a/n: First of all, I obviously know nothing about gymnastics. Sorry! Just felt the need to explore the natural (and probably unplanned) chemistry between Sasha and Payson. The show's not doing it, so might as well…

update: OK...maybe they ARE going there. In this story, however, the timing is nice and legal.

Prologue

The last thing anyone expected at this National Team practice was a scene.

"I won't leave."

"I'm warning you, Belov."

"No!"

The man's scream echoed throughout the gymnasium. Parents, gymnasts and visitors started to watch with curiosity. A former Olympic gold medalist was arguing with a National Committee member. Behind him was a nervous girl with blonde hair swept up in a tight bun. Her face was expressionless.

Ellen Beals turned on her heel and marched up to Sasha Belov. "How dare you." She said in a low voice. "How dare you interrupt us. This is a key National Team practice. You know very well that we need to determine our World participants today. You are not welcome here and Payson isn't even on the National Team, making her ineligible-"

"She should be on the National Team!" he bellowed.

"She had her chance." Ellen Beals said. "It's over, Belov."

Suddenly, the other Rock girls filed behind Sasha in support. One by one Emily, Kaylie, and even Lauren walked up and crossed their arms in solidarity. None of them said anything, but they didn't need to. The core strength of the women's team was on now Sasha and Payson's side. The other committee members started to murmur nervously behind Ms. Beals.

"All I'm asking is that you watch her - just one apparatus. That's all." Sasha said desperately.

A man form the national's committee grabbed Ellen Beals and whispered to her in a low voice. Her face started turning red. She turned back to Sasha reluctantly.

"Fine, we'll see her. We, however, get to pick her event."

Payson stepped forward, her stomach twisting in knots.

"What will it be, then?" she asked, finally speaking.

"Floor."

Payson's eyes widened, but she tried to hide her surprise. She had been expecting the uneven bars or even the vault. Those were her past strengths - ones that she thought the National Committee would want to see now. She nodded in compliance. Sasha read the worry on her face and pulled her aside for a talk before she began.

"It's perfect, Payson." He assured her. "You can really show them how you've evolved as a gymnast on floor. You can show your new artistic focus. They won't know what hit them."

"But that's what I'm afraid of." Payson said. "What if…what if it's not what they want? What if they want the old Payson? I don't know if I can be that anymore."

Sasha looked at her sternly. "Payson Keeler if doing what the committee wants is why you are here right now, then you might as well leave this building and retire. What they want is irrelevant. This is about you and not just your gymnastics. You've changed, Payson. You are a new person – a new woman – and your approach reflects that. Don't be afraid to show them. Don't let anyone stop you from doing it and doing it proudly. Do you understand?"

Payson nodded. Sasha's hand was squeezing her upper arm – it was halfway between gentle assurance and a dare. It was just what she needed.

"I'm ready." Presenting herself to the crowd, Payson took the floor. The five seconds between her starting pose and the beginning of the music felt like an hour. Her heart felt like it was about to jump from her chest.

Then, like a breath of fresh air, she began moving and forgot anything else existed. Her body knew just what to do. It was a level of reliability that she hadn't achieved since before her injury. There was a significant difference this time, however; now her body was about grace and beauty as well as power.

Sasha tried to hide his smile. He knew he should be watching Payson's routine, but the faces of the spectators were too distracting to ignore. His eyes roamed over the National Committee. A few of them were visibly awe struck by this new gymnast before them. Even Ellen Beals was too transfixed to write on her clipboard. In the bleachers he saw the Keelers watching intently – Mrs. Keeler with tears streaming down her proud face. The Rock girls, who hadn't seen their friend perform this way before, were also in shock. A big smile was creeping up on Emily's face. Kaylie's eyes were wide with admiration. Lauren's jaw was simply dropped.

Each movement was fluid and beautiful. A year ago Payson Keeler had been a force of nature, jumping and tumbling with unbelievable height and power. Now she made the same steps and skills look easy. Each movement bled into the next with seamless grace. For the first time since he could remember, Sasha Belov saw Payson smile during a floor routine.

She finished dramatically. Shock and silence followed. Then, a second later, Sasha heard Becca Keeler cry out form the stands: "Gooo Payson! Woooo!"

Applause erupted from every direction. The Rock girls ran out onto the floor, jumping up and down for their teammate. The National Committee convened together talking in hushed whispers while others screamed and wolf whistled at Payson's miraculous come back.

"Welcome back, Keeler." Sasha muttered to himself, watching his elites hug each other. He'd never been prouder.

Then, Payson looked up form the crowd of excited gymnasts around her. After surveying the room she finally saw Sasha and broke through the masses. She ran toward him laughing. In a second she had her arms wrapped around his neck and her feet were off the ground. Sasha was spinning her around.

"You did it, Payson." He whispered. "Whatever they decide today, I want you know that you did it."

Her eyes were brimming with tears. "I know…and it's all because of you."

"Sasha." Ellen Beals' voice interrupted their moment. "I need to speak with you in private."

Sasha smiled one last time at Payson and let her go. He followed Ms. Beals into a quieter area of the gym. He felt like nothing she could say could bring him down now. He felt absolutely bullet proof. He would soon discover that this was false confidence.

"The committee is split, Sasha." She said unceremoniously.

He laughed. "How is that possible? Did any of them see that performance?"

"No one is saying it wasn't excellent. A score for that routine would be very high – just as high as Kaylie's even. The score, however, is not the issue."

"What is?"

"She's not on the National Team, Sasha. We can't just bend the rules for her."

"What is this horrible obsession you have with the rules? Damn the rules!"

She smiled at him cynically. "I wish I could say I'm surprised by your reaction, but you're so predictable…"

Sasha was fuming. "This is ridiculous. Payson loves this sport and has more heart than the entire China team on any apparatus. She has everything going for her. This is her last Olympic cycle!"

"Unfortunately, heart does not give Payson Keeler extra points."

He clenched his fists. Ellen Beals stared at him with satisfaction.

"Who has the deciding vote?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"I do."

Sasha laughed bitterly. "Of course you do. What is it you want, Beals? If you wanted Payson gone and you really thought she didn't have enough talent you wouldn't be talking to me right now. Why did you pull me aside before casting your vote? What do you want?"

"I want you out." She said simply as if it was a trivial request.

Sasha blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I want you out." She repeated. "If you want Payson at Worlds and on the US National Team, you have to duck out of this Olympic cycle, stop complicating my life, and stop interfering with the girls' careers."

He should have known. He cursed himself for not expecting such a low move from this woman. He felt like punching the wall.

"What'll it be?" she asked.

Sasha loved coaching, possibly more than the sport itself. It had offered him a level of fulfillment his gold medal never gave him. The Rock girls especially had introduced a new dimension to his life.

Then, the image of Payson's smile a few minutes ago hit him like a freight train. He couldn't forget the pure joy on her face and everyone watching her. His breath caught in his chest at the very thought.

"Fine. I quit."

Without waiting to hear a response, he walked away from Ellen Beals and back in to the gymnasium. Trying not the attract attention, he grabbed his bag and left. As he was making his exit he heard an announcement being made faintly in the background…

"The National Committee is happy to announce that Payson Keeler will be joining the National Team and representing the United States at Worlds…"

A few minutes later Payson was looking for Sasha. Her smile faded when she realized that he wasn't there anymore. Come Monday, a harsher truth would be announced to her and her teammates. Marty would be returning to the Rock indefinitely. Sasha had quit.

And he didn't even say goodbye.

The time between Worlds and the Olympics seemed like eternity without Sasha. Eventually all of the Rock girls got over Sasha's unexpected exit. All expect Payson, that is.

While the other girls cursed him and complained for weeks afterward, Payson didn't even mention his name. Her stony silence on the matter was almost eerie, but somehow her bubbling, unspoken anger made her gymnastics that much better. Each day she grew stronger and each day one less person doubted her unconventional entry on to the National Team.

All four girls went to the Olympics in 2012, though Lauren did so as an alternate. Kaylie and Kelly Parker were the US favorites going in to the competition. Payson had impressed everyone with her performance at Worlds, but no one was expecting her to do so at the Olympics.

Kaylie hit a plateau after Worlds and it reflected at the Olympics. To everyone's surprise, she won a silver, but no golds.

Emily Kmetko became a household name that night. She came out of nowhere and won the gold medal for uneven bars. The media could barely pronounce her last name on television, let alone provide an explanation to her miraculous win. The girl sparked a media frenzy soon after. She was the Cinderella story of the night without a doubt. For the next several months sports reporters would be writing about her rags –to-Olympics story in inspirational prose.

Genji Cho was a force of nature at the games. She was strong in very apparatus. She disappointed Kaylie on beam, securing the gold with a comfortable margin. That, however, would be her only gold of the night.

When Payson Keeler won the all around gold in 2012, Sasha Belov was watching from a television in his trailer. He saw her execute a spectacular vault – one that she started working on with him. He smiled and wondered how she had convinced the sticklers on the National Committee to let her get away with such a high level of difficulty. Her floor routine had improved, if that was even possible. She took gold medals in both events. When her overall title was announced, the camera was in its traditional place – right in front of the girl and her coach as they watched the scores appear above them. When her face lit up at the news, Marty have her a hug.

Sasha almost broke his television that night in frustration. After all, he was the one that was supposed to be sitting there next to her.

Kaylie, Payson, and Emily circulated through the post-Olympic press together. At that point the sports media had deemed them the Three Musketeers. They were seen everywhere together – on magazine covers, talk shows, and live appearances. The country couldn't get enough of them, especially Payson Keeler.

About six months later Payson Keeler ducked out of the public eye, causing a shocking splash with the gymnastics world and all the Americans who had put this champion on a pedestal.

The reigning Olympic gold medalist was pregnant.