Two weeks later, on the set of Ally McBeal, Thursday, late morning. The cast and crew are getting ready to film the pivotal scene of the episode. [To get you up to speed, what follows is the episode as it was filmed, up to this point]:

Early morning, Ally is sleeping in her bed with Glenn beside her. She's tossing and turning, as if from a bad dream. She's dreaming that she and Glenn are sharing a picnic by the side of a river. They are laughing and talking together. As she goes to take a sip of wine, Glenn pulls a ring box out of his pocket, leans over and kisses Ally. He tells her that he loves her and then asks her to marry him. Before she can reply, Glenn suddenly disappears and Larry is there in his place, smiling at her and suddenly various scenes flash through her dream: when she first met Larry in Tracy's office, and he told her that Brian wasn't interested in marrying her; when Larry said he was "only at the beginning" of loving her; when Larry came back from Detroit and said he'd stay forever and then finally, the final goodbye scene with Larry in her office, when Larry told her he was a failure and then left her with that awful goodbye note. In her dream, Ally looks back at Glenn and starts to cry. She suddenly jerks awake and sits up in bed, breathing hard. She looks over at Glenn, sleeping beside her and she climbs out of bed and walks over to the window. As she stares out at the rain softly falling, she quietly cries as the following song plays in the background:

Even now, when there's someone else who cares
When there's someone home who's waiting just for me
Even now I think about you as I'm climbin' up the stairs
And I wonder what to do so he won't see

That even now, when I know it wasn't right
And I've found a better life than what we had
Even now I wake up cryin' in the middle of the night
And I can't believe it still could hurt so bad

Even now when I have come so far
I wonder where you are, I wonder why it's still so hard without you
Even now, when I come shining through, I swear I think of you
And how I wish you knew, even now.

Even now, when I never hear your name
And the world has changed so much since you've been gone
Even now I still remember and the feeling's still the same
And this pain inside of me goes on and on, even now

Even now, when I have come so far
I wonder where you are
I wonder why it's still so hard without you
Even now, when I come shinin' though
I swear I think of you and God, I wish you knew
Somehow, even now.

The show pans to the opening song and credits.

--------

Next scene opens with the morning meeting. Seated around the table are Ling, Glenn, Raymond, Jenny, Corretta, Ally, and John. Richard stands at the head of the table. Nelle is noticeably absent.

Richard: "First up, we've got, uh . . . Where's Nelle? Anybody seen Nelle? She's supposed to be here. Just because she's getting married in a few days doesn't mean she doesn't have to show . . .

John interrupts: "Move along Richard. Nelle has important things to deal with. Don't expect her into the office for the rest of the week, or for two weeks after, for that matter. We'll be on our honeymoon and won't be in touch."

"But what about her caseload? What could be so important that she's not in here earning money for me and this firm?" Richard asks.

Ling rolls her eyes, "Important things? She still hasn't decided on the color of the napkins at the reception? Or if the salad should have Italian or Balsalmic Vinegar dressing. Or what order the bridesmaids will walk into the church. These are such important things," she says with great exaggeration.

"No sarcasm is needed from you, Ling (with heavy emphasis on the "g"). I still can't believe she's chosen you as her maid of honor!" replied John. "This is my wedding too and I'm telling you right now that your sarcasm will be checked at the door before you take part in my wedding."

"Uh, guys," Corretta interrupts with a bright smile, "let's just move along shall we?"

John glares at her and Ling growls and Richard continues:

"Ok, first up: the Litchburg case, Raymond, how's that coming along?"

"Just great, I've brought Jenny in on it for assistance. We go to trial next week," Raymond replied.

"Great, hope it's a winner. Always looking for the big money. Uh, Ally, how are you and Glenn coming on the Adams case? Have you been able to negotiate a settlement between those two? I still can't believe that woman thinks she's entitled to compensation for being left at the altar!" Richard continues.

During the entire first part of the meeting, Ally had been staring off into space, oblivious to everything else going on the meeting.

"Ally, Ally, are you even listening to me?" Richard says.

"Uh, oh, yes ... Richard, the Adams case. I'm going to have to turn that case over to someone else," Ally replies, nervously licking her lips.

"And why is that?" Richard asked.

"Uh . . . I, I, I can't get into the details now but I'm just NOT going to be able to do it. Give it to Corretta." And Ally pushes back her chair and rushes from the room. Everyone, especially Glenn, look after her in astonishment.

"What's up with her?" Richard asks, looking at Glenn.

Glenn shrugged his shoulders and also got up to leave the room. "I'll go see."

Elaine appears at the door, in a very seductive dress and interrupts. "Raymond" she coos, "your 9:30 is here to see you." And she gives him a big smile.

"Well, that's us, Jenny" said Raymond as he and Jenny get up to leave.

"Wait a minute, what about my meeting," protests Richard, in a whiny tone.

"Well, since everyone else seems to be leaving, I'm going to. I want to look for a better maid of honor outfit than that rag Nelle picked out. I intend to look just as good as, if not better than, the bride," said Ling, with a flip of her hair.

"Ling, I'm warning you," said John. Ling just flounces out of the room.

"Uh, Corretta, guess you're on the Adams case. Get the file from Ally," and Richard leaves the room. Corretta looks over at John, who appears to be in a dream state, shrugs, gets up from the table shaking her head and saying, "Whatever!"

-------

Next scene: Ally's office.

Ally is sitting at her desk, back to the door, staring out the window. Glenn knocks softly on the doorjamb and enters, closing the door behind him. Ally turns around and looks up at him.

"What's up, Ally? You were gone before I got up this morning. Corretta said she didn't even see you and I know how early she wakes up. Then, you were in another world at the meeting and now this . . . why are you turning the case over? I thought you enjoyed working with me. What's going on?"

"Oh, Glenn,. . . I've just had a lot on my mind. I couldn't sleep this morning so I went out for a walk. Listen, I think we need to talk, but I don't want to do it here. Let's get out of here. I know a little ice cream shop not far from here. Come on, I need something sweet to eat," and Ally gets up, grabbing Glenn by the arm and propelling him out of her office and onto the elevator.

-------

Next scene: Ice cream shop. Glenn and Ally are sitting at a small table by the window. Glenn is watching Ally demolish a huge three-scoop sundae with various toppings, nuts, whipped cream and a cherry. He shakes his head in amazement.

Ally looks around the place, remembering the last time she was there when she dumped ice cream, hot fudge and whipped cream all over Larry. She shook her head, as if to shake the memory away, and looked up at Glenn.

"Glenn, I needed to talk to you, but I needed to do it away from the office, and Elaine's prying ears. Listen, you're a terrific guy and I really like you a lot. The past four months have just been great. I really enjoy your company, but . . ." and Ally pauses.

"But what, Ally. Come on, level with me. I don't like the way this conversation is heading. I thought we'd been doing terrific too, so why the "but"?

"Glenn," Ally sighs, "you know my history. I've really enjoyed being with you but I just don't think we've got a long-term future. I've finally admitted to myself that I still love Larry, as much as I've tried to put that behind me, and I just can't seem to get past it. I really care for you, but I simply don't think my feelings for Larry are ever going to change and that's not fair to you."

"But you also thought you'd never get over Billy and then you told me you fell for Larry. What makes you think that won't happen with us, cause Ally, I really love you. You've enchanted me and when I look to the future, I definitely see you in mine." And Glenn reached out and took Ally's hands in his, looking at her imploringly.

"Oh, Glenn, you are such a sweetheart," she said, placing her hand on his cheek, "but you really deserve better than what I can offer you now."

"I'd be willing to wait it out, Ally. Really, give it awhile longer. We can just enjoy each other's company and maybe in time your feelings would change. Plus what about work?"

"Glenn, I can't. I appreciate your willingness, but the best thing I can do now, for both of us, is to simply move on. And don't worry about work, I've had lots of experience working with ex-boyfriends at work. I'll maintain a professional attitude and try to be easy to work with, ok?"

"I wish you'd change your mind, Ally. If you ever do, remember, I'll be here, ok?"

Ally got up to leave and Glenn followed her out onto the sidewalk. Ally reached up and hugged Glenn close and then, placing her hands on his cheeks, kissed him very gently on the lips. "Thank you for everything, Glenn," she said, as she squeezed his hands and then turned and walked away.

[It is at this point, that the first of Larry's scenes filmed on Monday would be integrated]

Larry, walking across the street from the ice cream shop, comes to an abrupt halt as he sees Ally emerge from "their" ice cream shop. He can't believe it's her, after all this time and his heart pounds at the sight of her. He hasn't seen her since that day last spring in her office. When he moved back to Boston, he figured he would run into her one day, but after a few months back, he still hadn't seen her, so he just wasn't prepared for it this morning. He watches as Ally hugs and then kisses Glenn, noticing her cupping Glenn's cheeks in her delicate hands and seeing the tender look on her face.

There you are, lookin' just the same as you did last time
I touched you.
And here I am, close to gettin' tangled up inside the thought of you.
Do you love him as much as I love her?
And will that love be strong when old feelings start to stir?

From a distance, it looks like two devoted lovers saying goodbye. All of his feelings for Ally, which he'd try to bury came rushing back to him. He wanted to run across the street and stop her, push that guy away, kiss her, hold her, tell her he'd made a huge mistake and ask her to forgive him, to please come back to him. Instead, he watches her walk down the street and then he turns to go back to his office, his heart heavy and his mood somber.

Looks like we made it.
Left each other on the way to another love.
Looks like we made it
Or I thought so til today
Until you were there, everywhere
And all I could taste was love the way we made it.

Meanwhile, Ally is walking down the street, memories of Larry flooding her mind; she can think of nothing else. Visions of them making love, their first kiss in her office, the moment she met him, but most of all, she's remembering when Larry first went back to Detroit, to be with Sam, and outside the car, before he leaves, he tells her to "don't forget." And she knows now that she never will.

Love's so strange, playin' hide'n'seek with hearts and always hurtin'
We're the fools standin' close enough to touch those burnin' memories
And if I hold you for the sake of all those times love made us
lose our minds
Could I ever let you go?

Whoa, no, we made it
Left each other on the way to another love
Looks like we made it
Or I thought so til today
Until you were there, everywhere
And all I could taste was love the way we made it.