NOTHING FANCY

Asa is giving Renee a big birthday bash at the country club. Just about everyone in Llanview is there.

LINDSAY: Bo, do I look fat in this dress?
BO: No.
LINDSAY: You didn't even look.
BO: You don't look fat.
LINDSAY: Why did we have to come to this Buchananfest anyway? Renee has never liked me.
BO: Because in addition to being my father's wife, my stepmother, Renee is my very good friend.
LINDSAY: Nora's friend.
BO: MY friend.
LINDSAY: Whatever.
BO: Look, there's Will! Why don't you go talk to him.

Bo is growing just a little bit weary of Lindsay's little girl whining. Her motives were becoming clearer every day. Everything she did for Bo-- she was actually doing for herself... to make herself feel like a good person. There was nothing selfless about it. At first, it made him feel gallant trying to save such a lost soul-- but then he realized THAT was Andrew's job-- not his. He was about to head for the bar when he heard someone say Nora's name.

From the moment she walked in the door-- alone-- Bo couldn't take his eyes off Nora-- a fact that did not go unnoticed by Lindsay. He managed to carry on a semi-lucid conversation with Jessica, Kelly and Joey, but his eyes followed Nora wherever she went. She was sitting at a table with Renee when he saw Renee grasp Nora's hands and then get up and hug her. What was that about? When Nora went to say hello to Hank and Lisa, Bo headed straight for Renee.

BO: Nice party, Renee. Did I tell you happy birthday?
RENEE: Yes, you did, Bo.. twice. So why don't you just ask?
BO: (popping an olive in his mouth) Ask what?
RENEE: What Nora and I were talking about.
BO:(smiling) You know, Renee, for someone married to my father.. you're a very smart woman.
RENEE: Well I think you might find this interesting, honey. Nora and Sam aren't seeing each other anymore.
BO: (almost choking on another olive) Is that so?
RENEE: Nora decided she needed some time for herself. With everything that's happened, she realized what she felt for Sam was not true love, but more like gratitude.
BO: And what about Sam?
RENEE: Well, he was pretty hurt and disappointed. So he's going away for a while. He's taking that NATO appointment to prosecute Slobodan Milosovec for international war crimes. (Taaa Dah! Super Sam to the rescue again, LOL!) He'll be at The Hague for months.
BO: (smiling) Gosh, that's really great. A great career move, I mean.
RENEE: (not fooled for a minute) So my advice for my favorite son-in-law is strike while the iron is hot.
BO: And since you're my favorite stepmother of all time.. I think I'll take your advice.

Joey and Kelly come up to them.

JOEY: Uncle Bo, the band is going to play some swing numbers...
KELLY: ...and who better to teach us all the finer points-- than YOU!
BO: Gotta have a partner! Be RIGHT back.

Lindsay heads towards Bo, but he goes the other way. He goes to the table where Nora is talking with Hank and Lisa. The band begins to play.

BO: Hank, Lisa.. excuse me for interrupting. Nora, my assistance has been requested on the dance floor and I need an accomplished partner. THAT would be you. Help me out?
NORA: (she smiles but looks slightly uncomfortable) Oh no, I haven't... I've forgotten too much.. I couldn't...

Bo looks at her with a cajoling smile.

HANK: Go ahead, Nora. If you've forgotten half of what you knew, you'd still be fabulous.

Bo holds out his hand and smiles at her.

NORA: Okay. But nothing fancy.
BO: Of course not. Nothing fancy.

The band launches into Gershwin's "Swing, Swing, Swing," the very number Bo and Nora danced to in the dance contest they won. As they took the floor, everyone gathered around-- Asa, Renee, Joey, Kelly, Jessica, Will, Carlotta, Hank, Lisa, Tea, Sykes, Roseanne, Kevin and Lindsay.

Nora soon forgot her inhibitions as they moved around the floor like they'd never been apart.

JOEY: Wow! That's dancing!
JESSICA: (sighs) That's more than dancing. That's magic.
ASA: You got that right, Jessie. And everybody here knows it. Pretty soon the two of them will realize it too.

Lindsay jerks around and glares at Asa.

ASA: Just stating the facts, honey. Your eyes can see the same thing I can.

With that, Lindsay turned and left the room. On the dance floor, Bo and Nora are laughing and having a great time. But when the music reached a certain point, Nora looked into Bo's eyes with horror.

NORA: Ohhh no. No, no, no, no, no. NO! Absolutely not.
BO: (smiling) We can do it.
NORA: No, Bo Buchanan. You promised! Nothing fancy.

Bo raised his eyebrows at her.. his eyes twinkling.

BO: Lost your nerve, huh?

There was something in the words. Something in the way he said it. Something in his eyes. Nora looked at Bo and lightning struck. The connection between them was instantaneous. It was as if everyone else in the room disappeared. Neither one of them said a word. In one smooth move, Nora grasped Bo's arm, he went down, and she went over his back. The perfect barrel roll. They were jolted back to reality by the applause from everyone in the room. The music crescendoed and they collapsed into each other's arms-- laughing hysterically.

NORA: We did it! We did it!
BO: Was there ever any doubt?

He picked her up and swung her around. The band began something slower and the others filled in the dance floor.

JOEY: You guys are unbelievable.
NORA: (Looking at Bo) Unbelievable is a very good word for it.
BO: I'll go get us something to drink. You stay right here. Don't move.
ASA: (to Nora) It's nice to see you back where you belong-- in Bo's arms.
NORA: Say what you really mean, why don't ya, Asa?

RENEE: (coming up behind Bo at the bar) Well, you didn't waste any time.
BO: I think I've wasted enough time.

He grabbed the two drinks so fast he almost spilled them. When he got back to where he left Nora, she was gone. He scanned the crowd, but she had disappeared. He asked Jessica to check the restroom. No Nora. Something wonderful had happened between them. Bo knew it was not his imagination. He felt the connection and he KNEW Nora did, too. Why did she leave? Then he saw her-- standing on the terrace alone.. staring at the sky.

BO: (softly) Hey, I thought you'd deserted me. (He handed her the club soda with lemon twist)
NORA: Oh, sorry. I just needed some air-- (laughing) an oxygen tank, actually, but I didn't see any around.
BO: You were wonderful.
NORA: You're not so bad yourself.
BO: So. What made you do it?
NORA: What?
BO: You know what. The barrel roll.
NORA: I don't know...
BO: Yes, you do.
NORA: No guts, no glory?
BO: Great answer, but not the one I was looking for.

Nora keeps looking up at Bo and down at her drink, stirring it with her finger.

NORA: Well, you know.. I figured.. I mean, we could always.. dancing was...
BO: (eyes twinkling) Uh huh. Uh huh. I'm NOT letting you off the hook.
NORA: Okay. Here it is. We could always do what we set our minds to do-- together.
BO: Thank you. That wasn't so hard, was it?

Nora smiles at him.

BO: Do you think maybe we could apply that philosophy to some things in life more important than dancing?
NORA: I think I've heard that metaphor about dancing and life before.
BO: And it worked for me pretty well as I recall. I was hoping it would work for me now.
NORA: Bo, dancing was a wonderful part of our life once upon a time, but...
BO: Look-- I'm NOT trying to make more of one dance than it is. But I felt a CONNECTION and I know you felt it too.
NORA: Yes. A connection to our past.
BO: No. It was more than that. It's a connection with who we are as people. It's a connection to the love, the laughter, the understanding, the respect, and all the other stuff I don't even have words for. Look me in the eyes and deny it.

She looks slowly up at him.

NORA: There will always be a special connection between us, but we screwed it up. We can't go back...
BO: But we CAN start over. We CAN move forward.
NORA: Start over?
BO: Take it one step at a time. Slow and easy. Get to know each other for the people we are now.
NORA: We've been through hell and back.
BO: And that's a good place to start.. telling each other all that-- helping each other to heal.
NORA: That word has a wonderful sound to it-- healing.
BO: You helped me to heal once by just being there for me. Maybe I could do the same for you.

Asa heads for the terrace. Renee is running beside him, trying to stop him.

ASA: We're ready to cut Renee's cake. What are you two doing OUT HERE?
NORA: Looking for a first aid kit, Asa.
ASA: What?
RENEE: (winking at Bo and Nora) Never mind, Asa. Let's cut the cake.. and I want the band to play "Some Enchanted Evening."

BO: You know, I don't think that one's in our repertoire.
NORA: Well, beginning tonight, it can be.

They looked at each other and then in a very deliberate way waltzed into the room. Bo twirled Nora around, ending in a low dip. They gazed into each other's eyes, smiling.

BO: Nothing fancy.
NORA: Right. Nothing fancy.