A/N: Guess what day it is? Monday! Update day! Woo! This is the end of rehearsal.

Thansk to Bloodylilcorpse for reviewing the last chapter.:)

Enjoy!

As the curtain fell, and clapping ensued from the few people sitting in the house who had walked in off the street expecting free entertainment, Trent approached Mike, who was now offstage sitting on a prop chair, still in his costume, looking absolutely drained.

"Listen, Mike, you don't have to perform tomorrow if you don't feel good. You need to rest, let your leg and your hand heal. Wash your face, get all the dirt off. You can come back to do the show when you're ready."

"But.. I don't have an understudy."

"Yes you do. Mani's your understudy. We'll have Brick do his part. You and Mani are practically twins, other than your hair color and accents… But no one will notice!"

"But…"

"No buts. The show runs for a month total, with that big performance for the royals at that huge festival in the middle. You'll have plenty of time to get onstage and do your thing when you've healed."

Mike nodded weakly, barely hiding his disappointment. "Ok. Wait, don't we leave for the capital in a week?"

"Yep. We're gonna do a few shows here, take a week to go to the capital and get the set up, do a few there, then the festival show for the royals, then come back after and finish the show's run. Then the company's taking a break for a few weeks, during which all of you will get paid, before auditions open for the next show, which will by then be announced. I'm expecting you will be auditioning?"

Mike nodded, more vigorous this time. "Of course I'll audition. I can't think of a better thing to do."

"Good. You really are talented, Mike. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Trent smiled, and walked away to get the cast together for last-minute notes. Mike stayed put, he could hear from where he was.

"Mani, you'll most likely be doing Mike's part for some of our first shows. I hope you've been paying attention."

"Yih, relax mate, I seen him act. I got it." Mani assured Trent.

"So who's doing Mani's part?" asked Dakota, always concerned about who is on stage with her when.

"Brick can fill in for Mani until Mike can get on his feet again, if you get my drift."

"He can't act!" Duncan pointed out. "All he does is design costumes."

Brick hid his hurt feelings by saluting and saying confidently, "I will do my best at the new role I've been given, and I hope Mike gets better soon. I'll just have to make some costume adjustments…." And he ran offstage to go measure himself and adjust the costume, grabbing Zoey on his way out. She didn't even complain, she'd worked with him long enough to know when he got like this, they'd be in the shop for a while.

"I'll see you later, Duncan." Zoey kissed him on the cheek as she was led away by Brick. "Feel better, Mike."

Duncan smiled. Mike followed suit, but his reversed when another shot of pain ran through his hand.

Trent spoke again. "Well, now that that's out of the way, you all can head back to get your costumes hung up for rehearsal tomorrow. Good work today, and thank you all for your patience earlier. It really means a lot that you care so much for your fellow actors."

"Finally. I have to get this makeup off now, before it like, totally ruins my skin! And get out of this outfit. It's not even my shade of blue! What was Brick thinking?" Dakota ran backstage to get changed. She somehow arrived mere moments later in her usual pink dress(her shade of course) and pink flat shoes. Her face looked well-scrubbed but not blotchy or red, and her blonde hair was perfectly brushed down her back, out of the ponytail that came with her character.

"Dakota, the things you can do with clothing, hair and makeup are sometimes too fast and wonderful to be real. What's your secret?" Beth, a stage crew member who moved sets and wasn't too easy on the eyes, looked at Dakota with envy and admiration. Beth's usual pink-and-green dress didn't flatter her well, though the black she wore for stage crew was just slightly better. She was currently wearing her green and pink ensemble.

"Well, first of all, I try." Dakota looked her once over, as she'd been forced to do every single rehearsal, and made a face to suggest she'd tasted something sour, or was just disguisted by what she saw. "Second, I'm not telling you how I look so good all the time! Just ask Lindsay! Isn't she, like, your bestie?"

"Of course Linds is my bestie! But she doesn't get ready as fast as you do. And she always hogs the lip gloss."

"Whatevs." Dakota got off the stage and walked out of the theater. "See you guys tomorrow!" She called back before she left.

"Ok, I guess I should go home too…" Mike spoke up. He didn't want to go back to his house ever again, but he knew he had no choice. He didn't have anywhere else to go, and it was his house, he wouldn't leave it even if he could. He now began to stand.

"I can help get you home, Mike, afta we git our costumes off an' everything." Mani walked over to where Mike sat. He smiled. He was also still in costume, a green shirt, blue pants and black shoes, with a black fedora on his blonde hair. He also had dirt on his face.

"Thanks for the offer, Mani, but I think I'm fine…"

"Mate, you the exact opposite o' fine! Ye can't expect ta git yerself home like that! Ye'll just beat yerself up even more!" Mani looped his arm through Mike's and got him off his butt and on his feet. "C'mon, before Zoey gives us both a beatdown for gettin' her work all dusted up." And Mani led them to the dressing room.

Mani came out of the dressing room in his usual clothing: a beige shirt, brown pants that barely hit his ankles, and bare feet, all stained with earth. His fedora was now white, or was at some point.

Mike was now wearing something a little different than before: a dark blue silk shirt from an old show that was too big, black pants, and his shoes. His face and hair were still dirty, and his hand still bandaged, but he looked better than before. Mani had convinced Brick to lend the shirt to Mike and also got Zoey to fix his clothing. "Of course!" They'd both said.

So Mike and Manitoba left the theater, Mike leaning on Mani and Mani supporting him. They walked in silence until they reached the broken-up road that led to Mike's house. He stopped them there.

"I can go the rest of the way, Mani."

"Yih, sure you can. I got you this fah, I'm gettin you home. 'Specially with all these rocks in ya way."

"No, please don't. Go home. I'm sure your wife's waiting for you."

"Nah, she left me a while ago. Said I was too 'egotistical' and a 'womanizer'."

"Oh. But still, go. You don't want to come to my house."

"Why? The guys who beat you still gone be there waitin?"

Mike looked down. "Yes." He almost whispered.

"Well, let me at em!"

"No!" Mike closed eyes and sighed sadly. "Please, just go." Mike began limping forward down the road, away from Mani and towards the hell he was forced to live in.

Reviews are always appreciated. See y'all next Monday!