ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
EXT. HOTEL ENTRANCE - LATE AFTERNOON
Bunches of people are leaving the hotel at the end of the
event; among them are Sugar Daddy and Carmen. They stop on
the sidewalk outside, letting people flow around them.
CARMEN
(awkwardly)
So...I had a good time today.
SUGAR
Yeah, me too. I mean, I wasn't
really down with this whole weight
thing at first, but...I don't
know, it kinda helped having
somebody you know there.
CARMEN
Yeah, me too.
A long silence stretches between them.
CARMEN (CONT'D)
So...
SUGAR
You know...if you want...we
could...
CARMEN
Sure...
SUGAR
I mean, not this, but...
something...
CARMEN
(laughs nervously)
Yeah... I'd like that.
SUGAR
Cool. So...um...
Carmen reaches into her purse, pulls out a slip a paper and a
pen, and jots her phone number down on it.
CARMEN
(handing the paper over)
Here. You could call me.
Sugar Daddy looks the paper over and puts it in his pocket.
SUGAR
Yeah... I'll definitely do that.
CARMEN
Great. So...I'd better...
SUGAR
Oh, yeah...
She starts backing away.
CARMEN
So, I'll...talk to you.
SUGAR
Yeah... I'll call.
CARMEN
Okay...
Finally she turns and heads down the sidewalk, a grin
spreading across her face.
CUT TO:
INT. JOSH'S MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Josh and Lily are lying in bed.
JOSH
So...you're not still jealous,
right?
LILY
(laughing)
No... Can't you tell? It's a
good thing I never met your Dr.
Bennett before, though. I really
would've been bouncing off the
walls.
JOSH
Huh?
LILY
Come on, Josh! She's brilliant,
she's gorgeous...
JOSH
Um...I guess so.
LILY
Josh, I know you're not blind.
She's a total knockout.
JOSH
Okay, yeah... But, you know,
it's hard to think of her like
that. I mean, she's my boss and
all.
LILY
You were never tempted?
JOSH
Lily!
LILY
I'm kidding!
(pause)
Man, I wish I didn't have to go
home.
JOSH
You know, Cure the Bay's this
weekend. Maybe you could just
stay 'til then.
LILY
I didn't pack that much.
JOSH
So, you can go shopping, right?
LILY
We can't spend all this money! We
have to pay Sam back, and have
some left over to keep up with the
rent. And Cure the Bay's gonna
cost a lot anyway.
Josh props himself up on one elbow.
JOSH
Oh, I was gonna tell you—it won't
cost all that much. The Institute
is one of the bigwigs there, and
they're gonna send me, like,
officially, and they're gonna pay
for everything.
LILY
Josh! That's wonderful! How come
they're doing that?
JOSH
Oh...they just kinda like me now.
LILY
That Dr. Bennett said something
about you catching some vandals?
You never mentioned that to me.
JOSH
Well, I was gonna...but then I
started working twenty-four-seven.
Anyway, I was just doing my job.
LILY
Well, it must have been more than
that. It sounds like they're
treating you like a hero.
JOSH
Oh, that reminds me...Dr.
Rutherford—he's the big boss—he
invited us to dinner afterwards.
So you have to get one of those
fancy dresses.
(pause)
Hey, Lily?
LILY
Huh?
JOSH
What's going on with you and Mary
Cherry? People keep mentioning
her name, and then they won't talk
about it.
LILY
Oh...it's nothing. It's over. I
guess.
JOSH
(shaking his head)
What's over?
LILY
I just helped her out a couple
jams, that's all.
JOSH
You and Mary Cherry... That's a
weird picture.
LILY
I'll tell you my story if you tell
me yours.
JOSH
(settling in)
Well, as soon as I got here, I
could tell there were some people
who didn't like me...
FADE TO:
EST. L.A. SKYLINE - MORNING
A typically smoggy morning.
CUT TO:
INT. MCQUEEN KITCHEN
Sam is fixing herself a bowl of cereal when Harrison comes
down the stairs, limping and wincing.
SAM
How's the knee?
He fixes a glare on her.
HARRISON
You are a dangerous woman to be
around, Sam.
SAM
(shrugging)
I'm sorry! It looked a lot more
fun when I saw it on Cinemax.
HARRISON
Sam...they were ACTING.
SAM
(sighs)
Can I at least tell Brooke NOT to
try it on the dining room table?
Harrison painfully climbs up on the stool next to Sam.
HARRISON
When Brooke gets a new boyfriend,
and if it looks like they might do
something that dumb, then you can
warn her. Just don't tell her how
you know.
Sam giggles at that idea.
SAM
(grinning)
Okay, I won't.
HARRISON
So, is everything ready?
SAM
(nods)
I have the den all set up for
Brooke to sleep in, so she won't
have to climb the stairs.
Sam reaches down and puts her hand on Harrison's knee.
HARRISON
(wincing)
Ow! Be careful!
SAM
Are you sure you don't want to see
a doctor? We are going to the
hospital, after all.
HARRISON
I think it's just bruised.
She cozies up to him.
SAM
Maybe I should kiss it and make it
feel better?
He takes her by the shoulders and holds her at arm's length.
HARRISON
Sam...take a cold shower.
Harrison slides off the stool and limps away, while Sam digs
at her cereal, pouting.
SAM
Spoilsport.
CUT TO:
INT. BROOKE'S HOSPITAL ROOM - LATER
Brooke is sitting on the side of the bed again, this time
dressed in street clothes. Harrison walks in and breaks into
a grin.
HARRISON
Wow, you look great.
BROOKE
(suspiciously)
I thought you told me one time I
looked great in a hospital gown.
HARRISON
Naw, I lied. You looked awful.
Brooke giggles.
HARRISON (CONT'D)
So, ready to go home?
BROOKE
(spreading her hands)
Is now a good time?
HARRISON
Sam's downstairs, making sure all
the paperwork's taken care of.
BROOKE
Yeah, and I think I have to get
wheeled out of here, anyway.
HARRISON
You don't really wanna walk, do
you?
BROOKE
Well, I WANT to, but...
HARRISON
Don't worry. You will. Soon.
Harrison notices the meditation stone, which Brooke is
continually turning over in her hand.
HARRISON (CONT'D)
What's that?
BROOKE
Lily gave it to me. It's for
meditating. She thought it might
help.
HARRISON
(making a face)
Are you still on that?
Brooke puts her hands on her hips.
BROOKE
Harrison, why are you so dead set
against me trying to figure out
what happened while I was in that
coma? All you've done is try to
discourage me.
HARRISON
I...I just don't know what good
it's gonna do. What difference
does it make now if anything
happened?
BROOKE
(indignant)
Harrison! I almost died! Be a
little more sensitive, will you?
HARRISON
I just mean, you're here now.
It's done. You should just let it
go.
BROOKE
God! What are you so afraid of?
HARRISON
Who—who says I'm afraid of
anything?
BROOKE
(peering at him)
That's it, isn't it? You're
afraid I'll find out something.
HARRISON
(harshly)
That's silly, Brooke. What could
I possibly be afraid of?
BROOKE
I don't know—you were in the
hospital, too. Maybe it's just
too close to home.
HARRISON
Okay, stop.
Brooke is struck by a thought, and her eyes widen.
BROOKE
Wait—that IS it. It happened to
YOU, too.
HARRISON
What? You're just talking crazy
now, Brooke.
But Brooke isn't listening to him; she's concentrating.
BROOKE
You...you were going to kill
yourself.
HARRISON
(annoyed)
What—? What are you, Miss Cleo
now?
BROOKE
Right after Clarence died, when
they couldn't find you and you
were on the roof—you were going
to commit suicide.
HARRISON
(shaking his head)
Look, okay, maybe I went up there
feeling sorry for myself, but that
doesn't mean—
BROOKE
Clarence stopped you.
HARRISON
(incredulous)
Clarence was DEAD!
BROOKE
He came to you. Like...like a
guide. Or an angel.
Harrison, becoming more agitated by the second, starts pacing
nervously.
HARRISON
Look, I don't know where you're
getting this from—okay, I fell
asleep, and I had a dream—
BROOKE
He showed you what the world would
have been like if you'd never been
born.
Harrison stops and rounds on her, gaping.
HARRISON
There is NO WAY you could have
known that!
BROOKE
Clarence told me. He said...he
said you were his first
assignment, and...what did he
say...? The whole "It's a
Wonderful Life" thing...it's corny
but it works.
HARRISON
(pleading)
Brooke, I don't know what you're
doing, but I want you to stop.
But by this time Brooke is zoned out again.
BROOKE
(awestruck)
I remember...everything makes
sense now...I remember Clarence
telling me...I was in between...I
had to choose to live or die...
And Mackenzie...I remember playing
basketball with Mackenzie! When
she's my age... Oh my God, I
remember everything now! And...
and...
A bit of the euphoria fades as she turns back to Harrison.
BROOKE (CONT'D)
You and Sam...it's going to work
out fine with you two... I know.
I saw.
Harrison comes over and takes Brooke's hands in his.
HARRISON
Brooke...I know it might seem like
all these dreams fit together into
some kind of story... But it's
not real! They're just dreams!
BROOKE
(tearing away)
No! It WAS real!
He runs his hand through his hair, anguished.
HARRISON
(turning away)
Look, I know...
As he turns, Brooke reaches out and catches his arm.
BROOKE
What? What do you know?
HARRISON
I know...I know what it's like, to
have a dream that seems so real,
that you think it's actually
happening.
BROOKE
What do you mean?
Harrison shakes his head.
BROOKE (CONT'D)
Come on, Harrison! Tell me!
Harrison paces to the side of the room, gathering himself.
HARRISON
When... Before you woke up...I
was with you. I was...right
there...by your side... It was
late...I was tired...I must have
fallen asleep...
Brooke shrugs helplessly.
HARRISON (CONT'D)
(near tears)
I had a dream... I dreamt...I
dreamt that you were going away...
you were...CHOOSING...to go
away... There was this...
light...and you were walking into
it... And...I wanted to stop
you...I TRIED to stop you...but I
couldn't...I couldn't do
anything...
Harrison trails off, but Brooke, who has been staring off in
the distance thinking, turns to look at him now in
astonishment.
BROOKE
But you DID.
HARRISON
(shaking his head)
No, Brooke...
BROOKE
(concentrating)
I REMEMBER... The light...white
light... I wanted to end it...
I was going to... And then—you
were there, and...
HARRISON
(crying)
Brooke, please...
BROOKE
...and you said...you said...
She stops and looks up at him, her own eyes brimming with
tears.
BROOKE (CONT'D)
...you LOVE me?
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT FOUR
THE END