secretxlittlexdarling,lucky-im-terrified,MoosilleFan,justadreamingangel,Karina,Melanie,Claire, Vanessa, luakinaga,Elm718, Marisa,Patricia,purplestar613, ,1993 , and guest. thank you beyond words for sticking with this story for so long. I'm so sorry for being away for so long, but I promise to finish this for those still interested.
song: Love Me Like You Do, by Ellie Goulding
Blindsided from the news of Camille's engagement, Moose shuddered inside feeling as though a part of himself was somehow lost forever, that, no matter how much time would pass he would never be the same.
Standing from the fire, still unaware that she had read his letter, he turned away from her, he had to leave, just being near her was killing him, his heart couldn't take it.
Since what seemed like forever, he just assumed, no matter where life took them, no matter how far apart they were, someday, somehow, they would end up together.
He never realized just how deeply he believed that until now, he couldn't imagine his life any other way, and now it was all gone, she was gone, forever.
His voice wavered, tears filled his expressive eyes as he looked out onto the vast ocean suddenly feeling completely lost, internally insignificant to his place in the world.
Holding out his keys, keeping his gaze focused on the crashing waves at his feet, unable to face her, he struggled to keep from falling apart.
"Take my car, please don't stay out here alone, it's not safe. I have to go."
Their hands touched, lingering in the moonlight, it was all he could do but pull her in and hold her, rejecting the night and all the truths that had been revealed, as if it were all a lie, but it wasn't, and sooner or later he'd have to face it.
"Go, please, it's too late."
Reaching for his cell, he walked as fast as possible down the shore away from her, knowing full well the double meaning behind the words he spoke.
Camille was stunned, not only from his heart wrenching letter she was always meant to have, and never received, but from the startling possibility that Ken could have been the one behind it all, right from the very beginning.
She always knew he had a possessive side, but this was far beyond controlling. It didn't make sense that she could have been that blind, so easy to manipulate, there had to be another explanation.
"Wait! Moose, this is ridiculous! Drive me home… we should… talk. I mean, we need - "
Cool ocean breezes whipped back his dark hair along with a stream of tears as his sneakers sunk into the sand.
Unable to look back he yelled as the distance between them grew further apart.
"There's nothing left to say Cam, just leave my car at the lot tomorrow."
He knew he sounded harsh, even cold, which is not what he wanted, but the truth of her relationship with Ken hit him harder than anything in life ever had.
Grabbing his cell he called Andie, barely able to speak emotion poured from him knowing deep inside that his careless mistake had cost him everything.
"I'm at the beach by my house, please come and get me."
Alarmed by the sound of his voice, Andie jumped up from the couch at home walking away from her friends so she could hear him better.
"Moose what happened? Are you alright?"
A few moments of silence passed before he was able to say the words out loud.
"Camille is engaged."
cMc
The next day Moose showed up on set, on time, his lines memorized, looking the part, all the while dying inside.
By now the rumors of Camille's engagement had spread throughout the cast due to a dancer over hearing Sean's reaction when Andie told him the news.
The usually joking, fun loving crew were now tense, walking on eggshells around them both.
Pacing in his trailer, Moose kept to himself, doing all he could just get through the next couple of weeks.
Nothing could change the amount of pain he was in, but he wasn't about to let everyone down, but things would be different, they had to be.
The only way to go on, was to completely shut down, he would be polite, and professional, he'd do what was expected, but nothing more, he didn't have it in him.
Hearing a soft knock on his door he twisted his rolled up script tight in his hands, taking a deep breath.
"Come in."
Relieved to see it was Andie, Moose stared down at the ground chewing nervously on his bottom lip.
"Hey sweetie, I'm just checking on you. The production assistant wanted me to tell you that they'll be ready for you in five."
Feeling numb, he forced himself to, at the very least go through the motions.
"Thanks Andie, I'm ready."
Tilting her head to the side, feeling horrible for him, she pulled him in for a hug.
"I know you're handling this in your own way… but Cam told me that she's called you several times, that you won't answer, she said she's tried to talk to you here, but you won't see her - "
Pulling away Moose shook his head before taking a quick sip of water.
"I can't Andie, there's nothing to talk about… I was wrong, about everything… I'm sorry I can't do this now."
Squeezing her hand, hoping she understood he brushed by her, passing by people speaking in hushed whispers about him, about them.
Waiting in the shadows behind the cameras until they were ready to set him up on his mark, he couldn't help but notice her across the room.
She looked beautiful as always, but not the same, she was clearly upset, even fidgety as she shut her phone off, throwing it roughly in her bag.
"Ready for scene thirty four, Moose and Camille please take your marks. Please quiet on the set!"
Standing together at the island of their fake kitchen, waiting for the lighting to be adjusted, she whispered to him softly.
"I need to talk to you about this, you can't just ignore me Moose."
"Okay, we're ready to roll, Moose and Camille, start from the reveal of the competition, take one… and action!"
Doing his very best he managed to get his lines out, while she stood next to him chopping vegetables, staring into his eyes, flirting, giggling as the script demanded acting like his girl, the girl in love with her Moose.
Focusing hard on anything else other than the bright glint in her emerald eyes as she smiled at him, he forced himself to continue.
"So you have no interest in dancing, at all?"
Looking directly in her eyes, speaking to her, not her character, deeply hurt, he said the fateful words that hit too close to home. Once again life was imitating art.
"Nope. I'm pretty sure that part of my life is over."
Looking away out of necessity he braced himself knowing what was coming.
"Yep. I don't even think about it anymore, really."
After several takes due to technical problems it was getting harder and harder to pretend.
To watch her convincingly play the supportive girlfriend, in their apartment that they shared together, knowing inside it was the life they were both meant to have, it was all just too much.
Then came the scene he was dreading, after stopping for touch ups and minor adjustments, the time had arrived.
Under her breath she kept trying to talk to him, but he just kept his head down worried that if he gave in and spoke to her, he would completely fall apart.
But she was far from the shy insecure girl from when they first met, she refused to be ignored or pushed away.
Shoving him up against a beam she grabbed his forearms, leaving him no place to escape without making an incident.
He clenched his jaw feeling her warm breath close to his ear.
"You're really not going to talk to me? Seriously, after everything we've been through? How are we going to get through this Moose… please - "
Interrupted again by the director signalling that they were ready to shoot, they had no choice but to continued on.
"Wait a second, you just set me up."
"Maybe."
Grabbing her by the wrist he pulled her down on his lap as he fell into the chair.
His body froze feeling her wrap herself around him, so close, they're hands intertwined, her mouth just inches away, anticipating the kiss he knew was coming, this was torture of the cruelest kind.
She could see his heart pounding, actually causing his shirt to tremble, it was visible not only to her, but Trish, the director who was behind the camera holding her breath, knowing that what she was getting on film was anything but acting.
"So you really think I could swing it? With my job and everything?"
The scene called for Camille to run her fingers through his dark curls lovingly before leaning in to kiss him.
"You're the dancing Moose… the dancing Moose figures it out."
It was a sweet line, a line shared between two characters that grew up together, on screen and off, that sustained a bond, a love through it all that could never be broken.
Through adolescence, distance, careers, what brought them together, that special connection that carried them to this point was still there, now more than ever, it was impossible not to see.
You could hear a pin drop in the studio from all who had been there since the beginning, knowing what they were witnessing was not just words on a script, but something very real.
The sincerity was there in her voice, she was trying to tell him something, if he would only listen, but his pain was too raw to pick up her signals.
Leaning in to kiss him, the director yelled cut as soon as their lips touched, opting to fade out watching the intensity of the moment, knowing it was far too much for what was called for in the scene, still it was movie magic, she knew the fans would love every second between them.
"Okay that's a wrap everyone, we are officially done in LA. For those hired for the Vegas shoot please make sure you have your itinerary, if there are any problems please meet with Adam Shultz at the business office."
Moose gently guided Camille off his lap, even though she resisted, still insisting they talk.
"Please… let's go somewhere, I have to talk to you."
But he couldn't, touching her, feeling her kiss shattered what little control he was grasping onto.
While he practically ran off the set, all eyes were on Camille, as she held herself back from chasing after him, noticing the crowd watching the drama unfold.
Walking up behind her Andie placed her hand gently on her shoulder, keeping her voice down so the others couldn't hear.
"He's got to give his clothes back to wardrobe before he goes, please, he's in pain, go to his trailer, talk to him."
Whispering low, Cam shook her head. "I just can't believe Ken was behind this, I know it all points to him, but - "
"Think about it, who else would benefit from keeping all his letters and visits from you. I was there Cam, Moose is telling you the truth. Whatever you decide, please be careful with this guy, if he's willing to go to this extent to keep you to himself, there's no telling what he's capable of."
Taking a deep breathe Cam nodded, her suspicions deepening after all of her calls to Ken had continued to go straight to voicemail.
Suspending her fist over Moose's door knowing he might not answer, she elected to be bold and just open it locking it behind her.
Through the darkness of the room she saw him, shirtless, music blaring in his headphones, his hands braced on the wall, breathless obviously moved by having her so close and so far away all at once.
Going over and over all the things she wanted to say, words rehearsed by heart as only Cam would do, completely prepared in an attempt to control a situation that had spun into something she could have never seen coming.
"Moose?"
Camille could hear the song, seeping through, none of this made any sense, all this time, how any of it could be possible.
Even though the evidence was there, without getting the truth from Ken, she couldn't be sure, it was tearing her apart, he had never been anything but kind to her.
"Moose, please…"
Her soft voice was easily drowned out by the passionate words racing through his broken heart.
You're the light, you're the night
You're the color of my blood
You're the cure, you're the pain
You're the only thing I wanna touch
Never knew that it could mean so much, so much
Head down, dark curls covering his eyes that were squeezed shut, he dug his fingers into the wall as the music crescendo ed echoing his feelings, leaving him lost in her and all that they were.
You're the fear, I don't care
'Cause I've never been so high
Follow me through the dark
Let me take you past our satellites
You can see the world you brought to life, to life
She could see it in him, the pain, the longing, the loss of the love vividly expressed in his face, all that they were together, she had not forgotten, not one day, not one moment.
Reaching out her fingertips gently touched his back causing him to spin around pulling the plug out of the headphones filling the small trailer with the song he had been playing in his ears.
So love me like you do, lo-lo-love me like you do
Love me like you do, lo-lo-love me like you do
Touch me like you do, to-to-touch me like you do
What are you waiting for?
Camille's gaze fell over his chest, over his skin that heating her own as he stared back at her in shock.
Shouting over the music he backed her against the wall almost angered at her blatant disregard for his feelings.
Fading in, fading out
On the edge of paradise
Every inch of your skin is a holy grail I've got to find
Only you can set my heart on fire, on fire
Yeah, I'll let you set the pace
'Cause I'm not thinking straight
My head's spinning around I can't see clear no more
What are you waiting for?
"You have to know what this is doing to me… you're killing me, having you here, knowing that you … and him… why can't you just leave me alone, I don't understand - "
Confused, bombarded with emotions she thought she had buried, only to realize they were right on the surface of her heart all along, Camille couldn't help herself.
"I can't leave you alone because... because I read your letter. The one that was never opened, the last one sent. Moose… did you mean it… the words you wrote. I have to know, did you mean it?"
Love me like you do, lo-lo-love me like you do (like you do)
Love me like you do, lo-lo-love me like you do (yeah)
Touch me like you do, to-to-touch me like you do
What are you waiting for?
He was shaking, so deep under her spell, so far down inside he knew he'd never be free.
"Every word."
Rubbing the back of his neck, forcing the words from his mouth he needed to know.
"Do you really want to marry him? Do you love him?"
Looking down, the years seem to blur before her eyes, until suddenly focusing in on that one night.
"You hurt me, you hurt me so much Moose, I never want to feel that kind of pain again."
"I know, and I would do anything to take it back… but I can't."
"No."
Stepping closer he could barely breath, unsure of what she meant.
"No?"
Slowly she lifted her gaze to meet his.
"No, I don't love him, at least not that way, the way I should, and I don't want to marry him. I don't think I ever did, I'm not sure I really knew that until right now… but that doesn't mean that we, that you and I … "
It was too much, she was too close, the memories were too fresh in his mind, dreams of dancing with her, making love to her, images that carried him through each and every lonely night materialized before him as he drifted his hand down her arm taking her hand in his.
"I know you're scared, I am too, to be honest I'm terrified, but I know this is real, what we have, this, this comes along once in a lifetime Cam."
This moment felt surreal, her, staring up at him like so many times before throughout his life making his heart pound furiously, his pulse race, his body come to life, pushing him over the line of reason once again.
The world shattered to pieces around them, crashing down like shards of glass until there was nothing except her asking him, pleading almost with those emerald eyes to take her, to recreate the magic that had never been lost, that was there all along.
Love me like you do, lo-lo-love me like you do (like you do)
Love me like you do, lo-lo-love me like you do
Touch me like you do, to-to-touch me like you do
What are you waiting for?
Stepping closer he skimmed his fingertips along her jaw cupping her cheeks, breathless as the world vanished within the music surrounding them.
Their lips finally touched, an explosion of pent up emotions sparked electric in a fiery dizzying haze around them like fireworks as he deepened their kiss.
A small gasp left her as she rose on her toes pressing her hands against his bare chest sliding up to lace her fingers into his thick curls.
I'll let you set the pace
'Cause I'm not thinking straight
My head's spinning around I can't see clear no more
What are you waiting for?
Falling into a blissful abyss, one he never wanted to emerge from, his hands disappeared beneath her shirt grazing her back lightly as if she were sacred, desperate to feel her again.
The girl who always thought with her head, not her heart, who was never reckless, always level headed, in control, somehow felt it all slipping away as she melted in his arms.
Love me like you do, lo-lo-love me like you do (like you do)
Love me like you do, lo-lo-love me like you do (oh)
Touch me like you do, to-to-touch me like you do
What are you waiting for?
Breaking away from her, he brushed his thumb over her shaky bottom lip as the music faded out, staring into her eyes leaving his heart out there, willing to risk everything for what he knew to be true.
"Camille, I love you, it's only been you, always you. We belong together, we always have. I know you feel it too. I can feel it in your kiss, in the way you touch me, the way your heart beats with mine… it's like dancing. Like we're floating on air, like... magic."
Just then her phone began to ring, she knew it was him, Ken had his own ringtone, and by her reaction, Moose knew too.
He held her as she pressed her head to his chest, shaken, lost as to what to do.
"It's okay Camille, answer it. I understand, you need to work this out, you need to be sure."
He whispered softly, earnestly, knowing that the only chance he had at getting her back... was to let her go.
And just like that they parted.
Grabbing his stuff he ran out the door already missing her.
cMc
Pulling his shirt over his head he could barely breath by the time he reached his car.
Breaking away from the crowd gathered in the parking lot Andie motioned for Sean to stay noticing how upset Moose was.
"What happened?"
Looking up at Andie, vulnerable, still reeling from their kiss, tears gleaming in his huge brown eyes, his voice broke with emotion.
"Nothing, I just poured my heart out, and we kissed... then her fiancee called."
Hugging him tight she whispered softly, her heart breaking for him.
"She just needs time, in a few days we'll be in Vegas, it'll be almost a week till you have to work with her again. Have faith Moose, everything will work out."
Closing his eyes he could still taste her on his lips, feel her against his skin.
One thing he knew for sure, whatever the outcome… their dance was far from over.