Thinking, we don't want to get caught up in overthinking. 

We only got tonight. 

There's a moment on a rollercoaster when the car isn't moving up or down. It's not inclined, on a slope, but it's not stopped. The car is cruising on a plateau. Emily Moore had been plateauing for years while stuck in her small routine. And then the car starts moving upwards, but it's been moving the whole time and nothing feels different even though the car is traveling up on a steep slope. Then suddenly, the car drops, free falling down with a feeling of thrill and shock from the unsuspected nosedive. 

Big Time Rush was her nosedive. Ever since those four, hocking-playing, video game-loving, girl-obsessed, immature, passionate, crazy, dumb boys soaked her with water guns out by the pool. Her life turned around. Work was a place to get creative and inspired and occasionally sneak around. Home wasn't a quiet place for rest anymore. It was a place of chaos and family and fights and schemes.  

Just like a rollercoaster, they had ups, like when the band went on their first tour, and downs, like breakups, and there were giant loops that shook their heads and gave the group of five a lost sense of direction, like when James forced everyone to dress up as fake superheroes so they could break into another studio to steal back their album drive. 

But eventually, all coasters have to stop. 

The Tween Choice Awards rolled around before they knew it and James still hadn't found the perfect moment to tell Emily. Emily on the other hand hadn't even realized she was in love with James. Not in touch with her feelings, most of what Emily felt towards James went over her head and she didn't even notice how it made her feel. 

The day leading up to the show, the guys had rehearsal, a tech run through, then another rehearsal for a commercial they were shooting, recording for the commercial, shooting the actual commercial, and in the mean time, devise the perfect plan to tell Emily they loved her. 

"This is amazing!" Carlos cried walking onto stage. The guys walked on for their rehearsal the day before the show. With passes around their necks, the guys awed at the massive theater and soon to be filled seats in front of them. "We've been watching this show all our lives."

"And now we're performing on it!" James exclaimed. 

"Dogs!" Gustavo and Kelly walked up to the front of the stage from the floor looking up to the band, "Tomorrow night is the night we have worked so long and so hard for. Live from the Tween Choice Awards, all of your dreams will come true."

"Wait," Carlos smiled, "You mean I'm finally gonna get a girlfriend?"

"And I finally find the perfect moment to tell Em I'm in love with– oh my god, she's not here is she?" James started to say before his face flashed white and he held onto Kendall, looking around for his girlfriend. 

Considering the intense to-do list, Gustavo had Emily stay back at the studio, prepping for the commercial. Kelly awed, smiling at James, "No, sweetie, she's at the studio right now."

"And I will find the off-rumored yet never seen Tween Choice goop room, the legendary source of goop," Logan smirked, looking up in thought. 

"Please don't do that."

"The dream is to win the amazing Gustavo Rocque his first purple rocket," the producer said. "What's with you?" He pointed at Kendall, who had been quiet. "Why aren't you shouting out your dream?"

"Well, it's just that every time we do an hour long TV special, something goes horribly wrong," Kendall told them. 

"What?" 

"What?" 

With all eyes on him, "Well, Tween Choice is an hour long, and it is special, and I just don't want anything to go wrong."

"What could go wrong?" Kelly remarked. 

"Yeah, we're up for five awards, we're giving away mac and cheese for life, and you're singing in front of 21 million people worldwide." Gustavo told them. 

"But before our dream day tomorrow, we've got a huge day today..."

After a dress rehearsal on stage, the guys were back at the studio by 1 PM, where Emily was waiting in the control room, tuning the guys voices on old songs. The group recorded the cut version of Get Up for the commercial. Then they had to be at the studio to record the commercial right after, where the guys went through hair and makeup and wardrobe before shooting finally started. 

Emily watched from the monitor with Gustavo and Kelly. The guys were all dressed in bright yellow, dancing in front of a blue tarp. With an arm over her chest, she squinted at the screen, not as excited as the people around her. 

"What's wrong?" Kelly asked her. 

She shrugged, "I don't love the yellow." 

The guys turned around, each holding up a large square, "And now it's time to see if you're the big-time winner," they said. 

"And cut," someone called, a bell ringing. 

"What's with the square things?" Gustavo asked. 

"Looks like a crossword puzzle," James shrugged. 

"I think I see a dog," Carlos said. 

Emily in bewilderment shook her head, "It's a QR code!" 

"I'll let the man behind the mac and cheese explain this, Marcus Sharkus," Griffin said, walking in in with a man behind him in a bright yellow suit. "The man took a simple mac and cheese recipe–a food I hate–and took over the giganticorps empire, making him a more powerful CEO than me, which I also hate."

"But we both agree that Big Time Rush would be perfect starring with Sharky the Shark," Marcus said, beaming as he pointed over to a giant shark mascot, "in my "Win mac and cheese for life" giveaway, and when your commercial airs live, those square things will flash a secret 3-D cheese code, making somebody very happy." The guys put on 3-D glasses holding out the codes, trying to find the secret message. "And with 21 million people watching, that will be me." Marcus gave a low chuckle with a sinister tone. The room grew quiet and everyone uneasily looked over to the man. 

"What's your deal?" Emily asked. 

"Moore," Gustavo said, shoving her back. 

"What?" Marcus questioned. 

"Um, it's just that your laugh sounded a little evil," Kendall told him.  

He scoffed, "I don't think so," before evilly laughing again. "You know what? That did sound evil, you're right." He clapped his hands, "That's a wrap everybody!" 

Emily slowly walked onto the stage near the guys, watching Marcus walk off, "Am I the only one who gets odd vibes from that dude?"

"No," Kendall agreed. 

"And on today's episode of the Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys..." Logan mimicked, poking fun at his two friends. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"You two are kinda paranoid," James shrugged. 

"What? Why would you think that?" Emily questioned. 

"Em," James soothingly said, hoping he wouldn't piss her off, "you wouldn't tell us what apartment you were in for a month."

Kendall nodded pointedly in agreement, "You have some trust issues."

"You're one to talk," Carlos scoffed. Kendall furrowed his brows, looking at Carlos in question. "You went on and on when we first moved here about how suspicious Emily was and you thought she was in the FBI."

"Hey!" The girl cried. The four guys turned to her, Kendall shrinking back. "You really think I could be in the FBI?" She asked, flattered. "Maybe that's what I'll do with my life."

James held back a groan, hardly slapping Kendall's shoulder, "Thanks, man," he sarcastically said, knowing his girlfriend wasn't joking and would actually pursue it. 

***

"Really? Nobody else got a bad vibe from this Sharkus guy?" Kendall asked again as the friends entered the lobby that evening after finally wrapping up the long day. 

Logan gasped, "You're right. We need to join forces and search underneath the Tween Choice arena for the goop room."

"No."

"Dream killer."

James kissed Emily's cheek, "I'm going to pick out the perfect outfit for tomorrow," he said, leaving, "What color are you wearing?"

"I don't know yet," Emily shook her head. James groaned, turning the corner just as Camille and Jo stumbled past him in tall heels and dresses. 

"You guys know the award show's tomorrow right?" Carlos winced. 

"We're just testing out from Tween Choice fashions and heels," Jo explained, stumbling again. 

"The stars of Rock Camp 9 and the Danica Patrick movie are presenting the award for Awesomest Music Act," Camille exclaimed. 

"Hopefully to Big Time Rush."

"Ooh, we have some presenters in our midst," Emily oohed, smiling at her friends. 

"Well, according to Gustavo, this is the night all our dreams come true," Kendall told them. 

"Except my dream of ever getting a girlfriend!" Carlos cried. Emily wrapped her arms around his shoulders, leaning her head down.

"You'll find someone," Emily told him. 

"And what about the Jennifers?" Logan asked. 

"There was one date with each of them, and one date does not count as a girlfriend," Carlos sighed. 

"Right, and then they just disappeared," Camille nodded. 

"Like they were gone with the wind."

Just then a strong gust of wind blew in from outside. The group turned to the open doors to see the Jennifers, in person, walking down from the pool. With the exception of brunette Jennifer who was replaced with a cut out of her. 

Carlos gasped, running outside with the gang following. 

"The Jennifers! You're back. Sort of," he said, tilting his head in question to the fake Jennifer in the middle of the them. 

"Where'd you guys go?" Emily asked. 

"We're hitting Tween Choice to promote our movie Mermaid Surfer Princesses 3 that we just finished filming in Australia," blonde Jennifer smiled. 

"Well almost," curly haired Jennifer explained. "Jennifer still has one more scene to shoot where she gets her tail back.

"And we're so sorry for how we treated Carlos all those times, so we're back for him too."

"This him?" the friends questioned, pointing at Carlos. Emily smacked Logan and Kendall in response, giving a harsh nod to be encouraging. 

"After being away for ten months it made us realize that there's no one sweeter–"

"or cuter than Carlos," curly haired Jennifer smiled. "Isn't that right cut-out Jennifer?" The cut-out nodded. "But you can only pick one of us."

"And we know it's a tough decision, so we're giving you till the end of Tween Choice to decide," blonde Jennifer hummed, the girls walking through the group into the lobby. 

"The Jennifers are back!" Carlos gasped. 

"And they're nice," the five others commented. 

"And they want me! I guess this is the night all our dreams come true." 

"Well, should we go upstairs and find your perfect Tween Choice outfit?" Jo smiled, her and Camille poking Emily. 

"If we must," Emily said, flipping her hair back. The three girls made their way up to 3J, Camille and Jo quickly ditching the heels. 

"So, do you have any idea of what you want–"

"I'm in love with James."

Camille squealed in shock as Jo's words drowned out with both the girls turning to stare at Emily who remained in her doorway. 

"Really?" Camille beamed, clapping her hands. "I've been waiting for this day!"

"Are you serious?" Jo asked, gaping with excitement. 

Emily took in a deep breath, "I fell asleep with the TV on the other night and woke up to this old, cheesy movie playing and they were talking about being in love and how it feels, and it just hit me," she explained, her eyes bright as she spoke. "I just always want to be with him, and I'm always thinking about him, and he makes everything better."

"Have you told him yet?" 

"No," Emily answered, fiddling with her fingers. "I'm not sure how to go about it. And I don't want to freak him out or make him feel pressured to say it back."

"I'm sure Logan would know how James is feeling," Camille offered. "I could–"

"No," Emily interrupted, her eyes wide. "I love them, but they cannot be trusted" 

"She has a point," Jo told Camille, nodding. Jo gasped, "You could tell him tomorrow night."

"Oh, yes!" Camille jumped. "You could tell him backstage where people can take pictures and you'll have that moment forever on film."

"That's so casual. Have you met James Diamond," Emily sighed, falling backwards onto the couch. 

"Then maybe you tell him after the show. Like at an after party, or after you guys win an award," Jo suggested. 

Sitting up, "You know what would be cool?" the girl thought. "If I was someone who got to accept an award with a speech or present one. I would do it then. I know it wouldn't be super intimate, but it would be so so dramatic and extreme. And James lives for the dramatics."

"It does need to be big. Your entire relationship has been based on huge, dramatic moments," Camille hummed. 

"What do you mean?" Emily whined. 

"Your first kiss was on a beach after you tricked James into thinking he met a mermaid," Camille recalled. 

"You had a secret relationship for months until you had a secret breakup," Jo pointed out. 

"You got back together in London after you saved the world."

"Okay. Thank you. I get it," Emily intervened before they could recount the remainder of her relationship with James. 

***

Everyone was dressed up and thrilled for the Tween Choice Awards. The guys, Camille, and Jo entered after walking the purple carpet out front while Emily joined Griffin, Kelly, and Gustavo through the VIP entrance to backstage. There were drink and snack stations. Press and photographers. Producers and stars. 

The room was bright with colorful decor, dark purple furniture, and a bright yellow drop for the mac and cheese company. 

To their disappointment, Emily and her famous friends didn't get to arrive together. They all left about an hour earlier than her to walk the carpet for photo ops and interviews. 

The four guys navigated their way from the outside carpet into the backstage VIP area. "So, Operation: Tell Emily We're In Love With Her is underway," Kendall nodded. 

"You guys know I'm the one who gets to tell her, right? All the "we" stuff is throwing me off," James clarified, hoping his friends didn't think this was a group activity. 

"The only question is the matter of how we tell her," Carlos thought. 

"There's that "we" again."

"I still think telling her after she wins Awesomest Song is the way to go," Logan mentioned again. 

"But if she doesn't win..." Kendall fired back again. "Plus Em doesn't get to accept the award, we do. No one cares who actually wrote the song." As much as he hated to say it, no one in the audience cared if Emily was the one who wrote the nominated song. They wanted to see them over a random production assistant they've never heard of. 

"Let's talk about it later," James said smiling through his teeth, noticing Kelly and Gustavo through the crowd knowing his girlfriend was nearby and couldn't risk her overhearing. 

Emily wasn't with them though. She wandered off to take pictures with Camille and Jo. Jo had a royal blue, one shoulder dress on and Camille wore a pattern halter neck dress with her hair pulled back into a messy, side ponytail falling over her shoulder. 

"James looks super handsome tonight," Camille sang in a teasing voice. "You should tell him that after you tell him you love him."

"Shh!" Emily shushed her, "I don't know if I'm telling him tonight," she admitted. "But if he looks as good as I think he does I might not have any choice."

"We have to go get ready to present," Jo said. "Fingers crossed." She smiled, crossing her fingers as her and Camille slipped out to the stage wings. 

Emily turned looking around for the guys, hoping they'd be here by now. From across the room she heard a familiar voice shouting, "I hate mac and cheese!" Following the aggression, she spotted four boys not far from where Gustavo and Kelly were. 

"Hey, there's Em!" Carlos called, waving his arm high above his head. Emily smiled back, giving him a wave, assuring the boy she saw him and he could put his arm down. 

James froze seeing the girl. He'd seen her dressed up many times before. But seeing her like this now that he knew he loved her was a different feeling. The blonde hair was curled in loose waves draped down her back. She wore a short teal and metallic gold dress with sparkles threaded into the lining. The thick straps plunged in the neckline, twisting in the back, and the skirt flaring out.

"Oh god," he muttered under his breath to himself. 

Emily beamed reaching the guys, nodding at their dapper looks. Kendall had a long sleeve white striped shirt; Logan a tan and navy button down with a tie; Carlos wore a white button down under a gray vest; and James... it wasn't much different from how he dressed daily. Wearing all black with a black t-shirt, a black leather jacket hung around his shoulders. 

"Lookin' good, boys," she hummed. 

"You clean up nicely," Kendall said to Emily who rolled her eyes at his joke. 

"You're so beautiful," James blurted out, crossing to Emily, pulling her head up into a kiss without warning. As the two melted into each other, a few press members snapped photos while Logan and Carlos gagged looking away. 

"Can we focus, please?" Logan asked, the couple pulling apart to look at him, "When do we look for the goop room?"

"We're not doing that," Emily said. 

"No trouble," Kendall added, pointing at Logan sternly. 

"And no dreams," James frowned, pointing to Kendall with a bored face. 

"Hey! I have dreams."

"Yeah, you haven't said one yet," Carlos pointed out. 

"Neither has Emily!"

The girl shook her head, "I have no idea what's going on. But I really wanna win tonight, so if we're making dreams come true can we do mine first?" 

"Great, because I just formed the Dream Team," Kendall said, glaring at his friends. 

"Sounds stupid," Logan remarked before leaning in with interest, "What is it?"

"An alliance where we all put our hands in and vow to help fulfill each other's dreams tonight." 

"I'm in," James shrugged, placing his hand on top of Kendall's with Carlos, Logan, and a reluctant Emily following. She had learned long ago to just put her hand in and not waste time arguing over how dumb it was. 

"Great," Kendall smiled, spinning around behind Carlos, hands on his shoulders. "Initiate girlfriend dream launch," he said, pointing ahead to the two Jennifers and cut out Jennifer who were getting their photo taken. 

"I don't know which one," Carlos groaned. 

"Which ever one catches you is your girlfriend. Dream Team..."

"Sounds risky," Emily mumbled. 

"Fire!" Logan and James shouted, shoving Carlos across the room. 

Instead of landing at the Jennifers, he spun off course colliding into a blonde in black at the drink counter who quickly caught him, steadying Carlos. 

"Good work, Dream Squad," Emily said. 

"Dream Team," Kendall corrected her. 

"We lose either way."

"Guys!" Carlos gasped, turning to see his friends walking over to him. "Alexa Vega was the first girl to catch me and then she disappeared! What if she's a spy in real life?" 

"Then she can help me become a spy," Emily smiled. 

"I thought you were joining the FBI," Logan said. 

"Being a spy is more dangerous."

"I'd rather you join the FBI," James told her.

"Guys, what if the Jennifers are really as nice as they seemed by the–" Carlos started to say. Emily and the guys pointed behind him, seeing the two girls and cutout coming up behind Carlos. He turned, backing up into his friends. 

"Carlos? Have you picked yet?" Curly haired Jennifer asked. 

"I mean, we're nicer now, but we still hate waiting," blonde Jennifer reminded him. 

"You have to wait longer!" Kelly cried, running up behind the Jennifers panicked. 

"Camille and Jo are presenting the first award," Gustavo exclaimed. 

"Dream Team away!" The guys shouted, sprinting out to reach their seats while James gave Emily a quick kiss on the cheek as he ran out. Emily went off to wait for her friends to come off stage to continue her conversation from earlier. 

Although disappointed, Emily graciously clapped hearing them announce One Direction as the winner of the music group award while Gustavo could be heard yelling from the other side of the room. Instead of the girls entering, the guys bumped into Emily peeling back the curtain. 

"Are you guys only going to your seats when you're nominated?" She asked, seeing their quick return. They shrugged in response, crossing to the drink station. 

With arms around each other, Emily and James followed the three. "Have I told you how hot you look in that jacket yet?" Emily wondered. "I know it's implied, but you look hot."

"Well, have I told you how hot you look tonight?" James fired back. Spinning around to face him, Emily pressed her lips to his as she walked backwards continuing their way to the drink counter.

"Ugh, they're doing it again," Logan said disgusted, looking away. "Make it stop."

Pulling apart, the couple shifted their eyes to Logan giving him a blank stare. Lucky for him, Camille and Jo stepped in front of them drenched head to toe in a purple slime. 

"We gotta go change," Camille smiled. Carlos and Kendall were thoroughly amused by their new looks as Logan froze in awe. 

"They say it takes up to three hours to get the goop out," Jo mentioned, brushing some of the substance off her face. 

 "But it was totally worth it!"

Logan leaned forward, rubbing some off of Camille's shoulder. "Logan," Emily sighed.

"The viscosity's dense," he thought, rubbing his fingers. "so although it falls from the sky, it must sit stored in the bowels of the arena." 

"Ew," Jo said. "And we'll see you guys at the after party we've always dreamed of."

"What after party?" Kendall asked. 

"You're the Dream Team. You figure it out," Camille smirked. 

Emily groaned, leaning against the counter, "I don't have time for all these dreams." She looked off noticing the giant shark staring still at the group. 

"Uh, is Sharky staring at us?" Kendall asked the group, calling their attention to what Emily and him picked up on. 

"Definitely."

From behind the counter, Carlos leaned forward, taking the 3-D glasses off, "Maybe he's just thinking about the ocean and stuff."

"Honey, it's not a real shark," Emily told Carlos who thought in confusion. 

"You two," Logan said, pointing to his friends on either shoulder, "stop being paranoid."

"Yeah, do you see a beach drag race anywhere?" James retorted, mimicking a bike. "Or Griffin trying to break up the band?"

Emily held up a finger, "He does that at least once a month."

"Okay, fine. Well, do you see  a bunch of henchmen in jumpsuits?" 

"Yes," Emily immediately replied, nodding her head to the group of men in bright yellow jumpsuits marching past them.

"Ignore that," Logan said, placing a hand over Emily's eyes. 

Tearing Logan's hand away, her and Kendall walked forward, following them to a corner of the room with bright yellow curtains, leading into another room. 

"Excuse me, uh, what is this?" Kendall asked the two henchmen standing guard. 

"It's the V.I. Cheese Room," Sharkus answered, exiting. Emily sighed, hiding an eye roll as he walked up to them. "The giganticorp VIP room within the VIP room."

Griffin and Gustavo walked out behind him, each stuffing their faces with bowls of mac and cheese. "We just got done screening your amazing mac and cheese commercial," Griffin said, wide-eyed.

"I thought you hated mac and cheese," Kendall frowned, pointing to Griffin. 

"And you once threatened to fire me if the kitchen at the studio was ever stocked with some," Emily told Gustavo, watching the man with concern.

 "Not after that commercial."

"It's amazing," the men gushed, still eating. "Just like Sharky's amazing mac and cheese."

Sharkus nodded at Gustavo, laughing evilly. As he made eye contact with Emily and Kendall, he stopped. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some cheese-ness to attend to." Walking past Logan, the two henchman followed then Sharky who gave the friends a long stare before turning. 

"I don't trust him," Emily said aloud, watching where Sharkus had run off to. "I'll let you know what I find."

James blocked her path, putting hands on her shoulders, and turning her from the exit. 

"No one else thinks something is wrong here?" Kendall asked the guys, gesturing to Griffin and Gustavo. 

"I do!" Kelly cried, "You're not in your seats for Awesomest Video!" 

The guys jumped, stuttering as they bumped into each other, rushing out to their seats again. "Don't wander off," James told his girlfriend, running off. 

After seeing them vanish and her bosses distracted by the monitor, Emily slipped out through the exit, seeing the long staircase from the VIP room down to the main hallway outside the arena. 

Descending the long staircase, Emily heard muffled cheers from inside. Skipping down the last few steps, she walked further down the hallway, looking for signs of any sketchy rooms or people lurking around. 

"Emily Moore!" 

Emily stopped in her tracks, squeezing her eyes shut, mentally cursing to herself. She turned around, giving a bright, innocent smile as the three guys and James came into view. "Where are you going?" 

"Um, Logan's goop room?" She muttered. 

Logan laughed, "Ha, nice try." His smiled dropped as he ran to Emily, shaking her shoulders, "Unless you found it. Tell me where it is!" 

"You need to get a grip on reality."

"Well, the Dream Team needs to help me find it because finding it is my dream," Logan said, looking at the four gathered. Kendall shook his head, warning Logan. 

"No, we are still up for three awards, do not lead us on a wild-goop chase."

***

"What level are we on?" 

Kendall's voice echoed through the dark, concrete tunnels with large pipes trailing overhead. 

"Three?" 

"Nine?"

"Negative two?"

"This is a bad idea!" Kendall repeated for the tenth time since Logan lead them on the wild chase. Emily continued to watch her step for rocky terrain or pot holes wearing the heels. 

"Stop worrying," Logan told him in front. "And this is going to be awesome when Logan Mitchell/Explorer locates the mythical source of goop." 

"Does anyone remember how to get back up?" Emily wondered. 

Logan slowly smirked, hearing a humming noise. Following it, he pushed open a large metal door, "Dream Team, feast your eyes on..." As they entered, their eyes adjusted, realizing it was in fact not the goop room, but a large control room with bright yellow lights, large switches, henchmen, and Sharkus in front of a countdown clock. "Sharkus... and an evil control panel with an ominous countdown clock."

"Big Time Rush," Sharkus bitterly smiled, "and friend–" Emily whined in offense "–you seem to have stumbled upon my cheesy operation."

"Yeah, sorry about that," James smiled, "bye!" 

The group went to turn and run out, only to be blocked by the enormous shark.  "Please, stay awhile. I insist," Sharkus said in a chilling voice. 

"Still think we're being paranoid," Emily snapped at Logan. 

"I told you every time we do a one-hour TV special something goes wrong," Kendall said. 

As they slowly turned back to Sharkus, "Now, I know you've already met Sharky the Shark. Let me introduce my cheese men," the yellow-suited henchmen with yellow helmet broke out into threatening stances. "They're trained in the art of Cheese-Fu."

"Well, that's not a real thing," Emily mumbled to Kendall. 

"Or is it Kung Cheese?" 

"Neither is that."

After receiving a silent answer from the shark, "Cheese-Fu." 

"Yeah, dude, that's not a real thing," Emily said, loud enough this time for the man to hear her. The guys slapped Emily for her to stop talking while James sighed heavily in exasperation, rubbing his face.

"Can I help you?" He glared at her. 

"Yeah, tell your fish to move so we can be on our way," the girl replied. 

Sharkus laughed, "That's not going to happen. And I have more cheese men on the way," pressing a yellow button, "ASA-Cheese."

"That's stupid," Emily scoffed. While part of her truly believed everything she said, the other part just enjoyed pissing off people who tried to tell her what to do. Especially the evil ones, which she ran into more often since meeting the guys. 

"Okay, someone take her out first," Sharkus groaned, pointing accusingly at the girl. 

"Is that how they handle things in the FBI?" James asked her, tugging her closer to him just in case Sharkus really did set anyone on her. 

The group suddenly pushed forward, turning to see Sharky tumbling down with more cheese men crashing into him. 

"Jump the shark!" Kendall cried, leading the escape at they ran out of the control room. "You just had to look for the goop room!"

"My dream was to have a girlfriend not be destroyed by cheese men!" Carlos shouted as they ran down the corridor. 

Emily struggled to keep up, feeling her heels wobble each time her foot slammed down on an uneven, slick surface. 

"Em, keep up!" Logan shouted back. 

"Put on a pair of heels and we'll see how you do!" The girl yelled. 

James slowed down, swinging her up into his arms, taking off running again. Emily reached down, taking the heels off and gripping them in her hand. She nodded, "Okay, thanks babe," she said. Still running, James dropped her legs, easing her closer to the ground as she took off sprinting barefoot, the couple catching up with their friends. 

They ran down stairs, down slopes, through tunnels, up stairs. "Where are we going?" James asked. 

"I don't know! I didn't dream this far," Logan shouted, slowing down to see Sharky standing in their way. 

"Yeah, how about not that way?" Carlos muttered as they turned around breaking off in the direction the group came from. 

After running down more stairs and into a complex rounded stairwell, Kendall ran into another metal door, "Just hide!" Pouring in, the five slammed their bodies on the door, shutting it. "Purple."

Kendall was the first to see it. With many pipes, a glowing purple pool stood before them. Logan gasped, pushing through. "The legend is true. We found it!" He cried, jumping and laughing like a kid. 

Emily and James shrugged, looking impressed but not wanting to encourage Logan. "Logan, this is what you should do with your life," Emily said, looking at the control station. 

"What are you doing?" Carlos snapped. Logan was down on his knees, leaning into the river with a syringe. 

"Never know when you're going to need a little goop," he replied, getting to his feet. "Take in the glory, Dream Team. We are the first to witness this spectacle."

"But probably not," Emily mentioned. "Someone had to get all this in here, you know?" 

Logan frowned at Emily, looking up to James, "Dude, do something about this."

James sighed, "Okay, dream complete. Now, let's go–"

The door burst open with four cheese men cornering them. The group screamed, backing up. The henchmen edged forward, pushing the group further back to the edge on the ground into the pool. Feeling herself hanging off the edge, Emily jumped onto James' back, hanging over the purple as he stepped back. 

"Well, we were kinda hoping we would get gooped tonight," Kendall said, trying to be positive. 

"I wasn't!" Emily cried, not planning once to touch the chemical, especially not in the fancy dress.

Then one of the yellow men collapsed to the group, his feet swept out from under him by an invisible force. Each of the cheese men were taken down, looking as if they had decided to do it to themselves. 

"What was that?" Carlos cried. A zap appeared and a blonde in black. Alexa Vega turned around, taking off the sunglasses as Carlos gasped. "She is a spy! I told you she was as spy. And she's a beautiful spy too."

James moved, letting Emily go, the girl smirking at James, nodding her head at Carlos' crush. 

"Thank you," Alexa smiled. "I'm looking for Sharkus. Do you know where he is?"

Looking at each other, the five talked over each other, trying to figure out how they got to the room from Sharkus' evil control room. "When you see a big, scary, walking shark, take a left," James shouted. 

"Scary?" Emily repeated, looking at her boyfriend in confusion. 

"Got it," Alexa nodded, turning to leave. 

"Wait! You're not leaving me!" Carlos shouted. "I mean– us," he corrected as Emily and Logan raised their eyebrows at each other seeing Carlos swooning. 

"Duty calls," Alexa said, "but you guys should enjoy the show. I got this." Then she zapped invisible again giving a cheese man a final kick.

"Wait, take me with you!" Emily called after her. 

"No," James told her. 

"You know, being invisible was always one of my dreams," Logan smiled. 

"No," Kendall told him. "Award time!" He realized, the group taking off again through the tunnels. 

***

The guys got in their seats just as James was nominated, only for him to not win Awesomest Hair. The only thing keeping Emily from wandering off to find Alexa and convincing her to make her a spy was the fact her boyfriend could win an award for his hair. 

The guys snuck off into the VIP room to see Lucy and Austin Mahone. They were about to go out and present a kiss award. 

"Austin, Lucy, who's your buddy?" Kendall smiled at the two. 

"You guys are?" Austin guessed as Lucy stared, knowing they were up to something. 

"Yep! And what do buddies do for each other?" Carlos beamed. 

"You're about to tell us," Lucy fake laughed. 

"We would like to make a deal with you where you let James go out before you present the big-kiss award," Logan told them. 

"What's the deal?"

Logan stuttered, "That's the deal."

"That's pretty much it," Kendall nodded. "Look, he wants to tell her he loves her tonight in a big, spontaneous way, and it's his dream, and–"

"Please. Please. Please. Please," James pleaded, holding his hands up as he smiled. 

"All right," Austin shrugged. 

"Only because I love Emily," Lucy told them, making sure they knew she wasn't available to do favors for them all the time. 

"Get her with you backstage!" James shouted, the guys pushing him out to the wings. 

As James was announced on stage after Nick Cannon, the host, realized he wasn't Lucy and Austin and had his own agenda lined up, Lucy dragged Emily backstage with her as her and Austin waited for their turn. 

"Why am I here?" She asked. 

"I'm nervous," Lucy lied. 

"You don't get nervous," Emily told her. Lucy sighed.

"Just hang out a while," she smiled, holding Emily's arm pleadingly. 

"Why?" 

"Hi, I'm James–" 

"Oh, no," Emily sighed, hearing her boyfriend on stage. 

"I'm here to present the presenters for Awesomest On-Screen Kiss," James smiled, standing at the podium by himself, catching his friends in their seats, giving him supportive smiles. "It's the moment on the big screen that capture our hearts when the girl admits her feelings for the guy on a romantic beach or when the guy realizes he's in love with the girl who pushed him off a balcony to save the world." 

From backstage, Emily went numb. She couldn't see James, but just hearing him sent her heart flying throughout her body. It was obvious he was talking about her and was doing this for her from the start, but she didn't know he would say that. 

"It's that moment when the guy does something really stupid and dramatic just to tell the girl he's in love with her." Lucy noticed Emily's breath picking up as she bit back a smile to herself. Then she pushed Emily. The girl stumbled, pushing Lucy back, only for Lucy to push her again getting her out on stage that time. Feeling the harsh lights on her, Emily froze, unable to run off now. "Kinda like how I'm up here, delaying the show just to let everyone know I'm in love with that girl," James smiled, pointing at the froze blonde who was just shoved into the light. 

Emily looked over, seeing James. Even though the crowd was wild, probably most of the noise coming from their friends and James' fans who loved him and Emily together, Emily and James couldn't hear anything in their minds. It was silent. 

"I'm in love with you," Emily said. James heard her. Smiling the biggest in his life, James' set the microphone down on the stand. With a few short strides, he was at her and they met in a kiss, in front of millions of people feeling like they weren't there. 

From the crowd, Logan, Kendall, and Carlos smiled at each other, wiggling their fingers together, "Dream complete," Kendall smiled. 

The two on stage finally pulled apart. Emily's eyes flooded with tears as she laughed, leaning her forehead on his. "You're an idiot," she told him. James blinked back a tear of his own, feeling his heart swell as Emily called him an idiot yet again. And it's all he wanted to hear. Emily grabbed his hand from her cheek, pulling him offstage with her. 

James jumped, letting go, running back to the podium as Emily ran off backstage, grinning ear to ear, waiting in the hall for him, "Oh, here's Austin and Lucy," James said in the mic before running off himself, thanking Lucy on the way out. 

Waiting in the hall when she opened the door were her three best friends, beaming at her. She slowed her pace, looking at them in realization, nodding to herself. 

"You're in love," Carlos teased, poking her arm. Emily hid a blushed smile, pushing him away. 

"Did Jo and Camille tell you guys my idea last night?" She asked knowingly. Logan and Kendall shook their heads, looking at her. "So you had no idea I joked about telling James I love her that exact same way?"

"Aw, you guys are meant to be," Carlos teased again. 

Dawning on Emily her and the boy had the same plan (one of them serious), she bit her lip, smiling to herself. The guys started smirking. She turned to see them silently congratulating James who made it out. 

Without a word of warning, the girl suddenly jumped into James' arm, hooking her arms around his neck as he lifted her up, the two engaging in another kiss. And this time, the guys didn't mind. 

Emily pulled back, "You know how you once asked me to be the girl in the front row holding up an I Love James sign?" The boy nodded, remembering their first encounter. "I remember telling myself I'd react to coffee like a normal person before that happened."

"Kinda funny how life turns out," James said, picking her chin up to kiss her again. 

"Remember when she couldn't stand to be in the same room as him," Logan hummed, watching the two with his friends from a little ways away. 

"Remember when James paid us each $10 to back off after we gave her coffee for the first time?" Kendall sighed, contently, seeing his two best friends tell each other they loved them back and forth. 

Carlos nudged them, "You think they'd still be here if he hadn't?" 

"Absolutely." 

Emily and James walked back over to them, hand in hand with Emily's other arm holding his. "Dream Team," Carlos smiled, the three guys crossing arms to wiggle their fingers together as the couple stood in front of them. 

"Thank you, Dream Team," Emily said, lightly rolling her eyes. "What's next on our list?" 

"Carlos!"

Emily and James turned to see the Jennifers staring at Carlos. 

"Carlos' girlfriend dream," Logan and James sighed. 

"We're sick of being nice. And we want an answer, now," blonde Jennifer glared. Even cut-out Jennifer wasn't smiling anymore. 

"So, who do you want to be your girlfriend?" Curly haired Jennifer demanded.

"What about me?" A voice said. 

A zap brought Alexa Vega into light. She looked at Carlos hopefully as Kendall shoved him towards her. "You wanna be my girlfriend?" Carlos questioned. 

"I've kinda had a crush on your since your first album," Alexa shyly admitted. 

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm shy."

"You?" The guys observed earning a smack from Emily who shushed them. 

"What can I say, I'm a shy spy," Alexa joked. 

James and Kendall shoved Carlos directly into Alexa. The two stopped, staring at each other slowly leaning into a kiss. 

"Let's get out of here, Jennifers," curly-haired Jennifer said. 

"I think 1D is in the VIP room," blonde Jennifer snapped, the two strutting off with the cut out. 

"But I have to warn you, it's not easy dating a spy," Alexa told Carlos. Emily looked up at James, giving him a nod to which the boy groaned. "You never know when you might get caught in the middle of a dangerous mission."

"I don't care," Carlos whispered. 

"Sign me up," Emily grinned, holding out a hand to shake for Alexa. Logan turned amused to James who threw his head up, sighing loudly. 

"Did you say dangerous?" Logan asked. 

"Yes, and I'm in one now," Alexa answered. "I can't find Sharkus' cheesy headquarters and I need your help." 

"Dream Team is in," Carlos promised her. 

"We'll help you find it," the guys told her.

 Emily clapped, "Let's go." She walked forward with Alexa, leading the group out. "You know, you could ditch them and just take me. I'm pretty awesome. I've already saved the world once, you know. Also, I punch people in the face–"

"Emily!" James snapped from the back, hearing her pitching herself to Alexa so she could become a spy.

Alexa chuckled in amusement, "Lead the way then," she said, gesturing for Emily to take the lead down into the basement again. 

Emily lead the group not-so gracefully back into to concrete walls from earlier that night. As soon as Logan shouted they reached the correct level, Emily started swerving in and out of tunnels to find the control room. 

"And now, my friends," Emily called, "just like that, I have successfully passed the spy-test with flying colors and will be given a laser any day now–"

"Um, actually," Alexa hummed, wanting to tell Emily that wasn't going to happen. 

"–and I've proven, yet again, my superiority and– Hey!" 

A yellow cheese men reached out, gripping the girl's upper arm. Emily swung her body around trying to break free. She led them right to the cheese men and Sharkus who were standing in the giant hall. 

Emily and Alexa were taken first being caught off guard. With them out of the way the guys were screwed. Logan gave up pretty quickly, as well as Kendall who found the situation amusing but wouldn't dare say it out loud. Carlos fought a little until Alexa told him to stop, knowing things would move quicker and they could escape quicker with everyone calm and on the same page. 

"Don't touch her!" James snapped, pushing through his friends the moment he saw the yellow guy grab his girlfriend. He was taken fairly quickly, thinking of all the roasts he would throw at Emily about her being a great "spy" when this was over. 

The cheese men dragged the six behind Sharkus, leading them to the control room. Throwing them in, the henchmen let go. 

"Found it," Kendall chirped. 

Emily jumped up letting the spike in her heel come down on top of the man's foot dragging her into the room. Even with the tight mask on, she heard him groan in pain, roughly shoving her into the room. Behind them, James shook off the guy holding him, walking in furious, moving straight to Emily, holding onto her. 

"What's your plan, Sharkus?" Alexa spat.

From his place on the platform in the center of the control panels, Sharkus turned, "Why don't I let Sharky the Shark tell you?" He turned to the shark for a brief moment, "That's right, you don't talk. You're a shark. When your commercial airs in 13 minutes," the image of the guys holding the QR codes appeared on the screen, "I will transmit my hypno beam to the satellites and into the homes of 21 million viewers. And at the precise moment when you reveal the secret cheese code, I'll reveal the real secret: My Cheezmotizer!" 

Carlos gasped as the screen started flickering, a colorful, hazy glare floating from the projected image, blinding their eyes. "Do we get to kiss again?" He leaned over to Alexa.  

"Maybe later," she assured him, focused on Sharkus. 

"Which when viewed wearing my Cheese-D glasses, will make their heads explode!" Sharkus exclaimed. Their stomaches dropped, fearfully protesting to the man in yellow who turned laughing, "I'm kidding! That's crazy talk," he laughed, Emily bitting harshly on her inner lip to prevent herself from talking. "When those square things flash, I'll push up on these giants levels, and then everyone will just crave Sharky's mac and cheese for breakfast, lunch, and dinner," he said nonchalant. 

"They're called QR codes, you ignorant fascist," Emily bitterly said. Logan ooh-ed at her choice of vocabulary while James pressed his fingers on the bridge of his nose, giving up. 

Sharkus sighed, poutingly, "Okay, c-can can someone please remove her?" He cried, desperately looking to one of the cheese men after clearly taking a hit from the girl's many insults throughout the night. Two cheese men roughly grabbed the girl's arm, dragging her back as she rolled her eyes despite James' protests, trying to follow after her, "How can you stand her?" He gasped for breath, looking at the four boys once Emily was removed from the room. 

"Well, James actually loves her," Carlos teased, pointing a finger at James who smacked it away, telling him to focus. 

Down the hall, Emily went along with the cheese men willingly, looking between the two bored. "So, did you always want to be cheese men?" She asked. Silence. They stopped at a metal gate with a block a giant cheese at the back. They guided her into the small space, standing guard. "Look, all I'm saying is, I think there's better opportunities out there for you," she told them, leaning against the fence. Met with more silence, Emily nodded, "So glad I could help, now I'll be going..." she hummed, slipping out, only for the men to harshly shove her back inside just as the remaining cheese men and Sharkus caught up with them dragging along her friends. 

"What did I say about touching her?" James snapped in exasperation, breaking free and willingly going into the small space to hold his girlfriend. 

"It's not a big deal, I had it coming," Emily told him, taken back by his sudden defense. 

"I figured as much," he mumbled back at her. The other four would pushed inside, stuck between the cheese, a fence and a wooden wall as Sharkus pressed a button, another fence sliding shut, locking them in. 

"Welcome to the Cheese Squeeze," Sharkus smiled evilly.

"Um, what is that exactly?" Carlos asked. 

"Sure I'll explain it. So you guys are the cheese... and you get squeezed."

Emily narrowed her eyes, "That looks like the cheese to me," she pointed out, motioning to the giant cheese wall behind them, her friends nodding in acknowledgement. 

He waved the remote in front of her, "Do you forget who has the upper hand here?" Emily shrugged, locking eyes with him, not scared for a moment of the guy. He pressed the button and the cheese wall started moving forward, "Cheese ya later!" 

Dropping the remote, he and the cheese men left the six to be crushed. "Dream Team, activate panic mode," Kendall sighed before they started screaming. Logan and Kendall rattled the fence, begging for someone to help them while James, Carlos, and Alexa pushed against the cheese to stop it and Emily threw her shoulder into the wooden wall, kicking it, hoping she could break it and get them out. 

"Okay, new dream: Not getting cheese squeezed!" Logan shouted. 

"Guys, don't worry. My spy girlfriend will help us get out of here!" Carlos assured them. 

"Right, right. Do you have any spy gear to help us out?" 

 "This erases memories," Alexa chirped, pulling out a circled device. "Not helpful. This disguises my voice! 'Ello Gov'nor."

"How does this happen to us!" Kendall cried. 

"I don't know!" Logan shouted. 

The three got closer to the other three as the cheese pushed them forwards, cutting off their remaining space. "Look, we're not going to die, just be really uncomfortable," Emily said calmly. "That thing isn't strong enough to actually kill us."

"Do you really want to find out?" James shouted, his body pressing her further into the wall. 

"Ooh! We just have to hit that button," Kendall realized, seeing the red button on the remote on the ground. 

"Or short it out!" Logan chimed. 

"With what?" Alexa asked. 

The six were pressed closer and closer together. Emily struggled between Logan and the wood when she noticed a purple syringe sticking out of his pocket. "This!" She cheered, pulling it out. 

"Goop!" Logan cried in relief, taking it from her. Logan slipped it through the opening in the fence, squirting the purple onto the remote. Sparks flew from the device with electricity crackling and the cheese wall retracted itself backwards as the fence slid opening and the six stumbled out. 

Gasping in relief, "Okay, our commercial airs in ten minutes. What's the plan?" Kendall gasped. 

"Oh, I've got a plan," Alexa assured them. "But first, you guys are up for Awesomest Look."

"But we can't leave you now!" Carlos stressed. 

"But we do look awesome," James mumbled to Emily. 

"Meet us in the goop room in five minutes," Alexa said, nodding to Emily who clapped to herself at the opportunity to work with her. 

"See ya later," Emily smiled, kissing James' cheek as she placed a hand on Alexa's shoulder. "Love you."

"Good luck," Alexa smiled, activating her watch, the two girls vanishing in thin air.  Logan laughed in awe, muttering about how cool that was before the guys ran off to the main floor. 

***

In the goop room, Alexa and Emily were attaching long hoses to the spurts on the ground in front of the purple pool. 

"So, Carlos..." Emily said, looking up at the spy for her reaction. 

She blushed, "Yeah..."

"He's a sweetheart," Emily told her. "But he needs constant supervision and gets scared of marionettes." Alexa chuckled lightly. Just then tfhe door flew open with the guys running in. 

"Do we get to kiss now?" Carlos asked hopefully. 

"Definitely later," Alexa assured him while James took the opportunity to kiss his girlfriend, smirking at Carlos. "Grab a hose," she said, throwing one to James who caught it after pulling back from Emily. 

"Got it. What do we do with it?" He asked. 

"We stop Sharkus."

Logan nodded, "Right, but one big yellow problem: This place is crawling with cheese men!"

"He's right, that's a problem," Emily agreed. 

"Not for the Dream Team," Kendall smirked, getting an idea. "You still want to be invisible?" He asked Logan who gasped in delight. 

Alexa nodded in understanding, "Take this," she handed over the watch to Emily who eagerly wrapped it around her wrist. "You guys get to Sharkus and short out the controls. I'll stay here and turn on the hoses."

"What about the cheese men?" Carlos asked in worriment. 

"Dude," Emily whispered, nudging him, "she's got this."

The team of five began their journey back to the evil control room, checking out every corner for cheese men. The guys kept Emily in the middle, constant holding her in case a cheese men showed up and they had to disappear. 

"Hey, Sharkus!" The guys shouted as they filed into the room just as the countdown ended. The man turned, startled to see no one in the room. 

Emily turned off the watch, the five of them becoming visible again, the guys aiming the hoses at Sharkus. 

"So goop to see you," Kendall smirked. 

"But now it's time to say goop night," James said, cheekily. 

"Pass!"

"Goop, here it is!" Logan beamed, nodding at Emily for approval of his addition to the joke but the girl only shook her head in embarrassment, stepping back knowing the flood about to happen. 

"But you're too late–"

Sharkus was cut off by the guys turning on the hoses, a harsh stream of purple jetting out. The panels sparked, shorting out, and Sharkus slipped, tumbling to the floor, coating in purple. 

"Okay, being invisible dream complete," Logan smiled, fist bumping Emily who showed off her spy watch. 

"My plan!" Sharkus cried from the ground coated in goop. "It's ruined. I've been ruined by a boy band!"

"You're not the first," Emily told him. 

"Okay, time for the final purple rocket of the night: Awesomest Song."

The tv broadcasting the show above caught their attention at their final category and last chance to win.

"We're up for favorite song," Kendall realized. 

"Like we're gonna win it," Logan scoffed, looking back at their four failed wins so far. Emily sadly watched the screen, disappointed her dream didn't come true. 

"And the winner is... We Are by Big Time Rush!" 

Emily's hands flew to her mouth gasping. The guys realized what he said, turning to each other in celebration. 

"You did it!" Carlos told Emily, jumping up and down as she remained frozen in place. 

"You won!" Kendall cheered. 

"Wait!" The others gasped, realizing they weren't there... The camera panned to the empty seats in the audience where the band should've been. 

"We gotta get my award!" Emily shouted, jumping over the hoses towards the door when Sharky the Shark stalked in, blocking their exit. 

"Revenge time, Sharky," Sharkus smiled. "Ruin their dreams!" Sharky just stared. "Obey me you dumb shark!" 

Shark then slid to the side, gesturing for them to leave. Emily grinned, yelling back a work of thanks as she lead the team, sprinting through the tunnels. 

"Go! Go!" 

Out of breath, Big Time Rush sprinted around the corner, halting to a stop realizing they were on stage. The boys turned back to see Emily stopped at the edge of the wing speechless. 

"Big Time Rush!" The crowd cheered. 

The guys smiled, waving. "Looks like Em got her rocket," James said. 

"And all our dreams came true tonight," Carlos added. 

"Except you, dreamless," Logan chirped. "You never told us your dream."

"This is it," Kendall answered obviously. "Look where we are. We're all up here together, one way or another," he say, giving Em a wave from the stage which she shyly returned still in awe. "That's my dream and we made it come true."

"Well, ready?" James asked. 

"Let's spin."

***

"So this is the famous song you've been spending so much time with," James joked, leaning opposite on the piano. Emily and the guys were gathered in the empty studio. She finally finished the song, which Gustavo loved, and she was showing the band for the first time.

"Our expectations are high," Kendall told her. 

Emily rolled her eyes, smiling as she handed each boy a lyrics sheet. "Just as long as you guys like it..."

"Imagine if we didn't," Carlos said, "how embarrassing that would be," he laughed. 

"Carlos!" The guys snapped, Logan slapping the side of his helmet. 

Emily cleared her throat, "If you're done," she said, holding her fingers over the ivory keys. Half a note rang out quietly when Emily stopped, "If it sucks, interrupt me right away so I don't make a fool of myself," another quiet note, "and don't stare because I'll get nervous," another note, "and I don't sing a lot–"

"Will you just play?" Logan sassed with a polite smile. 

A soft chord played, "Thinking, we don't want to get caught up in over thinking," Emily sang nodding for James and Kendall to try to catch up. Her voice was low, but strong. Similar to Kendall's style. "We only got tonight."

"Moments, we gotta keep on living for these moments," James sang.

"Cause this is our time," sang Kendall, letting his voice travel up. 

Emily nodded at Carlos, cuing him into his part, "Life's too short to sit and wait for luck to come our way." As Emily sang along, guiding Carlos, Logan knocked his shoulder into hers, smiling down at her on the bench, thinking back to when she told him those exact words. "Light it up like fireworks. I wanna hear you say..."

"We are. We are," they chanted, all stopping to hear their friend sing alone. "We are alive, and we are the light that's shining down. We are, we are. We are the reckless. You can hear us drowning out the sound," Emily sang through the chorus, letting them hear the melody. "We are, we are. Young and dumb, always chasing something," the guys each hid away a smile, thinking back on their friendship. 

"We are, we are," the boys chanted, catching onto the break. 

"Hearts like drums, you can hear us coming," Emily finished. "We are, we are." 

The girl nodded her head along as the guys broke away from the piano, moving around the room, dancing to themselves. "Chances, you know there's nothing wrong with taking chances," Logan sang. 

"We put it on the line," Kendall nodded along. 

"Oh, someday."

"Someday."

"I know we're gonna be somebody someday," and Logan recognized the call back to the song on their first album, giving Emily a wave, letting her know he caught it. The girl smiled to herself, her fingers continuing to trickle across the keys as she watched her friends enjoy her song.

"We only gotta try."

"Life's too short to sit and wait for luck to come our way," Carlos trilled, leaning against the piano, following along with Emily who nodded assuringly at the boy he was getting the tempo right. "Light it up like fireworks, I wanna hear you say–"

"We are, we are!" The guys shouted, jumping. 

"We are alive, and we are the light that's shining down. We are, we are. We are the reckless, you can hear us drowning out the sound. We are, we are. Young and dumb, always chasing something. We are, we are. Hearts like drums, you can hear us coming. We are, we are." The guys danced around, huddled behind the piano over Emily's shoulders as the beat picked up. 

"Oh, whoa. Oh, whoa. Oh, whoa. We are, we are," The five friends sang together, bouncing back and forth. "Oh, whoa. Oh, whoa, Oh, whoa. We are, we are." Logan and James went up in harmony, "Oh, whoa. Oh, whoa. We are, we are. Oh, whoa. Oh, whoa, Oh, whoa. We are, we are!" 

With a break in the piano, James pulled Emily out from the bench, sitting down instead, picking up for her as Carlos pulled the girl out into the room, getting her to dance with them. "We are alive, and we are the light that's shining down," The group shouted. "We are, we are. We are the reckless, you can hear us drowning out the sound. We are, we are." Emily jumped, Kendall grabbed her hand with extended arms, spinning in a wide circle, "Young and dumb, always chasing something. We are, we are," then letting go, "hearts like drums, you can hear us coming."

"We are, we are."

***

The crowd erupted into deafening cheers. Emily brushed away small tears that had escaped while she watched her boys perform from the wings. 

"That does it for Tween Choice!" Nick Cannon announced in the middle of the band, closing out the show. "And remember, no matter what anyone tells you, never ever stop dreaming!" 

The guys waved, walking off stage. Carlos sprinted off the second he was offstage straight to Emily, holding the purple rocket out for her. With her eyes shining, Emily choked back another tear as Carlos placed it in her hands, diving into a hug. 

"Look at you, winner!" Logan cheered, wrapping his arms over her shoulders. 

 James hugged her next, pulling away for a moment to kiss her head, "I'm so proud of you, Em."

"All thanks to the Dream Team," she smiled, giving a small bow of thanks to Kendall, the founder of the team. 

"You did it all by yourself," Kendall told her, having his moment to congratulate his best friend. As he pulled back, Emily dipped her head down in attempt to brush away tears unnoticed as they continued to fall. "Em?"

"Are you crying?" Carlos asked. 

"Okay!" She shouted, "My song just won an award, you guys performed it, and I told my boyfriend I love him tonight, I'm allowed a moment!" She said, trying to defend herself. But the soft, amused smiled from the guys brushed it all away. "Ugh, I love you guys," she said, pulling Kendall and Logan into her side, starting a group hug. 

"We love you, Em," Logan said. 

"Seriously, I don't tell you enough," she sniffled. "Thank you for changing my life." The boys stepped back nodding at James who pulled her into his chest, biting back a smile. They only saw her express her feelings a few times in the past few years and each time it was never good. This was a pleasant surprise. 

"Thanks for changing ours," James told her as he held her head, looking at his best friends, giving a silent nod of love to them with they returned. 

Emily suddenly pulled back, turning around, "I wrote the song about you guys, by the way, I don't know if that was clear–"

"We know, Em. We know," Kendall laughed, initiating the group hug again. 

In the backstage wing, Gustavo, still scarfing down mac and cheese, and Kelly had spotted the guys, eager to run over to congratulate and celebrate with them, and for Gustavo, hold the rocket, but stopped. 

The two saw Emily and the band immersed in a tight group hug, holding onto each other with no signs of someone ready to end it. Kelly turned to Gustavo, who stopped eating for a moment to smile at the sight, and the two sighed contently, watching the five teens. 

***

Emily gave up the rocket for the night and let Gustavo carry it around since he was brainwashed all night. Alexa used her memory device to erase Griffin and Gustavo's memory of the commercial, reversing the enhancement. 

Sharkus was quickly arrested and taken to jail, allowing Griffin to take over the large company, and held his place as the number one CEO in America. 

Dreams came true all over the place. 

Back at the Palm Woods, everyone gathered for a celebratory after party. But there were more dreams to make true. James, Logan, and Kendall sauntered over to Katie who sat glumly by a fire pit. The girl ruined her VIP passes and was stuck in the crib watching the show instead of backstage with the rest.

"Why so glum, baby sis?" Kendall asked knowingly.  

"Oh, I had a great day. Just you know, not my dream day," she sighed. 

"Right," Logan nodded. "Dream Team?"

Emily walked over with Austin Mahone carrying two drinks. Katie's eyes went wide seeing who Emily was with. The boy smiled at Katie, sitting besides her, handing over the drink. 

"Austin, Katie. Katie, Austin," James smiled, introducing the two. 

"Hey, Katie. The guys have told me so much about you," Austin smiled. 

"Oh, really?" Katie asked. "Like what?"

"That if they didn't invite me to the after party to meet you, you would've killed them."

"Aw!" Katie gushed, smiling at the guys where Emily had placed herself under James' arm. "I would have!"

"Activate Leave Them Alone mode," Kendall said, nodding for his friends to follow him off. Emily stiffed a laugh, seeing James giving Austin a warningly stare. 

"And the Dream Team is officially retired," Emily sighed. 

"No, Carlos still doesn't have a real girlfriend," James winced, pointing to Carlos in the lobby talking to air. 

"He's trying though," Jo and Camille shrugged. 

Emily shook her head, "Alexa is real and she really likes him. She just has a complicated life."

"I couldn't imagine not being able to see you," Kendall said to Jo. 

"James can," Logan chuckled, giving Emily an approving smile. "Em's gonna be a spy," he explained to Camille. 

"No, she's not," James snapped. 

Emily frowned, "You can't tell me what to do."

"What if I ask nicely?"

"Okay," Emily smiled, giving him a kiss. "I'll make it a hobby then." James laughed at her, pulling her into him more. "Told you so!" Emily shouted, startling everyone as she pointed eagerly, jumping at Carlos and Alexa kissing in the lobby. 

"Well, this story is wrapping up quite nicely," Logan smiled as Carlos and Alexa walked out to join the group hand in hand. 

"Big time," Carlos grinned. 

"And who knows what adventures lie ahead for the Dream Team," Kendall smirked. 

"I'm sure there will be a new one in a few hours," Emily breathed, rolling her eyes in anticipation. She already imagined the three guys pouring into her apartment late that night while her and James were sleeping on the couch with some major crisis. 

A bright yellow light blinded them, shining from the side and a machine powered up.  Squinting the five stepped forward, noticing Gustavo through the lights. 

"Oh, it's just Gustavo," James sighed when the lights turned off. Gustavo was up on the platform behind the DJ table.

"Just Gustavo?" The man repeated in offense. "Have you forgotten I'm amazing? Now dance!" 

Spinning the record, the music kicked up. Emily smiled at the guys hearing their song getting louder. 

"Go and shake it up," they sang along. "Whatcha gotta lose?" The five beamed at Gustavo. 

"Go and make your luck with the life you choose," Emily sang, excitingly dancing back and forth with James. "If you want it all, lay it on the line. It's the only life you got–" 

Looking at the crowd, she spotted everyone. Bitters, Buddha Bob, Jett, Mama Knight, Katie, Camille, Jo, Lucy, Alexa, Kelly, and even Griffin...

They were all singing and dancing. Singing along to Big Time Rush. Big Time Rush, the first song the band ever recorded. The song Emily and Kendall got the idea for years ago in the same spot, just across the pool. 

The same pool they first met at. Where Emily ended up on the concrete, soaked and late for work. Where the four of them impulsively hit on her thinking she wasn't upset about the water guns. 

The guys who fooled her time after time, who dragged her into countless adventures and plots, who gave her a sense of friendship and belonging. They brought Christmas back to her, gave her the courage to confront Hawk and her father...

All those study sessions with Logan, or bonding over higher intellect and whispering to each other sarcastic comments whenever someone else did something stupid; Every childlike wonder her and Carlos shared, giggling together and taking time to be reckless; Coming to the rescue with Kendall, her partner in crime and go-to person when there was a problem; Hating James Diamond to falling helplessly in love with him... she never wanted her rollercoaster to end. 

But with those four Minnesota hockey players, the rollercoaster would never end. If it did, it's only because they blew up the track and ended up hanging off the edge off a cliff. 

Holding James' hands, Emily danced him further to the pool, giving him a shove backwards into the water as the boy gripped her tighter dragging her in with him. With their friends laughing, cheering them on, the two emerged, drenched and bobbing in the water. Emily and James turned to each other, their lips meeting in the middle, kicking to stay afloat. 

So you gotta live it big time.

***

11,429 words... 

This is the longest chapter I've written since the season one finale... 

You guys, I've been putting off finishing this because I can't believe it's over. This has been such a fun experience interacting with everyone. All you kinds words and jokes have made me smile more than you know. Pls keep in touch. If you reread, continue to comment so I know you're there! If you read any future stories, I wanna know! 

Thank you so so much. As always, I hope you enjoyed :) 

xoxo