Trojan Horse

4 - Am I Finally Not Alone?

With nothing to do, Minna was forced to bond with her new roommates and captain all day.

"So, you don't watch movies?" Cat asked.

Minna shrugged. "I didn't have the freedom to watch any. And then, with the Foxes, no one really watched movies that often."

Jeremy's jaw dropped. "I don't believe you," he argued. "We're watching a movie tonight."

"Yeah, invite yourself over," Laila said without heat.

Minna's lips quirked. "What movie?"

"Big Hero 6," all three said in unison.

"Is that one where the brother dies?" Minna asked.

"You know it?" Jeremy asked excitedly.

"Allison was whining about how it made her cry," Minna said with a shrug.

"Damn, harsh," Cat muttered.

Minna's lips quirked. Laila, on the other hand, burst out laughing.

"We're learning so much about you," Laila said. "You are not the whiny baby that everyone thinks you are."

Minna snorted. "I never was. That's just the media persona that Tetsuji wanted me to portray."

Her phone buzzed — rather violently putting an end to their conversation, as Kevin's ringtone shook the couch. Minna picked it up and answered, processing her brother's words as he spoke.

"You're going on Kathy's show?" she repeated.

"Yes, and she wants you there."

"Who knows?"

"Only Wymack."

"Kevin, that's rude. Tell them."

"She said as a surprise guest — but ran it through me, obviously. You can bring a few of your teammates and Coach Rhemann. Tell him when you can."

"For fuck's sake, practices haven't even started and you've already got an interview planned for after our first games?"

"Humor me."

"I hate you," Minna muttered. "Fine, I'll tell Coach."

"Thank you."

Minna made a face like he could see her and hung up.

"I have to go find Coach," Minna muttered, standing up to go.

"I can go," Jeremy offered. Minna shook her head and thanked him, but left the room. She stared blankly at the elevator, then decided to take the stairs, looking up Rhemann's address on the school website. Once she had it, she put it into her GPS and started running. The steady pounding of her footsteps on the ground calmed her enough that she wasn't freaking out when she knocked on her coach's door.

He opened up, concern written across his face.

"Hey," Minna said, half out of breath. "I got something to tell you."

"I can tell," Rhemann said with a frown. "Come on in."

Minna got settled on the couch, a mug of coffee resting in her hands before she finally told Rhemann what was going on.

"Kevin has an interview after PSU's first game with Kathy Ferdinand planned and she wants me there."

Rhemann stared at her for a minute before he repeated her slowly.

Minna nodded.

"Are you going on?"

"Considering I'm telling you, yeah. I can bring you and a few teammates."

"We'll have to get on a plane the day before, right after our game. Thank god it's a home game. Who are you thinking of bringing?"

"Laila, Catalina, Jeremy," Minna said.

"That was fast," Rhemann said. "You want to tell them?"

"They were there for the phone call. I'll just tell them I'd like to bring them."

"Alright. Minna." Rhemann waited until Minna had turned back around at the doorway. "Mish told me about the Moriyamas. If you ever want to talk about it..."

"Yeah," Minna said. "Alright. But there's a campus shrink, right?"

"Dr. Tae Bak is always open for you to talk to, but he's mostly professional."

"Not like Dr. Dobson, then," Minna mused. "She gets very personal — or tries to, anyway."

Rhemann nodded. "I'll let you go, then."

Minna left and hesitantly texted Laila to come pick her up, and paced pack and forth until she arrived. When Laila's car pulled up the curb, it turned out that she'd brought the other two with her — which said one of two things. One, they were so worried about her that they all had to come. Or two, they were going somewhere.

"Hop in," Laila said. She flashed Minna a grin.

The younger girl climbed in back hesitantly, then glanced over at Jeremy.

"We were about to go get lunch," the captain explained.

Minna nodded and buckled her seatbelt.

"We're headed to a fish place — I hope you like fish," Laila said.

Minna accepted that with a nod, leaning back and staring out the window. The ride was mostly silent, and Minna had nothing to add when the other three started talking.

She was content to watch them interact and laugh and smile. She didn't want to ruin it for them, anyway. It was too cruel to do that.

As they pulled into the fish place, the laughter died down until they'd been seated. Jeremy picked the conversation right up where they'd left it off and Minna watched it like someone far away. Their joy echoed in her brain and she never wanted it to end. Her mood dimmed as theirs grew.

Woe is she, unable to express joy. Woe is she, who missed her family that never was.

Minna's fingers dug into her arms under the table and the familiar pain startled her into a flinch — small, but not small enough. Laila caught it, and reached across.

"Minna?" she asked softly.

Minna glanced away.

"You know you can talk to us, right?"

Minna nodded, focusing on the waitress coming over with drinks.

"Minna," Jeremy said. He waved his hand in front of her face and waited for her to look at him. "You can trust us."

"How do I know?"

The three exchanged looks at her honesty.

"Who hurt you?" Cat asked.

Minna clenched her jaw and closed her eyes against the memories. Riko's face, telling her to obey him flashed across her mind's eye. Tetsuji, swinging his arm at her face. Kevin, shielding her from the worst of the blows. Jean, holding her arms as Riko pummeled all three.

Her breathing quickened.

"Minna," Jeremy said. His voice cut through the static. His eyes — bright blue and reminiscent of the sky and not Riko — broke her from the last of her panic. His hands, light and calloused, reaching toward her slowed her heart rate enough for her to breath. His expression, benevolent and worried, cut away the fear.

"You should talk to Dr. Bak."

"I know," Minna murmured.

"He can help," Cat agreed.

"I like Betsy."

"The Foxes' psychiatrist?" Laila asked.

"Yes."

Jeremy touched the back of her hand lightly. "What's wrong?"

"Am I finally not alone?" Minna asked.

"Yeah," Laila said with a smile. "You're finally not alone."

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No, this is not a Jeremy fic. I'd've said so already.