oldEpisode Two-hundred-twenty:
Jack and Jennifer Return from Lawrence's
Villa; Jennifer Hides the Rape from Everyone;
Jack Is Concerned by Her Strange Behavior.

---

[Air date late November 1990]

SCENE ONE: LAWRENCE GOT LEOPOLD OUT OF THE TUNNEL BUT HE DIED THE NEXT DAY IN HOSPITAL.

SCENE TWO: JACK AND JENNIFER FLEW BACK HOME WITH ALICE SO THAT SHE COULD BE ADMITTED TO SALEM HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. THEY HAVE JUST ARRIVED ON THE HOSPITAL ROOF WITH ALICE IN A HELICOPTER FROM THE AIRPORT. ALICE IS BEING UNLOADED WHILE TOM AND MICKEY STAND BY WITH JULIE. ALICE IS THRILLED TO SEE EVERYBODY WAITING AND JENNIFER GIVES TOM A BIG HUG.

 

TOM: Are you alright?

JENNIFER: Yeah we will be as soon as I know grandma's okay.

TOM: And Jack?

JACK: Yes sir.

TOM: Thank you for everything you did taking care of them. At least everybody else was okay.

 

JENNIFER LOOKS ACROSS TO JACK WITH A BIG THANK YOU IN HER EYES, JACK NODS AT HER. ALICES LEAVES ON A STRETCHER.

 

MICKEY: Look there's plenty of room in my car.

JENNIFER: We're going to head home on our own. We'll see you later.

 

EVERYBODY LEAVES.

 

JENNIFER: Jack my grandma could die and it's all my fault.

JACK: Oh.... no, no, no. It's not your fault alright.

JENNIFER: She did it because of me Jack.

JACK: Jennifer, wait a minute, wait a minute. You got.... it's all over. You don't understand. Everything is all over. Your grandmother is going to be fine. Your grandmother's a tough old.... tough old grandmother, you know, I mean, as grandmothers go. I tell you what, it's time to put it all behind, right. You leave it to me and I guarantee you by.... by tomorrow morning you're going to have forgotten all about it. What do you say?

JENNIFER: That's not going to happen.

JACK: Alright, okay, how about.... ah.... how about by Monday morning. You see the important thing is we just need some time alone see. Just the two of us. No tunnels crashing in, no guards guarding, no sneaking round with credit cards or keys, it's....

JENNIFER: Please Jack....

 

SHE TURNS AWAY AND HE PUTS HIS HANDS ON HER SHOULDERS.

JACK: No you don't understand. You.... you.... it's time to just to relax and forget all about everything. Just let the tension....

 

SHE SQUIRMS OUT FROM UNDER HIS HANDS AND TURNS TO FACE HIM.

 

JENNIFER: You're right, you're right. It is. I need time to relax and I do need time to be alone. But by myself, okay?

 

JACK LOOKS WORRIED AND PUZZLED BY THAT.

 

JACK: Sure, sure, whatever you say, sure.

JENNIFER: I.... I just need to be alone. Will you meet me at the loft later? I mean you need to go to the newspaper anyway right.

JACK: Ah.... well absolutely. Ah.... okay this is what we'll do. We'll reconnoitre at the loft for a homecoming celebration at nineteen hundred hours. That's later this evening.

JENNIFER: Alright, that sounds great. That sounds perfect.

JACK: Perfect! That's a good word, perfect, huh.

 

HE RUNS THE BACK OF HIS HAND GENTLY DOWN HER CHEEK.

 

JACK: I'll.... I'll see you later.

JENNIFER: Okay, see you later, Jack.

 

HE WALKS TO THE DOOR AND GIVES HER A WAVE BEFORE HE DISAPPEARS.

SCENE THREE: A SHORT TIME LATER JACK GOES TO THE LOFT TO PREPARE FOR THE CELEBRATION. ISABELLA IS THERE WITH SOME BOXES. JACK STARTS LOOKING THROUGH THEM.

 

JACK: Hello, how are you doing? Is Jennifer here yet?

ISABELLA: Hi Jack. Ah no I haven't seen her.

JACK: Good, good. We're supposed to meet here and I'm a little early. Ah what have we got going here? Cleaning out the closet or just moving things around?

ISABELLA: Ah.... it's good to see you Jack. Back safe and sound in one very curious piece.

 

SHE TAKES STUFF OUT OF HIS HAND AND PUTS IT BACK IN THE BOX.

 

JACK: Well.... so.

ISABELLA: How's Jennifer?

JACK: That's a good question.

ISABELLA: Why, what do you mean, is she okay?

JACK: Oh no, she's fine. She just didn't have the best time over there.

ISABELLA: From what I hear nobody had a good time over there. She must have been glad you were there taking good care of her.

JACK: Oh come on, it was Roman who was taking care of everybody. We didn't get out until Roman finally got there. I guess you were glad to see him come home in one piece.

ISABELLA: You've obviously been out of the country a little too long Jack. Roman and I.... well, we're not seeing each other anymore. In fact I'm moving in with Victor.

JACK: Oh, Roman heard the cheery news?

ISABELLA: No, but this is my decision. I know where I belong.

SCENE FOUR: MEANWHILE, FRANKIE TAKES MAX DOWN TO THE PIER TO TRY AND EXPLAIN WHAT IS GOING ON. WHILE THEY ARE TALKING JENNIFER COMES ALONG AND OVERHEARS THE END OF THEIR CONVERSATION.

 

MAX: Do you still love Jennifer?

FRANKIE: Listen Max, I will always care about Jen. That hasn't changed either okay.

MAX: Then what does?

FRANKIE: Well, you see when you love somebody it's got to work both ways. And Jen's in love with somebody else. In fact I think you even know him. Jack Deveraux.

MAX: Oh yeah, him.

FRANKIE: Yeah well he's the lucky guy in her life right now. He makes her happy and seeing her happy is the important thing isn't it?

MAX: You can still be friends though can't you? I mean you can still care about each other like friends.

JENNIFER: I hope that's true Max. Because that's what I want. I want us to be friends.

FRANKIE: Me too, me too.

JENNIFER: Good because friends always tell each other the truth right.

MAX: Right.

JENNIFER: And the truth is when I heard you were coming back to Salem, I didn't want that to happen because you really hurt me Frankie. Then I thought about it and realized that in spite of everything that happened I still think of you as my friend. And that's how I feel.

FRANKIE: I'm glad. Who knows maybe in.... maybe in time you'll be able to trust me again. I want that more than anything Jen. You have to know that I'll always be there for you. You can count on that.

JENNIFER: Well that's all settled. I need to get back to the hospital before visiting hours are over.

FRANKIE: Do me a favor and tell your grandmother that I'll be by soon, okay.

JENNIFER: I will. I'll see you soon too, both of you, okay.

 

JENNIFER LEAVES.

 

MAX: You know something Frankie, it seems to me like you still love Jennifer.

SCENE FIVE: JENNIFER GOES TO SEE ALICE AND TELLS HER THAT SHE BLAMES HERSELF FOR WHAT HAPPENED. ALICE TELLS HER THAT IT WASN'T HER FAULT AND NOBODY BLAMES HER. SHE TELLS HER SHE HAS TO FORGIVE HERSELF.

SCENE SIX: JENNIFER GOES BACK TO THE LOFT AND COMES IN THE DOOR TO FIND JACK BENDING OVER ARRANGING SOME DELPHINIUMS ON A TABLE SET FOR A ROMANTIC DINNER.

 

JENNIFER: Jack.

JACK: Huh.... oh.... yeah.... ah.... I was just.... ah.... trying to arrange these. I'm all set up but.... ah.... maybe you could do the honors.

 

JACK TENTATIVELY HANDS HER THE FLOWERS. HE IS NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY OR DO WHILE SHE IS IN SUCH A FRAGILE MOOD.

 

JENNIFER: Thanks.... thank you.

JACK: Don't mention it.

JENNIFER: Boy you really went to a lot of trouble.

JACK: So did you.... for me. Almost constantly as I recall but.... ah.... fortunately that's changing or.... changed. JENNIFER: Jack....

JACK: Just listen to the music for a minute.

 

FASCINATION IS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND. JACK LISTENS FOR A MINUTE, THEN STEPS UP TO JENNIFER AND GENTLY TAKES HER HANDS TO DANCE.

 

JACK: Just try to get the beat. Yes, just get the beat. Just stop thinking so much.

 

HE GENTLY PRESSES HER HEAD ONTO HIS CHEST.

JACK: And.... ah.... relax. There we go.

 

HE WRAPS HIS ARMS AROUND HER AND SLOWLY MOVES IN A SLOW DANCE.

JACK: That's all this is about. I just wanted to say thank you. And hope that the last confusing couple of months behind us and we're just right here in the here and now. Just think about me.... and you. That's all.

 

THEY CONTINUE TO DANCE BUT JENNIFER IS SILENT; JACK IS UNSURE OF HER.

 

JACK: (Tentatively) I was.... ah.... just thinking what it would be like to make love to you again.

 

JENNIFER EYES FILL WITH TEARS AND SHE PULLS AWAY FROM HIM LEAVING HIM HURT AND REJECTED.

 

JACK: I was thinking maybe that.... well you know dinner could wait so.... hello.

 

JACK WALKS UP BEHIND HER AND PUTS HIS HAND ON HER SHOULDERS, LEANING INTO HER NECK.

 

JENNIFER: Jack....

JACK: What?

JENNIFER: I'm sorry.

 

SHE SHRUGS HER SHOULDERS.

 

JENNIFER: Ah that just tickles.

 

JACK KNOWS THAT SHE DOES NOT WANT HIM TO TOUCH HER.

 

JACK: That's alright. I understand, I mean it's a long trip after a very tiring journey. No rush, it's alright.

JENNIFER: This all looks really beautiful.

JACK: It's just.... ah.... a reflection of the tenant, that's all.

 

JACK IS PUZZLED BY HER SILENCE AND DEPRESSION.

 

JENNIFER: Jack I want you to know that....

JACK: No, no, no, you need some time alone. It's alright, I'll go.

JENNIFER: No I don't want you to. I want you to stay her okay. I need you to stay here with me.

 

JACK FROWNS.

 

JENNIFER: Okay maybe.... I don't know.... maybe you could just hold me.

JACK: Sure.... I could do that.

 

HE WRAPS HIS ARMS AROUND HER AND SHE HOLDS ON TIGHT.

JACK: I could hold you as.... as long as you like.

 

JENNIFER BEGINS TO CRY.