Matilda's Imagines

Owwww

It was late evening when Mini's phone rang. The Matildas were gathered in the team lounge after practice, enjoying some downtime. Mini picked up, frowning at the unfamiliar number. She answered cautiously.

"Hello?"

"Is this Katrina Gorry?" a formal voice asked.

"Yes, who is this?"

"This is Captain Harris from the Australian Army. I'm calling regarding Specialist Y/n L/n."

The room went silent as Mini froze, her heart dropping to her stomach. The team noticed her sudden change in demeanor, their laughter dying out.

"She's been injured during her deployment," the captain continued. "She's stable but in critical condition. She and her K-9 partner, Luca, were airlifted to a hospital in Sydney earlier today."

Mini gripped the armrest of the couch so tightly her knuckles turned white. "What happened?"

"There was an ambush. She shielded Luca, but in doing so, took multiple hits. She's a fighter, though. She insisted on walking Luca to safety before collapsing."

Mini's breath hitched. "Can we see her?"

"Yes. She's in recovery, but she hasn't regained consciousness yet. Luca is with her. He's... not letting anyone near."

The team arrived at the hospital in a whirlwind of emotions—fear, anger, and overwhelming worry. Mini, as always, took charge, asking for updates at the front desk while the others hovered anxiously nearby.

"Only one visitor at a time for now," the nurse informed them.

Mini turned to the team. "I'll go first. Let me check on her and Luca. We'll take turns, okay?"

Kyra, pacing like a caged animal, muttered, "She'd better be okay, or I'm dragging her back just to yell at her."

Mini opened the door slowly, stepping inside. The sight before her stole her breath. Y/n lay pale and motionless in the hospital bed, her arm in a cast and bandages covering her torso and shoulder. Tubes and monitors beeped steadily, a stark reminder of how close they'd come to losing her.

Beside her, Luca sat stiffly on the floor, his large brown eyes locked onto Y/n. His ears perked up at the sound of the door opening, and he let out a low growl, baring his teeth at Mini.

"Luca, no," Mini said softly, taking a cautious step forward.

But the dog wasn't having it. He positioned himself protectively beside Y/n, his growl growing louder.

"Luca!" Mini's voice snapped with authority, though it cracked with emotion. "Stop it! It's me!"

The dog froze, his nose twitching as he caught her scent. Slowly, he stepped closer to her, sniffing her hand before letting out a small whine. Mini crouched down, her hand trembling as she reached out to stroke his head.

"It's okay, boy," she whispered, her tears finally falling. "It's me. You've done so good."

Luca let out another soft whine, pressing his head against her palm.

Mini stood by Y/n's bedside, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "What were you thinking, love?" she murmured, her voice shaky. "I told you to be careful, didn't I? We all did."

She glanced down at Luca, who had curled up by Y/n's side, his head resting on the edge of the bed. "You've got everyone out there losing their minds, you know? Kyra's ready to tear apart the entire Army. Caitlin's pacing so much, she's going to wear a hole in the floor. And me? I'm just... I'm just glad you're here. That you're alive."

Her voice broke, and she placed a gentle kiss on Y/n's forehead. "But you don't get to scare us like this again, you hear me?"

One by one, the rest of the team came in to see Y/n, each bringing their own mix of anger and relief.

Kyra stormed in, her voice loud despite trying to keep it down. "Y/n, you idiot! You couldn't just stay safe, could you? No, you had to go and be a hero. I swear, if you weren't already out cold, I'd throttle you."

But her tough exterior cracked when she noticed Luca. She crouched beside him, her hands trembling as she scratched behind his ears. "You took care of her, didn't you, boy? Good job."

Caitlin sat beside Y/n, holding her hand tightly. "You scared the hell out of us, you know that?" she said quietly. "Don't ever do that again."

Macca leaned against the wall, her arms crossed. "When you wake up, we're having a serious talk about boundaries, okay? Because this is not how you treat your family."

It was two days before Y/n finally stirred. Mini was by her side, as usual, when her eyelids fluttered open.

"Y/n," Mini said softly, leaning forward.

Y/n's lips parted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Mini?"

Mini's heart swelled with relief. "It's me, love. You're safe. You're in the hospital."

Y/n's eyes shifted to the side, landing on Luca, who perked up immediately, his tail wagging furiously. A small, tired smile tugged at her lips. "Good boy."

"You scared us," Mini said, her voice firm but kind. "Do you have any idea how worried we've been?"

Y/n's gaze softened. "I'm sorry," she said weakly.

Mini's expression softened, and she squeezed Y/n's hand. "You don't need to apologize. Just promise me one thing: no more heroics. We need you here, with us."

Over the following weeks, Y/n recovered with the team by her side. Luca refused to leave her room, becoming a familiar sight at the hospital. He'd growl at anyone unfamiliar but quickly warmed up to the nurses who treated Y/n with care.

The Matildas took turns visiting every day, filling the room with laughter, stories, and occasional bickering. Kyra brought snacks that the hospital didn't approve of, Caitlin read aloud fan letters sent to the team, and Macca kept Luca entertained with tug-of-war games.

Mini, however, was a constant presence. She made sure Y/n ate, rested, and didn't overexert herself. But more than that, she reminded Y/n every day that she was loved, supported, and never alone.

"You've got a whole team of people who'd move mountains for you," Mini told her one evening, brushing a hand through Y/n's hair. "And a dog who'd probably fight the mountains himself."

Y/n chuckled softly, her hand resting on Luca's head. "I'm lucky, huh?"

Mini smiled, her eyes glistening. "We all are, love. We all are."