I pulled into the parking lot of the bar where the Arsenal girls usually hung out after training or on match-free weekends. A surge of nervous excitement bubbled in my chest as I got out of the car. I hadn't seen them properly since I moved to the Lionesses, and while I was excited to surprise them, part of me felt like an outsider now. Caitlin had told me everyone missed me, but still, I wasn't around for the jokes, the training drills, or the post-session banter anymore.

Stabling myself, I pushed open the door to the bar. The sound of familiar laughter hit my ears, and I spotted the girls at our usual booth. Steph's boisterous laugh rang out, easily cutting through the noise of the bar. Katie was at her side, gesturing animatedly while Leah and Jordan listened in, amused smiles on their faces.

I hesitated for a second before Leah noticed me. Her face lit up with surprise and excitement. "Oh my god, look who it is!" she shouts, causing everyone to turn.

"Elena!" Katie practically jumps out of the booth and rushes over, pulling me into a tight hug. "Finally, you show your face! About bloody time!"

Steph grins from her seat. "Well, if it isn't our little Lioness coming to slum it with the Gunners again."

Caitlin, already seated at the booth, scoots over to make room for me, pulling me beside her with a smile that warms me instantly. She leans in, brushing her lips softly against my cheek, her arm resting casually around my shoulders. "You surprised us all," she whispers, her voice low enough that only I could hear. "I missed you."

I give her a small smile before looking at the group. "I missed you all too. Thought I'd stop by and see what mischief you lot have been getting up to."

Katie snorts. "Mischief? Try surviving without you. Arsenal hasn't been the same."

Steph grins, raising her drink. "It's quieter, I'll give you that. With Beth not bickering with anyone."

Leah leans across the table, shaking her head. "We need you back on the pitch, Els. I don't care what Jonas says—he's lost his mind sending you away."

I chuckle softly but can't deny the pang of longing in my chest. "Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it. London City's good, but they're no Arsenal."

"I hope so," Jordan says, winking. "Don't get too comfortable over there."

I lean back, savoring the warmth of their presence, the laughter, the easy banter. It feels so natural being here, like no time has passed, but there is still a small voice in the back of my mind reminding me that I'm not part of these moments every day anymore.

Katie, ever the life of the party, breaks the thought before it can settle too deep. "You missed a classic moment yesterday, Els. Training was chaos."

I raise an eyebrow. "What happened?"

Katie smirks and nudges Steph. "Go on, tell her."

Steph's grin widens as she gets into her storytelling mode. "So, we're doing this fitness drill, yeah? Jonas has us running like it's the apocalypse. You know the one where you have to sprint and turn on the whistle?"

I nod, remembering how much I'd hate that drill.

"Right, so Jonas is watching us like a hawk, and Leah here—our fearless vice-captain—decides she's going to go full speed like it's a World Cup final. She's going hard, pushing herself to the limit, and just as she's turning..." Steph pauses for dramatic effect, mimicking Leah's stumble with a hand motion. "She trips over her own feet and goes flying. I'm talkin' face-first into the grass."

Leah groans, hiding her face behind her hands while everyone bursts into laughter.

"I did not trip that badly!" Leah protests, her voice muffled but clearly embarrassed.

Katie wasn't letting it go. "You practically took out half the cones on your way down."

"And Jonas just stands there," Steph continues, her laughter making it hard to get the words out. "He looks at her and goes, 'Leah, if you're gonna dive, at least make it convincing.'"

I double over in laughter, wiping at my eyes as Leah playfully glares at the group.

"I'm never living this down, am I?" she mutters, shaking her head.

"Not a chance," Jordan says,!still chuckling.

As the laughter dies down, I find myself falling quiet, a soft smile lingering on my lips. It feels like nothing has changed, like I haven't been gone at all. But then the conversation shifts to Arsenal's upcoming matches, and a familiar ache tugs at my chest. I'm not a part of those plans. I wasn't there in training, feeling the same exhaustion, the same excitement.

Caitlin must've sensed the shift in my mood because she gently squeezea my hand under the table. Her thumb brushes softly against my skin, pulling me back to the present. "Come on," she whispers, nodding towards the bar. "Let's grab some more drinks."

I follow her to the bar, grateful for the distraction. Once we reach the counter, Caitlin turns to me, her brow furrowed slightly in concern. "You alright?"

I give her a small smile, trying to shake off the heaviness settling in my chest. "Yeah, just... I miss it, you know? Being here, with everyone. It feels like I'm missing out."

Caitlin's eyes soften, and she steps closer, her hand coming to rest on my arm. "I know, babe. But you're not really missing anything. We're all still here, and you'll be back before you know it. This loan isn't forever."

I nod, but the ache remains. "It just feels strange... like I'm out of place."

She tilts her head, her gaze never leaving mine. "You're never out of place with us, or with me. You know that."

I look away for a moment, swallowing the lump in my throat. I don't want her to see how much it bothers me. "I'm just tired, I think," I say softly.

Caitlin's eyes flicker with understanding, and without another word, she turns back to the group. "Hey, we're heading out," she calls, waving to the others.

Katie raises an eyebrow. "Already? We're just getting started!"

"Yeah, but Elena's knackered, and I've got training in the morning," Caitlin says, already grabbing my hand.

Steph smirks. "Off they go to their little love nest, the two of you."

Leah laughs. "Yeah, don't worry about us. We'll survive without you, Els. Just about."

Jordan winks. "Don't be a stranger, alright?"

I wave, trying to hide the small pang of regret. "I won't. See you all soon."

We got back to our apartment, and the familiar scent of home hit me as soon as I stepped inside. It was a mix of fresh linen, Caitlin's perfume, and the candles we always had burning. For a moment, I paused at the door, just taking it in. The apartment felt warm and alive, but at the same time, it carried this strange emptiness—a reminder that this wasn't my everyday anymore.

Caitlin tosses her keys on the small table near the door and kicks off her shoes. "Home sweet home," she sighs, collapsing onto the couch with a tired grin. "God, I've missed this."

"Me too," I say softly, my eyes scanning the room like I was seeing it for the first time.

She looks up at me, patting the spot next to her. "Come on, Els. Sit with me."

I smile and make my way over, kicking off my own shoes before curling up beside her. Caitlin immediately wraps an arm around me, pulling me close. I can feel my heart beating steadily beneath my cheek as I rest my head against her chest.

For a few minutes, we sat in comfortable silence, the only sounds coming from the soft hum of the television. Caitlin's fingers absentmindedly traced patterns on my arm, and I closed my eyes, allowing myself to get lost in the familiar warmth of her touch.

"Movie?" she asks, breaking the quiet, her voice low and soothing.

"Yeah, that sounds nice."

She grabs the remote and flicked through the channels, settling on an old rom-com we'd seen a million times. It doesn't really matter what's on. What matters is that we're here, together, like nothing has changed.

I watch the screen absently, my thoughts wandering. Being here, in this space we'd built together, felt like slipping into something comfortable—like the weight of the world outside didn't exist for a little while. But then the reality hit me again, sharp and heavy. I wasn't here for long. This was just a temporary reprieve.

I shift slightly, and Caitlin looks down at me. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I lie, forcing a smile.

She's not buying it. "Elena..." Her voice is soft, a gentle push for honesty. "What's really going on? You've been quiet all night."

I hesitate, not wanting to drag the mood down, but I can't hide it from her. Not Caitlin. "It's just hard, you know? Being away from all this. From you." My voice is quieter than I intend, the words heavy with the weight of how much I miss everything.

Caitlin's hand stills on my arm, her brow furrowing slightly as she processed what I was saying. She doesn't say anything at first, just held me a little tighter. After a moment, she kisses the top of my head. "I miss you too, you know. More than I can even say."

Her words settle in my chest like a warm blanket, but it doesn't erase the ache. "It's just... I feel like I'm missing out on everything. You're all here, doing what we love, and I'm—" I cut myself off, not wanting to sound ungrateful. I know the loan is important for my development and to help the London City Lionesses, who I've become close with, especially Jess, but it still hurt. "I'm not there."

Caitlin shifts so she can look at me properly, her green eyes soft and full of understanding. "I know it's tough, but this isn't forever, okay? You're gonna come back stronger than ever, and we're all gonna be right here waiting for you."

I nod, knowing she is right, but still... it's hard to shake that lingering sadness.

She gives me a soft smile, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Besides, we've got now, don't we? I'm not going anywhere tonight." Her voice is gentle, but it carries a certainty that makes my chest tighten with emotion.

I feel a lump form in my throat as I look up at her, my heart aching with how much I love this woman in front of me. "I just hate that we can't have this every night," I whisper, unable to keep the vulnerability out of my voice.

Caitlin's expression softens even more, and she pulls me in close, resting her chin on top of my head. "I know. I hate it too, Elena. But we'll make it through this. We've been through worse, remember?"

Her words are comforting, but the tightness in my chest remains. For a moment, I just let myself melt into her, closing my eyes and focusing on the feel of her arms around me, the steady rise and fall of her breathing, and the warmth of her skin against mine. In her arms, the world feels a little less daunting, even if it's just for a moment.

As the movie plays in the background, neither of us really pay attention. Caitlin's fingers run through my hair softly, and I feel myself drifting off, lulled by the comfort of being back in her embrace.

I'm noy ready for the night to end, but eventually, the weight of my exhaustion pulls me under, and I can feel Caitlin's gaze on me as my eyelids grow heavier. "You falling asleep on me already?" she teases lightly.

I smile, lazily. "Maybe..."

She chuckles and kisses my forehead. "You know, you've got to head back to your apartment soon."

The reminder hits me like a bucket of cold water, and I open my eyes, reality crashing back in. "I don't want to go back yet."

Caitlin sighs, rubbing my arm. "I know, but I've got training tomorrow, and you've got to be ready for your own match."

I shake my head, a little more awake now. "Can't we just forget about it? Just for tonight?"

Her eyes soften, and I can see she's torn. I knew she couldn't really skip training, not with such an important game coming up on Sunday. But still, for this one night, I wanted to pretend that everything was back to the way it used to be.

Caitlin shifts beside me, propping herself up on one elbow as she looks down at me. "Tell you what...Stay a little longer, but you have to leave early, alright?"

I nod, grateful for even a few more minutes together. "Okay. Swap." She looks down at me with furrowed eyebrows. "I wanna be the one cuddling you."

Caitlin laughs at me as we shuffle on the sofa until we're laying down with her body pressed against mine. Caitlin shuffles closer to me and pulls my arm around her more as her head rests on it.

"Caitlin." I whisper after a while of comforting silence, brushing a few strands of hair from falling onto her face. Her eyes fluttering closed as her head nestles deeper into the crook of my arm.

I smile to myself, the sight of her peaceful, at ease, tugging at my heart. It was moments like these that made everything else seem far away—all the worry, the distance, the uncertainty that came with us being apart. Here, now, it was just us.

Her lips part slightly, and her soft, steady breaths fall against my skin. The weight of her feels like an anchor, grounding me in the moment, and I can't help but admire her as I trace gentle lines down her back.

Caitlin's features are so soft in sleep, her usual sharp focus and energy replaced with something more vulnerable, something that makes her seem almost delicate in my arms. I can feel the faint rise and fall of her back against mine, her warmth seeping into me as if we're sharing the same heartbeat.

She stirs just slightly, a small murmur escaping her lips as she shifts closer. I tighten my arms around her, pulling her into me, wanting to keep her here, to make this moment last as long as possible.

"Sleep well," I whisper, though I know she can't hear me. My eyes trail over her face, from the curve of her jaw to the soft sweep of her lashes. She's beautiful—so effortlessly, achingly beautiful—and I can hardly believe she's mine.

Her dark hair, like the soft velvet of the night sky, shimmered faintly in the dim light, each strand catching the glow as if reflecting the distant, flickering stars. There's a quiet elegance to it, wild yet graceful, a reminder of the nights we spent under the open sky, just the two of us and the world far away. And then there's her eyes—blue and deep, like the clearest winter morning after the snow has settled, full of both calm and intensity. They hold a kind of quiet power, like the sky that stretches endlessly overhead, both comforting and boundless at the same time. When she looks at me, I feel seen not just for who I am, but for every piece of my heart I'd ever given her.

She's everything—the night and the day, the stars and the sky. And in her presence, I feel like I can be anything, too.

As I watched her, my own eyelids began to feel heavy. The comfort of having her in my arms, the steady rhythm of her breathing, it all started to lull me into that same peaceful drowsiness.

I glanced down at her one last time, letting my thumb trace a soft path along the edge of her cheek. I wanted to stay awake, to savor this moment, but the warmth and the quiet wrapped around me like a blanket, pulling me under.

With a soft sigh, I let my eyes flutter closed, my head resting against hers. Caitlin's presence was all I needed to feel at peace, to let the world outside our little bubble fade away. And as sleep began to pull me under, I couldn't help but smile, knowing that for now, in this moment, everything was perfect.

And with her safe in my arms, I let myself drift off, too.