Adult Dean: After sharing his experience with us, it seemed like Bruce was finally getting back to being himself.
Dean: Is this your friend Brian?
Bruce: Yeah, that's him and his little sister. He always kept it in his pocket, just like I kept a picture of me, you, and Kim. I'm sending these things over to his folks.
Adult Dean: Looking at that picture of Brian and his sister, I felt a connection to them, too.
Dean: She's very pretty. What's her name?
Bruce: Gwendolyn. But he called her Winnie.

Bruce: [to Dean] The army taught me how to kill a man in his sleep without making a sound.

Bruce: I did something earlier today, but I realize there's something that I probably should've told you guys before.
Bill: Whatever it is, you can tell us now.
Bruce: It was late, pitch black. We were on patrol, ready to head back, when out of nowhere, we started taking fire. We were pinned down. I called for retreat and started pulling my men off the line. I could see that we had three men down already, so my friend Brian and I went back to get them. And we were able to pull them back to safety, but we were still under fire, and I guess that's when I got hit. I called out to see if Brian was okay, but he didn't respond. I was hurt, and I couldn't stay there... I couldn't stay there and put my men in any more danger. On the battlefield, you only have a second to make a decision.
Bill: Sounds like you really earned that Bronze Star.
Bruce: That's what they, uh, say in the write-up that you asked about. They call me some hero. I can't even finish reading it. I should've been able to save my friend.
Adult Dean: We all wanted to tell him that he did the right thing and he could've died, but none of us could come up with the words that would make him feel better.
Bruce: And I guess, in some way... I was rushing things with Tammy, because after everything that happened over there, I... Brian... he won't get a chance to get married. He won't get a chance to have kids.
Lillian: I'm so sorry about your friend, son.
Bruce: Those medals, they're not for us. They're for everybody else.
Bill: Son... you didn't get that star for what you did over there. You got it for who you were before you went.
Bruce: We always said that if anything ever happened to one of us, we would write to the other one's family. But... I don't know. I felt so guilty, I couldn't even bring myself to do it.
Lillian: Try. If the situation were reversed, I'd want to hear from Brian.

Bruce: And don't worry, I won't be asking for any handouts... except can I borrow the car to meet up with Tammy?
Bill: Uh-huh.
Lillian: Son, just make sure you're back before midnight, baby.
Coach Long: What? Y'all still got this boy on curfew?
Bruce: Nah, it's... it's okay, Mr. Long. Midnight's fine. In Vietnam, we were in our jammies by then, so... [laughter]

Lillian: Good luck.
Bill: Remember, firm handshake, look him in the eyes.
Bruce: Okay, Dad, I handled an M55 howitzer. I think I can handle a job interview.

Bruce: [scoffs] Mama, more treats? They were able to save my arm, but all this sugar's gonna make them cut off my foot.

Dean: I totally dig it.
Bruce: Mm-hmm. It's the perfect place to sit and look at stars. You know, if one of us had a telescope. [chuckles]
Dean: Yeah. If.
Bruce: Oh, you see that constellation right there? That one's called Cassiopeia. You can see it from where I'm stationed in Vietnam. When I look up at it every night, I'll always be thinking of you. And you can think of me, too, when you see it from here.
Adult Dean: I guess the war did change my brother... in some ways. But not in the ways I had feared. And not in the ways that really mattered. He was still the kind of guy who would spend Christmas Eve freezing his butt off in the treehouse with his little brother.
Dean: Where's Santa? He's late.
Bruce: Hmm. Maybe he really is Black. [both laugh]

Tammy: I'm so sorry, guys. I don't... [sighs] I don't know what's gotten into him. He's not usually like this.
Bill: More importantly, when were you planning on telling us you were awarded the Bronze Star?
Bruce: It's, uh... It's not a big deal.
Bill: It's a huge deal. They only give it out for heroic action in combat. They do a write-up about it and everything. What's it doing inside your drawer in your room?
Lillian: Heroic action? Was that from when you got hurt?
Bruce: [scoffs] Mama, they pass those things out all the time.
Bill: The hell they do. Why you downplaying it?
Bruce: 'Cause it's getting late, and Tammy needs to take Joey home.

Dean: I have a confession to make, too.
Bruce: I know you saw me at Tammy's. You barely cleared the hill by the time I came out the front door. Now that we worked on your bunting, next is teaching you to pedal faster. [laughter]

Bill: We're disappointed in you, son.
Lillian: Especially since you've been acting so grown up around here.
Bruce: I'm not acting. I am grown up.
Lillian: I'm sure you feel that way, but you're not even 21 yet.
Bruce: [sighs] I've been on my own for two years now. Nobody was checking up for me in Vietnam. Golly.
Bill: That's true, but you're back in our house now and you've got to follow our rules.
Lillian: Not to mention, you have a younger brother and sister who look up to you. How would you feel if Kim were up all hours of the night, creeping in and out the house?
Adult Dean: Actually, she was. They just didn't know it... yet.
Bruce: Well, this isn't working for me.
Lillian: Excuse me? You're working on getting grounded.
Bruce: You can't ground me. You got to stop treating me like a kid.
Bill: You realize you're saying that while eating cereal that turns the milk purple.
[As Dean chuckles, Bruce jumps at him, causing Dean to fall from his chair]