A/N : I was inspired by the season 3 premier as a lot of 'what ifs' arose in my mind.
"Why did he call us here?" Payson asked leaning closer to the crackling fire which gently illuminated the darkness of the night.
"It can't be good." Kaylie affirmed her friend before resting her elbows gently on her knees.
"It's like Tribal Council." Lauren said with a hint of confusion in her voice before sitting up straighter and shooting a nervous glance across the log. "Are we being sent home?" Before anyone could utter an answer they were greeted by the ominous figure of Coach McIntire. They all stood as he began to speak.
"Ladies," he began strongly. "One of the greatest challenges in gymnastics is accepting that it is both a team and an individual sport. Yes you need your teammates. Yes you are there for each other; but you don't choose your teammates, I do. Teammates, who will propel you forward, not hold you back. Not encourage you to take part in dangerous scavenger hunts." The girls looked guiltily at each other as they reflected on their evening of hunting for Otis.
"You know, gold is forged by fire, but the same can be said for a gold medal winning team. I'm trying to build that kind of team. But I can't do that as long as the three of you cling to your old one. So, tonight, you will say goodbye to your past." Payson fixed her eyes on the fire, not wanting to hear the words she knew were going to come out of her new coach's mouth. "Take off your Rock jackets ladies. Now, toss them in the fire."
"No!" Payson immediately retaliated. She clenched the smooth fabric of her rock jacket between her fingers as she felt the smoke of the fire burn her eyes. Throwing the jacket into the fire would not simply be throwing fabric into the flames; it would be throwing away everything that had gotten her to this point. She would be lighting The Rock, and everyone there, up in smoke. "I won't do it."
"Well, you do have a choice." Mac gave her his ultimatum. Payson took a sharp breath, hoping there would be a way to hold on the road that got her here. "Burn your jackets, or say goodbye to your Olympic dreams." Payson felt a single tear spill from her eye and on to her cheek. How could she choose between the only dream she had possessed, and the only man who had stopped her from giving up on that dream?
She took one last look at the fire and quickly ran away. She suddenly felt the need to be in any other place. She felt an overwhelming wave of nausea consume her as she made her way past the fire. She had no desire to watch her teammates throw in their jackets, nor did she care. As countless USA athletes ran past her she heard Sasha's words to her this morning echo through her head.
"Tag, you're it." He let his gold medal fall from the air as he held it in front of Payson. "Can you hold on to it until London?"
"This is our last run, isn't it?" It pained her to think that she would be training with someone other than Sasha, but she knew that he had gotten her to this point, and she would be building on the goal to make it to the Olympics he had revived in her.
"This is where your dreams become reality…" he paused, looking into her eyes. "Or where they are left to die, It is up to you." With that he turned away and walked out of the training center.
She sank down on to a brick wall, unable to contain herself any longer. Her tears flowed down her face faster than Lauren could spot a cute, world class athlete. What had she done? Head foggy, and cheeks stained with tears, she clenched her keys in her palm and headed toward the parking lot of the training center. Curfew wasn't for another 4 hours, and Boulder was only an hour and a half away. Without another thought plaguing her, Payson started the car and drove out of the USATC. She was going to the only place she would ever call home.
Lauren threw her jacket into the fire, followed by Kaylie. "This is a new beginning for us." Mac's words were swallowed up by the night as the two glanced from the fire, to each other, to the vacant spot in which Payson had occupied only minutes ago. With only two jackets in the fire, and the absence of Payson was a sickening thought to swallow. Had Payson just given up on their dream to go to the Olympics as the triple threat?
"Where did Payson go?" Kaylie asked pulling Lauren away from the fire blazing with their Rock warm-up jackets.
"I don't know." Lauren shrugged her shoulders in defeat. "She was standing next to you a few minutes ago."
"We have to find her." Kaylie responded running her fingers through her hair with a hand on her hip. "You saw her in the gym this morning; she was crying because Max broke up with her…" she raised an eyebrow before speaking again. "And Payson never cries."
Lauren rolled her eyes, but agreed. Payson was nearly in tears when Mac asked her to throw her jacket into the fire; something was obviously up. "Well, just think. Where would Payson go if she was upset?"
"The gym." They said in unison as they ran toward the hellhole they were exposed to for the first time today.
"I don't understand why Payson would want to come back here." Kaylie said opening the door. "Did you see the way Mac yelled at us for making sure you were okay today?" The two walked into the gym, surprised to find it dark.
"Okay, so she obviously isn't here." Lauren made her way back out into the cool, late spring air while thinking out loud. "Where else would she go?" She looked around, seeing the grounds of the training center bustle with athletes whom had been let out of practice, and were now free to do as they pleased before curfew. "I mean I know she's disappointed she didn't get that kiss from Sasha this morning, but I don't think that is any reason to melt down now."
"That's it Lauren!" Kaylie shut the door before letting her eyes light up. "She is the closest with Sasha—"
"A little too close." She muttered under her breath.
"Whatever." Kaylie waved off her comment. "She would go to him for anything. She must have gone to find Sasha at The Rock."
"But that's an hour and a half away."
"Then we better get going if we want to be back before 11:30."
Payson drove through the hills of Colorado as she came closer to Boulder with each mile marker she passed. She had turned the radio off ten miles ago, as every song seemed to mock her in her time of despair. All she wanted at the moment was to see Sasha. She wanted him to tell her that everything would be okay, and that he would not leave her until she could see him from the top of the gold medal podium in London.
Payson turned on her bright lights and kept her eyes ahead. Before she knew it, a sign above her said "Welcome to Denver." Highway hypnosis had overtaken her as the last thing she remembered was leaving the training center. She didn't care how she had gotten to Denver, all she knew is that Boulder, and Sasha were only twenty minutes away.
She felt stress and relief wash over her at the same time as she pulled into The Rock's parking lot and put her car in park. She walked across the parking lot toward the airstream as the late night wind blew straight through her making her fully aware of the fact that her Olympic career and dreams could very well be over.
She felt cold tears run down her cheeks as she knocked on the Sasha's door, each second tugging at her heart more and more.
Sasha stared at the ceiling as thoughts circled around in his head. It sure had been a whirlwind day. It was ridiculous to think that The Rock Girls would be separated. As long as Kaylie kept her mind free of distractions, and Lauren didn't get swept up in anymore drama, it was a guarantee all three of them would occupy the Olympic team going to London.
His thoughts slowly drifted to Payson as he reflected on their last interaction. He had given her back his gold medal, hopefully for the last time. As he closed his eyes, hoping to catch a few hours of sleep, he heard a gentle knock on the door. He glanced at the clock before making his way toward the knocking.
"Payson?" he opened the door to find the distressed gymnast in front of him with tears flowing down her cheeks, shivering, from the cold or from her anguish, it did not matter at the moment. "Payson, come here." He quickly pulled her inside and enveloped her in a comforting hug.
A/N: This is my first attempt at a Make It or Break It fic. I have written other fics in the past, but this is a whole other playing field / group of people i am writing for. Pleassee review and tell me your thoughts! (: suggestions are welcomed !