They get separated at the party. Lucy was busy keeping an eye out for Emma when someone bumped into her from behind. She tripped over the dress and could only curse her stature as she tumbled to the ground in a costume meant for Hepburn who was rather more statuesque than her.
In the fall to her knees she found herself surrounded by a sea of legs and a polished black marble floor. Out of the mass a hand descended. Distracted by the mirror image of the room on the floor she took it gratefully, fully expecting Wyatt to chide her for being clumsy. But the calluses were absent and the grip was wrong, Standing, she was confronted by a handsome stranger in a grey suit.
"Miss Organa?" He flashed a bright smile as he kept hold of her hand. "It's lovely to see you again."
"Yes." She smiled, politely trying to extricate both her hand and herself from his presence. She had a vague recollection of meeting him but couldn't recall his name.
"I'm so pleased you decided to join the party. You must meet my friends." He gestured towards the crowd instead of a specific person.
"Oh. Well…" She looked around for Wyatt in the sea of black and bright colours but had no luck locating him. "You see, I'm actually waiting for someone."
"You can wait over here. Come along."
He pulled her through the throng. At one point she got a face full of feathers when one woman in a headdress turned her head. Disoriented, she was only able to break free when he let go in front of a group confined to a corner that contained of all people, Jimmy Stewart.
"Everybody listen! This is the woman I was telling you about. The one who sang her way out of a ticket!"
Lucy could only star agog at Stewart who looked far lankier than she remembered, hair slicked back, drink in hand as he leaned against the wall. He was in heavy conversation with the man next to him, occasionally chuckling, revealing a toothy grin.
She could barely get out a hello to the rest of the group, her eyes kept flicking to Stewart. Beside her a woman whispered.
"I wouldn't gape too hard dear. He's liable to notice. Unless of course, that's what you want. I'm Maddie by the way."
Lucy blinked in surprise and turned to introduce herself to the speaker, a petite blonde with a wicked smirk. "Lucy. And no, I just…I've never seen him this close before," she whispered.
"It's been my experience that in the presence of mere mortals, movie stars tend appear rather ordinary themselves." The woman ate an olive off her swizzle stick and downed the rest of her drink. "But that's not why you're here is it? Charles told us the most wonderful story about a woman on the lot belting out a song to get out of a parking ticket. We thought it was an absolute riot."
Lucy gave a small smile and tried not to think about how many people had seen her making a fool out of herself to keep MGM security from bothering Rufus.
"Would you consider serenading us tonight?" Charles stepped close to her elbow, towering over her like a used car salesman waiting to make a sale.
A cold wash of fear swept over Lucy's chest. "Oh I couldn't possibly. I mean I haven't warmed up or anything and I really should be getting back to my friend." She looked behind her for Wyatt's reassuring face, hoping he'd get her out of this mess.
"Back to a young man I assume?" Charles' face fell at the suggestion.
"I.." Lucy's face darted between the two. She couldn't admit to them something she wasn't ready to admit to herself.
"It's no use darling we're packed in like sardines. You'll be lucky if you can even get back to the buffet." Maddie looked at her empty glass and grimaced. "I bet he'd be able to find you if you got up on that stage and let loose with the band."
"If you wouldn't mind?" Charles put his hands together in supplication. "None of these knuckleheads believed the story about the ticket."
Lucy considered her options as she looked back into the crowd. Everyone was shoulder to shoulder and at least several inches taller than her. She didn't want to attract Rittenhouse's attention but she needed to find Wyatt and pushing her way around in a crowded room wasn't the best way to go about doing it.
The room was filled with glittering costumes and loud noise, a cacophony of celebrity with famous faces pancaked with makeup, sweating in the press of bodies under hot lights. Glasses clinked, heels clicked and laughter echoed against the walls.
With time running out she didn't have a lot of options. She couldn't stay where she was and if she tried to leave on her own there was a chance Rittenhouse would try to drag her out of there. So she took a deep breath and turned to Charles.
"Fine. I'll do it."
"Excellent!"
He beamed at her and offered his hand again, something she was loathe take and instead wrapped a hand around his arm and gave him a tight smile. An escort to the stage would be handy and she'd need a stand-in bodyguard until Wyatt showed up.
The band was chatting by the drum kit, one furiously smoking the stub of a cigarette, gesticulating with his arms so that the smoke wafted all about him. As they climbed the steps Lucy coughed, announcing their presence.
"Our set doesn't start for another ten sweetheart." The man with the cigarette curled his lip.
"Hi Andy, Roger. This lovely lady is wanting to sing a little something for the crowd. Would you be willing to accommodate her?" He handed over a crisp ten dollar bill.
Cigarette took it without comment and tucked the bribe in his pocket. "What do you wanna sing?"
Relying on knowledge of the era, she guessed at one of the more popular songs, crossing her fingers they'd know it.
"Alright."
Cigarette stepped behind the kit as Lucy was invited to stand in front next to a huge microphone that looked like it weight 30 pounds. The tap of sticks counted them in and she jumped as the band blasted the first note.
The brassy number flooded the room, overpowering the other noises by sheer volume. Slowly conversation died away, people turned to look at the stage and Lucy started to have second thoughts.
It was one thing to help a friend by belting out a tune, it was another entirely to perform in front of a crowd with expectations. Especially when that crowd was comprised of people she'd grown up idolizing on screen. It was a dream-turned nightmare.
But she didn't have time to think about being scared because the intro was over and her part was coming up. Feeling her hands shake she closed her eyes and tried to pretend she was giving one of her lectures in song. She listened to the beat, opened her mouth and let fly.
The words came easily and the melody flowed right off her tongue as she did her best not to think about the crowd in front of her. When she opened her eyes she was stunned to see everyone staring right at her, the room silent but for the band behind her.
She smiled nervously as she got to the chorus, trying to enjoy herself. The song was one of her favourites but she couldn't make herself meet anyone's eye and instead stared at the wall opposite her. But out of the corner of her eyes she saw people swaying and bobbing to the music.
The thrill of adrenaline sent a shiver down her back when she spotted Wyatt in the doorway. She couldn't help but grin at the look on his face, confused and awestruck by her up on stage, performing like she was in a night club.
As soon as the band plays the last bar she dashes down the stairs. Clapping and shouting accompany the end of the song but she barely acknowledges it as she pushes her way through the crowd to get to him.
"Hi. I've been looking for you."
He just stared for a moment. "Yeah, me too. I didn't know you could sing."
Lucy grinned and shrugged. "Oh I think you'd be surprised. I've got all sorts of hidden talents."
He raised a brow. "Oh yeah? Where'd this one come from?"
"Amy's room was next to the bathroom and she used to play her music at full blast. So I'd sing along in the shower."
They were both on their way out when Wyatt spotted Jimmy Stewart, still in the corner, nursing his drink and chatting.
"Is that…?"
"Yup. C'mon I'll show you Cary Grant's dressing room."