Marcino and Greg have met up in a park.

GREG: So what wrong man? You needed to get out of the house?

MARCINO: Yeah some old friend of my moms has been hanging around her.

GREG: Are they together together?

MARCINO: I hope not.

GREG: You don’t like him?

MARCINO: Not really.

GREG: He an as*hole or something?

MARCINO: I hardly know him. I don’t think she knows him either. They like knew each other in high school or something.

GREG: Maybe you should give him a chance first?

MARCINO: I’d rather not.

GREG: It could be worse…

MARCINCO: You are right. I shouldn’t be troubling you with all this after all the sh*t you have to deal with.

GREG: No, please vent away. It helps.

MARCINO: You can vent too you know. I know you don’t like talking about your abusive father, but it may help to get it out.

Greg stares on…

--

Kayla and Jerri are with young

Ali .

They have arrived at a womens shelter.

ALI: I don’t know about this.

JERRI: I know you are afraid of new situations but this is a better situation for you right now.

KAYLA: Jerri is right. I thank you for letting me try and help you as well, Ali. I know it wasn’t easy to open up.

ALI: I am thankful for how much you both care.

JERRI: We do and this is what we think is best.

KAYLA: We should go in.

JERRI: Yes Miss Cho is waiting.

Ali reluctantly grabs her bags and the 3 head inside.

--

Cut to an awake Natalia.

Natalia looks at Jesse and smiles.

JESSE: This is wonderful.

NATALIA: (Whispers) hi dad.

JESSE: Hi baby

He kisses Natalia on the forehead.

Jesse is elated.

Angie looks on smiling and teary eyed…

ANGIE: She just came out of it.

JESSE: I could not be more thankful!

NATALIA: (Whispers) me too dad. I am thankful to be alive.

Jesse kisses her forehead again and then he hugs Angie.

ANGIE: She is a fighter like her dad.

--

JJ and Miranda are in a music class together at the college.

The class has ended and students leave except the two of them.

JJ: Mr. Simpson is it okay if we stay around and play a little bit.

MR. SIMPSON: Sure JJ. I wont lock the doors for another hour.

Miranda is putting a book in her back pack.

JJ: Sweet! You want to jam with me neighbor?

MIRANDA: Of course. I am always down to jam.

JJ: Thanks the spirit!

MIRANDA: What do you want to play?

JJ: It is your choice.

MIRANDA: Hmm..

--

Paul and Barbara are in the building that BRO will be in.

BARBARA: The progress on this continues to amaze me.

PAUL: It has been amazing.

BARBARA: You are really getting everything right this time around.

PAUL: I am trying to.

Emily arrives.

EMILY: You really are doing a good job, Paul.

Paul is surprised to see her.

PAUL: That is a shock coming from you.

EMILY: I know. I have been very hard on you lately. It is starting to make me feel left out.

BARBARA: As it should.

EMILY: (turns to Barbara) I don’t need any peanut gallery comments.

BARBARA: I don’t know why not. You are the elephant in the room.

EMILY: I came to talk to Paul…and to apologize.

PAUL: An apology?

EMILY: Yes. I have been ridiculous about your decision to start BRO. I need to support you and I will support you.

PAUL: Emily, It is great to finally hear you say that again.

Emily kisses Paul.

Barbara looks away and rolls her eyes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnwwnaIcRSU

At the Park:

GREG: I would prefer to not talk about my trash of a father.

MARCINO: I won’t push the issue. Just thought maybe venting would help a little.

GREG: I know. There is just nothing to talk about. My father is a miserable human being and my mother puts up with him.

MARCINO: I feel stupid now bringing up my petty issues.

GREG: No don’t. We all feel how we feel. Nothing wrong with it.

MARCINO: I hope I can be as strong as you some day.

GREG: Ha! I am not strong.

MARCINO: Yes you are bro.

GREG: Believe me. I am not at all. I just have a hell of a poker face.

--

Miss Cho approaches Kayla, Jerri and Ali inside the womens shelter.

JERRI: Ali, this is Mis Cho

MISS CHO: Hello sweet girl.

ALI: Hi..

KAYLA: She is feeling uncomfortable.

MISS CHO: That is to be expected.

JERRI: I think once she befriends some of the other girls here she will feel better about being here.

MISS CHO: They are all out back. We will go see them.

ALI: I kinda want to be alone right now.

KAYLA: You will have your own room here.

MISS CHO: Yes she will. We can go to it.

ALI: I would like that.

The 4 ladies head up stairs.

--

At the hospital:

NATALIA: (Whispers) What..what happened that night dad?

JESSE: There was a shoot out between some damn gangs.

NATALIA: (Whispers) I do remember some of that.

JESSE: Yeah and one of the stray bullets hit you.

NATALIA: (Whispers) I am glad I do not remember that.

JESSE: I am just glad you pulled through baby.

NATALIA: (Whispers) I did dream about you and Angie looking over me.

JESSE: Angie has been great with you.

ANGIE: She has been as good a patient as a patient can be. A fighter.

NATALIA: (Whispers) Was never going to leave my dad behind.

JESSE: Thank you, I am beyond happy that you are still here with us and I am in the midst of starting a cause around this city to prevent the poor from joining gangs.

ANGIE: Leave it to your father to turn a negative into a positive!

Natalia smiles

--

At the college:

JJ hands Miranda a guitar

JJ: Here you can play lead.

MIRANDA: Are you sure?

JJ: Yup. I will support.

MIRANDA: That is a lot of pressure.

JJ: I have faith in you.

MIRANDA: Well thanks but what are we playing?

JJ: Lets do an old evanescence song. I want to hear you sing.

MIRANDA: Amy Lee’s voice is pretty beautiful to try and replicate.

JJ: Like I said, I have faith in you.

JJ starts playing “Bring me to life”

JJ: Would be better if these were electric.

MIRANDA: Acoustic is tremendous.

Miranda starts to play the song along with him.

JJ: Now you start leading

She starts to do so.

MIRANDA: This is too much pressure to remember the lyrics.

JJ: Give it a shot.

MIRANDA: (Singing) Bring me to life!

She giggles

JJ: I’m going to turn you into a rock girl, just wait.

The two continue to play along.

--

At BRO

EMILY: So what are your plans for this place?

PAUL: Ive tried to explain before but you didn’t want to listen.

EMILY: I am listening now.

PAUL: First off, my mother and I and our new business partner Katsu are--

The door opens and they are interrupted by Eliza .

BARBARA: Dear, Eliza!

ELIZA: Grandma!

BARBARA: Finally I get to see you.

Barbara and Eliza hug.

Eliza then hugs her dad.

ELIZA: Hi daddy.

Eliza totally ignores Emily as if she is not even there.

PAUL: What brings you all the way out here?

ELIZA: Well actually I was coming here in hopes that I can have a job here since someoneee said I needed one.

Eliza looks at Emily

BARBARA: I think that is a great idea for you to work here! Don’t you Paul?

PAUL: I don’t know

ELIZA: Oh come on dad!

BARBARA: I think Eliza would do good at a secretary job here.

ELIZA: Sounds like my kind of job.

PAUL: That just might work.

ELIZA: I will be the best secretary here!

Eliza is thrilled.

ELIZA: Thank you both so much!

“Bring me to life (acoustic)” by Evanescence starts to play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_xTX9D9C3c&feature=youtu.be

[:00] Eliza hugs both her grandmother and her father again. Emily watches the three and seems highly annoyed.

[:08] Eliza looks over at Emily from across the room and winks. Emily shakes her head.

[:16] At the college. JJ and Miranda are putting the guitars away.

JJ: That was so fun.

MIRANDA: I totally agree. We will have to do it again sometime.

JJ: Definitely. I better go start some homework though.

MIRANDA: Okay see you…well at home in the apartment complex, neighbor.

JJ: Home sweet home.

Miranda watches JJ as he exits the room.

She looks back at the guitars and grins from ear to ear.

MIRANDA: That was such a good time.

[:44] Greg looks on somberly.

Marcino gives him a pat on the back.

MARCINO: I hope things get better, man.

GREG: They will.

MARCINO: Best attitude to have.

GREG: All I know is I need to protect my mom and my lil bro the best that I can.

Marcino looks on at Greg worried

[1:02] Kayla and Jerri both hug Miss Cho

JERRI: Thank you for taking her in. She is so young. I want her to find peace here.

MISS CHO: I will do my best to reach out to her.

KAYLA: It may just take some time.

JERRI: Probably so

[1:18] Ali is up in her room at the womens shelter. She is starting to unpack but breaks down and starts crying.

She wipes her tears and looks in the mirror. She sees her black eye and messed up lip.

ALI: this has to stop.

She touches her black eye.

ALI: It has to.

[1:38] At the hospital, Jesse and Angie hug outside of Natalias hospital room.

JESSE: Such a huge relief, Angie

ANGIE: I know it is.

JESSE: Thank you so much for helping Natalia stay alive.

ANGIE: It was more than just me.

JESSE: But your faith helped a whole lot.

The two look into Natalias room.

[1:55] Natalia stares on towards the wall.

A single tear starts to run down her face

The camera slowly zooms in on her…

[2:09]fade out and credits roll

*I do not own any non original characters nor any pictures