They arrived at the studio with just a few minutes to spare. Robert looked around the parking lot, and not seeing anyone in sight, leaned over and gave Calista a thorough kiss. “Just rehearsing,” he said, with a grin. “Come on, let’s go.”

They got out of the car and walked inside. David and the crew were already there and Calista saw they had the scene set for their “walk” to her apartment. David caught sight of them. “Hey guys, glad you made it, with,” he glanced at his watch, “exactly two minutes to spare. Get to wardrobe and get ready. Let’s try to move through this quickly. Michelle’s got plans for me later this afternoon.”

Calista and Robert went their separate ways and soon were back on the set, filming the one scene they had actually rehearsed last night. Calista had been just as moved this time with Larry’s speech to Ally about how he had loved her from the moment he saw her, as she had been the first time she heard it last night. And the emotions they were both feeling showed plainly on their faces and this just served to make the scene even more intense. The kiss they shared was ever so tender and Ally’s amazement was genuine as she watched Larry walk on without her. She caught up with him as Vonda sang in the background.

It all went very smoothly, and David was pleased with the first take. “Cut,” he called. “Looks like you two made good use of your rehearsal time last night,” he said. Calista couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her lips and David looked at her rather strangely. “That was great. Ok. Let’s move on. Just two more scenes in Ally’s apartment and we’ll be done here. Let’s give the crew fifteen minutes to get the scene set. See you back here soon.”

Robert grinned at Calista and wiggled his eyebrows up and down. He leaned over and whispered, “So, Miss Flockhart, wanna go get one last rehearsal in for our final scene? My dressing room is just down that hall. I’m sure I could, uh, rise to the occasion.”

Calista just rolled her eyes and said, “Very funny, Downey. See you in 15 minutes. I’m going to go call and check on Liam.” But she walked with a definite sway to her bottom as she left the room. Robert stood there watching her leave, thinking that is was simply amazing that she loved him. He couldn’t wait to be done with the final scenes and to finally be alone again with her.

Fifteen minutes later, they were back on the set, getting ready to film the second to last scene. Calista was getting a little anxious. She was having great difficulty in hiding her true feelings from David and the crew. This next scene really worried her, since it called for an emotional interchange between Ally and Larry before they finally ended up dancing together in her apartment.

“Ok, quiet everyone. Calista and Robert, in your places. Let’s go,” David called.

The action picked up with Ally and Larry at the door to her apartment, where their walking had led them.

Larry had Ally backed up to her door, leaning into her with his hands pressed against the door on either side of her face. “So, are you going to invite me in?” he asked softly. He stared into her eyes for what seemed like an eternity and neither spoke.

“Uh, uh, uh . . .” Ally couldn’t seem to find any words to say. She was mesmerized by his eyes, lost in the deep brown bottomless depths of them. She couldn’t for the life of her formulate a reply. But it didn’t matter. She wasn’t sure who made the first move, but suddenly they were locked in a kiss, a deep, searching kiss. When it finally ended, Larry simply said, “Was that a yes?”

Ally nodded and unlocked the door, drawing Larry in after her.

Larry followed Ally into the living room and the first thing he noticed was the couch he had bought at Sears. It was still there, in her living room, piled with pillows and looking as if it had gotten a lot of use. “Kept it, huh?” he asked, with a small smile.

“Uh, yes,” was all Ally could get out.

Larry’s eyes swept over her apartment, taking it all in, and noticing that very little had changed since he’d been there last. Renee’s things were gone, of course, but Corretta had filled in the gaps with her own things.

“No snowmen in freezers anywhere, waiting to be rescued are there?”

“Nope, remember, all you left me last time was a note; no snowman attached that time.”

At that, Larry felt as if a knife had been plunged into his heart. That simple sentence reminded him so clearly of all the hurt he had been responsible for. And he really didn’t quite know how in the world he would ever make it up to Ally, if she were even to let him.

He took a step toward her, gently caressing her cheek with his hand. “Do you think you’re ever going to be able to put that behind us and trust me again? Tell me what to do, anything, so that I can finally make this all right and we can go on from here. I don’t think I want to try to live again without you.

Tears had swelled up in Ally's eyes as he spoke and spilled over, running down her cheeks. Her hand reached up, taking Larry's hand in her own, and she softly moved it down to her lips, so that she could kiss his palm.

"Oh, Larry, believe me, I am trying. I know you love me and I’m trying to believe you when you say you’re not going to leave me again. I’ve lost the two men who mattered most to me, who I loved so much - first Billy, to another woman and then to death, and then you. Sometimes love for someone is just not enough. Not enough to overcome hurt, distrust, feelings of pain and desertion."

"Ally, you just have to be willing to take that chance. I know it’s scary. We’ve both been hurt before. But I know now that I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love another person. And I’m willing to wait until you are ready too." He gently wiped the tears away with his thumb and pulled Ally to him in a fierce hug. After a moment, he pulled back and looked into her eyes again and said, "In the meantime, come on, I want to dance with you. I didn’t even get one dance with you at the reception." And he pulled her back into his arms, pressing her body close to his. One hand gently held the back of her head and the other rested firmly on her waist. They slowly began to dance as, in the background, Vonda sang the following song.

How can I convince you what you see is real
Who am I to blame you for doubting what you feel
I was always reachin', you were just a girl I knew
I took for granted the friend I have in you

I was living for a dream,
Loving for a moment
Taking on the world,
That was just my style
Now I look into your eyes
I can see forever,
The search is over
You were with me all the while

Can we last forever, will we fall apart
At times it's so confusing, these questions of the heart
You followed me through changes, and patiently you'd wait
Till I came to my senses, through some miracle of fate

Larry kept dancing but pulled away slightly and cupped Ally’s face with one hand, forcing her to look up into his eyes. His emotions were there for her to see, all the love he had for her, his desires, his needs naked on his face. She couldn’t help but see what he was trying to convey. And it was then that she finally realized, even though they’d been apart for months, he had actually never left her. He was a part of her; he’d become a part of her the day he walked into her life and she realized that she could no more turn him away now than she could stop breathing.

He slowly moved in closer, his lips nearing hers. Her eyes gently closed as his warm, soft lips met hers. And as they kissed, the world fell away and they were completely unaware of everything around them, even of Vonda singing the rest of the song. They were in their own world, a world in which all doubt had been swept away in the gentleness of a kiss, the softness of a caress, the love of one for another.

I was living for a dream,
Loving for a moment
Taking on the world,
That was just my style
Now I look into your eyes
I can see forever,
The search is over
You were with me all the while

Larry's arms tightened around Ally, as he deepened the kiss. Ally's hands moved from his shoulders, up around the back of his neck, her fingers running through the hair at his nape.

Now the miles stretch out behind me loves that I have lost
Broken hearts lie victims of the game
Then good luck it finally stuck like lightning from the blue
Every highway leading me back to you

Now at last I hold you, now all is said and done
The search has come full circle, our destinies are one
So if you ever loved me show me that you give a damn
You'll know for certain the man I really am

I was living for a dream,
Loving for a moment
Taking on the world,
That was just my style
Then I touched your heart
I can hear you whisper,
The search is over
Love was right before my eyes

The song ended, but Calista and Robert continued to kiss. It was only the sound of David clearing his throat that got their attention. They broke apart, but only with a little awkwardness. Their love for one another seemed to be giving them the confidence to let others catch a glimpse of it now and then.

“Uh, that was terrific, guys. I think that take will be just fine. Umm, why don’t we take about a 30-minute break before we film the final scene. And Calista, I need to speak with you in my office for just a moment. Let me talk with the crew for a second and I’ll meet you there.”