02x06 - Darling Nikki

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-Unclean spirit! -In the name of God!

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-Previously on The Exorcist... -Who's Grace?

GRACE: You should be careful, Daddy.

(gasps, screams)

Anybody home?

TOMAS: Have you noticed anything unusual?

If we could get our hands on a demon with that level of influence and power...

-(groaning) -(panting)

There's something wrong with me, Rose.

You know you can tell me anything.

*

Nikki.

Hello, Andy.

You've made quite a mess.

This had potential.

But I can start over.

Where's Grace?

You sent her away.

But you don't need her anymore.

Now you have me.

This isn't real.

This, uh...

This isn't real.

This...

Do I feel real?

HARPER: Where'd they take Truck?

SHELBY: To a psychiatric ward, for kids.

For how long?

I don't know.

Till he's ready to come home, I guess.

CALEB: He's not coming home. He's going straight to juvie.

COLLEEN: Caleb.

SHELBY: Look, Andy's gonna figure something out.

Sure about that?

WOMAN (whispers): Harper.

COLLEEN: Come on, Harper. Don't dawdle.

Andy's expecting you all home.

WOMAN (whispers): Harper.

I thought you'd be happy to see me.

A-Are you scared?

No.

Then why do you keep pulling away, when this is everything you've ever wanted?

I think I'm losing my mind.

(whispering): Shh.

Shh.

It's okay.

It's me.

It's me.

COLLEEN (in distance): Andy, you in here?

I got the kids.

-I have to... -Of course you do.

Go.

You left me.

How could you leave me?

Hey, you don't have to worry anymore.

I will never leave you again.

*

*

*

Where the hell have you been? I've been waiting for hours.

There is no time to waste. Last night, in the house...

You went back?

I specifically told you not to...

I know what you told me, but they're in danger.

What did you see?

There was a presence in the house.

I could feel it.

I went upstairs to the attic. It is... some studio.

Andy's wife, she was a painter before she k*lled herself.

MARCUS: Tomas...

(g*n racks, g*nsh*t)

Tomas.

(screams)

Tomas.

Tomas, look at me. Focus on me.

Just stay here. Tomas.

You okay?

(Tomas panting)

Just tell me.

Tell me what you saw.

And in the attic, I found a rock.

When I touched it, I...

I saw death.

Children.

So many of them.

All of them k*lled by someone they loved.

Who knows how long these demons have been on those islands?

Hundreds of years, thousands.

Using them as...

Hunting grounds.

ROSE: How are you doing?

TRUCK: I don't like it here.

The other kids are scary... and the pills make me sleepy all the time.

When can I come home?

We're-we're looking into options for you.

Hopefully, we'll know soon.

Does Verity hate me?

No. No, no, she doesn't.

Do you hate me?

What?

No, of course not, buddy.

Well, can you tell Verity that I'm real sorry?

I-I... I-I didn't want to hurt her.

She made me.

Who made you?

The person in my head.

He's got an evaluation now.

I don't want to be here. I want to go home.

Andy?

Just try to hang in there. Okay?

Come on.

Don't hate me, Andy. Please don't hate me.

ROSE: The detention order will expire in a couple of days, but I have some other options for some short-term facilities that can take him.

They have beds dedicated to kids with special needs like Truck.

-What about the others? -What do you mean?

Verity. Shelby. Caleb. Harper.

You and I both know there's no way my home stays open, not after an incident like this.

Well, you know what? No decision has been made yet, but I can tell you that kind of negative thinking isn't going to help us resolve the situation.

I don't think I'm being negative.

I think I'm seeing things pretty clearly.

Truck said something in his head made him do it.

Was it you?

NICOLE: I didn't do anything, Andy.

These kids are the way they are.

Sometimes they're unfixable.

I thought I could... handle it after I lost you.

-That I could protect them. -You did.

No.

I tried.

I tried so hard.

In the end, I just let everyone down.

I just couldn't do it alone.

Hey. You're not alone.

Not anymore.

We won't let them tear us apart.

*

*

You know how Truck got his name?

'Cause he likes trucks?

When he first got here, he had all of his stuff in this trunk.

So, Verity started calling him "Trunk Boy."

But he thought she was calling him "Truck Boy," and he liked it.

So, we called him "Truck Boy" for a while, and... and, uh... then it was just "Truck."

You know the story you told me?

About the Island Witch?

Is she real?

You mean, like, a real person?

Yeah.

Last night, in the woods, I thought I saw someone.

Hey, Andy.

You always know it's me, don't you?

Is Truck okay?

He's fine.

What are you two doing?

We're gonna send Truck some of his favorite toys.

Dinner's in a few hours.

ROSE: This is a really bad time.

-MARCUS: Why is that then? -ROSE: We had to admit Truck into a facility last night.

There was an incident.

Was it violent?

He att*cked Verity.

She's a little shaken, but she's fine.

You know who we are. You know what we do.

We believe there's something dangerous at work here.

Yeah, your partner has implied as much.

Although he used much less ominous terms.

Yeah, well, sometimes, ominous terms are the most appropriate.

You ignore them, you're risking the lives of all these children.

Are you trying to scare me now?

You're scared already.

You've asked me if I've noticed anything unusual.

Anyone acting out of character.

Have you?

Everyone's just been so stressed, especially Andy...

That's how it works its way in.

It seeks vulnerability, uh, emotional trauma.

And by "it," you mean a...

MARCUS: A demon.

One that targets families and coerces parents into murdering their own children.

(laughs softly)

And you think, what?

It's-it's picked this family?

Let us talk to Andy.

Just talk.

We need to spend some time with him, uh, observe his behavior.

Like you did with Harper?

Exactly.

We need confirmation before we can proceed.

With an exorcism?

If we're wrong, all's well, you'll never see us again.

But if we're right, we can do something about it.

(Kn*fe chopping)

Did you see Truck?

I did.

How did he seem?

Drugged.

VERITY: You know what I mean.

Did he say anything?

Not really, no. (sniffs)

I'm not gonna press charges against him, if that's what's keeping him from coming home.

He's not coming home, Verity.

Truck is a disturbed kid.

I thought I could help him, but it's pretty clear he needs more than I'm capable of providing.

They'll find a good place for him.

So how about we focus on who's left?

We're still a family.

ROSE (in distance): Please, make yourselves at home.

MARCUS: Thank you.

This is a surprise.

ROSE: Yeah, they are moving on tomorrow.

We stopped in to say our good-byes.

I've asked them to stay for dinner tonight.

I hope that's okay?

The more, the merrier.

I'm just finishing up a few things in the kitchen.

Make yourselves at home.

NICOLE: Easy, love.

Why would she bring them here?

Isn't it obvious?

She wants them to tear us apart.

What should I do?

What you've always done.

Protect this family.

Just get through this evening.

After they've gone, we'll start putting this house back together again.

Yes.

I think that's what they call "happily ever after."

(laughs softly)

NURSE: How are you feeling today?

Better, I hope?

(raspy breathing)

I'll be back in a bit to check on you.

Apologies.

(muffled screaming)

(door closes)

Father Bennett.

(demonic voice): I could smell you coming.

Mac and cheese, grilled cheese, Havarti and gruyere, -tomato bisque. -VERITY: Yes.

-Wow. -CALEB: Smells good. -ROSE: Doesn't it look great?

-Enjoy. -HARPER: Amazing.

-Let's start. -ANDY: Let's eat.

-CALEB: I'm hungry. -What about grace?

Right.

Grace, of course.

Uh, would you like to do the honors, Father?

Sure.

Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty...

Dog thy bounty hunter.

TOMAS: We give thanks to Andy for this meal, and for being such a generous host.

Please give strength to him and his family during these difficult times.

Through Christ our Lord, amen.

-Amen. -Ramen.

(Tomas clears throat)

Looks delicious.

So, is this, like, a thing now?

Random priests showing up for no reason?

No, we're here to say good-bye, and thank you for what you've done for Harper.

(laughs softly)

Where are you headed next?

Wherever the work takes us.

What kind of work is that? You two don't strike me as the missionary types.

They're exorcists.

For real?

It's 'cause my mom thought I had a demon in me.

She was crazy.

Is that true?

Yes.

We're exorcists.

So, you... fight demons.

On occasion.

(scoffs)

Sorry, I don't mean any disrespect.

The whole thing just sounds a little 14th century.

Not a believer, I take it?

I'm a psychologist.

I believe the human brain is a wonderful and complicated piece of machinery.

And that primitive civilizations struggled to understand how that machine worked, so they came up with metaphors to explain concepts that were just out of reach.

You know, I used to think the exact same thing.

(chuckles)

And what changed your mind?

I saw a demon for myself.

Well, that's convenient for you.

The rest of us just see the damage caused by your belief system.

Isn't that the basis for the "conversion therapy" that your parents sent you to, Verity?

"Exorcise your sins"?

"Pray the gay away"?

Don't drag me into this.

Do you think that my daughter has a demon in her, Father Tomas?

Because some of your colleagues in the Church certainly did.

They were wrong.

And I am sorry.

Perhaps we should just leave your daughter out of this.

Yes.

I agree.

Of course. I'm sorry, Verity.

I shouldn't have done that.

I guess I'm feeling a little overprotective.

I just want to make sure that this house remains a safe space for my children.

Yeah, of course.

We only want the same thing.

MARIA: Poor Maria Walters.

All that wealth and power, and yet... we could smell the cancer inside.

She's terminal now.

Worthless.

Sounds like you found the perfect match, then.

The conspiracy inside the Church.

You're going to give us names.

Am I?

You were a match for me.

It's not too late to change your mind, Father.

And why would I do that?

Because you've lost the w*r.

The Office of Exorcism is gone.

There's very few of your kind still left.

You should tell us what we need to know.

I have nothing for you.

So sorry.

The conspiracy has little use for a rotting socialite.

They abandoned me months ago. Oh.

(Maria whimpering)

t*rture, is it?

(panting)

(laughs softly)

(demonic voice): How terribly exciting.

(laughs)

Hey, how you doing, sunshine?

Everyone's sad.

I miss Truck.

Yeah.

Of course you do.

Hey, I've got a question for you.

Have you seen anything... unusual around the house?

You can tell me.

No one's gonna get in any trouble, I promise you.

Not in the house.

But... last night... in the woods...

What did you see?

I didn't see anything.

I heard something.

A voice.

What did it say?

HARPER: My name.

Do you think it's the Island Witch?

I've got it on good authority there's no such thing as Island Witches. (chuckles)

(chuckles softly)

Just your little old imagination.

ANDY: You started an exorcism on Harper, even though she wasn't possessed?

Yes. I...

I made a hasty judgment.

Uh, usually, we have more time to confirm a demon's presence.

But the fact remains, you were wrong.

You said you typically take measures to confirm a demon's presence?

We look for certain signs.

Uh... aversion to the sacred.

Knowledge the possessed person is incapable of having.

Also, the ability to speak a language or languages

-that they don't know. -ANDY: Hmm.

That's funny, I always picture, um... spinning heads and levitating bodies.

(laughs): Sorry.

No, only in some cases, and only at the end.

When it starts, possession's very subtle, little things-- changes in demeanor...

...loss of control.

Ah.

That must make your job difficult.

Mm... not really.

Sooner or later, the demon always makes a mistake.

When did you start fostering kids?

Oh, it's hard to believe, but I-I guess it's been about six years now.

Was it difficult?

Was what difficult?

When you first took in the kids.

It was an adjustment.

You know, you add three kids in a span of a year...

And it's harder knowing they're not really yours.

They're ours the second they walk through that door.

We always made sure they knew that.

We?

Nikki and I.

We made the decision together to become parents.

What, 'cause you couldn't have kids of your own?

No.

Because we worked with abused kids every single day, and we saw that there weren't enough homes to go around.

Oh, so... you love them like they're your own flesh and blood?

Of course we do.

Even the one you abandoned to psychiatric care?

Truck needed help that we couldn't provide.

What the hell is this?

Hey, talk to me, Andy, not her.

I'm talking to you.

-And I want you out... -NICOLE: Careful, now.

Just because I brought in outside help doesn't mean I don't care, Mr. Keane.

-Anyone else for a refill? -Mm. -ROSE: Yes, please.

What are you doing?

I didn't ask you here to question his parenting.

We are trying to provoke an emotional response.

Well, you got one.

You force the possessed to lose control, you force the demon to manifest.

Yeah, and if you're wrong, then you're just attacking an innocent man.

That's a chance I'm willing to take.

Mr. Keane?

Thanks.

Rose?

Yes, please.

Father?

Thank you.

MARCUS (quietly): You all right?

Yes.

Everything okay?

Yes, uh...

Excuse me.

You know, I actually do admire what you've done here.

I lost my parents at a young age, and... the system can be cruel.

You've sacrificed a lot for these kids.

Part of being a parent.

Ever wonder how your life would have turned out if you hadn't taken them in?

No, but I'm wondering why you're asking me these questions.

In casa di calzolaio non si hanno scarpe.

Is that Italian?

"In the house of the shoemaker, there are no shoes."

Meaning what?

Did you seek counseling after your wife d*ed?

Shh.

How I grieved is absolutely none of your business.

What about the kids?

What about them?

They loved Nicole, didn't they?

Of course they did.

Bunch of kids, the middle of nowhere, no one to talk to.

Must have been difficult, dealing with your grief.

We had each other.

I found this upstairs.

It's a funny thing to keep around, an old rock.

What's its significance?

There's no significance.

It's just a rock.

Why do you keep staring at it, then?

Why do you keep asking me these questions?

Do you blame yourself for your wife's death?

What?

MARCUS: Well, there must have been warning signs.

Okay, that's enough.

Which means either you missed them

(chuckling): or you ignored them.

TOMAS: Andy, sit down.

Sit.

Down.

I want you out of my house.

That's not gonna happen.

Yes, it is.

This is not what I agreed to.

You knew about this?

I told you. She put them up to this.

She's been against us from the beginning.

You came to me with your concerns and I went along with it.

I trusted you.

I invited you in for the sake of the kids.

Because if there was just a chance...

I'm not going to sit here and watch you att*ck a grieving father.

Fight it.

If you care about your children...

If you want to keep them safe...

Please, Andy, fight it.

I'm calling the police.

That won't be necessary.

We're leaving.

Marcus...

Marcus.

-MARCUS: We can't leave them. -TOMAS: Of course not, but we have to go. If we're stuck in the back of a police car, they have no chance.

What now?

We circle back, keep an eye on the house, wait till the lights go out, then we take him by force.

He won't leave without a fight.

Just get him away from the kids, that's all that matters.

Yeah.

You saw something back there, when you froze up.

Another echo.

You were right.

I should have listened to you.

These visions, they're not a gift.

They're a curse.

Your curse led us to this family.

If it weren't for you, everyone in that house would be dead.

You have no idea what it's like.

Then tell me.

I'm here for you, Tomas.

Will you pray with me?

(thunder rumbles)

(both praying indistinctly)

This pain can end... if you give us what we came for.

You come all this way for naught.

-(wheezing chuckle) -I wouldn't say that.

(Maria groans)

Last chance.

(demonic voice): No, it's your last chance.

(normal voice): Join me, Devin.

Take me in, and I'll show you eternity.

Thanks, but I'll pass.

Good thing there are more promising prospects.

I hear great headway's being made with the little cub.

-(Maria chuckles) -Little cub?

MARIA: Father Tomas, of course.

Such promise.

He's coming along nicely, despite the warnings from the old, gray lion.

Tomas would never be tempted.

You know I'm speaking the truth, don't you...

(Marcus's voice): ...my little church mouse?

Thought you could stand with the men, did you?

Come and have a look, love.

I gave you an inch and you just had to take the mile.

Marcus? What is this?

Oh, she never told you.

Told me what?

(demonic voice): Your little friend has a few choice skeletons in her closet.

Ask her how she became an exorcist.

Quiet.

The sweet postulant, so desperate to have meaning.

That's enough.

Ask her what happened at the abbey 20 years ago.

(Mouse gasps)

Why did you lie to me?

I-I didn't lie.

You know Marcus.

Ah...

-Ah. -Damn it.

-Why did you have to go and do that? -(shouts)

(groans)

You want some help?

You mean the spiritual kind?

Thank you very much, I've had my fill.

Look, you have every right to be angry with me, but I was just...

I was just really worried about you.

So, you, uh, invited a couple of exorcists to the house instead of talking to me, I got you.

They believed the family was in danger.

From a demon?

I know how that sounds, Andy, but you have to admit, with everything that's been happening here...

Yeah, well, clearly, I was possessed.

I didn't know what to think.

I was worried about you.

The way you were acting, it's not normal.

Yeah, because one of my kids almost sent the other one to the hospital, because I'm about to lose my entire family.

(thunder rumbles)

ROSE: I'm sorry.

I should have come to you.

I made a mistake.

Marcus wasn't wrong.

I didn't deal with my grief after Nikki d*ed.

Rose, I didn't talk to anyone.

I didn't let anyone in.

I thought that if I just pushed through the pain and I walled it off...

...maybe it wouldn't hurt so much.

Andy.

I'm not gonna make that same mistake, not with you.

-(gasps) -Shh.

Mom?

I came back for you, baby.

I came back.

(both laughing)

(Andy moans softly)

What?

What's wrong, Andy?

Yeah, Andy, what's wrong?

Two for the price of one.

What are you waiting for?

-Mom? -I missed you so much.

Did you miss me?

You can't stay here.

-You're gonna get in trouble. -No, it's okay.

-Put your shoes on, as quiet as you can. -Stop it!

I'm not going with you.

(groans)

I know you don't mean that.

You're not well, baby.

That's why you're saying those things.

That's why I came back for you.

But we can go somewhere far away where no one can find us and I can take care of you.

-And I can make you... -No.

Harper.

If you make noise and wake people up, I don't know what's gonna happen.

You can be quiet, can't you?

That's my girl.

-(whimpering) -Shh, shh, shh.

Shh, shh, shh, shh.

Marcus!

Get your damn hands off her.

-Get back. -Marcus. -TOMAS: Let her go.

-Lorraine, please. -You all right, love?

Don't you talk to her.

This is your fault. You did this.

There's no way out of this.

Put down the Kn*fe.

Andy?

Andy?

Nicole.

LORRAINE: Shut up.

(sobbing)

(muffled screaming)

-Harper! -Harper!

(gasping)

(shouting)

-Get off her! -No!

-Tomas! -(Tomas yells)

Come here!

(Lorraine shouting)

Get off!

Andy!

(gagging, coughing)

VERITY: Andy!

(Verity screams)

(coughs)

-Get off me! -(shouting)

No! No!

All of you, stay back!

Take her!

Get back!

(echoes): Andy! No!

(screams)

(groans)

(groaning)

Oh, my God.

(demonic growling)

(roaring)

(heartbeat pounding slowing)

-Behold the cross of the Lord. -And flee bands of enemies.

-From the snares of the Devil. -Deliver us, O Lord.

-Behold the cross of the Lord! -And flee bands of enemies!

-From the snares of the Devil! -Deliver us, O Lord!

-Behold the cross of the Lord. -And flee bands of enemies.

-From the snares of the Devil! -Deliver us, O Lord!

Behold the cross of the Lord!

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