overtime | clark & martin

fifty-nine.

Indiana's first game was against New York. The Liberty were a pretty decent team that the formidable Sabrina Ionescu still led. The game would set the tone for the season and the Fever had a lot to prove since they were ranked first in the power rankings. The only team that could compete was the Los Angeles Sparks which had Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson, and had recently signed free agent Paige Bueckers. Their big three were scary, but Indiana had Jessica and Caitlin.

Well, they had Jessica, Caitlin's head hadn't really been in the game.

Ever since the night that Caitlin had found out about Jessica's situation, she'd kind of been spiraling. When she first learned that Kate and Jessica were signing with the Fever, she'd thought it'd been a joke. When she learned it wasn't, Caitlin was honestly so excited. Not only did she get to play with Kate again, but for the first time in her career she would get to play with Jessica.

Caitlin knew she was the best, she had the resume to support it, but that didn't stop her from obsessing with the way that Jessica played. Watching Jessica play basketball could only be compared to watching art being created. Caitlin knew many people said that about her, but she wanted to tell them that Jessica was the true artist, not her.

So, when Caitlin learned that Jessica's basketball career would be coming to an abrupt end Caitlin began to spiral. Not only would her time as Jessica's teammate be cut short but there was also the fact that she may never see Jessica make art again and that was something Caitlin wasn't sure she could live with. Jessica had made a point, basketball was the thing holding them together and Caitlin wondered what their relationship would be without it.

Kate also hadn't been much herself since that night. She'd become way more attentive to Jessica in practices, constantly checking on her and getting defensive of Jessica when it came to the slightest of contact.

While Caitlin and Kate were flipping out about Jessica's situation, Jessica seemed to be ignoring it and living in blissful ignorance. Not once did she bring up the topic and when Kate or Caitlin tried to bring it up, she easily danced her way out of the conversation. If only Kate and Caitlin could be in denial the way that Jessica seemed to be.

As they were warming up for the game, Jessica was on the sideline doing pregame interviews and Caitlin watched as Jessica smiled and laughed with the reporters. She had formerly been one of them, so of course they loved her. Kate was sitting on the sideline with Matt and Laila who were swinging their legs and sharing a bag of popcorn looking everything like Jessica before games.

Caitlin walks over and sits down beside Matthew.

"Hi Aunt Caity," Matt says with a smile, his little legs swinging, making Caitlin smile wider. She hated how freaking cute Kate and Jessica's kids were. Especially Matt. He was Kate's lookalike, and he also had her sunshine demeanor.

"Hey," Caitlin greets with a smile.

Matt reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of string and holds it out to her, "We made bracelets. This is for you!"

Caitlin smiles as she takes the bracelet and smiles widely when she sees that it just has two beads on it with her number.

"I don't know how to spell," Matt says sounding a little dejected, "But I know that your jersey number is two two! So, I made your bracelet with two twos."

Caitlin's heart melts at the words as she instantly slides the bracelet on and hugs Matt. The boy smiles happily as he embraces Caitlin.

"I love it Matty, thank you," Caitlin tells him.

"Really?" Matt asks.

"Really," Caitlin says as she looks at him. Matt giggles and buries his face in Caitlin's shoulder. Kate looks over at the scene and looks at Caitlin curiously. She holds her wrist up and shows the bracelet and Kate smiles at the sight.