This fanfiction is in script form. It is also my first O&A fiction,
so bear with me. I wanted a E/G fanfic out there, even though there are
a lot. What can I say? Though the show may have died, my love for it
never shall. Oh well. Anyway, all I can ask for is reviews! Please,
they are the food for a writer's soul.
ANGLE: THE SAMMLER-MANNING HOUSEHOLD. WE FOCUS ON THE KITCHEN. LILY, ZOE, AND JESSIE HAVE EATEN THEIR BREAKFAST AND ARE SIMPLY SITTING DOWN TALKING, EACH ANIMATED. GRACE SITS AT THE TABLE, DISPONDENTLY WRITING IN HER NOTEBOOK. THERE IS STILL NO SIGN OF LIFE FROM THE MEN OF THE HOUSE. LILY HAS ABSENTLY BEEN WATCHING HER DAUGHTER, TAKING CAREFUL NOTE OF THE LACK OF VIBRANCE FOUND IN HER DAUGHTER. JESSIE NOTICES, TOO. ZOE, HOWEVER, STILL CONTINUES SPEAKING OF THE GOINGS-ON AT HER FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY PARTY COMING UP. LILY NOW RAISES UP FROM HER SEAT AT THE TABLE, TO SEARCH FOR HER HUSBAND. SHE STOPS, APPARENTLY REMEMBERING SOMETHING, AND TURNS TO GRACE.
LILY: Grace?
(Silence.)
LILY: Grace?
( A confused look of focus on Grace's face, she turns to Lily.)
GRACE: ( Distractedly.) Yeah?
LILY: ( Pointedly.) Grace, could you get Eli? He wanted to go in to the station today. I was going to take you both with me. Get you started on some of your writing.
( A look of peril crosses Grace's face briefly. She hadn't planned on speaking to Eli today, or ever, for that matter.)
LILY: Please.
GRACE: All right. ( She rushes to the door, making her disdain obvious.) Eli! Eli Sammler, get out of bed! ( She knocks furiously.)
(Silence.)
GRACE: Eli, open up, or I'm coming in.
(Silence.)
GRACE: Fine. ( She opens the door. Eli is asleep. The look of disarray lays proof to Grace's fears. He had been drinking, and given the smell Grace recognized, he had been drinking a lot.)
GRACE: Eli, get up, come on.
(Eli stirs.)
ELI: Huh? Grace? Wh-What time is it?
GRACE: Six-thirty. ( She places a hand on her hip, and Eli knows that she is still angry.)
ELI: Why are you waking me up at this hour?
GRACE: Mom wanted you to go with her to the station today, I guess it was about that internship.
ELI: Oh, yeah! (He rises quickly, surprising Grace. Immediately, he removed the torn beater he wore, searching for a nice undershirt. He looks lost, and Grace takes pity.)
GRACE: What do you need?
ELI: ( He looks both relieved and excited.) A T-shirt, and some clothes I bought. They are here somewhere. ( He searches about, while Grace pulls a T-shirt out of the drawer.)
GRACE: Clean. Mom did the laundry. ( Eli smiles at her cautiously. She grabs a bag from the floor and dumps the clothes out on the bed.) A-ha! Wow, Eli.( On the bed are several pairs of slacks, ranging in colors from khaki to black. Also are many button-up dress shirts, all in light shades of white, olive, and blue. On the top are two dress belts, one brown and one black. It is now that she notices the new shoes by the door.)
ELI: Does it all look nice? I mean... ( He looks at her, then closes the door.)
GRACE: Yeah. Here you go, khaki slacks, green shirt, and brown belt. It'll give a good impression. ( There is still an awkwardness in the room, and Grace moves around Eli to open the door. He places a hand on her hand delicately.)
ELI: I'm sorry. Not just for this, but everything. I wasn't there for you when you needed me. I apologize. There's nothing that I can do to make it up.
GRACE: You lied, that hurt. But what hurt more is when I didn't see your face, cheering me on. I can't explain why, but it hurt. ( He looks down, not letting go of her hand. She relaxes her own and steps closer to him.)
ELI: Grace, that's just what I do. I hurt people. Every person that loved me, everyone I love, they get hurt. ( He looks sullen.)
GRACE: Eli, no more excuses. ( She laces her fingers with his comfortingly. This gesture is meant as one of friendship, but both shudder with desire from the touch.)
ELI: The hair. ( He walks to the mirror, fumbling nervously with the bottles of hair gel and cologne.)
GRACE: Yeah. Here, get dressed. ( She hands him the slacks and shirt, and for the first time that morning, she realizes that he was only in his boxers. Images that she had pushed aside since that fateful day push through her mind, but she ignores them. Eli is watching her, almost trying to figure out what is going on inside her head. As he begins buttoning the shirt, Grace takes over.)
ELI: Last I checked, I could button a shirt.
GRACE: You and I both know your motor functions are off. Speaking of which, black coffee. Your going to have a hangover.
ELI: Nah. (He sways a little going to put on the belt. Again, Grace helps him. Eli is now dressed, looking very professional, but still youthful with the shirt kind of unbuttoned. He is holding his necklace with the lock. Grace puts it on her neck. Eli laughs.)
GRACE: We'll switch roles for today.
ELI: Want some black eyeliner?
GRACE: That worries me. ( Both laugh. Eli looks at her, and crushes Grace in a tight hug.)
ELI: I am so sorry. The last thing I needed to do was alienate my best friend. I love you.
GRACE: I love you too. ( Again, images of a night Eli apparently does not remember flash through her head.)
B/W GRACE: I never thought that I would do something like that. Of course, I never planned on getting high with Eli, either.
ELI: What if she doesn't remember? Way to go, Sammler, you probably scarred her for life.
ELI: So, whaddaya say? Let's go show off to the world. ( Jubilantly, he wraps an arm around her shoulder as she place hers around his waist.)
GRACE: Well, we can show off to the station. I have to change, though.
ELI: A'ight. How about I drive you there? Lily won't have to wait.
LILY: No driving you two? I knew I loved this boy. ( Eli and Grace laugh, smiling heartily at one another. Lily glances oddly at the two, more than perplexed by their behavior. Zoe is still oblivious, and Jessie is still very aware of the changes. Rick has left, leaving two forms of transportation.)
JESSIE: So, Zoe and I are staying here, party time!
GRACE: Yeah, Mom, Eli and I will be there in a little while.
ELI: Yeah, we will be careful, yadda, yadda. (He rolls his eyes dramatically, while Grace stifles a laugh. Lily kisses Grace on the forehead and squeezes Eli's shoulder.)
LILY: I love you guys. ( A vague blush.)
ELI: Bye, Lily. You're going to be late.
ANGLE: THE SAMMLER-MANNING HOUSEHOLD. WE FOCUS ON THE KITCHEN. LILY, ZOE, AND JESSIE HAVE EATEN THEIR BREAKFAST AND ARE SIMPLY SITTING DOWN TALKING, EACH ANIMATED. GRACE SITS AT THE TABLE, DISPONDENTLY WRITING IN HER NOTEBOOK. THERE IS STILL NO SIGN OF LIFE FROM THE MEN OF THE HOUSE. LILY HAS ABSENTLY BEEN WATCHING HER DAUGHTER, TAKING CAREFUL NOTE OF THE LACK OF VIBRANCE FOUND IN HER DAUGHTER. JESSIE NOTICES, TOO. ZOE, HOWEVER, STILL CONTINUES SPEAKING OF THE GOINGS-ON AT HER FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY PARTY COMING UP. LILY NOW RAISES UP FROM HER SEAT AT THE TABLE, TO SEARCH FOR HER HUSBAND. SHE STOPS, APPARENTLY REMEMBERING SOMETHING, AND TURNS TO GRACE.
LILY: Grace?
(Silence.)
LILY: Grace?
( A confused look of focus on Grace's face, she turns to Lily.)
GRACE: ( Distractedly.) Yeah?
LILY: ( Pointedly.) Grace, could you get Eli? He wanted to go in to the station today. I was going to take you both with me. Get you started on some of your writing.
( A look of peril crosses Grace's face briefly. She hadn't planned on speaking to Eli today, or ever, for that matter.)
LILY: Please.
GRACE: All right. ( She rushes to the door, making her disdain obvious.) Eli! Eli Sammler, get out of bed! ( She knocks furiously.)
(Silence.)
GRACE: Eli, open up, or I'm coming in.
(Silence.)
GRACE: Fine. ( She opens the door. Eli is asleep. The look of disarray lays proof to Grace's fears. He had been drinking, and given the smell Grace recognized, he had been drinking a lot.)
GRACE: Eli, get up, come on.
(Eli stirs.)
ELI: Huh? Grace? Wh-What time is it?
GRACE: Six-thirty. ( She places a hand on her hip, and Eli knows that she is still angry.)
ELI: Why are you waking me up at this hour?
GRACE: Mom wanted you to go with her to the station today, I guess it was about that internship.
ELI: Oh, yeah! (He rises quickly, surprising Grace. Immediately, he removed the torn beater he wore, searching for a nice undershirt. He looks lost, and Grace takes pity.)
GRACE: What do you need?
ELI: ( He looks both relieved and excited.) A T-shirt, and some clothes I bought. They are here somewhere. ( He searches about, while Grace pulls a T-shirt out of the drawer.)
GRACE: Clean. Mom did the laundry. ( Eli smiles at her cautiously. She grabs a bag from the floor and dumps the clothes out on the bed.) A-ha! Wow, Eli.( On the bed are several pairs of slacks, ranging in colors from khaki to black. Also are many button-up dress shirts, all in light shades of white, olive, and blue. On the top are two dress belts, one brown and one black. It is now that she notices the new shoes by the door.)
ELI: Does it all look nice? I mean... ( He looks at her, then closes the door.)
GRACE: Yeah. Here you go, khaki slacks, green shirt, and brown belt. It'll give a good impression. ( There is still an awkwardness in the room, and Grace moves around Eli to open the door. He places a hand on her hand delicately.)
ELI: I'm sorry. Not just for this, but everything. I wasn't there for you when you needed me. I apologize. There's nothing that I can do to make it up.
GRACE: You lied, that hurt. But what hurt more is when I didn't see your face, cheering me on. I can't explain why, but it hurt. ( He looks down, not letting go of her hand. She relaxes her own and steps closer to him.)
ELI: Grace, that's just what I do. I hurt people. Every person that loved me, everyone I love, they get hurt. ( He looks sullen.)
GRACE: Eli, no more excuses. ( She laces her fingers with his comfortingly. This gesture is meant as one of friendship, but both shudder with desire from the touch.)
ELI: The hair. ( He walks to the mirror, fumbling nervously with the bottles of hair gel and cologne.)
GRACE: Yeah. Here, get dressed. ( She hands him the slacks and shirt, and for the first time that morning, she realizes that he was only in his boxers. Images that she had pushed aside since that fateful day push through her mind, but she ignores them. Eli is watching her, almost trying to figure out what is going on inside her head. As he begins buttoning the shirt, Grace takes over.)
ELI: Last I checked, I could button a shirt.
GRACE: You and I both know your motor functions are off. Speaking of which, black coffee. Your going to have a hangover.
ELI: Nah. (He sways a little going to put on the belt. Again, Grace helps him. Eli is now dressed, looking very professional, but still youthful with the shirt kind of unbuttoned. He is holding his necklace with the lock. Grace puts it on her neck. Eli laughs.)
GRACE: We'll switch roles for today.
ELI: Want some black eyeliner?
GRACE: That worries me. ( Both laugh. Eli looks at her, and crushes Grace in a tight hug.)
ELI: I am so sorry. The last thing I needed to do was alienate my best friend. I love you.
GRACE: I love you too. ( Again, images of a night Eli apparently does not remember flash through her head.)
B/W GRACE: I never thought that I would do something like that. Of course, I never planned on getting high with Eli, either.
ELI: What if she doesn't remember? Way to go, Sammler, you probably scarred her for life.
ELI: So, whaddaya say? Let's go show off to the world. ( Jubilantly, he wraps an arm around her shoulder as she place hers around his waist.)
GRACE: Well, we can show off to the station. I have to change, though.
ELI: A'ight. How about I drive you there? Lily won't have to wait.
LILY: No driving you two? I knew I loved this boy. ( Eli and Grace laugh, smiling heartily at one another. Lily glances oddly at the two, more than perplexed by their behavior. Zoe is still oblivious, and Jessie is still very aware of the changes. Rick has left, leaving two forms of transportation.)
JESSIE: So, Zoe and I are staying here, party time!
GRACE: Yeah, Mom, Eli and I will be there in a little while.
ELI: Yeah, we will be careful, yadda, yadda. (He rolls his eyes dramatically, while Grace stifles a laugh. Lily kisses Grace on the forehead and squeezes Eli's shoulder.)
LILY: I love you guys. ( A vague blush.)
ELI: Bye, Lily. You're going to be late.