"Dammit!" I fell on the ice. For the fourth time. This practice.

"Violet Isabella!" Celestino scolded me, "Watch your mouth!"

"Cursing helps," I assured, attempting my jump again. Come on, Violet. It's a double toe loop. You can do that much, can't you? I know you can.

"It still sounds terrible coming out of your mouth," his tirade continued as I rolled my eyes, "I saw that."

"How about you see this instead?" I had enough speed to do this. One little double toe loop, Violet. You can do this in your sleep. Except for when one ankle gets crossed with the other and you fall flat on your face, "Shit! Why do I keep screwing up this one little jump?!"

"Violet!"

"What?" I groaned, keeping my flattened-out position on the ice. I'm frozen, but the self-flagellation might do some good, "Like you didn't know I have a mouth like a sailor when I'm pissed."

"Imagine if your boys heard you talk like that," Celestino put it into perspective, "Would you want them talking like that?"

"If it's because one of them keeps missing a hella simple jump like this one," I pulled myself back together, "They both have my blessing."

"You don't need to be beating yourself up either," he comforted, "Violet, you haven't been on the ice in a few months. It's alright to admit you're a little rusty. You just went through a divorce, an international move. You're distracted, bambina."

"I told you," I reiterated, "What happened with Victor and me won't affect my skating. Everything on that front is fine."

"Are you sure...?"

"Accidenti, Celestino!" I snapped, "I'm fine! I'm just pissed!"

"Alright," Celestino threw his arms up, "Go."

"What?"

"Go," he ordered, "If this is the kind of disrespect you're going to show me, you can leave my ice until you settle down."

"You're kicking me out?" I gasped.

"It pains me to do it," Celestino held his stance, "But yeah. I am."

"What the hell, Coach?" I got defensive.

"You're mad at yourself, Violet," he assumed, "You expect this to be like riding a bike, but it's not. You've lost some of the muscle and you're expecting it to come back overnight. You've lost your focus. Go get some tea, get your head on straight, and come back with an apology tomorrow. Then, we can get back to work."

"Whatever," I kicked my skates off and left more upset than when I walked in. This sucks! I'm better than this. And now, because of one little trick, I got my coach pissed off at me. Damn double toe loop.

Down the street from the rink was a cozy little coffee shop. It was always busy with businessmen on break, hipsters working on a thinktank project, writers scribbling down their latest novel on a napkin and on their sixth Americano. I loved it in here. If this place doesn't cheer me up, nothing will. But I had faith in this little coffee shop.

I ordered my flat white and made myself comfortable in a secluded corner booth. Celestino was right. I was pissed at myself. One trick. One little trick! How the hell was one double toe loop the trick to screw me over? I just hope to God Yurio's first practice goes better than mine. With the mood I'm in, I'm worried I'll take that out on him and he doesn't deserve that. Maybe his dance teacher can even me out.

The coffee was definitely a start. I could feel it go down my throat and into my toes. Like a liquid hug. Hell of an idea Celestino had. He might have suggested tea, but right now, coffee would be my saving grace. Sleep was for the weak anyway. As the last drop fell on my tongue, I felt like a new woman, ready to get back on the ice and make it my bitch.

I wouldn't say my head was back on straight like Celestino told me to do, but it was on enough. Besides, I had to face my reason to start skating in the first place. And after such a pathetic display. Thank God Victor didn't see that. To think I've won multiple gold medals on international levels and I couldn't land a damn double toe loop. Before I grabbed my little champion, I threw my bag back in my condo. A shower probably wouldn't kill me either, but I'd still be on the ice today. No sense.

"Victor?" I pushed his door open. To no surprise, I had Makkachin on my leg. However, there was hardly any sign of Victor or Chris. Where, in God's green Earth, was my ex-husband? I checked their bedroom (cautiously. We don't need a repeat of that one Christmas.) and sure enough, Victor was curled into his husband's ribs, both sleeping like a baby. I didn't have the heart to wake either one of them up.

But I had a schedule to keep, I let Chris and Victor sleep and took the other hallway off the living room. According to Victor, the layout was what sold him. Chris and Victor's bedroom and Victor's office was off the kitchen while Yuri and Yurio's bedrooms and bathroom were off the living room. I peeked my head in Yuri's room to check on him. Sleeping just like his father.

Now...The dragon's den. Well...The half dragon's den. Half dragon on his Mama's side. There he was. My little angel still sound asleep, curled up in a ball with his tiger firmly affixed under his arm. I didn't want to wake him up either, but alas. It must be done. I sat at the edge of Yurio's bed and he cuddled into my lap. Now, I really didn't want to wake him up. Here goes nothing.

"Yuri," I whispered, "Yuri, it's time to get up, baby."

"Mmm..." Hard to tell who this one takes after.

"Yuri," I raised my voice a little, "You have to get ready for this season. We got practice."

"Mama..." Yurio whined, "Why do we have to practice so early?"

"It's nine o'clock," I giggled, "Since when is that early? What time did you fall asleep?"

"Around midnight."

"And why is that?" I wondered. As if I didn't already know. Yurio was my son after all. Yurio glanced down at the floor. Yep. That's my boy, "Yuri...Give me your game."

"It's addicting!" he defended, "If I didn't hear Victor and Uncle Chris in the hall, I would've been up all night."

"I understand," I took his handheld from him, "I've been on a few late-night game binges. But you also have to prioritize, too. Yuri, we need to get you ready for competitions again. We both need that. And remember, we're seeing your new dance teach today, too."

"That's right," he fell back in his pillows, "What if I don't want to meet my dance teacher today?"

"That's too bad," I helped him back up, "Come on, baby. You have to get up. Tell you what. If you meet with your dance teacher today and do good at practice all week this week, Friday night, you can come up to my place and we'll game binge. How does that sound?"

Yurio mulled it over for a minute or two, "Would I still have a bedtime?"

"A much looser bedtime," I decided, "One of those bedtimes where what Victor and Uncle Chris don't know won't kill them."

"Deal."

"Awesome," I hugged my baby tight, "But just so you know, your handheld is going to my condo until then."

"What?" Yurio whined, "But Mama..."

"But Mama nothing," I settled him, "I don't want you sneaking in some more late-night gaming again. You need to sleep once in a while, kid. For more reasons than one."

"Fine," he pouted, jumping down from his bed.

"Go get ready, Dovahkiin," I sent him off, "I'll go get your apple juice, ok?"

"Ok," Yurio shuffled his feet to the bathroom while I headed to the kitchen.

Chris and Victor had their unpacking done the first week we were living in New York. Everything meticulously organized. A place for everything and everything in its place. Me? Not so much. Yurio's bottle was still in the same place, though. Upper cabinet, left of the fridge. Just like it was in St. Petersburg.

While I'm here, I might as well make a pot of coffee, too. I reached up and grabbed the grounds, filling the filter a couple scoops, making it just strong enough. Out of nowhere, my stomach rumbled. I checked Chris and Victor's fridge for some semblance of breakfast. My god, boys. You need to go grocery shopping. Something tells me that Victor and Chris don't cook much. Living in a cultural hub like New York will do that.

Even when we were living in St. Petersburg, I still did most of the cooking. It's a damn shame, too. Victor's a hell of a cook. When he was teaching me how to make Russian food, we bounced so nicely off each other. That's one of those things I missed the most about us being together. Just the two of us.

"Well, well..." Speak of the devil, "What do we have here? M best friend in my kitchen in the fridge, no less. And she's in my t-shirt."

"Good morning to you, too," I couldn't hold back a smile if I wanted to.

"What kind of one-night stand did you just come from, Vi?" Victor asked, giggling to himself.

"No one night stands," I assured, shutting the fridge. Looks like I'm taking Yurio for breakfast first, "I came to get my skater, our son, and practice for a while."

"You think you can juggle that?" he worried.

"Yes," I nodded. He meant well, "Relax, Victor. I got this. We're not going to have any problems with Yakov this year. We should be fine."

"Ok," Victor let it go, "But if it gets to be too much, you know I'll coach Yurio, too."

"I got it!" I snapped, but quickly realized the error of my ways, "I'm sorry. I've been a little on edge all morning. No clue why..."

"Are you alright?" he poured coffee for both of us.

"I think I'm sleep deprived," I figured, "And I'm really out of practice and it's pissing me off to no end. Then, Celestino psychoanalyzing me wasn't helping matters. The season hasn't even started, Victor. I'm already a mess."

"You're not a mess, Violet," Victor draped his arm around me while I tucked my head into his chest out of reflex, "You just need to put a little more work in. That's all. What sparked the fight with you and Celestino?"

"I couldn't land a double toe loop," I vented, "A double toe loop, Victor! If I can't land the easy tricks, how the hell am I going to land the hard ones?"

"With a little more practice," he reiterated, "After you get that double toe loop down, I'm sure everything else will come back to you, too. How does Celestino factor into all of this?"

"You know how I get when I'm mad in practice," I reminded.

"Yeah," Victor took a sip from his coffee, "You curse like a sailor."

"And apparently, Celestino doesn't like that," I went on, "And when I start cursing in Italian, he really didn't like that. He says I'm distracted. You know what he did after that?"

"What?"

"He kicked me out!" I squeaked, "He said I could come back when I apologize."

"Violet," Victor hushed me, "Yuri's still having trouble sleeping. We had a late night last night."

"What do you mean?" I gave him a look, my radars going up, "Yuri was fine when I put him to bed last night."

"It's not the falling asleep apart," he clarified, "It's staying asleep that's proving to be difficult."

"Poor baby…" It doesn't matter how pissed off I am at my coach. My boys come first. All of them.

"Good morning," the pitter patter of not so little feet joined us.

"And the one I was worried about waking up the most," Victor stole a quick kiss.

"Sorry, Chris," I winced, "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"I didn't think Victor was out here talking to himself," Chris kissed the top of my head, reaching around me for the coffee pot, "But no. You didn't wake me, Violet. What have I missed?"

"Celestino's salty, Violet's sleep deprived and cursing up a storm, and Yurio's got practice," Victor pulled out a chair for him, "I covered everything, didn't I, Violet?"

"Pretty much," I nodded.

"And she stole my shirt," Victor added, "Now, you're all caught up."

"You mean my shirt?" Chris wondered, looking it over closer.

"No," Victor corrected, "That's mine."

"He's right," I backed him up, "I stole it from him."

"Who stole it from me," Chris chuckled, "That's my shirt."

"Welp," I bit my lip.

"Keep it," he allowed, "It suits you better than Victor."

"Rude!" Victor gasped.

"Honeymoon's over already?" I teased.

"We haven't gone on our honeymoon yet," Chris thought, "We've been too busy with everything else. Before the season starts? Please?"

"Yeah," Victor promised, "We can go. Where would you like to go?"

"Anywhere," Chris let out a dreamy sigh, "Maybe Malta. It's so pretty there…"

"I've never been," Victor admitted, "We could do Malta and Italy in the same trip. Violet, would you be ok watching the…"

"Absolutely," I didn't even think twice, "I'm still their mother, Victor. Just because you have full custody doesn't change that. You two can take off tomorrow if you want."

"It is early in the preseason," Chris pointed out, "And I'm sure Violet can coach Yuri if need be."

"Violet's got enough on her plate," Victor settled him.

"Then, why don't you call your old coach?"

"Oh, HELL NO," I put my foot down, "I will not allow that."

"We went through a bit of an ordeal with Yakov last year," Victor explained, "That's a very sensitive topic, dorogoy. And Yakov isn't exactly answering my calls. I doubt he'd fly all the way from Russia just to coach Yuri."

"And there's no way in hell I'd allow that," I repeated, "It's bad enough we put Yurio through that. We're not doing that with Yuri, too."

"Doing what with Yuri?" Yurio came out, his bag in hand and his skates over his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, baby," I brushed him off, "You ready to go?"

"Yeah," he grabbed his apple juice off the counter.

"When will you have him back, Vi?" Victor asked.

"Probably before noon," I figured, "I won't have him out all day."

"Alright," he let us go, "Have fun, you two. Be nice to him, Violet."

"Of course," I scoffed, "Let's go, Dovahkiin. We got work to do."

Yurio and I left our building and headed down to the rink. Let's hope I don't beat him up too much. Or take out what happened this morning on him…I don't want to put him through another Yakov situation ever again.

A/N: And we're back, friends. To make it clear, Celestino's pissed off at Violet for being pissed off at herself. Yurio's first practice is next chapter along with meeting his dance teacher. And most importantly, Violet stole Victor's t-shirt that Victor stole from Chris (Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!). I've been having random little ideas for this story for the past week. And I think I'm going to put one of them in the story soon. Mostly because I think that 1.) It sounds adorable. And 2.) It's totally plausible. But you'll see. In good time. See you next chapter! xx