Rediscovering You

thirty-six

note: FC25 finished downloading half an hour-ish ago but I couldn't leave you guys without this update. Hope you enjoy!

1st October 2023 - one year and thirty-five weeks old.

Her head rests against the space between the blonde's shoulder blades as her arms wrap around her waist. Ever since she turned down the Barca offer and they made the decision to start the process of growing their family at the end of the season, Imogen has found herself wanting to be closer, to spend more time with both Leah and Rory.

'What you wanting now?' Leah asks, her tone playful as one hand reaches down to rest on Imogen's while the other continues stirring the oats in the pot on the cooker.

'Just you...' Imogen mumbles smiling as Leah gently squeezes her hand.

'Want berries on your oats, babes?' Leah asks.

'Please.' Imogen replies smiling as she unwraps herself from around the blonde. She moves her way over to sit at the breakfast bar and watches the blonde begin to split the oats into the three bowls she's set out.

'Are you coming to the game today?' Imogen asks and Leah nods her head.

'Of course I am. Wouldn't miss opening game of the season for the world, would I?' Leah replies smiling.

'What about Rory? Is she coming?' Imogen asks and Leah shakes her head.

'Not today. My mum is actually going to take her to the zoo with my grandma so figured she'd probably enjoy that more than the game.' Leah replies and Imogen nods her head.

'Sounds good. Do you want me to go get her?' Imogen asks glancing at the baby monitor where she can see the little girl beginning to pull herself up using the sides of the cot.

'Mm... Please.' Leah replies smiling. Nodding her head, Imogen moves into a standing position and begins to make her way out of the kitchen.

'Hey, Ims?' Leah says causing the brunette to glance over her shoulder.

'Yeah?' Imogen asks.

'I love you.' Leah says softly.

'I love you too.' Imogen replies smiling.

****

'You okay? It can't be easy heading to the game and knowing you still aren't going to be able to play for a few months...' Imogen asks softly as she glances at the blonde sitting in the passenger seat.

'Mm-hmm. It's one step closer to me being back out on the pitch.' Leah replies gently squeezing the brunette's hand as it rests on her thigh.

'That is very true. Hopefully not too much longer now and you'll be out there with us, ey?' Imogen says and Leah nods her head.

'Hopefully.' Leah replies. They spend a couple of minutes just driving in silence, the radio playing softly in the background as Leah lets out a small sigh.

'I hope Roo's okay... Maybe I shouldn't have left her.' Leah says quietly as she bites her bottom lip. Rory hadn't been quite her normal bubbly self when Imogen had gotten her out of her cot this morning but neither of them could quite put their finger on what was wrong. Leah had gone back and forth over whether to just stay home with her before being convinced by her mum that everything would be fine and she should just go to the game.

'I'm sure she'll be fine, Le. Do you want me to take you back to your mum's though? The girls will understand if you miss the match today?' Imogen asks.

'No, you're right. She'll be fine and mum will phone me if there is anything wrong.' Leah replies and Imogen nods her head.

'Exactly. If you need to leave during the game just go. Don't think about anyone else.' Imogen says and Leah smiles slightly.

'Isn't it crazy to think in a couple of seasons we could've added another little one into our family?' Leah asks and Imogen nods her head.

'It's bloody amazing, Le.' Imogen replies smiling. They've had appoints with the fertility clinic and have opted to use the embryos that Leah has frozen from her cycle with Rory rather than Imogen having to go through the entire lengthy process.

****

'Fuck...' Leah mumbles as she watches the brunette hit the ground after a particularly hard knock to the head. She pushes herself into a standing position in an attempt to get a better look at Imogen who remains on the floor, Arsenal players rushing to her side. The crowd falls eerily silent as they watch the medics rush onto the pitch. They're sixty-seven minutes into the game and currently 1 goal down but right now all she can focus on in the fact that Imogen hasn't even attempted to sit up yet.

'Why isn't she getting up?' Leah asks causing Beth to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

'She'll be fine. Imogen is made of strong stuff, Le.' Beth replies softly.

'Why don't we go down and see what they're saying?' Beth suggests as they watch the teams begin to make their way over to the sidelines where the coaches are waiting; most of the Arsenal girls make their way over aside from Steph and Lia who remain by the brunette's side. Nodding her head, Leah follows Beth down to the sidelines where the team around crowded around Jonas.

'I-Is she okay?' Leah asks, her eyes flickering back over to where the brunette remains in the same position.

'She took a nasty knock, Le. She'll need to be subbed off... I think you should head now inside and wait for her.' Katie says softly, her hand reaching out to rest on Leah's arm.

'H-How bad is it? Is she conscious?' Leah asks.

'I-It's bad, Le.' Katie replies.

'Come on... Let's go inside and wait.' Beth says softly. She carefully guides the blonde down the tunnel to wait for Imogen to be brought inside.

'She clearly wasn't conscious, Beth. She didn't move from the moment she went down.' Leah says as she paces back and forth causing Beth to sigh.

'Le, we're just going to need to wait for her to come in. The medics were there and Wally and Steph didn't leave her side, she's in the best hands.' Beth replies.

****

Sitting at the side of the bed, Leah lets out a shaky breath as she runs her finger down Imogen's cheek causing the brunette to smile slightly. It felt like forever for them to bring Imogen in off the pitch although in reality it was only a few minutes. Medics have diagnosed a pretty nasty concussion that'll probably keep her out for a good few weeks.

'How you feeling?' Leah asks softly.

'Like I've been hit with a bus.' Imogen admits.

'We'll get you home and comfy in bed. I'm gonna see if mum can have Roo overnight so I can focus on looking after you.' Leah says.

'You don't have to do that... I'm supposed to be looking after you.' Imogen mumbles and the blonde shakes her head.

'I'm good, babes. It's my turn to look after you... You gave me quite the fright.' Leah says softly as she moves some hair out of the brunette's face unveiling a nasty bruise beginning to form on her temple.

'What did I do to deserve you, ey?' Imogen almost whispers, her eyes growing heavy.

'Mm... Think the question is what did I do to deserve you, pretty girl.' Leah replies smiling.