???: “Wake up, sleeping beauty! The sun is calling and it’s a new day! Also, Akane is going crazy ‘cause you disappeared. You’re in for a lecture and I can’t do anything for you. Sorry.”

    I opened my eyes, squinting up towards the source of the voice.

    Angela. It figured she would be the one getting me out of my rarely-used hiding spot.

Angela: “He’s waiting at the base of the tree, Sweetheart. Sent me up to get you.”

Jasmine winced.

Jasmine: "Fraaaaagg."

Akane had that 'disappointed' look in his face.

Akane: "May I remind you what I specified only recently Miss Brookes?!"

She sunk deeper into the hammock.

Jasmine: "I can't even wake up fully without him lecturing me . . . ? Come on! At least the tree helps muffle his voice a little . . ."

She sighed.

Jasmine: "Tell him to take a vacation while I take a nap."

She closed her eyes, nestling into the hammock further. Angela laughed.

Angela: "Somehow I don't think that'll go over well, Jas. Just get up and get over with."

    Akane waited for her, arms crossed and staring upwards.Akane waited for her, arms crossed and staring upwards.

    Jasmine groaned, sitting up.

Jasmine: “Man! I can’t do anything, can I?”

    She sighed, climbing out of the hammock and down the tree slowly, if she so much as made a branch creak, she was sure the tongue-lashing she was about to receive would worsen, given that Akane would no doubt assume she was going to break the branch and fall to her death in a millisecond. Not like he wouldn’t have the reaction time to at least make sure it was a hospital visit and not a casket shopping trip. Jasmine bit her lip, Angela silently making her way down the tree behind her. She couldn’t help but wince when she saw Akane’s face, even though she was still ten feet off the ground, she knew today was going to be brutal.

    She landed on the ground, jumping the final five feet, hoping that wouldn’t be too awful in front of him.

Jasmine: “Um . . . sorry?”

Akane: "Sorry does not even BEGIN to describe this, Miss Brookes. My job is to keep you safe. How am I supposed to do so if you keep running off and at least not speaking to me?!"

Jasmine tried desperately to hold back a smile, having to take a deep breath to make it work.

Jasmine: "You know I go to the hammock when the weather permits and I feel a need to be outside. And you authorized the trip with Daniel . . . However reluctantly . . ."

Akane: "But you didn't let me know, is my point. Miss Brookes, I completely understand you want your freedom, but at least allow me to have an idea where you are!"

She couldn't help but crack a smile, but now the struggle was keeping from snickering.

Jasmine: "My apologies, Akane . . . I . . . I didn't think last night . . . I just sort of assumed you'd know with your creepy psychic third eye or whatever."

She didn't know why she found it amusing. She just felt strangely giddy at seeing his face. More importantly, seeing him so . . . shaken.

He was less amused and crossed his arms.

Akane: "In the future, I'd rather you inform me when you are exiting the mansion on your own."

She pressed her lips together, trying to calm herself.

Jasmine: "Technically I didn't leave. I never re-entered."

Akane, usually a very patient man, was losing it. His left eyebrow twitched, lips drawing thinner.

Jasmine couldn't help a small snicker from falling out. Akane was almost never like this, and the unusual sight was amusing compared to his normal composure. Angela turned away to keep from laughing.

Jasmine: "Okay, okay, I'm sorry, Akane. I really am, I just . . . I didn't realize you'd get so concerned . . . I know I should know better but it just doesn't cross my mind sometimes."

    He sighed, pinching the bridge if his nose.

Akane: "Now we've gotten that out of the way.... You received a call from Sara two minutes ago."

    She was still smiling, trying to get rid of the thought of Akane frustrated. It was too amusing to forget entirely.

Jasmine: "Oh? What for? Another interview?"

Akane: "It's about a charity project. She would not say what though."

Jasmine smiled bigger.

Jasmine: "Well I suppose I'll have to call her back, now won't I?"

Without waiting for a response, she skipped back to the house, trying not to snicker even more. He sighed, exasperated.

Jasmine couldn’t help herself. If he was going to treat her like a child, she felt she had every right to behave as such. That, and sometimes you just had to let yourself be happy. With so many things to drag you down, why not cut some of them free once in a while?

So, Jasmine contacted Sara, who excitedly informed her of a new charity project she could be taking on with this lovely ranch that needed funds to continue operating. It was decided that they would hold an interview soon, which was really more of a formality and way of producing business or extra money for the charities than it was deciding whether or not it would be taken on. Honestly, the idea sounded wonderful to her. She loved  the sound of a quaint little ranch just a little ways off. It was decided that the interview would be held in a few days.

Unfortunately, in that time, Akane had managed to confiscate another letter, renewing Jasmine’s sour mood towards him. It was frustrating when he kept doing that.

Nonetheless, she was soon sitting with an old friend, chatting easily on set, the film rolling as they went on and on about old things and new things. Typical conversation. At least, between the pair. Sara had fair skin, blonde hair and brown eyes that contrasted with Jasmine’s medium skin tone, auburn locks and green eyes.

They knew each other well because Sara had been the first one to interview Jasmine when she’d made her way onto the acting scene.

Becky hummed offstage, adjusting her braid.

Becky: "Deep breaths gal. Ya can do this."

She muttered, straightening the collar of her gingham shirt and tightening the cuffs as she waited to be called on stage.

Becky: "All or nuth'n."

Sara: "Well, let's get back to what could be your next donation project, Jazz! Ladies and gentleman, I found this young lady, and she runs an adorable ranch just a few hours away! Let's hear it for Becky Hollister!"

She straightened out.

Becky: 'Smile and wave! Smile and wave!'

She repeated in her head, walking out, though a bit of red was on her cheeks from the attention she was getting. She walked over and nodded, holding out a hand to shake.

Becky: "Pleasure 't make yer acquaintances!"

Her accent and Western slang ran thickly out of her mouth. Sara rose first, already knowing the guest from a preliminary encounter. Her smile was genuinely sweet as she greeted Becky.

Sara: "Pleasure to see you again, Becky. How've you been?"

Becky: "Oh do'n fine. Fine as rain!"

In reality, she wasn't. She managed to hide a new set of scars from her 'Freddy Krueger' that appeared in her dreams, though she never remembered who or how . . . or why. She turned to Jasmine.

Jasmine: "It's a pleasure 't meet'chya, Miss Brookes! Folks back on 'th ranch are big fans 'a yers!"

Jasmine rose from her seat, extending her hand to Becky, smiling.

Jasmine: "That's always good to hear, Becky. I'm glad to meet you today, considering the circumstances. And I can't say how excited I am about this."

Becky: "Ya 'an meh both."

Becky squinted at her. Sure, she'd seen her plenty of times, but now face-to-face something felt . . . Off.

Jasmine made sure not to let her composure slip as she sat back down. Sara had already taken her seat behind her desk. Something about Becky's accent tickled the back of Jasmine's mind, but she promptly pushed it away. Becky sat down as well, hands folded in her lap and green eyes twinkling.

Sara smiled, fingers twining to rest her chin.

Sara: "Well, Jazz, like I said, Becky here runs an adorable little ranch not too far away, but due to some issues, they're facing foreclosure, and I KNOW how much you just LOVE horses, so I thought this was a match made in a Patch of Heaven!"

Becky couldn't help it. She burst out laughing.

Becky: "Ahm . . . ahm sorray! Jest tha' 'th name 'a mah ranch is Patch 'a Heaven."

Sara smiled.

Sara: "I do my research, Becky."

Jasmine nodded.

Jasmine: "Well, I'd love to help you guys, out, Becky. I'm not sure what kinds of horses you have already, but I'd love to see some Fresians down there. They're an absolutely gorgeous breed and have copped amazing roles in films for their looks and gait, and-."

She froze, as a tall man stood in the audience, capturing her attention. Becky noticed this and her head whipped around, red braid swinging violently. Her eyes widened as a few familiar feelings hit as she saw a giant of a man in a business suit make his way to the stage. Her hand self-consciously touched the hidden claw marks on her neck.

Jasmine resisted the urge to squirm in her chair, faintly recognizing his face and remembering too many nights filled with screams associated with it. She bit her tongue lightly to keep herself from making a visible adverse reaction to his presence. She offered a small smile, that appeared natural, for the most part, even though it took plenty of force.

Akane: "Can I help you, Sir?"

Akane moved forwards, glaring at the man through his dark sunglasses, arms crossed and standing tall, almost towering over the man who possibly stood at a good six-feet-something tall.

The man merely grinned.

???: "Relax, my good man. I am merely here to aid Ms. Hollister. To inform her that one of our clients dropped out and that she is next on the list to be taken up as an investment. Her ranch, that is. And of course, in the process, it would save Ms. Brookes the trouble of spending her money and getting no return on it."

Jasmine winced slightly, hearing his voice, but still managed to speak up.

Jasmine: "Sir. It's called charity for a reason. I don't need any return on doing the right thing."

He shot her a look that would have been deadly had they been alone. Becky flinched and took a deep breath.

Becky: "With all-do respect Mistah . . . ah . . . Tron is it? Well, Mistah Tron ah do 'preciate ya come'n ovah 'ere 'an tell'n meh this."

She tried to find the right words to say. He eyed her skeptically.

Megatron: "Why do I feel that either 'and' or 'but' is going to come out of your mouth, Ms. Hollister? Think carefully before you answer."

Jasmine couldn't stand this gaze of this man, and wanted it nowhere near anyone innocent. She slipped her hand to Becky's, giving it a light squeeze.

Becky was suddenly comforted and took a deep breath.

Becky: "Yer righ'. Honestlay, ahm sure there are a lotta souls out there who could use yer 'elp more than ah evah could need."

The man scowled lightly.

Megatron: "I don't believe you know what you're doing, Ms. Hollister. This is an opportunity you will not have again."

Becky: "A-ahm sure ah'll beh fine."

His scowl deepened.

Megatron: "Ms. Hollister,-"

Jasmine: "She said NO, you leech. Akane! Please help Mr. 'Tron' off the set and out of the building. Don't want him getting lost."

Akane nodded.

Akane: "This way sir."

He placed a vice-like grip on his shoulder and guided him out. Becky let out a long sigh of relief.

Sara: "Well, he was quite the character, wasn't he?"

    She asked, slightly unnerved.

Becky: "Ya can say tha' 'gain."

Becky agreed, shaking her head and adjusting the collar of her shirt. Jasmine shook her head lightly, trying to chase away all thoughts of the man.

Jasmine: "In any case, I'm happy to help you with your ranch, Becky."

Becky: "Thank ya kindly."

She smiled widely, her green eyes almost glowing.

Becky: "Oh! Sara! Sorray darl'n forgot we were still on 'th air!"

She laughed, blushing. Sara laughed lightly.

Sara: "That's fine, honey! It's not often we have two people with such chemistry on the show! It's like you guys have known each other for years instead of minutes."

Jasmine glanced at Becky. She felt like she had known this woman much longer than before the show. It was eerie. Becky shrugged and smiled good naturedly as they continued without another incident.