"Well?"
The slim girl turned from the window, meeting her cousin's gaze with a slightly quizzical one of her own.
"Well what?" She asked quietly. "I'm here, aren't I? Isn't that what you intended?"
"Of course." Vivien Montgomery nodded, coming to join the other girl by the window. "But only if it's really what you want too, Constance. I don't want you to think that this is the only way out."
"I thought it over...this is what I want too." Constance nodded her head. "I was just thinking, though...what if you hadn't come to my rescue? Where would I be now?"
"Let's not think about it. It's over with." Vivien reassured her. "You have a new start now. A new life. We're going to get you where you want to be, and that's all that matters."
"Mm, I guess so." Constance considered. "You've stopped calling me Clash these last few days, I noticed that. Are you suggesting that I drop the nickname altogether now?"
"No, not if you don't want to." Vivien put a reassuring arm around her cousin's shoulders. "But I certainly think in a business sense Constance sounds more professional."
"I've always hated it." Constance admitted. "It sounds old and staid and not me at all."
"Well, we could try making it 'Connie'" Vivien eyed her cousin doubtfully. Constance smirked.
"Yeah. Connie Montgomery. Brilliant." She snorted. "I suppose it's better than Constance, though. It's times like this I wish I had a middle name." She shrugged. "Oh well. Constance, Connie, whatever. At least I have a job and something to work towards, right?"
"That's the spirit." Vivien looked relieved. "I spoke to LinZ earlier, and she's more than willing for you to come along this morning to learn a little about backstage production and how costume and makeup work on TV...you game?"
"Sure, why the hell not?" Constance's eyes adopted her usual mischievous twinkle, but there was no sign of the scheming smile, and Vivien found herself returning it. "I gotta learn the ropes sometime and I might as well do it now. The...uh...Misfits and Holograms aren't playing this morning, are they?"
"Nope." Vivien shook her head. "So don't worry."
"Good. I'm glad about that." Constance did indeed seem relieved. "Viv...?"
"What?" Vivien sent her a questioning look.
"I was just wondering, you know, about you know who."
"I thought he wasn't important." Vivien frowned. "You know that getting mixed up with the likes of him is nothing but trouble, you've learnt that lesson. Forget him. It doesn't matter where he is or what he's doing, or if he's even alive. This is a new start, a new you - don't blow it."
"Okay, okay, I know." Constance rolled her eyes. "Well, are we going?"
"Sure." Vivien nodded. "Follow me!"