~*~
“Amy?”
Amy looked up from her small book of poems. She smiled. “Hi, Vanessa.”
Vanessa sat beside Amy at the bus stop, turning slightly toward her. “Amy, I need to ask you a personal question.”
Amy closed the book of poems, nodding as she held Vanessa’s concerned gaze. “Sure.”
“It’s about Garret.”
Amy arched an eyebrow and adjusted her hold on the book of poems. “Oh?”
Vanessa examined Amy’s open expression, absently biting her lower lip. “Amy, do you remember that I told you Garret’s quite the charmer?”
Amy nodded. “Yes,” she said with a slight smile, “but I knew that already.”
Vanessa looked down at her clasped hands for a moment. “Yes, well,” she looked up, “he’s also quite the accomplished and believable actor. He has played so many tortured souls that he knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what to say and do that will melt the heart of any young woman.”
Amy felt a spark of defensive temper. She lowered her eyes to her hands as she lightly rubbed the leather-bound volume of poems with her thumb. It had been a gift from Garret on Friday. Sir Philip Sydney.
“I believe you when you say you haven’t been intimate with him,” Vanessa continued, “but I’m still concerned that he might be playing your heart. Garret loves women, and he loves a challenge even more.” Vanessa sighed and reached out to cover Amy’s hands with hers. “Don’t be angry, Amy. I know how wonderful Garret can be, with his quoting of Shakespeare and Marlowe and others. His accent. His charm. His manner. That sexy smile and laugh.” Vanessa sighed again as she gave a slight shake of her head. She squeezed Amy’s hands. “Garret could charm an intimate moment out of a nun, Amy, and I’m afraid that’s what he’s doing with you.”
Amy pulled her hands out from under Vanessa’s. Then she cleared her throat and pressed her lips together before knowing for certain that she had her temper under control. That was when she faced Vanessa. “Mr. Harrison did try to ‘charm an intimate moment’ out of me, Vanessa. I said no. Well, I actually said a great deal more than that, but ‘no’ was the basic idea. After that first time, he tried again. Again I said no. While it felt wonderful to have Sir Garret Harrison attempting to seduce little old me, I’m not one of those women who enjoy short-lived romps in the bedroom, satisfying as that might be to view Garret as a feather in my cap.”
Amy grimaced. “A feather,” she said, and her tone was very near a sneer. “Garret is a human being who deserves to be thought of as more than a rung on a ladder to the top. These past couple of weeks I’ve treated him just like that. I’ve shown him respect and he’s done the same for me, respecting even my decision to keep our relationship limited to intense conversations and the occasional good-bye kiss. And that,” Amy said with a finger in Vanessa’s face, “is to stay between us.”
Vanessa blinked and leaned slightly back.
Amy lowered her finger as she continued. “I’m sure he could be acting this ‘tortured’ and ‘misunderstood man’ role simply to eventually get me in his sheets, but I like-- No, I love the Garret Harrison I’ve discovered. He’s a poet, an actor, and a philosopher - much to his own surprise. I appreciate the concern, Vanessa, and I know it comes from what happened in your own relationship with him, but I’m not going to be suspicious because of something that happened in the past. We all deserve better than that.”
Amy felt her passion and intensity begin to swell out of control and yanked them back with a clearing of her throat and a tightened grip on her book of poems. “Garret knows how I feel about sex before marriage. He also knows how I feel about him, just like I know how he feels about me. You might think it another plot, but like I said before: I don’t care. I’m going to take him at his word. If you’re right, then I’ll chalk it up to experience and move on. If I’m right, then I hope you’ll come to the wedding.”
Vanessa blinked again, eyes wide as she regarded Amy in stupefied silence. Then the shocked expression melted to a slight smile. “I hope I am wrong, Amy. I really do. Garret needs someone like you to keep him in check.”
Amy released a deep breath, ushering the passion into a far corner as she reluctantly smiled. “You know what, Vanessa? It’s me that needs someone like him.”
Amy heard the recognizable sound of Garret’s English roadster as it pulled to a stop. She and Vanessa stood. “I really do appreciate you looking out for me, Vanessa. It’s nice to have a big sister. That was always my job.”
Vanessa reached out to give Amy’s arm a squeeze. Then she looked over toward Garret, who very slowly exited the roadster. She smiled, waved, and then turned to go back to Studio 10 to finish those scenes scheduled that day. Amy released a deep breath and then stepped toward the roadster. Garret opened the door for her, helped her in, and then absently closed it with another slight frown Vanessa’s direction. Then he went around to his own side and merged the roadster into traffic.
Amy released a deep breath as she leaned back in the leather seat. She looked over at his profile - he still had a slight frown - and smiled. “You’re probably dying to know what we were talking about, huh?”
Garret glanced toward her, and his frown faded when their eyes met. “Yes, I suppose I am,” he admitted once his gaze focused on the road. He gave a shake of his head as he chuckled. “Chalk such a reaction to a guilty conscience. How nice to actually discover I have one.”
Amy chuckled, still watching his profile. “Well, Mr. Garret Harrison, she told on you.” Garret glanced toward her, eyebrow raised. “She’s sure all your charm and attitudes of a tortured individual are dedicated to the single goal of getting me into your sheets.”
Garret sent her a sharp look. “What?”
Amy nodded, her expression mock seriousness. “She made a very convincing argument, too, and I’m sure it was only because of your relationship with her before. I told her I wasn’t going to be suspicious of you just because you have a somewhat colorful past. We’ve already dealt with that.”
He regarded her a moment before looking again to the road. “Yet what if her concerns are proved true?”
Amy looked ahead out at the taillights of the cars, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Just promise to let me know before my mom asks if I have plans to marry you. That I’m actually considering it with the famous Sir Garret Harrison will probably do her in. I’d rather not risk giving her a stroke if you’re just charming me for my body.”
Garret sent her a sidelong glance. Then he reached over to take her hand in his, bringing it to his lips for a long kiss. “Amy...”
Amy’s smile wavered. “What’s the matter?”
“Amy, I feel I must confess...”
Amy’s stomach twisted. “No,” she whispered.
Garret gave a slight nod, still holding her hand as his eyes didn’t leave their examination of the road. “I know. I’m a cad.” He glanced toward her again. “You’re an intoxicating woman, Amy. I couldn’t bear the thought of being told ‘no’ when I wanted you so completely. Such didn’t happen to Garret Harrison.” He released a breath. “I am so sorry, Amy.”
“So… even the poems? You did the hesitancy and uncertainty just to seduce me?” Amy pulled her hand from his with a shake of her head. “Garret…”
Garret pulled the roadster off to the side. He faced her with a serious expression unlike any she’d seen. “Yes. The hesitancy. The uncertainty. The unique poems. Even confessing the reasons for Mark and Vanessa’s placement, although what I told you was indeed the truth.”
Amy stared down at her clenched hands. “And the first breakfast with me and Renee? And the confession of the proposal to Vanessa? And saying ‘I love you’ in the elevator?” Amy’s voice cracked. “Lies? Acts?” Amy’s glimmering eyes rose to meet his gaze. “You didn’t mean any of it?”
“I don’t recall at what point I ceased acting and actually became engrossed and enthralled with the tales and heart of Amy Burke,” Garret began carefull
y. He lowered his gaze with a deep breath and a shake of his head. “Perhaps, at the time…” He raised his eyes again. “Amy you do inspire those poetic words. I am attracted to you. I do care for you in a different way than I have for any woman.”
Amy stretched out her hands. “How can I believe you, Garret? You just told me it was only for sex.” Her voice choked on the word.
Garret nodded. “I know, and I believed that at first. Yet I continued to come. To listen. To laugh. To surrender a snippet of myself to your memory. I haven’t done so with any other woman, Amy.”
Amy covered her eyes with a hand, fighting back the tears.
“Amy, I did not want for you to find out. I wanted to save you this pain.” Garret reached out to hold her upper arm, tenderly caressing it with his thumb. “Amy... I will not blame you if you choose not to see my face again.”
Amy lowered her hand from her eyes, and her eyes sparked. “Do you have any idea how stupid I feel, Garret Harrison!? You had me completely fooled!”
Garret nodded. “Please, Amy. Forgive me. I swear I have uttered nothing but the truth--”
“Since when?” Amy’s expression was pained. “Since when, Garret? Since I asked you not to hurt me--” Her voice choked, and she looked away.
Garret watched her, expression haggard. He breathed deeply. “Amy,” he said softly. Garret leaned toward her. “Amy, I confessed so that I would not lose you. If the confession has separated you from me, can we not pretend there was no confession of a darker intent?”
Amy didn’t answer.
Garret cautiously reached out to take her hands in his. She didn’t pull away. “Sweet muse, bestow again your warmth. Sing again your song, lest I perish alone, lost and unloved. Unknown. Half a man, with my muse the holder of my spirit.”
Amy clenched his hands tight, and then she pulled him close to bury her face in his neck. “Catch me, poet mine, lest my heart break and be lost,” she choked out.
Garret held her tight against him, releasing a long and slow breath as he closed his eyes. “Forgive me, sweet muse. Please, please forgive me.”
Amy sobbed as she adjusted her hold around him. “Remove this pain, poet mine. Its depth terrifies me.”
Garret pressed his cheek against her hair. “I never intended to pierce my muse with such pain. Give it me that you might be free of its torture.”
“It burns still, as does the spark of my love; your warmth.” Amy pulled back, tears glistening on her cheeks and in her eyes as she examined his face. “If this be the lie, show me not the truth. I love them both.”
Amy kissed him.
.: Eleven :.
A Lesson to Shakespeare
“Action!”
…
(Cloud and the others stand outside the Temple of the Ancients. Watching. The camera pans up to the top of the Temple, as a great black ball of energy consumes it, sparking. When it fades, there is nothing left of the Temple but a great pit. Cloud goes to the edge of it; there is a small black sparkle at the bottom.)
CLOUD: That’s the Black Materia...
TIFA: I’ll wait here.
CLOUD: (makes his way to the bottom of the pit, followed by Aeris. He goes over to the Black Materia.) As long as we have this, Sephiroth won’t be able to use Meteor. (Cloud picks up the Black Materia.) Mmm? Can you guys use it?
AERIS: Nope, we can’t use it right now. You need great spiritual power to use it.
CLOUD: You mean lots of Spiritual energy?
AERIS: That’s right. One person’s power alone won’t do it. Somewhere special. Where there’s plenty of the Planet’s energy... Oh yeah! The Promised Land!
CLOUD: The Promised Land? No, but...
AERIS: Sephiroth is different. He’s not an Ancient.
CLOUD: “He shouldn’t be able to find the Promised Land.”
(The screen flashes white. When it fades, Sephiroth stands at the edge of the pit.)
SEPHIROTH: “...Ah, but I have.” (He floats up, over the pit.) “I’m far superior to the Ancients. I became a traveler of the Lifestream and gained the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients. I also gained the knowledge and wisdom of those after the extinction of the Ancients. And soon, I will create the future.”
AERIS: I won’t let you do it! The future is not only yours!
SEPHIROTH: (floats higher.) Ha, ha, ha... I wonder? Wake up!
(The scene fades back in, to the bottom of the pit. Cloud clutches his head and falls to the ground.)
CLOUD: Sh... shut up!
(Sephiroth floats to the ground. He kneels down.)
SEPHIROTH: There, Cloud... good boy.
CLOUD: The... Noise...
(Cloud begins to run, in slow motion, to Sephiroth. It takes almost half a minute for him to make the few feet to Sephiroth. Cloud’s double just stands where Cloud once had. Cloud gives the Black Materia to Sephiroth. Sephiroth stands up and begins to laugh.)
SEPHIROTH: .......Well done.
(The screen goes white as Sephiroth rockets skyward. The camera moves to above the pit. Cloud falls and clutches his head, trembling. Aeris goes over to him.)
AERIS: “Cloud, are you all right?”
CLOUD: ...I gave the Black Materia to Sephiroth...?
(Cloud straightens for a brief moment, then falls at Aeris’ feet.)
CLOUD: Wha... what did I do... tell me, Aeris.
AERIS: Cloud... be strong, OK?
CLOUD: (Cloud starts writhing on the ground.) Urrrrrrgh... What have I done!?
AERIS:: (kneels down by him.) Cloud... you haven’t done anything. It’s not your fault.
(Cloud stands up slowly... and punches Aeris. She falls backwards and Cloud falls onto her, landing blow after blow.)
CLOUD: I...! I’m----!
TIFA: Cloud!!
(Cloud continues to beat Aeris.)
TIFA: Cloud, what are you doing?
CLOUD: Everything is white... What did I do? I don’t remember anything... My memory... since when...? If everything’s a dream, don’t wake me.
(The screen goes black.)
…
“Cut!”
Mark laughed and looked over at Amy. “You okay? I think I got you with one of those smacks.”
Amy punched him in the arm with a mock frown. “You nearly took my block off, you big goon. Sheesh!”
Mark flinched away. “Hey, hey. Stop beating me up. I just followed the script.”
He stood to his feet and helped Amy to hers as Vanessa came over to them, smiling. Garret hung back, leaning his hands against the back of the Executive Producer chair. Amy briefly caught his gaze as she stood with Mark’s help, intercepting Garret’s wink with a slight smile.
“Good job, people,” Max grudgingly admitted as he came over. “Two more scenes, and then Harrison has to go to a meeting.” Max motioned them to the forest set. “Alright. Now we shoot ‘Aeris’ Wood.’ Places people.”
“Did you want to come over for dinner this evening?” Amy asked Mark as they make their way to their set marks. “I figured you and Vanessa and Mr. Harrison, and maybe Vincent--”
“Are you kidding? The guy’s a mobster, Amy. Why the hell would you want to invite him?”
Amy’s mouth dropped open. “Vincent is an actor, Mark,” she scolded with fists on hips. “So he used to be in not-so-glamorous circles. At least he’s trying to put that behind him. You could at least make it easier.”
“Yeah, say that when you find a--”
“Mark!” Max shouted. “Cut the gab and get in character!”
Mark sent Max a dirty look and then did as he was told. Amy stepped behind a tree and waited for her cue.
“Action!”
…
(The scene fades in... a calm green forest. Aeris pokes her head around one tree.)
AERIS: Cloud, can you hear me?
CLOUD: Yeah, I hear you. Sorry for what happened.
AERIS: (comes out from behind the tree; we see her profile as she faces to the side.) Don’t worry about it.
br /> CLOUD: ...I can’t help it...
AERIS: (goes back behind the tree.) Oh...
(She jumps out from behind another tree on the opposite side of the forest, not visibly walking the distance between them.)
AERIS: Then, why don’t you REALLY worry about it? And let me handle Sephiroth.
(She starts giggling, turns pure white, and disappears. She comes out from behind yet another tree.)
AERIS: And Cloud, you take care of yourself.
(She walks back behind the tree, off-handedly leaning back so that we just see her head.)
AERIS: So you don’t have a breakdown, okay?”
(She goes behind the tree. She drops down from the sky, slowly, puppet-like, landing very softly on the ground. Cloud also floats down, closer to the camera. He looks around.)
CLOUD: What is this place?
AERIS: This forest leads to the City of the Ancients... and is called Sleeping Forest. It’s only a matter of time before Sephiroth uses Meteor. That’s why I’m going to protect it. Only a survivor of the Cetra, like me, can do it. The secret is just up here. At least it should be. ...I feel it. It feels like I’m being led by something. Then, I’ll be going now. I’ll come back when it’s all over.
CLOUD: Aeris?
(She turns and runs off into the forest, getting smaller and smaller, until she disappears into the bright green sunlight. Cloud starts to run after her, slowly, but does not go anywhere, just as in a dream. Eventually he stops, and Sephiroth speaks, from somewhere.)
SEPHIROTH: Hmm........ She’s thinking of interfering? She will be a difficult one, don’t you think?
(Sephiroth floats down from above, just as Cloud did. He lands, kneeling, where Aeris stood moments before.)
SEPHIROTH: We must stop that girl soon.
(The screen flashes white, then goes completely dark.)
…
“Cut!”
Amy stepped out from behind the back matt painting of the ‘Sleeping Forest’ and came to stand by Garret and Mark. She slightly touched Garret’s elbow with her arm as she spoke to Mark. “That was fun.”
Mark smirked. “What part? The floating? Or the fact you got all the lines?”
Amy smiled. “Not telling.” Then she frowned. “And besides, I’m only in one more scene, and I don’t even get to talk in that one. I just have to look all ethereal and holy.” She jabbed a finger in Mark’s chest. “So don’t complain about me getting all the lines. You have the whole rest of the movie.”
“Now, now, children,” Garret said with a slight smile. “Let us play nice.” Garret looked over at Max, noticed he was flipping through the script, and deftly caressed Amy’s back with a hand. “Well done, Miss Burke. If you continue such as you are, you will find yourself the newest addition to the male pin-up collection.”
Mark laughed. Vanessa shook her head as she sipped her water. Amy chuckled, sending Garret a eye-crinkling smile. “Only one pin-up allowed,” she said softly.
Garret raised an eyebrow. Mark stopped laughing, and his jaw dropped. Vanessa shook her head again.
There was a clap. “Alright, people. Hardest scene of the day. Let’s get to it.”
Garret’s fingers lingered on Amy’s back a moment more before he turned to make his way to his position on a cat-walk above the ‘Forgotten City’. Amy and Mark and Vanessa all made their way to their respective positions on the ‘Forgotten City’ set; Amy on a circular platform while Mark and Vanessa would be on a platform several steps away. Amy took up her kneeling position, adjusted her dress around her, and then motioned to Max that she was ready. So did the others.
“Quiet on set! And… Action!”
...
CLOUD: Aeris’ voice...... Coming from here?
(He reaches a huge, elegant, crystalline city, suspended in space. Continuing on, he finds a small shrine. Aeris is kneeling inside it.)
CLOUD: Aeris?
(There are five columns forming a path to the shrine, no wider than Cloud. Below them is a pool of pure, blue water. Cloud leaps onto the first column. The others move as if to follow, but Cloud waves them away. He leaps across the other columns and reaches the shrine. He steps onto the stairs leading up to the glass platform where Aeris kneels. The screen goes red for a moment. Cloud shakes his head and reaches for his sword... then shakes his head again and continues. He stands before Aeris. She does not move. He faces away and draws his sword. She still does not move. He turns to face her. He lifts his sword above his head. She still does not move. Cloud brings down his sword.)
TIFA: Cloud! Stop!
CLOUD: (shakes his head and steps back.) Ugh... what are you making me do?
(Aeris continues to pray in the small shrine. She looks up for the first time and sees Cloud. She smiles. Beautifully. The camera pans up. Falling from the bright white light from above comes a black figure. It falls faster and faster. Sephiroth. Faster he falls, straight for Aeris. His ‘sword’ pierces Aeris’ body. Sephiroth just stares at Cloud. His eyes glitter, cat-like, a sly smile on his lips. With a great noise of grating metal, he makes the motion of pulling his sword from her body. Aeris falls forward, her eyes wide open in shock... but the smile does not leave her face. Then her eyes close. As she falls, her hair ribbon comes undone and a small materia, glowing a pale green, falls from it. It bounces once, emitting a small, pure sound against the glass floor. It bounces again, and again, until it falls off the platform into the clear water below.)
…
“Cut!” Max stood, clapping as he stepped forward. “Great job, people! That’s a wrap!”
Mark handed the plastic sword to the prop person as he sent Max an inquisitive look. “Hey, Shepherd. Any idea what the pop was as Garret came down.” Mark looked to Garret as he came to kneel beside Amy. “You heard it? Right?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact,” Garret said. He placed a hand on Amy’s back. “Well done, Miss--” He lifted his hand and stared at the deep red. “Oh my god.” He looked up at Max. “Call 9-1-1!” Garret turned Amy over onto her back, cradling her in his arms. Her eyes opened and she took a gasp of air, eyes wide as they focused on Garret’s. “Be still, Amy. Be still.”
Max and Mark both frantically keyed 9-1-1 on their cell phones, rushing toward the exit to wave the ambulance in when it arrived.
Amy swallowed hard and gripped one of Garret’s arms as it held her. “D-Did you get the sh-shot?”
Garret grabbed the towels from Vanessa’s outstretched hand and pressed them against the growing stain of blood in her abdominal area. Vanessa knelt beside Amy, taking her hand in hers. “Shh. Don’t speak, Amy. Just be still. The ambulance will be here shortly.”
Amy slightly nodded, gasping with pain as she squeezed her eyes shut tight.
The ambulance was there shortly. Less than two minutes, thanks to the fact the studio had already arranged for one to be on call in case anything happened. They loaded her up onto the gurney, keeping the towels pressed tightly against the wound as they heaved her up into the back of the ambulance. Garret was reluctantly allowed to ride with her on the way to the hospital. So he sat at her side, holding her hand as the EMT set about informing the hospital of what to expect on their arrival.
Amy tried to speak, but both the EMT and Garret shushed her. She didn’t try again. She only tightly clasped Garret’s hand as he watched her paling complexion with growing dread. Once they arrived at the hospital, Garret had to wait in the waiting room while Amy was rushed to the ER.
All Garret could do was stare at the swinging double doors in stupefied silence. The blood. That’s all he could see. Her blood. Garret looked down at his hands… and his clothes… her blood. Her life. Garret swallowed hard, backing up a step as he continued to stare at his bloody hands.
“Sir?”
Garret looked sharply at the nurse.
“Sir, if you’d like to get washed up,” she motioned to the far hall, “you can do that in the bathroom down that hall on the left.”
Garret moved toward t
hem without a word. He scrubbed and washed and dried and scrubbed again, but all he could see and feel on his hands was the vision of her blood. Finally, hands rough, raw, and peeling, he stepped from the bathroom to make his way to the waiting room. Mark and Vanessa were there, and they stood at his arrival.
“Well?” Mark asked. “Anything?”
Garret shook his head, jaw clenched tight.
“Damn.” Mark sat. “Max’s at the studio,” he said as he ran a hand through his spiked blonde hair. “Trying to find out what the hell happened.”
Garret gave an absent nod before turning to stare again at the double doors leading to the ER.