VIXEN: Vixen Sharp is a tall, elegant, gorgeous, power-house, British trans-woman. Brunette with wavy hair and curves in all the right places. Sassy, droll, blunt to a fault, and brilliant beyond measure. That magical age between 28 and 42 where you aren’t quite sure how old she is. She was an orthopedic surgeon in the Royal Hospital and a field medic for Her Majesty's Army. She loves being right and hates stupid questions.

LEAVING: attractive, but otherwise, unremarkable.

JACK: Jackson Sharp is ruggedly handsome 40 something, with that perfect mix of dad-bod and regular gym membership. Shorter than Vixen, blonde, glasses, and green eyes. Smarter than he gives himself credit for. He carries intense amounts of knowledge on multiple subjects, which he can apply to almost every situation. He is a “Jack of all Trades,” having tried his hand in almost every profession known to man. He is currently employed as a CSI for the Metro Police Department. He loves the feeling of a new book in his hands and hates eggs.

RILEY: Detective Leonard T. Riley III of the Metro Police Department. Mid-Thirties, wirie but handsome, madly in love with VIXEN, but scared to lose her or JACK’s assistance if he shows it. Extremely intelligent in his own right, but plays dumb so that he can spend more time with VIXEN. Comes from a long line of detectives and loves the force, dogs, and gourmet cooking. He hates sports and coffee.

CHAPTER ONE

Page 1.1:

Panel 1 - A beautiful sunrise through large, floor to ceiling windows. The VIXEN is standing inside of the impeccable and expensive loft apartment. She is facing the window, off-center, and completely naked as she plays the violin.

Panel 2 - Music flows from the instrument as her fingers gracefully dance over the strings.

Panel 3 - She pauses her efforts.

Panel 4 - She takes up a pencil to notate the melody on an (as yet) unnamed piece of music.

Page 1.2:

Panel 1 - She continues playing, back still to the room. We see a cat curled up in a large chair along with both male and female clothes scattered across the floor. We see the edge of a male haircut come into the bottom corner of the frame.

Panel 2 - A male silhouette comes up behind her, unnoticed.

Panel 3 - LEAVING’s hand brushes a piece of hair from VIXEN’s shoulder as she plays.

LEAVING: “I didn’t know you played the violin.”

Page 1.3:

Panel 1 - VIXEN stops playing abruptly, making a horrible noise.

Panel 2 - VIXEN turns slowly, annoyance on her features.

VIXEN: “Why are you still here?”

Panel 3- LEAVING grins and laughs lightly. He is wearing only boxers.

LEAVING: “Thought I was the type to play and run?”

Panel 4- VIXEN rolls her eyes.

VIXEN: “I was hoping…”

Panel 5- VIXEN goes back to writing down the melody.

Panel 6- LEAVING is clueless, getting very close behind VIXEN.

LEAVING: “I was thinking about breakfast. I make a mean omelet. Then, we could spend the day, here… naked…”

Panel 7- LEAVING’s hands begin to ghost over her stomach causing VIXEN’s eyes to go wide.

Panel 8- VIXEN unconsciously smacks LEAVING’s hands away with the tip of her bow.

Page 1.4:

Panel 1 - LEAVING is dismayed.

LEAVING: “Hey, what gives?!”

Panel 2 - VIXEN takes up her instrument, once more.

VIXEN: “Play time's over, now please leave.”

Panel 3 - LEAVING is shocked.

Panel 4 - LEAVING is outraged.

LEAVING: “I don't get you, lady!”

Panel 5 - VIXEN is half listening as LEAVING continues talking.

LEAVING (off panel): “We had fun last night, didn’t we? I felt like we had a real connection...”

VIXEN scoffs.

Panel 6 - LEAVING is now a little more than pissed.

LEAVING: “How can you stand there, stark naked, clearly begging for it—”

Page 1.5:

Panel 1 - The horsehair on VIXEN’s grinds to a halt with a screech.

Panel 2 - VIXEN wheels around, livid, face screwed up in anger.

VIXEN: “I beg for nothing but your departure!”

Panel 3 - VIXEN begins using the tip of her bow to strike LEAVING about the shoulders and stomach.

VIXEN: “Now, be gone!”

LEAVING: “Ow!”

Panel 4 - VIXEN turns her back to LEAVING who is slack jawed in surprise.

Page 1.6:

Panel 1 - LEAVING’s attitude reduces into grave acceptance, looking defeated with a sigh.

LEAVING: “Have it your way.”

Panel 2 - LEAVING begins collecting his clothes from the floor as Vixen goes back to her music.

LEAVING: “I’m a catch, damn it! I’m nice, I work out, I’m smart—”

VIXEN: “Debatable.”

Panel 3 - LEAVING’s eyes narrow as he points an accusing finger, his hand around his trousers.

LEAVING: “Regret. That’s what you’ll feel once I’m gone. Mark my words.”

Panel 4 - VIXEN speaks over her shoulder: “Yes. *huff* Regret at not picking your friend, instead.”

Panel 5 - LEAVING opens his mouth to speak but there is a jingle of keys behind him.

Panel 6 - As the front door opens, both VIXEN and LEAVING look towards it.

FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR: “Honey, I’m home!”

Page 1.7:

Panel 1 - LEAVING go wide as VIXEN puts down her violin.

LEAVING: “Are you— married?!”

VIXEN (deadpan): “Oh, no, my husband’s here, run…”

Panel 2 - LEAVING begins tripping over himself to get his things. VIXEN is not phased. JACK enters the apartment and goes for the pile of unruly mail on the counter.

JACK: “Sorry, I’m so late (not that you probably noticed).”

Panel 3 - LEAVING hides (unsuccessfully) behind the chair that the cat is sleeping on. JACK is leafing through the mail, not really paying attention.

JACK: “Traffic was a nightmare, I tell you. Absolutely, bloody…”

Panel 4 - JACK stops dead, his spidey-senses triggered.

Panel 5 - JACK looks over at the chair with a cat in the seat and a half naked man behind it.

Panel 6 - JACK has a moment of shock.

Panel 7 - JACK’s shock turns into rage. Fear runs through LEAVING.

JACK: “What in the bloody-hell is all this, then?”

Page 1.8:

Panel 1 - LEAVING stands from behind the chair, hands in the air in a sign of surrender. JACK, livid, turns to VIXEN who is still writing her music, not giving one single fuck.

LEAVING: “I am so so sorry, man, I had no idea she was married, I didn’t… Well, we *did* do stuff, but had I known…”

JACK (ignoring him entirely): “Why, why, *why* do you keep doing this to me?”

VIXEN: “I’m not doing anything to you.”

Panel 2 - JACK looks about ready to kill someone as he gestures in the direction of the chair. VIXEN is without fucks. LEAVING is as pale as a ghost.

JACK: “How many times, Vixen? You cannot just bring home any old stray and expect us to keep it!”

VIXEN: “You kept *Cynthia*.”

JACK: “That is entirely different! She was dying!”

Panel 3 - LEAVING looks like he’s going to shit himself. JACK is seething. VIXEN continues to be fuckless.

VIXEN: “I wasn’t going to *keep* him.”

JACK: “You can’t just play with him and then let him go. He has *feelings*!”

Panel 4 - LEAVING is now just 100% confused. VIXEN has her hands on her naked hips in a pouting fashion. JACK has calmed ever so slightly.

VIXEN: “You never let me have any *fun.*”

JACK: “This isn’t *fun*! This is responsibility! Are you going to play with him, care for him, or feed him?”

LEAVING: “Uh… I can feed myself… actually.”

Page 1.9:

Panel 1 - JACK looks around, confused.

Panel 2 - JACK sees who just spoke and realizes what is actually happening.

Panel 3 - JACK breaks into an extremely wide, genuine smile.

JACK: “Oh my goodness, how rude of me!”

Panel 4 - JACK extends a hand to LEAVING who is still completely dumbfounded. VIXEN is now crouched between JACK and LEAVING, petting the cat.

JACK: “My name is Jack. Jackson Sharp. And this is my wife, Vixen (I’m sure she never introduced herself). And you are…?”

Panel 5 - LEAVING looks horrified.

Panel 6 - LEAVING turns to leave, grabbing his clothes.

LEAVING: “I’m leaving.”

VIXEN (deadpanned): “No, don’t, come back…”

Panel 7 - Door slams. The back of JACK’s head can be seen in frame.

Page 1.10:

Panel 1 - JACK sighs, still looking at the door.

JACK (sarcastically): “Well, he seemed nice. At least this one didn’t try to steal anything.”

Panel 2 - JACK flops onto one end of the couch. VIXEN is sitting on the other end, cradling the cat.

VIXEN: “Oh, do calm down. It doesn’t count as stealing if I break their arm and they leave with nothing.

JACK (under his breath): “Still can’t believe that didn’t turn into a lawsuit.”

Panel 2 - JACK reaches over to pet the cat.

JACK: “I don’t care how cute he is, you still can’t keep him. We have enough on our plates without caring for a living being.”

Panel 3 - VIXEN smirks: “Is that why we never had children, dear?”

JACK grins: “That, and one other thing.”

Both laugh.

Panel 4 - JACK: “And since you brought her up, Cynthia was entirely different. She was dying and no shelter wanted to take an Iguana. Besides, she was *evidence*.”

VIXEN: “You wanted to keep her and you know it. Otherwise, you would have cleaned the murder victim’s blood off of her *before* you brought her to the shelter.”

JACK: “Heh, you’re probably right.”

Page 1.11:

Panel 1 - JACK stretches, VIXEN continues her attentions on the cat.

JACK: “So?”

VIXEN: “So, what?”

JACK: “Did you get what you needed from Mr. ‘Leaving’ that was just here?”

Panel 2 - JACK is now laying back onto the couch, VIXEN stretches to her music stand to get the piece of music she had been writing on.

VIXEN: “Yes, thank heavens, because I was not about to have a repeat performance.”

Panel 3 - We see a close up of an autopsy report and a piece of violin music.

VIXEN (off page): “I was even able to write a little music, too.”

JACK (off page): “You know, this could get you into trouble one day. You really need to find a new way to inspire a muse. ”

VIXEN (off page): “Why?”

Panel 4 - The sun is high in the sky above a bridge. The bridge leads to a large city, and below it is a river. On the bank of the river there are several police officers and caution tape surrounding a body on the ground.

VIXEN (CAPTION): “What could possibly go wrong?”

Panel 5 - LEAVING’s face stares lifelessly at the sky, his body covered in small bruises.

END OF Chapter One.