Dr. Frank 'N' Furter: Tim Curry...None other

Janet Weiss: Belle

Brad Majors: Shawn

Rocky Horror: Philip

Magenta: Chloe

Columbia: Mimi

Riff-Raff: Brady

Dr. Scott: Stephano

Eddie: Jason

The Criminologist: Victor

The Transvestites: The Salemites...lots of people...too many to list...

~*~Chapter One: A Strange Journey~*~

Belle Black swooned as her older sister, Sami, ran down the steps of the church where she had just married her life-long crush, Austin Reed. Sami was waving at her family and friends, smiling all the way. Just as she was getting ready to run to the getaway car, a very persistent Jack Devereaux backed her up the steps with a camera. "Yes, yes. All the friends and family. Get in close now. This one's going on the front page of the Salem Spectator."

Sami grinned and huddled close to both Austin and her little sister. The picture was snapped, and Austin kissed her cheek before walking down to join Shawn Brady near his car. The little blue sports car was written on with shaving cream on one side. Shawn hurriedly threw the shaving cream can in a nearby bush. Austin looked at the car and laughed. "Wait 'til tonight, she got hers now he'll get his?" he read. "Ha, ha! You know, that's probably the only reason I got married today. Because she wouldn't put out otherwise! Ha, ha!" He doubled over in laughter, holding himself up with one arm on his cousin's shoulder.

"Right."

Shawn could hear Sami's nasal voice calling out to the remaining woman guests. "Alright you guys!" Then, she tossed the bouquet behind her. Shawn watched as his small girlfriend reached up and grabbed the big blue flowers out of the sky. She danced around with the bouquet, praising herself for catching it. "I got it! I got it!" she yelled out, catching Shawn's eye. He turned away, a little embarrassed.

"Looks like you're the next in line, hey, buddy?" Austin chuckled. He lightly punched the younger man on the shoulder before retreating to his car and his new wife. Shawn just watched thoughtfully as they drove away.

As the other guests began to disperse, he walked slowly over to Belle, noting the happy look on her face as she gazed at the ugly bouquet in her hands. His hand reached into his pocket and felt the small velvet box. He knew what he had to do.

"Wasn't it a lovely wedding?" Belle asked, startling him a bit.

"Yes. You know, Austin's due for a promotion in a year."

"Yes."

"And your sister sure is a wonderful cook."

"Yes."

"Why, moving out of Salem is probably good for them. They'll do just fine."

"Yes."

(song..."Dammit Janet")

They had wandered a little ways off from the church, and Shawn had just noticed that they were right in the middle of the Salem Cemetery. He looked up and saw a billboard with a huge heart, about twenty feet away that boasted, "Salem: Home of Happiness!" He almost laughed when he realized that it was not only completely untrue, but also on the very edge of the cemetery. Suddenly, he turned around to face Belle.

"Hey, Belle."

"Yes, Shawn."

"I've got something to say."

"Uh, huh?"

"I really loved the," he paused, choosing his words carefully. "...skillful way...you beat the other girls...to the bride's bouquet."

She sighed deeply, blushing and picking at the blue buds. "Oh, Shawn!"

He took a deep breath before beginning his proposal, wanting to make it special. He had talked to the priest and three groundskeepers, arranging a way to propose to Belle that would be interesting and something she'd remember forever. That's when he broke into song.

I've known you forever and you're swell

(Belle)

It wasn't long at all before I fell

(Belle)

So please, don't tell me that I smell

(Belle)

I've got something to say and that's Hell, Belle--I love you!

This is my solemn vow, a love spell

(Belle)

Every time I see you I want to yell

(Belle)

If you'd just listen, then I'd tell

(Belle)

I've got something to say and that's Hell, Belle--I love you!

He produced the velvet box from his pocket, opening it with a flourish. When he took the ring from the box, he accidentally dropped it on the ground. But he kept singing, scrambling to find the diamond.

Here's the ring to prove that I'm no joker

There's three ways that love can grow

That's good, bad, or mediocre

Oh, B-E-L-L-E, I love you so!

Belle got excited at the sight of her beautiful ring, grabbed it off the ground where Shawn had dropped it, and slid it onto her ring finger. Then, she burst into the church, unaware that the groundskeepers were getting ready for a funeral. She was too happy to care.

Oh, it shimmers and glows like the dawn

(Shawn)

And don't worry, you don't make me yawn

(Shawn)

So if we're engaged, let's get a move on

(Shawn)

I've one thing to say and that's Shawn, I fawn for you, too!

He joined her in the back of the church, took her by the arm, and walked her down the aisle. Belle occasionally looked up from the diamond shining on her finger, but was riveted on her future.

B:Oh, Shawn

S:Oh, hell

B:I fawn

S:Oh, Belle

B:For you

S:I love you, too-oo-oo

T:There's one thing left to do

And that's go see the man who'd sell

(Belle)

Our stuff for a wedding that's all well

(Belle)

And we can live where there are seashells

(Belle)

I've one thing to say and that's Hell, Belle, I love you!

S:Hell, Belle

B:Oh, Shawn, I fawn

S:Hell, Belle

T:I love you!

They had reached the front of the church. As they sang the last part of the song, they embraced and kissed passionately. They were well on their way.

~*~

Victor Kiriakis sat in his study, looking over a book on his desk. Kate signaled to him, letting him know that he was being recorded, before she left the room through a back door. His eyes drifted up to the video camera. It was time.

"I would like...if I may...to take you...on a strange journey."

He paused before beginning the horrible story he was about to reveal to the camera lens. Soon, the entire town would know. The entire world would know. He would be famous and everyone would believe that he wasn't a real villain at heart. He turned back to the book, placing it on a podium, facing the camera. He opened it to a map of Salem and began speaking again.

"It seemed a fairly ordinary night when Shawn D. Brady and his fiance, Isabella Black, left Salem that late August evening, to visit a Doctor Stephano Dimera, ex-con and now a pawn shop owner in a nearby town."

He showed glossy eight-by-tens of each person, so the audience could not be confused by names. Names in Salem were often re-used on the younger generation. Then, he turned his attention back to the camera.

"It's true there were dark storm clouds in the direction of the town to which they were headed. It's also true that the spare tire they were carrying was badly in need of some air. But they being Salem kids on a night out...well...they weren't going to let the storm keep them away from getting the money they needed to get married."

He suddenly became very serious. He leaned closer to the camera for emphasis. "It was a night out they were going to remember for a very long time."

~*~

Shawn and Belle carried the last of their expensive and often unneeded belongings to Shawn's pickup and plopped it inside. He hurridly covered everything with a blue tarp...there were storms headed their way.

Soon, they were on the tiny two lane highway, headed towards Stephano Dimera's home in Kickaput. Darkness had fallen, and all the two had with them was a newspaper, a chocolate bar (half-eaten), and the rain. Shawn turned up the radio to listen to the speech being made by President Clinton.

"I did not, I repeat, I did not have intimate relations with Monica Lewinsky."

He frowned at the dial before turning the volume back down and staring out at the windshield wipers. As he was rounding a soft curve, a motorcycle sped past the truck, headed back towards Salem.

"Gosh! That's the third motorcycle that's passed us," Belle exclaimed as she stared after it in admiration. "They sure are brave riding in this storm."

"Yeah, Belle. Life's pretty cheap to those types," Shawn muttered.

He glanced over at her, watching as she chewed thoughtfully on a chocolate bar. They were due at Stephano's shop in about an hour, and they were no where near where they were supposed to be. He couldn't even see the interstate from where they were, which was a bad sign. As his eyes shifted back to the road in front of him, he screeched to a stop, sliding a little in the muddy street. The front end of the truck was resting about two inches from a large sign that read, "Dead End."

"Dead end?" Belle asked, putting the chocolate bar into the glove compartment. "Where did that motorcyclist come from?"

Shawn kept the shiver that coursed through his body to himself. This trip was becoming very creepy. He chuckled a bit. "I guess I took the wrong turn a few miles back. We'll just have to turn around."

He threw the clutch into reverse. The truck's tires spun in the mud a bit before catching and squealing backwards a few feet. Suddenly, the rear tire ran over a bump and popped loudly, emitting a defeated hiss as Shawn braked.

"What was that bang?" Belle shrieked, looking out the back window, hoping upon hope that they hadn't hit a motorcyclist.

"I think the tire's flat. HELL! I knew I should've gotten that spare tire fixed!" he yelled. He struck the steering wheel with his fist. Then, he turned to Belle, who was obviously very frightened. "You stay here and I'll go get help."

"Where will you go? We're in the middle of nowhere," she said matter-of-factly.

He thought a moment. "Didn't we pass a castle back down the road a few miles back? I'll walk over there, use the phone, and come back to wait with you."

"No way. I'm going with you. The owner of that phone could be a beautiful woman. You may never come back!" Belle teased, unlatching her seatbelt. Shawn laughed a little, gave her a peck on the cheek, and opened his door to wander through the storm.

They walked for about ten minutes before they saw the looming building off the side of the road. Inside, the lights were burning brightly, allowing them to notice the evil-looking gargoyles and flags that were being rained down upon. Belle hid under a copy of the week's Spectator as she clutched Shawn's hand. "Oh, Shawn, I'm scared," she whispered.

"It's okay, Belle. I won't let anything happen to you."

~*~

Victor shifted in his leather wing chair, eyes level with the camera. The story was just beginning. "And so, it seemed that fortune had smiled on Shawn and Belle and that they had found the assistance that their dilemma required. Or had they?"

~*~