Just Another Dance Season (Sequel to I Can't Find The Words, Dance Moms Fic)

Chapter 26: Rehearsing for Nationals.

Around 10:30 AM, Andrew was in his hotel room, just looking at the buildings of Chicago. There were CTA buses passing by, some were 40-foot and others were 60-foot buses as he was now wearing black jogging pants and a matching Chicago Blackhawks tank top with sneakers from Nike as a knock on the door was heard. He got up from the sofa and walked to the door and standing there was Abby, who was wearing a black t-shirt with the ALDC logo in blue and green, black pants and black sneakers with green lacings and blue soles.

"Hi, mom. How's your hotel room?" Andrew asked his mother.

"It's beautiful, and i can tell that your suite is like a home away from home." Abby replied to her son.

"Yep and did i forget to tell you that Cathy is gonna show her ugly mug at Nationals to try to beat us?" Andrew stated as Abby had an exasperated expression on her face at hearing the Candy Apples were gonna be there.

"I had a feeling you were gonna say that. You ready to go to the Joffrey Ballet where we'll be rehearsing for Nationals?"

"Ready, willing and able, mom." Andrew replied as Abby softly held his hand and they left the hotel room and got on the elevator, which took them both to the first floor, then they exited the hotel and walked down Wabash and reached Wacker and stood at a CTA bus stop.

"What bus can we take to get there?" Abby asked.

"We can take the #6 Jackson Park Express Bus, that bus runs down state street until reaching Balbo and heads down Columbus, runs express on Lake Shore Drive until 47th/Lake Park on it's way to 79th/South Shore. We can get off at Randolph."

"You know your stuff about this city!" Abby smiled at her son, he knew his way around, no matter which city the ALDC were in. "But how long will it take for the bus to get here?"

Andrew looked east on Wacker. "You won't have to wait for long because here it comes!"

Abby then saw a 60 Foot CTA Bus with the sign 6 Jackson Park Express to 79th/South Shore them pulled up and above the windows were the lettering "Clean Air Hybrid Bus" which means that it was a hybrid articulated bus and they got on, paid their fare and just stood near the door. The bus was empty as the driver of the bus had a giddy look on his face because two of the Dance Moms stars were riding the bus he was driving.

"Aren't you two Abby Lee Miller and Andrew Miller, the famous Mother and Son duo from dance moms?" The driver asked them.

"Yep, that's us."

"I can't believe you're riding my bus. You guys are so funny, even though you can be mean on the show at times, my daughter Danielle watches only for you two."

"That's very sweet of your daughter and we're not as mean as we are on the show, we're just strict. It's those moms that drive us nuts."

"I know that, what brings you guys here?" The driver asked as he smiled as he approached a red light to turn left on State Street from wacker.

"We're here for Nationals, which is also known as Masters of Dance Arts Chicago Invitational, we're the defending champions." Andrew replied.

"I know you guys will win. And since you're on the #6 Jackson Park Express, i'll drop you two off at State/Randolph."

"Sounds good to me." Abby said as the driver turned the bus onto State Street after the light turned green and when they reached Lake, six passengers got onboard.

"Before you guys get off, can you sign this for my daughter?" The driver asked, pulling out a publicity picture of Andrew and Abby for season 3.

"Sure!" Andrew pulled out a pen and signed the photo and it said "Be cool, stay in school." and he gave to pen to Abby, who signed it too and it said "Point your feet!" and when the bus arrived at Randolph, Abby and Andrew got off and they crossed the street and headed into the Joffrey Ballet Studio of Chicago, and got on the elevator and got to the second floor and entered the studio they were using for the week. "We made it."

"Yep, we're the first ones here."

"Aren't we always when it comes to the first day of nationals?" Andrew asked as Abby nodded as they pulled out the pictures for the pyramid and after placing the photos, Gianna, Jennine, Rachel and James all arrived.

"Hey guys." Abby greeted as she saw her faculty walk in and playfully rolled her eyes when Gianna and Andrew shared a quick kiss and eventually, the girls and their moms arrived.

"Girls, let's go! We're on a big mission and don't have all day!" Andrew shouted as Paige, Brooke, Maddie, Mackenzie, Chloe, Asia, Nia, Kendall and Payton all entered in their dance wear with their moms behind them..

"After a long season, we are here in Chicago aka The Windy City for Nationals and you are the reigning national champions!" Abby explained to the girls.

"But however, you have to show the dancing world that you are the number one dancers in the country because there are a lot of studios that want to dethrone you this year." Andrew warned. "Now let's get to pyramid."

"First on the pyramid we have Nia." Abby said as the first headshot of the pyramid was revealed. "You didn't have a solo at the competition, you were only in the group dance and had a duet with Asia, so not a lot to judge you on."

"Next...Kendall." Kendall's headshot was unveiled. "Your facial expressions were awful! that nearly cost the group a first place finish and you shoulders were not down!" Kendall had a sad look as Jill looked ticked off.

"Up next is...Payton." The headshot of Payton was revealed on the pyramid next. "Your knees were bent and your feet were sickled in the group dance. you have to straighten your knees and point your feet."

"Next we have...Brooke." Brooke's headshot was revealed next. "Your ribs were opened and your arms were down at one point in the group dance." Brooke nodded to show she was listening.

"Next is...Maddie." Maddie "Maddie, you stood out in the group dance and are still trying, but you have to bring it more!" Abby said to the young dancer.

"On the pyramid...Mackenzie." Mackenzie's headshot was next to be revealed. "Mackenzie you are nine years old and you are getting there, but you have to stay focused and you'll make it in life!" Mackenzie stood there listening.

"Next...Chloe." Abby revealed the headshot of her second go to girl. "Chloe, you may have gotten second place in your solo, but you're starting to get there with your twinnie." Chloe nodded as Christi was in understanding.

"Next up...Asia." Asia's headshot was revealed by Abby as Asia smiled and Kristie did too. "Your duet with Nia was good and it got first place."

"On top of the pyramid we have Paige!" Abby revealed Paige's headshot on the top of the pyramid as Brooke gave her younger sister a hug and Kelly smiled. "Your solo was the most wonderful solo that you had ever done from what Gianna told me while i was watching Andrew when he was in his coma."

"For the group dance for this years' Nationals, we're gonna try something a little different this time, with some elements of my old dances that's combined with your current dances. That's what's known as bridging the gap and i'm not talking about the Black Eyed Peas album." Andrew stated, as everyone laughed, even Abby had to chuckle at that.

"What Andrew is talking about is that we will be honoring the past and present at the same time and this group dance will be called Following in his footsteps, it's about a new generation learning from an old generation." Abby explained to the girls.

"There wil be three solos, but in order to earn it, you're gonna dance against each other. The solos will be called Buffalo Gals, Everybody Wants To Rule The World and Speed Demon, the last two were old solos that i did."

The girls nodded, they were focused on winning Nationals and were excited to dance off and dance two of Andrew's old solos.

"Ok, Moms you're dismissed, Girls, spread out and warm up." Abby instructed as the moms headed to another room while the girls were warming up.

Meanwhile, at another studio called Hubbard Street Dance Center, which was on Jackson and Racine, the Candy Apples Dance Center were getting ready and they were in a studio where Cathy was standing as she was looking at Hadley, Nicaya, Mari, Zack, Lucas and Campbell with their moms behind them.

"Everybody, we're here in Chicago for Nationals and we are gonna take down Abby and her dancers. But there will not be any solos, but we will have a group dance. Our group dance is Red, White and Blue. It's about running for president and serving your country and with this, we'll definitely beat Abby and send them to Miami crying." Cathy explained as the CADC moms were laughing, then they began rehearsals.

Back at Joffrey Ballet, the girls had just finished warming up for the group dance and Gianna was playing the music and Andrew began to lead them in the group dance as he started off with a chaine into a toe touch, illusion round, three axels, a calypso, sail turn, toughest isolations, fouette and quad kick spins while Abby was pointing out the flaws.

"Extend your leg, Maddie!" Abby shouted. "More emotion, Kendall, you're still using the same expressions! Point your feet, Chloe! You're bending your knees, Payton! Your ribcage is open, Nia!"

Meanwhile, in another room which was across from the main room, the moms were just sitting down talking about Nationals and who should have the solos.

"In my opinion, Payton has one of the solos locked up because she's talented." Leslie said.

"How do you know?" Holly asked.

"I just know."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, because to be honest, this has been Paige's year, so she might get the solo." Kelly added her two cents in.

"Well after nationals, she'll be an official member of the team and one of you might not!" Leslie retored.

"Do you not get the memo?!" Melissa shouted. "You always complain when Payton doesn't get her way."

"Kendall will be number one and Abby will favor her over everyone else!" Jill boasted.

"Jill, the solos will be decided by Andrew and Abby, your complaining or boasting won't help anything." Kristie stated.

"Keep out of it!" Jill yelled at Kristie, who simply rolled her eyes.

"Can't we all just get along for once?" Holly muttered.

Back in the main studio, Gianna took over teaching the girls and she does the part where they do the ball change, three a la secondes, some aerials, grand jetes, an arabesque, tumbles, piques and some difficult moves and after an hour of rehearsing, with a interruption from Jill, the group dance was finished.

"For the first solo dance off to determine who's gonna earn the right to have the Buffalo Gals solo, can we have Chloe, Paige and Payton?" Gianna asked, peeking her head in through the door as Christi, Leslie and Kelly got up from their chairs.

"They are all dancing so well, this is gonna be very hard to choose who's gonna have this solo." Andrew observed.

"You may be right, son." Abby replied to her son as they watched Paige, Chloe and Payton continue to dance and eventually to no one's surprise, Paige is dancing the longest as the music ended and it took both Andrew and Abby two minutes to decide.

"You three danced well, but there can be only one winner in this dance off and the winner is.......Paige!"

Paige had a smile on her face as Payton and Chloe clapped for their friend and gave her hugs as Kelly smiled that her daughter was gonna defend her title while Leslie and Christi shook Kelly's hands and headed back to the room across from the main studio room.

"Next dance off is for the right to earn the solo called Everybody wants to rule the world, can Brooke, Maddie and Kendall come to the main studio?" Andrew announced as Kelly stayed in her chair as Melissa and Jill came out and sat in the chairs as the music started as they began dancing and Maddie was clearly outdancing Brooke and Kendall.

"Maddie got that solo locked up." Andrew said.

"I agree." Abby agreed with her son.

"Maddie wins!" Maddie had a smile on her face because this nationals could help her become the favorite of the ALDC again if she wins first place.

"The last dance off is for the right to earn the solo called Speed Demon, can Mackenzie, Asia and Nia come to the studio?" As soon as Jennine called them, Melissa stayed in her seat as Holly and Kristie came and sat down, then the music started and Nia was dancing great, but Asia and Mackenzie were a beat behind.

"The winner is Nia!" Abby declared and after the decisions for the solos had been made, it was time to rehearse them, which took and hour and 30 minutes, then everyone went back to the hotel.