Episode #69
Immediately After #68

TEASER

INT: SKATING RINK
MIDDAY

COURTNEY, having just unfolded an orange piece of construction paper that she found in her skating bag, lets out a shriek. JASON stops untying his skates and turns to her.

JASON: What is it?

COURTNEY: (unable to remove her eyes from the paper) Oh my God …

JASON: What? Let me see!

He snatches the paper away from Courtney, who makes no protest. He gasps as he reads the cut-out letters on the sheet of paper:

"PREPARE TO DIE, BITCH!"

***

INT: PUBLISHING (TIM’S OFFICE)
MIDDAY

TIM is doing paperwork at his desk when a knock sounds on the door. He looks up at the open doorway to see BRIAN standing there.

TIM: Oh, good, you’re here. Have a seat.

He motions to the two chairs across the desk from him. Brian sits down in one.

BRIAN: What’d you wanna see me about?

TIM: There’s something important that we need to discuss, Brian – something that could affect your life a great deal.

***

INT: HOSPITAL ROOM
MIDDAY

DON gazes up at the WOMAN standing over his bedside.

DON: (weakly) What are you doing here?

She does not respond, but instead puts a finger to his lips.

WOMAN: (whispering) Shh …

He shoves her hand away from his face, obviously disgusted, and rubs his eyes.

DON: What is going on here?

The woman looks down at him and smiles.

DON (CONT’D): Why are you here?

He glances around the room.

DON (CONT’D): And what—what am I doing here? I don’t remember …

She watches his confusion curiously. He seems to pick up on her concern.

DON (CONT’D): No, I mean, I don’t know why I’m here. I remember normal stuff, I guess. (pause) After all – I remember you.

He analyzes her face for a moment.

DON (CONT’D): Am I dreaming? Is that even really you?

The woman’s lips curl up in a grin.

WOMAN: It’s really me, Don … and I’m back.

ACT ONE

INT: SKATING RINK
MIDDAY

JASON stares down in shock at the piece of orange paper with an equally stunned COURTNEY sitting by his side.

JASON: This was in your skating bag?

COURTNEY: Yeah … I just found it.

JASON: Who – what do you think this means?

COURTNEY: It’s pretty damn obvious: Somebody’s out to get me! I knew it!

JASON: Maybe you’re jumping to conclusions, Courtney. Maybe this is just … just a practical joke.

COURTNEY: Practical joke my ass. This was put here for the same reason that the window was broken up at the cabin, for the same reason that my father was pushed off that ladder: Shannon is out for revenge.

She stares into her boyfriend’s eyes ominously.

***

INT: HOSPITAL ROOM
MIDDAY

The mysterious WOMAN smiles down at a weary DON.

DON: I don’t understand … What are you doing here?

WOMAN: I came to see you.

Don’s mouth hangs open.

DON: Again, I don’t understand. (pause) Why? Why now – why at all?

WOMAN: Because, Don … I care about you.

DON: How can you say that?!?

WOMAN: What do you mean?

DON: How can you just waltz in here and say you care about me, after everything you did to me?

WOMAN: Very easily, apparently.

DON: Yeah, well, it’s not as easy as it looks. (pause) I don’t believe this.

WOMAN: Neither do I. I can’t believe I’m standing here, talking to you, after all this time.

He is silent.

WOMAN (CONT’D): Say something, Don.

DON: What do you want me to say? Do you want me to welcome you back with open arms? Well, it ain’t gonna happen!

The smile scampers off her face at these words.

DON (CONT’D): Did you expect to be immediately forgiven? (pause) Did you expect to be forgiven at all?

She nods her head, suddenly very melancholy.

DON (CONT’D): Is that what you expected? Well, think again. The world doesn’t work like that, Sally!

The anger in his eyes is visible as he glares up at her.

ACT TWO

INT: SKATING RINK
MIDDAY

JASON holds the folded orange sheet as he and COURTNEY speak.

JASON: Maybe you’re right …

COURTNEY: Of course I am! Who else would have any kind of motive to do these kind of things to my family and me?

Despite his consideration, Jason is unable to come up with an answer.

JASON: I don’t know. Maybe …

He trails off.

JASON (CONT’D): Maybe it is Shannon after all. Maybe this is just another of her sick schemes. (pause) But how is she pulling it off?

COURTNEY: She obviously has someone outside the prison working for her.

JASON: No – that can’t be.

COURTNEY: Why? Because it doesn’t make sense – or because you don’t wanna believe that there’s someone else in our lives who we really can’t trust?

***

INT: PUBLISHING (TIM’S OFFICE)
MIDDAY

TIM and BRIAN are seated across the desk from each other.

BRIAN: What are you talking about, Tim?

TIM: I think you know exactly what I mean, Brian. I need some answers from you.

BRIAN: Answers? About what?

TIM: About you – about who you really are.

BRIAN: Huh? (pause) What is this, you dug up some stuff about how I grew up or whatever and you don’t think I’m good enough to be with Molly?

TIM: No, it’s not that. But you’re right – this does concern your relationship with Molly.

BRIAN: In what way?

Tim glares at him, trying to see if he will break under the pressure. He doesn’t.

BRIAN (CONT’D): Will you please tell me what is going on, Tim?

Tim hesitates but finally forces the words out.

TIM: Let me just get to the point: Did you or did you not help Diane out when she was messing with my life and my marriage?

ACT THREE

INT: HOSPITAL ROOM
MIDDAY

An infuriated DON looks up at SALLY, the woman who has come to visit him.

SALLY: I know that what I did was wrong, Don. It was. And I’m sorry for it. The last thing I ever wanted was to hurt you -- or to drive you away.

DON: Well, you sure did a bang-up job of it. (pause) Will you get out of my room now, Sally?

Sally does not respond, but neither does she move.

DON (CONT’D): I said, get out!

SALLY: How can you be so cold to me?

DON: It’s not as hard as it looks.

He turns away from her. Faint tears begin to well up in her eyes.

SALLY: How can you say things like that, Don? Don’t you remember everything that we used to have? Don’t you remember all the good times?

DON: (still not looking at her) Not as vividly as I remember all the hell you put me through.

SALLY: Like I said, I never meant to hurt you!

DON: It doesn’t matter now, does it? That’s over and done with. I have a life of my own now, and I’m sure you do too. Any connection between us is a thing of the past.

SALLY: Are you sure of that, Don?

***

INT: PUBLISHING (TIM’S OFFICE)
MIDDAY

TIM awaits an answer from BRIAN, who appears to have been taken completely by surprise by Tim’s question.

TIM: So did you?

BRIAN: What?!? (pause) What are you talking about?

Tim leans back in his chair.

TIM: Diane told Claire and me that she had some help in all her schemes against us -- and she got it from you.

BRIAN: That’s insane!

TIM: Are you sure?

BRIAN: Believe me, I’m positive.

TIM: Answer me one more question: Why would Diane lie about something like that?

BRIAN: Damned if I know.

TIM: So how am I supposed to believe you?

BRIAN: There’s one way to find out, isn’t there?

He picks up the telephone and dials the extension for Diane’s office. Out on his anxiety as the phone is heard ringing on the other end.

ACT FOUR

INT: SKATING RINK
MIDDAY

COURTNEY and JASON are still seated on the bench, having stopped taking their skates off.

JASON: No, it’s just -- I don’t know. (pause) Do you think she might actually try to pull something like this?

COURTNEY: She killed her own parents! Of course she would!

JASON: Good point.

He removes one of his skates and sticks it in the bag as he continues talking.

JASON (CONT’D): I guess the possibility of Shannon -- or anyone -- being capable of something like that really does terrify me.

COURTNEY: I’m with you on that. It freaks me out that this kind of stuff really does happen ... Especially when it’s my life that’s being threatened.

Their skates now off, the two zip up their bags and stand.

JASON: Okay. Let’s hit the road.

COURTNEY: Oh, you know what? I totally forgot! Lauren is coming to pick me up -- we’re going over to the mall.

JASON: Okay ... I’ll see you later, then, right?

COURTNEY: If you’re good ...

She kisses him.

JASON: You got it.

He begins walking away.

JASON (CONT’D): Love you! See you later!

COURTNEY: I love you too!

Jason heads off. Courtney begins walking away, the death threat folded in her hand, when SANDY approaches.

SANDY: Hey! Great job today!

COURTNEY: Thanks ... it was so much fun!

SANDY: You guys are gonna do great skating together again, I can tell you that right now. (pause) And things don’t look so bad off the ice either, huh?

She smiles, obviously oblivious to the fact that Courtney has just received a note threatening her life. Courtney simply returns the smile.

***

INT: HOSPITAL ROOM
MIDDAY

The flow of tears having stopped momentarily, SALLY stands over DON looking hopeful.

DON: It’s not gonna happen, Sally. Give it up.

SALLY: What do you mean, it’s never gonna happen? What exactly do you think it is I want from you, anyway?

DON: Oh, I don’t know -- maybe to try to get me--

SALLY: (interrupting) --to forgive me. To accept my apology for everything that happened between us all those years ago. (pause) That’s all I want from you, Don.

DON: Are you sure?

SALLY: I’m absolutely certain.

Though he has softened a bit at seeing her genuine plea for forgiveness, Don remains rather icy.

DON: I don’t know, Sally. You can’t just expect me to forgive you the minute you walk in here after so much time apart.

SALLY: I know. It was stupid of me. (pause) But I read about your accident in the paper and I realized it was time to make amends for everything. Life is just too short to keep bad feelings alive.

DON: (seeming not to have heard a good deal of what she has just said) My accident? What accident?

SALLY: With the ladder ... you don’t remember?

DON: No, I have no idea. The last thing I remember is being outside fixing the gutter -- out on the ladder! That’s it! I must have fallen off the ladder, right?

SALLY: That’s what the newspaper said. (pause) At least you pretty much remember everything.

DON: Thank the Lord for that. What’s the date today?

SALLY: Your accident was two weeks ago.

DON: Wow. (pause) Wh--

He is interrupted by the sound of a voice from out in the hallway.

HELEN (OS): Oh, hi, Claire! (pause) I’m just going to check in on Don ...

Don freezes as his eyes meet with Sally’s, realizing that his wife is about to enter the room and find him not only out of his coma but also talking with a mysterious woman.

ACT FIVE

INT: PUBLISHING (TIM’S OFFICE)
MIDDAY

BRIAN sits with the phone to his ear as TIM waits.

BRIAN: (on phone) Yeah, hi, it’s me. (pause) I need you to talk to Tim about something for me, would you?

He hands Tim the phone.

TIM: Diane, I have to ask you an important question, and I need you to give me an honest answer.

DIANE (OS): Go ahead.

TIM: Did you lie about Brian helping you out?

There is only silence on the other end.

TIM (CONT’D): Diane?

DIANE (OS): All right, I admit it! I lied!

TIM: You what?

Brian leans forward in his chair, feigning intrigue.

BRIAN: What did she say?

Tim rests the phone on his shoulder for a moment.

TIM: She says she lied.

He puts the phone to his ear again.

TIM (CONT’D): (on phone) Okay, Diane, I’ll deal with you later – and I’m sure Brian will want to also.

Brian gives an exaggerated nod.

TIM (CONT’D): (on phone) But I’m going now, okay? Bye.

He hangs up the phone.

TIM (CONT’D): I don’t believe it. How could she lie about something like that? (pause) I’m sorry that you got dragged into this, man. I should’ve known she was lying.

BRIAN: Really, it’s no problem. I’m just glad we got this all straightened out.

Tim extends his hand for a handshake as they both stand. Brian shakes his hand as he thinks to himself.

BRIAN (THINKING): Thank you, Diane.

***

INT: HOSPITAL ROOM
MIDDAY

A panic-stricken DON looks up at SALLY.

SALLY: Who is that?

DON: It’s my wife! Hide!

SALLY: Your wife?!?

DON: Yes, I have a life of my own— We’ll discuss this later. Just hide!

Sally hesitates for a brief moment before hiding in the closet. Just as she pulls the door closed from inside, the door to the room opens and HELEN enters. She is stunned to find her husband awake.

HELEN: Don! You’re awake!

Unsure of what to say and already uncomfortable, he just grins widely and opens his arms for a hug. Over Helen’s shoulder, he grimaces. It is apparent by his expression that the sudden reappearance of Sally in his life spells nothing but trouble.

***

EXT: SKATING RINK
MIDDAY

A car pulls up to the curb outside the skating rink. The engine remains running as LAUREN sits inside the car waiting for Courtney.

LAUREN: (sotto voce) C’mon, Court …

As she waits, she casually glances around the parking lot. Her eye is caught by something at the door – the fact that DR. SMITH is exiting the rink. She recognizes him from the hospital and appears confused at seeing him here.

As he makes his way across the parking lot, trying to maintain a steady pace and remain inconspicuous, Dr. Smith is unaware that Lauren has spotted him. A look of definite discomfort rests upon his face as he reaches his car, recalling a scene from several days before …

CUT TO:

FLASHBACK

INT: HOSPITAL ROOM
AFTERNOON

A comatose DON is lying in the bed, hooked up to various machines. The door opens; DR. SMITH enters and approaches the bed slowly.

DR. SMITH: (quietly) Mr. Chase ...

He stands over the bed with a taut look on his face, looking down at the unconscious Don.

DR. SMITH (CONT’D): (quietly) Mr. Chase, wake up. You have to. (pause) You have to wake up.

He glances towards the door nervously and then looks back at Don. He swallows anxiously.

CUT TO:

EXT: SKATING RINK
MIDDAY

DR. SMITH shudders at this memory as he pauses next to his car.

END OF EPISODE #69

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