The Chronology of Us (A Stanathan multi-chapter fic)

[reneemaurice]

I have no intention to harm or offend Stana, Nathan or anyone involved in the production of the best TV show in the world - ABC's Castle.

Chapter 1: And so it began

July was a hot month in the year of 2008.

Stana Katic was on the set of "The Spirit", making the most of releasing the quirky energy that embodied her character.

When the scene broke, Stana went to the food table and grabbed a bottle of water, unscrewing the cap. Just as she brought it to her lips, her cellphone buzzed in her pocket.

Stana sighed, setting the bottle down and licking her parched lips. She looked at the caller I.D. "Deborah", it read. Her agent.

Stana put the phone to her ear. "Deborah, I'm on set, you can't call me here."

"Stana, listen, there's an audition in L.A, tomorrow."

Stana barked out a laugh. "Tomorrow? Deborah, I'm in New Mexico!"

"So you catch the red eye tonight, it's already booked Stana."

Stana puffed out her checks. "What's it for?"

"It's for a series, I don't know it's a Detective drama but there's a writer that's shadowing her for his stories and he kinda gets on her nerves but secretly she's a fan, so there's a little love angle there."

Stana rolled her eyes. Another Detective show, that's just what TV needs.

"Stana", her agent's firm voice came over the receiver. "It's a lead role."

Stana inhaled deeply, brining the bottle to her lips, she took a swig of the cool refreshing liquid. "Alright, no problem."

...

"Staana Katic", the exec-producer called the actress into the room.

Stana smiled politely. "It's uh, it's Stahna", she corrected him.

"Oh, sorry", he apologized.

"You're not the first and you probably won't be the last", she smiled back.

"Come on in", he ushered her into the room.

Once in the room, she found a small panel of people staring at her. She smiled confidently and walked across the room to shake each of their hands.

"Hi, you're Staana Katic? I'm Andrew Marlowe, the producer... this is my co-producer and wife Terri Miller, you got Rob Bowman to her left, executive producer, and next to Rob is Nathan Fillion, our leading man", Andrew introduced the group of people sitting to his left.

Stana lost her ability to breathe for a moment when she saw her potential co-star.

I might get the opportunity to work with him.

To shoot scenes wit him.

To make out with him.

OK, getting a little ahead of yourself there, Stana.

"Hi", Nathan stood, reaching out a hand to her, which she took hold of in a loose grasp and shook lightly.

"Hey", she breathed back.

"Alright, so are we all set to do this?" Andrew said, sounding bored. So far, Stana seemed like every other actress that had walked through those doors.

He expected the same result. No real spark, no heat, no real chemistry.

But as Stana and Nathan played the scene and Stana slammed her hands down on the makeshift interrogation table and got right into Nathan's face, as if her deep chocolate brown eyes could devour him, Andrew sat up in his chair and took notice.

This one wasn't the same at all. This one was special.

Stana and Nathan ran the scene flawlessly and by the end of it, both actors were quivering with adrenaline.

"Wow", Andrew remarked, glancing at his wife who nodded with a sly grin.

"Staana, if you'd just wait out in the side room. We'll have someone come and see you very soon", Rob told her.

Stana swallowed, she didn't want to get excited prematurely.

"O-OK, thank you", the young actress walked to the far end of the room.

Just as she was about to open the door, she spun around to the panel and pursed her lips for a moment before announcing.

"By the way..." She paused, making sure she had everyone's attention. "It's Stana."

The producers and her future co-star all blinked at her.

Stana shrugged with a shy grin. "If you're going to remember me, I just think you should remember me by the right name."

She gave them one last nod. "Thanks", and quickly disappeared out the door.

Nathan burst into laughter, clapping his hands together. "Oh... I like her."

...

Stana sat in the hall and shuffled over one seat when another young woman joined her in the room.

"Hey", she gave the woman a small smile.

"Hi", the woman grunted, sitting down in a huff next to her and turning her body away from Stana.

Stana's lips twisted, she tapped her foot on the ground, nervously.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom, would you let them know I'm in there", the unsociable woman asked Stana.

"Um, sure", Stana replied.

The woman stood up and sauntered out of the small corridor.

Stana ran a hand over her eyes, mulling things over. She felt like she did well, felt as though she impressed the producers.

But they'd seen hundreds of women audition, was she just one of the masses?

Did she do enough for them to remember her?

Why did she even come here?

Why did she let herself believe she was any different from the others?

Why in the hell did she decide to become an actress?!

The door to her right opened and Stana jumped a little in surprise as Nathan entered the corridor.

He stood so tall above her. Stana was a tall lady, she always had been. It was rare that she found a male counterpart that was so vertically perfect for her.

"So you've done TV before?" Nathan asked her casually.

"Oh um, mostly guest spots, um... E.R, CSI: Miami, The Closer, um Alias, Brothers and Sisters... yeah", she craned her neck to smile shyly up it him.

Nathan smiled back, his skin crinkling around his incredibly blue eyes.

He sat down beside her, taking residence in her competitor's seat, whom, Stana noticed, he had not even mentioned.

"So I hear you're from Canada", Stana remarked.

Nathan chuckled. "Yeah, I'm from Edmonton... Alberta?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know it, great place", Stana nodded.

"Meh, it's alright", Nathan shrugged, making Stana giggle.

"You know, I was born in Toronto", she told him and his twisted his face around to raise an eyebrow at her, slowly a smirk crept onto his face, which he bent downward, muttering cheekily. "Ah, the centre of the universe."

Stana barked out a laugh and Nathan laughed along with her. "Yeah."

The other actress returned and shot daggers at the pair when she saw them sitting so close.

She put on a false sweet smile and approached the two of them.

"Hey, what are you two doin'? She asked them cloyingly.

"Oh, we're just talking about our roots...meaning where we come from, not our personal indiscretions", Nathan said, wide eyed and grinning.

Stana snorted out a laugh and the other actress chuckled with fake amusement.

"Alright, Stana Katic, Melissa Holt... you've both got a call back, we'll see you both here tomorrow. Stana, 9:30, Melissa, 11am", Terri Miller's head popped through the door.

Nathan turned back to the women and congratulated them both. "I guess I'll see you ladies tomorrow then... best of luck."

No one, except Stana herself noticed that Nathan had directed that statement toward her.

...

The next day, Stana arrived at Raleigh studios, feeling confident... until she looked at her audition requirements and sited the part where it stated they wanted the actresses in short, tight fitting dress shirts.

Stana was wearing a long tunic top.

She swore as she walked down the corridor that led to the room where the producers were auditioning.

With her eyes cast down at her audition form to check if there was anything else she was ill prepared for, she didn't notice her future co-star walking toward her. He walked straight into her, causing her to crash against him and wrap her arms instinctively around his shoulders to hold herself up.

"Shit, sorry", she blinked at him, stepping away.

Nathan laughed. "No worries... You look nervous as all hell... relax, you'll be fine."

Stana blushed at him and he chuckled. "You wanna run lines?"

Stana bit her lip. "Uh, no but... speaking of lines, can you cut a straight line?"

Nathan's brow furrowed. "Why?"

Stana sighed. "This damn shirt is too long, they wanted a short, tight fitting shirt and this one's too long. I need to cut it."

"Y-You want me to cut your shirt?" Nathan spluttered.

Stana bit her lip again, making Nathan's eyes travel directly to it. "Would you mind?"

Nathan exhaled loudly. "Well, it's been a long time since a woman has asked me to remove part of her clothing", he jested.

Stana's eyebrows raised. "I bet that's not true... guy like you."

Their eyes locked for a moment, fire coursed through the both of them.

Nathan cleared his throat. "You'd be surprised.... ah, right, so we need some scissors then...wardrobe! I'll be right back."

And with that he took off at a jog down the hall of the studio.

Stana breathed deeply, internally chanting a mantra.

Never fall in love with your co-star. Never fall in love with your co-star. Never fall in love with y-"

"Alright Miss Katic, time to shorten that shirt", he came up behind her and suddenly she felt his hand pulling on the fabric of her shirt.

His breath tickled the contour of her neck. "Don't worry, I'm very gentle."

Oh crap.

She felt the scissors working along the seam of her tunic, the cold steel of blades poking her back, providing a much needed cool relief.

"How far up do you want to go?"

"W-What?" Stana swallowed, flustered. She realized she'd practically been drooling over his touch.

"With the shirt, how far up do you want it cut?" Nathan asked, clarifying. He snaked a hand around her side and lay it against her abdomen. "'Bout here?"

Stana's heart was beating wildly in her chest. "Uh, um, yeah, that'll be good, thanks."

Nathan cut the shirt, hobbling around Stana, focusing intently on the line he was cutting.

"You're cutting it straight, right?" Stana asked nervously. She had a feeling that now he was in front of her, his eyes might have been diverted to a different location, a higher location.

"Are you doubting my expertise in the art of straight line cutting of shirts? I'll have you know, I went to the academy for awkward second meetings and this was one of the first scenarios we went through."

Stana laughed heartily.

"Stop laughing, or I'll poke you", Nathan warned her.

"You better not, I'm highly skilled with blades. I can kill someone with a simple maneuver...lights out, game over."

Nathan chuckled but then his smile dropped and his eyes went wide. "Seriously?"

Stana flicked her eyebrows upward, a sly smile on her lips.

"That- that is so hot."

Stana blushed but rolled her eyes.

"Stana."

Stana and Natha jumped at the sound of the producer's voice.

"Ouch, Nathan, the scissors", Stana reminded him as they grazed her stomach.

"Ooh, sorry", he hissed. withdrawing the scissors quickly.

They both turned and found Mr. Marlowe grinning at them.

"I'll see you on set Miss Katic", he said airily before turning around to walk away.

Stana gaped. "I got the part?"

"That's what I said", Andrew replied, rounding a corner at the end of the corridor.

Nathan let out a laugh of glee and shook her by the shoulder. "Nice work. It was totally this that sold it", he motioned between themselves.

"Well, he obviously approves of our affinity", Stana smiled at him.

"Well, Miss Katic, I look forward to continuing to develop this affinity with you."

"Likewise... Mr. Fillion", Stana offered her hand to him and he took it in his own, brining it to his lips chastely.

Stana quivered at the feeling of his lips on her skin.

He released her hand. "I'll see you soon", he smiled at her, and she could swear that he was undressing her with his eyes.

"Yes you will", she said back, her eyes traveling automatically to his lips.

When she'd arrived at the studio that morning, she'd been star struck.

She'd spent all of the previous night researching her co-star and she was amazed by the projects he'd been involved in and with the extent of his talents.

Now the time had come for her to leave, she wasn't the only one who was star struck.

...