Family Ties.

Window.

TW - Anxiety, Anorexia, Depression, Mention of Drugs/Drug Use. 

Sarah's POV:

Tomorrow starts the first day of filming for Hotel, and I can tell (Y/N) is just a ball of nerves. She's been reading the script all night, wanting to learn as much as she can about every character there is.

I'll admit her reading some of what Sally has to do this season concerns me as it's a little inappropriate. I know she's almost 16, but as her mom it feels wrong for her to read about me doing those things. She's a smart girl though, so I'm not worried about her reading too much into it or getting herself into trouble.

"Mom." I hear quietly from the door of my room. I look up from my book and see (Y/N) standing in the doorway holding her pillow. "Hey my love, what's up?" I say smiling at her.

"Can-can I sleep with you tonight?" She asks quietly.

I immediately pat the bed next to me and she practically runs over and hops up on the bed. I pull the covers back and help her get situated before she cuddles up next to me.

"Whatcha reading?" She asks leaning her head over on my shoulder and looking at the book in my lap.

"Between Two Kingdoms" I say looking back over to her. She nods and looks down.

"You okay bug? It's been a while since you asked to sleep in my room." I say reaching over and kissing her forehead.

"Yeah, just nervous is all." She says and I run my hand through her hair.

"Wanna know a secret?" I ask and she whips her head up to meet my gaze.

"I am too." I whisper before nuzzling my nose against hers making her laugh.

"You're just saying that."

"I'm not I swear." I say throwing my hands up like I had just been caught and we both giggle.

"I'm always nervous in the beginning of new seasons or projects. Especially for this one. Sally and Marcia are so different from each other, I want to make sure I do them both justice." I tell (Y/N).

"You're gonna do great mom. If anyone can do this, and do it well. It's you." She says smiling at me.

"How did I get so lucky?" I ask as I hug her.

"Will you read some out loud?" (Y/N) asks pointing at the book.

"Sure bug." I say and begin reading. It doesn't take long before (Y/N) is fast asleep snuggled into my side, and I start to yawn as well.

The next morning came before either of us were ready and to my surprise (Y/N) was still asleep next to me when my alarm went off, but I'm glad she got some rest. She needed it. She's been working so hard on school and getting ready for the season I don't think she's been sleeping enough.

She groans covering her head with a pillow before sitting up and stretching next to me.

"It's the first day of filming!" She yells standing up in the middle of the bed before jumping down and skipping out of my room. I giggle watching her disappear down the hall before getting myself up and taking a shower.

When we got to set they had to start working on my hair and makeup right away because it takes so long, but luckily Evan was there and already ready so he took (Y/N) over to where they were doing hair and makeup for the Countess's kids and sat with her so she wasn't alone. I could hear the two of them laughing the whole time and I'm sure they weren't making it easy on the makeup artist, I'll have to thank her later I think to myself.

"Alright Ms. Paulson, you're all set. They'll take you over to wardrobe now." My makeup artist says with a smile.

"Thank you love. And please, call me Sarah." I say as I walk towards a golf cart that's waiting for me. Kathy is already sitting in the front, so I step up on the back as someone hands me a mug of tea. Kathy and I are goofing off as we drive towards wardrobe making everyone laugh.

All in all to turn into Sally takes about 2 hours, and by the time I get back over to set (Y/N) is fully ready to go as Wren and sitting with Lennon who's in his full Holden outfit. They're both sitting with Chloë and discussing their favorite movies. Lately (Y/N) has been stuck on watching Halloween Town on repeat, but I know her all time favorite is Doctor Sleep.

"You look so cute bug!" I say walking over to (Y/N).

She jumps slightly when she looks up at me and I giggle.

"I know, I've never looked better." I say doing a goofy pose.

(Y/N) laughs before agreeing.

"Here let me take your picture!" I say pulling out my phone. She smiles and I quickly take it just as Ryan tells us we're about to start.

Reader's POV:

As we're nearing the end of filming for the first day Ryan says they're shooting one final scene with Sally and Iris. I know which scene it is. Kathy is going to push mom out the window. I know she'll have her stunt double do it, but I'm not sure how much of it she has to do herself before the switch and I'm nervous to watch. 

"Alright places! Quiet on set! Action!" Ryan yells and Sarah stumbles down the hall with Sally's purse and cheetah print coat. It's weird seeing her like that, it was even weirder watching her pretend to do drugs. 

Sarah walks up to the window and shes running her hands along the curtains as Kathy walks up behind her and when she turns around Kathy shoves her hand in Sarah's face and Sarah goes through the window. In reality there's a mat that she lands on right on the other side of the frame but it looks more real on the monitor. As she goes through she lets out a scream followed by another, and they both sound like more than acting. The sound that plays next when she "hits the ground" makes me jump and I feel the color drain out of my face. I didn't know it would make me feel this way to watch, but that scream just keeps ringing in my head on a loop as I stand unknowingly holding my breath watching as Sarah gets up and she and Ryan watch it back on the monitor. 

"That was good, let's do one more and then we'll call it a day." Ryan says and Sarah nods as they reset and do it again. The second set of screams was almost worse than the first, tears fill my eyes as I turn and walk to the bathroom. I didn't want to cause a scene, and I didn't want to make things hard on mom. This is her life, it's what she loves to do. I can't make things difficult for her again.