Episode 101: When Your Heart Stops Beating, Part One.

Script by MeGaDeGFaN.

Based off characters created by Linda Schuyler and Yan Moore.

Opening Scene:

Close up on a large sized townhouse, with a moving truck in the front. JEMMA NELSON-ASHOONA, is carrying a large

cardboard box out of the truck and into the house. Camera follows her inside.

JEMMA: Mom, where should I put the mugs?

EMMA (from kitchen): Just put them anywhere, sweetie, I'll get to them later.

JEMMA drops the box and looks around the large empty entrance way. Running down the spiral staircase is JEMMA's

father, KELLY ASHOONA. He grabs his daughter in a hug, and gives her a noogie.

JEMMA: (breaking free) Dad, cut it out!

KELLY: What can a guy have fun with his daughter?

JEMMA: Yeah...when we were in New Brunswick.

EMMA: (entering the room in basic jeans and a tee-shirt, one hand holding bleach, the other a sponge) Jemma, this is only temporary, only until my mother gets back on her feet.

JEMMA: Can't Jack take care of her and we go back to New Brunswick?

EMMA: Too late, I already got transferred here.

JEMMA: But all my friends, and I was just about to start high school. . .

KELLY: Well, you'll be going to your mother's alma-mater now.

EMMA: Degrassi is a great school. I used to start my enviormental crusading there.

EMMA leaves to head back into the kitchen. JEMMA looks up at her dad KELLY who smirks at her.

JEMMA: I don't want to crusade the enviorment anymore. It has been crusaded.

KELLY: I understand, hon.

JEMMA: So can I borrow your credit card and go to the mall for new, cooler, clothes?

KELLY: Fine, but be back later. Your grandmother and Jack are coming over.

JEMMA runs out the front door, and as the door shuts the DEGRASSI logo appears on the door. (FOR THE FIRST EPISODE, the main opening sequence will not play.)

SCENE TWO:

CLARE GUTHRIE is pulling over in a small red subarau with husband K.C. GUTHRIE. Both jump out of the car, dressed prim and proper and stand before the steps of Degrassi.

CLARE: I guess we get this started then, babe.

K.C.: You'll do great as acting principal, trust me, I know you can do this.

CLARE: Sometimes I wonder if I'm good enou-

K.C. leans in and kisses his wife. HOLLY J. walks up to the two of them, with her daughter EMMALEIGH P. SINCLAIR in tow behind her.

HOLLY J.: Stop the smooching! We have work to do if we're going to get this place in shape for next week.

K.C. and CLARE pull away.

CLARE: And who are you?

EMMALEIGH: Emmaleigh, Emma for short.

CLARE: Well, I'm Professor Edwards.

EMMALEIGH: Whatever.

HOLLY J.: That's my girl, she's only here until her bum of a daddy picks her up.

K.C.: She's so full of...

EMMALEIGH: Save it.

K.C.: Kay, then.

HOLLY J.: Shall we get going?

HOLLY J. walks passed K.C. and winks at her on his way into school. K.C. grabs CLARE's hand and they walk in, EMMALEIGH sits on the front steps of Degrassi.

SCENE THREE:

SPIKE, EMMA, JEMMA, KELLY, and JACK sit around a dining room table, in a poorly lit room. Everyone is eating, but SPIKE.

EMMA: Mom, not hungry?

SPIKE: I haven't eaten, Em.

JEMMA: Gram-Gram, are you sick?

SPIKE: No, sweetie, just...depressed.

JACK: She hasn't since dad died.

JACK slouches back in his chair, moving the hair out of his eyes and staring his mother down from across the table.

KELLY: Christine, you should really...

SPIKE: I'm not hungry, alright! Don't pressure me to eat!

EMMA: Mom, stop lashing out.

SPIKE: You act like nothing is wrong, Emma. Snake is gone, never coming back.

JACK pushes his chair in, and storms out of the house. KELLY looks at JEMMA, who gets up and runs after JACK. He is sitting on the neighbor's porch.

JEMMA: Hey...

JACK: So your the cavalry?

JEMMA: I just care about you, cousins are technically family.

JACK: Really? I didn't think anyone cared. Every one has been too concerned with my mom.

JEMMA: We should really get back on our property...

ISABELLA JONES-VAN ZANDT walks out the front door, in a bought of anger and sees them looking confused.

ISABELLA: Jack, why are you on my porch?

JACK: Had to get away, why you so mad?

ISABELLA: Step-dad.

JACK: Great, at least you got one.

ISABELLA sits down next to JACK.

ISABELLA: Whose the frosh?

JEMMA: Jemma Nelson-Ashoona...well, that's my name.

ISABELLA: Cool.

ISABELLA turns back to JACK, and pulls out a carton of cigarettes, and packs them. JEMMA sits down on the ground near them. ISABELLA pulls one out, and lights up the cigarette and takes a long puff and holds the box out for JACK who takes one, and ISABELLA lights it for him. JEMMA watches them do this, shocked.

ISABELLA: When's the funereal?

JACK: Wednesday.

ISABELLA: I'll be there, don't worry, for you.

JACK: Thanks.

JEMMA: We should get back, Jack, my mom will be worried.

ISABELLA: My mom is probably going to send me away because she probably thinks im talking to myself.

ISABELLA puts the cigarette out on the railing, and walks back inside, turning to watch JEMMA and JACK walk away. JACK smokes the cigarette on the short walk back to JEMMA's house.

JEMMA: She seems nice.

JACK: Whatever, I just want to...find something to get my mind off this.

JEMMA: You don't think I'm sad about grandpa.

JACK: It was my dad, Jem, not some grandpa...

JACK throws the cigarette in the street. They walk back into the house to find SPIKE hurrying herself to leave.

EMMA: Mom, you don't have to go!

SPIKE: I'm not going to stay someplace I am unwanted, come on, Jack.

KELLY: Christine, really, you know we want you here.

JACK: I'll get at you later, Jem.

SPIKE and JACK exit the house, and EMMA falls into KELLY's arms crying.

EMMA: I do not know what else to do, Kelly.

KELLY: Jemma, go upstairs, please. To your what will be your room...

JEMMA runs up the stairs and watches KELLY comfort EMMA, and starts to cry herself going into the nearest door.

SCENE FOUR

Daytime; K.C. and HOLLY J. are painting the bleachers in the gymnasium. CLARE can be seen on the big screen GYM work out TV testing the audio/visual equipment, looking rather geeky.

HOLLY J.: Sarcastically She's quite the catch.

K.C.: I love her...

HOLLY J: She's 'the one'.

K.C.: Definitely.

K.C. is obviously avoiding the topic of relationships with HOLLY J.

HOLLY J: Why no kids yet?

K.C.: We don't feel ready...

HOLLY J: Little kids, big dreams of real life.

K.C.: You're very sassy for someone who has been married twice.

HOLLY J: Just because your married doesn't mean that person is 'the one.'

The conversation is now everywhere, as HOLLY J. starts rubbing K.C.'s arm.

HOLLY J: You're muscles are way bigger since sophomore year in high school.

K.C. finds his eyes searching on HOLLY J.'s body.

HOLLY J.: Cheating eyes.

K.C.: This isn't right.

HOLLY J.: Then why are we doing it?

K.C.: We haven't done anything.

K.C. pulls his arm away and continues painting.

K.C.: We can't do anything.

CLARE runs into the gym.

CLARE: Everything good in here?

SCENE FIVE:

JEMMA is lying on her mattress in a big empty bedroom, when rocks start hitting the window. JEMMA crosses and opens the window.

JEMMA: Hello?

JACK: Come outside, Izzy and I are going to go cause some mischeif.

JEMMA: But, I can't. I don't cause mischeif.

ISABELLA: You do tonight!

JEMMA laughs and closes the window. She then appears outside next to ISABELLA and JACK in her pj's.

JEMMA: So what are we doing?

ISABELLA: Having fun, you guys haven't done that in a while.

ISABELLA grabs JEMMA and JACK's hands and lead them to a big SUV outside her house. they all pile in, JACK lights up a cigarette and throws the box back to JEMMA who just puts them next to her.

JEMMA: So where are you taking us?

JACK: We have an idea.

ISABELLA pulls into the DEGRASSI parking lot. She pulls over, and they all pile out of the car. JACK opens the trunk and pulls out three cans of spray paint.

JACK: We are about to give my dad a proper memorial.

JEMMA looks at the cans, looks at ISABELLA and JACK's pleading looks and grabs a can, smiling.

SCENE SIX

CLARE, K.C., and HOLLY J. walk out of the school to the side of the building where a big picture of SNAKE is spray painted on the building with an R.I.P. Forever written on the bottom.

CLARE: We have to clean this up by next friday. The students cannot see we let people vandalize our school.

K.C.: Clare, its a good rememberance of a fallen teacher and friend.

CLARE: I am the principal, and I say, we wash it off. You two can do this.

CLARE kisses K.C.'s cheek and goes back into the school. HOLLY J grabs the house and sprays herself with it.

HOLLY J: Oops, I'm all wet.

HOLLY J. peels off her top leaving her in a bra and jeans.

K.C.: Give me the hose...

HOLLY J. smirks.

HOLLY J: Give me yours.

K.C. grabs the hose from her, and sprays the wall washing away SNAKE's picture. HOLLY J. comes up behind him, grabs his arms, and guides them to move the hose along the wall.

HOLLY J: Like this, loser.

HOLLY J., as they spray the house, leans up and kisses K.C.'s neck passionately. CLARE is watching in the windows what is going on, and her mouth drops as K.C. shoves HOLLY J. away.

SCENE SEVEN

ISABELLA is lying down on her living room couch, when DANNY runs into the room.

DANNY: Where were you last night? My car was missing and I-

ISABELLA: I took some friends out. The new neighbor girl, she's my new friend, and Jack Simpson. They needed some fun.

DANNY: You have a curfew, you can't keep running off like this.

ISABELLA: I understand, okay?

DANNY: Honey, we just care, alright? Ever since the start of the summer you've been off...

ISABELLA: All mom does it leave, she doesn't exactly care about me at all.

DANNY: She is your mother, you know she cares.

ISABELLA gets off the couch and grabs her coat.

DANNY: Where the hell do you think your going?

ISABELLA: Out, don't wait up.

ISABELLA grabs the keys, and slams the door behind her.

SCENE EIGHT.

SPIKE is in a bathrobe, drinking black coffee, and rummaging around the kitchen. EMMA walks into the kicthen and puts down a box of doughnuts on the table.

SPIKE: What are you doing here?

SPIKE has her back to EMMA looking out the window at the empty driveway.

EMMA: I brought doughnuts, a purely, fattening peace offering.

SPIKE: Save it, I don't need your pity food.

EMMA: What did I do to you, mom? Yeah, I'm sad my step-father died, but I don't alienate anyone because of it.

SPIKE: But it was so easy for you to just leave with Kelly after college. You didn't stay when you knew Snake was getting sick.

EMMA: I was pregnant, and I didn't want to raise Jemma here.

SPIKE: I'm glad to know they all mean more to you than your mother, father, and your younger brother.

EMMA: I love you, and Jack, and Snake...but I just didn't want my daughter exposed to all this chaos that feeds here. New Brunswick was safe.

SPIKE: I'm glad.

EMMA: You can halt the sarcasm, mother.

SPIKE: You left me, you left Jack, you left Snake, you abandoned this family. Why did you even come back?

EMMA: Because I thought I could be here for you now.

SPIKE: We didn't need you then, and we don't need you now. You should just go back to New Brunswick.

EMMA: Mom, there is another reason we are here..

SPIKE: Need money? Want something of Snake's?

EMMA: Mom, I'm in trouble.

SPIKE: Motherly Sweetie, what is it?

EMMA: My job.

SPIKE: What?

EMMA: Nobody knows what I do for a reason. I can't endanger them.

SPIKE: What is it?

EMMA: I could be prosecuted for what I'm doing.

SPIKE drops down in the nearest chair, from angry to concerned. In the backround you see JACK sneaking down the stairs and out to ISABELLA's car.

SCENE NINE

CLARE and K.C. are in CLARE's new office.

CLARE: You cannot be around that Sinclair ho again...

K.C.: She's my co-worker, it is hard to NOT be around her...

CLARE: Then, I just won't leave you alone with her.

K.C.: That's ridiculous.

CLARE: I was thinking that we could spend more time together, and I could make her do more things on her own.

K.C. That sounds...great?

CLARE hugs K.C. and K.C. stares out the window at HOLLY J, who winks at him, and instead of denying it, he winks back.

SCENE TEN

ISABELLA and JACK are sitting on the roof of her car, watching the stars.

ISABELLA: So what do you plan to do?

JACK: I don't know...

ISABELLA: I'm sorry your life seems to be falling apart.

JACK: Thanks for the support?

ISABELLA: I really do care, trust me.

JACK: I know you do. It's really great having someone to talk to.

ISABELLA: You and I both. You and Jemma have to be the first friends I've had in a while...

JACK: I'm really hungry, wanna go get something to eat?

ISABELLA: No, I'm not very hungry.

JACK: Do you ever eat?

ISABELLA: Falsely joking Every other month...

JACK chuckles.

JACK: I feel a lot happier.

ISABELLA: Why is that?

JACK: I don't know, it kind of happens...

JACK looks away. ISABELLA leans over and pulls his head into hers, and kisses her. JACK rolls off the hood.

JACK: Uhm...I think I'm going to walk home, kay?

ISABELLA: Yeah, cool, cool, whatever you want.

JACK: Yeah...Yeah, I'll walk.

JACK runs off. Camera zooms into ISABELLA who is brushing her lips, image freezes, and the credits begin to roll.