AN: Innocence9240: So happy you're enjoying it! Thank you for reviewing :DDD
Everybody Hurts
I know you say
Maybe some day
I need never be alone
Everyone around, love them, love them
Shiny happy people holding hands
Shiny happy people laughing
You've been hanging
With the wrong crowd
You've got all the right friends
It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine
"Things are going good it seems." Darren began once he entered Chuck's office. "I mean, the show is in every magazine. Jay, Shan, Luke, Tori and Jennie are on covers, posters, you name it."
"Yeah, it's good." Chuck agreed, "And it's only gonna get bigger. So we need to anticipate that and maintain the show's quality."
"Absolutely. We need everyone to bring their A-game." Darren announced
"Which is going to be a battle." Chuck rubbed his eyes and Darren looked at him confused. "...There's been some issues on set."
"Like what?"
"Working hours, disputes among the cast and crew... It's hard to make sure everyone remains professional."
Marla couldn't help but overhear as she walked past and scoffed.
Chuck noticed her and instructed her to come in and divulge what's been going on.
"I don't mean to pry but Chuck, these kids tell me everything and I overhear everything. It might be wise for you to encourage them to talk to you."
"I do. I tell them to come to my office whenever they have concerns." Chuck corrected
"Yes but about the show. Not about their personal conflicts." Marla added. Both Chuck and Darren looked at her with confusion.
Marla took a deep breath, "I think you all forget that they're kids... Sure, they're in their early 20s and this is work. But make no mistake, they are adolescents. Adolescents that are thrown into the spotlight and expected to handle situations like well-adjusted adults? It's almost impossible to be well-adjusted in this environment."
"Well, they have to learn." Darren shrugged, "A job is a job."
"No. They have to be taught." Marla explained. "They have different personality types. That's why casting is so important. And you know better than anyone, Chuck, that the personality you cast in a role becomes the role."
"Hold on a minute." Chuck pondered that thought, "You're right. You have to write for what the actor can do... Darren." He turned to face him, "This might be just what we need."
"You're missing the point..." Marla groaned
"What?" Chuck looked back at her
"These guys need some help navigating this new realm of fame. There's a lot of tension... "
"Tension, like what?" He asked
"Well..." She began
"What a douche." Shannen mumbled to herself as she entered the set and threw her bag on the table.
Jennie scoffed in response. And Shannen perked up once she heard her.
"Oh I'm sorry, did I insult your boyfriend?" Shannen groaned
"Luke's not my boyfriend." Jennie corrected
"Right! So don't get involved when I call him out on his bullshit."
"I do know there's a lot of tension between Luke and Shannen." Chuck noticed, "Tabloids keep picking up on that."
"It's basically her getting on his nerves and vice versa." Marla paused, "That's not the issue. The issue is he confides in Jennie about the digs Shannen makes about him. And Jennie, well, she's a little protective of him; thus, tension between Jennie and Shan."
"Well, they'll get over that teenage drama." Darren shrugged it off, "What about the new girl? Is she doing okay?"
"Well... Depends who you ask."
"Honey, listen to me carefully when I say this." Marla began as she styled Christine Elise's hair. "Whatever you experience here, it's not personal."
"What do you mean?" She asked just as Luke walked in.
"About to throw her into the lion's den." He joked, leaving Christine concerned.
"...I'm kidding." He said eventually after a chuckle. "Just relax, and if you need anything, find one of us. The guys are cool, too. The girls... they can be bitches." He laughed
"Yeah I figured." Christine sighed. "Not one of them even said hello."
"They're just a little preoccupied." Marla assured, "They're under a lot of pressure."
"I feel the pressure all right!" Christine groaned, and Luke and Marla shot her a warm smile.
"That's nice that Luke ate lunch with her on her first day." Darren nodded.
"Are there any more workplace disputes I should know about?" Chuck huffed
"Well with Shannen and Luke it's a weekly special." Marla chuckled, "But as far as everything else goes... you may have another issue to deal with."
"What's that?" Chuck asked
"Hormones." Marla pursed her lips and Darren laughed.
After shooting a scene with Jason and Christine, it became inevitable why Jason got along with everyone. His charm managed to entice Christine off camera as well.
But everyone's attention was quickly taken off of Jason's new crush once the main culprits were back at it.
Just as Jennie walked by, she overheard Luke yell something at Shannen about her pranks. He slammed his dressing room door behind him. Jennie then caught Shannen's eye and shook her head.
"Shannen, give it a rest." Gabrielle said as she joined them
"Sure thing, mum." Shannen rolled her eyes.
"Your attitude is not only pissing everyone off, it's affecting how we work." Gabrielle explained sternly
"Oh really? And how exactly has it affected you, Gab?" Shannen folded her arms
"Just stop teasing him." Gabrielle warned
"Why is it all on me?" Shannen snapped. "Golden boy can't do anything wrong?" She hissed sarcastically
"I'm not choosing sides..." Gabrielle insisted
"We already know whose "side" you're on." Shannen remarked before she turned to Jen who was across the hall, "Well, Jen, it looks like you've got competition." Shannen teased
"Very funny." Jennie rolled her eyes and stormed past them.
"Yeah we figured out the whole Gabby/Shannen issue after the very realistic slap." Darren bit his lip.
"I'm telling you..." Marla shook her head anxiously, "The pressure Shannen and Jennie are under, though... They're both about to snap sooner or later. Especially Shannen... the media is not kind to her."
"Well, Shannen knows she can come to me anytime. And trust me, she takes me up on it and makes herself heard. So... until then... we need to get back to work." Chuck insisted.
As the cameras faced the quad of Torrance high school, Shannen and Luke had finished their scene, and the minute the director yelled cut, Luke let go of her hand and stormed over to Jason and Jennie, since he hadn't resolved his earlier squabble with Shannen.
The next day, Jennie and Shannen were instructed to walk past the lockers as they channeled Kelly and Brenda for their scene in Necessity is a Mother.
"Dylan's an alcoholic" Jennie began as Kelly Taylor. Much to her dismay, Shannen kept tugging at her dress.
Jennie immediately fell out of character, pushing Shannen's hand away as Shannen chuckled under her breath.
Now on the director's third try, the girls were ordered to start from the top. Unfortunately for him, Shannen was in no mood to nail the scene.
With one swift motion, she lifted Jennie's skirt, displaying her behind to the remaining cast and crew on the set.
Jennie snapped and shoved Shannen away. "What the fuck, Shannen?"
Shannen struggled not to laugh. "It was just a joke. It's not my fault you're so uptight."
"That's it!" Jennie yelled, "Let's go. You and me, outside!"
"You can't be serious." Shannen chuckled
"Let's fucking go!" Jennie roared
And with that the two girls rushed outside to the parking lot and began shoving each other.
"Are you fucking kidding me?!" was all Chuck could say once he was informed.
The screams of the two girls were heard throughout the set, causing Luke and Jason to both run out to stop the fight. Tori, who was often the peacemaker between her two friends, couldn't bear to watch them fight, and hid in her dressing room.
Luke rushed to protect Jennie while Jason ran to hold Shannen back.
Jennie continued to yell at Shannen and Shannen remained unfazed. Luke wrapped his arm around Jennie and took her into his car to calm her down. Jason took Shannen back inside to do the same.
"Are you okay?" He asked as she sat in the passenger seat while he remained stood beside her, holding the door open.
She nodded, "I'm just done with her bullshit."
Luke nodded as he squeezed her shoulder. "...I forgot how quickly you midwestern girls can start a brawl." He joked, making her laugh.
"What the hell, Shannen?" Jason's eyes widened.
"What?" Shannen rolled her eyes
"What's going on with you?! You're fighting with Luke, with Gab, and now Jennie?"
"Well, if they've all got a problem with me, I figure... they're the problem." Shannen joked, and Jason tried not to laugh as she smirked at him.
"Look... They're good people. Why don't you try... I don't know, not pissing everybody off?" Jason observed her encouragingly
Shannen let out a deep exhale. "Fine. Can you let me go now?" She groaned. He shrugged as she pushed past him.
Shannen was getting her hair done by Marla as she skimmed through magazines. "Here we go again." She groaned
Marla caught the cover of the magazine and noticed it was yet another story on Shannen and her workplace feuds.
Just then Jennie walked in to get her hair done. She huffed once she saw Shannen in the chair. She then proceeded to sit on the one beside her, offering Marla a faint hello.
"You know," Marla began, "I once read this thing about perceptions. And how people only see what we choose to show."
"Sounds like a groundbreaking novel." Shannen teased, and Marla laughed
"Well, I'll tell ya this." She continued, "It doesn't hurt to let people in. Maybe you two should try it."
Shannen and Jennie both glanced at each other, silently.
"Listen." Chuck pulled both girls aside before they head off to do press. "We're the Brady bunch, got it? They're gonna try to find dirt. They want the drama, the scandal. Don't let it take away from the amazing work we're doing here. We all get along!" He warned
Just then Luke joined them and pulled Shannen aside.
"Listen." He said once they were alone. "Don't be going after Jen."
"I didn't. She came after me!" Shannen rolled her eyes
"Alright, but you know what I'm talking about. You wanna fight with me, fight with me. Just leave her out of it."
"Luke... I was just joking around and she overreacted. It's cool. But if you want her to stay out of it, you need to take it up with her."
"What do you mean?" He crinkled his forehead
"The only reason she has a problem with me is because you have a problem with me." Shannen insisted
"Jennie can think for herself. She doesn't like your attitude, that's it." Luke corrected
"Maybe so... but that reaction... that was personal." Shannen shrugged
Luke exhaled as Shannen was about to walk off. But just before she could leave, he pulled her back.
"Look, whatever it is. Whatever I said that started this whole issue between you and me... I'm sorry." He huffed, "Can we try to... " He pointed to her and himself, "keep the peace here?"
Shannen's face softened. "I'd like that." She nodded. He let out that adorable half smirk.
Interviewer: There seems to be a lot of issues circling you, Shannen. Perhaps you've been somewhat alienated by the cast
Shannen: No, and actually I'm glad I'm here to clear this up. There are a lot of rumors about Luke leaving the show because we don't get along and I just want to say that is NOT true. Luke and I are very good friends, we're all very good friends.
Interviewer: What about you and Jennie? Seems to be some competition there. Surely two beautiful girls on a hit show are bound to experience some rivalry.
Shannen: (Inhaling) Jennie's a lovely girl.
Interviewer: Tell us the truth about Shannen... Is she really a bitch?"
Jennie: (Taken aback by the blunt question) She's not a bitch, no. You know, when you work with someone 14 hours a day, there's always going to be discrepancies here and there. But you know, she's a very strong woman. Not just physically (laughs). But it's like the Brady bunch where I work. We're a family. We fight, we make up. We pull through when work has to be done. And I admire that about her.
It's these little things, they can pull you under
Live your life filled with joy and thunder
Yeah, yeah we were altogether
Lost in our little lives
Oh, but sweetness follows
Oh, but sweetness follows
REM mashup