AN: Okay so I lied. My professors miraculously pushed back some of my due dates for a few things so I had some spare time to write this out. Don't worry I'm still on top of my school work for the most part. I want to thank those of you who reviewed the last chapters. You guys are awesome. Seeing the reviews really keep me motivated. I want to mention that Sasha is not in a good place at the moment. The woman he loves is holding on by a thread so he's not going to like the doctors very much. Even if they're just trying to help. So Sasha has negative thoughts towards the doctors at the moment. For those of you who asked about "A Gymnastics Legacy", yes I've been suffering the dreadful writers block because the next chapter is such a huge turning point so I will be getting to that in the next week or so because I'm on my spring break. I explored Dmitri and Sasha's bond a little bit in this chapter. I like to think that they're close, even though they live on different continents. I also tied up loose ends concerning Summer (I tried to be nice). Just please let me know how I did on this by just reviewing.

As soon as I cross the line of what was, to what is, I feel a shift in the atmosphere. Knowing something or someone has changed is different than actually witnessing it and seeing it with your own eyes. I force myself to look at anything and everything, but Payson. I look at the plain white walls and the window showing the rising sun. I finally look in the middle of the room where Payson's prone body is laying. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I wasn't expecting to see so many tubes, wires, and machines that was connected to Payson, keeping her alive.

I take inventory of what I see in front of me. A monitor is connected to her left side keeping track of the slow steady beats of her heart; her face is bruised, cut, and swollen, almost beyond recognition; her right leg is encased in plaster from hip to foot; and I finally let my eyes trail unwillingly to the breathing machine hooked up to her right side. I blink back tears as I tentatively walk closer to her prone body. I pull up a chair and sit down on her right side. I stare into her face wishing, hoping, and praying that she would just open her eyes. After a moment, I give up on the idea of her waking up and settle with just staring at her. Most of my vision is obscured due to the ventilator's tube down her throat. I grimace and look down at her limp hand. I reach forward and enclose her small hand in my larger one. I stroke the back of her hand with my thumb in a slow circular motion.

I break the silence with a deep breath and start to speak in a whisper. "Payson, I know you can't hear me right now, but you have to know that I'm here with you, for you, every step of the way, nothing will ever change that. Gymnastics or no gymnastics I'm here for you. I won't leave you...not again."

With tears streaming freely down my face I continue on to what I really want to say. "I shouldn't have left. If I knew that this would happen, I wouldn't have deserted you. If I wouldn't have left you wouldn't have been upset and felt the need to drive to Lauren's house. You wouldn't have gotten in an accident to begin with and you wouldn't have had your dreams ripped from you."

I try to hold in the anguished cry that escapes my lips, but I can't. Seeing Payson so torn and broken hurts too much. "I'm sorry. So sorry. If I could trade places with you I would."

I realize that Payson's hand is soaked with my tears so I use my shirt sleeve to dry her hand off. I glance at the clock and see that it's almost seven o' clock. I squeeze Payson's hand and stand up to leave. Before I go I lean over to where I would be looking in her eyes if they were open. I find a place above her right eye that is free from damage and kiss her forehead softly before stroking her cheek. "Eu nu te părăsesc din nou dragostea mea. Promit."

With one last look at Payson, I turn towards the door and walk out of the room. Before going back to the waiting room I stop in the rest room to wake myself up. I look in the mirror and I see a different person looking back at me. My tired eyes are red rimmed from crying and my clothes are wrinkled from sitting in the waiting room for hours on end. I splash cold water on my face, but the only thing it does is wake me up. As I grip the sink with both hands I'm hit with a major realization: the reason why I left isn't valid any more. Payson can't continue competing for a spot on the Olympic team anymore according to speculations from the doctors, therefore the NGO has nothing on me. The only good thing that could possibly come out of this mess is me staying. I may not be good for the girls, but I sure as hell can fight in their corner. With the likes of Ellen Beals around they're going to need all the help they can get. The only big problem is having Steve Tanner against me. I realize the only people I have on my side is sitting in the waiting room. I slump forward for a moment and with a shock I remember my father.

I rush out of the restroom and into the waiting room looking for Mark and Kim. I spot them by the vending machine and make my way over towards them.

"Mark, Kim, I have to go see if my dad is still in town. I have a few things to take care of with him then I'm going back to The Rock. I should be back around one or so. If anything happens or changes or she wakes up, please call."

Mark smiles and nods. "Sure thing. Now you don't have to be here 24/7 Sasha. Either Kim and I will be here with her. I'm sure you're pretty tired driving all the way back here and not getting much sleep."

I shrug and shake my head. "It's not a problem Mark. I wouldn't want to be any where else, but here. Just promise to call if anything changes." Mark nods while Kim gives me a warm hug. I nod back and head to the parking lot where I left my truck and airstream.

Once I'm in The Rock's parking lot I pull in my usual spot and I'm unsurprised to see the lot already packed. I sigh before I make my way out of the truck and into the gym. I scan the gym for anyone, but Steve Tanner. I sigh in relief as I spot my dad across the gym working with Austin. I slowly make my way over to Austin and my dad. I pause and watch Austin preform his ring routine almost to perfection.

I can't help myself from morphing into the coach I've been for the past year. "Good work Austin. Point your toes more."

He turned to look at me and I smiled when he nodded. I turn towards my dad and look towards the stairs. "I need to speak with you dad." I don't wait for a reply as I make my way towards the office.

Once I enter the office I'm surprised to see Summer sitting at Kim's desk. The room suddenly feels five times colder as we lock eyes. I nod at her as my dad steps in behind me. "Summer, would you mind? I need to speak with my father."

Her reply is icy at best. "Sure. After you talk with your father, we need to talk."

I sigh in relief as she closes the door with a harsh snap. I look at my father to see his eyes twinkling with amusement. "What?"

"Having problems with women are we?" Even though I haven't been around the old man much, he can still read me like a book.

"Not really. What Summer and I have...well had was just an illusion; a silly little game. We liked the idea of each other, but not the person we were with."

His voice is gruff and sharp when the next words slip out of his mouth. "Good. She is no fit for you. You deserve an some one bright, beautiful, kind. Someone like your mother."

I sigh when his voice softens at the mention of my mother. We hardly talk about her, but I know I at least think about her quite often. I look up at dad and smirk. "Dad Summer is bright, beautiful, and kind."

Dad raises his eyebrows and smirks. "Yes, but she is not the one for you."

I roll my eyes. "Like you know the right woman for me dad."

"Yes. I've seen it. You have given up so much for her already."

"Dad, I don't know what you're talking about?"

He looks at me in disbelief before giving me his long winded explanation. "Don't you? I see the way you look at her. You look at her as if she were an inger. You look as if you want to shelter her from the world. You left your job here. For her. Don't you dare tell me you would have done it for any other gymnast. Only for her."

I tense at his words and drop down into the chair by the desk. "I'm staying dad."

"Son, are you-"

"She can't do gymnastics any more. Last night after I left, there was an accident. She went to her friend's house and on the way home a drunk drive and slick roads caused her to loose control of the car and go strait into a tree."

"What do you mean she can't do gymnastics any more?" His voice is loud and harsh like he doesn't believe what I'm saying.

I swallow the lump in my throat before I explain. "The doctor says her broken leg won't heal in time for her to train properly or for the Olympics because of the type of break it is. Not only that, her back may have been re-injured. They won't know anything about her back until she wakes up. So the reason why I left isn't valid anymore. I was leaving so Payson could get on the Word's Team."

"Well I knew that much. They wouldn't just put her on the team. They wanted you out of the way so they could do whatever the hell they wanted. So you are staying to coach then?"

I sigh and shake my head. "Steve Tanner won't want me coaching because of my "relationship" with Payson. It was a big misunderstanding and a huge mess that Payson didn't need."

I look up to see him smiling. "What the hell are you smiling at dad? I see nothing funny about any of this."

"You're doing it again."

I glare and stride towards the window not wanting to admit that he may be on to something concerning my feelings towards Payson. I sigh when he starts to speak again. "You're caring for her. You worry about her and not of yourself. You put her first. There was a time not so long ago that you said the only one you would ever need and care for was yourself. In the year that you have known Payson she has changed you. You have become a man who would do anything for one person. One woman. You love her."

I sigh and turn to face him. "It doesn't matter if I love her or not. Nothing good can become of it. She can do better than me. I'm no good for her. I have too much history with too many people. No one in her family would approve of me."

I feel my dad place a hand on my shoulder. "Love knows no bounds, it has no limit. Love...just is. Besides I see the way she looks at you. She looks at you as if you were her everything. Her mother seems like a kind and understanding women."

"Dad, just please drop it. I just wanted you to know that I'm not leaving or anything and since I can't coach here I was hoping you could look out for the gymnasts. Emily, Lauren, Kaylie, Austin, and Carter especially. They're going to need someone in their corner now more than ever." I sigh and look at Lauren do her beam routine. She looks good on her dismount.

"And where will you be if not here?"

I shrug before locking eyes with him. "Of course. You will be with Payson. I should have known. Well it is for the best right now anyway. You can be with Payson and stay away from Steve Tanner. It is a win-win game."

"I think it supposed to be a situation dad. Not game." I roll my eyes when I see him glare. "Of course your wording is good to."

"Well now that you and I have had our chat I will go get the pretty lady in here so you two can have 'the talk'."

I cringe when I remember Summer. Boy is this going to be fun. As my dad leaves I move behind the desk to have something between Summer and I when we have our...talk. As soon as I sit down, I hear the click-clack of her heals hitting the metal as she climbs the stairs. As soon as she enters the room, I know I'm in for a lecture.

Her voice is cold and emotionless. "How could you? You left without telling anyone. You left me with out even a goodbye."

I cringe when I remember the only goodbye I gave. The letter to Payson was supposed to be one of encouragement, but turned into a gut wrenching explanation of why I was leaving. "I told...some people...I was leaving."

She crosses her arms over her chest. "Not me. Who could be more important than the woman you were supposed to have loved?"

I inwardly groan at the foolish moment I shared with Summer. "I'm sorry Summer. Okay? I...I shouldn't have led you on and it wouldn't have worked anyway. Our morals are different. Our beliefs are different. Maybe it's for the best that we end here before we both end up hating each other."

"Of course. You just want sex." Her expression is cold and distant.

I roll my eyes. "No Summer it's not about the sex. You and I as people...are too different. I can't be the person you want me to be and...you aren't..." I try to find the words to say, but nothing comes to mind. Summer somehow senses what I'm about to say and fills in the blanks for herself.

"The person you really want." I look up in shock as I see her glare soften.

"Sasha, I don't know who you're looking for or what you want, but I hope you find it because we all deserve happiness."

I smile and nod. "Yea. Look I hope that you can still work here. I don't want to keep you from anything here."

"I can and I will. Steve won't fire me because of some silly hookup."

I inwardly cringe at hearing her words. I feel stung by them, but don't let it show. "Good. At least we can end on a good not."

She nods and walks to the door. As she's leaving I call out to her one last time. "I really am sorry Summer. The last thing I wanted was to hurt you."

She nods and exits the office without a glance back. As I think of what both Summer and my dad said to me about love I can't help, but feel a small sense of peace settle over me. Maybe things will work out for the better in the end. Even if it all happens in the midst of broken dreams.

Translations from Romanian to English:

Eu nu te părăsesc din nou dragostea mea. Promit: I'm never leaving you again my love. I promise.

Inger: Angel