A Fragile Gift
Written by: Juana
Story summary: Ben remains in Palo Alto because of a family crisis….while Felicity heads back to New York and her friends.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in my story. They belong to the brilliant writers and creators of the hit WB show.
INT. FELICITY’S NEW DORM ROOM-DAY
FELICITY: (VO to Sally) Dear Sally…well I’m back in New York…alone. Not forever…just for now. Things didn’t exactly work out the way Ben and I had planned…in fact they turned out horribly the opposite.
INT. PORTER HOUSE-NIGHT
CUT TO:
FELICITY’S ROOM. FELICITY IS JUST CRAWLING INTO BED AFTER HER NIGHT OUT WITH BEN. IT IS 2:00 AM. THE PHONE BESIDE HER BED RINGS AND SHE HURRIES TO PICK IT UP BEFORE IT CAN WAKE ANYONE IN THE HOUSE.
FELICITY: (whispering) Hello?
BEN: (upset) Hey…it’s me.
FELICITY: (concerned) Are you okay? You sound really upset.
BEN: No…Jesus…Felicity…it’s my mom..(Ben starts to break down)
FELICITY: Your mom? Ben what’s wrong? What…what happened to your mom?
BEN: He beat her up….bad.
FELICITY: What?…Who?
BEN: It was him Felicity….my dad.
FELICITY: Are you sure?
BEN: Yes…the bastard is passed out on the couch right now…I swear to God…I…I’m gonna kill him.
FELICITY: Ben…NO…please just calm down…don’t…don’t do anything. I’ll be right there.
BEN: No…I’m taking her to the hospital…can you meet me there?
FELICITY: Sure…yeah…I’ll just get dressed and I’ll meet you there.
BEN: Thanks.
FELICITY: Ben…have you…I mean…are you going to call the police?
BEN: I don’t know. All I know is my mom needs help…so that’s my priority…I’ll deal with him later.
FELICITY: Okay.
CUT TO INT. PALO ALTO MEMORIAL HOSPITAL-NIGHT
FELICITY WALKS INTO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND LOOKS AROUND FOR BEN. NOT SEEING HIM SHE GOES UP TO THE REGISTRATION DESK.
NURSE: Can I help you?
FELICITY: Um…yes…I was wondering if you had a patient by the last name of Covington come in tonight?
NURSE: (looks at computer screen) I just started my shift so let me just check for you….(pause) Yes…she’s in ICU right now.
FELCITY: (shocked) She’s in intensive care?
NURSE: Yes…are you family?
FELICITY: Um..no. Is she gonna be okay?
NURSE: I’m sorry but you’ll have to talk to the doctor about that. The ICU waiting room is down the hall to your left.
FELICITY: Thanks.
FELICITY WALKS DOWN THE HALL TO THE ICU WAITING ROOM AND GOES IN AND WALKS OVER TO THE WINDOW OF MRS. COVINGTON’S ROOM. BEN WALKS UP BEHIND HER.
BEN: (Puts arms around her) I’m glad you’re here.
FELICITY TURNS AROUND AND IS FACE TO FACE WITH BEN. BEN HAS A LOOK OF TOTAL ANGUISH ON HIS FACE.
FELICITY: I’m so sorry Ben. (she and Ben hug)
FELICITY: (VO to Sally) It was awful Sally…The amount of damage one human being could do to another person that they were suppose to love. Just seeing Ben’s mom laying there so still and broken….I started to cry. This beautiful…elegant woman reduced to bandages and broken bones by the man she loved.The man who help to create Ben…My beautiful Ben. It was really the first glimpse I had into what growing up in the Covington house must have been like. And it made me admire all the more…how hard it must have been for Ben not to become that type of man…and into why he hated that man…his father.
CUT TO AIRPORT-DAY
BEN AND FELICITY ARE SAYING GOODBYE AT THE AIRPORT.
BEN: (hugging Felicity) Call me when you get there…I just want to know that you’re safe.
FELICITY: I will. (hugs Ben) Please tell your mom goodbye for me.
BEN: Okay. (brushes her hair back from her face) You look so tired.
FELICITY: Just a little…Don’t worry…I’ll sleep on the plane.
BEN: I’m sorry I can’t come back with you.
FELICITY: Don’t worry…I understand…believe me…your mom really needs you right now.
BEN: I’m going to miss you…I hope you know that.
FELICITY: I thought…maybe you would. I mean we haven’t been apart for the past three months…it’s gonna be strange.
BEN: Yeah…it is.
FELICITY AND BEN JUST GAZE INTO EACH OTHERS EYES.
BEN: (continued) I guess it’s useless to try and memorize your face in the thirty or so seconds we have till you have to get on the plane…but I gave it a good shot.
FELICITY: You’re so sweet.
BEN: And you are so beautiful
BEN BRINGS FELICITY CLOSER TO HIM AND GIVES HER A SWEET, TENDER GOODBYE KISS.
BEN: No flirting on the plane.
FELICITY: ( pretend pouting) Great…I never get to have any fun.
BEN STARTS TO BACK AWAY BACKWARDS AS FELICITY WITH A FINAL WAVE PICKS UP HER BAG AND TURNS TO HEAD DOWN THE RAMP.
FELICITY: (VO to Sally) It seemed like such an odd way to end such a fantastic three months…I hoped and prayed that it wasn’t some sort of bad omen…not that I believe in omens…good or bad…but I figured a little prayer wouldn’t hurt…just in case. I’m about fifteen minutes away from my RA orientation meeting. I’ve already got my new room though…it’s great! I don’t have to have a roomate anymore…not that I minded Megan…at least not all the time…Okay she was weird…but wouldn’t a world full of only normal people be….well….boring?
CUT TO INT. AGUSINTE HALL-DAY
THE RA ORIENTATION MEETING IS ABOUT TO START THE ROOM IS SLOWLY FILLING UP WITH THE NEW RA’S FOR THE YEAR. FELICITY WALKS IN AND TAKES A QUICK LOOK AROUND. NOT RECOGNIZING ANYONE SHE HEADS FOR A CHAIR UP TOWARDS THE FRONT AND QUICKLY TAKES A SEAT. A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE ORIENTATION SPEAKER COMES UP TO THE PODIUM.
FELICITY( VO to Sally) So I sat through the next hour…bored to tears. Who knew there were so many rules and regulations about relating to students…about twenty of which I knew Noel had definitely violated or broken. And with good reason…Sally there were over three hundred rules…I knew there was never any way I would remember them all… so I decided I was going to follow Noel’s lead and just go with my gut instinct when the issues, I was bound to face…arose.
THE ORIENTATION MEETING HAS FINISHED AS FELICITY IS WALKING OUT SHE RUNS INTO NOEL.
NOEL: Hey!
FELICITY AND NOEL HUG.
FELICITY: It’s so good to see you!
NOEL: Likewise…you look great!
FELICITY: Thanks…it was a great summer.
NOEL: Really? Care to share?
FELICITY: It’s kind of a long story.
NOEL: Well it just so happens I was about to go pick up Elena for dinner…Why don’t you join us?
FELICITY: Really?
NOEL: Absolutely…she will be happy to see you.
FELICITY: Well…okay then.
CUT TO INT. RESTAURANT-NIGHT
FELICITY, ELENA AND NOEL ARE SITTING AT THE TABLE TALKING AND LAUGHING.
ELENA: (to Felicity) That is just so unbelievable…you and Ben…it’s great though.
FELICITY: Yeah…believe me it surprised me too.
NOEL: So then for like the last three months you’ve been…well…you and Ben?
FELICITY: (laughs) Yes…exactly.
ELENA: Three months? So I’m guessing you and Ben have…
NOEL: Elena!
ELENA: What? Felicity and I are friends…come on girl…not that I don’t appreciate the whole romantic thing…but I want some down and dirty details.
FELICITY: (VO to Sally) Needless to say Sally I did not give her the low down…at least not in front of Noel…that would have been just too weird.
CUT TO INT. NY GYM-DAY
ELENA AND FELICITY ARE WORKING OUT ON THE TREADMILL.
FELICITY: So things seem to be going really well with you and Noel.
ELENA: Yeah…it’s frightening.
FELICITY: What do you mean?
ELENA: He’s so…perfect. I’m pretty sure it’s just a matter of time before I screw it up.
FELICITY: I’m sure that’s not gonna happen.
ELENA: And I would bet my scholarship it is…but at least until then we have that *thing* going on.
FELICITY: That *thing*?
ELENA: You know the physical…the chemistry. It’s a shame you never got the chance…cause honey he is good.
FELICITY: (embarrassed) Um…okay. But I know what you mean…about the chemistry thing I mean.
ELENA: You and Ben?
FELICITY: Absolutely. We have unbelievable…sparks.
ELENA: (intrigued) Really?
FELICITY: Yes. I mean everytime we are together…it’s like…there’s just so much…*heat*
ELENA: Go on…
FELICITY: His body is so unbelievably…perfect…and his kisses just make me….melt and tingle at the same time.
ELENA: Now this is good…details…I want details.
FELICITY: (VO to Sally) So for the first time in three months I had someone to tell about my incredible experiences with Ben. Elena was great…of course she had to interject her dirty little mind in there now and then, but all in all she understood that what Ben and I had formed was something really special. And that for the first time since she and I had met…I was really…really happy.
CUT TO INT. JFK AIRPORT-DAY
FELICITY IS WAITING AT THE AIRPORT FOR BEN. BEN COMES OFF THE PLANE AND SPOTS FELICITY IMMEDIATELY. HE STRIDES QUICKLY OVER TO HER AND DROPS HIS BAGS AND ENGULFS HER IN A BEAR HUG.
BEN: God I’ve missed you!
BEN TILTS FELICITY’S MOUTH UP TO MEET HIS AND GIVES HER A DEEP AND PROBING KISS. ONE THAT ENGULFS ALL OF HER SENSES AND SENDS HER MIND INTO A SPIRAL. NOEL AND ELENA COME WALKING UP.
ELENA: Somebody get a hose…I think these two are on fire.
FELICITY AND BEN RELUCTANTLY FINISH THE KISS.
NOEL: Okay…wow…Ben so…um…how…um…are you…um…doing?
BEN: Good…really good.
NOEL: So Um…we’re here to…um…escort you and Julie…who isn’t here just yet…home from the airport.
BEN: Great…thanks.
NOEL: So if you just…um…want to have a seat…I’m sure it won’t…um…be much longer.
BEN: Okay…we’ll do that.
BEN AND FELICITY WALK OVER AND SIT DOWN IN THE TERMINAL SEATS.
ELENA: What was with the Forrest Gump routine?
NOEL: Pretty dorky huh?
ELENA: Yeah.
NOEL: It’s just…we’ll you know…how odd…the two of them…don’t you think?
ELENA: Actually I was thinking…how much they look like they belong together. I mean look at the way he is looking at her….That man loves…that woman.
NOEL LOOKS OVER AT BEN AND FELICITY WHO ARE GAZING AT EACH OTHER AS THEY CONVERSE. BEN MOVES FELICITY’S HAIR BACK FROM HER NECK AND BRINGS HER FACE CLOSER TO HIM AND WHISPERS SOMETHING TO HER BEFORE GIVING HER A SWEET, TENDER KISS.
AS FELICITY AND BEN ARE KISSING. JULIE COMES WALKING UP.
JULIE: (to Noel) Is that…Are those…that’s Ben and Felicity?
NOEL: Yep. I know exactly what you’re thinking.
JULIE: God they look so much like…like…a couple.
ELENA: That’s because they are.
BEN AND FELICITY OBLIVIOUS TO EVERYONE AROUND THEM START KISSING AGAIN.
JULIE: So did anybody else have a clue?
NOEL: Nope…not a one.
ELENA: So whose gonna tell em it’s time to go?
NOEL: Not me.
JULIE: Me either.
ELENA: I’m hanging with a bunch of…wimps. (Elena walks over to Ben and Felicity) Hey you two…yoo hoo you're gonna have to continue this some other time…people are waiting to go home.
FELICITY AND BEN LOOK UP AND START TO LAUGH.
FELICITY: Sorry…Hey Julie.
JULIE: Hi. Why do I think my summer was no where near as exciting as yours?.
FELICITY: (VO to Sally) So once everyone got over the shock of seeing me and Ben so….coupled…they were all really great. And so very happy for us that we had finally managed to connect…which they all said they knew was an inevitable thing for us. After getting home from the airport the five of us sat around for like two hours and just talked…it was amazing.
CUT TO:
INT. NOEL’S ROOM-NIGHT
JULIE AND FELICITY ARE SITTING ON THE BED TALKING WHILE THE REST OF THE GROUP ARE PLAYING A CARD GAME.
JULIE: God I can’t get over the change in you.
FELICITY: What do you mean?
JULIE: You're just so…not tense.
FELICITY: (laughs) I haven’t had a whole lot to be tense about lately.
JULIE: I can see that…if he keeps staring at you like that…I’m gonna seriously melt.
FELICITY LOOKS OVER AND SEES BEN WATCHING HER AND SMILES. HE SMILES BACK.
FELICITY: He has been really great to me.
JULIE: It’s just so weird. I mean before when you two we’re together…okay yeah there was definite chemistry…but now…you guy just completely ooze it…it’s like your undressing each other….and okay…I am now getting seriously uncomfortable…and envious.
FELICITY: What?
JULIE: Just promise me…someday I’m gonna have someone who looks at me that way…that’s all I’m asking for.
FELICITY: You will.
JULIE HUGS FELICITY.
JULIE: Thank you…even if it’s a complete lie…thank you.
FELICITY: (VO to Sally) So after our extended night of friend bonding Ben and I headed back to his loft for some…personal bonding.
CUT TO:
INT. BEN’S LOFT-NIGHT
BEN AND FELICITY ENTER BEN’S LOFT PRACTICALLY CLAWING AT EACH OTHER. IN THEIR HASTE BEN LEAVES THE DOOR OPEN.
FELICITY: (breathless) Door…door.
BEN REACHES BACK AND KICKS IT CLOSED WITH HIS FOOT.
BEN AND FELICITY ARE ENGROSSED IN MAKING OUT AS THEY SLOWLY MAKE THEIR WAY TOWARD THE STAIRS THAT LEAD UPSTAIRS TO BEN’S BEDROOM. THEY ARE A COUPLE STEPS UP WHEN BEN PUSHES FELICITY DOWN ON THE STEPS AND STARTS KISSING HER NECK AND SEARCHING FOR THE BUTTONS ON HER SHIRT…BEFORE HE REALIZES IT’S A SHIRT THAT PULLS OVER. AS BEN LAUGHS AND PULLS THE SHIRT OVER FELICITY’S HEAD THE DOWNSTAIRS LIGHT COMES ON.
ELI: Ben? Is that you?
BEN AND FELICITY FREEZE.
FELICITY: (under breath) Oh my god…Eli.
SALLY: (VO to Felicity) Dear Felicity…I am so sorry to hear about Ben’s mom. The circumstances that he was forced to grow up in…are tragic. Ben on the other hand has come out stronger because of them, he has been given a insight most men lack. Mother’s usually only teach their sons what love is…Ben’s mom has shown him what love…isn’t. It isn’t possessive or hurtful…it does require work and understanding. And above all it isn’t something you control or force…it’s a fragile gift…between two people.