USWNT - One Shots

Injured - Part 2

- requested -

Sequel to the KlingenMoe - Injured story.
6 weeks later (2 weeks until first game in Rio)

**

"Looking good, Brian." Meghan said playfully, keeping the positivity up as always. Morgan was trying her best to move around in the water as her best friend entered the pool area.
"Watch this." Moe said eager, and lifted her leg slowly up and down. Her knee was plastered up, but she was able to move it. The proud expression on her face was gladly mirrored by the even prouder defender.

Recovery had been hard, and so far Morgan had not been able to step on the field. She had however made huge progress already though, being way ahead of where she was guessed to be at this point.
She had surgery, and Rio had been out of the question immediately after. Their focus had been on whether or not she would be able to play soccer again at all.
Now, after seeing her already up and walking, Rio wasn't completely out of the picture.
Jill still hadn't made her roaster, leaving spots open to several players. They all knew it wasn't likely, but it worked as a motivation.

"I come bearing gifts." Meghan smiled, sitting down by the pool side. Morgan made her way over, and her face lit up when she saw what her friend had brought with her.
"Macaroons!" Morgan spoke eager, gladly accepting one as Meghan offered. "I even picked most of your favorites over mine."  The older player smiled, glad it was a success.
"I see some pistachio here, you want me to believe that's for me?" Morgan smirked, now jumping up to sit next to her friend on the side of the pool. Meghan rolled her eyes, slightly shaking her head with a smile.
"Nothing gets passed you." She laughed, taking a bite of the green one herself. "It's delicious, FYI." Meghan joked, pretending to be bitter about her friend not wanting the green one.

**

"Just say it." Morgan couldn't wait much longer. Her latest results had come back from her check up at the physiotherapist, and she was waiting for him to spill the news.
Meghan was holding her hand tight, letting Morgan squeeze it if she needed to. It had become a habit for the two almost, a comfort Moe was grateful for. Dawn was there as well, being the eyes and ears of the national team.
This could be it. If these results are bad, Rio is officially out. Heck, soccer in general.
Morgan had worked so hard these past weeks, and if it still wasn't helping it didn't matter how good she felt herself.
"I have good news and bad news." The man with all the answers started, sighing deeply. He didn't seem too thrilled about the results, probably knowing that Morgan would be disappointed by them. She wanted to go to Rio, she wanted to play again now.
"Good news, you're getting there. You'll be able to play again for sure if you put in the work." He smiled pale, but Morgan wasn't able to celebrate just yet. Meghan felt the tension of the younger girl sitting next to her.
"Bad news," he paused, looking down at his papers. Meghan felt Morgan squeeze tight.
"I'm not going to Rio, am I?" Morgan jumped to a conclusion, sounding devastated but brave.
Meghan felt the younger girl's disappointment, knowing how much she had wanted it to work out in time. Meghan knew it had been silly to even hope, but the positivity and determination from the younger athlete, it had broken every theory and doubt.
"I'm afraid full recovery will take more time than that. The bone has yet to heal properly, and I will have to ask of you to take it easy. You need to give it time to heal, otherwise you'll only make it worse." The physiotherapist spoke honest, begging almost from the sound of his voice. Many athletes make that mistake. They're so eager to get back that they only cause more harm, Morgan knew she couldn't let that happen. The Olympics would have to wait another four years for her.

"It's okay." Meghan whispered next to her younger friend, knowing she interrupted a stray of toxic thoughts. Morgan felt tears fighting to get past her, but she wouldn't let them. Still, no words could be heard from the girl sitting with all the impressions. The eyes of the room were on Morgan, but she just stared blankly ahead.
"You'll be back before you know it, the opponents won't know what hit them." Meghan tried cheering Moe up, forcing a smile out of the younger player. "Hey." Meghan said more demand now, forcing Morgan to look at her.
When the older player met the eyes of the other girl, she had to fight hard not to flicker in her expression. Moe was heartbroken, and it was the worst sight ever.
"It's okay to let it out, I know you're disappointed." Meghan said soft, pulling the younger girl in for a hug.
The feeling of her best friends arms wrapped around her, was too much for Moe to handle. The tears wouldn't stop themselves as they rolled down the side of her face.

"I'm so sorry, Morgan." Dawn stood up now, looking somewhat sad herself. "But don't for a second think you're getting rid of me, cause I'm expecting you back in no time." She continued, smiling softly towards the young player.
Morgan wiped her eyes and let out a small smile, nodding thankfully.
"You haven't seen the last of me." Morgan mumbled out, doing her best to sound confident in her words. She succeeded.

**

"Moe!" Ashlyn yelled excited as the injured player stepped through the tunnel of the field. The roaster had been made, and it was the last practice before the team headed to Rio.
"Hey guys." Morgan smiled, waving slightly before a couple teammates tackled her in a hug. She loved seeing them all again, but at the same time it was devastating not going with them to win that gold medal.
"You look great, kiddo." Ashlyn smiled, obviously trying hard not to get emotional.
"I miss you, Ash. You better win this thing." Morgan tried keeping it light, but they were all thinking the same thing beneath the surface.
"I miss you so much. And hell yeah, we'll win this for you." Ashlyn said proud, wrapping her arm around the younger player.

"You came." Mallory said excited, running over to hug Morgan. "Of course I did, I couldn't send you off without saying I told you so." Morgan joked, hugging the young girl in her arms. "Believe me, I'm not letting her forget that." Lindsey shot in, leaning in for a hug as well. "I'm so proud of the both of you, you're gonna kill it in Rio." Morgan said, truly wishing her friends the best of luck.

"It's not the same around here without you." Kling now stepped forward, having waited a little on purpose. She knew the rest of their teammates hadn't seen Morgan as much as she had, so she tried her best not to be selfish.
It was also terribly hard seeing her, standing there clearly still disappointed without her soccer gear on. She had to take a moment to collect herself, cause this was not the time for sappy goodbyes.
"Good." Morgan joked, smiling towards the approaching woman. "Don't get used to it." She added, still a firm believer of her getting back to the field soon.
"I could never." Meghan laughed, hugging her best friend right now. "Let's not do this. Don't go all sentimental on me now, Kling." Moe pulled away, fighting the urge to let out her emotions. "I'm not, I'm not." Meghan tried convincing herself as much as the other girl.
"Look at this." Meghan changed the subject, showing Morgan something written on her arm. "Moe?" Morgan read the three letters placed on Kling's wrist, sounding both confused and intrigued.
"I know it's silly and cheesy and all that, but I'm gonna keep it on my arm throughout the tournament. A couple others might join in." Meghan smiled, looking proud down at the letters herself.
"It's kinda what we did with Kriegs, you know? The 'Liebe' thing. You're still with us in spirit." Meghan looked up to see if the reaction in the younger player was positive, and her facial expression definitely said so.
"Kling." Morgan was at a loss of words. No one had ever done something like this for her. She looked at her best friend and all she could do was hug her tight. Kling was always there for her, and she always did the sweetest things to make her feel better.
"Thank you." Morgan said sincere, shaking her head a little at how much she loved her best friend. "Now get ready for the KlingenMoe overload." Meghan joked, making an explosion with her hands.
"Oh god, they're all gonna die." Morgan joked back, laughing with her friend.

In that moment, Morgan wasn't too down about not going. Her team would do great, and she would join them when they got back. It was going to be okay.