The Ladder

Is there anyone left?

*This is not a sequel to 'Keep Your Shirt on Noah'. It was too hard to think of a follow on plot so i hope you don't mind haha. This story is set 3 years after Season 5 and i hope you enjoy!*

It was September, and the new academic year had begun. A lot of people had left A Troupe from between when school had ended and now, and on their first day back in rehearsals after the summer, the team looked bare.

Noah's phone beeped in his pocket and he took it out, reading a notification on his calendar. He smiled and told the few people that were behind him stretching, "Guys it's 3 years today since studio B was revealed, you know?"

"3 years?!" Amy and Piper looked at each other and couldn't believe it had been that long. Studio B was formerly Studio 1, where TNS East used to be based. Any time any of the dancers went in there now, it felt cold and reminded them of when there were two separate teams. It didn't have a nice atmosphere for any of the remaining A Troupers, so it was given to B Troupe and renamed the new 'Studio B' instead. 

Studio A was The Next Step's home, and it always would be.

"That means it's been 3 years since we did the regionals video too." Ozzy added, and everyone started to recall memories from that year while the four of them stretched, sadly remembering when they had a full team of dancers.

There were many reasons why the team was so small. Kingston and Heather had got scholarships with a dance company last year, then been offered full time jobs.  Josh had moved back to the countryside with his family. Zara had gone to university this year to study math, so left the studio, but had already joined the dance team there. 

Jacquie and Noah had broken up this summer, because Noah had been away a lot over Christmas and she was going to a university far away. It would be too hard for her to see him, and to stay on A Troupe,  so decided to just be friends to save them the heart ache. They really were still good friends though, and Jacquie loved to visit TNS when she came home for the occasional weekend. 

Lola had also finished school and had an apprenticeship as a vet. She only came to the studio for ballet and jazz classes now. She'd never seen herself as a professional dancer, but Lola loved dance too much to completely stop. 

They'd had people from B Troupe join them in the last two years to fill the spaces, but none of them were returning this year. It was strange. In the past, when someone was promoted from B Troupe to A, they'd be thrilled and work hard to stay in A Troupe. Now, A Troupe seemed like a burden, and not many people wanted the stress of it. Truthfully, they hadn't felt like a family since the days of TNS West and East. It just seemed like the main priority now was winning and having a team of great dancers, rather than a team that was a family. It was the reason Henry left. He just wasn't having fun anymore, so he managed to join LaTroy and Sloane on their tour.

The remaining A Troupers were in a state of limbo and were having to consider their futures. Amy was now in her first year of university, studying dance therapy, but she was still living at home so remained on the team. She'd just cut down the amount of other dance classes she used to take, so that A Troupe was her only other commitment. Piper had a year of high school left and was still unsure of what she wanted to do with her future, but whenever anyone asked her she'd say she had a plan. Ozzy had two years left and wasn't sure what his future held,  but all he knew was he wanted to become a millionaire.

Noah had left school a year ago, and left TNS, much to Kate's dismay. She cried so much the day he told her. He had been scouted by the touring ballet company that Chloe, (an old A Troupe member) got scouted for years ago. He had hoped that it would be his big break, but once their Christmas show was done, he left.  The people in the company were horrible and really obnoxious. Also, although he was proficient in ballet, not being able to do hip hop or contemporary irritated him to the point where he felt trapped. He needed his freedom, because growing up in such a friendly environment as TNS, then going to them, was a big change. He came back as soon as his season's contract was up, and was welcomed back with open arms.