Thanks for the reviews, I've tried to revise this chapter and spot the mistakes!

enjoy!

Payson Keeler stood in front of the mirror, anxiously fidgeting with her dress. Watching herself turn, it was hard to recognise the girl who usually loitered awkwardly at The Rock. Normally, she would normally be excited about this type of thing, but now, as she looked at the girl in the mirror, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement. Perhaps it was because she had someone to dress up for, or maybe it was because that certain somebody just made her feel so…happy.

The Rock was hosting another fundraiser tonight, to try and raise money to cover the expenses needed for Nationals. It was a black-tie event, and although she didn't really own anything suitable for the occasion, she had pressed her mum to pinch and stitch one of her dresses for her to wear. Kim had been pleasantly surprised at her daughter's willingness to attend the event, watching the sparkling light that had recently appeared in her eye. Her daughter was finally discovering her deeper emotions.

"Come on Pay, we're going to be late if you don't hurry up," shouted Kim Keeler from the car.

Payson gave a long low sigh as she trembled her hand once more to her hair. She bit her lip as she remembered Sasha's fingers running through hers, intertwining an caressing them.

"Payson!"

Clicking her heels, she ran out of the house, heart racing, mind flying, hoping and hoping that tonight she might have something to smile even wider about.

Ever since the moment in the rain with Payson, Sasha had tried to fill his hours with tasks, errands anything to do with the evening ahead. Meaningless, trivial things that seemed to buzz around his life and mash his head into a confused pulp. That hadn't stopped him dallying longer than usual when chosen his dinner jacket, or stopped him from shining his shoes carefully, or pausing in front of the mirror to ruffle his hair nervously.

Payson Keeler. Why did those syllables remain like a charm etched into his brain, mended into the strings of his heart? Why did he breathe her name repeatedly into the night, or imagine pouring the tea for not one cup but two? He shook his head, spinning round to the room's hubbub and chatter. The guests for the fundraising evening were already arriving, and he scanned the room for a particular family.

"Hey there! Hello Mr Tanner. Good to see you Chloe."

He rushed through the crowds, snatches of conversation whirling past as he moved outside to greet the entering guests.

The Keelers were just exiting their car when he saw her. Payson glanced over her shoulder as she shut the car door, meeting his gaze. They both smiled. Sasha came towards her, greeting her family with throwaway words, ushering them in with a vague point of the hand.

"Hey."

She seemed to blush only at the sound of his voice, as she lowered her eyes and smiled.

"Hi."

In the cool air of the night, the bare skin of her shoulders seemed so fragile as they walked very slowly towards the door. He longed to sweep off his jacket, place it on her radiating peachy bloom, protecting her from the cold. The dark red blush of her dress, fitting and smoothing her curves, and her beautiful hair curled and seemingly swept back effortlessly

Payson shivered slightly in the cold, and he placed his warm hands on her shoulders. A gently electric tingle ran through her body as his palms pressed into her skin, his fingers seeming to trace the line of collar bones, as if trying anxious to discover where they lead. As they moved inside, they both became conscious of their closeness, springing apart with abrupt looks and nervous clearings of the throat, gradually losing themselves in the influx of people.

The tide of people separated them: she watched his head be carried away but felt as if something, across the crowd, was uniting them, as if some part of her heart or soul had been willingly given, some invisible ribbon fluttering between them, weaving itself amongst the passers-by and being gently pulled by those strong, supple hands.

Moving towards her friends, Payson tried to act normal, avoid those adoring eyes, stem the rapid pulse of her heart, ignore the twisting sinews of her heart, laugh, joke, exchange meaningless words with The Rock girls. Huddled in small circles, clutching glasses of champagne, they talked, now and then eavesdropping into other people's conversations. Kaylie giggled as she pointed to a group of handsome looking boys, loitering near the drinks table, and the girls craned their ears to listen.

"Who's the blonde one we saw before?" one was asking.

"Oh that's just Payson Keeler," answered his friend, "she's not a great gymnast."

Payson felt herself grow hot, averting her eyes to the outraged looks of her friends, desperately trying to see a way of moving away from the group.

"Really? I thought she was?" continued the guy.

"Nah, since she's gone artistic, I hear she's pretty rubbish. Not got a chance of succeeding."

All at once Sasha was in the picture, the young man thrown reeling from the force of a fist that hit him from the side.

"Sasha!"

He didn't understand his actions, all he knew was that he had to defend her, and as she ran to him, across the screams and commotion as the youth lay on the ground, clutching his nose which Sasha seemed to have walloped, all he wanted was to spit in his face for saying anything about her.

"Why did you- what did you-" Payson couldn't formulate words, only grabbing his hand and quickly leading him away from the chaos.

"Don't ever insult my gymnasts again," he yelled over his shoulder as she dragged him, down and down the corridor until they couldn't hear any one the commotion they had just left.

They stopped, but their hands stayed intertwined. She looked at his, the knuckles cracked, flecked with blood, the sign of his fight for her.

"You hurt yourself," she whispered, holding up his hand to look, nervously passing her own fingers over his.

Her mind seemed to grow numb: he had done this for her, he had jumped in, defended her when she hadn't asked, he had saved her, looked out for her.

"I couldn't let them say that about you," replied Sasha, in a low hoarse voice, looking into her eyes.

And all at once she was kissing him, her hands flurrying into his hair, grasping the roots as if they were a lifeline to hold on to, touching his lips as if they were burning, scorching with passionate that exuded from both of their souls. His hands moved into the small of her back, grasping her close, pulling her into his chest as if he could never let go. And her insides were melting, reducing themselves to simple ecstasy. Unsaid words passing through his lips to hers, pent up emotions flooding into each other's hearts through the connection of her soft mouth of his.

All light seemed to vanish, all air seemed to go, they didn't need to see or breathe or hear anything else but themselves, right here, right now as her body moulded into his, their arms intertwining and legs meshing unconsciously. Her small nails scrabbled into his hair, and as he brushed hers that wonderful scent of coconuts and lemons purged his soul. Her soft, innocent lips seemed to unlock his, making them supple, giving them life, showing him the way.

There was a voice around the corner and they broke apart, hurrying to opposite ends of the corridor, pretending to admire a lampshade, a painting. As a group of people rushed down the hall they simply stared at each other, and as Sasha was steered away to make a speech, she gazed after him, not knowing what to say, her smile brimming in her face and eyes.

He seemed to smile and joke for nobody but her, his actions and movements were personal to her as she stood at the back of the room, watching him talk, hearing his breathe, the tick of his heart, mirroring the rise and fall of his ribcage even from so far.

Payson Keeler looked at her coach and realised it was love. He looked at her and saw his own rising from within.

And as he watched the family walk back to the car he couldn't take his eyes off her, his lips tingling at every step she took, as the droplets began to fall once more.

The heavens opened. The rain hailed down, weeks of emotion opening his heart as he stood in the flood. The stars threw down their spears as he stood exalted, the moon bowed down as he felt the very essence of humanity rise within him. And as she drove away, Sasha knew that Payson Keeler could feel it too.

yay!

will do my best to be as speedy as possible for next time :)