What/If (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 7 - What Ghosts - full transcript

They say fear of flying stems
from inability to cede control.

Technically, it's a fear of crashing.

As a woman of science,
you have to know that your anxiety

is statistically irrational.

Unlikely outcomes
are not by definition impossible.

Don't worry, Lisa.

I'm not done with you yet.

Fuck me.

Miss Montgomery, one of the engines blew.
We need to make an emergency landing.

Where are we?

A hundred miles northeast of Louisville.



We'll have to fly right into the heart
of this thing. Tighten up those belts.

Huh. Kentucky.

At least we know the bourbon will be good.

Hi. You've reached Lisa.
Leave a message and I'll call you back.

Hey, Lis, we made it to Stockton.

Yo, Donovan!

Parking cars now for a living.

Kidding, bro.
Once the king, always the king, all right?

Anyway, I figured I'd let you know
all is well over here.

But this thing's about to get started,

so give me a ring when you land in DC.

I love you.

Kevin?

No.



No!

Fuck!

This is one of the last family-owned
motels in Northern Kentucky.

Not my family, but still...

The original wing went up in 1952,

but it's expanded since then.

Thank you.

And this is the only available room?

Yes, ma'am.

Booked solid on account of out-of-towners
for the Braddock wedding,

and all the truckers and other folks
riding the storm out.

I don't suppose there's a Wi-Fi signal
I can access.

I'm not getting any cell service.

Um, landline's your best bet,
but it's only set up for local calls.

Tyler?

Ma'am.

I noticed your establishment
doesn't have a restaurant.

Uh...

There's a vending machine.

No.

Barbeque, I think.

Surely, there's some world famous
rib house within driving distance.

Uh, on a night like this,
everyone's all closed down.

Too bad too. My mom runs the kitchen
over at Hickory Flats.

Perfect.

Have her whip up
some of her favorites for us.

- But they're not...
- While you're at it...

find us a nice bottle of bourbon, huh?

And tell your mom I think she's raised
a very impressive young man.

Yes, ma'am.

I can imagine
you doing a lot of things, Anne.

Eating barbeque is not one of them.

I lick my fingers like everyone else.

Why don't you and I try
setting aside our preconceptions

about each other for a night.

Do you think you can do that?

I can if you can.

Lovely.

Maybe we'll find we share
more in common than we realize.

Besides the obvious, of course.

East Stockton High class of 2009,

welcome to your ten-year reunion.

Oh, look at that girl. She looks so good.

I love it. Thank you.

Oh, my God. Sean Donovan.

Oh, hi, Stacy.

- Hey, guys.
- Lisa land in DC yet?

Went straight to voicemail.

Flights are getting canceled
across the country due to weather.

Well, when is her presentation?

It's tomorrow morning.

She's traveling with a gazillionaire.

She'll get there safe and sound.
Trust me, she's good.

Oh, my gosh!
Is that Angela and Todd Archer?

Hey, it's Laurie, Laurie Parker.

Well, Parker-Welsh now. Remember me?

- I was the yearbook editor.
- Yes.

Well, how are the Wolverine's
most legendary sweethearts,

besides gorgeous and ageless?

Oh, and is that favorite son,
Sean Donovan?

No name tag necessary for you, sir.

Oh, my gosh. Now it's officially official.

- The entire homecoming court has arrived!
- Yeah.

Minus Maddie, of course.

Yeah.

Oh, Sean, I'm so sorry.
You must be heartsick.

- Selfies later? Okay?
- Sure.

- Okay, have fun.
- Laurie.

Yo, Sean Don.

- Billy.
- Aw, Billy, come on, man.

Can I get a vibe for your diehard fans?

What's it like to return to the throne

in the kingdom of high jumps
and dry humps?

- Please stop.
- Ew, bro, stop.

Billy, quit harassing people
with that stupid thing.

Everyone knows how to take videos.
We all have phones.

Okay, there's a big difference
between taking videos

and directing videos, Christine.

Besides, by the time our 20th reunion

and the AI apocalypse rolls around,

this is gonna be the only format
that still exists.

And plus, you're gonna thank me

for documenting how hot you look...

...ten years from now.

Billy.

- Okay, let's...
- Yo, mathletes!

I need a consensus on the AI apocalypse.

Don't be such a lunk, Paul.

Let's go rally the cheer squad.

- What up, Paul?
- Hey.

Hey.

Well, it's time for a drink.
You doing whiskey tonight?

Yo, Sean, you okay, man?

Huh? Yeah, sure, whatever they got.

Okay.

- I'll meet you back here?
- Yeah.

My dress is fuckin' ruined,
asshole!

Why don't you run faster,
goddamn it!

Oh, lordy.

Hello, Tyler. Nice to see you again.

You too, ma'am.

On the table is fine.

Turned out my mom had a bunch
of food cooked up

for the Elks Club meeting
that got canceled.

Ah, she just threw in
a bunch of everything.

Hope you're not vegetarians.

Party next door! BYOB, bitches!

Whoo, whoo!

Yeehaw!

Make that go away, please.

Oh, I don't know if I got what it takes
to take care of that.

Mm-hmm.

It's just that...

I really don't wanna
have to call the police.

Yes, ma'am.

Didn't take long
to wrap that one around your finger.

That one...

is a born pleaser.

I simply offered him the opportunity

to do what comes naturally.

I think we just found
our first bit of common ground.

Oh?

You and I both evaluate data

to support a desired outcome.

Only I do it with DNA
and you do it with people.

Hm.

Know what happens
when I misread empirical data?

My hypothesis fails
and I go back to square one.

I wonder.

What happens when you fail
to read someone accurately?

That hasn't happened in a very long time.

You go ahead. I should keep working.

My advice?

Based on my assessment of you...

take the night off.

The night before
the most important meeting of my life?

Second most important.

You know your creation

backwards and forwards.

In your book,
you said the most lethal weapon

you can carry into battle is preparation.

Now you're telling me
you don't want me prepared?

What I'm telling you
is you're already prepared.

Thank you. Appreciate it.

Coach Archer! What are you doing here?
I thought you retired.

- Big Mac. How you been?
- Hey, Coach.

It's good to see you.

- I'll talk to you later.
- All right, cool.

Hey, son.

I'm glad you made it.

Hey, Pop.

Still got your baby face.

Hey, where's your...

doctor wife at?

You still married?

Stronger than ever.

Good for you.

That...

"third time's the charm" stuff
ain't working out for me.

I've been sleeping on the couch since May.

Aw, here we go.

What do you want from me, money?

Damn, son, that's cold.

I don't hear from you in years and you
show up at my high school reunion

with a sob story
about your broken marriage.

Why else would you be reaching out?

To apologize.

Son, I know...

my temper caused you
a lot of pain growing up.

It's something I've been working on

since Charlotte kicked me to the curb.

I'm not the only one you hurt.

Yeah, but your mother,
she's a ways off from...

being forgiving.

But you've always had
a softer heart than either one of us.

- You still gambling?
- No.

No.

But I got myself a cat though.

You remember all those
neighborhood kitties

used to always line up
on our back porch after supper?

I remember you beating the shit out of me
when you found out I fed them.

Son, I...

I swear on my busted soul...

I am sorry...

for ever laying hands on you in anger.

And I'll never ask you
for anything but this:

one chance

to prove myself worthy

of being a part of your life.

You don't have to answer now.

Just hope you think about it.

I'm gonna...

get going now,
let you kids enjoy yourselves.

Hey, Pop.

I'll give you a call next week, all right?

All right.

Just like old times, idiots.

Except now it's legal,
kind of takes the fun out of it.

Sean Don, get over here and blaze with us.

- Can't.
- Right.

Donovan's a First Responder now.

Maybe pick a career
that doesn't drug test next time.

Although I think we can all agree
that staying clean

didn't really help his pitching career
from flaming out.

You're out!

It's true.

Just fuck off, Billy.

Aw, no, come on. Donovan?

Learn to take a joke!

Hi. You've reached Lisa.
Leave a message and I'll call you back.

Get out of here, Maddie! Go!

Batter up, Sean.

Fucking shame what happened to Maddie.

Doug. Hamm.

Man, this beard
is really throwing people off tonight.

How the hell are you, Donovan?

Not feeling great tonight,
if I'm being honest.

I know. If anything,
you were always honest.

Guy most likely do the right thing
even when nobody's looking.

You've got me confused with my brother.

Nope. Talking about you.

Yeah, but Eric, oof, he was great.
I worshipped him.

Everybody did.

That kind of adoration
can be a lot of pressure.

A lot of people pinned all their hopes
on you becoming a hero with the Giants.

It's hardly the same thing,

but my grandma never got over the fact
that I quit the seminary.

I thought she'd change her tune once
I signed up for the police academy, but...

- You're a cop?
- Yeah. Detective.

Stockton Homicide.

Guess how many murders we have
in this town every year?

- No idea.
- Fifty-three.

Police department's got
a pretty good record, too.

Only a handful ever go unsolved.

Remember that big, burly drug dealer
got his head bashed in

at the Batters Box seven years ago?

Not really.

Of course you do.

We were all there that night, even Maddie.

Yeah, you were...

finishing up spring training
I think for your second season.

Not one of my favorite years.
I don't think about it often.

Yeah.

Well, some woman called in a tip about it.

Said to look for a connection
between that guy's murder

and a young woman's overdose
up in San Francisco.

It's Maddie?

So I rang up SFPD

and they told me that you were the last
person that she called the night she died.

Anything you can tell me about that?

I didn't pick up.

Yeah.

They said that, too.

Hey, you know what?

Why don't you give me a call
whenever you're feeling more up to it

and we can talk, okay?

Maybe you can recall anything
that might help us solve this sucker.

Ain't no doubt about it,
the victim was a bad dude,

had a rap sheet
long as a football field, but...

you know, he had kids.

One of them's a senior here
at East Stockton this year.

It would be a hell
of a graduation gift to be able to...

tell her we caught the guy
that killed her dad.

Yeah.

Well, it was good seeing you.

Lazarus arisen.

Where did you go?

Grocery shopping. I didn't wanna wake you.

Last night was a real dark night
of the soul.

No shit.

You were out for, like, 16 hours.
Are you okay?

No, Kevin, I'm fucked.

What will Lionel say
when he sees what we did there?

He's gonna wanna know why.

That's your next step.

No, my next step
is finding a wallpaper store

that can match what used to be there
and cover that monstrosity up.

When you go on a hero's journey,

and you dredge up all that sludge
from the shadows,

you don't try to shove it back in
the next day.

That's the worst thing you can do.

No, the worst thing I can do
is take an overdose of mushrooms.

Jesus! What is it with you?

You can try to paper over that beautiful
tormented howl all you want,

but just because you can't see something
doesn't mean it's not there.

Since when did you become an expert
in tormented howls and sludge shadows?

Since I was raised
in an intentional community.

My parents exposed me
to some very awesome,

very wise seekers growing up.

They taught me how to walk
through my darkness to discover my light.

So, what, you're a go-go shaman?

More like a Sherpa.

Kids back at the community
used to call me Peter Pan.

I was leader of the Lost Boys.

Doesn't get much gayer than that.

I'm not gay.

I'm Pan.

And I know a Lost Boy when I see one.

Now, I'm gonna whip you up the most
amazing omelet you've ever had.

And then you...

are gonna let me help you
finish your journey.

Roads are washed out
from Louisville to Lexington

with no end to this deluge in sight,

with winds gusting up to
40 miles per hour.

The storm is expected...

You know, when I was a kid my family
used to stay at motels like this.

You mean the Ruiz's?

I mean my family.

Every summer we'd road trip somewhere.

Joshua Tree, Vegas,

Grand Canyon...

We'd order pizzas, pile on the bed,
and watch old movies on TV.

Marcos, Amelia, and I
used to drive my parents nuts,

staying up late,

whispering,

giggling...

and then...

there was this one night
Amelia kept everyone up coughing.

That was the beginning of her illness.

And your destiny.

Hm.

What about you?

What about me?

What was your childhood like?

Hm.

Not very different.

No, I'm not just gonna sit around
and wait for you

to come up with an excuse
to tell your wife!

I have options!

Fuck!

Whoo-hoo!

Anne.

I wouldn't do that.

Y'all sound like y'all are having
a really fun time in there.

Well, red rover, red rover,
let mama come over.

Lord, if only I could.

But I need to get some sleep tonight.

We seem to have ourselves
conflicting agendas.

I know.

And I hate to be a bad neighbor,

but if y'all could see fit to, um...

- Oh.
- Whoa. Whoa.

Whoa.

Are you feeling all right?

I just need my rest. Um...

Could you help me?

A little too much of the bourbon
tonight, sweetie.

Oh.

I'm afraid what I've got
is a mite more serious than that.

See that girl there?

She...

is gonna cure cancer.

With some luck,

a little sooner than later.

- Kill the music.
- What the hell, man?

- I said kill it!
- Why?

We'll take it to Braddock's room.

Good luck to you, ma'am.

You'll be in my prayers.

Thank you.

You...

are unbelievable.

I think our suitemate
found me quite believable.

Just to be clear, you're not sick?

We're all sick.

Some of us are just better at hiding it.

How about a movie?

Girl.

You look as good as the day I saw you
standing at the top of the activity stage.

I can't say the same for you.

You were a goofy, gangly boy.

Oh, okay. And now?

And now, you are a strong

strapping father to our baby.

Speaking of fathers, mine just left.

- Yeah?
- Mm-hmm.

Did you talk to him?
What did he have to say?

That he was sorry.

- Before or after he asked for cash?
- Neither.

- Dude seemed straight-up humble.
- Hm.

Yes.

Seems like life has been really beating
him down these past few years.

Did you tell him about our baby?

Nah.

I feel like that was a big door though.
I wanted to talk to you about it first.

But how dope would that be

for our child to actually know
his only living grandpa? Come on.

- It'd be very dope.
- Right?

Yeah.

I hope he's changed.

I really do.

God, I love this woman.

- Oh, you do?
- Mm-hmm.

Why don't you show me?

Right here?

- No, not here.
- Where?

The top of the activity stairs.

Oh...

Oh, you remember, huh?

- Okay. Yes, I do.
- Mm-hmm.

All right.

Hey.

Oh, there you are.
Where you been? Signing autographs?

I'm gonna catch a ride back to the city.

What? Something happen with Lisa?

No. I still haven't heard from her.

Then, what's up?

I just, uh...

Ain't feeling it?

Look, just give me 15 minutes with Angela,
I'll be right back.

Are you sure?

I'm positive. Just hang tight, all right?

All right.

You were right.

That was some omelet.

I wouldn't lie to you, Marcos.

I believe that.

Ready to tell me this guy's story?

He's a calaca.

Day of the Dead skeleton.

Why is he on fire?

Depends on the interpretation.

He could be...

burning in the afterlife,
dealing with unresolved conflicts, or...

maybe he just...

died in a fire.

Why is he so important to you?

Because...

he's a reminder...

to always honor death

no matter how it comes for you.

You mean your sister, Amelia?

Yeah, but...

also...

Lisa's parents.

I didn't realize you knew them.

My mom was...

Lisa's nanny and...

she would bring me and Amelia over
to play with her all the time.

And one day, the day my parents
were getting naturalized,

they left me at Lisa's house
while they went down to City Hall

with Amelia, who was still so little.

When they said goodbye...

Pa told me...

our family would remember this day
for the rest of our lives.

They were right.

I've never been able to forget it...

hard as I've tried.

The fire spread so fast.

I grabbed Lisa and just...

ran.

I was so scared,
I hid with her in the neighbor's shed

until the firefighters found us.

Lisa's parents ran through the house
searching for us...

not knowing we weren't in there.

Until the smoke overcame them.

It was all my fault.

Marcos, it was an accident.

You were just a little boy.

That little boy killed two people...

destroyed a family.

Say it.

You think I'm a monster.

I won't.

- I don't...
- Don't you get it?

Lisa grew up thinking I was a hero,

that I saved her from that fire.

You did.

I lit it.

And you've been paying penance
for it your entire life.

Working to put families back together,
living for everyone but yourself.

Secretly suffering in the shadows.

- That's where I deserve to be.
- No.

What you deserve is forgiveness.

How can Lisa ever forgive me
for something like this?

That's up to her.

But the only way to start healing
all the pain you've been carrying

is for you to forgive yourself.

You best be ready for tonight,

'cause you have woken
one horny ass Wolverine.

- Yeah, in it to win it?
- I'll fight until I get it.

Hey, you want your money or not?

You see what I'm saying?

'Cause I'm gonna get it for you.

Look, my son...

his wife,
she's a big-time surgeon in San Fran.

They're swimming in it.

Same old story, huh?

Hey, look, I'll call you back.

Almost had me believing you could change.

That's the last time I make that mistake.

Ang, come on, let's go.

Don't walk out on me, boy.

I raised your bitch-ass, and you owe me.

I don't owe you nothing.

What, you're a tough guy now?

Todd, let's just get out of here.

Yeah, I never understood what you saw
in this pantywaist, Angela.

Woman, with your talents
you could do a fuck of a lot better.

Todd is more of a man
than you will ever be.

He's gonna be twice the father, too.

What?

Finally giving me my grandbaby?

You ain't getting shit.

I didn't have a choice growing up,
but I sure as hell do now.

I was making excuses for you
my whole life,

talking your abuse, I was just a kid.

But I'm having my own kid now.

And I'm gonna be the kind of dad
I wish I had.

Don't you ever contact me again.

It was very quick, Guy.

She wasn't hurt in any way.

It was all over in no time.

I knew you'd be surprised.

This movie's really twisted.

There is nothing for us to worry about.

Hitchcock's classic study in duality.

The internal struggle
between good and evil made manifest.

...I went back to pick it up.

Not all of us struggle
with good and evil, you know.

Some of us just want

to make the world a better place...

live a happy life.

Being unreachable used to have caché.

There are some things
I'll just never understand.

I'm worried about the person I love.

No reason you'd understand that.

You don't think I'm capable of love?

I wouldn't know.

All I can go by is what I can observe.

You seem to live a very lonely life.

Loneliness is involuntary.

My life is solitary.

Doesn't sound any more appealing.

But since you brought it up, have you?

Have I what?

Ever loved someone?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, I think he was asking...

Sam?

Hey there, kiddo.

- What you got?
- My cricket.

- Want to meet him?
- I'd love to meet him. What's his name?

Well, if you're gonna make him
a proper pet, you got to get him a name.

You do it, you name him.

Um...

Okay. Jiminy?

- We'll talk soon.
- No.

Uh... Hmm?

Philbert?

No.

Um...

Steve.

I told you to get that stupid bug
out of my house.

I've got Brett coming over.

The last thing I need is for that thing
to hop around all over the place.

- Give it to me!
- No, Mommy.

What did you say to me?

Uh, the disposal's all fixed, Mrs. Tanner.

It's about time.

Oh, fuck! I'm late!

Get rid of that bug by the time I'm back
or it goes in the disposal.

Where are my shoes?

Hey...

why don't I keep Steve safe with me?

And you can come and visit him
any time you want.

Deal?

I'll walk you downstairs, Mrs.Tanner.

Okay.

I was very young.

And he was very kind.

Your father?

I never knew my father.

But...

you said he was an old friend of that man
from the détente party, Uncle Dave.

There's no Uncle Dave.

So what happened to this man
you are talking about?

He was murdered.

Oh, you must be tired, Guy.

Hello.

Yes.

That'll be fine.

They'll have a new plane
for us by sunrise.

Now when you think things over,
you'll see that I'm right.

I don't know you. I Never saw you before,
I never wanna see you again!

But we have...

Everyone, listen up.

It's your Wolverine Spirit leader,
Christine Speedman.

I know, I haven't changed a bit.

Billy, chill, this is serious.

I know it's a party,
but we can't ignore the fact

that not all of us could be here tonight,

one person in particular.

Everyone, please turn your flashlights on.

Wherever Maddie is,
I know she's smiling down on us.

So let tonight be a celebration of life,

friendship, memories,

and Wolverines.

Sean, what are you doing over here
all by your lonesome?

Come out and join the pack.

- No thanks, Laurie...
- Are you sure?

Okay, at least let me get
that selfie with you, okay?

I'm sorry, Sean,
but could you maybe smile?

'Cause these are gonna go
in my scrapbook. Yeah?

Oh, my God. Thank you.

I need to get some air.

Everybody, you know the drill.

♪ We are the wolves
The mighty, mighty wolves ♪

♪ We are the wolves
The mighty, mighty wolves ♪

♪ We're in it to win it ♪

♪ We'll fight it till we get it ♪

♪ We're in it to win it
We'll fight it till we get it ♪

♪ We say orange, you say black ♪

- ♪ Orange! ♪
- ♪ Black! ♪

- ♪ Orange... ♪
- There's that animal aggression?

Careful, Sean.

♪ Let's go, pack! ♪

♪ Let's go, pack! ♪

Quick.

Come with me.

Remember this place?

Mm. We sure had some fun
in here, didn't we?

Ah, this isn't happening.

And you were always so nervous.

Like breaking into the equipment room

to fuck your girlfriend

was the worst thing
you could imagine doing.

Then a few short years later...

you smashed in a man's skull
with a baseball bat.

Now...

seven years later...

I'm dead, too.

I'm sorry, Maddie.

- I'm so sorry.
- Don't be sorry.

I'd rather be me than you.

Always running.

Running.

Running.

Please, just leave me alone.

There's only one way...

that can happen, Sean.

Maddie?

Were you just talking to Maddie?

I heard you say her name, dude.

Sean, are you okay?

No, this man is definitely not okay.

But I got some award-worthy
footage of him...

- Hey, Sean!
- Stop!

Please, Sean, stop!

Whoa! What happened?

- Sean! Bro!
- Look at me!

What is wrong with you? Sean, breathe.

- Get me out of here.
- Okay.

We got you. Come on.

What the fuck did I do?

Anne?

The way you read me when we first met...

assuming Sean was my weakness...

as much as I wanted to hate you
for what that night did to my marriage...

in the end,
it actually made us stronger, so...

I guess in a way
I wanna thank you for that.

There's something you should know
about that night.

We didn't sleep together.

What?

I didn't have sex with your husband.

I don't...

Then what did happen?

You should focus on your presentation.

I expect tomorrow will be

a very revealing day.

All around.

Open up!

Make her stop.

- You can do it, I know she listens to you.
- Come in, Sean.

She called the Stockton police!
You have to help me!

Please, I'm begging you!

The only person that can help you
is the one responsible for the crime.

It isn't me or Anne.

- That's you.
- You don't understand.

Oh, I understand better than you think.

All these years you've been
telling yourself what you did,

you did because you had to.

That you didn't have a choice.

Sit down.

A man will do terrible things
to protect the ones he loves.

And even worse...

when he's too late to save them.

I had a daughter.

Someone hurt her.

The pain my daughter tried to live with

was more than she could bear.

She was barely a teenager
when she took her own life.

So the man who hurt her...

I took his.

After I killed this man,
I walked straight into the police station,

turned myself in to my own supervisor.

- You were a cop?
- Cold case detective.

Eleven years on the force.

I've seen what guilt can do to people.

I see what it's doing to you.

No matter what path we choose in life,
good or bad...

It always leads us
right where we deserve to be.

You went to prison.

Twenty years...

hard time.

And I served every one
of those days without regret.

Sean...

a man who takes responsibility
for the things he's done...

doesn't have to hide in the darkness.

And he doesn't drag the woman he loves
into that darkness with him.

Poor Sean.

He's really going through something.

Yeah.

When you look too close at the past,
sometimes you don't like what you see.

I'm sorry your father let you down.

Again.

Don't be. Okay?

The way I see it...

that man is the reason
why I'm gonna be the best dad to our kid.

One of the reasons, anyway.

What are the others?

You, our life together.

I'm grateful to my father
for showing me how important it is

to be good to the people you love,
take care of them.

Who the hell could that be at this hour?

It's late. Don't answer.

It could be Sean.

Sean? Babe...

Babe, just relax. I'm coming right back.

Stay right there.

"To the expecting couple,
a little something to warm your heart."

No, baby, don't open...

Whoa! Shit!

Oh!

What the...? I'm calling the cops.

- Baby, give me the phone.
- I know who it is.

Baby, sit down.

There's something I need to tell you.

Todd?

Sit down.

Please.