One More Chance

Prologue Part 1 - The Beginning of The End

A/N: Trigger Warning - Drug Use, Death. 

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POV: Mac (Maddison Ashton Collins) 

The ref's whistle blew signaling the end of the game and my heart dropped. We lost. The first loss in four games and the one loss that mattered. The Semi-Final game was over and now, our chance at the championship was gone. To top off that, my knee was burning. Sometime during the last fifteen minutes or so I felt something pull just a little too much and now it was nothing but pain. I limped my way to the bench and grabbed my jacket. I knew that I wouldn't be one of the players called for media duty. I made my way into the locker room and back over to my bag. Sighing, I looked around. I knew that I couldn't take the pills in my bag here. The team would kick my ass if I did. Instead of taking what I normally would have, I grabbed some Advil as the team filed in.

The coach gave his normal post game speech and then let us go on our way. Having played at home, I knew I could just head home. I said goodbye to my teammates, giving Tobin a hug. I wouldn't see her again until the next camp, national team or Thorns, depending on which came first. After my quick goodbyes, I took my truck back to my apartment, not bothering to shower.

The drive to my apartment was silent, as I didn't even bother to turn on the radio. The Advil did nothing to ease the pain now radiating from my leg. I knew that I would need the pills I had promised Tobs and Ash that I wouldn't take. I had been clean for six months, six long months of cravings and nearly giving in. If it weren't for my fellow Tar Heels, I wouldn't have gotten clean in the first place.

Lost in thought I found myself sitting on the couch, bottle in hand. I shook my head clear of the memories and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Tobs. I'm sorry, Sharky..." I whispered to the air, quickly taking my normal level of the meds. I washed them down with some gatorade and turned on the TV. The SciFi channel had a Tremors movie marathon. I tuned the movie out and laid back on the couch. I could feel the pain edging away and complete exhaustion overwhelming me. I slipped further and further into oblivion as my eyes slid shut and I let the world melt away.

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POV - Tobin

Tradition was the morning after a game, Ash, Mac and I would grab breakfast. With Ash in Orlando, tradition fell to just Mac and I. Knowing she would have taken last night's loss a bit harder than most, I headed over to her apartment with her normal order of coffee in hand: an iced mocha latte, double shot of espresso and a shot of caramel just for extra flavor. Not bothering to knock, I used my key for her front door and let myself in.

"MACKIEEEEE.... Mac and Cheese it's time to wake up!" I called into the apartment. The living room tv was on, some weird ghost hunting show playing. "Mac?"

I looked around the room, spotting Mac laying on the couch, her body stretched across the small piece of furniture. As I walked to the other side of the room, I grabbed the remote and muted the TV.

"Mac, wake up. You know the tradition. It's time for breakfast." I turned to face the couch and my heart stopped for a moment, the remote falling out of my hand. "Mac?"

Her eyes were closed, but there was something off. Legs stretched in a way I knew she wouldn't have been comfortable, her left arm hanging off the couch, right arm tucked behind her body. She looked like she was sleeping, but I couldn't place my finger on what was wrong. It wasn't until my eyes finally landed on the medication bottle on the coffee table in front of her.

"Fuck... Mac please say you didn't..." I moved to her side and put my hand on her chest. It wasn't moving. "Mac.... oh Mac..."

I pulled out my phone and dialed 911.