A/N: Some Laurie because we love Laurie! Also this chapter took a really sad turn I wasn't expecting at the end, so sorry about that.
"Hey, JJ? It's nearly half past nine… Nick said if you want something to eat before we go to the arena, you probably need to get up"
Blinking blearily in the sunlight streaming through the window, JJ lifted her head. Pushing the duvet away from her face, she saw Laurie's head poking around the doorframe of the room.
"Where is everyone?" she asked groggily.
"They're at the training hall. Aly and Simone are going straight to the arena afterwards, and Maddie's coming back here before we leave to watch the final"
"How come Maddie went?" JJ said in confusion, pushing herself and rubbing her eyes with her good hand.
"She's starting NCAA in the fall, she wants to keep her training up," Laurie chuckled.
"Oh of course," JJ mumbled. "Ok, give me like…ten minutes to get changed and then we can go eat"
"Sure thing," Laurie chirped, leaving the room and pulling the door shut behind her.
Fifteen minutes later, JJ and Laurie were heading down to the food hall to grab breakfast. Nick and Maggie had both opted out of joining them, having been awake and eaten earlier in the morning.
After getting something to eat, they found a table that was relatively away from the usual hustle and bustle of the court. JJ still felt as though she was half asleep, but even so, she felt more rested than she had in quite a while.
"Feels weird that the Games are almost over… I mean… I trained nearly my whole life with the ambition of going, and it's already done," Laurie mused as they ate.
JJ chuckled. "Trust me, even the second time around, I still feel exactly the same"
"Have you spoken to your family since last night?"
"Yeah, my brother and his wife are going home tomorrow morning, their dogs get really anxious when they're not home"
Laurie's eyes lit up. "What kind of dogs?"
JJ smiled. "Two Rhodesian Ridgebacks that are nearly bigger than me"
"Awww," Laurie gushed. "What are their names?"
"Thumbelina and Tinkerbell," JJ replied. Laurie laughed.
"That's so cute," she giggled as she buttered her toast. "But other than your brother, is the rest of your family staying for the closing ceremony?"
"Yeah, it's just Will, my mom, my grandma, and Will's parents, but only Will and my mom have tickets to the ceremony. My grandma and Will's parents are going to watch from the apartment. What about your parents, are they staying?"
Laurie nodded. "Yeah. My brother, Marcus, and my sister, Jelysa, both stayed at home in New Jersey, but they've been watching everything live. My parents weren't going to come to the closing ceremony because it was expensive, but I think the US Olympic Committee had some spare tickets going around"
They fell silent for a moment, both enjoying their food as athletes and coaches alike continued to mill around the hall.
"It's so cool that Will's parents came to watch you compete," Laurie said with a smile, breaking their lull. "How long have you been together?"
"Nearly four years," JJ replied. "We got together during the Kellogg's Tour in 2012. But we've been best friends since we were about eight years old"
"That is so cute!" Laurie exclaimed, making JJ laugh. "Aw, it's like you guys were meant to be"
"Don't ever say that to my mom, she loves to remind me how she knew we would get together way back when we were about 12"
Laurie laughed.
JJ looked at her phone. "We better get moving if we're going to watch floor"
Nodding, Laurie grabbed her apple from her tray. They got up, carrying their empty trays over to the cleaning stack, before heading back upstairs to meet with Maggie and Nick.
"Hey you"
Will grinned as a familiar set of arms snaked over his shoulders and down to his chest. Turning his head, he captured JJ's lips in a kiss, before shuffling over as she jumped the row to sit beside him, Laurie and Madison coming to sit on her other side.
"You doing ok?" Will asked, lifting an arm and putting it around JJ's shoulders as she laid her head on his shoulder.
"Yeah… kinda tired of people asking me that though," JJ replied softly. "I miss my dad… miss him like hell… but being here is helping"
Smiling, Will turned his head, kissing her temple as he gently took her injured hand in his.
"Did you get this checked last night?"
JJ nodded. "Stress fracture. Six weeks recovery maximum. So no full program for me for the first few shows of the Kellogg's Tour, but hopefully I'll be good to go real soon"
"You'll be fine," Will said warmly, pulling her a little closer as they settled in to watch the upcoming finals.
It had been a beautiful end to the artistic program of the Rio Games. JJ and Laurie had sung and danced their way through Simone's floor routine, partially knowing the choreography themselves, as well as cheering on their teammates. Madison had also been pretty vocal in her cheering, and all three girls had thoroughly enjoyed the remaining three finals.
At all other times, JJ had been sitting beside Will, their hands locked together, her head resting on his shoulder as they watched the competition unfold. Laurie kept looking over at them, smiling as she watched the young couple interacting.
In the end, Simone had waltzed away with her third gold medal of the Games, Aly right behind her for the silver medal. Amy Tinkler of Great Britain had dissolved into tears upon learning she had earned herself a bronze, and it was a small moment like that that reminded JJ to appreciate the spirit of the Olympics. It also helped reinforce the enormity of what she had achieved in Brazil.
After parting from Will with a sweet kiss, JJ had joined Laurie, Maddie, and their coaches in heading back to the Village. Aly and Simone were being taken to NBC headquarters for interviews, and they were going to be at least another two hours.
Wanting an early night after all the excitement of their week, Maddie headed straight down for dinner with her coach, Cecile, while JJ and Laurie made themselves comfortable on the balcony as the afternoon slowly began to fade into evening.
'You and Will are really cute," Laurie said after they'd been sitting there for a little while. "Is that how he is all the time?"
JJ grinned, nodding slowly. "Most of the time. He really is a sweetheart… but he also is a pain in the butt and he thinks he's really funny. You should see him and Aly together when we're just hanging out. They're terrible. I literally have an entire folder of selfies on my phone that are just the two of them causing havoc"
Laurie laughed. "Somehow, that really doesn't surprise me"
They were interrupted momentarily by a rowdy cheer coming from somewhere above them, followed by someone's show going sailing out across the courtyard. Both girls laughed, shaking their heads; it appeared some of the swimmers were letting off some steam.
"Hey, JJ… can I ask you something? Something that's… a little personal?"
Turning to look at Laurie as she leant back in her chair, JJ nodded, propping her feet up against the guard rail.
"I was… I was wondering how old you were when you… first had sex?"
Seeing how nervous the usually talkative Laurie was, JJ relaxed into a smile. "I was eighteen. Why do you ask?"
"Well… I'm homeschooled. But I have a lot of friends in my local area who aren't. And some of them… well, they have boyfriends and they're starting to have sex. I guess I just kinda feel like I'm being left behind," Laurie said softly. "I know that that kind of normal stuff is a sacrifice I made to be where I am today, and I don't regret it… but it's almost like I'm in some sort of weird limbo"
JJ nodded in agreement. "Trust me, I felt the same way at your age. And I was still in the public school system. It's hard, because society kind of drills it into you that it's normal to be sexually active at sixteen, but… there really is no 'normal' time. It happens when you're ready for it, and whether you're sixteen or twenty eight, it shouldn't make a difference"
"How did you know you were ready?"
JJ took a moment, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "You know, I don't know… I guess I just… knew. We'd only been together for about three months, but it just felt right. I guess I always knew he was the right person for me, you know?"
Laurie nodded, playing with her hands as she glanced out over the courtyard.
"Is sex weird?"
The bluntness of the question made JJ laugh, subsequently making a grin spread onto Laurie's face.
"Um… yeah, you know what, sometimes it is," JJ giggled. "There's weird… sounds… sensations… half the time I start crying after it's over, and apparently that's completely normal-"
Laurie burst out laughing.
"- but yeah… sex is weird. Don't get me wrong… it's fun," JJ continued, a flush hitting her cheeks as Laurie giggled. "But it's freaking weird as well"
"So Will was your first?"
JJ nodded. "He's my first… everything. First real boyfriend, unless you count Aaron Slater in the third grade-"
Laurie laughed.
"- first kiss, first, and hopefully last, person I've ever slept with… it's rare to find something like what we have… but Laurie, oh my god… if you ever find it… don't let it go"
Laurie broke into a happy smile.
"You know JJ… I know you've been through a lot this year with your dad… I'm so glad you have someone like Will in your life. I was watching you two during the floor final… he makes you really happy"
JJ's eyes threatened to well up with tears right there. Since she'd finished competing, the thoughts of her dad had become near overwhelming, and now, Laurie's comment was pushing her right to the edge.
"There's something… incredible about him," JJ muttered in agreement. "The night my dad died… I sent Will a text to say that I needed him…"
Seeing JJ's eyes growing brighter in the dying light, Laurie pulled her chair closer, reaching out and taking JJ's good hand in hers.
"I was curled up in my bathroom, just crying… I don't know how long I was in there, but all I really remember is Will coming in out of nowhere. He didn't say anything… he just held me, in the most loving hug he's ever given me. He didn't have to say anything… just him being there was enough," JJ said quietly, tears starting to spill over her cheeks. Lifting her face, she looked up at Laurie, her blue eyes swimming in tears. "He's made the most horrible part of my life… just that little bit easier… and I hope you find someone like that one day Laurie. I hope all of you do… because I don't know what I'd do without him"
Biting back tears of her own, Laurie rose from her seat. Without saying a word, she closed the gap between them, wrapping JJ in a comforting hug.
They stayed like that for nearly five minutes, the only sounds being JJ's quiet sobs as everything she'd pushed away for over a month slowly started to come back to her. In the dying light of the afternoon, she was glad that Laurie showed maturity beyond her years. The comfort her teammates offered was working more wonders for her than they ever could have known.