LOVE LETTERS

(Nora is trying to get out of the courtroom with Dorian but cannot get past the countless enraged citizens of Llanview threatening revenge. R.J. makes his way through the crowd)
RJ: Nora, let me get her out of here.
Nora: I'm her attorney, RJ, I can't --
R.J.: These people want her dead, okay? I'd feel a lot better if you'd let me get her home.
Nora: (sighs) Dorian?
Dorian: R.J. is probably right. Nora, I'll never forget what you did for me today. Thank you.
Nora: No, forget it. Forget it.
(RJ and Dorian leave, and the rest of the mob file out after them. Nora sees Bo, still sitting in the courtroom.) I didn't know you were here.
Bo: Came to watch a master at work. Can we talk?
Nora: Sure, as long as it has nothing to do with Dorian. I've had enough of that for one day.
Bo: I won't even bring it up.
(He stands; they walk to his office)
I'm going away for a few days. To California. There's this police conference going on that I think would be worth my while, you know, improve the department.
Nora: Okay.
Bo: Yeah.
Nora: Why are you telling me this?
(They have just entered the station at this point/ he is silent until they get to his office and he shuts the door behind them. Bo leans on his desk, and Nora stays by the door across from him.)
Bo: I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was important.
Nora: Ask me what? Bo?
Bo: You're going to think this is weird, but it's really not. It actually makes sense. So just don't say anything at first, just hear me out. I want you to come with me.
(Nora starts to say something in protest; he raises his hand to silence her)
I've been doing a lot of thinking over the past couple of days and, you know, a lot has changed. This trip isn't just about the conference. It's also a chance to get out of Dodge, do some more thinking.
Nora: Well, if you're trying to extricate yourself from the situation ... Bo, why have me tag along?
Bo: If I try to think and I'm feeling lonely, I'm only gonna think the worst. You never let me feel sorry for myself. And I need someone to use as a sounding board.
Nora: Why not ask Lindsay then?
Bo: Because, most importantly, some of these things that have changed ... you don't even know about. And I think you should. I don't want to talk to you over the phone, I don't even want to talk here in Llanview because there always seems to be a million distractions and interruptions. Things have changed, and I just need you to help me sort it out.
Nora: Bo...
Bo: There's no ulterior motive here, if that's what you're thinking --?
Nora: No. (laughs) No. Actually, it's not a bad ideal I'm nobody's favorite person lately, having defended Dorian ... It wouldn't be the worst thing to get away from that for awhile. I don't know if I could face Jessica, or Viki ...
Bo: You see? So what do you say?
Nora: I don't know ... (sees his face) No, I mean, it's not you, it's not that I don't want to be, or think I shouldn't be alone with you. I just, I don't know if I'm free, that's all.
Bo: Okay. (Stands and moves a few steps closer) Well if you decide you're available, or want to be, whatever, just meet me at the airport. I have to be there in about (looks at his watch) two hours. So just meet me there. Or don't. You know, I won't resent you or anything, Red.
(They both pause for a moment, slightly taken aback, at him using his affectionate nickname for her, "Red") Ah, it's just one room, but from what I hear it's a pretty big suite, big bed. No ulterior motives, remember. I can take the couch.
Nora: (somewhat amused) That's okay. You were never a tossing and turning sort of guy.
Bo: Well that's because -- remember? -- I had you in my arms every night.
Nora: (quietly) I remember.
Bo: Yeah ...
(Realizing they are now a little too close, he steps back and clears his throat)
Well. I won't expect you but, I hope you can come.
Nora: Yeah.
(She smiles at him and the leaves. He just stands there for a minute, watching her go and smiling, and then gets to some final paperwork.)

(Nora enters Sam's, locking the door behind her. She looks around and finds no one.)
Nora: Sam? Is anybody home?
(There is no answer so she walks to the bedroom. On the way she stops by Matthew's room -- he is not there either) Daddy must have taken you out for a walk in the park, huh?
(She goes into the bedroom and pulls the suitcases down from the top closet shelf. On the nightstand is a pen and a pad of paper. She writes:)
Dear Sam,
I'm leaving town for just a few days. Sorry such short notice. I'll tell you all about it when I get back. See you soon -- you won't even know I'm gone.
Nora
ps -- Kiss Matthew goodnight for me.
(She reads it over, then puts it down on the bed and starts packing.)

(Bo is waiting at the airport, trying in vain not to look at his watch every five seconds. Over the loudspeaker the announcement is made: "final boarding call for Flight 210 to LA in 10 minutes")
Bo: (to himself) Where is that woman?
Nora: She's right here! (She runs up, and puts down her bags, out of breath.) Sorry. Am I late?
Bo: (a little surprised) No, just in time.
(He hands her her ticket; she takes it and smiles)
Nora: How did you know I'd come?
Bo: I didn't. I just thought maybe if I bought the ticket and hoped hard enough, you would. And here you are.
Nora: Here I am. (She looks away quickly -- they had been sharing one of those lost-in-each-other's-eyes moments) So how much do I owe you?
Bo: Don't worry about it. It's on me.
Nora: That makes it sound like, you know, like a date. Like -- Together:
(They both laugh)
Bo: you're coming with me. I owed you one for that.
(The announcement comes: "Final boarding call for Flight 210, Llanview to LA" They pick up their bags and get on the plane)

(Hotel. Bo and Nora walk in the door to their room. The doorman sets down their luggage just inside. Nora tips him as Bo walks in, looking around)
Bo: I was told it would be nice, and I was told it would be big, but this exceeds all expectations! Nora, look at this --
Nora: Bo.
Bo: Yeah.
Nora: (Flashes him a quick but clearly impatient smile) I didn't ask in your office, because it was obvious that you needed me. And I didn't press it on the plane because I could see you didn't really want to talk about it. Now we're alone, so tell me. Why did you really want me here?
Bo: I told you. I just wanted a familiar face with me. I just wanted you.
Nora: Okay.
Bo: Okay?
Nora: Okay, if you don't want to tell me now, you'll tell me later. I can wait.
Bo: That's the one bad thing about you, Nora -- you just know me too well.
Nora: You can't pull one by me.
(pause)
Bo: Hey, do you want to take a shower or something? I know it's been a long day.
Nora: Long week. God, long year. (Manages a weak smile) That's a good idea, Buchanan.
Bo: I'll order room service and unpack.
Nora: Sounds like a plan.

(Nora walks out of the bathroom drying her hair with a towel, wearing a robe. Bo isn't in the main room.)
Nora: Bo?
Bo: Back here.
(She finds him in the back, arranging plates of junk food and glasses of champagne on the table.)
Nora: Ohh, this brings back memories.
Bo: This used to be our standard nightly meal. (laughs)
Nora: Well it was the only thing I could ever fix.
Bo: When you were feeling adventurous!
Nora: Was I really that bad a cook?
Bo: Nora, the Frugal Gourmet you ain't. You make a fabulous lawyer, but a chef? Geez, half the time you burn the popcorn!
Nora: Hey, that was the microwave!

(They sit and eat, reminiscing about all the good times they'd had together over the years. They are laughing and talking and pigging out -- being, ya know, their adorable little selves. When they are done eating they return to the main room and sit on the bed.)

Bo: (suddenly serious) Did you ever think we'd be here like this?
Nora: Like this as in divorced, or like this as in divorced and actually enjoying being together?
Bo: Either.
Nora: Well, if someone had told me two years ago, or four or six, that we'd be apart now, I'd never have believed it. We were so close, Bo, I always thought we'd really make it ... But just a few months ago, I couldn't imagine us in the same room even being civil towards one another, so ... I guess I've learned that when it comes to you and me, I never know what to expect.
(long pause)
Bo: Do you think we might still end up together?
Nora: (surprised by his question) I - well, I guess it's possible. (pause) Bo, why do you ask?
Bo: It's nothing ... I still think about you sometimes, that's all. Don't you -?
Nora: Of course I think about you. We shared so much; that doesn't just go away. You can't even make that go away.
Bo: I think about you a lot.
Nora: Bo ...
Bo: No, stop, please don't tell me how much you love him, that you love me but you're in love with Sam...
Nora: I wasn't going to say that. But while we're on the subject, what about Lindsay?
Bo: (changing the subject quickly) I'll sleep on the couch tonight. It's big enough.
Nora: No, Bo--
BO: It's an important thing to figure out..... you take the bed.
Nora: I'm not going to make you take the couch in your own suite --
Bo: Well I'm not going to let you sleep on the couch.
Nora: (Impatient to get back to the issue at hand) Fine, we'll share the bed. Why did you start a conversation you weren't prepared to finish?
Bo: I was trying to be honest with you -- about us. Where I stood with you. Why do they always have to enter into it?
Nora: Sam and Lindsay?
Bo: You wanted to know why I asked you here? I'll tell you. Lindsay and I are over. I'm not quite sure yet if I want to tell you why, but we're over. So I'm not all that excited to get back to Llanview because that means seeing her, and that means seeing Pa who you know is never going to stop saying "I told you so", and sooner or later that means seeing Sam, and even though he doesn't take pleasure in rubbing it in my face, all I can think whenever I see him is that he has you. It was a purely selfish thing, me asking you here. I just needed, if only for a couple days, to know that you weren't with Sam -- that you were with me.
(Seeing how upset he is, Nora moves closer to him and puts her arm around him, trying to comfort him. He continues, quietly) I just feel like everything in my life is wrong, and it's all spinning out of my control. And I don't know anything anymore. But I know where it began; I can
pinpoint the exact moment everything went wrong: the moment I lost you.
Nora: Bo, I don't know what to say ...
Bo: You don't have to say anything. It wasn't very fair of me to say that to you. I've just been bottling all these thoughts ups inside for so long and I needed to get them out. I know you're not an impartial third party ... hell, it's all because of you ... but what I expected from telling you is what I'm finding now -- that understanding, that kindness in your eyes.
Nora: I may not be able to offer you much else, but I will always be here for you.
Bo: I know that.
Nora: I wish I knew how to help you.
Bo: This helps. This helps, just being here.
Nora: What do you want, Bo?
Bo: I don't know. I know I don't want you back. No, I don't mean -- that's not what I meant. God, I want you back. But I don't want you to think I asked you here with that intention.
Nora: I don't. I don't think that.
Bo: I know you're committed to Sam. I don't want to try to change that.
Nora: You couldn't. (pause) But I could. And he could.
(She heaves a big sigh and turns away)
I don't really know why I'm still with Sam, to tell you the truth. I mean, I love the man, don't get me wrong ... But it's not exciting, the way I've known love could be. In fact it's often -- boring. I do love him. But I do love you too, and I'm not with you and I know exactly why not. I don't know why I'm with Sam. Lack of options. Inertia. Well, it all comes down to Matthew, in the end. If it had turned out you were his father, we might be together -- not just because of Matthew, but it would make it easier for us to express our feelings ... If I left Sam now, I'd look so fickle.
Bo: A child shouldn't be the only reason to stay together. I don't think a child needs his biological parents so much as he needs two parents who love one another unconditionally.
Nora: I know.
Bo: None of this really matters, anyway. They're just tests. I just haven't figured out yet if they're tests of your love for Sam or mine for Lindsay -- or if they're still tests of our love.
Nora: Yeah ...
Bo: You know, it's late. I'm too tired to talk about this anymore, tonight.
(Bo falls back and lies down on the bed, but Nora just sits there for awhile staring off into space.)
Nora: I'm glad you asked me here, if I've helped you feel any better at all. But God, Bo, you've made me think about things I usually like to keep buried way back there... It's easier to ignore these thoughts and feelings, because I know that either way I can't act on anything. If I decided that I was still in love with you and wanted you back, I couldn't have you back, even if we both wanted it. Because of Matthew, the guilt would consume us, and we'd never be the same. So I don't like to think about it. But since I have ... I know that I do still love you, Bo. More than that, I am still in love with you. When I said I still think about you, it's true. Every time I see you, every time I see Matthew, every time I see Sam, I wish things could be different. But I know, and I think you know too, that we just can't act on it. So where do we go from here?
(She turns to look at him -- and he is asleep. She shakes her head, then reaches over to turn off the light and snuggles in next to him.) I'd forgotten how good it felt to hold you at night. Oh God, Bo ... it's been a long time since I've seen you as upset as you were tonight. I wish there was something I could do to just take away your pain. And I'd do it. Anything. I'd give up everything to have you back -- or I'd give you up forever. I just want you to be happy, Bo. Because seeing that smile on your face, that damned smile, that's all I ever need. (Sighs) Well, it's late ...

(It is morning: light pours through the hotel windows. Nora wakes and stretches, reaches for Bo -- when she opens her eyes she sees he is gone. She looks around, clearly disappointed, and sees the clock: 9:17. He'd have already left for the conference. But by the clock is a note, which brings a smile to her face. She plumps the pillows behind her and leans back on them, cross-legged, and opens the letter.)
Nora,
I hope you weren't too upset to find me gone this morning, but I think it's easier for me to say these things to you in a letter than to your face anyway, so it's just as well. I heard every word you said last night. I didn't quite know what to say so I let you think I didn't hear. Well, I still don't know what to say. It's a lot to think about. It's a lot I don't want to think about. What I can't seem to stop thinking about is you, though. You fell asleep in my arms last night, and I was up for hours just watching you sleep, listening to you breathing, remembering what all that had been like. It's a whole new thing, the way I've been thinking about you since then -- like it's a beginning now instead of an ending, and I'm looking forward to seeing you again rather than dreading it. Because seeing you no longer makes me feel sad, or wistful -- it just makes me happy. But as wonderful a feeling as this is, it scares me too. The dangerous thing about being 3000 miles away from home is that with nothing else to ground us, to bring us back to reality -- when it's just you and me and months and months of unresolved feelings...It's hard to tell the difference between what's real and what isn't. We have to do something about this right away because with each passing minute I'm falling deeper and deeper in love with you, Nora. And that doesn't have to be a bad thing -- I'm prepared to let myself love you again, but only if we can drive it all the way home, because if there's one thing I know, it's that I could never go through the pain of losing you again. It's probably too late already. But I think things will be a whole lot clearer tonight. We'll know the minute we look into each other's eyes. But until then, I know I'm not going to be able to get you out of my head. And since I may never have the chance to say it to you again, I'll say it now: I will always love you, and I will always wish the best for you, and I'll probably always wish you were with me like last night, safe in my arms. But what I really hope for is that I'll be able to say that to you in person in just a few short hours. I love you.
Bo
(Nora refolds the letter carefully and brushes a few tears from her eyes. She reaches over to the drawer on the nightstand and pulls out a piece of paper and pen, and starts writing.)

(Bo is on a lunch break at his conference when a young man comes up to him saying there is a message for him and hands him a letter. He realizes it's from Nora and finds a private hallway to sit and read it.)
Bo,
You really are not being fair to me here. You think you can just write things like that and then leave me?? Well all right, turnabout is fair play, after all. You say you're going to be thinking about me all day? I'll make sure of that. I don't know what's going on between us, Bo. I'd just managed to finally let you go and move on with my life, and within just a few hours here you are, back inside of me. I never claimed to understand my feelings for you, how our love worked. When I loved you, God how I loved you -- I let you into every corner of my body and soul, places I never even knew existed. And God help us, that's what this feels like now. I'm realizing, though, that I never had a choice -- I didn't let you in; you came in yourself and there is nothing I can do to make it stop, or if it ever does, to make it start. It doesn't really matter why this has happened; what's important is that now we are aware of how we both still feel about each other, what will we do? I hope you're right, that it will make more sense tonight. Right now I'm driving myself insane trying to make sense of this. That's what you do to me, Bo, you make me lose all control and I forget everything I know to be true in the world. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Bo, I know it's too late already. If you don't run through those doors at five tonight and say it to me for real, that you will always love me, it's going to take me a long time to get through it. For the first time in such a very long time, I am excited just to be living. I feel like I've only been living for Matthew since you left, just going through the motions, but now I am living for myself. For you. For us. It's crazy how I love you. Whatever happens tonight -- and I could never resent you, no matter what becomes of us -- I will hold onto that every day, until the day I die. I love you.
Nora
(Bo is brought back to reality by that same young man, telling him now it is time to go back inside; break is over. Bo heads back, shaking his head.)
Bo: (to himself, with a smile) Damn that woman.

(Intercut between Nora pacing nervously about the hotel room, occasionally looking out the door down the hall, and Bo speeding back, impatiently looking at his watch. When he does get there it is exactly like Bo said -- with one deep and meaningful look they both know once and for all that they are still madly in love with one another and will never be apart again. Without a word they fall into each others arms and slowly but passionately fall back onto the bed ....)

(Nora and Bo are lying in bed in each others arms)
Bo: I meant it, Red.
Nora: I know.
Bo: I will always love you...
Nora: I know.
(long pause)
Bo: Then what's wrong?
Nora: Nothing. Nothing's wrong.
(He gives her a look that says he knows otherwise)
It would be completely impossible for anything to be wrong because everything about this day is perfect. And even if something were to be wrong, I would definitely wait until tomorrow to say it.
Bo: Tell me now.
Nora: Tell you what?
Bo: Tell me what's wrong.
Nora: Nothing's wrong.
Bo: (sighs) If I take a mad stab at it will you tell me if I'm on the right track?
Nora: Sure.
Bo: You're still worried that we will get back to Llanview, take one look at one another, and realize that this has all been a huge mistake. It won't be that we'll suddenly fall out of love with one another, but guilt and obligation will set in and we'll have to go back to our safe and pleasant, if boring and separate, lives.
Nora: Wow.
Bo: Yeah, but here's where you're wrong. Our love doesn't just exist all the way across the country, when it's just us and not having to deal with all those things we have to deal with everyday. Our love is so much stronger than that, Red, don't you know that by now? I know there are some things I just can't do and there's one or two things (smiles) that you can't do, but I know -- it doesn't matter what life throws at us, we can do it, together.
Nora: I really do believe that.
Bo: Do you?
Nora: Oh, I do. I do. I know it didn't seem like it for awhile there, that we could do it together, but we just sort of let it go. We just gave up because we were too proud and tired and hurt to fight for what we always knew we really wanted. But still, we could have done it -- it's taken us a long time, but look at us, we have done it. We do still have a lot to deal with, but it feels like were coming out the other end of the tunnel, because this, this, it's just like it always was. Better, if that's even possible.
Bo: You really believe that?
Nora: With all my heart.
Bo: All right, then. Prove it.
Nora: What do you mean?
(Bo just smiles, and reaches over for the drawer in the nightstand and pulls out a phone book)

(It's late at night. Nora and Bo are walking down the city streets hand in hand, hurrying a little, Bo pulling her along.)
Nora: This is crazy, Bo!
Bo: Like anything about us isn't?
Nora: Touche. (Pause) Is the place at least, you know -- nice?
Bo: I'm told it's the classiest way to go. For what we're doing, anyway.
Nora: So, no Elvis impersonators or anything?
Bo: This isn't Vegas, honey.
Nora: Oh, right. What was I thinking? This is L.A.!

(The place actually is nice, flowers all around ... Nora and Bo stand hand in hand at an altar, giving their wedding vows one last time.)
Nora: It's a little strange -- once again we've done very little to plan our own wedding, but it still somehow feels so right. Which does make a lot of sense if you think about it -- I mean, it doesn't take much for things to feel right with us. It makes no difference what we're doing or where we are, as long as I'm with you, I'm just, you just make me so happy. I've been making things so complicated these past few months. I should have known that all I had to do was look to you and then everything else would fall right into place. I know it's not going to be very easy at first, trying to work all this out and explain this incredible thing that's happened to us here to everyone. But we've gotten through hard times before, and we've just gotten through what must be the hardest thing any couple could ever face, and I know we'll get through this just fine, and everything else that ever dares challenge us in the future. And like you said, we can do it, as long as we do it together. I don't know what the future has in store for us. I can't even predict what's going to happen five minutes from now. But one thing I know, one thing I can promise you right now: I will love you forever, until the day I die and long after that. I will always be with you. Forever, Bo.
Bo: I don't even know anymore how many weddings I've gone through in my life -- a lot. But I have a feeling that this one is going to be my favorite. This one's the best not just because I'm marrying the right woman, but also because we've already been through these times of blood-rushing, head-spinning, cartwheel-turning love before, and then we lost it. To me, the thought that after all we've faced and suffered through together, that we could still find our way back to the kind of love we had when we first married four years ago, that really says something about us, doesn't it? What it says to me is that there's nothing in this whole world -- and, yeah, even after we've left this world -- that could ever really tear us apart. I never believed in this until I met you, but now I know it's true: sometimes there are souls that are so connected, bonded so tightly, that they truly are not whole unless they are together. I always liked to think of myself as a pretty self-reliant person, and I know you do too, but the truth is, we need each other. (Pause, listening) Do you hear that? The music's still playing, Nora. I don't think it's ever going to stop. Forever, Nora.