Episode 31, "Close Your Eyes"
Romance Towers Crossover I
Previously on Friends and Foes,
CANDICE’S DORM ROOM - EARLY MORNING, TWO DAYS LATER
Candice is emotionless, dark bags lingering under her eyes, as she folds a blanket and neatly places it into a hamper. She carries the hamper to her bed, where she monotonously takes the blanket out again and unties it.
She stops, frustrated. Her quivering hand slowly moves from her side and grasps her distraught face. She takes a deep breath and absorbs a moment.
Behind her, Alex opens the door and walks into the dorm room. Hearing the door close, Candice turns and meets Alex’s gaze.
She hesitates, for a moment, staring almost coldly at him. "You...you’re back."
"Yeah." Alex sighs. He doesn’t move. Something has changed. They both seem cold and uncomfortable, but more distraught than anything.
"How’s Taylor?" Candice asks, turning her back to Alex and placing her attention back to the blanket.
"He’s fine. He went to see Lyndsay."
"And you?"
"Been better."
Alex slowly walks over to wear Candice is standing. He tries to hug her from behind, but she shrugs away.
"Alex, I-"
"I understand," Alex says. He turns his back.
"I love you, Alex, but damn it, I can’t deal with this right now." Candice pleads, dropping her hamper and sitting down in distress.
"YOU can’t handle this?!"
"Believe it or not!" Candice retaliates. "You listen to me, Alex. I know you’ve had problems in your past, and I know you are still trying to deal with it, but the world does NOT circulate around you! Other people have problems to, so for you to insinuate that I am completely immune to pain is a bunch of pseudo-intellectual crap!"
"You think you have problems, Candice?" Alex says calmly, obviously very hurt, "Well let me tell you something. In the last two years there have been over 5 attempts on my life, which I have barely escaped! I have watched people die, I have watched people mentally and emotionally crumble, and I have watched people lose themselves to pain, and I am not-"
"This is silly! I am not going to sit here and argue about who has more problems! I am a damn human too, and I need some time to think about you, me, and us!"
"Fine. Take your time. Meanwhile, I will be wallowing in guilt and despair. But that won’t stop me from comforting Taylor, attending a funeral for Josie, going to school, and getting a lawyer for Amanda to get her out of this mess!"
"Look Alex," Candice says in a softer tone, realizing that Alex is upset, "I love you...more than anyone I have ever loved before. So don’t you think it hurts for me to have to spend one minute away from you?"
She waits for a response, but Alex is speechless.
"I love you, too, Candice. So much...so much that it hurts! I go to sleep thinking of you, I wake up thinking of you! Sometimes I can’t eat because I love you so much!"
"So then you’ll understand when I say we need some time apart. I need to sort this out, and think about what to do next. If you really love me, than you will wait."
"Fine." He gives up, "Fine... I have to go. Amanda is in jail and I’m getting her out on bail."
Alex takes a deep breathe, helpless, as he walks out the door.
ROLL OPENING CREDITS, "Close Your Eyes" Christophe Beck
Starring:
Nicholas Brendon as Alex Harrison
Jonathon Taylor Thomas as Taylor Brookdale
Jennifer Love Hewitt as Lyndsay Schofield
Britney Spears as Candice Rogers
Gillian Anderson as Kortni Hope
Christina Aguilera as Amanda Friedman
Also in this Episode:
Sarah Michelle Gellar as Brandi Vandal
ALEX’S DORM ROOM - MORNING
Alex is sitting at a desk, a phone in his hand. He dials some numbers and quickly puts the phone to his ear.
Cameron Banks answers the phone in Arcadia Springs, California. The busy lawyer answers the phone almost carelessly, ""Hello?"
"Hi, Cameron?" Alex inquires.
"Yeah, who is this?"
"It's your little cousin!" Alex grins.
"Alex ... is this you?"
Alex can only reply, "Hey Cameron!" Despite the recent events, it is good to hear the voice of family.
"Alex ... what's up ... how's school?" Cameron says, a smile across his face.
"Pretty good, I just got back from spring break in Hawaii."
Cameron seems amazed. His little cousin went to Hawaii on his own? "Wow! How’d you swing that?"
"Long story...listen, Cameron? The reason I called is I need a favor."
Cameron can only grin and say in a half-joking manner, "Why is it you only call when you need a favor? Are you in trouble?"
"Sort of. Well, actually it's for my friend, Amanda."
"Okay," Cameron hesitates, "Well, what is it?"
"Please don't let this alarm you Cameron," Alex says, hoping that Cameron won’t over react. "But...Amanda needs a lawyer. She’s being tried for murder by the L.A. District Attorney."
"The DA is prosecuting her?!? Alex, that sounds serious." Cameron says, concerned.
"Cameron," Alex interrupts, "I know it sounds serious...but she needs your help! You are the best, and only, lawyer I know, and you’re the only one who can help me!"
Cameron pauses for a moment, speaking to someone else in the room, before turning his attention back to Alex. "Alex ... can you come to Arcadia Springs?"
"Arcadia Springs? Now?"
"Before I make any decisions Alex ... I need to talk to this Amanda. If the DA is prosecuting her case ... then it's serious. Your friend, Amanda, is in a lot of trouble."
Alex sighs. "I understand. I'm on my way to get her out on bail right now."
"Good!" Cameron exclaims. "As soon as you do ... bring her to Arcadia Springs."
"Will do." Alex confirms, "I'll see you soon, Cameron."
"Hey Alex..."
"Yeah?"
The discerning tone in Cameron’s voice is doomful. "How serious are you with this girl? Because if she's in the kinda trouble I think she is..."
Alex interrupts with a smile of irony, "We're just friends, Cameron. It's a completely platonic relationship...but I care for her. A lot. And I'll do anything to help her right now."
"Well ... just don't get too attached to her. I'll see you when you get to Arcadia."
Alex feels an overwhelming sense of gratitude. "Thank you so much!"
"G'bye Alex."
"Bye."
LYNDSAY’S DORM ROOM - NOON
Lyndsay and Taylor lay on her bed, cuddling. Tears slowly but surely round off Lyndsay’s cheeks.
"Please stop crying, baby." Taylor says, his voice smooth and assuring.
"I miss her so much Taylor!"
Taylor frowns, his heart aching for Lyndsay. He looks deeply in to her eyes, hoping to maybe take away some of Lyndsay’s pain. But it doesn’t work, she is still a wreck, and Taylor can’t bear it.
"She told me it would get better soon! She promised me!" Lyndsay cries.
"Lyndsay," Taylor says, getting on his knees, "That was just a dream, you can’t..."
Lyndsay interrupts, "It wasn’t just a dream. There was something about it...the way she was talking...I don’t know...but I DO know that was really Josie talking to me...and I know there has to be some kind of meaning behind it."
"So, if that was Josie, then aren’t you going to drop the charges on Amanda?" Taylor asks.
"I tried, but the District Attorney has taken over anyway. I don’t have any power over it."
Taylor frowns. The whole Amanda situation was going to be a mess, but he has to solve the problems at hand one by one, starting with comforting his girlfriend.
He leans forward, and gives Lyndsay a soft, loving, and tender kiss. They hug.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY JAILHOUSE - AFTERNOON
Alex sits in a lobby, his face buried deeply in a magazine. A lot of thoughts dwell within him. In a way, he is worried, but also anxious to get to Arcadia Springs. Not only does he want this mess sorted out, but he also would like to see his cousin Cameron.
Amanda soon approaches Alex. "Hi."
Her greeting is cold, quiet, and quite terrified. She has obviously never spent a night in a jail cell before.
Alex doesn’t say a word. Instead, he stands up and gives Amanda a long comforting hug. "I’m so sorry about this."
Amanda pulls away and meets Alex’s gaze.
"So what’s up?" Amanda says. "You said you might have found a lawyer?"
"Yeah. He’s my cousin, Cameron. He wants us to go up to his town and meet him before he represents you."
Amanda smiles at the irony, "You know, I dreamed of coming to LA, to become an actress...and my first night here was spent in jail."
"I know," Alex says, frowning, "I’m sorry."
There is a moment of silence...of speechlessness.
"So what are we waiting for?" Amanda shrugs. "Let’s go meet Cameron."
With that, Amanda and Alex quickly leave the jailhouse. After what seems like an eternity, Amanda and Alex get into Alex’s car, where they get in and drive off.
