Heaven Can't Wait These characters are not mine. They are property of the WB/Touchstone Pictures. However, this storyline and the dialogue contained within ARE of my own creation, and may not be used without my permission. Heaven Can't Wait is ©2001 JaCk/jack.andrew@att.net . All rights to my part in this creation are reserved.

NOTES ON HEAVEN CAN'T WAIT : This is the sequel to The Last Dance. Please be completely up on ALL things Popular for this one, as it will bring back a few characters from Season One as well as characters from the first half of the 2000-2001 television season.

The way this is set up is thus: In watching Popular, you might notice that there's a short beginning part and around 4-5 longer parts after the Kendall Payne song introduction that make up the show (between the commercials.) Heaven Can't Wait's "short beginning part" will be called the prologue. Also, the acts may be longer than the normal 43-47 minute long length of the actual show. Despite this being in its loose script format, I prefer to call this legitimate fan fiction, esp. since it may never see the light of screentime. Thanks for the interest and please email me with any thoughts or criticism.

The order of my fic is thus: April's Fool, Cruel Intentions, The Truth is Out...There, Coup (the only "real" Popular that effects my storytelling), The Last Dance, Heaven Can't Wait. Please start reading from the beginning. April's Fool appears just after The News Of My Death Has Been Greatly Exaggerated.

Guest Starring: Barry White as Satan and Ann Margaret asGod.

HEAVEN CAN'T WAIT: PROLOGUE

SARA RUE (V.O.)
Last time, on Popular....

EDITED CLIP: (Prologue and Act 1) NOVAK/LUNCHROOM

CARMEN
You are looking at the new...owner of
Kennedy High.

HARRISON
So what do you say? Will you be my Hillary?

Nicole looks at Harrison...

EDITED CLIP: (Act 2 & 3) BROOKE & SAM'S HOUSE

BROOKE
He can't go with her!

SAM
What is up with you and your obsession
with everybody else's lives but your own?

EDITED CLIP: (Act 3, 4, & 5) LIMO/PROM (NOVAK/AUDITORIUM)

HARRISON
This night is supposed to be fun, and I know
I'm not going to let anything ruin it.

BROOKE
I just want to know when you're going to
tell Harrison, that's all.

SAM
Tell Harrison what?

SHOT of several students TOPPLING tables and DUCKING for cover, some falling where they were standing -- EDIT shots with main characters' faces in shock.

EDITED CLIP: Jane holding the new baby...

JANE (V.O.)
Oh...this...this is the happiest day of
our lives...Dad.

...dissolving to SLO MO Harrison crying at Nicole's bedside and panicking as she flatlines.

FADE IN

EXT. GERALD E. KENMORE MEMORIAL CEMETARY - DAY

The SKY above is clear blue, white puffy clouds drifting slowly...a very peaceful day in L.A.

PAN OVER a large group of students and faculty from Kennedy High, all dressed in black, all quietly mourning. BOBBI GLASS stands in a black labcoat as she stares at the large, flower adorned CASKET about to be lowered into a grave, VERA KRUPPS, JEAN FORD, and COACH KRUPPS by her side. A bunch of buff, handsome military-outfitted men gather near them. LILY ESPOSITO stands by with JOSH FORD, SUGAR DADDY, CARMEN FERRARA, SAM McPHERSON, BROOKE McQUEEN (both she and Sam on their crutches), and a sobbing MARY CHERRY (looking exquisitely dressed in a fancy veil and cape)...EMORY DICK'S head is in a cage, his jaw wired in place as he stiffly moves to grab some dirt. FATHER GODFREY presides over the funeral -- he closes his prayer book and clears his throat...

FATHER GODFREY
Um, now it's time for the last song...as
per request of the deceased.

He hedges as he turns to a boombox resting quietly on a portable table behind him. He presses the button...

...and the kids STARTLE as the box suddenly BLARES Duran Duran's "The Reflex" in the middle of the song.

GODFREY motions for the casket to be lowered as the students and faculty stand in line to toss their flowers and dirt at the fancy casket as we ZOOM in on SAM....

SAM
(mutters)
Guess the world just lost a mighty big
Duran Duran fan.

CARMEN
Hey -- even Duran Duran fans deserve respect,
right?
(pauses)
That doesn't even surprise me, but...
what's with the military men?

SAM
I don't think they're really military. I
think they just dress like that.

She raises her brow as a hint -- there is a short silence before the gang "gets it".

SUGAR DADDY
Yo, that's messed.

BROOKE
Well, strange or not, they're friends
of the deceased, just like we are.

LILY
I was never really friends with --

CARMEN
Still, they have as much right to be
here as we do.

The kids start to toss their handfuls of dirt on the casket.

CARMEN
I still can't believe this is happening.

LILY
I know...I know. And this is just one
of four that're taking place...today.

SUGAR DADDY
Word. Man, I'll be lucky if I survive
this one, let alone three more.

BROOKE
It's strange...how you never really know how
much you'll miss someone until they're gone.

SAM
No matter how self-serving they are.
(pauses, throws her dirt)
It's so bogus sometimes...the way life works
after someone's died. I...I went through this
with my dad and I...I know that I never wanted
to do this so soon after, whether it be for a
friend or foe.
(pauses)
It's still not registering and...I don't know what
I'm gonna do.

Mary Cherry tosses her rose on the casket as it is now spattered with dirt -- she breaks down on Emory's shoulder, klunking her head against his cage. The group deviates from them and the rest of the mourners to talk.

CARMEN
We can get through it...we just need to stick
together and be there for eachother. And we
will, right?

JOSH
Right. Right now we need eachother.

LILY
More than ever.

SUGAR DADDY
Speaking of bein' here, where's my
man Harrison? Shouldn't he be here too?

The girls look at him and shake their heads.

SUGAR DADDY (cont'd)
(shrugs)
What?

SAM
He couldn't bring himself to come. He's...
he's in total breakdown mode and as soon
as we're done here, I'd like to go check on
him.

BROOKE
That's a great idea, Sammy. With all the
things going on in his mind, he shouldn't be alone.

EXT. KENNEDY HIGH - GROUNDS - SAME

A very tired, very disheveled HARRISON JOHN stands by the remains of The Forever Tree, staring at its rings. In the background, Kennedy High's perimeter is still blocked off by police crime scene tape.

Harrison reaches into his pocket and pulls out both matching horseshoes -- his and Nicole's -- and places them quietly on the origin of the tree's rings. He kneels next to the stump; his eyes are puffy and he looks like he's been crying -- alot.

HARRISON
Sorry, Miss Glass...I don't buy
it.
(pauses)
I won't. I won't buy into your
theory that nothing lasts forever.

He pauses as he looks into the sky.

HARRISON (cont'd)
I know you can here me...I know
you can here me, wherever you are.
(pauses)
Please...tell me that I'm right. Tell
me that there's hope for me, whatever it
is, because...as it stands right now, I don't
see it.
(pauses)
This is different than the last time,
when it was me...when it was me
in that bed and I was --

He can't bring himself to finish as he places his hands on the stump as he stares at the horseshoes.

HARRISON (cont'd)
You gave me hope...and love...
once before. I know...I'm probably
being greedy, but I don't care. Just
please, God...just this one time show
me a miracle, show me your mercy...
because if you do, I swear...I swear
I won't ask for anything else ever again.
I won't.
(pauses)
Are you there? Are you listening to me?
Please...give me some sort of sign that
you can hear me. Anything, I just need
to know....

The sun passes over the tree stump, illuminating one of the cheap horsehoes -- the fake jewels sparkle.

FOCUS on HARRISON'S EYES as the light from the horseshoe glimmers in his irises as he stares, tears streaming down his face. CUT TO the HORSESHOE as it glimmers, ZOOM in on the sparkle of the fake white jewel...a BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT PULSES as we DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. BRIGHT WHITE PLACE - SAME

The BRIGHT WHITE LIGHT PULSE dissipates...NICOLE JULIAN stands, dazed -- she looks stunningly beautiful in a plain white robe. A long line of people stand behind her. A baritone voice snaps her out of her daze.

VOICE
I just need to know your name and
birthdate, please.

Nicole looks around, puzzled.

NICOLE
Excuse me?

VOICE
Name and birthdate, girlfriend -- I
don't got all day.

Nicole looks towards the voice. It comes from behind a white desk, but the large white chair is turned away, cigar smoke emanating from behind it. There are two boxes -- "IN" and "OUT", and the "IN" box is full of papers while the "OUT" box is empty.

NICOLE
Wait...where am I? Am I dead?

The chair swings around. It's a large black man in a white suit, huffing his cigar.

MAN
You just need to give me your information
so I can get you started on the grand tour.
So unless I gotta get an interpreter, please state
your name and birthdate.

NICOLE
I...I....

MAN
Good Lord child, looks like you're
gonna be takin' up most of my time
with your Teller impersonation.
Maybe a little privacy will help.

He snaps his fingers -- all of a sudden, everyone who was behind Nicole in line disappears without a trace, a white chair replacing them. She rubs her arms -- it's COLD in there, wherever she is.

MAN
Have a seat and let's get down to
business.

NICOLE
(sits)
What business? Am...am I in Heaven?

MAN
Do I look like God to you?

NICOLE
No, but...if I'm not in Heaven then I must
be in...

Her expression drops.

MAN
Hmph, see, I knew you had a brain in that pretty little
head of yours.

NICOLE
This is HELL? How can that be?

MAN
You were expecting iron spikes, peoples' souls
roasting on the flames of eternal damnation?
Sorry to disappoint you baby, but this ain't
the Hollywood version. It's just me...and what
I've got to offer you.

NICOLE
You're...you're the Devil?

MAN/SATAN
Beelzebub, Satan, the Dark Prince...
(chuckles)
...I always get a kick out of that last one. Yes,
I am he who has as many names as I do email
addresses. But as for you -- you need to
give me your one and only, assuming you remember
what it is. We've got alot of ground to cover
...and very little time.

He blows a giant smoke ring.

SATAN
Welcome to Hell...Nicole Julian.

Nicole's eyebrows raise as she stares at him, his lips parting to a bright, toothy smile as he winks at her.

TITLE SEQUENCE