care about you [completed]

Comfort (Part 3)

She watches the juice rain on him and you know what? She doesn't even feel a pang of guilt. She just giggles as she pours. She really loves him, and that feels so unreal to her. She came to this studio for dance. To dance, not in the shadow of her brother. And now, she has a best friend she'd die for, a team she'd kill for and a boyfriend she lives to see. That doesn't happen in real life. And somehow she has it. He opens his arms to her and she shakes her head, laughing. Oh, no. In his dreams. He chases her and she runs around the Studio, arms flaying.

Emily has dejá vu. Of Hunter, running after her, covered in chocolate cake that he'd baked for Eldon. Her putting her hand up because no, no boyfriend was worth herself being covered in chocolate. Back when she was a dancer. A dancer. She hasn't been called that for a while. She loves being the boss so much that she'd never even given 'professional dancer' a chance. She ponders it and in that single moment, she misses dance. It clicks: the reason why she wanted A-troupe to choose Nationals over Dancemania is because she didn't want them to give up dancing as a team in competition, because she gave that up. Maybe Michelle was right. Dancers would always be dancers.

She watches the new A-troupe. They had been through so much, just like she had. And she had grown to really care about each and every one of them. How could they let go? Of the Studio, of each other, of this life that they've always known? Because they had better things in the future. She should look for better things with them.

"Emily." Piper sees her studio head and more importantly, sister, crying and rushes to her. Emily was such an inspiration to Piper. Her drive, her ethic, her talent, her soft inside. She'd really come to be close to her in her journey at the Next Step and she owed so much to her, she realises as she throws her arms around her.

Soon the whole team is hugging Emily tightly. She catches Finn's eye and he has so much love in his eyes as he gives her a small smile.

Piper always thought her downfall was how much she cared. About dance, about people. But whilst caring could utterly destroy you, it was also the thing that put you back together.

And that's 'Care about you' complete.
I have no words. I cried writing this. It made me consider the possibility that TheNextStep7 will be the end of the show, and that feels so upsetting and unreal to me. But I'd also celebrate it for being my childhood and my current show and for being so incredible and having such a beautiful, funny, witty, talented cast.

I had no idea this story would get so much support. The love it has received is UNBELIEVABLE. The people are the kindest and I honestly have so much gratitude for you guys.

Thank you.

(Big P.S, the premise for my new fic, the Letters, is out!)

❤❤