Disclaimer: I do not own Make It Or Break It or the song A Drop In the Ocean.

Chapter 2

In the morning, Austin got to the gym around 6. He knew no one would be there this early because practice doesn't start until about 8:30-9 o'clock. He wanted to work on his routines that he wanted to do last night but didn't because he was too busy staring at Payson.

Payson; the one who is afraid of her best apparatus. The one who was always so focused. The one with the beautiful long blonde hair. The one with gorgeous green eyes that he can look at and feel like he can read her like a book. That he can see into her soul. The one whose smile gives him butterflies.

Austin shook his head trying to clear the thoughts of Payson from his brain. He didn't know why he was thinking of Payson, especially some of those thoughts. He had one conversation with her. He barely knew her but surprising he wanted to know a lot more. He didn't know why, he honestly felt like a 16 year old with a crush. He was 21 not 16, he should have more control over his emotions. He did know though that if he was going to help her, he would have to keep his emotions at bay.

"Austin, what are you doing here?" Payson said walking into the Rock and finally knocking Austin out of his thoughts.

"I train here?" Austin said obviously while he raised one of his eyebrows.

"I know that! I meant like why are you here at 6:15 in the morning?" Payson said clearing up her first question.

"I wanted to practice my routines by myself with no distractions. Did you come here to stare at the uneven bars again?" Austin teased.

Payson scoffed. "Ha, Ha! Very funny Tucker." Payson walked into the girl's locker room. After about 5 minutes she came back out in her leotard.

Austin who was working on his parallel bars finished his routine and then gave Payson a weird look.

"Are you actually going to do the uneven bars?" Austin asked seriously. Payson looked at him with disappointment in her eyes. Austin knew that she was not disappointed with him but with herself because she was not doing the uneven bars.

"I'm going to work on some tumbling passes, see if I still got those." Payson said as she walked onto the mat. She breathed in and then out and started to run. She was about to start the jump when doubt filled her mind and she stopped herself. Austin chuckled.

"Guess that's a no." Austin said and Payson turned and gave him one of the nastiest look he has ever seen. If Austin wasn't Austin Tucker he knew he would've shat his pants. "I'm sorry force of habit."

Payson looked away. "It's okay, I would be thinking the same thing if I was you." She took a deep breath and went back into the corner. I can do this; it is a simple tumbling pass. I have done this a million times before, perfectly.

She started again, running as hard as she could and jumping at the right time. But as it came before, doubt crept in her mind and she tried to stop her momentum and somehow landed weird on her knees. She slammed her hand against the floor in frustration. Damn, Damn, Damn, Damn. She cursed a little more in her head.

"Shit Fucker brains!" Payson let slip out of her mouth. It wasn't loud but it wasn't at a whisper either. Austin laughed at her profanity.

"Shit Fucker brains? Seriously, that's a new one! I might use that in the future." Austin said making fun of her profanity.

"Austin, I'm not in the mood right now okay. Any other day I can put up with your remarks but not today." Payson said seriously. Austin's teasing and jokes didn't bother Payson, but she couldn't hear his banter when she couldn't land a simple tumbling pass!

"Alright, my bad, it's just that was a very funny curse!" Payson just shook her head with a small chuckle. She knew it was a funny curse and she didn't know where it came from. "Is that a smile and a chuckle I see and hear?" Austin asked.

"No!" Payson tried to hide her smile.

"Oh what is it then, huh?" Austin smirked at Payson.

"Uhh, it was a, it… was… a" Payson gave up, she couldn't think of anything clever at 6:30 in the morning. "Whatever." She walked over to the chalk bowl while Austin laughed.

"Why am I so king?" Austin smirked. Payson threw a handful of chalk at him.

"Why are you so conceited?" Payson laughed. Austin's smirked turned into shock as he realized he had chalk all over him. Austin's shock turned back into a smirk when he realized something.

"Well if you got it flaunt it." He said taking a step closer to Payson. Payson then realized what he was doing and took a step back and put her finger out.

"No! No! Don't you dare!" Payson screamed and grabbed more chalk as Austin came running at her. She threw it at him but it was no use because he was so close that she got the both of them. Austin picked her up and hugged her so that some of the chalk would transfer to Payson. They both were laughing really hard until they heard the door slam shut.

"HEY, what is going on in here?" Sasha yelled as he only saw a cloud of chalk. Austin quickly put Payson down before Sasha could see their position, even if it was innocent. Payson walked out of the cloud and Austin followed.

"Sorry, Sasha, we'll clean it up." Austin said to his coach.

"Yeah sorry, and it won't ever happen again." Payson added.

"Okay, you better and just tell me something?" Sasha added very curiously. Austin and Payson both nodded their heads.

"Why in the hell is there chalk everywhere beside in the bowl in my gym?" Sasha asked in stern voice.

"Um, Austin said something and I threw chalk at him and that kinda happened. Sorry." Payson explained, apologizing again. Even through Payson's seriousness, Sasha saw that Payson was smiling and happy for once. He hasn't seen her smile since before her accident. He knew that if he took away something that made Payson smile, she wouldn't be the same. That's why he was not going to yell at them or tell Austin to back off his gymnast. Austin could seriously help Payson become better. He knew that Austin could make Payson great again and maybe even greater than what she used to be.

Payson and Austin just stared at Sasha as he thought in his head. They didn't know if they would be in trouble, if they would get suspended or clean the matts every day for the next 3 months. They didn't know what their punishments were going to be for what happened but they did know though that they were glad it happened. Payson hadn't had such a great time or laughed as hard as she did in that moment in a long time. Probably before she started training as an elite gymnast.

Austin made Payson feel weird, but weird in a good way. She couldn't really describe it and it scared her a little bit. Every time Austin would look at her, she would get butterflies in her stomach and her heart would beat just a little faster. She's never felt this way before but she liked it and hoped it never went away. The sound of Sasha's voice cleared Payson out of her thoughts.

"Okay, just clean up this mess and make sure it never happens again, do I make myself clear?" Payson and Austin nodded their head yes simultaneously and went off to get the cleaning supplies. They both stopped when Sasha said Austin's name.

"Can I talk to you for a minute in my office?" Payson eyed Austin carefully knowing that Austin was going to get in trouble because of her. She couldn't help feel guilty. If only she didn't throw the chalk at him, he would not be getting yelled at by Sasha.

Austin walked slowly into Sasha's office and sat down when Sasha told him to.

"Austin, I need your help." Sasha told him. Austin was surprised to say the least. He thought he was going to get in trouble not asked for help.

"With?" Austin asked making sure it wasn't a trap for him to fall into.

"Payson"

"What about her sir?" Austin added the sir in there just in case.

"I know she's been cleared to do gymnastics for a week."

"How did you know that?"

"Her physical therapist left a message on the Keeler's machine and Kim told me. However, I want you to work with her on getting her back to where she was as a gymnast." Austin was a bit wary, why was he asking him to do it?

"Um, not to be rude or anything, but um, isn't it your job as coach to do that?"

"You see, I can do it and am willing to do it. It's just that I think it would better for Payson. You've gone through terrible injuries before so you know what it is like, someone that Payson can relate to. But if you don't want to do it that's totally fine and understandable."

"Uh, No! I'll do it!" Austin jumped at the chance of actually helping Payson. "I actually asked her last night if I could help her and she said no."

"Well you're going to have to get her to say yes."

"Okay so what do I do?" Austin and Sasha talked about how to help Payson and help her get back to her old ways. Sasha also asked Austin if he liked the idea of Payson becoming an artistic gymnast and Austin thought it was an excellent idea since Payson grew a couple inches since her injury. By the time they were done talking it was 10 to 8 and the gym was going to open soon officially for practice.

Austin walked out of the office to find the mats cleaned and Payson lying on the floor staring at the ceiling. He felt bad that he didn't help clean up the messed that he help create. He lied down next to Payson and looked at her.

"Sorry I didn't help clean up." Austin apologized.

"It's fine, it was my fault anyway. So how badly did you get yelled at?" Payson asked turning her head towards him.

"Surprisingly, he didn't." Austin chuckled.

"He didn't what, yell?" Payson asked.

"Yep, must be the Tucker charm, works on everyone, even coaches." Austin teased. Payson laughed and playfully shoved Austin's arm.

"I don't think it's the charm. The hair maybe, the height most definitely, the smirk not likely, but it was definitely not the charm." Payson joked.

Austin pretended to start to cry. "That hurt Keeler! That hurt right in the heart." He grabbed his chest. Payson started to laugh and shortly Austin joined in obviously forgetting his "hurt" feelings. Their laughter was cut short after Lauren and Kaylie walked in. Lauren looked over at them smirking while Kaylie looked over hurt. They both walked into the Girl's locker room.

"You don't think he likes her do you? Do you think Pay likes him? What if they have a secret relationship going on? How could Pay do this to me! I so totally like him first." Kaylie said. Kaylie had like Austin since the day he got to the Rock but neglected to tell neither Lauren nor Payson about it.

"Well I think they both like each other and that you should quit being an everyone-is-out-to-get-me baby." Lauren snapped at her. Kaylie has been complaining ever since she won the national championship.

"Excuse me?" Kaylie asked with the anger evident in her voice.

"You heard me. Payson didn't even know about you liking Austin because you didn't tell us. So don't get mad at her if you didn't say anything." Lauren walked a few steps and turned back around. "It hurts doesn't it, but at least she didn't know you liked him." Lauren turned back around to walk away.

"That was years ago, just get over it already." Kaylie said.

"And you know what, just get over this already and stop being all about yourself. Why don't you care for someone besides yourself for once?" With that Lauren walked away.