Only you can save me (A Paul Walker fanfiction)

Chapter one: Itsy Bitsy Bikinis

I breathed deeply as I walked down to the waterside where the set had been built. It wasn't my choice to come here, these things were never my choice, but even I had to admit that spending four months in the Bahamas didn't sound like it was going to be the hardest thing I ever did. True, the money spent was going into someone elses pockets, but I had the sun, the sea and hopefully the experience when I was done.

"Let's go over this one more time, you are standing in for Jessica Alba and the movie is called Into the Blue. It's about her finding treasure. You do as you are told, understood?"

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Do as I was told, as if I ever did anything else? The production manager arriving spared me more lecturing as my father turned to sweetness and sunshine in his presence. I was a tool, something to play with at best. I never had my own opinions about anything. My ability to transform into almost anyone that vaguely resembled me had made my parents a load of money when they realised I could stand in for almost anyone on a movie set. A few movies were made like that, with sums being paid that made even me dizzy. So now they were constantly on the lookout and this was a big one. Four months doubling as Jessica Alba in a romantic adventure movie, swimming and parading in beach wear. I didn't mind, I liked to learn what I could on the sets.

I left my dad to gush over the assistant, knowing he wouldn't mind if I started acting like Jessica, and wandered closer to the set where I saw Scott Caan goofing around with Ashley Scott. I knew they would play a couple and judging by what I saw, the chemistry between them was already building. I smiled when Ashley ducked Scott into the sand before collapsing onto a canvas chair. If this was in any way representative of the atmosphere on set, we would all have a great time.

"Jessica hi, I'm sorry I didn't get around to saying hello yet."

I turned my head and saw that Erin, one of the producers, had come up to me. I shook her hand while smiling back at her. Inwardly, this was always a key moment for me. Pretending to be someone only comes naturally after a longer time, and first meetings were always nerve wracking for me. Was I able to convince them, was it natural, was I overdoing it? I needn't have worried, on Erins face not a hint of suspicion was to be found. My dad waved me off, and I followed her down to the beach.

"Wardrobe hasn't yet fully arrived yet, so I hope you brought something for the first screen tests? Though your costumes are here in part maybe we can check those out real quick, see if you like them and ..."

I tuned out the rest of her chatter, and overlooked the azure water lined with palm trees. It all looked immensely beautiful, I remember thinking if someone wanted to hand pick a picture to illustrate "paradise" they would be hard pressed to find a better example. The fine sand was almost white and the sky was a deep blue. I felt peace come over me, as always when I was near the sea.

" ... so much I hope you agree, what do you think?"

It took me a few seconds to realise a response was necessary. I focused my attention back to Erin who was waiting beside a rack full of coat hangers. My wardrobe I assumed ... at first I thought the hangers were empty, but they weren't. They were full of ... pieces of cloth? Hesitating, I reached for a random one to find basically three triangles held together with string. My handkerchiefs were bigger than these, and they were meant to cover my butt. I looked at Erin, not sure if I should agree or disagree with what she had said. I looked from her back to the 'bikini' for want of a better word and smiled.

"I'm sure they will be just fine Erin."

Her radiant smile told me I had guessed right and she took the coat hanger back from me, placing it back as if it was made of the most delicate silk. I gulped in silence. I would be diving and swimming in these babies, so I hoped they were sturdier than they looked. Sturdier, and bigger once you had them on. Maybe they were stretch bikinis that magically doubled in size once you wore them, who knew?

Trying to forget, for now, the little bits of cloth (wardrobe sure hadn't spent much on materials had they?) I walked away again, thinking I would go say hello to my co-stars, and find out if I was able to convince them that I was really someone else. I reached Ashley Scott first, and said hi. She immediately smiled and gave me a sort of half hug to greet me, which of course I returned. Scott was trying to act cool, just a handshake and a whiff of "I'm a star in the making" that I couldn't place very well.

"Hi, nice to meet you. It's always exciting filming with people for the first time isn't it?"

I knew it was a safe comment. I had done my homework and Jessica hadn't worked with these people before. They both immediately agreed, and gushed about the diving scenes we would start to train for the very next day. Ashley seemed apprehensive as the script called for her to be attacked by a shark. Her smile as she said that they wouldn't use a real one didn't seem entirely genuine.

"Hey, Paul should be here any minute he was talking about you earlier, he said he did know you from before, something about his surf buddy that you also hang out with? But I forgot, he will tell you himself."

My smile sort of froze into place. That did not sound good ... I mentally did a quick review and was immediately annoyed that no one had told me anything about mutual friends. I figured Jessica hadn't known either or she would have told me to help me save face. After all, she would lose much more than me if this ever came to light. I had no idea who "Paul" was, no one ever told me who my costars were until I saw them, and Jessica had referred to them as Ashley, Scott and Paul, no last names. I had wanted to seem professional so I'd figured the question "Paul who?" could wait until I saw said Paul. I mused, thinking Paul Rudd wouldn't be so bad, and how old was Paul Newman these days?

James' wave brought me out of my 'I hope I get to costar with that Paul' reverie and I turned to meet the man who would play my lover for the next four months. And no, not Paul Rudd. My heart leapt into my throat at the sight of his blue eyes and his blonde hair, now cut much shorter than before. See, unbeknownst to anyone there, I had worked with this particular Paul before, on set of The Fast and the Furious two years earlier. Worked with, kissed and all. At that moment in time I found out that not knowing my co-stars was much better than knowing them.

"You've got to be kidding me."