Episode #309- "Samuel Rising"

[Max and Michael are walking down the street talking]

MAX: So did you and Maria officially break up?

MICHAEL: I thought so, but the more she says, the more confusing it gets. She wants space, but she still wants me in her life. All I know for sure is I'm not getting any. Let's grab a burger.

MAX: That's not exactly giving her space.

MICHAEL: I'm not gonna starve because I have a weird girlfriend.

MAX: Nah. Liz's dad is still freaked. I'm not allowed in the Crashdown.

MICHAEL: Do it anyways. It'll make her hot.

[Max and Michael go into the Crashdown- Isabel and the rest of the group are already there]

ISABEL: So this is how it's gonna look. It's gonna be, like, white lights and clear ornaments and white candles.

MICHAEL: Hail the Christmas nazi.

JESSE: What?

ISABEL: Hi, Michael. Shut up.

LIZ: Hey. I love that you just walked in here.

MICHAEL: Hey.

MARIA: Hey.

MICHAEL: So what's going on? Are we hanging today after your shift?

MARIA: Uh...Today? Uh, no. I have some stuff to do today.

MICHAEL: Whatever.

MAX: Is that kid staring at me?

MICHAEL: What kid?

MAX: Over there. Sitting with his mom.

MAX: He is. He's staring right at me.

MICHAEL: So what? Christmas... It's a... Load of crap.

JESSE: Are you kidding me? It's a great time. Just mellow out, watch a little football.

MICHAEL: Oh, you'll be watching lots of football.

JESSE: What does he mean by that?

ISABEL: Nothing. We gotta go, honey. We gotta make sure the senior Christmas dinner is still on schedule. I still haven't found the proper Santa for Santa village, and, oh, you know what? You gotta change the lights on the windows of our apartment.

MICHAEL: Enjoy mellowing out.

ISABEL: You know, Michael, I, too, was miserable around the holidays until I found my calling.

MICHAEL: Making other people miserable.

ISABEL: Volunteering... Helping the elderly, children less fortunate find joy and happiness through the holidays.

MARIA: Want to know something? That actually sounds great. Giving of myself-- I like it. I think that's just what i need to, um... Get my mind off of other situations.

ISABEL: Well, you have come to the right place.

LIZ: You know, I think I'd really like to do that, too.

MARIA: Is there anything we can do together?

ISABEL: Actually, I think there is. Meet me at the park after work.

[The little boy who has been staring at Max walks over to him]

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Samuel? Where are you going?

SAMUEL: Daddy.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Samuel.

MAX: I think you got the wrong guy.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Did he just say something to you?

MAX: Yeah. He just called me "daddy."

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: That's impossible. My son doesn't talk.

[Later, Max and Liz are talking]

MAX: He called me "daddy." It was crystal clear.

LIZ: Yeah, I heard.

MAX: Liz, what if my son is using him to communicate with me?

LIZ: What do you mean?

MAX: You know my son has been trying to send me signals?

LIZ: No, Max. He hasn't sent you a signal in over a month.

MAX: Maybe he hasn't been able to until now. What if there's something about this child-- something about the fact that he's different that allows my son to be able to reach out to me through him? And we know that aliens possess human bodies to communicate with us.

LIZ: Well, Max, maybe he was just confused.

MAX: Something made him talk to me. I have to find out what that is.

[Kyle is talking to his father as Jim stuffs the turkey]

KYLE: Dad, if just-- I wanted to say that I figured out what's going on.

JIM: You have?

KYLE: Yep. All this Christmas stuff is because it's been a rough year.

JIM: Uh-huh.

KYLE: The whole thing with Tess and you losing your job and everything.

JIM: Yeah.

KYLE: I know you wanted to make this a good Christmas...For us-- for me--and I just wanted to say I appreciate that.

JIM: Listen Kyle, there's something that I wanted to tell you, but it's kind of slipped my mind. I, uh, actually invited somebody to come over for Christmas breakfast this year... A lady friend.

[Sarcastic]

KYLE: fantastic. So you just, uh, you just decided to invite her... To Christmas breakfast... To our Christmas breakfast. Did you even think to ask me?

JIM: Kyle, listen, you don't want her to come-

KYLE: no, no, no. It's fine.

JIM: Kyle-

KYLE: it's fine. Don't worry about it.

[Max rings the doorbell at Samuel's house]

MAX: I'm sorry to bother you. I just keep thinking about what happened this morning. I'm Max. Max Evans.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: What can I do for you?

MAX: I was wondering what I could do for your son.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Why?

MAX: I don't know. It just feels like the right thing to do.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Max, I know how people can get around the holidays. My son is autistic. If you want to work with children, you might want to start with someone a little less challenging.

MAX: I don't want to work with children. I want to help your son.

[Isabel arrives home to find Jesse decorating for Christmas]

ISABEL: What's that?

JESSE: It's my old stocking.

ISABEL: Oh. Wow. Well, it's, uh, very...Brown.

JESSE: Yeah. I made it myself in kindergarten.

ISABEL: I don't doubt that.

JESSE: Yeah, it always hung on my mantle at my house, and now it's on our mantle.

ISABEL: Hmm.

[Mutters] yeah, it certainly is. Oh! Oh, oh, oh!

JESSE: What? What? What?

[Isabel uses her powers to make a new stocking]

ISABEL: But I made these.

JESSE: Oh, my god. You made these?

ISABEL: Yeah.

JESSE: When did you have the time?

ISABEL: Well, actually, it didn't take as long as you would think.

JESSE: Wow. Ok, so I guess I'll have 2 stockings on the mantle.

ISABEL: Yeah. Yeah. Or... Maybe we could hang this one... Somewhere else.

[Isabel takes Jesse's stocking off the mantel]

ISABEL: You know, like, on... Well, the tree. You know, we could just sort of--just-- just sort of, uh-- we could just-- sort of put it right there.

JESSE: Yeah, I guess that works.

ISABEL: Yeah, good. Ok, let's get going. 2 days till Christmas. Lots to do.

JESSE: Anyway, I was just thinking-

[Jesse reaches for a plate of cookies]

ISABEL: oh, honey! Don't touch those. They're for christmas morning.

JESSE: Yeah.

[Back at Samuel's house]

MAX: Samuel?

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: He likes the light. I think that's why he does that with the door. It creates patterns of light on the carpet.

MAX: Right.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: It comforts him.

MAX: Right.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Max... I understand if you change your mind about doing this. It may not be what you expected.

MAX: I'm fine. This is fine.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: What happened today has never happened before. I keep asking myself, "why did he walk up to you? Why you?"

MAX: I have no idea.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: I have this appointment with his psychologist this afternoon. Maybe if she worked with you and Samuel together, he might talk again. I would understand if you don't want to-

MAX: I do. I'll be there.

[At Isabel's Christmas Village, Santa's are trying out]

SANTA: Ho ho ho! Ho ho ho! Ho ho ho!

ISABEL: They won't do.

WOMAN: Really? I think that Santa 2 has a real Kringle quality.

ISABEL: Santa's village is an institution-- my institution-- and the children of Roswell deserve a great Santa. Not a good Santa, a great Santa.

WOMAN: Right.

LIZ: Hi, Isabel.

MARIA: Hi!

ISABEL: Oh. 7 minutes late. I need 5 more inches of snow on all of the trees. This is the north pole.

ISABEL: Ok! Snowflake and Candy Cane.

LIZ: Elves? Are you kidding?

ISABEL: No. You said you wanted to give of yourselves.

LIZ: Not as elves.

MARIA: Yeah, all elves do is deal with annoying kids who want to cut the Santa line. I mean, we wanted to make a real contribution, Isabel.

ISABEL: There are no small assignments. Only small volunteers. You two are the smallest I could find for those elves costumes.

[Maria and Liz look surprised- Jesse can't believe what Isabel is doing]

[Samuel's family is at the psychologist's office- Max is in the waiting room]

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: : I'm telling you, he spoke. I heard him speak.

DOCTOR: I know, and that's fantastic, Rebecca, it is. What we need to do now, is figure out exactly what this means.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: It means he's starting to communicate with the world. He's growing. He's changing.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: Rebecca, come on.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: What?

SAMUEL'S FATHER: We've had moments like this before.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Like what?

SAMUEL'S FATHER: Like emergency meetings, breakthroughs, changes.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Don't do this to me, Warren.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: Don't do what?

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Don't take this away from me.

DOCTOR: No one is trying to take anything away from you, but, Rebecca, I just don't want you to get your hopes up too soon.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: I want to get my hopes up. I deserve to get my hopes up. He is different. He was different this morning. Max is outside in the waiting room. He was the young man Samuel spoke to at the diner.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: What? Why?!

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: I thought it might be helpful if you observed him with Max. If he related to him before, he may again.

DOCTOR: I think that's a good idea. Max? Why don't you come in now? I'm Dr. Ramey.

MAX: Nice to meet you.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Dr. Ramey has been with my son since he was 3, and this is, um, Samuel's father Warren.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: Hey, Max.

DOCTOR: So, Max, why don't you tell us what happened this morning?

MAX: Well, I was sitting with some friends having breakfast, and...I noticed him looking at me. Kind of staring.

MAX: Then, a few minutes later, walked across the room.

[Samuel hands Max a picture he drew of a UFO]

MAX: Thank you.

[Max is at home looking at the picture- Knock on door- Max opens the door to find Liz]

LIZ: hi.

MAX: Hey,

LIZ: I'm so excited. I haven't gone ice skating in so long.

MAX: Take a look at this.

LIZ: That's--you did a really good job, Max. Great use of color there. MX

LIZ: And that means...

MAX: It means my son is trying to communicate with me through this boy.

LIZ: Max-

MAX: look, even Samuel's psychologist thought it was unusual.

LIZ: You're getting really involved in his life.

MAX: Liz, you were the one who said you would do anything to help me find my son. Well, right now, this is my only lead.

LIZ: I know, Max, but I just see you walking into the life of this child, you know, this special child. I don't want you to just get what you're looking for and then walk away.

MAX: Liz, trust me.

LIZ: I do trust you. Now let's go ice-skating, and we'll talk about this later.

MAX: Uh...

LIZ: What?

MAX: I told Rebecca that I would go over there this morning. Sorry.

LIZ: Right.

MAX: What about tonight?

LIZ: Uh, I can't, because I'm an indentured elf all through Christmas eve.

MAX: Sorry.

LIZ: It's ok. We'll do it some other time.

[Back at Isabel's Christmas event]

MARIA:

Liz: Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells jingle all the way oh, what fun it is to ride-

KIDS: Boo! Shut up, elves. Elves suck.

LIZ: Do you know that without elves, Santa would be nowhere? We are very proud to be elves.

KIDS: Loser: We want Santa! We want Santa! We want Santa! We want Santa! We want Santa! There's Santa! Here comes Santa!

[Kids cheering as Santa (Michael) rides up on a motorcycle]

KIDS: whoa, whoa, whoa.

MARIA: You've got to be kidding me.

LIZ: Oh, my god. Is that...

MARIA: No...

LIZ: Way.

MICHAEL: Ho ho ho.

MARIA: t are you doing here?

MICHAEL: other Santa's in rehab. So Isabel forced me to do this. You know how she gets around the holidays. Bring me a brat, snowflake.

MARIA: Oh!

[Max is playing basketball with Samuel]

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Almost sweetheart. Almost.

MAX: Try it again. Just a little more muscle.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Great job!

MAX: Great shot. Want to try it again?

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Hi, Warren .

SAMUEL'S FATHER: Max. Hey, Samuel. I got your cape. It was in the back of my car.

MAX: Uh, I should go.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: That's ok. Actually, I have to go to work today.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: What? You're supposed to take him to see Santa today.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: Yeah, I know. I got swamped. It'll have to wait till tomorrow. Warren, tomorrow is Christmas eve. There is no way Samuel's gonna sit on Santa's lap if there are those kind of crowds.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: He's not gonna sit on Santa's lap no matter what we do. He's never sat on Santa's lap.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: He doesn't let people touch him.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Well, we could still go and at least pretend to be a family.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: Rebecca, he doesn't even know what Christmas is. I gotta go to work.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Mm-hmm.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: Bye, Samuel. Bye, Max.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: He's probably right. Samuel's never sat on Santa's lap.

MAX: Listen, I can go with you, if you like. I know some helpful elves.

[Back at the festival]

MICHAEL: So, Zeke, what are you asking Santa for this year?

BOY: A raceway 5000.

MICHAEL: Nice choice dude. The raceway 5000 rocks. Give me 5!

MARIA: looks like Michael finally found an age group on his level.

LIZ: Yeah, he's really good with kids.

MARIA: Yeah, he's so adorable. Oh! This is exactly what was not supposed to happen. Uh, Liz, look. That's a weird sight.

[Maria sees Max, Samuel and his mother]

MARIA: Here.

LIZ: Thanks.

LIZ: Hi.

MAX: Hey. This is Rebecca, and this is Samuel. This is Liz.

LIZ: Hi. I think that we actually met yesterday at the Crashdown. Hi, Samuel. Merry Christmas.

MAX: He has a hard time with waiting in lines, so we were wondering if you could move him through?

LIZ: Oh, yeah. Sure. Why don't we just bring him-

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: oh, ok, I'm sorry. He doesn't like to touch people or to be touched. He may not want to sit in Santa's lap, and if he doesn't, that's ok. Don't force him to do anything.

LIZ: Um, why don't you just come with us?

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: That would be great. Ok. Thank you.

LIZ: Come on, samuel.

MICHAEL: Ho ho ho.

MAX: Michael? What are you doing here?

MICHAEL: Spreading Christmas cheer.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Ok, Samuel, do you want to sit on Santa's lap? It's ok. Let's go. Here you go.

[Samuel sits on Michael's lap]

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Sweetie, you're doing great.

MAX: The camera.

MICHAEL: Hop to it, candy cane.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Oh, um, one more. Ok, wait. One more. Max, come on in.

MAX: No, it's all right.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Come on. Please get in the picture.

[The photographer takes pictures of Samuel and Max with Michael and Samuel's mother]

[Max, and Samuel and his mother are walking down the street]

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: I am so proud of you. That was fantastic. I think this calls for an ice cream celebration. What do you think? Samuel loves ice cream. He could eat it every day, and he does. Don't you, sweetie?

MAX: Yeah. Oh, I'll go get it.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: No, that's ok. I'll get it. You sit here with Max, and I'll be right back. Thank you.

MAX: Sure. You really made your mom proud, Samuel. Me, too. Samuel, I want to talk to you about something... About this.

[Max takes the picture of the UFO out]

MAX: This might sound a little crazy... But did something tell you to draw this? Samuel? I need you to try and think about this. I need you to help me, ok? Think about yesterday morning in the Crashdown when you walked up to me.

MAX: I know you don't like people to touch you, but I might be able to get a connection. Let's see.

[Samuel freaks out and runs when Max touches him]

MAX: No, no, it's all right. I'm not gonna hurt you. No, Samuel! It's ok! No, stop! Stop! Samuel, it's all right. I won't hurt you.

[Screaming]

MAX: Samuel, stop. It's ok.

[Screaming]

MAX: it's ok. Samuel!

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Oh, my god! What happened?!

MAX: It was just-

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: move away. Stay away! You're going to be ok, Samuel, honey, come here, let me see- It's ok. It's all right-. Come here-

[Samuel and his mother arrive home with Max, and Samuel's father is waiting there]

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: it's ok. It's ok.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: How is he?

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: He's fine.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: Well, what the hell happened? Your message made it sound like he cracked his head open.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: He fell. He's ok. It wasn't as bad as it looked.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: Samuel, are you ok?

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Warren, please. You're making him nervous. I need to get him inside.

MAX: I'm sorry.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: It's ok. You had his best interest at heart. Come on inside, honey. Let's relax.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: What happened?

MAX: It was my fault. Rebecca went into the store for ice cream, and, uh... I was talking to Samuel, and... He just--he-

SAMUEL'S FATHER: he lost it?

MAX: Yeah.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: 've been there... Many times. Max, I know what this must look like to you. Like I've, uh, abandoned my family or something. But there's something you gotta understand. What you've been doing for 2 days, I did for 7 years. I mean, he has spoken before. You know, Rebecca-- she probably didn't tell you that. When he was 4, he said... "Baskin-Robbins." You know, for the ice-cream store? We held on to that for over a year... Just waiting for him to say something else... Or say it again. He, uh, never did. Max, I know what it is that you're trying to do for my son, I do. But I-I'm just afraid that... Whatever it is that you're looking for... It just isn't there.

[Max and Liz are talking in the Crashdown]

LIZ: So do you think that the father's right that what he said didn't mean anything?

MAX: I mean, he drew this ship. It must mean something.

LIZ: Max? He was just drawing the mural.

MAX: He wasn't trying to communicate with me. None of this means anything.

LIZ: So what are you gonna do, you just gonna walk away?

MAX: I don't know what else to do. I already hurt him once. I shouldn't even be in his life.

LIZ: Max, maybe there's some other reason that he reached out to you. He spoke to you. He obviously senses that you're different. Maybe he's trying to say something, and he's looking for help to say it.

[Jesse is watching football on the TV]

JESSE: No! No! No! No! Hey.

ISABEL: Hey. How you doing?

JESSE: Oh! Turnover! Our ball! Our ball! Our ball!

ISABEL: Good game, honey?

JESSE: Oh, great game.

ISABEL: Oh, great. Great. You know, Jesse, it's Christmas-eve morning. We have a million things to do.

JESSE: Yeah, hey. I'm stringing. Look.

ISABEL: You've hardly started, and the sequence is all wrong. It's 5 popcorn, 2 cranberries.

JESSE: Hey, if my work isn't good enough, maybe you should get candy cane and snowflake involved.

ISABEL: Ok, I am doing everything I can to make sure that we have a perfect Christmas.

JESSE: How can we have the perfect Christmas? Everything is too perfect. I mean, it's too planned. I'm breaking out in hives here. I never break out.

ISABEL: But we're starting our Christmas traditions.

JESSE: No. We're starting your Christmas traditions, all of your activities and your decorating and your charity work. I mean, it's great. But what about us? What about just sitting back on the couch and watching some TV and just talking and mellowing out? How about that for a Christmas tradition?

ISABEL: Mellowing out?

JESSE: Yes.

ISABEL: Ok, are you gonna come with me to the Christmas village, or are you gonna be too busy mellowing out?

JESSE: I'm going for a walk.

[Cheering on TV as Jesse leaves]

[The doorbell rings at the Valenti house, and Kyle opens the door]

KYLE: hey, Shelby. Shelby Prine, right?

SHELBY: Hi, Kyle. I haven't seen you in years.

KYLE: So what are you doing here, is it a unicef situation?

SHELBY: Oh. Didn't your father-

KYLE: my father? He's in the bedroom getting ready to see his lady friend. Oh. Oh, you-

[Kyle is telling Isabel about Shelby]

ISABEL: maybe it's not so terrible.

KYLE: What?

ISABEL: Yeah. Wasn't she a few years ahead of us in school? She's probably 21 or so. And...

KYLE: And?

ISABEL: Jessie is older than I am. You can't predict who you'll have a connection to.

KYLE: Whose side are you on?

ISABEL: I always liked Shelby. She was really cool.

KYLE: Stop. Listen, listen. It's sick. It's sick and deviant and humiliating.

KYLE: Kyle, Don't worry about it,

JIM: Hey!

KYLE: Oh, crap. Hey. So, out for a public display-- oh, I mean, walk?

SHELBY: Isabel Evans? Hi. How are you?

ISABEL: Hi.

SHELBY: Hi.

ISABEL: Hi.

JIM: We were just... Walking.

KYLE: See you.

JIM: Yeah.

SHELBY: Bye, Kyle.

ISABEL: Huh. You're right. It's sick.

MICHAEL: So, Paul, you a football player? You look like a football player.

KIDS: Hockey.

MICHAEL: Hockey. There's a man's sport. What's your favorite team?

KIDS: The rangers.

MICHAEL: Ok, that's where we go our separate ways.

MICHAEL: (to Maria) Wanna fetch me a Snapple?

MARIA: What?

MICHAEL: I'm dry as a bone here. Been talking all day. Come on, snowflake.

MARIA: Michael, there's no way that I'm gonna-

MICHAEL: Michael? I'm not Michael. I'm Santa. Paul, don't you think that snowflake should fetch Santa a Snapple?

KIDS: Of course you should. You're an elf.

MICHAEL: Exactly. And I'll need a foot rub later, too.

MARIA: Uh, you know what, Santa? I think I have a Snapple in my little elf house.

[Maria drags Michael into the elf house]

MARIA: Fetch me a Snapple?

MICHAEL: You're supposed to be Santa's helper.

MARIA: Oh, that's a load of crap. You're doing this deliberately.

MICHAEL: Doing what?

MARIA: Trying to get back at me because I broke up with you.

MICHAEL: Hey, snowflake, you're an elf. It's your job. Get over yourself.

MARIA: Stop taunting me.

MICHAEL: I'm not taunting you. Look, the reason that I did this to begin with was to get away from you. You think I wanna be here? Isabel roped me into this.

MARIA: Then we'll keep to ourselves, and we'll be fine.

MICHAEL: Fine.

MARIA: Perfect.

MICHAEL: I miss you.

MARIA: I miss you, too.

[Michael kisses Maria- they fall down on the floor kissing, and a kid walks up to the door and sees them]

KIDS: It's Santa! Santa and snowflake are kissing.

MICHAEL: We gotta hide.

KIDS: Gross. Mommy, Santa and snowflake are doing it. They're doing it.

MARIA: Get off. I can't my belt's stuck. I can't move.

KIDS: Aah!

[Isabel comes in and finds them sprawled on the floor]

ISABEL: you two should go home and have a long talk with yourselves. And you--you begged me to be Santa.

MARIA: You what?

ISABEL: You're fired. Both of you.

[Late at night, Max sneaks into Samuel's room]

MAX: shh! It's ok. I'm sorry. There's someone I've been looking for. Sort of like I think your mom and dad have been looking for you. But I was looking in the wrong place. And...I think that's why you got so upset before. Because I wasn't really coming to you for you. I was doing it for myself. And you're smart enough to know that, aren't you? But tonight, I am here for you. I want to help you say the things you need to say. Ok?

[Max puts his hands next to Samuel's head and uses his powers- the strain is hard on him- he is sweating and breathing hard as he finishes]

[Silent night plays]

MAX: Samuel? Samuel... Try to speak. It's ok to speak. It's ok to speak. Samuel? Samuel...

[Samuel doesn't speak, and Max is disappointed]

[Max is telling Liz about it]

LIZ: So what happened?

MAX: It didn't work. I couldn't heal him.

LIZ: Well, maybe he didn't need to be healed. You heal people who are sick or hurt. But Samuel isn't sick or hurt. He's just different.

MAX: Maybe I was trying to heal the wrong person.

[Michael and Maria are sitting on the steps of her house talking]

MARIA: Michael, no. I--look, I... I want to, but it's just... We're just gonna wake up tomorrow and things'll be... Like back to how they were.

MICHAEL: That's not a problem for me.

MARIA: Yeah, I know. Look, I think I should just go inside, ok?

MICHAEL: Maria... I don't wanna be alone. It's Christmas.

MARIA: Ok. Well, how about... I...Make us some hot chocolate and we just sit out here and talk?

[Max is sitting with Isabel asking her to help him with Samuel]

ISABEL: So...You want me to bring the mother and father into the child's dream?

MAX: Can you?

ISABEL: I've never done it before.

MAX: But you've never tried it before.

ISABEL: Max, why do you want me to do this?

MAX: I want Samuel's parents to know their son. Whoever he is in there.

ISABEL: Ok. Ahem.

[Isabel touches Samuel's picture and goes into his dream- he is looking at a tree with a fire truck under it- his parent's are watching- she touches their pictures and they are brought into the dream too, and see Samuel very happy- they smile as they watch themselves with their son]

[Choir singing]

[whistle blows]

SAMUEL'S FATHER: ok, now it's time for the angel.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Honey, let's put the angel on the top of the tree.

SAMUEL: I love you, mommy.

SAMUEL: I love you, daddy.

[Samuel's parents are crying with joy as Isabel looks on]

MAX: Did it work?

ISABEL: Yeah. Yeah, it worked.

MAX: What's it like in his mind?

ISABEL: It's beautiful.

[The phone rings]

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: hello?

SAMUEL'S FATHER: I just had this dream.

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: So did i.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: it was so, uh...

SAMUEL'S MOTHER: Real.

SAMUEL'S FATHER: Can I come over?

[Christmas morning at the Valenti house--]

JIM: Morning, Kyle.

KYLE: All right, here's the thing-- dad, if you're gonna date women half your age, I suppose I can't stop you, but if you're going to, I have some house rules. I don't wanna know about it. I don't wanna hear about it. I don't wanna see her walking around in the morning half-naked.

JIM: Kyle-

KYLE: I'm not done. It's one thing to get up onstage and make believe you're a rock star, but, dad, you've taken this whole mid-life crisis thing way too far. The creep factor here is... I'm young. I'm impressionable.

JIM: We broke up.

KYLE: You what?

JIM: We put it on hold for a while.

KYLE: Oh. Why?

JIM: Well, there's a bit of an age difference, you know.

KYLE: Is there?

JIM: Just didn't feel right.

KYLE: Dad, i hope you didn't do this because of me.

JIM: Mm-mmm. She's awful cute, though, wasn't she?

[Christmas morning at Jesse and Isabel's--]

ISABEL: I'm sorry. I've canceled all our appointments for today.

JESSE: You didn't have to.

ISABEL: We've seen enough of my way of Christmas. Now I wanna see your way.

JESSE: Heh heh. Why?

ISABEL: Something suddenly struck me at 4:00 this morning. I realized that Christmas isn't really about being perfect. It's about family. You're my family now, so...

[Christmas morning at Samuels- his parent's lift Samuel to put the angel on the tree, as in the dream- Max watches from outside- he smiles at Samuel, and puts a present on the wall]

[Music plays] The first noel - the angel did say - was to certain poor shepherds - in fields as they lay - in fields where they lay keeping their sheep - on a cold winter's night that was so deep - noel, noel - noel, noel - born is the king of Israel - noel, noel - noel, noel - born is the king of Israel -

MAX: must have been weird for you, seeing me with his family.

LIZ: A little.

MAX: It might make you worry about when I find my son. What that might mean for us.

LIZ: Should I worry?

MAX: No. I saw Samuel this morning with his family, and... It made me realize something-- that you, Liz... You're my family.

[Max and Liz walk outside- they head to the lake and skate together while music plays- scenes of the other Roswell residents and their Christmas experiences are mixed with Max and Liz skating. Max and Liz kiss] Music playing- "Have yourself a merry little Christmas- let your heart be light - from now on, our troubles will be out of sight - through the years, we all will be together - if the fates allow - hang a shining star upon the highest bough - and have yourself merry little Christmas - now