Stacy removed her hand from Sean's mouth, allowing him to turn his attention back to the rink's gate. Cautiously, Mark slid across the ice but kept his distance. Sean swallowed back a few words that wanted to burst from his throat. How long had Mark been here? Stacy took ahold of his jaw, turning his attention back to her. He quickly closed his eyes, before she got to see the heated glare he had been giving Mark. She raised both her hands to brush her knuckles along his cold cheekbones, telling him in a soft hopeful voice. "Sean... I know you two are on bad terms. But I know you... Your mind and heart are out of sync. If it continues, you'll never make your jumps." Sean shook his head defiantly, stating coldly in a low voice still not looking at her. "I'm fine. I can do it without him." Stacy's hands flattened against his face to hold him more firmly as she scolded him like a mother. "Is that so? Than prove it. Complete one jump perfectly and I'll take it back." 

She dropped her hands and he opened his eyes. She crossed her arms under her chest, her face flashing him the smuggest smile that issued a challenge to him. Sean gestured toward Mark, telling her sourly. "Get him off the ice and I'll do it." Stacy shrugged, waving Mark over to her as she told him seriously. "What does it matter? On or off the ice... He'll be watching you. He'll coach someone and see you at sometime. So, let's just skip the bullshit. He'll stay out of your way." Mark drifted gracefully over to them, causing Sean to skate away toward the other end of the rink. He could hear Stacy faintly telling Mark about what he was about to do. Then Mark's voice bellowed out much louder and more worried. "I don't recommend this. He hasn't broken in his skates and his blisters could cause him pain. If he doesn't want me to coach him, than I'll respect that..."

Sean picked up speed around the end of the rink. He already felt the fire from his bandages rubbing against his broken blisters... but he wasn't going to let that slow him down. Stacy grabbed Mark's arm to stop him from leaving the ice, telling him sternly. "Stay. Trust me. Watch him." Sean raised his chin defiantly and started setting himself up for the jump at the corner. Sean knew he should simply try doing a toe loop jump. The toe loop was one of the simplest jumps in figure skating. He could do it and that would prove enough... but he let his pride flare and set himself up for a his triple axel jump. He wanted to silence them with solid proof of his skills. Sliding in on his left foot, he swung his free right leg in and took off from the left outside edge of his blade. Pulling his arms in, he gained the momentum to complete two whole rotations. Going into the third, his mind lost focus as a flash of unwanted memory recalled the clip of the announcer's comment during his failed warm-up. 

"OH! I don't think he intended to land that way! Oh, boy... He looks like he's hurting."  His heart sped up wildly in his chest at the thought of landing wrong on a loose blade and when he came down backwards on his right foot... he felt the mistake. Instead of landing on the right backwards outside edge of the blade... his weight had shifted and the blade slid out from beneath him. Falling hard and flat across his right side, his body drifted across the ice from the momentum and he hit the wall. Sean's heart raced wildly in his chest. How close had he been to hurting himself again? Why did he let his pride drive him into a jump like that! He felt stupid and refused to get up. Wrapping his arms up to rest his forehead on, he let his mind check out the damage. He was bruised and his feet hurt... but he was alright. The only thing broken was his pride. Mark and Stacy skated over to him quickly, while Stacy called out really worried. "Sean? Are you alright?!" 

Sean couldn't find his voice. So, he just nodded as his response without looking up. Stacy's hand rubbed his back comfortingly. He was sure that she was beating herself up for baiting him into this. He couldn't blame her though. Her point had hit him loud and clear. He couldn't jump anymore. Figure skating without jumps was unheard of. He'd never make it past Nationals if he couldn't get himself together enough to do them. Jumps were the life blood of a routine. Beside him, Stacy started scolding him lightly. "Why did you try THAT jump? You could have done an easy one just to piss me off! Damn your stubborn pride, Sean!" Somewhere close by, Mark told them both seriously. "Stacy... Could you give us minute?" Stacy's hand left his back and he heard her quietly skate off. A long silence hung between them after Stacy left the rink. Someone had to break the ice though.

Taking a deep breath, he swallowed what was left of his pride and spoke loud enough to be heard. "What makes you think you can coach me?" Sean could almost feel Mark kneeling next to him, answering with the upmost honestly. "I don't know if I can. But what have we got to loose?" Sean finally lifted his head to stare at Mark with a broken spirit. His voice quivering a little from suppressed emotions as he weakly retorted. "I could loose my ability to walk." Mark's expression changed to one of concern and shame. Sean put his head back down on his arms to keep from seeing Mark's pain. He had enough pain to deal with on his own already. Mark's hand gripped his shoulder, causing Sean to flinch from the contact. He didn't remove it though. He didn't have the energy to fight. Mark's hand squeezed his shoulder, while telling him in a deep warm voice. "Jack, Just give me a week. If you don't think that I'm helping you... Than I'll leave and I won't come back... but if there is even a small chance that I can help you heal. I want to try. I owe you that."

Sean scoffed to himself, mumbling out over the cold ice. "You owe me so much more than that. But we'll kill each other before that happens." Mark chuckled softly, replying in agreement. "I don't doubt it. It might be what you need." Sean lifted his head to raise an eyebrow as he stared at him uncertainly. Mark smirked at him, adding in with a shrug. "You always skate better, when you feel like you have to fight for it. So, let me help you fight for it again." Mark removed his hand from Sean's shoulder to hold it out for him to take. Sean stared at his hand, feeling torn between accepting it or not. Stalling for a bit, he asked Mark curiously. "How are you going to help me fight for it. You can't compete anymore." Mark kept his hand out to him, tilting his head with a bright grin as he told him smugly. "I can't compete. That doesn't mean that I can't skate. I think my hot-blooded American ass can spark some fight back into that irish blood of yours. What do you say?"

Sean sighed heavily, he was already feeling the adrenaline spike in his chest. Raising his hand, he grabbed Mark's hand tightly. Mark's hand tightened on his in return and he started to pull him back up onto his feet. Sean rose back up onto his skates, unintentionally getting pulled up against Mark in the process as his blades slid forward. Sean blushed, avoiding Mark's eyes and pushed himself away from him. Mark didn't let go of his hand, until he was sure that Sean had found his feet again. By then, they both stood in awkward silence. He didn't know what to do, or what to say to him. Stacy broke the silence between them. Leaning on the rink wall, she called out to them excitedly. "I just got the best idea! If you want to kill each other... Let's do it on the ice!" Mark turned to her with wide eyes and Sean blinked perplexed. Was she really suggesting a fight on ice? Mark let out a nervous chuckle, then stated out loudly to her in a clear voice. "You're thinking of the wrong sport. That's hockey."

Stacy shook her head with a hearty laugh. When she regained herself, she chuckled out to them. "No, no, no. Not a real fight. I'm talking about an unofficial local skating match. Just the two of you. Think about it... It will be the best way to announce your comeback. I can see it now. Once friends and now rivals, going against each other as a way of settling old scores. By the end, you'll have shown all of Ireland that you're back and you'll scare the crap out of the other skaters for the Nationals! It's perfect!" Sean felt the weight of it hit his shoulders, causing him to stammer out anxiously. "Stacy... Aren't... Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself? I mean... I still can't make my jumps." Stacy winked at him, devilishly answering. "Not yet. But given a week of training and I know it'll come back to you!" Sean raised his hands, telling her in a weary voice. "Stacy, you're putting too much faith in me. It takes a week to even break in my skates!"

Stacy nodded like she understood, then she perked back up as she giddily told them. "You're right! Two weeks then! I'll tell my dad!" Stacy turned on her heels, racing up the stairs toward the shop with her skates in hand. Sean gawked at her in horror, while beside him, Mark called after her happily. "Make it three!" Stacy gave him a thumbs up as she continued to run up the steps. Sean's gaze slowly turned from watching Stacy to staring at Mark with wide unsettled eyes. Mark struck his back with a strong pat, telling him with a broad smile. "You can do it. I believe in you, Ireland." Sean raised a finger to point at Mark, his jaw clenching as the insults he wanted to say started to rise up his throat. Mark didn't give him the chance to say them. Mark grabbed his finger, lower it as he told him with a chuckle. "Save your colorful insults, Jack. We have a lot to do. Now off the ice."

Sean was still taking this all in, allowing Mark to escort him off the ice. Sean slipped on his skate guards and dropped onto the nearest bench to remove them. He winced in pain as his feet came free. The blisters on his feet were murder by themselves. Mark removed his blades quicker and knelt before him. Sean placed a hand on his shoulder to shove him away, but the second Mark touched his foot... He dug his nails into Mark's shoulder and leaned on him for support. Mark cradled his foot gently, removing his sock to reveal the bandage. The bandage was stained in fluids from his blisters and Mark shook his head with disapproval. Sean gritted his teeth, growling out to Mark. "Shut up! I'm fine! Ok!" Mark slowly removed the bandage and Sean groaned loudly as the bandage was pried off like a band aid. Mark looked over his foot for a bit, then told him seriously. "You wrapped them too tight. You've got to keep them clean and give them air."

Sean clenched his jaw, feeling Mark move to pull the sock off his other foot. Sean whined as Mark pulled the bandage off it, causing the blisters to smart. Mark looked over the blisters, then looked up to tell him bluntly. "Keep your shoes off for now. I'll take you home. You need to rest your feet." Sean rolled his eyes. Mark rose to his feet and snatched Sean's skates. Sean lunged to snatch them back, shouting out aggressively. "DUDE! Drop them!" Mark held them out of his reach, scolding him lightly. "Oh, no! You're banned from the ice, until we work a few things out first." Sean bolted up onto his feet to challenge him, but Mark put a hand to his chest, telling him quickly. "Easy. Stacy will be hanging onto them. You and I need to work on stretching out your muscles. You were so stiff going into the jump... and don't get me started on your landing. When was the last time you worked out your legs?"

Sean shifted on his feet, feeling embarrassed. He had done stretches... but the last time he really worked out was just to strengthen his leg in physical therapy. That had been months ago. Youtube didn't require him to workout and he had slightly enjoyed that. Mark's eyes narrowed on him as he continued on with a knowing smirk. "Ya. I thought so. That needs to change first. So, let's get you home. You're going to need a good nights sleep. Cause tomorrow..." Mark leaned over his shoulder to practically purr into his ear. "Tomorrow, We'll see if you can keep up with me." Sean turned his head to lock eyes with Mark for a moment. He couldn't believe the balls on Mark. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that they'd kill each other before the first week was over. To Be Continued...