Transcript courtesy of Candace
Setting: Todd's Penthouse
Scene: Dorian is there trying to bully her way through Judith to get to Starr. Todd and Téa
arrive, kick Dorian out, they discuss custody strategy and Todd proposes (sorta)
<Dorian tries to get past Judith up the stairs.>
DORIAN: I'm Starr's Aunt.
JUDITH: Mrs. Lord, please.
DORIAN: This is ridiculous. Can't you see that Todd's paranoia has become absurd? Now
please step aside, I'm going to get Starr.
JUDITH: Mrs. Lord.
<Judith traps Dorian between her arms along the railing>
DORIAN: How dare you! How dare you keep me away from my own flesh and blood!
<Todd and Téa arrive>
TODD: Dorian! What do you think you're doing?
JUDITH: I was explaining that Starr doesn't leave without your permission.
TODD: Thank you, Judith. Is Starr upstairs?
JUDITH: Yes.
TODD: Maybe you could go up and check on her. I'll take care of... this.
DORIAN: Don't think I'm going to stop until I get Starr away from you.
TÉA: You're flirting with a kidnapping charge making threats like that. And you'll be
facing one for sure if you carry them out.
DORIAN: The only kidnapper I know of in this room is your client, Ms. Delgado. My soul
interest is the protection of my neice.
TÉA: From whom? Her own father?
DORIAN: From her father, who is a rapist, and from what I can gather, a cold-blooded
murder, having blown up Guy Armitage's yacht.
TÉA: That's ridiculous speculation. There have been no
inquiries to that effect, nor is there any evidence to cast suspicion on Mr. Manning.
DORIAN: Except in his charred soul. I know he's guilty, and I'm going to prove it.
TODD: Knock yourself out.
DORIAN: I've asked my lawyer to have me appointed as Blair's guardian ad litum. That means
I'll be able to act in her behalf, in any litigation. She doesn't want Starr spending a
moment longer with you than she has to. Particularly since she may not come through
this...
TODD: Hey, now you shut your mouth and get the hell out of my house!
TÉA: I'll handle this, legally. You get out of this apartment and don't come back, or
I'll file charges on my client's behalf that'll make your head spin.
DORIAN: I have every right to be here on Blair's behalf to see to Starr's safety.
TÉA: I'll start with trespassing and move right on through until I get a writ of
arassment that keeps you 200 yards from Mr. Manning and/or his child at all times.
DORIAN: Very good. And to quote your client, knock yourself out. Todd, you know I'll be
back.
<Dorian leaves>
TÉA: Are you alright?
TODD: Yeah. But if that happens, what she was talking about, if Blair dies. I can't lose
both of them. I can't lose Blair and Starr. I can't. I won't.
TÉA: We can't make any real decisions until we know what's going to happen with Blair.
And there's certainly no way to predict that.
TODD: I don't wanna wait for Blair. I wanna make a plan and follow it.
TÉA: Ok, uh, let me lay out your options. Um, suppose Blair recovers. She might get over
her anger and move back in here with you.
TODD: What about it?
TÉA: Then you have no problem. Or, she might decide to go through with the divorce, move
back in with Dorian, and sue you for custody.
TODD: And then what?
TÉA: Then you have a problem.
TODD: Yeah, and then I'm back where I was when Starr got sick to begin with. But you know,
Blair, when she gets out of the hospital, is gonna need physical therapy for months. I
mean, she's not gonna be able to take care of Starr. That's in my favor, right?
TÉA: Some. But there's another option.
TODD: Oh, yeah right, she'll croak. Or she'll be a vegetable.
TÉA: You don't mince words.
TODD: No, you surprised? Well you don't either. Ah, nevermind. What were you talking...
ah, go ahead.
TÉA: I'm sorry to ask you to even think like this.
TODD: It's really, it's ok, it's your job, right?
TÉA: And Dorian's already thinking this way. Without Blair to bring action against you,
Dorian's only real hope of taking Starr away from you, her only competent, suriving,
biological parent, would be to prove that you are irrefutably unfit.
TODD: How is she gonna do that?
TÉA: Uh, for example, if you were on the run, in jail, or involved in any illegal
activity.
TODD: Oh, that's just what Dorian and her trash-sifting writer/boyfriend are gonna try and
prove, right?
TÉA: My point being that at the moment you're in good shape. There are no charges against
you, and judging from our little shmooze with Commissioner Buchanan, I don't think you're
seriously considered a suspect in the Armitage bombing. Besides, there's no physical
evidence, only speculation. Now, that could change. And we should act pre-emptively in
case it does.
TODD: What's gonna make that change?
TÉA: I'm just saying we should head off any possibility.
TODD: How ya gonna do that?
TÉA: By building a bullet-proof case for you as a good father. No matter what happens to
Blair, we start underscoring your virtues as a parent. Fortunately, you've made that easy.
You've been a model father in many ways. You saw Starr through her illness. Her
life-threatening illness and transplant. You've made sure that she's had a stable home
environment before, during and now that she's done with her recovery. Even Blair agreed
that this was the best place for Starr when Blair was in rehab.
TODD: Ok, so, we won. You made your money.
TÉA: Alright, now I'm thinking this through. Is there anything missing from this picture
of domestic stability? Well, a wife.
TODD: You know, I'm, um, I'm thinking I don't wanna wait to see what happens to Blair. How
do I get a quick divorce?
TÉA: Are you sure you really mean that about getting a divorce? Because I know how much
you love Blair.
TODD: You don't know anything. You don't, you don't know anything. And as long as you
remember that, everything's gonna be fine. Besides, my feelings have nothing to do with
it. Blair was perfectly clear when I visited her in Philadelphia. It's over.
TÉA: Ok, but you were saying just a few minutes ago that you thought Blair...
TODD: What are you, a marriage counselor? Or are you my lawyer?
TÉA: Fine, nevermind.
TODD: Fine. So, how do I get a quick, legal divorce?
TÉA: Pennsylvania's pretty quick in putting through uncontested divorces. It's just a
matter of getting both parties and the judge to sign off on them. Dorian has Blair's power
of attorney, and since she's telling everyone who's ready to listen that Blair wants to
end the marriage anyway, I can't
see a problem.
TODD: With Dorian, there's always a problem. You gotta get
to work on that, fast, ok? I just don't know what we're gonna do if Dorian throws a wrench
into the works.
TÉA: How bout fly to San Domenico and get a divorce in 48 hours?
TODD: 48 hours? Well, that's cool. Well, I'll do that first.
TÉA: Even if Dorian's willing to cooperate?
TODD: Yeah, don't wanna take any chances, right? <he picks up and dials the phone>
Lou, me. Look, get my jet out on the tarmac and have D.B. set a flight plan for San...
<to looks to Téa for the rest of the country>
TÉA: Domenico.
TODD: Domenico. Good. <he hangs up phone> So, what's the next thing?
TÉA: What do you mean? You go to San Domenico, you get your divorce, and that's it.
TODD: What you said before, there's something missing. A wife.
TÉA: Well you can't remedy that in 48 hours.
TODD: As it happens, I have a very intersting proposal for you.
TODD: I'll give you five million dollars if you marry me.
TÉA: Five... excuse me?
TODD: Oh, look, I know that every girl dreams of a proposal and well this is probably not
the way you wanted yours to be, but...
TÉA: <laughs> You had me going. You really had me going there for a second.
TODD: I'm not kidding. Look, I'll give you a million now as a whattayacallit, a retainer,
I guess, a signing bonus. You get a million the day that we get married, you get two
million the day that I get custody of Starr, and I'll throw in another million on our
first year anniversary. Offer's on the table, Téa.
TÉA: This is the way you negotiate?
TODD: You think I'm fooling, I'm not.
TÉA: You're not?
TODD: No, what did I just say?
TÉA: You just said you're not fooling.
TODD: Oh look, don't worry about the tradition. I'm not traditional, so you don't have to
worry about `hi honey, I'm home' and dinner on the table and you dressed like Donna Reed.
And, you know, after an appropriate, imagine me talking about appropriate, but after an
appropriate amount of time if you want to, you know, pursue other interests, feel free.
Just, you know, don't embarrass me in public and don't do anything that would risk my
custody of Starr.
TÉA: Wow. Well, I've never had a proposal like this before.
TODD: Look, it has all of the advantages of a wealthy marriage. I'll pay all your bills,
your living expenses. I mean, as long as you don't go buy Veteran's Stadium or anything
like that. It gives you social standing that otherwise you would have to work years to
get. And, you know, there's a
little notoriety that goes along with the job but you don't seem to be bothered by that.
All you have to do is, uh, get along with Starr. That shouldn't be a problem. I mean, you
seem to like her, she seems to like you. You do have to get along with my parrot.
TÉA: I can do that. But, um, uh, I noticed the, the payment plan doesn't include a
payment or a bonus for, uh, you know, for uh, for consummation.
TODD: This is a business deal, there's no sex involved. Well, it always seems to screw
everything up for me anyway. Whaddaya say, huh? You interested or not?
TÉA: You know what? Um, I'll tell ya what. You go get your divorce and I'll think over
your proposition.
TODD: Proposal.
TÉA: Right, your proposal. And if I don't agree to it, I will help you try to find
another suitable candidate.
TODD: Suitable candidate? There's no other suitable candidate. You're the only girl for
me.