Army Wives (2007–2013): Season 5, Episode 10 - Battle Buddies - full transcript

Previously on "Army Wives"...

It's not cancer.

Oh, Claudia Joy... I should go.

I will completely understand

if you're not comfortable with
me working there anymore.

I know what you did.

Try it again, and next time,
you won't see me coming.

- So you're saying we can't adopt?
- It would be a difficult process.

Really, Roxy? Finn's dad?

He's been living here?
He's your contractor?

I'm risking my life while you're
screwing around behind my back!



- Hey, I did not! Nothing happ...
- Just shut up!!

- Shut up!
- Hey, look, buddy...

Hey, Trevor, don't!

Trevor?

Going somewhere?

What do you care?

Okay, look, stop packing, okay?

Nothing happened
between me and Whit.

He is just my contractor...
that's all.

Look, I'm telling you the truth.
He... he's gone.

- He went back to Tuscaloosa.
- Yeah, too bad for you.

- Hey, where are you going?
- Out!

Wait a minute! Hey! What am I
supposed to tell the boys?

Make something up.
You're good at that.



Any unit in the
area Magnolia Park,

reports of suspicious activity,

possible vagrant.

8-0-4, I'm on scene.
Will advise.

Hey, buddy. Sorry, but
you can't sleep here.

Sorry, ma'am. I'll go.

You need help with that?

I'm squared away, thank you.

I didn't steal 'em.
They're mine.

You served?

11 years.

You got a first name, Miller?

Dana, ma'am.

Chief Warrant Officer
Dana Miller.

You been to the VA, Dana?
They got lots of programs.

Army's done enough
for me, thank you.

Can I drive you to a
shelter at least?

Not necessary.

You'll get a hot meal,
clean bed for the night.

It's a decent place.

Besides that, it's
supposed to rain tonight.

Boys! Breakfast!

Waffles? Yes!

Okay. Be careful with the syrup.
Don't get it on your uniform.

Yes, ma'am.

I thought dad was driving
us to school today.

Uh, your father had
to leave early.

Why?

Don't ask me. Army stuff.

Oh.

Don't worry. He'll
be back later.

Eat your waffles
before they get cold.

Wilson.

W-Wilson!

Not so loud, man.

We missed formation.

What? I set the alarm.

Yeah, well, it didn't go off.

We're so screwed.

Okay.

You wanted an update
on the Cahill matter?

Uh, later. Um...

Uh, Keller v. The
city of Riverdale...

I want you on it.

Sure. How do you want
to divide it up?

Actually, I asked Drake
to be first chair.

You'll be working with him.

- Oh.
- Problem?

No, no. It's just I-I haven't
worked with Elliot yet.

Oh, well, you'll like him.

He's got far more
patience than I do.

Besides, I think it's important

for you to see how others
deal with case law, so...

and I'm... I'm slammed
right now, as you can see.

Right. I look forward to it.

Anything else?

No. No, thank you.

I see that you've been
to this office before.

Yes. Uh, the woman we met with

wasn't exactly sympathetic
to military families.

We were told you were.

I suppose that's because I'm
an old army brat myself,

but I won't sugarcoat it.

The chances of you
adopting a newborn...

We know.

We're open to adopting
an older child.

Well, that's wonderful. There
are so many deserving children

waiting for the right family.

We think, um...

A boy would be the best
fit for our family.

Yeah, we've done some
background research

which said a boy would
feel less competitive

around our daughter.

That's been my experience
in similar cases.

Any other specifics?

We'd prefer if he were
African-American.

Mm-hmm. Ideally, older
than Sara Elizabeth.

Uh, we were thinking
between 6 and 10.

Yeah. And we'd like a
child who's legally free.

Understood.

Now you must be aware

that older children often
come with special needs...

uh, emotional,
educational, medical.

Are you open to that?

Yes.

Good.

Dr. and Colonel Burton,

we're about to start down
an exciting road together.

I said move it! What's the
matter, LeBlanc? You tired?

No, Sergeant! Now drop and
give me 15 mountain climbers

for every minute you
jokers were late!

Let's go! One more time! Again!

Hold it... 98... 99... 100.

Hold it.

Okay, you're done. Dismissed.

Sergeant LeBlanc.

Sergeant, I need to see you...

I'm sorry, sir.

My office, 30 minutes.

Showered, sober, standing tall.
Understood?

Yes, sir.

Good work, gentlemen. Good work.

Sucks to be you, man.

Trevor... No time.

Wait, we need to talk.
It's important.

No, what's important
is, I got to report

to Colonel Sherwood's
office asap, thanks to you.

Me? What are you talking about?

Trevor.

Hey, Pamela.

Hey. Sorry to bother you
at work, Claudia Joy,

but I have an assault case I
think might interest you.

This homeless vet that I dropped
off at the shelter last night...

she got into some kind of fight.

Hey, Dana. This is Claudia Joy,
the lawyer I told you about.

- Hello, Dana. Please...
- Ma'am.

Sit down.

Um, first, let me explain,
I'm not an attorney.

I've taken the bar, but
I'm waiting for results.

I'm here to determine
if the firm I work with

- can help you.
- Thank you, ma'am.

Okay. Officer Moran told me

you were involved in a
fight at the shelter.

What happened?

No excuse, ma'am.

I'm real sorry. I
hope that guy's okay.

Can you explain it
to me at least?

He touched me.

Touched you how?

He touched my shoulder.

I really don't remember
what happened next.

They tell me I hit
him a few times.

Mm-hmm.

Um, Officer Moran mentioned you
were a Chief Warrant Officer.

- What was your specialty?
- 153-Alpha, ma'am.

- Yeah.
- Rotary wing Aviator.

You flew helicopters?

Blackhawks, ma'am. Pilot with
the 57th MedEvac Battalion.

Did three tours.

When did you get out?

Two years ago.

Why'd you leave?

I had my reasons.

I can't go to jail, ma'am. I don't
think I I could do the time.

Okay. I have to get
back to the office,

but I do believe my
friend can help you.

I couldn't pay you.

It would be Pro Bono.

Thank you, ma'am.

Sergeant LeBlanc, reporting
as ordered, sir.

You know, Sergeant, as a rule,

I don't enjoy having to
clean puke off of my boots.

No, sir.

You know, I was on that P.T.
field this morning

to see who was
being disciplined.

Last soldier I expected to see
was you, Sergeant LeBlanc.

Yes, sir.

Just back from redeployment
and hung over at P.T.

That is entirely unacceptable.

Yes, sir.

Now I understand that you
were involved yesterday

in an altercation with a
civilian at your wife's bar.

Yes, sir.

You want to tell me just
what the hell is going on?

Sir, my wife insisted on investing
our money in a truck stop...

Hold it, hold it,
hold it right there.

Are you about to blame your
piss-poor conduct on your wife?

Did your wife tell you to
go out drinking last night?

Did your wife tell you to
oversleep this morning?

No, sir.

No. That's an excuse I expect
to hear from a private,

not an NCO.

Certainly not a Silver
Star recipient.

Now it's my understanding

that your Battalion Commander
wants to see you tomorrow.

I hope to hell you got
a better story for him

than you had for me.

I am deeply
disappointed, Sergeant.

You're dismissed.

You offered representation?

Grant, she's a former Army pilot.
I thought...

You thought what, that
you were in charge here?

You don't have authorization

to commit this firm
to Pro Bono work.

I mean, come on. It's...
It's outrageous.

I didn't commit to anything.

I said I believed
we could help her.

Well, aren't you supposed
to be on the Keller case?

I am.

You know, I can't believe
you'd do this when,

I mean, we're all working
overtime as it is.

I thought this was
the type of firm

that extends itself in
special circumstances.

Obviously, I was mistaken.
It won't happen again.

Does this woman have any priors?

No.

And you think she has
some kind of PTSD?

Yes. She needs treatment,
not incarceration.

We'd have to argue
mitigating factors

if we wanted to win a
pretrial intervention,

and, uh, that means
a psych evaluation.

I know a doctor who
would help, gratis.

Okay.

Go ahead.

Thank you.

But I expect work on the Keller
case to proceed as planned.

Understood.

Roxy.

Hey, Denise.

Hey.

Aw. Hey, beautiful.

Hey, um, is everything okay?

Uh, yeah, fine.

Yeah? I was gonna call you.

I was at an FRG
meeting this morning,

and I heard something
about Trevor.

He hit someone at The Hump Bar?

Um... It was a misunderstanding.

Trevor was just blowing
off steam, that's all.

You know how it is...
soldiers coming home.

There's nothing to
talk about, really.

Okay.

Um, I should probably
get this stuff home.

Yeah, yeah, sure. I'll...
I'll see you later.

Okay.

L.Z. Was marked
with colored smoke,

but when I tried to touch
down to pick up the wounded,

we started taking ground fire.
Windshield shattered.

I got hit with a
sliver of plexiglas,

bled all over the
instrument panel,

but I held her steady
till we got the guys on

and then I got the
hell out of there.

And that's how you
earned the Bronze Star.

Typical day at the office.

Right. Two months
after that incident,

you missed a movement
when your Unit relocated

from Mosul to Tikrit.

What happened?

I screwed up.

Why?

Up to that time, your
record is spotless.

It's outstanding, actually.

Yet a few weeks later, you
requested a discharge.

Help me understand.

Did you suffer
some kind of loss?

I had enough. That's all.

You didn't want to fly anymore?

I didn't say that.

Okay, so what was it?

Well, clearly, she's suffering
from some form of PTSD,

but it's unusual.

Unusual how?

Because it doesn't appear
to be combat related.

I mean, you heard her talk
about her combat experiences.

She's proud. There's
no trauma there.

And clearly, she loved flying.

Well, she's hiding
something, Claudia Joy.

If you can get her
to open up about it,

then you've got a case.

Without that, it's just
conjecture on my part.

I'm not sure any judge would go for it.
- Right.

It could take weeks of
therapy to earn her trust.

I don't have weeks. She has to
appear in court in a few days.

I'll figure it out.

All right. I got to get going.
You call me if you need me?

- Okay. Thanks.
- Sure.

As I said on the phone, David
meets all your criteria.

I don't want to create
unrealistic expectations,

but I do feel, he's
a special child.

That's David there.

"He placed his final
report on his boss' desk,

and then he went home."

You said he was
in a foster home?

David's been in the
system since he was two.

His mother was an addict.

His grandmother raised
him for a while.

When she died, it was a
series of other relatives,

then two foster homes.

"And then he realized, it
feels good to help others!

"You never know when
you're gonna need help

or who's gonna be
there to help you."

David, will you
come here, please?

David, I'd like you to meet Mr.
and Mrs. Burton.

Hello.

Hello, David. It's
very nice to meet you.

Yes, it is.

Thank you.

You read very well.

Thank you.

Uh, what else do you like to do?

Well, I like to build things...

castles, houses...
Stuff like that.

Want to come build with me?

Love to.

Come on, I'll show you.

- Dad!
- Men!

- Where were you?
- Now that is classified.

Dad, come on.

Are you hungry? You want
me to make a plate?

- No, thanks, I ate.
- Why don't you two

go get ready for bed, and I
will come read to you? Go.

And I can show you
my shark's tooth.

Shark tooth?

I found it with Whit
at the truck stop.

Do you know Whit, dad?
He's really cool.

Yeah, buddy, I met him.

Okay, guys, bedtime. Go.

- Trevor...
- Not now.

David? It's time for bed.

- Good night, David.
- Good night.

Thanks for showing us your
building projects, man.

Welcome.

So?

He's amazing.

He's smart, polite,
imaginative...

Ah, I just wanted to hug him.

I'm glad you like him.

Very much.

Good! Since that's how you feel,

I have one more thing I
need to share with you.

David is HIV positive.

What?

David's mother was
an IV drug user.

She never received medication

to prevent mother-to-child
transmission during pregnancy.

I'm sorry, and you're
telling us this now?

You said you were open to
children with special needs.

No, I know we did, but... HIV?

If I had told you before,
would you have met with him?

Hey, that's not fair.

Why not?

Does his condition
change anything

about the way you
just responded?

Does it make him any less
worthy of a loving home...

Supportive parents?

I won't judge you if you
decide to keep looking,

but think about it,
and let me know.

Are you staying here tonight?

Trevor, are you ever
gonna talk to me?

Sure.

How about we start with...

You building the truck
stop without telling me,

- hiring Whit behind my back?
- Okay.

Every time I tried to bring
it up, you wouldn't hear it.

Right. It's my fault that Whit
starts playing with my kids,

finding shark teeth with Finn.

Okay. That was an accident.

An accident?

Yeah, Finn didn't
have school that day,

- so I took him to the job site.
- And left him with Whit.

No, I didn't leave him.

Look, I have told you
that nothing happened.

I do not understand why
you don't get that.

Really? You don't understand
that every guy in my Unit

thinks my wife screwed
around behind my back?

But you know that I didn't.

Do I? You lied to me. You
let Whit live at the bar.

There's no power
at the truck stop,

so it's much more
convenient that way.

Yeah, I'm sure it was.

Trevor, stop it. I told you
that Whit is an old friend,

and he was here helping me
out, and now he's gone,

and I don't have a contractor
to finish the work.

Are you happy?

Honestly, I haven't been
happy for a long time.

What are you saying?

I don't know who
you are anymore.

Where are you going?

To sleep on the couch.

It was so amazing, Roland.

I just wanted to hold him

and tell him everything
was gonna be all right.

I know it sounds crazy, but I
feel like he's already ours,

like he's meant to be
a part of our family.

Yeah, I liked him,
too, Joan, but, uh...

Are we really prepared to
raise a child with HIV?

I'm just saying, it's
gonna involve a lot more

than giving David
a pill every day.

We got to expect complications.

We told the caseworker
we were open to that.

I know what we said, but...

I know. I think
about her, too...

What could happen.

What if David's HIV progressed
to full-blown AIDS?

We could lose him.

How could we do that to her?

How could we do
that to ourselves?

I-I keep going back and forth.

Yeah, me, too.

You know, the fact is, life
expectancy for HIV patients

is getting longer every year.

By the time David's an adult,
there could be a cure.

And if we do adopt him,

he'd be covered by the
Army's medical benefits.

Another family might not
be able to provide that.

You finished?

Hey. You finished?

Thanks for seeing me, Sergeant.

Not a problem, ma'am.

So, um, you knew
Dana Miller in Iraq?

I was her crew chief
in a MedEvac Unit

out of Fort Campbell.

And how well did you know her?

Well, women become
close over there.

- You have to, you know?
- Mm-hmm.

Did you stay in touch
after she got out?

For a while, then her
e-mails stopped.

I assumed she moved on.
She's really homeless?

Yes.

So tell me about her. What
was she like back then?

Excellent pilot.

Fearless. Good sense of humor.

Kept everyone's spirits up.

Hmm. She's not that way anymore.

What happened over
there, Sergeant?

What changed her?

She didn't tell you?

No.

I...

I figured she'd ve some
issues adjusting, but...

I don't think it's
my place to say.

Dana's not the same
woman you knew in Iraq.

She needs counseling,
not jail time.

But she's not gonna get that

if you don't help me
understand what went wrong.

Hey, Roxy.

Hey, Denise.

Um, we don't open for
another half-hour.

I know. I came by to see you.

I'm fine. Really.

You don't seem fine.

Why don't we sit down, huh?

Come on.

What's going on?

Um...

Trevor and I just had
our worst fight ever.

I th... I think he
wants a divorce.

Did he say that?

Not exactly, but he's
sleeping on the couch.

And h...

He said that he hasn't
been happy in a long time.

Oh. I'm sorry.

That fight at the bar was
not a misunderstanding.

The guy that Trevor
punched out was Whit.

Whit? Your contractor?

He's an old friend.

Actually, he's more than that.
He...

He's Finn's father.

Okay.

Wow.

And Trevor knows that?

I needed to hire someone
that I could trust,

and that I could afford,
so I called Whit.

And I tried to tell Trevor,

but he was already so mad about
the truck stop to begin with,

that it never got out.

And now he's
accusing me of lying

and... and worse.

Ugh. I just don't
know what to do.

Hey, we all make mistakes, Roxy.

Believe me.

Look, what I've learned is...

You have to see things from
your soldier's point of view.

And I'm not saying that
what you did is the same

as what I did to Frank,

but you hurt your husband,

and you hurt your marriage,

and you have to admit that

if you want to make
things better.

You have to be honest
with yourself.

And then you can
be honest with him

and hope he understands.

Quite a list of
infractions, Sergeant.

Now that we've heard from
your chain of command,

What do you have to
say for yourself?

No excuse, sir.

I don't think I have to tell you

that an article 15 can
derail a soldier's career.

No, sir.

I understand Colonel Sherwood
was personally involved

in the chain of events.
He's asked to weigh in.

- Colonel?
- Thank you, Colonel.

Sergeant LeBlanc's
recent behavior

has been a disgrace
to the uniform.

However, that is not the soldier

that I have come to
know and respect.

He is one of the finest
young leaders in the 23rd.

I have first-hand knowledge of
his conduct on the battlefield.

His quick actions under
adverse conditions

resulted in a
hard-fought victory,

and not without cost.

His squad suffered
their first KIA.

And I witnessed his compassion
as he comforted his soldiers

and restored morale.

Speaking as a former
enlisted man myself,

I think Sergeant LeBlanc would
make an outstanding officer,

and to lose him would
be a personal tragedy

and a great loss for the Army.

Thank you, Colonel.

Well, Sergeant, based on
what I've just heard,

I'm gonna consider this

your official counseling
on the matter.

It'll go no further.

But step out of line again,
and the hammer will fall.

Yes, sir.

Dismissed.

Sergeant LeBlanc. At ease.

Sir, thank you...

Let me offer you a piece
of hard-earned advice...

Whatever problems
you're having at home,

you need to get 'em squared
away, one way or another.

Yes, sir.

You got a decision
to make, Sergeant.

You gonna be the soldier
I saw yesterday,

or you gonna be the leader I
know you can be tomorrow?

You think on it, son.

She told you?

Sergeant Temple wants to help.

So do I.

It's not good for you, Dana,
keeping this bottled up.

How do you know
what's good for me?

I know you're not gonna get
better until you talk about it.

I can take care of myself.

- You flew helicopters.
- Leave me alone!

You saved lives.

Now look at you...

collecting bottles,
sleeping on park benches.

Is that the life you want?

Is that who you are?

Okay.

Sorry I couldn't help.

No.

That's not who I am.

We'd just finished a hop.

IED took out a Humvee.

Three guys in bad shape.

We were able to save two of 'em.

But the other one bled out
before we could get him back.

I did my post-flight
inspection...

Was heading back to quarters.

I walked past the
maintenance shed...

I couldn't breathe.

Felt my feet lift off the sand.

Aah!

Did you know who it was?

Who?

He worked in communications.

What was his name?

Sergeant Lee Buckley.

Did you report it?

To my CO.

And?

He told me to forget about it.

He said no one would believe me.

I don't think he believed me.

He said I'd be labeled
a troublemaker

if I pursued it.

Did you tell anyone else
other than Sergeant Temple?

And then what?

Then...

Nothing.

I had to keep working with him.

That's when the
nightmares started.

Couldn't sleep.

Couldn't focus.

I couldn't fly anymore.

So the man at the
homeless shelter...

It felt like it was
happening again.

Thank you, Mr. Chandler.

No, I just made the
oral presentation.

Mrs. Holden did all the work.

So I'll see you
back at the office?

Okay.

Thank you.

Well, you heard the judge.

We should be thanking
you for your service.

And I'm gonna take you to
the VA Treatment center.

They're expecting you.

It's a good facility, Dana.

And they have programs
for female vets only.

And I'll come see you, make
sure everything's okay.

Sounds good.

You ready?

Thank you, ma'am.

So you're willing to
move forward with David?

To take the next step, anyway.

You were right. He
is very special.

We'd like our
daughter to meet him,

- see how they get along.
- I understand.

But just as you're concerned
about Sara Elizabeth,

I have to protect
David's feelings.

- Of course.
- I'll be happy to arrange a meeting,

but only if you can assure me

that this is purely
about compatibility.

His HIV will not factor
into your decision.

Yes.

I'll make the arrangements.

Yes. Yes, that's right.

Lee Buckley.

B-u-c-k-l-e-y.

Great.

You have my e-mail? Thanks.

What was that?

Just following up on
Dana's assailant.

What for?

I want to go after him.

M-my office?

Close the door.

So you want to
prosecute this guy?

I know it's a long shot...

Long shot?! It's
impossible, Claudia Joy.

There's no witnesses,
no physical evidence.

I mean at best, it's a
case of he said, she said.

There's no statute
of limitations.

But even if there was a case,
you don't have jurisdiction.

It's an Army matter,
and it's dead.

I'm not letting it drop.

Yeah, well, you're not
pursuing it on my time.

I need you in this office,

not out on some
ridiculous crusade.

Is that what you think?

I thought you
believed in crusades.

What I mean is, you have certain
obligations to this firm,

which I have been too lax
in enforcing of late.

Really?

I can't continue to give
you special treatment.

It's not fair to the other
lawyers in the firm.

There's...

There's been some talk...
innocent...

You know, "teacher's pet,"
that sort of thing.

We have a problem, Grant.

We do.

I think I should give notice.

You know, I... I've
been fooling myself,

to think that you and I
could work together.

I thought you hired me for what
I could bring to the firm.

And I did.

But there's more
to it than that.

I have feelings for
you, Claudia Joy.

In another life...

But not in this one.

I appreciate your honesty.

You should know I have
enormous respect for you,

and I'll always be grateful
for what you've taught me.

I'll clean out my desk.

What's this?

I quit.

- What?
- I left the firm.

Did Chandler pull
something again?

No, no. Nothing
like that, Michael.

This was my decision.

I can't say I'm disappointed.

Thank you for letting me
come to this on my own.

Of course. How did
the, uh, case go?

We won. Dana's at the VA
Treatment center now.

You don't seem very
excited about it.

No, I am. I...

Dana's gonna get her
life back together.

I'm thrilled for her.

But...

But I wanted to
pursue the rape case.

I wanted to focus attention on
sexual assaults in the military.

That's a tough area.

Important, Michael.

I can't believe women in today's
Army need a battle buddy

for protection against
fellow soldiers.

I agree.

Well, it doesn't
matter now, anyway.

Why not?

I went looking for information
on the soldier who raped her.

He's dead.

He was killed in a motorcycle
accident at Fort Bragg.

I, uh, haven't told Dana yet.

Well, at least he won't
hurt anyone else again.

No.

But that's not the
same as justice.

Hey.

Hey.

Where are the boys?

At Pamela's for a sleepover.

Look, babe, I... Trevor, I...
you go first.

No. You.

I am so sorry.

You have every right to be mad.

I went behind your back.

I didn't tell you the truth.

I spent our money
without your okay.

The truck stop and
Whit and everything...

I only did it because...
I was scared.

Scared?

After Jeremy died...

I thought about you
not coming back,

and I just couldn't handle that.

So I really had to
make sure that...

I could take care of
the boys by myself...

Like I used to before...
before you.

Okay.

I sh-shouldn't have hired
Whit as my contractor.

I...

I knew he would do
it for a good price,

but...

It was wrong.

And he was a friend.

And it felt really nice

to have a friend around here.

But I am promising you...

That nothing happened with Whit.

And it never, ever could have.

You really... you gotta
believe me on that.

I do.

Please forgive me.

I was afraid I was losing you.

I thought you were
trying to replace me.

What?

I thought you didn't
need me anymore.

That... that...

That would never happen, ever.

I love you.

I love you so much...

Sometimes, I can't even breathe.