Jeffrey walked quickly, but cautiously besides his partner. He kept up with the long strides of the pirate, who generally walked fast.
"It comes with the force of habit, kid. You'll get used to it;" Phineas had told him, after he had complained at one point.
"Or die trying," Jeffrey had moaned, only to be answered with a chuckle.
They entered an all ready busy building with people scurrying this way and that as if they had something they had to get done that minute.
Jeffrey, not wanting to be separated from Phineas, held onto the strong arm.
Phineas had felt the boy's hand grip his biceps and understood. The last time he was separated from the boy was what he hoped would be his last, for he had thought his world had come apart.
It was funny: if years ago someone had told him he would be a partner to an eleven year old kid, he would have laughed in their faces. Now if anyone would lay a hand on this dark hair boy, he'd kill 'em!
A tug on his sleeve brought Phineas back to realization and he looked down, half expecting to see Jeffrey there.
Except there was this small person beside him, an angry look on his face.
"Are you a worker here?" the small man asked, annoyance in his voice.
Phineas shook his head. "No, we're looking for someone."
"Hmmmmph, everybody is. Listen, if you're not a worker here, then leave the building. We're TRYING
to get a movie done!"
Phineas crossed his arms over his chest, trying very hard not to laugh. Jeffrey was behind the man making faces and when the man turned to see what Jeffrey was doing, Jeffrey stopped and pretended to look around.
"Listen, we don't have time for smart alecks around here, so if you'd kindly leave, I'd appreciate it."
"We'll leave as soon as we find Judy Garland;" Phineas informed him.
Jeffrey for once allowed his partner to do the talking, but his eyes darted around the area, looking to see if he could find anyone who might be of some help.
"Judy Garland? She hasn't been working in months! Why would you want her?"
Phineas noticed that Jeffrey had moved towards the set, where a blonde girl who was talking to another woman.
The girl looked familiar, but Phineas couldn't place her.
000
Jeffrey went to talk to the young blonde girl. Her blue eyes met his brown ones and he smiled at her.
"Hi, I'm Jeffrey;" he offered his hand.
The girl smiled back and excepted his hand. "Hello, I'm Shirley Temple."
Jeffrey thought how weird it looked seeing her in the famous blue dress and red shoes.
"Are you playing Dorothy?" he asked, trying to act cool.
"Yes, I am." she nodded.
"Are you enjoying it?" he could tell just by watching her she wasn't.
She pulled him aside. "I don't know why I'm telling you this, because I don't know you. But, I feel that I can trust you some how."
Jeffrey nodded. "You can,"
"The thing is, my mother got me this part. I told her there was something else I wanted to do, but she just wouldn't listen to me."
"She just wants what's best for you," Jeffrey told her, his mind drifting to his own mother.
Shirley nodded. "I know. I just want to do something different, you know?"
"Yeah, I do. But, my father and I may know of a person who can take the role of Dorothy."
Shirley's blue eyes widened. "You do?"
"Yep,"
Shirley started to leave him and he grabbed her by the arm.
"Wait! Where are you going?"
"If you and your father can find that person, I'm quitting now!" she told him and she closed the door behind her.
Moaning, he went over to Phineas and was relieved to find the small person gone.
"I think I blew it;" he told the other Voyager.
"Okay, what you do now?" Phineas asked, not liking the look on his young partner's face.
"I think I just helped Shirley Temple quit,"
"You did WHAT!?" Phineas gasped.
Jeffrey told Phineas what reoccurred during the conversation.
Seeing the boy getting upset, Phineas put a comforting hand on the lad's shoulder.
"It'll be okay, Jeff. We'll just have to get someone to replace her till we get Judy,"
"Easier said then done, Bogg." Jeffrey moaned.
"Hey, remember who you're talking to!"
"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of."
"Watch it;" Phineas warned.
Jeffrey smiled. He loved teasing the big guy.
They saw Shirley come out of her room in jeans and a pretty shirt. Everyone turned to face her, looks of shock were clearly on their faces.
The director went to her.
"And just WHERE do you think you're going?"he demanded.
She looked over at Jeffrey. "Well, thanks to Jeffrey, I know what I want to do and it's NOT acting. So, I'm leaving."
Feeling eyes darting towards him, Jeffrey felt as small as the person standing on his right. He inched closer for protection from Phineas, who put an arm around him.
They all watched Shirley leave.
The director went to Jeffrey and Phineas, anger in his eyes.
"YOU did this?" he barked at Jeffrey.
"Hey, you can't talk to my kid like that!" Phineas said, warning in his voice.
"Oh, he belongs to you, then, does he?"
"Yeah, that's right, he does."
"Then, you can be held responsible for his actions. You need to help us find another Dorothy;"
"We intend to do just that, sir. As long as we find out where Judy Garland is;" Phineas was starting to sound like a broken record.
"Judy Garland? She's a nobody!" the director spat.
"She will be after you put her in this movie," Jeffrey spoke.
"And you're so sure?" the director said.
All Jeff could do was nod his head.
"Listen to him. He knows what he's talking about," Phineas said, tightening his arm around Jeff.
"Well, we can't stop production while we wait for this Judy."
"Can't you just get someone to play the role until then?" Jeff asked. Almost immediately Jeffrey regretted saying that.
Both Phineas and the director looked right at him. He knew exactly what they were thinking.
"No! Absolutely not!"
"C'mon, kid, just until I get Judy. It shouldn't take me long,"
Before he knew it, Jeffrey was in the dressing room being changed.
After an hour of not seeing the boy, Phineas decided to check in on him.
When Phineas walked in the room, he couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"DON'T you even say it," Jeffrey warned, shaking a finger at him.
Jeffrey was sitting in the chair, boy style. He wore the blue dress and red shoes and had a wig of pig tails on his head.
"Bogg...." Jeffrey moaned.
"You know something, kid, you look pretty good in a dress!" Phineas burst out laughing.
Jeffrey sighed. "Just hurry to get Judy here, please, Bogg? You know I can't sing a lick!"
Phineas had to hold in his laughter. "I promise, Jeff. I won't be long," the pirate left the dressing room.
Jeffrey could hear Phineas laughing and moaned.
You better not be, Bogg,you better not be.