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Title: How I Met Your Mother*
Author: Ariel
Email:
blaziak@yahoo.com Feedback: All feedback welcomed, specific input appreciated, harsh on me via PM
Rating: PG, pretty tame - ratings will change depending on content.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, but I love to take them for a ride!
Summary: A/U before season 1, the summer after Willow's freshman year with a large dose of Queen Cordelia at her bitchy best and teen-aged angst.
Author’s Note: END OF GAME GUARANTEED! This ended up being one of the most difficult things I’ve ever written with all the logistics of batting order and working in the outcome. Thanks for hanging in there!!!
*no connection to the sit-com of the same name
Thoughts are in italics.Part 51: The Big Game (finale)Kelly Leblonski was on the on deck circle, taking ferocious swipes with the bat.
Towanda watched, keeping her face impassive, but noting nervously that Kelly always looked a lot bigger with a baseball bat in her hands. Then Kelly stopped and seemed to focus her fury in one searing glare while Towanda bit her lip and did her best to glare back with equal intensity.
Without breaking their stare, Kelly tucked the bat under her arm, and spat impressively on her palms.
“Ewwww!” Connie’s shriek of disgust was clearly audible. “That is soooo gross, Kelly! Now we’ve got Kelly cooties all over our bat!”
Kate shivered with disgust, Towanda rolled her eyes but Devola grinned from the outfield, liking the strong gesture and resolving to try it herself.
Kelly took a deep breath and Towanda felt herself get smaller, almost as if Kelly was sucking everyone’s air into her own lungs. Then Kelly strode to home plate and stood ready, a steely gaze of determination in her small gray eyes.
Towanda felt the sweat on her palm stick for an instant as the ball left her hand, lofting high into the air.
“Ball one.”
Kelly grinned and waggled her bat mockingly then used her hand to outline the strike zone. She stared at Towanda, daring her to lay down a strike.
Towanda glanced at Faith who tipped her cap, signaling for a walk. But Kelly made a kissing sound and Towanda felt her face flush and shook off her coach’s signal.
She threw the strike and Kelly’s bat was a shining arc, blasting the ball farther than any seven year old had done before.
The crowd was silent, hearing the smack as the ball hit the fence, barely three feet from the top and bounced back to roll quickly along the ground.
Kelly had already rounded second, the big girl pounding down the baseline to third.
Devola got to it first and fired it to Veronica as Kelly rounded third, elbowing Kate hard in the ribs her body angled to hide the action from both umpires.
Veronica grasped the ball, spun in place and fired it to Bettina. The ball arced, never even touching the ground as Bettina felt the thwock of its impact in her mitt.
Then Bettina thrust both hands out at Kelly who was racing like a freight train down the third baseline. Kelly slid, raising a cloud of thick dust and Lawanna sneezed once, feeling her eyes snap shut for the barest instant after Bettina made the tag.
Then Bettina felt Kelly’s hard rubber cleats smash against her shin and the catcher spun around to fall face down behind the base, the ball trapped under her body.
Lawanna’s eyes snapped open after sneezing and she felt the only panic she had ever felt as an umpire, knowing that she had not seen the play. She called “time out” and urgently beckoned Hallie who came in on a run then bent down with Faith, Willow, and Tara by her side to help Bettina to her feet and make sure that she was okay. Bettina's leg hurt a little, but not enough to stop her from grinning as she stood up, the ball clutched tightly in her hand.
Cordelia rushed up. “Kelly is safe! Bettina dropped the ball after the tag!”
Kelly stood up, "I saw her! She dropped it! Then she laid on it!"
Lawanna hesitated, she quirked an eyebrow at Hallie who read the situation but shook her head to indicate that she hadn’t seen the play.
Cordelia was persistent. “It's Kelly's word and my word against Bettina's. If you didn’t see it then the tie goes to the runner and you have to call her safe!”
“Wait!” Willow spoke rapidly, “Look, I’m not exactly a softball-gal okay, although I did do research online at ASA, NSA, and USSSA sites—“
Cordelia glared at her, “Do you have a lisp or something!”
“Just a lot of s’s.” Willow turned back to Lawanna, “but Veronica threw the ball and it went all with the flying and none of the bouncing right?”
Lawanna nodded, looking somewhat dazed by Willow’s babble.
“Then Bettina tagged her and fell on the ball.”
“We saw that, Willow!” Cordelia cut in, “But Bettina dropped it.”
The little girl shook her head angrily, but Cordelia over-rode her protest, “And then she scrabbled around in the dust and used her body to cover it up then grabbed the ball and said that she still had it which is a complete lie!”
Willow looked at Lawanna, “If Bettina made the tag with the ball and kept the ball in her hand then Kelly is out, right?”
Lawanna nodded. “I saw her make the tag, so if she didn’t drop it afterwards then you’re right, Kelly is out.”
Cordelia was triumphant, “But there’s no way to prove it!”
Willow raised her head, grinning like a science fair winner. “Yes there is!”
Lawanna stared at Willow, “How?”
“If Bettina lied and the ball rolled in the dust or she grabbed it out of the dust, then there will be dust on the ball under her hand and on the palm of her hand. If she held it tight the whole time her palm won’t be dusty and the ball will have a cleaner spot under her palm.”
Lawanna bent down and looked at Bettina, “Hold up your hand, Bettina.” Bettina opened her hand. Her palm was sweating and clean and the ball had a palm sized spot without any dust. Lawanna straightened, shouting with relief that her call was accurate, “Out!”
The Reds erupted into cheers.
Lawanna moved off a few feet to whisper to Hallie, “This game is crazy. Feels like I’m in a Sherlock Holmes movie or something.”
Hallie grinned and nodded, and then Lawanna had her bring the watering can to wet the dust down by home plate. Finally Lawanna gestured for Hallie to take her position back out on the field and resumed her own spot behind the plate. “Okay, batter up.” She clicked her stopwatch as Tizzie Stilton marched up to the plate.
Tizzie divided her glare between Lawanna for calling Kelly out and Towanda for being her arch-enemy.
As the first pitch floated across the plate, Tizzie apparently bent over the plate as she sneezed and was hit with the ball.
“Take your base.”
Tizzie waved at Towanda, shouted “thank you” and walked insolently to the base.
Billie walked up, dark eyes glittering. She took her stance, not moving a muscle, tensed and ready.
“Ball one.”
Towanda threw a strike and Bille lashed out, smashing a fly midway between second base and the fence. Debbie, who had played deep sprinted towards the ball which seemed to hang for an instant then hurtled towards the ground. Debbie missed the catch by no more than eight feet but caught the ball on the bounce and threw it to Connie who held Tizzie at second and kept Billie’s hit to a single.
Towanda licked her lips, suddenly remembering her captain’s duties, and shouted, “Okay, force on first, second, and third. Come on, you guys!”
They could here Mouse’s piping voice from the fence by right field, “Go Reds!” and they all smiled and breathed in, getting ready as Del Kinnemukka stepped up to the plate.
Faith beckoned the outfielders closer.
The first pitch was low. “Ball one.”
Del took the second pitch, knocking a surprise hit over Lisa’s head. The ball rolled and Mouse ran up to it. She couldn’t throw so she ran up to Lisa who snatched the ball gratefully from the little girl’s hand and hurled it to home.
Bettina snagged the ball and Tizzie turned and raced back to third, while the Reds breathed a sigh of relief quickly followed by a gasp as Mo Morrison stomped up to the plate.
Faith gestured the outfielders deep and Mouse, for one, was glad to turn tail and run back to the safety of the fence.
Meanwhile Veronica recalled Mo’s shots between the pitcher and second and positioned herself accordingly.
Towanda thought hard; walking in a run was out of the question. She had to pitch to the big girl. She thought.
Okay, low strikes. Get her to ground out if I can.“Ball one.” Towanda frowned,
Too low.Towanda wiped the sweat off her forehead and looked around at her team before taking a deep breath. “Play on any base and home plate!”
Mo loosened her shoulders, stepped out of the batter’s box, and whipped the bat around in a few practice swings and stepped back into the batter’s box. She bared her teeth and glared up at Towanda who glared right back.
The pitch left her hand and seemed to travel in slow motion as it crossed the plate. Instinctively Veronica bent her knees and sprang up at the crack of the ball hitting the bat. As the ball rocketed towards her, she threw her left arm up, snagging the ball in the webbing, while the force of the hit caused her to twist in the air and come down hard on her side.
Faith was shouting, “Turn two! Turn two!”
Billie was headed for third when she heard the smack of the ball hitting Veronica’s glove. The quick-witted first basewoman turned and began racing back towards second base just as Veronica rolled up onto her knees and hurled the ball wildly to Connie. Connie’s eyes widened, she took two steps towards first, speared the ball and reached her right foot out to lay her toes on the bag barely an instant before Billie crashed into her.
“Out on second!” Hallie shouted, then turned to see Tara running towards second base where Connie and Billie lay in a tangle of arms and legs. Tara offered Billie a hand up, but the girl turned away and stalked back to her team. Connie, meanwhile, looked amazed by the recent turn of events but got quickly to her feet.
Faith and Willow stood leaning over Veronica who was still on her knees, gasping, “Wind - knocked - out,” but she was grinning, “Got ‘em!” She bumped fists with Faith who nodded and said, “Way to go, champ!”
A beaming Veronica was helped her to her feet just in time to be surrounded by the other Reds who were laughing, screaming and jumping for joy.
Lawanna was smiling, waiting to see that no one had been injured before she made the call on the play. “Listen up! The runner crossed home plate after Billie was out on second, so the run doesn’t count. The score is 24 to 15. Both teams, grab a cup of water. Then Queens, take the field. Reds, you’re up!”
The Reds ran in, jumping together in a big clump as their coaches dispensed hugs and advice. Willow and Faith conferred and Faith addressed the group, “Guys. Listen up. Gotta keep moving.”
Willow nodded, “Even if Tizzie walked you all, we’d lose because we wouldn’t get those ten runs in time.”
Debbie was big eyed, “So what do we do?”
Faith took charge, “Swing at the close ones, don’t try for walks. Willow, get everyone lined up so there’s no time wasted waiting while we bat.”
There were a few anxious faces and Tara smiled, “Is there anything I can do to help you hit?”
Mouse’s small worried face looked up, “Can you sing to us?”
Tara’s smile faltered at the sight of Queens shooting them dirty looks and Kate spoke up, “No, Mouse. Tara can’t do that, it’s too hard.”
Tizzie passed by on the way to grab her glove, “Yeah, and singing is too much like your stupid cheers, Dumb-ola! Tara knows how pathetic they are!”
Tara’s chin came up at the insult to one of her girls and she beckoned to the group. “Come on, let’s sing for the Queens since they serenaded us!” She got them all together and grinned, “H-how about ‘Fish and Chips and Vinegar’?”
Devola’s eyes lit up with hope, “You mean the cheer?”
Tara shot her a mock-stern glance, “No, I mean the real words but if you hear something different in your heads,” she shrugged and smiled, “then that’s not my fault.” She led the round noticing that one voice, surprisingly melodic and powerful for a seven year old, persisted in singing the insulting cheer lyrics. She also noticed, without surprise, that the one voice belonged to Devola. After the song, she winked at Devola who winked back while the rest of the girls could barely contain their triumphant laughter at having released their ‘secret’ cheer.
Devola grinned, “You know what? I like singing.”
Tara gave their rebel a hug, “You know what? I do, too.”
Faith clapped Tara on the back, “Like it when you go all Momma-bear, T. Gives you an edge.”
Lawanna called for the extra balls to be thrown in. The moment had come.
Tara jogged over to coach first base while Faith coached third, leaving Willow to manage the batting order and encourage the kids.
Willow gave Kate a double hug and the little girl, stepped up to the batter’s box. She tensed then took the first pitch belting out a fast grounder that streaked between first and second stopping midway between Mo Morrison in right field and Celia in center. Kate raced around the bases and landed a double.
Devola was in the on deck circle, swinging and singing:
I feel hit-y, oh so hit-y, I feel hit-y and witty and gay
And so hit-y, gonna smash it out the park today!
Tizzie yelled, “You can’t sing, Devola!”
“I can to!”
“Can not!” Tizzie yelled to Lawanna, “Make her stop!”
Lawanna fought back an amused smile, “Batter up!”
Devola danced her way to the batter’s box, twirling twice on the way, then stood and batted her eyes at Tizzie.
The first pitch was high. “Ball one.”
Devola was humming her little song.
Tizzie yelled, “Stop it!”
“Stop what?” Devola asked innocently, “Standing? Breathing? I can’t hit lying down and if I stop breathing I’ll die.”
“Wish you would,” Tizzie muttered.
The next pitch was high. “Ball two.”
Tizzie glared ferociously at Devola who grinned back and blew her a kiss.
“She kissed me!”
Lawanna spoke, “Play ball!”
Devola shrugged innocently, “I’m just trying to be a good sport!”
Tizzie threw the next pitch, perhaps unconsciously aiming at Devola.
“Inside. Ball three.”
Tizzie’s fair skin flushed and she focused on Kelly’s upraised mitt.
“Strike one.”
Devola gripped the bat, swinging and missing on the next pitch.
“Strike two.”
The two girls locked eyes, then Tizzie grinned and moved her arm back for the pitch just as Devola pursed her lips into a kiss. Tizzie clutched the ball tighter and released it an instant slower as it arced up high.
“Ball four. Take your base.”
Devola blew Tizzie another kiss and skipped to the base.
Bettina seemed to be examining two softballs that Faith held in her hands.
“Batter up.”
Bettina gave one of the softballs a last ferocious squeeze then stepped stiffly up to the plate, the bat clenched tight in her fists.
The pitch came in low but arced up slightly over the plate and Bettina swung and missed.
“Strike one.”
The big girl started shaking with anger and swung at the next pitch.
“Strike two.”
Bettina had tears in her eyes and stepped out of the batter’s box, calling down to Tara who was waiting for her by first base. “I wanna hit the ball, Tara! I wanna hit the ball for you!”
Tara smiled and used her hand to send the sign Bettina had taught her that said, “I love you.”
The little girl blushed, grinned, and stepped back into the batter’s box. Her dark eyes sharpened and the ball came at her slowly, seeming to hang in the air like the piñata at her friend Carmen’s birthday party. She felt a fierce surge of joy and her bat was a silver arc, booming against the ball.
There was a collective gasp from the crowd as the ball flew up, up, up and over the fence.
Bettina saw it all happen with her mouth open, then suddenly the silence ended and she could hear her friends screaming, could see Tara jumping for joy, and Bettina began a slow jog around the bases before being mobbed at home plate. She was hugged, punched, patted and fist-bumped by a horde of friends but it was Tara’s kiss on her forehead that meant the most.
Mouse swallowed and tucked the bat awkwardly under an arm while she wiped her sweating palms down the legs of her pants. Then she grabbed the bat again and stepped up to the plate.
Tizzie threw the first pitch before Mouse had even lifted the bat.
“Strike one.”
Willow walked over to Lawanna. “She wasn’t ready.”
Lawanna was patient. “Once she steps into the batter’s box, the pitcher can throw the ball. So she needs to make sure she’s ready before she steps up to the plate.”
Willow backed away, suddenly realizing that time was running out.
Mouse rested the heavy bat on her shoulder.
“Strike two.”
The little girl felt her tummy get cold as she stared at Tizzie’s mean face.
“Ball one.”
Mouse smiled timidly, hoping that she could walk to first base again.
“Strike three.”
Kelly fumbled the catch deliberately and leaned in as she picked up the ball to whisper, “Stupid strike-out cry-baby,” before throwing the ball back to Tizzie. She smiled, watching the little girl’s shoulders slump as Mouse sniffled and walked back to Willow for another hug.
Veronica stepped into the batter’s box then froze, scarcely breathing as Tizzie smirked and threw a low pitch that bounced on the plate.
“Ball one.”
Tizzie straightened, focused, but threw a little high while Veronica remained silent and hard-eyed.
“Ball two.”
Tizzie glared at Veronica for making this harder than it needed to be. She pitched a strike and Veronica swung and missed while Tizzie breathed a sigh of relief.
“Strike one.”
Then Tizzie relaxed and released her third pitch.
“Ball three.”
Tizzie gripped the ball so hard she felt the stitching press against her palm. She fired it faster than she meant to and Veronica’s bat whipped around in a blur of motion and the ball rocketed straight for Tizzie’s head. Tizzie ducked instinctively and the ball shot through the hole between Lulu at short-stop and Hannah on second. It raced past Celia in center field who turned to run after it as Veronica was rounding first. Then Celia ran up to the ball and turned, firing the ball at Hannah but Veronica had rounded second and was barreling down the baseline towards third.
Hannah hurled the ball to Delise Kinnemukka on third, who speared it and turned to run at Veronica who whirled and headed back towards Hannah who reached out to catch the ball. Veronica jerked to a stop, turned back and ran for third.
Both teams were screaming.
Del snagged the throw from second and Veronica turned only a few feet from Del who eagerly threw the ball back to Hannah, but Veronica then turned and sped past Del. Hannah threw the ball back to Del and Del turned, throwing wildly to Lulu Ballard who was racing to back up third base. The throw flew past Lulu and Veronica stepped on the corner of the bag and saw Faith signaling her to run home. The little girl put on a fresh burst of speed. Lulu chased the overthrow and cocked her arm to throw to home, but Veronica had already crossed home plate.
“Safe.”
Veronica stood sweating, panting and smiling as the whole team mobbed her. Then Faith said, “Knew you could do it, kid,” and Veronica felt herself smiling back at her coach.
Lisa stepped immediately into the batter’s box, bat cocked.
She blasted the first pitch just past the shortstop and was rounding first on Tara’s wind milling arm as Tammy Pam Carter ran up on the ball and scooped it up. Her throw to second base fell short and Hannah left the base to scoop up the ball, turning to see Lisa’s foot land on the base and stay there.
“Safe on second.”
Connie took the first pitch and smashed a line drive straight into Tizzie’s ankle. Tizzie hopped on one foot as the ball bounced off her and rolled towards first base. While Billie raced over to scoop up the ball, Connie passed her and landed on first before Billie could make the play.
“Safe.”
Tizzie clambered up from the ground and glared at Connie on first and at Lisa who had made it to third base.
Cordelia called ‘time out’ to examine Tizzie’s ankle and make sure the little girl was able to continue. Tizzie walked around and assured Cordelia and Lawanna that she was able to play.
Meanwhile Willow hurried over to where Faith was coaching third base, “Faith,” she whispered, “We’re running out of time!”
Faith nodded, tipped a wink, “Don’t worry, Willow.” Faith raised her voice slightly, knowing that they were being heard. “Tizzie is getting tired, she’ll walk us right to that trophy!”
Willow shook her head, confused at first, then smiled slowly. “Strategy. Yes, all of the good. Walk to win!”
Lawanna called, “Batter up” and Tizzie turned to face Towanda and loosened her shoulders then glared at her rival captain. She sent a high pitch, still within the strike zone and Towanda lofted it out high enough that Celia in center field ran flat out to the fence as the ball bounced off the bottom and came rolling past her.
Lisa sprinted from third and crossed home plate.
Celia grabbed the ball in her hand and turned to find her cut-off girl.
Connie was approaching third base.
Celia threw the ball to Hannah on second but Towanda had slid into the base.
“Safe on second.”
Connie was more than halfway home when Hannah heard the screams and saw what was happening. She turned and threw the ball wildly in the direction of home. Kelly Leblonski jumped out of her crouch and ran to snatch the ball out of the air. She raced back, ball in hand as Connie slid into home.
“Safe.”
Willow grabbed Faith’s hands, “Six runs! We’ve got six runs!” She attempted to pull Faith into a Xander-style Snoopy Dance then left off, blushing when Faith stared her down.
Debbie was grinning nervously as she stepped up to the plate.
Tizzie smiled, confident of an easy out. She moved her arm back for the pitch as Debbie unconsciously began imitating Devola and wiggling her rump. Tizzie’s hand clenched and she looped the pitch over Debbie’s head.
“Ball one.”
Tizzie frowned at Debbie who began biting her lip.
The ball flew over the outside edge of the plate and Debbie didn’t swing.
“Strike one.”
Tizzie grinned and pitched the ball quickly, but it was too high for the shorter girl’s strike zone.
“Ball two.”
Kelly smacked her fist into her mitt, making Debbie jump and step out of the batter’s box. “Burn it in, Tizz! Come on! Right here!”
Tizzie nodded, tried to shake it off.
Debbie was wiggling again, even humming a bit of a cheer.
“Ball three.”
Tizzie stamped her foot down hard, furious at herself, and then winced at the pain from where the ball had hit her ankle.
She paused, taking a slightly longer stride and felt her ankle tweak as the ball flew short and actually bounced on the plate.
“Ball four. Take your base.”
Debbie breathed a huge sigh of relief and trotted happily to first base, then got a smile from Tara and a reminder to get into position to run.
Kate had swung and missed at her first pitch, earning a snicker from Kelly and a broad grin from Tizzie.
The next pitch was high and Kate swung hard, lofting a beautiful hit that went directly to Tammy Pam Carter. Tammy Pam gave a small scream as the ball landed in her upturned glove then began dancing up and down waving the ball in the air to show off her catch.
Tara whispered, “run” and Debbie raced for second, shorter legs churning while her team-mates screamed their excitement.
Cordelia screamed, “Throw the ball,” but Debbie was safe on second and Tammy Pam simply threw it to Lulu who looked around sharply, realized that there was no play, and relayed the ball back to Tizzie.
Devola grinned and did a reprise of:
She won the race, race, race!
Up to the base, base, base!
To win first place, place, place!
Yaaaaaaaaaay Deb! Yaaaaaaaaaay Deb!
Willow gave Devola a quick hug and Towanda gave her a punch on the shoulder. “Okay, Dev. Two outs, get on base!”
Devola nodded nonchalantly, already in character as a big league batter, and sauntered up to pause outside the batter’s box. She tucked the bat under her arm, looked impassively at Tizzie, and attempted to spit on her hands but nothing came out. “Hey! My mouth is dry. I can’t work up any spit!”
Connie hurried over, “Devola! Just get up there and hit the ‘mooning’ ball!”
“But I gotta have spit!”
Lawanna took charge, “Play ball.”
Devola grinned, “I got it!” She began licking her hands.
Tizzie groaned, “Ewww! You are so gross, Devola!”
Devola, meanwhile was delighted her new discovery, “Spreadable spit! Hey, maybe I invented something and—“
“Batter up.” Devola knew better than to mess with Lawanna and scurried into the batter’s box.
Tizzie shook her head, still grimacing with disgust, and pitched one right across the plate.
Devola swung, hitting the ball just over Hannah’s head on second base. She sprinted to first and looked up in time to see Debbie make it safe to third.
The Reds let loose with gleeful shrieks and started a steady clapping as Bettina walked heavily to the plate.
Bettina stood grimly in the batter’s box, eyes on the ball, and bat cocked.
“Ball one.”
Bettina smiled, happy to take a walk since her leg still hurt a little from the tag out on home plate. But the ball came right down the line and she swung, punching a line drive that shot over Del’s head on third and bounced fair along the third baseline before finally rolling into foul territory.
Tammy Pam raced after ball, snagged it while it was still rolling and fired it to Lulu.
Debbie had hesitated, but caught Faith’s signal and still made it home easily. Bettina ran as fast as she could and remained safe at second, knowing that she didn’t have any chance of surviving a rundown between Del and Hannah. Her leg was throbbing where it had twisted and she grimaced. More than anything, she wished that Towanda could hit her home so that she wouldn’t have to run, but Towanda wasn’t up.
It was Mouse walking slowly up to the plate, her bat clutched tightly in two small, sweating hands.
Kelly was behind her and Mouse knew that the big girl hated her. It made her a little scared but that was okay because there were so many big scareds that a little one didn’t really matter.
“Batter Up.”
She looked for Willow to be sure it was her turn and Willow nodded and smiled at her. Mouse tried to smile back but couldn’t,
I think my smiler got broke.She had struck out the last two times. Their plan wasn’t working any more. She breathed in and looked at Tizzie Stilton who was winding up her pitch.
Mouse stood shaking and gripping the bat,
please please please please please.“Strike one.”
The ball was coming again,
please-please-please-please-please-please-please-please.“Strike two.”
Mouse gasped and was about to tell Willow a secret in her ear, but Kelly yelled it out loud for everyone to hear, “The little baby peed in her pants!”
There was laughter from Tizzie, Billie, and a few of the others.
“Time Out!” Willow shouted, then she led Mouse out by the hand and Tara came running from third base while Lawanna shouted a few strong words about sportsmanship and staying quiet during someone’s turn at bat.
Willow knelt down and gave Mouse a hug. The little girl buried her face in Willow’s neck and hugged her back.
“Mouse, do you want to quit? You don’t have to play any more.”
Mouse’s eyes were huge as she stepped back to look up at Willow, “But they’re cheering for me.”
It was true. Devola was leading the whole team shouting:
Might-y Mouse!
Rock - the - house!
Might-y Mouse!
Rock - the - house!
Then she launched into the old cartoon song:
Here she comes to save the day!
Mighty Mouse is on the way!
Mouse looked back at Willow. “I can play but,” she paused and crooked her finger and Willow bent down so Mouse could whisper in her ear, “I went potty in my pants. Can I get new pants?”
“Hold on, I’ll find out and be right back.” Willow walked over to talk to Lawanna and Cordelia stalked over to join them.
“Lawanna, Mouse just wet her pants. Can we take time-out to have her change them?”
Cordelia thrust herself between them, jabbing her finger into a section of the camp manual. “See! Right here, time outs are five minutes except for injuries to a player. If she’s gone longer then five minutes you forfeit, you lose!” Cordelia smiled, “And you’ve already wasted a minute and 38 seconds.”
“Come on, Cordelia. She’s a little kid and she’s embarrassed. Give her a break!”
Cordelia smirked, “You did a great job quoting the manual to me, Willow! Now it’s my turn.” Cordelia looked at Lawanna. “Am I right?”
Lawanna nodded reluctantly and turned to Willow. “That’s what the rule says. Look, you have two outs.” She checked her stopwatch, “Mouse is your last batter.” Her voice softened, “It’s too bad, but the rules are the rules and we need to finish the game now.”
Willow nodded and walked back, then squatted down to hug their littlest camper. “Mouse you can stop right now if you want.”
“Will we lose?”
“Yes, but it’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”
Mouse met her eyes and swallowed. “Then I wanna play.” She walked back and stepped up to home plate.
“Play ball.”
The pitch came and Mouse froze, watching it,
please-please-please-please-please-please-please-please.“Ball one.”
Mouse gripped the bat with all her strength as the next pitch came.
PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE!!!In the legend of the Reds, Mouse waited for the perfect pitch and swung. The truth was that the bat was heavy and it started to fall, and the ball hit it and bounced off.
Devola was the first to shout, “RUN, MOUSE!!!”
Mouse dropped her bat, took a few steps and started to trip as her batting helmet slid downwards, but she used her hands to catch herself and scrambled to her feet, running as fast as her shorter legs could go.
Everyone stared, amazed, as the ball rolled and stopped dead, half way between home plate and the pitcher’s mound.
Both Tizzie and Kelly were frozen, stunned that the little girl had somehow hit the ball.
Then Kelly ran to pick up the ball but stopped when she saw Devola heading for home and rushed back to cover the plate.
Tizzie realized it was up to her to pick up the ball, saw Devola now heading back for third and charged the ball, making a panic throw to get the force on first, but she threw it in foul territory and Billie had to take several steps off the bag to catch it.
The Reds yelled as Devola sped across home plate, tying the game while Bettina ran as fast as she could towards third.
Billie reached her long arm out and snagged the wild toss and started to run back to the bag. Mouse crossed first base and saw the number one mean girl running towards her. She panicked and started sprinting towards second, terrified at being caught.
Billie smiled, she threw a straight throw to second that was snagged easily. There was time to make the out before Bettina made it home.
Suddenly Mouse froze, standing right between the two bases.
Hannah froze on second base, wondering what the little girl was up to. She started running towards Mouse who turned and ran back towards first.
Then Hannah threw the ball back to Billie who caught it and was racing up behind Mouse to tag her.
Then there was a roaring from the Reds, Bettina had crossed home plate. An instant later Veronica turned and yelled, “Mouse!” while the whole team ran onto the pitcher’s mound for an impromptu victory celebration.
Meanwhile Mouse had heard her best friend’s voice and ran off the baseline and straight into Veronica’s arms. Then all the Reds grabbed her and she was hugged, kissed, danced with and cheered by everyone on the team.
Next Willow and Tara linked wrists and gave her a chair carry back to their cabin with the entire team dancing and jumping and shouting with excitement.
*************************************************
Mouse bounced eagerly in Willow and Tara’s arms and they finally set her back on her feet. “Party! Tell us about the party.”
Tara and Willow were twin deer, caught in the same headlights as Faith leaned forward confidentially. “It rocks.”
Devola grinned, “We’re gonna break about a million rules, right?”
Faith smirked, “Oh yeah!”
Towanda shoved forward, “And do stuff no other campers have ever done?”
Faith nodded, “I got it covered. You guys are gonna get a lift in Mr. Macready’s pick up truck, then camp all by yourselves. I got great food picked out and you can build your own campfire and swim at midnight and I’ll come get you in—“
“Hey!” Devola demanded, “You’re supposed to come!”
Mouse tugged on Faith’s shirt, “You have to come!”
Towanda nodded, “You’re our coach!”
Willow and Tara were nodding agreement and Tara spoke, “We couldn’t have done it without you!”
The other girls clustered around, patting Faith and begging her to come while Faith just stood there her eyes darting around as she was surrounded by their team.
Kate noticed it first. “Are you okay, Faith?”
Faith nodded mutely, then coughed, “Dust. Got some ‘mooning’ dust in my throat.” She swallowed again, “I’m comin’, huh?” She rubbed the heel of her hand almost angrily against one of her eyes, “Finch won’t let me.”
Willow cut in, “Then Tara and I will go ask her right now!”
“Red?” Faith swallowed again, “You’d do that?”
Willow nodded, “Hey, can’t go all champion celebrate-y without the Coach!”
Tara slid an arm around Willow’s waist and gave her lover a squeeze, “I’ll go with you, Willow. We’ll both ask her.” She turned to Faith with an understanding smile, “Hey, help the kids get packed, okay? We’ll be right back.”
Faith straightened, her cocky grin back in place. “That’s comin’ in five by five,” and she turned to get to work, relieved to get the kids moving and avoid being the center of attention.
Willow and Tara headed out the door then Tara turned to Willow, “Five what by five what?”
Willow shrugged, “Who knows?”
Mrs. Finch congratulated them warmly on their win and was pleased at Faith’s work with the girls. She agreed that the dinner of sandwiches, chips, fruit salad and regular salad could be served without Faith’s assistance as could tomorrow’s breakfast of oatmeal, fresh fruit, and sausage.
Tara and Willow hurried back to find all the kids’ overnight gear and sleeping bags piled onto the porch while a grinning Faith reclined on the pile and oversaw everything. “Hey T., I’ll take the kids, load up the truck with food and stuff, and give you and Red a half hour to pack up and meet us in front of the dining hall.” Faith grinned, “Now that I’m in charge, I’m gonna kick this party into overdrive.” She paused to think, Let’s see: cargo net, rope, and carabineers – that oughta do it!” Then she jogged off, the kids chasing after her excitedly.
The two lovers exchanged looks of mild alarm.
“Um, Willow did she say ‘cargo net’ and ‘rope’?”
Willow nodded, then trailed a finger down Tara’s cheek, her voice soft. “And she said half an hour.”
Tara felt her breath catch as Willow’s finger stroked her neck. Then the two lovers clasped hands, walked inside their room and locked the door behind them.
by Azirahael » Sun Dec 11, 2011 2:50 am 
?! Not sure if I should be offended or not....but, my ability to not give a shit about most people's opinions tells me to let it go....Just saying 
!
. I should have stuck with that. I am not sensitive nor am I one to be politically correct.. So, I should have refrained from even going there.
Not only did Mouse manage to get to screw the Queens over but she also won the bet by being able to get to go to base.
I should’ve thought of that one! 
Thank you, sir! And (stealth alert) there may be another bit of cross-over magic in store later . . . 
Seriously, I’ll take the compliment!
) that you like it. 
