All Is Well in Staubreyland

Staubrey shippers rejoice! After more than a month of Stacie Conrad's relationship with producer Aubrey Posen being on shaky terms following the pictures of Conrad kissing someone else, it seems that they finally put the past behind them and they are closer than ever. Posen attended the opening night of Conrad's new play Hedda Gabler and they were caught in camera sharing some tender moments, including more than a few kisses. Party attendees mention that they were together from the moment they got there and did not separate at all, leaving together at the end of the night.

"Shot herself! Shot herself in the temple! Fancy that!"

"Good God!—people don't do such things."

The lights went off and the audience stayed in stunned silence for a few seconds before erupting into thundering applause. By the time the curtain opened again everyone was on their feet. The cast took their bows, the applause getting impossibly louder as Stacie walked down the stage to take her final bow, finding Aubrey in the third row and throwing her a wink. Aubrey blew her a kiss and shook her head laughing.

The curtain closed again and Aubrey waited for the people in her row to start moving while she gathered her coat and purse, carefully putting her playbill inside.

Once outside she made her way to the end of the line of people waiting at the stage door and got on the other side of the barricades. There were a few people gathering around the door and she waited for them to pass before stepping up to the guy in front. She opened her mouth to tell him who she was but he waved her over with a smile.

She wasn't really sure where she was supposed to go once she got in so she just followed the hallway until she ran into a short girl with a curtain of bright pink hair. "Hi, I'm looking for Stacie?"

The girl checked her out with a smirk. "You're the girlfriend she won't stop talking about. I'm Cynthia Rose, stage manager." Aubrey shook her hand, smiling at the comment that Stacie talked about her. "Her dressing room is the last one on the right. Some of the cast and crew are still down on the stage celebrating but she should be up in a minute."

Aubrey nodded and made her way down to Stacie's dressing room. A piece of tape was stuck on top of Stacie's name on the door, the words "Superstar" scribbled with permanent marker on it. The word star was crossed out and someone else wrote "pain in the ass" under it.

Aubrey chuckled and pushed the door open and dropped her coat on the small couch that occupied one side of the room. She went to the long mirror on the other side and checked her make-up, noticing a picture of her and Stacie clinging to one of the corners. She picked it up with a smile and ran her fingers over it before putting it back.

She was finishing reapplying mascara when the door opened and Stacie walked in still in costume, stopping when she noticed Aubrey was already there. She turned and hugged her warmly. "You were amazing!"

Stacie hugged her back squeezing hard. The tension from tonight slowly seeping out of her. She chuckled, choking out a sob against Aubrey's neck and the blonde took a step back, framing her face with her hands and making her look up. "Hey, what is it?"

Stacie shook her head and gave her a watery smile. "Nothing." She laughed and looked down. "Stress build up."

Aubrey wiped her cheeks with her thumbs. She was trying to decide if kissing her now would be okay when the door opened again.

Stacie looked at the person who came in and took a step back without taking her hands off Aubrey. "Bree, this is Denise, she's my dresser."

"Sorry to interrupt but I need your costume."

Stacie nodded and stepped to the other side of the room where Denise helped her take off the dress and remove the pins holding her hair in a tight bun. Stacie ran her fingers through her hair, groaning at the relief from not having it pulling on her scalp.

Aubrey had taken a seat on the couch and was looking through her phone, trying not to turn and look at Stacie who was currently standing just in her underwear.

Denise hung the dress on a rack and grabbed a garment bag from another one. "Here's your dress. Lilly stayed to do your hair and makeup for the party."

"Ugh do we have to go? I'm tired."

"Yes, darling, we have to go." Aubrey replied without looking up from her phone and Denise chuckled.

She had taken out the dress from the bag and was stepping up to help Stacie put it on when Stacie turned and took it with an amused smirk. "I think I can put this one on by myself. You go get ready for the party too." Denise handed her the dress and Stacie hugged her before she left. "Thanks for everything, D."

Stacie put on the dress. It was a long black, halter top dress that molded perfectly to her body. She finished adjusting the dress and turned to Aubrey. "Bree, can you zip me up?"

Aubrey looked up from her phone and her eyes roamed over Stacie's body before getting up. She stood behind Stacie and ran her fingers down the skin exposed on her back, smiling when she heard Stacie's shuddered exhalation. She zipped it up and wrapped her arms around Stacie's waist, kissing her shoulder before resting her chin there, taking advantage of the fact that she was wearing heels and Stacie was barefoot.

Stacie placed her hands over Aubrey's arms and leaned back closing her eyes. Aubrey felt a pang of fear at the prospect of breaching the subject to Stacie but she knew they wouldn't be alone for too long. "We need to talk."

Stacie's eyes opened slowly and she looked at Aubrey's reflection in the mirror in front of them. Aubrey could see the trepidation in her gaze. She smiled and tightened her arms around her pulling her closer, trying to reassure her that it wasn't bad.

The door opened loudly and a girl carrying a big make-up box walked into the room. Aubrey loosened her arms and dropped her forehead defeatedly on Stacie's shoulder. She pressed a kiss under her ear. "We'll talk later."

Stacie frowned confused while Aubrey took a step back but her attention got diverted by the box being dropped loudly on the vanity table's surface. "Umm, babe, this is Lilly."

"Hi, nice to-" The girl walked out of the room and came back carrying another box ignoring Aubrey. Stacie shook her head at her to let it go and sat down in front of the mirror.

Aubrey went back to checking her phone but she kept thinking about how close she'd been to telling Stacie and how she wished she'd be done with this so they could be alone.

However, everyone else had other plans. When Lilly was done with Stacie's hair and make-up one of the other cast members stopped by to ask if they wanted to share a car to the party. Once they were outside, she had to wait while Stacie signed playbills for the people who were still waiting which were a lot considering how long they'd taken to come out.

Once in the car she pressed herself close to Stacie, with the other actor sitting on her other side. She still had to play the part of the devoted girlfriend and she wasn't complaining.

"Did you like the show?"

"I loved it! It was great." She turned to Stacie. "And you were the greatest."

Stacie smiled. "Yeah?" Aubrey nodded as Stacie leaned forward and gave her a series of quick kisses.

Aubrey chuckled and pushed Stacie's shoulder back. "Baby, your friend's here."

"Oh Adam's not my friend." Stacie said trying to kiss her again but hitting her cheek when she turned her head.

"She's right, she's a pain in the ass." He said with an eyeroll.

Stacie pouted. "And he's mean."

"So I take it you're the dressing room door defacer?"

He gave her a lopsided grin. "You saw that? It's funny, isn't it?"

Aubrey smiled back. "It's a little funny."

"Hey! You're supposed to be on my side." Stacie poked her on the side and Aubrey squirmed away.

"I am! But you can be a pain in the ass sometimes." She ran her finger along her collarbone. "You make things way too hard."

Stacie arched an eyebrow at her but Aubrey didn't elaborate and soon the car was stopping. Aubrey was about to follow Adam out of the car when she felt Stacie tugging on her wrist. "Bree? What did you want to talk about?"

Aubrey smiled nervously at her and leaned closer. Adam was still holding the door open for them and yelled, "Conrad, come on! Your fans await."

"We need to have a full conversation about this but…" Aubrey didn't want Stacie to have any doubt about her intentions. She placed a tender kiss on her lips. "I love you and I want to be with you for real."

It took Stacie a couple of seconds to fully process what that meant before her face broke into a big smile. "You do?" Aubrey nodded and bit her lip trying to stop herself from matching Stacie's grin but failing. "I love you too."

"I know." Aubrey leaned forward again.

"Come on, stop making out!" There was a loud bang on the roof and Aubrey jumped back.

"To be continued." Aubrey said and go out of the car, pausing to take Stacie's hand once she was on the sidewalk.

Stacie stopped her before she could get too far and pulled her against her, lifting her free hand to cup her cheek and pausing for a second. Aubrey swallowed, her heart going into overdrive from the intensity in Stacie's gaze. She saw her eyes flit down to her lips and she licked them in anticipation.

Stacie moved her other hand to her waist and pulled her closer, leaning down to connect their lips in a soft kiss. Stacie tilted her head to the other side, their noses sliding together, before reconnecting their lips this time with more insistence. She felt Aubrey's tongue sweep over her lower lip before she sucked it into her mouth. She bit down on it and Stacie let out a low moan.

"Okay! You can stop that now." Aubrey let go of Stacie's lip and turned to find Gail standing between them and the line of reporters that were currently pointing their cameras at them.

"You came!" Stacie smiled at her agent still holding Aubrey close who was now blushing and turning her face away.

"I told you I would. But seriously Stacie, I know you guys are in love and everything but, can you tone it down while you're in front of a herd of reporters?"

Stacie looked at Aubrey at the mention of them being in love and Aubrey's heart fluttered happily inside her chest. Stacie placed one last quick kiss on Aubrey's lips ignoring Gail's glare and let her go. They followed Gail and Stacie groaned internally at having to talk to more people before being able to go inside.

"They're gonna want pictures on your own." Gail said when she noticed Stacie clutching Aubrey's hand and keeping her close.

Stacie frowned at Gail and looked at her hand not wanting to let go. "Why?"

Gail rolled her eyes but Aubrey squeezed her hand. "It's fine, baby, I'll start telling people how awesome you were while you take pictures."

Aubrey winked at Gail and let go of Stacie's hand, their fingers not losing contact until the last possible moment. Gail moved Stacie to a better lit spot. "That girl is the best, don't screw this up."

Stacie looked at Aubrey talking to a reporter further down the line and smiled. "I won't."

By the time Stacie was done with all her interviews Aubrey was already inside so she went in to look for her. It took longer than she would have wanted because a lot of people stopped her to congratulate her, but she finally found her by the bar with Beca.

She sneaked up behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Hey, gorgeous, you wanna ditch this party and go home?"

"I don't think we can leave yet." Aubrey leaned back against her, tilting her head to the side when Stacie started peppering kisses on her neck.

"Okay, yeah. I see the difference. This is way grosser, go back to not being aware of your mutual love." Beca shook her head and closed her eyes.

"Shhh, Beca! You can't just say that when there's people around, jeez." Stacie tried to hit Beca's arm but she couldn't reach her without letting go of Aubrey and she didn't want to do that yet.

Beca took a step back and stuck her tongue out. "I'm sorry but look at her! She's smiling, it's weird."

This time Aubrey smacked Beca's arm. "Shut up, Mitchell. You act like you don't care but I know you're happy about this."

Beca glared at her but her expression softened when she noticed Stacie's adoring smile as she looked at Aubrey. "Whatever, Posen."

"If you didn't want us to be this, how did you put it... gross, you shouldn't have told me what you knew."

Stacie gasped behind Aubrey. "You told her?"

Beca's eyes widened and she took a step back. "I think I heard someone calling me over there."

She pointed at a random place away from Stacie and scurried away.

"She told you?" Stacie frowned and looked in the direction Beca had disappeared.

Aubrey turned around to face her. "Stacie." She waited until Stacie was looking back at her and she slid her hands up her arms and to her neck playing with the little hairs there. "Baby, are you happy?"

"That we're doing this? Of course! I love you."

Aubrey's stomach flipped still not used to Stacie actually meaning those words. "Then leave Beca alone and kiss me."

Stacie smiled and leaned forward and brushed her lips over Aubrey's softly. Aubrey used the hands on her neck to pull her closer and kissed her fully. She felt Stacie smile against her lips for a second before snaking her tongue out to glide over her lips. Aubrey opened her mouth and met Stacie's tongue with hers.

Stacie had turned her around and she could feel the edge of the bar pressing against her back. Stacie pressed her body closer to her and the feeling made her emit a moan that sent a shiver down Stacie's spine.

Aubrey remembered they were in a very public place and slowed down the kiss, ending it with a few pecks with her eyes still closed. Stacie brushed their noses together and rested her forehead against hers. "I love doing that."

Aubrey chuckled and opened her eyes, moving her hands to Stacie's shoulders. "Me too."

Stacie was moving forward to kiss her again when someone pulled her arm. "Conrad, we're playing, come!"

Stacie glared at the lighting tech that had interrupted them and smiled apologetically to Aubrey. "You can come to my place after this so we can talk. No interruptions."

Aubrey nodded. "Sounds good." She pushed Stacie back so she could get out from being pinned down against the bar. "Go."

Stacie took her hand and grinned. "You're coming with me."

She started pulling her to the corner of the room where most of the cast and crew were gathered. "What are we doing?"

Stacie ignored her and pulled her close when they got to the table where Cynthia Rose was carefully lining up shots. She looked up when Stacie arrived and smirked. "You're going down, Conrad."

"Bree's playing too." Stacie pushed Aubrey forward.

Cynthia Rose chuckled and shook her head. "Sure, why not?" She turned to the rest of the group. "Who's in?"

Three other people raised their hands and stepped forward, the rest took a step back to let the people who were playing stand around the table. Aubrey looked at them confused. "What is this?"

"Theatre Name Game. Someone starts up saying a name of someone famous, only theatre people, and the next person says a name that starts with the first letter of the previous person's last name. So, for example, if I say Idina Menzel you would say…"

Aubrey scrunched up her nose and thought for a second. "Maria Callas?"

"That's an opera singer, baby, but you get the idea, right?" Aubrey nodded and Stacie turned back to face the table. "Who goes first?"

"You're still the reigning champion, you start."

Stacie grinned and turned to Aubrey. "You go after me."

She waited for everyone else to stop talking and started. "Stephen Sondheim."

Aubrey smiled. "Stacie Conrad." Everyone around them booed and Aubrey frowned.

"Babe, you can't use the name of anyone here, that's cheating."

"I didn't know that!" She pouted.

Stacie looked around the circle. "One chance? She's new."

"Whatever, but she has to drink." Cynthia Rose pushed forward one of the rows of shots. "Come on, blondie."

Aubrey's eyes widened. "All of them?"

Stacie smiled sheepishly. "It used to be one shot but after the time it took CR and me an hour to lose we bumped it up to three."

Aubrey rolled her eyes but downed the first shot. By the time she got to the third one she could barely keep it down. She was grateful for Stacie's steadying hand on her waist and the fact that she could lean against her.

Once she swallowed, Stacie looked at her worriedly. "You okay?" She nodded, keeping her hand against her lips. "Ready to go again?" She nodded again and Stacie nodded at the guy next to Aubrey to start.

Aubrey didn't pay attention until she heard Stacie's voice again. "James Lapine."

"Laura Benanti!" Aubrey beamed at Stacie proudly and the brunette gave her a quick kiss.

She didn't have time to do more before it was her turn again. "Richard Rodgers."

Aubrey scrunched up her face in thought and then smiled. "Russell Crowe."

Everyone stopped and turned to look at her. Cynthia Rose pushed the next line of shots her way. "Yeah, you're out."

"He was in Les Mis?"

Stacie shook her head. "Baby, no."

"But he was! He was Javert! We watched it a few months ago."

Stacie looked around at people's amused smirks waiting for someone to explain to Aubrey why she lost but everyone looked like they were enjoying Stacie's suffering. "Bree, being in a movie musical doesn't make you a theatre person... You lost." Stacie picked one the shots and put it in Aubrey's hand. "Drink up."

Aubrey drank the three shots quickly which immediately added to her already slightly inebriated state from the three she'd had before.

The game continued without her but Aubrey wasn't interested anymore. She heard cheers and boos when the rest of the people started losing but she was too busy trying to keep herself upright to focus on anything that was happening around her. The only thing she felt was Stacie's arm around her and her hand rubbing small circles against her hip.

She felt Stacie's hand readjust on her hip and she looked up. Apparently only Stacie and Cynthia Rose were left playing and the rest of the cast and crew were watching rapt.

"Georgia Stitt." Stacie's hand moved absentmindedly against her side and Aubrey leaned her head on her shoulder.

"Sean Hayes." She turned her head and rubbed her nose against Stacie's jaw. She felt it twitch but Stacie didn't turn.

"Harry Connick Jr." She placed kisses on her jaw and up to her ear.

"Carrie Manolakos." Stacie's voice cracked and she tried to shift Aubrey's weight away but she melted right back against her side and continued peppering kisses on her neck.

Cynthia Rose smirked smugly before saying the next name. "Mary Martin."

Aubrey scraped her teeth against Stacie's neck making it really hard for Stacie to focus. "Marin Mazzie."

"You repeated a name! You lost!" Cynthia Rose threw her arms in the air. "I won! In your face, Conrad!"

Stacie opened her mouth in disbelief. In all the time they'd been playing this since rehearsals started she had only lost a couple of times. "I was distracted! It's not fair."

"Next time don't bring your girlfriend." Cynthia Rose pushed the shots at Stace gleefully.

Stacie glared at her before drinking them without pausing. "I'll get you next time."

The crowd dispersed and Aubrey threw her arms around Stacie's shoulders. "Did you lose?" Stacie nodded pouting slightly and Aubrey kissed her pouty lip, running her fingers along her collarbone. "I'll give you a consolation prize when we get home."

Stacie swallowed. "You're too drunk for anything when we get home." Aubrey shook her head but she had to lean against Stacie because the room started spinning. Stacie chuckled and held her close placing a kiss to the top of her head. "Let's get you home, drunky."