A/N: Kinda rushed, I promise next chapter is going to be AMAZING!

Warm sunlight brushed her skin, slowly rousing her from a deep and peaceful sleep.

Stretching her arms up, she blindly fumbled her way out from beneath the comforter. With a yawn, she rubbed her eyes, rolling over onto her stomach to get the sun out of her eyes as she started the slow process of waking properly.

"Morning sleeping beauty," Aly said with a grin from where she was sitting cross legged on her bed.

"Hey," JJ groaned, rubbing her face as she pushed herself up. "Why didn't anyone wake me up?"

"Marta was so touched by last night that she decided we could skip training this morning as long as we all take some time to condition. You looked pretty wrecked last night when we got back, so I thought I'd let you sleep," Aly said with a smile. "You slept for like ten hours"

"No kidding," JJ yawned as she sat up, reaching out for the bedside table and grabbing her glasses. "I'm surprised Simone didn't come running in to wake me up at half past five"

Aly laughed. "Oh trust me, she's been bouncing around for a couple of hours. I told her I'd pitch her medal over the balcony if she woke you up"

At that, JJ laughed, putting her glasses on. Her eyes had been hurting the previous evening due to her being tired, and she thought that giving them a bit of a rest in the morning by wearing her glasses would help.

"Deb's out there with the physio table set up if you're feeling like you need it"

Standing up, JJ groaned. "Yeah, I think I need it," she grumbled as Aly laughed.

"Who's the grandma now?" Aly teased. JJ stuck out her tongue, before moving over to her backpack and pulling open the zip. Reaching in, she pulled out her medal, still securely wrapped in the t-shirt. Unwrapping it from the fabric, she discarded the shirt, allowing the ribbon to fall from around the medal.

"Six medals later and it still feels like a dream, hey?" Aly said with a smile.

"Something like that," JJ said softly, sitting down on the end of the bed, turning the medal over in her hands. "It's gorgeous"

"I think I was expecting them to look exactly like our medals from London… like, they're not that different, but they are at the same time," Aly mused. "They are really pretty though. I love the ribbons"

Turning to Aly, JJ smiled.

"You know," Aly started with a warm smile. "I know you don't wear your glasses when you're supposed to… but you should. They suit you"

JJ grinned. "Are you saying I should become the senior version of Morgi Hurd?"

Aly laughed. "Not quite, you can still see the beam and bars. Why don't you stop being a smartass when I give you a compliment and go get your physio?"

Chuckling, JJ wrapped her medal up once more, before ambling out of the room to have her stiff muscles worked on.

Afternoon training had bled into the evening. While Aly and Maddie had only trained their remaining competition routines (floor and vault respectively), and Laurie trained beam as the event backup, Simone and JJ had drilled an entire all-around set each, proving that they were strong and ready to take on the all-around final the following afternoon.

They had arrived back at the Village in time to grab some dinner, before heading upstairs to their complex for some much needed relaxation before bed.

JJ was feeling cautiously optimistic. She knew if she landed on her feet tomorrow, she would make the podium.

What she also knew, however, was that tomorrow was August 11th.

Exactly a month since her dad had passed away.