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(12/99 This scene takes place on the docks between Jason and Liz. Sorel steps in front of Liz making her stop abruptly.)
SOREL: Miss Webber.
ELIZABETH: Excuse me. (Attempts to step around Sorel but Sorel again steps in front of her.)
SOREL: I don't believe we've met. Joseph Sorel. (Sorel holds out his hand.)
ELIZABETH: (Liz takes a step back and avoids Sorel's hand. She speaks as though she is afraid but willing to fight.) I don't know you. And I don't want to. So move, or I'll scream.
(Sorel bows mockingly and steps aside. Then speaks as Liz begins to walk past.)
SOREL: That would be unfortunate for Mr. Morgan.
(Liz immediately turns around to look at Sorel)
ELIZABETH: What about Jason?
SOREL: He's a friend of yours, I believe. At least I hope so, anyway, because he desperately needs your help.
ELIZABETH (anxiously): Is he hurt? Did something happen?
SOREL: More important, what could happen -- unless you get a message --
(At this point Jason runs down the stairs onto the docks, wraps an arm around Sorel's neck from behind and twists one of Sorel's arms behind his back forcing Sorel to his knees.)
JASON (yelling): What the hell is wrong with you, huh? How stupid are you? Elizabeth, leave.
ELIZABETH: No.
JASON: Elizabeth, I said go!
ELIZABETH: I'm not leaving. What if someone sees you? You could get arrested.
SOREL: Listen to her!
JASON (threateningly speaks in Sorel's ear): What happened to Moreno will happen to you. No negotiation, no warning. If you look at her, if you even speak to her, I will find you. Do you understand?
SOREL (Struggling to speak): I --
JASON (shouting): Do you understand? Get out of here. Get out of here.
(Jason shoves Sorel up the stairs and follows a little way, then returns to Elizabeth who is standing there looking frightened.)
JASON: Are you ok?
ELIZABETH: Is that the guy who shot you?
JASON: It was him or one of his men. He was also the guy who put the bomb in your apartment. (Angrily) Why didn't you leave when I told you to leave?
ELIZABETH: What if he had a gun, Jason? Or what if someone showed up to help him? I knew they couldn't hurt you if I was a witness.
JASON: A witness? Are you crazy? If you were a witness, he would have gotten rid of you. This is not a game, Elizabeth.
ELIZABETH: Don't you think I know that? I'm the one who found you in the snow, remember? (Quietly) I care about you Jason. Stop asking me to pretend like I don't.
I spent all last year pretending. I can't do it any more, especially with you.
JASON: I'm not asking you to.
ELIZABETH: Well, sure you are or maybe it's different with you. Maybe you can decide someday that you don't want to be friends with someone and that it doesn't hurt and that you don't really care and you don't miss that person.
JASON (stands with hands shoved into his coat pockets): You know I care. You know I'm staying away because I care.
ELIZABETH: It doesn't seem to be working, does it? That guy Sorel -- he still knows who I am. And the only thing that's changed? I don't get to see you. Do you miss me? (Jason looks away as though he doesn't want to answer.) Do you?
JASON (quietly): Yes.
ELIZABETH: Well, I miss you, too. And I don't see why I should have to.
JASON: Because it never stops, Elizabeth. Someone always wants to take the territory. That's how -- that's what this job is. It's made me a target. I don't want you to be a target. You know, I thought if I stayed away, Sorel would think that you don't mean anything to me. He's stupid that way.
ELIZABETH: I hate to break it to you, but the way you went after Sorel, he definitely gets that I mean something to you.
JASON: Because you do.
ELIZABETH: Well, then if I'm willing to take the risk, and obviously you staying away isn't working, then could you please not stay away anymore? (Jason looks down and sighs, as though considering what Liz just said.) Look, you know I'm going to do what I want anyway, right? Like in the snow. You told me not to say anything, and I did and --
JASON: And when I said to leave, you came back.
ELIZABETH: Well, I'm kind of a brat that way.
JASON: No, you just do what you think is right.
ELIZABETH: And I think it's right for me to see you. Don't ask me how I know. I just do. Actually, I know because when I'm with you, I don't have to pretend.
JASON: I have to be able to trust you.
ELIZABETH: You can.
JASON: Then promise that next time I tell you to do something, you will.
ELIZABETH: I can't promise to leave you if you're hurt or walk away if you need help.
JASON: I don't mean that. I mean there are things about my life you can't know. And if the only way to make sure is to never see you again, then I'll have to do that.
ELIZABETH (looks intently at Jason): I promise you can trust me.
(Jason gets that quirky expression that means he's amused but not yet smiling. He shrugs his shoulders inside his leather jacket.)
JASON: OK.
ELIZABETH: OK, What?
JASON (with a small smile): OK, we can go for a ride because I know that's all you really wanted.
ELIZABETH (also beginning to smile, sounds indignant): Oh, that is completely untrue.
JASON: Oh, so you don't want a ride?
ELIZABETH: No. Yes, but no.
JASON: No? Yes? Yes? No? No?
ELIZABETH (rolls her eyes): Where's your bike?
JASON (Now really smiling): In the alley.
ELIZABETH (leads the way to the stairs and they talk as they go up the stairs and out of sight): Come on. You know what this means.
JASON: What?
ELIZABETH: I get to steer.
JASON: Steer? There's no way.
ELIZABETH: I'm riding in front.
JASON: Forget it.
ELIZABETH: Yes -- You're not even healed.
JASON: I'm fine. You are not driving.
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(The scene fades out, then fades back in as Jason and Liz return to the docks after their ride both holding hot chocolates. Darkness has fallen.)
JASON (As they walk down the stairs onto the dock): You cold?
ELIZABETH: Oh, I feel great.
JASON: You look like you're shaking a little.
ELIZABETH (Turns to face Jason): I always do after a ride. You know, it's like the stars seem closer. Everything's a little more intense.
JASON: That's the adrenaline.
ELIZABETH: Well, whatever. There's probably a scientific reason for everything, but I don't want to know. I just want to have this feeling and not worry about where it came from. How's your side?
JASON: It's fine. It doesn't hurt at all anymore.
ELIZABETH: Good. And how's everything else?
JASON: Well, some days are easy, some are hard. I can't pretend, but I can forget sometimes, which is good because, you know, things seem like they used to be, and of course it doesn't last.
ELIZABETH (Quietly): What happened that night? I mean besides you getting shot.
(Jason looks down and speaks softly as though he doesn't want to hurt Liz's feelings.)
JASON: That's one of the things you can't know about.
ELIZABETH: Fair enough.
JASON (In a considering tone of voice): Have you ever wanted more than anything to undo something?
ELIZABETH: Where do I begin?
JASON: I never saw the point in looking back. You know, whatever happened, happened. But sometimes you wreck things that you don't mean to.
(Jason walks over to a bench and sits. Liz follows and Jason wipes the snow off the seat for her before she sits down.)
ELIZABETH: Oh, yeah. I know all about that. Remember I told you I wrecked my room and it took about 15 seconds to destroy?
JASON: Yeah. Some people do worse. They wreck their lives. They -- they're sorry about it afterwards. They didn't mean to. They did it because they were screwed up and in pain, but the damage is done. They say you can't unbreak a mirror. You can put it together and glue it, but the cracks still show.
ELIZABETH: But your arm gets stronger.
JASON (looks questioningly at Liz): What?
ELIZABETH: You know, my dad's a doctor, and he told me once that when you break an arm or any other bone, when it starts to heal, that broken place gets stronger. I don't know, maybe it's your body's way of rewarding you for living through it. Not that arms are the same as people, but --
JASON: Yeah. Probably more than they are like mirrors..
ELIZABETH: The thing is whatever hurt you, you didn't hide from it, which would have been really easy and I practically begged you to. So maybe what you think is wrecked is really healing. And it may ache a lot right now, but when it starts to mend, it's going to be stronger than ever.
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(Scene fades out with Jason and Liz looking at each other. Their friendship is solid and evident in the way they speak to each other. Scene fades back in as Liz finishes her hot chocolate.)
ELIZABETH: Mmm.
JASON: Finished?
ELIZABETH: Mm-Hmm. I can go for another one. You?
JASON (stands reluctantly and faces Liz who stands also): Oh, no, I can't. You know, I should get going. I've got all these coffee invoices to go through.
ELIZABETH (groans): Oh, why did you have to say that? It reminds me that I have homework to do.
JASON (Asks with that kind look in his eyes that says he cares): So, how's school going?
ELIZABETH: It's a lot better this semester. You know, I have a new art professor that actually seems to think I have some potential.
JASON: Lucky him.
ELIZABETH: And I'm not pushing as hard to paint a picture that's going to save the world, which is good.
JASON: As long as you don't give up.
ELIZABETH: Not a chance -- You know, I learned a lot this Christmas vacation. If I can stand up to Gram and the entire town, I can stand up to some professor.
JASON: I can't see you having a problem standing up to anyone. But you have to be careful. If you see Sorel again, you have to call me right away.
ELIZABETH: I will. So if you happen to stop by Kelly's tomorrow for a cup of coffee, I can say hi to you, right?
JASON (smiling slightly): Yes.
ELIZABETH: Just checking. Thanks for the ride.
JASON: Anytime.
(Liz walks up the stairs. Jason watches her go out of sight and then walks away in the other direction.)
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