The filming in Woodland had finally wrapped up. Despite the frightening incident last night that left everyone shaken, and the ensuing anger from David and Paul, it was a relief that neither Jodie nor Catherine were injured. With all the scenes completed, the crew was able to leave Woodland and head back to New York for the final part of the shoot.
"I've talked with the crew. Today's Friday, and tomorrow is the weekend, so there are no scenes scheduled for you today. We'll start filming your scenes on Monday, and once those are done, you can head back to Los Angeles. How does that sound?" Sparrow asked from the front seat of the MPV, holding the work schedule.
But the young girl wasn't paying attention, appearing lost in thought. It wasn't until Sparrow repeated himself that she snapped out of it, replying absentmindedly, "Sure, that's fine." Then, as if remembering something, she asked, "Uncle Sparrow, did you already tell my dad about what happened last night?"
Sparrow hesitated for a moment, then nodded but quickly added, "For now, only Mr. Vencent knows."
"Either tomorrow or the day after, my godfather will know too," Catherine murmured, then said, "Alright, I'm going to take a nap. Can you wake me up when we get to New York?"
"As you wish," Sparrow nodded.
Catherine reclined her seat, took off her coat, and accepted the blanket handed to her by her agent, covering herself before drifting off to sleep. She hadn't been able to close her eyes the entire previous night. Others might have thought it was due to the shock of the incident, but she knew the real reason she couldn't sleep was Jodie Foster's words echoing in her mind:
"We share the same soul!"
The journey from Woodland to New York didn't take long, and the crew eventually settled at the Warwick Hotel in Queens. Paul had already arranged everything; the hotel's ballroom would be used to film the dance scene. Catherine was also staying at the hotel, though she could have stayed at her grandfather's house, she chose not to.
After settling in, with no scenes scheduled for today and the weekend ahead, she had some free time.
"Do you want Grace or me to go out with you? Or should I call Mr. Benjamin to come and see you?" Sparrow asked, watching Catherine stand by the floor-to-ceiling window for a long time. He had been with Vencent for many years and had watched Catherine grow up, so he cared deeply for her.
"Thank you, Uncle Sparrow," the girl smiled, looking much more refreshed than earlier, despite not sleeping much in the car. It seemed she had made up her mind about something, as she exhaled a long breath and said, "Can you find out where the 'Léon: The Professional' crew is filming today? I'd like to visit Natalie on set."
"Of course, I'll take care of it," Sparrow nodded, stepping out to make some calls. About ten minutes later, he returned, saying, "They're shooting at the police station downtown. We'll get there just in time."
As the car pulled up near the police station, they saw Gary Oldman, who played the villainous cop, heading into the building. It was amusing that Luc Besson had cast him in the role again.
New Yorkers were used to seeing movies being shot on the streets, so there wasn't much of a crowd, just a few female fans whispering excitedly nearby.
As Catherine approached the set, Luc Besson called for a cut and walked over with a smile.
"Hello, Miss Catherine. Good to see you," Besson extended his hand.
"Hello, Mr. Besson. It looks like things are going well," Catherine smiled as she shook his hand.
"Yes, I must say you have a great eye. Miss Natalie is incredibly talented, even though she's only ten years old. I'm very pleased with her. Though, I still wish you could have played the lead," Besson said with a light laugh.
Catherine shrugged nonchalantly and walked toward the crew, soon spotting Jean Reno, who was talking with a middle-aged woman, with Natalie standing beside them.
Although she had only met her a few times, Catherine recognized Natalie's mother, Mrs. Hershlag. She approached them politely and greeted all three, "Hi, Mr. Reno, Mrs. Hershlag, and… Nat."
"Hey, Catherine! I heard you're also shooting a movie here. Is it something you wrote again?" Reno greeted her warmly.
"Yes, it's a thriller, and I'm working with Al Pacino," Catherine shook hands with each of them, though her heart raced a little when she shook Natalie's hand, even though she kept a calm expression.
"Al Pacino? That's amazing! I'd love to act with him someday," Reno nodded, noticing Natalie giving Catherine a subtle look, so he smiled and said, "Mrs. Hershlag, why don't we give the girls some space to chat?"
Mrs. Hershlag agreed, after giving her daughter a few words of advice, and walked off with Reno.
"Finally, they're gone! My mom is always hovering over me, worried I'll get into trouble, but the people here are great," Natalie sighed as she watched her mother walk away.
"Do you like them?" Catherine asked.
"Of course!" Natalie eagerly began sharing stories, recounting funny moments on set, embarrassing mishaps involving Reno, Besson, or Oldman, and how she felt like crying after repeated takes. It was clear she was thrilled to be part of the movie.
Catherine watched her quietly. Natalie's outfit looked almost identical to what she remembered Mathilda wearing, with only a few minor differences. But did that really matter? The youthful face might lack some of Mathilda's rebellious flair, but it had a touch of girlish innocence that made her even more endearing.
"Are you happy with this role, Nat?" Catherine suddenly asked.
Natalie paused for a moment, then nodded, "Yes." She smiled, "I have to thank you, Cathy, for giving me this opportunity."
Catherine bit her lip, making up her mind once again, then spoke softly but firmly, "Can you do me a favor, Nat?"
Though Natalie didn't understand what Catherine intended, she nodded. Catherine tilted her head, signaling Natalie to follow her, and then quickly walked toward the police station building.
The lobby of the police station was relatively empty. Catherine headed straight for the women's restroom. Once inside, she made sure they were alone, took a deep breath, and suddenly turned around.
"C-Cathy, why did we come here...?" Natalie asked, sensing that something was off, especially when she saw the fire in Catherine's eyes, the same fire that had made her uncomfortable before.
But before she could say anything more, her lips were met with a pair of soft, moist ones. She could only manage a muffled sound as her eyes widened. She grabbed Catherine's shoulders, leaning back in an attempt to push her away, but her body felt weak, completely devoid of strength.
At the same time, she could feel those lips kissing her, starting to suck gently. This made Natalie's body grow even weaker, and if Catherine hadn't been holding her, she might have collapsed to the floor.
Natalie's gaze became unfocused. She could feel her breath quicken, her face growing hot as a wave of unfamiliar sensations washed over her, lifting her as if towards heaven itself. Subconsciously, she began to respond, her small mouth moving in rhythm with Catherine's.
They kissed each other repeatedly, the sweet taste almost addictive. Then, something from Catherine's mouth slipped into Natalie's, and her tongue instinctively entwined with it, like a hunter eagerly capturing its prey. They tangled, parted, and rejoined, over and over, until what felt like an eternity later, they finally parted, both gasping softly.
As Catherine let go, Natalie staggered backward, as if drunk, only managing to stay upright when her back hit the wall. Her face was flushed red like a ripe apple, her eyes still dazed, breathing heavily as if she was still savoring that sweet taste. After a long moment, she finally looked up.
"Ca..." She could only utter a single syllable before she froze. Though Catherine stood there, her face equally flushed and chest heaving, tears were streaming down her cheeks, falling uncontrollably, landing on the polished restroom floor.
Before Natalie could say anything, Catherine suddenly turned and ran into one of the stalls, slamming the door shut. She slumped to the floor, leaning against the door, burying her head in her knees, and began to sob quietly. She had never hated her female body more than she did in that moment.
When Jodie Foster told her, "We share the same soul," something that had been simmering inside Catherine finally exploded: her soul, after all, was male. No matter how innocent she had been in her previous life, her soul was still male. It was an indelible mark on her soul, one that couldn't be erased by a mere eleven years and a few female hormones.
If it hadn't been for the constant self-stimulation in recent times, or the deep immersion in the character of "Hide and Seek," or the appearance of Jodie Foster, this part of her might not have surfaced so easily. After all, years of self-suggestion had built a thick shell around it.
But now it had emerged, something no human, male or female, can avoid: sexuality. Why did she have improper thoughts about Jessica, Kate, Avril, and Natalie? Because the sexuality of her soul was male.
Why did she also always reject these improper feelings? Because her body's sexuality was female—after all, she had received a traditional Chinese upbringing in her past life, where homosexuality was always shunned.
So she kissed Natalie. She didn't want to believe it, but it was clear that she had failed.