NARRATOR: Previously on Everwood...
[Cut to brief clips of various scenes from "Pilot", "Deer God", and "The Doctor Is In".]
Amy and Ephram outside of Colin's hospital room in Denver. (from "Pilot")
AMY: Bright and him were best friends. Last Fourth of July, they decided to go for a joy ride. Colin drove. There was an accident. Bright was thrown from the vehicle. He doesn't remember what happened.
Ephram and Dr. Brown after returning the doe back to the woods. (from "Deer God")
EPHRAM: She's still pretty wrapped up in her boyfriend. The one in the coma. She asked me to ask you to take a look at him.
Amy and Ephram setting up decorations for the dance recital at County High. (from "The Doctor Is In")
EPHRAM: I swear, I can't remember the last time someone said no when The Great Doctor Brown offered his help. Colin's surgery is a done deal.
Colin Hart's parents in a meeting with Dr. Brown in his office. (from "The Doctor Is In")
JAMES: You're the last stop for us, Doctor Brown. What do you think we should do?
DR. BROWN: I can't tell you what to do.
JAMES: If it were your son?
Amy telling Ephram that his dad turned down doing Colin's surgery. (from "The Doctor Is In")
AMY: Your father turned them down.
EPHRAM: My dad's never turned anyone down before. He never met long odds he didn't like.
Dr. Abbott telling Dr. Brown that he should perform the surgery on Colin Hart. (from "The Doctor Is In")
DR. ABBOTT: You owe it to this kid to perform whatever miracle you've got up your sleeve. Hell, you owe it to me.
In Dr. Trott's Winnebago, Dr. Brown is telling her his problems. (from "The Doctor Is In")
DR. BROWN: It was easier when I... didn't know so much about my patients. And I didn't care.
DR. TROTT: You moved here to be a father and a doctor.
DR. BROWN: I didn't know it would be so hard.
DR. TROTT: Welcome to the human race, Doctor Brown.
{END OF "PREVIOUSLY ON EVERWOOD"}
{TEASER}
{FLASHBACK: Open on a view of a lake and trees everywhere. It's very beautiful and serene. The narrator describes it. After a while, we see Colin Hart, wearing trunks, on a branch of a tree leaning out above the lake. He dives in.}
NARRATOR: Every small town worth its salt has a place like this. A place where the landscape invites us to blend in for a while. Ours is called "Buck's Rock". It's been graced with its own heavenly light that, for most people, it eliminates any and all doubt of a higher power. The purpose for Buck's Rock is quite familiar. It's a place where the lazy days of childhood play themselves out. A place of free from the responsibilities of adult life. A place of innocence.
COLIN: [with hands over his head] WOOOOO!!!!!!!
[Colin swims back to shore. Amy Abbott is there, wearing a bikini and on her neck is a necklace with a cross. She looks up at her boyfriend while holding her place in a book. Amy's brother and Colin's best friend, Bright is there also wearing trunks.]
COLIN: [hands over head again] And with that best seamless dive, the young American from Everwood, Colorado, catapults himself into medal position.
BRIGHT: Oh, your toes were curled, bro. Five point five.
AMY: Yeah, and let's not even talk about your entry splash. Four point two.
COLIN: The Russian judge gave me a six.
AMY: Yeah and everyone knows Unga's got a thing for you.
COLIN: Yeah? Well, too bad Unga's feelings are unrequited.
[Amy and Colin chuckle. Colin walks over to Amy and gives her a peck on the cheek. Then, he shakes his wet head, getting water all over Amy which she does not like.]
AMY: UGH!
COLIN: You're next, Grover.
AMY: In a little bit.
[Amy looks back to her book.]
COLIN: Oh, you are so full of it.
[Cut to Bright who's now on the branch above the lake.]
BRIGHT: Yeah, dude, when are you going to realize that my baby sister doesn't share our sense of adventure?
[Bright jumps off.]
BRIGHT: (CONT'D) YEE HOO!!!
[Colin and Amy clap for him. Colin's hands are over his head and also makes hooting noises. Amy's hands are trying to still keep the place for the book where she wants it.]
COLIN: WOO-HOO! Come on, bro!
[Bright starts coming back to shore. Amy spots Colin smiling to himself. Then, after a little bit, she speaks.]
AMY: If I ask you a girl question, do you promise not to laugh?
COLIN: No.
AMY: Haha. What were you just thinking then? Just then, you had this look.
COLIN: I was just thinking about the fireworks that we saw earlier in Mr. Nole's driveway. The ones that are shooting off tonight. They must have cost a fortune.
AMY: [disappointed] Oh.
COLIN: Oh, look, I can't think about you every second of every day, Grover. I mean, sometimes I gotta take time to think about normal guy things like, trucks, electronics... Katie Holmes.
AMY: I get the idea.
COLIN: All right, maybe it wasn't just the fireworks.
AMY: Go on.
COLIN: I was just thinking about us watching them go off last year.
AMY: And?
COLIN: I just hoped that it would, keep going.
[Colin picks up Amy's hand, lacing his fingers with hers very loosely.]
COLIN: (CONT'D) With your hand touching mine, just like that. [suddenly, after a beat.] Then, it was over.
[They kiss on the lips. When they part, Colin laughs and runs off to the tree overlooking the lake. Amy catches a glimmer of something dangling from his hand.]
AMY: What are you doing? What is that?
[Amy puts her hand over her neck and realizes her necklace isn't there anymore.]
AMY: (CONT'D) Colin, that's my confirmation cross!
COLIN: Come and get it!
AMY: I swear if you drop it, I will never forgive you! Give it back!
COLIN: I said come and get it!
[By now, Colin is out on the branch.]
AMY: Colin!
[Amy follows Colin onto the branch.]
COLIN: Come on!
AMY: COLINNN!
[Amy makes it to Colin, on the edge of the branch.]
COLIN: Ready?
[Amy and Colin laugh.]
AMY: 1, 2, 3...
[Amy and Colin jump into the water, holding hands. Then they come above water and are laughing.]
AMY: I love you.
[Colin laughs and swims to shore. Amy looks disappointed that Colin didn't say "I love you" back to her.]
{END OF FLASHBACK}
[We see present Amy looking at the comatose Colin in his hospital bed. Then Amy takes her confirmation cross necklace and puts it in Colin's hand.]
{END OF TEASER / OPENING CREDITS / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT ONE}
[Open on Jim and Sharon Hart holding hands. Pan upward to show Dr. Brown in his office explaining to the Harts about the surgery.]
DR. BROWN: The bone fragment we will be resecting is located in the brain stem, mission control for vital functioning. The placement necessitates an extreme level of caution during the procedure. The procedure will take a minimum of eight hours, assuming there are no complications. And I know you are both aware of what those complications might be.
JAMES: We are.
SHARON: Yeah.
DR. BROWN: I've got my old assistant surgeon flying in from New York. He's the best there is. We'll start prepping Colin at nine A.M.
SHARON: What are the chances my son won't survive the surgery?
DR. BROWN: It's a high risk procedure. There are no odds I can give you, and even if there were, I'm not sure they'd provide you with much comfort.
SHARON: I need something. Colin made a mistake when he drove that day and he paid a horrible price. I just don't want to be responsible for making him worse.
DR. BROWN: Mrs. Hart, Colin's been in a coma for over four months. That's well beyond the time frame where a meaningful recovery is likely. The only assurance I can give you is this: In my career, I've performed over twenty-six hundred surgeries. And I have never had one, where I cared more about the outcome.
[Cut to Ephram, Delia, and Dr. Brown in the kitchen.]
EPHRAM: You let a guy who's never been out of New York City drive a car in the wilderness.
DR. BROWN: He's your Uncle Brian not Woody Allen.
[Doorbell rings.]
DELIA: He's here, he's here!
[Delia runs to the door and opens it to reveal Brian, Dr. Brown's old assistant from New York.]
DELIA: (CONT'D) Uncle Brian!!
BRIAN: Ahhh come here, girl!
[Brian picks Delia up.]
BRIAN: (CONT'D) Ahh, gentlemen, and lady, worship me! For I have brought unto you, New York City!
[Brian puts Delia down and walks to Dr. Brown.]
DR. BROWN: Did you leave any behind with the actual New Yorkers?
BRIAN: Nope. Let's see, I've got two bags of H & H Bagels, some Ray's pizza, all 8 slices individually wrapped for travel. No need to thank me.
DR. BROWN: Ha.
BRIAN: Zabar's special blend....
DR. BROWN: Oh, yeah!
BRIAN: Yonah Shimmel Knishes, and, a Brooklyn Cyclones hat for Delia. Who are they?
DELIA: The minor league team that played on Coney Island....duh!
[Delia takes the hat and Brian chuckles.]
EPHRAM: You know, for a while I was upset because I just missed New York.....now I can finally know true despair.
BRIAN: Despair's right up your alley. You're a musician.
EPHRAM: Not really these days.
BRIAN: When you hear what I brought for you, you're gonna want to rededicate yourself.
[Brian pulls out a vinyl.]
BRIAN: (CONT'D) Bill Evans, vinyl. It'll change your life, man.
EPHRAM: Sweet! Thanks.
BRIAN: Boss, I can't believe it. What's it been now? A year since you and I both stood over an open skull?
DR. BROWN: Long enough to blot out some of your more colorful expressions.
BRIAN: And tomorrow, once again, we'll hear the sweet sound of that drill digging away....
DR. BROWN: Ahhh, let's save the shop talk for after dinner. Did you eat on the plane? Are you hungry?
BRIAN: Yes and yes. Start shoveling whatever you got on my plate, and Ephram, you come outside and help me.
EPHRAM: A few more bags?
BRIAN: I can't get the car to turn off.
[Brian and Ephram walk out.]
[Cut to dinner at the Abbott residence.]
DR. ABBOTT: The television fanatics in the house will be happy to know that I have relented and purchased the satellite dish which you have been clamoring for. I'm picking it up from Herb's Discounts tomorrow.
[There's no talking. Just sounds of silverware.]
DR. ABBOTT: (CONT'D) Please, hold your applause.
AMY: That's great, Dad.
[There's more silverware sounds.]
DR. ABBOTT: Over 300 channels. We can watch Jeopardy in Korean, if we wish.
ROSE: Why are you picking up the dish? Why isn't one of Herbert's boys coming to install it?
DR. ABBOTT: I possess two university degrees and a Mensa membership, Rose. I do not need to pay some tool-belted ignoramus fifty of my hard earned dollars to hook a piece of plastic up to the side of the house. Pass the carrots.
AMY: Mom, I want to spend the day in Denver tomorrow at the hospital, if that's all right with you.
ROSE: I assumed you would. I'm gonna to keep an eye on the Harts' store. Your dad's on call, so you should ride in with your brother.
BRIGHT: I'm not going.
AMY: What do you mean you're not going?
BRIGHT: Uh, I'm not going.
AMY: Figures....
DR. ABBOTT: Amy...
AMY: No! I'm sorry, but I'm sick of this. Colin's your best friend, you never go see him, and now, you're not even going to be there for the surgery.
BRIGHT: You're doing fine with this whole martyr thing. You can handle it without me.
[Bright gets up.]
BRIGHT: (CONT'D) I'll be in my room.
DR. ABBOTT: Bright, get back here.....
ROSE: Harold...just leave him. He's just scared about tomorrow.
[Cut to Bright at the top of the stairs.]
{FLASHBACK: Colin and Bright in Bright's room. Colin's wearing normal clothes and is on Bright's bed. Bright is wearing traditional colonial outfit for a guy of his age back then. It's for a Fourth of July presentation the Abbotts are doing at a town picnic type thing.}
BRIGHT: You know, there's a reason men don't wear ruffles.
COLIN: It's not that bad. If this were 1775, you'd be a total chick magnet.
BRIGHT: You're not helping.
COLIN: I'm not? Are you sure about that?
[Colin throws Bright a container of liquor.]
BRIGHT: Ohh, where'd you swipe this?
COLIN: Dad's liquor cabinet. Crown Royal. He got from a client last year, and trust me, if he knew that you were going to stand in front of the whole town wearing that, he'd want you to have it.
[Bright drinks a lot of it.]
COLIN: (CONT'D) Hey, slow down, man. That's supposed to last all day.
[Bright coughs.]
BRIGHT: Yeah, well, I don't know if I'll last all day.
[Colin chuckles.]
COLIN: Careful, don't want to ruin that pretty outfit of yours.
[Cut to downstairs. The family is getting ready to go to the picnic.]
DR. ABBOTT: Let's get moving, people!
COLIN: Hey, Dr. Abbott! You're looking revolutionary.
DR. ABBOTT: Thank you, Colin.
COLIN: Hey, very cool.....Kentucky long rifle, right? Purely maple, if I'm not mistaken.
DR. ABBOTT: Indeed...you know a thing or two about vintage weaponry.
COLIN: Yeah, well I've done some light reading.
DR. ABBOTT: It's not every day that our family gets honored by this thankless community. I wanted to make the most of it.
BRIGHT: This is an honor?
DR. ABBOTT: City council chose us to represent this entire town in this year's Fourth of July assembly. Do you know why?
BRIGHT: 'Cause you told them you paid for the costumes yourself?
DR. ABBOTT: Because we, The Abbotts, represent everything the people in this community wish they were. We command respect from our neighbors. They look up to us.
ROSE: You have a run in your stocking, Harold.
DR. ABBOTT: Huh?
ROSE: And don't forget to take your scroll with you.
DR. ABBOTT: I don't need the scroll, Rose, I have the entire thing memorized, of course. My father was the crier, they talked about it for weeks. Do you think he used the scroll?
[Amy walks down the stairs in her costume, which reveals some cleavage.]
COLIN: If the British knew they were losing you, they would have fought a little harder.
[Amy walks right past him.]
DR. ABBOTT: All right, let's get going, people. We don't want to keep our public waiting.
BRIGHT: Uh, Dad, depending on how many people are there today, do you think I could borrow that rifle to shoot myself?
{END OF FLASHBACK}
[Cut to Dr. Brown and Brian sitting in chairs on the front porch.]
DR. BROWN: The accident happened on the Fourth of July. Truck overturned and Colin and his passenger were both thrown from the truck. The passenger got by with minor injuries. Doesn't remember a thing about the accident. Colin, as you can imagine, didn't fare as well. His ICP's been well managed, but nothing's changed.
BRIAN: So tomorrow we get to climb Mount Everest?
DR. BROWN: Just about.
BRIAN: Paul Yeats performed a double aneurysm last week.
DR. BROWN: Paul Yeats?! That lifetime minor leaguer?
BRIAN: You're not there anymore, Andy. People had to step up. Check this out, he was pressed for time...
DR. BROWN: Problems with the cerebral profusion?
BRIAN: Close. "Hairspray" tickets.
DR. BROWN: The guy's totally deranged.
BRIAN: He wants to be you. Hell, I wouldn't mind being you. Minus the beard.
[Dr. Brown and Brian laugh.]
DR. BROWN: Yeah, well being me is not all it's cracked up to be these days.
BRIAN: Come on, it can't be all that bad. How are the kids doing?
DR. BROWN: Well, Delia's adjusting well. She's a trooper.
BRIAN: And Ephram?
DR. BROWN: Ephram would hate me in every one of the forty-eight contiguous states plus Hawaii and Alaska so we might as well be here.
[Brian laughs.]
BRIAN: About tomorrow, Boss. What's the deal?
DR. BROWN: We'll take a lateral, parapetrosal skull base approach to the brain stem. There will be some cranial swelling, but hopefully the surrounding vessels won't be spasmodic.
BRIAN: No, I was wondering why I'm here. I'm flattered that you wanted me, but the kid's team is available. I checked around. Latham's tops, so is Murdoch.
DR. BROWN: I thought I'd be good to have a familiar and trusted face in the room. And uh, to be honest with you, I uh, I have a slight case of performance jitters.
BRIAN: You've been dormant. It's normal.
DR. BROWN: Anyway, I'll probably gonna rely on you more than usual tomorrow if we're going to have a shot....
BRIAN: If? A shot? Boss, you're talking like you've never done this before.
DR. BROWN: Well, I haven't. Not this exact surgery.
BRIAN: Like, there's any order of difficulty in the miracles you've performed?
DR. BROWN: Well, I'm a different person now. I may just be out of miracles.
BRIAN: No, you're not.
DR. BROWN: And, how do you know?
BRIAN: Before you took me under your wing, Andy, I never believed there were people put on this earth simply to fix God's mistakes. That's the sort of gift that doesn't goes away. Sleep easy, Dr. Brown. You're going to be great.
{END OF ACT ONE / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT TWO}
[Open on an exterior view of the Brown residence.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown and Delia in his bathroom. Dr. Brown is washing up at the sink. Dr. Brown grabs for a towel.]
DELIA: No no, that's not how we do it.
DR. BROWN: I'm sorry, I forgot... "Towel, Nurse."
[Delia gives the towel to Dr. Brown.]
DR. BROWN: (CONT'D) Thank you.
DELIA: I don't think I'm going to be a brain surgeon when I grow up.
DR. BROWN: No? Why not?
DELIA: Well, for one thing, you have to wake up early. Even on Saturday.
DR. BROWN: Yeah, that can be a drawback.
DELIA: And because I'm probably going to be a tap dancer!
DR. BROWN: I thought you were going to be a fireman.
DELIA: I'm going to do that too, during the day.
DR. BROWN: Brush.
[Delia hands it to him.]
DELIA: Dad?
DR. BROWN: Huh?
DELIA: Are you going to have to work at the hospital all the time...again?
DR. BROWN: No honey. Just today.
DELIA: OK, good. Here..
[Delia hands him a razor.]
DR. BROWN: I don't use that one anymore. Go wake up Uncle Brian, OK?
[Delia walks out and tries to wake up Brian, who's sleeping on the couch.]
DELIA: [whispering] Uncle Brian?
[Delia walks to the other side of the couch.]
DELIA: (CONT'D) You have to go do brainnnn surgeryyyyy.
BRIAN: [suddenly] RARRRR!!!
[Delia screams.]
BRIAN: (CONT'D) I still got time for a tickle-sectomy!
[Brian tickles Delia. Delia laughs/screams.]
[Cut to Ephram in the kitchen getting breakfast ready. Dr. Brown walks in.]
EPHRAM: Butter or cream cheese?
DR. BROWN: Ephram, you didn't have to do all this.
EPHRAM: I was up.
DR. BROWN: Cream cheese would be great.
[Ephram takes out cream cheese from the refrigerator.]
BRIAN: Morning.
DR. BROWN: [re: cassette tapes] Ohhh mann, you brought 'em.
EPHRAM: You know there was this invention a couple years ago, it was called the CD Player, you should check it out.
DR. BROWN: These are the mix tapes that your mom made for our surgeries. She'd figure out what song to pick based on what kind of surgery we were doing. For instance, Glioma '97 has an upbeat Motown kind of a feel whereas triple aneurysm '99 is more of an angry lesbian with a guitar kind of mix. And here's my personal favorite: Middle Fossa skull base 2000!
BRIAN: Which one do you want for today?
DR. BROWN: I don't know, why don't we pick one on the way down.
EPHRAM: Here, add this to your collection.
[Ephram hands Dr. Brown and Brian a CD entitled "Brain Stem 2002" that he burned.]
DR. BROWN: You made this?
EPHRAM: No big deal, just fiddling around with iTunes. I'm going back to bed.
BRIAN: Mixed CDs. It's a whole new world, man.
DR. BROWN: Yes, it is.
BRIAN: He can't hate you all that much.
[Cut to Dr. Abbott trying to construct the satellite dish. He puts a piece together.]
DR. ABBOTT: Huh, that's easy enough.
[The piece he just put together falls apart.]
DR. ABBOTT: (CONT'D) Oh, Lord!
[Bright is on his way to the door.]
BRIGHT: I'm out.
DR. ABBOTT: Wait, Bright, come here a second.
BRIGHT: I, really don't feel like talking to anyone, Dad.
DR. ABBOTT: No, no no no I want to tell you something. It's about Dr. Brown.
BRIGHT: Yeah, he's the axis of evil.
DR. ABBOTT: Yes, he is. But he's also an unbelievable surgeon. In fact, if he wasn't so annoying in every single aspect of his existence, I'd say we were lucky to have him in this town.
BRIGHT: What's your point?
DR. ABBOTT: Bright, my point is, Colin is in good hands....
BRIGHT: No! I don't want to talk about Colin!
DR. ABBOTT: I understand....
BRIGHT: You don't understand! Just forget it. I will be back in a few hours.
DR. ABBOTT: Bright....
[The door opens and closes.]
[Cut to Ephram at home. The phone is ringing and he picks up.]
EPHRAM: Hello?
[Cut to Amy at a pay phone in the hospital.]
AMY: Hey, Ephram, it's me.
[Cut to Ephram.]
EPHRAM: Hey, hey are you all right? You're at the hospital already?
[Cut to Amy at hospital.]
AMY: Yeah. But nothing's happening yet, I guess they're prepping him or something. Whatever that means.
[Cut to Ephram at home.]
EPHRAM: They're probably shaving his head.
[Cut to Amy at hospital.]
EPHRAM: [through receiver] Or you know...
[Cut to Ephram.]
EPHRAM: I don't know what I'm talking about.
[Cut to Amy.]
AMY: So what are you up to today? Anything fun?
EPHRAM: [through receiver] Ahh, not really, you know finish math homework...
[Cut to Ephram.]
EPHRAM: Read a couple comics. Eat lunch.
[Cut to Amy.]
EPHRAM: [through receiver] Falling asleep just listening to myself.
AMY: Sounds kinda nice to me.
[Cut to Ephram.]
EPHRAM: You doing OK?
[Cut to Amy.]
AMY: Honestly, I don't know. But this is, what I've been waiting for, so it's a good thing, right?
[Cut to Ephram.]
EPHRAM: Yeah. I guess.
AMY: [through receiver] Anyways, I should probably go.
EPHRAM: Wait, wait, I.....
[Cut to Amy.]
AMY: It's OK, I should probably stay close to the OR. In case, there's any news. Just wanted to touch base with normal for a minute.
[Cut to Ephram.]
EPHRAM: You definitely called the wrong person for that.
[Cut to Amy.]
AMY: I'll talk to you later, Ephram.
EPHRAM: [through receiver] Amy, wait Amy.
[Amy hangs the phone up.]
{FLASHBACK: Dr. Abbott is up on the stage, with a non-working microphone.}
DR. ABBOTT: Amy Abbott, please report to the stage.
[Amy comes to the stage.]
AMY: Dad, your mic's not working.
DR. ABBOTT: Lord. Help me! Your mother is out there kissing babies like it's Election Day, your brother's missing in action, and I cannot seem to locate the orchestra's conductor. We need to establish a signal so that these people know when to start playing! The timing is crucial!
AMY: Dad! It's not an orchestra! It's the school band. And your conductor is Mr. Mendick who's inhaling a corndog over there.
DR. ABBOTT: All right. Thank you, thank you. Uh, go find your brother.
[Amy walks away. Dr. Abbott speaks into the microphone.]
DR. ABBOTT: (CONT'D) We on? Hello?
[Amy finds Colin and Bright sitting and talking on a hill.]
AMY: What are you guys doing?
COLIN: Hey, Grover.
AMY: My dad's waiting for us. We have to go, Bright.
[Amy sees the liquor.]
AMY: (CONT'D) And you're so going to be busted for that.
BRIGHT: Why? Who's going to tell?
AMY: He's going to smell it, numb nuts.
COLIN: Aw, your brother's had like 7000 breath mints. It was my idea, Amy. I just thought it would be good to give him some liquid encouragement before he had to go onstage.
AMY: Why? He's not making the speech.
BRIGHT: I'm wearing tights. Isn't that enough?
AMY: Let's go before I tell Dad.
[Bright walks away and Amy and Colin are left.]
AMY: Don't you even care that we're fighting?
COLIN: I didn't know we were fighting!
AMY: How could you not......? You know what? Fine!
[Amy starts to walk away.]
COLIN: No, wait! I'm sorry.
AMY: What are you sorry for? You didn't even know we were fighting.
COLIN: I am sorry for whatever I did that pissed you off. [a beat] It was because of earlier. When you said what you said to me at Buck's Rock, and I didn't say what I should have said back.
AMY: You didn't have to say anything back. I was just hurt that you didn't.
COLIN: Oh, don't take it the wrong way.
AMY: How am I supposed to take it, Colin? It's the first time I've ever... it's the first time I've ever said that to someone I wasn't related to.
COLIN: It just took me by surprise. That's all.
AMY: Me too.
COLIN: You are the longest relationship I have ever had, Amy. You're my girl. You want to go watch the fireworks together later?
AMY: I guess, I gotta go.
COLIN: Aren't you going to kiss me goodbye?
[Amy's walking away.]
AMY: I'm late.
[Colin looks hurt.]
{END OF FLASHBACK}
[We hear knocks on the door. Nina enters the Brown house.]
NINA: Hey, I uh made some snacks for the munchkins. I thought I'd bring you some too.
EPHRAM: Thank you. Uh, I hope Delia isn't too much trouble.
NINA: What are you kidding? Sam's in his glory. Delia made a pillow for it and they're defending the living room from mutant raptors.
EPHRAM: Ha.
NINA: Um, any word from your dad yet?
EPHRAM: Ah not yet, but these things usually take, like, 10 hours.
NINA: Oh, I guess you're pretty used to this though, huh?
EPHRAM: Kinda, although I don't usually know the person so it's a little different.
NINA: You know Colin?
EPHRAM: Amy, Amy Abbott. Friend of mine from school.
NINA: She is a sweet girl. She babysits for Sam once in a while.
EPHRAM: So what's he like? Colin?
NINA: Oh, he's a charmer. You know he's the kind of kid who forgets to mow your lawn for two weeks, then when he finally comes you end up paying him for three. I think he was all-state football, and pretty smart too.
[Ephram grabs some bottles of water and offers her one.]
EPHRAM: So he's basically like God.
NINA: No, you'd like him. He'd like you too.
[Nina takes the water.]
NINA: (CONT'D) Ah, thanks. [a beat] How is Amy holding up?
EPHRAM: Uh I don't know. She sounded a little weird on the phone earlier, but you know.
NINA: She could probably use a friend right about now.
EPHRAM: Yeah well, I don't know if I'm the best person for that.
NINA: Why's that?
EPHRAM: There's just some issues.
NINA: Like......?
EPHRAM: Like, I think she's amazing and beautiful, completely out of my league. She agrees. I mean, if she wanted me at the hospital, she could have asked me.
NINA: Could she have? [a beat] If going to the hospital is something you think you can handle, then go. 'Cause chances are Ephram, she probably wants you there, she just doesn't feel like she has the right to ask you. If you don't want to go, that's OK too, you don't have to be the best friend that helps her get through this. You just have to decide what kind of friend you want to be.
EPHRAM: You know, I forgot how good women are at this stuff.
NINA: Ha.
EPHRAM: Ha.
[Ephram takes a drink of the water.]
[Cut to Bright at Buck's Rock.]
{FLASHBACK: Dr. Abbott is doing his speech at the Fourth of July assembly.}
DR. ABBOTT: And as free and independent states, we have the full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may have the right to do. And for the support of this declaration....
[Mr. Mendick mistakes Dr. Abbott's moving of his hand as the signal and instructs the school band to start playing.]
DR. ABBOTT: No! Mr. Mendick, Mr. Mendick no! That was not the signal! We haven't finished!
AMY: Dad, Dad! It's OK, no one noticed...
[Bright leaves the stage and meets Colin on the other side.]
COLIN: Hey, Johnny Tremain. Want to see something that will knock your pantaloons off?
BRIGHT: Yeah..
[Colin and Bright walk to Colin's dad's truck in the parking lot.]
BRIGHT: Sweeeeet. This is your dad's new truck?
COLIN: Yeah, he doesn't know jack. If this was mine, I would spike the tires, get a mollycrawler, short change shifter at minimum.
[Another truck drives up.]
MIKE: Nice truck, Hart! Too bad it's your daddy's!
COLIN: Whatever Mike Nally, like I can't drive this whenever I want.
MIKE: I'm sure you can.
COLIN: Besides, your brother there is still the kid who threw up on the DMV guy during his driving test.
[Laughter.]
MIKE: We're going up to Miller's Hill for some off roading. You two in?
COLIN: Hell, yeah. See you in 20.
[Mike and Tooth Nally drive off.]
BRIGHT: Dude, what about your dad?
COLIN: We'll be back before the fireworks. He'll never even know the difference. C'mon let's go.
BRIGHT: All right, on one condition?
COLIN: What?
BRIGHT: Take me home to change first.
[Laughter. Colin and Bright get in the car and drive off. Amy sees them.]
{END OF FLASHBACK}
[Cut to the operating room where Dr. Brown and Brian are starting surgery on Colin. Bobby Short's version of "I've Got You Under Skin" is on in the operating room.]
DR. BROWN: [re: music] That's my boy.
{END OF ACT TWO / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT THREE}
[Opening scene is Dr. Brown, Brian, and the rest of the surgery team operating on Colin.]
DR. BROWN: We've created a bone flap and we've retracted the dura to expose the area of the brain stem where the bone fragment is lodged. Bring the scope in, please.
[Nurse #1 moves the instrument over.]
DR. BROWN: (CONT'D) Now, according to the films, the chip should be right in the center of the field.
[Dr. Brown searches around in the area.]
DR. BROWN: (CONT'D) I don't believe it.
BRIAN: What's up?
DR. BROWN: There's a second chip.
BRIAN: You sure?
DR. BROWN: It's on the other side of the posterious cerebral artery. So small, it didn't show up on the scan.
[Brian looks through the scope.]
BRIAN: Verbatim. I'm seeing it now.
DR. BROWN: We're going to need another unit of blood in here, OK? And uh, you might want to alert to OR head nurse. Tell her to reschedule any electives that were scheduled for this afternoon. This is going to be a while.
BRIAN: Looks like one chip wasn't enough for this kid.
{FLASHBACK: Colin and Bright driving off road with Mike and Tooth Nally.}
[The four guys drive around. Burning out, drifting and doing other crazy stuff. There are words of excitement from all the characters and laughing.]
[The Nally brothers stop and pull aside Colin and Bright.]
MIKE: Hey, we gotta get back.
TOOTH: Yeah, we don't want to miss the fireworks.
[They drive off and Colin and Bright are in the truck.]
COLIN: You ready?
BRIGHT: You sure it's OK?
COLIN: You cannot miss this, Bright! This is unbelievable!
BRIGHT: I'm still kinda messed up from before, man... I'm gonna scratch the truck up.
COLIN: What are you going to hit out here, dustballs?! Man, if you scratch the truck, I'll take the heat all right? Let's go!
[They switch seats. Now Bright is driving.]
COLIN: Let's do it!!! Yeahhhhhhhhhhh!!
[They laugh and Bright drives around, nervously.]
{END OF FLASHBACK}
[Cut to Amy at a vending machine in the hospital. Ephram walks up and kind of watches her for a second.]
EPHRAM: You're holding up the line.
AMY: Ephram. What are you doing here?
EPHRAM: I wanted a Twix.
AMY: You came a long way.
EPHRAM: Well, there's two in a pack. I, really only wanted one. I needed somebody to share it with.
[Amy types in the code for a Twix and she picks it up.]
[Cut to Ephram and Amy taking a table in the waiting area. Ephram puts his backpack down and pulls out a bunch of board games.]
EPHRAM: Travel Boggle. Travel Checkers. Travel Scrabble. And.....Clue.
AMY: There isn't a travel-sized Clue?
EPHRAM: Well, Professor Plum wouldn't want his cool all travel sized and squashed up. So, make your pick.
AMY: Scrabble.
EPHRAM: Excellent choice! And, in case I have to challenge you...
[Ephram pulls out a pocket size dictionary.]
EPHRAM: (CONT'D) I never said I didn't come prepared.
[Amy laughs.]
AMY: You must have lived at the hospital back at New York.
EPHRAM: Actually, this is the first time I've been since my dad's been working.
[Ephram pulls out a pouch with the scrabble letters.]
EPHRAM: (CONT'D) Letters?
[Amy grabs a handful of letters.]
AMY: You're a good friend, Ephram.
EPHRAM: So are you.
[Amy looks away, then smiles.]
[Cut to the operating room.]
NURSE #2: What are we listening to?
DR. BROWN: It's a CD. My son made it for me.
NURSE #2: Oh...it's really good.
BRIAN: We've got a bleeder.
[We hear lots of beeping.]
DR. CASTLE: Pressure's dropping.
DR. BROWN: It's the petrosal sinus.
BRIAN: We packed that baby up hours ago.
DR. BROWN: Well, that baby's unpacking and fast. Everybody, focus.
BRIAN: Let's get some suction here.
DR. BROWN: Pressure's levial, a little thready right now. I'm gonna start levophed.
DR. HOLDERMAN: Can you see it?
DR. BROWN: No, field's still flooded, cottonoid and some gelfoam. Hold on, Colin. Hold on.
{FLASHBACK: Cut to Colin and Bright in the truck. Bright's still driving.}
COLIN: Go for it! Go for it!
DR. CASTLE'S VOICE-OVER: Pressure's 70 over 40.
DR. BROWN'S VOICE-OVER: I need a big sucker, give me a 12.
COLIN: Let's go. Let's go!!!!
{END OF FLASHBACK}
[Cut back to the operating room.]
DR. HOLDERMAN: Somebody empty the damn suction canister.
{FLASHBACK: More off-roading by Bright and Colin at Miller's Hill.}
COLIN: Woo hooooo!
{END OF FLASHBACK}
[Cut back to the operating room.]
DR. BROWN: Come on Colin, stay with us. Stay with us.
BRIAN: We got diffuse brain swelling.
DR. BROWN: Hang some blood, bring some more fluids in.
{FLASHBACK: Miller's Hill again.}
DR. CASTLE'S VOICE-OVER: Pressure's 90 over 60 now.
COLIN: There you go, you've got it man let's go!
{END OF FLASHBACK}
[Cut to the operating room.]
DR. BROWN: Good good good, let's get his fluid status up.
DR. HOLDERMAN: Can you see the chip?
DR. BROWN: Nope, I'm zooming out. Zooming in.
[A quick cut to the truck and then cut to the operating room.]
{FLASHBACK: On the new truck.}
COLIN: BRIGHT!!!!!!
[The truck seems to be going really fast and they drive off the hill.]
{END OF FLASHBACK}
[Cut to the Abbott house. Bright has just walked in, looking terrified.]
DR. ABBOTT: Bright, what is it?
BRIGHT: I remember everything. About last Fourth of July, I remember everything that happened that day.
DR. ABBOTT: Well, that's natural. It's been a while. Immediate effects of the trauma.....
BRIGHT: I always have.
DR. ABBOTT: Go on.
BRIGHT: That afternoon, he stole some stuff from his dad's liquor cabinet. Colin. We were drinking. Before I know it, the ceremony is over and these guys are going to go off roading. The truck was there and I knew we shouldn't have taken it. We get up to Miller's Field, and he says I could drive.
DR. ABBOTT: No, wait wait wait, slow down son, you're not making any sense.
BRIGHT: It was me dad, I was driving the truck when the accident happened. Not Colin.
DR. ABBOTT: Sergeant Dan Forth said....
BRIGHT: No, he assumed that where Colin's body landed that he was driving, and I let him think it.
DR. ABBOTT: And you were drinking too?
BRIGHT: Yeah.
[Bright starts to get emotional.]
BRIGHT: (CONT'D) I was. See it was my fault, and if Colin dies, it's going to be like I killed him. Like I killed my best friend. I wanted to tell you when it happened and I should have told you.
[Bright gets even more emotional.]
BRIGHT: (CONT'D) I should have told you, Dad. I'm so sorry. Amy's going to hate me forever.
{END OF ACT THREE / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT FOUR}
[Open with James Hart, Sharon Hart, Bright Abbott, and Dr. Abbott in the waiting room. Bright's just finished telling the Harts that he was driving when the accident with Colin occurred.]
JAMES: You were driving?
BRIGHT: Yeah.
JAMES: And you waited until today to tell us?
SHARON: Jim...
JAMES: No no, I just want to understand this. Four months, after all's been said and done, I find out Colin wasn't driving? I don't get it...what does it mean?
SHARON: It means he wasn't driving. That's all. He was still in the truck. He still got hurt. It doesn't change anything.
JAMES: No, you're wrong. It has to, something has to change.
DR. ABBOTT: Jim, you have every reason to be upset. Bright just wants to make things right. We both do.
JAMES: And how's that? How can things be made right when Colin is like he is?
DR. ABBOTT: I don't know... I... The truth is... This is the... Just a first step.
JAMES: That shouldn't be my son in there.
[James Hart leaves. There's a period of silence.]
SHARON: Bright, sit down.
[He sits.]
BRIGHT: I know I did a horrible thing. I'm so sorry.
SHARON: Bright, to my knowledge, you're the first person to take any responsibility for what happened that day.
BRIGHT: I should have said something sooner.
SHARON: I could say that same thing about myself. I haven't been able to bring myself to be able to say those words.
BRIGHT: You weren't there......
SHARON: I did not know my son was drinking or that he took the truck keys. When I look back at that day, I think... I think that I knew.
BRIGHT: I miss him.
SHARON: Me too. Will you wait here with us?
BRIGHT: Yeah.
[Cut to Ephram and Amy in the other waiting area with an extremely messy table. He's sitting on the table and she's in a chair.]
EPHRAM: It's official, I have run out of things to say. [a beat] I'm really not this boring, it's just rare that I spend so much time with one person, you know I usually scrap the bottom of the barrel. Most of the time I get in, I get out, nobody gets hurt.
AMY: It's not you. It's just this whole day is starting to feel longer than the four months Colin's been in a coma.
EPHRAM: Yeah. Four months...
[Amy looks like she's pondering something.]
EPHRAM: (CONT'D) What are you thinking about?
AMY: I'm thinking about the moment when Colin finally wakes up. I've thought about it a billion times.
EPHRAM: Yeah?
AMY: And, I know what I'm going to say to him.
[Ephram looks sad.]
AMY: (CONT'D) It's not what you think. I am going to tell him how sorry I am.
EPHRAM: Sorry?
AMY: Ephram, there's a whole part of this thing I've never told anyone about.
[Ephram moves from sitting on the table to in a chair to sit closer to her.]
EPHRAM: What?
AMY: We had a fight that day. Before he took the truck. A big fight. I told him I loved him.
EPHRAM: You guys have a weird way of fighting.
AMY: He didn't say it back.
EPHRAM: Maybe...he was just having a hard time with the words. You know, sometimes people really want to say something, but, you just can't.
AMY: Maybe. Maybe he never really loved me. And do you know what the worst part is? Worse than the waiting and the operation, the tubes and the machines? Sometimes I think he wasn't just going for a joy ride that day. I think he was running away from me.
EPHRAM: Amy...
[Ephram sighs.]
EPHRAM: (CONT'D) OK, this is going to sound really lame, but, it's the truth. I know how you feel. For a long time after my mom had her accident, I was sure it was my fault. Blaming yourself, it's just a way to try and make sense of something that will never make sense. When the truth is, it was what it was. An accident.
AMY: Kind of amazing, isn't it? Out of all the people I've known my whole life, you're the only one who showed up today.
[Cut to waiting room with Bright, Dr. Abbott, James Hart, and Sharon Hart. Dr. Brown and Brian come in to tell them about the operation.]
DR. BROWN: Colin came through very well. We got the chip. Actually, it was two chips. We found a second one during surgery. We had some bleeding we didn't expect, which slowed us down, and I can't promise you it didn't do any damage. We won't know where we stand for a while. In fact, for a week or two, it may seem like nothing's changed at all. But I want you to know that we've done everything humanly possible to help your son.
SHARON: Can we see him now?
DR. BROWN: He's on his way to ICU. The OR nurse will show you the way.
[James and Sharon Hart exit.]
DR. ABBOTT: Thank you.
[Cut to Dr. Brown and Brian in the hospital hallway, looking at some clipboards.]
BRIAN: I don't know what the hell you were talking about last night Andy, that was awesome, awesome! You took a damn bone chip out of a damn brain stem! You made history!
DR. BROWN: Easy, Brian, easy down!
BRIAN: You're right about one thing though. You're a different person. You're better than you were before.
DR. BROWN: It was the knishes. And for the fact that the first time in my life, I had a personal stake in the outcome.
BRIAN: Whatever it was, I want you to put it in a carry-on bag and come back to New York with me.
DR. BROWN: Sorry, no can do.
BRIAN: Hey, it doesn't have to be today. If you finish this sabbatical, come back home. We still need the guy that can fix God's mistakes.
DR. BROWN: This is my home now, Brian. And as for the big guy's mistakes, these days I'm working on one of his bigger ones. And it ain't the fact that you'll never be as pretty as me!
[Cut to Dr. Brown and Brian walking to the waiting room where Amy and Ephram are waiting. Amy gets up when she sees Dr. Brown and Brian walking towards her and Ephram.]
AMY: How is he?
DR. BROWN: He's out of surgery now. If you want to see him, Brian here will show you the way.
AMY: OK!
[Amy starts walking with Brian.]
AMY: (CONT'D) Wait, Dr. Brown.....
[Amy goes over, hugs/kisses him.]
AMY: (CONT'D) Thank you, Dr. Brown.
[Then she goes back with Briman and they walk out.]
DR. BROWN: Considering a career in neurosurgery?
EPHRAM: I am now. Delia's with Nina.
DR. BROWN: I figured.
[Ephram sighs.]
EPHRAM: So how did it go?
DR. BROWN: OK.
[Dr. Brown sighs.]
DR. BROWN: (CONT'D) I don't know if we did any good. From here on, it's wait and see.
EPHRAM: I meant, how did it go for you?
DR. BROWN: Truthfully? [a beat] I was scared.
EPHRAM: Scared?
DR. BROWN: Mmhmm. You called it remember?
EPHRAM: Well, what were you scared of?
DR. BROWN: That I would fail Colin, Amy, the Harts, you.
EPHRAM: You were scared you'd fail me?
DR. BROWN: Yeah. I was. But the music helped. Bobby Short, inspired choice. Very New York.
EPHRAM: I'm glad you liked it.
[Dr. Brown looks at the table.]
DR. BROWN: Travel games, huh? I always wondered what people did to kill time while we worked. In for a quick game of Travel Scrabble?
EPHRAM: There is no way I'm playing you in Scrabble. You've been published in the "Scientific American". But I will kick your butt in Clue.
DR. BROWN: Oh, I think not, Professor Plum!
[Dr. Brown takes a look at the box.]
DR. BROWN: (CONT'D) Clue doesn't come travel sized?
EPHRAM: One of the world's greater atrocities.
[Dr. Brown and Ephram set up the game and start playing.]
NARRATOR: When things are working right in the universe, a loss of innocence is usually followed, in time, but an increase in humanity.
{FLASHBACK: Colin, Amy, and Bright are laying down at Buck's Rock just resting.}
NARRATOR: (CONT'D) Time is funny like that. For everything it robs us of, it grants us something. Sometimes it's a new friend, sometimes it's a better understanding of ourselves. Sometimes, it's just a perfect day.
BRIGHT: We should be heading back soon. It's getting late.
AMY: He's right, Colin. My dad will lose it if we're late for dinner again.
COLIN: Hang on a second. Let's just lie here a little longer.
AMY: We don't have all day.
COLIN: Sure, we do.
{END OF ACT FOUR}
THE END
Cet épisode est particulier car il est entrecoupé tout au long de flash-backs du 4 juillet dernier, le jour où Colin a eu l'accident qui l'a fait tomber dans le coma. 
