BCUH/NIGHT

RACHEL is sitting with AMANDA, stroking her hair gently over her forehead. Amanda's face is grief stricken , but she's stopped crying.

AMANDA
I don't understand, Mom. We were making all of these plans...for the future...and this happens. I don't understand!

RACHEL
Oh, my darling girl...there are things beyond our comprehension that we're not meant to understand. It doesn't mean you shouldn't be angry and grieving and all of those emotions that are running through your veins right now, but we can't even begin to try and sort through them to make sense of this.

AMANDA
I don't want to make sense of it...(she begins to cry again)...I just want Cameron back!

As she cries into Rachel's shoulder, the door to her room opens and ALLI walks in, cautiously, followed by GARY and JOSIE.

ALLI
Mom?

Amanda looks up at her daughter. Upon seeing Gary and Josie, her right hand flies to her mouth and she shakes her head.

AMANDA
Gary...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

Gary walks over to her, reaching out to hug her. Rachel moves aside and stands with Alli and Josie.

GARY
I know....I can't believe it, either.

AMANDA
He used to talk about making you proud of him...wanting to make up to you for all of the things he did. And now he'll never get the chance.

GARY
(choking up)
He already did.

They sit there for a moment, silently. After a moment, Josie steps forward to offer her own condolences.

JOSIE
Amanda--

AMANDA
(cutting her off)
---I know, Josie.

She holds out a hand to Josie, who reaches out and takes it.

GARY
We're going to go and let you get some rest now, all right? And please let us know about the...services. We want to help plan them.

AMANDA
(with tears threatening to overflow again)
I will, Gary. I promise.

Gary and Josie leave, quietly.

ALLI
(quietly)
Mom, do you want anything?

AMANDA
No, honey. I'm just glad you're here.

Alli sits next to Amanda, and tears begin to run down her cheeks. She reaches out and hugs Amanda around the neck.

ALLI
I'm sorry, Mom! I'm sorry I was mean to Cameron and I'm sorry I was such a brat to you! If I'd known...if any of us had known, Mom--

AMANDA
(Holding Alli out at arm's length)
Alli, it's okay, baby. Cameron knows...knew...that you were all right with us being together. It's okay, honey.

Alli rests her head on Amanda's shoulder, and they are quiet, not moving. Rachel slips out of the room.

FADE OUT

HAYLEY'S BOARDING HOUSE/NIGHT

HAYLEY walks up the steps to an old, rickety-looking house, LORNA following behind her.

LORNA
(looking around with a tinge of disbelief)
THIS is where you live?

HAYLEY
Home sweet home. I can't exactly afford the Ritz, so a little room in a dilapidated house is about all I can handle.

Hayley leads Lorna in the front door, flipping on a hall light.

HAYLEY
My landlady lives on the second floor...the first floor hall and kitchen are for everyone, and then there's a small apartment in the other rooms. I'm up on the third floor.

LORNA
So you're climbing two flights of stairs just to get to your room? Hayley, that can't be healthy for the baby to climb all of those stairs...and when you get further along, climbing stairs isn't exactly easy. I remember that much from being pregnant.

HAYLEY
(shrugging)
I'm fine. I just consider it exercise. Come on upstairs and we'll get the papers.

They walk up the stairs quietly, and Hayley unlocks a door with chipped white paint on the third floor.

HAYLEY
(cont'd)
This is my little slice of heaven. All of my worldly possessions can be contained in this small space.

Lorna walks around the room, slowly. There is a bed with a sagging mattress, faded sheets, and a threadbare comforter, a dresser with several photographs on top of it, and a cradle in the corner of the room. Hayley notices Lorna walk over to it, and run her hand over it.

HAYLEY
I found that at a thrift store for ten dollars. I guess I was having a moment of sentimentality.

LORNA
You're pregnant. Moments of sentimentality are allowed. So you were thinking about keeping the baby?

HAYLEY
No...I know you probably don't understand because you have your baby and she's the pride of your life, but you also had a loving mother to help you out---

LORNA
Hayley, I had my mother and I had my sister, but that doesn't mean I wasn't alone. This isn't the right time, but we'll talk about it sometime.

HAYLEY
(watches her for a minute, then turns away)
I'll get those papers.

She begins to rummage through the dresser drawers, pulling out several papers and a large envelope. Lorna walks over to the dresser, picking up one of the framed pictures.

LORNA
Is this your mother?

HAYLEY
Yes.

LORNA
She was beautiful.

HAYLEY
I know. She was. As much as I hate what she did, moving me around so much, I can't hate her. And I miss her, I miss her so much. I just want to be able to talk to her one more time...

LORNA
Those 'one more times' are the hardest thing to let go of...(her voice cracks and she clears her throat)...can I see the papers?

Hayley sits on the bed, Lorna sitting next to her. She begins to go through the papers, one by one.

HAYLEY
These aren't really concrete records...they're just the PI records. He kept notes on everything that Lucas told him, and any progress he made. There are a lot of 'near-misses' in there, when he'd get to a town just after Mom had packed us up and moved us.

LORNA
They don't exactly prove anything, though.

HAYLEY
This will. This will prove everything. It's my birth certificate. It lists Lucas Castigliano as my father.

Lorna takes the paper from her, looking at it carefully. She stares at it so long that Hayley begins to fidget.

LORNA
(quietly)
You were telling the truth.

HAYLEY
If you want, you can take it and have it authenticated. Look it up in the Chicago records where I was born. I'll do a DNA test.

LORNA
(putting up a hand)
Hayley, stop!

Hayley stands up and begins to pace the room.

HAYLEY
I just want you to know that I don't care if you don't believe me yet...I wouldn't believe it either--

Lorna puts the papers down, standing and walking over to Hayley, grabbing her hands to stop her from talking.

LORNA
I believe you.

HAYLEY
What?

LORNA
I believe you, Hayley. I believe that you're Lucas' daughter. We'll run all the tests just to be sure, but I believe you.

HAYLEY
(whispering)
Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you...you don't know what that means to me.

LORNA
I think I do...more than you know.

She reaches out to hug Hayley, both of them crying. Suddenly, Hayley jumps back.

HAYLEY
Oh, wow...the baby's kicking.

LORNA
(laughing)
It's just telling you that it's here.

HAYLEY
Here, want to feel it kick?

She places Lorna's hand on her stomach as the baby kicks. They grin at one another as we:

FADE OUT

UNKNOWN OFFICE/SAME NIGHT

The MYSTERY MAN is watching a television newscast, the room around him dark, his face unable to be seen.

NEWCASTER
(on TV)
An explosion in the Brava Offices of Cory Publishing killed two and injured two others today. Those killed were Officer Toni Burrell, a member of the Bay City Police Force, and Cameron Sinclair, the husband of one of Cory's owners and Brava's managing editor, Amanda Cory. Ms. Cory was also hurt in the blaze, as was Victoria Hudson McKinnon---

MYSTERY MAN
(leaning forward)
Victoria!

NEWSCASTER
--Ms. Cory and Mrs. McKinnon were rushed to Bay City University Hospital where Ms. Cory is reported in stable condition, and Mrs. McKinnon is reported in critical condition. Police speculate that the explosion may have been the result of a bomb intended for Carl Hutchins. Mr. Hutchins was not at the offices when the explosion occurred. We'll have more on this story as it unfolds.

The man clicks the television off with the remote control, leaning back in his chair.

MYSTERY MAN
Oh, Victoria, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen.

He stands and faces the large, plate glass window, looking out onto the skyline of a city.

MYSTERY MAN
You can't escape, Carl. I'll get my revenge. Believe me, I'll get my revenge.

As we see his fist clench into a tight ball, we:

FADE OUT

BCUH--VICKY'S HOSPITAL ROOM/NIGHT

VICKY is still unconscious in her hospital bed, JAKE next to her. He reaches out to stroke her face as the door to the room opens and DR. DOYLE walks in.

DR. DOYLE
Mr. McKinnon?

Jake stands up and faces her.

JAKE
Is Vicky okay?

DR. DOYLE
She's fine. I just thought you'd like to know that when the tests came back on the babies, we also learned the sexes.

JAKE
You mean whether they're boys or girls?

DR. DOYLE
No, whether they're alien or human. (She grins). Yes. Boys or girls. Would you like to know?

They're both surprised by a faint voice from the bed.

VICKY
(weakly)
I would.

Jake stares a minute, then runs to her and kneels by her bed.

JAKE
Oh, Vick...I'm so glad you're awake...we were all so worried about you!

VICKY
(teasingly)
I was just trying to get some sleep. I feel a little weak, but nothing major. I'm okay, Jake. I told you I wouldn't leave you.

JAKE
I knew you wouldn't.

DR. DOYLE
We'll examine you in a moment, Mrs. McKinnon...but if you'd both like to know the sex of the twins--

VICKY
Sex? That means they're both the same, right? I want to know. Jake, do you want to know?

JAKE
Don't you want to be surprised?

VICKY
I've had enough surprises for one day. So, are we having sons or daughters?

DR. DOYLE
(smiling)
You're having twin girls.

VICKY
(grinning)
I knew it.

Jake seems to be speechless.

VICKY
What's wrong, McKinnon? Does the thought of two miniature Vickys make you nervous?

JAKE
Girls...two little girls...

DR. DOYLE
(backing towards the door)
I'll be back in a few minutes. I'll let the two of you digest the news first.
(she leaves)

JAKE
Two daughters. We're having two daughters.

VICKY
Two baby girls. Little girls who are going to wrap their daddy around their little fingers.

As they smile at each other, we:

FADE OUT