"Tobin?" I ask.

"Yeah Babe?" Tobin says.

"Have any of the team flown home?"

The surgery was a success and I've been recovering in the hospital for three days.

I have legs again.

"No. They got a new hotel and are waiting for you."

"Do you think you could call them up here?" I nervously ask.

"They're already on their way with food."

"Oh cool." I say then someone knocks on the door. "It's open."

The door opens and in walks Kelley and Christen with a bag of food for me and Tobin.

"Hey Strides." Kelley says as she approaches my bed.

My twin then sets the food down and kisses my head.

"I-Is the team here?" I ask.

"Yeah they're down the hall in the waiting area." Christen says.

"C-could one of you go get them?" I request.

"Of course." Christen says.

The forward then leaves only to return a minute later with the whole team.

"Hey Astrid." Alex says.

"H-hi." I say then look down at my hands.

"Everything alright?" Ash asks.

"I have something to tell everyone."

"Alright?" Kelley says.

"Well...um...this is it guys. I'm...I'm...I'm...I'm...I'm retiring." I say.

"What?" Christen breathes out.

"Why?" Kelley asks.

"Kels I may be out for the rest of the season because of this. And I've just lost the love for playing." I say then look down at my lap. "It's not worth it."

"Well if that's your decision." Mal says. "Then we stand by you and it."

Everyone on the team nods their head agreeing with what Mal says.

"Thanks...one other thing." I say.

"Yes?" Ali says.

"I assume nobody has scheduled flights?"

"Correct." Jill says.

"Well would everyone like to leave in three hours?" I inquire.

"How?" Tobin asks.

"A company I design planes for has sent one of their best planes here and it's going to take me and whoever else wants to come back to America free of charge."

"Looks like we need to go pack." Pinoe says.

"Here." I say and hand the instructions to Jill. "This explains where to go, what to say, and when we can board."

"We'll see ya there Astrid." Jill says.

One by one everybody on the team comes over and hugs me with Jill, Dawn, Ash, Alyssa, Christen, and Kelley all taking the longest to hug me.

Once everyone leaves, my girlfriend packs both of our stuff up and a few minutes later a couple of people come in and remove the IV from my hand then they wheel me down to the ambulance that will take us to the airport.

They only way I could get the doctors to discharge me is that I told them I will remain in a bed the whole flight. I only agreed because I wanna go home.

When we get to the ambulance I get placed onto a gurney then Tobin gets in and sits next to me. The moment Tobin sits next to me I intertwine our hands then we sit in silence as we make the drive to the airport. Once at the Tokyo international airport the ambulance drive through a side gate and heads to a hangar where Tobin and I go through security and customs.

After that's done I'm wheeled out of the ambulance and over to an elevator that will take us to a short walkway that will lead to the plane. When we get to the elevator Tobin puts the bags into the elevator then she helps me off the gurney and into the elevator. I then push the up button and 10 seconds later we arrive at the entrance to that walkway thingy.

I know there's a correct term for it but I don't know it.

Once at the entrance to the walkway thingy Tobin places the bags out side the elevator then she helps me out of the elevator and leans me against a wall.

"I'm gonna go put the bags up then I'll be back." My girlfriend says.

"Okay." I say then peck her lips.

Tobin takes the luggage to the plane then she returns and wraps her arm around me.

"Alright let's go." Tobin says.

The two of us slowly walk onto the plane then Tobin leads me to the bed in the plane that the airplane company installed for me.

I can't believe they did this for me.

Tobin helps me onto the bed then she goes to sit down in front of me but I hold her hand and stop her.

"What's wrong?" Tobin asks in a panic.

"Please lay with me." I shyly say.

"Alright baby." Tobin says then she gets in with me.

I then roll over and cuddle with my girlfriend, who puts extra pillows behind me to stabilize my back.

"Ahhh." I say and wrap an arm around my forward. "Much better."

"Yes it is beautiful." Tobin says then she kisses my head.

The two of us lay in silence and I relax as my girlfriend plays with my hair.

"Toby?"

"Yes?"

"Can we get a dog?" I ask.

"I would love to, but if what we talked about a couple days ago happens then I don't know when we'd have time." Tobin says.

"Oh...what about if we fostered some dogs?"

"We can look into that." Tobin says

Suddenly I feel my back spasm so I grip onto Tobin tighter.

"What's wrong?" Tobin asks.

"My back...spasm." I say through gritted teeth

"Where?"

"Lower spine."

Tobin then starts rubbing my lower back like the doctor showed her and eventually the pain stops.

"Fucking hell." I say and loosen my grip.

"Damn this plane is nice." I hear Sonnett say.

"Hey Strides." Kelley says and rubs my leg.

"Hi Kelloggs." I mumble as everything from the past couple days catches up to me and I start crying.

"It's okay." Tobin whispers and wipes the tears from my eyes. "You're safe baby."

"Shh." Kelley whispers and crawls behind me. "We got you."

"Forever and Always Astrid." Tobin mumbles then she kisses my head. "Forever and Always."