Prologue

It was the most anticipated game of the season, Yankee Stadium was filled to the maximum with fans dressed in their favorite teams colors and the air was bristling with barely contained anticipation of what was sure to be a game for the history books.

The rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox had gone on for more than a hundred years and for the first time since 1949 the two teams were facing off to decide who got the league-title, two times they'd played each other for the title and they'd won one each, the Red Sox taking the win back in 1904 and the Yankees coming out victorious in 1949.

Bonnie was biting her nails nervously as she looked out over the crowded stadium from her position in the home-teams VIP-booth, this was a really important game for so many reasons and while she wasn't really all that big of a baseball-fan, she was nothing if not the supportive girlfriend attending every Yankees game played on the homecourt.

Her nerves were killing her, she wasn't supposed to be this nervous, it's not like it was her down on that field, about to play the most important game of her career, no that would be her boyfriend of six months, Kol Mikaelson. Checking her cell for the time she glanced over her shoulder at the door and rubbed her thighs, not able to stop fidgeting. Where the hell was she?

Caroline Forbes was her best friend and she was also a part of the Yankees medical-team, being the very best Physical Therapist in the business she'd been recruited right out of college, receiving offers from every major team in the league, and not only baseball.
She had promised Bonnie to watch the game with her and she was running late, making Bonnie even more anxious than strictly necessary.

Turning once more to look at the door she stared at it with all of her might, willing it to open and reveal her best friend but no matter how hard she stared, the door just didn't open.
"Damn it" she muttered and pulled out her phone, dialing her friends number and pacing anxiously as she listened to the steady beep. beep. beep. of the dialing tone.
"Come on, pick up!" she all but snapped at the phone twisting her head sharply as she heard the door open and let out a breath of relief before tucking her phone back into her pocket, walking over to her friend and gripping her hand sharply.
"Where have you been?" she demanded almost hysterically and Caroline raised a brow as she looked down at the hand clutching onto her wrist for dear life.

"Working" she stated simply and used her free hand to gently pry open her fingers from her wrist.
"Someones nervous," she commented with a soft smile and Bonnie huffed as she turned back to her anxious pacing.
"Can you blame me?" Caroline smiled and shrugged out of her jean jacket, removing her Yankees-cap and shaking out her hair before walking over to the glasswall with an outlook over the stadium and folding her arms.
"Stop stressing Bonnie, the game hasn't even started yet." She called over her shoulder and Bonnie took a steadying breath before she joined her and despite her best efforts at covering it up, Caroline could still spot the tension in her shoulders.
"It's just, this game is really important to him" she sighed and Caroline shot her a sideways look.
"This game is really important to a lot of people Bon, and you stressing about it isn't going to change anything." Logically Bonnie knew Caroline was right, and she really wanted to relax but for the life of her she couldn't do it.
"I need a drink" she muttered and Caroline laughed, nodding her agreement just as the players stepped out onto the field for the warm-up.

"Come on, the game doesn't start until a good forty-five minutes, plenty of time to get you that drink." Caroline winked and hooked her arm through her friends elbow, staring her away from the glass wall and over to the bar where several people had taken up stand, chatting casually amongst themselves and sipping on drinks provided by the pretty female bartender Bonnie knew as Camille O'Connell or Cami as she preferred to be called.

Cami was attending to someone at the far end of the bar when she spotted them and waved their way before finishing up the order and making her way down the line to them.
"Hey girls, what can I get you?" Bonnie was too consumed in her own thoughts to even realize she was being talked to and Cami raised a questioning brow at Caroline who just shook her head and ordered them two bottles of beer, having stated a long time ago that wine was not suitable for baseball.
"Bonnie's just stressing out because she's got to live with Kol if they loose this match," she explained and Cami chuckled before popping the lid of the beer-bottles and sliding them across the bar.
"Yeah, this game is important to him, huh?" Caroline took a swig of her beer and nodded slowly before glancing at Bonnie.
"Yup, I mean this game is historical for sure, but Kol has a personal investment in this game. His brother is playing starter for the Red Sox and from what I gather, sibling rivalry is high in that family" she informed her and Cami let out a small "ah" before reaching across the bar to squeeze Bonnies arm comfortingly.
"I'm sure it's going to be fine" she said softly and Bonnie smiled tiredly before Caroline thrust her untouched beer into her hands and looked at her expectantly.
"Drink up Bon, it will calm your nerves" sighing Bonnie did as she was told and it actually did help calm her down, if only just a little.

"Have you ever met him? His brother I mean?" Cami questioned and rested her elbows on the bartop, adapting a casual stance as she looked between the two women.
"I've met him once a couple of months ago when he was in town for Rebekah's birthday, he seemed like a nice guy but we didn't really talk much" Bonnie told them and Cami nodded before a patron down the bar called out for assistance and she straightened up.
"Well, whatever happens today I'm sure it will be fine." She offered with a smile before she moved to the customer to take care of his order.

"What do you think? Sox or Yankees?" Bonnie picked up on a conversation between the two guys standing closer to her and her grip tightened around her half-empty bottle of beer.
"I don't know man, it's a tough call. I mean both the sox and the yankees have played the best season in ages and with the Mikaelson brothers playing for both teams it's going to be close one." one of the guys said and she could literally feel herself paling as they kept talking.
"Yeah, but Kol Mikaelson is a wild-card though, either he plays great or he can't hit straight and Klaus always brings his a-game." the other guy argued and she finally felt like she needed to throw up.

"Ignore them," Caroline said from beside her, picking up on her increasing tension and obviously having heard the topic of discussion as well.
"Why am I so nervous?" Bonnie sighed and turned to her friend, taking another swig of her beer and Caroline eyed her thoughtfully before seeming to come to some sort of decision.
"Come on," she said and placed her empty bottle on the bar, tucking her hair back into her cap and pulling on her jacket.
"What, where?" Bonnie frowned in confusion as she followed Caroline to the door.
"To get some fresh air" she stated and Bonnie didn't even bother to protest, knowing it was pointless once Caroline had made up her mind.

Kol gripped his bat tightly and patted it against the ground a few times before practicing his swing, he was the best batter on the entire team but he had a tendency to loose his focus sometimes and he couldn't allow himself that today, his own personal pride was on the line.

His teammates were spread out on the field, practicing pitching and batting just like he was, everyone getting into the right mindset for the game, this match was important to the lot of them. Not only were they playing for the league-title, this was a match about defending their honor. If they were to lose to the Red Sox now, they would forever be remembered as the team who couldn't bring it home on their own court and it was even worse for him if he were to lose against Nik, of all people.

Growing up, baseball had been his refuge whenever things got difficult in his life, swinging a bat hard enough to send a ball flying out of the field had offered him a release to all of his pent up agression and he had his big brother to thank for a lot of that. Nik, had bought him his first glow for his fifth birthday and then consequently he'd bought him his very first ball and bat, up until then he'd let him borrow his own equipment. Kol knew he had his brother to thank for his career, and this wasn't so much about beating him as it was impressing him.

"Hey Kol!" he looked up as the coach called his name and followed the movements as he nodded towards the trench, seeing Caroline standing there along with his girl whom looked exeptionally worried for someone who always remained so incredibly poised and collected in everything she did. Grinning he swirled his bat over his shoulder as he jogged over to them, shooting Caroline a questioning look to which she rolled her eyes and motioned towards Bonnie.
"You need to tell your girlfriend to calm down, she's stressed out of her mind because of you." Caroline told him pointedly before she excused herself to go talk to Alaric, no doubt updating him on Jeremy's shoulder-injury, the poor lad having torn a ligamen during the last game.

Leaning his bat up against the wired fence he twirled his cap around and stepped closer to Bonnie pulling her into his arms and lifting her chin so she was looking at him.
When he'd met her a year ago he never would have imagined he'd ever call her his girlfriend given her persistant rejection of him, but after six months of persistent wooing and pleading she had finally agreed to go out with him and he'd done his damn best to keep her since then.
"What's wrong, darling?" he inquired and she shook her head before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a gentle caress of her lips against his.
"I'm just nervous is all, I know how important this game is to you" he kissed the top of her head and she relaxed into him with a soft sigh.
"Don't be, I've got this" he assured her with a wink and was pleased to see her lips turn up in a smile, at least he'd managed to somewhat reassure her.
"I know you do" she told him confidently and he smirked before leaning in to capture one last kiss, glancing over to where Caroline stood talking to Ric, a frown settled on his face.
"I need to warm up" he told her and pulled away begrudgingly, and she slipped out of his arms blowing him a kiss before turning to join her friend.
"Good luck babe," she winked at him and he chuckled as he watched her go, shaking his head in bewilderment, how did he ever get so lucky?

Caroline walked away to give Bonnie and Kol some privacy, hoping that he could releave her best friend of some of that tension that was sure to cause her backproblems if she didn't get it together anytime soon.

Ric, the teams head coach, stood off to the side looking down at the clipboard with the teams gameplan, flipping back and forth through the pages in deep concentration. It was Ric who'd been the one to recruit her to the Yankees, and while most people thought he'd done so right out of college, he'd approached her during her second year of studies, offering her a position with the Yankees team as soon as she was done and she would be stupid to pass on his offer. Not many people her age got the chance she did and she wasn't about to pass it up for anything, especially not when he so clearly considered her a great asset to his already great team of physical therapists, doctors, psychiatrist, chyropractors everyone you needed to make sure the team was well taken care of.

"What's the verdict?" he spoke up even before she stopped next to him and she faced the field with folded arms, glancing across at the Red Sox players and absently wondering which one of them was Kol's brother.
"You want the good news or the bad news?" she asked him and he looked up from the clipboard to shoot her a brief look.
"There's good news?" he didn't sound all that convinced and she couldn't blame him, losing Jeremy right before the big game had been a tough blow and he'd been forced to make some less than desirable changes. Jeremy Gilbert was the best pitcher they had, not one player in the league had yet to hit one of his curveballs and they'd been counting on his arm and Kol's batting skills to win them this game, as it was that wasn't happening any time soon.

"Depends on how you look at it" she told him honestly and with a resigned sigh he tucked the clipboard under his arm and turned his body so all his attention was on her.
"Just give it to me straight; is he back for next season?" that was the big question, wasn't it? Would Jeremy be ready to play again by next season? Honestly... it was doubtful.
"With extensive physical therapy and months of rest, sure I can have him back by next season..." Ric dragged a hand down his face and stared at her pointedly.
"I sense a but," turning her head to look at him she shrugged and told him the truth.
"I can have him back by next season, you know I can, but that tear was really bad. Will he be able to play...? Sure. Will his arm be back to normal? As good as, but if we do get him back on the field based on rehabilitation alone and he suffers another injury like that... the kids career is over. He won't be able to use that arm again for much more than taking out the trash. To make a full recovery he's going to need surgery and after that he's going to needs months of rehabilitation, he won't be back before mid-season next year."

By the look on Ric's face she could tell this wasn't the news he'd wanted to hear, but she wasn't going to lie to him and tell him that it was an easy fix because it really wasn't. She could have Jeremy back on the field by beginning next season, but if he were to attract another injury like that she didn't want to be responsible for ruining the kids career and she told him as much.

"And Jeremy, what does he want?" Caroline pursed her lips and focused her attention back on the players warming up.
"He's just a kid, Ric. A kid who just got drafted and he's terrified of losing his position on the team, what do you think he wants?"
"I'll talk to him" Ric promised and she nodded, if there was anyone who could talk Jeremy into that surgery it would be Alaric, all the guys respected him and looked up to him. To Ric this wasn't just a team, it was his family and he fought hard for his family.

"Good, let me know what he decides." She told him and with an affirmative nod that was the end of their conversation, both of them standing in silence until Bonnie sidled up next to Caroline, considerably more relaxed with a carefree smile on her face.
"Better?" Caroline questioned and Bonnie nodded with a happy "mhm", making Caroline roll her eyes.

Personally she couldn't see what the big deal was with relationships, she hadn't been in a real relationship since high school and quite frankly she didn't think she was missing out on anything, but all her friends tried to convince her otherwise, even having gone so far as to put her up on some horrible blind dates that she would never let them forget.
Her career was her life and she didn't have time for romance, there wasn't a guy out there who could handle her lifestyle except for the athletes she worked with on a daily basis and that was just not happening.

"The game is about to start" Caroline informed her sickeningly in love friend and with a "good luck" aimed at Ric she pulled Bonnie out of the trench and back into the teams tunnel, leading her through the corridors and up the stairs back to the VIP-lounge, settling in right before the national anthem rang through the stadium.

The pressure was on him, ever member of his team was looking to him for leadership today and he had no intention of failing them. The coach had pulled him aside in the locker-rooms and practically growled at him to lead the team to victory today, seemingly incapable of pointing out too many times how important this game was to the lot of them, as if he didn't already know.

This wasn't just any other game to him, this could very well be the most important game of his career if things went well, not to mention he was playing against his younger brother and he knew how good a player Kol was, he had been the one to teach him after all.

When he was young he'd been delighted when Kol started showing interest for his sport of choice, and he had quickly gathered that his little brother had a real talent for the game, and a passion to match his own.
He'd taken Kol to as many baseball matches as possible, coaching his little league baseball team when he wasn't busy working on his own game and while he would never admit it, he had been the proudest of them all when Kol had been drafted for the cubs straight out of high school. The yankees had picked him up two years later and he was looking at a promising career.

On the one hand he wanted to win this game for himself as well as for his team, but on the other he also wanted his brother to experience a great victory, having rightfully earned it.

He stood in line with his teammates and listened to the national anthem ring through the stadium, the crowd was so silent you could hear a pin drop if it was not for the music.
Looking over at the opposing team he caught his brothers eyes and they shared a knowing smirk, both of them silently communicating that whoever came out the victor would have to work hard for it and he wouldn't want it any other way.

The loud uproar as the song came to an end sent shivers down his spine, it was an incredible feeling being part of something like this. Seeing an entire stadium filled with people dressed in the yankees navy blue, grey and white and the fans cheering for his team, dressed in the signature red, midnight navy and white of the Red Sox. In that moment, as the speaker announced the teams and relayed the story of the rivalry between them, he knew that no matter what happened today he had been a part of something great, historical even and nothing could ever take that feeling away from him.

Hello!

This is a new fic that recently came to me and it is loosely inspired by the movie "moneyball" but it evolves around two of my favourite pairings, Klaroline and Kennet.

I don't own anything related to either TVD or TO all those rights belong to Julie Plec and all the other amazing creators of the shows.

I am sad to say that I'll be taking down my fic about the New York socialites because sadly, I've hit a standstill on that one, but this fic is centered in New York as well so I hope that makes up for it, at least a little.

I'm also struggling a bit with my fic "surving New Orleans" so that's going to be on a bit of a hiatus for a while, and hopefully once I'm done with this fic, I'll be able to go back to that.

Hope you like it and reviews are appreciated, even if I am horrible at responding to them...

All my love

-L