TWO DAYS LATER

"LOOMS, WE'RE GONNA MISS OUR PLANE IF YOU KEEP ON CRYING LIKE A BABY AND TRY TO GAIN TIME" Allie yells across the hotel's corridor.

The Portland girls have to leave first : Sonny, Tobin and Allie already are standing there, ready to go, but Lindsey has been in her room with Megan and Moe for the past hour. After getting out of the room with reddish eyes, the middy throws her teammates a dark glare.

Tobin rolls her eyes.

"For God's sake, you two are going to see each other right after preseason" she lets out, staring at Lindsey and Megan.

"Shut up" Lindsey lets out.

She kisses Megan, before hugging her. When her lips touch the blonde's neck, she enjoy her smell and the sensation of her arms around her for the last time before one very long month : but deep inside, she knows they're going to get through this.

Once she's done hugging Megan, she sees Moe crying her eyes out and hugs her as well. Meanwhile, Tobin is losing her patience.

"Look at those giant babies" she sarcastically lets out, bored.

Allie gives her a look.

"I know right."

"Allie ?" a voice asks behind them.

When Allie turns around and sees Kelley, she frowns.

As the brunette asks her to have a private talk, Allie exchange a look with Tobin, who only seems to say : 'we're here for a little more time because the work wives aren't done with each other, so go', before following the Sky Blue player.

Kelley, who usually is so calm and confident, seems out of her usual mind.

"What's up ?" the blonde asks, confused.

Meanwhile, Kelley looks like she's about to collapse. Nevertheless, she persists and finally opens her mouth :

"Uhm, I had something to tell you, and I wanted to wait that moment in case of I make a fool of myself." she nervously starts, stammering in the middle of her sentence, before catching her breath and adding : "Because if I'm wrong, you might want some space."

"Sure ?"

This time, Allie is concerned.

Kelley takes a deep breath, before saying :

"The thing is... Oh God, that's harder and way scarier than I expected"

"Kels" Allie interrupts her, grabbing the brunette's shoulders. The fact that they're way closer than before makes Kelley shiver, as the blonde says : "Talk to me."

"U-um..."

The blonde starts smiling, before her hands suddenly are on Kelley's neck, caressing is slowly. Looking down at Allie's lips, the Sky Blue player doesn't know what to say anymore : she just tries to keep her eyes on the blonde's face.

Sure thing is : there is something electric in the air.

So when Allie gets even closer and that their foreheads almost touch, Kelley just tries to think that she just has to say what she has to say. Gathering all her courage together, she finally is able to say :

"I am in love with you."

Allie looks shook.

So Kelley continues :

"Deeply, desperately and, I've got to admit, surprisingly, in love with you"

Allie's face suddenly lighten, as she leans in closer. Their noses touch, as she can see the effect her soft breath has on Kelley when feels the warm air brushing her lips. The defender shivers, while Allie just caresses her jaw.

They remain in that position, before Allie hears Tobin, Em and Lindsey asking for her to hurry. She doesn't have to turn around to know that they're here, before leaving already to give them privacy.

The blonde casually says :

"I've been waiting for you to say that for four years"

With that said, she plants a soft, yet meaningful kiss on Kelley's lips, before looking at her with confidence.

As she is about to leave the room, she turns around and adds :

"I'll see you on the pitch, O'Hara."

"Y-yeah, see y-you"

Kelley has never been so confused/happy/surprised all at once. Right now, her heart is beating really fast and hard on her chest.

Oh my God.

Allie leaves for Portland, catching up with her teammates, knowing one thing : Kelley will be waiting for her, just like she's been waiting for her for four years. They're going to see each other soon.

*

The new Manchester players land in England at 7 am, after a 9-hour flight from New York. Once they pick up their luggage, Lucy, Abby and Steph all join the Manchester City bus waiting for them.

Once they're in the car, Lucy immediately falls asleep after calling Sam, while the coupe just can't get any sleep because of how exited they are. Enjoying the sunrise over the buildings, Steph grabs her girlfriend's hand.

Abby cracks a smile.

"I'm so glad you're here" she whispers, trying not to wake the Brit up.

Steph leans in and softly kisses the blonde's lips, before smiling as well.

"You're my woman : I'd follow you to Mars if you asked me to" she settles, smiling. "Speaking of Mars, I wanted to ask you something."

"Uhm, sure ?"

"Since we have our apartment now, would you be okay if... I mean, if we just adopt a dog ? It'd be like our baby." the brunette carefully asks.

Abby's face lightens.

"Remember we discussed that already ?"

"Yes" the forwards says, before setting her jaw. "Just wanted to make sure you'd still want to call him Kennedy."

The defender is confused.

"Yes, if that's all right with you ?"

Steph smirks, before showing Abby a picture on her phone :

"Then meet Kennedy, who is waiting for us at our new apartment" she then says, looking forward to her girlfriend's reaction.

And she's not disappointed : Abby's face immediately softens, as she grabs Steph's phone in her hands, covering her stupefied face with the other. She has never been so happy : not only because of the puppy, but also because her and Steph are really starting their life together as a couple.

But she takes her phone out, before showing a picture to Steph :

Abby smiles, as Steph lets a gasp out.

"... And meet Decaff, who is also waiting for us there."

Steph starts smiling, and her girlfriend giggles.

"We have to stop reading into each other's thoughts like that" the forward settles, looking at the two pictures of their new puppies. "It's becoming scary."

"I love it" Abby settles.

"Me too."

There is a quick silence, during which the defender thinks of something :

"What would their last name be ?"

"They're our babies, so probably our names."

"If we ever get married, would you take my name ?" Abby asks, serious.

Steph wants to mess up with her by saying :

"I'm sorry, but Decaff McCaffrey sounds way better than Decaff Dahlkemper"

"True" the defender smirks.

The brunette kisses her, before settling :

"And to answer your question more seriously, I'd take you name, and you'd take mine."

Abby smiles.

"Abigail Dahlkemper-McCaffrey and Stephanie Dahlkemper-McCaffrey" she thoughtfully lets out, before having a smirk on her face. "Our names are far too long to get together."

"True."

They kiss each other again, before Steph falls asleep on Abby's shoulder. The blonde carefully kisses her forehead.

I love you Stephy. Now's the time to start our life together, so for us it's the first day of eternity.