Untitled
by Denise
Prologue
SCENE ONE -- EXT. -- NIGHT - AIRFIELD***
SCENE TWO -- INT. - NIGHT - PLANE
JACK DEVERAUX is settling his daughter ABIGAIL into her seat on the plane while
her mother, JENNIFER HORTON, looks on
JACK: (CONT.) But I promise you Abigail that we'll all be together
again soon.
ABIGAIL: Do you really promise daddy?
JACK: I promise. (GLANCES AT JENNIFER) Now I want you to promise me
something.
ABIGAIL: Anything daddy.
JACK: I want you to promise me that you'll be a good girl for your mommy.
ABIGAIL: (SERIOUSLY) I will daddy.
JACK: (SMILING WISTFULLY) And I want you to promise me Abigail that
you're going to look after mommy for me. You know she likes to stay up too late
and not eat all of her vegetables when she's away from my watchful eye.
ABIGAIL: Daddy (GIGGLES) you're so silly.
JACK: You're right, mommy never eats her vegetables whether I'm there or
not.
JENNIFER smiles behind them
JACK: (CONT.) So is that a deal Abigail? You behave and keep an eye on
mommy and I'll do everything so we can be together as quickly as I can.
ABBY nods
JACK: (CONT.) Good. Now do you remember how we seal a deal?
ABIGAIL smiles widely. JACK leans closer to her and she stretches her face
upward to kiss his cheek. JACK leans back and grins LEANS
JACK: You know I don't think that's going to hold me until we're back
together. (JACK POINTS AT HIS OTHER CHEEK WHICH ABBY KISSES.) That's better. Now
I'm going to go talk to mommy for a minute and you're going to start on your
trip, okay? (SHE NODS AT THIS.) I love you Abigail.
ABIGAIL: I love you too daddy.
ABBY grabs her backpack and pulls out a book to read. JACK stands up and looks
lovingly at JENNIFER. He gestures toward the exit and she nods. As she passes
him, he places his hand on the small of her back and follows her off the plane.
Just before getting off, he pops his head into the cockpit
JACK: Jennifer will be right in Colin.
COLIN: Okay.
***
SCENE THREE -- EXT. - NIGHT - RUNWAY
JENNIFER turns to face JACK
JENNIFER: (CONT.) You know that we would feel safer if we were with
you, Jack. We're stronger together --
JACK: Normally, yes, but not this time.
JENNIFER sighs loudly and turns away from wiping the tears from her eyes. JACK
moves closer to her, visibly upset to cause her so much pain. He takes her hand
and makes her face him
JACK: So you know the plan?
JENNIFER: I don't like the plan.
JACK: Jennifer.
JENNIFER: Jack! (BEAT) Yes I know the plan. Colin is flying us to the
Emerald Isle. There his friend, Ian, will meet us and take us to his pub -
JACK: Where you will hide out as a barmaid. (CHUCKLING) I must admit that
I'm a little disappointed that I'm missing the latest addition to your
repertoire.
JENNIFER: (HITTING HIS ARM) Jack!
JACK: (LAUGHING) So you stay with Colin's friend until I come for you or
at least until I can get word to you what you should do next.
JENNIFER: I still don't understand why this is better and why we can't
just stay here or better still, go off together.
JACK: Because we don't know who is behind these threats and until we do,
we have to protect the child. (BEAT) And I've got to finish some things here
first.
JENNIFER: What things?
JACK: (IGNORING HER QUESTION) Don't forget to continue Abigail's studies.
We can't have her falling behind just because we have to take part in a little
adventure.
JENNIFER: Jack -
JACK: And save everything, -- everything -- Jennifer, because I'm going
to want to see it all. And -
JENNIFER: Jack -
JACK: And don't let her talk to strangers. We can't trust anyone anymore
but ourselves. (BEAT) And Colin.
JENNIFER: (GRABS HIS FACE TO MAKE HIM LISTEN TO HER) You're doing it
again Jack.
JACK: Doing? I'm not doing anything. I'm merely going over the plan one
more time so we -
JENNIFER: Jack (CARESSES HIS FACE GENTLY) you don't have to pretend with
me. I know you're worried about us being split up like this. (BEAT) But you're
right. If it were just the two of us, we could face the danger together -
JACK: Uh - Miss Horton -
JENNIFER: (SMILES AT HIS DISCOMFORT) You wouldn't like it, but we could
do it. But there's Abby now and we have to protect her.
JACK: (MOVING CLOSER AND MUMBLING) Protecting Abigail. (JACK RUNS HIS
HANDS UP AND DOWN HER ARMS REASSURINGLY) I think I've mentioned that before.
JENNIFER: (TEASING) Did you?
JACK: I think you know I did.
JENNIFER: You know -- perhaps you did. (SHE WRAPS HER ARMS AROUND HIS
WAIST AND RESTS HER HEAD AGAINST HIS CHEST) Did you mean what you said to Abby?
JACK: (SMELLING HER HAIR AND SMILING) About the vegetables?
JENNIFER: (LOOKING UP INTO HIS SMILING FACE AND SUPPRESSING HER OWN
LAUGHTER) Veg - no not about the vegetables Jack. About you getting back to us
as soon as you can.
JACK: You know I did. I will meet you in Ireland as soon as it is safe.
JENNIFER: Promise me you'll take care of yourself.
JACK: I promise.
JENNIFER: I'm going to hold you to it. (BEAT) I'll miss you.
JACK reaches his hands behind him and unwraps her arms from his waist, but he continues to hold her hands in his
JACK: Now Miss Horton, don't go getting overly emotional on me. I thought
I cured you of that particular affliction years ago. Now you need to be getting
back on that plane with Abigail.
JACK turns and leads her back to the plane. They walk the few feet to the plane
where they stop again and face each other
JACK: Well, here we are. (BEAT) Take care, Miss H.
JENNIFER: (STRUGGLING TO KEEP HER COMPOSURE) You too. (BEAT) I love you
Jack. (SHE LOSES THE BATTLE WITH HER EMOTIONS AND THROWS HER ARMS AROUND HIS
NECK)
JACK: (FINGERS HER HAIR AND WHISPERS) I love you too, Jennifer.
JACK kisses her gently on the forehead. Then he pauses slightly to look into her eyes before leaning down and kissing her passionately on the lips. After a few moments we hear a throat clear and then COLIN appears in the doorway of the plane
COLIN: It's time to go Jennifer.JACK: (SOFTLY) Take care Jennifer.
OUT on JACK'S sadness
Prologue *** Chapters 1 - 3 *** Chapters 4 - 6 *** Chapters 7 - 9 *** Chapters 10 - 12 *** Chapter 13