Chapter 14

'You're still insecure,' she told him, taking his hands in hers, 'stop shaking. I'm here, focus.'

She placed the palm of her hand until his dazed eyes had settled back on hers. The pressure of his intensity almost burned her inside out, as she took position.

'Yes. I'm sorry.'

'Don't be, this will be fine.'

'Okay.' His tone indicated his sudden dependence upon her and continuous reassurance. And she was happy to give him all the comfort he needed.

'Clara, if I hurt you, you must tell me you need to stop or take a break because these lifts are very hard.'

She put on a confident smile.

'Yeah, I will.'

'Ready?'

'As I'll ever be.'

Their eyes met tenderly for a second before she jumped into his arms and he lifted her above her head, Clara trying to keep her balance. Once she was put back down, the grin was hard to wipe from her face.

'You're my very own Patrick Swayze.'

He laughed. 'Hopefully I did it better than him.'

'Oh, you definitely did.' She nodded flatteringly.

'It wasn't too much?'

'No. At least, practicing it was hell. Actually doing it felt oddly...good.'

'Adrenaline. Ready for the rock and roll?'

'Yep.'

She stood extremely close to him, her body almost touching his. She wrapped her hands round his neck, feeling as intimate as she had with her last boyfriend. She closed her eyes briefly as his hands closed around her thighs and she jumped, legs landing on his left knee. He swung her round to his other side and then set her down again.

'That lift was popular in the 40's.'

'Yeah. I do like that one.'

'Right, next one, when you do the leaning back bit in the mambo, remember?'

'Yeah.'

John's hand wrapped itself round her upper torso, spinning her round.

'Keep your legs extended.'

'I can't believe we're doing so many.'

'It's important to do lifts when it's a showcase, Clara. We'll be closing off with this dance.'

Over the next few hours it was 'ready's? And 'go for it's' and the most complicated lifts she had ever had to do.

'Are you sure you want to carry on?' He asked, face full of concern as he stared at her flushed and sweaty face, her heavy breaths and aching bones.

'No, keep going. I'm okay.'

'Clara-'

'Do it, John. We only have a few more to do. Get the hardest one out of the way.'

He sighed, giving in.

'Please tell me to stop when you want me to, Clara.'

She nodded, as she jumped once more into his arms, cradling her until his hand pushed her body upwards and her arms came to rest on his shoulders. He could feel them tense as the pressure built upon his bones and he was almost shaking. Yet he maintained his frame, kept his core strong and applied so much force and strength to his arms to keep Clara from falling he was losing concentration.

'Splits.' He told her, her legs parting in midair as his hands held her waist. They were perfectly straight and in line, exactly how the loft was supposed to be performed.

'I'm taking my hand away now.' He told her, and with a sharp intake of breath one hand dropped from its secure position on her body and she balanced on only one holding her. As soon as his hand returned, she was supposed to turn round so her head was directly above his and legs still wide in the air. She was meant to face the ceiling like a starfish above his head on her transition downward, but none of it happened. Instead his shaking feet and desperation to hold Clara was overwhelming him so much he tripped up and she suddenly came tumbling down into his arms. Acting instinctively, he took hold of her waist and covered her head with his hands as he fell straight onto his back. Clara was on top of him, and they were both trying to keep their breathing under control. His heart was pounding inside his chest and he let out a sudden groan when she moved off him and his ankle started throbbing. It was his fault, he knew it. He had been trying to lift Clara in a position he hadn't properly achieved in years. Clara had held up her end perfectly, just like the amazing dancer she was, but he had been shaky and unstable. Pain coursed it's way to his brain, making it unbearable and his groans to become louder so he was nearly crying. It hurt so much, his whole foot feeling like it had been snapped in half itself. While he had sustained many injuries before, he hadn't for a while and the whole torturous déjà vu came back to him in a sudden rush of agony.

'Oh my god, John, I'm so sorry!' Clara wept over him, holding him and apologising over and over.

'I shouldn't have made you do it, I shouldn't have been so stupid. We both needed a bloody break and I ignored that-'

He smiled, taking her hand in his and kissing it lightly, 'it was my fault, Clara, not yours. You shouldn't have even trusted me with a lift like that. I haven't done it properly in years.'

'Why didn't you get a mat you idiot?' She exclaimed.

'Because I think in invincible when I'm not, Clara.'

His eyes spoke such sincerity it was frightening her. She peered down at his frozen foot.

'Can you move it?' She asked, suddenly taking hold of it and getting him to push against her hand, which he did limply.

'I'm sorry, we shouldn't have rushed into that lift.'

He shook his head as if to wave it off and in turn she helped him up. As she observed his weak foot she realised that it would have been her in pain if he hadn't protected her with his own body.

He let out a gasp as his back straightened up, and Clara immediately helped him. Her hand rubbed circles into his lower back when she turned his face toward her and stated plainly, 'I'm taking you to the hospital.'

'I'm fine, Clara, it isn't that serious.'

'If you can hardly walk and can't even straighten your back that means I'm taking you to hospital,' she protested firmly, her arm encircling his waist and letting him lean just a little bit on her.

'Donna!' She shouted down the hallway, and not long after the woman came walking down with wide eyes as she stared John up and down.

'I'm taking him to the hospital.' She told her, and she quickly agreed.

'What happened?'

'We were doing a lift...quite beyond us actually, and we fell. If it wasn't for John I'd probably be injured badly too.'

'It's my fault,' he repeated, 'Clara was too good for me.'

'Don't be silly,' she argued, and turned to Donna, 'can I borrow your car, I only have my motorbike.'

'Of course. Do you want me to take him?'

'No, it's alright, I will.'

She nodded. 'Okay. Keep me posted, and take care of him.'

Donna patted John on the shoulder as they walked past and as swiftly as they could, made it to her shiny blue car.

'I don't need help getting in!' He said, as Clara aided him into his seat.

'Yes you do.'

She revved up the engine until they were speeding down the roads and Clara was drumming her fingers on the steering wheel impatiently.

'You seem more agitated about this than me.' He smirked.

'Because I don't like seeing you hurt.' She replied sharply, and pushed her foot harder on the pedal.

'You could go slower, at least.'

She didn't listen. Instead, it only made her go faster as he began to complain louder that it was throbbing too much.

Once they were there she hurried him into A&E, explaining everything that had happened.

'John Disco,' the doctor called his name, and Clara helped him up.

'Sorry,' she said again, watching his head fall into his hands despairingly.

'As if it couldn't have gotten any worse. I can't dance for three weeks and I still have Missy to worry about and the dances and the competition and letting you down-'

Clara took hold of his chin and turned it in her direction so she could see him better.

'Don't think for a minute you have or you will let me down. You couldn't help the fact you fell, but at least it wasn't anything worse. You're not letting me down and you won't let the show done either. Yes, we don't have as much practice as we did but it doesn't matter because I know you and I are going to smash it on the night. Stop beating yourself up for everything. You don't deserve it.'

He nodded half-heartedly, his mind still running over everything he could no longer do and his stupid foot.

'You need to rest now. Rest as much as you want for the next three weeks and don't you dare lift a toe until you're better. You need some time off anyway, John.'

'Not so close to the show I don't.'

She sighed. 'I know. But it can't be helped. All you can hope for now is a good recovery. You'll be the same after that, your foot will be fine and we can start dancing again as much as you want. I only insist you don't abuse your health.'

'Fine. But if the show is crap-'

'John, listen to me,' she said laughingly, 'the show won't be crap. I promise you.'

He looked down to the hand on his leg, and seemed to take her answer better and more thoughtfully.

'I'll get the bus back, don't worry.'

'What, are you sure?'

'Yeah, I'll be alright, Clara. You take Donna's car back to her and I'll go back home and rest, just like you said.'

'You sure you don't want me there?' He smiled softly in reply, kissing the palm of her hand, 'I always want you there Clara, but just this once I'd like to be alone. And I promise in return that I will jump straight into bed and never move a muscle.'

'Okay.' She agreed, walking him out to the bus stop.

As he stepped on, he looked back and smiled.

'Drive safely.'

And with that the doors closed and she was left there amongst the cars. She found Donna's and drove it back to the studio before taking her motorbike back home. As soon as she fell onto her own bed with a yawn her thoughts returned to John and how restless he would be right now.