-Emily-
"Alright Emily, let's just star with your name." My doctor said.
"Em-" I got out, before my voice cracked and my throat hurt.
"Easy, we'll take it slow here." Dr. Rivera said, and smiled at me. She was a nice middle aged women, who was our main doctor here in the U.S.
"Em-ily, R-ush." I spoke, scraping noises escaping my throat. I coughed, and rested my hand against my bruising jaw.
"Good, good. Now let's go to your age." She said.
"Twen-ty, two." I got out, and she smiled.
"That's good. I'll get someone to come in and give you some more fluids in your IV. I'll leave you two, but try keeping the talking to a minimum." Dr. Rivera said, and I nodded.
"Thank you." Kelley said, as the doctor walked out. I turned my head to look at Kelley, and smiled at her. "I've missed your smile." She said, as I pulled her into the hospital bed with me.
"I've mis-sed, smil-ing." I rasped out, as she pecked my cheek.
"I've also missed your voice, three weeks was a long time." Kelley said, and I nodded. Nuzzling my head into her side, I took in her scent. I felt her trace her fingers over my newly found scars, and I sighed.
"Do th-they look b-ad?" I asked, as I pulled back to look at her.
"No, you're beautiful Emily. These scars mean nothing to me, they just make you stronger." She told me, and I smiled at her.
"I l-lo-" I got out, before my throat started to scratch.
"I know. I love you too." She said, kissing my bruising jaw. "I'll love you forever."
---
Pulling my beanie down over my ears, I grabbed Kelley's hand. She intertwined our fingers, and glanced over at me.
"You good?" She asked me, and I nodded. We headed inside the hotel, and towards the conference room. Kelley gave my hand a small squeeze, as we walked into the conference room. Once the doors closed behind us, all of my team looked back at me. It was quiet, and no one spoke. I looked different.
I had two defined scars running across my jaw, and another defined one across the bridge of my nose. My nose was also indented slightly, and another defined scar ran through my left eyebrow. Some fading scars ran across my temple and forehead, the ones I received when Hope fisted me in the face. I smiled at my teammates, and they still just looked at me. All of the sudden, Alex jumped from her seat and ran to me. She picked me up, and wrapped me in her arms.
"You're okay!" She yelled, as everyone else on my team came and ran at me. I smiled, as Alex laughed. "You scared the crap out of us." Alex said.
"We missed you Baby Rush!" Tobin yelled.
"I-mis-sed you guys t-oo." I rasped out, as Alex slowly set me down.
"Woah, are you okay Em?" Abby asked, and I nodded.
"St-ill get-" I took deep breaths, trying to get words out.
"She's still trying to get her voice back." Kelley explained, and I nodded.
"You look bad ass Em." Hope said, and I smiled.
"I did-nt bef-ore?" I asked, and they all smiled.
"No, you defiantly did." Christen said.
"Are you ready for our last four victory tour games?" Alex asked, and I nodded.
"Hell-yah."
-Kelley-
Today was Emily's first game back from all of her surgeries. She hasn't played since the World Cup. So Jill wanted to have a little welcome back celebration on the field, and made Em captain. Her voice was partially back, and it only wavered a few times.
Currently we were getting ready for the game, as I watched Emily put on her jersey. Her muscles flexed and contrasted as she lifted her jersey over her head. My eyes fell down to her toned abdomen, and I smirked. I looked at all of her tattoos, and sighed out.
"Hey guys, get in here!" Abby yelled out. She was cleared to play now, but Jill was still cautious about her shoulder. "Game day. Emily's first big game back since the World Cup. Let's go out and win it for her, for us, for them!" Abby yelled, pointing out to where all the fans were. Everyone cheered, and clapped. "USA on three! One, two, three!"
"USA!" We all yelled. I grabbed Emily's hand, as we walked out to the field. All of us waved at the fans, and me and Emily smiled at each other. There was a sign that said,
"O'Rush Forever!"
I smiled at Emily, and she quickly jogged over to where the fan was. She grabbed a sharpie from the girl with the sing, and quickly signed the poster. She gave the fan a quick hug, and then ran back to me.
"You're amazing." I told her, and she smiled.
"Thanks." She rasped. We got over to the bench, and I pulled her close to me. Kissing her behind the ear, I smiled against her skin.
"I love you, and your raspy voice. It's sexy." I told her, and she smiled at me.
"My voice has always been raspy." She told me, and I nodded.
"I know, and I've always loved it." I told her, and she laughed.
"You're so cheesy." She said, and pulled away from me. "We've got to go warm up, come on." She said, pulling me out onto the pitch.
We started practicing, passing back and forth. We did trapping and practiced catching the ball and laying it out to play. Moe went and headed the ball, and it came back and hit me in the face. I laughed out, as JJ ran at me. She laughed with me, as Moe was staring at us in fear.
"Kel-"
"It's good, Moe. Don't worry." I said between my laughs. After we all cleared the field, Emily walked over meet the referee. It was our October 25th game vs. Brazil. Emily had one more game with us after this one, and then she was going back to Paris. I watched as Emily shook hands with the referee, and did the coin toss. Marta was Brazil's captain, and Emily didn't seemed surprised.
We won the coin toss, and started the game with the ball. I took my seat on the bench next to Ashlyn, and patted her on the shoulder.
"Think we'll play today?" I asked her, as she looked over at me. We both gave a small laugh, and turned our attention back to the game. I watched as the ref blew his whistle, and signaled for the game to start. Alex passed the ball forward to Emily, who sent it over to Tobin. Tobin dribbled up field, and sent it over to Moe. Moe tried dribbling up field, but was trapped by two defenders. They got the ball from her, and progressed into our back field. Emily walked over to Alex, and talked to her about something. I sighed out, and rested back on the bench.
---
At half it was 2-1. Alex had a goal in the ninth minute, and Emily had a goal in the forty fifth. Marta had a goal for Brazil shortly before Emily had hers. Alex's goal was an assist from Tobin, and it made us all smile. We called it a Talex goal.
Emily's goal was scary. She was in the box waiting for a cross, two defenders tightly by her side. Pinoe had sent in a cross right to Emily, but it was going to be hard to get to with the defenders on her. I watched as my girlfriend dove for the ball, trying to get her head on it. A Brazil defender was trying to get past her, but fell. Emily flicked her head, getting a touch on the ball. The Brazil defender fell onto Emily's back, sending them both to the ground. The other defender tried jumping over the dog pile, but tripped and fell onto Emily as well. The ball soared into the back of the net, rolling right past the goalies fingers. Cheers erupted from the crowd, as Emily slammed her fists on the turf. Alex came over, helping one of the Brazil defenders to her feet. The other me rolled off of Emily, and then helped her up. Emily took her hand, and smiled at her. Alex then picked Emily up in her arms, spinning her around.
I smiled back at the thought of her goal, and then focused my attention back on to Abby. She was giving one of her usual pep talks, and then we were off. I was subbed in for Tobin at half, and was playing right mid. It was the position I was playing when I scored my first goal. I smiled at Emily, and then headed out onto the field with her. I took my spot, as the game started.
It was the seventy fourth minute, and nothing had happened yet. It was a lot of back and forth play, and everything seemed boring. Not until Emily got the ball. A defender was trying to bring the ball up past half, and Emily was there to stop her. She jabbed the ball away from the defender, and dribbled right past her. Emily took the ball up field, and faked out another defender. I ran up field with Emily, and waited for her next move. She cut in field, and was trapped by two more defenders. I ran into the box, a defender trailing me. Emily saw me, and meged one of the defenders. She spun around the second one, and then sent in a cross to me. I ran to ball, and jumped up. The defender fallowed me, as I pulled my body back. Launching my head forward, it struck straight into the ball. I watched as it flew towards goal, and right past the goalie. Landing on my feet, I stumbled to regain my balance.
Spinning around, I ran straight to Emily. Jumping up, she caught me. I wrapped my legs around her waist, as I threw my fists into the air. She held me around my waist, making sure I didn't fall. I looked down on her, as she smiled at me. I pulled my hands down, and locked them around her neck. Bending my head down, I kissed her. She smiled into the kiss, as her grip tightened on my waist. The cheering in the stadium just grew louder, as I deepened our kiss. She slowly let me down from her waist, as I pulled away from her.
"Nice goal." She rasped out, as she smiled at me.
"Nice cross." I said. Quickly pecking her lips, we ran back to center field. Cheers till erupted from the fans, as mine and Emily's kiss replayed on the big screen. I smiled at her, as the game started again.
The finale whistle blew, as the game ended 3-1. Once the whistle blew, I ran straight to Emily. She caught me, and spun us around. I smiled at her, as she threw me over her shoulder.
"Em!" I yelled. She laughed, and ran me around the field. I hit her back, as she let me down from her shoulder. I was his face to face with her, as she smiled at me. I was mad at her, but I couldn't be mad when I saw that smile. Kissing her nose, I pulled her into a hug.
"Hey O'Rush, let's go!" Carli yelled, as we headed into the locker room. I smiled at Emily, and thought about her smile.
I loved that damn smile.
---
"I don't want you to go!" I whined, as we waited for Emily's plane.
"It's two weeks Kelley, two weeks." She told me, taking my hands.
"Two weeks is to long." I said, pouting my lip. "Do you have to go?" I asked, and she smiled at me.
"Kind of. It's sort of my job." She said, and I sighed.
"Yah, I know." I said, resting my head against her shoulder.
"Look at it this way. I'll call you, text you, and FaceTime you every night. It'll be like I'm there." She told me.
"Yah, but you're not." I whined.
"Two weeks Kelley. It's only two weeks. Then I'll be right back by your side, kissing you, and hugging you, and loving you until I die." She said, and I smiled at her.
"Damn, didn't know my girlfriend was a poet. You say things that I would only imagine in a book." I said, and Emily smiled at me.
"Maybe it's because I have that heroic quality of a storybook character?" She joked, as I hit her arm.
"Flight 34 to Paris France."
I sighed out, and looked back up at Emily. A look of sadness had taken over her face, but she tried giving me a reassuring smile.
"I love you." She said to me.
"I love you too." I said, as I pulled her into me. Giving her a deep kiss, I slowly pulled away from her. Resting my forehead against hers, I smiled. "See you in two weeks?"
"Yah, two weeks." She said, as I kissed her nose. I pulled away to look at her, and kissed each and every one of her defined scars.
"I love you." I repeated.
"I know you do, and I'll love you forever." She told me, and I smiled.
"Alright, go. You're gonna miss your flight." I said. Emily bent down to grab her bags, and gave me one last kiss. As she turned around, I gently hit her butt. "See yah later legend." I said, as she gave me the Shaka sign over her shoulder.
"See yah later superstar." She said, as she turned around to look at me once last time. She was slowly backing towards the boarding tunnel, and gave me a wink. I bit my lip, and gave her a small wave. She smiled at me, her million dollar smile, then disappeared into the boarding tunnel. Taking deep breaths, I tried to stop the tears from falling down my cheeks. Patting my hands against my thighs, I slowly spun around. Taking a deep breath, I started to walk.
I walked away from the boarding tunnel, I walked away from that million dollar smile. I walked away from those piercing green eyes, and I walked away from her. I walked away knowing it was only two weeks. I could wait two weeks to be able to kiss her again, I could wait two weeks to be able to see her in person. Two weeks was all I had to wait.
But a lot could happen in just two weeks.