It made the situation difficult, to say the least.

The whistle blew, bringing Hodge back into the present, and she dribbled the ball toward the trap block, everything in her resisting the urge to exploit the space between her two defenders that one could have driven an entire herd of elephants through, were one so inclined.

Pulling up as ordered, she attempted to ignore the hands waving in her face. Out of the corner of one eye, she spied a fast moving blur moving to her right. In a move more instinctual than premeditated, she rifled a sharp blast toward the blur, all the while praying it was one of her own teammates.

Still blinded, she could only listen as the sounds of the ball being rapidly dribbled toward her goal reached her ears, followed by a long moment of silence, and then a noise which could only be the ball swishing sweetly through the net.

Then more silence, dragging on until it was broken by the deep velvet voice of one Dylan Lambert. “And that, ladies, is how you break a full court press.”

Applause erupted, and Hodge stepped around her erstwhile defenders in time to catch both the smirk and the wink aimed her way. Helpless to do anything but, she grinned back and mouthed a heartfelt “thank you” to her savior.

One eyebrow raised, and the ball was launched back to her, hitting her hands hard enough to sting. As she gathered it in, her grin broadened and her heart felt lighter than it had in days.

A slap on her back raised Hodge from her pleasant thoughts, and she turned to see Anya standing behind her, grinning like the cat who?d eaten the canary.

“Did you see the look on Caulley?s face when you made that pass? I thought she was about to birth an elephant!”

After checking over her shoulder to be see the woman in question deep in conversation with Dylan, Hodge allowed herself a broad grin and a laugh. “Serves her right.”

“She?s a dragon lady alright,” Anya agreed, chuckling. “So tell me, how did you know Coach Lambert was going to be there to receive that rocket you call a pass?”

“I didn?t. I saw a blur out of the corner of my eye and reacted.” Hodge laughed. “Then I prayed.”

“Somebody up there must like you, then.”

Hodge looked over at Dylan, who was deep in conversation with her assistant coach. Caulley was red-faced, her arms gesticulating wildly over some point Dylan was making. After a moment, Dylan turned and walked off without so much as a backward glance. Hodge felt something in her belly shift. “I sure hope so,” she murmured.

Caulley chose that moment to turn?still red-faced?in Cat?s direction, her eyes piercing and stormy. “Hodge, pack up your gear!” she yelled across the court.

Cat?s heart stopped, then fluttered several times. “Coach?”

“You heard me. Pack up your gear. You?re outta here!”

Hodge clenched her jaw and turned on her heel toward the bench where her towel lay. The scrimmage had stopped and everyone was watching as Hodge wiped her face with the towel before tossing it into the basket with the others. Two points. Fat lotta good that does me now.

“Everybody back to work.” Caulley called to the others. “Go on, or I?ll have you doing windsprints till you?re eighty!”

The rest of the rookies quickly snapped to, though several gave Hodge pitying looks as they did so.

Cat took a deep breath and mentally ordered herself not to cry until she was well away from everyone. She had known it could end at anytime, that nothing in life was permanent. She had just hoped it would have taken a little longer.

Stupid, she whispered to herself as she crossed the court. Stupid, stupid, stupid. You should have known what was up three days ago, Cat. You obviously don?t have what they?re looking for.

She didn?t even bother trying to read the look on Caulley?s face as she headed for the locker room, already knowing what she?d find there.

The locker room was empty and cold as she opened her locker and grabbed her duffel. The cursed tears escaped their confinement and rolled silently down her cheeks as she fingered one of the uniform tops waiting so patiently for her to don it.

“Maybe next year, huh?” she whispered, causing more tears to fall.

With one last, long look, she quietly closed the locker, and trailed the tips of her fingers over the plate bearing her name which hung on the outside.

Using those same fingers to wipe away her tears, Cat turned and headed toward the door, only stopping when she pulled it open to find Dylan Lambert standing on the other side, striking and a bit intimidating in a uniform Hodge was sure she herself would never get the opportunity to wear.

Tears sprung up in her eyes again, and she wiped them away with a savage swipe of her hand. “Sorry Coach,” she murmured, not able to meet the clear blue eyes that looked down at her. “I gave it my best shot, but I guess it wasn?t good enough.”

Dylan?s eyes narrowed, then cleared as she put two and two together and immediately came up with four. Ah, Diana, my friend, I love you, but we?re going to have a long talk, you and I. Very soon.

Stepping away from the door, Dylan gestured toward the arena?s exit with a tilt of her head. “Follow me,” she commanded softly.

Hodge followed numbly behind Dylan as the taller woman led them into the sunny warmth of the late afternoon and over to a smaller building several hundred feet away from the main arena. When they stepped inside, Hodge?s ears perked to the sounds of bouncing basketballs, squeaky sneakers, and the cheerful shouts of several women. She looked curiously at Dylan, but the smirk on the Coach?s face gave no clues.

Several steps later, and they were standing on the sidelines of yet another basketball court which was ringed on all sides by simple wooden benches and not much else. Cat?s eyes widened as she came to the realization that she recognized each and every single one of the women currently practicing on the court.

Angela Tippens, the six foot six inch center with the bleach blond hair and androgynous features, had been drafted from Australia two years back. With her ability to jump like a pogo stick coupled with her Australian heritage, she was immediately nicknamed ?Roo?.

Shaniqua Chaney, six feet of cornrows, tattoos, piercings and attitude, had been drafted from Temple the year prior and had the makings of the best shooting guard in the league, taking a great number of cues from her idol, Allen Iverson.

Rosalie King and Marcette LeRoy were two potential-filled forwards from North Carolina, and Nanette Mackey, point guard and Tamara Stern, center/forward were two crafty veterans who?d played for several teams during their long tenure with the WBA.

Realizing she was looking at the starting lineup of the Birmingham Badgers, Hodge stared up at her Coach, her face one large question mark.

Dylan?s smirk became more pronounced. “Think you?re ready to swim in the deep end of the pool, Catherine?”

Hodge blinked once, then cleared her throat. “Excuse me?”

Dylan took a significant glance at the court, then back to her newest star in the making. Her eyebrow rose.

Hodge flushed, then paled as the realization stole over her. “You?you mean I?m not fired?”

Dylan snorted. “Hardly.”

“But I thought?.”

“I know,” Dylan replied, her eyes warming. “And I?m going to talk to dear Diana about that this evening before she leaves for home. I pay her to be a bitch, but sometimes she goes a bit too far.”

“So, does this mean??”

“Yes it does.” Dylan grinned. “Welcome to the Badgers, Starting Point Guard Catherine Hodges.”

Scarcely aware of what she was doing, Hodge opened her arms and closed the small distance between them, clasping Dylan in a fervent, effusive hug. “Thank you so much!” Hodge?s voice was muffled against the fabric of Dylan?s jersey.

Dylan stiffened, stunned at the very unexpected action, then slowly returned the hug, albeit a bit awkwardly. “You?re very welcome.”

The moment was interrupted by laughter and catcalls. Immediately mortified, Hodge pulled away, only now fully aware of her actions. Her face flushed a color that would have done an overripe tomato proud. “Oh my god,” she moaned, dropping her head into her hands. “I did it again, didn?t I.”

Dylan?s answering laughter was music to her burning ears.

“Good afternoon and welcome to the Southern Sports Network ,television home of the Birmingham Badgers. I?m Todd Black and this is my co-host, the lovely Melinda Morton. We?re coming to you live tonight from inside the beautiful Horace Johnson Arena where the Badgers are set to open their season against last year?s WBA Champions, the New York Thunder. The house is pretty packed, Melinda.”

“You?re right about that, Todd. A nice sized crowd has shown up tonight to see if Coach Dylan Lambert?s offseason wrangling has paid off.”

“That?s true, Melinda. She?s made a lot of changes this year, including the shocker of the decade, her choice for first pick of the draft, the diminutive Catherine Hodges.”

“Well, Ms. Hodges may be small, but she has heart, and she knows her way around a basketball court, leading her college team, the UCONN Huskies to an NCAA championship. It?ll be interesting to see how she fits into the new offensive scheme sources say Coach Lambert has spent the entire offseason developing and perfecting.”

“Sounds interesting, Melinda. Anything else your sources have to tell you?”

“Not really, Todd. Just that this is an entirely new Badgers team, and that we should look forward to seeing some things we haven?t before from them.”

“I?m sure we?ll all be keeping our eyes and ears open, then. And now, let?s get courtside and listen to the team introductions.”