Touched by an Angel (1994) s03e07 Episode Script
Groundrush
MONICA: And that one's an elephant.
TESS: Where's the trunk? You gotta have a trunk to be an elephant.
Looks more like a potbellied stove to me.
( Monica laughs ) That one looks just like a submarine.
A submarine sandwich, maybe.
Everyone sees something different in a cloud, Tess.
Because people project all kinds of things on a big piece of fluff.
They love to put heroes way up above 'em, like a cloud.
But there are some real heroes, like the pilot of that plane, Scott Walden.
TESS: It's a dangerous thing to put your assignment up on a pedestal, angel girl.
Humans have a way of slipping off of them and landing right smack-dab on their patooties.
( Monica laughs ) MONICA: Patootie.
Well, I suppose, then, you can say we're in the "Pick ya up off your patootie" business, huh? Well, you could say that.
Ah, you know, Tess, Scott's patootie seems just fine to me.
As a matter of fact Don't say that anymore.
Just don't.
All I'm saying is, look at the life he lives.
You know, he flies medical supplies to rural hospitals without charging a penny.
He serves meals at the local soup kitchen twice a week.
And just last week, when he heard that his neighbour couldn't afford to fly down to her own son's graduation, he flew her there himself.
He's a good man, Tess.
What does he need an angel for? Good works do not necessarily make a good man.
And good angels ought to know that.
Ah! Watch your head.
MONICA: Look at that.
Scott and Jeremy took a patient from the nursing home out for an airplane ride.
Scott told me he'd rather be helping somebody else than TESS: Are you listening to me? There is a storm coming.
I don't know in which direction it's coming from, but it is coming.
And you better bundle up.
( Della Reese & The Verity All-Stars' "Walk With You" playing ) REESE: â« When you walk â« â« Down the road â« â« Heavy burden â« â« Hea-ea-eavy load â« â« I will rise â« â« And I will walk with you â« REESE: â« I'll walk with you â« CHORUS: â« I'll walk with you â« â« Till the sun Don't even shine â« â« Walk with you â« â« Walk with you â« â« Every time â« â« I tell ya I'll walk with you â« â« Walk with you â« â« Believe me I'll walk with you â« TESS: Cyber-Susan? What kind of name is that? It's a computer handle, sort a code name so you can send people messages on the Internet without anyone knowin' who you really are.
So you don't actually know Cyber-Susie, huh? Nope.
She could be a 20-year-old teacher from Phoenix, or a 90-year old grandma from Palookaville.
That's the beauty of e-mail: Total anonymity.
TESS: What a world.
You push the wrong button, and you might just erase all your friends.
Huh! ( laughs ) JEREMY: This stupid thing won't work.
Well, it won't if you don't untangle your lines.
I got most of 'em.
Then most of your chute will open, and most of your body won't look like buttermilk pancakes when you hit the ground.
If you want to jump out of airplanes someday, Jeremy, you can't take any shortcuts.
You gotta pack your own chute so that you know it's gonna open for you when you need it.
Isn't that right, Tess? That's right.
Because nobody graduates from my class to that plane without doing it right.
Have you ever heard of groundrush, Jeremy? No, ma'am.
Well, it's when you're free falling in the sky, and you look down and the ground is rushing up faster than you can imagine.
You don't want that happening long.
You want your chute to open all untangled so you can enjoy the view.
You can do that.
Come on.
Come on, let's try it again.
Well, look at you.
I never knew a wrench and a pair of coveralls would make you so happy.
Hey, Tess, you didn't know I was so handy with a pair of wings, did you? Well, you're one surprise after another.
Now, I've got a surprise for you.
Did you know that Scott coaches Jeremy's soccer team and he tutors adult reading classes at the library? You are not listening to me.
It's great to see such a happy family.
You know, I can't imagine what they need an angel for, let alone two.
Make it three.
What? You got a little grease right here.
Don't look now, but Andrew's coming.
Andrew? What's he doing here? Well, seeing as he's an angel and all, I assume he was sent by God, like you were sent by God.
Remember that? You're the angel, not Scott.
ANDREW: Come on.
A twin engine plane slips across the border at night with no flight plan.
What are they supposed to think? I mean, the only way you can make this look more suspicious is if you painted the word "smuggler" on the side of the plane.
Can't you just tell them that it was a mistake? "I forgot" is not exactly a compelling legal defence, Scott.
Guys, the FAA take their flight-plan rules very seriously.
And their friends in Immigration and Drug Enforcement, and the customs on both sides of the border, the U.
S.
and the Mexican, they They tend to like 'em too.
Tony, what were you thinking? It was an accident.
I wasn't paying attention.
They are gonna have a lot of questions, and we have got to have exactly the same number of answers.
Or you're gonna go down, Tony, and the owner of the plane is gonna go down with you.
Now, guys, whatever is said here is protected with attorney-client privilege.
But just tell me, so I can help you.
Okay.
The truth is The truth is, it was my fault.
I told Tony he could take the plane up anytime he wanted to after work.
Build up his hours.
He said he was going up that day, and I told him I'd file the flight plan for him, but I I plum forgot.
I'll take full responsibility.
All right.
If that's what happened, then I think I can clear this up pretty quickly.
So where do you keep your tach records and your logbooks? In the office.
Let's go.
( Whispers ): Thanks, man.
( Solemn, ominous theme playing ) You in some kind of trouble, Scott? No, nah.
I, uh I guess I just stepped on somebody's red tape a little bit, that's all.
( laughing ) They sure do love talking to people on that computer.
SCOTT: Yeah.
Yeah.
They don't have much choice.
What with the economy being so lousy everywhere, I've had to drag 'em all over the country with me since we hooked up together six years ago.
They haven't had a chance to make any real friends.
You've only been a family for six years? Jeremy seems so much older.
Jeremy's 11.
His real father abandoned him about Oh, about eight years ago.
Poor kid was really messed up about that for a while.
Takes a special man to step in and fill a father's shoes and call the child his own.
Couldn't love him more even if he was my own.
( laughs ) Look.
Looks like they found the Arthur Murray website.
Jeremy's first dance is tomorrow.
( Dance music playing on stereo ) May I cut in? Sorry, kid.
The first time you ever put your arms around a girl's waist, "it's like falli" into a dream.
You remember the first time we ever danced? It was a slow two-step to a Van Morrison song in a little cafe in New Mexico.
That's right.
ANDREW: Excuse me.
I hate to break up the party, but I think that this is gonna be enough to convince the FAA that it was an innocent mistake.
Well, that's great.
Heh.
Thanks, Andrew.
Sure.
Seems like you and Jocelyn were made for each other.
( laughs ) She's a gift from God.
Those are the best ones.
If you could do anything different in your life I mean, well, you know, improve things.
What do you think it would be? There's only one thing in my life that's missing right now, and I've been putting it off for a long time.
But maybe, uh Maybe it's okay now.
Maybe it's time to do the right thing.
It's always time to do the right thing.
I'm gonna do it.
Oh, great.
What are you gonna do? I'm gonna fly Jocelyn down to Mexico and marry her, and the sooner the better.
Oh.
Well, it's That's a lovely idea.
Yes.
MONICA: I had no idea, Tess.
I thought that Scott and Jocelyn were already married.
They seemed like Like such a perfect couple.
They seem like a lot of things.
Well, he has it all worked out.
He's gonna fly Jocelyn down to Mexico for the surprise wedding.
You know, that must be it.
You see, I had a feeling that I was sent here to help Scott make this decision, and for once, my job was easy.
I've helped create a family.
You got a feeling? You got a nose, and ten toes and a cute little mole right there.
Do you depend on them for your marching orders too? You better change channels, Miss Wings, and make sure you're tuning in to the real thing.
I don't know how I let you talk me into this.
I can't wait to see the look on Jocelyn's face.
I wish you could see the look on yours.
I don't think you get it, Monica.
We're in the middle of an assignment here, and you're acting like the president of somebody's fan club.
Well, maybe that's what angels are sometimes, you know? I mean, sometimes we do have to deliver a serious message.
"Get your act together.
God wants to help you straighten things out.
" But sometimes, maybe we're just here to say, "Great job.
" Keep up the good work, fella.
" I wish I had your confidence in the guy.
Well, you're his lawyer.
You're supposed to believe in him.
But there's something not right about Scott's explanation of that Tony Portino incident.
But didn't you say everything was okay with that? Yeah.
I think he's holding something back.
Ready! TESS: Watch your step.
Step up.
JOCELYN: What are you guys up to? It's not even my birthday.
You're gonna love this, Mom.
Almost there.
( Tires screeching ) Scott didn't invite any guests.
These don't exactly look like the "dearly beloved" types.
They're not.
Agent Bradford, FBI.
William Grunwald, you're under arrest for murder.
What? This is not funny.
Scott, what's he talkin' about? I don't know.
My name is Scott Walden.
I I don't know who William Grunwald is.
Yeah, well, we got a warrant that says otherwise.
Excuse us.
Scott? Mr.
Wonderful has got himself a problem.
They've got the wrong man.
( Car engine starts ) SCOTT: Why is this happening? It all goes back to when Tony went joy riding in your plane.
Government grabbed it.
They searched it for fingerprints, and yours ended up matching this Grunwald.
You gotta get me outta here.
This is a murder charge! There's no bail.
And even if I could talk it down, you're a major risk to run.
This warrant is 18 years old.
It's out of my hands.
Andrew, please.
There's nothing I can do.
They are going to run a final fingerprint analysis.
Now, if it matches It won't match.
They got the wrong man.
Have you seen Jocelyn? Yep.
She's pretty shaken up.
Would you tell her that I love her, this is all a mistake and everything's gonna be okay? Sure.
Ask him, Andrew.
Ask him.
He'll tell you.
( Inhales deeply, sighs ) Are you William Grunwald? I don't know who that is.
( Knocks on desk ) Good.
Is Tony William Grunwald? What are you talking about? Tony Portino.
He borrows your plane, it comes back and William Grunwald's fingerprints are inside of it.
I mean, why was Tony really in Mexico? What difference does it make? I know I know that you are protecting Tony.
But you have got to let me protect you.
Tony's younger brother is dying of cancer.
Poor kid doesn't have much time.
So he begged to see his parents one more time.
Tony has been trying to get permission for his parents to come to this country, but he keeps getti" tied up in red tape, and his brother keeps gettin' worse.
So Tony flew to Mexico and he brought his parents into the country illegally.
He'd already flown them back.
Customs got him when he was coming back across the border.
Do you see what kind of a man he is? All right.
All right.
So how did Grunwald's fingerprints get in your plane? It's gotta be a computer mistake.
MONICA: Andrew, they've got the wrong man.
I wasn't even in New York City when the murder happened.
I could prove it if I could just get outta here.
ANDREW: For now, you have to be patient.
And if the prints don't match, you've got nothing to worry about.
Scott Walden is actually William Grunwald from New York City.
He's been dodgin' a murder warrant for years.
Killed a high-school kid during a fight.
Any of this ring a bell? Scott's not from New York City.
He's from a little town near Niagara Falls.
He's taking us there next summer.
Good, you can send him a postcard.
Those prints we found in his plane, those are the first traces of William Grunwald we've had in almost 18 years.
But Scott wasn't even in New York City 18 years ago.
Oh, you mean he told you he was innocent.
Yes.
And if you knew what a wonderful man he is, then you'd realize how wrong this whole thing is.
Look, I'm not trying to be insensitive here.
You see a wonderful man.
I see a guy who's a poster child for a fugitive profile.
Always on the move, no documentation, no paperwork.
Everything in his life is disposable.
You're wrong.
Doesn't matter.
One way or another, he's on a plane back to New York City by the end of the day.
Well, Scott is innocent.
You have to believe that.
I want to.
But what that agent said was true.
All of those characteristics describe Scott.
Yes, but they could describe a lot of other people too.
You have to have faith in what you know, and who you know.
That's the question.
Who do I know? Scott never talked very much about his past, except to say that he was an orphan.
I always thought that was why taking care of Jeremy was so important to him.
You know that he loves you both.
He wants to make your family whole.
I thought our family was whole.
I'd already been married once, to Jeremy's father.
It was a very unhappy time in my life.
So a ceremony was never really that important to me.
I thought it was just a piece of paper and it didn't really matter.
But maybe Scott knew exactly what he was doing.
If he lied about one thing, he may have lied about everything.
You know he didn't lie about his love for you, or his love for Jeremy.
I'm trying.
It's hard.
Jeremy! Playtime is over.
Where are you? Jeremy? Hey! What are you doing here? This is my secret hiding place.
I won't tell a soul.
Yeah, well, when you see this tire laying on the ground, it means "do not disturb.
" I got it.
Is Scott back? Not yet, honey.
Are you all right in there? Yes, ma'am.
I brought you a little something to help you pass the time.
Wow.
My favourite! Scott gets me these when he flies to Phoenix.
How'd you get it? Well, I have my connections in the superhero world.
Scott used to be my hero.
I don't know anymore.
Well, maybe you don't need to know right now.
You stick with the truth, and the truth is Scott loves you and you love Scott.
And you don't have to be a superhero to do that.
SCOTT: You've got the wrong guy.
Why won't anyone believe me? I'm innocent and I can prove it, I tell ya.
( Keypad beeping ) ( starts engine ) ( tires squealing ) What have you done? I'm giving a good man a fighting chance.
MONICA: Andrew, he said if he could get out, he could prove he was innocent.
They wouldn't even listen to him, and they were taking him away before he had a chance to do it.
ANDREW: This is not our call, and you know it.
Now, there are rules here, laws that we're supposed to follow whether we like them or not.
I understand what you're saying, but I believe in my heart that I did the right thing.
Scott Walden is not William Grunwald.
Surprise.
The final fingerprint analysis is in.
Scott Walden is William Grunwald.
Well Well, just because they're the same person doesn't prove that he's a murderer.
Monica, believing in the guy is one thing, but helping him to escape police custody, that's not just illegal, it's wrong! Jocelyn, have you heard? Yes.
The fingerprints match.
He said he was innocent and that he can prove it.
Give it up, Monica.
Oh, no.
And there were witnesses, Monica.
There's an explanation all right: Scott did it.
Ah, Jocelyn, don't give up on him now, not when he needs you the most.
It all makes sense.
Why we moved all the time, why he never opened a checking account, why he never wanted to marry me.
But he was going to marry you.
That was what the surprise was, a trip to Mexico.
Mexico.
Of course.
No blood tests, no birth certificates, no questions.
I don't believe it.
I do.
God help me, I do.
Jocelyn! ( Sighs quietly ) Tess.
Sit down, Monica.
Please, let me explain.
Sit down! You're about this close to being pulled off this assignment.
But I have to help Scott prove that he's innocent.
You're supposed to help the man face his life, not run away from it.
But you decided that Monica knows better than God, and you've turned him into a hunted fugitive.
He's not running.
He's on his way here.
I don't care where he's going.
He's still running.
I don't know why, and neither do you.
But I do know this much.
The man's been running for 18 years, and thanks to you, he's still running.
But when I find him You're not finding him, Miss Wings.
I'm giving you a direct order.
You're not to help that man escape justice in any way, shape, form or fashion.
You got that? Yes.
You got that?! Yes! I just hope we're not too late.
( Sighs ) ( officers conversing indistinctly ) OFFICER 1: Attention back here.
OFFICER 2: Come on, gentlemen, keep your eyes open.
I need you to open up that storage closet for us.
Why? There's nothing important in there.
Then humor me.
The sooner you open it, the sooner we'll be gone.
( Ominous theme playing ) ( grunts ) ( lock turns ) See? Told you there was nothing interesting in there.
All right, I'm gonna leave a couple of deputies here tonight.
You see anything, you let 'em know.
You okay? Yes.
I'm fine, thank you.
What's he doing here? He He works here.
You know anything I should know? I wish I could help you, but I can't.
( Indistinct police radio transmissions ) OFFICER: Must've been a bum lead.
We had this place buttoned up tight.
Your plane's been preflighted, but it was too risky to refuel.
You're a little low.
SCOTT: How low? You have enough.
Just follow the Tombstone VOR.
Slip under radar at Bisbee.
I marked your charts.
And of course, you got a chute.
Thanks, Tony.
I really appreciate it.
No.
Thank you, man.
Why are you running, Scott? You didn't kill anyone.
Monica.
MONICA: You said you were innocent.
You said you could prove it.
Monica, the truth is I did kill him.
TONY: Come on, man.
You gotta go.
I'll take the truck.
( Tires squealing ) ( sirens wailing ) OFFICER ( on radio ): We have an unauthorized plane on the runway.
( tires squeal ) Monica.
Monica! Monica, where are you? You just let the man get away again.
( Inhales, sighs ) ( sobbing quietly ) Monica.
Monica.
Well, I have an eternity.
I can wait.
Hello, Sam.
Hello.
I must be in awfully big trouble if they sent you.
Yep.
He lied to me.
Sam, he told me he was innocent, but he's a murderer, you see.
And all the time, I thought I know what you thought, Monica.
I know what you felt.
I also know what you've done.
But I don't think you know that yet.
I helped him get away.
That was bad judgment.
But what you've done is much worse, Monica.
Something so serious that your existence as an angel is threatened.
You lied.
The officer asked you a direct question and you lied to him.
Well, I didn't really lie.
You didn't really tell the truth, either.
Of all the gifts God could have given an angel, he gave you the gift of telling the truth.
And you didn't use it.
I was just trying to help Scott, Sam.
I was just doing my job.
Our job is love.
And truth is our stock-in-trade.
And if an angel from God utters one single untruth, that angel no longer represents the Almighty.
God is the truth, and anything that is false is not of him.
Now, you're walking a very dangerous line here, Monica.
I thought Scott was different.
Heh.
You know the problem with making humans into heroes? That when they eventually act like humans, we're so disappointed.
And that's not really fair to them, is it? Well, I think you know where you have to go.
How long will I have to stay there? Oh, you'll know.
But remember, Monica.
This is not a punishment.
This is a lesson.
We all learn them, because God is good enough to teach them to us.
( Poignant theme playing ) Andrew, what is this? What's going on? I'm an angel, Scott.
( Chuckles ) And I've been sent by God to help you.
( Chuckling ): Man! You lawyers sure think highly of yourselves.
How else would you explain my presence here, Scott? ( Inhales, sighs ) Okay.
So this mean I'm gonna die? Is this my punishment for running again? God sends angels for many reasons.
Sometimes it is to help with death.
Sometimes it's to help with life.
And this would be which? This would be life.
Right.
Well, tell him thanks, but I don't need him showing up now.
If there is a God, he bailed out too long ago.
No, Scott.
God did not bail out on you.
You bailed out on him, and you bailed out on the truth.
You didn't trust God or man to handle it.
So God knows the truth, huh? 'Course he does.
He knows everything, Scott.
That's what makes him God.
( Alarm beeping ) What the? What the? We've got a fire.
We're gonna have to jump, Andrew.
Where's your parachute? I don't have to jump, Scott.
You do.
( Cord rips ) ( cord rips ) SCOTT: No! Open, please.
Please help me, God.
I can't die yet.
Please.
Please! Please, God! ( Loud booming ) Monica? Scott? What are you doing here? Well, I I, uh I don't remember landing.
I, uh I Where am I? This is God's country.
Yeah, well Pretty well fits with the rest of my day.
I just jumped out of a plane right after my cockpit caught fire and my lawyer told me he was an angel.
( laughs ) I don't expect you to believe any of it, but I do believe you, because I'm an angel too.
An angel? I think.
I hope that I still am.
You seem kind of depressed for an angel.
Well, I might be relieved of my duties.
Where does an angel go when you're not angels anymore? You don't want to know.
A place far away from God, far away from the truth.
A place where lies live.
Whew, boy.
It sounds like my address for almost 20 years.
What really happened, Scott? If I told you, you wouldn't believe me.
It doesn't matter what I believe.
What matters is that you face the truth.
What is the truth? I had a I have a sister.
Karen.
When I was a senior in high school, she was a freshman.
I was voted "Most Likely to Succeed.
" ( chuckles ) She's the one that really deserved it.
She had a smile like sunshine.
She's so smart, and she's so pretty.
( Sighs ) Go on.
The night of my senior prom, she was so excited, 'cause she had a date.
Her first date.
A guy named Brian.
We were on the football team together.
I thought he was a good guy.
But I was wrong.
He raped her.
He raped my baby sister.
I'm so sorry.
There was a place way out on Riverside Drive, near the bridge.
All the kids used to go there.
So when I saw Brian's car there, I didn't think anything of it.
I didn't want to seem like overly protective big brother.
But I didn't see any harm in just going over and saying hello.
So I walked up to the car.
And that's when I heard her screaming.
I tore that door off that car so fast, Monica.
And And then I just went crazy.
I didn't wanna kill him.
I just wanted him to stop.
Why didn't you tell all this to the police? 'Cause all the kids were jumping out of their cars to see what was going on.
All they saw were two guys fightin', one guy going down.
I tried to explain, but I saw the look in Karen's eyes.
She was terrified.
Terrified that I was gonna tell.
You see, back then people wanted to always blame the girl.
If she got raped, probably 'cause she was asking for it somehow.
So it wouldn't have been just me.
It would have been me and Karen up on trial.
So I ran away.
'Cause if I told the truth about what happened that night in that car Karen's life never would have been the same.
Her life was never the same anyway, Scott.
Except, not only did she lose her innocence, she lost her brother as well.
And you lost yourself in 20 years of lies.
( Sighs ) And I almost lost myself in one too.
You see, every time we ignore the truth, we ignore God.
Because God is the truth.
And when it's not true, he doesn't want to have any part of it, because he He can't.
You see, it's just not who he is.
I always thought I was doing the right thing.
So did I.
Well ( sniffles, sighs ) What do we do now? We ask forgiveness.
We ask for truth.
Will you pray with me, Scott, and ask him to take away our lies? Here we are.
Your child, Scott, and your wee angel, Monica.
We are sorry.
We are so sorry.
Please forgive us.
We are f Falling.
Lift us up.
We are frightened.
Comfort us with your peace.
We are lost.
Come and find us, Father, please.
Here we are.
( Gasping ) There he is.
Grunwald, you are one slippery character.
( Indistinct police radio transmissions ) You too? Mm-hm.
REVEREND: I now pronounce you husband and wife.
You may kiss the bride.
Hold it.
You didn't bother to look for him for 18 years.
You can sure wait two more minutes till they finish their business here.
When I get back, I'm gonna look into buyin' a house, planting some trees.
Better be some mighty big trees after all we've been through, huh? The biggest.
Kind of a tough time, huh? What did you do, Scott? Something happened a long time ago.
Something terrible.
And I'm responsible for it.
I thought it'd just go away if I didn't look, but the truth doesn't go away.
It keeps coming after you until you turn around and face up to it.
So that's what I'm doing now.
So you're in trouble because you lied to somebody? No.
It was much worse.
Somebody died.
Something happened, Jeremy.
I got angry.
So angry, I lost control of myself.
You remember when Tess was telling you about groundrush, being in a free fall with the ground coming at you faster than you can imagine? Well, that's how I felt that night.
I got so angry, I couldn't see what I was doing.
So I just ran away.
But that didn't help, 'cause everything spun out of control.
It's time to pull that rip cord and stop that free fall.
You know, the thing about truth is, it doesn't change, and it doesn't go away, no matter how fast you run.
I want you to remember that, okay? But is it still okay if I call you Dad? You better, bub.
Is that my sister? Karen? Oh, God! I think they're gonna be all right.
Count on it.
Yeah, thanks to my stellar legal advice.
Stellar? Don't you get too big for your wings, angel boy.
Speaking of wings.
( Monica screams ) I think this is really exciting! Are you ready? Yeah.
You two go ahead.
I'll catch up with you later.
Oh, come on, Tess.
I don't think so.
( laughs ) You've never done this before, have you? No.
You taught everyone else, but you never did it yourself! Besides, what are you worried about, honey? It's not like you're gonna have a bad landing.
I just don't feel the spirit leading me in this direction.
ANDREW: Woo-hoo-hoo! TESS: Oh, Lord! MONICA: Now, that wasn't so bad, was it, Tess? TESS: I think something just flew up my nose.
ANDREW: She likes it.
I told you she'd like it.
( Bright, up-tempo theme playing )
TESS: Where's the trunk? You gotta have a trunk to be an elephant.
Looks more like a potbellied stove to me.
( Monica laughs ) That one looks just like a submarine.
A submarine sandwich, maybe.
Everyone sees something different in a cloud, Tess.
Because people project all kinds of things on a big piece of fluff.
They love to put heroes way up above 'em, like a cloud.
But there are some real heroes, like the pilot of that plane, Scott Walden.
TESS: It's a dangerous thing to put your assignment up on a pedestal, angel girl.
Humans have a way of slipping off of them and landing right smack-dab on their patooties.
( Monica laughs ) MONICA: Patootie.
Well, I suppose, then, you can say we're in the "Pick ya up off your patootie" business, huh? Well, you could say that.
Ah, you know, Tess, Scott's patootie seems just fine to me.
As a matter of fact Don't say that anymore.
Just don't.
All I'm saying is, look at the life he lives.
You know, he flies medical supplies to rural hospitals without charging a penny.
He serves meals at the local soup kitchen twice a week.
And just last week, when he heard that his neighbour couldn't afford to fly down to her own son's graduation, he flew her there himself.
He's a good man, Tess.
What does he need an angel for? Good works do not necessarily make a good man.
And good angels ought to know that.
Ah! Watch your head.
MONICA: Look at that.
Scott and Jeremy took a patient from the nursing home out for an airplane ride.
Scott told me he'd rather be helping somebody else than TESS: Are you listening to me? There is a storm coming.
I don't know in which direction it's coming from, but it is coming.
And you better bundle up.
( Della Reese & The Verity All-Stars' "Walk With You" playing ) REESE: â« When you walk â« â« Down the road â« â« Heavy burden â« â« Hea-ea-eavy load â« â« I will rise â« â« And I will walk with you â« REESE: â« I'll walk with you â« CHORUS: â« I'll walk with you â« â« Till the sun Don't even shine â« â« Walk with you â« â« Walk with you â« â« Every time â« â« I tell ya I'll walk with you â« â« Walk with you â« â« Believe me I'll walk with you â« TESS: Cyber-Susan? What kind of name is that? It's a computer handle, sort a code name so you can send people messages on the Internet without anyone knowin' who you really are.
So you don't actually know Cyber-Susie, huh? Nope.
She could be a 20-year-old teacher from Phoenix, or a 90-year old grandma from Palookaville.
That's the beauty of e-mail: Total anonymity.
TESS: What a world.
You push the wrong button, and you might just erase all your friends.
Huh! ( laughs ) JEREMY: This stupid thing won't work.
Well, it won't if you don't untangle your lines.
I got most of 'em.
Then most of your chute will open, and most of your body won't look like buttermilk pancakes when you hit the ground.
If you want to jump out of airplanes someday, Jeremy, you can't take any shortcuts.
You gotta pack your own chute so that you know it's gonna open for you when you need it.
Isn't that right, Tess? That's right.
Because nobody graduates from my class to that plane without doing it right.
Have you ever heard of groundrush, Jeremy? No, ma'am.
Well, it's when you're free falling in the sky, and you look down and the ground is rushing up faster than you can imagine.
You don't want that happening long.
You want your chute to open all untangled so you can enjoy the view.
You can do that.
Come on.
Come on, let's try it again.
Well, look at you.
I never knew a wrench and a pair of coveralls would make you so happy.
Hey, Tess, you didn't know I was so handy with a pair of wings, did you? Well, you're one surprise after another.
Now, I've got a surprise for you.
Did you know that Scott coaches Jeremy's soccer team and he tutors adult reading classes at the library? You are not listening to me.
It's great to see such a happy family.
You know, I can't imagine what they need an angel for, let alone two.
Make it three.
What? You got a little grease right here.
Don't look now, but Andrew's coming.
Andrew? What's he doing here? Well, seeing as he's an angel and all, I assume he was sent by God, like you were sent by God.
Remember that? You're the angel, not Scott.
ANDREW: Come on.
A twin engine plane slips across the border at night with no flight plan.
What are they supposed to think? I mean, the only way you can make this look more suspicious is if you painted the word "smuggler" on the side of the plane.
Can't you just tell them that it was a mistake? "I forgot" is not exactly a compelling legal defence, Scott.
Guys, the FAA take their flight-plan rules very seriously.
And their friends in Immigration and Drug Enforcement, and the customs on both sides of the border, the U.
S.
and the Mexican, they They tend to like 'em too.
Tony, what were you thinking? It was an accident.
I wasn't paying attention.
They are gonna have a lot of questions, and we have got to have exactly the same number of answers.
Or you're gonna go down, Tony, and the owner of the plane is gonna go down with you.
Now, guys, whatever is said here is protected with attorney-client privilege.
But just tell me, so I can help you.
Okay.
The truth is The truth is, it was my fault.
I told Tony he could take the plane up anytime he wanted to after work.
Build up his hours.
He said he was going up that day, and I told him I'd file the flight plan for him, but I I plum forgot.
I'll take full responsibility.
All right.
If that's what happened, then I think I can clear this up pretty quickly.
So where do you keep your tach records and your logbooks? In the office.
Let's go.
( Whispers ): Thanks, man.
( Solemn, ominous theme playing ) You in some kind of trouble, Scott? No, nah.
I, uh I guess I just stepped on somebody's red tape a little bit, that's all.
( laughing ) They sure do love talking to people on that computer.
SCOTT: Yeah.
Yeah.
They don't have much choice.
What with the economy being so lousy everywhere, I've had to drag 'em all over the country with me since we hooked up together six years ago.
They haven't had a chance to make any real friends.
You've only been a family for six years? Jeremy seems so much older.
Jeremy's 11.
His real father abandoned him about Oh, about eight years ago.
Poor kid was really messed up about that for a while.
Takes a special man to step in and fill a father's shoes and call the child his own.
Couldn't love him more even if he was my own.
( laughs ) Look.
Looks like they found the Arthur Murray website.
Jeremy's first dance is tomorrow.
( Dance music playing on stereo ) May I cut in? Sorry, kid.
The first time you ever put your arms around a girl's waist, "it's like falli" into a dream.
You remember the first time we ever danced? It was a slow two-step to a Van Morrison song in a little cafe in New Mexico.
That's right.
ANDREW: Excuse me.
I hate to break up the party, but I think that this is gonna be enough to convince the FAA that it was an innocent mistake.
Well, that's great.
Heh.
Thanks, Andrew.
Sure.
Seems like you and Jocelyn were made for each other.
( laughs ) She's a gift from God.
Those are the best ones.
If you could do anything different in your life I mean, well, you know, improve things.
What do you think it would be? There's only one thing in my life that's missing right now, and I've been putting it off for a long time.
But maybe, uh Maybe it's okay now.
Maybe it's time to do the right thing.
It's always time to do the right thing.
I'm gonna do it.
Oh, great.
What are you gonna do? I'm gonna fly Jocelyn down to Mexico and marry her, and the sooner the better.
Oh.
Well, it's That's a lovely idea.
Yes.
MONICA: I had no idea, Tess.
I thought that Scott and Jocelyn were already married.
They seemed like Like such a perfect couple.
They seem like a lot of things.
Well, he has it all worked out.
He's gonna fly Jocelyn down to Mexico for the surprise wedding.
You know, that must be it.
You see, I had a feeling that I was sent here to help Scott make this decision, and for once, my job was easy.
I've helped create a family.
You got a feeling? You got a nose, and ten toes and a cute little mole right there.
Do you depend on them for your marching orders too? You better change channels, Miss Wings, and make sure you're tuning in to the real thing.
I don't know how I let you talk me into this.
I can't wait to see the look on Jocelyn's face.
I wish you could see the look on yours.
I don't think you get it, Monica.
We're in the middle of an assignment here, and you're acting like the president of somebody's fan club.
Well, maybe that's what angels are sometimes, you know? I mean, sometimes we do have to deliver a serious message.
"Get your act together.
God wants to help you straighten things out.
" But sometimes, maybe we're just here to say, "Great job.
" Keep up the good work, fella.
" I wish I had your confidence in the guy.
Well, you're his lawyer.
You're supposed to believe in him.
But there's something not right about Scott's explanation of that Tony Portino incident.
But didn't you say everything was okay with that? Yeah.
I think he's holding something back.
Ready! TESS: Watch your step.
Step up.
JOCELYN: What are you guys up to? It's not even my birthday.
You're gonna love this, Mom.
Almost there.
( Tires screeching ) Scott didn't invite any guests.
These don't exactly look like the "dearly beloved" types.
They're not.
Agent Bradford, FBI.
William Grunwald, you're under arrest for murder.
What? This is not funny.
Scott, what's he talkin' about? I don't know.
My name is Scott Walden.
I I don't know who William Grunwald is.
Yeah, well, we got a warrant that says otherwise.
Excuse us.
Scott? Mr.
Wonderful has got himself a problem.
They've got the wrong man.
( Car engine starts ) SCOTT: Why is this happening? It all goes back to when Tony went joy riding in your plane.
Government grabbed it.
They searched it for fingerprints, and yours ended up matching this Grunwald.
You gotta get me outta here.
This is a murder charge! There's no bail.
And even if I could talk it down, you're a major risk to run.
This warrant is 18 years old.
It's out of my hands.
Andrew, please.
There's nothing I can do.
They are going to run a final fingerprint analysis.
Now, if it matches It won't match.
They got the wrong man.
Have you seen Jocelyn? Yep.
She's pretty shaken up.
Would you tell her that I love her, this is all a mistake and everything's gonna be okay? Sure.
Ask him, Andrew.
Ask him.
He'll tell you.
( Inhales deeply, sighs ) Are you William Grunwald? I don't know who that is.
( Knocks on desk ) Good.
Is Tony William Grunwald? What are you talking about? Tony Portino.
He borrows your plane, it comes back and William Grunwald's fingerprints are inside of it.
I mean, why was Tony really in Mexico? What difference does it make? I know I know that you are protecting Tony.
But you have got to let me protect you.
Tony's younger brother is dying of cancer.
Poor kid doesn't have much time.
So he begged to see his parents one more time.
Tony has been trying to get permission for his parents to come to this country, but he keeps getti" tied up in red tape, and his brother keeps gettin' worse.
So Tony flew to Mexico and he brought his parents into the country illegally.
He'd already flown them back.
Customs got him when he was coming back across the border.
Do you see what kind of a man he is? All right.
All right.
So how did Grunwald's fingerprints get in your plane? It's gotta be a computer mistake.
MONICA: Andrew, they've got the wrong man.
I wasn't even in New York City when the murder happened.
I could prove it if I could just get outta here.
ANDREW: For now, you have to be patient.
And if the prints don't match, you've got nothing to worry about.
Scott Walden is actually William Grunwald from New York City.
He's been dodgin' a murder warrant for years.
Killed a high-school kid during a fight.
Any of this ring a bell? Scott's not from New York City.
He's from a little town near Niagara Falls.
He's taking us there next summer.
Good, you can send him a postcard.
Those prints we found in his plane, those are the first traces of William Grunwald we've had in almost 18 years.
But Scott wasn't even in New York City 18 years ago.
Oh, you mean he told you he was innocent.
Yes.
And if you knew what a wonderful man he is, then you'd realize how wrong this whole thing is.
Look, I'm not trying to be insensitive here.
You see a wonderful man.
I see a guy who's a poster child for a fugitive profile.
Always on the move, no documentation, no paperwork.
Everything in his life is disposable.
You're wrong.
Doesn't matter.
One way or another, he's on a plane back to New York City by the end of the day.
Well, Scott is innocent.
You have to believe that.
I want to.
But what that agent said was true.
All of those characteristics describe Scott.
Yes, but they could describe a lot of other people too.
You have to have faith in what you know, and who you know.
That's the question.
Who do I know? Scott never talked very much about his past, except to say that he was an orphan.
I always thought that was why taking care of Jeremy was so important to him.
You know that he loves you both.
He wants to make your family whole.
I thought our family was whole.
I'd already been married once, to Jeremy's father.
It was a very unhappy time in my life.
So a ceremony was never really that important to me.
I thought it was just a piece of paper and it didn't really matter.
But maybe Scott knew exactly what he was doing.
If he lied about one thing, he may have lied about everything.
You know he didn't lie about his love for you, or his love for Jeremy.
I'm trying.
It's hard.
Jeremy! Playtime is over.
Where are you? Jeremy? Hey! What are you doing here? This is my secret hiding place.
I won't tell a soul.
Yeah, well, when you see this tire laying on the ground, it means "do not disturb.
" I got it.
Is Scott back? Not yet, honey.
Are you all right in there? Yes, ma'am.
I brought you a little something to help you pass the time.
Wow.
My favourite! Scott gets me these when he flies to Phoenix.
How'd you get it? Well, I have my connections in the superhero world.
Scott used to be my hero.
I don't know anymore.
Well, maybe you don't need to know right now.
You stick with the truth, and the truth is Scott loves you and you love Scott.
And you don't have to be a superhero to do that.
SCOTT: You've got the wrong guy.
Why won't anyone believe me? I'm innocent and I can prove it, I tell ya.
( Keypad beeping ) ( starts engine ) ( tires squealing ) What have you done? I'm giving a good man a fighting chance.
MONICA: Andrew, he said if he could get out, he could prove he was innocent.
They wouldn't even listen to him, and they were taking him away before he had a chance to do it.
ANDREW: This is not our call, and you know it.
Now, there are rules here, laws that we're supposed to follow whether we like them or not.
I understand what you're saying, but I believe in my heart that I did the right thing.
Scott Walden is not William Grunwald.
Surprise.
The final fingerprint analysis is in.
Scott Walden is William Grunwald.
Well Well, just because they're the same person doesn't prove that he's a murderer.
Monica, believing in the guy is one thing, but helping him to escape police custody, that's not just illegal, it's wrong! Jocelyn, have you heard? Yes.
The fingerprints match.
He said he was innocent and that he can prove it.
Give it up, Monica.
Oh, no.
And there were witnesses, Monica.
There's an explanation all right: Scott did it.
Ah, Jocelyn, don't give up on him now, not when he needs you the most.
It all makes sense.
Why we moved all the time, why he never opened a checking account, why he never wanted to marry me.
But he was going to marry you.
That was what the surprise was, a trip to Mexico.
Mexico.
Of course.
No blood tests, no birth certificates, no questions.
I don't believe it.
I do.
God help me, I do.
Jocelyn! ( Sighs quietly ) Tess.
Sit down, Monica.
Please, let me explain.
Sit down! You're about this close to being pulled off this assignment.
But I have to help Scott prove that he's innocent.
You're supposed to help the man face his life, not run away from it.
But you decided that Monica knows better than God, and you've turned him into a hunted fugitive.
He's not running.
He's on his way here.
I don't care where he's going.
He's still running.
I don't know why, and neither do you.
But I do know this much.
The man's been running for 18 years, and thanks to you, he's still running.
But when I find him You're not finding him, Miss Wings.
I'm giving you a direct order.
You're not to help that man escape justice in any way, shape, form or fashion.
You got that? Yes.
You got that?! Yes! I just hope we're not too late.
( Sighs ) ( officers conversing indistinctly ) OFFICER 1: Attention back here.
OFFICER 2: Come on, gentlemen, keep your eyes open.
I need you to open up that storage closet for us.
Why? There's nothing important in there.
Then humor me.
The sooner you open it, the sooner we'll be gone.
( Ominous theme playing ) ( grunts ) ( lock turns ) See? Told you there was nothing interesting in there.
All right, I'm gonna leave a couple of deputies here tonight.
You see anything, you let 'em know.
You okay? Yes.
I'm fine, thank you.
What's he doing here? He He works here.
You know anything I should know? I wish I could help you, but I can't.
( Indistinct police radio transmissions ) OFFICER: Must've been a bum lead.
We had this place buttoned up tight.
Your plane's been preflighted, but it was too risky to refuel.
You're a little low.
SCOTT: How low? You have enough.
Just follow the Tombstone VOR.
Slip under radar at Bisbee.
I marked your charts.
And of course, you got a chute.
Thanks, Tony.
I really appreciate it.
No.
Thank you, man.
Why are you running, Scott? You didn't kill anyone.
Monica.
MONICA: You said you were innocent.
You said you could prove it.
Monica, the truth is I did kill him.
TONY: Come on, man.
You gotta go.
I'll take the truck.
( Tires squealing ) ( sirens wailing ) OFFICER ( on radio ): We have an unauthorized plane on the runway.
( tires squeal ) Monica.
Monica! Monica, where are you? You just let the man get away again.
( Inhales, sighs ) ( sobbing quietly ) Monica.
Monica.
Well, I have an eternity.
I can wait.
Hello, Sam.
Hello.
I must be in awfully big trouble if they sent you.
Yep.
He lied to me.
Sam, he told me he was innocent, but he's a murderer, you see.
And all the time, I thought I know what you thought, Monica.
I know what you felt.
I also know what you've done.
But I don't think you know that yet.
I helped him get away.
That was bad judgment.
But what you've done is much worse, Monica.
Something so serious that your existence as an angel is threatened.
You lied.
The officer asked you a direct question and you lied to him.
Well, I didn't really lie.
You didn't really tell the truth, either.
Of all the gifts God could have given an angel, he gave you the gift of telling the truth.
And you didn't use it.
I was just trying to help Scott, Sam.
I was just doing my job.
Our job is love.
And truth is our stock-in-trade.
And if an angel from God utters one single untruth, that angel no longer represents the Almighty.
God is the truth, and anything that is false is not of him.
Now, you're walking a very dangerous line here, Monica.
I thought Scott was different.
Heh.
You know the problem with making humans into heroes? That when they eventually act like humans, we're so disappointed.
And that's not really fair to them, is it? Well, I think you know where you have to go.
How long will I have to stay there? Oh, you'll know.
But remember, Monica.
This is not a punishment.
This is a lesson.
We all learn them, because God is good enough to teach them to us.
( Poignant theme playing ) Andrew, what is this? What's going on? I'm an angel, Scott.
( Chuckles ) And I've been sent by God to help you.
( Chuckling ): Man! You lawyers sure think highly of yourselves.
How else would you explain my presence here, Scott? ( Inhales, sighs ) Okay.
So this mean I'm gonna die? Is this my punishment for running again? God sends angels for many reasons.
Sometimes it is to help with death.
Sometimes it's to help with life.
And this would be which? This would be life.
Right.
Well, tell him thanks, but I don't need him showing up now.
If there is a God, he bailed out too long ago.
No, Scott.
God did not bail out on you.
You bailed out on him, and you bailed out on the truth.
You didn't trust God or man to handle it.
So God knows the truth, huh? 'Course he does.
He knows everything, Scott.
That's what makes him God.
( Alarm beeping ) What the? What the? We've got a fire.
We're gonna have to jump, Andrew.
Where's your parachute? I don't have to jump, Scott.
You do.
( Cord rips ) ( cord rips ) SCOTT: No! Open, please.
Please help me, God.
I can't die yet.
Please.
Please! Please, God! ( Loud booming ) Monica? Scott? What are you doing here? Well, I I, uh I don't remember landing.
I, uh I Where am I? This is God's country.
Yeah, well Pretty well fits with the rest of my day.
I just jumped out of a plane right after my cockpit caught fire and my lawyer told me he was an angel.
( laughs ) I don't expect you to believe any of it, but I do believe you, because I'm an angel too.
An angel? I think.
I hope that I still am.
You seem kind of depressed for an angel.
Well, I might be relieved of my duties.
Where does an angel go when you're not angels anymore? You don't want to know.
A place far away from God, far away from the truth.
A place where lies live.
Whew, boy.
It sounds like my address for almost 20 years.
What really happened, Scott? If I told you, you wouldn't believe me.
It doesn't matter what I believe.
What matters is that you face the truth.
What is the truth? I had a I have a sister.
Karen.
When I was a senior in high school, she was a freshman.
I was voted "Most Likely to Succeed.
" ( chuckles ) She's the one that really deserved it.
She had a smile like sunshine.
She's so smart, and she's so pretty.
( Sighs ) Go on.
The night of my senior prom, she was so excited, 'cause she had a date.
Her first date.
A guy named Brian.
We were on the football team together.
I thought he was a good guy.
But I was wrong.
He raped her.
He raped my baby sister.
I'm so sorry.
There was a place way out on Riverside Drive, near the bridge.
All the kids used to go there.
So when I saw Brian's car there, I didn't think anything of it.
I didn't want to seem like overly protective big brother.
But I didn't see any harm in just going over and saying hello.
So I walked up to the car.
And that's when I heard her screaming.
I tore that door off that car so fast, Monica.
And And then I just went crazy.
I didn't wanna kill him.
I just wanted him to stop.
Why didn't you tell all this to the police? 'Cause all the kids were jumping out of their cars to see what was going on.
All they saw were two guys fightin', one guy going down.
I tried to explain, but I saw the look in Karen's eyes.
She was terrified.
Terrified that I was gonna tell.
You see, back then people wanted to always blame the girl.
If she got raped, probably 'cause she was asking for it somehow.
So it wouldn't have been just me.
It would have been me and Karen up on trial.
So I ran away.
'Cause if I told the truth about what happened that night in that car Karen's life never would have been the same.
Her life was never the same anyway, Scott.
Except, not only did she lose her innocence, she lost her brother as well.
And you lost yourself in 20 years of lies.
( Sighs ) And I almost lost myself in one too.
You see, every time we ignore the truth, we ignore God.
Because God is the truth.
And when it's not true, he doesn't want to have any part of it, because he He can't.
You see, it's just not who he is.
I always thought I was doing the right thing.
So did I.
Well ( sniffles, sighs ) What do we do now? We ask forgiveness.
We ask for truth.
Will you pray with me, Scott, and ask him to take away our lies? Here we are.
Your child, Scott, and your wee angel, Monica.
We are sorry.
We are so sorry.
Please forgive us.
We are f Falling.
Lift us up.
We are frightened.
Comfort us with your peace.
We are lost.
Come and find us, Father, please.
Here we are.
( Gasping ) There he is.
Grunwald, you are one slippery character.
( Indistinct police radio transmissions ) You too? Mm-hm.
REVEREND: I now pronounce you husband and wife.
You may kiss the bride.
Hold it.
You didn't bother to look for him for 18 years.
You can sure wait two more minutes till they finish their business here.
When I get back, I'm gonna look into buyin' a house, planting some trees.
Better be some mighty big trees after all we've been through, huh? The biggest.
Kind of a tough time, huh? What did you do, Scott? Something happened a long time ago.
Something terrible.
And I'm responsible for it.
I thought it'd just go away if I didn't look, but the truth doesn't go away.
It keeps coming after you until you turn around and face up to it.
So that's what I'm doing now.
So you're in trouble because you lied to somebody? No.
It was much worse.
Somebody died.
Something happened, Jeremy.
I got angry.
So angry, I lost control of myself.
You remember when Tess was telling you about groundrush, being in a free fall with the ground coming at you faster than you can imagine? Well, that's how I felt that night.
I got so angry, I couldn't see what I was doing.
So I just ran away.
But that didn't help, 'cause everything spun out of control.
It's time to pull that rip cord and stop that free fall.
You know, the thing about truth is, it doesn't change, and it doesn't go away, no matter how fast you run.
I want you to remember that, okay? But is it still okay if I call you Dad? You better, bub.
Is that my sister? Karen? Oh, God! I think they're gonna be all right.
Count on it.
Yeah, thanks to my stellar legal advice.
Stellar? Don't you get too big for your wings, angel boy.
Speaking of wings.
( Monica screams ) I think this is really exciting! Are you ready? Yeah.
You two go ahead.
I'll catch up with you later.
Oh, come on, Tess.
I don't think so.
( laughs ) You've never done this before, have you? No.
You taught everyone else, but you never did it yourself! Besides, what are you worried about, honey? It's not like you're gonna have a bad landing.
I just don't feel the spirit leading me in this direction.
ANDREW: Woo-hoo-hoo! TESS: Oh, Lord! MONICA: Now, that wasn't so bad, was it, Tess? TESS: I think something just flew up my nose.
ANDREW: She likes it.
I told you she'd like it.
( Bright, up-tempo theme playing )