WOO, Is everyone watching the new season! I kind of miss Mary (Don't tell anyone I said that because she's always irritated me before.) I'm glad that Mia is back the show was deffinetly missing somthing without her and Sonya continues to be beyond excelent as always. Is anyone else thrown off by the all stars comming back? I keep watching them instead of the new people when they dance. Go back to a top twenty! My early favorite is 'Kent' I agree with Adam that he could go really far if he continues to grow. I hope I didn't just jynx him because my favorites never win... Sorry Janette your still my favorite from season 5!

Chapter 42- Hoist the Colors

Pov- Bella

"Bella, we should head down, we're already late."

I shrugged my shoulders as best I could with Edward's arms around my waist. We'd been up for half an hour just lying together watching the clock slowly tick towards 7'o clock. Today would be individual solo work followed by the elimination show. The others didn't need us to get started on solo work.

Edward probably sensed that I wasn't going to move willingly yet and I bit back a very girlish squeak when he flipped us over unexpectedly. My head landed on his pillow with his arms braced on either side of me so his face could hover above mine.

I smirked up at him, "Good morning."

"Yes it is," He leaned down and kissed the tip of my nose. I moved to kiss his lips again but he lifted his head up and out of my reach. I pouted at him which just made him chuckle. "Are you ready to head downstairs?"

He wasn't going to kiss me until I got up. "Are you trying to bribe me?"

"Maybe, is it working?"

I rolled my eyes. "Alright I'm getting up."

I braced my elbows against the mattress ready to push myself up but he didn't move over. I raised an eyebrow at him. "I thought you wanted me to get up?"

"Don't you want your reward?" He asked leaning down to press his lips against mine again. I definitely wanted my reward.

Five minuets later we both rolled out of bed to start changing for the day. I'd brought a change of clothes up with me so we wouldn't have to stop at my room on our way down. Edward was digging in his closet for a clean shirt and I debated taking my clothes into his bathroom to change or just changing here. It wasn't like he hadn't seen most of it anyway with some of the outfits I'd worn on the show and I was wearing a bra.

Staying here won, I didn't feel like walking to the bathroom. I exchanged my sleeping shorts for black yoga pants and slipped into a pair of silver flats. I'd probably work on my solo barefoot but I preferred to have something on my feet when we climbed the stairs. I tugged my tank-top over my head and tossed it with my shorts on the end of the bed.

I could hear Edward as he stepped back into the main room and felt like being mean. I owed him a little pay back for bribing me to get up. I said a quick thank you to Summer for her way with Victoria's Secret. She'd made me buy the bra I was wearing right now and it was the only one I'd brought with me that gave my meager bust some decent cleavage.

The shirt I was going to wear was on the other side of the bed and as I reached over to get it I stuck my ass a little farther up in the air then it would have gone by itself. I grabbed the shirt and wiggled my hips a little bit. The pants I was wearing were some of my favorites, tight around the waist so they wouldn't fall down but lose around my legs so I could still dance in them. They made my butt look good in my modified "Bend and snap". Summer would have been proud.

I straightened up with the intent of turning around and letting him watch me pull the shirt over my head. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, I hadn't heard him move. Before I could spin around a pair of arms wrapped themselves around my waist. "You know," Edward said softly, his lips pressed against the shell of my ear. "I like you in blue, but black is pretty nice too." He kissed his way from my ear to my shoulder and I shivered as his fingers brushed against my bare sides.

My skin flamed as I blushed and I was irritated that he'd turned this back on me. I was supposed to be teasing him. His lips left my shoulder and I twisted before he could move again. His hands still on my hips, I faced him and laid my arms around his neck, still holding my shirt in my hand.

"Actually I'm pretty sure I have a bra identical to this one in blue." Actually I knew I did, it was the wrong blue, but he didn't need to know that yet.

His eyes dropped momentarily to my bra before returning to my face and I flamed hotter as my blush crept from my checks down my neck. My wash of bravery was gone, and my playful need to tease him suddenly didn't seem so smart. I was in good shape and I'd always had clear skin but I'd never thought of myself as particularly pretty; particularly plain maybe.

He seemed to sense my sudden unease as his arms loosened their hold on me. "You are beautiful Bella." He said before leaning in quick to kiss me again. This kiss was quicker then our previous exchanges and he stepped back when his lips left me bending over to grab his shoes. "You ready?" He asked with a smirk and I realized I hadn't moved yet. I tugged my shirt on over my head and stole his brush quick to tie my hair back.

"Let's do it."

In the end we still had to stop by my room so I could brush my teeth and drop off my pajamas. I was glad to see that our little exchange upstairs didn't create any awkward tension between us. He waited in my room while I finished getting ready and held my hand all the way down to the lounge. Edward pushed the door open for us and every eye in the room turned on us.

Cat was standing with a camera guy and another man with the other dancers. Cat waved us into the room and Emmett patted the empty chair next to him for me to sit in.

"There they are." Cat said with a bright smile. I hoped they hadn't been waiting for us too long. "Now I can introduce my friend here, Mr. Wade Robson."

Everyone clapped and small whispers broke out among the dancers. I knew Wade from some of the past seasons. He choreographed 'Ramalama' in season two, and last seasons top ten group dance to 'So Much Betta'. Did this mean he was going to be doing a group number with us?

"Alright everyone, alright." Cat said trying to reclaim our wondering attention. "As some of you may have guessed already Wade is here to do a group number with you for tonight's show."

Tonight? The room fell silent as everyone took that in.

Cat chuckled at us. "That's right tonight's show is going to open with this top fourteen group number. That means you've all got a lot of work ahead of you, because the show is in roughly ten hours." She turned to Wade. "Your stuff is set up in Studio two downstairs and the stage team is working back in the main building. Their all yours."

Cat and the camera guys left and Wade smiled at us and clapped his hands together once. "Let's get to work. Everyone met me downstairs, in studio two, in five minutes."

Wade left followed by some of the dancers who were ready to head down. I wolfed an orange and a granola bar before downing a glass of water. It wasn't what I would have normally chosen for breakfast but I would need something in my stomach.

Emmett followed Edward and I into the hall as we headed downstairs. "You two cut it kind of close this morning don't you think?"

I hit him in the arm. "Shut up Emmett."

"Bella didn't want to get up." Edward said dumping the blame on me. I hit him too. "I wasn't the only being a little slow this morning."

"You took forever to get changed." He said smirked at my playfully.

I blushed, and shot a glance at Emmett. What did I care if Emmett was listening? He was on our side and he'd already promised to be quiet. "We'll I could have gone faster if you hadn't interrupted me."

"Oh" Emmett voiced with a smirk of his own. "Is this gunna be a dirty story? Because if it is, I should go get some popcorn."

"It's not a dirty story." I said, pausing in the hall so Edward could pull the door to the stairs open.

Emmett shied. "To bad, well I suppose it's not my place to push you kids. What do you think about this new group number?"

"Wade's amazing." Edward commented. "Did you see Ramalama in season two?"

I nodded. "Yes I did, it was one of my favorites."

"I bet this one's going to be even better." Emmett said as we reached the first floor and found some of the other dancers already stretching.

"Why's that?" I asked, setting my water bottle down along the wall.

"Duh" Emmett said, "Because I'm here this time."

I chuckled but our conversation was cut off as Wade walked in with the last of the dancers. He was carrying a box and when he got to the front of the room he asked us to all gather around. He went around and made sure he knew everyone's names.

"I've been watching the show so far and I'm very excited for my chance to work with you."

He dug in his box and pulled out a worn, three corner, dark leather hat. "The dance I have in mind for tonight doesn't really have a set style. I personally tend to lean towards Jazz like styles, but you could argue that it's contemporary." He held out the hat. "This is the captain's hat." He hit a button on the stereo and a very familiar tune started playing.

"This is Pirates of the Caribbean." Ben said. "I love Hanz Zimmer."

The whole room was smiling as the popular theme of the Black pearl continued to play around the room. I had to agree with Ben, these movies were amazing.

"That's right Ben." Wade said. "This dance is going to be a collection of songs from the pirates movies. Your all get dressed up like a bunch of scallywags and I've been working with our props master Tony for the stage decorations. There's going to be a sale hanging from the ceiling, a set of hanging nooses and even a working plank leading out over the front of the stage."

As Wade explained some of the different parts of the dance he started passing around a few of the props we were going to be using. Our dance would be taking place on a makeshift pirate ship and we would all be its crew. There would be one captain, who would get to wear the hat Wade was holding, one person would get to work the crows nest and actually repel from the ceiling and then one person was going to lead a mutiny against the others.

The dance would portray the struggles on the ship as the disloyal crew member tried to take over the ship. Everyone would get to dress up and there would be a chest full of treasure. He passed around a pair of shackles, a few medallions that people would get to wear, one of the swords we'd be using and even an eye patch that someone could wear if they felt brave.

"Who gets to be the captain?" Leah asked taking the hat Wade was passing around and putting it on her head. "I think I'd make a pretty bombing captain."

"Pirates didn't have girl captains." Erik said snatching the hat from her head.

"Elizabeth got to be captain in the last movie." Leah argued. "And that Japanese lady was a captain at Shipwreck Cove."

Wade took the hat from Erik and collected the rest of the props. "I've already chosen who is going to do each part." He tossed the hat across the group and it landed in Emmett's lap. "Emmett is our captain." He pointed to Erik. "If you're ok with it Erik, I'd like you to be the person up in the crows nest."

Erik whooped. "Hells yes I'm ok with that."

"Good," he nodded. "Now for our mutineers." He pointed one finger at Leah, who still looked a little upset that she didn't get to be captain, and then he turned and pointed one finger at me. "Bella and Leah, how do you too feel about working together?"

Leah brightened up immediately and held out a fist for me to bump. "That's right we bad." She said sticking her tongue out at Emmett. "And your ship is going down."

"In your dreams Clearwater."

Wade stepped in before they could start bickering and ordered everyone to stretch quickly so we could get started. We were going to work on some of the basic sets here and then move to the studio were the stage was already being set up.

We worked hard all morning and wound up eating lunch in the costume shop as best we could while Max's team worked on our costumes. Everyone was dressed in ripped pants or tattered skirts. There were several pairs of worn boots, lots of gold medallions, bandanas, skulls, leather, and dirty makeup to make us look like we'd been at sea for awhile.

Erik argued to use one of the eye patches, but Wade shut him down saying it was too dangerous when he was repelling from the ceiling. Leah and I were the only girls in pants, to help the audience make the connection that we were working together. I tied a dirty red scarf around my waist and Max added a leather belt that would hold the sword I got to use when I attacked Emmett. My top was a corset with a gold tie and poufy cream sleeves that hung off my shoulders and exposed most of my collar bone. I topped it off with worn black boots, my own gold chain, and a brown bandana that Jason would hook into my air so it didn't fall off.

Once everyone was dressed, make up would wait until right before the show, we were herded down to our buss and on our way to the studio. Jason had the box's with mine and Edward's solo outfits incase we fell into the bottom and I was getting nervous that we wouldn't have any time to work on our solo's.

Wade led us through the front doors and down one of the isles towards the stage.

"Shit" Erik commented as the stage came into view.

Emmett let out a low whistle, "I've got a good looking ship."

"It won't be yours for long." Leah commented under her breath, she was still a little upset that she couldn't be the captain.

The stage looked amazing. There was a platform set up on one end with a ship's wheel, a large black sail was hanging above the stage and I could see the wooden nest suspended from the cat walk that Erik would be using. The rest of the stage was covered in crates and barrels and piles of rope to make it look like a ship, there was even a canon in the back.

We had to walk up the side stairs to get onto the stage since the front steps were blocked by a long board leading out in front of the stage. Wade walked out onto the makeshift plank and started right back into our practice. He ordered Erick off to the side with a couple crew guys in black to learn how to repel from the ceiling and the rest of us were back to work.

Our music played over the loud speaker and the guys in the light box experimented with different shades of blues and greens, making the lights move so it looked like the ship was sailing on open seas. Leah and Emmett were working on a set of choreographed sword fighting, while I was working with Jasper, who was Emmett's first mate.

"Leah you need to spin farther on the last swing." Wade commented, calling for the music to stop and the rest of us to be quiet.

On the last swing of Leah's fight she was going to hop the railing on the raised plat form and land next to me on the stage below her.

"Yes just like that." Wade called as they ran through the fight again. "Now hop down." Leah flipped over the railing as Emmett lunged after her and landed at my side. "Good right next to Bella, just like that. The two of you will overcome Jasper and then head across the stage towards the treasure."

I smirked at Jasper when he was looking at Leah and leapt forward. I hit him in the hand with my rubber sword and he dropped his. "On guard."

"No sound effects Bella, but yes just like that." Wade commented.

"Pirates don't say on guard." Jasper commented as he retrieved his sward. "That was knights."

I made a face at him and said "Arrg. Happy?" He laughed.

Wade led me and Leah across the stage as he called the others into place. There would be a large group section and James would convert to our side so Leah and I had a male partner to dance with. The group section would end with James dead, Leah captured and, I cornered against the plank. Dang it!

Under Wade's direction Emmett moved forward, his captain's hat in place and his sword pointed towards me.

"Walk the plank Bella." He said with a sneer in his best pirate's voice.

I backed up until my boots hit the edge of the plank before turning to face the "Audience" Emmett moved forward to poke me with his sword and then I walked. Wade wanted me to drop just after the last note of the song. I would land in the center isle next to whoever was sitting in the end seats and stay there until the lights came on and Cat walked out. We would do the opening segment in our pirate costumes while the stage hands cleaned off the stage and then line up to find out who was going home tonight.

We took a five minute break so everyone could catch their breath and down their water bottles before Wade was calling for a full run through. We all got to watch Erick practice repelling a few times before he felt comfortable enough to do it by himself during the song. Wade called out opening spots and signaled to the guys working the light box.

The music started slow with Emmett up on the raised deck steering his ship. Jasper joined him holding a map and they conferred about direction while the rest of us started smaller individual sets on other parts of the ship.

Edward and Ben carried the treasure chest across the stage and set it on a crate for everyone to see. I crept across the front of the stage so the audience would see me and made my way towards the chest while the others were working. I drew my sword and hoped up next to the chest. There was a rise in the music as Emmett hoped off the raised deck and chased me away from the chest.

I sulked across the stage to where the other deck hands were working and grabbed the end of the rope Erik tossed me from the crows nest. I shook it a few times like I was helping with the sails before tying it to the wooden rail running along the back of the ship.

The lights danced in shades of blues and greens as they swayed on the ceiling to make it look like the ship was moving. I kept shooting glances at Emmett as he and Jasper joined some of the other boys for a quick group set in front of the chest. When they were done I hoped into my place and did a similar group set with Leah and the other dancers who had been working on the ship.

I touched Angela's arm and pulled her forward, when the segment was over, and made a show of putting my lips to her ear and pointing my sword at Emmett. I was asking her to help me off him so I could take over the ship and take the treasure. She pushed away from me shaking her head and disappeared back into the choreographed mayhem of the ships crew.

A few people were swabbing the deck, one of the smaller sails swung down as Erik repelled to the ground, and Emmett had returned to his spot near the helm. I kept my movements just a bit behind the beat so the audience would see that I wasn't moving in sync with the rest of the loyal crew. As the music rose again Leah and Jasper got into a little tiff. Jasper waved his hand like he was dismissing her and Leah sulked across the stage. I made my move and caught up to her as she reached the front of the stage again.

I put my arm over her shoulders, pointing my sword up at Emmett, so the audience would get that I was after him. Leah nodded along with my plan and pulled out her own sword. The dance was going better then I could have hoped it would, for only having the morning to work on it. There was enough non-dance choreography, with all of the ship props, that the audience wouldn't notice that it wasn't very clean.

As the entire group met up in the center of the ship, towards the end of the number, Leah pulled James to us for the final group set. The others were slowly working us forward towards the plank as we tried to gain the upper hand. We were outnumbers and it was becoming clear for the audience that we would lose in the end.

The music hit another high as the familiar theme from the pirates movies played over the loud speakers. James spun me forward as Leah danced past me so they could do the lift they'd been working on. I had my back to the majority of the dancers so I didn't see who it was that tripped.

One second I was getting ready for a spin and the next I was shoved off balance as someone heavier then me plowed into my back. I was shoved forward as some of the other dancers called out over the music. I threw my hands up as I hit the ground and felt someone slide over my legs as I rolled into the ledge for the plank.

The ledge that led up to the plank was only about two inches high but it kept me from flying over the edge of the stage like whoever had hit me did. Someone screamed, another voice called for the music to stop and then Wade was yelling for the show medics.

"Bella are you ok?"

The music cut off, but it was hardly noticed as everyone started speaking at once. Jake had rolled me over as he Edward and Angels hovered over me. My arm was throbbing from where I'd rolled into the plank ledge but I was fine.

"I'm good, I'm fine. What in the world happened?"

Jake sat me up and Edward ordered me to focus on the finger he was holding in front of my face. I batted his finger away. "I don't have a concussion."

Another pod of people were gathered over someone on the stage and Wade was down on the floor in front of the stage.

"James and Leah messed up their lift." Angela said. "He dropped her and then tripped over Erik. He ran into you and you both fell."

I saw Emmett pull Leah to her feet and then catch her as she wobbled. She adjusted her weight to her other foot and looked like she was favoring her right ankle. I tried to get to my feet but Edward kept me down as the medic crew burst in the front doors.

I rolled my eyes at him and tried to get up. "Are you kidding me I'm fine and I'm not going back to see Dr. Andrews again."

He complained but I made Jake help me to me feet. I checked both of my ankles and then my arm. I was scraped up a bit but I was fine. I moved to Leah's side and she shot an irritated glare at me.

"That jack ass dropped me! If my ankles messed up I'll kill him." She turned her glare on the edge of the stage where James had fallen and her expression faltered. "Is he ok?"

The medics had reached James and Wade was yelling to try and get the other dancers out of the way. Tears stained James's cheek as two of the medics lifted him up and propped him on the stretcher they'd rolled in.

Wade was ordering everyone on the stage as Dr. Andrews ordered his team to move James back to his mini wing of the show studio. Wade climbed up onto the stage and came over to us. "Leah, Bella are you two alright?"

I nodded. "I'm fine."

"Me too." Leah said quickly.

"Leah landed on her ankle." Emmett said, ratting her out. "She's limping."

Leah shot him a death glare. "It's fine."

"You need to get it looked at." Edward added. "If it's sprained you'll do more harm then good by over working it."

Wade called one of the medic techs to bring in another stretcher and Leah's death glare turned murderous. "No stretcher, I can walk."

To prove her point she took a few steps forward and tripped. "Damn it." She cursed as Emmett caught her around the waist.

"I got her Wade." Emmett offered waving off the second stretcher.

Leah was still scowling, but she didn't complain as he picked her up and hopped off the stage with her. They followed out the same door Dr. Andrews had taken James and the stage suddenly felt very quiet and empty after the uproar the accident had caused.

I bent over to grab my sword and when I stood up Victoria was waiting with her own glare. "You tripped him." She accused me. "He said he couldn't move his knee, how is he supposed to come back and dance tonight?"

"I didn't trip him." I shot out before she could continue. "He ran into me, my back was to him."

"Girls." Wade cut off our argument and stepped between us. "This was no ones fault." He continued. "Dance accidents happen all the time. I want you all to work individually for right now while I go check on James and Leah. Stay on the stage."

Wade hoped off the stage and headed for the door. The stage remained quiet until the door had shut behind him and then everyone started asking questions at once. What had happened, did anyone know what was wrong with James, how bad had Leah's ankle been, what would happen to the routine if they couldn't come back, would they be able to dance at all tonight, and if not, did that mean that they would be eliminated and the rest of us would get a free pass?

Jasper, Alice, Rose, Edward and I, all wound up sitting near the ships wheel on the raised platform. We all knew we should be working but no one really felt like it. Victoria hadn't spoken to me again but from her cold glances I had a feeling she was still blaming me. That was outrageous, my back had been to Leah and James, I hadn't even known they'd tripped up until James had run into me.

A half hour later Wade showed up with Cat and a camera man close on his heels. They gathered us all together before Wade told us what he knew. Leah's ankle was a little swollen, she'd jammed it when she fell wrong, but she was ok. She would be coming back in a little bit to see if it would interfere with any of our set choreography.

"Dr. Andrews wasn't as optimistic about James's condition." He said. "They have to wait for the x-rays to come back but it looked like he might have torn a mussel in his knee. If that is the case they'll take him to the hospital here in town to have him looked at. For now we'll have to wait and see if he can continue in the competition."

"What if he can't come back?" Tanya asked. She was James's partner. If he couldn't come back it would really only affect her.

"If James has to be medically eliminated then Tanya will partner with what ever boy loses their partner in tonight's show. I'm still trying to get a hold of Nigel and Mary to let them know what's happened. They might have another plan, but that's what makes the most sense to me."

Cat nodded along, "I'll get in touch with our producers to see what they'd want to happen. Hopefully James will be with us and we won't need to worry about any changes."

The door to the stage swung open and framed in the entrance was Emmett and Leah. Emmett was carrying a pair of crutches and Leah's ankle had been wrapped but she limped her way to the stage without any help. I had a feeling she'd have to get hit by a bus before she'd let someone tell her to go home over an injury.

I clapped with a few other people as she hopped her way up onto the stage and she hit me in the arm because I was the closest. "Shut up, I'm fine." She wobbeled and I grabed her arm to help her kepp her balance. Emmett tryed to give her the crutches but she ignored him.

"We're just glad you can still walk. We thought Bella might have killed two birds with one stone by getting you and James elliminated for injury." Jake commented from his safe spot behind me where Leah couldn't reach him.

"How was this my fault?" I asked. Jake dodged away from my when I tried to grab him and Leah steped out of my hold so I wouldn't bump her.

"I was only kidding Bella." Jakes promised. "It's usualy you who trips over their own feet."

Leah shot an anxious glance at Wade and Cat and forced a smile for their sake. "I'm fine, really." She insisted. "Dr. Andrews said I can still perform if you'll let me. I just need to take it easy and not put all of my weight on it for a few days. I'll make it work."

Wade nodded along, "All right Leah, We'll see how it goes. Let's give it a try everyone, set up to run it from the top."

Cat and her camera man disappeared as the rest of us sorted out our props and got into our starting places. One of the med techs was sitting in the stands watching us, or watching Leah really, but she was determined not to let this get to her.

We had to make a few adjustments to the dance for Leah's ankle and incase James couldn't come back, but in the end we had a full length number that wouldn't hurt Leah but would still wow the audience. I dropped off the end of the plank as the last notes of the music fell away and Wade started applauding. Tonight was going to be a mess.

~Darkrose

R&R, it makes my day and lets me know what you guys think of my writing and how I could improve on it. As always I'm sorry my updates have been slower then we'd all like, I keep getting distracted with diffrent things, I have no excuse.