Author's Note: Thank you all, again, for reading and reviewing. After that last episode, my whole idea started crumbling around, and I apologise for adding to it so slowly. However, I plan on using the ideas from the last episode and nudge our stubborn characters into a slightly less heart wrenching version of the end. Thank you again for the support.
Mike
He came in extra early, hoping to get a few more moments before practice to speak to her. He knew it would be a difficult conversation and wasn't quite sure what to expect from it, but just as he had done with his Rachel conversations, he preferred straight up saying the things that bothered him instead of beating around the bush.
An hour past and she was not yet at practice. Even after ten minutes alone in the gym, he knew the conversation would be tougher than expected. After half an hour he doubted they were even having it.
When she came in, looking all cool and collected he could tell it was a front. He could see her thinking and worrying about it, however masterfully she breezed in, said "Hi, good to have you back" and went for the treadmill drowning the rest of the world out with her earplugs. Obviously she was not ready to have any sort of conversation. That hurt a bit, but he wasn't all that surprised. Even last night he sensed her withdrawing, retreating to being teammates only. Too bad his old heart craved so much more.
All day he saw her here and there, with Duarte, with Al, she even joined in a conversation with him and the rest of the guys, but never gave any sign of needing to speak with him privately. He could give her space and respect her boundaries. Yet somehow he felt an impending crumbling of her walls, knew her well enough to know Ginny Baker was not one to shy away from a challenge, or a problem. He just had to wait for her and knew she would bring up the topic herself.
It was for that moment that he was preparing his speech. It was going to be great.
'Look, Rookie', he would start, 'last night.'
He knew she would surely interrupt with some sort of 'We're good' and 'Nothing happened. Let's keep it professional', but he would press it.
'Last night wasn't just two teammates having a few laughs and saying goodbye'
He would pause to see her reaction. She would be quiet. Nervous, but hiding it.
'It was me saying, I really like, you, as more that my teammate. But also, I respect you, as more that my teammate - as the bravest, strongest woman I know.'
She would shake it off, trying to interject, but he wouldn't have it.
'No. I mean it. It wasn't the beer talking, and it is not a backhanded compliment. But because I respect you, and because we are teammates I must keep our professional relationship intact. Truth is, I want more. If you want more, we can have that conversation whenever you like. If not, I am nothing if not the greatest captain this team has ever had, so no need to worry about anything.'
He wasn't sure about her answer, but it would be his honest truth.