02x01 - Vows

[bunniefuu]

- Big day.
- Is it?

- Trust me.
- With my life.

- We're okay, right? She's not gonna...
- Glitch?

She's fine, Agent Ballard.
Sorry. Mr. Ballard.

Thirty-nine personalities
all wiped clean away.

If she acts funny, her Handler tells me.

I just know this one's been long-term,
and today...

It's definitely one for the books,
but this is the Dollhouse, frienemy,

and nothing happens without my...
What the hell?

PAUL: What?
TOPHER: Saunders.

We're okay, right?

You're fine. She's fine.

(SIGHS)

I'm gonna go to sleep. Ivy!

- ADELLE: It's not that bad.
- It's the last thing she should be doing.

You're not Echo's Handler, Mr. Langton.
You're head of security now.

As head of security, I'm telling you,
this engagement poses a risk.

ADELLE: Victor.

- This is coming along well.
- Thank you.

ADELLE: We made a deal with Paul Ballard.

Either we honor that deal,
or he exposes us,

or I order you to do something extreme.

I'd like to avoid the latter two.
I have plans for the erstwhile agent.

- You're touching my face.
- Move along.

He hunted the Dollhouse for months.

The Bureau kicks him out,
and you think that just flips him?

- He's one of us now?
- No.

I expect he's looking for something else,
a darker purpose, perhaps, or a weakness.

- And there's his extreme devotion to Echo.
- So he uses her to fulfill some sad fantasy

about righting old wrongs
by doing something worse?

Why in particular
does this engagement bother you?

- You know, after that news anchor...
- Which one?

The one who wanted to be rolled in eggs
and flour and dipped...

- Tempura Joe. Such a Ionely soul.
...I thought I had seen it all.

But this engagement?
Honestly, this one's sick.

(CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING)

Dearly beloved,
we are gathered here today

to join this man and this woman...

So, do you want to know
what I've been doing while you overslept?

If you tweaked an imprint,
I'll throw you through that window.

I'm just moving things along.
We are backed up like LAX at Christmas.

It's the autumn rush.
Temperatures plummet to the high 60s.

The leaves fall off
that one tree on Wilshire.

People need comfort.

What's up with you?

If you little worker bees aren't too busy,
I was promised a treatment.

- Sierra? Nobody called down.
- I can't have the other one?

- The man one?
- I need caffeine.

- Ivy.
- I'm on it.

- They didn't change you?
- I'm not comfortable with Orientals.

- It'll only take a second.
- It's not a r*cist issue. It's just that...

Well, your culture's not really the thing,
is it?

- Have a seat.
- I suppose I'm at your mercy.

In fact, if you were to tie me down
and spank me,

I could hardly be expected to resist,
could I?

- I'll keep that in mind.
- Yes.

- How many more today?
- Well, the Jonas Brothers are back in town.

Say no more. Voracious little nippers.

(SCREAMING)

Oh, my God!

- Are those from the lab?
- I don't care. Just get them!

- IVY: Okay, okay, okay.
- That one went there!

IVY: Come here, come here.

I didn't know
you had a problem with rodents.

- Well, clearly somebody knew.
- Come here.

Is this your idea of a joke?

You designed me, Mr. Brink.

I guess it must be your idea of a joke.

I designed you to be a not crazy woman!

You gotta stop messing with me.

I don't seem to be able to.

(TOPHER EX CLAIMS)

- Maybe your work's not up to par.
- My work is pristine.

If you're losing it, that's your fault.

- SAUNDERS: You sure?
- I know what I know.

Put the rats back in the maze, Topher,
before one of them bites you.

BOYD: You busy?

Just dealing with some vermin.

- Is this about Echo again?
- Victor.

I didn't know
if you were copied on his results.

The scars are practically gone.

One more surgery,
you'll never know they were there.

Yes. I was surprised
that Miss DeWitt would authorize

such an expensive process for an Active.

When she didn't before?

There's no reason
she couldn't do the same for you.

I like my scars. They bring out my eyes.

Without my scars,
I might as well be one of them.

And sooner or later,

Miss DeWitt will remember
I was a more lucrative asset when I was.

- There's no way on Earth...
- Adelle DeWitt is not

- the type of person...
...that I would allow it.

What if she went over your head?

I'm very tall.

(SAUNDERS LAUGHS)

Before you knew...

Before either of us knew
that I was a fake...

Claire.

An Active, a doll,
when you thought I was just a doctor,

you didn't care much for me.

We disagreed about things.

So, should I interpret this new concern
as pity?

Curiosity?

Deviant excitement?
There's no judging in the Dollhouse.

You seem to be having a hard time.

My entire existence was constructed
by a sociopath in a sweater vest.

What do you suggest I do?

Have dinner with me.

I think you should get out of here
for a while.

And I'd be glad of the company.

I don't go out.

I'm afraid to leave this place.

I have a problem with crowds, with people

and sunlight, open spaces,

noise, pets...

For some reason, I'm just built that way.

Every person I know
is pretty poorly constructed.

Everyone has an excuse for not dealing.

But eventually, that's all they are. Excuses.

What's yours?

(CELL PHONE RINGING)

This is Hugo.
No. The shipment is only delayed a day.

Mr. Klar is busy today.

(HAZYPLAYING)

Roma Klar. Mrs. Roma Klar.

I thought you were keeping
your first name.

- It's unbelievable.
- What?

I've found the woman of my dreams.

You'll meet her later tonight. She's lovely.

I've found the thing
that everyone spends their lives

thinking they're gonna find
but grieving that they haven't.

She's in my arms. She's mine for life.

And all I can think is,
I'm gonna step on her feet.

I'm practically paralyzed.
We should've taken those lessons.

I don't want us to have a wedding story
where I step all over your feet.

It would relieve the pressure.
Seriously, these heels are insane.

- Take them off.
- When it's time.

It's time. It's past time.

- Can I wish everyone away?
- No. It's my wedding day,

and I never want it to end.

Until my wedding night.

(HAZYCONTINUES PLAYING)

I watched you sleeping

quietly in my bed

You don't know this now

But there's some things
that need to be said

And it's all that I can hear

It's more than I can bear

What if I fall and hurt myself?

Would you know how to fix me

If I forgot who I am

Would you please remind me, oh?

'Cause without you things go hazy

- Hey, partner.
- Hey.

- How was last night? You okay?
- (SIGHING) I'm so sore.

My feet, perv.

Why do people get married
in fricking stilettos?

Come on. Work for a living.

- How about Klar?
- He said, "I do."

- I heard that part.
- Did you cry? Little tear, one eye?

Jeez, what is with you?

The biggest arms dealer on the coast
just plighted his troth to me.

For five years, the Bureau
couldn't get his cousin's dog walker

to give them the time of day.
Now I'm the missus.

Five years ago
I still cared about due process.

The Bureau's gonna coo like doves
when we give them Martin Klar.

Then we sneak off into the night,
forget we were ever here.

Is this about the sex?

I know for you, the act of love

is the most intimate and precious thing
two people can share,

but it's just bodies. It's useful.

And with Klar, it's pretty damn fun.
Man's got a work ethic.

I think you might be a demon.

I'm justice.
I'm blind when I need to be blind.

Well, you're inside now, so open your eyes.

I have. This is Martin Klar, okay?

I can't even get him to tell me
where the honeymoon is.

- There's not gonna be any honeymoon.
- Wait.

I do this until it's done.
There's no movement from suppliers?

All the small-arms guys we knew
are accounted for or out of the game.

I still think Klar's moving something new.

We know Pavel Hund is in the market
for dirty bombs.

Him and Klar were really thick in the '90s.

That was AKs, not plutonium.
Klar wouldn't touch something that hot.

He married me.

(SCOFFS)

Paul, how long have we been partners?

Three years.

Have I ever said "I'm sure"
and been wrong?

I'm guessing not.

Trust me.
Everything we've worked for happens now.

HANDLER: Not quite yet.

Not until you've had your treatment.

- Wait.
- No. A treatment sounds great.

- I need her.
- Her protocol says she comes in.

Long-term engagements are tricky.
Gotta check the wiring. And the plumbing.

I want Echo back
as soon as she's checked out.

Okay. You're the client.

- SAUNDERS: How are you feeling?
- A little sleepy.

- They tell me you had a big night.
- Who tells you?

You're gonna feel a little pressure.

Clean bill of health.

Whiskey.

Did someone say that to you?
To call me that?

You were number one.

Yes.

I don't remember the rest.

Alpha cut up my face.
Do you remember that?

- Why?
- So you could be number one.

Am I?

You are.

ECHO: I try to be my best.

Good for you.

You're done. Go be your best.

No one is their best in here.

What is more precious to a human being
than their mind?

Everything we feel, see, everything we are
is controlled by our brains.

They are the most powerful
and delicate part of the human machine.

As some of you know, I lost my mother
to Alzheimer's years before she d*ed.

Since I took office,

I have made health care
and medical research a top priority,

and I call you all here today to tell you

I am shocked and appalled
by what I have found.

There is nothing less than a conspiracy,
spearheaded by the Rossum Corporation,

to withhold medical advancements,
to use radical...

Well, this is charmless, isn't it?

- What do you think, Mr. Langton?
- I like his suit.

- You may well be missing the point.
- He knows how to wear it, too.

Money, a lot. And he was born into it.
He'll have connections.

We have connections.

He also has ambition,
which he wasn't born into.

Money like that, you either coast
or you sh**t for the stars.

This one isn't going away.

- How is it he wasn't on our radar?
- We weren't on his.

I'm sure he was looking for a cause.
Someone gave him us, recently.

- Any idea who?
- (DOOR OPENING)

Mr. Ballard.
We were just about to talk about you.

Did you see
Senator Perrin's press conference?

Just now. Nice suit.

- Have you ever talked to Senator Perrin?
- Have you?

- Mr. Langton.
- Miss DeWitt.

He reminds me of you.

PAUL: I mean it. If you're pointing fingers,
you should be looking at Boyd.

- I know why I'm here.
- Do you?

I can't b*at you.
The FBI kicked me out for trying.

Maybe the Senator can,
and I'll raise a glass.

But in the meanwhile, I'm a kiss away

from taking down a gunrunner
the FBI couldn't touch.

"A kiss away"? Echo married him.

And my reports put you no closer
to closing than you were

- when their eyes first locked.
- Are you shutting us down?

I want you to consider
becoming Echo's Handler.

I don't work for you.

No. You work
for the betterment of mankind,

fighting crime
by listening to Echo have sex.

It's terribly noble.

- We don't have audio inside Klar's house.
- You never ask about November.

- Who?
- Mellie. Well, Madeline, actually,

but she was Mellie
when she was with you.

When you used your leverage
to have her released instead of Echo,

I thought you must
have really cared for her.

- Are you threatening her?
- Now,

I think you were just done with her,
but not with Echo.

You still need Echo for something,

but you'll never get it
with the ex strutting about the place.

- You're a sick lady.
- Well, I'm not asking you to handle me.

Echo's special. You know it. Alpha knew it.

She was evolving even before
he dumped all her personas into her.

Policy would be
to send her straight to the Attic,

and if this goes too far, I still will.
But I'm a little bit curious.

You want to study the rat
before you slice it up?

Well, that is how science works.

What we learn here
feeds Rossum's crucial research

as much as it feeds their coffers.

She hasn't shown me anything weird.
I wouldn't risk this mission if she had.

Echo has three more years on her contract.

I would prefer her to have someone
in her corner who really cared about her.

Even unreasonably.

You're working an angle.

With the exception
of the very special and the comatose,

have you ever met someone who wasn't?
Think about it.

It'll pass the time during her honeymoon.

MARTIN: Hugo, is everything on track
with the shipment?

Good, then tell me what it is you...

Well, if it has to be in person,
it can wait until the morning.

It can absolutely wait until the morning.
I'll call you.

You were gone too long.

You won't tell me where we're going,
so I had to buy one of everything.

Well, supper's laid out. Are you hungry?

Are you?

Ten seconds ago I swear I was.
I think you're controlling my thoughts.

It's easier than you think.

Women.

What the...

What the hell?

- Are you drunk?
- Just trying to be my best.

(TOPHER STAMMERING)

- I don't want your best.
- I think you do.

All right. Okay, that is the minority vote.

And you tricked it, okay?

A guy's asleep, could have been
Fozzie Bear and it would have...

Not that I think about Fozzie Bear.

- Let's stop playing games.
- Okay.

How does this qualify
as not playing games?

Because this is the endgame.
This is where it all leads.

You design someone to hate you
so you can convince them to love you.

Hey, I could whip up a love sl*ve
any day I want.

But that wouldn't be a challenge, would it?
Slaves are just slaves.

But winning over your enemy,

the one person guaranteed to reject
everything you are,

that's real love.

More real than anything up in the world.

And I understand it now.
I love you. I love you.

No, no.

You need a fricking treatment.

Why shouldn't I love you?
Aren't you lovable?

Aren't you Big Brother?
Aren't you the Lord my God?

- Why should I fight your divine plan?
- Because you're better than that!

Because you're better than me.

Dr. Saunders was dead,
and Whiskey was out of service,

at least temporarily,
so DeWitt gave me the call.

"We need a new doctor,
one who's committed to our cause,

"who's kind and efficient
and will look after our Actives."

So why didn't you stop there?

Because I was designing a person,
not a Roomba.

I needed you to be whole.

If you agreed with everything I said,
then we would miss something

- and someone would get hurt.
- You don't care if people get hurt.

You don't know me!

That's the contract.

You don't know me and I don't know you.
Not fully, not ever.

I made you question.
I made you fight for your beliefs.

I didn't make you hate me.

You chose to.

How do I live?

How do I go through my day

knowing everything I think
comes from something I can't abide?

So you weren't really
gonna sleep with me?

I can't stand the smell of you.

I did that! So we'd never...

Why didn't you find out
who you really used to be?

I mean, you had your chance.

Maybe DeWitt would even
re-imprint your old identity.

- You've earned it.
- Because I don't want to die.

I'm not even real.

I'm in someone else's body,
and I'm afraid to give it up.

I'm not better than you.

I'm just a series of excuses.

- You're human.
- Don't flatter yourself.

Martin?

Honey?

- That desk was my grandfather's.
- I know.

- So I'd prefer if you didn't s*ab it to death.
- No, I just...

This is your fault.

Um... I'm... I'm all ears.

You know I can't stand surprises.
You have to tell me where we're going.

I mean, half the fun of a honeymoon
is packing and...

- Well, maybe not half.
- Wait.

You say this from experience?
From your many marriages?

What's up?

What? Besides you assaulting
a family heirloom?

I'm sorry. I didn't leave a scratch.

It's all right. Don't worry.

I can always have it refinished.

- Martin?
- What? No self-defense training?

- No second g*n in the ankle holster?
- Please.

I can't believe he'd leave you here
without any kind of defense.

You don't know what you're talking about!

"Do you take this man
to be your lawfully-wedded husband?"

Martin, you know I love you.

"To love and honor in sickness and
in health, so long as you both shall live?"

- I do!
- Who are you?

My name is Roma Klar.

Yes, it is. It's comical.

It is, I understand,
the key to comedy, the timing.

One day... One day wed and I get this!

Proof that my wife is my enemy!

Paul Ballard. Where did he find you?

I mean, you're not Bureau.
Witness Protection?

Starving actress?
What did he promise you?

Starving actress?
What did he promise you?

- Is he your lover?
- I've never seen this man.

This is a photo
of you seeing this man, darling!

It's faked! It's photoshopped!
Or this guy is...

He asked me for the time
and had someone snap a picture.

- Why?
- To hurt you!

He's your enemy!
He comes at what's closest to you!

Well, good for him!
I thought you were gentle and honest.

He knew better,
you wife-b*ating piece of...

- Listen... Roma!
- Don't touch me!

- Roma, Roma, I'm sorry.
- Who has enemies like that?

Who the hell are you
that people hate you that much?

I'm not stupid, Martin.

I know you're not just a fricking financier,
but I don't care!

I didn't marry your job.

I married you.

I can't be wrong about you.

Look at me.
Just forget everything and look at me.

I am your wife.

For the rest of my life,
I am and will always be

Mrs. Eleanor Penn.

Wait.

Who did they make me this time?

MAN: I got it.

They're lovely, aren't they?
Of course, they're just little bombs.

They're not actually dirty bombs

until you've inserted them
inside the plutonium,

but then they're just ordinary looking.

I like the heart of the thing, though.
The mechanism, the light from within.

That's why I loved you.

I never lied to you.
Not about anything that mattered.

It's Ballard. Let me talk to Topher Brink.

Okay. Please hold.

This is Topher. What up?

- Something's not right.
- With Echo?

Her Handler said she spiked
about two hours back.

- Can you access that?
- I can. I am.

Why didn't he move in?

PAUL: He said it was excitement.
They were being newlyweds.

Yeah, that's not hot monkey love.

I got zero serotonin,
theta activities to the CA1 are peaking.

That was pain and panic.
How did he miss this?

- What do you see now?
- She's amped, but there's drop-offs.

It's kind of random.
She could be concussed. I'm calling it.

You move in now, Klar will k*ll her for sure.

You got a better plan?

No. But I do have a much worse one.

HUGO: Sir?

My God. This is becoming surreal.

Bring her out.

Well, it's Paul Ballard,
Special Agent in charge of bugger all.

- Hello, Martin.
- You come to wish us joy on our nuptials?

- Let her go.
- But we're very much in love.

You don't know
who you're dealing with here.

Well, I know it's not the FBI.

I think I'm gonna keep this g*n.
I'm gonna treasure it.

- You're making a mistake.
- Well, you're the expert in that field.

Did he tell you he was still with the FBI?
Not ousted in disgrace?

Did he forget to mention his pathetic
failed attempts to catch me or anyone?

I'm just so anxious to know what he said
that put you in bed with a man

who represents everything
that he will never be.

What?

(IN SOUTHERN ACCENT) I don't understand
anything you're saying, but where's Donny?

Roma, love, it's the wrong act.

It's not an act.

(IN CULTURED ACCENT)
God, my head is on fire.

Be a dream and bring Mommy a Vicodin.

Okay, I'm starting to feel like
maybe she's not taking this seriously.

She doesn't get what's happening,
the pressure or something. She cracked.

You couldn't take it.

This is the man from the picture.
Martin, I don't know him.

Just give it up.

Your name is Caroline.

I would never hurt you.

I bet everything on you.
I traded my life for this,

- and you couldn't even...
- Paul.

All you had to do
was remember who you were!

You can't remember? Nobody home?
We're gonna die

and this scumbag is gonna walk
because of you.

The Chinese restaurant.
You remember that?

Whoever you think you are...

- I swear I don't want to hurt you.
- I know.

I'm counting on it.

Get the plane started.

(CAR ENGINE STARTING)

Echo! Roma!

(PANTING) Let's go, sweetie.

Honeymoon's over.

It's all over the news.
Arms deal gone wrong.

Your friend's plane was nabbed, so was he.
You got your man.

She got him.

Well, she wouldn't have if you hadn't seen
what her Handler failed to.

Topher said her readings
were all over the place.

Yeah, well, concussion.

Did I fall asleep?

For a little while.

(THE WORLD PLAYING)

The world is all around us

It's much too big to see

And the words are seldom honest

So we never disagree

Oh, the world is all around us

But have you noticed me?

Yeah, the world has overshadowed me

The world is all around us

So tell me what you see

Yeah, the world is all around us

There's little room to breathe

Hey.

Hello.

I'm sorry. I...

Well, I guess I wasn't exactly my best.

I'm trying to do what's right,

and I'm having a harder and harder time
figuring out what that even means,

and maybe I should have gotten you
out of here first thing.

Instead I put you through...

- Well, I know you don't remember it, but...
- I remember everything.

Sometimes I'm someone else,
and then I come back,

but I still feel them. All of them.

I've been many people.

I can hear them, sometimes suddenly.

I'm all of them, but none of them is me.

Do you know who's real?

Caroline.

I want to find her.

I want to find all of them. Real them.

They can be found.

We are lost, but we are not gone.

Will you help me?

I swear, no matter what, I'm with you.

Everything's gonna be all right.

Now that you're here.

Do you trust me?

With my life.