I gasped as I opened my eyes. I wiggled my arms and legs; I could feel them, it was just a dream. I sat up. I put my hand up to my face and realized that I was really crying from my dream. I brushed the tears from my eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm myself. I looked around my room and saw that my clock said 2:42 am. I groaned in a few hours I would have to get up to go to The Rock for Sunday practice. Sasha was making us have Sunday practice since we spent all day yesterday at the fundraiser. I lay back down and tried to relax. The dream seemed so real, and why was Nicky Russo in it. It has been over a month since last time I saw him, I am definitely over him. Anyways it's not like he would be coming back to The Rock. He wanted to get away from the drama, he wanted to get away from the drama that I was a part of. Well I couldn't really blame him, he needs to focus, and this is an important time for him. I need to be focusing too, especially if I want to start competing again soon.

I can't afford to be thinking about guys like Nicky…

Beep…Beep…Beep

I reached over and turned off my alarm clock. Apparently I ended up falling back to sleep. I got up and got ready and met Mom and Becca in the kitchen and we headed out. We drove to the gym and mom let us out.

"I have some errands to run, I will be back to pick you girls up this afternoon," Mom said leaning out the window.

"Bye Mom," Becca and I said together. Becca and I walked to the door.

"How is your back," Becca asked.

"Great actually." As I said it I pictured myself falling from the bars again. I tried to put it out of my mind.

I went over to where Emily and Kaylie were warming up.

"Mind if I join you," I asked the girls.

"Of course not," Emily said.

"We've missed you around the gym Pay," said Kaylie.

"I've missed being here; it feels so good to be back."

I heard the gym door open and in walked Lauren. I turned back to the others and said "Great look who's here."

Lauren came over to us. ""Hey guys I just wanted to say I am sorry how all of this as turned out, I'm going to miss you in China."

I looked up at her "Good Luck Lauren."

"Thanks Pay." Lauren went up to Sasha's office before she left for the airport.

"Do you guys want to come over Tuesday night after practice to watch the meet," Kaylie asked with an arch smile on her face and her eyebrow raised. Emily and I both nodded yes.

"Heck yea," I said, "let's watch the National Team go down without you two."

"I wonder if Lauren will fall on her face," asked Emily, "But I guess we shouldn't want that, she is our teammate.

We all looked at each other and laughed.

"So how are you guys feeling about the China meet?" I asked.

"Nervous," Emily explained as she stretched, "Actually the National Committee found out that I work at the Pizza Shack and said the only way I can keep my scholarship is if I drop out of the meet. Then they told Sasha and he came to The Shack and busted me."

"Oh Emily, I am so sorry, what are you going to do?"

"I told Sasha that I am still going to compete, I won't let him down and I won't let my team down."

I gave Emily a smile and squeezed her had reassuringly. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks Pay, Is the Committee pressuring you Kay?"

"Yea, they have threatened to take away my title and kick me off the team, MJ is on the committees side and is trying to get me to drop out."

"Payson," I turned my head and saw Sasha calling me from the bars, "When you are done gossiping I would like to see you over here, oh and chalk up first."

I gulped and stood up. I looked over at Kaylie and Emily and said, "I'll see you tonight." I bumped fist with Emily.

"Good Luck, "they chorused.

Chalk up? I gulped; he is going to make me get up on the bars. I ran over to my locker to grab my grips. I went over to the chalk bin and took my time putting on my grips and chalking up, trying to calm my nerves.

"Payson we don't have all day for you to put on chalk, get over here," Sasha yelled in a no nonsense kind of voice.

I sighed and walked over to him and stood in front of the bars.

"I spoke with your physical therapist and he said to start with A level stunts so I want you to do 3 giants and a back layout dismount."

I nodded my head. I felt my legs shaking. I hope Sasha can't tell. I got up on the lower bar and reached for the high bar and grabbed it. I pushed off the lower bar and started to swing up to do my first giant as I swung over the bar I looked down and saw myself falling. As I swung down I let go and landed on my feet.

"Why did you let go?"

"I can't do it."

"What do you mean by 'I can't do it'? Is your back hurting?"

"No," I said not able to look at Sasha. I felt ashamed of myself. I was supposed to be a champion.

"Then why?"

"I'm scared," I whispered, looking down with tears in my eyes. I blinked them away; there was no way I was letting anybody see me cry. What Sasha said next took me by surprise.

"Payson lets go talk in my office," he looked down at me as he put a comforting arm around my shoulders.

We walked up the stairs to his office and walked inside, Summer was not there. Sasha closed the door and motioned for me to sit down.

"So what's wrong?"

"I already told you, I'm scared."

"But of what exactly."

"I'm scared of falling off the bars. Every time I get to the bars I see myself falling."

"Payson you have more fire, determination and talent than any other gymnast I know, you are a fighter. Look at you, you have come back from a career ending injury, are you really going to let your fear come between you and your dream. Fear in itself can be career ending, do you want that to happen?"

"No, I want to compete again."

"Well then you have to get back on the bars. I will be there with you, you won't hurt yourself. We need you back here Payson, the coaches, your teammates, the whole gymnastics community," Sasha said, "let's go back out there."

We got up and headed back to the bars. I went over to the chalk and sprayed my grips with water and put more chalk on. I looked up at Sasha and he nodded. I approached the lower bar and stood up on it and reached for the higher bar. I tried to block out everything but what I had to do. My grips made contact with the high bar and I started to swing…first giant…second giant…third giant…I held my breath as I swung up again…I let go and did a back layout dismount. I landed on my feet. I did it. I stuck my landing. I threw my arms up in a salute. Sasha ran up and hugged me.

"I knew you could do this."

I was still smiling after practice when I went home to take a shower. I was still smiling when I got the car keys and drove over to Kaylie's to watch the China meet and as I knocked on the door. Leo answered the door.

"Hey Payson."

"Hey Leo."

"The girls are down in the media room, you can go ahead down."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

I headed down stairs to the others. We all got comfortable in the plush recliners in the basement to watch the meet on the big screen. The meet went on for several hours.

"Wow," I said still staring at the screen.

"I can't believe it," said Kaylie.

"Words can't describe," said Emily.

The announcer came on, "That was a horrible showing from the US National Team. It begs the question why wasn't National Champion Kaylie Cruz at this very important meet and will her team at The Rock be able to do better. Her Rock teammates include National Team members Lauren Tanner and Emily Kmetko. Next will be the US Men's National Team against China. This team has brought the National Champion Kurt Hurley and silver medalist Nicky Russo, who incidentally used to train at The Rock, let's see how they do against China…"

"I have never seen Lauren do so badly before," whispered Kaylie.

"Me neither," I said.

"I wonder if she will be able to pull it together for the meet," said Emily, "We only need to get a medal to go better than the National Team right?"

"Yep and we can do it," I said confidently.

Today is the day of the China meet. We all stood in a huddle for Sasha's pep talk and we broke the huddle with a 'Rock On', I really wish I got to compete today, but I am getting closer every day. The girls were amazing and showed the Chinese and National Committee what we are made of. Genji Cho ended up with gold, Kaylie got Silver and got her best scores ever on beam and floor and came away with gold on beam and silver on floor. Emily came in 4th and walked away with silver on bars and a bronze on vault. Lauren came in 5th even though she sprained her ankle and got a bronze on beam. The Chinese still won the overall meet, but we have shown that we deserve to be taken seriously, even if we are a rouge team.

A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to update I am going to try to update quicker next time. If you like the story and want me to update more, please review so I know how to improve, I only have 1 review and the more you review the faster I will update. I am sorry if it is a little slow but it will pick up soon. This will be the last chapter that kind of follows what has been happening on the show. After this will be what I think what happen or what I wish would happen. Please review, I would really appreciate knowing what you all think about the story, I have never written fan fiction before.