The magician's assistant storms out. The clown tries to follow her.
YOUNG MAN
Leave her, okay?
CLOWN
We can talk to Francis the fire juggler.
YOUNG MAN
Just stop it, okay? It's bullshit. We're bullshit.
CLOWN
We are not bullshit!
YOUNG MAN
Just let it go, man. Let the circus go. It was never really ours.
The clown looks stunned. The young man dabs at his bleeding wounds. He watches the trapeze artist longingly through the gap in the tent.
"Uh, Rome?" says Gerri, looking up from the script.
"Yes, Ger?" he says in a convincing impression of her voice.
"This ending is a little… potentially libellous?"
"What do you mean?"
"For one thing, I'm not sure how Kendall will feel about being characterised as a clown."
"That's not Kendall. The clown is fictional."
"Uh huh. Also the part about him accidentally drowning someone in a circus trick gone wrong is kind of…"
"You're right, that could only happen to Kendall."
"It's not a bad ending, it's just a little bleak. Wouldn't you rather give the fans what they want?"
"I do have an alternative ending."
"Go on."
"So, the young man and the magician's glamorous assistant plot to murder the clown together, to stop him taking over the circus following the death of the ringmaster. But in the end they can't go through with it, so they agree to crown the clown as the new ringmaster instead. Together they foil the cunning magician and the three of them carry on running the circus together."
"I like that ending."
"The young man also proposes to the trapeze artist, who finally agrees to marry him." She raises an eyebrow. "Relax, I'm kidding."
"Maybe if you get the writing Emmy."
"Really?" He stares at her.
"Maybe," she stresses.
He smiles, his heart feeling lighter than it has for months. "I think I'm already the winner here."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Oh yeah," he echoes, leaning over and meeting her lips in a kiss.