02x10 - In Her Dreams

[bunniefuu]

Happy birthday, Nick,

(CHUCKLES) Fourteen presents?

Joey, you got me
fourteen presents.

That's almost
like spoiling me.

(CHUCKLES) Well, yeah...

Yes?

You got her fourteen presents?

Well, it's her
fourteenth birthday.

What kind of standard
is that to set?

Well, I just like doing things
like this, you know?

Like that time I was
dating Cindy Fletcher.

For her twenty-fifth
birthday I...

I don't want to know.

I love this jacket!

This is the jacket
from Bloomingdale's

that I walked you by
all month, saying, "Please!"

Yeah...

And what difference
presents I got her?

I'm not accusing you
of one-upmanship.

It's not one up.
It's fourteen-nothing.

Nicole...
Happy birthday.

Tiffany's?

Is that where I went? Yes!

You know, because when
I opened the door,

all the light blasting off
the jewels was so bright,

I couldn't tell
where I was at all.

Michael.

Well, I know it's not
fourteen presents.

But it does, however,
inscribed on the back.

Fourteen karat gold?

Isn't that beautiful?

Nice watch, Mike.

Thank you.

Happens to be one of the
few things left in New York

you didn't get to first.
calendar thing in it...

Well, goodnight, Nick.

Well, goodnight, sweetness.

Hope you got everything
you wanted for your birthday.

Just one more thing.
Hey, I'm broke.

There's something I think
about once in a while,

and now that I'm fourteen
and I am an adult,

I figure you can tell me.

Okay. The bee flies from
flower to flower.

And you don't.

You guys.

You're so different,
birthday presents.

I want to know how come
between you.

Well, you know.

Well, just think if
one of us, Nick.

I mean, you know how
different your life would be?

Well, I think
I can answer that.

Let's say, for example,
picked me, okay?

And then we were
your parents.

Well, then, obviously
your life would be...

What's the word...perfect!

Well, let's just say,
that Marcy picked me

and we were your parents.

Obviously, then,
your life would be...

Oh, what's the word?
Icky?

No. Fun.

Oh. I see.

Well, I mean, aren't,
with the way things are?

Yeah, I am,
but isn't it okay to wonder?

Sure, it is. Yeah.
Well...

We all wonder about
things in our lives.

Yeah.

Like I wonder about the time
when I stepped out

in front of this
Trailways bus, you know?

It must've been doing about
sixty miles an hour.

And if I didn't
step back just in time,

I always wondered
what I'd been like.

No different.

Look, it's hard for us
to answer your question, Nick,

because we both wonder
the same thing.

You do?
Yeah.

It's...
get into bed?

The thing is, in life,

sometimes life presents
this questions,

and you just...
You gotta puzzle over 'em.

Yeah. Like what the hell
Marcy ever saw in you.

And why Trailways
doesn't use faster buses.

Happy birthday, Nicole.
Happy birthday, Nicole.

Happy Birthday, Nicole.
Now get up.

Judge?

What are you doing here?

I'm not here. You're dreaming.

I'm a phantom.
right through me, but don't,

because I don't like that.

I'm dreaming?
Uh-huh.

I'm just a figment
of your imagination,

who, in reality, is in my
own bed having my own dream.

Something about me
and soap-on-a-rope.

I don't believe this.
I know when I'm dreaming,

and I know when I'm awake,
and right now I'm...

Whuh-oh.

Hey, I know this place.

This is Michael's
old apartment uptown.

Hi, honey. I'm home.

Hi, Michael.
What are we doing here?

Michael?

Why won't he answer me?

He's not talking to you.

Who's he talking to?

Hi, Michael.

How was your day?

Mom?

? You can count on me

? No matter what you do

? You can count on me

? No matter where you go

? I'm standing by your side

? I'll be right behind

? No one loves you
more than I do

? Put your hand in mine

? I can see
a part of me in you.

? A little something special
that comes shining through

? I hear it in your laughter,

? And I feel it when you cry,

? I will be right there
for you,

? Until the day I die

? You can count on me

? No matter what you do

? You can count on me

? No matter where you go

? You can count on me ?

Judge.

That's my mother.
She's alive.

She's married to Michael.

Look how they love each other.

What a great dream I'm having!

You have a good day
at work, Michael?

Oh, yeah. I have a big office

and lots of papers in piles

and something to do
with money.

What?

I've never really understood
what it is he does.

I thought before dinner
and cuddle by the fire,

and you can tell me
with me in it.

Well, how would my life be
with you in it?

You know, when you're
near me like this,

I just want to hold you

and take you into our room
and shut the door

and I want to just...smooch.

What?

I'm fourteen years old.
than smooch.

Good girl.

This is perfect.

Am I in this family?

You want to be in this family?

I want a child.
Me, too.

Hi!

Mom.

Mom, how are you?

I've missed you so much.

Well, thank you, honey.
How was school?

School's fine.
How are you, Mom?

MICHAEL:
Of course school is fine.

She only goes to the
best prep school in New York.

I do?

Oh.

Well, school was fine.

I'm getting the same
grades I usually get.

Good girl. Straight A's.

No kidding?

I'm a good student, huh?

(CHUCKLES) You're good
at everything you do.

You are a perfect daughter.

We're very proud of you.

And now that you're fourteen,

you should start thinking
about college.

Well, I just started
high school.

It takes a lot of planning
on our parts, you know.

To make sure
that your life is...

What's the word?
Perfect.

Perfect.

So, I've arranged an interview

with the finest college
in the land.

Which one?

The University of Klawicki.

Mr. Klawicki?

Nicole, I want to thank you
for having me in your dreams

and putting me
in this nice suit.

I don't have any suits
this nice in my subconscious.

Can I keep this suit?
Sure.

Thanks.

Mr. Klawicki, we're so glad
you could make it.

Okay, I gotta be
this college guy now.

I understand.

Mr. and Mrs. Taylor,

I've gone over
your daughter's records.

But grades
at the good old U of K.

Maybe you can tell me
extracurricular activities.

Well, the average,
for a kid my age.

She's been taking
since she was three.

I, what?

Oh, don't forget
and the Chess Club

and the young radiologists.

When do I find the time
to squeeze in any...

What's the word?
JOEY: Fun?

Joey! Hey, look, it's Joey!

They can't see me.

Why not?
Because I don't exist.

Look, you got your mom
married to Michael.

The only way either one of us
would have been with her,

is if the other guy
never existed.

But you're here now.

Only for you.

You must have dreamed me here
for some reason.

Hey, maybe to
save you from

Mr. and Mrs.
Volvo station wagon.

Come on, Joey,
you love my mom.

That's not the Marcy I loved.

So, as you can see
from her transcripts,

our daughter
is a straight A student.

Wait!

Gadzooks!

An A minus!

We are deeply shamed.

We'll get her a tutor.

Someone who won't distract her
under the table.

Someone safe.
An innocent little lamb.

I object to the way you
see me in this dream.

(LAUGHS) Nice knees.

Oh, my knees
don't distract you?

You don't think of me
footsie with?

Oh, come on, Cory,
you know I like you.

Yeah, well maybe
on the surface you like me,

but obviously deep down
as Skippy the Chimp.

Nicole, why don't you
just dream of me at night,

in a canoe on a lake
with you next to me

and suddenly I take you
in my arms and I...

And I...
And you, what?

I don't know!
It's your dream!

Well, you've done
a tip-top job

of raising Nicole,
her good grades

and eighty nine
extracurricular activities,

she's in!

(LAUGHS)

Isn't it wonderful?

Isn't that wonderful news,
Nicole?

Well, I just started
high school.

Where is this college?
leave my friends?

You'll make new friends.

They can walk you
to medical school.

Ooh, I just love it
when you talk success.

Well, congratulations.

And thanks for the suit.

So, you're all set.

Yeah, looks like it.

Yeah, must be nice
planned out, huh?

Yeah. On one hand
my life is perfect.

On the other hand,
I can't stand myself.

Hey, small price to pay.

How can I feel like this
with my mother and Michael?

Hey, that's not the Michael
I know.

You said that about my mother.

Next, you'll be telling me
I'm not me.

Of course you're not you.

Here. Put this on.

My life is perfect.

Why did I bring you here
if my life is...

Missing something?

Look, I came here to give you
this jacket, all right?

And to tell you that I think
who you really are.

Nicole, you're gonna be late
for your ballet less...

You've, you've got
something on you.

I just got it. Isn't it great?

No.

Mom, Dad, I don't feel like
going to ballet class today.

Why don't we take the subway
a little bit.

BOTH: Eeewww.

Well, I know this great
little corner coffee shop.

We could get a hamburger.
It's under this loft building.

Wouldn't it be something
to live in a loft?

BOTH: Eeewww!

Who's putting these insane
thoughts in her head?

Sounds like she's
being influenced by someone.

Someone nuts.

These are my own thoughts.

And he's not nuts.
And, he is not nuts.

Nicole, this is not you.

No, Mom, this is not you.

Or you.
What happened to you?

We're perfect.

But what good is perfect
if it's no fun?

My sentiments exactly.

I'm sorry.

But I don't think I want to be
in this dream anymore.

That's what I'm here for.

I'm baaack.

Judge,
what's the matter with me?

I dreamed my mother was
married to Michael.

My life was perfect.

But it wasn't my life.

Of course not. It's a dream.

If our dreams
were the same as our lives,

why would we need to dream?
Come on.

There's more?

Sure.

So far you only know half
what you need to know.

Your mother married Michael,
you gave it up.

That leaves you
one more dad to go.

Right through this door.

What should we call it?

I don't know.

How about...

"Oops?"

How about this?

Hey, hey...

(CHUCKLES)

Hey, Nick.

Hey, come on.
We got breakfast here.

We got Tuesday's Chinese
or yesterday's pizza.

Coming.

Hi, Mom! Hi, Mom! Hi, Mom!

Hi, Nicky.
Hey, guys, look at this.

It's the last day
at the Metropolitan.

Hey, let's all go.

Well I'd love to,
but I've got school.

You'd rather go to school?

You're giving me the choice?

Well, I think it would be
a lot more fun

to go see the Picassos,
I mean...

They're only here
for one more day.

School's gonna be there
for the next four years.

Well, and then college.

You're going to college?

You're giving me the choice?

Well, it's your life, honey.

We're just here to
make sure that it's...

Perfect?
No.

BOTH: Fun!

Come on, you like it
so far, don't you?

Well, I love it, so far.

But what does missing school
do to my grades?

Oh, we don't believe
in a grading system.

I love you Mom and Dad!

(LAUGHS) I mean, how you
gonna learn anything, right?

If you're
worrying about grades

or you're stuck
behind some desk?

Look, for today,
is your classroom,

and we are your teachers,

I don't have to go
to school today.

We don't make you study
when you don't want to,

we don't make you go to bed
when you don't want to.

No studying, no bedtime.
I'm still a good student.

Solid C's.

Oh.

Well, you know,
for half a day.

I could meet you
at the museum, say around...

What's that?

What?
That thing on your wrist.

That thing that cuts
the day up into sections

and makes you have
at certain times?

Well, it's only a watch.
Oh, no.

That watch is the
beginning of discipline.

It's the end of fun.

Tell him that all this fun
into a mental case.

Michael?
Michael, I don't understand.

First I dreamed my
but it wasn't.

Now my life is fun,
What am I dreaming?

You're asking him for advice?

Hey, you, you, you can't.
You can't just...

Hey, you stay out of this!

You can see him?

No, he can't. He can't...
Yes, I can!

And I want you
out of my house!

How? How, how can you
possibly see?

How is her dream gonna work
if you can see me?

You have absolutely
do you know that?

I think that's the
whole point.

Oh, oh, so now you wanna
make sense, Mr. Symmetry?

Well, do you
understand something?

Dreams have rules.

Oh, why don't you
explain me the rules?

Okay. All right.
Rule number one...

You can't see me!

You can't see me!
in the last dream,

I couldn't see you.

Oh. Then how'd you know
I was in the last dream?

Because I saw you!

You didn't think I saw you.
I did. I saw you.

You called me a Volvo.

But did I say anything? No.

Because I conducted myself
dreamlike manner.

But you...
Our little girl had a dream,

and you blew the whole dream.
You blew it.

I hope you're very happy.
proud of yourself.

Look, they're fighting!
with each other!

I feel so secure.

Mom?

Mom?

No, sweetie, it's only me.

I want to say goodbye
to my mother.

Your dream, sweetie.

She left without
saying goodbye.

Why does she keep doing
that to me?

It's your dream.

Mom?

You left without saying
goodbye.

You know, I think about you
all the time. I miss you, Mom.

I'm right here.

I'll always be here.

But I dreamed you
and another way with Joey.

Does that mean
I'm beginning to forget you?

No.

It means your life
is with them now.

Then why did I dream you
were so much like my dads?

Because enough time has passed
with them as your fathers.

You love them, Nicole.

Well, Michael
and you were perfect.

But it didn't work.

And Joey and you were fun.

But it didn't work.

Well, what about you
and Michael and Joey?

That's another dream.

But in your life,
you have them both.

And you love them both.

And you don't have to
choose between them.

Because I never could
and neither should you.

You loved them the same?

No, I loved them
very differently.

But I loved them both
as much as I could.

It's morning. Close your eyes.
You'll be waking up soon.

Five more minutes?

Nope, You have school.

You're making me go to school?
Oh, I sure am.

And where should I
go to college?

Why are you thinking
about college?

That's four years away.

I love you, Mom.

And I love you.

See you in your dreams.

Here.

You know, it's funny,
breakfast for you,

you got two
poached eggs and toast

and fresh orange juice.

And today, when it's your turn
I get a Hershey bar.

Well, don't expect it
every day.

Good morning, sweetness.

Hey, morning, Nick.

Happy day after your birthday!

I just had the most wonderful,

beautiful dream
I've ever had in my life.

Mmm, must have been about us.

No, actually it wasn't.

That's very encouraging.

It was kind of about
this jacket and this watch,

and how well they go together.

Ha.
Uh-huh.

Do you know the best thing
to you guys?

You think it was my mother,
but it wasn't.

It was the two of you
knowing each other.

The fact that you're friends
makes my life perfectly fun.

You should be real happy
to know each other.

You think
she's right about that?

In her dreams.