Scene ~ the docks Sliz: You know who inspired me? You.
Jason: No, I did not.
Sliz: Sometimes 'inspired' and 'encouraged' mean the same thing. Although encouragement generally feels like pressure to me... Except with you. How do you do that? You know what? Nevermind. I don't know how you got to be the way you are. I'm just glad you did.
(Sliz hugs him - just as Carly comes around the corner. She frowns, confused at the scene...)
* * * * *
Jason: Is it true that, uh, sunlight is not good for paintings?
Sliz: Not good for the Mona Lisa, maybe. But what's not good for me is being stared at on the bus on the way to turn it in to my professor.
Jason: He's gonna give it back to you, though. Right?
Sliz: Yeah, but it's gonna take awhile. But if he thinks it's good enough? It'll be hung at the art fair. All those people on campus, looking at Lucky...? I think I like that idea.
Jason: Look, if you need any help hanging it up so nobody can steal it, you just let me know.
Sliz: (laughs) You're on. Wish me luck.
Jason: I do.
(Jason watchs as Slizzard walks away. Carly watches him for a few seconds, then comes down the steps. He turns after her footsteps come to the dock.)
Carly: Hey, Jason. (they face each other, standing close) How was your Thanksgiving?
Jason: Boring. (he shrugs with hands in jacket pockets, she nods) Everything was closed. How bout you?
Carly: I had, ah, a pretty good day, myself.
Jason: You like pizza, huh?
Carly: No. Um... I just think I have a lot to be thankful for this year, you know? (she smiles a little) I think that... I got somethin' new to be thankful for. Somethin' that I... That I wanted for a long time. Somethin' I've been working for for a long time - the wrong way. And... I'm not sure, but I think suddenly... I got it. I think... I mean, nothing's the same between us, right? Not anymore? And... It wasn't just a kiss. We both know that. To me, it feels like we took a step - forward. And... We're in a place that we've never been before. And I don't want to go back. (pauses unsurely, hesitating) Do you?
(Instead of answering, Jason steps forward and puts his arms around her in an embrace.)
Carly: (smiles and laughs softly) Mmm.
* * * * *
Carly: Thank you.
(They pull away. Jason shrugs to adjust his jacket over his shoulder and Carly fiddles with her purse strap.)
Jason: For what?
Carly: Oh, there's just not many bad moods or many bad days that having you hold me like that (hugs her arms around herself, grinning) wouldn't make disappear.
Jason: Yeah, well. (touches her cheek briefly, brushing back her hair) Like I told you, in front of Sonny. I'm not sorry. But - nothing has changed. It can't. (pause) Except that I trust you enough to tell you what you mean to me.
Carly: What I think I'm hearing is that... You didn't have faith in me before. But now you do.
Jason: No, I... No, I always trusted that you cared about me. But I just wasn't always sure that I wouldn't end up roadkill because of it. (said with a hint of a teasing smile)
Carly: But now you know better, (points into his chest, smiling) right?
(she steps closer, and he leans his head back a little, not quite smiling)
Jason: Or - I'm taking my chances.
Carly: Well, good. (whispers) Thank you. Cuz a chance with you, Jason, is... It's better than any sure thing I can think of.
Jason: Now, look. Carly... (He looks down - I'll take a wild guess here and say their hands are joined, underneath the camera shot. He sighs heavily and looks up, but off to the side, and down again.) How we feel, (he looks into her eyes) is one thing. What we do about it is something else. (Which is a line that to this day, I still don't quite understand what the hell he meant by that...)
Carly: (smiles and bites her bottom lip, chuckles) Hmm.
* * * * *
(Jason sits on the bench, hands clasped in front of him in his lap. Carly takes a seat very close beside him, facing him.)
Carly: We want the same thing. You know? I think we do. I've been holding back, because... I just didn't think that you wanted me. You know? It's like I've been fighting a war with one hand tied behind (puts her arm behind her) my back. But now you untied it. I know what to do.
Jason: You- You can't do anything.
Carly: What-? (she smooths her hair off her cheek with a gloved hand, and starts to shake/nod her head in confusion) I will, though. (she points at him)
Jason: No, no, no. Carly, look.
Carly: I mean, no. I'm- You bet I can.
Jason: I kissed you. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to. But I thought I could just - give you that. Please, just enjoy this. Don't turn it into something that's gonna blow up and hurt everyone. Most of all Michael.
Carly: Yeah, but. Wait a minute. I thought you said you trusted me.
Jason: I do.
Carly: (She touches her fingertips to his cheek, then her fingertips slide down to the corner of his chin. Then she touches the tip of his nose with her index finger, smiling.) Don't worry, about me. I'm not gonna go crazy. I'm not gonna, like, shoot somebody. I can be patient, believe it or not. Just as long as I know that I, you know, that I mean somethin' to ya. (He touches her cheek again. She takes it as a signal and leans forward, her hands reaching up to cup his face.) C'mere.
(She almost gets there, their noses are a half inch apart, if that. But Jason puts his hands on her shoulders to keep her back.)
Jason: No, Carly. This- This is not thinking things through. We're here, out in the open, where anybody could see us. (she turns her head away from him and groans) It would give AJ ammunition (she sticks out her tongue before she turns back to him) against you.
Carly: You know what? You're right. But next time I'm gonna do better.
(She laughs softy, smiling. Jason smiles a soft smile at her. She touches his chin.)
Carly: Bye.
(She stands to leave, casting a glance back at him as she goes up the steps. Jason holds up a hand as a wave. Then he sighs heavily and leans down into the bench, one hand covering his eyes before he rubs his forehead.)