A/N: Tables are about to turn.

An afternoon of free time following morning training had seen the girls creating their own entertainment in Aly and JJ's hotel room. When they weren't training, they were rarely allowed to be anywhere other than the hotel, and that had led to many nights of entertainment in their rooms before bed. Spurred on largely by Simone and Aly, movies and gossip had quickly become a game of "Never Have I Ever"... which in a room full of gymnasts who had arguably not had normal teenage lives was unveiling some neat little surprises.

"Never have I ever been kissed," Madison said quietly. She couldn't help but smile as JJ, Gabby, Aly, and Mykayla all dropped candies into the pile in the middle.

"Um, who?" JJ asked, looking at Aly. Aly grinned.

"I'll tell you later," she muttered, noticing Simone's look of eager curiosity. "It's barely anything anyway, not like you and Will, sucking each other's faces off every chance you get"

JJ flipped Aly off as the girls laughed, her cheeks starting to turn a little red.

"Never have I ever... envisioned tripping Marta on her way to the training hall at the ranch," Mykayla said with a giggle when the volume had decreased a little. The girls all laughed, every one of them tossing candies in.

"I love Marta, but five thirty is just way too early," Aly said, the thought of the early mornings prompting a yawn, which only added to the laughter.

"Ok my turn!" Simone exclaimed. "Never have I ever had a boyfriend"

JJ was the only one to toss in a candy. "I think you're all just out to get me," she laughed.

"You're the adventurous one who actually has a normal life outside of gymnastics, of course we're out to get you," Gabby teased.

"Normal my ass," JJ said dryly, making her teammates laugh.

"Alright," Aly sighed, looking thoughtful for a minute, before a grin spread across her face. "Never have I ever had sex"

The girls laughed as JJ turned slowly and gave Aly a pointed look that said 'really?'. "You said that just because you knew I'd have to put in," she chuckled, dropping one of the candies into the middle.

"Might as well put in your whole handful for that, you sex maniac," Aly teased, getting a playful shove from JJ as the girls all laughed.

"Wait, have you actually?" Maggie asked curiously as the giggles of the others filtered through the room. JJ grinned, nodding.

"We've been together for three years... that would be one heck of a dry spell," she joked, inciting more laughter. Maggie grinned, relaxing back against the bed again.

"Never have I ever done something stupid on a medal podium," she said cheekily.

"Ok now that's just mean!" Simone shrieked as the others burst out laughing again. "The bee was going to sting me!"

Grinning from ear to ear, Gabby shot a mischievous look across the circle. "Never have I ever... given someone a blow job"

The room dissolved into embarrassed giggles as JJ's cheeks turned bright red. Even so, she was fighting back laughter as she dropped more candies into the middle of the circle.

"Are you blushing because you're embarrassed or because you're starting to think about all the things you miss about Will?"

Bursting out laughing along with the other girls, JJ jammed an elbow into Aly's side, which only served to make them all laugh harder. Her cheeks were hurting from laughing so hard, but her heart was full of love and warmth. So far from home, under so much pressure, the weight of a nation on their shoulders... they were the greatest gymnasts in the world, but right now... they were just young girls.

They were family.

Following another training session and dinner, some relaxation time before bed had provided JJ with the perfect opportunity to call home and check in with her parents before the team final was upon them the following day. With Aly engrossed in whatever TV show she was watching on her laptop, JJ dialled her father's phone number, sitting facing the balcony as she pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hey peanut!" he greeted sweetly after the third ring. "How's everything in wee old Scotland?"

JJ laughed. "That accent was awful and you know it"

"I know it"

Chuckling, JJ shook her head. "Scotland is good. It's gorgeous here. We're pretty tired, but hopefully finals will give us a bit more energy"

"You all looked great in qualifications, even with the mistakes. How's Aly holding up?"

Glancing over at her friend, JJ smiled. "She's good. Reinvigorated and ready to go"

"Are Marta and Nick on your ass all day every day?"

"Pretty much," JJ chuckled. "But Nick's just as tired as the rest of us, so he's been cutting me some slack. But Marta is keeping me under the pump. She wants me to prove myself again"

"That's bullshit peanut, when have you ever not delivered when it counts?" Michael grumbled. "What about Simone, she looked a little more reserved than usual"

"Yeah, she has been. Like I said, we're all just really tired. Simone's kind of had it the past few days. Everyone in the gymnastics circles is talking about her going for a threepeat in the all-around and she looks like she's ready to throat punch the next person who even mentions it"

"It's a lot of pressure for her, but I have no doubt she'll rise to the occasion. What about you, my beam queen, not feeling too nervous?"

"No, not nervous. Just a little antsy I guess. We want to go out and there and get it done"

"Fair enough"

"But enough about me. How are you and Mom?"

"Coping just fine without you. We're thinking of turning your room into a craft room"

JJ laughed. "Nice, Dad"

"I'm not kidding, your mom has curtains picked out and everything. She's already up there putting together a blueprint of what she wants to do with it"

Hearing her father's teasing laugh on the other end of the phone only warmed JJ's heart further.

"Will was around yesterday to watch qualifications with us. He stayed for dinner. I think he misses you peanut, he seems a little lonely"

"I keep telling him he needs to see his friends more often, but he's terrible at organising things with people unless it's me," JJ chuckled.

Michael laughed. "Sounds like Will. He wanted me to pass along his congratulations on qualifying, and he said he would speak to you either today or the day after the team final"

"I might give him a call in a little while, since there's no doubt he'll still be up," JJ giggled. "Oh, by the way, didn't you go to the doctor's today?"

"I did"

Expecting him to keep speaking, JJ stayed silent. But a few moments passed, and still, nothing was said. "And?" she prompted. "How did it go?"

Michael didn't reply. Instead, more silence lingered between them. The smile on JJ's face slowly faded away, and the sudden lull in the conversation had started to draw Aly's attention away from her show.

"Dad?"

Michael sighed heavily. "I didn't want to say anything until you got home"

"What... what do you mean?" JJ asked softly. "Dad... what's wrong?"

"I don't want you to worry-"

"Are you sick?" JJ asked, the anxiety churning up in her stomach as tears welled in her eyes. By now, Aly had removed her earphones and was watching with concern as all the colour began to drain from JJ's face.

Michael took a deep breath.

"I have colon cancer, JJ. The... the doctor's pretty sure it's stage four, which means it's been there for a while"

His voice was so quiet that JJ wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly. But the word 'cancer' had undoubtedly reached her ears. Instantaneously, JJ felt like the bottom of her stomach had dropped out. Her entire world felt like it was spinning out of control, all because of those seven words.

She burst into tears, covering her mouth with her hand as Aly leapt up from her bed and ran over to her.

"Oh peanut, don't cry. It's ok"

"How is it ok?" JJ sobbed as Aly wrapped her arms around her and held her in a tight hug. "You're sick, Dad, how on earth is that ok?"

"Because it's treatable. The doctor is confident I have a good prognosis. It's going to be ok, JJ, I promise. I don't want you to worry about me"

"That's easier said than done," JJ sobbed.

"I wanted to wait until you were home to tell you... I didn't want you to be thinking about this while you're competing," Michael said gently. "Please don't worry about me, JJ... I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here when you get home"

"You're sick, Dad," JJ breathed, the tears still cascading down her cheeks with unrelenting force.

"I know, but do you really think you're gonna get rid of your old man that easily? If you want to stop me from screaming my head off in the stands, you'll have to come up with another way"

JJ let out a watery laugh, but just as quickly dissolved into more tears.

"Listen to me sweetheart. Everything is going to be ok. I have your wonderful mother looking after me, and believe me, nothing could possibly go wrong when she's in charge. I'm meeting with the oncologist tomorrow to plan out my treatment, and I have something to look forward to every day, ok? I get to watch my beautiful talented daughter compete for her country in the hardest sport in the world. You're my light, JJ, you're my strength to get me through this. I don't want you worrying because I'm going to be ok. I only want you to worry about your job in Glasgow, because everything is going to be fine"

"Ok," JJ whispered in the smallest voice possible as Aly, tears also running down her cheeks, tightened her hold on her.

"I love you peanut, your mother and I are both so proud of you. Go out there and keep kicking ass, ok?"

"Ok," JJ said again.

"I'll let you go, but I'll talk to you again as soon as possible"

"I love you," JJ breathed, unable to fight off her tears once more.

"I love you too JJ... so so much"

And with that, they ended their call. No sooner had she set her phone down on the bed beside her than JJ burst into uncontrollable tears, at almost the exact moment Simone came running into their room through the unlocked door.

"Aly, I... what happened?" she asked, immediately concerned.

"Simone, I need you to go and get Nick. Now. I don't care where he is, just find him. If you can't find him, get Aimee. Or someone. Please," Aly said tearfully, holding JJ as tight as she could without hurting her. No questions asked, Simone obliged, turning on her heel and racing out of the room.

"He has... stage four cancer... Aly... he's sick," JJ sobbed into her friend's shoulder, her body shaking terribly with her distress as Aly tried desperately to offer her the comfort and reassurance she needed.

It felt like forever, but Simone eventually returned, Nick on her heels at a sprint.

"What happened?" he asked anxiously as he entered the room, heading straight for his distraught gymnast.

"She just called her dad... he's been diagnosed with cancer," Aly choked out, wiping away her own tears. Behind them, Simone looked stunned, her expression reading total shock and heartbreak. At Aly's explanation, Nick's face fell.

"Oh JJ, I'm so sorry," he said sincerely, reaching out and pulling her into a hug. "I'm so sorry"

Unable to reply, all JJ could do was bury her face in her coach's shirt and cry.

"It's alright kiddo," Nick said softly. "Get it all out now"

Worlds had just become a completely new ballgame.

It took a great deal of time, but eventually, JJ had been calmed down by Nick, Aly, and Simone. Heartbroken and upset, she had spent the remainder of the evening sitting quietly on her bed, her eyes red and puffy, Aly keeping a close eye on her.

Marta had also been in to speak to her, offering her the option of withdrawing and going straight home. JJ had refused, knowing that what was important to her dad right now was that she stayed put and gave it everything she had.

She was made of the toughest stuff. It sucked, that was for sure.

But more than anything, she was going to give her dad a reason to smile every day.

She would make him proud.