Disclaimer: I own nothing!

A/N: Woo, happy New Year people! Sorry it took forever to update this, been enjoying my outrageously long holidays and not writing much, just watching far too much TV (damn you Vampire Diaries!). But, let's see if this doesn't suck!

The trees above him rustled in a strong breeze as he waited, seated on a cement bench with his laptop beside him, just staring at the ground. Luke Katcher was tired, very tired in fact, and stressed. It wasn't just this business with the Samurai either, or the lack of rehearsal space, losing his parents' Vault, or even Natalie – it was all of it. Things like this never just came in ones or twos (or in this case even threes) they came in multiples of six or more. He was just so tired!

"Hey."

Her voice was soft, sounding just as tired and broken as he felt, but he didn't look up at her, just glancing away to her left, suddenly interested in a pigeon pacing up and down the concrete walkway, desperate for a feed. Something only slightly worse off than he. "What do you want Natalie?"

He noticed her take a seat on the step nearby, frowning up at him, an unreadable expression on her face. "I have a message from Julian."

Luke shook his head. "You're dancing with them now?"

"No… I just… he…" she fell silent, unable to tell him she went home to Julian, let him 'look after' her again. How was it that her family kept making her feel like a kid again? An aimless, useless child standing by and watching her parents fight, watching her father leave? She'd grown up counting on Julian, reliant on him for everything, he'd been her source of self-esteem and self-pride. He'd made her feel, when the other kids told her their father had left because of her (a kids' favourite taunt for children with split parents), like she could do anything. Never let the world hold her back.

The irony swept over Natalie like a wave of nausea.

So what was happening now?

She'd snuck out of the house to come see Luke, stolen the papers right off her brother's desk, and now she felt like a foolish teenager hiding from her parents. As if, when she returned, Julian would be standing in the doorway with his arms crossed going 'where have you been young lady?' and grounding her.

He was holding her back.

He was protecting her he said but she'd figured out a long time ago that wasn't it. He'd used her to get to Luke. He'd lied. And now her family, the Pirates, didn't even want her around. Her father had walked, her mother was nuts, her brother used her and the Pirates thought she was a liar. Did she have anyone left in this world?

"I'm not interested." Luke muttered gruffly. He was a bad liar. Natalie wanted to say 'if you weren't then you wouldn't be here' but that was cruel. She just nodded slowly.

"I know." They were silent for a moment then Natalie pulled the papers from her back pocket. "Julian brought the Vault." She held the deeds out and Luke took them from her slowly. "I assumed you knew that though." He nodded but said nothing. "I heard him talking to Carlos. He says he'll give you the Vault if you throw the World Jam battle."

Luke glared at the papers. "Of course he did." He pushed them back towards her. "Tell him no deal." The spite in his tone and the glare directed at her made Natalie's head sink. "We're going to win World Jam."

"And then what? He's not going to sell it back to you Luke. He's going to keep it, just to taunt you, just to say he still won." Natalie inched closer to him, imploring tone adopted, and Luke looked up with a frown. "I know how my brother thinks."

"Then we get a new place, a new club, so be it."

"That was your parents' club! You can't give it up like that, that easily."

Luke shook his head. "Easy? I don't know how easy works Natalie. I didn't grow up with an easy life." The suggestion was obvious… 'unlike you'. "I didn't get lavish balls for my birthday or brothers that gave me everything I wanted." Natalie shook her head, tears appearing in her eyes, and Luke looked away. After a minute of silence she stood up, making to leave, and Luke spoke again. "You bailed me out after the fight at your party." She nodded mutely. "Why?"

Her jaw shook as she looked back at him. "It's the least a useless little rich girl can do, isn't it?"

As she turned away guilt hit Luke and he stood. "Look, wait," he fished into his bag and withdrew a DVD case. "I made this because you said I should. You should at least see it." It was another copy of his movie, the first DVD broken at Natalie's party, and she took it off him slowly. "What did you mean when you told me to look at your dancing?"

"When I dance, I'm myself, I can be me." She took the DVD case and rolled in between her fingers slowly, her eyes trained on the ground, her voice soft and sad. "Whatever lies I told, that much was true, my dancing is true." She looked up quickly. "Good luck at World Jam. I won't be there to see it so…"

Luke cut her off. "What? I thought you were dancing with the Samurai?"

Natalie shook her head. "I can't dance with the Samurai when my heart is with the Pirates." Her head sank again. "I'm going to California." She slid the DVD case into her bag along with the Vault papers then clutched the bag closer to herself.

"When?"

"As soon as possible." She shrugged. "There's nothing to keep me here." She looked up at him slowly, waiting for him to say there was, he wanted her to stay. And though he knew he did, he should say it, Luke couldn't. She'd betrayed him. When he said nothing and looked at the ground she nodded. "Okay." Then, without another word, she turned and walked away. Luke watched her go with a frown.

Passing it back to cinderstellabella. Take it away babes…