“Orlando…” She said in the same tone, still tracing lines on his stomach. He removed her hand from his stomach and used it to gingerly pin her down under him. “You know Orlando, you could’ve asked.”

“I did ask.” He replied.

“No, you told me to stop.” Megan said, grinning up at him.

“Oh whatever.” He replied, kissing her neck. “You’re very tense.”

“And for good reason.” Megan replied, looking at something behind them.

Orlando turned his head and saw a figure go out of the bedroom. “Who was that?” Orlando asked, performing some feat of flexibility in reaching for his boxers.

“Viggo.” Megan said with a sound of impending doom hinted in her voice.

Orlando swore as he put some form of clothing on.

“Why is he here?” Orlando asked. “Doesn’t he usually call?”

“Did the phone ring while we…” Megan asked, trailing off, wearing Orlando’s shirt and her pants.

“I think it did.” Orlando said. “But come now, maybe, like after we saw my ex, we can have hot jungle sex again.”

They walked out into the living room Viggo sitting on the sofa. “Well, I’m not going to say anything about what I saw in there.” He said. “But, there is a party tonight in New Zealand. Just dropping off your tickets.”

“This is the part where you leave now.” Megan said. “It would be much preferred.”

Viggo bowed his way out. “Did you see the look on his face?” Orlando asked.

“Yes, he was about to kill you.” Megan replied. “Good thing they didn’t let him keep the sword.” Orlando’s eyes bugged out.

“Would he have used his sword?” Orlando asked.

“You’ve seen him use it, you tell me.” Megan replied.

“Right.” Orlando said, scratching his head. “Well, this plane leaves in…four hours. I suppose a shower would do us good.”

“Save water, shower with a friend.” Megan said, racing to the bathroom.

~*~

Dressed very spiffily, Orlando made it down the red carpet in Wellington, New Zealand by himself. Viggo insisted that he walk with Megan, and Orlando didn’t argue because he saw several replicas of Aragorn’s swords decorating the red carpet.

The after-party was what Megan looked forward to. She was getting an hors-d’oeuvre at the table when Billy and Dom sidled up to her, grinning like boys who found out Christmas was coming early. “Now, what mischief have you been up to?” Megan asked, putting a hand on her hip and raising an eyebrow.

“We heard…” Billy started.

“That you…” Dom added.

“And Orlando…”

Billy cleared his throat to finish. Megan stared at the both of them, in awe. “What are you talking about?” She asked, unable to mask the smile that crept onto her face.

“HAH! She did!” Dom said. “See! Look at her! She’s bright red!”

“Who told you?” Megan asked. “Who?”

“A little elf… damn. BIRD.” Billy said. He grinned and scampered off.

“Yeah, I think, um, Elijah’s calling me.” Dom said, escaping. Megan stood there, looking mildly shocked, before Orlando sidled up to her, grinning.

“Hello, love.” He grinned, kissing her cheek. “Having a good time?”

“Actually, Orly, I’d like to ask you if you accidentally told Dom and Billy what we were doing.” Megan asked. “Accidentally…”

Orlando looked shiftily at his feet. “Er, how about some karaoke? Vig’s up and he’s singing U2.”

“Viggo singing U2? I have to see this.” Megan replied. Orlando led her to the bar where a large number of the cast was gathered to watch Viggo onstage. She almost spat out the champagne she was sipping from Orlando’s glass when she saw Viggo’s get-up.

From someone, he borrowed large sunglasses and a leather jacket and managed to pull off a ‘Bono.’ Orlando, like the rest of the actors from the Fellowship, were just laughing at Viggo. The music began and the words were up on the screen. Viggo began to sing and the whole room was cheering. “He’s never been the singing type, has he?” Orlando asked Megan, while clapping on.

“No…not really.” Megan asked. “I wonder how much he’s had to drink…he wouldn’t come up here if he wasn’t drunk.”

Orlando grinned. “Ah, but that’s the best way to sing karaoke. Come on, if Vig wasn’t drunk, would he be singing this loud?” Orlando asked.

Billy overheard, red-faced with laughter. “If you call it singing…yes. Megan! Megan! Let’s go up and sing Queen!”

Viggo was getting really into his singing, as the crowd cheered wildly. At the end of his song he took a very, very long bow, before walking crookedly off the karaoke stage. Billy looked at Megan. “Come on! Before someone else takes it!”

Megan downed her last bit of champagne and walked up to the stage. Billy, suddenly becoming formal, spoke. “Ladies and gentlemen, the lovely Megan Hartl and I will be singing…We Will Rock You and We are the Champions…by Queen.” Billy said. He took a deep, over-exaggerated breath and closed his
eyes as the music began.

The performance was hilarious. Billy, going all out on the We Are the Champions chorus had Megan singing at the top of her lungs as well. It was similar to what is called…a bar song. Loud, boisterous and, when
participating, the best show to watch. Many of the actors, who were drunk, lifted up lighters, and waved them to the music. It was quite a scene.

Stepping off the stage, Orlando greeted her with a grin. “If you excuse me, I’m off to sing ‘Satisfaction’. But take no offense, Megs…” He winked.

Billy’s eyes grew wide at her. He ran off to find Dom and all she heard him saying was: “Dom! Dom! Orlando WAS telling the truth!”

Megan walked around looking for someone to sit with and found Liv Tyler sitting and sipping a margarita. “Hey, Liv.”

“Meg! That was GREAT up there with you and Billy.” Liv said. “Oh but look, there’s Orlando.” She pointed to the stage and pointed to Orlando, singing to the Rolling Stones, hips gyrating and all. She and Megan gave a yell of excitement and were telling people to move so that the ladies could see.

“Didn’t know he could, er, dance.” Megan said, laughing at Orlando who was now doing some kind of Mick Jagger movement.

“He’s multitalented, that boyfriend of yours.” Liv laughed. “He is your boyfriend.”

“He wants to go public at the Sydney premiere of Black Hawk Down, which is next week.” Megan replied.

“Congratulations.” She said, smiling. “You have been blessed enough to not run in with his ex have you?”
“Actually, I did. And while Orlando cowered, I told her off.” Megan said. “Quite fun, actually, she’s got the brain of a diminished peacock.”

“I ran across her because I had Orly driving me everywhere in New Zealand. She scared me.” Liv said. “All she did was stare at me, and I was sitting in the backseat.”

“Maybe she had a neck crick, that day.” Megan suggested, looking over at Orlando who just took his bow. He walked over to Liv and Megan.

“Hey girls.” Orlando grinned. “Did you like my dancing?”

“Oh yes Orlando. The gyrating was great.” Megan said as he sat down in between them.

“I especially liked your Mick Jagger impersonations.” Liv laughed. “You should’ve done Aerosmith though.”

“Why?” Orlando asked. Liv just laughed and patted his head.

“The party’s wrapping up, I’ll see you guys sometime.” She said, leaving them.

“Why! Why should I have sung Aerosmith?” Orlando asked.

“You’re special, Orly.” Megan said. “Come on, we’ve got a plane to catch.”

“You know don’t you! You know why I should’ve done Aerosmith!” He said, as they walked out of the building.

“I’ll tell you when we get home.” Megan replied.

~*~

Orlando was lying down with Megan who was drifting in and out of sleep. “Megs…Megs…why should I have done Aerosmith?”

Megan laughed quietly. “Because, Orlando, Liv’s father is Steve Tyler.”

“Ohhh.” Orlando replied. “Well then, that was anti-climactic.”

“I have to work tomorrow, Orlando.” Megan said, shifting so that she could rest her head on his chest. “Shh.”

“You mean in three hours.” Orlando said, looking at the clock.

“God dammit.” Megan said. “I’ll be out drinking coffee and Tylenol.”

“Coffee and Tylenol party? I’m in.” Orlando said, following her out.

She was pouring a cup for herself when the phone rang. “Hello, Dr. Hartl here. What? What was it? Pneumothorax? Hip displacement? Are they okay? Oh god, alright…alright…I’ll be there.” Megan said. She looked up solemnly at Orlando.

“What?” Orlando asked, now pouring coffee.

“My parents were in an accident.” Megan replied. “They wouldn’t tell me how my dad was doing and that…GOD that only means that he didn’t make it. My mom’s in surgery…but the nurse, she didn’t sound too optimistic.”

“Oh, Meg.” Orlando said, getting up to hug her. “Do you want me to go with you?”

“Yeah…” Megan said. “Please. If my shift starts, just go back home.”

Orlando sat in the living room waiting for Megan to come out of the bathroom. With a grim face, she donned her lab coat over her clothes. “Do you want me to drive?”

“Please do, Orly.” Megan said, taking his hand. “I might crash it or something.” Orly stopped her and held her before they walked out the door. He smoothed her hair and kissed her forehead.

“Megan, it’ll be alright.” He whispered. She was silent as they walked to her car, and on the ride to the hospital.

They arrived at the hospital and he sat with Megan as they waited for word of her mother’s condition. “We were able to stabilize her, but she…she is likely not to survive the night. She’s just coming ‘round, would you like to speak with her?”

Megan nodded, and left Orlando as she entered her mother’s private room.

“Megan…” Her mother said weakly. “I know I’m not going to make it, and I don’t want to hear you say otherwise because you know that I won’t.” Megan nodded silently. This was true, as much as Megan wanted to deny it, a glance at her mother’s charts was enough. “Your father…he, he died when the other
car hit. And with me going, that leaves you and Melissa alone. I don’t want that nanny taking care of her. Take her in.

“And I’ve already had our finances taken care of and you and Melissa will receive an equal amount of our fortune as well as our estate in London. I want you both to live there. You’ll find a job there, and if not, you will be fine with our fortune. Melissa will be dropped off at your apartment today, along with all of her things from our apartment. Megan, I have faith in you. Now, please stay with me until…until it’s my time.”
By this time, Megan was crying freely on her mother’s bed. She held her hand, as her mother looked on at her, smiling, trying to comfort her daughter. Megan only cried harder. Her mother’s hand went limp.

“Someone call it.” Megan said, wiping her eyes. Her mother died with her eyes open.

Megan gently shut them and kissed her forehead. “SOMEONE CALL IT.” She said.

Her attending physician came along to call her time of death.

Megan walked out to see Orlando still sitting there. She’d been in with her mother for at least an hour and a half. “Megan, what happened?”

“She’s gone.” Megan said softly. Orlando, not knowing what to do just hugged her. “Orlando, please, go home now, I have to work.”

“Can’t you take a day off? Tell your supervisors?” Orlando asked, running his hands through her hair.

“If I don’t get on with it now…” Megan started. “I have to live my life normally Orlando, do my work, that’s how I grieve.”

Orlando looked her, and kissed her forehead. With an air of resignation he said “Alright, Megan, I’m coming by to pick you up tonight.”

“At five o’clock.” Megan replied. “And…the nanny’s bringing Melissa home. If you would be more of a dear and take care of her until my shift is over.”

Orlando nodded, kissing her gently on the lips. Megan took a deep breath and started down the stairs to the pediatric floor.