It had been a week since Claire's birthday party, and Caitlin hadn't spoken to Sam since. She had tried to push the encounter to the back of her mind, focusing on what was most important: basketball. This was her last chance to win a championship, her last shot at leaving her mark on Iowa's legacy. She had thrown herself into practices, extra workouts, and late nights at the gym, trying to drown out everything else. But no matter how hard she worked, one thought kept creeping back into her mind-Sam.

As much as she wanted to focus on basketball, she couldn't deny that Sam still held a piece of her heart. But Caitlin knew she had to stay strong, to keep her eyes on the prize. The championship was within reach, and she couldn't afford any distractions, no matter how much they hurt.

On the other side of things, Sam had been beating herself up over what happened at the party. Each day that passed without hearing from Caitlin made the regret cut deeper. She knew she'd messed up that night, and the longer she waited to talk to Caitlin, the more she feared that she had ruined everything between them and she knew that she couldn't stay silent forever. Caitlin meant too much to her to let things end on such a bitter note.

Finally, unable to bear the distance any longer, Sam decided it was time to make things right. She had to apologize, even if it was late, even if Caitlin didn't want to hear it. Caitlin had always been important to her, and losing her completely was something she couldn't accept.

That night, as the clock edged toward two hours before midnight, Sam found herself standing outside Caitlin's apartment, her heart pounding. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was too late to show up unannounced, but her need to make amends overpowered her doubts. She knocked on the door, hoping Caitlin was home.

The door opened, but it wasn't Caitlin who stood there. Instead, it was Kate, her expression shifting from curiosity to slight surprise when she saw Sam.

"Sam," Kate said, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

"I, uh... I wanted to talk to Caitlin," Sam replied, feeling a bit awkward under Kate's scrutinizing gaze. "Is she home?"

Kate shook her head. "She's not here. She's at the gym."

Sam should have known. Of course Caitlin would be at the gym, even at this hour. Basketball had always been her way of coping, her escape when things got tough.

"Right," Sam said, nodding. "Thanks."

Kate gave her a small, understanding smile. "Good luck," she said softly, stepping back into the apartment and closing the door behind her.

Sam took a deep breath, feeling a mix of nerves and determination as she headed to the gym. She had no idea how this conversation would go, but she knew she had to try. She needed Caitlin in her life, even if it was just as a friend.

When Sam arrived at the gym, she found it almost empty, the lights dimmed except for the court where Caitlin was practicing. Caitlin was alone, dribbling the ball with intense focus, working on her floater, sweat glistening on her forehead. The sight of her, so dedicated, so determined, made Sam's heart ache with a mixture of admiration and longing.

For a moment, Sam just watched her, taking in the rhythmic sound of the ball hitting the court, the way Caitlin moved with precision and grace. But then she knew she couldn't delay any longer. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward.

"Caitlin," Sam called out, her voice echoing slightly in the empty gym.

Caitlin stopped mid-dribble, turning to see Sam standing there. For a brief second, her expression was unreadable, a flicker of something crossing her face before she wiped it away.

"Sam," Caitlin said, her tone neutral as she set the ball to the side and wiped her hands on her shorts. "What are you doing here? It's late."

"I could say the same for you," Sam said, walking closer. "I went to your apartment Kate said you'd be here"

Of course Kate would tell her where I was, Caitlin thought after all Kate had been pushing Caitlin to talk to Sam. Caitlin didn't say anything though, she just stood there looking at Sam, as she remembered their last conversation.

"I wanted to apologize." Sam said, with a look of sadness in her eyes. "For what I said at the party. I was out of line, and I'm really sorry, Cait. I shouldn't have shouldn't have said those things. I was just drunk."

Caitlin looked at Sam for a long moment, her eyes searching Sam's face as if trying to gauge the sincerity of her words. Finally, she let out a sigh, her shoulders relaxing slightly.

"I appreciate the apology, Sam," Caitlin said, her voice softer now, picking up the basketball and continuing her drill. She wanted to say more but she needed to keep her focus on basketball.

Sam nodded, though her heart sank a little as she watched Caitlin. "I miss you."

Caitlin shoots the ball miss terribly, she lets out a sigh turning back to Sam. "I know, I miss you so much more, but I think we are both still hurt, which is making us hurt each other more." Caitlin said the ball bounced away, trying to keep her tears in.

"I understand. I just... I hate this, Cait. Not talking to you, not seeing you-it's been really hard."

Caitlin glanced down at the floor, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "I hate it too," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think we need to take things slow. And, with time, we can be friends again, but right now it's still fresh for both of us."

Sam swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing herself to accept Caitlin's words. "Okay," she said, her voice steady, she knew Caitlin was right. "I'll give you all the time you need. Just... know that I'm here, whenever you're ready. Don't be too hard on yourself with basketball."

Caitlin nodded, offering Sam a small, tentative smile. "Thanks, Sam. That means a lot."

There was a long pause, the two of them standing in the middle of the gym, the silence between them no longer filled with tension but with a shared understanding.

"I should probably get back to practice," Caitlin said after a while, glancing toward the ball she had let roll away. "But, um, I'll see you around?"

"Yeah," Sam replied, taking a step back. "I'll see you around, Cait."

With one last look, Sam turned and left the gym, her heart heavy but also a little lighter. There was still a chance, however slim, that they could find their way back to each other-one step at a time, even as just friends.

----

The next few weeks were a whirlwind for Caitlin. With the NCAA tournament approaching, her schedule was packed with practices, games, and schoolwork. Every day was a blur of drills, strategy sessions, and team meetings. There wasn't much time to think about anything other than basketball, which was exactly how she wanted it.

Caitlin and Sam found themselves in a better place, friendship-wise. They'd hung out a few times, mostly in group settings with Kate, Claire, and the rest of their friends. There were moments when it felt like things were almost back to normal, like the way they used to be before everything got so complicated. But those moments were always tinged with a hint of awkwardness, a reminder of the fine line they were walking.

Sometimes, Kate and Claire would leave them alone for a bit, probably hoping they'd reconnect. Caitlin and Sam would sit in silence at first, neither sure what to say. Other times, it would feel so much like old times that one of them would instinctively call the other "babe" or reach out to touch the other's hand or thigh. Those moments were always followed by a shared, apologetic look, both of them remembering the boundaries they were trying to establish. But despite the occasional awkwardness, the tension between them had eased. They weren't hurt or angry anymore-just two people trying to figure out what they meant to each other now.

The day the team left for the NCAA tournament, both Claire and Sam surprised Caitlin and Kate with survival bags, filled with all their favorite snacks, essentials, and little notes of encouragement. Caitlin couldn't help but smile as she opened her bag, finding her favorite protein bars, a bottle of Gatorade, and even a stress ball shaped like a basketball.

"You guys are the best," Caitlin said, grinning at Sam and Claire. "We'll definitely need these."

"Just a little something to keep you going," Sam said, her smile warm but tinged with something deeper-pride, maybe, or something more complicated that Caitlin couldn't quite place.

"Good luck, you two," Claire added, hugging both Caitlin and Kate. "We'll be cheering for you."

Caitlin felt a swell of emotion as she hugged Claire back. This was it. Her last chance to win a championship with Iowa, and she was determined to give it everything she had.

The NCAA tournament was everything and nothing at all like Caitlin had dreamed of-intense, exhilarating, grueling, and heartbreaking. The Iowa team fought their way through each round, battling some of the toughest teams in the country. Caitlin was in her element, leading her team with determination and grit, her eyes always on the prize.

In the early rounds, Iowa dominated, their defense impenetrable, their offense unstoppable. Caitlin was on fire, scoring at will and dishing out assists like clockwork. As they advanced to the Sweet 16 and then the Elite Eight, the pressure mounted, but Caitlin thrived under it. She was laser-focused, blocking out everything that wasn't basketball.

The Final Four was a different beast. The competition was fiercer, the stakes higher. But Caitlin and her teammates rose to the occasion, defeating their opponents in a thrilling, hard-fought game to earn a spot in the championship.

And then came the championship game against South Carolina. It was the game everyone had been waiting for-two powerhouse teams going head-to-head for the title. The atmosphere in the arena was electric, the crowd roaring with every basket, every block, every steal. Caitlin had never felt more alive.

But from the start, it was clear that South Carolina was a force to be reckoned with. They were relentless, their defense suffocating, their offense precise and efficient. Caitlin fought with everything she had, scoring, assisting, trying to rally her team. But South Carolina was just too strong.

As the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard told the story: South Carolina had won. Caitlin stood on the court, her chest heaving with exertion, her heart heavy with the weight of the loss. It was over. Her last college game, her last shot at a championship, and it hadn't ended the way she had hoped.

The team was devastated. They had given it their all, but it wasn't enough. As they made their way back to the locker room, the disappointment was palpable, a heavy cloud that hung over them.

It was late when the team returned to Iowa. The bus ride back had been quiet, each player lost in their own thoughts, processing the loss in their own way. When they finally got back to campus, all Caitlin wanted to do was collapse in her bed and forget the world for a while. But she knew that wasn't going to happen.

The whole team ended up at Caitlin's apartment, just like they always did after big games. But this time, the mood was somber. They sat around, talking in hushed tones, reminiscing about the season, trying to focus on the good times instead of the crushing disappointment that hung over them.

Despite the loss, there was still a sense of camaraderie, of shared experience. They had fought together, bled together, and now they were mourning together. And somehow, that made it a little easier to bear.

Just as the conversation was starting to pick up, there was a knock on the door. Kate got up to answer it, and when she opened the door, Sam was standing there, looking a little hesitant.

"Oh, I can come back later," Sam said quickly, glancing past Kate to see the whole team gathered in the living room.

But before she could leave, Caitlin heard her voice and looked up. Without thinking, she got up and walked to the door, calling out, "Wait."

Sam turned back, her heart skipping a beat as Caitlin walked toward her. Caitlin glanced back at her teammates and then stepped outside, closing the door behind her.

"I'm sorry," Sam said immediately. "I just wanted to check on you, see how you're doing."

Caitlin forced a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm okay," she said, though her voice was unconvincing.

Sam shook her head, her expression softening with concern. "You don't have to be strong for me, Cait. I know you."

Caitlin's facade cracked, her eyes welling up with tears that she had been holding back since the final buzzer. "Can we go sit in my car?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sam nodded, her heart aching for Caitlin. "Sure."

They walked in silence to Caitlin's car, the cool night air doing little to ease the tension that had built up inside her. Caitlin unlocked the car and got in the driver's seat, Sam sliding into the passenger seat beside her.

For a moment, they just sat there in silence, the weight of everything that had happened pressing down on them. And then, as if the floodgates had finally opened, a tear slipped down Caitlin's cheek.

"Oh, baby," Sam said instinctively, reaching out to wipe the tear away. But that simple gesture was enough to break Caitlin completely.

She broke down, the sobs wracking her body as she leaned into Sam's embrace. Sam held her close, her own heart breaking as she listened to Caitlin cry. She didn't say anything, just held her, letting Caitlin release all the pain, the disappointment, the heartbreak that she had been holding inside.

"I wanted it so bad," Caitlin choked out between sobs. "It was my last chance, and I blew it."

"You didn't blow it, Cait," Sam whispered, stroking Caitlin's hair. "You gave it everything you had. You were amazing out there, just like you always are."

But Caitlin couldn't shake the feeling of failure. "I let everyone down."

"No, you didn't," Sam said firmly. "You've been an incredible leader, a fierce competitor. No one could ever say you didn't give your all. Sometimes things just don't go the way we want them to, but that doesn't mean you failed."

Caitlin clung to Sam, the comfort of her presence slowly easing the pain in her chest. They sat there for what felt like hours, Caitlin crying until she had no more tears left to shed, Sam holding her, offering quiet reassurances.

When Caitlin finally pulled back, her eyes red and puffy, she gave Sam a small, grateful smile. "Thank you," she whispered. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'll never have to find out," Sam replied softly, brushing a strand of hair out of Caitlin's face. "I'm here, Cait, whenever you need me."

Caitlin nodded, feeling a little more at peace, a little more ready to face whatever came next. For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel so alone.

A week later, Caitlin found herself standing in her bedroom, staring at the half-packed suitcase on her bed. Tomorrow, she would be on a plane to New York, where she was expected to be the number one draft pick for the WNBA. The reality of it all was starting to sink in-she was about to leave behind everything she knew, everyone she loved.

The thought of leaving her family, Kate, and especially Sam, was overwhelming. Caitlin had spent the past week trying to prepare herself mentally, but now that the time was almost here, she felt more anxious than ever. This was her dream, but it also meant stepping into the unknown, leaving the comfort of the life she had built at Iowa.

As she was folding the last of her clothes, her phone buzzed on the bed. She picked it up, seeing Sam's name flash on the screen.

Sam: Hey, do you want to go get ice cream? Maybe take a break from all the craziness?

A smile tugged at Caitlin's lips. Ice cream had always been their thing, a way to unwind and just be themselves, no matter what else was going on in their lives. The idea of spending one last evening with Sam before everything changed felt right.

Caitlin: Yeah, that sounds great. I could definitely use some ice cream right now.

Sam: Awesome. I'll pick you up around 8.

Caitlin glanced at the clock-it was already 7:30. She knew Sam wouldn't care how she looked, but she still wanted to put in a little extra effort. This wasn't just any night; it was their last night together before everything changed.

After a quick shower and a change into a casual but cute outfit, Caitlin was ready just as the knock came at her door. She grabbed her purse, took a deep breath, and opened the door to find Sam standing there with that familiar, comforting smile.

"Ready to go?" Sam asked.

Caitlin nodded, her heart fluttering with a mix of excitement and sadness. "Yeah, let's go."

They drove to the same ice cream shop they had gone to countless times over the years. It was their spot, filled with memories of late-night cravings, post-game celebrations, and quiet moments where they could just be themselves. Tonight, though, there was a bittersweet air to it all-knowing it might be their last time here together.

When they arrived, Caitlin noticed that the shop was almost empty, which was perfect. It felt like the universe was giving them this moment, just for them. Sam smiled at her as they walked in.

"I'll go order. I already know what you want," Sam said with a playful grin, motioning for Caitlin to take a seat at their usual table by the window.

Caitlin laughed, trying to keep the mood light. "You better get the right flavor."

Sam winked and headed to the counter, where she asked for the special order she had arranged earlier. The cashier handed her a coffee-flavored ice cream cake, carefully boxed and ready to go. Sam carried the cake over to their table and placed it in front of Caitlin.

Caitlin's eyes lit up as she opened the box. Inside was a slice of her favorite coffee-flavored ice cream cake, but what caught her attention even more were the words written in icing: "Congratulations, Number One WNBA Draft Pick."

Her heart swelled with emotion as she looked up at Sam, her eyes brimming with gratitude and affection. "Thank you, Sam. This is perfect."

Sam returned her smile, sitting down across from her. "You deserve it, Cait. You've worked so hard for this."

Caitlin bit her lip, the nerves creeping back in. "But we don't know if I'll be the number one pick."

Sam shook her head, her tone firm and full of belief. "Cait, there's no doubt about it. You've earned this, and you're going to be amazing. I know it."

They spent the next hour reminiscing about their time at Iowa-how they first met, the late-night study sessions, the games, the times they'd come to this very ice cream shop to celebrate victories or console each other after losses. Each memory was tinged with a bittersweet feeling, knowing that they were on the brink of saying goodbye to this chapter of their lives.

After a while, Caitlin grew quiet, her thoughts turning to the future. "What if this is the last time we see each other?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

Sam looked at her, her expression soft but confident. "It won't be. I'll catch a game or two. And when you're insanely famous, I'll be standing in the crowd, screaming your name, begging for an autograph."

Caitlin laughed, the tension easing as she imagined the scenario. "I'd probably sign it, too."

They finished their ice cream, the mood between them lighter, but still