One month later

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(Due to a suspension, Flemming replaces Morgan on the Starting XI)

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Rose nervously steps on the pitch, as Stanford's supporters are acclaiming their women's soccer team with flags and banners. This game is more than the first meeting of the year (out of two or three, depending on how things turn out), and more than just a regular game. The tension that goes with it is almost unbearable. She know the opportunity is amazing, but she is the only newbie on the field.

As the teams are waiting for the officials to give them a sign to great the other team and get into position, Kealia, who appears to be right next to Rose, gives her a tap in the back. The two girls exchange a careful look, before focusing.

When Becky shakes Carli's hand, the Stanford captain whispers : "Get ready to eat the grass, Sauerbrunn."

Becky only winks at her in order to piss her off, and ignores the hateful look all the Stanford players are giving her and her teammates. But the only thing that really hurts her is that Shelina doesn't even look at her in the eyes, as her face is lacking in emotions. She's buried in her ivory tower again, Becky things to herself, quite glad to be in the end of the team greetings.

Once it's done, she gathers her teammates, as they do the hoodle, before the whistle blows. About three minutes later, Becky goes down hard, on a late tackle from Lloyd.

*

"You son of a bitch" Kling starts yelling, running at the referee, who obviously has been payed because he didn't even warn Lloyd, as Becky is on the ground, biting the dust in an unbearable pain. "This is not normal !"

As the ref starts a little argument with a few players, the scene near Becky is more interesting : right after the captain went down and that Lloyd got back on her feet, Tobin immediately walked toward her and pushed her away.

Allie, who finds herself in the middle of this, doesn't do anything to stop her.

"Touch Becky, deal with all of us" Tobin spits out, before actually spitting on Carli, who becomes more angry than she's ever been.

"How dare you..."

"Girls" Rampone says, walking toward them. "There is no way you're gonna win this game, or any other without your captain and your best midfielder" she says in her bitchy voice, smirking at the girls from the other team.

Allie frowns, looking at Tobin, who also is confused.

"How is Laure doing ?" Krieger asks, pretending to be innocent. "Because our friends really did like her when they visited her like ten minutes ago."

This time, even if Allie would've wanted to hold her best friend back because she knows it's a trap, she couldn't have because the brunette immediately gets mad. Her fist ends up on Cali's face, who falls on the ground, overreacting, as Tobin wants to kick her. Allie hold her back, but when Hope comes into the clutch, Ash sprints from the goal to punch the goalkeeper in the face as well.

While those events are occurring, Becky is still on the ground, holding her knee. When she feels a cold hand on her back, she immediately thinks it's Julie. So she is quite surprised - even with the pain - to see Shelina, concern filling her beautiful eyes. Becky closes her eyes : no, go away, you don't have the right to touch me, she thinks, feeling butterflies in her stomach.

Soon, the field is taken over by security, as well as players from both team, either trying to calm things down, or increase them. Shelina, on the other hand, is focused on Becky.

"Damn it !" she exclaims, looking at the defender's leg. She then looks around her, and when she sees an astonished Megan Oyster near the sideline, she yells : "A little help here please !" Once Megan has arrived, overwhelmed with the events, Shelina grabs her arm and says : "She needs to exit the field before the fight becomes bigger, got it ?"

"G-got it" Megan stammers, before pulling it together.

As Shelina is getting on her feet, Megan makes weird sign on the bench's direction. Of course Kelsey is busy separating Ash and Hope, who really are fighting, while the rest of the Bruins bench got into the fight, trying to calm things down. But when Julie realizes that Becky actually is in danger, she spots her boyfriend on the stands, as well as Zola and JJ Watt. The three boys jump on the pitch as well, helping them out.

They manage to move Becky to the sideline, far away from the fight. Then, the boys go in, trying to separate people. The stands are yelling abuses at the UCLA players, as Jill is trying to calm her players down.

Shelina puts her hand on Becky's knee. The Bruins captain opens her eyes, that are filled with painful tears. The brunette looks down at her, shaking her head.

"I am so, so sorry." she says in a low voice, before checking her knee. "Before you blame me, I had no idea Carli intended to start a fight. Believe me on that one please." she quickly adds, before Megan comes back with a doctor and Julie.

When the Stanford defender gets up, the blonde looks at her.

"Thanks for saving her ass" Julie says in a cold tone, still grateful.

"I owed her more than one" Shelina says, thoughtful.

Before the Bruins defender can say anything, Shelina jogs back to her own bench, as her teammates are starting a talk. Julie recognizes Henderson, Sullivan and Flemming, who basically are the only cool gals on that team.

Once Tobin is separated from Carli, who is overacting, the referee stops the game.

The consequences will be devastating for the Bruins.

*

Becky severely injured.

Tobin suspended.

Ash suspended.

No sanctions on Stanford further than a yellow on Lloyd for the tackle.

This afternoon, the team is silent in front of speechless Jill. After Allie explained the whole situation to her, the head coach only sat down. The room fall into silence after Tobin and Ash apologized to their team.

Nobody here blame them, tho. They all know how protective Tobin can be, and also how Ash always stands up for her teammates. Every single girl on this team know what it takes, and they also appear to know that this coming month will be hard.

The team is set to face USC and Harvard in two weeks ; two games in one week, without three key players. They all know it doesn't look good. Even Becky, who has her head down : she got hurt and needs two months to recover, unless a miracle happens.

The head coach claps in her hands, which wakes up everybody.

"I know this is hard, but I know this group of girls I have in front of me are fighters, warriors. I mean, we have freaking Kelsey Wyss as a backup goalie !" The whole team cracks a smile, before applauding Kelsey, as both Ash and Jane give her high gives. "And our back line ?" Jill continues, getting up. "Our defenders are capable of creating the surprise, and Allie can switch position to add depth ! I'm not even concerned on the midfield now that we have Moe!" The girls cheer once again. "We will get through this, girls."

Kelley suddenly gets up.

"Coach's right you guys !" she exclaims in what feels like a roar. She then looks at the girls in front of her and says : "We might have lost the game because of the fights, and lost points, but we can bounce back ! As your captain -until Broon comes back of course - I order you to bounce back UP !"

Most of the girls cheer, but Becky is just lost in her thoughts. Julie, who isn't far from her, gently taps her back, a shy smile on.

As the girls are talking in small groups, the blonde says :

"You should talk to her" As Becky is looking at her as if she told her she was about to transition into a man or break up with Zach, Julie adds : "That Stanford defender, I mean."

"Why would I-"

"I know she's the one, Becky. The look on her eyes when you were tackled, and then in the middle of this fight, face on the ground... Eyes don't lie." Julie continues. "That girl really loves you. Don't let her go because of some stupid rivalry."

Becky lowers her voice when she hisses :

"You know it's not just a stupid rivalry, Julie. It's our team - my team. I can't have her, because it would mean betray the team, and more specifically Ash and Kelley. They would never forgive me."

Julie nods, before saying :

"They don't have to know".

"JJ..."

"You and that girl are protecting each other, even though you broke contact with her." Julie goes on, ignoring her captain, her voice still lowered. "There is something beyond special about you two. Maybe you think she has used you. Maybe she has, maybe not. But I know you want to clear things out with her, because you care about her."

There is a long silence, right after which Julie adds :

"Call her, text her, whatever. But don't hurt yourself more than you already are."

Noticing that the room is slowly becoming quiet, Becky looks away from her teammate, trying to stop thinking about this stupid request from Julie.

Now, everyone is paying attention at Kelley again, who is looking into Becky's directing when she says :

"Becky, I wanted you to know the whole campus is behind you, and this team. I also wanted to thank you for being such a great captain under every circumstances : you always sacrifice everything for that team, and it's what makes you such a great captain. We will make you proud, I promise."

The captain's heart shatters, only because she knows it's not entirely true.

"C'mon girls, I want to see you kick some asses. Be focused on the coming weeks, and we will still have our shot at the championship !"

The girls do the hoodle, before going to class.