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Three days later

"After the dreadful event occurring at Stanford just one year after the mass shooting, during a soccer game between the Cardinals and the UCLA Bruins, the committee has decided to suspend the season for both teams. In an act of solidarity, other schools are also cancelling games, including Harvard, Duke, Clemson, UConn and Penn State, with maybe other to follow.

"Three days ago, Stanford lost their goalkeeper, Kailen Sheridan, after another player, who brought a gun with her - thanks gun control in the USA... - shot her and two players from UCLA. The two other players are in the hospital right now, one in a critical state and the other out of danger. The authorities think the attack had something to do with Hope Solo, who escaped the Federal Prison months ago.

"We stand with Stanford and UCLA during those difficult times, hoping the best for both team, as well as an healthy recovery to Stephanie McCaffrey and Julie Johnston.

*

Becky enters the hospital room, flowers in hands.

Julie is asleep, obviously because of the medicine, while Haley Kopmeyer - against who she just played in the NWSL - is by her side, looking at her protectively. When she sees the defender come in, the goalie gets up and briefly hugs Becky. She then makes her a sign to be quiet because Olivia - who Becky hasn't seen because she is in a corner of the room, asleep as well - hasn't slept in three days and finally found peace.

So the two girls exit the room already, Kop carefully closing the door behind her.

"How is she ?" Becky immediately asks.

"She's doing better" the goalie explains, but her eyes suddenly become darker.

"But ?"

The brunette takes a deep breath.

"Well... When I got here to be by her side, I found out she is pregnant." The goalie says in a sad tone, shaking her head. Becky, who understands that the goalie is hurt in her feelings, puts her hand on her shoulder. But Kop is tough. "But what matters is that the doctors have trouble keeping the baby inside..."

"Do you mean..."

"She might have to have a baby sooner than expected..."

"Fuck."

Everybody know premature babies are a lot to handle, always needing care and attention in an hospital. Becky sighs : Julie doesn't deserve this. Surprised that the goalie still is there despite her aversion for children, the defender frowns.

But as she is about to say something, the door behind them open. And Kop's face seem to be decomposing.

Dzenifer Maroszán is there, out of breath, more determined than before.

Holy shit, Becky thinks to herself, her eyes wandering from Kop to Maro, who are both considering each other carefully : the German probably doesn't know that Julie found someone else - even though she and the goalie are not in a serious relationship. But the keeper, on the other hand, knows what happened between the two.

As Becky carefully hugs the German, Kop stands still, setting her jaw. When she tattooed girl realizes that, she simply ignores her.

"How is Julie ?" Maro asks in a beyond worried voice, shaking her head in disbelief. "I came as soon as I could... God, tell me she's okay."

"Well..."

"She will be" Kop cuts Becky, obviously angry.

Maro stares at her, raising her eyebrow.

"You're the Stanford goalie, right ?" she then asks in a cold tone.

"I'm in Seattle now, but thanks" Kop sarcastically lets out.

Maro gives her her hand to shake. And while Becky is looking away, she gets closer to Kop in order to whisper to her :

"I don't give a shit about what's going on between you two : Julie's always been mine, and today I'm here for her, not for me."

"Spoiler alert : you left for Wolfsburg." Kop spits out, out of her mind. "So you better watch your dirty mouth, Germany, otherwise you'll deal with me."

"What ? Aren't you confident enough to deny the fact that we will get back together before you learn my real name, Seattle ?"

Thank God Becky is here to separate them, because otherwise this argument would've become more intense. So when Kelsey finally arrives at the hospital as well, she takes the German on a walk in order to fill her in with what's going on.

Becky knows one thing : there won't be any kind of peace between the two girls, because when it comes to Julie, they both are here 100%.

*

"Meggy, you need to eat."

Several girls are gathered in the cafeteria of a building : even though they've been through a lot, most of the girls still are attending classes, finding each other during breaks to overcome what happened to them.

But the blonde has lost all will.

"Megan" Lindsey insists, trying to hand her a sandwich.

The blonde becomes aggressive :

"I'm not hungry, so leave me alone !"

Even though Lindsey knows she has every right to be mad, she kind of take it against her. She shakes her head, while Megan's eyes are lost in the emptiness. Lindsey catches eyes with Kristie, who is making signs to her to just let it go for once.

As far as Kristie is concerned, those past three days have been very confusing : ever since Kassey left that night in the hospital, nobody has any news of her. It's like if she disappeared, and nobody actually know what's going on with her. Some of her teammates are saying that she just couldn't cope with everything that has been going on, but Kristie feels like it's something else. Her guts tell her that.

Also, she wants to believe the blonde will be coming back : even though they spent their time arguing about everything and being mean to each other, she kind of misses Kassey. And the night they spent together keeps on coming back on her thoughts.

On that cafeteria with the three girls are Sonnett, Jane and Leah Galton - who has gotten closer to Megan since they knew each other thanks to Kailen. Her death brought her girlfriend and her best friend together, and a new friendship based on mutual support is born.

Leah frowns.

"Look" she softly says, putting a comforting hand on Megan's back. "I know it's hard, but Lindsey is right : you need to keep on living. You know Kai would've wanted that."

Megan's face goes from angry to sad when she hears the nickname. Leah sighs, before tapping her back softly.

"We're here for you, gal pal" Sonnett lets out, serious, but with a soft smile on her lips. "You know that, right ?"

"Both teams" Leah insists.

"And even more obviously..." Jane lets out, her eyes caught up by her phone. Everybody turns to throw her a interrogative look, so she adds : "Harvard are cancelling all their games until we are back on track. And several teams offered to send players on loan for both teams."

"That's..." Leah starts, grateful.

"... Amazing" Jane finishes the sentence. "I mean, we certainly could use some extra hands, especially you guys.

"They're waiting for the committee's approval" Lindsey says.

Meanwhile, Kristie sends a text to Kassey :

She then sighs : she'll never come back for you, dummy. She hates you. And so are you supposed to as well. Kristie's heart becomes heavier : there's something in Kassey more than there was in Gibby ; some kind of bright light in the end of an endless road, a spark in adversity... Something that makes her special.

And that is very disturbing for Kristie.

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