Prologue
SCENE ONE -- EXT. -- NIGHT - AIRFIELD
We see two silhoutted adult figures holding the hands of a child as they board a small, private plane on a seemingly deserted air strip
SCENE TWO -- INT. - NIGHT - PLANE
JACK DEVERAUX is settling his daughter ABIGAIL into her seat on the plane while her mother, JENNIFER HORTON, looks on
ABIGAIL: Why can't you come with us daddy?
JACK: (KNEELING IN FRONT OF ABIGAIL AND TAKING HER HAND IN HIS) Abigail, I want to stay with you and Je - your mommy too, but sometimes mommies and daddies and children can't be together.
Over JACK'S shoulder we see JENNIFER fighting to control her tears
JACK: (CONT.) But I promise you Abigail that we'll all be together again soon.
ABIGAIL: Do you really promise daddy?
JACK: I promise. (GLANCES AT JENNIFER) Now I want you to promise me something.
ABIGAIL: Anything daddy.
JACK: I want you to promise me that you'll be a good girl for your mommy.
ABIGAIL: (SERIOUSLY) I will daddy.
JACK: (SMILING WISTFULLY) And I want you to promise me Abigail that you're going to look after mommy for me. You know she likes to stay up too late and not eat all of her vegetables when she's away from my watchful eye.
ABIGAIL: Daddy (GIGGLES) you're so silly.
JACK: You're right, mommy never eats her vegetables whether I'm there or not.
JENNIFER smiles behind them
JACK: (CONT.) So is that a deal Abigail? You behave and keep an eye on mommy and I'll do everything so we can be together as quickly as I can.
ABBY nods
JACK: (CONT.) Good. Now do you remember how we seal a deal?
ABIGAIL smiles widely. JACK leans closer to her and she stretches her face upward to kiss his cheek. JACK leans back and grins LEANS
JACK: You know I don't think that's going to hold me until we're back together. (JACK POINTS AT HIS OTHER CHEEK WHICH ABBY KISSES.) That's better. Now I'm going to go talk to mommy for a minute and you're going to start on your trip, okay? (SHE NODS AT THIS.) I love you Abigail.
ABIGAIL: I love you too daddy.
ABBY grabs her backpack and pulls out a book to read. JACK stands up and looks lovingly at JENNIFER. He gestures toward the exit and she nods. As she passes him, he places his hand on the small of her back and follows her off the plane. Just before getting off, he pops his head into the cockpit
JACK: Jennifer will be right in Colin.
COLIN: Okay.
SCENE THREE -- EXT. - NIGHT - RUNWAY
JENNIFER turns to face JACK
JENNIFER: Remind me again how this is going to be good for us.
JACK: Jennifer, we've been over this before.
JENNIFER: I know, I know. Abby and I will be safer. But you know I don't agree with that Jack.
JACK nods repeatedly but says nothing
JENNIFER: (CONT.) You know that we would feel safer if we were with you, Jack. We're stronger together --
JACK: Normally, yes, but not this time.
JENNIFER sighs loudly and turns away from wiping the tears from her eyes. JACK moves closer to her, visibly upset to cause her so much pain. He takes her hand and makes her face him
JACK: So you know the plan?
JENNIFER: I don't like the plan.
JACK: Jennifer.
JENNIFER: Jack! (BEAT) Yes I know the plan. Colin is flying us to the Emerald Isle. There his friend, Ian, will meet us and take us to his pub -
JACK: Where you will hide out as a barmaid. (CHUCKLING) I must admit that I'm a little disappointed that I'm missing the latest addition to your repertoire.
JENNIFER: (HITTING HIS ARM) Jack!
JACK: (LAUGHING) So you stay with Colin's friend until I come for you or at least until I can get word to you what you should do next.
JENNIFER: I still don't understand why this is better and why we can't just stay here or better still, go off together.
JACK: Because we don't know who is behind these threats and until we do, we have to protect the child. (BEAT) And I've got to finish some things here first.
JENNIFER: What things?
JACK: (IGNORING HER QUESTION) Don't forget to continue Abigail's studies. We can't have her falling behind just because we have to take part in a little adventure.
JENNIFER: Jack -
JACK: And save everything, -- everything -- Jennifer, because I'm going to want to see it all. And -
JENNIFER: Jack -
JACK: And don't let her talk to strangers. We can't trust anyone anymore but ourselves. (BEAT) And Colin.
JENNIFER: (GRABS HIS FACE TO MAKE HIM LISTEN TO HER) You're doing it again Jack.
JACK: Doing? I'm not doing anything. I'm merely going over the plan one more time so we -
JENNIFER: Jack (CARESSES HIS FACE GENTLY) you don't have to pretend with me. I know you're worried about us being split up like this. (BEAT) But you're right. If it were just the two of us, we could face the danger together -
JACK: Uh - Miss Horton -
JENNIFER: (SMILES AT HIS DISCOMFORT) You wouldn't like it, but we could do it. But there's Abby now and we have to protect her.
JACK: (MOVING CLOSER AND MUMBLING) Protecting Abigail. (JACK RUNS HIS HANDS UP AND DOWN HER ARMS REASSURINGLY) I think I've mentioned that before.
JENNIFER: (TEASING) Did you?
JACK: I think you know I did.
JENNIFER: You know -- perhaps you did. (SHE WRAPS HER ARMS AROUND HIS WAIST AND RESTS HER HEAD AGAINST HIS CHEST) Did you mean what you said to Abby?
JACK: (SMELLING HER HAIR AND SMILING) About the vegetables?
JENNIFER: (LOOKING UP INTO HIS SMILING FACE AND SUPPRESSING HER OWN LAUGHTER) Veg - no not about the vegetables Jack. About you getting back to us as soon as you can.
JACK: You know I did. I will meet you in Ireland as soon as it is safe.
JENNIFER: Promise me you'll take care of yourself.
JACK: I promise.
JENNIFER: I'm going to hold you to it. (BEAT) I'll miss you.
JACK reaches his hands behind him and unwraps her arms from his waist, but he continues to hold her hands in his
JACK: Now Miss Horton, don't go getting overly emotional on me. I thought I cured you of that particular affliction years ago. Now you need to be getting back on that plane with Abigail.
JACK turns and leads her back to the plane. They walk the few feet to the plane where they stop again and face each other
JACK: Well, here we are. (BEAT) Take care, Miss H.
JENNIFER: (STRUGGLING TO KEEP HER COMPOSURE) You too. (BEAT) I love you Jack. (SHE LOSES THE BATTLE WITH HER EMOTIONS AND THROWS HER ARMS AROUND HIS NECK)
JACK: (FINGERS HER HAIR AND WHISPERS) I love you too, Jennifer.
JACK kisses her gently on the forehead. Then he pauses slightly to look into her eyes before leaning down and kissing her passionately on the lips. After a few moments we hear a throat clear and then COLIN appears in the doorway of the plane
COLIN: It's time to go Jennifer.
JENNIFER: (GLANCES OVER AT COLIN) Okay. (TURNS BACK TO JACK) As soon as you can.
JACK: I promise.
JENNIFER tearfully gets on the plane, her eyes never leaving JACK'S until she has to turn away. JACK does the same. Finally his gaze turns to COLIN
COLIN: I will take care of them Jack.
JACK: I'm counting on it. I wouldn't trust them with just anyone.
COLIN: I know that. (OFFERS HIS HAND TO SHAKE) Until we meet again my friend.
JACK: (SHAKING HIS HAND) So long. Take care of yourself too.
COLIN: I've always managed that Jack. Don't you worry.
COLIN locks eyes with JACK and then closes the hatch. JACK slowly backs away as the engines start. JENNIFER'S face can be seen in the window as the plane takes off. JACK lifts up his hand for one final goodbye
JACK: (SOFTLY) Take care Jennifer.
OUT on JACK'S sadness
END OF PROLOGUE
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