Her mind was racing: thoughts of her future at a nail salon in Vegas, living the life of her mother. It only took 24 hours for her life to flip, turn upside down. Yesterday she was attempting the most impressive move of her career: today, she was giving up. Running through this town, this foreign land, she was alone. She was always alone. But this time it was different. She's always had her gymnastics. The perfection of motion, the ease of the flexibility. He had taken it away. One quick failure and it was gone. She was gone.

Easing back into the motions of childhood: heading towards the only park she knew in this town, she grounded herself. The sand between her toes reminding her of nights at the playground learning the basics. The grass under her feet reminding her of her first floor routine, falls and all. Small differences: the texture of the wood on the beam, the give of the bars, reminded her where she was. Reminded her of all the people she would be letting down.

Her mother, who had given up literally everything she held dear to bring them here. Her brother, who supported her without understanding. Even Damon, who risked criminal activity to help her train. All of these people, let down because of his decisions.

Suddenly she found herself outside of his trailer, the rain providing the perfect pathetic fallacy for the turmoil in her soul. Pounding on his door, she had no plan, no strategy. She needed him to know that this was it for her, this was her everything. She would stand out in the rain all night if it meant she even got the chance to get back into that gym.

She poured herself out to him. Begged him to coach her, to let her show him she was coachable. He yielded.

He barked orders and she followed them precisely.

Finally, she stumbled.

"Fall. Backwards." She couldn't. He demanded complete obedience from her, something she had never given to anyone willingly. She snapped.

He wanted her to surrender. Right there. Right now.

He knew what he was asking her to do. He was bringing up all her insecurities of those who had left her: her father, stepfather, old coaches, old lovers. He was asking more than anyone had a right to ask from her.

He closed the space between them, muttering words of encouragment, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Her body, shuddering with sobs and an incoherent string of words, yielded to him. "You are an exceptional woman, Emily. I'm just asking you to let me in. Let me guide you."

And so she did.

So she let go.

Right there, right then.

"I need you. I need you more than I've ever needed anyone in my whole life."

Something shifted inside of them, something profound. A small touch from his fingertips sent sparks down her arms, across her cheek as he dried her tears. She smiled softly as he turned to leave. She was ready. "Wait". Slowly she made her way to the bar, and closed her eyes. She could feel him move behind her. She let go. She fell, knowing full well that he would be there. When she landed, she felt her world: him. He held her tightly in his arms.

His caress meant more, showed more.

***

Waking up at 4 am never felt so good to her. The thrill of it, the meaning, the art of training. After her first run through, she looked up to see him, watching her, coaching her. They shared a look, a moment: they didn't need words to express what had happened last night. They had transcended a plane, they had become one. She needed him, and he would learn soon that he needed her.