Wow, I'm truly shocked at all the very sweet reviews for this...
Kate, Mooseillefan, Jade, Karina, Melissa, Vanessa, EmmaRobertsFan, and especially luakinaga... thank you so much! hope you're happy with this, I promise I'll get them to their happy ending :)
Two years later...
Smiling wide Camille lifted her glass of Pinot grigio to toast to their one year anniversary.
"I love this restaurant! It's been so long since I've been able to just go out and relax, it feels like it's been one project after another, not that I'm complaining."
Taking her hand from across the table he smiled warmly, "Well I figured since it took nearly a year to convince you to go out with me, this day deserves to be celebrated."
Nodding Cam pulled back her hand to stare down at her menu hoping he wouldn't notice the truth hidden in her eyes.
Her heart sank knowing that while it was their one year anniversary, they spent probably the equivalent of a total of three months actually together, some of that was due to work, but mostly it was what she wanted.
What was worse was the fact that she knew without a doubt that she wasn't in love with him.
But admittedly it didn't hurt to have someone there for her, and he was, in fact the very next day after Moose danced with her on top of the Empire State building, in what would be both the most romantic and painful night of her life, he was there, literally at her doorstep.
She thought back as she pretended to read over the entrees', back to the night when she opened the door to find Kenneth Thredson himself, the manager of the Rainbow Room, the man she promised to go on a with date to save Moose from getting arrested for stealing a very powerful politicians hat, was there, with flowers in hand, staring at her as if she were the most beautiful woman in the world.
She had immediately blocked Moose from her phone, so even if he did try to contact her, he wouldn't be able to, she didn't want to hear it, there could be no excuse, she had caught him, he broke her heart, a break she could never imagine being fixed.
Camille remembered being confused, mascara tracks down her face from crying all night, her hair a mess, slumped against the door in her worn stained sweatpants, actually admitting out loud to the handsome tall suited man that she gave him a fake number.
"I know, but you forget, I have connections in this city Ms. Stoner, and you, promised me a date."
From that moment he was just … there, cooking for her when she was too tired to go out, showing her the best of what the city had to offer when she was finally ready.
He was a friend, a shoulder to cry on, an understanding ear to bend, just what she needed.
Over time he would give her gentle clues as to how he felt towards her, it soon became obvious that he was falling in love with her, and for a time she wondered if she felt the same.
Her life became insanely busy with work giving her little personal time and that time was spent with him, her family, and friends, everyone thought he was the best thing that ever happened to her, but deep down she couldn't stop herself from thinking of him… of her Moose.
Time sort of slipped by, months turned into a year then two, it was real, she could no longer deny it, Moose was out of her life for good, moving on was unavoidable.
Shaking her head she took a long sip of her wine forcing a smile that she knew he believed, it didn't hurt that she acted for a living.
"This is true, you were very patient, and persistent." she joked lightheartedly.
A beaming proud grin crossed his face as he reached out for her hand once more.
"I would do it all over again, all those months of trying to prove myself to you was a small price to pay, I hope you know just how much I love you Camille."
Lifting her bright green eyes from the list of appetizers, she squeezed his hand affectionately.
"That's so sweet, and I do know, you've been so understanding, with my work, always being away from home, thank you for getting how important my career is to me."
Sliding a tiny box onto the table, he cleared his throat nervously, an emotion he rarely displayed, being calm and cool was a staple with him, his professional career depended on it, but he was in love.
Camille froze as she looked down at the velvet box that was wrapped eloquently with a tiny red bow.
Getting down on one knee in front of her, Camille could hear several excited gasps from around the restaurant.
"Go ahead, open it."
The candlelight immediately hit the huge diamond causing a prism of colors to fly across her surprised beautiful face glittering like stars within her wide emerald eyes.
Frozen, stunned beyond belief she could barely think, she never saw it coming, not once did he ever speak of marriage.
"I do understand, and I support you one hundred percent. I want to be there for you always Camille, for the rest of your life, if you'll let me, please… say you'll be my wife, marry me, just… say yes."
Camille lifted the round shaped three carat diamond ring from the black velvet box, holding it like a bomb in her shaky hands.
"K-Ken, I don't know what to say."
Taking the ring he slid it lovingly on her finger as he moved closer bringing her to her feet to kiss her softly as people around them started to clap and cheer.
"Listen, I know you're not ready, now, but I'm willing to wait, for as long as it takes, we don't have to set a date or anything … but I know you have a long break from work, at least a month in my estimation, all I'm asking is that you think about it."
cMc
Back in LA…
With the song, The way I Are, the one that he danced on the stairs, for the character of Andy, in the second Step Up movie blaring in the studio in sunny California, he felt free, doing what he did best.
Sliding across mid air, as it seemed, in his master class, Moose floated along the wooden floor effortlessly leaving every dancer in the room to shame.
It was the only time he felt at peace, lost in the music, letting his body go, where the pain that normally never left him, almost, nearly, for a few precious moments did.
Drop dead gorgeous girls lined the walls, willing to do whatever it took to gain his attention, only to go completely unnoticed, as if they didn't exist.
The crazy success of his cameo appearance in the fourth installment of Step Up made him more popular than he had wanted.
At least with women that was, because in his heart, in the deepest part of his soul, there was only one girl for him, only one that he could ever love, and she was gone forever.
Moose had reacted very differently than the first catastrophe that occurred between him and Camille at the airport, their intimate dance interrupted by a boyfriend he was unaware of.
Back then he hid his pain by dating any pretty thing that looked his way, it was the only way he could deal with the humiliation of putting himself out there, baring his soul for all to see, pulling off a romantic stunt that ended up with him running away like a child as she flew off with someone she never even cared for.
What happened in New York, that, was completely different.
What happened between them, what he felt watching her dance, all grown up, beautiful beyond description, to have her, in her bed, making love to her as if the world around them had disappeared leaving only the two of them… yeah… that was something that changes you, in a very real way, forever.
Moose never saw an ending to them, he had fallen, worse than that, he now fully understood that he had been falling for her all along, he was in love, a love for which he could not recover from.
Other than a few regretful drunken nights, trying to forget her with some random girl, that only left him feeling worse afterward, Moose never dated, never cared, never wanted anyone, because there was no one that could compare, that could even come close to what he felt for her... for his Camille.
After nearly six months of desperate unanswered vmails, long heart wrenching letters that were always returned, and a few trips to New York praying that she'd be at her apartment, only to find her gone, he knew it was over.
The news of what he had done had spread sooner than he anticipated, mutual friends were furious with him, refusing to help him get in touch with her.
After receiving a very personal letter he wrote marked, returned to sender, nearly a year after that night, one where he poured out his heart with words that came from the most vulnerable part of himself, a part that he had never shown anyone, pleading for another chance, for just one night to explain, to show her that it was nothing more than an immature mistake, he finally accepted the fact that she didn't love him, he even thought that maybe... she never did.
So when the call came from director Trish Sie that there would be changes with the script for his next endeavor, another Step Up movie that would take place in Vegas, one that was scheduled to shoot in just two days, he was more than nervous.
Sitting down with the seasoned director he couldn't stop his knee from bouncing up and down.
"Trish, is something wrong? Did my part get cut out or shortened, because you know I would understand - "
Shaking her head, she smiled wearily knowing the long painful history between the two actors.
"Oh Moose, I'm so sorry, of course not... actually your part has… kind of … grown, I mean developed, matured I guess you could say. Shit, I thought this would be easier."
His stomach dropped knowing now why he was called to her office, why she was handling him with such kid gloves.
"I thought she wasn't interested in joining the cast again, something about prior commitments… I mean, I heard… "
His voice trailed off shakily stunned, completely blindsided that he would be seeing Camille again.
Trish sat on the edge of her desk, trying to find a way to explain what would have to happen for the movie's plot to work.
"She called, last minute, wanted to know if we would still be interested in her joining the cast. Moose, a major part of the movie depends on you two being able to pull this off."
Biting down on his bottom lip, chewing it anxiously, he stared up at her with outward emotion pouring from his big brown eyes.
"Pulling off what exactly?"
Taking a deep breath, Trish went on to explain how an overwhelming number of fans were waiting to see what happened to their favorite couple.
"Moose, we wrote that you and Camille moved in together after college, that they are very happy, and very much in love."
Resting his head in his hands he began to shake wondering how the hell he was going to do this.
He couldn't bare to think of having to hold her, to kiss her, to have to feel her pretend to do the same when she hated him, when she wanted nothing to do with him.
"Trish - "
Before letting him continue, she pulled him up, padding him sweetly on the back while walking him down the hall, and out of her office.
"Moose I want you to know that I'm aware of your… past with Camille, but the hard truth is, you and Camille are professionals. I have no doubt that you will give us the performance that everyone is dying to see. You have to be mature enough to realize that even though these are fictional characters, there are many, many fans that care very deeply about them. You should feel proud about that, you two made that happen, made all of those people care."
After Trish gently ushered him into the elevator, he turned back towards her taking a deep breath, to try to explain, to plead with her knowing he could never handle this, but he was quickly shut down as the doors slid shut.
"Moose, bottom line, you signed a contract. In two days she'll be here, and we'll be setting up your first scene together. Your new script is waiting for you at home. Find a way, just … do your job and pretend that you're in love."
The doors slowly shut leaving him alone, bracing himself against the wall, trying hard to slow his hammering broken heart as he whispered softly to himself.
"I don't have to pretend… I am in love."