What The Heart Wants

Hearts United (Part I)

The Grand Lobby Hall at the National Constitution Center was buzzing as players arrived for tonight's Hearts United gala. Ali and Steph made their way through a few of the patrons, searching for some of their teammates. When Kristie and Steph noticed them, the latter said to her girlfriend, "Told ya!"

Kristie: Seriously....I think your Yente wires are a little crossed.

Steph Mac: After you, Ali, StephO, and Liz left for the parking garage, Steph and I tried to talk a bit of sense into our kind harasser, but he wasn't backing off, even accusing Steph of her and Ali being a thing and thus insinuating that she was somehow involved in the Alex Morgan separation story. We finally got away from him and went to the garage to meet up with you. Before we went up to the cars, Steph stopped and slumped over, trying to catch her breath. It looked like the start of an anxiety attack, so I stayed with her and assured her that nothing was going to happen to her or Ali at that moment. Her breathing eventually returned to normal and we came up to find you and leave. She was really exhausted after the confrontation with that guy. I sure hope he doesn't bother to show up tonight.

Kristie: Well, we have a MUCH bigger group here and I'm pretty sure ALL of them would give him a piece of their minds if he tried to stir the pot.

Ali and Steph walked over Kristie and Steph, who were with Sam, Abby, Lindsey, and Emily. The eight of them looked over those they hadn't seen yet and a few wows and damns flew out of their mouths at the sight of how the others were dressed. Ali gave hugs to tonight's special honorees, thanking them for coming and for how their act at the NWSL final helped her reassess where she was in life and how it wasn't going as she wished. The two Stephs were chatting while keeping their heads on a bit of a swivel, looking for the slightest sign of trouble.

Steph Mac: Shite! Danger at 5 O'Clock.

Steph Labbe turned slowly and saw Greg Orlandini chatting with Jonathan Tannenwald of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Steph L.: Cripes. We best find Wendy and Erica and give them a heads-up.

The pair excused themselves and grabbed Lindsey and Sam to come with them. The group found Wendy and Erica, who were conversing with Carm, Kristin, Diana, and Jen.

Steph L.: Staff, we need your help. Is there a private place nearby we can talk?

Wendy directed everyone to a small conference room off to the side of the lobby.

Wendy: What's up?

Steph L.: Carm, remember the reporter who tried to out Ali at the airport last week?

Carm: Yes. Jerkwad!

Steph L.: He tracked us down yesterday after we concluded our sightseeing tour, asking about the Alex Morgan saga and whether she had anything to do with it.

Steph Mac: After a couple more questions, Kristie got Ali and our other two group members out of the line of fire and Steph and I stayed to try and dissuade him from going further with his actions.

Wendy: I'm sorry to hear that. Why didn't you tell us this morning at the offices?

Steph Mac: We thought we had blocked him well enough with our answers to some of his questions that he'd give up trying to wreak havoc on us, but we were wrong. He's here tonight and I'm worried that he might try to stir the pot with us having two couples on the team as well as our four honored guests now being publicly out.

Wendy: Anything we can do to help all of you make it through tonight without picking up a criminal record, let us know.

Steph L.: I'd say making sure he can't get too close to Ali, since she seems to be the one he has been wanting to rake over the coals. The one advantage of the signing spectacular after the formal part of the program is that most of us will be together in one block, starting with you, then Erica, Carm, Kristin, Ali, and myself. The other couples will be together so Lindsey, Sam, Steph, and Stephany will be able to protect their own. Other than that, having decent security around and not allowing his antics to distract from the reason for tonight.