This chapter was written to "Life after You" by: Daughtry which is a very beautiful song, if you haven't heard it yet I suggest looking it up somewhere on line.

Carly Traveler- I agree, working on this story is how I take out my SYTYCD withdrawls. I hope you like these next chapters.
Chapter 40: Night Before

Pov- Bella
"This is crazy." I said sitting down hard and letting my plate drop on the table in front of me. Edward and I were the last to arrive in the lounge so everyone else was already sitting down with their plates loaded with today's lunch choices and enjoying their food.

It was12:18, Monday afternoon and we only had one day left to get our dances down in time for the judging round. We'd gone threw the drama of costume fitting Saturday morning and done our weekly interviews; this time being asked questions about what winning the competition would mean for us and individual goals for our dance related futures.

Edward was feeling confident on the Waltz, because he had background experience with Waltz like numbers, and I was feeling more confident in the contemporary number with Sonya. I'd spent the last two and a half day's building up the perfect mindset of someone facing depression and was pretty sure I had it down. All I had to do was think about dead puppies or the story Rosalie had told me. I knew I was to chicken to ever actually commit suicide, but if I ever felt like getting depressed I was now an expert.

Right now I was wearing a dirty t-shirt over the white dress I'd be wearing for the contemporary number, because I hadn't felt like changing after our morning work with Sonya, but Max would skin me alive if I spilt food on it.

"You look like you could use a nap." Emmett pointed out passing me a pitcher of water when he noticed it was out of my reach.

"I'm fine." I said, taking the water. "Thanks"

"This weeks been pretty brutal on everyone I think." Rosalie added as she poked at her food. A few people nodded along.

"What numbers did you get this week?" Emmett asked turning his attention on Rose and Ben. Ben's face lit up at the question and he turned into our conversation.

"We got Broadway, were doing a routine to "Sing'in in the Rain"."

"And the other one's a Tango piece." Rose said quickly cutting Ben off before he could start ranting about the different actor's who'd been in the play. "It's a good piece but I'm pretty sure you and Leah hold the market on Tango numbers this season."

Emmett fidgeted in his seat. "I'm sure you'll do great in a tango number."

Rose blushed, hiding it by bending over her plate to take a bite of food. "Thanks."

After lunch Edward and I made our way upstairs so we could change into our normal cloths and get our things ready for the dress rehearsal.

I crowded into the girls dressing room and changed back into my jeans and a clean t-shirt. I made sure both of my dresses as well as shoes were in my box before leaving it with Jason. I wasn't sure how they did it, but Max's team of costume helper ninja's always managed to beat us to the studio and get everything set up behind our backs. This show couldn't run with their work.

Leo was waiting by the front doors, along with another one of the body guards, to make sure everyone got on the bus ok and as soon as Erik had climbed on board the doors swung shut and we were off, weaving threw the midday Las Vegas traffic to get to the show studio we would be performing on tomorrow night.

We didn't have any trouble getting in the building and once we were on stage a crew man listed off the order we would be going on so we would know when to look for our cues. Edward and I had drawn position number two. We'd be going second and then again for the ninth dance after all of the pairs had done their first number. Tomorrow's show was going to have to move really fast to get all fourteen dances in the allotted two hours. As long as Cat didn't talk too much I was sure we'd be ok with time.

Everyone went backstage to change into their first set of costumes. Edward and I would be opening with the Viennese Waltz. Hunter and Sonya had gotten together with us on Sunday to discus which number we thought should go first. The Waltz had better lifts, but we wanted the powerful emotion in the contemporary number to be the last thing America felt when they saw us dance.

I changed into a skin colored sports bra and a pair of white shorts that would serve as the under cloths for both of my costumes this week. The dress for the contemporary number was short, just barely covering the tops of my thighs, but with the shorts on under it didn't matter, the material was lose and the silvery gray color added to the dark emotions my character was fighting with.

The dress for the Waltz was lighter, a soft creamy white dress that tied around my waist with a silk bow and fell almost to the floor even in my higher shoes. It was simple and elegant and went well with the white dress shirt Edward was in. Edward had a cream scarf wrapped around his waist in place of a belt with his black dress pants to match my dress and Jason had elected to leave both of our hair down and natural for the dance.

"Close your eye's please Bella."

I closed my eyes and held still for Jason as his brushed white eye shadow over my eyes and foundation across my checks. Edward got off easy with nothing more then eye liner for his bottom lids. Jason was determined to force him into some kind of make-up every week, since it was so clear that Edward didn't like it. I told him it made his eyes pop. Edward said it made him feel gay, and Jason joked about Edward needing to get in touch with his inner rainbow pride but he was sorry because he already had a boy friend so Edward was going to have to find another man to hit on. Jason recommended Edward go after Jasper because he had a nice ass. I laughed so hard I couldn't breath and Edward turned redder then I ever had.

"I'm not gay." He argued.

Jason shrugged and slipped the lid back on the eye liner. "I am. My work here is done, you two look wonderful. I'm amazing." The light in our dressing room flashed and the small stage monitor flicked on.

"You two had better get out there so you can see the others. Good luck."

"You are amazing." I agreed glancing at our reflections in the mirror. Jason could make me look great in two minutes and I still wasn't sure which container was blush and which one was eye shadow. "Thanks Jason."

Once everyone was ready the house lights dimed down and the lights on stage turned red and purple for Alice and Jake who were opening tomorrow's show with a fast passed salsa number. Alice buzzed around the stage in a purple and red dress and I was impressed with how well Jake handled their size difference. I'd always thought Jake was a good dancer but he was really starting to prove himself a viable contender in this competition. As the song came to an end Edward and I moved to the side of the stage and waited for them to clear the camera zone before hurrying into place.

Edward moved to the front of the stage sitting with his feet on the front stairs and his elbows on his knees as he held his head in his hands. I stopped a few yards behind him on the back half of the stage, making sure that the center of attention would be on him. The lights around us dimed to soft blues and whites, a spot light on Edward, as the opening of our song played around the room. I took a deep breath and started counting, keeping my moves slow while Edward fidgeted with his jacket up front.

"Ten miles from town and I just broke down.
Spittin' out smoke on the side of the road.
I'm out here alone, just tryin' to get home.
To tell you I was wrong but you already know.
Believe me I won't stop at nothin'
To see you so I've started runnin."

He spun around as I raced to him and braced his hands on my waist as I jumped. The shoes mad all the difference for this first jump and my knees landed right in the middle of Edward's chest. He kept his balance and grabbed my but so I wouldn't fall spinning us around once before letting me fall to my toes.

"All that I'm after is a life full of laughter.
As long as I'm laughin' with you.
I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after,
After the life we've been through.
'Cause I know there's no life after you."

I locked the fingers of my good hand in Edward's as we went through the second set of twists and steps, always connected by our fingers. I caught sight of some of the other dancers standing at the front of the stage so they could watch and Rose waved at me.

"Last time we talked, the night that I walked.
Burns like an iron in the back of my mind.
I must've been high, to say that you and I,
Weren't meant to be and just wastin' my time.
Oh, why did I ever doubt you?
You know I would die here without you."

I pulled away from Edward and we did a set of synchronized steps on opposite sides of the front of the stage. As I turned back to face him Edward did a back flip and met me center stage. I kept my focuses on my own feet, counting out the moves in my head and trying to keep from mixing our two dances together like I had in rehearsal.

"All that I'm after is a life full of laughter,
As long as I'm laughin' with you.
I'm thinkin' that all that still matters is love ever after,
After the life we've been through.
'Cause I know there's no life after you."

I spun on my toes and Edward took my hands while my back was to him holding them out to my sides. I stepped back so I was lined up with his chest while we danced and tensed my core when he wrapped his arms around my waist. He braced his feet at the same time I bent my knees before he lifted me up to flip over his shoulder. I locked my legs around his waist as he spun so we were standing sideways, with the crowd on our left, before leaning back and setting my hands on the stage. I kicked off at the same time he bent over to flip forward. We landed at the same time, to a small set of cheers from our friends, and I jumped forward for the last set of steps.

"You and I, right or wrong, there's no other one,
After this time I spent alone.
Hard to believe that a man with sight could be so blind.
Thinkin' 'bout the better times, must've been outta my mind.
So I'm runnin' back to tell you,"

Edward's arms around my waist, my arms around his neck we moved slowly together, letting our feet lead us back across the stage to the music. Edward smelt good and I let one of my hands rise up so my fingers could touch the hair at the base of his neck. He shivered under my fingers and I bit back a giggle as the song entered into its last chorus. I hope anyone who saw that thought it was part of the dance.

"All that I'm after is a life full of laughter.
Without you God knows what I'd do.
All that I'm after is a life full of laughter;
As long as I'm laughin' with you.
I'm thinkin' 'bout all that still matters is love ever after,
After the life we've been through, cuz.
I know there's no life after you."

The song ended with us walking away from the audience, Edward's arm around my waist as I leaned into his side, and the lights faded to black. Our friends clapped and we took a quick second to bow before rushing off stage right and letting the next group do their practice run.

"That was great I think." Edward said a little breathless as we maneuvered our way back to our dressing room to chance for the next run through.

I nodded along hopping over a cord taped to the floor that I'd tripped over last week. If I trip over something enough times, eventually I learn that it's there. See she can be taught. "I think so too, lets hope it goes that well tomorrow night."

"I think we've got it down."

Jason had our next set of costumes waiting for us on our chairs and he clapped as we slipped into the little nook that was our changing room. "That was really good you guys."

He tossed us water bottles and I took mine back behind the changing curtain with me. "Thanks Jason, how did the lifts look?"

I hung my dress over the railing and Jason pulled it down from the other side wile I slipped into the next one.

"Strong, the assisted lift at the beginning was the best. Try to keep your face even when Edward flips you over his shoulder. You made a funny face."

I nodded to myself and held my dress to my chest as I slipped out of the changing room. "I didn't notice, thanks. Can you zip me up?"

Jason zipped the back of the dress and sat me down to brush out my hair. I kicked off my heels and Jason frowned at me before picking them up and setting them nicely on the counter. Edward slipped out from behind his changing curtain in the costume Sonya had designed for our depression dance.

Edward was playing the part of my "Guardian angel" while my character contemplated committing suicide. The costume was split down the sides, the front half was white. When I was winning the battle of depression Edward would dance with the white side facing the crowed. The back was black. When Edward had his back to me and the audience I was losing. It was kind of a lot to comprehend in one dance, but I was hoping the audience would like it.

"How you feeling Bella?" Edward asked as he set his own shoes on the counter by my heels. Jason told me to close my eyes so he could change the white eye shadow into black.

"I'm good, you ready?"

"You're supposed to be depressed; your about to go on stage and die."

I nodded and Jason made an annoyed noise when I messed him up.

"Sorry." I said holding still. "I'll get depressed right before we go on."

"I'm sorry I'm not a better angel." He joked.

I opened one eye to glance at him and found his back to me. His butt looked nice in the black but his reflection in the mirror was dressed in white. With his strong green eye and that reddish-brown hair in its usual disarray I thought he looked like an angel.

Once we were both given the nod of approval by Jason we slipped out a side door to watch the others before our next dance. We slid into seats in the second row next to Alice and Jake who had already changed into their next set of outfits.

Rosalie and Ben were on stage doing a Broadway number to "Singin' in the Rain" they did a great job but I could tell Rose was a little uncomfortable with the style. Ben was in his element and his confidence made it easier for Rose to find her grove and after three weeks, since Rose had lost Demetri, they were really starting to make a good pair. The lights on the stage were blue and a cover over one of them made it look like it was raining.

When they were done they bowed quick to the audience and rushed off stage as Tanya and James walked on the other side. I tried the keep the frown off my face and judge my opinion of their dance without letting my personal feelings get in the way, but it was hard. They did a great job and from their big smiles they knew it too. Damn it.

The rest of the night passed quickly. Edward and I made it through our second dance without any problems. Leah and Emmett had to do their second dance twice when the guys up in the top box were having trouble getting the lights right. I personally thought our biggest competition this week was going to come from Tanya and James or Alice and Jake. Rose was struggling with the Broadway and Erik had dropped Angela on one of their lifts in their second number. She was fine, but if they did that tomorrow the grudges would knock them for it.

I helped Jason hang up my second dress and washed my face off in our sink to get ride of the makeup. We were herded back out to the bus a little after seven and got back to the studio in time for a late diner. After a round of peanut butter and jelly with chocolate milk Emmett forced everyone to stay in the lounge for what he called "dancer bonding time".

We played Poker. Alice kicked ass all night, and I spent half my time working on my own hand while explaining to Erik what the different kinds of hands were and which one's had the highest point values.

"Yes a flush beats two of a kind."

"Jack's aren't wild this round."

"Whose deal is it supposed to be?"

"Four Ace's" Alice said laying down her hand after nearly two and a half hours of cards and soda. "Suck it Bitch's."

I groaned along with everyone who was left in and set down my meeker pair of loser fives. I was convinced that, even though she was wearing a tank top, Alice had aces hidden up her sleeves. Our game had turned from "Poker" to "Let's all just hand Alice money".

"I'm out you guys." I said tossing my cards in and eating my last pretzel chip.

Jake picked up the card's and started dealing for the next round. I slipped out of the lounge and hesitated when the door opened up again as I was reaching for the handle to the stairs. Rose slipped out into the hallway and jogged to catch up with me.

"I'm with you Bella, Alice rigged the cards."

I nodded and tugged the door open so we could head upstairs. "Its kind of scary how good she is at that game."

Rose agreed. "I gave up being surprised by things that Alice does. As long as she keeps Jasper happy she can do whatever she wants."

"Do you know how they're getting along? Has Jasper talked about her to you?"

She shrugged. "We actually haven't spoken to much these past few days. He's been glued to Alice's side constantly. I think he loves her Bella. I've never seen him like this before."

I opened the door to the sixth floor and followed Rose inside. "I noticed that they've been spending a lot of time together. It's cute." I didn't mention our group sleepover.

Rose leaned against the wall next to my door as we could talk a bit more. "How are you and Edward getting along?" She asked. "Emmett mentioned that Edward hasn't been in his room the past few nights."

I blushed, Emmett was supposed to keep his mouth shut. I didn't really care if Rose knew, but who else had he told? How had he known Edward wasn't in his room, no one ever caught him coming down? Why were Rose and Emmett talking about me and Edward behind our backs?

I quelled the momentary rush of panic when Rosalie started giggling and put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, Emmett told me you guys are trying to keep your little sleepovers a secret. I won't tell. He didn't mean to tell me but I already knew you two were hot for each other."

I blushed again. "I am not hot for Edward."

"Bull." She said. "You smile more around him and he spends at much time zipped to your side as Jasper does to Alice. I know you like him and I didn't ask about what you two were doing at night, just how it was going."

I blushed harder. "We're not doing anything."

She giggled at me. "You're not doing anything, yet."

"Well what about Emmett?" I shot back, desperately trying to turn the conversation away from me.

Rose stopped giggling and I noticed that her hands started playing with the bottom of her shirt. Now I felt bad. I knew that she liked Emmett but that she'd been having trouble getting closer to him. I was so insensitive, way to go Bella.

I opened my mouth to apologies when she smiled at me. My apology turned into a question. "What?"

She let go of her shirt and folded her hands together in front of her. "I told him."

"You did, no way." She'd finally told him about Royce? "What did he say?"

She shied and tucked a strand of her hair behind her head. "He was great Bella. You guys have all been so nice. He didn't seem to care at all."

"Were your friends Rose, we care about you. I told you he'd understand.

She nodded. "I thought I had friends before the attack Bella; but nearly everone I was close to dumped me the same day Royce died. Some of them even blamed me for his death. I guess in a way it was my fault but I'm not sorry it happened" She said smiling at me. "You guys are just really good people. Jasper and I were lucky to find you guys."

The door to the stairs opened and we both jumped. Alice walked into the hallway munching out of her bang of winnings; she must have had "two hundred dollars" worth of pretzels in that bag. I was never playing cards with her again.

She paused when her eyes landed on us, catching the awkward silence he entrance had caused.

"Hey guys, what's up?" She asked.

The door closed behind her and it didn't look like anyone else was coming up stairs. I glanced at Rose waiting for her to tell Alice what she's told me. It wasn't my place to say anything. Rose caught my questioning look and turned to Alice.

"I told Emmett."

Alice slid closer to us and offered us both pretzels. "What did he say?"

"Not much really." She said taking a pretzel and nibbling on the end of it. "He said he was sorry and that he was glad Jasper had killed him, but disappointed that he couldn't do it himself. He seemed almost angry that he haddn't been there to stop it."

Alice beamed. "I told you he'd understand."

I chuckled. "That was what I said when she told me."

"You guys want to watch a movie in my room tonight?" Rose asked sticking the rest of her pretzel in her mouth. "I think we could all use a girls night."

I nodded. "Sure, I need to shower quick."

"Me too" Alice said, "How about we met in your room in an hour?"

Rose nodded. "Alright, I should throw a load of clothes in the wash anyway quick."

"I've got the perfect movie." Alice said zipping across the hall and opening her room. "I'll see you in an hour.

Rose disappeared in her own room and I slid into my shower as quickly as I could. I washed raised and repeated twice to get rid of all of the day's sweat and grim before slipping into my shorts and tank-top pajamas combo. I pulled a sweater on over my tank since I wasn't wearing a bra and slid on my slippers so I could run upstairs quick.

I knocked on Edward's door and found him wearing his pajama pants with a pillow under his arm. That was wearied he didn't usually bring a pillow to my room. He used mine, I used him.

"Alice already told me about your girl's only night." He said in explanation when I opened my mouth to tell him not to come down to night.

I nodded, that explained it. "Alrighty then, I wasn't sure if you knew or not."

He nodded and grabbed a blanket off his bed along with his slippers. "I'm watching a movie with Emmett tonight."

I pecked him on the cheek and told him I'd come up tomorrow night, instead of him sneaking down to be with me, before skipping back downstairs. I piled my pillows and blankets up together and dragged them down the hall to Rose's room. Alice yanked the door open before I could finish knocking and helped me pile everything into the giant nest on the floor. She and Rose had moved Rose's bed to the other end of the small room so we could all lie on the floor together.

Alice pulled a movie out and slid it into the player. "I tried to watch this movie a few nights ago." She said smiling to herself. "But, I got a bit distracted so I missed most of it."

I smacked my pillow to fluff it up and passed on the popcorn Rose was holding out to me. If I ate anything else tonight I was going to explode. Vanhelsing's main menu popped up and Rose and I both made noises of agreement. This was a good movie

Rose turned on her bed side lamp when Alice got the overhead lights and when she sat down Rose pulled her pillow onto her lap and said. "Ok, girl's night means boy talk; spill about my brother."

Alice's face when blank, it was hard to tell in the shadows, but I think she was blushing. Looks like Alice wasn't going to get to watch this movie again. I giggled looking forward to the grilling Alice was about to get, but fearful for what they would ask me when it was my turn to "talk boys".

~Darkrose

Woohoo; two chapters together! I'm trying to make up for making you guys wait so long for me to update. I'm sorry for that, and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I've got big plans for the rest of this round and I can' wait to reach the fateful top ten when the couples all get split up.

...Has everyone seen the trailers for Eclips? They look good, I can't wait.