Chapter One
Captive. Scene One.
Scene opens. A beautiful, warm morning off the coast of France. A luxurious sailboat is being prepped for departure.
Sawyer, a young blonde, handsome Englishman. Early thirties. Dressed in a plain white Tshirt and plaid shorts is loading luggage and other things onto the boat.
Lisa, a young American brunette, dressed in a flowy, flowery summer dress stands behind him, glancing around the boat that will be her home for the upcoming weeks. The couple have been dating for a whirlwind six months. She has no idea of his plan to propose on their trip. She is obviously more than a little nervous about sailing.
SAWYER: (turns to Lisa, beaming smile) Are you ready for this?
LISA: (chuckles, nervously) You sure we can't just hole up in a hotel room for the next two weeks?
SAWYER: (wraps his arms loosely, comfortingly around her waist) Darling, I promise you this will be the most…beautiful relaxing vacation of your life. I'm not going to let anything happen to you.
LISA: You're not going to throw me overboard?
SAWYER: (laughs) Not a chance. (He kisses her. Lovingly. Tenderly) You, my darling, will love this. I promise. We are nothing but safe. (Steps away to continue his preparations)
LISA: (sighs heavily before attempting to help) I'm not trying to be…unenthusiastic. The idea of being on a boat for two weeks just…kind of frightens me.
SAWYER: Simply because you've never done it before. My father and I used to do this all the time. Maybe not quite to this caliber. You're a little spoiled (He smirks in the girl's direction. She returns his smile)
LISA: No one asked you to charter the most expensive boat France had on hand.
SAWYER: Which is precisely why I did it.
LISA: (laughs) Show off. I think we're past the point you need to impress me.
SAWYER: My goal is to keep impressing you, my love. I've got to do something to keep you around.
LISA: (shaking her head) I have no plans to go anywhere.
SAWYER: Well, I'd hope not. We'll soon be in the middle of the Atlantic.
Tom Hiddleston ran his hand over his head as he began reading the scene for that day. He always felt slightly strange filming the opening of a movie halfway through filming itself, but the crew had to wait for the perfect day. Though, he was having a hard time finding any day in Bordeaux that wasn't perfect, but today. Today was the day. A bright glowing summer sun, the crisp blue water lapping the sandy shore. It was the most perfect place to pretend to be a young, well to do business man setting out on a sailing adventure with the woman he loved.
Captive was proving to be an interesting filming experience. The cast was very small, only actually featuring three main roles: himself as the handsome, debonair Sawyer Lancaster, the beautiful and extremely talented Megan Alexander as his Lisa and the darkly handsome, incredibly gifted, and a pal of Tom's, Luke Evans as the mysterious Kyle. Other than those three, there were bit roles here and there, but the trio of stars spent most of their time together, becoming quick and fast friends while living and filming on the gorgeous French coast.
"Meg, Settle something for us, will you?" Luke's gruff voice spoke up as the only non-England born star walked into the makeup trailer.
Megan shook her head. "I already don't like the sound of this. Whatever dick measuring contest you two are having, I want nothing to do with it."
"Woman…" Luke scolded. "Just listen to me for a second."
Tom turned, his eyes locking onto Megan, dressed in only a bright white bikini. "This is your chance to run. Before it's too late."
"Stop," Luke commanded. He then turned toward the girl. "What do you really think of Laura?"
Laura Watts was Tom's girlfriend at the moment. Their relationship was fairly new and fairly confusing to those around him. Tom was the sweetest, kindest, gentlest man anyone had met and Laura…Laura was a bit more brash, hard to crack and certainly not a fan of his gorgeous costar, either one of them seemingly.
"I'm not answering that," Megan stated, beginning to shake her head.
"Meg, please. Tell him," Luke commanded. "Tell him how insane he is. How blinded he is."
"Nope. Not happening."
"Well now I'm curious since you seem to be hiding something," Tom stated with a laugh as Megan sank down into an empty chair beside Luke.
The brunette beauty sighed heavily and tried to compose her sentence before it just flew out of her mouth. "Laura…Laura hates me."
Tom burst into laughter as Luke nodded. "She does not!"
"She does so!" Megan argued. "I see the way she looks at me, Thomas. It's like…a thousand tiny daggers flying at me. She HATES me. She wishes I would spontaneously combust."
"She doesn't hate you. She doesn't hate anyone. She just doesn't know you…"
"Strange considering we've invited her out with us fifty times since we've been here," Luke stated sarcastically as he glanced toward his nodding female costar.
"She's not much for going out…" Tom stated, looking to the script in his hand.
"Stop making excuses. She doesn't want you around me," Megan corrected.
"Stop it. Just stop it. Why wouldn't she like you?" Tom asked. "You're a ball of fun."
"THAT'S why she doesn't like her," Luke stated, pointing to Megan's large, nearly exposed chest.
Megan laughed loudly. "It's funny. Tits can either make you friends or make you enemies."
"Laura is…jealous…and intimidated," Luke continued. "She sees a gorgeous, talented, boisterous, flirtatious woman and automatically assumes that this girl is out to take every man she can find and spit him out. The tabloids don't help." He looked to Megan. "I'm sorry but you do have a terrible reputation in the tabloids."
"That's because I talk to a dude and they think we're fucking," Megan stated. "Just you wait. I'll have slept with the both of you by the time this is over."
"You know that could be arranged…" Luke began.
"Gross. You're like my brother."
"Ouch…" Luke sighed.
Tom tried to stifle a laugh, but it wasn't working. "Who cares what the tabloids say anyway? I've apparently dated everyone I've ever filmed with according to them."
Megan shook her head. "I don't even think I've dated one person I've worked with." She paused a second, trying to think. "Does my high school career count?"
Luke laughed. "If my high school career counts, I'm seriously fucked."
"You were a playboy weren't you?"
"I didn't do poorly…" Luke smirked. "Anyway…back to the task at hand: Laura."
Tom shook his head. "You two are reading too much into this. She doesn't have a problem with either of you."
"That is not true," Luke stated firmly. "She has blatantly stated she doesn't like me. I'm loud and crass and rude. Which usually works for me…"
"Works for me," Megan shrugged.
Tom rolled his eyes. "Guys, seriously."
"Tom, lemme break this down: she thinks I'm trying to fuck you," Megan stated. "Which, no offense, guys off the market aren't really my style. I don't share well."
"She does not," Tom insisted. He was lying through his teeth. Laura had stated similar accusations on more than one occasion in the last month, but he didn't need Megan knowing that.
Megan sighed. "Look, I've dealt with this my entire life. Women typically hate me. Whether it's because…I'm loud and flirtatious or…I've got a rack that would make Kate Upton jealous…" The boys laughed. "It's always something. But it always boils down to one thing."
"What's that?" Tom asked, interested at her theory.
"They're insecure. Honestly, I mean…if she thinks it would be that easy for me to snatch you from under her nose…I think you should be a little more concerned about the state of your relationship," Megan answered.
"She's got a point," Luke stated, nodding in agreement.
"Have I ever once tried to do…anything close to even hitting on you?" Megan asked.
"Of course not."
"So the issue is hers. Not mine. Trust me. If I tried, it wouldn't even be a contest ," Megan said with a wink. She popped a handful of Skittles from a bowl in front of her into her mouth before kicking her long tan legs and climbing out of her share. "Tell her I'll start wearing muumuus and acting like a nerd just to make her feel better. Oh no wait…fuck that." And with that she simply disappeared out the door.
Luke and Tom both laughed as her words echoed in their ears. "She's ridiculous…" Tom said shaking his head.
Luke nodded in agreement but watched as the smile didn't seem to fade from his costar's face and suddenly it was like a light bulb went off in his head. "What're you doing?"
"What?" Tom asked, confused, looking up from his script. "I'm not doing anything."
"You like Megan."
"Shut up. That's nonsense. We're just friends."
"Tom, come on. You practically glow every time she walks into the room. You can't talk about her and not smile. Hell you're still smiling and she left two minutes ago. I can't believe I didn't see it sooner."
Tom chuckled. "I'm laughing because you're being utterly ridiculous. Meg and I are just friends. I love her, I do. But not like that." He looked at Luke who was simply staring at him. Really staring. "What!? It's true! Look…she is…insanely attractive. She's funny and smart and… despite her mouth of a sailor, she's incredibly sweet and kind and if I was a single man…sure…I'd probably have a bit of a crush."
"You're not single and you have a bit of a crush."
"Goddammit Luke. No."
"It's fine. It's alright. Hell, I'm single. If you're not smart enough to make a move…"
Tom laughed heartily. "You go for that. I wanna see what she does."
Luke scowled. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all…except she just called you her brother."
"You're an asshole. On second thought, you and Laura are perfect for each other," Luke stated, pushing up and out of his chair. "Go fuck yourself."
Tom just laughed as Luke disappeared out the trailer door. He sighed and shook his head as his eyes once again fell to the script in his hand. He didn't like Megan. Not like that. Not in any way other than being friends. No matter what Luke or Laura…or sometimes even he thought.
The next scene of the day involved Tom and Megan in a…compromising position on the boat. Tom was suddenly incredibly excited about the fact that Laura hadn't showed up to set yet that day. He wasn't entirely sure why she had even come to France with him to begin with. She spent most of her time pent up in the hotel working instead of out enjoying their beautiful location, which was always Tom's goal. Sometimes he wondered if they had anything in common at all.
"FLIP FLOPS AND THIS BOAT DO NOT GET ALONG!" he heard shouted as Megan tried desperately to climb onto the boat behind him in flip flops and an enormous fluffy bathrobe.
He chuckled and extended his hand. "Not as graceful as you look."
"Shut up, Hiddleston. I'll throw you overboard," Megan snapped.
"She likely would," the production assistant, Kane said with a laugh.
"I know she would," Tom chuckled. "Luckily for me, we're not that far out."
"I'll figure out how to drive this thing," Megan stated.
"You don't drive a sailboat," Tom smirked, issuing a wink toward Kane. Now he was just messing with her.
"Alright, Mr. Posh Englishman. I'm from Nebraska. We don't sail anything, alright?"
As Tom raised his head for the makeup girl to touch him up, his blue eyes landed on Megan, her back toward him. She stood still, topless, an arm covering her breasts as a crew member rubbed oil onto her skin. Suddenly he felt a lump growing in his throat. She was gorgeous, there was no denying that and he found that he had to remind himself this was work. He exhaled sharply and Kane looked to him with a grin as if he could read the movie star's mind.
"You're gonna be the envy of every straight man in this world," Kane chuckled.
Tom laughed. "The job has its perks."
"I'm just glad I'm here to witness it," Kane laughed.
Tom smirked. He was certainly glad Laura was not.
He kissed her…and kissed her…and kissed her, her bare, shining body gliding against his as his hands roamed, fingertips finding their way to the edge of her bikini bottoms for about the sixth time that afternoon. To say this was a job seemed…insane. He was laying on the deck of a gorgeous sailboat, a beautiful half naked woman on top of him, getting paid to well… sort of have sex with her.
"And cut!"
Tom licked his lips and bit down as Megan rolled off him, once again covering herself.
"I think we've got it guys. That was fucking perfect," their director, David stated, gazing at the tiny playback screen. "You'd think you were actually enjoying it."
Tom laughed as he sat up. "I mean…if we need to do it again…"
"Creep," Megan teased, climbing to her feet. "I think Tom enjoyed that a little too much."
Tom stood and resituated his shorts, which with the events of the afternoon had grown especially tight. He found himself praying no one had noticed, but considering Megan was on top of him a moment ago… "I'm working, okay? Just doing my job."
"Mmm… it felt a little hard…." Megan said, fighting a grin. "The job I mean."
Tom closed his eyes and shook his head. "Gotta do what I gotta do."
"Yeah…I could tell it was really… hard for you…"
"Stop saying that…" Tom said with a chuckle. "Not helping."
"Oh I'm sorry," Megan apologized insincerely as she once again rapped her frame in the giant fluffy white robe. "I didn't mean to make things…hard…for you…" Tom just continued to shake his head as the beauty moved by him. "Or did I?" she added with a whisper as Kane reached up to help her down.
Tom bit onto his bottom lip sharply. Trouble. He was definitely in trouble. Pull it together, Hiddleston, he said to himself. Fucking pull it together.
"You going out with us tonight?" Megan asked as she and Tom walked to the car waiting to take them back to their hotel. "I think Luke and I and a few others are going to grab some drinks."
Tom shook his head. "Promised Laura a quiet night. Sorry."
Megan sighed and stopped beside the car door. "Look, I didn't want to say anything in front of Luke, God knows he doesn't need encouragement but…he's right. Laura isn't right for you, Tom. You're too good to be treated the way she treats you."
Tom smiled sweetly at her concern. "She doesn't treat me poorly…"
"She doesn't trust you."
"After this afternoon, can you honestly blame her?" Tom asked with a laugh. "I mean seriously. If she had been there, we would've had a massacre on our hands."
Megan chuckled lightly. "It's your job. She can't seriously get angry and…testy with you about your job, Tom. That's ridiculous. We weren't ACTUALLY having sex. We weren't ACTUALLY making out. It was work."
"Didn't feel all that much like work," Tom argued. They stared at each other momentarily. A moment too long judging by the butterflies he was beginning to feel. His eyes darted away and he took a deep breath. "Look, I know…things with me and Laura aren't perfect but…I can't just give up without trying. That's not who I am. I have to give it a fair chance."
"I know that. But…I also know that you…are one of the most amazing human beings I have ever met and…you deserve better than what she gives you," Megan stated. "But that's just coming from a friend. Take it for what it's worth."
"It's worth a lot," Tom stated. "I'm…touched that you care so much."
"Of course I do," Megan said with a weak smile. "You deserve everything amazing this world has to offer. You should know that."
Tom beamed and wrapped his arms around the girl's shoulders. "You do too. You're a sweet girl, no matter how hard you try to come off."
"There's that word again."
"Stop it. Are you trying to get me in trouble?" Tom asked nudging her playfully before she climbed into the car. "Not a word to Luke. He will NEVER let it go."
"Maybe you should learn to control yourself."
"It has a mind of its own, alright? It's not my fault. There was a beautiful, naked woman on top of me and things just sort of happened. I tried thinking about tennis and dogs and explosions and sadness..."
"You really just went with explosions?" Megan giggled hysterically.
"Oh sweet Jesus," Tom laughed, rolling his eyes. "I'm never going to live this down, am I?"
"Not on your life."
"Perfect…just perfect…"
"Seemed adequate to me. Don't know that I'd go with perfect."
"You're done," Tom said sternly. "No more talking for you. Hush."
"Make me."
Tom pursed his lips and once again waved his head back and forth. He was already beginning to feel guilty and technically, he hadn't done anything wrong. He just felt them. Everything wrong he could possibly be feeling at that moment. Absolutely everything.
"Why don't you just tell him?" Luke asked, setting down the pint glass in his hand. "Just sit him down and say 'Look. Laura's a bitch and I want you.' That simple."
Megan closed her eyes and shook her head. "It's really not, Luke."
"But it IS," Luke insisted. "You two would be…perfect together…"
"He's too good for me," Megan argued, her head still waving. "He is far too good for me."
"That's a very defeating attitude you have there," Luke stated. "Where's the confident, outgoing brat that's usually running around on set?"
"I'm always that girl but Tom… Tom's another level. Like the man is literally a walking, breathing, real life Prince Charming."
"And what on Earth would make you think you don't deserve that?" Luke asked. Megan stayed silent as he reached across their table, setting his hand on hers. "Megan, tell him. Please. Before it's too late."
"I can't," Megan insisted. "We work together. I can't…jeopardize that. I can't risk losing a friend."
"Oh come on," Luke said, rolling his eyes as he leaned back in his chair. "That's just an excuse because you're scared. How do you know it would be risking anything? Maybe by not telling him you're risking losing the love of your life. You don't know."
"We're not gonna be here in…paradise forever. What then? What about when I go back to Los Angeles and him to London? What are we supposed to do then? It'll never work."
"You are saying anything you can to convince yourself of that right now, aren't you?" Luke stared at Megan with knowing eyes as she just sat silently. "Meg. I am begging you. Tell him how you feel."
"He's taken, Luke."
"By a fucking monster!" Luke exclaimed. "Tom deserves so much better than that!"
"I know that. But that's not my decision to make."
"He deserves YOU."
Megan gave him a disapproving look. "Can we stop talking about this? I'm not telling him. It's not happening."
"You're being stupid."
"Luke…"
"I'm your friend. I'm just being honest."
"And I'm being your friend when I tell you drop it or I will destroy you."
"Easy," Luke stated with a laugh. "Alright. Alright. I'll drop it. For now." He glanced up to the door as a familiar face walked in. "I thought you said he was busy."
"Who?" Megan followed the head nodded he issued and turned around to find Tom approaching the table. "Hey! What're you doing here?"
Tom shrugged as he pulled out a chair and sat down. "Another fight. Had to get out."
"Dude…" Luke began.
Tom shook his head. "Just don't. Just get me a beer and get me drunk. Fast."
"What happened?" Megan asked. The trio had moved to a booth, all three fairly intoxicated at this point. Luke had left to hit on some woman at the bar, finally leaving Megan and Tom alone.
Tom shook his head. "She asked about my day. I told her what we shot. That simple."
"You're joking right?"
Tom scoffed, slamming the whisky in front of him. He sighed as he set the glass down. "I wish I was. She fucking…went off…it was ugly."
"I'm starting to feel a little bad that all your fights seem to be about me."
Tom shook his head. "Don't. If it wasn't you it would be someone else. I'm sure of it." He paused and took a deep breath. "I just can't do anything right. I try to be…attentive and…reassuring and… she still just won't let up. I can't say your name without getting my head ripped off." He looked up at his companion, whose dark eyes had sunk to the table in front of them. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be telling you this. I don't mean to make you feel bad."
"No, no it's fine. We're friends, we're allowed to talk."
"Not according to Laura…" Tom paused, his own eyes lowering. "I don't think I can do it anymore, Meg. I really don't. Relationships aren't supposed to be like this. We've been dating five months and it's just constant stress and arguing and disagreements and… that's not what I want. That's not love. That's not what it's supposed to be like, you know?"
"No, it's not," Megan agreed.
"I mean…I'm not foolish enough to think that everything is always going to be roses but Christ, shouldn't we still at least somewhat be in the honeymoon stage?" Tom asked with a laugh. "I feel like we've been together for years. Miserable fucking years." Megan chuckled lightly. "Really? That's funny?"
"No, no. That's not what I'm laughing at. I just…" Megan paused. "I think this is the most honest you've ever been with me about her. You usually just kind of brush things over and act like everything's fine. Even though half the time I've already heard you talking to Luke about it…"
Tom gulped. "Feels weird talking to you about it….but apparently drunk me doesn't give a fuck."
"Why does it feel weird?" Megan asked. "We're just as much friends as you and Luke are, aren't we?"
"Of course we are, Meg. That's not what I meant," Tom stated. He gulped and looked down again. "I would be lying…if I said there wasn't at least…a certain…attraction toward you. I'm in a relationship, not fucking dead. So I guess…maybe…I feel like Laura is partially right in her concern and so…talking to you about that…seems strange to me. It's not that we're not friends. It's not that I don't trust you or I don't want to talk to you. It's the fact that…maybe she has a little bit of a right to be jealous."
"Being jealous and treating you like shit are two completely different things," Megan stated. "You have never once come even minutely close to even crossing a line. You've never done anything wrong. Finding people attractive doesn't stop because you're in a relationship. It is how you act on it, and you haven't."
"Can't say the thought's never crossed my mind," Tom blurted out. "Especially lately."
"Thoughts don't count. They're not actions."
Tom looked up from the table and at her, his eyes sparkling, lips pursed into a smirk. "Stop trying to make me feel better about having a crush on my costar."
A fuchsia flush took over Megan's face. She gulped down a hard lump in her throat. "Stop acting like you're the only one with a crush," she said as her eyes locked onto his.
They stared at each other momentarily before Luke walked up to the table. "I think I'm gonna get out of here, guys."
""Found tonight's victim?" Tom asked with a grin, picking up the beer next to his empty whisky glass.
Luke flipped him off but shook his head. "No…some of us have to actually shoot in the morning. You assholes get to wait til the sun's up at least." He looked at an unusually quiet Megan. "You gonna be okay here?"
Megan nodded but it was Tom who spoke. "I'll get her home safely, sir. Promise."
"I bet you will…." Luke said with a somewhat disapproving look. "Alright. You kids have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"That doesn't really leave much out," Tom said with a laugh.
"Drink up, Tom. You'll need your courage," Luke winked before backing slowly and turning away with a wave.
"What the hell was that supposed to mean?" Tom asked with a laugh.
"I have no idea," Megan stated.
"You are really bad at darts, Hiddleston."
"I'm really drunk," Tom insisted. "Like…tomorrow is going to hurt drunk."
"Maybe we should go."
"Not a chance. That means I have to go back to the hotel and I don't really want to do that," Tom stated. "I should at least break up with her sober."
"You can crash in my room."
Tom stopped, pint glass to his lips. He pulled it away without taking a drink. "Do you really think that's a good idea? All things considered."
Megan shrugged. "Just an offer."
"Well I appreciate the offer but as someone whose inhibitions and self control are partially lacking at the moment, I'm going to have to say that would NOT be the best plan." He finally took a drink. "Besides, even if I passed out on the couch do you honestly think her finding out I slept in the same room as you will make my situation any better?"
"If you're going to break up with her, what does it matter if it gets better or not?" Megan asked. Tom was silent. She laughed. "You're questioning it already aren't you?"
Tom shook his head wildly, his mouth full of some snack from the bowl in front of him. "No. No not at all. I'm just…thinking…"
"About what?"
"How I'm going to do it. Like…do I do it before I leave for work? Do I wait til I get back to the hotel? Do I like…take her to dinner and do it in public so she doesn't murder me?"
"Just call her now and do it."
Tom snickered. "You're terrible. No. I'm not breaking up with someone through a drunken voicemail."
"Why? Get it over with."
"Well for starters, she's in a room with all my stuff," Tom stated. "Do you honestly put it passed her to set it all on fire?"
"No, honestly. Not a bit."
"Exactly," Tom said with a nod. "I don't want my shit on fire."
Megan chuckled. "They have like ointment for that…"
Tom grabbed a peanut from the bowl and chucked it at her. "Stop it."
"Stop throwing your nuts at me."
"QUIT!" Tom shouted. He looked around and laughed as the few patrons left in the bar turned toward him. "Stop. You can't be suggestive right now. I can't deal with it."
"Have you met me? I'm always suggestive."
"Trust me I've noticed."
Megan just laughed. "I need to go to the bathroom. Don't cheat while I'm gone."
"I think I would literally have to walk up there and put the dart in the board. Like…just straight out of my hand," Tom stated. Megan giggled and disappeared but Tom stared after her for quite awhile. He wasn't sure if it was because he was drunk or what, but the idea of them being alone suddenly seemed like the worst idea on the planet.
"Are you okay?" Tom asked. It was late. They had shut down the bar, and as drunk as they were before could be multiplied by at least three at this moment. "You got really quiet?"
Megan shook her head. Her eyes closed. "M'okay. Just drunk."
Tom nodded slowly, afraid any motion would cause him to lose it. "Mmm…yes…yes…very, very drunk…and tired…"
"I wanna pass out," Megan mumbled, leaning into his shoulder.
Tom tilted his head so it rested on top of hers. "I'm just gonna go lay in the bathtub. I'm not getting in that bed."
"You can still stay with me," Megan stated, looking up at him.
Tom took a deep breath, finding it incredibly difficult to not get lost in her eyes at that moment. "I can't. There is…an enormous part of me that wants to. You have to know that, but…I can't start something when I haven't finished the other."
"Feels like something's already started to me," Megan stated with a sigh as the elevator binged to a halt. She stumbled toward the open door and into the hallway, her room only a few steps away.
"Megan…." Tom stopped her.
She turned toward him. "What?"
"Don't be mad at me. I'm trying to be a good guy here."
Megan smiled and walked back toward him. "You are a good guy, Tom Hiddleston," she stated before planting her lips on his cheek. "And I am most definitely not mad at you."
Tom gulped, their faces not more than a couple centimeters apart. He was fighting every urge to kiss her right then, which at that moment was quite a lot. He placed his hands on her cheeks and instead pressed his lips against her forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight," Megan smiled.
"Goodnight, darling," Tom returned. He watched and made sure she got into her room before putting the key in his own door. He opened slowly and thankfully found Laura already passed out in bed. He kicked off his shoes and crept toward the bed, tugging off a pillow and heading to the sofa. He didn't have much time to think as he drifted into drunken slumber, but he was more than certain tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.
