Going nuclear

I really don't know about this, Allison.

Trust me, it's the only way.

Are you sure?

Absolutely. You know me. I wouldn't lie to you. Kristen, you need to be the strong one. For all of us. We're counting on you.

[Deep breath] OK. Dial.

[Dials and hands KK the phone]

Hi, um. [KK hangs up]

Kristen!

I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just panicked.

[Takes her by the shoulders] You can do this.

[Nods. Stops. Shakes her head.] No I can't.

[Nodding] Yes you can.

But Allison,

Kristen, I promise you. You do this for us and we'll all have your back from now on. OK? All of us. [pause] Except Michael. [pause] But he wouldn't be much help anyway.

OK.

[Dials again and hands the phone to KK]

Hi. It's, um Kristen.

Yeah, Kristen Kreuk.

It is me. Seriously.

[Frowns] He hung up. It's not going to work.

[Getting desperate] It has to! [Dialing] Let me take care of this.

[Speaking into the phone] Listen up, meat head!

You bet your ass it's Allison. Kristen has something to say. Don't dare hang up on her again. [Hands over the phone]

Um, hi.

I told you it was me.

We, uh, I uh,...

[Whispering] You can do it! Just get it over with, like you're jumping into a cold pool.

[Bites her lip.] We need you, Al. [She pauses. Allison urges her on.] Um. [More urging from AM. KK winces.] I need you.

[enthusiastically giving MM 'thumbs up' but playing it calm] Surely there isn't anything I can do for you, is there?

We, uh, we, uh...

Go on!

We want you to come back. [KK looks like she's about to throw up.]

Gosh, Kristen. I don't know.

What's he saying?

[Puts her hand over the phone] He wants me to beg!

Well do it! Beg!

No!

Kristen. There's no other way!

I can't, Allison. I can't.

Kristen are you there? [Gives MM a concerned look.]

Hold the line man, hold the line!

You saw Michael's script! Think about Michael's script! You, me, and him. In a hot tub. Naked.

We could use body doubles. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad?

Kristen!

[Still looking green in the gills but nodding]OK. OK. [Takes her hand off the phone. She looks like she's gearing up for something painful.]

[mouths "I want you to come back"]

[Stares daggers at AM. Then] I... I want you to come back.

[Shakes with joy]

[Now on an extension phone so he can here the conversation, hand over the mouthpiece.] Hold. the. line. Al. Hold. the. line.

[Still shaking. Voice barely under control and slightly higher] Kristen, it's complicated. [Silence for a moment. KK puts her hand on the mouth piece.]

I can't do this.

Yes you can!

I'm not going to beg!

Beg, dammit! Beg. Remember the hot tub! [KK puts her mouth back to the phone]

Please come back Al. I'm begging you.

[Gives MM two thumbs up.] Of course Kristen. Miles and I are there for you. We'll be on the next flight!

[As if choking on the words] Thanks. [Hands AM the phone.]

Great job, Kristen. Way to take one for the team!

I'm going to go throw up now. [Runs off holding her hand over her mouth]

[Puts the phone to her ear] Al, you still there?

Yeah, I'm still here. It's going to be great working together again, isn't it?

[unenthusiastic] Yeah, great.

Look, while we were gone Miles and I came up with some great ideas...

I can still kick your ass, Gough. Remember that.

Don't be so sure. I've been working out... [AM hangs up on him.] Huh. Same old Allison.

I told you those goobers from UPN would just screw things up!

And you were right.

[They high five] We're back on top!

So are you going to write Michael the check or shall I?

It's already in the mail. He really came through for us! I had my doubts... but at the end of the day he delivered.

Did he ever.

Overall a great return on investment.

Still, about the hair...

Are you kidding? Add a couple extra hours in makeup to apply the bald cap everyday... he'll be breaking out the razor again soon enough.

Still, that's no guarantee.

Ever heard of itch powder?

You are evil, Miles. Pure evil.

I prefer to think of myself as resourceful.

Resourcefully evil then.

I can live with that.

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