A Curse Be Upon Her Doctors

MUSIC: "Daniel" by Bat For Lashes

# Daniel, when I first... #

KNOCKING

# ..Saw you... #

Your mum says to come down for some breakfast.

I'm not hungry.

# And under our blue sky

# Marble movie skies

# I found a home in your eyes

# We'll never be apart. #

PHONE RINGS WITH BRASS BAND VERSION OF THE SWEENEY THEME

Immie.

Yeah, sorry. I know I said I was going to call you.

No, no, she's fine.

She's finally got her head round the fact she's got kids.

Not yet, no. Because it's still too soon.

Another health and safety poster? This is Karen's brain.

Excuse me?

I am doing a mind map for Karen. Putting down things to do

with work - likes, dislikes, things which will help her remember.

So it didn't go well yesterday?

It's going to take time. I know.

Perhaps this will move things along.

It was heartbreaking watching her wander around that house,

hating everything.

Poor Rob.

He was staking everything on the house bringing it back to her.

The trouble was she would just not accept that she ever

lived in such a house. Oh, dear.

Every time she dismissed something it was like an arrow through

Sergeant Hollins's heart. It is almost worse for him,

at least Karen doesn't know what she has forgotten.

No, Dr Carter, at least he knows what year he is in.

No. We have to hope this helps her to remember.

Well, we all really appreciate what you're doing for Karen.

She does not remember me, but she trusts me.

And I will do everything to earn that trust.

# To a place that's vast, Daniel

# Under a sheet of rain... #

You haven't disappeared, you know?

Here's your tea.

# I... #

MUSIC STOPS

Breakfast is waiting for you downstairs.

Leave me alone.

So you can fester all day?

I'm thinking.

No, you're drowning in melancholy.

Come on, Rose. Make an effort. This is making Bruno feel uncomfortable.

It's not my fault.

It's been so much nicer since he moved in, hasn't it?

We don't want him to leave, do we?

What's going on?

Hey. We were just talking about you.

Oh, yeah?

Saying how nice it is having you around, weren't we, sweetie?

I thought you were cooking me some breakfast?

I'll be down in a minute.

I'm just trying to persuade this silly girl to buck her ideas up.

Tell her to leave me be.

Come on, love.

I just want her to be part of this family

instead of daydreaming in her room.

She's fine. And I'm starving.

I'll be two minutes.

You can at least get dressed.

You can't spend your life moping up here.

The school are asking questions now too.

Ow!

What's that? Nothing.

Rose?

I fell on broken glass. How?

I dropped it. Mum!

It's really inflamed. It's fine.

No, it's not. It's infected.

Why do I always get dodgy Derek?

He insists on seeing a woman doctor.

No reason why he should get one.

Mrs Tembe says we don't need to worry about you.

She says one look from you would turn the devil to stone.

Dr Carmichael, what I meant was you can... It's OK.

It's fine.

I'm giving you all fair warning,

there will be another brown bag lunch meeting in the next week.

Got some staff room issues I need to address. Why?

What have we done now? Staff room hygiene.

Don't know why you don't just talk to Al one-to-one?

I don't like to point fingers, just issue gentle reminders.

PHONE RINGS

The Mill Health Centre. How may I help you?

You all right?

Fine.

I will pass your details on to the doctor on call.

Dr Carmichael? Goodbye.

There is another patient to add to your list.

Imagine my surprise(!)

The mother insists the daughter will not leave the house.

Why would she, when there is a doctor on call?

Hi. How are you? Yeah, I'm fine thanks.

Hello, Rob. Are you all right?

Sorry. I was miles away.

I could see that. Yeah. Is Heston in?

He's in the middle of clinic.

That's all right. I'll call back later.

Is it permanent?

Sorry?

Well, Mrs Tembe says it's like a time warp thing,

like Back To The Future, but the other way round.

I am so sorry, Sergeant Hollins, I was just trying to explain.

No, I was just wondering...

There is a time and a place for questions.

Hi, Rob. I was just going to have some coffee. Do you fancy one?

Yeah. Come through? Thanks.

What is the matter with you? I was just showing my concern.

If something is said to you, it is not your place to repeat it.

Please, just think before you speak.

There you go. Thanks.

Karen's brain! What's all that about?

Mrs Tembe thought it would be a good idea.

What, putting my wife's life on a board?

She's really concerned about Karen

and they've formed quite a bond recently.

As opposed to forming one with her husband of nearly 25 years?

I know this looks crude, but in a way Mrs Tembe has got a point.

It's a bit like Al's wiki site.

Both of them were done with the best of intentions, Rob.

Yeah. Yeah. Of course they were.

I'm finding it really hard to face the fact I might lose her.

Sorry, I don't mean it's the same as losing...

Oh, no. Don't be silly. It's fine.

She makes me feel like I'm a dirty old man trying it on.

And I don't know what to tell the kids.

Karen would know - she'd hold it all together.

She'd be able to handle it all.

But I just keep saying the wrong things to everyone.

Hi, Rob. You all right?

Not really.

I'm sorry to hear about Karen. It must be hard on you.

And Karen. Yes, of course.

Hope things get better soon.

So do I, mate. So do I.

The doctor has come to see you, sweetie.

She's a bit nervous.

I promise I won't upset your daughter.

She's not my daughter.

He's my boyfriend.

So if I could see her on my own?

She asked me to stay.

If you don't mind?

Now then, Rose, what's this all about?

I'm sorry, Doctor, she's like this all the time.

Hello, Rose.

Come on, sweetie. Say hello.

I don't know what to do about it.

She barely leaves the room these days.

Come on, sweetie. Show the doctor your cut.

She's come specially to see you.

I didn't ask her to.

Don't show us up, sweetheart. Sit up.

It's on her right arm. it's really swollen.

I think it might be infected.

If I could just take a quick look at your cut, Rose?

I do not find talking to duvets very informative.

Rose, come out from under there.

How long has it been inflamed?

I only noticed it this morning so it can't have been long.

What did you cut it on? Broken glass.

If Rose perhaps could be allowed to answer for herself.

She barely talks to anyone.

She barely leaves the room. She just sits here moping.

I think...you should leave us to it.

It'd be better if I stay.

You won't get any sense out of her if I'm not here.

I'm perfectly capable of communicating with my patients.

And I think Rose might find it easier if it was just the two of us.

Fine. I'll be downstairs.

So, am I just going to stand here all day?

You could always go.

And you could always die of blood poisoning. But let's compromise.

I stay, and you show me your cut,

and I check that it's not filled with bacteria.

Even the Lady of Shalott wouldn't have fancied dying of blood poisoning.

Terribly unromantic.

ROSE YELPS

Mrs Tembe said it didn't go very well yesterday?

You could say that.

I had to watch her completely deny our lives together,

hating being anywhere near me.

Rob, all this can change.

But what do I do in the meantime?

What do I tell the kids, or her dad?

Well, I know it's difficult.

Oh, I just want to take care of her.

I just want to make things better.

How do I do that? Well... You see, before long,

hospital's not going to be the right place for her,

because, as far as I can see, she's physically mended.

And she's made it perfectly clear that she does not like the house. So what happens then?

Did you broach the subject of her coming home permanently?

She wants to live in a flat, that's what she says.

That's not a good idea. No, it's not,

because she's got no idea how the world works in 2013.

She wouldn't be safe.

All right, give me a few hours, I'll talk to Mr O'Gorman

and a few other people, and...we'll see what we can do.

On either side the river lie

Long fields of barley and of rye

That clothe the wold and meet the sky

And thro' the field the river runs by...

And thro' the field the ROAD runs by...

To many-tower'd Camelot.

Hmm.

I loved that poem.

I do.

It does seem to sum up exactly what it's like to be 15.

So you know then?

What it's like to be 15?

It wasn't that long ago!

About the curse?

Does this hurt? Yes.

You know about the curse?

And this? Ow!

A curse is on her if she stay To...

If I leave the house, I'll die.

You don't believe me.

No-one believes me.

Just let me get this cleaned up.

Is this to do with the curse?

I can't talk about it.

Problems at school? I don't go to school.

Is that because you were being bullied? It's because I can't leave the house.

Right.

Does your mother know about this curse?

Don't say anything to her.

Promise you won't?

I promise.

But you really should talk to someone about this.

I'm sorting it.

I'm sorry she was so difficult.

She's just sensitive.

We were all 15 once.

I think she just needs a bit of TLC at the moment.

Did she say anything to you?

I'm sorry?

She's, er, having a hard time having Bruno move in.

We've been on our own since her dad left,

and I guess she just can't deal with sharing me.

Have you thought about her seeing a counsellor?

It's just teenage silliness!

I wouldn't call agoraphobia silliness.

If it were my daughter, I'd want to get to the bottom of it.

Think about it. I can recommend someone.

Come on.

Thanks.

Hectic morning.

"There she weaves by night and day

"A magic web with colours gay

"She has heard a whisper say

"A curse is on her if she stay..."

To look down to Camelot.

"She knows not what the curse may be

"And so she weaveth steadily..."

And little other care hath she,

BOTH: The Lady of Shallot.

Tennyson in the morning?

Teenage girls.

I had a house call this morning,

it was all floating white nightdresses,

angst-ridden and ghostly pale, surrounded by pre-Raphaelite posters.

Perfectly normal for her age.

All a bit pretentious, if you ask me.

Ooh, you're a hard woman, Zara Carmichael.

Still, it is a bit extreme.

Actually, there's new research which proves that the emotional side

of teenagers' brains are overdeveloped

which is why they're so angst-ridden and ruled by their emotions.

Researchers stating the blatantly obvious. How refreshing(!)

Her mother's got this sleazy boyfriend hanging around,

dodgy and too interested by half.

So no "red-cross knight for ever kneel'd", then?

Definitely not.

You could refer her.

That's what I suggested, but the mother was adamant that I didn't.

There's not much else I can do.

"She left the web she left the loom."

Of course!

It's not just about wandering around being pale and cursed,

she drowns herself. Not the stuff of happy endings.

Oh, no...

She's self-harming.

She said that she'd cut her arm on a glass, and I didn't realise.

What is wrong with me?!

Hectic morning? That is no excuse.

HE SIGHS

HE EXHALES SLOWLY

KNOCKING AT DOOR

Rose!

KNOCKING CONTINUES

Rose, open the door!

I'm serious, young lady. Stop messing about.

Have you said something to upset her? This isn't about me.

Look, let's just leave her to it, she's probably sulking.

No, look, I think that Rose is self-harming.

ALICE SCOFFS

That's nonsense!

I hope I'm wrong, but we can't just ignore this.

Rose?

Out the way.

Rose?

Rose, come on, love, open the door.

Rose, open the door. Let us in, it'll be all right...

Do you think she's done something stupid?

What do you think?!

ROSE!

HE YELLS

ROSE SCREAMS

Rose?! Are you all right?

It's Bruno you should be looking at.

I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to...

This is your fault.

Oh, I think I've broken my arm.

Try moving it. I'm so sorry!

It's a bit late for sorry now after all the trouble you've caused.

ROSE SOBS

I didn't mean for this to happen!

KNOCK AT DOOR

Lunch?

I'm snowed under.

Oh, come on, you deserve a break.

Try telling the committee waiting for this report.

My treat. What, so you can keep your eye on what I'm eating?

No. If you say so.

No, I...I just thought it would be nice to...

Look, I'm fine, all right?

Fine.

You said it wasn't broken.

I know, but best to let A take a look, just in case.

I'll stay here. She hardly knows you. She should be with us.

It'll be fine. I'll just have a chat with her.

Come on.

Don't upset her. She's sensitive.

I have no intention of doing that.

Come on, love. Thank you, Doctor.

We'll be back soon.

Rose?

On either side the river lie

Long fields of barley and of rye,

That clothe the wold and meet the sky...

ROSE: 'And thro' the field the road runs by

'To many-tower'd Camelot.'

Hello, Rose.

Leave me alone.

Down she came to find a boat.

Is that what you're doing?

Were you going to float down to Camelot?

Don't laugh at me.

You know I told you I loved that poem?

Well, I lied.

I used to love it, when I was 15,

but, as I got older, I realised that it was...

condemning a young women to death.

It was the curse.

The curse is an idea put in her head by the poet.

The relentless rhythm of the verse

forcing her on to an unnecessary death.

No, he was writing about what has to happen when there's no other choice.

I'm trying to explain to you that the poem

makes suicide seem painless and beautiful, but it's not.

But if there's no other choice...

There's always a choice.

She didn't have one!

She's young...

vulnerable, impressionable,

struggling with life.

A bit out of her depth, not sure who she is yet.

I'm sure she's got a lot of stuff going on,

stuff that she's finding it difficult to cope with,

and so she fixes everything on this knight.

What the poem should be about is a young woman

stealing the knight's armour and running off into the world.

stealing the knight's armour and running off into the world.

How can she do that if she's trapped?

I mean, REALLY trapped?

She's only trapped because she's afraid of reality.

She is stuck seeing the world in reflection,

"half sick of shadows."

But what if reality doesn't make sense?

KNOCK AT DOOR Come in.

Peace offering.

When was the war?

I shouldn't have bitten your head off.

Well, I've had worse.

That last bout was a bad one.

I know I've got you to thank for getting me out of this.

As long as you're...all right.

I just wish you didn't know my dirty, sordid secret.

Howard...

I don't think any the less of you because of it.

Well, in future, please let me deal with it on my own.

Right.

Of course.

Bruno!

It's all right, I'm here. I won't let him near you.

What? You don't have to go back to him.

But I texted him.

You don't have to be scared of him any more.

I'm not. He's wonderful.

Maybe you think you're in love with him...

You've got it all wrong. He's made everything better.

No, Rose. He's the only one that's ever been there for me.

That's what he wants you to think. He rescued me.

This is no knight in shining armour, Rose.

I am sorry, but what he's been doing is grooming you.

That's not true.

He's never taken advantage of me.

Even when I wanted him to...

When I tried to, he wouldn't.

He just looks out for me.

He's the only one that could have helped me break the curse.

And now it's too late.

Well, we were right, Mr O'Gorman agrees

that hospital is not the best place for Karen.

It was only a matter of time.

They'll continue to give her psychological support as an outpatient,

but she needs a home environment in order to make the next step.

Exactly. So, will they help to convince her to come home then?

I don't think it's going to be that easy.

Because I'm sure, in time, she would get used to the house...

Not really an option, but I have a proposition.

Go on? I've spoken to Mrs Tembe, because Karen seems to trust her,

so what I propose is, for the short-term,

is that Karen moves in with her.

You, stay back.

What do you think I'm going to do?

I've called the police. The police?! I'm sorry, Rose.

You've got it all wrong!

You can't take him away.

This is what he was protecting me from. What? Who?

Alice?

Don't be melodramatic, Rose.

No way is Bruno getting the blame for something you've done.

I've told you what she's like before.

When she was a kid, she used to do things to herself.

She used to make things up.

Nothing I do helps.

There's no way that Rose has done all these things to herself.

And some of them have been there a long time.

It started when my dad left.

You helped.

When you came, she stopped.

Rose...

stop.

Come on, love.

You know what a drama queen she can be.

She'd do anything to split us up!

She kept me so tight, I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't cope.

But now...

Come on. Rose...

Rose, come back!

Rose!

Don't be ridiculous!

SIRENS WAIL

Rose!

This is just until her memories return.

How long's that going to take?

Well, that's anybody's guess.

But once they do, we can start re-introducing her to her old life.

And what if she starts a new life without me?

Maybe she'll never remember who I am. You're painting a bleak picture.

It's a delicate situation, but, at the moment,

Karen has bonded with Mrs Tembe, and that counts for a lot.

And I'm just supposed to be all right with this?

Well, you have to be all right with more than that, I'm afraid.

Meaning?

Another thing O'Gorman said was...

What? What did he say?

..you should completely stay away from Karen for a while,

to allow her memory to return naturally.

Are you for real?!

We have to do what's best for Karen.

I don't really have any choice, do I?

You rock, Mrs T! Thank you...

I think.

Where are you meeting him?

What difference does that make?

I used to watch you every morning as you came into the office.

Then, I saw your advert...

If that man lays a hand on my wife, I'll kill him. Dennis...

It's important for you to try new things,

even if they are strange at first.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd