A/N: I don't own anything but the people that are mine. Anyway I hope that you like this chapter.
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"Okay Scarlett let's see how you are doing." Kim stated as the girl nodded.
She had asked Scarlett to come in early so that none of the other girls found out about Scarlett's problem. Kim knew that the others could be cruel and she hoped that her girls were different but she didn't want to chance it.
Kim stood back as Scarlett stepped in the scale with her eyes closed. She knew that feeling well but she also knew the joy of jumping over that hurdle. She now could step on a scale with no fear. Stepping closer Kim read the number and smile.
"What is it?" She asked as Kim looked up. Scarlett still had her eyes closed.
"Why don't you open your eyes and see." Kim stated as Scarlett did just that.
"Oh my, I did it!" Scarlett screamed as she jumped into Kim's arms.
"Yes you did, now you will still need to work at it but I think that you've earned your place on the team." Kim said as Scarlett grinned from ear to ear.
"I'm competing?" She asked as Kim nodded. "Oh thank you and I promise no more diets unless they are approved by you." She said before taking off for the floor.
Kim smiled and walked over so that she could look out over the entire gym. It was still early so no one was here yet but her and Scarlett. Nationals were in two days and she just didn't know if she was ready yet. She got like this every year even though she knew her girls could do it. They had trained hard for it.
There was just some part of her that pictured herself going through the moves with the girls. Hearing the door open, she was bought out of her daydreams. She saw that it was Kaylie and thought of her Uncle. Yesterday was a turning point in their relationship and she knew that. In her anguish she turned to him just like she always did.
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Kaylie walked into the gym and noticed Kim up in her office. She wished that her uncle would just ask her coach out. She liked Katherine but not as a girlfriend or wife to him. She had to think of some way to get them back together.
This weekend was Nationals so maybe something would come up then. It just had too. They needed to be back together because she knew that the love that they shared in high school had to be more than just teenage love.
The look in their eyes in that picture told a story that it was more. It was a love that should've lasted a lifetime. Something had gotten in the way and she wanted to know what it was. Shaking her head she made her way to the locker room and changed. She was nervous about this weekend but she was ready to get it over with.
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"Okay everyone hand in your assignments." Tommy said as the students got settled.
Trying not to smile, he thought about yesterday. He and Kim had finally settled a few things but still had to discuss more. She had told him that she wanted to wait until after Nationals to talk about anything he wanted and he agreed. He at least had a deadline.
Snapping out of it, he took of the papers and got down to business. It was going to be a long day but at least he was rested. After talking to Kim, he had gone home and slept like a baby. It had felt like everything was right again in his life.
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"Tuck!" Kim yelled as Whitney stumbled and fell off the beam. Kim rushed to her side to make sure that she was okay. "Are you okay?" She asked kneeling down beside her.
"I'm okay, my foot just slipped." Whitney said as she sat up. Kim nodded and backed up so that the girl could stand up.
"Remember to tuck on that last pass so that your foot doesn't touch the beam there." Kim said as Whitney nodded. "It will keep you from falling." Kim stated with a smile.
Backing up she watched Whitney get back up on the beam and try that pass again. This time though she didn't fall because she did the tuck as Kim suggested. Clapping Kim went to stand next to Karen once more.
"You were right, the tuck is much better." Karen stated as Kim nodded.
"It was a simple fix that I wanted her to try before reworking the entire routine days before Nationals." Kim replied.
"Well it worked." Karen said before Kim turned and walked over to the floor mat.
She watched as Scarlett completed one of her first passes. It looked good and better than it had been a few weeks ago. It just showed that Scarlett had been weaker while she was trying to fly higher. Dieting had done more damage than good and it was just a good thing that Kim had caught it in time. Scarlett finally finished as Kim smiled. The routine was good and should score Scarlett top points at Nationals.
Twenty girls would be chosen at Nationals but only a few would compete at the different competitions around the World. Rumors of Bela Karolyi seeking a National Coach had been flying around. There was speculation of the Coach from Denver getting it this year, which meant that the National practice would be there unless the National Champion came from another gym.
Looking at her girls, she knew that any one of them could take that title. Turning she walked over to the uneven bars. All the girls were having trouble on them today but maybe it was just nerves. Looking around the bars, she saw Kaylie lining up for the vault.
Walking over there, she smiled as Kaylie took off running. Turning a perfect cart-wheel, Kim watched as Kaylie touched the vault with her hands and then twisted before landing. Standing up straight, Kim smiled. Kaylie was getting better on the vault and if she could do what she just did at Nationals then Kaylie just might be National Champion. Any of her girls could be National Champion.
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Hours later Kim was exhausted as she watched the girls leave one by one. It had been a long day with watching everyone's routines and changing little things. She had done more flipping in the last few hours than she had in a long time. She had wanted to show the girls that the moves were possible and that if someone older than them could do them then they could too.
Stretching out, Kim made her up to her office. Tonight she was going to soak in her huge tub to ease all the soreness. She knew that other coaches didn't do nearly half of what she did but then again most of the other coaches were guys. They couldn't do the girl moves on a beam or uneven bars like a girl could. Groaning she sat down at her desk and leaned back. This was almost as good as the tub in that she was sitting down. Closing her eyes she pictured her routine that had won her gold. The girls, she thought were better. She couldn't wait to see them perform.
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Tommy walked into the gym and noticed that everyone was pretty much gone. Kim must have let practice out early. Kaylie was working on her vault with Karen. Looking around, Tommy didn't see Kim. "She must be up in her office." He muttered to himself.
Taking the stairs two at a time, he finally saw her at her desk with her eyes closed. She looked worn out which meant that she had probably worked out with the girls and shown them different moves. He had seen her over the past few weeks do that when one of the girls thought that they couldn't do a move.
Kim would just walk over and perform the move like it was nothing. He knew that for her to be able to do that meant that she still worked out on each and every move. She was dedicated to the gym and these girls he knew. Coming up behind her with the silence of a cat, he began rubbing her shoulders. He heard her groan and knew that he had been right.
"Tommy, you know that you are the best." She stated without opening her eyes.
"I'm not even going to ask how you knew it was me." He stated closed to her ear.
Opening her eyes she smiled as he eased back.
"First off you smell the same every day and by the way I love that cologne and second I know those hands anywhere." She said as he smiled. "I mean that you have giving me massages before when I had a tough day." She said looking over at him.
He was now leaning against the edge of her desk with his ankles crossed.
"I know what you meant; I just like giving you a hard time." He commented.
Sighing she nodded. "I know you do." She said standing up.
"You know that you don't have to show the girls all the moves. You do have other gymnasts down there that can do that just as well." He said watching her move around her office.
"Oh, I know it's just that if they see me do it then that means that they should be able to do it since they work out every day." She said picking up her clipboard from the table. She had her notes ready for Nationals on each girl.
"Kim, they should be thinking wow, my coach is in great shape to still be able to throw her body in the air like that." He said as she laughed.
"Oh yeah, what about what Connor, Kira, Ethan, and Trent? What did they think about their teacher battling alongside of them and keeping up?" She asked turning to face him.
"Jason tell you?" He asked.
"Oh yeah, he made sure to tell me after the fact which was a good thing considering I learned that you had been frozen in amber then invisible before slipping into a coma and being admitted to the hospital." She said turning serious.
"All in a day's work." He replied trying to play it off.
"Yea right, Tommy you know that you could have just stayed back at the lab and coached them from there." She stated.
"Just like you coach from the sidelines." He fired back with a smile.
"Touché." She replied. "But at least I don't have a monster firing back at me." She said as they both laughed.
"What monster?" Kaylie asked as they both jumped at the sound of her voice. Had she heard them talking about Tommy battling?
"Kaylie shouldn't you be practicing?" Tommy asked trying to gauge just what she heard. How could he be that stupid and talk about that with other people around?
"I finished like ten minutes ago. So I started searching for you when I noticed the Jeep in the parking lot. This was the last place that you could be since I didn't see you anywhere else." She replied as he nodded. She couldn't have heard much then.
He knew that she had had to change then actually go to the parking lot before searching the gym.
"Are you ready?" He asked not answering her first question.
"Yea." She replied looking from him to Kim with questions in her eyes.
"Okay, Kim what time do you need me here tomorrow?" He asked. He had offered to ride with her on the bus with the girls since he had some leave built up at school.
"The bus leaves at ten so please be here before then." She said as he nodded.
"Okay I will have a good night." He said before turning away from her.
"Bye Coach." Kaylie said before following Tommy out.
"Bye guys, see you tomorrow." Kim called out.
Sighing she grabbed her stuff and made her way out. She turned off lights as she went and finally locked up the main doors before she walked out to her car. Unlocking it she threw her bags in before noticing that her front tire was flat.
"What?" She stated as she pulled out her phone. She knew how to change a tire but she didn't want to do it alone in the back of the parking lot.
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Tommy fumbled in his pocket for his phone. "Hello." He said as he stopped at the red light.
"Tommy, I have a flat tire on my car and I don't want to change it by myself." Kim stated as Tommy smiled.
She had called him first and that fact just pleased him to no end. It was a good thing that he had given her his cell number last week for Kaylie's file.
"I'm on my way." He said as Kaylie look over at him.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"Kim has a flat tire and she doesn't want to change it by herself." He replied.
"She can change a tire?" Kaylie asked thinking that her coach could do just about anything.
"Yeah, Jason and I taught the girls how to just in case they ever needed too and none of us were around." He stated as she nodded.
When she actually started driving then she make him teach her.
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"Kim, that tire had been slashed." Tommy said as Jason grunted.
He had stopped by to talk to her because he thought that she was still at practice. Walking around back he saw her there with her trunk open and the spare tire sitting to the side.
"You don't think that I run something over that could've done that damage?" Kim asked.
"Unless it was a knife standing straight up then yeah you ran something over." Jason commented.
"Okay, okay I get it. I can get a new one when I get back from Nationals." She said rubbing her face.
"You're not staying by yourself tonight." Tommy stated as Jason looked over at him.
He totally agreed with him but he had a feeling that Tommy knew something that he wasn't telling.
"I'm not staying with you." She said. "You have way too many people in your house as it is." She added.
"No, I'm staying with you." Tommy replied as Kim just stared at him.
"I didn't invite you." She said crossing her arms.
"Maybe not but you do have a spare bed that is calling my name." He stated.
"What about Kaylie?" She asked looking at his niece who was leaning against the Jeep.
"Oh my parents are home so I can stay at Uncle Tommy's house." She replied sweetly.
Kim sighed and knew that she had been beat. Kaylie should have been her ally, but had just added to Tommy's fight.
"Okay fine but you need to at least drop her off and grab you clothes because you won't have time in the morning." Kim stated as he nodded.
"You go do that and I will get Kim's tire on." Jason said as they nodded.
Tommy and Kaylie jumped in the Jeep and pulled away seconds later leaving Kim and Jason alone.
"So tell me, why is lover boy staying with you? You didn't even get him a proper fight." Jason stated as he rolled the spare over to the front axle.
"Uh well Sam sort of threatened me two nights ago." Kim muttered.
"What? Why am I just now hearing about this? I knew that guy was bad news and I tried to tell you that but you wouldn't listen. You claimed that he was a friend." Jason yelled as she nodded.
"It just happened after he kissed me. I told him that I only saw him as a friend but he told me that I was just too wrapped up in Tommy to even know my real feelings for him. Don't worry though he has kept his distance and I assume that he is ashamed of how he acted." She said watching Jason work. She could've done the job but it would've taken her longer than it would Jason.
"Kim, I am sure that he is not ashamed and not done with you. If he did this then he is dangerous. I want you to be extra careful around him and don't be alone with him." He said in calmer tones.
It was probably because he was taking all of his anger out on her poor spare tire.
"I will be careful but while we are talking, why did you bring Kat here?" She asked as he paused.
He was busted and he knew it.
"Uh well, oh crap! Trini said that you would be mad." He stated tightened her lug nuts.
"I am mad. I can handle my own love life without any help from the peanut gallery." She stated. "It did work though." She muttered.
"What was that? It worked?" He asked looking up at her with a smile on his face.
"Yes, it worked." She said smiling back at him.
"So?" He asked lowering the jack so that he could finish up.
"So nothing. We will talk after Nationals." She said putting the jack back in the trunk. "Are you and Trini coming this weekend?" She asked coming back around the car.
"Way to change the subject but yeah we are coming. Rocky called and said that he and Aisha would be there a little later. Adam and Tanya won't be there until the day after." He said as she nodded.
"Billy said that he would be there but he didn't know what time since he was waiting on his girlfriend's schedule." Kim commented.
"Oh yeah, I can't wait to meet the mystery woman. Tommy knows her." Jason said as he finished.
"Really? Anyway thanks for fixing my tire." She said putting the four-way in the trunk as well.
Looking at the tire that was on the ground beside her car, she knew that it won't fit in the trunk.
"Why don't I take the tire and get it fixed? It won't take me long and I can get it back on your car in the morning." He said as she nodded.
"Your uncle won't mind?" She asked because she knew that Jason would take the tire to his uncle's shop.
"You know that he would be insulted if you took it anywhere else. I mean he learned how to work on Beetles because you had one." He said picking the tire up and carrying it to the bed of his truck.
"Thanks and tell him that I will be by to pay when I get back from Nationals." She said as he nodded.
"Drive slowly, Kim, that donut won't go that fast." He yelled as she nodded.
Getting into her car she fired it up and pulled away and watched as Jason followed her to her house. As she pulled into the driveway she saw that Tommy was already here. He must've had his bags packed or he just threw clothes in whatever bag he found.
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"Are you sure?" Kim asked watching Tommy pull back the covers on her tiny spare bed. It was a little funny to see him holding hot pink sheets.
"Yeah its fine." He said looking up at her.
She was standing there in just a t-shirt and socks. The shirt came to mid-thigh but that didn't help him. He could still picture what she looked like underneath that shirt.
"Tommy, that's the bed that I had in Florida." She stated leaning against the door.
"So?" He asked still holding the flat sheet.
"I fit just fine, but you and your six foot self will not." She stated with a sigh.
"It will be fine." He claimed as she shook her head no.
"Oh it's going to be fine when your feet hang over the foot board?" She asked with a smile. She could almost picture him sleeping in that bed. "I don't think so." She muttered.
"What do you suggest? Taking your bed?" He asked standing up to his full height.
"Yeah." She said as he started smiling. "But me taking this bed." She clarified. She didn't want him to get the wrong idea.
"Spoilsport, but I can't kick you out of you bed." He said. "I will just take this one." He stated pointing to the bed.
"You're not kicking me out of my bed, I am offering it." She said straightening up.
"But you're going to sleep here?" He asked as she nodded. "Not good enough, Kim."
"Tommy, if we share a bed neither one of us will get much sleep and I need all the sleep I can get." She stated as he shook his head. "I have to be on my A-game for Nationals."
"What if I promise to not touch you?" He asked walking over to her with a smile on his face.
"Not good enough, you know that that won't happen." She said as he leaned down and kissed her.
She threw her arms around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him.
"We need to sleep." She protested as he picked her up in his arms without releasing her lips.
He kissed her while taking her to her bedroom down the hall. He flipped off lights as he went without releasing Kim. Kicking the door closed behind him and walking over to the bed, he managed to pull back the covers and laid her down. Pulling back from her he smiled. This was exactly where he wanted her.
"Sleep." He commanded as he tried to stand.
He knew that she did need her sleep and he intended for her to get it. He knew that he could keep his promise not to touch her but it would be a strain and there was only so much he could take.
"No stay with me." She said as he nodded.
He didn't want to deny her and she had asked. Toeing off his shoes, he pulled his shirt over his head and threw it on the nearby chair. Smiling he took off his jeans and slid into bed next to her. She smiled and turned off the lamp before settling in his arms. Tommy smiled as he pulled her just a little closer before closing his eyes and going to sleep.
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"Everyone ready?" Kim asked as all the girls screamed yes.
She smiled and took her seat next to Tommy as the bus driver closed the doors. The parents would follow the bus down. Jason and Trini were in the line with the parents. Kat had decided to ride down with them so that she didn't have to drive the rental car that far.
Kim was nervous because now was the time for the girls. Sighing she felt Tommy take her hand in his. He was just sitting there giving her strength without speaking a word. Looking at him she smiled. His quiet strength was there for her to lean on and she loved that. He had kept his promise to her last night and let her sleep.
Walking up this morning was a totally different experience than the last time they had slept together. It was peaceful and relaxing. She also loved that he had let her sleep a little while longer while he brought her breakfast in bed and woke her with a kiss.
Smiling she remembered opening her eyes and him laughing about a kiss waking his sleeping beauty. She couldn't wait until Nationals were over because she intended to go on a date with the man that Tommy had become.
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Kaylie smiled as the bus stopped right in front of the gymnastic center. This was it, Nationals. She couldn't wait to take her place in the rotation and compete on the National level. This was her time to shine and she was determined to compete and win.
"Okay ladies; make sure that you have everything." Kim said as they all got up and cheered.
"Are you ready?" Tommy whispered in her ear as she nodded.
She was ready for them to do their best and that's all she would ask of them. They would put more pressure on themselves than she ever could.
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"Ladies and Gentleman welcome to the US National Championship of Artistic Gymnastics. We have gyms from all across the country represented here today along several of the nation's top coaches. Among these is American favorite Kimberly Hart who coached the 2004 Olympic team to their Team Gold medal." The announcer said as Tommy smiled.
He was happy that they had mentioned Kim. She wasn't here to hear it but it was still awesome for her. Looking out over the gym, he started to get nervous and he wasn't competing.
The stadium was filled was which not something that he had suspected. He didn't realize that gymnastics was this big of a sport. Making his way over to his seats, he found Zack, Angela, Jason, Trini, Kat, Adam, Tanya, Billy, Hayley, Rocky, and Aisha all sitting in his section.
"How in the world did you get seats next to me?" He asked taking his seat at the end.
"Man, I have connections." Zack claimed as everyone laughed.
"Yea I know Kim didn't get you these seats so where did you get them?" Tommy asked with a smile.
"I don't think that you want to know." Angela commented as everyone laughed again.
"Probably not since it's Zack." Tommy muttered as Angela nodded.
"How is Kim?" Kat asked leaning over everyone so that Tommy could hear her.
"Good just nervous for the girls." He said as the announcer started talking again.
"Now if everyone will stand for the National Anthem." The announcer said as everyone came to their feet and watched the American flag as it was raised from behind the press box and The Star Spangled Banner played over the speakers.
The crowd showed their respect by placing their right hand over their heart and the men removed their hats if they were wearing one.
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Kim stood with her hand over her heart as The Star Spangled Banner played. It was one of her favorites since she had gotten to hear it at the Olympics several times as she had gotten each of her Gold Medals. She knew that it would always hold a special place in her heart as it would in every Olympic athlete.
It was right up there with being a Power Ranger. Athletes did their best so that they could hear that song played in front of all the nations attending the Olympics. It told everyone that you were the best for that moment in time. As the song ended she smiled looking back at her girls. They were ready for this even if she wasn't.
If she had been competing, she knew that her nerves would not even be around because she went into a bubble every time. It was probably what her girls were doing to try to control something as they ran through their routines in their heads. She heard the announcer come back on and start announcing the gyms. It would only be a few more minutes then, they would be taking their place around the huge blue competition mat and begin.
"Now from Pink Crane Gymnastics, please welcome Coach Kimberly Hart and her girls." The announcer said as Kim started walking out from the hallway off of the locker rooms to the mat.
She led her girls around the left side and found their seats. She waved as did all the girls behind her before stopping in front of their seats. It was time. Their first event was to be vault. Today was the first round and would decide who got All-Around as individuals and teams. The following day the girls would start all over as they competed for their individual medals.
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Okay so what did everyone think? Please let me know. I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter.