Author's Note: This is my own little deleted scene from Casablanca. I don't know where it falls in the storyline but you can put it wherever you want.


Ilsa walked into Richard's cafe, not sure exactly what she was doing there. This time her husband wasn't at her side. She was desperate to talk to Rick. Was she going crazy? It had ended a long time ago...but that didn't mean love could ever end, she supposed. It all wasn't fair. If Victor had died at that concentration camp her and Richard could have still been together. But how could she ever stoop so low as to wish Victor had died. That would be a terrible thing. She did love Victor. She'd married him after all. But that was nothing compared to the love she'd felt for Richard. With Richard it was crazy and romantic. They were taking a chance. But her and Vic made the perfect couple, that was the problem. There was nothing crazy there.

At that moment Ilsa saw Richard walk down the stairs on the other side of the room. There eyes met instantly, it was like magic. They could sense each other in a way. They walked slowly toward eachother then stopped, keeping silent and just watching each other for a moment.

"Richard, I--"

He stopped her by putting one finger to her lips. "Talking will get us nowhere."

The piano started to play a tune and Richard pulled her into his arms. Some people in the nightclub couldn't help but watch. They'd never seen the cynical owner of the club actually wear his heart on his sleeve before. It was quite different. Ilsa layed her head down on Richard's shoulder as Sam, the piano player, began to sing:

"There may be troubles ahead
But while there's moonlight and music and love and romance
Let's face the music and dance."

The lyrics wanted to make Ilsa cry. There were many troubles ahead that she just didn't want to think about. She just wanted the world to vanish. She knew only Richard could make the world do that. And she knew he would do it for her. She closed her eyes as she could feel the tears well up.

"Before the fiddlers have fled
Befor they ask us to pay the bill and we still have the chance
Let's the face the music and dance."

"You know I love you, right Ilsa?" Richard asked, looking into her eyes.

"I've always known. And you know I love you right?" She replied as the tears started to spill over onto her cheeks.

"I doubted it for a long time."

"Richard, you have to know why--"

"Just let it go for now, darling. It'll only bring us more pain."

She put her head on his shoulder again, deciding that he was right. They needed to savor the moments. No explanations or bitter arguments. Just love and happiness. Even if it was only for a little while.

"Soon we'll be without the moon
Humming a different tune
And then there may be teardrops to shed
But while there's moonlight and music and love and romance
Let's face the music and dance, dance, dance, dance
Let's face the music and dance!"

Ilsa and Richard stopped as the music stopped but didn't pull away for quite awhile. When they did they just looked at eachother. 'Please, Richard, say something!' She was screaming inside her head. But he didn't. He was the type to leave things unsaid. Heartbreak had made him that way. Only a minute ago he had been the same Richard Ilsa knew in Paris but now he looked at her with such hurt in his eyes it killed Ilsa. She had created this person and she alone was the only one to blame. He just sighed and whispered, "Oh, Ilsa." Then, as quickly as he had shown up, he was gone again. Ilsa turned around and went to the door, determined to go home to her husband. That was, after all, where she belonged.