Angel Eyes PDF

ANGEL EYES by Gerald DiPego October 1999 Seventh Draft/Polish FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY FADE IN: EXT. CITY STREETS (LOS ANGELES) - NIGHT CREDIT SEQUENCE. As OPENING CREDITS play, we study the city’s nighttime pulse, ribbons of headlights moving and cross-connecting like bl...

ANGEL EYES by Gerald DiPego October 1999 Seventh Draft/Polish FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY FADE IN: EXT. CITY STREETS (LOS ANGELES) - NIGHT CREDIT SEQUENCE. As OPENING CREDITS play, we study the city’s nighttime pulse, ribbons of headlights moving and cross-connecting like blood through the veins of a body -- impressionistic, even beautiful, but what we’re hearing is soulful trumpet-based MUSIC, mellow and haunting, the modern classic -- JAZZ sound of a Wynton Marsalis, putting a voice to our story. As CREDITS END, we... DISSOLVE TO: POV - EXT. FREEWAY - NIGHT Now the MUSIC is GONE, SOUNDS are MUFFLED and vision blurred. We get the impression of urgent movement. We hear BREATHING. There are VOICES, SHOUTS, even SCREAMS, but MUFFLED, far away. Only the breathing is distinct. We come to realize it is our breathing, and we are inside someone, looking out. The man whose POV this is is on the edge of consciousness and not far from death. He lies on the pavement of a freeway at the site of an accident only minutes after impact. His VISION goes IN and OUT of clarity. People are swarming around him and rushing by toward the carnage of wrecked vehicles. A SIREN BLOOMS in the distance and approaches haltingly. The man slips away, comes back toward consciousness, slips again. The crowd around the downed man parts to allow passage to a police officer. It is a woman, Officer SHARON POGUE, LAPD. She kneels at the man’s side, taking charge, speaking, but we hear only SLIVERS of SOUND. He sees her face clearly now, close above him. Sharon is a dedicated professional and more. We see down into her to a place of real caring. She stares into our eyes and connects. We begin to hear her now -- and there are more SIRENS converging in b.g. SHARON Can you hear me? (shouting, off) This one’s conscious! VOICE (O.S.) Paramedics on the way! We are slipping away again. Sharon holds us with her eyes, and she grips our hand. (CONTINUED)  2. CONTINUED: SHARON Wait. Wait. Listen to me. Can you feel that? She holds on tight. We see that our hand, held in her own, is bloody. SHARON That’s my hand. Hold it. Go on -- as hard as you can. We watch our hand gripping hers, and as we hold on, the sights and sounds around us grow more clear. SHARON It’s over, and I’ve got you, and you’re safe. You’re safe now. You got that? Don’t let go. Don’t let me go. But our eyes unlock from Sharon’s and DRIFT TO a patch of night sky. Her voice fades awawy. Our POV begins TO LIFT, MOVING TOWARD that sky, as the blue-black night begins to turn white. We GO INTO that white light and... DISSOLVE TO: EXT. LOS ANGELES CITYSCAPE - DAY We PICK OUT a police car from the traffic and FOLLOW. The beat being patrolled is a mixed neighborhood with some very rough edges. INT. POLICE CAR - DAY Officer Sharon Pogue is driving the car. It is two years since we saw her at the accident site. Her partner, ROBBY LEWIS, sips coffee and keeps one eye on the CAD monitor which lists all area police calls. She slows behind a car that is crawling along, an old 60s car, driven by a young man and woman who sit very close on the bench seat. The car’s ENGINE is MISSING and smoking. SHARON That car is older than they are. ROBBY ’67 Chevy Impala. SHARON That’s what I said. (CONTINUED)  3. CONTINUED: ROBBY Needs a servicing. SHARON Don’t we all. Robby nearly spits his coffee, laughing at what Sharon has said and trying not to choke. Sharon smiles, shaking her head. SHARON Get it together, officer. As Robby smiles, Sharon looks ahead at the young couple who each have an arm around the other. She is stroking his neck. He is making gentle circles in her hair. Sharon watches this, and for a moment her eyes reveal a depth that may be loneliness, but she quickly pushes her thoughts away and hits the HORN, startling Robby and startling the people ahead who now disengage and drive on. ROBBY Jesus, Pogo! Almost spilled my coffee again! You didn’t like his hair, or what? SHARON I love Elvis hair. They were going two damn miles an hour. But Robby’s eyes have caught something on the monitor. ROBBY Let’s roll to this -- fight in progress. As Robby secures that coffee cup, Sharon hits the SIREN and speeds around the car in front of them. EXT. CITY STREET - DAY At the same time, a few blocks away, an OLD, FRAIL MAN is carrying two plastic grocery bags that are too heavy for him. Walking behind this man is a younger man named CATCH LAMBERT, an attractive man with some scarring on his face. His eyes, deep down, are haunted by something, but there is energy in his step. He is dressed in a relaxed and stylish manner, not expensive. He begins to pick up his pace to catch up to the old man. (CONTINUED)  4. CONTINUED: People glance at Catch, nad he glances back in an open and unflinching way, ready for anything, a smile, a nod, or -- because these are some of L.A.’s mean streets -- a threatening or taunting look. These he also meets openly, without a trace of fear. The man has been through some kind of fire, and it has left him different from us. Outside the usual boundaries. Catch walks beside the Old Man, glancing at him. Finally, the man glances back, wondering and suspicious, but Catch has a slight, disarming smile, open and honest. CATCH Y’know... since we’re both walking the same way, I could take one of those bags for you. That way, I do some upper body work while I’m walking along. Helps my back. What d’you say? The Old Man trudges on, proud and suspicious, too. CATCH Right now your mind’s making pictures of me robbing your groceires, but, y’know, nine times out of ten, people do the right thing. The Old Man glances at him, still not convinced, but he soon has to stop and rest. Catch stops, too. The old man looks at him, a bit embarrassed. OLD MAN It’s the dog food that makes it so heavy. Catch nods, puts out his hand. The Old Man hesitates, then decides and lifts a bag, and Catch takes it. CATCH I guess it’s worth it... for a good dog. Catch isn’t kidding. He has that honesty. The Old Man nods and starts trudging again. As they walk on together, Catch reaches for that second bag. The man relents and lets him take it. They continue on, Catch carrying the bags and every now and then lifting them a bit for his upper body work.  5. EXT. VIDEO GAME ROOM - DAY This is the call Sharon and Robby have sped to. It is a chaotic scene of cops breaking up a fight between eight boys, 16-20. A big KID, 18 or so, is being pulled off another by Sharon and Robby. The Kid is wild and resisting and Sharon shows her toughness and professionalism and some anger, too, as she slams him into a fence -- and Robby holds him while she cuffs the young man -- who is very mouthy, playing to his friends. KID Look at this bitch. Whoo! Benny, look at this! Sharon and Robby are both very good at their jobs, taking this Kid to their car while other cops contain the rest. A crowd watches -- mostly teens. KID (to Sharon) You come in with me. Hey, bitch. Some of his bystanders friends howl at that. KID You’re going to arrest me, you come into the back seat with me. Come on! He resists a bit, but they’re getting him into the car. KID Come on. We’ll have a good time. INT. POLICE CAR - DAY (FEW MINUTES LATER) Sharon’s on the radio to dispatch as Robby drives and the Kid keeps mouthing off. SHARON (to radio) Three Adam Five -- show us 1019 to the jail with one male prisoner. KID Take off your uniform. Take off my handcuffs, bitch, and come back here. I want one touch. ROBBY Give it a rest! Sharon is stone-faced through this. (CONTINUED)  6. CONTINUED: KID If you’re going to put me away, you gotta give me one sweet touch. INT. JAIL BOOKING AREA - DAY As Robby and Sharon bring their suspect to the booking counter, each holding one of his cuffed arms. The Kid is looking at Sharon’s hand on his arm. KID That ain’t the touch. That ain’t the touch I want. They get him to the counter. ROBBY As I remove your cuffs, I want you to put your hands here. Spread your legs. More. As they remove the cuffs, the Kid makes a sudden move toward Sharon, reaching between her legs -- but she was not only ready for this, but hoping for it -- and the stoniness of her face cracks into fierce anger as she moves quickly and grabs the Kid by the hair, bringing his face into her upraised knee. He cries out and goes down on his knees, hurting and bleeding. The jailer rushes over to help, but Robby grabs the Kid’s wrists. ROBBY That’s it. Back off, John, we got it. Robby glances at Sharon -- a dark glance. EXT. POLICE JAIL PARKING LOT - DAY (LATER) as Robby and Sharon walk to their car. They are interrupted by one of their lieutenants, SANDERMAN, walking their way and stopping to stare at Sharon. She meets his look. SANDERMAN You trying to be a bad-ass, Pogue? She is straightforward, not rebellious. SHARON I just dealt with the situation. The prisoner... (CONTINUED)  7. CONTINUED: SANDERMAN And you don’t see a pattern here? (pause) I want you to keep yourself way inside the line instead of walking on it. All right? Are you taking notes? He walks away, and Sharon and Robby walk on to their car -- she is dark; he is glancing at her. ROBBY You broke his nose. SHARON He grabbed me. End of story. ROBBY And you were waiting for him. You were hoping. You were making long-range plans for his ass while he was mouthing off in the car -- and you’re supposed to be above that shit. SHARON If you think I crossed the line, put it in the report. ROBBY Pogo, stop the shit. What is it? You pissed off at me, too? They enter the car, Sharon behind the wheel. SHARON Not you, Rob. You’re a rare unthreatened male cop with a good marriage, and you like to eat where I eat -- so everything’s code four. She STARTS the CAR and starts to back out, and he reaches over and turns OFF the IGNITION. She stares hotly at him -- but then, slowly, she softens, takes a deep breath. ROBBY Come over for dinner tonight. I’ll call Charlene. She’d like to see you. It’s been awhile. We’ll talk about it. (CONTINUED)  8. CONTINUED: She STARTS the CAR again, more calm, starts to drive out of the lot. SHARON Thanks. But she’ll invite friends, try and fix me up. She’s always trying to fix me up so she doesn’t have to worry about you and me. ROBBY She doesn’t worry about that. SHARON They all worry about that. They both smile wryly, driving on. SHARON You don’t need to fix me, Robby, or fix me up. I don’t want some guy to heart and soul me and then walk away ’cause he can’t stand the cop thing -- or worse: he wants cop stories every night ’cause it turns him on, and he has no idea who I am inside my head. Anyway, I’m busy tonight. ROBBY Got some action, huh? Well, that’s promising. SHARON Yeah. Hot and heavy. IMMEDIATE CUT TO: INT. SHARON’S APARTMENT - NIGHT She is on the floor using an exercise rig, sliding into crunches, pushing herself, sweating, alone. We BEGIN DRIFTING TO the rain-spattered window as night sounds filter in, HORNS, SOMEONE SHOUTING, a CAR MOVING BY with THUNDEROUS BASS MUSIC that pulses the very air and RATTLES the LOOSE GLASS of her window. EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS - NIGHT Catch Lambert is walking the wet streets, head down in the rain. Far away we hear that car with a BASS-BLASTING RADIO. (CONTINUED)  9. CONTINUED: In the glow of a street lamp, Catch sees a bright-colored object in the gutter. He picks it up out of the gurgling rain water. It is a small toy, a discarded superhero. He puts it in his pocket, walks on. Now the car, the prowling, MUSIC-BLASTING, BASS- THUNDERING CAR turns a corner and begins rollling along slowly -- beside Catch. He glances over, walking on. There are four tough-looking MEN in the car, looking for trouble. The MUSIC is DEAFENING. Catch glances again, walks on. Their eyes follow him like gun barrels. He stops and walks out on the street, moving toward the car, shouting over the music. CATCH Hey! You want to turn that volume down? What’s your point? The men, incredulous, stop the car and snap OFF the MUSIC in order to make sure they’re hearing right. They stare death at Catch. DRIVER (MAN) What did you say? CATCH What’s the point of blasting your music through the whole zip code? Don’t you realize there are kids trying to sleep in these apartments -- old people, sick people? They can hardly believe this. DRIVER You better watch your mouth, asshole. Catch meets the man’s look with his own unflinching, haunted eyes. CATCH Why? What’re you gonna do? Kill me? Catch’s look is not a macho challenge. It’s something else -- beyond that, a man somehow without limits. One of the riders in the backseat taps the Driver’s shoulder. MAN #2 Guy’s nuts. Let’s go. The Driver, never breaking his death stare, snaps on the DEAFENING MUSIC and then slowly rolls on, still glaring at Catch. Catch stands in the rain, watching them go.  10. INT. CATCH’S APARTMENT CORRIDOR - SAME NIGHT Catch is arriving home, soaking wet. He lives in a slightly-seedy three-story. As he walks down the corridor toward his apaprtment, he passes a neighbor’s door and notices a set of keys dangling from the lock. He pauses -- and then knocks softly on the door. Someone looks through the peephole and then opens the door -- a young single mother, friendly but with a little caution, too. She recognizes Catch. Behind her is a little boy, (five). The woman’s name is CANDACE. Her son is TOMMY. CANDACE Hi. CATCH Hi. Your keys are in the... He gestures, and she sees the keys and retrieves them, more friendly now. CANDACE Oh, thank you. Thanks a lot. God. I was trying to carry Tommy and all these bags. He was so tired. Of course, as soon as I put him down he had all this energy... While she is talking, Catch is staring deeply at the boy, who is shy. Catch almost speaks to the boy, wants to, goes halfway to a smile -- but the sight of the kid stirs that layer of darkness in Catch. He nods a good-bye to the mother and is about to go. She thinks about this, as he is turning, and pushes through her remaining caution to say... CANDACE Y’know, we were just baking nectarine bars because the peaches weren’t ripe. Ever had a nectarine bar? He smiles and seems to want to stay, but he is already retreating. His contact goes only so far -- and no further. CATCH Sorry. Gotta be going. And with one more glance at the boy, he walks to his apartment, unlocks it and steps in.  11. INT. CATCH’S APARTMENT - NIGHT He walks into a bare living room -- no chairs, tables, lamps, nothing on the walls. He walks into a spotless, never-used kitchen and flips on the light, opens a drawer. In the drawer is a collection of kids’ toys, some found, some purchased, mostly plastic figures. The action of opening the door has started some battery-operated animals moving around in there. Now from his pocket he takes the plastic superhero he just found and drops it in and closes the drawer. He walks back into the living room. He sits on the floor, leans back against the wall, his clothes still soaked from the rain. He stares at his thoughts, looking a bit numb -- and lost. EXT./INT. DRY CLEANERS SHOP - DAY Sharon is just leaving with a clean uniform on a hanger in a plastic bag. It’s a neighborhood place where alterations are done. As she is leaving, an older woman is just entering. This is MRS. VANDER, beaming at Sharon, a real talker. MRS. VANDER Sherry! SHARON Hi, Mrs. Vander. You’re looking good. MRS. VANDER Oh, you just wait. I splurged. She is pulling a new blue dress out of a shopping bag. MRS. VANDER It’s for the church and the party. It’s just a little too long. SHARON Looks great. MRS. VANDER Y’know, I cried over the invitation -- just imagine me in church. (laughs) It’ll be so good to spend time with you. (CONTINUED)  12. CONTINUED: Sharon forces a smile -- but is mystified. Mrs. Vander is walking to the counter and pausing to say... MRS. VANDER You know Dan and I renewed our vows last year. I bet that’s where your mom got the idea. SHARON Their vows? MRS. VANDER Your mom and dad -- the ceremony... Mrs. Vander realizes what’s going on and stammers on, sympathetic and embarrassed. MRS. VANDER Oh, well... y’know, I just got that invitation a few... just now, so I’m sure you’ll... SHARON Oh, yeah. We’ve had... there’s been some problems with the mail in our building, so... I’ll probably get it today. They’re both covering like mad, both realizing Sharon’s been left out. SHARON So, I guess I’ll see you. MRS. VANDER Sure, honey. I’ll see you there. Sharon leaves -- Mrs. Vander staring after her, feeling bad. As Sharon walks away, we see her forced smile die, replaced by an old pain and darkness. EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET - DAY Robby and Sharon’s unit pulls up at a house remodel with a sign marked "POGUE CONSTRUCTION." Sharon exits the car and walks onto the site, moves toward a man who is both carpenter and supervisor on the job. This is her brother, LARRY POGUE, 29. They are not comfortable with each other -- an old wound. He gives her a wary nod. She’s trying a little harder, being a bit more friendly. We can sense the strain. (CONTINUED)  13. CONTINUED: SHARON I didn’t see his truck, so... LARRY He’s not here. SHARON How you doing? She touches his shoulder as she says this, a friendly gesture, a reaching out. He doesn’t respond, only shrugs. LARRY I’m okay. SHARON Kathy and the boy? Bet he’s big now. LARRY Growin’ fast. SHARON Is he looking more like you now -- or did he get lucky? She has broken through a bit and they both smile a brief, wry smile. LARRY He’s got Kathy’s looks and brains and my strong back. You should feel his grip. (pause) You just passing by? She looks about. SHARON Place is coming along nice. The octagon window. Dad’s signature. But Larry’s look stays on her, wondering what’s on her mind. SHARON Look, Larry, I shouldn’t have to hear it from Mrs. Vander -- about what’s happening. He turns back to his work now as they speak, uncomfortable. (CONTINUED)  14. CONTINUED: LARRY What’s happening? SHARON (hurt) So you really weren’t going to tell me? Nobody was going to tell me? Mom and Dad renewing their vows, the church, the party. Mrs. Vander is all excited. She bought a new dress. It’s blue. LARRY We’re workin’ on Dad. We think you should be there. We told him. SHARON Mom told him? LARRY We mentioned it. SHARON He’s holding out, hah? LARRY You want to come? SHARON It’s my family. Jesus, Lar. It’s over ten years, and he won’t let go of it. LARRY You two were always head to head. SHARON For good reason. Remember? LARRY Let’s just leave it. She stares, then... SHARON You’re still scared of him. Pissed, he throws his hammer down on the plywood, turns to her. (CONTINUED)  15. CONTINUED: LARRY I don’t think it’s a good idea you coming around here in uniform. People see it, they think we’re in trouble here. SHARON Nice seeing you, too. She walks away. He frowns, picks up his hammer, goes back to work. ON STREET As Sharon walks towards the car, she sees a van approaching and she holds up a hand to Robby and calls out... SHARON Two more minutes. And she walks toward the oncoming van, which is parking now. EXT. VAN - DAY The van is driven by KATHY, Sharon’s brother’s wife. Beside her in a car seat is LARRY, JR., four years old. Sharon comes to the rolled down window on the driver’s side. She has a warm smile for Kathy and the child. Kathy smiles, too. KATHY Hi! Look -- it’s your Auntie Sharon. SHARON Hey, Champ, my God, look how big. She has a special affection for the boy -- who is subdued, but he smiles a small one for his aunt. She takes one of his hands and they shake in mock formality. LARRY JR. Hi. SHARON Ow! You hurt my hand with that grip. Whew. (CONTINUED)  16. CONTINUED: She shakes her fingers, and he smiles a bit more. Sharon reaches in and rubs his head in a mock knuckling move. He laughs. She smooths his hair, affectionately. KATHY We’re bringing Larry his lunch. Hey, it’s good to see you. It’s been awhile. What? Sharon is staring at Kathy’s badly bruised ear. KATHY Oh, I went boom into a low shelf -- chasing after him of course. (nodding to the child) How’re you doing? Sharon pulls her eyes off the bruise to meet Kathy’s look -- and connect. SHARON I’m semi-okay. I heard about the... ceremony and the party. KATHY (embarrassed) Oh. I hope you’ll be there. (pause) Really. Sharon smiles a bit, appreciating the support. She pats Kathy’s arm. SHARON Take it easy. You too, Champ. The boy offers his little hand to shake again. SHARON Oh, no. You’re not breaking my fingers again. They smile and drive on and Sharon walks toward her car and Robby. EXT. CITY PARK - DAY (NEXT DAY) We WATCH moms and kids and a basketball game in the park and PICK UP Catch walking by. Two pre-teens are playing bounce and catch with a rubber ball against a (tennis practice) wall, and one of them misses, and Catch makes a lunge and snags the ball. Instead of throwing it to one of the boys, he fires it at the wall. (CONTINUED)  17. CONTINUED: One of the boys catches it, bounces it off the wall toward Catch. Catch grabs it, and now he’s part of this rapid-fire game -- and he’s athletic and funny, too, playing hard and mugging and making them smile until... a POLICE CAR comes ROARING down the boulevard, slowing a bit to CHIRP its SIREN a few times -- clearing traffic. Catch glances up and sees... CATCH’S POV Sharon is in the car beside Robby. ON CATCH Stunned by the sight of her -- and he doesn’t know why. He can’t move, can’t breathe, eyes fixed on her. The POLICE CAR pulls around a truck and ROARS on -- and that’s when he is struck by a memory, a little like lightning. It comes as a quick -- FLASHBACK - EXT. FREEWAY - ACCIDENT SITE - CATCH’S POV -- The man near death. Sharon is bending close to him, this all just a sliver of an image, and it jolts him. BACK TO SCENE (PRESENT) The police car is now converging with other squads just half a block away. Catch throws the ball back to the boys and runs toward the police incident. The boys watch him go, wondering. EXT. CLOSED STORE - DAY A police car is parked askew near this closed store -- as now Robby and Sharon’s UNIT ROARS to a STOP beside it. Two cops are calling and motioning to them, one holds a shotgun. This is RAY JULIETTE. RAY Break-in alarm. One suspect in -- nobody out. Take the back. And they are moving. EXT. BACK OF CLOSED STORE - DAY Robby and Sharon are hurrying around to the back as we hear more POLICE UNITS CONVERGING in front.  18. ANGLE - STREET As Catch arrives on the scene and sees Sharon and Robby moving around the building to the back. He is still amazed at the sight of her. He decides to follow her, keeping her in sight, driven. ON SHARON, ROBBY They are scouting through crates and weeds as a young man is flushed from cover at the back of the store and runs from them. ROBBY Freeze! The man runs on, and Sharon chases with Robby close behind her. Sharon speaks to her shoulder radio mike as she runs. SHARON (to radio) Three-A-5, foot pursuit. Suspect fleeing south on Pico Place, young man, green jacket. No visible weapon... (to Robby) Robby! ROBBY Right behind you! (to man) Stop and lie down with your arms... shit. The man has jumped a fence. Sharon follows. ROBBY Careful! SHARON I see him! She goes over the fence, then Robby. EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY The man runs and Sharon chases. Robby, not far behind glances off to the side, seeing Catch, still following. ROBBY Citizen on your right! Hey! (CONTINUED)  19. CONTINUED: But Sharon is now closing on the fleeing man who turns suddenly, pointing a handgun! ROBBY Gun! And Sharon, wide-eyed, is already pulling her weapon, but not in time. The man is aiming at her and about to fire when he is tackled by Catch. Catch and the man go sprawling, and the gun flies out of the man’s hand, and Sharon is on him in an instant, pointing her gun at him... SHARON Freeze! Right there! Catch scrambles to his feet. Robby joins Sharon and puts his knee in the man’s back and cuffs him, then glances at Catch. So does Sharon. But Catch starts to hurry off. ROBBY Hey! Wait! Two other cops (Ray Juliette and SANCHEZ) rush toward the suspect on the ground. RAY You got him? ROBBY He was armed. RAY Jesus. ROBBY Citizen took him down. RAY No shit!? Sharon stares across the lot to where Catch has halted. More cops are converging. Ray Juliette and Sanchez move toward Catch, while a sergeant and others surround Sharon and the suspect. In between the crowd of cops, Catch and Sharon glance at each other, during... ON CATCH as the cops reach him. (CONTINUED)  20. CONTINUED: RAY What happened here? CATCH I... just saw it and... I saw the gun, so... ON SHARON ROBBY You all right, Pogo? She is shaken, speaks softly. SHARON I was dead. Y’know. She glances toward Catch. (She doesn’t recognize him from the accident.) Their eyes meet briefly, but then their attention is pulled to the others. Sharon speaks to her sergeant. SHARON He had me. I was dead. ON CATCH He is shaken, too. Sanchez is taking notes as Ray checks his I.D. CATCH I was just walking by. I live near here. Ray nods, handing the I.D. to Sanchez. SANCHEZ Sergeant’s going to want to talk to you, Mr. Lambert. We’ll need a statement. RAY Don’t worry about it. That’s just procedure. Look -- we appreciate what you did. No bullshit. Let us buy you a drink tonight, all right? You know where the Rib House is? Catch glances at Sharon again, and he nods.  21. EXT. UPSCALE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY (SAME DAY) Catch, a bit bruised and dirty from his tackle, is carrying groceries up the walkway steps to a small, well- kept home. He is taking out a key as he walks to the covered portico. INT. MRS. CHU’S HOME - DAY ELANORA CHU, 60, is an attractive woman with warmth and intelligence in her eyes. She is in a wheelchair, at a writing table where she carefully translates an English text into Chinese characters. She glances up as Catch opens the front door and heads for the kitchen, speaking as he goes, not looking at her or into the living room at all. CATCH I got you nectarines because the peaches are hard as rocks. ELANORA Your jacket’s all dirty. She rolls away from the table in her motorized chair -- and as they speak across the house, she performs a ritual... CATCH (O.S.) I tackled a guy. Elanora is moving about the living room, picking up framed photographs and turning them face down. We don’t see what -- or who -- is in these photos. She is turning them all in a routine way, used to this. ELANORA Why would you ’tackle’ a guy?! CATCH (O.S.) Why do you think? INT. KITCHEN - DAY Catch is at the cupboards, putting away groceries as Elanora rolls into the kitchen, her CHAIR HUMMING. CATCH He had the ball. He was going for a touchdown. ELANORA Can you be serious? (CONTINUED)  22. CONTINUED: CATCH (as he works) What day is today? ELANORA Wednesday. CATCH No. They are not smiling at their little jokes, but they have an ease with each other and the deep love of dear friends. He doesn’t pause in his work, but we can see some nervousness in him as he says... CATCH Met somebody today. Mrs. Chu is now taking some of the groceries out of the bags to help. ELANORA Oh? That’s good. Ahh -- they had the broccolini today. Thank you. CATCH A woman. Elanora is more interested and curious now, still helping with the groceries and being casual. ELANORA You didn’t tackle her, too, did you? CATCH No. ELANORA Good, Catch. CATCH She’s a police officer. ELANORA (stops; worried) Are you in trouble? Catch goes on working, a depth in his eyes. CATCH No. No trouble. (CONTINUED)  23. CONTINUED: Elanora watches him work and gladdens slightly. We see her own depth of feeling. ELANORA Well... that’s a good thing. He is still working, but his eyes are on his thoughts, his struggle. CATCH I saw her once a long time ago. Elanora stares a moment. This has meaning for her. ELANORA Where? He doesn’t answer. He’s nervous about this. CATCH She looks the same. Now she watches him as he moves to the refrigerator and continues his work in silence. INT. RIB HOUSE - THAT NIGHT It’s a noisy restaurant with a large bar area. We PAN TO a booth of off-duty cops, out of uniform now, including Ray, Sanchez, Sharon and a few more male officers. They’re all a bit high. Sharon shows the signs, too. They are passing around a photo now as one COP looks at it and says... COP Beautiful.... And Sanchez says proudly. SANCHEZ Yeah. My wife’s got him in agility class. RAY No shit. Ray is handed the photo, and we see that they’re talking about Sanchez’s dog, the name "REX" printed on the photo. (CONTINUED)  24. CONTINUED: RAY ’Rex.’ Rex is good. I wonder who the first person was to name a dog ’Fido,’ and what the hell does it mean? SHARON I like how you’re always asking the big questions, Ray. There is some laughter. Ray is a smart-ass and a flirt. RAY I got a big question for you, Pogo -- but I can only ask it when we’re alone. She moves some of the change on the table, sliding it toward Ray. SHARON Here -- use this -- call your wife and ask her instead. SANCHEZ I happen to know Ray’s wife is busy tonight. They laugh and drink and Ray asks her... RAY Why doesn’t your partner ever come out with us? SHARON Robby’s a family man. RAY I’m a family man. SHARON Yeah, but his family actually likes him. More laughter. Sharon’s eyes do a quick roam of the bar. Ray catches this. RAY That Lambert -- I guess he’s not showing either. She shrugs this off like it’s not important and starts to slide out of the booth. (CONTINUED)  25. CONTINUED: RAY Where are you going? SHARON The head. Do you mind? SANCHEZ She’s just gonna freshen up her makeup. RAY You’re wearing makeup? She leaves the booth with a wry frown. SHARON That reminds me, Ray. You still have that eye-liner you borrowed from me? She grins, leaving the laughter behind her. ANGLE - DOOR Catch has entered the bar. He is watching Sharon leave the booth and walk to the rest rooms. He looks back at the raucous booth and hesitates. He sits at a small table near the door. INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT Sharon is drying her hands in the bar’s bathroom, staring into the mirror. No smile now. We see into her mind for a second. FLASHBACK - MAN Pointing the gun at her face today. BACK TO SHARON (PRESENT) in the mirror and see how shaken she still is. ON CATCH A waitress is leaving his table, and he looks back at Sharon’s booth and sees that she still isn’t there. He starts to turn, and then freezes as he hears... (CONTINUED)  26. CONTINUED: SHARON (O.S.) There you are. She has stepped out of the bathroom and spotted him. He is surprised, face to face now. SHARON We thought you wouldn’t show. Why you sitting here? He shrugs. CATCH I don’t talk to a lot of people. Would you...? He half rises and gestures to the other chair. She glances back at her booth, then sits. She’s nervous, too. SHARON I didn’t have a chance to thank you. I’m Sharon Pogue. She puts out her hand. He stares at that hand for just half a beat before taking it. They shake. The feel of her hand holding his evokes the memory of the accident, but he covers this. SHARON You look familiar. CATCH I guess I live on the beat you patrol. Her way to cover nervousness is to be blunt, even tough. SHARON Why would you do that -- jump a man with a gun? CATCH (shrugs) He was going to shoot you. SHARON He could’ve shot you. You have a death wish? You a bungee jumper? CATCH No. I didn’t have time to think about it. (CONTINUED)  27. CONTINUED: SHARON What d’you think about it now? CATCH I figure... it was worth the risk. SHARON For someone you don’t even know? CATCH Yeah -- and for what you do. I think cops are great. Out there, trying to keep it safe. You know? Tough job. Firemen are everybody’s heroes. Kids wave at firemen. People should wave at cops. Did you ever think about how many people are walking around this town because you saved them? SHARON I never thought about it. CATCH... because you helped them or because you arrested somebody who would’ve hurt them or because you just... did your job? SHARON Now I’m walking around this town because of you. Ever think about that? Maybe you should be a cop. CATCH I don’t know... I look pretty dumb in a hat... He has made her smile. CATCH... and I don’t drive and, like I said, I don’t talk to many people. Am I talking too much? I am. You go ahead. SHARON Okay. What d’you do? You employed around here? Oh, God. Sorry. Every time I try to talk to somebody, it comes out like an interrogation. (CONTINUED)  28. CONTINUED: CATCH Where do you want to be ten years from now? SHARON What? CATCH Somebody taught that to me. Kind of a shortcut. You ask somebody, what are your plans for tomorrow -- what’re your dreams for ten years from now. It’s supposed to get things started. SHARON Does it work? CATCH I never tried it. SHARON Bullshit. CATCH No. Really. I just remembered it -- God is my witness. SHARON Not in here. It’s mostly cops. Now she has made him smile, the first real smile we’ve seen from Catch. It’s open and real and she is charmed by it. SHARON You have a nice smile. She’s a bit self-conscious, saying that, and just as she says it, the waitress arrives with shots and beers for both of them. Sharon looks up, questioning, and the waitress nods toward the booth. Catch and Sharon see the cops, staring, smiling, raising their glasses. There is a hint of teasing in their grins. And now Sharon is more self-conscious, and a bit tough again, taking her drink and turning back to Catch. SHARON So... what were we talking about? Oh, yeah, you were giving me some line about starting a conversation. (CONTINUED)  29. CONTINUED: CATCH The shortcut. SHARON Okay. I’ll play. They clink glasses and drink. Then... SHARON Tomorrow I’ve got a night watch shift. If the weather clears, in the morning I’ll go hiking. If it rains, I’ll go to the gym -- and the laundromat. Ten years from now... I want to be living in some mountainous place. CATCH Tibet? SHARON Could be Tibet. Could be Colorado. Your turn. But now Ray Juliette is approaching the table. RAY Hey, Pogo -- don’t keep him all to yourself. Come on over, Lambert, join the group. We’ll buy you dinner, give you a medal for saving Pogo’s ass. Sharon drains her shot and stands. SHARON Actually, I’m kind of tired, Ray. I’m taking off. CATCH Oh. I’ll... walk you to your car. Catch stands and turns to Ray. CATCH Thanks for the drink. RAY Least we could do. We don’t like her very much -- but we don’t want to lose her. Sharon frowns and waves to the booth of cops. Ray smiles and shakes hands with Catch as a good-bye. (CONTINUED)  30. CONTINUED: CATCH Take care. And Catch and Sharon leave. EXT. BAR - NIGHT As Catch and Sharon exit the building, walk toward her car. SHARON It’s not a great neighborhood. Maybe I should walk you to your car. CATCH I don’t have a car. They walk on, silent a moment. This doesn’t come easy for her. SHARON Want a ride home? CATCH Oh, thanks, but... I like to walk. SHARON It’s starting to rain. Don’t be a hero. He hesitates, nervous about it, but then... CATCH Yeah. If it’s no trouble. Thanks. They walk to her car. SHARON Okay... ten years from now, what d’you want to be doing? They walk side by side a moment. He shrugs. Then -- in his open way... CATCH I don’t know. This is pretty good. She glances at him, taking this in, then fumbles a bit with her car keys, and he asks -- nervously again... (CONTINUED)  31. CONTINUED: CATCH Can you drive okay? She gets a little defensive. SHARON I’m not drunk. You think I’m drunk? I’m not. You’ll know I’m drunk when I’m throwing up, and I never throw up, so don’t worry about it. He nods, looks at her dead-on a moment. CATCH The only time I worry is when people tell me not to worry. SHARON Get in the car, will you? INT. CAR - NIGHT As they get in and she STARTS the ENGINE. CATCH I’m on Lundy Street, just off Pico. They drive a while. She notices his anxiety. He grips the armrest when she speeds up. SHARON I’m good at this. CATCH Streets are wet. SHARON Are you one of those people who drive ten miles an hour in the rain? I hate that. CATCH I never drive. She glances at him, and he notices her glance. CATCH I’ll be alright. (CONTINUED)  32. CONTINUED: He’s forcing himself to relax. He takes a deep breath, sitting back in his seat. He watches her as she drives. After a moment... CATCH Y’know, I can picture you in Colorado. SHARON Oh yeah? What am I doing there? CATCH Driving around... pissed off. She smiles in spite of herself, slows down. SHARON I’m not pissed off at you. CATCH Give me some time. Now she laughs. She drives, not to his building, but to her own street. She parks, takes a deep breath. This sounds a bit hard-bitten because she’s using her toughness to cover. SHARON Those guys in the bar are my friends -- sort of. We work together, we tell jokes and we bullshit, but I can’t say to them... She halts. CATCH What? She says this clipped and fast and even tougher: SHARON Every time I close my eyes, I see that goddamn gun pointing at me and I don’t know why I’m telling you unless it’s because you were there and because I had three drinks, but I’m not ready to go inside and close my eyes and I don’t want to go to your place and I don’t want to keep driving around, so what the hell do we do? (CONTINUED)  33. CONTINUED: CATCH Whew. I feel like we’re boxing, and you’ve got me on the ropes. (pause) We’ll do whatever you want. SHARON What I want is to know how you happened to be walking by that parking lot at that minute. What if you hadn’t been there? For a moment, she shows her fear. CATCH I guess we were supposed to meet. They stare a while, then she opens her door. SHARON If you want -- you can come in for a minute. INT. SHARON’S APARTMENT - NIGHT As they walk in, she moves into the kitchen. SHARON Want a drink? CATCH No thanks. She pours one for herself while he looks about. It’s a stiff drink. Now that he’s here, her I-don’t-want-to- make-a-fool-of-myself alarm is on. She flops on the sofa, watches him. SHARON Sit down or something. CATCH I’m circling awhile. He’s looking around at the clutter of her life -- the intimate details. SHARON You’re not supposed to look around. I didn’t have time to straighten up. (CONTINUED)  34. CONTINUED: CATCH So... it’s more real this way. SHARON It’s rude. He turns to her. CATCH Now that I’m in here, you seem mad about it. SHARON I’m not mad. You’ll know when I’m mad. I don’t usually let somebody in here, but here you are. That’s all. Let’s talk about something stupid. CATCH You first. She smiles in spite of herself. SHARON Okay -- one thing I don’t believe is that ’supposed to’ business. We were ’supposed to’ meet. That sounds a little fringy to me, like something you might hear on public access TV. You believe that? CATCH Some people say we each give off a particular odor -- that can only be detected by one other person’s brain. SHARON So, we... smell each other? Who says that? CATCH I have no idea. (as they smile) I’m more in the destiny school, we-met-in-another-life school. Do you believe that? Do you think when we die -- we come back in another form? (CONTINUED)  35. CONTINUED: SHARON You mean like a duck? No. I think dead is dead. I’ve been thinking about it all day -- and I don’t want to think about it anymore. He looks at her, steps close to her, takes the drink out of her hand, puts it to his lips and drinks it all down. He puts the glass on the table. SHARON Why’d you do that? CATCH See? Now you’re thinking about me. She gets a half smile, assessing him. Her look is direct, and the attraction is there. He feels it, too, and he deflects it, nodding toward a large photomural of snowcapped mountains. CATCH Let me guess. Colorado. SHARON It’s Austria, but I can’t picture myself in Austria. I’m not good with languages, so I couldn’t qualify for the departments over there. She rises and goes to a desk and takes the holstered gun off her ankle. She takes the cuffs off her belt, the mace from her jacket, the shield from her shirt pocket, puts them all in a desk drawer. She takes off her jacket and throws it over a chair. Disarmed, she turns to him. Her look is all wanting and pushing away, almost fierce in her struggle. He sees this. SHARON Thanks for... coming up here. CATCH Does that mean I’m going? SHARON (flustered) No. You don’t have to. I... CATCH You okay now? (CONTINUED)  36. CONTINUED: Her eyes grow a bit hard, defensive. SHARON Oh. You’re here as a medic. CATCH Is this the mad part? She smiles in spite of herself -- again. He has gotten to her. She wants to fall into this guy, but she’s pumping those brakes. They are standing close together. SHARON Maybe going is a good idea. CATCH Can I come back some time? SHARON Why? CATCH (shrugs) Must be the smell. That makes her laugh, and her resistance falls away with her surprised laughter, and she puts her hands around the back of his neck. Her touch is electric to him. She is going in for a kiss, and he is retreating. They stare a moment -- and then he suddenly takes her shoulders and lets loose his own longing. It is a hungry and passionate kiss, and in the very midst of it, he breaks off and pulls back, his darkness rushing at him. She is staring, surprised, and he is looking a bit shaken, getting the words out just above a whisper. CATCH I better go. She doesn’t know what to say. The moment hangs. He leaves. Once he closes the door, the breath escapes her, and she shakes her head -- feeling like an idiot. She lost control. With a stranger. SHARON Oh, God. EXT. STREET - NIGHT Catch leaving Sharon’s building in a turmoil of emotions, staring hard at his thoughts -- and he steps into the path of a car. The CAR SCREECHES to a stop, and the scream of those brakes and white light of the head lamps paralyze Catch, and he sees --  37. FLASHBACK - SLIVER OF IMAGE Headlights suddenly washing into a vehicle he is driving. BACK TO SCENE (PRESENT) This sliver of memory jolts HIM -- and then another one comes. FLASHBACK - HEADLIGHTS coming closer and the scream of brakes from his memory, and all of this is exploded -- BACK TO SCENE (PRESENT) by the angry DRIVER shouting at him. DRIVER What the hell do you think you’re doing?! Catch is numb -- completely shut down there in the middle of the street. The Driver exits his car and comes toward him, raging. DRIVER Are you crazy?! Catch isn’t even aware of him. The man gawks at this -- and now Catch walks off. It is raining. The streets are wet. ANGLE - RESIDENTIAL STREET - NIGHT As Catch continues his walk, he is still a bit shaken -- but when he passes a parked car with the window half open, rain getting in, he hesitates. He can’t just walk on. He looks about. He tests the lock. He opens the door, rolls up the window, closes the door, walks on. But a MAN is just exiting a doorway to the street -- and calls out... MAN Hey! Hey! What did you do? Catch stops and turns in the rain. The Man hurries toward him, upset, angry. (CONTINUED)  38. CONTINUED: MAN That’s my car! What the hell were you doing? CATCH Nothing. I just... The Man shoves him. MAN I saw you! What did you take out of there?! CATCH No, I rolled up the window. It’s rain... The Man gets in his face, shaky... MAN You take my phone?! Hah?! He shoves Catch again, and Catch’s desperate confusion explodes in a surprising reaction, grabbing the Man’s jacket front in one hand and not punching him but quickly slap, slap, slapping him, saying... CATCH Hey! Hey! Wake up! Wake up! The Man is now speechless, frozen, terrified, as Catch’s eyes hold him with a fierceness -- and a sadness. CATCH I helped you. (pause) I helped you. Catch lets him go, and immediately begins walking away, hunching into the rain, his expression dark and troubled. He gets five steps away and turns. The Man steps back -- but Catch only says... CATCH I’m sorry. And he walks on. The Man watches him go. INT. CATCH’S APARTMENT BUILDING CORRIDOR - NEXT DAY Candace, Catch’s neighbor, is waiting for the slow, RATTLING ELEVATOR with her son. (CONTINUED)  39. CONTINUED: The elevator door opens -- and there is Catch, seated on a newly-bought wicker chair in the elevator with a small table across his lap, other boxes nearby and a long-stemmed rose in his hand, wrapped for giving. CATCH Oh. Sorry. He rises and hurriedly gets his purchases off the elevator so the woman and little boy can enter. CANDACE Shopping day? He smiles at her, a bit less subdued than before as he gets his things into the hall -- and he manages a special look for Tommy, a wink. He frees the elevator; they step inside. As the door starts to close, Catch’s face "follows" the sliding door with a funny look for the boy. We hear Tommy laugh as the door closes. Catch carries his new possessions to his apartment. EXT. OLDER HOUSE - LATE DAY A well-kept older home, well-planted, pretty. A woman of nearly 60 is tending the flowers. She hears someone approaching the gate in the wooden fence. She looks up. Sharon is at the gate, in uniform, on her dinner break. The older woman is her MOTHER, Elaine Pogue. There is an old strain between them, a sadness -- and a nervousness in Elaine. She’s a quiet woman. She smiles at her daughter as Sharon comes through the gate. They hug tentatively, a lot of baggage here. Sharon turns to the garden. SHARON It’s looking great, Mom. MOTHER (pleased) Thanks, honey. It’s the best year ever for the impatiens. The very best. There is a beat of awkward silence. MOTHER Let’s go in. INT. POGUE HOME - DAY As they enter. (CONTINUED)  40. CONTINUED: It’s a bit dark inside, older furniture, lots of keepsake clutter and photos. Sharon is restless in here -- bad memories. SHARON Looks the same. Still smells like cigarettes. I thought he quit. MOTHER He’s down to six a day. SHARON Your hair looks nice. Her Mother touches her hair, self-consciously. She can’t help glancing at her daughter in all that gear -- bullet-proof vest under her shirt, radio, cuffs -- and that gun. MOTHER Are you well? Sharon steps close to the mantel. There is a photo of her there, graduating from the police academy, a professional, not a family shot. She is surprised. SHARON I guess I’m well. Is this always here? MOTHER Yes. It’s always there. SHARON Did Larry tell you I came by where he’s working? Is that why you called me? MOTHER I called because we want to invite you to our renewal of vows. It’s three weeks from Saturday. SHARON Who’s ’we.’ You said ’we’ want to invite you. MOTHER The family. Sharon takes that in, still looking about. (CONTINUED)  41. CONTINUED: SHARON How come you’re renewing your vows? MOTHER It’s sort of... a fresh start. SHARON Your idea? MOTHER No. Both of us. It’s a way of... having the marriage blessed. SHARON Wasn’t it blessed before? Her Mother sighs, sad for all the trouble between them. MOTHER Sherry... of course it was blessed. You just... SHARON I just what, Mom? MOTHER You just think about the bad, and you never remember the good. I wish you remembered the good. Sharon stares deeply at her. SHARON Sorry. I wish I did, too. (then, almost like a child) Does he? Remember any good about me? MOTHER Of course. He doesn’t hate you. He just... still feels hurt. SHARON Hurt? I hurt him? MOTHER Being arrested like that. Somebody doesn’t forget that. SHARON Oh? How come you forgot what he did? (CONTINUED)  42. CONTINUED: MOTHER It wasn’t as bad -- you always make it sound worse. And it hasn’t been that way for years. SHARON I’m glad it hasn’t been that way. That means it worked, Mom. That was the point. That’s why I did it. Christ. Why do I get punished for it? MOTHER Honey, nobody’s punishing you. We’re inviting you. Will you come? SHARON Of course I’ll come. MOTHER We didn’t think you’d want to. SHARON Why not? Now her Mother shows a trace of fear. She says gently... MOTHER We don’t want any trouble... on that day. Please. SHARON Mom, I’m your daughter. I don’t want any trouble -- ever. I’ll come to the ceremony. I won’t come to argue, and I won’t come in uniform. They each get a small, sad smile. MOTHER It’s on the 23rd. Saint Monica’s. SHARON I’d like you to send me an invitation. Mrs. Vander said it’s a beautiful invitation. Her Mother starts to leave the room. MOTHER I’ll show you. (CONTINUED)  43. CONTINUED: SHARON Mom. I’d like to get one... in the mail... from my family. Okay? MOTHER Yes. Sharon goes to the door, then stops and turns, letting her guard down all the way to say... SHARON Tell Dad... thanks. And she leaves. EXT. SHARON’S APARTMENT - EVENING Sharon is climbing the outdoor staircase to her apartment, tired after her shift, drained a bit by her visit home. When she reaches her door she sees that a long-stemmed rose has been masking-taped to her door. Written on the masking tape is: "Catch Lambert" and a phone number. She pauses, staring at this, gets a little grin. INT. SHARON’S BEDROOM - NIGHT (HOURS LATER) Sharon is dressed for bed in a sleep shirt, lying on the bed, surrounded by old photos and a couple of photo albums from her girlhood. In a vase on her bed table is Catch’s rose. Sharon is feeling blue, looking at her young self within the family that has shut her out. She closes the book, angry at herself for nearly crying. She sits up and catches sight of the rose and rummages in the drawer and pulls out the tape with Catch’s phone number on it. She’s very conflicted about this. She puts the tape down, but it sticks to her fingers. She tears it off and tries to throw it onto the table, but it hangs off her thumb. She sighs and steels herself and dials the number. INT. CATCH’S APARTMENT He has bought a shelf unit that "needs some assembly" and he’s at work with a screwdriver, his new chair and table nearby, the phone on the floor. PHONE RINGS, and he picks it up.  44. FULL SHOT As we INTERCUT the call: SHARON Do you have a machine? CATCH What? SHARON Do you have an answering machine? CATCH Yes. SHARON Will you hang up please, and I’ll call your machine. CATCH Why? She hangs up. He stares at the phone a moment, bewildered. He hangs up, and his PHONE RINGS. He lets it ring. His MACHINE comes on with no recording, only a BEEP. SHARON Hi. Maybe we can... have breakfast or something. I get up early and run in Ballard Park. There’s a Denny’s across from the park. Like eight or so. If you’re there, you’re there. She hangs up, sighs a heavy one. SHARON Oh, God. And she falls back on her bed. INT. DENNY’S - MORNING Catch walks in, glances at the clock. It’s 7 A.M. He’s nervous -- and excited. He takes a seat where he can watch the park, the runners. He waits. INT. SHARON’S APARTMENT - MORNING She has tossed and turned all night. She is awake, turning to look at her clock-radio. It is 7:14. She raises a hand over it. (CONTINUED)  45. CONTINUED: It changes to 7:15 and the RADIO COMES ON. She slams her hand down on it, cutting it OFF. She lays back and heaves a sigh that becomes a moan, sits up again and picks up the phone, dials the number on the tape. SHARON Hi, don’t pick up. Look, I didn’t sleep much and anyway this is a bad idea. I was feeling funky last night and I’m all right now so let’s just leave it where it’s at. Bye. Oh, thanks for the... Bye. She hangs up and lays back down and pounds her head into the pillow and covers herself, even her head, with the sheet. INT. DENNY’S - MORNING Catch is waiting, watching out the window. It’s 8:05, until we... DISSOLVE TO: INT. DENNY’S - MORNING... and now it’s 8:38, and Catch is still waiting and watching. INT. SHARON’S BEDROOM - MORNING She is still in bed, under the sheet. Someone begins KNOCKING on her door and she sits up, bleary and frustrated. SHARON Damn it! She stumbles out of the bedroom to her door. SHARON What?! Who?! CATCH (O.S.) It’s me. SHARON Oh, Jesus. (CONTINUED)  46. CONTINUED: She opens the door. He wears a stern look. She is not apologetic. SHARON I was just falling asleep. Finally. CATCH We made a date. SHARON It wasn’t a ’date.’ CATCH Okay, an ’appointment.’ I keep my appointments. She gives an exasperated moan and turns to stagger back to bed. He closes the door and follows. SHARON I called you. I called you at seven. CATCH I get up early. I walked there. I waited there. SHARON Check your messages. She heads for the bed, passing a mirror, looking at her rumpled self and groaning at the sight. She climbs into bed and snuggles there and puts the sheet over her head. He is entering the bedroom. He carries a Denny’s take- out bag. SHARON (under the sheet) I need more sleep. Come back in a month. CATCH Come back? What makes you think I’d come back here? The lump under the sheet says... SHARON Then why are you here? (CONTINUED)  47. CONTINUED: CATCH I’m here to tell you that when you tell someone you’re going to be somewhere then that someone rearranges his life and you should be more aware of that and a lot more considerate instead of just... She has come out from under the sheet and is watching him. SHARON What’s in the bag? CATCH What? None of your business. SHARON Did you bring some coffee? CATCH You think you deserve coffee? SHARON What else did you bring? Food? CATCH (opening the bag) You definitely don’t deserve food. I’ve got coffee, sugar, sweetener, non-dairy... SHARON Just black. Black. Thanks. She sits up. He hands her the coffee. She sips, relishing the sip, then studies him. SHARON So what kind of life did you rearrange in order to get to Denny’s? You never said one word about yourself last night. What d’you do? CATCH What’s the difference? SHARON What’s the difference?! You’re standing in my bedroom. That’s the difference. Who are you? (CONTINUED)  48. CONTINUED: CATCH Somebody who keeps appointments. SHARON You’re ducking. Don’t duck. (then a thought) Oh, shit -- you’re married, right? Convinced -- she picks up one of the throw pillows from the bed and tosses it at him. CATCH I’m not. SHARON I don’t believe you. CATCH You don’t believe me? Give me back the coffee. SHARON No. CATCH Give me the coffee. She hands him the coffee. He hits her with the pillow and hands her back the coffee. He has made her smile, but she continues, half teasing now. SHARON Oh, God. Oh, wait -- you’re involved in some criminal activity, aren’t you? Great -- That’s all I need. CATCH My name is Catch Lambert. I don’t work. I don’t commit any crimes. I like being with you. We can start from here -- from now. SHARON Bullshit. I’m... I let you in here. I’m not going to be some fool. I need the details. CATCH And I need to start from here. SHARON That’s ridiculous. Why? (CONTINUED)  49. CONTINUED: CATCH That’s the way it is. SHARON Oh. Your rules. CATCH My rules. SHARON Jesus. Okay. Fine. I don’t really want to know you anyway. Goodbye. He is conflicted -- but he won’t relent. He walks to the door. She stares, waiting. But he never turns around. He walks out. She is mystified, exasperated. She hears her FRONT DOOR CLOSE. She puts the coffee on her bed table -- and finds herself staring at that damn rose. She suddenly gets up and begins to dress hurriedly -- with a plan. EXT. BOULEVARD - DAY Sharon is driving, speeding a bit, getting to Catch’s building ahead of him. EXT. CATCH’S BUILDING - DAY He approaches his apartment building, unlocks the front door, walks in the entrance area. Now we see, across the street, Sharon exit her car and follow him. EXT. BUILDING - DAY The front door has locked automatically. Outside there is a panel of buzzers and apartment numbers. Sharon hits all the buttons. Somebody BUZZES her in. INT. LOBBY - DAY Sharon enters, looks at the elevators. It’s not moving. She goes to the stairs, listens, hears him TRUDGING UP the stairway. She follows silently. INT. HALLWAY - DAY As Catch reaches his apartment door, unlocks it, opens it and walks in.  50. INT. CATCH’S APARTMENT - DAY Before he can close the DOOR behind him, it BANGS open wider, startling him -- and Sharon is in the doorway, staring hard at him. SHARON (sarcastic) Can I come in? She walks in and closes the door and starts looking around as he says... CATCH Yeah. Sure. Come in. Despite his recent "decorating" the apartment is still nearly empty. No books, magazines, photographs, no clutter of life. She glances into the equally sterile kitchen. SHARON You live here? Nobody lives here. This place is some kind of front, a scam, a drop -- or what? CATCH This is what you told me about -- right? SHARON What? CATCH Your interrogation. Do I need a lawyer? He has made her look at herself, and take a breath. SHARON I just don’t want to be jerked around. CATCH I’m not. SHARON Then tell me straight out. Who are you? He is silent, and she starts to leave. Moment of truth. CATCH What is it you’re looking for? (CONTINUED)  51. CONTINUED: SHARON Your life. I don’t want any surprises. CATCH This is it. I sleep here. I walk around town. That’s all of it. SHARON That’s all of it? CATCH Yeah. Except for you -- the way I feel about you. SHARON Which is? CATCH Surprising. I thought it was impossible. I thought I was... SHARON You thought you were what? Gay? CATCH Dead. In a way. SHARON I’m supposed to understand that? CATCH No. Did you ever wonder what ’scratch’ meant, when people say, ’we’ll start from scratch’? This is scratch. We can start from here. She looks at him, looks at his empty place, his non-life, and back at him again. SHARON I don’t know. I just don’t know. She breaks off the stare and heads for the door. He watches her go. EXT. UPSCALE NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY (SAME DAY) As Catch charges up the stairs to the wide porch of Mrs. Chu’s well-kept home, carrying a grocery bag, head full of his thoughts.  52. INT. MRS. CHU’S HOME - DAY As Catch enters. She is watching TV. He does glance into the living room briefly to throw her a quick hello smile, before moving to the kitchen. She SNAPS OFF the TV and begins turning the photos face down as she sends her voice to the kitchen. ELANORA I remember that. That was a smile. INT. KITCHEN - DAY He is putting groceries away as she rolls into the room. He doesn’t look at her, tries to be casual, but his thoughts are bubbling out. CATCH You know the cop -- the woman cop? She... visited me. Mrs. Chu registers surprise at this, but keeps it covered and casual. ELANORA Oh? Where did she sit? CATCH I have a chair now. ELANORA You’re... seeing her? He darkens a bit as he works. CATCH She has a lot of questions. She wants to know everything. ELANORA Of course she does. Everybody does. CATCH We could start from today. What’s so wrong with that? ELANORA Tell her. The can in Catch’s hand bangs on the cupboard, and he stops, suddenly uptight. (CONTINUED)  53. CONTINUED: CATCH Tell her what? Mrs. Chu comes closer. ELANORA Tell her, Catch. Tell somebody. It’s been almost two years. CATCH (a warning) Nora... ELANORA Every time I tell somebody, it gets a little bit easier. I’m not saying it goes... His next warning is tough and absolute. CATCH Nora! She is silenced. The moment hangs. She rolls her chair to him, takes a box of cookies out of his hand, opens the box and eats one, defusing the moment. ELANORA She nice? He starts to work again. CATCH She’s tough. ELANORA She pretty? CATCH That doesn’t matter. ELANORA (smiles) She is pretty. CATCH She’s sort of pissed-off at me. ELANORA Apologize. CATCH For what? (CONTINUED)  54. CONTINUED: ELANORA It doesn’t matter. We like it when men apologize. He stares at her a while. CATCH I’m sorry I yelled at you. She smiles and hands him the box. ELANORA Have a cookie. See? INT. POLICE REPORT ROOM - NIGHT Sharon is typing at the computer, dark and dogged in her work. Lieutenant Sanderman is watching her through the glass wall of the watch commander’s office. He comes out of the office and moves to where Sharon is typing. SANDERMAN Sharon... SHARON (typing) Lieutenant... We can see the computer screen now. Sharon is searching for any prior record of "Catch Lambert" -- arrests, convictions. She has several "Carl Lamberts" on the screen, even a "Casper," no Catch. SANDERMAN Anything bothering you? SHARON Why? What’d I do? SANDERMAN Nothing. I’m talking about your general attitude lately. Sharon stops typing. She can find nothing. She clears the screen, sighs. SHARON My attitude’s fine. End of a long day. I’m tired. SANDERMAN Family matters getting to you? (CONTINUED)  55. CONTINUED: SHARON Family?! SANDERMAN Your brother, Larry... SHARON What about Larry? SANDERMAN You know Nester -- on the Culver City P.D.? He went out on a violent domestic dispute yesterday. A neighbor called it in. It got a little ugly. No arrest -- a warning. This hits her hard. SHARON Larry. Oh Christ. SANDERMAN Nester said it’s not the first time. Sharon is quiet a while, taking it in, shaken by it. SHARON Thanks for telling me. EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET (CULVER CITY) - DAY (NEXT MORNING) Sharon, not in uniform, is approaching Larry’s house. It has a small yard with kids’ toys strewn about and a tire- swing. She walks up on the porch and RINGS the DOORBELL. She hears VOICES inside, LARRY AND KATHY, a quick murmuring, low-voice argument, can’t make out the words. In a moment, Larry opens the door. LARRY Jesus, you’re up early. SHARON I wanted to catch you before you went to work. LARRY I thought you were on late shifts. SHARON I don’t sleep much. Can I come in?  56. INT. LARRY’S HOME - LIVING ROOM - DAY The place is messy. A TV can be heard -- CARTOONS. LARRY What’s up? SHARON Where’s Kath? LARRY She’s busy with Larry Jr. right now. Sharon nods, but then walks past him. INT. CHILD’S ROOM - DAY As Sharon walks into this toy-strewn room. Larry Jr. is sitting on the floor, watching a small TV. Kathy is not with him. Sharon kneels beside the boy a moment. SHARON Hey, Champ. But he stays focused on the TV, some darkness, some unsayable worry in his eyes. She picks up a toy car, speaks softly. SHARON Y’know, they call this one a woody ’cause it has wood on the sides. LARRY JR. I know. Now he looks at her with sad and bottomless eyes. She is hurting for him. Larry is now in the doorway. Sharon kisses the child’s head and walks out, passing her brother. LARRY Why’d you come by? SHARON To see Kathy. INT. HALLWAY As Sharon heads for the master bedroom, Larry takes her arm. LARRY She’s not feeling good. (CONTINUED)  57. CONTINUED: Sharon pulls away from her brother. SHARON I’ll just say hello. INT. BEDROOM - DAY Sharon walks in. Kathy is sitting on the bed, her face badly bruised. They stare. Kathy speaks quietly, her eyes filling. KATHY Don’t make it worse. SHARON It gets worse? KATHY He’s okay now. He’s torn up about it. Don’t make him mad. Sharon moves closer. She reaches out, touches Kathy with a comforting touch as the woman turns her bruised face away. SHARON When Larry and I were growing up, our mother said that all the time. ’Don’t make your father mad.’ (pause) Has he hit Larry Jr. yet? KATHY He never would. SHARON Oh. Just you, huh? Larry is in the doorway now, angry. LARRY What d’you think you’re doing in my house, Shar? In my home. She walks out of the room and he follows her. INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY She turns on him. SHARON You see a pattern here, bro? (CONTINUED)  58. CONTINUED: LARRY I lost my temper. Things got out of hand. It won’t... SHARON People always say that: ’I’ve got a temper.’ Like it’s an excuse. LARRY I don’t need a goddamn lecture. She comes very close to him. SHARON You want to hit someone? Next time your ’temper’ flares up, Lar, and you just have to hit somebody, you go home and hit your father. LARRY You blame everything on him. SHARON I’m blaming you, you fucking coward. He grabs her shirt hard. LARRY You don’t come in here... He pushes her into the wall. LARRY You don’t come in here and call me names. SHARON What do you call a man who uses his wife as a punching bag? (pause) Coward. He swings a slap at her. She blocks it and punches him hard in the face, and he crashes down on the floor. Kathy comes running, calling out... KATHY Don’t hurt her, Lar...! (CONTINUED)  59. CONTINUED: Kathy sees that it’s Larry on his ass. The little boy comes out of his room. There is a surprised moment. Then Kathy picks up the child and takes him back to his room. Larry is sitting up, shaken, his nose bleeding. Sharon goes close to him, rigid with fury. SHARON I know how it feels, ’cause I remember. I remember standing between you and Dad and taking the blows for you -- and for what?! You turned out to be just like him, you bastard. (pause) And so did I. And she leaves the house and SLAMS the DOOR. INT. SHARON’S APARTMENT - NIGHT She is just returning home after her shift, very tired, drained. She absently turns ON the TV, the STEREO. She notices a blinking light on her MESSAGE MACHINE and hits the button. LARRY (V.O.) I bet you feel real proud of yourself, Shar, knocking me down in front of my family. You know what I’ve got in my hand? I’ve got a Polaroid picture of my busted-up face, and I’m thinking of sending it to your department, to your lieutenant. I’m going to turn you in to the police, Shar, and see how you like it. The message ends. She stands there a moment. SHARON (quietly) Oh, God. Oh, shit. She sits on the edge of a chair, worried, deep in her thoughts, hitting bottom -- the darkness engulfing her. In a moment, she looks at her desk, walks there, opens a drawer, pulls out that piece of tape with Catch’s number on it -- but it is all stuck to itself. She hesitates, then starts to pick it apart when a KNOCK at the door makes her jump. She wonders, then, somehow, she knows. She walks to the door. (CONTINUED)  60. CONTINUED: SHARON It’s you, right? She unlocks and opens the door, stares at Catch, very vulnerable, on the very edge, her pain and fear over Larry just under the surface. Catch holds a box of cookies as an offering. SHARON Can you just shut up? Just shut up and listen. CATCH I didn’t say anything. SHARON I don’t want to talk. I don’t care if you have to play some game and pretend you’re a... ’angel of mercy’ or... whatever. I don’t care, but I don’t want to hear about it. All right? I don’t want to hear anything. She steps back, allowing him in, and closes the door and turns to him. SHARON It’s a bad night. He sees her pain and puts his arms around her, pushes through his fear and holds her -- and she lays her head on his chest. He embraces her fully, and the effect on him goes deep, to his core, where there is both pain and longing, but he holds on to her, even rocks her a bit. She sighs. In a moment... SHARON This is good... but I’m too tired to stand up anymore. He walks her to the couch and has her sit, and then slowly, gently, he "disarms" her. He lifts her leg, takes the ankle holster and gun off, puts it on the table. He turns her, takes the cuffs off her belt from the middle of her back. He reaches into her pants pocket and removes the Mace. From her shirt pocket he takes her I.D. shield. He has her lie down on the couch now, their faces close, eyes locked. They linger... SHARON You want to kiss me? (CONTINUED)  61. CONTINUED: He looks a little lost, but he nods, helpless. He comes toward her lips -- finally -- but just before they touch, she says, softly... SHARON Kiss me someplace I’ve never been kissed. He’s not sure what to do. He begins to look her over -- as if hunting, and she gets a soft smile. He starts slowly toward her ear -- but she shakes her head. Her shirt is out of her belt and her midriff bare, and he starts to move there, bu