CHAPTER TWELVE- TRAVELING UPHILL BOTH WAYS

Coach Gunnerson had just hung up the phone when both Sebastien and Megan walked into the hotel room. They'd met in the lobby and taken the elevator up together- without a word. It wasn't that they were angry with each other, but that they had nothing to say. "Welcome home guys."
Sebastien merely glanced his way and stepped into the shower. Megan and Coach Gunnerson both heard the water spur to life, as if created an barrier around Seb. Sebastien stepped into the shower and sighed again. He slammed his fist into the wall and crumpled to the floor of the shower. His thoughts were demons that haunted him every moment of the day- and they'd never been more demonic than in the past few days. After his mother had passed away, he tried his best to beat out the monster that tortured his mind with tennis. Every time he succeeded, it only pushed him harder. In his head, he thought there was a point where if he got good enough, the monster would go away and he would be free. Freedom was something he hadn't had for a long time.
Megan threw her bag onto the bed she now officially shared with Sebastien. Sometime during the run, she'd made her decision. Megan knew Seb and Coach Gunnerson would be surprised with how quickly she'd chosen, but she knew it was the right thing to do. She just didn't know if there was enough time.
A soft click interrupted her thoughts. Sebastien was done, and it was her turn in the shower. After she emerged, Coach Gunnerson made them eat dinner. (Bean sprouts and whole-wheat bread.) As they prepared for bed, Gunns cleared his throat. Megan and Sebastien turned to him as they padded into the room.
"I made a phone call today." They shrugged. "To your parents." He was looking at Megan.
"My parents?" She instinctively reached for Sebastien, and they both relaxed as they realized the tension hovering over the room hadn't affected their love for each other at all.
"Yes…they're not…" he stopped.
"Not what?"
"Not willing to change their minds. Nothing good came of what I'd done…I just thought you needed to know I'd spoken to them."
Megan collapsed into Sebastien's arms. "There's still hope there, isn't there?"
"Yes, there's always hope. But O'Connor…you know it's not going to be easy."
"I know…"
Sebastien pulled Megan over to the bed and they all sat down, Coach Gunnerson facing the two of them. "What are our options?"
Megan spoke up. "There is only one option. I'm going to finish the Hamstead- and only after that will I seek help. If a doctor says I need to stop playing tennis, I will. I'll find other ways of paying back my parents, and maybe after that they'll consider letting me back in the family."
"What if this get's too far during the Hamstead's?" asked Sebastien.
"Then it will have gotten too far," she answered sharply. "I must finish this tournament. That's all I'm asking you guys, let me finish."
Coach Gunnerson nodded- it was nearly identical to Ekaterina's suggestion. "That sounds like a good plan. Considering the circumstances."
Sebastien could only pray Megan didn't get worse before the end of next week. He snapped back and checked the clock. "It's late. I've got a match tomorrow, and I need to sleep."
"So I do." Megan checked herself. "I mean, I need to sleep. It's been a long day, don't you think?"
Gunnerson agreed and leaned over to turn off the light. "Goodnight O'Connor, Dubé."
"'Night," they replied in unison.
Snuggled together under the blankets, Sebastien whispered to Megan, "You made a good decision."
"I only wish I could have made an easier one," she replied.
"In life, there are no easy decisions- only simpler ones."
"Wise words!" She paused.
"I love you," he said tentatively.
Softly, she kissed his cheek. "More wise words."
"The wisest one's I know." They kissed again, before Coach Gunnerson interrupted them.
"Go to bed guys! I don't want to hear this from my students- you should be focusing on the tennis, not each other!" he barked.
"Yes sir!" They both smiled to each other and fell asleep, ready but not willing for the next day to come.
The next day was pretty uneventful- Sebastien won his match, and Megan cheered on the sidelines. As soon as he'd finished, Coach Gunnerson herded them to the tennis club so they could keep training. The only thing of importance that day was Gunnerson's departure. He'd tried his best to bargain a few more days with Cascadia, but they'd already extended his holiday for two more days. Megan and Sebastien insisted on accompanying him to the airport, despite his reluctance.
"Coach…I can't believe you're leaving!" cried Megan.
"I can't believe you're here!" said Sebastien.
Coach Gunnerson gave Sebastien a knowing look. "Thanks, O'Connor. I have to get back to Cascadia- the rest of Top Gun still needs a coach, you know. Unlike you two!"
"Don't say that coach!" said Megan.
"Yea…you can tell from the past few days that we need you a lot more than you think we do. You did…a lot for us," said Sebastien, in a way very unlike him.
"Well you two have pretty big problems…and it's my job to do whatever's best for my players." He looked up as the boarding call for his flight was called. "I better go. Cascadia calls!"
He held out his hand, and Megan took it, nearly tearing up. Suddenly, she pulled forward and gave her coach a big hug- something she never imagined doing.
"Thank you so much…" she whispered through the tears.
Gunnerson was surprised. "Part of the job, O'Connor."
Sebastien walked closer to them and joined in the hug. "You went far past your job, Coach."
They stood there for a long time, letting the crowd move around them. They'd created a protection within each other, and as long as they weren't alone they'd be safe. Finally, Coach Gunnerson let go and looked at Megan and Sebastien. They'd been through so much, and they still had a long way to go. He patted them both on the back, and choking back tears said, "I'll see you guys in a week. You'll survive, you always do. Good luck!" He walked away to the gate and took one longing glance at his students before getting onto the plane.
Megan grabbed Sebastien's hand and pulled him over to the window. They watched the plane take flight, knowing it'd be their turn to leave in just seven days. But before they could do that, they had to win the Hamstead.