Disclaimer: ...see chapter 1...

The silver Volkswagen beetle driving down the road was a dime in a dozen, but Carmen was like that. She preferred to stand out on the world stage of movie theatre or the Paris catwalk, and not the streets of New York City. She had always laughed at the overloaded teenagers, Porsche convertibles cruising past the buildings, Mohawks bobbing to the latest techno number. They looked like complete idiots.

Pulling into a parking space, she walked swiftly, completely comfortable in three-and-a-half inch heels, into the tall building to make an unexpected guest of herself. Arranging sunglasses atop her golden hair, she smiled brightly, highly anticipating the impending reunion with a high school classmate. Flinging open glass doors without so much as a knock, she peered over tops of heads and past slack jaws to see a slim long-haired man about to help himself to some coffee. "Oi! Zach!"

His head whipped around so fast she was surprised he didn't get whiplash. Or spill his coffee. She watched in amusement, long legs closing the distance, as his familiar green eyes widened at the sight of her, then narrowed. "Aw… Zachy… aren't you happy to see me?"

She gasped as his hand closed on her forearm, dragging her behind him into his office. She straightened herself, pouting as he closed the door loudly. "Za-"

"Mi-na!" He whirled around almost nervously, back pressed against the wood. "I told you before, not in the workplace!"

But Mina, as she was nick-named, was determined to have her fun. "I can't see why you're so wound up. Zach's a perfectly ni-"

"Shh! They'll hear you, idiot!" His eyes darted from corner to corner.

"Fine, be that way, Zeke Larence." She made herself at home in his seat. Elbows on the desk and hands clasped, she leaned forward, disturbingly like her role from that detective movie. Eyebrows, however, wiggled suggestively. "So… Zeke… Lowering yourself to this level; is it or is it not because you're afraid of a certain little doctor becoming aware of your current occupation? Hm?"

He ran a hand through his copper hair. "Mina, I told you before, it has… nothing to do with… that."

She almost laughed. The man couldn't lie to save his life. Or keep an unrequited love secret. "Are you sure? I'm sure that blue-haired sprite will have a field day if she found out all her years of trying to outsmart you were wasted, now that Zachary Lamont is the Zeke Larence behind Jadeite, and Blanche, and Regina, and Freesia…"

The blonde eyed her warily. "Mina…"

Giggling openly, she jumped up from his chair. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry! I was just having some fun for the first time in the last three months. Surely you could have indulged me just a little?"

Zach, exasperated, sank into the leather. "Stop quoting your movies. And that cruise in New Zealand, wasn't that… fun for a million dollar ferry trip half-way across the world? At all?"

"Oh, sure! But lying on the deck reading books upside down for God knows how long does tend to lose its appeal after three days. Besides, I am here for something other than taking ten years off your healthy young life."

He slumped down wearily. "Pray, do get to the point. And please, try to shorten your sentences."

Ignoring him, she planted her hands on his desk, various necklaces and pendants swinging in his face. Luckily she wore a turtle-neck today… Kyle would have murdered me, he shuddered inwardly. "I have a proposition to make, one concerning our little 'gay' friend here…" as she slapped her newly purchased copy of NYWhisper before the agent.

He didn't even need to glance down to know that Jadeite's face was pasted all over the glossy cover.

Strolling into his penthouse, James collapsed on his couch, heaving a sigh as his hands folded behind his head. He realised then ironically that indeed, acting was the occupation for him. I was born to act! He suddenly remembered his bold statement to the sceptical judges at the entrance exam to Juilliard. He smiled wryly. Yes, but to live an act?

Actually, even after making such a big fuss, he didn't really blame the media for being able to so easily twist his sexual orientation in the eyes of the public. He didn't associate himself with women, let alone participate in a long term relationship. And the one time he felt confident enough to ask the question, it turned out she had been lying for two years. He didn't blame Nick either for losing his control. He really had been a hell of a pain, whining and carrying on about nothing.

Then why in the name of the heavens had he reacted so strongly to Serena's wedding planner? He was done with women! In fact, he was supposed to hate them with a passion; hadn't he been hurt enough? Or maybe he was just masochistic. There was no other explanation. He was simply in love with the idea of hurting himself.

Even so, that Reine girl was hardly his type, he frowned. Dark haired, dark eyed; maybe Hispanic if not for the pale complexion and hint of almond eyes. The simpering girlfriends in high school, Helen… her… they'd all been classic blonde beauties.

He wondered why his mind still lingered on her. There was nothing striking about her features, her form, save those flashing violet eyes. If anything, she was a little too skinny for his tastes, and a little too short. Then why? Why did her smile tug at his vision, her voice ring in his ears? There was something different about her, something other than her colouring that made her stand out from the rest of the women.

Sitting up abruptly, it hit him. Something so obvious he couldn't believe he'd missed it. She hadn't squealed. She hadn't even so much as smiled. She'd instead thrown his Jadeite wit back in his face. Disappointed that he wasn't Zach, indeed. The thought left him stunned. He slumped back down, wry smile twitching at his lips. It was about time someone like that showed up in real life.

"So let me get this straight. You want to model the poor man?" Fingertips pressed against his forehead, Zach squeezed his eyes shut.

Mina rolled her eyes. "Come on, it's not that shocking. He has the face and the body. The Light brothers asked specifically for him; they have this royal theme on the drawing board, all golds and silvers and purples, and apparently, picky, picky Yale decided James' hair was the perfect shade." She shook her waist-length mane in mock exasperation, singling out the platinum-blonde youngest brother of the famous designer trio, who was notorious for his super high standards.

Zach frowned, leaning back and crossing his arms. "It's not that. They want to what? Set him up with one of their sisters in return? Why would they do that? What's it got to do with anything?"

Mina twirled a pen around her fingers nonchalantly. "I suggested that. It's the perfect opportunity for James to establish some contact, or even a relationship, with a girl who isn't, for once, after his money. I'm talking about the real James, by the way." She glanced at the agent, lips twitching at his stunned expression, knowing that he didn't know she knew. "He's a good actor, but not good enough. I did realise he created a whole personality to hide behind." She snorted in pale humour. "That snobby rich boy named Jadeite. It's kind of hard not to notice."

Smiling vanishing from her face, she felt suddenly cold. Cold that something like this could happen to James of all people, the most positive, down-to-earth guy in that horde of pretty-boy wannabes at Juilliard. He had glowed then, his laughter, his openness so infectious it radiated an aura about him. She wanted so badly to bring that man back, to see him genuinely, truly smile again, like he always did before… her. That Angie girl.

"You people. I'll never understand your twisted reasoning." Thankfully, Zach chose this moment to stop her straying train of thought. "For heaven's sake, it isn't as if being gay is a crime. I say we just let it blow over." He was still lingering on the media misunderstanding.

"James? Blow over? Not a chance. And you're missing the point." Her eyebrows were raised. She hadn't realised her friend was so clueless. "You know he'll never get with another woman after what's happened. His entire personality changed, Zach. He locked himself up for God knows how long." She clasped her hands around her arms, her voice softening. "Zach, I'm scared. I thought Helen would open him again, but I was wrong. I'm scared he'll never come out again."

Her blue eyes searched tired green ones. "He is still such a little boy, stuck in that grown-up body. I think-"

But Zach held up a hand, stopping her. "Mina, I know you care. You two have been through a lot together. I'm concerned about him myself. But you've got it wrong. Finding jobs and girlfriends for him won't help. Maybe the public will eventually be convinced he's straight, but so what? James has never really cared what the public thinks anyway."

"At least he will have some human contact! Get out of his suite for once to, you know, mingle." Mina hissed fiercely. The stupid man still didn't get it. "He has to learn to trust women again. And not because of that gay situation, get that into your head! Because he needs love eventually, as cliché as it sounds. A partner." She turned her back on him. "And we know we can trust the Light sister to be a good start. We can trust that she won't be a gold digger, or a two-faced whore, or something despicable like that. It's the best possible beginning for James: an arranged girlfriend, if you like."

Zach rubbed a hand over his eyes. "So you want him to accept the modelling job because a temporary girlfriend who will help set him on the road to recovery, so you say, will come out of the deal? Okay, suppose this does work. Just how are you going to convince him of this? Hm?"

"I don't know! I haven't thought that far ahead yet, but I'll think of something…"

A tall figure stood outside the closed office door, hand poised above the knob. His blue eyes were stunned wide. For a moment, it seemed as if he would go in, but he retracted his arm, stepping back a little, mouth still slightly slack in shock. He felt a sudden hotness blur his vision, but he ignored the tear rolling down his cheek as he noiselessly backed out of the room, employees having long left for lunch. His large feet expertly avoiding the bits of squeaky floor.

Silently disappearing beyond the glass doors, he slowly let the mask of Jadeite slip over his stricken features, as the afternoon sun played over his impassiveness from over the tops of the towering buildings.

Author's Note: Sorry for the lateness… writer's block is a chronic disorder of mine. This chapter is a bit of a filler, where all the small things start to come together. Hope it wasn't too confusing. And I hope you enjoyed it. Bet you're all wondering who Angie is

And so, same as always, feedback is appreciated.

See you soon!