Season 6, Episode 23: All's Well That Ends Well

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This is actually episode 23 and 24. The two one-hour episodes are called "All's Well..." and "...That Ends Well." They are written, directed and edited by different people, but presented by Fox as one episode.


Written by: P.K. Simonds, Amy Lippman & Christopher Keyser
Directed by: Steven Robman, Ken Topolsky

Co-starring Jeffrey Corbett as husband, Susan Gibney as wife, Tanya Linette Smith as waitress, Rae Ritke as broker, Eric Stonestreet as Irv, Paige Marie Basso and Presley Nicole Basso as Diana

Transcribed by Rachel

The scene opens with a picture of the family from the first season, it then moves, showing us that it's on the door of the refrigerator. Bailey closes the door and goes over to the griddle. He's making French toast for Owen's breakfast. He asks if Owen wants another piece. Owen says he's about to pop. Victor comes in. He's impressed that Owen is getting French toast. Owen tells Victor that Bailey is taking him to the Exploratorium after school, too. Victor seems surprised. Bailey sends Owen up to get ready for school, they're running late. Bailey stands over the sink with the dishes. Victor points out that things get cleaner if you get them wet. He asks Bailey if he's okay. Bailey tells Victor that he applied to a college for a place in their summer school. If he does well enough, they would admit him as a junior. If he did well enough then, they would admit him to their business school. Victor asks if they said no. They didn't, they said yes, but the college is in Pennsylvania. Victor seems surprised. Bailey asks if Victor thinks he's being a bad dad. Victor doesn't think so, but is this why Bailey is taking Owen to the Exploratorium? To ask him, to see if he wants to go with Bailey? Bay doesn't know, he just wants to spend some time with Owen. He asks Victor not to tell anyone else yet, he needs to figure some things out. Victor thinks he should figure it out with Owen. He's pretty smart and he's going to have an opinion. Bailey is sure that he will.

Credits

Shed
Julia comes out and finds Griffin working on a bike in the shed. She didn't know that he did body work now. He doesn't, the bike he's working on is his. He's had it for a couple of months now. She holds up a newspaper. She thinks it must be his, it has greasy palm prints all over it. She couldn't help notice that all the apartments that he circled were two bedrooms. Griffin tells her that Stephanie (his girlfriend) wants to move in with him. Julia asks why he threw it away, then. Griffin isn't sure that he's ready yet, he thinks they should give it a little more time. Julia comes in further and closes the door. She asks if he wants to talk about it. He thought they already did. He asks her what's wrong. She says that he's already bored, so they should forget it. He wants her to tell him. She has three summer options and she can't decide. She could go to summer school, which would mean more writing. The abuse conference wants her to do more speaking, which would be great and then she got a job offer counseling abuse victims...and tomorrow she has an interview with the National Organization for Women which is going to be really good for...(she notices that Griffin is paying more attention to his paint job than her)...her upcoming campaign for Congress. Oh really? She walks over, yeah, she plans to make it a capital crime to pretend to listen to somebody when you're not. She hits him with the newspaper. He looks up, when she was talking just then, he had a weird thought. He wished that Justin was here just then. Julia hits him again.

Todd's bedroom
Claudia is in bed with Todd. She runs her fingers along his arm until he wakes up. He asks what time it is. They've been asleep for an hour or so. Todd gets up, his mom will be home any minute now. Claudia thinks she already is, there was a lot of banging downstairs. What is Todd worried about? The door is locked. He's out of bed putting his clothes on. Claudia thinks he looks so happy. He thinks he's about to be grounded for life. He hands Claudia her clothes and tells her to get dressed. She does. She's been thinking. If they are both in San Francisco next year... Yeah, he will be if he doesn't get into Northwestern and she doesn't go to Juilliard... Claudia says again that she isn't going to Juilliard. Todd tells her to get dressed. Well, if they are both going to college here...Bailey and Sarah had a place together when they were both going to college in town. Todd points out that he's only 17, his parents aren't going to let him move in with anybody. Claudia thinks that since he already has his own car, his own checking account...his own tax guy. He knows. He would like to, but a move like that would require a good practical reason. He tells her that he'll distract his mom while she takes the back stairway to the alley. She should also put a bag over her head so that his neighbors don't recognize her. Claudia tells him that while the bag in on her head she'll think of a good practical reason.

Charlie and Kirsten's apartment
Daphne and Luke are visiting. Charlie is making up the air mattress on the floor. He hopes they don't mind the floor, but there will be a lot more room for them down there. Daphne says that if there isn't room, she'll sleep in a chair. Kirsten asks them to please take her and Charlie's bed. Luke says no, they'll only be there for two more nights. Kirsten points out that Charlie is going to be gone late both nights anyway while he's getting the business to be smaller, so they really should take their bed. Daphne asks what that means, that Luke said it was something like a base closing. Luke says it's the opposite, that instead of pulling the plug all together, Charlie is selling off parts of the business to his employees so that they get a stake in the company. Guys in the army get nothing. Daphne is sorry, she misunderstood. There is an uncomfortable silence. Kirsten says that she'll go get some stuff for breakfast. Luke goes with her. After they leave Daphne tells Charlie that he shouldn't pretend that didn't just happen. He can ask. Charlie asks what about. Daphne says that she's a rotten girlfriend. She stinks. Luke has shown her 14 apartments in Dallas...how many has she liked? None. In every apartment she sees something is missing...Diana. Every day in Dallas without her Daphne is miserable. Luke is done being patient with her and he's right. Charlie asks how she can think putting her family first is wrong.

National Organization for Women
Julia meets Beth Colt, the woman nterviewing her for the internship. Beth tells Julia that she's sure that Julia has heard this many times, but wow...what a speech. Julia is pleased that she saw it. Beth needs an intern. The hours are terrible, the pay nearly nothing and Beth is not always a dream to work for. Any interest? Julia obviously likes to write. Beth does lots of position papers and Julia would help in drafting them. There is also a lot of public speaking. Not always in front of large groups, coordinating a legislative agenda means lots of talking one on one with everyone from representatives to abuse victims. Julia thinks it sounds perfect for her. Beth thinks that's great, but if Julia is there it must mean that she's okay with relocating. Julia seems surprised. Relocating where? DC. Julia didn't know. Beth asks if she can do it. Julia doesn't know, is she actually offering? Beth is. Right now, Julia can start by helping her find Julia's resume so she has an address to send Julia's pitiful stipend to. Julia needs a day to think about it. Leaving home and her family, it's kind of a big deal.

Living room
Bailey is talking to Owen. He tells Owen that he would have a lot of work, like he does now, but most of it he would be doing at home so they would actually have more time together. The only time they would have to be apart is when they were both in class. He knows that it sounds scary, to be in a new place, but Bailey would be doing it too, they would do it together. Owen asks if he has to go, if Bailey is only asking to be nice, but if Owen will have to go no matter what. Bailey says no, that he wouldn't do that. He's asking Owen because he wants to know how he feels. Owen doesn't want to go. He doesn't want to leave everyone. Bailey says it's okay, he won't make Owen go. But, then they have to talk about what happens if Bailey wants to go. It's like when Julia went away. College is really important and sometimes you have to go really far away to find the right one. Owen asks what it mean if Bailey isn't there. Who will do his assignments with him? Who will do what Bailey does? Bailey points out that Charlie and Julia and Claudia will all still be there. They take great care of Owen. Owen really doesn't want him to go. He turns away from Bailey.

Julia's bedroom
Claudia comes up looking for Julia. She needs to talk to her and it seems like Julia has been gone a lot lately. Julia thinks they've just been missing one another. She asks what Claudia wants to talk about. Well...she sort of...how does she say it...she had sex. Julia is surprised. Yeah, she had sex. Had sex. Julia asks how she is, how it was. Is she okay? Claudia is, it was nice. It's been nice. Julia is surprised, she's done it more than once. Are they being safe? Claudia points out that it's Todd. He's so hygienic that they could do surgery in his bed. Julia thinks it was kind of fast. Claudia can't believe she said that. They have been dating for five months and Julia got drunk and slept with Justin when they weren't even dating. Julia agrees, then asks again in Claudia is okay. She is, she's fine about that. It's other stuff. Julia asks what stuff. Things she can't talk about now, but Claudia is really glad she can talk has Julia to talk to about these things. Julia says yes, feeling bad about possibly leaving.

Charlie and Kirsten's apartment
Daphne is playing with Diana who is a bit fussy. Charlie comes home and asks if she has plans for lunch. They could call Kirsten and go by the restaurant. Daphne wipes her eyes. Charlie comes over and sits down next to her, asking what is wrong. Luke is going to be back in a minute. Daphne has been playing with Diana for a couple of hours and every time Daphne gets up, to go to the bathroom or anything, Diana says, "Bye-bye. Bye-bye mommy!" Daphne loves Luke so much, but all of her friends are in San Francisco, and him and Diana. She wipes more tears away. Charlie asks what she's saying. Luke loves that job, he loves leading his men. Where would he ever have another job like that? But she loves her daughter and she can't give that up. She doesn't know what she's saying. She keeps crying. Maybe she needs to give him up.

Restaurant
Bailey is talking to Joe. Bay thinks that he might want to become a consultant someday. Businesses would call him in and he could fix their problems. It would be all different kinds of businesses. It would be the kinds of things that he's been doing the last couple of years. This guy Kimball could help him get his degree, introduce him to all the right people. Joe interrupts him. He's kind of the wrong guy to talk about this with, cause Bay knows how Joe feels about his family. Bailey knows, he's thinking the same thing that Victor is, that Owen is. Joe interrupts again. He's been working at the restaurant for a really long time, since the kids were little. It's not like it was his absolute life dream, that he didn't have other opportunities, but he was running it with Nick, who needed the money to support his family so he had to turn that stuff down. After a while the other opportunities stopped coming. Bailey never knew that. Joe says that he doesn't have regrets, but Bailey should remember that he isn't the only one that can take care of Owen. Bailey asks if Joe is saying that he should go. A chance of a lifetime...that's what it is.

Ross' apartment
Claudia is playing her violin. She's frustrated with her technique. Ross thought they were taking it easy, just working on style now that she isn't competing. Claudia says, "for the moment." Ross asks what that means. If she tells him something, can he promise to not get mad? What? She got into Juilliard. Ross is shocked. She didn't tell him that she even applied. She just applied to see if she could get in, but she's not going. Ross asks what she means, she isn't going. She just wanted to try out, see if she could do it. It doesn't make any sense. They don't have the money and there is Todd. Juilliard vs. a boyfriend? Claudia says it doesn't matter, it's expensive. Ross tells her to forget about the money, there are ways around that. She can take out a loan, get financial aid. He's not going to let her pass this up. It's way too big a break for her. If he can help her with some of the money, will she think about going? She should talk to Todd, he's a violinist, he'll understand. Claudia still isn't sure. Would she? She says that she would. Ross is going to make some calls, see if he has any connections that can find her a scholarship.

Salinger house
Julia is standing outside when Justin shows up. He dropped his stuff off and came right over. She has news, but she doesn't want her family to know about it yet. Justin asks what it is. She tells him that she got offered a job...an incredible internship at NOW. This job is everything that she's been looking for and more. Justin asks when she starts. She doesn't know...there is one little wrinkle. It's in DC. Justin is surprised. Well, selfishly that means she'll be closer to him, but he knows that it'll be hard to leave her family. He knows how it is. When he first got into Yale he felt really bad about leaving his family, too. Julia doesn't think this is like when she was deciding about Mexico, this job feels like it could really be something, that it could maybe turn into a career. She doesn't feel bad about leaving her family because they'll still all have each other. They'll still be together. She just wants to be sure that she can work out all the details. Assuming it all makes sense, she's going. They hug.

Factory
Charlie and Bailey are in the office at the factory. Charlie is working on the laptop. Bailey has a question for Charlie. Charlie knows how Bay has been talking about going back to school...well, what if he got into a college that gave him a real shot at getting a business degree, something that he couldn't anywhere else. Charlie looks over at him. It sounds great. Bailey continues. What if it's in Pennsylvania. It's the University of Pennsylvania. Charlie is surprised. He asks when it happens. Bailey says that he's made a couple of phone calls over the past few days. So, it was after Charlie asked him to partner up. He didn't say anything when Charlie asked him. He said that he would think about it, but Bailey never really thought about it. Charlie asks about Owen. Bailey tells him that Owen doesn't want to go. He's having a really hard time with this. What is he supposed to do? Is he supposed to give up a chance like this so Owen can keep things consistent? Charlie points out that a year ago Bailey nearly tore the family apart to get Owen away from Charlie and now he just wants to hand him off again. Bailey asks if Charlie thinks this is easy for him. If he doesn't take this chance now, if he waits until Owen is grown up and out of the house he'll be in his mid-thirties before he can even think about something like this. He'll be starting his way up the ladder when guys his age are already halfway up. Charlie isn't going to make this easy for Bailey. He isn't going to just let Bay hand Owen off so that he can chase whatever his latest fantasy is. Raising kids is a lifetime commitment and people give things up all the time to make that happen. Does Bailey think Owen deserves anything less? Is he wrong? Bailey says no.

Julia's room
Julia is looking at the online classifieds. Does Justin think a one-bedroom is too big for her? Justin asks if there is any information about the neighborhoods. Julia wants to know what kind of information. How safe they are, that kind of information. Crime statistics. Julia laughs at him. Justin tells her about the first studio apartment he had in New Haven. He got a great deal on it, but it turns out that the strip joint down the street kept a unit there for girls to turn tricks in. Guys would be at his door all night long asking him for change for a hundred, to loan them a condom. She should also consider the weather. Julia wonders what about the weather. Summer in DC, you're talking 110, 100% humidity. People drop dead in that weather. With the wind-chill in winter, it can drop down to negative 50. Julia asks if he thinks she can't handle it. That's not what he is saying. Going East was a big deal for him, he just wishes he could be there for her. IF it would make it any easier for her, he could... She understands, but she's going to be okay. Is she sure. Yeah, she'll be fine. Justin still doesn't seem happy.

Kimball Designs
Jason Kimball is showing a couple of clients around his showroom. Bailey comes in and finds him. Kimball says that he got a call from admissions and they said that Bay hasn't given them an answer yet. He hopes that Bailey understands what special treatment he's getting. Penn doesn't usually hold spaces like this. Bailey does understand and he really appreciates it. He sort of...he wonders if there might be someplace else he could apply to, somewhere in San Francisco. Kimball can't believe that Bailey would give up a chance at Wharton to stay home. Bailey tells him that he doesn't really understand Bay's family situation. Kimball asks if someone is sick, if it's money, cause they can get him aid. Bay says it's not any of that, it's just his family. He needs to stay in San Francisco. Kimball asks if Bailey realizes what percent of the Fortune 500 are based in the city. A fraction. This is where Kimball can help him, it's a damn good school. It's the choice. He can't believe that Bailey would throw the opportunity away.

Kitchen
Todd comes over to see Claudia. They had a session and he thought she would be there. She had some stuff to take care of. Todd wonders if she was looking for apartments for them...does she remember that plan? Claudia looks uncomfortable. Ross came by the studio with a scholarship form for Mr. Freiley to sign. Claudia tells him that she told Ross that she got into Juilliard and he's made it his personal mission to see that she goes. Todd saw the application. Claudia had signed it. Claudia tells him to listen, she doesn't want to leave. Todd tells her that it isn't a very smart decision. She has to be out of her mind to not want to go and play with the best musicians in the country. Claudia sees the value in that, but ... Todd would go. If he were Claudia, he would be really sad, but he would leave.

Sporting goods store
Justin is helping Julia buy things for DC. He has her dressed up in a parka. She tells him to stuff. In the last sixty minutes she's been lectured on self-defense, common scams by the cable guy and how to tell junk mail from letter bombs. She thinks it's a little insulting. Does he really think she's that clueless. Justin does, he's been dropping about a thousand hints. She should ask him...does he want to come? Come to DC? He wants her to ask nicer. He can't come to DC, he still has a year at Yale. Justin doesn't think so, necessarily. He could transfer. She doesn't know why he would leave the incredible English program at Yale. Justin thinks Georgetown would be just as good. Not as incredible...that's why he needs her to ask, he would be leaving for her. He could justify giving it up for her. She laughs and hugs him.

Charlie and Kirsten's apartment
Charlie is on the phone when Bailey comes over. He gets off and asks Bailey what happened. The invoices had to go out tonight. Bay is sorry, he cut out early. He had some things on his mind. Charlie tells Bay that he doesn't have any obligation to Charlie to sign on as his partner, but it would be nice if he would finish the work he started. As far as Owen is concerned... Bailey tells Charlie that he doesn't have to keep lecturing him about Owen. Does Charlie want him to say that he made a mistake trying to get custody of Owen. Yes, it was wrong. Not because he was wrong about Owen, but because Bailey was wrong about himself. He wasn't ready to be settling down like that and he still isn't ready. Charlie says that he's sorry but... Bailey asks Charlie to hear him out. The last few hours he's been walking around feeling angry and frustrated. Finally what he wants is out there and it's out of his reach and what is preventing Bay from having it is what Charlie wants. Not just what he wants for the business, but what he wants for his life. He has Kirsten, the kids, the job, the family. Bailey made a promise to Owen and to the family, but if Charlie holds him to that promise and he has to keep putting other people first, then he's going to start to resent them. Charlie says it won't happen. Bailey tells Charlie that he is his brother and Bay is watching him live out all of his dreams... Charlie tells him again that he won't. Bailey tells him that he doesn't get it...he's starting to feel that way now. He's begging Charlie, he needs him to help Bay...please.

Owen's school
Owen comes out to find Charlie and Diana in the stroller. He asks where Victor is. Charlie asked to pick up Owen. Owen wants to know where the truck is. It's across the street, but Charlie wants to talk to him first. Owen pulls out his book and asks Diana what the cow says. She responds, "Moo!" Owen tells her that that's good. Charlie smiles at them. He tells Owen that the other day Diana was calling out "When Wen." She was asking when she was going to see Owen again...she's in love with him. Owen says that he's likes her too. Charlie tells Owen that he and Kirsten are having a baby, which is a lot of work, so he wonders if Owen might come and help them out with Diana. Owen asks if he's coming to live with them because Bailey's leaving. Charlie says that he might, so how would that be? Owen thinks he would be like Charlie...he would be her big brother. He could take care of Diana like Charlie did with them. He'll do it. Charlie thinks that's good.

Todd's room
Claudia comes over to see Todd. He's sitting on his bed with his violin. She comes in and asks if he has a minute. He tells her that she doesn't have to explain, he thinks that he gets it. NO, she has to say this. He's right. She has been playing games and she hasn't been honest. It's true, the second she found out that she got into Juilliard she wanted to go. That's why she wanted to get an apartment with him, so there would be this extra reason to not go. But the letter from Juilliard, it just sat there on her desk, so finally she broke down and told Ross because she knew that he would push her into going. Todd thinks that she didn't want to hurt him. She thinks she hurt him even worse. No, he hurt her. She said that she wanted to stay and he didn't say anything. He let her feel guilty about something that she should want. He should have felt good for her and they never talked about it, but it's not like they're breaking up. They'll still see each other, it'll just be more work and there are three months before she leaves and he plans to spend every minute with her. They embrace.

Street
Justin and Julia are walking up the street. Justin knows it's going to sound insane, but wherever they live, he wants a view of a DC landmark. It can be any landmark, as long as it's something. He asks Julia what's up. This is it. She's leaving. Justin tells her that she'll be back. To visit. She'll sleep on the sofa, never really unpack her suitcase. Justin tells her to not do this, to not start feeling all guilty. She's not, they all have each other, but she won't have them. It's going to be weird. They'll write or talk, but after a few years she won't know them so well, know how their days are, what they watch on TV, what their hair looks like in the morning. They'll just be what she remembers.

Factory
Bailey comes in to find Charlie. He finished the PNL for the sub-contracting business if Charlie wants to spin it off before tax time. Charlie says that they don't have time for that. Bay needs to get down to his registrar's office. Penn needs Bailey's transcript if he's going to get into their summer school program. Jason Kimball called and he was a little impatient, that Bailey couldn't commit, so Charlie committed for him. Bailey doesn't understand. Daphne comes bursting in. They have the taxi waiting outside, but Luke wanted brochures to look for on the plan. Daphne hugs him again and asks how she will ever thank him enough. He says that she already has. She tells him that she loves him and that she has to run...she's late. She hugs him again, stopping to hug Bailey on the way out. She tells him to have a cheesesteak for her. Bailey asks what that's all about. Luke doesn't have Bailey's business knowledge, but he's spent a long time managing people, so it buys them all some time, plus it lets them come back to San Francisco. Diana will have her mother around. Bailey asks why this buys them time. Charlie tells him that Luke is going to take Bay's position. Bay asks when this happened. This morning. He was about to leave without Daphne and the idea just hit Charlie. He wants Bailey to do this, to go get the business degree. He'll take Owen. He'll probably move back into the house with Kirsten and he'll raise Owen. Maybe all of them being together again, Julia, Claudia, Owen and him, maybe that will soften the blow of him leaving. Bailey asks what happened. Charlie thought about what he said, about Charlie holding him to his promise. It was wrong, maybe it was all that Bailey did over the years, maybe that made him feel like he promised that he would be around forever...Bailey should go. He deserves this, completely. Charlie tells him to go, to get the transcript. Bay comes back and hugs him. They are both in tears.

Hospital
Charlie and Kirsten are having an ultrasound done. Charlie asks if the doctor is picking up any key chains or loose change. He apologizes to Kirsten, but she has been eating everything in sight. The doctor says that the heart function looks good, kidney development is right on schedule. He looks great. Charlie and Kirsten both look at the doctor. Kirsten asks if he meant "he" in a non-generic fashion. Yeah, Charlie adds, like you call a ship a "she." No, he meant "he," the doctor looks back at the chart to make sure that they had indicated that they wanted to know what the sex of the baby was. They wanted to know, they just expected on of those drum roll moments. They are really pleased.

Living room
Kirsten shows Owen the picture of the sonogram. Charlie says that he'll get bigger. Owen hopes so. He asks what they are going to name the baby. Kirsten says it's a pretty short list. Owen tells them that one of his friends got to name his baby brother. He named him Fritzie...well, Fritz, after his dad. Owen thinks it would be cool to name a kid after a relative. Kirsten says that's along the lines of what they were thinking. Charlie tells Owen that if he wanted to pick the name. Kirsten is a little shocked. Charlie thinks it would mean a lot to the baby if his uncle Owen picked the name, and that it was a name that had a lot of meaning for both of them. Owen asks if it would be like Charlie naming Diana after their mom. Exactly.

Street
Claudia and Bailey are having lunch at a sidewalk café. He asks what's going on. She wonders if she can't treat her brother to a nice lunch. She can...she absolutely can, but in seventeen years she hasn't. She had a sort of "I have to tell you something" tone in her voice on the phone. She does...she's going to Juilliard in the fall. Bailey is surprised. He thought that she had accepted at Stanford already. She had, but she only did it because it was close to home and seemed doable, but they are offering her a really good package at Juilliard, they have a great work-study program and she wants it. It just seems right. Bailey is speechless. She asks what he thinks. He tells her that she should budget some train tickets into the equation. She can't believe that he expects her to take the train back and forth. No, not home...Philadelphia. She doesn't know anyone in Philadelphia. She knows him.

Julia's room
Julia has checked with Claudia and Charlie, she just has to see if Bailey is free. Justin wonders if she couldn't just tell everyone a bit more casually. No, she wants to make it a big deal. They've moving across the country, starting a new life together. She's starting a new job and he's starting at Georgetown. She wants to make an event out of it. Justin tells her that she's being a bit manic about it. She just doesn't want to have a series of heart to hearts, she's not going to keep discussing the pros and cons of moving away from all of them. She just wants to stand up at Salinger's and say, "Hey, guess what I'm leaving to do and guess who's coming with me and I'm excited and you all don't have a choice but to be excited for me."

Salinger's
Everyone is at the table, wondering what Julia's big announcement is. She tells them to order their food, she wants to build the excitement a bit. Bailey has something to tell her, he's had a chance to tell everyone but her. In a couple of months he's leaving to go to school in Philadelphia. She can't believe he's leaving and that everyone else already knew about it. Bay had to work some things out with Charlie about Owen and he just told Claudia that morning. Claudia asks what the problem is. The problem is that he can't be doing that, that is her news, that she's leaving. She got offered a job in Washington, Justin is coming with her. Bailey thought that they were getting engaged. Julia asks if he's clueless...Justin just got separated a month ago. Claudia can't believe they're all leaving. Charlie asks what she means. She's going to Juilliard. Julia asks what happened to Stanford. She changed her mind. Charlie tells them to all wait a second. This is getting out of hand. Bailey and Charlie talked about him leaving. Julia wants to know why that means that Bailey gets to go, just because he talked to Charlie first. Bailey says that his plans are all set. So are Julia's and so are Claudia's. Owen wonders what about him. Who's going to stay with him and Charlie if they all go.

Backyard
Bailey is sitting on the swing when Julia comes out and joins him. They've got a problem. Bailey knows. Whenever any of them goes away, they all just kind of circle around and wait for the other person to come back. They've dealt with that before, but this is totally different. Julia asks him to think about it. He understands that she has a great internship, but she knows that she could get another one next year. She can get anything she wants. He's not like that. He needs help. He has to get lucky. This guy that Charlie knows is pulling strings for him big time. He will never get another chance to get a business degree from an Ivy league school again. Ever again. Julia told them yes in Washington, she told her school. Bailey is always the one who backs down, always the one who gets stuck there. He's not giving in this time.

Truck
Charlie and Kirsten are driving home. He always worries about the wrong thing. Kirsten asks what he means. He spent all this time working things out with Bailey, the idea of him leaving, all the little details, trying to figure out what it would be like for him, Julia and Claudia to be without him...it was all a complete waste of time. He thinks it's really incredible how things work out. Way back in the beginning, right after their parents died and even before it too, he was the one who didn't give a damn about any of it. Family...he didn't want any of it. Now he's the only one who's left. He doesn't know what he's going to do.

Julia's room
Julia goes up to her room to find Justin. He asks what Bailey said. She sits down and looks at Justin.

Backyard
Bailey is sitting on the swing. Claudia looks down from her room.

Basement
Justin comes down to put a load of laundry in. Bailey comments that he must have stayed over. Yep. Bailey knows that Justin and Julia must have talked. Justin tells him that he doesn't have to explain it. Bailey got what he wanted. Bailey asks what Justin means. Julia isn't going to go. She put a call into Washington to turn down the job. He goes, she stays, congratulations. Bailey tells Justin that when he applied, he didn't know about Julia's plans. Justin replies angrily that he knows that this is the biggest opportunity Bailey has ever had, but this isn't just about who makes the best career move. It's also about Justin and Julia being in love and getting out of there. Bailey asks why they have to get out of there. Justin asks if he's kidding. When Julia is there she can't get away from any of them. Look at the decision she just made...throwing away all of her plans just for Bailey. A good school isn't the only chance in life that doesn't come around twice.

Owen's school
Owen gets into Charlie's truck and announces that he's decided on a name for the baby. He thought a lot about what Charlie said, how it would be good to name the baby after someone special, someone he kind of looks up to. Charlie thinks he knows where this is going, but Owen should lay it on him. Stewie. Charlie is shocked. Yeah, it's after Stewie the Killer. He's on Owen's soccer team. Charlie is stunned. Yeah, Stewie the Killer is amazing. He scored five goals the week before and he can flick boogers across the room. Wouldn't it be cool if the baby could do that? Charlie wonders what Owen owes Stewie. He said that he would name the baby after someone that he owed a lot to. Owen reminds Charlie that he said Owen could pick. Charlie is clearly frustrated.

Kitchen
Bailey tells Claudia that he can't let her do that. She says that it's her decision. No, she wants to go to Juilliard. He just sat across at lunch from her yesterday and heard her say it. Well, maybe it isn't the best decision for her. Maybe the best teacher she'll ever have is sitting in a classroom at Stanford. Maybe her closest lifelong friend just got her acceptance there too. Bailey wonders if it doesn't matter to her where she goes, if it's her first choice or second choice. Claudia points out that the last six years have kind of been a one way street, with Bailey taking care of her. Bailey says that isn't true, it went both ways. Claudia doesn't even think it was close. Bailey, Charlie and Julia stayed there and kept them together...for her and for Owen. He was sixteen, younger than she is now and he did it all for her. Now it's her turn.

Factory
Charlie comes in to find Bailey. He looks at some bills and gives Charlie some advice on an invoice. Charlie asks what's going on...you can take the kid out of the business, but you can't take the business out of the kid. Something like that. Bailey tells him to not be surprised if he comes crawling back someday. He had a couple of nice days there, a few days of actually thinking he could do it, that he could go back East. Charlie asks what Bailey is talking about. If Bailey goes, then everything will unravel for the girls. Charlie asks what he means. Bay tells him that Claudia has said yes to Stanford and Justin told him that Julia is backing out. Charlie wants to know why Bailey is still staying. He tried to say it was his turn to leave, but let's be honest...if the guilt didn't kill him, he would flunk out and get sent back anyway. By that time Julia would have missed out on her internship and Claudia would not be at Juilliard. He's just going to bow out now. Charlie thinks there could be a way, but Bailey stops him. It's not really such a horrible thing to put them first. He loves them. He'll get his chance another time. Charlie tries again, but Bailey says that he doesn't have to say anything. It's okay...well, obviously it isn't okay, but that's how it is. They haven't had a chance to say that for a long time now, "it's not okay, but that's just the way it is" but he'll see Charlie. He turns and leaves.

Julia's room
Julia is sitting on her bed. She hears Charlie call up the stairs for her. She gets up as he calls out for the other kids to come downstairs.

They all gather on the steps in the entry. He needs to talk to them. Bailey asks if something happened. Claudia wants to know if Kirsten is okay. She's fine. He does this thing, after all these years, it's kind of a reflex, he tries to figure out what they would do. What would they do if three of their kids came to them and told them that they had a great opportunity that would take them far away. They would say go. They should go, all three of them. Claudia thinks they would want them to stay together. Bailey points out that they talked about it. Julia thinks it's too much, all three of them. Claudia knows they wouldn't. Charlie sits down on the window box and tells her that if they were still alive, the kids would have all left years ago. Bailey would have been out that door at 18 and Julia would have gone to college and never looked back. None of them would know Owen, Charlie would barely know any of them and they wouldn't know him at all, he would have been out of the house for so long. Yeah, they would all catch up a couple times a year, but they would be off living separate lives. That wouldn't be a tragedy, it would just be the way it was meant to be. The truth is that they've stayed together so much longer than other families, they've taken care of each other so much more and it has to be okay to take care of themselves now. Julia thinks it's hard to imagine all of them in other places. Charlie points out that it had to happen eventually. Bailey doesn't know. This works...staying close. He doesn't think they should mess with it. Charlie wants to know for how long, they aren't children any longer. They used to be, even him at 24. They were lost and didn't know how to get through it except to stay together. That was their lifeboat...each other. They just got in and held on so tight. Now it's six years later and they want different things for each other. They want the best possible things for each other. They love each other. Doesn't that mean they got it right? Julia thinks so, Claudia agrees. But not if they believe they are a family only if they are close enough to touch; if that's true, then they've failed. They've survived so much more than distance...distance is nothing. They should go.

Bathroom
Bailey, Julia and Claudia are in the bathroom talking about leaving. Julia thinks they should agree on things, things that will make being separated feel less drastic. Claudia asks what she's thinking. A family conference call once a week, on Sunday, no matter what. Bailey says that everyone has to come home for Christmas. Claudia adds Easter. Bailey adds Owen's birthday. Claudia wonders about when the baby is born. They come home for that. For all of the important stuff they come home. That has to be understood.

Charlie and Kirsten's apartment
That apartment is filled with half-packed boxes. Kirsten calls out looking for the spackel. They need it to fill in the holes so they can get their security deposit back. She comes into the living room to find Charlie sitting in a chair. She calls him to get his attention. He wasn't listening. She asks where he was. No where...here. She kisses him. She can't believe they are moving. She's not going to miss the shower...or the disposal. She's very excited to have a dishwasher and a backyard. He points out that it's not a great house...not good for babies. It's 52 steps up to the front door, hauling a stroller up and down will take years off your life. The walk to the park is straight up the hill and the laundry is four stories away. Kirsten wants to know how he figures that. It's two down, two up...six if you come from the attic. With a baby, your whole life is doing laundry. Kirsten points out that his parents raised a lot of kids in that house, with too few bedrooms and too many steps. No one tumbled down the steps or had a heart attack doing laundry. They were happy there, all of them. Maybe it's that Bailey, Claudia and Julia are going somewhere they've never been before and he's going back to a place he's known his whole life. It's never really going to belong to him, to his kids, to his family. It's his father's house. It's always going to be his father's house. Kirsten doesn't know what he can do about that.

House
Bailey and Charlie are in front of the house. Bailey asks him to hold on...what is he saying? Charlie asks how many times they've gotten a call from a broker saying that someone was driving down the street and liked their house. Bailey asks if he wants to sell the house. Charlie made a couple calls. Bailey would be shocked to learn how much they could get for it. Bailey is still trying to get used to the idea of everyone leaving. Charlie is moving at warp speed now. Charlie realizes it might feel like that now, but they are going to be gone all the time and they could wait a couple of years, but the market is so hot now.

Kitchen
Julia tells him that it's not just about that. It's not just about money. This is their home, Mom and Dad's. Charlie points out that they'll still have the restaurant. Julia needs to have this. This is why she's okay going back East, cause she knows that she can come back to their house. Charlie will have a place and he'll make sure that it's big enough that they can all come back to it. He would kind of like to start his own traditions.

Backyard
Claudia wants to know how that would work. Are they just going to sell the house to the highest bidder? Charlie says that they will find someone who loves the house who loves it just as much as they do. When they were all living there, Charlie would never have said that it would be better to have the money than the house, but now that they are all leaving the memories are starting to get very expensive.

Salinger's
Bailey, Claudia and Julia are all facing Charlie in the booth. Bailey says that it was very nicely put. Julia thinks it was very moving. Bottom line, if they sell Claudia doesn't have to worry about work-study. Juilliard is paid for, so is Bailey's schooling. Julia and Justin can get set up in Washington and Owen will be taken care of until he's grown up. That house can pay for all of their futures.

Shed
Griffin seems surprised by the news about the house. It seems really fast. Julia tells him that Charlie has already talked to a broker. A Victorian in their neighborhood with a view of the Bay will go fast. She already wants to start bringing people by. Griffin thinks he should start cleaning his stuff up. He wouldn't want his mess to hurt the sale. The truth is, he should have gotten his stuff out of there a long time ago. It's kind of funny that he's still working in the place where he used to live with his ex-wife. It's kind of hard to explain to his girlfriend. Julia wants to know if Stephanie is threatened by him. She likes that. Griffin says that she knows that it's as much about Griffin being close to Julia's family as anything. She's big on family, wants a lot of kids. Julia reminds him that he was always good with Owen. Griffin thinks that it's kind of weird to think about the fact that someday he'll have kids and she'll have kids, but they won't be the same kids. No, but they'll know each other. They'll be friends. They'll know that they loved each other, that they still love each other.

Kitchen
The broker is bringing a couple through the house while all the kids sit in the kitchen. They were hoping to find a house exactly like this. The broker asks if they have any other questions. They don't, it seems like it has all the right rooms. They have two kids, ages 2 and 4. They talk about where they kids could sleep. The broker takes them out into the backyard.

Bailey says they are horrible people. Everyone laughs. Charlie says they can go either way, whatever they want. Julia hates this. She doesn't want to decide. This is the only thing left of her childhood. Bailey asks Claudia how she feels. She thinks she'll be okay. They'll still have the restaurant, and all of their things. She'll have all the stuff in her head. She'll be able to keep all of that. The truth is, she'll want her own house someday, she's had 17 years there. That's enough.

The couple comes back in. They would like to make them an offer.

The next shot shows the kitchen cupboards empty.

Living room
It's their last night and they are finishing packing up the house. Charlie has the basketball hoop. Claudia asks if he will put it up in the new house. He says he'll do it before he even unpacks. Kirsten asks if anyone wants the last slice of pizza. Everyone turns her down so she finishes it. Julia comes down. Owen is asleep and she also checked on Diana. She asks if this is how Claudia wanted it. Bailey wants to know if she's happy. Claudia doesn't know why everyone is acting so pissy. It's their last night there. She likes the idea that they are all sleeping in their old rooms. Bailey says it's just because she didn't have to lug all the old mattresses down from the attic. The house was not designed to sleep seven. Julia points out there are eight of them. Kirsten wants to know how she got eight. Julia didn't want to leave out "Stewie." They all laugh. Bailey can't wait to meet Stewie Salinger. Claudia can't wait until their next kids come along: Dewey and Louis. Charlie says it's enough. It isn't funny. He thinks they should finish packing. The movers are going to be ringing their bell at 7 a.m. Kirsten asks what time they are taking off for DC and Philadelphia. Justin is coming at 8. They have 3,000 miles to cross. Charlie thinks they should split up and each take a room. They all slowly get up and start to work again.

Kirsten picks up the plates and looks at the fireplace, now empty. She remembers from season one when she asked Charlie if he would "bury" her. Charlie wanted to ask her. Claudia comes back in and asks if she needs some help. She says that she's just taking some snapshots in her head. Claudia is too. She got out the video camera and did a walking tour that morning for when she's old, in case stuff starts to fade. Kirsten takes a box out. Claudia looks over into the dining room and sees the scene when she and Charlie set up the tent to be her bedroom. She smiles at the memory.

The kitchen is empty. Julia remembers how she taught Charlie to dance in the kitchen. Griffin comes in and asks what she's smiling at. She was just...it was nothing. He asks if she has another roll of strapping tape. She pulls out a box and asks if he remembers them. They were a wedding gift from Ross, toasting glasses. She tells him to take them. He tries to turn her down, but she reminds him that she's moving across the country in a Jeep with bad shocks and if she leaves them with Charlie they are bound to get lost. She wants to know that one of them has them. He takes them. She's sure that he will have lots of good things to toast.

Backyard
Charlie carries a box out of the shed. He looks at the yard and remembers the night he, Julia and Bailey had a sanding party to finish a furniture order. He looks up at the house and then goes back in.

Bailey and Owen's room
Bailey comes in and watches Owen sleep. He remembers when Owen was a baby and they shared a room. He told the sleeping baby that if he couldn't find a nanny soon he would have to sell Owen off to white slave traders. Owen wakes up and Bailey goes over to comment on it being like old times. Owen wants to know if they ever had bunkbeds. Charlie told him he could have bunkbeds at the new place. Bailey shows him how Owen's crib was over against the wall and how he would put Owen in striped pajamas so that it would be easier to see that he was breathing. Owen wants Bailey to tell him about how Owen used to throw things out of his crib to wake Bailey up. Sometimes Bailey would snore and all of a sudden Owen would pelt him in his head with his pacifier.

Master bedroom
Charlie and Kirsten are in bed with Diana sleeping in the crib next to them. Kirsten thinks it feels weird. Charlie agrees. He also hates the mattress...it's lumpy. Kirsten asks if he remembers the first time they did it there...in his parents' bedroom. He does. She complained because the bed squeaked too much. Charlie points out that Diana is a very heavy sleeper. They could go out with a bang...so to speak. Charlie tells her that he loves her. She says it back and they kiss.

Claudia and Julia's bedroom
Julia comments that they'll probably replaster the ceiling. She knows every single crack: the state of Texas, the treble clef, her mom's glasses. She made so many plans staring up at that ceiling. She asks what time it is. Claudia doesn't know. She packed her alarm clock. Julia thinks they should go to sleep, but Claudia doesn't want to. If she closes her eyes she'll wake up and it'll be morning. Julia says that she'll stay up with her.

Salinger house
The movers are taking things out of the house. Bailey is loading the Jeep. He tells Julia that he has a plan for the trip. She teases him about having a plan. He's done this trip before...when he thought he would go out and see Sarah. Julia says this will be much better. If they don't mind taking some time... Justin says that they don't need to be in Washington for two weeks. Well, in that case, they don't drive more than 8 hours a day, two hours per shift and they stop wherever they want. Julia comments that he's finally seeing the world. Justin offers to take the first shift, but Bailey stops and looks up at their home and says that he wants to drive away.

Master bedroom
Charlie comes into the bedroom where Kirsten is sitting on the bed holding her stomach. He hopes that she wasn't too fond of the mirror in the living room, because Erv, the with the tattoo that he thought said "Mama" until his t-shirt rode up and Charlie saw that it says "Yo, Mama" just hurled it into the back of the van. Kirsten smiles and says that he's moving. Charlie says they are barely moving, they haven't touched anything in the living room yet. He thought that if they saw Bailey and him moving a few things it might shame them into hauling ass. Kirsten repeats that he's moving. Charlie looks over and finally understands what she's saying. He's moving just a tiny little bit. Claudia comes in and tells Charlie that Erv just asked if the legs on the piano folded. Charlie tells her that Stewie moved. Claudia feels it and calls out for Julia to come. Kirsten stops and asks Charlie if they really are going to name the baby Stewie. Charlie has an idea, they'll throw Owen a bone and name the baby Stewart, but give him the middle name Nick and call him that. S. Nicholas Salinger. Julia asks if they aren't concerned that kids will call him Snick Salinger. Charlie tells her to shut-up while Claudia tells her again about the baby moving. She's checking it out when Bailey and Owen come in. Bailey announces that someone needs to slap Erv. He votes that Charlie go do it. He asks if they are rubbing Kirsten for good luck. Charlie tells him that the baby moved. Bailey and Owen feel it too. As they are all celebrating, Erv comes in to get the rest of furniture from the bedroom. They all call out for him to be careful while he takes out the dresser. Kirsten asks what is on the wall behind the dresser. They go look. It's the height chart. Their dad always measured them. Charlie had totally forgotten about it. Claudia remembers that it was right after birthday cake. They would get marched upstairs and measured. Julia remembers that Bailey used to stand on his tip toes. Owen asks if he's there. There is a mark for when he was three months old. Julia can't believe how fast they grew. They look all the way up until the last mark for their dad in 1987. Claudia points out that Charlie is taller than their dad. He looks at it. He kisses Kirsten.

The End

Notes:

I'm not even sure how to comment on this episode. As I'm sure you've noticed, it's taken me a little longer than usual to get this summary and review up. Part of the reason is I've been very busy in that other part of my life...the revenue generating portion, but honestly, it's been really hard to think about this being over. It seems a little silly to put so much importance on a television program, but I wouldn't be telling the truth if I didn't say that the Salingers have become a little part of my life. When Julia is talking to Justin about moving away she says that they'll still talk, but she won't know what they look like in the morning, what their days are like, what they watch on TV. Well, I never really knew that stuff before, but I understand what she's talking about and I feel the same way.

There are a lot of ways to finish a show. This was the good way. We have watched six years of them struggling to find out what it means to be a family when the two things that make you a family (a mother and a father) are no longer there. I agree with Charlie, they have figured it out and it is time to move to the next stage. It would have been wrong for any of the three of them to not take these opportunities and I also agree with Charlie's decision to sell the house. We've had six years of him struggling to figure out how to be his father. Now that his family is solidifying it is time for him to have his own home, to no longer live in his father's house.

There were so many great moments in this episode, it's very hard to pick them out. I was talking with my parents this morning and my mom commented that the scene on the steps was really wonderful, with the light and shadows acting as a part of the plot. She told me that they had learned to watch TV differently watching this show. I think she was intimating that had something to do with my reviews, but I have to say that is has more to do with the work of Joe Pennella, the director of photography. He gave this show its look and made it unlike any other I've ever seen before or since.

I also thought the scenes where Charlie discussed selling the house were amazing. They moved from one sibling to the next, again a seamless movement from one to the next. This is Amy Lippman and Chris Keyser's writing again blending so well with Ken Topolsky's direction. I will miss these people's gifts coming into my home each week.

I have to be fair and nitpick a couple of things, along with a clarification. The Eastern background of our creators and writers was showing through. Again and again different characters commented on going "back East." I could be wrong on this one...I'm from the Midwest, but I find that phrase very common amongst people who have lived on the East coast, or who have family "back East." As far as we know about the Salingers, I believe their people have been in the Bay area for some time. I'm also less than taken with Claudia's accelerated graduation. Some people have argued that this is the result of her decision after the sexual assault to take the GED and leave school early. That doesn't account for Todd (who is also 17) and their other friends who all seem to be going to college as well. I also have to admit that I thought it was a little cheesy to name the new baby Nick, but that's just me.

Okay, nitpick over and onto the clarification. I've also read criticism of Bailey's magical admission to Wharton. He isn't in yet. He has to go to summer school and if he does well there, then he gets to be admitted as a junior and if he does well there, then he gets admitted to the business school. Best of luck Bailey.

Oh, I have things I wish we could have seen...I'm really disappointed that we'll never see Stewie or Charlie and Kirsten's new home. I would have liked to have seen Justin and Julia's wedding, but this is fine, this is a good end.

I want to thank the cast and crew for all of their hard work over the six years. The words were always beautiful, but it took so many more people to make them come to life each week. I appreciate the work it took from the carpentry, to the make-up and hair to the music selection, it worked...the whole package.

Finally, I want to thank all of you who have read these notes over the years and sent me your thoughts in return. I always enjoyed hearing from you. I have made some terrifically good friends through this web site and other Party of Five ventures. This has been a special moment in my life and I thank you for taking part in it. Good luck and I'll miss you all.

Rachel

Copyright ©2000 by Rachel Vagts. All rights reserved.

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