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Chapter 2: Questions

"I don't see why you have to go!" Marissa Walker said, her big brown eyes full of tears. Cal looked back at her.

"I haven't decided anything Faith!" He said. "I just, I can't spend the rest of my life in this town like my dad and my brother." She looked at him. "You could come with me. You're too smart to stick around here fixing cars."

"I can't afford to go to college, and not everyone gets baseball scholarships," she crossed her arms. "And I'm not going to be fixing cars, I'm going to be in community college and running the business."

"Fine, whatever," he said. "I don't feel like fighting about this anymore."

"Maybe we shouldn't fight about anything anymore," she said. He looked at her. "This isn't working anymore Brian, and you're leaving after graduation."

"Are you breaking up with me?" He asked. She said.

"I don't want to fight anymore," she said softly. "Let's just go home and sleep on it." He nodded.

"Cut," the director called. "Good job, Cal, Mari, I think we've got it. There will be broken hearted tweeners all across America come next Thursday." They laughed.

"Thanks," Marissa said, sliding her hand into her pocket and pulling out her engagement ring. "What aren't you telling me?"

"I tell you everything," he shrugged. She looked at him. "What?" He kissed her.

"They're writing you off," she said. He sighed. "The breakup, the scholarship, all of it, they're writing you off." He looked at her. "Did you ask for that?"

"I'd never make that kind of decision without talking to you," he said. She nodded. "What?"

"Lately you haven't been talking to me about those decisions," she shrugged. He looked at her. "Look, I get it, hiring Anne was a good idea. I'm glad you did it, but well," she sighed. "The movie, the one Josh and your dad and everyone wants you to do." He nodded. "Anne doesn't want it."

"Yeah," he said. "She finally told me why." Marissa nodded. "They want Carmen, she was trying to protect me."

"Carmen?" She said. "Really?" He nodded. "She's done like two plays and a few guest spots."

"I know," he shrugged. "But they want her, and she'd be good for it, and Anne's afraid you'll freak out about the sex scenes." She laughed.

"So, she wasn't protecting you, she was protecting me," Marissa said.

"Same difference," he said. "Would you be upset?"

"No," she shook her head. "I trust you and Carmen's got that boyfriend."

"Terry," he nodded. "Yeah, OK then." She kissed him. "If I decide to leave the show you're the first to know Mari, and if they fire me, then you know it's different." She laughed and kissed him.

Elisa sat up with Hunter in her room.

"So what did he want?" He asked tentatively.

"What does he ever want?" She shrugged. "He wants to get back together and live happily ever after."

"And you're opposed to this outcome?" He asked. She laughed.

"Not the outcome," she shook her head. "Just with Eddie, it's all so messy and complicated, and I like that things are simple right now."

"But you're not happy," he said. She looked at him. "You haven't been in a while." He looked at her. "He made you happy." She nodded.

"I wish you hadn't made such a big deal about us not being together," she whispered. He looked at her. "He assumes that I have settings, like when I'm not in Hunter setting I immediately default to Eddie setting." He laughed and then she kissed him. He pulled he close and she whimpered. They lay back and she reached for his fly.

"Elisa," he said. "I thought we agreed not to do this again." She looked at him. "I can't do it to Anne again."

"Right," she whispered, "Sorry, I, it's Eddie, he gets in my head." He nodded. "Why did you come though? If it wasn't for that?"

"I don't know," he said. "I guess, I'm my father's son." She looked at him. "I want to be better than him, than both my grandfathers and then I," he touched her face. "I love you, and I love Anne. But I can't commit to either of you so I figure I'll just take both." She looked at him.

"Poor Hunter," she whispered, "so tortured," she kissed him.

"Poor Ellie," he said, "so lonely." She smiled.

"Do you think it would be easier for you, if I were with Eddie?" She asked. He smiled.

"Maybe," he shrugged. "Because you'd be more likely to say no." She smiled. "I'm going to Prague for five months, so it doesn't much matter does it?"

"I guess not," she said. "Except for tonight." He smiled. "It's up to you Hunter, you can stay no matter what."

"We shouldn't," he said. "You're upset because of Eddie, and I don't want to cheat on Anne again." She nodded. "Elle, it shouldn't have happened last time."

"Yeah," she said. "I know. But if you don't want to, then why are you here and not in LA?"

"It's a good question," he said.

"Knock knock," Kevin Reed looked up and smiled seeing Connie Vanderbilt standing in his doorway. He smiled. "You're studying hard."

"Yeah," he nodded, "I decided to make Tanya proud of me." She smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting you," she shrugged, "and trying to get you drunk." He laughed. "No, I'm home for Christmas."

"Home is in Connecticut," he said. "This is Washington." She laughed. "Where's Henry?"

"England," she said. "I'm doing an East Coast tour, starting with you, and then he's meeting me in Connecticut."

"Ah," he nodded. "And does this include a stop in Northern New Jersey, to see your brother, the whore he married and my son?"

"Don't talk about Bella that way," she shook head. He looked at her. "Gordon said that she gave you Christmas."

"Yeah," he nodded. "But I shouldn't have to fight to spend Christmas with Gabriel." She nodded. "I missed his birthday, you know? I was supposed to, but then they went out to see one of Gordon's pre season games. I couldn't afford the flight."

"You could have called me," she said. "I would have leant you the money. I love Gabe, and," he looked at her.

"I couldn't ask you," he shook his head.

"Then what can you ask me?" She said. "You said you wanted to be back in my life," he sighed. "What does that mean to you Kevin? What do you want from me?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I just know that I miss you." She nodded. "I don't need a patron, Connie, and I don't need you fighting my battles for me with Bella and Gordon OK?"

"OK," she nodded. "Do you want to get a drink or something?"

"Yeah, OK," he nodded and stood up.

"That's always been your problem you know?" She said as they walked outside. He looked at her. "You never know what you want, you think you do, but you don't."

"That's always been my problem," he nodded. "Not loving the wrong girl?"

"Well that's part of it," she shrugged. "Although define wrong?" He laughed.

"My best friend's sister, and then the daughter of my dad's soulmate, and then my best friend's girlfriend," he listed. She laughed. "The wrong girl."

"I wasn't that wrong was I?" She whispered, stepping closer to him. He lifted her chin.

"Connie," he whispered, "where's Henry?"

"I told you," she said. "He's meeting me in Connecticut, after I see you and Bella and Gordon."

"And he's OK with this plan," he whispered. "Of you and me alone?"

"He trusts me," she said. "He trusts you, or trusts that you haven't wanted me since you were sixteen." Kevin laughed and kissed her forehead.

"You picked a winner," he said. She smiled. "I'm sorry if me asking for you back is causing problems for you guys."

"It did," she shrugged. "But we're past it."

"I always kind of thought you'd end up with Eddie," Kevin said. She laughed.

"Oh God," she shook her head. "Poor Eddie, that wasn't a relationship, that was a mess."

Anne was sitting in the office she'd set up in a little building in Hollywood. She loved what she was doing. In fact she'd hated college so much that she'd doubled up semesters, intersessions and summer courses to finish early and start working. She'd done a few months at the PR firm with Steve before it became very clear to everyone, including Josh Parker that the network and show people were completely ignoring Cal's potential and team Callins knew they needed someone who could stand up to them and stand up to Cal. That person was Anne, so she started managing him. She loved getting to boss her brother around, especially because it was for his own good.

"Jeez," she looked up and started smiling, "I definitely picked the wrong gig."

"You're early," she said. Hunter looked at her and laughed. "How's Ellie?"

"You're amazing, that you picked up on that," he said. She smiled.

"I know," she said and kissed him. "Could only fly into San Diego?" He nodded. "How's she doing? It was a real question."

"She's good," he said. "Eddie's starting his MBA next semester."

"At USC?" She said. He nodded. "God, she must be freaked. Did you fuck her?" He laughed.

"No," he said. "I told you, it was just the one time. It'll never happen again." She nodded. "So did you get your own place?"

"No," she said. He looked at her. "Cal and I haven't lived together since we were fourteen, we're enjoying it." He laughed. "Are you going to New York for Christmas?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Christmas Eve with Dad and Graham and the whore," she rolled her eyes, "then Christmas with my mom. You?"

"My parents were coming out here, but now we're going back," Anne shrugged. "We're trying to get Cal into this movie and the director wants to meet with him and an actress he wants, and she's in New York. Guess who it is?"

"I haven't a clue," he shrugged. "Did you know I just came from a part of the world where no one even cares that Cal and Marissa are engaged?"

"What a terrible place to live!" She gasped. He laughed. "It's Carmen." He looked at her wide eyed. "I know, crazy right? Anyway," he kissed her. "Sorry, I've been on the phone all morning."

"It's OK," he said. She frowned. "What?"

"You think that what I do is frivolous." She mumbled.

"Anne, I stay in hotels and carry a digital camcorder for a living," he said, "I'm not in the position to say that what anyone does is frivolous. Besides which you're helping your brother." She smiled. "And you graduated from college in two and a half years, so you're a rock star." She kissed him. "But if this guy decides Shawn Miller should write the soundtrack I'm calling Cal and telling him to pass."

"Please," she rolled her eyes. "Shawn doesn't write soundtracks." They kissed again.

"Anne?" Cal walked in, "oh um, hey Hunter."

"Hey man," Hunter nodded. "I got in early."

"I see that," Cal nodded. "Can I talk to her for a mnute?"

"Sure," Hunter said and walked out. Anne looked at Cal.

"You're pissed," she said. He nodded. "Why?"

"Did you read this week's episode?"

"No," she said, "I don't read that show every week. Why? Are you unhappy?"

"No," he said, "except, Brian and Faith break up."

"Well, yeah," she laughed, "they haven't broken up in like two seasons right, you guys are due." He looked at her. "Is Marissa unhappy?" She tried.

"Uh, kind of," he nodded. "Because she thinks that I'm trying to leave the show without talking to her about it."

"Ah," she said, "that."

"Yeah," he nodded, "that. So am I?" She looked at him. "Anne, look, I'm glad that you're helping, the past six months my life's gotten a lot better. But I can't leave the show without talking to Marissa about it." She sighed. "So, am I leaving the show?"

"I don't know," she said. "I think that you might need to, but I don't know." He sighed. "I swear I didn't say anything to anyone Cal, but you're shopping an Oscar bait movie to follow up a number one action movie and the people on the show aren't stupid." He nodded. "So talk to Marissa about it, you two decide what's best for you, and tell me and I'll make it happen."

"OK," he said and hugged her. "You're a much better manager than you are little sister, although you kind of rock at that too."

"I'm ten minutes younger than you," she said. "I'm not your little sister." He laughed. "Hunter went to go see Ellie before coming here."

"You have to forgive them Anne," he shrugged. "I mean, come on, after everything the three of you have been through, one stupid night two years ago means nothing." She nodded.

"Yeah," she said. "I know."

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