"How'd that feel?" Payson asked after Emily warmed up on the uneven bars.

Her friend nodded confidently, "Good, I'm ready to go," she said, more to herself than to her teammate and temporary coach. Payson nodded and stepped away, recognizing Emily entering a competitive zone where conversation would just distract her.

Sasha walked over to her, "What do you think?" he asked, eyeing Emily critically, unobserved by the gymnast herself.

Payson looked up at him; he was standing very close to mask their conversation. Gymnasts didn't need to hear their coaches talking about them during competition, especially one as big as the World Championships. "She's going to nail it," Payson said, under her breath.

He raised his eyebrows, "Yeah?" he asked, looking over at Emily, who was chalking her hands.

"Definitely," Payson said and moved to get the spring board in the right place for Emily to start off the US National team's rotation on the bars. Ellen Beals stood a few feet away glaring in their general direction, as she had since they arrived in Rotterdam.

The flag went up and Emily raised her arms in salute to the judges and proceeded to rock the bars, a small step in her landing notwithstanding, it was a solid routine. Sasha beamed at the gymnast the gymnastics world had called unpolished only a few months ago. "Excellent job, Emily," he said and embraced her.

"Trust," Payson said to the girl who'd grown to be her closest friend at the Rock.

Emily's smile lit up, "Trust," she said and gave Payson a hug. They waited for her score together. The tension was unbearable. Thanks to Beals ridiculous vendetta, Emily led the US team off on bars, a disadvantage since scores tended to build higher and higher on an apparatus, but that routine was excellent. Then Payson heard a shriek from next to her, Emily's eyes had been glued to the board. A 16.4, Emily's new personal best in any competition and a score that would easily qualify her for the uneven bars individual competition at the end of the weekend. Emily then walked away to prepare for the next rotation: beam.

She watched as Sasha followed Andrea Conway onto the platform to help her prepare. Payson looked around for Kaylie who'd be anchoring the team on the event. She should be on the floor somewhere, but Payson didn't see her. Kaylie had been acting strangely since they arrived. She'd said something about a stomach bug at dinner the night before, but she'd seemed fine that morning on the way to the arena. Payson wandered down the tunnel back towards the US locker room. That's when she saw her friend passed out on the floor of the hallway.

"Kaylie!" she screamed, altering a security guard standing down the hallway. He came racing towards her, "Call the trainers, a doctor, someone!" she yelled to him. He understood her well enough and quickly called for help over the radio attached to his shoulder. "Call Sasha, her coach, Sasha Beloff, down from the arena too," she insisted. The guard nodded and called security on the floor to bring the coach as well. Seconds later, a crowd of medical personnel surrounded Kaylie. They were speaking Dutch and Payson couldn't understand a word of it, but Sasha spoke enough German as did one of the EMTs for a loose translation, "He said, she's got a strong pulse, she passed out and hit her head."

Payson shook her head in disbelief and felt Sasha's arm go around her shoulders, practically holding her up. "It's going to be okay, Payson, she's going to be okay."

Ellen Beals stood off to the side of the scene frowning in concern, not just for Kaylie, but for the team as well. They carried a maximum of six athletes and six athletes had to compete on each apparatus for the US team to have a chance at the Gold.

"I'm going with her to the hospital," Sasha said to Payson quietly. She nodded staring at Kaylie, still unconscious, laid out on the stretcher. He kissed the top of her head softly. "I need you to get Emily through this competition, Payson."

Beals had a plan forming in her mind already and it certainly didn't involve Payson Keeler coaching Emily Kmetko through the competition, "You're not going anywhere, Beloff. Someone from the National Committee can accompany Kaylie to the hospital. We need at least two coaches on the floor."

"Payson is here as a coach, it'll be fine," he said, furrowing his eyebrows at Beals.

Beals clenched her teeth as if what she was about to say caused her tremendous pain. "Payson can't be a coach because we need her to compete."

Sasha looked at Beals like she had ten heads, "She can't, thanks to your misguided advice, she isn't on the National team."

Beals held up a hand to silence him. "We listed her as an alternate. The same day I got your ridiculous message that Payson would be coming to World's as a coach, I also got a phone call from the USA Gymnastics accountants. Times are tough and we couldn't afford to send a second alternate, so we listed Payson figuring at best we wouldn't need her and at worst it would be a great PR story."

Payson looked between Sasha and Beals, "But Lauren is the alternate. She's in the stands right now."

Beals shook her head, "She is one of two alternates and we are free to choose which athlete can compete. Lauren is an excellent beamer and a nice gymnast, but Kaylie was our hope for an All Around championship and rumor has it, your All-Around DOD is higher than Genghi Cho's."

Payson sighed, "Someone has a big mouth," she said, looking sideways at Sasha, who'd probably blasted Beals with that information during one of their many battles. He shrugged unapologetically and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Can you do it, Payson?" Beals asked, looking between her and Sasha.

Payson looked at Sasha her meaning clear to him immediately. He nodded, understanding what she'd decided. She turned, taking a deep breath and walked away from them, steeling her mind from thoughts of her friend traveling to the hospital and her other friend sitting in the stands having no idea that she'd just lost the opportunity of a lifetime.

Beals stared at Payson's retreating back and then looked at Sasha. "Well?"

"She'll do it, give me a minute to get her routines down on paper for the judges." Sasha said jogging back towards the floor. It all comes down to this, Beloff. Does she really have it in her? Sod off, of course she does. In just a few minutes the world of gymnastics would be turned upside down.

It was the most incredible thing Sasha had ever seen. A 66.95 on day one and that's with deductions for a hop on her vault landing and connectivity on beam. Nastia Liukin had won gold in Beijing with a 63.325 and Genghi Cho had never scored higher than a 64.00. He sat at the front of the bus, only a seat away from Ellen Beals. It had been an insane night, though it seemed every major competition brought its fair share of heartache and glory. Kaylie had checked out fine at the hospital. She was back at the hotel resting. The Doctors said she was suffering from extreme fatigue, though Sasha thought there was more to it than that. He was going to take a trip there tomorrow morning to consult with them.

Emily had done well enough on both bars and floor to qualify for the individual event finals and the US team was in first place going into the team finals the next day. He turned around and saw the girls sitting together. Lauren was obviously pouting over not being called upon as an alternate. Sasha hoped this might end that scary alliance between Beals and Steve Tanner, what he liked to call his own personal Axis of Evil. Just in front of Lauren, Emily and Payson were sitting silently, both girls practically glowing after the performances they'd given. Payson seemed to feel his gaze upon her and she locked eyes with him. She didn't smile, her expression barely shifted at all, but it was in that moment Sasha knew. She was it for him. Two years from now, five years, whether she wanted him or not, Payson Keeler had captured him body and soul.

He'd been silent for too long on the plane, so she'd given him an out, "Think about it, Sasha, think about it and let me know," she'd said. In that moment he'd felt like they'd reversed roles completely, as if she were the mature, sensible adult giving the young, naïve teenager time to think things through. They'd tabled the issue and it hadn't interfered with their preparation for the event, helping Emily and Kaylie get ready for the biggest competition of their lives, but now he knew and the decision had never really been a choice after all. It just was.

They had all crowded into the elevator together, Emily, Lauren, Beals and the other National team members exiting on the 4th floor, while Payson and Sasha remained in the elevator to the 6th where most of the club coaches had been placed.

Lauren pushed out of the elevator with a huff, obviously in a race to get back to her room, call her father and complain. The rest of the girls hugged Payson and said good night.

"Beloff, see you in the morning," Beals said, her mouth twisting into a sort of smile. "Good night, Payson," Beals said. "I'll be up in a little while for bed check."

The elevator door closed behind her and both coach and gymnast let out a sigh of relief and then looking at each other burst into hysterical, joyous laughter. They laughed during the two floor journey and practically fell off the elevator together, reaching out to support each other.

"A 66.95, almost a 67," Payson did a pirouette in the center of the elevator alcove. "That was the most amazing night of my life."

Sasha leaned against the wall with his arms folded across his chest and just watched her. She flitted and flew back and forth across the floor, just as she had during her floor exercise routine that night, her hands gracefully extended and flowing around her. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

She stopped spinning for a moment and smiled at him, completely unselfconscious under his gaze. She stepped towards him and he uncrossed his arms, letting her in and pulling her close into a tight embrace. She buried her face in his neck and he felt her lips lightly brush his pulse point. They just stood there for a moment relishing the closeness. It was the private celebration of two people who had been through hell together and come out the stronger for it. He sighed, "Two years," he said, and she pulled back to look him in the eye.

She titled her head at him, "Are you sure?"

He nodded, "Yes. Two years, Payson Keeler. We have a mission, together: Olympic gold and once we've succeeded, well then, if you'll have me…" he trailed off as she moved closer to him again.

Her hand crept up to brush against the roughness of his cheek. His eyes drifted closed as he leaned into the sensation, but then suddenly, she was gone. He looked up in confusion and saw that the light indicating an elevator had arrived was lit brightly. "It's probably Beals. Bed check," she said mockingly as she pulled away from him entirely.

It was in fact Ellen Beals and Sasha thanked his lucky stars that Payson was so observant, "What are you two still doing out here?" she asked, more confused than suspicious.

Sasha couldn't help himself. "Sneaking out after curfew." Payson snorted and unsuccessfully tried to mask it with a cough, "Don't tell my mum," he said, rolling his eyes at her. Beals just glared at him.

Payson smiled blindingly at her, using her 'Payson Keeler: Media Darling' smile, "We were talking through each routine from tonight. I still can't believe how high my score was," she said, smiling again at Beals and then turning to Sasha, who could barely contain his laughter.

Beals frowned, "Well, that's very nice, but you should be in bed. We can't have the USA's best hope for All-Around gold sleep deprived the night before team finals."

"You're right," Payson said. Beals smiled and nodded, but seemed unsure of herself. "G'night, Sasha. Miss Beals."

"Coach Beals," she corrected, but Payson had already turned to walk down the hallway and ignored her completely. Beals turned on Sasha.

"Talking through her routines?" Beals asked. "Really, Beloff, that couldn't have waited until morning? She needs her rest."

"Payson is the most focused gymnast on the planet, Ellen, but even she deserves to relive the masterful job she did tonight, completely saving your ass, I might add."

Beals pursed her lips and made to reply with a biting comment of her own, but Sasha was already past her and halfway down the hallway to his room. "I'll see you in the morning, Beloff," she said. He raised his index finger in the air and twirled it around in acknowledgement, but didn't turn around.

Ellen Beals got on the elevator feeling that she'd somehow missed something, like Payson Keeler and Sasha Beloff were in on their own private joke and she was the punch line. She shook her head, "I'm the head coach of this team and we're going to win the Gold medal tomorrow. Keeler and Beloff can laugh their asses off at that if they want."