This story was inspired by a classic Disney rhyme and, of course, by Angela's latest role. In this "deleted scene" from "Sing a Song of Murder," Emma is feeling down after Kitty's arrest, but Jessica manages to cheer her up - and coax her into reciting an old favorite rhyme.

Written for the Definitive Guide to Murder, She Wrote's Fanfic 100 Challenge. Prompt: Theatre.


"Emma?"

It never ceased to amaze Emma Macgill how much that voice sounded like her own, albeit without the English lilt. Then again, she and her cousin Jessica Fletcher were more alike than most would have realized. They looked enough alike to be twins, save for their hair - Jessica's was a rich golden blonde while Emma's was flaming red. They shared a love of learning and reading. And they also shared a love for the theatre, particularly this theater. Jessica had never set foot inside the Mayhew until just a few days ago, but already she loved the place. And she would take care of it if, heaven forbid, anything actually did happen to Emma. With Danny Briggs safely behind bars, the Mayhew was in good hands - Emma's and Jessica's.

Thinking about prison sent a wave of nausea crashing in Emma's throat. Kitty. When Jessica told her the news of Kitty's confession, it was as though a bomb had been dropped on her. Despite Oliver's insistence, Emma had not been unaware that Kitty disliked her. Never did she believe for a second, though, that Kitty hated her that much. The poor girl had honestly believed that Emma singlehandedly ruined Oliver's career. In Kitty's eyes, Emma was the siren who used her feminine wiles to transform a successful Shakespearean actor into a second-rate clown. That alone had been her motive for attempting to murder Emma.

Thanks be to God, Emma hadn't died at Kitty's hands. Kitty was now in prison and awaiting trial, and Emma and her precious theatre were safe. It should have been a happy occasion, but the extenuating circumstances, as they were, had dampened her spirits. She felt terrible for Oliver, almost responsible for the whole bloody mess. She felt as empty as the stage she was now standing on... empty save for herself and for the warm presence approaching.

Jessica's hands now took her own and squeezed gently and a cloud of blonde curls appeared in Emma's peripheral vision. "Emma, are you all right?"

Emma turned and offered her cousin a sad smile. "Oh, I'm fine, love. Just lost in thought, I guess."

Jessica's arms came around her in a loose hug. "Thinking about Oliver and Kitty?"

Emma's heart sank. "God, Jessica... I feel just terrible. If Oliver and I hadn't gotten together in the first place, Kitty never would have gone after me like she did. Bridget would still be alive."

"And Daniel Briggs would still be plotting a way to kill you and gain ownership of the Mayhew," Jessica pointed out. "Emma, are you seriously blaming yourself for everything that happened?"

"Why not? It's true, isn't it?"

"No, Emma, it's not true," Jessica said fiercely, tightening her hug. "You are not to blame for any of this. Kitty chose to act on her hatred instead of getting help, and you were not wrong at all in pursuing love. And Bridget's death was an accident. It was a case of mistaken identity."

"Because I gave Bridget my coat. If she hadn't been wearing it that night, she'd still be alive this second." Emma bowed her head. "That's my fault, too. Kitty mistook her for me because I was stupid enough to call Oliver."

"Emma, stop it," Jessica commanded, taking her cousin by the shoulders and holding her at arm's length. Their eyes bore into each other, twin pairs of cobalt. "Now, you have got to get ahold of yourself! You can't take responsibility for other people's mistakes. It'll eat you up. Look at how much you have to be thankful for. You are alive, Oliver is fine, and the Mayhew is safe."

"Thanks to you. How do you do it? You solve murders and go about your life as though you've done nothing more than water the flowers."

Jessica gave her a rather wry smile. "Emma, I'm not going to lie and say that murder doesn't bother me. On the contrary. In every case I've solved so far, I've been so disappointed in the killers themselves. Good people sinking so low as to take another life is horrible, but I don't let it consume me. I pray for forgiveness for them and I pray for peace, and I find it. You just need to find your own peace."

At long last, Emma's mouth turned upward in a small grin. "You're right. I can't let it eat me up. That's not me anyway."

"I know it's not. You hardly ever let anything bother you. For heaven's sake, you didn't even bat an eyelash when you showed up in the back of that car at the airport, alive and well when I and everyone else believed you dead." Jessica grinned at her cousin, who was unsuccessfully fighting a much bigger smile. "And I can't believe that the same woman who smashed a vase over Daniel Briggs's head and knocked him out would throw a pity party for herself."

That last platitude made Emma lose it. She burst out laughing, Jessica with her. "Me? A pity party? No chance, love! I'm gonna keep on living even if it kills me!"

"There's the oxymoron of the 20th century," Jessica chuckled. "I'm certainly glad to see you've gotten your spirit back."

"What can I say? I'm a blithe spirit," Emma laughed. "Speaking of which, maybe I ought to make that my next play. I'd give anything to play Madame Arcati."

The mention of Noel Coward's madcap medium brought an old memory to Jessica's mind. "Emma, speaking of which... do you remember what you did the last time we got together? About 15 years ago?"

Emma's eyes twinkled. "Here? Now? Jessica, are you serious?"

"I've never been more serious in my life." Jessica elbowed her cousin with a teasing smile. "Come on. Say it. It'll be good practice for you if you play Madame Arcati."

"Madame Arcati never said that, Jessie."

"Do it. As your cousin, I command you."

"You are not the boss of me!"

"Oh, I am too!" Jessica teased, ruffling Emma's fiery curls. "Do it!"

Unable to resist her cousin's teasing, Emma finally threw up her hands and gave in. "Oh, all right! Good Lord, it's just like when we were little girls. You could always make me give." She broke loose of Jessica's hug and took a deep breath. "All right." She adjusted her shoulders and stood as tall as she could. "Here I go." Emma cleared her throat and spoke the lines that had never failed to make Jessica laugh.

"Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat; call in the spirits wherever they're at..."

As Emma continued to speak the classic rhyme, Jessica felt her spirits soar. Her cousin was back in full, glorious force. Maybe she wasn't playing Madame Arcati just yet... but her Madame Leota was as splendid as ever. A blithe spirit indeed.