05x06 - Respite

[bunniefuu]

[ Snip ]

[ Snip ]

[ Whispers ] Becca?

Don't worry. You're safe now.

Get away from me!

Okay, calm down!

Get away from me!

Who are you?!

You were sh*t. We -- we found you.

Aah! [ Groans ]

Wait! Where are you going?

Where am I?!

[ Door locks ]

[ Static ]

♪ Falling Skies 5x06 ♪
Respite
Original Air Date on August 2, 2015

[ Low droning sound ]

[ Static ]

[ Groaning ]

[ Door knob rattles ]

[ Opens and closes drawers ]

[ Opens drawer ]

[ Children laughing in distance ]

[ Shouting playfully ]

[ Door bangs ]

[ Chuckles ]

Are you gonna literally bring a Kn*fe to a gunfight?

Please, put that down.

I'm not putting anything down until you tell me where I am or why you got me locked up like a prisoner.

You are in Cornelius, North Carolina.

My name is Willie McComb.

I live here with my daughter Alicia, whom you've met, and her children.

I sh*t that flying thing that had a hold of you, and I also pulled a b*llet out of your leg.

Not one of mine.

No, I know whose it was.

So you some kind of criminal? Thief?

Is that why you got sh*t?

No, listen to me. I can't stay here. [ Chuckles ]

You're not going anywhere.

That b*llet tore a hole in your leg.

It'll be fine in a few days, but you gotta stay off it.

I was a medic in 'Nam.

I don't think you understand. There's a w*r on, and I've got people out there waiting for me -- [ Door closes ]

No, sir. There is no fight here, no w*r.

This is a safe place.

Some fresh clothes. You can clean up if you want.

Dinner will be ready soon.

[ Door closes in distance ]

[ Scraping ]

Ugh! Damn it.

Where's a gas station when you need one?

We need to find a real nurse.

Does your g*ng have a medic?

2nd Mass. Stands for "2nd Massachusetts."

2nd Mass?

Is that some callback to the Revolutionary w*r?

Like you're the Continental Army fighting the British again?

Yeah, pretty much. How you know about that?

My dad was a history buff.

Yours, too? Mine was a history teacher.

Huh.

[ Birds chirping ]

We'll find him. Don't worry.

Here we are, good people.

Welcome to Fayetteville, North Carolina, a rendezvous point before continuing to the naval base in Norfolk.

[ Thunder rumbling ]

From there, it's D.C. or bust.

For the next few days, this is home, sweet home, so...fire up the jacuzzi.

[ Laughter ]

And get cozy!

Let's get to it.

[ Indistinct conversations ]

Hey, Anne.

Uh, Hal and dad -- still no word on them yet?

Pope took Hal.

What?

He kidnapped your brother.

He went out there to go get him back.

Ben and I are taking one of the trucks.

We're gonna go find him now.

No, no, no, you can't do that.

Whatever's waiting for us in D.C., I need you guys there.

There's no way around it.

You two and your spikes make you the star soldiers of the 2nd Mass.

We need to stick together, okay?

I need you -- both of you.

[ Sighs ]

A whiskey distillery.

How did you conveniently find that on a map?

Well, it was not the colonel, Anne Mason.

It was the Volm tracking device.

It can detect and track jamming interference.

But we surmise that the Espheni are hiding an extraordinarily powerful communication apparatus here.

I'll have my men set up sentries, recon, patrol the perimeter for any sign of this communication device, Cochise. Thank you.

[ Indistinct conversations ]

Mm-hmm.

It's so coincidental that we ended up here.

Place feels like home.

Colonel, I've got your bags, toothbrush -- front pocket.

Socks and undies in the side, compartments separated from the outer garments.

I got your trousers rolled to the front --

Hey, no need for that, Marty.

I-I need to help, colonel.

Y-you saved my life.

I can't leave a big debt unpaid.

I can handle my gear, and you can stop feeling guilty.

[ Thunder rumbling ]

Yes, sir.

[ Imitating laser g*nf*re ]

Oh, no, you got me!

[ Both imitating laser g*nf*re ]

Aah!

[ Speaking indistinctly ]

[ Continues imitating laser g*nf*re ]

Ooh! I almost got you!

[ Continues imitating laser g*nf*re ]

Almost!

Almost!

Oh, no, I ran out of sh*ts.

[ Resumes imitating laser g*nf*re ]

Put the toys away, please.

Boy: Okay.

[ Toy piece clatters ]

What happened to your leg, sir?

You're up. You feeling better?

Seeing as you're our guest, why don't you sit at the head of the table?

[ Grunts ]

Willie: Dear Lord, we ask you to bless this food, and we also thank you for our new friend Tom and pray for his speedy recovery. Amen.

Alicia: Amen.

[ Clears throat ]

Would you like some potatoes?

[ Utensils clinking ]

Willie: Thank you. Pass me the corn, please.

Girl: Okay, grandpa.

Alicia: You have to make sure you eat some vegetables, sweetheart.

Willie: Everything smells fantastic.

[ Crying ]

[ Continues crying ]

Are you okay? [ Gasps ]

[ Utensil clatters ]

[ Exhaling ]

[ Whispers ] Yeah, I'm okay. I'm okay.

I'm okay. I'm sorry.

No. That's fine.

[ Clears throat ]

[ Utensils clinking ]

[ Indistinct conversations ]

How about some cornbread?

1000 acres.

No major roads, no neighbors.

Good tree cover.

Paradise.

[ Chuckles ] And we farm, we fish, live off the land.

Trap rabbits, squirrels, catch crawdads in the creek, get our water from the spring.

I got a gas generator.

I was big on stockpiling before the invasion hit.

[ Exhales ]

And as soon as it did, I figured it had to be judgment day.

Yeah, well, I guess we all figured the world had ended.

All I could do is get my family and wait for the doggone thing to pass.

And that's one thing you learn when you get to be my age.

Everything passes.

Everything.

Not that we haven't had a few scares -- explosions and rockets flying through the air.

Bought this property 40 years ago with the wife.

She d*ed. That was just before our son-in-law d*ed in Afghanistan, which is when Alicia moved up here with the kids.

Their dad was a paratrooper and a good man.

No, the biggest problem we've had so far is just keeping all of that stuff away from them.

[ Chickens clucking in distance ]

You mean the kids don't know about the w*r?

And not telling them -- best decision we ever made.

You think?

I can understand why Alicia wouldn't --

Look, I served.

So you and I both know that w*r is not a pretty thing.

The more we can shield those kids, the better.

I can exit the room if you wish to speak privately.

No. Stay. It -- it actually might help.

What is it, Maggie?

Sorry, it's a zoo.

What's going on?

Um...My spikes.

I want them out.

What do you mean?

You want -- you want me to perform surgery right now?

Yeah, I do.

Maggie... It was no small feat getting those spikes in your spine in the first place, and you don't wanna risk being a paraplegic.

Wait. Just -- just wait a second.

Talk to me. What is going on here?

Okay, Cochise has the Volm device to do it.

He said it'll take less than an hour, and the spikes have a healing --

An engineered bio-plasma.

There is a chance the spine has regenerated, making removal of the spikes potentially harmless.

Potentially.

I'm willing to take the risk.

Is this about Ben?

[ Groans ]

We're at critical point right now, Maggie.

We're on our way to D.C.

I'm not saying no. I'm just saying not right now.

Oh, right, I forgot. I'm one of your star soldiers.

You can't afford to lose amazing Maggie and her death-defying feats of skill, no matter what it costs me.

That is not fair. We have all paid a price.

I-I know.

I know I'm being selfish, but, Anne, I have been a private person my whole life, and I need that independence back.

The ability to choose who I wanna be, how I wanna act, I'm no use to anyone anyway without that, or this w*r.

I'm sorry, Maggie.

As soon as all of this is over, I will help you, I promise.

It's not personal.

How could it be more personal?

[ Scoffs ]

[ Screeching ]

Hey, hey, hey. You see this?

[ Screeching wheeze ]

[ Wings flapping, screeching continues ]

[ Roaring wheeze ]

[ Screeching ]

[ Roaring and screeching stops ]

You got him.

This is the one that took my dad.

You see this? This is his jacket right here.

There's some tracks right here.

Let's go.

I see the president is still battling Congress over the budget.

[ Chuckles ] Some things never change.

Sorry I'm late.

[ Door closes ]

You know your mother worries when you miss dinner like that.

I know. [ Sighs ] I said sorry.

This here is -- is Tom.

He, uh, took a bit of a spill, so we're gonna help him heal up.

Tom, this is my oldest grandson, Kyle.

Hi.

Alicia: Is that Kyle?

Go on. Get in there.

Alicia: I told you about this.

Kyle: Hey, lay off, Mom.

Uh, do not speak to me like that.

You know you are to be home.

How old is he?

15.

You must be home for supper.

[ Glass slides, shatters ]

Kyle: Whoa!

Aah! [ Exhales deeply ]

It's okay.

I-I just cut myself.

Oh! Oh-ho-ho.

I broke a glass.

Wrap this around it.

Okay.

Keep it elevated.

Ooh. Okay.

Why don't you see if you can find a fresh bandage?

Kyle, first aid kit.

Come on.

Yeah, yeah.

My dad said he explained our situation to you -- that my kids -- they don't know, um...

Yeah, it's none of my business.

They're just children, you know?

Mm-hmm.

Not my business.

Okay. Good.

Oh, this is great.

All right, when I unwrap it, I'm gonna put this over the wound, and then I want you to wrap it really tight with gauze, okay?

Okay.

Ready? Okay.

[ Exhales deeply ]

Start wrapping.

[ Inhales sharply and groans ]

Go.

Yeah.

[ Exhales deeply ]

Oh, okay.

Keep going. Wrap it around.

It'll be okay.

[ Exhales deeply ]

You got it?

Yeah, yeah.

Round and round.

Yeah.

Are you a doctor?

No.

Little tighter, little faster.

[ Exhales deeply ]

No, I'm not a doctor.

My kids and I have had to do our share of injury wraps over the years, though.

You okay?

My youngest son Matt -- he's...13.

He's pretty good at it.

[ Tape ripping ]

On-the-job training, I guess.

[ Tape unraveling ]

Willie: Kyle?

Look, I-I get it.

[ Tape clatters ]

He's sheltered and he's too big to be freaking out at the sight of blood.

You're used to fighting.

You think everyone should be fighting, even your own kids.

Well, we didn't really have much of a choice.

Well, as long as I do have a choice, that's not what I want for my son.

We've been through too much already.

I don't wanna discuss any of this with him.

[ Whispering ] This w*r that you're pretending doesn't exist is gonna show up one day, uninvited, on your doorstep, and after your father's m*rder*d, and after you're captured and tortured, and your kids are enslaved, then yeah, I think it would be a really good idea if your 15-year-old son knew how to use a goddamned band-aid.

[ Normal voice ] The aliens haven't shown up here because you've been lucky.

Your luck will run out, and your son should be prepared.

I am not sending him out there to get k*lled like his father.

What -- what is it that you're fighting to restore?

I-isn't it this?

Normal kids? A normal life?

I'm sorry.

Obviously, I, uh --

Thank you for your help with my hand, but I do not need your help raising my children.

We know the Espheni are hiding something here.

Let's narrow down the search, start looking inside the perimeter. Dismissed.

Colonel? Hey, I-I've been looking all over for you.

Yes, Marty.

I just wanna let you know that your tent space is fit for a king.

I got your -- your personal effects organized.

I got your bedroll laid out --

Marty, you -- you wanna repay me, here's what you do.

This is a whiskey distillery.

Go find me a bottle.

Yes, sir.

Um...Anne said you might wanna be alone.

She's right.

I wanna be alone.

[ Bag thuds ]

[ Sighs ]

Look, I know that none of this is Anne's fault and that I should probably be grateful she saved my life with these damn spikes.

I'm going through it, too, you know?

Ben... I've survived by being in control of myself, of my body, and that's who I am, and now I've lost that, and apparently, with surgery out of the question, there's nothing I can do to change that.

Okay, I'll keep my distance.

I will do the surgery for you.

[ Rainfall, thunderclap ]

[ Stairs creak ]

[ Coughs ]

Forgot the secret handshake.

[ Chuckles ]

[ Coughs ]

What are you drinking?

[ Thunder rumbling ]

[ Sighs ] Gilead.

I see.

Give me one.

[ Bottles clink ]

Your mom would sh**t me in my other leg if she knew about this.

I-I just found it.

Like, a whole case in a wrecked car off highway 24, like, two weeks ago.

Hey, look, my dad said he had his first beer when he was 12 --

You don't have to explain it to me.

I'm not gonna tell anybody.

Thanks.

You gotta ditch the cigarettes, though.

[ Clears throat ]

Those haven't been popular since the Nixon administration.

Good. Can't stand 'em.

Was wondering what the big deal was.

Girls.

There's something going on out there, but my mom won't tell me what it is.

What's, like, happening?

You should talk to your mom.

But you know. I can tell.

Hey, you know, if my dad was alive, he'd tell me the truth.

I think your mom's just trying to do...

What she thinks is best for you.

What do you think is best?

You know what?

Drink by yourself.

You're just like the rest of them.

[ Thunder rumbling ]

So...How'd you know you could trust me?

To help me, I mean.

You mean rescue you?

[ Chuckles ] Okay.

I don't know.

My gut feeling told me that if Pope hated your father so much, maybe your father was a good man.

You're lucky to have a father like that.

So what was your dad like?

Really? [ Chuckles ]

Right. So do you think this is the moment where I snivel about my puppy, share my feelings, and cry over your shoulder?

Forget it.

No, no, you're right.

So why don't we chronologically regurgitate Super Bowl scores?

I'll bet you're great at this game...

[ Chuckles ]

But I'll go first.

So...

Green Bay -- 35, Kansas City -- 10.

Green Bay -- 33, Oakland -- 14.

Okay, stop.

No, no, hold on.

We got New York versus Colts...

Stop, stop, stop.

No, I cannot --

I cannot hear any more.

...16-7.

[ Chuckles ]

My father was a diplomat.

Okay.

He was, um, minister of foreign affairs in Mexico.

He said...

"Deep down, people are good."

And I was raised believing that.

[ Flames crackling ]

But I know better now.

People can be savage.

I mean...

I've done stuff that I'm ashamed of, too.

I'm sorry.

I mean, it's w*r.

It happens.

[ Exhales ]

Iced tea sound okay?

Oh, iced anything sounds like a miracle.

[ Chuckles ]

You homeschool them?

Yes.

Yeah, you'd be surprised what you can remember from the 11th grade.

Oh, wow.

De Tocqueville's "Democracy in America."

I used to love teaching this book.

You're a teacher?

Yeah. College.

American History.

Great.

Maybe you can answer a few questions about that book later.

Oh, I'd be glad to.

You know, the irony --

I'm a high school dropout.

[ Iced tea pouring ]

I met the kids' father my senior year.

He was the first man to hold open a door for me, so... [ chuckles ] Off I went.

m*llitary bride.

Thank you.

But...Necessity is the mother of invention, right?

Well, not for everyone.

Cheers.

[ Ice rattling ]

[ Glass clatters ]

Ahh.

Wish we had someone like you back at camp.

I mean, the kids could really benefit from having somebody like you around.

Oh.

[ Sighs ]

Listen, this is your home.

I understand that.

I have to tell you...

Kyle is angry, and he's got a lot of questions, and he's looking for answers.

You think I don't know that?

I j-- I can't imagine trying to raise kids out there in the middle of all that.

Hasn't been easy.

Your eye looks better.

[ Inhales deeply ]

Flesh wounds.

I'll be out of your hair tomorrow.

Mm. No. don't be nuts.

You start walking on that leg too soon, and...

Well, it'll get worse.

Well, I've got people that are wondering where I am.

Well, you're not a burden.

It's been nice having someone around.

You must understand, I can make no promises.

Once I begin, there is no turning back.

I know.

It's what I want.

What?

What's wrong?

I was thinking...

How upset Anne Mason will be when she finds out I went against her wishes.

And yet...Taking care of your friends is precisely what I learned from her.

[ Whoosh ]

[ Crackling and warping ]

[ Cracking sound ]

[ Squeaking ]

[ Cracking sound ]

[ Squeaking ]

[ Grunts ]

Come now.

[ Squeaking ]

Let...Go. [ Gasps ]

[ Squeaking continues ]

Oh, no.

[ Cap pops ]

[ Floorboard creaks ]

[ Exhales ]

[ Wood creaking ]

[ Grunting ]

[ Wood and metal clatter ]

[ Gasps ]

Her pulse is faint.

Skin is cool.

She's hypothermic.

Damn it. Uhh!

[ Crackling ]

I was afraid removing the last spike could k*ll her.

There is no turning back.

It's cutting off her spinal column.

We have to get it out now.

[ Grunting ]

[ Squeaking ]

[ Squeaking continues ]

[ Loud squeaking ]

[ Squeaking subsides ]

[ Clink ]

[ Powers down ]

[ Gasps ]

[ Exhales deeply ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

You wanna explain to me what the hell you were thinking?

Not particularly.

Cochise, Colonel needs you in the storage cellar right away.

His bags are gone.

His closet's empty.

Kyle?! Kyle?!

Dad?!

I checked all the barns!

He's nowhere around here.

I'll check the roads.

[ Starts engine ]

You can't drive that thing!

You're injured!

I'll be all right.

How about, uh, that right there?

Kyle?!

It is definitely Espheni communication technology.

So this is what the Volm Intel was zeroing in on.

Nice work, Marty.

You think the overlords are using this to communicate?

It is quite possible, yes.

We have long believed that the Espheni have perfected a transcendental method to access each other remotely across long distances.

A shadow plane.

Well, then this must be some kind of a hub, like a communications relay, and if we can access their communication, intercept their intelligence...

It could mean a path to victory.

[ Distorted whooshing, explosions ]

[ Breathing heavily ]

[ Grunting ]

What was it?

There's overlords, and they're communicating.

[ Engine revving ]

[ Birds chirping and cawing ]

[ Vehicle approaches ]

[ Shifts gears, turns off engine ]

That's a MegaMech, used by the Espheni, our enemies in the w*r.

We've been at w*r against alien invaders for three years.

Most of the world's population is gone.

Look, I wanna be a fighter, like my dad.

Take me with you.

These aren't like the enemies your dad was fighting.

So they're worse, scarier, whatever.

Look, teach me how to fight them.

Teach me what to do.

I'll be the best soldier you got.

God knows I could use all the good soldiers I can get.

And I believe you would be a good one, but your mom doesn't see it that way, and she's already lost someone.

That's not my fault.

All right?

I can't bring my dad back.

Take me.

Please.

Yeah, did you really think lying was the best thing for me?

But, K-Kyle...

I'm gonna go fight in the w*r.

I guess I was holding out for as long as I could...

[ Voice breaking ]

But sometimes...

I mean, is this really what he wants?

He wants to go and fight to be a soldier?

Like his dad.

What would you do?

Oh.

I don't know that I can make that choice for you.

I do think that...

Kyle has to decide for himself, or he'll never forgive you.

He can go with you.

I promise I'll look after him, like he's one of mine.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Oh.

[ Chuckles ]

Oh, I'm sorry.

I just -- it's, um...

It's been a long time since I've been...

Willie: Get the hell off my property!

Man: I'm sorry!

Listen, you stop right where you are!

Let me see your hands!

No, no, no!

Take it easy.

That's my son!

Dad.

Oh, boy, am I glad to see you.

[ Chuckles ]

[ Tom sighs ]

Wow.

It was a really close call, but...

All your spikes are completely out.

Thank you.

It wasn't me.

It was Cochise.

Okay, I want you to try and stand up.

Okay.

[ Groans ]

It's okay.

[ Groans ]

[ Groans ]

You okay?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Well, I guess you won't be climbing any 30-foot walls anytime soon.

But the fact that you're alive and not paralyzed is a hell of a lot more than okay.

I've never gone behind your back 'cause I trust you.

And I thought you trusted me, too.

I do. I...

Anne, you always come through for me.

And I'm...

I'm sorry.

[ Plastic rustles ]

[ Engine rumbling ]

[ Engine turns off ]

We gotta get back to the 2nd Mass, get back to focusing on winning the w*r.

Sounds like a solid plan to me, unless you're thinking about sticking around here.

Don't tell me you're not gonna miss this place.

Well...

[ Car door closes ] Let's just say that I've got a clearer picture of what we're fighting for.

[ Chuckles ]

Hal: They stayed out of it the whole time?

Tom: Yeah, they have.

Wow. Some lucky kids.

[ Car door closes ]

[ Willie chuckles ]

Got this old jalopy working like a charm.

She's ready to go.

Now you keep safe with our boy now.

Yes, sir, I will.

Reading material for the road.

Um...

[ Sighs ]

Hey, Kyle.

Yeah?

You remember when you asked me what the best thing was?

Stay here.

That's the best thing.

What are you talking about?

We decided. I'm going.

[ Sighs ]

Look at them.

I'm telling you, the bravest thing that you can do is stay here and protect them -- the people who love you.

No. You can't just change your mind.

This is what we're fighting for.

We're gonna win this w*r.

We're gonna rebuild America.

There's gonna be a lot of battles yet to come, and they're gonna need to be fought by strong families led by strong men.

[ Engine rumbling ]

[ Plastic rustles ]

I knew it.

I felt something, like a piece of myself being torn away.

I just didn't wanna believe that...

You could have told me that this is what you were planning to do.

I wanted to.

Please know that I wanted to.

Maggie, I...

I gave part of myself to you, and you threw it away like it was garbage.

You know what?

You probably would've talked me out of it, and then I wouldn't have gone through with it.

I would have tried to understand.

I'm sorry, Ben.

But I had to.

I love you.

[ Cheering ]

Thank God.

[ Chuckles ] What happened?

Well, I got sh*t.

I got sh*t, too.

Uh, I'm sorry to cut the reunion short, but, uh, Mason and I got business.

And this here, this is my youngest brother, Matt.

We were worried about you.

Thanks for looking after him.

[ Both chuckle ]

You made it.

Yeah.

[ Exhales ]

You're hurt. Are you okay?

Yeah, no, I'm good.

[ Indistinct conversations ]

Your s-- your spikes.

They're...They're gone.

Mm-hmm.

Uh, so, Isabella, this is -- this is Maggie, and, Maggie, this is Isabella.

I've heard a lot about you.

Yeah?

Mm-hmm.

It's nice to meet you.

Yeah, nice to meet you, too.

Hey.

Welcome back, Mason.

You actually don't look like sh*t this time.

[ Chuckles ]

My squeaky wheel's got a little oil.

Good. Then you'll be ready more than ever for the big showdown.

I think we found a first nail in the Espheni's coffin.