House-of-Cards-Pilot-Script

19.As she ascend the stairs we hear a CRASH in the living room,something SHATTERING. She pauses without turning, just afraction of a moment, then continues up the stairs.BACK ON Francis in the living room. Rage in his eyes. We seean overturned coffee table. Shards from a broken vase on thefloor. He rights the table. Bends down, picks up the largershards and places them on top.He walks over to the side window. There’s a pack ofcigarettes and a lighter neatly placed on the sill. Heraises the window. Opens the pack. It’s nearly full. Hepulls out one of the cigarettes. Perches himself on the sill.He turns to us, cooled down by now.FRANCIS(to the camera)My wife and I don’t smoke. Once aweek maybe. Together at thiswindow. It’s our time to escape.To be ourselves.Lights the cigarette. Takes a long drag.FRANCIS (CONT’D)(looks out the window)But I’m alone now.(back to us)She’s left me this way. To myself.To my thoughts. It’s not apunishment; it’s a challenge.He looks back out the window. Takes another drag.INT. UNDERWOOD RESIDENCE - BEDROOM - DAWNClaire is in bed as morning light seeps in through thewindow. The bed is empty beside her. Her eyes are open.She stares at the ceiling. The alarm beeps. She reachesover, turns it off.INT. UNDERWOOD RESIDENCE - STAIRS - MORNINGClaire descends the stairs in her bathrobe, freshly showered.When she gets to the bottom of the stairs she sees Francissitting beside the window just as he was when she left himthe night before. He doesn’t turn to her. She pauses for amoment, taking in the tableau, then walks to the kitchenwithout a word.