SUNSHINE

forty-eight

"Casey, wait!" She heard Alex call after her, but she kept walking towards the front of the stadium to meet the paramedics. Tears were streaming down her face now, for all her pent up frustration from not only the past two weeks, but for the past couple of years as well.

"Casey!" Alex called again, and now she whipped around to face her. "Let me go with you." She said when she caught up to her.

"Alex I just wanna be alone right now. Please." Casey pleaded, and Alex just wrapped her arms around her. That was when Casey fell to her knees and broke down in her arms. "She let me get blindsided. She tried to get me taken out."

"I know Casey, I know." Alex assured as they slid down to the floor, sitting in the middle of the tunnel. Her cries echoed and they heard steps coming toward them. Vlatko touched Alex's shoulder when we approached.

"Hey, what's going on?" He asked softly, kneeling beside the two of them.

"I'll explain later, or talk to Ali. I think she might have recorded the whole thing. Right now she's gotta go to the hospital to get her back checked out." Alex explained, getting Casey to her feet.

"What happened?" Vlatko asked, this time a little more firmly.

"You might want to rewatch that last play. Casey was blindsided when she shouldn't have been, and it was Riley's mark." Alex snapped, being on Casey's side. "She had every right to blow up on Riley like she did, and if Ali has the video, it can't go anywhere."

"Trust me, it won't." He confirmed, then looked to Casey, who appeared to be in some sort of trance. "Casey, I'll have to look at the tape, but I believe you. Go get checked out, alright?" He said to her softly, and she just nodded. He stood back straight and looked to Alex. "Go with her, make sure she's alright." He muttered to her, and she nodded. She took Casey by the shoulders and guided her to the front of the stadium.

If that video ever got out, her career could be over.

Hell, her career might already be over.

--

Vlatko sat in his hotel room with Ali, Alex, and Casey watching the video on the television. Casey had been cleared but was instructed to take it easy for the couple of days. They watched her last play of the game numerous times, all of them finally seeing what Casey had seen during the game. They watched as Casey ordered Riley and the rest of the defense into position, as she should, and as soon as the ball went into play, Riley did not track her mark. In fact, they watched her just step out of the way.

"That little bitch." Ali muttered, and Alex gawked at her.

"Ali." She hissed with a small laugh, slapping her.

"She's not wrong." Casey said softly. All three of them stared at her, for those were the first words she had spoken since they left the hospital.

"Casey, if you're worried about getting kicked off the team, you're not. This is staying in house, and I will address the team this evening. That is, after I dismiss Riley from this roster. I can't have untrustworthy defenders on this team, and with what she did to you, she's gotta go." Vlatko told them as he paused the video. He put a hand on Casey's shoulder. "We'll also have to release a press statement. Hopefully the video doesn't come into play." He added. They all followed him out of the hotel room. "I'll go find her now. Can you three get everyone together in the conference room?" He asked, and they nodded. Vlatko went one way while the three of them split up to knock on doors. It was easier than sending out a text in a group chat and half the team not seeing it.

Another hour went by and all twenty-five of them were sitting in the conference room. Vlatko eventually walked in and closed the door, a hush falling over the team. "Alright ladies. As we all know, there was a situation in the locker room after the game this afternoon. The situation has been addressed, and after reviewing the footage from the game and talking with our training staff and coaches, we determined that Riley Rhodes did indeed intentionally blindside Casey, which could have led to a season ending injury. Luckily, she'll be with us and playing, but due to some strained muscles in her back, she will be taking it easy the next couple days. I will release a fill statement tomorrow morning, but Mrs. Rhodes has been dismissed from this roster." Vlatko addressed to the team. Casey felt a sigh of relief overcome her as Alex pat her knee. No one knew how to react, so they all stayed quiet. "In regards to the outburst in the locker room," he paused, getting everyone's attention back, She could feel all eyes turn to stare at her. "I want to keep this in house. Casey had every right to blow up on Mrs. Rhodes, and I'm sure most of you agree. It was my fault, I told Casey to keep quiet about their history, and I know how difficult that was and for that I am sorry. Now, I know Ali has a video of the ordeal, but if anyone else also has it, I ask that it goes nowhere. This is an in house matter I am taking blame for. We all know Casey, and we all know that she puts this team before herself. We also all know she is one of the finest goalkeepers in the world, and there is no need for me to get pressured into having to dismiss Casey as well. That would be a nightmare." He finished, everyone chuckling at his final comment. Everyone seemed to be on her side with the matter, so she hoped she had nothing to worry about. "Alright ladies, I will see everyone in the morning at ten so we can head to the airport. Have a nice rest of your evening." Vlatko added, dismissing them from the conference room to do whatever for the rest of the night. The lot of them left to go do whatever they were taken away from, but some of them stayed, those being Casey, Alex, Ali, Ashlyn, and a few others who wanted to check in and make sure she was alright. They had not seen her since she had stormed out and left for the hospital. Casey had barely spoken to anyone since, for she was still stuck in whatever trance she had been put into.