Chapter 224: Six

Sunday, January 22nd, Late Morning

Ashlyn didn't have to get to the airport for a few more hours. James is in the shower, so she had time. Ashlyn was sitting in the main room of the apartment with her coffee and her tablet. She brought up the Tree Hill High School website with a practiced finger. Slowly, she surfed through the pages to find the one she's looking.

Taking a couple of deep breaths, she clicked on the player. It opened up and started to play the typical opening. Ashlyn nodded with a slight smile.

That was when James came into the room; he had just wrapped around his mid-section. Ashlyn paused the video.

"There you are, I was wondering where you went," James said.

"Just here to get some coffee and catch up on a few things," Ashlyn said.

"Oh yeah? What'cha catching up on?" James asked.

"Videos on the high school website," Ashlyn said.

"Oh, what are they about?" James asked.

"The series is called Be Heard: A Championship Defined. They're doing a retrospective on the team before they honor us, on the thirty-first," Ashlyn said.

"You know we also won a championship that year," James said.

"Well, we were undefeated, and it was the first for the girls; your team was neither," Ashlyn said.

"Is that what they told you?" James asked.

Ashlyn nodded, "Yes," she said.

"So, what does this retrospective entail?" James asked.

"Right now, player profiles," Ashlyn said.

"There had to be some thin episodes," James said.

"Not as many as you think, so far," Ashlyn said.

James took a seat next to her on the couch. "Fire it up," he said.

Ashlyn hit the play button and nodded. The frozen clips came to life with the soundtrack. James nodded and watched as the big hook came.

I

Will

Be

I will be heard.

The show logo filled the screen with the subtitle of six and faded to show the Tree Hill High School Studio. Trey Terthero was sitting by the best as always.

"Hello, I'm Trey Terthero, and this is Be Heard: A Championship Defined. Today we start on the seniors of this time. Not as well known as the other two senior's; today's athlete had an important role. Initially, as the first player off the bench, then as a virtual plug and play part, and finally as the shepherd to the four wonder freshmen. Let's meet the first of the A's today on six," Trey said.

The woman in European Sports Livery was on the screen, "Momma Ash," she said.

Devyn was on the screen, as always sitting in her living room. "There are just no words to describe her," she said.

Angela is sitting in her hotel room on some call. "One of my oldest and closest friends," she said.

Computer Ashlyn was behind her desk. She smiled and shook her head, "The third leg that made the stool stand," she said.

Kay from her Chicago apartment appeared next on the screen. "She's the mom to us, freshmen," she said.

Anna sitting on the bleachers in the field house, appeared on the screen next. "My freshman year, she was the strict big sister," she said.

Eva from her office smiled as she appeared on the screen. "One of the funniest players I've ever played with," she said.

The Black-haired woman at the River Court appeared on the screen next. "She fought you; what she didn't have in raw talent she made up for in determination. Also, screw-up on the court with her there with you, you'll get an earful," she said.

Monica standing at the River Court, appeared next on the screen. "She made sure us freshmen did things the right way," she said.

Cara, in her office, looked up at the camera. "If Angela was the heart, Ashlyn the steel, she was the glue that held us together," she said.

Coach Sinclair appeared on screen next. "Many people say there were more talented players we left off the squad, but to show you, either way, she was the cornerstone we built the bench around. Going into the season, Ashton was our sixth man, but Cara developed and displaced her. But with all those leads having her on the court with the freshmen was a relief," she said.

Coach Scott is sitting on the bleachers in the field house, appeared next. "She's one of my favorite players, but I've also known her for years. Ashton was one of the kids that learned basketball in my backyard, one of the last that wasn't part of my family. Whatever I asked of her, she did on the court," he said.

The Doctor came on the screen. Sitting in her office, she closed the book she was writing in. She looked up at the camera and nodded. "Every year, all I could think was I'm just glad to be on the team. I carved myself out a role, and I filled it. As I've always said, I was lucky to play with my two best friends all those years. I'm Doctor Ashton Perry, MD; I'm a doctor of orthopedics specializing in sports medicine. I was also one of the three A's, played about ever position, by the scorecard on the court, and was number six," she said.

There were a few clips of Ashlyn playing in several games. The AV people had found one, an old one, where Ashton, Ashlyn, and Angela were on the court at the same time. It must have been their sophomore year. Ashlyn noted Ashton wasn't the greatest scorer, but she could do other things.

"She had an arm on her, she probably could've pitched for the softball team," Cara said.

"You wanted a pass to pass through a pipe just barely bigger than the ball and not touch the sides; you went to Ashton. She was that accurate," Angela said.

"You needed someone to pass and move the ball with no effort but not look flashy, that's Ashton," Eva said.

"Ashton's known for her passing, but for such a small woman, she could block shots and be tough on defense," Coach Sinclair said.

The screen showed a few more clips of Ashton playing. Including one where she was running back to play defense, she congratulated Monica on her shot.

"I wouldn't say flaws, but there were disadvantages she had to overcome. She was the smallest of the three A's but wasn't quick enough to play point guard. Too short to find a home at forward, she was a classic in-betweener," Coach Scott said.

"The season came down to the last play of the last game, and guess who was on the court, Kay, Kelly, Cara, myself, and Ashton. What does that tell you of her importance?" Angela said.

"This is now, that's what coach told us, and we needed Ashton where she was," Kay said, "If Ashton wasn't there, I couldn't take that shot."

Coach Scott was on the bleachers. "It was because of her passing we sent her out with the shooting team. I was also hoping for the connection between Ashton and Angela to win us the game. Ashton made a better choice," he said.

"What was I thinking during that play?" Ashton asked, "Well, for one thing, wasn't this is how they are going to remember me. It was probably along the lines of don't mess this up, just with stronger words, and extra adjectives in there."

The screen changed, showing the final play of the championship game. Ashton stood under the Tree Hill basket, and she sent the pass down court to Kay. Kay caught the ball, and Kelly and Cara set a screen. Kay took the shot and won the game.

Ashton returned on the screen "Any parting words?" someone behind the camera asked.

"Be heard," Ashton said, she dissolved to a picture of Ashlyn on crutches, Angela and Ashton holding the trophy after the game. The next image dissolved to Trey in the studio.

"Every good team can point to a moment and say because of this unsung hero, this happened. Ashton Perry has a career in those moments. So, tune in tomorrow; we're staying with the seniors. We'll be covering the second of the A's, on Be Heard: A Championship Defined, in episode nineteen," Trey said, and the credits followed.

"They did a good job," James said.

"Yes, they did," Ashlyn said, quietly.

"Are you nervous about tomorrow's episode?" James asked.

"If I said anything else, but yes, I'd be lying," Ashlyn said.

James nodded and kissed Ashlyn on top of her head.