March 31, 2003 Transcript
"I'm Not Plotting Anything"

Alexis and Cameron are walking through the hall at the hospital.

Cameron: It's clear to me that it's a difficult subject for you, but I think it'd be valuable if we continued to work on it.

Alexis: Ok. I'm just a little pressed for time.

Cameron: I meant at the next session, Alexis.

Alexis: Oh, oh. Yeah, ok.

Cameron: Look, I know these sessions can be upsetting, even after the fact.

Alexis: Well, it's a consequence of the court order, and it'll help me deal with the separation that I feel from my daughter.

Cameron: Well, that's just the sort of response a therapist likes to hear, which is why I know it's a total fabrication.

A.J. walks in the front door and finds Edward in the foyer.

A.J.: Grandfather, glad I caught you at home. I wanted to go over --

Edward: Hey, hey, what -- why are you still here? You should be at the office by now.

A.J.: I wanted to discuss my responsibilities first.

Edward: Oh.

A.J.: Now, you got custody of little Kristina. And in return for being allowed visitation, Ned's given you back control of E.L.Q. --

Edward: Mm-hmm.

A.J.: Thanks, in large part, to yours truly.

Edward: It was a great night, wasn't it?

A.J.: Yes, it was. But now it's time to discuss my new position. Working on the docks gave me a unique perspective. I want to be in control over shipping interests.

Edward: No, you'll be staying where you are at E.L.Q., A.J.

Zander and Gia go to Kelly's where Gia has asked Taggert to meet her. She asks Taggert to help get her into the D.A.'s office as an intern. He knows exactly what she's up to. She tells him that the fire was arson and Scott's deep into the plot. Taggert refuses to help her.

A.J.: We had a deal -- I help you in exchange for real power at E.L.Q.

Edward: You're already a Vice President, A.J. What more do you want?

A.J.: What I have is nothing but an empty title.

Edward: No, you -- no, no, no, you were a big part of this, A.J. You came around with it, and it showed real progress on your part. I think you should take it as a personal victory. You -- you certainly have one foot out of the cellar.

A.J.: Which means I'm still in the cellar.

Edward: Oh, god, A.J., you got a handsome salary with none of the headaches. Agh!

A.J.: I'm Vice President in charge of paper clips! (Skye walks in the front door) Now, what I want -- I want power in this family and in this company. You promised me. Ok, don't you dare double-cross me, old man.

Skye: Let me guess -- grandfather just stabbed you in the back? You're not climbing up the Quartermaine ladder after all, are you?

A.J.: I went out on a limb for you. I could've been arrested for arson.

Edward: Mm-hmm, which is exactly why you will say nothing of what happened, ever.

A.J.: Oh, you think I can't fight back, right? You don't think I can fight back without incriminating myself? Is that it?

Edward: No, you are trapped, A.J. One word of this leaks out and you are in jail for arson.

Skye: Don't let it bother you, A.J. So what, grandfather stomps all over you. Because, in the end, he only has the interest of the family at heart. Don't you, grandfather?

Edward: (Chuckles) You -- you don't think I would've given you a position of power in the company, huh, where you could go on a bender and do some harm to it? A.J., You can't handle it! You never could!

A.J.: You're making a serious mistake, old man. Payback's a bitch, I promise you.

Edward: You're in no position to threaten me, young man. Now, you've -- you've had a taste of manual labor. You can go back to driving a forklift if you want, or you can continue to maintain your place that you have earned in this family. Just remember what that place is and you'll be fine.

Edward walks out.

Skye: Well, I'd say you got two options here -- first being you can join me in a three-day bender where we can drown our sorrows, or you can take advantage of my rather magnanimous nature.

A.J.: Which is what, exactly?

Skye: I'm willing to forget that you tried to cut me out of the deal and help you make the old geezer pay.

Cameron and Alexis go sit in the lounge.

Cameron: Lying to me, Alexis, will only make this process take longer.

Alexis: I just assured you that I'm working on my therapy to get cured so I can get my daughter back.

Cameron: Pretending to be all right when you're anything but is not working on your therapy, and Kristina doesn't have two or three years for you to get around to the real work.

Alexis: There is no "real work," Cameron, because I'm not really mentally ill, remember?

Cameron: Alexis, I'll grant you that you faked dissociative identity disorder, but your choices over the last few months are those of a woman -- a mother who's been operating under tremendous sustained stress.

Alexis: What do you want to hear? You want to hear that I see mothers pushing babies in strollers absolutely everywhere that I go and it's unbearable? You want to hear that I wish that I could put my daughter to bed every night? Because I do. You want to hear that I've been spending hours in the law library looking up any precedent I can find that would be able to get my daughter away from the Quartermaines?

Cameron: All those feelings are normal, even healthy.

Alexis: There's nothing normal about the Quartermaines. I think Emily comes the closest, and she was a drug addict by the time she was 14. Skye and A.J. are both alcoholics. Alan is addicted to pills. Monica and Alan are chronically unfaithful. And Ned likes to have sex in public with mobsters. Does that sound like a healthy environment for a child to be raised in?

Cameron: Oh, she'll only be there for a year at most, unless you do something to make the situation worse.

Alexis: Please do not imply that I'm a danger to my own child.

Cameron: Where did that come from?

Alexis: I'm not plotting anything.

Cameron: I'm not the enemy, Alexis. Look, I know you have difficulty trusting people. I sure as hell wish you could trust me.

Cameron walks away angry.

A.J.: You're the last person I need to talk to right now.

Skye: Yeah, well, you know, I don't think you have too many options, A.J. I'm sure grandfather will just roll right over daddy, and Monica's going to tell you you got just what you deserved. Of course, there is Ned, but I don't really think he's going to be too receptive considering that you conspired to take his child away, not to mention burning down his home. Well, there are the ex-wives, but probably not. Oh -- big brother Jason? I don't think so. Oh, there is Coleman, but your last two plans with him didn't exactly pan out.

A.J.: Yeah, look who's talking.

Skye: Yeah, your sister, A.J., the one person who cares about you more than anyone else in this entire twisted family.

A.J.: That's not saying much.

Skye: Hey, I know where you are exactly at this moment, ok? I know what it's like to be written off. What I don't get is why you thought that this time would be any different. Grandfather always cheats. He always lies. He knows you want to be treated with respect, and he uses it against you. Now, I came to you offering my help, and you basically told me to go to hell. You wanted to enjoy this victory all on your own.

A.J.: You know, grandfather's bad enough, but you gloating? I can't take it.

Skye: That is not why I'm here, ok?

A.J.: Why are you here? Why are you?

Skye: Because, A.J., we are all we have to rely on -- each other. Because grandfather could've given the same exact speech he gave you just by inserting my name. Because I hate to see that old geezer gloating. And because if you and I work together, we got a much better shot of winning.

Alexis approaches Monica at the nurses' station.

Alexis: Monica?

Monica: Hmm?

Alexis: Hi.

Monica: Oh, hi.

Alexis: Did you see Kristina this morning?

Monica: Yes, I did, and she is just fine.

Alexis: Good. Did Ned mention anything about her formula?

Monica: Yes, he did. Yeah.

Alexis: And about her schedule -- to keep her on the same schedule she was at the hospital with the nurses --

Monica: Yes. Ned knows all about it, and he gave that schedule to Alice, and she has promised she will stick to it faithfully.

Alexis: Thank you.

Monica: Listen, I have to go, but don't -- don't worry about Kristina. She's going to be just fine. You work on yourself and your recovery. But if it will help, if you need to know anything about her, call me anytime, ok?

Alexis: That means a lot to me. Thank you, Monica.

Monica: No problem.

Monica walks away and the wheels start turning in Alexis' head.

Cameron is filling out a patient file at the nurses' station when Monica approaches him.

Monica: How's Zander's hand?

Cameron: You'd have to ask him. How's the baby?

Monica: Oh, she's fine, just fine. I'm glad I ran into you. I wanted to let you know that I saw Alexis after she'd had her session with you. She asked me a couple of questions about Kristina, and I really -- I thought she was quite lucid compared to the way she was going on with Ned in E.R.

Cameron: What sort of information was she looking for?

Monica: Oh, well, about schedule, formula, you know.

Cameron: (Suspiciously) How specific were the questions?

Monica: Actually, she wanted to know if Kristina was on the same schedule that she had been on. I --

Cameron: (Interrupting) Excuse me, Monica. I just remembered I'm late for an appointment.

Cameron quickly walks to the elevator and pushes the button.

Monica: Ok.

The elevator door doesn't open right away. Cameron gets a thought and steps over to Monica.

Cameron: And, for the record, I thought Alexis' reaction in the E.R. was totally appropriate for a mother who just found out her baby was left alone and abandoned in a burning building. You're a mother. How would you have reacted?

Cameron walks into the elevator door and leaves Monica a little stunned.

Alexis sneaks in the front door of the Q mansion holding a baby carrier. She's about to tip-toe up the stairs when she hears Big Alice and Edward talking in the living room.

Alice's voice: I took baby Kristina outside for a half-hour of fresh air. (Alexis quickly steps out of the foyer and into a side door where she listens) Then I laid her down for her nap and played some of that Mozart music for her. She should be awake in about an hour and ready for some quality time.

Edward and Alice walk out of the living room and into the foyer.

Edward: Oh, good. I can certainly tell I did the right thing when I put you in charge, Alice.

Alice: Thank you.

Edward: Now, listen -- I'm going to be at the office for the next couple of hours, and you just call me if you need anything, all right?

Alice: Got it.

Alice walks up stairs just as Skye and A.J. walk down.

Skye: Uh, excuse me. You're not going anywhere until you, A.J., and I discuss terms.

Edward: I warned you not to push me, young man.

Skye: Hey, what, am I not here?

Edward: I have my limit.

A.J.: So do I, and I've reached it.

Alexis listens in on the conversation from her hiding place.

Skye: You are not cutting me and A.J. out of this deal.

Edward: Fine. Then I'll go talk to my good friend, the District Attorney --

A.J.: You don't want to hear my counterproposal? Otherwise, I'm going straight to Judge Farmer with everything.

Edward: Oh, really? Then you will go straight to jail.

Edward heads for the living room with A.J. and Skye following behind.

A.J.: Yeah? Maybe, maybe not. But if I go, I guarantee you I won't be alone, old man.

Edward: God, this is why you will never be a success at anything.

The living room door closes. As Edward and A.J. carry on with their yelling Alexis emerges from her hiding place and quietly goes up the stairs to the nursury.

Edward's voice: You don't know when to cut your losses.

A.J.'s voice: I held up my end of the bargain. I got you baby Kristina. Now, I want what's coming to me. Otherwise

(Camera follows Alexis)

As Alexis tip-toes into Kristina's darkened nursery the doorbell rings downstairs.

(Camera switches to the front door)

Alice stomps up to the front door.

Alice: Be quiet, already! Be quiet! There's a sleeping baby!

She opens the door and Cameron walks in anxiously.

Cameron: Where's the nursery?

Cameron makes a move toward the stairs when Alice grabs him by the shirt collar and pulls him back.

Alice: You just can't barge in here.

Edward and A.J. run out of the living room.

Edward: Hey, you aren't wanted here. Go on.

Cameron: This is urgent.

They all hear Alexis scream from upstairs.

Alexis' voice: Oh, my god!

Cameron and Edward race up the stairs with Alice behind them.

Edward: Oh, god, what is -- the nursery -- get up --