Finally Breathing

~ Chapter 25 ~

Sky's POV

I was dressed in my favourite outfit: white air force ones, blue mom jeans, a black Nike hoodie with a green varsity jacket layered on top. I had a bit of an argument with my soon-to-be-mom Christen over my choice of clothes, but she eventually gave in when Tobin strolled into the room wearing a hoodie and skinny black jeans.

"What's her problem?" Tobin joked as Christen walked out, muttering something like,

"Fine, I'll be the one to change then." While rolling her eyes.

To be honest it was quite funny, they were barely a couple but still argued like middle aged married women. It all stayed happy with light humour for the next hour, Christen changing from a fancy summer dress into a black sweater with beige trousers, with Tobin and I watching the Arsenal game, shouting at the ref for every small decision given against them. At one point I was ready to throw something at the TV, Tobin clearly thinking the same as she jumped up off the bed, face red with rage as she crumpled the sheets beneath her. I mean c'mon, how was that offside?! That ref was blind, and if VAR wasn't going to help our appeals then what was the need for it? Even through our rage Arsenal won the game, Tobin pulling me into a light celebratory hug. Despite not being official family yet, this felt like one worth loving with my whole heart and more.

Before long it was time to leave. I grabbed my phone and hotel key card and made my way to the car parked outside the hotel, slipping my vans on in the process. Tobin and Christen took slightly longer, but finally emerged from the hotel lobby hand in hand, Chris with her bag open, white sheets sticking out of the top obnoxiously. I'm guessing they were all the adoption forms, containing all the paperwork required to officially make me Preath's child.

"You ready to become our daughter Sky?" Tobin asked from the driver's seat around ten minutes into the journey, pausing the music for a second, drowning out our drunken singing for a moment.

"More like ready to move in and annoy the hell out of you," I smirked, "But more ready for us to annoy the team." I continued, knowing full well the chaos that would descend as soon as the team found us together in a room together, or even just joking around with each other. From now on we would never be left alone by anyone, especially not Kelley, Ashlyn or Pinoe.

"Don't say that yet." Christen moaned, hiding her face in the sheets of paper covering her lap. It looked like she was learning lines for a high school play, rehearsing them until they were word perfect. Even so, I was happy that she was putting this much effort in just so that she could call me her daughter.

"We all know it." I laughed, reaching for my phone resting on the seat next to me, planning on putting something on my Instagram story. Barely anyone followed me so far, only the hardcore national team fans who actually paid attention to each camp's rosters, so I knew it would be safe to post despite the hearing not having taken place yet.

After a few minutes I came across a picture that I took of Tobin when I was staying at her house before camp. She was asleep, mouth slightly open as she snored, hair falling lazily across her face. Her nose was also scrunched, legs tucked into her stomach. I showed Chris, nudging her shoulder from behind.

"Oh, my days yes post that one PLEASE." She replied, snorting with laughter. Tobin glanced over, eyes surprisingly sharp as she was concentrating on the road and the photo. Or at least let's hope she was concentrating on both, otherwise we could be very dead right about now.

"You absolute.." She began, frowning at our amused expressions before swerving to the side of the road and snatching my phone away.

"Hey give it back!" I pouted, crossing my arms, "So not fair."

"Not until your officially ours. Which by my time... is about half an hour." She replied, ruffling my hair.

"But- "

"I wouldn't try to argue with that mom Sky. We all know she's stubborn as hell."

"True Chrissy, true." I laughed, before reaching into the front and turning the music back on, resuming my party to Mr Brightside. What an actual bop.

~~

"Sky we're here." Tobin was shaking me gently. I must have fallen asleep somewhere after Evermore by Hollow Coves and Celestial by Ed Sheeran, as they were the only ones I remember listening to.

I felt a rush of emotions course through me, heightening my senses and pumping adrenaline through my veins. I had never been more ready for anything, not even my first ever soccer game, although that was a highlight.

I stepped out of the car, gripping Tobin and Christen's hands tightly. We were walking in as friends, but hopefully would be walking out as family. The wind whipped at our hair, humid air creating baubles of sweat on the back on my neck.

We walked into the building, someone meeting us at the entrance. I didn't know what official position she held, but she seemed friendly enough, leading us through a wooden door on the right into a small courtroom. It had a hight vaulted ceiling, the bright lights blinding me for a second. The judge was already seated, gavel at the ready.

I took a sweeping look around the room, taking in the grandeur of the place before I focused my head on the small crowed seated behind the entrance. I gasped. What seemed like the whole team was here. Carli gave me a thumbs up, Ash a peace sign with Kelley doing a little dance towards the back of the group. Tears welled up in my eyes, pricking at the corners along my waterline. I don't know what I expected, but not this. This meant everything to me. I smiled back at them, before taking my seat in between Tobin and Christen. I wiped at my eyes as the judge began to speak. This was it. I was finally going to be part of a loving family.

~~

Tobin's POV

The judge's gavel hit the table with an ominous crash. Sky was officially Christen and I's daughter. The team cheered while we stood there in shock, unsure of what to do. Many of the team were fighting back tears as they whooped and clapped. I was only faintly aware of Sky wandering over to the group of girls behind us, standing and staring for what seemed like an age.

"Congratulations." The judge said, clapping me softly on the shoulder and exiting the room alongside her barristers.

My eyes were streaming with tears, clouded and blurry as I surveyed the adoption documents before me. Suddenly they were no longer relevant. Sky was my daughter, and no one, not even the law could tell me otherwise. I felt a hand snake its way around my waist, relaxing as I saw Chris obscuring the majority of my view. She was sobbing, her softly tanned skin wet with salt and water combined. Her mascara was everywhere but her eyelashes, a huge smile beaming across her face.

"She's ours Toby. Sky's really our daughter." We laughed hysterically at that statement, a little bit high from the day's events.

I spotted Sky walking back towards us through the crowded hall, weaving this way and that as she thanked each and every one of the team for coming. Her golden-brown hair was swaying in its ponytail, shiny in the bright lights of the room. Her face was alight with joy as she engulfed us in a huge hug, body heaving as she cried happily.

"Hey moms." She whispered softly, shaking her head in disbelief, hands now on her hips.

"That's right. We're your moms now Sky." I laughed, pulling Christen into a side hug with Sky already consuming the other.

This was turning out to be the craziest few months of my life, but honestly? I wouldn't trade them for the world.

A/N 

I know it's a Wednesday, but I had a bit of free time so I thought I'd write this. Please tell me if you think its moving a bit slow, tbh I'm going to probably do a time skip soon so that I can actually develop the plot a bit. Hope you enjoyed! x