AN: This is it guys. Let me know what you think. And here...we...go.
Scene: Gossfor park
Xavier is sitting on a bench swiping through his phone. Spring is on its way but Xavier is wearing long sleeves.
The sound of footsteps on the pavement running towards him and he lifts his eyes from his phone, looking at the approaching figure the rim of his glasses.
Naomi is running down the path, her tee shirt and jogging pants dark with sweat.
She spots Xavier as she approaches the bench and runs towards him, her feet almost tripping as she runs off the path and into the grass.
Xavier tenses but doesn't reach out to help her. He knows the rules. Naomi rights herself and runs the final foot to the bench almost falling onto it, gasping breaths.
Xavier waits a moment before silently pulling a water bottle from his satchel and handing to her. Naomi nods her thanks and drinks the entire bottle in long gulps, not bothering to check the contents. She knows Xavier would never betray her.
He waits until she finishes drinking and then hands her a towel.
Naomi takes it and with shaky hands wipes the sweat from her face.
Naomi: "Thank you. How long have you been here?"
Xavier: "About an hour. I knew you'd be here."
Naomi: "Breanna made me taste her veggie patty at lunch. I could feel the food making its way to my hips. I don't know how I didn't throw up."
Xavier: "I saw. That's how I knew you'd been here."
Naomi smiled at him. "Thank you. I think I sweated out all of my water intake for today. But I think I worked off all of that burger."
Xavier: "Are you ready to leave? My parents are gone for the night if you don't want to go home. You can take a shower and change clothes before you head home tonight."
Naomi: "A shower sounds wonderful. I feel dirty."
Xavier stands up pocketing his phone and slinging the satchel over his shoulder. Naomi stands up but her feet crumple beneath her, her legs too weak to support her. Wordlessly, Xavier, bends down and scoops her up, easily carrying her in his arms. She so skinny, she weights practically nothing in his arms. Tiredly, she wraps her arms around his shoulders and allows him to carry her through the park towards his car.
Naomi: "You're always there for me, Xavier. I don't know what I would do without you."
Xavier: "Nami, I will always be there for you.
S3E19: "Spring"
Daphne was trying not to squeal as Anne spoke to them. She noticed the curtain in the distance rustle and then Rebecca Pilson step out, her face pensive.
"Darling, which one of these boys is your favorite again?" Her mother asked, her hand laying possessively on her shoulder. Daphne glanced back at her mother in confusion noticing her mother's other hand resting on her father's arm and her father giving her an odd look.
"Um…" Daphne hedged, looking back to see the curtain rustle again and a beautiful, tall blonde step out. Her hair was pulled back in a loose French braid and she was glancing back towards the curtain as she spoke. As she turned towards them, Daphne heard her father gasp. The woman stopped in mid step, suddenly frozen like a scared rabbit. Her mother's grip tightened on her shoulder and she winced.
The blond looked down for a moment and in that moment Daphne had seen fear in her eyes. The curtain shifted again and Tad stepped out, his eyes on the blond. When she looked back, her eyes were shuttered, her back straight and as she approached them, Daphne was reminded of a soldier walking into a battle. A quick glance towards Anne confirmed that the raven haired actress had spotted it also was she was watching her boss walk towards them with a calculated look.
"Helga?" her father said behind her and Daphne turned in time to see her father pull away from her mother's hand and step around them to walk quickly towards the blond whose steps were faltering. "Helga!"
"Hey Arno…oof!" she gasped out as Arnold swept her into a hug. The entire studio was quiet now, the kids by the stage watching the interaction with curious interest. Daphne notice that Rebecca was standing next to Anderson and Ariel was on the other side of Darren watching and her eyes widened. She looked at her father hugging the blond in front of her and a quick glance back showed her mother watching the two with barely held hidden anger. Her eyes widened further as she looked between her father and Hel and the stage where the teens stood.
Helga stood stock still for a moment, then her arms came around the man and she patted him on the back. The small smile on her face faded as she looked up at Lila standing a little way away. Clearing her throat, she stepped back, putting some distance in between them.
"It's great to see you!" Arnold exclaimed, not bothered by the face that she'd stepped away. "You look amazing."
"Yes," Lila added stepping behind Arnold and sliding her hand up his arm again, leaning into him. "It's amazing what good ocean air and some sun will do for a person."
Helga's face shuttered closed and the smile on her lips was fake. "Los Angeles will do that."
A touch at her shoulder and Tad was there, a professional smile pasted firmly on his face.
"We were pretty much finished for the day anyway, so why don't you guys come over and meet the cast?" he suggested. "I'm sure you two know everyone, but if you're to have a walk-on roll, they have to get to know you."
Megan stepped forward, relieved to be back on schedule. "Of course, if you will follow me?"
Anne grabbed Veronica's hand and pulled her along, the raven haired teen looking star-struck as she and Daphne followed.
"Everyone's so curious to meet you. By the end of your trip, I'm positive we're all going to be great friends." Anne announced, casting a quick glance towards Tad as she pulled the teen along. Arnold gave one last indecipherable look towards Helga as they passed. Tad waited before leaning closer to Helga to hiss in her ear.
"If you would stop for one minute and listen to me."
"Not now Tad." She hissed back. He patted her shoulder and pushed her gently.
"Get some air Athena." He said lowly. "Gather yourself, grab your shield then come back to the battle."
She gave him a grateful look before turning and striding off towards the exit.
He watched her walk away then took a deep breath and headed towards the cast who were now half gathered around the four new people. He had to gather his own shield because he could tell by some of the curious looks he got as he approached there would be questions later.
It was hard to tell who was more excited, Veronica or Daphne. Both teens looked like they were about ready to burst as Anne led them towards the set.
The actors for their part, were walking to the end of the set. Before they could reach it, Allen broke ranks and walked towards Anne and the girls, his smile bright with just a hint of mischievousness.
"We were wondering if you were just going to keep them to yourself." He teased. He stopped in front of the girls and eyed them both critically.
"All right, my dark goddess, who do we have here?"
Veronica meeped softly. Anne placed a hand on Daphne's shoulder.
"This is Daphne Shortman, our contest winner. And this," she patted Veronica's shoulder. "Is Ronnie."
Allen's smile brightened a notch. "Anne, she could play your double."
Veronica meeped again. Allen swept up her hand and bowed slightly.
"My dear, it's a pleasure to meet you."
A strangled giggle escaped from Veronica's lips and Daphne laughed.
"Don't make her pass out. I'll have to take pictures and send them to her mom."
Allen chuckled, letting go of Veronica for a moment to hold his hand out to Daphne. "Daphne, it's very nice to meet you. Are you ready for this week?"
"Maybe? After this last thirty minutes, I'm not sure." She admitted. Allen and Anne shared a look.
"Don't worry about Tad and Hel, their barks are worse than their bites." Letting go of Daphne's hand, he took a step towards them and in one smooth turn, slid Veronica's arm under his and tugged gently. "Come on, let's go meet the others and see which one of us makes you almost faint since it obviously isn't me." He raised his voice just enough for the others to hear. "I'm betting its Anderson."
"It's always Anderson." Someone joked and the actors laughed.
Veronica looked as if she was in shock, walking where Allen led, an amused Anne walking next to Daphne.
"You might want to taper down your blinding charm," she suggested. "Before you blind poor Ronnie."
Allen merely stuck his tongue out at her as they stepped onto the set.
"Guys," Anne announced to the crowd. "This is Daphne and Veronica."
Daphne slapped a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She rambled. "Just let me freak out for a moment and then I'll be fine. I can't believe I'm here!"
Anderson stepped forward, his smile easy and friendly. "It's nice to meet you two. We're glad you're here."
Daphne squeaked as she shook his hand and Allen laughed. "Yep, it's Anderson."
"Guys stop," Anderson chastised. "Don't embarrass her, she's already freaked out as it is." He sent a mock glare towards a grinning Allen. "And don't think we don't remember the first time you met Paul Rudd."
"Hey, Paul Rudd is awesome." Allen retorted.
The girls smiled and shook hands with the entire main cast, Veronica finally snapping out of her daze long enough to remember her manners. When Joan Lee stepped forward Veronica began to tear up.
"Can I hug you?" she asked shyly. "I love Sophia. She's so smart and brave and this is going to sound stupid but I'm not very popular at school and watching Sophia go through these last four years has really helped me."
Joan sniffed, her eyes growing red. "Oh my gosh, thank you! Give me a hug!" She reached out and hugged Veronica tightly. When Veronica stepped back, Joan took her hands and looked her in the eye.
"You are beautiful. Don't you dare let high school get the best of you. It's only four years of your life. I know it seems like forever but it'll be over in a snap and you'll never have to see those people again if you don't want to."
Veronica nodded wiping her eyes and Joan clucked over her and gave her another hug.
"We've got four days. Between me, Anne and Sarah by the time you go back home, you're going to be fierce."
Rebecca had hung back till last, watching not only the two girls but Daphne's parents and Tad standing a little away from them. Ariel crept towards her as the others were talking to the girls.
"What are you doing?" she whispered. Rebecca gave a slight nod towards Daphne's parents.
"Testing a theory." She whispered back. "Take a look at the parents and tell me what you see."
Ariel glanced up towards the two new adults standing just off set. "Parents. Dad who's watching his daughter meet her favorite TV show and the Mom who looks…bored as shit."
"Ariel, look at them." Rebecca emphasized. She spotted the door in the back open and Hel step into the soundstage, her steps and posture looking like a woman about to go to war. "And then look at Hel."
Ariel huffed and studied the parents. Her eyes went to Hel who was approaching them. Tad had turned around and apparently asked a silent question because she nodded once. Her gaze went back to the parents. Then she looked towards Anderson who was still in the crowd. When she turned to look at Rebecca, her eyes were wide.
"Shut. Up."
"I know!" she hissed. "I told Andy the other day that I don't think this is as fictitious as we automatically thought."
Ariel glanced at the parents again as Hel stood next to Tad, her arms crossed tightly across her chest. Then she whirled around.
"Holy shit! That means you're Hel!" she hissed. Rebecca grinned, nodding towards the mother.
"And you're her. Which means…"
Both girls looked at Anderson and then to Daphne's father and immediately burst out laughing, catching the attention of everyone. Anderson gave them both a look.
"What are you two up to?" he asked. Which caused a new burst of laughter out of both girls. He ignored them. "Get over here and meet our guests."
Biting lips and insides of cheeks, both Ariel and Rebecca stepped towards Daphne and Veronica. Rebecca let go of her hand with a grin.
"It's very nice to meet you. Let me guess, after Anderson, Ariel is your favorite."
Daphne blushed giving an apologetic glance towards Ariel. "Sorry. You're an amazing actress and your Lisa is great at being a bitch- "
"I strive for the right amount of bitch." Ariel joked.
"But I kind of love Helen. She's badass, she doesn't take any crap off of anybody and she's not scared of anything…except Arthur."
"I wouldn't say scared," Ariel intervened, sharing a knowing glance with Rebecca. "I'd use the word whipped."
A strangled noise had her glancing towards where the writers were standing. Tad had his back to the set and Hel was giving him a dirty look. A bit away, the father had turned to watch the two looking confused a little hurt.
Daphne shrugged helplessly glancing quickly at Anderson before turning back to the two girls. "I kind of ship them."
Anne laughed loudly. "Who doesn't ship those two?"
"All right!" Tad had curbed his snickers and was now back in full writer mode. "That's enough gossip, you'll give away state secrets." He walked towards the set, waving Arnold and Lila towards him. "In case you haven't figure it out, yes, we know Daphne's parents. Guys, this is Arnold and Lila Shortman."
Ariel and Rebecca looked at each other, then to the parents and finally at Tad. He merely shrugged.
"Shut. Up." Ariel said under her breath. Rebecca bit the inside of her cheek again.
"Now that we're all good friends why don't we do a quick run through the schedule with Megan so everyone, including Daphne and Ronnie know what's in store for the next…" he looked at Megan who held up four fingers. "Four days. We've already got parent's permissions, right?"
A nod by Megan.
"Good, then I'm obligated by WCB to tell you as Ronnie and Daphne's guardians that both girls will have a small role on an episode. The one we're setting up for which is episode two. There won't be any skin showing other than possibly bare arms and a neck, possibly toes, that's up to the costuming department. There may or may not be words depending on how the script turns out. If there are words you will get them no later than twenty-four hours before rehearsal which will be on day three. The production begins on your day four. Our kids already know this; I'm letting you two know." He tilted his head slightly studying the two girls. Taking a step back tilted his head the other way towards Hel.
"I'm thinking that girl we were going to hire to be the stand in for Theo's cousin, we should give that to Ronnie."
Hel was nodding, her fingers curling unconsciously. "That would work. She has the same coloring."
He turned back to the kids as Hel stepped towards her chair, picking up a pen and the discarded script and began writing.
"Okay, Megan?"
The smiling PR representative stepped forward.
"There's a lunch and dinner thing? Isn't there?"
"Yes." She confirmed.
"Awesome. So, I'm thinking lunch with the cast on day two. Kind of a get to know everyone without the pesky adults hovering."
Arnold frowned. "Wait, where are we going to be?"
Tad grinned at him. "Taking in the sights of California? Arnold, my man, you're in LA. Go be a tourist. Take your beautiful wife and go see the sights."
Daphne coughed. Arnold's frown deepened.
"Um…I think she has work."
"The lunch is at one of the restaurants on the studio lot so your girls are perfectly safe." Megan assured him. "Harold will pick them up at the hotel and drop them off when they are finished. At no time during this luncheon with either girl be alone."
"Yeah, we'll leave that all for the dinner." Tad joked. He clapped his hands together. "Speaking of dinner. Dinner will happen at end of rehearsal on day three. Rehearsal begins at promptly nine am and I have to warn you that Hel and I are taskmasters when it comes to timeliness. You two are going to get a real look at just what goes on behind the scenes of a television show. For the next four days you two are our actresses. Which means you're subject to same insanity the cast gets.
Lila wrinkled her nose. "I'm not sure I like this."
"Shut up mom," Daphne said, and nodded to Tad. "We can do this. We'll be professional."
Tad snorted. "Great, then you'll be doing one better than this cast of yahoos around you."
Allen stuck his tongue out at Tad and Anne playfully slapped at his shoulder.
"Production begins at seven sharp on day four because you have to hit make-up and costuming first. Clear?"
Daphne and Ronnie nodded.
"Wonderful!" Tad exclaimed clapping his hands together. "Then, welcome to Hollywood! Our kids, it seems you get tomorrow off."
A collective cheer filled the area causing Hel to look up.
"Rebecca, you need to study your motivation." She called out, surprising everyone. Since they'd walked in she'd said only a handful of words. Standing on set next to Daphne, Rebecca and Ariel grinned at each other.
"Don't worry Hel," Rebecca called out. "I think Ariel and I have this scene down pat now."
Tad eyed them. "That sounded ominous."
"Can we kidnap Ronnie and Daphne tomorrow then?" Anne asked, looking between Tad and Arnold. "Just for some shopping. I promise it won't take the entire day. And we'll have bodyguards with us."
Arnold looked hesitant.
"Please Dad?" she pleaded.
"I don't see why not," Lila said. "If they're going to be put to work like Hollywood actors, the least they can do is have some fun like Hollywood actors too."
"Fabulous!" Anne exclaimed. "We'll pick you up around one in the afternoon. Since it's our day off, I for one don't plan on getting out of bed until at least eleven."
"Okay, well let's get you guys back to the limo so they can wrap up." Megan announced. As the actors and the girls said their goodbyes and Daphne traded numbers with Anne, Tad walked over to Arnold and Lila.
"Sorry we didn't get to talk much, I had speeches and keeping this brood in line is a full time job. Especially since, as you saw, they like to make their own rules." He said. Arnold smiled, shaking his hand and pulling him in for a brief hug.
"No, it's okay. I understand. But I'd like to get together sometime if you guys have an off time frame and talk."
Lila smiled at him, her hand on Arnold's arm again. "Yes, it's be nice to talk about old times. And you can tell us how you and Helga managed to get a blockbuster show on television."
Arnold pulled his arm away before Tad could say anything and gave her a look. "All right, what is going on with you?" He finally asked. "Why are you suddenly all touchy?"
Lila giggled lightly. "Arnold, honestly, could we not discuss this in front of everyone? I don't understand why you're upset?"
Arnold huffed and looked at Tad. "Lila and I are separated. Have been for two years. One day maybe she'll even sign the divorce papers."
Lila glared at him. "Is that necessary?"
"Yes, it is. Because you've been up my backside these past two hours and I have no idea why. And considering you're only here for the free ride to do your "work" for the magazine and I had to put my foot down and basically threaten you to go to this one particular tour for your daughter, I'm rather confused by the sudden change in attitude."
"We'll discuss this when we get back to the hotel." She stated, glancing at Tad who was watching the entire exchange with some amusement.
"No, we won't, because the minute we get back, you're calling your people and having them pick you up to take you to the penthouse you're staying at. And honestly, I don't want to have any talk with you. What I want is to go back to the hotel, order a pizza and listen to both girls' squeal about how this has been one of the best days in their lives." He motioned towards the girls who were taking pictures with Allen and Anne. "Look at them,"
He shook his head, looking at Tad. "I can't remember when I've seen Daphne so excited. She's been like this since she got the letter saying she won. And Ronnie, she needed this. Ronnie is one of the most awkwardly shy girls I've ever met. If she goes home with even a hint of more confidence than she has now, her mother will be forever in your debt."
Lila snorted. "Won't that be an interesting turn of events." She muttered.
"Really Lila?" Sighing he yelled for the girls. "Come on! It's not like you won't see them tomorrow!"
Tad nodded. "I'll check my schedule and we'll get lunch or something."
Arnold nodded, glancing past him to look at Helga who was still sitting and writing. "Could you…"
"We'll all get lunch or something." Tad confirmed.
Arnold smiled, patting his shoulder. "See you later Helga!" he shouted across the room. The blond raised a hand not looking up from her writing.
Giving Tad one last smile, he gathered up both girls and followed Megan out of the sound studio.