Author's note:

Thanks for all the sweet reviews you guys left me! I'm so touched and hence this next chapter is dedicated also to you guys (: You guys make my day with your reviews and so keep them coming!

Oh and I forgot this disclaimer: That I don't own Moose or Camille. But they are awesome.

Enjoy and review!

The familiar notes, tantalizing and teasing signal the start of the dance.

He looks down at his mismatched suit, around the grand ballroom and at his dance partner, who smiles flirtatiously up at him. He doesn't have much time to figure out where he is, what is happening, even as the music swells up behind him and the girl standing opposite him gives an impatient little huff and takes his hand and the lead even as he tries to remember where he is.

The place looks vaguely familiar- and just like that it all comes back to him. He is in the posh hotel where Natalie's party was held that time. He cranes his neck slightly, and sure enough he can see Luke and Natalie, a familiar, black-white figure holding another petite figure with a veil in her hair even as they whirl around the dance floor. He tries to relax, even attempts a smile at her (which is hard because she is wearing a mask and therefore he has no idea who she even is) but yet he can't shake that tense feeling which cramps his every move, making him dance in a jerky, uncomfortable fashion.

Then, even as he spins his mysterious partner out, he catches a glimpse of another familiar figure and relief courses through him like a tidal wave. Chameleon. Cam. She is here too. She can explain what is happening here, why he feels so unsettled and for an instant all that tension leaves him. He just needs to manoeuvre his way across the floor to her; from the way his partner is gripping his hand, he doubts he will be able to extricate himself easily.

He leads his partner as best as he can through the other pairs on the dance floor, keeping her in the corner of his eye. For some strange reason, her face is carefully angled away from him, such that he only sees her side profile at best or finds himself staring at the back of her head, but yet, somehow he just knows that, that is her. He catches a whiff of that familiar scent of oranges that he forever associates with her, and he struggles to weave gracefully without disturbing the formation of couples on the floor through to dance next to her and her partner. He is close enough now to feel the light brush of her hair on his jacket sleeve even as her own partner twirls her out and he reaches out a hand to take her outstretched one…

Only to feel her fingertips graze his hand, but she doesn't take his hand and she twirls back into her partner.

He is covered in puzzlement and shock. Has she not recognized him? "Cam!" He cranes his neck, how did she and her partner manage to suddenly move to that other end of the dance floor, they were just dancing so close by. He is jumping slightly now, totally ignoring his partner who is still gripping onto his hand with an increasing tension, trying to get her attention. "Cam!" The music drowns him out and he cannot shake that ever heightening feeling of being trapped, of being unheard and with that stifling thought, he shakes off his partner and starts to stride through the couples on the dance floor. He has to get to her. He just has to.

Yet…

They suddenly seem to all be looking at him, and couples suddenly seem to angle themselves towards him, dancing without smiles and he finds himself getting jostled, bumped and the dancers form a wall between him and her. He struggles through them, but they cut him off, not letting him go any further. There is perfect chaos on the whole dance floor now, but from what he can see of her, she doesn't seem to notice. In fact, she doesn't turn back even as her partner leads her out of the dance area, she doesn't see him, struggling to get to her.

"Cam!"

And there she is, beautiful in a ruby red dress, high heels and her hair flowing loosely down her back and past her shoulder blades, yet not once does she give any sign that she knows her best friend is fighting to get to her- she merely laughs at something her date is saying, and panic, fear, anxiety well up in him like an out of control waterfall as the last haunting strains of the ballad rise to an alarming crescendo in his ears….

I bust the windows outcha car

He starts awake, his breath catching in his throat.

He looks around the room, touches his NYU letterman jacket- he is not in that posh ballroom, he is not dressed in some mismatched tuxedo, he is here in their practice room, on the futon even as he sees the familiar shapes of his sleeping crew mates splayed all around the room and he exhales his relief. Thank God. The fresh memory of that escalating fear, entrapment causes him to shudder a little and he starts to shake himself to get rid of those horrible emotions- only to discover a weight on his arm and he looks down.

She is deep in sleep, leaning on him, wrapped in an identical NYU jacket. He remembers then, that practice had run late and so the both of them, having only afternoon classes the next day (or well, today since he supposes its early morning) decided to crash here rather than running the risk of walking all the way back to the dorm at that unearthly hour. The weight of her is a pleasant one, especially after that dream and he smiles slightly, sinking back into the futon. He reaches to his left to pick up a pillow lying on the floor and shifting her gently, he props her head up on his lap with the pillow so that she sleeps more comfortably.

He looks at her then, smiling a little even as he runs his fingers through her hair lightly, once, twice and his fingers ghost down the sides of her face, to touch her jaw lightly. This is reality. This is how things are meant to be, not with her not even caring about him or noticing him, but with the both of them close together, as only best friends can be. He can't imagine a world where there is no Camille Gage. He doesn't want to. That sobering thought, combined with snatches of his dream makes him reach and take one of her hands, sliding his fingers through hers tightly.

And with her hand in his, he sleeps, knowing that as long as she's right there with him right now, the rest can wait.

Hope you guys liked it. (: Your reviews make me smile, so please keep them coming!