"I'm so totally freaking out right now." Alex says, tipping her head back and resting it against the head rest of the car.

Low music hums in the background as Mr Walden drives us in to Doug's house whilst he sits silently - his eyes fixated on the road. The invitation was random and the request to see us both has made me more worried than ever before. The kind of worry that has the two side of you battling. The light and the dark, one saying it's going to be fine, the other saying this is it - it's over. I can't help but agree with the dark side, a morbid cloud settling over my heart like a cloud on a sunny day.

"We're going to be fine." I lie through my teeth. Not letting Alex in is probably for the best, she'll only freak out more and she doesn't need that right now with her injuries.

"Are we, though? Because I don't know of any other crew members being invited to Doug's house for a chat." She sighs, agitation lining her voice as helplessness consumes us more and more every second.

Plus, every second that we're stuck sitting in this car, we have nothing to do except ponder in our thoughts. Often called the most dangerous place, I'm being to now beginning to wonder if it's the most poisonous place instead because I feel sick the more I stay in silence. With my stomach rolling and the back of neck in a cool sweat, I decide to break the quiet.

"So, what are we going to tonight?" I ask casually, acting as if we're not driving into the possible death of our relationship. Which I won't let happen.

"Huh? Tonight we're sorting this out with Doug and then we're going to come up with more precautions." Alex says, her tone clipped.

Turning my head to the side, I lean over and take her chin between my thumb and forefinger to direct her attention onto me. With her blue orbs finally settled on mine, I smile at her.

"You and me okay? We're a team here." I nod, trying to calm her down, knowing the last comment wasn't directed at me but instead at our situation.

Alex blows out a breath and bites her lip, my heart races in response. "Sorry. God, I didn't mean for that to sound like that. I'm just scared."

"I know. But we're going to get through this." I repeat, trying to get the reassurance embedded into her brain and my own.

"Yeah, we are." She says, her lips tugging upwards in a desperate attempt to show her fake happiness.

Hoping to bring out a proper smile that I've fallen in love with, I lean forward and press my lips to her own. Moving them slowly, Alex groans in frustration when I don't go any further. Gripping onto her hands as I pull back, I internally question why I'm not stopping this car right now.

"You know I can't go in if you keep kissing me like that." I say.

"I know." Alex laughs, her genuine smile appearing like sunshine at the end of a storm - blindingly bright and a symbol of relief.

"Sir, we have arrived." Mr Walden's voice speaks up from the front of the car and my back goes rigid.

"Thank you. I'll text when we need picked up." I nod, trying to steady my breathing.

"Of course. Any time, Sir." He says, breaking his professional facade to shoot me a smile.

One that he keeps on for Alex as she thanks him and says goodbye before getting out of the car.

Doug's well-paid job has obviously paid off as we stand in front of his tall house. Security camera's are visible at the front door and I keep my hands to myself as I stand beside Alex, realising we're on film. If this conversation is about us and he wants to talk about the idea of us being together, I'm going to keep it like that - an idea.

"I'm such a charmer." Alex laughs, as Mr Walden drives away.

Turning my head to see her, my face is hidden from the accurate view of the cameras as I whisper, "Cameras."

Nodding in understanding, Alex looks up at the house as fear visibly creeps into her once again. Her shoulders droop but her head remains high as she begins to walk up the stone path leading to the front door.

I follow along beside her, squeezing my hands into fists inside of my pocket, desperate to keep myself from taking her hand in my own. But the temptation is there and it's strong. Like an invisible current, I never realise how much I like holding Alex until she's out of my arms.

With frustration and fear growing in unison, the door feels like it's containing my worst nightmare. Climbing the stairs, I ring the bell before going back down and standing beside Alex.

The front door opens slowly and the face I was expecting doesn't appear. Instead an older woman stands, looking nervous as she peers around the door.

"My, you to are a good looking pair." She breathes.

Alex lets out a laugh and I know her cheeks are going pink without having to even look to my side.

"Thank you, you're too kind." Alex says, her tone warm.

"I say what I see. Now, are you here to see Mr McKing?" The woman asks.

"Yes, we are. He's expecting us." I answer, smiling in the hopes to win her approval.

It's not like I'm winning Doug's approval, so I might as well have someone in this house like me.

"Of course, come in." She smiles, before opening the door wider for us.

Motioning for Alex to go first, I follow on behind and make my way into the house. With a homey feel, the inside of the house is not what I expected. Fully prepared for something colder, I breathe a sigh of relief as I begin to slowly relax.

Bad decision.

"I'll show you to his office he's waiting for you both." The woman says and begins walking down the corridor.

Passing several doors, we come to a stop outside a deep mahogany one and the woman nods before walking away. Calling a thank you after her, Alex turns to me with no expression on her face but panic in her eyes. The sight makes an ache in my chest curl tightly into a ball and I surprise myself at my reaction to just simply seeing her face. I'm in deep.

"Ready?" Alex asks.

"As I'll ever be." I smile back, before reaching for the door handle and walking in.

The door opens up into coldness. Mahogany, much like the door, coats the surfaces and a chill passes down through my spine at the dark feel of the room. With every aspect of grand furniture wooden, the room feels closed in. One window lets in all of the light, casting the corners into a spell of darkness.

Our entrance alerts Doug to our presence and we looks up from his computer he was working on. Sat behind his grand desk, you would think he was working for a law firm - not a production company.

"I'm glad you both made it." Doug greets as he stands up from his desk and comes to a stop in front of Alex and I.

His movements snap me back into reality as I stop myself from slipping into my own thoughts. Being distracted right now wold be fatal to keeping Alex and I's secret relationship alive. Inwardly scolding myself, I look deep into Doug's eyes as I refocus my mind.

"Of course, thank you for inviting us." I reply, my words sounding fake to even my own ears.

"Not at all, sit down both of you. There's something I want to discuss." He gestures with his hand to the two seats in front of his desk. Far apart, I don't want to sit in them because it increases the distance between Alex and I.

But I do it anyway. Going round and sitting in front of his desk, Doug no longer looks small but instead looks intimidating as he sits behind the desk, right in front of me. Swallowing in the hopes to get rid of the lump in my throat, I relax my posture as I try to keep myself together whilst the nerves rip me apart.

"Well, firstly I just want to ask how you are Alex." Doug begins.

"Much better, thanks. Doctors saying I'm making good progress and I should be back to work in about a week."

We'll see.

"Great, that's really great. You may need to film quite a few extra scenes because we've had to delay a lot, but you should get through them." Doug nods, quickly turning to write something on his computer - most likely a note about Alex.

His inclusion of should brings a smirk to my lips. Alex is going to take that phrase a challenge to get through them all and to prove him wrong. Doug could've saved himself a lot of time by saying will, but alas he didn't.

Turning my head to my side, I see Alex looking straight forward but even from my side view I can see the determination in her veins. With holding the urge to laugh, I bite my lip.

"So, there is another matter I wanted to discuss with you two." Doug begins and nod in understanding, yet again trying to fake my calmness.

"What's it about?" I ask.

"Your contracts, I'm fearful the pair of you are forgetting certain rules." Doug says, raising his eyebrows as his eyes flicker between the two of us.

"Why?" I ask, my eyebrows furrowing in fake confusion.

I know exactly why he's asking. Alex and I have broken what is possibly the most important rule. But at this stage, my heart aches at the thought of not having her - so the rules can go screw themselves.

"There's been several rumors circulating about you two. Rumors about a possible relationship that you've been keeping from management." Doug sighs, his eyes narrowing on Alex's face as he begins to speak again. "There's also been rumors about you and Noah Defray, Alex. I hope these aren't true either."

My body shakes as I attempt to keep my anger in.

I can shake the rumors, I can laugh off the speculation. But when Doug, one of the main producers of the show, singles out Alex to tell her that's there's rumors about her and multiple guys - I can't shake the anger there. I just can't. I'm pretty sure it's physically and mentally impossible.

"N-No relationships here. I think its just the paps are just wanting something to write about." Alex shrugs, looking at Doug with a fire in her eyes.

And at that moment, pride filled my chest as I took a moment to appreciate that Alex was mine to call my own.

"Yes, I know. But sometimes rumors have more facts than you words, Alex. There's photos and videos of Theo wrestling off paparazzi to get inside the hospital to visit you. There's videos of you two smiling at each other from across the room in award shows. There's a lot of evidence that suggests of something bubbling under the surface."

"I was rushing into the hospital because I was worried and it's a basic reaction for somebody to have when their friend is injured." I say, crossing my arms across my chest.

"Plus, us smiling? Really Doug, a smile does not mean that we're dating." Alex says and I turn to see her raising her eyebrows in a silent challenge at Doug.

The video does mean that we're dating, however. They put on the song we first danced to together in the middle of Alex's apartment. I had no control over myself when I sought out her eyes to make sure she had the same thinking as me. She did.

"I suppose you're right, But I'm still suspicious, I'll be keeping an eye on you." Doug says, leaning back against his chair.

"Nothing to keep an eye on." Alex says, beginning to head to the door.

"We'll see about that. Good-bye, you two." Doug says.

Not even bothering with a reply, I open the door and gesture for Alex to go in front of me. She walks ahead of me the entire time, her footsteps confident as we make our way outside again.

Making it to where Mr Walden is waiting, Alex turns to me with her arms crossed. The breeze flutters through her clothes and I'm clenching my fist to stop myself from sweeping her hair out of her eyes as I'm wary that we're probably still on camera.

"I'm gonna get a taxi home. Don't want any more rumors." She mumbles, her jaw clenching as she keeps her eyes on the security camera for emphasis.

Longing fills my veins but the common sense inside of my head drags me into the car. My emotional pain seems to morph into physical pain as I watch her figure become smaller as I get driven away.

~~~~~

Buzzing disturbs me. Sleep clings onto my body as I peel my eyes open. Greeted by the sight of an empty bed, with no-one beside me, I reach over to grab my phone. Seeing Alex's name, I hit answer immediately.

"I'm so scared." She whispers and even though we're on the phone, I know she's been crying.

My stomach hollows out and, almost breaking myself, I whisper back to her, "We're going to be okay, gorgeous."

"The seriousness of this situation has just hit me and God, what are we doing?" Alex cries and before I can answer she begins talking again. "We were never going to trick them and now we're back to square one."

"The situation may be serious, but I'm serious about you, Alex. We're a team, remember? C'mon, you know we're not back at square one. This just means we have to be a bit more careful." I coax, my voice gentle.

"But I don't want to."

"I know, neither do I bu-" I begin but I'm cut off by Alex.

"No, I don't want to, Theo. I don't want to hide you, I want to show you off to all of my family and walk red carpets with you. Make pancakes and then be late to whatever we've got on that day because we got so lost in each other. I don't want it to be risky and scary all the time." She rants, her voice cracking at the end as she cries.

Blinking back the tears, I swear under my breath as I crumble at the sound of her voice.

"I want that too. So much. But, it's only three more months." I say, my enthusiasm sounding fake to my own ears.

"Three months is a long time." Alex whimpers.

"It'll go quickly, promise. Once it's over we can do all of those things you mentioned and more. It'll be worth the wait."

"It better be, I'm claiming you as my own the day we re-do those contracts, Williams." Alex says, sniffling.

"You've claimed me since day one, gorgeous. No need to worry about that." I answer truthfully.

"How am I supposed to stay away from you when you're so sweet?" Alex asks and a tiny laugh escapes her - relieving my chest from the crushing pressure.

Instead of answering her question, I encourage her, "You've got this, Alex."

"Yeah," She sighs. "Will you just stay on the line until I fall asleep, I really hate not being beside you right now."

"Of course." I smile.

Neither of us went back to sleep, we stayed on the line the whole night.

~~~~~
Author's Note:

They're so cute!! I think we needed the end scene for Alex because she may be tough on the outside - but on the inside she needs some support, which is what I wanted to show here!

What did we think of this chapter? What's our thoughts on Doug?

Not a great guy, in my opinion ;)

See you in the next chapter!

Much love,

Jade x