The next few weeks passed by in a quick blur. Josh and Maya survived the first week of eliminations and the second and the third and even the sixth. Within those eliminations there were three intense double eliminations that had everyone on edge. Now it was time for the top ten to really fight for their places in this competition. Week after week the dancers were pushing themselves to their limits. Fighting blood, sweat, and tears as they could see the end goal in sight. They all might have been competing against each other to win America's hearts but they had quickly grown to become a family. Supporting one another and really bonding over such a unique experience. Maya had grown quite close to Josh's dance partner, Melanie, who was still in the competition. It became comforting for her to have a friend outside of Charlie that she felt like she could talk to. Especially when the media attention she was getting regarding her and Josh was becoming overwhelming.

Maya had barely even gotten a chance to talk to her own mother about everything that had happened. It was all just going so fast and she just time to stop or at least slow down so that she could feel like she could breathe. She and Josh were going strong. Soaking up the little moments when they could and doing their best despite cameras and phones being shoved in their face anytime they left the hotel together. Thankfully, they had a week off before production started again so they were basking in this alone time.

"Hey," Josh whispered as he and Maya lay cuddled up on the bed in her room. Nudging her softly with his hand that was wrapped around her he continued to speak softly. "You've been real quiet lately. What's going on?"

Maya placed her hand over his where they lay but didn't move any other muscles. "I've been a bit overwhelmed that's all."

"Tell me more."

Maya sighed. "Well we're already halfway through the competition. You know and I just-" she paused while she gathered her words. "It's all just moving so fast and so many people you know support us and want to see us win but at the same time there are so many people just in our business you know? We can't even go for a walk down the street without being bombarded or bothered in some way."

Josh nodded his head as he continued to listen to her, not missing a single word. "And I just feel like I eat, sleep, and breathe dance which is not really an issue but I just feel like I'm going insane. Every time I dance its to compete and that has never been my life before. Some of the other dancers are used to this. They grew up in the competition circuit but I didn't. I snuck my way into the back of classes just so I could learn a little bit of whatever I could before I got inevitably kicked out. I just need time to stop for a little bit or at least slow down. I just want to enjoy everything and I feel like I haven't been able to lately."

Josh took in every word she said and let it sink in while he thought of what to say next. "Well do you comfort or solutions?"

The truth was Josh didn't really understand what she felt. Sure the media attention was a lot but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. As for the show? God he was soaking up ever single second of it and wasn't missing a beat either. He had never thought that this would have been different for Maya. The only thing he could do now was support her in whatever way he could. He did love her after all. "Maybe a little of both?" Maya's voice drew his attention as he tapped his thumb against her skin as he thought.

"Okay," he said while sitting up. "Come on. Get up." He unwrapped his arms from around Maya and stood up next to the bed. "Get dressed we're leaving."

Maya turned to him ready to whine when she saw the look on his face. He meant what he was saying. "Fine," she mumbled. "I better get french fries out of this."

Josh flipped the light switch as all the fluorescent lights came on one by one illuminating the studio space. The bright blue walls of the empty studio reflected their light off the wall of mirrors at the front of the room. "Josh why are we at the studio?" Maya asked as she walked behind him into the space.

Josh ignored her and walked further into the room, setting down a speaker and dropping his bag next to it. "Come on. Drop your stuff. We're gonna dance."

Maya sighed and walked over to the other side of the room while talking. "Josh, I really don't feel like dancing right now. This week is supposed to be a break remember?"

"I know," Josh responded. "We're not practicing. We are just going to dance together." Josh slipped off his t-shirt leaving him shirtless with only his sweatpants and sneakers on. He looked over at her and tilted his head. "We haven't danced together since the ballroom section during auditions." Extending his hand out to her he spoke, "You're not gonna let me dance by myself are you?"

Smiling softly, Maya set her bag down and removed her sweat shirt leaving her in baggy pants, sneakers, and her sports bra. Taking a few steps towards him she grasped his hand and giggled as he pulled her in. "Just let the music take you wherever you feel," he whispered into her ear. The soft beginnings of Ashes by Celine Dion entered their ears as they melted into each others touch. "I'll be right there with you."

The pair moved in sync allowing their organic movements to take them across the floor and explore each others bodies in the most beautiful of ways. Josh supported Maya's back as she bent backwards, her long blonde hair sweeping the floor as his hand traced down her abdomen to her hips. Lifting her gracefully, Josh allowed her to wrap her body around his and slide back down it, separating the two eventually as she crawled away from him allowing his body to move as well. The beauty of the song overtook them as the got lost into it pushing and pulling with the vocals and track allowing it to direct how they moved with each other.

Breathing together, moving together the two became one. Moving with a swiftness that neither knew they had. As they moved with the rhythm they fused together into one singular unit creating the most beautiful duet that no one else would ever have the privilege to see. As the song came to a close and the last note rang out Maya and Josh stood there together chest to chest breathing in unison each amazed at the moment they shared together. "How do you feel?" Josh asked in a hushed tone.

Maya looked up at him and let out a big breath. "I love you."

Maya reached up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck kissing him passionately. Her legs followed as she wrapped them around his waist and he hoisted her up. She loved him. The intensity of emotions between them that surfaced during the dance were nothing like either had felt before. Maya couldn't ignore it anymore. She was hopelessly and irrevocably in love with him. He took such care with her and listened to her and did his best with her even when she was a bit difficult or confusing. She couldn't let her fears or worries about the world keep her from telling him just how she feels.

That night was a beautiful night between the two of them. The exchanged 'I love you's' more than anyone probably ever had. They danced, they talked, they laughed but most of all they allowed themselves to fall deeper and deeper for the other. The chemistry between them was undeniable and would only continue to grow as they got closer and closer to the end of their journey on the show.

For now they basked in all their lovey dovey glory and enjoyed their time with one another. Sharing many more firsts than their first 'I love you' exchange that same night. Closer than ever in the most intimate of ways they began to see a life with each other beyond the walls of the dance bubble they were in. They each began to think about their integration of the other into their everyday lives. Creating little worlds in their heads of what their lives together could possibly look like. In the professional world as well as their own intimate they've created.

Lying there bare chest to bare chest they each relished in their first experiences of physical intimacies they shared with each other. Basking in all their glory the laid there and held each other as they couldn't help but think of the beauty they've created and found within each other from that one fateful day of auditions back in the winter.