• Against the World •

[Theo Anthony Sterling]

When the month began to draw to a close and Theo was tested on how fair his money would stretch, he had to keep reminding himself that this would all be over in a few more months and once he had a job and built a reputation for himself as an actor. He was far from being out of the woods yet, but he knew that one day it would all be worth it and then he could provide Issy with the childhood he and Jenny had dreamt about giving her since long before she was born. When Theo had first started college as a freshman he had been older than most of his classmates but it had been discussed in detail with his then wife and back then, everything seemed like it would be fine. Jenny’s job was well paid enough to support them both and the beginnings of a family; neither of them had expected her to die before Issy could even laugh. However, Theo had made a promise and no matter what he did, he never broke any promise that he may and if that meant putting up with some difficult times, then so be it.
A lot of people were excited for graduation, already planning the parties and the “last” trips to Europe or wherever most of the seniors thought was the ‘in’ place to go. Theo, on the other hand, planned to graduate, spend time with his family when they flew out to see him and then immediately get to work. Maybe it was a little sorrowful, but he didn’t see it that way, knowing that it was probably an age thing more than anything else. He kept telling himself that if Jenny was still alive then he’d do the exact same thing and just move onto the next part of his life with nothing more than a soft fizzle; he’d save the bang for when it was worthwhile!

Sleep was a rare treat for the Scotsman. Theo had reached a point with his insomnia where he no longer really tried to sleep, he just let it happen. There had been too many nights when he’d laid under the sheets, tossing and turning, staring at the ceiling and the shadows whilst his eyes remained wide open and nowhere close to sleep. Now, he spent many nights laying in his bed with a book, or a TV series on DVD and just sat there, watching them until he fell asleep and slid down the pillow to a precious slumber than was often disturbed earlier than he needed it to be by Issy’s voice or screams coming over the baby monitor, jolting him awake in a matter of seconds and allowing the demonic insomnia to possess him again, denying him of a much needed rest for who knows how long. “Doctors know nothing though.”

[/color] He said, stating his biased opinion. Doctors hadn’t been able to save his wife’s life and they were unable to cure him insomnia. In his eyes, they simply weren’t all they were hyped up to be and modern medicine had more holes and lies than the traditional medicine had.

Theo did drink a lot of coffee, but that could be the only thing that really made him like the other dramatics at the university. He didn’t believe that a flamboyant personality or loud nature would attract success, even before the heartbreak, Theo had been the same. Hard work, long hours and dedicated passion were the things that would land him the lead role in a Broadway show or even, possibly, a TV role; not any of this ‘Oh D-ah-rling.’ or self-centred gossip and backstabbing that seemed to cloud the acting profession in recent years. Theo would like nothing more than to keep away from all of that and purely stick to the love of the stage and the passion of the theatre. “And what if I am? Maybe this is just an act now.”[/color] He teased, smiling softly as he looked at her with a rare playful glint in his chocolate eyes.

He smirked and rubbed the stubble on his chin with the palm of his hand. When he struggled to sleep he usually lost the motivation to shave and facial hair was really no stranger to him these days as the coarse hair scratched his dry palm. “Every performance can always be improved, hen.”[/color] He shrugged and then put the book down on the desk whilst he stretched. “I cannae explain it really. It comes naturally ta me.”[/color] Acting had been his talent for as long as he could remember and it was something that he couldn’t explain to people in any way that made sense.
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• • •

TAGGED! Meggy-Meg <3
WORDS! 821
OUTFIT! These Threads
LYRICS! Cinderella- - - Steven Curtis Chapman
NOTES! <3

[Margaret Rose Warren]

Living with her still up and moving father, Meg didn't get a lot of the financial worries many college kids and even a lot of her friends who weren't in school did. There was always food in the fridge, always a bed to sleep in, always rice in the cupboard to cook for a quick meal. She rarely worried about food or about rent, and nearly all her money earned from work went into her own bank account for spending, so she didn't have to ask her father for money like a sixteen year old. That portion that didn't go to her own selfish uses went into a secret fund for her father, one Meg planned on using to buy him some lavish vacation a few years down the road, when she had a real job that would pay more than a bit more than minimum wage. She wanted to take him to Hawaii or another beautiful, once in a lifetime place. It'd be her thank you to him for how many years of raising the stubborn blonde who could, she'd admit, act a teensy bit spoiled on occasion when it came to her father.

"Good thing I'm a scientist then, not a doctor," she replied with a smirk pulling on her lips. Meg didn't have much against doctors at all; it was the entire criminal law system she was after. She was going to shake it by its roots: the science that proves all the cases and handles all the evidence that correctly, or incorrectly, deal with the public's lives. Doctors, well, she wasn't about to grovel at their feet, but she had a respect for their profession. Personally, Meg would've never been able to do that. Knowing that someone's life rested in her hands, and hers only, was too daunting a task for the blonde to even try and comprehend. Sure, her job would involve a bit of life and death to, but Meg would never be capable of thinking on the instant spot like that, especially under such pressure. No time to think, no time to weigh other options; it was all do, and do it now.

She couldn't help a small laugh as he teased, giving him the same playful, twinkling look in return. "Then, I believe you're missing some great award because I've never seen someone fake-sleep that convincingly before," she joked back, smiling. Meg tucked some hair behind her ear, fingers brushing through the blonde curls gently before finally returning to her book to flip the page once more. There would definitely be a "Hey, Nix, uhm, can I have your notes for the chapter?" phonecall later tonight, probably at two in the morning when Meg herself couldn't bare to focus any longer on the work she should've already had finished.

"True, but there can also be a limited amount of space for improvement," she teased in return, the playful sparks in her eyes again as she looked up at him. "It means you're meant for it, then, like destiny and fate and all that jazz," she smiled softly at him. "Your dream career is usually the one you're born not knowing how to explain."

TAG: Theo-Bear <3
LOCATION: NYU Library
WORDS: 600!
MUSIC: "Trying to Find Atlantis" by Jamie O'Neal
OUTFIT: ZIPPITY ZAP!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

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[Theo Anthony Sterling]

Did Theo ever feel tempted to move back to Alloa in Scotland? Yes, many a night when Issy had been teething and Lilia was out with friends. Theo’s insomnia had been unbearable back then, whilst at least now he was accustomed to the permanently tired state he was in and justgot on with his life without any real complaints. However, New York had been Jenny’s dream and she had wanted to see her darling husband up on the stage on Broadway, the bright lights spelling out his name as he gave the performance of his life. Even if he only got to do it once, he wanted to do it for her. Lilia often told him that he’d move on from Jenny one day and find someone equally as special, but Theo knew that even if that ever happened, there would always be a small part of him still longing for Jenny. It was that old clich`e about never truly being able to get over someone you were in love with, at least not permanently. Old wounds and feelings were dragged to the surface whenever ex lovers reunited by some strange coincidence on the street and whilst Theo knew he’d never get to see Jenny on the street again, he had to live each day looking at the little girl who was growing more and more like her mother. Sometimes, yes, Alloa seemed like a pleasant retreat for the Scotsman, but he knew that Jenny would never forgive him for giving up on everything once again.

He smirked at the blonde, picturing her in the white lab coat and giant eyeglasses that were worn for safety. Back in high school, most of theirs were scratched and there was something really worrying about a bunch of sixteen year olds running amock in chemistry with acids of various kinds and in glasses that obscured their vision almost as much a full on blindfold would. It was one of those things that the school would never replace though; there was always something more important, well, at least until the day one teenager would be horrifically burnt by the compound that was being carried about by someone who was basically blind, thanks to the destroyed goggles. How the hell did they get so scratched anyway?! “Aye, least it means you might have somethin’ of a brain in there.”

[/color] He teased playfully, knowing that she could probably make a hundred more taunts about his major than he could about hers. However, this was a rare relaxed mood for the tired man and he was going to make the most of it, even if it meant he had to work on this monologue later tonight.

“Well, I’m aimin’ fo’ that Oscar one way or another.”[/color] He joked, leaning back onto the table and folding his arms to support his weight as he rocked his chair forward. “It’s a new category they’re introducin’, y’ken? Best Actor in a sleepin’ role.”[/color] Truthfully, if he had to act asleep, he’d probably still be tossing and turning as though his life depended on it. Theo couldn’t remember what a good nights sleep actually felt like these days, which was rather depressing when the thought actually hit him.

There was a twinkle deep in his brown eyes that hadn’t been there in the longest of times; flirtation. If Theo had known it was there then he would have bolted out of that library in a shot and spent the rest of the night overwhelmed with guilt and sorrow that he probably would have been tempted by the bottle of whiskey in the cupboard that had been harboring there since Issy had been born. “Well, I’ve not maxed out yet, far from it, in fact.”[/color] The twinkle may have been there but Theo was far out of practice.
His smile faded quickly though. Whilst fate and destiny were wonderful things to most people, Theo had lost his thunder for them. They had taken Jenny from him and Issy would never know her mother; not even one memory of her and because of that, he had stopped believing in them. Surely nothing could be so cruel as to steal so much from a baby so innocent that she hasn’t even opened her eyes to greet the world yet? “Or maybe I’m just used to having ta fake a lot of stuff and I got good at it somewhere along the way.”[/color] He closed the book over and leaned back, feeling a wave of emotion wash over him again.
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• • •

TAGGED! Meggy-Meg <3
WORDS! 793
OUTFIT! These Threads
LYRICS! Cinderella- - - Steven Curtis Chapman
NOTES! <3

[Margaret Rose Warren]

There wasn't much for Meg back in Forks, besides her Mother's grave and extended family, of course. But, really, she had a life in New York and that's where she felt more needed for the time being. And, for her, that's what drove her, that physical need to be in a place. For now, the longing for home and for the cold case of her mother's incident was slightly on the back burner, though not by much. School and surviving in the business jungle was taking up Meg's attention at the moment and, until she felt strong and confident enough, that's where she'd be remaining. Unless something or someone gave her a reason to return home to a place haunted with more memories than Meg thought she'd ever be able to deal with alone. It was one reason she was scared to go home. And, yet, it was a reason to go. Maybe, if she could walk through the house where she'd grown up, see the forests her mother always took her on hikes through, stroll through her high school... maybe it'd help Meg to get over some of the loneliness she'd been suffering in New York. Maybe going home soon would be good for her. And, yet, maybe it'd be the complete opposite, for both her and her father. No matter what she decided, Meg knew she had to put that man first, even if he continually protested against it. She was the only one left to make sure he was alright, and not entirely on his own, just like he was for her. Though, she knew she had other people to lean on, Meg needed her father there to support and comfort her more than anyone else. He was the one person who hadn't left her yet, and he was, even if she wouldn't admit it, the only soul who honestly knew the quirky blonde inside and out.

"Not if the machines and computers do all the work for me," she shrugged back jokingly, easily taking the joke in stride. She was more than used to it after so many years of being called the "freaky science chick". This was actually fun for her, though. Meg did like to joke around with people, and it wasn't like she didn't have enough practice being teased by Nix. Though, he could hardly tease her about her major seeing as they shared it.

Meg grinned at him, "I'm sure you'll win hands down! I'll get the whole wing of nerdy science geeks to vote for you!" She couldn't help laughing softly, only half remembering she had to keep her voice down because of their location. Stupid library rules. Normally, Meg wasn't quiet at all, just ask ninety percent of the people she knew. In fact, really, this was rare for her. She liked to be loud and having a good time and enjoying life rather than sitting cooped up in a stuffy library with near-silence rules.

If she was being frank, Meg hadn't flirted in a long time. Well, okay, she had, but she'd usually been out with friends and only trying to impress them or doing it without realizing it. She didn't flirt intentionally because, really, she had no need of a boyfriend or someone to be in a relationship with. She had Nix and her dad, along with her group of female friends and that was all she needed to be content. Plus, relationships and romances were distracting, and Meg was not looking nor could she afford distractions without good cause. "According to you," she answered with a smirk that turned into a pretty smile. Meg couldn't help herself from smiling under those handsome eyes.

It disappeared though as she noticed his fade, and she instantly felt like she'd said something wrong. Meg blinked her eyes innocently at him, confusion clear in them as he closed his book. "True talent doesn't come from faking. You're born with it," she answered, shrugging once more and forcibly returning her eyes to her page. If he got up and left, fine. Meg couldn't see the wrong in anything she'd said, and, if she had offended him, she hadn't meant to. She didn't like messing up though, as her hidden sinking heart proved.

TAG: Theo-Bear <3
LOCATION: NYU Library
WORDS: 766!
MUSIC: "Trying to Find Atlantis" by Jamie O'Neal
OUTFIT: ZIPPITY ZAP!
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

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[Theo Anthony Sterling]

He wasn’t a talkative kind of guy and usually wouldn’t enjoy such an encounter in the library. He had always been quiet and reserved when he was away from the bright lights of the stage and whilst confidence came easily to him, he still didn’t enjoy social affairs. There was too much curiosity in the world these days and Theo wished that people knew when to stop; when a line had been crossed. He was sick to death of being out with Issy and people cooing over her, asking about his lifestyle, her mother and the living arrangements. How the heck was that anyone’s business but his? He hated getting the sympathy card for being fated to the role of widower and single dad. He didn’t need sympathy and he didn’t need total strangers to pity him for something that was beyond his control. He coped with his situation and he found ways to get by without anyone needing to judge him or feed Issy whatever ‘treat’ was lingering in some old lady’s purse. It was annoying to say the least and that was why, most of the time, Theo wouldn’t talk in detail about his personal life. In fact, most people he knew didn’t have a clue that he was a father or that he had a dead wife. Those were the kind of things he didn’t go around proclaiming when college professors insisted on those group circles where people got to know each other.

He smirked at her quick answer. Very clever indeed. “Ah, but what d’ ye do when the machines break down?”

[/color] Technology, as helpful as it was in this modern age, was far from reliable. That was why Theo preferred the old fashioned way to find his lines and choose his audition pieces; good old books. They would always be around, regardless of how many times Windows updated itself and then crashed. A book lacked the ability to fail someone and there was no issue of the pages freezing or closing down half way through reading it. Maybe it was just the dramatic artist within him that made him think like that, but the laptop in his house was mainly reserved for talking to the family back home via social networking services.

Theo chuckled softly. The nerds and geeks really did hold most of the power in this day and age and if it ever came down to it, they probably would be the people you’d want on your side for whatever reason that may be. “Then I guess it’s in the bag then.”[/color] He smiled, glancing around to make sure that no one was throwing them any annoyed glances or sighs of irritation. The last thing he wanted was to disturb another student’s concentration when they were probably in the only place where they could have it.

He looked at her, a smile growing on his lips as a soft twinkle of a challenge appeared in his warm chocolate eyes. “Well, if you’re so sure, then maybe you should come along to the class when I have ta perform it. Then you’ll see that I have a long way ta go and a lot o’ work ta do from now ta then.”[/color] He suggested, not realising what such a suggestion may appear to imply to the lovely blonde sitting before him. It had been a long time since he’d been in this situation and he was still completely out of practice, not to mention bordering on clueless. Theo really did need someone to follow him around and say the blatantly obvious to him. Living in such a reclused routine for the last few years had really shirked his social skills and the ability to notice the skills of others.

He looked at her and stared at her for a few moments of extreme silence before speaking again, the spark vanished from his voice. His mind was stuck on that solitary day; the reason he was sat here now reading a monologue when he probably should’ve been working to support his daughter. “Bein’ born wi’ something’ isn’t a reason ta stick ta it.”[/color] He stated simply. If he hadn’t had made a promise to Jenny then he wouldn’t be here now and he’d probably settle for some mediocre job that simply paid the bills rather than doing something he enjoyed. He looked around again and began to slip his belongings in his bag. It was probably time to move out before things got a little too close to home for him.
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• • •

TAGGED! Meggy-Meg <3
WORDS! 793
OUTFIT! These Threads
LYRICS! Cinderella- - - Steven Curtis Chapman
NOTES! <3