Save the Last Dance for Me  Part 5

The previous scene:

The routine was about to begin when Marley and Tyrone barge thru the door and stop it. They take KJ away, leaving the picture of her parents falling into the open crate of cosutmes. Jason and Laura were close to getting her to speak, but were once again interrupted.

Marley hosted a Christmas Eve party for family and friends at the Mckinnon house and Jake noticed KJ sheltering herself from the crowd of people. The crowd gathered at the house were treated to Marley trying to calm a hysterical KJ to no avail. They found out she wasn't sleeping very well, and at times would scream and cry herself to sleep. Jake finally convinced Marley with the help of Vicky to call Jason. Laura was invited, but Jason wasn't.

Laura was the first one to figure out that KJ didn't have the picture anymore. Jason came out of the room after she cried herself to sleep, and Laura told him. Jason and Laura left after a few minutes and ended up at his apartment. Jason and Laura searched his apartment, while the crowd gathered at Marley's searched her place. This is where we pick up the scene!!

Scene 24

Characters: Jason and Laura
Setting: Jason's trashed apartment

Jason:[walking by the couch and throwing down the cushion on the couch] Did you find it?

Laura: [coming into the living room from KJ bedroom] No! [looks around] Why did you trash this place.

Jason: [on all fours looking under the couch, than up to her] Trying to find the picture!

Laura: I'm not helping you clean this up!

Jason:[sitting beside and falling further back than her due to the missing cushion] Men can live like this! I can live like this! However, what I can't live with is that little girl having a nightmare of a Christmas.

Laura: She is going to have a nightmare of a Christmas anyway-- first one without her parents.

Jason: [getting up from the couch and heading for the closet] That's why I have to do something!

Laura: [watching Jason walk to the closet as she sits on the couch] What can you do?

Jason walks out with an easel and a blank canvas in his hands.

Jason: [kicking away a cushion from the couch and setting up the easel] I looked at that picture as much as she did! [looking at Laura staring blankly at him]

exit scene

Scene 25

Characters: Vicky and Jake
Setting: Vicky's cottage

Jake:[busting through the door] So, are the elves sleeping yet?

Vicky: [startled, but quickly recovering and sitting up on the couch] Yep, but you better start chowing down on the cookies, Santa! [holding a plate with 3 cookies left on it]

Jake: [sitting beside Vicky] Looks like Rudolph already beat me to the good ones.

Vicky: [eyes lit up and swifts her body to face Jake] What did Santa bring?

Both: [looking at each other] For the kids! [Jake and Vicky both laugh]

Jake: [removing the already wrapped presents] You will have to wait till morning, just like the kids. [gets up and goes into the kitchen]

Vicky: [getting up and going to the bookcase] I guess you don't want an early present than?

Jake: [running quickly toward her] Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie! [stopping short and right in front of Vicky]

Vicky: [holding something behind her back and moving backwards as Jake tries to get it]

Jake smiling devilishly and Vicky is near the stairs

Jake: Run, Run Rudolph! [Jake chasing Vicky up the stairs]

Exit Scene

Scene 26

Character: Laura and Jason
Setting: Jason's apartment

Jason is almost finished the painting and turned to see if Laura was still awake. He found her asleep and went to the closet to get a blanket and put it on her as she awoke.

Laura: You done?

Jason: [picking up her legs and sitting down and then placing the legs on his lap] Almost, kind of surprised that I could.

Laura: [pulling the blanket up her body] What do you mean?

Jason: [running his hands over his face] I haven't painted in three years. I've tried, but it was like a wall going up brick by brick. Each time I tried, another layer would go up.

Laura: What was the difference today?

Jason: [moving her legs and getting up off the couch to the easel] I don't know.

Laura: [getting up and moving to the picture where Jason was standing] Maybe, the guilt was finally replaced with something.

Jason:[turning to face her and smiling] Are you going to shrink my head, Doc?

Laura:[giving him a look] No, but I think you have to admit, once and for all, that you finally are letting someone in your heart.

Jason turns to Laura and looks her in the eye with a curious face.

Exit Scene

Scene 27

Characters: Jake and Vicky
Setting: Bedroom

Jake: [Jake's feet are out of the covers and has elf's sleepers on] I love them! [tapping his feet together and hearing the bells ring]

Vicky:[looking down at his feet with her head on his chest] I knew you would.

Jake: [playing with her hair] I guess I should give you your present! {reaches in the nightstand and pulls out a little box and placing it on his chest in front of Vicky's eyes] Let's see if you remember?

Vicky: [smiling] Something from our past I assume. It better not be a straw and spit wads.

Jake: [light laugh] No, but it sounds like a good idea for Valentines Day.

Vicky: [smiling and kicking his legs] As long as there are roses filling the room, I could settle for that.

Jake: Hurry up and open that before dawn comes and so do the kids.

Vicky: [opens the box and looks confused] A key?

Jake: Not just any key, the key!

Vicky: [still confused and looks at Jake shaking her head]

Jake: O.k! [sits up and Vicky follows suit] This key, [holding it up] is the key to your heart! [places it around her neck] Did that help, Sherlock?

Vicky:[looks at Jake and kisses him softly] The one that Steven found! The one that wouldn't open up anything in this house.

Jake:[holding the key up from Vicky's neck] OH, but it did! It opened up your heart, but it also opened the patient side of Jake Mckinnon.

Vicky: [laughing hysterically] Patience?

Jake: I have a patient side! Remember, when you broke my heart? I brought you back from Lassiter after a very moving and touching proposal, that you turned down I might add. I sat on those stairs and told you that you would come to me.

Vicky: And I did!

Jake: You did! [taking the key from around her neck] This key has another function you know?

Vicky: [reaching for it and laughin] Must be a multi-purpose key!

Jake:[nodding his head] This key will unlock any door that our future daughter has to get thru.

Vicky: [eyes tearing a bit] And if it doesn't?

Both:[looking at each other] We'll break it down.

They kiss each other and they sneak under the covers as the camera pans out and the scene exits!

Exit Scene

Scene 28

Characters: Jason and Laura
Setting: Jason's apartment

Jason finished the painting as Laura looked out the glass doors of the balcony. He moved to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

Jason: This must have been a fun Christmas Eve for you

Laura: [turning to face him] I'm not missing anything special! A decorated tree, a few Christmas stockings, nothing but superficial things!

Jason: Your right! Who needs mistletoe?

Laura: [looking in Jason's eyes] Mistletoe? [looks up] There is none!

Jason:[following her eyes up and then fixing on hers] We shouldn't break this tradition!

Laura:[leaning in close to Jason. There lips almost touching] Wouldn't we be breaking tradition if we just pretended to have one.

Jason:[whispering and leaning in and moving a strand of red hair from her face] I'll paint one later. . .

They kiss

Exit Scene

Scene 29

The Mckinnon house was full of relatives with Jake and Vicky hosting a Christmas Day gathering. Marley and KJ were there with Tyrone. Chris was present as was Donna, and the kids were opening presents as they grown ups watched. KJ was still sitting alone as the door rang to reveal Jason and Laura standing with the painting in hand. Marley who answered the door was snippy, and Jake from across the room invited them in. Jason walked in and went straight for KJ who was in the process of opening a present that Marley got her. He gave the present to the elf (Chris) to give to Santa (Jake) and told him. Jake quicky took the present from Chris and handed it to KJ. Jake was a little eager to see what it was also. 

KJ unwrapped the present mechanically with no feeling, as Jason and Laura were about to leave.  KJ face lit up with a smile for the first time and managed to whisper Jason's name. The good-byes, please stay, and Merry Christmas', that Jason and Laura were receiving drowned out the whisper. However, as soon as Jason was about to follow Laura out the door, KJ said his name again louder and Jason heard.

The adoption battle in the New Year wore on everybody's nerves, but after the judge talked to the psychologist and KJ, Jason was awarded adoption of KJ.