Chapter 4

Kim Keeler had never been a hateful person, and she had never been especially quick to anger, but finding out Lauren Tanner had leaked that video of Sasha and Payson was testing that. For a week and a half she'd been watching Payson suffer, watching her normally focused, unshakable daughter crumple under the weight of having to train around Kaylie and Lauren, and it made her so angry; more angry than a grown woman probably had a right to be, at least when that anger was directed at a teenage girl.

This was supposed to be the time of Payson's life. Her dreams were coming true, she'd bounced back from what should have been a career ending injury, and she was America's darling. She should be having fun, but instead she hated going to the gym. Kim felt like she was torturing her own daughter every time she asked her to get in the car.

She poured herself a travel mug full of coffee and sighed, bracing her hands against the counter and wishing for the day to pass without incident.

"Pay, are you…ready," Kim called, trailing off in surprise as Payson bounced into the kitchen and took a banana from the counter and a protein shake from the fridge. She was smiling. "Wow, you're in a good mood this morning."

It was the first time since finding out Lauren had leaked the video that Kim hadn't had to physically drag Payson out of her room.

"Kelly's coming today," Payson explained, tearing off a large chunk of the banana and popping it into her mouth. Kim smiled, reaching out to brush her fingers against her daughter's cheek.

"I'm glad you're going to have an ally in the gym," Kim said. She had been more surprised than anyone when Payson had come home from her media tour talking about her "friend" Kelly Parker. Ever since they started competing, first as juniors and then as senior elites, Kelly and Payson had always had a bitter rivalry, exacerbated by the press at every single meet. Kim could clearly remember Payson ripping Kelly's picture out of magazine's and coloring in black teeth and horns, so to see her so excited over Kelly's arrival at the Rock was jarring.

"Well, shall we get a move on?" Kim asked, shaking herself from her thoughts. Payson nodded, shoving the rest of the banana in her mouth and throwing away the peel before grabbing the shake and her bag and heading towards the front door.

Kim thought that just maybe things were starting to look up.

#

"You're a genius," Kim said as she sat down at her desk. Sasha jumped, looking up from a stack of papers.

"I'm sorry?" He asked. Kim smiled at the slightly bewildered expression he always wore when someone interrupted his work.

"Bringing Kelly in to train with Payson, it's brilliant," Kim said. Sasha offered her a crooked smile, like he knew just how brilliant he was, but didn't want to gloat.

"Hopefully it will help," he said. His eyes drifted to the window and Kim thought she some something flash across his features as he watched Payson stretch, some emotion she could quite name; affection, certainly, but also something else.

"Have I thanked you, lately?" Kim asked. Sasha turned his attention back to her and smiled again.

"No thanks necessary, Kim." She sat down in her chair, still looking at Sasha.

"Yes, it is. You keep saving my daughter when no one else can, you deserve our thanks. Come to dinner on Friday? Please, Sasha?" Kim was practically begging, which she hated, but she felt an intense need to do something for Sasha, even something as little as making him a home cooked meal.

He met her eyes for a moment and then looked away, like she was making him uncomfortable. She felt a little bad about that, but she wanted, no needed, to express her gratitude and if she had to guilt him into it then so be it. She was a mother to two teenage girls, she was great at guilt tripping people.

"Of course," Sasha finally muttered, offering her a tight smile. Kim frowned. It was one thing for Sasha to be uncomfortable with her praise, but he usually got over it fairly quickly. This was something else entirely, though what exactly it was she didn't know.

Kim was about to ask him what was going on when noise exploded through the gym. It wasn't the noise of a normal day; feet hitting the mats, teenage girls talking and laughing as they trained. No, it was the kind of noise Kim had come to hate. It was the sound of Payson and Lauren clashing, again.

"Didn't I tell you not to talk to me?" The venom in Payson's voice shocked Kim, she was having a hard time reconciling her sweet little girl with this young woman who's tone of voice could probably slice through Lauren like the sharpest sword.

Sasha sighed and stood up.

"I'll take care of it," he said as he slipped past. Kim could only watch him go and silently thank him once again.

#

Sasha scrubbed a hand over his face as he descended the stairs, wincing at the volume of Lauren and Payson yelling at each other. It was the same fight every time, Lauren tried to apologize and Payson refused to accept it. How much longer could this possibly go on? One of them had to give up eventually, didn't they? Who was he kidding, they were two of the most stubborn teenage girls he'd ever known.

As his feet hit the floor, Sasha looked up at his gymnasts. Payson's face was flushed with anger, her fists clenched at her sides, but she was pretty in control of herself. Lauren, on the other hand, looked distinctly out of control; her eyes wide and hysterical, her face white.

"You knew exactly what you were doing, Lauren, now deal with the consequences," Payson hissed. She turned to walk away.

"Well if you hadn't kissed Sasha in the first place, there wouldn't have been a video for me to find," Lauren snapped. "So I guess this is all really your fault."

Sasha could see the exact moment the words hit Payson's retreating back. She pitched forward just slightly, like they were a physical blow, her face draining of all color.

And then she snapped.

Sasha realized it would happen just an instant before it did, but an instant was all he needed to cover the space between him and Payson, and catch her around the waist as she lunged at Lauren. Lauren cowered back and Payson fought him with everything she had, swinging out at Lauren even though she knew they were too far away for her hits to land.

"Outside, now," Sasha snapped, hoping his harsh tone would get through to her as he carried her outside. "Lauren, wait in the office."

"Put me down Sasha," Payson growled. Making sure Lauren was safely in the office, he did, though he still kept a firm hand on the small of her back.

"Cool off," he demanded. "I don't want to see you back in the gym for at least ten minutes."

"Sasha," she cried, outraged.

"Cool off, Payson."

Lauren was sitting on the couch just inside the office when Sasha came in. She was biting her cuticles down to the quick and Sasha winced as they turned red with blood.

"Lauren…you're suspended. For one week, you may not set foot in this gym," Sasha said with a sigh. Lauren's head snapped up, her face stricken.

"What?"

"I didn't want to do this, Lauren, even though I probably should have weeks ago," Sasha said.

"Why though?" Lauren asked, her voice strangled.

"You think I don't have reason? You nearly ruined the career of one of your teammates. You can't be trusted. Not to mention all the other things you've done that I haven't bothered to call you on. I think you need a little time away from the gym to evaluate," Sasha explained.

"Is this because I made your precious Payson angry?" Lauren snapped. It was no surprise to Sasha that Lauren lashed out when she felt threatened, but her words still made his blood boil.

"Get out, Lauren. I'll see you in a week."

#

Payson sank down onto the bench out the Rock and blew out a breath, trying to regain the control she'd lost. Her hands were shaking. She hated that Lauren made her lose control like that, but most of all she hated herself for not being able to turn the other cheek. She hated that she let Lauren get to her.

"Hey." Payson opened her eyes to see Kelly Parker standing just a few feet away, arms crossed and her gym bag slung over one shoulder. She was wearing her new Rock warm ups, and her hair was up in a ponytail instead of her trademark devil horns.

Payson had never been so glad to see her.

"Hey," she replied.

"Why are you sitting out here?" Kelly asked, dropping down on the bench next to Payson.

"Because Lauren is a bitch," Payson said simply. It wasn't the most direct explanation, but it was enough.

"I hear that," Kelly said. "She been giving you a lot of trouble?" Payson nodded, breathing deeply again and letting go of the last bits of rage that swirled inside her.

"She just won't shut her mouth. Every day it's like forgive me Payson or I didn't mean to Payson, and then today she had the gall to say it was really my fault for kissing Sasha in the first place!" Payson said, her blood pressure rising again. Kelly gasped besides her.

"Are you joking?" she asked. Payson shook her head. "Wow, that took balls." Payson rolled her eyes at Kelly's crass language and then looked at her watch.

"Come on. I was supposed to be out here ten minutes, time's up," Payson said.

Walking back into the gym, Payson saw Sasha standing at the edge of the floor, watching Kaylie work through her routine. His arms were crossed, making the muscles in his shoulders and back stand out more than usual. She felt heat rising in her cheeks as she remembered how those arms had felt when they were holding her on his couch just a week ago.

Looking away quickly, she scanned the gym for Lauren.

"Think she ran off with her tail between her legs?" Kelly asked. Payson shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. At the sound of their voices, Sasha turned around. After giving a few instructions to Kaylie, he started towards them.

"Kelly, welcome to the Rock. There's a locker with your name on it, you can put your things away and then jump into the rotation with Payson," Sasha said. Kelly nodded and moved to do as he said while he turned to Payson. Reaching out he took her by the back of the neck, unconcerned of what people would say. No one was paying them any attention, they were watching Kelly.

"I suspended Lauren for the week," he said. Payson breathed a huge sigh of relief, feeling the stress melt away almost instantly at the thought of a Lauren free week.

"Thank you," she said, reaching up to grab his arm. His fingers tightened just slightly.

"Payson, you're going to have to learn to work with her eventually," he said. Payson dropped her hand from his arm, glaring at him.

"You think I don't know that? You think I'm not trying to ignore her with everything I have? I'm trying, Sasha, but it isn't going to happen overnight," she snapped. Knocking his hand away from her neck, she stomped off to the uneven bars.

How could he think that she wasn't trying to ignore Lauren? But trying as hard as she was ended up taking focus away from her gymnastics, so no maybe she wasn't trying as hard as she possibly could, but she was trying hard enough.

Chalking up, Payson moved to stand before the low bar. Jumping up, she swung herself up. She was hardly thinking about the moves themselves as she swung around, throwing herself to the top bar and twisting mid-air.

"Impressive," Kelly said with a low whistle, wandering up and chalking her grips.

"Thanks," Payson said, jumping down. "Sasha and I have been working really hard on new routines for the Olympics. So how was Marty with you moving here?"

"He's pissed, but whatever," Kelly said, shrugging. She went to stand in front of the bars, swinging her arms back and forth as she stared down the low bar.

"Hey KP?" Payson asked. "I'm glad you're here."

Kelly looked over at her and offered a rare, genuine smile.

"Me too, PK."

#

"I can't take it anymore Daddy!" Lauren shouted, bursting into the house and slamming the door shut so hard the frame rattled. She couldn't believe Sasha had kicked her out of the gym, especially after his big speech about "short memory" at Worlds. She had thought he would be able to stay out of what was going on between her and Payson, but apparently he couldn't stand to let his girlfriend fight her own battles.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Steve asked, sitting up a little straighter on the couch and tossing the papers he'd been reading onto the table. Lauren threw her bag against the wall and then resisted the urge to kick it across the room.

"Sasha kicked me out of the gym!" Lauren shrieked. Steve winced and she saw his hands twitch, like he was resisting the urge to cover his ears.

"What do you mean he kicked you out?" He asked. Lauren rolled her eyes. Her father could be so dense sometimes.

"He. Kicked. Me. Out. I can't go back for a whole week!" Lauren said, stamping her foot. She knew she looked like a child, but she was just so mad. Sasha was playing favorites, and it was going to give Payson a huge edge going into the Trials, an edge that Lauren couldn't afford. She was already tied for second with Kaylie, and with Kelly arriving at the gym that bumped her and Kaylie down to tied for third. Lauren Tanner did not do third.

"So he didn't kick you out, he suspended you," Steve clarified. Lauren turned her best icy glare on him. This close to the Olympic Trials, they might as well be the same thing.

"A week of no training Daddy, do you have any idea how much that will affect my chances at the Trials? There's no way that the committee is going to choose four girls from the same gym. Maybe three, and right now Kaylie and I are tied for third. I can't afford that right now!" Lauren said, her voice rising with every word until she was nearly screaming again.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Steve asked. Lauren took a breath, trying to think of a solution. When she finally did, it popped into her head so clearly she couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it from the beginning.

"I'm going to call Marty." Without waiting for Steve's reaction, Lauren picked up her bag and ran to her, pulling out her cell phone as she went.

Moving to Denver was the perfect plan. She knew Marty and his coaching style, and with Kelly gone she would be the very best gymnast he had. He would be begging her to get started as soon as possible, she just knew it.

"Hello?" Marty asked after the third ring.

"Marty? It's Lauren Tanner," Lauren said, trying to put some sniffles into her voice so he would feel a little sorry for her. Not a lot, because she hated pity, but enough to make it even easier to convince him that she was exactly what Denver needed.

"Lauren, what can I do for you?" Marty asked, sounding a little surprised.

"I have to leave The Rock," Lauren said, sniffling a few times. "I know that you and my dad haven't always gotten along, but I was really hoping that I could come train in Denver."

"Why do you have to leave the Rock, Lauren?"

"Because…Payson is just making it so difficult; I've apologized and apologized and done everything I can do make up for what I did but she just won't let it go. She tried to punch me today, but Sasha stopped her just in time. I'm just too afraid to keep training there. Please, Marty," Lauren begged. She knew she was laying it on thick, but why not? She was good at it.

"Payson did what? That doesn't sound like her," he said softly. Lauren frowned; she was losing him to Payson. Just like she lost everyone to Payson.

"Well she did it. She's not the perfect little angel everyone thinks she is," Lauren snapped. She heard Marty sigh.

"Fine Lauren, you can come train at Denver Elite. But you and I are going to sit down and have a good long talk, and you're going to start out on probation, got it?" Marty insisted.

"On probation? What the hell does that mean?" Lauren asked.

"It means that you will be signing a conduct agreement. Or you can keep training at The Rock if you like…"

"No! Fine, I'll sign whatever. Can I start tomorrow?"

"Practice starts at eight sharp."

#

Sasha shifted uncomfortably as he straightened his tie one last time and reached out to ring the Keeler doorbell. He hadn't really wanted to come to dinner, spending too much time in close proximity to Payson was not a good idea, but Kim had a way of making him feel horrible if he didn't do exactly as she asked.

"Sasha," Payson said as she opened the door, her eyes wide. She clearly hadn't been expecting him.

"Your mom didn't tell you I was coming for dinner?" he asked. She shook her head slowly, but stepped aside to let him in.

As he moved past her, he caught the smell of her that drove him so crazy; chalk and jasmine. Since she had obviously showered after practice the smell of chalk was subtle, but it was there. Unable to resist, he leaned in a brushed his lips slowly against her cheek. She shuddered.

"Sasha," she whispered warningly. He couldn't help but smile. Glancing up, he saw for sure that there was no one around to see, so he kissed her again, quickly. "You're evil."

"Sorry," he muttered. "You just smelled so good."

"Shut up," she said, punching him lightly in the arm. He followed her into the kitchen, watching the sway of her hips for as long as he dared and wishing that their circumstances were different. But Payson had been right, if even one of their circumstances were different they might never have met. And a life without Payson was no life for him.

"Sasha! Right on time," Kim said, brandishing a wooden spoon covered in spaghetti sauce at him. Then Kim looked to Payson. "I'm sorry, sweetie, I forgot to tell you he was coming."

"It's fine," Payson said.

"Kim, do you mind if I speak with Payson privately for a moment?" Sasha asked. Kim frowned at him and for a moment he wondered if he'd crossed some line of propriety without realizing it. Of course, he had crossed lines, several, but none that Kim knew about.

"Five minutes, and then there is a moratorium on gym talk for the rest of the evening," she insisted. Sasha breathed a sigh of relief.

"Of course," he promised. At her nod, he took Payson by the elbow and led her out the back door to the patio.

"What's up?" Payson asked, taking a few steps to the right so that they were between the sliding glass door and the dining room windows. Knowing that no one could see them, Sasha stepped in closer than he normally would have. He didn't kiss her like he wanted to, but the proximity was enough. For now.

"I got a call from Marty today," he said softly, reaching out to twirl a strand of Payson's hair around his finger. It was fluffy and soft and he wanted nothing more than to run his fingers through it over and over again.

"Oh yeah?" Payson asked.

"Lauren is leaving the Rock for good. She's training at Denver Elite now," Sasha said. He watched Payson's reaction closely; the way her eyes narrowed for just a split second before they widened, the way all the tension seemed to drain from her shoulders. She looked halfway relaxed for the first time in weeks.

"Really?" She asked. Sasha nodded, smiling at her. He hadn't wanted to admit it, but he was as relieved as anyone when he heard the news. With Lauren gone, the gym could focus again.

"Really."

"Oh, that's great!" Payson threw her arms around his neck, surging forward. Her body pressed against his as his arms went around her and it was a split second before he realized that her lips had touched his.

They were gone just as quickly as Payson took a step back and looked towards the sliding glass door to make sure they hadn't been spotted. Shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans she looked at the ground.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"For what?" Sasha asked. He didn't care what the circumstances were, he never wanted Payson to be sorry for kissing him ever again.

"Kissing you like that, out here on my patio where anyone could see," she clarified, even though he knew perfectly well what she was talking about. He smiled, taking a step closer to her and reaching out to settle his hands on her waist. Slowly he pulled her back to him.

"You mean like this?" He asked.

And then he was kissing her.

A/N: A HUGE thanks to Barrel of Monkeys, Cassie, LauraW89, AlixM1234, Kissin Concern, Poppetrussel, Ida-cullen, explamation points forever, and narcoleptic 86 for your reviews on Chapter 3.

Also I am like the worst person in the world for ignoring this and WYHWT for so long. I am truly sorry. First it was Nano (which I won, btw) and then it was that I was consumed with actually finishing the first draft of my nano novel which I just managed to do the other day, and then it was the holidays. Excuses, excuses, I know. But seriously, sorry to make you all wait. Hopefully you haven't forgotten about me :)

As always, review please!