SCENE ONE: IT IS THE NEXT MORNING AND JACK AND JENNIFER ARE ASLEEP ON THE FLOOR OF THE CAVE. JACK WAKES UP FIRST AND SITS UP AND LOOKS AT JENNIFER. HE STROKES HER HAIR WITH HIS HAND; SHE WAKES UP.

 

JENNIFER: Good morning.

JACK: Morning. Are you feeling better?

JENNIFER: Yeah, maybe the fever's gone for good.

JACK: Yeah I think maybe I'll just check.

 

JACK LEANS OVER AND STARTS TO REMOVE THE BANDAGE ON HER LEG.

 

JENNIFER: Oh Jack, the fever's up here.

 

SHE POINTS TO HER FOREHEAD.

 

JACK: I know that. I meant I was going to check your....

 

FEELING SELF-CONSCIOUS.

 

JENNIFER: No, that's okay. I know what you meant. Go ahead.

 

JACK CAREFULLY REMOVES HIS TORN SHIRT BANDAGE.

 

JENNIFER: So what's the verdict?

JACK: It's gone. The infection, it's gone.

JENNIFER: It feels wonderful.

JACK: Yeah? It looks wonderful too.

JENNIFER: Yeah, wonderful.

 

JENNIFER WRAPS HER ARMS AROUND JACK AND HOLDS HIM CLOSE.

JENNIFER: I'm never going to forget this Jack. You saved my life.

 

JACK SLOWLY RUNS HIS HAND UP HER BACK AND THEN PULLS AWAY A LITTLE.

 

JACK: So?

JENNIFER: So.

JACK: You're feeling better?

JENNIFER: Better and better. In fact I'm feeling so better that I think....

 

JACK IS WORRIED WHAT SHE IS ABOUT TO SAY.

 

JACK: Jennifer.

JENNIFER: ....the best thing for me right now would be a little sun and circulation.

 

SHE STANDS UP BUT JACK STOPS HER GOING OUTSIDE.

 

JACK: Jennifer, no, no, no. Sit. You're too weak to go running around on the beach. Just stay there.

JENNIFER: Okay. Okay forget the beach but I could make it as far as the pond.

JACK: No!

JENNIFER: I mean Jack just to freshen up and get this goop off my leg.

JACK: No. No! Because Dr. D's in control here. You just stay put, right where you are and you'll get your own.....you'll get your own little box of water. (Smiling) How about that, huh?

JENNIFER: (Smiling back at him) Pretty terrific service here, huh!

JACK: Yeah. Well I'll get it for you and you can have your private little bath.

 

JACK PICKS UP THE FIRST AID KIT AND TIPS OUT THE CONTENTS.

 

JACK: Just stay put.

 

JACK LEAVES WITH THE BOX.

 

JENNIFER: I'll be right here (Smiling) Dr. D.

SCENE TWO: JACK WALKS DOWN TO THE POND WHERE BO AND HOPE ARE SKINNY-DIPPING. HE IS EMBARRASSED FINDING THEM THERE AND KEEPS HIS HAND UP TO HIS FACE SO THAT HE CANNOT SEE THEM.

 

JACK: Hey is anybody....I thought I heard some....oh!

HOPE: Hi!

JACK: Sorry, left the door open.

BO: Yeah.

HOPE: Actually we were just cleaning up what with all the sand and....

BO: We had sand everywhere.

HOPE: No what we were really doing was heading back to the beach to help with the raft. Yeah that's what we were going to do.

BO: Yeah.

JACK: Nice itinerary. I was going to get some fresh water....well no....I'll just go down to the waterfall. Jennifer wants to clean up too.

HOPE: How is Jennifer?

JACK: She....she....she's you know, good. You know, touch and go there but she's much better. I tell you what, I'll just get some water and then I'll join you guys working on the boat.

 

JACK SOUNDS VERY RELUCTANT TO JOIN THEM.

 

BO: No, we'll handle the raft. Why don't you stick with Jennifer, just in case.

HOPE: Listen, also tell her that I'll be by in a little while to say hi.

JACK: Oh sure, sure. I'll give her the message.

HOPE: Bye Jack.

JACK: Bye. Don't mind me.

BO: (Amused by Jack's embarrassment) Don't fall in.

 

JACK WALKS OFF, TRYING TO HIDE HIS EYES, TO GET THE WATER.

SCENE THREE: RETURNS TO THE CAVE WHERE JENNIFER IS WAITING.

 

JACK: (In a bad Indian accent.) Gunga Din, the water boy. Hi, here's....eh wait a minute, what's going on here?

JENNIFER HAS REMOVED THE BANDAGES FROM HER LEG, ARM AND HAND.

 

JENNIFER: Oh we can redo them later, okay. I can't take a very good bath wrapped up like a mummy.

JACK: Sure, I guess if that's what you need.

JENNIFER: You know, and I can use this as a wash cloth since we don't have one.

JACK: Okay it sounds good. You have everything well in hand. I'm just going to go help with the raft.

JENNIFER: Wait Jack! Don't go please.

JACK: Is....is there something else I can do?

 

JACK IS SCARED BUT JENNIFER TRIES TO FIND A WAY THAT MAKES HIM FEEL COMFORTABLE.

JENNIFER: Well I could use your help. I think I'm going to need a little help to get out of these clothes. I'm a little stiff. And to tell you the truth I'm not feeling as great as I thought.

JACK: You mean, something happened while I was away, is that what you're saying?

JENNIFER: No, no, nothing happened. I'm fine. I'm just a little weaker than I knew and I could use a hand.

JACK: Sure, huh.

JENNIFER: It's all part of the service, right?

JACK: (Nervous) Ser....yeah, I guess, doctor's got to uphold the Hippocratic Oath and all that.

JENNIFER: I agree.

JACK: Doctor's are supposed to have the healing touch, right.

JENNIFER: I agree.

JACK: They should also have warm hands.

 

HE LEANS OVER AND BEGINS TO UNDO THE BUTTONS ON HER TOP. HE UNDOES ONE.

 

JACK: (Even more nervous) Believe me this is a perfectly routine procedure.

JENNIFER: Huh, uh, perfectly.

 

JACK UNDOES THE OTHER TWO BUTTONS TO REVEAL HER LACE EDGED CAMISOLE. HE STARES INTO HER EYES LOOKING FOR REASSURANCE.

 

JENNIFER: Whenever you're ready.

JACK: I'm ready when you're ready.

JENNIFER: I'm ready.

JACK: Then I'm ready.

 

HE SLOWLY SLIDES THE TOP OFF HER RIGHT SHOULDER AND THEN OFF HER LEFT. SHE BEGINS TO FEEL THE TENSION.

 

JACK: You're shivering.

JENNIFER: Jack.

JACK: You're cold. It's cold in here. You know what you need....

JENNIFER: Yes I do.

JACK: You need more wood, the fire must be bigger.

JENNIFER: Jack I don't need more wood.

JACK: Yes you do. Listen this will just take a minute. I want you to think of one thing. Hypothermia! Hypothermia, it's a killer.

 

JACK RUNS OUT OF THE CAVE.

 

JENNIFER: Yeah, killer's right!

 

OUTSIDE THE CAVE JACK STOPS TO THINK.

 

JACK: It's a killer.

 

JENNIFER BEGINS TO WASH HERSELF WHILE JACK IS GONE. SHE RUNS THE WASHCLOTH DOWN HER ARM AND SEES THE ENGAGEMENT RING THAT EMILIO GAVE HER. SHE REMOVES IT AND PUTS IT IN HER POCKET.

SCENE FOUR: JACK RETURNS WITH SOME WOOD. HE SIGHS WHEN HE SEES HER SITTING THERE IN HER CAMISOLE.

 

JACK: I got some wood so you can be warm for your bath.

 

HE ADDS THEM TO THE FIRE AND GLANCES ACROSS AS SHE STARTS WASHING HER ARM AGAIN. HE SIGHS AND SHUTS HIS EYES WITH TENSION THEN TRIES TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT. HE LOOKS ALL AROUND THE CAVE AVOIDING ANY GLANCE AT HER.

JACK: These caves are really something, don't you think. I mean you got the high ceilings, low archways, no bats. Now that's a good selling point. You people actually....people actually crawl through these kind of places for sport on their bellies. Spelunkers, I think they're called.

JENNIFER: Jack? Um, I don't think I can take this off by myself, okay.

JACK: This?

 

JACK REALIZES THAT JENNIFER IS NOT WEARING MUCH. HE GLANCES OVER HIS SHOULDER AT HER.

 

JENNIFER: This. (Beat) Okay.

 

SHE INDICATES THE CAMISOLE AND EVEN THOUGH JACK IS SCARED, HE CANNOT RESIST HER.

 

JACK: Sure, yeah sure.

JENNIFER: Thank you.

 

HE MOVES OVER BEHIND HER AND SLOWLY LIFTS THE CAMISOLE OVER HER HEAD, GENTLY MOVING HER ARMS OUT OF THE WAY. HIS HAND BRUSHES HER HAIR AS HE REMOVES IT.

JENNIFER: Thanks a lot.

 

HE MOVES AWAY AGAIN BUT JENNIFER IS DETERMINED.

 

JENNIFER: Jack.

JACK GLANCES TOWARDS HER BUT DOES NOT ANSWER, KNOWING FULL WELL WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

 

JENNIFER: Could you help me. I don't think I can reach my back.

 

SHE REACHES OVER HER SHOULDER TO HAND HIM THE WASHCLOTH.

 

JACK: Your back's clean.

JENNIFER: Please.

 

HE TAKES THE CLOTH, CARESSING HER FINGERS AS HE DOES SO.

 

JENNIFER: Just go easy, cause the water's cold.

JACK: I'll go slow.

JENNIFER: Good.

 

JACK RINSES OUT THE CLOTH AND IS ABOUT TO BEGIN WASHING HER WHEN HE STOPS.

 

JENNIFER: Jack.

JACK: Jennifer....

JENNIFER: Is something wrong?

JACK: Look, Jennifer, look....

 

SHE TURNS HER FACE TO HIS.

 

JENNIFER: Jack I want you too. You won't hurt me. I promise. Go on Jack, it's alright.

 

JACK HESITATES FOR A FEW SECONDS.

 

JACK: No it's not.

JENNIFER: Jack.

JACK: I can't.

JENNIFER: Why?

JACK: I....I....I just can't.

JENNIFER: Jack look at me. Come on, the least you can do is look at me.

 

JACK TURNS TO FACE HER.

JENNIFER: Why? I thought we'd gone so far. I though we got past all of this on the ship.

JACK: It's not the same.

JENNIFER: It is the same.

JACK: Not to me, it's not the same.

JENNIFER: Okay what's changed? Why are you fighting what we both want, what we've both wanted for so long?

JACK: Jennifer, it's....

JENNIFER: Just tell me, tell me. I'm trying so hard to understand.

JACK: You can't.

JENNIFER: But I do, most of the time. I keep telling you that over and over. Okay maybe this time I'm too close to see so you're going to have to tell me what it is, what you're feeling. What is it Jack? Are you scared?

JACK: Yeah.

JENNIFER: Why?

JACK: Because on the ship....on the ship it was different. We were going to die.

JENNIFER: That doesn't matter.

JACK: It mattered to me. I stopped thinking.

JENNIFER: Don't think now.

JACK: I have to think. I can't not think, about who you are and who I am.

JENNIFER: We'll never know who we really are if you keep running away. I already know who you are and I'm not running away. What I want to know now is who we are....together.

 

JENNIFER LIFTS HER HAIR OFF HER BACK AND HOLDS IT UP SO JACK CAN WASH HER. HIS HAND TOUCHES HER BACK AND SHE SIGHS DEEPLY.

 

JENNIFER: That's nice. It feels nice.

 

SLOWLY SHE TURNS TO FACE HIM AND REMOVES HER ARMS THAT WERE CROSSED OVER HER CHEST. JACK GLANCES AT HER BODY AND SIGHS.

 

JACK: Jennifer....Jennifer.

JENNIFER: Don't stop.

JACK: Are you sure?

JENNIFER: I'm sure. There's nothing to be afraid of. It's so simple Jack. It's just me and you.

 

SHE CARESSES HIS FACE WITH HER HAND.

 

JACK: So simple.

JENNIFER: It's simple. We're just two people who love each other, that's all. Aren't we?

JACK: Yeah, I guess that's who we are. When it comes down to it, I guess that's all that we are.

 

HE SLOWLY BEGINS TO WASH HER NECK AND DOWN HER BODY. HER HEAD FALLS BACK WITH THE SOFTNESS OF HIS TOUCH.

SCENE FIVE: A SHORT TIME HAS PASSED AND JENNIFER IS COMPLETELY UNDRESSED AND JACK HAS FINISHED WASHING HER. HE IS HOLDING HER HAND AND LOOKING INTO HER EYES.

 

JENNIFER: It's been right from the very beginning. You know it too Jack.

JACK: What can I say? I can't argue. You're right.

JENNIFER: I'm right.

JACK: Right.

JENNIFER: I know.

JACK: So do I.

JENNIFER: Do me a favor Jack.

JACK: Sure, anything sure.

JENNIFER: Stop talking.

JACK: Stop talking?

JENNIFER: Yeah, stop talking and kiss me.

JACK: Kiss you.

JENNIFER: Kiss me.

HE CARESSES HER FACE WITH HIS HAND AND THEN VERY GENTLY BEGINS TO KISS HER.

 

JACK: Like that?

JENNIFER: Just like that.

 

THEY BEGIN TO KISS AGAIN WITH A GENTLENESS AND PASSION THAT ONLY COME WITH TRUE LOVE.