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Post by onyxfyrefly on Feb 27, 2012 19:59:52 GMT -5
As the tour progressed Cori became more and more conflicted about her situation with Ryan. The raven haired singer was a wonderful person and one of her dearest friends, his very presence could make her smile, but at the same time she was terrified.
To say that most of her past relationships had ended badly was like saying that the ocean was a little wet. Even though Ryan didn’t seem like the type to hurt her she was still scared. Her warring thoughts often kept her awake for hours as the bus rolled towards its next destination.
She did her best to stay focused on the task at hand, she threw herself into her work in order to ignore her feelings, but her distraction eventually caught up with her.
Ryan was on the stage and Cori was wandering the floor, weaving her way between the empty seats while trying to silence the voice in the back of her head that told her to sit and enjoy the performance.
Suddenly she tripped over a misplaced piece of equipment and landed hard on the cement floor, feeling fire race up her left leg. Immediately she was surrounded by a group of people and when she turned her head she met a concerned set of blue eyes.
“Are you alright?” asked Ryan as he crouched next to her.
Cori nodded and pushed herself up, hissing then sitting down hard when the pain from her leg made her vision blur. Looking down she grimaced when she saw the bloody gash on her shin.“That looks bad, let’s get you cleaned up.”
Ryan’s strong arm wrapped around Cori’s shoulders as he helped her to her feet. Keeping the weight off of her leg she managed to make it to one of the chairs and sat down with a slight wince.
One of the crew members had appeared with a first aid kit and Cori nodded her thanks as Ryan knelt next to her. Once everyone was convinced that the dancer was going to be okay they dispersed, leaving only Ryan and Cori in the aisle .
“Ryan, it’s okay, I can do it,” she started but Ryan shook his head.
“Hush, let me take care of you,” he said in a voice so low Cori had to strain to hear him.
She watched as he carefully cleaned the wound, apologizing when the alcohol from the astringent made her flinch. After placing a bandage over the cut Ryan lifted his head to smile at her. “There, all better.”
Cori let her hand rest on his shoulder and dipped her head in gratitude. “Thank you.”
Ryan placed a gentle hand on her knee but didn’t attempt to rise. Cori felt herself falling into the depths of the cool blue eyes and unconsciously leaned forward. Ryan tilted his chin up slightly, a slight smile crossing his lips as he leaned closer…
Then Cori’s cell phone rang.
She closed her eyes and sighed before reaching into her pocket to grab the phone. “Hello? Yes, Sharon, I’m fine. Just a little scratch. When? Okay, I’m on my way.”
Swallowing his frustration Ryan stood and extended a hand to help Cori to her feet. She tested her leg for a moment and after she was sure it would hold her weight she let go of Ryan’s hand. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
She nodded but refused to meet the eyes of the man in front of her. “I’ll be fine. Thanks again for your help. You better get back up there so the others can finish the sound check.”
Ryan nodded in agreement and watched as Cori slowly walked away, frowning when he saw the slight limp. He sighed and headed towards the stage, grumbling under his breath about Sharon’s horrid timing.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2012 21:46:56 GMT -5
Grrrrrrr....almost kisses. >.< So, so close...
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Post by celticbear on Feb 27, 2012 21:54:56 GMT -5
I agree with Furb! And with Ryan! DRAT SHARON FOR THAT PHONE CALL! COME ON ONYX GIVE US THE KISS WE ARE ALL WAITING FOR! AND COME ON CORI GIVE RYAN A CHANCE! HE'S A SWEETY PIE!
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Post by HburgEagle44 on Feb 27, 2012 23:44:44 GMT -5
-_- anger. Haha! Great update!!! Hope something incredible happens to, um, I don't have to do this (-_-) very much more. (; Update update update!! With a kiss next time (;
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Feb 28, 2012 21:15:43 GMT -5
Hehehehe. Sharon has the worst timing, doesn't she? Thanks for the reviews and I hope you're all enjoying watching 'Voyage' today! I managed to pry myself away from the television long enough for an update. ______________________________________________________
Before they knew it promotional tour was over and everyone was looking forward to the week break before the kickoff of the summer tour. Cori couldn’t wait to get back to New York, after her encounter with Ryan the week before she needed some time to think about this new turn of events.
She slept through most of the flight but was haunted by a soft voice and a pair of blue eyes. Her exhaustion faded as she walked towards baggage claim and was nearly knocked over by an exuberant brunette. “I missed you too, Mel, but I need air!”
The young woman laughed and let Cori go. “You have to tell me all about the tour! What cities have you been to? Have there been any wild parties? What’s life like on the road?”
Cori rolled her eyes and waited for her partner in crime to stop chattering so she could actually speak. She had a lot to think about but Melanie’s rapid fire questions were a great distraction from her current worries.
“Home sweet home,” said Cori as she unlocked the door to her apartment. “And you guys even cleaned it!”
Melanie laughed and locked the door behind her. Cori was rarely home so she often lent her apartment to whoever needed a place to crash while they were in the city. Melanie’s mother had been visiting so they had used Cori’s apartment since the shoebox that she lived in couldn’t really accommodate two people. They had scrubbed it from top to bottom when they found out Cori was coming home and had even stocked the fridge with food.
Cori plopped down onto the couch and propped her feet on the coffee table. “How’s life in New York been? The studio still standing?”
Melanie laughed and sat next to Cori. “Yes, it’s still there and Morgan says you better come and visit while you’re here. The drop in classes have been really busy and attendance is up. A lot of the students are Celtic Thunder fans too, I think your decision to choreograph their tour was some of the best promotion you could have asked for.”
Cori smiled to herself as Melanie spoke. The young woman could act like a five year old when excited but when it came down to business she was completely serious. She was one of the teachers at the original studio in New York but was also Cori’s business partner. She kept things running when Cori was away and had been a huge help when she decided to take Sharon’s job offer.
“Enough business,” said the young woman. “Tell me more about the tour!”
“I’ve already told you everything! What do you want to know?” asked Cori.
“Any cute boys? Don’t forget I was at the concert and those guys are definitely not hard on the eyes.”
Cori was silent, her mind flashing back to that day at the venue when Ryan had taken care of her. She couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if her cell phone hadn’t started ringing.
Her lack of response was enough for Melanie and the dancer clapped her hands together. “There is someone! Spill!”
Rolling her eyes Cori played with one of her rings as she spoke. “Well, there is this guy, Ryan. He’s the black haired one from the show.” Melanie nodded and urged Cori to continue. “Well, he likes me. Apparently he’s liked me for a long time but I just didn’t see it, you know how I get when I’m working.”
She went on to describe their night out at the pub when she had kissed his cheek and their dance at the launch party. As she spoke a million other instances came to mind and she was blown away when she realized that Ryan had become a very important part of her life. Finally she recalled the day at the venue when they had nearly kissed.
“Well, do you like him?” asked Melanie.
“Yes, I do like him and I’m pretty sure I would have kissed him that day at the venue but I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if I can do this again, not after what happened last time.”
Cori’s eyes stung with unexpected tears and Melanie placed a comforting hand on her arm. She had been there when Cori’s heart had been destroyed by her last boyfriend and had never seen her friend in so much pain. It had taken nearly a year to get over that loss and apparently Cori was still suffering.
“You can’t be afraid forever. From what you’ve told me Ryan doesn’t seem like the type to build you up only to see you fall.”
Wiping hot tears away, Cori sniffed. “I know but he didn’t seem like that type either.” She couldn’t even bear to say the name of her ex, the very effort made her sick. “I can’t go through it again, I barely made it out alive last time.”
“I know,” whispered Melanie while hugging Cori close. She held her best friend as she cried and wondered what she would do if she was in the same situation. “Just follow your heart, if it was meant to happen it will.”
“What heart? I don’t have a heart to follow any more, just a few broken fragments that dig in and cut me when I allow anyone to get too close.”
Melanie felt her throat tighten at Cori’s words and really wished she could find Jesse, Cori’s ex, and literally knock some sense into him…preferably with a baseball bat. The woman by her side deserved better and she hoped that Ryan would be the one to help heal her wounds.
Eventually Cori calmed herself down and gave the young woman a watery smile. “Thanks, Mel.”
“Anytime. Now get cleaned up and changed, you only have a week in the city and there are a lot of people to see!” Cori laughed and headed into her bedroom, determined to make the most of her short time in the city.
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Post by celticbear on Feb 28, 2012 21:37:55 GMT -5
Wow! What an eye-opener! Now we know who broke Cori's heart! I HOPE JESSE AND RYAN NEVER MEET, BECAUSE IF THEY DO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A NICE MEETING! CORI! GIVE RYAN A CHANCE!
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Post by HburgEagle44 on Feb 29, 2012 1:45:42 GMT -5
Ooooooh buddy..... at least we know the name now. There's a kid at my school named Jesse... he's gonna get it tomorrow. (; Haha! Jk. Well, I really hope Melanie knocks some sense into CORI, because she needs to realize that Ryan's the one for her!!! D: haha. Update!! (:
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Feb 29, 2012 19:51:21 GMT -5
All too soon the break was over and they were back on the road. It took a few days to get back into the rhythm of touring but by the end of the week everyone was used to the routine.
Cori had been strangely quiet since she had returned from New York and spent a lot of time talking with Sharon in between rehearsals. She still spent as much time as she could spare with the cast and crew, often playing musical busses on the days they were traveling in order to catch up with the members of her Celtic Thunder family.
Ryan knew something had happened in New York but couldn’t place it. Cori had been distant and he could tell there was a lot on her mind, she was often caught staring into space and seemed distracted.
“Cori?” the young woman jumped and dropped the stack of papers she had been holding.
“I’m sorry,” said Ryan while kneeling to help gather the fallen papers.
“It’s okay,” mumbled Cori while stacking the materials once more.
Ryan handed her his portion of the papers and took a moment to study her. There were bags under her eyes and an uncharacteristic frown pulled at her lips. He placed a hand on her shoulder and felt her stiffen. “What’s wrong?”
Cori shook her head and sighed. “Nothing, I’m fine. I just…I’m fine.” She plastered a fake smile on her face but refused to meet Ryan’s eyes.
“If you need anything I’m here. You know you can always talk to me.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear then stood.
As he walked away Ryan wished he could have a moment to just be alone with Cori. He had missed her so much during the break that it was painful and now she was back but it seemed like she was a million miles away. He wanted a chance to chase away the dark cloud that was surrounding her and to bring back the smiling woman that he had fallen for.
A few days later Ryan finally got the opportunity he had been waiting for.
When the busses rolled into town Cori was ecstatic to see that there was a carnival being set up near downtown. They didn’t have a show that night and after bugging Sharon for hours Cori had been granted permission to attend. She was surprised and disappointed when she discovered that no one wanted to go with her.
After seeing her crestfallen face Ryan had volunteered to accompany her and she had nearly knocked him over with her exuberance. They had spent the entire day playing games, riding the classic rides, and eating far too much junk food. It had been dark for hours and the two were just getting back to the hotel.
“Can I walk you up?” Ryan asked with a smile as they entered the lobby.
“Sure,” replied Cori before heading towards the elevators.
The ride was silent, each person deep in thought about the day. Cori couldn’t remember the last time she had had so much fun and felt a slight tightening in her chest when she thought about the news she would be breaking the next day.
Ryan couldn’t take his eyes off of Cori for the entire ascent. She had looked so happy and carefree at the fair; screaming while riding the rollercoaster and impressing him with her skills in the shooting gallery. Every time that she smiled he could feel his heart swell and he hoped that he could make her smile like that more often.
All too soon they were arriving on Cori’s floor. The dancer paused by the door to dig out her room key while thanking Ryan for the day out.
“Ryan, today was amazing! I haven’t been to a carnival in years! Thank you for agreeing to take me.”
The blue-eyed singer smiled. “You’re welcome. It was fun to act like a kid again.” He leaned forward to pull her into a hug but didn’t let go, he kept his arms wrapped loosely around her waist.
Cori didn’t pull away from Ryan’s embrace, the strong arms surrounding her felt good and she felt her breath hitch as he leaned closer.
“Cori?” asked Ryan, his voice raspy in her ear.
“Yes?”
“Promise you won’t hate me.”
Cori frowned at the statement. “Hate you? For what?”
“This.”
Ryan gently tipped her chin upwards and softly pressed his lips to hers. Pulling back slightly, he took her silence as permission as he dipped his head to kiss her once more.
Cori’s eyes widened at the initial contact but slowly drifted shut as Ryan’s lips met hers again. The kiss was tender and even though her brain was screaming at her to stop her body was not listening. She curled her fingers in the soft material of his t-shirt as his hand came up to frame her face. It was the perfect first kiss and she never wanted it to end.
Unfortunately the lack of air forced them apart and Ryan smiled down at her, eyes shinning with something that made Cori’s heart race.
Cori forced herself to breathe and flashed him a nervous smile. “Ryan I-”
“It’s alright, you don’t have to say anything. Just think about it, okay?”
Cori nodded numbly.
“Good night.” Reluctantly Ryan released her and headed back towards the elevators.
Cori stood pressed against her door for several long minutes. She couldn’t say that she didn’t see it coming but it certainly threw a heck of a wrench into her plans.
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Post by HburgEagle44 on Feb 29, 2012 21:26:40 GMT -5
...........................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...........................................................
^^ my emotions right now.
So sweet. And amazing. And sad... almost... (; update soon!! i HAVE to know what Cori is thinking....... HAVE to! haha, I don't know why I'm so pushy about this story. (;
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Post by celticbear on Feb 29, 2012 21:46:20 GMT -5
FINNALY THIER FIRST KISS! DO NOT LET CORI WALK OUT OF RYAN'S LIFE! SHE IS DESTINED TO BE MRS. RYAN JOHN KELLY!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 29, 2012 22:02:26 GMT -5
I think my heart just melted a wee bit!!! This was a very nice way to end a rather unpleasant day!!!! ;D
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Post by CelticPrincess24 on Mar 1, 2012 10:37:57 GMT -5
I finally caught up! lol
Anywhooooo! I loved all the updates! This one was especially good. ^.^ Update soon, please!
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Mar 1, 2012 20:09:30 GMT -5
Thanks for all of the support, I love reading the reviews! I just have two things to say about this update: 1. It's really long 2. You're going to hate me ______________________________________________________________________________________
The next day Sharon called the entire cast and crew into the venue for a meeting. The woman looked a little sad and everyone began to wonder what was going on.
“Thank you all for coming. This won’t take long but someone had an announcement to make.”
To everyone’s surprise Cori climbed onto the stage and took the microphone from Sharon. She too looked sad and everyone, especially Ryan, sat up to take notice.
“First of all, I just wanted to thank everyone for allowing me to be a part of this amazing show. It has been a fantastic journey and I will never forget this experience. With that being said I wanted everyone to know that I will not be back for the next leg of the tour.”
The auditorium was suddenly filled with questions and she raised a hand to quiet everyone down. “There will be fewer dancers on the next leg of the tour and the costumes will be simple so I will not be needed in that department. I’ve also been contacted with an amazing business opportunity for my studios and have to head back to work on a showcase.”
“You guys have been like a family to me. Just know that I love each and every one of you and will miss you everyday.” She paused to compose herself then continued. “I’ve been blessed to be a part of such an amazing creation and have made some lifelong friends in the process. Thank you.”
The moment she jumped down off of the stage she was mobbed by various cast and crew members, wishing her well and pleading with her not to leave. She had just extracted herself from Declan’s embrace when she saw Ryan slip through one of the side doors.
“Will you please excuse me?” she said before hurrying after him.
He had a head start but it didn’t take long for her to catch up with him. “Ryan!” she called while jogging down the corridor. “Ryan, wait! Please!”
Finally the singer stopped and spun around to face her. His eyes were icy, the bright blue hue making her shiver. “When did you make this decision?” he asked, his voice eerily calm.
“About a week ago.”
“And you couldn’t have mentioned this to me a little earlier?”
Cori sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “I tried to tell you yesterday but you never gave me the chance.”
Ryan let out a breath and leaned back against the wall, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Tell me the truth, why are you really leaving?”
“For my studios. I have an investor that is interested in opening a studio in Madrid but he wants to see a showcase. Not just a simple show, but the crème de la crème. That’s going to take a lot of time to prepare and I can’t do it if I’m on the road.”
“Madrid?”
Cori nodded and beamed. “I know! Isn’t that amazing?”
Ryan nodded and closed his eyes for a moment. “Yeah it is and I wish you the best of luck. But…where does that leave us?”
“Us?”
Ryan stepped forward to take Cori’s hands in his own. “Yes us. Don’t tell me you didn’t feel anything last night. I know I’m out of practice but I can’t be that bad.”
Cori smiled then shook her head. “I don’t know where that leaves us, I don’t know if there was even an us to begin with.” She stepped away from Ryan and wrapped her arms around herself. “Right now I don’t have time and we’re going to be so far away…”
“Cori,” Ryan interrupted. “You’re making excuses.”
The young woman stopped her pacing and regarded him over her shoulder. “You’re right and I hate excuses. The reason that I can’t be with you is because…because…because I’m afraid.”
“Afraid? Of what? Of me?”
“No, not you,” she spun and leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down until she was sitting. “Ryan, all I know about relationships is how much they hurt and how I always end up in pain in the end.”
Sitting down next to her he wrapped his arms around his knees. “What do you mean? You said your last relationship ended badly. Have they all ended badly?”
Voice dropping to a whisper Cori said, “You have no idea. Jesse broke my heart into a billion little pieces, stomped on it and ground it into the dirt. I really thought I was going to marry that boy. But Jesse was just one of many who did nothing but break me down just to see if I would get back up.” Sighing she rested her head on her folded arms. “I am so used and broken that I just can’t do it again. Jesse nearly destroyed me and three years later I am still trying to find pieces of my heart.”
Swallowing past the lump in his throat Ryan stared hard at the woman in front of him and felt his heart ache for her. “Have you found any of the pieces?”
That brought a slight smile to Cori’s face. “Yes, every now and then I find a piece.”
“Where?”
“I found one in the floorboards of my first dance studio, knowing that I owned it and it was mine. I found another in the bouquet of one of my students, she met her husband in one of my classes. And…I found one in you.”
“Me?” Ryan asked, his eyebrows arching in surprise.
“Yes, you. I don’t know how but Ryan Kelly you have a piece of my heart.” She turned to face him and took one of his hands in both of hers. “Keep it safe, treasure it, and if I’m ever ready I will come and ask for it. But don’t let its gleam keep out others, if you ever want to give your heart away please do not hesitate. You deserve to be happy. You deserve…well…everything and then some. Ryan, I can’t give you everything, I’m sorry.”
Ryan felt his chest tighten at Cori’s words. She had admitted that he had a piece of her heart but she wasn’t willing to start anything with him right now. Ryan knew that he could heal her wounds if she gave him the chance and he ran his thumb across the back of her hand.
“Cori, look at me please.” The dancer raised dark eyes to meet his and took a shaky breath. “Believe me when I say I would never do anything to hurt you, I care far too much about you.” Ryan reached forward to caress her cheek but Cori flinched and turned away from his touch.
“Ryan, I want to believe you but I can’t. I’ve heard those words before and look at where that got me. I’m sorry.”
Ryan let out a slow breath as he studied the woman in front of him, slightly unnerved when he felt her hands tremble in his grasp. He knew there had to be someway to convince her of his sincerity and decided to throw all caution to the wind.
“Cori, I lo-”
The dancer didn’t let him finish. She placed her hand over his mouth and shook her head. “Don’t say it, it will just make things harder.”
Ryan was silent for a long time, he refused to let Cori go without a fight. “Okay, how about this? I will wait for you.”
“Wait for me?”
“Yes, I promise to wait until your wounds have healed and you’re ready to take the piece of your heart I’m holding.”
A sigh left Cori’s lips and she let her head fall back against the wall. “Ryan, are you sure about this? I may never be able to put my heart back together and there is a chance that we will never see each other again after this tour. Are you really willing to put yourself through all of that for me?”
“Yes, I’m sure. I know that there will be a day when your heart is whole again.”
“How can you possibly know that?”
Ryan smiled slightly. “Sometimes a little blind faith is necessary.”
Cori just nodded and was silent for several minutes before she finally dared to meet his eyes, wincing when she saw the raw pain flashing through them. “Are we okay? You’re one of my best friends and I don’t want to lose you over this.”
Ryan hung his head for a moment then took a deep breath. There were a million thoughts racing through his head but pushed them to the side to sort through later. “Of course. I could never stay mad at you.”
He couldn’t believe that the woman he loved was sitting less than a foot away and was still unreachable. Ryan couldn’t decide if he wanted to punch the wall in frustration or to break down crying. He opted to keep his emotions to himself and swallowed against the sudden pain in his chest.
Cori sat up onto her knees to hug Ryan, her lips so close to his ear that her could feel her breath against his skin. “Thank you.”
Holding her close Ryan tried to freeze the moment in his mind not knowing when, if ever, he would have the opportunity to hold her again. “For what?”
“For dealing with me and my baggage, most people would have run away screaming or just given up by now.”
“I could never give up on you,” replied Ryan, surprised at how steady his voice sounded.
Eventually they had to let go and they both shakily stood. “We better get going, you guys have an interview after lunch.”
Ryan nodded and started to turn away. “Are you coming?”
Cori shook her head. “Nah, I think I’ll find something to do around here.”
Ryan nodded and walked away, forcing himself not to glance back at the woman in the corridor.
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Post by CelticPrincess24 on Mar 1, 2012 20:43:46 GMT -5
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww! It's okay. I don't hate you. I just despise you! Just kidding! lol xD Even though this update was a bit sad, I still loved it. Update soon!
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Post by celticbear on Mar 1, 2012 21:46:49 GMT -5
I'm happy for the business opportunity Cori has! But I'm not happy about her leaving Ryan and the tour to do it! ONYX IF YOU ARE A TRUE BLUE THUNDERHEAD YOU WILL FIX THIS MESS ASAP! RYAN AND CORI BELONG TOGETHER! AND RYAN BETTER WAIT FOR HER!
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