Somewhere Only We Know

“Hey, Ariana, I know you’re still not ready to talk to me, but I just wanted to let you know that I still so sorry about what happened. I should never have let her get that close and I feel awful for it. Ari, nena, please call me back when you get this. I just want to hear your voice” Iker murmured as he cradled his phone close to his ear.

It had been a week, seven painstakingly long days since he had last seen Ariana and it was starting to get to him. He’d hardly slept, barely eaten, and he knew it was only a matter of time before someone noticed. He could barely walk straight thanks to the lack of food and knew it was obvious. He knew he had to give her time, Aaron was right when he said that she needed to be left alone for a while, but Iker had no idea how long it would take. He already missed holding her close and didn’t know what he would do if he had to wait much longer.

“Casillas, are you actually going to train this morning or do you want to be dropped?” Carlo Ancelotti barked as he stepped into the changing room, his eyes fixed on the keeper who was slumped against his locker. It wasn’t the first time in the last week that Iker had been late, but it was starting to annoy the coach. The team were in a good vein of form and the last thing he needed was his captain distracted. It would only spell trouble for them.

Iker set his phone down in his bag and forced himself to his feet, swaying slightly.

“Casillas, are you alright?” the coach pressed “You look a little pale” he added.

“I am fine” Iker muttered gruffly “I just didn’t sleep too well. I will be fine coach, I swear” he added.

Carlo offered him a dubious look before he nodded. “Alright” the older man mused “We need to get on the pitch. We’re already 20 minutes behind schedule” he added. Iker nodded his head and followed the other man out of the room. He knew he had to get it together, he and Ariana had only dated for three weeks, but he just felt a lost without her. She had made him happier than he had been in a while and it was hard for him to accept that she wasn’t around anymore. He had loved her, he still loved her, and he wanted nothing more than the chance to tell her. He missed her.

~#~
“Iker, focus” the goalkeeping coach spat as he watched Iker flap at another cross. It was the fifth one he had missed that morning and that was unlike him. Iker was usually quite good in the air.

Iker blinked a little and nodded, offering a slightly apologetic smile to the older man.

“What is wrong with you?” Keylor Navas whispered as he and Iker moved to switch places. He could see the other man was struggling, Iker hadn’t looked right in days, but Keylor knew he was the first to ask. The others had merely shrugged it off and claimed that Ariana was keeping him up at night.

“Nothing. I am just having an off day” Iker muttered as he stepped away towards the corner, preparing to throw a cross into the box. Placing the ball down on the line, he moved to kick it, only to slip and fall backwards, his right arm folding beneath him with a loud crack.

“Iker” Keylor spluttered as he sped towards the other keeper “Man, are you alright?” he posed.

Iker shook his head and lifted the injured arm into his lap, his dark eyes glaring down at it. “It’s broken” he muttered, noting the swelling that had already started to form just below his wrist “I need to get to a hospital and get it set” he muttered, knowing that he would be out for a while.

Keylor nodded and helped him to his feet before the club’s doctor ran towards them, wrapping a sling around the keeper’s body.

“Do you want someone to come with you?” Keylor prodded as he watched Iker being led from the field.

Iker shook his head. “The rest of you should stay and train. We’ve got the derby at the weekend and I am not having you lot lose because of me. Stay, train and I will call later” he instructed firmly.

Keylor nodded and returned to training, allowing Iker to move quietly off the field.

He didn’t need it, the last thing he wanted was to be injured, but he knew he would be out for a while. Just from looking at it, he could tell the break was bad and was going to keep him out for some time.

~#~
“You’ve got another one Ariana” Daniel Travis mused as he handed a chart over to Ariana. It had been a busy day, the pair had been stuck in the emergency department thanks to a shortness of staff, and Ariana was starting to get a little tired. Most of her day had been spent doing x-rays and setting broken bones and it was a little tiresome. “What’s wrong with this one?” Ariana muttered as she flicked the chart open.

“He says he tripped over and landed awkwardly, full weight on his right wrist. It looks like a pretty hefty break” Daniel quipped as he moved to collect a chart of his own. Ariana sighed gently and padded out into the treatment, her blue eyes fixed on the chart. “So, you think you have broken your arm Mr…”Ariana’s voice trailed off a little as she read the name etched at the top of the sheet. It was the last name she wanted to see, Iker Casillas, but she knew she couldn’t turn him away. Daniel was rushed off his feet with his own patients without Ariana palming Iker off on him.

“Casillas” Iker finished for her, a little smile on his face.

Ariana nodded. “Yes, Mr Casillas. Your arm is broken?” she pressed, trying not to look at him. It hurt, the idea that he was so close, but she knew that she had to tough it out. It would only be a short examination and x-ray before she sent him to get his arm put in a cast.

Iker nodded. “I fell on it at training, I heard it crack and it is swollen. I have a good feeling that it is broken” he explained.

Ariana nodded and set the chart down on the desk, padding towards him reluctantly. She didn’t want to get near him, his aftershave and the warmth of his skin was enough to make her lose all of her concerns, but she knew that she had to. She was a professional and needed to act like one. “Can you make a fist?” she murmured, her hand delicately taking his arm.

Iker’s eyes closed a little at the feel of her fingers on his skin. It had been too long. “Not really” he murmured.

Ariana nodded. “You’ve broken at least one of the bones in your arm, I will need to do an x-ray to check the condition of the other bone and to check the severity of the break” she explained.

Iker nodded his head, his body swaying a little.

Ariana noted the slight movement and placed her hands on his face, guiding the stare of his brown eyes into her blues. “Iker, when was the last time you ate something?” she posed gently.

Iker grumbled something incoherently.

“Iker, tell me” Ariana spat. She could see that he was a little spaced and she couldn’t believe that he had been so stupid.

“The day before yesterday, I had some lunch with the guys” he muttered.

“Idiot” Ariana spat, causing Iker to flinch slightly. “How could you do that? Don’t you know how dangerous that is?” she hissed.

Iker sighed. “I didn’t mean to. I just…I…I don’t want to do anything without you around. Ari, I miss you so much and it has left me a little messed up” he admitted gently.

Ariana’s face softened for a second. She had never seen him look so guilty before, but then the thought of him and Lucia passed her eyes, causing her to scoff. “You’re being admitted” she muttered “You’re going to stay here and they are going to sort you out and then you are going to go. It is over Iker, done” she muttered as she moved towards the door.

Iker lifted himself haphazardly from the examination bed and followed. “Ari, please, can’t we talk?” he whispered.

Ariana turned to look at him and shook her head. “You did all the talking you needed to do the night you kissed Lucia. I am done with you Iker so please, stop calling, stop texting and start eating and sleeping” she muttered before she ducked out of the room.

Iker watched after her and closed his eyes.

He needed to get her back.