𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 - 𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥

𝙁𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙮 𝙎𝙞𝙭. 𝘍𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵

The match was in full swing, the intensity of the stadium crackling with energy. Arsenal and City were battling it out in our last game before the winter break, a crucial match that had everyone on edge. The crowd's cheers rang in my ears as I tracked the ball, my muscles moving on autopilot. Every touch, every pass, it was second nature—until suddenly, something shifted.

In the corner of my eye, I saw Caitlin go down.

One moment she was running with her usual fluid grace, and the next, her body crumpled to the ground like a ragdoll. Time seemed to slow, and for a second, I couldn't process it. My heart stopped. The ball moved across the pitch, but my attention was frozen on Caitlin, lying still on the grass.

Without thinking, I sprinted across the pitch, my legs moving before my brain caught up. I barely heard the confused shouts of my teammates or the crowd. All I could focus on was getting to her.

As I closed the distance, I saw Alanna Kennedy from City, but also Caitlin's Matildas teammate kneeling beside her, her face tight with concern. Panic surged through me as I dropped to my knees next to Caitlin, gently pushing Alanna aside. I needed to be the one by her side. I needed to know she was okay.

I cradled Caitlin's head in my lap, my fingers trembling as they brushed the damp hair from her forehead. Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow, and the sight of her like this sent a shockwave of terror through me. I could hear Alanna saying something to the medics, her voice steady, but all I could focus on was Caitlin.

"Caitlin?" I whispered, my voice trembling. "Can you hear me?"

There was no response. No flutter of her eyes, no movement, nothing. My chest tightened painfully, and the stadium around us seemed to fade into silence. All the noise and movement were just background now, the world narrowing to this single moment, to the rise and fall of her chest that felt too slow, too weak.

Alanna reached out, squeezing Caitlin's hand gently, trying to coax her awake, but her eyes remained closed. "It's probably dehydration," Alanna says, her voice strained but trying to sound calm. "They heated the stadium brutally today."

I nodded, but my breaths were coming out in short, shaky bursts, the fear pressing down on me like a weight. Was it just dehydration? Could it be something worse? My mind raced through the possibilities, each one darker than the last.

The medics arrived quickly, their presence a flurry of action as they knelt beside us, checking Caitlin's pulse and vitals. I didn't move, even when they gently asked me to give them space. My hands were still stroking Caitlin's hair, my fingers shaking uncontrollably. I couldn't let go of her. Not yet.

One of the medics leaned down, checking Caitlin's eyes, and then I heard it—the softest sound, a faint groan escaping Caitlin's lips. Her eyelids fluttered, just barely, and then her eyes opened, blinking up at me slowly.

"Elena," she whispered, her voice hoarse but clear. "I'm okay. It's just dehydration."

Relief hit me so hard I almost collapsed on top of her. My heart was still racing, the adrenaline pumping through my veins, but her voice—God, hearing her voice again—was enough to stop the worst of the panic from consuming me. "You scared me," I choked out, my voice shaky and full of emotion.

Caitlin gave me a weak smile, reaching up to touch my hand. "I'm sorry," she murmured, her fingers brushing mine. "I didn't mean to."

The medics carefully moved Caitlin onto a stretcher, and I finally pulled back, but only just enough to give them space. My body was trembling, my breaths shallow. As they lifted her, I heard Steph's voice behind me, firm but gentle.

"Elena, you need to let them take her," Steph says, placing her hands on my shoulders, her grip firm but comforting. "They'll look after her."

I shake my head, the tears threatening to spill over. "No," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I can't... I need to be with her."

Steph's hands tighten on my shoulders, trying to ground me. "She's in good hands, Els. You need to stay calm."

But I can't. I can't stay calm, not when every part of me was screaming to stay with Caitlin. "No." I yank away from Steph, the urgency in my chest overwhelming. "I'm going with her."

Ignoring her protests, I ran after the stretcher, following Caitlin into the tunnel. The medics glanced at me, but they didn't stop me from coming with them into the medical room. The space felt too small, too quiet compared to the chaos outside. I stood beside the bed as they gently lowered Caitlin onto it, my heart still pounding in my chest.

I sat down beside her, grabbing her hand tightly, needing the reassurance of her warmth. Her fingers squeezed mine, weak but steady, and I watched as the medics checked her vitals again, confirming it was just dehydration.

Caitlin turns her head to look at me, her gaze soft and full of concern. "Els, I'm fine," she whispers, her voice barely more than a breath. "You don't have to worry."

I try to nod, but my whole body is trembling. The image of her lying motionless on the pitch is burned into my mind, and I can't shake the fear that had gripped me. "I was so scared," I admit, my voice barely audible. "I thought... I thought I was going to lose you."

Caitlin's hand squeezes mine again, stronger this time. "I'm right here. You're not going to lose me."

I want to believe her. I want to cling to those words and let the fear melt away, but my chest is still tight, my breaths coming in short, ragged bursts. The medics had finished their work and left us alone, but I couldn't stop the tremors in my hands.

"I saw you go down, and I..." My voice breaks, and I swallow hard, trying to fight back the tears. "I can't lose you, Cait."

Caitlin pushes herself up slightly, wincing as she does, and reaches out to cup my cheek, her thumb brushing away a tear that had escaped. "You're not going to lose me," she repeates softly, her voice full of warmth. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

I lean into her touch, closing my eyes and trying to steady my breathing. Her thumb strokes my cheek, and I focus on the warmth of her hand, the gentle pressure of her palm against my skin. Slowly, the panic began to go away, replaced by a sense of calm that only Caitlin could bring me.

"Come here," Caitlin murmurs, tugging on my hand. I shift closer, resting my head on her chest, listening to the steady rhythm of her heartbeat beneath my ear. It's the sound I need, the reassurance that she's okay, that she's still here.

Her arms wrap around me, pulling me closer, and I let myself melt into her embrace. For the first time since she'd collapsed, I felt my body begin to relax, the tension slowly draining away.

"I've got you," Caitlin whispers, her lips brushing my forehead. "And you've got me."

I nod against her chest, holding her tighter as I breathe in the scent of her, grounding myself in her presence. She's right here, and she isn't going anywhere.

And in this moment, that is all I needed.