(We open in the Pad's living room. Emma lays on the sheet-covered psychiatrist's couch. There's a few other sheet-covered forms in the room, but it is otherwise empty. Cans of paint, brushes, rollers, carpet, and carpet installation lay around the room, along with various tools. There's a knock on the door.)

Emma: (Sighs) I'm comin'. It'll just take a few years. (She manages to heft herself to her feet - she IS a bit bigger than she was with Katie. She finally gets to the door, passing through a kitchen that's equally empty except for a new stove and refrigerator and a table and chairs.)

Lauren: *smiles as Emma opens the door* How're you feeling?

Emma: Heavy. Come in. (Smiles a little) It was a brilliant idea to have a repair party and dump the kids on the men for the afternoon.

Lauren: *winks* Wasn't it? The guys haven't had their fair share of the kids in a long while.

Emma: They've either been locked in a recording studio or a movie studio all day, and they've barely saw their offspring unless we visited. I say we need a hundred days off. (Opens the fridge) Want some soda or iced tea? I have it in here for the men who are working on the veranda in the evenings.

Lauren: Regular cola, whatever you've got.

Emma: (Leans into the fridge) Want something to eat? I have peanut butter cake with fudge frosting! I made it last night and brought it for the builders and you guys today.

Lauren: Ooooh, that's so tempting, *sighs* but I'm trying to be good. Besides, I wanna get started helping out.

Emma: Ok, the paint brushes and rolls are in the living room. The carpet isn't down yet, but it did finally dry enough for them to tear it up, so be careful. (There's another knock) You go get started. I'll be there in a minute.

Lauren: You got it, Chief!

*Lauren goes to grab a roller.*

(Emma puts two Cokes on the kitchen table and heads for the door again. She opens it and finds Valerie in a stylish oversized yellow shirt and jeans, smiling a little.)

Emma: Hi, Val. I'm glad you could make it.

Valerie: Peter just dropped me off. He's going to join the boys and the kids at the park in Beverly Hills near Dad's house. It wasn't hurt by the storm. (She enters with a sigh)

Lauren: *calls out* Hi, Val!

Emma: Val, are you ok? You seem a little down. (She leans in the fridge again) Want some soda or iced tea?

Valerie: I'll just have tea. (She joins Lauren in the living room) Hey, Lauren. I saw your car in the driveway. How're you these days? How's Micky's hand?

Lauren: I'm doing well. Better now that we're back in the house again. Micky is driving me up the wall. I never knew the man could complain so much. So, yeah, his hand's still bothering him.

Valerie: You're welcome to come over to the Montgomery House to be by yourself if you ever need to. It's big and relatively secluded, even with the gardeners and roofers. Or use the kids as an excuse and bring them over to play with Jordan. He loves it when they come over.

Lauren: I may just take you up on that.

Emma: Here's your tea, Val. (She hands Valerie a green and white plastic tumbler) Are you ok? I may not be able to see auras, but you don't seem happy these days.

Valerie: You try to use public transportation in Beverly Hills and see how far YOU get. (She gulps her tea)

Lauren: I can't say as I blame you, Val. I know I wouldn't be happy if I lost my car.

*There's another knock at the door.*

Emma: Coming! (Val reaches for another roller as Emma goes to the door)

Daphne: *as Emma opens the door* Hi, Emma! Am I late?

Emma: Hi, Daph! Nahh, we're just getting started.

Daphne: Great! *comes inside*

Emma: Want some soda or iced tea, Daph? I have peanut butter cake in the fridge...

Daphne: Iced tea. I'll have some cake, too!

Emma: Heck, I think I'll join you. (Emma pulls a knife out of a drawer and cuts two slice of cake. She hands Daph iced tea in a plastic cup that has Wonder Woman on it and her cake, and takes her own cake and Coke.)

Daphne: Thanks! *takes a bite of the cake* Oh, this is good.

Emma: Thanks! (She eats her cake) How's Davy and Miss Lizzie? How's your house coming?

Daphne: Everybody's fine. The house is coming along pretty well. We've had the crew over a few times to do work, and they're doing a fantastic job. Davy and I owe Micky thanks for finding them for us, otherwise we would've had no clue who to look for.

Emma: Mick recommended the people doing our veranda and roof, too. (Smiles at Valerie) And thank you for the carpet people! They're coming back next week to lay our new carpet!

Valerie: (Nods) They're some of the best in the business. They re-did the carpets in the parlor and office rooms downstairs when Dad remodeled the mansion three years ago.

Emma: (Picks up a smaller brush) I'm going to do around the back door...

Valerie: Wait! Em, shouldn't you be resting?

Daphne: Yeah, we can handle everything!

Emma: I'm not due for another couple of weeks! Don't you guys start, too! I can't burp without Mike thinking the baby's coming out!

Lauren: Still, Em, this is why we're here, to help you out so that you don't HAVE to do anything.

Lauren: And if you wanna burp, you may do so freely. Won't bother us.

Valerie: Emma, we know you want to help. We know you can't do much right now. However, while none of us are blessed with Micky's architectural skills, we CAN pick up paintbrushes, so (she gently pushes Emma onto the bed) why don't you just take a load off?

Emma: (Her eyes get misty) But I want to do SOMETHING! I've already baked cake, cookies, two kinds of muffins, and worked on stories and articles! I'm going crazy!

Lauren: *turns to show off an evil grin* We could always bash our men folk a bit.

Emma: (Near-whine) Mike won't let me do anything either.

Lauren: That's good for a starter.

Emma: (Turns and lays on the couch) I'm bored.

Valerie: Keep track of Peter and his entourage and all the money they spend sometime. I guarantee you will NEVER be bored.

Emma: Mike wants to buy everything. He had all those stupid cars, and now he's trying to push for a boat, even though he gets queasy when he SEES waves.

Daphne: Davy still has that wandering eye. Makes me wanna slug him every time, but the he always apologizes and makes it up to me.

Valerie: And you two vanish from the studio for two days.

*Daphne grins.*

Lauren: I swear, if I hear Micky whine about not being able to do something ONE more time...

Emma: I can relate.

Valerie: How long did the doctor say it would be until his hand healed?

Lauren: The doc said it'd be about a month before he can take the brace off, then another two weeks to get it mobile again. *sighs* I can understand how he's feels about it... but he's absolutely starting to drive me nuts.

Daphne: Good thing the guys don’t have as much to do in the studio for a while.

Emma: Having broken my toe as a kid and sprained my ankle numerous times, I feel Micky's pain.

Lauren: *nods* I feel his pain, too. I've hurt the same ankle twice and that was no picnic, but still...

Valerie: I'm worried about Peter. He's been gone a LOT lately and spending money like water on people he claims are friends, but I think they're just after his money. When I bring it up with Peter, he either waves it off or thinks I'm being a stiff or fusses about my not liking his friends. (Sighs) I think the whole success thing is really getting to him.

Emma: Mike's just being a pain in the ass, when he's not hiding in either studio. He wants this. He wants that. Why can't we give more parties, buy more stuff?

Daphne: I'm worrying that Davy's getting along better with Micky lately, for the most part.

Lauren: That is rather worrisome. ;)

Emma: I wonder if they're up to something, or if they drank something Mick made? (Looks at Lauren) Which reminds me, did Mick ever get another chemistry set?

Lauren: *shakes her head* Not yet. I think he's still pissed about losing it. *pauses* I've been wondering if they're up to something myself...

Emma: I'm sure we'll find out eventually. (She gets up again) I have to do SOMETHING! I feel so worthless.

Valerie: Em, enough. We know you're upset and you're having a child, but we've all had a very long couple of weeks, so calm down, ok?

Lauren: *shakes her head* We're just taking your best interest to heart. *pauses* How about a sleeping spell, would that work for you?

Emma: Well, all right...I don't really want to, but...

Valerie: Lauren, do it.

Lauren: *puts her roller down and goes over to Emma, who's settled back onto the psychiatrist's couch* Trust me, Em, you'll feel MUCH better after you wake up. Ready?

Emma: (Sighs again) Yeah.

*Lauren drags her right index finger across Emma's forehead.*

Lauren: There.

(Emma falls back onto the couch, her eyes closed under her thick glasses, snoring lightly.)

Daphne: She needs the rest, even though she may not recognize it.

Valerie: Poor woman. Considering what happened the last time she had a child, I don't blame her for being upset. What Sheila did to her, and to me too... (Makes a face) We're lucky to have children at all.

Sheila: (As we see a dark light near Emma in the living room) I don't know if I would call it "lucky."

Lauren: Sheila!

(Sheila appears in a suit and heels, several handmaidens behind her. She strokes Emma's forehead.)

Lauren: Get away from her!

Sheila: Thank you for putting her to sleep for me. She'll be much easier to bring back to Arizona.

Daphne: No chance, devil-bitch. :P

Valerie: Don't even think of it! You've done enough to her! (She starts to Sheila, but one of the handmaidens grab her arms)

Lauren: Let Val go!

Sheila: No. I think we'll bring you all with me. You'd make wonderful handmaidens, and Alex...(smirks at Lauren)...Alex misses you, Mother.

Lauren: *eyes narrow* And I miss him like a hole in the head.

Daphne: What's the deal, Sheila? You aren't usually this straightforward about kidnapping any of us.

Sheila: Alex wants the young White Knight. The boy has his father's soul; he wants someone to corrupt and watch him make explosions. (Sighs) And I was rather bored after work. I had no desire for yet another cocktail with a bunch of idiotic vice presidents.

Lauren: Well, you're just gonna have to tell Alex he'll have to find someone else to corrupt and watch him make explosions.

(The other handmaidens take hold of Lauren and Daphne.)

Sheila: Alex hates it when he can't have his toys.

Lauren: *growls* Well, tough rocks for him!

Daphne: You tell her, Laur!

Sheila: We're going to have to subdue all of you. (She starts for Lauren's head...)

Lauren: I don't think so! *twists out of the handmaiden's grip and karate chops Sheila as "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day" starts; grins at Daphne* Remind me to thank Kim for the karate lessons.

*Daphne nods, following suit.*

Sheila: Damn it! (She throws off her heels and goes after Lauren)

Valerie: (Elbows her handmaiden in the gut, then throws her over her shoulder) I watch lots of "Mission: Impossible" re-runs.

Lauren: *begs her on* Come on, devil-bitch.

Sheila: How'd you like a high heel down your throat?

Lauren: Nah, I don't think it'd taste very good. Besides, with those boats, it wouldn't fit!

*Daphne chops, kicks, and punches several handmaidens.*

Sheila: (Roars) MY FEET ARE NOT BIG! (She grabs a can of paint and throws it at Lauren)

(Valerie paints several handmaidens, who stumble out the door, now several shades of yellow and blue.)

*Lauren ducks but still gets a little splashed, along with the rest of the wall she'd been painting earlier.*

Lauren: *grins at the wall* Hey, thanks Sheila! Saves me from having to do the rest of it!

Sheila: Why you little... (She grabs a paint roller and goes after her, waving the roller)

(Valerie concentrates on two handmaidens. When the blue lights around them subside, they have turned into two buckets of paint the color of their brown hoods.)

(Valerie and Daphne throw the rest of the handmaidens out the back door and onto the remains of the veranda as the music ends.)

*Lauren backs away and trips over the bandstand, landing on her rear.*

Sheila: (Bursts out laughing) Well, aren't we graceful? Reminds me of the skeleton dance at home, but FAR less athletic!

Lauren: *groans* Forgot where the bandstand was. I never said I was graceful!

Sheila: You never LOOKED like you were graceful, either. Where did you take walking lessons, the clowns at the circus?

Lauren: *growls again* How long did it take you to come up with that?

Sheila: Picked it up from Alex. (Points a paint roller at her; the end is now quite sharp) Why don't you come with us? Alex would love to have you, and you're a fine fighter for your size.

Lauren: *backs up a bit* Thanks, I think. Alex might love to have me, but I don't want him.

Sheila: Why not? Your activities in bed are legendary in Arizona.

Lauren: *growls again* Why you...

Sheila: I'm surprised he can find you under the blanket.

Lauren: That's it. *Lauren charges at Sheila, knocking the paint roller away. She steps back and spins, sending the heel of her boot to Sheila's jaw. Sheila hits the wall behind her and slumps to the floor. Lauren walks over and looks down at her, a very pissed off look on her face.*

Daphne: *wide-eyed* Wow!

Valerie: Oh my god...

Emma: (She's just starting to come to) Huh...

Lauren: What've ya got to say now, Sheila?

Sheila: You...you little...can't...think I may have broken something...have to leave....

(She vanishes in a black light; there's a black light outside where the handmaidens are as well.)

Emma: Wha...what was that all about? Sheila? (Her eyes grow wider as she turns to look at her best friend) Lauren?

Lauren: *blinks a few times* Did...did I just do what I think I just did?

Daphne: Kim taught you well.

Lauren: *shakes her head* She hasn't taught me any kicks yet.

Valerie: Then how...

Lauren: That was weird, but it worked.

Valerie: (Grins) Yeah.

Emma: (Sighs and nods) Yeah. (Smiles) Who wants some lemonade? I can make THAT.

Valerie: Sure!

Lauren: Me!

Daphne: Just let Laur have hers first. I know I don't want to be on the receiving end of that foot.

Valerie: No kidding.

Emma:

*Lauren turns a few shades of red.*

(The girls all laugh as we fade out on Emma shuffling to the kitchen to make the tart beverage.)