November 2007, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Breaking News: Actress Scarlett Johansson Survives Harrowing Home Invasion in L.A.; New Beau Saves Her from a Terrible Tragedy
In an alarming turn of events, actress Scarlett Johansson was the target of a home invasion late last night at her Los Angeles residence. The intruder, identified as wanted murderer and rapist Eustace Winfred, was arrested at the scene by LAPD officers. Sources say Johansson was physically unharmed but left "deeply shaken" by the incident.
Authorities responded to a distress call around 11:15 p.m., after the neighborhood's security team reported suspicious activity. Security footage reportedly shows Winfred scaling the perimeter fence and gaining access to Johansson's property.
Winfred, meanwhile, hid inside the home and waited for Johansson to return.
In an unexpected twist, award-winning superstar Troy Armitage—fresh off the success of the sixth [Harry Potter] film—was also present during the incident. Eyewitness accounts and law enforcement reports confirm that Armitage arrived at the residence shortly after the invasion and played a key role in ensuring Johansson's safety. While the exact details of what transpired inside remain unclear, insiders say his presence prevented the situation from escalating further.
The incident also revealed the nature of Armitage and Johansson's relationship to the world. As per our sources, the two have been secretly dating for a while, but wanted to keep their relationship low-key to avoid media attention. Representatives for both actors have declined to comment.
Johansson, currently filming a romantic movie in L.A., is said to be taking a few days off to recover. A close source describes her as "emotionally rattled, but grateful," and confirms she is receiving full support from friends and family.
The suspect remains in custody pending a psychiatric evaluation and possible charges related to stalking, breaking and entering, and attempted assault.
This incident has reignited conversations around celebrity safety and the urgent need for better protection measures, particularly for female public figures. Johansson has previously spoken about the invasive nature of fame, especially when dealing with obsessive fans.
In the wake of this terrifying event, many are calling for stricter anti-stalking legislation and more comprehensive private security for vulnerable individuals in the entertainment industry.
(Break)
LonelyGirl87: omg I just read about the home invasion at Scarlett's place… that's terrifying. I hope she's okay. Can we please talk about celebrity stalkers seriously??
TroyStanGlobal: Troy and Scarlett getting together? That's exactly what I needed to hear today. He's my hero. Also, not him being her IRL superhero too 😭❤️ I'm shipping it.
FilmBuff101: I don't care who she's dating. Someone broke into Scarlett Johansson's house. That should be the ONLY story. Absolute nightmare fuel.
ScarlettsCoffeeMug:
Me: single, anxious, no Troy.
Scarlett: traumatized but has Troy Armitage to hold her after a literal horror movie played out in front of her.
I know which life I'd prefer.
RealisticRae: Imagine surviving a stalker home invasion and the next morning all anyone wants to talk about is "are you dating Troy Armitage??" SMH, let the woman breathe.
Thevisionary: I get it now. Scarlett and Troy = power couple. You mean to tell me The Boy Who Lived didn't get Lost in Translation??
Whatevys: I wish I had someone like Troy to protect me as well. Okay, but how did he just know to be there at the exact time? Lowkey suspicious or highkey romantic?? 👀
Cinemaniac9000: All jokes aside, this is a wake-up call about celebrity safety. The guy was in her house. That's not celeb drama, that's a failure of us as a society. I live not very far from her, and I am terrified. If a superstar like Scarlett isn't fully safe, then what's stopping a common man like me from getting similar treatment?
RihannaNavyFTW: I'm just saying… Troy moved on fast. 😏 (But yeah, hope Scarlett is okay.)
TArmitageFanArt: Already sketching a new piece: Troy standing between Scarlett and a shadowy stalker, like a knight with movie-star hair. Stay tuned.
JessSaidIt: This ain't about Troy. It ain't about love. This is about how a woman's home was invaded and she was attacked. Be serious guys.
ScarlettxTroy4ever: I can't believe this is happening! I've been shipping Troy and Scarlett ever since [Disturbia], and now they're finally together! I know the circumstances of the reveal were less than pleasant, but I'm ecstatic to see them together. What's next? A new movie together, anyone?
SimplestGuy: Troy doesn't deserve my goddess! Scarlett is the perfect girl any guy could ask for. This is stupid.
SereneDreamer: @SimplestGuy YOU are stupid if you think Scarlett is above Troy in any way. He is not only the richest self-made teenager in the world, he's also the richest actor. He has more money than Tom Cruise. Some say he's even a billionaire. Scarlett should feel lucky to be in the same room as Troy.
MaddyTheMaddest: I heard from a friend of mine who's a huge TA fan. TA was in Spain for something or other, and my friend hooked up with him. He made her sign an NDA and all, so she won't ever talk publicly, but she told me privately that Troy is the sweetest guy she's ever been with. The things she told me made me super jealous. If that's true, then yeah, Scarlett is the lucky one in this relationship.
RavenousGal: @MaddyTheMaddest I totally believe you! Something similar happened to me in Rome. Troy was the best sex I've ever had. Damn, that dick! He didn't want people to find out, but I think they should! Troy is the best at giving orgasms. Scarlett is in for the ride of her life.
SimplestGuy: You just proved my point! He's a playboy who would totally sleep around behind Scarlett's back. So what if he's rich? Scarlett doesn't deserve to be cheated on.
TroyStanGlobal: You are the dumbest mofo I've seen on this site. Troy saved Scarlett. If he wasn't there, she could've been in a really bad spot. We could be seeing something like Sharon Tate for all we know. If you're truly a Scarlett fan, you should be thankful Troy was there to save her. SMH.
Thevisionary: OMG! Someone just leaked the statement that Troy and Scarlett gave to the police. Check it out on this link! It's confirmed now—Troy saved Scarlett like the hero he is. Troylett is official, guys.
NovaKnight: That's a terrible name that sounds like a toilet. I prefer Scaroy.
SimplestGuy: 😭 Worst day of my life! 😭
(Break)
"Why did you come to Ms. Johansson's residence at such a time of night?" the female detective, Angela, asked casually, though I could detect a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
"Scarlett and I are dating," I said slowly, having discussed the story with Scarlett and both our PR teams in advance. There was no way this could stay hidden when the matter was this big, so we had to choose our words carefully. "It's very recent, so no one knew, not even our families or friends, and we wanted to keep it that way until we were certain of things. It's bad for our image if things get out prematurely, or if we end up breaking up soon after."
I wished Scarlett were here beside me for moral support, if nothing else, but the police had insisted we give our statements separately.
"Makes sense," Detective Angela nodded as if I were reading the gospel. "What did you see when you entered her place?"
"Everything seemed normal," I said honestly. "I could hear a voice coming from her kitchen. I thought she was talking on the phone or something. I silently walked over, fully intending to surprise her, when I saw a man looming over her threateningly. Yes, that man." I pointed at the picture of the man from the six photos the detective had shown me. "I couldn't hear exactly what he said, but he had a gun trained on her, so I motioned to Scarlett to keep quiet about my presence. She distracted him with her words. When he pointed the gun away from her, I separated him from his weapon."
Detective Angela laughed at that. "Separated him from his gun? You decimated that man."
I shrugged. "I take self-defense lessons."
"Our jobs would be so much easier if only everyone knew some basic self-defense." She shook her head slightly before asking, "What happened next?"
I didn't leave anything out as I recalled the whole incident in great detail, up until we left for my place.
Now, I'm regretting being so candid in that investigation.
"Troy! Can you confirm when you started dating Scarlett!?"
"Did you cheat on Rihanna to be with her?"
"Did you set up that burglary just to get close to her and make her owe you one?"
"Is it true that Scarlett is pregnant with your child?"
I gritted my teeth in frustration as I ignored all the questions thrown at me deliberately to provoke a reaction. I was well aware of their tactics by now, so I'd be a fool to respond.
When things got a little out of hand during my time with Rihanna, I'd made a promise to myself that I wouldn't ever hype up my relationships again. But fate had other plans, it would seem.
Fucking police and their inability to keep a lid on things. If it weren't for the fact that they had prepared an ironclad case against that asshole who touched my Scarlett, I would have sued them for incompetence.
The worst part about this mess was that I couldn't even escape media scrutiny, because I was doing a press conference where I couldn't exactly stay silent.
"You don't do things by half measure, do you?" James Cameron gave me a teasing grin as soon as I finally entered the premises where the conference was to take place.
Had he not called me yesterday to ask if everything was alright, it might've come off as a little insensitive. I still don't understand why he has such a bad reputation in the industry. He seemed pretty normal and outgoing to me.
"Are you sure you want me here today?" I asked. "I'd hate to be the one to take focus away from the film you've poured your heart and soul into."
He waved me off. "Any publicity is good publicity. And remember, we're doing this press conference only because you are the hero. I personally didn't want to do it, but you have to accept some of the studio's demands—at least the ones that have nothing to do with actual filmmaking."
He was right. I had learned over the years to pick my battles carefully when dealing with big studios. If you started a dick-measuring contest at every turn, sooner or later, you'd be labeled "difficult to work with." Not that I cared much about that distinction when I could produce my own films, but it was the principle of the matter.
"Come on, let's meet the rest of the cast," Cameron motioned toward the back of the room, where everyone was already seated at a long table. "When this is done, we've got a table read as well."
I nodded and followed him toward the group, only to freeze slightly when I saw who was sitting to the right of the only empty seat on the table.
Zoe Kravitz.
I silently mulled it over, wondering why she was cast instead of Zoe Saldana, who was by all accounts a more accomplished actress.
"Troy!" An enthusiastic voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up, surprised by another familiar face.
"It's so good to see you, man!" Michael B. Jordan pulled me into a brotherly hug. He was seated on my other side, so he didn't have to come far.
"What are you doing here, Michael?" I asked, curious. "What role are you playing? Why didn't you tell me you were in this film?"
"Tsu'tey. I signed an NDA," he said seriously. "I didn't know you were in it, or I would've told you. Everything still feels like a dream."
I knew exactly what he meant. Getting to work on a James Cameron movie was a dream come true for millions of actors. To be honest, the timing wasn't ideal for Michael. He'd done so many films with me, and ever since that 'The Nights' music video, people knew we were close friends. Now, everyone would assume he got this role because of me, even though I had nothing to do with his casting. All the hard work he must've put into the auditions would be overshadowed just because of my presence.
"Buckle up, people," James Cameron announced in a gruff, serious voice—so different from the teasing tone he'd used moments ago. "We're about to start the press conference."
I quickly slid into my seat between Zoe Kravitz and Michael, just as the doors opened and the reporters filed in, doing visible double-takes when they spotted me.
"Is that a normal reaction for you?" Zoe asked hesitantly, as all eyes turned toward me, tomorrow's headlines probably already swirling in their heads.
"Pretty much," I agreed. "I've gotten used to it by now." Then I offered her a hand. "I'm Troy."
She took it with a laugh. "Zoe. As if I wouldn't recognize you. I've heard all your music, and I have to say, I like your songs just a little more than Daddy's."
"Daddy?" I asked, playing along.
"Oh," she made a face of realization. "My full name is Zoe Kravitz. Lenny Kravitz is my father."
I nodded. "That explains why you're not all star-struck, you've got a legend for a dad."
Before we could continue, a man I barely recognized—probably from Fox—stepped up to the mic and assumed MC duties, directing the media to ask questions about the movie and the cast or crew present.
I braced myself. I knew exactly what was coming.
"Troy!" A middle-aged lady jumped in as soon as she was picked to ask the first question. "I hope you're alright after what happened with you and Scarlett."
"I am," I said plainly. "Thanks for asking."
"How is Scarlett coping after such a harrowing ordeal?"
Before I could respond, the MC cut her off. "Not cool, miss. Let's keep this strictly about the film and those involved with it."
The mic was taken from her before she could argue and passed on to the next reporter, a man this time. He studied me for a moment before asking, "Why did you choose to do this film? I thought, aside from [Harry Potter], you preferred small-budget indie films over these blockbuster-level projects."
"I chose it for one reason," I said, glancing toward the director. "I've wanted to work with Jim ever since I saw [Terminator 2] as a kid. So when I found out he was working on a new movie, I pursued him relentlessly until he gave me a shot. I was a little bummed that I'd only be showing my face in half the scenes, but hey—something's better than nothing, right?"
"That's not true, Troy," Cameron cut in. "Live-action may be only half the shoot, but motion-capture plays a huge role in this film—and for that, I need your full acting range, not just your voice."
And just like that, the media's focus shifted away from me and toward the groundbreaking technology being used in the film. The reporters were instantly captivated by the ambitious scope Jim was hinting at with every answer.
And I had to admit—he was a hell of a speaker.
"Why is it that whenever we imagine aliens, we assume they'd have superior technology?" he mused. "What if we had the upper hand? What would humans do if they discovered such a planet? Those are the questions we'll explore in this film."
A slew of questions followed, but Jim expertly dodged anything too revealing. I listened with half an ear until something caught my attention.
"Mr. Cameron, why did you choose Troy for the lead role?"
He looked over at me with a small smile.
"Because I haven't seen a better actor his age in recent years," he said. "And there's something about Troy that's missing in most actors today—stardom. You can love him, you can hate him, but you can't ignore him. So, how could I ignore his request when he asked for this role? It wasn't just Troy wanting to work with me—I was just as eager to bring him onboard."
James wasn't one to mince words. When he said something, he meant it, so I knew he didn't say it just for appearances' sake.
Now I was really looking forward to the shoot.
________________________
AN: Visit my personal website to read ahead, or check out my second Hollywood story set in the 80s.
Link: www(dot)fablefic(dot)com