A/N: How you guys made it through the first few typos in chapter one is beyond me! I'll go back and fix them. Hopefully there will be less this time around. I gave it a quick scan but I'll let you guys be the judge. Enjoy!

Chapter Two

One month had passed. One month that had been the most interesting months of her life and, regardless of Karina's need to remain as hidden as possible, Nana had made many efforts to show her the world she now found herself in. It had started with clothing stores to help establish a wardrobe (a hooded sweatshirt had been a necessity and though Nana turned her nose up at over-sized blue and violet creation Karina had picked out, that was all she had done). Once Karina was better able to hide what she was, Nana had opened up the opportunities to small bistros, back tables in fine eating establishments (where Karina sorrowfully and silently accepted the fact that she would now have to live as a vegetarian), low-traffic museums and art shows, and most recently, a gorgeous theater Nana had recently purchased. Karina had sat up in the balcony, leaning over the railing and watching in fascination as a small white mouse went toe to toe with a koala bear, both dressed in sharp suits. It was made even more highly entertaining when three piglets ran on stage and started bouncing around the two men arguing. She'd covered her mouth to smother a giggle and quickly leaned back when the mouse glared up at her, pulling her hood closer around her face.

That had been over a week ago and as much as Karina appreciated Nana's attempts at getting her out when she could, Karina was starting to feel the walls of the massive house closing in around her.

They'd settled into a routine of sorts - breakfast on the veranda every morning, a walk through the sloping gardens of Nana's estate afterwards, tea for Nana and coffee for Karina at ten over a mutually agreed upon game of cribbage, backgammon or Gin, then lunch generally followed up with Karina reading to Nana in her study. The older woman claimed to enjoy the sound of Karina's voice as she read and Karina enjoyed reading, so it worked out well for both. It helped that Nana never selected books that bored her and usually involved some level of adventure.

It was the afternoons that seemed to drag on. Usually Nana would leave to take care of various errands and Karina would have nothing more to do than wander around the house, watch TV or sit on the window seat in her bedroom and watch the world pass by in the distance.

After a month of this, she was decidedly going stir-crazy and becoming more and more anxious as she tried to figure out the best way to approach Nana regarding it. Thankfully, one afternoon, Nana took care of the issue for her.

They were sitting on the couch in the study, Nana on one side fanning herself, Karina curled up on the other reading a book about a dashing duke and the duchess he was constantly furious with when Karina grinned and set the book down in her lap.

"You know...I'm noticing a trend with these books. All of these women have tea and hang out in studies or parlors reading books or playing piano. Sounds a little familiar," she teased.

Nana regarded her with a dry look. "Making fun of an old woman for enjoying an older lifestyle, dear?"

"No, just making an observation."

She lifted the book, hiding her grin behind it and looked through the words to find her place.

"You have been extremely fidgety lately, dear. I must say, It's making me quite uncomfortable. Is something wrong?"

"Wrong?" Karina asked innocently. "Oh, no. Nothing's wrong."

"Hmm...you lie horribly."

Karina sighed and set the book down again. Nana was providing the opening for her. There was no point in not taking it. "Nothings...wrong. I just...I appreciate everything you've done for me. You've been so kind, taking me in when you didn't even have to-."

"But-?" Nana interrupted.

"But I'm starting to feel...claustrophobic. I know you have things to do and I would never expect you to put your life on hold just to make me happy but when you leave in the afternoons, there's nothing for me to do but walk around the house and try not to think about everything going on out there." She gestured to the window with a sweep of her hand. "I just...wish there was something I could do. Something to keep myself busy with outside of the house so I don't feel like such a freeloader."

Nana tsked. "Darling girl, you are not a freeloader."

"I know that. I just...feel like one."

Snapping her fan closed, Nana tapped it on her leg, considering Karina's words. "Do you wish to have a job?"

"A job?" The question caught Karina off guard. All she had wanted was to get out once and awhile. A job would offer her the chance to get out every day. "I wasn't really thinking along the lines but I wouldn't mind one. Is that even possible?"

"It could be." In one fluid movement, Nana stood, tossing her fan to the couch. "I have to stop at the theater today to go over the finances with my accountant and the manager. Why don't you get ready and you can join me. We'll speak with Mr. Moon and see what could possibly be done."

It couldn't be that easy. She'd been so meticulous in keeping herself hidden, there was no possible way she could hold down a job without destroying all of those efforts. "You're not serious."

"Of course I am, dear," Nana said with a patient smile. "Mr. Moon is in...extensive debt to me. And his little theater family is quite tight-knit. If there is any way to get you out out of the house and help you to feel like less of a burden, this would be that opportunity."

Excitement surged through her and Karina jumped up, wrapping her arms around Nana and hugging her tightly. "Thank you so much!"

"Don't thank me yet." Nana patted her back. "Go. Find something suitable to wear. We shall leave in thirty minutes."

"Yes ma'am!"
Karina took off for the stairs at a dead run, more excited than she could ever remember being. She adored Nana, truly she did, but the need to socially connect with more people was gaining momentum and becoming overwhelming. She burst through the door to the room Nana had given her, a sprawling room that was simplistic in it's elegance compared to the other rooms in the house. Her bed was still a mess of tangled blankets and sheets that she hadn't made yet and she she quickly shrugged off the nagging voice telling her to do so before they left. She'd be sleeping in it soon enough anyway.

She pulled free the t-shirt and shorts she stuck to wearing around the house and dug through her drawers for a pair of navy leggings, wishing she could wear jeans instead but that was entirely out of the picture here. Jeans were not made to fit someone with her body structure in this world. Over them, she pulled on a pair of thick cream socks and skipped to the closet. She opted for a knit hooded sweater that matched her socks, knowing Nana would frown her disapproval if she came down the stairs in her usual hoodie. It also looked much more appropriate for an impromptu job interview. Last, she pulled on a pair of high brown boots, zipping them up the side and yanking her socks up to peak over the tops.

She swung by the bathroom to run a comb through her hair, frowning at the tangled blonde mess it had become without it's usual daily treatment. With a sneer, she gave up on trying to make it look decent and pulled it back in a messy bun. It would have to do. No one would understand what they were looking at or what humans considered a classic updo anyway.

With a smirk, she yanked her hood over her head and dashed out of the room. She was breathless by the time she hit the landing, smiling brightly at Nana when the other woman looked down her nose at her.

"You could at least make an attempt not to look so excited to get out from under my watch."

With a laugh, Karina held out her arm for the older woman to slip her hoof through. "I'm sorry. I'll try to reign it in a bit."

By the time they reached the theater, Karina had managed to not only reign it in, but to lose her excitement altogether. Anxiety took a hold of her, fiercely twisting her stomach into tiny, cold knots.

What if this doesn't work? What if they freak out when they see me? What if they call authorities in?

"Having second thoughts, dear?" Nana asked as the driver exited the car and came around to open the door for them.

She was. She most certainly was. But wasn't that what had gotten her here? Doubt? Fear? Anxiety? That package deal had been too much for one person to handle. Karina pushed her shoulders back and forced away the wave of nerves. "No."

She followed Nana up the stairs and through the gold plated doors that lead into the theater. The main doors leading to the stage were propped open, the lights on, but the theater itself was quiet. They climbed the staircase to the second level where the offices were and Karina bit back a gasp when a hunched chameleon in a bright yellow smock and poker visor shuffled into view.

"Mrs. Crawley," Nana greeted loudly. "Is Mr. Moon in his office?"

"What? Oh! Hello, Mrs. Noodleman. Are you here to see Mr. Moon?"

Karina bit her lip, grinning at Nana's sigh. "Yes, Mrs. Crawley. I assume he's in his office."

"He sure is, Mrs. Noodleman. Would you like me to tell him you're here?"

"I'll take care of that myself, thank you," Nana said dryly, already moving past the chameleon to the side office. Karina quickly followed, nodding to Mrs. Crawley, though she didn't think for one moment she saw her. She was already moving in another direction, almost as if she were in a world of her own.

The koala bear from the other day was sitting at a desk in the office, feet propped on it while he talked on the phone. He noticed Nana and smiled, waving her in.

"Would love to chat longer but I've got a very important person waiting for me, Dave. We'll catch up later." He hung up the phone, hopped off the chair and came around the desk. "Nana! To what do I owe the immense pleasure?"

"The books, Mr. Moon. My accountant should be arriving shortly."

"Ah, yes, yes yes, the books. Of course! I'll ask Mrs. Crawley to bring up some coffee-."

"That won't be necessary, Mr. Moon. Before Mr. Carver arrives, there is a matter of business I would like to attend to. And it is imperative that what we are about to discuss stays within the walls of this theater. Understood?"

The smile on the koala's face wavered slightly and he risked a quick glance at Karina.

"If this is about the financial state of the theater-."

Nana held up a hoof to stop him. "No, Mr. Moon. I trust you've been keeping up your end of the bargain in regards to maintaining my investment. What we need to speak of is much more...delicate. Please, sit."

Mr. Moon did as he was told, going back around the desk and climbing up into his chair. It would have been mildly humorous to Karina, if she hadn't been such a nervous wreck. Nana took up one of the office chairs facing the desk, motioning for Karina to take the other.

"Mr. Moon, this is my companion," she said, gesturing to Karina.

"Ah, yes. Eddie said something about you having a new house guest. Hello Ms.-."

Nana turned a smile to her and nodded. "Go ahead, Karina."

With a trembling hand, Karina pushed her hood back and watched the shock wash over Mr. Moon. She suddenly felt as if she were some kind of mutated freak in a horror movie and wanted to run, but she sat where she was, her gaze darting back to Nana for reassurance.

"It's alright dear," Nana said softly, placing a hoof over Karina's hand. "Mr. Moon, as I'm sure you can see, Karina's situation is...extremely special. She washed up on shore over a month ago with no memory of where she came from. I've kept her sheltered in my home but she's feeling…"

"Claustrophobic, Mr. Moon," Karina supplied, turning a hesitant smile on the koala. "I know that Mrs. Noodleman has to keep me safe but...it gets kind of boring wandering around that house all by myself all day."

"She talks!" Mr. Moon yelped, now standing on his chair and leaning over the desk.

"Been doing it all my life," Karina muttered. This no longer felt like such a good idea. If this was the reaction she was going to get from everyone she came across, staying in hiding wasn't sounding so bad after all. "Maybe we should just go back home," she said softly to Nana.

"What? Oh! No, no!" The koala lept off the desk, running up to her and taking her hand. "I'm sorry, Miss. I completely forgot my manners. Buster. Buster Moon. And I am so sorry for reacting like that. Please, forgive me. So, how can I help you feel a little more free?"

It was an odd question, coming from a koala bear. So much so that she couldn't help grinning. "Um...well, I was just...looking for something to keep me busy in the afternoons. Maybe...maybe a job? I don't need a paycheck or anything. Just...something to do."

"Can you sing?" he asked hopefully.

Nana shot him a sharp look. "Discretion, Mr. Moon."

"Not to save my life, sir," Karina said.

"Ah, well...doesn't matter. A job, you say? Shouldn't be too difficult to find you something to do around here. Never a dull moment at the Moon Theater!"

"Karina, dear….why don't you go wander around for a while," Nana suggested, eyeing Mr. Moon distrustfully. "He and I shall discuss the importance of your situation further but my accountant be arriving soon. No need for any more excitement than necessary."

Karina didn't need much more of an invitation to make herself scarce than that. Flipping up her hood, she shoved her hands in the pockets of her sweatshirt and made her way back downstairs.

She slowed her pace when she hit the landing, sighing heavily. She had expected to feel good about the meeting. Instead, she felt the heavy, sinking weight of depression yanking insistently at her. She was used to not fitting in, to being the odd one out. But for some reason, being that person here hurt more.

Probably because you are a person here, she thought somewhat bitterly, walking to the open double doors. Voices were coming from the stage and she paused, leaning against the doorway and watching two pigs and a punk-rock looking porcupine chat animatedly as they moved speakers and props around the stage.

Koala businessman, talking pigs, punkrock porcupine...and I'm the weird one in all of this-.

She moved away from the doors and started slowly down a hallway, glancing at the aged posters lining the walls as she went. There was one of Nana, one Karina had seen before in the study from back when Nana used to perform at the theater. She'd spoke of those days with such bittersweet fondness. They were some of Karina's favorite stories the older woman would tell during her less rigid moments which were, undoubtedly, few and far between. Like her feature posters, Nana Noodleman held herself with pride and confidence. She made it look effortless. It was something Karina both envied and pitied in the woman.

She found herself at the end of the hallway before too long and moving into the wings of the stage where the lights were low and she could catch glimpses of glass lined practice rooms on the second level through the catwalks. She started up a wood staircase that lead to the second level just as something small and pink came careening around the corner. Karina had a mere second to discern the small pink something as a piglet before it caught it's hoof on the top step and stumbled downward.

With a startled cry, Karina lurched up the steps, catching the tiny thing and smacking her hip against a step in the process to keep the piglet from getting hurt. She curled into the achef, groaning softly.

"Are you okay?" came a tiny voice.

Glancing down at the piglet, Karina forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Are you okay?"

The piglet ignored the question, tilting her head to the side and regarding Karina curiously. "You don't look fine. You look...strange."

"Strange? How-?" she started, then realized that in her hurry, her hood had fallen back. She quickly yanked it back up as best she could with one hand, keeping the other secured around the child. "I'm okay. Really. But are you okay?"

"I'm super fine!" the piglet said, her bright smile reflected in her baby blue eyes. "You have yellow fur! Can I see it again?"

Karina laughed softly. "Maybe later. What were you doing running so close to the stairs, sweetie?"

"Oh, I was playin!" The piglet plopped down in Karina's lap, making herself perfectly at home and picking at the pocket on her sweater. "Do you have candy?"

"Hm, I don't think giving you candy would be such a good idea. Besides...I don't have any. Shucks, huh? What's your name?"

The piglet, clearly doubting Karina, leaned forward and peeked in her pocket, huffing when she found that there was, in fact, no candy. "I'm Hannah. Who are you?"

"Karina. Nice to meet you Hannah. You said you were playing?"

"Yeah!" Hannah stood, wobbling slightly and reaching for Karina's hood. "I was playin' with Johnny. I was gonna hide an'-."

"Hannah! There you are!"

"Johnny!" the piglet yelped, leaping out of Karina's lap and dashing up the stairs. Karina stood, biting back a groan as her hip protested the movement. She could already feel the bruise forming.

"You can't run off like that, Hannah! Your mum would have killed me if I'd 'a lost ya. Stop doin' that."

"I was just talking to Karina."

"Karina?"

Half expecting to see another pig, Karina turned to look up the steps and was suddenly very glad there was a banister there to grab a hold of. Instead of a pig, a lanky gorilla stood at the top of the steps, Hannah cradled in his arms. A gorilla in torn blue jeans with black sneakers, a green shirt, a leather jacket and a British accent.

Oh dear God, I'm doomed, she thought, sagging against the banister.

"That's Karina!" Hannah pointed at her. "She's got yellow fur!"

And outed by a toddler. Karina lifted her hand, waving weakly and shifting to take a step back. It was the wrong move to make. Pain shot down her side and she tightened her grip on the banister to keep from falling, a gasp escaping her.

Before she knew it, there was a strong arm supporting her. She grabbed at it without thinking, biting her lip as the pain blazed hotly through her.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded, gripping his arm tighter and vaguely feeling sorry for doing so. "I'll be fine. I just...broke my fall with the steps catching Hannah."

"Hannah-." Johnny started to scold the little piglet who was already dashing away, giggling obliviously as she went. "I'm sorry 'bout her. You sure you're okay?"

"Bruised, but fine," she assured him. Already the pain was starting to subside, turning from a hot ache to a dull throb. "I'll bounce back. Hopefully not on another set of stairs."

He chuckled and her stomach did an unexpected flip in reaction. "You're Karina then?"

"Yeah. And you're...Johnny, was it?"

"Right. I-."

"Karina, dear!" A voice called out, interrupting them.

Karina turned, watching as Nana breezed her way backstage, Buster not far behind her.

"Come with me, please," Nana instructed.

Noticing a command from Nana when she heard one, Karina offered Johnny an apologetic smile, knowing that her hood would make it a wasted effort but trying anyway. "I'm sorry. I have to go."

He dropped his arm and she moved away from him, down the stairs to join Nana and Buster. "Are we leaving?" she asked, falling in step beside Nana with an uncertain glance back at Buster.

"Leaving? Why no, dear girl. Introductions first."

"Introductions?"

"Yes, dear. Introductions. Brace yourself."

And here we go again, Karina thought, hunching her shoulders and following Nana out onto the stage.