Dimitri's Alive (National airdate Sept 9, 1999)
After sedating an upset Dimitri, Alex and Edmund trying to figure out how to handle things.

(Dimitri moans groggily, and Alex kisses and caresses his cheek. She then turns to Edmund who's seated at the foot of Dimitri's bed, watching them.)
Alexandra:  "We should take this carefully."

Edmund:   "Yeah, okay."  (The two start to leave the room, but Dimitri grabs her arm and she sits back down on the bed.)

Alexandra:  "Ok, Dimitri.  Edmund's going to listen to you.  He wants you to be comfortable, so wer're going to stay her and continue with the treatment. And then when you're all better, we'll talk about it then, okay?"

Dimitri:   "You... you stay here?"

Alexandra:  "We'll stay here."

Dimitri:   "Yeah?"

Alexandra: "Yeah. We'll stay here. I want Edmund to visit you."  (Dimitri starts to protest, but Alex quickly continues her sentence.)  "As a kindness to him. He needs to see you. Okay, sweetie?"  (She then leans over and picks up some photos off the side table.)  "I got some more photos of Maddie, see?  Look how big she's getting."

Dimitri:  "She..."  (He looks at the pictures and takes one from Alex.)

Alexandra: "Um hmm."

Dimitri (moans):  "Maddie..." (He places the picture to his lips and kisses the photo.)

Alexandra:   "When she's bigger, we're going to teach her how to ride."

Dimitri: "Yeah."  (Edmund looks on stunned as they talk about Edmund's daughter, who Dimitri had once thought was his child.)

Alexandra:   "When you're all better."

Dimitri (referring to his horse, Maximillian):  "Yeah, ride Max.  Max."

Alexandra:   "We're going to teach her how to ride Max." 

The scene fades out to commercial, then comes back later. Edmund and Alex are walking into the lobby area of the hospital.

Alexandra (putting her coat back on):  "Dimitri should sleep for a while now.  Are you alright?"

Edmund:   "Yeah. Ahem. He's just always been larger than life, you know, and now he looks..."  (His voice trails off.)

Alexandra:   "This has been a big shock for you."

Edmund (he sits down):  "Yeah. Why is he like that... one moment violent and the next he's barely coherent?"

Alexandra:   "Well, I tried to explain that the disease has had some debilitating effects and between that and the treatment, his behavior can be somewhat erratic."

Edmund:   "How have you handled this alone?"

Alexandra (not looking at him):  "Oh. I had Dr. Silbert to help me."

Edmund:   "That's not what I mean."

Alexandra (sharply):  "I know what you mean. I didn't really have a choice."I

Edmund:   "You could have told me.".

Alexandra:   "No, I couldn't. I gave him my word, and my husband has to be able to trust me."

Edmund (smiles at her):  "He loves you very much."

Alexandra (smiles back):  "And I love him."

Edmund (grinning):  "My brother's alive. Your husband is alive."  (He taps her legs with his coat and gets up excited, about to walk off.)  "I got to call Peg. She'll get in touch with Joe Martin, figure out the arrangements that wee need."

Alexandra (jumps up, confused):  "What arrangements?"

Edmund:   "For Wildwind. We're going to take him home."

Alexandra (frustrated):  "He doesn't want to go home. He doesn't want to be seen by anyone. Can't you think about him? Imagine how he'll feel seeing the looks on your faces. You might think you're being compassionate, but all he's going to see is pity."

Edmund:   "Alex..."

Alexandra (owering her voice):  "And he loves you so much. He couldn't bear to put you through that kind of pain. More to the point, he couldn't bear to put himself through it. He is such a proud man, you know that. His pride is about all he has left. Please, can't you just let him keep it?"

Edmund:   "All right. You do whatever you have to do to stabilize him, and he'll stay here... for now. But after that, he's coming home, where people and family love him."

Alexandra (relieved):  "All right, all right. Thank you."

Edmund (excited agin):  "Okay. Now, I got to tell some people, okay?"

Alexandra:   "Oh, just leave it!"

Edmund:   "Please, please. This is family. These people are suffering. They're in agony. I can't just sit by and watch them do this for no reason. No reason. And besides, he needs their prayers. We all do. Please."

Alexandra (closes her eyes, giving up):  "All right. All right, we'll tell them."

The scene fades out, returns to the Wildwind mansion where Eugenia and Gillian were having tea.

Eugenia:  "It was lovely of you to bring the tea. It's wonderful."

Gillian:   "Oh, well, do you want some more?" 

Eugenia:   "No, thank you, darling."  (They hear the front door close.)

Gillian (calling out to the hallway):  "Oh, who's here?"  (Edmund and Alex enter the living room.)

Eugenia:  "Edmund. Alexandra. How nice to see you."

Edmund:   "Hello, Eugenia." (He kisses her cheek.)

Eugenia (to Edmund):  "Hello."

Edmund (to Gillian):  "Gillian, I'm glad you're here. I, uh, have some news and I'm glad you're sitting down."  (He looks over at Alex, who's taken off her coat and seated in the arm chair opposite of him.)

Eugenia:   "I hope it's not bad news."

Edmund:   "No. It's the most wonderful news I can possibly think of."

Gillian (getting excited):  "So, go on! Tell us. Don't keep us waiting."

Edmund:   "Ahem. Well, I just got back from Seaview Hospital with Alexandra, and if I didn't see it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it. But it's true."  (He sits down in the arm chair opposite Alex, who's staring guarded at him, Gillian, and Eugenia, worried about the ladies reaction.)

Eugenia:   "What is true?"

Edmund:   "Dimitri. He's alive."  (The camera pans over to Alex who's nervous as Gillian and Eugenia's mouths drop open and they stare in astonishment at Edmund then Alex.)

The scene fades out, then returns...
Eugenia (gasping):  "I can't breathe..."

Gillian (worried):  "Grandmama?"

Alexandra (jumps up and rushes over to Eugenia):  "Do you have any pain?"

Eugenia (snapping at Alex):  "Of course I don't have any pain."  (She waves Alex and Gillian away.)

Alexandra:   "Then you're just hyperventilating. Put your hands over your nose and your mouth, and try and breath normally." (She grabs Eugenia's hands and clasps them over Eugenia's mouth and nose.) "Breath. Good." 

Gillian: Edmund, how can... how can this be possible?"

Edmund:   "Alexandra made a promise to Dimitri."

Gillian (accusingly to Alex):  "So you've known all along?" (She and Eugenia glare at Alex.)

Alexandra:   "Remember that promise I told you about? Dimitri made me swear not to tell anyone, including Edmund. I am so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I really had no choice."

Edmund (jumping to Alex's defense): Dimitri insisted. Living with this secret's been a real burden on Alexandra." (He gives Alex a small smile.)

Gillian (grins brightly):  "So then it's true. He's alive! Dimitri is alive!"

Eugenia (laughs):  "He's alive!"  (To Alex) "When can we go to him? When can we go to him?"

Alexandra:   "I'm sorry, you can't."  (She and Edmund exchange glances.)

The scene fades out, then returns...
Alexandra:  "Dimitri's condition is extremely tenuous and we're at a critical point in his treatment, so he cannot have any visitors. I'm sorry."

Gillian:   "But Edmund got to see him."  (She motions to Edmund with her head.)

Alexandra (looking at Edmund):  "It really wasn't the right thing to do."

Edmund:   "In all fairness, I insisted. She was against it, and um, Dimitri grew disturbed."

Gillian:   "But why?"

Edmund:   "He doesn't want us to see him this way."

Gillian (still confused):  "Which way?"

Alexandra:   "He's not how you remember him, Gillian."

Eugenia:   "Yes, but we're his family. We love him."

Alexandra:   "I realize this must be very difficult for you. Perhaps when he turns a corner then..."

Gillian:   "You mean if, don't you? That's what you're saying, right? He... Dimitri may be alive, but he might as well be dead."  (She looks over at Edmund. He and Alex exchange glances.)

The scene fades out, returns later...

Alexandra:  "We're going everything we can for Dimitri."

Eugenia:  "What are his chances of survival?"

Alexandra:  "I honestly... I can't answer that."

Eugenia (getting upset):   "I can't bear this, I can't bear this, I can't bear this!"  (She starts to sniffle.)

Edmund:  "Okay, this is a lot to handle."  (To Gillian) "Gillian? Gillian, would you take Eugenia upstairs?" (To Eugenia) "Just try to get some rest and lie down, and we'll talk later, okay?"  (Everyone gets up.)

Eugenia:   "Fine."

Gillian (to Eugenia):   "Let's go."

Eugenia:  "I'll go to my room."  (Edmund watches them leave the room. Upset, Alex goes over and pours herself a glass of water.)

Alexandra (to Edmund):   "This is why I didn't want to tell them." (She gulps a drink of water.)

Edmund:  "Hey, they're not upset because you told them he's alive. They're upset because he may still die. Come on, Alexandra. I mean, there's got to be something, anything. He can beat this. Is there anything at all?"

Alexandra (hesitantly):   "There is one thing." (She puts the glass down, not looking at Edmund.) "It's highly experimental, though."

Edmund (hopeful):   "A cure? A possible cure?"

Alexandra (walks away, still not looking at him):  "Perhaps. There are so many variable, though."

Edmund (excited):   "Whoa, what are you waiting for? Well, then do it. Alexandra, okay, we're talking about my brother's life at stake."  (He gets mad when she doesn't answer him.)  "Just what the hell are you waiting for?!"