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#1.14 Love and Marriage

"And then there's football." -Felicity

Aired February 23, 1999

In a nutshell: Javier asks Felicity to do the marriage thing; Noel's brother tells him he's into the gay thing; Ben tries out for the swim team thing; Felicity wears one of Elena's sweaters.

People who thought this up: Jennifer Levin & Andrea Newman (the writers), Todd Holland (the director)

Supporting cast: Dash Mihok (Lynn), Eddie McClintock (Ryan), Amy Hathaway (Nicole), Anne Desalvo (lawyer), Amanda Foreman (Meghan), Ian Gomez (Javier), Nathan Anderson (Alex), Drew Pillsbury (swim coach), Dahlia Victoria (Charlotte), Spencer Deglarian (Samuel).

Tunes: Remy Zero ("Hermes Bird"--Felicity soundtrack); The Shirelles ("Baby it's you"--Anthology, 1959-1964)

Quotes

Long summary

Felicity is at work, talking to Noel on the phone. She congratulates him for having been chosen for a graphic design exhibit. "So you must be right...about him being talented," Ben says. Javier comes up to Ben with something in his hand. "Here is your hair net. Learn to love it." Javier asks Felicity if he can talk to her. He tells her he is giving her a raise. He then says, "I would really, really appreciate it if you would marry me."

Felicity is talking into her tape. She describes to Sally how she pictured her future wedding. "Here's how I didn't picture it: me and a short, balding, Spanish homosexual, filling out papers at city hall."

Noel is sitting in the lounge, sorting through his graphic design flyers. Felicity approaches him. "The weirdest thing just happened." He tells her his brother is coming to visit. He thinks he is about to propose to his girlfriend. "Speaking of proposals..." Felicity suggests that he invite his brother to the exhibit. They go into his room. "Are we done with that topic now?" Felicity asks. She tells him about Javier proposing. Noel is skeptical about the whole thing. "It isn't exactly like volunteering at a soup kitchen." While they are talking, Ryan stops by. He and Noel hug. Noel introduces him to Felicity.

Julie is playing the guitar in Ben's apartment. Ben comes up to her and tells her he has to run. "My song that bad?" He tells her she's very talented, but that he has to get to the pool. They kiss, and he leaves.

Ben is at the pool, swimming laps. The coach thinks he is trying out for one of the events. Lynn, one of the swim team members, and his girlfriend, arrive at the pool. He yells to the coach that he's there on time. "What do you want, a medal?" the coach asks. Lynn suggests that they start practices later, since no other team has to practice that early. Ben, listening, shouts out "crew." "Crew?" Lynn says. "They practice at 5 a.m." Nicole agrees. Lynn tells him that they don't have to jump in the freezing cold water.

Felicity is waiting for the subway. In a voiceover, she reveals that she has decided to say no to Javier. "There's only one reason to get married and that's for love."

Javier is on the phone when Felicity arrives at work. She notices that he is upset. "What's wrong?" He tells her that Samuel, his boyfriend, can't transfer to Spain, since "only the bigshots go there." Felicity thinks about this for a moment, then realizes that she would be marrying him for love. She assures him that he's not going to get deported. "Because I'm gonna marry you." Javier tells her that she is an angel straight from heaven. He excitedly explains the yearlong process to get a green card.

Noel and his brother are in a bar. His brother orders dark beer on tap. The waitress asks Noel for ID. "He's actually my older brother... he's just got great skin," Ryan says. The waitress smiles and lets it go. Ryan tells Noel he has something big to tell him. Noel thinks it's about Amy, his girlfriend. He tells him that they broke up a year ago. "Turns out, I'm gay." Noel stares at him disbelievingly. "You're not gay." Noel tries to conceal his disappointment, but Ryan senses he is upset. "I guess I don't know you as well as I thought I did," Noel says.

Noel tells Felicity about Ryan. He tells her he thinks it's a phase. Felicity suggests that they talk about it over dinner. Noel suddenly realizes that he never asked Felicity about Javier. "How'd Javier take it when you told him no?" She tells him she sort of told him yes. "This day just keeps getting better," Noel says.

Meghan is unpeeling a tattoo onto her leg when Javier stops by. He tells her that he's Felicity's fiance. "Fiance... you have the wrong Felicity. Wait, is she knocked up?" "I think you've got the wrong Felicity," Javier replies. Felicity enters, dressed in a robe. Meghan asks how much he's paying her. Felicity tells her that she's doing it to help him out. "Everytime I think I've got you pegged, you do something completely bitchin'!" Meghan says. "Are you buying her a car?" Javier pulls out a little box. Meghan leaves. "I'll leave you two lovebirds alone." Felicity goes for the ring, and Javier snaps the box shut. "I saw that in Pretty Woman." They both laugh.

Ben is opening his mailbox when Nicole and Lynn walk by. Nicole recognizes him and stops. "You're trying out for the swim team, right?" He tells her he's thinking about it. She asks which event. Lynn comes over and tries to figure out how he knows Ben. Nicole introduces the two of them. Lynn tells Ben that he never forgets a face, is the "bomb" parallel parker, and makes one of the best Harvey Wallbangers in the city. "You've ever been to Epstein Bar?" Ben says no. Lynn says to come by some time. "Too bad I don't have a car, then you could parallel park it for me," Ben says.

At Dean & Delucca, Felicity comes out of the restroom dressed in a fancy maroon suit she borrowed from Elena. She and Javier discuss their visit with the lawyer. "You think they're going to buy the 'in love' part?" Felicity asks. "Because you don't seem.....you know, well, exactly straight." She tells him she doesn't mean that in a bad way. Javier tells her he'll talk about football. Samuel calls, and Javier tells him the lawyer isn't there yet. "Such a dream boat," he tells Felicity.

Ryan finds Noel in the cafeteria, writing. Noel tells him he tried to call all day. He tells him he wanted to apologize for how he acted. He invites Ryan to the graphics exhibit. "Another thing about the way I acted last night...I really liked Amy," Noel says. He casually mentions that maybe they will get back together someday. Ryan then tells him about a guy he is seeing. "What?" He tells Noel that that Alex is flying in to meet them tonight.

Javier and Felicity are sitting down with the lawyer. Ben rushes up, and points out that he wears the hair net every day. Javier asks what's going on. "You're not from the board of health, are you." He quickly rips the hair net off. The lawyer asks how everything unfolded. Felicity begins to explain how she got her job. "I mean, how you two became romantically involved." Felicity makes up a story about how they became attracted to each other. "You know how it is." The lawyer starts writing things down as Felicity and Javier watch nervously. "And then there's football, right?" Felicity says. The lawyer, who isn't fooled, explains the serious consequences of their actions: fines and a possible prison term.

Javier is in the storeroom, drinking Tequila. "Thank God for Consuela's dirty little secret." Felicity asks how he thinks it went. "She bought it hook, line and fish." She asks him to stop with the tequila. He tells her to sleep on it, explaining that she doesn't have to do it if she doesn't want to.

Ben is practicing at the pool. He looks up and checks his time.

Ben and Julie are at the bar, while Lynn mixes a drink behind the counter. "So all these people are trying out for the swim team?" Julie asks. "And you're not?" Ben tells her he's better off that way, not having practices or coaches on his case. Nicole sees them and Ben introduces her to Julie. Lynn suddenly remembers how he knows Ben: from the track team. "I was there the day you tried out and you didn't make it. Am I right?" Ben says yes. Lynn suggests that he try intramurals. Ben announces that he's trying out for the actual swim team. He and Julie abruptly head out.

Felicity, Noel, Alex and Ryan are having dinner. Ryan asks how long he and Felicity have been going out. "3 months," Noel says. Alex tells them they've been dating for ten months. Ryan informs them that they will be having a commitment ceremony at their one year anniversary. "Isn't this all happening a little too fast?" Noel asks, upset. Ryan tells him it's because he's finding out everything at once. "You never trusted me enough to tell the truth," Noel says. "It's not about trusting you..." Alex says. Noel snaps at Alex. Both he and Ryan end up leaving the table. Felicity tells Alex that she's going to marry a gay guy too. [insert loud laughter from Jen's sister's room]

At work, Javier tells Felicity that he can't marry her, and that Samuel will be transferring to Spain. "That's so romantic," Felicity says. "Like one of those Harlequin romances. My hair flowing on the cover..." Javier jokes.

Ben is rushing out the door to his swim team tryouts. "I can't believe that guy at the bar last night," Julie tells him. She asks if he wants her to come. "You never told me you didn't make the track team." Ben explains how everyone has something that they're good at, except him. "You've got your music, Sean's got his lame ideas..." He tells her that swimming is all that matters right now. They kiss.

Javier carries a large basket to Felicity's room, but finds Noel there instead. "How are you?" "I'm crazed and insane." "That's good," Javier says. He asks if it's okay if he leaves the basket in her room. "It's a small token of my gratitude." Javier tells Noel how many people are unsupportive of him and Samuel, and that it's important to support the ones you love. "I haven't been that supportive," Noel says. "Well then, no muffins for you."

Ben and Lynn try out for the team. They both end up making it. Julie smiles at Ben from the sidelines.

Noel is explaining his art work to someone when Felicity comes by the exhibit. He sees her and stops what he's doing. He mentions the muffins, and tells her that her actions were very sweet and "Felicity." He then excuses himself and goes to call Ryan. He sees his brother outside the exhibit. "I never thought that by being honest I might lose my family," Ryan tells him. Noel assures him that that will never happen.

Music: The Shirelle's "Baby it's you" The gang throws a farewell party for Javier at Dean & Delucca. Felicity offers the ring back to Javier but he tells her to keep it. He and Felicity hug, then he and Samuel leave together in a taxi. Noel and Felicity watch through the window.