02x08 - The Basic Oneness of Everything

[bunniefuu]

[intriguing music playing]

[door clangs open]

[wind howling]

[gasps, panting]

[Amanda wails, groans]

I'm coming! [grunts]

[Amanda groaning, wailing]

[groaning]

- [Jason grunts]
- [both panting]

I can't...

It really hurts.

- [Jason] What? You can't... What?
- [panting] Can't breathe. Pull it out.

- What? Are you serious?
- Pull it out, yeah.

Okay. On three.

One, two, three.

- [screams]
- Good God.

Oh, God! Okay.

- [screams]
- Let me see. Talk to me.

[mutters] Sit me up.

- Sit you up? Okay.
- Yeah.

- Help me. [groans]
- Ready?

[screaming]

- [grunts] I got you.
- [wails]

- [panting]
- [wailing]

- It's okay. There.
- [groaning] God.

- Okay?
- [gasps, speaks Portuguese]

- [wails, groans]
- I know, I know.

But stay awake, okay?

- [groaning]
- Just tell me.

What do you remember happening
out there, huh?

[inhales sharply, speaks Portuguese]

What are you saying?
What is that, Portuguese?

Is that Portuguese? Who am I?

It's Jason.

Tell me what happened.
What do you remember?

- Tree... [groaning]
- That's right, the tree fell on us.

That was bad, wasn't it?

- [panting, speaks Portuguese]
- All right. Keep the pressure.

- [screaming]
- I know, I know, I know.

- [speaks Portuguese]
- Come on, green.

Yep, yep. There we go.

- [screaming]
- Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

One more, keep talking.

- Okay. Come on, green, green.
- [moans]

- [device clicks]
- [grunts] Almost there.

Keep your head up.
Keep your head up, keep breathing.

- Please, Amanda, please.
- [panting]

It's gonna be okay.
I need to get you outta here, okay?

You gotta get up. [grunts]

- [groans]
- It's okay. Sorry.

I'm gonna get us out of here.

Uh, but how do I...

How do I do this?

- [Amanda groans]
- Oh, man. How do I...

How do I do this?

I need...

I need...

I need help.

We need help.

- [grunts]
- [door clangs open]

[coughs, pants]

- [Amanda groaning]
- Okay. Just lean on me.

- Help! Hello?
- [grunts]

[pants] I'm gonna put you down. Okay?

- [grunts]
- Anybody?

[wailing]

- [breathing shakily]
- [shotgun c*ck]

- [Laurel] Hands up!
- All right.

What the f*ck?

Did you drive into my house?

No. No, no.

Listen... [stammers] ...my friend,
she's really badly hurt.

I think she... she might be dying.

What happened?

[stammers] A burned-out tree fell on her,
a-and the branch...

[stammers] ...it hit her in the chest.

Look, it's really bad.

Can you please call an ambulance?

Oh, oh, oh, we will not be inviting
those m*therf*ckers into my house.

What?

- [Laurel gasps]
- [groans, panting]

Okay, then.

Uh, gentle pressure here.

- Gentle.
- [Jason] Yeah.

- I'm gonna...
- [wailing]

[Jason] All right. It's okay.

[Laurel mutters] sh*t.

[Jason] It's okay.

It's okay, I got help. Look at me.

[distorted] Come on. I found help.

[speaks indistinctly]

- [panting]
- [normal] I got help.

Okay? Easy going.

[sighs]

- [clicks fingers]
- [distorted] Amanda.

[normal] Yeah, it's so bad. Look.

Look at this.

Oh, my God. Okay, okay, look...

[stammers] Out that door, hang a left.
First door on the right is the bathroom.

Wash your hands and bring me back
those two bags underneath the sink.

Yeah, I've got it.

I-I'm Laurel, by the way.

Uh. I'm... I'm Jason. That-That's Amanda.

- [groans]
- Amanda.

- [gasping]
- [Laurel] Hey, Amanda.

Hi, Amanda.

Stay-Stay with me.

Can... Can you hear me?

[distorted] Can you hear me?

Stay with me. Stay with me.

[stammers]

You're gonna be okay.

[breathing shakily, coughing]

[normal] These?

Yeah, yeah.

Now, I-I'm gonna need you
to feel her pulse right here.

- [Jason] Huh? Her pulse?
- Use two fingers, yeah...

[distorted] ...and if you can still
feel it there, her blood pressure is...

[normal] ...above 90.

- [Jason] I've got it.
- [groaning]

[Laurel] Tell me if it starts to weaken
or get thready.

And keep her awake.

No matter what.

[Jason] Yeah.

Hey. Hey, hey.

Hey, hey, look at me.

- [Amanda speaks indistinctly, gasping]
- Why isn't she breathing much?

She punctured a lung and-and
she's bleeding into her chest cavity.

We're gonna need to put a tube in there,
expand the lung, and drain out the blood.

Okay. Okay.

- [Laurel grunts]
- [groaning, wailing]

- [Laurel] Okay, yeah. [grunts]
- [gasps]

[distorted] Look at me. Look at me.

- Can you see?
- [Laurel] Amanda.

Now stay with me.

Stay with me.

[normal] I need you to help me
hold her down.

Let's go. Let's go. It's okay.

One, two, three.

- [screaming]
- [Laurel] You gotta hold her down.

- [groans]
- Yeah, okay.

I need you to feed that tube in
w-while I pop this in with a clamp. Okay?

- Yeah.
- Okay, here we go.

One, two, three.

- [Amanda screaming]
- Go, go, go.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's it.

- [Laurel] You okay?
- Yeah.

- [gasping, groaning]
- Yeah, okay, you got it. Good, good.

Good job.

- [Jason] You okay? Okay?
- [panting]

- [staple g*n clicks]
- [grunting]

[Laurel] One more.

[groans]

- [Laurel] Okay.
- [chuckles]

[Laurel] Looks good.

[Laurel snoring]

[bird chirping]

[wind whistling]

[grunts]

[grunts]

[sighs, chuckles]

[sighing]

[Laurel] My grandfather started
this collection.

Mom and Dad added to it considerably
for a while.

I thought I might...

I might take up the tradition.

Well, that was
an incredibly unpleasant evening.

[chuckles] Yeah.

How's about you tell me
what the hell was going on?

Oh, I-I don't entertain.

It's okay.

Thank you.

Listen, I'm really sorry

- about all of this, so--
- Skip that.

Okay.

Are you familiar with quantum mechanics?

- Hmm, no.
- No.

Okay.

All right, how do I say this? The-The box...

is a gateway to other realities.

That you crashed into my house?

Well... [stammers] ...yeah.

I mean... [stammers]
Well, I didn't mean to do that.

[stammers]

I actually don't know
how it works exactly.

Well, is there somebody
in charge here that I could talk to?

You're gonna have to hear it from me.

[wistful music playing]

I mean, she was in so much pain.

[sighs] You know, I... I got her free and I...

I got her back in the box,

- and then--
- And then you came here.

You believe me.

Well, it's all too wild and dumb
to be faked. [chuckles]

Could she die?

[inhales deeply]

I'll do whatever I can
not to let that happen.

Are you some kind of doctor?

I mean, what... what is this,
some kind of hospital?

Oh, well, I was a... a corpsman,
and then I was a civilian nurse, yeah.

- [Jason] Hmm.
- After all hell broke loose on 5/20,

uh, they needed a place

to care for the not critically wounded
from the neighborhood.

I had this huge house, uh, a skill set,
and they offered equipment.

One thing led to another, so...

[Jason] 5/20?

What is that?

[Laurel] May 20th.

Dirty b*mb attack on Chicago.

Almost 20 years ago.

It didn't happen in my world.

Oh. Sounds nice.

[sighs] She's gonna need a lot of rest
and to be watched closely,

so we make sure she's not
developing an infection.

[Jason] Hmm.

How long do you think it would be
before we're able to travel again?

I-I don't know.

Weeks.

- [melancholic music playing]
- Weeks?

I really need to get back to my family.

[sighs]

[music continues]

[faintly] Hi.

Hey.

Where are we?

Where?

Oh, I'm not even really sure.

But...

we... we landed in a woman's house.

Luckily, 'cause she knew
how to patch you up.

Are you in pain?

- Yeah.
- Here.

Thank you.

[sighs]

You gotta rest.

[music fades]

[sighs]

[whispers] Hi.

[grunts]

[sighs]

How is she?

Mmm. No fever.

[gasps, winces]

But that looks really inflamed.

[Jason] Yeah.

[Laurel sighs]

What is that?

[Laurel] My friend Pat's a doctor.

He got me some antibiotics
and real painkillers.

She woke up before.

- Really?
- Yeah.

Just went right back to sleep though.

[clears throat]

Hey.

You're doing the right thing.

[fire crackling]

You did a pretty good job in here.

Yeah, it's the least I could do.

That's true.

Uh...

I opened this bottle.

Get yourself a glass.

Hey, when I asked you
to call an ambulance,

you said that you didn't want
those people in here.

Why?

What were the authorities like
in your world?

Uh, well, in my world,
ambulances are not authorities.

Oh, that must be nice.

After the dirty bombs,

there were these revenge-seeking f*ck
looking for blood, which I get.

I'm a fighter. I'm... I'm the kind of person
who runs at trouble, is trouble.

But I'd spent time in the machine,

and believe it or not,
it meant a lot to me.

As a woman,
as a member of the Navy, I'm proud.

It doesn't change what I saw
when I was deployed.

But...

extremists aside,
most people are just people.

[Jason] Hmm.

So I didn't think
turning the other side into dust

was any kind of, uh, justice for Chicago,
and I wasn't the only one, so...

we did what we were supposed to do.

Protest, march, speak out.

And they did what they do.

Made it all ill*gal.

Got neighbors reporting on neighbors.

So, no strangers in my house.

[Jason] We're strangers.

Do I seem happy about it?

[Jason chuckles]

I'm gonna lift your head, okay?

[Laurel] We need to keep her fever down.

- [Amanda exhales deeply]
- [Jason sighs]

[Laurel] This should help.

- [exhales deeply]
- [Jason] She's so hot.

[tender music playing]

[inhales sharply]

Hey.

[Jason] Hey.

Here. [sniffs]

Hey, this is Laurel.

She's been, uh, taking care of you.

- Hi.
- [Laurel] Hi.

How are you feeling?

[sighs heavily] It hurts a lot.

I think I can help with that. Mmm.

[Amanda] Thank you.

[music fades]

[latch clicks]

Hey.

I made it all the way
to the kitchen and back.

Impressive.

Are you in pain?

Mostly tired.

Sit down.

Laurel said my stitches
can come out tomorrow.

Yeah, look at this.

I'm gonna be able to wash my hair.

- Thank God.
- f*ck you.

- [groans]
- [Jason chuckles]

[groans]

And...

[sighing] ...I have a bedroom now.

- [Jason] Hmm.
- No more couch surfing.

[Jason chuckles]

[Amanda] How are you?

- Good.
- [Amanda] Hey.

I almost died.

I didn't.

I'm out of the woods.

Look at me.

Go find them.

[sighs]

Look, I've been doing a lot of thinking

- about what happened to me, to us.
- Mm-hmm.

He kidnapped me from my life
and put me in his.

Like, my life and my family,

and you, and his life
were interchangeable.

Or disposable.

Yeah, exactly.

[whispers] Yeah.

And I've also been thinking
what it would take for someone like me...

Well, I mean actually me...

[inhales deeply]

...to become a person like that.

[emotional music playing]

And I want my life and my family back
more than anything.

But I can't let it make me
into him in the process.

You...

are not disposable.

You're not him.

[thunder rumbling]

[music continues]

Hey. I, uh, just went
and checked in on her.

She's out cold.

[inhales sharply] I gave her something.

She pushed it too hard today.

[music fades]

How long do you think
it's gonna be really?

Two more weeks. She should be able
to walk without help, lift light things.

Probably a month before
you can take her in the box.

- [Jason sighs]
- Everything okay?

It was my son's birthday yesterday.

Oh.

What's his name?

Charlie.

I'm sorry.

What?

f*cking sucks.

Yeah.

[pensive music playing]

[exclaims]

[laughs]

- Much better.
- Yeah?

Yeah.

- Thank you.
- You did good.

High five.

- [groans]
- [chuckles]

- [Amanda] Okay, better get the light.
- [Jason] Okay.

- Hey, hey. [chuckles]
- Surprise. [chuckles]

- We felt bad about ruining the sofa, so...
- [Jason] Yeah.

And I... I spoke to Pat,
and he let me do some extra work for it

- and the... and the rug.
- [music fades]

[Amanda] You don't like it?

- We can change it, right?
- Yeah.

[Amanda] Yeah.

How did you get it in here?

- Uh... Pat and I carried it in.
- Uh...

You let him in here?

- Oh, I... I covered the box.
- [Laurel stammers]

It's not about the box.

He doesn't come in here.

Never in here!

[door closes]

[door opens]

[footsteps approaching]

Hey.

How did you get up there?

I climbed.

- Uh... [sighs] ...you should be more careful.
- [chuckles]

Ah.

Easy.

Easy.

- Mm-hmm.
- [exhales]

[chuckles]

[Laurel] What?

[chuckles] You remind me of my grandpa.

[chuckles] Jesus.

[Amanda chuckles]

People thought he was meaner than he was.

[exhales deeply]

- Good.
- Right?

- Yeah.
- [chuckles]

- Thank you.
- There we go.

Okay. There.

[sighs] Thank you.

I'm sorry about the sofa.

Here. You know Pat.

This guy here is Rory.

- Complete shithead.
- [chuckles]

My best friend.

And the love of my life.

- [melancholic music playing]
- We organized a little hospital

here together.

We'd both been deployed,
so we knew what w*r looked like.

After they changed the laws... [sighs]

...I begged him to shut the f*ck up.
It was too dangerous to speak out.

He got quiet for me.

I didn't know I was a coward until then.

Someone turned him in
for possession of banned materials.

I never...

ever found out what.

Rory died in a holding cell...

waiting to hear the charges.

So...

I don't let people in my house.

And not ever... never in here.

For all I know, half of these books
have been banned by now.

I'm sorry.

We should have asked.

You were being kind,
and old Pat there is a good one.

[sniffles]

You know, from what I've seen
on the TV and the Internet...

things seem pretty peaceful out there.

[chuckles] You sound like Pat.

[laughs]

What if things are better?

What if they are?

It can all change in an instant.

What's fine today
gets you k*lled tomorrow.

- [music fades]
- [sighs]

You pack the solar battery charger?

Yeah. Tested it this morning.

Coffee for the road.

I wouldn't want you nodding off
while you're dimension-hopping.

[chuckles]

- Can I hug you?
- [Laurel chuckles]

Sure.

[emotional music playing]

[Amanda] Thank you.

You be safe in there, okay?

- [thunder rumbling]
- [music continues]

- [music fades]
- [bell chimes]

[breathing heavily]

[sighs]

[groans]

[exhales deeply]

- Here you go.
- Oh.

Oh, and help yourself.

I'm Laurel by the way.

Thanks.

Leighton.

[tense music playing]

[Laurel] Um...

It... It broke through the wall.

- I don't know, maybe, uh, six weeks ago.
- [scoffs]

So you just live in a house with the box?

- [Laurel clears throat]
- [shotgun c*ck]

- Oh, sh*t. Listen, I will leave.
- [clears throat]

You don't need to do any of that.

That won't be necessary.

I won't let you hunt them down.

[exhales deeply] Them? Who's them?

Jason and Amanda.

I know what you did.

I-I know the whole story.

After they escaped Velocity,
you tried to k*ll them.

Listen, I think you have
the wrong guy, okay?

You're Leighton, aren't you?

Right name, wrong version.

[music fades]

[Leighton] You're an as*h*le.

- [chuckles] Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ha!
- What the f...

[laughing]

[gentle jazz music playing]

You know, I know you're cheating.
I just haven't figured out how yet.

[chuckles] I thought you Leightons were
supposed to be geniuses or something.

- Ah!
- It's been a week.

You should've figured it out by now.

- Ah, f*ck off.
- Another hand?

[sighs] Oh, I don't know.
I guess that just...

- f*ck off.
- Okay, p*ssy.

That's not what your mom said.

Uh, my mother would have destroyed you.

- [chuckles] Clearly.
- Go again.

- Obviously.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hmm. Mmm.

So, I'm going back in the box tomorrow.

I was thinking, yeah,
if it's cool with you,

maybe I could come back from time to time.

What do you think?

- Well, this isn't a bed-and-breakfast...
- [sighs]

...especially since you're not paying.

Listen, I can bring you back
something cool from another world.

Hmm.

Besides, I was thinking
about this like a, uh...

a way-station kind of thing,
and you're the perfect proprietor.

How do you figure?

[chuckles, stammers] Look at you.

You're a take-life-as-it-comes
sort of gal.

- [chuckles]
- Mmm.

And you're wise.

- You mean old.
- Knowledgeable.

Old again.

Laurel... [chuckles]
...you have medical training

and the space to help people,

and clearly you wanna help people
no matter how much you wanna pretend.

So?

We agree?

How do you figure?

[whispers] Come on. I know you love this.

[both laugh]

- [imitates b*mb]
- [imitates b*mb, hushes]

- All right. [exhales deeply]
- [laughing]

- Round 52.
- Yep.

[uplifting music playing]

- [clears throat]
- [bell chimes]

[chuckles]

[Leighton] Okay.

Hmm.

[Leighton whistles]

- Whoo.
- [laughs]

[both laughing]

[exhales deeply]

[bell chimes]

[sighs]

S-Stop. [breathes shakily]

- Hi.
- [breathes shakily]

[bell chimes]

[Blair] Okay.

[music fades]

Uh, thank you for these.

So I...

I'm sorry, I have no idea
how to talk to people anymore. [stammers]

You don't have to say anything.

Okay. [sighs]

I really thought
that I was okay to go back in.

- You have no idea what I'm talking about.
- [scoffs]

I think I get the gist.

Yeah?

You traveled, bad things happened.

You stopped, you traveled again,

more bad things.

Yeah.

You're safe here now.

[gentle music playing]

Okay.

How about we do a normal human thing?

How normal?

A walk around the neighborhood.

I'll introduce you to my friend Pat.

He's extremely bland.

I-I'll tell him
you're my cousin Barbara's daughter.

[both chuckle]

[music continues]

[whispers] Fifty-six.

Eighty-five.

- [Blair sighs]
- Ah, it's really beautiful.

- [Blair] Yeah.
- Yeah.

[sighs] Well,

I know you probably don't wanna hear it,

but I think you saved my life.

Come here. Come on.

That's way too much emotion
for the middle of the day.

- N... No.
- [sighs, grunts]

You're a badass b*tch.

Well, back at you.

[sighs]

[music fades]

[door clangs open]

[Jason] It worked.

[bell chiming]

Wait. No, something...
something's not right.

Laurel... [stammers] ...you know us.

Were you impaled by a tree?

- [sighs]
- [chuckles]

Yes.

[all chuckling]

- Hi.
- Hi.

[wistful music playing]

- [Amanda] It's so good to see you.
- And you too.

[sighs]

[sighs] We just need a day off.

- Reset.
- Yeah.

Make yourself at home.

- Thank you. Thank you.
- Okay.

Ah. [laughs]

[kisses]

[music fades]

[Jason sighs]

How are you doing?

[Jason] Well,

every world that we went to
was almost like mine,

but none of them actually mine.

But you're getting closer.

[chuckles] Yes and no.

We have eight ampoules left.

[Laurel sighs]

I'm starting to think that the chances
of finding home

are getting smaller every day.

You know, I always thought that when...
when I met Daniela, my wife...

[melancholic music playing]

...it was like some kind of miracle,
that to find a true match is so rare.

Given that most of us just compromise.

And you didn't?

Because I seem to recall late night chats
about you giving up quite a lot.

There is no perfect match.

There are just people
who are worth making sacrifices for

and your willingness to do so.

You each make choices over and over.

Hold tight to happiness where you find it.

And...

Bob's your uncle,

perfect match.

But what if I never see them again?

Everything ends.

It's a fact that we somehow...

never see coming.

It'll hurt you more than you can stand.

It'll almost k*ll you.

And then one day... [stammers]

...it's just a chapter.

[sighs]

[door opens]

Ah.

[door closes]

There you are.

Uh, before we commence with the evening,
I want to update you.

I had eight visitors while you were gone.

- Good.
- Mmm.

Yeah.

A Blair.

Uh, she's the one who did all this,
by the way.

- What?
- An Alex, a Ryan.

Ryan?

One other Jason and Amanda,

- two solo J...
- [Amanda] Wait... What do you...

What so... there's other versions of us?

Well, apparently
you made choices in the Corridor.

That's how one of them explained it to me.

- Jason.
- Oh, and a Leighton.

- A Leighton?
- Oh, yeah... [stammers] ...Leighton...

It's... He's not... It's not the one
that was after you. He... He's...

It's a whole different...
[chuckles] ...version.

Anyway,

they all reported
that your emotions and thoughts

determine what world you end up in.

This makes sense because we were thinking
about you when we were trying to get here.

Enough about that.

I am ordering Indian food,

we're gonna crank some music,

I got a new card game
that I'm dying to try,

and if you like...

mushrooms.

Leighton... Dear Leighton told me
that shifting perspectives can help.

Oh, my God.

- [classical music playing]
- [fire crackling]

Uh... I wanted to be a physicist once.

- Mmm.
- Mm-hmm.

You are a physicist.

Yeah, but I mean, like a...

"Figures out the secrets of the universe
at CERN" type physicist.

- [stammers] Do you...
- [chuckles]

Do you have CERN here?

[both laugh]

The things that make black holes
or something?

Yeah. Yeah. [stammers] That's the one.

Why can't you still be
that kind of physicist?

[inhales deeply] I think that that moment
has passed me by.

- [Laurel] Huh.
- [Amanda] Mmm.

I always wanted to be a writer.

Yeah?

Mm-hmm.

[Jason] Well, why don't you...
Why wouldn't you do that?

Never had anything interesting
to write about.

- [both laugh]
- [clears throat]

- [Jason] I mean, maybe you do now.
- [Amanda laughs]

[clears throat]

[Laurel] "The voyage...

of the best ship is
a zigzag line of a hundred tacks.

See the line from a sufficient distance

and it will straighten itself
to the average tendency.

Your genuine action will explain itself

and will explain
your other genuine actions.

Your conformity explains nothing."

- Hmm.
- Mm-hmm. Wow.

Wow.

[chuckles]

[sighs]

It means stop seeing the journey
you're in as a phase.

Look more broadly. See the bigger picture.

Life takes you here and there, and
it can feel all random and tragic, insane.

And then one day it's like,

"Wow.

I was always coming here."

And if you made the choices
that brought you here genuinely...

[Jason] Hmm.

...you'll be at peace with where you end up.

- Mm-hmm.
- I adore you.

Life is long and surprising.

You just love
an understatement, don't you?

[all laughing]

[sighs]

What did you want to be
when you were a kid?

[sighs]

Brave.

I think you did that.

I think we're asking the wrong questions.

Amanda, what do you mean?

["Memória" playing]

We're asking ourselves,
"What did you want to do with your life?"

Mmm.

You know, we're looking back.

I think we should...

we should think of what is next.

Looking forward, you know?

Mmm.

So, what... what do you wanna do next?

[sighs] Well, before I came into the box,

I wanted to change my relationship
with my mother.

I wanted to be better at my job.

I wanted... [sighs]

What?

I wanted him to love me. He never did.

'Cause he's an idiot.

[chuckles]

Yeah, he is.

He never deserved you.

Yeah. [sighs]

So that's still before. What now?

[breathes deeply]

Yeah. So, now...

after seeing so many realities
and possibilities and...

And nearly dying.

Exactly.

All I can think of is...

here, now.

This present moment.

This is what I want.

I want to live in the moment.

Yeah.

[music fades]

[grunts] I'm just about ready.

Hey.

Uh, I thought we were leaving today.

- [sighs]
- [Jason] What?

Have a seat.

[grunts]

Um...

I looked up the Amanda Lucas
of this world.

Yeah.

She never moved to Chicago.
She has an entire life in Brazil.

Okay.

- She's married.
- [sighs]

We have different names.

[sniffs]

So... [sighs]

[melancholic music playing]

It's perfect.

[sighs]

I think we both see it.

That my presence has become a distraction.

You have a world that you're looking for.

You have your family
that you're looking for.

But I don't have that.

I'm completely alone, except for Laurel.

And you.

You're not even my Jason. [chuckles]

Mm-hmm.

["The Christmas Song" playing]

[mumbles]

How are you doing?

I miss him.

But I hope he's safe
and that he found his family.

♪ Though it's been said
Many times, many ways... ♪

- ♪ Merry Christmas to you ♪
- [chuckles]

Thank you very much.

So I was thinking,
if you wanna travel with me,

you're more than welcome to.

Thank you.

But I'm gonna sort out my life here.

[clicks tongue] Oh?

Yeah.

Pat says they could use a psychologist
at the hospital.

I just need fake papers.

- Oh.
- Oh.

I know a guy.

- I assumed.
- [chuckles]

[Leighton] Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Cheers. Saúde.

- ♪ Chestnuts roasting on an open fire ♪
- Fancy in every single world.

[Leighton] Every single one.

Amazing.

[door clangs open]

Hey.

- [bell chimes]
- Hi.

Are you...

Yeah. Yeah, it's me.

Hey.

[Jason sniffles]

- Did you...
- Oh, no. No.

[sighs] I'm sorry.

Yeah. [clears throat]

[sighs, sniffs]

[groans]

You know, I-I went to...

a whole lot of worlds,

and none of them
even remotely close to mine.

And now... [inhales sharply]

That's all that's left.

But I know it doesn't matter
because I'm not...

I'm not ever gonna find my way home.

Oh, but I do know that you're wrong.

[wistful music playing]

You're wrong.

What do you mean?

[sighs] It's-It's not 'cause of you.

It's me.

And I... I gotta live with that, you know?
I gotta figure that out. [sniffs]

[door opens]

Oh, I heard the bell.

- [Jason groans]
- Jason?

Jason? Oh.

[Jason chuckles]

- [sighs]
- [Jason grunts]

I keep coming back.

Do you think that I could use
the upstairs guest room?

Of course.

[chuckles]

How long are you staying?

As long as you'll have me. [chuckles]

[Laurel chuckling]

[Jason sniffles]

[pensive music playing]

[Laurel] Ooh.

[chattering]

- Is that a reminder?
- Yeah.

[laughing]

Very good.

Finally!

[laughs]

[indistinct chattering, laughing]

Pat was telling me
she steals books from everybody.

[both laugh]

[stammers] And I couldn't tell
if he was joking or not.

[grunts] Okay.

He's sweet.

[grunts]

Jason.

It's beautiful.

It's, uh... it's the star Polaris.

You remember the night with the mushrooms?

Yeah, yeah. Of course.

We were talking about the sailing ships
going... tacking this way and that.

Mm-hmm.

And how they seem directionless,

but when they get to the end,

it's like that's where
they were always meant to be.

Yeah, I remember.

You've guided me through all this.

Thank you.

[wistful music playing]

Thank you. It's beautiful.

Here.

[chuckles]

Good?

Good. Mmm.

[chuckles] I love it.

Thank you.

[chuckles]

[music fades]

[door clangs open]

[bell chimes]

[tense music playing]

[Laurel] Oh, did you just come through?

Wait, Charlie?

Charlie.

How do you know my name?

You're not in any danger.

I'm... Oh, I'm Laurel.

I'm sorry, I'm a little excited.

I've... I've never met a Charlie before.

My mom has these videos of us
when we were younger.

Mm-hmm.

My favorite is this... one...

My dad is raking this huge pile of leaves

and he just keeps pushing them
all around us,

and the two of us
are just laughing and laughing...

- [chuckling]
- ...as the pile gets bigger and bigger.

I suspect...

that might just take you
where you wanna go.

[chuckles]

[door opens]

[Laurel] It's okay.

He's a version of your father who never
found his way back to your world.

He was the first person
who came through that door.

I called him and told him your story.
Part of your story.

[Jason] Hey, pal.

[melancholic music playing]

[chuckles, breathes shakily]

Can I... Do you mind if I...

Yeah.

Come here.

[sobs] My boy.

[breathing shakily]
You're my boy. [sniffles]

Sorry.

You know, I... I really thought
I'd never see you again.

[scoffs, chuckles]

[sighs, chuckles]

Um, Laurel said that,
um, you left our world.

Uh, where... where'd you end up?

Uh, we found a good place.

You know, a super chill world.

I'm... [sniffs] ...studying
to be an architect, um...

[chuckles] Oh, man, that's great.

- [chuckles]
- I'm really proud of you.

Yeah.

And you got friends
and you're meeting girls?

- [chuckles] Yes. Yes. Yeah. [sniffles]
- Oh, sorry.

And now you're off to find Max, huh?

Yeah, I... [sniffs]

Sometimes, I...

Uh, I feel like he's there.

And, uh,

go to tell him something and...
[sighs] ...then I'll remember, you know.

It's crazy.

I mean, it's been 14 years, but I just...

I just wanna know what it's like
to have him say something back.

Yeah, I know.

[sniffles] So that's not crazy, is it?

[sniffles]

I actually think that's the best use
of the box ever.

[chuckles]

Listen, um...
You're-You're an adult now. Okay?

You have to own your choices.

Be responsible, so...

Go see Max. If you can.

But promise me that you'll say goodbye
and stop looking back.

That's why that box is so dangerous,

because it's tempting you
with infinite regret.

But if you let it, you'll see.

Life, it'll take you this way
and that way.

It'll toss you around. [stammers]

It'll knock your teeth in.

But if you choose the genuine real life
that you want,

you-you won't need to look back.

[wistful music playing]

[Jason] Okay?

Yeah.

[Charlie chuckles]

Come here.

[sighs]

[bell chimes]

[Jason] Good luck.

Yeah.

I love you.

Bye, Dad. Love you.

[sighs]

[door opens]

[clears throat]

You okay?

Yeah.

[sighs, sniffs]

- [chuckles]
- Let's go home.

["Memória" playing]