02x12 - I'm Not the Only One

[bunniefuu]

announcer: Previously on Finding Carter...

It's about Lori. She tried to k*ll herself.

Have you talked to her?

No, and I'm not going to.

She could have d*ed and you're acting like you wouldn't have even cared.

Carter: I think I'd like to see her.

You shouldn't have come.

No, I'm not gonna leave.

I need to be alone, go away.

I love you.

Tell me you love me more.

She said she loved me.

She said I was her mom.

It's gonna be okay.

What is Carter's necklace doing in here?

Max and I slept together.

Don't give up on me, okay?

I'm learning how to forgive.

This feels good.

I missed you.

Kyle: You're not leaving him.

I can see that I'm hurting you.

I had no idea that this was gonna turn out the way it did.

Come on, Liz.

You might be sorry for hurting me, but you're not sorry that this is the way it's ending up.

Sorry, Detective.

No!

(g*nsh*t)

Kyle!

Stay with me!

(sirens wailing)

Don't leave me, okay, partner!

I need some help!

I need some help!

You should get to the hospital.

Gabe's gonna need you.

Why?

Kyle's dead.

♪

Sure you don't want any?

Eggplant parm's pretty good.

Yeah, I'm sure.

Funeral was about a week ago.

I figured I'd bring the food over and maybe my relatives would take a hint and leave.

(chuckling)

Why do people always bring casseroles when somebody dies?

Why not soups or salads or cakes or something?

'Cause you can just pop 'em in the microwave.

Yeah, you can freeze them and save them for later.

And they're easy to carry.

This conversation could be perceived as morbid.

Sorry.

No, it's cool, you're just stating the facts.

Death and casseroles do seem to go together.

You know you can stay with us if you need to, right?

Yeah, thank you. I appreciate that.

But once my relatives leave, which I'm hoping is today, I'm kind of looking forward to getting my house back.

Wow, you have a lot of cousins.

Most of them I have never even met before.

Yeah, it's weird what brings people out of the woodwork.

Okay.

Gabe, what do you want to do right now?

We'll do anything you want.

I'm good just hanging out.

Okay.

Well, then we will just do that.

♪
♪ If I help you up ♪
♪ Will you lead me through the night ♪
♪ Will you take my heart ♪
♪ Can you promise me an afterlife ♪
♪ Oh when we loose our time ♪

Are you guys cool?

Yeah, we're good.

♪ This is for the rest of us ♪
♪ Hoping it's all right, old enough to die ♪
♪ Young enough to fight ♪
♪ This is all that's left of us ♪
♪ You can take my life ♪
♪ I can hear it moving on ♪
♪ Rising with my eyes ♪
♪ This is for the rest of us ♪
♪ Hoping it's all right ♪
♪ Old enough to die ♪
♪ And young enough to fight ♪

(video game g*nshots)

Hey, can we talk?

Look, I know you're still mad at me, and I don't blame you, but I want to make it up to you.

How, Madison?

You have been lying to my face since the moment you got here... (doorbell chimes) when you had every opportunity to tell me the truth.

Taylor: Carter, it's for you.

Who is it?

I don't know, some guy.

Hi.

Are you Carter Stevens?

Uh, yeah?

You've been served.

Oh, my God.

Lori's going on trial.

♪ There you go ♪
♪ There you stay ♪
♪ Keeping low ♪
♪ Never wanna play ♪
♪ You've been up and down, down ♪
♪ You've been low, low, low ♪
♪ Pretending to not feel alone ♪
♪ Pretending to not feel alone ♪

How is she suddenly considered competent to stand trial?

It says she petitioned for a reevaluation and the doctor signed off on it.

You saw how unstable she was.

Your mother's on the phone with the D.A.'s office now.

I don't know, maybe it'll turn out to be a good thing.

What did you find out?

This is a complicated situation because not only is she trying to get out, but she's trying to get custody of you.

How are they even considering letting her out?

In the state of Virginia, when a child is detained by a legal parent, it's considered a misdemeanor, not a felony.

But she was never my legal parent.

Well, her defense attorney is going to try to prove that she was your legal parent when she abducted you.

You guys are my legal parents.

Yes, exactly.

She doesn't have a leg to stand on.

David, it's the egg donation.

It's not black and white anymore.

That's ridiculous.

The law is on our side.

A jury would have to agree with us.

What happens if they don't?

Her penalty could be reduced.

To what?

Less than a year.

Time served.

She could be released immediately.

It is so supremely creepy that Lori's making Carter testify at her trial.

I just feel like such an idiot for letting her use me.

You're not the first one she's used.

You probably won't be the last.

Whoa, did you guys leave that door open?

No, did you?

I don't think so.

There's someone in there.

Stay here.

Max, no.

Jesus!

It's my parents.

I don't get it.

When I saw her, she told me she never wanted to see me again.

Or so she said.

Maybe she changed her mind.

But even if she somehow convinced a jury to let her go and she got custody, what does she have to gain?

Carter doesn't want to live with her.

A judge would have to consider that.

Well, if a jury says she's Carter's mother, the judge would probably consider that.

I hate what she is doing to us.

God, I should have never gone and seen her.

Carter, it's not your fault.

You tried to help. You did the right thing.

God, this is so weird.

She got her ex-boyfriend to come ask me to help put her in there, then she sends me all these letters, lures me up there.

Lures you?

Are you saying the su1c1de attempt wasn't real?

Oh, sick.

I mean, maybe she's been thinking about this all along.

Oh, my God, what if this was her plan from the beginning?

To get out of prison?

To get you back?

I don't know.

God, why are we still having to deal with this stuff?

It's okay, Carter.

We're gonna go to talk to the D.A. this afternoon.

We're gonna find out what she's up to.

You guys doing okay?

Yeah, we're fine.

It's pretty screwed up. The trial thing.

Yeah, but it's good to be here, hanging out.

You realize, right, not actually hanging out?

You're obsessively cleaning?

It's what I do.

It's her coping mechanism.

What about you? You got one?

Hmm?

Oh. No, I wish.

That's what these are for.

Jump, over the guy! Jump! Jump!

Oh, jump.

How do you jump!

Push "A." "A", "A," "A."

He's not jumping!

Jump, jump, you gotta jump!

"A"!

Jump!

(g*nsh*t, man groaning)

Wow.

You're really kinda bad at this.

It wasn't me, he wasn't jumping.

Mm-hmm.

Okay, I'm up. Give it to me.

Gabe, where are the Swiffers?

Uh... are they not underneath the sink?

No. I can't find them.

I don't know.

My dad... usually takes care of that stuff.

Oh, well, don't worry about it.

I'll find them.

Hey.

Look.

None of us have any idea what you're going through right now.

Yeah.

I don't know.

I've always known the risks.

It doesn't make it easier, man.

No, but it's something we talked about all the time.

And he prepped me for it.

He said if, you know, something were to ever happen, to be strong and move on with my life.

So that's what I'm gonna do.

Okay, but if there's anything we can do, you just let us know, all right?

All I need you to do is act normal.

We can do normal.

See, I that might be kind of a stretch, but we can definitely try.

Thanks.

Taylor: Oh, I found them!

Sweet.

All right, who's up?

Me.

My next victim.

Neglectful, hypocritical, overbearing, self-absorbed.

Bird, it's cool.

I'm on a roll here.

Unethical, corrupt. Overbearing.

You already said that one.

Yeah, well, I'm saying it again.

You can't really blame 'em for not wanting three people staying in their guest house.

Yeah, well, you think they'd be grateful that you guys kept me company while they were gone.

I think you implying that we were some kind of threesome might have thrown them.

Well, I just said it to annoy them.

Apparently, it worked.

I'm sorry.

I didn't know they'd kick you guys out.

No, it's cool.

I've actually been thinking about getting my own place again.

I could use a fresh start.

Oh, fine, abandon me.

I'm used to it.

What about you?

Where are you gonna go?

No idea.

What is wrong with me?

Why didn't I just stand up for myself.

Instead, I let them walk all over me, as usual.

They're your parents.

You know, it's not that easy.

Look at me, I...

I ran away, instead of confronting mine.

That's why it pisses me off.

Max wants to find a place.

You have no place to go.

What are we doing here?

Well, like I said, Bird's parents are back, so I've got to move on.

But why your old apartment.

There are a million places for rent.

And we had some... some pretty good time in this place.

Pretty happy here and I just thought that if it was here and I was here, you might wanna be here, too.

Max, I'm not even out of high school yet.

I can't move in with you.

No, I'm... I know that.

I'm not asking you to live here, I just want you to know that it is here if you ever need it.

And me.

That's really nice.

So you think you'll come by once in a while?

Yeah, yeah.

Once in a while.

♪ I will wait forever 'til you are mine ♪

I'm not gonna lie, I...

I think you need some stuff.

We have a lot going for us at trial.

Carter's gonna make a very good witness.

What kind of, um, questions, are they gonna ask me?

We'll go through all that, very carefully, just the two of us.

Okay, good.

Now, we just got their final witness list.

None of these names look familiar.

One of them's her doctor at the mental hospital.

And this one, Benjamin Wallace?

They added him at the last minute, but if you see there, they've been having trouble contacting him.

Who is he?

As I said, they haven't located him and we haven't either.

Elizabeth: It's a short list.

Well, that's a good thing, though, right?

Well, there aren't a lot of people speaking to the defendant's character, which is why they will be very quick to defame yours.

They'll be quick to bring up the affair.

They will do whatever they can to make her look good and your family look bad.

David, you'll notice your name is first on that witness list.

They can't wait to get you up there.

This is what she's wanted all along.

What, hon'?

She wants to publicly humiliate you two, you for rejecting her and you for taking Taylor and me away from her.

They will bring up graphic, intimate details of your sexual relationship with her.

And just so you know, they will portray you as an unhappy, infertile shrew.

Okay, but if they put her away, she's gone for what, like 20 years or something?

There's no way to know what'll happen at trial.

Juries do some very strange things.

You know that, Detective.

Yeah, she's right.

Anyway, this may never even go to trial at all.

What do you mean?

I mean there is a plea deal on the table.

Elizabeth: Are they considering it?

We hope so.

As I said, juries are very unpredictable and at least with a deal, we know she'll be put away for ten years and we would avoid a very public, very ugly ordeal.

♪

Take it.

Take the plea deal, Lori.

Why would I ever do that?

Because you'd be guaranteed a ten-year sentence instead of leading up to a jury who could give you 40.

And believe me, if this does go to trial, I'm going to do absolutely everything in my power to make sure that is exactly what happens.

They're not gonna do that.

And how do you know that?

Once I make them understand that I am your mother, they'll let me go.

You are not my mother.

Elizabeth Wilson is my mother.

That's for the jury to decide.

Carter, I know things can never go back to the way they were, but we could have a whole new start.

Oh, my God. You really are insane.

No, this trial is gonna change everything.

Lori, I am 17 years old.

You are never going to get custody of me because I am never going to agree to it.

Sweetie, that's just not for you to decide.

After everything you've done to us, you are just not going to get away with this.

We'll see.

Hey.

Hey, Armadillo.

What are you doing?

Oh, just looking over these notes from the D.A. for tomorrow.

You nervous?

A little.

Listen, Grant.

You're probably gonna hear some stuff tomorrow about Mom and Dad in court.

I've heard it all before.

Okay.

I just wanted to make sure you knew that in advance.

We're gonna be fine though, okay?

Yeah, yeah, of course.

As the captain of the junior high mock trial, can I give you a tip?

Sure.

All right, well, first of all...

Grant.

Stop reading those.

Say what they want you to say, but in your own words.

If you sound like you rehearsed, the jury won't listen.

That's really good advice.

Hey, I'll be there rooting for you.

We all will.

Thank you.

No problem, Elephant.

I have a confession.

I didn't actually learn that at mock trial.

I learned it from "The Good Wife." Sue me.

Hey, how you doing?

I'm okay.

You sure?

Yeah, actually.

I was... I was just thinking about how amazing our kids are, how they're handling this.

Just want to get them through it.

It doesn't matter what comes out, you know?

Or how it makes... us look.

It just doesn't seem important anymore.

You're pretty amazing yourself, you know that?

Where do you think they get it?

I don't know.

Well, I do.

They're lucky to have you, Liz.

How did it go at the station with Kyle's things?

Fine.

You can talk to me about him, you know.

I can't.

I'm sorry.

Okay.

I'm here if you need me.

Listen.

What do you think about having Gabe stay here for a little while?

The kids say that he doesn't want to go to his relatives, and I'm worried about him.

He needs our support.

I think that's a really nice thought.

You'd be okay with it?

If that's what you need, sure.

Thank you.

No way, man. Diane Banks?

Showed up at my door last night right after you guys left.

Dude, she is smoking hot.

Ridiculous.

What'd she want?

She just wanted to see if she could do anything to help me get through this tough time.

And did she?

Did she what?

You know, do anything to help you through this tough time?

Yeah.

Twice.

What?

Well, I know I'm not nearly as exciting a houseguest as Diane Banks, but if you want, I could crash here tonight, if you want some company.

Thanks. I'm good.

Okay.

You know, also I was talking to my mom and she said you could stay with us for however long, if you want.

Hey, I appreciate that, man. I really do.

But I'm doing okay here, you know?

I miss my dad.

I feel like he could come walking through the door any minute.

It's like it really hasn't hit me yet or something.

But I'm okay, you know, I just gotta keep going.

Yeah.

But you know, at some point...

At some point, what?

You don't know what's gonna happen, okay?

I mean, unless you're some kind of professional grief counselor and I didn't know.

No, I'm not.

Okay, then, let's drop it.

Look, it's getting late.

I think Diane's gonna come back over, soon, so.

Okay, well, I'll stop by tomorrow.

It's cool, you don't have to.

Hey. Hey.

I put your clothes in your room.

Thanks.

How you doing?

Yeah, I'm good, I'm just kind of nervous.

Mmm.

This helps with nervous.

Thank you.

Madame.

Hey, girls.

Hey.

Hey.

Ice cream. What's the occasion?

We are feeding our anxiety with sugar and fat.

I'm in.

Everything's gonna be fine tomorrow.

You know just what to say.

Yeah, I guess.

I just feels kind of strange that I'm the one that has to put her in jail after all of this.

If I could take this away from you, Carter, I would.

You know that, right?

Yeah, I do.

That's what makes you my mom.

(knocking at door)

Come in.

Hey. Hey, you're back.

Am I interrupting? No.

Just a little band practice.

I brought you a housewarming gift.

What is it?

It's a crock pot. What does it look like?

Mmm, thank you.

I know you like to grow stuff.

What's up?

Uh...

I was just at home trying not to think about tomorrow.

And then I went into my room and started thinking about tomorrow.

Yeah.

You know, I've been putting on this show for everyone like I'm ready to take whatever comes, fight the good fight, but I don't know.

And then I was... I was thinking about what you said, about me coming here if I ever needed anything, so I got in my car and here I am.

I don't want to go, Max.

I'm scared.

Is it okay if I stay with you?

Yeah.

Yeah, of course you can.

In the morning, I'll make you some waffles in my new crock pot.

And I'll go with you.

If you don't want to stay, you know, I can take you home, too.

You will?

Mm-hmm.

Whatever you need.

Always, you know that.

♪

Hi, Gabe.

Hi.

Can I come in?

Sure.

You alone?

Yeah, finally got rid of the relatives.

Well, are you hungry?

You want me to make you something?

No, I'm good.

Um...

I have some stuff for you from the station.

Thanks.

I'll just...

Can we talk a second?

I'm kind of in the thick of it.

Oh, right.

Maybe later.

We really don't need to do this.

Do what?

I'm okay.

Really?

Yes.

Because I'm worried about you, Gabe.

I just wanted to let you know that you can come to me for anything.

If you need anything...

If you want to come and stay with us, something to eat.

If you want some advice or a hug, just...

All you have to do is...

What?

Ask?

Thanks a lot.

Now that he's gone, you're finally ready to be my mom?

I'm sorry, I didn't mean... to be honest, when he was here, you weren't too interested in our family.

♪ Are we family? ♪

Gabe, I am so sorry.

I don't need your apologies.

Or your advice.

But thanks for the memories.

♪ This is a moment ♪
♪ Of grace ♪

You ready?

Yeah.

Uh, what do you think?

I'm going for maternal.

You are maternal, three times over.

(grunts)

Gabe doesn't think so.

Your motherhood is not on trial today.

Yeah, well, in my experience, the jury puts whatever they want to on trial.

You are the most devoted, loving parent I know.

(sighs)

Let's hope that's enough.

♪ To the street ♪
♪ I'm down in the place where you left me ♪
♪ I know everyone in this town ♪
♪ You call and you talk to me calmly ♪
♪ You're out with the sound of a crowd ♪
♪ I'm faded in someone's apartment ♪
♪ You'll wake to a ghost on the wall ♪
♪ I'll stop when I know how it started ♪
♪ I'll drop with the weight of it all ♪
♪ All my best is yet to come ♪
♪ Could we forget the last six months ♪
♪ I'm pulling myself together ♪
♪ Roads to oceans ♪

Hey.

Hey.

woman: Gabe, you're here.

Hi, Mrs. Ellis. Thanks for letting me stay.

♪ I'm down in the place where you left me ♪
♪ I know everyone in this town ♪
♪ I'll stop when I know how it started ♪
♪ I'll drop with the weight of it all ♪
♪ I'll drop with the weight of it all ♪

I'm here.

♪ I'll drop with the weight of it all ♪
♪ I'll drop with the weight of it all ♪

(no audible dialogue)

Hey.

Are you okay?

Yeah, it's just...

I've never seen her before.

All rise. Court is now in session.

The Honorable Judge Nadine Pryor presiding.

♪

There you are.

What's up?

I just thought you might like to come shopping with me.

No, thanks.

I'll be home at 6:00.

The Gibsons are expecting us for dinner.

Please be ready.

And wear something appropriate.

Looks like you're almost ready.

Do you need a ride, dear?

No, she doesn't and if she does, I'll give her one.

Please watch your tone.

That car you're driving was a gift.

It can easily be taken away.

Fine.

Take it. Okay?

I don't care what you do to me.

I've been fending for myself and living on my own and doing just fine, with a lot of people around that care about me, okay?

I'm going.

We will discuss boundary adjustments later, young lady.

You're cute when you're mad.

Thanks.

Come on, let's put your stuff back.

No, Bird.

I really do have to go.

I know this sounds insane, but seeing your parents kind of made me miss mine.

You mean seeing my lousy parents made you miss your lousy parents?

Exactly.

And...

I just think I've done enough damage here.

I think Carter and I are really done now.

Maybe she just needs some time.

No, I think it's over.

Maybe you'll come visit me.

Sure, I'll try.

Well, how about a kiss for the road?

♪ Oh, ooh, oh, I'm done for whatever ♪

Carter, can you tell the jury what your relationship is to the defendant, Lori Stevens?

Yeah, she's my kidnapper.

And how old were you when Miss Stevens kidnapped you?

The first time, I was three.

But this recent time, the second time she took you, did Miss Stevens drug you before she abducted you?

Yes.

Did she force you into a car, hold you in a motel against your will and then transport you to a second location in order for Miss Stevens to try and abduct your sister?

Yes.

Were you aware during this kidnapping that your assailant had a g*n?

Yeah, I was.

Did she thr*aten you with that g*n?

She used it to make sure I wouldn't run.

Objection, Your Honor, witness is speculating.

Sustained. Jury will disregard the answer.

Counselor, continue.

Carter, who gave birth to you?

Elizabeth Wilson.

And what is your relationship to Elizabeth Wilson?

She's my mother.

And once more, just for the record, Carter.

What is your relationship to Lori Stevens?

She is the woman who kidnapped me.

And do you have any other relationship to the defendant?

No. None.

And finally, will you please state for the jury the name that you choose to go by?

I have decided to go by Wilson, Carter Wilson.

It's my legal name.

That's all, Your Honor.

(phone clatters)

Looks like you need a time out.

I get it, I've been there.

I'm fine, thanks.

Courtrooms are pretty intense.

Know a lot about courtrooms, do you?

Yeah, well, I've been in and out of them my whole life, so.

You look a little young to be a lawyer.

I do, right?

It's a great strategy, actually.

Once the opposition sees that I'm not even old enough to drink, then they're thrown off their argument and I win the case.

Is that how it goes?

Mm-hm.

You just have to know how the system works.

You know, not to brag or anything, but I've been doing this for 16 years, so I am pretty much an expert at it.

Not to brag or anything.

No.

No, I'm... I'm just telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Right.

So, this is the part where I ask you what you're doing here.

Carter Wilson, they're ready for you.

Well, maybe next time.

Miss Wilson, is it true that you and the defendant lived together for 13 of your 17 years?

Yes.

During that time, was your relationship with the defendant a contentious one?

No, but I was living in complete ignorance.

Was it, in fact, a loving relationship?

Depends on your definition of love.

Did you ever tell the defendant that you loved her?

Yeah, I did.

Miss Wilson, was there, in fact, a phrase that you and the defendant said to each other about how much you loved each other.

Yeah, there was.

It's a bit of a back and forth.

A private phrase, correct?

Yep.

So if you said to the defendant,

"I love you," what would she say back?

She would say, "I love you more."

And how would you respond?

"Not possible."

And then she would say...

"Yes possible."

Miss Wilson, could you describe for the jury what your 13 years with Lori were like.

Normal, I guess.

Could you be a bit more specific?

What do you want me to say?

Yeah, she... she fed me, she clothed me, she took me to school.

And this, "love you, love you more" word game you played, do you think she really loved you?

That's completely subjective.

No, not really.

As a child, did you feel loved?

Yes.

Was she kind to you?

Again, that is completely subjective.

I'm just trying to classify what kind of mother she was.

She wasn't my mother.

But you thought she was.

Yes, okay? I thought she was.

Because I was being tricked, and if you really want to play this game, then, yeah, she loved me.

I really think that she did.

She took me on adventures, she took me to the dentist.

She treated me as if I was the absolute center of her universe.

She gave me confidence, read to me, was kind to me.

She did absolutely everything a mother is supposed to do.

I thought she was my mother and she acted like my mother.

But nothing you have me say right now is going to change the fact that that is the woman who kidnapped me from my real parents when I was three, only to drug me and do the exact same thing 13 years later.

She is a criminal and that's all that matters here.

Miss Wilson, did you recently find out that Lori Stevens is, in fact, your biological mother?

She is the egg donor, that is very different.

Would you say that someone that shares your biology, feeds you, clothes you, provides a roof over your head, and loves you more than anything else in the world could be called a parent?

A lot of people provide support to children.

It doesn't necessarily mean they're all the parents.

Answer the question, please.

Would you consider a person who did all that for their biological child a parent?

Yes or no, please.

Yes, but that's not the point here.

Actually, that is the point.

Not whether she made mistakes.

But whether she was your parent.

She wasn't my parent.

Did you recently go visit her in the hospital when she was ill?

Yeah, she told me she wanted me to leave and she never wanted to see me again.

But before that, you... you had a conversation.

Yeah, we had a conversation.

Tell me about that.

What condition was she in when you got there?

I don't know, quiet.

Would you say she was depressed?

I don't know, I'm not a doctor.

Was it difficult seeing her in that condition?

Yeah.

What did you say to her, specifically?

I don't remember.

Did you say something to the effect of...

"That our life together wasn't a mistake"?

Yeah What else did you say?

Tell the jury what you said, Miss Wilson.

If you don't, I can read it out loud.

I told her that there was a point at which she was my mother, that she loved me and took care of me.

That I loved her and I always would.

Was this woman, in fact, your mother not?

Maybe.

Is there any part of you that still loves her?

Yes.

No further questions.

Judge Pryor: The court will now take a short recess.

(gavel bangs)

It's fine. Everything is going to be okay.

I just ruined everything.

You told the truth. You did the right thing.

Yeah, but now she might get out.

It doesn't matter, Carter.

We're still a family.

Yeah.

Defense, you may call your first witness.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I call to the stand Benjamin Wallace.

♪ Bones shake ♪
♪ It's lonely ♪
♪ It's late ♪
♪ Footsteps... ♪

Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

I do.

♪ Howling candles are blowing us out ♪

Will you please state your name for the record?

Ben Wallace. Benjamin.

Would you please tell the jury your connection to the defendant, Lori Stevens.

Lori Stevens is my biological mother.

And who, for the record, is your biological father?

Uh, my biological father is David Wilson.

♪ I need you to help me through ♪
♪ I can't lay these ghosts to rest ♪
♪ Don't walk scared and it's dark ♪
♪ Oh I know it's all a mess ♪