Gabrielle:  (shoulders hunched over, emotionally beaten) Please, just go away.

Max:  (walks up behind her, hesitates first but then places his hands on her shoulders, she visibly winces)  I know Brenda’s testimony upset you.  Michael was able to hit you with every name in the book, you didn’t even flinch. But when Brenda praised you and supported you (Gabrielle breathes in, clenches her jaw, trying to suppress the tears), that hurt didn’t it, because you had to face the fact that you are not the worse thing since Lizzy Borden, that you do have a heart after all.

Gabrielle:  (face slightly tear stained, now screwing up her face into one of sardonic self loathing, her voice clipped and dismissive)  Brenda has the heart, she wears it on her sleeve poor thing, she’ll never learn.

Max: (spins around her chair to sit on the edge of the desk to face her)  Maybe she trusts you, did that ever occur to you?

Gabrielle:  (standing up, putting the chair between her and Max, wicked smile battling the tears)  Of course she trusts me.  Anyone can trust me to do the rotten and selfish thing.  She really should have paid attention to Michael in that courtroom.  Now there’s a man that can call a spade a  spade (Max glowering).  How did he describe me?  Heartless, calculating, depraved... yes I think that sums me up...

Max:  (rising toward her) Stop it...

Gabrielle:  (building up steam) Yes, you and Brenda should take a course together, we’ll call it Gabrielle Medina 101 and Michael can be the teacher, complete with charts and graphs and an exam, and do you know what the essay question would be...

Max:  (softly) I said stop it...

Gabrielle:  It would be compare and contrast switching babies with the worst crimes in the world...

Max: (getting closer) Don’t do this...

Gabrielle:  (voice now more clipped, faster ) And then you’ll give out the punishment...

Max:   Gabrielle...

Gabrielle:  Which is either the electric chair...

Max:  (pleading) Stop it... stop Gabrielle...

Gabrielle:  (trying to drown out Max) Or the firing...

Max:  (grabs, shaking her by the shoulders, shouting) I said stop it!!

Gabrielle:  (voice wrenched in pain)  How... can she possibly forgive me... when there’s no way in hell I can forgive myself?! 

Max:  (he pulls her toward him and kisses her head... hands on her cheeks, gently)  You can, but you’ve got to take the first step...

Gabrielle:  (pulls away from him, dismissive)  It’s too late for that!  I deserve to be locked away, and if you knew what was good for you, you’d leave me alone. (Max clenches his jaw)
 

Scene II: Max and Gabrielle frozen in the same positions

Max:   (mockingly) You want me to leave you alone?  You’re a lost cause?  Poor Gabrielle, nothing matters to her, nothing means anything... it’s all just a big joke?  Is that right? 

Gabrielle:  (laughing caustically)  That’s right, it is a big joke and I’m the laughing stock.  Thoughtful, caring, kind... other words like that, if that’s not a joke, what is? 

Max:  (pointedly) Your pretending not to care... (now softly) that’s the real joke... trying to hide behind your bitterness and the recriminations you feel (approaches her)... I’m not going to let you because you are not a cynic, you are a fighter.

Gabrielle:  (glibly) Hah!  I quit.

Max:   Bull!  Is that the way you pay Brenda back for what she said about you on the stand?

Gabrielle:   Brenda’s a sweet lady, she’s a very naive one too.

Max: (frustrated)  Why is it when people think the best of someone it’s thought of as naive?   Now why isn’t that thought of as smart, and the bitterness seen as the naive point of view?  (becoming more heated as he continues to approach her)  People are not black and white.  They exist in the gray world; good and bad, true and false.  Brenda lives there, she knows it.  If anyone is naive, it’s you. (Max & Gabrielle’s instrumental theme begins to play)

Gabrielle:  (swallowing, but still glib) If you’d like to believe that it’s fine with me.

Max:  (still approaching, voice husky)  I believe in you... Brenda believes in you. (he reaches out to her) You’re the only one that doesn’t.

Gabrielle: (smiling bitterly) No... no you see Max, I don’t believe that you believe in me.  I believe that you only care about what happens to me because of our son.

Max:  I’m thinking of you...

Gabrielle:  (incredulous chuckle, and then pointedly)  No you’re not... you’re using me.  You’ve always used me.  You used me in Argentina, for your own needs (laugh), you never once though what that meant to me...

Max:  (arguing)  No, you’re wrong about that...

Gabrielle:   No, I’m not wrong about that...

Max:  You’re wrong....

Gabrielle:  (chidingly) I am a world expert when it comes to you, Max Holden.

Max:  (gulps)  I may have taken advantage of you when we met, but people change... (Gabrielle looks incredulous)... people do grow up... and when I say I care, I mean I care about you... not Al... not myself, but you (voice growing stronger and more insistent)... and I’m going to fight for you even if you won’t!

Gabrielle:  (bitingly) When are you going to get it?  When are you going to understand?  I don’t want you to fight for me.  (now shouting)  Give it up!  Throw in the towel!

Max:   I can’t do that!

Gabrielle:  Then I’ll do it for you... (spins around and pulls open the door)  Sheriff , I want to be taken...

Max:  (rushes up behind her)  Sheriff, just a few more...

Gabrielle:  ...Back to my cell now

Max:   Sheriff, please...

Sheriff:  Sorry, Mr. Holden.  Come on Ms. Medina, let’s go. (leads Gabrielle away)

Max: (shouting after her retreating back)  I meant what I said Gabrielle! Every word of it! I’m not giving up!