A month has passed, and Sarah's been enjoying life as Silvermist in the park, but can she handle life as a celebrity TV actress? She still gets nervous meeting "real" celebrities! And how will HRT affect her ability to play the role?

“You want to sound authentic?” Megan asked Lynn, who played Captain Steele, the lost girls’ main enemy. It was a rare break both from filming and the park, and so both cast and crew decided they needed a beach day. Surf, sea, and sand were just what the Doctor ordered.

“Is Sil an airhead?” Lynn teased her back. “I’ve been taking elocution and acting classes on the side, but I still sound like Alice got lost in a Pirates of the Caribbean movie.”

Megan giggled and relaxed, letting go of her accent, “I haven’t bloody spoken like this since I was little.”

“She’s lying,” Juliette giggled. “But she has been trying to keep her accent under control since we got back to the Mainland.”

Megan giggled again, “Crikey, they had to cut on me a few times during our show back when we were filming for Disney because of it slipping out. Oh, they don’t really say ‘Crikey’ all that often down under,” she said jokingly. “Except when messing with tourists, which is something Rebecca just LOVES to do, so, y’know...”

“I bet dingos don’t really eat yer babies either,” Lynn teased her, auditioning the accent carefully. She didn’t want to insult Megan after all.

“No not really.” Megan laughed. “And we don’t put another shrimp on the barby. You’re getting it though. Aussie English is a lot like British English turned southwise. There’s a hundred accents depending on where you’re from, but you’re getting the general vibe already.”

Morgan, unable to help herself, crept up behind the three, and stuck her nose in to ask, “But the burning question is, is Fosta’s Australian fa beeah?”

“Fosta’s a type of beer downunda.” Megan giggled. “Maybe not the beer of choice. I’d have to ask my sister - probably the only member of my family who actually does drink, but she’s more of a wine taster.”

Juliette giggled as Emily and Becky emerged from the surf shop’s changing room, Emily wearing a neon blue bikini, and Becky a bright pink one piece. “Can’t believe I let you guys talk me into surf lessons,” Becky laughed nervously. Emily shook her head.

“I can’t believe you’ve never been surfing. I’m from Michigan, and the first thing I did when we moved here was...” she paused to giggle, “To completely embarrass myself. I fell off my board so many times I was on a first name basis with some of the crabs chilling,” she paused, and said in her best Sebastian voice, “Under da sea.”

“It’s not about staying on the board so much as it is having fun, to quote an old friend of mine.” Megan said.

An older girl, around 18 or so with chestnut brown hair to her shoulderblades, and medium olive skin spoke up as she was examining a neon pink longboard. “A’a i ka hula, waiho i ka maka’u i ka hale. The wise dare to dance, and leave shame at home.” She glanced over at the girls, grinning.

Emily squeaked. Her breath caught in her throat for a moment. “Oh-my-God. That’s-” she began.

“JENN!” Megan squealed and ran over to hug her.

“Hey little sister,” Jenn teased her as they embraced. “I saw you on TV. You’re looking great,” she laughed.

“What are you doing here? Oh, how are you and your friends from Alpine doing?” Megan asked, adding, “Guys this is Jenn, the friend I was literally just talking about.”

Jenn giggled. “They’re great. I’m technically here investigating colleges, but I thought I’d sneak in some time on the waves while I was at it. I just wish I’d come a week earlier so I could see the concert too.”

“Oh wow.” Megan said, “Scouting colleges already! You going to be here tomorrow?”

Jenn nodded. “For another few days. Tomorrow morning I’m going to tour backstage at Seaworld, but after that I’m free the whole day.”

“Cool! Want to do a walk-on on the show?” Juliette asked. “We could so use an extra or two in Fairy department or even the Natives.”

“I think I could pass for a Native,” Jenn laughed. “Sure, that sounds fun. No promises that I won’t go full fan girl if Lucy Liu is there, though.”

“Nah you’ve gotten really pale.” Megan teased Jenn. The half-Hawaiian had always had naturally bronzed olive skin, but it was a running joke to tease her at least once per visit. “That fan-girling part gets easier as you go. Just ask Sarah. Uh... Where the heck is Sarah anyway?”

“Right here?” Sarah came up behind Megan and goosed her sides playfully. Olivia had talked her into wearing a really cute two piece. Megan jumped.

“Oye! Trixy pixies,” she laughed.

Olivia giggled, “Took me 50 years to talk her out of the Changing room”

“Sil’s damn bikini is tiny enough. This thing is just two bits of string with some cloth attached,” Sarah whined. Jenn laughed.

“You sound like someone I know back home. She has the perfect figure for her height, but she’s never worn a swimsuit. I can’t hold it against her though. There’s not much sun and sand in New England,” she teased.

“Shorts and shirt girl huh?” Megan asked.

Jenn laughed and nodded. “Her neighbor has a pool and everything. She went through that awkward phase where her height ran away and left her boobs at the door, but she’s really grown into it,” she said jokingly as she picked up a neon pink-and-green longboard.

Emily squeaked again. “I can’t believe we’re going to get to see the legend in action.”

Jennifer giggled. “You want to know the secret?” she asked. Emily nodded nervously. Jenn stepped up beside her, planted the board in the sand, and put an arm around her shoulders. With a broad, sweeping motion of her other hand, she said, “You gotta relax, girl. Let the wave carry you where it will.”

“Careful, she might go full Hawaiian zen on you.” Megan teased Emily.

“Oh, also?” Jenn continued, “Don’t be afraid of falling. I still fall off sometimes,” she laughed, completely breaking the Hawaiian Zen she had just built up, but it caused Emily to burst out laughing too.

“Hey,” Jenn said thoughtfully, “I don’t suppose one of you is a registered lifeguard?”

Sarah raised her hand slightly. “I am a certified-” she had to catch herself, almost saying ‘water fairy’. “CPR, first aid, and lifeguard, yes?”

Jenn cracked a small giggle. “Oh I know all about you Miss Water Fairy,” she teased her back.

Megan giggled, “My fault, I told her about you in our email exchange.”

“You made the front page too,” Juliette giggled out.

“I know this sweet grotto not too far from here,” Jenn said, “It’s supposed to be locals only, but the owner said I can surf there. The swells are nice and gentle, perfect for beginners, but if you go further out you can get some big waves. We’ll throw some shrimp on the barby,” she teased.

“Oye.” Megan giggled and smacked Jenn’s arm.

Jenn laughed as the others grabbed their rental boards. “You know I’ve spent most of my life up in CT, and to this day people still think I eat nothing but pineapples and coconuts. It’s kind of endearing.”

“I’ve lived in the US most of my life, and when people find out I’m aussie, I get ‘Do you own a Boomerang, or a didgeridoo?’” Megan giggled.

“Thank God surfing is a universal thing huh?” Sarah laughed and started to sing, “The East Coast girls are hip, I really dig those styles they wear.”

Juliette nodded, “Oh and she does own a Didgeridoo by the way. She’s going to play it in the next episode.”

“But before anyone gets any weird ideas,” Megan laughed, “That’s a recent thing! I got it from the bushman we met filming the Samantha Snow movie for Lifetime awhile back. He did teach me how to play it though.”

“I loved that movie.” Emily said, “But then I was a huge fan of ‘My Brother Mark’. I’m so pumped that Disney is releasing ‘My Sister Megan’ officially.”

“Ah the cut episode.” Megan nodded, “They called us about that.” She paused and then laughed. “Oh, wait, you guys were there. Man that whole concert is just a blur. I still can’t believe it was real.”

“Best 4th of July ever,” Becky giggled. “But you know they’re getting even tighter on screening their new hires now.”

Sarah laughed. “I got my recruitment bonus, so I’m fine with that,” she said jokingly, giving Becky a light hug as they walked up the beach. “I’m just glad you said yes.”

“Me too,” Kelly said as she caught up to them. “Sorry I’m late. Had to make sure my aunt knew Jenn was coming.”

“Hakuna Matata.” Megan grinned. Jenn burst out laughing. “But like, do you know everyone, Jenn?” she teased.

“Nah, not everyone,” Jenn laughed. “I know Kelly through her aunt Ellen though. She used to be a big time surfer, out showing the boys how it’s done.”

“My family’s big on breaking stereotypes,” Kelly laughed. “Like the scary biker chick playing the innocent frost fairy.”

A tall, slender woman in her 20s, dressed in a bright pink bikini stood on the beach as they reached the grotto. A quaint beach house was nestled in some trees a bit back from the beach. The woman, whom Sarah recognized as her recertification lifeguard instructor, was watching a particularly big wave with a pair of powerful binoculars.

“Crazy old woman,” she laughed.

“I brought the cavalry,” Jenn laughed as Kelly hugged her.

“Hey cuz,” Kelly said.

“Hey girl. Heya Jenn. Welcome to the not so secret secret grotto,” she teased.

Late in the evening, Sarah reclined in her office chair, putting the finishing touches on a comic book she had been drawing for her own amusement for a little while now. Annie had fallen asleep on the sofa re-watching the Disney Channel airing of “My Sister Megan”, so Olivia had called Sarah and Annie’s parents to let them know she’d be staying with them.

Olivia came into the little computer room carrying a steaming hot mug of tea in each hand. It smelled strongly of chamomile and mint. She set one down next to Sarah, who gratefully picked it up and took a sip.

“Mmm. Thanks, Liv. You’re the best,” she said as Olivia sat in the other cushy chair.

“Best insomnia remedy I’ve ever tried,” Olivia giggled. “Jade swears by it too,” she said as she opened up her leaf green laptop and started to write. She paused. “I just realized it’s been, what, two months?”

Sarah laughed. “Time flies huh?”

Olivia nodded. “Two months and some change. I swear it feels like we’ve known each other longer than that.” She turned her chair to face Sarah, who was facing her, sketching away on her tablet again, and looking up at her with a grin every so often.

“Hold that look just a second,” Sarah said, quickly sketching a rough draft of Olivia. “Okay now you can move.”

Olivia laughed and play-swatted Sarah’s leg. “Listen, Sarah... I should have said this sooner, but... I want you to know I don’t normally rush into relationships like this.”

Sarah nodded, putting the tablet aside. “I know what you mean,” she said as she took Olivia’s hand. “Two months ago I didn’t even want to acknowledge that “Sarah” existed publically. I bound my breasts, tried everything I could to just scrape by as Josh. I didn’t think any girl could ever like me, let alone... Well, more.”

“Are you kidding?” Olivia giggled. “You’re beautiful, intelligent, witty, you’re amazing in a crisis, great with kids, you have an amazing family, which is always a plus,” she teased, causing Sarah to laugh.

“Keep that up and I really will get a head as big as Silvermist’s,” she teased back.

“That’s just the art style,” Olivia giggled. “You know before you came, I was thinking about retiring as Tink, letting someone else take over, maybe taking a job backstage. Things were... Well, they were getting boring. Before you came along all I did all day, every day, was stand in one spot and do meet and greet. But Gennine really let us run wild. Even the other actors get to run around more, like they do at our sister park.”

“I’ve noticed that,” Sarah said, nodding. “I’m grateful Gennine’s management style is so much more open, though, otherwise I’d never have met Megan and Juliette. We wouldn’t have the opportunities we have.”

Olivia stood, and Sarah followed. Together they walked out onto the balcony, taking their tea with them. “You know what?” Sarah said as she put an arm around Olivia, pulling her closer.

“Mmm?” Olivia asked, leaning into Sarah.

“I have a feeling life’s only going to get more interesting from here.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Olivia giggled as she finished her tea. Sarah turned up her cup, and then held it aloft like it was floating on water. “Yup,” she said in her Silvermist voice, “Hatter’s hat makes a much better boat.”

Olivia laughed as they headed back inside, hand-in-hand.

The End... For now.