Thoughts…

Title: Say Goodbye

Rating: G

Fandom: United States Women’s Gymnastics Team

Song: Say Goodbye by S Club 7

Notes: I do not own the characters or the song featured. I shall say that this is completely inspired by this fic by shawty_swingz. Angst, I tell you, angst! Oh and here’s a download link to the song, just in case you don’t have it. Please put the song in repeat; makes the fic more dramatic, HAHA! *Places a box of tissue on an imaginary LJ table*

Summary: It is the final day the entire team has together as one unit in Beijing before they take their separate roads in life once they return home.

It was the final day that Alicia Sacramone, Bridget Sloan, Chellsie Memmel, Nastia Liukin, Samantha Peszek and Shawn Johnson would spend a day all together as one bonded unit-a family-before they returned home to America and went their separate ways. Sure, the tour would somehow get them back together, but it wouldn’t be the same; not everyone would be there all in the same day-everything was going to be different. The six girls all found themselves in Nastia and Shawn’s room, lying on the two beds that had been pushed together, looking at each other in silence. They thought about having some kind of reunion every so often because they were more than teammates, they were friends, they were sisters; abandoning each other was not an option, but they knew that their schedules would be gruelling at some point and that not everyone would be able to make it.

The thought of actually splitting up and going back to their own lives was something hard for all of them to comprehend. They had spent so many months together that they couldn’t really see themselves without the others around. All the bonds had been created and for them to be slowly strained due to absence, it wasn’t the brightest thought for any of them. It also didn’t help that Nastia was leaving for America the following day while all of them were bound to stay a couple days longer or until the closing ceremonies, it made the reality of separation that much more real.

“I really don’t want to leave,” Shawn whispered, looking across to see Samantha looking back at her with eyes mirroring her own anxiety. She reached out with her right hand and entwined them with Samantha, feeling another hand entwine with her left. She took a deep breath and sighed as she felt Nastia hold her hand as she crawled up and lied behind her, holding her.

“I don’t think any of us do,” Alicia breathed, as she slowly crawled up behind Samantha, mirroring Nastia and Shawn’s position. She looked up and saw that Chellsie and Bridget were in the same position; all three pairs making a relative circle.

“I’m really going to miss you guys,” Bridget choked out, feeling tears well up in her eyes. She took a deep breath and willed for them to stay back, but every passing second and thought made her willpower wane. She felt Chellsie rub her arm, trying to comfort her, and it did to an extent.

In the years to come
Will you think about these moments that we shared

Nothing lasts forever though we want it to
The road ahead holds different dreams for me and you

All six of them had tears forming in their eyes, but all of them willed them back; they wanted to be strong for one another. Saying goodbye wasn’t going to be easy if they had trouble thinking about it. They all looked at each other and remembered the days when they would practice together, eat together and hang out together, wishing that it would never end.

“I don’t want to say goodbye…” Nastia whispered, her face pressed up against Shawn’s shoulder. She couldn’t handle the reality that it was almost over. She took a deep breath and looked up at the other girls, seeing a knowing and understanding look on all their faces which partially eased her heart.

Sometimes goodbye, though it hurts in your heart,
is the only way for destiny
Sometimes goodbye, though it hurts,
is the only way now for you and me
Though it’s the hardest thing to say
I’ll miss your love in every way
So say goodbye
But don’t you cry
‘Cause true love never dies

“No one does, Nast, but we all have to eventually. What am I saying, we’ll eventually see each other down the road, this isn’t goodbye, it’s more like a see you later,” Alicia replied back, her voice cracking as tried to hold back her tears. She half-laughed, hoping to lighten up the mood, but she saw the unchanged looks and sighed, pulling Samantha closer to her.

In a year from now
Maybe there’ll be things
we’ll wish we’d never said

Sometimes goodbye, so it hurts in your heart,
is the only way for destiny
Sometimes goodbye, so it hurts,
is the only way now for you and me
Though it’s the hardest thing to say
I’ll miss your love in every way
So say goodbye (so say goodbye)
But don’t you cry
‘Cause true love never dies

“I wish everything didn’t have to happen so fast, I just want to stay with you guys forever,” Chellsie breathed, watching as everyone held onto each other as if they were their last lifeline. She, too, tightened her hold on Bridget, wishing time would stand still.

“We’ll see each other, maybe not all at once, but we will. We’ll figure something out during the tour, all of us will stay in one city and just hang out,” Shawn stated, wiping her eyes from the tears that threatened to spill down her face. She saw the half-smiles on the others as she tightened her grip on Samantha and Nastia’s hands.

“It’s not the end, why are we freaking out like we’ll never see each other?” Bridget asked, already knowing the answer, but the question nagged at her.

“Because we live miles apart… our lives are going to change once we leave Beijing,” Samantha answered, looking over at Bridget, seeing the sadness in her eyes.

“Well, why are we just lying here then? If this is our final day, shouldn’t we try to make the best of it? There is no way I’m going leave Beijing depressed,” Alicia stated, pushing herself off of the bed into a sitting position. She looked over at everyone else and sighed. “Come on… as team captain, I say we go out.”

“Alicia…” Nastia quietly drawled out, watching as the other girl began to pull everyone up into sitting positions.

“Seriously, I’m not letting us waste this perfectly good day. Today is our last day and we’re making the best of it, got that? Nastia’s leaving tomorrow and then we’ll all leave for our own lives; this is our day, so let’s get on it,” Alicia stated, but she immediately wanted to bite her tongue when she saw Shawn’s tears freely flowing down her face. She realized that reality was truly setting on the younger girl and all she could do was crawl over to Shawn and pull her into a hug.

And when you need my arms to run into
I’ll comfort you
Nothing will ever change the way I feel

Sometimes goodbye, though it hurts in your heart,
is the only way for destiny
Sometimes goodbye, though it hurts,
is the only way now for you and me
Though it’s the hardest thing to say
I’ll miss your love in every day
So say goodbye
But don’t you cry
`Cause a true love never dies

Everyone eventually joined into creating a group hug. All of them held onto each other and soon all their tears were flowing down their faces and none of them were willing to make it stop, it was their moment; their bond as a family. They knew that despite this turn in their lives that everything would be okay, everything would turn out for the best. Nothing would break their bond and nothing would forever separate them; they were a team, they were friends, they would never let each other go.

“I love you guys and know that it’s never going to be goodbye, it will always be a see you later,” Alicia whispered.