03x01 - Like You Like an Arsonist

[bunniefuu]

[EXT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – EVENING]

(sh*t of the front of the dealership as the fire rages within. It escapes from the windows and moves up and around the building.)

CUT TO:

[INT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – DAN’S OFFICE – EVENING]

(Close up of the shelves in Dan’s office which are still blazing. Dan’s basketball jersey burns, along with his pictures and trophies.)

(Cut to Dan who is unconscious in his chair. There’s a b*at before the fire explodes.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – EVENING]

(The window breaks as the fire moves through it and up into the sky.)

FADE TO:

[EXT. SCOTT RESIDENCE (EST) – EVENING]

(Birdseye view of the entrance.)

CUT TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – FRONT DOOR – EVENING]

(Nathan carries his bags into the house and pushes the door closed with his elbow. He drops the bags.)

DEB: (o.s) Oh, Nathan, I was hoping that was you(!)

(She rushes to greet him. Nathan looks up at her.)

DEB: I’ve been here alone all night.

NATHAN: (Evasively) I had… something to do.

DEB: (b*at) Oh, honey. (Hugs him.)

(She lets go of him and steps back.)

DEB: I know this is hard for you but… I promise you, we’ll be free soon.

NATHAN: (Thinking before answering honestly.) I know we will.

(Deb nods and the phone rings. She touches his arm before turning around and walking back into the living room to answer it.)

(Nathan sighs and turns around, opening the door to get the last of his bags. He stops when he sees Haley standing there.)

HALEY: (Sadly) Hi.

NATHAN: (Determinedly stoic.) What’re you doing here?

HALEY: I wanna come home, Nathan.

(Nathan scoffs disbelievingly.)

NATHAN: Yeah, this is really bad timing. Uh-

(He’s cut off as Deb rushes to the door.)

DEB: (Exiting) Nathan, we have to go.

(She walks past Haley without acknowledging her.)

NATHAN: What’s going on?

DEB: (o.s) It’s urgent. It’s your father. We have to go now.

(The camera stays on Haley’s increasingly shocked face. Nathan shuts the door behind him.)

NATHAN: (To Haley.) I’m sorry.

(He follows his mother.)

(Haley stays at the doorway, unsure of where she stands and what to do. Deb looks at her.)

DEB: Haley?

(Haley turns to her.)

DEB: Come with us.

(She looks at Haley for a b*at before turning around to her car. sh*t of Nathan who turns too but doesn’t argue. Haley rushes for the car.)

FADE TO:

[EXT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – WINDOW – EVENING]

(The fire is still burning the blinds and shelves.)

FADE TO:

[EXT. THE BEACH – EVENING]

(Lucas walks down the beach and sits by Peyton.)

LUCAS: (Looking at the ocean.) Looks like it’s just you and me this summer.

(Peyton looks at him sadly and nods. She hugs him, burying her head in his shoulder, before letting go. Lucas looks at her with concern. She sniffs.)

LUCAS: Peyton, what’s wrong?

(She shakes her head and looks down, about to cry.)

LUCAS: Come on, let’s get you home.

PEYTON: (Still shaking her head.) Uh-uh. I can’t be there alone.

(Lucas looks away, unsure of what to do.)

PEYTON: (Pause) Will you stay with me?

(He looks at her, completely aware of what could happen and how bad it could possibly get.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – ENTRANCE – EVENING]

(The camera pans across the front of the building before zooming in on the deafening fire.)

FADE TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – PEYTON’S BEDROOM – EVENING]

(sh*t of Peyton’s ‘Sometimes They Come Back’ sketch before the camera pans right to the doorway. Peyton enters. Lucas walks in behind her, slowly. She is beyond distressed.)

LUCAS: Peyton, you gotta talk to me. What’s going on with you?

PEYTON: (Her back to him.) I’ve been getting these creepy e-mails lately. And then… tonight, this woman shows up… and she… knew things about me.

(Lucas moves further into the room.)

LUCAS: What kinda things?

PEYTON: (Finally turns around.) She said she’s my mother(!) (Pause) My mum’s dead, Luke. I was there in the hospital(!) I-I watched her die!

(Lucas is confused and tries to speak but is cut off by a siren out on the street, as the vehicle speeds by. Peyton follows his gaze to the window and notices his face.)

PEYTON: (Confused) What?

LUCAS: (Looking at the window.) I did something tonight, Peyton (Pause) and I can’t take it back.

(Cut between them before Lucas finally looks at her, distressed.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – EVENING]

(sh*t of the dealership sign as it is being pelted with water. Pan down to show two firemen fighting the fire. Someone rushes past the sh*t which has now focussed on Deb, Nathan and Haley, rushing onto the scene looking shocked and horrified. sh*t of a car near the inferno.)

DEB: (To Nathan.) It’s your father’s car. He was working late.

(Close-up of Nathan’s hand, at his side, as Haley slips hers into it and intertwines her fingers with his. Nathan looks down for a b*at but doesn’t say anything. Haley continues to look ahead.)

(A fireman approaches Deb.)

FIREMAN: Mrs Scott?

DEB: My husband was inside(!)

FIREMAN: They didn’t tell you?

(Deb doesn’t answer that. The fireman nods.)

FIREMAN: Wait here.

(He turns and walks away.)

FIREMAN: (o.s) Captain, Mrs Scott’s here.

(Nathan and Haley gape as paramedics wheel Dan from the side of the ambulance. He’s hooked up to medical equipment and oxygen, looking very sooty and black, but alive. He looks at them.)

(Deb looks at Nathan who is frowning at his father. Dan breathes, very much like Darth Vader.)

FADE TO BLACK:

END OF TEASER:

OPENING CREDITS ROLL:

FADE IN:

[INT. NEW BRUNSWICK COUNTY AIRPORT – ARRIVALS – DAY]

(Camera pans down from the ‘welcome’ sign in the airport. ‘Three months later’ appears at the bottom of the screen.)

(Lucas is standing there with a bouquet of flowers, looking at them. He looks sideways and sees Brooke walking down with new bangs, luggage and a big smile.)

BROOKE: (Stops in front of him.) OK, putting aside the fact that I do look pretty good considering I’ve been on the plane for like a day and a half, you cannot ambush me at the airport with flowers and a… nicely tanned, end-of-summer, body, considering the way we left things… (Stops short when she sees Lucas’ frown.)

(He looks sideways and Brooke turns to look too. Karen is standing there with wavy hair and a smile.)

BROOKE: (Finishing) … three months ago. (Looks away, embarrassed. Whispers.) OK.

LUCAS: Actually, I’m just… here to pick up my mom from New Zealand. (Uncomfortable) I didn’t think you were coming in till tomorrow.

BROOKE: (Smiling stiffly.) You thought wrong. (Looks to her left.) Oh, look, there’s my cab; (Looks back at him.) quick, maybe you can tell me you love me or something(!)

(She snarks and walks off. Lucas closes his eyes, sighing. He looks at his mum and smiles, holding out the flowers.)

KAREN: (Smiles) Hi, honey. (Takes the flowers.)

(She hugs him.)

LUCAS: Welcome home, mom. (Conspiratorially) You haven’t missed a thing.

(He looks towards the entrance. Karen hesitates before looking at the entrance too, unnerved.)

CUT TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – PEYTON’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Peyton is at her wall. She is painting the number 6 on it with bright red paint. Her hair is now short and straight. Lucas enters.)

LUCAS: (Looking at it for a second.) Bout time.

(Peyton turns to him quickly.)

LUCAS: Well, I knew you couldn’t go an entire summer without doing something in here.

(Peyton puts the brush down.)

PEYTON: Whatever(!) (Puts her hand on her hip, teasing.) You don’t know me.

LUCAS: Oh, I think I do.

(She smiles and hugs him.)

PEYTON: OK, so, check it out, Tom Sawyer. (Picks up her brush and points it at him.) If you’re lucky, I might let you help me, and if you’re really lucky, I might even let you pay to help me.

(Lucas mock gasps.)

PEYTON: Whaddaya say?

(Lucas straightens and looks at her sketch of Lucas, Brooke and herself pointing r*fles at her heart.)

LUCAS: Brooke’s home.

(Peyton looks at the picture. His smile falls.)

LUCAS: Went to the airport this morning to pick up my mom and ‘poof’, there was Brooke.

PEYTON: ‘Poof’?

LUCAS: (Nods) ‘Poof’.

PEYTON: Hmm. (Pause) What’re gonna tell her?

(Lucas looks at Peyton and blinks but doesn’t say a word.)

CUT TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – NATHAN’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Dan is in Nathan’s bedroom, looking through pages and books. Deb walks up and stops at the doorway.)

DEB: (Sighs) You’re not doing this again.

(He ignores her and keeps looking.)

DEB: You’ve turned Nathan’s room inside-out how many times over the last three months?

DAN: Those annulment papers gotta be here somewhere(!)

(He scratches his back.)

DEB: Dan, you know what the doctor said – getting agitated is just gonna make your burns itch.

(He stops scratching himself and glares at her, before walking around Nathan’s bed to continue looking.)

DEB: (Sighing) Isn’t this really about the dealership?

(Dan throws things off the bed and tips a box upside-down, emptying it out.)

DEB: It’s nearly rebuilt; you’ll be going to work soon.

(Dan drops the box forcefully.)

DEB: It might bring back some bad memories.

(Dan turns to look at her.)

WHITE FLASH:

FLASHBACK TO:

[INT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – DAN’S OFFICE – EVENING]

(There are quick successive sh*ts of Dan burning in the dealership and then lying on the hospital table as his burns are treated. His screams echo.)

END OF FLASHBACK:

WHITE FLASH TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – NATHAN’S BEDROOM – DAY]

DAN: (Slowly) I had a dream. (Pause) I was at the office,… everything was normal.

FLASH TO:

DREAM SEQUENCE:

[INT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – DAN’S OFFICE – EVENING]

(Dan enters his office. There are quick, hard, sh*ts of him standing by his shelves then looking down to see his sleeve burning.)

END OF DREAM SEQUENCE:

CUT TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – NATHAN’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Dan blinks hard and looks back at Deb.)

DAN: Then my arm was on fire.

CUT TO:

DREAM SEQUENCE:

[INT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – DAN’S OFFICE – EVENING]

(More quick, blunt sh*ts of him looking at his arm.)

END OF DREAM SEQUENCE:

CUT TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – NATHAN’S BEDROOM – DAY]

DEB: (Entering the room slowly.) And y-you still don’t remember how it happened?

(Dan looks down and tries to remember.)

DAN: I was drinking-

CUT TO FLASHBACK:

[INT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – DAN’S OFFICE – EVENING]

(Dan drinks from the glass before knocking the bottle down. Flames spread across the alcohol.)

END OF FLASHBACK:

CUT TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – NATHAN’S BEDROOM – DAY]

DAN: (Shakes his head.) I passed out.

CUT TO FLASHBACK:

[INT.DAN SCOTT MOTORS – DAN’S OFFICE – EVENING]

(He hits the floor as the flames lick up the side of the cabinets and up the wall.)

END OF FLASHBACK:

CUT TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – NATHAN’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Still looking off into the distance.)

DAN: Then I was on the outside.

CUT TO FLASHBACK:

[INT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – DAN’S OFFICE – EVENING]

(Dan is lying out on the pavement as the camera cuts back between the burning building and him.)

END OF FLASHBACK:

CUT TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – NATHAN’S BEDROOM – DAY]

DAN: On the edge of an inferno. Everything in-between is black.

DEB: I-I suppose o-our survival skills are more than we know.

(Dan raises an eyebrow and looks away.)

DEB: At least Nathan will be home soon.

DAN: Which home, Deb? This one… or with Haley?

(He scratches his back again and Deb sighs.)

CUT TO:

[INT. HIGH FLYERS – BASKETBALL COURT – DAY]

(Bird’s-eye view of the court and the people sitting around on the bleachers. The camera pans and moves down as Nathan moves into the sh*t, dribbling his basketball. He throws the ball and gets it into the hoop. A team-mate walks onto the court and approaches him.)

TEAM-MATE: Yo, Big Time, you got a letter, man.

NATHAN: (Stops dribbling and walks to him.) Letter? From who?

TEAM-MATE: I don’t know, but whoever it is, (Smells the letter and smiles) she smells hot. (Hands the letter over and steals Nathan’s ball.)

(He bounces it once and slams it through the hoop. He catches the ball again, walks to Nathan and gives it back.)

TEAM-MATE: You better just hope she doesn’t meet me.

(Nathan smiles and takes the ball as his team-mate walks off. He looks down at the letter. It’s addressed to him at High Flyers.)

(He opens the letter.)

WHITE FLASH:

FLASHBACK TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – NATHAN’S BEDROOM – EVENING]

(Nathan is standing at his window with his arms crossed; looking out at the view. Haley walks to the door and knocks once. He turns.)

HALEY: Hey, that was your mom on the phone. She said she’s gonna spend the night at the hospital with your dad.

NATHAN: (Scoffs) Unbelievable. They should have a Scott family discount. (Sighs)

HALEY: (Looks down.) I’m really sorry, Nathan.

NATHAN: About my dad or about us?

HALEY: …Bout everything.

(Nathan looks away, indifferently.)

NATHAN: So, what’re you doing here anyway? Tour playing Tree Hill?

HALEY: No. They wanted me to become a… solo artist and record a record or something, but… I didn’t matter without you. None of it mattered without you.

(Nathan raises his eyebrows uncaringly.)

HALEY: (Sighs) I made a lot of mistakes, Nathan.

NATHAN: (Not giving her a chance.) That’s right… and if you left the tour for me, you made another one, coz I’m leaving in the morning; I’m going to High Flyers.

(Haley pauses as she thinks of something to say.)

HALEY: Oh(!) (Pause) Well, good. Good, you deserve it. You deserve to have whatever you want. (Smiles)

NATHAN: (Pause) Well, listen, there’s-there’s no more apartment and… I put all your stuff in storage… so you can spend the night in the guest room if you want.

(Haley nods gratefully. She’s finding it hard but turns to leave his room. She stops before she gets there and turns back.)

HALEY: Nathan, there wasn’t a moment when I was away… that my heart wasn’t with you in Tree Hill.

NATHAN: (Dispassionately) That’s great(!) (Pause) But I’m still leaving tomorrow, and unlike you, I’m taking my heart with me.

(He turns back to look out of the window. Haley doesn’t say anything.)

FADE TO:

[INT. ROE RESIDENCE – LUCAS’ BEDROOM – DAY]

(Pan to show Brooke packing up all of the things she left in Lucas’ bedroom before she left for California. Lucas stands in the doorway and smiles.)

LUCAS: You talking to me yet?

BROOKE: (Smiles) Yeah.

LUCAS: Good. (Walks in.) And I bought you flowers. (Holds out some flowers that are obviously not store bought.)

(Brooke takes them.)

BROOKE: Oh(!) (Laughs) They’re very nice. Where did you get them?

LUCAS: Neighbour’s yard.

BROOKE: Hmm. (Nods)

(They smile at each other.)

BROOKE: Look, I’m sorry about the airport earlier.

LUCAS: Ah, it’s cool, you know.

BROOKE: No, I felt stupid for jumping to conclusions and… maybe a little jealous that you weren’t actually there for me. (Smiles)

(He smiles back.)

BROOKE: It’s good to see you, Luke.

(She hugs him.)

BROOKE: How ya been?

WHITE FLASH:

FLASHBACK TO:

[INT. ROE RESIDENCE – LUCAS’/BROOKE’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Brooke breaks her kiss with Lucas and looks at him in shock.)

BROOKE: (Sad) Tell me that was a goodbye kiss.

LUCAS: I wanna be with you, Brooke.

(Brooke steps back.)

END OF FLASHBACK:

WHITE FLASH TO:

[INT. ROE RESIDENCE – LUCAS’ BEDROOM – DAY]

LUCAS: Look, I know it wasn’t fair, how I told you… I wanted to be with you when your cab was just parked right outside… I just… saw you slipping away and… I guess I panicked.

BROOKE: (Shrugs) It’s OK. (Smiles) Really. It is. (Lucas walks forward.) I actually had the whole summer to think about this and I thought we could totally have a summer-like fling (Takes a dress out of the closet.) just… in the fall.

(Lucas crouches by the bed as Brooke packs more of her stuff.)

BROOKE: And… non-exclusive. (Looks at him carefully.)

LUCAS: Non-exclusive. How does that work? (Stands up again.)

BROOKE: Well, we hang out, we go to movies, we have fun.

LUCAS: (Considers) Do we kiss?

BROOKE: You bet your ass we kiss. (Smiles)

LUCAS: Do we do more than kiss? (Raises his eyebrows.)

BROOKE: Maybe.

(Lucas smiles and looks away.)

BROOKE: But we also date other people. (Lucas looks back at her and she shrugs.) So, whaddaya think?

LUCAS: I kinda think… (Points at her.) you’re a genius.

BROOKE: Oh, you’re just figuring that out now, are you?

(Lucas smiles and rests his arm on his chest of drawers.)

BROOKE: I missed you, Lucas Scott.

LUCAS: And I missed you too, pretty girl.

(She smiles and zips her bag up.)

BROOKE: Call me later. (Picks her bag up.) I have to go deal with Peyton’s whole ‘I’m you mother’ scenario.

LUCAS: Right(!) (Sighs) That one’s pretty messy.

BROOKE: Yeah, so I’ve heard. (Walks to the door.) And I leave for a couple months, crazy mom starts showing up and… there’s all these things you don’t know.

(She smiles and looks back at him before exiting. He watches her.)

LUCAS: (To himself.) Yeah(!)

WHITE FLASH:

FLASHBACK TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – PEYTON’S BEDROOM – EVENING]

(Peyton is lying on her back in bed, wide awake and tense.)

PEYTON: (Wide-eyed) Did you hear something?

LUCAS: (o.s) (Sighs) Look, Peyton, I locked all the doors, (Pause) I didn’t hear anything. You’re fine, OK?

(Lucas is sitting in a chair by her desk. Peyton sighs and looks to the other side of her room.)

PEYTON: (Evasively) So… Brooke said… you kept some of the stuff from when we were… sort of… whatever we were. (Pause) She thinks you’re still into me.

LUCAS: I told Brooke I wanted to be with her, today. (Pause) Before she left.

(There’s a b*at before Peyton starts laughing. She sits up.)

PEYTON: (Nods) Nice timing.

LUCAS: (Sourly amused.) I’m a real piece of work, huh? (Shakes his head.) I mean,… every time I play it in my mind, this… idiot-light keeps flashing at me. Like… ‘shut up!’ ‘shut up(!)’.

(Peyton nods.)

PEYTON: Yeah. Yeah, you say too much or… like me with Jake, you don’t say enough… and then they’re gone.

LUCAS: Yeah. I’m sorry about Jake.

PEYTON: Yeah, me too. It broke my heart.

LUCAS: (Sighs) It’s been a tough year on hearts.

(Peyton nods.)

LUCAS: So it’s… too bad we had to be this desperate to hang out again, huh?

(She laughs.)

PEYTON: Well, we didn’t have to be, we just are.

(Lucas sighs.)

PEYTON: But, I’m glad you’re here, you know? I know we kinda lost each other for a while but… hopefully that’s over, right? Especially considering our history.

LUCAS: It’s always gonna be there, isn’t it? (Pause) You and me.

(Peyton waits for a b*at before nodding.)

END OF FLASHBACK:

WHITE FLASH TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – PEYTON’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Peyton finishes painting a seven onto her wall in the red paint. She looks to the side at four pictures she drew. In each picture, she gets older and her dad’s barge sails further and further away.)

(The camera zooms into them slowly before cutting back to Peyton.)

WHITE FLASH:

FLASHBACK TO:

[EXT. TREE HILL – THE DOCK – DAY]

(Peyton stands at the dock and waits for her father. She turns to look at him as he walks up to her.)

LARRY: Hi, sweetheart.

PEYTON: Is it true?

LARRY: (Sighs) Honey, look.

PEYTON: You said you wanted to talk about it face-to-face, dad, so, we’re face-to-face. (Pause) Is this woman my mother?

LARRY: (Pause) Your mom… is gone, Peyton. You know that.

(Peyton looks down. Larry sighs and looks out over the sea before looking back.)

LARRY: But… you biological mother is alive.

(Peyton absorbs it before looking up at him in shock.)

END OF FLASHBACK:

WHITE FLASH TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – PEYTON’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Peyton stares off, thinking.)

FADE TO:

[INT. ROE RESIDENCE – LUCAS’ BEDROOM – DAY]

(Lucas’ bedroom door is open and he looks at it whilst sitting on the bed. He looks around at the room. Brooke’s presence has gone.)

FADE TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – LIVING ROOM – DAY]

(Dan stands in front of the mirror and holds a lighter, with a small flame burning, in front of him. The camera pans down to a sh*t his burn, showing through his t*nk top, on the back of his shoulder.)

FADE TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – DAN AND DEB’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Deb is holding a picture taken during her and Dan’s wedding. There is an envelope behind it. She takes it in the other hand and looks on, determined. She looks back down at the picture.)

FADE TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – PEYTON’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Peyton’s looking down at something. She looks back up and remembers.)

WHITE FLASH:

FLASHBACK TO:

[INT. CEMETERY – ANNA SAWYER’S GRAVE – DAY]

(Peyton is sitting on her mother’s grave, sketching hard. She stops when someone stops beside her. Larry is there, with flowers. Peyton doesn’t move.)

LARRY: I never knew you father. (He sets the flowers down and touches the gravestone before straightening.) We only met Ellie. We asked that she not make contact with you unless you requested it.

(He looks at her before sitting down beside her.)

LARRY: (b*at) You know, sometimes it’s hard for me to look at you without seeing your mom.

(sh*t of the gravestone which reads ‘Anna Rebecca; Beloved Wife and Mother’.)

LARRY: You got so much from her in such a short time.

(Peyton is silent for a long time before shoving the pad onto his lap.)

PEYTON: What did I get from her… exactly? Other than lies(!) (She stands and walks to her car.)

(Larry looks at the sky, desolate. He looks down at the sketch. It’s of a traffic light with the caption ‘People Always Lie; mom? dad? Peyton?’ Their heads are sketched in the traffic lights.)

END OF FLASHBACK:

WHITE FLASH TO:

[INT. JAMES SCOTT EX-APARTMENT – FRONT DOOR – DAY]

(Haley walks into the apartment, having just returned from the tour, and the first thing she sees is the wall with pink paint over her picture. She frowns at it and sighs.)

END OF FLASHBACK:

FADE TO:

[INT. JAMES SCOTT EX-APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM – DAY]

(Haley is still looking at the d*sfigured wall.)

WHITE FLASH:

FLASHBACK TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – GUEST ROOM – EVENING]

(Haley is unpacking at the bed. Nathan enters the room and sighs.)

NATHAN: (Grudgingly) Just wanted to make sure you have everything you need.

HALEY: You mean other than you?(!) (Closes her eyes and sighs.) Sorry. That wasn’t fair.

(There’s a long pause and Haley gets more uncomfortable and Nathan looks around.)

HALEY: This is really weird, Nathan. (Sits on the bed.) You know, I can just call Peyton or Lucas or something.

NATHAN: No, Haley, it’s late. (Inhales) Besides, what’s the difference? You turn the lights out; it’s all the same darkness, right? (About to leave.)

HALEY: (Quickly) Nathan- (Sighs) You know,… you know when you took those dr*gs before the game… where you collapsed?

(Nathan crosses his arms and listens.)

HALEY: You made a mistake. But… I know you promised yourself that if you had a second chance, you would do things differently. (Looks down sadly.) I know that I hurt you. (Pause) But I promised myself that if I could get you to listen, um… I would tell you that… (Stands up.) there was never a day on that tour… when I didn’t think you were the best part of my life.

NATHAN: (Restrained) You can’t just say that, Haley. Not after months of silence.

HALEY: Why? It’s the truth.

NATHAN: Really?

HALEY: Yeah.

NATHAN: Well, what about the day you signed the annulment papers?

HALEY: The papers that you initiated?(!)

NATHAN: Yeah, after I drove a thousand miles to see you and you didn’t even call me after I left(!) Must have been a hell of an encore(!)

HALEY: (Disbelieving) Nathan, you just walked away!

NATHAN: Well, it beats running away.

HALEY: I did call.

NATHAN: You called our answering machine, Haley(!)

HALEY: Because I knew that you were gonna hang up on me anyway so I had to leave a message!

(Nathan shrugs.)

NATHAN: Well, I didn’t even play it. (Pause) I deleted you.

HALEY: (Sighs and looks at him.) Well,… the you deleted… this. ‘Um… I was being childish when I walked away from you for the tour. You gave me an ultimatum the night that I left and, uh,… I fought back, for all the wrong reasons… and I was being stubborn-

(Nathan raises his eyebrows and nods.)

HALEY: (Continues) -and I can’t take that back. I wish that I could. Did I wanna go – yeah. I loved it. I loved every night of it… but I want you to know something, Nathan: There was never a night… (Walks forward.) where I loved it more than I loved you.’

(She looks at him seriously.)

END OF FLASHBACK:

WHITE FLASH TO:

[INT. JAMES SCOTT EX-APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM – DAY]

(Haley continues to stare at the wall. Brooke enters from behind and walks to Haley. Haley turns to look at her.)

BROOKE: (About the wall.) Pretty angry, huh?

HALEY: (Turns back.) Yeah. You’d think after three months, this would have gone away.

BROOKE: (Shakes her head.) I don’t think that’s ever going away.

(Haley closes her eyes.)

HALEY: You can probably tell, but Nathan’s not here. He… moved out before he left for camp.

BROOKE: Yeah, I know. I-I’d say ‘welcome back’ but I don’t suppose you’re staying.

HALEY: No, I am.

BROOKE: Oh, well, you might be staying but you’re not staying here, I just rented this place. (Pause) For me.

(Brooke frowns at her and continues on into the apartment. Haley sighs and watches her.)

FADE TO BLACK:

COMMERCIAL SET:

FADE IN:

[INT. BROOKE’S APARTMENT – BROOKE’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Brooke has put up a board with the title; ‘How I Spent My Summer Vacation’. She pins up a picture of her kissing some guy on the cheek. Mouth walks in carrying two large boxes. He is having trouble seeing and breathing.)

BROOKE: (Finishes pinning the picture with her back to him.) How ya feeling, Mouth.

(He doesn’t answer and Brooke gets worried.)

BROOKE: Mouth(!)

(She takes the top box down.)

MOUTH: Um… (Nods) weak. I’m feeling seriously underdeveloped.

(Brooke grins and shrugs.)

BROOKE: Coulda fooled me. I mean, who woulda thought you could move all this stuff in here by yourself, huh? (Smiles and sets the box down.)

MOUTH: Yeah, who knew?

BROOKE: (Laughs) Here. (Holds out a can of Sunkist.)

MOTUH: (Taking it.) Thanks.

(They sit on the bed. Mouth looks at her board with all of the guys she was with over the summer.)

MOUTH: So, are any of these guys the reason you don’t wanna date Lucas?

BROOKE: (Shakes her head.) No. I’d date Lucas, just not exclusively.

MOUTH: So, it’s kinda like with Felix?

BROOKE: God, no(!) (Grins) Felix was a… physical thing. I’d go for some romance with Lucas.

MOUTH: But, you won’t commit to him?

BROOKE: Nah. Too much drama.

(Mouth sighs and looks down.)

MOUTH: I don’t know, Brooke. I felt larger than life when I was with Erica. (Pause) I’d give anything to have that back.

BROOKE: (Shocked) You and Erica broke up?(!)

MOUTH: (Looks away.) Yeah.

BROOKE: Why, what happened?

MOUTH: (Pause) She got popular.

(Brooke looks at him sympathetically and puts her hand on his shoulder.)

BROOKE: See, (Stands) this is exactly what I’m talking about. It is so much better to play the field.

(Mouth nods and looks down again.)

PEYTON: (o.s) Davis(!)

(Mouth looks up and Brooke gestures to the door.)

BROOKE: Come on.

(Mouth stands and walks past her. She pats him on the back and follows him out of the room.)

CUT TO:

[INT. BROOKE’S APARTMENT – FRONT DOOR – DAY]

(Peyton walks in carrying two boxes of her own. She sees Mouth and grins.)

PEYTON: Hey, Mouth(!) Nice work(!)

MOUTH: Why’s that?

PEYTON: (Sets the boxes on the counter.) Brooke gets a place of her own; you already got her in the bedroom. (Grins)

BROOKE: Ah, easy on the skanky innuendo.

MOUTH: Ah, I’m gonna get some more stuff.

BROOKE: You could get the couch.

(Brooke is silently delighted.)

MOUTH: (More to himself.) Yeah.

(He starts towards the door and Brooke pushes him on.)

PEYTON: Alright, total reverse déjà vu – I moved all of Nathan crap outta here three months ago.

BROOKE: I know, but this is gonna be so much better because this is our new post-game party palace. All it needs is a P. Sawyer make-over, a little paint; couple of those creepy ‘nobody understands me’ drawings that you do, and a batch of hot boys.

PEYTON: Hence the skanky innuendo. (Grins)

BROOKE: Heh, (not amused) first thing we have to do is cover up Nathan’s hideous ‘pain stain’. (Looks at the pink wall.)

PEYTON: I don’t know. I say you leave it.

(Peyton walks into the sh*t.)

BROOKE: (Pause as she eyes Peyton.) We can’t leave it(!) Haley’s gonna be here now and then she can’t be looking at that.

PEYTON: Why not? (Shrugs) It’s her fault it’s there.

BROOKE: You and Haley fighting?

PEYTON: That depends on which Haley we’re talking about, Haley Scott; the nice girl that played TRIC, or Haley James; the not so much of a wife that left town and never called - because her, I have a problem with. (Looks at the wall again.)

BROOKE: Do you ever think maybe it just got to be too much for her? (Pause) Like, leaving the whole Chris thing out of it, maybe she just got scared of needing somebody too much.

PEYTON: Needing them so much she just… abandoned them?

BROOKE: OK, you can hate me for saying this, but (Pause) maybe your problem isn’t so much with Haley as it is with Ellie; your returning birth mother.

PEYTON: No, Brooke, my problem is with anybody who just… vanishes and then waltzes back in and expects to be instantly forgiven and your problem is you’re not gonna have anybody to help you paint this place if you don’t stop telling me what my problem is.

(Brooke makes a catty noise and snarls, curling four fingers out like claws.)

PEYTON: (Abashed) Sorry(!) Too angry?

BROOKE: (Amused) Just a smidge(!)

(Peyton smiles and nods.)

PEYTON: (Whispers) Dialling back.

BROOKE: Thank you.

PEYTON: (Turns and walks back.) Um-hm.

(Peyton shifts boxes and Brooke walks to her.)

BROOKE: Look, (Pause) all I’m saying is we both know what it’s like to have your heart broken. (Shrugs) Maybe Haley just needs a little help, whether or not she’s to blame.

(Peyton pauses and they look at each other.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. THE RIVERCOURT – DAY]

(Lucas is playing basketball by himself; sweating profusely. He jumps and puts the ball through the hoop. He catches it again and suddenly puts his hand to his chest. He bends forward, finding it hard to breathe.)

WHITE FLASH:

FLASHBACK TO:

[INT. ROE RESIDENCE – LUCAS’ BEDROOM – DAY]

(Lucas tips the tub upside-down; one pill falls out onto his hand – his last HCM pill. He looks up worriedly.)

HALEY: (v.o) Hey,-

END OF FLASHBACK:

CUT TO:

[EXT. THE RIVERCOURT – DAY]

(Lucas is still bent forward. Haley walks into the sh*t behind him, she looks worried.)

HALEY: -are you OK?

LUCAS: (Straightens, breathing hard.) Depends; (Pause) are you home for good?

(He finally turns to look at her.)

HALEY: (Holds her arms out.) Or for bad.

(Lucas smiles and hugs her hard. Haley mumbles happily.)

LUCAS: Ah, good(!)

(She laughs before she makes a grossed-out noise. Lucas lets go and sees he’s covered her in his sweat.)

LUCAS: Oh(!)

(Haley laughs and wipes it off. They look at each other.)

CUT TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – PEYTON’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Peyton is looking through her pictures. On the wall behind her, she has painted the numbers ‘647081’ in red. She looks at another picture and drops it. Finally, she picks up the one she threw on her father’s lap at the cemetery and looks at it.)

WHITE FLASH:

FLASHBACK TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – PEYTON’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(sh*t of her picture as it moves along the bedroom to Peyton. Peyton is in her closet, going through her records. She ignores her father as he approaches. He stops before he reaches her.)

LARRY: (Pause) Your mom didn’t sleep for a week when we bought you home. Every cough, every gurgle… she’d be up and have you in her arms immediately.

(Peyton still doesn’t look at him.)

LARRY: One time I… I teased her about it and… she said ‘I’m always gonna be there for her. (Pause) No matter what. She’s gonna know her mother loves her.’

(Peyton finally glances at him before looking away, messing with her records again.)

LARRY: Honey, we were gonna tell you. (She doesn’t believe him.) Together. (Pause) But, when she d*ed,… I guess I didn’t wanna confuse your grief… and… I felt so powerless that I couldn’t protect you from losing her.

(Peyton looks as if she’s about to cry.)

LARRY: You know, I… I look at this drawing and I think… ‘You be mad at me if it helps… but… you leave your mom out of it, because she never lied to you’.

(Peyton looks away, chin quivering.)

LARRY: And she loved you with all her heart (Pause) and this other woman; Ellie… she doesn’t change who your mom was.

(He walks into the closet and puts her picture in front of her.)

LARRY: So don’t you… don’t you dare.

(He walks away.)

FADE TO BLACK:

COMMERCIAL SET:

FADE IN:

[INT. KAREN’S CAFÉ – DINING AREA – DAY]

(The front door opens and Deb enters.)

DEB: (Smiling) Who is the sexy world traveller? (Stops at Karen.)

(Karen turns around and hugs her.)

KAREN: Deb! Oh, it’s so good to see you.

DEB: Hey, welcome back. (They let go.) So, whaddaya think of the place?

(Karen looks around at her dramatically changed café. I has a darker, musicy, theme to it. The camera pans around one side of the room.)

KAREN: Well, Lucas said it was different. It’s… pretty edgy. But I like it and… change is good.

DEB: (Looks at it.) Yeah. (Nods)

KAREN: How’ve you been?

DEB: Well, as you know from my e-mails about Dan, I have been one miserable bitch.

(She takes her bag off and sits at the counter.)

DEB: You?

KAREN: Well, the miserable part.

DEB: Oh, I’m sorry. I guess that means Andy’s not back.

KAREN: Not yet. (Deb nods.) Oh, well we’ll see. Hopefully he’ll be back soon. Have you heard from Keith?

DEB: No, I haven’t. I-I guess you haven’t either?

KAREN: (Shakes her head.) No.

(The front door opens again and this time, it’s Haley and Lucas.)

HALEY: Hey, can a girl get a decent cup of ‘Jo’ around here?

(Ded and Karen turn to look at her.)

KAREN: Oh, (Stands again.) one song per cup(!) Oh, I’ve missed you, kiddo! (She hugs Haley and Deb turns back around, smiling.)

HALEY: I’ve missed you, too.

DEB: I could use a cup of gin, I mean coffee, myself. Karen?

KAREN: Oh, yeah, please. Coffee, not gin. (Turns back to Haley.)

HALEY: (Joking) I’ll have gin. (Laughs)

KAREN: So, what brings you around, Miss Jetsetter?

HALEY: Ah, well, um… considering what they pay the opening act, I… was kind of hoping for a job.

DEB: I asked Haley to come back to the café if it’s OK with you.

KAREN: Oh, of course, we’d love to have a big pop star performing in our hip new café.

HALEY: Actually, I was just kind of hoping to waitress. (Smiles) Like before.

KAREN: Oh. (Looks behind Haley) Table five needs a clean-up. (Throws a rag at her.) Let’s see what you got.

HALEY: I’m on it(!)

KAREN: Alright.

(Haley walks to the table and starts to clean it up. Lucas walks up behind her. She looks up at the piano with the ‘Karen’s Café Open Mic’ sign on it.)

WHITE FLASH:

FLASHBACK TO:

[INT. KAREN’S CAFÉ – PIANO – EVENING]

(The café is empty with the exception of Nathan and Haley. Haley sits at the piano playing ‘Elsewhere’ by Sarah McLachlan.)

HALEY: # I love the time and in between

The calm inside me

In this space where I can breathe

(Nathan is visible, sitting off to the side as he listens to her.

HALEY: # I believe there is a distance I have

To touch upon the years

END OF FLASHBACK:

WHITE FLASH TO:

[INT. KAREN’S CAFÉ – TABLE – DAY]

(Haley is still looking at the piano.)

HALEY: (v.o) # Reaching out and reaching in

LUCAS: Well, we were outta gin so I went with, uh… (Sniffs the liquid.) hm, coffee.

(He gives it to her.)

HALEY: (Laughs) Thank you

HALEY: (v.o) # Holding out holding in

HALEY: You know, um,… I played my first performance right here; just for Nathan. (She smiles and looks back.)

(The song continues to play in the background.)

LUCAS: Have you talked to him since he left for camp?

HALEY: No, he never picked up, so… (Looks at him.) I wrote letters.

CUT TO:

[INT. HIGH FLYERS – BASKETBALL COURT – DAY]

(The team play basketball. Nathan jumps and gets the basket and the ball bounces off his head in the process. He smacks hand with fellow team mates in victory.)

WHITE FLASH:

FLASHBACK TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – NATHAN’S BEDROOM – EVENING]

(Haley walks into the room and leans on the doorframe, watching him.)

HALEY: Are you awake?

(Nathan is lying on his back in bed with his eyes open.)

NATHAN: (Pause) Yeah.

(He isn’t even trying to give her an easier time of it.)

HALEY: (Sadly) Hey, talk to me, please.

(She walks into the room.)

NATHAN: I don’t know what to say to you, Haley. (Sighs) Part of me just wants to find the right words to hurt you. (Looks at her.) The same way you hurt me.

HALEY: I am hurting, Nathan.

(He sits up.)

NATHAN: You mean because I made out with Chris? (Pause) Because I turned my back on us and walked away?

(Haley looks at him steadily.)

NATHAN: Oh, wait, that was you.

(He lies back down again. Haley sighs before closing her eyes.)

HALEY: (Whispering, eyes still closed.) Always and forever.

NATHAN: (Caught off-guard.) What?

(Haley looks at him and smiles. She shakes her head.)

HALEY: Nothing.

(She turns around to leave.)

NATHAN: (Struggling) Hales?

HALEY: (Turns back around and walks to him, fast.) Nathan, please, I just…

(She crawls onto the bed, mumbling nonsense. Nathan wraps his arms around her.)

HALEY: …I’m sorry. I’m sorry(!)

(She kisses him and for a moment, he doesn’t resist but he comes to his senses quickly.)

NATHAN: (Breaks it off.) Haley, I can’t do this(!)

(She still tries to push it.)

NATHAN: (Pushing her away.) I’m sorry, you need to go. Alright? (Pause) Please.

(Haley looks down at him for so long that he looks away. She moves back and sits at the foot of the bed.)

HALEY: (Long pause.) I understand… if you don’t love me anymore.

(She sits there for a while, letting the pain show, before getting off the bed and walking back to the door. Nathan sits up again.)

NATHAN: Always and forever.

(She stops and turns around, leaning against the doorframe again.)

NATHAN: That’s what sucks, Haley. I still do love you. (Shakes his head.) I always will.

(Haley puts her hand to her throat and looks at him longingly.)

NATHAN: …I just can’t trust you.

(They look at each other but it hurts too much. Haley looks away finally.)

FADE TO BLACK:

COMMERCIAL SET:

FADE IN:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – NATHAN’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Dan is raiding Nathan’s room again. He pulls drawers out and drops them onto the floor. He looks under clothes. Deb walks in holding the envelope.)

DEB: Dan.

(He turns around and sees the envelope.)

DAN: You found the papers. (Holds his hand out for them.)

(Deb hands them over and he opens the envelope. He pulls the papers half out and sees not Nathan and Haley’s name, but his and Deb’s.)

DAN: These are our divorce papers, Deb.

DEB: You’ve recovered (Pause) and so have I… but… our marriage isn’t going to. (She pauses, nervously.) It’s time to end it.

(Dan sits on Nathan’s bed, completely lost.)

DAN: (Quotes) ‘But if he could once return to that certain starting place… and go over it all slowly, perhaps he could find that thing he was missing’.

(He sits and thinks while Deb stands, still uncomfortable.)

DAN: A divorce is fine, Deb.

(Deb smiles slightly, relieved that he gave in so easily. He looks at her.)

DAN: You seem surprised.

(She doesn’t know how to respond.)

DAN: But, I guess, at a certain point, the fire burns out. (He looks down at the papers before standing.) I think I’ll go for a walk.

(He drops the envelope by her and walks out of the door. Deb picks it up and looks at the front.)

CUT TO:

[INT. KAREN’S CAFÉ – COUNTER – DAY]

(Haley is back behind the counter. She puts a glass in front of a woman and walks away. Brooke enters the café and walks straight to the counter.)

BROOKE: (Sitting down.) How much for a broken heart with a side of regret?

HALEY: Um… more than you wanna know. (Smiles)

(Brooke nods knowingly.)

BROOKE: Hmm, so when you’re done here, bring your stuff to the apartment.

HALEY: Why?

BROOKE: Because you’re moving in with me.

HALEY: W- (Pause as she smiles disbelievingly.) -Why would you do that?

BROOKE: Because you need a place to live and I need rent money to pay for my new back-to-school wardrobe. So, the way I see it, you move in; I look hot; you don’t get crabs at a shelter. (Smiles) Works for me.

(Brooke walks out of the café. Haley watches her, blinking, mouth agape.)

FADE TO:

[EXT. THE RIVERWALK – SEAFRONT – DAY]

(Long sh*t of Lucas and Peyton walking on the boardwalk with a view of the river.)

LUCAS: So, the whole summer and I still can’t get used to that hair of yours.

PEYTON: What?(!) You did yours last spring and mine (Touches it) actually looks good.

LUCAS: Hey(!) (Points at her sternly.)

PEYTON: Plus… (Shrugs) Ellie had the whole ‘long hair’ thing and I don’t wanna look anything like her.

LUCAS: Yeah, I met her once. (Peyton looks confused.) Before I-I knew who she was… you haven’t heard from her all summer?

(They stop walking and look at each other.)

PEYTON: (Shakes her head.) No, not since I slammed the door in her face.

LUCAS: The… weird e-mails have stopped coming?

PEYTON: (Pause) Yeah. Why?

LUCAS: (Pause) She’s back, Peyton; Ellie. (Pause) I saw her today.

(Peyton looks down, the worry growing again.)

CUT TO:

[INT. HIGH FLYERS – CHANGING ROOM – DAY]

(Nathan’s friend walks to him.)

TEAM MATE: Yo, Big Time, we’re gonna see you at that party, right?

NATHAN: (Is in the process of taking his shoes off.) Maybe. We’ll see.

TEAM MATE: Maybe we’ll see? Yeah, aight, but if you don’t show up, I might booty-call that girl that’s sending you that letter, you know.

NATHAN: (Laughs) Alright. (Nods)

TEAM MATE: Alright. (Walks a few steps and then stops.) Hey, yo, Nate?

(Nathan looks up at him.)

TEAM MATE: You can’t get it all back at once, man. Take it slow. Give it some time. (Nathan stares.) Pretty soon, you’ll be back better than ever. (Pause) Alright?

NATHAN: (Serious) Yeah. (Nods)

TEAM MATE: Catch you later.

(His friend exits the changing room. Nathan looks down at the letter; it’s right beside him. He’s opened it. Now he picks it up and reads what Haley wrote.)

WHITE FLASH:

FLASHBACK TO:

[INT. NATHAN’S APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM – DAY]

(Nathan is holding the annulment papers. He flips the page and sees his signature. Beneath it, where Haley’s supposed to have signed her name, she has written ‘I love you…’. He just looks at it.)

(The camera zooms in on it. He flips the first page back over the words.)

END OF FLASHBACK:

WHITE FLASH TO:

[INT. HIGH FLYERS – CHANGING ROOM – DAY]

(Nathan sits and thinks.)

CUT TO:

[INT. DAVIS SCOTT APARTMENT – FRONT DOOR – DAY]

(The door is open and Haley enters – with two bags and her guitar case. She stops at the wall – Nathan’s ‘pain stain’. Peyton’s drawn a black frame around it and written ‘love’ on the upper frame. There’s a sh*t of Haley’s face before a close-up of the word ‘love’.)

(Her attention is diverted as Brooke appears. She smiles.)

BROOKE: OK, here’s the deal: I got a room for you but not a lot of pity; you did what you did and it’s done. (Shrugs) take it or leave it.

HALEY: (Smiles) I’ll take it.

BROOKE: (Nods once.) Alright. Come on in, roommate. (Smiles and walks into the room that used to be Haley and Nathan’s.)

(Haley puts her bag further up her shoulder and follows Brooke.)

(Camera pans back to Nathan’s ‘pain stain’.)

FADE TO:

[INT. THE CHURCH – CHAPEL – EVENING]

(Dan walks down the main walkway of the church. There’s a birds-eye view of him and then a close-up. He looks around before walking straight to the confessional.)

(He sits down. The priest sits on the other side. Dan’s face is mostly in shadow.)

PRIEST: May the grace of god be with you.

DAN: (Nods, interrupting.) Yeah, OK. (Pause) I gotta tell you, padre, this isn’t exactly my home court, you know. I never had much use for religion. (Pause) I guess what you call kindness, I call weakness. (Nods) But… no man is b*llet-proof. I know that. (Pause) After all, they crucified your boy, didn’t they?

PRIEST: What troubles you, my son?

(Dan looks at him, considering the question.)

DAN: What troubles me… is how I’ve made mistakes. (Pause) How I lie awake at night, keeping company with regret… fallibility. I’ve not been the man I intended to be. That troubles me.

PRIEST: And you’ve come seeking absolution?

DAN: (Looks ahead, evilly.) Yeah,… I suppose I have. (Pause) Let me ask you something; is it possible to grant forgiveness for sinful acts yet to be committed?

PRIEST: I’m afraid I don’t understand.

(Dan looks on as he remembers.)

CUT TO:

[INT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – DAN’S OFFICE – EVENING]

(The fire blazes. There is a blurry view of a person standing there, seen from the floor – Dan’s position. The person advances.)

CUT TO:

[INT. THE CHURCH – CONFESSIONAL – EVENING]

DAN: It’s simple, really. (Pause) Three months ago, someone tried to k*ll me.

CUT TO:

[INT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – DAN’S OFFICE – EVENING]

(More different sh*ts of the fire.)

CUT TO:

[INT. THE CHURCH – CONFESSIONAL – EVENING]

DAN: They drugged me and left me for dead.

CUT TO:

[INT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – DAN’S OFFICE – EVENING]

(There is another blurry sh*t of the person’s shoulder as they walk past the camera.)

CUT TO:

[INT. THE CHURCH – CONFESSIONAL – EVENING]

DAN: I pretended not to remember. (Pause)

CUT TO:

FLASHBACK:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – LIVING ROOM – DAY]

(Emily ‘Jules’ Chambers throws the wedding dress that Dan just gave her aside, angrily.)

END OF FLASHBACK:

CUT TO:

[INT. THE CHURCH – CONFESSIONAL – EVENING]

(sh*t of Dan.)

CUT TO:

FLASHBACK:

[INT. DAN SCOTT MOTORS – DAN’S OFFICE – EVENING]

(Andy looks at Dan after Dan has just thrown one of his glass trophies through the glass window of his office.)

END OF FLASHBACK:

CUT TO:

INT. ROE RESIDENCE – LUCAS’S BEDROOM – EVENING]

(Close-up of the charred paper. Camera pans up to show Lucas holding it. He looks at it with worry written all over his face.)

PEYTON: (v.o) And some are good, struggling with evil.

FADE TO:

[INT. HIGH FLYERS – CHANGING ROOM – EVENING]

(Nathan is still in the changing room. It’s empty except for him. Nathan reaches for a paper on top of a shelf.)

FADE TO:

[INT. DAVIS SCOTT APARTMENT – BROOKE’S BEDROOM – DAY]

(Mouth sits on Brooke’s bed.)

FADE TO:

[INT. DAVIS SCOTT APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM – DAY]

(Brooke smiles, welcoming Haley in. Haley follows her.)

PEYTON: (v.o) Six billion people in the world,-

FADE TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – PEYTON’S BEDROOM – EVENING]

(Lucas is sitting in Peyton’s chair while she is on the bed. He smiles.)

FADE TO:

[EXT. THE RIVERWALK – SEAFRONT – DAY]

(Peyton looks at Lucas.)

PEYTON: (v.o) -six billion souls.

FADE TO:

[INT. SCOTT RESIDENCE – FRONT DOOR – EVENING]

(The door opens to show Haley standing there, looking sad and nervous.)

PEYTON: (v.o) And sometimes…

FADE TO:

[INT. HIGH FLYERS – CHANGING ROOM – EVENING]

(Nathan puts his necklace back on – with his wedding ring on it.)

PEYTON: (v.o) … All you need is one.

(Camera pans down on the ring hanging on the chain.)

FADE TO:

[INT. SAWYER RESIDENCE – PEYTON’S BEDROOM – EVENING]

(The camera zooms in on the numbers – to the last number. Everything else fades away into black as the number ‘1’ shines bright; blood red.)

End