A/N: I currently have a good three chapters of this written. So, if I've not updated, just PM me – I'm aiming to upload one every week or so, but my internet is stupid, so… (But if all three are up, bear with me… that's all I have at this moment)

It's probably not strictly an Oliver!fic, but it does involve the characters and the play… doesn't it???? Story Dickens, Musical Bart. I hope you enjoy.

: D

Also, this is a joint fic between me and KimoriShadows, whose profile I will link to on mine (if I ever get round to it, that is!)

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"As long as he needs me, oh yes he does need me. In spite of what you see, I'm sure that heee needs me."

Anna was just entering her main song in Oliver! at the Drury Royal Theatre, and whilst she was singing, she was thinking how ironic it was, that shortly after she'd taken on the role of Nancy on the show, her life had started to copy that of her character.

"If you are lonely, then you will know, when someone needs you, you love them so.. Oh I won't betray his trust, though people say I must"

Since her run had started, Anna had identified more and more with her character, except for the character that she knew needed her. For Anna it wasn't the abusive boyfriend that she felt she had to stand by, no, it was her friend. Her new friend, since she'd started the run.

Her new - she cringed at the thought - female friend, Leah, who'd started playing Bet at about the same time Anna had taken over as Nancy.

"Oh I won't betray his trust, though people say I must... As long as sheee needs mee-FUCK"

Let us just assume that what the audience heard that Thursday night was not what they'd always thought the song lyrics were.

Anna rushed off stage a few verses before she should have, and ran straight up to the dressing room she shared with ... Leah ... of all people. She collapsed in the corner as she heard the band rapidly switch from her song to the scene change.

Anna couldn't help but feel that her feelings towards Leah were somewhat wrong: even though she was 19 and Leah in practice was only two and a half years younger, her own character was technically 10 years senior to that of Leah. Alright, so the ages as proscribed by Lionel Bart and Dickens had somewhat gone out of the window in recent years, but with Leah looking a little younger than her age, with childish dress and make-up, and Anna dressed to emphasise her... assets... she couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. Then there was the fact the Anna didn't even know if Leah was gay, or at least bi-curious, and the fact that she herself had a steady live-in boyfriend.

Admittedly, she'd only got a boyfriend because everyone else had, and therefore supposed that Will's thumping of her was somewhat justified

***

"Cuz I'm the boo-gie man~" The deep-voiced scarecrow mayor of Halloween Town sung into Leah's ears. She had done her main part for the show, so was relaxing in the dressing room with her MP3 playing. The fact that the small sixteen-year-old was hanging upside-down by her legs from one of the costume rails may have seemed odd, but the cast had long grown used to Leah doing odd acrobatics as if they were no harder than walking.

When she was younger, Leah had wanted to be a gymnast, but an obsession with singing, dancing and the fact that she hadn't grown for many years had drawn her into the musical business. She rocked slowly back and forwards between Artful's top hat and the handkerchief-riddled overcoat, reflecting on nothing but how jazzy the song in her mind was. She was so enthralled by the music that she almost failed to notice Anna fly in, tears staining her usually perfect face, and fall into a chair, sobbing. Placing her hands to the floor, Leah unhooked her legs and, without flipping over, walked on her hands over to Anna and poked her gently with a toe. "You okay?" asked Leah, her MP3 forgotten on the floor, the strings of the double bass still resounding.

***

Anna looked up through blurred eyes and saw the very reason for her misery - no, that would not be fair - object of her desire would have to do, she supposed, and wept "Did you hear what I did? I completely messed up..."

***

Little known to the rest of the cast, Leah did actually keep the stage TV on in their dressing room, just she had her mp3 player plugged in as well, especially when no-one she particularly knew was on stage (being under the legal drinking age, she had been deprived of many opportunities to hang out with other cast members and as a result had to mainly socialise with the three 'Oliver's and the pickpockets, and Anna of course)

And so, Leah had seen the whole spectacle, but hadn't heard the mistake, and it had switched on her brain again; made her think ever harder about the problem that kept her awake at night. You see, dear Reader, Leah had recently been concerned about her inner feelings.

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Reviews are appreciated :D