I'll Find You

Miles

It's getting harder to breathe
In this atmosphere, from these dizzy heights
With you close to me, we can disappear
In this endless night
'Cause we're works of art
We're falling stars
We're fire waiting for a spark

----Miles, Phillip Phillips

December 3, 2017

Cait was smiling as she packed her equipment and got ready to head out. She was going to have dinner and then head to the airport and would be off to Switzerland.  She had some reading to do on the flight for her independent study course.

As she handed off her bags, she saw Mike Day, the head coach for the US Women's Alpine Team waiting for her. She simply raised an eyebrow. "Need something?"

"Just a minute of your time." He pulled her aside, looked at her intently. "You looked great this weekend, Cait," he started.

"I know you aren't standing between me and a steak dinner to tell me that," she snorted.

"Still charming as ever, too," he frowned at her. "I'm looking for an explanation, Cait." He saw her confusion. "We got an inquiry from the SID at Duke. He wanted to know, assuming you make the team, how much they're allowed to promote the fact that one of their students is at the Games. Anything you want to tell me?"

"I re-enrolled for next semester." She said it matter-of-factly. "I'll be doing some coursework remotely until I get back on campus."

"How can you possibly commit to that?" He was still frowning at her.

"I can handle it," she sighed.

"And you'll be back on campus before the end of February, won't you?" He stared her down now.

"You leave me off the team and I'll be back before that," she huffed.  "And will there even be a team?  The White House is making noise about us not even going."

"I can't possibly leave you off the team with the results you just posted. Especially not when all of America wants you there. Half the country wants the redemption story. And the love story with you and that Allen kid, which you just had to make public. The other half wants to see you fuck up again. Or see the two of you blow that relationship sky high." He sighed now. "Not to mention the fact that you're the defending gold medalist in both events. I can't speak for the President, but I have to plan like we're going.  But you're not gonna finish the season. You're really tying my hands here, Cait."

Cait looked at him. "It isn't my intent to tie your hands, Mike. The fact is, I could get hurt next week and make all of this irrelevant. But I have to live my own life and as much as I want to be on the team, I can't promise you anything other than my best effort any time I put on skis."

He narrowed his eyes. "Will there ever be a time that you aren't a pain in the ass?" he asked.

"Five minutes after I medal in Downhill," Cait snapped. "I'll be out of your hair for good."

He frowned again. "What are you saying?"

Cait took a deep breath, tried to calm down. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do after the Games, Mike. I want to finish my degree and I don't know where Grayson will be after March or April. There's a lot up in the air."