Secrets Of Third Base

8

They're somewhere over Montana when Cade begins to squirm a little. He has this look of worry she has grown to recognize over past couple weeks.

He is moving his legs subtly and she can see he is biting on his lower lip.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asks.

"Um...yeah." He says, but he doesn't sound sure at all.

He is looking around, everyone is still asleep for the most part. Thier hands are still wrapped together, but she can tell he is starting to sweat. Is this the start of a panic attack?

Oh God- she thinks. She can't let him get off the plane and start this road trip off with one of his episodes.

"Hey. Hey, Cade. Look at me." She says. This kind of seemed to work in her office before.

"What's wrong?" She asks once his face meets hers.

He doesn't answer for a moment.

Then he whispers.

"I really have to go to the bathroom." He says and then she notices his free hand is holding his crotch.

That's...not what she expected him to say. Her immediate reaction is to say 'Okay? Then go?' But something tells her this is deeper than that. 

"Okay. Do you know where it's at?" She asks.

He nods a little frantically. Sort of like he was when she woke him up wet the other day.

She releases his hand and he looks at her, longingly.

She unbuckles his seatbelt.

"Everyone is asleep." She assures. Maybe this is some weird anxiety thing about airplane crashes again.

"I know. I just-" He says, but then stops, clutching his crotch again.

"You need to go. It'll be okay." She assures. "Take a deep breath."

She pushes up on his elbow, forcing him to stand. After some encouragement, he does eventually shuffle to the bathroom.

He is in there for a long time. She has a gut feeling she knows what's going on. What she doesn't know is why. Why wouldn't he just get up and go? They both knew he needed to.

It's been at least 15 minutes when the bag stowed under his seat catches her eye.

She looks around before taking it out and unzipping it as quietly as she can.

Inside the discrete black backpack are two pairs of pants and two pairs of boxers nearly rolled up inside. They're identical to the pants he has on now. Dark gray joggers. At the very bottom, she can see the reflection of plastic. Probably bags for something wet.

She sighs, knowing her gut was right.

She stands up and tiptoes down the isle and taps on the door.

"Cade, it's me." She says as softly as she can so he can still hear.

It opens ever so slightly.

She can see tears rolling rapidly down his face.

"I had an accident." He says, voice breaking.

"It's okay. Here." She hands him the bag.

He looks at her, clueless for a second, wondering how she could have known, but he takes it and shuts the door again.

She makes her way back to their seats and waits for him.

It's not long before he emerges.

He looks nothing short of mortified.

Using two fingers, she gently turns his cheek to face her. She uses the end of her sleeve to wipe away the water on his face.

"It's okay. Nobody knows." She assures.

"You do." He says.

"I am the Team Atheltic Trainer, Cade. I am supposed to know these things. Maybe I can help." She says.

He scoffs.

"No Doctor, or therapist, or medication has ever helped before. Why would you be any different?" He snaps. She should be hurt and she is a little. Mostly she is just hit with a wave of understanding. Why he has these outbursts. Or at least the tip of it.

Her heart is pounding when she reaches for his hand again, she is braced and fully prepared for him to pull back angrily. He doesn't. She starts running her fingertips gently over the top of his wrist and then moves her hand up over his shoulder, sliding it behind his neck and tangling her fingers in his hair. It's too far. It's enough to get a sexual harassment charge on her record. In that moment she doesn't care.

She runs her fingers through his thick chocolate brown hair. Like before, he is stern for a moment, but each time her fingernails graze his scalp, his shoulders fall. He has goosebumps on his forearms.

"It's okay, Cade. I promise." She says.

He doesn't respond, but what he does next is unexpected. He leans his head on her shoulder. She can no longer get her hand on his head, but she moves her hand down and slides it around his bicep, squeezing him into her.

He lays his head there for so long, she almost thinks he may be asleep.

Soon enough the guys start waking up, on the tail end of the flight. Judging by the looks and smirks, Cade is definitely asleep.

Maybe it's in her head, but the smirks don't look devious, they look genuinely happy. Maybe even relieved.

As the plane begins to decend, he does indeed wake up. He looks at her, like maybe he isn't super sure what is going on but she smiles and eventually he smiles too.

She takes her arm back, but holds her palm open and looks at him.

"Incase we get into a plane crash on the way down." She says.

He laughs a little but takes it.

"Thanks for this." He says.

"You're welcome, Cade."

He shuts his eyes again, pushing his head against the seat. He doesn't look scared this time though, actually he looks...happy.