PROLOGUE:
1 INT. COLUMNS THEATER - NIGHT 
Angel's lying on the floor of the darkened stage, coughing, spitting up 
blood. He gasps as he pulls the stake out of his shoulder. Finally, with 
a pained grunt, Angel rolls over and sits up, looking at Spike, who's standing 
in front of the lit pedestal staring at a golden chalice. Spike grabs the 
cup.
ANGEL 
Spike... Spike, wait. That's not a prize you're holding. It's not 
a trophy. It's a burden. It's a cr— 
SPIKE 
Blah, blah, blah. Give it a rest, hero. I win, you lose, and all your 
talking's not gonna change that. 
ANGEL 
It's not your destiny. It's mine. 
SPIKE 
(turns to face Angel, still holding the cup) 
Still can't accept it? It's pathetic, really. All your life's been 
a lie. Everything you've done—the lives you've saved, dreams 
of redemption—all that pain... all of it for nothing. 'Cause 
this...
(looks at the cup) 
was never about you. Cheers.
(drinks from the cup)
ANGEL 
No.
Spike drinks deeply from the cup as warm light shines upon him from 
above. Upon finishing drinking, Spike exhales sharply, straightening up 
his body and letting the cup fall from his hands. The cup clangs as it 
hits the ground and rolls (in slow motion) at Spike's feet. Angel watches 
with a pained expression on his face as Spike basks in the light. When 
the light fades from Spike, Angel starts groaning, gasping, and screaming 
painfully as his face disintegrates, burning into a fiery nothingness 
(similar effect to Spike's demise in Buffy 7x22 "Chosen").

Cut to:
2 INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - NIGHT 
Angel awakens with a start, panting and in a cold sweat. He looks around, 
realizing he's sitting in his office chair at his desk in his office at 
Wolfram & Hart. 
Cut to:
3 INT. STRIP CLUB - NIGHT 
Spike is sitting alone in the "Peppermint Stick", a strip club. 
He's at a table near the stage, disinterestedly watching the blonde girl 
dance around a pole as he sips his whisky. As Spike finishes his drink, 
he sets the glass on the table and reaches into his jeans to get money for 
another one. But before he can order, someone places a fresh drink on his 
table. Spike looks up to see the man (the same man that Eve was talking 
to at the end of 5x08 "Destiny") standing in front of his table, 
staring at Spike and smiling.
NOTE: This man at the club is the spitting 
image of Lindsey McDonald from Seasons 1 & 2 of Angel, but he has not 
yet identified himself as such. This transcript will identify the characters 
based on whom they claim to be or whom they appear to be to the characters 
in the show.
SPIKE 
(looks up at the man) 
Ahh.
(sniffs) 
Uh, yeah, thanks... but not really my type, Mary. So be a good lad 
and push off.
(pushes the man's drink away, places his money on the table) 
(the man continues to look at Spike without leaving) 
What are you gawking at? 
MAN AT CLUB 
A guy like you, whiling away his time in some cheesy downtown strip 
dive. Look like somebody who's feeling kinda lost. 
SPIKE 
Is that right? Funny, thought I knew exactly where I was.
(points at the sign over the stage) 
Place called the Peppermint Stick.
(points at the pole dancer) 
Prima ballerina up there's Sunshine. Though I'm fairly certain that's 
not her real name. 
MAN AT CLUB 
You know... we really should talk. 
SPIKE 
(sighs) 
You know? Really not.
(stands, gets up in the man's face) 
I don't know what you're selling, but best you peddle your wares someplace 
else if you know what's good for you.
(turns to walk away)
MAN AT CLUB 
Hey, Spike...
(Spike stops walking) 
get any interesting mail lately? 
SPIKE 
(turns to face the man) 
Who the bloody hell are you? 
MAN AT CLUB 
(sits at the table) 
Your new best friend.
Fade to black.
Opening credits.

ACT I:
4 INT. STRIP CLUB - NIGHT 
Resume. The man at the club talking to Spike just revealed a connection 
to Spike's recent past.
SPIKE 
You?! You say you're responsible for me being back?
(walks up to the man) 
You sent that package with the de-ghosting mojo. 
MAN AT CLUB 
And? 
SPIKE 
The amulet.
(the man points a finger at Spike, indicating "bingo") 
You mailed that thing to Wolfram & Hart. 
MAN AT CLUB 
Hey, couldn't leave your spirit trapped in a bauble at the bottom 
of a hellmouth, could we? 
SPIKE 
And who's "we"? 
MAN AT CLUB 
Come on, Spike. You must know there's a lot of folks out there that 
are interested in you.
(starts to sip his drink) 
Powerfully interested, one might say— 
SPIKE 
(angrily grabs the man's wrist, knocking the glass from the his hand, 
causing it to shatter on the floor) 
Enough with the cryptic, butch. I want to know who... 
(looks at the symbols tattooed on the man's forearm) 
...or what you are... what you want, and how fast I can snap your 
forearm before you answer. 
MAN AT CLUB / DOYLE 
You can call me Doyle.
(they glare at each other) 
But it's not what I want... it's what you want.
(Spike lets the man's arm go; the man grunts) 
You got your life back now. What are you gonna do about it?

Cut to:
5 INT. LOBBY OF WOLFRAM & HART - NIGHT 
Wesley and Gunn are having a heated discussion as they walk down the hall 
toward the lobby.
WESLEY 
I say we make a pre-emptive strike. Remove him before he and his followers 
go underground. 
GUNN 
Assassination? 
WESLEY 
We're talking about an evil warlock here. The longer we wait, the 
more powerful he becomes.
They walk up to Harmony's desk, still arguing.
 
 
GUNN 
I don't plan on waiting. 
WESLEY 
Really? What is your plan? 
GUNN 
We open a can of Machiavelli on his ass. 
HARMONY 
(rolls her eyes) 
It's Matchabelli, Einstein, and it doesn't come in a can. 
GUNN 
Is he in? 
HARMONY 
Is who in?
Wesley and Gunn both roll their eyes, then walk toward Angel's office.

Cut to:
6 INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - NIGHT 
The door opens, and Wesley and Gunn walk into Angel's office still arguing. 
Angel sits at his desk, seemingly confused at this sight.
WESLEY 
What you're proposing could take weeks. We can't afford the delay. 

GUNN 
48 hours, maximum. There are at least 2 initiates to his inner circle 
who'd jump at the chance to overthrow him. 
WESLEY 
You're overlooking the tactical merits of my assassination scenario. 

ANGEL 
Guys— 
GUNN 
Hey, in my plan, he still wakes up dead by Thursday. 
ANGEL 
Guys!
(Wesley and Gunn stop arguing and look at Angel) 
C.E.O., right here, in the dark. 
WESLEY 
Sorry, Angel.
(hands Angel a file) 
Lucien Drake. He's a warlock. 
GUNN 
An evil warlock and a cult leader. Got over a thousand followers. 
We're pretty sure they sold most of their children down the Hades 
river in return for some serious demonic mojo. 
WESLEY 
One more religious fringe group stockpiling weapons, but in this case, 
the weapons are black magicks of the most dangerous variety. 
ANGEL 
(sighs) 
And you want Wolfram & Hart to stop them. 
GUNN 
Not so much stopping as...
(looks at Wes)
WESLEY 
(looks at Gunn) 
...as redirecting their energies. 
GUNN 
See, a cult this big has alliances, connections. If we confront them 
directly, it could be very bad for business. 
WESLEY 
But if we eliminate their leader covertly... 
GUNN 
...then they spend the next billing cycle fighting among themselves 
to hack out the new pecking order. 
ANGEL 
(flips through the file) 
Uh-huh... So are we doing this because it's right... or because it's 
cost-effective? 
GUNN 
Uh, well, a little of both actually. 
WESLEY 
Yes, oddly, once again we find ourselves in a bit of a gray— 

ANGEL 
Don't... 
WESLEY 
—area.
ANGEL 
...say that!
(raises his voice in frustration) 
Can we just get through one damn day without saying that?
(sighs, rubs his forehead) 
OK. Explain it to me again.

Cut to:
7 INT. STRIP CLUB - NIGHT 
Spike, who was sitting at the table with Doyle, stands.
SPIKE 
I've heard enough.
(walks toward the exit)
DOYLE 
(stands, follows Spike) 
Don't you even want to know why you came back to L.A.? You hate this 
city. There's gotta be a reason, right? 
SPIKE 
You talk a lot for somebody saying nothing. 
DOYLE 
(puts his hand on Spike's shoulder to stop him) 
You've got a destiny— 
SPIKE 
(turns on Doyle, putting his hand to his throat, violently pushing 
his back to the wall) 
Like the destiny that was supposed to be at the bottom of a cup of 
perpetual nothing? 
DOYLE 
What?
(Spike slams Doyle's back against the wall again) 
Unh! 
SPIKE 
Know so much about me, you must know I get really violent when I'm 
being played. It was you who sent Angel and me on that wild goose 
chase. 
DOYLE 
I don't know anything!
(gasps as Spike releases him roughly) 
I'm just doing what they tell me.
(walks away from the wall, paces)
SPIKE 
They? 
DOYLE 
(points skyward) 
They!
(points to the ground) 
Them!
(gestures toward Spike) 
Bringing you back. Look, I'm just a guy. I'm nobody. A drifter. I 
was minding my own business, and then one day— 
(pumps his fists) 
Wham! I start having these visions. 
SPIKE 
Visions? 
DOYLE 
(softly) 
Yeah, like brain pictures, but they hurt. Like when you eat ice cream 
too fast. You start seeing people in trouble...
(looks down, then looks at Spike) 
...who need a champion. 
SPIKE 
Hey, you are barking up the wrong vampire. That's Angel's beat. 
DOYLE 
Angel's not in the picture anymore. All right? He's working the other 
side of the tracks. Nobody is out there helping the people that really 
need help. 
SPIKE 
What, so I'm supposed to jump every time you get a vision of someone 
in dire peril? 
DOYLE 
Why do you think we're having this conversation? I had one right before 
I came here. You don't have to believe me, but if a young girl gets 
murdered tonight and you didn't lift a finger to stop it, ask yourself... 
can you live with that?

Cut to:
8 EXT. DARK ALLEY - NIGHT 
A vampire is attacking a girl in a dark alley, pinning her back against 
the wall. He bends over the girl's neck.
GIRL 
(screaming) 
Aaaah! 
SPIKE 
(walks up behind the vampire) 
Evening.
VAMPIRE 
(turns his head, growls at Spike) 
Get lost! 
SPIKE 
Already am, according to some. 
VAMPIRE 
What? 
GIRL 
Help me! 
VAMPIRE 
I don't think you heard me.
The girl whimpers and sobs as the vampire crowds her. Spike continues 
approaching them, and the vampire throws the girl to the ground roughly.
 
 
VAMPIRE 
Get out of here. 
SPIKE 
Can't do it. 
VAMPIRE 
You just made the biggest mistake of your life—


Spike punches the vampire in the face, then knocks him into a wooden 
porch located at the side of the alley, causing the rails to splinter. 
Spike pushes the vampire's back into the splinters, turning the vampire 
into dust.
 
 
GIRL 
(stands, incredulous) 
Thank you! Thank you! That thing was gonna kill me! 
SPIKE 
Well, what do you expect? Out alone in this neighborhood? I got half 
a mind to kill you myself, you half-wit. 
GIRL 
What?! 
SPIKE 
I mean, honestly, what kind of retard wears heels like that in a dark 
alley? Take 2 steps, break your bloody ankle. 
GIRL 
I was just trying to get home. 
SPIKE 
(pushes her shoulder, ushering her down the alley toward a lit street) 
Well, get a cab, you moron.
(calling after her as she walks away) 
And on the way, if a stranger offers you candy, don't get in the van! 
 
(under his breath) 
Stupid cow. 
DOYLE 
(sitting on a nearby fire escape landing) 
Believe me now? 
SPIKE 
What, your victim vision? Please. Can't throw a bloody stone in this 
town without hitting some bimbo in trouble. 
DOYLE 
(walks down the fire escape stairs toward Spike) 
Tough guy, huh? Nice work, by the way, takin' out that vamp. 
SPIKE 
(looking around, unimpressed) 
Oh, yeah. Epic battle. My finest hour. 
DOYLE 
You just saved a girl's life. It's nothing to laugh off. Though you 
could try being a little nicer next time. You almost made her cry. 

SPIKE 
Next time? 
DOYLE 
Well, that's up to you. A lot more people need saving. 
SPIKE 
News flash, sparky: Don't need your help. Been saving people long 
before you showed up. 
DOYLE 
Not like this. You just helped a person when there wasn't anything 
in it for you. That's not like the Spike I know. 
SPIKE 
Oh, is that right? And what Spike is that? 
DOYLE 
The Spike that's only out for himself. The one who does good deeds 
to impress...women. 
SPIKE 
(angrily) 
You'd best watch your—
DOYLE 
I'm just sayin'. You did good. From what I hear Angel didn't save 
the girl on his first mission. 
SPIKE 
What's Angel got to do with this? 
DOYLE 
Well... nothin'. Not anymore.

Cut to:
9 INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - NIGHT 
Wesley and Gunn are still arguing while Angel looks on from behind his desk. 
Fred walks into the office carrying a file folder.
GUNN 
I know how these people think, Wes! 
WESLEY 
And I know what we have in our arsenal, Charles! 
FRED 
Guys, I can hear you out in the lobby.
(walks between them to hand the file to Angel) 
The week's lab reports, Angel. 
WESLEY 
Fred, doesn't the Wolfram & Hart satellite have lethal capability? 

FRED 
What? 
WESLEY 
I mean, couldn't we eliminate a target from the air, untraceably? 

FRED 
Well, we do have an orbital-range microwave cannon up there. Focuses 
the satellite's communications signals into a pinpoint beam. It can 
raise the temperature of the targeted area 1,000 degrees in less than 
5 seconds. So, yeah, in theory, we could. That is, if we did that 
sort of thing.
(to Angel) Do we do that sort of thing?
Focus the shot on Angel. The sound of the others arguing fade into 
faint noises as Angel gets lost in troubled thought.
 
 
WESLEY 
It might be the thing to do. 
GUNN 
Think someone won't notice us firing a sci-fi death ray from outer 
space? 
FRED 
Well, actually, the beam reads like cell phone static on most atmospheric 
scanning equipment. 
ANGEL 
Let's kill them all.
Everyone looks at Angel.
 
 
FRED 
What? 
ANGEL 
Warlocks, minions—they're all evil. Sold their kids to the devil. 
Let's just wipe 'em all out. We got the power to do that, right? 
WESLEY 
Yes, but, Angel— 
ANGEL 
(stands, in a frenzy) 
Why don't we? Let's just get back to the basics: Good versus evil. 
Offing the monsters where we find them. 
GUNN 
We have to tread light here, Angel. We can't afford to— Are you 
all right? 
ANGEL 
(sighs, rubs his head) 
I'm just...tired. Gunn, get a meeting with your best Judas. Feel him 
out, but don't tip your hand. Any hint of him carrying word back to 
Drake, we go with Wes' plan. 
FRED 
Are you sure you're all right? 
GUNN 
You don't look so good. 
ANGEL 
Yeah, I, uh, just... need to get some rest. 
FRED 
Go. Rest. And maybe sleep in tomorrow. 
ANGEL 
No, there's too much on our schedule. 
WESLEY 
There's nothing we can't handle. 
GUNN 
Yeah, anything earth-shattering comes up, we know where to find you.

Angel ambles to his personal elevator with labored breathing. 

Cut to:
10 INT. ANGEL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT 
Angel steps out of his elevator into his dark apartment. The elevator doors 
close behind him.
WESLEY 
Angel...
Angel stops in mid-step, unaware that anyone else was there.
 
 
ANGEL 
(turns to look at Wes, who's walking up to him) 
Hey, Wes. 
WESLEY 
You're barely on your feet. Here.
(ushers Angel to the couch)
ANGEL 
(groans) 
I, uh, I think... I—I think I'm sick. 
WESLEY 
Vampires don't get sick. 
ANGEL 
(groaning as he sits on the couch)
I don't feel right. 
WESLEY 
Well, that's understandable. You've got a lot on your mind. Must be 
hard adjusting to the new situation. 
ANGEL 
(confused) 
Situation? 
WESLEY 
Finally coming to grips with the truth... that you're irrelevant. 

ANGEL 
What? 
WESLEY 
It's difficult to face, I know. But things could've been much worse. 
Spike's arrival's actually quite fortuitous.
(takes a wooden stake out of his waistband) 
It'll make this a lot easier. 
ANGEL 
Wha—what? What are you—
(Wesley stakes Angel in the chest; Angel screams) 
Aah!

Cut to:
10a INT. ANGEL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT 
Angel awakens in his apartment, sitting on the edge of his bed, gasping. 
He wasn't staked, and no one else is in the room.
Fade to black.

ACT II:
11 EXT. DARK ALLEY - NIGHT 
A man and woman huddle behind a car as a fight takes place just down the 
alley from them. Spike is fighting two vampires in the alley. They are kicking 
and punching each other. The scene is filmed in real-time, but some of the 
action moves are shown in slow-motion: Spike's coat billowing around him 
as he high-kicks a vampire on the top of a car; Spike crouching close to 
the ground to sweep-kick the ankles of the other vampire, knocking him off 
balance and sending him to the ground. Spike stands, waiting for the two 
vampires to charge at him again. There's a clicking noise as Spike's arms 
stiffen. The vampires run at Spike, who holds his arms out to his sides, 
revealing he's triggered hidden stakes to unfurl from his wrists. The vampires 
run into the stakes, and dust screaming. After the dust clears, Spike admires 
at the gadgets on his wrists. He then looks up at the couple still crouching 
behind the car.
SPIKE 
It's all right. You're safe now.
The man and woman stand.
 
 
MAN 
What were those things? 
SPIKE 
You're better off not knowing, believe me.
(turns to walk away)
WOMAN 
Wait. Who are you? 
SPIKE 
(without turning to face them, hangs his head, then softly) 
I'm the hero.

Cut to:
12 INT. LOBBY OF WOLFRAM & HART - DAY 
The next morning, Wesley walks up to Harmony's desk holding an inter-office 
mail envelope.
WESLEY 
Harmony, I need you to run these to accounting. Tell them it's about 
the warlock situation. 
HARMONY 
I'm not allowed to talk to accounting without Angel's approval. I 
accidentally authorized a few bath-of-the-month subscriptions. On 
accident. 
WESLEY 
(hands Harmony the envelope) 
Give them my authorization code. Have them cut a check, send it immediately. 

EVE 
(walks off the elevator holding an etched stone fragment) 
That's the spirit—solving problems by throwing money at them. 
You're starting to get the hang of this job. 
WESLEY 
Something I can help you with, Eve? 
EVE 
Lookin' for the big man. 
WESLEY 
He's indisposed right now. What can I do for you? 
EVE 
Yeah, sorry, but I gotta go straight to Angel on this one. 
WESLEY 
Whatever you've got there, Angel's just gonna hand it off to me anyway, 
so you may as well show it to me now. 
EVE 
(nods) 
Fair enough. 
(hands the relic fragment to Wesley, who looks it over) 
The senior partners are very interested in this. I don't know what 
it is, to be honest, and I get the sense that they don't, either. 
But they must suspect it's powerful because they're chomping at the 
bit to learn whatever they can. 
WESLEY 
We'll do our best. 
EVE 
Probably goes without saying, but— 
WESLEY 
I'll have it for you as soon as possible. 
EVE 
(smiles widely) 
That's my boy.
(exits)
HARMONY 
(whispers to Wesley) 
Any business with the senior partners, I'm supposed to tell Angel 
immediately. 
WESLEY 
I'll take care of it, Harmony. 
HARMONY 
Also, any time something comes in with runes on it, I'm supposed to 
tell Angel immediately... and not try and read the runes myself... 
'cause that can cause a fire. 
WESLEY 
As soon as we have some answers, we'll fill him in. Until then, I 
think Angel deserves some peace and quiet.

Cut to:
13 INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 
Angel's sleeping in his bed, groaning feverishly. 
FRED 
Angel.
(walks into his room, looks at him nervously) 
You look terrible. 
ANGEL 
Fred. I think something's wrong. 
FRED 
OK. OK, don't worry. I know what to do.
(turns away, then turns back with a surgical glove on her hand, snapping 
it) 
Let's take a look under the hood. 
Cut to:
13a INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM/FRED'S SCIENCE LAB - DAY 
The scenery has changed. Although Angel is still in his bed, the bed 
seems to be located in Fred's science laboratory now. She's now wearing 
her lab coat.
ANGEL 
What? Fred?
(Fred snaps a surgical glove on her other hand; Angel looks 
around, panicked) 
What are you doing? 
FRED 
(walks around to the other side of Angel's bed, grabs a scalpel 
from a tray) 
It's OK. 
ANGEL 
(gasps anxiously as Fred pushes his shirt out of the way) 
Please...ah!
(Fred touches the scalpel to Angel's chest, cutting it open) 
Ah! Aah!
(he gasps as his chest splits open) 
Aah! 
FRED 
Hmm. There. That wasn't so bad, was it? OK. Let's get these 
out of the way. 
ANGEL 
Please, stop. 
FRED 
(pulls out a flat internal organ) 
There's your liver.
(tosses it into the bucket; pulls out two round internal organs) 
 
Oh, there's your kidneys.
(tosses them into a bucket; peers into his chest) 
Oh, don't worry. You're a vampire. You don't need this stuff 
anyway. Probably should've had it removed a long time ago.
(notices something inside Angel) 
Oop.
(reaches deeper inside Angel's chest, causing him to groan in 
discomfort) 
Ah!
(pulls out a walnut in its shell) 
There's your heart.
(looks at it closely, then chuckles) 
Hey! What do you know? It is a dried-up little walnut.
(shows it to Angel, then throws the walnut into the bucket with 
a loud clank) 
So far so good. Let's see...
(Fred reaches further into Angel, causing him to groan in pain) 
Oop.
(pulls a long strand of beads out of Angel's body, smiles, puts 
the pearl-like necklace around her neck, continues to search 
while Angel groans; inspects something small and black she pulled 
out of his body) 
Raisins.
(eats one of the raisins) 
Unh!
(pulls a piece of metal out of Angel's chest—it's a blue 
1978/79 Mexican license plate with yellow letters "HUZ 
332") 
Hmm. Came up the gulf stream, huh?
(tosses the license plate over her shoulder, and it lands on 
the floor with a clatter; reaches in Angel's body again) 
Oh.
(reaches deeper inside Angel, causing him to wince) 
Hang on. Oh.
(as Angel gasps, Fred pulls a fishbowl half-filled with water 
out of him; upon closer inspection, she sees a goldfish in the 
bowl) 
There's your soul!
(notices the goldfish is dead) 
Ooh. We're gonna have to flush this. Unh.
(turns, hands the fishbowl to a man in a bear suit who's standing 
behind her) 
Thank you, bear.
(turns back to Angel, sighs) 
Huh! 
ANGEL 
(nervously) 
What's wrong? 
FRED 
Nothing. I can't seem to find anything wrong with you. I mean... 
 
(bends over to look in his chest again) 
...except that you're empty. There's nothing left. Just a shell. 
 
(puts her ear to his chest) 
I think I can hear the ocean in there.
(calls into his chest, echoing) 
Hello? Hello!

Cut to:
 
Cut back to Angel's apartment to show that Angel is still in his apartment, 
in his own bed, with his chest uncut, groaning feverishly.

Cut to:
14 INT. WESLEY'S OFFICE - DAY 
Wesley is showing the relic fragment Eve gave him to Fred. 
WESLEY 
She didn't say much else, only that it needed to be done as soon as 
possible. 
GUNN 
(knocks on door, walks in) 
You guys are gonna want to see this.
(hands papers to Wesley) 
Been getting reports of a vigilante prowling the streets last night. 
A vampire, apparently. 
WESLEY 
(goes to sit at his desk) 
Angel never left his penthouse.
(reads the report) 
"Vigilante reportedly killed 2 vampires at a gas station, then 
asked the women he saved if they'd, quote, like to get a bottle of 
hootch and listen to some Sex Pistols records with him." 
FRED 
Are we sure Angel's just tired and not, um... crazy? 
GUNN 
Read the description. 
WESLEY 
"Medium build, black leather coat...platinum blond hair."
Fred and Gunn look at each other and sigh.
Cut to:
15 INT. BASEMENT APARTMENT - DAY 
Doyle walks into a basement apartment. Spike waits by the doorway.
SPIKE 
(sighs) 
You gotta invite me in. 
DOYLE 
It's not my place. It's yours.
(walks in, looks around; Spike follows) 
Building's quiet. Windows don't get direct sunlight. You've got a 
sewer entrance for your daytime travel. 
SPIKE 
What, no cable? 
DOYLE 
(chuckles) 
You got water, electricity, heating—all the basics. Even got 
a Korean market on the corner. Open all night. 
SPIKE 
Look—I appreciate what you've done for me, making me corporeal 
and all, but I draw the line at being your kept boy.
(walks toward the door)
DOYLE 
Oh. You got someplace else to live? I mean, a man of your means must 
have money tucked away somewhere. You'll find something soon.
(Spike stops, looks at him) 
I'm offering you a place to hang your hat. Or...your coat. Could say 
thank you. 
SPIKE 
Great. Another ruddy basement.
(walks back inside)
DOYLE 
You want creature comforts? You can go to Wolfram & Hart. This 
place has everything you need to be a hero. The job requires somewhat 
of a... Spartan existence. 
SPIKE 
(points to the old-fashioned single bed) 
You call that a bed? 
DOYLE 
Well, it's not like you're gonna be sharing it with anyone any time 
soon.

Cut to:
16 INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 
Angel's panting in his bed, still feverish, when he hears other people panting 
and groaning in his bed. He turns to see Spike beside him, naked, lying 
on top of a blonde woman, grinding their bodies together rhythmically.
ANGEL 
Spike? 
(tries to look at them) 
SPIKE 
(to Angel) Keep it down, mate. You've got something on your shirt 
there. 
BUFFY 
(her face hidden) 
Every time I say the word prom, you get grouchy. 
ANGEL 
(leans over to get a look at her) 
Buffy? 
SPIKE 
(to Angel) Won't be long now. 
ANGEL 
You're taking Buffy to the prom? 
BUFFY 
(her face hidden) 
Can you say jumping the gun? I kill my goldfish. 
ANGEL 
I thought we were going to— 
SPIKE 
(to Angel) Shh. I can't be a marathon man with all your yammering.

Angel stares at Spike and Buffy together with a "hurt puppy" 
facial expression.

Cut to:
16a INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 
Angel awakens in his bed with a start. He's alone and rolls over and sighs 
in relief. He sits up, hanging his feet off the edge of the bed. 
Cut to:
17 INT. LOBBY OF WOLFRAM & HART - DAY 
Angel steps out of the elevator into the lobby of Wolfram & Hart wearing 
the same shirt he wore the previous day. Fred walks up to him.
FRED 
Hey! Look who it is. How you feeling? 
ANGEL 
Better. Thanks. 
FRED 
Uh... 
(laughs)
Angel...
(looks at his feet)
ANGEL 
(looks at his feet, realizes that they're bare; looks back at Fred) 
Oh, I... 
FRED 
(laughs) 
Always takes me a few days to get back in the swing of things, myself. 
Um...you should put on a clean shirt, though. 
GUNN 
(runs up to them, excited) 
Hey, guys. Come on. You'll miss it.
Fred follows Gunn to the movie-theater style "Refreshments" 
stand where Harmony's desk would normally be, where they get popcorn and 
drinks. 
 
 
ANGEL 
Miss what?
Fred and Gunn walk into Angel's office. Angel follows.

Cut to:
18 INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE - DAY 
Angel walks into his darkened office to see his team and others from the 
office staring out the windows.
ANGEL 
What's everyone—
(looks around, realizes they're staring at a fiery downtown Los Angeles) 
Oh, my God.
(walks toward the windows)
LORNE 
Hey...down in front! 
HARMONY 
Yeah, Angel. You're blocking the apocalypse. 
ANGEL 
I have to do something. I have to get out there! 
WESLEY 
Don't worry. Spike'll take care of it. 
GUNN 
You should go back to bed. 
LORNE 
Or at least go put some clean clothes on. You got a little something 
on your shirt there, babe.


Angel looks down at a bloody stake sticking out of his heart.

Cut to:
18 INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 
While Angel is dreaming, zoom in on his chest to show a glistening, slimy, 
blue creature feeding on Angel at the same point on his chest where the 
stake was in his dream.
Fade to black.

ACT III:
19 INT. LOBBY OF WOLFRAM & HART - DAY 
Fred's holding a cake that's decorated with a scene of downtown L.A. on 
fire, with the words "Way to go Spike!" written in red over the 
buildings. The whole gang is singing merrily.
ALL 
For he's a jolly good fellow, 
for he's a jolly good fellow,
for he's a jolly good fellow,
which nobody can deny!
(clapping) 
Whoo!
Wesley toots a party-favor noisemaker.
 
 
WESLEY 
Speech! 
FRED 
Speech! 
ALL 
Speech, speech, speech, speech! 
SPIKE 
(smiling modestly) 
Well, this is, uh... Thank you, everyone. Um...I don't know what to 
say.
(laughter all around) 
I'm just a... working-class bloke fulfilling his destiny. It was nothing, 
really.
Angel can be seen in the background looking all meek, contrasting 
sharply against the confident demeanor of Spike right now.
 
 
FRED 
Nothing? Spike, you single-handedly ended Armageddon and turned the 
world into a beautiful, happily-ever-after, candy mountain place where 
all our dreams come true.
(gestures toward the window)


The others behind Fred follow suit with a cascading gesture toward 
the window. Outside, downtown Los Angeles is depicted as a fairytale castle 
with blue skies and green hills and bright sunshine.
 
 
SPIKE 
Beautiful, isn't it? 
GUNN 
The living end. And now...it's time for your reward. 
WESLEY 
Yes.
(points at Spike enthusiastically) 
Your reward! 
SPIKE 
But I didn't do this for a reward. 
GUNN 
Well, that's why you're getting one.
Crowd oohs and ahhs as a blue fairy floats into the room toward Spike.
 
 
WESLEY 
After all, anyone who saves the universe from eternal bloodshed, horror, 
and misery deserves to get what they've always wanted. 
FRED 
Deserves to become a real boy. 
FAIRY 
And so you shall.
(waves her magic wand over Spike's head, sprinkling him with glittery 
gold fairy dust)


Angel watches this with confused disappointment.
 
 
SPIKE 
(breathes in, touches his chest) 
My heart. It's...
(turns to the crowd) 
it's beating again! Listen!
Angel touches his chest wistfully.
 
 
FRED 
(puts her ear to Spike's chest) 
You're human, Spike! You're alive! 
GUNN 
Ooh! I wanna hear!
(puts his ear to Spike's chest; smiles)
WESLEY 
Let's hear it for Spike! 
ALL 
Hip, hip, hooray!
Hip, hip, hooray!
Hip, hip, hooray!
Whoo!
(cheering)


Angel looks down at his chest, where he's holding a hand over his 
still heart. His outfit has changed from suave C.E.O. styles to short-sleeved 
button-up geek chiq—even his tie is too short. He's standing beside 
the mail cart. Consigned to his fate, Angel turns away slowly, sadly, 
and pushes the mail cart down the hallway.

Cut to:
20 INT. SPIKE'S APARTMENT - DAY 
Spike opens his new apartment door to find a frowning Gunn and Wesley standing 
on the other side of it. 
SPIKE 
Well, look who's come to call— Crockett and Tubbs.
(walks toward the refrigerator) 
Come on in, boys. Out of the cold into the damp.
(Wes and Gunn walk inside) 
Suppose I should have expected a visit from Big Brother's L.A. Branch 
sooner or later.
(opens the refrigerator, grabs himself a beer) 
Can I get you a frosty?
Wesley and Gunn are both wearing suits, not smiling nor friendly, 
but instead having an intimidating demeanor of Mafia men or G-men as they 
question Spike.
 
 
GUNN 
What are you up to, Spike? 
SPIKE 
Man gets right to the meat of the existential nut, doesn't he? 
GUNN 
Just a little concerned. You don't call. You don't write.
(Spike opens his beer bottle) 
What's your angle? Last time we saw you, you were booking a one-way 
to the continent. 
SPIKE 
Change of plans. Change of heart. Changed me mind, mates. 
WESLEY 
Sounds like you've been busy.
(Spike sits) 
We're getting reports of a vigilante who matches your description. 

SPIKE 
Yes...that's what you people do, isn't it? You get reports. And you 
sign checks. You read memos.
(makes a "cheers" motion with his beer bottle) 
Here's to the corporate teat. How'd you find me?
(takes a swig of beer)
GUNN 
Wasn't too hard. Put a couple of our psychics on it this afternoon. 

WESLEY 
One of the advantages of the corporate teat. 
SPIKE 
What can I do for you? Need me to help you collate something? 
WESLEY 
From what we hear... you're fighting the good fight these days. 
GUNN 
We figure that's our territory. 
SPIKE 
(raises his eyebrow) 
Is that what this is about? You're hurt 'cause I stepped on your toesies? 

GUNN 
Not at all. We're wondering why you left in the first place. 
WESLEY 
If you want to save the world, we've got the resources to help you 
do it. 
SPIKE 
No offense, Mr. Vader, but I've got no itch to join the evil empire. 

GUNN 
It's different. You know it. We've changed things. 
SPIKE 
Look... 
(sighs)
I told Angel, and I'll tell you. A place like that doesn't change... 
not from the inside. Not from the out. You sign on there, it changes 
you. Puts things in your head. Spins your compass needle around till 
you can't cross the street without tripping the proverbial old lady 
and stepping on her glasses. And it's not like I wasn't there, gents, 
like I wasn't watching you. Had to haunt the damn place. Remember? 
 
(takes a swig of his beer)
GUNN 
Things aren't that cut-and-dried, Spike. We're making a difference. 
We're just... playing by a new set of rules. 
SPIKE 
So what? You want me to... put on a suit, come play with you? 
WESLEY 
Something like that. 
SPIKE 
I can't believe Angel would sign off on that. Unless... he doesn't 
know you're here, does he?
(scoffs) 
Hedging our bets, are we, boys? 
GUNN 
That's not how it is. 
SPIKE 
(crosses his arms) 
And the compass needle keeps spinning. And the world gets murkier 
and murkier.

Cut to:
21 INT. EVE'S APARTMENT - DAY 
Doyle is lying on the bed talking to Eve, who's sitting on him, straddling 
him.
DOYLE 
They don't have a clue what's happening, do they?
(Eve kisses his neck) 
Hey...come on, babe.
(Eve sits up) 
Focus. Are you sure team Angel hasn't been checking up on him? 
EVE 
Told you. They're busy working on some relic that's got the senior 
partners in a huff.
(smiles) 
So we gonna do this, or what?
(reaches for the bedside table)
DOYLE 
(pushes Eve's hand away from the bedside table) 
Hey. 
EVE 
(annoyed) 
Fine. Let's talk more. How's our blond crusader? He buying into it? 

DOYLE 
So far. I mean, he hasn't sewn a big red "S" on his chest 
yet, but he's gettin' there.
(Eve kisses his neck) 
We keep building him up, and we tear Angel down. Pretty soon the senior 
partners are gonna start thinking they're backing the wrong horse. 

EVE 
(kisses his chest) 
Unless once they find out we're fixing the race. 
DOYLE 
(sits up) 
Hey...
(looks seriously into her eyes) 
That happens, I'm good as dead. 
EVE 
Relax, baby. They'll never know it's you. Not while you have these 
pretty pictures.
(touches his tattoos of symbols that cover his chest)
DOYLE 
These aren't for playing.
(buttons his shirt) 
They're the only thing keeping me off Wolfram & Hart's radar. 

EVE 
Doesn't mean I can't think they're sexy. 
DOYLE 
Well, you can think whatever you want after we finish our project. 

EVE 
(smiles) 
That mean you're gonna give me what I want? Or are we gonna keep up 
the teasing all day? 
DOYLE 
(flips Eve over on her back and leans over her) 
Good girls always get what they want.
(kisses Eve's neck)
EVE 
(touches the box on the bedside table) 
Oh... this is gonna be fun.

Cut to:
22 INT. LOBBY OF WOLFRAM & HART - DAY 
Wesley and Gunn walk out of the elevator and across the lobby. Fred spots 
them and hustles to catch up to them.
FRED 
Oh! Hey! Did you talk to Spike? 
WESLEY 
We did. 
FRED 
What'd he say? 
GUNN 
Oh, you know...stuff.
They walk into Gunn's office.

Cut to:
23 INT. GUNN'S OFFICE - DAY 
Fred follows Wesley and Gunn into Gunn's office.
FRED 
Like what? 
WESLEY 
Apparently we're not good enough for him. 
GUNN 
Thinks we sold out. 
FRED 
We didn't sell out. We're changing the system from the inside. 
GUNN 
You know, when you say it out loud, it sounds really naive.
(sits at his desk)
FRED 
Well, shouldn't we tell Angel about this? 
GUNN 
Tell him what? That Spike's hung out his shingle and is open for business 
in Angel's town? I don't think he needs to hear it right now. 
FRED 
It's not like we need to protect him. I mean, has anyone even heard 
from him today?

Cut to:
24 INT. LOBBY OF WOLFRAM & HART - DAY 
Fred walks up to Harmony, who's sitting at her desk reading "Trend" 
magazine.
FRED 
Hey, Harmony, um... any word from Angel? 
HARMONY 
Oh. Haven't heard a peep. 
FRED 
Maybe we should call him, check in? 
HARMONY 
Act like we care? Good plan! 
(picks up the phone and dials) 
It's ringing.

Cut to:
25 INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 
The telephone rings in Angel's apartment, but he's still asleep and dreaming.
Cut to:
25a INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 
Angel sits up in bed with a start. There is a piano playing in the 
background. He turns to see Lorne dressed up in old-west style, complete 
with suspenders and mustache.
ANGEL 
Lorne? 
LORNE 
(in a southern accent) 
Oh, round these parts, folks call me Honky-Tonk.
(spits into a spittoon)

Cut to:
26 INT. LOBBY OF WOLFRAM & HART - DAY 
Fred waits while Harmony is on the phone.
HARMONY 
(gasps) 
I just got his voice mail! You wanna leave a message? 
FRED 
No, I think I'll check in.
(walks toward the elevator)
EVE 
(cuts off Fred) 
Any luck with those tests? 
FRED 
Tests? 
EVE 
The stone, yea big, lots of carving. Answers to the name of relic. 

FRED 
Yeah, I'm on it. 
EVE 
Good. 'Cause I'm getting a lot of heat on this. And when I say heat, 
I mean actual flames under my feet. The senior partners are a tad 
impatient. 
FRED 
Oh! Y-you want me to... 
EVE 
Now would be good. 
FRED 
Oh. 
EVE 
Unless you've got something important... 
FRED 
No. I was just gonna...
(laughs nervously) 
It can wait.
(walks toward her lab)
Cut to:
27 INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 
Lorne/"Honky Tonk" is playing "My Darling Clementine" 
on the piano. Angel is still in bed beside the piano.
LORNE 
Hey, why so down in the dumpster, partner? You look like you just 
had to put down your last puppy.
Harmony, dressed like a waitress at the Copacabana, brings a drink 
to Lorne.
 
 
ANGEL 
I think... I think I'm lost. 
LORNE 
Order a drink! 
ANGEL 
Everything hurts. 
LORNE 
Now you're gettin' it. Everything hurts, and then we die. Or in your 
case, everything hurts and... then you go on...
(hits a low note on the piano) 
and on...
(hits a lower note on the piano) 
and on...
(hits a lower note on the piano) 
and on. 
ANGEL 
I don't know what to do. 
LORNE 
Why don't you give me an earful of them pretty pipes of yours? Let 
me suss it out.
(starts playing "My Darling Clementine" while the spotlight 
shines on Angel) 
Well, sing out, Louise.
Angel tries to sing, but only makes faint squeaks. The room is eerily 
silent.
 
 
FRED 
(bored) 
I told you he was empty.
The camera turns to show Fred, Wesley, and Gunn sitting at a bar table 
watching Angel and Lorne.
 
 
WESLEY 
Yes, but this is ridiculous!
(leans forward) 
We paid good money for this.
(cocks his head) 
We paid blood for this. 
LORNE 
(to Angel) Crowd's turning on ya, sport.
Gunn's snarls, revealing his silvery cat-eyes; he hisses angrily at 
Angel.
 
 
EVE 
(walks up to the table where Fred, Wes, and Gunn are sitting) 
(to Angel) You poor thing. You're really suffering, aren't you? 
LORNE 
(to Angel) You still got that thing on your shirt?
Angel looks down to see the blue slimy creature is on his chest, munching 
away. He puts his left hand over it and pulls it off of his chest.

Cut to:
27a INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 
The instant Angel pulls the creature off of his chest, he awakens with a 
fright. He's still holding the creature in his hand. It screeches, and he 
squeezes it to death, still gasping from the pain.
EVE 
Wow. You killed junior.
Angel turns to see Eve standing at his bedroom door holding a box—the 
same box that was on her bedside table. 
 
 
ANGEL 
Eve? 
EVE 
(walking forward) 
I'm not here, Angel. You're dreaming. But don't worry. The dream's 
almost over.


Eve opens the box, letting out a substantially larger blue creature 
of the same sort that was on Angel before.

Fade to black.

ACT IV:
28 INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 
Still in a weakened state, Angel is groaning and panting in his bed as Eve 
stands by, watching the melon-sized blue creature crawl up Angel's body. 
Eve smirks as she turns to walk away. 
ANGEL 
(finally musters the strength to knock the creature off the bed) 
No!
Angel falls out of the other side of the bed and crawls painfully 
across the floor.

Cut to:
29 INT. SPIKE'S APARTMENT - DAY 
Spike walks into his apartment carrying a 6-pack of "Brockman" 
beer only to find his apartment door was open. He sighs and walks in.
DOYLE 
(sitting on the couch) 
See you found the market. 
SPIKE 
(puts beers on the table) 
Thought this was a single. Didn't know I was gonna have a bloody roommate. 

DOYLE 
(stands) 
Just checkin' in. Keeping tabs.
(takes a beer, opens bottle) 
It's kinda what I do. 
SPIKE 
(snatches the opened beer from Doyle's hand) 
Yeah, well, I don't need a baby-sitter, so, um, bugger off.
(drinks the beer)
DOYLE 
You this prickly with all your friends? 
SPIKE 
I'm soft on the inside. 
DOYLE 
Spike... things would—
(gulps) 
Things would go a lot smoother if you—
(holds his hands to his head, pained)
SPIKE 
Oh, bloody hell. What was that about? 
DOYLE 
(panting) 
I just had another vision. 
SPIKE 
Oh, great. Look, don't expect me to jump every time you've got one 
of these vision thingies. 
DOYLE 
(shakes head, nods) 
Oh, no. I think you're gonna want to jump on this one.

Cut to:
30 INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 
Angel crawled across the floor towards the desk. He reaches for the phone, 
but can't reach. He tugs at the phone cord, pulling the phone off the hook, 
but falls over in exhaustion. The creature crawls on his chest.
Cut to:
30a INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 
Angel is sitting outside in a sunny, grassy meadow in a comfy leather 
chair. 
FRED 
This is really nice.
Angel turns to see Fred walking up to him in a country sundress, 
her hair softly flowing around her face. Wesley, Gunn, and Lorne 
are following close behind her.
 
 
WESLEY 
You can stay as long as you like. Stay forever.
Fred sits on the chair's arm, beside Angel.
 
 
ANGEL 
No...there's so much work to do. 
GUNN 
It's fine. We got it covered. 
ANGEL 
But I'm not supposed to be here. 
LORNE 
No fighting, Angel heart. Time to let freedom ring. Let yourself 
go. 
ANGEL 
But I'm not finished. 
WESLEY 
You are if you want to be. 
FRED 
It'll be fine. Great, actually. All you have to do is stop caring. 
Just—
(throws her head back in a painful, screeching scream) 
Aah! 
WESLEY 
(throws his head back in a painful, screeching scream) 
Aah! 
GUNN 
(throws his head back in a painful, screeching scream) 
Aah! 
LORNE 
(throws his head back in a painful, screeching scream) 
Aah!

Cut to:
 
Spike reaches down, grabbing the blue creature on Angel's chest, pulling 
it off of him, and throws it across the room, smashing it into a wall 
and killing it.
 
 
SPIKE 
That'll be a bitch of a clean-up. 
ANGEL 
(pained) 
Spike? 
SPIKE 
No need to thank me. Just helping the helpless.
(exits)


Angel groans weakly on the floor, watching Spike leave.

Cut to:
31 INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - DAY 
Wesley walks out of the bedroom, wiping his hands on a hand towel, addressing 
Angel, Fred, Gunn and Lorne in the living room.
WESLEY 
It was a Selminth parasite. Its teeth inject an anesthetic, making 
the host oblivious to its presence. You'd never know you had it on 
you.
(Angel drinks a glass of blood) 
Pumps neurotoxins into the body causing paralysis, hallucinations, 
fever dreams. 
ANGEL 
(looks at Eve, who's standing behind Wesley) 
It seemed...real. All of it.
(to Fred) You were dissecting me, taking things out of me, and there 
was this...bear.
(to Lorne) You called yourself Honky-Tonk, tried to get me to sing, 
but...
(to Gunn) You were big with the heckling. 
GUNN 
Uh...sorry? 
FRED 
So, if this parasite continued pumping its toxins into Angel... 
WESLEY 
(sits) 
He would have been stuck in a permanent vegetative state. 
LORNE 
Well, good thing Spike swooped in and saved the day. How did he even 
know you were in trouble? 
ANGEL 
Didn't say. 
GUNN 
What I want to know is how that thing even got in here in the first 
place. 
FRED 
We're checking the firm's storage facilities. It's possible that a 
specimen escaped or— 
ANGEL 
(to Eve) You. You brought it. 
EVE 
Me?
ANGEL 
You were here. 
EVE 
I had a cameo in your little dream sequence? That's so sweet. 
ANGEL 
You put the big one on me after I killed the other one. 
GUNN 
The other one? 
WESLEY 
Angel, there was only one. 
ANGEL 
No. 
WESLEY 
Maybe you were confusing reality with your hallucinations? 
ANGEL 
(stands) 
Uh-uh. Changed your clothes. 
EVE 
Yeah. I do that sometimes... after a long day. 
ANGEL 
(walks toward Eve) 
But you didn't change your earrings. You were wearing those in my 
hallucination... except... I haven't seen you for days. 
EVE 
(smiling) 
I've worn them before. Hey, I can't be held responsible for how you 
dress me in your fantasies. 
FRED 
You did change your clothes, Eve, and I've never seen those earrings 
before today.
(stands, crosses her arms)
EVE 
What is it exactly you think I— 
ANGEL 
Don't know, Eve. But I'm pretty sure the senior partners didn't give 
me the reins to their law firm just to turn me into a vegetable. Playing 
your own game here? What do you think the partners'll do to you after 
they find out about your little extracurricular activities? 
EVE 
(smirks) 
So things aren't going your way, and you're looking for someone outside 
your little circle to blame.
(walks to the elevator) 
Here's a thought. Maybe you should try looking inward...
(steps into the elevator) 
unless you don't like what you see.
(the elevator doors close)


Angel stares angrily after Eve as she leaves. Over his shoulder, you 
can see Gunn, Fred, Lorne, and Wesley standing behind him, watching with 
suspicious eyes as Eve leaves.

Fade to black.