A/N: Thank you, thank you, thank you to AngelWings8, Majors Darlin, JCI, iheartcam, Anonymous, BearyFunny66, Ida-Cullen, and crazylady789 for the reviews. It's good to know that you all enjoyed the chapter.
I know a lot of you guys wanted Sasha to annihilate Benji, and I did too, but I couldn't make him do it. I have a whole host of reasons for it that I'm not going to get into here, but if you really want to hear them you can PM me. Otherwise, I gave you guys a little something in this chapter that will hopefully make up for it ;)
As always, REVIEW! Oh! And if you haven't checked out my newest one-shot "No Envy, No Fear," you should. And you should review it, too.
Chapter 37
Sasha smiles to himself as he stirs the pasta that's cooking on the stove. Payson should be on her way any moment to spend the night and the entire next day with him. Alone. She's been back from Italy for a week and since then they've had almost no time to themselves, and they definitely haven't properly celebrated their one year anniversary. He had planned to celebrate with her in Rome, but when Austin and Kelly tagged along it became almost impossible to squirrel her away, and he's about to make up for it. With her parents out of town for some work function of Mark's, and Becca spending the weekend in Aspen with a friend, Payson is free to spend as much time as she wants with him.
As he drains the pasta into a colander, someone knocks on the door. He frowns, wondering who could be at the door, because Payson would never knock.
"Yes?" He calls. He sets the pan back on the stove and wipes his hands on a dishtowel before moving through the apartment to the entryway and pulling open the door.
Amelia Marks stands in front of him, her hand raised to knock again. She jumps a little, dropping her hand and straightening her tailored jacket.
"Ms. Marks," Sasha greets coolly. She shifts uncomfortably and then seems to snap back into her self-assured, journalist mentality.
"Coach Beloff. I was hoping I could speak with you regarding the NGO's announcement today," Amelia says. Sasha frowns. He hadn't heard anything about an announcement from the NGO. Immediately he jumps into panic mode, though he tries not to show it; what could possibly have happened that Amelia Marks wants his comment on?
"I don't have a comment at this time," Sasha says, trying to keep his voice even. Then a thought occurs to him. "How did you find me here?"
"Oh, I uh, I went by The Rock but you weren't there so I did a little digging and found out that your name is on the lease for this place. I thought you lived in the trailer that's parked at The Rock?" Amelia asks. Sasha snorts and shakes his head.
"Again, no comment."
He hears the solid thud of sneakers hitting the stairs and recognizes the cadence as unique to Payson. Glancing at Amelia he waits for her to round the corner, and when she does his breath catches. She's not dressed in anything he hasn't seen her in before; form fitting jeans with the cuffs rolled up, a light blue, tiered halter top, and white Sperry's, but something about her is different. Then he realizes it's her smile. The unadulterated, girlish joy that lights her face is an expression he hasn't seen on her in months, since before their relationship became public.
Sasha's phone starts to ring from inside the apartment. He looks over his shoulder, then back to Payson, and then to Amelia.
"Answer it! Answer it!" Payson cries happily. She doesn't even acknowledge Amelia as she slips past Sasha and into the apartment, tugging him along behind her.
"Uh, good day," he says to Amelia before letting the door shut in her face.
"Sasha, answer your phone," Payson says. She's bouncing on the balls of her feet, not even trying to contain her excitement. Sasha frowns, but does as she asks.
"Beloff," he answers, wondering how Payson knows who's calling him.
"Sasha, this is Dameon Clarke. I was hoping to get a minute of your time." Sasha's eyes flick to Payson's and she smiles broadly, silently clapping her hands together.
"Of course," Sasha says carefully. He isn't naive enough to get carried away with the hope that they're offering him his job back, but he doesn't know why else Payson would be so excited. Her giddiness is contagious, and he's having a hard time not jumping to conclusions.
"The National Committee made a mistake removing you as head coach of the National Team, Mr. Beloff. We were under the mistaken impression that Benjamin Reynolds had what it took to win at the Olympics, and that you were going to create bad publicity because of your relationship with Ms. Keeler. I can't tell you how many letters and phone calls we've received, chastising us for letting you go and expressing support for you and Payson," Mr. Clarke explains.
"I see," Sasha says, nodding slowly.
"It's clear to us that you are the only coach who can take the United States to the Olympics, and bring us home the gold. We'd like to reinstate you as National Team coach." Sasha fights a smile.
"You'll allow all the gymnasts that quit back onto the team?" Sasha confirms.
"Of course."
"Wonderful. Then we have a deal." Sasha ends the call with a promise to meet early the next week to discuss a contract, and turns to Payson.
"How did you know?" He asks, studying her carefully. She frowns a little.
"You hadn't heard they fired Benjamin?" she asks.
"No, I hadn't."
"You clearly need to pay more attention to the news," Payson says, laughing. "When they made that announcement, I knew it was only a matter of time. Plus, Kelly texted me and said Dameon had called her and Austin, and asked what it would take to get them back on the team. They said you."
Sasha crosses the room, gently taking her face in his hands and kissing her lightly.
"What did I ever do to deserve gymnasts as wonderful as you all?" he asks her.
"I have no idea," she responds. He kisses her again, more deeply this time, letting their tongues mingle as their lips seal together. Payson stands up, slipping her hands beneath his t-shirt and lightly scraping her blunt fingernails over his abs. He can't help but shiver, holding her tightly. His hands squeeze her sides and she giggles as he hits a ticklish spot.
"We have an entire night and day to ourselves; whatever shall we do with them?" Payson smiles wickedly, making Sasha groan. He and Payson have only slept together a handful of times, he can count the number on one hand, easily, but she's quickly growing into her role as wicked temptress.
"Did you have something in mind?" he asks, his voice hoarse even to his own ears. She smiles, pushing him back and standing up.
"I have an anniversary present for you," she says with a shrug.
"Payson, I thought we said no gifts…"
"We did. But this…well I couldn't resist." Payson starts backing into the bedroom, her fingers toying with the hem of her shirt.
"Do I get to unwrap it?" Sasha asks, following her the way he imagines a lion stalks its prey. She blushes, but smiles seductively around it.
"I thought I might do the honors."
Payson lifts her shirt above her head and Sasha nearly chokes on his own tongue. She's wearing a dark rose colored lace bra, with scalloped edges and a flowery pattern barely covering her perfect breasts. When she shimmies out of her jeans he sees that she's wearing matching thong, and it makes his heart literally skip a beat.
"Where did this come from?" Sasha asks, half praising and half cursing whoever came up with this little number.
"La Perla," she answers, her voice sickeningly sweet. "Are you coming, or not?"
Sasha groans and follows her into the bedroom.
#
"It's been a good year, huh?" Sasha asks, leaning forward to press a kiss at the nape of Payson's neck as he works soapsuds into her shoulders. She moans softly as his fingers hit a knot, leaning forward a little bit.
"It's been a very good year," she agrees, humming under his touch. Payson scoops up a handful of bubbles, blowing them into the air. "Do you ever think about the future?"
Sasha's mind immediately goes to the engagement ring he has sitting in his top dresser drawer. He looks at it almost every day, imagining how it will look on her slender finger, how he'll ask her, where they'll get married. They're starting a life together, even if she doesn't realize it.
"I do. Haven't we talked about this?" Sasha asks, wondering where she's coming from. They've talked about their intention to get married, to be together forever. Maybe not the specifics, but there's time enough for that.
"I know, but we've never really discussed details." Sometimes Sasha marvels at how well they know each other, how they practically read each other's minds.
"Do you want to discuss details?" Sasha asks, twisting her hair and piling it on top of her head so he can massage her neck.
"I don't know. I've just been thinking about it a lot lately. I mean, I turn eighteen in just a few months and the Olympics are coming up sooner than any of us realize. It might be nice to have a plan for afterwards," Payson says.
"What do you want to do?"
"I want to go live at your cabin in Cambria and hide from the world," Payson says with a laugh. Sasha chuckles.
"I don't see you as a hermit, love," he responds.
"I guess I haven't thought enough about it. For so long the Olympics has been my only goal, the only future I could see. Now I have you and I see our future, but I still don't know what I do or where we are. Do you want to stay here?" Payson asks.
"You're going to hate me for saying this, but I'll go wherever you want to go, Iubito. Besides you, there's nothing tying me to Boulder. If you want to stay, I'll keep coaching at The Rock but if you want to leave we can do that too," Sasha explains.
"You're not helping me narrow anything down, Sasha," Payson sighs, her tone playful.
"I know, I'm useless," he jokes. "Do you want to go to school?"
"Yes."
"Do you want to coach?" Payson sighs and he knows then that she's at war with herself. A part of her wants to move on, leave gymnastics behind, and a part of her is still so in love with the sport she can't imagine leaving it.
"I don't know," she whispers. Sasha wraps his arms around her and pulls her against him tightly, pressing a kiss to her neck.
"You've got time, Payson. None of this needs to be decided right now. And when you do decide, I'll be right there with you, every step of the way," Sasha promises.
"I love you so much," Payson breathes, leaning back to kiss him.
"I love you too, Iubito."
#
"Kim, welcome back," Sasha greets Monday morning as Mrs. Keeler walks into the office. She looks up from the stack of papers in her hands and smiles at him.
"Morning Sasha. How was your weekend?"
"Good. Yours?"
"Oh just fine. Those work things always drive me crazy, but it was nice to get away for a couple of days," Kim says. "Payson said you went out with your friend…Liam? And the rest of her friends."
"We did, last night, to celebrate," Sasha says.
"Oh right! I heard on the news and I meant to congratulate you." Kim pulls him in for a quick hug, squeezing his shoulder. "I have to say I am not at all sad to see Benjamin Reynolds go."
Sasha wonders briefly if Payson told her parents what happened in Italy. He can't imagine they didn't see the bruises that are still slightly visible, but Payson could have told them anything. Mark would have lost his mind if he knew that Benji had put hands on his daughter.
"None of us are," Sasha agrees.
They work in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Sasha hears Payson shriek in rage. He and Kim glance at each other as they bolt out of their chairs and down the stairway to the floor. Payson and Lauren are heaped on the floor, swinging blindly at each other. Payson got at least one good hit in, Lauren's lip is split, but mostly they block or miss each other. Sasha runs across the mat, not sure how much longer he can play referee when all he really wants to do is let someone have at Lauren. Just before he reaches them, Payson's guard drops and Lauren lands a solid punch to Payson's right eye. She grunts with the force and then rakes her nails down Lauren's face, drawing blood in four angry red lines.
"Payson!" Sasha shouts. He grabs her under the arms, hauling her away from Lauren, but she fights him every step of the way.
"She called me a whore, Sasha!" Payson screams, still trying to break free. He looks over his shoulder to see Kelly and Emily bearing down on Lauren, taking up Payson's slack. "I'm so sick of all your crap!"
"Austin, get Lauren out of here! Now!" Sasha knows that no matter how much Austin dislikes Lauren, he'll do as Sasha says. Sure enough, Austin scoops Lauren into his arms carries her off the floor, shouting at Kelly and Emily to stay back. As soon as he sees they're listening, he drops Lauren unceremoniously to her feet, grabbing her by the elbow instead, and hauling her out.
"You three," Sasha says harshly, pointing to Kelly, Emily, and Payson in turn. "My office, now."
The three girls scamper up the steps and into the office. Sasha turns to Kim, who looks both horrified and concerned, and settles a hand on her shoulder.
"Do you mind giving us a minute?" he asks. Kim silently shakes her head and moves towards the parents viewing area.
He climbs the steps slowly, trying to work out what he's going to say to them. When he enters the office, shutting the door behind him, Payson is slapping both Emily and Kelly's hands away as they try to poke and prod at her eye.
"Ouch, stop!" Payson hisses as Kelly presses firmly to her cheekbone. Sasha goes to stand in front of her, shooing Kelly out of the way, and tilts her head back. "Sasha, I'm fine."
Sasha presses his thumbs against the bridge of her nose and she hisses again, but he knows it isn't broken. Then he makes her open her eyes to see if there's any visible damage.
"You're fine, although you're going to have a nasty black eye that will probably last you through World Team Tryouts," Sasha points out.
"Whatever. I'll gladly sport a black eye as long as I marked her up too," Payson huffs.
"You so did," Kelly says, a little too gleefully.
"Yeah, who taught you how to punch?" Emily asks. Payson smiles and then winces, turning to her friends to rehash her victory.
"Ladies," Sasha says, softly. They turn to him, eyebrows raised. "This has got to stop."
"She started…" Kelly says. Sasha holds up a hand.
"I know she starts the trouble more often than not, but you have got to learn to walk away. All of you. This kind of environment isn't productive and you all need to be concentrating on getting to Worlds and then the Olympics. Can you do that?" Sasha asks, almost begging the girls to just agree with him.
"Yes Sasha," they say in unison, sounding slightly forlorn.
"Good, now get back to practice. Payson, do you need ice for your eye, love?"
"No, I'll be okay." She leans in and presses a quick kiss to his cheek and then follows her friends.
Sasha sighs, basking in the peaceful silence. He's only allowed a few moments though, before Steve Tanner barges in, his face beet red and the vein on the side of his neck sticking out.
"Beloff!" he bellows.
"Can I help you, Steve?"
"Would you like to tell me why my daughter keeps coming home bruised and bloody?" Steve demands. Sasha groans and massages his forehead. He does not have the energy to deal with Steve Tanner right now.
"I'm sorry, Steve, it won't happen again. I hope," Sasha mutters.
"How does it happen in the first place? I know you're a little biased since Payson is dragging you around by your dick, but you can't let her get away with these kinds of stunts!" Steve hardly finishes his sentence before Sasha's hand is around his throat and he's pushing him up against the wall.
"I will not have you commenting on my relationship with Payson, Steve Tanner. I resent that you think I let my personal relationship with Payson bias me towards the other girls. Your daughter nearly ruined my career, and I've still treated her just like any other gymnast," Sasha growls. He is sick of their detractors hinting at bias in the gym, especially since he works very hard to make sure that isn't the case.
"If that were true, Lauren wouldn't be taking the beatings she is," Steve gasps. Sasha tightens his fingers around Steve's neck. Not enough to actually harm him, but enough to make it uncomfortable.
"Your daughter brings this all on herself. We've put up with so many stunts from her, and looked the other way, but this is too much! All Lauren does is push and push until someone snaps," Sasha explains.
Steve starts to respond, making a little gagging sound as his throat tries to make sounds beneath Sasha's hand, but they're interrupted when a little blonde Sasha never thought he would see again comes rushing in.
"Sasha!" Summer cries. "Let go of him!"
Sasha does as she says, but only after lightly slamming Steve back against the wall again. Steve gasps for air, ducking behind Summer, and massages his neck.
"Get out of my gym," Sasha says quietly.
"You'd better watch your back…"
"You aren't president of the parent's board anymore, Steve. I'm not afraid of you."
"You'll be lucky if I don't slap you, Payson, Emily, and Kelly with a lawsuit, Beloff," Steve insists as Summer pushes him out the door. Sasha catches the distinct glint of a gigantic diamond on her left ring finger, and can't say he's surprised.
Sasha takes a deep, steadying breath and slowly exhales. What he and the rest of his gymnasts need is for Lauren Tanner to be gone, though the chances of that happening are slim. He knows he can't place all the blame on Lauren; Kelly, Payson, and Emily could all exercise a little more restraint, but he also knows they wouldn't have to if Lauren didn't act like she does.
He's lost in thought, trying to think of what to do with Lauren, when Payson slips in.
"I want to leave," she says.
"I'm sorry?" Sasha asks, frowning.
"After the Olympics, I want to leave Boulder. I don't care where we go, as long as it's not here," she says calmly. Sasha smiles slightly and nods.
"Done." She smiles broadly and then winces when it aggravates her rapidly blackening eye. Sasha winces too. "You really should put ice on that."
"After practice, I promise." Then she's gone again, back to training.
#
The next morning, Sasha calls Lauren into his office. She slinks in and he fights a grimace when he lays eyes on her face; her eye is black and blue, just like Payson's, her lip is split, and the scratches down her cheek make it look like she was attacked by an animal.
"Lauren, this can't go on," Sasha says, sighing as she sits down in the seat across the desk from him. Lauren is silent, looking sadder than he's ever seen her.
"I just want Payson to forgive me," Lauren whispers. Sasha frowns.
"And you think the way you've been acting is what's going to make that happen?" Sasha asks. Lauren shrugs, still avoiding his gaze.
"I keep thinking if Payson loses it, if she just breaks, then maybe she'll forgive me. Like she's holding it all inside now and if she just gets it out of her system, we could be friends again," Lauren sighs. Sasha can't believe how misguided Lauren has become, and wonders how she got that way without anyone noticing.
"That's not the road to forgiveness with Payson. What she needed from you was loyalty, Lauren."
"How do I fix it?" Lauren asks, her eyes pleading with Sasha to tell her what to do. He debates with himself on what to tell her, and finally decides on being brutally honest. She needs that, and he doesn't think there's anyone else in her life that will give it to her.
"I'm not sure you can, and you need to learn to be okay with that. What you did isn't a little thing, it's a big thing that changed lives, and it isn't something Payson can just get over. The only thing you can do right now is not make it worse; stop pushing at her, stop trying to make her forgive you. If Payson is going to forgive you, it's going to be on her own timetable. The best you can do is leave her alone and let her work through her anger," Sasha explains.
"Do you think that will ever happen?" Lauren asks.
"If it does, it will be a long time from now." Lauren nods sadly. "Go on then, get back to practice."