INT. PARENTS' HOUSE - DAN'S OLD BEDROOM - DAY Muffled sounds of a FAMILY GATHERING drift up from downstairs. DAN, tall and casually dressed, thumbs through a book casually, the door ajar. Footsteps approach, and JEANNINE pops her head in, her dark hair choppy, eyes lined with black, a smirk on her lips. JEANNINE Hey, mind if I come in? Dan looks up, gives a casual shrug. DAN Sure, why not? Mom's been on my case to 'catch up with the family' anyway. Jeannine enters the room, a silver pendant swinging lightly from her neck. She sits cross-legged in front of Dan, excitement barely contained in her voice. JEANNINE So, hear me out on this -- I've been learning something super cool. Hypnosis. Dan lets out a snicker, closing his book with a nonchalance that doesn't quite mask his curiosity. DAN Come on, Jeannine. You can't seriously believe that stuff works? JEANNINE (playfully defiant) Oh ye of little faith. Let me try it on you, and if it works, you owe me one. If not, you get bragging rights forever. Deal? Dan looks at her, still not convinced but figuring there's no harm to indulge her. He smirks. DAN Deal. For five minutes of my time, I'm good for it. Jeannine beams with a confidence that Dan finds unexpectedly disarming. She instructs him to get comfortable and to focus on her pendant. JEANNINE Just focus on the pendant, and listen to my voice... let everything else fade away... To his shock, Jeannine's voice is soothing, her pattern of speech rhythmic and captivating. As he watches the pendant swing, Dan's smirk gradually fades. His eyelids start to flutter; he's unwinding without realizing it. JEANNINE (CONT'D) With every swing, you're feeling more and more relaxed. Each time it moves, it's like a wave of calm washes over you. The room grows quiet, save for the cadence of her words. Surprised, Dan finds himself slipping deeper than he expected, the world narrowing to her voice, the pendant. JEANNINE (CONT'D) Now, when I snap my fingers, you're going to feel your eyes closing easily... naturally... SNAP! His eyes shutter like curtains at the end of a long day. The outside world, his earlier skepticism -- it all melts away. DAN (barely a whisper) ...Jeannine... She watches him, pride swelling as she realizes she has done it; he's under her guidance now. Careful not to let the power get away from her, she continues, her voice steady. JEANNINE You're enjoying this feeling, aren't you? Letting go is peaceful... And you'll find that each time you're hypnotized, it's easier to reach this tranquil state. Dan's head droops slightly in affirmation, his breathing deep and even. JEANNINE (CONT'D) (gently) And when I count to three and snap my fingers, you'll wake up, feeling refreshed and ready to enjoy the rest of your day. You'll carry this feeling with you, and each time we do this in the future, it will be just as easy -- no, even easier -- to enter this peaceful state. One... two... three. SNAP! Dan blinks awake, looks around as if he's seeing the room for the first time in years. He shakes his head, amazed and a bit disoriented. DAN Woah... I... That was... JEANNINE (grinning) Magical? I told you it was super cool. So, I guess I don't owe you bragging rights? Dan is lost for words, his playful skepticism transformed into genuine awe and respect. DAN (shaking his head) No... I guess it's my round to be shocked. Okay, when can I schedule my next appointment, Dr. Jeannine? They both laugh, the sound mingling with the continued cheeriness from downstairs. Dan is left to wonder just how much more there is to discover in the quiet corners of the family home. FADE OUT.