SCENE ONE: JACK IS BACK IN HIS OFFICE TRYING TO GET KAYLA ON THE PHONE. ALL HE GETS IS THE ANSWERING MACHINE.

JACK: No, I don't want to leave my message at the tone, thank you. 

JACK: (Cont. Frustarted, signing) I'm going to go see her in person.

JACK HURRIES TO THE DOOR BUT JENNIFER PUSHES HIM BACKWARDS INTO THE OFFICE.

JENNIFER: You are not going anywhere Jack until we talk!

JACK: Talk?

JENNIFER: How could you go to Italy without telling me?

JACK: Well, that was easy. I got on the plane and I just went.

JENNIFER: NO JACK! That's not what I meant.

JACK: Look, I don't have time for this.

JENNIFER: Well, I made time for you when you needed help finding Steve's hotel then you go traipsing halfway round the world without even leaving me a message.

JACK: Where are my manners? I mean how was I raised? Then look at my father.

JENNIFER: Cut it out Jack. What happened in Italy? Did you find Steve?

JACK: Do I have to be answerable to my employees?

JENNIFER: Your employee? Is that all I am to you?

JACK HESITATES AND LOOKS ATER, OBVIOUSLY SHE MEANS SOMETHING MORE TO HER, BUT HE SAYS NOTHING.

JACK: You work for me. I think that constitutes employee.

JENNIFER: Why do I even bother?

JACK: Bother what?

JENNIFER: Helping you. I was the one that helped you go through all the Toscano files. The least you can do is tell me what happened.

JACK: Nothing.

JACK SITS ON HIS DESK.

JENNIFER: You wouldn't be this wound up over nothing.

JACK: Alright. I took Kayla to Italy.

JENNIFER: You did?

JACK: Sure. I figured that she and Steve could work things out better face to face.

JENNIFER CLIMBS UP AND SITS NEXT TO HIM ON THE DESK.

JENNIFER: Really? Did they?

JACK: No. In fact things are worse than ever.

JENNIFER: I'm sorry that things didn't work out.

JACK: That's alright. Don't worry about it.

JENNIFER: But Jack the important thing is that you tried. I mean that's wonderful. You actually cared.

SHE PLACES HER HAND ON HIS SHOULDER AND HE TURNS TO LOOK AT IT.

JACK: Save it for the Gipper.

JENNIFER: Jack, I just thought that maybe I could....

JACK: You thought that maybe I could help Steve and Kayla out so that must have meant that I was changing, becoming a hero.

JENNIFER: What's wrong with that?

JACK: Look, pin your hero medal on somebody else. I do things for me. My way. For me and me alone. You want a hero? Pin the tail on Emilio.

JENNIFER: I already have.

JACK: Great. You have a great time in Hub Cap City which brings up another point. What the hell is this?

JACK HOLDS UP A THICK FOLDER OF PAPERS.

JENNIFER: It is my series opener on the Barrio.

JACK: Oh, your series opener. I expected a paragraph or two for the Metro section. THIS IS A BOOK!

JENNIFER: Okay, it needs a little trimming.

JACK: A little bit of trimming? I mean that's enough for a whole series. I'm not going to let you use my newspaper to make points with a Barrio Boy.

JENNIFER: And I will not have you undermine a significant piece of journalism.

JACK: Oh significant! Does that mean like large, ponderous and over written?

JENNIFER: Fine Jack, if you don't want, I will find somebody who does. I will take it to The Chronicle.

JACK: Oh no you don't. Not on Spectator paper.

JENNIFER: Oh yeah! Well I have it all right here Jack.

SHE POINTS TO HER BRAIN.

JACK: Is that a threat?

JENNIFER: NO JACK! IT'S A PROMISE!

SHE MARCHES OUT THE DOOR .  JACK TRIES TO RIP THE FOLDER AND PAPERS IN TWO.

JACK: A promise, eh. A promise.

HE CANNOT TEAR IT BECAUSE IT IS TOO THICK .

SO HE PULLS OUT A FEW PAGES AT A TIME AND RIPS THEM.

JACK: Promise this!

SCENE TWO: THE NURSES' LOUNGE AT THE HOSPITAL. JENNIFER IS STILL ANGRY OVER HER *LATEST* ARGUMENT WITH JACK. MIKE HAD HOPED THAT SHE WOULD SPRING FOR LUNCH. SHE TELLS HIM SHE IS BUSY, BUT MAYBE NEXT WEEK, *IF* SHE HAS THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT. SHE TELLS HIM THAT SHE IS QUITTING HER JOB. SHE CANNOT WORK FOR JACK, BECAUSE HE REFUSES TO LET HER WRITE THE ARTICLE ON THE BARRIO. MIKE IS NOT SURPRISED, HE SAYS SARCASTICALLY SINCE JACK IS SUCH A HUMANITARIAN. MIKE THINKS IT IS A GOOD IDEA THAT SHE NO LONGER WORK SO CLOSE TO JACK BECAUSE WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE DID. JENNIFER STARTS DEFENDING JACK. SHE TELLS HIM THAT JACK IS TRYING TO CHANGE AND DO GOOD, HE JUST IS AFRAID PEOPLE WILL NOT ACCEPT HIM, AND THAT HE WILL GET HURT. JENNIFER THEN SAYS SHE IS NOT QUITTING, IF JACK CHANGES HIS MIND. MIKE SAYS IT IS A "WIN WIN" SITUATION FOR HER.

SCENE THREE: A SHORT TIME LATER JACK IS HOLDING A LONG STRIP OF TORN PAPER WHICH HE IS TRYING TO PIECE TOGETHER WITH SCOTCH TAPE.VERN COMES IN.

VERN: I need you to check the proofs for the Savings and Loan story.

JACK: Ah, just a minute Vern, hold it.

VERN: What have you got there?

JACK: Oh, I'm just trying to put Jennifer's Barrio tome back together.

VERN: Why don't you just....

JACK: Oh, that's a good idea. You hold it.

VERN: What the hell are we doing it this way for? Why don't we just punch it in and read it?

JACK JUST STANDS LIKE A DEER IN A HEADLIGHT, AS VERN WALKS OVER TO JACK'S COMPUTER AND BRINGS UP THE FILE.

VERN: There!

JACK: Oh! Get Jennifer in here.

VERN: She's gone.

JACK: Gone? Gone where?

VERN: Gone. I don't know. How the hell do I know?

JACK: Well, (Worried what the answer might be) she didn't say anything about The Chronicle, did she?

VERN: Chronicle? Not that I heard, except that when she left she was very upset.

JACK: I don't know if she's ever going to be a professional newspaper reporter. A little bit of criticism and she flies off the handle.

VERN: Well, I don't know what you said to her but I read that story. It's very good. Some of her best work.

JACK: Some of her biggest!

VERN: Well have you read it?

JACK: Well.... well I'm.. .I'm scanning it, yes.

VERN: Well, read it Jack. That way you can establish what Jennifer has to offer before we lose her.

VERN WALKS OUT AND JACK GOES BACK AND SITS DOWN IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER. HE BEGINS TO READ JENNIFER'S ARTICLE AND IS IMPRESSED.

SCENE FOUR: JENNIFER ARRIVES AT THE STREET FIESTA, STILL UPSET OVER JACK'S DECISION NOT TO ALLOW HER TO DO THE STORY. SHE TALKS TO EMILIO, WHO IS SETTING UP A KISSING BOOTH, WHICH HE IS GOING TO MAN. HE GIVES HER A FREE KISS AS A SAMPLE.

JACK MEANWHILE GOES LOOKING FOR JENNIFER. HE SEES HER KISSING EMILIO, AND HE OVERHEARS THE CONVERSATION. HE SEEMS AFFECTED BY THE KISS.

BUT HE GOES UP TO TALK TO HER JUST AS JENNIFER IS TELLING EMILIO THAT SHE TOLD JACK OFF BECAUSE HE REFUSED HER ARTICLE. JACK TRIES TO ACT NONCHALANT,   AND HIDING THE FACT THAT HE IS AFFECTED BY JENNIFER BEING WITH EMILIO.

JACK: (Walking up in full Happy Jack mode) Exactly what she told me.

EMILIO: Oh, what brings you down here?

JACK: My car.

EMILIO: Always the comedian, this guy.

JACK: Jennifer, we need to have a little talk, (Motioning with his head.) alone.

 

THEY WALK A FEW FEET AWAY FROM EMILIO. JENNIFER SEEMS RATHER PLEASED TO SEE JACK, BUT SHE DOES NOT LET ON.

JENNIFER: What's your problem Jack?

JACK: We need to have a little talk about your little article.

JENNIFER: We already talked about my little article.

JACK: Look, look, look I just need to tell you that (Stuttering, unable to admit he was wrong and ask her forgiveness) I.... I.... I.... I.... I ap.... I apol.... I apol.... I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

JENNIFER PUTS HER HAND ON HIS FOREHEAD.

JENNIFER: Jack, are you okay. I just thought I heard you apologize.

JACK: I.... I read your story and it was very.... um.... it was good. It was very good.

JENNIFER: (She is pleased because she won, and she will not have to quit, but also because Jack is there)Thank you.... I think.

JACK: As a matter of fact, I think that this whole.... this whole street thing could be part of a cover story for your.... for your whole series. And it'll lead from one story to the next.

JENNIFER: Okay, Jack, what is this really about? Why did you change your mind?

JACK: Well, it's obvious. For the newspaper.

JENNIFER: (Jennifer knowing the real reason Jack changed his mind.) What?

JACK: (Not wanting to let on that he would miss her if she quit, and that he would do anything for her) Well right after you left this morning I did some major demographics and I found out that our fastest growing readership is in none other than the Hispanic section. I think we can take this Barrio thing and really capitalize on it.

JENNIFER: Save it Jack. I get the picture.

JACK: The point is.... the point is that the.... that The Chronicle can get their own reporter. That's the point. Do their own Barrio thing. That's the point. The point.

JENNIFER: You're right.

EMILIO COMES OVER TO THEM. HE DOES NOT SEEM TO LIKE JACK AND JENNIFER'S CLOSENESS.

EMILIO: Hey how's everything going here?

JACK: The point. Ah.... swell.

EMILIO: Good. Listen thanks for coming down. If you want to stick around you might learn something. See how the real people live cause we've got a lot of work to do, don't we Jen?

JENNIFER: Yeah we do.

EMILIO: Alright. Seriously, thanks.

JACK: Eh!

EMILIO SHAKES JACK'S HAND AND AS HE DOES SO, JACK SLIPS A DOLLAR BILL INTO EMILIO'S PALM.

EMILIO: What's this for?

JACK: (With a snarky expression, and point with his head to the kissing booth banner) Oh, you know. The booth!

EMILIO IS REPULSED AND THROWS THE NOTE BACK TO JACK.

EMILIO: Get out of here.

SCENE FIVE: JACK HANGS OUT AT THE STREET PARTY AND WATCHES JENNIFER AND EMILIO MESS AROUND AND DANCE WITH EACH OTHER AS THEY SET UP. JENNIFER CANNOT GET HER MIND OFF JACK AND WATCHES AS HE WALKS AWAY.

SCENE SIX: LATER THAT NIGHT, JACK RETURNS TO THE STREET PARTY. EMILIO HAS SUNG A SONG FOR JENNIFER. SANTOS, MEANWHILE, HAS ALSO BEEN HANGING AROUND AND AS SOON AS JENNIFER IS ALONE, HE RUSHES UP AND GRABS HER. EMILIO COMES TO HER RESCUE AND SANTOS STABS HIM IN THE NECK. JENNIFER RUSHES TO EMILIO'S SIDE FOLLOWED BY JACK.

JACK: Hey what happened here? Jennifer are you alright?

JENNIFER: Yes, I'm fine. It's Emilio. Mike, please. He got knifed. Help him.

JACK: Are you alright? Really?

MIKE: Can you get me tablecloth, a napkin, whatever?

JENNIFER: Jack, go, go get it.

JACK: Alright I'm gone. I'm out of here.

ROMAN ARRIVES AND AN AMBULANCE IS CALLED.

JACK: I got the stuff right here Mike. There you go. (To Jennifer) Are you alright? Are you sure you're not hurt? Here, here's my coat.

JENNIFER TAKES THE COAT AND PUTS IT UNDER EMILIO'S HEAD.

JACK: Hey wait a minute Jennifer, that was for you. Jennifer!

SCENE SEVEN: JENNIFER IS COMPLETELY ABSORBED WITH EMILIO WHILE JACK IS WORRIED ABOUT HER. EMILIO WHISPERS TO JENNIFER NOT TO TELL THE COPS WHO DID IT. A SHORT TIME LATER, ROMAN AND ABE QUESTION JENNIFER BUT SHE SAYS SHE DID NOT SEE WHO DID IT. NO ONE BELIEVES HER INCLUDING JACK.

JACK: (Concerned for Jennifer) Why don't you just say something and save everybody a lot of time?

JENNIFER: Jack, look I told you I don't....

JACK: Look, they're out there Jennifer. Unless you say something they're going to stay out there until they come after you. Believe me.

JENNIFER: I don't know what you're talking about. I mean it. There is nothing to say. I wish there was but there isn't.

ROMAN: Right!

ROMAN AND ABE ARE FED UP WITH HER NOT TALKING. THEY TELL HER TO DO EVERYBODY A FAVOR AND NOT TO HANG AROUND DOWN THERE ALONE.

JACK: If you really want to start doing favors, you'll go up to Roman right now and tell him what happened.

JENNIFER: I told you I don't kn....

JACK: I don't give a damn what Emilio said. I know all about. I really do. "The laws of the jungle. Don't tell the cops. The rules of the street."

JENNIFER: Look, Jack I was scared, alright.

JACK: Do you think that the people who hurt Emilio are going to let you run around like a Chattie Cathy time bomb? What are you thinking? What are you thinking of?

JENNIFER: I promised him.

JACK: Your promises don't mean anything! They're going to kill you!

JENNIFER: He saved my life. What am I supposed to do, alright? He told me not to say anything. I owe him that.

JACK: What about what you owe yourself?

JENNIFER: He's hurt. He's on his way to the hospital.

JACK: He's not hurt. He's going to be alright.

JENNIFER: You don't know that. Nobody knows that. He was trying to keep me safe. I'm going to the hospital Jack.

JACK: Jennifer, just....

JENNIFER: What?

JACK: Alright, if I can't convince you, I'll go with you. I will drive you personally to the hospital. Okay?

JENNIFER: Let's go.

JACK: Okay.

SCENE ONE: JACK AND JENNIFER ARE WAITING AT THE HOSPITAL FOR NEWS OF EMILIO.

JACK: Jennifer?

JENNIFER: Yes.

JACK: I'm telling you, he's going to be alright. I mean your brother's the next best thing to Marcus Welby. He is.

JENNIFER: You know Jack, at the street fair before, Emilio sang. He sang to me and it was the first time that I ever really heard him sing. You know Emilio is the only person I've ever known who just says what he's feeling right out. He doesn't care what anybody else thinks, and he doesn't care who's listening to him.

JACK: (Trying to be sarcastic and snide, but really affected by Jennifer's concern for Emilio, down deep wishing it was for him)That's a pretty neat trick.

JENNIFER: (Referring to how Jack reacts.) And he doesn't pretend and he doesn't play games. And before he was protecting me and I might not have a chance to tell him, you know. I may never be able to....

JENNIFER WALKS AWAY CRYING.

JACK: (Jack responding to her "playing games remark.") Yeah.

SCENE TWO: MIKE COMES OUT AND TELLS EVERYBODY THAT HE CANNOT OPERATE BECAUSE EMILIO HAS LOST TOO MUCH BLOOD. HE SAYS THEY NEED DONORS SO APRIL AND JULIO VOLUNTEER. JENNIFER SAYS SHE WANTS TO BE CHECKED FOR A MATCH AS WELL. THEY ALL WALK AWAY IGNORING JACK.

JACK: Um.... yeah.... good luck. Good luck.

SCENE THREE: A SHORT TIME LATER JENNIFER COMES BACK TO SEE JACK.

JENNIFER: It didn't work.

JACK: What? What didn't work? Emilio?

JENNIFER: My blood doesn't match.

JACK: Well, I'm sure Julio and April will be able to.

JENNIFER: No, you don't understand. Emilio got some kind of strange RH factor in his blood. There's no one in his whole family that can match it, Jack.

JACK: Well, I'm sure there's somebody in the hospital that can.

JENNIFER: No you don't understand. It has to happen now. Mike says there's one more possibility.

JACK: Really.

JENNIFER: He remembers when you had your kidney surgery Jack.

JACK: Oh no! Wait a minute. Wait a minute! Oh, no, no, no.

JENNIFER: Jack you have to do it. I know how you feel about Emilio but you have to understand that he's been there for you.

JACK: Jennifer, what is that going to make us now, blood brothers? Do you really expect me....

JENNIFER: No, you have to do it. You're the only one who can match it. Look how much he's been through. I mean you have to understand the situ--

JACK: (Cutting in in the midst of Jennifer's sentence, he had already agreed to help out, because he would do anything to make Jennifer happy.) Alright I'll do it.

JENNIFER: (She is surprised, slightly) What?

JACK: I said, alright, I'll do it.

JENNIFER: Oh Jack!

JENNIFER LEAPS UP AND WRAPS HER ARMS AROUND HIS NECK AND SQUEEZES HIM TIGHT.

 

THIS EMBARRASSES JACK, BUT HE ALSO SEEMS TO ENJOY BEING HUGGED BY HER.

JACK: Oh, Jennifer! Easy, easy. Let's get the blood out the normal way, okay.

JENNIFER: I knew that you wouldn't say no Jack. I knew that you cared about him.

SHE LEAPS UP AND HUGS HIM AGAIN.

JACK: You knew it? Just a minute. Easy. This is an emergency right.

JENNIFER: Yes.

JACK: So we should.... oh one thing, this is important, no medals please. But a big plaque would be nice. A little bronze, a little bit of Olympic gold and a ticker tape parade should not be on Tuesday. I'm busy Tuesday so make it Wednesday. Is that okay?

JENNIFER: Oh, Jack!

SHE HUGS HIM AGAIN.

JACK: (Almost choking from her tight squeeze.) Good, I'm glad you understand that point.

SCENE FOUR: JENNIFER AND APRIL ARE IN THE STAFF LOUNGE WHEN JACK COMES IN WITH HIS RIGHT ARM OUTSTRETCHED. HE HAS A BAND AID INSIDE HIS ELBOW AND IS CARRYING A SMALL CUP OF JUICE AND A COOKIE.

JENNIFER: How did it go?

JACK: Well, I'm a quart low but other than that I'm doing pretty good. What do you think?

APRIL: You're doin' great. I really appreciate what you've done Jack.

JACK: (Jack is not use to people praising him, and the praise embarrasses him) Oh, don't worry about it, April. I've got a little juice, some cookies, I'm....

APRIL: Hey, hey, hey. I'm not finished thanking you yet.

JENNIFER: April, he can't take a compliment or anybody's gratitude.

JACK: Oh, I can't eh? Is that so?

JENNIFER: In my experience.

JACK: Well, let's try it again? Would you like a little bit of juice, juice? For you?

JENNIFER SHAKES HER HEAD.

JENNIFER: Thank you.

SHE WALKS OVER AND GIVES HIM ANOTHER BIG HUG.

APRIL: Thank you.

JACK: Well, you're welcome, you're both welcome. How's that? How'd I do?

JENNIFER: Incredible, really incredible.

JACK: Thank you, thank you.

MIKE COMES IN AND TELLS THEM THAT THE TRANSFUSION TOOK AND THAT EMILIO NEEDS REST BUT SHOULD BE FINE. JENNIFER ASKS IF SHE CAN SEE HIM AND APRIL SAYS THAT IS FINE.

JACK: I'll.... I'll go with you.

JACK AND JENNIFER LEAVE THE LOUNGE. OUTSIDE JENNIFER STOPS TO TALK TO JACK.

JENNIFER: Thank you.

JACK: There's nothing to thank me for. I just sat there and drained, that's all. I mean all this really did was give us the right to the story, right?

JENNIFER: (Grinning) Right ,Jack.

JACK: Right. Well, they told me I was going to start feeling a little old and tired so I think I'm going to let you go home by yourself. I'll just chew my cookie.

JENNIFER: You're really terrific sometimes, you know that Jack?

JACK: (Sheepishly) I know.

SHE LEANS UP AND GIVES HIM A BIG KISS ON HIS RIGHT CHEEK, SHE PATS HIS CHEEK AND THEN WALKS AWAY.

SCENE FIVE: JENNIFER GOES IN TO SEE EMILIO IN ICU. JACK WATCHES FROM OUTSIDE AS JENNIFER SITS WITH EMILIO AND KISSES HIS HAND.

SLOWLY JACK PUTS ON HIS JACKET, SHRUGGING HIS SHOULDERS, HE WALKS AWAY.