I decided to add a bit of Italian in this one, since that would be Annie's native tongue. Don't worry-I don't speak Italian either-there are translations at the bottom. Other than that, Chapter four, enjoy. Reviews welcome, let me know how it's going :)

As time passed, Cosmo and Annie became quite the pair. She usually didn't leave his side—only to be with Don or Kathy once in a while, when Cosmo decided he needed a break from guardianship, but that didn't occur very often. Annie also became pretty famous in the studio—so much so that R.F. wanted to place her in a film with Kathy, if she, Don, and Cosmo were willing to train her.

"Wow R.F., you mean it?" Cosmo asked when the idea was proposed.

"Of course. She's speaking much better, as far as I'm concerned. I think she would be the perfect child sister of Seldon in her next picture." R.F. replied. "She just has to learn the acting ropes."

"That'll be a sinch, R.F. Annie will be ready for the stage in no time," Don chimed in.

"The next Ethel Barrymore," Kathy added. Annie only smiled and nodded.

"Good. Now then, Don, you go get dressed for The Dueling Cavalier. Cosmo, get ready for the musical number." R.F. stated, and stormed off to another set in the studio. The group split and did as they were told. While Cosmo was searching for his briefcase, which Annie had hidden in plain sight by his piano, she discovered the room which held several hundred instruments, and was excited when she found a lonely looking violin. She picked up and examined it, but jumped when she heard her uncle's voice, followed by the opening of the door.

"Annabelle, where did you put-" he stopped, and saw her clutching the instrument. Instead of ordering her to put it down, he smiled, and was curious.

"Say, whatcha got there, kid?"

"Un violin," she answered naturally. Cosmo looked to her, being the first time she spoke her native language to him, and made a mental note to take up some Italian. He then asked, "What for?"

"I love this instrument, Uncle Cosmo. I played very well for my family and guests in Venice." He was astonished.

"I sure would like to hear what ya got." He encouraged. She beamed, then put on a serious face, that of an artist at work, and played a bit of a composition she knew very well—The Surprise Symphony by Hyden. When she finished, Cosmo applauded.

"Bravo, Annie! Why didn't you tell me you could play?"

"I didn't think you would be interested." Cosmo stared at her blankly, and she smirked and shrugged.

"You didn't think that I, a musical director and a pianist, would be interested if my niece had musical talent?" She shrugged again as a reply.

"You silly thing, you!" he exclaimed, quickly hoisting her up and blew raspberries on her neck and cheek. She squealed and giggled, until she saw Don Lockwood standing at the door.

"Uncle Don!" she yelped, and Cosmo quickly turned around.

"Stop tormenting the poor girl, Cos, and let's get this over with," said Don, amused with his friends at play but really dreading working with Lina.

"You got it, Don. By the way, Annie, you read music, right?" Cosmo asked.

"Of course."

"Then grab that violin. I want you to perform with me." Her eyes widened and she beamed again, grabbing the instrument and almost running out the door.

Once on the set, Lina came out of her dressing room in her aristocratic French outfit, and began complaining of the style. She then noticed Don and Cosmo walk in, followed by Annie and the violin.

"What's the big idea here? You can't let this brat practice during my picture!" she yelled.

Annie grew angry, but Cosmo spoke calmly to Lina.

"She's not practicing, Lina, she's playing. She happens to be a professional."

"What am I, dumb or somethin'? Kids are professional pains in the butt, that's what they are!"

Annie had heard enough. "I have more talent with a bow alone than you do in your whole body!"

Everyone froze, including Cosmo. Lina walked over, and got in her face. "What did you say to me?!"

"You heard. I was speaking English, after all." Annie replied as-a-matter-of-factly, then added a string of Italian, which wasn't clear to anyone but they all had a feeling it was an insult. To finish, Annie spit, not on Lina, but in her direction, and took her place with the other violin players. Lina was speechless until their director Dexter came out and told everyone to get to their places.

"Not 'til that rat is out of the picture!" Lina hollered. Dexter looked to Cosmo. "Take her out."

"But Dexter-"

"Take. Her. Out," Dexter repeated, with more aggravation.

The pianist sighed, and asked Annie to give him her violin and to sit with him on the piano. "But Uncle Cosmo-"

"Come on, Annie, we don't have time to argue." He said, clearly upset by the whole confrontation. He had no idea Annie had that kind of spunk, but she did as she was told, and remained silent with her back turned during the rehearsal. She did happen to see R.F. walk in, however, and he tripped on the wire that was hooked onto Lina's microphone, which was hidden on her shoulder. A stagehand tried to tell him to stay quiet, but he was more worried about the cord.

"Someone's going to get hurt on this thing!" he said in a commanding voice, and yanked on the cord. Annie turned quickly to see Lina forcibly fall off the bench she was sitting on, and it took a lot for the small Italian child to keep her giggles to herself. Cosmo heard, and turned to give her a serious look. She stopped laughing, until Cosmo said, "Serves her right," then they both had to cover their mouths from laughter.

Since Dexter had a total breakdown after what seemed like the fiftieth failure, production stopped for the day. Annie waited patiently as Cosmo gathered his belongings, and didn't see Don walk quickly behind her and cover her eyes. She jumped slightly, then smiled when she felt his hands and giggled, "Don!"

"Hey, how'd you know?"

"Because uncle Cosmo is over there and Kathy's hands aren't big or hairy." She said simply, causing Kathy and Cosmo to laugh and Don pretended to be offended.

"Well, maybe I should use my big, hairy hands to take this back to the orchestra," Don taunted, and revealed the violin that was taken off Annie earlier. Annie's eyes brightened, and Cosmo stepped in.

"Hang on a minute, Don, how-"

"I'm sure they aren't going to miss one violin, are they, Annie?"

"Please let me borrow it, uncle Cosmo! I promise to return it! *Abbastanza per favore!?" The always theatrical Cosmo crossed his arms and hummed, "Hmmm… I don't know…" Annie proceeded to fold her hands and let petty tears build in her eyes. Cosmo, being somewhat of a sucker, broke.

"Yes, okay, you can use it, just quit with the face!" Annie beamed and hugged her uncle tightly around the waist and she wiped off her fake tears. Cosmo shook his head, and said, "What a ham," as he followed the group outside.

"Oh Don, we're still on for Annie's acting lesson tonight, right?" Cosmo asked.

"Sure. Just make sure Annie brings her violin… And you make sure you bring Annie," Don added jokingly.

"Thanks for reminding me Don, I might have forgot," Cosmo replied sarcastically, and drove off to his house.

"Now Annie, acting is a lot like playing pretend, or something like that. If your character is upset, then pretend you want something from me and cry," Cosmo joked, and Annie laughed. "If your character is mad, think about Lina," he added and Annie laughed again. "If your character-," "Red light!" Annie yelped, and made Cosmo hit the brakes.

"Whew! Good call Annie. I should be paying more atten-," he stopped himself as he noticed the yellow book that slid out from under the passenger seat. Annie looked too, and blushed slightly. The light turned green and Cosmo drove, not speaking again until they were home.

When they pulled up, he turned his attention to her and asked, "Miss Annabelle, what might that be?" She was quiet for a moment. "Well?"

"Would you believe me if I said it was my journal?"

"No."

"Santa came early?"

"Try again."

"All right, you win. I am an award winning author and this is a hard copy of my new book. No one is supposed to know."

If Cosmo knew one thing about disciplining a child, he knew you really shouldn't laugh at them. But, being Annie has adopted his sense of humor, he couldn't help but chuckle as he shook his head, and got out of the car. He said nothing more as he gathered his things and the two went inside. His silence was rare, and it made Annie nervous. Once they were settled, he finally asked, "Annabelle, you know stealing is bad. Why would you take this from your coach?"

Annie looked down and sighed, then looked up to her guardian and replied, "Well, everyone wanted my accent to go away so bad. I thought if I could practice at home, it would go away faster."

Now it was Cosmo's turn to feel guilty. She had been pushed hard to be rid of her accent for the business—a business that she wasn't even sure she wanted to be a part of yet. He sighed, and led Annie to the couch, and he said, "I'm sorry we pushed ya so hard, kid. We just got caught up, I guess. We knew you had potential. Not too many child stars walk in to R.F.'s office, but I didn't even ask if it was what you wanted like I should've."

Annie instinctively climbed on her uncle's lap, and he grinned, wrapping an arm around her.

"I do want to be in a picture with Kathy. As long as Lina isn't there." This made Cosmo laugh, and reminded him about earlier.

"Oh yeah, I wanted to ask ya—what was it you said to Lina earlier?"

Annie, assuming she had forgotten, gave her uncle a blank stare. Then her eyes widened in remembering and she laughed, trying to cover up her giggles with her hands.

Cosmo now was giving her a playful stare, the one that told her what fate she would have if she didn't talk. "What's so funny?"

"I can't say," she replied through an ornery grin.

"Annabelle, what did you say?"

"Lei non saprebbe che agisce se lei sapeva in faccia."

"In English, kid!"

"**Lo non parlo inglese."

"What?" Cosmo exclaimed out of utter confusion, unable to understand anything as Annie laughed, giving the impression that she was mocking him.

"Annie, in English, what did you say?"

"***Non lo so!" she defended through stifled laughter.

"All right, come 'ere!" he exclaimed, purposely giving her time to jump off his lap and they ran through the house. Annie, trying to control her laughter to run, was trying to avoid her uncle's 'lethal' grip.

"I'll give you something to laugh about, kid!" The girl dodged all the way to her room, and turned to lock the door. That is when she came to a terrible discovery—her door doesn't lock. She tried and failed miserably to hold the door shut, as Cosmo was clearly much stronger than she was. He opened the door and she shrieked, "No no no!" as she heard it from the movie.

"Yes yes YES!" Cosmo bellowed evilly, and lifted her over his shoulder. He spun before collapsing on her bed, causing the girl to turn pink with laughter. Cosmo had been laughing too, but that didn't stop him from standing and pinning Annabelle to her bed.

"Last chance, Annie, before you get the Italian and the English tickled right out of ya!" Annie stiffened in defense, knowing very well Cosmo wouldn't hesitate, and finally spoke.

"Okay, okay! I told Lina she wouldn't know acting if it smacked her in the face!"

He sighed in relief somewhat, expecting something much worse, but gave her another look.

"That's all you said? Honest?" he interrogated, lightly scratching her belly, causing her to squirm and giggle but still able to speak.

"Heehee, honest!"

Cosmo stopped and, again, when he wasn't supposed to laugh, chuckled heartily and added, "Well, you're not far from the truth now, are ya?" She shrugged.

"But really, a young lady shouldn't say things like that to other people, even if they can't understand."

She was permitted to sit up, and she was suddenly serious. "But uncle Cosmo, she always yells at you and she calls me a lot of things."

"I know Annie. But if you can manage to ignore her, you'll be the better person."

Annie stared for a moment, than replied, "That's no fun..."

Cosmo had to laugh again. He realized how much she was becoming like him… Which, once he thought about it, was kind of scary, and felt compelled to ask, "Annie, where did you learn to speak that way?"

She stared a moment, then smiled. "I've been speaking Italian my entire life, uncle Cosmo."

He gave her yet another blank stare, squeezed her sides, knowing it makes her double-over in laughter, and said "I mean, where did you learn those insults?"

He stopped, and as she regained her breath she began to frown, and answered, "Home."

"I see," Cosmo commented, relieved that she hadn't heard him deliver the insults he sometimes does under his breath when he drives, or when Lina stresses him out. "Why would your parents ever say things like that?"

"Well… Sometimes they fought… And yelled… And broke things…"

"Did you ever get hurt!?" Cosmo asked on impulse.

"No no, my nanny always took me away when they began fighting. Anywhere out of the house," Annie said, and looked to her new guardian and was able to smile.

"But I'm not afraid anymore. You are my guardian, and you won't hurt me, I know."

Cosmo smiled back at her. "Course not. Who could hurt such a pretty little face?" he cooed, gently pinching both of her cheeks, well aware it was a peeve of hers.

"Ack! Stop it!" The girl yelped, swatting his hands away.

"Is this any better?" he asked, and took the opportunity to swipe his fingers on her neck, producing a new fit of giggles and lightened Annie's mood. The girl quickly stood and retaliated by squeezing her uncle's knees, a recently found weakness of his. Cosmo, not expecting the assault, laughed loudly and took her wrists.

"Why you little—" he started, and had a dangerous look on his face, but the phone interrupted his revenge.

"Hello?" he answered normally, as if nothing happened.

"Hey Cos, it's Don. We're all set for Annie's lesson."

"Okay Don, we're on our way," Cosmo replied, and hung up. "Come on, Annie. I kind of forgot about your lesson with Don and Kathy." He said, and she looked to him and chuckled.

They walked out to the car and Cosmo opened the door, just as a butler would, and said fancily, "After you, Miss Barrymore."

She curtsied and got in with a mock I'm-incredibly-famous attitude. "To Don Lockwood's manor, driver," she "commanded", and off they drove.

Translations

*Pretty please?

**I don't speak English

***I don't know