"So where do you think her father is right now?" Keeley asked the crowded office, in which she, Billie, the coaches, and Higgins had convened in the wake of the news of Rebecca's father's passing.

"In the drawer of a funeral home," Roy answered blankly, never ceasing to amaze Billie with his words as she looked out into the locker room, where the boys were all standing together.

"No, I mean, like, spiritually," Keeley sighed.

"In the drawer of a funeral home," Roy repeated himself, having always maintained an incredibly black and white opinion of life after death.

"You know, growing up I used to believe if you did good things, you went to heaven, you did bad things, you went to hell," Ted told the room, "Nowadays, I know we all just do both, so wherever he is, I hope he's happy."

"It gets complicated when you bring the paradox of doing bad things for a good outcome into the mix," Billie sighed, "Like Tommy Shelby."

"Fuck, yeah, Peaky Blinders," Roy nodded at his sister.

"I like to imagine a heaven where animals are in charge, and humans are the pets" Higgins sighed, "I'd like to spend eternity curled up in front of a fire at Cindy Clawford's feet."

"God rest her soul," Billie signed the cross.

"I'd like to be reincarnated as a tiger...and then ravage anyone who looked at me wrong," Nate remarked while Billie and Roy shared a look of concern.

"You know, if you weigh a person's body right after death, it's 21.3 grams lighter," Beard told the group as he leant back in his seat, "And some say that's the weight of the soul."

"Whoever figured that out clearly weighed someone, murdered them, then weighed them again," Roy huffed, "You live, you die, you're done, good night."

"He's on his period," Keeley told her friends as Roy returned to his own desk.

"Just a few years away from the manopause," Billie sighed.

"Don't you mean, menopause?" Nate frowned.

"No, Nate, I mean the manopause, because he's a man, and he's getting old," Billie replied.

"I am not old," Roy grunted.

"Whatever you say," Billie remarked, opening the office door, gaining the attention of the team as she approached them.

They'd come in for yet another day of training, putting in the graft ahead of their last few league fixtures, every point mattered at that stage in the season. But before they could get changed and warm up, practice was cancelled due to the death of Rebecca's father.

"You told 'em about the dress code yet, skipper?" Billie asked Isaac as she joined the group.

"I was waiting for you, in case I forgot any important details," Isaac told her.

"Go ahead," Billie nodded, glancing at Jamie who was sitting on the platform in the middle of the room. He patted the space beside him, gesturing for him to join her, and she did, pulling her legs up to her chest and resting her head on her knees.

They hadn't discussed what happened at the gallery that night, or what Billie may have almost said, she wasn't even sure if Jamie had realised. It didn't change anything between them, they were the same as usual, there just hadn't been a moment that felt like the right time to address it. They'd both been so busy, Billie was taking on freelance jobs and Jamie was tirelessly training, it was ironic that a funeral was what had given them time off.

"Oi, so we're all going to this funeral as a team," Isaac told the group, "So that means ties, shirts..." Jamie kissed his teeth as Isaac gave him a look of authority, reminded of last year's charity gala, "And no trainers."

The boys looked incredibly dejected.

"Woah, woah, woah, okay," Zoreaux was ready to make an attempt to reason with Isaac and Billie, "What if they're really nice Yeezys?"

"What colour?" Isaac asked.

"Bright red." Zoreaux answered.

"Red?" Billie remarked, "You boys need to go to more funerals."

"Okay, I'll wear some dress shoes," Zoreaux awkwardly corrected himself.

"Where do you get dress shoes?" Dani asked.

"I don't have time to stand in line at midnight and wait till morning to buy new shoes," Colin told the group, reminding Billie of the time he made her queue up with him to buy some limited edition Jordan's.

"You don't have to do that for shoes like these, mate," Jamie sighed, having already been privy to Billie's funeral dress code rules, "Nobody wants them."

"I'm sure you boys will all look incredibly handsome in your suits, and Rebecca will be greatly touched by the gesture, alright?" Billie told the boys, reminded of the phone call she had shared with Keeley and Rebecca early that morning.

"Did I miss anything, Bils?" Isaac asked.

"You boys all know how to tie a tie, yeah?" Billie asked, fearing the worst as they stared back at her with blank faces, "Okay, well I'll find a video and put it in the groupchat."

"You coming on the team bus with us, Bils?" Jamie replied.

"Yeah, Alf's gonna drop me back here once I'm ready," Billie told him as she stood up, "So you all do as me and the skipper say? Ties, shirts and dress shoes."

"Yes, boss," The team nodded.

"Good lads."

"You look way too good to be going to a funeral, Bils," Alfie looked up from his laptop as Billie entered the living room, dressed for the funeral.

"Is it too much?" Billie panicked, looking down at the dress she had chosen. It was black of course, with sheer balloon sleeves, it was respectful enough, the skirt stopping above the knee. She had chosen to wear black heeled boots and a pair of tights, which felt most appropriate for a funeral.

"Not at all," Alfie insisted, placing his laptop on the sofa beside him, "Colin said the boys are going, including Jamie."

"You've been talking to Colin?" Billie remarked, surprised by the revelation.

"You subjected us to several hours of you and Jamie pretending not to flirt at Winter Wonderland of all places, and you expect us not to have bonded over that?" Alfie frowned.

"Colin knows about Jamie?" Billie replied, not that she was completely surprised.

"He asked me if there was anything going on between you, said I didn't know," Alfie explained, and Billie was grateful for her friend's response, "Not that I think he can't be trusted, but because it's not my story to tell."

"Alright, well thanks," Billie smiled.

"Have you told lover boy how you feel yet?" Alfie asked.

"There's not really been a right time, that night in the gallery, that felt like the perfect time," Billie told him.

"Bils, you need to abandon the idea of love being perfect, it doesn't have to be, it's perfectly imperfect, just like you and Jamie, don't wait around for the right moment, you'll regret it," Alfie told her firmly.

"You're really fucking good with words," Billie sighed.

"Almost as if I get paid for them."

Leslie Higgins, an ever loyal and loving friend, was the first person to step off of the team bus once it parked up in front of the church. He had been most touched when he saw the effort the team had gone to for Rebecca and her father. He'd entered the clubhouse to see the team lined up in the hallway, having their suits inspected by Billie and Isaac. Billie adjusted a dozen ties while Isaac inspected the quality of footwear.

Not a trainer in sight.

"My condolences," Higgins smiled gently as he approached the woman he considered a dear friend, wrapping her in a comforting hug.

"Thank you, Leslie," Rebecca replied, grateful to have such a dear friend in attendance, and even more grateful when she looked up to see the Richmond players stepping off of the team bus one by one.

"How many of them came?" Rebecca asked as the men passed her, offering brief words of condolences.

"All of them," Higgins smiled gently.

"And none of them are wearing trainers," She added in disbelief, noticing how well presented they all appeared.

"That's how much they care about you," Higgins told her, "I also heard some mumblings that Billie had a polite word with them."

Soon enough Billie exited the team bus, turning around to offer Dani a hand as he clung onto Jamie with his other hand, slowly stepping down onto the gravel.

"My feet are killing me, man," Dani muttered.

"We'll sit down in a minute, mate," Jamie assured his friend as he and Billie helped him towards the church.

"Are you good to take him from here?" Billie asked Jamie as she laid eyes on Rebecca.

"Yeah," Jamie nodded, "See you inside."

"Billie," Rebecca smiled as the young woman approached her, "Thank you for coming."

"You never have to thank me," Billie assured her as she wrapped her in a hug, "You let me know if you need anything, alright?"

"Well, I certainly owe you some thanks for getting the boys dressed," Rebecca offered a small smile.

"They did that all by themselves, I was just on hand to tidy them up a bit," Billie told her.

"Rebecca," Sam nodded as he joined the small group.

"Sam," Rebecca gulped, and Billie couldn't help but notice the shift in her disposition, "And Colin, and Isaac, and Nathan...Everyone, thank you so much for coming."

Colin removed his cap from his head, clinging onto it as he offered Rebecca a gentle smile, "Sorry for your loss."

"Yeah, sorry for your loss," Isaac nodded.

"Yes, erm..." Nate stumbled over his words, "Fathers are the training wheels on the bikes of...sorry, I just didn't want to say what they said, so I- Sorry for your loss."

Nate awkwardly walked towards the church, regretting each word he had spoken. The rest of the boys followed behind, Billie looped her arm around Colin's, deciding she was best placed to keep an eye on the team and their antics.

"She got her father's genes, that's for sure," Billie muttered as she joined Rebecca's side, Rebecca's who's gaze remained on Rupert, the doting father, cradling his new daughter, "Do you reckon he thinks having a daughter undoes all the shit things he's done to women over the years?"

"What are we talking about?" Keeley joined the two women.

"The baby."

"Oh, that baby sucks," Keeley told them, unknowingly agreeing with Billie.

"You don't have to say that for me," Rebecca sighed.

"I'm not just saying it, I'm serious," Keeley insisted.

"That baby's whack, I hate it." Billie added.

"I love you two," Rebecca smiled at the two women.

"We love you too."

"And we're here for you, whatever you need," Billie reminded her.

"I know." Rebecca nodded solemnly.

"I won't leave your side," Keeley assured her.

"Jones and Kent!" Sassy's voice echoed from the doorway of the church as the two women looked up to see the woman they had only seen once since that fateful weekend in Liverpool.

"Sassy!" Keeley eagerly exclaimed, running into the church, "Oh my God!"

Billie, who lacked the ability to run in heels, quickly paced after her speedy blonde friend.

"Hello, you," Sassy grinned, wrapping an arm around the young Kent woman, having just let go of Keeley, "You both look amazing."

"Likewise," Billie beamed at the woman who's energy was incredibly infectious.

"I guess we're supposed to be sad," Sassy shrugged as passersby looked at them with glances of disappointment, "Funerals are so weird."

"I was literally talking about that earlier," Keeley remarked, "Do you also wanna be a tree when you die?"

"Hell yeah," Sassy nodded, "Or a really stupid dog, either one is a great life."

"I wouldn't mind being a seagull, stealing people's food, living by the sea, flying wherever the fuck I want, sounds pretty bloody perfect to me," Billie declared.

"Absolutely," Sassy nodded in agreement, "So, where's Ted?"

Billie and Keeley shared a grin, the sort of mischievous grin that Phoebe and Billie shared when they were about to ambush Roy with nerf guns.

"Sassy and Ted, sitting in a tree," Keeley smirked, "F-U-C-K-I-N-G."

"Now, now, not in front of our lovely Billie's innocent ears," Sassy smiled, turning to the brunette, "Any more trips to Manchester recently?"

"No need, Manchester came to her," Keeley smirked as Billie offered her a gentle nudge to the ribs.

"You cheeky minx," Sassy gasped.

"On the topic of cheeky rendezvous, I think Rebecca is secretly dating someone," Keeley told the two women.

"What?"

"Mmhmm, these last few weeks she's turned up to work with a consistently remarkable post sex glow," Billie added in agreement.

"Now, is today an inappropriate day to inquire and badger her into telling us who?" Sassy asked the two women.

"We'll never know unless we try," Keeley replied.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Billie nodded.

"I'm going to find Roy," Keeley quickly told the women, giving Sassy an eyebrow raise that Billie couldn't quite read.

"Oh, yes, I suddenly really need a wee," Sassy nodded, "Won't be long."

"What?" Billie frowned as the two women sped off in different directions.

"Billie."

Billie looked up at the sound of her name, unable to hide the smile on her face when she laid eyes on Jamie. It might have been a funeral, but she wasn't afraid to admit that he looked really good in that suit, with his tie and his hair styled neatly, using less gel than usual.

"Jamie," Billie smiled, her skin feeling hot under his gaze, even though they'd already seen each other several times already that day, "You look...good."

Good? Who the fuck says good?

"Thanks," Jamie nodded, scratching the back of his neck, "You look great, well you always do, I just mean...sorry, I ain't great at the whole dead people thing."

"I get it," Billie smiled, "Kind of reminds you of how fucking morbid mortality can be."

"Yeah," Jamie nodded, with a brightness in his eyes that wasn't there before.

"I hate dress shoes so much, Jamie," Dani winced as he joined the pair, "Oh, hello, Billie."

"I know, muchacho," Jamie sighed, "'Cause remember, they ain't made for people like us, they're made for sheep, they're made for muggles, they're made for twats."

"When I get home, I will set them on fire, and their memory will burn in hell," Dani declared, startling Billie and Jamie.

"Jesus, Dani," Jamie frowned.

"Jesús has no place in the conversation of these damn shoes," Dani remarked before slowly waddling towards his seat.

"Are you sitting with us?" Jamie asked, gesturing towards the pews where some of the Richmond boys were already seated.

"Probably," Billie told him, "I've got to see a woman about a submarine first."

"A submarine?"

"Yeah, it's a Liverpool thing," Billie explained, "The Beatles."

After wandering around the church for goodness knows how long, Billie found herself approaching a small room, following the sound of Rebecca and Keeley's hysterical laughter.

"When I was a kid, the only thing I liked about church was confession, it was so freeing," She heard Keeley's voice as she opened the door, "I'd just sit there and admit the sickest shit inside my brain."

"You two never cease to amaze me," Billie caught her friends' attention as she closed the door behind herself, "Confession confessionals, hmm?"

"Yeah, one time, I made the priest blush and barf at the same time," Keeley exclaimed as Billie took a seat beside her.

A knock at the door captured the three women's attention as Sassy appeared, "I have been told to come in to ask you to lower your voices."

"Forgive me, mother," Billie signed the cross over her chest.

"But, I also brought this," Sassy revealed a bottle of red wine, "Stole it from a little boy in a white robe."

"No, Sass," Rebecca sighed, half disappointed, half delighted to have some normality.

"So, Billie, let's talk Mr Manchester," Sassy smirked as she took a swig from the bottle, "Where, when, what, who, how many times?"

Billie cringed at the idea of finally sharing the details of what happened with Jamie last year, but in the spirit of confessional, she felt compelled to throw caution to the wind, "My flat, last year, in bed, in the shower, Jamie Tartt, twice."

The three women who surrounded her erupted into screams of delight. Keeley had known the entire time, while Rebecca had held a hunch for sometime that there was something lingering between Jamie and Billie, she had no clue that the pair had already acted upon it.

"So you've secretly been shagging Jamie bloody Tartt?" Sassy exclaimed in delight.

"Like twice," Billie laughed awkwardly as her cheeks went red, "Keeley already knew."

"It's so fucking obvious," Keeley remarked, "But you never told me about your Bantr date."

"Oh, yes," Rebecca smirked, having been wrapped up in her own romantic endeavours of recent.

"Oh my God," Billie covered her face with her hands, "It was Jamie."

"What?!" Keeley screamed gleefully.

"No way!"

"So has anything happened since?"

"No," Billie shook her head, choosing not to tell the ladies about her 'almost confession' which felt too personal to share in a space like that, "He's my best friend."

"I was always told that the best person to fall in love with is your best friend," Sassy told her, "And then I made the mistake of marrying Darren instead of Freddie Thompson...let that be a lesson."

"I'll bear that in mind, Sass," Billie smiled, turning to Rebecca, "Now, boss, who are you secretly shagging?"

"What?" Rebecca frowned.

"Oh, let's skip the part when you pretend you're not, yeah?" Keeley grinned as Sassy handed the wine bottle to Rebecca.

"What are you even talking about?" Rebecca remarked as the three women giggled like naughty school girls.

"How about the bullshit text after the date, the fact we have not seen you outside of work for two weeks," Keeley began listing points on her fingers, "And that even though today is your father's funeral, you are glowing like a girl that just got properly plowed."

"Shit," Rebecca smiled as her friends all began to scream in excitement.

"I knew it! I knew it!"

"You were right!"

"I've been asked to come in and tell you to lower your voices," Rebecca's mother promptly appeared in the room, accompanied by Nora.

"The vicar looked like he wanted to swear," Nora sighed in earnest, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, of course," Billie assured the girl.

"We're just trying to figure out who Rebecca is shagging," Keeley grinned.

"Oh, I know," Deborah smiled, "And it's good."

"Mother," Rebecca sighed as her three friends screamed in excitement.

"Hang on, hang on," Sassy quietened the room, "Let's play twenty questions."

"Yes, yes!" Keeley exclaimed.

"Oh, my, this is thrilling!" Nora grinned as Keeley and Billie stood up eagerly.

"Is he tall?" Sassy began with an easily broad question.

"Yes."

"Is it Sam?" Keeley tilted her head to the side.

"How the fuck did you know that?" Rebecca exclaimed in disbelief.

"Oh my God! I fucking did it!" Keeley exclaimed as the rest of the women screamed in excitement.

"Rebecca, you bloody beauty!" Billie grinned as Nora stared at her godmother in proud disbelief.

"That's it!" The vicar's frustrated voice came from the open doorway, silencing the women, "Everyone out except immediate family, please."

The women promptly hung their heads as they approached the door, Billie stopped in front of the vicar, signing a cross, "Forgive us, Father."

The service was almost about to start when Rebecca's closest friends returned to the main part of the church, awkward smiles on their faces as they stifled their laughter.

Billie looked over at her brother, who Keeley had already sat beside, and then Sassy and Nora slipped in beside Keeley. She then looked over at Jamie, who was standing, talking to Isaac and Colin, his eyes falling to her immediately. She didn't want to cause a scene, and she certainly didn't want to give the women she loved dearly any more to talk about.

So she slipped into the pew, sitting on her brother's right side, nudging him with her elbow, "You'll get a reputation surrounded by all these beautiful women," She smirked, nodding towards the women on the other side of him.

Roy simply scoffed, rolling his eyes at his sister.

"Cheer up, Roy, it's a funeral," Billie teased her brother as she looked up to see Rebecca and Deborah returning, suggesting that the service was about to begin.

Billie turned her attention from her brother at the sound of someone sitting beside her, looking to her right to see that Jamie had taken the vacant space next to her, while Isaac and Colin had found other empty seats.

"Not joining the boys?" Billie smiled tentatively.

"Nah," Jamie shook his head, "I'm happy right here."

"Not sure you're meant to declare happiness at a funeral, doesn't feel very tasteful," Billie told him in a hushed voice.

"I just mean I'm happy to sit beside you," Jamie replied as Billie looked down towards the other end of the row, Keeley and Sassy sending her various inappropriate subtle hand gestures.

The service began with a blessing, prayer and hymn, before one of Paul's old friends stepped up to the lectern to read a Bible passage before the vicar took his turn to address the congregation.

"Now, normally I would have to fib about how well I knew the deceased, but in this case, I did know Paul very well," The vicar told the room, "He came to church every weekend, sitting right over there, paying attention to every single word...of the Richmond match he was listening to on his phone."

The room erupted in sombre laughter.

"God, I love it when vicars do comedy," Billie smirked.

"I'll bear that in mind," Jamie nodded over the laughter.

"Huh?"

"I just mean...well it doesn't matter," Jamie rambled as the laughter hushed.

"But I would never have felt the need to chide Paul about this, it was a sign of his passion, for his beloved sport, and the commitment he showed to his team," The vicar declared, "The same passion and commitment he showed both as a husband and a father to his family as well."

Billie found herself silently interlocking her hand with Jamie's, she knew that the scars from Wembley were still healing, and she knew that the idea of a committed and loving father was a foreign concept to them both. When she felt Jamie squeeze her hand three times, she was relieved to know he felt secure.

"And now we will hear a eulogy from Paul's daughter, Rebecca," The vicar nodded towards the blonde woman before stepping down from the lectern.

Rebecca slowly made her way up to the front of the church, staring at the familiar and unfamiliar faces, "I don't really know what to say."

And then a door opened and a guardian angel appeared.

Or rather, Ted Lasso, a dear friend to so many, who offered a wordless apology before quickly finding himself an empty seat.

"Er...my father...was," Rebecca paused, "We're no strangers to love, you know the rules," And then she began to sing with trepidation, "And so do I."

"A full commitment's what I'm thinking of," She sang softly, the most nervous Billie had ever seen her, "You wouldn't get this from any other guy."

Jamie looked at Billie with a bewildered frown, she simply squeezed his hand.

"I...just wanna tell you how I'm feeling," Rebecca continued to sing, her eyes welling up with her words, "Try to make you understand."

Billie looked down at her hand that remained interlocked with Jamie's and then back up at the side of his face, his gaze trained on Rebecca.

'Tell him,' 'tell him,' 'tell him.'  The voice continued to metaphorically shake her by the shoulders, because she was ready to be loved and to love, she wasn't willing to give that, or rather, him up.

"Never gonna give you up," She continued, "Never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you, never gonna make you cry, never gonna say..." Her voice faltered as her eyes became glossy with tears.

"Never gonna say goodbye," Ted picked up the words, carrying the torch for the blonde woman he considered a dear friend as the rest of the congregation looked over their shoulders at him, "Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you."

Billie had lied, to herself, and to Jamie, because she thought it would stop them from getting hurt, because she believed it'd be easier that way.

"Never gonna give you up," Ted sang, Keeley joining in.

"Never gonna let you down," Sam joined them.

"Never gonna run around and desert you, never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye," The rest of the room joined in, "Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you."

"Never gonna give, never gonna give," Rebecca sang.

"Give you up," The room replied with sombre smiles.

"Never gonna give, never gonna give," Rebecca smiled through her tears.

"Give you up."

Billie looked down at her hand, the way it fitted so easily with Jamie's, the hands that remained interlocked for the duration of the service. She didn't want to give him up, selfish or not, she wasn't sure if she could.

Who knew getting Rick Rolled could have such an effect on a person?