Everyone ready to finish this story?

Mike: Yeah.

Peter: I am.

Micky: You bet.

Davy: I am, too.

*We open in your stereotypical nightclub. The dance floor is full, enjoying the strains of the British band.*

Mike: (He and Emma lean back, sipping drinks at a table) Ahh. This is nice. Glad to see everyone's havin' a good time.

Emma: I'm glad we came to this. We needed to get out and do something fun together.

(Lauren pulls Micky over next, ignoring his "Just one more dance!" protests.)

Micky: *Shrugs* I can't help but wanna dance! These guys are great.

Bob: I don't blame you, either. This is a really good band. Do you know who found them?

Micky: I don't know, but they've had a steady gig here.

Bert: So, how's Al after all these disastrous parties?

Micky: He's okay. He almost came out with us, but decided on getting some much needed quiet time instead.

Bob: So, what happened after the awards dinner ended?

Mike: (Shrugs) Nuthin'. Belavarg dragged Lillith away from Al and left with her and her award, and the devils left soon after. I think they said they're going to give out the remaining awards at a smaller ceremony tomorrow.

Bert: Did Al get it through to Lillith that he's not selling?

Emma: (Looks at Micky) You know him best. Did he?

Micky: I think he did, but it depends on how she took it.

Mike: She'll get the hint eventually. There's got to be other fish in the sea to buy.

Bob: What was her interest in Al in the first place?

Mike: I think it was somethin' 'bout him whippin' up food and backin' her new line of frozen meals.

Micky: A spokesman type thing, I guess.

Emma: But Al hates frozen food. (She makes a face) I'm not big on Staffer's meals, either. I think they're terrible.

Mike: (Shrugs) I defrost one for myself every now and then when you ain't home. They ain't gourmet cooking, but...

Emma: Mike, they taste awful! The fruit barely qualifies as fruit, the meat is always mush, the vegetables are bland and tasteless, and the gravy's congealed brown slime!

Mike: Yeah, but they're quick to make, especially since some of us aren't the cooks that you and Al are.

Peter: (He sits down, wiping his brow, as the song winds down, followed by Davy and Daphne) Wow. That was really fun! Valerie's talking to some friends and Daph and Davy are chatting with the Abbies, but I just needed to sit down and get a drink. (He orders a soda from a waitress as she passes)

Bert: How did you guys feel about helping Al with all these parties?

Mike: It was interestin', especially since I don't cook.

Peter: I enjoyed it. We got to help a friend, make some contacts, and work on our Guardians skills.

Emma: The tea party was a blast. Leah and Lizzie are begging to attend another one.

Micky: It was fun, with the exception of the Devils and Belavarg.

Peter: Guys, I made a little mistake. When Belavarg attacked me during the commotion backstage at the awards, I...told him I'm in charge now.

Mike: So?

Peter: I'm afraid he'll try going after me as well as Michael.

Emma: We'll just have to be more on our guard, then. They would have figured it out eventually, anyway.

Bert: Hey Mike, how are you feeling after yesterday? Are you ok?

Mike: (Shakes his head) Not totally. I still feel like somethin' ain't quite right. Am I gonna go nuts and jump on someone? No. Not right now, anyway. (Growls) I've gotta find Belavarg again and get him to fix what he did to me. Not to mention, we have to talk about that lawsuit.

Peter: We'll be all right, Michael. We'll get him.

Micky: That's right.

Mike: Pete, we can't do a damn thing or make another video without Bela's say-so on what music and musicians are used. I'm afraid to ask what he's gonna want us to do.

Micky: Well, if we can't do what we want, how about we find someone who can?

Mike: What do ya mean?

Micky: Isn't Val still looking for new acts?

Peter: Yes, she is.

Micky: How about these guys? *jerks a thumb towards the stage; the lead singer does a brief jig during the bridge in the song*

Peter: (Nods) Yeah, they're pretty good. The lead singer certainly has quite a bit of personality.

Davy: Not to mention he seems to be reading from Micky's joke book, too.

Mike: That would explain a lot.

Peter: Val's always looking for new bands. Hey, I think she's talking to the lead singer now! (Points to Valerie, who is, indeed chatting with the lead singer as they come off the stage for their break.)

Micky: Good.

Mike: Hell, maybe we can make a few music videos for... (thinks) ...them. (Grins) You know, maybe we can't use OUR music in the videos...but who's to say we can't film other people?

Micky: My thoughts exactly.

Peter: See, Michael? We found a loophole.

Mike: Good. We’ll start filmin' again as soon as we can get everyone together.

Micky: You're welcome.

Mike: Oh yeah. Thanks.

Davy: Well, mates, now we'll never hear the end of this.

Lauren: No, I don't think we will.

Micky: No, you won't.

Valerie: (She comes over with the band's lead singer) Hello, everyone. Meet the newest Headquarters sensation. I think we'll be ready to start another British Invasion with this group in our roster!

Herman: Who, us? Nah.

Micky: You're too humble, Herman.

Micky: *Eyes light up* And even better, I just thought of a name for the band.

Herman: Mick...

Micky: No, no, I've got it this time, man. *drags a hand, envisions a marquee* Newman's Newts!

Herman: *Blinks* But my name is Herman.

Micky: So? It's the name of your band, it doesn't have to include your name.

Herman: Fine. It is better than Tony's Toads that you came up with yesterday.

Micky: *Shrugs* It made you shoot coffee out your nose, though.

Valerie: If you two are quite done, I need to discuss the particulars with Herman.

Micky: For now, yeah.

Bert: Ah. Another new semi-regular?

Mike: Looks like it.

Peter: He's a really good performer! I hope we see more of him!

Mike: (Mutters) I hope Zelda doesn't go after him, the way she did Al.

Emma: We'll see what happens, boys.

Valerie: Ok, Herman, as soon as you take your next break, we can discuss the rest of the contract. We'll go into the formalities at my office on Monday.

Herman: Great. I'll be back shortly. *waves* Take care everyone.

*Herman heads back to the stage.*

Valerie: Take care! (She smiles and waves, then turns back to the others) What a charming fellow. I can't believe no American record company's snapped him up before!

Micky: There's no accounting for taste.

Mike: Val, we'd love to make some music videos to publicize your newest discovery.

Micky: *Points at himself* Director, right here.

Valerie: I thought you guys couldn't make music videos anymore.

Mike: Not for us, with our music. (Grins his little Nesmith grin) No one said anything about using other people's music.

Micky: Or other people entirely.

Mike: Val, how'd you like some of your newest acts to appear on TV?

Valerie: I'd love it, but most of those "music videos" usually turn up so late at night, or on Saturday morning children's shows...

Mike: We're workin' on that, too.

Peter: Valerie, think of the publicity! Micky's a good director, and Michael's a good producer and arranger. You know that.

Valerie: (Sighs) We could discuss this further at my office on Monday, too.

Mike: I knew you'd like the idea, Val.

Bob: Hey ladies, speaking of ideas, where did you come up with this month's story?

Emma: (Shrugs) My idea. It came out of some of the other stories we were doing last year and Lauren's main interest at the time. Considering we didn't have a lot of ideas for this one, it didn't come out too badly.

Mike: Hell, other than the thing with Belavarg last night, I kinda had a good time with this story. Almost makes up for all the shit we went through in the last one.

Micky: It was kinda fun.

Peter: You know, so did I. In fact, I had so much fun with this (smiles) I was thinking it's time for the Guardians to reappear again.

Mike: (Shrugs) Why not? I ain't doin' nuthin' until we can get the music videos goin'.

Peter: I want to talk to Ursula about the reappearance of our ancestors last week, too.

Mike: There's a lot of stuff we need to discuss. In fact, I think we should all meet at the Beach Cave at 10AM tomorrow for a major Guardian meeting. Kids, too. It's a Sunday morning.

Peter: (Nods) I agree. There's a lot that's going on right now, and I think we've barely scratched the surface of whatever Belavarg has in mind.

Emma: I think so, too. There has to be a reason Bela wanted to spring the devils from jail other than to help Lillith.

Valerie: And what about Lillith? Where does she factor into all of this? I doubt she knows her new partner and producer is a demon, or even has powers beyond those of persuasion.

Mike: Frankly, I think she and Bela were meant for each other. He's probably usin' her to get Dark Star Records back, an' she's probably usin' him 'cause she don't know nothin' 'bout music and needs a good producer an' business manager who won't give her any lip.

Valerie: We'll need to get the story on Lillith, too. I could make some calls around the business world. (Looks at Micky) Maybe you could talk to friends who have been involved with Dark Star Records.

Micky: I can do that.

Mike: I can talk to people, too, all my contacts for Magnetic South Media.

Bert: So, what was your favorite part of this story?

Emma: The tea party.

Mike: The barbecue.

Peter: Just being able to help Al out.

Valerie: The Awards dinner. I made quite a few contacts before all hell broke loose.

Micky: Barbecue.

Davy: The Awards dinner.

Daphne: The tea party.

Lauren: Helping Al.

Emma: And it sounds like some Guardian work will be next month's story.

Mike: I'm almost lookin' forward to it.

Emma: And why don't we end here and cut to the video?

Mike: Sounds good. (Looks at the camera) You can find out more about party plannin' and more stories of parties that didn't work out online and in your local library.

Valerie: We here at Dream World hopes everyone who celebrates it had a nice Easter, and that everyone else enjoys their spring!

Emma: See you next month!

(Fade out on the group watching Herman and his group. Fade in on the Rainbow Room set. Everyone wears their 8-button Guardian shirts - Herman has a yellow 8-button shirt with white buttons. The boys and Herman perform "If You Have the Time." Emma dances with Davy, and then with Herman. Mike makes a face and tugs her closer to him.)

*Herman shrugs and bounces around the Room on his own.*

*Lauren shakes a pair of maracas next to Micky. Micky occasionally lets an extra thump emit from the drum kit.*

(We end with Mike finally tugging Emma off the set. We hear sighs and happy howling where they exited.)

*Micky heaves his sticks behind him & pulls Lauren off the set in the other direction.*

(Peter and Davy turn to each other, and then to Herman. They all shrug and just keep dancing and bouncing together as the music ends.)

(Cut to the end credits. "Apples, Peaches, Bananas, and Pears" plays over scenes from the "production." We end with a pastel graphic surrounded by spring flowers with the words "Happy Easter from All Of Us At Dream World!" and a shot of all of the Monkees, their wives, Al, Belavarg, Lillith, and the Devils onstage in their fancy outfits covered with food with the words "A Raybert Production" over it.)