FOS Outtake
These were originally intended to be the end of FOS, post-Lawson leaving. It didn't fit with the flow of the story, the VOs etc. But there are a couple of lines I just really love out of it, so consider this the little scene that some movies have after the credits roll.
(Jude's reference to being a girl "again" comes from another cut scene, one I really wasn't happy with, in which he confronts Pierce about him--Pierce--being unable to look at him--Jude--since he lost his eye. Not really important, since I put in the scene in the hospital when Jude tells him to cut the martyr shit.)
(Also, this is the only scene in roughly 99 pages of Word Doc that anyone says "Hey, Jude." This was intentional. Well, not that this be the only place, but that no one in the actual script say 'Hey, Jude.' I thought that would've been a little much.)
INT. LUKE’S OFFICE - DAY
Luke and Alek bend over an array of papers on Luke’s desk. They are arguing.
LUKE
Look, we need Pierce, Alek. And even more than that we need Jude.
ALEK
Pierce doesn’t want this, Luke. He wants to live his life.
LUKE
Then why is he doing the interviews?
ALEK
So they’ll leave him alone. He thinks if he gives them what they want, they’ll lose interest.
LUKE
Maybe, but I think he’d be willing to help us out. He wanted the City free as much as he wanted revenge.
ALEK
You think so?
LUKE
You don’t?
ALEK
I’ve never been sure. And we could get a different programmer.
LUKE
Honestly? I think Jude would kill me.
ALEK
What?
LUKE
Jude’s been consulting with me since he got out of the hospital. I think he would kill me if we switched now.
ALEK
You’ve been- And I didn’t-
Jude walks in.
JUDE
Hey Luke, Alek.
Jude looks between them, at the stunned look on Alek’s face to the wry grin on Luke’s.
JUDE
Am I interrupting?
LUKE
(trying to hold in laughter)
No, it’s fine. What’ve you got?
JUDE
Finished up that mail-merge you wanted me to do, and the file was a little big for me to email. I was out grocery shopping, and figured I’d bring it by.
Jude holds out a flash drive. Luke takes it and sets it on his computer.
LUKE
Thanks, Jude. Alek and I were actually just talking about you and Pierce. I was thinking Pierce might like to be on my advising staff.
JUDE
He might. He seems… I don’t know, bored maybe? Broody?
LUKE
Well, you know him better than I do. I’d never call him broody, but you can probably get away with more.
JUDE
(laughing)
Probably. What would he do?
ALEK
He’d mostly just help out, give advice. Read over reports and summarize them for the rest of us, and he’d have to do press releases and such.
JUDE
Who else is advising?
LUKE
Right now, you and Alek, although, hopefully there will be five of you.
JUDE
Me?
LUKE
What did you think you were doing?
JUDE
Consulting?
LUKE
You can consult if you want. I’d like you to be on my staff, though.
JUDE
I can do that. And it might convince Pierce to, too. I’m just trying to figure out how I didn’t notice I was advising you.
LUKE
(laughing gently)
Well, you’re very subtle. But don’t push Pierce into this. I’d like his help, but if he doesn’t want, he doesn’t have to. Hell, he’s a hero. He doesn’t have to do a damn thing.
JUDE
Don’t tell him you think so. He hates that title.
ALEK
Why?
JUDE
He thinks he did what anyone would. He says he just did what he had to do.
Luke shakes his head.
LUKE
No accounting. Well, better let you get back to it. Mention my proposition to Pierce, and thanks.
Jude salutes and walks out. Luke looks at Alek.
LUKE
See? Broody, he said.
ALEK
His first choice was bored, and that doesn’t mean Pierce wants to be in public eye.
LUKE
I think you need to see the worst in that boy. I just can’t figure why.
ALEK
Don’t get me wrong, I love him. How can you not?
Luke nods.
ALEK
I just never know if I think he’s going too far or not far enough.
Luke shrugs.
EXT. A PARK - DAY
Pierce sits on the back of a park bench, a bag of bread on the seat between his feet. He has a slice of bread in his hands and is feeding pigeons. Jude walks up and stands behind him, looping his arms around Pierce’s waist.
JUDE
This is a little domestic.
PIERCE
Hey, Jude.
Jude kisses Pierce’s jaw.
JUDE
Hey babe. Luke says hello. Has a proposition for you.
PIERCE
Oh?
JUDE
Hear me out before you interrupt, okay? He’d like your help, but he said himself that if you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to.
PIERCE
Do what?
JUDE
He wants you on his advising staff. It’d be you, me, Alek, and probably two others. We’d advise, and stuff, do a little PR, and just help out.
PIERCE
Are you going to do it?
JUDE
Apparently, that’s what I’ve been doing for the last several weeks.
Pierce laughs softly.
PIERCE
Actually, I’d like that.
Jude kisses him gently behind the ear.
JUDE
What happened to Mozambique?
PIERCE
It can wait. The City needs us, Jude.
JUDE
I know. I just-
PIERCE
What is it?
JUDE
(a little rueful)
I’m being a girl again.
PIERCE
(exasperated)
Jude-
JUDE
I know, I know. I just, feel like you’ve given this city so much already. Why do you have to be the one? I want you to be able to go to Mozambique.
Pierce tosses the last bit of the slice of bread to the pigeons and turns in Jude’s loose embrace until he can look Jude in the eyes.
PIERCE
I’d go stir crazy in Mozambique, and you know it, love. And I’d give everything and more for you to be able to live here, safe.
(pause)
Who’s being a girl now?
Jude laughs and presses his face into Pierce’s hair.
JUDE
God, I love you.
Pierce smiles warmly.
PIERCE
I love you too.
After a moment, Jude straightens somewhat, still hugging Pierce, and retrieves a piece of bread. Pierce grins and turns back around. They stand together, feeding the pigeons.