Deleted from the end of scene 18: (Talking to the media).

Phew! That's a tough one. But important. (He sees  JANET.)

Hey, Janet my love. I thought you'd gone back to Auckland. It's great to see you.

(They embrace. His is warmer than hers.)

Did you get my text messages? I stored them up and sent them soon as we crossed the border. Sorry there were so many.

JANET:

No, it's OK. Some of them were very lovely, only . . .

FREDERICK:

Only what? A bit too romantic?

JANET:

Yes, well, you know I was a bit startled when you said that on the coach, just as you were about to leave. I didn't know quite how to take it.

FREDERICK:

Yeah, well, it took me a bit by surprise as well. Sid said he thought you were a sour-faced cow. Said he was jiggered.

JANET:

Well, I know nobody likes me.

FREDERICK:

But that's just the point. Remember in Rickmansworth, when I was talking to Siama in the kitchen, and you came storming in, wanting to know what we were saying about you.

JANET:

Yes.

FREDERICK:

I told you not to be paranoid, we were talking about the way Keith had locked us out of the website and frozen our bank account.

JANET:

Yes.

FREDERICK:

Well, that wasn't strictly true, only a half-truth. We WERE talking about Keith and the problems he was causing us, even then. But we were also talking about you, only because we were worried about you. We were wondering how you might stand up the strain if you came to Iraq.

JANET:

I see.

FREDERICK:

But I realised you were basically a good person. It was true nobody liked you, you were a real pain in the bum, but you wanted to be a Shield, just like the rest of us. I decided to try and help you to see what a good person you must be, under all that paranoia. And I began to see it too. I saw the real person, under the spiky exterior, and I started to . . .

JANET:

I still didn't think you liked me.

FREDERICK:

And then you decided you weren't up to coming to Iraq with us, that you'd stay in Amman and help to run the office. I thought that was really so brave, facing up to your weakness, especially when all the people at your church had collected to send you. Owning up to your own fears, and realising you'd just be burden if you came. I think that's when I began to love you.

JANET:

Yes, but . . .

FREDERICK:

No, let me finish.

And then when Shane had all that hassle about the visas not coming through and then the Iraqi bus not turning up, and people giving him such a hard time. Blaming him, when he was doing his best and it wasn't his fault. And he said to me: You'll have to be in charge for the journey, cos I'm not coming. And I just couldn't face it. The responsibility.

JANET:

Yes, you were weeping.

FREDERICK:

I went entirely to pieces. And you came and put your arm round me. And I told you I loved you.

Then when Siama arrived from Amman, she wanted to know what that was all about.

Up till then, I didn't know how you felt, but I thought that if you'd told Siama, then perhaps you felt something back.

JANET:

Well, I did. But just as a friend. You'd been so sweet to me, and seeing you crying made me realise you felt pain just like the rest of us. That's why I put my arm round you. Just to be a friend.

(A pause. Then FREDERICK takes out his Palm.)

FREDERICK:

There's something I wrote here which I didn't send you, cos it was really about someone else. It's funny, cos I thought that might be your attitude.

Yes, here it is:

I hope you will always be my friend. But I will always be your lover, even though we've barely kissed.

JANET:

I think perhaps you fall in love too easily.

FREDERICK:

Yes, I've been told that.

JANET:

After all, you ARE married.

FREDERICK:

Yes, did you see her on TV having a go at Tony Blair? I wish I could have seen that. She's a great woman.

But in Baghdad we put out a Declaration of Principles.

JANET:

Yes, I saw it. I guessed you played a part in drawing that up.

FREDERICK:

Well, it was a collective effort. But I was responsible for putting in that quote from Auden:

"We must love one another, or we die."