Here is the ending to week four that you've all been waiting for so long and I'm sorry for that…I feel like I've been apologizing a lot for my tardiness lately and I am truly thankful to all of you who have stuck through this with me.

Chapter 43: Evictions must go on

Pov-Bella

What a mess. From my spot back stage I could hear the live audience talking, their dull roar only slightly muffled by the thick stage curtain seperating us. I was sitting with Leah and Jake off to the side, while Leah iced her ankle. She had a nice bruise forming but the swelling had gone down a bit. James still wasn't back and no one had heard any news from the medics.

"This sucks." Jake said bumping his head against the wall behind him.

"Not for you it doesn't." Leah said wincing as she stood up to try and stretch out her leg. "If James goes home tonight you and the other boys get a free pass into next week."

"Not necessarily." I said, passing Leah the brace she was going to have to wear during tonight's routine. It limited her mobility, which was kind of the point I guess, but it would make the rest of tonight's dance harder on her. "Who knows what the judges have in store for us. They could do anything."

"And I don't want a free pass." Jake added. "I don't think any of the guys here do, we all want the chance to beat James fair and square."

Leah popped another pair of aspirin into her mouth and sat back down to rub her ankle some more. I waved her hands away and propped her foot in my lap so that I could rub it for her.

"What if he had beaten you?" Leah asked, trying to make her voice playful but she couldn't hide the wince when I pushed to hard.

"Sorry." I said quickly and lightened my grip.

She waved me off.

Jake snorted, "Get real Leah, I could dance circles around that punk. He's a good dancer but he's no Jake."

"Well now you'll never know." She said playfully.

They continued their banter as Emmett and Edward joined us and Edward took over massaging Leah's ankle for me. He alternated between icing it and rubbing because he said it would help it heal stronger and suggested that regardless of how the show went tonight she should try using a heat wrap at night for the next week so it didn't stiffen up later in the show.

Everyone was dressed in their pirate best; my solo dress was hanging up on the back of my chair. Jason came around and touched up Edward's and mine's make-up, and before I could believe it was really time, we were being called to line up and James still wasn't here.

I was off on stage right with some of the other "deck hands" and the music started as soon as "captain Emmett" stepped on stage. The lights turned blue and green as they rocked slowly to the beat of the sea. The stage looked amazing and I tried not to let the audience's applause throw me off as I stepped on stage with the others.

My focus settled on the music as I let myself fall into character. Emmett might think that this was his ship, but I was about to take it from him. Or at least try to take it. As the music grew I played my part as a deck hand. Victoria tossed me a broom and I swept a few times before tossing it back. I was on the front end of the stage so the audience would easily be able to see me as we broke into smaller groups to do eight count sets.

Edward and Ben carried the chest across the stage and I stepped out of sync with my group to watch them. The smaller groups on the other side got together for a larger set which then my side mirrored and I moved forward to grab Angela's arm. I pointed to the chest and tried to pull her with me but she brushed me off and danced away.

The audience cried out as Erik flipped down from the crows nest and then cheered when he landded saftly. I drew my sword and sunk around the other dancers only to be chased away by Emmett as I neared his treasure. The audience seemed to have realized that I was up to something, and I tried not to let it throw me, as I turned to the crowd and saw just how many people were watching us. I usually tried not to lock eyes with the audience.

The music grew as I swapped sides and fell into step with Leah's group. She's just been told off by Jasper and, as the others danced, I pulled her to the front and waved my sword at Emmett. She smiled evilly and rubbed her hands together like a villain in an old school murder film. It was perfect and her acting helped me fall farther into character. She drew her sword and we advanced.

We were creeping up the center of the stage as the other dancers moved in sync around us. Emmett was playing the part of Capitan up by the wheel and his loyal first mate Jasper was blocking the stairs to him. This was part of the dance we'd had to change. Leah couldn't hop down from the platform so I let her slip past me to take on Jasper and took her part by running up the steps and attacking Emmett.

Emmett drew his sword after ducking past my first blow and I couldn't get rid of the stupid grin as we play fought. We hit our swords together a few times and he did an impressive flip to doge one of my blows. Emmett lunged at me and I spun on my toes and dove into Leah's flip before I could let myself think about what I was doing.

I hit the ground hard but on my feet, having dodged Emmett's blow to block one of Jasper's from hitting Leah. We were losing. I smacked Jasper in the hand with my sword and his slid across the stage out of reach. I jumped forward to finish him off as the rest of the ship converged on us. They forced us forward twoards the audence. Without James we couldn't do a lift and that was better for Leah's ankle anyways. The music grew stronger as Jake caught Leah and forced her to her knees with his blade at her throat. My only partner had been captured.

The rest of the crew formed a half circle around me leaving me trapped against the plank as the music slowed to a grand coard. Emmett stepped forward and the audience clapped and laughed as he forced me backwards onto the plank by waving his sword at me. I really sucked at the whole mutiny thing, I didn't think I'd make a good pirate.

I dropped my sword in surrender and turned to face the audience. I stepped forward with the last few drum beats, and as the theme from pirates ended I dropped off the plank to land in a roped off section of the audience. The lights went dark for a moment as the crowd roared and then came back up in a sea of oranges and reds as Cat walked out to another round of cheers.

"That's your top fourteen America! Aren't they lovely? You all look so wonderful, look I even brought my eye patch along."

I pulled out of my crouch and moved towards the stage as Cat waved to the crowd and showed off her gold eye patch. Edward offered me a hand as I climbed up the stairs back onto the stage and Cat got the crowd clapping again.

"Let's give them another hand everyone, that wonderful routine was choreographed by our very own Wade Robson! Wasn't it wonderful"

The crowd cheered again and the music switched as I moved with the other girls to get to the left side of the stage and the boys moved to the right.

"Here they are again America!" Cat called, having moved center stage. She held out her arms. "These are your boys." One by one the boys stepped forward and struck a pose as she called off their names. "Erik, Jasper, Jake; our very own captain Emmett." Emmett took off his captain's hat for a bow before launching the hat into the crowd. "Ben, and Edward."

The boys moved back as I slid forward with the girls. Leah was right in front of me and I was glad to see that her ankle wasn't slowing her down any.

"And these are your beautiful top seven girls." Cat called amid another round of cheering as she called off our names. "Tanya, Angela, Rosalie, Alice, Victoria and our very own pirate malcontents Leah and Bella!"

Leah and I struck our pose together before spinning away from the audience to dance our way off stage with the rest of the dancers. As soon as we got off stage Leah tripped over a cord on the floor and Emmett and I helped her get seated off to the side. Her eyes were wet but she refused to cry in front of us.

"That was awesome" She commented. "Ouch, don't touch." She yelled as Emmett tryed to look at her ankel.

"Sorry, Yeah it was, you two thought you could take my ship away." Emmett said making her laugh.

"We almost got it." I added elbowing him.

He rolled his eyes, we hadn't even been close. "Yeah better luck with that next time." He said sarcasticaly.

Out front we could hear Cat introducing the judges and then the comment we'd all been waiting for came up.

"Now some of you may have noticed that we were one guy short on stage this evening." Cat started, addressing the live audience out front as well as the live cameras sending the show out all over the country.

All of the dancers back stage had fallen quiet and were gathered around the stage front monitors so we could watch, all in various stages of getting out of our pirate outfits and into our solo costumes.

"Earlier today," Cat continued once the audience had quieted down. "While our dancers were learning the very dance you just saw them perform, this happened." She motioned to the large monitor as a clip started playing.

They always had cameras on us, so it didn't shock me that they had footage of the accident, but I hadn't seen it earlier like the others had. The camera showed all of us dancing together on stage with Wade clapping his hands and calling out directions. Then zoomed in on me as I spun towards the plank and the others moved forward to catch us.

Over my shoulder you could see James throw Leah into a lift and even before it was over you could tell it was going to go wrong. James had thrown Leah wrong and she was crooked in the air. She threw a hand out to try and correct the mistake but it was too late to stop it and James didn't know how to fix it. She came down wrong and James lost his grip on her as she fell to the stage and he was knocked forward into me.

James and I tumbled across the stage and the clip ended as he fell off the front of the stage and disappeared into the empty seats. The audience gasped and then a short clip of James and Leah in the medics room played and then the screen was back on Cat. "In a season with more accidents then ever before will this fall finally be the one that sends one of our contestants home?" She asked. "We'll tell you all about it after this break."

During the break Jason pulled Edward and I back to our room and started scrubbing the pirate make-up off our faces. He was working on our hair as the small monitor in our dressing room came on and we could see Cat standing on stage with Leah and Emmett.

Leah was still in her pirate outfit but someone had cleaned her face off and Emmett, who still had on his pirate make-up had changed into a pair of black pants. He had one arm around Leah's waist and was holding her up because she wasn't putting any of her weight on her bad ankle and had apparently refused to use her crutches.

"Welcome back everyone," Cat called "For those of you who are just joining us, we just watched a clip of the nasty accident we had right here earlier this morning. Now Leah you're with us tonight." She said turning to Leah. "But James and Bella were also knocked over, can you tell us a bit about what happened."

Leah nodded before speaking into the mic. "I'm not completely sure to be honest Cat. I hadn't seen it until the clip, it all went so fast in practice. James tossed me up but I was crooked and the landing went wrong. He fell into Bella and then rolled off the stage."

Cat nodded along. "And you and James both went to see the medics, what did they tell you?"

"Yes," Leah said. "Bella was fine. I jammed my ankle pretty badly and I don't know about James. We haven't heard anything yet."

Cat nodded along again and turned to the judges table. "I believe you have some news on James don't you Nigel?" She asked.

"Yes," Nigel said leaning forward towards his mic. "After the accident we had a talk with our show doctor about everyone involved in the accident. Leah is under surveillance and resting her ankle, but obviously she's here with us tonight for which were all very glad and is still able to perform."

Mary and the audience clapped and Leah looked like she wanted to run from the stage, clearly not enjoying the attention because she was hurt.

"Bella," Nigel continued and I whished he would have just left me out of it since I hadn't been hurt. "Escaped with minor scraped, which was very lucky given her track record so far this season." The audience laughed and I flicked Jason off when he giggled too. So I'd almost gotten run over by a crazy van and I'd fractured my knuckle punching Edward in the face. Get over it!

"Oh, shut up."

Edward smirked at me, but his lop sided smile was so beautiful I didn't get mad at him. He was lucky he was cute. "You know they only mentioned it to get some laughs and ease the tension out there." He said and as much as I didn't like it, that made sense.

Nigel continued. "On the other hand, after talking with our medics we've very recently learned that James's injuries were worse then we first thought them to be."

The room went quiet as he continued. I could just picture the other dancers in their dressing rooms with their noses pressed against the monitors like we were as everyone listened to hear if James would be joining us again. It didn't sound promising.

"James has torn a muscle in his knee." Nigel explained. "He's at the hospital right now getting it looked at but, from what we have heard, it will need surgery and the doctors say that there is no way he will be able to continue with this competition. He's going to need months of therapy after the operation before he will even be able to dance again and were all very sorry that it's come down to this."

It was like someone had let the air out of our balloon. That was it, he was really gone. It didn't matter what America thought this week because James couldn't come back. Cat gave Emmett and Leah the ok to leave the stage before she turned back to talk to Nigel some more.

"So what does that mean for the remaining contestants?" She asked.

"It means that for the rest of our guys it doesn't matter what America thought of their performances last night, they will all automatically make it into next week." There was some cheering for the boys from the audience but they fell silent as Nigel continued. "Tonight just the girls will come on stage and we'll see which three girls have fallen into the bottom and are in danger of going home."

Just as he finished speaking a crew man walked into our room and told Edward that the guys were going to be lining up with Cat on stage after the next break and that he should get into place as soon as possible.

Jason fluffed Edward's hair and then I put it back in place. "Congratulations." I told him as he pulled on his shirt. He shrugged. "It's kind of bitter sweat." He said. "I don't want to get it this way."

That was the same thing Jake had said.

I gave him a hug. "Don't worry about it now. You were better then James anyway. You're in the top twelve, just one more week and you're on the top ten tour."

He wrapped his arms around my waist and crushed me to him. "You better be there with me, so go out their and kick some ass ok?"

"Are you saying that you think we'll fall into the bottom?"

He shook his head. "No, but if we do I want you to kick some ass, ok?"

"I will." I promised.

He left and I waved to a few of the other guys as they passed by before letting Jason finish my hair. He brushed it out and left it down my back as I slipped into the Latin style dress I'd chosen for my solo dance if I had to do one this week.

Every week I had new ideas about what I wanted to do for my solo. Latin was my strongest style so I knew it would always be the core of my work. This week I'd found a one sleeved orange dress with lots of fringe. The skirt only covered one of my legs and there was a hole in it to show of my mid-drift but it would work perfectly for the hip work in Latin dancing. Jason thought it was sexy.

After the next break Cat called the guys on stage with her and repeated the bit about them all making it into next week. I lined up with the other girls off stage as Cat had the audience clap and directed the guys down to the floor in front of the judge's seats.

"This week only the girls are in danger." Cat said turning her attention back to the camera. "So let's find out which of our three girls will be dancing for their lives. Can I have the first group please?"

Victoria, Rosalie, Leah and Angela all walked out on stage. Leah had succumbed to using her crutches to help keep her weight off her ankle. They lined up next to Cat who was holding her white envelop with the results of last nights voting in it.

"First, Leah lets start off with you. Do you think you'd be able to dance a solo tonight if you had to?" She asked.

Leah stood up straighter and held her head high. "Of course." She answered strongly. "I'm not ready to go home and it's going to take more then this to send me off early. I'm here to stay."

The crowd applauded her strength and cat opened her envelop after a quick clip of Leah's dance last night. "I look's like your ankle is safe Leah." Cat said. "Because America loved you and you are the first woman in our top twelve."

The crowd cheered and clapped and Jake and Emmett both hoped up on stage to help Leah get down. Jake took her crutches as Emmett showed off his strength by picking her up and hopping back down to the floor.

Cat moved on to Victoria, who was the first girl in the bottom and I held my breath as she went over clips of both Rosalie's and Angela's dance umbers from the night before.

"So Rosalie and Angela." Car said, drawing out our pain. "One of you is safe from elimination and one of you will have to fight for your life with Victoria in the bottom three. But who did America vote to keep after yesterday's dances?" She paused again. "We'll find out after this break."

AHH! I hate it when she does that.

Last night Rosalie had danced Broadway and Tango with Ben. Rose had felt better on the Tango and Ben had obviously shined on the Broadway. I thought both pieces were strong but the judges had commented that Rose had a tendency to dance stronger the Ben did which threw off their partnership. Ben was already safe, I just hoped that those comments wouldn't get Rose sent into the bottom.

Angela and Erik had done a duo with African Rumba and Contemporary. There comments hadn't been the best either. They thought Angela had trouble getting into the right grove for an African style number and Erik had trouble lifting himself to get the long lines needed in the Contemporary number. They were both on the weaker end of the remaining dancers, but I loved them both and didn't want to see either gone.

Cat turned on her smile and moved between the last two girls as the camera came on. She pulled them both in close before announcing that Angela was the second girl in the bottom. I was sad to se her fall but not surprised that she had fallen rather then Rose. Rose was a powerhouse of blond-haired mussel. If I wanted to win I had to eventually beat both her and Leah and they were both stronger dancers then I was.

Cat called the rest of us out onto the stage and I stood in line with Alice and Tanya. Cat called Alice forward first.

"Alice, last night you preformed an up-beat Hip-hop routine and an even faster Salsa number with your partner Jake." We saw quick clips of both. "The judges continued to love both you and comment on your growth as individual dancers. Did America agree with them?"

Of course they did. I thought to myself. There were three of us on stage and only one spot left in the bottom. They would save the last spot for when there were only two dancers on stage to build the tension. Alice was a judge's favorite and a great dancer, now that she had a better partner I didn't see her falling again until higher in the competition. If she did, Mary would probably have a fit.

"Yes they did." Cat said to a round of cheers. "Alice you are safe this week."

Alice gave both me and Tanya quick hugs and wished us luck before rushing off stage to stand with the others.

"Bella," Cat said turning her evil smile on me. She already knew, I was convinced she did, the cards were for show. I just wanted her to say it already. "Last night you danced a beautiful Viennese Waltz and then a very emotional Sonya Tayeh Contemporary piece that moved several people to tears. Nigel said that you and your partner Edward continue to impress him and over all your comments were positive." She smiled to the camera. "But did America agree with you? We'll find out after we talk to Tanya."

I wanted to roll my eyes but managed just to look a little disappointed. Cat turned and started talking to Tanya. Cat reviewed both of Tanya and James dances with clips and commented on what the judges thought of them. It might be that I was just nervous being up next to Tanya but I had the feeling Cat was trying to draw out how long this took because the show needed to fill space because the boys weren't dancing anymore. Maybe it was just me.

"Alright girls." Cat said once Tanya was done. "One of you is safe and will be automatically moving into next week and one of you will be joining Angela and Victoria in the bottom three."

She popped open her envelope and glanced at the name, then she paused like she always does, and read the name. "Bella you are safe, which means this week Tanya you have fallen into the bottom and will have to dance for your life with the other girls."

I felt like jumping out of my skin. I was so relived to finally know and ecstatic that I was safe again this week. Maybe I could go the whole show without falling into the bottom? How cool would that be? I gave Tanya a quick hug, which was mildly uncomfortable, but she didn't have any choice to hug me back under the cameras. I wished her luck, because it was polite, and secretly hoped that Angela would crush her under her high-heels. What? So I wasn't her biggest fan. Tanya and I had been taking noticeable masseurs to avoid each other in the house, as much as we could, this past week and I was completely ok with continuing that. Even better would be if she just went home.

I nearly skipped off stage and got my hugs from everyone, sharing congratulations that we were all safe for next week and taking my first real breath since Cat had called me out on stage. I moved into Edward's side and he hooked his arm around my waist as we listened to Cat talk while the other girls got ready for their solos back stage.

Nigel talked about his Dizzy Feet dance organization to fill up the last few minutes before a commercial break and then Cat announced that when we came back Angela would be up first with her solo. As the lights came back up Cat smiled from her spot on the side of the stage and introduced Angela again.

Angela had changed into a white dress with black spots and was dancing to "I'm so excited" I thought the song was very fitting and her dazzling smile filled the stage with her quirky show dancing. We were all so ecstatic to be here doing what we love and none of us could really hide it, as cheesy as that was. It was quick passed and high energy. Angela wasn't a technical dancer. She'd only had two or three years of formal dance lessons. Most of her practice came from small stage productions she'd been in. I'd heard her sing in the lounge a few times and had a feeling that she'd be any Broadway producers wet dream come true and I had already told her to send me tickets to her first big scale production.

Victoria danced to a shortened version of the song "Black Bird" in a little black baby doll dress. I clapped with the others as she finished her song and then Cat called Tanya out to do her solo. Tanya was a great dancer, part of me wished I didn't have to say that but, she was. She'd chosen to dance to a song with no words which was always risky. I didn't know what it was but her floor length dress made me think it was probably something she'd used in a Fox Trot or maybe in a fast passed Waltz. It was a pretty song and showed off her perfect control. I clapped when she was done and fidgeted as the cameras dimed for the last break.

Alice moved over to my side and I held onto her hand. All of the dancers had clustered together in our little waiting spot and it was the first time I'd noticed how much extra space there was down here now. We'd already lost six people and it was hard to believe that this show had only started three weeks ago. It felt like it had been so much longer then that and at the same time had taken no time at all.

"Who do you think will go home?" Alice asked, nodding to the stage.

Cat was standing on stage and we watched as Angela and Victoria came back out to line up with Tanya next to her. The judges had all gone back stage to pick who would go home and the count down said we had just over a minute before the cameras would come back on.

"I don't know Alice, I hope it's not Angela."

"Me too" She said "I like Angela. I just don't know if she's as strong a technical as the other two are."

"I think Nigel likes her." Edward added, "He was excited to get two Broadway dancers on the show in the first place."

I nodded, "Yeah but that's just it, if she goes home we've still got Ben."

They both nodded along and we fell silent with the rest of the dancers as the lights came back up and Cat turned her smile to the crowd. The audience roared and the three dancers in trouble all looked like they might be sick.

"It's time America," Cat said into her mic. "Which two girls will be safe and dance again next week and which one will our judges send home?"

She turned to Nigel who leaned forward to talk into his mic. "Well Cat, this was a very difficult week for us to decide and to be perfectly honest we are still split." He paused. "Tanya would you step forward please?"

Tanya stepped forward. "Tanya you were the one person we all agreed on. We think you have much more to show us and we can't wait to see you dance again next week."

Tanya gave the other two girls quick hugs and then speed down the stairs to join the rest of us. Emmett swept her into a hug and then she was passed down the line so the rest of us could congratulate her. I said a quick good job because it was polite and moved closes to Alice when she tossed herself at Edward.

I grumbled a bit under my breath and Alice chuckled at me. "Just because their friends doesn't mean you have to like her." She reminded me.

I didn't, but I kept my mouth shut. Nigel had moved on to Angela and Victoria. The judges had been spilt two to one but on this show majority ruled.

"I'm sorry Angela." Nigel said. "But, we will not be seeing you next week."

"Dang it." Alice mumbled next to me.

Ben looked devastated, and all of the dancers looked disappointed. We knew someone had to go each week, but it never got any easier to send a friend home, even more so when that someone was as sweet as Angela. Victoria came off stage and we all gave her our congratulations while Cat rapped up the show and as the ending theme song came on we rushed the stage to get once last change to talk to her.

I balled when it was my turn for a hug. Angela had been my roommate during the hardest part of the show and I was going to miss her deeply.

"Stop that Bella." She yelled at my and she wrapped her arms around my neck. "You're going to make me cry too."

She cried, I cried, then Jake grabbed my hand and spun me in a circle and we laughed. Once the cameras were off the audience was let out and I went backstage with the others to clean up our costumes. Once we got back to the studio I helped Angela pack her things and made her promise three times that she would look me up when I got back to Arizona after the show.

"I will Bella, I promise. We gathered in the lobby and passed Angela down the line to get one last hug from everyone. A taxi was waiting out front to take her to the airport. Crew members had already packed James's things up and brought them to him at the hospital. He would be getting moved tomorrow back to his hometown before undergoing the surgery he would need to fix the tendon in his knee.

"Bye Angela." Erik called jumping up and down on the sidewalk in front of the studio as we all waved goodbye. We watched until her taxi turned the corner and filed back into the studio to rest up for tomorrow.

~Darkrose

I hope you all enjoyed it and you'll be happy to know I've already got most of the next chapter written.

Did anyone else knotice that after I had James get hurt all of the dancers on the real show started getting hurt...I hope I didn't jinx them. I'm sad Kent didn't win, this just adds more prouf to the fact that my fav's never win. :(