A/N: Mixing up the author's note here because this week I really want to thank my awesome partner-in-crime here miss cinderstellabella who is one of the hardest-working writers I know and never complains when I take ages to update or send the story in some completely random tangent (if it's no obvious yet, none of this is planned, we just write whatever comes into our heads next and if you know me then you know that is pretty random crap!) so yays be to cinderstellabella. We hope you're enjoying the story.
Disclaimer: Dear Jon Chu, my friend is having a birthday soon and she'd really love to own Step Up this year. Hoping you consider it, love Kate.
Dear Kate, bugger off, this is my multi-million dollar dance flick. Get your own. Regards, Jon.
"You pack like sardines? This is stupid!" No one who was still half-asleep that morning, packed into Camille's shoebox dorm like the proverbial sardines they'd just been called, could get back to sleep after that rousing cry. "You can't dance with crushed knees and pelvis."
Moose smothered a smile as he entered the hall and noticed the two girls talking in the doorway. Camille had cast her eyes to the roof but the other, an energetic young dark-haired Asian girl, hadn't even noticed. Taking a few steps forwards as the Asian girl carefully illustrated the kind of damage a crushed pelvis can do to a dancer, Camille spotted him and visibly relaxed, motioning to him. The Asian girl turned and grinned. "'Sup Kido?"
"MOOSE!" She ran up and hugged him tightly, almost breaking his ribs, and Moose was tempted to suggest crushed ribs were just as bad as a crushed pelvis but she let him go and looked up at him with wide, almost sad eyes. "I miss you!"
Moose just laughed. "I missed you too." He led her back towards Camille. "The others up?"
"We are now," Anala muttered, walking past the doorway behind Camille. "So is this our saviour?" She tried to flatten her bright red hair but sleeping on the floor seemed to have doomed it and it wouldn't stay down. "Cos if she isn't then I'm going to start throwing punches for waking us up so early."
"Early?" Jenny Kido looked at her watch. "It 10am."
"That's early for this lot." Moose muttered before smiling at Anala. "She is indeed," he gave a warning frown. "So play nice."
Anala gave a half-hearted wave and walked away, quickly replaced in the doorway by Jason who was calmly pulling on a t-shirt, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Where's the others?" They'd split the Pirates up between Camille and Moose's rooms, not that Moose could take too many since his rat-like dorm mate was paranoid the Pirates would steal some of his stuff. In the end Moose, Jacob, Luke and Rick had taken Moose's room while the others squashed into Camille's room. Her partner had packed up and left at the first available opportunity so Jason had stolen her bed and kicked anyone who tried to take it back off him. Anala had threatened to kill him four times before he threw a pillow at her face and told her to shut it.
"Sent them out for breakfast in the main canteen." Moose said, stepping around Camille and into the room. The crew looked so small down there on the floor, homeless and aimless and with nowhere to practice. They all looked up at Moose for leadership and he took a deep breath before he tried to muster up some courage to speak. "Everyone get dressed and wash up then meet in the main canteen in fifteen minutes. It's to the right at the end of the hall so just follow the signs. We have a lot to do if we're still going to take on the Samurais at World Jam." He looked back at Jenny and Camille. "Okay, rousing enough speech?"
Jenny laughed and Camille just gave him a warm smile. "Maybe leave the leadership stuff to Luke, yeah?" Tapping his shoulder Camille made a beeline for her wardrobe, stepping over the twins as they just started to wake. Moose watched as they grabbed her hand and tried to get her to talk but Camille just smiled and told them to hurry up and get dressed. Moose looked back at Jenny. "What would you like for breakfast?"
"You buy? Oh Moose, you a real gentleman!" Then, curling her arm around his elbow, she tugged him along to the canteen.
…
Luke had been pushing his eggs from the left side of his plate to the right when his phone gave a buzz and moved around on the table in front of him. The movement had caught Jacob's eye and he looked up from it to Luke then turned back to his meal, pretending not to be intrigued. Luke knew better and unlocked the phone, opening the SMS with a frown. After reading it once he pushed it across the table in front of Jacob. He read it aloud.
"'Confirmation the property named 'The Vault' has been sold to the highest bidder.'" Jacob sighed. "When the bank takes what they are owed what will we have?"
Luke shrugged. "Not much I guess. You know how these things work – the bank only ever sells it for what they need. Whoever bought it got it for a bargain." He took back the phone. "Nowhere to practice, no income, homeless and sleeping on the floor of a university dorm. This is the low point of my life."
"We still have World Jam and Moose says there is hope." Jacob continued but his heart didn't seem to be in his words. "If there's hope there's a chance right?"
"Optimism is one thing Jacob but I think w…" he stopped when his name was yelled across the hall and he looked up to see the Santiago twins walking and dragging a frowning Camille along with them. "Trust you two to find the prettiest girl in the place and kidnap her!" Luke called out to them.
Camille gave a shy smile before she noticed Moose and the Asian girl Moose had briefly introduced as Kido at the breakfast bar and escaped to go to them. "We are appreciative of beauty!" One of the twins, honestly Luke couldn't tell which one it was, gave a smile. "Plus, we're just guarding her for Moose's sake. He lets that girl out of his sight and we hurt him!"
Luke gave them a warm smile. "Good to know." He looked back down at his breakfast and the smile faded.
"You thinking of Natalie?" Jacob seemed to be able to read minds too and Luke gave a small nod, knowing it was useless to lie. "I am sure she never meant this to happen."
"Well whatever was meant to happen, her way or not, it's happened and she's at least partly to blame." He sighed. "The bigger part is me though. I don't know a way out of this."
"Lucky I do." Moose plonked down beside him on the bench and grinned at Jacob. "What would you do without me?"
"You said last night that you had a plan so just spit it out already."
Moose looked at Kido then stood up, addressing the whole crew.
"Is everyone here?"
Jason spoke up. "Anala's washing her hair but we can pass on the message."
Kido stood up beside Moose. "Not important. Important thing is – I have answer for problem." The canteen was crowded with university students and a lot looked up when Kido spoke. Her voice was like that. "I am Jenny Kido and my family run massive stall at amusement park. You know, like ring toss and clown an…"
Moose cut across. "Get to the point Kido."
"Oh yeah," she beamed. "Anyway, I have answer! Big plans. You leave problems with me! I have you new rehearsal space and place to sleep and, well, it all be okay." She nodded and then hopped down to finish her breakfast.
"You heard the woman – we have it sorted out. So finish your breakfast and then we're going to Kido's place." The group started speaking among themselves as Moose sat down again. He looked at Luke. "Really, it'll be fine, trust me."
Luke smiled and was about to speak when his phone went again. He assumed it was the real estate agent again but when he picked it up he saw it was actually a message from Natalie. He opened it quickly and read the single line inside.
'We need to meet, please, we have to talk. The park, an hour, I'll be near the balloon salesman.'
Luke closed the message and looked at Jacob. "Take the crew to see Moose's big plans, I have to go see Natalie, I need answers."
"What answers do you think she'll have?" Jacob frowned, lowering his voice so the others around him couldn't hear him. "It's pretty obvious it was Julian who brought the Vault, he's been threatening to for months." He shook his head. "Maybe it's Julian again? You shouldn't go."
"If it's Natalie then I want to know why she bailed me out, why she screwed us over, what she thinks will happen next. If it's Julian then," he pushed back his chair. "Well, let's just say you'll probably have to bail me out of jail again tonight." Then, before Jacob could protest, Luke walked away. Jacob, Moose and Camille all watched him go with a frown. Finally, with a sigh, Jacob turned back to his meal and Moose looked to Camille.
"I hope this works – Luke can't take much more bad news."
Camille held out a hand. "Give me your phone." She waved her fingers and Moose handed it over quickly. "I have another plan." She pushed herself out of her seat. "I'll meet you at Jenny's in," she looked at her watch. "About four. Give me a few hours." Then, his phone pressed to her ear, Camille left too. Moose just crossed his arms and went back to his breakfast.
Kido rules! She can dance too. Curse her for being awesome. Anyway, cinderstellabella comes up next so hold onto your hats.
