London, England. July 2008.

"I'm glad you know this city," one shapely dark-haired girl said to the other as they danced. "I never would have found this place!"

"Oh come on!" the other laughed. "It stands out!"

"No, really, Bluntz," Anne Hathaway countered, "it doesn't. No sign, old furniture outside- if not for the line, I wouldn't have even known it was a club!"

Emily Blunt smiled in agreement. For her and many other customers of Inside Out, that was part of the place's charm. Even though it was obvious once you knew about it, the club still retained enough secrecy to stay hidden from the casual observer. Then there was the unique atmosphere- the outside of the club had couches and tables where people could sit while waiting to get in and the interior had an asphalt floor with immobile cars parked in the middle so it looked like you were dancing in the street. The manager claimed he'd gotten the idea from a Will Ferrell movie. Whatever the theme's origin, Emily liked it. She also liked that she and Anne were being treated little different than any of the other many beautiful girls in the place. None of the other patrons had yet seemed to recognize them as celebrities. Of course, she mused, the fact that we're not wearing makeup and her latest film, Get Smart, has yet to come out over here is probably helping that too.

"Hi. Mind if I cut in?" a good-looking young man asked, moving close and smiling at the ladies.

"Sorry," Emily shook her head at him, manuevering Anne around the front of a red Ford pickup that had the floor's central spot. "We've both had recent bad breakups, so it's girls' night. Maybe next time, though, okay?" She grinned as she looked him up and down.

"Fine," the young man shrugged and headed away. Emily flashed him another smile, but he did not look back.

"That's the fourth guy you've turned down tonight," Anne raised an eyebrow at her friend. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were plotting something."

"Me?" Emily replied, spinning her taller friend as the rock music playing hit a high note. The dancing was friendly but not too close. She looked towards the bar, hoping for some sign if she was being too obvious. Doug the manager, the only other person who knew of her plot, did not look back. Okay, Emily thought, probably still good.

"Right," Anne laughed as she returned to facing Emily. Her expression showed nothing. "Seriously, though, thank you for this. Shopping, dinner, three clubs so far. I really needed it."

Emily nodded. "I needed it too."

The bad breakups she'd mentioned had not been a lie. She had just left the singer she'd been dating for a number of years. Though it had ended on good terms, it still hurt for both of them. Oh well, our schedules just wouldn't work together anymore, she sighed. It had to end sooner or later. And it could have been worse. Anne's fiance just got busted by the Feds, after months of her family and friends warning her about him. She dared to believe in him, she thought she loved him, then she had to let him go. It was for the best, for her and her career. But I know she's really messed up over it. This night out is part of the therapy, the best I can give.

She and Anne had been good friends since they had filmed The Devil Wears Prada together a few years ago. Their characters had pretty much hated each other on-screen, but off-screen they laughed out loud at each other's antics and bonded well. They still hung out together regularly, whenever their schedules allowed. In the past, it had been mostly double dates, the girls' nights few and far between. They may get more frequent soon, though, Emily thought, if all I have planned tonight goes well. She moved back and forth across the floor with Anne a few more times, then released her as the song came to an end.

"Whoa," Anne stumbled as they stepped back towards the club's imitation outdoor cafe/bar. She paused to lean up against a table, remove her left high heel, and massage her foot. "I'm a little unsteady. Remind me again why we wore these." The rest of their attire was casual: jeans, jackets, and cotton blouses- the latter two items black for Emily and red for Anne.

"It was your idea, Annie," Emily reminded her, not wanting to mention it had played right into her hands. Walking all evening in the heels and then dancing in them had gotten her friend worn out. Me too, Emily thought, but I hope we're both still ready for what's ahead.

"Really?"

"Yes," Emily nodded, rolling her eyes. "Let's sit down for a while, okay?" She motioned Anne towards the bar, where Doug had set down two of his celebrated cinnamon vodka-tonics. Anne picked one up and sipped it, flashing him her trademark wide smile in thanks.

Emily perched on one of two vacant stools and patted the other. Anne replaced her shoe and gratefully sat down. She took another sip of vodka and frowned, then drank some more. "Good. Tangy, but good."

"Thanks," Doug said. He started to fix another. "So how's Bride Wars coming along?"

"Um..." Anne frowned.

"Don't worry," the club manager told her. He shook the shot glass and then slammed it down on the bar before leaning close to Anne. "I'm just a curious fan, I'm not looking to give you away."

Anne beamed in relief. One group of papparazzi spotting them earlier in the evening had been enough. "It went great- we just finished it. Kate Hudson was a joy to work with. Comes out early next year."

"I'm looking forward to it," Doug replied quietly, handing her the drink. "By the way, most of these people don't know it yet, but you did great in Get Smart. I went back home last month and saw it. You've really grown up since those Princess Diaries films. You're the best to play 99 since, well..." He glanced towards a signed picture of Barbara Feldon among many other celebrity photos behind the bar.

"Thanks," Anne said.

"And you," Doug turned to Emily. "Sexiest thing in Charlie Wilson's stable. That film was written great, and it's history, so I had to see it, but without you-" He paused and smiled. "I don't think it would have been as good."

Emily gave him a pleased look, sipping her vodka. "Have you heard about my new film?"

"Oh yeah," he nodded. "Can't hardly wait. Wolf Man. A-wooo, Werewolves of London, draw blood!" He chuckled when they gave his singing voice bad looks. "I doubt it's gonna be as hot as movies where the girl's the werewolf, but..."

Emily interrupted him with a grimace. "I was thinking of Young Victoria."

"Oh," Doug replied, coughing. "Uh, I'm sure that will be great too." The manager's expression changed as Anne downed most of her second vodka shot in one quick gulp. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." Anne pushed her stool back and stood up, wavering a bit and leaning on the bar. "Uh, the restroom is..." Doug pointed towards a pair of doors nearby and she unsteadily started heading that way.

"Is she fine?" Doug asked Emily once Anne was out of earshot. "Do I need to call a cab on this?"

Emily sipped her drink and chuckled. "It's Annie. She'll be alright once she pees." She smiled at his skeptical expression. "You can trust me. I'm her rock."

"If you say so." Doug set a key on the bar. "You know I charge if you make too much of a mess upstairs. All those times we did were on the house, but this time..."

"Don't worry. As you know, I'm always happy to clean my messes up." Emily slipped the key into her pocket, giving him a mischievious grin. Doug grinned back, his impish eyes sparking more fond memories in her. Then his expression suddenly changed back to a neutral one. Emily took the hint and made her expression also neutral as Anne returned from the restroom looking relieved. "Are you alright?"

"Great," Anne replied. She shook her head as Doug offered another drink. "No thanks, I've had enough."

Doug nodded and pushed the drink towards another customer. "Understood."

Emily kept her eyes on Anne while the other actress looked around the club, eyes lingering on many of the dance floor's couples. "Problem?" she asked.

"Yeah," Anne sighed. "All the cute guys are taken. This has been a great night, and a little hook-up would be the perfect topper. Fake name, a quick dance, maybe pop back to my hotel for a one night stand once we ditched you..." She grinned at Emily. "Sorry, I'm not up to a threesome. But," she raised her glass in a toast toward the dancers, "oh well."

If only you knew, Emily smiled to herself as her friend finished the drink. No time like the present, she decided when Anne turned back to her. "Look, it's almost two and I'm tired. I know you probably want to get a cab, but this place has very comfortable rooms upstairs and..."

Anne interrupted her with a finger on her lips. "I know."

Emily barely stopped herself from gasping as the finger dropped. "You know?"

Her friend nodded. "Rafe took me to a lot of swinger clubs. Never this place, but once we walked in I got a pretty good idea what it was." She waved towards a few couples headed towards the stairs across the way. "You make arrangements?"

"Yes," Emily said, quickly getting over her surprise. "I set up a room for us, my treat. The cloakroom will hold onto our bags." She looked directly at Anne's face. "You don't have a problem with..."

"Of course not," Anne laughed, looking her directly in the eye. "I've wanted you since the day after we met. Never had a chance to tell you, with Rafe and everything else. And I wasn't sure you'd be into it. If you didn't guess ... well, I am an actress."

And better than me, Emily sighed to herself. "So you've..." She waved her hand and shrugged.

Anne nodded. "Many times. I had lots of feelings for girls when I was growing up. Trying to put them away was one of the reasons I wanted to be a nun. Then my brother turned out to be gay, and I realized I had to accept him and my feelings. Still, I never could get up the courage to ask a girl. Until I did Havoc, and Bijou Phillips asked me ... you know how wild she is."

"Yes," Emily agreed, recalling the few times she'd met the notorious party girl.

"Of course Heather was thrilled once she found out," Anne continued, referring to her lesbian Princess Diaries co-star Heather Mattarazzo. "We did lots of catching up. Then Michelle Williams and I put the joke on our co-stars in Brokeback Mountain. They played gay cowboys, we did same-sex love for real offscreen once we became good enough friends. No disrespect to them of course, they were great. Heath Ledger even joined me and Michelle a couple times after things got going with the two of them." She sighed, sent an expression of remembrance toward a picture of the late actor as the Joker amongst the bar's collection, then turned back to Anne. "Since then, whenever I've had the chance, I've gotten with girls off and on." She smiled. "I didn't think you were into them."

"I thought the same of you," Emily answered, feeling her acting ego somewhat restored. "I've been bi all my life," she said at Anne's inquiring look. "Other girls and I fooled around at slumber parties during school, then Nathalie Press and I fooled around on and offscreen filming My Summer of Love..."

"Oh, right!" Anne slapped her forehead. "I forgot about that!"

"I never will," Emily laughed. "I've tried to get with as many girls as I can since then. I almost -almost- prefer them to men." She gave Anne a sly smile. "I wanted you when we met too. But you were all with Rafe, and..."

"Don't worry," Anne cut her off. "That's over. He may have been great in bed, and willing to give me all the money I wanted, but from now on I do not date crooks."

Emily nodded. "Nor I lounge singers."

Anne shook her head. "Damn. We may even have someone in common. Bijou and I seduced her when we did Havoc together- it wasn't her first time, though. She was in your last film too. Shiri Appleby?"

"Yep," Emily said, happily recalling all the things she, Shiri, and their many other young female co-stars had done to and with each other during and since the filming of Charlie Wilson's War. The film's subject had been a congressman with several sexy young things on his staff. Emily had only had a brief part, but it had still created many opportunities for her to make new girlfriends. She'd made sure to take advantage of them all. "She never mentioned your name."

"That Shiri," Anne giggled. "Always so discreet."

Emily stood up and took Anne's hand. "Alright, enough foreplay. I've been waiting too long for this."

"Same here." Anne squeezed her friend's hand and stood up. They walked together across the dance floor, weaving around couples as they moved. One weasel-faced man they pushed past saw their joined hands and raised an eyebrow. A bouncer's cough and palm on his shoulder stopped him from reaching for his camera-phone. That was too close, Emily thought, very relieved as the would-be papparazzo was escorted away. Phew. Anne seemed not to have noticed and continued walking, Emily keeping pace.