Unbreakable Bonds

Chapter 49

The first issue arose three days before we were set to play the final. During our last training session before flying to Sweden, Lex hurt her thigh. It wasn't until after training that she disappeared. I waited for a bit in the locker room before I went on the hunt for her.

I found her crying in the medical room, Luis and the Physios conversing in the corner.

"Lex? What's wrong?" She very quickly wiped her tears, putting on a stoic face.

"Nothing amor. I'll meet you at the car."

"Alexia, we dont lie to each other. Let's not start now."

"I've- my thigh. It's hurt." She struggled to get the words out.

"Alright, so we have a treatment plan, we are more than 72 hours out. I want you to rest, ice it: 20 minutes on, 20 off. We will do some light stretching tomorrow after we arrive in Sweden. Does that sound ok?"

Lex couldn't use her words so she just nodded her head. I helped her up and she walked straight to the car, not wanting to see the girls after she had been crying. I went and got our bags, rushing back into the car.

It wasn't until we were home that she broke down.

"What if I can't play? We are about to make history? I can't do this Ana."

"Alexia listen to me. We will take it one step at a time, you will play. I know you're scared and I know you're frustrated but we will deal with this. Together."

She nodded her head and laid on top of me, slowly but surely her crying slowed down. For the rest of the afternoon we followed the physios instructions. Icing every 20 minutes and resting it. I packed our bags for Sweden, letting Lex boss me around from the couch. It was agreed that Alexia's injury would be kept from the team for now. Hoping it would be resolved quickly and knowing how much the team relied on her.

Sleep didn't come easy for Alexia, meaning it also didn't come easy for me. She couldn't turn her brain off. I tried and tried to get her to talk but she wouldn't. She was shutting off, becoming the machine that people were used to seeing and there was nothing I could do except watch her.

"God, could they not make the formal wear less hot?" Lex groaned from behind me, pulling me flush with against her body.

"Lex we don't have time. After we win we can celebrate, just me and you." I turned around to cup her face.

"Ooh did you pack the strap then!" She got giddy like a teenage boy, I rolled my eyes at her.

As we arrived at the training ground, I took our bags while alexia quickly went to talk to Luis and the physios. Irene was looking over at them with a careful eye, before turning to me with a questionable look on her face. I simply shrugged, moving towards J, Ronnie, Leila and Codi. The foursome were insane together. No one was safe from their teasing or pranks.

Slowly we all boarded the bus and headed to the airport, Lex was obviously anxious and instead of talking she just gripped onto my hand and arm for dear life. Everyone was happy, light and airy as we waited for our flight. Laughing and chatting among ourselves. No one was able to approach us due to security but it didn't stop them from taking photos and videos.

On the flight over, most of us watched the old videos of Chelsea that were sent to us before hand. The ability to have some of the best football minds dissect an oppositions tactics was something I would always been in awe of. The minute we got off the plane, we had our room keys given to us, we would all have seperate rooms, we were also given the itinerary for the next few days.

For the next two days of training, Alexia didn't join the group. The team was told of what was happening and it affected everyone. Alexia was the engine of the team, she controlled the game, controlled the tempo, she kept us all calm and level headed. Without her we all felt a little lost.

Our last training session before the final was the worst. We weren't training how we usually would, a piece was missing and that piece was Alexia. She was struggling herself, her individual training didn't go well and she was in pain. The Physio gave her a work up but she still was tethering the edge.

I was sitting at the desk, rewatching a Chelsea game when there was a soft knock on the door, opening it I came face to face with a broken Alexia. I didn't say anything, just pulled her into the room and hugged her. After a minute I pulled back, I pulled her further into the room and sat on the bed, she kept standing.

"Talk to me, please."

"I'm so frustrated. This stupid injury. I can't control anything and I feel like the walls are closing in."

"Ale, stop pacing please. Come and sit." She looked at me, teary eyed and nodded. "You know your body better than everyone, if tomorrow you wake up and you want to push it and play, then that's your choice. If you don't think you can, then that's your choice too. Whatever you want to do, I will support you. The girls will too."

She went back to her room a few hours later, promising to call me if she needed something or wanted to talk. Knowing her though she laid in bed all night, thinking of the possibilities and staring at the ceiling.

Game day morning was either really tense or really relaxed. This time round, it was relaxed. The staff had done the best they could to keep the routine as normal as possible. Lex sat down next to me, the stressed mood she was in was radiating off her. Mapi sat down on the other side of her.

"How are-"

"Don't ask me how I am Maria. I am fine." Alexia snapped at her. I grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze and giving her a look. Mapi looked like you'd killed her cat.

"Sorry Mapi. I didn't mean to snap."

The morning carried on as normal. Everyone set up in the conference rooms, reading their books, chatting, listening to music. We played some games that distracted everyone. Before we realised it was lunch time and then time for our team walk before we headed off to the stadium.

Everyone was starting to get more calm or more nervous. Everyone was still slightly on edge, it wasn't clear if alexia was going to play or not. Before we walked into the change rooms to get ready for our first warm up, she pulled me aside.

"Do you trust me?" Her question had me frowning.

"Always Lex." She kissed me, it was full of love and passion and then she was gone. Off after Luis.

She didn't come out for our first warm up so it made me question what she meant. For our last tactical meeting she was there, thigh strapped and ready to go. She was going to play.

Luis' voice ripped my gaze from Alexia.

"These are the three most dangerous players on the Chelsea team. First we have Pernille Harder, then Fran Kirby but their most dangerous player is Sam Kerr. Once the ball is at her feet, she will find space and that's a problem. You need to shut her down fast, do not let her cross the ball under any circumstances."

We all headed back out to our final and proper warm up, Alexia was there and a sense of relief washed over the team. With warm ups complete, we all went back into the locker room, Luis giving his final speech before we huddled and Alexia spoke.

"If we go out there like we always do, against the bottom side in the league, then just imagine what we'll do today. Think how they will be feeling. If we win, we will go down in history, because of how we play, from the first minute to the 90th. Until it's over, let's not even think about the trophy. To the end, Barça!" Sandra counted us down and then we were headed to the tunnel.

It was important to us as a team to hug everyone. It made us all feel united, there was no difference between the players on the bench, and those on the field. We were one. We were Barça.