A/N: Much more to come!
After what had truly been a wonderful night, JJ had been the first to wake the following morning. For the first time all weekend, the rain had broken and the sun was shining through the window.
Not in any hurry to move, JJ had stayed beneath the covers, her eyes drifting over to the sleeping face of her boyfriend. He'd looked so peaceful that JJ had let him sleep a little longer. He'd put so much work into making sure their weekend together was perfect; he had more than earned a decent rest.
Hours later, she was home. Will had dropped her off with a tight hug and a sweet kiss, before leaving her to mentally prepare for another week of dealing with the professional aspects of her gymnastics.
Unpacking was a drag, but eventually it was done. No sooner had she packed away the last of her things than she was falling onto her bed, her mind already drifting back to the weekend.
A light knock at the door immediately pulled her back into the present.
"Mind if I come in?" came her mother's voice.
"Sure," JJ replied, turning her head towards the door as her mom came into the room.
"How was your trip?" Sandy asked, taking a seat at the end of JJ's bed as JJ pushed herself up to a sitting position.
"Oh my god, it was amazing. The cabin was so beautiful, and the lake was beyond gorgeous. Will said he'll take me back in the summer," JJ replied.
"I've heard all about it from his parents... it does sound amazing," Sandy said with a smile. "That boy is quite the romantic"
"He really is," JJ said, her mind momentarily wandering back to the previous morning as a happy smile crossed her face.
A few moments' silence passed, only to be ended when JJ took a deep breath and looked up at her mom once more.
"Can I ask you something? Something personal?" she asked quietly.
Sandy nodded slowly, looking rather concerned. "What's it about?"
JJ sighed, clasping her hands together tightly. "Sex"
Without hesitating, Sandy nodded. "Go on"
JJ frowned, biting her lip. "I don't know how to explain it without just telling you what happened... minus the details, of course"
Relaxing, Sandy chuckled. "Go ahead, you know I won't judge"
"Well... last night, Will and I were... you know... and, there was this moment... when it felt like nothing else in the world mattered... like it was just Will and I and we were all that existed. And right after that, I felt this incredible feeling of love... it was so strong, I could feel it in every part of my body, but it wasn't a physical thing? And it was so overwhelming... when it was all over, I just started crying, I couldn't control it," JJ explained softly. "I just... I know it was love that I was feeling, but I don't really understand... why it hit me last night in the way it did... and I was wondering if you've ever experienced anything like that?"
Sandy was slightly taken aback. She and JJ had always been close, but the fact that JJ trusted her enough to open up to her about something that had clearly been a special and private moment was something that she found deeply touching. It also amazed her (and made her incredibly proud) that even at what was a considerably young age as far as committed relationships went, JJ had such a mature perspective on the things she was experiencing in her relationship with Will.
Turning so she was facing JJ completely, Sandy smiled at her daughter, reaching out and squeezing her hand.
"True love is one of the most powerful things you can feel, my girl, and from what I can guess, you definitely felt that last night with Will. When you're in a deeply connected, committed relationship, as you two are, the emotions you feel during sex are so much stronger, they can be incredibly overwhelming, which is probably why you started to cry," she explained gently. "You were alone together all weekend, you were celebrating an important milestone in your relationship... I suspect that all played a hand in what you felt. As for your other question... I have felt that before... many times, actually. With your father. The first time I ever felt that... was the same moment I realised he was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with"
JJ broke into a soft smile. Her parents' relationship was one for the ages, a model of what she wanted in her future one day. To hear her mother's honest account of what she thought and felt really helped her to better understand what she herself had felt.
"It sounds like you had a really special weekend," Sandy said with a smile. "I'm glad of that... you and Will don't have the easiest relationship, what with all your training and other commitments combined with his work and study. It's nice to see you two are mature enough to handle it really well"
"It was amazing," JJ agreed quietly. "What we have is something worth fighting for, it's worth putting in the effort"
"You two have always been beyond your years... I suspect your gymnastics has a hand in that. I'm just glad that you're happy. Because if he was making you miserable, I'd kick his ass"
JJ laughed. "I don't doubt that for a second"
Sandy grinned. "Was that all that was on your mind?"
Glancing up, JJ shook her head, a playful smile emerging onto her lips.
"I've kind of been thinking lately... that, maybe, I'd like to get... a tattoo"
Sandy's smile after that statement was one that could only read defeat. JJ had to laugh at her mother as she pretended to be completely scandalised by the idea, before she too started to laugh with her daughter.
"I was wondering if that was ever going to come up," Sandy eventually admitted. "Olympic rings, I'm guessing?"
JJ nodded. "I'd never really given it much thought until Worlds, and I saw some of the others who competed in London as well. I just thought 'hey... I think I'd like to do that too'"
"If it's what you want, I'm not going to stop you," Sandy replied. "It's your body, your decision"
JJ beamed. "Thanks Mom. For everything"
"Anytime, my girl"
It only took two days before JJ had decided to bite the bullet and get the tattoo done before she had time to psych herself out of it.
Roping Will in to accompany her, they had made the short journey downtown to the tattoo parlour that she had heard recommended by others many times before. She was also pretty sure one of their former classmates was working there.
The ring of the bell as they'd walked through the door had caught the attention of the guy leaning on the front service counter sifting through design books.
"Hey, how are y... JJ, is that you?" he asked immediately, breaking into a grin. "And Will?"
"That would be us," JJ chuckled, recognising the familiar face of their high school peer, Lukas. So the whispers had been bang on.
"I'm pretty sure the last time I saw you guys was graduation, man, this is crazy!" Lukas laughed. "How you been? How was the Olympics, I heard you did crazy good!"
JJ grinned. "Well, five medals was pretty good"
Lukas nodded, clearly impressed. "That's wicked. Still doing gymnastics?"
"Still going," JJ chuckled. "I just got back from Worlds a couple of weeks ago, it's been a bit of a rollercoaster"
"I still think wanting to do tricks that could kill you is crazy, but hey, to each their own," Lukas laughed, getting an immediate nod of agreement from Will. "So, I'm guessing you're here for a reason. What can I do for you?"
"I want to get the Olympic rings tattooed... somewhere," JJ said with a laugh. "I haven't given much thought to where"
"They're popular on wrists," Lukas said knowingly. "It depends how easily you want to see it"
"I'm not too fussed about seeing it," JJ admitted. "I'll know it's there"
"What about on your shoulder?" came Will's gentle voice behind her. "Right... here," he said softly, his fingers touching a spot on the back of JJ's shoulder.
As if his touch had imprinted the tattoo itself onto her skin, JJ looked up at Lukas.
"Where Will said. On the back of my shoulder"
"Alright. You're all done!" Lukas said chirpily nearly an hour later.
"How does it look?" JJ asked Will, keeping completely still as Lukas wiped the back of her shoulder down a couple more times with an antibacterial wipe.
"It looks really good," Will said with a smile. "Suits you"
JJ had decided on a set of rings that were completely blacked out, and were no bigger than the back of her hand. It was simple, and elegant, and Will knew JJ was going to love it.
Standing up off the table, JJ turned to face the mirror as Lukas held up a smaller mirror behind her.
"There you go"
Immediately, JJ's face relaxed into a smile.
It was perfect.
Forever an Olympian.
