Crossing Lines - a Lucy Bronze story

26: A Fragile Peace

Chapter 26: A Fragile Peace

Over the next few weeks, the team's dynamic slowly improved. Erin and Lucy kept their promise to remain professional, their interactions on the pitch becoming smoother and less strained. It wasn't as if everything had been forgotten—far from it—but they had found a way to coexist, and that was enough for now.

During training sessions, there were still moments where Lucy caught Erin's eyes across the field. The chemistry they had once shared still flickered between them, but both were careful not to let it interfere with their performance. There was too much at stake.

Off the field, Lucy focused on her recovery. Her knee still ached at times, but the physios assured her that she was making good progress. She pushed through the pain, determined to get back to full fitness, not just for herself, but for the team.

Every now and then, her phone would light up with a message from Ona. Their conversations were brief, mostly light-hearted, but there was always an underlying current of something deeper—something that neither of them could quite let go of. Lucy couldn't deny that part of her still cared for Ona, still missed her. But she knew she couldn't go back to the way things had been, no matter how much she might want to.

One evening, after a particularly grueling training session, Lucy sat on her couch, massaging her sore knee, when her phone buzzed again. It was Ona.

Ona: Hey, we've got a weekend off coming up, and some of the old team are getting together in Barcelona. Would love for you to join us... and maybe we could talk?

Lucy stared at the message, her mind racing. The idea of going back to Barcelona, seeing Ona and the rest of her former teammates, was tempting. She missed the city, missed the people, and part of her longed for the familiar comfort of it all. But at the same time, the thought of spending time with Ona felt dangerous...

And then there was Erin.

Things between her and Erin were still fragile, still hanging by a thread of professionalism. She knew that if she went to Barcelona, it could complicate things even further. She had been trying so hard to keep her feelings in check, to not let her personal life interfere with the team. Going back to Barcelona felt like it could disrupt all of that.

But the idea of seeing Ona again... of talking, of possibly finding some answers... it was hard to ignore.

Lucy took a deep breath and typed out a response.

Lucy: I'll think about it. It's tempting, but I need to be sure it's the right thing.

Lucy hit send, her heart pounding as she stared at the screen. The message to Ona lingered in her mind, an open invitation to something she wasn't sure she was ready for. As much as she longed for the familiar comfort of Barcelona and the people she once called family, the weight of her current life pressed down on her.