When the Awards Ceremony for the Senior Ladies began, the first skater out was the Fourth Place winner, Hannah Decker. She waved to the audience and then, with a determined smile on her face, accepted her Pewter medal and a bouquet of flowers. Next out was the Third Place winner, Shin Lee Lin, who smiled as she climbed on to the lowest step of the podium, accepted her Bronze medal and bouquet, and then waved to the crowd. The applause grew louder as the previous year's winner, Laura Kingsley, appeared to accept the Second Place, Silver, medal and bouquet. She then turned to lead the applause for the new Senior Ladies Figure Skating Champion – Paige Hotchner.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
The awards ceremony was followed by a photo-op for the accredited press photographers and the skaters' parents, and then a short question and answer period for a select group of reporters.
When it was finally over with, Paige charged across the backstage area to hug first Laurel, and then Hotch, and finally Ian.
"Is this for real?" she demanded, holding up her medal. "Is this really for real?"
"It certainly is, Sweetheart," Laurel choked out. "It certainly is."
"You did good!" Hotch muttered as he hugged her. "You did good!"
"I am so proud of you!" Ian exclaimed as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "So – So – Proud!"
"Let's start thinking about getting out of here." Hotch was looking around. "It looks like there is quite a crowd gathered outside the door. I don't know what we are going to do."
"Welcome to our world," Mrs. Kingsley and Laura walked over to greet them. "And, don't worry, it will only last a day or two. By the time you get back home, everything will be back to normal."
"Congratulations!" she smiled at Paige. "You had a beautiful skate."
"Thank you," Paige told her shyly. "Laura skated really well too. It just came down to the artistic mark."
"Do you know how we are supposed to handle this?" Hotch gestured towards the door. "I have the members of my team here, but I don't want to overstep my boundaries."
"It does appear to be worse than it was last year in Seattle," Laura observed. "There the local police cleared our way to the hotel and then blocked the front doors to all but registered guests."
"Hotch," Morgan squeezed his way in through the exit door and walked over. "Are you ready to go?"
"And you, too, Ma'am," he assured Mrs. Kingsley.
"You have a plan?" Hotch asked.
"The local officers are ready," Morgan reported. "And, I have my team all assembled and ready to get you out of here. They should be here in a minute."
The door squeaked opened again and leading the team in was –
"Agent Anderson – Grant!" Laurel exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"The local police asked for assistance in assessing some terrorist threats they had received," Anderson explained. "And, I volunteered to come and work with them. I wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to see this one skate." He grinned at Paige.
"Master Warrior," Paige assumed the traditional yoga greeting pose.
"Lotus Blossom," Anderson mirrored her and they solemnly bowed to each other.
"You did it, Girl!" Anderson cheered as soon as both had straightened up. "You actually did it!" He grabbed Paige and swung her around.
"They do yoga together," Laurel explained to the Kingsleys. "And, I assume he is part of the team that is going to get us out of here."
"That's right," Anderson put Paige down and looked over at Morgan.
"Where do you need me?" he asked.
"In front with me," Morgan told him. "And then Hotch and Rossi on either side slightly behind us. JJ and Blake can flank the skaters and their mothers while Reid, Ian, and Joel can bring up the rear."
"Do you have anyone else with you, Ma'am?" he asked Mrs. Kingsley. "Or is it just the two of you?"
"My husband is in a wheelchair," she replied. "And our two older children took him back to the hotel as soon as the awards ceremony was over."
"It sounds like we are all set, then." Hotch took up his position in the wedge.
"You travel with your own bodyguards?" Mrs. Kingsley asked Laurel in amazement.
"Not really," Laurel replied as the agents gathered around them. "These are just some old family friends."
"Some very protective family friends," Rossi added with a smile. "Now, let's get you out of here!"
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
With the help of the Detroit Police, everyone was soon walking through the front door of their hotel.
"Thank you, everyone," Mrs. Kingsley was speaking to the local police officers as well as to Morgan's team.
"We really appreciate it," Laura added sincerely.
"Our Pleasure," the officer who was guarding the door told her. "Now, you ladies have a nice night now – You hear?"
"Now, I need to warn you," Mrs. Kingsley told Laurel as they waited for the elevator. "Tomorrow is going to be a rough day for everyone."
"Last year was rough," Laura told Paige. "But, because of the formal announcement of the Olympic team, I suspect this year is going to be even worse."
"The Olympic Team?" Paige echoed weakly.
"The Olympic Team," Laura repeated firmly.
"The officials of the USFSA are meeting even as we speak to make their final decision," Mrs. Kingsley explained. "And, the official announcement is scheduled to be made tomorrow after the skating exhibitions."
"Although," she added. "I strongly suspect that the individual team members will be notified in advance."
The elevator dinged its arrival and, when the door slid open, out rushed a gaily-dressed Garcia, a smiling Jade, and a widely grinning Jack.
"You did it!" they chorused, throwing handfuls of confetti in the air. "You did it!"
"Lois and Joan are waiting upstairs with Sophia," Garcia told Laurel. "And, just in case you're worried about her, she's already asleep."
"We were watching through the window and saw you coming," Jade explained.
"And here we are," Jack added as he grabbed Paige and twirled her around.
"This is my sister!" he proclaimed proudly to the other hotel guests who were smiling as they watched. "My Sister!"