A/N: Intense!

"You're coming with me to Australia. No ifs or buts. I'm going to Melbourne as the ambassador for the world cup event, and I want you to come with me. I think it'll be good for you to put some time and space between you and Will, even if it's just for a few days"

Laying on her back with her eyes fixed on the ceiling, JJ let out a sigh. "Aly, I don't-"

"I said no ifs or buts!"

As numb as she felt on the inside, JJ couldn't help but crack a smile at Aly's insistence. "I didn't say if or but. I just... I don't know if I have it in me to fly halfway around the world right now"

"Well, luckily we don't need to leave until February nineteenth, so you've got like four weeks to get it in you!"

JJ stayed silent, pondering the request. She wondered what her mom would say... her therapist... would a week in Australia be considered running from her problems?

"Come on Jayje, it'll be fun. They're not gonna tell anyone that you're coming, imagine how excited all those little kids are gonna be when the Olympic all-around champion shows up"

Heaving a sigh, JJ pushed herself up until she was sitting with her back resting against her headboard. "I guess it won't be so bad... do I need to book flights?"

"Nah, they're holding flights for me, they just wanted to confirm if I was bringing anyone. You'll just have to book a flight from Pittsburgh to LA, but they've got the flight from LA to Melbourne sorted. Qantas, business class!"

JJ grinned. "You do love free business class, don't you"

"Who doesn't? Anyway, I gotta go, but I'll send you all the details. I'm so excited! I haven't been to Australia in so long, it'll be nice to go back!"

JJ had long gone to bed, but Sandy was still up, marking assignments at the kitchen table with a mug of steaming hot chocolate beside her.

She was turning to the next page in Jordan Blake's assignment, tutting over the blatant spelling errors amidst his chicken scratch, when she heard a noise behind her. Startled, she whirled around in her chair, her face softening when she realised it was only Will.

"It's only you," she said softly. "I almost forgot you were here, I've hardly seen you since... well, you know"

Will nodded once, lifting a hand and gesturing towards the kitchen. "Do you mind if I make myself a drink?"

"Of course," Sandy said quietly, her voice carrying a hint of sadness. "You live here too, you don't have to ask permission"

She watched as he walked over to the counter, her eyes studying his frame as he moved. He was weary and exhausted. Much like everyone else in the house, he probably hadn't had a lot of sleep, and Sandy found she couldn't really blame him. Whereas he had always been a rather strong physical presence, all she could feel from him at this moment was hurt... sadness.

"How are you holding up?" she asked, her voice almost deafening in the silence of the room. Will looked up from pouring some milk into a mug, his face reading surprise that Sandy was even asking him.

"I... you know. Fine. I guess," he mumbled, carrying the mug over to the microwave and placing it inside. He set it to run for a minute, before turning back to face Sandy. "Why are you asking me?"

Sandy rose from her chair, slowly approaching the counter and placing her hands at the edge. "Because you're here... your family is in another state... and you're just as involved in this mess as JJ is. There's so much going on, and you don't have to suffer through it alone. I'm here for both of you... not just JJ"

"I'm just tired," Will replied. "I don't know what to think, or feel, and... I just wish I could go back and change something... anything"

"Hindsight is a curse sometimes," Sandy mused softly. There was a short silence, before she spoke up again. "There's actually something I wanted to talk to you about... I know JJ's seeing a therapist already, but I thought it might be a good idea for you guys to see a couple's therapist as well"

"I already know what our problem is," Will said defensively as the microwave beeped.

"I know... but a therapist isn't there just to help you work out what the problem is... they're there to help you navigate through repairing what's broken," Sandy said gently, watching him as he retrieved his mug from the microwave and carried it back to the counter. "Even... even if you guys can't work this out... you're carrying a lot of anger and pain right now. And as much as I love her, my daughter is the cause of that. This therapist will be able to help you work through that"

Will avoided her gaze, focusing on the mug as he stirred in hot chocolate mix. Eventually, he heaved a sigh, lifting his face to look at the older woman. "I guess... I guess it couldn't really hurt"

Sandy smiled, reaching out and patting his hand. "I'll get it organised for you and let you know"

Will nodded, picking up his mug and beginning to make his way back upstairs.

"And Will?"

He turned, looking expectantly at Sandy.

"I meant it. I'm here for both of you. If you ever want to talk-"

"Thanks," Will cut in shortly, before leaving Sandy in the silence of the kitchen as he retreated upstairs. Sandy took a moment, heaving a sigh as she dropped herself into her chair, the assignments now long forgotten on the table. She really hoped she was doing the right thing by both of them.

"You must be William," greeted the therapist as she opened the door, a week after Will's late night conversation with Sandy. She was smiling at Will in a way that immediately made him feel less hostile about having counseling that day. He gave her a gruff smile in return, nodding as he stepped over the threshold and into the cozy office. Warm daylight streamed through the dark wood Venetian blinds, leaving strips of light across the beige carpet as he padded across it. In the corner was a large mahogany desk, accompanied by a unit of shelving behind it, laden with plaques and certificates.

He hoped that meant she was more than qualified for this job.

"Take a seat," she said warmly, gesturing towards a dark brown sofa in the middle of the room as she closed the door. He did so, settling himself down on the end closest to the squashy armchair sitting opposite. "I'm sure you're already aware, but I'm Dr. Melissa Davis. You're more than welcome to call me Melissa... or whatever you're most comfortable with," she said as she crossed the room and took a seat in the armchair. "Do you go by William, or do you have a name you'd prefer to be called?"

"It's… just Will, actually... only my dad goes by William," Will muttered, sitting back against the couch and twiddling his fingers in his lap. His gaze never raised higher than the table, but Melissa didn't say anything... at least, not yet. She looked quite young, from what he had seen when he walked into the room, but judging by all the qualifications next to her name on the outside of the building, she had to be at least ten years older than him.

"That explains the Jr," Melissa said with a chuckle. "Have you always been Will?"

Will shook his head. "My dad's always called me Billy... well… up until the last few years. Living in New Orleans, everyone just knew me as Billy. It wasn't until I moved here that I copped Will as a nickname... decided I liked it better than Billy, and it stuck... looking back, it was probably because it was JJ that gave it to me"

Melissa glanced down at the file in her lap. "JJ's your fiancé?"

"I don't know what we are right now," Will said quickly, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"That's ok," Melissa said reassuringly. "Just refer to her however is most comfortable for you"

Will sighed, running a hand through his hair. At last, he finally lifted his eyes to meet Melissa's. "I guess... at this stage, we're still a couple... so... she's... let's just go with partner"

"Ok," Melissa said softly, making a quick note on the topmost piece of paper. Looking up at him, she folded her hands across the file and leant back in her chair. "Do you want to talk about JJ?"

Will scoffed slightly. "That's why I'm here isn't it? To fix our shit"

Melissa nodded. "To some degree. Let's start with JJ... what can you tell me about her?"

Will shrugged. "Pretty much everything you need to know will be on Google"

"Why do you say that?" Melissa asked with a frown.

"She's won a shit load of titles in gymnastics... been on the last two Olympic teams... she's the current Olympic all-around champion... she's known all over the country," Will explained, biting his tongue to keep from snapping in frustration. Glancing at the clock, he felt his insides shrivel to see it had only been five minutes. Surely it had been so much longer!

"She's very accomplished," Melissa said, an air of appreciation in her voice. "You sound annoyed though. Do you ever resent the amount of success JJ has had?"

Will sighed, shaking his head as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "No... it's her thing. Gymnastics… the Olympics... they were her dreams... her goals. I'm good at some sports, but I never had the inclination to pursue anything like that. As long as I've known her, I've always been happy to watch and support her"

"Considering the last Olympics were only about six months ago, I'm probably safe to guess that you were in a relationship with JJ throughout the lead-up to the Games?"

Will nodded.

"What was that like?"

"Hard work," Will replied immediately. "Not that that was a bad thing, I knew it was going to be a stressful year, but… yeah, it was a little rough"

"Were you proud of her?"

"Of course I was," Will snapped, a little too defensively. Melissa, however, barely even flinched.

"What about now? You're five, six months removed from the Olympics. The fervor has died down, and now you're having some troubles. Are you still proud of her now?"

'Not since that fucking party,' was Will's immediate thought, but he pushed it away.

"I... yeah," he said lamely.

"You hesitated a little there... what's going on now that changes how you feel about JJ's accomplishments?" Melissa asked.

"Like you haven't seen it," Will spat. "It's all there in your file, I'm sure"

"Maybe it is… but I'd still like to hear it from you. What happened since the Olympics that's changed your stance?"

He took a deep breath to try and settle himself before he spoke, but just seconds later, it was bubbling up like lava, ready to erupt at any moment.

"She went to that fucking party in Los Angeles, drank herself stupid and took cocaine before locking herself in a room with some random fuckwit while her best friend was coming to get me in tears saying I had to come and get her because she was scared she was going to hurt herself! And when I finally got there, I found her in that room, practically passed out beneath this dude with her dress up around her fucking ribs, pretty much ready to have sex with him, AND THEN she had the audacity to have a go at me once I got her outside because she 'totally had it under control'!" he spat in a furious rush of anger and vitriol.

Melissa sat silently for a moment, watching him as the information sank in. "What makes you say she was ready to have sex with him, not that that guy was potentially taking advantage of her?" she asked gently.

"Because even though she was drunk, high, whatever, it was pretty clear when I got her outside that she at least half knew what was going on," Will muttered darkly, dropping his gaze back down to the floor.

"Does JJ drink normally?"

"Almost never," he replied shortly. "LA was different... it's like she was looking for an outlet, some way of hurting herself... I was scared she was going to hurt herself. She's just... she's not JJ anymore"

"If you can separate out the girl who won gold at the Olympics from the girl who got drunk in LA... are you proud of her then?"

It took a minute for Melissa's question to fully resonate in his mind, but once it did, Will slowly nodded.

"So," Melissa said softly, sitting forward, "what changed?"

"Her dad died," Will said simply. "But you already knew that"

"I did," Melissa agreed. "It seems like that's something you and JJ at least agree on"

Will looked up, surprised. "I thought you hadn't-"

"I saw JJ yesterday," Melissa said with a gentle smile. "Sometimes in my line of work, you have to employ a little bit of acting to get at what's truly underneath." She glanced down at her notes. As she did, Will noticed the spine of the file had both his and JJ's names printed down the side; not just his own. "JJ believes the catalyst for her was the passing of her father. That the adrenaline of the Olympics, the fun and excitement of the Kellogg's Tour and becoming engaged, the vacation you took in December... it all kept her from properly dealing with the grief of her dad passing away. Is that an assessment you would agree with?"

He ran the words through his head once more, before slowly nodding.

"So let's circle back to you... you and JJ have been together for over four years, and from what I can gather, you built a strong, loving relationship in that time. Tragedy hit her really hard last year, she bottled it all up until she finally exploded a couple of weeks ago. She essentially cheated on you, while potentially harming herself in the process... and you're resentful... you're angry... you're upset," Melissa said gently. "But you're still here"

"You saying I should have left?" Will asked, a little more harshly than he had intended. "I was going to. I was this freaking close. I took back the ring and everything"

"And yet... you're still here," Melissa repeated. "You see Will... that to me says that no matter how upset, how angry, how betrayed you're feeling right now... there is still a part of you that thinks this can be fixed... that it's worth fixing"

Staying silent, Will chewed anxiously at the inside of his cheek.

"You care about her more than you'd realise right now-"

"Of course I care about her!" Will exclaimed. "She's been my best friend since I was eight years old! I've been hopelessly in love with her for nearly ten years, she's the only person I've ever had sex with! She's always been the girl I knew I could count on to make me happy, so of course I care about her-"

He broke off when he realised hot tears were spilling uncontrollably down his cheeks. Wordlessly, Melissa picked up the tissue box on the table between them, holding it out to him. He pulled one from the box, pressing it against his eyes as he buried his head in his hands for a moment. The sudden silence hung around him, but surprisingly, it wasn't uncomfortable. It took him nearly a minute before he regained enough composure to speak again, lifting his head to bring his gaze just in front of him as the slowed tears continued to well in his eyes.

"I do care about her," he started slowly, his voice catching in his throat, "which is why I'm so afraid that she's going to hurt herself if this grief gets the best of her. But I'm so... angry at her at the same time... and I'm angry at myself... for still caring as much as I do"

"Why are you angry at yourself?" Melissa asked softly.

"Because she might be hurting herself, but in the process... she also hurt me," Will said in a thick voice, wiping away a few tears that had broken free down his cheeks. "When I saw her with that guy... it was like... like someone had... had physically reached into my chest and torn my heart in half... I know so many people who would leave if their partner did that to them... I feel like such an idiot for sticking around... I'm angry at myself for allowing myself to care so much about someone who's done nothing lately but cause me pain"

"She's someone very special to you," Melissa encouraged gently. "However, in a situation like you're experiencing, it's completely natural to have conflicting emotions. You're worried because you care, but you're angry because you're hurt. Those are both very powerful feelings... it's important not to disregard them because you think you should be more inclined toward one or the other"

Taking another tissue from the box, which was now conveniently sitting right in front of him, he wiped his wet eyes, sniffing as he scrunched it tightly in his now shaking hands.

"Are you feeling ok to continue?" Melissa asked with a smile. "We can have a break if you like"

Will shook his head, a weak smile finding its way onto his face as he looked up with a soft chuckle.

"I... I've never done anything like this before... I guess I've really been holding onto everything," he mused.

Melissa nodded knowingly. "Sometimes that first big emotional release really does get the better of you. But it's a very good way to demonstrate the importance of opening up"

Will nodded in agreement, trying to steady his hands as he sat back slightly on the couch.

Setting her file down on the edge of the table, Melissa rose from her seat and walked over to the edge of her desk. For the first time, Will noticed the crystal pitcher of water sitting beside two tall glasses. He watched as she calmly poured out a glass of water, before carrying it back over to where they were sitting and placing it down in front of him.

"Thank you," he said softly, picking it up and taking a few small sips as she resumed her position in the armchair.

"Why don't we take a little trip down memory lane?" Melissa suggested softly. "I suspect there's far more to your relationship with JJ than what you're feeling right now"

"Yeah, I guess so," Will said quietly, not quite sure where she was headed. They'd just been talking about the last couple of weeks... now they were going backtracking?

"Why don't you tell me about one of your happiest memories with JJ?"

A little surprised, he could hardly control the smile that started to find its way onto his face. He sat up slightly, turning his gaze towards the sunlight streaming through the blinds. "I have so many," he admitted, his chest suddenly aching with the sudden change of pace.

Melissa chuckled. "Pick the first one that comes to mind"

But so many of them came to mind, all rushing in at once. The first time he'd kissed her, realising she'd achieved her dream of going back to the Olympics, spending Christmas with their two families and the Raismans, the moment the scores had changed and her name had finally gone up beyond Simone's, the endless hours they'd spent working their way through the Netflix catalogue, the first time he'd slept with her, the first time he'd seen her in her glasses, the moment he'd known she was the perfect person for him, how entertaining her lack of basic cooking skills was...

"Lake Conneaut!" he blurted out, expecting Melissa to look confused. She cracked a small smile, seemingly glad he'd managed to conjure one up. "For... for our two year anniversary, I took her to my parent's cabin at Lake Conneaut," he elaborated, his smile growing just a little bigger. "She'd just come back from Worlds, and I knew the following season was going to be pretty intense, so I decided to take her away for the weekend to celebrate our anniversary"

Melissa didn't speak. Watching him patiently, she simply sat, unmoving, waiting for him to continue.

"The weather was kinda shitty all week, it was still raining when we were driving up... when we got there, I just remember looking over at her and seeing this look of... wonder on her face. Like she just couldn't wait to explore the place because of how beautiful it was. So I told her to go have a look around while I took our stuff inside"

He stopped for a moment, noticing how even clenched together, his hands were still shaking, perhaps even more than they had been just minutes earlier.

"I couldn't find her straight away when I finished unpacking... and when I walked out onto the deck, she was there, just leaning against the railing watching the sunset. It had finally stopped raining for five minutes, and the clouds had broken just enough for the sun to shine through. When I looked at her... the sun kind of made this... almost like a halo around her. She just looked so happy... so content... I couldn't help taking a photo of that moment"

He took a deep breath, keeping his eyes cast down towards the table as he continued to speak.

"The following evening was the actual night of our anniversary... we'd been goofing around outside all day, and then I'd made dinner. Late that night though... well, obviously we had sex, but... it was so much more than that... we were always passionate... loving... but this was the first time where I truly felt we were making love. I was so overwhelmed by how much I loved her, that when it was all over... I cried. Not as much as JJ did, but I cried"

His heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest. Did therapy always feel like this? Like a child had opened him up like a toy chest and played with his emotions as if they were building blocks?

"You may not have as far to go as you think you do," Melissa said softly. Will looked up, one of his hands subconsciously rubbing his chest as he took in the smile adorning her face. "It sounds like what you and JJ have... or had... is really special. You've had exceptional circumstances and made it work regardless of those obstacles," she elaborated.

"I'm still just so... upset... about what she did," Will mumbled. Like the rain over Lake Conneaut, the clouds had moved back in, blocking out the temporary rays of sunshine that had broken through.

"Which is perfectly normal," Melissa reminded him. "We can keep working through that at your own pace"

Nodding, Will swallowed thickly as he felt tears burning his eyes again. "Can... can we leave it here?" he asked in a somewhat strangled voice. Melissa nodded, closing the file and setting it down on the table in front of her.

"I think we've poked and prodded enough for today," she said in a soothing voice, holding out an arm to steady him as he stood up. Side by side, they walked back towards the heavy wooden door. "I'll have Grace reimburse you for a half hour," she said gently. "Now, I've tentatively scheduled you and JJ in for your first joint session next Wednesday at noon. I'd like to see you one more time before the weekend if we can, perhaps Friday?"

Will nodded numbly.

"Ok. Give the office a call tomorrow to schedule yourself in, and I'll see you then. If I feel like we're not ready to move forward as a group after that, I'll reschedule the Wednesday"

As she opened the door, she gave him a smile, accompanied by a gentle pat on his forearm. "It's ok to feel like this after your first session. Don't repress it. Go home and let it out," she reminded him.

Nodding again, Will quietly made his way down the hall, suddenly feeling extremely vulnerable now that he'd left the cozy confines of Melissa's office. With barely so much as a nod towards the reception desk, he made his way out into the parking lot. When the cool air hit his face and the sun beat down on his skin, he let out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. With it came a fresh flood of tears. At a loss to stop them, he simply walked over to his truck, unlocked the door, and climbed in. Moments later, he was slumped forward against the steering wheel, burying his face against his arms as he simply let the tears flow freely.

"Will? Dinner's ready," Sandy called softly through the door. There was a muffled rustling from within.

"I, uh… I'm not that hungry right now," came Will's voice a few moments later.

To Sandy, he sounded a little weak, but she decided not to press the issue. "Ok, well, I'll keep a plate in the fridge for you if you're hungry later," she said warmly.

After getting a quiet 'thanks' from behind the door, she made her way back down the stairs into the kitchen. JJ was still where she'd left her; sat in the chair closest to the door with her knees pulled up to her chest. Wearing an old pair of Will's sweatpants and one of her Team USA hoodies, with her freshly washed hair piled in a loose bun atop her head, she looked so much smaller than Sandy ever remembered.

"He's not coming down?" JJ asked quietly as her mom walked over to the stove and turned off the burner.

"Ah… no," Sandy replied as lightly as she could. "Not right now"

JJ sat in relative silence, just watching through achy, puffy eyes as her mom dished up three servings of the meal. As she was covering the third in aluminium foil to put in the fridge, JJ's eyes gravitated down to her hands. Her left hand was bare. Completely bare where just a month ago had sat a beautiful engagement ring. Slowly, she brought the tips of her right fingers to her fourth finger, gently squeezing the base where the ring had once sat.

"Try not to dwell on it honey," Sandy said softly as she sat the two plates down at the table and took the seat adjacent to her daughter.

But at her mother's words, JJ's face automatically crumpled, the tears finding their way through yet again. Her eyes burned, but regardless, they flooded through with fresh vigour.

"You will work this out," Sandy said firmly, pushing her plate aside and reaching across to pat JJ's knee. "You guys have something so special… one blowup isn't going to end it baby girl"

"That was before I completely fucked it up," JJ sobbed.

"You made a mistake. They happen to the best of people," Sandy insisted, pulling her chair a little closer to JJ's.

"He's not going to give that ring back," JJ breathed through her tears, a heartbreaking sob escaping at the end of her sentence. "And I don't blame him… anyone else would've left"

"You don't know that," Sandy whispered, her thumb running gentle circles on JJ's knee.

"He should just… pack up his stuff… and go home… to New Orleans… at least he'd be happier," JJ stammered out.

"Oh JJ," Sandy said sadly. "Baby…"

Shakily getting to her feet, JJ pulled her sleeves down over her hands as she turned towards the doorway. "I'm not that hungry," she said tearfully. "I'm going upstairs"

Sandy nodded, watching sadly as her daughter shuffled out of the room, her heartbroken sobs echoing down the stairs even once she had closed her bedroom door behind her. And then, almost like a contagion, Sandy crumpled as well.

"Oh Michael," she sobbed, tipping her head back so she was looking up at the ceiling. "I wish you were here"