'Nother Rehearsal

[Chris Strongheart]

Christine settled down on the makeshift bed, and smoothed her dress. Thank goodness this was the pre corset bit because trying to sing with a corset was going to be a royal pain in the ass. She sighed, shook her head with bitter amusement and glanced up and out at the audience.

"Yes, I made the choice for papa, I will stay. But I don't deserve to lose my freedom in this way. You monster! If you think that what you've done is right, well then you're a fool! Think again!

Is this home? Is this where I should learn to be happy? Never dreamed that a home could be dark and cold. I was told ev'ry day in my childhood: even when you grow old, home should be where the heart is... Never where words so true! My heart's far, far away, home is too.

What I'd give to return to the life that I knew lately and to think I complained of that dull provincial town...

Is this home? Am I here for a day or forever? Shut away from the world until who knows when? Oh, but then as my life has been altered once, it can change again. Build higher walls around me, change ev'ry lock and key. Nothing lasts, nothing holds all of me...
My heart's far, far away, home and free!" She closed her eyes and opened them at the sound of an impromptu knock. "Who is it?" she asked, finishing that bit of a scene before slipping into another song.

In a fit of amusement, she slipped into one of the earlier numbers. "Is he gone? Oh, can you imagine? He asked me to marry him. *Me*, the *wife* of that *boorish*, *brainless* . . .," she said before slipping into the song. "Madame Gaston!" Can't you just see it? "Madame Gaston!" His "little wife", ugh! No sir! Not me! I guarantee it! I want much more than this provincial life! I want adventure in the great wide somewhere - I want it more than I can tell. And for once it might be grand to have someone understand... I want so much more than they've got planned..."

She paused and held her hand up to her eyebrows, shielding her eyes from the light. "Hello?" she called, watching to see which member of the cast was showing up.

OOC: open tag!

[tashii]

"Keep going," Tash called out when Chris realized that she was there, Tash was enjoying watching Chris become her character.

[Chris Strongheart]

Christine stood up and stretched, arching her back a bit, working the kinks out. "If you insist," she called up. She closed her eyes as she tried to pick a Belle solo that she could do. Her eyes lit up in delight. Well, there was the song they had both mocked. "I have yet to figure out how this song is going to fit in - but it will, somehow." She tilted her head, took a breath and started to sing. "You'll never win my love, comin' on so strong. You'll never win my love, you're going at it all wrong. You'll never win my love, actin' cruel and mean. You'll never win my love unless you change your routine.

If you abuse me, you'll only lose me. You'll never make me care. Give me a rough time, you'll have a tough time. You'll never get anywhere.

What are you thinkin' of when you act unkind? You'll never win my love, without a new frame of mind. If you abuse me, you'll only lose me. You'll never win my love."

[tashii]

Tash couldn't keep her fit of giggles in, every time she heard that song it was worse then the time before. Finally regaining a little of her composure she asked, "Any idea's where or how we plan on putting that into the play?"

[Chris Strongheart]

"Your guess is as good as mine, but I think it's at some point before Beast has to save," Christine's voice suddenly trailed off and she went paler. She had forgotten... Immediately she felt ill and sat down far too quickly. Oh God, that scene - the one where the Beast saved Belle from the wolves, that hit far too close to home for both her *and* Sky. Far too close - considering that was how they both learned of Sky's curse that summer. She didn't know if she could stomach doing that scene now.

[tashii]

Bolting from the chair she had been sitting in Tash leaped on to the stage and in a moment was kneeing beside Chris. "Hey what's wrong?"

[Chris Strongheart]

"One of the scenes in the show... I can't... Sky and I were attacked by wolves in a forest when we were children," she whispered, her eyes bright and full of fear. "I don't know if I can handle doing that scene..."

[tashii]

Wrapping her arms around Chris she held Chris close for a minute. "It's okay, we will just rework the script. We can just get rid of it or make it an invisible scene. Do the before and after if it's important to the story." Tash suggested, pretty sure that was a turning point in the relationship between Belle and the Beast.

[Chris Strongheart]

Chris nodded. "I'll have to talk to Sky later, see what he can come up with, see if we can skip actually showing that scene," she whispered quietly, weakly. Her stomach continued to flip flop and she felt violently ill at the thought of even thinking about the wolf attack in the show.

[tashii]

"I can't think of any reason to keep that in the play, even the kids wouldn't want to watch that." Tash quietly said as she let down her personal barriers and took some of the fear Chris was feeling, Tash didn't take it all; just enough that the memories weren't so terrifying.

[Chris Strongheart]

Christine relaxed - even if it was just a little. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I still react like this. It's been years since it's happened," she confessed. "I think I better talk to Sky later and see what he wants to do..."

[tashii]

Tash had an idea of what was causing the fear. Even though it happened years ago, Tash was pretty sure Chris was still dealing with issues from that little event. Who wouldn't have issues if you were attacked by wolves then fell in love with one. "Do what ever you need to do, sometimes it takes more then time for the pain of some memories to lessen."

[Chris Strongheart]

Christine nodded. "Sky and I really need to sit down and talk, really talk," she said softly. "I know I'd feel a lot better after we've had a chance to talk things over."

[tashii]

"Do what ever you need to," Tash repeated, she would always be around to listen when she was needed but this was something that Tash couldn't help fix.

[Chris Strongheart]

"Now, my dear featherduster," Christine teased. "How is work going on your practicing with Brandon?"