Teaser

Previously on Angel...
Cordy on the phone.
CORDELIA: I have a roommate. It's cool, I never see him. He's a ghost.
Car driving into the portal.
WESLEY: We're being sucked into the portal.
Cordy on the throne in Pylea.
CORDELIA: They made me ruler.
Angel fighting a demon in the cave while Fred watches.
FRED: Handsome man ... saved me from the monsters.
Darla in the Wolfram & Hart offices.
DARLA: He's here.
LINDSEY: Angel.
DARLA: I'd love to see that boy.
Angel pushing Darla through the glass door.
Angel and Darla in bed kissing, removing each other's clothes.
Angel sitting up in bed gasping.
Angel and Darla fighting.
ANGEL: Get dressed and get out. Because the next time I see you, I will have to kill you.

Open on a shot of L.A., day. Pan across the skyline. Cut to exterior of the Hyperion. Cut to inside. Pan up to the second-level balcony. Shot down a hallway. At the other end, a head peeks around the corner.

Cut to closer shot of Fred looking nervously down the hall. Sound of a gate opening.

CORDELIA: (O.S.) I understand people who drink too much...

Fred looks alarmed, pulls back the way she came.

Cut to downstairs, exterior courtyard. Cordy, Gunn, and Wesley enter from outside.

CORDELIA: I understand people who leave a little note on the parking meter that says it's broken when it's not. I don't understand people who worship demons.
GUNN: Yeah, especially a lur-ite demon. The stink on that thing. You a prince of the underworld, bro, take a jacuzzi once in a while.

Cordy laughs. They enter the lobby and we see they are dirty and rumpled from fighting.

WESLEY: It's sad. The only way some people can find a purpose in life is by become obsessed with demons.

Cordy sits on the sofa as Gunn opens the weapons cabinet and Wesley puts down a bag. Gunn gives Wesley a rag and they both begin cleaning their weapons.

WESLEY: By the way, Gunn, technically that wasn't a lur-ite, it was a mur-ite. A subspecies of the lur-ite. The male sports a small telltale fin just behind the third shoulder. (points to his shoulder)
GUNN: Sure glad to know we're not the sad people obsessed with demons.

Cordy takes out a small mirror and checks her hair.

WESLEY: Well, we have to be a little obsessed, we're detectives who specialize in these things.
CORDELIA: (still looking in mirror and playing with her hair) But ... we're not sad.
WESLEY: (putting away weapon in the cabinet) No, no, we're a happy and rambunctious lot if I ever saw one.

Gunn gives him a skeptical look.

WESLEY: Not going to humor me even a little, are you.
CORDELIA: Uh-uh.

Cordy lies down on the sofa and stretches out.

WESLEY: I realize we sacrifice a great deal of our ... social lives, but we have to. Work demands it.
GUNN: True. I mean, who's got time for love when you're out there doin' it with the demons? (Wesley gives him a look) Didn't that come out sad and wrong.
CORDELIA: Yeah. (Wesley resumes cleaning weapons)
GUNN: I need to get out more. Speaking of, anybody talk to Fred lately? (both he and Wes look up at balcony)
CORDELIA: Not talk. Glimpsed. She pokes her head out of her room once in a while.

Gunn sits on the stairs, removes his jacket.

WESLEY: Nice girl.
CORDELIA: Nice, but not making the giant strides towards mental health. (sits up) She's been hibernating up there for three months now.
WESLEY: Ever since Angel went away. She's become quite attached to him.
GUNN: Angel groupie. I get that. He rescued her from Pylea.
CORDELIA: (sighs) I miss Pylea.
WESLEY: I would think you might. You were there a week, they made you queen. (Cordy smiles nostalgically) Fred was there five years, she was a slave, a runaway ... (leans against the counter) ...they nearly chopped her head off. (looks up at the balcony) All those years she spend hiding out alone in that cave.
GUNN: She survived. Girl's strong.
CORDELIA: Girl's trading one cave for another. How strong is that?

Cordy gets up, walks behind the counter.

WESLEY: When Angel comes back...
GUNN: When is he gettin' back, anyway?
CORDELIA: As soon as he works through his grief a little.
GUNN: A little? Buff-
CORDELIA: Don't! ...say the B-word.
GUNN: The "B" word was the love of his life. And he's what, two hundred and fifty? That ain't no short life. This grief-work's gonna take more than a vacation in Sri Lanka.
WESLEY: It isn't a vacation, it's a spiritual retreat, at a monastery.
GUNN: Hmm. Angel and a buncha monks in the middle of nowhere. There's a party. He shoulda got hammered and gone to Vegas like I told him.
WESLEY: He doesn't need a lap dance, he needs some peace and quiet to work through this.

Cut to: a monk in a red costume whirling a large weapon and running toward the camera with a snarl of anger.

Cut out to reveal Angel in the middle of a large open room, carrying on a battle with a number of monks all in red. Angel wears white, has a few cuts on his back and chest where his shirt is ripped and blood stains the shirt. He takes a staff from one of the monks and uses it to defeat several of them.

The fight continues for a moment. Cut out to a shot of a monastery sitting on a hill. Fight noises continue.

Cut back to the fight. One of the monks hits Angel with the staff and he stumbles back against a pillar. He falls to the floor, rolls over as the monk tries to stake him with the staff. Angel grabs the staff and uses it to throw the monk against a pillar.

Another monk does some flips over Angel and then another one attacks him with another staff. Angel jumps up, grabs the bottom of an overhanging balcony, kicks the monks, swings himself up onto the balcony where another monk attacks him with a large sword. He punches the monk, jumps over the balcony railing, throws the monk through the railing to the floor below, then jumps down after him.

Flash-cut to exterior shot of the monastery doors. A couple of monks wearing a different costume (real monks this time) are waiting when Angel opens the door. On the floor inside we can see many of the red-costumed monks lying around.

One of the monks speaks to Angel in Tibetan with subtitles.

MONK: [Tibetan] What happened?
ANGEL: [Tibetan] Demon monks. Shoulda gone to Vegas.

The monk frowns in confusion. Angel pats him on the shoulder and walks off. Lingering shot of the floor covered with dead demon monks.

Angel's theme plays. Amy Acker (Fred) is shown as a new castmember.

Special Guest Star: Julie Benz. Guest starring Andy Hallett, Ron Melendez, Kate Norby, and Keith Szarabajka. Written and directed by David Greenwalt.

---

Act I

---

Open on exterior shot of the Hyperion. Cut to inside. Cordy enters from the back hallway, carrying several mouse traps.

CORDELIA: So, whose turn is it to set the traps?

We see Wesley practicing moves with a curved dagger, Gunn in the background sitting on the sofa reading a book.

WES/GUNN: (unison) His.

CORDELIA: (tsks) You guys amaze me. You'll fight hell beasts but you're scared of rats. (crosses to cellar)
GUNN: Man, I hate rats. Their little beady eyes...
WESLEY: And their beady teeth...
GUNN: ...and their little tails all (makes whooshing noises, wiggles his butt)

Wesley chops a piece of the plant off with his weapon.

CORDY: (begins walking toward basement door) Well, aren't you two just the biggest scaredies I ever s - AAH!

Cordy opens the basement door and screams, dropping the mousetraps and putting hands to her face. Wes and Gunn look over.

Angel steps out from basement smiling. Cordy takes hands from face and smiles.

CORDELIA: (hugs him) You're back.

Wes and Gunn hurry over. We see Angel has a bag over his shoulder.

CORDELIA: You guys, he's back!
ANGEL: Wesley.

Wes and Angel hug each other tightly.

WESLEY: Welcome home!

Wes steps aside and Gunn hugs Angel too.

GUNN: Hey, whassup, man?

They all begin to walk back into the lobby.

CORDELIA: So, I hope you had a good retreat, all peaceful and meditate-y?
ANGEL: It was all right, you know, until the monks turned out to be life-sucking Shur-hod demons.
WESLEY: Oh.
GUNN: (like "I told you so") Vegas.
ANGEL: (chuckles) Yeah.
CORDELIA: Well the point is, you worked on things. (Angel digging into his bag) It wasn't like a holiday where you'd come back home, to your friends, you know, with ... some ... small mementos of your trip...
ANGEL: Fishing for gifts?
CORDELIA: Yes!

Angel hands her something. It's a shrunken head.

CORDELIA: Oh! (dubiously) A small ... human head.

Angel takes it back from her, tosses it to Gunn with apologetic look.

GUNN: Cool!

Angel holds up a necklace to Cordy. She gasps, takes it. Angel smiles.

CORDELIA: Oh, my gosh, it's gorgeous!

She holds it up around her neck.

CORDELIA: And look how it brings out my breasts!

The guys all give her a look.

CORDELIA: You know you were all thinkin' it. (giggles) Thank you.

Angel gives something to Wesley. Looks like a dagger in a sheath.

WESLEY: (excited) Sixteenth century! (removes dagger from sheath, gasps) Angel, Murshan dynasty? (grins) I've always wanted one of these! I didn't think you -

Wes swishes the dagger in the air, making both Angel and Gunn lean back out of the way.

WESLEY: Oh, I can't wait to kill something with it! (to Cordy) Any visions brewing?

Cordy gives him a dirty look, still fiddling with the clasp on her necklace.

Angel looks around, looks up at the balcony.
ANGEL: Place looks good. How's Fred?
CORDELIA: Uh ... Good.

While Angel's back is to them, Cordy taps Gunn and Wes and makes a throat-cutting gesture.

CORDELIA: She's doing well.
ANGEL: Hasn't come out of her room yet, huh.
CORDELIA: Not what you'd call frequently. Well, we send up a lot of tacos.
ANGEL: I'll settle in and check on her, then you guys can bring me up to date. (turns back to look at them, pauses, smiles) It's really good to see you guys.

He turns to go upstairs. Gunn continues admiring his gift.

GUNN: Thanks for the head, bro.
WESLEY: (softly) He seems better than when he left.

Shot of Cordy watching Angel go, looking concerned.
CORDELIA: (unconvinced) Uh-huh.

Cut to L.A. skyline. Day fades to night, the sky darkens and lights come on in the windows.

Cut to a room, wall covered with mathematical symbols. Pan across the wall to Fred who is writing the word "listen" over and over on a patch of wall, muttering to herself.

Knock on the door. Fred turns.

FRED: (yells) Oh ... hi, how are ya? I'm just fine, doin' real good here, no need to worry about me but thanks for checking!
ANGEL: (O.S.) It's me, Fred.
FRED: (excited) Oh ... Angel.

She takes off her glasses, scurries to the door, opens it, revealing Angel.

FRED: Hey! Hey, you're ... well, hey there! I-

She moves as if to hug him, stops herself.

FRED: It's good to - did you have a nice - oh ... (hurries back into her room) here, let me make some room.

She sweeps some stuff off a chair onto the floor.

ANGEL: I can't come in.
FRED: (embarrassed) 'Course not, you're worn from your trip, you go rest, we'll catch up later when you're- (moves to shut the door)
ANGEL: No, Fred, I want to talk to you, I just can't come in unless you-
FRED: -I invite you! (slaps forehead) Instead of being rude. Oh, come in, come in.

Angel enters, smiles at her, looks around at the walls.

Pan across the walls which are almost completely covered with writing.
FRED: (closes door) It's just a smidge of vampire in you far as I'm concerned. But the universe has rules. (goes past Angel toward the walls) I'm a big believer in rules and theorems, formulas...
ANGEL: (still looking at walls) I get that.
FRED: Aphorisms leave me a little dry.
ANGEL: (smiles at her) How are you?
FRED: (fidgeting, embarrassed) Yeah, good. (turns away, walks over to the wall) Everything's pretty much like when you ... you know, went away on your trip.
ANGEL: Sorry I left so suddenly, I just...
FRED: Hey, no, you had things you had to take care of, and ... it's not like I need a babysitter or ... you're stickin' around now, right?
ANGEL: Yeah, I am.
FRED: (smiles happily) Oh ... good.

Angel looks over her shoulder at the writing.

ANGEL: "Listen, listen" ... What are you listening for?
FRED: The click.

Angel just looks at her, nods.

FRED: (perches on a chair) When it all comes together and makes sense, there's like a click in your brain and you understand things again.
ANGEL: Well, what happens if you run out of wall space before you get the click?
FRED: I don't know.
ANGEL: Fred, you know, you spent...

He steps toward another chair, puts his foot on a plate of food on the floor, pauses. Fred looks embarrassed. Angel shakes it off, moves the chair closer to her and sits.

ANGEL: ...five years in a place where ... humans ... could only be slaves or fugitives. I know that wasn't a picnic for you. But you're home now. You're safe. (softly) You can come out of your room.

Fred looks away.

ANGEL: I know it's going to take some time.
FRED: (looks up) Time! I have a whole treatise on that.

She gets up, moves back to the wall, pen in hand. Angel sighs.

FRED: I seem to take a lot of it to do about anything these days.

She stands on a stool, begins writing quickly on the wall. Angel walks over to her.

ANGEL: Fred. Fred ... (reaches over, takes the pen away) Fred, you don't have to write absolutely everything down.
FRED: Oh, right. (nervous chuckle) God, I should write that down.
ANGEL: You just... (takes her shoulders, guides her down off the stool) need to take some small steps.

He pushes her glasses back up on her nose. She gazes up at him.

ANGEL: Hmm? Like, um... (walks to the door) coming downstairs and... (opens door) hanging with us for a while.

Fred looks a little scared.

ANGEL: What do you say? (walks backward out into the hallway) There's nothing to be scared of. You're safe here in the hotel.

Fred looks like she's about to believe him, and then we hear the sound of Cordy screaming. Angel starts.

ANGEL: You know, uh, hold that thought.

Angel rushes off while Fred stares in confusion and the screaming continues.

Cut to lobby, close shot of Cordy lying on the floor with hand to her forehead, shrieking in pain.

Longer shot from the balcony above. We see scattered pieces of mail around her. Pan up to the hallway above. Angel rounds the corner at a run, dashes down the stairs as Wes and Gunn appear from other directions.

The guys rush to Cordy and sit her up.

ANGEL: Easy, what, what is it, what do you see?
CORDELIA: Uh, bunch of vampires...

Flash to her vision. Dark room, vampires shoving people around, trashing the room.

CORDELIA: ...and they're crashing a party, they're killing people.
ANGEL: Where?

The vision shows us flyers and pennants on the floor.

CORDELIA: Wilson College. Bonner Hall.

Flash back to the hotel, Wes and Gunn are already moving.

Flash back to the vision, shot of a dorm door with the numbers 918.

CORDELIA: Room nine eighteen!
GUNN: (O.S.) 918.

The vision continues with a shot of a scared-looking girl, and then a blonde female vamp grabbing a young man and pulling him against her, stroking his chest.

CORDELIA: They're gonna take hostages. Watch out for the blonde, she's the worst!

We see that the blonde vamp has a heart-shaped pendant around her neck.

Cut back to the hotel.
ANGEL: You gonna be all right?
CORDELIA: Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine, go. Go!

Angel rushes out after the others. Cordy gives a little moan, grabs her head and lies down on the floor again, crying. We see one last flash of the blonde vamp.

Cut to the dorm room. Young men lie all around, bloody and unmoving. Gunn, Angel, and Wes enter, walk around looking at the victims.

Gunn leans down, picks up a flyer from the floor.

GUNN: So much for inviting everyone.
ANGEL: (looks around) Some of them are still alive.
WESLEY: (dials phone) There's been an accident. We need two, maybe three ambulances.

Angel looks around more, walks over to the window.

WESLEY: (O.S. ) ...Wilson College, Bonner Hall, room nine eighteen. Hurry.
ANGEL: They're heading east on Sixth Street. Take the car.
GUNN: What are you gonna do?

Angel turns back from the window and we see he's now in vamp face.
GUNN: Oh.

Angel leaps out the window. Cut to outside. Angel appears on the roof, jumps to a lower roof, jumps down.

Cut to: a convertible roaring down dark streets. Sound of laughing and cheering.

Cut closer. We see a male vamp driving and the female vamp (Elisabeth) in the passenger seat with the male hostage between them. In the backseat are two more male vamps and a female hostage. The driver reaches over and ruffles the young man's hair.

YOUNG MAN HOSTAGE: Please.
ELISABETH: Hmm?
YOUNG MAN HOSTAGE: Please don't hurt her.

Elisabeth looks at the girl in the back, turns back to the guy.

ELISABETH: You love her?

He nods. Elisabeth stops smiling.

ELISABETH: You'd do anything for her.

He nods again, looks scared.

ELISABETH: What if ... we just kill her and let you go? Hmm?

He looks conflicted, looks at her. Shot of the girl in the back looking scared.

ELISABETH: Hmm? Come on now, life's about making choices. You or her, what's it gonna be?
YOUNG MAN HOSTAGE: (tearfully) Her. T-take her ... god, I...
ELISABETH: (disgusted) Gee Bobby, you call that love? (strokes his neck) We get home... (pushes his head aside to reveal his neck) I'll show you what love is.

Suddenly something lands on the car. It's Angel. Everyone screams as he punches the driver in the face.

The car screeches to a stop as we see Wes and Gunn drive up behind it and stop also.

Angel punches one of the vamps in the back of the car as Wes and Gunn collect weapons.

Angel lifts the two hostages out of the car by the front of their shirts, holds them up in front of him. They stare at him in terror.

ANGEL: Run.

He puts them on the ground and shoves them away as Elisabeth stands up in the car and kicks Angel.

The vamps get out of the car and the fight begins. Gunn takes Elisabeth as Angel takes the driver and Wes gets roughed up by the others.

Angel has the driver pinned against the car when Elisabeth hits him from behind and he elbows her away.

Wes and Gunn stake their two vamps as Angel continues with the driver and Elisabeth continues to hit him from behind.

Angel lets go the driver and he runs off. Angel reaches behind him, grabs Elisabeth by the front of her shirt.

Closeup on the locket hanging on her chest as Angel's hand closes over it.

Angel swings her around in front of him and stakes her.

ELISABETH: Angelus?

She dusts. Angel looks at the locket in his hand, in surprise and recognition.

Blackout.

---

Act II

---

Open on a bathroom, night. Cordelia opens the door and enters, breathing heavily. She leans against the sink and looks at her reflection in the mirror.

The door closes on its own. Shot of the light switch flipping on.

CORDELIA: Oh, too bright, too bright.

The light switches back off and a smaller light comes on as Cordy puts her hair up in a knot.

CORDELIA: Oh, thank you, Dennis. (sighs, looks down at sink) How'd I ever live without a ghost? (sighs again, looks up) Okay.

She opens the medicine cabinet which is filled with pill bottles. She takes one out.

Shot of the stopper dropping into the bathtub. Shot of the faucets turning on. Water begins to pour into the tub.

CORDELIA: (pouring pills into her hand) Hot, really hot. Please.

She puts the pills in her mouth, drinks from a glass of water. We see the tub continuing to fill, soap bubbles piling up.

CORDELIA: Oh, these visions are killing me. It's getting worse every time.

She turns away from the mirror, leans against the sink for a moment still panting. Walks over to the tub, unbuttons her blouse. The camera follows the blouse as it falls to the floor. Then Dennis picks it up and hangs it on a hook as Cordy sighs.

Cut back to Cordy now lying in the tub. A loofah floats up and hovers in front of her face. It takes her a moment to notice it.

CORDELIA: Oh, Dennis, what would I do without you?

She sits up and sighs as Dennis begins scrubbing her back.

Sound of telephone ringing.

CORDELIA: (whines) No.

The phone continues ringing. Then the ringing morphs into the sound of bells ringing as we cut to a dark, ancient city street. A horse-drawn carriage goes by. Subtitle tells us this is "Marseilles - 1767."

We see that the carriage is actually a fire-truck carrying a bunch of firemen who yell ("Allons-y!") as they rush around a corner. In the distance we can see flickering light as from fire.

Sound of laughing. Reveal two couples in period costume. One of the men is whirling one of the women around, both laughing, as the other couple walks behind.

We see that the second couple is Angelus and Darla. The girl of the first couple is Elisabeth.

DARLA: Young love.
ANGELUS: I give it a century.

Angelus and Darla take the lead as the young man (James) puts Elisabeth down.

JAMES: A century? A mere hundred years?
ELISABETH: I would need a thousand to sketch the perfect plane of your face. (Angelus rolls his eyes)
JAMES: And I would need ten thousand just to name the color of your eyes.
ANGELUS: They're green, but take your time. In fact don't, we have a ship to catch. And Holtz may not be far behind.
ELISABETH: You know neither poetry nor love, Angelus.
DARLA: He knows other things. Marvelously vile and ripping things. (In background we see James spin Elisabeth around as they continue to walk) Didn't we eat a poet in Madrid?
ANGELUS: Troubadour.
JAMES: Everything's closed. (to Elisabeth) Pity, I want to spend some of the Count's gold on you.
ANGELUS: We'll need it for the voyage.
ELISABETH: The Count de Leon was a little rich for my blood. I'll be full for a week.
ANGELUS: The fire was excessive.
JAMES: Of course it was, we burnt his villa to the ground!
ELISABETH: We left a mark, made a statement.

Angelus stops walking, turns to face the younger vampires.

ANGELUS: Ahh, a statement, as in, here we are, Holtz, please hunt us down.
JAMES: Oh, who cares about Holtz?
DARLA: (steps close to James, pushes her folded fan into his chest) You would if you knew him. He's killed scores of us. Hunted Angelus and I across half of Europe. (to Angelus) God, if he follows us to Morocco, what then? The New World?
JAMES: I say we stay and fight the bastard.
ANGELUS: Yeah, but you're an idiot.
JAMES: I don't believe he's the most formidable vampire killer in the world. "None lives to tell the tale" and all. *You* lived to tell the tale.

Angelus and Darla gaze fondly into each other's eyes.

ELISABETH: I heard he trapped you both in a barn and- (to Darla) -you fled, leaving him to die.
JAMES: (uncertain, to Angel) It's not true.
ANGELUS: It's entirely true. (still gazing at Darla, who smiles) She hit me with a shovel, wished me luck, and rode off on our only horse.
DARLA (seductively) Life's full of surprises.
ANGELUS: Ah, life is boring. *You're* full of surprises.
DARLA Of course, when he finally did catch up to me in Vienna I had to pay for my sins. Again and again. (walks away)
ANGELUS: (watching her go, addresses James) Can you even begin to fathom the things we did? (with disdain) Of course not ... you're in love.

Angelus moves to follow Darla.

In background we see that Elisabeth has gone back to a building and is looking in the window. James goes over to her. Angelus and Darla stop, realizing the others aren't with them.

ANGELUS: Let's not dawdle, children.
ELISABETH: It's so pretty.

Shot of the heart-shaped locket on a display inside the shop window.

JAMES: No it's not.
ELISABETH: James!
JAMES: Not as pretty as it's going to be.

James smashes his hand through the glass, grabs the locket.

JAMES: When it's worn by the prettiest one of all.

He puts it around Elisabeth's neck as Angelus and Darla watch.

ELISABETH: I adore it! I'll never take it off.

James lifts her up and spins her around, both laughing, then they stop to kiss.

We see a few uniformed men walking toward them.

ANGELUS: (mutters to Darla) And this is where love gets ya.

The cops begin to shout in French. James and Elisabeth move back toward Angelus and Darla.

JAMES: Lisbeth, you and Darla get to the ship. We'll join you there.

They pause for another kiss as the cops come forward, calling out.

JAMES: Let's give 'em a rout, what do you say, Angelus?
ANGELUS: (as Elisabeth runs past him) I'd say you're an idiot, but I'd just be repeatin' myself.

James turns back toward the gendarmes as Elisabeth approaches an alley in the background. Angelus and Darla look at each other, he gestures with his head in the direction Elisabeth went. Darla follows Elisabeth.

JAMES: C'mon you bloody frogs, I broke the window and I'll break your skulls!

The gendarmes stop advancing. James turns to Angel, grins. We see the women going around the corner.

JAMES: See, all you have to do is stand up to them. (turns back toward the gendarmes, yells) What are you afraid of?

Sound of a horse whinnying and hooves pounding the ground. Zoom in on Angelus.

ANGELUS: Not us.

A bunch of men, some on horseback and some on foot, appear from all sides and surround them. Some of them have crossbows which they point at the two vampires. Angel looks unsurprised.

Zoom in on their leader, who sits on his horse, wearing a cowboy hat.

James looks a little less confident, moves closer to Angelus.

ANGELUS: (to James) Hope she treasures that locket.

Cut to: close shot of a hand holding the locket. Pan up to reveal Gunn staring raptly at Angel as Angel holds the locket and stares at it.

GUNN: Then what?
ANGEL: (distant) Huh?
GUNN: What happened with Holtz?

Pull out to reveal Cordy, Wes, Gunn, and Angel all leaning on the counter in the hotel lobby.

ANGEL: Oh, that's another story.
GUNN: We got time.
WESLEY: I'm not so sure we do.
CORDELIA: No, 'cause James and Elisabeth had the big forever love. If he's still around, and he finds out who killed her... (looks to Angel)
WESLEY: He's going to want revenge.
ANGEL: If he's still around, and if they're still in love. It was a long time ago.
CORDELIA: Yeah, two hundred plus years and the girl was still wearing the locket.
WESLEY: (moves away) Gunn and I'll hit the streets, see what our sources can tell us.
CORDELIA: (to Angel, proudly) Uh-huh, see? We have sources now.
ANGEL: Wow. You're almost like real detectives.
GUNN: Hey. (moves off with Wes)
ANGEL: Kidding. You should probably check it out. (looks at locket, pensively) James really lived for that girl.
CORDELIA: Yeah.

Cut to: the street where Angel killed Elisabeth, day. A tow truck is removing the vampires' crashed car. Pan past the tow operation to a metal grate behind which is a parking garage. In the shadows we see a figure standing.

Cut inside the parking garage. The figure is James, staring out at the street, looks like he's about to cry. Another guy comes up behind him -- the driver vamp who escaped from the fight. He walks up next to James.

VAMP: We did everything we could, but they were ... he was too much for us.
JAMES: Angelus.
VAMP: Yeah. One of our own hunting us down. It's sick.
JAMES: How is it possible? The Angelus I knew...
VAMP: He's not the same. Gypsies cursed him with a soul a hundred years ago or so. (scoffs) He's got a business here in L.A., he kills us for money!
JAMES: (watching the car get towed) She's gone.
VAMP: It was horrible. She was bringin' you two ripe and rosy humans and he just ... flew out of the sky and-
JAMES: And you ran.
VAMP: No! I fought. Until I saw it was hopeless. I thought you'd want to know how it happened, who did it.
JAMES: And now I do.
VAMP: (nods) You want to be alone.

He starts to walk away, but James grabs his arm.

JAMES: No. I want to die.

He pushes the other vamp into the patch of sunlight directly in front of them. The vamp bursts into flames, screaming, and then dusts. James scowls, turns and walks away.

Cut to: closeup of the locket in a hand. The locket is open revealing pictures of James and Elisabeth.

Cut out and we see Angel in the lobby, holding the locket, staring at it. In the background we see Cordelia doing paperwork at the counter.

Cordy turns toward Angel and starts to say something, changes her mind, goes back to the paperwork.

ANGEL: What?
CORDELIA: (startled) What?
ANGEL: What do you want to say?
CORDELIA: Uh, me? Nothing. What makes you think I want to -
ANGEL: Because I know you.
CORDELIA: (hesitates, then takes a few steps towards him) It's really none of my business.
ANGEL: (not turning) And that always stops you.
CORDELIA: Actually, it is my business. Our business. 'Cause we're trying to do a job here and what affects you affects me and ... anyway ... I don't like to see you suffer more than you have to. I don't think you should blame yourself, or feel guilty for her death.
ANGEL: I don't.
CORDELIA: (a little surprised) Good. Glad to hear it.

She starts back toward the counter.

ANGEL: I didn't even know who she was when I killed her.

Cordelia pauses, walks a few more steps toward him.

CORDELIA: Not her. Angel...
ANGEL: Oh. (closes locket, turns) You, you want to talk about-
CORDELIA: She was the love of your life and she died.

Beat. Angel sits down on the stairs. Cordy walks over to him.

CORDELIA: And ... you weren't there when it happened. (sighs, sits next to him) You couldn't help her fight. You couldn't save her. (pause) You couldn't die with her.

Angel just looks at her. Cordelia bites her lip. Slightly wider shot of the two of them sitting side-by-side.

CORDELIA: This is gonna be one of those talks where I do all the talking, isn't it? (shrugs) Well, I'm not going to pry, it's not my style.

She gets up, walks a few steps away, turns back immediately.

CORDELIA: Okay, it's totally my style, but I can tell I'm not getting anywhere right now. But you have to tell me one thing. You owe me this much!

Angel looks at her, a little apprehensive.

CORDELIA: What the hell happened with Holtz?

Cut back to the scene in Marseilles. Holtz gets off his horse and walks toward Angelus and James.

HOLTZ: Where is she?
ANGELUS: How's your health there then, Holtz? Mine's grand, thanks for asking.
HOLTZ: Where is she?
ANGELUS: (aside to James) He wants Darla. Bit of a thorn in his side, what she and 1 did to his family. (to Holtz) Tasty lot, especially the little ones. Your wife ... she kept repeatin' on us. 'Course you know, I repeated on her a few times meself. (growls slightly)

Holtz punches Angelus in the face. He stumbles backward and two of the other men catch him, hold him while Holtz punches him in the stomach.

Holtz takes a stake out of his pocket, puts it to Angelus's chin.

HOLTZ: There are worse things than death, Angelus. I can keep you alive for months, years if I've a mind to. Now... (moves the stake so that Angelus is forced to lift his chin higher) you are going to tell me where she is.
ANGELUS: Lord yes, I'm going to tell ya. Who's arguing? I don't want to suffer needlessly.

James looks shocked.

ANGELUS: (nods toward James) She's with his lass-
JAMES: Shut your mouth, you bloody coward!
ANGELUS: (to Holtz) He's in love, it's all very passionate and befuddlin'. Tell you what, how 'bout I give you him and the women...

Holtz looks interested. James can't believe it.
ANGELUS: They're down at the docks.
JAMES: I'll kill you!

James leaps on Angelus in anger. They grapple. The other men stand back, confused. Holtz grabs a crossbow and points it at them.

HOLTZ: Kill them!

A few men shoot arrows. Two of them hit Angel but he is able to get up onto one of the horses. James climbs up behind him.

HOLTZ: Stop them! Stop, [unintelligible] they're getting away! Fan out!

The horse gallops off as the men give chase.

Fade to: starry moonlit sky.
Fade to: another alley in the same area. It's quiet now. Angelus and James ride up into the alley and stop.

ANGELUS: (looking back) I think we lost 'em.

James pushes Angel so he falls off the horse, landing on the ground with a grunt.

JAMES: I'd kill you where you lay if I didn't have to get to Lisbeth.
ANGELUS: (lying on the ground) Excuse me, I'm laying here with numerous arrows in me saving your hide.
JAMES: (turning the horse around) I'll be sure and tell Darla the utter lack of concern you had for her.
ANGELUS: (calls) Buy her a hat, she loves hats.

Angelus gets painfully to his knees as James rides away.
ANGELUS: (to himself) Why are people always runnin' off and leavin' me? (pulls an arrow out of himself) Am I a bad bloke? I don't think so. Not once you get to know me.

He pulls another arrow out, gives an exclamation of pain.

ANGELUS: Ahhh! I'm gonna need a doctor.

He falls on his face, out of the shot.

Cut to: close shot of a door with a nameplate reading "Dr. Gregson, Private." The door bursts open and James enters the office behind it, followed by a nurse (Sandy).

SANDY: Wait a minute, you can't go in there, he's sloughing!

James stops inside the office and looks at the doctor, who is sitting behind the desk pulling an ugly brown covering off the skin of his face.

SANDY: Dr. Gregson, I tried to tell him-
DR. GREGSON: That's all right, Sandy.

He finishes removing the last piece of skin and drops it in a "Hazardous Materials" wastebasket beside the desk. He is now an ordinary-looking human man.

DR. GREGSON: (to James) I go through this every month, just like a woman.

James appears a little out of breath.

DR. GREGSON: So... (picks up a pair of glasses, puts them on) I gather this is a matter of some urgency.
JAMES: I need it.
DR. GREGSON: "It"?
JAMES: The cure.
DR. GREGSON: You're aware of the price? It's a steep one.
JAMES: (grimly) I've already paid it.

They stare at each other a moment. Sandy looks nervous.

DR. GREGSON: All right, then. Sandy, let's prepare the patient.

Cut to: James lying on an operating table, bare-chested. He is conscious. Dr. Gregson and Sandy stand beside him wearing rubber gloves. Sandy hands the doctor a scalpel.

DR. GREGSON: Now, James ... this shouldn't hurt...

He begins making an incision up the middle of James's chest. James makes faces to indicate it does hurt but he doesn't protest.

DR. GREGSON: ...too much.

Blackout.

---

Act III

---

Open on closeup of The Host, singing into a mike.
HOST: (sings) I left my heart ... in San Francisco...

Close shot of a sign reading "HAPPY HOUR SPECIAL - TWO DRINKS, ONE SONG, NO WAITING"

Pan up to the Host who we now see is sitting on a stool on the stage in Caritas.

HOST: (sings) High on a hill ... oh, it calls to me...

Pan across the room to reveal a bunch of assorted customers listening to the song. Many of them look like ordinary elderly people.

HOST: (sings) To be where the little cable cars ... climb halfway to the stars...

Pan further and we see Gunn by the bar. Wesley comes over to him.

GUNN: He said he got something?
WESLEY: That's what he said.
GUNN: When's he gonna show?
WESLEY: Any time now.

A demon at the table nearest them gives them a dirty look and waves his cane at them.

DEMON: You youngsters wanna button it up? I'm tryin' to enjoy the show here.

Closer shot of the demon, who is dressed like an old man and sounds like one too.

DEMON: See, that's real singin' there. That's real music.
GUNN: (grins) Okay, pops.
DEMON: (disgusted) What do you know?
HOST: (sings) When I come home to you ... (shots of the old people smiling) San Francisco ... your golden sun will shine for me!

The song wraps up. The audience applauds. The Host takes a bow.

Gunn and Wesley applaud too. Gunn sees someone come in, stops clapping, nudges Wes.

Merl the informant demon comes in, looking very nervous. He sits at the bar. Wes and Gunn flank him.

MERL: I'm not dealin' if the bloodsucker's around.
WESLEY: Angel's not here.
MERL: Good. He's always beatin' me up or hangin' me upside down ... and he never pays up like he's s'posed to.

Wesley takes out some money and puts it on the bar in front of Merl.

MERL: Jeez, I coulda made a livin' in Akron, I never woulda come back to this smog pit.
GUNN: Tick tock, Merl.
MERL: Yeah, well, this *thing* took a little more leg work than I estimated. The price is gonna change.
WESLEY: (deadpan) Really.
MERL: Yeah.
WESLEY: All right.

Wesley picks up one of the bills from the stack, puts it back in his pocket.

MERL: Hey.

Wes takes another bill.

MERL: Hey.

Wes reaches for a third but Merl stops him.
MERL: Hey hey hey hey!

Wes stops. Merl shakes his head.

MERL: This guy James you're lookin' for? He's alive, he's in town ... and he knows what Angel did to his heartthrob. He's out for blood.

Wesley looks over at Gunn, gives a little nod. Gunn turns away, pulls out a cell phone.
ANGEL VOICEOVER: Yeah, do that.

Cut to hotel lobby. Angel is on the phone.
ANGEL: (into phone) I'll cover this end. Thanks.

Angel hangs up as Cordelia comes up, having heard.

CORDELIA: What's up?
ANGEL: He's alive. Wes and Gunn are going to track him down.
CORDELIA: What if they can't?
ANGEL: Doesn't really matter, 'cause I know where he'll be headed.

He crosses to the weapons cabinet, opens it. Cordy follows him.

CORDELIA: Here. For you.
ANGEL: I want you to go home while it's still light out and stay there.
CORDELIA: No.
ANGEL: Yes.
CORDELIA: Mm-mm.
ANGEL: Where's my hurling ax? (gestures helplessly at the cabinet) This is all different.
CORDELIA: I moved some things to the cellar while you were gone. (he gives her an annoyed look) They were dust-catchers!
ANGEL: Go home.
CORDELIA: I'm sticking with you.

He looks at her, sighs and speaks a little more gently.

ANGEL: I appreciate your courage, but I don't want to see you get hurt.

He moves toward the cellar door. She follows.

CORDELIA: Well, I don't either! I go home, he'll come after me. (becoming agitated) Because I'm home alone and that's what they do, they come after you when you're alone. Oh sure, "Cordy, go home, be a hostage," with the torture (gasps for air) and the fear and the torture...
ANGEL: Cordy! Will you just once do what I tell you without arguing about everything, okay? Hurling ax, basement?

He again starts walking toward the basement door with Cordy following close behind.

CORDELIA: I'm not arguing! I just know I'd be a lot safer by your side rather than all alone at home -

Angel opens the basement door and James is standing there, in vamp face. Cordy gasps. James shoves Angel in the chest and he goes backward into the opposite wall. Cordy flees back toward the lobby.

JAMES: (quietly) Why'd you do it?

They exchange a few punches. James throws Angel toward the lobby and he slides across the floor, crashes into a wall. James advances on him.

JAMES: Because I had something you could never have?
ANGEL: (yells to Cordy in background) Get back!

James looks over at Cordy. Angel gets up and rushes him, but James kicks him back. They exchange a few more punches. Angel grabs James by the throat and pushes him against the wall.

Angle upward to the balcony above. Fred comes cautiously to the railing and looks down as fight noises continue.

FRED Angel? I thought I heard company. I came out of my room... (shot of Angel hearing her, but he can't see her from his angle) small steps, like you said.

Angle from Fred's POV down at the lobby. Angel comes into view, but we can't see James.

ANGEL: (yells to Fred) Go back to your room and stay there! (rejoins the fight)
FRED (confused) Oh. Okay then.

Fred goes back toward her room.

Angel and James continue fighting.

Cut back to Caritas. Merl is still talking to Gunn and Wes. The Host is behind the bar pouring drinks.

MERL: I don't know where he is now, but I know where he was earlier.
WESLEY: Where?
MERL: Doctor Gregson's.
GUNN: What kind of doctor is that?
HOST: A demon kind. A slod demon.
WESLEY: Slod demon? What's he do?
HOST: He's a collector.

Cut back to the hotel. Focus on the lobby telephone, which begins ringing, as the fight continues in the middle of the lobby. Cordelia is rummaging in the weapons cabinet.

James and Angel exchange some more blows, and James gets Angel against the iron railing by the stairs, face first. Cordy throws a fire extinguisher and it hits James in the head. Angel shoves James backward and he falls to the floor. Cordy turns back to the cabinet and grabs a stake.

ANGEL: (to Cordy) I told you to-
CORDELIA: Shut up and stake him!

She throws the stake toward him, but James pops up and catches it, turns and attacks Angel.

CORDELIA: Oops.

James throws Angel to the ground, gets on top of him and presses the stake to his chest. Angel struggles to keep it away.

JAMES: You never loved anyone ... or anything. Go to hell.

Cordy grabs James from behind, tries to pull him off. He hits her and she flies back across the floor. Angel is able to throw James off now, grabs the stake and thrusts it into James's heart.

Shot of Cordy lying on the floor, holding her head, craning up to see what's going on.

Angel looks at her with concern, hurries over to help her up.

ANGEL: Okay, all right. It's all right, it's all right, it's over.
CORDELIA: Okay.

Cordelia looks over toward James. Angel follows her gaze.

James straightens up, pulls the stake out of his heart.

Closeup on James's chest as the wound closes itself up.

CORDELIA: Uh ... over in what sense?

Angel shoves her aside as James, holding the stake, charges at him.

Blackout.

---

Act IV

---

Open on the same scene. James charges, Angel blocks. James punches Angel, kicks him, and he falls back onto the stairs. He grabs James and flips him up onto the entrance platform. Angel kicks James in the chest and he falls backward, crashes through the door and through the railing separating the entrance from the courtyard outside. The railing breaks under James's weight and he falls to the floor below, directly in a patch of sunlight.

Angel goes back over to Cordelia.

CORDELIA: Shouldn't he be on fire?!

Shot of the doorway. James isn't visible.

ANGEL: Let's get out of here.

Angel pulls Cordy toward the basement door. We see James pop up in the courtyard and begin to climb back toward the entrance.

Cut to the sewers underneath. Angel is coming down the ladder with Cordelia behind him.

CORDELIA: My coat, it's stuck!
ANGEL: Leave it.

Cordy sheds her coat, leaves it hanging on the ladder. Angel grabs her and they run down the tunnel.

James drops through the entrance and runs after them.

Angel and Cordy run around a corner, down some more tunnel. They come to a fork. Angel pushes Cordy toward the right-hand fork.

ANGEL: Go that way.
CORDELIA: Wait, where are you gonna go?
ANGEL: Just go.
CORDELIA: Oh!

Angel pushes her toward the tunnel, then turns back and runs his hand along the wall, cutting his palm on the sharp rock wall. He splatters his blood on the wall of the left fork and then runs after Cordy down the right tunnel.

Cordy is a few feet ahead of Angel. They run a bit more.

ANGEL: Cordy! This way.

He opens a door in the side of the tunnel. Cordy runs back.

ANGEL: Hurry up.

They go through the door, slam it shut.

James comes running down the tunnel, reaches the fork, slows down slightly, sniffs the air and takes the left fork.

Cut to the side tunnel where Cordy and Angel are hiding. This tunnel is better lighted than the others and seems to have actual walls. They talk in whispers.

CORDELIA: All right, I've been doing this a while, don't stakes through the heart and sunshine kill you guys?
ANGEL: He seems to have become-
CORDELIA: Invincible?
ANGEL: Let's not exaggerate.
CORDELIA: (gets an idea) The ring of Amarra, when you had that, you were invincible. Does he have a ring?
ANGEL: No!
CORDELIA: Hmmm. Did the Amarra people make cufflinks or belt buckles?
ANGEL: There was only one.
CORDELIA: And you had to smash it.
ANGEL: (frustrated) Why don't we recriminate later, okay?
CORDELIA: Yes!
ANGEL: Now be quiet, I think he took the bait.

They pause to listen for a moment. Suddenly a loud rumbling fills the tunnel. Cordy squeals in fear and grabs Angel around the chest.

CORDELIA: Earthquake!
ANGEL: (rolls his eyes) Subway.

The rumbling subsides. Angel makes a "told you so" gesture. Cordy relaxes, lets him go.
CORDELIA: Okay, just the subway.

They both begin to relax as silence descends again. Suddenly Cordelia's cell phone rings. Both she and Angel jump, extremely startled.

ANGEL: Jeez.
CORDELIA: (takes out her phone) Sorry. Cell phone.

Cut to Caritas. Wesley is talking on his cell phone.
WESLEY: Cordelia? Is that you? Can you hear me?

Cut back to the tunnel. Cordy presses her free hand against her other ear, straining to hear.

CORDELIA: (into phone) Huh? What? Say that again.

Cut back to Caritas.
WESLEY: (into phone) There's something you have to know about James.

Cut back to tunnel.
CORDELIA: (into phone) Oh, he's invincible, is he? (gives Angel a dirty look) He went to a what? Slog Demon, what's that? (to Angel) Some kind of doctor demon that, uh, collects rare organs. (to phone, shocked) Cut out his heart?! (to Angel) Absolutely cannot be killed. (to phone) Wait, what? How long? Six what? What? (stamps foot) Hello?!

She makes an annoyed sound and looks at the cell phone.

CORDELIA: No signal! (to Angel) Okay, the guy's invincible, but it only lasts for so long and then he dies.
ANGEL: How long?
CORDELIA: He said, I don't know, six minutes, hours, weeks ... I hate these! Come on, give me a signal! (flips phone shut, then open again, etc.)
ANGEL: It's good news. All we have to do is, is ... is wait him out.
CORDELIA: Right. We'll just wait here until we're sure.

Suddenly the wooden wall behind them shatters and James comes bursting through. Cordy shrieks. She and Angel run back out the door they came in and down the tunnel. James, of course, follows.

ANGEL: Cordy, up there.

Cut to interior subway station. A train is coming to a stop at the platform, lots of people waiting to get on. Pan across the crowd to a set of stairs that lead down to the platform. Angel appears at the top of the stairs, dragging Cordy. He shoves his way down the stairs, pushing people out of the way, pulling Cordy after him.

As they reach the bottom, James appears at the top and does the same routine, shoving people aside and leaping down the stairs.

Angel pulls Cordy into a train just as the doors close. James runs up against the closed door and smacks it in frustration.

Shot of Cordy clutching Angel's shoulders and sticking out her tongue at James as the train begins to move.

Cut to inside the train. Cordy still holds onto Angel.
CORDELIA: What a creep.

Cut to platform. James stands watching the train rush past him. He morphs back to human face.

Suddenly as the very end of the train passes him, he reaches out and grabs it and it jerks him off his feet. He clings to the rear corner of the train car as it continues moving.

Cut back to inside the train. Cordy slowly lets go of Angel who is looking around as if listening to something.

CORDELIA: Should we get off at the next stop and double back? He won't expect that. Or should we stay put till the end of the line, get as much distance between us as poss-
ANGEL: Shhh!
CORDELIA: What?

Angel looks up at the roof of the car.

CORDELIA: He couldn't possibly.

Suddenly Angel pulls Cordy aside just as James comes crashing in, feet first, through the window. Other people on the train scream and move back. Angel pushes Cordy back toward them. We see a couple of people including a guy on crutches. Angel takes up a protective posture in front of them and Cordy.

ANGEL: (to Cordy) Get back.
JAMES: Well, this is a new twist in an old snake. Is it possible you care about someone who isn't you?
ANGEL: (glances back at Cordy) Don't worry about her.
JAMES: But if you've changed ... if you're not the same man who screwed Darla and couldn't care less what happened to her...
ANGEL: Where did you hear ... Oh, you mean back in the day. Right.
CORDELIA: (comes up behind Angel, addresses James) He has changed. A lot. He has a soul now and he cares about people.
JAMES: (to Angel) So you might feel something when I snap her neck.
CORDELIA: (backpedaling) Well, it's not like he's losing sleep with the caring.
JAMES: Lucky me, now I can kill the woman you love. (moves toward Angel)
ANGEL: No you can't.
JAMES: Are you forgetting who's the invincible one here?
ANGEL: The woman I love ... is dead.
JAMES: Who are you talking about?
CORDELIA: It happened about three months ago. We try not to say her name too much.

Cut from Cordy to Angel looking grim, to James looking upset.

JAMES: You loved someone. (skeptical) With all your heart.
ANGEL: (softly) Yeah.
JAMES: No you didn't. Because if you had, you wouldn't be standing here playing games with me. You wouldn't be able to. Because when she died ... or when some bastard killed her, it would have killed everything in you.
ANGEL: I wouldn't be able to go on living.
JAMES: Don't worry. You won't. (re Cordelia) She won't either.

James rips one of the subway seats from the floor and swings it at Angel.
CORDELIA: Angel!

Angel puts up a hand to block but it's ineffective and the first blow takes him down. As he tries to get up James hits him with the seat again, in the face. Angel sprawls on his back, right in front of Cordy and the guy on crutches, as James lifts the seat over his head preparing for another blow.

Angel reaches his arms over his head to grab the bottoms of the crutches.
ANGEL: Catch him.
CORDELIA: Catch who?

Angel yanks the crutches out of the guy's grip. The guy grabs the ceiling-bar as Cordy grabs him around the waist and holds him upright.

Angel puts one of the crutches against the seat as James swings it down, uses the crutch to hold it off as he swings the other crutch around to sweep James's feet out from under him. James goes down.

Angel flips up to his feet, one crutch under each arm.

ANGEL: Come on!

James lunges at him and Angel catches one of James's arms in the open part of the crutch, twisting it around behind James's back. We hear the bone break and James yells in pain.

ANGEL: How's that feel, invincible boy?

Angel pushes James up against the wall face-first and puts the armpit part of the crutch against James's neck to hold him in place.

ANGEL: This your idea of love, James? It's not real unless it kills you?

James is panting, pale and sweaty.

JAMES: Yeah, what's yours? "It's fun as long as it doesn't cost me anything?" You don't know what love is.

Angel lets James go. He crumples to the floor, still panting and clearly in pain. He leans against the wall and looks up at Angel.

JAMES: You think you won, just because you're still alive? (smiles) I lived. You just existed.

James stops smiling, makes a pained face, lowers his head, closes his eyes, and turns to dust. Cordy and Angel just stare.

Cut to: exterior shot of L.A. skyline, night.
Cut to: exterior shot of the Hyperion.

Cut to inside. We see Wes and Gunn in the office, background, as Cordy walks through the lobby looking through a pile of mail.

Cordy looks up at the stairs as Angel descends.

CORDELIA: How's Fred?
ANGEL: She's all right, considering. We talked over what happened ... and I think she'll be coming out of her room any decade now.
CORDELIA: (laughs a little) And how are you?
ANGEL: I'm o -
CORDELIA: And don't say "okay." Angel, please, I know you. And ever since you came back from your grief-trip I can tell something's not right. (quickly) And, and obviously, it's not. Buffy's dead, I don't mean to diminish that. I miss her, too. I just want to say, I know that James, with all his Romeo and Juliet madness, opened up a lot of wounds for you, but you'll be okay.
ANGEL: I am okay.
CORDELIA: (confused, softly) Then ... what's the problem?
ANGEL: That I'm okay. That losing Buffy didn't kill me. That I could deal with it. (pauses) In all those years ... no one ever mattered. Not like she did. And now she's gone. Forever.
CORDELIA: And you're still here.
ANGEL: Yeah. It just feels like I'm betraying her somehow.
CORDELIA: (firmly) No! If you were a loser, if you were a sick obsessed vampire, then you'd go to a snod demon or whatever and get your heart cut out. But, you're not. You're a living, breathi- (pauses, reconsiders) well, living, anyway... (Angel smiles) ...good guy, who's still fighting and trying to help people, and that's not betraying her, that's honoring her.
ANGEL: (wanting to believe) You think?
CORDELIA: (more lightly) I'm Cordelia. I don't think. I know. Okay?

Angel smiles. She smiles back, very widely, hopeful.

ANGEL: Okay.
CORDELIA: So ... can we get back to work now?
ANGEL: Yeah, sure. (surprised) There's work?

Wesley enters from the office, followed by Gunn.

WESLEY: What do you know about Nester demons?
ANGEL: Well, they like to live in the walls of people's homes...

Wes and Gunn proceed directly to the weapons cabinet, open it, begin taking out weapons. We see that Wes is holding his gift dagger.

ANGEL: ...they hatch several times a year. Don't you have to kill the Queen or something?
GUNN: (gives Cordy a weapon as Wes gives one to Angel) Yeah, and if you don't, they infest again, worse than ever.
CORDELIA: We killed a bunch of 'em in Hancock Park a couple of months ago.
WESLEY: I don't think we got the Queen.
ANGEL: Well, let's go find out.

Angel strides off with the others following immediately behind in formation. Great shot of the four of them. It goes to black and we think that's the end of the episode ... but no! Cut to: exterior shot of a rural village on a hillside, night. Caption reads "Puerto Cabazas, Nicaragua." Soft Mexican-style music.

Cut to inside a bar or cantina. We see the bar (foreground) and a hand stubbing out a cigarette. Beyond that we see a couple of tables with people at them, and beyond that, a door. A tough-looking guy comes through the door, sees the person at the bar, walks in that direction.

As he comes up to the bar he takes a piece of paper from his shirt pocket. He puts it on the bar.

ROUGH MAN: (Spanish accent) Sorry it took so long. He's a very difficult shaman to find.

He slides the piece of paper over to the other person, who picks it up. Pan up to reveal that it's Darla, looking a little ragged. She tucks the paper between her breasts.

DARLA: You can go.
ROUGH MAN: Oh, no no no no no. I thought... (reaches over and picks up a bottle of tequila) ...we'd have a drink. To celebrate.

He pours a shot and puts it in front of Darla. We see a little dish of limes in front of her too.

DARLA: No, thanks.
ROUGH MAN: (sighs, pours himself a shot) Don't be so shy, little one. You get to know me ... I'm a very nice man. How much can one little drink hurt, huh?

Darla looks at him with barely concealed scorn.

DARLA: Depends on who's doing the drinking.
ROUGH MAN: Hmm. (smiles, clearly thinks they're flirting) I thought you might have a ... surprise or two in you.
DARLA: Well, you know what they say.

She suddenly vamps out, grabs the guy and bites down on his neck. He gives a strangled cry and then slumps to the floor as she lets him go.

Darla sits back, no longer in vamp face. She picks up a lime and sucks on it. There's a little trickle of blood on her chin.
DARLA: Life's full of surprises.

She turns away from the bar and we see that she is HUGELY pregnant. She walks out.
Blackout.
Executive Producers: Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt.

Site design Internet Promotion Services