A/N: Kinda brushing past 2013 Worlds because despite Simone's breakout performance, they were a tad meh, and there's heaps of exciting stuff coming up!

It had been completely unsurprising to the US camp when Simone breezed her way through the all-around final to take out the title. JJ and McKayla had loved every minute of watching their teammates compete, cheering ecstatically from the stands as the two tumbled, flipped, and swung their way to a gold and silver finish. Simone had been a petite figurehead at the top of the podium, her mouth full of braces glinting as far as the eye could see while she beamed and waved to a crowd that had absolutely adored her gravity defying gymnastics.

Kyla had come out second best, earning her first World medal with a performance that had also secured her the Longines Prize for elegance. JJ felt it was definitely well deserved; Kyla had poise and elegance to her sport that just couldn't be taught.

Third place had gone to Aliya Mustafina, the Olympic bars champion who JJ had edged out the previous year for the bronze in the Olympic all-around final. JJ had loved watching Aliya's performances as always. A former World all-around champion herself, she was an incredibly balletic performer, with every movement placed purposely and just so. Most of all, JJ loved watching her on bars. Part of her hoped that if she watched Aliya enough, some of her natural swing and prowess would magically rub off on her.

The first day of event finals had breezed past. McKayla and Simone had pulled another gold and silver finish on the vault, with McKayla effectively redeeming herself from the mishap in London. She had flown incredibly high, her vaulting exactly reminiscent of the gymnastics that had made her famous in London, if not better. Her form was gorgeous, her landings crisp, and her confidence on fire as she vaulted her way to her second consecutive world vault title.

Simone had been on her heels the whole way, managing two very well executed vaults as her bid in the final. However, due to her lower difficulty on her second vault than McKayla displayed, the silver was just about the highest she could reach for. But nonetheless, a gold and a silver at her first world championships was nothing to be disappointed about, and Simone had beamed throughout the entire medal ceremony.

Just an hour later, JJ and Kyla were out in the arena to take part in the uneven bars final.

JJ had been feeling a little nervous during the announcement to the crowd; she wanted to do well, but she had some stiff competition, especially in the two Chinese girls, and Aliya Mustafina, the reigning Olympic Champion on uneven bars. As she sat on the sidelines watching the competition get underway, she had calmed herself with a reminder that she was the only one putting pressure on herself, and the most important thing was for her to compete for herself.

Minutes later, some of the nerves had melted away as she watched Yao Jinnan, the first competitor, slip from the high bar following her Mo salto. The hardest skill in the final had not been completed, and the door had been opened for the others to step up their game.

JJ had gone first of the two Americans. The quiet arena had helped her focus on the apparatus, focus on putting up the best score she could muster. She already had Olympic bars bronze... it was now the time to prove she had rightfully earned it. She had to back it up.

Her routine had gone without a hitch, with only a few minor form breaks pestering various parts of the exercise. Her Pak and her shoot hadn't been issues as they had been on and off in training all year. By the time she landed with a stuck double layout, she was smiling so widely she felt like her face was going to crack. It inevitably earned a 15.100, which was low for what she was capable of, but great compared to the field that year.

Kyla had followed, wasting no time in mounting the bars to deliver her standard robotically beautiful bars routine. Her form was almost flawless, and JJ couldn't take her eyes off her friend. If only she could swing bars like that.

Kyla had almost nailed the landing on her dismount, smiling just as widely as JJ had when she saluted the judges. And it rightfully earned a great score – a 15.266.

Chattering away excitedly, they had hardly noticed the routines that followed save for a few minor details; Becky Downie of Great Britain had had a great set, right up until the swing before the dismount when she'd become unhinged on a pirouette and fallen from the high bar. Sophie Scheder of Germany had hit a superb routine, but hadn't scored high enough to break into the medals. Aliya Mustafina had performed beautifully, but just failed to miss JJ's score, having to settle for fourth, much to the American team's surprise. And lastly, Ruby Harrold, also of Great Britain, had hit a wonderful set with a quirky transition known as a Zuchold.

But at the end of the final, the medals were determined. Huang Huidan of China would take gold. Kyla would be taking another silver, and JJ, much to her own delight, had earned herself another bronze.

"Happy with that kiddo?" Nick asked as they walked back to the bus. JJ beamed, nodding as she practically skipped along beside him.

"So happy! I think I proved all my bars naysayers wrong. My Olympic medal wasn't a fluke," she said with a smirk, making Nick laugh.

"You were great today, JJ, you should be very proud. As always, a few things we can work on. But as long as you feel you went out and gave it your best, that's what counts"

"Definitely," JJ said with a nod. "Man, I can't wait for a massage, my back and shoulders are tight as after all that"

Nick grinned. "Don't worry, we'll make sure the beam queen gets a rub down so she's fighting fit tomorrow"

"So you're now a five time world medallist!" Sandy said, and JJ could hear her smile in her voice. "God, I remember when you first started gymnastics. You couldn't even do a forward roll. I remember thinking 'she might be terrible, but at least she's having fun'"

JJ laughed. "At what point did you start thinking I was actually good?"

"You know, when you competed at the London Olympics, I was like 'jeez, this kid might actually go pretty far!'"

Laughing, JJ shook her head. "You know your sense of humour turns more like Dad's every day?"

"I know," Sandy laughed. "In all seriousness... when you competed at your first competition against the other gyms in Pittsburgh... and you ended up placing in the top five for the all-around. That was when I thought you were actually starting to show some promise and aptitude for gymnastics. But aside from that, suddenly you were this kid who just knew exactly what she was doing on each event. Especially beam. You were more sure footed than a mountain goat up on that beam. Gone was the little girl who flopped her way through a forward roll, and in her place was a little girl who had found her footing and loved every second of it"

"It's crazy thinking back, hey?"

"It certainly is. Who would've thought back at your first state meet that ten years later we would be watching you at the Olympic Games?"

"Well... I mean, you could say the same thing about me and Will," JJ said with a grin. "Who would've guessed ten years ago that we would be where we are now?"

"Literally everyone, JJ. If I didn't know you as well as I do, I'd have guessed that you two were already sleeping together when you were sixteen"

"Mom!"

"What, it's the truth! Literally everyone could see the way you two looked at each other... except for you and Will"

JJ laughed. "We weren't that bad"

"Yes you were"

"Ok, ok"

"How are you going being away from him? I know the first time leaving a partner can be a bit tricky. The first time I was away from your dad for an extended time, I missed him so much it wasn't even funny"

"Yeah, I really miss him. But we try to talk every day, so there's that. I'm just trying to focus on Worlds and make sure I'm enjoying it here. I know I'll see Will again soon, and I'll be on break until the spring anyway, so we'll have plenty of time to spend together"

"I was chatting to Janine the other day and she mentioned something about asking you to go down to New Orleans with them before Christmas. They've got a big family camping and fishing trip planned, everyone's flying in, and she wants you to go with them"

"That sounds like fun," JJ said with a smile.

"She said Will would talk to you about it when you got back, but I think it'll be good for you to go! You'll be back before Christmas, and you'll get to spend a bit more time getting to know his siblings, since you haven't really ever spent that much time with them since they're so much older"

"Yeah, for sure"

"Well, I'm gonna let you go, Jayje, your dad is hanging to go out for dinner. Rest up and good luck tomorrow, ok? You're gonna be amazing"

"Thanks Mom. I love you"

"Love you too JJ, always"