At the 2009 National Championships in Cleveland, Katarina reflects on how completely her life with Heath has changed since their first Nationals there nine years earlier. They now travel in luxury, stay in expensive hotels, and are surrounded by fans, endorsements, and publicity. Despite all of that success, Katarina fixates on the one thing they still do not have together: the national title.

Katarina notes that she and Heath have been undefeated that season, winning Skate America, the NHK Trophy, and the Grand Prix Final ahead of major rivals including Volkova and Kipriyanov, Bella, and Garrett. Entering the free dance at Nationals, Katarina and Heath are already in first place after the compulsory and original dances, five points ahead of the Lins. Katarina sees enough of Bella and Garrett’s result to realize they have not done enough to catch up, and Sheila Lin’s tense expression confirms that disappointment.

Before their skate, Heath seems distracted and repeatedly bends to adjust his laces, which makes Katarina fear something is wrong and worry that they could still lose if they make any mistake. Once the music starts, however, Heath and Katarina perform in perfect sync. Their free dance is darker and more aggressive than the other teams’ programs, built around Heath’s layered arrangement of classical piano and industrial rock, and it expresses the power and control Katarina has long wanted to show on the ice.

As Katarina skates, she reflects on the independence she and Heath have built since leaving Sheila. They no longer have a single official coach, instead traveling internationally to assemble their own team of experts, a choice that reinforces Katarina’s sense that they finally control their own career. Even so, one unresolved issue still troubles her: Heath refuses to explain where he trained or how he improved so dramatically during the three years he was gone, and every attempt to ask about it shuts him down.

When the program ends, Katarina feels certain they have done enough to become national champions. For Katarina, winning with Heath and on her own terms would mean even more than the three national titles she won with Garrett. But just as she starts to bow, she realizes Heath is no longer standing beside her. Still holding her hand, Heath has dropped to one knee and reveals a diamond ring, turning the end of their most important skate into a shocking proposal.