Once Upon a Time 1. Chapter 1

**ONCE UPON A RENT**

David Nolan is a Caucasian male in her 20's. He has a voice of a Rock & Roll God. Graham Huntsman is one of David's best-friend/roommate. He is a underground film maker, who does mostly documentaries. Belle French is Caucasian female in her mid 20's and a fellow roommate of David and Graham. She is a professor at NYU and an AIDS activist. Gold, we have no clue why he calls himself that, was once part of the roommate threesome, but he hit it big when he started dating a young heiress. Regina Mills is a Latin female in her 20's. She also the ex-girlfriend of Graham. She came from Jersey but is now a performance artist in the east village. Mary Margaret Blanchard, everyone calls her Snow, is in her late teens early 20's. Ruby Lucas is a young female around the same age as Snow. She is fun quirky, that includes her style. Emma Swan is a Caucasian female. She is also the current girlfriend to Regina Mills.

* * *

It is Christmas eve in the mid 1980's. Manhattan, New York is packed at this time of year. New Yorkers and visitors are skating in Rockefeller Center. Others may take photos of one of the most beautiful Christmas trees ever seen.

* * *

Outside of Manhattan, New York

A young woman can be seen drumming a rhythmic beat on a plastic pickle barrel. That young woman is Ruby Lucas. She is a twenty-one year old lesbian, dressed for the weather in a wool cap, jacket and jeans. Ruby is seating on an expensive brownstone porch with the barrel in-between her knees. She is drumming for cash to get by.

* * *

Loft of Graham and David

Inside an industrial loft we find David Nolan strumming his guitar. A twenty-two year old Graham Huntsman walks into the loft from the hallway. He is dressed like a typical hipster filmmaker, with rimmed glasses, tattered jeans, a sweater and a scarf. Graham turns his camera on to David and asks to smile. An annoyed David exclaims " Graham".

Graham turns to David rolling his eyes. " From here on, I shoot without a script. See if anything comes of it-."

David interrupts Graham train of thought while kicking a stack of screen-plays and says, " Instead of your old shit?"

Graham ignores David and continues to film. He narrates the scene while he films, " December 24th. Nine P.M. Eastern Standard Time. First shot, David tuning the fender Guitar."

" This won't tune" Grumbles an annoyed David.

Graham continues to ignores David and films. " So we hear, David's just coming back from a year of withdrawal."

" Are you talking to me?" asked David as he continues to try to tune his guitar.

Graham is still filming David. " Not at all. Are you ready? Tell the folks at home what you are doing, David."

David begins to sing, " I'm writing one great-". The phone in the corner of the room begins to ring, interrupting David. " Saved". Graham pans his camera towards the answering machine next to the phone. His and David's voice could be heard coming from the machine, " _Speak_".

* * *

Outside the loft

Across the street from the loft a twenty-six year old Belle French could be found at a pay phone. She has a kind, gentle face and warm eyes. She is considered a bookworm her friends and her self. She sings as she calls the loft, " Chestnut roasting...".

* * *

Back in the Loft

Graham excitingly picks up the phone. " Belle".

Belle's voice could be heard from the receiver end of the phone, " I'm outside. Throw down the key." Graham hangs up the phone and goes to get a small pouch which contains the key to the loft. He then runs out by the window and throws the key down to Belle, who catches it. Graham moves from the window and turns toward David. " A wild night is preordained".

* * *

Outside with Belle

Belle moves across the street towards the loft when two thugs came towards her from a near-by alleyway. " I may have been detained" she says. One of the thugs swings and hits Belle in her ribs. She falls to the ground struggling to catch her breath.

* * *

Loft

The phone rings again and Graham picks it up thinking it is Belle calling back.

* * *

Inside an expensive Range Rover

Rumple Stilskien III, aka Mr. Gold, is driving his range rover through the streets of Manhattan. He is a thirty year old Caucasian man. He is wearing a sleek black suit with a black shirt and a deep red tie and pocket handkerchief. He speaks to Graham through his cell phone. " Ho, Ho, Ho" he says in a non-Christmas-y way.

* * *

Loft

" Gold!" Exclaimed Graham. David could be heard in the background spouting out curses.

_" I am on my way. I need the rent."_

Graham was truly confused of what Gold was asking for. " What rent?" David finds a paper, an eviction notice, besides a table. The paper read: _RENT PAST DUE. 12 MONTHS._

Gold could be heard grumbling in the receiver end of the phone. " _This years rent, __**which **__I let slide." _

" Let it slide. I thought you said we were golden?" David also speaks into the phone and says, " When you brought the building."

" When we were roommates, Remember? You lived here." States a slightly annoyed Graham.

_" How could I forget. You, me, Belle, and Regina. How is the drama queen?"_

David moves away slightly from the phone to allow Graham a chance to talk about his ex-girlfriend. " She is getting ready for a performance"

_" I know. Still her production manager?"_

" I was bumped."

_" Still dating her?"_

" I was dumped."

" She's in love." whispers David. Still loud enough for Gold to understand.

_" She's got a new man?"_

" Well-No"

_" What's his name?"_

Both Graham and David exclaimed in the phone, " Emma!".

Gold starts his weird cackling laughter after finding out that Regina broke up with Graham for another woman named Emma. _" Rent, dearies, is due. Or I will have to evict you." _Graham angerly hangs up the phone. David begins to pick out Musetta's Theme from Puccini's La Boheme.


	2. Chapter 2

Tenement

The lights had gone off as soon as Graham hung up on Gold. " They turned off our power? On Christmas Eve?" states an incredulous Graham Huntsman. Outside the loft in a dark alleyway we find Belle French struggling against two thugs, who are kicking and punching her. Back in the loft Graham clutches the eviction notice and strikes a match. He then sets the notice ablaze. Graham throws the eviction notice into the stove. After he see's Graham set the eviction notice ablaze David begins to tear down his rock posters off the wall and throws them into a stove as well.

Through the loft window other tenants are seen lighting candles or setting things on fire. One woman. Mary Margret Blanchard aka Snow, a nine-teen year old with thick long dark hair and beautiful hazel eyes could be seen lighting candles at her window.

* * *

Tent City Theater

Standing on the battered wooden stage in the theater is Emma Swan. She is tinkering with a complicated sound system with one hand, while a payphone receiver is tucked underneath her chin. " Don't scream Regina, it's me Emma. your substitute production manager. Hey, hey, hey! Did you eat? Don't change the subject Regina. But darling, you haven't eaten all day." Emma continues to work on things that she has never worked on before. She tries to adjust the amp's electrical spark and it sparks. She jumps back, still talking to Regina. Smoke then begins to pour out of the amp. " You won't throw up. You won't throw up. The digital delay didn't blow up...exactly. There may have been one teeny tiny spark." After she speaks a sparks begin shooting from the amps. A fire quickly starts along the electrical cords. Emma stomps on the flames trying to extinguish them. " You're Not Calling Graham!" is yelled into the phone to the other female.

* * *

Alleyway

In the dark alley beside the loft's building Belle struggles to get to her feet while the thugs go through her things. They rip off her coat except for one sleeve. The thugs go through her wallet and notice that it was in fact empty. One of thug opens her bag and finds it filled with books on any and everything. He tosses the bag on the ground, and the two thugs run off leaving a battered, bleeding Belle on the ground.

Graham goes to the loft window and looks outside. " Where is she?". Little did he know, Belle was right under their noses struggling to stand up.

* * *

East Village Streets

Gold's Range Rover cuts through the streets. He passes cafes, artists, squatters, addicts, dealers, and mascara girls. He is currently on his phone. " Cora, baby. You sound sad . I can't believe those two, after everything I've done. Ever since our wedding, I'm dirt. They'll see. I can help them all out in the long run." A punk kid runs in front of Gold's jeep. He hits the horn only to have the kid flip him off.

* * *

Loft

The phone rings and Graham answers it. " Hello, Regina? Your equipment won't work. OK tomorrow, I'll go." Graham hangs up the phone furiously. While Graham was on the phone with Regina, David was looking down at a old picture frame. Inside said picture frame was a tattered photograph of him and his old girlfriend Kathryn. David throws the frame out the window, it shatters as it hits the ground. David and Graham climb out of the window onto the fire-escape armed with a guitar-David and a camera-Graham. The street is gradually filling with tent city tenants. David and Graham jump from their fire-escape onto the street bellow to join the others. Gold's jeep skids to a stop in the middle of the street.

The tenants who are breathless and angry glare at Gold. After making their point to Gold the tenants slowly begin to disperse. Before she walks away Snow catches David's eyes. They share a small smile. After she left David turns back to Gold with Graham at his side. Out of the corner of his eyes Gold notices something. A homeless man leans against his Range Rover. " Hey, you! Bum! Get your ass off that Range Rover!"

Graham rolls his eyes at Gold's actions and says " That attitude toward the homeless is just what Regina is protesting."

" Regina is protesting losing her performance space. _Not_ my attitude."

David motions to the homeless people in the area. " Her performance space happens to be home to a lot of people." Gold just stands there with a nonchalant look on his face. He picks at invisible lint on his expensive suit as if what David had said was below him.

" Look my partner-"

Graham interrupts Gold before he could finish, " Your father-in-law?"

Gold nods his head yes and continues. " He owns that lot and these buildings. He has a right to do with them as he pleases-". Gold is cut off again by Graham sarcastic comment of " Happy birthday Jesus". " I know I promised you the place for free, but my investor-"

Graham rolls his eyes again, " Your father-in-law."

Gold looks at Graham with an annoyed glare. " He's been letting you guys slide, because you're my friends,"

David who has been leaning quietly against the building finally speaks up. " So what happened?"

" He picked up the Village Voice, read about Regina's show,Pissed him off. So he sent me here for the rent."

" You're wasting your time." " We're broke", was said by Graham and David respectively. Graham turns to Gold and says, " You broke your word."

The was a pregnant pause before Gold spoke again, voice softer than before. " Remember what we used to dream about? A place to do our work and get paid?" He points to a lot next door to them. " The future home of Cyberarts. A state of the art digital, virtual interactive studio. Now that the block is re-zoned, our dream can become a reality. I'll forego rent and our paper guarantee that you can stay her for free." He pauses his movement and looks to the other men. " If you do me one small favor." David and Graham wait for the rest of Gold's statement. " Convince Regina to cancel her protest on Saturday night."

Graham and David look at Gold as if he had grown two extra heads. " Why not just get an Injunction and call the cops?" asked Graham.

" I did. They're on standby. But my investors would rather I handle this quietly."

" You can't wipe out an entire tent City, then watch " It's A Wonderful Life" on TV!" exclaims an angry David.

Passionately Gold states, " You want to produce films and write songs? You need somewhere to do it...Just stop Regina's protest. And you'll have it made. You'll see. Or you'll pack." Gold turns, gets into his jeep and drives off.

* * *

Street in front of Alley

A homeless man with a tattered green cap stands on the corner. A rusty coffee can sits by her feet. It contains a few coins, and one crumpled dollar bill. People pass her by as she sings. " Christmas bells are ringing, Christmas bells are ringing, Christmas bells are ringing." No one throws change into her can. The homeless man picks up his coffee can and walks off. Sitting a few feet away, on a staircase, is Ruby. Ruby begins a good drumbeat on his plastic tub. She is interrupted by the sound of a person moaning in pain. Ruby gets up and follows the sound.

Belle French is lying in the alley, moaning in pain. She reaches up to touch her heat. She finds a bruise and there is also blood. She hears footsteps approaching her and looks up. She cowers a little, thinking it may be his attackers coming back for more. But it's not, It's Ruby. Ruby kneels in front of Belle, notices that Belle's knee is scraped, bleeding through her torn pants.

" You okay, honey?" asks a concerned Ruby.

" Yeah...I think so"

" They get any money?"

" None to get. But they stole my coat.." Belle peels off her one torn remaining coat sleeve. She shouts out, angrily, to her long gone attackers. " Here you missed a sleeve." Ruby takes out a handkerchief and reaches out to try to clean the blood from the other females head. Belle backs off, but takes the handkerchief.

Ruby helps Belle to her feet. " We should get you to the hospital."

In pain Belle stutters out, " No. I'm- Ugghh. yeah probably." She turns to face Ruby, who extends a hand.

" I'm Ruby."

" Ruby..." Their eyes meet when Belle said her name. " Indeed, A ruby is a fine stone. Names Belle French. Some of my friends call me bookworm"

" We need to hurry. I've got a 'life support' meeting.'"

" Life support?"

Ruby nods yes. " This body provides a comfortable home, for the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome."

Belle is impressed at Ruby's blatant confession of having HIV/AIDS. It warms her heart. " As does mine."

" We'll get along fine." They exchange a glance. there is an intense attraction in their eyes. Belle lifts the handkerchief to wipe the blood from her forehead. Ruby takes it from her hand. " Let me." Ruby wipes the blood from Belle's head.


	3. Chapter 3

Loft

David is sitting on the table in there "dinning room" picking at his guitar. Graham is putting on his coat getting ready to head out. " I'm going to check on Belle, wanna come? Maybe catch some dinner?"

Without looking at Graham, David replied " Zoom in on my empty wallet."

" Toche'." Graham's voice gets softer and he says, " Take your AZT."

David nods his head and goes back to his guitar. He turns his head and sees the shattered photo og himself and Kathryn by the windowsill. He wasn't sure how it had gotten back into the house. He goes back to playing his guitar and sings, " I'm writing one great song before I.." Frustrated, he stands and looks back to the photograph of Kathryn. He grabs his guitar and dashes out of the loft toward the roof top. While out on the roof, he reminisces of the first time he met Kathryn.

_David is onstage at the CBGB club. He performing with his old band. The club is smoky and packed. At the time David looks healthier, stronger, and happier. He looks toward the audience and sees a beautiful young blonde. Her name is Kathryn. She is rail thin and a rocker girl with a tough attitude. He catches her eyes and they share a interested smile._

_ David and Kathryn used to watch the sun rise over the Brooklyn Bridge. They would share small tender kisses while doing so. After breaking apart for a moment, their kisses would end up becoming longer and more passionate. _

He remembers when Kathryn and himself used to use.

_Kathryn brought a packet of white powder from a greasy, sleazy dope dealer. David would watch and wait for her a feet away from the park. Kathryn runs up to David after she pockets the drugs. They once shot heroin in an alley in the pouring rain. _

David continues to sing and strum his guitar passionately while thinking about his old life. At the window below David sat Snow listening. David walks back into the building after reminiscing of the time he found Kathryn's lifeless body in their bathtub. As David descends the stairs he passes the fourth floor loft toward his own below. The door opens and in the door way stands Snow holding a lit red candle. She watches him walk into his loft, then blows out her candle and follows after David.

As David walks into the loft he see's that all their candles had been blown out. The fire in the stove was also dead. David places his guitar on the table. He hears a knock coming from outside the door and walks to open it thinking it was Graham. " Graham?...What'd you forget?" David opens the door to revel Snow standing there holding up her candle in her thin and cold hand.

" Got a light?"

David stares at Snow concerned, " I know you. You're...You're shivering."

" It's nothing. They turned off my heat. And I'm just a little weak on my feet." There is a pregnant pause. " What are you staring at?"

" Nothing. Your hair in the moonlight. You look familiar." David strikes a match and lights her candle. Snow starts to walk leave but stumbles in weakness. " Can you make it?"

" Just haven't eaten much today. At least the room stopped spinning anyway." David continues to stare at Snow. " What?"

" Nothing. Your smile reminded me of-"

" I always remind people of-Who is she?"

" She died. Her name was Kathryn."

David looks away after he mentioned Kathryn. Snow discreetly takes this opportunity to blow out the candle. " It's out again. Sorry about your friend. Would you light my candle."

David lights the candle and the two linger staring at the ground awkwardly. " Well.." David says.

" Yeah. Ow!"

" Oh. The wax.."

" It's dripping. I like it between my-"

" Fingers. I figured. Oh well..Goodnight." David got embarrassed and blushed as he said good night to Snow. Snow leaves and David starts to head back to his guitar that he left on the table. He hears a knock at the door and goes to answer it. " It blew out again?", he asked skeptically.

" No, I think that I dropped my stash."

" I know I've seen you out and about. When I used to go out. Your candles out."

" I'm illin'. I had it when I walked in the door. It was pure. Is it on the floor?" Snow gets on all fours to search for her stash. She looks back to David to find him staring at her. " They say I have the best ass below 14th street. Is it true?"

" What?"

" You're staring again."

" Oh, no. I mean you do...Have a nice...I mean...You look familiar."

" Like your dead girlfriend."

" Only when you smile. But I'm sure I've seen you somewhere else.."

" Do you go to the Rabbit Hole. That's where I work. I dance."

" Oh yes. They used to tie you up."

" It's a living."

" I didn't recognize you with out the handcuffs."

" We could light the candle. Oh won't you light my candle."

David relights the candle with his last match, Snow does not know that it was David's last match. " Why don't you forget that stuff. You look like you're sixteen."

" I'm nineteen. But I'm old for my age. I'm just born to be bad."

" I was once born to be bad. I used to shiver like that."

" They turned off my heat. I told you."

" I used to sweat."

" I got a cold."

" Uh-huh. I used to be a junkie."

" But now and then I like to-"

" Uh-huh?"

" Feel good."

" Oh here it is-" David finds a small bag of crack cocaine on the floor and realizes that it's snow's stash.

" What's that?" asked an excited Snow. David lies and tells Snow that it was a candy bar wrapper and puts the stash in his back pocket. " We could light the candle." David discreetly blows out the flame of the candle. " Oh what'd you do to my candle?"

" That was my last match."

" Our eyes'll adjust. Thank God for the moon."

" Maybe it's not the moon at all. I hear Spike Lee's shooting down the street."

" Bah humbug. Bah humbug." Snow pretends to accidentally put her hand under David's.

" Cold hands." says David when he feels Snow's hand in his.

" Yours too. Big. Like my fathers. You wanna dance?"

" With you?" Snow sarcastically said that she meant he should dance with her father. " I'm David."

" They call me Snow." They moved closer to each other as if they were going to kiss. Snow reaches into his back pocket and takes her stash leaving with a sexy exit. David smiles to himself. He likes Snow. Reality then sits in and his smile fades away, leaving him with a hard and empty expression. He turns to the table and picks up his guitar.

The next morning the loft is bathed with light shun from its tall, dirty windows. David walks sleepily into the kitchen. He is still freezing so he kicks the radiator, which is still not working. Graham walks in rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He opens the refrigerator to see light. " We got power." he says. David sarcastically gives a merry Christmas. Graham searchers their cupboards and finds a coffee can. He tears of a page of a local magazine _Village Voice_ and forms it into a filter for their rusted Mr. Coffee machine. He opens the coffee can and begins to pour the contents into the filter. The phone then rings and the answering machine picks up with David and Graham's unified _"Speak"_.

Graham's mom's voice could be heard from the machine. _" Graham? Are you there? Are you screening your calls? It's mom."_ Graham grimaces at hearing his mother's voice. David on the other hand turns and notices something outside. It's an envelope on a string which is being lowered in front of the window. _" Just wanted to call and say we love you. We'll miss you today. Cindy and the kids are here, send their love. I hope you like the hot plate. Just don't leave it on when you leave the house."_ David opens the window and takes the envelope. Whatever is inside is for him seeing as his name is on the front. He opens the envelope and read the writing on the paper that was inside. It said: _X-mas Brunch? Come on Up. Snow_. David is torn. He isn't sure if he should go, even though he wants to so much. Graham's mother's voice can still be heard coming from the machine. _Oh. Graham, and we're sorry to hear that Regina dumped you. I say C'est le vie. So let her be a __**lesbian**__. There are other fishies in the sea._

After the message goes off Graham sighs and looks to David. " Every now and then, when we're really dirt broke, hungry and freezing, I ask myself what the hell am I doing here? Then, they call. And I remember." Graham pauses and notices the envelope. " What's that?"

" The girl upstairs. It's nothing." David picks up a pencil and scrawls a response on the letter back into the envelope and places it back outside.

Snow's Loft

Snow has a hopeful look on her face when she pulls the envelope up to her window. She read's David's response and her face fills with disappointment. _can't_.

Boy's Loft

David closes the window. Graham is very intrigued about the note. " Girl upstairs? The dancer? From the Rabbit Hole?" The loft door opens and Belle French enters with a bandage on her head and a few bruises. Under one of her arms she carries Ruby's pickle barrel with provisions. Her other arm holds a cord of firewood. The boys run up to her and excitedly bring her into an embrace.

" Belle!" David yelled excitedly.

Belle gives Graham the small leather pouch. " Your key."

" Fourteen hours later." Graham notices Belle's bruises. " What happened to you? Are you alright?"

Belle grins and replies, " Never been better." She dumps out the contents of Ruby's tub onto the table. There are Café Bustelo, fresh bananas, Captain Crunch, Marlboros, and Stoli. The boys pick up the goodies with glee.

" A Christmas Feast!" states Graham.

Belle gives David the firewood, which immediately gets dumped into the illegal wood burning stove. David turns to Belle, " You strike gold at M.I.T?"

" No. They expelled me for my theory of actual reality, which I'll soon impart to the couch potatoes at New York University."

Graham asked confusedly, " Then, where did you get this stuff?"

Belle introduces the boys to Ruby. Ruby sashay in gorgeously dressed in a full Santa Clause outfit. She also has a fan of twenty-dollar bills in each hand. Ruby told the boys how she received her money. She told them that she got the money from an older rich woman who asked her to kill a neighbors dog. After the Ruby told the boys the phone rang and the machine went of with a _Speak_.

Regina was heard from the machine, _" Graham! I need you at the theater! The new equipment's just arrived-"_ Graham picks up the phone, he is obviously still smitten with Regina.

" Regina. Hi. Yeah. I'm on my way. See you there." Graham hangs up, furiously and turns to David and Belle. " Can you believe Regina's nerve!? She dumps me for some sheriff named Emma, then asks me to fix her sound equipment?!"

Belle rolled her eyes and said " You could have said no."

" Well, yeah. But.."

David turns to Belle and said, " He still loves her."

Graham gave them a phony laugh. " Yeah. Right. No way." David and Belle smile knowingly toward Graham. " Hey. It's Christmas day. The girl needs some support." Belle turned to Ruby and reminded her that they had to go to their appointment.

" Where?" asked David. Ruby replied and told him that they were going to life support. " On Christmas?"

" Some people don't have anywhere else to go." replied a solemn Ruby. Ruby and David look at each other knowingly. She extends her hand to him asking him to come with them.

" I'll pass."

" Life support's a group for people coping with life. You don't have to stay too long." probed Ruby.

" I'm not much company." said David.

Belle turns to Graham and asked him if he wanted to come. Graham replied by asking if he could shoot some film. Belle and Ruby shrug and tell him that it was not a problem. " Okay. Meet you there. First, I've got a protest to save." Graham puts on his coat and leaves the loft. Belle and David exchange a small smile


End file.

Once Upon a Time, Drama