So'hara short stories

We pay our debts sometime

I decided to share my So'hara fics that I wrote earlier in the year and uploaded onto my ao3 page.

Enjoy :)

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Kelley has been filled with hurt and grief for weeks on end, and Emily helps her work through it.

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Kelley woke up to an empty bed and the weight of loneliness pressing down on her. She reached out for Tessa, expecting to feel her warmth, but instead, she was met with the cold sheets. With a shaky sigh, Kelley got up and began her day. As she walked into the bathroom, she hit the light switch and blinked away the sleep from her eyes. The bright light stung her eyes, causing her to squint. She splashed some cold water on her face, and the droplets rolled down her neck, sending shivers down her spine. The scent of soap and shampoo filled the air, and she took a deep breath, letting it fill her lungs. She picked up her worn toothbrush, the bristles frayed and soft from years of use, and began to brush her teeth. The minty flavor of the toothpaste tingled in her mouth, and the sound of the bristles scrubbing against her teeth echoed in her ears.

After she finished brushing, Kelley looked up into the mirror and noticed the bags under her eyes, a result of her sleepless nights, and the sadness etched into her face. She couldn't bear to look at her reflection any longer and turned away, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. The memories of the day Tessa passed away always replayed in her head like a broken record. She remembered the hospital room, the white walls and the sterile scent that filled the air. She remembered the sound of the heart monitor, its beeping growing slower and slower as Tessa smiled weakly and squeezed her hand for the last time before letting go. Tears welled up in Kelley's eyes at the thought of it, and she quickly turned away, not wanting to think about it any longer.

Kelley wiped away the tears and turned on the shower, the sound of the water drowning out her thoughts. She stepped into the warm water and let it wash away her worries. The droplets of water felt like tiny needles, prickling her skin, but she didn't mind. The warmth of the water relaxed her muscles, and she closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath. She lathered shampoo into her hair, the scent of lavender filling her nostrils, and worked it through her hair, her fingers massaging her scalp. The suds slid down her body, and she felt rejuvenated, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

After she finished, Kelley stepped out of the shower and grabbed her towel, the soft fabric feeling comforting against her skin. She dried off, the towel absorbing the water droplets, leaving her skin damp but warm. She wrapped the towel around her body and headed back into the bedroom. Kelley's eyes fell on the empty spot next to her, and her heart ached. She took a deep breath before opening the closet, and the sight of Tessa's clothes, all neatly hung up, made her heart ache even more. Her eyes fell on Tessa's soccer jerseys, each one with "Hartman" and "33" on the back. She ran her fingers over the fabric, imagining Tessa wearing them, her heart heavy with sorrow. Kelley swallowed the lump in her throat and looked away, not wanting to linger on the memories.

She quickly got dressed, the fabric of her shorts and t-shirt feeling soft against her skin. She forced herself to go through the motions of her daily routine, even though her heart wasn't in it. She sat at the counter, her hot cup of coffee steaming in front of her. The aroma of the coffee filled the air, and she took a sip, letting the warmth calm her nerves. She scrolled through Twitter her phone, but all she kept coming across were the tributes for Tessa, the ones fans regularly posted, and the ones that the NWSL themselves would post. Kelley exited out of the app, not wanting to be reminded of the pain, and took a sip of her coffee, letting the warmth calm her nerves.

Frames of photos of her and Tessa filled the walls of their home, and Kelley found herself gazing at them, allowing herself to be taken back in time. She remembered the first time they met, the first time they kissed, the first time they said 'I love you'. She remembers the day Tessa blurted out that she wanted to marry her, and the day they went to Las Vegas and made it official. Kelley smiled through her tears, taking a moment to savor the memories. Then, her eyes fell on the photos of them from last November, when the Spirit won the NWSL championship. That night was an emotional one, it was Tessa's last match before she had to retire due to her own body betraying her. Kelley remembered the look of pure joy on Tessa's face as the final whistle blew, and the way she ran off the field, arm in arm with Kelley, and how the entire stadium erupted in cheers. All of it seemed a distant memory now, and Kelley had to blink away the tears that threatened to fall. Kelley's eyes then fell on one of the photos during the celebrations, her and Kelley holding the trophy together as Tessa was kissing Kelley on the cheek. Kelley stared at Tessa's right arm in the photo, the scars from the skin grafts left from her battle with Necrotizing Fasciitis, and Kelley's heart ached as she remembered the depression Tessa had gone through during her recovery, the constant drinking which threatened to tear them apart, even though Tessa's downward spiral began around 2018 when her father passed away. And it took a heavy toll on her mentally, along with the arthritis in her wrists and knees progressively getting worse.