Found Again

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A few hours later, we were in Breckenridge, Colorado, in front of the house that I shared with Tobin and Abby. Tobin opened the door and stepped in. Sitting on the couch was a woman with brown hair down to her mid-back, her back to us. "Look who I found, Abby." Tobin said. The woman turned around, revealing the familiar face of my older sister. Her eyes widened as she saw me. "Thalia...?" she whispered. "Hey, Abby." I said. Abby stepped toward me, and slapped me across the face. "'Hey, Abby'?" she asked. "'Hey, Abby'?! You're gone for five years, we all think you're dead, and you come back and say 'Hey, Abby'?!" I held my cheek. "Well, so much for a warm welcome!" I said. Abby hugged me to her chest, and I could feel wetness on my shoulder that meant that the older woman was crying. "I missed you so much, Squirt." she said. "I missed you too, Abby." I said. "Where the hell have you been?!" Abby asked. I explained Coach's plan. "I didn't want to leave you guys." I finished. "But I also didn't want to put you in danger." "Who else knows you're alive?" Tobin asked. "Coach." I said. "I haven't told anyone else. I'm going to go to Carli and Hope's house first, then Alex and Pinoe's." "About Hope." Abby said. "When we couldn't find you, and assumed you were dead, she took it harder than anyone else except for Tobin, so don't expect a warm welcome." "Thanks for the warning." I said. "I'm going to go get a haircut." Abby said. "She hasn't cut her hair since the battle." Tobin told me. "Good luck, Squirt." I knocked on Carli and Hope's door. Hope opened it, and immediately slapped me across the face even harder than Abby had. "Ouch." I said, holding my cheek again. "What is it with you people and slapping me across the face as a greeting?! First Abby did it, now you too?" "You've got a lot of nerve coming here, Skywalker." Hope snarled, now being restrained by Carli. The blue-eyed goalie was glaring at me. "You were gone for five years with no explanation. We thought you were dead!" "I know." I said. "I wanted to come back, believe me." "Then why didn't you?" Hope growled. I explained everything to them. Suddenly, Hope pulled free from Carli's grip and hugged me tightly. "I've missed you too, Hope, but I'd like very much to be able to breathe again." I said. Hope let go of me. "Don't ever do this again." she said. "After the welcome you gave me?" I asked. "Not planning on it!" "Who else knows you're alive?" Carli asked. "Abby, Tobin, and Coach." I said. "I haven't told Alex and Pinoe yet, but I'm going to after I finish with you two." "We need to get the rest of the team down here." Hope said. "Do you mind if I tell them all to come?" "Not at all." I said. "Just don't tell them why." "Will do." Hope said, already on her phone. "Good luck with Alex and Pinoe. I don't think either of them will give you the same welcome that I did, but you can never be sure." "Thanks, Hope." I said. I went to Alex and Pinoe's house and rang the doorbell. The moment the door opened, I was engulfed in a bone-crushing hug from Pinoe. "YOU'RE ALIVE!" The hyper midfielder yelled. "I'm glad to see you too, Pinoe, but I'd like to keep my ribs intact, please." I said, laughing. Pinoe let go of me so that Alex could give me a much gentler hug. "We really missed you here, Thalia." Alex said. "Abby, Hope, and Tobin got hit really hard. Tobin even went to live with Cheney and Arod for two months." "I know." I said. "I didn't want to leave, but it was for your protection." I explained the plan that Coach had come up with. "That makes sense." Alex said when I'd finished. "But I wish you hadn't done it." "Me too." I said. "But I'm home now, and that's all that matters." "Well, we'll let you get back to Tobin now." Pinoe said. "You two have a lot of catching up to do." "Bye, Pinoe." I said. "Bye, Alex." "Bye, Squirt." The two women said.