KEEPING UP WITH THE DEVERAUXES
By Jennifer-Lynn D'Anna
EPISODE 20
SCENE 1: It is the same day. Jack, Jennifer, Bo, Hope, John, and Abe are in a van driving to their destination-the DiMera estate. Bo is driving, Hope is in the passenger seat, John and Abe are in the back going over the blueprints and Jack and Jennifer are sitting in the backseat, still not speaking. Jack is drumming his fingers on his laptop case, which is on his lap. It is annoying Jennifer greatly.
BO: (LOOKING IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR) Any luck, John?
JOHN: (LOOKING INTENTLY AT THE BLUEPRINTS) Not much. Stefano's probably been tipped off that we were coming. Knowing him, he's beefed up security.
JACK: (DRUMMING HIS FINGERS) If there anything like his other henchmen, we should get in with no problem.
JENNIFER: (GRABBING JACK'S FINGERS AND GLARING AT HIM) Bo, did you get a hold of your cousin?
BO: (LOOKING BACK AT HER IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR) No. I tried everywhere he could be, too. (TO HOPE) I should probably call Pop and see if he knows where to get in touch with him.
JACK: I thought you said your cousin was going to help. You don't think he skipped the light fantastic out of here, do you?
BO: (TRYING TO LOOK SURE, BUT REALLY NOT) No, Jack. A Brady never would do that. Never.
(THE SCENE ENDS WITH ALL OF THEM CATCHING BO'S UNSURE LOOK, BUT NOT COMMENTING. LITTLE DOES BO KNOW THAT COLIN, HIS COUSIN, IS REALLY A DIMERA.)
SCENE 2: THE ARRIVAL
(THE GANG HAS JUST ARRIVED AT AN ABANDONED DIRT ROAD. THEY PARK UNDER A TREE)
JACK: (LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW) Unless Stefano's an Ewok, we are definitely not at his home.
JOHN: (OPENING THE VAN DOOR) We can't very well park in his driveway, Deveraux. Everybody out. Fall out soldiers.
(JACK AND JENNIFER LOOK AT EACH OTHER ODDLY AT JOHN'S LAST COMMENT AND RELUCTANTLY FOLLOW THE OTHERS OUT)
BO: (LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD) Abe, how far up the road is DiMera's place?
ABE: According to our calculations some five miles or so. Shane said that in order to distract Stefano, we should probably split up and try different routes.
JOHN: After we camouflage this van. We can't look suspicious.
HOPE: Okay, Jenn and I will get some branches. (TO JENNIFER) Come on.
BO: (TO THE WOMEN) Stay close. Yell if you see anything.
JACK: (WATCHING JENNIFER WALK OFF) After hiding the vehicle, then what do we do?
JOHN: There's only one thing we can do. BEAT) We wait.
(ABE, BO, AND JACK LOOK AT JOHN)
SCENE 3: MAYBE
(HOPE AND JENNIFER ARE GATHERING BRANCHES FOR THE VAN)
JENNIFER: (PICKING UP A BRANCH) This reminds me of when we were on the island after the cruise.
HOPE: Without the sand or the water (SHE SITS DOWN ON A LOG AND SIGHS).
JENNIFER: (SITTING DOWN BESIDE HER) Hope, what's wrong?
HOPE: (RUBBING HER TEMPLES) Nothing. Yes, something. Jenn, what if this isn't true? What if we came here for nothing? I buried one son, I don't want to bury my husband or leave my other son without his parents. Maybe this was a big mistake.
JENNIFER: Hope, how can you say that? Lexie and Isaac are here, we know it.
HOPE: What if they're not, Jenn?
JENNIFER: They are. And before long, you and Bo will have your baby back. And we'll be back in Salem eating Gram's doughnuts.
HOPE: Jenn, I don't know when it got so complicated.
JENNIFER: (RUBBING HOPE'S BACK) You miss JT, don't you?
HOPE: I know he's not mine, but I'll always love him. Jenn, you don't understand what it feels like to lose a child. It feels-
JENNIFER: (QUIETLY) Like a part of you is missing.
(HOPE LOOKS AT JENNIFER WONDERING IF MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, SHE KNOWS MORE ABOUT IT THAN SHE IS LETTING ON)
SCENE 4: THE WAITING GAME
(JOHN HAS JUST INFORMED JACK, ABE, AND BO THAT WAITING IS THEIR ONLY OPTION)
JACK: What do you mean (IMITATING JOHN'S VOICE) "wait"? We know they're there. Why can't we just go in, grab the baby, and bid them adieu?
BO: Jack, what John is trying to say is that they're not going to invite us in for dinner. We have to go under the cover of night.
ABE: It's safer, Jack.
JACK: But won't that be what they're expecting? I mean it's likely that Stefano knows we're here. Besides, they're probably setting up all kinds of traps for us that we can't see in the night. I, for one, don't want to get my foot caught in any bear trap.
BO: You know what, Jack? You're onto something. (TO JOHN) What do you think John? Do you think we should move out sooner?
(THEY ALL LOOK AT JOHN)
JOHN: (THINKING BACK ON A PREVIOUS MISSION WHERE HE AND HIS MEN WERE CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY SNIPERS AT NIGHT) Good thinking men. We should head to our objective as soon as possible. At least a couple of us should.
(BO, JACK, AND ABE LOOK AT EACH OTHER. JACK MOUTHS "OBJECTIVE" AS IF IT'S LUDICROUS)
Abe, do you still have the map?
ABE: Yeah. (HE HANDS IT TO JOHN, WHO KNEELS DOWN TO LOOK AT IT)
JOHN: (READING THE MAP) Gather round troops, this is going to be a dangerous mission.
(JACK LOOKS AT ABE AND BO AND MOUTHS "TROOPS" AND THEN SHRUGS. THEY ALL KNEEL DOWN TO READ THE MAP)
SCENE 5: SECRETS
(HOPE THINKS THAT JENNIFER KNOWS MORE ABOUT LOSING A CHILD THAN SHE IS LETTING ON)
HOPE: Jenn, did you lose a baby while in Africa? I know I asked you if you wanted more children, but you never mention-
JENNIFER: (TURNING AWAY. LYING) Hope, don't be silly. I would've said if that happened. (TURNING TOWARDS HOPE AGAIN) I was just thinking back when Abby was sick, that's all. I felt like my whole world was going to end, that I should be the one sick, losing the battle. If it wasn't for Jack-
HOPE: (KNOWING THAT JENNIFER IS LYING TO HER) What about Jack?
JENNIFER: I don't know, Hope. He was like a rock. I mean, to me he was. He couldn't talk about his feelings, but he assured me that everything would be okay. He was just being Jack, Hope.
HOPE: Is this the same Jack who made you so upset earlier?
JENNIFER: (FIDDLING WITH HER PANTS) I wasn't upset. I don't know what you're talking about.
HOPE: Jenn, you both looked like you were going to cry on the way here. Talk to him...he'll understand.
JENNIFER: Hope, I...I wish I could...I just can't.
HOPE: Why, Jenn?...Why?
(BO CALLS THEM FROM THE CLEARING)
HOPE: (SHE LOOKS AROUND AT THE PEACEFUL SETTING) Paradise lost. (SHE GETS UP AND TOUCHES JENNIFER'S SHOULDER AND LEAVES TO REJOIN THE MEN)
JENNIFER: (FOLLOWING HOPE AND THEN PAUSING TO STOP AND LOOK AT JACK. TO HERSELF) Paradise regained?
SCENE 6: THE BEST LAID PLANS
(THE GROUP HAS JUST FINISHED GOING OVER THE PLANS. JOHN IS PUTTING AWAY THE MAP)
JOHN: So everybody's clear? Nobody varies from the plan...(LOOKING AT ALL OF THEM) Nobody.
HOPE: So Jack and Jenn are going ahead
JENNIFER: Under the premise that we are doing a story.
JACK: While we're there we ask questions, play reporters, but most importantly...
BO: Keep DiMera and his pals distracted.
JOHN: (TO JACK AND JENNIFER) Can you two handle that?
JACK: (SMILING AND STEPPING BEHIND JENNIFER AND PUTTING HIS HANDS ON HER SHOULDERS) I think that we can handle that, thank you very much.
JOHN: Good. Any variation from your orders will be frowned upon.
(JACK LOOKS CONFUSED AT JOHN'S ARMY SPEAK)
ABE: Stick to the plans you two. And if you run into any trouble, call us. (HE HANDS THEM WALKIE-TALKIES) We'll call Shane and get help if anything goes down.
(A FEW SECONDS OF SILENCE PASS)
JACK: (LETTING OUT A BIG BREATH) Okay, Miss Horton, whaddya say we get this show on the road?
JENNIFER: (LOOKING AT HIM) Yeah. We should go. (SHE HUGS HOPE)
HOPE: (HUGGING JENNIFER) Be careful, Jenn. I want to see you eating Gram's doughnuts, too. (BO AND JENNIFER HUG WHILE HOPE HUGS JACK, WHO IS UMCOMFORTABLE) You too, Jack.
(BO AND JACK SHAKE HANDS)
BO: I wish...I wish I had something brotherly to say, Jack. (BEAT) What would Steve say in this situation?
JACK: (SMILING SLIGHTLY AT STEVE'S MENTION) Hehe. He would probably say that I should...that I should keep my head up and my eyes open, actually. Oh, and he'd tell me to take good care of Jennifer.
BO: (THICK WITH EMOTION) Okay, then. Jack, keep your head up and eyes open. Oh, and take good care of Jennifer.
JACK: (TEARING UP A LITTLE) I will. I will. (HE LETS GO OF BO'S HAND AND PUTS HIS ARM AROUND JENNIFER, WHO HAS BEEN WATCHING THIS EXCHANGE WITH GREAT LOVE)
ABE: (NODDING TO JACK AND JENNIFER) Take care.
JOHN: (NODDING TO JACK AND JENNIFER ALSO) Godspeed.
(JACK AND JENNIFER LOOK AT EACH OTHER ODDLY AT JOHN'S COMMENT. THEY THEN CLIMB INTO THE VAN)
SCENE 7:
(JACK AND JENNIFER ARE IN THE VAN HEADING TO THE ESTATE. JACK IS DRIVING AND JENNIFER IS LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW NERVOUSLY)
JACK: And what's with the army speak? I feel as if I should be dressed in camouflage and carrying around an machine gun or some (HE LOOKS OVER AT HER AND REALIZES SHE IS NERVOUS) Jennifer?
JENNIFER: (LOOKING AT HIM) Huh?
JACK: Are you okay? I mean, besides being in the clutches of danger that is.
JENNIFER: I'm fine, Jack. I am a little nervous about all this, though.
JACK: (HE PARKS THE VAN) There's no need to worry. I promise. You trust me, right? (HE LOOKS AT HER WITH DEEP LOVE IN HIS EYES)
(JENNIFER NODS)
I would never let anything happen to you. You mean too much to Abigail...(QUIETLY) And to me.
JENNIFER: (TEARING UP) You always know how to make me feel better, don't you?
JACK: (SMILING) It kind of comes with the territory.
JENNIFER: Thank you, Jack.
JACK: It's nothing. I just don't like seeing you upset, that's all.
JENNIFER: No, Jack, it's more than that. I have been awful to you since we saw each other at the coronation and you, you've been nothing but supportive. (SHE STARTS TO CRY) I'm an awful person.
JACK: (NOT KNOWING WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM) No, no, no...Jennifer, you are not an awful person.
JENNIFER: Yes, I am. (SHE CRIES INTO HER HANDS) All I do is yell at you.
JACK: (REMOVING HER HANDS FROM HER FACE AND CUPPING HER CHIN) Look at me. Jennifer, look at me. It's alright. It's alright. I don't care.
JENNIFER: (SURPRISED) You don't?
JACK: No, I don't. I'll admit, it's not my favorite thing, but the way I look at it...the way I look at it...an angry, bitter Jennifer is better than no Jennifer at all. (HE STROKES HER HAIR)
JENNIFER: (STILL CRYING) Yeah?
JACK: (SMILING. STILL STROKING HER HAIR) Yeah. You have every right to yell at me, too. Jennifer, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have taken that job. I should've talked to you. I'm so sorry for ever leaving you and Abigail. I know you'll probably never be able to forgive me, but I am sorry.
JENNIFER: Jack-
JACK: No, Jennifer. I missed you so much when you were gone. Do you know how much I missed Abigail...and you?
JENNIFER: And me?
JACK: Yes, you. How could I not? (HE BRUSHES HER FACE WITH HIS FINGER) You were my girls. You're still my girls. (HE MOVES IN TO KISS HER)
JENNIFER: (MOVING IN TO KISS HIM AND THEN REMEMBERS SOMETHING) Jack, the baby-
JACK: (PLACING A FINGER TO HER LIPS) Shhhhhhh. Isaac can wait. (HE BRUSHES HER LIPS WITH HIS) I, however, cannot.
(JENNIFER BEGINS TO KISS HIM BACK WHEN SUDDENLY THERE IS A LOUD KNOCK ON THE SIDE OF THE VAN. THEY BOTH JUMP BACK IN SURPRISE)
END OF EPISODE 20
