Chapter 2: Wait

Wait

Wait for the dawn, my dear

Wait til the sun gets here

And you will wait too long

He will be gone

Wait

Wait til the sun shines through

Wait til the sky is blue

And you will wait too long

He will be gone

He will be gone

November 11th, 2008

New York, NY

Samantha was overwhelmed from the moment she disembarked from Flight 222 at LaGuardia Airport. Crowds of people swarmed around and outside of the gate, and she had to pirouette on her toes to look for her director, who she was supposed to be staying with while in the city. Well, during the time of the show, that is. Hopefully by the time the show ends, she will have found her family and preferably have a more permanent place to stay.

"Samantha?" a voice questioned from close behind her. Samantha spun in shock and turned to face the sound. A fairly tall man with red curly hair smiled, his eyes welcoming.

"Yes?" she asked, confused as to how he knew her.

"I'm Damien Wright, the director of Anastasia." the man said. Samantha cringed as he smiled even wider, his smile giving off that air of creepiness that only certain people possessed. She looked him over, noticing the sign in his hands proving his identity.

"Oh! It's so nice to meet you!" She replied, reaching a hand out to shake his. Damien placed a kiss on her outstretched hand instead, and she flinched at the feel of his chapped, scratchy lips. "Trust me, the pleasure is all mine." He paused awkwardly. "We'll be going to the apartment after I find your roommate, the only other person not from the New York area. What's your story, anyway?"

"I'm sorry?"

"What brings a pretty California girl like you all the way here to be in a production? Surely you made the cut somewhere in the Sunshine State?"

"I wanted something new." Samantha explained, but Damien was already turning to greet a raven-haired girl pushing her way towards them.

"Cheyenne!" Damien greeted with a grin, hugging the girl tightly to him.

Cheyenne grimaced at Samantha over her shoulder as she hugged him back, albeit with a lot less enthusiasm. Once Damien let go, Cheyenne turned to Samantha with a mischievous smile on her dark red lips. "You must be the blonde angel I've heard so much about."

Samantha blushed. "What?"

"Cheyenne's brother is the casting director, he's the one who found you in California. I have to say, I trust his judgement a lot more now." Damian said before Cheyenne could reply.

"Yeah, and a freshman has never gotten the lead role before, so you've some big expectations to fulfill."Cheyenne warned.

Samantha focused on keeping her footing and did not respond. She had her own expectations for this trip, and wished that it was in her power to make sure that they were fulfilled.

Cheyenne and Damien continued talking as they headed toward baggage claim. Samantha found her bag relatively easily, and checked her pocket for the business card out of habit. Her hand was clutching the familiar piece of paper when Cheyenne tapped her on the shoulder.

"Blondie? Hello? I've been trying to get your attention forever! We need to peace out, we've got my stuff."

Samantha smirked at her. "Blondie?"

Cheyenne grinned. "Fair enough." She stuck out a pale white hand with jet black, chipped polish on its nails. "Cheyenne Williams."

Samantha shook her hand, her smirk widening as Cheyenne took in her perfectly manicured nails. "Samantha Delavan, but not for much longer."

"Oh, don't give me that artist crap about 'assuming the identity of the character'."

"That's actually not what I was talking about."

Cheyenne studied her for a moment. "Getting married, Blondie?"

Samantha grimaced. "God, no."

"Ladies, if we don't hurry up than you will have to go to the first rehearsal with all of your things. Literally, you will be wearing every single one." Damien shouted from a few feet ahead of them.

"Don't pretend you wouldn't rather them all be off Damien!" Cheyenne said with a roll of her eyes. "C'mon, Blondie, duty calls."

Samantha sighed, shouldering her bag and following her new roommates out of the airport. She jumped into a taxi, placed awkwardly between Damien and Cheyenne. Cheyenne gave her a sympathetic look as Damien swung an arm around Samantha's shoulder and pulled her close. Samantha tried desperately not to inhale, but the fifteen minute drive made it impossible to ignore the smell vaguely resembling cheese emanating off of him.

"We're going to have so much fun!" he exclaimed as they got out of the taxi. Samantha's heart pounded as she exited the taxi to a perfect view of the New York skyline. She glanced around in awe.

"Have you ever been to New York?" Cheyenne asked skeptically.

Samantha shook her head. "Never."

"Well, welcome to the city that never sleeps. Literally. Damien snores."

Samantha laughed loudly as they headed inside, lugging their bags up two flights of stairs before reaching their room.

"Rehearsal in half an hour ladies!" Damien warned as he opened the room next to theirs and slammed the door behind him. The two girls shared a smile before entering their own room. Cheyenne claimed the bed by the window, while Samantha set her suitcase on the bed next to the wall.

"You ready for the read through?" Cheyenne asked conversationally as Samantha shoved her suitcase off of her bed and collapsed onto it.

"Mmmgh." Samantha groaned. "No."

"Well, it is in two hours."

"Does that give me time to sleep?" she asked, her eyes heavy.

"A few minutes." Cheyenne said. "Then we should probably leave. Damien's probably there already, obsessing..."

Samantha laughed as she closed her eyes, drifting quietly off to sleep and wondering vaguely how to get to Wall Street from this apartment.

December 11th, 2008

New York, NY

The next month was a blur of play read throughs, rehearsals, and memorizing of lines. Samantha had to keep putting off her visit to Bass Industries because of being busy, every time she tried to get away Damien had some scene to go over or Cheyenne had some line she wanted to practice. Samantha loved her role as Anastasia, and laughed at the fact that Cheyenne was cast as her grandmother, so practicing lines with her new roommate was less of an obligation as it was enjoyable and fun. Plus, with the first show only days away, Samantha needed all the practice she could get.

"So, where did you get that amazing voice from anyway?" Cheyenne questioned.

"Well, I don't know, I was adopted..."Samantha hedged.

"Aha!"

"What?"

"That's why you're here. Your family's in New York! You're here to find them!" Cheyenne exclaimed.

Samantha looked at her skeptically. "How in the world did you get that?"

Cheyenne stared at her very suspicious roommate innocently. "Lucky guess?"

When Samantha's expression failed to change, Cheyenne relented. "Okay, okay. I may or may not have seen a birth certificate or something like it fall out of your suitcase the other day."

"That's more like it." Samantha sighed. "And yes, that's why I'm here. Why are you?"

"I hate my parents, and they hate me. I went a little too wild for their tastes."

"Oh, I know the feeling. The woman that adopted me is 'Miss High Society' in LA. It's awful. Where are you from?"

"Washington." Cheyenne said. "Not much excitement there. Somehow, no one liked it when I tried to create my own."

Both girls laughed openly at this.

"So, you have a game plan yet?" Cheyenne inquired.

"A game plan?"

"You know, something that's gonna help you find these people. Do you even know where they live?"

Samantha shrugged.

Cheyenne grinned at her indulgently. "C'mon, you know you want to tell me what you know about them."

Samantha shifted on her bed uncomfortably. "Well, when my mom had me, her name was Lily Rhodes. She was twenty, and I was born in France. So I assume the pregnancy wasn't exactly...expected."

"Do you know where she is now?"

"Well, if she gave me to Amanda, the woman I was with in LA, she must have some 'high society connection'. Amanda wouldn't have taken a baby from just anyone. She's too snobby for that. It took her years to find one."

"It must have devastated her when you left." Cheyenne mused.

Samantha shrugged again. "I doubt it. We didn't have the best relationship in the world. I'm sure she's fine."

"So...hmm. Lily Rhodes. Did you find anything on her now?"

"In a vague sort of way. The most promising thing I found was this blonde photographer who was a groupie for a bunch of different bands. She was especially famous for one of the lead singer of Lincoln Hawk, Rufus Humphrey."

"Your father." Cheyenne guessed.

Samantha nodded. "And the article I found said she was about to be married to Bart Bass, the big corporation mogul."

"Bass Industries is probably two or three blocks from here. I don't think 'Big Bad Bart' is going to give you much information though."

Samantha grinned wickedly. "I have my ways."

Cheyenne was silent for a moment before speaking again. "Let's do it."

"Now?!" Samantha asked, eyes wide.

"Yes, now! What's stopping you? We have rehearsals round the clock after today, and shows pretty soon after that. There's no day but today, my friend. I can cover for you for today, and possibly tomorrow if you're really nice to me."

Samantha took a deep breath to calm the butterflies in her stomach as she processed her roommate's logic. "Okay. Tell me where to go."

Samantha clutched the business card tightly in her fist as she sped through the streets of New York. She simply started out the window of the cab, contemplating what to possibly say to one of the most powerful and influential businessmen in the world and wondering what, if anything, would motivate him to tell her any bit of the information she needed. She somehow couldn't imagine him being the sort of person that would open his heart to the poor, adopted girl that wanted to go home.

"Honey, we're here!" the cab driver yelled as the car bounced to a halt. "Unless you want to stay, I can show you a good time."

Samantha rolled her eyes as she handed over her money. "Nice try." She got out of the cab and looked up at the building in trepidation. She was overwhelmed as she entered, but somehow managed to put on her most winning smile and make her way to the security guard blocking the stairs.

"Is Bart Bass in?" she asked sweetly.

The security guard stared at her as if she was crazy.

"Is he in a meeting? Because I can wait, I have urgent business to speak to him about."

"Do you live under a rock or something?" the man questioned skeptically.

"Um, no? I just arrived here from LA..." Samantha answered, confused.

"Bart Bass died three days ago. He's been six feet under for two."

Samantha felt the breath she had been holding leave her shakily. "W-What? Dead? How?"

"Car accident." The man glanced at the girl near hyperventilation suspiciously. "What exactly did you need from him?"

"An address. I might be able to find what I'm looking for upstairs..." she suggested, moving as if to go around him.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I've been given specific instructions to let no one upstairs."

Samantha nodded, pretending to know that the guard wanted her gone as she spotted a limping teenage boy headed towards them. His presence immediately distracted the guard, and Samantha took the opportunity to run up the stairs. She was too focused on her destination to notice the boy's cold black eyes follow her. Once she had cleared the stairs, she bolted for the empty office, the only room in the hall. At the door she slowed down and tried to enter somewhat reverently, remembering suddenly that the former occupant was very recently deceased. Samantha looked through each piece of paper on the desk, finding nothing resembling a home address. She glanced around and was intrigued by the photo frame stuffed into a drawer, its silver edge sticking out as if it had been shoved hurriedly out of sight. Samantha opened the drawer and pulled it out, her breath catching in her throat as she read the inscription: "Congratulations: Lily and Bart Bass. 5/18/08". She was immediately drawn to the blonde woman in the wedding dress, a lump forming in her throat as she realized that this was her, Lily Rhodes, her mother. She stared at the photo, transfixed, until the loud sound of footsteps echoed on the stairs. She threw down the photo in paranoia and ran for the door, for escape. She ran for it with all her might, running so hard that the tears in her eyes blurred her vision. She didn't notice the figure standing with its arms crossed over his chest, and ran straight into him. The force knocked both to the ground, and Samantha ended up almost completely on top of the person she had hit. Once she had recovered enough to lift her head off of his chest, she was shocked to recognize the teenage boy from downstairs.

The boy groaned in obvious pain and looked up to stare at his attacker. His shock turned to a smirk when he noticed Samantha's long legs tangled with his own. Samantha blushed furiously when his dark eyes met hers.

"I am so sorry." she apologized, standing up and offering her hand to the boy. "I had no clue where I was going."

The boy took her hand and smirked as she struggled to pull him to his feet.

"You should be lucky you're so hot, or else I would be asking you what in the world you're doing in my late father's office." he stated, stroking her hand softly and ignoring her attempt at an apology.

"I'm so sorry." Samantha said quietly. "Well, at least your father wanted you."

The boy scoffed. "Hardly. The man hated me."

"At least you knew him. Mine doesn't know I exist at all." Samantha replied, unsure of why she was confiding all of this in a strange boy with compelling eyes.

The smirk was back this time. "A gorgeous woman with daddy-issues. Just what I need to improve my morale. Allow me to properly introduce myself." He paused to place a gentle kiss on Samantha's hand that was still intertwined with his.

"I'm Chuck Bass."