Sorry for the wait, but we've finally come to the end. I'd like to give a big thank you again to everyone who read, reviewed, followed and favourited this story and how much I really appreciate it, and that it gives me so much confidence with my writing and myself, so thank you.

Chapter 20

Clara was feeling admittedly nervous, but for the most part excitable. It was always a mixture of both before a performance, a thrill growing inside her every hour that ticked by toward that inevitable curtain call. It wasn't about the audience; the thing that made her stomach lurch in nervousness was more to do with the fact she'd be dancing with John in front of everyone. She never got stage fright, but it was just the thought of dancing up there in such a way in front of a crowd that made it harder to comprehend. Clara felt like those dances were only for them, intimate and private and only theirs. But tonight they would be performing them for everyone to see and it caused that butterfly feeling in her chest.

'You're going to do great,' he walked up to her, 'remember that.'

She smiled as he kissed her head and beamed up at his now confident expression.

'We definitely have a chance.' She reassured him.

He ran his hands through his hair, eyes focusing on something in the distance.

'Well, we'll have to see, won't we? There comes the devil now.'

Clara turned to see Missy striding in once again. It was the first time the three had been alone together since she first arrived.

'Just come to say good luck.' She sneered. Everything about her tone told them quite the contrary.

'Thanks.' He replied coolly. She was so glad he was controlling his behaviour.

Missy stepped past them, a predatory smile on her face.

'She's up next. Final practice before the show. We can see just how fabulous her dance is.' He whispered, as they sat down in a row of seats. Missy took her position, and while her dislike for her clouded her judgement she couldn't say she was a bad dancer. She had plenty of finesse, but partnered mostly with the group of men dancing around her like she was a deity.

'Typical Missy.' he leaned down, sighing.

Even John had to accept the quality of her jive and the amazing technique she possessed. Clara brought up that same unsure feeling from the pit, whether they had underestimated her too much, if their dance really was better than that. It seemed pressure became a corporeal thing and weighted upon her shoulders.

'They hired a judge personally,' he told her, 'the show is not about entertainment anymore; it's about winning, and that makes me sick, even though I've obsessed over it all this time.'

She could see how his whole face was locked into position, teeth audibly grinding and eyes glaring as he watched Missy launch into her next dance.

She placed a solacing hand on his thigh, to which he calmed under her touch. Eventually his hand came to rest atop hers and he gently caressed her skin as a consolation to what he was seeing on stage.

'She should have done this last year. When I had no dance partner and did solo's. Missy would have beaten them all.'

Her head leaned against his shoulder. 'Her loss.'

'I guess it is.'

He looked at her, a smile beginning to form and he leaned down to kiss her lightly again. As soon as she averted her eyes back to the stage she could see something was wrong. Missy's dancing was now tainted with sombre and the moves became weighted with an unknown burden.

'Well, if that's the finale of the dance I'm positive we'll be that.' He sniggered.

Clara shook his arm, 'No, John, look.'

Because Clara thought she saw Missy stop and stare almost dumbfounded, at the sight of them kissing, and now her expression was definitely not one of victory.

'I think she's jealous.' She said in amazement. It didn't strike her at all that someone like Missy could still behold such strong humane emotion after everything she'd done, but this was proof. By the end of the dance her features had twisted into that infamous sneer and she stalked off like a cat.

'You said you toured together and had a 'thing'. What if she never let go of that?'

'Missy?' He said incredulously, 'she must have known she lost every tie between us when she killed my brother. It's just selfish, cruel spite,' He spat, 'She thinks she can make us feel sorry for her. Trust me, Clara, this is how she wins. By manipulating you. I've already had enough to last me the rest of my life and I'm not about to make that decision again, and definitely not so close to the show.'

Clara took this all into account, but she couldn't shake the feeling there was something deeper to be found in this feud. She could relate to what Missy could be feeling and in spite of everything she'd done Clara didn't have the heart to give up on it so easily. John started to walk past her dismissively when she held him back by his arm. He sighed heavily as she brought up the subject again.

'I'm not saying I feel sorry for her, because I damn wouldn't be for a brainwashing murderer. I'm just saying it's possible that she never actually let go of her feelings. You never saw each other after that, did you?'

'No.'

'Well how do you know she never found someone again, then? Maybe she's never moved on because she still feels strongly for you.'

Although it pained her to say it, she wasn't too shaken by the fact Missy still loved him. Maybe she should be jealous herself, but all she felt was pity.

'Even if she did, I've got you now and nothing's taking that away, so there's no point even considering it.'

'No, the point,' she emphasised, 'is that Missy is still pining for you whether you like it or not and you haven't seen each other for years. The battle, the coldness, everything is supposed to engage you. You saw the way she gawked at our holding hands or when she saw us kissing. Maybe it's not a battle of dancing, it's a battle for you.'

'Clara, there is no competition.'

'And I know that,' she said surely, 'but if you talk to Missy, just for a second, everything might change because of it. You've no idea what she's planning and even if you have to go in there with a restraining pole between the two of you at least you've bloody tried to understand.'

'I'm sorry Clara but I just can't face her. I can't bear the thought of bringing up the past, our relationship, anything we did on that tour. It hurts too much and I'll get angry and start punching the walls.'

'Fine,' she said, 'but you won't stop me from talking to her.'

'Clara, don't.' He pleaded, 'we still have to practice before the show. This is just the sort of thing she wants, to break up our schedule so we can't win!'

But she already started walking away.

'Your schedule can screw itself for the moment, John.'

Without looking back she wandered backstage before she eventually found Missy in the deserted canteen area.

Wordlessly she pulled out a chair opposite her. She made no protest but gave her a freezing glare. Maybe this would be harder than she thought.

'Why are you here?' She asked coldly.

'To talk to you. I would just like to say that I won't judge you if you cooperate. But I know you still like John.'

At the mention of his name her head dropped a fraction, and Clara took this as a sign.

'And why should I tell you anything about it? It has absolutely nothing to do with you.'

'It does if you still have feelings for my boyfriend.'

'Boyfriend?' She said, raising her eyebrow, 'he has taken a big step, hasn't he? Back in our day he wasn't as persistent. Our relationship was infinitely complex.'

'Well, we still have time before the show. I'm just trying to understand you and your motives, Missy.'

'I don't think you'll ever be able to understand just how complicated that relationship of ours was. It was a long time of frolicking around and fucking up. We never took it seriously, at least he didn't. I bet you he told you I broke his heart.'

She nodded, suddenly more curious than she ever had been before.

'Admittedly, I did kill his brother, and that's probably how he means it, but in truth it was him who broke me. He told me his brother was ill and he couldn't stay with me any more. The tour was taking off and I filled in for him at just one show while he was away, and I knew. I had to become the main star, and nothing was to her in the way of that. In my spite and heartbreak I took away his brother's life and carried on with the tour so he could finally feel the heartbreak I felt.'

'And you still feel it?'

'Do you think his heart is still broken for his brother? Of course it is.'

'Why did he break up with you?'

'I don't know, something about stress, which is easy to believe. He got stressed a lot, about the dancing, his brother, me. It stressed him to the point he broke me just because I was there for him. I never endeavoured with men again. Learned my lesson.'

'But you still want John.'

'I can see the jealousy in your eyes.' She taunted.

'You're confusing that with your own.' She quipped back.

Her eyebrows raised and her expression darkened.

'Fine, yes, John Disco has always been hot, both when he was young and now. Sue me, I can't help still having feelings. He has a body like you wouldn't believe, even now I bet he's just as good as he was back then. And he had the biggest-'

'Stop.' She commanded angrily, her cheeks going red. Missy smiled malevolently and leaned back in her chair with triumph. She felt extremely uncomfortable and tormented hearing about Missy's own time with him and was close to smacking her in her smug, arrogant face.

'Listen to me,' she said, trying to keep her voice from wavering and her hands under control from their shaking, 'I don't care about your time with John. This is all just a plot to get back at him, all this dancing stuff. You would have thought you'd gotten over it by now.'

'He calls it a fling, doesn't he?' She laughed, 'it was so much more. We were actually engaged.'

Clara sat there, arms folded. The more she talked the more she didn't want to know, but still that burning curiosity couldn't be satisfied enough.

'Who asked who?' She said quietly.

'Ah, now you're interested.' She grinned toothily.

'Just tell me.'

'I did, actually. He said yes and took me on holiday to France. I assume he hasn't done that, yet?'

Clara's eyes were murder for the woman opposite her, cackling away like an obsessed crow.

'You can't change anything between me and John and I'm not telling you anything about us-'

'Aw, but I've told you so much! It's your turn now.'

'I'm not participating in your scheming little games. It was never about the dancing, was it?'

'Of course it was! By beating him I will have rightly shown him just how much better I am and was as the main lead of that tour!'

'Why do you care so much?' She wondered breathlessly, unable to comprehend her line of thought.

'Because I don't give up. I'm just a pessimistic little villain with 6 inch heels. What more do you need?'

Clara could agree with her on that, it in a way she admired her indestructibility.

'Missy, I'm sure there is someone else out there for you.'

At this she looked surprised at her comment, as if no one had ever said something remotely close to it. For a second she saw something flicker within her eyes, an understanding, a hope. She had struck a chord and everything Missy had said seemed to contradict itself all in that one expression. She sighed a little, twirling a strand of hair round her finger.

'Maybe I've gone too far then, even for my standards. I did love John once upon a time, but maybe the only reason I'm holding onto him is because I want it just how it used to be.'

Clara smiled, triumphantly congratulating herself for not storming out earlier in her anger. She had finally come through.

'And the dancing?' She pressed.

She laughed with an intake of breath.

'Oh, I'm still serious about that. Dancing isn't just your passion, it's mine too and I'm not giving that one up so easily.'

'Fair enough.' She agreed, and shook Missy's hand.

'It should be fun. I don't think I really meant to stress you all out so much...but I did.' She said wickedly.

She walked away, leaving Missy still sitting there but she only got to the door when she spoke again.

'Clara?' She called.

'Yeah?'

'Take care of him, won't you?' She said sheepishly, 'he'll tell you he's strong but he's so delicate inside. Love him like I did.'

Part of her couldn't believe she had said it, and part of her sighed in relief. It felt like her heart was no longer restricted but in full flight. She slowly smiled at the older woman, no longer intimidated by her plans or her abilities to do outrageous things. She was simply just a human being with human feelings.

'I will.' She promised, and the last thing she saw before she left was the twitch of her mouth raising into a smile as she lit up a cigarette, and put her feet up on the chair.

•••••

Clara had told John their conversation, and his reaction was for once a tolerant one, maybe even of Missy. Yet she kept up a strong hold for the ordeal she'd been through already, the lies he told her, the secrets he kept, he was punished in those shoulder thwacks but made up for them in kisses.

All she could think about was the success of working things out and the decreasing pressure that had made all the difference in the world. For the first time Missy was only a rival and not so much an enemy. Of course their ambitions weren't as much dispirited and they still set their sights on winning but they were both appeasingly glad that it was only a friendly competition. John was complaisant, she was hopeful and their final practice went exceedingly well.

By the time the crowds started to fill up they were already dressed and Clara yawned. Every time she was to do a performance, for reasons unknown to her, she would get tired before and yawn a lot. It didn't affect her performance but it was a peculiar tradition she had never understood about herself.

'We haven't even started yet.' John smiled.

'I know, I just get really tired out before a performance. But it won't alter the dances in anyway.'

'I trust you.' He said, as she slipped her hands round his waist.

'You look suave tonight, don't you?'

She said, admiring the flared black trousers and tight fitting shirt, 'I'd enjoy taking that off you.'

He smiled slyly, pulling closer to whisper in her ear.

'You can save that for later.'

She laughed, taking it as a promise.

'And you look beautiful tonight.' He added, looking her up and down.

'Thank you. But I just don't know how to style my hair, I'm caught between putting it up or keeping it down and curling it.'

'I can help with that.' He lead her to a mirror, where she sat down in front of it like a hairdressers and he begun combing it back.

'You're a dancer, a bookshop owner, a guitarist, a stylist, what else can you do?'

He laughed, wiggling his eyebrows. 'Just a lot of experience. I used to actually work in a salon for a Saturday job when I was young. Throw that in with the dancing, it's no wonder my brothers thought I was gay.'

He continued pulling and brushing and twisting until he sprayed a final coat of hairspray and she stared at the mirror in amazement. He had lifted it into an elegant top-knotted bun with red jewelled clips keeping it in place.

'Oh my god, how did you do that? It's gorgeous!'

'Exactly like you.' He replied, bending over to kiss the side of her head lightly.

'Now I really feel ready to dance.'

'I hope so.' He said, spinning her out of her seat and swinging her around like they were about to go into the mambo.

'You know this has been the most amazing experience and to have come this far in four months is like a dream?'

'You took the words right out of my mouth.'

Missy's dances were at last ended, which meant they were up next with their tango.

When she went past Clara offered her a polite smile. 'How'd you do?'

'Very well.' She replied.

'I'm glad to here it.'

She made eye contact with John and they nodded to each other before she walked away. She was so proud that they were at least civil now and they had come far since this morning. Clara viewed it as an achievement.

Together they stood in the wings, waiting to go on.

'I've never been on last before.' She said. John held her hand, asking the question he always asked.

'Ready?'

'Oh yeah.' She smiled.

Soon the blinding lights were flashing in her eyes and everyone was staring up at them, expectantly waiting. The music started playing, and Clara could feel the surge of energy running through her veins and the character develop. Her movements started to flow to the beat and being in John's arms was just pure heaven. She didn't even notice the audience, or care; they were again, fully transported to another world despite the spotlight hovering over them and everyone gawking up at them. As well as the sensual moments, the height of tension would rise within the room yet it was just as if they were alone. Her hands unbuttoned the button on his shirt and they're heads met as they began the next dance, and the showcase was something else completely. Now, the tricky lift was an ease and the whole audience gasped and clapped at each one they performed. Soon Clara felt dizzy from all the helter-skelter spinning and lifting and twirling and when they finally closed everything off with her launched back on her heels, all she could think about was her heart rate and John's face above her until a raucous applause exploded and they smiled at each other in relief. He straightened her up and they embraced then and there, hugging each other tightly with exultance. They hadn't even noticed the audience before Clara was cupping his cheeks and kissing him on the spot, although the sound of the crowd oohing made them laugh. As they turned toward everyone through the hazy lights she observed a predominant standing ovation that made her heart leap. In the realisation she hugged him again quickly in delight and lastly pranced off back stage. Clara jumped into his arms exuberantly and he caught her, spinning them both around in their jubilance.

'Whatever the outcome, you were absolutely fantastic and I love you.'

He mumbled sincerely against her shoulder before kissing her again.

'I love you too.' She laughed, caressing his cheeks and smiling so much she thought her mouth would fall off.

Donna made her way onto the stage and they were once again called back to hear the results.

'For the first time in our show,' Donna explained, 'we have competed against another dance academy. We hope you have enjoyed it and I thank you all for coming, but now for the results.' She said.

The judge took centre stage, and the tension in the room was so heated silence could be heard throughout the whole building. Missy's dance group were looking hopeful as was their own, every dancer in the company gathered onto that stage to here the final judgement. Clara could feel her whole body shake and John rubbed her shoulder consolingly.

'And the winner is...Noble Dance Academy.'

At this the whole right side of the stage exploded, John almost crying and falling to the floor as everyone jumped into a massive group hug. For the past few months they had truly been Clara's family, and she didn't know what she'd do without them. She hugged everyone until her limbs were aching and watched as Donna proudly reviewed the award. She did a small speech about the dancers and how Missy's team was a challenge to beat but there was a buzzing in her ears she couldn't let go of that she suspected was excitement.

'Wait there.' John told her, and as she watched curiously she saw him shaking Missy's hand and leaning into kiss her cheek.

'I won't ever forgive you for what you've done; but at least now I understand you. So well done.' He smiled.

'We did it!' Jack said, putting his arm round her, drunk to the illuminance already.

'We totally did!'

But the real treasure was not that they had won, or had made peace with Missy, or was celebrating like crazy. It was when John had walked back up to her and kissed her so tenderly she had gotten a shock from the lack of his usual forcefulness. Her arms wrapped round his neck and he hugged her closer to his body and Clara realised just how thankful she was that she had walked through those doors.