Dance of a Lifetime

by Frank Downey

  "I'm stunned," said Dr. Abrams. "I never thought a guy could be this intimate with rape and abuse."

  "That's because you don't want to believe it, because it shatters your little gender-oriented worldview," Warren told her.

  "Let me ask you a question--did being raped increase your fear level, like it does to women?"

  "Of course it did! I'm scared to walk across campus by myself--and I enjoy walking by myself. Look, I'm not weak. I'm a competitive athlete. I lift weights, because I have to lift Sophie on the ice. I never thought of myself as weak. And the assault made me feel weak, less than two months before we were supposed to compete in the World Championships. Feeling weak made me scared."

  "Women feel weak all the time, Warren."

  "No, I don't," Sophia told her. "I can't. And we had to drum that out of Warren, post-haste, believe me. Between his therapist and myself, we devoted the better part of two months convincing him he wasn't weak. It took four guys to do this to him, don't forget that. And, even though I'm an abuse survivor, I don't feel weak, either. I might have then. I don't anymore. That's a trap. You can't fall into that trap--and you especially can't fall into that trap if you're a competitive athlete. Neither of us are weak people. We proved that at the World Championships."

  "What do you mean?" Dr. Abrams asked her.

  "After the rape, after the beating, after the therapy--we got our asses to San Jose and won the bronze medal. This in our second Worlds, this after finishing tenth in the previous year, and this does not happen in Ice Dance." Sophia smiled. "We got to conquer our demons and the Russians, all at once." The class chuckled at that.

  * * *

  Sophia and Warren stayed on campus for Thanksgiving. Paul went home to Cleveland, taking Cait with him, so Jessie and Crash decided to come up and spend the long weekend with them. They ended up eating Thanksgiving dinner in the dorm, along with Mike and Alexa.

  "So, how's that fabulous free dance of yours coming?" Jessie asked them.

  "It's coming," Warren told her.

  "We going to see it at the Grand Prix final?"

  "Nope. Nationals."

  "I haven't even seen it yet," Alexa grinned. "They keep kicking me out of practice when they work on it."

  "We want it to be a surprise," Warren said.

  "Your biggest fan should get a preview," Alexa maintained.

  "Maybe you will. When it's done," Sophia told her.

  "Promises, promises."

  "I got my tickets, by the way," Jessie told them. "Crash and I will be there, with bells on."

  "Yeah, lots of people from here are coming, too, even though classes don't start for another week following," Alexa said. "Good thing the dorms stay open through Christmas break."

  "Warren," Jessie asked him, "I forgot to ask you. What happened at the trial?"

  "Oh, I just found out Tuesday. Guilty on all counts."

  "Great."

  "My only regret is that damn Reverend Watson couldn't accompany them."

  "You should sue him," Mike said.

  "What?" Warren asked.

  "Sue him. Alexa's told me the whole story of what happened. You should talk to a lawyer about it, but you might have a case. You could probably shut his organization down."

  "Hmmm. Something to think about, anyhow."

  Chapter 91 - Turning Japanese

  "Here we are in Japan. I hope we have time to get out of the hotel room," giggled Sophia. They were in Nagano, Japan, for the Grand Prix final.

  "What day is it, anyhow? We left on Monday the seventh of December. And now it's what, Tuesday? I'm completely discombobulated," Warren joked.

  "Forget about that. We don't have practice until tomorrow--or the next day--or something," Sophia laughed. "Get over on this bed and kiss me!"

  "Don't have to tell me twice," Warren said, as he tackled her back on the bed.

  "Mmmmmmm... I love sex in hotel rooms," Sophia said as they broke the kiss.

  "Oh, really?"

  "Yeah, but we're supposed to meet Liz for lunch... or supper... or something... in an hour. And we need a shower."

  "Hmmmm..." Warren got off the bed and went to the bathroom. He returned with a big smile on his face. "Shower's big enough for two, Pookie."

  "Goody!"

  They raced each other to the bathroom, and raced each other in getting their clothes off, laughing the whole time. Finally they got in the shower, and washed each other, still laughing.

  "Well, with all the attention you paid to them, I can rest assure my breasts are really clean," jokes Sophia.

  "Yeah, and I don't think I have to worry about my private parts, either," Warren told her.

  "Well, unless you meant worrying about your private parts being all engorged and stuff," Sophia giggled.

  "Engorged, but clean."

  "Sounds like mine," she admitted.

  "I could help you out with that," Warren leered at her.

  "In here?"

  He moved closer to her, his cock rubbing up against her pubic hair. "Sure," He backed her up against the wall of the shower and guided his cock into her.

  "My GOD!" she screamed. He grabbed her hips and started moving into her. The angle was a little off--their four inch difference in height didn't help--but he managed to build up a steady rhythm. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood up on her toes as he plunged in and out.

  "Oh... wow... we've never done it standing up before..." Sophia gasped. "Oh, YEAH..."

  Warren felt Sophia's arms around his neck tighten, and she let out a wail. He stopped moving until she finished.

  "Was it good for you, too?" he asked jokingly.

  "Oh YEAH. You're not done yet?"

  "Nope." He started plunging in and out of her again. Not long after, he spurted into her.

  "Look at this," she said after they had caught their breath, "we have to clean off those private parts again!"

  * * *

  The worst part about the Grand Prix final is that it was done in two days. This was fine for the singles and pairs skaters, they had two disciplines. Not dancers. They had to do both compulsories on Friday morning, and the original dance Friday night.

  The two Russian teams, the Canadian team, and the French team joined Warren and Sophia in the finals. The compulsories did not go particularly well--Warren and Sophia finished fifth.

  The original dance was much better--they finished second, behind Bradochkina and Zhargov, and, the way the placements worked out, they ended up in a three-way tie for second place, with the Canadians and Yatserova and Vaglach.

  However, they knew they were handicapped by using last year's free dance. They were right. They finished fifth in the free, fifth (and last) overall.

  They weren't all that upset. As Warren told the TV interviewer, "We knew we came in with an old free dance. The new one will be ready for Nationals, and we think it's fantastic. And we were really encouraged by the second place finish in the original dance."

  * * *

  They finished up the semester and flew back home to Boston--they didn't drive this time because they would have to get back to Wisconsin in a hurry for Nationals.

  Sophia was very glad to see a sense of normalcy had returned to her house--Dan was finally accepting Kate and Dave's relationship, and had again become the kind man that Sophia had first met. When he stopped worrying about Kate, he relaxed considerably. It was good to see--and he and Ellen were getting along better than ever.

  Sophia and Warren had a wonderful Christmas together, but, as Warren sat with her in his room Christmas night, he thought that she seemed preoccupied. He said so.

  "No, I'm fine," she told him with a smile.

  "You sure?"

  "Yeah. I'm just nervous."

  "About what?"

  "Oh... Nationals, I guess. The new free dance. Making it to the Olympics. That stuff."

  "You sure that's all it is?"

  "Yeah, Snugglebear, that's it."

  He wasn't convinced, but he didn't push it. "We
're going to be fine at Nationals, you know."

  "Yeah. I didn't say it was a rational nervousness!"

  * * *

  They spent the week between Christmas and New Years mostly on the ice. Nationals began January Fifth, so they wanted to make sure they were ready.

  June was going to be at Nationals, as was Kathy. "Two coaches, how can we lose?" quipped Warren.

  He was worried, though. Sophia was withdrawn and wasn't talking much. Also, she didn't look particularly well. She chalked it up to nervousness and a bit of a flu, and, again, he didn't press the issue.

  Next thing they knew, they were on their way back to Wisconsin for Nationals.

  Chapter 92 - The Good And The Bad

  Sunday was their first practice, a free dance practice. The judges were in the audience, lots of other skaters were in the audience, and even some of their friends had shown up early.

  All of them saw 'Romeo and Juliet' for the first time.

  The program, under the tutelage of Kathy, had undergone an amazing transformation. It had started out as a wonderful expression of passion and music, but without the technical bite they would need. Kathy's suggestions and work had provided that bite. Romeo and Juliet was a slow, pretty, flowing song, but had wonderful rhythmic accents from the piano and Mark Knopfler's gorgeous lead acoustic guitar work. Kathy, Warren, and Sophia had taken full advantage of every accent, every nuance, and the flowing nature of the song, and had created a program full of deep edges, difficult turns, changes of edges, and changes of position and handholds. They had done this, and still kept the program a gorgeous, seamless whole.

  * * *

  They were sitting with friends at dinner that evening.

  "Sophia, you got no appetite," Shawna Cochrane told her.

  "Not much of one. I'm feeling a bit under the weather."

  "Hope that doesn't affect your skating," Evan Pogdar told her. "That free dance is a marvel."

  "Thanks. I'll be fine. I just have to force myself to eat, because I don't really feel like it, and it's making me weak."

  "She's probably got a bit of flu," Warren told them, "we're just hoping it holds off until after Nationals are done."

  "So, I'd better eat!" Sophia smiled, digging into her supper with a vengeance.

  * * *

  Tuesday night, they finished third in the compulsories, which was fine--top three was what they wanted out of that phase of the competition.

  Wednesday night was the original dance, and their "If You Can't Rock Me" program was polished and ready to go. They would be the first couple in the last group to skate.

  Warren and Sophia had made it known around campus that nationals were in Milwaukee, and got some tickets to sell. It paid off. They looked around the arena, and saw large sections full of Wisconsin red. They themselves had made sure to play it up--they had had special costumes for the OD made for Nationals.

  Sophia was wearing a red dress, with a bit white "W" in the middle. It was basically a University of Wisconsin cheerleading outfit. Warren completed the image with a grey sweatshirt with "WISCONSIN" written across it in red letters, and white pants. They took the ice for the warm-up, and the Wisconsin students in the audience went nuts.

  "These costumes were one heck of a great idea, Pookie," Warren told her.

  "Of course. It was my idea, right?"

  As the other couples left the ice after the warm up, the PA announcer said, "They are skating to the music of the Brian Setzer Orchestra. He represents the North Shore Figure Skating Club in Oceanview, Massachusetts, and she represents the UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN!! figure skating club in Madison, Wisconsin!" The crowd went delirious at that. "Please welcome Sophia Daniels and Warren Kelleher!"

  As they took their starting positions, they had to step out of them, because they were laughing too hard. Someone--or a group of someones--had started to sing the Wisconsin fight song. Warren, laughing, waved them quiet, and Warren and Sophia took their starting positions again.

  "If You Can't Rock Me" filled the arena. They nailed it, from beginning to end. This was the hardest OD in the world this year, and they knew it. The side-by-side straight line step sequence was particularly hard, and they didn't make the slightest mistake. The crowd went nuts, and was on its feet by the time Warren and Sophia ended.

  The marks were great. By the time everyone had skated, Warren and Sophia had won the OD.

  * * *

  They drew last to skate in the free dance. Nicholas and Coleman were leading, Vickers and Pogdar in second, by the time Warren and Sophia took the ice.

  "Romeo and Juliet" was ready. They knew it, and those who had seen it at practice this week knew it. Now, all they had to do was skate it perfectly.

  Sophia took the ice in a rose-colored dress that hung lower than the usual skating dress. She had put rollers in her hair, and the long, silky curves cascaded past her shoulders and around her face. Warren was wearing a purple tunic and black pants. Sophia had a rose in her hair. They took the ice, and the music started.

  It was spellbinding. This was the first truly romantic program they had used for a competitive program. They skated it flawlessly, gliding around the ice, using difficult turns and changes of edge to build the difficulty. In terms of an artistic piece, it was absolutely stunning. The crowd sat, hushed, through the whole thing, until the end. Then they exploded.

  Warren and Sophia returned to the kiss and cry, out of breath, met by delirious hugs from Kathy and June.

  "You did it, guys," Kathy told them. "That's a program for the ages."

  "I agree," June told them. "Let's see if the judges also agree."

  They waited for the PA announcer. "The marks for Daniels and Kelleher. For technical merit: five point eight, five point nine, five point eight, five point nine, five point nine, five point eight, five point nine, five point nine, five point eight."

  "That's about the same as Steve and Sharon," Kathy told them, "but they went down on presentation."

  "Marks for presentation... six..."

  Sophia screamed.

  "... six, five point nine, six, six, six..."

  The crowd was in complete pandemonium by now.

  "... five point nine, six, six!"

  "Seven sixes," said Kathy. "Oh my God."

  Sophia was in tears, and Warren was close. He reached around her and hugged her. "Congratulations, honey," he whispered in her ear, "we're the National Champions."

  As they sat there hugging and crying, the results were posted on the scoreboard, putting the crowd into a frenzy again. And Sophia and Warren had to stop crying and start laughing--because a bunch of crazy people in red sweatshirts had started the Wisconsin fight song again.

  Warren and Sophia walked out to the front of the kiss and cry and waved. And sang along, just a little bit.

  Then they did an interview with the TV folks, Sophia ducked back into the ladies' dressing room to fix her makeup, and they were back on the ice, skating over to the podium, and ascending to the top steps. They grinned broadly as the gold medals were placed around their necks.

  "Two part time scrubs like us, National Champions. Who woulda thunk it?" Sophia giggled.

  * * *

  They watched Jack, Liz, and Andrea and Brett win their own gold medals. Liz was particularly impressive. She flew across the ice with a joy and abandon she hadn't had in a while.

  Warren and Sophia looked at each other, said "She's in love" simultaneously, and giggled.

  Warren and Sophia smuggled Mike, Alexa, Cait, and Paul into the competitors party--Rich was already there, as Liz's date--and they had a blast.

  * * *

  They had worked up another exhibition, just for Nationals--"Come Dancing" by the Kinks. "We did our 'I love you' program for the free dance, so for the exhibition we decided to do a 'We love to dance' program. And that's such a great song, it's fun to skate to," Sophia had told the TV interviewer.

  They almost didn't get to skate it. Sophia woke up the morning of the exhibitions, and ran
into the bathroom, vomiting profusely.

  "You didn't get drunk last night," Warren asked her.

  "No. I think that flu just hit me."

  "Can you skate?"

  "Let's see."

  She was fine for the rest of the day, and, by the time the exhibitions started in mid-afternoon, felt perfectly well. They skated, and it was a great program which the audience loved.

  * * *

  The exhibitions were on January 10th. They'd be leaving for the Olympics on Feburary fourth. Less than a month, and they had a lot to do--polish up the programs, plus their schoolwork. They were excited and thrilled to go to an Olympics, and couldn't wait, but they were also nervous.

  And Sophia was sick. She was vomiting about every other day. She passed it off as nerves. She'd throw up once, in the morning, and then be fine--but she was having trouble maintaining an appetite, and was a little weak. Warren was worried. Sophia told him she had been to a doctor, and it was just a little stomach upset, and that she was supposed to take Maalox.

  That was a lie. She hadn't been to a doctor. She was afraid to--because she knew it wasn't a flu.

  On January 21st, exactly two weeks before they were supposed to get on a plane to fly to Switzerland for the Olympics, she finally stopped running from her fears and decided to find out for sure. She had to know. She had known for a month, but wasn't sure. Now, she had to be sure.

  * * *

  Caitlin found her in their room that afternoon, sitting on her bed, crying uncontrollably.