All language subtitles for touched_by_an_angel_s06e16_life_before_death

I don't know, Tess.

Don't you say it, Charlie.

Don't you take his name in vain,
especially when he's trying to help you.

I don't need no help.

We're almost done around here.

What?

Besides, Tess, I can't afford to pay
anybody, let alone a bunch of kids from

Northern Ireland.

It's free.

What's the catch?

Some kind of peace project, and I bet
they're all Catholics and Protestants

hate each other.

Right? Things are changing.

There's a new agreement, and there's
finally a chance for real and lasting

peace. But these children have never
lived in peace, so they won't know how

hold on to it. And you think bringing
them all over here to fix up my house is

going to show them?

Well, miracles happen every day.

All you have to do is say yes.

It's a done deal. He'll do it.

It's all working out. I knew it would.

Tess, have you ever felt like the
perfect angel at the perfect time for

perfect assignment?

No.

You have to admit, though, that the
father made a good match, giving me a

to finally do something for my beloved
Ireland.

I've prayed about this for a long time.

Well, it's not going to be easy, baby.

And there's something else you should
understand.

It might not even work.

Oh, but Tess, if you knew the people, if
you'd ever been there. I've been to

Ireland.

It's very green and they eat a lot of
stew.

But I know how special it is to you and
so does the father.

So you go ahead and find those children.

The father will show you the right ones
and I'll be here cooking.

When you walk down the road,

heavy burden, heavy load, I

will rise and I will walk with you.

I'll walk with you till the sun don't
even shine.

Walk with you every time.

I tell you, I'll walk with you.

Walk with you.

Believe me, I'll walk with you.

Tommy Doyle.

That's your name, isn't it?

What if it is?

I'm Monica. I'm with Project Children.

Only Father O'Malley told me about you.
We have an appointment this afternoon at

the church.

I'm sorry, I don't think I can make
that. Is there life after peace?

That's an interesting question.

Maybe I could help you answer it.

I have to go.

I'll see you this afternoon, then.

I remember Tommy.

I want you to take his mother.

I want you to take his father.

He seems like an angry young man.

He's going to be the hardest one to get.

Aye, but he's the one that they'll
follow.

But he's just one leader from one side.

You're going to need two.

I'd like to make it perfectly clear,
Monica, that the church stands ready to

help anybody on a mission of peace, you
know.

Thank you, Father.

And I have arranged the interviews, but
I can't guarantee the results.

Even though we have a peace deal, the
Catholic teens here have never known

anything but war and... Persecution.

Naturally, we live in hope of the Good
Friday Peace Accord.

The Protestant children still live in
dread of the Catholic mob.

That's because they don't know anything
different.

But I'm offering them a chance to
discover a new way to live.

You feel very strongly about this, don't
you, Monica?

I do, Reverend.

It's not me you need to convince.

It's them.

Go to America with a load of prods?

They're not prods. They're Protestant.

And you're a... That's like not a take.
And yes, that's exactly what I'm

proposing. Then you must be daft.

They burnt us out of our house.

Laughing while we ran.

We ended up five to a bed in my
grandmother's house.

My father still can't get a job.

And we'll never get our own house back.

So it could have pieced me now.

Are you willing to find out?

I'll think about it.

Hey, Reverend.

I saw you were late, Reverend. That
meeting just let out.

Mm -hmm.

It'll be a miracle if you can get these
two on board.

Monica, this is Angus O 'Neill and Ian
Wexley. Hello. Excuse me.

So we're going to America, then?

Perhaps.

Reverend Thompson tells me that you're
both members of the Junior Orange Order.

Aye. It's a crucial time for us, Monica,
you see.

Well, all this talk about the peace
deal, we have to be ready.

Ready for what?

Ready for the whole thing to collapse,
of course.

All it's going to take is one bomb.

One stinking IRA murder.

When those dirty tags strike, we are
going to be ready.

Dirty tags?

What I'm proposing is that you go to
America and work side by side with them.

And eat with them and talk to them.

Do you think you can do that?

I don't walk on the same side of the
street with them.

But I would like to go to America.

When I was a kid, my favourite game was
playing Riot.

We used tomato ketchup, you know, for
the blood.

God help the unpopular boys.

We always made them play the British
soldiers.

Just had no idea how fast we'd stop
being a game.

See what that scarf is?

UVF?

Ulster Volunteer Force.

Right -wing protestors nabbed me when I
was ten in the street and cut me with a

knife. But don't worry, Monica.

The hand still works.

I remember walking home from school one
day when I was a little girl.

And my friend started throwing stones at
some Catholics.

So I picked up a stone.

I found a really heavy one.

And then I picked out this boy.

I threw it at him.

Hard.

He fell down and looked at me.

I'll never forget that look.

I started crying and I ran all the way
home.

I told my mother what happened and you
know what?

She was proud of me.

The sad truth is, Maggie, that the
children on both sides have done

things and they don't even know why
except that they've been taught to hate

other.

So I'm asking.

Do you think you could learn to stop
hating?

Rose is a special case.

Very smart. A natural leader.

Oh, good.

I've been looking for a leader.

She should have gone to university, but
she was busy taking care of her father

and she failed her A -levels.

Is her father ill?

He's been in a wheelchair for years.

Rose? This is Monica.

Hello. Hello.

How's your father?

He's feeling better today, thank you.

But I'm afraid we had a bit of a row.

He wants me to go to America.

Says he won't eat if I don't, the
stubborn old thing.

Your father's stubborn, Monica.

Well, I wouldn't say stubborn, but he's
always right.

And in this case, I believe yours is
too.

Tommy Doyle?

You're supposed to be over at the church
right now, not reading poetry.

You want to go to America?

Read the last part.

Read it out.

Before the kite plunges down into the
wood and this line goes useless, take in

your two hands, boys, and feel the
strumming, rooted, long -tailed pull of

you were born fit for.

It's not what you were born for.

I'm so tired of that grief, Tommy.

That's why I want you to go to America.

And that's why I handed in my
resignation, so to speak.

You resigned from the IRA?

I did.

They won't let you out, Gavin.

How about they did?

Colin O 'Reilly even helped me find a
job.

You have a real job?

Over at Gasworks.

Things are changing, little brother.

You're going soft.

Listen, a couple of beggars in suits
signed a scrap of paper that says things

will get better, and I want them to.

I'm tired of the blood, Tommy.

And you should be too.

Gavin, I'm not going to... Not another
word. I promised Ma and I'd take care of

you.

And I'm going to do it.

You go to America.

You know, they live, the prods and the
tanks, together.

And you'll write me some beautiful
letters.

You've a touch of the poet in you, so
there's no excuse.

I'll write you every day.

Welcome to America.

Here we are.

Andrew has your room assignments, so
make sure you leave nothing on the bus,

okay? They sat on opposite sides of the
bus the entire way back here.

Oh, my.

Hi, baby. Welcome home.

Oh, yes.

Tess, you know, I really think this is
going to work.

Well, baby, getting him here was the
easy part.

But getting him to live together is
going to be harder.

They're young, and they're smart, and
they've so much in common.

Yeah, baby, I see.

They do.

It's all right, honey. Don't be afraid.
The bus backfired.

I thought it was a bomb.

It's just snow, but some digestion,
honey.

You're safe here.

You are.

Honey's parents were killed by a car
bomb last year.

They were on their way to mass.

Are you okay?

No, it's nothing.

Here, let's have a look.

Can I have my hand back?

Rose, are you okay?

Yeah, I'm good.

All right, well, go over there. Maggie's
looking for you.

Take care of yours.

And I'm sure we'll take care of ours.

All right? I

can't

believe that policeman let me take his
picture at the airport.

Imagine that.

Smiling policeman. Would you take your
nose out of that mirror and have him

around you?

They're all swimming pools.

It's not that kind of neighbourhood.

Must be a Catholic street.

Shame on you, Rose Larkin.

You're making eyes at a Catholic boy. I
wasn't making eyes.

I don't care if there's a peace treaty.

You still can't trust them.

Well, I'll tell you what.

See if they attack, you stand behind me
and I'll throw your camera at them.

Well, something tells me you won't be
thrown under the redhead.

What do you mean? For God's sake, Tommy,
I've known you for years. Ever since we

were kids, throwing stones at the bloody
Brits. So don't tell me you don't fancy

Rose the Redhead.

Do you know what I fancy right now?

What's that?

A wee meal.

Attention. I need everybody's attention.

My name is Tick, and I'm in charge of
the community centre.

There will be no smoking, no drinking.

No bad language, no bad attitudes, and
no shenanigans.

Is that clear to everybody?

The correct answer is yes, Miss Tess.

Yes, Miss Tess. Good. Now, everybody in
the dining room, because the food's

getting cold.

Yes, Miss Tess.

So, just come on in and find your name,
have a seat.

I think it would be nice if we could say
a blessing every evening and each of

you could take a turn.

Can I start?

Well, wait a minute. Hold on.

I will eat with you, but I'm not going
to let you bless my food.

I'm not sitting here waiting for a
prayer from a prod.

Not likely we'll be listening to a bunch
of Catholic rantings either.

Well, then why don't we skip the
blessing you tore in? The food's getting

Then it'll get cold.

We're not skipping the blessing.

I don't think we can expect it.

You must be joking.

Can't we just keep it simple?

Couldn't we just say something grateful
without getting all religious on each

other?

Yeah, that's it. Just keep it simple.

Just the basics.

Won't we?

All right, then.

Thank you for the food.

He says you're welcome. Let's eat.

Oh, hello.

Almost my brother. I'd write to him
every day.

I made some tea.

Well, are you going to offer me a cup or
are you going to throw it over me?

Depends on your attitude.

Depends on my attitude?

Then I wouldn't get a bunch of
Protestants and Catholics sitting

together. You're not a woman to be
massing with.

That I'm not. You can be sure of that.

Your hands shaking?

I had a bad dream.

Is there any other kind?

So, Tommy, where do you live?

The markets.

You're joking.

I live right across the road up the
Ravenhill.

We're neighbours?

How do you know?

I imagine a lot of things.

It's the only way I get by.

Well, then, imagine something.

About what?

Me.

You're terribly full of yourself, aren't
you?

Right now I'm only full of one thing.

The sight of the prettiest girl I've
ever seen.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

No.

Practical girl.

Irresistible.

A good Protestant girl doesn't fall in
love in a day.

But haven't you heard?

We're in America.

And anything can happen.

Happy evening to you.

Now, there's a picture of the future if
I ever saw one.

There's no shame in being urban, man.

Not for a pig, no.

Hey, come on. That's enough. That's
enough. That's enough.

I can't tell the Catholics from the
Protestants. That's not really something

can see.

But that's just a religious war, you
know.

It's economic and cultural, too.

Back in Ireland, some people wear
different colors to show their

Just like gangs do here?

I suppose so.

Gangs are stupid too.

I'm glad you came.

It can't work, you know.

It always works when two people are in
love.

We're not in love.

We're in America.

Everything seems different here.

When we get back, Tommy, there's no hope
for two like us.

We're like Romeo and Juliet.

They tried to love each other and they
ended up dead.

Shakespeare was a Brit.

You ever hear the Irish version?

It all ends very, very happily, of
course.

But the beginning?

The beginning's something quite special.

It begins with a kiss.

Like this.

You were lying in your bed when you were
a wee girl, with your pillow over your

head in the middle of the night, trying
to stop the sound of the guns and the

screaming mothers and the crying babies.

I wonder to yourself, was there
anything, anything at all, that's worth

another day in that hell for?

My father.

My father was paralyzed when I was
little.

He's been in a wheelchair for years.

But it's just been so long since anyone
helped me.

Tell me about him.

Your dad.

Come on, let's sit down.

It was ten years ago.

At Easter time, there was a riot at
Unity Flats.

I remember that.

That wasn't a riot. That was a peaceful
demonstration.

No. My father was there. He was a
policeman.

He tried to keep order, but somebody
threw a bomb and then the people

the police. That's not how it happened.

The police opened fire on the crowd.

That's a lie.

My father was there too.

He led that demonstration.

Your father?

Tommy Doyle?

Dear God in heaven.

You're that doll.

He was in the IRA.

Your dad.

I wouldn't be surprised if he threw the
bomb himself.

The one that paralysed my father.

Nobody knows who threw that bomb, Rose.

It was probably the police themselves.

And then they arrest my dad and bogus
charges and take him away to prison.

The next time I saw him, my brother was
taking him home in a coffin.

So your brother's IRA too?

That was the night he joined, the night
they arrested my dad.

He started a riot?

That's not the way I heard it. Well,
it's the way it happened. My father

wouldn't lie.

Well, neither would mine.

Your father is a terrorist.

My father was defending himself.

My father was defending his country.

At least you still have a father.

Are you taking a break?

For a bit.

You've been working hard. You deserve
it.

I've been thinking about taking a longer
break after that.

Maybe going home early.

Why? That Tommy Doyle do something to
you? Shut up, Maggie.

I knew that boy'd be trouble.

Maybe you should go home.

You can leave if you feel you must,
Rose.

But I believe you came here to
accomplish something that you haven't

yet.

I didn't say it would be easy if you
came to America and got to know the

you thought were your enemies.

I don't want to know them. I think you
already know them. Now comes the hard

part.

Loving them anyway.

Stay away from Rose.

Get out of here, Angus. I don't need any
advice from you today, okay?

Aye, well, you see, it's not advice for
me.

That's a flat -out threat.

Dirty pig.

Angus, come down here.

I don't believe what I'm seeing.

Thought you might be feeling a bit
homesick about now.

I'm doing all right.

And the chance to dance with a beautiful
girl wouldn't make a bit of difference,

would it?

I'm not a very good dancer, though.

I'm not asking you to let them see you
dance.

I'm asking you to let them see you
change.

Come on.

What is it, Tess?

I have some very difficult news.

Something back home?

Yeah.

Tommy, could I speak to you for a
minute?

You can talk to me here, Tess.

My friend.

It's your brother, baby.

He's been killed.

Tommy, I'm so sorry.

Tommy?

Nobody murders.

Baby, nobody murdered your brother.

A gas main blew up in the factory where
he was working.

An explosion?

You mean like a bomb? Of course it's a
bomb. It's Ireland.

I was told it was an accident.

That's the way you always explain the
murder of a Catholic, isn't it?

Tommy, please, don't jump to conclusions
till we know all the facts.

The fact is, Monica, we all know what
happened.

What are you talking about?

Gavin always says they'd get him in the
end.

Why? What did he do?

Oh.

Well, now I know what stinks so badly
around here.

I've got to find this.

Smells just like the IRA.

It could all happen if the peace treaty
came.

And now the prods have broken it? And
how many did he kill before he went all

holy? Not enough. Go back to hell where
you belong and give my regards to that

brother of his.

Don't touch me.

What's wrong with you?

How can you touch that filthy tag?

I'll go back to bury my brother.

And I'm going to bury you. Stop it.

Stop it.

Stop it. Stop it.

Filthy tag.

Dirty prod.

Kill a Catholic for the queen.

Shoot a Protestant for Holy Mother
Church?

For the love of God, please, I beg you
to stop it.

Every one of you has lost someone you
love, I know that.

A father, a mother, a cousin, a brother.

But the score will never be even.

You'll kill him because he killed her,
and then they'll kill you, and it'll go

on and on and on.

For as long as you're keeping the score,
as long as you both want to have the

last word, the last word will never be
spoken and there will never be peace.

It's easy not to care about the score,
Monica, when you're not on the losing

side. At least we know now what side
you're on.

Don't we, Monica?

I know what you're thinking, Tommy, but
you're wrong. I'm not a Protestant.

And I'm not a Catholic.

On whose side are you on?

I'm on God's side.

That's the problem.

We're all on God's side.

Please. Tommy!

Please come with me.

Please, everyone.

It was an accident.

What do you think your father would say
if he saw you hanging about that boy's

neck?

Tommy's just lost his brother.

I don't have an ounce of pity, and
neither should you.

I love him, Maggie.

Rose. Rose, Tommy's packing for the
funeral.

Tommy's leaving now?

His plane leaves in a couple of hours.

I thought you might want to say goodbye.

He'll be down in a minute.

She has nothing to say to him.

Rose.

Rose.

You're my best friend.

Do you remember when we were little
girls?

And we used to try and figure out which
was the boy we loved the best.

I could never make up my mind, but you'd
always say there's one way to tell.

Ask yourself, would you die for him,
Maggie?

Do you remember that?

Well, I'm asking you now, Rose, would
you die for him?

Because when your family and your
friends turn their backs on you...

You might as well be dead.

God save us all.

Peace is over.

So are we.

What was he like?

Your brother?

He was a great fella.

He was my best friend.

He was all I had left.

Are you ready, Tommy? I was just saying
goodbye.

It can be hard to say goodbye to someone
that you love.

Sometimes you don't even get a chance to
say goodbye at all, huh?

That's true.

You never know when death will come.

Aren't you glad then, Tommy?

That the last words you spoke to your
brother were words of love.

How would you know?

Do you believe in angels?

Sure.

And leprechauns.

And we fairies, too.

I'm not speaking of fairy tales.

I'm speaking of messengers from God.

The one true God who made you Tommy and
you too, Rose.

The God in whose name too much blood has
been shed.

The God who was tired of all of the...

The God who I serve.

I am an angel.

God sends an angel?

To us?

Why, you are a weasel.

Don't be afraid.

God loves you both so much.

But you have to listen.

Can you put away the Catholic words and
the Protestant words and listen only to

the word of God?

Why would God send an angel to you?

Because to every generation, the truth
is born anew and with it comes the

promise of peace.

This is your time.

This is your chance.

I ask the Father.

I begged the Father for the privilege of
sharing this time with you because I

love you too, because I love peace, and
because I love Ireland so much.

Angels are not created from human love,
but from a simple whisper of the Father.

And when God called me into being,

I lived in eternity in his presence
until one day he told me he had work for

to do and it was time to begin it.

And he sat me down on the greenest hill
I had ever seen

where the first mists of creation still
lingered in the valley

and the oceans crashed against ancient
cliffs and

the rich...

Perfume of life itself filled my every
breath.

You see, the first steps I ever took
were on the soil of Ireland.

It is the first place I ever saw peace
on earth.

The peace that was meant to be.

The peace that is meant to stay.

The peace that you are meant to keep.

Tommy, your brother was not murdered. It
was an accident.

And the peace there is intact unless
someone like you, someone still angry

counting your dead, lashes out in
revenge one more time.

Well, then I won't.

Of course I won't.

Good.

But God wants more from you, Tommy.

And you too, Rose.

I know that there is romantic love that
you feel for one another.

But there is other love too.

And God is asking you to put that love
first.

The love that you share for the country
where you both were born.

The love of the peace that you've both
been given.

And the love of the people, all your
brothers and sisters.

who sit on the same hill and breathe the
same air and give thanks to the same

God for making them sons and daughters
of Ireland.

If you can do that, if you can put away
the pointing of fingers and the

speaking of wickedness and the doing of
evil, then God will make you strong and

make your love stronger.

Then you will raise up the broken
foundations and be called the repairers

breach, the restorers of the streets
where the children of Ireland dwell.

you do it?

The love and the peace that you have
found here, will you leave it behind?

Or will you take it home with you?

Gavin loved his country.

He wanted peace in Northern Ireland more
than anything.

But he also loved me.

And he wanted me to have a future.

He didn't want me to die for my country.

He wanted me to live for it.

So he sent me to America to see what
peace looked like.

And there, there was no barbed wire.

And I saw neighbors of all beliefs and
colors sitting down and talking with

other.

And there I was, sitting and talking
with Protestants.

I know there'll come a day when I'll see
my brother again.

But while I wait for that day,

I see my Protestant and Catholic
brothers and sisters every day.

Really see them.

Because I've learned that peace isn't
just the absence of war.

It's the presence of God.

One God.

The God of love.

And with that love comes forgiveness.

When I was in America, one of my new
friends taught me a song.

Well, not a song, a prayer.

And I hope you'll pray it with me.

For Gavin.

For ourselves.

For Northern Ireland.

Let there be peace on earth and let it

begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth, the peace
that was

meant to be.

With God as our father, brothers all

are we.

Let me walk with my brother in perfect
harmony.

Let peace begin with me. Let this be the
moment

now. With every breath I take, let this

be my solemn vow to take each moment and
live.

Let there be peace on earth.