D.A.R.Y.L. - Back Where He Belongs

by David C. Chipman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character's from the original Paramount Pictures film "D.A.R.Y.L." (or the novelization of an early draft script, adapted by N.H. Kleinbaum) . Any other characters I choose/need to add are mine.

Homecoming

The sun had risen about 1-2 hours before, into the clear blue sky, and was shining warmly down on the pair of families that tightly clustered together on the Richardson's front lawn. Joyce Richardson, Daryl's adoptive mother, cried tears of joy, at his return, seemingly from the dead. Daryl had been found floating face-down, and seemingly unconscious, in a nearby lake. They had left him in the emergency room of the local hospital, since he seemed beyond hope. Now everybody was back together again, just as Dr. Stewart had told them they would be. Joyce Richardson put Daryl down, so he was standing on the lawn.

Joyce took a deep breath, as she knelt down and embraced him, saying softly, "Welcome home, Daryl,"

"Thank you very much…, Mom," Daryl softly replied, as he snugly embraced Joyce.

Joyce sniffed, "You're welcome, Daryl,"

After a moment, Andy Richardson stood up from the group, saying, "Uh, why don't we all go into the house?"

"Well, actually," Elaine Fox, Turtle's mother said, "I should probably be getting Turtle off to school soon,"

Turtle wailed, looking back over his shoulder, almost stricken, "Mom! Not yet!"

Elaine gave her son a quick squeeze around the shoulder, "Not right away, but pretty soon,"

Turtle sighed, nodding, "OK,"

"Joyce?" Andy said, "Do people want to go inside?"

Joyce nodded, as she stood up, holding Daryl's hand, looking at the other adults, then Turtle, "Me and Daryl will probably be here all day, so don't worry Turtle,"

"Me and Howie should probably get the kids off to school," Elaine said.

Howie nodded in agreement, glancing at Sheri Lee Fox, "Sheri Lee, can you take Turtle back home? We'll be there in a second,"

Sheri Lee nodded, then headed in the direction of their family's house, "Let's go Turtle,"

Turtle set off glumly after Sheri Lee, "See ya, Daryl. After school?"

Daryl nodded, "OK, that sounds good Turtle," Daryl looked up at Joyce, "What's wrong with Turtle, Mom?"

"I think," Joyce replied, momentarily surprised by Daryl's manner of speaking, "Someone wants to be with their friend instead of going to school,"

Daryl raised a worried eye-brow, "But isn't school important?"

Joyce almost laughed, "Well, of course it is! That doesn't mean that most kids want to go… Especially when they have a 'reason' not to,"

"Oh, like me coming home?" Daryl asked tentatively.

Joyce nodded, "Yes,"

"I'm sorry,"

Joyce shook her head, "Don't be silly, Daryl,"

"Silly?" Daryl asked, confused.

"Well, since you just got home, I think Turtle wants to be with you right now." Joyce said, trying to explain.

"Oh, I want to be with him too," Daryl said somewhat earnestly.

"Well," Joyce said, "He'll certainly be back after school, Maybe you can go tomorrow too-But now, how about I make you some breakfast!"

Daryl grinned, heading for the kitchen, "I'll do it,-"

Joyce quickly put her hand on Daryl's shoulder, "No, Daryl, I will,"

"Oh, OK, mom…-" Daryl said.

"You just sit at the table then, OK?"

Daryl nodded, heading for his spot at the table, "What about you and An-I mean, Dad?"

"Well, don't worry. We had breakfast before Turtle's mother came over, saying you were found in Blue Lake," Joyce flashed Daryl a worried glance, remembering her reaction when Elaine came over at a run, banging frantically on wood of their kitchen screen-door to announce that Daryl had been found and that Sheri Lee was calling from the hospital. Joyce was now busy getting out a breakfast of cereal, milk and juice, "Want anything more?"

Daryl shook his head, "No, thank you-Are you OK, Mom?"

Joyce brought over the things for Daryl's breakfast, and sat down beside him at the table. Joyce knew, almost instinctively, that no matter how seemingly-tall a tale she was about to hear it would be the truth, "How did you get into Blue Lake?"

While Daryl poured himself cereal and milk, he started to calmly tell Joyce about his escape from TASCOM, with the assistance of Dr. Jeffrey Stewart…

Joyce had more trouble than Daryl remaining calm as the story unfolded, suddenly but softly exclaiming, "-You did what, with Dr. Stewart's car?"

Daryl shrugged (having put the milk down already), but he was beginning to look nervous, "At least I think it-"

Joyce glowered, almost snapping, "That is not the point!"

Daryl was visibly confused, "But-"

"No, Daryl!-You could have been badly hurt. You could have injured somebody else-What happened to Dr. Stewart?"

Daryl's glance fell to the table, "He was shot when we went through a road-block,"

"What road-block?"

Daryl explained about the road-block.

Joyce wasn't angry, but she was surprised, and slightly impressed at Daryl's inventiveness, "You took the keys, CB-radio-mike, and fuses, from a state trooper's car?"

Daryl nodded, grinning sheepishly, "So he couldn't come after us, or get help-"

"But who shot Dr. Stewart?"

Daryl frowned, as he explained about the second Trooper, finishing softly, with tears in his eye's, whimpering, "He shot Dr. Stewart,"

Joyce embraced Daryl, "Oh Daryl!It's alright. He died trying to save you,"

"I know he did," Daryl softly sobbed, nodding.

"Oh, Daryl! It's OK," Joyce stood Daryl up, and held him close to her.

Daryl softly wept, his head resting over her shoulder.

Joyce tried to comfort Daryl, "You loved him, didn't you?"

Daryl nodded, his face streaked with tears, blubbering, "Yes, I did. I'll miss him,"

"Daryl, as long as you don't forget him, then he'll always be with you," Joyce said reassuringly, lightly taping Daryl on the side of the head with her index finger, "And one thing I'm sure of, he's given you a good memory, so I doubt you will,"

Daryl smiled, still sniffling, "Thank you, Mom,"

Joyce patted Daryl on the back, then released her embrace, "No problem. Now have your breakfast before it gets too soggy,"

Daryl sat down, and started eating his breakfast.

"Now, finally, how did you get into the lake?"

Daryl told Joyce about stealing the spy-plane from the air-base close to where Dr. Stewart had lost his life, about the low-altitude and sound-barrier-breaking trip, and finally bailing out of the plane over Blue Lake just before the plane exploded.

Joyce managed to stay calm while he told the last part of the story, "Put the dishes in the dishwasher, when you're done, OK?" Joyce said, as she left to head to the front room of the house to get ready for her first piano student.

"OK," Daryl finished his breakfast, and cleaned-up after himself. Daryl then went up-stairs to wash up, then went to his room to watch videos on his TV and read.