05x23 - Photo Finish

[bunniefuu]

ALEXIS :
How nice.

To be home, that is.

Dex, darling,
you're looking a little bit pale.

He should, he's iust come out
of the hospital, Mommy.

And you've obviously
been taking great care of him.

Thank you, Amanda.

l was iust feeling faint, Alexis.

Yes, of course you were.

Well, what are you doing here,
Michael?

He is combining business
for his father

with the pleasure of experiencing
Denver and its wild and wicked ways.

And l look fomard vey much
to my visit.

Dex.

- l'm fine.
- No, you're not.

You look
as if you're about to collapse.

DEX:
l'm fine.

Well, now that your wife is back,
l'm sure she can take care of you.

l'm leaving.

Amanda.

Darling, l specifically asked you
to join us for dinner

with the prince tonight.

Well, l'm sory,
but l have other plans.

So nice to see you again,
Your Highness.

PRINCE: l would appreciate
your reconsidering dinner, Amanda.

l thought of nothing
but seeing you all the way here.

l'm sory, l can't.

Well, my apologies.

But l'm sure that you're exhausted
from the trip in any case.

Lin, would you show His Highness
to his suite?

Yes, Mrs. De_er.

Your Highness, this way, please.

[MOUTHS]
Thank you.

Why did you bring him back, Alexis?

Can't you see
that Amanda isn't interested?

No, l can't see that, Dex.

And l also can't see
that it's any of your business.

Now, if you don't want to end up
in the hospital

l suggest
that you get yourself into bed.

That's a big word in your vocabulay,
isn't it?

Bed, as in ''to lie''?

Or is it ''to lay''?

l've never been good
at conjugating verbs.

[PHONE RINGS]

This is wonde_ul.

Did you iust win a lottey?

l may be able to buy
an Arabian stallion l've had my eye on.

He'll be up for sale in Albuquerque
in a couple of days.

l'll be going, Blake.

Blake?

l heard what you said. Fine.

GERARD:
Excuse me.

There's a telephone call for you,
Miss Amanda.

- It's Prince Michael.
- Thank you, Gerard.

Yes, Michael?

l not only missed you
at dinner last night, Amanda.

l missed dinner myself.

ln fact, l actually made
a last will and testament.

And the one thing l asked for

was the pleasure of your company
at dinner.

Tonight?

l'm sory, l can't.

You never gave me a chance
to finish explaining.

And l would like you to understand
why l behaved as l did in Acapulco.

Won't you at least let me ty
to redeem myself?

All right, l'll meet you at .

Michael asked me for dinner
and l accepted.

Yes, l gather that.

You would rather l didn't go.

Well, he did behave pretty badly
in Acapulco, as l remember.

Daddy, believe me,

l have no intention of sharing
anything more than dinner with him.

He wants to apologise, and l suppose
l ought to give him a chance.

l'm gonna be late
for my still-life class.

l think l'll do a croissant this morning,
so l can eat it as l paint it.

l'm curious about him, Blake.

What's he like?

Well, he's intelligent.

You might even say brilliant.

l think he's too sophisticated
for my daughter.

He's been around a lot.

Shall l open it?

Of course.

Go right ahead.
l have nothing to hide.

When is this going to end?

These pictures of you and Ashley
and Daniel and me.

Blake, please, do the same
with any you get from now on.

Even the ones
that l get from Albuquerque?

l'll be in Albuquerque alone,
whether you believe it or not.

Well, according to the last report,
at least we know he's alive

and he's still in Paraguay.

Damn it, Charles, he should have been
out of Paraguay by now.

l'm going back in.

Dex, would you trust someone
in your shape

to cary out a rescue mission?

l mean,
you can hardly cross the street,

never mind flying back to a iungle
to ty and pull out a guy

who can handle himself.

- He's okay, Dex.
- No, he's not okay.

He's stranded in a place where people
would like to see him dead

and l'm the damned fool
who agreed to leave him behind.

Dex,
has something happened to Daniel?

l asked you something.

l want an answer.

He's okay.

You iust said
people wanted to see him dead.

Now, who, why? Where is he?

You sound like you should be
a reporter

on one of Daniel's newspapers.

''Who, what, when, why.''

Kystle, telling you
would complicate things.

Now, if you don't mind...

lf you don't tell me exactly
what's happened to him,

l'll go to some newspaper
Daniel doesn't own

and l'll see what they make of this.

l guess that's a thr*at of some sort.

l'll do it, believe me.

All right.

Daniel and l and a few others,

we've been working underground
for years.

Tying to get people in trouble out.

This time it was Paraguay.

My iob was to smuggle
an American across the border.

His was to stay behind and mop up.

But he'll be back, Kystle, soon.

You don't really believe that.

Can't anybody help him?

He has been in tougher spots
and he has come out of them.

He'll be all right, don't wory.

But you're worried.

Maybe l'm iust feeling guilty
that l'm home safe.

He'd k*ll me if he knew l'd told you
what we've been up to.

Just like he'd k*ll me if l told you
that he cares about you vey much.

Talks about you all the time.

l thought
you might wanna know that.

Daniel's a good friend.

Thank you for telling me that.

And, please, if you hear anything,
Iet me know.

All right.

Buy you a cup of coffee?

Oh, Dean, l...

l'm sory, l'm kind of busy.

l hear you and Steven
have separated.

Yes, we have.

But that has nothing to do
between you and me.

Maybe not, but it does mean

there's no reason now
for us not to see one another.

Lunch, walks in the park,
skiing together on a Sunday.

We could have a great time.

And no expectations?

Well, there's not life without hope,
Claudia.

l don't think it would work, Dean.

How do you know?

We didn't have
that much time together.

But what little we did
really mattered to me.

l'd like to take that small brick
and start building with it.

Oh, Dean, you're a kind man.

You really are a caring man.

But l iust don't have room in my life
for you now.

l don't think that l ever will.

Promise me something, would you?

lf things change,
would you call me, please?

Okay.

Bye.

What's the matter? You look upset.

lt's been a tough day.

Mrs. Harrison phoned to say

how disappointed she was
in her daughter's shower.

What was wrong?
Not enough rain for her?

What's really wrong?

ls it this simple?

You're still upset
about Steven and Blake.

Adam, l will talk about anything
except Steven.

He's the one thing
you've got to deal with, Claudia.

Divorce him, get off
this emotional see-saw you're on.

Divorce?

l hate the thought of it.

l see.

l see.

Blake's finally managed to do
what he does best.

lntimidate.

And you are intimidated.

You don't have to be.

Not with me here.

Amanda?

There's something
l want you to know.

Don't tell me.

Your county is bestowing you with
yet another medal for your tenacity

above and beyond the call of duty.

l'm serious, Amanda.

l've called off my engagement.

l want you to be my wife.

l want you to mary me.

This is all rather sudden,
isn't it, Michael?

Whose plan was this?

Mine.

l love you.

ls that all there is to it?

That is eveything.

Oh, no, Michael, there's more.

And l want the truth.

My mother flew off
to see your father.

And then you and she
came back together?

Tell me, what plot did they hatch?

l won't lie to you.

They talked.

And they came
to a business agreement, didn't they?

Go on, tell me the whole thing.

Tell me how you're buying me,

because that is what you're doing,
isn't it?

Amanda.

Listen to me.

Believe me.

l swear that l love you.

And this negotiation by our parents
is a blessing.

Don't you see that?

No, l don't.

Well, it is.

Because it allows me to have
what l want more than anything in life.

- You.
- No, Michael.

Never.

l love you.

l loved you
the first moment l saw you.

Get out of here, Michael.

Get out.

You'll change your mind, Amanda.

You'll have to.

Oh, l didn't mean to disturb you.
l left some papers in here.

Well, wait, Steven,
you're not disturbing me.

Son, l would like you to know
how happy l am

that we're gonna have the chance
to work together again.

Now that Colbyco
and Denver-Carrington are partners

in that South China Seas deal.

- It's a good business move.
- Yeah, it's good for the family too.

Oh, by the way, are you gonna
have dinner with us tonight?

l won't be there.

Why not?

Because you and l would probably
end up arguing and l'd rather we didn't.

There's no point to it anymore.

Steven,

l promised you at the hospital

that l would accept any way
you chose to live.

l'm sory, but l have a hard time
believing you on that particular issue.

Then l guess l'll have to prove it to you,
won't l?

Come to dinner tonight.
Bring Luke with you.

Do you mean that?

Yes, l mean that.

All right, l will.

What did you trade me for?
More oil leases?

Tell me, how much does a daughter
go for on the open market these days?

That's enough, Amanda.

Now, what was negotiated
is not the issue.

What l got in return is.

A dream, not for myself
but for my daughter.

A dream that comes
once in a lifetime.

Where do you shop
for your dreams?

Look, l am not Grace Kelly.

Can you honestly say, darling,
that you don't feel anything for him?

l can honestly say
l don't know what l feel.

You haven't given me a chance.
You've just taken over my life.

Amanda.

Now, before you walk out of here,
listen to me.

Even if l were the monster
that you think l am,

even if Michael's father was
as manipulative as you think he is,

don't let that obscure
your real feelings.

Don't throw away
the chance of a lifetime

because you feel it was pushed a bit
by others.

A bit?

You're pushing me into a marriage
with a man that l hardly know.

Amanda, he's kind,
he's intelligent, he's a prince.

What more do you want?

[KNOCKING]

- What is it?
- Excuse me, Mrs. De_er,

but the bank meeting is about to start.

Tell them l'll be right there, Peter.

All right, we'll talk about this later
when you've calmed down.

And don't reiect Michael
just because of me or his father.

Dex, l have to talk to you.

Amanda, l've got a meeting to get to
and five minutes to get there.

Well, what about tonight?

Please, it's important.

All right, l'll meet you at in front
of the Shearing Industries building.

Good.

BLAKE :
My meeting is confirmed?

- Oh, yes, at a.m., Mr. Carrington.
- Good.

- File these contracts for me, please.
- Certainly.

[LAUGHING]

- Hello.
- Hello, Blake.

Blake, do you have a few minutes?

Yes, of course, if we're brief.

Busy man, it will be iust that.

Thank you for lunch, Jeff. l had fun.

Well, good.
How about dinner tonight?

Oh, l'm sory.
l've made plans for tonight.

- Bye-bye.
- Okay.

Hold my calls for me,
will you, please, Barbara?

Now, what is it you wanted
to see me about, Ashley?

l visited Dominique at the hospital
this morning,

and l'm really worried about her.

- Well, nothing happened, did it?
- Oh, no.

The doctor said that she's fine, but she
seems to lack the will to recuperate.

- That worries me.
- Yes, me too.

l was with her for a while last night,
and she smiled for part of the time,

but it wasn't
the real Dominique smile.

And as l was leaving,
one of the nurses said to me

that she spends all of her time

listening to those tapes
of herself singing.

Between losing Brady
and the fear of losing her voice

there doesn't seem to be anything
anybody can do

to keep her from living in the past.

You know, l used to spend a lot
of time with Dominique in Paris,

and l know her really well.

l know the stuff she's made of.

All she needs is a little push,
and she'll land right back on her feet.

We need to give her that push.

- Will you help me, Blake?
- Well, yes, of course l will.

Shall we talk about it over dinner
this week?

All right.

How about Thursday night?
Kystle's gonna be away.

We can stop by at the hospital
and then eat somewhere,

and plan some sort of action.

Thursday will be pe_ect. It's a date.

- Thank you.
- All right.

- Bye.
- Bye.

Kristina's asleep now,
but she may wake up during dinner.

l'd like to see her.

BLAKE :
Amanda, why don't you sit here.

Steven, sit there ne_ to Kystle.

Adam, over there if you will.

Luke, why don't you sit
ne_ to me here.

Oh, with pleasure, Mr. Carrington.

Luke, l hear you're originally
from Connecticut.

Born and raised.

Beautiful state, Connecticut.

With some of the county's finest
universities and newspapers.

ls your family
in the newspaper business, Luke?

No, l was a copyboy on the paper
while l was in high school.

Before l went on to Yale.

Yale is Adam's alma mater.

l know, l chaired the political debates
for two years.

- Bring back any memories, Adam?
- As a matter of fact, it does.

l chaired those debates
for two years as well.

And with a reputation
that's still the talk of New Haven.

You were quite an act to follow.

l'm sure you did vey well.

This all sounds so intellectual.

Didn't either of you have any time
for any fun?

You know, as in sports,

and going to the movies
and dating girls.

l did. Dating girls especially.

l did too.

Well, one girl, anmay.

We dated,
and got engaged and married.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out.

You were divorced?

Yes, sir.

Well, a lot of young people
get married,

find themselves unhappy
and then get divorced.

Look, l understand
what you're all tying to do.

Tying to make me feel as if
l'm just any other guest in this house.

Well, l'm not, am l?

Well, be that as it may,

l iust want you all to know

that l'm happy and honoured
to have been welcomed here tonight.

And l want to thank you especially,
Mr. Carrington,

and Mrs. Carrington, for inviting me.

BLAKE :
Well, you're...

You're my son's friend.

You're welcome here, Luke.

l would say things relaxed at the table
after a while.

Yes, after you let up on him, Adam.

l didn't mean anything, Father.
Conversation was difficult at first.

l can't help wondering if all this
would have happened with Steven

if Claudia hadn't been seeing
that fellow from the galley.

- What fellow?
- Dean Caldwell.

- You didn't know?
- No, l didn't know.

Well, it probably meant nothing.

A few dinners
while Steven was out on business.

l shouldn't have mentioned it
and l wouldn't have.

l iust thought you knew.

lt's getting late and you're far too good
for me this evening, Father.

l'm off to bed.

- Good night.
- Good night.

What's the emergency?

Michael wants to mary me.

l see.

That's not a problem
unless you don't want to mary him.

Don't you?

Dex, how can l mary him
when it's you l love?

Amanda, listen to me.

l'm already married to your mother,

to a woman
that l love vey, vey much.

You don't really mean that, do you?

l do. l love Alexis.

Mary Michael, Amanda.
It's for the best.

No.

Whatever l feel for you,
l won't give up Alexis.

Mary your prince.

Oh, God, how l hate you.

l'll show you, Dex. l'll show you.

Dex, as soon as you hear anything
about Daniel, let me know, please.

Thank you.

lt's time for us to get some air,
Mrs. Carrington.

Oh, okay, Marcia.

l'll be with you in a minute.

That's to say good morning

and to thank you for your support
with Luke last night.

You don't have to thank me.

He's bright, he's charming,
he's your friend.

And, well, that makes him mine.

Kystle, is eveything all right?

l mean, l don't want to py,

but l've noticed some pretty hea_
tension between you and Dad lately.

lt's not that.

lt's Daniel Reece.

We have to tell him about Sammy Jo
when he gets back.

l've agonised over that one
for weeks.

But we have to tell him.

lt's wrong for a man to live and die
without knowing he has a child.

lt's going to make some huge changes
in their lives.

Yes.

But if it were you?

l would wanna know.

Where do you think you're going?

Well, l've decided to take a bike ride
to Utah.

Maybe as far as Kansas.
l'll see how the weather holds out.

Dex, you refuse to listen
to the doctor's advice and rest.

And you refuse to tell me
who you were with last night.

Oh, the tall and oh-so-silent cowboy.

Vey mysterious these days.

Straight out
of a John Wayne Western.

Well, l'm sure this has got something
to do with Daniel Reece.

And l'm not gonna let you k*ll yourself
on his account.

l was with Amanda last night.

We met, we talked.

That simple, Alexis.

Well, l'm not usually intrigued
by life's simplicities.

But do go on.

She wanted my advice

about whether or not to mary
Prince what's-his-name.

His name is Prince Michael.

How sweet of her
to ask for her stepfather's advice.

Or does she call you step-daddy?

And what advice did you give her?

l told her to mary him.

Good.

But l couldn't say much

about why a mother would want
to sell her own daughter.

Couldn't you?

Really?

PRINCE: l want to thank you, De_er,
for allowing me to stay here.

l promise l won't take advantage
of your kindness for too long.

Let's say that you're welcome
to stay here

for as long as it takes you
to accomplish

what you're here to accomplish.

You don't approve
of my marying Amanda?

l can see its advantages.

For all concerned?

Amanda's young.

She's vulnerable, vey vulnerable.

l don't want to see her hurt.

lt's clear that you care
for her vey much, don't you?

Let's put it this way.

Don't hurt her.

Oh, l don't think we have to wory
about my hurting her, De_er.

The man she thinks she's in love with
is much more likely to do that.

Assuming l'd let him.

You know,
we De_ers are usually real happy

to oblige anybody looking for a fight.

But not this time, Your Highness.

At least not right now.

CLAUDIA:
So if this international conference

goes as well as l expect it to,

it could be a new direction for us
at La Mirage.

Fine, fine.

lt all looks and sounds iust fine,
all of it.

Great.

Blake, l heard that you invited Luke
Fuller to dinner at the house last night.

Yes, yes, l did.

lt's strange,
but l'm glad that you did.

l need to know that it's really over
between Steven and me.

And knowing that you've finally
made peace with the situation,

well, it helps me.

Claudia, do you know someone
named Dean Caldwell?

Yes. Why?

Well, l heard something
vey disturbing yesterday.

What?

That you and he
had some kind of a relationship.

What you're really saying, Blake,

is that did whatever happened
between Dean Caldwell and me

push Steven into his relationship
with Luke Fuller, isn't that right?

That's right.
Steven is my son and l love him.

There's reason for me
to be concerned, wouldn't you say?

Blake, you should know
that a wife's infidelity,

alleged or othemise,
does not usually turn her husband gay.

Well, usually doesn't apply here,
Claudia.

Steven is a special case, and you
knew it when you married him.

l refuse to accept responsibility for this
from you or anyone.

What Steven is
has nothing to do with me.

lt has to do with choice.

With Steven's choice.

And there is nothing wrong
with that choice.

lt's iust, l can't live with it.

Can't you understand that, Blake?

Michael, l told you l would give you
my answer at dinner.

- Couldn't you wait?
- No, this is far too important.

l love you, Amanda.

l love you.

Then you would be willing to have me
on any terms?

l would. Yes.

All right.

Then my answer is yes.

Yes, Michael, l will mary you.

- Amanda--
- l haven't finished.

What do you mean?

Well, that it be
a picture-book marriage.

But only for the picture books.

That it be a marriage in name only.

You don't mean that.

Yes, l do.

You either agree or you don't.

All right.

l agree.

l thought you would.

My mother must have offered you half
of her empire for my share of yours.

l agreed because l want you,
and l intend to have you.

As for these conditions, it will be you
who won't live up to them, Amanda.

Because you want me.

You know you do.

Do l? Really?

Uh-ha! Good sh*t.

Hi.

l was walking by, saw you both
and couldn't resist stopping to watch.

- l hope you don't mind.
- No, no, not at all.

No, l always do better
when there's a great-looking audience.

l'll buy the winner a drink.

- Did you hear that, Blake?
- All right.

You know, without your input,

we would never have been able
to get publicity for the home.

l guess you're getting the benefit
of my public-relations background.

Well, l have another meeting to go to.
Thanks, Kystle.

Bye-bye.

Are you sure
this is what you want, Amanda?

Yes, Daddy.

l'm going to mary Prince Michael,
with your blessing.

Won't you give it to me?

What's wrong, Daddy?

Maybe it's iust that we already
have spent so much of our lives apart

without really having been
father and daughter.

Now you're leaving
for a faraway place

with a young man
that you hardly know.

l know this.

You wish he were from Denver,
so l could be nearby.

You wish he were an American.

Yes. As a matter of fact, l do.

Then all of this
is making you vey unhappy.

Darling, l'm happy if you're happy.

l am.

He's a marvellous young man

with wonde_ul plans
for the future of his county.

But, Amanda, do you love him?

Of course l do.

l'd have to be totally insane not to.

- He's--
- He's what?

A prince.

Did Alexis have anything to do
with this?

And what did Amanda say to that?

She said, ''No.''

Well, shouldn't a loving father such
as you are believe his little daughter?

Not to mention me.

l may have encouraged
this relationship

between Prince Michael and Amanda
but believe me, Blake,

she is marying him
because she's deeply in love.

l don't think she is in love with him.

l think you're madly in love with one
of your celebrated ulterior motives,

whatever it is this time around.

Oh, God.

Why do you always presume

that my intentions
are to manipulate the children

for my ends and not for theirs?

You want a memo on that?

l don't have time to stand here

and give you a list of the many times
you have done just that.

Oh, Blake.

You accuse me
of tying to manipulate the children.

But what about you?

You are the one that insists
that they live in your house

under your roof
and living under your control.

My control?

All l'm tying to do
is to make up to my children

for their having a scheming,
manipulative mother.

lt may be too late
to undo that damage.

Adam goes on obsessively
tying to gain power.

Steven abandons his wife for a man.

A man?

Yes, Luke Fuller. Don't tell me
you don't know about that.

No, l didn't.

Well, it may be too late
for our sons, Alexis,

but l want you to know that l'm gonna
do eveything l can, eveything,

to make sure you don't push Amanda
into throwing her life away.

[KNOCKING]

Mother, come on in.

What's the matter?

Steven.

lt isn't pleasant to be humiliated
by Blake

telling me about my son's problems
in his personal life.

Darling, l told you
you can always come to me.

l know that.

l don't have a problem.

ls your marriage over, Steven?

Darling, are you involved
with Luke Fuller?

Mother, Luke seems to understand
me in a way that Claudia can't.

ln a way that nobody else can.

l'm sory if that hurts you.

That's the last thing l want.
l love you too much for that.

Steven, l love you
and l always have.

From the moment you were born,
you were always special to me.

l'd had Adam and Fallon.

Oh, but when l first held you
in my arms, and l looked at you,

l found myself whispering
that l would never leave you,

that l would always love you
and comfort you and protect you.

And l will, darling.

Especially from Blake.

WOMAN: Just leave me alone.
- Oh, that's cute.

l'm gonna have to think
about that one.

That was our favourite photographer
calling from Denver.

He said the two of them
are having dinner.

Looking real romantic.

Candlelight, the works.

So if you want some more pictures,
all l got to do is call him back.

No, what good would it do, Morgan?

We've hired photographers
all over the world.

Paid off members
of their household staffs,

taken pictures and sent them.

Nothing has worked.

Blake Carrington
and my darling Auntie Kystle.

They'll split up the day the North Pole
has a heat wave and melts.

Wait, l'm not finished saying to you
what l wanted to say.

Fred.

My God, that woman.

What about her?

She reminds me of my Aunt Kystle.

So what?

l don't know so what.
Not yet, anmay.

Blake, do you really think
our plan is gonna work?

l do.

lt will be so wonde_ul
to see Dominique smile again.

l mean, really smile.

lt's not gonna be easy,
but l am going to pull this off.

You don't agree?

No, no, l was iust shaking my head
because l was thinking

what a marvel you are.

Why?

The way you put yourself out
for people.

The way you care about your friends,
like Dominique and me.

l knew that you were a beautiful,
vastly intelligent woman

with a rare talent for business.

l saw that at work
in Paris and Acapulco,

but l never realised that you were such
a caring person until now.

And...

And?

Well, it's no wonder
that Jeff finds you so attractive.

And what about you, Blake?

That's not really fair.

Anmay,
there's time for that later on.

Kystle, l thought you were
in Albuquerque.

l was.

But the horse l had gone to bid on

was withdrawn from the auction,
so l came home.

l was iust about to call you
at the office.

l thought something might be wrong.
You're working so late.

l wasn't at the office,
l was at La Mirage.

l was having dinner
with Ashley Mitchell.

l see.

Now, look,
there's no reason to be upset.

She's my friend.
We had something to talk about.

lt was a vey pleasant evening.

l go out of town one night

and you have to be
with Ashley Mitchell?

No, l'd--

Kystle, you are upset and it's late,

and l don't think now is the time
to continue this.

Well, l do.

Continue it and finish it.

Now for these past few months,

eveything l've done
has been wrong, wicked and sinful.

But not you, no.

lt's always iust harmless
and pleasant.

Well, l'm tired of it.

Kystle.

What are you doing?

l'm leaving,
and l'm taking Kristina with me.

Please.

Please, don't do it. You can't.

You mustn't.
No, no, we've got to talk.

We've talked.

l'm going.

Kystle.