Told you I'd have it up soon! Enjoy. The song for this chapter: "The Part Where You Let Go" by Hem.

And I don't know
Is this the part where you let go
And tumbling out of a window
Is this the part where you find out
I'm there for you

Amber sighed, collapsing against Corny's chest, breathless and panting. She let her fingers curl into the soft cotton of his white t-shirt, pulling herself up to kiss his lips. He smirked against her kiss, returned it, and let his fingers run up her bare back, tracing her spine. She arched against his touch, and pulled away from the kiss, reaching over to pull a silky robe over her naked body, tying it around her slender waist before snuggling into the space between his arm and chest.

"You didn't make as much noise as you usually do," his mouth was against her ear, and she glanced at him, "Something wrong?"

"Nope," she shook her head, reaching for his hand and lacing their fingers together, "everything was amazing." She pursed her lips together and didn't exactly feel the need to tell him that had only been biting her tongue to save his seven-year-old daughter the trauma of hearing Amber cry his name yet again. She smiled up at him, "It's always amazing, baby."

He nodded against her, smiling, and she reclined against him, closing her eyes for a moment as she willed her heartbeat to return to its normal speed. She stretched her long, bare legs out, crossing her feet and moving closer to him.

Amber loved this time of day; early morning, when they woke up before the sun, and had enough time to hold each other, or do other things, before they were forced to get up and prepare for the day. This time between them was so sacred; it was the little bit they got each day that kept them close, and so inexplicably attached to one another.

"So, I was thinking…" she began softly, "that I could maybe rearrange the opening sequence on the show, and I could have some of the council members rework some of the dance…" her voice faded off as she caught the blank look in his eyes. "What do you think?"

"I think," he said after a brief pause, looking down at her, "that I don't really want to talk about the show right now." His lips kissed her neck, grinning tiredly at her, "I mean, between that show, and you, and Sophie, I'm exhausted."

She curled against him, looking up at his face.

"What exhausts you more?" She smirked seductively at him, "Me, or the show?" He curled his lips slightly, watching her, and leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her nose.

"Honestly…" he smirked at her, and she nodded, grinning at him, "the show."

She frowned suddenly, glaring at him before smacking him playfully.

"Okay, I see how it is," she turned her face away from him, and he chuckled lightly. She crossed her arms over her chest, "I guess I'll just have to start trying harder then, won't I?"

He watched her, smiling.

"I was hoping you'd say something like that…"

Two hours and one 'roll call' session later, Amber was standing, now fully clothed, on the side of the stage, watching Corny rehearse. She tapped her foot slightly as he moved, keeping in tow with the beat, and grinning to herself as he attempted to keep up with the kids who were half his age. It wasn't that Corny was lagging behind; in fact, he exerted himself so much that Amber often became jealous of the fact that he poured so much of himself into the show, usually resulting in his exhaustion for that following evening. She knew it wasn't right, to be jealous of his show, especially since she held ultimate control over it; but still, a part of her was.

"Do you think this show will still be around when I get old enough to dance on it?" Sophie asked from her position beside Amber, crossing her arms and watching the rehearsal. Amber glanced down at her suddenly, then shrugged.

"I doubt it, Sophie." It was sad, but unfortunately, it was true. Ratings had been caught in a descent for a few months now, and Amber often worried that it would get cancelled. Though it would be sad for her, she would find other things to do, other shows to focus her attention on, but Corny wouldn't. She knew he would be devastated if and when the show was cancelled, and would take it as a personal attack.

Sophie sighed slightly, her dark eyes never moving from the dancers.

"Well, then, I'll start my own show," she suggested brightly, "and I'll call it The Sophie Collins Show." She nodded affirmatively, "That's what I'll do, and we can film it right here, and you can stand here and watch me like you watch Daddy."

"Is that so?" Amber was only half-listening; her eyes were still focused on Corny. She knew she should have been watching the dancers, in order to give them instructions as to what they were doing wrong and why, but she couldn't seem to tear her gaze from him. She felt herself smiling and blushing as she realized that he still had all the moves. Exhausted or not, that man was one hell of a dancer.

"Look at him," she heard his voice, and suddenly, he was standing beside her, as casually as he might have when he still danced on the show, "He's still got it."

She turned slightly, feeling the corners of her lips turn into a smile at the sight of Link.

"I know," her words were quiet, and Sophie pulled around to see who had suddenly come to join them. Upon seeing Link, she flushed and moved slowly, slipping into the space between him and Amber.

"Hi, Link," she greeted him bravely, smiling up at him.

"Well," he bent down to meet her, "Hey there, little lady. It's been a few weeks since I've seen you. How's my favorite girl?"

"Good," she nodded, grinning like an idiot. "How are you?"

"Much better now that I've seen you," he winked playfully at her, and she seemed to melt suddenly. She lost her balance for a moment and Amber caught her by the shoulders, glaring down at her.

"Find your legs, Sophie," she suggested suddenly and Sophie nodded, straightening her knees, still somewhat slumped against Amber.

"So what are you doing here now, Link?" She asked him curiously, her eyes still on Corny, "We haven't seen you for a few weeks."

She saw him watching her from the corner of her eye, grinning crookedly.

"I got bored," he shrugged, "I'm kind of in a dead-end job, and we're closed on holidays, so…" his voice faded, "Today is a holiday right?"

"Memorial Day," Sophie nodded, "That's why I'm here; school is closed, too."

It happened so quickly that Amber had almost begun to look away from Corny; she had almost turned her attention entirely to Link, but nonetheless, she saw it. She watched as Corny's eyes rose to meet hers, if only for a moment. She watched as he took the step, a simple one that he'd done millions of times before successfully. It sent him to the ground in a swift, quick motion, and her heart skipped a beat.

At first, she didn't move, because she wasn't completely sure what was happening. Sophie screamed suddenly, her feet carrying her onto the soundstage, past the council members who had since stopped moving and now stood looking at him worriedly.

"Corny?" Her voice felt so small, and she let her feet carry her out to the stage, her mouth suddenly dry, her face drained of its color. "Corny, are you okay?"

She knelt beside him. He was awake; well, conscious, if that's what she had been worried about. His face was suddenly a deathly pale, his eyes dark and clouded.

"Amber," he tried to grasp for her suddenly, and she held his hand, the lump rising in the back of her throat. Sophie was standing beside him, a horrified look had stained her features, and she was crying softly. "Shit, Amber." He tried to shift suddenly, "Fuck!" He growled the word as a white hot pain tore through him, and Amber's eyes widened. Link was beside them suddenly, staring down at him with cornflower blue eyes.

"Corny, you all right?" Amber turned to him suddenly, screaming the words at him.

"Call an ambulance, Link!" She was beyond hysterical, but wouldn't let them see it. She tried to swallow her fear down, and clutched Corny's hand tighter as Link scurried away. "Baby, listen to me. Look at me, are you…" It was stupid to ask if he was in pain; he obviously wasn't writhing on the floor for no reason, "What hurts, Corny?"

"My back, damnit!" he snarled, tensing up suddenly. She recoiled slightly at the harsh edge to his voice, and Sophie took a few steps back, her eyes large and full of tears. Amber swallowed down her fear, holding his hand, whispering to him until they heard the whine of sirens in the distance.

Everything became a blur from there. Sophie cried as the paramedics slid Corny onto a stretcher and into the back of the ambulance, red and white lights swirling over their faces, leaving them all in a haze. Amber held Sophie back, her hands pressing against her chest, pulling her back against her waist. She managed to calm her down enough to get into the car, and followed the ambulance to the hospital, obviously cancelling the show for the day and leaving Link in somewhat of a daze.

Amber and Sophie waited impatiently as they rushed him into the emergency room, and when a doctor finally emerged to tell them that they had set him up in a hospital room, they rushed through the halls to find him.

Amber pushed the door of the room open, Sophie staying close to her side as they entered, neither of them completely sure what sort of condition they would find him in. It was the last thing she felt like doing, but she smiled weakly as she saw him, and the corners of his mouth returned it slightly.

"Hey," her voice was soft, and Sophie stood a few feet from the bed, clutching her hands together and watching him with wide, scared eyes.

"Hi," he whispered to her, and then saw Sophie, offering her the biggest smile he could muster. "Baby, it's okay. Don't be scared, I'll be okay." He patted the side of the hospital bed gently. "Come here, it's okay."

She took a few steps closer to him, trembling slightly. He extended his hand, and she slipped hers into his large palm. They were all silent for a moment, Amber watching them uneasily, and when a man in a white coat came in to talk to them, she sunk into a chair by Corny's bed.

She could barely keep up with the words he said; spinal disk herniation, a tear in the fibrous ring. What did any of that mean? She could remember asking questions, and feeling somewhat relieved at the doctor's answers.

It is extremely painful, he'd told them, but generally healed itself in approximately six weeks. In about 75 of cases, no surgery was required and patients showed major improvement by a few months. It is caused by repetitive movement, stress that is placed on the disk while twisting, or bending. Well, that explained it all.

Neither of them wanted to leave the hospital that evening, but all of them were exhausted and Corny was having so many things pumped into his system that she wasn't completely sure he even realized they were there at all.

The doctor guaranteed that although he would be in pain, he would be able to be released from the hospital in a few days, and he could spend his time recovering at home. She kissed Corny goodbye and she and Sophie made their way home in silence.

They went through the normal functions of that evening, though there was a heavy silence over them. Sophie didn't ask for a bedtime story, and Amber didn't offer one.

Just after Amber had turned the lights off in her room, Sophie cleared her throat.

"Amber," her voice was soft, pleading, and Amber turned to look at her. "What's going to happen to Daddy's show while he can't even get out of bed?"

Amber narrowed her eyes at her.

"Sophie, really. We need to think about your father getting better before we start to worry about that."

Sophie seemed somewhat hurt by the words, and turned her face into her pillow.

Truthfully though, Amber had hated herself for wondering the same thing.