I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can) - A Tayvis Story

You Can Feel It On The Way Home

(Travis's Perspective)

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Taylor Alison Swift. Her name had been occupying Travis's thoughts for what felt like forever now, even if he hadn't fully realized it at first. He'd chalked it up to admiration—she was his doctor, after all, and she'd done more for him than anyone else had during the most difficult period of his life. Naturally, he respected her. Naturally, he cared. Or at least, that's what he kept telling himself.

But the truth was beginning to sink in, slowly, inevitably, like the tide creeping up on the shore. It wasn't just admiration, wasn't just respect. It was something deeper. Something stronger. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized he couldn't remember when it had shifted from appreciation to... this.

It wasn't until a few weeks ago, during a simple beer with Pat, that everything started to come into focus for him.

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Travis walked into the familiar, dimly lit bar, his mind still a bit scattered. He hadn't seen Pat in a while, not since before the injury, really. Life had been a blur of pain, surgeries, and physical therapy, and in that haze, he had distanced himself from almost everyone. But now, things were changing. He was starting to feel more like himself again—or at least, a version of himself that didn't hate everything.

Pat spotted him from across the bar, already holding a beer, and stood up with a big grin on his face. "There he is!" Pat said, pulling Travis into one of those classic, half-hug, half-handshake greetings. "You have no idea how good it is to see you, man."

Travis chuckled, though guilt lingered beneath the surface. "Yeah, I'm sorry for ghosting you, bro. I've been in a... bad place."

Pat gave him a look of understanding as they both sat down. "You don't have to apologize, Trav. Seriously, I can't even begin to imagine what it's been like for you. No one blames you for needing space."

"Thanks, man," Travis said, taking a sip of his drink. "I appreciate that." He meant it too. For a long time, he thought the world was against him, but sitting here with Pat, it reminded him that some people had been rooting for him all along.

They caught up, ordered some food, and soon the conversation turned to the team. It stung a bit to talk about it, but at the same time, Travis needed to know.

"How's it going with the team?" he asked, trying to sound casual, but there was a longing in his voice that he couldn't quite hide.

Pat's expression softened. "It's been... tough without you, man. Honestly, your absence hit harder than we thought. You're the heart of the team, and things haven't been the same."

Travis smiled sadly, shaking his head. "Man, you trying to make me cry?"

Pat laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. "Nah, but seriously, we miss you out there. I'm hoping you'll be back by training camp, right?"

Travis hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, that's the plan. Taylor... she's my doctor—well, she's more than that now. She's become one of my closest friends. She says my leg will be good as new, and that I'll be ready to go."

"Taylor, huh?" Pat raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth lifting in a teasing grin. "One of your closest friends, you say?"

Travis felt his face warm slightly, but he shrugged it off. "Yeah, she's been there for me, more than anyone else has. Honestly, I don't know where I'd be without her."