When the Cricket Siblings returned back to Canada, there was absolutely no rest for them.

Training the day after at 6am.

Melody hop of the subway, walking to the Cricket Club and texting Sota.

'Hey! Where are you? Why are you so late!'

'Ah, I woke a little late and missed the earlier subway, but I'm on my way.'

'Gonna take the small alleyway?'

'Yeah, it's a faster route and it's quiet and peaceful'

'Alright, see you at the Club! Don't be late! Coach doesn't stand tardiness ;)'

Just as she was about to reply him, a lady tapped her on the shoulder to ask for directions to the Cricket Club. She answered that she'd be going there now, so just follow along, when the lady looked closely at her and gasped,

'You are one of them Cricket fellows! I saw you at the Grand Prix Final!'

'Uh, yeah. That's me' She tried for a smile, although in her head she was thinking, what kind of strange women says that, and why does she seem somewhat familiar?

And the next thing Melody knew, the lady was waving to a van to stop. The van stopped, and out came a sea of people with cameras, microphones, phones and recorders. As the sea of people enclosed her and stepped in her personal space, Melody's heart started pounding faster and faster, until it wasn't even pounding anymore, it was jumping. She shut her eyes as the flashing lights blinded her sight, and clenched her fists, no, not in anger, in fear.

Come on, think, Dy!

What should I do?

I don't know!

Oh the lights! The people! The noises! The commotion!

Can't think straight! Can't breathe! Gonna puke!

Okay, okay, calm down...

What to do, what to do!

Run, Idiot!

With that last command to herself, she turned and ran as fast as she could to the Cricket Club.

Gotta make it, gotta make it! Run, run, run.....

And through that small alleyway she ran.

And collapsed.

The press people didn't know about the shortcut through the back alley, so they never found her and ended up leaving disappointed, although it was probably better if they had found her.

As Melody's legs were on fire, she fell forward and onto the soft grass.

She took a breath into the cold grass, and thought,

'Ah, smells like grass and snowflakes at the same time........Sota.....'

And that was her last thought before she fell unconscious.

....

Sota, Nam, Javi and Yuzuru were already on the ice warming up, when Brian asked,

'Where is Dy!'

'Uh, she said she woke late and might be coming late cause she took the later subway' replied Sota.

And moments later, still no sign of Melody walking through the doors. Which was very unlike her, considering she is usually the first one here and hates to be late. The Cricket team became very worried.

'What if something happened to her?' Panicked Yuzuru.

Just that moment, Sota fell hard from his triple flip.

'Oh no, what happened? I never fall on the Flip' mumbled Sota.

'Dude! That's clearly a sign that something bad happened to Dy!' panicked Nam this time.

'What? How does Sota falling on the flip relate to that?' asked Javi.

Nam sighed in worry and explained, ' Don't you see? Sota fell on the Flip! He never falls on the flip, it's his best jump! Dy's worst jump is the Flip, she always falls on it. And so the fact that Sota fell on Dy's worst jump, proves that its a sign she's in danger!'

As soon as Sota heard this, he, worried, ran out of the rink and unlaced his skates with superb speed and put on his track shoes and ran out to find Melody, who was currently nowhere to be found.

'Wait! Sota-kun, it might not be true, it's just superstition,' shouted Yuzuru.

'But it has to be true, right? It's the only logical explanation for her absence!' Yelled Sota, who was already halfway out the door.

Come to think of it, she never replied my text.

Please be alright Dy! You have to be!

Did she say she was using the small alleyway in the back corner? Yeah, turn right there.

Thankfully he arrived. He saw her crumpled on the ground, taking very, very slow and shallow breathes, as if she was just barely surviving..

Oh no, it must have been the panic attack again. Not good, she isn't breathing well! Ah, what to do? CPR? But...........Oh, no time to think about that, Sota! This is a matter of life and death!

And without anymore hesitation, he lowered himself over her and gave her a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Thankfully, she woke with a gasped after a second round of 2 breathes and 30 pumps. Pain was spreading all through her chest, it was expanding, fast! There was a blockage in her mind, and her vision was somewhat blurry, she almost thought she was blind, but she could tell that the figure sitting by her was Sota, the last person she thought about before drifting into that black hole.

'Dy! You're okay! Oh thank goodness, you're alright!'

'Sota! How...what happened?'

Sota helped her get up on her feet.
'You collapsed here! I think you had a panic attack from the claustrophobia?'

The panic attack.

The people.

The blinding lights and the crowded corner.

It's all coming back.

'I remember now! There were some press people who saw me and surrounded me and then I..I ran here....and tripped over myself and....I was so scared!'

Sota wrapped her into his arms, and she hugged, or more like, squeezed him tightly as if he were her lifeline.
'Hey, hey, you're alright now.'

'How did you find me? How'd you know I collapsed?'

'I just know. Call it a six sense, but I always seem to know when you're in danger' he smiled.

'Thank you, for being here for me! It was terrifying!'

'Don't be scared now, there's nothing to fear. You're gonna be okay! I'll protect you.'

And for seconds, they just stood there in each other's embrace. Finally, realizing how much they meant to each other, even if they aren't ready to admit to each other yet. Yet.

Suddenly, sniffing could be heard. Sota could feel his right shoulder soaking up and Melody had buried her face into it and was now crying.

'What's wrong? Are you okay? Why are you crying?' Questioned a super worried Sota.

'It hurts......the pain in my chest.....it's expanding all through my body. I think my legs are shaking......and I don't know why, but it's like fire roaring in my chest....' She replied in between sniffles.

'Come, I'll take you to the hospital, you need medical attention.'

And they broke the hug and walked in the direction of the nearest hospital.

Melody was visibly struggling.
And Sota offered a piggyback ride.

Without any protests at all, which was very unusual considering she always has so much to say, she climbed onto Sota's back and rested on it.

Wow, she must really be in pain to not protest at all, she would usually decline anyone's offer to help, insisting that she can do it and that she is capable and independent. I don't think I have ever seen her cry in pain before, she must be hurting alot. Damn, I wish I was the one in pain if it means she wouldn't be. Seeing her like this, it's too heart breaking. Curse you, Claustrophobia and panic attacks! You are making Dy suffer so much!

As her head became cloudy with the lights from before, she gave up trying to see where they were going and decided it was best to try to fall asleep.
After all, Sota was the one carrying her. She could trust him. He said he'll protect her.

I'll protect you

The words he said still echoed in her head as she lay down her head on the back of the person who will protect her, and has protected her before.

And so, with that thought in mine, she fell asleep on the boy who smells like snowflakes and grass. In her head echoed his voice saying,

.....I'll protect you.....

Thank you for reading and being patient! :))
The pic is just a nice combination of winter and fall. Afterall, before winter comes, fall season must past. ;)