| Cody |

It's been a few hours since Jack and I spent the day with the National team, and although it started great despite it being a punishment, mom and Hope wanting to keep us close though Hope wasn't there, things seemed to have spiralled since we got home.

Even though I only just met her, Mal is acting weird as heck with me which I don't understand - she doesn't know me to dislike me. Kristie, who spent the night before flirting with me, is acting like the Ice Queen.

"Stop thinking about them, Cody." I hear my best friend whisper as we join the team for movie night.

"I can't help it, I'm so confused. Did I do something wrong?"

"Of course not, they're just acting crazy, ignore them. You got me!" I look at Jack to see she's grinning like a madman, which makes me smile. She never fails to make me smile. "Yes! That's the smile I wanted to see!"

"Shhhh, Jack!"

"Sorry Kling."

I cuddle into my best friend, enjoying the movie until she nudges me making me sigh and look at her. She nods her head in the direction of the couch I know my mom is on, and I see she's asleep, cuddled into Tobin who has an arm wrapped around her waist holding her close.

"Do you think they'll ever admit it to each other?" Jack asks.

"Probably not. I'm pretty sure they're both hopeless."

We laugh, making sure to be quiet and not to disturb everyone, slowly bringing my attention back to the movie, I'm not even sure what they've put on, and then Jack speaks. Again.

"I think we should help them. You know, set them up."

"I dunno, J. Set ups never end well. Besides, if neither of them are making a move there's gotta be a reason for it." I watch my best friend as she wears her 'thinking face', which is really just a squint of her eyes as her tongue sticks out a little. It's pretty cute.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I am. Now, shut up before Kling jumps us." I say, making my best friend search the room for Kling, who is standing directly behind us wearing a playful scowl on her face.

"Are you two done? Can we get back to the movie?"

"Um...yes, sorry." I hear Jack say, suddenly scared of the semi-serious Kling, which makes me chuckle, it's like being scared of five year old.

"Oh, and you're right Cody." Kling states as she walks away, making my eyes snap to her in curiosity, "Set ups never end well."

"Shit. Was she behind us the entire time?" Jack asks, making me wonder how much of my talk with Jack had Kling actually heard.

________

| Jack |

I'm sitting in the Church. The same church I used to come to with my mom. My mom that taught me right from wrong, taught me to be kind to everyone. Taught me to never give up, but that's all I want to do as I watch my moms coffin being carried passed me on the front row, and out to the car, that will take her to be buried.

I feel numb, in all honesty, I just want to give up despite what my mom taught me. I don't want to live without her and then I feel my hand being squeezed and I see it's my best friend. What would I do without this girl?

"We have to go Jack, come on."

Im thankful she doesn't go near the 'you'll be okay' and 'everything will be fine' bullshit that most people have been telling me. It's not okay and everything is not fine. Turns out that my mom's crash was caused by a drunk driver, driving on the wrong side of the road, what the fuck man?

I follow the coffin holding my mom out of the church, hand in hand with Cody, who hasn't left my side since last night - she even slept beside me.

When we get to the gravesite, where she'll be buried with my grandma who died last year of cancer, Cody lets go of my hand to wrap her arm around my shoulder. I lean my head against her head as I zone out on what's being said around me. Before I know it everyone has left me alone by my mom's grave, including Cody. She said she wanted to give me some time to say my goodbye.

"Hi? I don't even know if that's the right thing to say. Should I be saying bye?" My voice cracks as I begin to cry, and this time I don't fight against it, I have to let all this out. I know I do. "I love you mom. I always have and I always will. I just...I don't know what I'll do without you. You were everything to me, my mom, my best friend, though don't tell Cody." I let out a breathy chuckle, glancing at my best friend who is standing out of earshot beside her mom and some of the other nation players, and with Hope. "You were my rock, mom. Then someone just takes you from me. You were the only family I had left, now I'm all alone. I'll never get to hear you say you're proud of me when I score the winning goal in one of my soccer games. I'll never get to hug you again, kiss you again, tell you how much I love you. How you were the greatest mom in the world and I didn't deserve you, nobody did. I feel like I'm dying without you mom, like I'm drowning but there's no water and I know what you'd say, which sucks cause all I want is to hear the words come out of your mouth. That I'll be fine, I'll get passed this eventually. I might not have you, but I have a family, I have Cody. I have Hope. But I don't have you mom, and you're who I'll always need. Always." I take a deep sigh, knowing I have to leave her here, knowing I don't want to.

"I have to go mom. But I just want you to know that, every smile I flash someone is for you. Everytime I score a goal, it's for you. Everytime I achieve something, it's all for you because without you I wouldn't be me, without you I wouldn't be here. I love you so much, I love you. I love you." I repeat, each time breaking down some more to the point where my body is shaking while I cry and I feel my legs about to give out until a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist, steadying me.

"Let's get you home, Jack." I don't speak, I can't. I'm too busy trying my hardest not to cry as Hope leads me back to the car, seating me next to Cody who I immediate cuddle into, taking comfort in the familiar embrace of my best friend, letting myself fall asleep in her arms.

___________

"Aww, they're so cute. Why don't they date?" I hear someone whisper pretty loudly, which wakes me up though I'm too sleepy to open my eyes.

"I know, right? I love their friendship. They'd make one hell of a couple, like two other friends we know." I think that's Kelley speaking now, but I'm curious what shes talking about, then I feel it, someone beside me starting to move, their arms wrapping around me.

"Yeah, Talex and...we need a ship name for these two." I hear someone, I think it's Kling, before a flash goes off and the person next to me groans.

"Ugh, the fuck." Oh, it's Cody. That's okay then. I decide to open my eyes, glaring at the players at the doorway, to see Kling, Kelley and Pinoe standing with wide eyes.

"Shit, how long have you two been awake?" Pinoe asks us.

"Depends. How long have you all been here, watching us?"

"Fair enough. Goodbye!"

Cody and I both chuckle as Kelley rushes away, only to come back to drag Kling and Pinoe away with her.

"Why do people always think we're dating, or will date?" My best friends asks me.

"I dunno. Maybe because we hold hands and cuddle?"

"It's not like we make out or anything though."

"Yeah, not since that last time." I answer her, and we both burst out laughing.

"How are you feeling?"

"My head is pounding and my throat hurts like hell." I watch my best friend climb out of the bed, walking around it to my side, where she holds her hand out.

"Come on, let's get you some aspirin and some breakfast, you gotta eat." I smile at Cody and her endearingly comforting side which she hides from everyone else, I take her hand letting her pull me up, holding my hand as we walk to the kitchen, where Alex and Hope are sitting at the island drinking coffee.

"Hey Jack, how are you doing?" Hope asks, putting down her cup of coffee to wrap me up in a hug, which I'm thankful for, as Cody gets me water and medicine, as well as making breakfast for both of us while Alex watches her. I'm not sure what is going through her mind but the look on her face is one of devotion and warmth.

"I'm okay." I answer weakly, knowing Hope she'll see right through it, who wouldn't. "Just a sore throat and a killer headache."

I sit beside Hope, across from the extra seat at the island where Cody sits, I smile as my best friend kisses her mom's head, refilling her coffee cup, as well we Hope's and she sets my breakfast and hers down on the table. I basically inhale the food, not realizing how hungry I was.

"This is delicious, thanks Maxi." I smile at my best friend who smiles back at me.

"So what's the plan for today?" Cody asks the adults at the table, who were happily watching out interraction.

"We have one last training session before the Canada game tomorrow. You can both come with me, or stay here with Hope." Alex answers, and I opt for staying with Hope, I'd like to get to know her more since she did adopt me, while Cody decides to go with her mom.