DING DONG….

Maddie pulls her perfectly manicured finger away from the door bell and shifts the weight of the giant gift she holds in her hands. Sounds of people chatting, glasses clinking and the festive, Jingle-bell rock float through the walls of the two-story cottage style home and suddenly she has second thoughts. She'd rather be home, sipping chardonnay, listening to Bing Crosby and packing for her flight to New York than hob-nobbing…or would it be co-mingling…with Bert and Agnes's crime-stopper club buddies and poetry club. Although she promised Agnes she'd come…Maddie suddenly has the urge to flee, but just as she turns to leave, thinking…maybe, no one had heard the doorbell over the holiday tunes…

The front door flies open and Agnes, dressed in a full length Christmas sweater with Rudolph's face plastered across the front, his red nose covering her torso, and a pair of reindeer antlers atop her curly mop of hair, squeals with delight…

Agnes: Ms. Hayes! You came!

Maddie is taken aback by the sight. Her idea of a holiday party is passed canapes and highballs, not the riotous scene playing out behind Agnes in her overcrowded living room.

Maddie: (Laughs) Agnes…it's Christmas…call me Maddie.

Agnes nods and her curls bounce around. She grabs Maddie's wrist and pulls her into the foyer, Maddie pushes forward the giant wrapped box she holds tightly in her hands out to Agnes.

Maddie: Merry Christmas.

Agnes takes the box her face full of joy…

Agnes: (Inhales sharply) Thank you Ms. Hay…(stops herself and swallows) Um, Maddie.

Her eyes beam as she looks up, but they quickly fall dull as she takes in Maddie's party attire for the first time, a stylish, white, sparkling pantsuit.

Agnes: (gasps) What are you wearing!

Maddie looks down at her new winter fashion…

Maddie: Oh, this? It's a Mark Laronte…isn't it beautiful?

Agnes: No! (her eyes squint) …I mean…yes…but I guess the better question is, what aren't you wearing?

Maddie: What aren't I wearing?

Agnes: Where's your Christmas sweater?

Maddie cringes.

Maddie: My…what?

Agnes: Christmas sweater… the theme for the party…didn't you see the invite? It was even printed on a Christmas sweater-shaped invitation.

Maddie: Oh…was that…? I didn't quite get that. I just figured there was a shortage on stock paper.

Maddie glances back into the living room and observes a mass of hideous looking fashion and then glances back down at her fashionable festive clothing. Oh, why hadn't she been faster moving off that porch…

Agnes: Don't worry I have tons of Christmas sweaters – I'll lend you one…

Maddie looks unsure…

Maddie: Lend…me?

Agnes: (Beams) Sure!

Agnes grabs Maddie by the wrist and pulls her down the hall and around the corner into she and Bert's bedroom…a room Maddie never pictured herself visiting. As Agnes makes her way to the closet and starts throwing out options, Maddie takes in her surroundings. Animal prints, exotic art and…was that a lava lamp? She blocks her mind from imagining any amorous activities that might take place here between her lead detective and beloved secretary. Agnes holds up a sweater covered with embroidered ginger bread cookies.

Agnes: How 'bout this?

Maddie glances down again at her expensive outfit and frowns at the thought of it being covered by this hideous design…

Maddie: Cookies? Do you have anything less…

Agnes: …sweet?

Maddie nods.

Agnes rifles through her pile…

Agnes: …hold on, I've got plenty…

After some consideration she plucks a sweater out with one giant snowman on the front.

Agnes: Mr. Snowman!

Maddie makes a face.

Maddie: Mr. Snowman?

Agnes: He's adorable, isn't he. With his top hat and carrot nose?

Maddie isn't enthused with the thought of encasing herself in this heavy fabric, but likes that the snowman at least color coordinates with her pantsuit and wants to exit this room as soon as possible. She feigns a smile and snatches the sweater from Agnes's pensive fingers.

Maddie: Alright, if I must…

Under Agnes's watchful eye, Maddie slips the loosely-woven cotton over her head and it falls shapelessly around her. She catches her reflection in the mirror and frowns. The baggy sweater turns her hourglass figure into a formless blob, she might as well be wearing a potato sack!

The beam is back on Agnes' face…

Agnes: Great, great…

Maddie: Yeah? If you say so.

Agnes: I say and decree…it's perfect for thee…you're in the Christmas spirit now…(pauses) how now brown cow…

Maddie gives her a confused look.

Agnes: I don't rhyme as well at home.

Maddie forces a laugh as Agnes leads her by the arm to the living room and starts introducing her around.

Agnes: This is Gil and Maggie…this is Luis and Tammy…this is Mike and Mandy…this is Lois and Clark…(giggles) just like Superman…isn't that sidesplittingly funny?

Maddie: (fakes a smile) A riot.

Just then Bert approaches holding a chilled Grey Goose martini with two olives, which he knows is his boss's favorite.

Bert: Merry Christmas Ms. Hayes…

Agnes squeezes his arm lovingly.

Agnes: Call her Maddie, schnookims, she's our guest tonight!

Bert: (Stammers) Yes…yes, of course Ms. …Maddie…I don't mean to offend you.

Maddie takes the drink from Bert's unsteady hands – even the glass has little reindeer antlers stuck to it…these two were really crazy about Christmas!

Maddie: Thank you, Bert.

Bert looks at Maddie's chest…

Bert: Snowballs!

Maddie follows his eyes…

Maddie: Excuse me?

Bert: (stammers) Snowballs…

He's now pointing to her chest…Agnes squeezes his arm again and his face turns red at how all this looks and sounds…

Bert: I just mean…the sweater…the snow falling around Mr. Snowman.

Maddie looks down again at the horrendous sweater she's got on and takes a large gulp of her martini. This was going to be a long night. Agnes and Bert move on to tend to their other guests leaving Maddie to survey the room. Balding men with paunches that match the fat Santa displayed on the sweaters they wore and overly-made up women with ornaments hanging from their earlobes surround her. Is this what it had come to? Just then she sees a friendly face, Nancy, the company accountant and her husband, Bob…finally, an intellectual! Nancy pushes her way through a sea of red and green to get to Maddie.

Nancy: Maddie!

Nancy is a warm woman, she approaches Maddie with open arms and gives her a squeeze.

Maddie: Hi, Nancy…how wonderful to see you here.

Maddie waves and smiles to Bob, she's met Nancy's husband at other work related events.

Nancy: Great to see you, too. And thank you for the holiday basket you sent to the firm!

Maddie: Of course, thanks for the hard work you do for Blue Moon all year.

Nancy: Well, it's been an honor to see your company grow from a tax write-off… into one of

LA's top investigative firms.

Nancy holds out her glass of pink champagne and they cheers and drink.

Nancy: How're you spending the holidays, Maddie?

Maddie: Well, tomorrow I am flying to New York to meet my mother and aunt for a few days. You know, take in a few Broadway shows, look at the tree Rockefeller Center. And then, I'll be back for New Years Eve…which I'll spend at home.

Nancy: At home? Alone? Nonsense, this year, you'll come to our party, we invite you every year, but you never come. Please, Bob and I throw quite a bash…and Bob has so many available, successful friends he can introduce you to.

Bob stands behind Nancy nodding his head.

Bob: you should come, Maddie, my friend Norm has been asking about you since he saw you at the company's summer BBQ. He's a numbers guy, has a healthy retirement fund, loves the symphony. You two would be great together.

Maddie forces a smile and drinks. The three continue to chat as the party carries on around them. They pick at passed appetizers like pigs in a blanket wreath and stuffed radishes that look like mini Santa's. After some time, somewhere in the background Maddie hears the doorbell ring, as it had been all night, but this time, a very familiar voice from the not-so-distant past echoes across the room…"Ho, Ho, HO!"

And then, as if in slow motion, David Addison…wearing a sweater with the image of a giant candy cane and the words "It's not going to lick itself" printed across the front, appears from around the corner. An exotic looking woman, dressed as Santa's helper in a mini-skirt bops alongside him as he pulls gifts out of the giant sack he's holding and tosses them cheerfully around the room. He is obviously intoxicated…good time David, never changes, the crowd eats it up...

…Maddie's mind immediately flashes to two years prior…to an incident that took place in that very room at the after party of Agnes and Bert's wedding…

TWO YEARS EARLIER…

David follows Maddie across the Viola's crowded living, she's still wearing her damp bridesmaids dress after falling into the pool at Bert and Agnes's nuptials. He's been trying to explain himself ever since everyone was fished out of the pool and bussed over to the newlyweds home to celebrate their union.

David: Maddie, Maddie, Maddie…would you just listen to me for five minutes!?

Maddie: Minutes!? Ha! I don't have five seconds for you, David.

David: It was a…a…a. mistake…

Maddie: A mistake? So now you want me to believe that you accidentally slept with my cousin? Keep dreaming, Addison…

David: No…I mean, an oversight…a lack of judgement.

Maddie: (Calls back before escaping into the bathroom) The only lack of judgement was me ever getting involved with you, Addison – now if you'll excuse me!

She slams the door in his face just in time. He pounds on the door.

David: Maddie.

Maddie: Go away, David!

David: Maddie…we need to talk about this. Let me explain.

There's silence while Maddie changes in the bathroom…after a bit she slowly opens the door hoping David would be gone…disappeared…fallen off the face of the Earth! But of course he's been waiting with his arms folded. She moves quickly away from him.

David: You're not even going to hear me out?

Maddie stops and stares at him with blue daggers. His green lasers stare back. You can cut the tension with a knife, others in the room start to take notice of these two beautiful people, who seem very angry with one another.

Maddie: What would there ever be to talk about, David? Do you really think you can explain away having an affair with my cousin behindmy back…hell, behind her husband's back!?

The wedding guests collectively shake their heads in disapproval…Maddie and David are now the center of attention…Agnes and Bert stand to the side, horrified.

Maddie: (spits angry words at him) after everything that's happened between us…building a business together…

The crowd leans in…this is getting interesting…

Maddie: After being intimate…

The crowd collectively gasps…

Maddie: After the loss of our child…

The crowd collectively groans…50 pairs of sympathetic eyes rest on Maddie…

Maddie: As far as I'm concerned we're done…

David: Done?

Maddie: Yeah…know the meaning?

David: Done, as in…

Maddie: Guess you don't…, David…finished…wrecked, ruined, over and …(screams) KAPUT!

The crowd applauds and Maddie stomps away…apologizing to Agnes and Bert on the way out the door.

David faces the angry mob…

David: (he addresses them with equal fury) cut it out…all of you…you wouldn't be cheering her on if you knew how she ripped out my heart and used it for toilet paper…left me in the middle of the night, ignored me for months, came back married to a total stranger and told me the baby wasn't mine…

The crowd gulps…

David stares them all down until the music is turned back up and everyone goes back to enjoying themselves and then he storms out of the living room.

After rage clearing his office at Blue Moon, David and his duffle bag boarded a redeye to Hawaii – he needed the sand…the sun…the booze and whatever else that brought along with it.

When Maddie arrived at work the next Monday morning she stood in the doorway of David's office which had nothing but the furniture, some of it still fully intact, crumpled papers on the floor and an expired carton of chocolate milk in the fridge. Signed papers on her desk stated that he'd abandoned his half of Blue Moon…and six months later Agnes received a call from a detective agency based in Hawaii inquiring about a reference…David was gone, which Maddie thought was for the best…for both of them.

But now the past had caught up with her…in the very place she left it. She blinked her eyes, coming back to the realization that she was here at Bert and Agnes's holiday party and David Addison was in the vicinity.

"Sleigh Bells" by the Shirelles plays, setting a joyous tone, but Maddie's mood sinks, she looks around the room for a quick exit, but the backyard slider is blocked by a toy train puffing around its track – Maddie can relate to the black smoke pouring out of its stack. His voice is getting closer.

Across the room, David moves confidently…arrogantly, with the girl dressed in green and red following along like a puppy by his side. …He nods to familiar faces and shakes hands with his cronies…Blue Moon Wobblies, their tax guy, he and the chief of police trade barbs, …but that playful smirk on his face disappeares the moment he lays eyes on Maddie Hayes again for the first time in over two years.

For a moment, time stops, the music fades, the air is sucked out of the room and everyone seems to move in slow motion. All eyes are trained on Maddie and David… most of them were there for round 1, two years ago…and are eager to see how this plays out.

David: Maddie.

Maddie: David.

Both of their hearts fluttered slightly until the world spins back into motion and all of the bad feelings come rushing back to them all at once.

Maddie: (Shifts her weight and glances around) …Nice of you to make an appearance for the first time in what… 2 years?

David: Merry Christmas to you, too.

The hideous sweater he wore fit him like a glove, Maddie couldn't help but notice how he just seems to become more and more handsome with age…but still her anger grew…

Maddie: Oh, I'm sure every day is merry when you're able to shrug off responsibilities…walk away from a business you've built…leave everyone in the lur…

(cuts her off)

David: …and fly as far away as possible from exactly what's standing in front of me now…this is Christmas, Maddie…not Halloween…stop being a witch…

Maddie: Fly away, huh…right into the arms of some hula girl…

(Lola-Lou, David's date, looks alarmed and embarrassed all at the same time, hula girl? She was a partner at a law firm…but what did she have to do with any of this? Was this beautiful, red-faced woman the horrid boss David was always complaining about? And why were they so angry about detective work?)

David: This isn't about other girls, Maddie…it's about me…finding my sanity, away from here and away from YOU.

Maddie: Ha! Not about other girls? It's always about other girls with you, Addison…your thoughts are never far away from your belt buckle. What's your life motto again? "The best way to get over someone…is to get under someone else? Words to live by.

David: (looks around sarcastically) And where's your date, Maddie? Who are you with?

Maddie shifts her weight uncomfortable.

David: (Feigns shock) Oh! Are you here alone…what a surprise. Most of your anger comes from that pinched chastity belt, honey.

Maddie reflexes react faster than her brain and she throws her martini straight into David's face. David barely reacts. He wipes his hand across his face to clear his eyes and picks an olive off his shoulder where it landed and pops it in his mouth.

After one last hurtful glare, David takes Lola by the waist and they brush past Maddie and continue to chat with people at the party.

Maddie bee-lines for the door and Agnes follows.

Agnes: Ms. Hayes! Ms. Hayes! Don't go…don't leave.

Maddie: (angry) I'm sorry, Agnes, but I can't stay here with him…I will NOT be in the same room as that man…and his … his …his… elf!

Agnes: …But Santa hasn't come yet…and we have lots of fun games planned…we haven't even picked the winner of the ugly sweater contest yet!

Each reason Agnes gives to stay, pushes Maddie closer to the door. She stops in her tracks and turns around. She sees Nancy and her husband Bob trailing close behind.

Maddie: Agnes…all of that sounds lovely…but, I have an early flight to New York tomorrow…and nothing sounds better right now than putting some distance between me and L.A.

Nancy: Maddie! Where are you going? Don't leave. Don't let David chase you out the door…he's just hurt. You both are.

Bob: Yeah…stay Maddie…you can sit with us…I'll get you another martini.

Maddie looks at all the concerned faces staring back at her.

Maddie: (talks through a fake smile) Thank you…thank you everyone, I just have to be going now…not because of David or anything else…I have an early flight and just meant to stop by for a few minutes…and say… Merry…

Her voice trails off at the sight of David now approaching quickly behind the three faces she already has gawking at her…

David: Let her go everyone! She always was one to run away from her problems…this party can finally liven up now the frosty is leaving…(gestures to her sweater) perfect choice, Maddie…display on the outside how cold you are on the inside.

Maddie: Why don't you go enjoy another eggnog, David.

Nancy pivots to stand between the two of them

Nancy: Maddie… David… I've known you two a long time…and I know you don't mean any of this. You care about each other!

Maddie and David: No we don't!

Agnes: It's Christmas…can't you two just put aside your differences and leave each other in peace!?

Maddie and David: Speak in unison saying all sorts of nasty things about each other.

Agnes: Guess not.

Agnes's curls droop around her face as she leans her head forward disappointed in her two bosses behavior at her holiday party. Alarmed at the choir of angry voices that have wafted into their festive shindig, Bert now joins the group and puts his arm around his wife. Can he and Agnes not have a party without these two playing out their latest Shakespearean drama in the middle of it?

Bob steps forward and helps Maddie on with her coat deciding it really probably is the best thing for her to be going.

Bob: Maddie, have a great trip…and please do come to our NYE party next week… maybe it is time to meet someone new.

David: I wouldn't set her up with anyone, Bob…she's the iciest, the cruelest, the most un-feeling woman I've ever met…

Maddie: (glaring at David)…it wouldn't take much of a man to beat the pathetic excuses I've been with in the past, Bob…I will come next week…I'd LOVE to meet Norm. I'll see you and Nancy then…I'm sorry everyone, but I really must be going.

Bob kisses Maddie on the cheek and Nancy hugs her tightly, then turns around and puts her arm through David's, walking him back towards the party and speaking softly to him.

CUT TO: Maddie in her first class seat on the way to New York the next morning. She feels hung over from the prior evenings events, even though she didn't more than two sips of her martini. Feeling drowsy, she falls asleep…and has a dream.

MADDIE'S DREAM:

Bert and Agnes's living room, a jazz band plays Christmas music and everyone is dressed to the nines.

The dashing Norm approaches Maddie with a chilled double olive martini in hand for her…

Norm: Here you are my love.

Maddie: (takes the martini with her black-gloved hands) thank you Norman.

Agnes and Bert waltz by… then Nancy and Bob…they are all the height of sophistication.

The doorbell rings in the background and the butler answers it. David rushes in the door looking stressed and disheveled, dressed in a drab grey sweater – his eyes move across the room of beautiful people, dressed in beautiful clothes, enjoying themselves among the beautifully festive holiday decorations and rest on Maddie standing next to a handsome ox of a man across the room.

David: Maddie…

Maddie: (cringing) David…?

Norm: What's he doing here? You said he'd been eaten by sharks in Hawaii.

Maddie looking guilty and unsure.

Maddie: Did I? That must have been wishful thinking. (She steps closer to Norm) but either way, he's dead to me.

David rushes toward Maddie…

David: I've tried calling…I've tried writing…hell, I've even tried a message in a bottle… Maddie…talk to me…will you just talk to me?

Maddie: There's nothing to say, David. We're done, you left…and I'm with Norm now.

Looking up at Norm.

David: What's the matter…Paul Bunyan already have a date to the Ball? (takes Maddie's arm) I just wanna talk to you.

Norm knocks David's hand off Maddie's arm.

David: Watch it, Pal…I've known this woman a long time.

Norm steps forward and looks down on David.

Norm: But you don't know her anymore… she's with me now, get it? Now beat it before you ruin these nice people's party.

Agnes and Bert breathe a sigh of relief – finally someone to stop the shenanigans before they begin.

David stands looking small and alone… Maddie feels protected under Norms large arm that's wrapped around her… Maddie smiles…David falls to his knees…. Maddie's smile grows…

And then..

Stewardess: Ma'am…Ma'am…we're going to be landing soon. Welcome to New York.

The week in New York was just what Maddie needed…some time away with her mother and her aunt…shopping, lunching, taking in plays. It was wonderful. L.A. and all of the nonsense with David were a million miles from her mind, and she figured by the time she got back to L.A. David would be back in Hawaii…with his Island girl…and she wouldn't have to think about him for another couple years until he turned up at Agnes and Bert's kids christening and made a scene in yet another church.

That night, tucked in her bed back in L.A., Maddie felt comfortable and safe – the next evening was New Year's Eve…she vowed to go to Nancy and Bob's party this year, meet new people and give this guy they wanted to introduce her, Norm, a chance.

Maddie spent the day at the spa and hair dresser, pampering herself and getting ready for the big NYE party. She arrives at Nancy and Bob's huge Beverly Hills mansion fashionably late. The party was a wonderful, catered, black-tie event…anybody who was anybody in L.A. was there. Maddie immediately saw Allister and Lyndsay, associates of Lou LaSalle, then Megan and Mallory, two top DA's, next she chatted with the governor of California and talked to him about investigators rights and pleaded with him to widen the parameters of privacy breeches. The party was so packed, it was over an hour before she ran into Nancy and Bob.

Nancy: Maddie! You came!

Nancy greets Maddie was a warm hug and Bob kisses her on the cheek.

Maddie: I came! It's great party…I've talked to half of who's who in L.A. in just the last hour!

Nancy: Well, we have one more for you to meet. (turns to her husband) Bob, go get Norman!

Bob rushes off to comb through the party goers for Norm. Maddie and Nancy talk…

Nancy: That was quite a scene at the Viola's party last week Maddie…

Maddie: That? Oh, well, it was nothing compared to life day in and day out at Blue Moon, Nancy. I'm just glad the world was there to see…there's no reasoning with that man!

Nancy: David? Well, he was pretty distraught after you left.

Maddie: David? Distraught? What, did they run out of gin?

Nancy: No… he was upset about you…Bob and I talked to him half the night. We drove him home and dropped Lola-Lou at her hotel.

Maddie: Me? Why on Earth would he be upset about me? He's the one who destroyed it…he's the one who left…he's the one who sold his half of Blue Moon…and he's…

Nancy: …he's in love with you.

Maddie: (scoffs) In love? In love…Nancy, the man is in love with anything that wiggles and smells like coco butter…

Nancy: Come on Maddie…you guys are crazy about each other…it's just volatile.

Maddie: it's toxic. If that's love, I'll live without it. (looks around) Now, where's this friend of yours?

Maddie stands on her tiptoes and looks over the crowd of people.

Norm: Hi Madolyn.

Maddie hears the voice, but can't quite find the guy. Nancy points down…at a bearded older man with a head of hair that would rival Einstein, who stands as tall as Maddie's belly button looking up at her with an over-enthusiastic smile.

Norm: Hi Maddie… Maddie Hayes, wow. I never thought I'd get to meet you in person after staring at you in ads all those years ago. You are just as beautiful now…as you were then.

Maddie's eyes widen and she glances at Nancy and Bob who beam back at her…this isn't exactly what she had in mind…

Maddie listened to Norman talk about his work in Actuaries and how accurate he's been year to year. He's a very successful man, was married for 40 years, has 4 children, 10 grandchildren, two birds, a house in the Cayman islands and as Nancy and Bob promised her, loves the symphony…has season tickets in fact. He asked Maddie out for the following weekend. Maddie expresses her doubts to Nancy before leaving the party, but Nancy pleads her case…

Nancy: Look, Maddie…I know Norm doesn't have the raw sexual appeal of a man like David Addison, but he's nice…he's safe…he can show you the life of sophistication you truly desire. Men like David are their own brand, and we've all had one of those relationships in our life. But when it comes to settling down, you need someone like Norm. I mean, it's a built in family…let's be honest, at your age, you probably won't have one of your own. After what I saw between you and David last weekend – you need a family man, someone who's going to take care of you, not belittle you in front of friends and coworkers. Ok, he's a little vertically challenged, but he's 10 feet tall when he stands on his pocketbook. I love you and David both equally, but like you said, the relationship with him is toxic. Love isn't everything. Give someone like Norm a chance. You'll have security, a nice calm life.

That night Maddie went to bed re-thinking a new life in the new year with a new man. Maybe the life she had…solo, independent, everything done on her own time, being a business women, was enough. She drifted off to sleep happy, content and resigned that the business of love…and family…was not…for…her. A few hours later she was in a deep sleep when she felt a hand cover her mouth and a familiar voice whisper her name.

David: Maddie… Ma-day….

She struggles to open her eyes. Was this another dream?

Maddie: (mumbles) David?

David: Maddie, wake up…I need to talk to you.

When she opens her eyes, he takes his hand off her mouth.

Maddie: David, what are you doing here? I thought you were in Hawaii.

David: Nah…I'm not going back there. The weather's great…the girls are pretty…but it's just not LA.

Maddie: Uh-huh… what'd you do? Get yourself kicked off the island?

David: Well, there may have been a little misunderstanding about what's considered non-taxable income.

Maddie: Why are you here, David?

David: Why am I here…wow, well…let's get right to it. No…how do you do? No small talk?

Maddie: David…

David: Maddie…

Maddie: Why am I up at 3am? What do you want? Why are you here…how are you here? I had all the locks changed.

David slides to sit on the floor with his back leaning up against Maddie's bed. Maddie leans up on her elbow behind him.

David: I'm miserable Maddie.

Maddie: Wait five minutes…your mood'll change.

David: No, I've been miserable. Since I did what I did…since I left LA.

Maddie: So…

David: So…? Thanks.

David gets up and moves across the room, Maddie can see now he's been crying.

Maddie: (sympathetic) David…

David: Maddie… you don't know, do you. You don't know how all of this has torn me up.

Maddie: Torn YOU up…David… you slept with my cousin. How do you think that made me feel?

David: I know…I know, Maddie, that was very messed up – but you're not exactly Mother Teresa now, are you.

Maddie: When I did what I did, I was only protecting myself. I didn't do anything to hurt you.

David: Now, you see… you see…that's what I mean. You never once stopped to think how any of that made me feel.

Maddie: yes…I did David… we had that conversation… in the hospital, after Walter was born, remember? I apologized? But that's the thing, David…every time I think we have a conversation that means something… the next time we see each other it's as if it never happened…and you just seem angry at me all over again. We can never move past it, and then you do something to spite me.

David: …and you see, that's the thing, you think all of my actions are done to hurt you…when it's not about you at all. It's just my own dumb stupid choices.

Maddie: Choices that cause irreparable damage.

David: Is it irreparable?

Maddie: Maybe on both of our parts. You don't know how to move past Walter…and the baby…and I don't know how to move past Annie. And we just keep beating each other up about it.

David: Well, why don't we just stop. (He steps forward and takes her arms) I love you, Maddie.

Maddie: You love me, huh? I haven't heard those words since the 4th season.

David: Do you still love me?

Maddie puckers her lips and shifts her eyes to the side.

ONE YEAR LATER…

Agnes and Bert walk Maddie and David to their front door towards the end of their annual holiday party. This year there was no gnashing of teeth, no World War III battle…no, Shakespearean drama playing out in the living room. Maddie and David mingled…they ate…they danced, and neither drank… David's giving the booze a rest and Maddie…well, Maddie…

David: Another swinging soiree at the Viola's…thanks kids…

Maddie: Yeah, sorry we have to leave so early, but…you know…

Maddie looks down with a beaming smile on her face and David reaches over and rubs her 8 month pregnant belly…

David: yeah, the bambine is just about cooked…but he's making mom pretty tired…

Maddie: He or she…

David: or she…I stand corrected.

Bert and Agnes beam back at them…

Agnes: Wow…a baby Hayes-Addison… we're over the moon!

Bert: We can't wait… and Tori and Lori are here for a playdate anytime.

David: You betcha! Alright… I've got to get this one in bed…oh wait, I've already done that.

Maddie nudges him with her elbow and gives him the side-eye over his stupid jokes, she hugs Agnes tight…and David shakes Bert's hand before the newly married couple steps off the porch, climbs into the beemer and drives through the neighborhood brightly lit with Christmas cheer… towards their own festively decorated home…into their cozy bed with thoughts of sugar plumbs dancing in their heads.

And to alllll…a good night! Merry Christmas!