Their first trip to Emerson in the fall was later than usual. The wind, when it kicked up, was bitter and fierce, and even as golden light touched the dying leaves, Nancy stood shivering at the window at Theta Pi.

"I'm sure Ned's just at football practice."

Hearing the smile in Mindy's voice, Nancy turned around to return it. "Yeah, he is. We're supposed to meet him for some cocoa after, over at the student union."

"Better tell him to get in gear," Mindy advised, pulling a worn sweater tighter around her as she snuggled into the couch, in front of the television. "We're having our annual powder puff game in a few days."

"Powder puff?" Bess took the last few stairs in a hop and joined Mindy on the couch, having changed from her barely-rumpled traveling outfit into a glamorous boucle sweater and tight jeans. "Is that anything like a cream puff? Or maybe it's for perfume?"

"Football," George snorted, bounding down after her cousin. "Sometimes I can't believe we're related."

Bess stuck her tongue out at George and dipped into the bowl of buttered popcorn on the coffee table. "Well, if it's football, I'll be happy to cheer you guys on."

"Oh, c'mon, Bess," Mindy said with a twinkle in her eye, bumping her shoulder against Bess's. "We'd be even happier if you'd be on the team. You can distract the guys while the rest of us are planning strategy."

"Perfect," Bess and George chimed at the same time, then exchanged a glance.

"Well, it's not like you'd be good for anything else," George said, ducking when Bess threw an accent pillow at her.

"Um..." Nancy said, and all three faces turned to her. "I'm not sure I even know how to play."

"You can't be serious," George was the first to respond.

"So Nancy and I can cheer on the sidelines!" Bess said happily. "And gossip. And drink hot chocolate."

"You know," Mindy said, "I bet Ned could teach you."

So the following day found the four of them, Nancy and George, Bess and Ned, split into two teams on the football field. While the marching band practiced their show on the other side, Ned, in a sleeveless battered sweatshirt, stood on the sidelines tossing a football up in the air and explaining the rules of the game.

"It's really not that hard," he finished. "I'm sure you'll catch on in no time."

"Hey, isn't this fraternizing with the enemy?" Brooke called from the sidelines.

"What do you think you're doing?" Bess called back, pointing at Brooke's Omega Chi boyfriend.

"At least I'm not getting him to teach me strategy!"

George glanced between Brooke and Ned. "Hey, I'll keep you honest, Nickerson," she playfully warned him, already bouncing lightly on her feet.

"Okay, so! Ready?"

Having watched Ned at what seemed like hundreds of football games, Nancy knew how he behaved with the guys. Putting him on a team with Bess was like exquisite torture. Their friend squealed when Ned tried to pass the ball to her, cringing away from it in case it managed to mar her nail polish. Nancy and George mercilessly ganged up on him, leaving Bess alone, knowing that Ned was the threat.

"Okay, okay," he finally panted, gesturing for time out. "There are two people on this team, you know!"

"Yeah, but I don't need to know how to guard Bess," Nancy said, raising her eyebrows, teasing her boyfriend. "You're the one we're really going to have to beat in the game."

"And you're so afraid of me that you both have to be here on me," Ned challenged, lifting his chin. "Care to make this interesting?"

Nancy put a hand protectively over her flag. "Like how?"

He smiled. "Just try and stop me, Drew."

From the set of his jaw, Nancy knew to be afraid, and when they faced off again, she steeled her nerve. Keeping her body angled so that he would find it more difficult to snatch her flag away, she kept waving her arms, although his height, as always, gave him the advantage. He tossed the ball easily over her, then lunged toward her. Despite herself, she squealed and began to sprint away, but he caught up with her easily, sweeping her up into his arms.

They fell to the ground together in the gentlest tackle she'd ever received.

"I thought you said there was no tackling in this game," she said, squirming around to face him, all the outrage in her voice feigned. Ned's body was warm against hers, and he was smiling as he regarded her.

"You're a special case."

They scrambled to their feet to see George holding Bess's flag triumphantly over her head, and Bess standing on her tiptoes, trying to snatch it away.

Nancy managed to get the ball on the next turn, and lobbed it in George's direction, even as she sensed Ned bearing down on her. She ducked and feinted, but he was too close, and in less time than it took her to half-choke out his name, he had her on the grass again.

"I'm beginning to think you have it out for me," she gasped, once she got her breath back, but she was smiling.

"Maybe I do," Ned replied, leaning down to brush his lips against hers. Nancy closed her eyes, just barely relaxing into the touch, when suddenly it was gone, and he was on his feet when she opened her distracted eyes.

Even when they switched, when George was guarding Ned, he still found his way over to Nancy's side, sweeping her up into his arms for a bear hug, the unexpected circle of his thumb and forefinger around her wrist as he pulled her to him, the cold of the grass under her as he tackled her again, and each time he left her with a kiss more impressive than the last. Brooke and her boyfriend were hooting with laughter from the sidelines, but Nancy didn't care. After one incredibly warm, spine-tingling kiss, when Ned began to pull away from her, she twined her fingers in his hair and urged him back to her for another.

"Come on," George groaned. "I don't think Nan needs making-out lessons. And Bess?"

"Hey. There's a reason there is no Linebacker Barbie," Bess said, kicking at the football on the ground. "Nancy has the right idea."

"Hush," Nancy replied, squirming under her boyfriend for a better angle as she kissed him again. "I think I like this game."

In the student union, once the four of them had agreed that a date for Nancy and Ned might mean better practice the next day, Nancy wrapped her frozen fingers around a mug of cocoa and smiled. "All right."

"See, this? Is the only reason to go out in this weather." Bess blew on her own mug, which was capped in whipped cream. "Warming up after."

Ned bumped his shoulder against Nancy's. "Now that sounds like a good idea."

Nancy grinned at her boyfriend, catching George's eye-roll in her peripheral vision. "I think George does not approve of our unsportsmanlike conduct."

"It'd be worse if we were playing real football," George shrugged. "As it is, Bess won't catch, throw, or even watch the ball, and the two of you are rolling around in the grass every five minutes." She paused for a sip of her own cocoa. "At least we're not on a case."

The other three nodded in speechless agreement, realizing how rare it was that they were able to have even a meal without the threat of some clue or villain interrupting their peace.

"And I think we should celebrate," Ned said, raising his mug. "I'm going to take my girl out on a date, a real date."

"And tomorrow we'll start fresh?" George prompted.

"Sure," Ned said. "But, just in case Nan and I are still asleep, why don't you two just go on without us."

Bess chuckled. "I'm sorry, but did I just hear something about the mall and a sale?"

George sighed. "You should be ashamed of yourself, Ned," she chastised him. "So this was your plan all along."

"Maybe," he said in his best villain's voice, wrapping his free arm around his girlfriend.

"I'll be in shape for the game, I promise," Nancy said, sincerely, until the last of it was lost against Ned's mouth with another kiss.