Beauty and the Beast (1987–1990): Season 2, Episode 12 - Orphans - full transcript

After her father dies, Catherine thinks about living the rest of her life in the world below.

This is where the wealthy
and the powerful rule.

It is her world,

a world apart from mine.

Her name... is Catherine.

From the moment I saw her,
she captured my heart

with her beauty,

her warmth and her courage.

I knew then, as I know now,

she would change my life...

forever.

He comes from a secret place,
far below the city streets,



hiding his face from strangers,

safe from hate and harm.

He brought me there
to save my life.

And now, wherever I go,
he is with me in spirit.

For we have a bond stronger
than friendship or love.

And although
we cannot be together,

we will never, ever be apart.

How do you spell
the last name again?

C-H-A-N-D-L-E-R.

Charles Chandler.
He was admitted this morning.

You'll have to check
with the duty nurse in ICU.

Your father's had a stroke.

Why don't you have a seat
in the family room?

An artery gets clogged,



and that prevents the
blood from reaching

a particular part
of the vascular tree--

in this case, the blood vessels
that feed the brain.

It's a pseudo-coma.

Loss of all motor function
and some sensory function.

In other words...

he can't move and...
he can't see you.

You mean he's blind?

Yes.

But we believe that
he may still be able to hear you

and understand
what you're saying.

He's stabilized now,

and we're staying optimistic
about some partial recovery.

How optimistic?

You should prepare yourself
for any possibility.

Daddy?

Daddy, it's me.

I'm here.

Always.

"Always."

It's such a father's word.

"Always."

What is it?

What are you thinking?

Something he did
when I was little.

He'd make me laugh,
that's all.

Whenever I was upset,
he'd make me laugh.

He'd come to the door,
and I would be...

crying on the bed.

Already a part of me
would start to smile.

I would try not to,
but I couldn't help it.

And he would say
in this deep voice,

"Don't laugh.

Don't laugh."

And he'd come in, and
I would try not to look.

But I would look anyway,

and there he was...

with...

this enormous,
red clown's nose

I don't even know
where he got it.

That's a wonderful
memory to have.

I wish we'd stayed
that close.

You told me before...

the growing distance
between you.

We got in a habit.

There were things I
didn't want to tell him.

And...

there were things...
you couldn't tell him.

Catherine...

there's still time.

I'm trying to understand
your side of all this.

And I don't even know
if you can understand me.

But I hope you can...

because I want you to know
that I love you...

and I'm here for you.

Daddy...

I want you to know
that I'm okay.

A lot of things have changed
for me in the last two years.

Even if sometimes you didn't
understand those changes,

you always trusted me.

Remember when you said
that what Mom wanted

was for me to have a happy life?

Well...

it's a complicated thing.

But... I am happy, Daddy.

I really am.

It's just that...

there's been a part of me that
I haven't been able to show you.

You see...

I haven't been alone.

There's been someone
in my life.

His name is Vincent.

When I had the accident,

it was Vincent
who saved my life.

Those days that I was missing,
they weren't lost or forgotten.

I was with him...

healing...

...learning things about myself
I might never have known.

But Vincent was a secret
I couldn't share,

not even with you.

I realize that to you
I am a stranger,

and that was not your choice.

But what Catherine
and I share

has taken great courage,

especially for Catherine.

She's sacrificed much
in order to live a life

of generosity

and of love.

Daddy, I've gotten
so much back.

I had to change.

I had to find my own strengths.

And Vincent has helped me
to do that.

Please know this.

That I will protect Catherine,

watch over her,

and love her
till my last breath.

My father made strong friends.

And it means a lot to me

that so many of you
could come today.

I thought for a long time
about what I could say up here,

but everything I thought of
seemed small and insubstantial

next to the man
that my father was.

So what I'd like to do

is to read to you
a part of a story

that I know he loved.

It's a story about two toys.

A new toy, a rabbit,

and an old, worn-out toy,
a skin horse.

"'What is real?'
asked the Rabbit one day

"when they were lying
side by side.

"'Does it mean having things
that buzz inside you

"and a stick-out handle?'

"'Real isn't how you are made,'
said the Skin Horse.

"'It's a thing
that happens to you

"'when a child loves you
for a long, long time.

"'Not just to play with,
but really loves.

Then you become real.'"

"'Does it hurt?'
asked the Rabbit.

"'Sometimes,'
said the Skin Horse,

"for he was always truthful.

"'When you are real,
you don't mind being hurt.

"'Does it happen all at once,
like being wound up,'

the Rabbit asked,
'or bit by bit?'

"'It doesn't happen
all at once,'

"said the Skin Horse.

"'You become.
It takes a long time.

"'That's why
it doesn't often happen

"'to people who break easily
or have sharp edges

"'or have to be carefully kept.

"'Generally, by the
time you are real,

"'most of your hair
has been loved off

"'and your eyes drop out
and you get loose in the joints

"'and very shabby.

"'But these things don't matter
at all,

"'because once you are real,

"'you can't be ugly, except to
people who don't understand.

"'Once you are real, you can't
become unreal again.

It lasts for always.'"

Your father and I drafted this
after you left the firm.

He wanted to...

Well, we both wanted to protect
your option to return.

That's not a decision

I'm prepared
to make right now.

Of course.
Whatever you
decide, though,

doesn't affect
your entitlement.

Basically, you're due

continuing and uncollected fees,
but only on those cases in which

Charles was
actively involved.

Rather than a prolonged
payment schedule,

Mark and I discussed
the possibility

of offering you
a lump-sum settlement.

The fact is, your father's
participation

has been pretty limited

- over the past few years.
- Mark...

I'm just being
honest, Dad.

We've come up with a range
of figures

which I think
are quite substantial,

but it's certainly open
to discussion.

That's fine, Jay.

Right now, I'm not feeling
very open to discussion.

Marilyn!

How are you?

I'm all right.

Really.

How about you?

I'm not sure yet.

It's hard to imagine
this place without him.

I know...

Mark doesn't seem
to have the same problem.

Mark is a very young man.

He has his own ideas.

He said
that Daddy hadn't been

very active
in the practice lately.

That's nonsense.

Marilyn, come on.

You can be honest with me.

Cathy, even when you were here,
your father was letting go

of some of the responsibility.

So that I could take over.

I suppose.

And when I left...

When you left,

I think your father's
priorities changed.

But he respected
your decision, Cathy.

I think your honesty
helped him realize

that corporate law
wasn't everything.

God knows, I'd been
trying to do that

for 25 years.

He lived.

He took time
for the things that he loved:

travel...

the theater...

old friends...

you.

You really were his world.

Cathy?

Joe!

Hi. I took
an early lunch.

Thought I'd stop by and
see how you were doing.

Come in.

You... want something
to drink?

No, no, thanks.
I'm fine.

At least sit down.

Yeah, okay, for a minute.

So, how are you doing?

Better.

Escobar tells me you're coming
back to work tomorrow.

I think the work will be good
for me.

What else am I supposed to do?

Look, Cathy,
I'm no psychiatrist,

but experience teaches us
things that books just can't.

When my father died...

It, it goes a lot deeper
than you think.

It takes a long time
to get your head straight.

A lot longer
than three days.

I don't know.

I don't know what I want to do.

I just don't know.

I had nowhere to go.

You're here now.

I've been walking everywhere...
like I'm looking for something.

I don't know.

Catherine, what you're looking
for is inside you.

I'm losing myself.

I can't go back there.

Catherine...

There's nothing for me there.

I tried!

That life isn't mine anymore!

Give yourself the time to mourn.

Vincent...

I need to be with you.

I need you.

I need you.

Come.

So sudden a loss,
you had no time to prepare.

The pain...

goes through me
and then subsides.

I can feel it in you.

I know you can.

It's late.
You should sleep.

I am tired.

Are you sure
you'll be all right?

I'm sure.

Vincent...

Good night.

Good night.

How's Catherine?

Sleeping.

Vincent...

I know how difficult
this is for you.

To have her so close.

Yes.

How long will
she be staying?

As long as she needs.

I see.

Catherine knows how much
her presence here affects me.

Does she?

What have you told her?

Nothing.

Perhaps you should.

What should I tell her
that won't frighten her?

She's already in enough pain.

Before, there was the safety
of distance between you.

But now...
She comes here in grief.

Whatever she needs,

whatever sacrifice
I must make, I will make...

to be there for Catherine.

Vincent, I'm afraid for you.

Afraid for...

for both of you.

Father...

I fear...

that whether Catherine stays
or leaves,

it's going to cause
you both deep sorrow.

Good morning.

Good morning, Geoffrey.

Vincent wanted me to ask
if you needed anything.

Well, do you need anything?

Maybe some hot water.

Where is Vincent?

He's down in the lower tunnels,
working on the new chambers.

He said if you need him
that I would go get him.

No, no. I'm fine.

What is it?

I'm sorry about your father.

Me, too.

Do you miss him?

Very much.

I never knew my parents.

But I miss 'em anyways.

Do you still
have a mother?

She died when I was ten.

When I was your age.

I guess that makes you
an orphan, too.

I guess so.

That's okay.

I spent the entire
morning by myself,

and somehow
I didn't feel alone.

You're not alone here.

It's strange.

What?

Being here.

It makes me realize what
I've been missing all along.

The chance
to be with you.

I wasn't sure if this time
would ever come...

if I would ever be so certain.

But, you know,
it's always been a dream.

For both of us.

I want to stay.

Catherine...

You know me, Vincent.

You know what I'm feeling.

I want to live
in your world.

I don't want to go back.

I don't want you to go back.

Cathy?

She's not here.

Our world sleeps,

and she is near.

Strange and wonderful and sad,

this feeling rising in me
like a tide.

To have all I ever dreamed of
so close,

and yet to know that...

All I know is that she is here,

and that I must live for her,

surround her easily,

guide her out of suffering.

While she is here,
I must live moment by moment...

for her.

Just cry.

Vincent.

Don't laugh.

Don't laugh! Don't laugh!

Dad!

It never worked much
after you were 13, anyway.

I have missed you so much.

I've missed you, too.

These last few days, I have felt
your presence so strongly.

I've been near.

That's what grief is.

Soon I'll move farther away.

No.

Don't worry,
it's all right.

It's necessary.

And I understand
so much more about you now.

What you have is a rare thing.

With Vincent?

Yes.

I wish I could have
told you sooner.

You had to wait
until I was old enough.

Did you understand?

I understood everything he said,

and I understood
everything you said.

I just wanted you to know
how much I love him.

And how much I love you.

Your love made it easier
for me to let go.

Yeah.

Do you think I'm doing
the right thing?

Do you remember...

after we lost your mother,

you always wanted
to go into the park?

I wanted to climb trees.

Almost every Saturday.

And I used
to watch you.

And sometimes
you'd be very bold,

and you would climb very high,

and then you would
look down on me.

And you were always smiling.

Well, I'll tell you a secret.

Inside, my heart
was pounding so much

I wanted to cry out two words,
but I did not:

"Don't fall!"

I was so worried
about you,

and so proud of you
at the same time.

You wanted to climb trees,

and somehow I knew
I had to let you.

I had to trust you.

And never once did
you go out so far

that the branches
would break,

or stay up too long in the cold.

And when you were ready,
you always came back down.

I've stayed too long.

Dad, please.

I can't.

Good-bye, Cathy.

Dad?!

Dad...

But it wasn't like a dream.

He was there...
talking to me.

Giving you
his blessing.

Yes.

He...

He understood
about our secret.

He understood.

Everything.

I could feel his trust.

Whatever I do now...

it's okay.

You found peace with him.

Yes.

But not yet
with yourself.

I...

I'm not sure.

Don't ever be
afraid of the truth.

I don't want to hurt you.

I don't ever want
to disappoint you.

By returning above.

I feel like I've failed.

Catherine...

Every moment that we share

is a triumph and a gift,

and every one of
those moments is...

a lifetime, complete.

There is no failure.

It doesn't mean our
dream can never be.

It just means that now
is not the right time.

You came here to grieve,

and to begin to heal,

but now your destiny is
to be in both worlds.

You're a woman
of both worlds.

That is who you are.

But my heart is here.

And my heart is with you.

Wherever you are,

wherever you go,

you take me.

You stand for me...

for us...

for our dream.

You carry our light.

That, too, is your destiny.

Do you think that someday...?

Will we ever be together?

Truly together?

Only if and when
we understand

how great the sacrifice
and how large the fears,

and are able to
move through them.

I'm not scared.

Catherine, we are something
that has never been.

And our journey is one
that none have ever taken.

We are just now
setting out.

We must go with courage.

And we must
go with care.

I'm a little scared.

I know.

Isn't that strange?

No.

Thank you, Vincent.

Hi, Joe.

Cathy. Wh...

Where were you?

I mean, where the hell
have you been?

Thanks for worrying.

I'm ready to come back to work.

You sure?

I'm sure.

Okay.

Wherever you are,

wherever you go, you take me.

You stand for me... for us...

for our dream.

You carry our light.

Don't worry, Daddy.

I won't fall.

I won't fall.