Okay! Here comes chapter five! There's....a lapse in time from the last chapter. Just...skips ahead to the next rehearsal. Here comes acting warmups and bonding routines! And this is where the credit is due to TrinityFlower of Memories. :) Hope you likies!!

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Before the director had her "beloved thespians" start the reading of the scripts, she had them do acting excercises.

The first was the mirror. She told them all to split into pairs, and they obliged.

Since Sonny had not become accquainted with any of her cast mates in the previous two rehearsals, despite her sunny demeanor and outgoing personality, she had no other choice than James.

"Alright young'uns! Many of you probably know how to do this activity, but for those of you who don't - one of you will lead the other, who has to copy the leader. But not only do you have to copy, you have to do your best to make it so that the observers have difficulty figuring out who is the leader. Make your movements as synchronized as possible. Have fun!" Her dramatic voice boomed out the instructions enthusiastically despite that she'd likely given these instructions time and time again.

"Alright," James promulgated as he walked up to Sonny. "I'll be the...leader. You ready?" He smirked with his question and sent shivers down her spine. What is he thinking?

They staked out a small part of the stage that the whole cast was standing upon, downstage, stage left. "I'm always ready." (A/N: ...Okay, somewhat cheesy line but...meh.)

They started out with the simple hand motions that most people do in this situation. James then progressed them to more active actions - small steps in one direction or the other and things of the sort.

Then Sonny caught a glint in his eye - a murderously intimidating glint and she automatically knew what he was thinking.

It's James Conroy. This had to have come sooner or later.

She readied herself for his next action. She leaned forward in time with him, crouching towards the ground, moving into an almost ball, continually leaning forward.

Finally her legs lifted off the ground in an amateur attempt at James' signature tuck and roll.

James, as would be expected of him, did it without flaw - a lfuid motion, ending in him springing back to his feet. Sonny wasn't as experienced...or lucky. She rolled too far and sent herself flying off the front of the stage, landing flat on her back on the floor below.

A chorus of gasps flooded the auditorium as her cast mates all ran down the stairs at either side of the stage to rush over and make sure if she was okay - except for James. Much to her surprise, he leapt off of the stage effortlessly and within moments was at her side, kneeling, lifting her head off the ground and laying it on his leg. "Sonny," her eyes droopy, the pain obvious on her face. Genuine concern wavered his voice. "Are you alright?!"

Before she could form any determinable words, she let out an involuntary moan.

"Sonny?"

"...Ow."

James' angular face spread into a smile of legitimate relief that took over his face and brightened him.

She opened her eyes and struggled to sit up. "No-no-no-no," James ushered her as he gently layed her head back down. "Be careful. Don't want to sit up to quickly."

"Alright lovelies," Greylund chimed in. "I believe now would be a good time to start our reading. Everyone! Get in a circle in front of the stage. Ms Monroe," she spoke directly to Sonny now. "It's best that you have a spot where you can lean back on the front of the stage." Now she turned to James. "Mr Conroy, please assist Ms Monroe to the front of the stage. And fetch her scripts please." Finally, she spoke once more to the whole group. "Go! all of you! Fetch your scripts! Find a seat in the circle. We're going to do our monologues first. Then we'll do dialogues, then more monologues."

James, quietly, for once, did as he was told - gently, and very carefully helping Sonny to sit in front of the stage, then jogging over to grab both their scripts, and returning to take a seat to her left.

Sonny gave a delicate half smile to him and gave a near silent, "Thankyou."

His only response was his own subtle smile.

"Well, Ms Monroe, you already have our attention, so let's start with your first monologue. Everyone," She bellowed, so as to bring attention from Sonny to herself, at least momentarily. "This first monologue is a poem composed by well-known American gothic writer, Edgar Allen Poe. Now, he suffered many a death when it came to the people he loved, which proved as perfect inspiration for this poem in which the narrator speaks of an undying love, which is then torn down when she dies. Please, give your utmost attention to Ms Monroe as she reads Annabel Lee.

Sonny nervously cleared her throat and took a look around the entire circle before her eyes settled on James, who gave her a reassuring smile, melting the ice of fear that was lumped in her throat; a smile that told her she'd do fine, and urged her to go on.

She took a deep breath and began. "It was many and many a year ago, in a kindom by the sea, that a maiden there lived who you may know, by the name of Annabel Lee; And this maiden she lived with no other thought than to love and be loved by me." She spoke in perfect rhythm - smooth, with only a slight, barely noticeable waver to her voice, only caused by the embarassment of tumbling off the stage.

She took a pause before beginning the next stanza, remembering three days ago when Chad waltzed into her dressing room, revealing his unknown knowledge of classic literature. "And I was a child and she was a child, in this kingdom by the sea; But we loved with a love that's more than love - I and my Annabel Lee; With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven coveted her and me."

She continued the rest of the poem, her mind not even remotely focused on it, yet reciting it perfectly, as if it were reflex.

Instead her mind focused on Chad. "And this was the reason that, long ago, In this kingdom by the sea, A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling My beautiful Annabel Lee." Chilling...

Everytime their flesh touched, their hands met, that's what she felt - a chill. Not a spark. Not...not like the warm feeling she had gotten at the last rehearsal as James touched her hands, asking for another chance. Maybe I really do hate Chad..."So that her highborn kinsman came And bore her away from me, To shut her up in a sepulchre In this kingdom by the sea."

She always felt shut up, shut down, shut back, whenever she dealt with Chad. Like something in her was telling her to stay away - like she wasn't worthy, it wasn't safe, he was tainted, all at once. "The angels, not half so happy in heaven, went envying her and me - Yes! - that was the reason (as all men know, In this kingdom by the sea) That the wind came out of the cloud by night, Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

"But out love it was stronger by far than the love Of those who were older than we - Of many far wiser than we - And neither the angels in heaven above, nor the demons down under the sea, Can ever dissever my soul from the soul Of the beautiful Annabel Lee." Whatever i feel for Chad...I never...She couldn't even finish the thought. She couldn't bare to think of her life without Chad. She couldn't go back to not knowing him. Even if she did really hate him, he was part of her life. It wouldn't be the same if her wasn't in it...

"For the moon never beam without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;" Eyes....those eyes...Not only did she feel a chill at the touch of his smooth flesh, she felt the same looking at his clear, sparkling, ocean blue eyes. They chilled her soul. Chilled it so it halted to a near stop. All other thought left her mind, and, for however long, all other emotions drifted away, even if to just come flooding back after she had warmed again. "And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side, Of my darling - my darling - my life and my bride, In the sepulchre there by the sea, In her tomb by the sounding sea."

The group was silent. Sonny's voice had faded to nearly a whisper, full of emotion and thought and wonder, her gaze empty, eerie. They were all sitting, watching, listening in amazement and making sure they could hear.

They all stayed silent for a long moment afterward, silently, mentally deciphering the impact, and hidden, personal meaning that Sonny unintentionally bled into the poem.

Finally the silence was broken. "Very nice Ms Monroe. Wonderful portrayal of the emotion intended by the author. Alright....hmm..." she thought of which direction to go in after Sonny's monologue. "Ms Malone! Your monologue!"

Sonny payed little attention to the following monologues. She simply layed her head on James' shoulder, practically drifting off, but making somewhat of an effort to seem attentive.

She could feel as Hypnos teased at her eyes, causing them to droop and drift to a close. Then a sudden thought occured to her. No! I can't fall asleep! I hit my head! I could have a concussion!! Noo!!

Much to her luck, her eyes suddenly jerked open as James nudged her side with his elbow and whispered, loud enough for her to hear, but to go unnoticed by Madame Greylund. "Be careful not to fall asleep Sonny.

She was now more awake - still somewhat drowsy, but the sort where you've woke up to some sort of external stimulus that has made your body wary of more sleep, so no matter how hard you may try, you'll still be awake.

She still payed no mind to the other actors, even as it came to James. As she thought about it, sh actually had no idea what James' monologues were - she hadn't cared to ask. All she knew of was his role in A Long Walk to Forever opposite her...

Maybe I should pay attention...

But just as quickly as the thought formed in her head, it was expelled by Madame Greylund's voice flooding the air of the entire room.

"Well done Mr Conroy, everyone. now for our dialogues. I have highlited porions of each of your scenes so we're not sitting here for an unbearably long while. Still want to have time for everyone's final monologues!!"

She handed everyone out a page with an excerpt from their assigned dialogues, covered in bright yellow lines.

It was not until this point that Sonny had learned who were the narrators in the scene with her and James.

"First up! A Long Walk to Forever! We have Sonny Monroe as Newt, James Conroy as Caraline, and Lila Farris and Pippa Fisher as our narrators!! On you go then!"

They read a short excerpt from the piece, in which both narrators and Sonny and James could speak.

It was a simple concept, the story. Two childhood friends, one comes back form war, the other engaged. They take a walk, catch up, and deal with the fact the Newt loves Caraline, but she denies her love for him because of her engagement. They are doomed lovers, cofounding factors holding them apart. It's sad really...

But Sonny paid no mind to the emotion behind it. She just read, paid attention to her lines like a good little actress - no mind wandering off to personal woes, that don't even deserve woeful thoughts. She managed to keep her mind securely set on the piece. Yet...not quite. It's not on something else, but it's not entirely...there. She's somewhat empty.

It's as if she's a young child, thinking of philosophy for the very first time. 'Why are we here? Are we simply some higher being's play things? Are we even here? Or are we simply...whispers in the wind of reality? Fragments of what may be, what has been, what could have been, or what could be?'

A hollow, helpless, useless feeling.

She shook it off, mentally, as James read the last line of their piece and Madame Greylund applauds, signifying her approval. Likely to prevent herself from blathering on about what exactly she thought of it, wasting everyone's time, including her own. She simply introduced the next scene and its actors.

It was a shorter excerpt, from a shorter piece. With only three actors. A girl and her betrothed visit her mother who she has barely spoken to. The girl and her mother fight as the young man tries to intervene, change the subject, provide solutions, but they cannot agree on anything, they just bicker. The girl complaining about how, because of her mother, her life is far from ideal. The only thing gone right is her betrothed.

Somewhat stereotypical in places, unhappy as well. So far, from what Sonny observed, very little of these have been jovial. Though, she cannot say for certain because of her lack of attention to the majority of the monologues.

Two more dialogues proceeded, one with two persons, the other with three. Sonny had to fight herself to pay attention.

Her mind kept nearly reeling back to the thought from earlier, but immediately veering to...nothing. Her mind remained mostly empty of thought for the duration of the rehearsal excpet for rare moment, mostly when she'd been called on to read.

The dialogues finished and Madame Greylund instructed them to go to the next ring of monologues. This time she started with James, going left, leaving Sonny for last, as Madame Greylund said, "...it will be in the final production."

Though Sonny didnot notice, James glances down to the shell of the usually perky girl laying her head on his muscular shoulder every so often.

One or two people in the circle noticedthe worry on his face, but paid it no mind. Passing it off as just concern for her health - him hoping she has not sustained a head injury of some sort, perhaps a head injury. But that was not the cause of his worry. He'd never seen her this way. No one has. Not even she has seen herself this way. It's new to her.

Accompanying a new thought.

The thought that had drifted into her mind as she read the poem.

The thought that...she might actually hate Chad.

The thought that she's been avoiding, trying to avoid complete realization that it is true.

Finally the circle came to a stop with her once more. She was to read her farewell monologue. A classic from a Shakespeare play.

The perfect way to end a night of merriment. A night of lighthearted souls - actors. Those who seem...not quite human. More than human. beyond the reach of us mere mortals.

Sonny shot to attention, more attentive then she's been in over an hour.

She licked her lips as she first thinks over the first two lines of the monologue - ensuring that she's prepared to recite it properly.

This time, she pays full attention to the lines - reciting them from memory. A memory of reading the play, and watching the movie with Kevin Kline. Happy memories. Ones that perked her up from her solemn demeanor she'd been exhibiting all rehearsal.

"If we shadows have offended," she started in the most confident and "with it" voice she's used the whole rehearsal. "Think but this; and all is mended. That you have but slumbered here, while these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme no more yielding but a dream. Gentles--do not reprehend. If you pardon, we will mend. And, as I am an honest Puck, if we have unearned luck. Now to scape the serpents tongue. We will make amends ere long, else the Puck a liar call. So--goodnight unto you all. Give me your hands if we be friends. And Robin shall restore amends."

She drew out the last two lines, adding perfect, precise emphasis. It's a monologue she's known by heart, has for a long while, and loves as much as anything else.

Of course this would perk up her mood. It's from a play that has been her favorite since the fourth grade. And to be honest, she could think of no better way to end the show.

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Alright, so...yeah. This ones longer. I think it's the longest chapter I've had. And...well, I've not managed to finish by the midnight deadline, but I'm still going to continue this story. I've really gotten into the flow of it.

It got a little more....I dunno, dismal than I'd been expecting. And I managed to switch tenses somewhere in the middle. Like, the paragraph hat starts with "but Sonny paid no mind to..." Yeah....that's where it switched. So I went back and changed things the best I could without making the wording sound awkward.

Well, hope you liked it! Please review! I'll work on chapter six tomorrow. There's a decent shot it'll be up tomorrow afternoon.

And there should be Channy in it. :)