02x08 - Launch Party

[bunniefuu]

Previously on The L Word:

- Generation Q...
- [MOANING]

[ALICE] Do you want to dance with me?

- [TOM] Yeah.
- [ALICE] Not as friends.

[PANTING]

Oh... wow.

[BETTE] The CAC is
mounting a group show.

I pitched the idea of building the show

- around you.
- I don't know

if I would survive that journey again.

I will protect you.

Okay, I'm in.

[DANI] You made me feel good.

But then I needed a friend.

- So we're friends?
- It's all just too fast.

- [ALICE] Hi.
- [CHUCKLES] Hi.

- How are you?
- Um...

Oh... yeah.

[MARIBEL] Was I an
experiment to you? Just to see

what it would be like
to sleep with a woman?

[MICAH] I think there was
some sort of miscommunication.

[MARIBEL] Yeah. This definitely

doesn't feel anything
like Love & Basketball.

No, it doesn't.

You are the interim CEO

of your family's company.

Have you ever been honest with me?

- I'm sorry.
- No, you're not.

Shane.

[SINGERS VOCALIZING]

♪♪♪

- Can I trust you?
- I'd like to think so.

[DANI] 'Cause... I've been hurt.

[ALICE] Don't make me
tell you why this isn't

- gonna work.
- [NAT] But I thought...

You know why.

[BETTE] I have a very deep

sense of relief

that you are very bad

- at something.
- [PIPPA] Wow.

- Not even ashamed.
- No.

[PANTING, MOANING]

♪♪♪

[SOPHIE] Are you okay to drive?

- Yeah, I got it, drunkie.
- This...

Get in the car.

- [SIREN WHOOPING]
- Oh, sh*t.

You're okay, right?

♪ I don't find trouble ♪

♪ Yeah, trouble finds me ♪

[CONTEMPLATIVE MUSIC]

♪♪♪

[SIREN WHOOPS]

[FINLEY] Whoa! My hero!

- Did you bring pizza?
- Uh...

No, but... [EXHALES]
I'm glad you're okay.

- Oh, my gosh.
- Oh, my... Oh.

You smell good.

Way better than me.

- Can you smell me?
- [GROANS]

I can smell me. That's a bad sign.

Yeah, no, I don't think you need
to worry about that right now.

Come on.

You know what they say about
dropping the soap in prison?

Not real. No soap.

Yeah, well, I don't
think it's supposed to be

a comfortable experience.

Yeah, well, it's not.

I'm starving.

[SIGHS] I have to
take all these classes.

And my license gets a point on it.

It's not a good point. It's a bad point.

- Right, that's...
- I owe

so much f*cking money, too.

- It sucks.
- Yeah, well,

you were arrested for driving drunk.

Ish. Maybe Shane'll let me walk Mack.

What? I mean, she pays well.

Yeah, but the impound lot was, like...

almost a grand.

Oh, sh*t. I totally forgot about that.

I will absolutely go halfsies with you.

No, I mean, it's not
like we split the DUI.

Yeah, I know. And thank God it was me.

I don't think you'd do well in jail.

Kind of person that needs
clean linens, you know?

Well, you got in the driver's seat,

and I thought that you were good, so...

Whatever. It's fine. I just want
to go home, take a hot shower

and wash the past hours off of me.

One of my cellmates took a
pretty solid nap on my shoulder,

and her drool was, like, %
saliva, % Hot Cheeto dust,

and I would like it % off of me.

Please.

Where are you parked?

♪ And every time I pray,
I just pray to be free ♪

♪ Guilty love, guilty love ♪

♪ You're my new religion and
I'm never gonna give you up ♪

[BETTE] What brings us to the CAC?

[DANI] Well, first, I
just want to say that...

- you mean so much to me.
- [CHUCKLES]

- Dani.
- No,

I really do value our friendship.

So do I.

I wanted to talk to you about Gigi.

What the f*ck?

Oh, I-I'm... I thought
the breakup was mutual.

- I'm sorry. I...
- I don't give a sh*t about Gigi.

What the hell am I looking at?

That's the other thing I
wanted to talk to you about.

I-Is that from you or
is that your father?

Me. I thought you'd be happy.

To state the obvious,

a group show of Black
artists whose work seeks

to spark a revolution cannot be funded

by a company that has
profited from their pain.

That was not at all my intention.

- I...
- f*ck your intention.

That's the reality.

I worked my ass off to make this happen.

You know where I stand.

- You know what I believe in.
- Okay,

people are gonna see that
name and they're gonna think

of only one thing.

That's my name, too.

You need to fix this.

There's nothing to fix.

Where are you going?

If you think I'm gonna just stand by

and watch you cleanse your father's sins

in the blood, sweat and
tears of the Black community,

you are sorely f*cking mistaken.

[KNOCKING]

- Hi.
- Hi.

- [DOOR CLOSES]
- How'd it go with Bette?

f*ck Bette Porter.

- ♪ b*llet in the dark ♪
- [MOANING]

♪ Hammer to the heart ♪

[PANTING]

♪ Can't stop once I start ♪

♪ One by one, watch 'em run ♪

♪ Make you all come undone ♪

[PANTING]

♪ I got you wrapped
around my little, yeah ♪

♪ I got you wrapped around ♪

♪ My little finger ♪

♪ I got you wrapped
around my little ♪

[PANTS]

Mmm. [KISS]

[PANTING]

♪ Keep your hands
where I can see 'em ♪

Mmm.

♪ Facedown on the floor, slam
the door, break the ceiling ♪

♪ Are you crazy? Are you dreaming? ♪

[PANTING]

♪ Oh, I'm sorry, I can't hear you ♪

- ♪ While you're screaming ♪
- [LAUGHS]

[MOANING]

♪ I got you wrapped
around my little finger ♪

♪ Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah ♪

♪ I got you wrapped
around my little ♪

♪ Finger ♪

[PIPPA] So, you did...

what?

It was the best bargaining chip I had.

My work is not a bargaining chip.

Okay. Nan Goldin

did the exact same thing at
the National Portrait Gallery...

I don't give a f*ck what Nan Goldin did.

Do you want to be associated
with Nuñez's opioid blood money?

- You used me.
- Look, I...

Threatening to remove
your work was just a bluff.

Obviously. I'm not gonna do that to you.

The way you're talking about my art

- right now...
- But you know

how I feel about your work.

I thought I did.

[SIGHS] Pippa,

they don't want to lose you.

Museums run on endowments.

- I know that.
- You can't show

work like mine without
big money attached to it.

Losing you would be
catastrophic for them.

The CAC is still the same
museum that hosted Provocations

back in the day, when it
was still a radical act.

Yes, of course. I remember that.

- But now you...
- Yes, and so they know

it's the right thing to do.

- [KNOCKING]
- They know they're supposed

to take a stand.

I just gave them permission,

- is all.
- [KNOCKING]

Can you just give me a moment?

I just have to make sure
that that's not Angie.

She's supposed to meet
her donor this week,

and she's a bundle of nerves.

Of course.

What's wrong? Is your daughter okay?

Um...

The CAC has decided to
pull all of Zakarian artists

- from the show.
- I f*cking knew it.

No, but it's not over. I still have s...

Um, I-I can call... I
can call Peggy, probably.

- I just need to... I just need...
- You gave me your word.

I told you I could not
go through this again.

- You told me to trust you.
- No, Pippa.

- You told me to trust you.
- Come on, it's not over.

P-Pippa.

Pippa!

f*ck! f*ck!

[EXHALES SHARPLY]

All right, Joaquin.
It was good to see you.

I'll see you next week.

Come in.

I'm Micah Lee. I'm-I'm...

I know who you are.

And can I help you with something?

I've been treating Joaquin Delgado,

and he just told me that you
recommended leuprolide for him.

With HIPAA, obviously,
I can't tell you...

He's a minor. He needs
his parents' consent.

And if you actually
bothered to consult with me

before you gave him false hope,

you'd know his parents are
very far from signing off

on any medical intervention.

Well, it sound like you have
your work cut out for you.

Excuse me?

Micah, with as much
professionalism as I can muster,

which is considerably more
than you managed to gather

before barging into my office,

I want to remind you that I am
a doctor with a medical degree.

I always have my patients'
best interest at heart.

- I don't disagree with you...
- I honestly wouldn't care if you did.

[SCOFFS]

- ["CULT OF ME" BY MNDR] ♪
- [CAMERA SHUTTERS CLICKING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

This is a really big day for her.

Could you just try to stay present?

I'm so sorry. I just...

I can't get anyone from
the CAC to return my call.

What about Pippa?

- She won't take my call.
- Mm.

[SHUTTERS CLICKING]

And there she is, the lady of the hour.

Oh, stop. Don't, don't, don't.

I mean, obviously don't stop.

That's just what people say.

Here you go. For you, for you.

To you, my friend. We
are so proud of you.

Alice, you did it. Congratulations.

- Thank you. Where's Tess?
- Cheers.

She's coming.

Hmm. So you two are... ?

- [SHANE] Jesus Christ.
- Dipping your toes

- in the water or... ?
- Oh, please.

She's loved that girl
since the day she met her.

Unfortunately, she
f*cked her girlfriend,

which sent the wrong message, but...

Can you please not remind me of that?

So you're dating?

- [PHONE RINGING]
- Uh, hold on. Uh...

Speak of the devil, she's
saving me from this conversation.

- Yep.
- Hi.

- Yeah?
- [ALICE] Oh.

[SIGHS]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Oh, f*ck.

I mean,

obviously, you had to know
that he was gonna be here.

I mean, he edited your book.

Yeah, but he doesn't
know that I slept with Nat

when he was in New York.

- Oh.
- And I don't want to tell him,

because, if I tell him,
then he's not gonna trust me.

Hmm.

Well, you can risk telling
him and lose him or...

not tell him and live with a lie.

So I shouldn't tell him?

That is not at all what I just said.

- Hey, whose night is it?
- [CHUCKLES]

Okay, you're right. It is your night,

and I'm here for you.

- Okay.
- And-and I'll support

whatever you want to tell him.

- Or not tell him.
- Okay.

- [GROANS]
- [TOM] So,

in about an hour, the photographer

will take candids of
you signing the book.

Oh, my God. I pre-signed, like,
a hundred of those last night.

My hand's stuck in a
lobster claw. [CHUCKLES]

- Oh!
- [CHUCKLES]

I often think of 'em.

- Oh, do you think they're okay?
- Absolutely.

They had each other.

Hey, do you feel like your
lobster claw can sign one more?

Absolutely.

Make it out to Tom Walter Maultsby.

A key? What is this?

A week in New York seemed
like a really long time

being away from you, so
I convinced the publisher

to spring for a fancy
hotel room tonight.

[CHUCKLES]

Tom...

Let me tell you something right now.

I like my beds the way
I like my candy bars.

King-size.

Which means we're gonna
have a lot of room to do it

all night long. [CHUCKLES]

I just feel like there's-there's
something I need to tell you.

- Is everything all right?
- [FINLEY] Raise your hand

if your boss is a boss!

- [LAUGHS]
- Hey!

It's my favourite people. Hi.

- Oh!
- Hi, Tom. How are you?

- Oh, she's still hugging. Okay.
- Soak it in.

- Sup, Tommy?
- Hey, hey.

Congrats, Alice.

[EXHALING]

- Wow.
- I see you.

- I see you.
- Yeah.

- [CHUCKLES]
- How you doing?

Uh, I caught a nasty dewey,

but I'm, uh, clawing my way back.

It's a fun way to say "DUI."

H-He doesn't need to hear about that.

Oh, come on. He loves it. I've-I've met

some wild people in my life.

But jail people? [EXHALES]

Whole nother thing.

But, hey, bad night, great story, right?

[CHUCKLES]

[DANI] Okay. If-if that's
where we're at, then okay.

Yeah.

Okay. I'll be there soon.

Yeah. Bye.

f*ck.

Hi. Sorry. That was my dad.

We are officially in crisis
mode over the CAC endowment.

I got to go run to meet the legal team.

You're in crisis mode
or he's in crisis mode?

Well, the endowment was my initiative,

and it's blowing up in
my face, so I-I just...

I have to go sort it out
before things get worse, okay?

Do you ever say no to him?

That's not an option right now.

- Is it ever?
- Okay.

I wish I wasn't in this
situation, but I am.

Okay. I didn't mean to offend you.

- I'm just...
- Okay. I-I have to go.

He's expecting me, okay? So, mm.

I just...

Good luck.

[DOOR CLOSES]

Hey, Claudia, wait up.

- Can we talk?
- Sure.

I need to apologise
for-for lashing out at you.

- Um...
- Yeah, you really came in hot.

I know. I know. It's just,
you know, with Joaquin...

You care.

Me, too.

Look, but, also... [SIGHS]

I was Joaquin.

I had a well-meaning pediatrician

who said I could start blockers

and a mum who disagreed.

Mm.

I fell into a really deep
depression after that.

It took me years

to screw up the courage and
go to a doctor and ask for HRT.

I wish more than anything
I would've started sooner.

[PHONE CHIMES AND BUZZES]

sh*t. I'm late for a lunch.

That's okay. Um...

But I'd love to keep talking.

Me, too.

Do you want to grab dinner?

Apologies and a dinner invite?

Are you the perfect man?

- Definitely not, no. Um...
- [CHUCKLES]

Can you cook?

- A little.
- Cute.

Text me your address.

I'll see you later.

[HIP-HOP b*at]

♪ You the man ♪

- ♪ You the man ♪
- ♪ You the man ♪

♪ You the man ♪

- It's not looking good.
- We've worked hard

to rehab our image.

The goal was to allow people to forget

the less favorable associations.

Of course I know that.

I asked you to lay low, Daniela.

That wasn't the right strategy.

In hindsight, it probably was.

[RODOLFO] Yeah, because
now the spotlight

is on us. People are talking.

Our intel tells us
that Bette is formidable

at best and destructive at worst.

[GERALD] And if she gets
the museum to pull the name,

- well, we could be blacklisted.
- That's exactly what happened

to the Sacklers.

Do you understand what that means?

That's not going to happen.

So what is your strategy?
That's why we're here,

to figure out how to move forward.

We can double the endowment.

Earmark it for BIPOC
artists based in L.A.

They won't say no.

- I hope you're right.
- [SCOFFS] If I'm not,

I can always sell the
company off in pieces

to the highest bidder.

The offers are rolling in.

This isn't a joke, Dani.

You need to clean up the mess you made.

- [DANI] Excuse me?
- Yeah.

You tried to do too much too soon...

No, no, no, no, no. This
is your f*cking mess.

[RODOLFO SPEAKS SPANISH]

My entire life, I have
cleaned up your bullshit.

This isn't my fault. It's yours.

If you just had listened to me...

"Listened"?! I tried
to do something good.

Tried to bring some pride
back to our family name.

We are in this situation because of you,

- not me.
- Vale, vale.

There's no need to get emotional.

This is exactly why I
can't testify for you.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

I think we should all discuss this.

If I take the stand,
I'm gonna tell the truth.

And I'm pretty f*cking
sure you don't want to hear

what I think about him.

[LOW, OMINOUS MUSIC]

♪♪♪

[SIGHS]

[DOOR OPENS]

[DOOR CLOSES]

♪ Yeah, I'm just tryin'
to have a good time ♪

♪ Gimme, gimme some, gimme, gimme... ♪

Hey.

Here you go.

♪ Gimme, gimme some,
gimme, gimme... ♪

Where's Tess?

Well, she had to run back to Vegas.

- Take care of her mum.
- Oh. Sorry.

Yeah, maybe next time, huh?

[CARL] [CLEARS THROAT]
Hello, everyone. Um...

Okay, I promise I'll be brief.

My name is Carl Hanes,

and I'm the owner of
Hannafin House Publishing.

And we are so very proud

to add this book to our esteemed list.

Hey. I, uh... I feel like I overstepped.

When?

My "king-size" expectations.

Oh. Mm.

Yeah, but I could tell it
didn't sit well with you.

Uh, your face is loud even
when you're not speaking.

[STAMMERS]

That's a compliment, so...

Um, yeah, no, that wasn't...
That's not quite it.

- No?
- Mm-mm.

'Cause I can get overexcited.

All you got to do is tell
me, you know, calm down.

I get it. This is your place of work,

and I don't want to disrespect that.

- Yeah. Um, I just...
- Look at that.

[CHUCKLING] Ooh... !

Mmm.

It's delicious. You want some?

Tom, I slept with Nat.

[COUGHING]

Okay, but, like, we just ran
into each other. It was very...

- It didn't mean anything, okay?
- [GROANS]

It... Right? It just, um, you know,

- sort of happened.
- Mm-hmm. Mm.

And I just felt like I
really needed to tell you.

- Anyway...
- Mm-hmm.

Uh-huh. [SNIFFLES]

I mean, it's not like you
and I said we were exclusive.

- Right?
- That's true. That's true.

Uh, technically.

Technically, yeah.

But isn't there a thing where you, uh...

clarify that before you go
ahead and sleep with someone?

Yeah, but...

it just kind of happened.

One time?

A few times.

"Kind of happened" is a bit of
a mislead then, don't you think?

Well, did you hear the
part about where I said

- it didn't mean anything?
- Yeah, I did.

It's kind of making it worse.

All right. I'm sorry.

Alice, I thought we were...

I thought we were doing something.

We are. I just...

It's, like, really confusing,

this whole thing.

What is? What?

Tom, I have not been in
a relationship with a guy

since I was in my s.

I don't know if I'm allowed to say this,

but that's straight-up bullshit.

That's bullshit.

- It's not.
- The rules should be

the same for women as it is for men.

Yeah, okay. Yeah.

- Yeah.
- That makes sense.

I can't believe you... [CHUCKLES]

Wow. Right before I got to go onstage

in front of a ton of people
and tell them how great you are.

Wow. [CLICKS TONGUE]

- You know, um...
- I'm sorry.

Yeah. Me, too. [SNIFFLES]

I need a minute to collect my thoughts.

And she really knocked
it out of the park.

[LAUGHTER]

You know, I have to
admit, at the outset,

I was relatively, uh,
new to Alice's work.

But I was quickly assured by a cadre

of much younger, cooler employees

- and my two extremely...
- Here you go.

This f*cking guy's still talking, huh?

Poor thing. It's like the opening act

of a cruise ship, you know?

No one's here for that. [CHUCKLES]

[CARL] And I got to say, I
wasn't always entirely able

to keep up with her. [CHUCKLES]

- [FINLEY] You okay?
- But, thankfully...

- Yeah, I'm okay.
- Our incredibly talented editor

Tom was, and he did. [CHUCKLES]

Seeing the working relationship
that blossomed between these two

was just such a thrill.

- [ALICE] Tom?
- Hmm?

- Tom. Would you look at me?
- Yeah.

I don't want you to go onstage angry.

- Yeah, all right...
- [CARL] Without further ado,

the editor of Don't Ask Alice...

Oh, my God.

Tom Maultsby. [CHUCKLES]

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

Oh, thanks so much.

[SIGHS, CHUCKLES]

I think we all know who Alice is.

Or...

at least who she wants
us to think she is.

She's honest.

She's caring.

Wickedly funny.

But there's another side to Alice,

a side that's...

emotional

and empathetic.

I mean, she can't watch an
episode of Dr. Pimple Popper

without crying.

- And who can blame her?
- [LAUGHTER]

As you read her book,

you'll come to know the Alice I know,

who's far and away

one of the most amazing people

I've ever had the pleasure to work with.

So, without further ado...

put your hands together

- for Alice Pieszecki.
- [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

You go, Al!

[CHEERING CONTINUES]

[WHOOPS]

That was nicer than it
should have been, Tom.

Thank you.

Hi. [CHUCKLES]

[SIGHS]

All right, well, I-I guess
I'll dive right in. Um...

When I first started writing this book,

I wanted to talk about myself,

- like usual.
- [CHUCKLING]

But it was my...

friends and...

collaborators who really
pushed me to go deeper.

[EXHALES]

It was scary. I didn't want to.

But I thought to myself,
"Well, if I tell my truth...

maybe I could help someone
out there not feel...

so lonely in the world."

Because, as you'll read,

if there is something...

crazy or stupid to say...

- or do... I have done it.
- [LAUGHTER]

But I'm still here.

Okay.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. [CHUCKLES]

Um...

I'd like to read from my
favorite chapter in the book,

titled "Dana."

"'You Are My Sunshine'

is, without doubt,

the most... annoying song ever written."

[LAUGHTER]

"But Dana loved it.

And as much as I hate to admit it,

those grating lyrics
rang more and more true

as I fell for her."

"She was my sunshine.

SLIGHT HITCH: um, she was
also someone else's sunshine.

[CHUCKLES] And I told her I
loved her for the first time

at her engagement party...

to that someone else.

My timing was bad."

"Timing, as it turned out,

would continue to work against
us in our relationship."

[INHALES]

"When Dana was sick,

I made her hospital room my home."

"One day, a nurse convinced
me to take a break,

so...

I left her side."

"I ran down to the gift shop.

I passed the gendered
congratulatory teddy bears."

[CHUCKLING]

"The 'I survived a heart att*ck

and all I got was this' T-shirts."

"And then I found it:

a weird, cheap plastic
plant that played...

you guessed it...
'You Are My Sunshine.'"

[CROWD CHUCKLES]

"I was standing there,

buying that stupid
thing when Dana d*ed."

"My timing

was tragically off... "

"and I missed her go."

"For a long time, I wondered
if she had planned it that way.

Waited for me to leave
the room so that...

I wouldn't watch her
take her last breath."

"Maybe she spared me."

"But I still regret not being there."

"I would have held her. [INHALES]

I would have told her
it was okay to let go."

"Or I hope I would have, anyway,

because I didn't want her to."

"I still reach for the phone

to call her when something
incredible happens."

[SNIFFLES]

"When I sold my talk show,

she's the one I wanted to tell.

And as I'm writing this book,

I want her to read it,

to let me know if she
thinks it's any good."

[SNIFFLES]

[SNIFFLES]

"Through all that regret,
though, I did learn something."

"I always tell the people
I love that I love them."

"Dana has shown me that love
moves across time and space."

"Because even though she's not here,

her love is still in me.

Her laugh is still close."

"That terrible song is
still stuck in my head."

[SNIFFLES]

"In celebrating her memory,

in writing about her here,

I hope she becomes someone
that you know, too."

I swear there's some funny
stuff in this book, too.

I mean, I wrote a whole chapter on...

how to judge a lesbian by her cat.

- [CHUCKLES]
- [LAUGHTER]

But I just wanted you to hear

a little snippet from
my favorite chapter.

Thank you.

[APPLAUSE]

[CHEERING]

Thank you.

[SNIFFLES]

- Ah, let's go. Come on.
- Yeah.

♪ I can do it... ♪

[SHANE] Hey!

- [BETTE] Hey!
- I mean, come on.

- Seriously. [LAUGHS]
- Oh, my God.

I'm so proud of you.

Guys, okay, you know, she'd
make fun of us right now,

- if she saw us here.
- Oh, of course she would.

Oh, my God, you captured
her spirit so perfectly.

- Thanks, Bette.
- And the love you two had

- was so special.
- Yeah.

And now everyone who reads your book

has a little piece of her.

Really means a lot. Thank you.

- Yeah.
- I got to go... get Tess.

- You okay?
- No sh*t.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

Hey, if you go straight to the airport,

I can make sure there's
a ticket waiting for you.

- Oh, really? Oh, look at you.
- Oh, really.

- Uh-huh.
- Okay.

I have to go see Tom.

And I got to call
Pippa again. And again.

- And again.
- Well, then let's go. Come on.

You guys want to do, like,
a "one, two, three, cheers"?

- [SHANE AND BETTE] No.
- Oh.

Okay, we'll do it next time.

- [SIGHS]
- [FINLEY] God,

that was intense, huh?

Yeah. It was... [CLEARS THROAT]

so sad.

I can't imagine losing
someone like that, you know?

Oh, no, me either.

[EXHALES]

♪ I know how to move it, whoa ♪

[SIGHS]

♪ I know how to move it... ♪

I love you like that, you know.

The way she loved Dana.

♪ What I'm up against ♪

♪ I'm giving it what I got... ♪

Are you drinking?

- What?
- Are you drinking right now?

You know, I just thought, um,

after the other night, that, you know...

What are you, the police?

We took a Lyft here, Sarge. It's fine.

No, I'm your girlfriend.

Dude, we got unlucky.

sh*t sucks, but it happens.

No, actually, I don't
think that it does happen.

- I have never...
- I have no plans

to get behind any wheels.

No, I know that, but...

Plus, I'm having water between bevs.

So I got it.

♪ I'm pushin' through it ♪

♪ You know I move it ♪

♪ Move it, each step
is showin' I can do it ♪

Okay.

♪ I'm workin', you
know I'm-a prove it... ♪

You want to go find Alice?

Um, no, actually, I...

Um, I think I'm gonna go home.

Come on. It's early.

- I'm gonna go.
- Hey. Hey.

I'm having fun. Come
on. Have fun with me.

♪ Move it ♪

I don't think that this is fun for me.

What the f*ck, dude?

Come on... Soph.

Another round?

Uh...

- Yeah. Thanks, man.
- You got it.

[SOFT, AMBIENT MUSIC]

[MICAH] I mean, I loved teaching, but,

you know, I also wanted to get
a doctorate, so I can get tenure.

- Um...
- Bougie.

You should see my student loans. They...

Same.

You know, but then,
uh, I heard the center

was looking for a trans therapist,

and, I don't know, I thought
it would be kind of cool

to work with my own community, but...

Uh-uh. It's just as
political as academia.

Oh, God, you feel it, too?

Oh, yeah. I was the center's
first trans MD on staff.

- Really?
- Yeah. And I made it my mission

to make sure I wasn't the only trans MD.

- Just the first.
- I like that.

Uh, all right, I, uh...
I think it's ready.

I-I'm way better on
a grill than... this,

but you kind of questioned my
culinary skills, so I had to...

You had to overachieve?

You're a Virgo, right?

Mm-hmm. I got that vibe from you.

Thanks.

[SMOKE DETECTOR BEEPING]

Oh, sh*t. I'm sorry.

- That's... really annoying.
- Oh.

[LAUGHS] I can help.

What? Really? It's
just... Be careful, okay?

Oh, man.

No, this isn't,

this isn't actually
doing anything. Um...

- Do you have a rag or something?
- Uh, a-a rag,

- like a, like a dish rag?
- Yeah.

- Yeah. [LAUGHS]
- Yes. I do, I do, I do, I do.

- Uh... okay.
- Anything.

Here.

Uh, no.

Still not-not doing anything. Um...

[MUTTERING] Here, okay, try this.

- [LAUGHS]
- Okay.

All right, here we go. What?

I'm sorry. This is the
funniest thing I've ever seen.

Seriously? I'm dying.

My heart is about to explode here.

- You're fine. You're good.
- Oh, God.

- [CHUCKLES]
- sh*t. sh*t.

It's burning. I'm burning.
Oh, my God. It's on fire.

- f*ck. Uh...
- Don't light the house on fire.

sh*t, sh*t, sh*t. Okay, wait.

- Oh, my.
- Here.

No, no, look.

- Okay. No, I'm just gonna...
- [LAUGHS]

- Yep, did it, did it.
- Oh, my God.

- We did it. We're good.
- [ALARM STOPS]

- Yeah. [CHUCKLES]
- [CHUCKLES]

Thank you.

Uh, I'm-I'm really
sorry about the steaks.

f*ck the steak.

Um, how do you, uh...

how do you feel about quesadillas?

I love 'em.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

Hang on, hang on.

I put this museum on the map,

and you can't humor
me with a counteroffer?

[MALIK] In my experience,

you-you mean what you say.

Don't weaponise my ambition.

I took your thr*at at face value,

knowing you would follow through.

It was a classic negotiation tactic.

- And it blew up in your face.
- Malik.

I made a mistake.

That is something you
will rarely hear me say.

But...

Pippa Pascal...

her work means everything to me.

Do you understand? Everything.

[MALIK] What would you do
if you were in my position?

I would throw me under the bus.

I am perfectly prepared
to be publicly humiliated.

But don't punish her.

And don't punish the people
who need to see her work.

I'll see what I can do,

but I can't guarantee you anything.

I'm not about to lose my job for this.

So, everything?

Yes.

Everything.

I was thinking...

[EXHALES]

I got so...

wrapped up in what I
thought was my legacy.

But it was just this legacy of revenge.

I just... I wanted to take down
anyone who had ever wronged me.

Who had ever wronged my family.

And you.

Well, I definitely understand

the appeal of wanting
to blow some sh*t up.

But under no circumstances

is it okay for you to
be the collateral damage.

And I lost sight of that.

And I'm very sorry.

Yeah, I heard that.

I think I'm better off...

leaving a legacy of love
rather than of destruction.

You taught me that.

[SOFT, GENTLE MUSIC]

♪♪♪

[KNOCKING]

- Hey.
- Hey.

I ordered Chinese.

Might be cold.

Um, I thought you were
gonna come back to my place.

One of my clients hit
a glitch in escrow.

Or you just didn't want to see me.

I didn't want you to snap
at me again. That's true.

Here.

Please take this.

Is this your way of apologizing?

'Cause it could use some work.

I've found most things can
be fixed with beef noodles.

[CHUCKLES]

I'm sorry.

I don't do well with the whole...

hot-and-cold thing.

Yeah.

Um...

Stuff with my dad,

it's, um...

it's hard for me.

I-I'd love to keep him separate
from the rest of my life, but...

That would never work.

No. But it would be nice.

He would get between me and Sophie.

A lot.

It felt like...

every single decision
I was making was like...

choosing between him or her, you know?

Yeah.

My dad used to make me
feel like that with Nat.

Really?

Yeah.

I mean, we were so
young when we met, and...

he wanted what was best for me.

- But...
- Of course, of course.

My dad, too.

He had a pretty f*cked
up way of showing it.

Yeah.

Same.

I was really embarrassed that
you saw how I let him treat me.

I hope I didn't do anything
to make you feel that way.

No. No, it's not you.

It's him. And-and me.

But I actually stood up for myself.

Because of you.

How did it feel?

- Really f*cking good.
- [BOTH CHUCKLE]

And...

I think everything is gonna
work out with the CAC, actually.

Bette backed off.

- What?
- Yeah.

- That's huge.
- [LAUGHS] Yeah.

I know. I-I'm gonna give
her a couple days to cool off

before I reach out, but...

I think I won.

[SOFT, GENTLE MUSIC]

♪♪♪

I sure do like you.

Wow.

So I wasted $ . on these noodles?

No. The noodles pushed
you over the edge.

[LAUGHS]

Let's eat.

[MICAH] And I kept my lip over my teeth

for, like, I don't know,
a week, 'cause I thought

that if my mum noticed I chipped
my first real adult front tooth,

that she would for sure k*ll me.

Show me.

[LAUGHS]

It's not great.

But, I mean, obviously, she noticed,

and she took me to the dentist.

Uh, but, um, my-my first
grade photo is very bad.

Well, I think you
have a beautiful smile.

And I had a really good time tonight.

- Yeah?
- I mean, it started out

a little rocky, but you came
through with the quesadilla.

- [CHUCKLES]
- Yeah, I was hoping.

Well, I had a good time, too.

Yeah?

Yeah.

Uh, um...

- I'm sorry.
- Did I hit your bad tooth?

No. No, it's, um...

It's not you. It's-it's me.

Um... it's someone else.

Oh.

Okay.

You're great. You are.

- Um...
- Yeah, well,

I don't feel so great.

I just... I didn't realise until
tonight how I felt about her.

- So it's kind of...
- [SCOFFS]

Wow.

Well, I'm glad I was able to push you

in the arms of someone else.

- That's...
- That's not...

that's not what I meant. No,
Claudia, I'm really sorry...

I'm gonna head out, if that's okay.

I'm sorry. I'm...

Claudia, I'm-I'm so sorry.

- Claudia...
- Good night, Micah.

[DOOR CLOSES]

Yeah, work's gonna be
real awkward. [SIGHS]

[SOFT, GENTLE MUSIC]

♪♪♪

[BEEP, CLICK]

Hello?

[DOOR CLOSES]

Tom?

It's not stealing if it's free.

I know.

[INHALES]

You should've called.

You gave me a key.

Forgot about that.

Um...

I, uh...

I like you.

A lot.

I don't play games, Alice.

I'm too tired, and I'm-I'm old.

- You're not old.
- Yeah, I am.

I got back issues. My
hearing's starting to go.

My eyes... I can't see

- from far away.
- I'm-I'm so sorry.

I really, really wish I
could take it all back.

It hurt. A lot.

Fair.

Made me want to eat a whole pizza.

Well, I want to...

I want to eat that pizza with you.

- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.

You're a really scary room for me.

You know? But... [INHALES]

I want to see what's inside.

That's a quote from your book.

It is.

I think I wrote that.

- You did.
- Huh.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

Do you want to, like,
order room service or... ?

They don't have room service here.

There's only the number to
Domino's on the back of the...

Mm. I thought you said they were, like,

splurging for a fancy room.

Well, this-this is a splurge.

Mm.

They got a breakfast in
the lobby in the morning.

It's free.

Well, I'm really
looking forward to that.

Uh-huh.

[SENSUAL SYNTH MUSIC]

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

[CHUCKLES]

- Hey!
- Hi.

Oh, you look, uh, you look good.

- [CHUCKLES]
- Oh, thanks.

Oh. [COUGHS] Wow.

It smells terrible in here.

Yeah, sorry. I kind of almost
b*rned the kitchen down earlier.

- Oh, God.
- Um... No.

No, don't worry about it. It's okay.

Look, okay, I know the last
time that we saw each other,

things didn't end well. Um...

You know, but it doesn't
have to be the end, right?

Like, I-I don't want it to be the end.

Okay.

[EXHALES]

I've watched Love & Basketball,

I don't know, six times
since I last saw you, and...

I don't know, I-I think
we're as good as them.

- No, we're not. Nobody is.
- [CHUCKLES]

Maribel...

I love you.

And I-I know you love me, too.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

Would you bet on it?

I would bet my whole heart.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

[SOFT, GENTLE MUSIC]

♪♪♪

Yes, I did.

I went to a meeting before I saw my mum,

and then I actually
went to... [CHUCKLES]

another one after.

Yes, I did.

I talked to both of my sponsees.

They're both doing great.

Me?

I... [SIGHS]

Yeah, I think I'm doing okay, you know,

considering everything

- that's happening.
- [KNOCKING]

Oh, you know what? I asked
for, um, extra towels,

and I think that they just got here.

I'll call you tomorrow?

Okay.

Thank you.

Bye.

Hi.

What are you doing here?

Look, I, uh...

I'd like to...

be here with you.

I just, I'd like to be your partner.

And that... scares me to say.

I know that sounds kind of...

♪ Oh, oh, oh-oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh-oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh-oh ♪

♪ Oh... ♪

♪ If you're ready, go and get it ♪

♪ Let's find the light that
we lit up in the first place ♪

♪ Don't back out, we're
so close to it now ♪

♪ We go up a little
higher, up a little higher ♪

[PANTING]

♪ We're reaching out ♪

♪ Into the unknown ♪

♪ 'Cause what is there to know ♪

♪ When we haven't seen it all ♪

- [MOANING]
- ♪ To take on all the world ♪

♪ And to take it on as one ♪

♪ It's time to break away ♪

♪ From who we thought we were ♪

♪ Oh, we're changing now ♪

- [PANTING]
- ♪ Before the Earth falls down ♪

♪ We're changing now ♪

♪ If you're ready, go and get it ♪

♪ Let's find the light that
we lit up in the first place ♪

♪ Don't back out, we're
so close to it now ♪

♪ We go up a little
higher, up a little higher ♪

♪ If you're ready, go and get it ♪

♪ Let's find the light that
we lit up in the first place ♪

♪ Don't back out, we're
so close to it now ♪

♪ We go up a little
higher, up a little higher ♪

♪ If you're ready, go and get it ♪

♪ Let's find the light that
we lit up in the first place ♪

♪ Don't back out, we're
so close to it now ♪

♪ We go up a little
higher, up a little higher ♪

♪ If you're ready, go and get it ♪

♪ Don't back out, we're
so close to it now ♪

♪ We go up a little higher ♪

♪ And now we're far ♪

♪ Into the unknown ♪

♪ We take on all the world ♪

♪ We take it on as one ♪

[GRUNTS SOFTLY, EXHALES]

[WHISPERS] f*ck.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

Hi.

Mmm. Are you awake?

I'm sorry.

- Please don't.
- Mm.

You're drunk.

Are you mad at me?

f*ck.

No, I just don't want
to be near you right now.

Don't go. Come on.

We don't have to do
anything. Let's just talk.

I'm-I'm sorry I didn't pay you
back for the car thing, okay?

That was stupid. I didn't...

Look, it's not about that.

I just don't want to talk
to you when you're drunk.

I get it. I'm a piece of sh*t.

Don't do that.

No, I know I am.

Don't put that on me.

I'm not. I'm sorry.

I feel like I spent the
entire day babysitting you.

Really?

That's what it feels like?

Yes.

f*ck, that's so f*cking embarrassing.

Oh, God.

So f*cking embarrassing.

It's much worse than that, okay?

It's-it's scary.

You scare me.

What? I scare you?

- Yes.
- Come on.

How can I scare you? I love you.

- Come here.
- No, 'cause you're not you.

I'm me. I'm me.

No, you're not.

It's like your light goes
out and nobody's home.

And it's the scariest,
loneliest feeling.

Okay. f*ck.

Um...

I mean, what do you want?
You want me to leave?

No, I'm just gonna sleep on the couch.

No, I'm gonna go, okay? I'm going.

f*ck.

[SOFT, SOMBER MUSIC]

[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]

♪ I've walked these roads alone ♪

♪ And I've fought with
my heart and soul ♪

♪ Beaten down and
crawled back home... ♪

I've been thinking.

[BETTE] Hmm?

About?

Have you considered

that it's possible to burn sh*t down

and still leave something standing?

♪ 'Cause in you I found my home... ♪

- Yeah.
- Mm.

♪ I'm not alone ♪

♪ When there's no hope left ♪

You want to do it together?

- ♪ At least I'm not alone ♪
- ♪ I'm not alone ♪

♪ I'm not alone ♪

- ♪ I'm not alone ♪
- ♪ I'm not alone ♪

♪ Alone ♪

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

[CHUCKLES]

Hi, cutie.

Hi.

[CHUCKLES]

I like waking up with you.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

So is this gonna be a problem for work?

Oh, um...

Yeah, we should probably tell HR, huh?

I am HR.

Yeah, you are.

- Yeah, I am.
- [CHUCKLES]

[SOFT, SEXY MUSIC]

♪♪♪

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[CONTEMPLATIVE POP]

♪♪♪

[SIGHS]

♪ What did I do ♪

- ♪ To break this? ♪
- [LINE RINGING]

♪ What did I say... ♪

[RECORDED] Hey, it's Finley. Text me.

♪ Staring at the space
you left, my bed, my head ♪

♪ How many times
can we start again? ♪

♪ What can I do to save this? ♪

[LINE RINGING]

[RECORDED] Hey, it's Finley. Text me.

♪ One step too far ♪

Finley?

♪ Don't know where we are ♪

♪ Did I push us too hard? ♪

Fin?

Finley?

♪ One step too far ♪

♪ Don't know where we are ♪

♪ Did I push us too hard? ♪

♪ What if I told you I don't
want to live without you? ♪

♪ Every high, every low,
it was only for you ♪

♪ I need you to stay,
tell me what can I do? ♪

♪ I would do it for you,
I would do it for you ♪

♪ What if I told you I don't
want to be without you? ♪

♪ Would it change anything
if you knew what I knew? ♪

♪ I need you to stay,
tell me what can I do? ♪

♪ I would do it for you,
I would do it for you ♪

♪ You ♪

♪ I would do it for you ♪

♪ I would do it for you ♪

♪ I would do it for you ♪

♪ What if I told you I don't
want to be without you? ♪

♪ Would it change anything
if you knew what I knew? ♪

♪ I need you to stay,
tell me what can I do? ♪

♪ I would do it for you,
I would do it for you ♪