Barbara Scott - Fairytale Princess
copyright 2011 Faeriemage
For Donnie, life was about to end. For Dawn life hadn't yet begun.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: This will be the last installment of Barbara Scott. I hope you all enjoyed it. I did.

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"Good morning, Dawn."

"Mark?"

"Can I talk to you in private?"

It had been more than twenty four hours since I'd found out what Sean was, and what this competition seemed to be. I'd thoroughly enjoyed making a complete mess of his date with me, on accident of course. I can be awfully clumsy when I put my mind to it.

And a picnic in a rowboat on a wading pond doesn't need that much clumsiness to completely ruin.

"Of course…"

"You complete bitch," Sean stormed into the room. The veneer of his civility was beginning to crack and the ogre began to peak out from underneath. His right arm was raised, and he was twisting his body away from me.

Mark stepped between us, and put his hand on Sean's chest.

"What do you think you are doing, Sean?"

"That cunt completely humiliated me yesterday. I just saw…I mean I can't believe what she did."

"Sasha, I was just clumsy. I didn't mean to tip us over into that algae."

"And didn't get any on you?"

"I fell on you, Sasha. I felt so relieved that you were there to break my fall. I would have hated to fall into that slime."

Sean, thankfully, wasn't as fluent in English as he liked to pretend. I don't think sarcasm translates well.

Mark gave me a look that said 'that's enough,' and then turned to Sean, "You need to back off, Sean. And change your attitude. As things currently stand..."

Sean paled, looked at me, looked at Mark, and then turned and walked away. He was becoming a bit green around the gills as he did so.

Mark and I walked toward the Interview room.

Ok, I know: That scene was so much more tame than the one that appeared on the show. Artistic license. Also, if I really used some of the words they bleeped out, or just did something like:

"Dawn, you <bleep> <bleep>, you ruined my <bleep> shoes. They were Italian leather. Italian. Do you know what they cost you <bleep> whore!"

then the actual message would be lost in the, well, <bleep>!

And it is on the DVD anyway. Yes, the scene is accurate. I have no idea how they succeeded in keeping Mark out of the scene completely, but he was there, between us, the entire time.

"Dawn, I'd just like to say that it's been a pleasure to work with you."

"Mark?"

"It has. You are a consummate actress, and I love…" He blushed, and searched for the words for the moment. "I love your skill."

I was still uncomfortable around him. He always looked at me so intensely. It was as if his eyes would eat me whole, and I didn't want to be eaten.

"Dawn, please, I want you to know that I fought for you. I didn't want this for you. Really."

I began to feel the earth falling out from under me.

"I'm the next one to be eliminated, aren't I?"

"No, Angela is being eliminated."

"But…"

"Sean isn't the catch he seems to be, Ok. Just keep that in mind."

"What are you talking about? I really don't understand."

"You're smarter than that, Dawn. You know how Hollywood works."

It couldn't be that he was telling me…

"I wanted to let you know that you'll always have a home here, Dawn. No matter what happens. I know that I was too forward. I thought…it doesn't matter what I thought. Look, I want you to have this."

He handed me a box, with silver wrapping paper on it. He touched my hand and then left the room.

My heart was pounding, and I couldn't bear to open the box. I couldn't handle knowing what was in there. I felt so confused. I was sure that Mark was a part of this entire charade, but his behavior to me told a different story. He wasn't the man I'd thought him to be.

And then, how could he be.

"Hi, Dawn."

"Joyce?"

"In the flesh. How are you holding up?"

"As well as can be expected."

"Well, Mark told you I take it?"

"Told me what? As far as I can tell he just suggested that I was going to win this competiton. There are at least 4 more eliminations to go before that, aren't there?"

"Well, Linda and Sophie are an item, although I wouldn't have minded a try at either of them myself. Angela is out tonight. That leaves Willow, Sarah, and yourself."

"Right, and Willow…"

"Is dying."

"What?!"

"She was given six months to live almost a year ago. Day to day. Cancer."

"But Sarah…"

"You really think she will win this?"

I couldn't believe what they were telling me. All of this seemed to good to be true. The curtain was lifting, and there wasn't even a small man behind it. There was nothing behind the curtain.

No glitz, no glamour.

I was hollow inside once again.

I'd focused my life on winning this competition and here it was being handed to me on a platter and I no longer cared. Well, that's not entirely true. I did care. I cared a lot.

"What are you planning, Girl?"

"You'll find out in the end."

Angela was eliminated that night. Sophie and Linda came out two nights later.

Sean couldn't believe that I kept picking other people.

I made sure that the elimination after Sophie and Linda left, that I picked Carlos. Willow was eliminated then, as Sarah had picked Sean.

The house was so empty. None of my friends from the rest of the competition were left. Sarah and I were cordial, but that was the extent of it. I mean, she was a critic, and I was an Actor. And I happen to know that she'd reamed Donnie in the press on more than one occasion.

Carlos finally took me to In-n-out. Sarah got a 'Sean' date, that I never really cared to remember.

And then we were at the final ceremony.

"Ladies, as was stated at the beginning of this competition, you were here to pick the Real Prince Charming, but in actuality, he was here to pick you. Behind the scenes, the King and Queen of a small country in Europe have been judging you on your deportment, your character, and above all your appeal with the American people."

Mark stood there between the two remaining men. Sean, who was the obvious prince, in all of the finery of his station, and Carlos in a simple, in comparison, tuxedo.

"Today, we will be running the ceremony a bit differently. Sean, as the Prince of this story, it is up to you to do the final selection."

They'd dressed us in the most beautiful wedding dresses for this ceremony, and inside, I simply smiled at the pageantry of it all. This wasn't the dress I would have chosen for myself, but it was gorgeous. I'm sure you saw it, but let me tell you about it anyway.

The bodice was covered in pearls. The dress covered me from neck to floor, and included fitted sleeves that even covered the backs of my hands. The train really was as long as it seemed. And underneath, I was all me.

I knew after my news that they'd want to verify, and the easiest way was to show them my real body.

I couldn't help but smile as Sean walked stifly over to me.

"Dawn, you are a gorgeous creature, and I have come to feel deeply for you. You would make me the happiest man in this world if you would agree to be my wife."

"Sean, I appreciate the sentiment, but I can't marry you."

"You have to, you signed the document. You are under contract to wed me if you win."

"Well, seeing as I'm a man, I don't know how that's possible."

Carlos busted out laughing. Sarah fainted before Sean could turn her direction. Sean, well, he was completely shocked, and then something occurred to him, and he turned a shade of green.

"Mark, we have to stop this. You can't let this show broadcast on television."

"Too late for that, Sean. They aired the first episode last week."

Mark was smiling. I'd assumed that he would be as shocked as Sean, but no. He was prepared for this.

"Sarah…"

She was coming around.

"Oh, hell no. There's no way I'm being your runner up. Dawn won this contest, and it serves you all right. He belongs to this mad house."

"Sarah?"

I stood above her, and she glared up at me. I offered her a hand and helped her to her feet.

Then I slapped her so hard she fell back to the ground.

"I may have been born male, and may physically still be so, but I know who I am, and that isn't a man. I said it earlier for shock value. I am an ACTRESS after all you filthy bitch."

I was so pissed off at her. Sean helped her to her feet, and they slipped off into another room. For another of his private interviews I assumed.

The director came out of the other room, fuming, "Dawn, there's no way you're male. We checked you out. Every contestant. You wore a thong!"

I lifted up my dress for him to show him my much abused, but still intact, penis.

"Don't believe everything you see, Lyle," I said as I twitched my skirts back into place, "one of my best friends owns 'Washed Out Bridge.'"

"There is no way."

"Get her off the set, Lyle. You've had your proof, and I think she needs to get changed," Mark said,

Right. Fairytale over. Time for Cinderella to wake up.

I thought he might think that, after what he was sure was me leading him on...

I made my way to my room, and began to pack. The silver box peaked out from amongst my clothing, still unopened.

I picked it up, and heard the familiar clicking sound inside. All my dreams were shattered. My life was over. I brought my arm back to throw the box against the wall.

How could he not stick up for me? I was Dawn. I really was Dawn.

I'd prepared that speech to Sarah, meaning to give it to Mark. Everything had been so mixed up. Nothing went the way it was supposed to.

I carefully opened the box. I was ready for the further disillusionment that it meant now. Nothing was important if I wasn't going to make it into next week.

There was an ornate key on a golden chain inside the box. I pulled out the key and broke down and cried. I'd lost everything that really mattered to me. And Mark, before he knew, offered me his heart.

I'd never meant to hurt Mark in all of this. Through the tears, I noticed a card at the bottom of the box.

Donnie,

I wanted to thank you for everything. You are the most wonderful actress I have ever seen, and Joyce should already have told you this. I know that you probably don't care for me the way that I care about you. I can take that. I don't want to put any pressure on you either. I would still love to cast you in one of my movies. Let me tell you that I won't ever be there on set. I respect you too much for that, and if you want nothing to do with me, I understand. I would love to get to know you better, in a less pressurized environment.

If you can forgive me, let me know at the ceremony on the final day. If you can't I'll understand…

I couldn't finish the note. I was crying and I knew that my heart was broken. My pride had not allowed me to open that box, and now the best man I had ever known thought that I hated him. I tried to stop, but all of the women I'd relied on were gone. No more Willow or Sophie or Linda.

I sobbed until I had no more tears, and the pain in my chest just didn't subside.

"Mark really wants you to feel at home here, so he has gone to his beach house until you're ready to face the world."

"What have I done, Joyce?"

"Won a national competition and admitted that you're transsexual."

"No, to Mark. I love him, and just didn't want to really admit it to myself until today."

"So, why didn't you let him know…"

"I just barely opened the box. When did you tell him?"

"What? I promised you. I would never have told him…"

"Dawn, you ready to get put back together?"

"Why does it matter now?"

"I thought that you and Mark…"

"Karl?"

"Well, um, he sort of followed you one night and accosted us in the van afterwards."

"You told him!?"

"He figured it out. Apparently he knows who I am. It wasn't that far for him after that to figure out who you were."

"Not are?"

"You actually want to go back to being Donnie?"

"Of course not."

"Then let's get you put back together. I set up an appointment with the endocrinologist and then the good doctor wants to visit with you in person, and you know."

"Let's do this."

I still wanted to be a woman, and I would be. Even if I could never apologize properly to Mark, I could at least go through the changes I needed to become the woman I was inside.

I got my first shot of estrogen, and went to speak to my doctor.

I don't need to tell you everything we spoke about that day, since I've already shared most of it here with all of you.

It was late when Mark's personal limo dropped me off at his front door.

I walked through the empty house and just felt more and more lost. I had pissed away every wonderful thing in my life, and Mark was just the next in a long line of my failures.

I went to my room, my single room on the first floor and slipped into bed. I felt arms come around me and just cuddled into them and cried. I wanted this and it wasn't…

"Shh, it's ok, Dawn. I'm here."

"Mark!?"

I kissed him for the first time since we'd met in the Interview room what felt like an eternity ago.

His hand slipped under the covers and touched my relatively naked body. He avoided everywhere with an appliance He caressed my body and I thrilled at his touch. When he touched my behind I tensed up.

"Dawn…"

"No, Mark. I can't I'm not really a girl. I just look…"

"Dawn Leary. I love you whatever body nature or science gives you. I want to make love to you. If you don't want me to tonight, or ever, then I can live with that. However…"

I stopped him talking with the only things I had available: My lips and tongue.

You don't need to know the rest of the details of that night, but I gave pleasure and received it.

For those that follow the trade journals, yes the two of us recently got married. And yes, I am physically and legally a female now. Mark is not gay, and that is something I am very pleased with. He is one of the most inventive…

Like I said, you don't need to know this.

I'm acting again, and I have two movies coming out this fall. I am listed as Dawn Leary in both of them. It's of course my legal name as well as my SAG name.

I wish this were always the case, and often it isn't, but sometimes, the best things happen to the people who deserve it. Willow is still alive at T+three years. The doctors have no idea what keeps her going. I like to believe that it is positive mental attitude.

She was my matron of honor. If not for a pesky thing like needing to legally be recognized as female, I would have been married before her. Well, she and Carlos make a beautiful couple.

I was her maid of honor, though, so it wasn't all wasted. I threw her a bachelorette party to be remembered.

The one she threw for me was even more epic.

Now, if only I can convince Mark to cast me in the leading role for "Sorority House Murders VI."