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Description
ext. rail line - night

London, England -- September 25, 1941 -- The London Blitz

The rail line is in an industrial looking part of town. There are large warehouses next to the rail and a factory that looks deserted. There are no signs of production from its bellows or otherwise. Barrage balloons dot the sky. It's a very bleak scene in the dark.

STEPHAN BROOM is walking beside the rail line. He's dressed in an English army captain's uniform, hat cocked up at a ridiculous angle. He is unkempt and grungy. He comes to a line of boxcars. He looks inside the ones that are closed and tries to open the ones that are empty. He doesn't find what he is looking for, so he keeps walking. Finally, he comes to a shack by the side of the line. He looks inside.

The shack is deserted, with overturned boxes and an empty barrel. There are oiled rags on the ground, but otherwise nothing of interest. As Stephan turns back to the door, he sees a corner of a typewriter under one of the boxes. He pulls the typewriter out and inspects it. He taps a key and nothing happens. Its obviously broken and somewhat badly. He takes it with him anyway.

ext. residential street - night

Stephan walks up to his house. Its an old flat, in disrepair. Most of the windows are either boarded up or have heavy, dark drapes drawn inside the house. The door was once red, but the paint has chipped so much that its color is barely distinguishable. He takes a single key out of his pocket and puts it in the lock. Just as he pushes the door open, the air raid siren starts up. People in other houses rush from their homes into their bomb shelters. Stephan mutters under his breath as he puts the typewriter inside the door. Then he locks up the house again and walks back down the street.

ext. alley - night

The bombs have started dropping all over London. They can be heard exploding in the distance. The sound of planes is indistinct. The search lights make the night as bright as day.

NANCY REGAN is walking down the alley with an empty sack in one hand. She's wearing a dark coat, white socks and sensible shoes. She peaks over a wall as one family rushes into its shelter. Once they're inside, she opens the back gate and goes into the house.

int. house

Nancy takes off her coat inside and hangs it on a coat rack by the door. She's wearing a skirt, blouse with a sweater vest over it. She takes the sack into the house's kitchen and starts ransacking the cupboards. She takes cans of food out and puts them in the sack, vegetables, powdered milk, a few eggs in a small crate with straw, bread and butter. It all goes in the bag. She opens up a cupboard and looks up. There are cans up on the top shelf, but she's too short to reach them. She finds a small stool and stands up on it, but she's still just a little short. She reaches as far as she can, just managing to move one of the cans with her finger tips. It falls to the ground with a loud clang, bursting its contents all over the floor. She steps down quickly and picks up the can. She looks about to make sure the sound didn't alert anyone.

ext. street outside the house

Stephan is walking by. He hears the clang from inside the house. He looks around and rushes up to the house. He peers inside the window. Just between the cracks in the drapes, he sees Nancy all the way down in the kitchen as she looks around. He smiles to himself and goes to the front door. He tries the knob. Its locked. He pulls a small tool from his pocket and picks the lock. It clicks unlocked. He puts his tools away and goes inside.

int. house (entryway)

Stephan shuts the door behind him. He takes off his hat and hangs it up on a hat rack. He puts his coat next to it.

stephan

Honey, I'm home.

Nancy steps out of the kitchen to look down the hall.

NANCY

(confidently)

You're not supposed to be here.

STEPHAN

(walking forward)

Neither are you.

NANCY

(holding a knife up)

Don't come near me.

STEPHAN

(holding up)

I'm no threat to you, I promise.

NANCY

Why should I trust you? You broke into someone else's home. Who knows what evil you intend.

STEPHAN

(laughing)

The Doctor and Rose sent me.

Nancy lowers the knife a little.

NANCY

(suspicious)

You know Rose?

STEPHAN

Yeah. She told me to come find you. I'm Stephan.

He holds out his hand to shake. She shakes it.

NANCY

Nancy.

STEPHAN

It's a pleasure. So, what's for dinner?

Stephan goes past her into the kitchen. He passes up the apples falling out of her sack and grabs the powdered milk.

STEPHAN

I hate this stuff.

NANCY

(brusquely)

What do you want?

STEPHAN

Well, Rose said you were taking care of a bunch kids, all living rough. I have a house, empty except for me. Also I can get food without stealing it, not to mention more of it. So if you want, you and your kids can live at my place with me. It'd be safer for all of you.

NANCY

And why would I do that? Why would you do that?

Stephan starts searching the cupboards. He finds some coffee in a bag and a full tea tin.

STEPHAN

(to himself)

Jackpot.

Nancy taps a foot, annoyed at being ignored.

STEPHAN

(noticing)

Well, I trust the Doctor and Rose. They got me out of a jam once. And let's face it, I don't have much to fear from a midget woman and a pack of children. Also, I think you trust the Doctor and Rose, so their recommendation is a point in my favor.

NANCY

Go on.

STEPHAN

Finally, it's getting bad out there for all of you. If you get nicked, you go away, leaving all those children to fend for themselves. Neither of us wants that.

Nancy looks at him, considering. Stephan starts juggling the apples.

NANCY

(sighing)

I guess you're right. I'll trust you. I have to. People are getting wise to me.

STEPHAN

(writing on a card)

Fine. This is the address. Anyone you send will be given a place. Here.

NANCY

What will the neighbors say?

STEPHAN

I don't care. That's your bit.

NANCY

My bit?

STEPHAN

They don't see me that much anyway. It'll be you they talk to. Whatever you tell them is fine. I should go.

He grabs the coffee.

NANCY

Um, if you don't mind my asking, how much room do you have exactly?

STEPHAN

Enough. We just won't have any parties.

NANCY

Thank you, Captain-

Stephan looks down at his captain's bars.

STEPHAN

Broom. No jokes please. I've heard them all.

NANCY

Right.

STEPHAN

What about you? Last name?

NANCY

Regan. Nancy Regan.

STEPHAN

(surprised)

Really? You're serious?

NANCY

Yeah, why? What's wrong with it?

STEPHAN

(laughing)

Nothing, sorry. Can you do me a favor, though?

NANCY

What?

STEPHAN

Whatever you tell the neighbors, please, for my sake, change your last name.

NANCY

(confused)

Why?

STEPHAN

(still chuckling)

I'm sure there will be plenty of time to explain that later. Now, this wonderful air raid can't last forever and I have a small, uncomfy cot with one small, uncomfy pillow on which to lay my head. So, I'm going home for some sleep. Door's open whenever you decide to move in.

NANCY

From your attitude, I'm not sure whether it's time to thank you yet.

STEPHAN

And from your attitude I'm sure I'll never be thanked. Until we meet again.

He goes back to the front door, puts his hat and coat back on, and leaves.

Nancy picks through the rest of the food quickly, and leaves by the back door, just as the all clear sounds. She runs down the alley, disappearing around the corner.