"Can I talk to you ?"

Melissa Henderson is nervously playing with her hands, as Becky exchanges a look with her girlfriend, who only nods. The defender then does the same, before following the forward out of the hospital room where Shelina is spending her final day before going home in Canada for a few weeks (or days).

The current situation is quite tensed, to be honest. Hope Solo is still in custody, but not for long since her boyfriend Jerramy is a rich guy and is about to pay for her release. Then, Ashlyn and her new pals are working on something to disqualify UCLA from the tournament, so that they'd be sure to win the whole thing. In addition to that, Carli Lloyd is operating some changes in her team, as some players - who are rumored to want to escape the team - are being told they can't leave, threatened.

When the forward turns on Becky, she has a concerned look in her eyes. The Bruins captain crosses her arms against her chest, waiting for the blonde to speak. She knows that girl saved Kailen's life, and that she somehow is a good person, which makes her want to actually listen to anything she has to say.

Melissa takes a deep breath, before saying :

"Look" but her voice somehow breaks, as someone is walking by them. Once that doctor is gone, she continues : "I know you don't like me just because I'm in Stanford. But I needed to speak with you. It's also about Shelina."

"What about her ?" Becky immediately asks, concerned.

"There is something you need to know, but she doesn't want to talk to you about it" the forward sums up, as Becky is following her in another room. Once they're alone, the door closed, Melissa looks at the girl, doubtful. "I know you want to keep her safe, and I - along with some girls of the team - want that too, because she is my friend. So I need you to promise we'll be able to work together in order to achieve that and keep her away from some people."

Becky doesn't even have to think one more second.

"Yes."

All she wants is her girlfriend to be safe. No matter what she did in the past, Becky just can't stand the idea of them getting after her. They can't act right now because they have their hands tied with Hope in jail and the investigation going on, so that leaves them time. And Melissa knows that too.

Once Melissa hands her an envelope, Becky takes a deep breath, looking at the blonde, making sure she can trust her. Of course she knows how important Shelina is to Melissa : the two girls have been friends since kindergarten. She then takes the envelope Melissa just gave her and opens it : Hope Solo's face immediately appears to her, but that's not it : Christie Rampone is on the picture as well, some diploma in hands. It was about three years go.

Becky frowns.

This is what Shelina knew about Rampone, she thinks to herself, her mind running 100% at the moment. She then smirks : it means Shelina told Melissa about what she knew, and that whoever found that picture only had to find a proof of what they thought would lead to a huge secret. And what a secret it indeed is. Rampone already graduated from USC three years ago, which means she doesn't have the right to play at Stanford, and that Stanford cheated by allowing her to play, knowing she already graduated.

But the defender knows pretty well that the story is way more complicated, otherwise Melissa wouldn't be that serious.

"How is Shelina involved in this ?" she asks, raising her eyebrows.

The defender sighs, before handing Becky another piece of paper. And the news that's on it is not as good as the other one. Becky's face immediately closes, as she puts the piece of paper down.

"Shit." she lets out, angry.

Melissa silently nods, before saying :

"She didn't want you to know. She said she didn't want you to have to deal with her past."

"Thanks for telling me" Becky says, shaking her head. She then sets her jaw, before looking straight at the forward. "So that's what they have on her. Man that sucks."

"Mmh."

"Who else knows ?"

"Only Kop and I" Melissa says, honest. "And you, now."

Becky quickly writes her phone number on a piece of paper and hands it to the blonde. As Melissa is frowning, surprised, the defender says :

"The three of us are going to save Shelina's ass, so keep your phones close to you at all times during the day. I will talk to you soon."

Before the forward can say anything, Becky grabs the envelope and the piece of paper, before exiting the room to go back to Shelina. Even though she might look tough and confident, she absolutely isn't right now.

I have no idea how to protect her from what's coming, Becky thinks knowing very well that it is the truth. And that terrifies her, because it can mean losing her. Again.

*

Steph nervously stands behind Abby's door.

She's been here for more than half an hour, just watching the closed door in front of her, flowers in hands. She got her girlfriend white roses, her favorites, and dressed up decently for once - whereas she usually goes with soccer shorts and long socks - and even put some make up on, even though she hates it. But still, she hasn't been able to knock on the door. Instead, she just freaks out here, in an empty corridor. Empty is not the right word, because ever since she got here, the forward already crossed some of Abby's neighbors paths, and a lot of them - 7.

You really need to man up otherwise you won't be able to even see her, Steph reminds herself, hating how she is acting at the moment. As her fist gets ready to knock on the door, the forward suddenly stops her gesture and sighs. How can someone be able to be such a badass on the field, and such a freaking terrified tomato because of a Pennsylvania girl ? she wonders, and the only thought of the pretty blonde makes Steph blush. This is so stupid : why are you blushing when she's not even here ? And why the fuck are you fearing her when you've been dating for over two years ?

As Steph is finally knocking on the door, she hears someone giggle behind her. She turns around, and her breath gets cut short.

"What are you doing here ?" Abby asks in her usual neutral tone. She then looks down at the flowers Steph is carrying, before adding : "Babe, you never bring me flowers. What did you do you need me to forgive ?"

Steph shakes her head.

"It's not that, silly" she lets out, rolling her eyes. Once Abby has opened the door, she rushes in, before saying : "Do you have scissors ?"

Abby smirks : "The only scissors I know how to make work only can be found at night, in my bed, with you." she sarcastically says in a seductive tone, but after realizing Steph is barely even listening, and not really looking for scissors, she rolls her eyes. "Seriously, what's wrong ? You're acting weird."

"Close the door" Steph orders, restraining her voice from shaking.

"Bossy" Abby comments, closing the door, before turning around and crossing her arms against her chest. "Now, what's your problem Stephanie ?"

The forward sighs.

She then finally gives Abby the flowers, before getting a little black box out of her pocket. When Abby sees it, her facial expression immediately changes : Steph knows how much Abby hated commitment before meeting the brunette, and how marriage just makes her want to puke. She also appears to know that the defender is freaking out for nothing, because Steph is not going to propose to her.

That makes the forward laugh.

"Relax, I'm not going to ask you to marry me" Steph says in a mocking tone, before handing Abby the little box. "Now, would you please open it ?"

Without a single word, Abby grabs the box and opens it. This time, her eyes are lost, and a frown soon appears on her face. When she looks at Steph again, she only says :

"Those are... the keys of my apartment ?" Abby asks, confused.

"Yah" the forward says, her voice shaking a little bit. "It's actually some new one I had made. I-I mean..."

"Thank you, Stephy, but I don't underst-"

"Now you can ask me to move in with you" Steph interrupts her, absolutely freaked out.

Abby's eyes immediately sparkle, as a soft and moved smile is drawn on her lips. As the brunette is trying to guess what her reaction is, she probably isn't expecting the blonde to burst into laughter and laugh for two minutes. Two full minutes, Steph thinks to herself, not really aware of what she should be thinking of Abby's reaction.

Once her girlfriend pulls it together, she feels the urge to add :

"I-I mean, you don't have to. Like, those can be some keys in case you lose yours, because we both know you always do and.. or-" Steph stammers, before pulling it together and say : "Can you please just say something ? Because I am making a fool out of myself right now."

"You are" Abby confirms, as her eyes are drowning into Steph's.

As the forward tends to walks backwards to get far away from her girlfriend, the other girls does the exact opposite. She gets on her knees, and Steph immediately knows her girlfriend wouldn't do that with anyone else.

Her eyes are saying a lot that word can't even express.

"Baby" Abby starts, confident but yet nervous. "Would you please do me the honor to accept this key and move in with me, so we can finally have that dog we talked about many times so that the first thing we'd see in the morning is each other ; so that we can be by each other's side during good and bad times - all times ?"

The forward gets on her knees as well, and smiles.

"I love you so much, Abigail." she whispers, honesty running through her eyes and voice.

"There is one condition though" Abby says, serious.

Steph raises her eyebrows.

"A c-c-condition ?" she asks, suddenly feeling nauseous.

Abby softly caresses her girlfriend's cheeks, before whispering :

"The dog will be named Kennedy."

"Your obsession for a dead guy is really creepy" Steph lets out, relieved. She then nods. "Fine, Kennedy it will be."

"Then yes, you can move in baby."

There is a small silence, during which Steph and Abby simultaneously lean in, before kissing each other with passion.

Then, Abby suddenly stops the kiss and says :

"I love you too, dumbass."