Ian and Adelaide were quite inseparable, so she was busy anyway, and having him around kept her at ease, and kept her mind from wandering to the �What happens when��

Sydney went to every swimming event there was, immersing herself in the sport; she cheered the loudest when Michael was swimming, but could be seen waving the American and Australian flags proudly at most other events. The spectators saw her as the oddest being there, cheering for opposing teams. She didn�t care.

When Michael wasn�t busy giving interviews (of which there were plenty) or swimming, she spent time with him, but these moments were unfortunately few and far between until the end of the second week, and the day of the Closing Ceremonies.

Sydney was up early, dressed, showered and waiting outside her hotel for Michael; they�d agreed to meet that morning at her hotel, because his was swamped with reporters and they were trying to keep their relationship a secret. Of course, this was becoming more and more difficult as they tried to get some alone time here and there; he was most always followed, so their clandestine affairs were often cut short.

�Goooood morning,� she said, as soon as he was within hearing distance. She walked up to him and put her arms around him, feeling content at last.

He laughed into her hair. �You�re cheery this morning.�

Sydney kissed him quickly and then looked at him excitedly. �I woke up this morning to a note from Ian. It said, and I quote, �Syd - I�ve kidnapped your roommate. I�m holding her for ransom but as she says you�re poor, it�ll have to be for Michael Phelps� speedos. Bring them to the docks at midnight. Or else. Ian.��

Michael looked confused. �Why is Ian playing Russian spy?�

�I�ve no idea. But she didn�t come back last night, so I think things between them are going really well.�

Michael smiled down at her. �And how are things going between you two?�

She thought for a moment. �Good, considering. I think things will be okay once we get home and back into our regular schedules. We�ll be hanging out less, I think, but it�ll be good for us.�

�Yeah, it�ll leave me more time to talk to you.�

�Long distance,� Sydney replied, crinkling up her nose in disgust.

�When�s your plane?� Michael asked, wrapping his arms around her.

�Two. In the morning,� Sydney replied, sighing heavily.

�God, how will you make it? You think eight AM is the middle of the night!�

Sydney punched him playfully. �I�ll make it because you�ll keep me awake after the closing ceremonies.�

�I�m on duty,� Michael agreed, nodding, but not releasing her from his grip. �Did you know they flew in some more condoms? Good ole Durex.�

Sydney burst out laughing and kissed him, feeling better than she had in days. Despite the niggling thing in the pit of her stomach telling her this would be the last time she�d see him for several months.

*

�If you�re leaving after the ceremonies,� Ian said, as he and Adelaide walked along hand in hand. �We�ll have to make the most of right now.�

Adelaide cast him a sideways glance. �What did you have in mind?� Ian raised his eyebrows suggestively, and Adelaide shoved him playfully. �I�m not spending my last day in Greece in the hotel room.�

Ian pouted and sighed dramatically. �Alllllllllright.�

�When are you leaving?� Adelaide asked quietly.

�Tomorrow morning,� Ian reported, waving to Peiter van den Hoogenband, who was racing by.

�HOOOOOOOOOOOOGENBAND,� Adelaide sang, laughing.

Ian gave her a reproachful look. �You�re not getting Hoogenband on the side, are you?�

�Of course not,� Adelaide replied indignantly. �Why would I want Hoogenband when I have Peirsol, Hackett AND the Thorpedo?�

�Very funny, love,� Ian remarked wryly, smirking at her. �I�ll have to have another talk with Hackett. He�s always going after my girls because he wants me for himself.�

�You�re right,� Adelaide replied seriously. �I�ll have to cut him off.�

Ian winced. �Ouch.�

Adelaide giggled. �Not literally.�

Ian, forgoing all pretences of them just being friends, hugged her tightly in the middle of the street and kissed her as if his life depended on it, with athletes and fans alike wandering by.

*

The Closing Ceremonies, despite being really long, went by quite fast for Adelaide and Sydney. They watched from the stands as Michael and Ian entered the stadium with their respective countries and clapped like crazy; Sydney started tearing up, but Adelaide had come prepared with a regulation size box of tissues. They didn�t really talk during the show, but they at least sat together.

They met the boys outside, a long time after the television crews had packed away, because all of the athletes were busy talking to one another and saying goodbye.

Adelaide ran into Ian�s arms the second he emerged. �Why do they make you wear that banana yellow?� She asked him when she pulled away.

Ian plucked at his shirt pointedly. �I thought it brought out the color in my eyes.�

Sydney was busy hugging Michael with such force that she was afraid she might pop one of his ribs; Michael didn�t seem to care, however.

When she pulled away, he put his bucket hat on her head and it slid down past her forehead, obscuring her view; he reached, laughing, to take it off, but she stopped him, refusing to let him have it back.

They had an hour or so before the girls had to be at the airport, so Ian and Adelaide took refuge in a pub down the way that stayed open to at ungodly hours, and Michael and Sydney strolled along on the beach, talking about what would happen once her plane took off.

Despite the fact her home base was in Michigan, and his would soon be as well, they wouldn�t see each other for several months. She had school, starting almost immediately, but then she�d have a short vacation and she had already decided to join him for a few days on his Disney tour (which was starting pretty much the second he arrived back in the states). Once the school year came to a close, she�d go back to Michigan for a while and spend as much time as possible with him, while he trained for the Olympics in Beijing.

As luck would have it, Ian lived pretty closely to Adelaide and Sydney�s flat in Australia. He was planning to take a break from swimming for a bit, and would be relaxing and spending time with her. Then he�d train like crazy, and she�d study like crazy�but at least they�d be in the same country.

The ride to the airport was quiet and a cloud of sadness hung over them all; Ian and Adelaide were in the way back of the taxi, huddled up together, even though they�d see each other in a few days back in Australia. Sydney was leaning with her head on Michael�s shoulder, and his arm around her. He didn�t really notice that the shoulder of his shirt was getting soaked with tears.

At the gate, they said their last goodbyes, hugging each other and kissing and not caring who saw. (Not that anyone did, since the airport was relatively deserted.)

When their flight was called, Sydney and Adelaide stood in front of a smiling Ian, and a pale Michael.

Ian handed Sydney a bag, a cheeky grin on his face. �I called in for these a few days ago. They arrived this morning.�

Sydney looked confused, but opened up the bag and started laughing hysterically; she flung her arms around him and thanked him over and over as Michael and Adelaide looked inside her bag.

�I have Ian Thorpe underwear,� Sydney squeaked happily as Adelaide hugged him.

�I�ll have to come up with a brand of Michael Phelps underwear,� Michael stated evenly, as he scooped Sydney up in another hug.

�Oh, totally,� Sydney agreed quickly. �It�ll be a great marketing tool. OH! You should make Michael shaped cherries! Like the Cherry Aarons!� Michael raised an eyebrow and Sydney shrugged. �Okay. Maybe not.�

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