Notes: I apologize if this chapter seems to branch off. It does have its purpose.

Viktor was worried he would not be able to find that woman again. He had returned to the rink, but she was not there. Members of the crowd still milled around. With a sigh, he turned the car and started to drive around slow enough to look at everyone around him.

He finally spotted her again, standing outside of a coffee shop, her phone in her hand. He pulled up in front of the shop and cut off the car. At first, she did not look up, but when she heard him, he startled her. She nearly dropped her phone.

Viktor apologized for the phone, but she was having none of it. "What do you want?" she asked with a sniffle.

"I need to speak to you. I want to understand why you want your daughters now."

She sighed and turned away from him. Before she could walk away Viktor grabbed her hand. "Let me buy you a coffee and we'll talk. And let's start with your name."

She looked down the street, licked her lip nervously, and said, "Shauna."

"Very well, Shauna," he told her with a gentle nudge towards the shop. "And I'm - "

"I know. Viktor Nikiforov." She gave him a smile, but it looked forced. They entered the warm shop, the scent of coffee heavy in the air. As they placed their orders, Viktor half expected her to flee. But she waited for her drink, and for him to receive his, before walking with him to a small table in the back, undisturbed and unnoticed by those just entering the building.

"I know a lot more than you think," Shauna admitted. "Not that I stalk them on social media or anything," she added hurriedly. Color flooded to her cheeks and she stopped herself by sipping her drink. "I... have followed the ice skating world for a very long time, waiting to see Anastasia show on the lists for competitions. She always loved to skate, and she wanted to be someone."

"She is someone," Viktor corrected her coldly.

Shauna swallowed hard and said, "Maybe I should just let you guide the conversation."

"Very well. Why did you come?"

"Actually, it was not a far journey for me," Shauna said softly. "I live about a hundred miles away." She pulled her phone from her pocket and cut it on. Viktor watched as she typed on it. "As you can see, anyone can easily find this." She slid her phone across the table to him. It was on the internet browser, open to a popular news site. Though the interviews had not been long finished, the front page was splashed with images of the skaters. There, in the middle of the page, was Yuri with his arm around Anastasia.

"You see, when I saw Yuri would be here, I had hopes Anastasia would as well. The media has loved speculating over the two of them for many months, now. Are they dating? Aren't they?"

Viktor smiled despite the situation. Yes, the media had been having a field day reporting on the two of them. "But why did you hope she would be here?"

"To see her. To talk to her. I know I might never gain her forgiveness, but I just want a chance to explain myself." She sighed and looked down at the table. Her voice broke as she said, "I had not seen Tatyanna since she was a baby. I can't believe how big she's gotten."

"You would have if you had been there for them."

Shauna nodded. She could not deny that fact. "I just... had grown to hate Russia. I spent a semester of college studying in Russia when I met their father. It was a rushed romance, and I quit school to be with him. Anastasia was born shortly after. She practically grew up on the ice, as her father's family owned a skating rink. By the time she was four, and skating on her own, I realized I was growing unhappy. But I could not separate her from her father or her passion. So I put up with years of unhappiness for her."

She ran her fingers along the rim of her cup of cooling coffee. "Then Tatyanna was born, and I had had enough. I could not take them away from Russia, but I could take myself away. It was a difficult choice. Anastasia loved skating, she had her coaches, and her sister was her pride and joy. She was a strong young girl, I knew she could handle not having a mother."

She sighed and did not face Viktor. "I don't expect you to pity me, but I will make my plea. Please, let me see them. Talk to them. At least let me see Tatyanna if Anastasia won't see me."

"That isn't my call to make," Viktor pointed out. "Anastasia is Tatyanna's guardian, not me." Viktor sipped his drink to buy himself some time. He knew Anastasia well enough to know she would not have anything to do with the woman before him. He also knew that even if she considered it, Yurio would not allow it. Finally, he said, "All I can do is talk to her. I will make no promises."

Shauna again nodded and said, "Thank you. It is all I can do to ask. And for what it is worth... I am sorry for upsetting her."

Viktor left her to her cold beverage and returned to the car. He thought as he drove, debating on whether or not to even bring up the suggestion to Anastasia. As he pulled up to the hotel, he had decided to mention it to Yurio and Yuuri. He knew both would disagree, but he would tell them what had been said.

As expected, Yurio was against it. "No. Absolutely not. She's not going anywhere near either of them."

Yuuri looked from Yurio to Viktor and nodded in agreement. "I have to agree with Yuri. I don't see how seeing her now, and her making these apologies that may or may not be sincere, is going to help anything."

"Don't even say anything to them," Yuri threatened.

"Very well. I won't. But I don't think she'll give up so easily."

"Then we'll have to fix that, won't we?" Yurio asked. His tone was icy. "Have her barred from the arena. Hell, tell the front desk not to let her anywhere near us. You can pull some strings, you're Viktor Nikiforov." He stomped off back down the hall and into Anastasia and Tatyanna's hotel room. He had become quite protective of the two of them, and he was not going to let some woman rattle them.