Brothers & Sisters s01e22 Episode Script

Favorite Son

Previously on Brothers and Sisters: - Twins? - Congratulations.
During the rescue, the helicopter It's all a blur.
I let people believe what they wanted.
That I was a hero.
I'm not.
I got a letter from the army.
- What does it say, Justin? - They want me back.
How's Rebecca? Saul just told me you have been keeping her.
You didn't know? And what does Sarah think of your hospitality? It's not about the kiss.
It's just like we're stuck in relationship purgatory.
Which feels like relationship hell.
You asked me to marry you, and now you are taking it back.
I'm not.
I want things to calm down a little bit with Sarah.
My water just broke.
They're not ready yet.
Any IV nurse to Pediatrics, please.
- Tommy, you need to eat something.
- I'm not hungry.
If we were in L.
A.
, I'd have my doctor.
- I don't know anybody here.
- Parental panic.
It'll be with you the rest of your life.
Pace yourself.
My whole life I've been waiting for a chance to do something heroic.
And I get this opportunity to save these two babies, either of which may be biologically mine.
Know what? I have nothing.
Justin, however, is trained for this.
OK, stop, I wasn't heroic - Was heroic.
- Paramedics were quick.
Hardly think delivering premature twins in a vineyard in Southern California is what the army had in mind for Justin when he enlisted.
Anyway, they could just as easily be his.
Oh, look.
Look.
She looks like an OBIG YN.
Sexist, Mom.
- Thomas Walker? - Yes? - Yes.
- Your wife's doing fine.
She just needs rest.
- Your brother did excellent work.
- Great.
What about the babies? At 29 weeks and extremely low birth weight, we're fortunate we got them here.
How did they do on their tests? Their APGARs? - I don't think preemies - What test? - They haven't peed, have they? - Peed? What's that have to do with - Let's not suffocate him, OK, guys? - Oh, OK.
That's fine.
We're a tight family.
Kind of like a vice.
With children this premature, there's always issues.
Your girl's healthy.
She's doing really well.
Just the girl? Mr.
Walker, this might be a conversation your wife should also be present for.
Yeah.
Yeah OK.
I'm going to talk to them.
Thanks.
So, they're fine.
Everything seems normal.
- When do we get to see? - They're preemies, so it will take a while, but it's fine.
I know you want to stay, but I think we've got it covered.
- No.
- No.
It's fine.
Come on.
You all have lives.
Just go.
I'll stay in touch.
Anybody who wants whiplash, go with Kevin.
Almost ran me off the road - speeding here.
- I'm not going with Kevin.
If Julia needs anything at the house - Are you sure? - Yeah.
If we need anything we'll call.
- All right, sweetheart.
- OK.
- Love you.
- Me too, man.
Thanks.
Bye.
OK, honey.
Listen, I've got my cell phone with me and I don't go to sleep so call me if you need me for anything - Mom.
Mom.
- Yeah? Um Can you stay? Yes.
Yes.
Great.
Under heavy fire, under the most harrowing conditions, you kept your chopper on that landing zone.
In spite of being shot down and taking casualties, you got your POWs to safety.
A remarkable display of bravery.
You know, General Omar Bradley, who commanded our guys at Normandy, says that bravery is really just the capacity to perform when you're scared half to death.
Was there a moment when you thought, "I just want to leave.
I could leave"? You know, I think that most people in that situation would try to find the courage to make the right choice.
Well, you certainly did.
I think that about covers my questions.
- I appreciate your time, senator.
- Thank you.
- You'll like the piece.
- I look forward to reading it.
Hi.
I'm so sorry I'm late.
It's just the traffic When did Santa Barbara turn into a line like in the DMV? You're acting like you weren't at a hospital.
The twins? Well, you know, Tommy says that everything is fine, so - Oh, good.
- So how did it go? I think I came off as the love child of Winston Churchill and Dan Quayle.
Kitty? A man's been calling the L.
A.
Offices to see you.
He won't say what it's about, but that it's personal and very important.
So I set an appointment for two.
Two? Two? No, I'm not even going to make it back by then.
He said he'd wait for you.
And senator, Justin Walker's cell phone number's in your PDA.
- Thank you.
- Huh - Man waiting - Uh-huh.
"Personal.
" "Very important.
" Exactly how many other guys did you kind of, sort of, but not really propose to while I was away in D.
C? - Why doesn't staff say hi to me? - They don't like you.
So, why do you need Justin's phone number and why didn't you ask me? It's none of your business.
It's a guy thing.
Is there anything I can get you? A cup of coffee, Sergeant Cole? Oh, no, no, no.
That's OK.
I'm retired from the Air Force.
I served with McCallister in Gulf War One.
Do you want me to set up a reunion with you and the senator? I never actually had that much face to face connection with the senator.
And under the circumstances, I think it's best if we kept it that way.
Circumstances? Not sure I follow.
Well, I'm sure that you and everybody here think that you work for a hero.
I mean, given how much talk there's been lately about McCallister's war record and his heroism.
Alleged heroism, actually.
So pardon me if I shatter the dream, but I know all about that helicopter crash and those POWs.
And I know he tried to call off that extraction.
It's beneath the senator's dignity to continue this conversation.
So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to leave.
That's good.
I have to be at the L.
A.
Times in half an hour.
With traffic, no way you're going to make it.
Besides, the L.
A.
Times? They don't print fiction.
If it was up to the him, that chopper would've left those soldiers stranded.
Hmm.
He was begging his co-pilot to leave.
I'm sure the co-pilot didn't tell you this considering he was dead.
Actually, he did tell me.
In a manner of speaking.
I overheard his conversation with McCallister over the radio from the base.
- You sure you want me to stay? - Yeah.
How are you doing, Julia? Can you tell me about William? Now, he's on a ventilator which is helping him breathe until his lungs have a chance to develop.
He's responding well.
See? Everything's OK, honey.
Everything's OK.
Right, Doc? Unfortunately, there's other complications.
Due to his premature birth his kidneys are not functioning properly.
The treatment? Dialysis? Yes, we've tried peritoneal dialysis, but it's not giving the response that we'd hoped for.
- Oh, my God.
- What can we do? We can try hemodialysis.
It's a more invasive procedure because it draws William's blood out, cleanses it, and then puts it back in the body.
This is our strongest course of action.
We really need to see results soon.
It's the twenty-first century.
There has to be something.
Some other option.
If the situation becomes extreme and dialysis fails, - a transplant would be necessary.
- But he's so tiny.
Can you perform transplants on babies so young? Yes, but they're extremely rare.
Generally, it's impossible to even find a donor in time.
But your son is different.
His twin sister, your daughter, she is a perfect match.
She could be the donor.
Yeah.
OK.
Sorry.
That was Uncle Saul.
I had to convince him not to buy out an entire kosher deli.
Matzo ball soup is my brother's answer to everything.
He also spoke to Dr.
Gilberlenz at Cedars, who had wonderful things to say about you.
Not that we were checking up on you.
Oh, no, of course.
Hey, Doctor, can you can you tell us about the operation? A kidney transplant is by no means a simple procedure, although it is relatively routine for adults.
But we've got to keep in mind William is ten weeks premature and the risks that can accompany any surgery are significantly higher.
Right, how high? I'm not telling you that there's no reason to hope.
But I have to tell you, even if the transplant is successful, additional complications can arise.
What about our daughter? She's premature too.
She will also be at considerable risk.
Wait.
So you're telling me if we do this, that both my babies could die? Honey, she's just giving us all the possible scenarios.
- Don't think that's what she's saying.
- Doctor, what do you suggest? I'm sorry.
I wish that I could give you an answer, but it's a it's a very personal decision.
One that only the family can make.
I think that you need time to think.
OK.
Thanks.
Mom, could you could you give us a minute? Oh! Oh, oh.
Yes, yes, yes.
Absolutely.
Look at me.
We will figure this out.
What if what if we waited? We waited for another donor Listen to me.
He's going to be fine.
They are both going to be fine.
All right? Let's stay focused on the big picture.
Two healthy, happy babies.
She doesn't even have a name.
We named him William.
She doesn't even have a name.
I can't lose them, Tommy.
I can't lose them both.
- We're not going to.
- I can't lose them both.
You've known me my entire life.
Was there a day that gave the impression I liked Scotch? I can't visit without some agenda? I just came by your office last week.
You needed parking validation.
The fact you're bearing gifts means you want a bigger favor.
Kevin, you know what? Don't be so bitter.
Just "Twenty-one-years-old.
" "Highland.
" This is a senator-sized favor, isn't it? This conversation has to fall under the client-attorney privileges.
- Privilege.
- Oh, whatever.
Too bad I don't represent Republicans.
- What? Even lawyers have some scruples.
- Kevin, I know that.
And I wouldn't even be here if I wasn't in complete crisis mode.
I OK, first of all, calm down.
You sound almost Nora-esque.
I'm actually glad you brought the Scotch.
This way when I refuse to help, you'll be relaxed.
You know, that's not funny.
Let's go into your office.
- I - Shush! Come! Wow.
Wow.
I mean what's a bigger word than "wow"? I know.
It's very surprising on so many different levels.
Not surprising Senator McDonald's isn't all he's cracking himself up to be.
It's not surprising someone's trying to cash in.
You coming to me to help clean things up, that's a little surprising.
- Would you be honored? - What about his legal team? Nobody knows he tried to call it off.
He doesn't know he's being blackmailed.
- What do you want from me? - I want you to help me.
Easy.
You tell the truth.
The whole truth, nothing but.
Just tell that he's been lying by omission and getting gobs of campaign mileage from a story that isn't true.
- Didn't say it would be fun.
- Well, it's campaign suicide.
You know what happens when somebody's military career starts to get all muddy.
There's no controlling the story.
Remember Kerry in '04? I mean, Robert might not be re-elected into the Senate.
Oh, yeah.
That would be a shame.
Oh, God, Kevin.
Come on.
Please.
Just forget that I'm your sister.
And by your reluctance to help me, I can see you already have.
But let's forget that Robert is a Republican.
Remember how we complained nobody of substance ever runs for president? He has substance.
Now, it may not be to your personal political liking, but yes, he has substance.
Kevin, he saved those soldiers' lives and he almost died trying to do it.
And he never once asked for credit.
He just he just didn't refuse it.
OK, he's an accidental hero, not a deliberate one.
- Someone's calling him on it.
- No.
They're blackmailing him, Kevin.
There is a big difference.
He never was comfortable using his service in the Gulf for his campaign.
He got pressured into it.
I pressured him.
I'm asking you Kevin, please from the bottom of my heart.
Please, I'm begging you.
I need your help.
You know, if the senator shared your politics, - you'd be sharpening your lawyer claws.
- Yeah, maybe.
But, Kitty, he doesn't.
- Right.
- I'm sorry.
There's some leftovers in the fridge.
No, thanks.
I'm still digesting Oxnard's best roadside shrink-wrapped burrito.
Sorry I abandoned you.
Oh, don't be.
You were right to come and you were right to go.
As trying as "us" has become, we certainly don't need my family's mob mentality making it worse.
Any word from the hospital? Mom's up there, so we should get a report soon I hope.
I didn't know when you were coming home.
You didn't return any of my calls.
Oh, you know, I was in the waiting room all night.
I'm sorry.
I stopped in at Ojai to check in on things.
But I just wanted to come home.
I just wanted to be home.
So, why didn't you come home? I don't know.
I was afraid, I think, of this Where we are.
This purgatory.
Uh Bruce has a fold-out couch.
He said I could crash there for a few days.
Is that what you want? I, uh - What would I tell the kids? - We'll tell them the truth.
Together.
I'll go pack.
I kind of feel like the guy who's about to get whacked in a mobster movie.
The one where the don says, "Come with me," but he ends up in the pine barons buried in five pounds of lye.
Maybe later they'll find you swinging from a hook in a meat truck.
- Fish taco? - Yeah.
Is this some brother-in-law hazing thing? I think we're a beyond that.
I can't get Kitty to re-propose to you, if that's what you're after.
No.
That's not it.
But, your family could teach the CIA about obtaining classified information.
- Not keeping it classified.
- Got that right.
So when do you leave? For Iraq? I don't know.
Soon.
Couple weeks.
My mind filed that date away under a separate calendar.
- So you don't scare yourself to death.
- Yeah.
I know your feelings about the war have changed.
And in many ways so have mine.
That doesn't change the fact that you're a soldier and have a job.
Your unit needs a good medic.
Got to be there for them.
When you're there, they are your brothers and sisters.
You got to love them, got to protect them.
But you can't do it unless you're prepared.
Here we are.
I try to get here twice a month or any time I've spent too much time in D.
C.
Hey, Captain.
Good to see you again.
- You too.
- Thank you.
How are you? It's good to meet you.
How are you? - Senator, good to see you.
- Good to see you.
Working hard.
- Yeah, hanging in there.
- How many tours you do? Three, sir.
- Three tours over there.
- Wow.
That's great.
- You look strong.
- Thank you, sir.
- Hey, Toni.
- Hi! Get those magazines we sent? Did I get them? They arrived in a moving van.
Sometimes my office goes a little overboard.
- Thank you.
- You bet.
Good to see you again.
- Good to see you.
How you feeling? - Good.
- Excellent.
- Thanks.
Hi.
Hey.
Justin Walker.
Medic.
With the Four-Twenty-Fourth in Afghanistan.
Good to meet you.
You work for the senator? No, actually, future brother-in-law.
- He's a good guy.
- Yeah.
I'm starting a tour in Iraq in two weeks.
What happened to the leg? RPG.
Went through the truck.
Came out the side.
Yeah, it's nasty.
- It's healing.
- Getting better.
I'm trying to get back into the fight.
Well, call me if you hear anything.
OK.
Love you too.
Bye.
- Kitty? - No, it's Sarah.
Oh, my God.
Wow.
Either that was a performance art piece entitled "The Melting Slug," or you want me to ask you about your day.
Either yours was just as rough or your manorexia is completely cured.
A sandwich like this would cost 15 bucks anywhere else.
- Yes, it was rough, so don't ask.
- I'm not.
It's a Kitty thing.
But I can't tell you.
Attorney-client privilege.
- I just said I don't care.
- I know.
And I still won't tell you.
OK, so what was so rough about your day? You know, apart from So I get a call from the senator.
The senator out of the blue.
Wow, maybe our days are more similar than I thought.
Well, he picks me up in this, like, totally sweet limo, and I have no idea why or where we're going.
God.
What I wouldn't give for a date like that.
I hate his politics, but this is a man with perfect skin.
OK, go on.
So he takes me to a V.
A.
Hospital.
I mean, there he is, right? This US Senator, talking to these injured vets like it was nothing.
I mean, it was sort of amazing.
Oh.
Yeah.
Amazing.
Really? Maybe even heartwarming? How the press will cover it.
Chew with your mouth shut and there was no press there.
It was just the senator.
I mean, it was completely genuine.
You know, we walked in and we saw those guys and It scared the hell out of me.
It freaked me out.
That's why he took me there.
To scare the piss out of you? No, to show me I have a responsibility.
You know, that that I'm needed.
That I'm going there for a reason.
A good one.
You know, he's a better guy than you think, Kevin.
Have you seen them yet? Oh.
It's OK to be scared.
Meeting your two little babies for the first time.
Got to be terrifying even under the best circumstances.
I remember when Sarah was born.
Your dad was so scared.
He wouldn't look at her.
Every time they brought her in, he managed to be someplace else.
- It got to be a thing.
- I didn't know that.
Don't tell Sarah.
It's not that I don't want to see them.
It's just for the past six months everybody's been saying, "Don't worry.
Once the babies come, it's not going to matter they're not biologically yours, that once you see them, everything will change.
" It already has.
Otherwise, this wouldn't be so hard.
I'm afraid that if I see her I can never ask her to do more than she has.
You don't have to.
You have a choice.
You and Julia have a choice.
What kind of father would I be if I didn't do everything I could? I know.
Maybe I'm not the best example of this, but sometimes being a good parent is knowing when not to parent.
You have to get out of the way and let life happen to your kids.
They could both die.
Tommy, I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
I wish there was something I could do to help.
But just know that I'll understand, we all will understand.
Whatever you choose, we'll support you.
We love you.
What if I can't choose? They need you.
They both need you.
Tommy, they both need their father.
Knock, knock.
OK, I'm here.
What's going on? Oh.
What, no Scotch this time? - Mr.
Walker? - Yeah.
- Daniel Cole is here.
- Show him in.
Thank you.
Wait a minute.
You invited the blackmailer? Bet you wish you brought that Scotch after all.
Take a seat.
Sit down.
Daniel Cole? Kevin Walker.
I'm serving as counsel to McCallister on this matter.
I'm listening.
We've reviewed the situation and we've decided to proceed on your terms.
OK.
And how's this going to work? We can't write a check, the paper trail.
A cash withdrawal will take a few days to clear.
I've been about this quiet for 16 years.
Another day won't be a big deal.
Oh, well.
Actually, it will be.
Because by the time we get the money, you'll be back in jail.
- What? - I'm sorry.
I say jail, it'll be an intermediate step back to prison.
These are all the ones that would fit on the cart.
Is this you? Yeah.
Wow.
Court records and Google, the gifts that just keep on giving.
I think I'll be going.
Your children will be thrilled to know they have a half sister.
Ironically, I've just had the experience of a half sister popping out of the woodwork and let me tell you, it's a real joy.
- I can deal with my own family.
- That include your parole officer? Excuse me, criminal law is a little outside of my wheel house, but I'm pretty sure failure to pay child support and attempted extortion of a US Senator would violate the terms of your parole.
Sit down.
So here's our proposal, you walk out the door and start to rebuild your life.
And so long as you behave yourself, all those files stay in my cabinet.
But if Wolf Blitzer so much as blinks at Senator McCallister, all bets are off.
I think this is the part where you walk out the door.
Just because you stop me from telling people, doesn't mean it's not the truth.
- The senator is a fraud.
- I hear talking, I don't see walking.
Rebecca.
I'm sorry.
I didn't I didn't know that you were here and I put the kettle on and then when I saw you I just No, no.
It's fine.
It's not like you're standing there with a meat cleaver.
You're not are you? That's a relief.
Are you going somewhere? Yeah, yeah.
Actually, um Yeah.
My I heard about Julia and the babies.
My mom told me.
I'm so sorry.
And I just figured, you know, you don't need some random girl living at your house.
- Are you OK? - Yeah.
Fine.
How are the babies? They're hanging in there.
- Would you like some tea? - Yeah.
It's not just the tea.
It's the ceremony that goes with it.
Something about the ritual helps relax you when you feel like this, you know? Because for a moment, we don't really need to be thinking about ourselves.
The Japanese form that I learned in Chicago was called Sado, but it takes a lifetime to master.
There we go.
I'm not really doing this right.
First I take a sip.
Now it's your turn.
Ha.
Your turn.
Rebecca, you don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but every time you talk about Chicago, I get the feeling you're not just talking about the Windy City.
My mom said something to you, didn't she? No, no.
She was just concerned.
Did something bad happen to you in Chicago? Um My mother and I have a very difficult, complex relationship.
It's that single mother, single daughter world, you know? Sort of makes the Walkers seem like the Brady Bunch.
It's true.
You don't have to leave.
When I said you were welcome here like family, I meant that.
Without condition.
- Your turn.
- Thanks.
OK.
We have something that we need to tell the both of you.
Um Mommy and Daddy have decided that um, that Daddy won't be sleeping here for a little while.
Where's he going to sleep? Daddy's going to have his own apartment and he he's going to sleep there.
But I'll see you all the time and I'll still pick you up from school and on weekends we'll have sleepovers at my apartment.
It's really important that you understand this is not because of you.
Or anything that you did, OK? Mommy and Daddy love you both more than anything else in the world.
But you don't love each other anymore? Oh, honey.
Of course we do.
P, how could I not love your mommy? She made you and Coop.
And because of that I will always love her.
We'll always be a family no matter where I live.
But how come we can't live together? I don't understand.
Look, Paige.
We've been having some grown-up problems and It's just best if we have a little bit of time apart so that we can we can figure out how to fix them.
Kind of like a time out.
Like when you do something bad? Did Daddy do something bad? No.
No, Cooper.
Daddy didn't do anything bad.
Are you getting a divorce? No, honey.
We, um We need just to take some time.
Nothing's been decided.
I don't believe you.
It's just how Gabe said.
He said that first Daddy moved away and then he got a divorce.
Paige, I know this is hard.
And I'm so sorry.
But nothing's going to change.
We're still going to be a family, OK? That's not gonna change and you're gonna have the same room and you're going to go to the same school and keep all your old friends.
OK? It's it's And on weekends we'll do something special.
- Can we go to California Adventure? - Oh, yeah! Give me a bump, yo.
Do you have anything you want to ask me? - Can I go to my room? - Sure.
I love you, Paige.
Can I go to Paige's room too? Yeah, bub.
Did your mom go home? Yeah.
At least for a couple of hours.
We we had a good talk last night.
What about your parents? They're trying to get a flight out of Costa Rica.
I tried talking to them about what's happening, but It's hard, right? Even in person.
I just thought I would be ready.
But how could anybody really be ready for something like this? Honey, uh I don't think we should do the transplant.
You don't? We'll find another donor.
Getting pregnant was a miracle.
We'll wait for another one.
I agree.
- It's too much of a risk for Elizabeth.
- Elizabeth? Yeah.
I, uh I saw it on your list.
I thought I'd try it out.
I like it.
Elizabeth.
William and Elizabeth.
Hey, what's happening? William spiked a fever from the hemodialysis and he's gone into septic shock.
His organs are failing.
He doesn't have much time.
Oh, God.
I am so sorry.
If there's anything that you want to say or do - I want to hold him.
Can I hold him? - Of course.
Hi, William.
Hey, Little Man.
It's your dad.
Daddy's here.
And everything's going to be OK.
You know You're named after my dad.
Your grandpa.
He's going to take good care of you.
- Thank you.
- To new beginnings.
New? What what new? I've been doing some thinking and I realize that I've been focusing on the wrong things.
Really? Like what? Like payola? Kickbacks? Sweetheart deals with unions? I'm a United States Senator, not an alderman from Chicago in the forties.
- Oh, right.
That's true.
- What happened at the hospital? I tried to call but I couldn't get through.
Oh, yeah.
No, yeah, right.
Right.
No You know, actually, they make you turn your cell phone off.
So, so, um What is all this about new beginnings? I'm just not going to run from my past anymore.
It's like you said, my first inclination may not have been bravery, but what I did afterwards was.
- I said that? - Yeah.
That was good.
You took a guy who was doubting the strength of his leadership and reminded him why he was running for president.
And got him to embrace his past.
This is very disconcerting, talking in the third person.
My point is that these last few months I have been the best man that I've ever been.
And you're the reason why.
When you proposed to me, I should've jumped at the chance and said yes before you changed your mind.
That wasn't exactly my best moment.
But you can still say yes.
No.
No, I can't.
I can't accept your proposal until you accept mine.
Oh! Um Wow.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Oh, shoot.
Here.
Hello? Oh, hey.
Hey, Uncle Saul.
You know you have very good timing.
You're never going to believe what just happened to me.
Hey, Tommy.
Well, I'm not going to ask you if you're all right.
There's no possible way you could be.
Julia.
They they gave her something.
A sedative.
I went out into the hallway to walk around.
Clear my head.
And a father walked by with a healthy newborn and I I couldn't breathe - I know.
I know.
And I'm just I'm wondering did I do the right thing? Yes, you did.
You did the right thing, Tommy.
Because you did what your heart told you to do and that could never be wrong.
Death is part of life.
It would be hubris for us to think that we can make any decisions that are only God's to make.
It's just so hard.
You're right.
It is hard.
And I won't sit here and tell you that it gets easier because it doesn't.
Time, it heals us.
It does get better.
Ready to meet your daughter? Oh, my God.
She's beautiful.
Look at that perfect little nose.
Hello, little bear.
Bear? More like a cute, little lobster.
We're not calling our daughter a lobster.
What are you naming her, if you don't mind my asking? - Elizabeth.
- Elizabeth! Oh! That's such a gorgeous name.
Elizabeth.
Hey.
One day we'll tell you about your brother.
And how much we loved him.
Look at that face.
She's as pretty as her mother.
Oh! I meant that as a compliment, sweetheart.
She's so strong.
She reminds me of you.
Look out world.
Here comes Lizzie Walker.

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