The youngest teammate

"She hasn't told you has she"

Alex's pov
We have just dropped Ivy off at the bus station and ever since then Avery has been very quiet, unusually quiet. I think Leah also noticed this. Leah and Avery have quiet the bond and they have only know each other for what 3 day I think. Especially as it takes Avery a long time to warm up to someone, but I think she feels safe with Leah. I don't know what Leah knows about Avery or if Avery had told Leah anything about her mental health, but just in case she hasn't I am going to keep my mouth shut for now.

I look in my rear-view mirror to see her sound asleep, which I am not surprised about at all. She call literally fall asleep anywhere. I chuckle at this and this receives a confused look to appear on Leah's face. She says "what are you chuckling about, remembering something that you did which was embarrassing or just laughing about a thought" i than say "for your information I am not thinking of any of those, I was actually chuckling at Avery and how she can fall asleep anywhere". Leah than looks behind and takes her phone out, guessing she is taken a phone. I roll my eyes, but then I say "send that to me." She agrees.
We are about 5 minutes away from Leah's apartment maybe slightly less, I know this route pretty well as I have been down it a lot since knowing Leah.

Leah's pov
We have just arrived at my apartment and the weather well it could be better as the sky looks like it is about to rain. A lot. I notice Alex go to the back probably to wake up Avery, I grab her bag from the boot and hand it to a very groggy looking Avery. I quietly laugh at her sleepy state, it seems that Alex also is laughing at her but not quietly.
We walk to my apartment and I let them both in. Alex has been here many times before, but this is the kids first time. Alex makes her way to the living room, whilst Avery is just standing there really awkwardly, probably because she does know what to do. So I go over to her gently take her bag out her hand and take it to my laundry room, I go back to where she was stood but she wasn't there. I go to the living room and see Avery and Alex sat together playing Fifa. Obviously. We all switch around to play each other, this goes on for awhile until it is me and Alex playing. Alex won that game and she goes to give the controller to Avery but she has fallen asleep. Alex turns to me and says

Alex
Leah

How do you think she will do tomorrow, you know with all the new people.
I think she will be fine, nervous but that's normal.
She hasn't told you has she
Hasn't told me what
Umm so she is pretty bad with new people.
Oh well I make sure to always be with her tomorrow, but we really should wake her up or she is never going to sleep tonight.
Yeah but you can as she is normally really moody after a game, so have fun.

With that Alex gets up and goes to the kitchen, I move over so I am next to the kid and gently say her name, which obviously does nothing, so then I place a hand on her shoulder and shake her gently. This works as she wakes up and groans. I then say "kid I am going to show you where you will be stay, and I am also going to get you some clothes to sleep in from my room  if that is okay".  She than sits up and rubs her eyes, than nods her head. I get up from the sofa and take her hand a pull her up, expecting her to let my hand go but she just tightens her grip on my hand. Not so that she is hurting me, more in a comforting way so I squeeze her hand back and take her to the room she will be staying in. When we get to the room I let go of her hand and tell her "I am just going to get you some clothes to sleep in", and again she nods her head probably to tired to speak. I go to my room which is opposite her room and go over to my wardrobe and get some of my old Arsenal shorts and a baggie t-shirt. When i get back I don't see Avery but the bathroom light is on and the door is shut, I go over to the door and knock on it. No response. So I knock again, and this time she opens the door and revels her.

She looks like she has been crying, her eyes are red and puffy. I throw the clothes onto the bed and instantly pull her in to me, she tightens her grip on me like I am just going to slip away. Her breathing is still uneven and I really need to calm her down. So I place her head over my heart so she can follow my breathing hoping that it will help her, but after a few minutes her breathing hasn't changed, so I wrap her arms around my neck and lift her up, then I wrap her legs around my waist. I then start slowly walking around the room, every now and again I would sway her back and forth like you would for a young child. After awhile she has calmed down. Well I actually think she fallen asleep but she needs to change.
I detach her from me and place her on the bed. That worked. She woke up and I told her to go change. She comes back out and I opened my arms for her, without any hesitation she wraps herself around me. We getting into bed but I am not under the covers, her head is on my lap and I am plating small braids and then undoing them as it seems to make her fall asleep.

She has finally gone to sleep.
I slowly get up not wanting to disturb the sleeping child. I take one more look at her and turn the lamp off and shut the door.

I walk into the living room to see a sad looking Alex.

Enjoy 😉