I do not own Dirty Dancing.
Chapter Thirty Five
POV Johnny
Telling Baby
I'd been looking for Baby ever since I'd been fired. I asked Penny, and looked in the studio. I looked around all of the trails where I knew she took walks, and she wasn't there. I wasn't about to go knocking on the door to her cabin. Her Father knew about us now, and I didn't really feel like facing the man who's Daughter had to fess up that she'd been sleeping with me in order to give me an alibi.
There was only one place yet to look, The storage facility where the staff had their parties. No one ever used it during the day, one of the many reasons I'd met her in it for dance lessons. She could've easily gone there in order to be alone.
I head up to the storage facility, and entered, relieved to see her sleeping soundly on one of the bunk beds. I slung my jacket over one of the chairs.
I didn't want to wake her. She looked so peaceful right now, and I would have to tell her the bad news once I did. But I know I have to. I can't just up and leave without saying goodbye. Baby deserved more than that. Gently, I touch a hand to her thigh. She stirred in her sleep, and then rolled over, looking at me, awake.
How am I supposed to tell her that I'm leaving, this girl that I love so much? How?
I guess I'll start with the good news, "I have been looking for you all over," I tell her. She sat up. "They found the Schumacher's. Fingerprinted their water glasses, and found out they were wanted in Arizona, and Florida, and they made a fortune here this Summer,"
A light smile works it's way onto her face. "So then- so then it's alright," She breathes. It's almost unbearable to have to crush her like this, but I can't lead her on. "I knew it would work out! I knew they'd have to apologize," She exclaimed. Baby stood up, and in that brief second, I know that if I had not said anything, she would have kissed me out of pure joy. And it would've been wonderful.
But I am better now. I will not take her kiss, and wait for it to end before telling her I have to leave. I am better than that now. "I'm out, Baby," I say coldly.
Her smile faded. "They fired you anyway, because of me," She said, sounding empty. I wish Baby didn't blame herself for this, but I know she does. She was just that type of person, even if the whole thing was Vivian's fault. No one can blame Baby for feeling the way she does, and clearing my name.
"And if I leave quietly, I'll get my Summer bonus," I add bitterly.
"So I did it for nothing." Baby paced around the room, more angry than I have ever seen her. "I hurt my family, you lost your job anyway, I did it for nothing!" She shouted.
Didn't she get it? What she did, it was amazing. Nobody was ever willing to damage themselves for my sake before her. "No! No, not for nothing, Baby! Nobody has ever done anything like that for me before," I insist. I wish I could convince her that it wasn't all in vain, that something good did come out of it.
"You were right, Johnny. You can't win, no matter what you do," She spat bitterly. Our places have been reversed, now. Now, she is the one angry at the world, and I am the one trying to be optimistic.
"You listen to me," I argue, striding over to her. "I don't want to hear that from you! You can," I insisted. She couldn't give up now, after all we risked by being together, after I fell in love with her. Her optimism has been the one constant in our relationship, her belief that the world could be better. It can't fail us now.
"I used to think so," She answered. I hear the brokenness in her voice. It wasn't me being accused that did that. It wasn't her telling her Father about us. It was the idea that after everything we'd gone through together, we were still going to lose each other. It is a depressing thought, that the world finally broke her. She finally lost her hope. Baby's beautiful brown eyes fill with tears. "Johnny, what are we going to do?" She cries, tears running down her face- the first time in all of this that I have ever seen her cry.
I pull her into a hug, and kiss her forehead. "I promise you, Baby. We're not going to lose each other. I'm not going to let that happen. We'll find a way to be together,"
I hurried up the steps to Baby's cabin.
I didn't want her Father to hate me. Maybe there was some way for me to fix things between them, or get him to see that I loved her. I was desperate.
I was also 99% certain that I was going insane.
I knocked on the door, and as expected, Dr. Houseman answered. Words fail me for a second. "Doctor Houseman, could I ah..." The look on his face makes it clear that he's not happy to see me. Quickly, I take off my sunglasses, not wanting to look insincere for this. "Look, I'm going anyway, and... I know what you must be thinking-"
"You don't know anything about me!" He argued, "Anything at all,"
"I know you want Baby to be like you," I tell him, hoping to all God that this worked. "You know, the kind of person that does things to make other people look up to them. Well, Doctor Houseman, Baby is like that. I mean, If you could just see-"
"Don't you tell me what to see!" Doctor Houseman exclaimed, face curling into a sneer, "I see someone in front of me who got his partner in trouble, and sent her off to some... butcher, while he moved on to an innocent young girl, like my Daughter,"
I am so sick of everyone thinking that Penny and I were a couple. They never even considered that we weren't. They were all blind. I didn't need to explain myself to him. He only saw what he wanted to. He wouldn't believe me if I told him the truth. I had morals. I didn't need to beg this man to let me date Baby, I would do it anyway. If he couldn't see that I loved Baby, I shouldn't have to explain it. It was clear this was a hopeless case. He was never going to accept me.
"Yeah, I guess that's what you would see," I answered venomously.
I gave him a chance to make peace.
And he squandered it.
Did you guys like it? I hope so! This is honestly one of my favorite chapters out of this story, you really get a glimpse of how Johnny has changed since the beginning of the story. I really enjoyed writing this one. More soon!