(airdate: 4 July 96) Learning to Crawl sound files

Caleb is cleaning the window of an office at the sheriff's station when Ben walks by and trips over a bucket of water Caleb has to rinse his mop. As Ben goes off to get towels, Caleb starts moving things away from the water on the floor. In the process of moving a lighting fixture, he accidentally drops it and is electrocuted. Just then, Lucas passes by and upon seeing Caleb, he hurriedly takes him to the hospital.

Caleb arrives unconscious at the hospital, on the brink of death. While he is being revived by Billy Peale, he has an out-of-body experience. While in limbo (or Heaven perhaps), Merlyn appears to him and welcomes him. She tells him that she's glad he's here since she believes his place is with her on the other side. She tries to convince him that he no longer has a choice and that he's now able to be with her. But Lucas appears then and tells Caleb that she is lying to him; that Caleb still has a choice. He tells Caleb that Merlyn is afraid that if he lives, he'll make the wrong choices in the future which will lead him down the path of becoming another Lucas. Caleb thinks about it but decides to return to life on earth with Lucas so he takes his hand. Back in the emergency room, Billy is finally able to revive Caleb and when he awakes, he looks upon Lucas who is smiling proudly.

Cody, his wife Jeri, and his brother Ted are three criminal-wanna-bes who have kidnapped a tobacco company CEO named Rolsten so that they may ask his company for his ransom. They take him to a deserted cabin in the woods (Sam Raimi fans may find that this sounds strangely familiar); Jeri and Cody leave Ted there to guard Rolsten while they go to the designated drop-off site for the ransom.

Caleb has been released from the hospital and Lucas has decided to take him fishing, as promised earlier. In Lucas' car on their way up to Simpsonville, their fishing place, Lucas asks Caleb if he's afraid of monsters. Caleb claims that he isn't so Lucas tells him that there are rumors about that large cat, a "monster", which no one has seen before but know exists supposedly haunts the woods at that place where they're going to fish.They start joking a little about it when they happen to spot Selena's car in front. Lucas turns on his police siren and pulls her over. Selena goes over to his car and asks where they're heading. Lucas tells her that they're going fishing and Billy Peale is going to be there too. Selena doesn't believe him because she says she has a date with Billy to go see a concert; so Lucas calls Billy up to ask him if he was serious about going fishing with Caleb. Billy, thinking that Lucas was referring to the fishing trip he promised Caleb NEXT week, says yes. Selena becomes angered because she thinks she's been stood up so she angrily slinks off.

Back at the cabin, Rolsten is trying to convince Ted to leave his two partners and bail out. Ted ignores him to go check outside since he thought he heard a noise. He sees no one after opening the door but Rolsten takes the chance to try to escape, Ted threatens to shoot him but Rolsten pays no heed. In a moment of anxiety, Ted does shoot Rolsten and hits him in the back. He is horrified at what he's done but angered as well since he blames Rolsten for making him shoot him, so he even kicks the other man even though Rolsten's already down and mortally wounded.

Shortly after and coincidentally, Lucas and Caleb arrives at the same deserted cabin. When they reach the door, Lucas senses something wrong immediately and Caleb jokes that perhaps it's the unseen monster. They go on in anyway and to Lucas' un-surprise, Ted closes the door behind them and points his gun at them. Ted searches Lucas and is shocked to find that he's the sheriff. Lucas then asks for Ted's name. He refuses to tell but Lucas guesses it accurately anyway, which scares him. Lucas then starts walking toward Ted slowly all the while saying things to make Ted ashamed of himself. Ted tries futilely to threaten Lucas by shooting, but of course in the end, he succumbs to the power of the Buck and hands his gun over to Lucas. Caleb spots the barely alive Rolsten as he's about to get something to tie Ted up. Lucas jokes to Ted that since he only half-killed Rolsten and only half-way took them hostage, he will be calling him Half-Ted from now on. He then tells Caleb what a conscience is and how it's important to have either a whole conscience or no conscience at all, not half a conscience like Half-Ted.

Meanwhile, Cody and Jeri realize the ransom isn't coming so they return to the cabin. When they see Lucas' car, they panic and Jeri starts shooting at the cabin. Inside, Ted cries out for them to stop, fearing his safety and Lucas announces himself. They demand him to come out and let Ted go but he just dares him to go in to get him. They decide to wait instead and attack after dark.

Selena arrives at the cabin looking for Billy. She asks casually about what's going on and is filled in about the situation. While looking out the window, Lucas spots Jeri and Cody arguing and tells Caleb to come over to observe. He asks Caleb what the two are doing to which the boy naturally replies that they're arguing. But Lucas corrects him and tells him that they're relating because they love each other. He talks a bit about love while looking meaningfully at Selena all the while. He then calls out to tell Cody to come into the cabin to talk to which Cody complies to Jeri's angry surprise. Lucas tells Caleb to watch closely and learn.

As Cody is sneaking toward the cabin, Lucas appears suddenly from around a corner and knocks him down, taking his gun. He tells Cody to leave the other two and to get away with the money. He at first refuses of course but then seems to began to think about it. All the while, Caleb is watching from the doorway of the cabin like a good pupil.

At the sheriff's station, Gail is asking Ben the whereabouts of Lucas and Caleb since they've been gone for quite awhile. She asks Ben to call him but he tells her it's not necessary since Lucas can definitely take care of himself. Billy arrives at the station just then; his purpose is to ask where Selena might be. Since Ben refuses to help them look for the two since he believes Lucas and Selena are probably having some fun, Billy and Gail decide to go look for them in Simpsonville.

It is nighttime at the cabin and Caleb goes out to talk to Jeri. Caleb asks her to join them in the cabin but she of course refuses to and demands about how Ted is. He tells her that Lucas told Cody about the affair she and Ted have been having and has taken them out back so that they can duke it out. Jeri is frightened since she knows Cody will just kill Ted so she rushes off to save Ted.

Caleb has returned to the cabin and is sitting with Lucas in front of the fire, eating some tuna sandwiches and telling Lucas about his brave act in front of Jeri. Selena is in the background slightly pacing, a little disgusted at what she's hearing. Lucas then starts telling Caleb about love and how it makes a person turn stupid, like Selena. A sort of banter begans between Selena and Lucas but then he tells Caleb how he used to love to watch Selena eat a tuna sandwich. Caleb just continues on eating, not really paying attention. Selena then goes over to Lucas and takes a bite of his sandwich seductively, just like old times.

Jeri finds Cody out back digging thru the dirt, still looking for the money Lucas had told him about. But Jeri only demands what Cody did with Ted and in the process tells her herself about she and Ted. Angered, Cody tries to hit her but Jeri shoots him. She then looks thru the whole Cody was digging and finds the money bag; but when she opens it, she is furious to only find rocks.

In the meantime, Billy and Gail are lost on the road. They start talking about Selena and Lucas and end up defending each of their significant others against the other person's insulting remarks. They come to the conclusion however that they're both in the same helpless boat.

Jeri is outside screaming at Lucas that she wants the money. Inside, Lucas tells Caleb that what she really wants is Ted, who has become a sort of vegetable next to the dead Rolsten due to guilt. Lucas asks Caleb what they should do to prevent Jeri from coming in to hurt them and when Caleb doesn't know, Lucas tells him to visualize what he wants to happen and it will. When Jeri starts shooting in, Caleb immediately closes his eyes and starts imagining.

Outside, Jeri suddenly hears something in the woods. She is scared and starts shooting everywhere. She can hear something coming at her but can't see it. She is then attacked and hurt by the "unseen force", as visualized by Caleb.

The next morning, as Lucas is putting Ted in his Buckmobile, Jeri comes out of nowhere and grabs Selena, threatening to shoot her. Lucas signals Caleb to take care of the matter so Caleb just goes to her and asks for the gun. Without much cajoling, Jeri strangely hands it over, as if under a spell. Billy and Gail finally arrive so they all just return home.

1. August 2002