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This was NOT how this game was supposed to go.
The goal, the assist. THAT was how this game was supposed to go. That’s how it WAS going.
But now… now…
Tobin had begun the pacing the moment she saw Christen falling back into the defense. She hadn’t been that far back all game, and seeing her drop made Tobin nervous.
Cody had called out the pacing immediately. “Come on, Tobes. She’s become a much better defender since your time in Manchester.”
But before Tobin could even respond, Christen went down.
And Tobin’s pacing stopped immediately. Because as soon as she went down, she knew.
“No no no no no…” she mutters to herself, Tyler leaning around her to see what was happening.
She’d fought Christen on going to Cody’s house to watch the game because of her nervous energy, but Cody had insisted, so Christen had insisted.
And now, she wished nothing more than that she was at home.
Actually, she wishes nothing more than that she was on the field with her.
“Oh shit…” Tyler mutters as the replay comes on the screen. Tobin had been the only one who’d fully seen it in real time, and with each replay, she fights the urge to buy a plane ticket to Louisville right this moment.
“She’s fine, right?” Lindsey says. “They’re just… it’s a precaution, right?”
But Tobin knows. Tobin’s been there, far too many times to count. She knows non-contact injuries are often worse than contact injuries. She knows you get up when you can and you don’t when you can’t.
And she knows Christen. Christen would get up.
The rest of the game flies in a blur, as Tobin sits anxiously by her phone. Tyler is silently looking up knee injuries and recovery times, while Cody is trying to make jokes and keep it light.
She waits, having only sent one text for Christen, a simple “Love you. 🧡 ”. She knew Christen would call her when she could.
And the call came, as Angel City got to the airport at about 12am eastern time.
“Baby.” Is all Tobin says, and she gets a sigh in return.
“I’m ok, Tobes.” Christen responds. Tobin can hear the sounds of teammates around her, knowing she likely stepped away at the airport to call her. There’s a strength in her voice, one that Tobin can’t really relate to when she thinks about her injuries.
“There’s a video of you getting on the bus with a brace and crutches.” Tobin argues. “You very visibly said ‘Ow’ when you tried to put pressure or weight on it.”
“Ok, well.” Christen defends herself, a smile in her voice. “No matter the outcome, I’ve been blessed in my career to this point. I’ll pull through...”
“And be better for it.” Tobin finishes for her, the memory of the many times Christen had said that to her over the many years and Tobin’s many injuries. “I love you. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“I love you, babe.” Christen responds, ending the call as Tobin hears one of the team coordinators hollering for everyone’s attention.
Six very long hours later, Tobin is leaning against her car, watching the Angel City bus pull into the parking lot. She waits, as teammates and coaches exit, but the moment Ali hops off and makes eye contact with her, she’s up and walking to the bus, ready and waiting at the bottom when Christen gets to the top of the steps.
“You’re going to be insufferable about this, aren’t you?” Christen smiles, handing over her crutches to the woman waiting, hopping down the stairs.
“Just gonna repay the favor.” Tobin smiles in return, reminding Christen of all the ways she hovered over Tobin with both her surgery and her back injury.
They get the bags, well Tobin gets them. They load up, and drive off, after Christen confirms the time she’s supposed to be at the facility for her MRI. They don’t know severity yet, and everyone is trying to be optimistic.
The ride is quiet. Tobin doesn’t know how Christen is really doing, the way she actually feels when not forced to wear a mask of strength in front of her teammates. But ultimately, Christen breaks the silence.
“I really am ok.” Christen insists, intertwining her fingers with Tobin’s right hand.
“I believe you.” Tobin says, turning to look at Christen, a tight smile on her face.
Christen hums, looking down at her knee and back over at Tobin. “Tell that to the worry in your eyes.”
Tobin laughs. She laughs, and it leads to a few tears that find their way out.
“I think I’m the one that’s supposed to be crying.” Christen smiles, bringing their intertwined fingers to her lips.
Tobin laughs again, pulling their car into their driveway and putting it in park. “I was really worried about you. I AM really worried about you.” She says honestly, turning her body to Christen’s. “I know what it’s like to lose a season or more to injury and I just… I hate it for you.”
Christen nods, pulling their hands closer to her chest. “I hate it for me too. I hate it for my team, I hate it for my standing with the National team… I hate it. But… I know I can’t change it now. So, all I can do is move forward and come back better than I ever left the field.”
“Ha!” Tobin laughs, “How are you ever going to top the level you’re playing right now?”
The break in the tension is much needed as Christen’s smile breaks into a giggle at Tobin’s praise. “I guess we’ll find out.”
“Setbacks are setups-“
“For comebacks.”