FicWad

Disclaimer: It's probably obvious, but I don't own any of the HSM characters or the cast or their related stuff. Also, though this story involves the names of real people, it is a complete work of fiction in terms of characterization and plot.

Author's Note: So due to xochrissy asking very nicely, I believe we'll actually have three installments to Chapter 14 instead of two. Likely no more than that though. That will be the end--so sorry!

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Chapter 14 - Say It Will Always Be Like This

Part I

Zac burst into the gym, his eyes sweeping up and down the sides for Vanessa. Nothing. He slapped his hand against the wall and slammed open the doors again, almost knocking over Corbin. Swerving to his right, he almost hit Monique and lost his balance. On the left, Lucas jumped quickly out of the way, then reached out a hand to steady Zac.

Blindly, Zac grabbed Lucas's arm. "I've got to..."

"Find Vanessa." Lucas grinned. "We know. We're here to help."

Monique came into view. "Zac. I'm so sorry about Ashley. We all are..."

"No time," said Zac, letting go of Lucas and gasping for breath. Man. He had raced up and down the halls looking for Vanessa to no avail. "You guys... thanks. But bigger problems... right now."

Corbin drew near and put a hand on Zac's arm. "Well, dude. You're not going to find her in here. Before I met up with you guys, I saw her run out to the vans, looking pretty upset."

She looked upset. Zac felt his stomach drop. He sat down on the floor, still panting, and leaned against some lockers in front of the gym doors. "She could be... back at the hotel... already."

Lucas pointed a finger at everyone. "Wait. Let's be smart about this. Find out if she's not here for sure." He pounded his fist into his hand. "Then we can get in a van and get back to the hotel."

Zac nodded, wiping the sweat off his brow with his forearm. "Well, she's not in any of the surrounding halls. That I know." He let out a sheepish laugh.

Monique piped up. "I'll check the girls' bathroom." She ran off down the hallway.

Corbin looked around. "Did anyone else see her leave?" He bolted down the hall after a group of extras milling about.

In front of Zac, Lucas shifted from foot to foot, unsure what to do next. Suddenly, someone pushed open the gym doors and paused. Zac lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the light and see who it was.

"You might want to get up off the floor there. We don't want to wreck the wardrobe. Especially since that tracksuit is so... white."

Holding a clipboard against her chest, the assistant director stared disapprovingly at Zac. Turning to Lucas, she eyed his costume, waving her hand at his red shirt. "That goes for you too. Don't ruin those sequins." Then she paused, giving Lucas a pointed look. "And if you see your friend Miss Hudgens back at the hotel, you might want to tell her the same thing. I saw her wearing her dress in the van when it took off. That was custom made, and we can't afford to lose it. It had better come back in mint condition."

She looked at them both suspiciously, tapped her clipboard, and walked off. A shocked look passed between Lucas and Zac, and suddenly Zac opened his mouth.

"CORBIN!!" he shouted.

"MONIQUE!!" yelled Lucas simultaneously, running down the hallway and kicking open the girls' bathroom door. "Get out here! She's back at the hotel!"

An extra ran out of the bathroom, looking visibly afraid as she passed Lucas. Monique dashed out after her, shaking her head. "Subtle, Lucas. Always subtle."

Corbin and Zac ran up. "Take it easy, Luke," said Corbin. A shadow passed over his face. "Hey... you haven't had a lot of water today, have you?"

Lucas looked at Monique, his face turning red. Suddenly he spun around.

"Corbin!" he shouted. "Stop asking me about the water! I stole your Playstation, all right?"

But before Corbin could respond, Lucas and Monique were running down the hallway, heading toward the exit. "I'll explain later," yelled Lucas over his shoulder. "Now let's just get out of here and find Nessa!"

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Tumbling out of the van into the evening air, Zac dropped his bag in the lobby and ran up the stairs to the second floor. Ready to pound on Vanessa's door, he caught his arm in mid-swing. That's a little bit psycho stalker. Cautiously, he reached out his hand and knocked gently on the door.

"Vanessa?" He pressed his ear to the door, trying to hear if she was there. "Nessa, if you're there... it's Zac. I just want to talk."

He tried to look in the eyehole but realized it wasn't built that way. But inside, he could see the room looked dark.

"Hey---careful."

He turned to see Lucas came up behind him, eyes wide. "You never know. I once saw this episode of CSI where this guy shot someone through the door eyehole."

Monique, who had joined them, hit Lucas's arm and looked at him incredulously. "Are you nuts? I was with you when we saw that episode. The guy who got shot was inside the door looking out. And do you seriously think Vanessa has a shotgun?"

Lucas shrugged, flushing slightly. "Well... I'm just saying."

These guys. Zac shook his head, trying not to laugh. "Anyway, the room's dark. I don't think she's there."

"And of course, she's not answering her phone," said Corbin, entering from the stairs exit and walking up to them with his cellphone plastered to his ear. "Can you hear it in there?"

They all pressed their ears to the door. Nothing.

Monique straightened up. "That doesn't mean anything. It could be on vibrate. She could still be in there."

Lucas crossed his arms, looking thoughtful. "But I don't think Nessa wouldn't answer at all. I mean, she's only mad at one of us." He avoided Zac's eyes. "She'd open the door to at least some of the rest of us, wouldn't she?"

"I don't know," said Monique truthfully. "I've never seen her this upset. I don't know what she does."

Corbin suddenly spoke up loudly. "Who's next door to her?" His eyes were frantic. "Can we climb onto the balcony and see if she's there?"

Everyone looked at him and laughed. "What is this, Mission Impossible?" said Lucas, shaking his head. "No, Corbin. There will be no scaling of balconies tonight. Though I know you have the equipment."

Zac snapped his fingers. "I've got it. We can see from the outside. She's just on the second floor. We can see if any of the lights are on in there or whatever."

They dashed down the stairs and through the lobby, circling the building and skidding to a stop outside Vanessa's window.

Confused, Monique scanned the building, squinting in the darkness. "It's that one... no wait, it's that one..." She pointed, waving her arm wildly in the air. Lucas pulled her hand down out of the way.

"It's that one." Zac zeroed in on Vanessa's room. It looked dark and completely still. "Well, now I really don't think she's in." He let out an exasperated sigh. Come on, Nessa. "Man... where is she?" He turned around, kicking at the ground anxiously.

"Well, who did she come in with?" Corbin said. "Can we ask one of them?"

"I don't know," said Monique, sounding despondent. "Practically everyone was on set today. We could try calling..."

"The doormen. Or the front desk." Lucas snapped his fingers. "Somebody must have seen her come in."

Back in the lobby, Zac dashed up to the desk clerk. "Have you seen a girl come in?" He shook his head. "I mean, a girl. In this amazing red dress." He drew the shape of it out on himself. "She came in with one of the vans earlier. We really need to find her."

The clerk eyed Zac suspiciously, then looked at the breathless faces of Lucas, Monique and Corbin behind him. He arched an eyebrow at Zac and spoke. "No, sir, I can't say that I have."

Zac's stomach dropped again. "Oh... thanks."

But suddenly he saw the clerk leaning over to another clerk, asking the same question. He nodded, then leaned back to Zac. "My colleague did not see her either. But she suggested that if this was a young lady in a dress, that she may be in Ballroom C with the rest."

Zac started. "Ballroom C?"

The clerk waved. "It's the largest ballroom in the back. Right around the corner. Through the French doors."

A warmth suddenly rushed through Zac. "Oh, I know where it is."

He turned back to his friends, hope rising in his chest.

Nessa. I've got you.