AN: Hello everyone, I hope you all are having a fantastic Memorial Day, if you happen to celebrate it. This chapter is titled after the song 'Where Do We Go From Here' from Buffy the Vampire: Once More With Feeling, which I think fits what happens for two of the couples very well.

I hope you all enjoy the chapter.

Happy reading.

Chapter Twenty – Five: Where Do We Go From Here

Layla's POV

"And then it just stops, I've got nothing." I groaned in frustration to Johnny at the song.

"Play that second verse again." He replied.

I started to play the second verse again for the third time, "They call me Cinderella" I sang, "As if that's what my name really is.

I've tried not responding,

But they never get the hint.

You'd think after all this time,

They'd learn to question it.

It seems they're all too busy

Taking bids

At how long I'll last

Compared to the other picks.

With everything going

The way it is

Even I'm considering

Getting in on it."

"I think it's more of a matter of how we should start the next verse." Johnny commented shortly after.

"I don't have a next verse." I replied.

"Then maybe we should step away from it." He advised, "I've got some ideas for where to go musically with the next verse, but lyrics aren't my thing. I just compose."

"But without you, all I'd have is a decent poem."

"You can compose." He pointed out, "You've done it before."

"I have, but I have an easier time with lyrics than I do with composing the music."

"I wouldn't be able to compose if it weren't for you and Mrs. Crawly." He responded, "I barely knew how to play, I hadn't played since I was a kid."

"That was all you." I told him, "You put in the work, and if you're going to credit one of us, I'd give it to Mrs. Crawly. I pulled you away from the piano and the song you were working on more than I helped. I was more of a distraction."

"A very welcome one." He kissed me softly, "How about I give you a little distraction? We don't have a time limit on the show anymore."

"We're supposed to be writing."

"It doesn't hurt to take a break though." He replied, "You've been staring at that song for an hour and you've been playing it over and over for days, it's time to step away for a bit. Maybe wait until Monday to look at again."

"What do you propose we do?"

He shrugged, "Disneyland's an hour away."

"How is going to Disney gonna help?"

"It'll get your mind off the musical for a day."

"We're supposed to be writing." I reminded, "Not goofing off."

"One day isn't going to hurt." He responded, "It might help with the writer's block."

"Won't the others notice we're gone?"

"With everything going on around here?" He asked, "I doubt it."

"Let's go." I agreed. We both got up and headed out of the theatre and to his car.

"Where you guys goin'?" Sasha asked as we passed by her.

"Out." We replied happily.

"We'll be back later." I added as I got into Johnny's truck.

Sasha's POV

That was odd, but whatever they choose to do with their time is their choice. I went to down to the wardrobe department, only to find Mike sitting on one of the tables.

"What are you doing down here?" I asked as I walked over to him, "Don't you have rehearsal?"

"I do." He nodded, "I wanted to see you first, I don't get to see you as much since you started working down here."

"I like being down here."

"You're barely home anymore."

"And you don't listen to me when I am." I responded sadly, "How did my girls' night go from a screening a couple of episodes of a TV show, dinner, and drinks to a night of clubbing and karaoke?"

He looked down with a grimace, he knew I was right. He knew he hadn't listened, I had caught him, and I wasn't happy about it. I wasn't angry though like the expression of on his face portrayed that he assumed I was. I was upset, sure, but I felt no anger towards him, only sadness and confusion. Why engage and interact with others if you're not going to listen? What was the point of a conversation if you weren't going to listen to the other animal in the conversation? Why bother?

I took a deep breath after a few moments of silence and then told him, "Look, I've got a lot of work to do down here. I've been given a few commissions for the concerts coming up. Suits and dresses that I need to tailor and mend, costumes that I need to design for that Cinderella pirate musical that I've got a meeting for tomorrow with Heather, Layla, Johnny, Buster, and the new girl, Stephanie or Stevie, I think that's what her name is. They've finally got an almost full working script together, they just need the songs and a couple more scenes to finish the musical. I don't have time for conversations that I'm going to have to repeat later and neither do you."

"What are you saying, Sasha?"

"That we both should be working." I responded. I knew where he was getting at, but decided not to answer if he was going to ask indirectly.

"I heard that part." He said pointedly, "I meant us, what are you saying about us?"

"I don't know." I answered, "I know this relationship, if you even consider it one at this point cause I don't even know anymore, it won't work if we can't communicate with each other."

"We talk just fine, wh-"

"No, we talk at each other, not with each other." I corrected, "I can only talk with you with you choose to listen and the only time you do is when it benefits you. Even when you do, you only listen to the parts that pertain to you. I can't deal with that, Mike, not again. I've been through that before, I have no intention of doing again."

"Fine." He replied, his mouth drawing hard line, "I don't need you."

I immediately regretted saying what I had as soon as he left. It was too late to go after him now though, I couldn't take back anything I said to him, especially when I believed them. It would be an empty apology, he didn't deserve that.

I felt my phone vibrate in the back pocket of my pants, I pulled it out to see who it was and then depending on who it was turn it off. It had been Heather, she wanted to know if I wanted to get together tonight. There were microphones that needed to be tested and Rosita thought it would be fun if the three of us used them tonight after everyone was gone. The stage would be set up for the dress rehearsal that Mike had tomorrow, we'd have everything at our disposal and no one would ever know we were there, except for Layla, Johnny, and Mr. Maddox, not that any of them would say anything. I responded that I would be there, providing that there'd be drinks involved. If I was going to be singing, I was going to be wasted doing it. I didn't sing, especially not sober. I haven't done so in years and don't plan to do so again. I wouldn't have the courage. Heather let me know shortly after that she had several bottles of wine and Rosita volunteered to be the designated adult of the group, so we could have as much wine as we wanted. Heather was a godsend and she didn't even know it. This would be the perfect thing to take my mind and hers off of everything. It'll probably make the meeting tomorrow interesting, but knowing Layla and Johnny, that meeting won't start on time anyway. I'd be very stunned if they showed up before we did. We'd most likely have enough time to get coffee, aspirin or Advil, and a late breakfast before they show up, which was fine by me, especially if I was going to get wasted the night before.

I turned on my iPod, put in my earbuds, and started to get to work. I had a lot to do if I was going to take the night off. I wasn't going to leave anything undone and left to chance, I knew I wasn't going to want to do much tomorrow.

Heather's POV

"Sasha's in." I told Rosita as I put my phone back in my purse, "You sure you can get the night off to spend with us?"

"Oh yeah." She replied, "Norman's taking the kids to see a movie."

"You didn't want to go?"

"No, he gets to sit through the Ice Age sequels." She responded, "I've sat through all of the Land Before Time movies and the Disney sequels, he can sit through a few Ice Age movies."

"What's it like?" I asked her genuinely curious.

"To be a parent or to have so many kids?" She asked, trying to clarify.

"Both I guess?"

"Busy." She replied after a couple of moments, "You're always moving from one thing that you have to do or one kid that you have to take care of or who needs your attention to the next. It becomes your life, they become your life from the moment they're born. There's no 'if's, 'and's, or 'but's about it. You cannot make them conform to your schedule, you have to follow theirs no matter how hectic it may be. That may mean sleepless nights, scattered days, long and tiring mornings that lead to even more exhausting afternoons, but at the end of the day, it's completely worth it. Parenting is the greatest joy and the greatest mess you'll ever experience. I know I probably sound like I'm giving a lecture or speech, but that's what it is or at least the best way I can describe it." She explained, "Why do you want know?"

"I'm the only child of only children." I answered as we headed into my office. I set my bag down in my chair and started to unpack the books I had stuffed into it, "I never had any siblings or cousins, no aunts or uncles, no family, except for my friends. Sometimes I wonder what it's like to have a family."

"You have us." She reminded.

"I do." I nodded, "I know I have you guys, but sometimes I wish for something more. I always wanted a family. Even when I had my parents, I was predominantly on my own. If they were with me, they were still working. The only time they ever seemed to stop is when we came here, to this theatre. For a few hours, everything was about me, the show, being together as a family; it was what I looked forward to every year. It was the only thing I looked forward to growing up. Christmas wasn't much of a to-do with my family, they saw it as a day to work from home. Any presents I got, if I got any, were picked out by secretaries." I stopped myself, realizing that I had went on a tangent. I looked down not knowing what to say about going off. "Sorry, you didn't need to hear all that."

"Is that why you bought the theatre?"

"I mean it was the only happy memory I had of my parents, but not the complete reason, just one of the many." I replied, "When I was looking to start over, the theatre was really the only thing that really stuck in my mind. I wasn't looking to buy it originally when I moved out here, I just wanted to be near it and have the chance to go on a regular basis. When I had my job at the bank, it was by chance that I was given the Moon Theatre account."

"What changed to make you want to buy it?"

I thought for a few moments, it was hard to deny the truth even to myself. I knew what had changed my mind, I always did. "Buster." I answered, and then I saw who was at the door. Speak of the devil and he shall appear, yet that never seemed to work for Beetlejuice when I thought of him. "C'mon in." I told him, pretending that I had noticed him before I said his name. I looked back at Rosita, "I enjoyed lunch, Rosita. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah." She nodded, and then looked to Buster and smiled, "Hi Buster."

"Hey Rosita." He greeted. She left, shutting the door behind her.

"What can I do for you, Buster?" I asked politely and professionally, "I hope you weren't waiting too long."

"Not very, only long enough to gain some insight into one of the theatre's owners."

"How much did you hear?"

"From you talking about your family to what lead you to buying the theatre."

"Oh." I replied, not really knowing how to respond.

"I'm sorry." He told me. I looked at him confused, not knowing what exactly he was apologizing for. "That must have been very lonely."

Pity. That was the last thing I needed from anyone nor was it something I deserved. I was wealthy, I could have had anything I wanted. Most would have done anything to have that privilege. With me, however, I just looked like that kid from that movie Frozen, who would have given anything and everything for a sibling to interact with and just made up friends to interact with. I had Sean, who my parents despised, during school hours during the year and Eddie sometimes during the summer. I was lonely, but I didn't need pity. I didn't deserve it.

"Why are you here, Buster?"

"I owe you an apology." He responded, "Several most likely."

I looked at him perplexed. While I didn't dispute his answer, I don't know if I wholeheartedly agreed with it either. Did he owe me one? That was debatable. He had owned the theatre for years and now someone else did and they were taking it in a different direction than he was originally taking it. It doesn't help either of us that we kind of, sort of, dated for a bit. Although, I don't know if we were together long enough that it even qualifies. Nor does it help that when I'm not pissed off at him, the feelings are still there. The attraction is still there, or at least it is on my end.

"Can I sit down?" He asked after a few moments, "I was hoping we could talk."

"Yeah." I answered, "Of course."

He sat down in the chair in front of the desk. After a few moments of awkward silence, Buster spoke up, "There are so many things I'd like to say to you, Heather. I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you and how I've been acting. You didn't deserve it. I should have respected your opinion and decisions, especially since the theatre is now yours."

"Why'd you do it?" I asked. I had my guesses, but I wanted to know from him. He was the reason we were sitting here, the reason we started to argue, why not know? I don't even know how all of this started. One minute we were fine and then the next we were in the middle of a verbal battle royale.

He sighed, "I don't know. It could have been out of habit, or jealously, or want to keep things the way they were going. The theatre had been mine for so long and it's been such a part of me that I didn't want to let it go, despite my feelings towards them or even if they were better than I could even imagine in the role."

"You still have feelings for me?" I asked, not being able to help myself. The words came out of my mouth before they were a finished thought in my head.

"They're a bit more complicated than they used to be, but yeah I do." He answered definitively without missing a beat, "Of course, I do. You're infuriating, stubborn, and you make me want to tear my fur out, but everything I felt for you before all of this happened is still there. They're muddled, but they're there."

"So are mine." I admitted.

"They are?" He asked stunned, "After everything-"

"You may be the most aggravating koala I've ever met, but there are just some feelings that can't be shaken away."

"So, where do we go from here?"

"I don't know." I answered honestly, "I guess we just keep moving forward."