DEGRASSI: AFTERMATH - S08E20 - INDEPENDENCE DAY PART 2
Disclaimer: I don´t own Degrassi or the characters from it.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
I´M RELEASING BOTH EPISODES OF THIS DOUBLE AT THE SAME TIME, SO BE SURE TO READ PART 1 FIRST!
Author´s Note: Have you read it and episode 18? Good! Then, it´s time for yet another season finale! Thanks for sticking with this series, for as long as you have. You guys are hardcore! We even have a cliffhanger, this time around, so I hope you´re strapped in and ready. In the immortal words of the King of Rock N´ Roll himself: Let´s Rock!
1. Ext. The Ravine. Evening.
Regina and her girls (Hannah, Taylor, Deb, Sally, Chrissy, Lisa and Suey) are partying hard and all have a small plastic glass with a shot of something, they´re ready to drink. They all look more than a little drunk.
Regina:
Is everyone ready?
Chrissy:
Can I do a speech, to go along with the enjoyment of our fine, mysterious looking and even more mysteriously smelling beverage?
Everyone:
Speech! Speech! Speech!
Chrissy:
I know, that we´re celebrating Regina´s marital bliss. But I have to give a toast to my girl Deb!
She raises her glass to Deb.
Chrissy:
We´ve gone through some things, you and I. School just won´t be the same without your always inappropriate fart jokes and extremely Vaginal sense of humor, that can send any freshman boy, running home to mommy! In your honor, here´s my one shot salute!
She farts very loudly, making the others run for cover.
Lisa:
Man!
Suey:
Oh, that´s nasty!
One person who hasn´t moves is Deb, who´s laughing her butt off.
Deb:
You get a ten for the timing on that one!
Chrissy:
A special girl needs a special send off!
Deb:
I couldn´t have asked for a finer farewell speech! Cheers!
She knocks glasses with Chrissy and they drink.
Chrissy:
Ahh! May I have another, please?
Deb:
Pace yourself. I still remember your first time down here, when you passed out after a two beers.
Chrissy:
Man, that was long ago! It was right after Jamie dumped me. Remember that night in the hotel room, right after you dad died?
Deb smiles, remembering it fondly.
Deb:
What you did for me and my brother that day. It can´t be put into words.
Deb starts crying, something we´ve almost never seen.
Deb:
I don´t know where we´d be, if it hadn´t been, for the friendship you showed us. I´ll never forget you for that.
Chrissy gives her a hug.
Chrissy:
It´s not like you´re dying. We´ll still see each other.
Deb:
I never had a lot of friends at that school. Thanks for being one of them.
Chrissy:
No. Thanks for being my friend.
The other girls come back.
Regina:
This isn´t the time to cry. It´s time to party! WOO!
Hannah can´t help herself from undressing Suey with her eyes, making her a little uncomfortable.
OPENING CREDITS
2. Ext. The Ravine. Evening.
Hannah hands a beer to Regina and they open it simultaneously.
Hannah:
To your forthcoming wedding!
They drink. Regina looks her in the eyes.
Regina:
Do you really think, it´s a good idea?
Hannah:
Why wouldn´t it be? You´re almost 17. According to the law, that´s more than old enough. In some states, they still let girls younger than 16 get married, if there´s special circumstances.
Regina:
What? That´s wrong on multiple levels!
Hannah:
Why? If they want to get married, why shouldn´t they be allowed to?
Regina:
Because they´re kids! They´re nowhere near, ready to make a decision like that!
Hannah:
But you think, that 16 year old´s are? Isn´t that a double standard?
Regina tries to come up with an answer, but can´t, to Hannah´s enjoyment.
Regina:
It´s a difficult subject. Can we talk about something else?
Hannah:
Sure. How about Deco?
Regina:
Talk about him how?
Hannah:
About how much you love him, for instance.
Regina smiles.
Regina:
What´s to say? He´s the guy of my dreams and I get to marry him! Doesn´t that make me the luckiest girl in the world?
Hannah:
I can´t see, how it doesn´t!
They have another sip.
Hannah:
Of course, statistics say that teens, who get married are 80 percent more likely to get divorced, than couples over the age of 20. But I´m sure, you´ll beat the odds. Someone has to, right?
Regina:
Right.
Regina considers it and looks like she´s having second thoughts.
3. Int. Miles and Amy´s House. Evening.
Frankie´s going away party is in full swing and it´s a big one! She hugs Imogen, who´s holding hands with Fiona.
Imogen:
My lawyer will make me deny it, but you and Amy pretty much saved our company.
Frankie:
That´s sweet of you to say so, but let´s face it. All we did was be the world´s biggest fangirls.
Fiona:
That´s not how Imogen described it to me. She told me, that you´re talented. If she says so, I´ll believe it.
Frankie:
It means a lot, coming from you.
Fiona:
We´ve been talking for a long time, about starting up a separate brand. One based on less expensive, but still quality clothes, made more specifically for the 16 to 25 demographic.
Imogen:
We´re placing the head office in Vancouver.
Frankie smiles widely.
Frankie:
Are you saying, what I think, you´re saying?
Fiona:
You´ll be working under someone with more experience, but the plan is to eventually have you run it. If and when we think, you´re ready for it.
Frankie looks like she´s about to explode with joy!
Frankie:
You won´t regret it! Thanks so much!
Winston comes over to her.
Winston:
What´s going on?
Frankie:
They´ve offered me my dream job and best of all, it´s in Vancouver!
Winston:
Congratulations! That´s one problem, out of the way.
Imogen:
We wouldn´t be offering it to you, if we didn´t think, you could do it.
Frankie kisses him.
Frankie:
There´s no way, this day could get any better!
She´s one big smile.
4. Ext. Park. Evening.
Deco is having his bachelor party at the park. He´s clearly very drunk already. He´s with Jamie, Charlie, Simon and Nick, who´s playing guitar for them and has become very good, since the last time, we heard him play.
Deco (singing and doing a traditional Irish dance to "The Irish Rover", in the version of The Pogues):
On the fourth of July eighteen hundred and six
We set sail from the sweet cove of Cork
We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
For the grand city hall in New York
'Twas a wonderful craft, she was rigged fore-and-aft
And oh, how the wild winds drove her
She'd got several blasts, she'd twenty-seven masts
And we called her the Irish Rover
The others applaud him and Nick comes up with and ending.
Deco:
I only know the first verse. It has around a hundred of them, like all old Irish songs
Simon:
I was still impressed.
Jamie:
Do you know any more?
Deco:
A couple. I need to drain the lizard, so excuse me.
He leaves them.
Nick:
How did you get him this drunk, while you´re still sober?
Charlie:
He´s been drinking from "his" bottle of Vodka, while we´ve been drinking from our "special bottle".
Nick:
He looks toasted enough.
Jamie:
Do you think, you can get a confession?
Simon:
I can try.
Charlie:
You have to record it on your phone, or she won´t believe it.
Simon:
Here goes nothing.
He gets up and follows after Deco.
5. Ext. Public Toilets. Evening.
Deco comes out to find Simon waiting. Simon presses record on his phone and hides it behind his back.
Deco:
Hey, Simon. Breathe through your mouth and keep your eyes fixed straight ahead, when you´re in there! You can thank me later!
Simon:
Can we be serious for a moment? What the hell are you doing getting married?
Deco:
Simon, I wish, I could explain it, so that it makes sense!
Simon:
Is it to stay in the country? I could understand that, if you let me.
Deco gets annoyed.
Deco:
No! How could you think, that I could get myself to do that to someone?
Simon:
You wouldn´t be the first gay guy to marry a straight girl for a green card. There must be at least a few hundred romantic comedies out there, with that kind of couple.
Deco:
That´s not the kind of couple we are! Simon, I can´t explain how or why it happened, but when we kissed and I felt her close to me, I just knew. She´s the one and I don´t want to live without her. I´d rather not have to marry her, I´m not an idiot, but if the rules say that we can and I get to stay here that way, I´ll do it to be with her.
Simon:
I didn´t want to believe, that you were capable of it. You have to admit, that it could look suspicious to some people.
Deco:
Since when do I care, what they think? My fifteen minutes of fame are over anyway, so I might as well go all out to get the girl.
Simon tries to take it in.
Simon:
You have to be able to see, that this one is hard to swallow.
Deco:
I never wanted you to get hurt. Can we be friends?
Simon:
You really love her?
Deco:
I do. It´s the real thing.
Simon:
Does that mean, that you didn´t love me?
Deco:
I still do. It´s just in a very different way.
Deco looks as apologetic, as he can.
Simon:
Come here, man!
They hug it out.
Deco:
Let´s get some beer. I´m getting tired of Vodka.
Simon:
Whatever you say. It´s your bachelor party.
Deco:
Do we have your blessing? It´s important to me, that we do.
Simon:
Yeah. You do.
They smile at each other.
6. Int. Miles and Amy´s Apartment. Evening.
Lola is comparing baby photos with Manny and Emma.
Emma:
Whoever your guy was, he must have been attractive.
Lola:
We don´t think about, who he was. To us, he was donor number 67 dash 213.
Manny:
Doesn´t that sound like a stud, you´d want to get with?
Emma:
Much more than that loser 68 dash 214!
Lola:
If they´d offered us his, then we would have said no!
They girls laugh, Frankie and Miles come over to them.
Miles:
You three are such moms!
Frankie:
Is that all, you´re gonna do all evening?
Lola:
Sorry. There´s a severe case of mon-itis going on around here!
Frankie:
I´m totally guilty of that too!
She gets her phone out and starts finding pictures.
Frankie:
There´s one in here, from when we went away on a weekend together.
Miles:
My sister, the mom! I didn´t think, you´d get there before I did, but you somehow managed.
Frankie:
You´ll get there soon.
Miles:
Do you feel ready for it, this time around? I remember, how unsure you were about moving to New York, all those years ago.
Frankie:
This is different.
She looks over at Winston, who´s telling stories with Zoe about the old days, to Sean, Spinner and Eddy, who can´t help laughing.
Frankie:
This time, I know, that it´s gonna last. There´s no way, it can´t.
Miles:
We´re all happy for you, Frankenstein. If anyone deserves it, it´s you.
Hunter comes over to them.
Hunter:
What are we talking about?
Miles:
That Frankie deserves the happiness, that´s sure to come her way.
Hunter:
That´s nothing new, is it? She´s practically a saint, compared to us.
Frankie:
I don´t know about that. I think, I got pretty lucky with my brothers.
She invites them in for a group hug and they semi-reluctantly do it to make her happy.
7. Montage - Music: "Dammit" by Blink 182
We see Regina partying it up with her girls, but her facial expression says, that she´s starting to have second thoughts. Hannah is now sniffing Suey, who hides behind Lisa, to get away from her. Hannah tries to follow after her, but Deb holds her back and gives her a spontaneous kiss, to make her leave Suey alone. Hannah looks flattered and not un-interested. Deb regrets it instantly, seeing that she´s opened up a can of worms.
We see Deco showing off the rings, he made out of leaves and tiny branches from a tree, to the other boys. Jamie, Simon and Nick all have beers and are starting to look drunk and like they´re enjoying themselves. Simon gibes him a thumbs up for the craftsmanship. The only one, who isn´t enjoying himself is Charlie, but he still pretends to.
We see Frankie being presented with a going away gift from Hunter and Miles. She unpacks it and it´s a fishing rod, which makes her smile. Lola and Zoe give her a game of Twister, recounting the competitions, from when she helped them decide, who of them would get pregnant. She hugs the both of them.
8. Ext. The Ravine. Evening.
Deb is holding Hannah at a distance. Taylor is with them.
Hannah:
I´m sure, I could convince him to give it a try!
Deb:
No, you can´t and even if you could, there´s no way, you could convince me! So, let it go!
Hannah looks disappointed.
Taylor:
This conversation is just a bit too much on the weird side, for my liking!
She walks over to Regina, who´s talking to a very drunk Chrissy and Sally, who are practically holding each other up.
Sally:
Sorry, Re ...
She burps and wipes her mouth.
Sally:
Gina. But we´re calling it a night.
Regina:
You look a little worse for wear, miss President.
Sally:
I like that! It´s better than "That girl from Degrassi, who can´t act, to save her life!"
Chrissy:
My dad doesn´t like me coming down here and I´ve been caught a few times before. It´s better not to risk anything
Taylor:
Leaving so soon?
Sally:
Yeah, the last thing I need is another drunken arrest, to put me back in the tabloids!
Chrissy:
Bye!
Regina:
Bye! It was nice of you to come!
Sally:
You´re alright, Regina. We should hang out some time.
Regina:
I´d like that!
Chrissy and Sally stagger up towards the entrance.
Taylor:
Even if the marriage doesn´t work, you´ve still made friends tonight.
Regina:
None of these girls have talked to me for years.
Taylor:
We´re starting to realize, that you´re not as bad, as you used to be.
Regina looks pleased.
Regina:
I´m finally forgiven?
Taylor:
It looks that way, doesn´t it?
Regina:
If I´d known, that all it took was one crazy announcement, I would have done it sooner!
Taylor:
Crazy?
Regina sees, that she over spoke.
Regina:
It is a little crazy. I mean, we are only 16 and 17 respectively.
Taylor:
It sounds like, there´s some second thoughts starting to creep in.
Regina:
It felt perfect, when he asked me and I said yes. Now all the things that come with marriage, are creeping into my head. Deco won´t have the money from the series anymore, he´s pretty much spent all of that already. It´s either get after school jobs to pay rent, which means no more Friendship Club or church, or live the three of us in my mom´s apartment.
Taylor:
You don´t think it´ll work?
Regina:
She´s been nicer than ever, since my dad got sent to jail. I can easily see that changing, if they don´t mesh.
Taylor:
Why wouldn´t they?
Regina:
Let´s be honest. They´re as compatible as Vanilla ice cream and Cayenne pepper!
Taylor laughs.
Taylor:
Sorry.
Regina:
It´s day one of our engagement and I should be over the moon, shouldn´t I? Isn´t this supposed to be one of the happiest days of a person´s life?
Taylor:
Why do you think, it isn´t?
Regina:
Do you promise not to tell anyone?
Taylor:
Of course.
Regina:
Because I´m starting to think, this has disaster written all over it.
Hannah, Suey, Lisa and Deb come over to them.
Hannah:
It´s 20 minutes to showtime.
Regina puts on a fake smile for them.
Regina:
Let´s get moving, girls!
Taylor and Hannah make eye contact. They´re pleased, that she´s starting to see reason.
9. Ext. Street. Evening.
Deco and the others are walking towards Above the Dot.
Simon:
There´s the cops. Look sober.
A police car comes riding towards them and begins to slow down.
Deco:
Play it cool.
The cop car rolls slowly by them, so that the officers can get a closer look at them. Deco waves to them.
Deco:
Have a nice evening, officers. You´re doing a fine job, keeping the city safe!
Officer:
You boys stay out of trouble, you hear?
Deco:
We prefer our lives to be trouble free. I´m getting married, in fact!
Officer:
Congratulations. Have a safe night.
The police car races off.
Nick:
I was sure, that they would catch us!
Deco:
Relax! Play it cool and they´ll never notice.
Charlie:
Is that your tactic with Regina? Play it cool, so she doesn´t notice, that she´s being taken advantage of?
The boys stop walking. Deco stares Charlie down.
Deco:
What did you say?
Charlie:
No one else will say it! Are you so selfish, that you´d take her future away from her? She´s not ready to get married, she´d never even has a real kiss, until she met you!
Deco:
So? That doesn´t mean, we can´t make it work!
Charlie:
No you can´t! You´re gay!
Simon:
I believe him.
Charlie:
You can´t be serious!
Jamie:
Me too.
Nick:
I can´t see any reason, why I shouldn´t. He clearly loves her. Let them be together.
Charlie:
You don´t even know him.
Deco:
Neither do you. I get that you want to protect her, I do. But my intentions with her are honorable and you can have my honor as a Catholic, if I´m lying. I love her and we can make it work, despite the odds being against us. I love her that much, that I believe we can.
Charlie looks him in the eyes.
Charlie:
If you do anything to hurt her, I swear, I´ll tear you limb from limb.
Deco:
Understood. Can we get to the concert now?
Charlie:
I suppose so.
He sticks out his hand and they shake on it.
10. Ext. Above the Dot. Evening.
Frankie, Winston, Amy, Hunter, Esme and Miles come up toward the entrance.
Amy:
People with kids are lame! Nine thirty and they´re all ready to head home! What´s that about?
The others laugh at her youthful ways.
Esme:
In a few years, that will be you.
Amy:
I seriously doubt that.
Frankie:
Back in Vancouver, that´s pretty much me already.
Winston:
Give her a re-run of Grey´s Anatomy and a cup of tea and she´s happy for the evening.
Amy:
Grey´s Anatomy? Miles, please tell me, that I´ll never sink that low!
Miles:
It happens to the best of us, when we get older, Amy. There´s nothing, you can do about it.
Frankie:
You´ll understand, when you reach my age. It´s actually very nice, being a thirty something.
Miles:
That´s Deco, from the show!
Winston:
With a very nice looking girl.
Hunter:
Who´s getting very friendly with him!
We cut over to Regina and Deco, who are kissing.
Deco:
Do you still want to marry me?
Regina:
Deco ...
Miles and the others come over to them.
Miles:
Hi, Deco, Who´s your lady friend?
Deco:
Miles, hi! This is Regina, my girlfriend.
Miles:
It´s nice to meet you, Regina.
He shakes hands with her.
Deco:
Miles is a producer on the show.
Regina:
Oh! Maybe you can tell me, then, why you´re writing off the show´s best character and actor?
Miles looks confused.
Deco:
I´m sorry. She´s a huge fan of the series.
Frankie (whispering to Amy):
Why am I not surprised?
Frankie and Amy giggle.
Miles:
You´re not being written off! Didn´t Paige tell you?
Deco smiles.
Deco:
I´m not?
Miles:
It was mentioned, but it was never set in stone! The 13 to 16 year old girls go nuts, every time you come on! They scored you highest in every category.
Deco:
I can´t tell you, how relieved, that makes me!
Regina:
Or me!
Miles:
You should get the first script early next week. It´s still being fine tuned. One thing, I have to ask and it´s okay, if you say no. They´re thinking about either turning your character gay or introducing one who is.
Deco:
I´d rather not. I hope, that´s okay.
Miles:
It is. See you inside.
Miles and the others leave them.
Regina/Deco:
We can´t get married!
They smile at each other, that they said it simultaneously.
Regina:
I´m not ruling it out, to happen in a few years. But for now ...
Deco:
It´s better to wait.
Regina:
Are you gonna dump me and get back together with Simon?
Deco (while shaking his head):
Yes.
He smiles at her cheekily and they kiss. Hannah and Deb come over to them.
Hannah:
Get moving! The show´s about to start.
Regina:
We have an announcement. Our engagement has officially ended.
Deco:
Since my engagement on the hit show Degrassi hasn´t!
Deb:
Wow! That´s awesome!
Hannah:
That´s the best outcome, anyone could have imagined!
Regina:
Let´s get a move on! We have a concert to go to!
Regina looks delighted, that everything for once went her way.
11. Int. Above the Dot. Evening.
Middleton and Matlin are in the middle of their set. We see that they´ve added Craig on bass and Jay on the drums to the line-up. Jenna is on guitar, while Maya has a violin.
Maya:
Let´s see, if I still know how to play this thing!
Jenna:
1, 2, 3, 4.
The band plays the Dexy´s Midnight Runners classic "Come on Eileen", renamed to "Come On Regina" for this one occasion. Regina smiles at Deco, when she hears them sing her name.
Regina:
Did you have anything to do with that, by chance?
Deco:
I might have. It´s been a long time, since I´ve been back to Ireland. We´d have to go soon though, before we start rehearsals for the next season.
Regina:
Are you asking me to come with you?
Deco:
Do you want to? It´s a beautiful country, it just rains way too much!
Regina:
I lived in Seattle, until I was seven! We had rain 200 plus days a year, so I think, I can handle it!
They kiss and the band plays on as we fade out.
CLOSING CREDITS (WITH PICTURES OF REGINA AND DECO´S HOLIDAY IN IRELAND OVER THE SUMMER AS BACKGROUND)
