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Episode 12: "Chapter 12"
Original Air Date: 2.5.01
Summarized By: Kris D.

Harry's cruising in his big-ass muscle car, listening to some tunes, jamming. LOL! OK, so he's just driving. Anyhow, he nearly runs over a bunch of kids who run in front of his car. With his super 6th sense, he recognizes trouble. He grabs an umbrella (???) out of the back seat of his car and runs after them. A young guy is being chased by a group of boys and they're whaling on him with a baseball bat. They catch up with him in the bleachers of the school and pin him down. They say something about teaching him to run from them again and a boy grabs each of his legs. The victim starts *screaming* "Don't do my legs" and I guess that means they're going to break his legs with the bat. Super!Harry and his trusty umbrella choose that time to interrupt. The leader of the group asks "Does it look like rain today, old man?" LOL! and Harry says he called security, so they're welcome to hang around until they show up. The guys beat it, making another crack about rain and Harry goes to Tyronn, the victim, and asks him if he's OK. 

Act I

Oh boy. Sheryl has been playing with her computer again. This time, Milton and Lisa are hanging from the chandeliers have racous sex. Sheryl wants to know if they're going to court again. Little snark! <g> Harper says she's not in trouble, but wants to know if the animation is true. She claims it's only based on the rumors and is pretty much capitalizing on it. Harper asks her about her gut feeling, does *she* think it's true? "He's doing her."

Harry has apparently decided to finish roughing up Tyronn himself and delivered him to the gates of hell. Also known as Guber's office. According to the Gube, a murder was committed a few nights ago, by a kid wearing gang colors. The same gang colors worn by the guys knocking the snot out of Tyronn. "Are you involved with a gang, Mr. Anderson?" No. Are the boys who were knocking the snot out of you involved in a gang? Don't know. Guber lets him know that Winslow doesn't tolerate gang activity. "You may report to the custodian's office after school today. You will be spending your free time this week eliminating graffitti from the boy's bathroom." Tyronn says he has choir practice and Guber jumps all over him, telling him that the situation is not humorous. At which point Harry, who has been watching from the sidelines, steps in. Tyronn wasn't joking. In fact, he's a choir boy. 

Lisa is chasing Milton down the hallway. She's all in a panic because Sheryl was questioned by Mr. Harper that morning. Milton tells her to calm down, that they have no proof. Proof? "What about Mr. Riley? And Louisa? Or that cop?" Dude, you left a *mountain* of proof. He tells her all they can do is deny it. DENY EVERYTHING! He tells her to calm down and go on with her day. As she walks away, Milton freezes when he sees Harper watching them from a ways away. Steven approaches and asks Milton if he's crossed the line. Milton says no, it's just gossip, and it will teach him to mentor a pretty student. He then goes too far, getting snarky. "You seemed eager to ignore Sheryl Holt when I was leaping into a horse's ass. What, this is more interesting?" Steven leans really close with that *look* on his face - the one that says Milton's going to be axed in 40 minutes - and says "Yeah. A lot."

Kevin and Christine are leaving the office. Kevin sounds like he's been knocked in the family jewels - all high-pitched and whiny. Apparently Christine doesn't want to wrestle anymore. Kevin can't understand it because, up until that point, she's been loving it. He plays the "I'm so concerned about your feelings!" game until he realizes it's not working. He just wants to win the next match and tells her she's letting down the team by quitting. She says she doesn't want to wrestle because the school they're wrestling is an all-boy's school and she doesn't want to wrestle with some sexually frustrated geek. :::snort::: "They're not going to try to feel you up!" She claims the fun has worn off and storms away, knocking Kevin into the lockers. ::: double snort:::

MUSICAL INTERLUDE! Actually, Marilyn's just conducting the choir, who is singing "Joyful Joyful". It's a scene right out of "Sister Act 2" as she tells them to "sing to a girl in the very last row". "Energy, I can't hear you!" She talks a bit with Tyronn, and tells him to put more into it. He does and it's a goose-bump moment. Marilyn is tickled. "It's a shame to hide that beautiful voice." Harry walks in and Marilyn wants to know what's up. He wants to talk to Tyronn. "Why , is he in trouble?" He could be.

"Don't be hassling me, alright?! I'm not one of your dungeon boys and I don't need you following my ass." Yeah. Well. Tyronn doesn't want to talk to Harry, I guess. They go back and forth snarking in the dungeon until Tyronn admits that he's trying to get out of the gang, and that's why they're jumping him. Harry's plays stupid, or something, and doesn't get this concept. "It's a different kind of choir, Mr. Senate."

GRATUITOUS NAKED MOMENT! Lauren's going to shower in the girl's locker room. She saunters around, drops her towel, steps into the steam. Men everywhere pass out. She hears someone crying over the spray and wanders naked through the showers. Christine Banks is crying in the corner. Lauren tries to be dignified and ask Christine what's wrong while standing there in the buff. Christine just wants everybody to leave her alone. And methinks that includes beautiful, skinny, naked women.

Act II

Christine's boyfriend dumped her. She's confessing this to Lauren, now that they are both clothed. "He just said he didn't want to go out with you anymore and he walked away just like that?" Pretty much. They've been dating since thanksgiving (which, if you'll remember, is *really* close to the time Harry and Lauren got it on...::: wink :::) Does Christine love him? Christine doesn't know. Apparently Christine thinks he dumped her because she wrestles, but Lauren doesn't believe that. It fostered more of the "Blob" stuff, though it might be meant well, it was definitely upsetting him. Lauren looks pensive. 

Harper is questioning *Harvey* about Milton and Louisa. He recounts what he heard during the hostage episode. He claims he didn't really hear it all and didn't say anything because sometimes, even when he does hear right, he messes up in the telling of it. But Harper pushes so Harvey says what he *thought* he heard. "Milton is going with somebody who, if they ever found out, he'd have to answer for it." Milton overhears this. Dumdumdumduuuuuum.

Just at that moment, Kevin swings by and Milt grabs him by the arm. Milton is not happy when Kevin reveals that Harper wants to see him, now. "About me?" Milt's voice cracks. Milton retells the story - Steven was grilling Sheryl Holt, now Harvey, yadda yadda. Kevin claims they don't know for sure what Steven wants but Milton *knows* it's him. Milton then pulls out all the stops saying "Kevin, you're maybe my best friend, you can't tell." Dude! Kevin reminds him that he *did* try to warn him, but Milton won't hear of it. Milton is afraid of getting fired. Dumbass. Then you shouldn't have screwed her. Kevin says he won't cover for Milt unless Milt stops seeing the girl. 

At which point, *Lauren* comes along. God. This is like keystone cops, I can hardly keep up! This exchange is actually pretty good, Lauren wants Kevin to leave Christine alone about the wrestling thing - that she's dealing with some emotional stuff right now. Kevin trots out his "team loyalty" thing and it starts to get ugly.

L: Please don't sound like a coach.
K: Don't condescend *because* I'm a coach.
L: Look, thinks in her life are a little difficult right now.
K: Sports is like life. Get knocked down...
L: Back to sounding like a coach...
K: Back to condescending. 
L: Kevin.
K: Lauren.
L: Her boyfriend dumped her in part because of the wrestling thing.
K: Sounds like a quality guy. 

At which point Lauren rolls her eyes and walks away. Kevin starts to snark after her..."Wait a second!" when Steven comes by and wants to talk to Kev. Now. Can't it wait? Nope.

Scott is heading down in the dungeon, with a policeman/detective we met in an earlier episode. "Mr. Senate, you remember Detective Danby of the Boston Police Department..." To which Harry replies..."I didn't do it!" Scott sighs heavily. In retaliation, Harry throws his arms up. "OK. I did it." Scott gets his attention by mentioning the name Tyronn Anderson. What about him, you might be asking yourself? They believe Tyronn knows who committed the murder from a few days ago, or possibly witnessed it. Scott watches Harry intently as Harry explains that Tyronn said he was beat up because he was trying to leave the gang, and if he knows something about the murder, Tyronn didn't say anything to Harry. Scott wants Harry to talk to the kid again and Harry agrees without question. As they walk out, Scott looks at Harry with a very unnameable expression. Hmmm...

In Steven's office, Kevin is playing dumb. "What's up?" Milton and Lisa Grier. Does he know anything? Kevin claims he's only heard the rumors. Steven says he knows Kevin and Milton are close, but if Kevin is covering...he's not helping. Not Milton, not Kevin, and not the girl. "Between you and me?" Kevin says "I don't know anything about it, Steven." Liar, liar, pants on fire. They stare at each other for a while, until Kevin can't keep the eye contact. Anything else? No. Kevin flees.

In the band room, Lauren is talking to a boy. He says it's "personal, Miss Davis. Do I ask you questions about you and Mr. Senate?" ROFLOL! Lauren looks mildly perturbed and almost surprised, but continues to push for information- did he break up with Christine simply because she wrestles? He doesn't understand why she thinks it's any of her business, or why she even cares. She says it's probably *not* her business, but that it can be a very lonely world. She has a small monologue about loving someone, breaking up, and regretting it. To which Danny responds with "Miss Davis, you're a very nice person but...you and Mr. Senate are like Barbie and Ken. You're going to counsel the fat kids?" Oh, man. Lauren's obviously really big on being open, because she tells him that she does know a little about solitude. (I mean, come *on* kid. She was pretty desperate for Harry for...5 episodes. Lone-ly. <g>) They kid talks about how he's teased every day, just for waking up. He can't handle the fact that the question of the day is "What's it like to know your girlfriend can beat you up?" The kid claims he has pretty thick skin, but there's only so much he can take.

Harry finds Tyronn in the boys' bathroom, painting. He checks the stalls for occupants then starts the discussion. "I've done some checking around. There's this local coalition made up of teachers, ministers, police to help kids get out of gangs." Tyronn snorts at the idea and Harry wants to know if Tyronn was jerking his chain the day before. Tyronn says no, that it's just too late. The kid tells him to forget it, but Harry's like a dog with a bone. He won't forget it. "Last bell rang. I'm punched out, off the clock. We're just two guys standing around painting a stall. Man, I can't help you if you won't talk to me." (Freakin' irony. That's all I'm saying. Irony.) Tyronn sees his opportunity and asks if what he says will stay between them - always? Harry agrees. Why is it too late? "Because, because it was me. I killed that kid." This stuns the crap out of Harry.

Act III

Tyronn is telling the story about what happened the night he killed that kid. He was walking home late at night, because of choir practice, and saw some kid walking. It was getting dark, so he couldn't see if the other kid was wearing colors. All of a sudden, they were throwing signs and the kid pulled his gun. He missed. Tyronn didn't. Through this, Harry is pretty uninformed about gang relations. He asks stupid questions. But I digress. Tyronn starts crying, sobbing actually. He didn't want to kill anybody, but he had to do it. Tyronn is trying to get out, because he can't take it. (Side note: The kid who plays Tyronn is *the best* guest actor this show has had to date.)

Guber has called Mr. and Mrs. Grier in to talk to them about Lisa. "There is a rumor, one we cannot confirm but we suspect might be true, that Lisa is having an affair with one of our faculty members." Her parents are stunned silent. Scott feels it was his duty to inform them, even though they cannot confirm or deny the rumor. Her father is quite rigid - wants to know what they're doing about it. Scott claims there's nothing they can do because there's no proof. Her parents promise to keep an eye on her.

Christine and Kevin are arguing in the halls again. She claims he doesn't control her. So who does? The kids calling her the Blob? He pulls her aside and says some pretty harsh stuff about feeling sorry about herself all her life, or being a quitter in the face of adversity, but he wants her to consider the team. She wants him to spare her the lecture but he claims she's in a position to change what people say about her. She reminds him that this is what he said the last time, and that turned out to be a Big Fat Lie. (No pun intended) He finally drops the last staw "You amble aroudn this place in self pity. Is that going to be the walk of your life?" I guess it is. "Then you let them win. All the kids calling you the Blob - you quit now, you LET THEM WIN!" He screams after her as she runs down the hall. Milton decides to add to Kevin's sunny day by swinging in and telling Kevin that Guber has called Lisa's parents in. Kevin reveals that he told Steven he didn't know anythig and Milton knows that they have not evidence. Kevin disappears with the parting shot that if Milton doesn't end the relationship, he *will* tell Steven.

Christine is running down the stairs and bumps into Steven. He wants to talk with her about...everything. She doesn't want another speech. She's been getting a lot of them, lately. He starts to tell her about how kids judge people on appearances and adults do, too. She wants him to skip to the moral of the story. "If you don't want to listen to me, fine. If you want to ignore Kevin Riley, that's your right. But of all the people to listen to...the kids calling you the blob?" D'oh.

Lauren and Harry are in her apartment, discussing the gang activity in Boston. "There hasn't been a gang a teenage killing in Boston in two years this is, what, the third in six months?" Lauren notices that Harry seems pensive and uptight and when she asks him what's wrong, he claims it's nothing. "You're back to not talking?" He says he danced - she expects him to dance with her *and* talk? Without even cracking a small, she says yes. They snark around a bit over the topic and he goes off on a Harry tangent. She tries to put a stop to it and he says "Now you want me to shut up. Talk. Shut up. Talk. Shut up. I don't understand you. Do you suppose we should get married?" Lauren leans forward and asks him, point blank, if Tyronn witnessed the murder. Harry thinks a second then tells her that Tyronn says he didn't witness it. "So whatever it is, you're not talking?" You got it. She looks insanely hurt, the wine that had been sitting on the table is forgotten.

Lisa is standing outside Milton's door talking to him through the chain. He's acting like something's wrong, according to Lisa. Isn't she upset? Guber had her parents in! Her parents asked her about it so she showed them Holt45, as a source for the rumors. They believe her. She tries to kiss him. "Are you capable of being cool, Milton, or are you only capable of being hot." He tries to end it with her, for good, because it's too dangerous. She sits on the couch, all pouty, and says she loves him. "It isn't right. This could explode in our faces." Yadda yadda. It's over, but she wants "One last kiss goodnight." And, if you know them, never ends with just one kiss. She pulls her blouse off, he starts undressing. They fall onto the couch. The front door swings open. It's *Lisa's Dad*! "Daddy?" Mr. Grier tells Lisa to get her clothes on and he leaves with her. Milton looks at the camera. Mr. Grier, you sunk his battle ship.

Act IV

We find Mr. Grier back in Guber's office, this time describing what he saw the night before. "They were disrobing each other, kissing, when I came in." Steven is sitting off to the side looking completely and utterly stunned. Mr. Grier wants to know what is going to happen - Steven tells him about the policy to transfer the student. Steven also assures him that the teacher will be dealt with. 

Kevin is trying to comfort Milton. They are sitting in Milton's car and Milt looks paler than usual Kevin tells him to take full responsibility and show remorse, and argue that the totality of his career is not worth the dismissal. Milton wants to know if it matters that he loves her. Probably not.

Marla is spreading the word - that Lisa's father walked in on Milton and Lisa. Lauren is shocked - "Milton Buttle with a student? A *child*!" Harvey spouts some witticism about all the kids growing up fast and wanting "us", meaning the teachers. Marla snarks at him, he says he's in no mood and walks out.

Tyronn and Harry sit in a low-lit dungeon. Harry wants him to claim self-defense but Tyronn doesn't want to say anything. The rival gang will kill him and he will most likely be convicted of murder. Tyronn reminds Harry that Harry promised not to say anything. "You can't fix everything, Mr. Senate...You gave me your word. Now I ain't gonna say nothing and neither are you." 

Milton enters Scott's office, but is initially ignored. He wants to explain himself, but Scott isn't interested. He hands Milton a letter of resignation and asks him to sign it. Milton, looking like a landed fish, says he wants his union rep present. Scott fires back, stating that if Milton does that, Scott will recommend that Milton be barred from teaching anywhere. "Just sign the resignation now, slip out quietly, and hope some school somewhere won't bother to find out the circumstances surrounding your departure. I want you out of my sight as soon as possible." Milton looks very wounded. Boo. Hoo.

It's the wrestling match! Christine enters the gym and signs immediately raise "The blob!" Kevin looks very pleased.

Milton tries to apologize to Steven for what happened. "I'm so sorry, most of all, for letting you down. You've always treated me, all the teachers, as a noble class. And...I apologize for not living up to..." Steven looks torn when he tells Milton to please go. 

Back in the gym, Christine is wrestling hard. Her boyfriend watches from the stands, trying not to cheer, as she pins the guy. The crowd chants "Blob, blob, blob" and Christine wins the match. In a melodramatic moment of triumph, she grabs the microphone and makes the last big speech of the night. "I'd like to thank you all for coming to support the team, to support me. Wrestling doesn't usually get the crowds and I'm told a lot of you come because of me. But in the future, if you come again, my name is not The Blob. I don't like being called that. I know it may be fun to cheer that, but it's not fun for me. My name is Christine Banks." The gym is silent until a few brave souls begin chanting "Christine! Christine!" Her boyfriend looks very pleased.

In Lauren's classroom, Harry and Lauren discuss Milton. Harry can't seem to believe that Milt is gone and they think he went home. Steven walks up and wants to know if Harry got anywhere with Tyronn. Harry spouts the party line that Tyronn says he didn't witness anything and Steven looks darkly at Harry then walks away. Lauren claims she still can't believe what happened - she doesn't disagree but...Milton? Kevin picks that moment to show up and Harry congratulates him on the victory over Belmont Hill. Kev asks about Milton, they think he went home, and then walks off. Lauren looks at Harry for a few seconds then asks him if he's still thinking about getting married. He laughs dryly and tells her that what he has on his mind, she doesn't want on hers. Then he asks her if she's ready, she is, so he walks away. She follows after him slowly.

Kevin wants to talk to Scott. He begins to defend Milton by telling him the circumstances of his relationship with Lisa. Kevin inadvertantly reveals that he knew about the relationship with Lisa for a few weeks. Well. Scott will be recommending Kevin's dismissal as well. He tells a very stunned Kevin to go. oooh, no. Kevin storms out.

Harry and Lauren are heading out of the building (with identical briefcases, I might add) They pass the choir away and note that they've been practicing a lot. Harry slips into the room and watches as Tyronn sings "Joyful Joyful". With a doleful expression, he turns and leaves. As he and Lauren continue down the hall, she stops. "Harry...you're not telling me something." No, he replies, rubbing her arm, and they walk out lost in thought as the music grows louder.

Fade to black.