Connected Hearts
Written by: Juana
Story summary: Lynn reacts to Julie’s news. Marc bears the brunt of Lynn’s anger for the moment. And Felicity deals with Ben’s deception while trying to help Marc deal with Julie’s rejection.
Disclaimer: I do own the characters in my story, they belong to the brilliant writers and creators of the hit WB show.
INT: FELICITY’S ROOM-NIGHT
FELICITY IS SITTING ON HER BED RECORDING A TAPE TO SALLY.
FELICITY: (VO) Dear Sally…I’m off the hook. Julie decided to tell Lynn about Marc, so now I can tell Ben which I plan to do soon. I didn’t tell you…he is going to talk to his father, in fact as we speak he should already be doing just that. I wanted to go with him, but he felt like he needed to do this on his own…so to keep from worrying about it Elena, Noel and I are going to a movie.
THERE IS A KNOCK AT FELICITY’S DOOR.
FELICITY: (cont.) Come in. (to sally) That’s probably them now.
ELENA AND NOEL WALK IN.
ELENA: Hey girlfriend.
FELICITY STICKS OUT HER TAPE RECORDER TO ELENA AND NOEL.
FELICITY: Say hi to Sally.
ELENA: Hello Sally…this is Elena.
NOEL: And I’m Noel…what else should I say?
FELICITY: (clicks off recorder and laughs) That’s all.
ELENA: (to Felicity) Are you ready?
FELICITY: Yeah…just let me get my jacket.
INT: RIVERTON PLAZA HOTEL-NIGHT
BEN IS STANDING IN FRONT OF ROOM #305. HE KEEPS STARTING TO KNOCK…BUT CAN’T GET HIMSELF TO. FINALLY HE LOSES ALL CONFIDENCE AND WALKS AWAY.
INT: EPSTEIN’S BAR-NIGHT
FELICITY, NOEL AND ELENA ARE JUST FINISHING UP THEIR MEAL. THEY ARE TRYING TO DECIDE ON A MOVIE.
NOEL: So what’s the verdict?
FELICITY: How about that new one with Harrison Ford?
ELENA: I vote for the “Fight Club” I can never get enough of Mr. Pitt.
NOEL: Hello…boyfriend in the room.
ELENA: And?
NOEL: And…how about you drool on your own time?
ELENA: Are you jealous?
NOEL: Hardly. Brad Pitt and I are no match.
ELENA: Exactly
NOEL: Thank you…wait what did you mean by that?
ELENA: (kisses Noel) Never mind sweetie.
FELICITY GIGGLES.
INT: DEAN AND DELUCA-NIGHT
MARC IS WIPING DOWN A TABLE WHEN LYNN COMES IN VERY ANGRY. HE SEES MARC AND HEADS TOWARDS HIM, TAPS HIM ON THE SHOULDER AND AS MARC TURNS AROUND LYNN KNOCKS HIM TO THE FLOOR WITH A PUNCH TO THE FACE. JULIE COMES RUSHING IN AFTER LYNN. LYNN FORCEFULLY PULLS MARC OFF THE GROUND AND BEGINS POUNDING ON HIM…MARC STARTS TO FIGHT BACK AND IT BECOMES A MESSY FIST FIGHT.
JULIE: (screaming) Lynn…stop it!
LYNN IGNORES HER.
JULIE: (looking at employees behind the counter) Somebody get help quick.
LYNN KNOCKS MARC TO THE FLOOR ONE FINAL TIME AND GETS UP IN DISGUST.
LYNN: (very angry) That was for messing around with Julie!
MARC SITS UP ON THE FLOOR AND PUTS A HAND TO HIS BRUISED FACE. AND EMPLOYEE SARAH COMES OVER WITH A WET TOWEL.
SARAH: (to Lynn) You need to leave or I’ll call the police.
JULIE STANDS DUMBFOUNDED. NOT KNOWING WHOM TO GO TO LYNN OR MARC. SHE APPROACHS LYNN WHO IS SITTING DOWN AT A TABLE.
JULIE: Lynn…I’m sor…(Lynn interrupts)
LYNN: Do not even tell me you are sorry.
JULIE: Then what do you want me to say?
LYNN: I can’t believe you Julie…what you’ve done is unforgivable.
JULIE: I know.
LYNN: All I want right now is for you to just leave me alone. But I know if you do…you’ll just go straight to him.
JULIE: What are you saying?
LYNN: I want you to come with me so we can try and figure out this whole…mess.
JULIE TURNS AND LOOKS AT MARC AND THEN BACK AT LYNN.
JULIE: (reluctant) All right.
AS JULIE STARTS TO WALK OUT WITH LYNN. MARC REACTS.
MARC: Julie?
JULIE TURNS AROUND. MARC WALKS OVER TO HER.
MARC: (cont.) What are you doing?
JULIE STEPS TOWARDS MARC WHICH LYNN RELUCTANTLY LETS HER DO.
JULIE: I have to go Marc.
MARC: (getting angry) Why?
JULIE: Because I just do. I’m sorry.
JULIE WALKS BACK OVER TO LYNN. THEY AREN’T CLOSE LIKE A COUPLE ANYMORE…BUT THERE IS STILL THAT CONNECTION OF HEARTS.
INT: MOVIE THEATER-NIGHT
FELICITY, NOEL AND ELENA ENTER THE THEATER LOOKING FOR SEATS. IT IS RIGHT BEFORE THE MOVIE IS SUPPOSED TO START. AS THEY FIND THEIR SEATS ANOTHER LONE PERSON COMES WALKING IN AND SITS A COUPLE ROWS IN FRONT OF THEM.
ELENA: (to Felicity) Damn that looks a lot like Ben.
AS ELENA SAYS THIS TIFFANY COMES WALKING DOWN THE ROW CALLING BEN’S NAME SOFTLY. BEN TURNS AROUND AND MOTIONS WITH HIS HAND SO SHE WILL SEE HIM. TIFFANY GOES AND SITS DOWN NEXT TO HIM. FELICITY JUST STARES AT THE TWO OF THEM AND THEN GETS UP AND LEAVES THE THEATER.
INT: THEATER LOBBY-NIGHT
FELICITY IS SITTING ON A BENCH IN THE LOBBY…NOT CRYING BUT DEFINITELY ON THE VERGE. ELENA AND NOEL WALK OUT. ELENA MOTIONS FOR NOEL TO STAY THERE AND ELENA WALKS OVER TO FELICITY.
ELENA: Maybe it’s not as bad as it seems.
FELICITY SLIGHTLY LAUGHS AS SHE BEGINS LETTING TEARS SLIP DOWN HER CHEEKS.
FELICITY: Maybe. But whatever it actually is…he lied to me.
ELENA: Really?
FELICITY: Yes…he told me he was going to see his dad.
NOEL WALKS OVER.
NOEL: Hey…I know you probably don’t want a guy perspective on this…and I certainly don’t owe Ben any favors but maybe…well maybe they’re here just as…you know…friends.
FELICITY: Thanks Noel.
NOEL: No problem.
FELICITY: Part of me just wants to go in there and pull her hair out by the roots. The other part of me just wants to get out of here.
NOEL: And you’re leaning towards which one?
FELICITY: The sane one.
ELENA: Not me…I’m all for the root pulling. Even if it is perfectly innocent now…it’s not like you don’t owe her a past tug on her peroxide blond mop.
FELICITY TRULY LAUGHS AT THIS REMARK.
NOEL: So what are we going to do here? Make a scene or split the scene and regroup?
FELICITY: I think I just want to go. I’m sorry guys.
ELENA: No problem…we can catch Brad another time.
INT: FELICITY’S DORM-NIGHT
MARC IS KNOCKING ON FELICITY’S DOOR AND SHE EXITS THE ELEVATOR.
FELICITY: Marc?
MARC TURNS AROUND AND FELICITY SEES HIS BATTERED AND BRUISED FACE.
FELICITY: (shocked) Oh my god. What happened?
MARC: My face ran into Lynn’s fist.
FELICITY: Yeah…apparently more than once.
MARC: I was hoping you would be able to talk.
FELICITY: Sure. We should probably wash off those cuts too. Does Julie know about this?
MARC: (bitter) Oh yeah.
FELICITY AND MARC WALK INTO HER ROOM. MARC SITS DOWN ON THE BED WHILE FELICITY LEAVES TO GET A WET RAG. FELICITY RE-ENTERS THE ROOM WITH THE WET TOWEL AND A DRY ONE. SHE STANDS IN FRONT OF MARC AND STARTS CAREFULLY TRYING TO CLEAN THE OPEN CUTS.
FELICITY: God this is horrible. I can’t believe Lynn did this.
MARC: Well he did…believe me.
FELICITY: Do you want to talk about it.
FELICITY HITS A PARTICULARLY PAINFUL CUT AND MARC WINCES?
FELICITY: Sorry.
MARC: Everything is screwed.
FELICITY: What do you mean?
MARC: She left me.
FELICITY: Julie?
MARC: Yes…Lynn came into Dean and Deluca bashed my face in and she left with him.
FELICITY: I’m so sorry.
MARC: It’s what you predicted. I guess…she loves him still.
FELICITY: You didn’t think she did?
MARC: I guess I *hoped* she didn’t.
FELICITY: Are you gonna be okay?
MARC: Eventually. I just…I don’t get it. Was everything she said to me a lie?
FELICITY: I’m sure whatever she told you…well I’m sure she meant it. I think she’s just really confused right now.
MARC: I can’t believe I thought it was my turn to be happy. I guess I don’t get a turn.
FELICITY: I know what you mean.
MARC: You do?
FELICITY: Yeah…never mind.
MARC: Did something happen with you?
FELICITY: It’s nothing. Never mind.
MARC: I’m a good listener.
FELICITY: Yeah…but you’ve got enough of your own problems right now…you don’t need mine.
MARC: Is it Ben?
FELICITY SITS SILENT FOR A SECOND BEFORE SHE ANSWERS.
FELICITY: Yeah.
MARC: Are you guys having problems?
FELICITY: (VO) Before I knew it Sally…I had completely opened up to Marc and told him everything. He just had this way of making me feel comfortable telling him…well almost anything. For a split second there I could see what Julie must have seen that fateful night.
MARC: I mean…I know it sounds bad…but my guess it there’s a logical explanation. Ben is way too in love with you to jeopardize what you guys share.
FELICITY IS SITTING ON THE BED NEXT TO MARC.
FELICITY: I’m supposed to be helping you and instead you’re helping me. Thanks.
MARC: Believe it or not…this does help me. Just having someone to talk to.
FELICITY: Good I’m glad.
FELICITY AND MARC LOOK AT EACH OTHER. BEFORE THEY FULLY COMPREHEND WHAT THEY ARE DOING THEY ARE IN EACH OTHER’s ARMS KISSING…AS REALITY SINKS IN…FELICITY PULLS AWAY FROM HIM.
FELICITY: We can’t do this.
MARC: (vulnerable) Is it me?
FELICITY: No…yes…well it’s a lot of things. I don’t think this is what you really want, and I know it’s not what I want. I made this mistake once before…I hate to think all the pain I suffered because of it didn’t teach me anything.
MARC: You’re right. (getting up off of bed) I’m sorry.
FELICITY: It’s okay. We are both in kind of a vulnerable state right now. Julie hurt you…Ben hurt me. But we still love them both.
MARC: Are you going to tell Ben about this?
FELICITY: No…I think it was harmless. We both know why it happened and that it isn’t going to happen again.
MARC: Thanks. I don’t think my face could take much more.
FELICITY SORT OF GIGGLES.
MARC: (cont.) I do love her you know.
FELICITY: Yeah…I know.
INT: FOLEY HALL-NIGHT
JULIE IS KNOCKING ON MARC’S DOOR. WHEN SHE GETS NO ANSWER SHE TURNS AND LEAVES.
INT: THE LOFT-NIGHT
NOEL AND ELENA ARE SITTING ON THE COUCH WHEN BEN WALKS IN AND TOSSES HIS KEYS ON THE STAND BY THE DOOR.
BEN: Hey.
ELENA: So how was your night?
BEN: Fine.
ELENA: What did you do?
NOEL: Elena!
ELENA: What it’s a curious question.
BEN: I just went out.
ELENA: (seething) Seen any good movies lately?
BEN: Not lately…no.
ELENA: You should go see the “ Fight Club”…the three of us went and saw it tonight.
BEN FINALLY REALIZES WHAT’S GOING ON.
BEN: The three of you?
ELENA: Yeah…me, Noel and …Felicity.
WITHOUT ANOTHER WORD BEN PICKS UP HIS KEYS AND HEADS BACK OUT THE DOOR.
NOEL: (to Elena) Subtle…look it up.
INT: FELICITY’S ROOM-NIGHT
FELICITY IS GETTING READY FOR BED WHEN THERE IS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR. SHE ANSWERS IT AND MARC IS STANDING THERE.
FELICITY: Hi…what’s up?
MARC: I just wanted to say thanks again. You really helped me tonight.
FELICITY: Thanks. But you probably helped me out more.
MARC: I’m glad we are friends.
FELICITY: Me too.
MARC: When I first got here. I felt sort of alienated because everyone was so behind Sheri. I’m glad you decided to give me a chance.
AS MARC IS STANDING AT THE DOOR SEAN AND SHERI COME WALKING BY. FELICITY WAVES. SEAN AND SHERI STOP.
SEAN: (to Felicity) How are you?
FELICITY: Good.
SEAN: Hey I heard Ben was going to talk to his dad tonight. How did that go?
FELICITY: Um…I don’t know.
MARC: (to Felicity) Well I should probably get going. Thanks again.
FELICITY: You’re welcome.
MARC DOESN’T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE SEAN OR SHERI. AS HE WALKS AWAY.
SHERI: I guess we can safely say…he hates me.
FELICITY: No…I’m sure that’s not the case…well I’m sure he’ll get over it anyway. You just need to give him some time.
SHERI: Yeah…I guess.
FELICITY: Did you guys want to come in?
SEAN: Oh…no. We have to go. But thanks.
SEAN AND SHERI WALK AWAY ARM IN ARM. FELICITY WATCHES THEM ENVIOUS OF THEIR APPARENT HAPPINESS IN JUST BEING WITH EACH OTHER. FELICITY STEPS BACK INSIDE AND CLOSER HER DOOR. AS SHE CLIMBS IN TO BED THERE IS ANOTHER KNOCK. SHE GETS UP OPENS IT AND SEES BEN STANDING THERE.
BEN: Can we talk?
FELICITY: Sure.
BEN STEPS INTO THE ROOM.
BEN: Were you getting ready to go to bed?
FELICITY: Yes. What’s going on Ben?
BEN: What do you mean?
FELICITY: Are you here for small talk or for another reason?
BEN: Are you mad at me?
FELICITY: Should I be?
BEN: I don’t know.
FELICITY: Oh but I think you do.
BEN: I’m pretty sure from what Elena was hinting at that you saw me tonight at the movies.
FELICITY: Yes. I dd.
BEN: I think I should probably explain some things.
FELICITY: Okay.
BEN: You probably also noticed I was with Tiffany.
FELICITY: Yes…that didn’t escape my attention.
BEN: It was completely innocent…I swear.
FELICITY: I believe you.
BEN: And there’s a perfectly legita…what?
FELICITY: I said…I believe you.
BEN: So then you’re not mad at me?
FELICITY: I didn’t say that.
BEN: I don’t understand.
FELICITY: You lied to me Ben. You told me you were going to see your dad.
BEN: I know. And I tried to. I got all the way to his door and I was prepared to knock…but I didn’t.
FELICITY: Why?
BEN: I was standing there…and just all the crap he put me through…the fights…the broken bones…the yelling, the arm twisting…it all came flooding back…and I just did what I’ve always done…I just decided I wasn’t ready to face it and I left.
FELICITY: And Tiffany?
BEN: This is the part I hope you will understand. I wanted to talk to you…but I was ashamed. I went to Tiffany’s because she already knew everything and it was always easy to talk to her. At home she would always take me out for a movie when I was battling the demons of my dad. So that’s what we did.
FELICITY: Oh. Interesting choice…the “Fight club.”
BEN: Are you okay with this?
FELICITY: I…um…I don’t know.
BEN WALKS CLOSER TO FELICITY AND TAKES HER IN HIS ARMS. HE RUNS HIS HANDS THROUGH HER HAIR AS HE PULLS HER CLOSER TO HIS CHEST.
BEN: I would rather have been with you.
FELICITY: I know. It just sort of stings that she has that part of your life that is sort of always going to be hers.
BEN: I told you all about it.
FELICITY: Yeah…but she lived it with you. I mean I know there were a lot of other girls before me. But sometimes it’s just easier to think differently…it’s stupid I know.
BEN TILTS FELICITY’S FACE UP SO THAT SHE IS LOOKING AT HIM.
BEN: There may have been *others* before you…but there has never been anyone *like* you.
FELICITY: Not even Tiffany?
BEN: I think you over-estimate what Tiffany was to me.
FELICITY: I do?
BEN: Yes. She was a high-school girlfriend. One that eventually I realized was a better friend than anything else.
FELICITY: And me?
BEN: You? Let’s see…you are…the one girl I can’t live with out.
BEN STARTS KISSING FELICITY. AS THE KISSING DEEPENS THEY MOVE TOWARDS THE BED, LOSING CLOTHES AS THEY GO. IN ONE HEAT FILLED NIGHT. BEN SHOWS FELICITY THAT SHE IS TRULY THE ONE GIRL WHO GETS TO HIM. THE ONE GIRL HER CAN’T LIVE WITH OUT.