Hunt was waiting for her outside, and Danielle realised this would be the first time they were driving to the shoot in the same car. And, as it seemed, they would be alone, save for the person driving. She had kind of hoped he would already be there so she'd have some time to herself on the way.

"Did you get some sleep?" Hunt asked while they walked to the car.

"Not a lot," Danielle replied honestly. She opened the door and climbed into the car. Once she was sitting, she added, "I won't be falling asleep, though."

Hunt looked at her with a slightly puzzled expression on his face, then got into the car as well. "I didn't think you would be so nervous."

"I'm not," Danielle immediately lied. From the look Hunt gave her, she could tell he didn't believe it. She sighed. "I've never had a nude scene before."

He choked. "Nude? I was under the impression you would be wearing ritual robes."

"Oh, that was an earlier version of the scene," Danielle told him, surprised he didn't know that. "Holly thought I would be uncomfortable being naked in front of Phelps, so she went with that. But when you came on board, she asked me if it would be all right if she changed it back to what she had originally planned."

Hunt swallowed hard. "Ah, yes, I suppose… it seems fitting, being a purification ritual and all. And you agreed to that?"

"I did," Danielle confirmed. Nervous as she was, it did make more sense – aesthetically and story-wise. "But, wait, if you didn't know that… why did you think I'd be nervous?"

He tilted his head to one side. "Filming in cold water in the middle of the night isn't without its dangers. Not to mention the dangers that come with doing so right by a waterfall."

Danielle chuckled. "Yeah, I don't know who you think you're talking to. I thought you were there during my time at Hollywood U? I've done more dangerous things than that."

"Touché," Hunt said with a shake of his head. He seemed to think about something for a moment. "Even if I had known about the nudity, I wouldn't have guessed you would be nervous about that, either."

felt like a slap in the face, coming from him. Danielle huffed and turned her back to him, looking out the window. "Didn't know that's what you think of me."

"That isnothow I meant it," Hunt said, and Danielle swore she couldhearhim roll his eyes. "I don't know you to be easily fazed, that is all."

She turned back to look at him. He did appear to be genuine. "I didn't think I'd be so nervous, either," she told him and shrugged. "Maybe if it wasn't Montmartre's film…"

"It's not," Hunt said staunchly. "Yes, it's his money, and he gets to makesomedecisions," he conceded, "butweare the people making the film. You and Holly Chang and… Chris… and I and everyone else working on it."

"But—"

"I'm going to make sure you will feel as comfortable as possible," he told her, determination in his voice. "And you will not have anything to be embarrassed about."

Danielle felt a strange fluttering sensation in her chest, then. That was exactly the reason why she had always wanted to work with Hunt again, ever sinceCentaurus Lost. She had seen a side of him then that she'd never imagined he had. A director who cared about the finished product, yes, but also one who cared about everyone involved. One who wanted his vision realised, but not at any cost. One who was the antithesis to all Hollywood stood for.

She had fallen in love with him as a director then. And maybe even a little as a person, too.

With a smile, she said, "Thank you, Hu… Thomas."

Thomas silently cursed whoever had messed up and not given him the new version of the script, but there was nothing he could do now. He hated not being fully prepared – and he would have needed quite some time to prepare himself for this. Danielle, naked, in the light of a full moon. And after the dream he'd had in their first night here, too.

It was a good thing they were in a bit of a time crunch and he could send her right to hair and make-up once they arrived because he needed some time to process it. Preferably not with her sitting right next to him.

There should not have been a problem, really. Thomas had seen many actresses naked in his time. Some he found attractive, some he did not. Never had it cost him an ounce of professionalism, however. Then again, he'd never dreamt about any of them in his bed, either.

A paramedic came up to him shortly after Danielle had disappeared into one of the tents and informed him of the safety protocols they would be following. He didn't listen all too closely, his mind still elsewhere. It was all the usual things, anyway, he was sure – frequent breaks for warming up, no venturing too far into the water, and so on. When the paramedic was done with his safety instruction, Thomas sent him off to give the same speech to Danielle as well.

It wasn't long after that Danielle stepped out of a tent, wearing only a sheer white robe. She already looked so graceful as she walked towards him in the moonlight, a bashful smile on her face.

"I'm ready, I think," she told him.

Thomas couldn't answer right away. He was still taking in her appearance. She looked less savage than she usually did as Maeve. Her long red hair wasn't wild, it looked smooth and flowy and beautiful. Her face was almost devoid of any visible make-up, only the usual film make-up was there. She looked young and innocent and somehow… ethereal.

He wasn't sure what was worse – this look, or the fierce and wild swordswoman he had seen before. Neither of them left him or his heart rate unaffected, that was for certain.

"Um… Thomas?" Danielle asked, sounding almost worried. "Is everything all right?"

He cleared his throat. "Yes, yes. I was just thinking about something… shall we start?"

"Yes, please," she told him. "I don't think waiting longer will help with that knot that's been forming in my stomach."

Thomas nodded. "Very well. We're going to start with some shots of you outside of the water."

"I thought so. Can't have my hair wet before I even get in the water, right?" she said, chuckling. Thomas wondered if she could tell how flustered he was.

"That, and we don't want to shoot too much after you were in the water. The risk of hypothermia would be too high," he said and motioned for her to follow him.

Yes, hypothermia, continuity… and the fact that Thomas would do anything to delay seeing her take off that robe. Luckily, Danielle was walking behind him and couldn't see his face when the thought crossed his mind.

Christ, Thomas, get a grip, he thought to 're not a teenager who's never seen a naked woman before.

At the bottom of the waterfall, they stopped, and a special effects artist walked up to Danielle with a container of fake blood in his hands. He asked if she was ready to begin, to which she nodded. Thomas took a step back, and let him do his work.

He dipped his hand into the blood and smeared some over her face. He also put some into the hair that was framing her face, making sure to keep its otherwise impeccable look. Then, he seemed to give Danielle some instructions, after which she opened her robe a little bit, then dipped her own hands into the fake blood. And, oh God, then she started smearing it across the top of her breasts.

The innocence Thomas had seen just a few seconds ago was now gone, replaced by something else entirely. Something much worse. She looked beautiful still, her hair still perfect, her face still young, her robe still white. Except there were now deep red spots visible through the robe, and her hair had dark and sticky strands, and she looked exactly as Maeve was supposed to in this very moment – as if she had just killed her betrothed.

It should not have been something that made Thomas feel the way he did right now, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't help the waves of heat that washed over him, and he had to look away.

He heard everyone else around him get into position, so he followed suit. Danielle was now standing just out of frame, a blood-stained dress fit for a noble lady in her hands.

Thomas looked at her, despite every nerve in his body telling him not to. He had promised he would make her feel comfortable, though, so he waited for her approval. She gave him a nod and a smile. She was ready. Was he?

It didn't matter. They had much to shoot and only very limited time. "And… action!"