Crossing Jordan Virtual Season 7

“Howard's End”

Written by
Madambeth, NCCJFAN and jmkw

Art by
Harbor Runner

“Crossing Jordan Virtual Season 7” is a fan-based effort not intended to infringe on the rights of Tailwind Productions, NBC/Universal or any of the other copyright holders of “Crossing Jordan.” No money was made from the writing or posting of any content.

Jordan Cavanaugh
Garret Macy
Nigel Townsend
Mahesh “Bug” Vijayaraghavensatanaryanamurthy
Lily Lebowski
Kate Switzer
Woody Hoyt

Howard Stiles
AV Brian
Madeline

HOWARD’S OFFICE
   HALLWAY
   INTERIOR OFFICE

EXTERIORS
MINUTEMAN CAMPGROUND – LITTLETON, MA
   CAMP AREA

TEASER

1. INT. MORGUE ELEVATOR - MORNING

GARRET and JORDAN get off together. There’s a crowd at the RECEPTIONIST’S DESK. Everyone’s getting their messages and mail.

The door shuts and the camera stays on it as the theme music is introduced.

END OF TEASER

Crossing Jordan Theme

ACT ONE

3. INT. HOWARD STILES’ OFFICE HALLWAY – 7:00 P.M.

Scene opens with the camera on another door, one that says Dr. Howard Stiles on it. GARRET and JORDAN enter the shot. GARRET has his hand on the doorknob. They pause as they hear chaos and loud voices coming from inside the waiting room. GARRET gives JORDAN a look that plainly says, “What the hell?” JORDAN shrugs in response. GARRET turns the door knob and pushes the door open.

Everyone begins arguing out loud. No one is listening to each other; they are all insisting that this trip wasn’t necessary and that they are fine. It is a conspiracy. Lots of finger pointing and blaming the other person.

HOWARD calmly climbs up on the top of the coffee table and puts his fingers in his mouth and whistles loudly.

The room becomes silent. Everyone looks at each other accusingly before looking at HOWARD again.

4. INT. MORGUE CONFERENCE ROOM— NEXT MORNING 8:00 A.M.

Everyone is sitting in coats with backpacks and other gear, talking quietly and sipping coffee.

GARRET, WOODY and NIGEL are huddled in a group by the window, obviously scheming something to get out of this.

LILY and BUG are saying their goodbyes to MADDY who is being left with a friend of LILY’S for the weekend. JORDAN is finishing an outline for GARRET to give the relief to let them know where everything is.

Before HOWARD can answer, the door to the room pops open and AV BRIAN falls in loaded down with an armful of camping equipment. We can’t even see his face.

5. EXT. MINUTEMAN CAMPGROUND, LITTLETON, MA - LATER

The gang’s all here. Everyone is climbing out of SUs, looking like children being forced to visit Aunt Edna’s for the day. WOODY is at the trunk of one vehicle, cursing as he pulls at a tent bag and two sleeping bags, while JORDAN, wearing sunglasses, sips a coffee and watches him.

WOODY stops once he gets the items out and drops them to the ground, huffing and puffing.

STILES cuts him off, suddenly appearing right beside him.

HOWARD quietly pats NIGEL’S arm.

He pats NIGEL’S arm again before continuing on in his walk around the campsite.

NIGEL and KATE watch HOWARD walk away. They share a look that says ‘this is going to be Hell.’

The tents are all set within fifty feet of each other and BUG and LILY are close enough to KATE and NIGEL setting up their tent that they have just been able to hear the exchange.

BUG nods towards the pair and mumbles to LILY.

The camera cuts to GARRET and HOWARD, setting up a tent together. It is located strategically between everyone else’s tents.

GARRET watches HOWARD a moment.

He and GARRET are involved in a standoff that lasts a few seconds as GARRET tries to decide if he’s kidding. Finally, HOWARD smiles coyly.

GARRET lets out the breath he was holding and tosses a sleeping bag into HOWARD’S arms.

GARRET looks like HOWARD hit a nerve as he puts his phone in the bag.

LILY clutches an electronic picture frame to her chest. HOWARD looks at her sympathetically but holds out the bag. LILY kisses the frame before gently putting it in the bag. BUG puts his arm around her shoulders.

WOODY’S jaw twitches as he reaches in his pocket and pulls out his cell phone and tosses it in the bag.

HOWARD blinks but doesn’t move.

There is a long pause as HOWARD waits him out. WOODY sighs and reaches in his backpack. He pulls out his badge and gun. He pulls the clip and puts all three items in the bag.

HOWARD chuckles.

END OF ACT ONE

ACT TWO

7. EXT. CAMPGROUND - EARLY AFTERNOON

The group is standing where we last saw them, all staring at HOWARD, waiting for an explanation of their first activity. They now have looks of disbelief on their faces but HOWARD is still smiling.

KATE is the first to speak.

The others look around at each other in disbelief.

HOWARD smiles again and shakes his head.

HOWARD wags a finger at KATE.

Everyone grumbles and looks around.

Everyone groans and pairs off silently. BUG with LILY, GARRET with KATE, NIGEL and HOWARD together. They all take their two bottles of water and head off with their compasses.

CUT TO:

8. EXT. WOODED AREA – A SHORT WHILE LATER

GARRET and KATE emerge into a clearing and look around.

KATE groans and looks around before she drops down on a fallen tree and downs the remains of her first bottle of water. GARRET sits down beside her and offers her a strip of jerky from the little bag they’d been given.

KATE accepts it with murmured thanks.

She looks around.

WOODY shakes his head.

She grins and wags her eyebrows at him. WOODY’S face falls. He steps back from her and looks like he’s been dropped back on that mountain. He looks around to confirm for himself that they are, in fact, in Massachusetts.

JORDAN looks stunned but doesn’t say anything until he turns and goes to find the key on the ATV.

HOWARD starts walking away. NIGEL is left to follow.



11. EXT. CAMP AREA – SAME TIME

KATE and WOODY are standing by the camp stove. KATE is stirring the contents of the pot on top. WOODY smells what’s in the pot. JORDAN and GARRET are sitting in front of the campfire, each with a coffee mug in their hands. They all look exhausted.

Four ATVs are parked just outside the camp. Looking off into the woods, Bug stands near the vehicles. He looks concerned. LILY approaches and puts her arm around his waist.

KATE yells out that dinner’s ready.

CUT TO:

12. EXT. THIRD WOODED AREA – CONTINUING

NIGEL and HOWARD are still walking. They stop in their tracks when they hear KATE’S call.

FLASH TO:

13. EXT. CAMP AREA - CONTINUING

Everyone is finding a place to sit by the fire with their bowls. BUG sits, but is still looking past the fire’s light into the darkness.

Suddenly, NIGEL steps into the light. There is a big smile on his face.

CUT TO:

14. EXT. CAMP AREA, STOVE - CONTINUING

HOWARD is standing at the camp stove, serving himself

BUG nods sympathetically. He knows what WOODY meant. He’d had the same feeling that day on the hike. CUT TO:



16. INT. JORDAN and LILY’S TENT - SAME TIME

JORDAN is tossing and turning in her sleeping bag. LILY is in a bag near her. We can see LILY is smiling and looking at JORDAN, who turns over with a sigh.

The camera pans to JORDAN again, laying still on her side now and staring at the side of the tent quietly. She is trying to pretend she is asleep.

CUT TO:

17. EXT. NIGEL AND KATE’S TENT - SAME TIME

We hear soft laughing coming from inside the tent. It is obviously KATE and NIGEL’S voices.

18. INT. NIGEL and KATE’S TENT - CONTINUING

NIGEL reaches over to turn out the small lantern in their tent.

CUT TO:

19. INT. GARRET AND HOWARD’S TENT—SAME TIME

GARRET is lying on his back, one arm folded behind his head as he stares up at the top of the tent. He glances over at HOWARD to make sure the psychiatrist is asleep before he takes out a roll of Rolaids and pops one in his mouth. Apparently, the chili has not completely agreed with him.

He puts the roll away under his sleeping bag and grunts softly, reaching down to rub his stomach. He suddenly has a flashback to the plane crash where we see him hunched over holding his stomach, as JORDAN calls his name and leans over him.

Just as quickly, the flashback ends, and he is back in the tent. GARRET scrubs a hand down his face and, taking a deep breath, closes his eyes.

They open again moments later when HOWARD begins to snore. GARRET groans again and turns on his side away from HOWARD to try to avoid listening to the snoring.

END OF ACT TWO

ACT THREE

20. EXT. CAMP AREA - NEXT MORNING

Although the fire had been banked for the night, there are wisps of smoke coming up from the charred logs. The sun is rising. It’s a new day at Howard’s End. We see WOODY emerging from his tent, stretching and twisting his back. He makes his way over to the fire where he begins to add kindling and gently bring it back to life. He’s followed by BUG who helps WOODY add fuel to the fire.

He puts the coffeepot on the camp stove.

By now, the whole camp is stirring to life. JORDAN and LILY are coming out of their tent, and so are KATE and NIGEL. GARRET walks over to the ATV, where some of the supplies are, and begins rummaging for instant coffee.

WOODY whispers conspiratorially to BUG.

WOODY is holding out his fist so they can touch knuckles.

Now HOWARD STILES comes out of his and GARRET’S tent, stretching and yawning.

He swallows a taste and grimaces.

By now everyone has gathered by the fire, is drinking coffee and talking amongst themselves. Finally, HOWARD breaks up the chit-chat.

GARRET winces at the memory of the last eight hours.

HOWARD gives GARRET an “I-have-no-clue-what-you’re-talking-about” look.

KATE looks up.

HOWARD crooks his finger at her.

The ATV roars to life. WOODY looks torn, but reluctantly climbs in the back. They take off, following the tracks left by the other bikes, leaving LILY standing there very much alone.



22. EXT. OPEN FIELD - A SHORT WHILE LATER

The open area is flanked by trees on two sides and a pond on the third. There are numerous downed trees, boulders, stumps and other assorted smaller tree limbs and stones scattered about. The placement looks a little too organized to be natural. These things have been placed there and it looks like they’ve been there a while. There are small snow drifts in shady crevices.

We hear the sounds of the ATVs coming from the trees. GARRET and JORDAN are the first to appear from behind the trees. They are followed by HOWARD, KATE and WOODY, coming from a slightly different angle.. .like maybe HOWARD knows a better way to get there. BUG and NIGEL break through the trees seconds later. BUG pulls his ATV next to HOWARD, who has climbed off his machine.

The distant sound of an ATV breaks the quiet. We see LILY ride into frame, following the same path HOWARD had. Her face is mottled from the cold air, but she looks exhilarated to see everyone.

KATE and WOODY give each other a guilty look for doubting LILY.

JORDAN and GARRET climb off their ATV. JORDAN puts her hand to shade her brow and look around. GARRET does the same.

WOODY leans against one of the ATVs. HOWARD appears next to him. They both watch as each team begins to argue and fuss with each other as they work the way through the obstacles. KATE and NIGEL bicker with each other more than try to lead LILY and BUG through the maze. LILY is hopelessly turned around by the conflicting commands. BUG trips on the rough terrain and yells at KATE and NIGEL both.

JORDAN and GARRET bring up the rear. They, too, are arguing, but their voices don’t carry. JORDAN stops and puts her hands up to pull the blind off, and GARRET stops her. She charges out again, but progress is very slow. JORDAN trips over something and falls hands first onto a log. WOODY jumps up, ready to go to her. HOWARD puts his hand on WOODY’S arm to stop him.

WOODY’S stare turns to HOWARD until JORDAN trips again. This time we hear her swearing. JORDAN rights herself and takes off again. In the wrong direction. She falls into the same log she did before.

Mission Impossible - Lalo Schifrin

LILY exits tent and begins making her way across the camp in the dark, towards BUG’s tent. She trips once and then stumbles and falls. We see her freeze in place and hold her breath, listening to see if anyone heard her and is coming out to investigate. No one does, and she finally makes it to the tent, slipping inside and zipping the flap of the tent up after her.

And all is dark in Camp Chaos. For the moment.

CUT TO:

25. INT. GARRET and HOWARD’S TENT - CONTINUING

GARRET is lying on his back, one hand behind his head, listening to HOWARD’S snoring. GARRET shuts his eyes in vain, only to open them again, a really irritated look on his face. He rolls over on his side, away from HOWARD, and pulls one end of the pillow over his ear in an effort to drown out the snoring. It doesn’t work. With a sigh, GARRET sits up. He is reaching out one arm to shake HOWARD awake and tell him to roll over when a sound catches his attention. A sound that isn’t HOWARD snoring. We see him listen intently, and he hears it again. Then he quietly unzips the flap of the tent, grabs a flashlight and steps outside.

26. EXT. CAMP AREA - CONTINUING

He hears giggling, coming from JORDAN’S tent.

And then a soft, masculine laugh.

A Grinch-like grin curves across GARRET’S lips.

27. INT. JORDAN and LILY’S TENT - SAME TIME

JORDAN’S sleeping bag is moving slightly in the dark. We can see the outline of an elbow over here, a knee over there, until WOODY’S head pops out of the top with a small yelp.

WOODY looks like he might argue back, but realizes she is right and pulls the sleeping bag back over their heads.



28. EXT. JORDAN and LILY’S TENT - CONTINUING

GARRET is leaning in, listening through the thin fabric of the tent. Once he is sure, as a result of some more noises, what is going on inside, he leans down, grabs the zipper and pulls up until the flap opens.

29. INT. JORDAN and LILY’S TENT - CONTINUING

The sleeping bag goes still.

GARRET smirks as he looks at the bag, waiting.

A few beats pass, and WOODY stands from inside the sleeping bag. He’s wearing only a pair of flannel boxer shorts. His hair is sticking out in all directions on his head. As gracefully as he can, he puts his hands on his hips as JORDAN’S head and upper torso pop out of the top of the bag. She’s got on a tank top and her hair is mussed.

They are both pretending that they don’t see GARRET.

You Wanna Make a Memory - Bon Jovi

30. INT. KATE and NIGEL’S TENT - SAME TIME

KATE and NIGEL are lying on their sides, both with serious expressions on their faces as they lean in close to one another.

NIGEL nods almost imperceptibly. They both hesitate a moment longer before their lips touch, softly at first. They kiss slowly, tenderly until KATE reaches up to wrap a hand around the back of NIGEL’S neck as she reaches up to deepen the kiss. He responds with equal enthusiasm and slowly rolls her to her back as they continue kissing.

FADE TO BLACK

END OF ACT THREE

ACT FOUR

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Ennio Morricone

31. EXT. CAMP AREA - EARLY MORNING.

ALL PLAYERS are seated around one side of the fire. HOWARD is pacing on the opposite side.

****Music****

HOWARD and GARRET enter a Sergio Leone (Spaghetti Western) style staring contest, all with extreme close-ups. LILY puts her hand on BUG’S shoulder, waiting for the explosion. JORDAN counts on her fingers, like she’s planning on what needs to be done to pack up and leave. NIGEL and KATE glance at each other coyly.

WOODY stands and put his hands out. The music stops.

32. INT. KATE and NIGEL’S TENT – A BIT LATER

KATE is fussing with her sleeping bag, straightening up her side of the tent, and NIGEL has come in with a cup of coffee for her. He watches her a moment before he begins to speak. We get the distinct impression that there is now an “elephant in the tent.”

NIGEL hands her the cup of coffee.