A/N: Keep those reviews coming.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

You hear their voices telling you not to go
They made their choices and they'll never know
What it means to steal, to cheat, to lie
What it's like to live and die…

Mike walked in to the large apartment that he and Denise had been sharing for the pat few months. During the day the sun filled it, because there were tons of windows. Now, in the middle of the night the lights of the strip were twinkling in the distance.

"Denise?" He called out. She didn't answer. He put his keys down and walked back into the bedroom. She was folding clothes and putting them into a suitcase. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Home," she said simply. He stared at her.

"To LA for a while?" He asked. "Are you recording again?"

"Not to LA," she said. "I'm going to North Carolina."

"Is your Mom OK?" He asked. She nodded. "So then, why are you going home?"

"Because I don't know where else to go," she said. He swallowed. "I can't go back to LA, there's not really anything there for me until I have enough material for a new album and I don't."

"Denise," he said. "Did I miss something? Did we break up while I was at work?"

"Why don't you call Evie and ask her?" She said sharply. He looked at her. That she was using his pet name for Eva worried him.

"Can you back up a step, please?" He said. She sighed. "What did I do?"

"Nothing," she shook her head. "Nothing I didn't know about at least, I just realized I can't do this anymore." He looked at her. "You're still in love with her and I can't pretend that you aren't anymore." He put his hands around her face. "Mike," she said softly.

"Don't go," he whispered. She closed her eyes. "I love you, I do." She pressed her head against his chest. "Please don't go." She felt him start to tremble.

"I have to," she said. "I love you so much." They kissed. "No," she pushed at his chest but he didn't let go and then kissed her again.

"Don't leave me," he said. "I'll do whatever it takes, honey, just stay."

"I need to at least clear my head," she said softly. "And home's good for that." She kissed him on the cheek. "Please change your mind about the wedding. I really think you'll regret not going." She pulled away and shut her suitcase and walked out. Mikey stood stunned and afraid. No one had ever stood by him like Denise and the thought of life without her was too overwhelming.

Stephanie Gaffney took a deep breath and raised up on her toes. The ache was already starting, but the man in the front of the room was counting off and she could see her classmates placid and unflinching. She wasn't out of shape, she'd been dancing more than ever lately, she couldn't understand why this was so hard. Then her knee gave out and she collapsed. She screamed.

"Stephanie!" Petra, one of her classmates rushed over as the teacher walked over. This was odd, Stephanie wasn't a complainer. "Are you alright?"

"My knee," she whispered, tears streaming down her face, more from fear than anything else. What if this was it? Every dancer had that fear when injury came.

"Get her to a hospital." The teacher said. One of the male dancers swept her off her feet and carried her out. She started to choke and sob, Petra followed her out too.

"Are you OK?" He asked. Stephanie shook her head. "Stephie, you'll be fine."

"Of course you will," Petra nodded. "Do you want me to call TJ?" She nodded.

Less than an hour later TJ walked into the hospital where Stephanie was lying in bed.

"Stephie," he whispered sitting down and taking her hand. She pulled it away.

"It's over," she mumbled. He stared at her. "I tore my ACL, I'll be out for six months at least,"

"You can come back," he said. "People come back from this kind of thing." She shook her head. "They can't take dancing away from you." She closed her eyes. "Honey, don't shut down, talk to me. What's going on in your head right now?"

"I was distracted," she mumbled. He sighed. "Mikey called earlier, Denise left him, and that's where my head was, I wasn't focusing."

"Stephanie, your knee gave out, even if you had been focusing," he shook his head and then took out his phone.

"What are you doing?" She looked at him.

"I'm calling Gabby!" He said simply

"No!" She shook her head. "No, I'll call her, when I know more. I don't want her to worry about me." He nodded.

"Is Mike alright?" He asked. She swallowed.

"He sounded sort of, dead," she said softly. "There wasn't any emotion to it. Denise moved out, she said I'm still in love with Evie." TJ swallowed. "I don't think he'll do well, with being left. I should go out there."

"You'll see him at the wedding," TJ said.

"He's not going to the wedding," she shook her head. "He's in love with the bride, TJ!" He kissed her. "What if I never dance again?"

"You will dance again," he said simply. "And Mike will be fine." He kissed her. "I love you."

"You say that now, but maybe one day you decide you can't take Aaron and then you leave me," she mumbled. He laughed.

"I promise I won't leave you for that reason," he said and climbed into bed with her. He pressed his forehead to her back. It was an old, comfortable position that felt right.

"Promise not to leave at all," she whispered.

"I promise," he said.

Denise stepped off of the plane and wandered quietly around Wilmington, North Carolina, dragging her suitcase behind her. She walked into a coffee shop where she was going to meet her mother before going home.

"Oh my God!" The waitress said walking over. Denise smiled. "Well, local celebrities get free coffee."

"Thanks Terry," she said with a grin. "Is Mama here?"

"Not yet honey," Terry shook her head. "I didn't realize you were coming home." She poured Denise a cup who shrugged. "Did you realize that you were coming home?"

"Not exactly," Denise shook her head. "It's complicated."

"Hey Terry, sorry I'm late," a guy walked in and Denise turned. "Denise?"

"Hi Shawn," she said softly. Terry swallowed. "You work here now?"

"Again," he said. "I work here again. I worked here in high school." She swallowed. "I thought you were living in Vegas with that trust fund guy."

"Mike's not a," she sighed. "I'm just home for a while." He nodded. "My mom's meeting me here. I guess I didn't realize you were still in town."

"That agent of yours is good," he shrugged. "I'm basically black balled." She shrugged.

"Serves you right," Terry said. "You have tables." He rolled his eyes and walked away. "I didn't want to rehire him, but it's so pathetic. Plus he plays on Friday nights. The high school kids get a kick out of it. If you play they might actually die."

"I'm not playing," Denise said. "That's not why I'm here."

"He dumped you didn't he?" Terry said. Denise looked at her. "The restaurateur?"

"I hate that word," Denise said. "No, he didn't, I left. I left him." She swallowed. "It's bad. I was so sure and then it was just over."

"Where are you going?" Eva asked walking into David's house and seeing him packing.

"Colorado," he said. "Seeing Patrick and then I'm driving to Vegas."

"Bachelor party?" She asked. He shook his head. "You're going to see him?"

"Denise moved out," he said softly. "He needs someone." She sighed and kissed him.

"I wonder why she didn't call me," she whispered. "I should call her."

"Evie, don't," he said. "She called me."

"She called you?" She said. He nodded. "I don't understand, why didn't she call me? I mean," he looked at her. "She left because of me."

"Eva, you know it's not that simple," he said. "She loves you, she loves Mike, she just can't deal with it any more."

"How do you do it?" She asked. He smiled.

"It's different," he shrugged. "You chose me. He never chose her." She sat down. "Tell Bella and the girls, I'm sorry OK?"

"You won't be back?" She asked. He shook his head. She hugged him. "I love you."

"I love you too," he said. "I'll call when I land, OK?"

"OK," she whispered. "Tell Patrick I say hi." He nodded.

Bella stood off to the side in the ball room watching the girls practice. She stared so hard at Elisa as she dipped down low into a curtsey in front of Hunter. She swallowed, too envious. Elisa didn't see it, the adoration in Hunter's eyes, or maybe she did and ignored it.

"Bella," one of the mothers walked over. "We called for some take out for everyone. Do you mind picking it up?"

"Of course not," she said. "It's why I'm here."

"Great, you know Mickey's diner don't you?" She asked. Bella swallowed.

"Yeah, I know it," she said. The mother nodded and handed her a credit card. "I'll be back." She got into her car and drove. She swallowed sitting in the parking lot and looking in the window. There was Gordon, clearing tables. She hugged herself and then walked in. Gordon dropped his box. She giggled in spite of herself at the clumsy look on his face.

"Bella," he said. "Hi."

"Hi," she said. "I have to pick up a giant take out order."

"Oh, yeah," he nodded. "Sure."

"I didn't see your car," she said.

"I'm not allowed to drive anymore," he said. "Almost killing you and everything."

"Sure," she said. "That makes sense."

"I'll get the takeout," he said. She nodded and he walked into the back. He came back with a large box. "So what's this for?"

"Hungry debutantes," she raised her eyebrows. He laughed. "You should come this weekend."

"Nah," he said. "Not a good scene for me, plus Dean and Kevin said they'd kill me." She laughed.

"Well, thanks," she said picking up the box. "I'll see you." He nodded. She turned and then stopped and put it back down and walked over and kissed him, standing on her tip toes.

"Bella," he said.

"Sorry, I guess, I shouldn't have done that," she whispered. "You're very kissable."

"Yeah, you too," he said softly. "I miss you."

"I don't miss you," she whispered. He looked at her. "I mean, I do, but I don't let myself."

"And how exactly do you prevent it?" He laughed.

"I imagine you," she said. He raised his eyebrows. "And we talk."

"You imagine me?" He said. She nodded, "and you talk to yourself?"

"No, I talk to you," she said. "And you talk back. You call me Leigh and you," he kissed her cutting her off. "Imaginary you doesn't do that."

"Good," he smirked. "I wouldn't want to be jealous of him."

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