The Sound of Silence (USWNT)

Team Bonding Part 2

A/N: I'm so sorry this took FOREVER! Between work and school it was so hectic, plus I had some writer's block. Anyway I hope you enjoyed and I'd appreciate any feedback and anything you'd like to see in future chapters!

"Victoria's POV*

"Okay ladies! Let's let our Captain take over now huh?" Lauren Cheney said and signed, making me grin a little, my nerves starting to disappear a little bit.

"Ugggh what we need to do is make up our own signals and to be able to pass it down and know where everyone is." I signed, shuffling my feet nervously.

"So in other words we become a team of ninjas?!" Kelley asked, hitting Hope's arm excitedly.

Hope rolled her eyes but I saw a slight smile creeping up on her face.

I grinned still not entirely used to people being so accepting. I brushed off my thoughts and we got down to business. We worked out everything and after about an hour we had made our own set of signals.

To make sure that other people wouldn't be able to crack our code we combined sign language and languages that some of the other girls knew.

Tobin and Lindsey contributed some French, Ashlyn and Ali threw in some German and some other girls threw in some Italian, Swedish and Spanish.

"This is so cool! It's like we invented our own secret language!! Kling squealed making everyone laugh.

"YAAAAAS!!! Team Rainbow Unicorns on 3!!" Pinoe cheered.

I smiled as I saw everyone roll their eyes. So this is what having a family is like. I pondered. I looked  around at all the amazing women I now get to call teammates.

I couldn't help but shake my head as I saw that many of the girls were signing insults at each other. I had barely been here for two hours and I already feel like my world is changing completely. Maybe even for the better this time.

"How are you holding up kid? Have we scared you away yet?!" I jumped slightly at the voice and the arm that was suddenly wrapped around my shoulder.

I smiled at Ashlyn Harris. Abby had introduced us and told me we'd really get along. With her caring and kind of goofy demeanor I can believe it.

"The opposite actually. I'm not used to this." I signed as I looked around the room in awe.

Usually when I walk into a room and people know about my mutism all I can feel is judgment and mistrust. But in this room all I could feel was love and acceptance.

"What are you not used to?" Ashlyn signed and spoke aloud, her expression and tone kind.

"This. Being in a room and feeling accepted. Actually feeling like I belong somewhere. People hate me because I'm different and they don't see me as a person. But I came here and all of you had learned sign language for me and include me and I just don't understand what I did to deserve it." I sign.

I didn't realize that I was crying or that Abby had wandered over until I felt someone wiping my eyes. I looked up to see Abby standing there as well. She pulled me into a hug as Ashlyn started to talk.

"Well this is something you should be used to. There is nothing wrong with being different and there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You deserve the world and I know all of us, Abby especially, will make sure you get it." Ashlyn said and signed.

"Group hug!!" Kelley O'Hara yelled.

All I could hear was Abby's laugh in my ear as the rest of the team squished us.

"Well ladies how about we go out there and crush this course?!" Shannon Boxx called out, causing everyone to cheer.

We headed to the kit room where there were red Team USA jackets, Tablets, Nerf guns, and a red flag.

I grinned as I saw the tablets while others looked confused.

"It's like a walkie talkies, but one I could use to communicate as well." I signed.

Slowly everyone grinned as we split into groups. Since we were the fastest, Kelley, Alex, Ali, HAO, Amy, Christen, Mal, Steph, Sydney and I were the "scouting" team who was responsible for getting the flag.

Hope, Abby, Ashlyn, Alyssa, Christie, Becky, Shannon, Whitney and Lori were guards who stayed on our side of the wooded  area and guarded our flag.

Lauren, Kling, Julie, Pinoe, Tobin, Morgan, Carli, and Kristie were intermediaries who helped both to guard and to draw people from the other team away from us scouts.

We all hooked up our tablets to a giant Skype call and hooked up our headphones as well. I tucked my tablet into the arm band phone holder I was given.

Finally a loud whistle was heard and we all grinned.

" Game time." Sydney smirked as we all sprinted to the blue team's side of the woods, our Nerf guns at the ready.

We decided to break into groups of 2 and I was paired with Ali.

"Let's look by the stream." She signed. I nodded and smiled as she led the way, her nerf gun at the ready.

We spotted the flag in between two rocks on the river bank.

Ali and I grinned as I signed over the tablet that we found the flag and needed backup. As we were waiting for backup we grabbed the flag and started to move toward the rendezvous point that we decided on when we called for back-up. We both froze as we heard twigs break behind us. I quickly pulled Ali down into the brush and she signaled into the tablet that there were enemies close to closing in on us. 

By the footfalls rapidly approaching I could tell that the blue team was going to reach us before our back-up could. I was trying to come up with a plan as Ali and I frantically looked around for anything that could distract the enemy team members. As I wildly looked around I realized that Ali was wearing blue soccer socks today. 

I grinned as a plan started to form. "Take off one of your socks." I quickly signed to her.

She looked at me with confusion. "Why.." She glanced down and a brilliant smile lit up her face. "You're a genius!" She signed, quickly taking off her right sock. 

"Okay everyone. Half of the back-up team meet Ali at the rendezvous point and half meet me by the big boulders. We're going to try to draw them away from Ali. I'm going to take off as soon as the blue team members get closer. Once they're mostly following me Ali will meet you with the real flag." I signed.

"This kid is freaking awesome!!" Pinoe signed making me grin and silently laugh.

Once we heard the footfalls get very close I signed to Ali, and my tablet that I was taking off. "May the odds be ever in your favor!" Tobin signed making some roll their eyes and others silently laugh at her.

I nodded and crawled a good 20 feet from Ali in the brush, and then got up and ran, making sure that the blue sock was visible. "There she is!" I heard Dawn shout and I heard them run after me, making me grin.

I dodged darts as I ran, relieved when I got near the boulder pile and Pinoe, Tobin, and Lauren started returning fire.  Thankfully none of us got hit yet, and we managed to take out Michelle, a trainer, and Paul the goal-keeper coach, but we still had Dawn and Jill on our tails. 

Pinoe tripped over a vine and dramatically threw her arms up, signing "Leave me1 Save yourselves!" I shook my head at her antics and ran back, shooting at Dawn and Jill, before Dawn was able to fire point blank at Pinoe the buzzer they had rigged went off, signaling that the flag had been brough back to the red side making me grin.

"What the.. but.." Dawn stuttered looking between the red side and the blue sock still in my hands.

I smirked and showed it to Jill and Dawn who groaned. "Come on coach you always said we had to work more on trick plays." Tobin dead-panned as we walked toward out team's side. Pinoe and Lauren burst out in laughter as I chuckled inaudibly. 

There was a big cheer as the 4 of us crossed onto our team's side and Ashlyn ran over and lifted me up and ran around with me on our shoulders as Kelly creamed the words to "We Are the Champions."

"Much respect to our captain who led us to victory!!" Abby yelled causing the rest of the team to cheer and pat my leg or arm from my spot on Ashlyn's shoulders. A bright smile overcame my face. Things were finally looking up.