"WHAT LIES BENEATH" by Clark Gregg June 14, 1999 FADE IN: Moving through a murky haze. Dark blues and greens, shafts of prismed purple. A pale shard appears in the distance. Gliding closer, a group of tiny fish dart before the camera. We're UNDERWATER. Arriving at the form, it finally sharpens into focus. It's a WOMAN'S BODY submerged in dark water, arms floating lazily at her side. The face is obscured by flowing hair. All that is visible is a pair of COLD, STARING GREEN EYES, which blink closed... MORPH TO: ...then open as BLUE EYES, as a DIFFERENT FACE emerges from water. CLAIRE SPENCER awakens from this unsettling dream in her bathtub. She pivots the large BRASS SHOWER HEAD (the kind that moves up and down on a pipe) off to one side, reaches toward her feet and we hear the sound of a plug being pulled. INT. BATHROOM - DAY A HAZY SHAPE -- accompanied by a whirring sound. A steam covered mirror is cleared with a BLOW DRYER. Claire starts to come into focus. The dryer stops. She presses the red G.F.I. button on the socket. ZAP! A big blue spark shoots out. Claire pulls her hand back... and the dryer starts whirring again. She clears the mirror and replaces the dryer on a hook. She regards herself in the mirror, and attractive, elegant-looking woman around forty. Claire traces a finger along a small but noticeable SCAR above her left eye, then slowly drops the hand to her cheek, as if confirming her existence. INT. CLAIRE'S HOUSE - DAY Claire, now dressed, presses her face against a door, listening for the sounds of stirring from within. Silence. She quietly pushes open the door. INT. ROOM - DAY Claire makes her way past half-filled boxes and duffels to a window, then pulls the curtains to reveal: A LOVELY, WOODED LAKE. It couldn't be more picturesque. A 24' SAILBOAT is moored at the dock and an OLD STONE LIGHTHOUSE sits on a point across the lake. The sunlight motivates an unconscious groan from A FIGURE still shrouded by covers. Claire sits beside the sleeping form. She scans the room briefly, taking in a Greenpeace flag and a picture of a tomboyish ten year-old girl at camp. She gently pulls back the covers and peers down at the same face, now a waifish, pretty seventeen year-old, with chopped hair and tiny nose ring. Claire leans over and inhales the sleeping scent of her only daughter, CAITLIN. She places her hand on a cheek. The girl's eyelids flutter softly. CLAIRE Morning, beauty. Caitlin lets out a grunt and rolls over onto her belly. CLAIRE Let's go. Or we'll never leave on time. From out of the pillow comes Caitlin's voice. CAITLIN (muffled) I'm totally ready. Claire glances around at the piles of unpacked clothes. CLAIRE Come on, I'll make you some waffles, maybe we'll squeeze in a trip to the mall. (beat) Caitlin... Claire gently swats at the tiny lump that is Caitlin's behind. CAITLIN Mother... Claire stands and instinctively scoops up some clothes from the floor, then folds and neatly stacks them on a box. Caitlin turns her head sideways on the pillow. CAITLIN You're such a morning person. Claire turns at the door. CLAIRE It is unwise to heckle the keeper of the plastic. She starts to leave. Caitlin calls out. CAITLIN (O.S.) Blueberries! Claire smiles as she closes the door behind her. INT. HALLWAY - DAY Claire bends down to pick up one of Caitlin's socks. When she stands, something catches her eye out a window. She gazes down, transfixed. ANGLE Through a stand of trees over a HIGH WOODEN FENCE, A YOUNG COUPLE is in the midst of a heated argument next door. Claire watches as the HUSBAND, a large imposing man with an unruly shock of red hair, snarls at his wife across the hood of their huge old Buick. She tries to get a glimpse of the woman, but all that's visible is THE BACK OF HER BLOND HEAD. A TAN, SINEWY ARM encircles Claire's waist. She lets out a small gasp as a hand closes on her breast. It's Claire's husband, DR. NORMAN SPENCER, nibbling gently at her neck. He's older than she, pushing fifty, with silver streaks beginning to permeate the shaggy mop of hair that makes him look more like a preppy rocker or a lacrosse coach than the prominent academic that he is. Claire, however, can't take her eyes off the scene below. NORMAN They at it again? Claire nods. NORMAN Christ, that's twice in... When did they move in? CLAIRE I think three... NORMAN Three weeks. She continues to gaze downward. The man leans over the hood, murmuring darkly at his wife, though for Claire and Norman the scene is entirely silent. CLAIRE What's their name? NORMAN Feur, I think. Psych department. Figures. They're all psychotic. Outside, Mr. Feur turns and walks toward his house. Norman begins, once again, to nuzzle Claire. Her eyes close, but then she gently demurs. CLAIRE She's awake. NORMAN We'll be quiet. Quick and quiet. She turns to him. CLAIRE I don't want to be either. He smiles. A really good smile. The lips and tongue on his faded T-shirt mark him as a 'Stones fan. NORMAN When's she out of here? CLAIRE Norman Spencer. Norman gives up. He busses her cheek. NORMAN (moving toward the stairs) Alright. I can't take the rejection. I'm going to class. CLAIRE Don't. NORMAN Claire, I have to show up for the -- CLAIRE It's Saturday. Norman stops. NORMAN I knew that. You think I didn't know that? She smiles at him. After a beat: NORMAN It's today? CLAIRE (wistfully) Yep. They share a warm, poignant look. He turns and moves down the stairs. NORMAN (calling over his shoulder) We're going to have to leave by three if we want to beat the traffic. Claire returns her gaze to the scene below as Mr. Feur says something ominous to his wife, then stalks into the house. NORMAN (O.S.) Claire? CLAIRE (absently) Three o'clock. ANGLE Mrs. Feur drops her face into her hands. EXT. SIDEWALK CAFE - DAY Claire peruses her "to do" list as Caitlin munches a panini. CLAIRE ...and I still think we should get you some mittens. Caitlin puts down the sandwich and regards her mother warmly. The bond between them is palpable. CLAIRE Do you have a scarf? CAITLIN Hey. Claire looks up from her little pad of paper. CLAIRE Yes? CAITLIN It's only two hours away. CLAIRE I know that. CAITLIN I'll come back all the time. CLAIRE Of course you will. CAITLIN I'm just saying, you're going to be fine. Claire smiles. CLAIRE Sweetheart, I've known this day was coming for a long time. I've got your father and the garden and the new house. You really don't have to worry. Caitlin smiles back and nods, her face betraying some concern. Claire takes her hand. CLAIRE Really. She nods reassuringly and pulls Caitlin into an embrace. Her eyes close. CAITLIN (V.O.) Mother... EXT. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - DAY Claire's frozen in the hug. CAITLIN (beat) Mom. Her eyes open. Widen to reveal Claire, holding Caitlin on the college campus. The URBAN SKYLINE looms in the background. CAITLIN I have'ta go. After a moment's hesitation, she releases her grip. Caitlin glances over her shoulder to make sure no one's witnessed this overt display of maternal affection. CAITLIN I'll call you. Claire produces an ENVELOPE, which she presses into her daughter's hand. It's a book of TRAIN TICKETS. CLAIRE Come home anytime. Caitlin looks at Norman. NORMAN Really gonna leave me, huh? She nods. They share a tender look. NORMAN Be good. She throws her arm, briefly, tightly around his waist. A bit overwhelmed, he slowly brings his hand to the back of Caitlin's head. After a moment, she steps back... CAITLIN Bye. ...then turns and makes her way toward the large, old Columbia dorm. A banner is draped across its portals which reads: "WELCOME CLASS OF '04." Claire watches her daughter melt into a crowd of similarly shaggy freshmen, smoking and talking on the front steps. Her eyes are shining. Norman wraps an arm around her waist as she daps at a tear with a Kleenex. CLAIRE (smiling) I almost made it. They turn and head for the car. Claire sneaks one last look over her shoulder. ANGLE Caitlin glancing back at Claire with an apprehensive smile. INT. NORMAN AND CLAIRE'S ROOM - NIGHT Claire walks in from the bathroom wearing a sexy cotton nightgown. Norman is in bed, absorbed in some notes. She gets into bed, then picks up a thick text from beside him and starts reading. After a moment: NORMAN Whatcha reading? CLAIRE (reading the cover, sexy voice) Genetic repair mechanisms in eukaryotic organisms. NORMAN (slight smile) How is it? Claire snuggles up. CLAIRE Excellent. Couple of Swedish sailor cells just gang divided a virginal cheerleader cell. NORMAN (lost in his book) Nice. (beat) Almost done. She pulls slightly away. CLAIRE If you have to work... NORMAN No, no. I'm just about... (beat) There. He places his book on the bedside table and turns to her. NORMAN How are you? CLAIRE Fine. NORMAN It's okay if you're not. CLAIRE I am, really. NORMAN It's just she's been the focus for a while. CLAIRE Not the focus. NORMAN You know what I mean. Claire thinks for a moment. CLAIRE To tell you the truth... I'm excited. NORMAN You are... CLAIRE To get my life back. To have some time for myself. Some time for us. He caresses her. NORMAN You did a great job. She's a good kid. CLAIRE We did. There's a weighty pause. NORMAN It's just us now. CLAIRE I know. He kisses her. NORMAN Tired? CLAIRE Nope. NORMAN Wanna fool around? CLAIRE Yup. They start to kiss. It's slow and a bit methodical in the manner of long time lovers. Suddenly, the SOUND OF A WOMAN WAILING can be heard. They stop. NORMAN Did you... CLAIRE Shhh. They listen. The sounds start to become louder. It is clearly two people in the throes of some very vocal and savage love making. NORMAN Jesus. He walks over and closes the window. It doesn't help. NORMAN I guess they're making up. The woman's moaning becomes embarrassingly loud. CLAIRE What is he doing to her? They lie together in silence as the cacophony drones on. NORMAN And we moved out here for the quiet. CLAIRE Mmm. Beat. The mood has passed. NORMAN Maybe we should just... CLAIRE Tomorrow. NORMAN I'm finished at three. No. Squash with Stan. CLAIRE After that. NORMAN I'll be there. Beat. NORMAN Love you. She smiles. CLAIRE Night. They lie together in the darkness as the Feurs finally climax. INT. CAITLIN'S ROOM - DAY Claire pushes open the door to Caitlin's room carrying an armful of FOLDED LAUNDRY. She moves quickly to the bureau, not wanting to spend much time in here, then grabs a TINY BLACK TOP from the pile, and drops it into a drawer. She's just about to close it, when something catches her eye. CLAIRE'S POV She drops the laundry and slowly pulls a tattered, old JUILLIARD T-SHIRT with a very seventies logo from the drawer. Claire gazes around the room, which is a reliquary of Caitlin's recently concluded childhood; PICTURES, TROPHIES, STUFFED ANIMALS. She brings the now faded T-shirt to her face and drinks in the smells. She stares down at the word "Juilliard." MATCH CUT TO: INT. BASEMENT - DAY "JUILLIARD"... now it's on the same T-shirt only Claire's wearing it and she's much younger. It's an old photograph in an album. Younger Norman stands next to her in the shot, his arm draped around her waist. A CELLO CASE stands beside her. Claire glances around at several hastily unpacked boxes and sees propped in the corner... THE CELLO CASE. She gazes at other photos. -- Claire in her wedding dress, Norman beside her in a tux with a very wide bow-tie. -- Claire and Norman in front of a UNIVERSITY BUILDING. A tiny Caitlin rests on her hip. Claire's chin begins to tremble and she chokes out a sob. EXT. FRONT YARD - DAY Her face streaked with tears, Claire stumbles out into the immaculately manicured ROSE GARDEN. The yard is surrounded by a HIGH WOODEN FENCE. She collapses into a lawn chair as the tears begin to subside. Suddenly, she hears something coming from next door. She cocks her head and attempts to make out the sound. It is, ironically, the sound of a WOMAN CRYING. Claire makes her way over to the fence. The women's sobbing becomes more plaintive and fevered. She places her face against the prickly, vine covered fence and tries to peer through the crack. All she can make out is A DARK BLUE BLUR that seems to be rocking. Claire gathers her nerve and calls out... CLAIRE Hello... There's no reaction. CLAIRE Mrs. Feur? The sobbing chokes down to a breathless whimpering. The blue shape vanishes from view. CLAIRE Wait a minute. I just want -- Something bumps against the fence. Claire draws back. She hears heavy breathing. MRS. FEUR (sniffling) Who are you? CLAIRE It's Mrs... It's Claire... Spencer. From next door. Is everything -- MRS. FEUR You're the flower lady. CLAIRE Um... yes. MRS. FEUR I've seen you. From the window. CLAIRE Is everything alright? Claire leans closer to the tiny crack. She sees a fleshy blur and what might be part of an eye. There's no response, just the breathing. CLAIRE Hello? MRS. FEUR I'm not... She seems on the verge of losing it again. MRS. FEUR He's so... it's too much... and I can't... I can't breath... CLAIRE Who? Your husband? MRS. FEUR And I'm afraid. Oh god, I'm so afraid of... She trails off. CLAIRE What? What are you afraid of? MRS. FEUR I can't, no, no, I can't... Claire edges closer to the crack. CLAIRE Tell me. Please. MRS. FEUR That I'll just... that one day I'll just... disappear. Beat. Claire's taken aback by this admission. CLAIRE Tell me. I can help you. MRS. FEUR How? How can you help me? With your flowers and your perfect life... CLAIRE That's not... It's not like that. MRS. FEUR I've never even met you. CLAIRE I know. And I'm sorry. I've been consumed with... my daughter left... for school. MRS. FEUR This fence... it's so... CLAIRE I'm sorry. It's for the flowers. Why don't you... Tires can be heard crunching the gravel as a car pulls into the Feur's driveway. MRS. FEUR Oh God. He's back. I'm sorry. Please forget that I... I don't know what I'm saying. Please... CLAIRE Wait! Don't go... Claire listens to the sound of NAKED FOOTSTEPS, followed by a LARGE FRONT DOOR swinging shut. A CAR DOOR swings open and a MAN'S SHOES follow down the path. Claire pulls back from the crack and leans against the fence as the door closes a second time. She sits there for a moment listening, but all is quiet. CLAIRE (V.O.) She sounded terrified. INT. DINING ROOM - NIGHT Claire and Norman eat dinner. A rainstorm pelts the windows. NORMAN Of what? CLAIRE Of him I think. NORMAN Did she say that? CLAIRE More or less. Norman chews. NORMAN Honey, they're young. They're probably newlyweds. CLAIRE I'm telling you. There was something in her voice... NORMAN Remember how we were? CLAIRE Not like this. We were never like this. (beat) I want to go over there. After dinner, we can -- NORMAN Why? CLAIRE To make sure she's all right. Norman puts down his fork. NORMAN Claire, honey, we are not going to march next door and accuse our new neighbor of -- CLAIRE (overlapping) That's not what I'm sug -- NORMAN ...when tonight they'll probably be keeping us awake. CLAIRE But what if something happens? NORMAN Claire... CLAIRE I'd never be able to live with myself -- NORMAN (reassuring) Nothing's going to happen. (beat) Besides, I have to work tonight. The conference is in less than two weeks. I've got to stay focused on that for just a little longer. (beat) This is... CLAIRE I know. NORMAN It's what I've been working for. She glances down at her untouched plate. CLAIRE I just wish you could have heard her. NORMAN Look, I'll call Harvey Tomes in the Psych department, see what I can find out. CLAIRE Promise? He gives her a "Didn't I just say so" look. She smiles. CLAIRE I'll make you some coffee. She reaches for his plate to clear it. Norman grabs her hand and kisses it. INT. NORMAN AND CLAIRE'S ROOM - NIGHT Norman snores softly. Claire is awakened by the continuing STORM. She pads out to Norman's turreted library. Rain pelts the glass. Her face is briefly illuminated by the LIGHTHOUSE BEAM. She hears the sound of a DOOR CLOSING and moves to get a better view of the Feur's. Nothing but blackness. Just as she's turning to go back to bed. A LIGHTNING FLASH lights up the night. Claire's eyes go wide. CLAIRE'S POV In the split second of brilliance, she sees Mr. Feur, in shirt-sleeves, drenched, dragging A LARGE DUFFEL toward the open trunk of his car. CLAIRE (in a hoarse whisper) Norman! He's dead to the world. She calls to him again. CLAIRE Norman, you have to look at this! NORMAN Mmnph. CLAIRE Hurry... Another flash illuminates... Norman at her side. CLAIRE Look! ...an EMPTY DRIVEWAY, then blackness. NORMAN What is it? What's the matter? She stares down into the darkness. CLAIRE Nothing. There was... I thought I saw something. NORMAN Is it gone? THE BEACON illuminates the empty driveway. She nods. NORMAN Come on, let's go back to bed. Yet another bolt of lightning reveals Claire, still at the window. EXT. BACKYARD - MORNING Claire sets up a camera and tripod. She steps back and aims her camera. She glances up at a large upstairs window at the FEUR'S HOUSE. One side of the curtain seems to be pulled open, but no one's there. Feeling self-conscious, she turns back to the camera. The morning sun hits the flowers just right and she SNAPS SEVERAL PICTURES OF THEM against her lovely house. She glances back at the Feur's window. The CURTAIN IS NOW CLOSED. She walks over to the fence and tries to peek through it. When this doesn't work, she drags a lawn chair over and peers across the fence. She can barely see over, but glimpses: A DEEP FURROW in the mud of the driveway. Just then, a car pulls into the driveway, Claire scrambles down from her perch. EXT. DRIVEWAY - DAY Claire walks out to find her best friend, JODY, pretty, in her forties, wearing hip, hippie-ish clothes. CLAIRE Hey there. Jody hugs her. JODY How you holding up? CLAIRE Good. I'm good. JODY You are? CLAIRE Why does everyone find that so surprising? JODY (are you kidding?) Cause... your... only daughter just went away to school... who you were incredibly close with and I'd be tripping... CLAIRE Okay, I'm a little tender. JODY Well good. So you're human. CLAIRE And so far my day has consisted of taking pictures of my roses for the garden club. JODY Wow. Got here just in time. (reaching into her bag) I brought you this. She proffers several homemade tea bags. CLAIRE What is it? JODY Kambucha mushroom tea... CLAIRE Jody -- JODY It soothes heart-ache and promotes psychic wellness. Sela suggested I bring -- CLAIRE You're discussing me with your psychic? JODY She's not a psychic. Just a very enlightened spirit. CLAIRE Thanks, but I'm fine. JODY (pressing it into her hand) So you'll have some later. (beat) Notice anything... different? Claire gives her friend the once over, then notices the mint Karman-Ghia behind her. CLAIRE Oh my god. You bought it. JODY Yep. CLAIRE It's niiice. JODY Beautiful thing, alimony. Lose a husband, get a car. Think it'll help me pick up dudes? CLAIRE Absolutely. JODY Listen, I've gotta run. I just thought I'd stop by and see if you want to take the boat out, say Thursday morning? CLAIRE You got it. Jody grins. JODY See you then. Jody drives off. Claire walks down the driveway to her front door and sees Mr. Feur staring at her from a window. She starts to wave, but the curtain is drawn shut. Claire arrives at the front door and reaches out to touch the doorknob. She stops. A FAINT RUSTLING can be heard from within. Claire quietly opens the door and moves into: INT. FOYER - DAY Claire stops inside the door. Now it sounds like WHISPERING. Two voices, tense, impassioned. It seems to be coming from Norman's study. She gathers her nerve, then bursts into the room. INT. NORMAN'S STUDY - DAY But the whispering has suddenly stopped. CLAIRE Hello? The lovely circular room is completely empty. She looks around, puzzled. Cooper, the family's aging lab, casually ambles over. CLAIRE (to Cooper) Please tell me you heard that. EXT. LAKE - DAY Claire and Cooper, out on a walk, emerge onto large rocks at the water's edge. Claire tosses a long stick for Cooper, who bolts out onto the LONG WOODEN DOCK. Claire gazes at the LIGHTHOUSE across the lake and a long BRIDGE in the distance. Cooper starts BARKING and looking down into the water. Claire arrives at Cooper's side and stares down into the dark water. CLAIRE Cooper... what do you see? She looks down and sees nothing but her own reflection. After a moment, she notices a FAINT WHITE SHAPE directly in the reflection of her face. Cooper rumbles a low growl. The shape seems to be gaining definition. RRRING! Claire gasps quietly, then reaches into a pocket in her sweater and pulls out a cordless phone. CLAIRE (into phone) Hi. NORMAN (V.O.) (on the other end) I'm stuck here for another couple of hours. Claire's smile fades. CLAIRE Oh. NORMAN (V.O.) Unless you need me to come home... CLAIRE No, no. It's fine. Claire slowly leans out over the water to check her reflection... NORMAN (V.O.) You sure? ...but the shape is gone. NORMAN (V.O.) Claire? CLAIRE Huh? Absolutely. Take your time. She clicks off the phone and looks down at the calm water. INT. WORK ROOM - NIGHT Claire sits in a small workroom at a computer. She focuses intently on the screen. ANGLE It's ALICE'S COMPUTER SOLITAIRE. She flips the last card and an animated Queen of Hearts, accompanied by a series of musical notes, parades across the screen. QUEEN OF HEARTS (on computer) You lost! Off with your head! Claire hits "New Game" and watches as a fresh hand of cyber solitaire is dealt. She suddenly has a thought and disappears into the kitchen. INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT She glances at Jody's tea, smiles, then refills her glass of red wine. She picks up the phone from its cradle and moves into: INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT She dials a number. LOUD REGGAE can be heard blaring through the phone. CLAIRE (straining to be heard) Hello? I'm looking for Caitlin Spencer. She's in 314... Well, could you check? She plugs one ear. CLAIRE Oh. Well, just tell her that her mother called. Her mother. Thank you. Excuse me, how can you study with that? The noise abruptly stops. Claire clicks off the phone and replaces it in the sweater pocket. She tunes the stereo to a classical music station. INT. WORK ROOM - NIGHT She walks in, places the cordless phone on a BASE UNIT, then hears a different set of musical notes from the computer. She stares at the screen, stunned. ANGLE The game has been finished. Cards with faces swarm chaotically across the screen with the message: YOU WIN! CLAIRE Oh. Kay. Without warning, the radio dial rips cacophonously past several stations and comes to a stop on some angry, punkish rock and roll. CLAIRE Jesus... She bolts around a corner to the stereo. The music is chaotic and deafening. She finds Cooper growling at... no one. She turns off the stereo. Cooper suddenly bolts down the hall. She follows him. INT. FOYER - NIGHT The foyer's empty, but the front door is open. Claire nervously walks out and looks around. CLAIRE Cooper! POV - THE GARDEN No sign of the dog. Claire turns to go back inside. When she touches the doorknob, she hears the whispering again. A fleeting shadow draws her eye to a COAT RACK MIRROR which reflects directly into the study. CLAIRE Hello...?! The whispering stops. INT. NORMAN'S LAB - NIGHT Claire walks in to find Norman surrounded by several GRAD STUDENTS. At school he's a very different man; pressed shirt and tie, hair neatly brushed back. They're performing some unseen procedure on a live sheep in a containment harness. She stops by the door to watch him. NORMAN ...and then what... Courtney? An intense ASIAN GIRL answers. COURTNEY We administer the Halothane. NORMAN Dosage? She glances at her notes. COURTNEY Three point five cc's. NORMAN Excellent. Properties? Andrew from downtown... Andrew, tall razor thin, was waiting for this. ANDREW An organic, neuromuscular blocking agent, which when administered in aerosol form temporarily renders the subject immobile. NORMAN Nothing but net. He measures out the liquid from a blue plastic bottle into an apparatus connected to an inhalation mask on the sheep. NORMAN Prudence here's an old friend. He moves to the sheep's head and strokes it as he nods to Courtney who turns a valve on the apparatus. The sheep suddenly goes completely still. Norman moves around and begins a brief procedure. NORMAN I try to stay on her good side because I owe her my career and most of our grant money. Why else? He completes the procedure. They look at him blankly. NORMAN Always do unto others as you'd have others do unto your ewe. Groans, laughter. He stops Claire. NORMAN That'll do it. Write this up for Tuesday! Andrew and Amy tend to Prudence, the rest leave. Claire moves over to him. They kiss. Norman packs notes and some of the chemicals into a LEATHER CASE. NORMAN (warm) What are you doing here? CLAIRE There were some noises. I didn't want to disturb you. She watches as the sheep slowly becomes reanimated and is led out of the room. NORMAN What do you mean? Some noises where? CLAIRE In the house. I was scared. NORMAN Did you call the police? CLAIRE No. Can you drive me home? I'll bring you back in the morning. NORMAN Of course. He takes her arm. INT. THE FOYER - NIGHT Norman pushes open the front door. Cooper pads over, wagging his tail. They walk together past the stereo into... INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT ...the living room. All is quiet. They move into... INT. NORMAN'S STUDY - NIGHT It's undisturbed. Norman checks the window locks. CLAIRE It was there. This angry music all by itself. And I heard whispering. NORMAN What kind of whispering? CLAIRE I don't know. Just... whispering. He nods as Cooper appears. NORMAN What'd you see, Coop? The dog stares blankly. CLAIRE (to Cooper) Tell him! Norman smiles. INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT Norman sits on the bed and pulls off his shoes. NORMAN I'm gonna have the police check on the house. Claire leans against the window sill. CLAIRE Oh great, "Can you look in on my wife, she's hearing voices?" Wait'll that gets around. He walks over to her. NORMAN I've got the conference next week. I want you to feel safe. CLAIRE I do, I do. I'm sure I'm just... how was your day? He goes to his dresser and fishes a little joint from a box in his dresser. NORMAN Think I may have cracked it. CLAIRE Really? She produces a match and lights it. They sit on the bed. NORMAN I think so. Maybe. CLAIRE You are so brilliant. NORMAN Yep. CLAIRE Madame Curie, Jonas Salk, Norman Spencer... NORMAN (smiling) You know what that does to me. She takes a little puff on the joint as he kisses her neck. NORMAN (stopping) Ohmigod. You'll never believe... I saw Schumway... CLAIRE You're kidding. NORMAN He's here giving some arcane spiel for the physics department, so Bob Shine introduces us... CLAIRE Wow. He nods, Claire passes the joint back. NORMAN And he says... you'll fucking love this, he says, "Doctor Spencer, I am a great admirer of your work..." CLAIRE Well, that's nice. NORMAN "...especially Spencer's Theorem..." CLAIRE (overlapping) Oh, no... NORMAN "...of Perpetual Distances." (beat) Everybody's checking their shoelaces. Pins drop. "I'm afraid you've mistaken me," I say... CLAIRE (overlapping) That's... NORMAN "...for my father." CLAIRE I'm so sorry. NORMAN Didn't know he was dead, every stinking paper on the globe. CLAIRE That's just mean. (indicating joint) Oh. Jody wanted to know if I could get her some. NORMAN (quickly glancing over) Did you tell her? CLAIRE What? No. No. NORMAN You didn't? CLAIRE (with a smile) Norman, you are so funny about that. No, I didn't. He takes a little toke, then vanishes into the bathroom. NORMAN (O.S.) Cause that would be really -- She lays back on the bed. Sounds of flushing. CLAIRE I didn't. He reappears without the joint. NORMAN Sorry. You understand. CLAIRE Did you call about the Feurs? NORMAN Oh, right. Yes. Harvey says the guy's a sweetheart. Wouldn't hurt a fly. CLAIRE Huh. Claire ponders this. Norman turns off the light and joins her on the bed. He kisses her knee. NORMAN Do the brilliant Norman stuff some more. Then starts working his way up her thigh. NORMAN And speak up. Claire smiles. INT. LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON Claire sits frozen, cello between her legs, bow hovering in position. After an uncomfortable long pause, she touches bow to string, drawing in a breath at the power of the sound. Claire takes another deep breath, then launches into a beautiful and melancholy piece of music. She's very, very good. Eyes closed. Her body begins to sway slightly as her left hand vibratos like butterfly wings on the neck. She reaches a difficult transition and falters. She seems almost surprised. She attacks the transition again, and again falters. Claire bites her lower lip and tries yet again, this time failing completely. She sits back in the chair, despondent. Almost as an afterthought, she sadly drags the bow across strings. At the end of the tone, something catches her ear. She can just make out the HINT OF A FAINT FEMININE VOICE echoing the tone. She sits up and plays a different note, then another. Each time the soft mournful voice becomes more distinct. Finally she plays a sharp, higher pitched note. The voice echoes with a distinct, unsettling shriek. CRASH! INT. NORMAN'S STUDY - DUSK Claire walks in and sees: INSERT -- Lying on the floor... A FRAMED NEWSPAPER PHOTOGRAPH OF NORMAN AND CLAIRE. The caption announces that he's being promoted to the "distinguished DUPONT CHAIR IN GENETICS." Through the spider- webbed glass, Norman can be seen shaking hands with an older academic, hugging a smiling Claire to his side. Claire kneels down to gather the picture. A single shard of glass is missing. She finds it a foot away by a distinctive knot in the wood floor. She notices a COPPER GLINT in the point of glass, but when she moves it, it's gone. She places the pieces of broken glass on the frame and stands. Out of the window directly in front of her sees: Mr. Feur, removing a DIRT COVERED SHOVEL from his trunk. She glances down at the picture, then back up at Mr. Feur, who carries the shovel around back. CLAIRE Oh no... Claire wraps up the broken picture. She hears a car door slam and glances out the window in time to see Mr. Feur driving off. EXT. GARDEN - DAY A stiff autumn breeze. Claire stands at the fence. CLAIRE Mrs. Feur? She looks through the tiny crack. Nothing. CLAIRE Hello? (beat) Are you there? Silence. EXT. THE FEUR'S - DAY Claire glances down as she walks past THE FURROW. She looks up at the house, which seems quite placid, then slowly heads around back. EXT. FEUR'S BACK PORCH - DAY She takes in the lake view from the large porch. The wind is really blowing. Her eye catches on something. Propped against the back door... THE SOIL COVERED SHOVEL Claire takes a pinch of soil from the shovel and tastes it, then knocks at the back door. There's no answer. She knocks again. Nothing. She's turning to go, then the door swings open. The smile fades from Claire's face. CLAIRE'S POV The immense MR. FEUR filling the doorway. MR. FEUR Yes? CLAIRE Um... MR. FEUR I'm running late here. I just came back for my briefcase. CLAIRE Right. Well, I wanted to stop by to welcome you to the uh, to the neighborhood. I'm Claire Spencer. From next door. MR. FEUR This really isn't a good time. He starts to close the door. CLAIRE Well maybe your wife... MR. FEUR (growing cold) She isn't here. CLAIRE When... when will she be back? MR. FEUR I don't know. CLAIRE Oh-kay... MR. FEUR I have to go. Slam. And Claire is staring at a closed door. JODY (V.O.) What do you mean she's gone? EXT. LAKE - DAY Claire and Jody knife slowly through the water in the Spencer's sailboat heading back toward the dock, the OLD LIGHTHOUSE, the BRIDE in the background. CLAIRE She's not there. I haven't seen her since that morning. Well, I mean, I've never actually seen her, but I'm telling you, she's disappeared. Jody finishes securing a line. The breeze is mild, so they just cruise with the wind. JODY What are you saying? Claire just looks at her. JODY You think he killed her? CLAIRE I don't know. When you say it, it sounds crazy. But what else could it all be? Jody shakes her head. CLAIRE I mean, he's so kind of grim and daunting, and she sounded terrified of something. Claire glances over at Jody. CLAIRE (laughing to herself) Listen to me. I sound like some middle- aged Nancy Drew. Jody regards her. After a beat: JODY Know what I think? CLAIRE What? JODY Seance. CLAIRE Jody, no... JODY Telling you... CLAIRE (overlapping) ...no... no... no... JODY Just bought this beautiful antique Ouija. CLAIRE Please. That's all I need. Jody shrugs, "Have it your way." Beat. JODY Hey, look. CLAIRE'S HOUSE across the lake. JODY So pretty. CLAIRE'S POV A FIGURE in the turreted window of Norman's study. CLAIRE Someone's there. JODY What? CLAIRE In the window. Norman's at work. JODY I don't... Claire looks over at Jody. CLAIRE (pointing) There. In the study. Don't you see -- She looks again -- nothing. CLAIRE Wow. I'm losing it. JODY No, you're not. (beat) But a presence in your house is not something to be taken lightly. Claire stares back at the house. INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT Claire walks in and sets down some packages. She opens one and pulls out new toothpaste and... AN ENVELOPE -- the kind your pictures come back in. She absently leafs through them, then freezes. She gapes at one of the shots. CLAIRE Oh boy... INT. UPSTAIRS - NIGHT Claire turns off the lights and crouches down. She raises a pair of BINOCULARS. POV - BINOCULARS Claire rakes the binoculars across the Feur's house... past their car parked in front until she finds A LIGHT ON DOWNSTAIRS. The tall, powerfully built Mr. Feur walks into the room and sits by himself at the dining room table, which is set for one. He eats a TV dinner, slowly chewing and staring straight ahead. He sips from a can of beer. Just then... A HAND GRABS CLAIRE'S ARM. She lets out a screech and turns to see Norman standing beside her. NORMAN What are you doing? She glances back out the window and sees Mr. Feur standing at the window, paging the curtain. She squats down, pulling Norman with her. CLAIRE (shrill whisper) Get down! He'll see. NORMAN (also whispers) What's going on, Claire? CLAIRE Shhhh. She peers over the sill in time to see Mr. Feur turning away from the window. She takes Norman by the hand and leads him downstairs. INT. CLAIRE'S KITCHEN - NIGHT She leads Norman in. NORMAN (still whispering) Why am I... (full voice) Why am I whispering in my own house? Claire turns. CLAIRE He killed her. NORMAN What? CLAIRE He did. She's in the picture. I went over to look and she's gone. The table was set for one. NORMAN And that means he murdered his wife? This is getting ridic -- CLAIRE No, no, no, no. The soil on the shovel, his shovel... that's clay. It's not from here, believe me, I... (frustrated, she grabs the photos) All right, look at this. She triumphantly thrusts one before him. Norman looks at it. NORMAN Our house. CLAIRE No. Look! In the window. The ROSES. She points out a HAZY FIGURE in the TURRETED WINDOW of the study. Norman takes it over to the light. NORMAN It's a flare. CLAIRE A flare? NORMAN From the sun. It's a reflection on the glass. CLAIRE It's her! I'm telling you. She whispered and turned on the music. She's trying to contact me! NORMAN (making sure he's got it) It's a ghost. Norman shakes his head. He looks again at the picture, does a quick calculation. NORMAN You took this in the morning, didn't you? She nods slightly. NORMAN When the sun would be exactly right. She's got him. CLAIRE Then why isn't it in any of the other pictures? She thrusts the batch at him. He peruses the other few shots of the garden. NORMAN A cloud passed. Or it's a bounce off the lake. See? She looks. He might not be wrong. CLAIRE Where is she then? NORMAN She could be out. She could be sick in bed for all we know. CLAIRE Okay. Okay. I'll bet there's... Look at this. She leads him out of the room. INT. WORK ROOM - NIGHT Claire stares at the computer screen triumphantly. CLAIRE See? NORMAN What am I looking at? CLAIRE (indicating completed solitaire game) I didn't do that. NORMAN Who did? Mrs. Feur? CLAIRE Maybe. Point is... not me. NORMAN Right. And why is she here? If he killed her, why doesn't she haunt him? CLAIRE She was lonely, I talked to her. Norman, I know how it looks, but -- NORMAN Claire, listen to me. I know you're under some strain. But there's no such thing as ghosts. They don't exist. Our neighbor did not kill his wife, and I... wait, why aren't you dressed? CLAIRE Dressed? NORMAN Dinner. With Stan and his new girl. CLAIRE When? NORMAN What do you mean? Claire, we talked about it. You didn't want Japanese, I said, our first date since... CLAIRE (she seems confused) Oh. NORMAN ...since Caitlin. You don't remember this? CLAIRE Tonight? NORMAN Yes, tonight. We're going to be -- She looks at his watch. CLAIRE Fashionably five minutes late. She bolts up the stairs. INT. NORMAN'S PICKUP TRUCK - NIGHT They drive across the bridge. NORMAN (concerned, exasperated) When you do this, I swear... CLAIRE (overlapping) ...Don't get all... NORMAN ...like it never even happened... CLAIRE Okay, okay, I'm sure that I just... He pulls out a cell phone and punches in a number. CLAIRE What are you doing? NORMAN Restaurant. Let them know we're running late. CLAIRE Five minutes? The phone flashes... "NO SERVICE." CLAIRE You're not at the center. NORMAN (overlapping) I know I'm not at the center of the bridge. CLAIRE We're going to be fine. They near the far side of the bridge. Norman looks down at the cell phone, which now reads, "ROAM." He presses a button. NORMAN There we go. CLAIRE Well, that's a relief. He shoots her a look. INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT A cozy, candlelit Italian place in town. Claire and Norman arrive at the table. STAN rises. The chair next to him is empty. He kisses her cheek. CLAIRE Hi Stan. Sorry we're late. (too earnest) It was my fault. She greets Stan, a friendly looking man in his forties. STAN We just got here. Claire flashes a semi-playful look back at Norman. CLAIRE Where's the new squeeze? A VOICE speaks out from behind her. VOICE Here I am. Claire turns to find A TALL, ELEGANT BRUNETTE standing behind her. The woman's face registers some shock. STAN I'd like you to meet... CLAIRE Elena? ELENA Ohmigod... The two women embrace, then beam at each other. CLAIRE Wow. ELENA This is... CLAIRE (to Norman) We know each other. NORMAN Hope so. LATER Post meal. Several empty wine bottle decorate the table. ELENA We had this Finnish conductor, Aki, Laki, something. He had these ridiculous bangs. And he'd sweep them off with his baton every minute or so, and it drove us insane, remember? Claire nods. CLAIRE He looked like one of the Monkees. ELENA Anyway, Claire slept with him... CLAIRE I didn't sleep with him. ELENA ...just so she could cut them off. CLAIRE He was so pissed. ELENA I came in from my room... CLAIRE (interjecting) We were suite mates. ELENA And there's this brilliant conductor in purple briefs with no bangs cursing his ass off in Finnish. CLAIRE Oh God... They dissolve into giggles. Norman and Stan smile. STAN Well... NORMAN (to Stan) I made an honest woman out of her. Elena puts her hand on Claire's. ELENA (to Stan) You should have heard her play. CLAIRE Stop. ELENA We both auditioned for the Philharmonic. One cello position open. CLAIRE Do we have to? ELENA And I kicked ass. My best stuff. Then I stood in the hallway and listened to her audition... and I cried. CLAIRE She's making this up. ELENA I'm not. Couldn't pick up my cello for weeks. STAN What happened? Elena looks at Claire, then smiles. ELENA She got it. (beat) Turned it down. CLAIRE I met a dashing young grad student after a recital one night... Claire puts her arm around Norman. CLAIRE ...and three months later I was married. He squeezes her hand. INT. WORK ROOM - DAY Claire walks into the work room with the portable phone to her ear and a cup of Jody's special tea. She sniffs it and makes a face as she turns on the computer. After several rings a GIRL picks up on the other end. CLAIRE (on phone) Caitlin? GIRL'S VOICE (overlapping) Can you hang up? I'm trying to make a call. The line goes dead. Claire hits redial and gets... a BUSY SIGNAL. She clicks the phone off as the computer boots up. Claire puts the phone down and starts a game of Alice's Solitaire. She turns a card and waits. CLAIRE Gee, that's tricky. Sure could use some help. She waits, the cursor blinks benignly. CLAIRE Come on... Nothing happens. INT. NORMAN AND CLAIRE'S ROOM - DAY She walks into the room and notices STEAM wafting from the cracked bathroom door. INT. BATHROOM - DAY Claire enters the steamy bathroom. The tub is nearly overflowing with water. She squats down to drain the tub. She stops, feeling watched, then slowly peers behind her... no one's there. Claire reaches toward the water to yank the plug's chain, then freezes. In the bathwater's still reflection she see: A PRETTY YOUNG BLOND standing beside her. Startled, she pops up and slams into the SHOWER HEAD. Claire collapses over the side of the tub, her head dipping underwater. A small cloud of red surrounds her. Moments later, an arm wraps around her. CUT TO: VOICE (O.S.) Claire... INT. BATHROOM - DAY CLAIRE'S POV - A FACE sharpens into focus hovering above her... Norman. INT. BEDROOM - DAY Claire sits on the bed. Norman dabs the blood from a tiny cut on the back of her head. CLAIRE I don't need a shrink. NORMAN (gently) Harvey says he's amazing. CLAIRE Norman... NORMAN What can it hurt to talk to someone? She goes to her dresser and gets a PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE and starts to open it. Norman gently places a hand on her arm. NORMAN Please. She shoots him a look... NORMAN You promised. ...and puts the pills down. NORMAN (gently) Claire, she's been a huge part of your life for seventeen years. If you weren't thrown off balance by this, then something would be wrong. CLAIRE I never said I wasn't upset. Of course I'm upset. I miss her terribly. But I know what I saw and what I heard... and it wasn't some "symptom" of something... NORMAN I never said... CLAIRE ...and I don't think I'm some lonely, middle-aged woman cracking up. Beat. NORMAN Are you lonely? CLAIRE No! And I don't need a psychiatrist! INT. DR. DRAYTON'S OFFICE - DAY Claire sits in a comfortable looking chair with her purse in her lap, arms crossed. DR. DRAYTON (O.S.) (a smooth, mellifluous baritone) Who's idea was it? CLAIRE Mine. His. We both... thought... She trails off. Camera slowly pulls back to reveal, DR. TIMOTHY DRAYTON, a stocky, light skinned black man in his late forties with a kind face and piercing brown eyes. CLAIRE I didn't want to come. DR. DRAYTON Then why did you? CLAIRE Because he was worried about me. DR. DRAYTON Your husband? CLAIRE Yes. (beat) I'm sure he's hoping you'll pack me full of prozac so he can live out his life in peace. DR. DRAYTON Do you really think so? CLAIRE No. There's a pause. DR. DRAYTON Why is he worried? CLAIRE Because, I don't know, because sometimes... sometimes I forget things... and ever since Caitlin left, ever since my daughter left for school, there've been... I fainted and... (beat) Why is this so hard? Dr. Drayton takes a little silver bowl full of shiny, red FIREBALLS next to his chair. He proffers it to Claire. DR. DRAYTON Fireball? CLAIRE You're joking. He shakes his head. She shrugs, then grabs one and pops it into her mouth. DR. DRAYTON It's hard because I'm a complete stranger and what we're talking about is incredibly personal. Besides, the first time most people come here, a part of them is wondering if I'm gonna think they're crazy. She sucks on the fireball and slowly nods. DR. DRAYTON Don't worry, I'm required to have at least three sessions in order to commit. Her eyes get a little wider. DR. DRAYTON Now that's a joke. She manages an unsteady smile. DR. DRAYTON I have some training at helping people through the stressful moments in life, one of which you may or may not be experiencing. If you want to get some stuff off your chest, great. If not... He smiles and shrugs, "no problem." She stares at him for a moment. CLAIRE (re: fireball) These are good. DR. DRAYTON Mm-hmm. She studies him for a moment. CLAIRE There's a ghost in my house. He nods slightly, as if she's told him, "I have some anxiety." Claire goes on. CLAIRE She finished my solitaire game and turned on the radio... she likes rock and roll. Angry rock and roll. DR. DRAYTON How do you know it's a she? CLAIRE I saw her in the water. Beside me. She was filling the bathtub. DR. DRAYTON What does she look like? CLAIRE Pretty. She's a blond. DR. DRAYTON Do you have any idea who she is? CLAIRE Um... I'd rather not say... just yet. DR. DRAYTON Fine. CLAIRE What do you think I should do? He thinks for a moment, then: DR. DRAYTON Try to contact her. Claire nearly swallows her fireball. CLAIRE What? DR. DRAYTON Try to communicate with her somehow. CLAIRE You think that'll help? DR. DRAYTON Can't hurt. And I think it's important you find out what she wants. Claire ponders this for a moment, then looks back up at him. CLAIRE Are you humoring me? DR. DRAYTON Nope. She seems satisfied by his sincerity. CLAIRE How? DR. DRAYTON I don't know. My aunt used to use my uncle's old pajamas and a candle. He stands. Claire nods, then stands. She smiles too. CLAIRE Is this time okay? He nods. INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT Claire walks in carrying a half-empty bottle of wine. She looks over at Jody, who turns off the lights. Jody then strikes a match and lights a LARGE CANDLE. She unveils her carved ANTIQUE OUIJA BOARD. JODY Sit down here. CLAIRE (nervous, jokey) Are we hoping the ghost is going to have to pee? Jody turns to her, deadly serious. JODY Isn't this where you saw her? Claire's smile fades. She nods. JODY Then this is where she'll be. They sit cross legged, the board between them. JODY Place your fingers on the planchette. CLAIRE The planchette? JODY This. Jody indicates the wooden pointing device. Each woman grasps an edge. JODY (in a low voice) We wish to commune with the spirit of Mrs. Feur. (to Claire) What's her first name? CLAIRE I don't know. Jody closes her eyes. Claire follows suit. JODY I call forth the entity that is haunting this house. They look down at the planchette, which hasn't moved. JODY Mrs. Feur? There's still no movement. CLAIRE Nothing's happening. JODY Shhh. Jody focuses intently. JODY Reveal yourself to us. A long moment passes. It's starting to seem like a bust. Suddenly, THE CANDLE FLARES. Even Jody seems startled. JODY (to the spirit) Who... who are you? At first, nothing happens. Then, slowly, the planchette starts to move across the board. CLAIRE Are you doing that? Jody shakes her head. CLAIRE I'm not doing that. The planchette comes to rest on the letter "M." Moments later, it starts to move again drifting over and stopping on "E." CLAIRE Oh... JODY M-E... It starts to drift again, moving slowly toward the space between "E" and "F." The planchette stops on "F." Jody removes her fingers from the device. JODY Mef? What's Mef? CLAIRE It's initials. F is Feur. It's her. Suddenly, the CANDLE starts flickering strangely and THE PLANCHETTE SLIDES JERKILY ON ITS OWN...M-E-F, M-E-F... JODY Shit... Jody stumbles backwards, gasping. JODY Did you see that? Claire leans in. CLAIRE (to ghost) What happened to you? The CANDLE GOES OUT. JODY Oh God... Jody bolts. Claire follows. EXT. HALLWAY - NIGHT Claire catches up to the completely spooked Jody outside the work room. She holds onto her arm. JODY I have to go. CLAIRE Jody, wait. Cooper's growling in the work room. They look in. JODY Claire, this is... this is... Claire, transfixed, walks in. INT. WORK ROOM - NIGHT She stares at the computer screen, which is being filled with letters at an amazing speed. MEFMEFMEFMEFMEFMEFMEF... She hears the front door swing open. CLAIRE Jody! INT. FOYER - NIGHT Claire arrives at the open front door in time to see the Karman-Ghia tearing out of the driveway. She turns and goes back into the house. CRASH! She edges into... INT. NORMAN'S STUDY - NIGHT The picture has, once again, tumbled from its spot. She drops to her knees over the picture. This time THE GLASS IS SHATTERED. When she picks out the remaining shards, the newspaper photo slides out. Claire glances at the benign news stories on the back. She looks around and spots a piece of glass wedged in a crack in the floor boards by the knot. CLAIRE'S POV The piece of glass, wedged next to what looks like A COPPER COIN in the crack. It's too big to be a penny. She tries to use the piece of glass to pry it free, but recoils. A tiny drop of blood appears on her finger, which she pops into her mouth. INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT Still sucking on her finger, Claire walks in and begins to clean up the remains of the seance. She bends down to pick up the Ouija board, then stops when she notices that the tub is again full to the brink of overflowing. CLAIRE What do you want?! Claire peers around, frustrated, half waiting for a reply. There is only silence. She reaches in to pull the plug, nearly scalding her hand. When she turns for a hand towel she finds a message traced into the steamed-up mirror: "YOU KNOW" She draws in a breath and darts out of the bathroom. EXT. LAB BUILDING - NIGHT Norman nods to a SECURITY GUARD as he leaves a darkened university building. He sees Claire standing at the foot of the steps. NORMAN What are you doing out here? CLAIRE He killed her. I'm not crazy. He killed her and -- NORMAN This is the Feur thing? CLAIRE Yes. And he's going to get away with it. Norman's momentarily speechless. NORMAN How do you know this? CLAIRE We had a seance. NORMAN Who did? CLAIRE Jody and I. And she was there, Norman, she was. It scared Jody so bad she had to leave. NORMAN How did you -- CLAIRE Jody brought a Ouija board and we summoned her. He regards her for a moment. NORMAN Are you angry at me? This stops Claire in her tracks. CLAIRE What? NORMAN Maybe you resent how busy I've been. CLAIRE What are you...? No. NORMAN You know what I've got at stake with this paper. You know that. I can't help but think that you're doing this now to hurt me, or to sabotage me somehow. CLAIRE Sabotage? NORMAN Ever since the accident I've been worried that you'd been unhappy, or... CLAIRE The accident...? NORMAN But then you've been so much better... CLAIRE Norman, this isn't about you. This is something that's happening to me. It's not to get even... and it's not some warped bid for attention. Some strange things are happening in our house, whether you believe in them or not... NORMAN Sweetheart -- CLAIRE No! Not sweetheart, no. I believe in what's happening. I don't want to, but I do. I guess I was foolish enough to think that would be enough for you. She turns on a heel and walks toward her car. EXT. CAMPUS - NIGHT Norman catches up to her as a LARGE CROWD is filing out of the concert hall next door. NORMAN You're overreacting. She turns on him. CLAIRE Don't tell me how to react! Norman glances around at the crowded sidewalk. NORMAN Keep your voice down. CLAIRE I will NOT. Some of the bystanders stop to watch. CLAIRE (still loud) Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm losing my mind... NORMAN (looking around) Claire, please... Claire leans in and lowers her voice without diminishing her intensity. CLAIRE ...But what if I'm not? What if she died in terror and betrayal and some part of her can't move on while that's unresolved. Can't you just... Something behind him catches her eye. She trails off. CLAIRE Wow... Claire walks past him toward the parking lot. NORMAN Claire, please... There's a dangerous energy to her walk. People step out of the way. EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT Claire walks past several cars until she sees the one she's after. MR. FEUR steps out from behind the open trunk of his old Buick. CLAIRE (walking up) You! He looks up at her. CLAIRE You think you're smart, don't you? You think you got away clean. Well, I know you killed her. You drowned her in the bathtub and got rid of her somewhere and I'm gonna find her, you murdering sonofabitch. Mr. Feur stares, dazed, through the tirade. Norman arrives at her side. MR. FEUR Who? CLAIRE (scoffing) Give me that shit. Your wife. MR. FEUR I didn't kill my wife. NORMAN (to Mr. Feur) I'm sorry... CLAIRE (over Norman) Then where is she? He stares at both Spencers for a moment. Then calls past them. MR. FEUR Honey... Claire and Norman turn. A BLOND WOMAN backs out of the passenger seat. She turns. IT'S NOT THE FACE CLAIRE HAS SEEN. Claire looks sucker punched. INT. DR. DRAYTON'S OFFICE - DAY Claire sits back in the chair. She looks drained. A soft rain taps against the windows. CLAIRE And his face... it seemed so gentle, and I knew... in that second I knew that I'd imagined the whole thing. Dr. Drayton takes this in. She seems genuinely frightened. CLAIRE What's happening to me? DR. DRAYTON Well, that's what we're here for. He watches her calmly, some empathy on his face. DR. DRAYTON Whether you imagined it or not, you actually saw and heard things that frightened you... that gave you reason for concern. CLAIRE Yes, but... DR. DRAYTON Your friend saw them. CLAIRE Isn't there something called group hysteria? DR. DRAYTON You think you influenced her? CLAIRE Maybe. I don't know. I just know that when all this was happening, I felt, some part of me felt... alive. Like somebody needed me. And the more I reached out to, it, the fuller it became. DR. DRAYTON You're saying you willed these events to happen? CLAIRE I don't know, I'm very confused right now. Beat. DR. DRAYTON Did you ever find out what it wanted? Claire remembers. CLAIRE She said, "You know." That I know. DR. DRAYTON Do you? CLAIRE No. DR. DRAYTON What do you think? (beat) Guess. Claire ponders this. CLAIRE I felt... pain. That she'd been hurt by someone. (beat) This is great. I'm trying to intuit the emotions of a figment of my -- DR. DRAYTON Have you been hurt? CLAIRE Me? No. Well, in the accident I was injured, but... DR. DRAYTON You were in an accident? CLAIRE Last year. I drove my car up a tree. Nothing serious, this... (she indicates her scar) ...a minor concussion. But the car looked bad. It could have been bad. I think it scared the hell out of Norman. Beat. DR. DRAYTON How's your marriage? Claire's eyes widen. CLAIRE Listen, don't hold back. Dr. Drayton smiles kindly. CLAIRE Well, he's been amazing throughout this whole thing. Patient and caring... (beat) I mean, sure, he can be obsessed with his work, and... it's a very important time right now with all that. But, sometimes... I mean with everybody, right? Sometimes it's like... She trails off. DR. DRAYTON What? CLAIRE That he doesn't... see me, or, you know, that I'm... that's something's wrong... with me. DR. DRAYTON That can't feel good. CLAIRE No, it doesn't... Okay, look, I see what you're doing here, and that's, I'm sorry, but that's not it. My marriage is fine. I've had some kind of "empty-nest" episode where I saw some things that weren't there. Let's deal with that. I'm willing to deal with that. (beat) I just don't want to go conjuring problems where none exist. Claire finishes her tirade. Dr. Drayton lets her settle for a moment. DR. DRAYTON Fair enough. But you should know that I'm far less concerned with whether things you saw "existed," than I am with why you saw them. She takes in the ramifications of that. EXT. PORCH - DAY Claire's carrying some cuttings into the house. She hears a knock at the gate, walks over and opens it to discover... Mrs. Feur. The real one. MRS. FEUR I wanted to apologize. CLAIRE You do? MRS. FEUR For scaring you like I did. When I thought about what that must have seemed like that day... CLAIRE And then you weren't there. MRS. FEUR Right. I'm sorry. There's an awkward pause. CLAIRE Would you like some iced tea? MRS. FEUR Very much. Claire leads her toward the house. EXT. PORCH - DAY Claire pours Mrs. Feur a glass of iced tea from a pitcher. She's small and delicate looking with big, watery eyes. MRS. FEUR Your house is so beautiful. CLAIRE Thank you. MRS. FEUR And these roses. They're much prettier up close. She regards Mrs. Feur for a moment. She seems skittish and shy. CLAIRE I... there's something I have to ask you. Mrs. Feur waits. CLAIRE That day... at the fence. You seemed terrified. I don't think I was imagining that. There's a pause. Mrs. Feur looks down into her lap. MRS. FEUR No. CLAIRE Of what? What were you so afraid of? MRS. FEUR You're going to think I'm crazy or something. A tiny smile. CLAIRE Not this week. She looks away for a moment, then looks back at Claire. MRS. FEUR Love. CLAIRE What? MRS. FEUR Have you ever felt so completely consumed by a feeling for someone that you couldn't breathe? That the time together is so passionate and consuming that you felt physical pain when they would leave? CLAIRE Um... sure. MRS. FEUR I couldn't catch my breath. That's not a metaphor, that's... And I panicked. I never dreamed anyone would hear me back there... (beat) I tried to leave him. Went to my mother's in Boston. He brought my things up and pleaded with me to come home. Claire is mesmerized. MRS. FEUR You must think I'm pathetic. CLAIRE No. No, I don't. MRS. FEUR I'm sorry that I frightened you like that. But I was so touched by your concern. I've been lonely here. (beat) Perhaps we could be friends. Claire stares at this strange, passionate woman. CLAIRE I would like that. Mrs. Feur smiles at her. INT. VOLVO - NIGHT Claire pulls up in front of a large NEW YORK HOTEL. NORMAN (on a cell phone) ...I'm pulling up, Yuri. I'll see you for dinner. (to Claire) Sure you won't stay? CLAIRE No, it's fine. I'm fine. NORMAN (tempting her) Really big bed. She smiles and shakes her head. Norman kisses her goodbye, then grabs his bag from the backseat. NORMAN Do I have everything? CLAIRE Yep. NORMAN Call ya later. He starts to walk into the hotel. CLAIRE (O.S.) And you glad you married me? He turns. She's standing next to the car. NORMAN What? CLAIRE Are you glad? I'm glad. Norman walks over to her and cradles her chin with his hand. NORMAN (softly) You know I am. CLAIRE Good. (She gazes at him, then softly) You sat in front... I saw you there... Norman takes his cue. NORMAN You were lost in the music... eyes closed... your chest heaving... CLAIRE I felt you... looking through me... NORMAN We walked all night... CLAIRE You told me that I was... He gently cups her chin in his hand. NORMAN (overlapping) ...that you were everything I'd ever dreamed of. She smiles, kisses him warmly, then gets in the car. EXT. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - NIGHT Claire stands outside Caitlin's Columbia dorm, watching young lives in motion. INT. DORM HALLWAY - NIGHT Claire walks past a number of doors. Music booms out of one, shards of a conversation out of another. Finally, she arrives at a door that says "Fur is murder." She smiles to herself and knocks. There's no answer. DIFFERENT VOICE (O.S.) She's out. Claire turns to find an attractive YOUNG MAN standing at her elbow. YOUNG MAN They're playing at CBGB's down on Bowery. Probably won't be back for awhile. You her mom? CLAIRE Yes. Who was playing? YOUNG MAN Bitch. Caitlin's band. CLAIRE (stunned) Caitlin's band? YOUNG MAN Yeah. They're really good. I would have gone, but I have a paper. (beat) And I'm not just saying that because you're a mother. Claire nods slightly. CLAIRE Thank you. She walks down the hall. INT. CBGB'S - NIGHT Claire moves past a huge, BLACK SKINHEAD DOORMAN into an entrance area in the dark throbbing punk club. She looks out over the MOB OF SEETHING YOUNG PEOPLE, swaying to a pulsing power-pop band. PUNKS and CLUB KIDS push past her as they move into the throng. She looks up and her face changes. CLAIRE'S POV A shaggy trio of musicians on the stage, pumping through a jangly, but surprisingly melodic song. Her eyes race across the faces of a BUTCH FEMALE DRUMMER, an emaciated GUITARIST/SINGER and stop on the BASS PLAYER... Caitlin. She rocks back and forth to her own hypnotic bass line, EYES CLOSED, SWAYING TO THE MUSIC. Claire is transfixed, her face a mix of pride and sadness. The song ends and Caitlin's eyes open. She smiles for a moment, then the smile fades as she spots Claire. Panicked, Claire ducks behind a pillar. EXT. CBGB'S - NIGHT The last groups of YOUNG PEOPLE file out of the club. A couple of them glance at Claire, who seems very out of place standing on the Bowery late at night. VOICE (O.S.) Mom? She turns to see Caitlin standing before her, a bass guitar case on a strap over her shoulder. There's an awkward pause. CLAIRE That was very good. CAITLIN Mom, I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you. But it never felt right. CLAIRE Why? Caitlin stares at the ground. CAITLIN I didn't want to bring up memories. I didn't want to do anything that might make you regret your choices. Claire winces silently. CAITLIN Besides, Dad would have freaked. CLAIRE No, he wouldn't. CAITLIN I think playing in a band called "Bitch" might put a dent in the whole "perfect family" thing. CLAIRE That's not true. CAITLIN Yes it is. Can we please not do that? Please? Cause it is. Claire doesn't disagree. CLAIRE He loves you very much. He just -- CAITLIN I know he does. Beat. Claire studies her surprisingly strong daughter. CAITLIN Are you mad at me? CLAIRE Listen to me. The one thing in life that I definitely don't regret... is the choice I made to be your mother. They hug. For a moment, Claire's got her little girl back. Her eyes well up. CLAIRE I miss you. CAITLIN So much. CLAIRE (laughing) It got so bad your father almost had to put me away. CAITLIN What do you mean? CLAIRE I started seeing things. CAITLIN A ghost? Beat. Claire stares at her daughter. CLAIRE Did you? CAITLIN No. But once I heard... CLAIRE What? CAITLIN Someone crying. A girl. (beat) I thought I was crazy. CLAIRE (quietly) Then we both are. Caitlin nods. INT. PRESIDENT'S HOUSE - NIGHT ...a large cocktail party. The house is crowded with PROFESSORS, ADMINISTRATORS, and their SPOUSES. PRESIDENT TEMPLETON, a frosty-haired, avuncular chap, greets them with his WIFE, a sharp looking woman in her late fifties. TEMPLETON There they are. NORMAN You remember my wife, Claire. MRS. TEMPLETON (shaking hands) Of course. You must be so proud. CLAIRE I am. MRS. TEMPLETON (to Norman) Everyone's very anxious to shake hands with our newest academic celebrity. She takes their coats. Dean Templeton leads them in. TEMPLETON Must've been some paper. Your father would be very proud. This seems to strike a nerve. NORMAN Uh-huh. Claire notices this and squeezes his hand. Templeton leads Norman into a large living room which is filled with colleagues. Several of them turn and begin clapping. Others follow suit. EXT. PATIO - NIGHT Claire stands at a small bar. CLAIRE (to bartender) White wine please. She scans the party and spots the Feurs deep in some intimate conversation with each other. She's speaking about something astonishing. He's rapt. Claire locates Norman in a corner listening as some AGED ALUMNUS holds forth. He sees her and mouths, "I'm sorry." He points to his watch and flashes five fingers. She smiles and nods. VOICE (O.S.) Guess I'm not much of a medium. She turns to see Jody. CLAIRE Jody... They hug. JODY Are you okay? CLAIRE I think so JODY I'm sorry for leaving, but I mean, Jesus, Claire... CLAIRE It's alright. JODY I mess around with this stuff, but I never thought anything would happen. Claire looks uncomfortable. JODY Does Norman know? CLAIRE Jody, she's alive. JODY What? CLAIRE Mrs. Feur. She's alive. I met her. She's really sweet. JODY Then what was it? CLAIRE Nothing. It wasn't anything. I've been on edge lately. Maybe since the accident. And I'd prefer, I really would, to just -- JODY Something was there. You saw it. CLAIRE Did I? JODY Yes. Now I talked to Sela and there's a guy, this Pakistani guy down in Hartford... CLAIRE Hartford? JODY And he's the real thing. Specializes in cases like this, like yours. CLAIRE No. Jody, listen to me. You have to listen to me. This is not something that I can do right now. Whatever it was, it's gone. I need it to be gone now. JODY But Claire -- CLAIRE Please. Jody recognizes her fragility. JODY Okay. Okay. CLAIRE I've got to find a bathroom. I'll call you. Jody nods as Claire walks off. INT. POWDER ROOM - NIGHT Claire stands in the spacious powder room, checking her makeup in the mirror. Mrs. Templeton enters from the bathroom. MRS. TEMPLETON How're you holding up? CLAIRE Just fine. It's a lovely party. The two women fix their makeup side-by-side in the mirror. MRS. TEMPLETON Norman was telling me the dream house is