INT ? MEREDITH?S HOUSE ? MEREDITH?S BEDROOM
Meredith rushes around trying to fit last minute things into a suitcase. Ripley sits on the bed.
������������������������ MEREDITH (V.O.)
Holidays.They?re about family and friends. About spending way too much money on presents for people that, really, you only see once a year.
������������������� ���� RIPLEY
��������� I don?t know how I let you talk me into this.
���� ������������������� MEREDITH
��������� It really wasn?t that hard.
���� ���� �������������� RIPLEY
��������� Whatever.Where?s Derek?
������������������������ MEREDITH(V.O)
And, in truth, you really don?t even like them. But there is some unforeseen tie that brings you together every year.
���������
��������� ���� ��������� MEREDITH
Hospital. After you typed up your finished report, he had to go in and operate.
Izzy walks into the room and sits next to Ripley.
���� ���� ���� IZZY
I?m ready when you guys are ready.
��������� ���� MEREDITH
You?re coming?
���� ��������� IZZY
I refuse to speak to my mother. So, ya.
Christina walks into the room.
��������� ���� ��������� CHRISTINA
��������� When are we leaving?
�������������� ���� ���� MEREDITH
��������� You?re coming, too??
������������������� ���� CHRISTINA
I broke up with Burke. And I?m not going home.
Meredith looks at Ripley.
���� ������������������� MEREDITH
��������� There?s no more surprises, right?
���� ���� �������������� RIPLEY
���� ���� I didn?t invite them. Don?t look at me.
��������� ���� ��������� MEREDITH
��������� George?
�������������� ���� ���� RIPLEY
��������� Going home to family.
Meredith turns on Izzy.
������������������� ���� MEREDITH
��������� Alex?
���� ������������������� IZZY
��������� Please. There?s no way he?s coming.
���� ���� �������������� RIPLEY
��������� Bad date?
��������� ���� ��������� IZZY
It?s like he?s never had to woo a girl. Come on now. Flowers.Opening doors.Being nice. These are all foreign to Alex.
���� ���� ���� CHRISTINA
He is evil spawn. What did you expect? Especially since this is exactly what you got from your last date.
��������� ���� IZZY
SOMETHING. Anything that showed he had some emotion for me.
���� ��������� RIPLEY
They?re boys. They don?t show emotion.
George appears in the doorway.
�������������� ���� ���� GEORGE
��������� Ripley?
������������������� ���� RIPLEY
��������� Yeah George?
���� ������������������� GEORGE
��������� Can I talk to you for a minute?
���� ���� �������������� RIPLEY
��������� Sure Sweetie.
��������� ���� ��������� CHRISTINA
��������� Oh gag me.
Ripley leaves the room and George takes her hand and leads her into his room.
�������������� ���� ���� RIPLEY
I?m not doing it with everyone right next door in Mer?s room.
��������� ���� GEORGE
That?s not why I brought you in here.
���� ��������� RIPLEY
Okay.
���� ���� ���� GEORGE
I thought we could exchange Christmas presents now. Since you won?t be around on Christmas.
��������� ���� RIPLEY
I told you I wasn?t ready for that.
���� ��������� GEORGE
I know, I know. That doesn?t mean I can?t want you to be there.
���� ���� ���� RIPLEY
George?
������������������� ���� GEORGE
��������� Okay, okay, okay.
George sits Ripley down on the bed, then pulls out a box from underneath the bed and sits it down next to her. Ripley holds a finger up and walks over to her overnight bag and pulls out a box, then walks back over and sits down next to George.
���� ������������������� RIPLEY
��������� On the count of three.One.Two.Three.
George and Ripley tear into their presents, wrapping paper flying. Ripley opens her box and pulls out a pair of lacy purple panties with sequins on them from Victoria Secrets.
���� ���� �������������� RIPLEY
��������� GEORGE!
��������� ���� ��������� GEORGE
What? I saw them and thought they would look nice on you.
���� ���� ���� RIPLEY
Seriously?!?!?
��������� ���� GEORGE
What?
Ripley stands up and huffs out of the room, not even seeing if George likes her gift.
���� ��������� RIPLEY
Seriously!
���� ���� ���� GEORGE
I like the cd? I thought they looked nice.
George looks down at the cd that Ripley gave him and begins tearing the cellophane off of it.
Ripley walks down the hallway.
������������������� ���� RIPLEY
Seriously.Underwear. He thinks we?re at a point where he can get me underwear. What?s wrong with the underwear I have? Seriously.
Ripley enters Meredith?s room and flops on the bed on her back, looking up at the ceiling.
������������������������ RIPLEY
��������� Seriously.
������������������������ MEREDITH
��������� Seriously?
Ripley holds up the offending underwear with one finger.
������������������������ IZZY
That?s gross. Why are you holding up your underwear?
�������������� RIPLEY
George?s Christmas present to me. To himself, actually.
�������������� MEREDITH
What?s the big deal? It?s a pair of underwear.
�������������� RIPLEY
Mer, it?s been a month and a half we?ve been dating. One month and 14 days.There?s a dating protocol to when you can receive underwear. It is way longer than one month and 14 days.
�������������� IZZY
Seriously.
Derek walks into the room wearing jeans, a flannel shirt and a wool coat.
������������������������ DEREK
Looks like there?s a party that I wasn?t invited to. Nice underwear Rip.
�������������� RIPLEY
Don?t even go there Derek.
�������������� DEREK
Okay, then.I?m ready to go when you guys are.
�������������� IZZY
I have to get my suitcase.
�������������� CHRISTINA
Mine?s already downstairs.
Derek gives Meredith and Ripley a questioning look. Meredith shrugs and Ripley lifts her hands as if to say ?don?t look at me. It?s not my fault.? Derek sighs and rolls his eyes as Izzy and Christina rush out of the room.
������������������������ MEREDITH
I couldn?t tell them they couldn?t come. Izzy?s fianc� died. Christina and Burke broke up.
Ripley sneaks out of the room and takes the stairs two at a time.
������������������������ DEREK
��������� And Ripley?
������������������������ MEREDITH
I can?t leave Rip alone on the holidays. Seriously, Derek.She?s really the only sister I know. My other sisters are off doing who knows what who knows where. And they don?t even know about me.
�������������� DEREK
Back up. You have sisters?
�������������� MEREDITH
Yes. Last year. One of them was a patient of Addison?s. My dad was there. He was looking for me. Long story that I don?t want to talk about right now. We?ve got a plane to catch. We can talk about it then.
�������������� DEREK
When there are prying eyes.
�������������� MEREDITH
Let?s go.
Meredith zips her suitcase and picks it up to leave the room, Derek trailing after her.
INT. AIRPLANE
Ripley flips through a Neuro-psychology magazine, Christina reads a medical book, and Izzy has one out as well, but isn?t looking at it.
������������������������ IZZY
Why do you think Meredith and Derek switched to the other side of the plane?
�������������� CHRISTINA
There was grumbling involved on Derek?s part. Something along the lines of Christmas being ruined.
�������������� IZZY
Derek?s such a party pooper.
�������������� RIPLEY
I think he views us as more of the party poopers. This was supposed to be Mer?s first holiday with the fam. And she brought reinforcements.
Ripley continues reading out of her magazine, Christina out of her book.
������������������������ IZZY
��������� It?s the holidays. The more the merrier.
������������������������ RIPLEY
Derek is bringing the dirty mistress home to meet mom and the gang. His nerves are shot because no matter how much he reassures Meredith and no matter how much his sister reassures him she likes Meredith, he is still bringing the dirty mistress home to mom.
�������������� IZZY
But she?s not the dirty mistress anymore.
�������������� RIPLEY
But she was. I can?t imagine Addison not calling and not ranting and raving to anyone who would listen back in New York during the divorce process.
�������������� CHRISTINA
I?m beginning to think that Meredith and Derek had the right idea, sitting on the other side of the plane.
�������������� IZZY
What?s up your ass?
�������������� CHRISTINA
Some of us are just trying to concentrate. That?s all.
�������������� RIPLEY
Bah humbug.
�������������� CHRISTINA
I?m jewish.
�������������� RIPLEY
Can?t I still say Bah humbug to you? I mean, I never thought it was anything directly related to Christmas. But I guess if you think about it, it is in Charles Dickens?s tale?
Ripley continues rambling. Izzy and Christina look at each other with raised eyebrows, then both look back at their books and begin high lighting.
INT. AIRPLANE ? OTHER SIDE
Meredith and Derek sit next to each other. Meredith looks out the window and Derek types on his laptop.
������������������������ MEREDITH
I don?t see why we couldn?t sit next to Iz, Rip and Christina.
�������������� DEREK
Because I wanted some alone time with you.
�������������� MEREDITH
You know you?ve been on your laptop the whole time so far, right?
Derek clicks out of whatever he?s looking at and shuts down his laptop.
������������������������ DEREK
Okay. So. On a scale of one to ten, one being cool as a cucumber, ten being wound tight as a spring, how nervous are you?
�������������� MEREDITH
12. But I?m glad you?re here with me.
Derek laces his fingers through Meredith?s fingers.
�������������� DEREK
Me, too.
�������������� MEREDITH
So, what events do you have planned for our trip?
�������������� DEREK
Some of them are going to be altered because I was only planning on three of us being there. Are Christina and Izzy staying at the hotel with Ripley?
�������������� MEREDITH
That?s the plan.
Derek picks up their entwined fingers and kisses the back of Meredith?s hand softly.
������������������������ DEREK
��������� Everything is going to be fine. Just fine.
Derek gets a faraway look in his eyes and turns to look the window.
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