Figuring It Out

Chapter 3

When they got off the plane, the team parted ways. Jessie found his sister and they were off to a family dinner with some relatives, Jackie hugged them goodbye and promised one day off with their families before wandering away, phone to ear. Fallon found her dad standing with a sign that said "Gold in my heart" and that's all it took for her barely dry eyes to become misty.

"I am so proud of you," he said softly as his arm wrapped around her. He didn't mention anything else, but those six words were filled with meaning. It didn't matter to him that in her eyes she had failed, to him, she was gold, and she always would be.

She smiled at him,"Thanks, dad, I needed to hear that,"

When they got to the car, she flung her bags in the back row before reclining the passenger seat and rubbing her face.

As he began to pull out of the cramped parking lot he spoke again,"Some of the family from Christmas are still here. Mom gave them the rundown though and you're free to be antisocial for a little while, they'll understand,"

Fallon smiled gratefully in response.

It only took a few minutes before she was totally asleep, wrapped in her team USA jacket with her knees drawn to her chest.

He glanced at her momentarily, seeing the stress and disappointment still etched firmly on her features. In a moment, he hated that she had chosen figure skating. A sport where so few succeeded and most who tried and failed gave up childhoods. He hated that her talent wasn't chosen. Hated the mornings he didn't spend driving to the rink because she was living without her family, training for a sport that hadn't chosen her in return.

Then he looked again and the moment passed. Without figure skating she wouldn't be the woman she wanted to be. The woman who worked hard for everything and took every opportunity within sight. She wouldn't have known the sacrifice to achieve her dreams. She wouldn't have the nerve to challenge those who stood in her way. She wouldn't be Fallon.

-

"Hey!" Jessie called, pulling the key from the door and stepping into the Sheppard's home.

"She's upstairs," Hazel, Fallon's mom, called from the living room.

Jessie crossed behind the couch where she was sitting and squeezed her shoulders,"How're you?" he questioned.

"I'm fine," she said, patting his hands,"She's not though,"

He turned to the stairs and sighed before heading up them, then wandered down the hallway to the final room with small block letters decorating the doorway that had been put there years ago. He eased the door open, then shut it behind him softly.

"Please, mom, I just want to be left alone," she stopped talking as he laid down on the bed beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist and hugging her tightly.

"How're you doing?" he murmured.

She rolled to face him,"I'm fine,"

He raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.

"Okay I'm a bit disappointed still," she said grudgingly determined not to take away his experience of going to the Olympics.

"Fallon, look at me," he said, and her eyes came up to meet his, and he could see the water threatening to spill over onto her cheeks,"I don't care what you think right now," he began,"I am your best friend and so therefore, I need to be there for you when life doesn't go your way. So let me be your best friend,"

She sighed,"I don't want you to. I don't want to take away from you making it to the Olympics just because I didn't,"

"You're still coming," he reminded her,"and I want my best friend there anyway, even if she is kicking butt as an alternate. We all know I can't do this alone,"