Childhood Memories
Childhood Memories
Hey, people! I think this'll get posted before any chapters, so let me explain. I just came back from Tobago, where there was no Internet, so that's why no chapters got posted. Now, I can't get internet on my computer, so I have to use the one my family shares. All the chapters were on my computer, so I can't upload them until I get back to Korea.
Well, this is a one shot I thought up while I was getting my hair done. Andie and Chase are getting married. It's the best day of the both of their lives and every good, bad or simply unforgettable childhood memory is coming back to them. Inspired by Mary's Song by Taylor Swift. But, it won't have any lyrics. I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Step Up 2, or any of the characters from the movie, but I own the OCs.
A/N: In this one shot, Andie and Chase knew each other since childhood.
Chase Collins watched lovingly as his soon to be wife scurried across the floor in a huff. Her long brown hair was bouncing everywhere, and she nearly tripped over her beautiful white dress.
"Where is she?" The brown eyed dancer called. Most of the guests turned to her in confusion. Who was she talking about? Everyone seemed to be here.
"Andie, she'll be here." Chase's best man, Moose said, rubbing her shoulders soothingly. If it were anyone else, Chase would have been pissed to see them touching her like that.
"Yeah, she's just running a little late." A small Latina said under bushy hair. Missy, Andie's maid of honor smiled at her best friend, then hugged her. "Relax, D. Or you'll get worry lines."
Andie gave Missy a warning look, then she was back to rushing about the church. "Tori!" She called when she noticed a small, brown skinned girl walking through the church's double doors. "Where is she?"
"She's not here yet?" Tori, Andie's other maid of honor asked, brushing a lock of curly black hair away from her eyes. "She should be here by now."
Andie moaned and buried her sweaty, round face in her hands.
"Tori, you're not helping."
Victoria Blane gave her friend a smirk as he rushed over to her and Andie. "Fine, see if I try to help you or your wife again." She turned to Andie and gave a comforting smile. "She'll be here, Andie. I swear."
Andie breathed deep into her hands, then lifted her head and nodded. But, she was freaking out. If she didn't get here soon—
"She's here!" Sophie shouted as she came barreling through the church's double doors. Andie's eyes lit up as four large men in white carried in a table with a beautiful purple tablecloth covering it. On the table, a bust of a beautiful woman sat. Written across the cloth in elegant script were the words "Cassandra Andrea West".
Andie ran her fingers over her mother's cheek. "Thank God you're here, Mommy. I couldn't do this without you."
Andie at Age Six
"Mommy, I don't want to get married. I want to live with you forever." The beautiful, brown haired little girl said happily
Cassandra laughed at her daughter's innocence. She wished they could stay like this forever. Mother and daughter. They didn't even need Max. He'd left them, just when she'd needed him the most. It took her a while to get over that. But, she was finally starting to smile again and Andie was a big part of that.
"Andie. When you grow up, and meet some who loves you as much as I do, and you love them the same way, you'll want to marry them and be close to them… in ways that I'll explain when you're older. Your wedding day will be the best day of your life. And I swear, I'll be there, right beside you. I'll always be right beside you."
Andie blinked her eyes rapidly. She couldn't cry, not today. It was supposed to be that happiest day of her life. And it was. She loved Chase, just like her mother had said. And her mother was there, just like she'd promised. She'll be right beside me.
"Andie." Andie hadn't noticed that Chase had sneaked up on her and wrapped his arms around her middle. "Are you okay?"
Andie gave a sniff just tiny enough that Chase couldn't hear it. "Of course." She turned around and hugged his back. "I'm with you. I'm always okay when I'm with you."
Chase smiled and kissed her. Andie took a deep breath through her nose and pressed her body into Chase's.
"Hey!" The two of them turned around to see a pretty little flower girl, or flower teenager as she'd prefer to be called, carrying a basket full of rose pedals. "Save some of that for the honeymoon, will ya?"
Andie blushed and chuckled into Chase's chest, while he gave his younger sister the eye.
"Aren't I a bit old for this dumbass dress?"
"Watch your mouth, Ben." The two adults and one teenager turned around to see Big Brother Blake making his way over to them.
Benny huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, which sent many pedals flying in the air. "Fine. I'm gonna go play with Danni." Benny stormed away from the adults, which only sent more flower pedals out of the basket and tumbling in the air.
"Congrats, you two." The eldest Collin's child said patting his brother's back. "Seeing you two together. It was meant to be since the start."
Chase and Andie at Seven and Blake at Twelve
"You two have to get married."
Chase screwed up his face at the brown haired girl sitting next to him as his brother talked. "Ew, I don't wanna marry her, she had cooties."
"Well, I don't wanna marry you either. Boys are dumb." Andie stuck out her tongue at Chase. Then, just to prove her point, she stuck it out at Moose, then Blake.
"Yeah!" Her friends Missy and Tori chimed in unison.
"You have to get married," Blake repeated, "or else you'll both turn old tomorrow and the monster that eats old people will eat you both.
Andie's and Chase's eyes widened. As stupid as Blake's excuse was, at age seven it was pretty easy to believe.
"I don't want to get eated!" Chase yelled.
Blake's eyes narrowed and he smiled devilishly. "Then you have to."
"Okay," Blake began as he led the four little kids out to the backyard of Andie's house, "now choose your best man and your maid of honor."
"What's that?" Moose asked, scratching his head and causing his "little tikes" cap to nearly fall to the ground.
"It's your best friend who you want to be right next to you when you get married. Chase has to choose a boy and Andie had to choose one of you girls."
Chase shot his hand in the air. "I choose Moose!"
A smile spread across his face, and Moose shot his hands in the air. "YES!"
"I can't pick." Andie stared at her two best friends. She'd known them both since they were all babies. They were both best friends and she just couldn't pick between them. "Can they both be?"
Blake rubbed his chin in thought. "Fine. I don't care."
The yard filled with a series of girly 'yeses' and Andie hugged her two best friends. "You guys will be my maids of honor forever."
Blake stood at the top of a step stool they'd found in the middle of the kitchen. He was holding a Bible in one hand, and a couple of rings he'd made from string and super glue in the other. He read a few words he barely understood from the Bible, then handed each of the two kids a ring. "Put the ring on your fingers, please."
Andie and Chase both pushed the makeshift rings up on their left ring fingers. Then, they looked up at Blake.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
"KISS?" All the seven year olds shouted at the same time.
"I'm not kissing her!"
"Well, I'm not kissing him!"
Blake sighed. "Fine, if you want to turn old and get eaten by monsters, be my guest."
Andie and Chase shared a skeptical look. But, getting eated by monsters seemed like a much worse fate. Chase leaned in, so did Andie and before they knew it, they'd pressed their lips together and were kissing. They'd stayed together a little longer then they knew they had to, but as soon as they pulled apart, the childish "ew-ing" began.
"Gross! Thanks a lot, Blake, now I have cooties." Chase moaned, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Moose laughed, and Chase stuck his tongue out at him. He wiped his mouth again. That would be the last time he EVER kissed a girl.
"Andie."
Andie's head snapped up and she met eyes with Chase. She looked around to see that only she and Chase now stood in the church's hallways. Everyone else must have been in the chapel.
"Andie, I've gotta go, alright? I'll see you in there."
Andie nodded. He leaned in again and kissed her softly on the lips. "I love you."
Chase smiled and kissed her again. "I love you, too."
Andie stepped through the chapel's double doors. Now all eyes were on her. It made her slightly nervous. Almost scared. But, when her eyes met Chase's, all doubt rushed from her body. Everything she'd ever need or want was staring lovingly at her with big, beautiful brown eyes.
Andie finally broke her stare at Chase when someone linked arms with her. Sarah. Oh, she was happy to see Sarah. But, it hurt her a bit. Neither of her parents would be there to give her away.
"Andie, I'm so sorry." Sarah whispered as the two of them walked slowly down the isle to the Wedding March.
"It's not your fault. He could have been here if wanted. It was his choice to leave."
Andie at Age Nine
"Max, please don't leave!" Cassandra shouted as her husband packed a suitcase.
"Cassie, I cant raise a kid, okay? I just can't!" He had finally filled the suitcase now. He lifted it in his hands and headed for the door.
Cassandra followed close behind him. "What about Andie? She's your daughter, you can't just leave her!"
Max looked back at Cassie. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. His eyes showed no emotion, none at all. He didn't care. That he was ruining her life. That he was leaving his own child. He just didn't care.
He yanked open the door, then slammed it shut behind him.
Cassandra just stared at the door. Maybe if she stared long enough, he'd come back through it. He'd unpack his suitcase and tell her he loved her. Like he used to. Like he did when they first made love. Like he did when she told him she was pregnant.
Nothing.
She finally closed her eyes. When she opened them again, warm tears rolled down her cheeks. They burned, too. The tears. She felt as if they scalded her cheeks as they rolled. She wiped them away roughly and moved away from the door. She couldn't just stare at it anymore. Nothing was going to happen.
Curled up in a ball in the corner of the living room, Cassie cried. The tears still burned, but she'd finally learned she couldn't stop them.
She'd need something to ease the pain.
She walked to the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of wine she and Max were supposed to share. Somehow, the sight of it made the tears burn even more. She downed about half the bottle in one gulp, then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Mommy?"
Cassandra looked up from the nearly empty bottle of wine in her hands. Andie was home. Oh, God, Andie. How was she supposed to tell her daughter that her father left and she might never see him again?
"I'm in the kitchen, baby."
Andie followed her mother's voice to the small kitchen in the corner of the house. "Mommy, where's daddy?"
Cassie kneeled 'til she was eye level with her daughter. "He's gone, Andie. Daddy's gone."
Sarah and Andie stopped when they reached the end of the isle. The guardian kissed Andie on the forehead. "Good luck, baby girl."
Andie nodded, then hugged Sarah just before she sat down. She stepped up on the podium and stood in front of Chase.
I love you He mouthed.
She smiled at him and mouthed I love you back.
Then the ceremony began.
Andie wasn't listening to the pastor as he spoke. She was too focused on Chase. He was so handsome. She loved him so much. They would have the happiest life together.
"Andie and Chase are so perfect for each other." Missy whispered to Sophie.
The triple threat nodded. "And to think he almost ended up with me."
Andie and Chase and Sophie at Fourteen
"Andie!" Chase shouted as he barreled through the crowded MSA hallways, in search of his best friend.
Andie was at her locker when she heard her name being called. She turned around to see a handsome blonde boy rushing to her. It was Chase. That was great news. She'd had something to tell him. It would be hard, but it'd be worth it. They'd been best friends for so long and for so long she'd wanted them to be something more.
"Andie, I gotta tell you something."
She smiled. "I gotta tell you something, too, but you go first."
"Okay." Chase leaned in close to her and Andie almost lost balance. "I got a date with triple threat Sophie Donavan!" Chase pumped his arms him the air, winner style. Andie was kinda glad. That way, he couldn't see her happy smile disappear.
"So, what was your news?"
Uh oh. Andie searched her head for a good lie. "Um… I just got my first period."
Chase looked at her cross. She closed her eyes and silently scolded herself for saying the first stupid thing that came to her mind.
"And how is that a good thing?"
Andie pretended to sigh. "It means I'm becoming a woman. Duh."
She rolled her eyes at Chase and walked off. As she walked away, she couldn't help but let a single tear fall.
"…Do you take this woman to have and to hold in sickness and in health, 'til death do you part?"
"I do."
"Andie West, do you take this man to have and to hold in sickness and in health, 'til death do you part?"
Andie smiled and nodded. "I do."
"You may now kiss the bride."
Chase leaned into Andie, almost just like when they were seven. "I love you" he whisper against her lips, then kissed her. They crowd began to cheer and Chase wrapped his arms around Andie's waist. He pulled her close to him kissed her again.
Andie watched as her friends and family shoveled through the food on their plates. She wasn't really hungry. Something about today wasn't right. Something was missing. She got out of her seat. She knew Chase wasn't paying attention to her, he was eating and mingling with people Andie didn't know. She made her way over to the bust of her mother. She was so beautiful. As hard as it was to admit it, they did look alike. Andie wished he mother could see her today.
"I wish you could see my dress, Mommy. It's so pretty. I would wear it forever if I could." Andie ran her fingers over her mother's name.
"Cassie."
Andie at Fifteen
Andie West, please come to the front desk. Andie heard over the intercom. She ignored the "ooh's" the other kids gave her and left her second period classroom. She walked to the front desk to see Blake standing with Sarah, who was crying.
"Blake, you called me?"
"Andie," Blake put his arm on her shoulder.
"What's wrong with Sarah?"
"Andie, I'm sorry."
Andie stared at Blake then looked at Sarah and it all came together. Her mother, who had cancer. Her mother, who was dying. Who was dead now.
She covered her mouth with her hands, but screamed. She sunk to her knees and didn't even try not to cry. She screamed again as she heard footsteps coming toward her. A crowd was forming around her. Her first instinct was to run, but she didn't want to. It would be just wasted energy.
She screamed when Chase said her name.
She screamed when he picked her up and carried her to his car.
She screamed when she got home and Chase carried her inside. He carried her up to her room and closed the door behind him. She was still screaming.
He pulled off her jacket ad shoes and pulled the covers up over her, but she wouldn't stop screaming. So he lay down beside her on the bed and held her down until she relaxed and fell asleep.
Then she woke up.
"Andie?"
She turned around. This time, it was Moose. He moved a little closer and rubbed her cheeks.
He was rubbing tears away.
"I'm sorry, Moose."
"Don't be. You deserve the right to miss her."
Andie nodded. She smiled at Moose, then walked back over to her table. She sat beside Chase. Lucky for her, Moose had cleaned her face. She didn't want Chase to worry. Not today.
"Andie, you seen Tori?" Asked a small Latina under bushy brown hair.
Andie shook her head. But, it was weird. She hadn't seen Tori since the reception. That was bad. "We'd better go look for her."
Andie, Chase and Missy left the after party and went back to the church in search of Victoria.
"Laine, hurry up." Tori called from outside a stall in the church bathroom. "It shouldn't take this long to change."
A seven year old with long dark brown hair and light brown skin came out of the stall. "All done, mommy."
Tori gripped the child gently around her middle. "Baby, I told you. Don't call me mommy. I'm not mommy, I'm Tori."
Laine tilted her head to the side. "Who is mommy?"
Tori at Sixteen and Morea at Twenty Seven
"I'm gonna need everyone who is not related to the mother to leave the delivery room." A doctor said. Chase, Andie, Missy and Moose all left the room, while Tori stayed. Morea was squeezing her hand, and it was beginning to hurt, but it would be alright. Soon she'd have a little niece or nephew to take care of. That would be a great way for Morea and Tori to get away from their parents.
"Breath, Mory. Breath." Tori repeated.
Morea took in a short breath, then breathed out again.
"Push." The doctor said.
She pushed.
"Breath." Her sister said again.
She breathed.
"I can see the head."
"Push harder, Mory."
Morea pushed again. Pain shot up and down her body and she screamed.
"Push."
"Breath."
"Push."
"Breath."
The talking, beeping, and "push, breath, push, breath" was beginning to give Morea a headache. But she pushed as hard as she could, as suddenly she heard a baby's cry. That was the last thing she would ever hear.
"Something's wrong." The doctor said, more to himself than anyone else.
-beep-
"What?" Tori asked. The baby looked fine to her.
"She's bleeding out."
-beep-
Tori's eyes widened. It wasn't the baby. It was Morea. Her sister was bleeding out.
"Nurse!"
Morea had pushed her baby out, but the pain hadn't stopped. It was all over her body now, and her headache was getting worse and worse.
-beep-
She needed to squeeze something. But, the only thing close by was a hand. Her sister's. She grabbed it and squeezed as hard as she could with her last ounce of life.
"MOREA!"
-beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep-
"What do you think the baby will look like?" Chase asked, sitting across from Andie.
Andie rolled her eyes. "It'll probably look like Mory."
"What if it looks like Barry?"
All the teens shuttered. The worst thing that could possibly happen was for the baby to look like Barry. He was an evil man. He didn't even deserve a child.
Before anyone could reply, though, Tori and a doctor came out of the delivery room.
"How is she?"
Tori buried her hands in her face while the doctor spoke. Chase wrapped his arms around her, but she couldn't feel him. All she could feel was her sister. Squeezing her hand.
"Tori, thank god we found you."
"Andie!" The seven year old wrapped her arms around Andie's waist. They were close. Andie had helped Tori raise her. Along with Chase, Missy, Moose and Sophie of course, but since Tori had been living with Sarah, Charlie and her, Andie spent more time with Laine than any of Tori's other friends.
"She keeps calling me mommy." Tori said, standing and rubbing Laine's head.
Chase walked over to Tori and grabbed her arm. "You know you're not supposed to go off by yourself."
She gave him a look. "And why not?"
By the look on his face, she could tell what he was thinking.
"Chase, that was years ago."
"I know, Tori, but… it was big."
Tori and Chase at Sixteen
"Tori?" Chase called up the stairs. He knew she was home. He'd just talked to her on the phone. He checked in the kitchen, then the living room.
Nothing.
"Tori?" He said, much louder this time.
Still Nothing.
He walked up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He was worried now. Tori was normally on the couch watching TV, or in the kitchen, or at least doing something downstairs. She only went upstairs to sleep.
"Tori?"
He reached the top of the stairs. He checked her room. Then Andie's. Then Charlie's. Even Sarah's. Nothing.
"Tori?"
Suddenly, he heard something. It sounded like someone muttering to themselves. It was coming from the bathroom. Chase new it wouldn't be polite, but he pushed open the door…
Tori gasped and jumped a foot in the air. Damn it. What the hell was he doing here?
"Tori, what are you doing?"
Tori looked down at the pills in her hands. She thought for a moment, then spoke. "I just needed some pills from my cramps."
"You needed twelve pills for cramps?"
Chase watched as Tori quickly looked at the floor, obviously trying to avoid eye contact with him. "Tori, give me the pills."
Tori looked down at the pills in her hand. She could just swallow them now before Chase could even get to her. Let go of her pain, and maybe even see her sister again. But, she handed the drugs in her hand to Chase. He dumped them in the garbage bin, then took her hand and led her out the bathroom.
She was gonna need help.
The wedding was finally over. Andie waved to her friends as she and Chase drove away in a car marked "Just Married". They turned the corner and were out of sight. The wedding had been a bit of a mess, but the point was that she and Chase were now married. They were together and they would be together forever. She looked at Chase, who kept his eyes steady on the road. She smiled, then leaned back into chair and before she knew it, she'd slipped into a daydream.
Chase and Andie at Eighteen
It was raining outside. Chase had just dropped Missy, Sophie and Moose off home from dance practice, and was now dropping Andie. He led her up to the door. The rain had drenched the both of them, since they hadn't brought umbrella's and they were both shivering.
"Thanks for dropping me." Andie said. She was just pulling her keys out of her pocket when Chase said,
"Andie, I need to tell you something."
She nodded, then turned her attention to him.
"Andie, I made a mistake."
She tilted her head to the side. "What?"
"I made a mistake. I don't want to be with Sophie. I wanna be with you."
All she could do was repeat, "What?"
"I love you." Chase didn't wait for Andie to respond. Her pressed her rain-soaked lips to hers and scooped her up in his arms. He hoped that, maybe if he kissed her, this would be easier. It wasn't.
When he pulled away from her, the rambling started. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that. Not without telling you. And you probably didn't even want me to kiss you. You probably don't even want to go out with me. I'm such a—"
"I love you, too, Chase."
Again, "What?"
Andie pulled Chase they way he'd pulled her and kissed him. The rain pelted down on them, but they didn't care. Andie was freezing, but it didn't matter right now. He loved her. That's all that mattered, and all that would ever matter.
Chase pressed his body into Andie's as they lay sprawled out across the hotel room bed. He kissed her lips, then her cheek, and finally her neck. He sucked at nibbled at the sensitive skin, and she moaned. He moved up to her ear and whispered "I love you". She whispered "I love you" back.
And they would never forget.
Done. Before I put "And they would never forget" I was gonna put a scene of them making love, but I chickened out. Sorry. I'll try again later.
So, I really hope you guys liked this because I did.
A/N: A thank you to Brit for being my Beta reader, even though I'm not entirely sure how that works. I'll make sure to send all my stuff to you before posting it.
Naomi