http://i48.tinypic.com/2hpqd52.jpg SEATTLE PICTURES PRESENTS

http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/Ot1iBeA4F6bhR1iwVlWow/cid/62257823/id/wCm5OA5STD24UcYYvrUmAQ/size/c600x957.jpg

Friday, November 2, 2012

At the Shanachie Theater

Red Carpet begins at 6:00 PM ? Screening at 7:30 PM

Party to Follow in the Shanachie Theater Lounge

((More details coming soon. Feel free to use this thread to post whatever you wish regarding the premiere and post-party. And like Mataya says, just have fun with it! ;-) ))

"Liv!" Johnny called from the front room, where he was watching out the window for the limo to arrive. He was as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. If Liv didn't know better, she might think Johnny was more excited about the premiere and more importantly the party that followed than the stars. Decked out in a steel gray designer suit, complete with a white handkerchief tucked into the jacket pocket, describing his look as sharp was an understatement, but Johnny had always been a flash dresser when he could afford to be. The buzzer sounded announcing the limo's arrival and Johnny sighed as he turned away from the window, feeling antsy to get going, wondering what the heck Liv was doing in the bathroom....again. "Liv!" he called again. "The limo's here. It's time to go!"

"What the heck is she doing in there?" he muttered to himself as he started toward the door to hit the buzzer and let the doorman know they'd be right down. He was having the time of his life living in the condo, though he wished it was a highrise. Jumping out of the third story window wasn't really much of a challenge.

"I really don't see the point of being there at all," Liv complained lightly, finally pulling the door open at the sound of Johnny's overexcited summons. "It's my night off, Johnny." It took a moment longer for her to step out of the bathroom and into view, still twitching nervously at the high neckline of her dress. Given a choice, she would have worn the same modest, understated black gown she had worn to the Crowes premiere, arrived three hours early, and hidden away where no one could really see her. With Johnny around, she hadn't had that choice. The dress was white satin and black silk, and had been fitted to perfection; the hair was tied back and loose, very retro in appearance. And they were taking a limo. The only thing missing was a smile - she looked as though she was about to pass out from her own shyness.

He turned when he heard her behind him, eyes so wide they looked like they might pop out of his head. He whistled low in appreciation. "Oh my God, Liv. You're gorgeous!" Well, of course, she was gorgeous. He already knew that, but tonight, she looked gorgeous enough to outshine every female in Rhy'Din, movie star or not. "You've been holding out on me," he teased with a grin as he admired the vision of loveliness before him.

She couldn't help smiling, the color returning to her face in a soft blush as her hand rose to self-consciously smooth over the satin that hugged her usually carefully hidden curves. "I still think I should have paid Lucy to do this instead of me," she muttered, but they both knew she didn't mean it. As shy as she was, as obsessive in her work as she was, she was genuinely looking forward to the evening out. "Well, I suppose I had to make an effort after you went to all the trouble of picking out the dress to match your suit, didn't I?" She smiled, moving over to gently smooth his lapel straight. "I still maintain you are the gorgeous one here."

He made a face, scrunching up his nose at her suggestion. "As fond as I am of your sister, I don't want to go with her. I want to go with you." He smiled smugly at her remark as he watched her approach. "I do have good taste," he admitted, turning a little so she could smooth his lapel and straighten his tie, though it didn't really need straightening. "I won't deny that," he continued, rather full of himself tonight. "Think I can manage to outshine your boss?" he asked, with a smirk as he settled his hands against her hips, admiring the hour glass figure she usually kept hidden behind layers of clothing, but that he was well familiar with.

She laughed, leaning into him as his hands came to rest on her hips, acutely aware of how thin the material was in comparison to the layers she usually wore. "You can shine as much as you like on the red carpet until he arrives," she told him fondly. "And at the party afterward. Just let him enjoy his fans on the walk from the car to the theater, okay?" For once, she didn't need to rise onto her toes to lay a gentle kiss against his cheek, carefully wiping the touch of lipstick from his skin as she smiled. "Now ....wasn't it you who was worrying about us being late?"

His fingers rubbed against the satiny material and hence against her hips, with a fond and slightly mischievous smirk on his face. "Hey, I have fans, too!" Mostly kids who came to see his shows at the Wonderplex, but who was keeping track" Not him! He smiled fondly at the lipstick laden kiss before offering her an arm, like a proper gentleman. "You're the P.A. I'm just the arm candy."

"Oh no," she giggled softly, shaking her head as she curled her hand into the crook of his elbow, leaning down to lift her clutch from the table beside them. "You are the famous one. I'm just the P.A. or the girlfriend. And I would be quite happy to go in 'round the back and not walk the red carpet if I could possibly help it, you know that." Shy and nervous, she shook her head again, spilling chestnut hair over her shoulder as she looked up at him. "Just don't be surprised if I hide behind you."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not all that famous, Liv. Not here anyway. And you don't give yourself enough credit," He led her toward the door, as the buzzer went off again. "Keep your shirt on! We're coming! Geez, don't get your panties in a bunch," he complained as he opened the door and held it for her. "Don't worry. I'll protect you," he reassured her with a soft smile, blue eyes dancing with good humor.

The impatient buzz of the call button made her smile faintly, understanding the eagerness on the driver's part to get going. How else were they going to keep the red carpet in motion if people weren't picked up on time" "Are you talking about my panties or your own, sweetheart?" she asked Johnny innocently, lifting her skirt to lengthen her stride as she moved with him to the door. "You had better protect me," she told him as she passed through and into the corridor. "Otherwise you might find yourself working the crowd alone."

"Sweetheart, I don't wear panties," he replied with a smirk, waiting for her to step out into the corridor before closing the door behind her and locking it. He offered her his arm once again to lead her toward the elevator and pressed a thumb against the button with the arrow pointing down. "I thought it was fashionable to arrive late," he remarked while they waited. "Wouldn't be the first time I've worked a crowd. You should have seen me back home."

She laughed again, grateful to him for keeping her mind off the fact than in less than half an hour they'd be keeping an over-excited crowd entertained while they waited for Aimee and Jon to arrive. Mainly Jon, but never mind that for now.

Johnny led her across the lobby like a princess on the arm of a prince, and they looked the parts, too, just as handsome a couple as the stars of the show. Outside the lobby, a limo awaited, not black but crisp white, so that they'd stand apart from the stars and make their own impression. The doorman let them out of Luks, and the driver let them into the limo. Johnny waited for Liv to get in, offering her a hand, before climbing in behind her. Inside the limo, was a bottle of champagne and two glasses, along with a bouquet of roses, and some fancy gourmet chocolates.

Johnny reached for the roses and handed them to Liv. "These are for you, as lovely as a rose."

Johnny soaked up the kiss, relishing the moment, hands never straying from her waist lest he lose control of himself and they arrive at the premiere in a state of disarray, and yet, she was far too tempting a treat to dismiss. He echoed the muffled sound of pleasure beneath her lips, savoring her kiss and enjoying this rarely seen side of her. He had never told her, but she differed from her sister in more ways than one. It wasn't just their personalities, but the way they reacted to his attention. He'd had both of them, and while Lucy was the more assertive sister, taking what she wanted when she wanted it, there was something about Olivia that touched Johnny's heart. Liv's kiss was sweet and full of affection, mingled with a passion that went deeper than mere physical attraction, and in the end, that Liv was the one who'd won Johnny's heart.

It seemed far too soon when her lips left his, lingering close to taste his breath as she smiled at him, half-amazed by her own boldness. "Now can I convince you we should go home instead?" she teased lightly, knowing full well he wasn't going to stand for any trying to wheedle out of the night ahead. "You could ply me with more champagne just to see what happens without worrying about what I might do to you during the movie, then."

A little breathless by kisses bolder and more passionate than what he was accustomed to from Liv, at least away from the privacy of their apartment, Johnny flashed a grin and reached up to give her nose a playful tweak. "Any more champagne and you'll be drunk," he warned, having to reach down to adjust his pants, which were suddenly feeling a little too snug. "I'm not making any promises once the lights go out," he teased.

"You're the one who started me drinking," she pointed out with a wide smile, glancing from him to the view through the tinted windows as the limo pulled up outside the theater. A vague expression of genuine fright crossed her face; she really wasn't used to being the center of anyone's attention but Johnny's, and even then, only in private. "Are you really sure I'm not going to make a complete fool out of myself tonight?"

Following her gaze out the window, he realized they'd arrived and felt a mix of disappointment and excitement. Disappointment that their romantic interlude had ended so soon and excitement about the evening to come. He turned back to Liv, a soft, reassuring smile on his face as he reached over to brush a fingertip against her cheek. "Are you kidding" You're gonna knock 'em dead." He leaned close for a last kiss before they'd have to brave the crowd waiting outside the theater for the stars. "You're not alone, Liv. I'm gonna be right beside you the whole time."

She sighed into the kiss he offered her, warm and shy but full of faith in him. "You get to enjoy all the limelight," she promised, drawing back with a last touch of her hand to her hair, catching up her clutch from the seat. Biting her lip, she nodded toward the door with an impishly strained smile. "After you, sweetheart."

"It's not my limelight," he reminded her with a smile. "I'm not the star of this show." He offered her a hand, just as the driver was opening the door to let them out amidst a chorus of excited shouts, though they were more than likely not who the press and fans had come to see. "I love you, Olivia," he reminded her just before climbing out of the limo to the brights lights of the theater and flash of numerous cameras.

Though they were not the stars of the show, nor particularly known for being involved in the release of the film about to be premiered tonight, the crowd that had gathered still screamed enthusastically as the limo disgorged its inhabitants. Almost immediately, Johnny's name was on a fair number of lips, proving that his time at the Wonderplex had made him more of a celebrity than he thought. Liv, on the other hand, was grateful not to be recognised, pausing at the start of the red carpet to speak with one of the security men. Even slightly tipsy, she just couldn't walk past someone with an ear piece in without finding out whether or not the evening was going to plan.

Johnny drew whatever attention might have been given to the shy Olivia away by waving to the crowd, pleased that even a few people had recognized him, acting as a decoy so that she could go about her business, though he wasn't going to let her stray too long. He knew she wouldn't be able to relax until she knew everything was being taken care of, but he wasn't going to let her get carried away with work while he was around. He kept hold of Liv's arm, pausing a moment to let her talk to security, only leaning to whisper in her ear when he thought she was taking too long. "Liv," he called. "Everything's fine. Stop worrying, and let them do their job."

"But this is my job, too," she murmured back to him. However, there wasn't will enough in the world to keep the attention from her now Johnny had taken his from the crowd, and she felt the weight of curious eyes on her as those fans of the Human Torch tried to work out who she was and why they hadn't seen her before. If in doubt, smile, had been Lucy's advice for the evening, and as the doubt set in, Liv's face lit up in a smile that only those who knew her would be able to see right through. She turned to face the mass of people held back behind barriers, tucking herself close to Johnny's side. Her lips did not move as she spoke. "This is going to be a nightmare for weeks, you know."

"You did your job. Tonight is about celebrating," he pointed out, a smile and nod to the man with the earpiece as he drew her away. He hardly heard her last remark as he turned her back toward the red carpet that was lined on both sides by screaming fans and press.

"Johnny!" Someone from the press called his name. "What are you gonna do now that the Wonderplex is closed?"

"Who's the lady?" called another.

"Johnny! Have you saved any more damsels in distress lately?" Suddenly, there seemed to be a dozen people calling his name from every direction.

As the more outspoken members of the press vied for Johnny's attention, Liv found to her surprise that she was not neglected. A thoughtful-looking man standing beside an equally thoughtful-looking photographer gestured for her attention, and to her surprise, she found herself telling him her name and her connection to the film. As this information spread through the press pit, suddenly her name joined Johnny's in the melee of shouts.

"Olivia, how long have you been dating the Human Torch?"

"What's it like being Jonathan Granger's P.A.?"

"Is there any truth to the rumors of 21twelve's resurrection?"

Blinking in alarm, she gripped onto the back of Johnny's jacket, her smile visibly false for a few moments as her head reeled in the face of the attention. "Help," she hissed to her boyfriend, holding onto him for dear life. "What do I do?"

Far more accustomed to the attention than Liv and someone who revelled in the attention, Johnny knew how to work both the fans and the press, flashing a smile for a photo here, and the answer to a question there, but never quite giving them all the information they wanted. Overhearing the questions the press was pummeling Liv with, as well as her request for held, he snagged her hand and tucked it into the crook of his elbow. He titled his head toward her and whispered back, "Just smile and keep moving. Answer what you want, but don't let them harass you."

He nodded upon hearing Liv and turned his smile toward Little Loren's mother, whose name he did not know. "You have a lovely daughter, ma'am," he told her, wiggling his fingers at the little girl in a final wave of farewell before continuing on their way up the red carpet. "I think you have that reversed, Liv," he told her, carefully handling the drawing he'd been given, as though it was made of glass.

Seemingly shy, Loren's mother simply nodded and smiled, hugging her daughter close in the jostling crowd, both of them seemingly very pleased with the little interaction they had managed to garner from the one person they were there to see. Pausing a moment by the nearest security guard, Liv suggested that if Loren and her mother weren't staying, they should be escorted out of the crowd to avoid any accidents in the melee. Drawn back to Johnny's side, she smiled at the delicacy with which he held his present. "No, I think you made her day."

"What should I do with it?" he asked, glancing at the drawing again, obviously touched by the little girl's gesture and wanting to keep the picture as a memento, but unsure if it would make it through the screening and afterparty without getting crumpled. He glanced back toward the street, but the white limo had already driven away and wouldn't be back until later to pick them up.

"We can ask the guys behind the bar to keep it safe for you until we leave," Liv told him, with all the assurity of someone who had done that with plenty of gifts handed out to both Lelah and Jon during their red carpet excursions. Tucking her arm through his, she breathed an audible sigh of relief as they reached the steps up into the theater itself. "Almost done."

"Maybe I should steal you from Jon and make you my P.A." He smiled, relieved at her suggestion. "You always think of everything," he said, praising her as they climbed the steps into the theater arm in arm and out of the screaming throng of the crowd. Johnny glanced back momentarily with a frown, hoping Liv had hired enough security to keep the crowd in order once the stars arrived, but she seemed to know what she was doing. "It's going to be a mad house," he remarked idly, though this was nothing compared to what they'd encountered on Earth.

"Trust me," she nodded to him, confident in her own ability at this point. "Rhy'Din crowds are much better behaved than the ones on Earth. I still need another drink though - I'm shaking!" She giggled softly, tightening her grasp just enough that he could feel her trembling with exhilaration, the door drawn open ahead of them to allow them into the relative peace of the lower foyer.

"Maybe we can get a drink before the show." It wouldn't make much difference as far as his nerves were concerned. His metabolism burned off alcohol too quickly for him to ever feel much of an effect. He led her into the theater, relieved to be out of the crowd. Though he relished the limelight, he knew she didn't, and he didn't want to make her any more nervous than she already was, as was noted from her trembling. "Just try to relax, Liv. The worst is over."

There was already a small crowd of people in the lower bar, which had been opened for pre-show appetizers, most of whom were vaguely familiar in face and voice to the pair now moving to join them. "Oh, I hope so," Liv murmured fervently. "Darling, I know you enjoy being at the center of all that, but I never know why anyone would even want to look at me, much less get my attention. I'm so used to being in the background and keeping control of things."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Liv," he answered as he led her toward the small crowd at the bar. There were very few faces he knew and even fewer he knew by name, but this night wasn't about him. He was only really there for Liv's sake. No one else really mattered. "You're smart, beautiful, talented, caring, and a whole bunch of other adjectives I can't think of right now."

"Now you're just being silly," she countered, but her smile was warm, appreciative of his support even if she had difficulty believing that she was even some of what he described. Reaching the bar, she called Kiara, one of the bartenders, over to them, asking her to look after Johnny's very special picture for them.

"No, I'm being honest," he retorted back with a grin as he watched Liv hand the girl's drawing to a bartender. "Be careful with that!" he called after her. "It's special!" He wasn't sure what he was going to do with it yet. Frame it and hang it on a wall" Start a scrap book" Stick it in sock drawer" So long as he didn't burn it anyway.

"Talking about Lucy?" Liv countered playfully. The effects of the champagne hadn't quite worn off yet, as evidenced by this touch of the Liv he knew from the privacy of their apartment, but those shoulders were beginning to grow tense once again. The bubbly stuff might work miracles, but miracles only lasted so long as the bubbles did.

"Lucy?" he echoed with a puzzled frown. "What's Lucy got to..." He broke off as he realized what she meant. "Lucy's a nice girl, but I'm not in love with Lucy. I'm in love with you," he reiterated with a gentle tweak to her nose and a warm smile.

Right on cue, she blushed, ducking her head in the face of his warm reiteration of his feelings for her. It wasn't that she didn't believe him; it was just that, even after six months, she still didn't feel as though she deserved him. "And you know I love you," was her soft reply, teeth finding purchase on her lower lip as she leaned against the high bar, one elbow propped on the countertop.

He leaned in to brush a kiss against her cheek, smiling adoringly. It was obvious to anyone who might look at them that Johnny was a bachelor no more, obviously head over heels in love, with eyes for only one woman, no matter how many might desire his attention. He waved a hand to one of the bartenders to get their attention, more for her sake than his. "What would you like" Another glass of champagne or something less bubbly?"

The soft brown eyes that looked back at him were just as adoring, just as devoted, tender with loving as he drew back from touching that kiss to her cheek. "I think champagne seems to be working miracles, so why change now?" she chuckled softly, insinuating her fingers between his, needing the contact to keep herself from disappearing into the kitchen, or anywhere that wasn't out here.

He linked his fingers happily to hers, as he ordered two glasses of champagne from the bartender. "Think we'll ever have a kid?" he asked, popping the question out of the blue as he brushed a heated kiss against the back of her hand. He wasn't really ready for kids yet, but he couldn't think of anyone he'd want to settle down and raise a family with more than the woman at his side.

The question was certainly out of the blue, startling her out of her self-conscious inspection of her own fingernails to meet his gaze with wide, smiling eyes. "I, uh ..." She hesitated, biting her lip as she cleared her throat. "I would hope so," she said finally. "If you don't get bored of me and find someone more exciting to procreate with, that is."

"Bored of you?" he echoed with a laugh, shaking his head in amusement. "You really don't give yourself enough credit, Liv," he told her yet again. "I've yet to get bored of you." While it was true that he'd settled down a little since he and Liv had started dating, he wasn't complaining. "What do you think of His and Hers motorcycles?" he teased, knowing how she was not overly fond of anything that was dangerous in the least.

She giggled, stroking her thumb over his as he teased her. "I think the Hers is an accident waiting to happen, that's what I think," she informed him through her smile. "Besides, if you made me ride one of my own, I wouldn't be able to cuddle up to you so often." And though she wasn't exactly fond of the motorcycle, she was very fond of that aspect of riding his. Her free hand curled about the stem of the glass that was set beside her, lifting the delicate flute to her lips. "Here's to getting through tonight in one piece."

Another day, another dollar, another evening spent on the red carpet. Not that Mataya De Luca and Max Yako could ever be accused of shyness. They were as at home amid a sea of screaming fans as they were at home with Juno and Elena, both of whom had opted out of joining in with the usual melee and party this evening. Thus it was that 'Taya, resplendent in bubblegum pink and floral accessories, pulled her handsome fiance in charcoal grey out of their limo and onto the red carpet that had been rolled out over the approach to her own theater. There was something very special to 'Taya about knowing that the Shanachie had become the premiere location of choice for the opening of a hyped movie on Rhy'Din. Naturally, they couldn't put the movie on for any significant run, but a healthy business arrangement with the Cineplex in Stars End was doing both businesses a world of good. Still, she thrilled to see her theater at the center of the media maelstrom, making a mental note to do something lovely for Jonathan Granger and Aimee Malone some time soon. Tucked against Max's side as much to make the most of his warmth in the November chill as to provide a pretty picture for the photographers, she hugged her arm about his back warmly, speaking from the corner of her mouth with the ease of many years' practise. "Are you sure we should have left Juno with El" You know what my sister's like."

From the moment they stepped from the limo, Max was smiling, waving and nodding. His arm was around Mataya in a sign of unity. And it was no act, at least the united front part. Though, he was proud of Mataya and her theater. Being the fiance of the theater owner, he knew his place; thus the neutral gray to support her brightly colored dress and accessories. Deep down, he couldn't help but share in the thrill she felt at having the Shanachie at the center of attention. The theater had become his second home and it felt like part of his family. With that thought he wondered how Hortense, the Gray Lady, was holding up in the wake of so much noise and humanity. And still, as they slowly made their way up red carpet, he smiled, waved, and upnodded. Wash, rinse, repeat. "It'll be good for them both," he whispered back to her though his smiling teeth. His lips barely moved. "So long as we don't stay too late."

Nothing could have stopped her laughing response to his proviso from showing on her face, the sudden animation not all that unexpected on the theater owner's merry features. "We are not skipping out on a premiere," she told him firmly, again somehow managing to speak without moving her lips, waving to those who called for her attention. They'd learned the hard way about journalistic lip readers, after all. "Besides, according to Jon, this movie is thinly disguised porn. I'd have thought you'd love that."

"If you were in it," his smile grew, teeth pearly white. "But it's Jon." He turned to her, and in a perfect photo op, leaned his head so that his forehead touched hers. "He's a great guy and all but....no." He then lowered his chin to kiss her cheek briefly before turning his attention back to the cheering crowd. And while they did stop to answer a few questions, they clung together and inched their way closer to the doors in nearly record time.

"It's also Aimee," she pointed out with a chuckle, laying her left hand against his lapel as he rested his forehead to hers, showing off the engagement ring that still, after almost two years, had not been replaced with a wedding band. The gossip rags on Earth were beside themselves with amazement at the restraint of the previously married pair. "Don't think I don't remember what you had to say about her when she was all dressed up as Christine during the Phantom run. Something about being awfully well formed for a teenager, I seem to recall." Thankfully, they were pretty well known in Rhy'Din, and after only a few minutes at the mercy of the press, they were allowed to move on. After all, everyone knew 'Taya would schmooze her way through all the critics at the after-party.

"Keyword, teenager," he chuckled and escorted Taya into the open door. "Besides, when I've got a beautiful, sexy and talented fiancee, what do I need thinly disguised porn for?" The pause before what he was to say next was pure comedic timing. "I can watch the real thing on the Internet." Grateful to be inside, he still kept his face hidden slightly in her shoulder as he joked with his fiancee.

Of course, this perfectly timed comment allowed the door to swing closed behind them just before 'Taya burst out laughing, drawing the eyes of friends and colleagues toward them as though they had made a grand entrance. Her hand slapped into Max's midriff lightly as she struggled to contain herself. "Aw, man, you are going to get me in so much trouble one of these days!"

"Again?" He teased, their antics as young lovers at the beginning of their careers was stuff of tabloid heaven. "I'm actually glad to be here, truth be known. Since Rocky, Granger has enough ammunition against me to rag me the rest of my life." He rubbed his hands together and gained a sinister, stereo-typical bad guy hunch to his shoulders and grin to his face. "Time to gather some on him! Muahaha!" Max had nothing bad to say about Jon Granger, and had grown to be friends with the man who was once Mataya's one time lover. But it was fun to joke and tease.

One time lover was true - it had been one night that neither of them remembered clearly for different reasons. 'Taya thought of Jon as her best friend these days, and she knew she was very lucky that Max didn't hold that one night against either of them. "C'mon, Maleficent, let's get you a drink and find out where they decided to seat us," she suggested with a grin. "By the way ....what will you give me if you do get all fidgety during the film' Aside from the obvious."

What a difference a year can make. Last November, Aimee Malone had been just another university student, struggling to meet deadlines, thinking longingly of the dream job she didn't really think she had any chance of getting, holding down two jobs to help pay rent on the house she shared with her fiance, and generally just being an ordinary nineteen-year-old. A chance audition had brought her to the attention of Lelah Rivka, earning her a place in a movie that was ultimately doomed; that, in turn, had brought her to the attention of Jonathan Granger, who had recommended her for the female lead in his latest film project, the much-awaited Fifty Shades of Grey. To her shock, she had been cast as Anastasia Steele, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Despite the whirlwind of the past weeks following the release of the first movie in the trilogy on Earth, she had stuck resolutely to her studies, deeply relieved to be back in Rhy'Din and away from the insanity of Terran fans and their obsessions. All that remained here was to attend the premiere on Rhy'Din, and then perhaps life could settle into something approaching normality for a while. At least until filming on the second movie began. Settled in the back of the ordered limo with Randy as they waited around the corner from the Shanachie Theater, waiting to be told it was time to get onto the red carpet, she sighed, tipping her head back against the seat. "You know, this should get boring," she mused thoughtfully. "But I'm always nervous."

The whirlwind of Aimee's success could have easily gone to Randy's head. But the way she kept a level head and stuck to as much normal as she could kept the young man grounded. During the filming of Fifty Shades ... Randy had kept up with his studies and found a way to maintain his grade point average. The weeks that were spent in post-production had been spent between his own job, school and occasional trips back to Earth for any voice overs or shooting that Aimee was needed for. And then the movie premiered. He wasn't ready for the immediate and overflowing mania that seemed to follow Aimee, no matter where she went. And now they were home again, this time for more than a week at a time. He should feel relieved. Yet, he wasn't. The utter craziness of paparazzi, fans and the almost impossible schedule of appearances that was becoming the norm on Earth, Randy was sure, would follow them to Rhy'din. He sighed, and then nodded, curling his arm around Aimee's shoulders. "Well, with what happened to Granger a couple of years ago, it makes me nervous, too. I just can't wait for this to be over for a while." He smiled then and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Except the dress. That can go on and on and on..."

She laughed, deliberately not thinking about the incident he had brought up. The last thing she needed right now was to be worrying about some insane nutjob crawling out of the woodwork with a gun aimed at her head. "You like the dresses so much, you wear them," she suggested, laying her cheek against his shoulder for a moment before looking up at him. "Did I tell you how handsome you look" Because you're totally rockin' the tux, A*s-hat."

He laughed, and shook his head. "I could never look that good in a dress," he raised his brows as they gazed into each other's eyes. "And thank you, maybe I can buy one of my own some day instead of renting." The thought had occurred to him that, because Aimee was the breadwinner, he'd be considered a bum hanging on because of her money. But tonight, he didn't care what anybody else thought. They didn't know what Aimee and Randy had been through and what they meant to one another. "Think there's time for some naughtiness before we make our appearance?" And with the view Randy currently had, walking was going to be just a tiny difficult. Her breasts were framed with black lace over red satin. The creamy white skin looked like it was begging to be lapped up. And he was getting very hungry, indeed.

Aimee stared at him for a moment, bursting out laughing at his less-than-subtle request for a make-out session while they were waiting. "Dude, you are not putting me on the red carpet in the same state I was in when we were in Barcelona," she informed him through her laughter, poking at his ticklish side in an attempt to distract him from his, well, randy thoughts. "And you know I'd have bought you the tux if you'd let me. We're in this together, who cares where the money's coming from?"

Randy grinned when she laughed and he jerked away from her ticklish fingers. The memory of their activities prior to the Barcelona premiere had his grin turning into a lustful sneer. Now that had been completely naughty. But then she commented about the money and his smile faded a bit and he shrugged. "I know, I would just like to contribute a bit more than eye candy for the paps." He knew that wasn't the truth, they were there to see Aimee.

Her own smile faded with his, her arms slipping about his waist as she hugged close into him. "You do a lot more for me than just stand around looking pretty," she reminded him quietly. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here at all." And she wasn't just talking about his teaching her to read; Randy was one of only a very few people who knew the very darkest parts of Aimee's childhood and her relationship with her mother.

Randy's free arm came around and he held her to his chest, resting his chin atop her head. He didn't like to think about where they'd come from, though it was never forgotten. He liked to think about their future, it was a lot brighter in that world. "Hey, happy thoughts, Aimers. Almost time to plaster on that million dollar smile and wave like the Queen of Roses." He lifted his head and then brought his chin down to kiss the top of her head. "Have I told you how beautiful and sexy you are tonight?"

Like him, Aimee didn't want to dwell on the past, easily drawn away from the darker thoughts as his lips touched on the elegant braided crown of her hair. "Oh, you mean you were supposed to be saying that while you were leering down my dress?" she chuckled softly, lurching further back onto the seat as the driver finally pulled away, drawing the limo up along the curb beside the roped off fans and enthusiastic journalists. She tensed, nervous as she always was when it came to being the center of attention.

"I was saying it with my eyes?" he offered hopefully, with a soft laugh. And he got thrown back in his seat, too, when the limo pulled out and around the corner. He took her hand when they pulled up to the roped off red carpet. "You and me," he looked into her eyes, "we stay together. No getting separated." It was more than Randy wouldn't know what to do or say without Aimee by his side, it was their way to keep each other safe. Always had been, always would be.

Hazel-green eyes gazed back into his with the fondness of loving challenge that he knew so well. "I'm not letting go," she promised, tucking her hand into his as the door beside him was opened, letting in the noise of the crowd and the flash of cameras, along with a blast of cold air.

He only had time to give her a quick kiss to the cheek before the door was opened. The noise came in like that blast of cold air, surrounding them and making conversation nearly impossible. Twisting to his right, he stepped out of the limo and then took a step back. He held his hand out, waiting for Aimee to depart with him. One hand was behind his back, balled into a fist. He didn't look at the mass of people surrounding them, didn't let the pop of flash bulbs distract him from his duty. And his sole duty, at this moment, was to get Aimee from the limo and to the doors of the theater. "Your public awaits, m'dear."

Aimee's hand slid into his, holding tight as she stepped out of the limo to an almost shocking rise in volume. If this was what it was like for her, she dreaded to think how much louder things were going to become when Jon Granger arrived with his wife. As it was, she tucked herself under Randy's arm, her own arm wrapped close to his back as she rose up to kiss his cheek. "Looks like it'll be a long one," she warned into his ear. Because Aimee had developed a habit that was by turns exasperating and endearing on the red carpet.

She spent too long with the fans who wanted autographs and photographs, and worse, she gave time to every reporter who wanted a little of her attention. She'd held the New York premiere up by almost an hour, though thankfully the subsequent openings had been calculated with this bad habit in mind. And here on Rhy'Din, there were eager questions for Randy, too - the press curious about his own interests, his studies, how he felt about Aimee's overnight success. It wasn't all about Aimee in Rhy'Din; for one night only, there would be a media frenzy, and Randy was right there with her for all of it.

The look he gave her for the first comment was well, yeah, why else would I be with you? To which he snickered a bit. He waved to the people below, congenially smiling. And though he knew that Aimee wasn't exactly comfortable with the sex scenes, they made Randy incredibly anxious to be alone with his fiancee. So when she asked for a beer, he was more than happy to oblige. The alcohol quelled the fires, to some extent, and kept him behaving himself. At least, for a while. He turned them and headed towards the bar. "If we have a private box, might have to get dressed before we leave," he whispered to her, chuckling.

She blushed, shaking her head at his whispering tease as they passed through the mingling crowd, raising a smile for this person, offering a greeting to that ....snickering at the sight of Jon's P.A. draped all over her boyfriend. "Aw, man, how drunk do you think he got Liv to make her relax like that?" she chuckled to Randy, nudging him gently as they reached the bar. She wasn't going to touch on his impatience to get her naked again; she'd already extorted a promise not to risk getting her caught in lewd behaviour by anyone this evening.

He'd made her blush, and that was enough. Randy may not have felt at home with the people and the surroundings, but he never let it be known. He stood tall and proud, keeping his chin up and a smile on his face. Spotting Liv and Johnny, he shook his head and laughed with Aimee. "Wow, but that's good. She needs to relax just a bit." He glanced around, wondering when the star was going to escape the crowd outside. His eyes went back to Aimee, though, as they finally got to the bar. "Two Coronas." He'd found a taste for the Mexican beer back on Earth.

She leaned back against the bar, scanning the people. The cast was there, obviously, and the crew, and family and friends. Randy's mother and sister were somewhere in the crowd, as was Ro from Rose House. It seemed as though most everyone had turned out tonight, invited or otherwise. She tipped her head back to look up at Randy with a smile. "So ....movie's just over two hours, and then we have to schmooze for a few hours," she warned him. "I kinda promised Vicki she could spirit Jon away before we leave tonight. Big pregnant woman and all."

Randy gathered the beers and held one out for Aimee as she spoke. He turned, and leaned against the bar as well. These were people he knew and didn't mind schmoozing with them. At least they had something in common to talk about. He took a drink of his beer, a quick one that only emptied the neck of the bottle. "You mean she said she and Jon were leaving early and you didn't dare object," he teased.

Wrapping her fingers around her beer, Aimee rolled her eyes, conceding with a faint grin. "Well ....yeah," she admitted, unashamed to be caught out. "And, c'mon, the number of times we skipped out on them on Earth' Least we can do. Besides, it means I get to torture you a bit longer than you're used to, and you can't do a thing about it." She snickered up at him, taking a long sip from her beer, keeping one eye on the main doorway.

Actually, Randy had worried about Vicki's appearances at the premieres. She was very pregnant, in his opinion, and Randy couldn't shake that nagging in the back of his head about the shooting two years prior. So, he understood their wanting to get away early. "All right, all right," he laughed. "And who is torturing who' It's not my naked body up on a thirty foot screen." He waggled his brows at her and then took a sip of beer.

"Exactly." She grinned back at him. "It's the epitome of look but don't touch." Blowing him a kiss, she took another sip from her beer, reaching up to belatedly wipe her lipstick mark from his cheek with a guilty smile. "Uh ....I think we just did the whole carpet thing with you wearing my lipstick."

She'd won that round. It was torture to sit in the dark, watch his fiancee in sex scenes and not be able to do anything more than have his arm around her. But when they got home....Oh yes, that brought a big grin to his face. He touched his cheek where she'd wiped and he looked playfully aghast. "Oh no! It's not my color!"

"What, you don't like the gothic crimson lipstick thing now?" she asked playfully, glancing around as a blast of noise announced Jon and Vicki's arrival. "Almost time to nap through the movie, lover." She smirked, bouncing up to kiss his lips fondly. Once they were sat down, the evening was predictable - movie, then party, then home. Their home, not a random hotel room. It remained to be seen if they would make it up to their bedroom before Randy had to do something about his not so little ache.

As many times as Randy had seen the movies, he could never nap through it. But once it was over they made their way back out into the lobby for the champagne and handshaking that always followed the screening. With a flute of champagne in his hand, he toasted silently to Jon and Vickie as they made their quick departure. "Lucky turds," he whispered to Aimee with a grin.

Aimee had, as usual, spent most of the movie staring fixedly at her hands. There was just something very wrong about watching yourself half-naked on a big screen. She did watch the clothed scenes, though, which was a big improvement from the New York premiere. She grinned up at Randy as Jon and Vicki made their escape, for once not feeling resentful of the practised ease with which the experienced actor made his farewells. "Whaddya wanna bet they're gonna go straight to sleep?" she snickered, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "They are old, dude. I heard Jon's at least twenty-five."

"And so washed up," he nodded in agreement but the grin on his face spoke volumes. It wouldn't be that long before the two of them were that old. "Did you see Momma Ro' She looks fantastic!" He had hugged and spoken with their former teacher and constant friend. "It's good to be home again."

Laughing at their by now old joke about Jon and his wife, who had both been very good to them over the past months and were more than responsible for how well the two young people had transitioned from completely unknown to splashed on every gossip page all over Earth, Aimee snagged a canape from a passing waiter and crammed it into her mouth with unladylike enthusiasm. She hadn't eaten since midday, after all. "I know," she said indistinctly. "Where'd you think she got the dress" Dude, that woman needs a man to make her dress properly."

"I can't imagine Momma Ro with a boyfriend," he admitted with a grin. Randy didn't grab just one canape, he grabbed four and nearly inhaled all of them within seconds. "We've been here long enough. Let's go home so I can do to you what I've been wanting to do since you put on that dress." He was smiling but that hunger was once again in his eyes. And canapes would not satiate that hunger.

"Not yet," she laughed, poking him in the stomach. "You wanted to talk to Scott about the T.A. position at his school, right' And I gotta go and do a quick tour of the press junket." She rose up onto her toes and kissed his cheek fondly. "Meet you back here in, like, an hour."

"You're killling me, Wench," he snickered and held her briefly for the kiss. Patting her rump, he let her go and then turned to find Scott. He mingled, found his mother and sister. Time was spent with tearful praise from both of the other women in his life. When he found Scott, the man was discussing the political aspects of the film with another scholar. Randy intervened and within twenty minutes had the position as teacher's assistant. He thanked the man several times before slowly making his way back to where they said they'd meet.

For her own part, Aimee spent her hour fielding increasingly thought-provoking questions about her profession, her studies, her aspirations. Now she knew why Jon had jumped at the chance not to have to do this today; she was never going to leave it exclusively to him ever again. It was such hard work! But she was smiling as she picked her way back to Randy, pausing to sweep up Mrs Alvarez and Susie in a warm hug before sneaking up behind her fiance to pinch his backside. "Waiting for someone, A*s-hat?"

Randy wasn't expecting to have his ass pinched at this party and he whirled around with surprise. His astonished look transformed instantly to a grin. "Yeah, some starlet who said that I can have my way with her if I behave myself tonight."

Giggling, Aimee laid her hands on her hips, affecting a flirtatious posture that went remarkably well with those curves Ro had developed in her with decent food over a period of months. "Some starlet, huh' Would I do, in a pinch' Only you've got the house keys, and our limo just pulled up." She flashed him a wink, adding in a wicked tease, "Or I could catch a lift with one of my adoring fans instead."

"You're going home with me," he was smiling, but there was a certain edge of protectiveness in his voice that was undeniable. "And if you don't come along quietly, I'll carry you off over my shoulder." Now this was said jokingly and with no touch of that edge his voice had held earlier. Reaching for her hand, he gave it a gentle squeeze. They'd done something neither of them had ever imagined that they could do even a year ago. They'd survived Aimee's sudden shot into stardom and best of all, they did it together. "Let's go home, Wench."

http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/p7NpxE0e1emMUudcISZD9w/cid/62527475/id/uxJD-OoeSQG2rdYB4nG1xg/size/c600x396.jpg http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/QoYFieSIhKZE0H2Fy74jA/cid/62337574/id/xDQ-U9-MTXqzwA1idOVI_w/size/c600x778.jpg ((Humungus thankibles to Randy's player for indulging me!))

"Ah." Humphrey didn't entirely understand, but he thought he might have some inkling as to why Rhy'Din was so very special when it came to this particular premiere. One gnarled hand lowered to pet Cosmo as he considered this, looking over the young couple who now shared his home with him. "Jon, what is your young lady there always telling you about other people's opinions?" he asked abruptly, brows rising as he met his nephew's gaze head on.

"That they don't matter, but I'm an actor, Uncle. My career depends on what people think. If they hate this movie, if it doesn't do well, it will reflect directly on me. Movies like this make or break careers. I knew that going in. It was a calculated risk. I needed to do this movie so I could..." He broke off a moment, unsure if he should tell Humphrey the real reason he'd agreed to it, if he hadn't figured it out already. "So I could pay you back."

At Jon's shoulder, Vicki rolled her eyes, and Humphrey subsided, sensing an injection of that robust English good sense about to get another airing. The redhead nudged her husband's shoulder, waiting until he looked at her before speaking. "Jon, this movie has been out for three weeks already on Earth," she told him in a firm voice. "In that time, it's pretty much smashed the box office in every country, every city. The only negative reviews we've come across were those officious little cows in their independent publishing house who took it upon themselves to spend the entire movie detailing every little physical flaw they could find. Physical flaws, Jon, and almost all of it was aimed at Aimee. No one has had a bad word to say about your acting, or the film in general. So where is the basis for your idea that Rhy'Din will be any different?"

Jon frowned, realizing he was going to have to be more specific. He was going to have to explain exactly what it was that was bothering him as neither of them seemed to get it. "Earth is a long way away, Vicki. Rhy'Din is home. My family and friends are going to see this. People I pass on the street are going to see it. Everyone is going to see it. I don't want to be the laughing stock of Rhy'Din." Did he take his career and the movie too seriously' Maybe, but no one could ever accuse Jon of not putting 110% of himself into something or of not caring. He didn't do anything halfway.

And whether the movie was everyone's cup of tea or not, it had taken courage and talent to make the role of Christian Grey come to life on the big screen, to make him likable, and perhaps, most importantly, to make him believable. "I know this movie isn't Oscar worthy, but I put my blood, sweat, and tears into the role. It's more than just a story about..." He darted a glance at Humphrey before continuing. "About sex. It's a story about a damaged man who falls in love with an innocent young woman."

"How is it different from Crowes then?" she pointed out quietly, lifting her hands to cradle his face. "You weren't this worried about Crowes. Love, I do understand why this is freaking you out so much, believe me, I do. But you can't let it get on top of you. You are a wonderful actor, who has done a fantastic job. People aren't going to see Jonathan Granger on the big screen; they're going to see Christian Grey. So ease up on the self-flagellation a little, would you? You're giving yourself wrinkles."

There was that thoughtful frown again. Why was it different' He wasn't quite sure. Maybe because it was the grown up equivalent of Twilight, and the sheer number of fans who were flocking to see the movie was staggering. "I don't know, Vic. It's just different. Do you know how big this thing is" It's huge, and if it flops, that's on me. It's not about the money or the people going to see it. It's about whether or not I am a convincing Christian Grey."

"It's not flopping." And unfortunately, no matter how supportive she was trying to be in that moment, some things just couldn't be passed on without at least a smirk. But, all credit to her, she managed to reel it in. "You are a convincing Christian Grey, and you know you can believe me. I've never lied to you about things like this. Have a little faith in yourself."

"And try not to flop out where everyone can see you and your enormous schlong," Humphrey added, sotto voce, from where he sat, ostensibly reading his book and not being involved at all. Vicki was definitely rubbing off on the Old Man.

Jon rolled his eyes at the two of them and their shared double entendres, but he did seem to be relaxing a little. He knew if he didn't relax, Vicki would take it upon herself to find a way to make him relax in the limo on the way to the theater. The truth was their sex life was far more interesting than even Christian Grey's, but that was between Jon and Vicki and no one else, except maybe Cosmo, who witnessed it all. "If Vicki has anything to say about it, I doubt I'll be doing much flopping," he said in response to his uncle's remark, tossing back the remains of the Glencraig.

"Please do remember what I threatened to do if I catch you overthinking in a public place," his wife added with a cheeky smile, looping her arms about his waist to hug him warmly. As though aware that its father was in need of a little support, the baby in her womb chose that moment to deliver what felt like a roundhouse kick into Jon's stomach. "Bloody hell," Vicki laughed, looking down at the smooth bump. "I think I'm going to lay a bet on this little rugrat becoming a kick boxer."

Jon set the empty glass aside on the cabinet and turned to let his pregnant wife wrap her arms around his waist, smiling as the child she was carrying inside her made itself known. "Junior wants to have his say," Jon circling her ever-expanding waistline with his arms. He'd taken to calling the baby Junior, though neither yet knew whether it was a boy or a girl. "Feisty like his mother," he said, leaning close to press his lips against her forehead, relaxing further in her embrace.

"Mmm, I wonder what traits it's going to pick up from Daddy?" Vicki teased softly, tipping her head back to smile up at Jon. She could feel him relaxing as their unborn son or daughter continued to stretch and pummel at him from her womb, smoothing her hands against his back.

Across from them, Humphrey smiled, too, blatantly enjoying the sight of the happily married couple in his study. Family meant the world to the oldest Granger, and it meant even more to know that these two had chosen to make their married home here with him. He would never have asked, understanding why first Correy, then Kaylee, then Caroline had all moved out. But he did deeply appreciate the fact that Jon had taken their place, with his wife, his dog, and his soon-to-be newborn child.

"Hopefully, not a big schlong," Jon remarked with a smirk, poking fun at himself, dipping his head to press that same tender kiss against his wife's lips, almost forgetting they had an audience, unashamed to show open affection for the woman he loved. "You're amazing, you know that' I still don't know what I did to deserve you."

He smiled affectionately, his hand in soft rub of her stomach. "One or a dozen, it doesn't matter, Vicki. So long as they're happy and healthy." He brushed a kiss against her temple as he leaned close to her, his hand covered by hers. "We don't have to stay long. We just have to show our faces for a little while. If you get tired, say so, and we'll make our excuses. The party will go on without us."

"I know," she murmured, leaning into him with the kind of smile that usually meant she was plotting something or had already put her plan into motion. "I may have intimidated Aimee into agreeing not to leave early this time so we can instead." Her blue eyes danced merrily as she looked up at Jon, daring him object to this little bit of manoeuvring.

"Oh?" he asked with an arched brow, before breaking into a smirk. "Plotting behind my back, are we, Mrs. Granger?" he asked, clearly amused. It never ceased to amaze him that she was actually his wife now, and he took advantage of every opportunity to remind her and himself of that fact. "I would like nothing better than to sneak out early and spend a little time alone with you."

"Mm, completely alone, too," she added with a low chuckle, nestling into his side as the limo moved steadily through the streets of the city. "Somewhere nice and low key where we aren't going to be woken up by an over-excited dog at the crack of dawn." She loved Cosmo, but the collie was merciless when it came to getting up in the morning, insisting that both of them got out of bed, even if only one was going to be taking him for his walk.

He chuckled, amused by her remark. She really had no one to blame for Cosmo but herself. "You're the one who got me the dog!" he reminded her with a smirk. It was usually him who ended up rolling out of bed at the asscrack of dawn these days to take Cosmo for his morning piddle, but he loved the dog and rarely complained. Still, it would be nice to sleep in for once. "I think he's adopted Humphrey anyway." Or was it the other way around"

"Well, they keep each other company when we're not around," she smiled back, wisely not commenting on her personal acquisition of the dog she was complaining fondly about. "I am glad you agreed to get him done, though. I couldn't imagine bringing a baby into the same house as the out of control maniac he was before the operation." Cheekily, she skimmed her fingertips over his thigh, daring to stroke the zipper of his dress pants lightly, all the while smirking sweetly at her husband. "Aren't you?"

He arched a patented and practically insured eyebrow at his lively wife as he felt her fingers near his zipper. "Are we talking about Cosmo or me?" he asked with a small smirk, since she seemed to have tamed them both, though in very different ways. "You don't think he'll be a problem, do you?" he asked, looking suddenly worried again, despite the teasing of her fingers.

She laughed, twisting to tip his face toward hers. "No, I don't think he'll be a problem at all," she assured her husband affectionately, each word brushing against his lips with warm tenderness. "I think he'll probably enjoy having a baby to look after with us."

"As long as he doesn't think it's a chew toy," Jon remarked with a small frown, his hand in gentle rub against where the baby rested inside her. "I love you both more than anything," he told her, meaning her and the baby. As much as he loved Cosmo, if he had to make a choice, he knew what choice he'd make. It pained him to think the dog might not work out with a new baby in the family. He was attached to the silly dog more than he was attached to most people, but the baby was more important.

"He won't," Vicki insisted confidently. "Stop worrying so much." And, of course, as he knew she would, she drew him to her, into a languid kiss calculated to electrify him to his toes and wipe away all those thoughts that were unsettling him. He did, after all, need to be relaxed before he stepped out of the limo onto the red carpet, didn't he"

His arms went around her as he melted into her embrace, her kiss burning away all the worries that were pressing on his mind. He murmured in blissful contentment as he lost himself to her kiss, returning her embrace with equal passion, all the tension melting slowly away.

It really was just as well Vicki skirted the limits of bare minimum when it came to make-up, or she and Jon would have shown up to any number of public engagements with the evidence of what they had been up to literally painted over their faces. Nuzzling close to him, Vicki gently parted her lips from his, trailing kisses to his ear. "You are everything I could ever want or need," she murmured into his ear. "Do I need to mount up before we get to the red carpet this time?"

He didn't mind a few lipstick marks on his cheek or his collar. At least, so long as they were from Vicki. He wore them proudly, like a badge, proof that he belonged to someone and that someone was his wife. "You're everything to me, too, Vicki," he replied, with a soft smile on his face, which was quickly followed by a chuckle at her question, though he wasn't really all that surprised by it. "That depends on how much time we have until we get there. Unless you want a quickie," he added with a mischievous smirk.

"Mmm, maybe I should just save it up for torturing you during the movie," she threatened sweetly, although with Vicki, it was never entirely clear what was a threat and what was a promise. He knew she was more than capable of groping him in public, especially in a theater with the lights down, but she was always careful not to push him too far. At least, not when he'd have to get up and walk anywhere shortly afterward.

"You want to make me groan in the theater while I'm groaning on the screen?" he asked, with a playful sparkle of mischief in his eyes of blue. It wouldn't be the first time she'd teased him in a dark, crowded room, and it probably wouldn't be the last. "Maybe I should tease you instead," he told her with that smirk still on his face, underscoring his point by sliding a hand against her thigh. If her skirt had been shorter, his hand would have found its way beneath the fabric, as it had many times before on previous outings. "Remember our first date?" he queried, leaning close to tease her with a brush of lips against her neck. "Don't start something you can't finish, Vic."

"Oh, stud muffin, you know I can finish it," she laughed huskily with him, shifting as though offering him the access to drag that long, elegant hemline upward if he wanted to touch the warm, bare skin beneath. Her fingers curled into his curls as he teased her sensitive throat, tensing as she stifled a soft moan of her own. "Besides, we've seen it all before. Why shouldn't we play a bit while Rhy'Din is watching it?"

"Mmm, because we aren't going to be in box seats and all eyes will be on us," he offered, pausing just long enough to get that out before his lips resumed their teasing probe of her neck. As she might expect, his fingers slid down her leg to tug the hemline of her skirt high enough that he had access to her leg, hiking the fabric high enough to skim a hand against a bare thigh.

"All eyes will be on you," his redheaded tease of a wife breathed against his ear, only too happy to let his hands and lips wander. If she could have done, she would have ordered the limo somewhere secluded and given the driver a handful of coins to go and amuse himself for a couple of hours, but not even Vicki would tempt Jon into missing his own premiere. She shuddered lovingly against him, ghosting her fingertips against his neck. "Now who's starting something he can't finish?"

Whether he was a nervous wreck on the inside or not, Jon appeared to be the epitome of calm on the outside, as if this was nothing more than a routine event he was well accustomed to. Whether he was accustomed to it or not, there was never anything ordinary about a premiere, each of them possessing their own unique excitement. Jon looped an arm around Vicki's waist to help her from the limo, taking her arm then to lead her up the red carpet, through the gauntlet of press and fans, cameras flashing brightly enough to blind them both. "You okay?" he asked as they made their way along. Liv had thought of everything, and he knew she hadn't skimmed on security. If anyone wanted to take a potshot at them, they all knew this would be the opportune time.

"I'll live," was murmured back to him from behind that fixed smile, but the tension in her was there for him to feel. It was a familiar sensation, how uncomfortable she was in the limelight, but she wouldn't let him talk her out of attending these events without her. She could handle a few hours of being under the microscope for his sake. As they passed the first swathe of photographers, they came into the grasp of the reporters, and the work of the evening began, fielding questions both personal and professional aimed at them both.

Accustomed to these things as he was, practiced from the previous premieres and talk show circuit back on Earth, he fielded the questions with the grace and ease of a well-trained actor, remaining polite, friendly, and cordial no matter how rude or personal the questions became. If a question was asked that he thought was too personal for an answer, he simply said so, working the gaggle of reporters as well as a seasoned politician. It seemed he'd learned a lot since his run-in with Ned the previous year.

Vicki, on the other hand, was about as blunt as they came when it came to answering questions that were far too personal for her comfort. It was the misfortune of the reporter from Rhy'Din Entertainment to ask the question that went just that little bit too far, and to the deep amusement of her colleagues, rivals, and the fans who could hear, Vicki proceeded to tell the woman exactly what she thought of people who believed they had a right to know everything there was to know about her husband in no uncertain terms. She only stopped when security tactfully ushered them onward toward the fans who were waiting for just a little of Jon's time.

Relieved to be finished with the reporters, Jon and Vicki were led along toward the crowd of fans who were screaming a greeting and shouting his name. Jon was ever aware of Vicki, carefully guiding and manuevering her, shielding her as best he could and keeping her out of reach of the drove of fans who he knew could sometimes get a little aggressive in their eagerness to get a glimpse or a touch.

A face in the crowd watched them impassively, lips curling with obvious disdain for the woman so loved by the object of affection. Pushing through the crowd, this fan forced her way to the front of the barrier, elbowing others aside with more strength than should have been possible. She reached her hands toward Jon, her expression slavishly adoring. "Jon! Jon, over here! Sign my hand, Jon!"

Jon graciously signed a few autographs and allowed a few pictures to be taken, always moving slowly forward toward the theater, knowing there was no way he could possibly grant every request of every fan or he'd be there all night. There were so many people shouting his name, he could hardly think straight. Fortunately, the security Liv had hired was keeping the crowd in order, and Jon's claustrophobic fear or crowds wasn't getting the best of him as yet.

Fury flared in the eyes that watched him pass by, as his eyes passed over her to look to the sow he had married and share some private comment that set them smiling to one another. "No ....Jon! Look at me!" She lurched forward, knocking the barrier down in her urgency to grasp Jon's sleeve, reaching to capture his attention and push the woman who had caught him in marriage away from him in the same movement.

Startled by the woman's lunge toward himself and Vicki, Jon automatically stepped in front of his wife to protect her, just as he had in front of Correy nearly two years previous, on the night he'd been shot. A flash of mingled fear and concern briefly crossed Jon's face as he pulled Vicki toward him and away from the reach of the enraged fan, tugging his sleeve away from her grasp.

This obsessed, infuriated fan let out a shriek of anger, all wish to have Jon's attention on herself gone as she sought to step around him and punish Vicki for being the one he sought to protect without a second thought. Her fingers curled into claws that swiped at the redhead's bare arm as Jon's wife pulled him further away. "That bitch doesn't deserve you, Jon! She's evil!"

"Jesus Christ," Jon muttered, his face turning pale as he put himself between the crazed fan and his wife, rushing to lead her to the safety of the theater as several security men moved in to block the woman from getting any closer, clearing the way for Jon and Vicki to get inside before all hell broke loose. Jon thought he heard the sound of cloth tearing, but he kept going, pushing his way through the crowd, ignoring the shouts, calling for his attention.

Stumbling along with Jon, Vicki held an arm wrapped protectively about the smooth bump at her waist, for once not fighting the protective instincts that had Jon and at least two of the security team huddled close around her as they pushed through the crowd. Behind them, she could hear that enraged shrieking dying away in the frenzy of the crowd, not ashamed to admit that she was hoping the more loyal of his fans were doling out punishment of their own on that insane cow.

It was only a matter of moments before they were ushered safely inside, but it seemed like forever, time passing slowly, one slow second at a time. Once safely inside, despite the fact that Jon was visibly pale and shaken, he turned his attention immediately to Vicki, turning her to face him, hands cupping her face before moving down over her arms to make sure she hadn't been hurt. "Are you all right?" he asked, a worried expression on his face.

"I'm all right," she was quick to assure him, the only sign of injury a faint scratch on the curve of her upper arm, where one outstretched nail had caught her as Jon pulled her away. She was as shaken as he was - it was frightening to discover how deeply resentment against her flowed among some of his fan base. Her fingers curled to his cheeks, thumbs gently smoothing over his cheekbones. "Are you? She didn't hurt you, did she?"

"No, I'm fine," he assured her, once he was satisfied she was all right. He frowned at the scratch on her arm as he ran a finger across it. Though it didn't appear to be anything serious, he felt a sudden flare of rage rise up inside him that anyone would dare try and hurt her. Whatever fear or worry he'd been feeling fled in the wake of that raw emotion. "Son of a bitch," he muttered under his breath. "Where the hell is Mataya?" he asked suddenly, searching the crowd inside the theater for his oldest and dearest friend.

"Are you kidding" I was thrown off set for making her laugh, remember?" She smiled, refusing to indulge in her own concerns, knowing that if he saw her worrying, it would only make his mood worse. Stepping back, she took his hand in hers, stroking her thumb over his knuckles. "Ready, Mr Granger?"

"Never keep your public waiting," Jon quipped with a half-hearted smile, trying not to let one screwball ruin their night. There would always be fans, and there would always been nutjobs among those fans. The trick was making sure you could tell the difference before it was too late. That was where security came in, and Jon was glad Liv had insisted on plenty of that tonight. The days of living in relative anonymity seemed over. Such was the price one paid for fame. He only hoped Vicki never lived to regret her decision to marry him because of it. He pressed a kiss against her knuckles before offering her an arm. "Ready when you are, Mrs. Granger." He smiled again, this time with more warmth, never tiring of calling her that.

Thankfully, Mataya had done a first class job in keeping the uproar outside from bleeding into the lower bar, allowing Jon and Vicki to slide back into the mingling group without too much fuss or bother. As the ushers moved to open the doors to the auditorium, the gathered crowd began to move toward taking their seats. Despite her brave face, despite knowing that no one in here harbored any ill will toward her, Vicki stayed close to Jon, playing the part of the supportive wife with everyone who spoke with them as they entered the heart of the theater itself.

Jon led Vicki into the theater, his game face back on, despite whatever he might be feeling inside. He smiled warmly and graciously greeted those in attendance, chatting amicably with people as he and Vicki made their way into the theater, protectively making sure she stayed by his side. He wasn't letting her out of his sight tonight, no matter what. If she had to go to the ladies' room, he was going to follow. Before long, they found their seats right in front where Liv had arranged for them to sit, where all eyes would be on them, when they weren't on the movie screen. It was going to be a long two hours and some odd minutes, especially since both Jon and Vicki knew the thing by heart by now, but this was all part of the game, and once those some odd two hours were over, they'd be free to bow out early and spend the rest of the evening alone.

Once the speeches were over and the lights were down, Vicki found herself relaxing a little more, knowing that even though there were still eyes on them, no one could really see her. Her hand curled into Jon's, leaning close enough to rest her head against his shoulder, staring up at the screen without seeing any of the action. Her mind kept turning back to the moment when that horrible girl had lunged for them, for her, when she'd felt a nail score her skin. She couldn't help imagining just how badly that could have gone for her if Liv's security measures hadn't been so good. Had she made Jon's life harder by marrying him"

Jon held tightly onto Vicki's hand, behaving himself, all the teasing from earlier forgotten, at least for now. He leaned his head against hers, whispering three little words for her ears only, letting go of her hand so that he could wrap an arm around her shoulders while she snuggled against him. If there were any doubts in the minds of anyone in attendance, those doubts were put to rest. Though Jon's eyes were on the screen, his thoughts were far away, wondering not for the first time if he'd made the right decision in making this movie. And yet, he knew it wasn't really the movie that was to blame. It was some kook out there who seemed to want him all to herself. Something clicked suddenly in Jon's brain, and he lifted his head from Vicki's, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

It was just as well no one, not even Jon, could see Vicki's face. She was trying so hard to stay calm, but that recurring image of absolute feral hatred on the face of the girl who had lunged for them, wanting to hurt her, just wouldn't go away. Leaning close into Jon's side, Vicki frowned, forcing herself not to give into the fright that wanted her to cry. Not here, she promised herself.

Jon closed his eyes, trying to call up the girl's face in his mind, trying to determine if she seemed familiar in any way, wishing he could remember what the face of the shooter looked like. He knew Correy had seen her, had given the Watch a description of her, but whether it was the same person who'd shot him and later sent the threatening message on Earth, he couldn't say. It seemed a long shot, but one worth investigating. He tilted his head to one side, rubbing his fingers against his temple as he tried to remember. Trying to remember anything that had been lost to the bullet always gave him headaches, but every now and then he'd manage to recall a fragment or two. If only the vampire had given him back more of his memories before she'd tried to turn him.

A loud snap of sound from the movie made Vicki jump violently, startling her out of her distressing thoughts for a moment with a feigned laugh at her reaction. She glanced up at Jon, hoping he hadn't caught her stillness and understood it for what it was. The last thing she wanted to do was upset him further with her delayed reaction to the incident on the red carpet.

Startled out of his thoughts by Vicki's reaction to the background noise of the movie they both had memorized by now and had very little interest in, he glanced over at her with a worried expression on his face before leaning close to whisper in her ear. "Are you all right?" he asked, as quietly as he could, his arm still around her.

As much as she didn't want to upset him, Vicki hated to lie to Jon. "Not really, no," she whispered back to him, her voice lost beneath the dialogue on screen, audible only to him. "I'll be better when we're alone. Not long now." She was deliberately jovial as she murmured to him, hoping the merry notes would cover the tremble in her voice as she spoke.

He knew her as well as she knew him, and he knew she was more upset than she was letting on. "Come on," he told her quietly, unwrapping his arm from around her shoulders. "Let's go get some air or something. We've seen this a dozen times." He gaze her hand a squeeze, more than ready to escape the confines of the dark theater and get a drink and a little air. Or maybe they'd sneak away to his dressing room for a little while until the movie was over.

"No," she shook her head lightly, squeezing his hand. "No, don't draw attention to us." And in that sentence was all he really needed to know. She didn't want it known what had happened out front, nor did she want any kind of gossip to reach the ears of that insane fangirl to make her think that she had in some way had any effect on the evening at all. "Wait until the end of the film, Jon, please. Don't let her win."

He was feeling antsy again, but he relented, allowing Vicki to call the shots. It was, after all, her who the fangirl had attacked, not him. He wished it had been him. He clenched his jaw, thankful for the darkness of the theater to hide the anger from his face. It wasn't fair. Vicki had done nothing to deserve this kind of treatment, and he decided right then and there that nothing was more important than her safety. If he had to quit acting to keep her safe, he would. He'd do whatever it took.

Those who knew them would know that only something serious would take them away from the party, and those who didn't would be fobbed off with the party line Mataya was no doubt spreading amongst those in the know at this very moment. For herself, Vicki didn't care what that excuse was. Tucked close under Jon's arm, she slipped with him up the steps and onto the stage, passing through the curtain and into the quiet darkness of the wings. "I'm sorry," she apologised, a hitch in her breath betraying that she really wasn't in as much control as she would have liked. "I am sorry, I shouldn't be running away like this."

"Stop apologizing. You're not running away. It's just a party, Vicki. It's not a big deal. It's not going to make or break the movie or my career." He tried to reassure her as they made their way out, not as quickly as he might have liked, but as carefully as possible. Though they knew these hallways like the backs of their hands, it was different traversing them in the darkness and quiet, strange and almost creepy. He led the way, guiding her by the hand through the maze of hallways that made up the back of the theater, a place where few but those who knew those wings ever trod.

She laughed weakly as they moved along, down onto street level and into the corridor that would take them out into the alleyway beyond, where hopefully the limo was waiting for them. "I am running away," she argued stubbornly, hugging into him as they walked. "But thank you for trying to persuade me otherwise."

"You know, running away is not always a bad thing," he pointed out, trying to be helpful and encouraging and understanding. "I don't care if we attend the party or not. There will be other parties. Besides, you're pregnant. If they don't understand, then screw them." He was referring mainly to the press but if they really wanted an interview that badly, all they had to do was call Liv and she'd set something up. "It's just a movie. They don't own my soul." The limo was right outside, right on time, like Mataya promised. He paused at the door, turning to face her, hands on her hips. "You are more important to me than anything....the movie, the press, the premiere, my fans. You, Vicki. I'm still here because of you." He really and truly believed that. Without her, he wasn't sure what might have become of him. He had been on the fast track to destruction when he'd met her, but she had given him the will and a reason to go on.

She paused with him, her own hands curled about his arms as he looked down at her. "You know you're the only reason I'm here," she reminded him quietly of just how much influence he had held over her entire lifetime, not just since he had known her. "Without you, I would have made a lot of mistakes, and you would never have met me. You are just as important to me as I am to you, Jon boy, and don't you forget it." Somehow, this fervent exchange had heartened her, setting the tears at bay a while longer as she gazed up into his eyes. "Now get me out of here before I start blubbing all over you."

He chuckled. It was rare indeed when Vicki blubbed over anything. She was the strongest woman he knew, stronger in some ways than himself. In a strange way, he'd known her all her life. He'd been there for her ever since she'd been a child, traveling in and out of time, touching her at points in her life when she seemed to have needed him most. "It wouldn't be the first time," he reminded her with a soft smile, taking a moment to kiss her, lighting the fire of love that burned brightly in his heart. "You were an adorable baby." He touched his nose affectionately to hers, a fond smile on his face.

It was hard to stay frightened when Jon looked at her like that, when he kissed her like that. Vicki sighed into him, feeling the worst of her shock dissipate under the burn of love from her affectionate husband's attentions, her nose scrunching as she smiled back at him. "I was a monster," she corrected, knowing full well he couldn't argue with her. Her own mother had called her a monster, after all.

"An adorable monster," he teased with a grin, lightly bearded cheeks dimpling, tweaking her nose affectionately. "Come on, monster. Let's blow this popstand. We've got better things to do than hobnob with the rich and famous." Even if he was one of the rich and famous. He brushed a kiss against her cheek and took hold of her hand, before pushing out into the cool night air, looking carefully around for any lurkers before leading her out into the alley. The limo was right was it was supposed to be, right on time, just like Mataya had promised. Time to go home.

http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/C2VOE0qXBpVqI8PdsOffwg/cid/62382500/id/auo3F9S2TXShR_S07sWcug/size/c600x550.jpg http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/Prk9u4lscFhpiJSi78OF5g/cid/62334861/id/OXZMhhPpSSGTqD43uc5NtA/size/c600x614.jpg ((Awesome fun as always, and ooh, look, we put a bit of plot in there, too. Be sure to catch the next installment of Jon and Vicki's story if you want to find out what happens next! :grin: Massive thank yous to Jon's player, as always!))