The Next Step: 16 Years On

The Last One - Part 2

Brittany POV

I'm in a taxi at the moment. Well technically not a public one. It's my private driver who takes me back and forwards from my travelling trips. I've literally made him swear that he will not tell anyone he's doing this.
"Just TNS set first please. 6 Jubilee Avenue, Toronto" I say and he looks confused but I don't as the best place to let out all these emotions is the place that made me get to this moment in the first place. I walk up the steps tot the building. No ones here but I've still got the key to studio a. After all these years, it's one of the few things that never leave my side. The place is all locked up. And it's being demolished in July so I only just made it.

I arrive there, playing a few songs through the studio as I get warmed up. Memories start flashing through my mind as I pass places that contain so many good times. The hallways, studio b, music room, rehearsal stage, cast lounge, admin, green room, costume and make up/design area, costume closet, kitchen and of course studio a. It's incredible. I feel more tears drift down my cheeks as I just let it all out. I finally get to the centre of the stage. Directly underneath the chandelier that Trevor broke as I connect my iPhone to the player and it starts Stand Up, TNS's main theme song. I smile weakly as I take my position and start my solo. Flashbacks regain in my head as I dance. The very first day here. My audition, my dance call back, meeting everyone, filming the scenes, season 1, season 2, season 3, season 4, seasons 5, season 6. Every single moment. The Jiley dates, Trittany dates, the group dances, the live on stage tours we did, worldwide meet and greets, dance organisations, cast day outs, meeting more new people, getting renewed for more- seasons after season. The day Trevor asked me to be his girlfriend, then to move in with him, our dates in here, off set, our continuous make outs, the group scenes we shot - the indoor party with all of atroupe, the drama caused, the new people that danced with us. Everything. It just comes flowing back. I land in my stage pose, breathing heavily as I then just break down on the floor, crouched down in a ball, just crying.

Letting everything go. Scooping in every last moment. This was my home. My family. My special little puffy cloud for so many years and to let it all go, to move on to a whole new state, country, it's really hard. To say goodbye to something that was so close to my heart. It's really tough. Leaving everything behind. I stand up after a while and just walk around the studio taking in every. Last. Moment. It's finally time to move on so I lock all the doors, then turn off the lights and leave. Never going to go back. The Next Step is over. It's finished. Goodbyes are the hardest things but now .....it's time for me to move on.

I end up getting back in the car and travelling some place more familiar. I pass my high school in Brampton, my parents house, vic and Isaacs house and alex and zacs house too. I see our local shopping centre, kids school and then finally my house. I only said goodbye to this place a couple hours ago but parking out the front I know my thoughts are correct.

"Ready miss?"
"Yeah" I sigh looking out at the place and then to my driver "This is right......isn't it Mark?" I ask my driver. He looks at me deeply in the eyes.
"Do what's best for you Britt" he says gently and I smile thanking him before getting out of the car.
Sitting in that airport and watching that family made me realise that I can't do this alone. I can't leave my entire family while I go and chase my dreams. I'm going to miss them too much. I left because I felt like part of me was missing. The other half of me that from the start, I knew I was never going to be able to let go. That's why I've decided that I'm not going to L.A anymore. After dancing in Studio A, I knew it was my family that I was missing, the ones that have been with me through all this, the ones who are the love of my life. And that's why I've decided that I'm going to stay with them in Toronto and decline Rachel Green. As Family comes first, no matter what.

I knock on the door and a few moments later am met with Trevor.
"Hi! Oh my god" he says covering his mouth but I stop his reaction as I pull him close to me, tears running down my face
"Britt!! Why are you In our house?!" You're supposed to be on the plane right now. Going to L.A!!" He says frustrated i shake my head though
"I couldn't do it Trevor. I met this family who's obsessed with me and us and they were all so together and so close, looked so loving like a family should and it just reminded me of us. And I knew that that was it. My family are the #1 thing in my life and nothing's going to change that" I tell him and he rubs my back, shutting the door and moving  outside with me.
"Brittany" he sighs "Sweetie, life is all about chasing your dreams and living life to the fullest. You've had your chance to chase your family dreams and we have 5 beautiful kids and that's great but you can't just a stop here. You need to continue on your amazing journey. Go out and do what you love" I sigh looking away, crying still. He soothes me a bit as I take a deep breath and turn to look him in the eyes

"You know how you said that this was my dream! And that I needed to chase it. That I needed to go and find my love and your passion. My future? Cause that's where I'm most happy?" I start and he nods
"Trev; this is my dream. You are my love and my passion and you all are my future. This is the happiest time of my life! I can't continue with that if I'm in another country! All that way away from guys!" I say and stop to sniffle every now and then
"You and the kids mean more to me than anything else in the world and leaving you is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I just went to the studio and danced and that was hard, but not as much as this" I say and he weakly smiles, tears forming in his eyes too. He moves forward more, attaching my hands to his.
"Exactly!" He starts off softly and slowly "Like you ended TNS with me; this is the end too. You need to know that Britt! There is an end to every chapter and a new beginning too. You ended TNS and now you've found friends. You've started a whole new chapter. And that's amazing. You should be going on to live like that again" he says as I look at him in the eye and kiss him. It feels like old days when we'd sit out the back and just chat to each other and it would eventually end up a make out.
"I love you so much you know that?" He nods pulling me in for another kiss.
"Brittany. If you're not going anymore than I will" he stays and I look at him confused.
"I can't live another moment without you either and your career means everything to me because it makes you happy and I love seeing you happy. I'm coming. But with you of course. And the kids. We'll all move" he says and I look at him, thinking a bit.
"Are you sure?!" I ask wiping my tears
"Yeah babe. It's the right thing to do. Let's leave altogether in one week" he says and I smile, nodding, sniffling away more of my tears
"That would be amazing. Like wow is this actually happening?!?" I say laughing and he chuckles
"I love you more than anything else in the world" I smile as he indulges me into a nice hug.
"I love you too"

~~
One week later....

It's finally time. I've had my practise run and now this is the final go. The mover trucks have been here all weekend, shuffling all 5 storeys of stuff from here to L.A. We're going to move forever. Live there and hopefully for both of us find new careers. The kids will go to school there and we will start up a new life in Los Angeles.
"You ready?" Trevor asks me from the slightly opened door He's standing against. I nod, tears forming in my eyes again.
"Just give me a minute" I say and he nods going out to the car, leaving me with the house. Our house. I find myself walking around passing through all the rooms. The lounge room, the kitchen, the kids bedrooms, the bathrooms, me and me and Trevor's room. The extra rooms to and then finally the terrace. I stand up there looking out over the view.

The last 16 years have been the best years of my life. I've met some new friends, found a new career, been through some incredible opportunities that I would never have found myself doing. I've met someone that I'm head over hills for, someone that was once just a friend but over the years turned into someone much much more than that. I've had 5 beautiful kids, ones that will always remain in my heart forever. I've been through heartbreak, separation, house breakdown, holidays, pregnancy, marriage, acting again, children, new-life, miscarriages, near-death experiences, funerals, car accidents and overall love. I've walked this road with whom I call family, through this entire journey and I am forever grateful for everything that I've accomplished. I'm now ready to find a new Brittany. A new life in a new city. I'm finally ready to take The Next Step and start something new as after all these past 16 years I've been through some unforgettable experiences so what can the next 16 years bring?

I walk back downstairs, standing at my door. My family waiting for me in the car, everything packed and just look back. Goodbyes are really hard to do and really hard to say. But this experience is one that will always be with me, one that will never leave my life. What I'm doing is what's best for me and what's best for my career and family. And after all, life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain.

T H E E N D ||💜