Fanfiction:The Studio That Haunted James/Haunted by the Past

The Studio That Haunted James /Haunted by the Past
James finds himself haunted by the memory of a past event when visiting Lost & Found's new studio
General information
Genre	Fanfiction
Chapter number	1
Production
Writer(s)	Freddie R. Aldous
Date of publication	June 4, 2022

Season

• Lost & Found Music Studios Season 3 (continuation)

Synopsis

Parker, James and Clara go to visit the new studio Mr. T has bought as part of his plan to expand Lost & Found Music Studios, and which Parker will be managing. But it turns out James knows the building well, and finds the painful memory of a past event from his days at The Next Step haunting him. Fortunately, help comes from an unexpected source: Clara.

This fanfiction is a continuation of Lost & Found Music Studios.

Main characters and cast
(in order of appearance)

• Michael Torontow as Mr. T
• Ali Milner as Parker
• Matthew Bacik as Nate
• Katrina Hachey as Hannah
• Myles Erlick as Noah
• Trevor Tordjman as James
• Jeni Ross as Clara
• Alex Zaichowski as John
• Rakim Kelly as Isaac
• Allain Lupien as Lucien (footage from The Next Step: "Good Girls Go Bad")
• Alexandra Beaton as Emily (footage from The Next Step: "Good Girls Go Bad")
• Victoria Baldesarra as Michelle (footage from The Next Step: "Good Girls Go Bad")
• Alexandra Chaves as Piper

Haunted by the Past

Not many people knew this, but Mr. T had an office at Lost & Found Music Studios.

It contained, as well as the usual office furniture, a glass-fronted display cabinet containing various music trophies (Mr. T would also have liked a couple of gold discs to exhibit, but one can't have everything); while the exposed brickwork walls were decorated with framed photographs of Mr. T and his band-mates from the Lost & Found owner's days with 1990s grunge band Soul Dragyn, along with a number of music award certificates. On the floor next to the display cabinet was a large, out-of-place anvil of the kind one would find in a blacksmith's workshop, with a framed certificate of authenticity next to it.

Mr. T only came here when he had paperwork or mail to sort through, or needed time to himself. Few of the Lost & Found musicians had ever entered the office, as Mr. T preferred to talk to them in the Green Room.

One of the few people who were invited into the office was Mr. T's assistant Parker, and it was here early one morning — before Lost & Found had opened — that he was discussing with her his latest business acquisition. "Have a look at this, Parker," he said proudly, handing Parker the paperwork and prospectus he had received in the morning mail from Nolet Real Estate.

Parker looked at the photograph of the building on the front cover of the prospectus. "Didn't it used to be that awful dance studio, T?" she asked. Parker was the only person at Lost & Found who was allowed to call Mr. T simply "T".

Mr. T nodded. "Yes, that's right. Its reputation got so bad no other dance company wanted the place. In fact, Nolet Real Estate were glad to get it off their hands. It's been empty since its owner closed it down after Internationals and then disappeared. The only person there now is the custodian, and he lives on-site."

"What exactly are you going to do with the place, T?" Parker wanted to know.

"I'll tell you," replied Mr. T. "Recently, I've been looking to expand Lost & Found Music Studios and I'm going to give that building a whole new lease of life. It's going to become Lost & Found's second site, so we'll have more room for our band rehearsals, music video projects and so on. I picked up the keys to the place a couple of days ago."

"How are you going to manage both places at the same time?" asked Parker. "I mean, one's hard enough — but two?"

"Well, you see, Parker," said Mr. T, "I need someone responsible to run it, and I can think of no-one else but you. I mean, you've run this place on your own all right when I've been off sick or away on vacation. So, what do you say?"

Parker thought for a moment, and then smiled. "I'm pleased you think so highly of me, T. Yes, I'll do it. So, where do we start?"

"We'll make an announcement in the Rose Room this morning," said Mr. T, "answer any questions the members might have, and then you can go along to have a look at the place. Oh, that reminds me: I've had another set of keys cut for you." He opened a drawer in his desk, from which he produced the keys, and handed them across to Parker, which she gratefully accepted and put away safely in her jacket pocket. "We'll get a couple of members to go along with you. But first, I'd better call the custodian to let him know you're coming." Mr. T picked up the telephone and dialled a number.

The Lost & Found members looked up at Mr. T and Parker on the stage in the Rose Room as he announced the news and explained all about the new studio, like high school students at a prize-giving ceremony in assembly, wondering who the lucky recipients will be. "So, does anyone have any questions?" Mr. T asked.

Nate put his hand up. "Will the new Lost & Found site replace this one, Mr. T?"

"No, Nate," said Mr. T. "We'll be carrying on here at the original site as normal for the foreseeable future. The new site will run alongside it."

Another hand went up. This time, it was Hannah. "How will we know which site we're supposed to be at on a particular day?"

Parker stepped in to answer this. "Don't worry about that, Hannah," she said. "Details will be posted on the noticeboard here, and also in the the Lost & Found website's 'Members Only' section. So remember to check those regularly, and you won't end up at the new site where you’re supposed to be at the old one — or vice versa. If you're in doubt, you can always ask Mr. T."

Noah, Lost & Found's newest member, put his hand up. "What about transportation between the sites, Parker?"

"That's no problem, Noah," replied Parker. "We have the Lost & Found mini-bus, and those of you who have your own cars can drive yourselves there if you want. There's a large parking lot at the new site."

As there seemed to be no more questions, Mr. T continued. "Parker's going to have a look at the new site this morning," he said, "and she's looking for a couple of members to go with her. Any volunteers?"

For a few moments, not one hand went up. It was as if Mr. T had announced that he and his Soul Dragyn band-mates were putting on a reunion performance at Lost & Found, and was asking (hopefully) if any members wanted to attend. Mr. T scanned the crowd before him, hoping to see a raised hand somewhere. Just as he was beginning to lose hope, a boy's hand finally went up. "James." James came down to the front to stand near the stage, and Mr. T looked for someone else. Another hand, this one belonging to a certain red-haired girl, went up. "Clara." Clara came forward to join James.

"Thank you, everyone," said Mr. T. "That'll be all. I'll be announcing further details about the new site later in the week."

Parker came over to speak to James and Clara. "I'll be leaving in about five minutes," she told them, "so there's anything you need to do first, now's the time." Parker then hurried off to fetch her purse and car keys.

As it turned out, Clara had some new songs she and Noah had written together to give the Boys' Band, so James went with her to see if John, Luke and Theo could manage on their own for the morning. After Clara had handed over the sheet music and had gone to fetch her trusty backpack from her locker in the entrance hall, James asked his band-mates if they would be all right without him.

"No need to worry, James," John assured him. "We've arranged a stand-in drummer."

"Really?" asked James. "Who's that, then?"

"Me, actually," said a voice behind James. He turned and there was Clara's friend Isaac, who was becoming every bit as good a drummer as James. "I could do with the practice." He added: "It's all right, James. I'm not after your job."

"I'm glad to hear it, Isaac," said James, with a smile. "I'd better go. Parker's waiting. Catch you guys later." He hurried off, leaving John, Luke, Theo and Isaac to look through the sheet music Clara had given them, as well as talk about what a great songwriting team Clara and Noah made...

A few moments later, James and Clara were with Parker in her car, heading toward the new Lost & Found site. Parker was driving and concentrating on the route, using her local knowledge and street signs as guidance (she didn't trust satnavs); while Clara sat in the front passenger seat, leafing through Nolet Real Estate's prospectus. James was in the back seat, where he had only Clara's backpack for company. He leaned forward to speak to Clara. "Whereabouts is the new site, Clara?" he asked.

Clara looked at the address on the front cover. "According to this, 65 Milner Street. Do you want to have a look at the prospectus, James? I've read it."

James wondered if he had passed the familiar-looking building when out driving with Riley.

"Yes, please," said James. Clara passed the prospectus over to him. "Thanks." The front cover photograph caught James's attention, and he just stared at it — making no attempt to open and read the booklet. There was something familiar about the building, but James couldn't quite place it. There was a large numeral 65 over the front entrance's glass doors, but where the old signage used to be there was now just a large blank space — and not even the faintest impression of old lettering sometimes present when signage is removed. Where have I seen that place before? James thought. Maybe it's somewhere I passed when out driving with Riley? Maybe when I see it, I'll remember...

Parker drove the car into the building's large parking lot and parked neatly in one of the many empty spaces. As she, Clara and James got out, and James helped Clara on with her backpack, for which she politely thanked him (being a well brought-up teenage girl); a man dressed in a building custodian's working clothes — just like those worn by Frank at the building housing The Next Step Dance Studio and Lost & Found Music Studios, James and Clara observed — appeared and came forward to greet them. "Miss Parker?" he asked. "I'm David, the custodian."

"Pleased to meet you, David," said Parker, and they shook hands. "And please, 'Parker' is fine — no 'Miss' needed." She then introduced her teen charges. "These are two of our Lost & Found members, James and Clara." There was a further polite exchange of handshakes and greetings.

"If you'd all like to follow me, I'll show you round the place," said David, leading the way to a dark green back door.

James suddenly had a feeling of déjà vu and stopped walking. I could swear I've been here before, he thought. But I can't have, surely?

As James and Clara followed David and Parker, and David was looking through his keys to find that to unlock the door, James suddenly had a feeling of déjà vu and stopped walking. I could swear I've been here before, he thought. But I can't have, surely? James spotted on the brick wall on the door's right-hand side an empty square patch, lighter than the rest of the brickwork and with a bolt-hole at each corner, where a sign — now long gone — had once been. If that sign was still there, it would probably explain these strange feelings I'm having. But it's gone, so... James's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a hand on his arm, which nearly made him jump out of his runners. It was Clara.

"Are you all right, James?" she asked, sounding concerned. "I'm sorry I made you jump. It's just you seemed to be miles away. Were you thinking about Riley? I know you miss her sometimes."

James turned to Clara, and put out a caring hand to gently touch her cheek. "It's all right, thanks, Clara," he said, giving her a smile. "It's just I've just been having the strangest feelings about this place. It seems so familiar, and yet..."

Before James could continue, Parker called out to them. "Come on, you two! The door's open."

"Just coming, Parker!" Clara called back. She turned back to James, linked her arm with his and smiled. "Don't worry, James," she said gently. "I'm right here, and I'll look after you."

James smiled back at the beautiful, kind, gentle, caring red-haired teenage girl before him — who was two years younger than he was. "Thank you, Clara," he said.

They followed Parker and David inside.

Parker, James and Clara followed as David showed them over all the different rooms on the building's first floor. Parker was, on the whole, quite happy, saying to David the place was just what they were looking for.

David turned to James and Clara. "What do you kids make of the place, then?"

"Why are all the walls black?" Clara asked. "I mean... no offence, but it's not exactly the most cheerful of colours."

"Don't ask me, Miss Clara," replied David, with a smile. "I'm just the custodian. I don't have any say over the place's décor. You'll have to blame that on the previous owner."

"What was the previous owner's name?" asked James.

"To tell you the truth, Master James, I can't remember at the moment," said David. "I know it began with an 'L'." He thought for a moment. "No, it won't come. I'll let you know if I remember." He paused. "Strange guy, he was. Sometimes spoke with a phony French accent. I'd be working down here occasionally and I'd see the dancers rehearsing their routines. He'd stand there watching, and sometimes he'd bark orders at them like he was an army sergeant. I used to think 'Steady on, buddy. They're not soldiers, you know!' Still, he's gone now and I for one won't miss him — that's for sure."

"What rooms are upstairs?" asked Clara.

"Just the owner's office and my quarters, Miss Clara," said David. He paused. "There's only one more room left down here I haven't shown you yet, and that's the main area. This way."

David led the way down the passage and Parker, James and Clara followed. But James wondered why the black walls and David's description of the previous owner sounded all too familiar...

"Here we are," David announced, as he pushed open a pair of double doors and led the way inside. "The main area, or 'B Studio' as the previous owner called it."

Parker, James and Clara stood and looked at the former B Studio. It was a large fancy area, with the same black walls as the other rooms David had shown them, with added black curtains; and there was a movie projector and a grand piano on the far side of the room. A number of black ballet barres, the kind James and Clara both remembered from their days at The Next Step, were standing against the far wall, near an entrance almost obscured by the black curtains.

"Please, feel free to take a look round," said David.

Parker walked out on the dark grey floor and looked around to check out the main area's size, while Clara hurried happily over to the piano, sat down on the stool and lifted the lid. Her fingers danced across the keyboard as she played the opening notes of the song "I Found my Voice".

Parker turned on hearing the familiar tune. "Clara," she called out, "I don't think we need any background music, thank you!"

"Sorry, Parker. Just testing," Clara called back.

"It's all right, Parker," David said to her. "Miss Clara'll probably be making good use of the piano when she and the rest of Lost & Found start coming here. And by the sound of it, the piano's still in good working order!"

"I guess you're right, David," said Parker, with a smile. Suddenly, she noticed James was still standing near the door, staring, not moving, with a haunted look on his face.

"James?" Parker called out to him. "James, are you all right?" But James didn't answer. "James!"

Alerted by Parker, Clara noticed what was happening. She got up from the piano stool and ran across to James.

A MOMENT EARLIER...

James seemed to see images of dancers, some dressed in black, with others dressed in black and grey, performing a routine.

The man watching the dancers barked an order at them every now and then, like an army sergeant.

James suddenly stopped short at the door on entering the main area, seeming to see images of dancers — one of whom was future Next Stepper Amanda — performing a routine, some dressed in black, with others dressed in black and grey. The dancers were watched by a man with a grey moustache and small goatee beard, wearing an outfit consisting of a khaki t-shirt and navy blue trousers, topped off with a navy baseball cap. Every now and then, the man barked an order at the dance troupe, like an army sergeant. Then, James seemed to see himself (from the days when his hair was in a buzzcut), along with Emily and Michelle, watching the dancers from behind the black curtains on the far side of the room.

James seemed to see himself, along with Emily and Michelle, watching the dancers from behind the black curtains on the far side of the room.

Suddenly, the answer to why the building and its sinister black interior décor had seemed so familiar struck home. The man watching the dancers was The Next Step's old enemy, Lucien; and the building was none other than that of their biggest, now former, rivals: Elite Dance Academy!

NOW...

The building was none other than that of The Next Step's biggest, now former, rivals: Elite Dance Academy!

Parker started to move towards James, and David followed. "James? Are you all right?" she asked, concerned.

Clara ran past the pair, and to James's side. "It's O.K., Parker. I know what's happening. Leave it to me." She turned to James. "It's all right, James," she said gently, slipping a comforting arm round his shoulder. "It's me, Clara. What you're seeing isn't real. It's just your imagination, and it can't hurt you. Tell yourself that: it's not real! Say it out loud! Shake your head as well, if it helps."

James did as Clara advised, saying "This isn't real!" firmly, shaking his head as he did so. "I'm only imagining it! It can't hurt me!"

After a moment or two, James felt able to explain. "I know where we are now," he said. "This place... it's Elite Dance Academy. I saw Lucien, the Elite dancers... and myself, Emily and Michelle. I didn’t recognize the place at first, because I only ever came here the once and all the signage had gone."

"Lucien!" exclaimed David. "Yes, that was the previous owner's name."

"You’ve had flashbacks, James," Clara explained to him. "Something bad happened here, didn’t it? Something involving you, Emily and Michelle." James nodded. "I know what flashbacks are like. I experienced them in Lost & Found’s Recording Studio when I came back after recovering from my breakdown."

Clara turned to Parker and David. "I think I'd better take him outside for some fresh air and talk things over. Is that all right, Parker?"

Parker smiled and nodded. "That's fine, Clara. But you both stay in the parking lot, O.K.? Don't go wandering off."

"How about I go and make some hot sweet tea?" David suggested to Parker. "I’m sure that'll help Master James."

"Yes, thank you, David," said Parker. She turned to James and Clara. "We'll be in David's quarters upstairs when you come back in."

"Go straight up the stairs, and then turn left," David said to James and Clara. "It's the door marked CUSTODIAN."

"Thank you, David," said Clara politely. "We shouldn't be too long."

Outside in the parking lot, Clara took charge. "Take a seat please, James," she said. "Dr. Clara is in the house."

"Take a seat, please, James. Dr. Clara is in the house," said Clara, taking charge.

That's my line, thought James with a smile, sitting down against the wall of the building.

That's my line, thought James with a smile, sitting down on the sidewalk against the wall of the building while Clara sat on a low wall nearby.

The pair made themselves comfortable, and then Clara turned to James. "I'm listening," she said, quoting psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane's oft-used radio show catchphrase from the numerous reruns of the sitcom Frasier she had watched at home with her family. "Tell me all about it."

James explained how he, Emily, Tiffany, Stephanie (not pictured) and Michelle had come to spy on Elite so they could be more prepared to face them at Regionals.

So James did, explaining how he, Emily, Tiffany, Stephanie and Michelle had come to spy on their main competitors Elite so they could be more prepared to face them at Regionals. Michelle had volunteered to go back inside to film one of their routines on her phone, but Emily texted her to find out why she was taking so long. Emily then instructed Stephanie to go in and find out what was happening, but when Stephanie came out to say Michelle had been caught, Emily panicked and — despite James's protests — forced everyone into her car and they left so as not to be caught as well.

Michelle had volunteered to go back inside to film one of Elite's routines on her phone.

"I tried to convince everyone not to leave," James explained, "but Emily nagged at me so much, I finally gave way and we drove off — effectively abandoning Michelle. I felt really guilty about it afterwards." He paused for a moment, then continued. "Fortunately, we found out when Michelle arrived back at The Next Step that when she was caught, she tried the ploy of wanting to audition for Elite — and it worked."

"I know all about Elite from what Giselle told me," said Clara. "They sounded like a real sinister bunch. Thankfully, when I was at The Next Step, I only made it as far as B-Troupe before I became more interested in music and left for Lost & Found."

James nodded and smiled. "You're lucky, Clara." He shifted himself into a more comfortable seated position against the wall. "All this time, I'd managed to forget what had happened here — but coming back brought it all back again. It's as if my memories had been somehow — how shall I put it? — 'recorded' by B Studio and played back when I entered."

"Yes, it does seem that way, doesn't it?" agreed Clara. "Like my flashbacks in the Recording Studio. You've done what I did — faced up to the painful memory of what happened, and now it'll never bother you again. Elite's long gone, and soon that memory will be 'over-recorded' by happier ones now the building's become part of Lost & Found."

James looked up at Clara sitting on the low wall, and smiled up at her. She smiled back. "I feel much better now," he said.

"As if a great weight's been lifted from your mind?" asked Clara.

James nodded. "Yes."

"Then my work's done," announced the beautiful, skilled, caring 'Dr. Clara Bellamy'. "I think we can forego any further sessions." She got up from the low wall, and James stood up too.

James stood up. "Thank you, Dr. Clara," he said.

"Thank you, Dr. Clara," said James.

"You're welcome, James," replied Clara, having now switched from doctor mode back to her everyday self. "How about we go join Parker and David upstairs? They'll be wondering where we are."

"You won't tell them about it, will you?" asked James.

Clara smiled. "Of course I won't. Doctor-patient confidentiality, you know."

When they reached the upstairs landing, Clara said to James "You know, I've been thinking. The Next Step and Lost & Found are both brightly lit and welcoming — in fact, each is almost a second home."

"Yes, I agree," replied James.

Clara continued. "But this is just a soulless studio, with its black walls. All they do is make the place dark and intimidating. If they're repainted, that'll erase all trace of Elite."

James thought about this. "You're right, Clara. We'll mention that to Mr. T when we get back. I'm sure he'll agree."

James and Clara turned and headed for David's quarters, where the friendly custodian and Parker were waiting for them.

Mr. T had agreed with Clara and James about the new site's black walls when they told him, and he thanked them for pointing this out — saying he didn't want any trace of Elite there either, and would arrange for the walls to be repainted a brighter and more welcoming colour as soon as possible.

Now, it was the end of the day and Clara was sitting alone at a table in the cafe which had changed its name more times than she cared to remember. At the moment, it was called The Next Steep, but no doubt its name would change again in the not-too-distant future. As far as Clara knew, the answer to why the name kept changing was lost forever in the mists of time. Even her older sister Giselle didn't know.

Clara took a sip from the tall glass of ice-cold milk on the table next to her, then picked up her pen and scribbled a few notes in her notebook for her routine as Lost & Found's resident emcee. Naturally, she wrote all her own material.

Having completed her notes, Clara put the pen back in her pencil case and then put it and the notebook safely away in her backpack, which was on the floor next to her chair.

Taking another sip of milk, Clara sat back in her chair and looked around the cafe. There were quite a few people in here now, both from Lost & Found and The Next Step. Leia, Rachel, Maggie and Annabelle — Lost & Found's Girls' Band — were at one table; while Richelle and Amy were at another. Over at the cafe's noticeboard, James was talking to a short, slim girl with long dark brown hair. Clara recognized her as James's younger sister Piper, who attended The Next Step, and remembered seeing her when she'd visited Studio 1 there some time ago.

Clara turned her attention away from the cafe activity, and thought about what she'd achieved that day; how she'd been able to help James in his hour of need. All her sessions with her psychiatrist Dr. Paula at Toronto General Hospital had paid off, resulting in her having a greater understanding of people, being kind and caring about them.

Clara then recalled Charles Schultz's Peanuts comic strips, in particular the ones where Charlie Brown sat on a stool in front of Lucy's psychiatrist's booth and told her all his problems; whereupon she would give him her answer and charge her usual 5¢ fee. Perhaps I should have my own psychiatrist's booth at Lost & Found, Clara thought. I wouldn't charge anything, though. Mind you, I'm not sure Mr. T would approve... — but her train of thought was suddenly and unexpectedly derailed by a girl's voice nearby.

"Clara?"

Clara looked up, and saw it was Piper.

"James just told me how you were there for him today," said Piper to Clara, "and I just wanted to say thank you. It's good to know you care."

"James just told me how you were there for him today," said Piper, "and I just wanted to say thank you. It's good to know you care."

Clara smiled. "Any time, Piper," she said. "If you or any of your friends need to talk, you'll find I'm a good listener."

"Thank you," replied Piper. "I'll let them know. Catch you later, Clara."

Piper went off to join her friend Finn, who had just entered the cafe. Clara watched her go. I guess it's time to retire Dr. Clara for now, she thought to herself with a smile. I've got my music, songwriting and emcee routine to concentrate on for the time being. But one day, when she's needed again, she'll be back...

Author's notes

• Thanks to the budget-free constraints of fanfictions, previously I've been able to add new areas to Lost & Found Music Studios which have never been shown on TV — namely Lost & Found's entrance hallway with its high-school-style lockers for my fourth fanfic, Return to Lost & Found; and the library, which I introduced in my seventh fanfic, Clara Steps Up to the Mic. As Mr. T didn't seem to have an office in the TV show and always talked to the Lost & Found members in the Green Room, I've done what the show never did and created Mr. T's office, furnishing it with mementos from his days with the 1990s grunge band Soul Dragyn — including the large anvil from the "Made of Stars" music video featured in the Lost & Found Music Studios Season 2 episode "Call My Name", a copy of which Leia, Rachel, Maggie and Annabelle find while cleaning out the storeroom and watch on a TV set and VCR that conveniently happen to be there! TV host Devin "D-Spack" Spackler tells the viewers in his intro at the start of the video "Keep your eyes peeled for that anvil!"; with the anvil being brought in at the beginning by a heavily built black man wearing a singlet and jeans, and bashed by him with a pair of large hammers throughout Soul Dragyn's performance.
• The real estate company Nolet Real Estate was an in-joke referring to Briar Nolet (Richelle), and a name I had previously used in my twelfth fanfiction, Jacquie's Decision.
• The original title of this fanfiction was Mr. T's New Studio, while the chapter title was The Memory. However, I later decided to change these: firstly, because Mr. T only appeared in the opening scenes set at Lost & Found; and secondly, I had come up with a much better fanfic title — which was inspired by the Batman comic book story "The House That Haunted Batman", first published in DC Comics' Detective Comics Vol. 1 #408 (February, 1971).
• The street where Elite Dance Academy was located was never given a name on-screen, and so I decided to call it Milner Street as an in-joke referring to Ali Milner, who plays Parker in Lost & Found Music Studios. Give yourself an A+ if you spotted this!
• Like Parker, I don't trust satnavs and refuse to have one in my car, preferring instead to use local knowledge and street signs to find my way to places — therefore I had her do the same while driving to Lost & Found's new studio with James and Clara.
• The Elite Dance Academy building and its main area, B Studio, had first appeared in The Next Step Season 1 episode "Good Girls Go Bad". As it was never revealed on the show what happened to the building after Lucien was mentioned in the Season 4 episode "Stir It Up" as having shut down Elite, I gave the place a bit of background: Elite had gotten such a bad reputation that no other dance company wanted the place, so it remained empty and in the real estate company's hands until it was finally bought by Mr. T as part of his plan to expand Lost & Found Music Studios. I felt it was only natural that James failed to recognize the building, as he only ever went there once — in "Good Girls Go Bad" — and all the identifying signage had been removed.
• James experiencing flashbacks to the events of "Good Girls Go Bad" is similar to what happened with Clara in Lost & Found's Recording Studio in Return to Lost & Found, but isn't quite the same: in The Studio That Haunted James, James has no idea that the building used to be Elite Dance Academy; while in Return to Lost & Found, Clara knows exactly where she is. James's reference to his memories having been 'recorded' by B Studio and played back when he entered was inspired by the Stone Tape theory, which was popularized by the BBC's Christmas Day 1972 TV ghost story The Stone Tape.
• James used the phrase "Dr. James is in the house" when talking to Theo in the thirteenth and last episode of Lost & Found Music Studios Season 2, "The Sound of Change" — which turned out to be the show's very last episode before its unexpected cancellation. As Clara wasn't around at the time to overhear this, having been taken by her parents to the hospital due to her breakdown, presumably she remembered her psychiatrist Dr. Paula using it.
• I decided that the closing scenes in the cafe where Clara meets Piper would be set at The Next Steep from The Next Step Season 7, as that was the show's most recent season at the time I wrote the fanfic.

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