Scene ~ C&J watch Moreno's people get busted (Jason turns the light on in a little room with a big blue bed in the middle of it. He lets Carly come in first. She walks inside and takes a look around...)
Carly: I knew it.
Jason: (closes the door and locks it) What?
Carly: The penthouse is a front. (she puts her coffee cup down on the desk and he shrugs out of his jacket) This is where you live. This is your- your real place. You just keep the penthouse so Graciella will have a job.
Jason: (drops his jacket on the bed) I rented this room two days ago.
Carly: Uh-uh. I don't believe you. This is paradise for you. (he puts his hands in his pockets) This is bare. This is functional, with no knick-nacks.
Jason: Knick-nacks?
Carly: Yeah, you know. They're like... decorative objects. All that stupid stuff that Hannah decorated your place with. (she looks at him and points at him) Your apartment was decorated by a fed.
Jason: Mmm. You think I don't know that? I had a crew sweep my place twice looking for bugs. (he goes over to the window)
Carly: Hmm. Don't you wish you woulda just kept the stuff I gave ya?
Jason: (peeks through the blinds) Y'know, Hannah's stuff is a lot more comfortable. (she climbs onto the bed and sits cross-legged in the middle of it) You can actually sleep on that couch.
Carly: Well, most people I know sleep in a bed. Everyone except for you. Why are we here?
Jason: Because I got a clear view of Pier 17.
Carly: So what's gonna happen? (she stands and he turns back to face her)
Jason: (sighs, scratches his nose, then crosses his arms) Moreno is landing a shipment tonight. And Sonny and I set Hannah up to think it was ours. Now, if she told the feds-
Carly: You know she did.
Jason: The FBI will bust him for possession. No more Moreno, no more Hannah. (walks to the center of the room)
Carly: (follows) Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean, 'No more Hannah'? How do you figure that?
Jason: Because, once Sonny used Hannah to bust Moreno, this whole thing is gonna be over.
Carly: No, Jason. Sonny doesn't want to get rid of Hannah. He wants to hold-
Jason: Carly- Look, I get that you're afraid for me. (he puts his hand over his heart) Okay? And I get why. But you're wrong. Once Moreno is busted, this will be over.
Carly: What if it's not over, man? What if he decides to keep risking your freedom to hold onto his girlfriend-
Jason: Please- Please don't make me fight with you...
Carly: You ever know what it's like, to really care about somebody and to want to help them, but they won't let you?
Jason: You already helped.
Carly: Okay. (clears her throat and turns a little, looking around, and puts her hands on her hips) So... Is that why you brought me here? (he crosses his arms) Reward me?
Jason: Reward you? What - are you? You're not a dog. No, actually I brought you because I knew you'd probably try and follow me.
Carly: AJ rewards me. And you're right. I'm kinda like a pet, I guess. Tony used to do it too. (she takes a few steps away) It was like, they had this role that they needed me to play, you know? (slowly sits on the edge of the bed) And... as long as I played it really good, they'd pat me on the head. Nobody ever tried to see me - ever. (he uncrosses his arms) Until I met this- This one guy, you know? He was this stranger guy. And he lived in a place that was a lot like this... And the first time I met him, and I slept with him... He didn't even ask my name. I'll tell you something. I think I knew, even then - that he would be the only person that ever knew me.
(fade out on Carly smiling slightly, looking at Jason's face, and Jason looking thoughtful...)
* * * * *
(Jason turns off the light and crosses the room, returning to the window. Carly's now sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed again.)
Carly: Was I your first?
Jason: What?
Carly: Well, now that I think about it, I just- I mean, I must have been. Because AJ said that your accident happened in January. And we got together in May. (pause, looks down at her fidgiting hands) Do you remember that night?
Jason: (turns slowly from the window and nods once, and speaks quietly) Yeah. (crosses his arms and leans back)
Carly: I couldn't figure you out. I still can't. (he drops his arms so his hands are resting on the window sill) But you were just this guy who... said what you meant and did what you wanted. You're the most honest person I've ever met. (pause) Do you ever miss it, the room?
Jason: (he nods) It was easier there. (she nods) I did what Sonny told me to do. I didn't have to second guess him. (He shakes his head a little and turns his head away, then clears his throat and rubs a hand over his forehead. Carly looks sad that he hasn't mentioned her.) I waited for you, or for Robin. And if... If you came, we uh- (He looks at her with a tiny smile. She half-grins and nods.) We did... that. (Jason laughs, and they both break out into cute smiles) And if Robin came, she taught me things. You know, I used to say that I wasn't a little kid. But there was so much I didn't understand. (pause) I kinda liked it that you didn't know about the accident. You thought I was a little strange, but you never ever pitied me.
Carly: No.
Jason: You didn't feel obligated to teach me things. And I didn't feel obligated to learn. (pause) But I did. I learned to be careful who you pick up in bars because it might change your whole life. (smiles a teasing smile)
Carly: (runs a hand over her hair, chuckles, and points at him) That's funny. (pause) Do you ever think that maybe if... Maybe if you'd been at Jakes instead of AJ that night, that...
Jason: (looks away, shifts so he's not quite facing her anymore, clears his throat, and shakes his head, then says quietly) No. (body language equals a big fat 'yes')
Carly: I do. I needed you. (he sighs) That night, and I think that you would've... done what I needed. (shrugs slightly) Well, you know, in my heart you were Michael's father.
(After a second, he turns his head to meet her eyes. Her face is so sad... Then police sirens start outside the window. It takes Jason a few seconds to tear his eyes off Carly's face.)
Jason: (turns to look out the wooden venetian blinds to the alley below, where the policecar lights are flickering) It's starting.
(Carly hops up and stands behind him, trying to see out as well. She scoots a place beside him and they stand close side-by-side, looking out the window together. For a brief second they look at each other. She places a hand on his shoulder.)
* * * * *
Carly: I can't see who it is they're arresting.
Jason: It's Moreno's people.
Carly: She told the FBI this was Sonny's shipment. (As if she's realizing it for the first time. She sighs, turns to him and puts her hand on his shoulder again. They look at each other for a few seconds.)
Jason: That's right.
Carly: (sighs) Oh, man. (she shakes her head and turns away, walking away from the window)
Jason: (follows) Are you okay?
Carly: That could be you. (turns to him) Out there, right now. On the sidewalk with your hands cuffed behind your back, on your way to prison.
Jason: But it's not. I'm right here.
Carly: It would kill me if you went to prison. I mean, it really would - kill me.
* * * * *
(Jason sits on the edge of the desk. Carly steps up to him, standing close.)
Carly: I've done some pretty horrible things to the people that I love the most. (her arms raise to touch him, but she drops her hands before they make contact) You, especially.
Jason: Yes.
Carly: I practically ruined your life.
Jason: (shakes his head a little) No, you didn't. At least, not yet.
Carly: (laughs despite herself) But I never... I never made somebody love me so that something bad would happen to them. I mean, something bad usually does. It almost always does-
Jason: Carly, you are not like Hannah. I already told you that.
Carly: If I hadn't panicked. If I woulda just followed you, like I said I was gonna... You and me, and Michael, we'd all be together right now.
Jason: (nods, his voice a quiet, sad whisper) But we're not.
Carly: Yeah. Cuz I betrayed you. And I just want you to know that I'm gonna regret that for the rest of my life.
Jason: Okay, listen. (he takes hold of her arms) Listen. You know what? Life, might be a lot easier if you weren't in it, for me. Okay? You're a lot of trouble. You make simple, simple things very complicated. But you have never ever betrayed me. You screwed up, yeah. But betrayal's different.
Carly: (takes a breath, and looks up) Don't you, um, ever wish that we could just start over? Like it used to be, in this room, you know? (he looks at his hand as it moves up her arm to her shoulder) I mean, cuz... Like I used to never get worried. Cuz you were invincible, and you could never get arrested. And if you did, you'd get away. Somehow. I mean, you would stay calm, and nobody could touch you.
Jason: So what changed?
Carly: Um... (pauses, looks away) Sonny. (he glances away from her) Half the time, he barely makes any sense anymore. And I'm worried about him. I'm afraid for him, I'm afraid for you-
Jason: Neither one of us got arrested.
Carly: But - everything could change. Just when everything looks like it's working out... (oh, was ever a more portentous line ever uttered...?)
Jason: Carly, you won. You won. We won. This is what it feels like.
Carly: (chuckles nods, looking away) Oh yeah. (less than happy)
Jason: C'mon, you were on to Hannah from the very start.
Carly: Yeah... (nods and looks down at her hands) I was, wasn't I?
Jason: Yeah, you wouldn't give up no matter how many times you were yelled at. No matter how many people got mad at you-
Carly: Yeah, but I'm used to that.
Jason: Sonny and I would be sitting in back of a police car right now, if it wasn't- (He stops, his brow knots slightly in a frown as he looks at a tearstain on her cheek. He lifts a hand to her face, brushing his thumb and the backs of his fingers over her cheek, tenderly.) If it wasn't for you. You saved us... You... saved me... Thank you.
Carly: (starts to smile) So you're finally admitting it?
Jason: Oh. (she laughs) Here we go... (he gets up off the desk and goes back to the window where the policecar lights are still flickering)
Carly: (she follows) Well, say it just one more time then for me. I mean, c'mon. What did you say? (she stands close in back of him with her hands on his back) I just want to be sure I got it right! (He smiles as he tries to push her back, maybe she's tickling him?) 'Carly saved me', is that what you said? Carly saved me?
Jason: (moves away from the window, reaching into his pocket) Carly, I have to- I have to check in. (pulls out his cellphone and dials)
Carly: Carly saved me...
* * * * *
Sonny: Yeah?
(Carly's doing a little victory dance in the background)
Jason: Yeah. It went down. The feds just busted Moreno's people off of Hannah's tip.
Sonny: You sure?
Jason: They'll probably call to notify her about the bust.
Sonny: (sighs) Alright. I'll take care of it.
Jason: Do you need me there?
Sonny: No, no, no. Uh... Finish your work and call me tomorrow.
* * * * *
(Jason takes a final peek through the blinds, then closes them.)
Jason: The feds are clearing out. (he walks around the bed and points to her, where she's kneeling on the bed) I should get you home.
Carly: Okay. (she hops off the bed, he picks up his jacket and her purse) Well, thanks for letting me be here. (she goes over to the desk and takes a last drink of her coffee, he holds out her purse)
Jason: Mmm. Like I had a choice?
Carly: (she looks at him as she puts the coffee cup down, loudly) You did!
Jason: Oh, yeah. (he puts one arm into his jacket)
Carly: Kinda, I mean...
Jason: Keep you with me, or you'll end up in the middle of a bust. (he puts his other arm into his jacket)
Carly: That's a choice, now, isn't it? (quietly, but smiling) You mad?
Jason: (he pulls the jacket up to his shoulders and straightens the lapel with a tug) No. (he puts his hands in the damn pockets again) But this can't happen again.
Carly: (shakes her head) It won't.
Jason: You weren't here. You know nothing about what happened tonight.
Carly: Wrong. (she smiles at him) I know that you weren't hurt. (she takes one step closer to him) That's what matters to me.
(He touches her shoulder, smiling a little, before moving to the door and opening it. She turns around again, taking a long look at the room.)
Jason: You forget something?
Carly: Nah. I just... (she turns again and walks to the door with her hands on her hips) I never took a last look back at your room at Jakes? (she turns to face the room again) But I'll remember it forever. I wanna remember this room too. (she sighs)
(He takes a step back and opens the door a little more. Then Carly turns as Jason is reaching to shut the light off. They exit.)