"Hi, my name is Ashley Sanchez, and I'm a forward."

Everybody greet her in the same time, which ultimately leads to a big collective laugh because there was no way the youngster would've understood anything. After that, Kristie gets up and quickly hugs the newly arrived, indicating her where she has to sit. After the team meeting, everybody is walking toward the field.

As Kassey is talking with Abby and Lindsey, she feels someone tap on her shoulders, and she rolls her eyes.

"A word please ?" Kristie coldly asks.

After jokingly letting some 'ooouh' out, Lindsey and Abby join the others, leaving the two girls on their own. Of course Kristie is forced to apologize, and Kassey knows that : the girl would've never taken the initiative on her own.

So Kassey says :

"What ?"

Kristie takes a deep breath : don't respond to her freaking bitchy tone, you're better than that, and Julie will kill you if you do, she thinks to herself, trying to keep her composure. So instead of bitching on her too, Kristie says :

"Just wanted to know how your insertion on the team is doing"

I won't apologize to that bitch, tho.

"Everybody but you have been welcoming, so I guess it's doing great" Kassey lets out, raising her eyebrows at the girl. She then smirks. "Thank you for asking, boss."

"Look, I've been patient enough..." Kristie starts in an aggressive tone. Okay, it's only been two seconds, but it's too much already. "... you and I are not friends and will not be, but we have to cope with each other in order for the team to function, so stop with those bitchy lines already, got it ?"

When Kassey realizes that Kristie is dead serious she nods.

"Very well" the blonde lets out, but after that she can't restrain herself from getting closer to Kristie, putting a hand in the hollow of her back. She then puts her mouth closer to the middy's ears and whispers : "But you need to stop making out with me while drunk in the freaking afternoon, Mewis."

Before Kristie can respond, Kassey is already walking toward her friends, as the captain only frowns.

Steph appears next to her, with the same facial expression.

"What was that all about ?" the brunette asks, knowing that something weird is going on.

"Nothing" Kristie lies, her eyes still on Kassey. But then, she turns her head to face Steph, who doesn't believe any word she is saying. "Whatever, we should get going before I cut that bitch's throat."

The forward doesn't dare to say anything, as the two Boston natives keep on walking next to each other in total silence.

That bitch wants war, she'll get war.

*

After Julie announced her pregnancy, it was panic on board among the team.

Since she is already six months pregnant, it means that she won't be able to play for a minimum of six months (three months until the baby comes and three other to get back on track). The Bruins will be missing one player, because she can't be listed in the 15-player squad. As soon as the news dropped, Hao has been willing to talk to the blonde one on one.

Once they finally find a peaceful and quiet place, the coach says :

"First of all, congrats."

"It wasn't planned... I'm sorry."

"Why sorry ?"

"Because I'm letting the team down."

Hao bursts into laughter, as Julie doesn't understand.

"Hell no, kid. You're not. Because you're going to be my assistant from now on until you come back to the pitch."

Julie lets out an huge sigh of relief, before hugging her coach.

"Thank you."

"You know the team loves and understands you." Hao continues, willing to make Julie stop blaming herself for everything. "The first thing I need you to do is to find us a defender, and we're going to do that right now because our first game is in three days."

"When do we start ?"

Hao smirks.

*

The rookies (aka the four juniors, two sophomores and the lone freshman, or in other words : Jane, Rose, Mal, Gibby, Rachel, Mads and Ashley) are gathered in a room, drinking energy drinks before practice, joking around. Everybody is still in shock about the whole Julie-bomb-drop moment, but overall there's a great energy despite the will of everybody to just skip practice and sleep.

The last few days have been rough practice-wise : Hao is not letting anything get in the way, because that team is the defending champion, and they need to stay focused. Even with Hope Solo in the nature. Even with Julie's pregnancy. And even with God knows what's coming at them.

The blonde goalie starts rolling her eyes, hearing Mads taping something against the wall, which makes some noise.

"Man" Mal lets out, shaking her head. "So much drama, and for once it's not because of Solo."

There are some nervous laugh, but Jane is not laughing.

"It was a joke, Janice" Rose lets out, tapping her friend's shoulders.

"Well I don't find it funny since people died last year, and also Kristie got drugged, and Kailen and Megan got kidnapped. And we're not even talking about the year before."

An uncomfortable silence takes place, as Mal shamefully looks at her feet.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend anybody."

"I think we should just chill" Gibby says, and all eyes get on her. "I mean, there are a lot of things going on right now, and in order for us to deal with them properly, we need to stay united and in high spirits. We need to have fun, not talk about the dead"

"She's right" Rachel says, nodding her head.

There is another silence, during which Jane only nods, before getting on her phone. As the girls are focusing on training, Rose receives a text, and immediately tenses up. She tells her friends that she has to call her mother, before going out of the dorm.

She then re-reads it again :

The number is an unknown one.

Rose doesn't think long before going where she is told : you never know when something awful is happening. Maybe it's someone asking for help ? The brunette nervously get to the grocery shop, before walking with shaky legs.

When she realizes that there is nobody here, she starts freaking out : it's a trap.

A black car appears, but as Rose tries to turn around, she bumps into someone, before feeling a needle on her neck. Hope Solo is there, holding her in her arms because she feels her muscles stop working. The smirking goalie looks at her.

"Ssh, it's gonna be over in less than a minute."

As Rose is trying to fight back, she turns her head and sees Ashlyn Harris get out of the car to whisper something to Hope, who makes a sign. They're getting closer to the car, but Rose can't do anything about it.

Her body stops working, as everything becomes black.