The next few days were hectic. Every day, Jaymee and Gayle were at the studio bright and early, preparing. Gayle had taken it upon herself to not only act as assistant editor, but as assistant to the director as well. The two discussed lighting, camera angles, editing techniques...everything.

The more involved Gayle got with the show, the more Jaymee could see she was slowly returning to her old sweet, considerate self. Jaymee and Ryan tried to stay clear of being too romantic around Gayle, but she seemed to be taking it all in and living it up.

"Okay, guys, listen...we're gonna do a little trial show here today," Jaymee announced Friday morning. "The taping is gonna be on Monday. It's gonna be a three-hour show. We're hoping to get at least 4 or five episodes from the taping to send over to ABC. Since we don't have an audience today, and I have to be in the control room to oversee everything, we're going to have some of our other crew members be the audience for the day. Lucky them, they get to be entertained while I have to work. You all know what you have to do...you've studied the line up. We'll shoot for about an hour and then break for lunch. Everyone all set?"

"Ready!" everyone chorused.

"Drew, get your spot. Crew, find seats in the audience! Have a good taping!" Jaymee disappeared.

Colin and Ryan sat onstage, watching Drew climb the stairs to the top of the audience seating. Crew members slowly trickled out and took seats in the first five rows. Colin couldn't help but notice Gayle come out and sit front row in the center section. He sighed.

"This may be a difficult taping," Colin whispered to Ryan, taking a drink of water.

"Oh, because Gayle's here? Colin, your job is to make people laugh, no matter who they are. Come on, we're counting on your crazy stuff here," Ryan tried to comfort his friend. "You'll be fine."

"We're on in thirty seconds!" Jaymee's voice echoed through the studio. Colin double-checked his mike and got settled in his seat.

"Let's do it, guys!" Colin motivated Ryan, Greg Proops and newcomer Wayne Brady, seated on either side of him.

"Welcome to Whose Line is it Anyway!" Drew announced. Colin watched the cameras focus in on each of the cast members.

"Help Me Rhonda...Greg Proops! Do You Wanna Dance?...Wayne Brady! Little Duece Coupe...Colin Mochrie! And You're So Good to Me*...Ryan Stiles! And I'm your host, Drew Carey...come on down. Let's have some fun!"

Colin joined everyone in the studio by clapping along as Drew got seated. "Welcome to Whose Line is it Anyway, the show where everything's made up and the points don't matter. Yup, they don't matter...just like clean nails on a construction worker."

Colin laughed. He could already feel himself loosening up a little.

"We're gonna start with a game called Weird Newscasters..." Drew announced, consulting his cue cards. Colin knew he was going to be the newsanchor with Greg as his co-anchor, Wayne as the sportsanchor and Ryan as the weatherman.

The game went well, and Colin knew they had something on the show. The chemistry was there, and the crew members in the audience were laughing very hard and cheering them on. Colin felt the comraderie for once not just with Ryan but with everyone.

The hour was soon drawing to a close, and the last game they were scheduled to play was a new one called Three-Headed Broadway Star. Colin, Ryan and Drew were to play it. Colin and Ryan busied themselves with setting up the stool onstage while Drew wandered through the audience to find someone to play the game with them.

"You look like you're enjoying yourself. What's your name?" Drew asked, although he already knew.

"Gayle," the girl answered.

Colin looked up to see Gayle following Drew down to the stage. He looked up at Ryan, pleading at him with his eyes. He couldn't stand the tension in the air. He knew it would affect his performance.

As Drew was searching for the audience suggestion, Colin glanced down at Gayle. She was seated placidly on the stool, and all Colin could see was the back of her. He took a deep breath, inhaling her scent by accident, and it was then he knew he was absolutely crazy about her.

The game went off well and as the taping came to an end and the credits had rolled, with Ryan making sure to read Jaymee's name, her form appeared onstage. "That was great, you guys! I think we've really got something here! I think we'll be fine for Monday. Enjoy your weekends and be here early Monday morning for wardrobe, okay?"

"Aye, aye, Captain Jaymee," Colin joked. As Ryan went back to his seat to grab more water, Colin approached him. "Ryan, can I talk to you?"

"Sure...let's go backstage." Ryan followed Colin back to the green room, which was luckily empty. "What's up, my friend?"

Colin took a deep breath. "I'm crazy about Gayle."

Ryan laughed. "You've got to be kidding." Colin looked at him. "You're serious."

"It's crazy..I can't help it! I fight with her because I don't want her to know I like her. I liked her since I saw her skills in the control room. I think I purposely insulted her in the hallway that one night."

"Why would you do something like that, Col?" Ryan asked.

"Ryan, help me, I don't know what to do," Colin pleaded as the door opened and Greg walked in. Their conversation ended there, but Ryan knew Colin had more to say.

Jaymee closed the door to the green room and continued down the hall, reflecting on what she had accidentally overheard Colin say. She couldn't help but wonder if Gayle felt the same way.

--------------------------------

"Come on, Gayle, let's get home," Jaymee said, poking her head into the editing room.

Gayle quickly shrunk the window she had been looking at. "All right, I'm coming," she said.

"What were you looking at?" Jaymee asked.

"Nothing. I'll be right there."

"Gayle..."

Jaymee went over and opened the window. She recognized the footage as Ryan, Drew and Colin's Three-Headed Broadway Star.

"Why were you watching this?"

"I wasn't...this was what I was doing," Gayle said with a sigh.

Gayle took the mouse and opened the other window. She pressed play.

"Tonight, Ryan's reading the credits. Ryan, I'd like you to read them as a sweet grandmother. Good night, everyone! See you next time!"

The credits rolled until Ryan got to Jaymee's name. Ryan's picture suddenly faded out and new images flickered as Ryan read Jaymee's credit. Jaymee smiled. Gayle had shrewdly found shots of Jaymee as director and Ryan as star and threaded them together. The clips made it obvious that they were a couple.

"This is what you were doing after the taping?"

Gayle nodded. "I was going to surprise you and Ryan with it at the post-taping party Monday night."

Jaymee gasped. "I forgot all about that!"

Drew and Ryan had splurged to throw the cast and crew an elegant party in the ballroom of a prestigious LA hotel with an open bar, dancing and plenty of food. It had been kept a secret from everyone but the execs on the crew, and Gayle had overheard Jaymee discussing it.

"Just act surprised, okay?" Gayle grinned.

"Oh, you bet! I'll meet you outside."

"Sure. Be right there."

Gayle ejected the videotape of the couple and gathered her things. Then she paused. Something was drawing her back to the clip. The other editor had had it up when Gayle came in and she got so busy with the tape for Jaymee and Ryan that she hadn't closed it.

Gayle sunk back down in the chair and pressed play. She watched as Drew wandered through the audience towards her. There was a cutaway to Ryan and Colin standing onstage. Then Gayle was standing and following Drew to the stage.

She narrowed her eyes and slowed the piece down. As she sat, Gayle noticed Colin looking up at Ryan and then down at the top of her head...where his gaze rested until the end of the song.

Shaking, Gayle closed the window, grabbed the tape and ran from the room.

**credit goes to the Beach Boys' music

Part Five (Friendly Discussions)