~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Drew walked out of the meeting room, followed by Ryan.

"This is ridiculous!" Drew bellowed, "utterly and completely ridiculous! She wrote it so shouldn't she be here for the readings?"

Ryan was about to answer when he was abruptly cut off by Drew. "OF COURSE she should!" He yelled as Ryan cringed.

"Drew, buddy, take it easy", Ryan tried to console him. He wasn't used to seeing Drew and this sort of erradict behavior.

"And how the HELL could I have let this happen? We have writers, right? We have directors!" Drew said as he waved his script around.

Ryan cringed, "well, um, I heard she was friends with one of the,um, writers and he just snuck one of her scripts in".

"Well, whoever he is, he's fired. And whoever she is, I'm not going to like her", and with that said, Drew walked away, leaving Ryan stunned. Christa walked up to Ryan.

"What just happened here?" she asked him.

"I dunno. World War Three? No wait, that'll be tomorrow when we start taping", and he walked away.

The next day, the set was pretty alive. Everyone was in a great mood when the mystery director/writer walked in.

"Hey, Everyone! Hello! Hello!", the brunette said cheerfully as she made her way around the set and found a table to stand up on. "Hey, can I get everyone's attention?" she asked of the group. A few turned around to look at the crazy lady on the table.

"Hey, Everyone! The stripper's here!" yelled Diedrich with a smile on his face as he watched this poor girl try to get the other crowd's attention.

"Very funny, Diedrich, I'll get you later", she tried to get the crowd's attention again. "Everyone look this way please". The crowd turned to her and she snapped a picture of them with a camera that
hung around her neck. "Perfect!" she exclaimed. "I like this! Everyone's so happy and photogenic for", she paused to look at her watch, "for 7 am on the nose! Okay. My name is Lynn! I'll be your director this week. And I also wrote the script and, uh...", she scanned the group. "We're missing someone. Diedrich, who are we missing?" she asked.

"Drew's not here. He's busy talking to Bruce", he answered.

"Okay then I sure hope someone's taking notes", she chuckled and the group laughed with her. "Look, guys, we're here to have fun, we're also here to do a show. We're here to have fun and do a show. SO let's do it, allright? Ten minutes before the dress rehearsal starts. Go!", she said then jumped down from the table while members of her
crew dispersed to set lights and cameras. As Lynn was getting something out of her back pack, a petite girl about 5ft 4in with curly brown hair and baby blue eyes tapped her on the shoulder.

"Yeah?" Lynn turned. "Hey, Amber! What's up? How'd rehearsals go? Is Ryan working for ya allright? Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!"

"God, woman, slow down", Amber said as she chuckled at Lynn's enthusiasm. "What are you on anyway?"

"A half calf double caramel macchiato from Starbucks. Great stuff. So spill, would ya?" Lynn watched her intently.

"Okay, the scenes are great. Ryan is just...incredible. There's only one thing wrong", she said.

"What's that?" Lynn asked.

"Drew", Amber simply said.

"What's wrong about Drew? You don't have to kiss *him*", Lynn joked.

Amber sighed an uncomfortable laugh, "Lynn, that's not it at all. He was fuming that you didn't make it to any of the readings. And he's mad that your script some how got approved but not by him. It's a mess. He's in there right now talking to Bruce about having you off the project".

"What?" Lynn said, shocked. "Diedrich didn't tell him?!"

"No I don't think so", Amber said, glumly.

"Oh great", Lynn sighed. "Where is he?", she stands on her tiptoes to survey the room. She spots Diedrich and motions him over. "Diedrich, tell me you told Drew that you were the one that handed the script to Bruce".

"I....didn't, Lynn", he told her. She sighs. "I'm so sorry", he said, "and yes, I know. Drew's on the warpath about it".

All of the sudden, the three heard a scream come from the offices off to the side of the set and a very audible slam of a door. A very pissed off Drew Carey was walking towards them.

"You ain't just whistlin' Dixie, Hoss", she said to Diedrich and gulped.

~~~

Lynn's heart was racing faster than a jack rabbit trying to get away from a beagle as Drew approached her, Amber and Diedrich.

"So you're Lynn Davis", Drew said, half bitterly.

"And you must be Drew Carey", Lynn said, trying her best to not sound nervous. She offered her hand to him, "pleased to meet you". He just glared at it and then looked at her.

"Uh huh. Are we ready or what?" he asked then walked to his mark.

"Yes, of course", Lynn sighed, "um, places, everyone! Dee, Amber, go on". They walked to their marks. "And action!" Lynn barked as she though to herself, this is going to be a long day.

Hours later, they managed to get half way through dress rehearsal without a single mistake when lunch time arrived.

"And cut!" Lynn said and smiled, "excellent work, everyone. Let's break for lunch". She saw Drew was walking her way. "Great job, Drew", she said and grinned. He just walked past her and to his trailer. "Sheesh", Lynn muttered as Amber, Ryan and Diedrich walked up to her.

"Lynn, we're going to the Commisary, wanna come?" asked Amber.

"No thanks", Lynn said.

"Well can we getcha something?" offered Diedrich.

"Yes, an apple to chuck at Drew's head when we come back from break!"Lynn growled.

"I tried to tell him three times but he kept cutting me off", Diedrich said.

"I know, Dee", Lynn said, "atleast you're trying. Bring me back a turkey and cheese with mayonnaise, spicy mustard and hot sauce while you're at it".

"Ew, yuck", Amber wrinkled her nose at the thought.

"Won't you get heart burn?" asked Ryan.

"Right now, I don't think it'd matter, Ry", said Lynn.

"Okay, we'll be back", Diedrich said and him, Amber and Ryan walked away.

~~~~

At the Warner Bros Commisary, Ryan, Amber and Diedrich sat at one of the picnic tables, remenants of lunch in front of them.

"Man", Diedrich lamented, "I gotta get Drew in a corner and tell him about Lynn".

"Yeah ya do", Ryan agreed. "I don't know why he's behaving the way he is though". He took a swig of his soda.

"Maybe he's possessed", Diedrich joked.

"Stranger things have happened, you know. This *is* Hollyweird", said Amber.

"True. Oh well, I'm gonna get back", Diedrich said as he got up from the table.

"Don't forget Lynn's sandwhich", said Amber as she passed him a white bag.

"Yeah thanks", he said as he took it. "Well, I'll leave you two alone to talk". He grinned, "see ya". He walked away.

"So....", Ryan said.

"So....", Amber said.

"Um", Ryan started, "there's a Warner Brothers dinner Friday night at the Beverly Wilshire. Would you like to go?"

"Ryan, are you asking me out on a date?" Amber asked him with a half grin on her face.

"Well let's see, I'll drive, pick you up at your door, bring you flowers and then there's dinner....I don't know. We've just been together a lot lately, I thought it might be fun going beyond the studio gates for once", Ryan confessed.

"You've got a point", Amber smiled, "sure I'll go. It sounds fun".

"You will?" Ryan asked as his eyes lit up.

"Yeah", Amber shook her head.

"Well great", Ryan smiled.

Diedrich was walking back to the set when he found Lynn standing outside, smoking a cigarette.

"Hey", Diedrich said, "I got your sandwhich". He held up a bag.

"Oh goody", Lynn said as she tossed the cigarette down and snuffed it out. She took the bag from him. "Did you get this off lot?"

"Nope. Got it at the Commissary like I said", he told her.

"Okay. Great", she said and dove into the white paper bag and the sandwhich.

"Do you know about Friday night?" Diedrich asked.

Lynn shook her head, "mmhmm. Beverly Wilshire. 8:30 pm. Dinner. But since I'm an indie, I don't think I can go".

"But you have to go", Diedrich said.

"Nah", Lynn shook her head. "Forget it. You know me, I'm not a schmoozer and executives scare me".

"You're going, just you wait", he said and walked away.

"Diedrich...Dee, come on", she said as she followed him inside.

................................................................................

"Great job today, everyone", Lynn said as she stood on her table. "If tomorrow goes like that we'll be able to do the taping with our eyes closed. Have a good night! Go on, get outta here!". The crowd started to trickle down as Lynn got down from the table. She looked around and saw Drew on his way out. "Have a good night, Drew", she said. He just waved her off and disappeared outside.

"Don't let it bother you", Kathy said as she walked up to Lynn. "It's only the first day, I'm sure he'll snap out of it".

"Well, he better snap out of it soon or else", Lynn said with a smile. "Thanks, Kathy".

"Hey, no problem. See ya tomorrow", Kathy walked away.

Lynn picked up her pack and headed out to the parking lot where she found Ryan and Amber huddled dangerously close to one another near his SUV. He looked up and saw Lynn.

"Hey yeah! Great show today, Amber!" he said loudly then whispered in her ear, "I'll call you tonight".

"Huh?", Amber looked around and saw Lynn. "Oh, sure, Ry".

"Bye", he said then got into his SUV.

"Bye", Amber said and watched as he drove off. Lynn stood there near her truck looking at Amber with a goofy grin on her face. "What?" Amber asked innocently.

"I didn't say anything", Lynn said.

"No but you were thinking it", Amber countered.

"So.....", Lynn trailed off.

"Okay he asked me to that Warner Brothers dinner Friday night", Amber said.

"Really? Well, well, well", said Lynn.

"Not another word, Lynn", Amber smiled, "we wouldn't wanna jinx it".

"Dually noted. I'll see you tomorrow".

"Bye, Lynn", Amber said as Lynn drove off.

~~~

The next day, Lynn was on the set feeling better than she did yesterday as she sat in her director's chair. Diedrich walked up to her with a cup in his hand.

"Good morning, Lynn", he said.

"Hey, Dee. What's up?" she asked.

"Nothin'", he sat beside her. "What's with Ryan and Amber? All of the sudden, they're joined at the hip, are they dating?" he took a sip of his coffee.

"I haven't a clue. Ask Ryan, he'd know".

"Gee ya think?" he joked. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"So, have you talked to Drew yet?"

"No", Diedrich hung his head.

Lynn swatted him with the news paper she was holding, "Diedrich!"

"I know! I'm sorry", he said.

"Please do it today. The live taping is tomorrow. I'd like us to be one well oiled machine".

"I know. I'll go talk to him now", he said.

"Thanks", she replied as he got up and walked away to where Drew was. Diedrich found Drew off to the side of the set on his cell phone.

"Right. Uh huh. Yup. See ya Friday. Bye", Drew hung up and noticed Diedrich. "Hey, Dee. What's up?"

"Um, Drew, I wanna talk to you about Lynn", Diedrich said as Drew's cell phone went off again.

"Hold that thought, okay?" he told Diedrich as he answered the call. Diedrich sighed and stood there for five minutes then Drew hung up. "Okay", Drew said, "now what did you wanna tell me?"

Diedrich looked over and saw Lynn standing on the table which meant she was going over the plans for that day with everyone. "Um, we're about to start soon, ditch the cell phone".

"Oh. Right", Drew said simply and motioned to his assistant who trotted over and took his cell phone. Diedrich and Drew headed over to where the small crowd was gathered infront of Lynn and they stood in the back.

"I can't wait for this day to end", Drew said, "one more day and she's gone. Thank God".

"She's not THAT bad", said Diedrich.

"Well, no...", Drew trailed off.

"But....", Diedrich coaxed him.

"BUT, I dunno. For hitting the set at seven a.m., she's so perky and you know how annoying perky people can be".

"Um, yes, they are the scum of the earth", said Diedrich.

Drew shot him a look, "anyway, and I STILL haven't found out who slipped the script in".

"Well, Drew, it..." Diedrich started but was cut off when Lynn came up to them.

"Let's get this party started, guys", said Lynn and headed to her chair.

"We're right behind ya, Lynn", Diedrich said and him and Drew headed to the portion of the set that was The Warsaw.

"So what were you saying, Dee? Before we were so rudely interrupted" Drew asked.

"I'll tell ya at lunch", replied Diedrich.

"Okay", Drew said, slightly confused as they stood at their marks.


Continued