The Method Experiment - Chapter 17
Hi everyone, this chapter was starting to get away on me a bit and I ended up writing heaps more, which I'm now putting in the next chapter because I'd already reached my standard 12 pages with just this much. Good news is, it shouldn't be so long to wait for the next one because half of it is already written, haha!
I'm really enjoying writing the scenes for the movie they're making, so I hope you guys don't mind reading that too. I love envisioning Stanathan in these different roles and scenarios, even if they are just in my own mind!
Enjoy Chapter 17!
Peace and love,
Renee.
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The following morning, Nathan and Stana were up before Duncan and Tracy, owing to the fact that the latter couple had been up late doing script revisions.
The two actors quietly crept downstairs and began making breakfast for themselves and the crew. Nathan made coffee and poured himself and Stana a cup.
“Here you are, my love”, Nathan whispered as he handed Stana her mug. She smiled at him lovingly, her eyes darting towards Duncan and Tracy’s bedroom door before she stretched up to kiss him quickly on the lips.
“They didn’t specify what time we’d be starting today, but I did expect them to be up before now”, Stana said quietly to Nathan.
“Yeah.” Nathan shrugged. “Oh well, the longer they stay in bed, the more time I get to spend alone with you.”
Stana grinned at him adoringly, she’d been thinking the exact same thing.
Alas, as fate would have it, just at that moment, Jill came in the front door of the cabin, and the two of them moved apart quickly. “Oh, good morning”, she smiled in surprise at them both. “Dunk and Trace not up yet?”
“Nope, not yet. We’re just making some breakfast. What can we get for you?” Stana asked her and Jill gazed back at her, looking stunned. “Ah, wow, what an honour to be cooked for by two superstars. I’d love some scrambled eggs.”
“Coming right up”, Stana grinned at her and Jill blushed. Nathan brought Jill some coffee and smiled discreetly at the interaction between her and Stana.
“So Jill, do you have a partner back in L.A?”
Stana’s question caused Nathan to nearly drop his own coffee cup. Jill herself looked quite surprised as well. “Um, well actually I kind of have a thing going with Dave and Dan.”
Stana and Nathan’s eyes both widened. “B-both of them?” Nathan squeaked.
Jill nodded and said quite openly, “I’m polyamorous.”
“Wow, OK. Uh, forgive me but I sorta thought you were maybe into women”, Stana said frankly, shocking Nathan with her candor.
Jill bit her bottom lip. “I’m also bisexual, so I do cast a wide net”, she winked at both of them and the lightbulbs began to switch on in their heads - her open flirting with both of them now making sense.
“I see. That’s...very interesting.” Stana told her, looking a little stunned.
“Look, I know it’s not a lifestyle that everyone can comprehend. But it works for me, and I don’t feel I need to make any apologies for what makes me happy.”
Stana raised her eyebrows, she was actually quite impressed by the young woman’s conviction. “No, you absolutely do not have to do that. Good on you for being authentic to who you are.” Stana raised her cup to Jill’s and the young woman clinked her own against it. “Thank you Stana, that means a lot.”
“So, because you’re in a relationship with both Dan and Dave, does that mean they’re also poly-amorous?” Nathan queried, still trying to grasp the concept, but not wanting to probe too much.
“Yeah, we’re pretty much like a throupple when we’re together, but none of us are exclusive to each other.”
Nathan eyebrows shot up, he was sure learning a lot about his crew members!
“And so…”, Stana chuckled, turning red. “Forgive us if we’re over-stepping here, and please tell us to mind our business at any time.”
“No, you’re fine”, Jill said, chuckling along with Stana.
“So, Dan and Dave are bisexual too?”
A look of amusement came over Jill’s face. “Uh...pretty much everyone here is. Did you guys not know that?”
“What?!” Stana and Nathan yelped together. “Even Dunk and Tracy?” Stana looked scandalized.
“Yeah”, Jill nodded, laughing at the looks on their faces. “When Duncan met Berndt in Stockholm, the two of them had a secret relationship, then Dunk came back to America and met Tracy, they fell in love, but he told Tracy everything about himself and his past and then when Berndt came to the States, they sort of had an intimate relationship for a time, the three of them. Our polyamory is something that Berndt and I have kind of connected over. It’s a big part of why we trust each other so much.”
Nathan and Stana were both quite flabbergasted. Since meeting Duncan and Tracy, they had always seen them as a very traditional, stable couple. They had no idea the two of them had been in relationships outside of their marriage. Not that it mattered to Stana and Nathan, they still respected them both and respected their relationship choices as well, but it definitely made them see the older couple in a different light.
Of course it was at that moment that the aforementioned couple emerged from their bedroom.
“Oh, good morning!” Tracy exclaimed, jogging towards them. “I’m so sorry, I was meant to be up first to prepare you all some food.”
“Don’t worry, we’re perfectly capable of making our own breakfast”, Nathan reassured her with an easy smile.
“I know but that’s not how it would be on a normal film set. You’re the talent”, Tracy argued with a troubled look.
“He’s right, we’re quite capable, and we are definitely not the only talented ones here”, Stana backed Nathan up, and Tracy opened her arms out to her. “Oh, you’re so lovely.” She pulled Stana into a hug and Stana wrapped her arms around Tracy with a small laugh.
When Tracy pulled away, she yawned. “Oof, sorry, I was up late. I um, I decided the script needed a little revising.”
“Oh? Which part?” Nathan asked interestedly.
“Well, I always knew that if you two were going to be our leads then this film would be something special, but seeing the two of you in action yesterday, I really felt your amazing on-screen connection warranted a little more time and attention, as well as your character’s story, and so I decided we should show more of the flourishing relationship between Darryl and Amelia, and just bring in Jock for the last thirty minutes or so. I think it will work well, building up that tender sweetness between the two of you and then having Jock come in and create that real shock value.”
“So, there would be more of just us being cute together and less of the psycho-sexual thriller stuff?” Stana asked for clarification.
“Well...yes”, Tracy answered, looking apprehensive. “But there will certainly still be time in which to capture the horrific way Jock has been damaged by the war, because that’s still very important to the narrative.”
“But this is mostly going to be a romance though, right?” Nathan asked, looking amused.
“It is practically a chick-flick, my friend”, Duncan answered Nathan’s question as he came out from his and Tracy’s bedroom.
“Well, I think we all know what the audience is going to want to see, especially your fans, and I feel we ought to use this opportunity to honour that”, Tracy explained defensively. “Provided that doesn’t make things more complicated for the two of you?” Her eyes flicked between Nathan and Stana, who looked at each other, communicating silently, just through their eyes.
Nathan answered first. “I shouldn’t think so. I think you’re right, this movie is obviously going to gain a lot of interest from fans of ours, and the best chance of it being a big success is by ensuring we have a lot of screen-time together, right?”
“And of course, we all want it to be as much of a success as possible”, Stana reiterated.
“Oh, I…”, Tracy stepped forward and pulled them both into her arms. “I’d always heard what wonderful people you were to work with, but I could not have asked for two more adaptable, gracious actors to have the honour of having in our movie. Thank you, you two.”
“Hey, we gotta give the fans what they want”, Stana laughed, sharing a knowing glance with Nathan.
“Well one of them has for sure got what she wants already”, Duncan teased, pointing at his wife.
The other three laughed and Tracy blushed.
Stana and Nathan continued making breakfast, taking everyone’s orders and insisting they sit down and be served. Berndt. Dave and Dan walked into the cabin before too long and the eight of them ate together before Tracy brought out the newly re-written scripts for Stana and Nathan to read.
“Would you like to rehearse the new scenes now, or would you prefer to do that privately later?” Tracy asked them as they flicked through the new pages.
“Well, I think it’ll be more productive to make hay while the sun shines and shoot the next couple of unchanged scenes today, and then we can rehearse these together this evening. I don’t mind rehearsing with or without you guys”, Stana shrugged.
“Ever the professional”, Duncan smiled at her.
Nathan laughed lightly, reading a particularly sappy new addition to the script. “Aw, look at that”, he pouted, pointing to the line in his script, showing Stana. She laughed too, joyfully and then leaned into him, squeezing his arm. “Ohh, that’s so cute...aw you’re gonna hate this”, she cackled playfully and Nathan burst out laughing, as did everyone else.
“Meh, I might have gotten a little softer in my old age, I don’t mind it so much”, he curled his arm around her waist, leaning down to kiss her on the top of her head.
As soon as he realized what he’d done, he froze internally, but ever the performer, just smiled at Stana and then the others, acting casually as if it wasn’t a big deal. Of course, Tracy was watching their every move and silently flipping out.
“Right, well, why don’t you two get into your costumes while we go down and get the filming equipment?” Duncan suggested, trying to pave over the tension Stana and Nathan’s moment had created in the room. “We’ll be filming scenes inside the cabin today, of course.”
“Yup” “Sure”, Stana and Nathan answered immediately, both grateful for the exit that Duncan had provided them.
As the two of them entered the bathroom, Stana closed the door behind herself and gave Nathan a look of bemusement. “Babe, you are so going to get us found out.”
“I know, I know, I’m sorry”, Nathan grimaced. “I wasn’t thinking, which happens quite frequently when you’re that close to me, by the way.”
Stana pursed her lips, her breath hitching, it was hard to argue with that kind of statement.
“I suppose it’s a good thing we were straight up with them about our past, at least we don’t have to hide the fact that we have that history together. I’m sure it’s understandable to them that we would be quite close”, Stana reasoned.
A smile dawned on Nathan’s face. “Yeah, exactly.”
“Don’t think this means you’re off the hook for your little slip up, Mister”, Stana waved a finger at him, her eyes narrowed.
“Oh no, I know I’m not. I’m going to have to pay a penance for that, aren’t I?” He growled, his eyes darkening as he stepped closer to her, trapping her between himself and the bathroom sink.
“Yes, and I’m sure I can come up with a suitable method of payment”, Stana eyed him up hotly. She grabbed him by the collar and pulled his face to hers, kissing him erotically.
Nathan moaned into the kiss, before saying quite wisely, “You know I’m not sure us taking time in here doing this is going to do much to quell their suspicions about what happened out there.”
Stana groaned against his lips. “Let’s just be suspects for a few minutes.”
Fifteen minutes later, the two of them had changed into their costumes and were ready to have makeup and hair done before shooting.
Dave, Dan and Jill were setting up the lighting and preparing the sound and cameras when they re-entered the room. Duncan took over for Jill so that she could do Nathan and Stana’s makeup.
When the gear was set up and Nathan and Stana were made up to look suitably ragged for two people who were out in the bush, they began to film the scene where Amelia is brought to the cabin by Darryl for the first time.
Just as when they had rehearsed it, Nathan played the scene as a man who was caring but burdened by an unbearable weight, and Stana portrayed her character as hesitant but grateful for having been rescued and given shelter.
They stopped a few times, needing to be cued for their next lines or because Duncan wanted them to try their delivery another way, but soon they were on a roll with the scene and Duncan decided to let them play out the rest of it without stopping. He usually liked the initial takes best anyway, they were so raw and natural.
“I’ve been walking for three days straight”, Stana, as her character, confessed.“I was trying to get to Sacramento.” She was sitting at the dining table while Nathan was playing his character from the kitchen.
“What did your husband do that made you not want to be found?”
“He went to war as well. Though he returned obviously, when he did so, he was no longer the man I had married, but some monstrous shadow of him. He spent two years on the front line and it damaged him in so many ways. He became compulsive and cruel. I’ve tried to leave him so many times...Getting away, as far away as possible, it was my only choice.”
Stana delivered the lines with a gravity that was haunting. Nathan remembered when they’d rehearsed this scene a couple of days prior at his home, and she had broken down thinking about Kris. He could see that she was acting now, but thought he saw a little realness playing across her face as well.
“So I suppose, Mr. Brougham; that you and I are both run-aways.” Stana looked at Nathan, her eyes red with tears.
“Cut. That’s beautiful, you two. Stana - incredible”, Duncan told her. Stana turned to look around at the crew and noticed that a few of them were in tears as well. Of course, they all thought it was purely her acting ability that had helped her deliver her lines so emotively. Only Nathan knew there was more to it than that.
Stana thanked them, dabbing her eyes with the heels of her hands. She cleared her throat. “Are we good with that? I think I might take a quick bathroom break.”
“Oh yeah, you go for it, we’ll just take a look at what we’ve got”, Duncan replied to her and she stood up quickly and left the room.
Nathan watched her go. He let out a long sigh. No matter how glad he was to have been chosen by Stana, it still broke him to know how badly Kris had hurt her. “I think I’m just going to get a little air.”
“Of course Nathan, you go ahead”, Tracy responded quickly, encouraging him to go after Stana without saying as much.
Nathan walked out onto the veranda, feeling the eyes of the crew following him. He stood there, leaning against the railing, listening to the birdsong around him, the morning sunlight soft on his face. After a couple of minutes, the door of the outhouse creaked open and Stana stepped out. She exhaled when she saw Nathan standing there. “Hey.”
“Hey, you OK?” He asked her with concern in his voice.
She nodded, a soft smile dressing her lips. “Yeah, I’m OK babe.”
Nathan looked behind him, checking they were concealed from prying eyes before he stepped down and collected Stana into his strong arms. He held her tightly as she pressed her face into his firm chest and wrapped her arms around his middle. Resting his chin on top of her head, he whispered softly, “I love you, sweetheart.”
She smiled against his sternum. “I love you too.” She shook her head slightly. “I’m glad that scene is over.”
“Me too. I know those are hard words for you to have to say right now, and I hate seeing you in pain”, he squeezed her gently.
“Knowing I have you makes it hurt a lot less”, Stana murmured, pulling out of his embrace and bringing her palm to his cheek. Her eyes bore into his as she stroked his cheekbone with her thumb. Nathan wanted nothing more than to kiss all of her sorrow away -
“Hey guys, everything looks great from the last scene”, they jumped apart at the sound of Duncan’s voice. He was standing on the veranda, looking straight at them and would have, without a doubt, seen them locked in their intimate embrace. “So when you’re ready, we’ll move on to the next scene, OK?”
If he had seen them, it didn’t seem he was about to acknowledge it.
“OK, yeah sure”, Nathan stammered.
Duncan went to turn away.
“Dunk!” Stana called to him desperately. Their director simply mimed zipping his lips, tilting his head in the direction of the rest of the crew, and winked at them before walking back into the cabin.
The pair of them sighed. “OK, we really need to get better at this not getting caught thing”, Nathan said blatantly.
Stana shook her head in exasperation. “At least it was Dunk, not Tracy. I think he’s going to be cool.”
“I guess we’ll see”, Nathan gave her a sideways smile before they both walked back into the cabin, ready to face whatever would come their way.
They needn’t have worried, it seemed Duncan hadn’t said a thing to anyone. They were re-adjusting the set for the next scene, no one else looking any the wiser, Tracy included.
Stana and Nathan had their makeup touched up by Jill before getting into their positions for the next scene.
Owing to the fact that they were using all natural lighting, they were skipping ahead to the scene after the next one in the movie, one that would take place the following morning.
Stana and Nathan had their makeup touched up by Jill before getting into their positions for the next scene. Nathan's mark was in the hall in front of Duncan and Tracy's room and Stana was lying on the couch in the living room.
"Alright, In the heart of the woods, scene six, take one...quiet on set...and, action."
Stana acted as if she had been asleep and was waking up. She bolted up, in panic, playing her character as not recognizing her surroundings, then relaxing a little bit but not entirely.
"Mornin'", Nathan walked into shot, and Stana jumped, acting startled. She pushed herself off the couch quickly and straightened her dress, fussing with her hair as she responded, "Good morning."
"I hope you weren't too uncomfortable on my beat up old couch."
"Best sleep I've had all week", Stana, as Amelia countered back.
"Well…", Nathan made a sound of mirth. "Would you like some breakfast?"
Stana bit her bottom lip and the camera absolutely ate it up. "Could I?"
"Well I'm going to. I hope you like scrambled eggs."
"I do, yes", Stana replied. She was playing the character as one who was being impossibly polite. Tracy and Duncan thought it was perfect for her character and the scene.
As Nathan pretended to bustle around in the kitchen, he said his next line. "I couldn't help but notice your shoes are a little worn, mighty worn in fact."
"Oh, yes I suppose they are."
"I'd be happy to repair them for you, though it may take me a couple of days."
Stana blinked. "Do you have experience as a cobbler?"
"I've done a little cobblin' in my time", Nathan said, his eyes shining with the character's unspoken wish for her to stay a little longer.
Stana played her character as if she understood what he was saying to her, and didn’t really mind so much, while at the same time, being genuinely gracious. "Well I really can't wear them in that condition, and I don't have any money to buy new ones, so I'd be most grateful if you would repair them for me. Thank you, Mr. Brougham."
"Not at all, Miss Goddard."
The two of them looked away from each other, portraying a shyness.
"You know, that dress of yours…", Nathan began, then paused mid-sentence.
Stana looked down and put her hands in front of herself, appearing self-conscious.
"Forgive me, but I'm sure it too has seen better days."
Stana wore an expression which made her character appear almost apologetic. As if her appearance was offensive to Nathan's character Darryl. It was very clever acting.
"It's true. I've spent the last few nights sleeping in the bush and it's become quite filthy hasn't it? I'm afraid I have no others."
"Well that's why I was about to suggest...I've got some bedsheets that don't much appeal to me. I've never used them, and..."
The camera passed back and forth between them once before Nathan shrugged and delivered his all-important line. "Well, you know how to sew, don't you?"
"And cut", Duncan said, grinning. "Brilliant work you two."
Tracy clapped her hands together, looking joyful. "Alright, I say we stop for lunch and then afterwards I'd like you to have a look at the new scenes and then when it starts to get dark out, we'll set up for the first night scene."
"OK, sure", Stana agreed. "Can I help you get lunch Tracy?"
"No, absolutely not! You made breakfast. No lunch is all me. It won't be long."
"OK, but let me know if I can do anything, yeah?"
"Indeed I will. Perhaps you and Nathan might like to go upstairs or outside somewhere to look over the new scenes before you have to do them in front of us?"
Stana nodded. "Yeah, that's a good idea. Nate?"
Nathan, who had been talking to Berndt, looked over at Stana, acknowledging her by tilting his head.
"You wanna go have a look at these new scenes with me?"
"Oh, yes", he turned to Berndt. "Excuse me." Berndt waved him away with a nod and Nathan and Stana went outside and around the back of the porch to rehearse. Away from the others.
"Alright, let's see what we've got here", Nathan practically groaned as he opened his script. Stana knew it was partly for show as he obviously didn't mind having to act out anything that involved being more intimate with her.
"Cutesy cutesy cute, adorableness…", Nathan mumbled as he flicked through the new sections. There were a couple of filler scenes that would be edited with music overlaying them, requiring no dialogue, just some little actions and looks from the two of them. These were things they knew they could do very easily.
Stana laughed at the blasè way he acknowledged the new scenes. "Ooh steamy love scene alert."
Stana's eyes popped open. "No! Where?"
"Page 39."
"Oh...whoa. Oh God that's so sexy."
Nathan stared at her darkly. "There is nothing sexier than you saying sexy."
Stana's eyes flicked up from the script to meet his and she smirked.
"Oh this is really sweet. Almost heartbreaking. Well, really heartbreaking considering he dies at the end!" Stana pouted. "Aw, I bet this is now where their son is conceived."
Nathan stared at her adoringly. He'd always loved how invested Stana became in her roles. How much she cared for her characters.
"Yeah well it's much nicer than during a three-way with Jock."
"Speaking of three-ways; can you believe what Jill said this morning about everyone here being polyamorous?"
"My God, no! Even Tracy and Dunk. I'm legitimately shook."
"I know. It's so not what I would have expected from them", Stana squeaked.
"I wonder if Jill thought we were too. I mean, I guess for a while, you kinda were."
Stana considered his words and did have to agree. There was a time when she had been in a relationship with both Kris and Nathan. She had even loved both of them at one stage in her life.
"You're right. I mean it wasn't exactly an open relationship though."
"Mm", Nathan nodded. Not really sure what to say.
Stana simpered. "I'm happy that now we know where we both stand. I'm happy to be able to say, without reservation, that you're my number one."
Nathan's eyes crinkled in delight. "I'm very happy about that too. That means so much to me, Stana."
Stana stepped forward and grabbed his hands. She pulled him forward so that his arms came around her waist. He clasped his hands behind her, holding her tight and leaned forward to kiss her deeply. They knew there was a possibility of being caught but they also knew they could at least now write it off as rehearsing their new scenes!