The Little Mer-Betty, Prologue

A WENN Fairy Tale: The Little Mer-Betty

Rating: PG (mild violence, innuendo)

Pairings: Betty/Scott, some Hilary/Jeff

Disclaimer: The characters always belong to Rupert Holmes. The show would belong to American Movie Classics if they'd acknowledge its existence. The original “The Little Mermaid” belongs to the estate of Hans Christian Anderson.

Prologue and epilogue are set during the second season episode “Behind Every Great Woman.”

Betty rushed into the writer's room, blushing. She couldn't believe she'd frozen up like she did, in front of Ruth Getty, no less! And after doing all that singing for Hilary in the past few days. I'll bet Hilary was never really a singer at all, Betty thought in annoyance. She probably had a non-singing role in that one musical she starred in.

Although she and Ruth Getty had been able to perform after she'd closed her eyes and had a drink of water, it was hardly one of her great moments. And what's worse, for once, the whole show had been her hairbrained scheme, rather than Scott's. And what got into him? Was he really so desperate for ratings – and so entranced by a pair of witchy divas – that he practically shoved her into something that was morally wrong? Sometimes, I wonder what I see in him.

She watched Scott and Hilary walk Ruth Getty to the elevator out of the corner of her eye. They were laughing, arm in arm. He'd do anything to get sponsors, she thought, almost bitter. Then she shook her head. He was only doing what was necessary to keep the station afloat.

Betty rolled in a new piece of paper. She had dozens of scripts to work on, starting with tomorrow night's “Land of Make Believe” episode. Hilary had brought the Hans Christian Anderson story “The Little Mermaid” to her attention. She'd heard of it, but hadn't often read it. She preferred happy endings. Hilary, on the other hand, thought the show could use a good, tragic story...one that would, of course, show off both her new-found singing ability and her dramatic skills.

Betty had to admit, once she re-read the story, that Hilary had a point. It was one of Anderson's most romantic and beautiful stories. Mr. Foley could have a field day creating aquatic sound effects. Mackie could be King Neptune, Hilary the mermaid and the witch, Maple the prince's other suitor and the mermaid's sister, and Jeff the prince. If she offered to spell Gertie at the switchboard for a few hours, she might even be able to convince her to play the mermaid's grandmother.

Betty sighed as she studied the Anderson fairy tale collection on her desk. Why did that poor mermaid have to suffer so, for a prince who didn't even appreciate her? She didn't deserve to become seafoam or a spirit in the end. All she did was fall in love with the wrong man. And what about the witch? Her character was awfully murky. She'd have to do some work to flesh her out and figure out her motivation besides just giving the mermaid a potion.

I wish Scott appreciated me. I come up with ideas, I work and type and push and grapple with the sponsors, and does he notice? Half the time, he claims it was his idea! And Hilary treats me like a servant. I might as well not have a voice. Scott and Hilary never hear it.

She started typing, but in truth, her mind was a million miles away....