A/N: This one's a hard one, but I hope I did it justice!
The day had started off with an atmospheric high. Unbeknownst to the team, or more specifically, Simone, Hoda Kobt had flown a special guest down to Rio to meet the girls.
They had been taken into a room at the studio, only to have Zac Efron walk in just a few minutes later. Simone had screamed and hidden behind Aly, while Laurie had been the first to approach him for a hug, completely star struck.
They had spent roughly an hour just hanging out with Zac, who JJ had to appreciate as a genuinely sweet guy (who was also incredibly attractive in person). Simone had had the most fun of all, taking plenty of selfies for her Snapchat story, and after the initial shock of meeting her hero, had practically jabbered his ear off the entire time.
Now, JJ and Nick were set to have an interview with the Rio outpost of Fox News, with a man named Jack Hamilton. Nick was a little excited – he'd never been interviewed before. For JJ however, it was old news.
Seated together on a little black couch, they smiled as the cameras started rolling.
"So today we have joining us, the Olympic gymnastics all-around champion, Jennifer Jareau, and her longtime coach, Nicholas Romero, thanks for joining us today!"
"Thanks for having us," Nick replied with a smile.
"So," Jack said, leaning back with a smile. "Second Olympics! Has the experience been different this time around, or largely the same?"
Nick looked at JJ, gesturing for her to go first.
"Ah, it's been different, you know, I've had a lot going on outside of gymnastics that has made it a very different experience, but the actual process of getting here and competing felt very much the same"
"What about you, Nick, has it been the same for you?"
Nick chuckled. "Other than actually knowing what goes on at the Olympics compared to London, it's been pretty much the same. But still an incredibly enjoyable experience"
"Nick, you've produced one of America's greatest gymnasts, let alone the most decorated gymnast in America... what's your secret?" Jack asked with a grin.
"No secrets," Nick said with a laugh, holding up his hands. "I think we just lucked out. The coach/athlete relationship JJ and I have is very strong. We work very well together, and we understand each other, which is especially important when you have an athlete like JJ who does have a lot going on outside the gym. But mostly? JJ is an incredible athlete. She has an amazing work ethic, she knows what she wants, and she'll work until she gets it. There's no secrets. Just solid, hard work"
Jack smiled, looking at JJ.
"How does it feel to have beaten the great Simone Biles?"
"Still doesn't feel real," JJ laughed. "I hope it eventually sinks in when I get home, but for now, it just doesn't even feel like it happened"
"What about your dad? That's something only very recent, do you think you're doing ok in spite of that?"
JJ nodded. "I think so... I mean, there's still a lot to work through. But I know I made him proud out there"
Jack nodded, leaning forward slightly. His expression had changed, to one that was sombre... even dark.
"Do you regret spending most of your time training for the Olympics rather than spending time with your father when he was dying?"
A weight that felt like a lump of ice sank into JJ's stomach as she looked up at Jack, stunned.
"No… I…-"
"Are you okay with having sacrificed your time with him just so you could win another medal? Because at the end of the day, that medal is just an object… is it really worth everything you've given up?"
"You need to stop," Nick said, his voice suddenly dark and threatening.
Seconds later, JJ was in tears. They came like tidal waves, flooding down her cheeks with relentless vigour. Through her waterlogged vision, she saw Jack's mouth moving, and just a moment later, she watched as Nick leapt out of his seat, brandishing his fist as the set security case racing out onto the floor. They weren't fast enough, however, for Nick had already thrown a hard punch, socking Jack right in the eye.
"Sir! SIR! Back away!" one of them said menacingly to Nick.
Muttering darkly, Nick pulled JJ up from her chair, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and hustling her away from the cameras.
When they had made it off the set and out into one of the deserted hallways, Nick stopped walking, turning and pulling JJ to him as he tried to comfort her.
She barely recognised the distraught sobs escaping her mouth. Suddenly, the weight of the five medals around her neck felt like a noose, dragging her down to the depths of hell with every second they remained there.
"I should've been with him," she sobbed into Nick's chest. "What have I done? What have I done?"
"Shh," Nick said gently, his eyes burning brightly as JJ's heartache reached his ears. "Don't you dare listen to a word they say, JJ, you had a dream and you went after it, and you know that was exactly what your dad wanted you to do"
"I wanna go home," JJ sobbed, her tears soaking the front of Nick's shirt. "I've had enough… I wanna go home"
"Ok kiddo," Nick breathed. "I'll arrange for us to go home"
"What happened?" Aimee asked incredulously.
Nick was sitting on the couch in the main area of the team complex, his head in his hands. Surrounding him were the coaches, the other four girls, Marta Karolyi, Rhonda Faehn, and Steve Penny.
"Nick… I know you were trying to protect JJ… but we can't let this slide. You attacked a reporter. We'll discuss it back in the States, but you're looking at a six month suspension from coaching on the floor at competitions,"
"Fine. I literally don't care Steve, suspend me for a year if you have to! You didn't see how devastated she looked when he insinuated she cared more about a medal than her dad! Seriously! She's been fighting that internal battle with herself all year, but anyone who knows her knows how much her dad meant to her!"
"Ok calm down," Rhonda said firmly. "Is JJ ok?"
"No," Nick replied without missing a beat. "She cried all the way back, she thinks she's made a huge mistake and that her dad died upset with her. Nothing I said could change her mind"
"Oh no," Rhonda sighed, running a hand through her hair.
"She wants to go home. And far be it from any of us to try and stop her. I'm changing our flights tomorrow and I'm getting her back home as soon as possible," Nick said quietly.
Without a word, Aly slipped away from the group, heading for the door that led to the stairs. Hurrying up to the second level of their complex, she burst into the quiet apartment.
Heading straight for the closed door of the bedroom she and JJ were sharing, she slowly pushed it open. The room was empty, save for the mess of their clothes they'd created that morning.
A pang of sadness hit Aly's heart when she saw JJ's medals cast carelessly onto her bed. Whatever the interviewer had asked her must have removed all the happiness and pride from her achievements, and suddenly, Aly wanted to strangle the person who'd brought all that grief and pain back into her friend's heart.
"JJ?" she called softly.
No answer.
But as she turned around, the muffled sound of someone crying floated towards her from the bathroom door.
"JJ?" she said, her voice a little quieter this time. Approaching the door, she pushed down on the handle, but found it locked.
"JJ... can you let me in?"
"No," was JJ's sharp reply from the other side.
"Well, if you don't let me in, I'm gonna have to kick it down, and then I'll tell them it was you, so it's your choice. I'm coming in either way," Aly replied.
The lock clicked and a moment later, the door swung open, revealing JJ standing before her. Her face was pale, but her eyes were red and puffy, tears stains down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry," Aly whispered, reaching out and wrapping her in a hug. The gentle gesture moved JJ to tears again, the sobs shaking her body as they both sank down onto the edge of the bathtub.
"You shouldn't let what he said get to you," Aly said softly. "You know your dad... you know what he wanted"
"What if he wanted me to stay?" JJ sobbed. "He's the kind of person who would have told less than the truth to protect me... what if he just... told me to go and make the team, and I... I just blindly followed along?"
"You wouldn't have done it if you didn't truly want it," Aly reminded her. "And you wouldn't have done it if you didn't truly believe your dad was supporting you all the way"
JJ fell silent, burying her face in her hands again.
After a little while, Aly sighed.
"Ok, JJ, you know what I think? I think you're so used to hiding everything you feel from everyone who cares that you don't even realise there's an ugly side to your grieving. Whatever that guy said to you is bullshit, it's all bullshit. What do you really want to do? Do you wanna sit here and have a meltdown about it, or do you wanna get your feelings out in a more... productive manner?"
JJ looked up at Aly, somewhat surprised at the bluntness of her proposition.
"I know Nick socked him, but you really wanted to punch that dude," Aly said knowingly. "Didn't you?"
Slowly, JJ nodded. "I got back, and...," she started, her voice raspy from all the crying. "I just... I just wanted to hurl my medals through the window. They represent some of the biggest moments of my life... and that bastard reduced them to nothing more than scrap metal"
"Come here," Aly said, pulling JJ back to her feet and leading her out of the bathroom.
Once they were back in the room, Aly let go of JJ's hands, leaving her standing near the door while she walked over to her bed. Picking up the five medals, she carefully wrapped and tucked each one away in JJ's backpack, before zipping the backpack into JJ's duffel, and shoving the duffel under her bed.
"Now that they're out of harm's way...," she trailed off, reaching over and picking up a pillow, which she pressed into JJ's hands. "Go for it"
JJ looked from the pillow in her hands, up to Aly, confusion written all over her face.
"You can't let this anger live inside you forever. Whatever you're angry about, whether it's your dad, or that asshole, or the stupid people online... take it out on the room. The bed, the wall, our bags, me, whatever you need to hit, go for it. I guarantee you'll get it out a lot more effectively than sitting in the bathroom and hiding your tears"
Silence fell between them as JJ looked awkwardly around the room. The words from the interviewer's mouth were still playing on a loop in her head, and it was taking everything she had to try and get them to stop.
Then his face flashed into her mind, ignorant and cruel, and a flash of rage bubbled in her stomach.
Swinging her arms up, she nailed the end of Aly's bed with the pillow, a cry of frustration escaping her mouth. Just as quickly, she pummelled Aly's bedside table, her own bed, the chest of drawers, everything she could find. In the rage that was suddenly seeping from every part of her body, she even landed a few swings on Aly, who patiently braced herself and shielded her face from the impact.
The duvets were ripped from the beds, the book Aly had been reading went flying across the room, as did JJ's podium jacket and the pile of freshly laundered clothes sitting on the end of Aly's bed.
Letting go of the pillow, JJ whirled around, throwing a solid punch at the wall beside the door. The wall barely budged, but her knuckles were less fortunate.
"ARGH!" she groaned, sucking air through her teeth in a sharp hiss as she grabbed her knuckles and collapsed back against the wall.
"Ok, I think that's enough," Aly said gently, kneeling down beside her and taking her bruised hand in her own. JJ let out a sniff, running her left hand through her hair.
"Why did my dad have to die?" she whispered, tears welling in her eyes again.
"Life's a bitch," Aly said softly, reaching out and brushing JJ's hair back from her face. "I know you miss him... I would too... but what everyone says is true... he is so proud of you Jayje"
Reaching over, Aly grabbed her clean washcloth from the pile of clothes strewn across the floor.
"You need to take me to whoever taught you to punch... that was a seriously good throw," she teased lightly as she pressed the washcloth to JJ's scraped knuckles.
Looking up, JJ caught Aly's eye. At the smirk on her friend's face, all she could do was start to laugh.
After all the heartache the day had brought, it felt incredibly good to laugh.