Categories > Celebrities > My Chemical Romance > When The Lights Go Out

The Kids From Yesterday

by sultryglebe 0 reviews

Korse returns and Jane, Gerard, and Frank all spend time in old stomping grounds. Can you go home again?

Category: My Chemical Romance - Rating: PG-13 - Genres: Drama - Characters: Frank Iero,Gerard Way,Ray Toro - Warnings: [V] - Published: 2013-03-13 - Updated: 2013-03-13 - 4687 words - Complete

0Unrated
EXT. ROUNDHOUSE

It is still the day of the wedding.

Gerard and Jane have been out walking. They return, arm in
arm.

Mitch comes out to greet them.

MITCH
How would you two kids feel about
taking a honeymoon.

GERARD
Are you worried about the noise?

Jane blushes.

JANE
Gee!

Mitch merely shakes his head.

MITCH
Location scouting. I'm wondering if
maybe somewhere farther away would
be better. You know Debs?

Gerard and Jane are surprised, but they nod.

JANE
We went to school there.

MITCH
I think we should see if there are
any viable camps out there. Maybe
if we get far enough away from the
city we can catch a break.

GERARD
We'll do it.

MITCH
Good.

Mitch turns around and then looks back.

MITCH (CONT'D)
It won't hurt for the noise.

Jane hides her face in Gerard's shoulder, but Gerard just
grins. They're going on a honeymoon.

CUT TO:



EXT. ROUNDHOUSE

Gerard and Jane are getting ready to go. They are taking out
Ray and Mikey's helmets from the trunk of the Trans-am.

Latron comes up with something behind his back.

LATRON
With all the excitement, I almost
forgot about these. On my trip I
swung by the Bunker.

Latron holds out Jane's old boots. The socks are inside.

JANE
Latron that is awesome! Thank you!

Jane hugs Latron, boots and all.

LATRON
Well, they should fit you better.

JANE
And they'll protect my legs better
on the bike. This is huge. Thank
you.

LATRON
I should give you back the jacket
too.

Jane stops Latron from taking it off.

JANE
No. It looks better on you anyway.

Latron smiles and walks away. Jane starts changing her
footwear.

Gerard is thoughtful, and reaches again into the trunk of the
Trans-Am.

As Jane finishes lacing her boots, Gerard holds out Mikey's
jacket to her.

GERARD
You really shouldn't be riding
without some kind of jacket.

Jane reaches out, but hesitates.

GERARD (CONT'D)
It's okay.

JANE
I'm just afraid every time you look
at me you'll see your dead brother.

Gerard wraps the jacket around Jane's shoulders and pulls her
closer.

GERARD
I will see my family.

They embrace, and Jane puts her arms through the sleeves and
straightens the jacket.

JANE
It's all right?

GERARD
Yeah. You need so much more, and I
have no idea how we'll get it.

JANE
Well, these hips were never going
to fit into anything else of
Mikey's anyway.

Gerard puts his hands on Jane's hips.

GERARD
Hmmm.

Jane, pulls his hands away, and around her waist.

JANE
Don't measure!

Frank calls from over by the bike, which he has just finished
inspecting.

FRANK
Are you two ever gong to get going?

Gerard and Jane walk over and hug Frank goodbye.

Gerard looks at Jane.

GERARD
Do you want to drive?

JANE
Not this time.

Nodding, Gerard climbs on first, and Jane gets on behind,
wrapping her arms around his waist.

Gerard tilts the mirror, catching his wife's eyes and
smiling.

They rev up and move out, miles of open highway ahead.



EXT. CAMPUS DORMS

Gerard and Jane stand outside the old hall, amazed at the
desolation.

It's not really the amount of destruction-many things are
intact. It's just the emptiness. Even in the middle of the
night, it was never this quiet and still.

Jane jimmies the lock and they go in.

More silence and dust is the only greeting.

GERARD
It doesn't look like anything has
been touched for years.

JANE
I want to check my room.

Jane picks the lock for this door as well.

It is a typical dorm room, with mirror image beds, desks, and
cupboards.

Jane checks drawers and finds her old clothes there,
untouched.

GERARD
I remember that top. No one's been
here? Ever?

JANE
I get that the students wouldn't
have come back, and maybe a lot of
the faculty would have been gone,
but shouldn't there have been some
people left?

GERARD
Maybe there just wasn't any point
in coming to the dorms. We should
check the other parts of town.

JANE
Yeah. I'm going to change first
though.

GERARD
Tired of the flannel?

JANE
They're not practical clothes, but
they're less worn, and they'll fit
better.

Gerard comes behind Jane and puts his arms around her.

GERARD
It's late though. We should
probably just spend the night here
and start fresh tomorrow. I mean,
as long as you're undressing...

JANE
Have a boy in my room all night?
I've never done that!

GERARD
Yeah. I remember.

JANE
I didn't say no. Convince me we
won't get in trouble.

GERARD
It will be okay, baby, I swear. I
won't make a sound. You won't even
know I'm here.

JANE
Pathetic.

Jane rolls her eyes, but also holds out her arms for her
husband.

Gerard closes the door.

GERARD
You're not going to want that shirt
again, right?



INT. CAMPUS DORMS

The next morning, Gerard is examining the layout of the
hallway.

GERARD
You know, this could be a great
headquarters. Actual beds, meeting
rooms...

Gerard turns as Jane emerges from her old room, dressed in a
skirt and blouse. It's almost like going back in time.

GERARD (CONT'D)
Wow.

JANE
I nearly recognize me.

Gerard shakes his head.

GERARD
The clothes have changed but you
haven't.

Gerard wistfully wraps a strand of Jane's hair around his
finger.

JANE
Ready to hit the town?

GERARD
Let's do it.



EXT. CAMPUS DORMS

Jane gets on the bike, ready to ride again.

GERARD
I'll check out the rest of the
campus while you do the rest of
town. See if we can see some signs
of life.

JANE
Remember when I worked at the
Safeway on Chambers? Custodial and
dining staff shopped there all the
time. They'd be the ones most
likely to still be around, don't
you think?

GERARD
It makes sense. Got your radio?

Jane holds hers up.

JANE
Check!

GERARD
Okay. Just be careful. That's still
not a great outfit if you crash.

JANE
We were never really that
practical.

GERARD
No, but we still get the job done.

Jane revs up and heads off.

As Gerard wanders the campus and Jane rides through town, the
two keep in touch via radio.

GERARD (CONT'D)
The science wing is empty. There
are a few broken windows, but it's
pretty untouched.

JANE
13th is deserted. I've never seen
that before.

GERARD
At least there's no traffic.

JANE
Yeah. I'm turning onto Chambers
now. I know people lived nearby,
but not exactly where.

GERARD
Maybe start with the store and do
increasingly wider circles. Are the
street layouts pretty good out
there?

JANE
Not too bad. Where are you now?

GERARD
Over by the music hall. Nothing
here either, but I'm kind of close
to our hill.

JANE
Maybe you should check it out.

GERARD
Without you?

JANE
It's a good vantage point, you
might be able to see something from
up there.

GERARD
Okay. I'm heading up.

JANE
I'm turning down Holt. It doesn't
smell right.

GERARD
Decay?

JANE
More like smoke. Maybe a lightning
strike?

GERARD
I don't like this.

JANE
I see smoke too. I'm checking it
out.

GERARD
Careful!

JANE
I can zip away pretty quickly if
it's out of control, but I think
this is just smoldering.

Gerard reaches the top of the hill. Their tree is split in
half and blackened.

He sighs.

GERARD
I may have just found more proof of
lightning strikes.

JANE
What is it?

GERARD
The tree's dead. It's split down
the middle and burned.

JANE
I loved that tree!

GERARD
I know it's minor compared to
everything else, but yeah, I'm
disappointed.

JANE
Well, I guess no picnic din...

Janes voice trails off as she finds the source of the smoke
and smell.

There had been survivors, but they are gone now. A group of
about thirty dead bodies of all ages are strewn about,
partially burned.

GERARD
Jane, what is it?

JANE
They're all dead.

GERARD
We expected that.

JANE
No, this is recent.

GERARD
How recent?

JANE
I don't think we're alone.

GERARD
Okay, you need to get back here
now! Meet me in front of the dor-

A blast of gunfire comes frighteningly close.

Gerard hits the ground while grabbing his gun, but drops the
radio in the process.

JANE
Gee?

Jane turns back towards campus at breakneck speed.

Gerard spots two Draculoids coming up the hill.

Using the tree for cover, Gerard returns fire.

As Jane gets back onto 13th, two additional Draculoids on
cycles pull in behind her.

Jane quickly veers off onto a side street, trying to be less
of an easy shot.

Her familiarity with the area provides a small advantage, but
there are two of them, and their guns are out. Jane's is
buried in her bag.

Gerard gets a clean shot at one of the Draculoids, but nearly
gets hit by the other. He drops back behind the tree. The
shots keep coming.

Jane turns into the hospital's parking garage, twisting and
turning as it winds upward. It gives her some shelter until
she ends up on the roof.

Reaching the roof slightly before her pursuers, Jane sees
that part of the wall has crumbled away. She steers straight
through, landing on the next building. The Draculoids follow.

The other roofs were not made for access, so there are no
more walls in the way, just distance, as long as she can keep
going lower. Looking ahead, there are two more jumps Jane
thinks she can make. After that, it will be a dead end.

Jane takes the next jump, and the Draculoids follow. The
second one makes it.

Jane increases her speed and takes the next jump. She makes
it, but hits a vent and the bike starts to skid. It falls
over and continues the skid, with Jane's right leg caught
underneath.

Now the Draculoid is jumping.

Jane pulls free, losing her boot. The Draculoid has landed
now, still upright, and he aims.

Jane rolls over the edge and drops out of sight.

The Draculoid goes over to the side to check. As he looks
down he sees Jane standing on a fire escape, open bag beside
her. She has her gun and is aiming at him. Jane scores the
first shot.

Jane slides down the ladder, back to ground level, and starts
to run to the hill. The right leg is scraped up, and she is
hampered by only having one boot and the weight of the
helmet. Eventually she pulls off the boot and the helmet. The
only thing that matters now is finding Gerard.

Gerard and the last Draculoid are still exchanging fire.

Finally, the Draculoid goes down. Gerard breathes a sigh of
relief.

Turning around, he suddenly needs to duck as Korse goes in
for a killing blow.

Distracted by the Draculoids, Gerard never saw Korse coming.
If it had taken the last one longer to die, he wouldn't have.

Gerard tries to get off a shot at Korse, but his gun is
empty.

Changing strategy quickly, Gerard charges. He tries to
wrestle Korse's gun away, but is only able to knock it away
from either of them.

The two grapple with each other. The saving grace is that
Korse is confident and sadistic enough to enjoy beating
Gerard up a little, which buys time.

Throwing Gerard down, instead of doing the obvious thing and
retrieving the gun, Korse kicks Gerard, sending him further
down the hill, then grabs a rock.

Korse raises the rock to smash in Gerard's skull, but only
smashes the wrist as Gerard tries to deflect.
Planting his boot in Gerard's collarbone, Korse stomps and
hears the crunch.

Jane reaches the bottom of the hill, and sees them.

JANE (CONT'D)
No!

Korse sees Jane and gives Gerard a vicious kick. He reaches
for his holster, ready to shoot, but forgetting the gun was
on the ground.

Gerard remembered. He fires into Korse's head.

Korse drops, but Gerard continues to shoot, draining the
weapon into Korse. When it will not shoot anymore, Gerard
falls to the ground.

Running to his side, Jane hovers over Gerard. His jaw is
swollen, and that's just the start of his injuries, but there
is only one thing on his mind.

GERARD
Brainstem. Get it.

JANE
I will.

GERARD
Now!

JANE
You're hurt.

GERARD
Now! He can't come back.

JANE
I'm going to cover you up first.

Jane removes her jacket. Gerard tries to protest, but she's
not having it.

JANE (CONT'D)
Just let me do this! I'm not going
to have you going into shock while
I'm doing brain surgery here.

GERARD
Please don't let him come back.

Jane tucks the jacket in around his shoulders.

JANE
I won't.

Jane stands up and looks at the body, and shudders. The brain
stem needs to be completely destroyed. That's what Liu said.

Jane removes the saw from her bag. It is her least favorite
tool. She hasn't used it since Beck's arm.

Jane begins to saw off the head. It is a messy task. She
should have waited to change clothes.

When the head is off, she tries to split it, getting to the
brain stem. It's harder than, no, she hadn't thought it would
be easy.

She realizes now that she should have left the head attached,
as she could have used the body for leverage. Everything is
too awkward and slippery now.

Field surgery failing, Jane tries to use the rock to smash
everything around the brainstem to bits, but she still has
doubts. It has to be completely destroyed.

Glancing at the tree, Jane sighs and carries over what's left
of the head. She places it in the cavity where the tree
split, and breaks off twigs and dried grass to cover it.

Setting it alight, the fire catches. An ugly black smoke
begins to rise from the tree, but it looks like it will work.
That part of their lives is over.

Jane looks at her bloody clothes and arms in dismay. She
really should have waited to change.

Pulling off her blouse, Jane uses the inside fabric for
wiping off her hands, finishing up with some sterile wipes
from her bag. It is not ideal, but enough that she will not
be getting Korse's blood and brains on Gerard.

Gerard looks up and gives a weak smile as Jane returns to his
side.

GERARD
I'm sorry. Thank you.

Her voice cracks a little, but Jane tries to remain cheerful.

JANE
Hey, I wanted him dead too. I don't
know why it...Never mind. Tell me
where it hurts.

GERARD
Everywhere.

Jane runs her hands lightly over Gerard's body.

JANE
The wrist and collarbone are at
least fractured, if not broken, but
no internal bleeding. We could be
doing worse.

GERARD
You?

JANE
I'm fine.

GERARD
I was worried.

JANE
I'm not the lunatic who tried to
fight Korse without a gun.

GERARD
Didn't think things through.

JANE
There could be more of them. We
need to get out of here.

GERARD
Are you going to carry me?

JANE
If I have to.

She is determined, but he is pleading.

GERARD
Can't we just rest?

JANE
It's going to be cold and dark
soon, and we're sitting ducks here.

GERARD
We can see if anyone's coming. Just
for a little while.

Jane has no resistance left in her.

JANE
Okay. For a little while.

Jane crawls under Mikey's jacket, next to Gerard.

JANE (CONT'D)
The bike's smashed up pretty bad.

GERARD
Then there's no hurry anyway. We're
not going anywhere.

JANE
I'd feel better getting you indoors
and in a bed.

GERARD
Soon, I promise. Right now I just
need you. It's not so bad, is it?

JANE
No, it's not.

Gerard closes his eyes and sleeps.

Jane can't. She is scared to have Gerard sleep, actually.

Jane's fingers nervously migrate from Gerard's wrist to his
neck to his heart. She seeks each beat, each trace of pulse
for assurance, and then she worries anyway.

His injuries aren't bad. There's no reason for him to die.
And yet he is so still, in this town full of death, where
they are the last two people alive.

The hours pass and the sky grows darker.

Jane is about to fall asleep herself, worn to the bone, but a
distant noise is coming closer.

Checking on Gerard, Jane stands up, trying to identify the
sound.

She is able to make out the Trans-am.

Jane starts to jump and wave her arms.

JANE (CONT'D)
Frank!

The car moves closer to the hill. It seems that he has seen
her.

Jane runs down the hill as the car pulls up and Frank jumps
out.

JANE (CONT'D)
How did you know?

Jane collapses crying in Frank's arms. Things are clearly not
right.

FRANK
What's going on?

JANE
Gee's hurt and Korse is dead and
the bike is wrecked.

None of that seems to follow, but Frank just holds Jane and
let's her collect herself.

FRANK
Show me where Gee is.

Jane takes a deep breath and nods, and they head up the hill.

Gerard is awake now.

GERARD
Jane?

JANE
I'm here, and so is Frank.

GERARD
Frank?

FRANK
I saw a big pillar of black smoke
coming from the top of the hill,
and figured it had to be you two.

JANE
It's Korse's head.

Frank now notices the headless body, and as he looks around
he sees the two Draculoid bodies as well.

FRANK
Definitely you two.

JANE
How did you know to come?

FRANK
The Farm's been compromised.

Gerard tries to get up in alarm.

GERARD
What? What about-

FRANK
Don and Grace are fine. They know
about Ray and Mikey, which made
Grace very sad, but she is happy to
have a new aunt, and she has let
everyone know that when you have a
baby it will be her cousin.

Gerard relaxes a little and smiles at Jane.

GERARD
That is why she wanted me to go get
you.

JANE
Now you tell me.

FRANK
Things are pretty cramped. Mitch
was hoping that you would tell me
we can all come here. It sounds
like we need to keep looking.

GERARD
It was looking perfect until a few
hours ago.

FRANK
I guess I should have come sooner.

Jane looks exhausted, but rallies, and goes back into
practical mode.

JANE
Let's go back to the dorms for
clothes and blankets.

FRANK
Anything else?

JANE
I want to hit the medical center
for supplies. We'll need to be
quick, but it's a better chance
than we usually get. We do that
fast and get out.

Frank and Gerard nod, and Frank and Jane help Gerard down the
hill.



EXT. DORMS

The Trans-am is parked out front, with Gerard dozing in the
front passenger seat, covered up with Mikey's jacket.

Jane and Frank come out carrying stacks of clothes and
blankets. Jane has changed again, so the blood and gore is
gone, but she still seems to carry it with her.

They put the linens into the trunk, next to a box of medical
supplies.

Jane goes around to the passenger side to check on Gerard. As
he opens his eyes, he sees that she is wearing the same
outfit as the first day that they met. So much has happened.

JANE
How are you feeling?

GERARD
Better.

Jane feels his jawline.

JANE
The swelling's going down.

Gerard pulls of the jacket and holds it out to her, and Jane
puts it back on.

Frank leans in the driver's side window.

FRANK
Anything else?

JANE
I don't think we'll find any food.
The bikes might be salvageable, but
I'm not up to riding.

FRANK
And aren't they on top of an
apartment building?

JANE
That too.

FRANK
So we're done here?

GERARD
Do you think you could get us into
the valley?



EXT. GREENVALE, TORRES HOME

It is night.

Frank, Jane, and Gerard sneak up on the back of the house.

FRANK
What now? Throw pebbles at the
window?

GERARD
Maybe just knock. And try not to
scare him to death.

FRANK
I'm the only one he'll recognize.
Hold on.

Frank sneaks underneath a window, and knocks.

Jane and Gerard can hear the window being opened, and muffled
voices.

Frank returns and motions for them to follow down some
exterior steps leading to the basement.



INT. TORRES BASEMENT

They expected to see guns, but the explosives are new.

They are all a bit startled, but Frank is increasingly
agitated by it.

Bob stands in the middle.

GERARD
Wow.

FRANK
What are you doing?

BOB
I never gave it up, but I've been
working overtime lately.

FRANK
You know.

BOB
Yeah. Heard it from Dr. D. Jet Star
and Kobra Kid, dusted on Route
Guano.

FRANK
I wasn't sure if it would get here.

Bob looks at Gerard.

BOB
And you must have taken Party
Poison. Kobra Kid's brother?

GERARD
Yes.

BOB
I'm sorry. He was a good kid.

GERARD
They were both good men.

Bob nods.

BOB
So what are you doing here? The
security's been getting looser, but
you're still taking a big chance.

GERARD
We need to re arm.

BOB
I can help with that.

FRANK
Let's talk about risk some more.
You can do this at my place. You
don't have to do it here.

BOB
It's gone.

FRANK
Oh.

Frank doesn't know why he is surprised.

BOB
They burned it down, and Mikey's
place. They came here, but they
didn't find anything.

FRANK
That's no reason to be this
reckless. You have a wife and kids.

BOB
They're staying with her mother
right now. I know it's dangerous.
And maybe I've been a little
difficult lately.

FRANK
Is it worth it?

BOB
You don't know what it's like. I
know it's no picnic for you out
there, but it's not easy hanging
around here doing nothing.

JANE
Maybe you should come with us.

CUT TO:



EXT. OUTSIDE TORRES HOME

Loading the car, Frank and Jane are arguing.

FRANK
How could you do that?

Well, Frank is arguing. Jane is just surprised.

JANE
Do what?

FRANK
Invite him along?

JANE
You trust him. He's skilled. He has
nothing here.

FRANK
He has a family!

JANE
Where are they?

FRANK
That's why he should be going after
them! You have no right!

Frank leans against the car and turns away.

Jane shakes her head, not sure how they got here.

JANE
Look, I asked him to come because
he seemed lost, and I thought maybe
that was what he needed.

Frank is speaking more calmly now, but there is still a lot
of hurt in his voice.

FRANK
You don't know him. Or them.

JANE
You're right. I don't. So you need
to be the one to tell him. Before I
go shooting off my mouth again.

FRANK
Jane, I'm sor-

Jane smiles, shaking her head.

JANE
It's okay. He's your friend. Now
help him.

Bob and Gerard come from the house now. They are carrying
things also.

BOB
Gerard told me about the Farm and
Grace. I got some clothes that the
girls outgrew. They should be about
right for Grace now.

FRANK
That's great. Thank you.

JANE
We don't have many children's
clothes. It will really help.

BOB
Are we ready?

Frank nods.

FRANK
Yeah. Get in.

They load into the car, Frank driving, with Bob in front and
Gerard and Jane in the back.

After a fairly short drive, Frank pulls over.

BOB
What are you doing?

FRANK
It's that house over there, isn't
it?

BOB
I'm not-

FRANK
Do you know how much of what Ray
and I did, we did for your family?
Just to know that they would be
okay, and they would have their
father.

BOB
They left!

FRANK
Then get them back.

BOB
You don't know how hard it's been.

FRANK
Maybe not, but I know how hard
losing parents is. Don't do this to
them.

Bob hesitates.

FRANK (CONT'D)
Your basement's all clean now. Stay
here for a while, just in case, and
then, be with them.

BOB
And the rest of our lives it's like
this?

FRANK
I hope not, but for now I know they
need you.

Bob sighs, and begins to get out of the car. He stops, and
turns to Gerard in the back.

BOB
Mikey tried to find her for you. He
brought an envelope with an address
label.

Gerard looks back and forth between Bob and Jane.

JANE
I...I'd sent him a birthday card.

BOB
I was going to see if someone in
the city would check out the
address, but it was too late. All
of my HAM contacts had disappeared,
and we decided it was too dangerous
to use the radio.

FRANK
I remember that. I didn't know
about the address.

BOB
He asked me privately, and I just
realized he probably never told
you. I know you had problems, but I
know...brothers...

GERARD
It leaves a hole.

BOB
Yeah.

GERARD
But you need to hang on to the
people you still have. It took me a
while to figure that out.

Bob nods.

BOB
I just wanted you to know.

GERARD
Thank you.

Bob gets out of the car and goes up the steps of his mother
in-law's home.

Bob knocks and Karen comes to the door.

Inside the car, Frank, Gerard, and Jane watch as Karen and
Bob talk.

Frank is pleading under his breath.

FRANK
Come on. Please.

Finally Karen hugs Bob, and lets him inside.

The door closes and Franks exhales.

Jane puts a hand on Frank's shoulder.

JANE
Better?

FRANK
Yeah. Let's go.

Frank pulls out and begins to drive away.

Jane leans back and takes Gerard's hand.

JANE
How about you?

Gerard shakes his head, his thoughts jumbled.

GERARD
Just thinking about the things you
don't know or realize when you
should. The things people do for
you. Things you can't pay back.

Frank is thinking back as well.



EXT. DOWNTOWN GREENVALE

Early 2013

Frank is walking away from downtown with a bag of food. He
sees Ray playing guitar by a dried up fountain.

Frank stops to watch.

As Ray finishes the song, Frank is impressed.

FRANK
That was great.

RAY
Thanks. Do you play?

FRANK
Yeah, some.

RAY
Show me what you got.

Ray holds out the guitar.

Frank hesitates briefly, but he sets down the bag and takes
the guitar, then lets loose.

Ray is approving.

RAY (CONT'D)
Not bad! We should jam some time.

FRANK
Yeah.

RAY
I'm Ray.

FRANK
Frank. Are you hoping for tips?

Ray laughs.

RAY
No. I'm living with my brother and
his wife and kids. They're great,
but sometimes the house feels a
little full, and I just need to get
out.

FRANK
Yeah, that makes sense.

RAY
Your place get crowded too?

FRANK
No, it's usually pretty quiet.

There is a something uncomfortable there, but Ray lets it
alone.

RAY
I have an electric one at home. I
can't always get power for it, but
do you want to see?

FRANK
Yeah.

RAY
Come on. I'll show you.



INT. TORRES HOME

Ray and Frank are messing around with the guitars.

Karen comes in.

KAREN
Ray? Dinner's ready.

Frank had really loosened up, and was smiling, but he turns
quiet again.

FRANK
I guess I should be going.

Karen looks at Frank, and seems to understand.

KAREN
Will anyone be worrying if you stay
a little bit later?

Frank shrugs uncomfortably.

FRANK
No, I guess not.

KAREN
Why don't you eat here with us?

FRANK
If you don't mind.

Karen smiles like a mother, and pats Frank on the shoulder as
she goes back to the dining room.

KAREN
Good. I'll set another place.


Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Nothing Gold Can Stay, by Robert Frost
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