THE GOOD AND THE BAD (Chapter 92)

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

"Sophia? What is it? What's wrong?"

Sophia held up a small, thin piece of plastic for Cait to see. And then she told Cait what it meant.

"I'm pregnant."