Chapter 20

After a month, Payson and Ally had physically settled in Boston. Their stuff was unpacked, their pictures were hanging on the walls, and their routines were down. Payson knew her walking route to the grocery store, Austin's, the gym, and Ally's day care center. Their new lives had suddenly become neat and orderly. As the month came to a close reporters even stopped stalking the gym for a token picture of the coaching couple. Sasha had been right. Bringing normalcy into her life had made it private again.

Yes, the Keelers were settled in physically. Emotionally…now that was a different story entirely.

"Ally Keeler!" Payson yelled. Her daughter had just sprinted in to their apartment towards her room and slammed the door. It was very uncharacteristic behavior. Austin was jogging after her. The two had just finished (what Payson thought would be) a nice evening at a baseball game together. Apparently, it hadn't gone smoothly.

Austin stopped in front of Ally's shut door. "Ally-mally, let me in." he begged.

"No!" she cried. "You're mean!"

He sighed and turned to see Payson standing there with a sympathetic look.

"I take it something went wrong?" It was an educated guess; lately Ally had been resisting Austin's more fatherly actions. Payson wisely suspected that Ally was testing her boundaries with him.

Austin made a face.

"Why don't we give her some space?" Payson suggested, ushering him away toward the kitchen for some tea.

"Is that what mothers do?" Austin asked curiously. "They make tea and everything goes away? That's what my mom used to do."

Payson smiled. "Well, it's combination of tea and sympathy. So…why don't you tell me what's going on?"

He sighed and spilled he beans. "A little boy sitting near us called Ally a name – I'm not sure what, I didn't hear. Anyway, she started throwing her popcorn and when I told her to stop she poured her soda all over the kid!"

Payson snickered – she couldn't help it. "Sorry." she said, brushing aside her immature reaction.

Austin continued. "Then the boy's father started yelling at me in front of everyone and I was just trying to get Ally to apologize."

"I bet she didn't like that."

Austin shook his head. "Oh no. She really didn't."

Payson passed him a mug and sighed. "These things happen."

"But not to you!"

"I've known the kid for almost seven years, Austin." She pointed out. "I had more time to learn. You can't expect to become a father overnight. I mean, technically you've always been her biological father, but she has to get used to this other part. Give it time."

He nodded. "Right. Patience...I was never good at that."

Payson patted his back. "You're both adjusting. Ally's always thought of dads as these great, mythological beings. She needs to learn that they are authority figures too. She's not used to that." She laughed. "In fact, I think she's used to seeing you as an abnormally large playmate."

"Gee, thanks Payson." He said, smirking. "That makes me feel so much better."

The two drank their tea for a few minutes. She enjoyed the friendly repertoire she shred with Austin– it was almost sibling like. He was more protective of her than anything else. Sometimes Payson had to stop and remind herself that they actually made Ally…together. It didn't seem natural now in retrospect. This didn't stop her from enjoying his company and his sometimes clueless (but noteworthy) fatherly gestures. She appreciated the effort and time. Though Ally was going through a rebellious phase, Payson knew that she appreciated Austin too.

Eventually Ally emerged from her room and stood before both of her parents. Her face was still sulky and her arms were crossed, but at least she wasn't yelling anymore.

"Allison Mallory Keeler," Payson said sternly. "Do you have something to say to your father?"

Now that's a sentence I thought I'd never utter, Payson thought to herself.

"Sorry." Ally mumbled.

"Do you realize why you're in trouble?" Austin asked, bending down to her level and taking her hand.

Ally sighed and gripped his hand back. "Because you saw me throw popcorn and soda on that boy at the game?"

"Because you did throw popcorn and soda, Ally. Not because Austin saw you!" Payson corrected her.

Austin threw his head back and laughed heartily at Ally's spin on things. "Wow, you are so my daughter, aren't you?"

Ally giggled, not really knowing what was so funny, but going with the moment anyway.

Payson and Austin were making the rounds at Boston Elite, a gym which Payson observed was the complete opposite of the Rock.

While the Rock was chaotic and competitive with hierarchy, Boston Elite was more casual. It wasn't worse – but it was different.

After Keera retired at the ripe age of seventeen, it seemed that the gym had lost some gravity. Usually in elite facilities like Boston and the Rock, there were a few central figures that everyone turned to. For better or for worse these people encompassed the gym and they influenced the athletes around them like a central force. Without a doubt, Jessica and Nina were those girls at the Rock. Boston Elite, however, had a vacancy.

"What do you think?" Austin asked, motioning over to young Becky Carlton on vault. "Good, uh?"

Payson shook her head. "Undisciplined. Last week I told her not to add that extra half twist and she didn't listen. It's sloppy."

"But she's the best in her age group." Austin argued.

Payson shook her head. "Not for long with that attitude. Approach and focus make lasting champions, Austin. If you're looking for a new golden girl, I suggest you turn else where."

Austin whistled softly. "Man, Keeler you're harsh. You've been hanging around Belov too long."

Payson paused.

"What?" Austin asked. "Did I say something?"

"No." she answered. She hadn't heard his name in weeks. The two syllables were ringing in her ear.

"OK," Austin said, looking around the gym again. "If you don't think that Becky is the next Keera, then who has what it takes to fill the void?"

Payson surveyed the space again slowly. Her eyes finally landed on the opposite end of the gym and she smiled. She tried to point over as subtly as possible.

Austin's eyes widened. "Nathan Miles?"

There, on the men's rings was a eighteen-year-old boy dismounting. He stuck his landing and saluted.

"Have you been smoking something, Keeler?"

Payson rolled her eyes. "Of course not."

"You must be if you think he can be the face of this gym!" Austin argued under his breath so the surrounding gymnasts couldn't hear. "He hasn't even been with us for a year and he's been full time for less than three years, Payson! He's too lanky and he trips over everything in his way. The boy has no coordination. Plus, that dismount wasn't even that impressive. Clean, but nothing to write home about."

"It wasn't Olympic-worthy." Payson admitted. "but he couldn't land it yesterday, Austin. He stuck it today."

"So what?"

"So, he has a fast learning curve and he's obviously in love with the sport. Maybe if you took him seriously and treated him like a real contender he'd become one."

Austin was still baffled by her suggestion. "You're insane."

"You're insane for not seeing his potential." She countered, turning on her heel towards Nathan Miles himself. She strode over to him confidently, taking the teenager by surprise.

"P-Payson Keeler." He stuttered. Poor Nathan was still star struck by his new coach. She rarely worked with the male gymnasts, so he usually saw her from a distance as she gave the female juniors suggestions. He cleared his throat nervously and pushed his long chestnut hair out of his face.

"Why don't you show that to me again?" the gold medalist said to him, nodding toward the rings.

Nathan smiled. He rarely got one-on-one attention like this. "Uh –sure!"

Nathan jogged back towards the rings, but tripped on the edge of the mat and face planted. A few people snickered around him.

Austin caught Payson's eye from across the gym. His look clearly said "I told you so…"

Payson and Austin were packing up for the night, ready and eager to leave the gym. Unlike Sasha, Austin wasn't constantly in the gym or his office. He seemed to like the end of the day just as much as his gymnasts did.

"Hey Payson!" one of the juniors called out before walking out. "I almost forgot - Happy Birthday!"

Payson turned pink. She had completely forgotten that it was her birthday. Austin looked far more mortified than her, however.

"How did they know?" he asked incredulously.

"Wikipedia." another gymnasts answered her coach's question as she walked by. She waved at Payson and followed her friends.

Payson laughed. "Wow, that's really cute…and sort of creepy."

"I'm so sorry, Payson! I can't believe I forgot."

She waved him off. "Hey, I forgot too. You're not the only one."

"Yeah, but I feel like I should have done something...given you something."

"Why?" Payson asked bluntly.

The two paused and stared at each other. During the first few week's of Payson's new job she and Austin had somehow managed to dodge any mention of their relationship and its true nature. So far they'd just casually hung out – mostly with Ally. He had a key to their apartment and would visit often. Neither one, however, had defined anything clearly.

"You're my….my…."

"Baby mamma?" Payson offered, bursting out in laughter. She couldn't help but crack the joke; Austin's face had been priceless when he found out about her birthday– half terror and half nervousness. It was a refreshing alternative to his too-cool-for-school sunglasses look.

Austin smiled and shrugged. "Whatever, I still feel guilty."

"No need." She assured him. "It's more important that you remember Ally's birthday than mine."

Austin's face turned red as he recalled his horrible mistake earlier that year.

"You're right. Well, why don't I make it up to you two now? Let's pick up Ally and go out to a nice dinner."

"Sounds great."

Payson, Austin, and Ally went out for a night on the town. Austin took them to a fancy restaurant. Ally surprised them all when she willingly ate calamari without flinching. Her natural adventurousness seemed to come out more when she was around her father (which made sense considering she inherited it from him in the first place). Her eventful night, however, came to a sudden stop when she passed out in their taxi on the way home.

"I'll put her to bed." Austin said, carrying his daughter into the apartment as Payson opened the door for him. Before following, she spotted a small package on her doorstep.

While Austin tucked Ally in, Payson took a seat in her living room and opened the unexpected gift. It wasn't from her parents – her mother would've mentioned something.

When all the brown paper was ripped off and the cardboard box was opened, she saw a smaller velvet box inside. Inside of that was something truly remarkable: a vintage hair comb decorated with a golden lily. Payson smiled and held the object in her hand, feeling the smooth surface between her fingers and watching the medal glitter in the lamp light.

"What's that?" Austin had come back into the room and was leaning against the wall.

Payson handed him the comb and his eyes popped.

"Wow…" he said. "That's really beautiful. Is it from your mom?"

Payson didn't answer. Instead, she grabbed a small card inserted inside the box and read it to herself.

A flower, for a flower

She held her breath and read it over and over again.

"Who gave it to you?" Austin repeated, watching the hypnotizing effects of the card.

Payson cleared her throat and answered, "Sasha."

She had recognized his handwriting immediately. It was masculine, but clear. She always loved his handwriting.

Austin handed the comb back to her and she cradled it in her palm. With the exception of a few hazy dreams, his was the closest she's gotten to Sasha Belov all month. There was so much in it too. She fondly remembered his words to her so many years ago.

"A need you to tell a story. I need you to blossom like a flower…"

She laughed aloud at the memory, recalling how crazy she thought he was then. The sixteen-year-old Payson had incorrectly assumed that Sasha Belov was trying to change her when in reality he was bringing out the best version of her.

Austin watched Payson curiously. She looked like she was under a spell of some sort. He stood there in silence for a while. He was fairly certain that she had forgotten that he was in the room at all.

"Well, I'm calling it a night." Austin announced, patting her shoulder and walking towards the door.

Suddenly, he stopped and threshold and turned on his heel. "Hey, Pay…"

"Yes?" she asked, not looking up.

A tiny smile of understanding formed on Austin's face. "You're in love with Sasha Belov, aren't you?"

a/n - Thanks for reviewing! Let me know what you think. More to come very soon!

Also, I know the middle part of this chapter was slightly random with the introduction of Nathan Miles. I wanted to give the Boston gym some charm and dimension. Plus, will be a really important side character in the sequel to this story. In fact, he may or may not be a certain Rock athlete's love/hate interest...