(Fred is clutching a ticket in her hands as she is sitting on a bench next to an elderly homeless man.)

FRED: I can do this. Sure I can. I can just get right up on that bus and be a whole new person - like origami - or plastic. Move some place I've never been with no money, no friends, no job. Easy as pie. 3.14 159265...

(The homeless guy gets up and moves away.)

FRED: Oh, hey, I was just calculating pi - to relax. I'm not dangerous. I could go to Vegas. Learn to play Black Jack. Memorize four hundred fifty two consecutive digits of pi a few hundred measly cards are easy. Nine, ten, Jack. (looks over and sees her parents talking to one of the clerks) Queen, King. No!

TRISH: Fred?

FRED: No, you're not here! Go away!

TRISH: Fred, honey, it's us!

FRED: No. You're not them. You can't be them, because they don't know.

ROGER: Sweetie, it's mom and dad.

FRED: Shh! Stop saying that. You *can't* be!

TRISH: Honey, don't you remember us?

FRED: I was - I was five years and so lost and, and at night I would... I was all by myself and you weren't there!

(Fred starts to cry.)

ROGER: Fred, I don't understand.

FRED: I got lost. I got lost, and they did terrible things to me, but, but it was just a storybook. It was just a story with monsters, not real. Not in the world but - but if you're here and you see me then - then it's real! And it did happen. If you see what they made of me... I - I didn't mean to get so lost!

TRISH: Oh, honey, it doesn't matter what they did to you.

FRED: Mommy.

TRISH: Oh, we're gonna make it all right.

FRED: I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I got so lost.

ROGER: It don't matter. You're our little girl.

FRED: I missed you so much. I didn't mean to...

TRISH: Shh...

ROGER: Everything's okay now. You'll see. You're safe now.

(Suddenly a big demon insect drops from the ceiling)

• Fred's Pylea-induced craziness

written by: Mere Smith; Original transcript anonymous. Edited and formatted for this site by me.. Full transcript at:
http://www.buffyworld.com/angel/season3/transcripts/49_tran.shtml