Slouching Towards Bethlehem

"`Angel"' episode #70
Originally Aired on October 27th 2002
Written by Jeffrey Bell
Directed by Skip Schoolnik

Co-Producers: Skip Schoolnik, Steven S. DeKnight---Consulting
Producers: David Fury, David Greewalt, Tim Minear---Co-Executive
Producer: Jeffrey Bell---Executive Producers: Joss Whedon, Sandy
Gallin, Gail Berman, Fran Rubel Kuzui, Kaz Kuzui---Produced by Kelly
A. Manners

Disclaimer: "`Angel"' is (c) 2000 by the Twentieth
Century Fox Film Corporation. "`Angel"' is produced by Mutant Enemy,
Inc., Greenwolf Corp, Kazui Enterprises, and Sandollar Television for Twentieth
Century Fox Television.

Gunn: "`Previously on Angel"'

Connor: "`You murdered my father."'

Angel: "`I didn't."'

Fred: "`He's been down there for three months and you knew."'

Wesley: "`I believe you're looking for this."'

Angel: "`What you did to me---was unbelievable. I love you Connor. Now get out of my house."'

Wesley: "`I had to raise him."'

Lilah: "`For what?"'

Wesley: "`For fighting people like you."'

Skip: "`What you're being called to do transcends love. You've become a higher being."'

Cordy: "`Me?"'

Angel: "`I need Cordy---now."'

Fred: "`The axis of Pythia. It's an ancient relic said to be able to find souls or entities across dimensions."'

Angel: "`Entities like..."'

Gunn: "`Cordelia."'

Angel: "`There was all this light around her, made up of pure joy. Felt sort of permanent."'

Angel: "`Cordelia?"'

Cordy: "`Who are you people?"'

A man stands in front of the raised hood of his car on a dark, deserted LA street.

Dad: "`Try it again, honey."'

Mom tries to start the car but the engine won't catch.

Dad: "`Now, lets see."'

Reaches under the hood.

Dad: "`One more time."'

Again the car won't start.

Son from the backseat: "`He's just making it worse."'

Mom: "`Your father is trying to get us home."'

The son looks out the window and sees Connor standing there.

Connor: "`You okay?"'

Son: "`Dad?"'

Dad: "`Can I help you?"'

Connor: "`You're in trouble."'

Dad: "`No, we're fine."'

Connor to son: "`I like your hat."'

Dad: "`Really, thanks for stopping, but we've already called for help. See?"'

A car, adorned with a light bar and spot lights, drives up, music blaring. Two men get out.

Dad: "`You guys just in time. I'm not sure if we need a jump of a tow."'

Driver: "`I vote jump."'

The driver, in vamp face, attacks the dad, while the passenger vamp goes for the mom. Mom looks the car door, but the vamp simply bashes in the window and takes a hold of the screaming woman. In the back seat the son is screaming as well. Suddenly the vampire turns to dust, revealing Connor and a stake.

Connor: "`Are you okay?"'

The mother and son, both suddenly silent just stare at him. Connor reaches in and pushes in the cigarette lighter on the dashboard, then goes to pull the driver off the dad. They fight. The driver kicks Connor onto the bed of the truck they were driving. Connor takes a hold of the spare gas can there and bashes the vampire over the head with it, spilling gasoline all over the vamp.

The vampire straightens up, but Connor is nowhere to be seen. The vamp turns his attention back to the dad, pulling him up to his feet.

Connor: "`Hey."'

The vamp pushes the dad away and turns to face Connor. Connor tosses something at the vamp, who catches it in reflex. It is the cigarette lighter from the car, now red hot. The vamp has a moment to stare at what he is holding before his arm bursts into flame. A moment later the vampire is engulfed in flames and dusts in a shower of sparks.

Connor walks up to where the dad is just picking himself back up. The dad shrugs off Connor's hand.

Connor: "`Is that your family?"'

Dad looks over at the car.

Son: "`Dad!"'

The dad wordlessly stumbles to the car, gets in the passenger side and hugs his wife.

Connor stands there watching them cling to each other.

Hyperion, night. Connor jumps from a tree onto one of the balconies of the hotel and enters through one of the windows into an upstairs hallway.

Connor makes his way to the end of the hallway and peeks around a pillar down into the lobby below to see Cordy standing there.

Gunn's voice: "`Okay, but three is where I draw..."'

Angel: "`Cordelia?"'

Cordy: "`Who are you people?"'

Angel comes down the steps towards her.

Angel: "`My god. It's you. You're back!"'

Cordy backs away and Angel comes to a stop.

Angel: "`Don't you remember?---Angel."'

Cordy shakes her head a little, staring at him.

Angel to Gunn and Fred: "`Uhm, you see her, too, right? I'm not just..."'

Gunn: "`No, man, that's real."'

Fred and Gunn walk down the steps and stop by Angel.

Angel: "`It's okay. We're friends. You know us.---Fred.---Gunn.---You're dazed, or something must have... Thank god you're back."'

Cordy: "`So---we know each other?"'

Angel: "`Yeah.---Really well."'

Cordy: "`Okay. Uhm.---Who am I?"'

Intro

Angel: "`What \B{do} you remember?"'

Cordy: "`I don't know. Numbers, animals, flossing?"'

Angel: "`But not us."'

Cordy: "`Or me. I don't remember me."'

Angel: "`You're Cordelia Chase.---You work here---with us.---You've been gone for a while but you're safe now."'

Angel takes a small step closer and again Cordy backs away. Angel stops.

Angel: "`It's okay. We---we're friends. We're here to help you."'

Cordy: "`I've been gone?"'

Angel: "`What's important is that you're back."'

Cordy glances up, catching a movement out of the corner of her eye as Connor leaves his observation point.

Cordy: "`Are there other people here?"'

Fred: "`Uhm, not to sound all movie of the week, but I think you might have some kind of amnesia. Like, maybe you fell, or banged your head."'

Gunn aside to Angel: "`Should we take her to a hospital?"'

Cordy: "`Hospital? I don't need a... Not yet. Maybe later."'

Fred to Gunn: "`I don't think seeing a doctor will solve her problems."'

Angel spots Lorne walking up to the garden door from outside.

Angel: "`Neither will seeing green. (To Cordy) You wanna know what might help you remember? Seeing some of your things. (Angel takes a hold of Gunn) You wanna check for her things (pushes him towards the garden doors) out in the garden?"'

Gunn: "`Checking away."'

Angel: "`Hey Fred? You wanna help me look in the office?"'

Fred: "`Sure."'

As Cordy watches them retreat into the office we can see Gunn intercept Lorne outside the garden doors over Cordy's shoulder.

Fred: "`Excuse us."'

Fred follows Angel into the office.

Angel: "`Well, that could've been a disaster.---Hi. Welcome back. You're safe. By the way, there is a green demon right behind you."'

Fred: "`Don't you think we should tell her? I mean, we \B{do} live in a world of demons and icky things. She's bound to find out."'

Angel: "`Well, yeah, sure. But, I mean, let's be smart. I want her to remember who \B{I} am before I freak her out with the whole undead, drinks blood part of my résumé."'

Cordy is slowly moving through the lobby, looking around and listening to their muted voices. She looks in to the office through the big window and sees Angel looking through the things stacked on the desk.

Fred: "`Angel, aren't you curious why she's back?"'

Angel stops to look at her: "`I hadn't even...---I was just so happy to see her.---Why is she back?"'

Fred: "`I don't know. But if Cordy has been where we thinks she has---anything is possible."'

They look over and see Cordy standing out in the lobby watching them. Both raise a hand to give her a little wave and a smile.

Cordy quietly to herself: "`Okay. That's creepy."'

Cordy looks down and spots the serrated blade of a weapon protruding from under a piece of furniture.

Cordy: "`So is that."'

Angel and Fred come walking out of the office.

Angel: "`Couldn't really find anything of yours in the office."'

Cordy backing away a bit: "`That's okay."'

The phone on the counter starts to ring. Cordy glances from the phone to Angel and Fred, backing away from them as they come towards her.

Cordy: "`Shouldn't someone answer that?"'

Angel: "`The machine will get it."'

Cordy keeps backing away.

Angel: "`You really don't have to be afraid."'

Cordy: "`Easy for you to say. I don't know that. Don't know you---this place..."'

Cordy on answering machine: "`Hi, you've reached Angel Investigations. We can't come to the phone right now, but if you leave your name and number we will get back with you..."'

Cordy: "`That voice..."'

Machine: "`Thanks. Now wait for the beep."'

Cordy: "`Oh, my god. It's me."'

Man on phone: "`Yeah, this is Murray, down at the spa. Listen, it's after midnight..."'

Cordy: "`I work here."'

Murray: "`Better get down here. That demon broad came back. Looks like it's ready to..."'

Angel clears his throat at Fred and she hurries towards the phone.

Murray: "`...hatch its bloodsucking little..."'

Fred to phone: "`We're here!"'

Cordy stares from Fred to Angel back to Fred and the phone.

Fred: "`Uh-huh. Okay. We'll be right there."'

Fred hangs up the phone and turns to smile at Cordy and Angel.

Cordy: "`Did---he say---demon broad?"'

Fred: "`Yeah. His---uhm, wife. It-it's and ugly divorce case thing. You know, private eye stuff."'

Cordy looks at Angel and Fred shakes her head at Angel behind her back and mouths something to him. (Looked like 'No, it's not.' To me)

Fred: "`I should get Charles and terminate it before the situation multiplies."'

As Cordy looks back from Fred to Angel, Fred motions a big belly and then something exploding.

Angel: "`Okay. I'll---just stay here and---help Cordelia---settle in."'

Fred runs off: "`Okay."'

Cordy looks from the garden door through which Fred left to Angel.

Angel: "`So..."'

Cordy: "`I wanna go home.---Do you know where I live?"'

Angel shows Cordy into a room of the hotel stacked full of cardboard boxes.

Cordy: "`This is it? Everything?"'

Angel: "`Fred and Gunn, they moved everything over from your old apartment. After you... (Angel sees her pick up a dress slipper and look at it) You remember that? (Cordy just looks at him) You wore it when we went to the ballet."'

Cordy: "`The ballet? For real?---You and me?"'

Angel: "`We all went, but, yeah."'

Cordy puts the slipper down and moves on.

Angel: "`It was pretty special. I thought maybe you'd remember because...---It's too bad. We had ah, really good time. Working together, too."'

Cordy picks up a blue teddy bear and looks at it.

Cordy: "`I wish I could remember."'

Angel: "`Me, too.---I wanna help you get those memories back."'

Cordy sits down on the edge of the bed and looks up at him.

Cordy: "`Great.---But not tonight."'

Angel swallows, nods and backs towards the door.

Angel: "`I understand. If you need any..."'

Cordy: "`I will."'

Angel: "`You really are among friends."'

Angel backs out of the room, closing the door.

Cordy stands there, surrounded by boxes, holding the blue teddy bear.

Cordy, now dressed in pants and a green, long sleeved top is sitting on the bed looking at herself in a standing mirror.

Cordy: "`Cordelia. (Smiles) Hi! I'm Cordy!---I'm Cordelia Chase.---I'm... (lets out her breath) Just breathe. Just breathe."'

She lets out an explosive sigh, then gets up and walks over to a table and flips through her high school yearbook.

Cordy: "`Sunnydale."'

Stops at a page showing her as a cheerleader.

Cordy: "`Okay. Popular. No real surprise there."'

Flips to the front to read the inscriptions.

Cordy: "`Cordelia, homeroom was fun. Too bad it burnt to the ground.---What?---Hey, how about that---giant snake?---Dear Cordelia, thanks for the flaming arrows. (Closes the book) Flaming arrows?"'

She spots a pack of photographs of herself and starts to flip through them.

Cordy: "`That's cute. Cute. Hot! Yikes! Okay, out from the mental ward. Cute again."'

Cordy stops flipping and looks up.

Cordy in a whisper: "`Was I a spy?"'

Cordy looks at the next picture. It shows her holding Connor as a baby with Angel smiling down at his son.

Cordy: "`Who..."'

Cordy, hugging herself tightly walks down a hallway in the Hyperion. She hears muted singing and follows the sound to the partially open door to Lorne's room.

Lorne's muted voice: "`Okay, okay, jughead, that's enough. That's enough. Look, I'll make this simple. You, you have an addiction. You know it and I know it. And if you don't stop snacking on you know who's you're gonna end up on the wrong end of you know..."'

Lorne stops and Cordy quickly hurries away from the door as Lorne checks if there is anyone out in the hall. Not seeing anyone, Lorne turns back to his client, who looks close to humanoid, but who is drooling.

Jughead: "`What?"'

Cordy stops at the top of the stairs leading into the lobby. Hearing soft noises she stops.

Cordy: "`Hello?---Somebody down here?"'

Down in the lobby Angel adds one more container to the ones already sitting on the counter, then grabs the whole armful and hurries into the office just before Cordy comes down the steps.

Cordy walks over behind the counter. Spotting a drop of liquid on the counter she touches her finger to it. It's blood. Cordy stares at it for a moment, then walks towards the door Angel disappeared through.

Cordy: "`Hello?!"'

As Cordy walks into the office, Angel hurriedly sneaks across the lobby.

Cordy comes back out into the deserted lobby. She stares at the drop of blood on her finger.

Cordy: "`Oh my god."'

She runs for the doors but backpedals and ducks behind the counter instead when Gunn and Fred, looking disheveled and covered in grime and slime come in the doors, weapons in hand.

Gunn: "`How much do I hate those nasty little babies."'

Fred: "`Tell me about it. I couldn't squish squash fast enough."'

Gunn: "`I know we get paid to do it, but that's the kind of mayhem I would do for free."'

Gunn lays his ax down on the counter. Cordy, cowering behind it, stares up at the blade of the axe protruding over the edge.

Fred: "`Yeah, but I'm gonna be washing their teeny brains out of my hair for a week."'

Gunn: "`Hang on. Turn around."'

Fred: "`What is it?"'

Gunn: "`You don't even wanna know. Just hold still."'

Fred: "`Charles, we should go upstairs. Cordelia doesn't wanna know we do this kind of exterminating."'

Gunn: "`Hang on, almost got it. When do you think Fang-boy is gonna come clean with her, huh? Spill the really real?"'

Cordy stares in horror at a drop of viscous liquid collecting on the edge of Gunn's ax, threatening to drop on her head.

Fred: "`I'm sure the time will present itself."'

The liquid drops and Cordy jumps to her feet with a loud "`Eww!"'

Staring at Gunn and Fred she back away from them---right into the doors of the weapons cabinet, which pops open spilling its arsenal of blades at her feet.

Fred: "`It's okay. Cordelia..."'

Cordy runs from them---right into Angel.

Angel: "`Easy, easy. I can explain..."'

Cordy pulls free of his grip and runs out the garden doors, Angel following behind her.

Out in the garden she is attacked by two dark clad men. Without a moments hesitation, Cordy counters their attack with kicks and punches of her own.

Angel joins the fight and they quickly dispatch the two attackers. Gunn and Fred come running out into the garden.

Cordy: "`Wow. How did I...?---I am a spy!"'

Angel lets out a sigh and folds his arms across his chest.

Cordy: "`I get it now! You're all spies. Probably Russian, and-and you brain washed me and want me to believe you're my friends so I spill the beans about some nano-techno thingie that you want."'

Gunn: "`So---I look Russian to you?"'

Cordy: "`Black Russian."'

Angel: "`That's a drink."'

Cordy: "`Says the head spy."'

Angel: "`Nobody here's a spy. Those two guys are lawyers, weird as that may seem, from Wolfram and Hart. They must know you're back. (To Gunn) We have to keep her in the hotel so she's safe."'

Cordy: "`Safe! Is that some kind of joke? Your friends here were just talking about murdering children! And-and there's-there's singing---and blood, and pointy things. And did I mention the singing? I mean, what the hell is going on here, Angie?"'

Angel: "`Angel."'

Cordy: "`Whatever."'

Angel: "`I know things seem weird, and maybe even scary, but you have to believe me when I tell you that we're trying to do everything we can to help you get through this difficult time. The Cordelia that we know, the person that you're trying to remember is very much at home here. Bizarre as that may seem. So I ask you to look inside, to believe me, when I tell you that you're safe, and that you're among friends who only want the best for you."'

Cordy looks at Angel for a moment, then her tense posture relaxes a little.

Cordy: "`I---believe you."'

Cordy is sitting on the bed of her hotel room. Angel is leaning in the open door.

Cordy: "`So I'm not a spy?"'

Angel: "`No."'

Cordy: "`Am I a mom?"'

Cordy pulls out a photo of a baby. Angel comes to take a look at it.

Angel: "`That's my son. That's Connor. But no, you---you're not his mother."'

Cordy takes the picture back and looks at it.

Cordy: "`So---we---we weren't a happy family."'

Angel sits down on the bed beside Cordy.

Angel: "`Not like that."'

Cordy: "`And---you and me? We weren't..."'

Angel: "`Weren't?"'

Cordy leans a little bit closer towards him: "`Together?"'

Angel: "`Not exactly."'

Angel leans closer towards Cordy. It looks like they might kiss. Suddenly Cordy jerks back.

Cordy: "`Was I a nun?"'

Angel: "`What?"'

Cordy: "`Were we not a happy family because I was a nun? I was going through my stuff and I found all these..."'

Cordy picks up a bunch of chains and puts them in Angel's hand. Angel sees the crosses on them and his face morphs into its vampire visage. Cordy screams and jumps off the bed.

Break

Cordy is running full tilt down the hallway in the Hyperion, into the lobby and right into Lorne. They fall to the floor together with Lorne landing on top.

Cordy screams at the sight of Lorne's face. Lorne screams back. Cordy bats at Lorne's chest.

Cordy: "`Get off me! Get off me!"'

Lorne rolls off her.

Lorne: "`I'm getting. I'm getting. Stop clobbering me!"'

Angel takes a hold of Cordy's shoulders and helps her up.

Angel: "`Cordy! Stop. It's okay. It's okay. He's with us."'

Lorne gets up: "`Hey if this was about that missing lingerie, that was for a friend."'

Cordy: "`Tell me that this is Halloween and he isn't what I think he is!"'

Lorne: "`Trick or treat."'

Fred and Gunn come running up.

Fred: "`Don't you remember Lorne? You two are old buddies."'

Gunn: "`Yeah, you wanna know why we call him Lorne?"'

Cordy to Angel: "`What I want is answers, and I want them \B{now,} mister!"'

Angel: "`Okay. Maybe we haven't been 100% honest, because, well---we were afraid that the truth would scare you."'

Cordy: "`Yeah, and the lying and deceit have been so comforting."'

Angel sighs: "`You're right. Our mistake. I think it's time we came clean---about everything."'

Flash cut to Cordy sitting on a padded chair in Angel's apartment, staring at the floor in front of her.

Cordy: "`That's---everything."'

She looks over at the group sitting in a little group across from her.

Cordy slowly gets up.

Cordy: "`It all makes perfect sense now. I was a cheerleader, a princess, and a warrior, and I have visions and super powers, and I'm the target of an evil law firm because I've spent the last three months living on a higher plane fighting for the forces of good, who wage a battle against demons and evilies, and squishy bug babies. 'cause all that stuff is real and that's the world I live in. And I think I know why I don't remember any of this, because hey! Who'd want to?!"'

Lorne: "`Uhm (offers her his drink) Seabreeze?"'

Angel: "`I know it's a lot to take in."'

Cordy: "`Says the vampire with a soul and his wacky gang of sidekicks."'

Gunn lifts a hand: "`Uhm. Not a sidekick?"'

Angel: "`I think there is a way we might be able to sort this out. Pick a song."'

Cordy: "`Yeah.---What?"'

Fred: "`So Lorne can read you."'

Gunn: "`You sing, he sees your future."'

Angel: "`Hopefully he'll be able to explain what's happening and how we can help you get your memory back."'

Cordy: "`I-I can't just sing. I don't even know if I'm musical. Am I?"'

Gunn: "`Sure. You remember any songs?"'

Cordy: "`Well, there's so many... How do I pick?"'

Angel: "`Oh, it doesn't really matter. I'm kind of a ballad man myself but, ah---just pick anything."'

Cordy takes a deep breath and starts to sing 'The Greatest Love of All'---just as off key as she did when she performed that song in her high school talent show.

Everyone looks at her. Fred glances over at Lorne.

Fred quietly to Gunn: "`Does he look a little green to you? I mean, more than usual?"'

Lorne swallows hard and jumps up.

Lorne: "`Uh. Great. Enough! Okay! You were---you were great. You were great."'

Lorne makes his way to the door.

Lorne: "`Everything's great. We're all just... ah, I see a-a, ah, very, very---uhm..."'

Lorne disappears into the hall, closing the door behind him.

Angel makes his way over to the door.

Cordy: "`Was I really that bad?"'

Angel: "`It wasn't you. It was---the song! It reminds him of, ah---uhm..."'

Angel disappears into the hall, closing the door behind him.

Cordy: "`Oh, come on! You guys aren't even good liars. This is ridiculous."'

Gunn: "`Where are you going?"'

Cordy: "`Out. Away. Does it matter?"'

Fred: "`But it's not safe!"'

Cordy: "`Oh, right, because of evil ninja law firm."'

Gunn: "`We'll come with, just in case."'

Cordy: "`You keep telling me I was a higher being. Don't make me turn you into a rat!"'

Cordy turns and leaves the apartment.

Gunn to Fred: "`Can she do that?"'

Fred: "`Hmm---come on."'

They follow Cordy into the hallway.

Fred: "`How about a sandwich? Let's go to the kitchen."'

Gunn: "`We have cookies."'

Cordy: "`I don't want a sandwich. I don't want cookies. I want to talk to Angel sans sidekicks."'

Cordy walks off.

Gunn calls after her: "`I am not a sidekick!"'

Angel knocks on the door of Lorne's room.

Angel: "`Lorne? Talk to me. What did you see?"'

Lorne: "`Go away."'

Angel: "`If it's that bad, I need to know."'

Lorne opens the door: "`It's that bad. Good night."'

Lorne tries to close the door, but Angel holds it open.

Angel: "`No. I need details."'

Lorne: "`I got none! Just a splitting migraine, a tummy full of rattlesnakes and a strong suspicion that I'm gonna lose my lunch again if I don't start drinking myself silly."'

Angel: "`Come on, Lorne. You got to give me something."'

Lorne lets out a sigh: "`Do the words 'slouching towards Bethlehem' ring a bell? Or how about 'despair,' 'torment, 'terror?' And I'm not referring to the little missies choice of song either. Although that was horrifying in its own right. Ugh! What I saw was jumbles, pieces, flashes. It was enough to make my skin crawl away and scamper under the bed. Evil is coming, Angel,---and it's planing on staying."'

Lilah is curled up against Wes in his bed.

Lilah: "`It's not a secret."'

Wes: "`What is not a secret?"'

Lilah: "`Us. The firm knows that we're---doing---this."'

Wes: "`Isn't it their job to know this sort of thing? The sordid details of their employees lives?"'

Lilah: "`Hmm, yeah. I just thought I should tell you. Sordid? Meow! (Wes chuckles) Angel knows, too."'

Wes: "`I don't work for Angel anymore, and I could care less what he thinks."'

Lilah smiles at him: "`You faker! That's what you said when he was sleeping with the fishes. And we both know how that played out."'

Wes: "`That was different.---So Angel knows about our relationship. Big deal."'

Lilah laughs: "`A dollar! You owe me a dollar!"'

Wes: "`Oh, damn!"'

Lilah: "`You called this a 'relationship.'"'

Lilah kisses Wes on the forehead as he reaches for his wallet on the nightstand.

Lilah in sing-song voice: "`You lost the bet! You said it first!"'

Wes holds up a dollar bill.

Lilah: "`Sign it first. As proof."'

Wes: "`Proof of what?"'

Lilah: "`Of now. Of this."'

Lilah leans down and kisses Wes.

Cordy is walking down a hall in the Hyperion. There are mattresses and bedsprings stacked against the walls of the hallway.

Cordy: "`How big is this dump?---Angel?---Mr. Bumpy Face? Hello?"'

Cordy hears a sound and changes direction. She takes a deep breath then turns around.

Cordy: "`Look! I don't want juice, or cookies, or you two following me around. So just---back off."'

Jughead, Lorne's client from earlier, steps out of the shadows.

Jughead: "`You smell good."'

Suddenly his mouth changes, unfolding like a flower into some strange maw with sharp teeth.

Angel is walking away from Lorne's door. He stops. The camera closes in on his ear and we hear jughead hiss as his maw unfolds.

Cordy is running down the stairs into the lobby. Jughead jumps over the banister off the upstairs balcony to cut her off.

Cordy: "`What do you want?"'

Jughead: "`A snack."'

Cordy lets out a scream as Connor drops down from above and tosses jughead to the side.

Connor to Cordy: "`You're not safe here."'

Cordy: "`You think?"'

Jughead starts to get back to his feet and Connor tosses a stake, impaling the monster and dropping it back to the floor.

Cordy: "`Can you get me out of here?"'

Connor looks at her for a moment, then offers her his hand.

Cordy takes it and the two of them run out of the hotel.

Break

Angel, Fred and Gunn are standing in the lobby staring down at jughead's corpse.

Angel: "`How could you let her wander off alone?"'

Fred: "`The words 'grown woman' come to mind."'

Gunn: "`And the gal does have a history of whuppin' ass. I mean, you saw the hurting she put on those Wolfram and Hart dudes, and (to Fred) Could she really have turned me into a rat?"'

Angel: "`What if Wolfram and Hart came back? What if there were hundreds of those things? (Angel starts to back away) What if this is the way it starts? I mean, the slouching and the Bethlehem, and they've taken her because of what she knows. Even if she can't remember she knows it."'

Angel goes to close and lock the front doors.

Fred: "`Have you been caffeinating your blood again, or is there something you're not telling us?"'

Lorne comes up: "`Well, there is a something. But this isn't it. That was just a client of mine who had a fatal habit of snacking on humans."'

Angel: "`And you let it in here with Cordy."'

Fred: "`Hello! Back to the something? Is that why you ran out while Cordelia was singing?"'

Lorne: "`Well, a: I wasn't running out, I was fleeing. And b: yes."'

Gunn: "`Well, how horrible is this thing?"'

Lorne: "`Well, I haven't read the book of revelations lately, but if I was searching for adjectives, I'd probably start there."'

Fred: "`Was that all that you saw?"'

Angel goes and opens the weapons cabinet.

Lorne: "`That was just the tip of the berg, pumpkin nut. What I got from Cordy was dense. A big, fat, tummy clenching onion from hell. The more layers you peel, the more you cry---or vomit in this case."'

Angel hands Gunn a sword.

Lorne: "`But I tell ya, this is one itch that daddy is done a scratching! "'

Angel: "`We got to find Cordelia before... We have to find her. She's out there, alone, no memory and probably terrified."'

Cordy is looking up at a stuffed ice bear.

Cordy: "`How cool is that."'

Connor: "`I love that one. I wish I'd killed it."'

Cordy: "`Kind of a funny way to express your affection. I love you, bang, you're dead?"'

Connor turns away and leads the way further into the building.

Cordy: "`I gotta ask: why were you at the hotel? You live there?"'

Connor: "`No."'

Cordy: "`Just decided to drop by?"'

Connor: "`I saw you were back."'

Cordy: "`So, we know each other? We're friends?"'

Connor: "`You were nice to me once."'

Cordy: "`What about the others? Are you friends with them?"'

Connor starts to climb up a ladder.

Connor: "`This way."'

Cordy: "`Uhm, if we're going to be climbing ladders together, maybe, I don't know, you could throw a name at me?"'

Connor: "`Connor."'

Cordy: "`Connor? Really. That's funny. Angel has a baby named Connor. Did he name it after...---Oh, my god."'

Cordy follows Connor up the ladder and through a door.

Cordy: "`You're him. You're Angel's son."'

Connor: "`It's not like I got to choose."'

Connor flicks a light switch. Cordy looks around.

Cordy: "`What is this place?"'

Connor clears some trash off the bed.

Connor: "`Home."'

Cordy: "`This is home? If you're Angel's son, why don't you live with him?"'

Connor: "`They didn't tell you? (Sits down on the bed) I sunk him to the bottom of the ocean---to punish him."'

Cordy lets out a laugh, but stops when Connor just looks at her.

Cordy: "`You're serious."'

Connor: "`I tried to kill you, too. I was new to this world. I didn't understand. Put a knife to your throat.---I'm sorry."'

Cordy looks at him and Connor looks down.

Cordy after a beat: "`Thank you. You're the first person who's been straight with me (sits down on the bed beside him) who's told me the truth. (Puts her hand on his arm) Means a lot."'

Lilah wakes up as her cell phone rings. She turns on the light beside the bed and picks it up.

Lilah quietly: "`Yeah?---Hold on."'

Lilah gets out of bed after throwing a look at a sleeping Wes lying beside her. She walks into the next room, pulling the door partially shut behind her.

Lilah: "`Yeah? (Wes' eyes open) She's back? And you got a positive visual of her? You're sure it's her? Hmm. (Wes is standing behind the partially open door listening) She is with the kid? That's unexpected."'

Lilah lowers the phone and glance towards the door. Through the crack she sees Wes lying in bed.

Lilah: "`No. I'm here. Put an extraction team together. I'm on my way."'

Lilah goes back into the bedroom and puts the phone in her purse. Wes rolls over in bed.

Wes: "`You're leaving."'

Lilah, pulling on her clothes: "`Hmm. No rest for the wicked. You should go back to sleep."'

Wes: "`Do you really have to go?"'

Lilah comes over: "`Why? Are you missing me already?"'

Lilah leans down to give him a quick kiss then grabs her keys and purse from the nightstand. The signed dollar bill drifts to the floor beside the bed.

Wes watches Lilah leave.

Connor is sitting on a windowsill in his room. Cordy is curled up on the bed. Connor jumps off the sill.

Cordy: "`You're not leaving."'

Connor: "`I thought you were sleeping."'

Cordy: "`Just---don't go, okay?"'

Connor ties a wire to the doorknob.

Connor: "`I'm locking the door. You're safe."'

Cordy: "`Then why am I so scared?"'

Cordy sits up.

Cordy: "`I'm trying to remember---little things.---Do I have brothers and sisters? What's my favorite food?---Who was my first kiss?---And there's nothing there. Just and empty...---Do you know how lonely that makes me feel?"'

Connor after a beat: "`You like shoes, and donuts, and you're very brave."'

Cordy sniffles: "`Really?---Donuts?"'

Connor sits down beside her with a slight smile.

Connor: "`And you're brave."'

Cordy: "`When was I brave?"'

Connor: "`Now. Tonight. You've lost everything and---you're still strong."'

Cordy: "`I have this horrible feeling that something bad is going to happen---or maybe has happened. And I can't remember it. And I don't know what to do, or who to trust...---except you.---I don't know why---but I trust you.---Why do I get the feeling that you've lost everything, too?"'

Connor looks away. Gets off the bed.

Connor: "`I have nothing to lose."'

Connor walks over to the windows.

Cordy: "`Don't go too far, okay?"'

Connor sits down on the windowsill.

Fred is circling an area on a map laid out on the reception counter in the Hyperion.

Fred: "`She's gotta be somewhere close."'

Gunn: "`Then Angel will find her."'

Fred: "`What if she's not on her own? What if she's been taken or..."'

Gunn: "`She's out there somewhere."'

Angel walks in.

Angel: "`Nothing. We're gonna have to widen the search. Call hospitals, police stations. She couldn't have just disappeared.---Okay, once. But not again. Somebody has to know where Cordelia is."'

Wes: "`I do."'

They turn to see Wes standing on the landing just inside the doors.

Wes: "`A bit careless. Misplacing her after all the effort to find her."'

Angel: "`We didn't find her. She just showed up---with no memory, no idea of who she is or where she's been."'

Wes: "`Fresh start. Doesn't sound so bad."'

Angel: "`What do you know?"'

Wes: "`Wolfram and Hart are trying to extract her."'

Gunn: "`Already tried."'

Wes: "`They'll try again. She might have spent time with the Powers That Be. Wolfram and Hart will consider her valuable, and I doubt your boy will be able to stop them."'

Angel: "`My...---She's with Connor.---You have that on good authority?"'

Wes: "`You don't seem too concerned."'

Angel: "`Connor's my son. I'm sure he's taking excellent care of her."'

Cordy turns over on the bed next to Connor. Connor moves and one of his hands comes to rest on Cordy's breast. Cordy's eyes pop open, but before she can make a sound, Connor presses a hand over her mouth and rolls on top of her.

Connor: "`Shh. Someone's here."'

Cordy's eyes roll towards the door. A man dressed all in black is sneaking into the room. His foot hits a trip wire and a sling tightens around his ankle, heisting him up by it to the ceiling.

Connor jumps off the bed and hits the intruder several times with a club.

Connor: "`Do you remember how to fight?"'

Connor picks up a sword and holds it out towards Cordy.

Cordy: "`What?"'

Connor: "`They're coming for you. I set traps, but you'll have to fight. Do you know how?"'

Another man dressed in black crashes through the window and Cordy takes a hold of the sword.

Cordy: "`One way to find out."'

Break

Connor and Cordy a fighting the guys invading his lair and it looks that Cordy indeed remembers how to fight, but there are just too many of them. One of the men cuts down the guy hanging by the door. Another jumps up on some furniture and sticks something up against the wall as high up as he can reach.

Lilah stands looking down at a handheld monitor, watching the fight with a smile on her face.

One of the men hits Cordy with a hard cross and she goes down.

Connor: "`Cordelia!"'

Connor tries to get to her, but there are too many of them. One of the guys is hustling a dazed Cordy towards the exit, but the door burst open revealing Angel, Gunn and Fred.

Angel knocks the guy out and catches Cordy as she falls.

Lilah: "`Aren't you the stud muffin."'

Gunn tosses one of the guys to the side. Gets hit with hard cross by another. He falls back against the wall but comes back up, fighting.

A man dressed all in black comes up to Lilah.

Carlo: "`Ms. Morgan. It's done."'

Lilah: "`Music to my ears, Carlo. I'm going home. Tell the boys it's forth and ten."'

Carlo: "`All units: punt. I repeat: punt."'

In Connor's lair all the commandos pull out.

Gunn: "`That's right, monkey boys, don't mess with the big dog!"'

Fred looks up at him from where she is cradling a dazed looking Cordy.

Gunn: "`It's better than sidekick."'

Angel helps Cordy up: "`Did they hurt you? Are you okay?"'

Cordy: "`Yeah, I'm okay."'

Connor gets back to his feet: "`I didn't expect so many."'

Angel: "`Well, you tried. I appreciate it. (Looks around) I really like what you've, uhm, done with the... Nice. (To Cordy) We should probably get you back home."'

Cordy: "`Actually, I'd like to stay here---with Connor."'

Walks past Angel to stand halfway between him and Connor.
Angel: "`I don't---think that's the best idea. Connor is a great fighter. I helped train him. But you need more than just muscle right now."'

Cordy: "`You're right. I need someone who won't lie to me. Like you did. All of you---I-I know you were trying to help, but the truth is the only way to do that, and that's what Connor's given me."'

Connor stakes a couple of steps closer to Cordy.

Angel looks from Cordy to Connor, then away. He nods slightly and turns towards the exit and Gunn and Fred, who start to file out the door slowly. Angel stops in the doorway and looks back at Connor.

Angel: "`Keep her safe."'

Angel leaves.

Wes is in his apartment, holding a drink. He sits down on the edge of the bed on Lilah's side, puts his drink on the nightstand and looks down. He sees the signed dollar bill lying on the floor and picks it up.

Angel and Co file into the lobby of the Hyperion.

Fred: "`If it makes you feel better, I would have chosen you."'

Angel: "`Thanks, but no, it doesn't."'

Gunn: "`Hey, just remember, man, it's not really Cordy. Well, not all of her."'

Angel: "`Maybe she's right. Maybe we should have spilled everything from the start, you know? Played it all card up."'

Gunn: "`You mean demons and monsters and vamps card up? Wouldn't have worked."'

Fred: "`She's confused, is all. Give her time. She'll see the truth. Who the real champion is."'

Gunn: "`Damn straight. If team Angel hadn't shown up for a little clobbering time, Wolfram and Hart would have nabbed her and probably..."'

They hear a thud coming from the direction of the office.

Angel motions Gunn to one side while he and Fred approach from the other. They storm into the office through both doors at about the same time---to find Lorne, beat up, gagged and tied to the chair.

Fred: "`Oh my god!"'

Angel: "`Lorne?"'

Fred removes the gag while the guys work on untying him. Fred spots a wound on his head next to his right horn.

Fred: "`Is he alive?"'

Angel: "`What happened? Who did this?"'

Lorne: "`W---w---w..."'

Gunn: "`Wesley? Not again!"'

Lorne shakes his head weakly.

Angel: "`Wolfram and Hart."'

Gunn: "`Okay. But-but why? I thought Cordy was their target."'

Angel: "`They must have known that Lorne read her."'

Gunn: "`Okay. Wait. So, you're saying that the slam dance at Connor's place was a decoy?"'

Angel: "`And we fell for it like a bunch of rookies. They weren't after Cordy, they were after what Lorne saw when she sang."'

Fred dabs at Lorne's wound with a folded cloth.

Fred: "`They sucked it out of his head?"'

Angel: "`How much? What did they get?"'

Lorne: "`They had---they had a demon. I wouldn't talk. The thing borrowed---inside me. Took Cordy out."'

Angel: "`Lorne, how \B{much} did they get?"'

Lorne: "`All of it."'

Fred: "`They tricked us."'

Gunn: "`Wolfram and Hart or Wesley? He's the one who showed up with the hot tip about junior. How do we know he's not the one playing us?"'

Angel: "`We don't. But what we \B{do} know is that Wolfram and Hart may now know more about Cordy's doom and gloom thing than we do.---That's a problem."'

There is a knock on the door. Lilah goes to answer it. Wes is standing outside the door of her apartment.

Lilah: "`Oh. A drop-by. That's a surprise."'

Wes: "`Is it?"'

Lilah: "`Well---that it took you so long---yeah."'

Wes walks past her into the apartment.

Wes: "`You played me."'

Lilah: "`You played yourself."'

Wes: "`On the phone, you wanted me to hear that so that I would tell Angel."'

Lilah shrugs: "`Free will. Look it up."'

Wes: "`Lilah."'

Lilah: "`I was just doing my job. You're the one who decided to take what you overheard and give it to the good and plentys. So before you go all 'righteous fury'---figure out who you're really mad at here."'

Wes just stares at her for a moment then turns away, letting out a big sigh.

Wes: "`What was the real plan?"'

Lilah: "`Let's just say I could have had Lorne's brain in a jar but I left it in his head because he is a friend of yours."'

Wes: "`What's that supposed to do? Lull me into trusting you again?"'

Lilah with a slight smile: "`If I thought you'd ever trust me, I would never have played you like this."'

Wes just looks at her for a long moment.

Wes: "`It's never simple, is it?"'

Lilah's smile melts away as they look at each other.

Cordy lies curled up on Connors bed. Connor is sitting against the wall by the window, watching her.

Angel is leaning in the open door to the balcony of his apartment, looking in the direction of his empty bed.