Maura entered the room where Ashley and Saskia were already sitting, peacefully talking.

She really wasn't the type of girl to start a conversation. She obviously was that awkward friend that everybody had, that stayed in a corner, and talked only when she had to. Sometimes, people found it annoying. But ever since she joined the team, nobody seemed to really care about her silence. And she was pretty happy with that. People seemed to actually like her, which was a miracle.

Her first friend she's made on the team was Saskia. She liked how calm and composed she was, and also how mature. She's been through so much, as a Syrian, that she wasn't as naive as some of her teammates. She knew what life was all about, and how every piece of it was important because everything could be over within a second. It only took a disaster, a shooting, a earthquake, and hundred of lives could be destroyed. That was the kind of philosophy Saskia was fond of.

Ashley, on the other hand, was pretty joyful and naive. She wasn't naive as in 'I'm going to follow this weird man down the street' or 'he likes m because he smiled in my direction', but more about life in general. But Maura found her cute and sweet, and that was what mattered the most here. She was happy t have a friend like her, and that she wasn't spending all her free time with Mal as Maura thought she'd do.

Michelle Betos and Alyssa Naeher entered the room, quickly followed by Jenko. Most of the girls just didn't speak to the blonde.

"Yo" Michelle let out, grabbing a banana.

"Hey" Saskia responded, smiling. "You guys are done with training ?"

"Yeah, we practiced for like three hours" Alyssa said, smiling. "It's like... My legs are dying right now. I need my bed."

That statement made the girls smile. As Jenko was taking her usual cappuccino, the two other keepers sat down in the couch in front of them.

"You were with Dawn until now ?" Michelle asked, surprised.

"Yup" Ashley said, trying not to roll her eyes. "It was 'fitness day' today. That's fucked up."

"It's for your own good, Sanchez" the brown-haired keeper jokingly said. "I can assure you that you can't go a 90 minutes game without Dawn's sessions. Besides, she's funny and everybody like her, so pretend like you loved fitness sessions."

"Fine" the youngster said, rolling her eyes.

"So, did you guys heard about tonight ?" Jenko asked from the other side of the room.

Everybody turned on her. She spoke ? To us ? Maura wondered, quite surprised. She only had seen her talk to the keepers, and Syd, and sometimes Julie because she was the co-captain and seemed to be the only one not minding her attitude. When she realized Jenko really did talk to them, she frowned.

But she answered anyway.

"Tonight ?"

"Yeah. It's Sam's birthday and her sister wanted to throw a big party or whatever."

"And she invited you ?" Saskia let out.

She earned a death glare from Jenko.

"Syd insisted I guess" the blonde just said, before sitting on the couch next to Alyssa, who smirked at her. "Anyway, are you guys in ?"

The three youngsters nodded.

Kristie grabbed the things she bought for her sister earlier today. Stephanie was gently helping her - it wasn't like she had much of a choice anyway - by dragging her feet behind her, holding some things.

Their plan was pretty demoniac. Lindsey and Sonnett had to take Sam out for the day, so that she wouldn't suspect anything about the surprise. They then went shopping, and Kristie finally found this wale pet she wanted to get her, along with some decoration stuff. All in all, it was a big box that Kristie and Steph got ready for the surprise.

As Kristie was trying to focus on what she should do with the ribbon she wanted to stick to the gift itself, she felt warm lips kissing the back of her neck. She immediately shivered, as the brunette's hand were wandering on Kristie's thorax, eventually squeezing her boobs or caressing her hips.

"Mmh Stephanie, stop" Kristie complained, closing her eyes. She couldn't resist Steph's touch, and the brunette knew that. "We need to finish this"

"Mmh-mmh" Steph responded, keeping on kissing the blonde, who shied away under her touch, which was giving her more assurance. "Do you really want me to stop ? We still got an hour before they come back"

Kristie let a small moan out. "You know I don't, but you have to" she then groaned. "Stephanie, I need to finish my surprise, and you're not helping."

The brunette rolled her eyes and broke their contact. She went to the other side of the room, pretending to be angry. The thing with Kristie was that she didn't show any of her emotions to anyone. It took her two years of relationship to say the three words, and then four years after they started 'seeing each other', she still was cold. Kristie calling Steph by her full name was the proof of this.

The blonde looked at Stephanie, biting her lips. She didn't know if she really was angry, but she hated that feeling that she wasn't happy because of her. She shamefully walked toward Steph, who was searching for something the blonde asked for minutes ago.

"Are you sure it's here ?" she asked, not lifting her head. "What am I looking for anyway ?"

She suddenly turned around and nearly bumped into her. Kristie put her hands in both sides of Steph's body, as she was leaning against the cupboard.

"You were looking for scissors, miss absent-minded" Kristie said, and Steph looked at her like if she was a crazy girl.

"What are you doing ?" she asked, frowning.

"I'm sorry I'm not always touchy, and expressive, and stuff..." Kristie immediately said, and she was surprised about how nervous she was.

"It's fine, it wouldn't be you if you were't the way you are" Steph said, not knowing why the blonde was so suddenly sorry for the person she's been since the beginning. She had known her for years now. "You okay ? You seem... Disturbed ?"

Kristie frowned, as her arms were now wrapped around Stephanie's body. "My parents are coming tomorrow for Sam's birthday. They wanted to go to the lake to spend some time together, as a family." she nervously explained. But before Steph could open her mouth, she immediately put a finger on her lips and went on. "I wanted you to come. You're part of my family too, and I want them to know about... us."

"About us ?" Steph repeated, really surprised. "What ? You wanna tell us we fuck ? Dude, they like me, I don't want them to hate me because they think I'm your fuckbuddy"

"'Us' as in... 'us'" Kristie impatiently said. "I mean, we practically together, and my sister already know. And, like, the whole team. I don't want to hide it to my family anymore. And like you said, they love you-"

"As your friend !" Steph said, and a flash of fear appeared in her eyes.

"Stephanie, this won't change anything" Kristie promised. "It's just that... We've been undefined for a very long time now. We're kinda old. A-and I really love you more than anything else in this world. I know it's not only teenage love. I've been in love with you for so long now, and I was telling myself that maybe... I don't know."

Steph was just waiting for her to continue, but she didn't. So in order to comfort her - even though she was the only totally scared right now - she took Kristie's hands in hers, and squeezed them.

"Are you sure ?" she asked in a soft voice. "Kristie, that's an important step. That means that we would be closer from being... official".

Kristie's eyes went wide. "Babe, if that's not what you want I can wait a little bit longer. I really don't want you to feel oppressed or something. It's just that... We're already behaving as a couple, and hiding the women I love to my own parents make me feel... I don't know, I'm not complete when you're not here at Christmas, or Thanksgiving. I want you. I want the whole package. I feel ready." she explained.

The brunette couldn't hide her smile anymore. She grabbed Kristie's neck and pulled her closer. They shared a passionate kiss, filled with love and respect. When they ended the kiss in a common agreement, Steph was smiling.

"Of course that's okay with me" she exclaimed. "You were the one wanting to remain mysterious or some shit, I remind you."

Kristie giggled.

"My sister's birthday is in one hour. Let's go." she ordered, kissing Steph one last time.