13x07 - Dust and Bones

[bunniefuu]

- [Ringing]

- [Gasping]

[Breathing hard]

[Grunting]

[Ringing]

Hello?

Man: Oh, my god, Liz, where are you?

Brian?

No, no, it's Jay.

I've been trying you since yesterday.

You missed a board meeting.

I got worried.

I even went to your house.

Are you ok?

Where are you?

I'm in my car.

I'm...

Liz, where in your car?

Downtown?

Where downtown?

Ohh...

Liz?

Liz!

Hello?

Are you there?

I'm here.

I'm on sixth, near the doughnut shop.

Woman: Is she ok?

Jay: I called your husband.

Brian's on his way back to town right now.

- Wait.

- Come on.

I...

I woke up in the car.

I...

I don't know how I got there.

You don't sound well.

I'm gonna come and get you, ok?

You said you're near the doughnut shop?

I left work and then...

It's all just a blur.

Jay: Please, just stay where you are.

I'm heading to my car right now.

Liz.

Liz!

Hey, are you ok?

Miss?

[Gasping]

Somebody call 911!

Man: You got this, bro.

Second man: [Groaning]

Ok, all right.

Man: Here we go.

Come on.

[Grunting]

Second man: That's it.

[Grunting]

Philip “The Brick” Brooks, ladies and gentlemen.

Sorry.

Brick?

That's not a thing, man.

What are you talking about?

Sure, it is.

Brick.

I mean, you're practically indestructible.

That's a solid nickname.

Yeah.

So what's the deal, man?

Why haven't you been returning my calls?

I'm busy.

Busy?

What, so now I gotta pick up your every call like I'm your high school girlfriend or your grandmother's gonna come around and drop the hammer on me?

She will, too.

Yeah.

I think I could take her.

I don't know about that.

My grandmother's pretty street.

You know that.

Yeah.

So, come on, man.

It's me.

What's going on?

It's been 3 years, man.

3 years and I'm still right where he wants me, in this chair.

What are you talking about?

We caught the Crimson King.

We put him away for good, man.

You were a big part of that.

I may have escaped with my life, thanks to you, but after two years of P.T., all I got to show for it is a few tentative steps.

You just hit a wall.

What do the doctors say?

They say to keep on working, I'm getting stronger, but every day is just like the last.

I'm never gonna walk again, man.

Hey.

Ranger up, all right?

You were never afraid to do the work before.

It's not just that.

[Text message tone]

[Sighs]

Look, I gotta...

It's ok, man.

It's ok.

Go.

Duty calls.

All right, when I get back, we're gonna have dinner and we'll talk about this more.

Hey.

You better be buyin', 'cause I've suffered enough in this life without having to eat our cooking.

[Laughing]

As some of you know, Tara is headed to Bridgewater to assist in Ferell's criminal trial.

We will be Lewis-less while she makes sure he doesn't slip through the cracks.

Go ahead, Garcia.

Ok, fam.

We are heading to Austin, Texas, where two women have been abducted in the past week.

The victims, Hannah Accord, 32, and Liz Meyer, 34, were both found alive, in their own cars, but miles away from where they were last seen.

Both women were badly d*sfigured.

The unsub left a white plastic mask on the passenger seat of both of their cars.

It looks like their faces have been sliced and abraded several times.

What's that saying, “death by a thousand cuts”?

Lingchi.

It's a form of t*rture and execution in ancient China.

Knives were used to methodically remove portions of the body over an extended period of time, eventually resulting in death.

Except our unsub wants these women alive.

Yeah.

He's getting off on making them live with their scars.

It would have taken time.

And patience, to slowly and permanently mark these women's faces to take away their beauty, their identities.

The mask could be a taunt, a cruel reminder to the victims that they're gonna have to spend the rest of their lives hiding their faces.

It says here neither of the women could remember what happened or where they had been.

Cell phone tracking confirms their original whereabouts, and then goes offline until they resurfaced.

It's hard to tell from these initial photos, but Hannah's injuries, though extensive, when compared to Liz's, seem more superficial.

I agree.

Liz's wounds seem to indicate a cleaner, steadier hand at work, which means our unsub's only gaining in confidence.

Yeah, and he might strike again soon.

Which is exactly why we are wheels up in 30.

♪ We've only reached the third day ♪ ♪ of a seven-day binge ♪ ♪ and I can already see your name ♪ ♪ disintegrating from my lips ♪ ♪ we've only reached the third day ♪ ♪ of a seven-day binge ♪ ♪ I can already see your name ♪ ♪ disintegrating from my lips ♪

Prentiss: “When there is pain, there are no words.

All pain is the same.” Toni Morrison.

Hey.

You all right?

Yeah.

Yeah, I, uh...

I went to visit my old partner this morning.

His doctors thought he'd be paralyzed permanently from the waist down.

Just about a year ago he got some feeling in his toes and he was even able to take a few steps, but he just is...

He's plateaued.

Phil was there for me.

Ranger school, while we served in the 75th, and we even came into the Bureau at the same time.

He was my brother.

It's just tough to see him struggling like this.

Well, the road to recovery's tough.

You and I both know that.

I'm just wishing there was something I could do to help.

Oh, there is.

Just knowing what that is is the real question, right?

So both victims were women in their early 30s.

Hannah, the first victim, is a single mom with 3 kids.

She's from Austin, works from home as a CPA.

And she was last seen having lunch with a friend from high school.

The friend went back to work, but Hannah never returned home.

Her mom, who was watching her kids, called the police.

Liz Meyer, on the other hand, moved to Austin 6 months ago and was last seen leaving work.

And these two women don't know each other?

Not as far as I can see and I can see really far.

I looked into all their former boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, lovers, et cetera.

Nothing's tripping my alarms.

Then Hannah and Liz look like victims of opportunity.

Which is odd, given the time the unsub took to repeatedly cut and abrade their skin.

I mean, it feels personal.

So maybe they're surrogates.

There's an element of spectacle to this, almost like these women aren't surrogates, but statements.

So what's he trying to say?

I hate women?

When we land, Reid, JJ, go to the hospital, see what we can find out from Liz.

Luke, Matt, take Hannah through a cognitive.

Dave and I will go to the disposition site where Liz was found.

Austin PD is holding the scene.

Chief Foles, I'm SSA Luke Alvez, this is SSA Matt Simmons.

Pleasure.

We got you set up in the back here.

We're still working on pulling the traffic cam footage of the surrounding abduction and, uh, dis...

What'd you call it?

Disposition site.

It's a term we use for a location where a victim is left alive.

Well, we've also looked into the masks that were found in Hannah and Liz's cars.

No prints, generic.

Available in costume shops and online.

I know she's been recovering at home.

Have you arranged for Hannah Accord to come speak with us?

She's on her way in.

Thanks.

Ms.

Meyer’s room is this way.

She's sedated.

We needed to clean her wounds and she was in a lot of pain.

In the photos, it appears as though her attacker cut away the first dermal layer of skin.

That's correct.

And pretty consistently, too, I might add.

The precision suggests someone skilled with a Kn*fe, maybe a plastic surgeon, a butcher, a craftsman, or an artist.

Let me ask you this, what do you make of these two puncture wounds on her chest?

My guess is they might be darts from a stun g*n or a taser.

Could have been used to subdue her.

She report having a metallic taste in her mouth?

Yeah, she did, actually.

Probably adrenaline.

Why?

What are you thinking, Spence?

Stun g*n darts tend to have a wider radius and leave burn marks.

And if it's all right with you, Dr.

Bateman, I'd like to order a few additional blood tests.

Ok.

So, a PTT, an APTT, along with FDP and creatinine kinase, creatinine calcium, P.O.

4 and CK serum, as well as a type and screen and electrolytes to start with.

Agent Jareau introduced you as Dr.

Reid, but I didn't think you were a medical doctor.

Oh, I'm not.

Ohh.

Look like vomit to you?

Somebody chucked their lunch?

But Liz's tox screen came back clean.

Though she might have been sick.

That would make her vulnerable, easier to control.

So how does he do it?

Hannah an Liz were found in their own vehicles.

So does the unsub use his victims' cars to abduct and transport them?

Well, let's say he does, for convenience sake.

Does he approach them while they're getting in the car?

Or does he force them in using the thr*at of v*olence?

Or does he have some sort of ruse?

Well, it was a hot day.

Liz could have cracked the windows, which gave the unsub access where he lays in wait to pick just the right time to strike.

Hannah, thanks for coming in.

You told the police you had trouble remembering the att*ck.

That's perfectly normal.

We'd like to take you through an enhanced interview, something we call a cognitive.

We'll walk you through your abduction by focusing on details that at first might seem innocuous or unimportant, but they should unlock your memories.

I'll do everything I can to help you catch him.

To stop him from hurting anyone else.

Simmons: Why don't you close your eyes.

Let's start with what you do remember.

You had lunch with a friend.

Alvez: Then you walked to your car.

What was the temperature like?

It was hot.

It's always hot.

It's Texas.

My car's going to be unbearable, even though I left the windows cracked.

Simmons: And so you got in your car.

I got in.

I left the door open so the heat could get out.

Then I started the car.

[Engine starts]

The radio came on, but I turned it off.

Alvez: And why did you turn it off?

I thought I heard something before it came on.

Can you describe the sound?

It was a hissing sound.

Simmons: Like a mechanical hissing?

I thought it was the radiator or something.

Alvez: Ok.

What did you do next?

I don't...

I...

don't remember.

Simmons: It's ok.

It's fine.

Let's just take a deep breath.

Now let's close your eyes.

Now, did you put your seat belt on?

Yes.

And then I put the car in reverse...

Aah!

Oh, my god.

Aah!

Aah!

It's what I suspected.

Liz's blood tests showed signs of evenomation.

So the puncture wounds were from a snake bite.

The quick onset of symptoms, the mental fog, blurred vision, muscular paralysis, along with vomiting and a complete lack of localized swelling and necrosis suggests a neurotoxic venom, maybe from a viperine or something in the elapid family.

In fact, the shallow puncture wounds and short bite could indicate a bite from bitis atropos or pseudonaja textilis.

English, kid.

The berg adder and the eastern brown snake, neither of which are indigenous to North America.

Wait, isn't a bite from the eastern brown snake fatal?

I mean, the unsub would need to have the anti-venom on hand.

Not necessarily.

The eastern brown snake is the second-most deadly snake in the world, but its bites tend to produce a relatively low volume of venom, so though fast-acting and debilitating, its mortality rate is rather low.

So the unsub's ruse is to trap his victims in their own car with a venomous snake and let it bite them until they become incapacitated.

I don't know.

That's leaving a lot to chance.

This guy could have used any number of abduction ruses.

The fact that he chose a snake says a lot.

Ok, wait, is it even legal to own the second-most deadly snake in the world?

I mean, I'm hoping it isn't.

Well, most states require you have a permit to keep an exotic or venomous reptile.

The real question is, what does this elaborate abduction scenario and the use of a snake have to do with the disfigurement of these women?

They overlap in the unsub's mind.

We need to figure out how and why and we need to do that quickly.

[Whimpering, crying out]

No, no...

[Whimpering]

Aah...!

[Gasping]

Aah!

Her name is Tricia Smoots.

She was found early this morning in a neighborhood in southeast Austin.

She has the same cuts and abrasions as the previous two victims, but he went further this time.

Frenulum was cut and her tongue was forked.

Probably with a scalpel or a razor blade.

Split tongue.

Like the snake he uses to abduct them.

Now, she can't speak because of the swelling.

And she needs to rest, so try and keep it short.

Listen, Smoots is a nurse.

She used to work here.

Everyone knows and loves her.

Catch this bastard.

Hi, Tricia.

I'm SSA Jennifer Jareau.

This is Dr.

Spencer Reid.

We're with the FBI.

We'd like to ask you a few questions, if that's all right.

You can write or draw.

Just tell us whatever you can remember.

Reid: “Tied down.

Dizzy.” "Like a nightmare.”" Did your attacker say anything?

“Whispered...” “we are now the same.” We.

The person that att*cked you had a forked tongue, too.

We think it's possible our unsub may also have a split tongue.

The removal of the first dermal layer of skin is similar to a technique used in scarification, which, like tongue-splitting, is a popular form of body modification.

Yeah, but couldn't the slicing of the tongue just be an escalation?

It's possible, but Dr.

Bateman said the cuts were clean.

No hesitation.

So this wasn't our unsub's first time.

Which suggests our unsub is at the very least familiar with or a part of the body modification community.

JJ: People who engage in various forms of modification often do so with the intent to reveal an aspect of themselves that they feel has been suppressed.

The masks that he was leaving behind with each victim, he's exposing these women for who they really are.

Peeling away the masks they hide behind.

Foles: And the snakes?

I mean, branding women as evil, as serpents, is a story as old as the Bible.

Prentiss: Not just evil but deceitful.

The snake in the garden of Eden is a liar.

Rossi: Our unsub's anger could be directed at what he perceives as hypocrisy or duplicity.

But the women he targeted are by all accounts model citizens.

Well, maybe they represent a specific woman in his life that he believes has two faces.

Simmons: A public and a private persona that are at odds with each other.

Prentiss: We need to start from the inside...

Tattoo and body modification artists here in Austin.

JJ: And it's likely serpent imagery will play a part in his work.

Prentiss: You should canvass local shops and parlors, scour the web and social media for artists and enthusiasts who fit this profile.

Agent Alvez.

They said you're making progress.

They brought me back in to look at photos of potential suspects.

That's great.

Yeah.

How are you feeling?

Better.

My kids are coming home.

They've been staying with my mother.

I haven't seen them since the att*ck.

I didn't want to scare them.

But I can't hide away forever.

My little ones are counting on me.

You ok?

Yeah.

I admire her resilience.

Some people surprise you.

She's probably surprised herself.

But when you've got someone counting on you, you find strength you didn't know you had.

First off, I want to say that all baby animals are cute, um, but the thing about baby snakes is, uh, they are the kind where like if you thought that hatching or slithering or shedding is cute, then they are really adorable.

And a lot of people seem to think so because the online snake trade is booming.

And you have no idea how easy it is to get a venomous snake on the interwebs.

Although, from the looks of it, only a fraction of the buyers actually register with the state.

Well, Texas Park and Wildlife should have records.

Of responsible serpent owners, yes, and I'm coming through those as we speak.

But that's not why you called me?

Now we need you to tell us all you can about the body modification community here in Austin.

Basically anyone who specializes in snake imagery or tongue splitting.

Body mod.

Tattoos.

Roger that.

Wow.

There are a ton of shops.

But you're looking for something more specific, right?

Someone who deals with custom work, different than, say, that army tattoo that Simmons has on his very toned left bicep.

Well, how about you, Garcia?

Ever go to the needle?

You got any tattoos?

I don't see why that's relevant to this conversation.

So you do.

That's interesting.

Didn't say that.

And even if I did, it wouldn't matter, whether it said “baby girl” or what part of my body it's located on or whatever.

And anyway, I have an answer to the question that is pertinent to this case.

You gotta talk to this guy...

Ryan Kash.

He has a custom shop on congress Avenue.

He specializes in tongue splitting and scarification.

Here's his home and his work address.

[Loud music playing]

[Indistinct song playing]

Can I help you?

Hey!

Stop!

Alvez: Come here!

Stay there!

Hands!

Why'd you run, Kash?

I was in trouble before.

There's a warrant out for me.

Prior drug arrests in Oklahoma.

Quite the rap sheet.

But we're not here to talk about petty offenses.

3 women have been assaulted.

That's your specialty, isn't it?

Tongue splitting, scarification.

Admiring your handiwork?

[Laughs]

That's not me.

I would never do that.

Never do what, cut and t*rture 3 women?

No, no.

No way.

Look at the photo.

She had a frenulum cut.

She could choke on her own tongue.

I don't do that.

Who would?

No one.

It's too dangerous.

With the additional data from the unsub's third victim, I was able to close in on the unsub's comfort zone.

Now, look at this.

Victim number one, Hannah Accord, was found on Comal Street, just outside of a farmers market.

Victim number two, Liz Meyer’s car, was found on Sixth Street in downtown Austin, and victim number 3, Tricia Smoots, was found in a residential area in southeast Austin.

You guys see it?

Alvez: Yeah.

Hancock Heights properties.

Reid: All 3 properties were handled by the exact same real estate agent, a woman named Lara Gutierrez.

That could be our connection.

The woman whose attention our unsub is after.

- [Ring]

- Go ahead, boss.

I need everything you can find on a woman named Lara Gutierrez.

Got it.

Kash is clean.

The police confirmed his alibi.

They're just gonna hold him until his extradition warrant comes through.

Lara Gutierrez, 45.

Single divorced mother of two.

Ex-husband lives in Cleveland.

She has two daughters, Tina and Desi.

Ok, we need everything you can find on Lara's ex-husband, past boyfriends, former clients, et cetera.

I'll send you everything I've found so far.

Penny G out.

Ok, we've said that these att*cks feel personal.

The v*olence and rage are deep-seated.

But we haven't theorized what kind of stressors would give rise to an offender like this.

Reid: The people who alter their faces, whether through surgery or alternative means like this, are often battling issues of self-esteem and self-worth.

In fact, sometimes there's even an underlying compulsion to destroy a piece of them that's tied to an early emotional trauma.

Ok, so if Lara is indeed the woman at the center of this thread, then it's likely she's the one the unsub views as wearing a mask.

She's a mother, a successful real estate agent, but perhaps underneath all of that, there's a side to her that the rest of the world doesn't see.

We haven't really talked much about gender, but I think it makes sense that the person we're looking for is a woman.

Female offenders are more likely to att*ck the physical appearances or the looks of their victims.

The venom from the snake bites essentially incapacitated the victims, making them easier to maneuver, especially for somebody of a smaller physical stature.

And there's been no sign of sexual as*ault, which is strange given the level of rage on display.

We may be looking at a kind of internalized misogyny, a self-hatred, someone lashing out, destroying the faces of their victims because they can't stand their own.

JJ, Matt, go see if any of that strikes a note with Kash.

Why am I still here?

A series of poor choices.

Do you know either of those women?

Oh, Kash, you really gotta work on that poker face.

Like you're in a lot of trouble already.

I don't think you want to add accessory after the fact and obstruction of justice to your list of offenses.

I got no idea who this chick is, but this girl, Desi, you should see what she looks like now.

Desi, hey, it's been a while.

You look different.

I got your messages.

What's up?

I need you to come with me.

Look, I can't give you any more money.

Ok, I know in the past...

I don't want your money.

Ok.

I'm sorry.

Look, I have some finals I need to study for, so...

It has to be you.

She doesn't want anything to do with me.

She'll come if it's you.

What are you talking about?

Who?

Desi, you're hurting me.

Aah!

Desi sought me out.

Said she liked the way I did things.

But, man, when she came to my shop 3 years ago, she was in bad shape.

Her family kicked her out.

She didn't know where to go.

When was the last time you saw her?

A year ago.

She left to start her own shop.

Dust & bones.

But it never got off the ground.

And I haven't seen or heard from her since.

Agents.

We just got a report of an abduction near Congress Avenue.

A female violently coerced another woman into a car.

An eyewitness managed to write down the plates.

The car belongs to Tina Gutierrez.

Matt, you and Dave check out the abduction site.

There's more.

We haven't been able to locate Lara Gutierrez.

If Desi Gutierrez does have her sister Tina, where would she take her?

And what's her end game?

I'm so glad you like it.

It's priced to sell, and it's in an up-and-coming neighborhood.

Go ahead.

Take some more pictures if you like.

- [Cell phone rings]

- Woman: What do you think?

Man: Nice.

I like it.

If you'll excuse me, I need to take this call.

It's my daughter.

Tina, what's going on?

I'm with clients.

I am so sorry.

It's an emergency.

I need to go!

Alvez: The two sisters are polar opposites.

Tina is 21, full-time student at UT.

Desi's 30.

Dropped out of school and even spent some time in juvenile detention.

Sibling rivalry doesn't usually inspire this level of sadism, especially given the fact that the girls are approximately 10 years apart in age.

Austin child protective services has a file on Desi Gutierrez.

Her mother Lara, who was 15 when she gave birth to Desi, was ordered to take parenting classes after Desi made some pretty troubling accusations against her mother.

Neglect and emotional abuse.

It was just Desi and her mother for about 10 years.

After that, Lara gave birth to her second daughter and seemed to turn her life around.

But by then, the damage was already done.

Why are you doing this?

Did Mom ever send you out back for punishment?

Probably not.

You were always the perfect one.

But me, I got banished to the shed almost every day.

It was cramped and hot.

Full of spiders.

You know what else was in that shed?

Snakes.

All kinds.

And they'd slither, hiss, and climb all around me.

Hours would pass, and they never bit me.

Not once.

They were curious about me.

Gave me more attention than anyone else.

Some snakes don't bite.

They just wrap themselves around you and squeeze.

Please, please don't do this.

Please.

Are you afraid of me, Tina?

I'm not afraid.

I'm not.

[Laughing]

You're a bad liar.

Just like Mom.

You've got your perfect hair and your perfect face and your perfect life.

But deep down, you and I are the same.

Aah!

Tina?!

Oh, my god.

Desi, what are you doing?

What's happened to you?

Mom, run!

Get out!

You make one move and I'll cut her.

Great work.

According to Garcia, two weeks ago, Lara was named Austin real estate agent of the year by the local paper.

Two weeks ago?

That could have been Desi's trigger.

In the lengthy interview, Lara talks about her rise to the top and how proud she is of her daughter Tina.

Desi is not mentioned in the article at all.

Oh, wow.

Purposeful or not, that would have cut right to the core of Desi's rage.

Desi's been leaving her victims on her mother's doorsteps, so it stands to reason that one of her mother's properties would probably play a part in Desi's end game.

All right, these were just faxed over.

It's every property Lara's ever been in charge of, going back almost 15 years.

We should focus on sites that have been on the market for an extended period of time or abandoned.

Didn't Kash say that Desi left to start her own tattoo shop?

It never opened, but what if out of guilt, Lara handled that for her?

I've got commercial properties here and there's a tattoo parlor.

These two are promising.

Ok, we'll split up, cover more ground.

What have you thought of my work?

Sweetie...

I know I didn't do things right, and I've tried, sweetie, I've tried to make it up to you.

I gave you money.

I got you this shop!

You said you wish I was never born!

That I was an ugly little girl, inside and out.

Well...

Here I am, Mom.

You were right.

I'm a monster.

No, you're not.

You're not.

You put me in that shed every day and you knew!

You knew there were snakes in there.

And I was terrified.

That I was alone.

Want to see how innocent she is?

[Whimpering]

If she's like me...

If she's worthy...

If she's honest...

Then she won't be bitten.

[Crying]

Let's see how good you really are, Tina.

- Lara: Don't do this!

- Tina: Aah!

Desi's desire to see her mother pay for her past mistakes will drive her.

We can use that to our advantage.

Dave, Spence, when you land, Austin PD should already be on scene with a team from parks and wildlife.

Got it.

But just a reminder...

Desi's an experienced snake owner, so it's likely she'll have snakes on the premises.

[Shallow breathing]

We've got work to do.

Because I may be a monster, but so are you.

Desi.

Desi.

[Crying]

You're sick.

You need help.

I...

I'm sorry.

Is that what you want to hear?

Say it again.

I am sorry.

You were a child, and I was selfish and angry.

And I did everything wrong.

I'd do anything to go back and treat you better.

There's no going back.

Open your mouth.

[Brakes squealing]

Open it now!

No, Desi.

No.

Desi.

Oh!

Oh!

No!

FBI!

[Gasping]

Desi, drop the Kn*fe.

Just put it down and we can all walk out of here.

You don't know what she did to me.

Alvez: We do, all right?

We know about the neglect and the abuse.

I was so scared.

I tried so hard to erase any sign of her from my life.

And there she is, on the front page.

They think she's perfect.

The perfect woman, the perfect mother!

They don't know what she's capable of.

What I'm capable of.

We know.

I also know if you surrender and we walk out of here, then everyone else will know, too.

She'll have to live with that.

Isn't that what you want, for your mom to have to live with the shame and the humiliation of all of this?

[Crying]

JJ: Desi.

Aah!

Lara: Desi!

Desi, wait!

Stay with me.

FBI!

Don't move!

On your knees.

Now!

Drop the blade.

Do it!

Aah!

[Guitar playing]

♪ I'll never leave you ♪ ♪ 'cause you're a bird in flight ♪ ♪ even if I did, I'd try to fly ♪ ♪ it ain't even worth living ♪ ♪ if you're only afraid to die ♪ ♪ here's one for the records ♪ ♪ hold on tight ♪ As my grandmother used to say, “I no like-a the snakes.” [Laughing]

That is one takedown I am glad I missed.

I will drink to that.

Salud.

Salud.

JJ: Hey, Spence, you gonna join us?

Ooh, I'd love to, but my first lecture is tomorrow.

Did you figure out what you're gonna do for your buddy Phil?

Yeah, I been thinking about it a lot.

You know, Phil doesn't have much family, except an uncle that still lives in the Bronx.

But I'm sort of it in the way of support.

That's when it hit me.

♪ Oh oh ♪ ♪ life goes on ♪ ♪ somebody knows how you...

♪ Ha ha!

Hey, dinner's not till Friday.

What are you doing here?

I know you've been struggling with your recovery, and I, uh, I think I know why.

After I got back from Iraq, I faced some struggles of my own.

And if it hadn't been for Roxy I don't know where I'd be.

You are obsessed with that dog, man.

You need help.

I needed something to live for.

Someone to push me.

So, in that spirit.

I...

Now?

- And in that spirit...

- Yeah, ok.

Now this little puppy is gonna need a lot of love.

And some walks.

Better get busy getting better.

- Hi.

- Hi.

This is Lou.

Hi Lou.

Ow.

Are you gonna be my buddy?

You gonna be my little boy?

Ow.

[LAUGHS]

Lou's gonna be my buddy.

Thank you, brother.

Alvez: “remember, we are our own griefs, my dear.” Thank you, man.

Alvez: “we are our own happinesses.

And we are our own remedies.” Huseyn Raza.

♪ Somebody knows how you feel ♪