04-25-2015, 05:29 AM
(NOTE: I was originally planning to post this after "Cry Havoc" was broadcast, but after the miserable experience of watching "Iron Hans," I went ahead and completed it for the sake of emotional therapy. Essentially, it's a suggested future sequence in season 5 where an encounter with her father re-awakens Juliette's humanity, which gradually leads to a dangerous schizoid breakdown where Juliette's hex-persona and human-persona engage in a battle of wills. It goes without saying there are plot spoilers from season 4 involved, so consider yourself warned.)
INT. CORRIDOR
A luxurious hallway inside a five-star hotel. Harlan Silverton approaches the door leading into Juliette and Kenneth’s apartment. He hesitates, then rings the bell.
INT. APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM
Juliette is seated in front of a roaring fireplace, wearing a bathrobe. She quietly drinks from a glass of red brandy. Kenneth is at a table nearby, writing on a laptop. They hear the bell ring.
Kenneth looks towards the door, slightly irritated.
KENNETH: Did you order room service again, luv? We’re due for dinner in the lobby in another half hour. Seems a little redundant to bring up another bottle of Merlot.
Juliette sets aside her glass.
JULIETTE: I didn’t order anything.
The bell rings again.
KENNETH: See to it, will you? I can always trust you to scare them off with that spectacular ghoul-face of yours.
Juliette shoots a spiteful glance at Kenneth as she stands and walks to the door.
INT. CORRIDOR
Harlan rings the bell a third time. He turns away from the door, surveying his extravagant surroundings with vague unease.
Juliette opens the door. She sees her father just as he starts to turn back around. A quick, fleeting expression of shock and panic appears on her normally icy face.
She slams the door shut before Harlan can see her.
INT. APARTMENT
Juliette presses her hands against the door. Trying to compose herself. Kenneth looks up from the laptop.
KENNETH: That was abrupt. Was it a Jehovah’s Witness?
Juliette looks at Kenneth.
JULIETTE: It’s my father.
KENNETH: (surprised) Your father…?
JULIETTE: Get rid of him. Chase him out of here.
KENNETH: Why is he my responsibility all of a sudden?
For the first time in a long time, Juliette actually looks frightened.
JULIETTE: I don’t…I don’t want him to see me.
She hurries into the bedroom, leaving Kenneth alone. He watches her go, then sits up with a weary grunt.
KENNETH: Bloody hell.
INT. CORRIDOR
Harlan moves to ring the bell, then bangs his knuckle on the door instead.
HARLAN: Julie? Julie, it’s…
The door swings open, revealing Kenneth.
KENNETH: Good evening, Mr. Silverton.
Harlan regards Kenneth with wary suspicion.
HARLAN: You’re Kenneth?
KENNETH: Prince Kenneth, but there’s no need to be that formal.
Kenneth extends a hand to shake, but his chilly smile betrays his intent.
HARLAN: Where’s my girl?
KENNETH: Oh, she’s off powdering her nose. We’re just on our way out, if you must know. You could always come back. Let’s say…Thursday at 8?
Harlan glares at Kenneth, then walks past him into the apartment.
INT. APARTMENT
Harlan looks around the apartment as Kenneth closes the door.
KENNETH: I have to say, this is a real honor, meeting my future father-in-law.
Harlan turns to face Kenneth at those words.
HARLAN: You and Juliette…?
KENNETH: That’s right.
Harlan is flabbergasted.
HARLAN: My kid wouldn’t go anywhere near somebody like you.
KENNETH: Well, technically speaking…your "kid" isn’t exactly your kid anymore.
HARLAN: What the hell are you trying to…?
The sound of the bedroom door being shut interrupts him. Harlan and Kenneth both turn to see Juliette standing in the corner of the living room. Harlan can’t help but smile warmly.
HARLAN: Hey, Julie.
Juliette doesn’t return the smile. She folds her arms.
JULIETTE: (cold) What are you doing here?
Harlan is taken aback by Juliette’s chilly response.
HARLAN: Now that’s a hell of a question to ask.
Kenneth wraps a much-too-friendly arm around Harlan’s shoulder. Harlan looks revolted.
KENNETH: Now, now, dear. He’s right. That’s no way to greet family.
HARLAN: Don’t touch me.
KENNETH: My, you’re high-strung for your age.
HARLAN: I’m an ex-marine, you patronizing shit.
KENNETH: Ex-Marine? Well, that’s impressive. Do you miss bumping off turban-headed civilians?
HARLAN: I’m going to rip off your goddamn -
JULIETTE: Dad!
Harlan stops, but his fists remain tightly clenched, itching to crush Kenneth’s skull.
JULIETTE: (quietly) Kenneth. Give us five minutes.
Kenneth raises his hands in a friendly gesture. Whatever you say.
Juliette looks at her father. After a moment:
JULIETTE: Let’s go into the bedroom.
Juliette and her father walk out of the main living room.
INT. BEDROOM
Juliette sits in front of her dressing table and applies makeup, while her father hovers close by.
JULIETTE: Well, now that you’ve invaded my personal space, what did you want to talk about?
HARLAN: That’s one hell of a forked tongue you’ve got there. Where did it come from?
JULIETTE: I’ve changed. For the better.
HARLAN: For the better? This is your idea of “better” now? Christ, you’re acting just like the damn bullies who rubbed mud in your hair back in fifth grade.
JULIETTE: I don’t have to explain myself to you –
HARLAN: Yes you do, young lady. Yes you do. I saw your boyfri…(corrects himself) I saw Nick. I’ve been going around, talking to the people who I thought were your friends. They keep saying the same thing, over and over. “Your daughter’s sick. She’s not herself. Stay away from her.” And nobody’s telling me why. I feel like I’m on an alien planet!
JULIETTE: Then go back to Earth. They’re responsible for this, not me.
HARLAN: Oh, no. You’re not going to shift the blame to them, not any more. You ditched your job, you changed your cell number, you stopped answering our calls and emails…why are you doing this, Julie? Is it something we did? Your mom cries herself to sleep every night, with no idea why you’re hurting her…
Juliette seems to momentarily weaken at the mention of her mother, but quickly regains her composure while Harlan points in the direction of the door.
HARLAN: And what the hell are you doing with that guy? I’m no psychiatrist, but I can tell a goddamn sociopath when I see one!
JULIETTE: He’s a prince. I’d consider that an upgrade.
HARLAN: He’s dirt, Julie. Don’t you know that? Or don’t you care?
JULIETTE: He’s cute and rich. That’s all I need.
Harlan sighs and sits at the edge of Juliette’s bed.
HARLAN: Remember when you used to run across the backyard of that old man you thought was a troll, just because he got all scarred up fighting in Iraq?
Juliette seems to hesitate.
JULIETTE: Why are you telling me this?
HARLAN: I get the feeling you’d do more than just run around in his backyard now. Maybe burn his house down. Or torture his dog. The worst part is, I can’t even believe I’m saying that. You loved dogs. Now you don’t seem to love anything at all.
JULIETTE: (scoffs) “Love.” That’s a good one.
HARLAN: So love’s a joke to you now? Christ, Julie, do you have any idea how it rips my heart out seeing you act like this? You were the kindest, most wonderful…
JULIETTE: We’re done here, Dad.
HARLAN: We’re done when I say we’re done.
JULIETTE: (menacing) Don’t push me.
Harlan stands up, deeply upset by his daughter’s belligerence.
HARLAN: Or what? What are you going to do? My God, who are you? What have you done with my little girl?
Juliette turns away from the mirror, snarling:
JULIETTE: I ate her! All right? I stuffed her into my oven and cooked her alive! Now get out!
Harlan takes a moment to calm down, while Juliette returns to the mirror.
HARLAN: (quietly) Your mom’s sick, Julie.
Juliette stops applying her makeup.
JULIETTE: …what?
HARLAN: She started losing weight…couldn’t eat a lot of food. So they gave her an MRI. We got the results back last week. (pause) It doesn’t look good.
Juliette doesn’t turn around, but her eyes wander down to the assortment of lavish cosmetics on the table.
JULIETTE: How…how bad is it?
HARLAN: Three months at most. There’s jack-all they can do. It’s chewing her to pieces from the inside like…(trails off) Do you want me to beg, Julie? Is that the only way to get through to you now? All right. I’m begging you. Please come home. Get away from this place, away from these horrible people. For a day, an hour, I don’t care. Just come home. She wants to see you so much.
Juliette’s face hardens.
JULIETTE: I’m staying right here.
HARLAN: Julie, for God’s sake…
JULIETTE: (venomous) Let me know how the funeral goes. What are you going to use for Mom’s coffin? Balsa wood? You always were cheap.
This is the lowest of low blows. We see the pain, the horror in Harlan’s face.
Something breaks inside Juliette. As she realizes what she’s done:
JULIETTE: (voice cracking) Dad…
Harlan steps back from his daughter as if she were a monster.
JULIETTE: Dad, I…
Harlan turns and hurries out of the bedroom. Juliette reels, causing her cosmetics to fall off the table in a violent clatter.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Kenneth is texting a message on his cell phone, when he hears the bedroom door slam. He turns to see Harlan bolting across the room, his eyes visibly wet with tears. He exits into the corridor.
Kenneth watches him go, looking vaguely amused.
INT. BEDROOM
Angle on Juliette, still sitting at her dressing table. Staring at herself in the mirror. We see Kenneth reflected in the background as he enters.
KENNETH: Well, he looked distraught. Good job. So, does this mean dinner’s still on?
Juliette is silent.
KENNETH: Oh, do say something to me, dear. You always know how to put a man in his place.
He exits. Juliette is alone.
INT. BATHROOM
A lavish and spacious lavatory. We hear the tap running. Juliette is bent over the sink, coughing and retching.
She raises her head to look at herself in the mirror. Face wet with water.
JULIETTE: You’re not human. You’re not weak. You’re strong. You’re…
In the mirror’s reflection, we see the back of the bathroom behind Juliette suddenly morph. It becomes the jail cell where Juliette was imprisoned in the episode “Mishipeshu.”
Juliette spins around in shock. Behind the bars of the cell, she sees a familiar form curled up on the cot, facing away.
Juliette approaches the cell, simultaneously fascinated and terrified. She reaches the bars, and peers in. The mysterious figure is a woman dressed in a green coat with long hair. But the coat is filthy and worn, the hair disheveled. Her entire body is shaking with uncontrollable sobs. This is Juliette’s HUMANITY. Repressed, abandoned. Broken. Although her face is obscured, we can hear the words she cries out:
HUMAN JULIE: I’m sorry, Daddy! Come back! Please come back!
Juliette backs away from the cell, shaking her head in denial.
JULIETTE: Shut up.
HUMAN JULIE: (wails) Daddyyyyyy….!!
Juliette woges to her Hexen-face, as she screams:
JULIETTE: Shut up!!
JUMP-CUT TO:
A view from behind Juliette. The vision is gone. The bathroom is normal again.
Juliette woges back to her human form. She presses her fingers against her temples. Squeezes her eyes shut. Grits her teeth. She repeats the words like a mantra:
JULIETTE: Not human. Not weak. Not human. Not weak.
A small tear forces its way out from one of her eyelids and trickles down her cheek.
INT. CORRIDOR
A luxurious hallway inside a five-star hotel. Harlan Silverton approaches the door leading into Juliette and Kenneth’s apartment. He hesitates, then rings the bell.
INT. APARTMENT – LIVING ROOM
Juliette is seated in front of a roaring fireplace, wearing a bathrobe. She quietly drinks from a glass of red brandy. Kenneth is at a table nearby, writing on a laptop. They hear the bell ring.
Kenneth looks towards the door, slightly irritated.
KENNETH: Did you order room service again, luv? We’re due for dinner in the lobby in another half hour. Seems a little redundant to bring up another bottle of Merlot.
Juliette sets aside her glass.
JULIETTE: I didn’t order anything.
The bell rings again.
KENNETH: See to it, will you? I can always trust you to scare them off with that spectacular ghoul-face of yours.
Juliette shoots a spiteful glance at Kenneth as she stands and walks to the door.
INT. CORRIDOR
Harlan rings the bell a third time. He turns away from the door, surveying his extravagant surroundings with vague unease.
Juliette opens the door. She sees her father just as he starts to turn back around. A quick, fleeting expression of shock and panic appears on her normally icy face.
She slams the door shut before Harlan can see her.
INT. APARTMENT
Juliette presses her hands against the door. Trying to compose herself. Kenneth looks up from the laptop.
KENNETH: That was abrupt. Was it a Jehovah’s Witness?
Juliette looks at Kenneth.
JULIETTE: It’s my father.
KENNETH: (surprised) Your father…?
JULIETTE: Get rid of him. Chase him out of here.
KENNETH: Why is he my responsibility all of a sudden?
For the first time in a long time, Juliette actually looks frightened.
JULIETTE: I don’t…I don’t want him to see me.
She hurries into the bedroom, leaving Kenneth alone. He watches her go, then sits up with a weary grunt.
KENNETH: Bloody hell.
INT. CORRIDOR
Harlan moves to ring the bell, then bangs his knuckle on the door instead.
HARLAN: Julie? Julie, it’s…
The door swings open, revealing Kenneth.
KENNETH: Good evening, Mr. Silverton.
Harlan regards Kenneth with wary suspicion.
HARLAN: You’re Kenneth?
KENNETH: Prince Kenneth, but there’s no need to be that formal.
Kenneth extends a hand to shake, but his chilly smile betrays his intent.
HARLAN: Where’s my girl?
KENNETH: Oh, she’s off powdering her nose. We’re just on our way out, if you must know. You could always come back. Let’s say…Thursday at 8?
Harlan glares at Kenneth, then walks past him into the apartment.
INT. APARTMENT
Harlan looks around the apartment as Kenneth closes the door.
KENNETH: I have to say, this is a real honor, meeting my future father-in-law.
Harlan turns to face Kenneth at those words.
HARLAN: You and Juliette…?
KENNETH: That’s right.
Harlan is flabbergasted.
HARLAN: My kid wouldn’t go anywhere near somebody like you.
KENNETH: Well, technically speaking…your "kid" isn’t exactly your kid anymore.
HARLAN: What the hell are you trying to…?
The sound of the bedroom door being shut interrupts him. Harlan and Kenneth both turn to see Juliette standing in the corner of the living room. Harlan can’t help but smile warmly.
HARLAN: Hey, Julie.
Juliette doesn’t return the smile. She folds her arms.
JULIETTE: (cold) What are you doing here?
Harlan is taken aback by Juliette’s chilly response.
HARLAN: Now that’s a hell of a question to ask.
Kenneth wraps a much-too-friendly arm around Harlan’s shoulder. Harlan looks revolted.
KENNETH: Now, now, dear. He’s right. That’s no way to greet family.
HARLAN: Don’t touch me.
KENNETH: My, you’re high-strung for your age.
HARLAN: I’m an ex-marine, you patronizing shit.
KENNETH: Ex-Marine? Well, that’s impressive. Do you miss bumping off turban-headed civilians?
HARLAN: I’m going to rip off your goddamn -
JULIETTE: Dad!
Harlan stops, but his fists remain tightly clenched, itching to crush Kenneth’s skull.
JULIETTE: (quietly) Kenneth. Give us five minutes.
Kenneth raises his hands in a friendly gesture. Whatever you say.
Juliette looks at her father. After a moment:
JULIETTE: Let’s go into the bedroom.
Juliette and her father walk out of the main living room.
INT. BEDROOM
Juliette sits in front of her dressing table and applies makeup, while her father hovers close by.
JULIETTE: Well, now that you’ve invaded my personal space, what did you want to talk about?
HARLAN: That’s one hell of a forked tongue you’ve got there. Where did it come from?
JULIETTE: I’ve changed. For the better.
HARLAN: For the better? This is your idea of “better” now? Christ, you’re acting just like the damn bullies who rubbed mud in your hair back in fifth grade.
JULIETTE: I don’t have to explain myself to you –
HARLAN: Yes you do, young lady. Yes you do. I saw your boyfri…(corrects himself) I saw Nick. I’ve been going around, talking to the people who I thought were your friends. They keep saying the same thing, over and over. “Your daughter’s sick. She’s not herself. Stay away from her.” And nobody’s telling me why. I feel like I’m on an alien planet!
JULIETTE: Then go back to Earth. They’re responsible for this, not me.
HARLAN: Oh, no. You’re not going to shift the blame to them, not any more. You ditched your job, you changed your cell number, you stopped answering our calls and emails…why are you doing this, Julie? Is it something we did? Your mom cries herself to sleep every night, with no idea why you’re hurting her…
Juliette seems to momentarily weaken at the mention of her mother, but quickly regains her composure while Harlan points in the direction of the door.
HARLAN: And what the hell are you doing with that guy? I’m no psychiatrist, but I can tell a goddamn sociopath when I see one!
JULIETTE: He’s a prince. I’d consider that an upgrade.
HARLAN: He’s dirt, Julie. Don’t you know that? Or don’t you care?
JULIETTE: He’s cute and rich. That’s all I need.
Harlan sighs and sits at the edge of Juliette’s bed.
HARLAN: Remember when you used to run across the backyard of that old man you thought was a troll, just because he got all scarred up fighting in Iraq?
Juliette seems to hesitate.
JULIETTE: Why are you telling me this?
HARLAN: I get the feeling you’d do more than just run around in his backyard now. Maybe burn his house down. Or torture his dog. The worst part is, I can’t even believe I’m saying that. You loved dogs. Now you don’t seem to love anything at all.
JULIETTE: (scoffs) “Love.” That’s a good one.
HARLAN: So love’s a joke to you now? Christ, Julie, do you have any idea how it rips my heart out seeing you act like this? You were the kindest, most wonderful…
JULIETTE: We’re done here, Dad.
HARLAN: We’re done when I say we’re done.
JULIETTE: (menacing) Don’t push me.
Harlan stands up, deeply upset by his daughter’s belligerence.
HARLAN: Or what? What are you going to do? My God, who are you? What have you done with my little girl?
Juliette turns away from the mirror, snarling:
JULIETTE: I ate her! All right? I stuffed her into my oven and cooked her alive! Now get out!
Harlan takes a moment to calm down, while Juliette returns to the mirror.
HARLAN: (quietly) Your mom’s sick, Julie.
Juliette stops applying her makeup.
JULIETTE: …what?
HARLAN: She started losing weight…couldn’t eat a lot of food. So they gave her an MRI. We got the results back last week. (pause) It doesn’t look good.
Juliette doesn’t turn around, but her eyes wander down to the assortment of lavish cosmetics on the table.
JULIETTE: How…how bad is it?
HARLAN: Three months at most. There’s jack-all they can do. It’s chewing her to pieces from the inside like…(trails off) Do you want me to beg, Julie? Is that the only way to get through to you now? All right. I’m begging you. Please come home. Get away from this place, away from these horrible people. For a day, an hour, I don’t care. Just come home. She wants to see you so much.
Juliette’s face hardens.
JULIETTE: I’m staying right here.
HARLAN: Julie, for God’s sake…
JULIETTE: (venomous) Let me know how the funeral goes. What are you going to use for Mom’s coffin? Balsa wood? You always were cheap.
This is the lowest of low blows. We see the pain, the horror in Harlan’s face.
Something breaks inside Juliette. As she realizes what she’s done:
JULIETTE: (voice cracking) Dad…
Harlan steps back from his daughter as if she were a monster.
JULIETTE: Dad, I…
Harlan turns and hurries out of the bedroom. Juliette reels, causing her cosmetics to fall off the table in a violent clatter.
INT. LIVING ROOM
Kenneth is texting a message on his cell phone, when he hears the bedroom door slam. He turns to see Harlan bolting across the room, his eyes visibly wet with tears. He exits into the corridor.
Kenneth watches him go, looking vaguely amused.
INT. BEDROOM
Angle on Juliette, still sitting at her dressing table. Staring at herself in the mirror. We see Kenneth reflected in the background as he enters.
KENNETH: Well, he looked distraught. Good job. So, does this mean dinner’s still on?
Juliette is silent.
KENNETH: Oh, do say something to me, dear. You always know how to put a man in his place.
He exits. Juliette is alone.
INT. BATHROOM
A lavish and spacious lavatory. We hear the tap running. Juliette is bent over the sink, coughing and retching.
She raises her head to look at herself in the mirror. Face wet with water.
JULIETTE: You’re not human. You’re not weak. You’re strong. You’re…
In the mirror’s reflection, we see the back of the bathroom behind Juliette suddenly morph. It becomes the jail cell where Juliette was imprisoned in the episode “Mishipeshu.”
Juliette spins around in shock. Behind the bars of the cell, she sees a familiar form curled up on the cot, facing away.
Juliette approaches the cell, simultaneously fascinated and terrified. She reaches the bars, and peers in. The mysterious figure is a woman dressed in a green coat with long hair. But the coat is filthy and worn, the hair disheveled. Her entire body is shaking with uncontrollable sobs. This is Juliette’s HUMANITY. Repressed, abandoned. Broken. Although her face is obscured, we can hear the words she cries out:
HUMAN JULIE: I’m sorry, Daddy! Come back! Please come back!
Juliette backs away from the cell, shaking her head in denial.
JULIETTE: Shut up.
HUMAN JULIE: (wails) Daddyyyyyy….!!
Juliette woges to her Hexen-face, as she screams:
JULIETTE: Shut up!!
JUMP-CUT TO:
A view from behind Juliette. The vision is gone. The bathroom is normal again.
Juliette woges back to her human form. She presses her fingers against her temples. Squeezes her eyes shut. Grits her teeth. She repeats the words like a mantra:
JULIETTE: Not human. Not weak. Not human. Not weak.
A small tear forces its way out from one of her eyelids and trickles down her cheek.