02x08 - Chaos is Come Again

[bunniefuu]

[DAVID] I sometimes do this
thing where I see people.

People die, or I think
they're gonna die.

I see 'em.

The visions, they're a symptom of trauma

that hasn't been worked through.

You needed it when you were
young to cope with the grief,

but the behavior it's still there.

All it's doing now is deadening yourself

to anyone who's important to you.

[DAVID] I'm good.

I really am.

[TRANQUIL MUSIC]

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

[WATER EBBING]

[HALLOWAY] Hello, David.

David?

Yes, we good to go?

- [TRANQUIL MUSIC]
- Mmm.

- It's good to see you.
- Thanks.

- We have a lot to cover today.
- That's just fine.

Can we make this
a brainstorming session?

All right.

I've got a lot going on at work.

I just need to bounce ideas around.

I mean, specific issues, problems,

and I need specific answers.

We can do that.

This isn't about analyzing anything,

it's problem-solving. I have a list.

Let's go through it. [CLEARS THROAT]

- Y-You're okay with that?
- This is your time, David.

I'm here to help.

Good, I just wanted to be clear.

You were very clear.

T-The redevelopment project
I talked to you about

at the Ville,

it's hit some snags.

People I know, people who
I thought were my friends

are trying to undermine the whole thing.

That can't be feeling very good.

No, and I have under three months

to make this billionaire backing it

look like a hero for
the upcoming mayoral race.

I mean, I have no room for failure.

It sounds like a pretty
chaotic situation, David.

- Are you feeling any...
- Feelings have nothing

to do with this.

Practical, please.

I've already done all the legwork.

I just need your help to
navigate through all of this

and...

uh...

here's the checklist for
everything we need to accomplish

in this day's session,

color-coded by order of priority.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

Deal?

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

By fixing this work stuff,

everything else falls into place.

Now, I was on track moving forward,

until these two

who I thought were
my friends threw a wrench

into the whole thing.

This one right here,
Seren, my best friend.

I risked my a*s for this kid,

and now he's some gigolo lobbyist.

I mean, the man tried to kiss me,

but I got that straightened out.
It doesn't matter.

Anyway, this here, she the one
he scheming with, Marissa,

and I've known 'em both
since like forever.

Maybe I ain't treat her
that great in the past.

I mean, we... she...

we slept together in the laundry room

at the Ville the other day,

so I thought we were cool.

I mean, the point is,

I had nothing but trust
and good intentions,

and then my best friend,

he turns around
and gives her spiteful a*s

this toxicity report.

So, if that's the way
they wanna play that way,

then I'ma f*ck them both right back

[DAVID BREATHES HEAVILY, SCOFFS]

Without losing my cool or getting angry.

But you do seem angry.

And that's why we need to talk strategy.

Why do you do this job?

Do you like it?

Well, yeah, I mean, I'm good at it,

but then this sh*t comes at me.

And that causes you stress?

Hell yeah, that's why
I'm here, to fix it.

You function very well
under stress, don't you?

Yes, I do.

Maybe functioning like this,

under the g*n is actually
more comfortable to you.

- We getting off topic.
- There is a high-risk,

high-reward to what you do, right?

Maybe that suits your needs.

Look, I really don't wanna talk...

Do you remember the chaos we discussed

in your last session?

Sure.

It seems to be all around you,

and I'm wondering, is it possible

that you might have
a hand in creating it?

I didn't create this.
This isn't my fault.

I told you, those
so-called friends of mi...

I understand, and you don't
feel you played a role

in any of this?

You were just a passive
observer in kissing Seren,

and having sex with Marissa
in the laundry room?

I didn't kiss Seren!

You know what?

That's not the point.

I was good to them both.

I saved Seren.

He even said it...

and God knows I was nice to a girl

who had no chance with anybody.

I thought you said you didn't
treat her so well in the past.

What are we even talking about?

Kisses with someone you
haven't seen in years

who you think betrayed you.

Sex in the laundry room with a woman

who is contesting the validity
of your development project?

None of that seems high-risk
at all to you, David?

The kind of high risk that causes chaos?

The only chaos here is them,

the one who's supposed to have my back.

n*gga told me,

I mean N word, told me
I don't know who I am.

He must have had a significant
impact on your life to have

that much power over you
after not seeing him

for all those years.

What about that?

Waiting to teach you
something new at night, huh?

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[PUNCH THUDS]

- Nothing to talk about.
- David?

I wonder if it's worth
considering the fact

that Marissa and Seren aren't
actually out to get you.

But they are!

I mean, I told you.

Look, we don't need to be doing this.

It's not helpful.

I need specifics here.

Okay, I need answers.

Who is Brandon Machado?

An excellent life coach.

Isn't that what you're supposed to do?

Help me solve my problems.

David, you want your outside world

to look different without
changing anything on the inside,

that's not what I do.

Brandon is very motivational.

He'll make you feel good.

Real good, very good.

Cut and dried.

I think that's a better fit for you.

Nothing deep...

You raggedy b*tch!

[CLOCK TICKING]

[CLOCK TICKING]

I paid for an hour with you.

And I will happily refund all of it

if you choose to leave now.

Look, I don't have time to explain
all this sh*t to someone else.

Can you please just do your
job and help me fix this?

I'll do my job, David, I promise,

but I need to do it
the way I do it, okay?

Okay.

How are things with you and Nicole?

Nicole? What does she
have to do with this?

Are you still seeing her?

Yup, I mean, not every day, but yup.

W-Why?

I'm wondering how sex with Marissa fit

into that relationship.

That was a one-off.

It didn't mean anything.

So you and Nicole aren't exclusive?

No, it's an open relationship.

But you would describe
it as a relationship.

Yeah, sure, I guess.

Did you tell her about Marissa?

- She knows.
- And she's fine with it?

With that, but she was
tripping on some other sh*t.

So she was upset?

Yeah, no, not-not about that, about JG.

What about JG?

Look, we don't need to talk about...

I understand, you wanna talk
about work-related things.

Marissa is work-related, isn't she?

Nicole and I...

we try, you know?

We are tryna work things out,
but it's hard.

It's not like we got
the best examples to go by.

Just tryna be real with each other.

And maybe me hooking up
with Marissa was my way

of driving a wedge in that,

keepin' a wall up with Nicole,

because it's scary to me
to get really close to someone.

Does that make sense?

Makes a lot of sense, David.

Very insightful.

Okay, thanks for pushing me.

Well, maybe it is helpful to
think these things through,

you know, talk things out.

Good.

All right, let's try something,

we're gonna sit here for
ten seconds and not say a word.

Just ten seconds of complete silence.

All right?

Sure.

Starting...

now.

[CLOCK TICKING]

[DAVID SIGHS]

[DAVID THINKING] What a waste of time.

Is that a mosquito? Zika!

Why is she staring at me?

What am I doing?

Okay, I'm going to
just sit here quietly,

not going to give her anything
she can use against me.

Dammit, she saw that.

Ugh, hasn't it been
f*cking ten seconds already?

No, don't look, sign of weakness,

you got this.

Why did I f*cking mention Marissa?

Idiot, now this doctor lady's
punishing me for it.

Did I eat today?

Damn, Conch Fritters sound so good.

Hey, ma'am, who're you
sharing your bed with?

Let's talk about that,
so I can pass some judgment.

I should just go to a lawyer.

Shoulda did that
in the first f*cking place.

She don't know about business.

Seren, f*ck Seren, playin' me.

He think I'm some kind of fool.

[HOLLOWAY] David?

[DAVID THINKING] And I'm
not f*ck' 15 either!

- I'm a grown a*s man!
- Ten.

Where were you just now?

- Sitting here.
- Sweating?

It's hot outside.

That seemed difficult for you.

Fine.

- Even without your playbook?
- Playbook?

That explanation about Nicole,

about you putting
distance between you two,

your fear of closeness.

- Yeah, that was the truth.
- No, that's performing.

That's you telling me exactly

what you thought I wanted to hear,

so that we could shut
it down and move on.

Then, when we sat in silence,

you were forced to live in the present

for just a moment
and actually feel something.

Can you tell me what
you're feeling, David?

Can you identify that?

Can you tell me what
you are feeling right now?

I'm feeling like I'm tired
as f*ck of you telling me

what I came here for!

Not bad.

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

Now that didn't k*ll you, did it?

No.

But I... I don't like that.

I don't like to act like that.

Trust me, ma'am, please.

So can we maybe just stick
to work stuff right now?

Okay.

Why don't you describe to me
exactly what it is you do?

[CHUCKLES] Okay, yes,
so, um, I'm a law consultant,

I've told you that.

I work for a large real estate firm.

And what does that entail?

I draw up plans, present them
to city commissioners,

and I acquire permits
to get projects approved.

And how long does all of this
approval process usually take?

It depends on the size
and scope of the project.

The largest ones can take up to years.

Like the Ville redevelopment?

Definitely, a project that
size can take up to six years

to get everything approved.

Yet you've condensed it
to six months, you said?

Wow, that's impressive.

Thank you.

- Why?
- Huh?

Why are you working so hard
to pull off a miracle like that?

Here's what you need to understand,

this isn't some clock-in-clock-out
nine-to-five, alright.

It's not a job.

It's a career.

It's a livelihood. It's my name.

I do what no one else can,

and I have to in order to be the best.

Sure, someone else
can make more money faster

pushing gas stations and
corner shops every few years.

But in order to build a legacy,

so that I'm the only one
that people come to,

I have to close bigger deals
in record time.

I make deals so that I am seen.

People see you,

they elevate you.

But more than that,

everyone in Miami knows,

you need something done,

you call David Young.

So it seems.

I'm curious if you were

to imagine your life ten years from now,

twenty years from now,

and you are seen the one to call,

what will you be doing?

If you were to stay on this path,

where does it lead?

Is there an ultimate goal?

Yeah, I mean...

This accelerated timeline,

it's a space you thrive in, isn't it?

I told you, I'm good at my job.

But with it comes all these
stressors, expectant bosses,

antagonistic commissioners,

old friends trying to undermine you.

It seems you create
this swirl of chaos...

Chaos again?

Is this a pattern for you,
a form of addictive behavior?

Wait, what?

Is it possible that you're
addicted to this chaos?

[LAUGHS]

No, thank you, look,
we don't need to go there.

Why not?

Addicted?

You think I don't know
what an addict is?

I was raised by one.

So you've said.

Raised by one.

Born from one.

It's all you've ever known, David,

and probably why you're
so comfortable in it.

Now you're just making sh*t up.

- Am I?
- Yes.

When your life starts feeling secure,

when your finances are buttoned up,

your mortgage is paid,

job starts looking mundane,

you don't whip up that hurricane
to get you back to that place,

that place you need to feel normal,

that place you need to feel alive?

I'm not an addict, okay?

Look, I barely drink.

I don't smoke, and I've never
touched an ill*gal

or not prescribed drug in my life.

Addiction takes many forms, David,

not just chemical.

There are other addictions
harder to see.

Repetitive patterns of
thought, repetitive behaviors.

I mean, is it really
that hard to believe

that you might have inherited
addictive tendencies

given the history of addiction
in your family?

Look, my mom is past all that.

She been clean for years.

The drug, sure.

But her addiction,

I mean, from what you've told me

your mother has thrown herself
into a second wave

of parenting harder than
any drug she's ever done.

It's not uncommon for an addict
to continue chasing a fix.

People can get as high
all for work, or love,

or caregiving as they
can off of heroine.

They can even OD on it.

Hey!

[MAKING FUNNY NOISES]

Careful, Ma, you're gonna
pull the IV right out of him.

Hmm...

Gloria definitely OD's with JG.

- With parenting?
- Oh, yeah.

How about with you?

[LAUGHS]

What's funny about that?

I missed that wave, no.

Because of her drug addiction?

I did what I had to do

to be the parent of the house, the man.

Everyone needs a parent, David.

Yeah, well, Gloria and JG
needed it more than I did,

and I was there.

Even when your brother got shot?

The last time you told me
you barely went to see JG

when he was in the coma.

[BEEPING]

I'm wondering where the man
of the house was then.

Look, you don't know sh*t
about being his brother.

It was up to me to look out
for JG and keep him safe.

I didn't ask for that, but I did it,

and then he came to a point
where I couldn't help.

I couldn't look so...

You k*lled him off in your head?

The day JG decided to go
to school for police training,

you knew you could
no longer protect him.

Policing is a potentially
life-threatening profession,

isn't it?

And all of that protection
left your control.

It's understandable.

You had to create that
emotional distance to make room

for the possibility of losing him.

I suspect JG's been gone
to you for some time.

You don't return his affection.

Keep him at arms length.

Watching him and your mother like...

in the present like a memory.

Not getting too close
because if you touch it,

it might fade,

or go away.

Did you ever ask your mother
how she was feeling

when JG was in the hospital?

Or was she already lost in your mind?

It didn't even occur to you?

And it must ache watching them live,

and being too afraid to love them

because they might go.

Who else are you keeping from?

I'm wondering...

who else you might have buried?

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

I'm thirsty.

You doing all right?

I'm fine.

You think I could grab some water?

Help yourself.

You gotta say something.

- Can we...
- Talk some more?

I think I was ready.

Yes, yes, of course,

but before we dive in to that,

please just know that it's not uncommon

to create emotional distance in order

to protect one's self.

We all do it in different ways.

And I'd bet that in order
for you to keep functioning,

to keep pressing forward,

you've to distance more
than just your brother

and your mother in your head.

- It's true, I...
- All right, I-I hear you,

- but can we...
- I'm curious

who else you've buried, David.

Didn't you lose someone
when you were very young,



a father figure, a mentor,

what was his name?

Ocean, River?

His name was Sky.

His name was Sky.

Yes, that's it.

From what little you told me,

Sky had a big influence in your life.

They got me seeing
the school psychologist.

Well? Play that sh*t.

Get her to see that you are exceptional.

Some I love who are dead,
who are watchers of the moon.

It shines tonight upon their graves.

Always school.

Always a chance to...

You know where your
classmates are right now?

They in Monaco.

They in Tuscany drinking wine and sh*t.

You know where Tuscany is? [CHUCKLES]

No, because you're sitting here thinking

I'm grooming you to be the next.

What I tell you about the Ville, huh?

Built like this for a reason.

It seem nice,

but it's just another
holding cell, Young Brave.

He taught me a lot.

What did he teach you?

He was always on me,
"Keep JG outta trouble."

- Let go, Dai, let go!
- [YOUNG DAVID] Step back.

"Pay the rent on time."

You can't pay in cash!

People steal from that box all the time!

- I did good, Dai!
- Did good, that money gone!

- "Make sure mama clean."
- [YOUNG JG] What's this?

It's just some strong aspirin
somebody gave Mama

for her pain, baby.

[CHUCKLES]

After Sky was shot,

after you lost him,

you see him again in your mind's eye?

All the time.

- Do you see him now?
- No.

What do you see, anyone else?

No.

C'mon, s-she's tryna help.

So...

Sky appeared to you after he passed?

Yes, sometimes, to and from school,

around the Ville.

And after that?

When you went off to school, college?

Why do you think that is?

[YOUNG DAVID] I was going places
Sky never been.

Doing things he never done.

I could only imagine what he would
say if he was in those situations,

[HALLOWAY] Maybe...

you were outgrowing him.

I guess that's possible.

That can be painful, too.

I imagine it must have
felt terrible to lose him,

not once, but twice.

Felt like the first time all over again.

And is there an element
of guilt here too?

Yes, of course!

I'm here and he is not.

Is it possible that you
might blame yourself

for losing Sky a second time?

Perhaps you never really got to mourn

the loss of Sky,

because you had to be strong
for everyone else,

like he told you.

So instead of mourning him,

you had to erase him.

That kid, that kid who lost Sky once,

then had to outgrow him

and lose Sky twice,

have you forgiven him?

Can you forgive him?

Maybe those were the only tools he had,

that's all he knew how to do.

David, I am not trying to hurt you,

but I have to point out
the hurt that I see.

Understand?

- Yes.
- Yes, ma'am.

[HALLOWAY] I think there's
a world of hurt there,

that had to skip mourning,

and I think that maybe

that's what you're in
touch with right now.

I'm not crazy.

But do you ever talk
to that part of you,

or even acknowledge him?

Some role-playing bullshit,

- I'm not doing...
- Sky was the one

who left you, David.

It wasn't your fault,

and you can't go on blaming yourself.

Now or for what you had to do back then.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[SKY SIGHS]

[SKY] Don't look, don't.

[g*n FIRES]

- "Just stay ready..."
- [YOUNG DAVID] "Just stay ready,

- wont I have to get..."
- "...won't have to get ready."

Is that what Sky taught you?

It was bullshit.

'Cause he ain't stay ready.

David...

look at me.

You were 15...

[SOMBER MUSIC]

a child.

Whatever happened, it wasn't your fault.

That boy...

couldn't have stopped what happened.

[SOMBER SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[LIGHTER CLICKS]

[CIGARETTE BURNS]

[SKY CHUCKLES]

You've done well for yourself, Dai.

[CHUCKLES] David.

I stay ready, always.

Man o' w*r.

Man o' w*r.

Who's Man o' w*r, David? Was that Sky?

No.

- It was me.
- It was me.

[David It's what he called me,

but I wasn't that, not at all.

How so?

Man o' w*r always stay on top,

and I wanted... I wanted to save him.

I didn't wanna float.

- I wanted to...
- Why'd he tell me to run?

I-I could have done something.

When we lose someone we love,

it's normal to feel anger
toward them for leaving.

Why not take that load off?

Things just happen sometimes.

He left me!

Maybe no one's to blame.

I shouldn't have listened
to his sorry a*s!

Now I'm here tryna stay ready.

I'm tryna stay up!

I-I can't stop it.

[HALLOWAY] Stop what?

It's just relentless in my face.

Sky?

No, not... No.

That boy who let Sky die?

I f*cked up!

I can't let it be.

[YOUNG DAVID] I ain't leaving nothing!

Everyone's always leaving me.

He's so hurt all the time,

I mean, I can't... I can't fix it.

It drops in on me,

or it turns on like you said,
like a performance,

and then I get stuck
tryna keep sh*t from blowing up.

Real talk!

Hmm? Hmm?

Say that sh*t to me.

Say that sh*t to me!

He's out of control.

I gotta push him away,

or put him in timeout,

because he's gonna blow everything up.

I handle sh*t.

I think on my feet.
I'm good with people.

You lied to me.

Nothing makes me feel quite
as foolish as being lied to.

A lie by omission is just that.

It was just...

My little brother could be a f*ck up,

and I thought if I could...

I thought if I could handle this
before everything gets out,

it will save some embarrassment.

It was a coincidence, a horrible one,

and I didn't say anything,

because I wasn't ready to talk about it.

I didn't even tell the woman
I was seeing,

and I didn't tell anyone.

Savior Dai, always tryna save the world.

Always tryna blow sh*t up or drop in,

and then when it gets tough,

you either crying or fighting.

I wish you'd just go the f*ck away.

Suffocating that side of you, David,

that's a full-time job,

and blowing things up as you put it,

that could have benefits too.

I love this lady and she smells good.

Our younger selves, they're unfettered.

Wait, that don't sound good.

And that's not always a negative thing.

Okay, good.

Not having your grip so tightly

on control could be a welcome thing

every now and then, couldn't it?

I mean, when was the last time

you had even a little bit of fun?

[KIDS CHATTERING]

The last time I had fun,
I was at the bottom of a pool.

And when was that?

Sophomore year at Hurston.

I thought it was fun.

That's quite a while.

Hurston was generally
a happy experience for you?

Yeah, I thought so at first.

I felt accepted.

It felt like home,

but I was dead wrong.

[KIDS CLAMORING]

I let my guard down
and I almost drowned that day.

They forgot me
at the bottom of that pool.

I didn't stay ready.

I didn't listen to Sky.

I already had forgotten,

but I never let my guard down
again after that.

And I left that naive, goofy a*s kid

at the bottom of that pool.

Wow, all that time,

and any friends or fun
you were having along with him?

I did what I had to do.

Have you had friends since then, David?

In college, I guess, but since, no.

Sounds like a pretty
lonely life you've been living,

isolating yourself that way,

but also cutting off anyone in your mind

who was close to you.

Anyone who might
make you feel something.

Maybe it's time to rip down some walls,

come up for some air.

Let some people who were
close to you back in.

Emotion, no matter what kind isn't going

to destroy you, David.

[YOUNG DAVID BREATHING HEAVILY]

[CLOCK TICKING]

Where are your eyes?

Are you remembering, David?

Momma?

Momma?

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

Momma?

f*ck!

If it's something or someone
from the past,

don't turn away,

don't drown it out.

[CRIES]

[HALLOWAY] You had to do that
in the past to survive, yes,

but it's outmoded behavior now.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

It served you then,

but it doesn't serve you now.

The first step out of this,

you've got to try and forgive.

It's okay, little man, you good.

[HALLOWAY] Forgive yourself
for being scared.

Forgive yourself for being vulnerable.

Forgive yourself for needing help

and not receiving it.

Are you seeing yourself back then,

when you needed someone?

Good.

Listen...

someone needed to take care
of that little boy,

and someone did.

Now that kid who saved everyone else,

needs your help.

Can you...

Do you think you can speak to him now?

Do you think you can tell him
how you're feeling

about locking him away?

Maybe just try.

I'm sorry.

I'm so, so sorry.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

Good, David. Excellent.

Unfortunately, that's all
the time we have for today.

It's fantastic work,

and we'll pick it up here next week.

Are you... Are you kidding me right now?

I'm really proud of you.

f*ck all that! What the hell
am I supposed to do?

I recommend you take some
time off work this week

and have a little self-reflection,

maybe even some quiet meditation.

How many times I gotta tell you, Doc,

I'm on a timeline for this project.

I don't have time to float
around for some namaste!

It's important that you take time out

of your busy schedule to relate
to this part of yourself,

and explore chaos in healthy ways.

What's fun David like?

This will all be pretty raw at first,

and it's gonna take time, effort,

and some getting used to,

but I'm confident
we will be able to get you

to where you need to go

with work and your personal life.

[SIGHS] Okay?

[VEHICLES SWOOSHING]

[PANTING]

A doctor's note that says
more rest, less work,

and I'm rich.

n*gga, we made it!

[UPBEAT ROCK MUSIC]

Where are you going?

You at timeout now, n*gga.

♪ Wake up in the morning
It's a positive ♪

♪ Thinking about the world ♪

♪ How should I live ♪

♪ Every time I gotta
Bench press time ♪

♪ Trying to keep negativity
Off my mind ♪

♪ Focus on life
A few things matter ♪

♪ As I make my way
Up this ladder ♪

♪ Tryna be on top
And be that star ♪

♪ In my mind I know
I'm going far ♪

♪ I gotta give it my all ♪

♪ I won't stop ♪

♪ I can't stop ♪

♪ Until I drop ♪

♪ I gotta give it my all ♪

[UPBEAT MUSIC CONCLUDES]

- [TYPEWRITER PUNCHES]
- [PEOPLE SCREAM]

[LOGO SWOOSHES]

[CHIMING MUSIC]

[EPIC MUSIC]