If Only Tonight

Blurry Dividing Lines:
Chapter Forty Four: Personal Soldiers

"Mia!"

She saw the ball coming right at her. There was no time for her to get out of the way. The deafening thud of the ball making contact, she could clearly hear it.

Her name rang through her ears.

Unable to muster any strength, Mia kept her eyes closed. Soon enough sleep took her away from the voices around her.

As she dreamed, she saw herself standing on the field. A ball was coming towards her, but this time she ran from it. Instead, the ball turned into a comet and burned a hole through the field.

Again she woke up. This time she could clearly hear Matthew's voice. He sounded upset.

"He should never have been allowed to stay after what he did!" She heard him say.

"Matthew..." Came another voice. It was deeper, and sounded older. Felix must have been talking to Matthew. He sounded distressed.

She tried to say sorry, but once more it took to much energy to form the word, and she drifted back in to sleep.

Once more she woke up. This time, Mia opened her eyes, only to see a blurry Matthew, Nathaniel, and Oliver standing with Felix. They seemed unhappy. Before she could lift a finger, or say a word, Mia had fallen back in to a dreamless sleep.

Through out her sleep she heard fragments of what was going on around her.

"What about Drake?" She heard Nathaniel ask.

"No, I don't care Felix! She's not staying there!"

"I agree with Matthew, Felix. She's not staying there alone." She heard Oliver's voice say.

"Matthew, please get your leg checked." Came Felix's voice moments later.

Not knowing how long she had been in this state, Mia finally opened her eyes again. This time, she could see clearly. She was in a bed with the guys and Felix standing by her.

Searching for her voice, as well as a few words, Mia opened her mouth.

"What happened?"

-----

Seeing her in the hospital bed, looking so small, Matthew felt sick. He leaned on to the crutches one of the nurses had given him. Each time he looked at his bloodied leg, he could feel the throbbing in his leg. He tried to keep his mind off his own pain.

"She's going to be alright." Oliver had whispered, trying to comfort him.

"I'm going to find Jason, and tear him limb from limb!" Matthew muttered viciously.

He couldn't believe Mia had gotten hurt. This had been the last thing he had ever wanted to happen to her.

Having told Felix what had been going on, Matthew could see the elderly man was unhappy at how everything had gone down. Understanding that Mia felt uncomfortable approaching him after Jason's threats once Oliver had fully explained the situation, Felix had assured them that his opinion of Mia remained untarnished.

"I can understand that it must have been intimidating for her to see the girls gang up against her and side with Jason, especially since she was the newest addition to staff. You three can rest assured that nothing is going to happen to her, or how I feel about her work." He had told them.

"Mr. Pettyfer, we need to take her for some tests."

The four men turned to see two nurses at the door.

"Yes, okay." Felix nodded.

The nurses first checked Mia over. Finding her cell phone and ID card, they put it on the table beside the bed. Wheeling Mia's bed, they headed out the door. Matthew looked away as they left. He couldn't bear to watch.

As Felix stepped out to make some phone calls, Nathaniel left to go get them something to drink. The younger boy had looked visibly upset when the paramedics had taken Mia from his arms.

Pacing around the room, Matthew tried to think. There was no way any of them would let Mia stay in the dorms on her own. His thoughts were interrupted when a phone rang. Checking his own, he saw that the ringing was coming from the table. It was Mia's phone. Oliver motioned for him to answer it.

Hobbling over, Matthew picked it up. The caller ID said Christopher Brooklyn. Who could that be? He wondered, momentarily.

"Hello? Mia?" Came a voice before Matthew could say anything.

"Hi...Mia's not available right now." Matthew said, nervously. "Can I take a message?"

"I'm sorry I'm looking for my daughter. I tried calling her apartment and office, I was under the impression this was Mia's cell phone. I wasn't aware she had a partner."

His eyes bugging out at the words, Matthew could feel his heart beat start to race.

"Mia doesn't have a partner. I'm just one of the players she works with." Matthew said quickly. This was the first time he had spoken to any girl's father, let alone a girl whom he wasn't dating. He knew better than to tell Mia's father that they were roommates.

"Oh...well do you know where I can find her? I received a phone call from a hospital saying that I was one of her emergency contacts and that she had been in an accident. Do you know if she's alright? Should I catch the next flight to London? My wife and I are very worried."

Matthew was unsure how to answer the man's question. The nurses had not brought her back, and Felix was somewhere talking to the team management. Taking a deep breath, he took a shot.

"The nurses took her to run some tests. If you like I can get the manager, Felix; or the doctor to call you."

"Actually, I will just call back in a little while and ask you. Can I know who I'm speaking to?" Her father asked.

"Matthew."

"Thank you, Matthew. I will call back in an hour or so. If you see my daughter please tell her I called."

With that Mia's father hung up. Surprised at the conversation he had just had, Matthew felt a little dazed and confused. Looking up, he saw Oliver walk to him, a questioning look in his eyes.

"Who was that?" The older boy asked.

"Mia's father."

"Are you serious?"

"Yea..."

"You've never spoken to anyone's parents before. I don't even think you spoke to Daria's." By this time the younger player had returned, three cans of pop in his hands; it was apparent he had over heard the conversation. Nathaniel sniggered, nervously, from where he was standing.

"Idiot." Matthew muttered, shaking his head. Nathaniel handed him a pop, giving the other to Oliver.

The three of fell quiet as they heard Felix's voice coming closer. Straining to hear what he was saying, they were unable to figure out what he was saying, as he closed his phone before entering the room. Right behind him, rolling the bed carrying Mia, were the nurses. Pushing her bed back in to position, they looked at the four of them.

"The doctor will be right with you." One of them said, and they turned to leave.

Felix looked over at them.

Taking a deep breath Matthew steeled himself, getting ready to speak.

"With all due respect, Felix, Mia's not staying at the dorms." Oliver said, stealing the words right out of Matthew's opened mouth.

-----

"What happened?" She asked, blinking hard. Mia felt sore. She didn't understand why she was laying in a bed. Wasn't there match they were supposed to be at? Hadn't she been running to get to Matthew? What about his leg, he was hurt? What was going on?

Trying to sit up, Mia winced as pain coursed through her. Oliver rushed to her side at once.

"Easy there, Mia." The older player said. Taking hold of her gently, and adjusting her bed so she was comfortable. She saw the bandages wrapped around her chest that were peering out of her hospital gown.

"What happened to me? Wasn't I supposed to be checking on Matt?" She asked.

"You were coming to check on me, but you got hit by the ball. Jason was taking an offside shot." The anger in the blue eyed footballer's voice made it sound as though Jason Roberts had intentionally hit her. Not that it would be the first time someone was severely hurt in a football game. She had seen linesman, and lineswoman get injured by over zealous and often arrogant players. She had also seen players do a number on each other. But why would...that was when everything hit her.

"He said I would regret - " She started to tell them, but was interrupted.

"I know Mia. Jason has been dealt with. He is no longer on the team." Felix told her.

"What?" She asked, in shock.

"Oliver told me what had been going on. His un-sportsman like conduct, and erratic behaviour, forced me to end his contract." He told her. "Anyway, now that that's out of the way. I want you to relax and focus on getting better."

"The doctor said you fractured a rib, but other than that your test results were fine." Felix told her, giving her a smile.

"Once you are feeling better, these boys will help you move in to your new accommodations." He told her.

"Huh?" She felt numb. What was this about new accommodations?

"Mia, you must have done a great job with your roster. These three boys were ready to chew me out over where you would be staying after you leave the hospital."

"I thought I was allowed to stay in the apartment?" Mia asked, confused as to what was taking place.

"I thought you would be too, but Matthew and Oliver here were ready to attack me. It was decided that you'll be staying with Matthew and his family."

Shocked was a vague description of what Mia was feeling. She looked at their faces trying to determine whether they were just pulling her leg.

"Why can't I just stay in the apartment? I can take care of myself." She reiterated.

"It's not a question of whether you can take care of yourself, Mia. You can stay in the room as long as one of us are there." Oliver told her.

"But Nate's right upstairs. Besides, if I was going to live somewhere else, why can't I buy my own place?"

"Firstly, Nathaniel isn't always around. Secondly, though it might sound like a great idea to buy your own place...think about it. Most of the time your on the grounds, so you'd be paying a whole lot for a place to sleep in." Matthew said, as he came towards her bed.

"It was between me and Matthew, and since Ariana's expecting and we're going to be moving once the baby is born; it made more sense for you to stay with Matthew." Oliver said, giving her a pat on the head. "You'll be fine."

"It's all been arranged. So you won't have to worry." Matthew added.

"Why are you bothering with me? I'll be alright at the dorm, or in my own place." She tried, hoping maybe they would change their minds.

"It's fine, since there is an extra room. Oliver agreed that you should stay with one of us. Besides, at least now you can be a little bit greener." He said, taking a dig at her car. Leave it to Matthew to find someway to take revenge on her dear Challenger, she thought annoyed. He grinned as she scowled at him.

It was then she noticed the crutches Matthew was leaning on. His leg was still looking bloody. Why hadn't he gotten it treated? They were in a hospital, after all. Seeing the look of confusion on her face, Felix smiled.

"Well I will leave you all to catch up, I need to sort some other things out. I hope you get better soon, Mia. One of my best players is refusing treatment from any other doctor." The elderly man told her, as he left.

Mia laughed sorely as she heard this.