*~*~*~*

I guess I made it here somehow
I made it this far and I am proud
I've seen my whole world just change
Nothing stays the same

Roots - Grace Davies

*~*~*~*

s1ep01: Pilot 

*~*~*~*

"I don't actually do my job, I spent  most of yesterday hiding in the toilets because I couldn't deal with you and Jamie having the same argument again. You've been having this same one every day this week." 

*~*~*~*

Addy walked back through the hallowed halls that she'd become accustomed to over the past two months, despite the ever changing circumstances that surrounded them at higher level. One that she wasn't privy to and for once she was glad that she wasn't involved in the internal politics that played out behind the scenes.

Saying her hellos and good mornings as she went. Trying not to make any eye contact with any of the footballers, she passed by as she wasn't in the mood to deal with drafting a new workout routine for them, at least not this early in the morning.

Even though, she'd been awake since before the sun was up, and had gone out and shot a couple of early morning photographs, it was still too early for her to deal with them. Those photos she hoped that she'd be able to look at them at some stage throughout the day.

After fumbling with the keys she unlocked the office door, stepping into the small office off to the side of the gym, this small room she shared with the rest of the personal fitness team. Setting her two bags in the far back corner, away from the rest of the desks.

It often stunk because despite having worked amongst sport and with professional footballers, for most of their combined fifty year experience in sport, Addy was the only one of the five that actually took somewhat care of themselves.

Her desk was the only clean one, with limited clutter on it. Only two items on it other than a lamp where her work laptop and a medium sized notebook off to the side, and a little flipbook on top. Everything else, all other paperwork and files had been shoved either the top or middle drawer of her desk.

She sat down behind her desk, the one that faced towards the gym area. From behind her laptop she could see whoever was working out in the gym.

Settling into her desk, she turned on the laptop as she waited she looked around the small office, before quickly realising that she was the first one there, for once. Normally she was the last one to wander in, as she didn't have a family to avoid unlike the rest of the department.

"Interesting." Addy thought out loud before turning her attention towards the footage from the last match played, trying to figure out what needed adjusted in workout plans for the team.

Throughout the viewing she jotted down the occasional note in the medium notebook.

Her left hand drummed on the desk as waited for anyone else to enter the small office. Anyone in fact, anyone from the team she worked with, or any of the actual players.

What she wouldn't give for Jamie Tartt to knock on the glass door and ask for help, which he didn't need. Addy knew that he was just asking for her help solely to annoy Roy and truthfully, she didn't mind.

If anything, Addy found the tension between the pair highly entertaining, well most of the time.

Members of the team slowly started their pre-training workout, many of them waving to Addy as they walked past the window.

"Oh fuck," Addy swore as an email popped up in the top right corner of her screen.

One from her.

The one and the only.

Miss Rebecca Welton.

Her boss.

The Boss.

Not just her boss, but the new owner of the whole club.

So everyone's boss.

"Fuck," she echoed her previous sentiment.

A knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts, just before they started to spiral any further and make her do something that would definitely end up with her getting fired.

Her silent prayers were answered as Jamie Tartt stood in her open door way.

"Yes Tartt?" Addy smiled up at him, as she closed the lid of the laptop over, not wanting to linger on the thought of that email anymore.

Ignorance was bliss.

And if she was about to be fired, then the longer she delayed this meeting, the longer she'd get paid for.

Jamie started to explain the situation that he wanted her help with as she stepped out of the office.

As he continued explaining, Addy became more aware that the only reason he was asking for her help, was to once again annoy Roy, who was over in the corner of the gym walking on the treadmill.

As what was now considered normal for any time that Jamie spoke to Addy, Roy was seething.

Jamie didn't even need her help, he was just doing this to get some sort of rise from Roy.

Addy rolled her eyes as she fixed his form every so often. This continued for another few minutes as she felt the glare from Roy burn a hole into the back of her work shirt.

Without looking, she flipped Roy off.

Addy glanced down at her watch before correcting Jamie once again.

After a few more rounds of correcting his form, they stopped, as Roy went back into the locker room.

"Thanks," Jamie half smiled at Addy, having successfully annoyed Roy into leaving the gym.

Addy shook her head as she walked back to her office to grab her keys to lock up as she had to go speak to Miss Welton.

Not that she didn't trust the players, but her backpack was filled with her expensive camera equipment and her personal gym bag had her actual non work clothes in it, and she wanted to minimise the potential risks for any damage or possible breakage.

"Addison?" Sam softly spoke to get her attention.

"Just Addy." She corrected him with a smile, knowing what this conversation was about she just continued speaking, "I haven't forgotten about the new plan, but I have a meeting with Miss Welton."

Sam nodded.

"Afterwards, we'll work through see if anything needs changed." She informed him, as she locked the door.

"Look forward to it," Sam smiled as he walked off to begin his workout.

Roy walked back into the gym and without a second thought Addy lightly grabbed his arm, pulling him out of the room before he'd gotten the chance to protest. If he wanted he'd be more capable of shaking her grip off.

"What's going on?" Addy asked once she made sure that the pair were somewhat on their own.

Only one other person in the vicinity was half way down the hall, unable to hear them both.

Roy looked down at Addy's hand which was now tightly holding onto his shirt, before looking back up at her with a raised eyebrow.

She let go, holding her hands up as if to apologise. She stepped away from Roy for a second, before looking over her shoulder, as she realised that it was only them in the hall now.

"What's wrong?" Roy asked, as he realised something else was off.

"I think Miss Welton has fired my whole department and I'm next."

"You're good at your job. You'll be fine." He attempted to reassure her.

"Well Roy," She snapped, "I don't actually do my job, I spent most of yesterday hiding in the toilets because I couldn't deal with you and Jamie having the same argument again. You've been having this same one every day this week."

"It was only Wednesday." She reminded him.

Before Roy could say anything, Addy continued on speaking.

"I'm gonna lose my job, and honestly I can't say that I blame her."

"Ads," he spoke, a lot softer than normal, "Everything is going to be okay."

"Fuck," She whispered under her breath, "If you're wrong I'm going to fucking haunt you." She warned him. Before checking her watch, and realising the time.

"Fuck," She swore again, as she turned on her heel, leaving Roy standing there in the middle of the hallway as he watched Addy powerwalk down the corridor.

*~*~*~*

Addy couldn't ignore it much longer, as she was now standing outside Rebecca Welton's office.

Awaiting her fate.

It felt like it was only yesterday that Addy was standing in this same position but with Rupert on the other side of the door.

Secretly she'd hoped that Rupert would lose the Club in the final stages of the divorce, especially after the meeting she'd had with him. The first time she met him, it took every single fiber of her not to just walk right out of the meeting. She stuck it out because she knew the strings that Roy had to pull to get her foot in the door.

"Fuck," She whispered before knocking on the closed door to the office.

"You can head in," the assistant spoke, "She's been expecting you."

Addy nodded before pushing open the door, it felt heavier than last time.

"Hello Miss Welton," She said as she stepped in.

She tried to make note of everything different, Rupert didn't have much personality throughout the owner's office to begin with, but it was completely different. Stripped of the few items that gave the office some sort of personality, the items that Rebecca must have diligently picked out previously. However new pieces of art work rested against the walls, much more colourful than the last ones.

"Addison," Rebecca smiled, gesturing for Addy to sit down across from her.

"Just Addy," Addy smiled back as she made her way across the office, she hesitated slightly before sitting down.

The pair sat in an uncomfortable silence for a brief second before Addy chose to break it.

"Yes Miss Welton?" she asked.

"Please call me Rebecca," Rebecca stood up, "Can I get you anything? Tea? Water? Something stronger?"

"No, I'm fine." Addy said as her fingers drummed on her thigh, "Anyways I don't drink. Not anymore."

Rebecca nodded, before sitting back down.

It might have been out of turn, but Addy spoke first, not wanting to delay what she thought was inevitable.

"If you're going to fire me just do it." Addy challenged Rebecca.

Rebecca paused for a moment, stunned at what Addy was saying.

"Why do you think you're getting fired?"

"You've fired the heads of my department so it's not that big of a leap," the younger woman shrugged her shoulders, as she rested further into her seat, "You're cleaning house, most people who were loyal to Rupert are gone."

Rebecca leant back in her own chair, crossing her arms.

"You loyal to Rupert?"

Addy gave a quick half laugh.

"God no," she started, "You know what sort of man your ex-husband is," Rebecca nodded in response, before Addy kept speaking, "He hit on me multiple times until I threatened to stab him," she paused for a second, letting what she was saying sink in for Rebecca, "And I'd get away with it too. It won't take much for me to be declared legally insane."

Rebecca once again pause trying to take it what Addy had just said. She shook her head slightly, in an attempt to pull herself back to the meeting at hand and not lingering in the past, before cutting through Addy's speech with her own.

"You're not getting fired, in fact you're getting a promotion." A fake smile came across Rebecca's lips as she said this.

"I'm sorry?" Addy asked, her clear confusion was apparent.

"Yes, I want you run the Physical Performance department." Rebecca explained as if it was an obvious next step for Addy to take.

Addy sat there in complete confusion as everything that had been said so far over the course of this meeting ran through her head.

She stuttered for a few second before repeating herself, after a few more seconds she tried to speak again.

"You are aware that I only got this job because I've known Roy most of my life?" Addy asked.

"Yes, you got the opportunity because of that," Rebecca paused for a second, as she momentarily broke eye contact with Addy, "but unlike the previous owner, I don't wish to hit on you,"

"Well that's a shame." Addy interjected.

"I've read your CV. You're far too qualified for your current position."

Addy nodded in agreement, this position she currently occupied was a major step down from what she was doing in America, and she knew that she should be given more responsibility and contact with the players as they trained. It was something she was unofficially doing for a number of them anyways, she might as well get paid for it.

Addy stayed silent as Rebecca listed off a number of key points from the younger woman's hastily written CV. The varying professional clubs that she'd worked for throughout the States, the positions she held and the further personal training that she'd untaken. The Physiotherapy degree from one of the best Universities in London, which was currently being used as a tray in the bedroom that she was currently crashing in. Rebecca even mentioned the short stint that Addy had done as a football coach out in the States.

"Respectfully, I must decline." Addy spoke, breaking Rebecca's attempt at persuading Addy to take the job.

Rebecca stayed silent as if to tell Addy explain her reasoning for declining the promotion.

"Well, do I really have to explain the issues I have with George? You've seen the shorts he wears and believe me a sexual harassment lawsuit would not look good for you at all. Or the murder charge, which as I said, I'll get away with. Legally insane and all that."

"He's about to get fired, after this meeting in fact. So if you accept I'll need you to run training this afternoon."

"That's just cool." Addy said, now stunned at the situation she found herself in.

When she'd entered this office, she thought she was getting fired just like the rest of the department that she was now in charge off.

"There's a substantial pay rise, if that makes your decision easier."

Before Rebecca continued to list off the rest of the benefits that Addy would receive if she said yes.

Addy pretended to think it over, in her head she'd accepted the job once Rebecca had informed her that George was about to get fired. She just held out to see if Rebecca would offer any more incentives.

A parking spot was included, despite her still not owning a car. She didn't see the point, firstly she lived in London, driving in this city was not for the faint of heart and that was her.

And like Rebecca, Addy had her own personal driver to take her to and from work; Roy.

For as long as Roy was willing to drive her around, Addy didn't see the point in having a car.

"I'll take it." Addy spoke, stopping Rebecca from further explaining more incentives.

Rebecca nodded as she opened the top drawer to her desk, and pulled out some paperwork, before tossing it onto the desk on the side closest to Addy.

"Give them to Higgins by end of the day."

Addy nodded, before grabbing the document to leave the office.

"Miss Welton," Addy turned around to face Rebecca for one final time, "I am so sorry for what you went through. Getting cheated on sucks and it sucks even more when you're the last one to find out."

Instead of waiting for Rebecca to say anything back in response, Addy turned back around and closed the door behind her.

Only for her to almost walk right into the man in question, George.

Addy bit her tongue, knowing that if she were to say anything she'd spoil the surprise waiting for him behind the closed door.

She let out the breath she'd been holding since she'd stepped into Rebecca's office.

On instinct, Addy made her way back down to the small office she no longer shared, the document burning a hole in her hand.

She waved to Roy who was finishing up his workout, trying his hardest to ignore what was going on around him. Giving him a thumbs up as to say that she didn't get fired.

It didn't take much longer for gossip to start spilling down into the locker room, which wasn't helped by George storming into the locker room with two security guards behind him, who stood over him as he packed up his belongings.

*~*~*~*

Addy threw her hands up into the air as left the conversation that she was having with the rest of the support coaching staff, she just couldn't deal with this anymore. As she walked further away the group continued to talk as they tried to sort out whatever problem they were having.

Addy briefly greeted Rebecca as she walked past her and another unknown man, a man that she didn't recognise, he wasn't a Coach from any other team that she knew.

"Addison," Rebecca's voice called out over the general chatter.

"Yes?" Addy turned back to face Rebecca, who gestured for the younger woman to come over.

As Addy there far enough away from the pair, she ran through her brain trying to think of any acceptable reason for her to just disappear.

She couldn't.

Nothing.

No thoughts on an escape plan.

No thoughts other than the moustache that the man was currently sporting.

"Yes?" She repeated as she walked up towards them.

"Addison," Rebecca started speaking before she gestured over, "I want to introduce you to Coach Lasso."

"Hi," she greeted the man.

"Hi," He replied.

Addy noted the accent, one that she'd used to hear on a semi regular basis, but now in London, it was rare to hear that particular American drawl now.

"Ted Lasso, I want you to meet Addison Fleming," Rebecca introduced the pair, before being half interrupted by Addy once again.

"Please, just call me Addy."

"Only parents call you Addison?" Ted asked, holding his hand out for Addy to take.

"For that to happen, I'd have to actually have to speak to them," Addy smiled, not letting how she was truly feeling be shown. She took Ted's hand in her own and shook it.

Ted raised his left eyebrow, shocked for a second.

"I cannot wait to unpack that with you."

Before Addy could say anything, Rebecca started talking again, trying not to seem that annoyed that Addy and Ted were going off topic ever so slightly.

"Addison," Rebecca pulled full attention back to herself, ignoring the twinge of discomfort that shot across Addy's face, "is the head of the Physical Performance department, you'll be working closely with her."

"Can't wait," he smiled at Addy.

"Neither can I," she replied as she tried to figure out what Rebecca's angle was. Bringing an American to coach and manage a football club.

"You ready to meet the press?" Rebecca asked.

"After a goodnight's sleep."

Rebecca then informed Ted that the press were waiting for him on the other side of the door and that his first press conference as the Head Coach and Manager of AFC Richmond was about to happen.

"Don't worry," Addy pulled the attention back to herself, "They're pretty decent people. Expect for the reporter from The Sun. I know he's just doing what he can to pay the bills, but he doesn't have to be a prick about it."

Rebecca gave Addy a tight smile, one that the former knew was clearly fake before gesturing for Ted to go into the press room.

Addy nodded, reading what was unsaid between the two women, before pretending to head back down to her office to watch the press conference. She watched as Rebecca closed the door behind her and Ted, before quickly walking towards the press room.

She quietly slipped into the room, not wanting to bring any attention to herself, as Ted got himself as comfortable as he could, which