THE SECRETS WE KEEP.

- DEAD MAN WALKING (PART 2).

DIANNES POV:
"35 Joe! 35!" My earlier washover sickness had been replaced with a sense of pure relief, as my feet danced through each backstage corridor screaming at the top of my lungs at our score. Joe's soft touch against my hips caused me to hault my victory fun, immediately turning myself around to cup my hands over his cheeks. "This is all down to your determination and hard work.. you, of all people here, deserve this score.. honestly I cant even describe how proud I am of you Joseph.." I leant my head in a little closer to gently brush my nose against his, to which we both let out quiet giggles.

With his lips in such close proximity nothing could stop the urge in me to break the distance by lunging forward to crash my lips onto his, a feeling in my heart like fiery explosion bursting throughout my entire body. Kissing him here, backstage at the Strictly studios, typically a place where we hibernate our romance for one night because of looming watchers, felt so right yet so surreal at the same time. This was unlike any ordinary kiss we had shared, it seemed that beneath this passionate kiss was a underlying message coming from Joe, something I just could not figure out. Almost on cue, as his tongue began to run across my lower lip and my fingers became knotted in his locks, a loud beckoning of my name came closer, it's intention being to interrupt. Just an instinct was to push him back from me, to create this painstaking distance between us that I could stand. As one of the costume girls came rushing round the corner with a piece of dark pink fabric dangling between her fingertips, Joe took this opportunity to dash past them back to clauditorium area, like that single moment of intimacy had never occurred at all.

JOE'S POV:
Going back to the clauditorium, a small area that turned me into a pack of nerves ten minutes prior, was now a relaxing place to enjoy the final few moments of the show knowing the performance had gone exactly as we had planned. "God you were fantastic Joe! I'm so proud of you!" My return was met by a certain Dr Who impersonator, who engulfed me in one of her famous tight hugs, with the added bonus of gentle kisses pressed along my cheek like my nan would do at Christmas time. "I've been waiting so long for you.. what happened?" If the new light dusting of pink lipstick smeared all across my mouth wasnt a sign of Dianne and I's backstage activity, my cheeks changing to a deep beetroot shade defintley gave it away. Stacey's immediately pulled me from the crowd and to the more quiet seated area, where she smoothed out her dress between her fingers before propping her head into her hands, almost like a child waiting for another bedtime story.

"J-Joe?" A hushed croaked voice could be heard over the crowds chatter, one which looked like a cinema wall full of movie posters, and through the mixture of endless different characters came the familiar redhead still dressed in her undeniably adorable dark pink dress. It was clear that her excitement over our scores had been wiped out by her earlier sickness making a reappearance, the drained expression pulling at her face could make anybody want to bundle her up in their arms and just hold her forever. I didn't think twice about pulling her down to sit on my lap, her head tucking sleepily into my chest and her arms snaking tight around my neck on instinct, for at that moment I knew how much she was hurting and that she needed me most of all. Small tear droplets that had taken residence onto her skin I couldn't help but brush away with my thumb, something in me not stopping myself from leaning down a little further just to place a kiss onto her dimple spot. Luckily this earned one of Dianne's adorable angelic giggles, a sound that had become music to my ears, especially at this high time of her sickness. "Thank you angel.." Her mumbles vibrated against my chest, as she placed a gentle kiss onto the area of fabric right above my heart.

To not add more concern my fingers continued to comb through her red locks, however my mind was fueled with burning questions over this new found public display of affection. Whether anybody noticed or not, our awkward side hug after finishing our routine had left me in a state of confusion, my instant doubts over something I had said or done to upset her. But as panicked as her behaviour has made me, none of it was going to ever stop my caring for her in her time of need; for I really did care for Dianne Buswell, and the most upsetting part was that nobody in this room had any idea how much.