"It's happening, it's happening, it's happening, its hap-," Laurens exited chanting was abruptly cut off by Joe walker, who hit her on the arm.

"You know," he said," for someone so tiny you can be very annoying."

"And for someone so skinny you can be very vicious!" she retorted, rubbing her arm and sticking her tongue out at him.

He returned the gesture but half-heartedly, and Lauren looked at him her brown eyes full of concern.

"You ok? Is it Stage fright?" she asked

Joe looked down at the tiny person standing on her tiptoes before him. He wished he could tell her that the butterflies in his stomach had nothing to do with the impending show, Starship, and more to do with how close she was standing to him. He wished with every fibre of his being he could kiss her now, but she was taken. A guy from the coffee shop where she worked had caught her eye and they had been together for 5 weeks now. Joe hated him more than he had ever hated anyone. But the boy made her happy. So he grit his teeth and accepted that he would never be hers.

"Yeah Lo", he sighed, "just stage fright".

"Oh shut up! As if you're nervous!" she teased, "You have the biggest fucking ego of anyone I've ever met."

"LANGUE LOPEZ!" shouted Jamie from across the room.

Lauren laughed and stuck her finger up at her, laughing harder as Jamie pretending to be appalled, gasping for air and falling into a dramatic faint into Denise's awaiting arms.

She spun back to Joe and they sat down on two chairs in the green room backstage.

"Have to pee!" she said jumping up and making a run for the loos. This was Laurens pre-show ritual. Nerves made her bladder turn to the size of a pebble.

He readjusted his grey moustache and eye patch, beside him, Meredith sat down in Laurens place and watched her leave.

"Humans and there primitive methods of deposing of waste products," she said in her Mega girl voice, watching Lauren hop to the toilets.

She frowned when Joe gave her a half hearted smile and gently took him arm away from where he was frantically fiddling with his costume.

"You're gonna be fine," she soothed. "I have the worst stage fright to..."

He looked up at her, making an effort to smile convincingly.

"I'm fine Merediddy, honestly. It's just nerves".

"Joe, you and Lauren have the best lines in the whole thing! You're gonna nail it! I've gotta go, good luck!"

She smiled, standing up and started over to Brian, where he kissed her full on the lips, making her squeal and push him away.

"Great," thought Joe grumpily, "now I've got to get rid of that image".

He sighed.

"OK IDIOTAS! IF MEREDITH WOULD KINDLY STOP TRYING TO EAT BRIAN AND JAMIE AND DENISE WILL STOP PLAYING WITH THAT DAM MOSITITO PUPPET, WE HAVE A SHOW TO DO!"

Shouted Lauren in her Taz voice , Joe laughed and walked over to her, where she stood by the door ushering people out with comedic threats and violence. Joe joined her in time to usher Jamie out, making her laugh by using his Umbrige voice to say

"Dats it girl! You go you FRUMPY LITTLE TURD."

Laurens infectious laugh beside him made him turn around and pull her on his back. She put one fist forward and in a angry Spanish accent screamed

"TO DA STAGE, CHAARRRGGGE!"