rejazzz: What do I have in store for Vivianne? Read the chapter and find out! :)

Brown eyed Girl 75: That didn't happen to her, but she's dealing with it. Trust me, you'll like what happens here.

katydid13: Thank you

A/N: An extra special big thank you goes out to rejazzz and BEG75. Without them, this chapter would not have been completed, I'd still be fighting with the characters. They are an enormous help and let me tell you, thank you is never enough. Love you lots ladies.

ooOoo

He said storms always fade, after they've had their way, they're never as bad as they seem. As long as the river still runs to the sea, hey lucky you, lucky me. Hey lucky you, lucky me.

Lucky Me- Great Big Sea

ooOoo

When I opened my eyes once again, I realized what I was doing. I was hugging the Olympic team's assistant coach. No, I couldn't do this! This was wrong. Surely if someone caught us we'd be in deep shit, him especially.

"No…" I whispered against his shoulder and started to pull away.

"What?"

"This is wrong…" I told him. "I shouldn't be doing this. Sure, I was crying and upset, but I really shouldn't be hugging you. You're the assistant coach!"

"Yes, but I'm also human," he answered me. "Whatever upset you, Vivianne, it had to be big. Otherwise I know you would not be on the floor of Herb's office in absolute hysterics."

I pulled myself away from him completely and shook my head.

"You're not a robot, Vivianne," he reasoned with me.

I looked up and wiped a tear from my eye.

"Right…" I whispered to him. "I have work to do, and I'm sure you have to get things done." I pushed past him and made it to the door.

"Vivianne…" the tone of his voice changed, almost as though he was pleading for me to stay.

"Don't try, Craig," I turn to look at him and shook my head. "Don't… I'm not worth it."

With that, I let the door shut behind me.

ooOoo

Later that night, there was a knock at my dorm room door. I had just finished a load of laundry and was getting ready for a shower when the knock became more persistent.

"Alright, I'm coming!" I shouted as I threw a towel on to cover myself up and opened the door.

Gary was standing on the other side.

"I don't want to talk to you," I turned away from him and attempted to make my way toward the shower.

"Viv…" he pleaded, reaching out and grabbing my forearm.

"Let go of me, Gary!" I didn't realize that I was shouting until I heard my voice echo throughout the room. "Let me go…" I hissed, dropping my voice dramatically. Ever since he had dropped the news on me that afternoon I could barely see straight. How the hell did he expect me to react? I was worried sick… not just about him but Mom as well. What did she think of this whole mess? She needed him to help keep a roof over their heads, not to be off in Kuwait or Sudan or whatever the hell it was he was going.

I waited until his fingers loosened from my arm and dropped.

"Viv… I know it's a shock for you, but you're going to have to accept it."

"I'm not worried about me, Gary. I'm worried about Mom! What is she going to do with all this?"

"She's moved in with Bane and Marcie."

"What!" I shouted. "They have a new baby… the last thing they need is to have our mother, who's a bitch at the best of times, move in with them while Marcie is still getting the girls used to having a new baby in the house!"

"That's why they offered to have her move in with them while we're away. They need the help and Mom's available… why not?"

"Get out…" I told him.

"I'm sorry…"

"Out!" I shouted.

Once the door had closed behind him, I stepped into the bathroom and turned on the water for the shower. For once in my life, I wasn't sorry to see the back of Gary Hallet.

ooOoo

Craig Patrick had heard the ruckus from down the hall. It sounded as though someone was having it out big time. Not many of the boys on the team had steady girlfriends, and he knew Herb would not allow them to bring flings anywhere near the dorms, plus it was a female voice that had been predominate throughout the argument, and really… the only young woman staying with them in the dorms was Vivianne.

Her door opened and out stepped a tall, well muscled young man who looked like he could've crushed a car just by sitting on it. As Craig approached the young man, he realized that he didn't look much older than Vivianne.

"Excuse me…" Craig called, causing the young man to stop in his tracks.

"Yes?" was the answer he got.

"Can I help you?"

"No thanks, I was just leaving…"

"Really?" Craig extended his hand. "Craig Patrick."

"Gary Hallet, I'm Vivianne's brother…"

Craig nodded. "I'm guessing you were the one she was yelling at."

"That would be me," he let go of Craig's hand and smiled. "How do you know my sister?"

"She works for the head coach. I'm the assistant coach."

"Gotcha…" Gary nodded as he checked his watch. "Look, uh… I don't want to cause trouble or anything, but…"

"Then get out of here!" came the response from behind Vivianne's door.

"See?" he nodded in the door's direction. "Alright I'm leaving, you stuck-up bitch!"

"Fuck you, you wanker!" she shouted back at him.

Snorting, Gary bade farewell, and Craig gently knocked on the door.

ooOoo

"Didn't I just… oh!" I opened the door to find Craig Patrick standing in the doorway. "Sorry, I thought you were…"

"Your brother?"

"Yeah, did you…" I placed my hand on my hip, very aware of the towel that now adorned my wet hair. "Did you hear that?"

"Every word…" he told me.

"Oh Jesus…" I put a hand to my face. "Sorry, it's just… I can't stand to look at him right now. What he told me this afternoon, it really… it really hasn't hit me yet. I don't know what I'm doing."

"Should I leave you alone then?" he asked me.

"Actually, I wondered why you're standing here. Did I miss something with that paperwork I brought over to Herb's desk?"

"No, no… don't worry about that… I just wondered what had happened, since I heard screaming."

"Oh well, now you know," I unwrapped the towel from my hair and threw it into the laundry basket in the corner of the room. I watched him as he turned to walk away. "Listen, Craig…"

He turned to look at me. There was something in his eyes… it almost seemed as though he were apprehensive in talking to me.

"Why are you here?"

"I wanted to apologize."

"For what?"

"I made you uncomfortable earlier, when I found you in Herb's office. Just know that that wasn't my intention." He held out a hand as a peace offering.

"I know," there wasn't any need to grab his hand. I knew he hadn't meant to do anything of the sort. He'd done what any concerned person would do. He wanted to help me, even if he didn't know what the problem was. "No need to apologize. In fact, Craig, I wanted to thank you…"

His eyebrow arched quizzically.

Before I could stop myself I had closed the gap between us, and gently pressed my lips to his. At first he was surprised… I could feel him pull back slightly, but it was only a split second before his arms enveloped me, and I stepped back, allowing him into my room. Before I knew it, my back was against the wall. Trust me, I was feeling more than just a tingling feeling throughout my entire body. It was then that I realized I genuinely liked Craig Patrick. His kiss was soft, but at the same time reassuring and… I guess you could say experienced.

Suddenly, I felt his hands on my shoulders.

"This is wrong…" he told me.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Vivianne…" he pulled away from me and straightened his tie.

"Craig?" I whispered to him as he turned to leave.

"Yeah?"

"Don't tell Herb? Or the team?"

His smile was the only reassurance I needed. "My lips are sealed."