A/N- I do not own Make It Or Break It or the characters, and I want to do another shameless plug for Not Just Yet, but Almost by JCI, which has very quickly replaced the Twilight Series as my go to reading. If you haven't read it- READ IT. And a very special thanks to all of you who have subscribed. You have no idea how much it means, I've been so giddy, and it's thanks to all of you... And remember to send reviews (good or bad) because reviews are like a hickey from Kenickie…

Payson took a deep breath as she stood outside of the silver airstream. She had been putting this off all day, knowing she couldn't just go in when anyone could see her. Thankfully Dmitri knew what was going on and asked her, in front of everyone, to stay late to diagram her changes to her beam routine. It's now or never. Payson stepped inside, and saw that this had been Sasha's plan all along. There was a journal, a stack of envelopes, and a phone, prepaid, along with a picture of the two of them taken the night of the Rocky awards… before everything had changed. She opened the first envelope…

My love,

I know it feels like you aren't going to make it through. You have probably spent the entire day just trying to breathe… the way that you hold your breath until you're dizzy enough to let it out again. I always know that's when you need me most. I couldn't leave without leaving you a piece of me… I have left you my journal, to keep me close, and letters for when you cry. The phone, my love, will ring when you need it, but don't try to find me, and don't try to call. You know why this has to be. Trust my father- he knows what you need to meet your goals, and please don't stop trusting in me. Every day that we are apart will be a slow death for me, and I can only hold on if I have you to believe in as well. The day you kissed me after the floor routine was the happiest day of my life. I only pushed you away because I knew you could never love me the way I love you- passionately, recklessly, and obsessively. I will never be right for you, but if you'll have me, I will be waiting. When the time comes, you'll know what to do.

Madame Viola has something for you- whenever you are ready to go back. I know it won't be soon, but don't give up your lessons entirely my love, it will be okay. You are never alone, I promise.

-A

And with that, Payson dropped to the floor and sobbed.

It was already 5 in the morning when she heard the knock on the door. Oh Shit. I never went home. She looked tentatively outside and saw Dmitri standing outside. She opened the door, disheveled and tired.

"Payson, I brought you a leotard, some breakfast, and a hairbrush and toothbrush. I had a lunch you might need them."

"A hunch you mean"

"I'm sorry, I mix those two up still. You forgive me?"

"Of course, and thank you, now only to know what to say to my mom…"

"I already called her. I told her you had fallen asleep in the training room and I didn't want to wake you, and told her I was locking you in but needed the numbers for the gym code."

"Oh, for the alarm… Yeah, she would have it being the manager…"

"And she was the one who got your stuff together… Your mom is very, what is the word… I don't know…. She is just very… "

Payson was already hanging together by a small thread and didn't know how much more she could take… "I should get ready. Thank you." Payson couldn't help but notice that Dmitri was… lingering…

"Payson, I feel I must say something, but I don't want to cross a line… "

"Dmitri, you are my only link to the one thing in the world I love right now… you won't cross a line…"

"Well, I just wanted you to know, Sasha never brought home the girls. You were only one I ever heard about from him and not the ZTM."

"TMZ?" Payson couldn't help but laugh…

"Daughter, you are good for this old man. Yes, TMZ."

It had been a long month. Payson had all the items Sasha had left her in her gym bag, tucked under the plastic bottom where they would be hard to find- just in case. She left the gym early, around six, so she could go sleep in her own bed… and maybe do some reading to soothe her heart… She had taken to reading every night, the unspoken words from Brazil staring her back in the face. She hadn't been wrong, all the nights she felt as though she was falling for him, he had felt the same. The same things she had marveled at about him, he had found in her. The same moments so precious to her heart were found to be held in his. Every word on the pages, echoing her own sentiments, and Payson began to cry, realizing that as she had been falling in love with him, he too had fallen for her. The only difference was that as she had been castrating herself for having a crush on her coach, he had known of her affections while she had before never known of his… and he respected her dreams enough to NOT tell her.

She thought back to when she first read his words, and the feeling that had washed over since

It was his journal, detailing bits of his life…. She skimmed through it, letting fate decide the passages to read, until an entry caught her eye..

Payson fell today. I still haven't heard from Kim on her prognosis, but she isn't likely going to be able to walk, and that is if she makes it through the night. I never…. I never got a chance to tell her that I love her..

It was a stupid invitational, much like the Pinewood debacle, but at least this time it was Boston Elite, and she had a decent coach. Payson grumbled, but Dmitri was old, and he liked consistency and platform training, and this invitation provided him a chance to see both. Plus it would kick off the week of National Team Training. They were all meeting at the famous Bela Karolyi ranch for the week, the beginning of what would be several trips to training camp before the Olympics. It was a legacy, one that had continued after Bela and Marta had gone on, leaving the facility in the hands of NGO.

The airline seats were okay, and luckily Payson was small enough that it didn't matter that the hulking figure of Dmitri Belov was sitting next to her. He had taken to protecting the girl, much the way her father had done when he was around, and the presence was comforting.

"Payson, have you gone back to dance yet?"

"No… but I think I might when we get back… Mom has been wondering why I stopped going, and she's about to lose her mind. She swears that I'm hiding a relationship with Max Spencer, but then again, I can't really tell her what IS going on, and I guess it's been pretty obvious that I'm not happy. I think maybe if I go back to ballet it will at least give her one less thing to worry about."

"You are a fine daughter. She will understand when she has the babies to dote on."

"ANOTHER plug for grandbabies, papa b?" Payson was laughing, and Dmitri loved that his son had finally picked a girl who had taken to him so well, although he did think the name she had come up with was something like those "Seasoning Girls".

"I am an old man, fillica, you must allow me my humor…"

Dmitri was growing to adore this young woman, and being the old pitty he was, he couldn't understand why the two kids weren't just working it out. He supposed he looked at them the same way he did with Rebecca, although he had made his mistakes and lost her. He wasn't about to let his son make the same mistake. He had agreed to help his son is his foolish plan, but as he got to know Payson, Dmitri knew that Sasha was well on his way to losing her. Not because she didn't love him, but he could see that Payson was hardening a little more every day, and soon she would be lost… Dmitri Belov was getting worried for his son's love, although he thought to mention it to her might be the hay on the back of the camel. He decided to call his son…

He would speak in Romanian, because she was close and Dmitri Belov knew that Beals woman would love nothing more than to ruin his son… and Payson might not take kindly to his fibbing on her behalf…

"Sasha. You can't keep doing this to her. She is falling apart. She fell on her Yurechenko. No, son, the single. She is working at maybe a level 7. She's trying to hold it all together, and it's just not working. Sasha I have gotten to know Kim Keeler… She will understand… Well you may be right about Mark…. Did you know that Payson doesn't live there anymore? Nope… She and her mother had a huge falling out. Apparently after you left, Kim decided the family was moving back to Minnesota, but Payson wouldn't leave her because she was afraid she would lose her tie to you…. She's staying at Tucker and Spencer's.." all of the sudden Dmitri Belov heard what he had been hoping to hear… the dialtone..

Never stop an old man on a mission for grandbabies…