Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Alex Morgan is six months pregnant. She and Tobin had thought for a long time about having kids before Alex got pregnant. When Alex told her, Tobin was ecstatic and proposed a week later. Tobin was getting back from a game against the Seattle Reign. While she was away, Alex had gotten a sonogram done to find out the gender of the baby. She made dinner to surprise Tobin, but she never came home.

It was two hours after Tobin's plane had been landed. She was sure Tobin would call if there was a delay. She called Cindy Parlow Cone, the head coach, but she didn't answer. Then she calls Hope, knowing Kelley would have dragged her to the airport and because Allie wasn't answering her phone.

"Did Tobin get on her flight or was it delayed or anything?"

"Not to my knowledge. Wasn't she supposed to be there? We just got to San Francisco an hour ago."

"You're in California?"

"Yeah, but only for two days because Kelley wanted to go see her friends, thank them for coming to the wedding, and go surfing."

Kelley and Hope had gotten married three months ago and it just made Tobin and Alex want to get married even, being bridesmaids and seeing their best friend exchange vows with one of their teammates and now close friend. They were going to wait until after Alex lost the baby weight though.

"That's nice, it's just that Tobin hasn't come home yet. Her flight probably got delayed."

"Probably. How have you been?"

Since Alex hadn't played in about four months, the team hadn't seen her in a while and whenever she called or came to see Tobin play in the NWSL for the Portland Thorns, they always wanted to talk with her about the baby, since they hadn't had a "national team baby" since Cheney and Jrue had their daughter two years ago.

"Fine, but really tired. How are you and Kelley? She's always tweeting me and sending me pictures of funny baby clothes."

"That's just Kelley, you know, but we're fine. Once she had me sitting in the car for almost an hour because she went in to get her mother something for her birthday at the mall and ended up staring at baby clothes in three different stores."

"She's got it bad, Hope."

"Don't I know it, but we've already said not until after I retire because I still have a while left in me. I want to make sure no other goalkeeper's beating my records of caps anytime soon."

"I think you're good for now," Alex's phone started beeping with a call from the Portland Providence Medical Center. "Um, Hope, I've got to go."

The veteran goalkeeper noticed the change in her voice, "Why, is something wrong?"

"I'm not sure, the hospital is calling in Portland. Must be an appointment or something."

"Okay, I'll let you know. Call if something's wrong."

"Will do, bye Hope," she didn't hear much from there. She heard few words like "plane crash" and "intensive care" along with "alive but not for long." She runs to the car, making sure to send Hope a quick text as well as Kelley.

Chapter Text

The walk down to Tobin's room is never ending and doctors and nurses are explaining what happened, but all Alex can think about is needing to get to Tobin and how all of her teammates with the Thorns were on a plane that crashed.

She had to choke back sobs when she saw Tobin looking so helpless, but happy at the same time. She smiled when she saw Alex before wincing a little. Her parents and Allie Long were by her bedside.

"Don't smile if it's going to hurt you Tobin," she hugged her hesitantly when reaching her bedside and Tobin's dad got up and gave his chair to Alex, since she was pregnant and Allie's wrist was in a cast and she had stitches on her forehead.

"Well I want to smile because it makes you smile," she smiled again through the pain.

"How are you feeling?"

"Alright considering I was in a plane crash. How about you Allie?" Tobin joked trying not to make the room somber, knowing that tonight was going to be her last day on earth. The doctor had already confirmed that.

"Just a broken wrist," Allie said sadly, feeling that she could've done something. Allie had been sitting next to Tobin. Mana had gotten up to go to the bathroom and when Tobin figured out what was happening, she jumped from her seat and ran to get Mana, who was trapped after a cart fell against the door. She was successful and got Mana out of the enclosed bathroom quick enough, leaving her with just cuts and a concussion, but Tobin of course hadn't been so lucky..

"How's everyone else doing?" Alex asked nervously. She'd heard of this already, but didn't blame Allie and Allie and knew that their coach had a broken ankle, but not much else about the status of all the other players.

"Bue doesn't remember the crash, but the doctor said that will go away after some rest."

"Oh my goodness," Alex's eyes teared up and Tobin's mother grabbed her hand. It had been an emotional day for all of them. "Hope and Kelley are on their way, you know? They went to California for a while and will be here in three hours or so."

"I bet you with all their frequent flyer miles they just hopped on a plane. I don't really think that I'd go on a plane anytime soon, but hey if it's the quickest way to get here and since it's such a huge part of their jobs, they might as well."

Alex tried to change the subject and was successful, "So, I know you wanted it to be a surprise, but I went to the doctor yesterday and found out the gender. I'd really like you to know and so we can name the baby, please."

"That's awesome. Okay, around the room guesses everyone," Allie, Perry, Jeffrey, and Tobin guessed boy while the Heath parents and Katie guessed girl.

"Ready?" Tobin nodded and when Alex said boy, she laughed.

"I was right. Told you Lex, the whole time you were telling me a girl and saying I better be ready for the pink attack. Yes! You better not dress him in some girly clothes or try to put pink pre-wrap in his hair. Plus, you've got to teach him soccer."

"Don't worry, I think we've got it covered. Now for names, I was really liking Noah, but I'd really like him to have a part of you in his name besides just the Heath part of his name. I really want it to be a little part of you."

"How about Toby?" Jeffrey suggested and the whole room laughed.

"No seriously, the kid's right. I think that's his name. He's definitely a Toby," Tobin said and the rest of the room agreed. "Can his middle name be Jeffrey? Toby Jeffrey Morgan-Heath. That way he'll be TJ."

"Great idea, Toby Jeffrey Morgan-Heath. TJ Morgan-Heath. I love it," Alex said after saying the name a few times.

"You'd really continue the Jeffrey name in the family?" Jeff Heath said and they both nodded causing Jeff and Jeffrey to smile.

"Tobin, you should film a message," Katie said.

"A what?"

"A message to Toby just saying you love him and that you'll always be there for him."

"Forever and always," Alex whispered.

"That's a great idea, I'll get my camera out," Perry pulled out her camera and spoke.

"Hi Toby or TJ or whatever everyone calls you. I guess I'm your mommy. You have a pretty cool mom you know and a great family and many aunts that love you. I just want you to know that I'm there for you and will love you forever and always. Even though you can't see me, I'm there. No matter what you're doing. You're a very special boy Toby, so don't you ever forget it. I love you."

Alex and the rest of the room cried seeing Tobin talk to her unborn son knowing that she'd never play with him, hold him, hear his voice and they'd never really meet each other. Perry turned off her camera, making sure that the footage would never be lost.

"Forever and always," Alex repeated. "Do you remember, Tobin?"

"Yeah of course I remember, I planned that speech and was so nervous that I almost fell over. When I proposed to Lex, I had this huge thing planned out and I could barely get it out."

"It was perfect."

"I want you forever, forever and always through the good and the bad and the ugly. We'll grow old together, forever and always."

"It was beautiful."

"Well if you call late 20s, growing old together," Tobin smiled. "But don't worry, we can still do it. There are websites and apps that show what you look like when you get older, so that could help us out."

They went back and forth just talking about the future that really never would be and their dream house, reminiscing and more until Hope and Kelley arrived, and they knew that Tobin had about three hours left.

Then, Alex had an idea and brought in the chaplain who married them right on the spot with rings borrowed from Kelley and Hope.

"I want you forever, forever and always through the good and the bad and the ugly. We'll grow old together and always remember whether happy or sad or whatever. We'll still love each other, forever and always," Alex said her vows sliding the wedding band on Tobin's finger.

Tobin was fading fast and she barely got the words out as the noise of the beeps were getting slower, "I love you forever, forever and always. Please just remember even if I'm not there I'll always love you, forever and always." She slid the band onto Tobin's fingers before breathing her last breath. Alex screamed before laying a kiss on her wife's lips and being dragged out sobbing by the doctors and nurses.