After another couple of attempts to shoot the balcony scene, Byron gives in & wraps up for the night. Gavin was at least able to stand in front of Astrid & speak his lines, but he was wooden & had lost his character. They will have to try again, after Byron has a heart to heart talk with his star about dealing with actresses like Astrid. As Byron drives out of the Hollywood Hills, away from his set, he doesn't head west on Sunset towards Pacific Palisades. He keeps going south on Highland, until he gets to Wilshire. It's 3am, but he's driving to Serena's house....it's a stupid thing to do, she'll be asleep this late & angry at him for being so rude, coming to her house at this hour. But he parks his car in front of her house & before he can walk up to her door, she's greeting him in the yard. "Byron, what are you doing here so late?" she asks, but her tone is cheerful and even, he thinks, a bit relieved to see him. Thinking of his own strange dream last night, he wonders to himself what kind of nightmare could shake Serena awake at this hour. "I just got off a shoot," he answers, feeling suddenly very tired. She brings him into her kitchen & cooks while he tells her about the shoot, about Gavin & Astrid. "I could have sworn I called you, Serena, told you where this shoot was...I wanted you to be there," he sighs. "You look like you're falling asleep sitting up," Serena laughs, "Go upstairs & sleep. You can't drive until you've had some sleep." Byron shakes his head, "No, I've got a meeting in a few hours..make me some tea, to give me energy." Serena smiles at him as she clears the dishes. "Go sleep for a couple of hours, then I'll make you some tea," she says.

He can't argue about it much more, he is very tired & Serena is right, he needs at least a little sleep. Byron flops himself, fully dressed, onto Serena's bed & falls into a deep sleep immediately. He's always had the ability to set an 'internal alarm clock' for himself, to wake himself at a specific hour, no matter how tired he is, or how late the hour. It has been an immense help to his career & something he wishes he could to teach to all his actors. So, shortly after the sun rises, Byron sits up, not exactly alert, but awake. He notices Serena at her desk, writing in her journal, and he quietly comes up from behind her, hoping to surprise her. It's a game they haven't played since they were young lovers. He was never quiet enough to catch her unawares, and once again, she snaps her journal shut before he can look at it, and she stands up just as he reaches for her shoulder.

"You win again, Serena," Byron laughs, bowing to her, in not entirely mock worship. She laughs, blushing & smiling. So very little between them has changed, he thinks...

They were so happy together when they were young, Byron can taste their former hapiness in her kiss.

"We can't keep doing this," she says, pulling away from him. Even when he was a nobody, Byron never really took 'no' for an answer. He holds her close to him, presses his lips against her neck. "Just like when we were 16, Serena," he whispers, "You kiss me & send me off." Serena blushes again, avoiding his eyes as she breaks out of his grasp. "I'm going to make you some tea," she says as she runs away from him, down the stairs. She barely looks at him while they drink her tea, a special brew that gives him the energy to take on grueling day of filming. "I have a lot of menial things to do & I need to take my star to lunch & deal with his issues, but I'll want you on the set for nightfall, when we do the balcony scene again," he tells her before he goes, "My assistant will be calling you with all the details." Serena nods, her eyes focused in the distance. "Serena," he says, taking her hand in hers, surprising her so she looks up at him. He longs to kiss her, and she looks so distraught he thinks she might allow it. But he hasn't got the time now, he has a movie to make. "I will see you later," he says, kissing her hand. And heads over to his car.

(the sculpture next to the spell book is called 'Free the Magic', from Livin it up. It's a huge cheat for Makin Magic. I can't list here all the things this does, giving you spells, magic coins, money, skills & more......)

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