Archer's Voice

Bree walks out to her car after her shift at the diner and Archer is waiting for her. He expresses an interest in spending more time with Bree. Bree asks if they can have their cooking lesson tonight. Archer agrees, and Bree offers to drive him home. Archer looks distrustfully at the car and refuses the ride. Bree doesn’t understand his hesitation and drives home.

Bree and her dog, Phoebe, ride to Archer’s place. Bree asks Archer how old he is and he has to think about it. He says that he is 23 and explains that Uncle Nate never celebrated birthdays. Bree expresses pity, but Archer is indifferent about it. Archer asks Bree if she wanted him to kiss her yesterday. Bree realizes how inexperienced Archer is with intimacy and tells him “yes.” They kiss and Bree feels happiness and relief. Archer continues to kiss Bree, becoming aroused. Bree and Archer kiss and both reach orgasm. After, Archer is confused and asks Bree if what happened is normal when kissing. She assures him that it is normal, and they spend a happy evening together kissing and cooking the steaks.

While eating their dinner, Bree asks Archer about Victoria Hale. Archer explains that, when Uncle Nate was near death, he told Archer that after Archer was shot there was a chance that his voice could be saved with a surgery. Victoria manipulated Nate’s paranoia and convinced him to cancel the surgery so that Archer would not be able to talk if he was captured. Archer says that Victoria came to see him after Uncle Nate died, but he threw her out of his house.

Bree is awoken by a phone call at 4:30am. Maggie asks if Bree can come in and cook at the diner since Norm is ill. Bree agrees and quickly adjusts to work in the kitchen. She has happy memories of cooking in her father’s deli and makes some new salads for the diner, which are a big hit.

Travis comes to see Bree at the diner and asks if she really is seeing Archer romantically. Bree tells him that it is true and that she has deep, genuine feelings for Archer. Although disappointed, Travis wishes them the best. Travis admits that he wishes that he had been kinder to Archer. Bree says that Archer would like it if Travis made that effort.

Bree goes to Archer’s house, and they fool around. Bree teaches Archer how to touch her and is patient with his inexperience with intimacy. She wants to push things further, but she knows that Archer is not ready.

Later in the evening, Bree mentions having seen Travis. She asks Archer to give Travis a chance. Archer hesitantly agrees.

Archer feels happy being with Bree. While he is working around the house, Travis comes to visit Archer. Travis seems impressed by and even jealous of Archer’s good looks. Travis invites Archer to hang out with him and his friends on the other side of the lake. Archer, thinking of how Bree wanted him to get to know Travis, agrees. Bree is excited when she hears that Archer and Travis are spending time together.

Travis picks Archer up and Archer, upon getting in the truck, thinks about how the last time he rode in a vehicle was the day of his accident. Travis takes Archer to a strip club and Archer is unsure and confused. Travis tells Archer that he kissed Bree and Archer feels rage. Archer drinks until he his intoxicated. Travis explains that he brought Archer here so that he can be more experienced when he and Bree go all the way. Travis pays Archer’s high school crush, Amber, who now works as an erotic dancer, to give him a lap dance. Amber takes Archer to a backroom and explains that Travis paid her extra to sleep with Archer. Archer is unable to speak and ask to leave. He feels helpless and out of control.

Travis dumps Archer off in front of Bree’s house that night. Bree goes out to help Archer, and he is drunk. Bree sees a hickey on Archer’s neck. She drives Archer home and Archer apologizes. Bree, feeling deeply hurt, tells Archer to “just go.” The next day at the diner, Bree is miserable with hurt. Amanda (Mandy) Wright introduces herself to Bree and explains that she was best friends with Archer’s mother, Alyssa. Amanda explains that she thinks that Victoria Hale had something to do with the accident that killed Alyssa, Connor, and Marcus. She also tells Bree that she thinks that Marcus drugged Alyssa’s drink when they were at a party and slept with her, resulting in the pregnancy (which was miscarried) that led to the marriage of Marcus and Alyssa. Amanda says that she wishes she had been in Archer’s life more and is going to make an effort to visit him.

A couple of days later, Bree sees Travis outside the diner. Enraged by the sight of him, Bree slaps Travis in the face. She yells at him that he should have looked after Archer and taken care of him. Travis points out that Archer is an adult who makes his own decisions. Travis asks Bree if she wants to be with someone she always has to take care of.

Later that night, Bree tries to relax and fights flashbacks of her trauma. She hears a knock on the door and Archer is outside. She lets him in and Archer apologizes once more. Archer gives Bree details of his experience and Bree realizes that he did not have sex with Amber. Bree is relieved but explains to Archer that this type of infidelity is unacceptable to her. Bree then apologizes for pushing Archer to hang out with Travis when it made him uncomfortable. She claims that she will not make Archer “her project” and not rush him into anything for which he is not ready.

Bree and Archer have sex for the first time and Bree teaches Archer about birth control. A storm rages outside and Bree says that storms will no longer make her think of her father’s murder, but rather her love for Archer. Both fall asleep, elated by their romantic reunion. 

Bree and Archer spend the next few days together, creating a routine and making love. Eventually Archer asks Bree if she will stay with him in Pelion. She says that she will stay. Bree tries to teach Archer how to drive. While out on a country road, Archer pulls over and the two become passionately intimate. As Bree reaches climax there is a tapping on the car window. It is Travis who was investigating the report of an abandoned car. Archer smirks and Bree sheepishly apologizes. Travis explains that Archer cannot drive without a permit. Bree drives Archer home, noticing that he is quietly gloating.

The next day at the diner, Archer comes to visit Bree. The people in the diner are surprised to see Archer clean shaven and willing to interact with them. Archer sits at the counter with Liza and Melanie and orders a coffee. Maggie tells him that his mother used to bring him to the diner when he was a child. Bree is elated that Archer is making friends and being part of the Pelion community. When Archer and Bree leave the diner together, they see Victoria and kiss in front of her. Victoria seems upset, but Bree doesn’t care.

Later that night Bree asks Archer to tell her about the accident. Archer explains that going to the diner that day was the first time that he has felt normal. He does not want to talk about his trauma and just wants to enjoy his day with Bree. Bree understands and doesn’t push him.