Within the Script (A Stanathan Fanfiction)

Chapter Twenty: Hiding Love

Months passed. Nathan got stronger, Stana got closer and more comfortable. Nathan continued the "I love you"s and Stana continued to show her love in other ways (cooking, kissing, T.V marathons, and putting up with Nathan while he continued to milk his injuries a bit). She pushed him as he struggled to get stronger, knowing his true limits much better than he did. He slowly got more and more involved, able to handle more and more. After a couple of weeks, he was living on his own again at his place. She was there for a few hours every day anyway, but they still lived life. Nathan gave an interview about his recovery, having to answer to the image of Molly and him on the couch that Stana had tweeted. His exact words were, "Yeah, somehow when I got that head injury, I suddenly realized how close knit we all are. Molly is like a daughter to me, Stana and Jon and Seamus are some of my dearest friends, and Susan even sent me this card that sounded exactly like the one my mother sent."

The couple had avoided the tabloids and fan sites so far, but they knew it probably wouldn't last forever. Still, they enjoyed the many "Stanathan" tweets they saw about how "cute" they were together or how "perfect" they were. For once, they almost didn't feel like they were hiding anything. She felt like she was freed from the weight of hiding someone she loved, and he felt like he was finally able to be open about the relationship without the repercussions. Even though they only ever referred to each other as "friends", this was different for them both and it felt good.

Then, of course, June came around the bin, and by the end of the month, Stana had completely forgotten about her conversation with Jon about the producers and ABC executives wanting to change their contracts. So, when the pair of them got calls to come in to discuss things, the reminder of their dishonesty struck them each harshly.

The first point the ABC suits made sure tell them was, "You have to continue keeping your relationship a secret."

"We know," Stana stated remorsefully, "We figured as much."

A different man in a more modern tie commented, "And you understand that if this relationship ends poorly, you both are expected to continue working."

Nathan then attempted to assure them, "It's not going to end poorly."

"So say you now," the first man replied, "But there are very few relationships that end well in show business, Mr. Fillion. As they say, Hollywood marriages never last."

"Brangelina," Nathan quickly quipped.

Stana then eased him off his need to disprove them by reminding him, "Brad and Jen," as her hand combed down the side of his upper arm. She then drew back to her own seat and continued to listen to the men before her.

"We need to make sure the two of you have incentive to continue working if something goes wrong, so we are adding clauses into your contracts that state that both of you will be liable for a suit of $1,000,000 if either of you chose to leave the show before season's end or without proper notice of at least three months before the season's end. After that point of three months before the show's season finale is filmed, your contracts will be signed for next year and you will be expected to work the next season or you will be liable in that same suit."

Stana then sighed to herself while she sat back to wait for Nathan to argue. "And if we don't sign that contract? What are you going to do? Fire us?"

The men looked between themselves and then turned the floor over to Andrew Marlowe and David Amann for their ultimatum. "It's been decided that if the two of you don't sign the contracts, ABC will be canceling the show at the end of this season."

David added, "They've come to the conclusion that the show is an otherwise risky investment."

Stana nodded and swallowed hard. Nathan just watched the men he knew. Then, his face turned back to the suits. "You're canceling the show if we don't sign? Do you have any idea how much money we earn you? That would be a loss for the company. We all know it."

"And continuing the show with two actors that aren't trying or attempting to operate without one or both of you there would cost us so much more," the elder man replied.

With a sigh, Stana leaned over to Nathan and whispered inaudibly in his ear, "We should just sign the contracts. I mean, what's the worst that's going to happen if we do?"

He heard her and replied in the same soft tone, "You know what's the worst that could happen."

"Nathan," she started, looking over her shoulder at the men across the table who couldn't hear her. She then finally allowed herself to say, "I love you, and I have no intention of ending this any time soon. And I know you. I know you aren't breaking this off either. Lets just sign and give them what they want so we can go home and... get what we want."

With her brow raised as his eyes turned into hers, he answered by simply smiling. Then, he turned back to the men before him with a lesser excitement. "We will sign under one condition." They were listening. "If this somehow goes beyond just dating, if we choose to announce our relationship if and when we get engaged or married, we can with your blessing."

Both sets of men looked at the pair differently. Amann and Marlowe studied the couple. They knew Stana and Nathan far better than either of the suits, and it was obvious Nathan was more invested in that forethought than she was. He was so pining to be married, but she was somehow hesitant as she always seemed to be. The woman wanted to be married and have kids and all of that, but when it came right down to it, she was always unsure. Still, with her hand threaded around his as she held onto him, when Nathan said those words, her smile was evident, unable to be ignored.

The suits agreed with their own condition. "You wait until it gets noticed by the fans, because we all know a ring on her finger won't be missed, and then you can feel free to handle that however you want."

"Deal," Nathan merrily stated.

Stana then agreed, "Deal," with a kinder air about her.

The pair then pulled out the papers and each signed where they needed to.

After business was taken care of, Nathan and Stana left the building and started out onto the street. Some kind of excitement tossed the two of them into a world of their own as they wandered about the streets. By her suggestion, they'd raced their bikes to the studio from her apartment instead of either taking his car or the subway. It was mostly a flat ride, so as they rode back to the apartment, goofing off with each other, they were consumed by the thought of one another. They bobbed and weaved, riding around each other and forgetting that they were in the streets occassionally.

When they got back, they carried the bikes back in to the apartment and put them down by her door. The moment they were out of their hands, Nathan nearly charged Stana to claim her lips with a deeply radiating heat, adrenhaline still surging through his veins. As his hands came around her and her body gave in to him, he gave her every ounce of passion he could in a single deep kiss. When their lips fell from each other, her mind started to shut down just like his. All she could say was, "Wow."

He breathed, his heat adding to hers. His eyes were more than fixated on her lips, they were entranced in them. Her gaze was stuck to him as she was stuck in the aftershock of his touch. He then heavily said, "That was-..."

He couldn't finish the statement, so she did for him. "New." He didn't say another word. Not until her mind finally caught up with her body. Then, she said the only thing she could to change the subject. As she pulled away a bit after clearing her throat, she asked Nathan, "Are you hungry?"

Nathan snapped out of it. "I'll cook."

"No, that's fine. It's-- you cooked last night. It's my turn." Nate didn't argue. "So, um, pork tonight?"

He went silent again, still mildly stuck where he was before. Then, seeing her avoid his eyes as though she was trying to hold something back, he, put one arm back around her waist. He pulled her back and reiterated, "I love you, Stana."

She looked up at him for a moment, trying to find words for herself. Her kind smile then rejoined her lips as she told sweetly, "I love you too." Hearing that, he pulled her closer and she took the lead in pressing her lips against his with radiating adoration. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe in telling Nathan how she felt about him. She felt safe in his arms. She felt like... like nothing could possibly make her think that this wasn't meant to be.