A requested one-shot by XxmoonsoeaxX
Magda's POV:
I walked out of the changing room, and headed towards the tunnel to line up ahead of the game against Man City. The rest of the starting 11 followed behind me. I spotted the mascots waiting for us. I stopped at the front and leaned down and turned to my mascot, "Hi, I'm Magda, what's your name ?", The little girl looked up at me and sent me a small but nervous smile. "I'm Freja, with a j not a y", she replied nervously. I smiled and held out my hand, "that's a very pretty name", Freja smiled up at me again. She looked at my hand and then nervously and cautiously took a hold of my hand gently. I smiled down at her. The mascot behind me, holding Zecira's hand, nudged Freja and smirked at her. Freja's smile fell and she looked at the floor. I turned to Zecira and frowned down at her mascot. Zecira shrugged her shoulders. I leaned back down to Freja and asked her quietly "Is the kid behind you bothering you ?". Freja looked at me and slightly nodded.
I quietly asked her "do you want me to carry you, so they can't bother you anymore ?". Freja looked up at me cautiously and that's when I saw the fear in her eyes. "Don't worry I won't hurt you", I told her quietly. Freja nodded and I bent down and picked the small girl up. She turned to me and smiled a very small smile. "How old are you ?", I asked Freja trying to show her it was ok. "6", Freja replied softly. "Wow, you're a big girl", I said to her, pretending to look shocked, a part of me was shocked, she was fairly small for her age. This caused Freja to smile.
"I bet you're parents are very proud of you today", I added, not realising the effect my words would have on the little girl. Freja's smile immediately dropped and a sad frown appeared on her face. She began fiddling with her jersey, and avoided eye contact with me. "What's wrong ?", I asked gently. "I don't have a mummy or daddy", Freja added, still not looking at me. I frowned and understood why she had gone all quiet. I cautiously rubbed my hand up and down her back to comfort her. She leaned closer into me. "I'm sorry Freja", I replied, unsure how I could help this little girl feel any better. The referee then called out, signally it was time to head out to the pitch. I lead the team out with Freja still in my arms. I waved at the crowds and nudged Freja telling her "you can wave too". Freja turned to me and asked "who will I wave at ?", I replied "you don't have to wave at someone, you can just wave at everyone", with a smile. Freja nodded and gently waved her hand at the crowd. We stood in a line, before it was time for the mascots to go and for the game to start.
Pernille came over and I leaned down to put Freja on the ground. She didn't seem to want to let go, so I crouched down and said "I'll come find you after the game ok ?", Freja nodded and gave me a hug. I hugged her back and quickly followed after the rest of the mascots leaving the pitch. I turned to see Pernille looking at me curiously. "She is adorable", Pernille commented as we moved to take our team photo. "She's an orphan", I quietly told Pernille. Pernille looked at me surprised "what's her name ?". I smiled and replied "her name is Freja, with a j , like in Swedish, and she's 6". Pernille nodded and we paused our conversation to take the team photo. "I'd love to meet her after the game", Pernille added before we headed to our positions. "I'd love for you to come and meet her", I added smiling over at her before I raced to my position to start the game.
At halftime, I made my way to the changing room. I spotted the mascots beside the tunnel, all of them waving and cheering. I looked for Freja and once I spotted her I frowned. She had tears rolling down her face, and she was clutching her hoodie. She didn't spot me, so I couldn't send her a smile. I headed into the changing room, to listen to Emma's team talk and tactics plan.
After the game, we did a lap of the pitch to thank our fans, after the game ended in 1-1. We were nearly back to where the mascots were when Pernille approached me and asked "where is your little friend ?", with a small smile on her face. I smiled and lead her to the mascots area. The mascots crowded around us both, asking us to sign their shirts and we did so, but I kept an eye out for Freja. Once the mascots had calmed down, I spotted Freja standing near the back of the group, almost like she was separate from the group. I made my way over with Pernille behind me, and crouched down in front of Freja. Freja instantly wrapped her arms around my neck and I stood back up with her in my arms. She hid her face in my neck when she spotted Pernille watching us. I smiled at her shyness. "Pernille this is Freja, Freja this is Pernille", Freja perked her head up and looked over at Pernille who was smiling over at us both. "Hi Freja", Pernille softly said. Freja carefully lifted her hand and waved gently at Pernille. I then spoke up "what did you think of the game ?", Freja smiled at me and replied quietly "good". Freja began fiddling with my shirt, and I asked "are you doing anything exciting after the game ?", Freja's smile faded and shook her head, "go back to the house". I nodded and Pernille then asked "do you like your house ?", being careful to phrase the question with house and not home as it was clear from Freja's expressions that it wasn't her home. Freja violently shook her head and leaned into my chest, and then replied, so quietly only me and Pernille could hear her "don't make me go back". I looked over at Pernille, with a glum expression on my face, only to see Pernille with a sad look on her face. "Does anything happen at your house Freja ?", I cautiously ask. Freja nods into my chest and then quietly replies "they get really mad", Pernille asks the question I was about to ask "who does Freja ?", "the people who live in the house" Freja whispers back, now with tears rolling down her face. I look around and nudge to Pernille. I lean over so Freja can't hear me say "find the person in charge of looking after Freja here, I don't want to leave her with whomever she's living with". Pernille nods and replies "I agree, I want to take her home with us, where we can show what love and care looks and feels like". I nod agreeing with her. Pernille goes off in search of the person in charge of looking after Freja, while I turn my attention back to Freja. "Do they ever touch you Freja ?", I carefully ask, but the reaction and reply is not one I was expecting. Freja wraps her arms around my neck tightly, her legs around my waist and buries her head in the crook of my neck and whimpers "uh huh, please don't leave me". I sigh and internally scream in frustration and anger, that someone could hurt this innocent, little girl. I rub my hand up and down her back, and it's then that I'm glad that most of the fans have the stadium, and most of the players have gone into the changing rooms. I carry Freja in my arms towards the tunnel, keeping an eye out for Pernille. I spot her walking towards us, with a woman beside her. Pernille seems to be explaining something to the woman, and the woman seems to be half-listening. Once they reach us the woman turns to me and speaks up "you must be Magda, I'm Naomi, I'm Freja's social worker, Pernille here tells me, you are concerned for Freja's welfare in her care home". I nod and hold out my hand to shake Naomi's hand. "I must say I've never seen Freja attach herself to someone so quickly", Naomi adds, looking at Freja who was holding tight onto my jersey. "We're wondering what can be done immediately for her safety ?", I asked Naomi. She sighed and replied "for tonight there's not much we can do, except if you are both willing to take her, and tomorrow I will place her in your care for longer term, she will have to tell us what is happening though, which she may struggle with, how does that sound ?". I nodded and then turned to Freja in my arms who hadn't been paying attention at all. "Would you like to stay with me and Pernille ?", I ask gently. Freja looks at me and Pernille and nods her head, a smile appearing on her face. Naomi beamed and replied, "ok so if I can get a contact number from one of you and then I'll be able to text you about everything". Pernille nodded and gave her her details, while I held Freja in my arms. Pernille patted my shoulder and the two of us walked to the changing rooms, where I hope there wouldn't be many players left. Pernille held the door open for me, and I walked into a quiet changing room with only 4 other players, them being Jess, Zecira, Fran and Ann. They all turned around when they spotted us and Jess immediately asked "who's this ?", I smiled and replied as Freja hid away from the girls "this is Freja, and she'll be staying with me and Pernille for a while, let's avoid questions for now, she's a bit shy". The girls nodded and smiled, and Secira waved at Freja, who had her head in the crook of my neck. Pernille gathered both our things and we headed out the back entrance to the car. Pernille sat in the back beside Freja, who held her hand the whole journey home.
