As Seen On TV By HamClover

::::::::::::::::::::::Author's Note::::::::::::::::::::::

I've been home alone since I've woken up (and that was about at 9 a.m.) and I will be so until 7 o'clock.

Typical.

Chapter Fifteen .:The Benefit Of The Doubt:.

As the cup of hot, black coffee was placed on Stefan's desk, he peered into the mug, babbling into the phone like a valley girl. He sniffed the coffee and stared at it. He hung up the phone and looked at his secretary, who was standing before his desk, waiting for his opinion on the java.

"Is- it good?" She asked rather timidly. She was a middle-aged ham, shiny gray hair and square glasses, fairly young, too.

Stefan smiled as if he knew what she was worried about. "No, no. Everything is fine with the coffee. Now you go back to work, Lola!" He said as he leaned forward and tapped Lola on the behind slightly. She squeaked and hurried out of the room. Stefan leaned back in his leather chair and smirked.

After a moment, he diverted his attention to a pile of paper sitting on the edge of his desk. A fairly large pile, it made Stefan's grin fade. It was the script for Falling Leaf. It had been sitting on the edge of his desk for quite some time, collecting dust, sitting there, being a reminder to him. Omens, whispering in his face, to get Sparkle back to the studio ASAP and make the show a hit.

Not like the stacks of paper were talking to him in a creepy voice, it was only his damn conscience.

The black leather chair creaked as Stefan leaned forward and covered the pile with a poster. "There."

The door creaked open, and Lola's head peeped in.

"Um, sir?"

Stefan looked up from scowling at the script. "Yes?"

"There's a phone call, sir. I think its Blair."

Stefan's eyes turned to his telephone. "Really?" He asked, as if surprised.

Lola nodded.

"Very well," Said Stefan. "Thank you, m'am,"

Lola smiled quickly and her head disappeared as the door creaked shut again. Stefan's paw reached out for the phone, but he hesitated.

What if she's calling because Sparkle's run off again??

What if Sparkle got ran over by a bus?

What if Nero went insane and killed Sparkle?

What if Blair got drunk again and suddenly found herself in Michael Jackson's house?

What if Sparkle fired Blair?

What if Sparkle got someone mad and sued us?

What if my wife makes that casserole for dinner again? I hate that junk!

There were too many thought going through the director's head to make an intelligent choice, so he picked up the phone.

"Stefan?"

"This is him."

"Oh, good. Hey, Stefan, I think we just solved our problem!"

"Oh really? Sparkle didn't get kidnapped or anything?"

"No. Listen, we're in a bus on our way to a filming of some dumb reality show! Sparkle can most definitely land a kiss here! They make out five times every episode!"

Stefan leaned back in his chair and twirled a pen around with his paw. "Ah, good, good!" He said, relieved that this was good news for once. "When will the filming begin?"

"Um, I think the guy working on it said in about one or two days, not very long."

"Okay, that's good. Just remember, I want a happy Sparkle home ASAP! If you do, I think I see a promotion in the horizon..."

"Oh yes, sir! I'll get to it right now!"

Click.

Lola peeked her head in again. "You- hasn't drunk your coffee yet, is it good enough?" She asked meekly.

Stefan picked up the mug and sipped it. He held back an expression of distaste.

"Ah, no, no, no, Lola! It is just heavenly!" Stefan reassured. He gestured for Lola to come forward.

Lola bounced up to his desk, and Stefan told her to lean forward. "It is heavenly like your beautiful smile!" He whispered. "Now you go back to work, you!"

With an insanely ditzy giggle, Lola trotted out of Stefan's office.

Leaning forward, Stefan snagged the pile of papers that was the script. He inspected it and thumbed through each page delicately, making sure every last type was in place. With a grunt of satisfaction, he hit the stack on the desk, straightening the pile, and plopped it back in its place, where it would sit for only a few more days.

(A/N- I'm sorry if this seemed like a lame chapter, it may be, but it gets a lot more interesting next chapter! Be prepared!!)