PART VII
ENDS
We see
TIRES SPINNING ON ASPHALT. Pan up to reveal
EXT./INT. SHAWN'S TRUCK - DAY
He's driving fast. He and Belle both wear looks of grim determination. Belle has a BOOM BOX and A FOLDER FULL OF NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS in her lap.
They pass a sign: CHICAGO, 31 mi.
BELLE
This had better work.
SHAWN
It will work.
BELLE
What if they won't let us in?
SHAWN
Well, then I might just have to kick
some Opera Guy ass.
BELLE
Shawn!
SHAWN
Any means necessary, Belle.
INT./EXT. JOHN'S CAR - CONTINUOUS
John drives, Brady fumes.
JOHN
Where would he go?
BRADY
Christ, Dad. Like I'm supposed to
understand how his mind works?
JOHN
You'd better hope you do.
BRADY
Okay, obviously, he might go home. Big
place, lots of good hiding spots. But
he might just be sane enough to realize
that's the first place the cops'll look.
JOHN
Where else?
BRADY
Uh...Salem Park. Lots of memories,
lots of secret corners.
JOHN
But very public.
BRADY
The guy is nuts, Dad.
JOHN
It's on the list. Where else?
BRADY
Tuscany? Scene of the crime?
JOHN
A crime he doesn't remember.
BRADY
Look, I don't freakin' know, Dad! I'm
grasping at straws here! He's got a gun,
he's got my car, and he's got a two
minute head --
Brady FLASHES ON the parking lot, passing the Jeep still parked there.
BRADY (CONT'D)
(dazed)
...start...
JOHN
What is it?
BRADY
Turn around.
JOHN
What? Why?
BRADY
He didn't take the car.
JOHN
What?
BRADY
The car! It was still there! Crap. Crap!
Turn around!
JOHN
You're sure?
BRADY
Yes, Dad, I'm positive! Turn around!
JOHN
Okay, okay!
John cuts a sharp U-turn in the middle of the street. HORNS BLARE at him as he takes off back toward the courthouse.
EXT. BEHIND THE COURTHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Phillip and Chloë are as we left them. He has her pinned to the ground.
PHILLIP
What the hell is wrong with you?
CHLOË
(whisper)
Please get off me.
(beat; whisper)
You're hurting me.
Phillip scrambles off her. He's still got her wrist in a death grip.
PHILLIP
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to....
(beat)
I just...I had to....
Phillip looks up at the sound of a passing car. He drags her to her feet.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
C'mon. It's not safe here.
He runs. She stumbles to keep up.
EXT. THROUGH THE ALLEYS - CONTINUOUS
Phillip and Chloë dart through the back streets, past unfamiliar, run-down buildings.
EXT. RIVERFRONT - CONTINUOUS
Phillip and Chloë are still running, stumbling on the sand. Phillip is finally tiring, and his grip loosens. Chloë YANKS her wrist away but Phillip SPINS on her and the gun is at her forehead.
Chloë regards the gun numbly.
Breathing hard, she sits on the sand.
Phillip lowers the gun.
PHILLIP
You okay?
She shoots him a poisonous look.
He tries to take her arm again.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
C'mon. This is still too --
CHLOË
(loudly)
NO!
This actually sends Phillip reeling back in shock. He looks at her. He looks at the gun.
PHILLIP
Oh...God...what...?
Chloë stands slowly. She backs away a little. Phillip looks at her in confusion. She freezes.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
What did I do?
His expression changes suddenly. He points the gun at her.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
What did you do? Brady told me. He
told me what you were doing with him.
CHLOË
(quiet fury)
You tried to kill me.
PHILLIP
Stop saying that!
CHLOË
Look at yourself, Phillip! Look at
what you're doing!
Phillip lowers the gun a little.
PHILLIP
I had to! I had to talk to you, to be
alone with you. There's all this stuff
going on and I don't understand any
of it. All these things people are
telling me, they don't make any sense.
And Brady kept coming to see me and
saying all these things, all these disgusting
things about you. Then one night,
he made me so mad I put a chair
through him!
(beat)
Like, through him. That's when I
realized maybe...maybe I couldn't
trust myself. I couldn't trust what
I saw or heard or remembered or
anything. There was only one thing
I could still believe in.
(beat)
You.
(beat)
All that time, I never saw you.
I know you're not in my head. I know
you're real. You're my one true thing.
Like always.
He lowers the gun and steps toward her, oblivious to her angry expression. He reaches up, strokes her hair.
CHLOË
What do you want me to say?
PHILLIP
Please, just...tell me the truth.
CHLOË
The truth?
(beat)
You've turned into a monster.
EXT. THEATER - ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO - EVENING
Shawn and Belle dash up the steps with their gear.
INT. THEATER - CONTINUOUS
In the semi-dark theater, two men (ALFONSE, 40-ish, and JAMESON, near 60) and one woman (HOLT, mid-40s) confer in the seats, shuffling papers. The stage is lit but empty.
JAMESON
Is that it, then? I thought we had
another one.
ALFONSE
We did. "Chloë Lane." A no-show.
HOLT
This is her second no-show, isn't it?
ALFONSE
(checks file)
I believe you're right. Some kind
of medical problem.
JAMESON
Well, then, I say we go back to
the hotel and make the final
decisions over room service.
HOLT
Sounds perfect.
SHAWN (O.S.)
Excuse me! Excuse me!
He and Belle come running down the aisle.
ALFONSE
(skeptically)
Can we help you?
SHAWN
(out of breath)
We're here for the auditions.
HOLT
(to Belle)
Are you Miss Lane?
BELLE
Me? Oh, gosh no!
They put their things on the table in front of the three professors. Shawn points at the boom box.
SHAWN
This is Chloë Lane.
The three exchange exasperated looks.
ALFONSE
I'm afraid taped auditions are not
acceptable. It's Julliard's policy --
BELLE
We understand that, but this is
a special circumstance --
JAMESON
Young lady, I'm sure it is a very
special circumstance to you, but
if we make an exception in one case --
BELLE
You don't understand --
SHAWN
Just hear us out! Look at these!
He opens the folder and displays the clippings. They have headlines like: "NEW YEARS EVE VIOLENCE," "KIRIAKIS HEIR ARRESTED," "LOCAL DIVA'S RECOVERY STRUGGLE," etc.
SHAWN (CONT'D)
The only reason Chloë isn't here is
because she's in court this very
minute testifying against the guy
who attacked her.
BELLE
The guy who almost destroyed her
voice. Please, please, you've got
to believe us. Going to Julliard is the
only thing in the world she's ever
wanted. It's her dream. Phillip
tried to take it away from her. Don't
you take it away a second time.
ALFONSE
(slowly)
I'm sorry, but --
BELLE
Okay, if you can't accept her based
on the tape, can you at least listen
to it. 'Cause once you hear it, you're
gonna want to hear her in person. I
know you will.
SHAWN
Yeah! And wherever you want her
to be, whenever you need her, we'll
get her there. We'll get her to New
York or Djibouti or wherever. Just...
just listen. Just for a minute.
The three look up from the clippings and at each other, more sympathetically this time. Holt and Alfonse seem to look to Jameson for a decision.
He reaches toward the boom box.
His finger is poised over "PLAY."
SHARP CUT TO:
EXT. RIVERFRONT - EVENING
Chloë's fury is written all over her face. She takes a threatening step toward a shocked Phillip.
CHLOË
Did you hear me? Did you hear
what I said? I said you're a monster.
Phillip starts backing away. She follows.
CHLOË (CONT'D)
You tried to take my life, my voice,
my freedom, my self-respect....
You're an animal.
PHILLIP
Chloë, I never --
CHLOË
You always. You wanted to own me,
to control me, probably 'cause you
couldn't control anything else in your
screwed-up life. You wanted a slave,
someone to serve you, someone you
could punish!
PHILLIP
I loved you! I still love you!
CHLOË
(quiet)
You bastard. You actually believe
that.
PHILLIP
Chloë --
She hauls back and HITS him, hard, in the face. He staggers.
CHLOË
You bastard!
She swings again. He dodges. He brings the gun up and is TACKLED by a flying Brady. The GUN GOES OFF.
CHLOË (CONT'D)
NO!
She lunges for them. John comes racing down the shore behind.
INT. COURTHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Victor sits alone in the darkened courtroom.
VICTOR
I don't understand.
(looks up)
I don't understand what you
want of me. I have tried to change.
I have tried reform my life.
But at every turn, you punish
me. I spent so much of my life
striving for money, for power, for
things, and then you showed me,
through my beloved Isabella,
the error of my ways. You showed
me by taking her away.
(beat)
Perhaps I deserved it then. I took
that lesson to heart. I have been a
good father, to Phillip and Bo, a
good stepfather to Lucas, Billie,
Austin. I've made peace with John
and the others. And still...and still
you punish me.
(beat; stands)
I'm tired now. Tired of playing by
your rules.
(beat)
I don't think I'll play anymore.
He turns and begins to leave the courtroom. KATE enters.
KATE
Oh, there you are, Victor! No one
can find them. I'm so --
Victor GRABS her arms roughly. He looks hard, searchingly into her eyes.
KATE (CONT'D)
(nervous)
V...Victor?
VICTOR
You still want back in?
KATE
To your life? Of course I do.
He gives her a long, hard once-over.
VICTOR
I'm going to go clean up this mess.
Then, if you want me...you can
start earning it.
He releases her and walks out.
EXT. RIVERFRONT - EVENING
As John runs to reach the fray --
PHILLIP (O.S.)
No!
John pulls up short, hands raised.
ANGLE ON the kids. Phillip's got Chloë around the neck again, gun to her head. He stands slowly. Brady watches them, frozen. All three of them are spattered with BLOOD. Someone was hit, but whom?
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
You get -- the hell -- AWAY from
us. You're not REAL. You can't DO
this. You're NOT REAL!
He backs up, dragging Chloë. He starts running toward --
EXT. RAILROAD BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
Phillip drags Chloë along the tracks, high above the rushing Salem River. Brady and John follow at a distance. He whirls on them as they approach, points the gun at them.
PHILLIP
I said GO AWAY!
BRADY
Phillip --
CHLOË
(choking)
Phillip --
He looks at her.
CHLOË (CONT'D)
Phillip, there's no one there.
He looks from her to Brady and John, confused, scowling.
Chloë slowly turns in his grasp to face him. She puts her hands on his chest, comforting, intimate. His arm loosens, falls to her shoulders, an embrace.
CHLOË (CONT'D)
There's nobody here but us.
It's just us. We're alone.
PHILLIP
But --
CHLOË
They're not real. It's okay.
Brady and John watch in amazement as Phillip lowers the gun. He searches her face, wanting to believe.
PHILLIP
I...I don't know what's happening
to me.
CHLOË
I know. It's hard. But...you trust me?
PHILLIP
I...Brady said...
He's mesmerized by her. Brady creeps closer.
CHLOË
Brady's not here. He's not real.
It's just you and me now. For
good this time.
PHILLIP
Really?
CHLOË
Yeah.
PHILLIP
Promise?
Chloë hesitates. Phillip sees Brady out of the corner of his eye and brings the gun up, eyes blazing. He squeezes the trigger, but Brady KICKS the gun out of his hand as it goes off. Chloë breaks free as the boys lunge for each other.
She stumbles into John's arms but turns to look at the fight. John touches her shoulder, then pulls his hand away, shocked. It's covered in blood.
There's a bullet hole in Chloë's shoulder.
She doesn't seem to notice. John searches frantically in his pocket for a handkerchief.
CHLOË
Mr. Black, stop them! Do
something!
JOHN
Stay still, Chloë. I....
Then Phillip HITS Brady in the face and Brady STUMBLES to the edge of the bridge, GRABS the girders to keep from falling off. Phillip LUNGES for him and Brady GRABS his tie and SWINGS him into the girders. Phillip FALLS to the tracks and Brady JUMPS on him. Phillip SHOVES him off. They GRAPPLE with each other's shoulders and FALL against the girders, and Phillip FALLS THROUGH THEM, still holding Brady. Brady is PULLED through the girders and DISAPPEARS over the side.
CHLOË
(screams)
NO!
Chloë breaks from John's grasp and rushes to the edge of the bridge.
Brady is holding on by one hand.
Phillip is gone.
Chloë lies on her stomach and grabs Brady under the shoulders. She CRIES OUT, the pain of her wound finally hitting her.
BRADY
Chloë, you're --
CHLOË
Don't let go. Don't you let go!
John rushes over and lends his strength, but he can't haul Brady up, and Brady doesn't have the strength to climb.
BRADY
Chloë, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry
I couldn't protect you --
CHLOË
Shut up! Don't you start saying
goodbye to me!
BRADY
I can't --
CHLOË
I am not letting you go!
The three remain balanced precariously on the edge of the bridge as the sound of APPROACHING SIRENS reaches them.
EXT. NEAR THE BRIDGE - NIGHT
A PARAMEDIC closes an AMBULANCE door, revealing Belle and Shawn behind it.
BELLE
So much blood. I've never seen
so much blood.
SHAWN
Hey, come on. They'll be okay.
BELLE
I know, I know, it's just...they
almost weren't. And all of it...
Phillip....
SHAWN
Don't you think about him.
BELLE
But what if --
SHAWN
Hey, hey! The cops have been
dragging the river for hours. There's
no sign of him, Belle. He's gone.
For good.
Belle scowls at him, shakes her head.
BELLE
How long have you lived in this
town, Shawn? The bad guys
always come back.
Shawn sighs and leads her toward his truck as MUSIC OVER begins. It's Chloë, singing Cole Porter's FROM THIS MOMENT ON.
BEGIN MOS
OVERLAP TO:
INT. DARKENED THEATER - JULLIARD SCHOOL
Alfonse, Jameson, and Holt watch the stage intently, taking notes, making comments to each other, and nodding.
Behind them, in the very back of the theater, Shawn, Belle, and Brady are sitting, looking scared but elated.
Belle grabs Brady's hand and squeezes. He smiles at her.
On stage, Chloë is singing her heart out and smiling that electric smile.
