Good tidings we bring to you and your kin in this delayed Christmas chapter!
So this chapter has been mostly done for a while. It was ready to be posted but then Christmas Eve exploded on the inside of my brain, Lauren and Carter had some sex and water fight, Carter had some issues and Becca Keeler became more of an established character inside my head. Needless to say the 7,000 word chapter because closer to 14,000 so now it's going up in two parts. Consider it a two-part season finale except you don't have to wait for the season premiere because that's written too.
This is it kids, Lauren hits rock bottom here, and I hope she does it in a Lauren appropriate way. I didn't want her confessing all her secrets. That's not Lauren, she'll confess under extreme duress only but I did want her spiralling and, I think, in Lauren fashion, trying to control it.
Thanks to anyone who has read this. I hope you're enjoying it. We should be getting out of the angst soon, but don't worry, the Rock will remain filled with drama.
Iargyprop – Lauren is definitely a fighter and she definitely wont be backing down much in this story. In regards to her compromising with her coach and her father, well that wont work as well as they hoped. Lauren in my head wants it to work, but she just can't seem to make it happen at the moment. Don't worry, protective Carter will be sticking around for a while. I like that they're such polar opposites and I'll definitely be playing with that for a while. She's abrasive but private, he's quiet but more open I think.
Roseythebx – hang in there, after this chapter things have to come out
Jane – Thanks. I'm ready with the updates I promise.
jTalley – Glad you like stable Carter and Lauren as well. They will be having drama but it wont be with each other! Payson is still recovering from an injury and Lauren will have her own hurdles to climb, not to support Payson unduely but stealing an idea from her its about them competing against themselves. I was planning on using the fact that any of the US team members (Kelly Parker will be returning) could win if the others slip, but its all about who has the right headspace on the day. Of course we know deep down I'm rooting for Lauren of course. ;-)
Forever Written in the Stars – glad you like it. The drama continues!
Luv2Live – I can't believe I had Payson and Lauren go at it, and needless to say it wont end there, but there wont be catfights for a while! They'll have other things to deal with but ultimately they're at the rock to compete and compete they will! I'm writing post worlds at the moment and the Payson-Lauren dynamic is still interesting. Kim as the manager makes it more interesting when her role as a mother and as the rock's manager come into conflict.
Carter and Austin wont be going anywhere, but they'll have their own issues and so will Lauren. I adore them as a group. In my head I've classified Austin as the male-Lauren, maybe its because he was such a bitch with his herr-Cruz comments but I miss the original Austin who slept around, invited people to keggers and mocked Kaylie relentlessly. Emily will have her own storyline and I haven't decided what I'll do with the TV show story lines. I'm picking and choosing a little bit. Needless to say I'm taking a bit from the Lauren-Sasha dynamic. I'm also thinking of introducing Max as a love interest for Payson, but with Austin's different back story it would be a whole different ballpark and hopefully entertaining. The storylines of Sasha and the mother become intertwined in the next chapter so stick around and please share your thoughts!
After the Rock Smackdown, as it was colloquially known, a tense ceasefire came about. Christmas was coming and everyone waited for the next Lauren Tanner situation. Similar was the situation in the Tanner household. There had been no further progress or consequence, but the imminent arrival of Steve Tanner's mother from Denver would surely heighten the tension of already shaky Christmas proceedings.
Anytime the wind shifted slightly everyone tensed to see if shots had started ringing out. The last event before Christmas was the internal competition before nationals. As they'd learnt the year before, if the internal competition was held too early, a lot could change so this time it was the last event of the calendar year.
A lot had changed even since the regional competition. Emily slugged on, getting progressively better. Payson improved off the floor in leaps and bounds. Kaylie was forced to drop some of the more difficult elements of her routine until she improved medically and Lauren Tanner? Lauren was a wild card.
Sasha watched the proceedings with an inscrutable look. Lauren didn't stumble, didn't fall but she did remind him of nationals the previous year. Still, with her new beam routine she knocked out the weakened Kaylie by a defiant .2. Kaylie was clearly upset both by her reduced DOD and her inability to completely cleanly land even the easier tricks. Emily landed clean routines and Sasha was more than satisfied by her. She was a top ten national team lock, with potential for much more. He remembered what he'd said to M.J. the year before. Any one of them could take out the national title. Even Payson, less than a year from breaking her back, had a shot. There was as little difference between Payson and Emily, score wise, as there was Kaylie and Lauren. She'd leaped ahead even from regionals the month before.
"Congratulations." Emily, of all people, congratulated Lauren first, with a grudging repetition from Payson and Kaylie.
Both her father and her coach watched concerned. Lauren was obediently playing along. She turned up to training and to dinner and kept her snide comments to a minimum.
After the senior girls had competed, the crowd thinned out of the older set, and the parents of the juniors leant forward in anticipation, hands full of video cameras.
Lauren sat between Austin and Carter in the front section where the gymnasts were sitting. The three were muttering and chuckling, but sobering up enough to cheer for various juniors. Quite a few parents gave them disapproving looks that they ignored, though Carter shifted uncomfortably.
They all cheered for Becca Keeler's first two routines. She dominated vault and floor for her age and was a strong challenge to Alexis Dunthorp for junior champion. Steve Tanner approached Lauren just as Becca was lining up for her bars.
"Just a minute." She insisted, then whooped when Becca stuck it.
Carter and Austin joined in, but Carter made sure to add "Hello, Mr Tanner." With far more of a grin and a lot less to loose, Austin added his own, "yeah, hi Mr Tanner."
"What's up?" Lauren followed her father.
"I'm so proud of you, you know that right?"
"Thanks Dad."
"Really Lauren."
When they hugged, she held on as tight as she could and then she quickly went back to the boys and tucked herself under Carter Anderson's arm.
Finally, it was the event the trio had been waiting for. "She'll knock it out of the park." Carter insisted.
"She is your protégé." Austin added.
"She looks nervous."
Carter laughed, the noise rumbling through his chest to hit Lauren. "Listen to you, caring."
"Let's go Becca." Lauren cheered instead of responding to her boyfriend.
Like so many juniors she used a press mount and then swung up.
"Feel the beam under your feet." Lauren's voice rang in Becca's head. "Know where it is. It's not going anywhere… take advantage of combination marks…"
So when she landed her standing tuck and the beam felt solid under her feet she immediately leapt into her stag jump.
"Nice job Becca." Lauren called out, grinning proudly.
Becca hadn't changed her routine very much. As a young elite she was just starting to get to personalise them, but on beam she would keep it simple. She lined up her simple aerial and they committed fully to the move and then without hesitation walked back into her handstand. The entire sequence was over in less than half a minute. The rest of her routine up until her dismount passed in a blur.
Once she'd saluted (and smirked at Alexis) Becca looked around before heading to the crowd.
"That was great Becca." Payson spoke up but she blew right her and launched herself into a standing Lauren's arms.
"How was it?"
"Fantastic." Lauren insisted. "Right guys?"
"Like it was Lauren up there." Austin held up both hands for a high ten which Becca eagerly have him.
"It was great." Carter agreed, more quietly but no less honestly.
"I'm officially making you my protégé." Lauren declared.
Becca grinned "really?"
"We'll make a beamer of you yet!"
"Becca!" Kim Keeler interrupted and threw a wary glance in Lauren's direction.
"Did you see? Wasn't it awesome?"
"It was, sweetie. Don't you want to wait for your scores with your friends?"
"Yeah sure. Thanks, though." She looked to Lauren. "for everything." She hugged the older blonde briefly.
"Anytime."
Kim Keeler led Becca away by the shoulder and Lauren lingered just long enough to hear Kim Keeler demand "What was that all about?"
The next day, Becca hip bumped Lauren when she headed for the floor and Lauren grinned right back. She almost laughed out loud when Becca smirked at Alexis and took the position at the front of the line for floor tumbling.
"Alright what the hell was that?" Payson, backed up by Emily and Kaylie.
"What?"
"You, talking to my sister."
"It's a free country."
"Well dragging Becca into whatever this is." Kaylie gestured between the elites, "really is not cool, Lo. She's just a kid."
Lauren rolled her eyes. "Calm down, all I did was what you haven't been bothered to do lately, listen and care. Becca's cool. I see a lot of me in her. Now are we done? Because I don't keep beating you through sitting around."
Before Lauren could walk away Payson grabbed her arm. "Lauren, this is Becca, she's my little sister so I'm appealing to whatever humanity you might have lingering, leave her out of whatever scheme you having going."
"There's no scheme, occasionally my soul has a little flicker of life and I like to spend it on things that aren't a threat to me. Becca, my gorgeous boys, kittens and puppies, orphans in Africa." Lauren shrugged.
"She's my sister, Lauren."
"Yeah, I know." Lauren walked away.
"So either we're horrible people, or Lauren really is the devil." Payson informed Kaylie, "either way I'm really not feeling the Rock team spirit right now.
After that everyone stuck to themselves and it could've settled into nothing had it not been for the youngest Keeler. Payson had stayed late after the meet and Becca had been sequestered away by the time she'd gotten home. Her first opportunity came at breakfast the next morning.
"I know you only came fourth but I won. How about you be happy for me for once" The door was slammed behind Becca as she stormed off, banana in hand.
Kim Keeler eventually went after her youngest.
"Becca? Becca sweetie, open the door."
The door was pulled open viciously and Kim caught a glimpse of the mess of her daughter's bedroom.
"Go away, I don't want to talk to you." She insisted, and then the door was shut.
Kim sighed "I'm taking your sister to the Rock at nine if you want to come." December 24th was an optional training day, considering all the girls with families far away.
"Are you coming then?" Payson asked Becca when the youngest Keeler walked into the kitchen in a leo and with her hair simply but perfectly braided.
"Aren't you?"
"Yeah, Mum said she'd take me."
"We'll I've got a lift."
"With Lauren Tanner?"
"Yeah."
"Alright enough." Kim insisted, from where she was mixing eggwhites. "Mark, could you get in here, we need to have a family discussion."
Once the four were seated, the only male Keeler began this conversation.
"Let me get this right? Becca has been hanging out with an older girl who's… not very nice."
"She's not just not very nice, she's a total sociopath." Payson exclaimed, causing Mark to raise his eyebrows "this is Lauren who used to sleep over, who came around all the time when you were hurt?"
"She just likes to have her nose in everyone's business, and now she's using you, Becca, and you're too stupid to see that."
"Maybe you just hate that she'd rather be friends with me than the perfect Payson Keeler!"
"Well why would she?"
"Hey, hey. Settle down." Kim insisted.
"Payson, there are lots of reasons to want to be friends with your sister, she's a wonderful girl, but Becca, you are fourteen, Lauren is much older."
"I know, we're not like BFFs or anything, but why can't we be friends."
"Because she's a sociopath! You have nothing in common!" Payson declared.
"We have gymnastics, Lauren's the reason I'm ranked first for level 8s. I could make the junior national team this year!"
"We have coaches for that." Payson pointed out.
"Well unless I change my name to Payson, I doubt I'd get much attention."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means who I'm friends with is none of your business."
"It is my business, you're my sister and Lauren's my teammate."
"Because you're such a good teammate!" Becca snapped.
"I am!"
"Really? Perfect Payson shoves her tongue down her coach's throat. Is it any wonder why you were coach's favourite for so many years?"
"Rebecca Keeler!" Mark was outraged.
"I'm out of here." Becca shoved away from the table. "and hey, maybe if I hang out with Lauren long enough I'll stop being the sister of that pathetic gymnast who tried to seduce her coach and almost ruined her gym in the process."
"That isn't fair." Kim insisted.
"No, what isn't fair is me, giving up my whole life to come here and be Robot Payson's sister, to be the sister of the girl who broke her back, to be the sister of Payson the miracle. Payson the whore! Well guess what, Lauren didn't almost destroy the Rock, you did! You kissed Sasha, not her!"
"Becca!" Kim called after her youngest, but a slamming door was the only response she got in return.
When Payson's phone rang she was running through her ballet in her bedroom, but the name Lauren made her pause.
"What do you want?"
"Just to let you know, Becca's with me"
"What?" Payson stopped stretching her leg and let it fall to the floor.
"She was upset, she called me."
"Where are you?"
"In my car. Becca's here."
"Hi Payson."
"Look, we're going shopping, we'll see you at the gym later."
"No. Wait!" Payson thought aloud frantically "Mum's going to loose it."
"That's why we're calling you…" Becca sing-songed.
"Goodbye Payson."
One minute later, Kim Keeler erupted with a "She what?"
Lauren disconnected the handsfree in Austin's trial porshe before Payson could comment further and steered the car down towards Broomfield.
The shopping quality wasn't exactly Denver, but it would do.
It was almost Christmas so she had to vehiclely threaten, intimiate and impose herself three times to get the car park. least in Denver they had valets. She frowned but then then switched that into a sweet innocent look accompanied by a smile for the guy she had kind-of cut off in taking the spot. Hopefully that would be enough to stop him keying Austin's car.
"So where to first?" The girls surveyed the mess of a mall pre-Christmas. "Do you have Christmas shopping left to do?"
Becca shook her head. She'd scrapped together enough allowance to buy a "family" gift from Boulder already.
"Sephora?" Lauren suggests. She'd bought well-planned presents for her grandmother and father already, but she supposed she should get something for the Kmetkos and other gym folk. Normally she would've done it months ago.
Instead, she grabbed a basket, a tub of viatamin E skin cream that does wonders for rips and then headed for a sales assistant. "Hey, do you still have that tea-tree oil bath stuff?"
The girl was probably Lauren's age and fixed a eager smile on her face. "Hi. Sure. I think so. Let me check…"
"I need 15." Lauren stated "and fifteen of these. You do still do Christmas wrapping, don't you? Wrapped individually."
The girl, who'd presumed she was Lauren's social equal, was quelled into silence briefly, before she recovered. "Sure. I mean, I'll have to check. I'll go check now."
"Oh-kay." Lauren sung out, turning back to Becca.
"Did you just buy 20 of those?" The young girl asked.
"It's for the gymnasts I don't mind." Lauren answered. "It keeps them from becoming gymnasts I can't stand."
Becca giggled.
Lauren picked up a pot of body scrub and sniffed it. It smelt like sickly sweet flowers. Kaylie would love it. She dropped it in the basket and grabbed another. Kaylie got pampering bath products, Payson got makeup. It was a longstanding tradition. God-knows Payson would never buy it for herself.
"Do you think this would suit your sister?" She held up a lipstick darker than normal. She and Payson, despite their matching blonde hair, were polar opposites when it came to make-up they would actually wear. Even Lauren was aware she should buy for Payson in the lighter shades.
"Why are you buying Payson anything?" Becca scowled. "It's not like you like her right?"
Lauren sniffed at a bath bomb before dropping it back in its place. "She's still my team mate. My team is like family. The mob version that is."
Lauren could see the pout on Becca Keeler's face so she paused and looked her in the eye.
"It's just like the mob." Lauren repeated. "I can be as angry as I want at Payson, we can claw each other's eyes out on the gym floor but if Kelly Parker or anyone else tried it, I'd have her back, and I buy her a Christmas present because of that."
"Did she buy you one?" Becca asked.
"I don't know." Lauren admitted. "I hope so, but I doubt it but" and Lauren told herself this as much as Becca "Payson doesn't buy everyone gifts. I mean, its one thing not to get me a gift but not to get anyone else at the gym except Emily and Kaylie one either. It's another for me to get everyone a gift and not get Payson one. Get it?"
Becca nodded.
"Are you getting Emily something?"
Lauren sighed. "I have too, but it's to open on Christmas morning. I can't believe I have to buy gifts for the Kmetkos. I wish there was something here really foul. What would Emily hate?"
"Something pink?" Becca suggested. She wondered what Lauren was getting her, if Lauren was getting her anything.
"Hmm." Lauren considered. It wasn't a bad idea. "Oh, I've got a perfect idea. I'll get her and her mother manicures."
Becca made a face. It didn't sound like a bad idea to her. She vocalised as much.
"I know, but I can be so snide with." Lauren was gleeful. "and send them to an actually decent place. One of my favourite spas is right here actually. Let's go. Gym and Winter are not kind to my feet."
Becca blushed. Her bank account had been severely diminished by her gift for Lauren that Christmas. Her parents had made that family money was tight at the moment and that was before her recent behaviour.
"I'd love to come but I can't get anything done, I'm kind of…" she bit her lip "broke." Oh god Becca thought I'm the new Emily Kmetko, Lauren's going to hate me.
Lauren gave her a long look. "My treat." She stated finally. "Consider it a Christmas gift. But we have other things to discuss first."
"Okay?" Becca was nervous but Lauren just dumped the almost full basket on the counter. There were a cluster of people waiting for attention, but no clear line in the madness. Lauren took advantage of that.
"Hi, the girl told me to come straight over." She smiled at this new assistant while a middle aged woman behind her spluttered. "There's like, 20 things being gift wrapped for me, and I wanted to add this."
The girl took in the heaping basket. "okay."
Lauren split it into two piles, Payson and Kaylie. "So wrap them like this, and I can pay now or when I pick it up."
"Uh… now would be good."
"Okay then." Lauren held out her credit card pointedly. "now, it is."
Becca couldn't believe Lauren had dropped close to four-hundred dollars at the store, but Lauren brushed it off leading the pair to a starbucks.
"Can I get a Tazo Rooibos Tea, venti." Lauren ordered before nudging Becca, who was intently staring at the menu. "B, what do you want?"
"Oh the same." She answered before fumbling for her wallet. Lauren had paid before she got it out.
Once they were seated LLLaaauren began. "So, I thought, for Christmas, in the spirit of sustainability, and you being my protégé, I could pass something onto you, in a completely creepy not-second hand because they're barely worn and I know you have…" she waved a dismissive hand "money issues at the moment, and you're basically the size I was six-months ago."
"Do you mean your clothes?" Becca gaped.
"The one thing is, you'd need a decent bra. Interested?"
"Yeah!" Becca exclaimed "What do you mean a decent bra."
Lauren gestured downward. "You should see me naked. I swear, there'd be nothing here except for the winch and lever system more capable than the IBM factory downtown. It's a gymnast's best friend."
Becca blushed. "I always wear like, tank tops with inbuilt thingies, like in leos."
"Its fine, Becca. Most of the clothes will probably fit you anyway, and know getting your first bra is supposed to be a big deal."
"Who went with you to get your first bra?" Becca was curious.
"I took myself." Lauren answered honestly. "Your sister thought it was ridiculous and Kaylie wouldn't go into the store with me. So I did it myself."
Becca bit her lip. A bra but Lauren was offering.
"Okay. Yeah, but you know I don't have much money, right?"
"Christmas present!" Lauren reminded her, rolling her eyes. "Besides, I need to get something sexy, so I need to go to Victoria Secret anyway"
"Victoria Secret?" Becca trailed after her out of the coffee shop.
Lauren had no problem collecting a change room full of items for herself. Becca was a little more cautious and more than embarrassed when she was measured for size.
Once she knew what she was looking for, she was a little braver but mostly copied Lauren. In the end she selected a bright purple bra and a pink and black bra she'd commented matched her favourite leo. She wore the purple one under her shirt and couldn't keep glancing down.
Lauren dumped an armful of lace on the counter including a bra in steel grey with a back cut so low it had inspired an outfit for New Year's Eve.
She pulled out her credit card and turned around to survail her kingdom. That was when she saw him.
With a "I'll be right back." She left a pile of lingerie and a credit card at the counter.
"Razor!" She demanded of the boy walking past with a guitar case and a brunette that was not Emily Kmetko.
He turned. "Lauren Tanner. I do believe that's the first time you've actually used my name."
"Well I thought calling you 'the help' probably wouldn't translate well across a mall floor.
She eyed up his companion. She looked like a brunette Taylor Momsen and was far too similar to Emily Kmetko for Lauren's liking.
"Who's your little friend?" She enquired.
Razor took a deep breath in.
"Excuse me?" The girl demanded of Lauren.
"I asked who you were?"
"I'm his bandmate, who are you?"
"Lauren, this is Bennett, she's the new guitarist of the shelter pups. Bennett, this is Lauren Tanner, my co-worker's girlfriend, professional gymnast and professional mean girl."
"Ha-ha." Lauren fake laughed at Razor's description.
"So you're a professional bottle blond who dances around in her underwear. Victoria Secret does seem an appropriate shopping venue. What's next? Mani-pedis and a little dog for your purse."
"Of course not. I kill small animals and turn them into purses." Lauren stated with an entirely straight face. "But I am off to get a mani-pedi. Want to come?"
The girl made a face. "No. Why would I…"
"Sorry, but your clearly playing the cleavage for a band had reinforced your pre-existing entirely prejudicial gender stereotypes. I was asking Razor."
She rounded on the boy.
He chuckled nervously. "okay, this was perhaps a bad idea. Can we start again. Bennett, this is Lauren who despite appearances is not a bimbo but an intelligent world-class athlete who does things that make me want to crawl up into a ball and cry about my lack of physical ability. Lauren this is Bennett who apart from being an awesome songwriter and musician, has some mean-girl issues. Please…" he clapped his hands together "can't we all just get along."
They eyed each other up.
"My hair is not bottle blond" Lauren stated. "entirely."
"and I'm sure you don't make purses out of your dogs… mostly."
"Well I don't have a dog." Lauren stated. "My father didn't think I could be trusted with a pet so you might not be entirely wrong."
"So we're all friends?" Razor confirmed hopefully.
"Are you coming to get a mani-pedi?" Lauren demanded of him.
"Sure?" Razor answered tentatively.
"And you?"
"I actually have tutoring to get too." The girl stated. "But this has been… entertaining."
"Bye Razor."
'Bye Bennett." He waved the girl off.
"Come on. Mani-pedis, I insist. If I'm a gymnast and I can keep my hands and feet in good condition, you have no excuse."
That was how Lauren, Becca Keeler and Razor ended up writing generic Christmas names and getting mani-pedis.
"So Bennett." Lauren prodded. "At least she's an improvement on Emily Kmetko, not that that's hard… are you two official yet?"
"We're bandmates." He stated firmly.
"Is that band mates like Carter and I are teammates?" She glanced at Becca who was showing a distinct interest "and Austin."
"No, band mates as in friends. Platonically."
"Now you're telling me angry little rocker chicks aren't your type?"
"The problem is more her type." Razor laughed her off. "let's just say you've got a better shot."
"Oh." Lauren sat back in her chair and almost kicked the woman patting down her feet with a towel in the face.
Then she changed tacts immediately. "So you're still sad and alone then?"
He made a face. "Are you offering?"
"Please, I only date gymnasts." She relaxed back, enjoying the cream being rubbed in. "What about you B?"
"Yeah, me too." Becca spoke up "Gymnasts I mean."
"Well let me know which one you've got your eye on" Lauren informed her protégé. "and I'll help you get them. So long as it's not Austin and Carter though. They're just for watching. No touching."
"Its not…" Becca blushed an adorable red before jumping up. "excuse me." She told her pedicurist. "I'm just going to… bathroom, before you…" she ducked out and Razor rounded on Lauren.
"Wow. That was oblivious, even for you?"
"What?" Lauren demanded. She was lovely to Becca she thought.
"Let's just say my new band mate has given me insight, and that girl was definitely not talking about Carter and Austin when she was talking about gymnasts." Razor informed her pointedly.
"No." Lauren breathed. Then "wait… you think… on me?"
She fell silent.
"You're not going to be awful about this?" Suddenly Razor was concerned. "I mean, I know you can be a bitch, but she's just a kid with a crush. Don't be cruel."
"Oh I know." Lauren spat at him, barely resisting the urge to slap him on the arm. "But now I have to deal with this. Leave."
"Excuse me?"
"Your metrosexual treatment is over. We need girl time now."
"Girl time."
"Sisterly bonding of the familial kind, not sorority. Get your mind out of the gutter."
"Alright, goodbye my lady." He performed a mock boy.
When Becca returned, kicked off the white plastic thongs and stuck her feet back into the water, Lauren gave her a bright smile.
"What? Where's Razor?"
"Let's chat a little more about just what kind of gymnasts you like."
The optional training days meant by the time Becca and Lauren arrived at the gym, it was a mess. Optional training meant no structure. It meant half the coaches and gymnasts had left already and the others were squabbling over equipment as the laws of the gym reigned. It meant Payson, Kaylie and Emily had their pick of apparatuses. As did Austin and Carter, but the lead up to Christmas also meant gossip and procrastination ruled in the gym as well.
For once Payson wasn't drilling herself relentlessly.
"What could she possibly be using Becca for?" She demanded. "Becca doesn't even know what I'm changing my routine for nationals too."
"Maybe she's just using her to throw you off your game." Kaylie stated. It made her wonder what Lauren had planned for her. She considered herself the real threat to Lauren at nationals.
"You're right." Payson stated "we should just keep training, and ignore her."
"Well heads up." Emily injected. "She's here."
She was, and with Becca.
"Glad you could join us today ladies." Sasha stated. "Keeler, Susan is working the level 9s on vault. I suggest you warm up quickly and join her."
"Sure." She headed to the change rooms
"Are you having fun with these games?" He demanded of Lauren. She reached into her gym bag and pulled out a decorative box and a wrapped present.
"What is this?" Sasha was cautious. He opened it.
"Are these mince pies?"
"Merry Christmas." Lauren stated "from the three of us. Enjoy."
Before she could saunter off her father appeared.
"Lauren, a word." He insisted.
"Why did I just get a call from the bank checking that your visa credit card hadn't been stolen?"
"I was doing my Christmas shopping." Lauren stated. "Don't worry, I got your girlfriend something."
"You did? Something appropriate?" Steve was cautious.
"I got her and Emily a day at the spa and I got Brian two gold-class tickets to the gaming convention in Denver next month. Still want to revoke my credit card?"
Her father eyed her up before kissing her on the forehead. "No, that was very nice of you. Thank you."
She ducked out of his embrace.
"Well the boys are having a Christmas thing tonight. So I'll be home late. Don't wait up." She waved him off.
"Lauren." Her father called out "your grandmother is arriving tonight."
"Tell her I can't wait to see her."
She nodded to the boys and then headed to the locker room. In the space above each locker she deposited each present, leaving Emily Kmetko's empty and lingering by Kaylie and Payson's. Finally, she dumped her own bag in her locker, changed and checked her hair.
When she returned to the floor Austin was stretched out watching Carter on the parallel bars.
"He's getting good." Austin took the time to hug her and kiss her hair. The gym noticed.
"You would not believe the morning I've had."
"Yeah?"
"You'll laugh. I'll tell you later."
"We're still on for tonight?
"Oh yes." Lauren stretched out her back. "Oh I so don't feel like training today."
"Well you should. I cooked. The Eggnog is chilling. The pies and cooling and I have turkey marinating."
When Lauren didn't respond.
"Are you alright?"
"Peachy." Lauren stated, before she knew it she was against Austin's broad chest.
"So I can't guarantee you'll feel better." Austin was honest "But I can promise you good food, good company, a heated pool and copious amounts of alcohol. Plus I think Carter has some pretty intense private plans for tonight."
Lauren laughed.
"What about you? Apart from cooking food we really shouldn't be eating, are you okay for Christmas?"
"I have private plans of my own." He informed Lauren in a husky voice.
Across the gym Kaylie, Payson and Emily watched.
"How can she be all over him when Carter is right there." Kaylie spat. "It's disgusting."
"She's disgusting" Payson scowled. "I can't believe she beat me."
"She beat all of us, because Austin is helping her."
"And now they're stretching… together." Emily groaned. "This is so not fair."
"Isn't Damon back in town?" Kaylie enquired.
Emily nodded. "I saw him yesterday and I'm seeing him again after Christmas."
"Why?" Payson demanded. "So you can be like Lauren? We don't need boys in our lives."
They looked over in time to see Carter simply dismount and head over.
"When has Lauren ever been about needs anyway?" Kaylie pointed out. "She just takes what she wants."
Carter joined the pair.
"Hey." Lauren stated. She stretched out her legs and then touched her toes. "Have you spoken to your family yet?"
He made a face. "We're talking Christmas plans." Austin elaborated.
"No." Carter wasn't thrilled by the topic of conversation. "I figured I'd call them tonight."
She sat back up and hugged his shoulders silently.
"Well aren't we cheerful. Here's to a night of rum with a side of eggnog and celebrating Christmas with those we're not related too." Austin gave a mock cheers.
"I hate Christmas." Carter collapsed back onto the mat. "The only upside is the halfway decent tips I've been making."
"Just think." Lauren lay beside him. "Once we have gold medals we can get rid of it or fly to some exotic location where it doesn't seem like Christmas because there are palm trees and drinks in coconuts."
"I already have a gold medal." Austin pointed out "Why aren't I there now?"
"Good sex." Lauren punched him in the arm as a reminder.
"Right."
"Are you three having fun?" Sasha's voice interrupted them.
"Oh, so very much." Lauren's droll sarcasm replied sardonically, giving Sasha pause.
Austin stood and pulled the pair up.
"And thank you, for the mince pies and the cds." The collection of British bands had been a nice touch. Lauren had noticed he didn't exactly dislike the sex pistols.
"Austin bakes."
"And we hate Christmas carols." Austin added and then continued in a low voice. "please, god, anything to get rid of the Christmas carols."
Sasha didn't reply but he hated Christmas as much as the rest of them did right then.
Finally, after Christmas they packed up. Most girls dropped a thanks to Lauren on the way out.
Even Kaylie said an awkward thankyou, though she added. "Don't read anything into this, my mother raised me to be polite."
"Goodie for you." Was Lauren's only reply, then she slammed her locker door closed and headed for the car.
"I'll see you at home." Austin waved her and Carter off and headed for his 4WD. "I'm picking Olly up off the mountain."
Carter drove the expensive piece of machinery that was Austin's potential new Porsche and parked it next to his own beat up jeep.
Finally they were on private property and he could tuck Lauren under his arm properly.
He was a little unnerved when she pulled several bags worth of presents out of the car.
"Lo, we said no presents!" Carter protested. He was saving almost every penny.
"I know you didn't get me anything," Lauren insisted. "But I actually like shopping, and I had time today, after my pedicure with Becca, which is another hilarious story I have to tell you, so I got you some things."
"Some things?"
"Just a few."
"I did get you something." Carter informed her, "but its tiny."
"If I wanted something expensive I'd buy it myself."
Lauren followed him into the house and then into his bedroom. She methodically stripped off her clothes and then pulled him to the bed, kissing him deeply.
This wasn't about desperate passion or attraction, those were constants. This was about Christmas Eve and being together. He felt good inside her. She felt full. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him deep as he pumped. Her legs wrapped around his waist.
"I love you." She insisted. He touched her hair as moved slowly, still causing her to arch into him.
"I love you."
Lauren was tight. She always had been. It was a side-effect of being a gymnast, but the best side-effect was when she decided the slow building of pressure needed to be sorted out and she suddenly was causing him to move at a much faster pace.
She pulled him into her as deep as she could and gripped onto his muscled ass. He fucked her roughly and rubbed as a nipple before taking it into his mouth.
She released her grip on him to instead reach behind her for the headboard. She scrambled and ended up with pillow instead. She released it and went back to grip his shoulders.
"Jesus Lo." He insisted, slowing slightly to savour her.
He kissed under her ear.
"you feel so good. So hot all around me."
"Yeah? Mmm."
He rubbed at her clit until her whole body felt like fire.
He could feel her muscles clenching as he pushed her over the edge.
She went loose against him for a moment and her grip on him loosened while she recovered. He continued sliding in and out until she recovered and focused her attention back on him. Their rhythm was quickly re-established. Lauren was particularly sensitive, with each thrust drawing a minor aftershock out of her. Her muscles trembled but she held on, digging her nails into his back.
He wrapped one of his broad hands around her hip and braced her against the mattress before drilling into her. The movement saw her loose her last grip on control.
"Oh god…" She writhed under him, and Carter was coherent to think maybe he was taking this too far, but then she insisted "Don't stop… please… oh…"
He finished barely aware of anything other than white hot heat that erupted so strongly he ended up half crushing his girlfriend. She let him for a minute before finally shoving him in the shoulder with a grunt.
He pulled out of her slowly, and managed to pull of the condom. The bin was intelligently positioned close enough that he could reach it. But he had to reach back over Lauren so once the condom was disposed of, she shoved him off her again. The movement made her groan.
"Oh." She groaned. "Okay… that's."
Carter looked horrified. He could already imagine the bruises where he'd pushed into her skin.
"Lauren, I am so…"
Despite the effort it took to move at all. She dragged her face to meet him half way and gave him a loose kiss before flopping back down.
"No." She stated. "Don't... that was good. Sleep now, but that was… mmmn."
She made the happy noise as she grabbed at the sheet. The sweat on their bodies was cooling.
"Lo, seriously. Are you alright? I can't believe I…"
"I can." Lauren insisted. She would've looked him in the eye by she really didn't feel like moving. "I know how much this Christmas sucks for you. I know you don't want to be spending it here, or at work tomorrow."
"I spoke to Elspeth yesterday." Carter admitted "She's our… well, her husband is a wrangler. After Mum died she took over running the main house and the secretary stuff."
Lauren raised an eyebrow Carter couldn't see at his description. He still had a bit of cowboy in him.
"She was talking about everything. Everyone. Luke's in his junior year at high school, if he goes back. The ranch isn't doing well with the economy. One of girls I grew up with, is married and pregnant. All the guys went and cut down a Christmas tree." Carter sighed "my horse died."
Lauren couldn't help it. She'd felt achingly sorry for him until that last sentence. Her lips twitched with laughter and she was more than glad he couldn't see them.
"Your horse died?" She repeated. He scowled at the laughter in her tone and when he didn't reply she apologised.
"Sorry. Your horse died?" She asked in as serious a tone as she could muster.
Carter nodded. "Six weeks ago. A stallion from a neighbours property broke through a fence and got her pregnant. She was too old to carry, she died. I didn't even know she was pregnant."
"That sucks." Lauren stated. She snuggled into his side and splayed her fingers across his chest.
"She was my first horse." Carter stated. His fingers tangled in her hair.
"I know you miss it." Lauren stated. "and your family? They don't know what they're missing out on."
Carter didn't reply.
"You can talk to me about it, you know?" Lauren insisted.
"I don't really have anything to say." Carter stated. "I just… I miss it. I've never not spent Christmas at home."
"You could've gone back." Lauren pointed out, then winced and hoped it didn't sound like an accusation.
"So I could hear about how I wasting my life? No thanks." Carter groaned. "This is even worse. I don't want to spend Christmas like this."
"With me?"
"Complaining. I just want it to be over."
"Me too." Lauren stated.
He put a kiss on the top of her head. "I love you. I am glad to spend Christmas with you."
"You too." Lauren insisted. "I don't know how I would've got through this year without you."
"You would have." Carter insisted. "You're strong, its one of my favourite things about you. But I know what you mean, this year would've been a hell of a lot worse without you."
"Without me, you probably wouldn't have been suspended from the rock and you'd still be living at home."
"With a two hour commute? Besides, it was worth it. I like who I am now." Carter stated.
"Me too." Lauren agreed. She kissed him lightly. "Sometimes, I feel more grown up this year."
"You act it." Carter laughed before adding "sometimes."
"Oh hey." Lauren added. "Guess who's got a crush on me?"
She felt him tense under her and it made her smile.
"Who?" He demanded.
"So, I bumped into Razor today, at the mall, with Becca Keeler."
"Razor?" Carter scowled. That scumbag.
"Yes, and we dragged him along to get a mani-pedi."
Carter raised an eyebrow.
"And it turns out, Becca and Austin have something in common."
It took Carter a moment to get it and his eyebrows almost flew off his head.
"Really? I mean… what did you do?"
"What do you think I did? I let her down gently. Razor has this new bandmate I might set her up with, provided she's not a total nightmare."
"That's… hmmm."
"Oh my god your totally picturing me hooking up with her."
"No, I'm not." Carter instantly denied. "Not with Becca. She's tiny."
"She's a year younger than I was when we first had sex."
"Is she really?" Carter felt awful. He always felt awful thinking about that night.
Lauren nudged him and then kissed him on the lips before stretching and letting out a little moan. "One reason I am glad for Christmas, no training tomorrow after that."
"sorry." He winced.
Ignoring the pull of her muscles she mounted him quickly.
"I'm not some fragile little girl." She insisted "strong remember, and sometimes, I need it rough just as much as you do. I think I enjoyed it just as much as you did." She insisted and added with a wink. "if not more."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I'm not… Kaylie, or fragile. I like that you do your whole macho protective guy thing. It's hot and I can take anything you can give me."
Subconsciously he had his hands on her hips and she realised just how they were positioned without any clothes on.
"Just not now." She added with a wink. "Besides, I need a shower and shit… we were meant to pre-heat the oven for Austin."
Carter sighed. He really didn't feel like getting out of bed.
"Christmas dinner." He stated.
"Don't think of it like that. Think of it as a party, Christmas or otherwise. We'll drink lots of eggnog, have some fun and forget what tomorrow is."
"Good plan." Carter insisted. "You get the oven, I'll change the sheets. I'll meet you in the shower."
"Good plan." She repeated, and grabbed the dressing gown on the back of his door on the way out. He sighed and checked he had clean towels. His girlfriend had high standards.
So that's part one. Part two concludes Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Needless to say it's full of big explosions.
Please review! I want to know if you like this so I can adjust the second half if necessary.
Austin will be providing his own brand of Christmas cheer. Lauren will have more drama than she can handle and everything for Lauren will come to a head.
P.S. how do people feel about the sex scenes? I know this is an ABC family show so let me know…