An au where Joey isn't horrible, and Henry hasn't left! In this one he's just on a lovely honeymoon stop calling him about work things Joey

Main pairing: Allison and Susie
Bonus: it's very small but I hint at norman and sammy

It's not even that romantic so yeah.

———-

The music studio was never a place one went to get away from drama. Each workday started with Sammy Lawrence stepping out of his office, already nursing his second cup of coffee for the day. If it was a good day, tucked under his arm would be the finalized music sheets for the musicians. If not...he had to make sure they at least knew what to expect.

    Norman would enter next, though there were multiple occasions where the others wouldn't be able to tell that he'd clocked in and was at his post until the projector in his booth switched on.

    Jack would enter among the other musicians to help get things set up, even if he vanished to the sewers after doing so. But on the rare occasion that they were able to record voice lines, he would be there to ensure that the line delivery went smoothly.

     Today was no exception to this. However, we must go away from that place to meet a new face.

    "Miss Pendle, you are simply angelic!" Mr. Drew jovially chuckled. "I insist. After hearing what I did, it's clear that you, my dear, are our Alice!"

    "I'm flattered, Mr. Drew," Allison replied. "But...don't you have that spot filled already?"

    "No, no! Don't worry about a thing. It's all been taken care of!"

    ...He had, in fact, not taken care of a thing.

    "Alright then. I'll take my leave then?"

Joey opened the door for the actress and watched her go. He had a marvelous feeling that things were going to work out marvelously, but also a tiny feeling of dread. Sometimes when he heard a marvelous voice like Allison's, he made choices that, looking back, were nothing short of disastrous.

A glance at his clock showed that he had at least 15 minutes before his first meeting of the day. So...he decided to call an old friend.

But this isn't about Mr. Drew. Let us travel down with Miss Pendle, down to the music studio where the rehearsal is already in full swing. She leaned against one of the walls, watching different people come and go.

Finally, the recording studio was done with the recording session. Perhaps this was a good time to enter?

"Ah, Miss Pendle." The door opened for her before she had time to knock. "You might be eager to start, but if you don't mind waitin' for this session to end, you're welcome to join me in the projectionist booth."

"Oh...thank you for the offer but I was told that I was going to be doing the voice for Alice Angel?"

Norman sighed and again gestured to his booth. "Even mister Drew isn't dumb enough to have you start when we've already got Susie's voice in this episode."

"I see. Then I'll observe in the booth with you," she said, stepping up the stairs.

Norman followed, but didn't reply.

Up in the booth, the two of them had an excellent spot to watch everyone within the studio. While Sammy grumbled and yelled at musicians who, Allison noticed, didn't seem to care about maintaining their instruments or properly reading their music.

Admittedly, Sammy was handsome. She couldn't deny that, but he wasn't who held her attention. No, that honor went to a woman currently in the recording booth. While Allison didn't have the best angle to see the actress within, the voice that she had was like nothing she'd ever heard.

Was that who she'd been asked to replace? That didn't make any sense! Her voice...it was perfect!

The music cut off when someone new knocked on the door. Sammy grumbled and started mumbling threats to answer it, warning his musicians to not relax. On the other side of the threshold, however, was Joey himself. The boss man wasn't known for visiting the other sections of the studio in the middle of the workday. It typically meant that something really bad was heading your way, so Joey eventually became something of a bad omen among his workers.

"Ah, Lawrence! Just the person I wanted to see," he said, ignoring how Sammy was fuming and not happy with the unwanted intrusion.

"What do you need? If you couldn't tell, we are in the middle of a rehearsal and have no need for interruptions."

"Ah, terribly sorry. I'm afraid there's something I must discuss with you. Fetch Miss Campbell, would you?"

Gossip stirred among the musicians, making Allison, still safe in the booth, regret ever applying. Norman nudged her to the stairs.

"By the looks of it, you'd best be on your way," he explained.

Joey, Sammy, and Susie were standing in the middle of the music studio's common area, waiting for someone. While Susie and Sammy were facing away from her, she waved at Joey.

"Ah, Miss Pendle! I was about to have our janitor come fetch you."

"Franks wouldn't have been able to get her here without getting lost and you know it," Sammy grumbled.

"Well, now that we're all here, we can have our little discussion," Joey ignored Sammy's comment, rubbing his hands together. The group ended up in Sammy's office, so that their conversation wouldn't be interrupted by passing employees.

"You sent out an advertisement for my character?" Susie exclaimed, glaring at Allison. "Why? Were you looking for a new face? Was I not good enough for you?"

Allison stepped in, raising her hands. "I'm sorry. The ad didn't mention that I would be replacing anyone. I wouldn't have responded had I known."

"Yes...admittedly, I was looking for fresh ideas for cartoons."

"Is this your way of making sure that Henry never gets a break?" Sammy huffed. "He shouldn't need to worry about the studio when he's on his honeymoon."

"No, no!"

Susie and Allison stepped back from the two as they continued to bicker.

"So...you're Susie Campbell?" Allison asked. The voice actress nodded. "Look...I'm really sorry about all this."

"You've said that before. Why did you apply in the first place?"

Ah...she wasn't sure how to respond. "I needed a job. That's all there was to it, really."

The silence between the two was suffocating, only broken by the bickering of the other men in the office.

"Why don't we find a way to make this work out?" Allison suggested.

"How? Mister Drew has already put me aside. You'll understand. Once someone comes to replace you, it's over."

Allison grabbed both of Susie's hands. "If that's how you think, sure. But you love this role, don't you?"

Joey and Sammy had long since left, Joey to his office and Sammy to his sanctuary.

But the two actresses hardly noticed.

"What are you trying to get at?" Susie harshly asked. "Is it pity? Sympathy? Stop that."

"No. I was in the projectionist's booth earlier, and...you were born to voice Alice. Me? Just an amateur. I love voice acting, but...it's your livelihood. So I want to help you keep it, in whatever way I can."

"Are you so sure that you can help me keep my job?" Susie asked.

"Let's make a promise," Allison said, holding her pinkie towards Susie. "I promise to do everything in my power to help you keep your role, if you'll promise to help me."

"What could you use my help for?" Susie asked. "You seem like you know what you're doing."

Her cheeks flushed pink and she turned away. "Well...I'm smart. That's really it. It's embarrassing, but..."

"You want me to help you in the social world?" Susie guessed. "Of course. We ought to stick together here," she smiled, extending her own pinkie finger.

The promise was made, and the two left Sammy's office in search of someone to help find a solution.

But that story, like so many others, are for another day.