Pleased to meet you... again

Thirty-One

It took the next month to get everything sorted. Xander spent them at the team house. With Ainsley fussing over them. The soccer player had tried once more to contact Casey to no avail and the redhead who was now most definitely their best friend in the world had been stuck to them like glue to stop them from getting into trouble.

The day after Xander had returned to the empty apartment they'd headed out to Casey's house looking to see her, to see if they could convince the blonde to come back. It didn't go well and Ainsley had picked the brunette up from the police station and not let them out of their sight since.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I can't be here. I need to try something else. Coach said that my classes could be delivered in one of the universities there and I'll get to play soccer most weekends. All I'm doing here is struggling, thinking about why I wasn't good enough. How she could tell me she loved me and all along she was with Hunter. They get married tomorrow. Ains I still love her. I need to go away and try and not but even here I think about us that night before we went to Europe and..."

"I get it. I just don't think running away will help."

"I've got to try something." Xander smiled through their tears. "Anyway at least I'll have you."

Ainsley smiled "yeah but not until next season. Ash is still trying to arrange a job too, it'll be weird. Us all living in London."

"Yeah."

It would be a little over eight years before Xander returned to Los Angeles. Sure she'd played with the national side for most of that time but in tournaments and games across other states. She had played club football for Arsenal for the majority of that time before spending two seasons in Manchester.

But when the chance came up to renew a contract something in her head told her it was time to go home, she would be 28 in a few months. Ally had gotten married to some tech genius and lived in California. She was just about to give birth to her first kid. And xander thought it best to maybe build a relationship with their sister.

Their mom stopped off in California too for a few months of the year. Her and Jean had decided to spend early retirement in an RV that Xander had bought them.

The house and the farm was now let to a family who worked the land in exchange for accommodation and a 50-50 split on the income. Xander had arranged that too to give her mom freedom.

Xander Hopkins was a household name, they had captained the US Team to a World Cup victory. They had sponsorships, and more money than they knew what to do with. They fronted a charity helping trans teens and spoke out against bigotry and hate aimed at the queer community.

But as they looked around the temporary furnished apartment in a gated community which their sister had set up for them, while they looked for a more permanent residence. They acknowledged that they were lonely, they had never let anyone in close enough share their life. Sure there had been women, lots of sex and one relationship which ended when Xander turned down Marie's proposal, they didn't love her. Not the way they were meant to. It didn't feel the way it did when they lived with and loved Casey. Nothing ever did.

They decided to explore the shared courtyard space and communal pool.

"Excuse me."

Xander turned to locate the young voice. "Yeah."

"Are you the soccer player, Hurricane Hopkins?"

The brunette smiled, "I am. And who you might be?" They looked at the small blonde girl holding a ball.

"I'm Dawn. I am seven when I grow up I want to play soccer just like you?"

"Hello Dawn. That's a good name."

"Yeah it's your middle name."

"It is"

"Do you want to play?"

"Yeah go on."

Dawn dropped the ball to the ground and passed it over. Xander slowed the ball and passed it back. They started adding a little movement to the passing.

"Dawn!"

"I have to go now. But if you want I can play with you again sometime."

"You know what you are on."

Xander looks over at the woman who has shouted the girl. She's older, and a lot darker than the Dawn. Maybe she takes after her Dad they thought to themselves as they headed back to her front door.

The next day the brunette got a chap at the door around 4pm. She opened to find Dawn standing there with her soccer ball, "are you coming out to play?"

"Does your mom know you are here?"

"No, my mom is still at work. I said to Lindy though. Lindy is my nanny. She looks after me until my mom gets home. She's a teacher at a high school. My Daddy's a big lawyer, but he doesn't want to see me anymore."

Xander's heart tugged. Who would not want to see their kid, especially one as cute as this. "Okay just let me put my sneakers on."

"Do you play soccer at school?" Xander asked as kicked the ball.

"Yeah. I told the coach that I met you. He said come and speak to the team."

"Tell your coach I'd be happy to"

They moved about the courtyard. Kicking the ball.

"Dawn!"

"That's Lindy I have to leave."

"Okay have a good night."

"Bye Xander."

"Bye Dawn." Xander gave a small wave.

They went back to their apartment to change and go meet their sister for dinner. They put on a pair of stone washed denims and a short sleeved patterned shirt, showing off their tattooed arms.  They tied their hair up on a top knot and splashed some cologne on.

They locked the front door and headed through the courtyard as they did so they decided to message Ainsley to let her know they were okay. They hadn't spoken in a week which was unusual and they didn't want the redhead worrying.

Xander cursed themselves as they had to delete and retype, they had never been great at walking and typing. They noticed the light change and realized they were in the arched outhouse that housed the post boxes and the locked gate to the complex. They stopped and fixed their message before re-reading while they walked towards the gate. They just pocketed their phone when...

"Hey."

The blonde stepped back from lifting her post. And right into Xander. The soccer player looked up from her phone. They couldn't believe their eyes.