ғᴏᴏᴛsᴛᴇᴘs | ᴋᴍ ✔︎

Athletes Assemble

"Living for the things that will kill you is suicide."

- Jelly Roll X Struggle Jennings

The thunderous weather from the night before had now been burned away by the strength of the sun as it beats down in Orlando. Gradually the puddles dry up and the clouds leave behind nothing but clear, blue sky. The man a few hundred meters down the coastline from Cody sits on the phone, watching the brunette fondly as she and her mother walk the dogs.

"I'll need that in writing," He instructs in a stern tone leaving no room for arguing. "Why? Because I want to know what I'm doing this for, I'm tired of you changing the plans."

He continued to watch the two from behind overly-tinted sunglasses as the high-pitched voice almost squeals from the other side of the phonecall.

"I'm not asking. I want to know the plan. I followed her across the country, I deserve to know what for." He all but raised his voice. Noticing that both dogs had stopped running to look at him he decided that now was the time to leave.

"In writing. Or I'm done."

It had been a tough few days for Jack, but not as tough as Cody had expected. Possibly due to the doubts Jack had for her relationship with Rachel before the Englishwoman packed up and decided to leave their home. Maybe because she was surrounded by people she considered family - Jeri included, or maybe it was that another person had been texting her through the entire ordeal.

Just as the so-called 'Squad' landed in Orlando from elsewhere in the country, Jack had retreated further into herself and while Alex, Pam, and the other adults were concerned, Cody was happy to let her best friend have a moment of peace to process her thoughts. Other than that night they stayed at Kristie's, Cody and Jack have been stuck in a car with a hyperactive dog, it's not the best environment to work through things.

"Okay, okay, okay. We have arrived!" Kelley announced as she waltzed through Alex's front door, arms spread out, like obnoxious royalty. "Oh, please. Don't bow, no pictures, please."

"Where's Jack?" Christen asks from behind O'Hara.

"On the beach," Cody replies as she greets all the players with hugs before Kelley lifts the younger girl from the ground and spins her around. "Oh Lord. It's like having another Jeri."

"I missed you," the freckled girl squeals, hurting everyone's hearing.

"Stop spinning me."

"No."

"Put me down."

"No."

"I'm gonna puke."

"Okay, we're done here." Kelley immediately puts a smirking Cody to the ground. Deciding to get acclimated before talking to the young blonde, Kelley greets everyone else. The one thing she learned from Jack is that she'll talk when she wants to, and not a second before.

"You must be famished! There's plenty of food in the kitchen," Pam announces, much to the happiness of Kelley and Becky, who race to the table with Alex, Christen and Cody following but at a slower, more respectful pace.

"So," Becky starts, filling her plate with food, "What's this all about?"

"Yeah, why the Batsignal?" Kelley mumbled, her mouth full.

Grimacing at the so-called adult Cody sighed, "It's Jack. That bit-"

"Rachel." Alex interrupts abruptly, giving her daughter a look. "Rachel ended things with Jack."

Tobin, who was already in the kitchen making coffee, glances at Press who was frowning at the new information.

"But...I thought they wanted to try making it work?" Christen asks Cody who softly nods.

"Yup. That's what Jack thought. I mean the entire drive from Utah to Texas Jack was worried sick about what she was gonna do, and decided when we got to her place that she would try. She didn't want to just give up." Cody sighed as her eyes seemed to automatically search for her best friend. "Anyway, I guess something changed because that bit- I mean Rachel,had all her shit packed up and ready to leave - like permanently - without saying a damn thing to Jack."

By the end of Cody's retelling of the sequence of events Kelley was pacing the length of the kitchen in anger.

"I knew it. I knew she shouldn't have left Utah." Kelley commented, nobody mentioning that Jack's leaving Utah was because of the state of her relationship with Kelley at that moment. "Fuck! I told Hope I would watch out for her!"

"Stop, Kelley." Alex stood, placing both hands on Kelley's shoulders to stop the shorter woman. "You can't stop your daughter from getting her heart broken."

Cody bit her lip as all eyes in the room seemed to flicker to her.

From Kelley's anger-hazed sight she catches Cody pointing down the beach to a lone figure sitting on the rocks, and watches as her best friend's daughter opens the door for Christen and the dark haired woman makes her way towards the beach.

Jack didn't hear the slight crunching of the sand as Christen approached, and flinching violently when the Press woman announced herself was the only option for the younger blonde.

"Hey. When did you get here?" Jack asks, watching as Christen gracefully climbs onto the large rock to sit next to the once-upon-a-time Rookie.

"Not long ago. You didn't miss much, don't worry. Just Kelley and the others eating everything Alex has."

There was a beat of silence. It wasn't awkward, it was comfortable, in all honesty it was the most relaxed Jack had felt in a week or so. It was something Jack had always managed to accomplish with Press - utter serenity in silence.

"Sorry I wasn't there to greet you," The blonde quietly spoke.

The dark haired woman smiled softly, "Don't worry. Cody caught us up. Well...actually it was Alex that did." Christen smiled at the groan emitting from Jack at the mention of her best friend. "Yeah, Cody was adding a lot of unflattering adjectives."

"That's my best friend," Jack playfully scoffed before clearing her throat. "Is that why you're all here then? Is this my pity party?"

"We're here because we care, Jack. I know we're pretty much always busy but we do care, and when we get the chance to show that we do, you can bet your ass we will." Christen spoke with a strong voice, leaving no room for arguments as she lightly hit her shoulder against Jack's."

Back at the house Cody and Alex sat at the steps to the house as Tobin showed Kelley and Becky to their room before the others arrived. It wasn't an over exaggeration to say that Alex invited 'the troops'. Cody wouldn't be surprised to see lines and lines of tents pitched along the shore, each occupied by a teammate of her mother's before the weekend was over.

The two watched as Christen and Jack stayed rooted to the rocks down the shore, Alex taking note of the soft smile on her daughter's face.

"Do you think they know?" Alex gently asked.

"I hope so. The author has given them enough hints."