The Glamorous Life

Author: Callie West

Summary: Elizabeth Stanhope is the highest paid Actress in Hollywood…she's also the most frigid.

When she is cast in the highly anticipated romantic comedy 'Love in New York' her personally chosen leading man suddenly falls ill and must be replaced. And much to her displeasure…the only one willing to accept the role is the man she hoped never to see again.

Authors Note: Yet again another AU fiction…surprised? Of course you are.

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy, Spike, or any of the other 'familiar' characters. There are a few here that I created for my own twisted pleasure though.

Distribution: As for all my stories if you want it you don't have to ask…but I'd appreciate it if you told me first.

Feedback: Don't all authors love it. I know I do.

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Chapter One ~ Evidence of a Heart)

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(L.A, California June 27th, 2002)

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"Gavin? Darling, how are you? It's been ages." Cordelia crooned into her lip-stick sized cell phone. "Oh, yes, well you know how it is. You agree to one interview the next thing you know your calendar is full until the next century. I just couldn't find the time to socialize with anyone." Rolling her eyes Cordy gave her best friend Elizabeth the look of death. Swallowing a curse when the unnatural blonde gave the brunette her classic 'Who me?' look in return.

"No, of course not, sweetie. You know that you'd be the first I'd tell if my and Xander were engaged…again. Baby, you know from experience that you can't believe the papers. Remember when they said that that second class, wanna be Harmony Kendall was pregnant with your love child? Exactly my point. Yes, okay. Love you too." A sneer marred her beautiful face as she snapped the phone off and carelessly flung it onto her king size bed.

"Bitch." The former Mrs. Universe muttered when Elizabeth laughed. "You know I hate that pansy ass Mama's boy and still you give him my number. I really don't know why I put up with your bony ass." She said lightly as she slid gracefully into her vanity chair and gently ran her silver handled brush through her waist length, chestnut hair.

"Oh, Cordy dear you know very well why you put up with me." The blonde answered knowingly. When the other girl raised her perfectly sculpted eyebrows in question she said. "I know where the bodies are buried." She retorted smugly.

Begrudgingly Cordelia would admit that the girl was right. They had known each other since before college. They had met when the both joined a summer Drama camp in Nevada and since then, they had been each others sounding boards…they never went for an audition or agreed to anything without asking for the others opinions.

The also knew more dirt on each other than anyone else. Elizabeth knew why Xander and Cord's first engagement went belly up. They could blame their other friend Willow for that. The second engagement went to hell because of the fast talking Angel O'Conner and his yen for public places.

The tabloids would eat stuff like that up.

Cordelia had plenty on Buffy too. The 'journalists' of America would just love to know about Buff's one night stand with Parker Wilson, the star Quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. Not to mention her trip to the Gyno in college for what she, to this day claims was just a small case of the Chicken Pocks.

"Yeah…that and your charming wit." Cordy said sarcastically. It was no big secret the two were classified as the biggest bitches to ever hit the big screen. They made Courtney Love look like Reese Witherspoon.

And the sad part about it was…they were damn proud of it.

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(New York, NY August 17th, 2002)

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"I can't believe you talked me into this, Cord. I swore I'd never work for Maggie Walsh again after the last movie. Why do I listen to you anymore?" Elizabeth groaned the second she heard the click on the other end of the line. She was on her way to the studio for her first day of shooting and decided that she needed a comfort rant.

"Hello to you to Sunshine. Decided to skip the decaf this Morning did we?" Cordelia's snickering voice came drifted over the miles and Elizabeth couldn't help but smile. Cordy never did take her shit. She could only remember one single person besides the brunette that would stand up to her…physical injury be damned.

But…she hadn't seen him in over three years. And she preferred it that way.

"Oh, no I just hate these damn hours. Who in their right minds gets up before sunrise on the first day of shooting?" The blonde asked exasperated.

"Hey, I did it all the time when I worked on Dawson's Creek. Talk about twisted. I had to suck up to Katie Holmes and Busy Phillips…the perkiest women in the country, at 4 am. I was not a pleasure for months. I'm almost thrilled that my character moved to Canada. One more breakfast with the goof troop and I would have hurt someone."

"Cord, hun. I asked who in their right mind. Meaning that you were automatically eliminated.

You haven't been stable since grade school." Smirking, Elizabeth snapped her cell phone closed and tossed it into her tote, and pulled the large clamp from her hair.

Shaking out her light blonde, shoulder length tresses Elizabeth pulled off her sunglasses and tucked them into her small purse and came to a stop outside the studio. Running a hand through her still perfect hair she plastered a not so convincing smile on her face and pushed open the doors to the office, and headed straight for make-up.

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(New York, NY Same Time, On set)

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"Excuse me, could you repeat that? Slowly this time?" Maggie hissed into the phone, her tone and demeanor clearly stating that she had indeed heard and understood every word the other person said…she just wanted to drag out his suffering.

"Um, I said that Mr. Prinze has fallen ill. He won't be able to…be…in…the…..movie…..ma'am." The small man trailed of with a whimper. He just knew that his job was ruined. Maggie Walsh was one of the most demanding directors in the business and he knew she loved to torture the messenger.

"I see. And when exactly did Mr. Teen Movie decided to inform us of his ….illness?" The handsome woman bit out sarcastically. "Um, I do believe he… he phoned around twenty minutes ago. Ma'am." The man stuttered out. He was deeply relieved when she waved him off. He hightailed it to props room, out of immediate danger.

"And who was the second choice, Fred?" Maggie questioned her newest assistant. The shy girl looked up, startled. Then she looked back down at her clip board an skimmed over it with her index finger, then "Um, it looks like its William Garret…Mr. Walsh."

Suddenly Maggie spun around in her chair to face the fragile looking girl. "Did you just say William Garret?" She asked, her voice filled with wonder, an evil glint shining in her blue eyes.

When the confused girl nodded, Maggie grin threatened to strain her facial muscles. She hadn't smiled this big since Kate Moss took a nose dive, off of the stage and onto the mayor at last years VH1 Fashion awards.

"Fred, dear. Could you please go and fetch Ms. Stanhope from Make-up please. I have some wonderful news for her. I have a feeling she'll just love this new development."

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(L.A California 3 hours later)

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"No! You so have to be shitting me?!" Cordy screeched into the phone, startling her manicurist when she yanked her only half finished nails away and rose to her freshly finished feet and started to pace around the spacious bathroom, a wide, yet some what incredulous smile on her vitamin, mask covered face.

"Yes, He's going to fly in this afternoon." Came Elizabeth's miserable reply.

"Oh, this is just to lush!" Cordelia beamed. She knew that her friend was suffering. But this was Soap Opera type of stuff. And damn her to hell, but it was funny.

"Not Helping! You know. I bet she planned this. That stupid bitch, Maggie has had it in for me for months. She probably paid Freddie off or something…just so I'd have to work beside that arrogant, insufferable, egotistical, mutt!" She exploded into the phone, making the girl on the other end cringe.

"Bitter much?" Cordy asked mockingly.

"Bitter? You're calling ME bitter? You, the one who slashed a certain redhead's tires AND dragged me out of my condo at 3 in the morning to go and pelt the woman's pool house with raw eggs and freshly steamed cabbage? You the bitch that insisted that you deserved to Mac on Angel even after Willow started dating Tara and Xander lost all interest in her? Pot. Kettle. Black." The blonde countered…knowing however that her friend was more than right.

"Look, Elizabeth, all bitchiness aside. You really do need to forgive him some day. If not? Then you'll just grow into some old hag all alone, cause honey I'm not gonna be the one that changes your adult sized diapers and changes the kitty litter." Even through her teasing, Elizabeth could hear the concern in her voice.

That was certainty a rarity for the fair Ms. Chase.

"Hey, if he deserved to be forgiven I'd do it with fucking bells on. That bastard hurt me, Cord. No one is allowed to do that. Not even him." Slamming down her phone, Elizabeth looked into her make-up mirror and sighed in disgust at the mascara tracks on her tanned cheeks.

"Suck it up, Lizzie. He's just a guy. You've dissed and dismissed them before. This'll be no different." Lulling herself into a false sense of calm, the woman took her make-up remover to her stained cheeks and wiped away all evidence of her heart.

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~TBC~

I know this chapter may be a bit confusing…the next one should clear some of it up.

And don't worry…I won't neglect 'Star Struck' by working on this one.