A/N: Tiny bit angsty at the end!

Hey crazy, hope you're surviving camp out in the butthole of Texas. I kinda wish you were still here, I am beyond supremely bored out of my mind at home. But I'm so excited to watch you and the girls in London, you're gonna be amazing. Don't worry about replying, I know cell service is shit out there, and I don't want to distract you. Good luck!

The message had been on her phone when she'd woken up for training that morning. Straightaway, she'd felt a flutter of butterflies in her stomach, similar to when Will had pulled her aside at the party after Trials. It wasn't the same as the gnawing guilt or the pit of anxiety that constantly sat in the pit of her stomach. No, this was different. Confusing, and yet… almost happy.

But she had breakfast and early training to worry about, and so she had pushed it out of her mind and set about getting ready for the day.

Now, she was standing atop the balance beam, drilling her routine over and over. Pressure sets, they were called. She had to perform her routine five times without error in front of all the other girls, their coaches, Marta, and the rest of the staff. It was definitely the worst part of being an elite U.S. gymnast. She would take an arena filled with five thousand overly critical gymnastics fans to the deathly silent Texas gym any day.

She was currently on routine three, and so far, she was doing well. The first routine had had a minor wobble on her mount, but Martha had kindly overlooked it considering the rest of the routine was so strong.

Settling herself after her Onodi to two front aerials series, she flourished her arms to get herself in position for the next part of her routine; the layout full. It was one of the hardest beam skills in gymnastics, and she was quietly proud of the fact that it had become her signature skill.

Swinging her arms down, she leapt back into a backflip, her hands rebounding easily off the suede top of the beam.

As she rebounded into the second flip, a whiff of something that smelt strangely like Will's cologne hit her nose. His face swam through her mind as she punched into the layout full, smiling and handsome.

Handsome?!

With a thump, she slipped from the beam, managing to catch it with her arm as her feet hit the floor to stop herself from landing on her ass. She saw Martha purse her lips out of the corner of her eye, inciting a bubble of doubt in her stomach.

"Come on JJ, finish it!" McKayla called out encouragingly, giving her a supportive clap.

Turning to face the beam, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She willed herself to get it together. This wasn't the time nor the place to be having questionable thoughts and feelings about her best friend. That could wait until after London.

Placing her hands atop the beam, she hauled herself back up, shrugging her shoulders defiantly as she set herself back in place. As she relaxed into the next skill, she took a deep breath, mentally settling herself again.

The rest of the routine was so perfectly on that she wanted to kick herself for even daring to fall. When she dismounted, she turned to where Martha was standing with the rest of the team.

"Three more," Martha said indifferently, her commanding tone communicating to JJ that it was non-negotiable. JJ slumped slightly; she knew the fall meant she had to repeat the routine, but it still sucked to hear it.

With a deep breath, she headed to the other end of the beam to get ready for the next one. Mentally, she was screaming at herself.

Why had she had to be so stupid as to let whatever this ridiculous feeling was for her best friend interrupt the most important training of her life?

"Michael? I'm home!" Sandy called out as she came into the house early that evening.

"I'm in the kitchen!" Michael called back. Smiling, Sandy dropped her keys into the dish, before slipping her bag from her shoulder and hanging it up on the rack by the door. Smoothing her hands down the front of her shirt, she walked into the kitchen, where Michael was standing by the stove.

"Hi," she said softly, walking over to his side and stretching up to press a kiss to his lips. He smiled, putting an arm around her waist as he used his other hand to stir the contents of the pot on the stove.

"How was your day?" he asked warmly, his thumb rubbing gentle circles where it rested on her hip.

"It was really good. It was nice to see the girls, it's not very often at the moment that I actually get a chance to see my friends," she said happily, leaning into his embrace and resting her head against his shoulder. "What about you? How did you amuse yourself all day?"

Michael chuckled. "I started off cleaning the garage. I ended up online shopping"

Sandy laughed, playfully slapping his chest as she straightened up. "You are worse than JJ with a credit card"

"Who do you think she gets it from?" Michael scoffed, getting another laugh from his wife. "It's all useful stuff, I promise"

"Sure it is Michael," Sandy chuckled. "So what's on the menu?"

"Fettucine alfredo and garlic bread," Michael replied, lifting the arm around Sandy's waist to reach over and turn off the stove. "I thought… since we have the house to ourselves until we go to London… we could have a little bit of a romantic night in," he said softly, his voice lowering as he smiled lovingly at his wife.

"That sounds wonderful to me," she replied in a voice just above a whisper, stretching up to kiss him once more before turning away to get plates and cutlery from the drawers.

As they talked easily and lightly over dinner, Sandy was amazed at how much more relaxed she felt compared to the time leading up to the Olympic Trials. Even though they had told themselves that it was JJ's dream, and that they would muddle their way through it if she didn't make the team, she had been feeling much of the pressure JJ had been under.

Now that the hardest part was over, they could all breathe. It was like a weight had lifted from their shoulders.

After they'd eaten and cleaned up, they retreated to the lounge room, where Sandy lavished in the warm embrace of her husband's arms as they cuddled up together on the couch. Every so often, Michael would turn his head and press a gentle kiss to the top of her head, flooding her body with loving warmth.

About halfway through the second program they were watching, Michael suddenly turned, looking down at Sandy with a happy smile on his face.

"Do you remember the day JJ was born?" he asked softly.

Giving him a curious smile, Sandy sat up slightly. "Of course I do… what made you think of that?"

"I… have no idea," Michael chuckled. "I guess I was just thinking about how… she's going to the Olympics, and yet I still swear some days she's that tiny little girl we brought home from the hospital"

Sandy's lips quirked into a teasing grin.

"You were so convinced she was going to be a boy"

"You're doing great Sandy! Not too much longer and your baby will be here. Just two more pushes!"

"That's what you said two pushes ago," Sandy groaned, squeezing her eyes shut as she felt another contraction beginning to take hold deep in her abdomen.

"You can do it sweetheart," Michael said softly, bringing Sandy's hand up to his lips and pressing a kiss to the back of it. "You're doing so well"

Feeling the urge to push, Sandy gritted her teeth, pushing as hard as she could as the contraction took hold.

A cry of pain escaped her lips, prompting Michael to squeeze her hand tightly.

"You're almost there my love, you're almost there," he coached, brushing a few loose strands of her hair back from her face.

"I'm so tired," Sandy gasped as she collapsed back against the bed.

"Just one more," Michael said softly, kissing her hand again. "Looks like he's testing you already"

Sandy let out a tired chuckle. "You seem very confident that it's a boy"

Michael shrugged, smiling. "Call it intuition"

Tightening her grip on his hand, Sandy began to push as yet another contraction hit her. With another guttural cry, she pushed with all her might, willing it to be the last.

Moments later, their baby slipped past the seal of her skin and into the doctor's waiting hands. Almost immediately, the room was filled with lusty cries as the baby took its first breaths.

"There we go… you have a beautiful baby girl!" Dr Hansen exclaimed, lifting the baby up so Sandy and Michael could see her.

Sandy burst into tears, a happy smile crossing her face as Michael leaned down and pressed a loving kiss to the top of her head.

"I told you we weren't having a boy," she said tearfully, turning to look at her husband. Michael couldn't speak, his throat swollen with impending tears as he nodded in disbelief.

"Dad, do you want to cut the cord?" Dr Hansen asked, holding out a pair of medical scissors to Michael. Michael nodded again, taking the scissors. With slightly trembling hands, he snipped the cord, separating mother and daughter.

"Here's your baby girl," said the young nurse, Carol, lifting their newly bundled baby girl into Sandy's waiting arms. Sandy was tearful as she nestled her sweet girl against her chest, the newborn's cries quieting down as she recognised her mother's heartbeat. She gazed up at them, her eyes wide and bright, her little button nose twitching ever so slightly every time she opened and closed her little mouth.

"Oh she's beautiful," Michael breathed, wiping a few tears from his cheeks. Leaning over Sandy's shoulder, he was already captivated by his new baby daughter. Two daughters… one raucous yet loving little boy and two little princesses. He couldn't think of a more perfect way to complete his family.

"Do you want to pick her name?" Sandy asked softly as she trailed a finger down the soft skin of her baby girl's cheek. "I chose Rosaline's… we chose Jason's together… I think you should choose her name"

Lifting her arms, she gently passed the now quiet baby girl into her husband's arms, wiping away her tears once her hands were free. She watched on, the love for her husband swelling immensely in her chest as he watched her coo over his little girl. She chuckled to herself as she did; in about fifteen years, she was going to have a hard time trying to date any boys with Michael around.

"You are just beautiful," Michael whispered, unable to help the happy smile on his face. Looking up at Sandy, he took a deep, calming breath.

"What about Jennifer?" he asked softly. "After my grandmother"

Sandy mulled it over for a moment, her eyes never leaving the sweet face of her button nosed baby girl.

"Jennifer Jareau," she said softly, testing out the name on her tongue. She broke into an adoring smile, lifting a hand to the bundle of blankets in Michael's arms. "It's perfect"

Michael beamed, his attention falling back to his little girl.

Jason, Rosaline, Jennifer.

Three beautiful children.

"The only time in my life I've ever been wrong," Michael said defiantly, sending Sandy into a fit of laughter.

"You're so full of it," she exclaimed through her laughter, prompting Michael to grab her around the waist. Grinning cheekily, he pinned her down to the couch, tickling her sides as he did.

"Michael!" she exclaimed, trying to push him away. He relented immediately, leaning down with a smile and pressing a deep kiss to her lips.

When he pulled away, Sandy felt like the temperature in the room had risen inexplicably high. Laughter was forgotten, nothing but love and adoration coursing through her veins.

"You're not wrong now," she breathed, tugging him back down.

And just like that, their evening was wasted away... in the best way possible.

Nick had pulled her aside after dinner.

"What happened this morning? You never miss a verification," he had asked, firmly but still somewhat concerned.

'My heart rate seems to increase every time I think about my best friend,' had been the immediate thought popping into her head, but she'd shaken it off.

"I... I don't know. I just... lost my focus. It won't happen again," she'd assured him in the end. He'd given her a questioning look, but hadn't pushed the issue further.

Now sitting on her bunk, she was chewing her lip in thought as Aly and McKayla jabbered away at top speed across the room.

What on earth was wrong with her? Will was just her friend. Her best friend of ten years who supported her in gymnastics, was always there to help her take a load off after training, smelt really good-

No. No. He did smell good, but that was besides the point! He was her friend, and she was his. Nothing was going to change.

But then this morning... his face had wandered into her mind, all smiling and attractive...

Letting out a groan, JJ flopped over on her bed, burying her face in her pillow. It immediately caught Aly and McKayla's attention.

"JJ, what's wrong? Are we annoying you?" Aly asked quickly.

"No," JJ mumbled into her pillow.

"What's up girl?" McKayla asked sweetly, coming to sit on the edge of JJ's bed. Aly followed, kneeling down beside the bed as she rested her elbows on the mattress.

JJ sighed, rolling onto her side so she was looking at her friends.

"I think I like someone," she said in a mortified whisper, not failing to notice the way both of their eyes lit up.

"You do?! Who?! Wait! Is that a bad thing?" McKayla rattled off all at once. JJ sat up immediately.

"Yes! Because now I'm going to be distracted, and then I'm going to mess up at the Games, and not to mention the fact that he probably doesn't like me back and he's my friend, he's supposed to just be my friend-"

"Oh my GOD, you DO like him!" Aly shrieked, leaping up as she threw her hands up in excitement. "I KNEW IT!"

"Aly shut up!" JJ pleaded, making McKayla laugh as Aly shoved her way onto the mattress and looked at JJ with wide, excited eyes.

"Who are we talking about?" McKayla asked. Aly whipped around, a wild smile crossing her face.

"Will," she said in a sickly sweet, drawn out voice. JJ closed her eyes, wanting the ground to swallow her whole.

"JJ, this isn't a bad thing that you like him. It just shows you're actually somewhat normal," Aly said, grabbing JJ's hands as the blonde opened her eyes again. "And to be fair... he couldn't not like you back, I mean look at you. You're stunning"

A pink flush crept up JJ's cheeks as McKayla nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

"But what if he doesn't?" she asked, her voice smaller than she'd ever heard it before.

Because admitting she liked him as more than a friend also meant accepting that he may not feel the same way. And she wasn't sure if she could handle that if she fully accepted her feelings for him. What if Will wanted someone... normal? Someone who was always there?

Aly looked at her sadly, squeezing her hand.

"Then you learn to just be friends," she said softly. "But don't get too ahead of yourself... worry about it after London"

She must have still looked incredibly worried, because the next thing Aly did was pull her into a tight hug. She held on for what felt like forever, and JJ found herself wishing that it was enough to make all the fear and all the doubt go away.