Ten Minutes Ago

09. Fixin' to Gather

"And that's the problem," Five said. "You're too good. You ask too many questions. You know too much. And you fight like you know what you're doing."

"He's got a point," Diego agreed.

"So I know how to handle myself, and that makes me the bad guy?" Lila questioned.

Five narrowed his eyes. "Whoever you are, you're in my way. If I see you again, I will kill you." He started walking away.

Guinevere glared at Lila. "Why didn't you save me or Diego?"

"I was told to protect Five," Lila replied.

"Just him, huh? Great. You stay away from us. You so much as try to make a move on my husband, you won't see what I've got coming for you. I mean it."

Lila turned. "Diego, we need to go."

Diego tilted his head slightly. "I was getting my ass handed to me back there. Like Gwen said, you helped Five, not me or her. Why?"

"Because he's a kid and you're a man and she's a woman. Bloody act like one." Diego took Guinevere's hand and they started walking away. "Diego, I... I... We shouldn't..."

Diego turned. "You know what? I'm used to dealing with liars, Lila, but I like it better when I know what they're lying about." He and Guinevere walked away.

"Oh, come on, Diego. Really? You're just gonna walk away?" Diego started running off. "Diego." Lila walked in another direction.

INT. CHESTNUT HOME

Klaus woke up on the floor groaned and Ben asked, "And how are we feeling this morning?"

"Oh, peaches and cream," Klaus replied. "How are you?"

"Curious, how many more rock-bottoms are you gonna have to hit before you start taking care of yourself?"

Klaus sighed. "I'm thinking of a number between... 11 and... 25."

"What ghost are you talking to now?" Allison wondered as she walked down the stairs and entered the kitchen.

"Oh, just another... just another old cowboy. Texas is lousy with them." Klaus sat against the fridge. "They're usually pretty cute, but this one is... this one is ugly and... dumb."

"Is that really necessary?" Ben asked.

"Mm-hmm." He opened his flask and drank before offering it to Allison. "You want some?"

"Klaus, if you're looking for an enabler, look elsewhere," Allison told him as she picking up an empty bottle.

"Allison, your marriage is in trouble and your rally turned into a riot. If now's not the time to do some drink party, I don't know when is."

She sat next to him. "What happened?"

"Oh, where to begin?" he chuckled. "My claustrophobic cult tracked me down, I fell off the wagon, and I professed my undying love for..." he belched, "this young gay man who doesn't know he's gay yet at a 1963 diner in front of his blatantly closeted uncle. Yeah, well, not in that order, but..." He drank more. "Mmm! Aren't we a pair?"

Allison took the flask from Klaus and sniffed the liquor. "Oh, Jesus."

Klaus laughed softly and Allison dropped the flask to the floor.

"Hey, uh, excuse me," Klaus protested.

"Attagirl," Ben commented.

"I've got a blender and some much better booze," Allison told him. "So, if we're gonna start day-drinking, we should do it right."