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written by Margaret Royal

Love, Lies and Voldemort

The Lianca Recaps

Monday, July 14th, 2003

For the first time, we see the new second set of credits. If you live in my town, said credits include a scroll at the bottom of your screen warning you about Tropical Storm Bill, hiding characters' signatures. But I digress: Maggie and Henry are opposite each other, as are WaitressHair!Smiling!Lena and Regular!Joni. I love how the credits are already out of date as soon as they go up. Except I don't. Binks still has her regular, cute ingenue picture. I'm glad they kept it to remind us of everything Megan McTavish likes to ruin. Seriously, I am glad—righteous anger and all that.

Myrtle's, aka Fargate House, aka Former Smyrtle Paradise Now House of Rape. Binks and Erica are still having their "how do you get over being raped"/"I want you to tell me if something's wrong" conversation (by the way, Lucci's voice is still hoarse and it's been doing her performance favors), and Bianca turns away from Erica looking as though she's about to cry. Erica asks what's wrong and gets a reluctant "I'm tired" brush-off. Erica tells Bianca that she knows they've had some problems lately, but Bianca must know that "nothing could change [Erica's] love for [Bianca]." Binks knows, but she remarks how her mother has "put up with so much"—her anorexia and her sexuality, e.g. Erica says that, to the contrary, she admires Bianca, who has come through a lot of shit and "managed to find out who [she] [is]." It's interesting here that Erica doesn't just talk about her "acceptance" of Binks, but goes a little further and basically says she's proud of her for being proud. Bianca seems exhausted by this display of support and lets out a sighing "ugh"-type noise before saying she doesn't know why. Erica tells her it's because she's a "good and strong person." At this, Binks gets an interesting look on her face. It's sort of like, "I don't believe what I'm hearing." It's a good choice by Eden Riegel for getting at all the irony going on in this scene. Anyway, Binks has also turned her back. Erica wants Bianca to tell her whatever is bothering her, and she'll understand, and maybe it'll make Bianca feel better. At this, she reaches up to stroke Binks's hair from behind, but Bianca freaks out. She flashes back to a Voldemort scene we haven't seen before, with her almost up against the window and Michael grabbing her from behind as lightning flashes. Bianca groans and has to sit down. We go to commercial with Erica asking her to please tell her what's happened.

Binks is sobbing. Seriously sobbing. Poor B. Erica hugs her and tells her she can't help her unless Bianca tells her what's wrong. Witness Eden Riegel in this scene: the wheels are really turning in Binks's head throughout; she wants very much to be comforted, but can't bring herself to do it—and she's uncomfortable with Erica's closeness—so she searches for the right explanation that will throw her mom off the scent. Binks says she doesn't want to worry her. She pushes Erica's hands away, tries to control her sobs, and says that she's been thinking a lot lately. What about? "I don't know, life…and everything…" Erica is eager to empathize and draw Bianca out, but she can't help but make it into All About Me again: she says she's been thinking a lot too and that it's a "very special time," what with the wedding coming up and Lianca "starting a new relationship." She moms that that is exciting, but it can also be terrifying because of the uncertainty. Bianca is nodding a lot at this point, but it seems to me as though she's nodding as if to tell Erica that she knows that's a scary thing, but it's not really what's bothering her. Erica wants her to know that no matter what, they'll still be a tight mother-daughter duo. Binks knows and thanks her mom. Eden is totally heartbreaking. It's all over Bianca's face that Erica isn't getting it and that Bianca really wants to go it alone at this point. Erica cups Binks's chin and turns her face toward her (and in the middle of the speech that follows, Bianca takes Erica's hand away and puts it in her lap—another perfect touch by Eden). She tells her she's about to have the life she's always dreamed of and that Bianca is a huge part of it. Bianca knows. Poor B. Erica wonders if Bianca is planning to go continent-hopping with Lena; maybe she's stressing about telling Erica she won't be maid of honor at the wedding?

Bianca grabs some water and tells Erica that's not what it is. It's a bad mood she needs to shake, she says, and she's just dwelling on the negatives, "everything that's been keeping [them] from being happy all this time." This is exactly what Erica wants to hear, and Bianca knows it. Erica says that "all [their] dreams are going to come true." She's "never felt so light," now that she's dealt with the shame of her rape and pregnancy, and the future looks bright. While Lucci is talking, Eden gives her the most heartbreaking, sad, loving smile. Damn you, Riegel! Damn you!!! Anyway, Bianca says she's happy for Erica; Erica says she's happy for both of them. She clasps Binks to her, and Binks looks stricken. Erica faces her again and forswears all the criticisms of Binks in the past and of her "choice of partners." Erica wants her to know she's "100% in [her] corner." Bianca asks her mom to stop, and tells her she loves her. Erica wants Bianca to believe in her—Binks says she does—enough to tell her what's going on.

Bianca tells Erica that Erica knows that if there were anything to tell, she would tell it. Erica asks Binks to call her if she thinks Erica can help, and B. promises to do so. Eden is really selling this hard. Bianca looks so lovingly at Erica, it's really sad. *sniffle* Erica looks like she's about to leave, but she brings up the wedding planning again and Bianca's "such exquisite taste." Bianca shrugs that it's all in the genes. She sounded like she was trying to make a family joke to give Erica a compliment, but it sounded rueful instead. Erica says that everything is going to be easier from now on. There's a knock at the door. Bianca, with tears in her eyes, is afraid and sucks in a little air before Lena (still clad in incredibly hot dark blue shirt and black pants with the weird belt buckle slid over to her hip thingy) comes in.

Lena stops when she sees Erica, but Erica gets it and takes her leave. She tells Binks (while Lena stands by looking uncomfortable) to remember that "nothing's impossible" and tells Lena she hopes "to see [her] again soon." Jigga whaaaa??? Erica huhhh???? Lena seems to have had the same reaction, for once Erica leaves, she gestures towards the door and says, "she's in a good mood!" Bianca shrugs that Erica is "high about her wedding." Lena says she hopes Bianca is feeling better, because she wants to show her the itinerary she's made for their trip to Europe! Eeeeee!!!! OMG, she's so geeky like this it's so adorable. OMG. FileFolder!Lena! How worthy of hatred is Megan McTavish for giving us this priceless Lianca moment the day (Pine Valley time, week our time) after one of them is raped? And while the other one doesn't know? So that one of them is clueless and the other one is miserable and distant and can't be happy about it? So very, very worthy of hatred. Bianca, naturally, gives the trip the smackdown, telling Lena to cancel.

Oh, Lianca. How you slay me with the angst. They're sitting in giant Myrtle brocade wing chairs in the living room. Lena thinks Erica must have told Bianca not to travel; Bianca says it's the wedding and the planning that she's thinking about. Lena: "Oh, come on, Bianca, from what I've heard, Erica could plan a wedding gagged, blindfolded, and tied to a chair." Bianca says that Erica and Jack are each other's soulmates. This has some effect on Lena, who looks arrested by it and apologetically says she knows how it feels. For just a moment, Bianca looks so schmoopy and sad (she may even be stealing a keepsake look at Lena, who's looking away in disappointment and a little shame), before she goes on about all the planning. Lena understands, but Bianca says she doesn't know how much time she'll have for Lianca. Lena understands this, too. Not happy about it, but she gets it. Getting up, and turning her back, Bianca breathes, "Wow, you're so understanding, Lena," as if that is not at all what she wanted to hear. Her tone is almost sarcastic, in fact, as if she can't believe her luck. runnerbird at TWoP speculated that Binks was trying to bait Lena into a fight in this scene, and I think she's right. She just doesn't sound happy to have such an understanding girlfriend right now; perhaps she even thinks she doesn't deserve one. Lena says she came back to Myrtle's to tell Bianca how much she loves her. But Binks backs off and tells Lena that "[she] can't. Not now."

Lena is confused. "You don't want me to love you?" Binks backtracks and rehashes the stuff about the wedding. Lena: "And you're afraid that I need you so much that I'll get in the way." Bianca: "…Something like that." Doh. This is sad. Lena notices the note she left Bianca last night. Bianca flashes back COMPLETELY UNNECESSARILY to burning her clothes in the park. Hello, we know what happened last night, you fuckhead writers! It's been giving us nightmares! She says she'll read the note later. Lena says that if there's anything Bianca wants to talk about, or if she doesn't want to talk (complete with adorable nervous-earnest smile), she's there for her. Lena decides she should leave, but she gives Bianca a hug and what appears to be an ad-libbed kiss on the cheek. Eeeeee!!!! Go on, girl! Skirt those censors, Olga! (How fucking sad is this. I am losing my shit over a peck on the cheek.) Lena wants Bianca to remember that "everything [she] wrote in there, [she] mean[s]." Bianca looks totally wiped.

Bianca is lying down in her room at Myrtle's, with Lena's letter, still in its envelope, in the foreground. She sits up and reads the letter (complete with Olga "writing" voiceover from the July 9th episode). She gets teary. She puts the letter on one of Myrtle's ugly pillows and puts her face next to it. Fade out with her staring at the letter.

To be continued.

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Screen grabs courtesy of Olga Online.© 2000-2003 (texts) are with the author. If not otherwise stated, the author is Ivanova. All rights reserved.