(Karen just signed the year-lease on her apartment and Joe comes by.)
J: Well, it looks like everything worked out.
(Next scene, they're done with the pizza and drinking wine on the terrace.)
(next scene)
(Karen calls Jagger on the phone shortly after Joe leaves but ends up getting his machine, like usual.)
K: This is *exactly* what I wanted. I am so grateful to you. Hey! Did you see this? It's the best part. Come on! (leads him out to the patio)
J: Wow! This is great!
K: You know, I know this sounds kinda weird, but this feels like it's home already.
J: I'm glad I could help you. Listen, I brought some wine, I figured we could order pizza and have it delivered here.
K: Great! Alice said the phone's already hooked up.
J: So, does this mean you're not gonna be leaving Port Charles?
K: (laughs) I just signed a one-year lease. I'm not going anywhere.
K: It's a miracle. Two hours ago I was in the ER, everything was going wrong. People were screaming...but now, I am in my own terrace, enjoying this beautiful evening. It's so peaceful. What more could anyone ask for?
(Karen leans in toward Joe, with her elbow on the table and her chin in her hand.)
J: Nothing. Nothing at all.
(Joe leans toward her and they kiss. Next scene, they're still kissing, and Karen gets up.)
K: I - I can't do this.
J: Look - I'm sorry if I came on too strong. It's just I've wanted to kiss you for so long.
K: What are you talking about, Joe? You know that I'm married.
(next scene)
J: I guess I'm a little confused here.
K: Why? You know I'm married.
J: I know you have a piece of paper. Yeah.
K: It's a lot more than that, Joe.
J: Well then, I guess -
K: I guess?
J: Karen, you never wear your wedding ring.
K: It tears rubber gloves.
J: And you mom -
K: What about my mom?
J: Your mother said that Jagger was involved in his work...
K: Since when have you been chatting to my mother about me and Jagger?
J: I didn't. I wouldn't. She told my mother that you and Jagger were having problems.
K: Oh, great.
J: Karen, I am trying to explain myself here. It's not like I go around every day kissing happily married women.
K: Look, my mom has her own agenda where Jagger is concerned. She's never liked him. You shouldn't believe anything she has to say about him. If she gave you the idea that -
J: No, she didn't give me any ideas, Karen. If I got any, they were from you.
K: What are you talking about??
J: Showing up at my house in the middle of the night, hugging me all the time, waking me up in the on-call room?
K: If I did those things, it's because I thought you were my friend. That's such a guy thing to do!! Accusing me of leading you on! All I wanted was a friend to talk to. I didn't ever want any more than that.
J: Okay. Fine. Then maybe I was out of line before. But answer me one question. If you are so devoted to this marriage, why is it you never told me you had a husband?
K: I wasn't holding out on you, if that's what you mean.
J: You weren't exactly sharing information with me, either.
K: Well I was distracted by a few minor incidents, Joe. Like being held hostage. And your hearing. Audrey Hardy's surgery, my father's accident. Besides, you said that you knew about Jagger already.
J: I did. But I knew because of him, not because of you.
K: Is that such a crime?
J: It would have made things clearer.
K: Maybe I wasn't ready to share the intimate details of my life.
(Karen walks inside, Joe follows.)
J: I hardly call marriage an intimate detail. But, what do I know? I mean, I thought in a marriage, the husband was supposed to be there for the wife when she needed him. Pretty stupid, huh?
K: Jagger's having a lot of problems. His work is very important to him.
J: Karen, the guy is in San Francisco! You just signed a year lease here in Port Charles. What kind of marriage is that?
K: It's the only one that we can have right now!
J: Well that doesn't sound like a hell of a lot to me.
K: Well thanks for sharing. You have no idea. You have no idea what our plans are. You don't know that he's not gonna come back here and share this place with me and it's none of your business anyway!
J: Okay, fine. Then it's none of my business. So when you deliver your first baby, or you're scared to death, or your father is leaving town, why don't you call Jagger and wake him up in the middle of the night.
K: No, that's not fair.
J: And tell him everything. Save your intimate details for him.
(Joe leaves, and Karen starts to cry.)
K: Hi, Jagger, it's me. Give me a call when you get in. (starts to hang up, but changes her mind and keeps talking.) I hate this! I hate talking to you on this stupid machine, I have so much to tell you. I got a new place, and it's really cute. (walks out to the patio) Small, but it's sunny, really sunny, and pretty, and this great patio outside, with a garden. We can finally have a garden! I really wish you could see it, I think it would make you change your mind. I think my ship has sailed on the San Francisco internship. I signed a one-year lease, and I am pretty much committed to being here now. I really miss you. I don't know if I did the right thing or not, you and I, we used to decide this kind of thing together. I really hate that you're so far away, I really miss you. Please come home. I know that's silly for me to ask you that, but I'm really scared. What if something happens? (trying not to cry) Actually, something did happen tonight, and I have to tell you about it, but I don't wanna tell you on this stupid machine, so please give me a call, okay? I need you...a lot (she's crying now)..okay. (hangs up phone.)