A Little Too Late

Hey guys, the children have finally gone home and I got to sleep as long as I wanted. Now I'm all better lol, my head doesn't hurt and I can write without being interrupted every five minutes. It just stopped raining and now it's about to get hot cause the sun is coming back out so I'll be roasting while I write this. Yes I know I haven't updated in forever but I just haven't felt like it. That's my bad but I'll get back into the swing of things soon I hope.

Last chapter, the crew bonded more as they all slept in Chase's big as hell bed lol. Each one was managing to touch either Chase or Andie some how. Making them super cute. Um then Andie's dad called and told her that he was dying of cancer. Is he really or is he just bluffing? I haven't decided yet so you guys might not find out in this chapter lol.

A/N-This one is named after Toby Keith's "A Little Too Late" cause it's a little too late for Andie's father to be calling and wanting her sympathy.

Disclaimer-Don't own Step Up 2, but I do own the DVD that I'll probably wear out lol.

Andie sat on Chase's bed, wrapped in his arms, with her crew surrounding, in shock. Her father just told her he was dying. Of cancer none the less, the same thing that had killed her mother. Now it was out to take her father as well.

It wasn't until Chase's hand gently settled on her stomach, did Andie bring herself back to reality. Her father had gone silent on the other line and the basement was so quiet you'd have thought it was empty. Chase's brown eyes were looking at her with concern and he brought his other hand up to cup her cheek. As his thumb ran across her cheek, Andie realized then that she was crying.

"Andie," He said gently. "Baby what did he say to you?"

Shaking her head, Andie climbed over Moose and stood on her feet shakily. Hanging up the phone and placing it on the dresser, Andie turned to her back to the crew for a moment. Running her fingers through her hair, she covered her mouth with her other hand and turned back around. Her eyes searched the room frantically to avoid looking at any of the crew. But it was hard because they were all staring at her.

"I–I–." Taking a breath Andie calmed her nerves just enough to talk. "I need to be by myself."

Chase opened his mouth to protest but Andie slid on her shoes and disappeared up the stairs. She didn't have to worry about Chase coming after her, his ribs wouldn't allow him to. But the rest of the crew could prove a problem. However, Andie hadn't even made it to the front door when suddenly someone stepped in front of her. She and Alex tumbled to the ground and when they hit it, Andie cried out as his elbow was pushed into her ribs.

"I'm sorry!" Alex exclaimed scrambling to his feet. "Oh shit Andie I'm so sorry!"

"Language." Andie groaned clutching at her ribs.

She felt Alex place his hands on her back and before she knew it he was tugging her to her feet.

When she was standing, he put both hands on her arms, preventing her from moving around him.

"I just got a call from Aydan." He said quietly. "Your fathers dying of cancer."

Andie nodded, biting her bottom lip and not looking the fourteen year old in the eye.

"I've gotta go." She said gently wiggling from his grip. "If any of the crew come up, tell them I'll be back inside soon."

Alex nodded and watched Andie walk swiftly from the room. Her shoulders slumped and her eyes glazed over. When Andie got outside, she let out a shaky breath before letting a few drops slide from her eyes. Glancing around, Andie went over to Blake's SUV. She pulled on the handle and was relived to find it unlocked. Climbing in, Andie shut the door quietly and curled up in a ball. Her face pressing against the window and her tears getting trapped between the window and her cheek.

She didn't know why she was crying. What did she care if her father died? He'd hit her and Aydan, put them in the hospital, tried to choke Chase and accepted money from Mr. And Mrs. Collins to take Andie away. He was horrible and he had no right to call either Aydan or Andie his daughter. But for some reason, Andie didn't want him to die.

Wiping at her eyes roughly, Andie curled herself even tighter into a ball. She and Aydan would be orphans. Now Andie understood where Alex was coming from, it was a horrible feeling. To think that you were going to become an orphan, it made you sad and lonely.

"But I've got Chase." Andie murmured. "I've got Chase and Missy and Moose and all my friends."

Andie shivered slightly, despite the fact it was burning up in the car.

She needed to get to Aydan. Her little sister was probably worried sick. She and Aydan didn't see much of each other but they talked constantly on the phone. Aydan spent all her time with Camille who was her best friend now and Andie was always at Chase's. Plus Camille was always with Tyler so Andie knew her little sister was safe.

There was a knock on the window and Andie lifted her head to look out the window. Sophie was pressing her face against the window. Andie groaned, didn't she tell Alex to keep everyone away.

"Let me in Andie." Sophie said. "Come on let me in."

Sitting up, Andie unlocked the door and let Sophie climb into the car.

"What did he say to you?" Sophie asked quietly.

Glancing at Sophie, Andie bit her lip before leaning over and wrapping her arms around Sophie. The triple threat pulled her into a tight hug, deciding that she'd just hold Andie and comfort her until she was ready to talk about whatever was upsetting her so.

"He's dying." Andie said muttered into her shirt.

Sophie frowned, leaning her head down to hear her better.

"What?" She asked gently.

With a sigh Andie pulled her face from Sophie's shirt. She met the girls concerned eyes and averted her gaze, not able to hold it and speak at the same time.

"My father, he's dying."

Without waiting to see what Sophie was going to say, Andie opened the door on the drivers side of the back seat and climbed out.

"Andie wait!" Sophie called.

But Andie did not want to be bothered right now. She closed the door and began to walk down the drive way. She didn't know where she was going but it needed to be somewhere far away, where she could be by herself and think. She heard Sophie call her name again but Andie shook her head and didn't turn around.

"I'll be back later." She called back.

Wrapping her arms around herself, Andie turned the corner and disappeared out of Sophie's sight. Sophie gave a sigh before hitting the back of the drivers' seat, the summer had been going so good and now this had to come up along with the car accident. Climbing out of Blake's SUV, Sophie went back inside the house and back downstairs. When she got there, everyone turned to look at her.

"Andie's gone." She said quietly. "I think she wants to be by herself."

Chase let out a groan and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Did she say where she was going?" He asked.

Sophie shook her head. She watched Moose get to his feet after sharing a look with Chase.

"Guys she wants to be alone." Sophie sighed. "You shouldn't go after her."

"It's not safe." Chase said. "If I could, I'd be going after. But since I can't I'm sending my best man out to bring her back."

Moose grinned goofily as he walked over to Sophie.

"Trust me," He said leaning down to kiss her. "If Andie tells me to leave her and raises her fist then I'm out of there."

Sophie nodded and pressed her lips against his.

"Can I borrow your car?" Moose asked grinning sheepishly.

Laughing, Sophie dug into her pocket before handing over the keys.

"You wreck my car Moose your ass if mine." She warned him as he headed for the stairs.

Nodding, Moose took the stairs two at a time and disappeared from sight. He wasn't too sure where Andie might go but he had a feeling about one particular place and that's where he'd try first.

It didn't take Andie long to get to the cemetery. Chase's new house was closer than she thought it was. Today however, the cemetery was not empty. A family not too far away from her mothers' grave was having a funeral. Andie considered coming back later, but her desire to talk to her mother was bad and plus she had so much to tell her.

So as quietly as possible, Andie walked over to her mothers' grave. She sat down on her knees directly in front of it so the family right across from it wouldn't notice her. She could heard a few people crying and the minster was still going on with his speech. Running her fingers through the lush green grass, Andie tried hard to remember the speech the minster had given at her mothers' funeral but she couldn't. Andie had been sobbing into Tyler's chest and she couldn't focus on anything but the pain in her heart.

"Hi Mommy." Andie whispered.

Sighing, Andie glanced around. This never became any easier, talking to her mother. People said it would but Andie found it to actually become harder. The soft wind that rustled her hair was not there and Andie momentarily wondered how come.

"Well, Dad says he's dying." Andie told the marble headstone quietly. "I can't decide if I believe him or not. I mean what if I don't believe him and he really is? Then the chance that I do believe him and he's faking to get back on my good side."

Andie ran her good hand through her hair.

"I'm so confused Mom." She muttered. "I mean I don't want him to die, but I can't understand why not. What has he ever done for me? When has he ever cared for me? He's been horrible to me and yet it brings tears to my eyes to think that he might be leaving me forever."

Andie's chocolate eyes glanced over the top of the headstone and met a pair of really sad blue ones. A little girl was standing in front of a man, her blue eyes spilling tears down her chubby cheeks. She and Andie stared at each other for a moment before Andie gave her a small comforting smile.

"It will be okay." She whispered.

The little girl stared at her for a moment before nodding slightly and giving Andie a comforting smile of her own.

"Andie?"

Jumping and turning around so fast that she hurt her bruised ribs, Andie saw Moose standing not that far behind her. She narrowed her eyes at him and he raised his hands in surrender,

"We just wanted to make sure you're alright." He said.

"I'm not two you know." Andie shot back, not trying to be mean but annoyed that they hadn't done what she asked them.

"Yea we know." Moose took a seat next to her. "But we love you and would die if anything happened to you."

Nodding, Andie pointed to her mother's headstone.

"Mommy, this is my best friend Moose." Andie glanced at Moose. "Moose this is my mommy."

Moose smiled at the picture sitting at the base of the headstone.

"Don't you agree?" He asked it softly. "She needs someone to look after her?"

The wind rustled Andie's hair and she rolled her eyes.

"Only sometimes," She muttered.

"Try all the time." Moose countered grinning.

Shoving him playfully, Andie looked back down at the picture of her mother. Then without moving her eyes from it, she raised her hands and began to trace her mothers name slowly. After every letter, a single tear would fall and Andie didn't see the point in wiping them away.

"You look like her." Moose said quietly. "A lot."

Nodding, Andie gave a tiny sniff.

"That's what I'm told, but," She paused and tilted her head. "I don't see it."

"How come?" Moose asked curiously.

Andie shrugged,

"I don't know." She sighed. "I'm not strong like her, Sarah says I have her passion but I don't see it..."

"Don't even say you're not as pretty as she is cause you are." Moose said. "You could be twins."

Andie gave him a small smile before leaning over and kissing his cheek.

"Thanks Moose." She said hugging him.

Moose tilted his head slightly.

"For what?" He asked.

Andie rested her head on his shoulder and smiled slightly.

"For being my best friend."

Blake watched Chase run his fingers through his hair for what seemed like the millionth time since Moose had left thirty minutes ago. His little brother was anxious, it bugged him that he wasn't able to run after his girlfriend. But Chase trusted Moose, which is why he had sent him and he knew that Moose wouldn't come back unless Andie was by his side.

"Chase," Shane said gently, taking his hands in hers. "You're gonna pull your hair out."

Chase gave her a tiny smile and squeezed her hands.

"She's fine." Sophie said. "I know so."

Nodding, Chase moved to wiggle his hand from Shane's but the green eyed girl wasn't letting go. Chase gave a great sigh when she wouldn't let go but winced as it caused his ribs to burn.

"Give Moose some time to talk to her." Blake said quietly. "She's obviously upset and who better to talk to her than one of her best friends?"

"Me," Chase shrugged. "But my damn ribs won't let me."

Blake shook his head and Brandy laid her head on his shoulder.

"What do you think he said to her?" Missy asked quietly.

"I don't know." Chase said. "It's weird though."

"What's weird?" Cable asked.

"Whatever he said to her didn't make her angry." Chase replied. "I would have seen the anger in her eyes but there was none."

"So what was wrong with her then?" Hair asked. "If she wasn't angry then what was she?"

"It was like she was in shock." Chase said. "Like he said something that took her by surprise, making her want to be by herself so she could think it over."

"She'll tell us when she gets back hopefully." Brandy said.

"She's going to tell me." Chase and Missy said at the same time.

Sophie bit her lip,

"Hurry up Moose." She muttered.

It wasn't her place to tell the crew what Andie's father had said but the suspense was killing her.

When Moose and Andie stood up to leave the cemetery, the family that had been having the funeral across from them was gone. Neither teenagers had noticed them leaving, both of them were lost in their thoughts. Andie found she had nothing else to actually tell her mother. Sure she'd been in a car accident but her father claiming to be dying of cancer was the biggest thing at the moment. All the same though, she did not want to leave.

"Chase will be worried." Moose reasoned with her as they walked out of the cemetery. "Plus we gotta get you some food."

Andie nodded silently.

"Are you going to tell me?" Moose finally asked after two blocks of silence.

"Tell you what?" Andie asked confused.

"What he said to upset you." Moose said.

Andie shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not upset." She paused. "I'm shocked."

Moose frowned,

"What do you mean?" He asked.

Andie inhaled deeply and glanced around the street. She was not okay talking about this, just like when her mother had told her she wasn't okay talking about it then either.

"He says he's dying." She finally muttered. "Of cancer."

Moose didn't say anything at first and he scratched at his head making his skull cap slip from his head.

"Do you believe him?" He asked.

Andie shook her head.

"But I can't help but think, if I don't believe him then he'll really have it and die and I'll feel terrible for not believing him."

"Or you could believe him and then he'll hurt you again by revealing that he doesn't have it and just came back to cause trouble." Moose pointed out.

Andie nodded.

"Yep that too."

When they got back to Chase's house, Andie looked up at the house and sighed.

"Why don't you want to tell them?" Moose asked.

"It's just...complicated." Andie said. "I can't wait to hear what Tyler has to say after Chase gets done yelling."

Moose chuckled and opened the front door for her. They ran into Alex who was sitting at the kitchen table muttering to himself. He was running his hands through his hair and his eyes searched the cabinet blindly.

"Alex?" Andie asked quietly. "Are you okay?"

"No I'm not okay." Alex said.

"What happened?" Moose asked.

From under the table, Alex held up a bunch of papers.

"What's that?" Andie asked making her way over to them.

"The papers giving up my custody," Alex said quietly. "And a plane ticket to Colorado."

Yes I know I've been taking forever and I'm so sorry. I've just had a really crazy week and haven't been able to write all that much. Um not much of a cliffhanger but still. Oh and I went and saw Batman and I love it! I think I'm gonna go see it again soon.

A/N-In the morning you should get an MD update, at least I hope so.

Reviews keep my fingers typing chapters!

Danyi