Chapter 147: An Oceanview Christmas

They all went home for Christmas, including Jess. She went home for a week--all the vacation she could get--but Warren and Sophie would be staying for a couple weeks, before flying to Cleveland for Nationals.

One thing they decided to do, with Ellen and Dan's permission, is to have a party the Saturday before Christmas. There were so many friends that they didn't get to see enough of, so they had a party.

The house was packed, all their friends eager to come and spend some time. Everyone was there. Crash even came, though Liz couldn't as she was busy practicing for Nationals. Ryan didn't come, either, so Crash and Jessie jokingly decided to be 'dates' for the day.

"So, how's Liz?' Jess asked him.

"Just wonderful. I got lucky, and I know it. I thought living together would be a strain--it's not. It's working out wonderfully. How about you with, what's his name, Ryan?"

"Well, that's a little bit more difficult," Jess sighed. "If it were just the two of us, things would be wonderful, but it's not."

"Ah," Crash said, "that bitch of a partner of his."

"You got it," Jess admitted. "He told her off, but she's still a bitch. I've let him handle things so far, but if she keeps up some of the shit she's pulling..."

"Full Metal Jessica's gonna make an appearance?" Crash guessed with a smile.

"Oh, she's all ready to peek her nasty little head out," Jess laughed.

"Good! Outside of Courtney the Bitch, how is Ryan?"

"Wonderful, actually," Jessie admitted.

"More compatible with you than I was?"

"Well, yes," Jessie laughed. "What can I say? I'm sure you'd say the same about Liz."

"I must admit..." Crash grinned.

"More low-maintenance than I am?" Jess teased.

Crash chuckled. "Liz Cushman is probably the most low-maintenance female I've ever met in my life. Sometimes she's too low-maintenance."

"Ah, ah, ah--be careful what you wish for," Jess teased.

"Tell me about it," Crash chuckled ruefully. "No, not really. It's just that sometimes she has to stop and remind herself to tell me, 'Hey, Jay, I love you and I'm glad you're here.' She does it enough, though."

Jess laughed. "Well, honestly, I've become a wee bit more low-maintenance than I used to be. Not completely, though."

"How's he?" Crash asked.

"Medium-maintenance. Just about right. Not clingy or oblivious, just attentive." She sighed. "Of course, the problem is his baggage--and she doesn't need 'maintenance', she needs a complete blow-up-and-rebuild."

Crash laughed, but then got serious. "Do you think that'll ever be an obstacle?"

"It could be," Jess admitted. "It's been defused for now, but, yeah-I think there might be a possibility. If she ever asks him to choose between me and his skating career... I don't know how that would turn out. I'd never ask him, but she might. And he's not Sophia and Warren, who could leave it all behind--skating's so important to him."

"I hope it all works out, kiddo," Crash told her quietly. "I want the best for you, you know that."

"Thanks."

Warren and Sophie had many friends, and, because of the hectic quality of their lives lately, they didn't get to see too many of them, which is why they had the party.

Warren was thrilled to see Siobhan Bates, who he hadn't seen in a while.

"So, how's the knee, darling?" Siobhan asked him.

"It's coming along. A little bit every day. So how's the love life?"

Siobhan let out a dramatic sigh. "It is so frustrating. Craig and I went out for three years, for Goodness' sake. And we get out of college in May--and he moves back to Pennsylvania! I didn't see that coming. I thought we were going to stay here."

"Do you still stay in contact with him?"

"Yes, and he's going to come up here for New Year's. But it's frustrating. He decided he hated Boston, and I don't know if I can just pack up and move to Philadelphia. I don't know anyone there. I know his family is there, but he does at least have friends here. I have nobody there. Plus, I'm working, and he hasn't found anything yet."

"That sucks, Siobhan."

"Yes, it does. I just don't know what to do. Ah, well, if he doesn't come around, I'll just dump him and find someone else. I mean, I am irresistible, after all."

Warren laughed. "There's the Siobhan I know and love."

"You bet your Beatle Boots, babe. He's got chances to work this out, but they're not unlimited. If I'm single, I'm gonna start acting it!"

Sophie, meanwhile, was renewing acquaintances with Nick Papadopoulos and Karen Laskovich. Karen was showing off her engagement ring.

"So, when's the wedding?" Sophie asked them.

"Summer after next," Karen said. "He just put this on me two weeks ago, and we need plenty of time to prepare."

"It's going to be a big one," Nick laughed. "Me being Greek and all, I have a thousand cousins."

"I have a funny feeling we're going to get swamped with wedding invites in the next couple years," Sophie giggled. "Our college friends Paul and Caitlin are next year."

"We're all getting to be that age," Nick said.

"And there's so many long-term relationships in our little circle," Karen giggled. "Of course, some of 'em break up. Speaking of which, how is Jess?"

"Fine," Sophie told them. "She's got a new guy. Ryan Killen, he's a skater, too. You can ask her about him when she comes back around."

"OK," Nick said, bemused, "how many people in your little circle have ended up going out with skaters?"

Sophie laughed. "Well, Jess. And Crash, her ex, he's dating Liz Cushman. Warren's sister Kristin is dating Tom Bellamy. That's it, I think. Though I'm sure there will be more opportunities!"

The day after Christmas, Warren stepped out onto the ice for the first time in over two months.

It wasn't easy. He was still wearing a brace on his knee for stability, which cut down on his range of motion. And the pain was still rather acute. But they wanted to prove that they were, at least, working towards getting back on the ice. They wanted to be skating somewhat by the time Nationals rolled around, that would make it easier for them to get a bye to Worlds.

However, it was rough going. Warren was gutting it out, but it wasn't easy.

New Year's Eve, they'd been on the ice for a week. They were still just doing it in short spurts, nothing even close to a program.

"Damn, this hurts," Warren moaned, sitting at the side of the ice.

"Maybe you two should just shut it down for the year," June, their coach, told them.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Warren said. "Miss a whole year, the year before the Olympics? If we can at all be at Worlds this year, I think we have to."

"I see your point, Warren, but you don't want to mess the knee up any more," June said.

"True. Hence, the brace," he said with a smile. "That's why I'm wearing it. The pain doesn't mean I'm making it worse."

"True."

Warren hobbled his way through a couple of weeks of very shaky practices. Then they flew to Denver for Nationals. They wouldn't be competing, of course, but this was where the World Team was to be named. If they were going to get a bye, they'd have to be here. They'd probably have to show some folks from the USFSA that they were working towards being ready for Worlds.

When they got there, Curtis Ingalls asked to meet with them. They invited him up to their room.

"Look, you guys need to know this," Curtis started. "There's a concerted effort to keep you guys from getting a bye."

"Why on earth?" Sophia said.

"Oh, come on," Warren said. "I think we can guess who's behind that."

"There's no proof, but my hunch is that you're correct," Curtis said.

"Why would she care?" Sophie said. "She and Ryan are shoo-ins. They're going to win the National Championship, they have no real competition. So why would they care if we go to Worlds?"

"Because then the spotlight's off the little princess," Warren snorted. "It's all about our 'comeback', and, even as National Champions, they're also-rans at Worlds. We'll get the attention."

"Ah," Sophie agreed.

"But this shouldn't be a problem, anyhow, should it?" Warren asked. "We're the only team here that's medalled at Worlds. We're the only team that has a chance to medal at Worlds. We're three time National Champions. We're past World Champions."

"Yes, but, there's precedence. Nicole Bobek," Curtis pointed out.

"Nicole Bobek was injured because she went on a tour in the month before Nationals, and her training habits sucked," Warren pointed out. "Plus, there was a lot of hullabaloo when she didn't get the bye. Lots of people were pissed. I was one of them. And there are no Michelle Kwans in the Dance division this year to uphold the USA's standing. It's us or nothing. Ryan and Courtney can't make the podium in Cup of Russia, for goodness' sake!"