ғᴏᴏᴛsᴛᴇᴘs | ᴋᴍ ✔︎

Maybe It Was Me

A/N - Filler Chapter.

"Forgiveness to the injured does belong,
But they ne'er pardon, who have done the wrong."
- DRYDEN, John.
(1631 - 1700)

| Leah |

"Are you really not going to say anything?" I ask Cody, who can't be called our Rookie anymore since she's technically into her second season with us. "You didn't talk during the ride here."

Once against I'm met with silence, and it only results in me worrying more for the American. Jordan opens the door for us, throwing her keys in the bowl on the cabinet by the door, before leaving me with Idaho.

"Hey." I grab her arm and stop her from fleeing. "What's going on?" I ask softly, hoping my tone with coax her into speaking.

"Why is it always me?" She asks. Her voice breaks as she avoids eye contact.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm always the second choice." She confesses, and finally meets my eye contact, only for her tear filled eyes to break my heart. "I mean, with Kristie, now Lena..." She trails off, wiping her eyes. "What if...maybe it was me."

"No. You can't blame yourself for the way others treated you, Cody. They're the only ones to blame and you know that. Maybe you just need to take some time for yourself. Who knows, maybe then you'll find someone that will always put you first."

| Jack |

"Oh, come on, kid!" Kelley yells as she runs away with the ball. It seems to be a recurring event at the end of training in Utah.

"Are you sure I'm the kid in this relationship? 'Cause I could've sworn that was you!"

"Okay, okay." Kelley breathes out a chuckle before wrapping an arm over my shoulder as we head for the car. "How's Ellie?"

"She's good. Happy to be back in Portland." I grin, happy that she's at least in the same country.

"And how is Cody?" She asks almost immediately, and stops walking when she notices my hesitation. "Jack?"

"I don't know..."

Two Days Ago.

"Why are you in a hurry to leave?" I ask Cody who hops out the car the second I brake outside the airport. "Cody."

She continues to ignore me, getting her bags from the trunk, and lugging them over her shoulder in preparation to walk away from me, but before she can I grab her wrist.

"Cody? What are you running away from now?"

"Why do you think I'm running away? Why does something always have to be wrong?!" She snaps back at me, the volume of her voice increasing as she nears the end of her statement, leaving me in silence for a second. When she doesn't continue her tirade, I continue.

"So, if I called Alex and asked if she knew why you're acting like...this," I motion to her, "She would tell me...what exactly?"

"What do you want me to say, J?"

"The truth would be nice." I hold her stare before she exhales, her bags dropping to the ground.

"I'm so sick and tired of being the fallback choice. I'm tired of being the fool everyone cheats on. I'm tired-" I don't let her finish before I pull her into an embrace so tight I feel her body shake as she begins to breakdown.

"Fuck 'em." I whisper in her ear. "You're Cody Maxwell Morgan, you're Alex Morgan's kid with the weirdass middle name. You play for Arsenal. You just made your International debut, and you kicked your ex girlfriend's ass while doing it!" I pull her away to see she's fighting a smile. "You don't have to run away to prove your point, Maxi. You have a great support system, start using it. Now, get your ass on that plane, and set England on fire. Metaphorically."

She laughs, pulling me in for one last hug before kissing my cheek and grabbing her bags. She mutters a small 'thank you' before she pivots and enters the airport, throwing back one last wave goodbye.

Present.

"I haven't heard from her since she went back to England, but I think she's okay."

| Alex |

"If you're so worried, call her." Jeri yawns, her head perched on her palm. "If you don't, I will."

"It's not that simple." I slap her, waking her up in the process. "I don't know when she's with her team, when she's busy-"

"Those sound like excuses. What's really going on?" Jeri eyes me. "And no lies."

"She's been in England for a while now-"

"Yeah, and?"

"And she's never called for help, for advice...for anything..."

"Ahh." Jeri sits up, a small smile on her face. "You're feeling inadequate, like she doesn't need you?"

"Wipe that smile off your face." She holds her hands up in surrender, but her smile remains.

"Call her. Maybe she just doesn't want to bother you. You have your own career to focus on, a wedding to plan, a dog to care for..."

| Cody |

"Yeah mom, I'm good." I smile when I see Jeri flip me off in the background.

"I seen that." My mom warns, and Jeri runs away. "Are you sure? Because you can talk to me, at anytime. I mean it, call me at 3am, wake me up, I want you to know I'll always answer my phone to you."

"...Have you been talking to Jack?"

"So something is  wrong?" She asks, and I internally facepalm.

"No, nothing's wrong, mom." I begin defending myself, not wanting to be a burden to my mom, when my phone starts to ring. "Two minutes mom."

I stand from my desk, and take a few steps away from my laptop, pulling my phone to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Morgan. It's Joe." I listen as my Coach sighs. "I need you to come in early tomorrow. I have something to discuss with you."

"Uh, yeah. Sure, I'll be there."

I freeze for a few seconds, my mind swimming with thoughts on everything that could be about to go horribly wrong.

"Cody?" Alex snaps me from my spot, and I sit back down. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, just Joe letting me know I have training in the morning. I should get going, goodnight mom." I breathe out, hoping to hang up ASAP, meaning I can worry without being interrupted.

"Um, okay. Goodnight, baby."

I close my laptop and place my arm over my stomach as it begins to somersault and nausea kicks in.

"Oh fucking hell."

A/N - Hmm. Changes ahead!