West Ham's defence had him boxed in, but was able to make a pass to Richard. Before Richard could attempt to send it forward, Paqueta brought Richard down, earning Richmond a free kick in a dangerous area of the pitch.

"Here we fucking go," Billie clapped her hands together as Jamie scooped up the ball, joined by Sam as they awaited the referee's whistle.

"Okay, come on, talk to me, geese," Ted gestured for Roy and Beard to join him as Billie lingered beside them, "What we gonna do?"

"Lasso Special," Beard suggested.

"We're too close for that," Roy replied, "Loki's Toboggan?"

"That's a long-ass toboggan ride," Beard muttered, "Upside Down Taxicab?"

"It's tough without Cockburn."

"Beckham's Todger?" Billie decided to put her opinion in the mix.

"You just like saying Beckham's Todger," Roy huffed.

"Wait hold on," Ted instructed the coaches, "Hey, Nate, come here," He gestured for the former assistant coach to join them on the sideline, "Come on, hurry up."

Nate rushed from his seat, taking his space beside Ted, unsure of what was happening.

"Hey, fellas!" Ted shouted at Jamie, Bumbercatch and Sam, "Hey!"

Ted pointed to Nate, adding emphasis on his presence, before pretending to hand something to Nate, who continued to remain clueless.

"Here, hold that," Ted muttered before shouting, "It's an Oscar!"

"It's a little heavy," Billie whispered to Nate, finally catching onto Ted's plan.

"Or the ESPY!" Ted exclaimed as Sam, Jamie and Bumbercatch nodded in realisation.

"They've got it," Billie grinned.

"Alright, here we go, give me that," Ted took the imaginary award and threw it over his shoulder as Jamie and the boys organised themselves, Sam taking the ball in his hands and Jamie and Bumbercatch took their places, just seconds away from the deciding point of their fate.

The whistle blew and Billie and the coaches watched nervously as Sam laid the ball off to Dixon who switched the play across the pitch to Bumbercatch who began to dribble the ball down towards Richmond's goal as Jamie made his run into the box.

"Here, pass me the ball!" Jamie exclaimed, beginning his award winning performance as West Ham's defence surrounded him, "Me, me! I want the ball, pass me the ball, please!"

"I'm gonna marry that man one day," Billie grinned as she watched Jamie perform the role he'd once refused to let himself be.

"Yeah," Roy smiled proudly, "You fucking are."

Sam remained unmarked as he ran down the edge of the pitch. Bumbercatch took his chance, laying the ball off to Sam with precision who took his shot and buried it in the back left corner of the net, the Dogtrack erupting in screams of rapture.

"Holy flipping-" Billie shouted as she wrapped her arms around Will in euphoria, kissing his forehead as the team on the bench celebrated alongside them.

"You used my play!" Nate exclaimed as he jumped into Ted's arms, "You used my play!"

"Yeah, I did!" Ted laughed in delight as Roy took Nate from Ted's arms and spun him around, "Yeah, I did!"

Billie kept her arms around Will and Trent's shoulder as they awaited the final whistle, while the coaches did the same.

Mike Dean blew the final whistle, declaring full time as Richmond's fans, team and staff erupted in cheers of delight, jumping up and down in jubilation, securing them the all important three points in the most unprecedented of scenes.

The team in the dugout ran onto the pitch, their coaches following close behind as Will, Trent and Billie ran after them, the fans storming onto the pitch too.

Billie caught sight of Jamie, weaving her way through the team and fans as she made her way towards the man she loved, the father of her child.

"There she is," Jamie grinned as Billie ran towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he picked her off the ground, her legs finding their place around his waist, she threaded her hands through his hair, kissing him as though it were the first time, both of them unable to hide their smiles.

"I'm so fucking proud of you, starman," Billie smiled as she rested her forehead against his, "What's it they say about Tartt being on fire?"

"Not sure, you might have to remind me," Jamie smirked, kissing her again before placing her back on solid ground, keeping his arms wrapped around her as they watched Alfie run towards Colin, straight into the arms of the man he loved, before kissing as though no one surrounded them.

"Come on," Colin gestured for them to join Billie, Jamie and the rest of their Richmond family.

Roy wrapped his arms around Jamie and Billie's shoulders as the team chanted along to Ted's version of the running man, the sound of 'We're Richmond Till We Die' echoed from Nelson Road to The Crown and Anchor.

An inexplicable feeling of joy fell upon all of them, the feeling of such a momentous achievement that it really didn't matter whether Manchester City had won their match, because the feeling that united them was more than anything they'd ever known. Something Billie and Jamie weren't sure anything could ever come close to...well, until they welcomed their new addition that is.

author's note: ahhhh my heart!
I can't lie I've been putting off publishing these chapters because it means we've nearly reached the end of the episode chapters (there's two more chapters of act three and then an act four of jamie and billie's little family)