February 9, 1999
PREVIEW: Danny and Rick have a heart to heart about Michelle in her old bedroom.
SCENE 1:
Danny and Michelle walking up to the Bauer kitchen door. He stops her before they enter.
Danny: Okay…look…know that we're here do you want to tell me why?
Michelle: Why what?
Danny: Why you insist on telling your family in person?
Michelle: You make it sound like it's odd.
Danny: You couldn't just call them?
Michelle: Well that wouldn't be very nice.
Danny sighs.
Michelle: I just want to see the reaction on their faces. Is that too much to ask?
Danny: No…alright…I guess…you've had to deal with more than your share from my family…
Michelle: You guess?
Danny: And since…you are trying to make this marriage work, it's only fair that I deal with your family…that's how marriages work right?
Michelle: Yeah, fairs fair
Danny: But you have to admit that I'm walking into the lion's den here. I know how your…people feel about me.
Michelle: Yeah…you're right…they don't like you. But your family doesn't like me. So we have another "fairs fair" here.
She turns to enter the house, he grabs her arm and turns her back around.
Danny: Look…you know what? I'm sorry…but I'm not buying this.
Michelle: What are you doing?
Danny: Any of it? I know you hate my family. I see it in your face every day. Why are we suddenly playing the newlywed game?
Michelle: Let go of me?
Danny looks down and realizes he still has hold of her arm and lets go.
Danny: It doesn't make sense, Michelle.
Michelle: You're talking to me about not making sense?
Danny: Yeah
Michelle: Okay…you know what? You tell me that you want us to convince everybody that this marriage is real. And then when I tell you that I agree with you, you…you tell me that I'm trying to pull something over on you?
Danny: Are you?
Michelle: Can you forget about your family for one minute? Did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't hate you so much…that maybe…I…I like you a little bit?
GUIDING LIGHT OPENING
SCENE 2:
Michelle: I know how you feel about me Danny…that's the problem.
Danny: What? What is that supposed to mean?
Michelle: Well…I may say a lot of things out of anger… or whatever…but the bottom line is that I know what you did for me. I know that you risked everything to save my life. I KNOW THAT. I'm just trying to tell you that…the Danny I know…isn't like the jerks that hang out at the compound. And for right now…that's going to be good enough for me. Maybe in time it will be more. But that's the whole package…you know…take it or leave it.
Danny considers what she has said for a moment.
Danny: Let's go play "Meet the in-laws".
Michelle sighs and heads for the door, opening it.
Michelle: I'm home everybody.
Meta turns to her.
Meta: Oh…for heaven's sake.
Rick comes into the room.
Rick: Michelle?
Michelle: I'm not alone.
Meta: So we see.
Michelle: Yes…well…I have news. I have great news actually. Ummm…the wedding is set for the day after tomorrow.
Meta: The day after tomorrow?
Michelle: Yes…but…there's so many new plans that…that…I need to..to lay out and finalize. And I just want the whole family included on the decisions.
Rick: Thanks for keeping us posted Michelle, but you can count us out.
SCENE 3:
Michelle: Can you just try to…forget about his family and forget about everything that you've read in the papers and seen on the news…and look at the man? This is the man that I've chosen to marry.
Danny: Look Michelle, you don't have to defend me. If your brother and the rest of your family don't want to come to the wedding…then so be it. That's fine. You don't have to come. As you both know, Michelle are already married. But Michelle wants a real wedding…and I intend to give her everything that she wants. With or without guests.
Rick: Don't…don't tell us…don't tell us what we need to do. And if you are going to marry my sister there are a couple things that you and I have to talk about.
Danny, on a sigh: okay
Rick: Let's go.
Rick heads out of the room, Danny turns to follow.
Michelle: Why don't I come along.
Meta: No darling, you stay here
Danny heads out of the room, but turns to look at Michelle with a half smile, then leaves the room. Michelle turns back to Meta.
Michelle: What?
Meta: Honey, if you think I just fell off the turnip truck…you have a WHOLE other think coming.
Michelle: What are you talking about Aunt Meta?
Meta: Abby told me about her visit with you. She said you were so…skittish, you nearly jumped out of your skin.
Michelle: Well…you know how Abby is. She's always exaggerating.
Meta: She wasn't exaggerating about how miserable you are. I know. I saw for myself.
Michelle: When was this?
Meta: At the country club. You were so busy playing the part of the blushing bride…but I looked in your eyes and they told me the truth.
Michelle: I'm not acting.
Meta: Honey…you're not fooling anyone. You're not in love with that boy…it's written all over your face.
Cut to Rick leading Danny down the hall.
Danny: Do you have something else on your mind other than the grand tour?
Rick stops at a door and opens it.
Rick: This is Michelle's room.
Danny: I figured.
Rick: Come on. Come on in and take a look.
Danny: okay
He steps into the room and looks around at all the awards, ribbons and trophies. He goes over to her desk and picks a trophy up.
Danny: Well…if you're trying to…uhhhh…show me that Michelle is a winner…I already knew that.
Rick interrupts: Did you know that my sister could have gone to any school she wanted. Did you know that she received academic scholarships to Berkely, Notre Dame…Stanford?
Danny (clearly impressed): Well…
Rick: Did you know that?
Danny: Why didn't she…go?
Rick: She fell in love with Jesse and she gave it all up. She just threw it away. She went to…uhhhh…Springfield University. I mean…it's a fine school…but Stanford…not even close.
Danny: What are you trying to tell me?
Rick: My sister is more than all these ribbons and these trophies. And she's more than just a very, very bright girl. My sister has an enormous heart…that doesn't know when to stop giving. Do you understand?
Danny nods his head slightly.
Rick sees a picture on a wall and walks over to it and takes a couple of them down and shows them to Danny.
Rick: Take a look at this…here…look.
Danny: Is that some sort of garden?
Rick: No…no this is an AIDS Memorial Garden on top of the hospital. My sister designed all of this. She put the whole thing together. She planted these trees. She organized a fund raiser that…that will keep it going for the next 6 years.
Danny (impressed): That's very impressive.
Rick: Impressive? It's unbelievable for a teenager. You see…my sister had a vision. She had a vision of this beautiful quiet place that…that families and friends could visit their loved ones that they've lost and remember them. Now these families…they still keep in touch with Michelle. They don't forget my sister. They all talk about how she's touched their lives.
Danny: Dr. Bauer…I know the kind of woman that I married.
Rick: Is that right? Is that right? Let me ask you something Danny. If Michelle is right about you…if you're not the person like the rest of your family…why would you force her into a life that would make her miserable?
Danny (tries to laugh it off): I'm not forcing her.
Rick: You're destroying my sister's spirit.
Danny: Rick? May I call you Rick? Look…I would never do anything to hurt Michelle.
Rick: Good…good….I'm so glad to hear you say that. Because if you are telling me the truth Danny…the greatest gift you could give my sister…is to let her go.
Danny stares at Rick…and slightly shakes his head…unable to give Rick what he wants.
SCENE 4:
Michelle and Meta are still talking in the kitchen.
Michelle: You know…I didn't have to come here. I didn't have to. Danny's right. I could have had my religious ceremony. I could have had the dress and the flowers…without all of you guys there it would be…
Meta: Incomplete.
Michelle: Yes…yes…that's the word that I'm looking for…it would have been incomplete. So I came here because I wanted to ask you…and Abby and Rick to…to be a part of my wedding. I wanted everyone to be there. Abby would be a bridesmaid…you would take the place of my mother…Rick could walk me down the aisle.
Rick comes in behind Michelle, listening to her talk.Michelle: I love you guys so much…and I just wanted…(she starts to cry a bit)…I just want us to love each other and be like we always have been…you know? Can you please just give me that?
Meta doesn't speak, Michelle turns to Rick.
Michelle: Rick?
She notices that Danny isn't there.
Michelle: Where's Danny?
Rick doesn't answer. Michelle sighs in irritation and heads out of the room.
Cut to Danny alone in Michelle's room. He's slowly going around it…touching a few of her things. He happens onto a drawing attached to the door. It's the drawing that Jesse did of Michelle months ago. Danny stares at it…then gently takes it off the door. He carries it to the bed, where he sits down…still staring intently at the drawing.
Michelle stops at the door, her shoes in hand, sees that Danny is looking at the drawing. She enters the room.
Michelle: What's that?
Danny holds up the drawing. Michelle takes it from him and lays it on the desk.
Michelle: Oh yeah. Jesse…drew that a while ago. It's alright…I guess.
Danny stands.
Danny: No it's not.
Michelle: What?
Danny stares intently at the drawing again.
Danny: Come on…he had…he had a beautiful subject…and he didn't do it justice. Not at all.
Michelle looks at him confused and uncomfortable.
SCENE 5:
Michelle: You know…ummm….I think I'm going to get…ummm…some of my stuff before we go.
Danny: Okay…that's a good idea. Uhhhh…I guess I'll go downstairs…check out the coliseum…find out the score between the Christians and the Lions.
Michelle laughs appreciatively at his attempt at humor, while he heads for the door.
Michelle: Hey Danny…listen. My family…they're really wonderful people. You'll see.
Danny looks at her for a moment, then nods.
Danny: Well…you're really…you really are something.
He stares at her for moment then leaves the room. Michelle checks to make sure she's alone then goes to the phone and asks the operator for the local FBI phone number. She begins to talk to the FBI as Danny comes running back into the room.
Danny: Michelle?
Michelle turns guiltily towards him.