fingers crossed

candy

*bit of Paolo at last! for this one I reckon you should wack on Candy ;)*

JOE'S POV

I need to get out of here, quickly. As soon as the show is over I quickly shout a general goodbye to the room and try to slip out before the tears come. Dianne basically sprints out of the Elstree but by the time we lock eyes I am already in a car leaving, I decided to skip the hotel and head straight home to be alone. I feel bad ending things like this when she tried to do what she could to make things easy for me but I suppose I'll see her for rehearsals on Monday. 

I feel exhausted and deflated as I stare at my reflection in the lift, I look it too. I catch the doors before they close as I didn't notice them reaching my floor. I've barely settled in by the time the doorbell ring over and over. I walk over to the screen to find a shivering Dianne without a coat on, her hair and makeup still left done from the show.  She must have run up all of the stairs because when I open the door to her she's panting heavily. I try to calm my busy thoughts but we both stand speechless staring at one another. Then I notice the tears forming in her slightly desperate looking eyes-  without thinking I open my arms to her and she comes inside to squeeze me tightly.

**

DIANNE'S POV

As calmly as I can I try to explain the pressures put on the pro dancers to maintain a professional relationship on Strictly as well as how women are gossiped about in the ballroom world. The calmness doesn't last and I begin to struggle for breath as I start rambling and get to expressing how much dance means to me and that I don't want to push him away, just to protect my career. My voice begins to shake as I finally say

but right now even though it's still early days I feel like I don't really care what happens because I feel like I can handle it as long as I'm handling it with you, Joe

he stands stunned for what feels like an eternity before pulling me towards him, and we both sigh with tearful relief.

**

We sit cross-legged on his sofa, eyes red, giggling about how much we confused each other. Joe got super defensive about the way the Sarah spoke to me but I assured him it was normal for the ballroom world (mind this didn't seem to calm him, just make him look more concerned). Eventually we make a plan, tomorrow we will film our reaction video to the foxtrot and joke about the articles and rumours as much as possible which will hopefully calm the media down. I feel so safe with Joe, it's the first time I've really trusted someone enough to let them take care of me. Suddenly all my fears seem to disappear as everything starts to fall into place. That night I fall asleep smiling, protected from the world in his arms.