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Summary: After a difficult fight, Clark needs you.
Pairing: David!Clark Kent x F!Reader
Word Count: 627
Warning: Mature. Kissing, minor description of blood/injuries and tooth rotting fluff.
A/N: This takes place before the events of the movie. There are no spoilers. Thanks to @unearthlys-spam for the inspiration and @ellethespaceunicorn for the beta.
Please comment or reblog if you enjoyed this and want to see more. Or scream at me in my inbox. That always makes my day.
Masterlist ♡ David Corenswet Characters Masterlist
It’s late, and your sun-dappled apartment is warm and calm, still carrying the intoxicating scent of fresh-baked cookies, even though you devoured them hours ago. Outside, the city hums along, its noise softened to a low murmur beneath the drone of the TV. You feel drowsy, despite the relatively early hour, and glance at your phone. No missed calls. No texts from Clark. Tonight, he’s meeting with the Justice League, and you know how Guy loves to hear himself talk. It would be a late night for him.
You yawn and stretch before turning toward the kitchen, only to let out a startled cry.
Clark is on your balcony, bloodied and slumped, his shoulders bowed as if the weight of the world is finally too much to bear. Panic grips your chest as you rush to the door, fumbling with the lock before sliding it open and reaching for him. His breath rattles in his chest, thin and sharp like wind slipping through a crack in the wall.
“Clark,” you whisper, horrified. “What happened?”
He glances up, and despite the blood on his temple and the exhaustion in his eyes, the corner of his mouth tugs upward. For a fleeting moment, a dimple appears.
“You should see the other guy,” he says lightly, but his joking tone doesn’t sit right with you. You frown. “I’m fine; we just had an unexpected visitor that packed quite a wallop.”
“Why didn’t you go to the Fortress?” you ask, brushing your fingers gently across a bruise blooming along his cheekbone. “You need to heal.”
He catches your hand in his, warm and trembling, and lifts his other to cradle the side of your face. The look he gives you is raw and aching. But it’s his next words that knock the air right out of your lungs.
“I needed to see you,” he says quietly. “Just… wanted to see you.”
His shoulders sag as he leans in, forehead resting against yours. You reach up, fingers threading through the thick curls at the nape of his neck. Clark exhales a slow, uneven breath and pulls you closer.
The minutes slip by. He just breathes. Just holds you.
Worry seeps into your bones. “Clark…” you whisper.
“I feel better already,” he murmurs against your skin, and then he’s kissing you.
It’s not rushed or hungry, but grounding. Reassuring. When you tilt your face and part your lips, he doesn’t hesitate to deepen the kiss and slips into your warmth.
Eagerly, you guide him back toward the couch with you, and he follows without question, letting you pull him down as you sink into the old, worn leather. Even kneeling on the floor, he’s tall enough to reach you, his lips never leaving yours, his hands steady on your waist.
Kissing Clark is always a revelation, and tonight is no different. Heat pulses through your limbs as your hand glides over his shoulder, feeling for the hidden clasp on his suit. Then a strained sound escapes him that stops you cold. You pull back, heart lurching in alarm.
“You're hurt” you say, your gaze drifting past him to the fading light that signals dusk’s approach. “You need the sun.”
He blinks, then looks at you with a soft smile.
“You’re my sun,” he whispers so earnestly. It’s a line that would sound cheesy from anyone else. But coming from him, it’s the truth, so utterly Clark that you find yourself blinking away unexpected tears.
“What’s a girl supposed to say to that, huh?” you ask with a watery laugh.
“Nothing,” he replies, pulling you into another kiss. “Just let me love you.”
“I can do that,” you promise. “If you let me take care of you tonight.”
“Alright,” he agrees, kissing you again. “But first, I need a little more time with my sun.”
After a late night working on news writing, Y/N woke up to the bright sun glaring in their face as they fell out of their chair.
"Ow, shit." They rubbed their head as they glanced at Clark, who was still asleep before grabbing their phone as their eyes widened. "Kent wake up." They said shaking him.
He groaned before uncrossing his arms but still his still closed. "Mmm."
They shaked him harder. "Clark goddammit, wake up! It's 9:12!"
When Y/N said the time, he jolted awake. "Shit, we have the report for Cat at 9:30!" He said, scrambling, grabbing the files.
"Did we even finish?" They yawned before Clark sped through the papers before nodding.
"Yes, we did." The two scrambled out the door before running to the bus stop making themselves look ready. As they got the bus stop after the bus just left.
"Now what?" They groaned before he looked at them.
"You know exactly what." He smirked, looking up.
A/N: I finally posted after so long. How's everyone!? Who wants a Part 2?
Summary: Tyler Owens x Fe!Reader -> Tyler provides you with a New Year's Surprise.
Disclaimer: Mostly fluff and cuteness, happy ending, Tyler being a cowboy gentleman, dancing on a back road. Reader has hair long enough to be held back by a hair-tie. Happy New Year!!! Here's to a kind 2025 ❤
Tyler had been watching you for the last ten minutes and he could guarantee that if he’d stood and watched you for the last two hours, you’d still look the same.
Sat at the desk, pouring over a thousand different books, ink stains across your fingers and tired eyes.
“Here you are.”
For a moment you were unaware of where you were. Looking around your eyes finally focused on the owner of the voice.
Tyler Owens.
“'Been wondering where you got to. Why am I not surprised to find you here?”
There was a smile on his face as he spoke softly and walked inside. You hid your own and looked around at the books in front of you.
“It’s new year, shouldn’t you be taking a break?”
You looked at him. “It’s not new year yet.”
He looked at his watch and shrugged. “Couple hours to go.”
“See. So I still have time.”
Tyler watched as you continued to write, your hand cramping in the meantime.
“Do you have any plans for tonight?”
“What?”
“Other than this.” Tyler motioned to everything in front of you. “Do you have any plans tonight?”
You shook your head. “No.”
“I want to show you something.” Tyler stood up and your eyes trailed up him as he did.
“Show me what? Don’t you want to watch the ball drop with the others?”
Tyler shook his head with a soft smirk. “I’ve seen it before, I won’t be missing anything. Besides, the others are heading to the bar.”
“Don’t you want to go with them?”
“I’d rather show you something.”
You looked at your desk, weighing up completing work that could wait vs going with Tyler.
With your own smile, you looked up at him. “Okay.”
“Okay,” Tyler nodded, still smiling. “You got a jacket?”
Tidying up your things, you nodded. “Yeah, on the hook. Just give me a minut-“
As you finished, you turned and found Tyler already holding your jacket out for you. You felt yourself blush a little.
“Thank you.”
“No problem.” Tyler smiled as he helped you pull your jacket over your shoulders. You turned around and he fixed it, his hands lingering on the lapels as he fixed his gaze to yours.
But the moment passed, and he stepped back. “Shall we go?”
“Lead the way.”
Tyler opened his passenger door for you to get inside before he closed it and got into the driver's seat. You slung your seatbelt over you and looked around you.
“You sure the others won’t miss us?”
Tyler shook his head. “Not until breakfast, when they’re all reeling with hangovers.”
You smiled, hearing his engine start and the tyres of his truck began to move. After thirty minutes, the conversation lulled into a comfortable silence that eventually was filled with radio music.
“Where are we even going?”
“You’ll see.”
“You’re going to miss New Years if we keep driving.”
He just chuckled before merging off the Highway and towards a small town. It looked familiar. You’d passed through it a few times during Chasing Season.
Soon the smooth road turned into a rocky path and once all the lights from the streets were drowned away from the darkness of the night, being sprinkled with starlight, Tyler pulled over.
“Is this your plot to kill me?”
Tyler chuckled a little. “No. But I figured you could use a break that lets you see the real world. Wind down your window.”
You did as he told you before he switched the engine off leaving the headlights on.
Looking at the time on his dash, he looked back at you. “We’ve got about twenty minutes til midnight. Wanna dance?”
Looking around you and back at him, you couldn’t help but smile. Headlights, stars, (almost) midnight sky, an empty backroad and Tyler.
“This is what you wanted to show me?” You didn’t even try to hide your smile. And neither did he. Tyler nodded.
Opening up the door, you hopped out and walked down the road a little in the light of his headlights. The air was crisp and cold. Blowing out your breath, you could see the heat evaporate into the air and you laughed. It was silly, but you’d cooped yourself up at your desk for the last three days.
Tyler watched you from his truck for a moment, a smile spreading across his face. The tension from your shoulders was gone immediately, your fingers were more relaxed and you just seemed lighter. Less weighed down by pressure from the information that had been pouring from your desk and through your ink stained fingertips.
Reaching over, he found the softer country music radio station before turning it up so you’d both be able to hear it outside.
Then he joined you.
“Dance with me?”
Looking over at Tyler as he held his hand out, you smiled and took it, letting him pull you in.
Twirling you in, once you were at his chest he reached his hand to the back of your head and released the hair tie that had long since done its job keeping your hair from your face.
Letting your hair free, you watched as Tyler rolled your hair tie around his wrist before you both started dancing.
His eyes never left yours. Not once. A thousand fireworks could go off right beside you and his eyes would never leave yours.
Twirling, spinning, changing hands, laughing, smiling, beaming, falling, catching and dancing some more, you found yourself more relaxed than ever.
And for the first time something became clear to you.
Tyler.
Of course you’d had a crush on him for years. Who wouldn’t? He was all cowboy, all charm and had the sense to know what to do with it. He was kind, charming and intelligent in more ways than one.
And looking at him, seeing his smile spread across his face in the light of the headlamps, a new fact settled over you.
Tyler Owens was one of the most incredible men you’d ever had the chance to meet.
And you were head over heels in love with him.
From the radio, a countdown had started.
Ten
Nine
“Almost New Year.” Tyler pointed out, his eyes not leaving you.
Eight
Seven
You took a breath as you and Tyler stood still. “I know you didn’t mind missing the TV special tonight.”
Six
Five
“But do you plan on avoiding other new years traditions?”
It took him a moment but it clicked with Tyler.
Four
Three
A smirk turned smile graced his face as his fingertips, that now shared faint prints of your own ink stains, brushed through the ends of your hair.
“Not all.”
Two.
You smiled, standing a little taller as Tyler’s hand cupped your neck and jaw.
One.
Somewhere in the distance fireworks were starting to go off, lighting up with the rest of the stars in the sky. The radio had long faded from whatever country song had been playing to people calling out Happy New Year as Auld Lang Syne played behind their words.
All the while, Tyler kissed you. His lips against yours, one of his hands pulled you closer to him by your waist and his other hand angling your face. Your own hands pulled at his jacket in the hopes to get him closer to you.
Finally, as you both pulled away and you found yourself back on your feet, Tyler’s hand remained by your neck and hair, his forehead against yours.
Previously, we hallucinated the first act of a National Treasure musical.
And now:
ACT II
INT. ROTUNDA - NIGHT
The curtain opens with AGENT SADUSKY and the other FBI AGENTS —JOHNSON, HENDRIX, & DAWES— and facing the audience. He addresses the audience as if we’re the gala guests ensuring us that everything is fine.
The ensemble is additional FBI agents.
Then he and the agents regroup by themselves. Agent Hendrix admits that they received a tip but it wasn’t recorded.
Sadusky: How ‘bout now?
SONG: Every Second Counts
The song starts on a very sassy, staccato note just after Sadusky says his sassy line. Its melody is urgent as he and the other agents try to figure out what happened.
They question:
MIKE, the guard that Ian and co knocked out. He doesn’t remember anything.
HEAD GUARD WOODRUFF, who tells them that a copy of the Declaration is on display and that there were no other guards in the vault hallway.
STAN, who says Abigail is missing but there’s no way she was involved.
CASHIER, who relays the weird interaction she had with Ben.
Different cast member come forward to meet them as the agents do basically a walk & talk around the stage.
↳ Btw Disney has generously paid for us to have one of those in-stage treadmill things so let’s use that for the blocking here to help the scene feel dynamic. Do your best Aaron Sorkin impression, you know?
That’s how the agents get Ben’s name: Benjamin Franklin Gates.
Now the song quiets down for Sadusky to have a verse alone thinking about Ben. This element is in the final movie, but it’s one of the things that stands out to me most from the 2003 script as well (at least, of things that aren’t ridiculous): the other agents are quick to assign roles and motivations to Ben. He must be an anti-american terrorist, etc. Sadusky waits and analyzes.
So this verse is a little bit more intimate as Sadusky wants to understand who Ben is and what’s making him tick before he makes any judgements.
Ends with the lead toward Patrick. “Closest relative first.”
END SONG
INT. GATES FAMILY HOME - NIGHT
Ben asks Patrick for the Silence Doogood letters.
Riley asks what the magic numbers mean. Ottendorf cypher.
Patrick explains that he donated the letters. Ben will absolutely still give his dad the finger in the way he pulls off his cotton gloves. Iconic.
Abigail says she can’t believe all this time no one knew what’s on the back.
Patrick: The back of what?
SONG: Too Far
Let’s have Patrick get a little angrier, yeah?
In this brief song Patrick will criticize Ben for taking things too far. He’ll say that he’s tolerated all of Ben’s treasure hunt shenanigans, him wasting his potential, but this is too much. The worst insult will come when he says Ben has let his grandfather down.
Patrick: And you’ve dragged me into all this
Ben: Well we can’t have that.
END SONG
Ben and the gang tape Patrick to the chair before leaving. They mention that they’re going to take Patrick’s car.
INT. HOTEL - NIGHT
Ian and the gang puzzle over the riddle. It’s a little more banter-y than in the movie but it’s clear Ian is in control. He’s the kind of guy where they henchmen will laugh if he laughs and stop if he stops.
Maybe we learn a bit more about each henchman here?
And they’re playing poker or something. Pretty chummy.
Ian figures out the “Silence is a name” clue.
INT. CLOTHING STORE - DAY
Although the scene in the car is one of my favorites, it won’t really work here, so we’ll have the Common Sense/how do they have cash discussion in the store while Ben and Abigail pick out clothes.
We’ll watch them make the plan to have Riley go and get the cypher clue because he’s the one least likely to be spotted.
Riley leaves and Ben and Abigail head into the questionably designed dressing rooms.
SONG: Cavalier
Oh we’re definitely doing a song for this one.
Abigail asks Ben about Patrick’s comment. Ben explains his dad’s philosophy on love.
Since we have time to get a bit more introspective here, let’s dig into this a little more. As I’ve discussed elsewhere, I think this whole “cavalier in your personal life” says way more about Patrick than it does about Ben.
So Ben will explain a bit more about who his dad is, what Patrick expects Ben to be, and how Ben actually lives his life.
Superstar bonus points if we make it canon that his mom is dead in this version.
This song is mostly Ben’s with Abigail popping in here and there. Subtextually it makes it clear that actually Ben does have a one true love just like his dad wanted, but it’s the treasure.
The song ends with Ben and Abigail doing a nice little harmony now that they’re falling more in sync. And yes, some of Ben’s old-time-y poetic phrasing will be used in the lyrics.
END SONG
EXT. FRANKLIN INSTITUTE - DAY/INT. CLOTHING STORY - DAY
The lights go down on the clothing store but it’s still visible. Ben and Abigail finish any quick changing they need to do.
Riley is on a bench downstage waiting for the the SCHOOLKID. (This can be the same kid who plays young Ben for double casting reasons, or not).
The kid walks in and gives Riley the next letter paper. Riley adds the letters to the riddle. We can use the same scrim projection deal to show the almost-finished puzzle. Super extra bonus points if we watch Riley erase part of it in time with the projections when the kid criticizes his handwriting.
Riley sends the kid in for the last letters.
He reads the end of the riddle to himself again and…
[what inspires his breakthrough here? A salesperson selling something liberty bell related? idk]
Riley jumps up and runs off stage. The lights go down on the bench and come up again on…
INT. CLOTHING STORE
Ben and Abigail come out of the changing rooms as Riley runs in with the next clue.
All of the same bits with the CASHIER, decoding the riddle, and daylight savings time.
The trio heads off to Independence Hall.
EXT. BENCH - DAY
Lights come back on the the bench and the kid comes out again looking for Riley. When he doesn’t see him, the kid walks part way across the stage looking for him, turns around…and walks right into Ian and the crew, who have taken Riley’s place.
They get the kid to give them the last four letters, and announce that they’re also heading to independence hall.
INT./EXT. INDEPENDENCE HALL - DAY
A NATIONAL PARK RANGER leads a tour group across the stage. Ben, Riley, and Abigail break off of it and climb up the scaffolding, which will now playing the role of Independence Hall. A bell has been raised above it.
They spot the shadow as Ian and co enter on stage level looking up at the hall. “Idiot.” “Who?” “Me. It’s not here. It’s there.”
↳ Also can we talk about Shaw’s reaction here? “Who?” It’s really encapsulates their dynamic.
Team Treasure climbs down while Ian and Shaw climb up, leaving the rest of the henchmen on the stage. Ben’s team heads to the signing room (downstage) while the other henchmen move around and accidentally miss them.
The blocking here should feel as close to a Scooby Doo doors sequence as is possible in real life.
INT. SIGNING ROOM - DAY
The set changes slightly so it’s clear we’re inside Independence Hall and the henchmen are outside. Ian and Shaw are still up in the belfry. Some old time-y desk push in from the edges.
Ben shows off the glasses and Riley and Abigail help him unroll the Declaration. When he gets to the bottom, Ben pauses.
SONG: In the Company/Great Company/Great Minds
“The last time this was here, it was being signed.”
Ben envisions the scene, with a little bit of context for how the convention was actually going. He elaborates on his thing about being in the same place as historical happenings and what it feels like for him.
We’ll use Patrick’s line from later in the movie about being in the company of some of the greatest minds in history by understanding what they left behind.
Abigail is charmed by this, and Riley is affectionately annoyed. There’s another tour coming.
Then Ben spots some of Ian’s crew out the window. The song shifts to more of a “we’ve got company, uh-oh” bent. Ben, Riley, and Abigail split up with the artifacts.
Ian and the henchmen get a verse as they split up to pursue. Their verse uses “we’ve got company” in the sense of “we’ve found them”/“we have eyes on them.”
The ensemble floods in as the crowd outside of Independence hall. Team Treasure acts cool until all at the same moment they break into a run. Powell and McGregor chase Ben off in one direction and Shaw and Shippen follow Riley and Abigail in the other.
INT. READING TERMINAL MARKET - DAY
Riley and Abigail run back onto the stage as shop counters and patrons move in—one row in back and one on each side to create an aisle. She beckons for him to follow but they get split up (one gets pulled in the wrong direction by the treadmill?).
Everyone is still singing btw.
Abigail jumps behind the meat counter, which is facing the audience. Everything FREEZES and the lights all focus on Abigail and the woman behind the counter.
I’d love to do that thing where this song stops the previous one cold and takes over, so:
END SONG
SONG: Stick Around
This song is trying to cover a lot of ground so let’s see if we can make it work.
It starts with MEAT LADY behind the counter looking at Abigail. She’s trying to decide whether to let Abigail stay or not.
Behind the counter, in the aisle of the market, Shaw is prowling and doing a creepy “here kitty” kind of thing with the idea of “stick around and find out”
Abigail—frightened by this—is starting to wonder why she is sticking around. For the Declaration, yes, but she’s literally holding it. Once they’re clear of the immediate danger she could turn it in. Not Ben necessarily, but this song will explore why she still wants to be a part of the treasure hunt.
We’ll also see what Riley is doing. I’m thinking some comedic shenanigans pretending to be part of different families/groups? In his part he’ll explain why he is sticking with Ben. Maybe we'll learn that his interest in conspiracy theories comes out of a desire to be part of something that matters. And with Ben and Ben's mission he feels like he matters.
→ don't come at me Emmi, I'm trying to fix this ☺️
Meat Lady tells off Shaw, who leaves. Abigail and Riley both reaffirm their decision to stick with Ben.
END SONG
The lights come up, the crowd starts moving again, and Abigail runs back into the fray. She reunites with Riley and they run out. The market setting follows them as…
EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY
Ben backs onto the top catwalk, held at gunpoint by McGregor. Ben tries to reason with him, remind him they knew each other. Maybe a few extra lines about playing poker with the guys or whatever the crew did when Ben was with them.
Ben throws the document case and runs down the far staircase. McGregor sees that its empty and leaves in a huff.
EXT. STREET - DAY
Below, Riley and Abigail run through a crowd. Riley gets held up and Abigail gets knocked down.
She drops the Declaration case then dives after it. Riley pulls her back to the sound of a TRUCK HORN. Then the treadmill brings the case right to Ian’s feet.
Shaw and Shippen run in after them, but Ian lets Riley and Abigail go.
They call Ben, who comes from the other side of the stage, and tell him they lost it. Ben says to meet him at the car.
When Ben arrives at the car, Sadusky and his team are waiting. They arrest Ben.
Riley and Abigail backtrack before they can be spotted.
EXT. PARK - DAY
Riley and Abigail wonder what they’re going to do now.
SONG: One Step Short of Crazy (Abigail’s Reprise)
In this song, we get to see Abigail make the decision to call Ian and work with him to get Ben back, something she would never have dreamed she was capable of or willing to do 24 hours earlier.
But now she’s open to the idea of doing what’s considered wrong, in order to do what she knows is right.
We get to hear just the first few lines of their her and Ian’s conversation.
END SONG
INT. FBI FIELD OFFICE - DAY
The FBI team drag Ben in and handcuff him to a desk. We get to see a little more of the interrogation here, because I think the way Ben chooses to summarize the story thus far is probably funny/interresting.
SONG: Door Number Three
Sadusky lays out for Ben that he has two options, Door Number 1 and Door Number 2.
When Ian calls Sadusky has a line like “Door Number 2 just called” or “Door Number 2 is closing.”
Ian—from an aside at the front of the stage—tells them to meet at the Intrepid.
I’d love an extra line or two about how Ian and crew plan to get there.
EXT. USS INTREPID - DAY
The ensemble is once again the crowd, with the FBI agents in plain clothes but distinguished by light cues as Sadusky does roll call so we can see where they are.
Ben enters and quips about the agents being spotted. Sadusky and Agent Johnson sit in a van at the back of the stage with headphones.
The helicopter interruption is accomplished with sound effects, light cues, and a big fan. Shaw enters and talks to Ben, but we can’t hear them, only static and:
→ What we do hear is Shaw reprising the line “2000 ways this could go wrong/but only one way it needs to go right”
The ensemble moves around in the chaos, misdirecting so Ben can slip off stage.
When the wind clears, Sadusky is asking if anyone sees Ben, and the FBI agents come forward to say no, they don’t.
Ben enters on the catwalk. Fishing. Bait. He tells Sadusky he’s found door number 3, and he’s taking it. Then BEN JUMPS OVER THE SIDE OF THE CATWALK.
END SONG
The easy version is that he jumps onto a platform concealed as part of the Intrepid set, so he jumps somewhere we can’t see only a few feet down and a SPLASH sound effect does the rest.
The $$$ version is that Ben is on wire from the time he enters on the catwalk, and he actually jumps from it. Maybe even some strobe light to make the fall feel slower/farther/more dramatic. Perfect pencil position of course.
EXT. UNDERWATER - DARK
The stage goes dark. SPLASH sound. Ben is FLOATING near the stage because he’s already on wires so why not.
McGregor “swims” up (also on wires), hands Ben scuba gear “under water” and they get pulled out by the wires as if by the little torpedo propulsion device.
EXT. USS INTREPID - DAY
The lights come back up with FBI agents looking over the edge of the catwalk. “You first.”
Agent Dawes can just be standing there to say “Sir, it’s the Hudson. Nothing is visible.”
EXT. NEW JERSEY DOCK - DAY
Ben and McGregor climb up from the trap door. New clothes. Had to guess your sizes.
The phone call between Ben and Abigail happens before they get into the car, because blocking.
The henchmen just kinda push Ben along to…
EXT. TRINITY CHURCH - DAY
Ian waits for them. He offers Ben the Declaration and the pipe in exchange for the treasure.
Ian: Oh Ben. You know the secret to running a convincing bluff? Every once in a while you’ve got to be hold all the cards.
SONG: All the Cards
Yes, Ian’s big Act 2 villain song will focus on the poker theme and the idea that he’s holding all the cards. Each time he says it, one of the henchmen will tow in another “card”—Patrick, Abigail, and Riley.
INT. TRINITY CHURCH - DAY
It will also take some time to explore Ian a little more. What makes him tick? He’s wants money, sure, but he’s planning to get it in a pretty wild way at the start of the movie (funding this crackpot treasure hunter).
The song will pause for Ben and Ian to examine the map. Same effect with the scrim showing what they’re seeing on the document. Ian orders everyone down to the basement.
Patrick and Ben will have a verse and they discuss how to keep the status quo or overturn it, also framed as a poker metaphor.
END SONG
They progress to the tunnel. Ian leaves two men behind and everyone else goes in the tunnel.
Characters will enter the tunnel in the middle of the stage. Ben pulls Abigail aside for the kiss here before they go inside, and this can buy some time for other actors to get where they need to be.
INT. STAIR CHAMBER - DAY
They reappear on the top level of scaffolding, walking trepidatiously across it.
Okay. Now we’ve come to the stairs sequence, and we have some choices to make as far as how we do this.
I have a personal broadway-related philosophy that I’m all for effects, but I don’t think that actors should also be expected to be acrobats, because it limits the pool of performers, makes the show less accessible to future lower budget productions, and most importantly endangers people unnecessarily.
That said, we have this scaffolding-like set that’s been on stage the whole time, as many a show does, and it sure would be pretty damn cool if it collapsed right now, right?
Not a lot but like one end of one of the catwalks drops a foot in one direction and the other in the other.
Two elevator platforms hang in front of them. Patrick, Ian, and Powell step from the lower catwalk to the lower elevator. Riley finds safety on the least collaps-y point of the set.
Ben and Abigail, however, are still on the top catwalk and have to go for to the higher elevator.
Remember what I said a second ago about not wanting to include acrobatics? well…this is fictional, after all, so…
Ben and Abigail are now on the same to wire rigs used for the Intrepid sequence. They jump onto the elevator, which lurches and tilts dramatically, leaving Abigail to hang off the end.
Ben drops her to safety before grabbing for the Declaration.
Oh and we just drop Shaw off into the wing curtains. Sorry. but we’re not using a big effect on him.
Ben gets to working elevator, which picks up Abigail and Riley and then descends to the stage while the broke one ascends into the fly, which, along with possibly a moving projectiony background create the illusion that we are moving down.
INT. ANTECHAMBER - DAY
Once we reach the bottom the scaffolding resets to signal that we’re on solid ground again.
The same deal here. Ben and Patrick fake a clue and Ian leaves them behind.
SONG: Treasure is a Myth
Ben apologizes to Riley. A joyful, victorious song barely gets going before—
INT. FALSE TREASURE ROOM - DAY
—it cuts off for a sad musical interlude as they step forward into the empty treasure room.
Everyone apologizes to Ben as he stands in the center of the stage dumbstruck (fake torch in hand).
Then Ben sings a heartbreaking reprise of “Treasure is a Myth” in which he concedes that his father was right. He wasted his life, his freedom, risked his friends lives all for something that everybody else already knew: the treasure is a myth.
Patrick tries to convince him otherwise, that by finding this room he has made a great accomplishment. “For your grandfather, and all of us.”
The ensemble member who is John Gates returns to pat Ben on the back and tell him he’s proud of him, that Ben accomplished more than he ever imagined. The Gates Family Ensemble returns one by one/couple by couple to tell Ben the same.
The family, led by Patrick, tries to get Ben not to give up on the hunt. Abigail is in.
Ben lists various times he thought he’d found something and decides he can’t do it again, that he can’t take another heartbreak.
↳ Yes, we are diverging slightly from the movie here, where Ben agrees pretty readily to keep searching. It’s a quick turnaround in the movie, but I think it works largely because of Nic Cage’s performance. Ben is genuinely crushed/empty/broken and even when he says yes he’ll keep going it’s clearly something that is hard for him to agree to.
On stage that nuance might not come across as well, so I like the idea of making this beat a little stronger by making Ben’s ‘all is lost’ moment a little longer. What if he had to truly give up before he solves the final puzzle?
END SONG
Riley reminds them that they’re all stuck. Where’s this second exit?
SONG: Charlotte’s Riddle (Reprise)
This isn’t a full song as much as a haunting line or two from the Charlotte voice as Ben examines the room.
END SONG
Ben: Could it really be that simple?
We make a nice production of ‘the secret lies with Charlotte.’ Ben’s a bit more vocal about what he’s seeing and doing, again because the details will be less visible.
When he pushes the button all the torches flicker as a door opens on the side of the stage with a nice stone sound effect.
One by one the characters enter, Ben last.
INT. TREASURE ROOM - DAY
The lights go dark.
Patrick, Abigail, Riley, and Ben enter one by one from the back of the stage. They start out in a halo of light that’s just around the four of them.
A spotlight illuminates the oil podium.
Ben says something profound about all the places the treasure has traveled and all of the hands it passed through (replacing/bolstering the beat with the medallion, which, again, might not read as clearly on stage.)
He touches his torch to the oil and holy shit, holy shit—
Channels of fire spread across the stage…
…and down through LED lighting strips that have been placed/taped/embedded along the aisles of the theater.
The familiar National Treasure score swells.
As the haze of warm light rises on the stage we can see that they are surrounded by treasure items—Egyptian sarcophagi, Chinese terracotta warriors, Greek marble columns and statues. Piles and piles of treasure.
They look out on us, the audience, who form the rest of the treasure cavern, and cheer.
↳ I think it’s important the the treasure room reveal happens all at once because the rest of the cavern won’t read that impressively on its own. Instead we’ll use the stage’s unique relationship to light/dark/spotlight to achieve the reveal.
↳ Option to have the Gates Family Chorus lining the scaffolding, maybe doing some choral harmonies to the score.
Riley has his Bluish-green man moment.
Abigail geeks out over her scrolls.
Ben and Patrick share a more direct moment of celebration. (to bolster the arms on each other’s backs)
Riley: Look. Stairs.
Added beat: they discuss that they’re ready to head up to the surface and face whatever consequences await.
INT. TRINITY CHURCH - DAY
Ben emerges from the tunnel mouth and calls Sadusky on his cell phone.
Sadusky and the FBI swarm in. Agents in FBI windbreakers help the others out of the tunnel as Sadusky slowly, ominously approaches Ben.
Ben offers up the Declaration. Not a bargaining chip.
SONG: Just Like That/Finale
Ben lists his requests.
The theme here is “it belongs to the world” and the idea that the treasure is bigger than any of them.
Everyone states what they got out of the treasure hunt. Ben got validation. Abigail got adventure. Riley got to be part of something. Patrick got his son back.
Armed guards come to take the Declaration to the National Archives NYC branch, and then back to D.C.. Abigail is welcome to come.
Before she leaves she goes up to Ben and they decide to get a cup of coffee after this is all over.
Riley pats Ben on the back.
Sadusky comes in to spoil the mood because someone has to go to prison. Ben offers up Ian instead. The FBI arrests Ian and the gang.
What now? Everything is about to change. But not the things that matter. Bla bla, the power of friendship; maybe the real treasure was the friends/found family/polycule we make along the way.
The score swells and we end on a big triumphant chorus.
For reasons that have nothing to do with Wicked (2003) or Wicked (2024) (obviously I am lying) here we go:
INT. GATES FAMILY HOME LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
SONG: Treasure is a Myth
At the Gates’ family home YOUNG BEN sneaks away with the family album and his grandfather JOHN ADAMS GATES finds him and explains the legend of the treasure.
The ensemble—as all of the GATES MEN since and their WIVES—each give a quick verse about their search and continued hope that someday they will find the treasure.
The recurring motif here is 'Treasure is a myth…but I’ll find it.'
Until PATRICK GATES arrives to spoil things with a counter refrain, arguing that the treasure is a myth so move on and make something of your life.
The song ends with Patrick towing Young Ben off stage as he sings wistfully, “Treasure is a myth…but I’ll find it.”
EXT. ARCTIC CIRCLE - DAY
At the same time, adult BENJAMIN FRANKLIN GATES enters from the other side of the stage in snow gear.
He echoes “Treasure is a myth, but I’ll find it.”
END SONG
Then RILEY, IAN, and IAN’S CREW follow behind him in snow gear with metal detectors.
Join me in hallucinating the rest of Act I of National Treasure: The Musical!
↓ ↓ ↓
Riley and Powell have the “how does a ship wind up way out here?” exchange.
A metal detector BEEPS. Ben and Ian fall to their knees uncovering evidence of the Charlotte (pantomimed).
They file off stage and reappear…
INT. CHARLOTTE - DAY
…inside the frozen remains of the Charlotte. Some comedic exchanges from Riley before Ben finds the MEERSCHAUM PIPE.
He reads the riddle and sits to figure it out.
SONG: Charlotte’s Riddle/So Close I Can Taste It
This is Ben’s I Want song. As he tries to work out the meaning of the riddle he reflects on how he finally has the next piece of the puzzle in his hands and we get to hear a little bit more about what that means to him.
This is an important character moment for Ben and the first time we really hear from him directly about why he wants to find the treasure.
It also personifies Charlotte briefly as a haunting female voice beckoning him to come find the treasure.
END SONG
Ben figures out the riddle and Ian suggests they borrow the Declaration.
SONG: Invested
Ian explains a bit about his backstory, how he’s done things like this before. His crew chimes, each listing a crime of heist they’ve been involved in. (Think the ‘meet the cooks’ montage from Ratatouille).
He emphasizes how much he's invested in this expedition--and in Ben-- and that he expects returns. He becomes increasingly agitated as Ben rejects his plans.
Ian laments what he’ll have to do to Ben. The song ends with him singing/saying “Now all you’ll be in a hindrance.”
END SONG
Ian orders Shaw to turn on Ben. Ben and Riley narrowly escape before the Charlotte explodes.
EXT. ARCTIC CIRCLE - DAY
Ben pulls Riley out of the literal trap door in the stage as they emerge from the ship.
Riley asks what they’ll do about Ian. Ben says they’ll stop him.
Riley says nobody will believe them, and anybody who’s crazy enough to believe them won’t help.
INT. NATIONAL ARCHIVES CURATORS OFFICE - DAY
We transition to the curator’s office where Abigail waits to greet Ben and Riley.
SONG: One Step Short of Crazy
The music begins as Abigail stands from her desk to shake the guys’ hands. They stay speaking as they exchange names and do the “Saxony German” bit.
After Abigail says, “Now, you told my assistant that this was an urgent matter?” the song begins in earnest.
This is a duet between Ben and Abigail as the both try to get what they want from the other: Ben wants access to the document and Abigail wants information.
The text of the song is “one step short of crazy” from both of them, because that’s what Ben is looking for, and what Abigail thinks Ben is.
The blocking here is that they step forward when they’re winning and back when they’re losing, so that they’re pushing each other around the stage and Riley is following along popping in and out around Ben whenever he has “helpful” information to add.
This number should be a bit flirty but make it clear that Abigail cannot be charmed. (yet).
It ends when Abigail sits back down at her desk and bids them good day. She has won.
END SONG
INT. NATIONAL ARCHIVES ROTUNDA - DAY
Ben and Riley look at the Declaration. Ben recites his favorite line. (“But when a long train of abuses…”)
SONG: One Step Short of Crazy (Reprise)
Ben reprises a few lines from One Step Short of Crazy as he is making a decision that is very much that.
END SONG
Then he speaks the line, “I’m gonna steal it. I’m gonna steal the Declaration of Independence."
INT. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS READING ROOM - DAY
Riley brings Ben into the Library of Congress to convince him that this is a bad idea. “Let me prove it to you.”
SONG: 2000 Ways This Could Go Wrong
Riley attempts to convince Ben that he cannot steal the Declaration of Independence. The ensembles appears as other LIBRARY PATRONS who get in on the song for musical reasons.
The text of the song is "There are 2000s ways this could go wrong" and they could be comedically listing all the ways Ben could get caught.
Riley and the ensemble seem to almost have Ben convinced when he brings up Thomas Edison.
The light bulbs line is spoken, but then Ben gets his own verse laying out the preservation room plan. The one way to make it work.
The song ends with Riley saying, “This could work.”
END SONG
INT. ABIGAIL’S OFFICE - NIGHT
Abigail is packing up for the night.
SONG: Hunting Down History
Abigail sings an I Want song of her own expressing her curiosity about Ben’s story and her wish that for once she’d like to be a part of something that mattered instead of on the sidelines studying it a hundred years later.
Her ASSISTANT enters with a package. (The One Step Short of Crazy theme play as she opens it.) Abigail reads the notes tells the audience it’s the George Washington button. She and the assistant discuss Ben for a few lines until Abigail realizes she’ll barely make it home to get ready and back in time for the gala.
That’s when the ALARM RINGS.
INT. PRESERVATION ROOM - NIGHT
Abigail and STAN (already in his tux) oversee at TECHS IN CLEAN ROOM GEAR move the document into the preservation room.
Stan gets a verse of Hunting Down History, hitting on Abigail and and asking if there’s anything between them.
Abigail declines and leaves.
Stan continues to lament her lack of attention as the set changes to…
INT. NATIONAL ARCHIVES ROTUNDA - NIGHT
…the rotunda, now dressed up for the gala. Ensemble is other PATRONS milling around the gala.
Abigail enters, having done a quick change into her gala outfit. She makes small talk as RILEY’S VOICE is heard from off stage.
He’s asking, “Ben, are you sure you want to do this—”
—when Ben enters the gala in his tux.
Riley comes to sit on the side of the stage with his headset and laptop. He’ll speak to Ben from here throughout the heist.
Ben finds Abigail, and hands her a glass of champagne.
Abigail sings one last verse about how maybe something interesting has found her after all.
END SONG
Abigail asks about the pipe that bigfoot took.
Stan joins them, a bit perturbed, and he and Ben go back and forth until Ben gives THE TOAST. (it's perfect--no notes)
Riley is talking throughout the scene.
Ben excuses himself. He holds up the glass to the audience and tells Riley he’s got the fingerprint.
INT. VAULT CORRIDOR/PRESERVATION ROOM - NIGHT
Ben appears at the top of some stage scaffolding where he uses the fingerprint and does the password thing. He and Riley exchange dialogue explaining how they’re using the button he sent to Abigail to do this, since we won’t see it well. Riley helps crack the password. Ben rides an elevator down to stage level.
SONG: [MAIN HEIST THEME TBD]
Meanwhile, Ian and his gang make their way up from the bottom of the stage knocking out guards and breaking through a series of movable doors that have been lined up in their way.
→ Riley comes in with a reprise of 2000 Ways This Could Go Wrong
Ben reaches the Declaration first. He’s in the process of removing it when Riley stands up because he’s lost the feed.
Ben leaves with the case as Ian arrives. Squibs go off, cracking the case.
Ben runs back to the elevator as the lights go dark.
INT. ROTUNDA - NIGHT
Riley: Ben? Ben, what was that?
Ben sneaks through the partygoers and is caught by the CASHIER, who charges him $35 for the “replica” Declaration. He fumbles to come up with the change and pays with a card.
→ Abigail spots Ben and comes in with a reprise of One Step Short of Crazy and/or Hunting Down History
Abigail chases after Ben…
EXT. NATIONAL ARCHIVES - NIGHT
… who rushes outside to meet Riley.
Meanwhile Ian and co climb up through the trapdoor with their gear.
Abigail accuses Ben of stealing it, he gives her the Declaration, and Ian’s crew grab her.
END SONG
INT/EXT. CATERING TRUCK
You know that? Fuck it, let’s do the catering truck scene.
I was gonna say this would be a more stage-friendly tug o’ war over Abigail and she ends up with Ben while the Declaration winds up with Ian. That’s the backup.
But as long as we’re hallucinating a Disney-backed musical, maybe we put the van and the catering truck on stage, yeah? We, the audience, are looking toward their open backs as the two vehicles bounce around. They’re on springs or something, sorry actors.
There’s lots of LIGHT AND SOUND EFFECTS to heighten the “chase,” which ends when Abigail jumps from one car to the other.
Ben and Abigail exchange a few lines of banter in the van before Ben asks Riley to pull over.
EXT. PARK - NIGHT
This scene will remain largely the same, but we’ll move more of the dialogue to the park so we can get out of the van set as quickly as possible. Without the chase it’ll feel weird.
The dialogue will be rearranged so it ends with Ben’s line: “Yeah but I didn’t think I was gonna personally have to tell my dad about it."
As he says this the set shifts and Patrick’s door appears behind him, so all he has to do is turn around to be confronted by it.
EXT. PATRICK’S DOOR - NIGHT
“Where’s the party?”
This remains largely the same. Patrick lets them in.
INT. GATES FAMILY HOUSE - NIGHT
Yes, as a fun easter egg we can use the same Gates family home set as the opening number, to both maximize set use and make my headcanon about the Gates family house canon. Cool.
SONG: The Real Gates Family Legacy
Patrick hopes this isn’t about the damn treasure. Obviously it is.
Ben and Patrick go back and forth about their mutual disappointment in each other. Patrick wants Ben to stop wasting his life on the same mistakes that he, Patrick, made, and Ben just wants his dad to believe in him.
Riley and Abigail get a quick verse about their observations of the pair, Riley from the POV of someone who knows a bit of their backstory (and might even share a line or two) and Abigail as someone who’s just meeting them.
Ends with Patrick giving up and saying, “Do what you want Ben.”
END SONG
Abigail raises the very real possibility that there isn’t another clue. Ben says they can find out right now.
SONG: Talk to Me
In this number (better title TK) Ben gets the lemons and basically asks the map makers/founding fathers to talk to him. Tell him the message he’s been waiting his whole life to hear.
Then Abigail stops him and insists on being the one to actually do the lemon-ing. Her verse is a bit more delicate, but she too is genuinely asking for the document to say something to her.
Their parts come together and then—nothing.
This is being visualized by a scrim at the back of the stage. It’s been there for other scenes, and is a sort of parchment texture, but it’s only as the song progresses that we the audience realize it’s changing.
Light effects will be used to turn the whole stage into a VISUALIZATION OF THE DECLARATION, matching what Ben and Abigail are doing at the table on stage. First come the faint stains of the lemon juice.
Then Patrick interrupts to tell them they need heat.
Ben and Abigail breath on the Declaration and the masonic compass flickers into view momentarily on the scrim.
“We need more juice.”
“We need more heat.”
They sing the next verse of the song together as more and more of the map becomes visible. They’re asking the map to talk to them, but subtextually also asking the same of each other.
Thematically the song is saying please tell me there’s something to this. tell me i’m not crazy; tell me I’m not alone.
→ the ensemble reappears as the Gates family ancestors
→ the Charlotte’s Riddle theme and voice reappears as well
→ Patrick joins in with a reprise of The Real Gates Family Legacy
→ Riley joins in with a few lines about how he can’t believe this is really happening
→ young ben reappears to reprise Treasure is a Myth
All of the voices combine into that delicious thing where everybody’s singing their Act I theme over each other (I really can't emphasize enough how much delight this trope brings me) as the extent of the cypher is revealed.
Riley: What is it?
Ben: (barely believing what he’s seeing) A treasure map.
