A/N: Steaming towards 2015 - because that's where things start REALLY amping up!

The remaining days leading up to Christmas were nothing but a holiday rush. JJ and Aly had disappeared to a workout in the early hours of the morning, returning exhausted around midday to find that Rick and Aly's brother, Brett, had arrived from Boston. The snow was falling thicker and faster than ever, and the LaMontagnes had decided to join the party early to avoid the risk of being snowed in on Christmas Day, and Clayton had arrived in the early evening. In the traditional sense, it wasn't family, but in every other way, it was, and they were all looking forward to a homey, busy Christmas Day in which the house was definitely going to resemble Grand Central Station.

It was now late on Christmas Eve, and in the wake of dinner, hot chocolate, and plenty of laughter, everyone had slowly broken away to turn in for the night in preparation for what was definitely going to be a big following day. JJ had noticed how relaxed Clayton was, even surrounded by all these people he didn't know, and she just knew it had something to do with her dad; she had spotted him pulling him aside earlier, just before dinner.

"Clayton," Michael said softly, beckoning the young man over with a smile. Clayton nervously approached him, leaving the laughter of the lounge room behind.

"Mr Jareau," he said quietly, clutching his coffee in his hands. Michael chuckled, shaking his head.

"It's just Michael, ok? You're practically family at this stage," he said gently. Clayton nodded, managing a small smile.

"So why don't you tell me about this boy who's apparently good enough for you?"

Clayton looked up at him in surprise. For this, the calm demeanour, the unquestioning acceptance, the kind words… this was what he had been wishing for from his own parents. This was the kind of love he had wanted to feel every day. "His name is Josh," he started slowly. "He's from Ohio. Clayton, Ohio, actually… that's how we started talking"

Michael chuckled. "What a coincidence"

"He's studying pre-law. He wants to go into politics"

Michael nodded, clearly impressed. "Kid's a dreamer, hey? Very ambitious"

Clayton shrugged, smiling. "I guess so"

"Does he make you happy?" Michael asked gently.

"Yeah," Clayton replied, a hopeless smile crossing his face. "For once in my life… everything finally feels right"

Lifting a hand, Michael clapped Clayton on the shoulder, beaming from ear to ear. "Then that's that," he said. "As long as you're happy. And you know what Clayton… if he ever does wrong by you, you say the word. I'll happily go kick his ass"

Clayton laughed. "Just like you've threatened Will?"

Michael grinned. "I keep him on his toes. But just between you and me, I know he's harmless"

JJ, Will, Clayton, and Aly had all retreated to JJ's room to watch a movie before going to sleep. Sprawled across JJ's bed, JJ and Will were snuggled up together at the top, while Aly and Clayton, who had become fast friends, were laughing about something under their breath throughout the movie.

"You know," Will said softly about half an hour into the movie. "I feel like you're trying to sap all the warmth from my body and steal it for yourself"

"Of course I am, you're warm," JJ mumbled happily, snaking her arms a little tighter around Will. Will's response was to lightly tickle her ribs, making her giggle and try to push him away.

"Don't," she laughed, only to have him do it again. "Will!"

"Beg me," Will teased.

"Ugh, please don't," Aly groaned from the foot of the bed as Clayton feigned gagging, making the couple laugh. "I do not need to witness that, thanks"

"You're just jealous," JJ laughed, getting a grin out of Aly.

"Remember what I said Jareau. Until I have more Olympic medals than you, no man is getting any of this," Aly replied with a giggle, gesturing to herself. JJ and Will laughed, Will wrapping his arms around JJ as they settled back against the pillows once more.

"By the way, if you guys get frisky tonight, I'm bunking in with my brother," Aly chuckled. "Because I don't need to see or hear that either"

"That's seconded, actually," Clayton said with a grin, turning onto his side so he could look at his friends.

"Aly, you're in the bed with me, Will and Clay are sleeping on the floor," JJ said seriously.

"He? Who am I, the cat's father?" Will asked, making the girls laugh. "You never told me I was sleeping on the floor"

"Yeah, sorry," JJ giggled. "But I know you, you won't be able to keep your hands to yourself"

"I'm so offended," Will said dryly, getting another laugh out of the two girls.

"Don't worry, I'll get you a mattress," JJ said sweetly, reaching up to pat his cheek before giving him a kiss. Chuckling, Will reciprocated, before taking JJ's hand in his, running gentle circles on the back of it with his thumb as they finally turned their attention back to the movie.

Tiredness had crept in, and the lights were out. The first half hour had been intermittent with the girls laughing and making stupid noises just to drive the boys crazy, but one by one, they had eventually dropped off to sleep.

Well... three of them had.

JJ was completely exhausted, but the butterflies and worry had returned to her stomach and were effectively keeping her awake.

After tossing and turning for nearly an hour, she decided she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon. Rising from the bed, she unplugged her phone from the charger before walking across to her bathroom. Slipping inside, she slowly shut the door so she wouldn't wake the others up.

Turning on the heat lamp and the lights, she sat down on the floor, opening her phone as she tiredly rubbed her face with her free hand.

A flick through her Snapchat stories, a scroll through her Tumblr. Feeling like she wanted to at least partially get whatever it was off her chest, she took a selfie on Snapchat, captioning it "stressing. can't sleep :/" before adding it to her story.

Another half hour or so passed, JJ mulling through her social media as she sat there on the bathroom floor. Just as she was about to open a Snapchat she'd received from Simone, someone tapped lightly on the other side of the door.

"You can come in," she said softly, watching as the door opened and Will stepped inside, looking half asleep and a little pale.

"Why aren't you sleepin'?" he asked, shutting the door behind him and crossing the room to sit down beside JJ.

JJ shrugged. "I couldn't get to sleep"

"What's goin' on?" Will asked knowingly. "Every time you have a chance to start thinkin', you start lookin' a little troubled. I noticed it at dinner"

Taking a deep breath, JJ set her phone down beside her and rested her chin on her knees.

"I don't know... I'm just... stressing... about next year," she admitted slowly.

"Why?"

"I don't know," JJ choked out, her voice cracking as tears started to fall.

"Hey, hey," Will said softly, pulling her into his arms and rubbing her back. "Don't cry, JJ, you don't need to get upset"

"I just don't know what's wrong with me," JJ sobbed, burying her face in Will's chest. "I lie awake every night feeling anxious about the upcoming season... I don't know why I'm so worried"

"There's a lot more pressure this year," Will said gently. "You probably haven't thought much about it, but subconsciously, you know this year is an important one"

Shifting so that she was closer to Will, JJ kept her face down, her tears slowing some as Will gently rubbed her upper arm to try and comfort her.

"I think you're tired, JJ," Will said. "You've been working nonstop since the Olympics, and it's catching up to you. There's no doubt you still love gymnastics, anyone can see it in your eyes, but you're wearing thin. I think all you can do is keep your chin up, and march headfirst into the new season like nothing can touch you. You're Jennifer Jareau, the most decorated gymnast in America, and you have to believe you can do this, because I know you can. We all know you can. You'll get through this season just like every other season that came before it, and when we get to this time next year, you'll wonder what on earth you were so upset about"

Tipping her chin up, he pressed a comforting kiss to her forehead. "You're allowed to be anxious, but don't let it consume you. You're stronger than you think you are, and everything is going to work out"

Taking a deep breath, JJ squeezed Will's hand.

"I just feel like if something's going to go wrong... it's going to happen this year," she admitted softly, her tears almost forgotten.

Will shook his head. "If something goes wrong, you just take it in stride. If you want the Olympics again bad enough, nothing is going to stop you"

Reaching up to wipe away the last of her tears, JJ looked up at Will, managing a smile.

"Thank you. I needed to hear that," she breathed.

"I'm always here if you need to vent, cry, whatever you need, ok? Don't hold it all in, you know that's not good," Will replied, leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

"Come on," he said once they broke apart. "You need some sleep"

Allowing him to pull her up off the floor, JJ followed as he guided her back into the bedroom. While she was getting back under the covers, Will dragged his mattress closer to the edge of the bed. When they lay back down to go to sleep, Will reached up, taking JJ's hand and giving it a comforting squeeze so that she knew he was there for her.

And all through the night, she never let go.