"This is just the beginning."

~•~

Beatrice slowly made her way to the pool entrance where she was supposed to meet Thomas. Her steps were deliberate, her eyes fixed on the path ahead, but her mind kept returning to the result she and Theresa had achieved. Fourth place—so close to the podium, so near, and yet so far from the medal they had hoped for.

She felt her heart tightening with disappointment, even as she tried to think positively. Theresa was slowly coming to terms with the result, but Beatrice still felt the sting. Months of training, sacrifice, and hard work—and in the end, they had "only" finished fourth. She knew she should be proud of what they had achieved, but now that the moment had truly arrived, it was hard to accept that feeling.

When she reached the pool entrance, she saw Thomas already waiting for her. He stood by the entrance, leaning against the wall, his expression calm and understanding. As soon as he saw her, he straightened up, and his eyes met hers.

"Hi," he greeted her softly as she approached. His voice was gentle, as if he knew she needed reassurance. "How are you feeling?"

Beatrice shrugged and tried to smile at him, but her smile was weak. "It still hurts a bit," she admitted quietly. "Fourth place... it's so close. And I know we could have done better."

Thomas nodded and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I know, Birdie," he said. "But you know, fourth place is still a tremendous achievement. Especially at the Olympics. Italy can be proud of you, and I'm immensely proud of you. You did everything you could."

Beatrice looked at him, her eyes full of emotion. "But I wanted more," she whispered. "I wanted a medal. For both of us. For Italy. For everyone who believed in us."

"And we still believe in you," Thomas replied firmly. "Not winning a medal doesn't change the fact that you're an amazing pair and that you fought until the end. Everyone saw it, and everyone appreciates it. What you did was incredible, Beatrice. And fourth place... it's still a big success for Italy."

Beatrice sighed and looked down at the ground. "I know you're right," she admitted. "But it just hurts right now."

Thomas gently embraced her, pulling her close and resting his head on her shoulder. "It's okay," he whispered. "It's okay to be disappointed. But don't let it overshadow what you've achieved. Because what you accomplished is amazing."

Beatrice pressed against him and closed her eyes for a moment, breathing in his calming scent. She felt her body slowly relax, the pressure in her heart beginning to dissolve. There was something about his presence that always managed to soothe her. And now, with him by her side, she felt that she might be able to accept what had happened and move forward.

"Thank you, Tommy," she said softly, as she gently pulled away and looked into his eyes. "Thank you for being here. I needed to hear that."

Thomas smiled at her, his hand still resting on her shoulder, as if he didn't want the moment to end. "I'll always be here for you, Birdie," he said sincerely. "And remember, this is just one competition. There are many more opportunities ahead. This is just the beginning."

Beatrice smiled at him, this time with a slightly broader smile. "You're right," she agreed. "Maybe this is just the beginning. And I'm not giving up."

"I'm glad to hear that," Thomas said with a glint in his eyes. "Your determination is one of the things I admire most about you."

Beatrice felt her heart race slightly as she looked at him. "And what now?" she asked after a moment. "What are we going to do next?"

"I think you should rest," Thomas suggested. "You and Theresa went through something tough, and you deserve a moment of peace. And then, when you're ready, we can spend some time together. We could go on a trip, visit a place where you can relax and recharge. What do you think?"

Beatrice smiled at him; his suggestion seemed like exactly what she needed right now. "That sounds great," she replied. "But first, I really need to lie down for a bit. Maybe we could meet up tomorrow and sort things out?"

Thomas nodded. "Definitely. Whenever you're ready, just give me a call, and we'll head out."

"Thanks, Thomas," Beatrice said again, her voice now calmer. "I'm glad to have you."

"And I'm glad to have you," Thomas responded with a gentle smile.

For a moment, there was silence between them, and Beatrice was focused on telling him her answer. The hour she spent in front of the media and in the locker room had given her time to organize her thoughts. She needed to tell him her answer now; she couldn't keep Thomas waiting any longer, because she knew that if she delayed, she would only lose her courage.

Beatrice took a deep breath and hesitated for a moment. Thomas watched her with a gentle smile on his lips, his eyes full of understanding and love. In the silence between them, she realized that it didn't matter whether she finished fourth or first. What mattered was what had developed between them—something real and valuable. Even though she had been full of doubt and disappointment just moments ago, a new feeling was beginning to sprout within her. A feeling that, regardless of results or medals, she had found something of true worth.

Beatrice looked at Thomas, her gaze shifting. There was a certainty in her eyes that she hadn't had before. She felt that what she was about to do was right. She slowly exhaled, as if releasing all the doubts that had troubled her.

"Tommy," she began softly, but her voice was firm. "I think I know the answer to the question you asked me."

Thomas's eyes lit up with curiosity, but he remained silent, waiting for her to speak.

"Even though I didn't win a medal today, and even though I felt disappointed," Beatrice continued, "I realized something important. Sometimes things don't go according to our plans, but that doesn't mean we should give up on what really matters to us."

Thomas looked at her with love and understanding. "Birdie, I don't want you to make a decision just because of what happened today," he said gently. "I want you to be sure that it's what you want, regardless of anything else."

Beatrice nodded, her expression turning serious but still showing tenderness. "And that's why I'm telling you yes," she answered calmly. "Yes, I want to be with you. I want to see where this takes us. Because even though I don't have a medal now, I have something better—I have you."

Thomas was silent for a moment, as if processing what he had just heard. Then his face lit up, and he pulled her into a tight embrace. "Birdie," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion, "that's the most beautiful thing you could have said. Thank you."

Beatrice hugged him back, pressing against him and feeling all her doubts melt away. In his arms, she found the peace she needed. She knew that no matter what happened, they had something beautiful and new ahead of them.

"I'm glad we've settled this," she said softly, as she pulled away slightly to look into his eyes. "And I think now that we've decided, we should look forward to what's coming."

Thomas nodded, his smile full of joy. "Exactly. I feel like this is the beginning of something truly special."

"So do I," Beatrice replied, looking at him for a moment, savoring the moment. "Whatever awaits us, I know we'll handle it."

Thomas smiled and lightly stroked her face. "I'm so happy. With you by my side, I feel like I can handle anything."

Beatrice returned his smile and snuggled close to him. "And I with you," she said softly. "I think tonight we should enjoy the evening, just the two of us. What do you think?"

Thomas looked at her, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "That sounds like a perfect plan. What would you like to do?"

Beatrice thought for a moment. "I think we could go somewhere calm. Take a walk or sit somewhere with a view of the city. Just be together and talk."

Thomas nodded. "That sounds great. I know a place you might like. It's a small park with a view of the city. There aren't many people, so we could have some time to ourselves."

"That sounds perfect," Beatrice said with a smile. "Let's go."

Together, they headed toward the exit of the Olympic Village, hand in hand. As they walked through the streets of Paris, the city began to slowly bathe in the evening light. Beatrice felt a calm and happiness spreading through her body that she hadn't felt in a long time. It was a feeling that only came when she was with Thomas.

When they arrived at the small park Thomas had mentioned, they stopped for a moment and looked around. The park was quiet, lit by a few street lamps, and the view of the city was breathtaking. Beatrice thought this was exactly the place where she wanted to spend the evening.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, snuggling closer to Thomas.

"I'm glad you like it," Thomas replied, hugging her around the waist. "I thought it would be a nice place for us to take a break from everything."

"This is perfect," Beatrice agreed. "Let's go for a walk."

Together, they strolled through the park, hand in hand, talking about everything and anything. Beatrice felt more relaxed than she had in a long time. There was something about having Thomas by her side that gave her a sense of security and calm. As they walked, she realized that this moment was exactly what she needed after everything that had happened.

"You know, Tommy," Beatrice began, as they stopped by a bench overlooking the city, "I've been thinking about what you said. About how this is just the beginning. And I think you're right. Maybe I didn't win a medal today, but I found something much more important."

"And what's that?" Thomas asked, as they sat down on the bench.

Beatrice looked at him, her eyes full of sincerity and love. "You," she answered softly. "I've found someone who understands me, supports me, and with whom I feel I can truly be myself. And that's something no medal can replace."

Thomas took her hand and gently squeezed it. "And I've found the same in you, Beatrice," he said with love in his voice. "You mean more to me than any race, any medal. You're what I've been searching for."

Beatrice felt her heart fill with joy. "I'm glad we feel the same way," she replied softly. "Whatever comes next, I'm happy to experience it with you."

Thomas lightly kissed her forehead and pulled her closer. "So am I. Whatever happens, I know we'll handle it together."

Beatrice smiled as Thomas spoke those words. It was a simple sentence, but it contained everything she needed to hear. She felt his embrace filling her with a sense of security and certainty. His closeness reminded her that even though the world sometimes brings disappointment and uncertainty, she could find peace and strength next to him.

She pulled back slightly to look into his eyes. In his, she saw tenderness, honesty, and love. Beatrice realized how much he meant to her and how strong the bond between them had become. She smiled gently and then, without another word, leaned in and kissed him lightly.

Thomas returned the kiss, his lips soft and tender, as if he wanted to hold onto the moment as long as possible. When their lips parted, they both smiled at each other, their eyes conveying more than words ever could.

"This is just the beginning," Beatrice whispered, snuggling closer to him.

~•~