Hello again everyone! This wasn't one of the song-fics I was planning on writing, but I've listened to the song a few times, and thought how beautiful it is, and how I'd like to write a song-fic to it! So here I am! I'm supposed to be working on an assignment, but decided to take a break, and write this! It probably isn't up to my usual standard, as my brain is totally, and completly frazzled! But I hope you enjoy it none the less.
I've tried to change up the relationship pairings, because I'm sure I'm not the only one who's begining to get a bit tired of always reading TJ/Ashley A and Spinelli/Lawson, before TJ and Spinelli finally get together? I know full well I've made those pairings, so I feel it's rather overdone now!
On an unrelated note, isn't it amazing to think this is the 100th anniversary of the titanic sinking?
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story! its written to "Dancin' Away With My Heart" by "Lady Antebellum"
Below is a link where you can listen, and it has a brilliant video, anyone who's watched 'A walk to remember' or 'The Notebook' will particularly like it!
www. youtube .com/watch?v=EACZIxTka7M&feature=fvsr
Oh, and I don't own Recess, or the song, just the plot!
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I finally asked you to dance
On the last slow song
And beneath the moon that was really a disco ball
I can still feel my head on your shoulder
Hoping that song would never be over
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Flashback:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
"You know Spinelli, for someone that's so brave, you really can be a chicken sometimes" observed eighteen year old Gretchen Grundler, as she and her best friend Ashley Spinelli were at their prom.
"Meaning?" snapped Spinelli a little irritably.
"TJ! Honestly, just ask him to dance! The prom is nearly over!"
"What! No! He has a girlfriend!" reasoned Spinelli, she and Gretchen watched, as TJ and his girlfriend Annie, the former Upside-down Girl, seemed to be having a heated discussion.
"Maybe, but what's wrong with two lifelong friends having a dance? We've both danced with Mikey and Vince, and of Gus hadn't already left for the army, we'd of danced with him too!"
"Maybe..." said Spinelli, her voice trailing off "...but this is different"
"Only because you have feelings for him! and he has them for you!"
"And that's exactly why I DONT want to dance with him Gretch! Because ...I think I love him, it will just hurt so much more when, yet again, I can't be with him! It's never been the right time for us to get together, we've never been in the right place, we're either not emotionally in the same place at the same time, or something else always comes up and stops us!" said Spinelli, as she and Gretchen watched the argument reach its peak.
"SAVE IT ANNIE! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! ITS OVER!" shouted TJ, storming from the room.
"FINE! SCREW YOU TJ!" shouted Upside-down girl, storming away.
"Well" said Gretchen with a small smile "It looks like the right time just arrived!"
"Yeah, just before we go away to two different colleges, states away from each other" said Spinelli, before standing up "I should go talk to him"
"Hey Teej, you okay?" asked Spinelli finding TJ sat outside on a bench, looking up at the moon and stars.
"Just needed some air, Annie and I broke up"
"I noticed" said Spinelli gently, sitting next to him and taking his hand gently. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, it's not been working out for a while, honestly, she's hard work, and it's just not worth it for someone that I barley feel something for" replied TJ "Honestly, I just feel relieved its over. Why can't girls just be straight and upfront like you Spin?"
"Probably because I'm not your typical girl? I get on better with guys than I do girls, I'd rather watch the grass grow than a Robert Pattison film, and I don't have the slightest idea when it comes to make up and fashion?" shrugged Spinelli, in all honestly, she was happy with who she was, even if who she was didn't always make her life easy "I'm the sort of girl guys want to be friends with, not in a relationship with"
"Not true, you're dating Butch, speaking of which, shouldn't you be inside with him?" asked TJ "Not that I don't appreciate you coming out to me and all"
"We broke up" replied Spinelli "A few days ago, we decided to just come to the dance together as friends"
"That sucks, are you ok?"
"Shit happens" said Spinelli with another small shrug, she sat and looked up at the stars in the clear night sky "It really is beautiful, I don't think anyone really appreciates how much so"
"Yeah, beautiful" said TJ, gazing at Spinelli.
Sensing this, Spinelli looked at TJ in return, in the background they could hear the final slow song of the night begin to play.
"Hey Teej" said Spinelli, smiling as she and TJ held each other's gaze "Do you want to dance?"
TJ responded by grasping her hand, which was still in his, a little tighter, and pulling her up. Spinelli wrapped her arms around his neck, and TJ wrapped his around her waist. Feeling content as she and TJ danced beneath the moon and starts, Spinelli rested her head on TJ's shoulder, and hoped for the song to last forever. As the final notes of the song began to play, Spinelli reluctantly pulled away from TJ a little, looking up at him.
TJ smiled down at Spinelli, brushing her hair from her eyes. For several moments, they just gazed into each other's eyes; consumed by their romantic moment as they danced beneath the night's sky. TJ leaned toward Spinelli, gently kissing her. Spinelli kissed TJ in return; they tightened their arms around each other, closing what little space had existed between them.
"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that" said Spinelli with a small smile.
"Me too, it's been nine years since we last kissed, and it's still just how I remembered it" said TJ, also smiling, as he gently caressed her face.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: End of Flashback:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I haven't seen you in ages
Sometimes I find myself
Wondering where you are
For me you'll always be 18
And beautiful and dancing away with my heart
"Hey hun I home early" called thirty year old TJ Detweiler heavily, as he walked through his front door as he arrived home. Hearing movement in the bedroom, he walked in that direction, he'd just been told the company he worked for had collapsed, and he'd consequently lost his job, so he wanted nothing more than to collapse on the bed "I'm going to need to talk to yo-"
TJ stopped dead in his tracks, as there in front of him, his wife of three years was in the midst of a passionate love making session, with what looked to be her boss.
"FRANCESCA! WHAT THE HELL IS HIS?"
Seeing him, his red-headed wife, the former Swinger Girl, looked at him in shock.
"Honey! It's not what it looks like! I swear!"
"REALLY? BECUASE IT LOOKS LIKE MY WIFE IS FUCKING HER BOSS, IN OUR BED!" shouted TJ "The boss shagging his secretary, I've got to hand it to you guys! That's really original!"
"TJ!" she called "Wait!"
"Oh no, don't let me interrupt!" snapped TJ "I'm going to stay with my parents for a bit, while im gone, you can clear your stuff out the house. It's over, I want a divorce. Oh, and by the way, I lost my job today."
Not pausing to hear what she had to say, TJ stormed from the house, and prepared to make the five hour drive, back to his parents house, the same house he'd grown up in.
I brushed your curls back so I could see your eyes
And the way you moved me was like you were in my mind
I can still feel you lean into kiss me
I can't help but wonder if you ever miss me
Thirty year old Ashley Spinelli sat in the waiting room with Francis, her long term partner; she never would have seen herself with the former Hustler Kid. True to his character, he'd gone into her Father's business, and now owned the multi-billion dollar company. They'd been dating for ten years, although they hadn't married –as Francis didn't believe in marriage. They had also been unsuccessfully trying for a baby for the last two years, Francis wanted a child of his own, that he could hand the company over to when the time came.
"What if it's because of one of us that we're not conceiving?" asked Spinelli, holding Francis's hand.
"It won't. I know there's nothing wrong with me. They'll finally be able to offer us the advice we need, because I need a child that will one day take over the business" replied Francis, in his usual straight tone.
"Well, even if there was something wrong with you, I'd love you regardless" said Spinelli comfortingly "and it's the same with me? Right?"
However Spinelli never got her response, as they were called in to the doctor's office; little did she know, she soon would.
"So, what did the tests say?" asked Francis, as they took their seats, Spinelli still held his hand.
"There's no easy way to say this, but it seems like there that Miss Spinelli has a heightened immune system, as a result, when her body senses a foreign object, for example, seamen, it uses its defence system to attack them" replied the doctor
"What?" asked Francis, letting go of her hand "So is she able to reproduce?"
"I'm very sorry, but it seems unlikely, to put it simply, as a result of Miss Spinelli's heightened immune system, it is difficult for the sperm for fertilise the egg, and unfortunately sir, your sperm count is a little low" replied the doctor "Now-"
However, they never got to hear the end of the doctor's sentence, as Francis walked from the room.
"I offer my sincerest apologies" said the doctor again "Perhaps you and your partner can come back another day to discuss your future options, once you've had time to process your news"
"Thank you" said Spinelli, accepting the leaflets offered to her, and hurrying out the office after Francis. She finally found him in the car park "WHAT THE HELL FRANCIS?"
"DONT USE THAT TONE WITH ME!" he shouted in return "WE'VE BEEN TRYING FOR A BABY FOR TWO YEARS, AND I FIND OUT BECUASE OF YOU, ITS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN!"
"ME?" screamed Spinelli, not caring as people watching their blazing row in the middle of the hospital car park "BECUASE OF ME? YOU'RE SERIOUSLY TAKING THIS ATTITUDE?"
"YES! HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO REACT, I NEED A CHILD TO SHAPE AND BUILD, READY TO TAKE OVER THE COMAPNY!"
"HONESTLY, IS THAT THE ONLY THING YOU CARE ABOUT? YOUR STUPID BUSINESS?"
"WHY ARE YOU ACTING SO SHOCKED? YOU KNEW I HAD A STRONG WORK ETHIC WHEN WE STARTED DATING!" defended Francis.
"YES, BUT I DIDNT THINK IT'D BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THOSE YOU LOVE! MAYBE THIS IS A MISTAKE! MAYBE WE'RE A MISTAKE!"
"CLEARLY!" shouted Francis "BECUASE OF YOU-"
"ITS OVER!" screamed Spinelli "I DONT WANT TO BE WITH YOU FOR ANOTHER MOMENT! OH! AND 'BECUASE OF ME' YOU CAN WALK HOME! DONT EXPECT ME TO BE THERE WHEN YOU GET BACK, I'M GOING TO MY PARENTS!"
Feeling relieved that she'd driven; Spinelli got in the car, and made the six hour journey to her parents place, back in her hometown.
I haven't seen you in ages
Sometimes I find myself
Wondering where you are
For me you'll always be 18
And beautiful and dancing away with my heart
Pulling up outside her parents home, Spinelli checked her reflection in the mirror, rubbing her red and swollen eyes slightly as she'd cried not only for the loss of her ten year relationship, but also for the potential for her to have a child in the future. As she'd made the journey home, she could help but wonder, like she had done many of times before, where TJ was, and what he was doing with his life. As she began to get a few things from the back of her car, she heard a car pull in and park, behind her. After grabbing her coat off the front seat, she shut the door, and turned around, closing her eyes as she leaned against her car, trying to motivate herself to go inside.
As TJ made the journey back to his hometown, his mind couldn't help but drift back to his last summer here, before he had left for college. After their prom night, he and Spinelli finally had a relationship, and it was, without a doubt, the happiest summer of their lives. They then headed off to their separate colleges, and attempted to make their relationship work, despite the extreme long distance. He wasn't even sure how it had happened, but somehow they'd lost touch with each other. As he parked outside his parent's house, he looked up at what was still Spinelli's parent's house, and couldn't help but wonder what she was doing with her life, and he hoped she was happy. Looking ahead, he noticed a woman, stood leaning against her car, as he squinted a little he realised she looked familiar, but it couldn't possibly be...
"Spinelli?" asked TJ a little uncertainly, as he got out his own car.
Spinelli's heart skipped a beat as her eyes snapped open and she looked up "Teej?" she asked, in an equally uncertain voice. They walked the short distance to each other, looking is disbelief.
"Wow" said TJ, as he and Spinelli stood in front of each other in their continued disbelief.
"I haven't seen you in ages" said Spinelli smiling "How have you been?"
"I've missed you" replied TJ, pulling Spinelli into a hug. They held each other tightly, each taking comfort from the other. "I know it's late, but do you want to go for a drink?"
"Only if it contains a lot of alcohol" replied Spinelli.
Oh you headed out to college
At the end of that summer when we lost touch
I guess I didn't realize even at that moment we so much
"So" said Spinelli, looking at TJ's wedding ring, as they sat in a bar, half an hour later "You're married! They great Teej, I'm so happy for you, who is she?"
"Oh" said TJ, realised he was still wearing his wedding ring, and taking it off "Francesca, we've been married for three years"
"Swinger Girl? Wow!" said Spinelli, as she watched TJ "Why've you taken off your ring?"
"The company I work for went bust today, so I got home early ...and caught her in bed with her boss"
"Wow" said Spinelli "I thought I'd had a bad day"
"What happened? You're not married then?"
"No" replied Spinelli, laughing slightly "I've been dating Francis for ten years, but we've not got married"
"Did he not come with you?" asked TJ
"No, we split up" replied Spinelli "Today actually"
"Man, I'm sorry Spin, what happened, you guys were fairly good friends in school?"
Spinelli stayed silent for several moments, trying to put into words the devastating blow she'd received, just hours previously, that she hadn't even had time to come to terms with yet.
"We had a pretty big fight. We've been trying for a baby for the best part of two years with no luck" said Spinelli slowly "Anyway, it turns out that it will probably never happen ...the doctors don't think I'll be able to conceive a baby"
TJ responded by pulling Spinelli into a hug, holding her tightly as she began to cry.
"I never saw myself wanting a baby, even when we started trying I think it was just something I was doing, just because..." said Spinelli, holding onto TJ's shirt as she cried "Then, the after a while, each time we were unsuccessful, I found myself actually wanting to be pregnant. Then today the doctor told us that we're unlikely to conceive a baby, something to do with my immune system being too strong, and his low sperm count. Now I just feel like I've lost so much"
"I'm so sorry Spin"
A few hours later, they bar had closed, and TJ and Spinelli found themselves by Muddy Bottom Pond, looking at the stars.
"I've often wondered where you are, and what you're doing with your life" said Spinelli "I can't believe it's been twelve years since that summer, I feel like so much has changed since then"
"And you're still just as beautiful" said TJ "For me, you'll always been that eighteen year old girl, that I was so strongly in love with"
I haven't seen you in ages
Sometimes I find myself
Wondering where you are
For me you'll always be 18
And beautiful and dancing away with my heart
Three years had passed since that night, TJ had Spinelli had stayed together the entire night, just talking. They were surprised to learn that they actually lived just over an hour away from each other. Even more surprisingly, TJ had found a job, just quater of an hour away from where Spinelli had lived. Although they took things slowly, TJ had sold his house, and he and Spinelli had gotten their own flat. For just over two years, they'd been saving their money, to afford the chance for Spinelli to have IVF, in hopes of having a baby together, when the unexpected happed: Spinelli had fallen pregnant. For their duration relationship they hadn't used contraception for the simple fact of the doctor's prognosis.
When Spinelli was seven months pregnant, she'd gone into labour, and their baby girl, Courtney, had been born early. For a while, it had been a bit touch and go, as Courtney fought for her life. One month later, and they'd finally been given the all clear and been able to take her home from the hospital.
TJ and Spinelli were sleeping in each other's arms, when they were woken by the sound of crying.
"I'll go" said TJ, kissing Spinelli, and crossing the room, picking up his daughter from the mosses basket.
He returned ten minutes later with a bottle, and settled back on the bed next to Spinelli, with Courtney next to in his arms.
Spinelli sat up, and moved closer to TJ, leaning in to him as he put his arm around her; together they gazed down at their tiny daughter.
"She looks more and more like you every day" said TJ proudly
"but she has your eyes" said Spinelli, as she and TJ smiled down at their little baby, with a mop of raven hair, and piercing blue eyes.
There, the family fell asleep, together, and in each other's arms, happier than they ever believed possible.
I haven't seen you in ages
Sometimes I find myself
Wondering where you are
For me you'll always be 18
And beautiful and dancing away with my heart
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Well, I hope you enjoyed it! I don't think I like it as much as 'Hello' which, on reflection, I'm actually really pleased with.
Apologies for any spelling and grammar issues, I'm dyslexic, so may have missed some in proof reading! Please point out any errors for me to correct!
Please read and review! Constructive criticism welcome!
Big Cliffy Meanie x