Diamond Princess

Hold Me

A/N- Sorry short chapter...

Takahashi Asami

Sanada's arms around me were strong and warm but I barely felt them. My face was still in shock. I couldn't comprehend what was happening at this moment. I could only look at the TV screen. At my teammates who were on their knees, wearing the same expression as I did.

All I could think was- Why? We were winning....

*The Last inning*

"Just one more out and Seidou will be qualifiers to play at Koshien Stadium!" The commentator said enthusiastically.

I was smiling widely as Sawamura pitched against their second batsmen. Shirakawa was exuding immense pressure but that didn't stop Sawamura pitching aggressively and two strikes quickly went by.

One more strike to go...

However, I was aslo clenching my fists in anticipation. Mostly because we were so close to winning but also because I didn't like the look in Sawamura's eyes. He looked like the pressure was beginning to get to him. But he just had to throw one more strike or jam Shirakawa. He could do it...

Sawamura lifted in his arms in what should hopefully be his last pitch. He threw the ball and I watched it soar swiftly in the air, to the inside.

Crack....

The sound echoed through my head. It wasn't the sound of a ball hitting a mitt. Or a ball hitting a bat. It was the sound of a ball nailing a batsmen on his helmet. Shirakawa fell to the floor from the impact.

"Dead ball!"

My breath hitched, waiting for him to stand. Slowly he got back up before he yelled in triumph. I bit the inside of my cheek as I watched Shirakawa run back to the dug out and Carlos go to first base in his place since he needs to be checked for a concussion from the hit on the head.

The look on Sawamura's face as the team ran to him for a timeout made me swallow a forming lump in my throat. There's no way he can pitch now... He is absolutely devastated.

Coach switched him out quickly and put in Kawakami, our last remaining pitcher.

He still only needed one more out. We can still do this. Get the one out Kawakami...

But Kawakami, despite trying to pitch aggressively, walked the next batter. Carlos was now on second base with another player on first. Which meant the next batter was Harada...

The first pitch was a outside ball. The second went to the inside but Harada hit a grounder off it. It bounced past Kawakami and flew past near the edge of second base. Haruichi dove to catch it. He caught the ball near the edge of his mitt. Kuramochi was already at second base calling for the ball. Haruichi got on one knee to throw the ball and threw under hand to Kuramochi.

I clenched my jaw. Underhand is safe but its too slow... His throw was also slightly off and Kuramochi had to quickly manoeuvre himself to catch it. The off, slow throw costed us as the runner made it safely to second base, and since everyone's attention was on second base- Carlos made use of the opportunity to run home and score the tying run.

"I can't watch this..." I whispered and hid my face in the Sanada's shoulder, who was still holding me and now sat comfortably beside me on my bed. "Hey, it's not the end. Your team can still win this. If you guys get the other out, you get another chance to score. Don't lose faith yet Princess."

I sighed as I turned my head back to the screen to see Narumiya walking up to the plate.

But before I knew what was happening, the clang of metal echoed through the speakers. I watched the ball soar high. Jun ran and leapt to catch it but it fell just past his mitt. The ball hit the ground and second base runner made it home...

Inashiro won...

*Present*

I stared at my teammates shattered expressions. I choked on the newly formed lump. My clench on Sanada's shirt tightened as I saw streams on silver running down some of my teammates faces while Tetsu walked to everyone and pulling them up to line up properly. I bit my lip as it began quivering. I couldn't bare to watch anymore so I dropped my gaze with my head.

I heard Sara next to me move and the sound of the TV disappeared which probably meant she turned the TV off. I was grateful.

Sanada began running a hand gently down my back, hesitantly at first until he saw me untense my muscles at the gesture. He whispered in my ear, "I'm sorry Princess."

And that was the final push. Hot tears scorched my cheeks and hiccups took over my body. Every thought ran through my head. How? Why? What happened? We were so close... Would it have ended differently if I had played? Is this somehow my fault?

Sanada just pulled me closer at the sounds of my sobs and held me tighter. It felt like I had broke and he was trying to push the pieces back together.

I don't know how long we stayed like that. It could have been minutes. Hours. I don't even remember him ever letting me go.

I only came back to reality when two tall silhouettes stood in the doorway to my ward later that night. Slowly they made their way over to me and I began shaking again as I saw the despair glistening in their eyes and faces. They didn't even say a word before they collapsed on my bed and I held them. Sobs made tremors through their bodies.

I held onto my captains as tightly as Sanada held onto me. Jun returned the action by gripping onto me but Tetsu seemed to be lost in another world as he just stayed motionless aside from his staggered breaths between tears.

I managed to hold back my sobs again. I had no right to cry as much as the third years, especially the ones in my arms. I still had more chances. That was their last chance.

Time flew by while they just lay in my arms. It was an hour past visiting hours now. Sara popped her head into my room and saw us. But instead of shooing them out, she came to me and whispered that they would need to leave soon, but if they needed it, they could stay over so long as no one else has to stay in my ward. I gave her a grateful smile. And waited for the right time to tell them this.

The right time never arrived however as Tetsu and Jun fell asleep beside me on my bed from all the exhaustion. The three of us crammed onto the small hospital bed, holding onto one another. My eyes also felt heavy from the exhaustive crying.

As I began to fade into sleep, my thoughts drifted to Kuramochi and Miyuki and I wondered how they were doing. Another small, quiet thought lingering in the back of my mind, was that I wished I was holding those two right now instead.

My heart squeezed at the thought of them and I felt one last tear leave the corner of my eye before I fell into a deep sleep alongside Tetsu and Jun.