INT. ICU ROOM — CONTINUOUS

FACETIME CALL.

The screen connects.

LUNA fills it.
She's in Maureen’s arms.
Arms crossed. Jaw set.
Eyes shiny, holding back.

Jo inhales sharply, then steadies.

MAUREEN
(smiling, a little too bright)
Look who it is!

JO
(quiet, fragile)
Hi, Maureen.

Then, softer:

JO (CONT’D)
Hi, Luna-bear.

LUNA
(pleading)
Mommy.

That almost takes Jo under again.
Her fingers tighten in the sheet.

Link’s thumb presses once into her thigh.
She holds.

JO
Hi, my love.
How are you?

Luna doesn’t respond. 
Maureen fills the silence.
She keeps her voice light.

MAUREEN
It’s so good to see you, honey. 
How are you feeling?

JO
Getting better. 

She leaves it there.

A beat.
 
MAUREEN
Someone really missed you today.
(to Luna)
Tell Mommy what we did. 

Luna looks away, sulking. 

Silence.

Jo doesn’t push.

JO
Did you go to the park?

Nothing.
 
MAUREEN
(soft, bridging the distance)
We tried the trampolines.
Even had a big waffle with chocolate.

No reaction.

LINK
(soft, just off-screen)
Hey, Luna.

Luna flicks her eyes toward the phone.
Doesn’t answer.

Jo’s hand tightens slightly around the sheet.
Link’s thumb presses, reassuring.

LUNA
(blurting)
When are you coming home?

Jo swallows.
Doesn’t hesitate.

JO
Soon.
I promise.
But Mommy still needs to heal a bit more.

Luna shakes her head.
Hard.

LUNA
I don’t want to stay with Granny.

Her voice cracks.
She starts to cry. Sharp, angry tears.

Jo doesn’t break.
She can’t.

JO
Soon you’ll be able to come visit me.
And your sisters.

Luna sobs harder.

LUNA
(through tears)
I don’t want sisters.
I want my mommy.

Jo’s jaw tightens.
Maureen tightens her hold and rocks her gently.

MAUREEN
Oh, sweetheart.

Link’s hand presses more firmly into Jo’s leg now.

Luna cries harder — angry, confused.

LUNA
Why does Scout get to be with his mommy
and I don’t?

That lands.
Jo goes very still.

Link feels it hit too.
Jo doesn’t rush an answer.
She chooses her words carefully.

JO
(soft, steady)
Because Mommy isn’t allowed to come home yet. 

Luna shakes her head again.

LUNA
It’s not fair.

Maureen lowers her voice.
Calm, grounding.

MAUREEN
I know, sweetheart.
It feels really unfair.

She presses Luna gently to her chest.

MAUREEN (CONT’D)
Mommy was very sick.
(a beat)
And when you’re very sick, 
you have to stay at the hospital
so your body can get better.

Jo watches.
Helpless. Grateful. Broken.

LINK
(quiet, gentle)
We love you, Luna.

Luna doesn’t answer.
Turns her face into Maureen’s shoulder.
Refuses to look back.

JO
(soft, barely holding)
I love you so much, Luna-bear.

No response.

MAUREEN
(quietly, to Jo)
I’m going to try a book.
See if that helps.

JO
Okay.

She leans closer to the screen, desperate for one more second.

JO (CONT’D)
Mommy thinks about you all the time. 

Luna doesn’t look back.
 
MAUREEN
We’ll call you back later.
JO
Okay. Yeah.

MAUREEN (CONT’D)
Say bye to Mommy and Daddy.
 
Luna sobs. 
Maureen looks at Jo and mouths silently:
She’ll be alright.

Link tightens his grip on Jo’s leg as she nods.

JO
Bye, my love.
We love you!

LINK (O.S.)
Bye Luna!

The screen goes black.

BACK TO ICU ROOM

Jo stares at the dark screen.
For a second, nothing happens.

Then her body gives out.
She folds inward.
A sob breaks free. Sharp, startled.

LINK
Hey. Hey.

He’s already moving, pulling her into him.
Instinctive. Careful.

She cries. 
Not loud.
Just wrecked.
Her face pressed into his chest.

JO
(through tears)
We’re messing everything up.
 
Link doesn’t pull back.
He holds her tighter. Not to fix it. To keep her steady.

LINK
We’re not.

She shakes her head, breath hitching.

LINK (CONT’D)
We’re doing the best we can.
(a beat)
Under the worst circumstances.

The words don’t feel like reassurance.
It sounds like something they’re both choosing to believe.

Jo exhales.
Shaky. Emptied.

Then she pulls back just enough to look at him.
Really look.
Her eyes are red. Still wet.

But there’s clarity there now.

JO
You should go home.

Link stares at her. 
He doesn’t answer.
Not because he disagrees.
Because he’s already there.

Link swallows.
His jaw tightens once.

LINK
I know.

That’s it.
No argument.
No justification.
He nods, once, like the decision has finally caught up to him.

LINK (CONT’D)
(soft, torn)
But I don't want to leave you.

JO
Luna needs it.
They need it. 

LINK
Are you sure you’ll be okay?

JO
(steady, eyes glassy)
Yes. 

A beat.

She reaches for him again.

JO (CONT’D)
Please.

Link searches her face.
Not panic.
Not guilt.
Choice.
Love.

LINK
(quiet)
…Okay

He pulls her back into him.

This time, it’s not about holding her together.
It’s about letting go. Just for tonight.

They stay like that longer than necessary.
Breathing.
Letting the moment settle.

JO
(hoarse)
I’m a mess.

Link doesn’t answer right away.
Just tightens his hold.

LINK
Yeah.
(a beat)
But a beautiful one.

Jo lets out a breath — half laugh, half cry.

She doesn’t answer.
She doesn’t need to.

FADE OUT.