This chapter was written to "libertango" I'm not sure who plays it buts it's a very traditional Tango song. Not a ton of lyrics but lots of cool Violin and guitar.

As always I greatly appreciate your reviews to make sure something I write isn't too far outside the box. Let me know what you think and if you feel I am staying true to the base personality of the different characters even if their not perfect. (Bella's a dancer obviously their a little different)

A shout out to the Harry Potter Six movie! I saw it a midnight with my friends. It was awesome! They missed a bunch of the smaller details but we all knew that was going to happen. I think the girl who plays Tonks is my new favorite person. I love her character in the books.
"Go Tonks!"

Chapter 6- Tango Trouble

POV: Bella

The next morning felt just like the first had. I got up, took a shower and woke Angela up. We got to the great hall early again. The same feeling of tension and excitement was there but it felt doubled somehow. No one was able to over look the extra empty chairs. When we had first arrived the great hall had been almost full. No one wanted to be the empty chair.

I grabbed my food with Angela and we found the others already at our central table. Alice was still on the other side of the room sitting by her new blond obsession. I took the only empty seat next to Erik.

"Morning."

There were mumbled good mornings and hi Bella's. Everyone seamed to be particularly tired this morning.

"Did you sleep well Bella?" Edward asked passing Angela and I a pitcher of orange juice. I shrugged and filled my glass.

"Ok, I've always been an eerily riser but lately it's been ridicules. I can't seam to sleep past 5 anymore."

Emmett grunted. "Then you can keep Edward company and get him out of our room in the morning."

"Did I wake you?" Edward asked innocently.

Emmett growled at him then turned to face the rest of us. "He gets up before the sun and turns the light on. How am I supposed to get my beauty sleep if the lights are on?"

"It was only a lamp." Edward said defending himself.

"What every your doing at that ungodly hour you can do it in the dark tomorrow." Emmett said trying to end the conversation.

"I can't read in the dark Em. I'm not a cat."

Tanya set her glass down a little harder then necessary interrupting the comment that Emmett had been about to make. "Would you both shut it?"

"He always gets up so early. That's why we stopped sharing a room when we were kids." Emmett argued pointing a finger at Edward.

Angela was giggling at my side and I was having trouble not joining her. It was easy to see the brotherly bond between Emmet and Edward when they bickered liked this.

"We only shared a room for a week. Then you decided to move out." Edward pointed out returning to his plate.

Tanya shied and rubbed at her temples. Everyone seamed to be a little sore after yesterdays long schedule and I would have been willing to bet it would only get worse until the top twenty were decided. If any of us even made it that far.

There was a lag in the argument and Erik jumped in trying to change the topic of conversation.

"So what dance style do you think they'll hit us with today?"

I shrugged and turned my attention back to my bacon. My small diner yesterday was starting to affect me and breakfast was looking better and better by the minute.

"Could be anything." Angel said.

"Can't be much worse then Disco." Sam added.

"It could be a lot worse then Disco." Erik argued back.

"How?"

"It could be the Quick Step or Ballroom." Erik shivered at the thought.

Tanya's head whipped up at the mention of Ballroom. "I certainly hope they do Ballroom dancing for the call backs. We wouldn't have any trouble getting through that round would we Edward?"

She turned to Edward expectantly and he smirked over at me. "I believe you just jinxed us Tanya."

Tanya rolled her eyes and shot me a disapproving look as she tore her muffin into tiny peaces.

"What happened to you not believing in luck?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I got here didn't I? I must be pretty lucky if I'm getting the shot to be on the show. We all must have some luck."

"You got here on talent." Tanya said scowling at her plate. "We worked out butts off for that audition. We deserve to be here."

The rest of breakfast passed quickly. The closer we got to the auditorium the more energy seamed to return to our group. It was even easier to feel the missing dancers in the auditorium. We didn't have any trouble getting seats up front and there seamed to be a foreboding atmosphere around the room.

"You could cut the tension in this room with a knife." Jake said as we sat down.

"Everyone's starting to feel the competition." Edward agreed.

"It's starting to feel the same as it did last time." Sam said glancing around the room. His shoulders were tight and he rubbed at his neck like it was bothering him. Sam had been cut after the second round his first time trying to get on the show. I could only imagine what he would be feeling right now.

The lights dimed ever so slightly and the camera crews dressed in black started scrambling around. Nigel and Mary walked on stage and they were followed out by a man in an ironed black tuxedo. Nigel and Mary stepped aside and a spot light fell on the man. The lights dimed even more and a soft piano started playing over the speakers.

The curtain shook and a moment later a girl dressed in a long red dress spun on stage. Her dress had a plugging neck line and her heels added three inches to her height. Together they twisted across the dance floor and a violin added to the music.

"It's the Tango." Tanya said softly under her breath. Sam and Erik groaned. Jake looked speechless and Edward flinched.

"Ballroom, Tango."

The man pulled a rose out of his coat and tossed it to the girl. The dance was slow and elegant and when they ended the room burst into applause. Both of the dancers took bows and then the lights returned to normal.

Mary screamed into the mic and announced that indeed we would be dancing the Tango for day two of callbacks. The room seamed to have mixed feelings about the tango. Someone cheered and others ground. I wasnt sure how to respond.

Nigel told us to suck it up and then announced that we would be working in two different groups again until the numbers were lower.

"Were going to mix the numbers up today so anyone with a number between 1and 60 or 140 and 164 will be in studio one with Jerrod." He waved the man in the tuxedo forward. "If your number falls anywhere in the middle you are group two and you will work with the beautiful Linda."

Jake grabbed my hand as we all stood up to leave. "I guess that means were in group two." I glanced back at the others as they headed towards studio one. Tanya shot me a satisfied look and wrapped her arm around Edward.

I waved good bye and wished them good luck.

"Why do you look so bummed Bella. It's not like your never going to see them again. We can all meet up for lunch again." Jake said trying to lift my sour mood.

I nodded along and tried to push away the strange feeling that was growing in the pit of my stomach. I had to try and distance myself from the competition anyway. Getting to close could be dangerous.

I didn't recognize most of the people in this group. Jake and I striped off our extra layers and got in line with the rest. I sat on the floor to stretch and started taking deep even breaths. I didn't recognize Linda when she entered the room.

She had abandoned her long red dress but her dark black hair was still twisted into a super tight bun on the back of her neck. She put a CD in a stereo that was identical to the one in studio one and pushed play.

I had never heard the song that started playing before but I could defiantly feel the Tango vibe from it. The entire song was in 2/4 and there were some lyrics at the end right before the song ended. Linda clapped her hands to get everyone's attention.

"First things First, I want everyone to find a partner. This routine needs two people so you will perform in pairs."

I turned to grab Jake and a girl with white blond hair jumped between us. I tried to get around her as she asked him to be her partner but someone tapped my shoulder. I spun around and a boy with sandy blond hair smiled down at me. He had big blue eyes and too much hair jell weighing down his natural curls.

"Would you do me the honor of being my partner?"

I glanced back over at Jake and he shrugged hopelessly as the girl with white blond hair dragged him away. Most of the room seamed to be partnered already so I turned back to face my blue eyed friend.

"Sure, why not." I held out my hand. "My name's Bella."

His smile widened and he kissed the back of my hand. I repressed a shiver.

"Names Mike, Mike Newton."

Each pair got back in line and Linda started showing us her routine slowly. The moves were slow and it wasn't hard to find the right emotion for this dance. The Tango was elegant, clean, and passionate. It was one of the most common Ballroom dances and also one of the easiest to screw up. If both partners didn't complete devote themselves to the dance it just ended up looking cheesy.

The dance started with some simple Tango steps, a slid to the left and then a half lift. The lift was simple but kind of tricky. I had to hook my leg behind Mike and rest my weight on his hip so he could spin us around while I was in the air. My job was to make the move look graceful while Mike had to make it look easy.

After the spin he set me down and I twisted three times and tripped over his foot. I tried to grab a hold of him but he's hand slipped out of mine and I fell.

"Ow." I landed on my back and hit my head on the floor. Mike grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet.

"Are you ok Bella? I'm sorry."

I nodded and sucked a breath through my teeth. There was a sharp pain in the back of my head and it took me a second to find my balance again.

"I'm ok Mike. Just remember to twist left before you turn right so I can get back in front of you." He nodded and we started the routine over.

By the time Linda dismissed us for lunch we could do most of the dance without tripping over each other. I had more bruises on my legs and butt then I could count but, at least we would be able to make it through the call back.

I ditched Mike in the dressing room and ran across the street to the hotel. I got through the buffet line and was first to our table. Jake soon joined me and he was scowling. I had watched him during practice and understood his frown. He and his partner had been tripping over each other almost as much as Mike and I had. The only benefit for Jake was that it was his partner who was falling and not him.

"What's her name?" I asked as the white blond haired girl waved at him from her table.

"Amber." He said shortly as we watched her Amber turned and whispered to her friends and they giggled to themselves. "What's the name of your disaster?"

"Mike."

He chuckled. "I lost count of how many times you fell on your ass."

"I stopped counting after forty."

He nodded over my shoulder. "Here come the others. Lets hope they had a better time with it."

I twisted in my seat and winced when my tail bone bumped the back of the chair. Tanya was glowing as she led the others through the buffet line. Jake leaned across the table and lowered his voice.

"Edward looks pretty ticked off."

I nodded, I had noticed his scowl too. If Tanya was glowing then Edward was glowering. He followed the others through the buffet and sunk into his seat when they reached us.

"Are you ok Edward?"

He shied and smiled at me. "I'm ok Bella." I wasn't fooled for a second. The smile hadn't reached his eyes and he was poking at his food.

"Bella how did your Tango go?" Angela asked taking the open seat to my left.

"It was fine." I lied trying not to wince as pain shot up my back again.

Jake snorted. "Pleas Bella don't lie to them. Your partner has two left feet and your going to be wincing like that for a week to recover from those bruises."

I shot him a dark look and Angela started panicking. "Is he that bad? You don't think he'll get you sent home do you?"

"What happened? Who is he?" Erik asked glancing around the room as if one of the other dancers would be wearing a sign around his neck that said "I'm Bella's Partner the moron."

"Are you hurt?" Edward asked and he laid his hand over mine.

I shot Jake another dark look as the questions I had been hoping to avoid started. I shook my head and tried to put on a brave face. "I'll be fine really. It's just a few bruises."

Jake mumbled something under his breath that sounded like "A few hundred bruises" and I kicked him under the table.

"So who did you guys partner with?" I asked trying to turn the attention away from me.

"I'm dancing with Edward of course. Ballroom is our best style." Tanya said grabbing Edward's hand. Edward frowned at her.

"Yes we are trained in Ballroom but you didn't have to be so obvious about it."

"I don't know what you're talking about Eddie." Tanya said innocently flashing him a soft smile.

"Don't call me Eddie." He snapped. "You knew exactly what you were doing and now we have enemies."

Tanya blew her bangs out of her face and rolled her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with proving that you've got talent."

"You were showing off and making the other dancers look bad."

"They were bad." Tanya interrupted.

"Hey!" "Watch who you're sitting with!" Erik and Sam both flashed Tanya identical scowls and she brushed off their reaction.

"There's nothing wrong with proving to the competition that's were going to be hard to beat."

"I though I was doing ok" Angela said softly and she avoided making eye contact with me when I looked over at her.

I shot Tanya one of my own dark looks and patted Angela shoulder trying to comfort her. "I'm sure you did great Angela who are you partnered with?"

She smiled up at me and picked at her food. "His name's Ben. He's from Boston. We clicked right away. It's so easy to dance with him." Her mood seamed somewhat repaired and she told me all about her new friend, Ben.

Lunch was over as soon as it began and a part if my self preservation was telling me not to go back to studio two. I rubbed my back and glanced at the door. I was trying to talk myself into walking forward when a pair of larger hands replaced mine and started massaging my neck.

"Sore?"

I shied and let my head role forward as Edwards hands worked their way down to my shoulders. I was sore, and for some reason I knew he hadn't been fooled but my attempts to hide it at lunch. I had never been a good actress.

"Maybe a little bit."

He chuckled. "You're incredibly stubborn you know that right?"

"I've been told that before."

His arms worked their way down from my shoulders and he squeezed my hands. "Good luck with Mike, Bella. I have a feeling your going to need it."

I shivered as his warm breath tickled my ear and then he was gone. By the time I pulled myself together and turned around he was slipping into Studio one. I rolled my shoulders and took a deep breath. Some of the tension was gone and I was ready to kick Mike's butt until we were perfect.

I found Mike waiting for me in the back of our studio and we stretched together and made up a work plan for what parts of the routine we still needed work on.

"We need to get that last lift right." Mike insisted.

"We're not going to work on the lift until we know how to do the landing. My ass is sore enough from falling all morning."

"I am sorry about that Bella. Tango is obviously not my leading style."

"What is your style Mike?"

He smiled. "I like Broadway and fifties dance. I'm really good at those later styles."

We started at the beginning of the dance and managed to get to the last lift before Mike twisted the wrong way and I steeped on his foot.

"Ow, wait. You go left first."

"No I go right first."

"We go right after the lift."

Linda hurried over to our side. "Can I help?"

I pulled my hair out of my face and tied it behind my head. I was now on a first name basis with the floor in studio two and any help she could give us would be a dream come true. Linda offered me her hand and pulled me to my feet again.

"Can you go over the last lift with us?" Mike asked.

Linda nodded. "Yes I can. Why don't you start at the beginning and I'll walk you though the whole thing slowly. Then I can show you the lift."

We started at the beginning with the traditional Tango steps. Mike spun me back into his side and I hooked my leg around his waist for the first lift. He spun us twice and then I swung in front of him and spun away.

We got though the kicks in the middle and a bunch of smaller moves. Mike was leading as we danced across the floor. The music picked up at the same time Mikes hand hooked around my waists for the second lift. I stepped right, he moved left, and his arm that was still wrapped around my waist pulled me off balance. I stumbled but managed to stay on my feet.

Linda showed us the last few steps and as it turned out, we were both wrong. Before the lift we were supposed to turn our backs on each other and dance back to back. We tried the move a few times and had to find a balance so that neither one of us was pushing to hard on the others back.

"There just like that, very good."

"Ok Mike, lower your hand." Linda guided us as we ran through her choreograph.

"Bella you've got to help him on the lift. Put your hand on his shoulder until you're in the air."

"No Mike that's too high! Bella hold on!"

I hit the ground again harder then before. The only satisfaction I had in my fall was that my legs had been wrapped around Mikes shoulders so he had fallen to. Mike groaned and we pulled ourselves back up. I had jarred my left shoulder and added a new layer of bruises to my hip but I was more determined then ever not to let this be the reason I got sent home.

I grabbed Mikes hand and set us up to run the second lift again. "Are you ok?"

He nodded and I didn't give him a chance to speak.

"Good Lets do it again." My question had been completely selfish. I did care if he was ok but I really didn't want him lifting me if he had hurt his shoulder. Linda counted us off again and we moved into the lift.

Mikes hand hooked around my waist and I spun into his side. His second hand grabbed me and I pushed off from the ground. I used his shoulders to balance myself as I got in the air and soon I was perched on his shoulder.

"We did it Bella!"

My right knee was tucked behind his head and my left leg was hanging in front of his chest. I had one hand on my hip and one hand tangled in his hair so I wouldn't fall. It was kind of an awkward position, seeing as how I didn't know Mike that well, but I had been in odder scenarios then this before. Dance partners got to know each other very well.

"Ok, now you have to do the fall. Bella you need to trust Mike or its not going to work." Linda seamed confident in us but I was feeling some doubt.

I took a deep breath and nodded slowly. Linda showed Mike how to get me down and I watched her and her partner do the move. In essence it was very simple. Mike would hold my left thigh to his chest and I would twist my right side over his head and almost role down his chest. He would catch me in a cradle position and the song would end.

Mike and I practiced the lift a few more times: Back to back, spin out, twist back in, anchor around my waist, hands on shoulders, and lift. Once Linda was sure we had the full lift it was time to practice the fall.

"I got you Bella, go."

I didn't give myself a chance to think about it. Mike was holding my leg and I rolled down. I felt one of his arms follow my left leg down and wrap around my knees and the other hooked under my right arm and kept me from smashing my head against the floor.

The finally pose was my favorite in the whole dance. My left side was tucked into Mike and my right leg was sticking up over his shoulder. I was completely off the ground and if he dropped me he was a dead man.

One of the camera men came and talked to Linda then she ushered us all into the main auditorium. It was time to film the second round. Dancers from studio one were sitting down and Mary was talking into the camera on stage. The callbacks wouldn't be airing for almost a week and by the time America got to see who the top twenty were we would be working on week one's dances.

I wasn't sure how they got a list put together but Mary had a list of what order everyone was dancing in and I felt my hart drop when I learned Mike and I would be going first…surprise!

A crew man led us back stage and would cue us when it was time to go. I pulled a black ballet dance skirt over my leggings and Mike had a clean black shirt on. It had been Mike's idea to bring matching colored clothes and I was oddly impressed. I hoped the judges would think so to.

The judges talked a little to the camera and Linda and Jerrod explained the piece they had choreographed. The judges announced our names and the lights dimed. Mike led us on stage and we took an opening pose. Mike was standing front stage and I was waiting for him to come get me in the back.

The music started and Mike spun on the first note. He walked over to where I was waiting and ran his hand down my arm, waking my character up. I leaned into his chest and our dance began. We were experts at the opening tango walk.

Mike spun me to him and I wrapped my leg around his waist. His arm held me to him as he spun and I leaned a little more into the lift. Mike moved with me and I dismounted into the spin. As we started more traditional footwork I kept my eyes locked on his.

Mike followed my lead as I tried to put more emphasis on our twists and surprised me when he started to get into the dance with me. The Tango was a passionate dance I hoped we were portraying that to the judges.

I pushed my sore mussels out of my mind and focused strictly on Mike. Nothing else mattered right now. We were coming to the final lift and my hundreds of falls seamed more prominent in my sore legs and shoulder. We twisted away from each other and slid to the right, our backs barely touching as we moved together.

Mike took my hand as I spun away from him and pulled me back to his side. I felt his hand wrap around my waist and he leaned in so his lips were against my ear right before the lift.

"Trust me Bella." It was now or never. I had to trust him.

I pushed off from the ground and Mike's hands guided me into the air. I hooked my knee behind his head and we hit the lift. His hand moved from my waist to hold my leg and I rolled down his chest a bet later. We had struggled all day but, in the end I couldn't have asked for a better ending.

Mike caught me on the fall and we ended just a second after the music did. We were both breathing hard and I slipped when he helped me upright but our dance couldn't have gone better for only having a few hours to put it together.

Mike grabbed my hand and we stepped forward to hear the judge's comments. Nigel commented on our lines and said that we had the roots of the style down very well even if it wasn't the cleanest. Mary noticed the extra length we went to on out twists and said that it added a new level to our dance but it was also why we had fallen behind. She also took notice that was had changed and gave us comments on trying to match each other.

The judges I was most worried about was Linda and Jerrod. This was their dance, their baby and we had just tried to dance it. Jerrod had liked the power in our opener and I was relieved that we hadn't trashed his dance. Linda took the mic from him and stared at us.

"What was that?"

I glanced up at mike not sure what she meant.

"You couldn't even do the last lift an hour ago." She glanced out at the other dancers. "That's going to be a hard act to follow. If everyone here is this good I can't wait to see the rest of them. Bring it on."

Nigel dismissed us and we ran backstage as fast as we could. Mike pulled me into a hug once we were off camera and we relished in the moment that our dance was over.

"That was so great Bella."

"Thanks for not dropping me."

He smiled kind of sheepishly. "Be thankful it was a slow dance. I could have dropped you a lot more if it had been something faster."

"I can't wait to see you in the Quick Step."

"You mean the dreaded "kiss of death" dance."

"That's the one."

We chuckled to ourselves and one of the crew workers told us to be quiet and reminded us that the cameras were still rolling. Mike opened the door for me as we reentered the auditorium and we said our good byes. We would meet back up backstage after diner for the cut announcements.

I crossed to the far side of the auditorium and found most of my group watching the next couple on stage. One set of eyes weren't watching the stage and he saw me coming as I made my way down to them.

I took the open seat next to Edward and he smiled at me. "That was great Bella." Something about his smile seamed off but I could tell what it was. I smiled and thanked my friends as they all congratulated me on a job well done. Well everyone except Tanya who looked disappointed that I hadn't fallen on my face.

Angela and Ben were next out of the dancers I knew. Ben was two inches taller then Angela and he had dark black hair. They moved together perfectly, Angela grace and Ben's strength. Next Emmett and his partner danced.

The girl Emmett was dancing with tripped over him twice when she tried to move the wrong way. It was clear that they were both struggling. As they were coming to the last lift the girl twisted the wrong way again. Emmett grabbed her and pulled her back using his brut strength to get her into the air on time and fixed her mistake.

Sam and his partner got through the dance fine but they fell on the last lift. I was surprised on just how many groups missed the last lift. A dozen couples missed the lift all together and more then one girl landed on her backside.

Edward leaned into my side and whispered into my ear. "Alice is next, and you'll never guess who she got to be her partner."

The judges announced Alice and she spun on stage with Jasper. Their height difference was even more predominating on the bright stage and Alice was still a head shorter then him in four inch heels. They must have matched their outfits like Mike and I had because Alice was the only girl in the room wearing a real dress. Jaspers dark red shirt matched the color of the dress and they 'looked' perfect together.

I had expected the height to interfere in their dance. I was wrong. Alice and Jasper were easily my favorite out of all of the couple we had seen and they got great reviews from the judges, along with a few jokes. Apparently Alice was the shortest female dancer to ever make the callbacks and she had chosen to dance with one of the tallest guys in this year's season.

Jake was next followed by Erik. They both got though the routine without dropping their girls but you could tell that ballroom wasn't their thing. The judges announced Tanya and Edward and I heard Emmett groan at my side.

"What?" I asked as Tanya and Edward walked on stage.

"Be glad you were in group two, Bella. It was very hard to be in the same group as them."

I was going to ask why when the music started. It was clear at once, why it would be hard to be in the same group with Edward and Tanya. They were great. It was the only word that fit their dance. Their background in ballroom as well as the trust they already shard between them as a pair put the rest of us to shame.

The judges agreed with me that they had done a fantastic job. Mary said she thought they cheated a little bit, since they already new each other and suggested that they dance with other partners from now on so that the judges could get a better feel for them as individuals but, that they shouldn't worry about getting cut tonight.

The same strange feeling returned to my chest as I watched them move together. Tanya was a great dancer and the whole room could feel the passion in their dance as they moved in perfect sync. Tanya bowed twice before she got off the stage and Edward followed behind her looking uneasy.

Diner passed quickly and it was clear that I was not the only person at our table holding some animosity towards Tanya now. Angela had decided to sit with Ben and his friends and I was feeling strangely envious of her escape. Her seat was being filled by Jasper tonight. Alice had done introductions and Jasper had fit right in with the rest of the table almost at once.

He wasn't a big talker but it was clear he was a big Alice fan. The chemistry between them wasn't limited to the dance floor and there had been more then one time during diner where I had felt like I was intruding on some private conversation even though they weren't speaking out loud.

During the cuts another thirty five dancers were asked to leave including Erik and Jakes partners. Emmett was in shock that the girl he had danced with was still here and I felt a sense of relief that none of my new friends had been sent home.

"She's only here because you made her look good." Sam said trying to pacify Emmett as we walked back to the hotel.

"I should have let her fall on her butt." He grumbled.

I responded to all of Summer's texts once I had finished my shower for the night and actually managed to respond to a few of her new questions before I feel asleep.

~Darkrose

I'm thinking were going to lose one member of our group in the next round. The next chapter is also going to be a little different. insteed of individual styles there going to do "Random CD routines" I know they've done something like it on the show like it but I can't remember if that's the exact title.

My inspiration for this story has picked up again so I'll probably up date soon. I've been considering the idea of writing some of the chapters from Edwards point of view or even some of the other characters. Let me know what you think about this idea and if I should. Who?

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter.