A Second Chance//Timber Fanfic (The Sandlot 3)

24: Rivers And Roads

Timber's P.O.V:

I awoke the next morning with a huge grin. I've been usually waking like this the past few days. Just knowing I'd get to see her made me want to get up every morning. That, and the amazing pancakes mom makes. The smell traveled through my room making me lazily and deliriously waltz to the kitchen. Still with the dreamy smile plastered on my face.

"Well good morning to you mister" Mom giggled pouring me some orange juice. I sighed dreamily taking a small sip before digging into my heavenly pancakes. "Should I ask?" Mom said curiously resting her elbows onto the counter. "Go for it" I said with a mouthful of pancake. "Hmmm....Valerie?" She said. "Ding ding ding- you got it right" I said gulping down the huge mouthful that was mistakenly to big to completely swallow. "So you gonna see this girl?" She said resting a hand on her hip. I nodded happily and finished off my breakfast.

I quickly pulled on a t shirt and some jeans, already off for the day. I rode happily down the street towards her house. The rest of the guys met with their bikes at the curb. "Valerie hurry up!" Tommy yelled before closing the behind. "Women am I right?" He attempted to joke which earned a scoff from me. "Ok, ok I'm ready" she chirped as she skipped down the steps. Her curly hair bouncing like springs as she did so. As soon we were off.

"Guys I'm board" D.P whined as we sat, absentmindedly looking this way and that, sitting on the very curb of the sandlot. "What do you propose we do?" Valerie said picking at the little grass that seemed to grow in the sandlot. "Railroad!" Wings called.

"Yeah!"

"Precise variable to the equation of boredom"

"Railroad it is then!" I giggled happily as I saw Valerie's eyes meet with mine. Just looking at her made me smile. "We'll come on now, dreamy" she snickered pulling me out of my trance. "Uh-right" I chuckled getting onto my bike. We headed in the direction of the railway. Valerie was up ahead chatting with Wings while I was straying in the back of the pack.

"Hey" Tommy said pulling out of my navigating mind. "Huh?" I questioned slightly looking away from the road. The tress whisking quickly by as my bike chain clicked with each peddle. "Do you like Valerie?" He said with a serious tone. "I love her" I said dreamily sighing and continuing to navigate the road ahead. "Good. So just a random question"

"Go for it" I said confidently, still not taking my eye off the road. "If there was- I don't know a bad situation, near death specifically. Would you save her?- even if it meant you could possibly lose your own life?" He questioned and most certainly did it without subtly. Raising an eyebrow I spat out the question easily and simply. "Of course Tommy, I would do anything for-"

"AH wrong answer!" He yelled rather loud. "What?" I stepped on the brakes of my bike making the wheels squeal in the most annoying way possible. Tommy stopped in an identical way, meeting eye to eye with me. "Tommy- what are you talking about? What's going on? Is there something I should be worried about, because it certainly seems like I should be!" I shouted. The rest of the group far ahead.

"I just need you to know that at any given moment that Valerie is in deadly danger and I just so happen to be present, let me do the saving comprende?" Tommy said raising an overly egotistical eyebrow at me. "Sure" I muttered. "Ahem, I didn't hear you" he said, crossing his arms and was looking serious now. "Ugh. Fine. If Valerie is in grave danger and you just so happen to be there I'll let you do the saving"

"Good. Now let's catch up before we're both rotten eggs" Tommy joked earning a nod of agreement. What was he so worried about? I shook off the troubling thought and peddled fast, still navigating the road to make sure I knew just exactly where I was going.

"Come on slow pokes!" Wings yelled. He was hiding our bikes at the moment. "I know an awesome ice cream place on the other side" Wok was telling Valerie. "Well, maybe we could play after" she advised. "But we don't have a ball" D.P whined. "Well, your troubles have come to an end beeeccaaauusse" she reached behind her back and pulled out our luckily ball earning praises from the rest of the team-including me.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Valerie questioned as we walked over the railroad tracks. The calm lake beneath us showing the reflections of our childhood. "Sure it is- use it all the time" Two Ton said. "Oh I'll see that to believe it gordo" (translation: fatty) this time roll was snickering. "You're lucky I can't come over there and-" his speech was interrupted by the sound of a train horn.

"Come on guys lets move!" I yelled over everyone's comments and snickering between Two Ton and Roll. We started with a jog getting off the tracks. I held Valerie's hand but she'd dropped something. "It's ok I got it!" Valerie shouted over the continuing horn. "Go! I'll catch up!" She said calmly before continuing to chase it. "You sure?" I asked seeing it roll into a track. Valerie wedged her foot in so she could pull out the ball. "It's ok!" She shouted. Nodding I hurried of the tracks hoping she'd be following behind me soon enough.

When I arrived with the rest of the group by my side I watched. I watched as the anxiety in my stomach fluttered like a million worried butterflies. "I got it!" Valerie cheered holding the ball in her hand. I nodded and motioned her to come back earning a optimistic nod from her. I'd hoped it wouldn't be her last. She visibly tugged at her leg. The expression of tiredness and exhaustion washed over her face. I could see black smoke from afar. The train horn echoing throughout the valley. Come on Valerie

"I'm stuck!"