Nick and Charlie One-Shots

proud of you

The crowd cheers as the final buzzer sounds, signalling the end of the game.

Nick's team have won.

The guys on the team crowd around each other, celebrating their win. Nick is in the centre, being lifted onto his team-mates shoulders as they cheer for their captain.

Beside me, in the stands, our friends and Nick's mum cheer loudly. Some are standing, arms raised to clap and wave. Others are still seated with me. I'm sitting beside Sarah, with mine and Nick's four-year-old daughter, Sienna perched on my lap. She seems happy, if a little confused but is clapping her tiny hands together and yelling random sounds, much to my amusement.

"Your daddy won, sweetheart." Sarah says to her.

"Daddy!" Sienna points towards the field where the rugby players are still rough-housing each other and the umpires are trying to settle them to at least acknowledge the other team. I'm not sure if she can actually see him; he's finally been set back down on the ground and is hugging as many of his teammates as he can.

"We'll go and see him soon, baby." I tell her, hugging her tight.

We have to wait for the teams to say the traditional 'good game' to each other and the losing team slowly traipsed off the field, tails between their legs. Nick's team celebrates a bit longer before being herded off by the coaches.

A lot of fans take that as the signal to start leaving so there's crowding by the exits when I stand up, settling Sienna on my hip.

"You going to see Nick?" Sarah asks me.

I nod, "Yeah. He loves seeing her straight after a game. And the other guys all love her too."

Nick is the only one on the team to have a child so Sienna has basically been adopted by all of them. They teach her how to play rugby when she visits training, and they treat her like their own daughter. I make my way down to the barrier near where Nick's team are heading through the door towards the changing rooms.

"Hey, it's Sienna and Charlie!" One of the guys spots us and calls out, starting a loud cheer in our direction. Sienna is pulled from my arms by Dylan, one of Nick's longest teammates. She giggles and allows him to lift her above his head. He and the other guys cheer loudly, causing Sienna to laugh again and clap her hands.

I have to smile, watching how my little girl has a whole village helping to raise and protect her. Nick takes my hand, bringing my attention back to him and I lean over the barrier to kiss him.

"Hi," I whisper between kisses, "I'm so proud of you, Nick."

"The team played well." He replies with a smile. From the corner of my eye, I see the other guys start to move again. Heading into the change rooms, Sienna sat on someone's shoulders.

"You all did."

"We had our good luck charms in the stands. My number one and two."

"I'm afraid to ask which of us comes second on that list." I tease him and he pulls me in for another kiss.

"You're always my number one, Char," Another smile and a hand on my cheek, "Sienna is a close second, though."

"Speaking of Sienna, we should probably go and rescue her from being scarred by the reality of a rugby changing room." He laughs and helps me to climb over the barrier, taking my hand as we head into the maze of corridors and rooms built under the stands.

The cheering of the team can still be heard, getting louder the closer we get to their change rooms. Inside, we find Sienna stood on one of the benches, laughing and clapping as she watches the guys prance around in the way that only an over excited, full if adrenaline group of people can, congratulating each other on a good game.

Sienna let's out a squeak when she spots Nick come through the door behind me. Dylan helps her to jump down from the bench so she can run towards her dad, her curly pigtails bouncing adorably.

"Daddy!" Nick catches her as she launches herself into his arms.

"Hi, sweetheart. Did you have fun?"

"Yeah! I saw you win Daddy."

Nick grins and hugs her a little tighter, "Did you? Were you cheering loud for me?"

"Yep!" Sienna told him proudly and I smiled.

"Miss Sienna, your cheering is what helped us to win today." One of the other guys, Jack, told her seriously.

"Really?" Sienna looked from Jack to me and finally to Nick, who nodded.

"We could hear you from all the way down on the field. And we always play much better when you and papa are here."

"Then I come to every game." I had to bite my lip then to stop from laughing. As much as I also loved to watch Nick's games, it wasn't always possible for us to be present.

"We'll see, sweetheart," I tell her, moving close and holding my arms out to her, "Why don't we let daddy and the guys get changed? We'll go and wait with Nana."

"Okay." She pressed a kiss to Nick's cheek, who returned with several kisses over her head before passing her to me.

"Say goodbye to everyone."

"Bye-bye!" Sienna waves cutely and I've never seen a group of fully grown men melt the way these guys do as they watch the adorable action, waving back to her.

"I'll see you in a bit." Nick whispers, leaning in to peck my lips.

"'Kay. Still so proud of you."

As we leave the room, a loud chatter starts up and from what I hear it's mostly discussion of the game and how cute Sienna is. Of course she's adorable, she's practically Nick's clone. I smile and put Sienna down so she can hold my hand and walk beside me as we head out to the front where Sarah will be waiting for us.