This is shorter than usual, but it's only the first part of a scene. I had this written but didn't post it, so the second part of this scene will be coming later today!

I don't feel like y'all are enjoying this story, so I'm going to finish this story (it's over halfway done) and then do some Jarcy one-shots. :/

('}_') Adelle

Several months later, I found myself backstage, tugging a really inappropriate dress over my head. After I had overheard the discussion, I'd auditioned but obviously lost the part to Carly. Tonight was opening night, and I was excited to get onto the stage, even though I wasn't happy at all with my part. But as I ran onto the stage and began flirting with the audience and the male actors, a feeling of elation ran through my veins. It was no mystery that my mom's acting blood had been passed down to me. After our song was done, I ran from the stage and straight into Carly. She smiled at me saucily.

"Nice job. Only you could make a prostitute look so sweet." I wasn't sure whether or not to be flattered, but smiled graciously.

"Thanks, Carly, I'm sure you'll do wonderfully too!" Carly tossed her hair and grinned.

"But if course. I was made for the part of Cosette: sugar and spice and literally everything nice!" I continued to smile but by then it was obviously a little forced, so I turned to go back to my seat backstage. I waited there until the intermission, and then got up to stretch my legs. I aimlessly followed around some of my fellow actresses, not really bothering to talk. Fifteen minutes later, we got ready to go back on stage, this time as townspeople. I tried to stay near the side of the stage, but was pushed out nearly to the center. I panicked when Carly came on swinging her dress and perfectly curled hair, knowing that if he saw, there'd be punishment. I left the stage and Carly got ready for her big solo, but I peeked around a corner of the curtain and saw a shadow near the far back doors.

Sure enough, a voice came from the back of the theater. "Why has my box not been left empty?" Everyone turned back to face the speaker, but upon seeing no one turned back to the front as Carly continued to prance around the stage. However, when she opened her mouth to speak, her voice cracked really harshly.

"Her singing will bring down the chandelier!" The voice said, louder than before. This time, everyone turned back and saw the shadow on the wall. There was no apparent cause for the shadow. I glanced haphazardly up at the enormous golden chandelier, then looked back at the black figure on the wall. Carly tried to start her song over, but again, her voice croaked. She hiccuped and ran from the stage into the arms of the managers, who tried to comfort her and stroked her hair while attendants brought bottled water. The voice laughed mechanically, and the managers seemed to discuss something. Then they both came onto the stage amid the chaos.

"We'll return in ten minutes," they said. "Carly will play the part of a townsperson, and Jess will be in the role of Cosette. For now, we'll have some of our talented actresses come on and do a dance for you." The 'talented actresses' were very surprised and looked at each other confusedly, but with one look from Firmin ran out onto the stage in full peasant attire and began their dance steps. From my perch on the side of the stage where I was exchanging my low-cut gown for a lovely floral print, I heard a tussle up in the rafters and looked up. I saw a few shadows, but thought it was simply a problem with the scenery. However, at the very climax of the music, I saw a dark shape come hurtling down from the rafters and screamed. The dancers all looked up and ran, screaming and shouting, for right in the midst of them had fallen a man. Firmin and Andre immediately closed the curtains and crouched down beside the man. "It's Mr. Bouquet," Andre said solemnly. "He's breathing but unconscious." Suddenly all the pieces flew together and I stumbled backwards, gasping. I saw Darcy crossing the stage towards me, and I ran to him.

"Darcy, we need to leave. To the balcony."

"But Jess, why-"

"I'll explain up there." I ran through the hallways, fleetingly wondering whether he knew what I was doing. I pulled open the balcony door and let it slam behind me. All I cared about was the fresh air, and I breathed it in, letting it clear my head and my soul. Then I felt a familiar tug on my braid and spun around. I looked almost breathlessly up into his face, but had to look back down at the snow-covered stone ground when I saw his eyes. They weren't the eyes I usually saw smiling at me; these eyes were angry. I couldn't determine whether the cause for his fury was me, or Kevin, or something existential.

"Why have you brought me here? We must return!" Darcy grabbed my hand, a gesture which would usually send electricity pouring through my every vein, but for some reason I didn't feel that way right then. I pulled away and hugged my waist.

"We can't go back there! He'll hurt you, his eyes will find us there, his burning eyes that see everything… Darcy, he doesn't even seem like the Kevin I used to know! It's like a maniac has overtaken his body… I wouldn't even know it was him if I met him on the street!"

"That's because it's not him, Jess. It's all a dream."

"You heard his voice!" By this point I was practically yelling, but mostly just to get everything out of my system. I would never yell at Darcy, I didn't want to hurt him… "Darcy, I've been there, seen his world of unending night, seen his world where the daylight dissolves into darkness. Darcy, I've seen him… can I ever that pain? The heart so distorted, deformed, it's never felt love in that darkness."

"Jess-" I held up my hand.

"But his voice filled my spirit with a strange, sweet sound. In that night there was music in my mind, and with music my soul began to soar! And I heard as I've never heard before…"

"What you heard was a dream and nothing more." I shook my head slowly, clearing the cobwebs.

"Yet in his eyes, all the sadness of the world. Those painfilled eyes that both threaten and adore." Darcy took a step towards me and held out his arms. I wanted nothing more than to hurtle forward into them, to be assured that he was there for me, that everything would turn out fine… but something held me back.

"Jess, Jess, everything's okay." I took a step forward, still hesitant but more assured.

"Je-ess…" the voice seemed to come from the roof above us, a haunting echo.

"What was that?" I whispered, terrified. I fled to the balcony, gripping it with my hands until my knuckles turned white.

Nothing was okay. And unless a miracle happened, my life would continue along its twisted, winding path, defvoid of all light and joy.