"You're not physically hurt, right?" Sasha asked anxiously. He had to be sure.

Emily shook her head and said, "No, I'm not hurt."

"Physically," Sasha repeated. "But something's wrong. Tell me."

Emily finally looked up at him and Sasha knew she saw his eyes full of concern and worry. "It's just… it's nothing," she said, shaking her head again and wiping away her tears. "It's stupid. I don't why I'm like this right now."

"You should call Damon ," Sasha said comfortingly. "Talking to him always makes you feel better."

But Emily shook her head yet again, more forcefully this time. "No," she said shortly. "Not anymore."

Sasha looked at her closely, but she was avoiding his eyes. "Not anymore. Meaning…". His voice trailed off.

Emily nodded slowly and Sasha tightened his grip around her waist. "You or him?" he asked softly.

"Me."

"Okay." Sasha wasn't sure what to say next. He moved his hand slowly up and down her back again. "So, it's… over?"

"I don't even know," Emily said heavily, taking a deep breath. "It just sort of.. stopped."

"How long ago?"

"A month."

Sasha's eyes were wide as he replied, "A month? Why didn't you tell me sooner? I knew something wasn't right."

"I just don't want to bother you with all this. All this about me… and Damon."

Sasha smiled at her. "You can always bother me. That's what I'm here for."

Emily finally looked up at him and she smiled, too. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "I know.."

"no problem ," he said. "So, can I ask about all this then?"

Emily nodded.

"Okay. Then… why? Why did you end it?"

She thought back to that fateful phone call. "I don't know," Emily said slowly. "I just… it's too hard. We can't be together in the same place. In the same location. So, what's the point?"

"What's the point of what?"

"Of being together," Emily explained. "What's the point of being together if we can't actually be together."

Sasha was quiet for a moment. Just thinking. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to say. Am I talking her out of this, or talking her into it? he wondered. "Emily?"

"Hmm?"

"I've known you for a very long time. I know you better than anyone on this entire planet." Emily didn't speak. She just nodded, but her eyes were finally locked on Sasha's. "I've seen you at your absolute best. And I've seen when you weren't at your best at your total worse. But here's the thing," Sasha continued, looking down at the floor. "You weren't at your best six years ago when we first met and I started training you at the rock. You weren't at your best when we were getting to know each other and becoming friends and now coaching together . And you're going to argue with me about this, but you weren't at your best when you were standing on that podium two years ago winning the all around gold ."

"Sasha, I don't under-."

"With him," Sasha said, looking into her eyes again and cutting her off. "With him. That's when you're at your best. Maybe that's not what you want to hear right now. Maybe it's not the right thing for me to say. But it's true. It's true. And you know it's true."

The look in his eyes must have been so powerful, so forceful. He could tell by the way Emily was looking at him. Almost afraid, almost wanting to run and hide. But there was a realization there, too. Because she knew. She understood. She knew.

"Sasha," she said softly, looking down at her hands which were now clasped together in her lap. "Why are you telling me this?"

Sasha shrugged. "Because I care about you," he said simply. "I care about you and I love seeing you at your best. I love seeing you happy and brave and confident and honest. And I've only ever seen all those things, all of that together, when you're with him. There's always been one of those missing at different times. Throughout all the time we've known each other. You were never… complete. Now you are." His voice was barely above a whisper when he finished.

Emily was looking directly into his eyes, blinking quickly as though she was trying to figure it out, trying to piece together everything he was saying. And then her eyes flashed suddenly, as if it all just fell into place. She reached down and quickly began putting her shoes on., she sat up again and wrapped her arms around Sasha.

"thank you ," she said,

"Wait, what?" Sasha said quickly. Emily was already on her feet. "You're right. You're absolutely right. I have to go. I'll text from the plane if I can."

"The plane? What?"

"Sasha , I have to go. I'm going to see him. You're right. I hate him. But I love him. He makes me feel… whole. I'm me when I'm around him. I'm truly and completely myself. And that's what I want. I want to be me."

She hugged Sasha once more before she started running. Sasha was still completely baffled by her sudden decision

And before Sasha could say another word, Emily had disappeared.