Arsenal Womens OneShots

When The Silence Grows-Alessia Russo×Lia Wälti

Arsenal training felt off that morning. The rhythm wasn't quite right, and there was a noticeable gap on the field where Alessia Russo usually stood. The absence of her bright energy was palpable, like a spark that was missing from the team's usual drive."Anyone seen Less today?" Lia Wälti asked, frowning as she looked around. The rest of the squad exchanged glances and shook their heads."She wasn't in the changing rooms," Caitlin said, tugging off her training bib. "Weird. She's never late."Lia checked her phone again. No message from Alessia, which wasn't like her at all.They all knew she'd never skip training without a reason, and she wasn't the type to stay quiet about it. Still, maybe she had slept through her alarm, or her phone had died. Something simple, Lia tried to convince herself.But the more time passed, the more that gnawing feeling in her gut grew. Training went on without Alessia, but Lia could feel the unease spreading through the squad. Alessia was more than just a key player—she was their teammate, a friend. By the time training wrapped up, there was still no word from her. Caitlin and Leah had tried calling and texting to no avail. Even Jonas Eidevall had started asking around. As the team filed into the locker room, Lia grabbed her phone and sent Alessia one more message: *Hey Less, where are you? Training missed you today. Everything alright?*No response.Lia chewed on her lip, the uneasy feeling now impossible to ignore. There was something wrong. She could feel it."I'm going to check on her," she announced, pulling on her jacket. "Maybe she's just not feeling well, but... I want to make sure.""Good idea," Beth said, exchanging a worried glance with Caitlin. "Let us know when you find her?"Lia nodded, already heading for the door. Something in her gut told her this wasn't just a case of a forgotten alarm.

The Silence At Home

The drive to Alessia's place was a blur, Lia's mind running through all the possibilities. Maybe Alessia had caught a bug or slept through the day. Maybe it was nothing. But Alessia always responded—always. When Lia pulled up to the house, the quiet was the first thing she noticed. There were no lights on, no sign of movement inside. Lia frowned and tried calling her again, but the phone rang out, echoing in the empty space around her. Something was wrong. Without wasting another second, Lia jumped out of the car and walked quickly up to the front door. She knocked, waiting for a reply. Nothing.She knocked again, harder this time. "Alessia? It's Lia. You in there?"Silence.Panic started to set in, her heart beating faster as she tried the door handle. It was unlocked. A red flag in itself. Alessia never left her door unlocked when she was home alone. Lia pushed the door open and stepped inside, her senses immediately on high alert.The house was eerily quiet. Too quiet. Lia called out again, her voice breaking through the stillness. "Alessia? It's Lia! Where are you?"Nothing.She stepped further inside, her gaze darting around. The living room looked undisturbed, no signs of any struggle, no mess. But as she walked through the hallway, the growing tension in her chest became unbearable. Something was wrong, she could feel it.It wasn't until she reached the bottom of the stairs that she saw it. Alessia's crumpled form, lying motionless on the floor. "Alessia!" Lia's voice broke with fear as she rushed to her teammate's side, her heart pounding in her chest. Alessia was lying awkwardly at the base of the stairs, her leg bent unnaturally, and a deep gash was visible on her forehead, blood matted in her blonde hair. Lia's hands shook as she knelt beside her, carefully pressing her fingers to Alessia's neck, checking for a pulse.There it was—faint but steady. Lia let out a shaky breath, trying to focus. "Okay... okay... you're alright," she whispered, more to herself than to Alessia. She grabbed her phone with trembling hands and quickly dialed emergency services, explaining the situation as calmly as she could manage. The operator reassured her that an ambulance was on the way, but every second felt like an eternity.Lia stayed beside Alessia, holding her hand and checking her breathing, trying to keep herself from panicking. "Come on, Less," she murmured. "You're tougher than this. Just hang in there."The minutes dragged on until finally, the distant sound of sirens broke the oppressive silence. Lia rushed to open the door as the paramedics arrived, quickly leading them to Alessia's side."She must've fallen down the stairs," Lia explained, her voice shaking as the paramedics began their assessment. "I found her like this... I don't know how long she's been here."The paramedics worked swiftly, checking her vital signs, stabilizing her head and neck before carefully lifting her onto a stretcher. Lia stood back, her heart racing as she watched them carry Alessia out of the house and into the waiting ambulance."Is she going to be okay?" Lia asked one of the paramedics, her voice barely above a whisper."She's stable for now," the paramedic replied gently. "We'll get her to the hospital and run some tests. It's good you found her when you did."Lia nodded, feeling a weight lift from her chest. But the fear wasn't gone—not yet.

The Waiting Game

At the hospital, Lia paced the waiting room, her phone buzzing constantly with messages from the team. She had sent a quick update, telling them that Alessia had been found and was being checked over at the hospital, but she didn't have the heart to go into more detail yet.Hours passed before a doctor finally approached her."She's stable," the doctor said, offering a small smile of reassurance. "Alessia suffered a concussion and a few minor fractures, including one in her leg. She'll need surgery for the leg, and the concussion is concerning, but she's strong. She'll recover."Lia let out a long breath, relief flooding through her. "Thank you. Can I see her?"The doctor nodded and led her to Alessia's room. Inside, Alessia lay still, hooked up to monitors, her face pale but peaceful. Lia sat down in the chair beside her, taking in the sight of her teammate and friend lying there, fragile and vulnerable."Don't scare us like that again, alright?" Lia whispered, brushing a strand of hair away from Alessia's face.The team would come soon, she knew. They'd all be here, surrounding Alessia with love and support. But for now, in the quiet of the hospital room, it was just Lia and her.And the silence wasn't quite so heavy anymore.