My coauthor, keeperofwords, came up with a BRILLIANT idea that I'm already so in love with. I am so very honored that she asked me to work on this with her, just as we are working on Fragile Reunion. (Don't worry, this new story will not take us away from working on Fragile. We are very dedicated to our works). She wrote this beautiful prologue and I am already so excited to see what this story has in store, and I can see that she is as well. I hope you all share that excitement with us and follow us along this story's journey.

Love always, keeperofwords and Hayley

Prologue:

Shelby Corcoran looked at the strange phone number on her cell and ignored it. It took a great deal of time for Isabel, her make-up artist, to turn her into a green skin to become Elphaba in the hit Broadway musical, and she didn't have time to waste on prank numbers. The number of calls from the press, marriage proposals, and people wanting her to give them money had increased exponentially since she started this stint of Broadway. She figured she would have to change her number soon.

The same number had called her multiple times the last two days.

This borders on stalking, Shelby mused, tomorrow I am going to get a new phone and a new number…

She looked at the clock on her phone. It was just after five in the afternoon. Cass would be leaving NYADA soon. Her life partner was bringing dinner and the two would be having it together. It was hard with Shelby currently starring in Wicked on Broadway 8 shows a week, and Cassandra July teaching dance at NYADA every single day. They sometimes felt like they were ships passing through in the night. But both were committed to each other and made the special effort to spend time together.

Shelby Corcoran closed her eyes and mentally went over the show in her mind as Carol did her eyes. She hummed "Defying Gravity" to herself as she began the process of getting herself in character. A rapid staccato of taps of her dressing room door distracted her concentration. Shelby sighed. It was always important. These knocks were always so loud and pressing. Shelby kept her eyes closed.

"Yes, come in!" Shelby called politely. The up and coming Broadway singer made a point to not be like some of those rude, arrogant performers she had met, even when she was a student at NYADA with Cass. The respect and friendliness that Shelby showed to each and every one she worked with on the cast and crew had gotten her further.

"Shelbs, there are two men to see you, with a police officer," Joe, the stage manager, informed one of his two major leads.

"I'm doing make-up now and then Cass is coming and we are going to eat a quick bite before the show," Shelby explained. "Can you ask them the nature of their visit?"

The door quickly closed again. The singer's curiosity is peaked. Two men and a police officer?

"Come!" Shelby shouted quickly at the single knock. This knock sounded pretty distinctive. It meant her lover was here early.

That's good, I am glad Cassie will be here to hear what this is all about, Shelby mused as her make-up artist was moving to her neck.

"Shelbs!" Cassie exclaimed as she glided through the door. "Hiram Berry, is out at the stage door. That shit-face has got a lot of nerve coming here." While Cassandra July had known Shelby Corcoran since they were students at NYADA, Cass had not developed a relationship romantic in nature with Shelby until she was pregnant. Now together almost two years, they shared a large apartment and were a committed couple.

"What the hell is he doing here," Shelby sat up suddenly, her eyes flying open. "And you say he has an officer with him?" Shelby's eyes flashed, "If he thinks I have done anything to violate the contract, he is mistaken and I will sue his ass if he tries to go public with our arrangement to get money out of me or one of those tabloids..."

"Oh, hot mama," Cassie leaned over her love and kissed her head, not touching her face so as to not mess up her lover's make-up. "I love it when you get so hot and bothered. Save some of that for me later, huh?" Cassandra July's intention, though she would never tell her partner, was to tone some of Shelby's anger down before the police got to the dressing room door. It would do no good for Shelby to get in a shouting match with Berry. Cass could see the press eating that up.

"My god, Cass, what if it is the baby?" Shelby ignored her lover's distraction, clearly concerned. "What if something is wrong with my baby girl?" Shelby suddenly stood up and rushed to Cassie's arms.

"Baby, calm down, it will do you no good to get yourself worked up. It could be nothing. Let's just see what he wants. Then we can have a nice quiet dinner and I will stay here and watch you knock them dead," Cass tried to soothe Shelby's raging emotions. "Joe is out there with them. I am going to go step back out there and listen in. I will come back here and let you know. Maybe this is something we can take care of tomorrow after the show and you have had a good night's sleep."

Cassandra quickly exited the room, leaving Shelby to her thoughts.

"I'm sorry Viv," Shelby apologized. "You don't need to hear all my drama and I am keeping you from your dinner as well. I promise I will sit here and behave."

"I am almost done dear," the older woman who Shelby felt was more like a mother figure to her than a crew member assured the Broadway star. "Now just put your hands and on the table and we can finish up."

Cassie's quick signature knock rapped on the door after what seemed like hours. In truth it was only about five minutes. Shelby's right arm and hand was green. Viv needed only to do the left and then Shelby would be ready for tonight's show. Shelby would change and get her hair done right before curtain time.

This time Cass did not wait to be invited in. She pushed open the door and shut it with a slam.

"Shelby, you need to see these men now. It's in regards of the contract. It's Rachel. You need to talk to them NOW," Cass insisted, speaking forcefully and looking at the make-up artist in the room. The dancer wanted to get the poor woman the hint to hurry and leave. Cass also dared not say more in front of anybody but her lover.

"Give Viv five minutes to finish then send them in," Shelby all but growled out. The Broadway star hoped she could remember her lines after this impending conversation with Mr. Ass-hole Berry who had told her in no uncertain terms that this was a closed adoption and he would keep her in court the rest of her life is she pursued any contact.

Viv finished the left hand patted Shelby's hand before she scurried away when the door opened up. There in the threshold was the object of Shelby's disdain. She'd had seen him in her nightmares regularly. Seeing him in person made her skin crawl. She felt suddenly sweaty and hoped she did not ruin her make-up.

"Miss Corcoran, I am here to inform you I am having my lawyer void the contract we both signed." Hiram said without even a hello of greeting.