Thank you to everyone for taking time to read this story and even more for your extremely kind reviews and messages. This is my first time ever writing anything so any and all comments and constructive critisims are welcome. I'm still getting the lay of the land here in fanfiction but hopefully I along with this story will only get progressively better.

Chapter 3

Payson Keeler fled down the hallway as fast as she could without attracting attention. Attention was the last thing she needed right now. She passed a bellhop who raised a knowing eyebrow at her attire. She realized it would be clear to anyone that saw her what she had been up to last night, walking down a hotel hallway at seven in the morning in a cocktail dress, carrying last nights shoes was pretty much a dead give away. She ducked her head to avoid meeting his or anyone else's gaze. Coming to the elevator bay, she slammed her finger repeatedly onto the call button until she heard the tell-tale ding of the elevator arriving. Climbing aboard she pressed her forehead against the cool wood paneling. She had to get back to her room and sort this entire mess out.

She slammed her eyelids together tightly, it was all she could do to keep the tears at bay. Last night had been the best night of her life. She didn't think anything could be better than winning gold in the All Around at Worlds but one night spent with Sasha Belov made everything else pale in comparison. The images were a bit hazy, but the emotions were there full force. It was so intense she felt as though they were choking her.

The tears she held at bay weren't for her, they were for Sasha. Along with the emotions currently asailing her, she also couldnt escape the look on his face when she came out of the bathroom that morning. Complete and utter misery. It was all her fault. He would never forgive himself, and it made her feel dirty, like she had somehow tricked him into what happened, even though the evening had started out innocently enough.

Flasback

"Oh my God Payson that was inspired! Your floor was so good they were stunned into silence." Emily said as she lay sprawled out across one of the beds in the hotel room she shared with Lauren clutching her gold team medal, it was laying atop her bronzes on both uneven bars and floor, which garnered her the All Around bronze.

"Do you guys realize we just literally destroyed the world." Payson said rising onto her elbows from her spot on the adjacent bed. Her three gold medals team, bars and floor surrounding the silver on beam dangling around her neck.

All three girls looked at each other and burst out laughing, laying back down they sobered up to take in the moment.

Lauren broke the silence a moment later, "So I saw Damon in the stands. Is he coming to this little shindig tonight?"

"How am I supposed to pull that off when neither the NGO nor Sasha allows dating?" Emily asked skeptically.

"Who says he has to come as your boyfriend, why not have him tag along with Austin and Max. Then we could all hang out as a group." Lauren reasoned.

"Does this have anything to do with you wanting to hang out with Max?"

"No way thats Payson's non boyfriend I dont need the drama, plus there is Carter to consider." Lauren smirked. She had been all over Carter Anderson since they arrived and he looked happy to have her all over him.

"Much to my roommates displeasure." Payson said thinking about Kelly Parker, the roommate from hell who turned out not to be that bad. "Speaking of which I should probably go check on her."

Making her way into the hall she entered her room to find Kelly limping out of the shower.

"Hey I wanted to check up on you see how your ankle was doing."

"It is fine just like it was when they forced me to sit out." Kelly grumbled.

"You got the silver for that vault didn't you?"

"Yes, my second World Championship experience was reduced to one rotation. Just like I always dreamed." Kelly replied sarcastically while putting rollers in her hair.

"One kick ass rotation that helped us win the team gold. We couldn't have done it without you and you know it. Plus take it from someone who has been exactly where you are, only without the medal. It is not the end of the world you are still on the National Team and the World Team and you will go to the Olympics."

Kelly was looking at the wall. "I am not one of your little Rock girls I don't need you to mother me." She limped over to her suitcase and started tumbling through her clothes, "But thanks."

Payson smiled to herself as she grabbed her towel along with a change of clothes, and headed over to the bathroom to shower and to get ready for that evening.

Twenty minutes later she was dressed in a sensible knee length skirt with a silk wrap top. Her hair was pulled back in a fancier version of her trademark bun. She made her way out of the bathroom only to be met with Kelly's disapproving stare.

"Is that what you are wearing?" she asked with obvious disdain.

"That was the plan," Payson deadpanned.

"I was under the impression you were looking for sponsorships now."

"Not actively looking, but accepting them yes"

"Well you cant go to a party full of potential sponsors looking like you just escaped from Amish country." Kelly declared.

"What is wrong with my outfit," Payson asked looking down at her shirt, "It even has cleavage."

"You have no idea what you are doing here, let me see what you have," Kelly said going over to her bag.

"I'm not going to that party looking like a hoochie mama," she said borrowing some of Laurens termoinology for girls who wore dresses shorter than hers.

"Please do I look like Lauren Tanner." Emptying out paysons suitcase she looked up in real horror, "There is nothing here but leos and workout gear, where are you clothes?"

"I brought this for the party. I have an extra shirt but that's all." She said picking up a light blue sweater.

"Put that down now you will not go to a party wearing a sweater." Kelly said her voice laced with disdain.

Stepping back the brunette eyed her critically. "You have more... everything than I do, but I think I have something that might work."

She went back to her own suitcase an produced a white lace dress. Payson eyed it hesitantly. It didn't look overtly scandalous so she picked it up with two fingers.

"It won't bite you Keeler, go try it on!"

Payson went to the bathroom and slipped on the dress. She turned and looked at herself in the mirror only to be struck speechless. It looked like it had been tailor made just for her. It was not revealing as it covered her from her shoulders to right above her knees, but there was something about it. The way it hugged her curves the ones she found in those few months out from training made her feel different. The dress showcased that she had truly taken on a more womanly physique. It wasn't a dress it was THE dress. She walked back out into the room with Kelly.

She watched as Kelly's smile grew, "Well Keeler, you can keep the dress. I'll never be able to where it again after seeing it on you."

"Do I look alright or is it to much?"

"It's perfect," she said grabbing Payson by the shoulders and forcing her down in a chair in front of the vanity. "Now about this hair "

One hour, fifty hot rollers, and copious amounts of makeup later Payson and Kelly were ready. After getting off the elevator they walked down the hallway towards the ballroom where the party was taking place. Before they could enter they saw Lauren and Emily who were standing with Max and Austin just outside the entryway.

"Payson you look amazing, I mean wow." Max stuttered.

"What were you and Kelly playing dress up?" Lauren said with a sour look on her face

"What's the matter Lauren, threatened?" Kelly snapped back.

Lauren rolled her eyes. "As if. Are we going to stand out here all night, or are we actually going to this party?"

A waiter passed by them headed into the ballroom when Lauren flagged him down. She took the glasses off the tray and handed one to each of them. "Before we go, drink up ladies."

Payson was eyeing the glass skeptically when Emily nudged her. "You know it is actually legal here."

"You only live once." Kelly chimed in

Austin stepped to the center and raised his glass, "To the World Champions, even those who couldnt be here with us right now." Everyone paused to remember Kaylie who was still confined to the clinic, "Congratulations ladies, you earned it."

Payson took a deep breath and turned up her glass. It had a very pleasant taste, and the bubbles tickled her nose, making her smile. She was still smiling when they entered the ballroom. Looking around the room she saw so many people and quite a few of them were smiling her way. This was her moment. She had worked for it, fought, cried and bled for this moment. As she looked across the room her eyes locked with Sasha Belov. He started making his way towards them and she felt her heart sped up in her chest. The man really knew how to wear a suit, every man in the room could take a lesson from him. She smiled as he made his way to stand in front of them, and congratulated them all including Kelly. She tried to keep the blush out of her cheeks as he complimented them, and she found herself drowning in his eyes as she listened to the others snipe around her. He bid them good evening, and it gave her a moment to clear her head as he walked away.

She thought she had dealt with all of these feelings for him. They had been working so well together, no tension or awkwardness whatsoever. Maybe it was the party atmosphere. She was still staring at his back when she felt someone touch her arm. It had begun the endeless rounds of niceties. She spent the next two hours letting M.J drag her around to charm potential sponsors and shchmooze N.G.O. big wigs. Her feet were tired and her face hurt from smiling. She saw Sasha still at the bar. He hadn't spoken to her since the beginning of the evening, but every once in awhile they would look up, lock eyes, and her heart would stop. His gaze was boring into hers and she wanted so badly to know what was going on behind his those blue eyes.

Steeling herself she made her way over to him and sat down. Looking around she noticed everyone had a glass and none of them were drinking champagne. She placed an order for a drink she had heard her mother order a couple of times when they went out to resturants and smiled inwardly at the momentary shock that crossed Sasha's features.

"It's legal here." She tossed out. A sardonic smile was her only answer.

They spent the next few hours talking. Really talking, and the exchange left Payson feeling buoyed, well it was the conversation along with the alcohol. While the champagne left her feeling slightly tingly, the heavier spirit had her feeling pleasantly warm and slightly lethargic. She didn't remember much about how she made it from the ballroom to Sasha's room. She sat up when he handed her something, a cup of coffee, really strong, sugar free coffee. She was almost halfway through when the mental fog began to lift, and she recalled some of her more spirited actions from the evening. All at once she realized that she was in his room sitting on his bed. The bed that he slept in every night. It seemed far too intimate. She leapt up, placing her now empty cup on the night table. She wasn't completely sober, but the world was no longer bathed in a hazy glow.

Sasha was really cool about having to nurse her back from the brink of a drunken bender, joking with her about endorsements but she knew she had over stayed her welcome and needed to get back to her room. Grabbing her shoes she headed for the door. She didn't know what to make of this evening, but she was extremely grateful to Sasha. Turning at the last moment, she didn't realize that he was as close to her as he was, and she found her nose all but in his chest. All she wanted was to thank him, but their proximity was doing things to her brain, causing it to malfunction. All of a sudden that warm tingly feeling was back, and it had nothing to do with alcohol.

The heat was settled low in her abdomen and seemed to be growing exponentially hotter every second she spent looking in his eyes. Those baby blue eyes that sucked her in everytime. She didn't know what possessed her to do it, but it just felt right. A kiss on his cheek to say thank you and goodnight, but she misjudged the distance and ended up grazing the corner of his mouth. It singed her lips and she pulled back to see if he noticed, but he was back to staring at her with that indecernable expression from earlier in the evening. Almost as if magnetized she felt her mouth drawn to his in an attempt to relive the all too brief contact from a moment earlier.

She knew from painful prior experience that this was the part where he would push her away. She decided to take all she could before that happened. She wanted tomemorize the shape and texture of his lips , cement the feel of his hand locked in her curls. Wait. How wasit that she had so much time to consider this? Why hadnt he already disengaged himself from her? Returning to the moment she felt his mouth begin to move against hers, harsh and soft at the same time. She gloried in it, reveled in it's rightness. Everything else was instinct, she wanted to be close to him as possible, and he wasn't pushing her away. He was letting her in and she wanted everything he had to give so she took it. This was a once in a lifetime night, and she was standing at the precipice of a once in a lifetime moment. So for the first time ever Payson Keeler threw the rulebook out of the window and acted with wild abandon on pure emotion. She didn't regret a single moment.

End of Flashback

Now she would pay for it. She wished she could recall all of the details but all she was getting was pieces. It gave new meaning to the term hot flash. Everytime a scene would play in her minds eye she felt as if she had been thrust back into the room, and back into his arms. As the elevator bell dinged she sucked in a shaky breath and waited for the doors to open. What she didn't expect but probably should have seeing as how today was not going her way, was to be greeted by her roommate. Her roommate who was currently standing stock still and wide eyed with a smirk beginning to pull at the corner of her mouth.

"Well, well, well Keeler. I see someone is doing the walk, or should I say elevator ride of shame this fine morning. Have fun last night?"

This was just Payson perspective on things. Now that we know how everyone feels, the action recommences next chapter. Please dont forget to review it really does make a difference. Thanks.