Angel 4x07: Die Ankunft – Transcript

Transcript (englisches Original)

Angel

(V.O.) Previously on Angel:

WESLEY'S APARTMENT - DAY Wes is talking to Lilah in his living room.

WESLEY I have to leave, actually.

After Wesley leaves, Lilah notices the magazine Wes was reading is open to an article entitled "Super Symmetry and P-Dimensional Subspace" by Winifred Burkle.

Cut to:

HOTEL/ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - DAY Fred is talking to Angel and Gunn in the hotel lobby.

FRED I've been asked to present my article at the Physics Institute.

Cut to:

AUDITORIUM AT PHYSICS INSTITUTE CONFERENCE - DAY Fred's old college professor introduces her as a speaker.

PProfessor Seidel

Winifred Burkle.

Fred

Thank you, Professor.

Lilah enters the auditorium and looks around to see who's there. She sees Wesley.

Cut to:

PROFESSOR SEIDEL'S OFFICE - DAY When the Professor comes back to the office, Fred's face is one of sheer horror.

Fred

(V.O.) It was Professor Seidel sent me to Pylea.

Cut to:

LAB OUTSIDE PROFESSOR SEIDEL'S OFFICE - NIGHT Fred has a crossbow pointed at Professor Seidel, who's now standing against one of the lab desks. Fred has opened a portal in the floor in front of the Professor, and it's sucking him in. He's clinging to the lab desk as Charles Gunn bursts into the lab.

Gunn

If you kill him, I'm gonna lose you.

Gunn breaks the Professor's neck, and pushes him into the portal. It closes behind the Professor. Fred and Gunn stare at each other, trying to absorb what just happened.

Cut to:

HOTEL/ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT Angel, Fred, and Gunn have just discovered Cordelia's back, in the lobby of Angel Investigations.

Angel

Cordelia?

Cordelia

Who are you people?

Cut to:

HOTEL/ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT Cordelia's sitting in her room, looking into a mirror. She goes through her things and finds a picture of her holding baby Connor standing next to Angel .

Angel

(V.O.) She just showed up with no memory, no idea who she is or where she's been.

Cut to:

HOTEL/ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT Angel, Fred, Gunn and Lorne are talking to Cordelia in the lobby.

Angel

Pick a song.

Gunn

You sing, he sees your future.

Cordelia

(singing poorly) Because the greatest -

While Cordy's singing, Lorne looks shocked and upset.

Cut to:

HOTEL/ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT Angel talks to Lorne at the door to his room.

Lorne

What I saw was jumbled. Evil's coming, Angel, and it's planning on staying.

Cut to:

HOTEL/ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT A frightened Cordelia is talking to Connor, who just saved her from a monster attack.

Cordelia

Can you get me out of here?

Connor offers her his hand, and they leave together.

Cut to:

RANDOM STREET IN LOS ANGELES - NIGHT Cordelia plunges the stake into the vampire's heart with precision, and the vampire turns into dust before her eyes. Connor stands up, and Cordelia runs to him with a celebratory hug. He spins her around. When he puts her down, she gives him an innocent, friendly, quick kiss on the mouth.

Angel

(V.O.) She's with Connor, my son.

Cordelia

Mwa!

Cut to:

HOTEL/ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT Angel, Fred and Gunn find Lorne tied up in a chair, bound and gagged, with a large bleeding hole in his head. He's passed out.

Angel

Wolfram and Hart were after what Lorne saw when she sang.

Fred

They sucked it out of his head?

Angel

How much did they get?

Lorne

All of it.

Cut to:

LOBBY AT HOTEL/ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT In the hotel lobby, Lorne is giving Cordelia a drop of magical memory potion while Angel and Connor look on. She makes a face and then runs out of the lobby.

Lorne

(V.O.) I found a memory spell guaranteed to bring our Cordy back to the way she was.

Cut to:

HALLWAY AT HOTEL/ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT Cordelia's walking away, but Angel's going after her.

Angel

Were we in love?

Cordelia

We were. (walks away)

Fade to black.

PROLOGUE:

HOTEL / ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - DAY Gunn grabs a battleaxe in the lobby while Angel's walking down the stairs with Lorne following him, talking emphatically.

Angel

No.

Lorne

Why?

Angel

No.

Lorne

Why?

ANGEL I said no.

LORNE I said why. Now, let's meet in the middle with a "why no?"

Angel

It's too soon. (walks to front desk)

Lorne

But she got her memory back. Aren't you a weensy curious if Cordy remembers anything about her little stint as a Miss Higher Power. Oh, say, maybe something about the thing-a-ma-bad that Wolfram and Hart sucked outta my noggin.

Angel

We need to give her time to adjust before we start coming at her with a million questions.

Lorne

How 'bout one? One's good.

Angel

In a couple of days when she's more herself.

Lorne

(to Fred and Gunn) Chime in any time.

Fred and Gunn are at the weapons cabinet, picking out weapons.

Fred

Love to.

Gunn

Really.

Fred

We got a case.

Angel

Need some backup?

Gunn

Nah. Woman out in Hancock Park's hearing spookies in her pipes. I don't know whether to bring my axe or a plunger.

Fred and Gunn leave.

Angel

See? Worst thing we got going on is a haunted toilet, so let's give Cordy a little space. It's not like the world's gonna end right this second.

Cut to:

ATTIC AT NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - DAY Someone screams off screen. It's coming from the television that Cordelia's watching. Connor comes into the room with his hands full of junk food.

CConnor

Chocodiles. And some other stuff.

Cordelia

What?

CConnor

(walks over to sit on the bed) Thought you might be hungry. Want something else? I could -

Cordelia

No. These are great.

CConnor

Whatcha watching?

Cordelia

Some old movie. Pod People or Mutant Pod Mushrooms or something, I don't know. I can't remember. I mean, I don't remember 'cause I was a kid when I saw it, so it's a little on the foggy, but natural fog. (turns off TV) Don't worry. I'm not gonna turn into Amnesia Action Figure Cordy again. (starts unwrapping a Chocodile ice cream treat)

CConnor

She wasn't so bad.

Cordelia

Yeah, a real hoot, too, with the panicking and the screaming and running around like a nut. (takes a bite of the ice cream) Mmm...I love these.

CConnor

Yeah, I know.

Cordelia

Thank you.

CConnor

You're welcome.

Cordelia

Not just for the snacky goodness. Thank you for...God, thanks for everything. I don't know what I would have done without you, Connor.

CConnor

Panic, scream, nut.

Cordelia

Probably.

CConnor

(goes over to Cordelia, kneels in front of her, touches her knee) You should rest.

CORDELIA I'm OK.

CConnor

(tenderly brushes hair from her face) You haven't slept since you came back.

CORDELIA I know. Every time I close my eyes, I...

CConnor

What?

Cordelia

See it. Something horrible moving deep down, clawing it's way up.

CConnor

Just a dream.

CORDELIA I can taste the blood of all the people it's going to kill, smell the burning flesh.

CConnor

It's OK. You're safe with me.

Cordelia

No one's safe. Don't you understand that? It's coming, and no one can stop it. I wanna warn Angel, but the words won't come out. Why can't I tell him? I feel it. The thing in my dreams... It's real, and it's almost here.

Connor stands. When Cordelia looks up, there's a beastly demon standing in front of her where Connor was.

BEAST I know.

The Beast grabs her throat, and Cordelia gasps, waking from her dream. Connor comes rushing into the room, going to her.

CConnor

What is it?

Cordelia

Oh, G -

CConnor

Are you all right? Cordy!

Cordelia sobs and leans on Connor, who puts his arm around her.

Fade to black.

Pt I:

HOTEL / ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - DAY Lorne's sitting at the front desk, talking on the phone.

Lorne

Snakes? Uh-huh. And they came out of your what? OK, OK, well did they get up there themselves, or is this part of a, you know, a thing. (laughs nervously) No, I'm not judging. (puts phone to his chest, asks Angel) Do we fight snakes?

Angel's sitting on the chair in the lobby, polishing his sword.

Angel

Only if they're giant. Or demons. Or giant demons. (turns to face Lorne) Are they giant demon snakes?

Lorne

Well, unless this guy's 30 feet tall, I'm thinking they're of the garden variety.

Angel

(sighs) Oh. (stands) They could still be demonic. Are they making any kind of weird demony sounds?

Cut to:

HALLWAY AT CLIENT'S HOUSE - DAY Fred and Gunn are standing in the hallway of a house, talking to the rich client who owns it. She's a mid-thirties pretty blonde woman.

HHouse Wife

The noises are horrible. The thumping, the groaning - it's impossible to sleep at night.

Gunn

How long's this been going on?

HHouse Wife

Uh, a week, maybe.

Fred

Good. If it's a haunting, the longer a specter inhabits an area, the harder it is to convince them to leave.

Gunn

Yep, Casper's dealing with the big boys now. We're very persuasive.

HHouse Wife

Anything you can do about that terrible room. I'll be in the kitchen. (walks away hurriedly)

Gunn

(to Fred) You ready?

Fred

Is no an acceptable answer?

Gunn

In this business? Always.

With battleaxe ready, Gunn opens the door.

Cut to:

BATHROOM AT CLIENT'S HOUSE - DAY The bathroom is huge (something on the order to 10'x15') and luxuriously decorated. There's a huge spa tub at the back of the room, rich wood cabinets, and a double vanity.

Gunn

(whistles, looks around) Man, look at this place.

FRED A family of four could live in here.

Gunn

With room for Uncle Laruel. Man, marble countertops, whirlpool tub, bidet... (smiling) it's the kind of place I imagine us moving into one day.

Fred

(tentative) Yeah.

Gunn

Well, I'm not saying tomorrow.

FRED I know, I -

Gunn

Just, be nice one day. 'S all.

Fred

Charles - (groaning pipes sound) OK, that's not the bidet.

Gunn

Where's it coming from? (starts looking around)

Fred

Um, everywhere. Maybe we should've brought a priest.

Gunn

(listens near the sink) Or some consecrated Drano. I think it stopped.

The mirrored medicine cabinet breaks above the sink, revealing rats. They're everywhere now. Dozens of them in the cabinet, coming up through the drain, in the tub, on the floor.

Fred

These aren't ghosts. These definitely aren't ghosts.

Gunn

Well, they're gonna be.

Fred

(trying to leave through the door, but it won't budge) It won't open. (screams)

Cut to:

HALLWAY AT CLIENT'S HOUSE - DAY Fred and Gunn finally get the door open and go back to the hallway. Gunn's taking off his coat in case there are still rats on it. Fred checks him.

Gunn

Get 'em off me. Get 'em off me.

Fred

You're OK. You're OK.(walking out, to House Wife) Um, you might want to look into an exterminator.

Gunn

Or just burnt he place down.

Fred

Either way.

Cut to:

WESLEY'S APARTMENT - DAY Wesley comes home to his apartment, finding Lilah there.

LLilah

Hard day at the office?

WESLEY I've had worse.

LLilah

What happened?

Wesley

Bugs.

LLilah

Giant?

Wesley

Swarm. Why are you dressed like that?

Lilah's sitting on his desk near the window. She's done her hair in two pigtail braids with little white bows, she's wearing glasses, a short skirt, a white oxford shirt and a blue cardigan sweater. She's swinging her feet like a schoolgirl, acting coy.

LLilah

(in Southern accent) Isn't this what you like? Big brain and a tight little -

Wesley

(rolls eyes) Lilah.

LLilah

(in Southern accent) Oh, forget about that evil witch. Let's talk about me. I'm good and pure and science turns me on, and-and one day (puts hands together in prayer) if I pray hard enough and eat all my vegetables, I just might just have hips.

Wesley

(smiles) Are you finished?

LLilah

(stands, walks to him) Did it turn you on? Watching her up there in front of all those braniacs knowing she was the smartest one in the room? (crosses arms)

Wesley

Her theories deserve attention.

LLilah

Just her theories? (walks closer to him) I saw the way you looked at her. Oh, come on. Do you think I care about your little crush? Moon all you want of the Texas twig 'cause I know whose bed you'll be crawling into at the end of the day. (puts arms around his neck) Or the middle of it. (starts kissing him)

Wesley

You think you know me?

LLilah

Better than she ever will.

Wesley kisses her passionately, and they go over to the couch. Wes pulls up Lilah's skirt and sits down on the couch with her on his lap, facing him. She unbuttons her shirt, revealing her red bra. She starts to take off her glasses, but Wes stops her.

Wesley

Leave them on.

Lilah puts the glasses back on, and they continue with their lovemaking.

Cut to:

HOTEL / ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - DAY Fred and Gunn come in through the garden on their way back from the client's house. They go up the stairs, Fred first, to the front door.

Gunn

Nasty pink-nosed bastards. I can still feel 'em crawling on me.

FRED I'm gonna take a long bath and scrub 'til my skin stops twitching.

Gunn

(excited) Can we have bubbles?

Fred

(turns to face him) I was kinda looking forward to a quiet soak alone.

Gunn

Oh. Yeah, OK.

Fred

It's just - the tubs not that big and... (laughs nervously) Forget it. We'll squeeze in.

Gunn

No, no, you go ahead. I'll grab one later.

Fred

(sighs) Can we not do this?

Gunn

You mean have a meaningful conversation the way that two people who love each other are supposed to?

Fred

(looks down) Fine. We'll do this.

Gunn

Fred, what do you want from me.

Fred

Nothing.

Gunn

Yeah, you've made that pretty clear.

Fred

That's not what I meant.

Gunn

You sure? We don't talk. We sleep on opposite sides of the bed. We haven't even touched each other since -

Fred

(they both look down, avoid eye contact) Since we murdered Professor Seidel.

Gunn

No, since I did.

Fred

For me.

GUNN I couldn't let you carry that.

Fred

It wasn't your choice.

Gunn

Fred, it's not who you are. It isn't in your heart.

Fred

But it's in yours?

Gunn

It is now.

Fred

(starts to cry, runs back down the stairs) I'm sorry.

Gunn

Fred!

Fred leaves the garden; Gunn doesn't follow, but just watches her go.

Cut to:

HOTEL / ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - DAY Angel's inspecting the weapons in the weapons cabinet. Lorne's working the phones at the front desk. They're ringing off the hook, faster than he can answer them.

Lorne

(on phone) No, no, that certainly doesn't sound normal for a boy his age. Look, we'll send someone out as soon as we can. Just, um - just don't poke it. (hangs up)

Gunn walks into the lobby, and hands Angel the battle-axe.

Angel

Hey. How'd it go?

Lorne

Where's Fred?

Gunn

Bad. Out. (phone rings) I got it.

Lorne

Bless you and all your parts. (hands Gunn the message log)

Gunn

(to phone) Angel Investigations. Uh-huh. And what is the nature of your manifestation?

Lorne

(walks over to Angel) Business is really humming, huh?

Angel

Yeah, word of mouth, I guess, got around that I'm back. You think I should keep these alphabetical, or rearrange them by how much damage they inflict?

Lorne

Damage. Nomenclature goes out the portal when, uh, hacking's afoot.

Angel

Still, good to know what you're using. I mean, what if I'm fighting a Glurgg, and I ask for a Khopesh to finish him off. What would you throw me?

Lorne

Uh, a towel. Glurggs are 90% pus. Yeah, uh, not speaking of sticky fluids, maybe we should get some help around the office. A certain somebody with a good understanding of higher dimensions. And could tell me what got hoovered out of my head. Um, name starts with a "C."

Angel

(looks up) Connor.

Lorne

No, I was leaning more towards a perky love muffin, but - Oh. (sees that Connor has walked into the lobby)

Angel

Hey.

CConnor

Hey.

Angel

It's OK. The spell wore off. Thanks for not letting me hurt Cordy.

CConnor

Well, I don't know, she probably would've staked you. She's pretty tough.

Angel

Yeah, she is.

CConnor

She's staying with me now. You know that, right?

Angel

Yeah, that's good. She needs a place she can feel safe. Give her a chance to work things out. A couple of days, everything'll be back to the way it was.

CConnor

You should talk to her.

Lorne

Oh, hallelujah.

Angel

Now's not a good time. After everything she's been through, the last thing she needs -

CConnor

Dad, please?

Cut to:

ATTIC AT NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - DAY Cordelia's facing away from the door when Connor and Angel come into the room.

Cordelia

(sighs) I'm gonna kill him.

Angel

(walks toward her, Connor hangs back) He's just worried about you. We all are.

Cordelia

Is that the royal we, or the populous?

ANGEL I always wanted to be a prince. (sits next to her, holds her hand) I hear you gotta be born into it.

Cordelia

(smiles) How do you do that?

Angel

What?

Cordelia

Make everything feel like it's not spiraling apart. (Connor walks out of the room)

Angel

You all right?

Cordelia

Getting there.

Angel

The way you left the hotel -

CORDELIA I know.

Angel

Did I do something, or -

Cordelia

Oh, Angel... I love you. I always will. You know that.

ANGEL I don't suppose we could stop there.

CORDELIA I wish we could - more than anything - but I can't. (shifts to face him) When I got my memory back, everything came rushing in. Sunnydale, moving to Los Angeles, meeting you again. I wanted to tell you, but it was just too much.

Angel

Tell me what?

Cordelia

What I remembered when I was a higher being. I remember seeing you - your past - when you were Angelus.

ANGEL I never tried to hide who I was or what I've done. You already knew.

Cordelia

Knowing's different than living it. When I was up there, I could look back and see everything you ever did as Angelus - more than see, I felt it. Not just their fear and pain. I felt you and how much you enjoyed making them suffer. I love you, Angel, (touches his face) but I can't be with you. It's just too soon. Maybe if we just give it a little time...

Cordelia starts hyperventilating, convulsing, and her eyes turn white. Angel grabs her shoulders to steady her. She has a vision of the Beast coming up out of the earth.

Angel

Cordy!

Cordelia

He's coming. He's coming now.

Fade to black.

Pt II:

ATTIC AT NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - NIGHT Cordelia's lying down on the bed. Connor's sitting beside her, and Angel's pacing back and forth in front of her.

Angel

You still have your visions. I thought they weren't supposed to hurt anymore.

Cordelia

This wasn't normal. (sighs, Angel sits down on bed beside her) If that word actually applies to anything that ever happens to me. The visions are usually like a lawn sprinkler. This was like Niagra.

CConnor

You should let her rest.

Cordelia

No, I'm OK. (holds Connor's hand)

Angel

What else can you tell me?

Cordelia

Big, powerful, clawing its way up through the bowels of the earth to slaughter us all. Yeah, that pretty much covers it.

Angel

Did you see anything that could give us a location?

Cordelia

No, just the big beastie. (sits up in bed) It's coming, Angel, and it won't stop - not until we're all - It won't stop.

Angel

He's right. You should probably get some sleep.

Cordelia

Yeah, because impending doom - almost as good as warm milk.

Angel

(stands) Whatever's coming, I'll figure out a way to stop it.

Cordelia

It'll be too late. I can feel it. There's something - I don't know. I think I know more about this thing - or, I knew more when I was all high and mighty, but I just can't get at it.

Angel

Maybe if Lorne read you again.

Cordelia

You think he would after what happened the first time?

ANGEL I could hold him down.

Cordelia

Angel, we need to know more. I need to know.

Cut to:

HOTEL / ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT Gunn's answering the phones at the front desk. Phones are ringing off the hook. Lorne's also on the phone at the front desk on another line.

Gunn

(to phone) I'm sorry. I know, but we're pretty swamped right now. Well, if Snowball hasn't tried to eat your spine yet, hit her with the catnip until we get there. (hangs up)

Lorne

(to phone) No, I-I don't think that much mucus is ever a good sign. Uh-huh. Oh, please, please, again, describe it in detail. (holds phone to chest, to Gunn) Hey, uh, this isn't letting up. How 'bout, uh, rustling up some adorable reinforcements?

GUNN I don't know where she is.

Lorne

Well, uh, that's where the rustling comes in.

Gunn

Well, if Fred wanted to be here, she would.

Lorne

(to phone) Uh, yeah, that sounds horrible. Hold please. (hangs up, to Gunn) You two OK?

Gunn

Ask her that. Maybe she'll talk to you.

Lorne

(answers phone) Angel Investigations. Hold please. (to Gunn) Hey, I don't know what's going on between cupcake and her icing, but you know how she feels about you. It doesn't take horns and a beautiful singing voice to be able to read that.

Gunn

It's just - it's been hard since that thing with her Professor.

Lorne

Well, being stuck in Pylea is pretty crappy, but being sent there on purpose by someone you trust - Hey, at least Dr. Ego got a taste of his own portal.

Gunn

Yeah. He got what he deserved, didn't he?

There's a thud against the windowpane in the front doors. Gunn goes to investigate; he cracks the door open to see what it was. The door swings open a little wider as he reaches outside.

Gunn

It's a sparrow. Slammed right into the glass.

Lorne

(alarmed) Close the door.

Gunn

He might not be dead.

Lorne

Close it!

Hundreds more sparrows slam into the glass so hard that they explode, leaving blood splatters all over the doors and windows. Finally it stops.

GUNN I'm guessing this isn't a good sign.

Lorne

Yeah, as harbingers go - not so much.

Cut to:

HALLWAY AT WOLFRAM AND HART - NIGHT Lilah's in her conservative business suit now, wearing elegant hair instead of pigtails. She's talking on her cell phone, seeming a bit agitated.

LLilah

(to phone) A 300% increase? In the last hour? Uh-huh. Oh, ya think? Well, don't. Just shut up. Get me an incident report cross-referenced by region, socio-economic backgrounds, and species. Oh, and get Gavin up here. Somebody's trying to muscle in on our apocalypse and that is not gonna happen while -

Cut to:

LILAH'S OFFICE AT WOLFRAM AND HART - NIGHT Lilah opened the door to her office and stops in mid-sentence when she sees Angel sitting on her desk.

LLilah

(to phone) Lemme get back to you. (hangs up)

Angel

Close the door.

LLilah

How did you get in here? (closes door) Vampire detectors, my ass. Well, here we are, all nice and cozy. Let's talk about - hmm, gee, let me guess - Lorne. How's he doing? Still green?

ANGEL I told you we were gonna have a conversation.

LLilah

Swell, but I'm having a bit of a day, so let's say we skip the usual two-step, you threaten me, I threaten you, yadda, yadda, yawn. Jump directly to the throwing you out on your thick, meaty head. 'Cause, you know what? You're not getting anything out of me this time either.

Angel

Didn't think I would, but Gavin - he was more accommodating.

LLilah

(looks behind her at Gavin, bound and gagged on the couch) Couldn't you have at least tortured him a little bit more?

Angel

Really wanted to, but he wouldn't start talking long enough to get into it.

LILAH I have a cure for that.

Angel

Vindict on your own time. I'm kinda on the clock here.

LLilah

What did he tell you?

Angel

You're trying to decipher what you took out of Lorne's head. Hundreds of psychics probing and prodding - Well, not quite that many now, because every time they peel back a layer, their brains end up decorating the walls.

LLilah

You should see the cleaning bill. Now that is terrifying.

Angel

Anything you got on what's coming - now'd be a good time.

LLilah

Not big on sharing.

Angel

Think I'm joking?

LLilah

Not unless you've conjured up a sense of humor to go with that soul. Look, you got it straight from the weasel's mouth. Whatever Lorne gleaned from reading Wonder Girl - it's protected. Try and unlock it - ka-blooey. Thanks for stopping by. (walks behind desk)

Angel

You're trying to hide it. I can smell it on you?

LLilah

(sits at desk) Chanel?

Angel

(stands) Fear.

LLilah

Well, you are very imposing in this light.

Angel

(walks around to stand by Lilah) You're not afraid of me, Lilah. You're afraid of what's coming. Maybe we can help each other, huh. The enemy of my enemy -

LLilah

Can kiss my ass too. You wanna play hero? Go find another sandbox.

Angel

Normally, this would be the part where I'd make a grand threat, but thanks to Gavin -

LLilah

Like he knows anything.

Angel

That's the point. This thing caught you by surprise, too. You had no idea it was coming.

LLilah

(sighs) So, what - I'm supposed to throw in with Mr. Goody 'cause the great unknown has me shaking in my pumps?

Angel

It's a win-win for you, Lilah. You help me, I stop it, Wolfram and Hart makes you employee of the month for protecting everything they set in motion for the last thousand years. You help me and I don't stop it, well, I mean the only way that's gonna happen is if this thing kills me. (sits on desk in front of her) And if that's the way it goes, you win again. So, you can keep playing it hard, or you can play it smart. It's up to you.

Cut to:

ATTIC AT NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - NIGHT Cordelia's pacing back and forth in the attic. Then she decides to leave when Connor cuts her off from out of nowhere.

Cordelia

Must be genetic.

CConnor

What?

Cordelia

Sneaking up on people. Your dad's an expert.

CONNOR I was just making a sweep. Where ya going?

Cordelia

Been inside all day. Thought I'd take a walk, clear the cobwebs, recharge the chargeables. (beat) OK, stop with the look. I'm getting a stronger feeling.

CConnor

About the vision.

Cordelia

Yeah. Flashes, images, tugging at me, pulling.

CConnor

Where?

CORDELIA I don't know. Maybe where this thing's gonna jack-in-the-box.

CConnor

So you were gonna go face it by yourself.

CORDELIA 'S all right. I was a higher being. (starts to walk off)

CConnor

Was. (Cordelia stops) You're not anymore.

Cordelia

No, I'm not. I remember wanting to come back home, to be able to touch, to feel, (sits on bed) to be human again.

CConnor

You are.

Cordelia

But I can't remember how. Am I on vacation? Did I go cosmic AWOL? Did I do something to piss off the Powers That Be and get kicked out? Why am I here?

CConnor

Because you're important.

Cordelia

Oh, yeah. The world's really stopped turning without me.

CConnor

Well... you're important to me.

Cordelia

Guess the sneaky's not the only thing you got from Angel. Getting pretty good with saying the right words, too.

CConnor

Complete sentences. I've been working on it. (smiles bashfully)

Cordelia

Maybe you're right. Maybe I was sent back because I'm important or needed - for this, to stop whatever's about to happen. I have to find out if that's why I'm here. (stands)

CConnor

And I have to go with you.

Cordelia

No, it's dangerous.

CConnor

That's why I'm coming.

Cut to:

RANDOM WAREHOUSE IN LOS ANGELES - NIGHT Cordelia and Connor are walking beside each other amid boxes and such.

CConnor

Sure you know where you're going?

Cordelia

Exactly? No. But, for the first time since I've been back, I feel like I have a purpose, like a reason for being here. Before, all I felt was empty - like I was waiting for my life to start.

CONNOR I know how that feels. Not knowing why you're here, what your place is in this world...

Cordelia

It's called being 18. If you make it past 21, things get a lot better.

CConnor

(stops walking) They already have.

Cordelia

(turns to face him) You really are getting awfully good with words.

Cut to:

ALLEY SOMEWHERE IN LOS ANGELES - NIGHT Connor and Cordelia are walking beside each other.

CConnor

What is it?

Cordelia

This place. I've been here before.

CConnor

In your vision?

Cordelia

No, I - (they stop walking) Oh, my God. Darla.

CConnor

My mother.

Cordelia

She died here. Connor, this is where you were born.

Something bursts up from the ground in front of them, surrounded in red light. It's got two enormous horns on top of its head, and it's a hulking beast - the one Cordelia saw in her visions.

Fade to black.

Pt III:

ALLEY SOMEWHERE IN LOS ANGELES - NIGHT The Beast's huge, and he casts a horned shadow on the moist pavement. Conor goes at him with a sword, but the Beast just throws him across the alley into the side of a steel dumpster.

Cordelia

Connor!

Cordelia was crouching on the ground, but the Beast grabs her by the throat and lifts her several feet in the air to its eye level and stares into Cordelia's face. She doesn't scream or thrash, but just stares back at it looking a little frightened. Connor runs to her aid, attacking the Beast again. The Beast puts Cordelia down and throws Connor across the alley again.

Cordelia

No!

The Beast walks toward Cordelia. Shot of the Beast's enormous hoofed feet. Cordelia tries to crawl away from it backwards on her back, but she can't get away from it. Where the Beast held her neck before, the skin is red and torn. From the other side of the alley, Connor stands weakly and says:

CConnor

Stay away from her!

The Beast looks at Connor, then at Cordelia and laughs. Then with a single effort, he jumps up to the top of the nearby five story tall building. When the Beast is gone, Cordelia crawls over to Connor, who appears hurt and is bleeding from the mouth.

Cut to:

HOTEL / ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT Gunn's talking on the phone in the lobby. Lorne is also on the phone.

Gunn

(to phone) If you see Fred, could you have her call me? Charles Gunn, two N's. Yes, that's my real name. Just - please, have her call me.

Lorne

(to phone) Well it might take a couple days. You're fifth on the bleeding walls list. You know what, spritz it with a little 409. We'll get back to you. (hangs up) Hey, no word yet?

Gunn

(dials phone again but it just rings, to Lorne) Nobody's seen her.

Lorne

Well, maybe she ducked and covered when our feathered friends went kamikaze.

Gunn

(hangs up) You good here? I'm gonna drive around, see if I can - I'm just gonna drive. (puts on coat)

Lorne

Let the machine work it's mechanical magic. C'mon. I'll hang my head out the window, see if I can pick up the Burkle vibe.

Gunn

You can do that?

Lorne

Um, no, but it sounds comforting, and I could use the air.

Gunn and Lorne start toward the exit, but Wesley has just come in the front doors.

Wesley

It is a bit ripe in here. I'd suggest opening a window, but -

Gunn

Fred's not here.

Wesley

Didn't ask.

Gunn

Didn't have to.

Wesley

Since you brought it up, where is she?

Gunn

Not your business.

Lorne

Hey, uh, call me kooky-pants, but maybe we could save the three rounds until after the Chuck Heston Plague-A-Thon cools off.

Wesley

You've noticed the increase in paranormal activities?

Lorne

Yeah, you stepped in some on your way in. Birds, rats, blood - the Ghostbuster lines have been ringing off the hook.

WESLEY I've been tracking similar reports. (sighs) Maybe if we pool our data -

Gunn

Go pool yourself. I'm gonna find my girlfriend.

Gunn starts to walk away, when Angel interrupts him.

Angel

No you're not. If we don't' stop what's coming, it won't matter where Fred is, or any of us.

Cut to:

HOTEL / ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT Lorne's sitting down, looking at papers that are spread across the coffee table. The papers are completely covered in mystical symbols, and there are hundreds of these sheets of paper. Angel's pacing. Wesley is sitting on the couch next to Lorne. Gunn's sitting on the couch across from them

Angel

That's everything Wolfram and Hart could decipher from what they took outta Lorne.

Wesley

They just handed these over?

Angel

Lilah - she can be very giving. (Wes looks at him out of the corner of his eyes)

Gunn

You trust her on this?

Angel

No, but she's got an interest in stopping the end of the world before it ruins Wolfram and Hart's end of the world, so...

GUNN OK, what's the plan?

Angel

You're holding it. (sits next to Gunn) We figure out what all this means, then do something large and violent.

WESLEY I see you've given it considerable thought.

Lorne

(holding some papers) So all this came out of my head? No wonder it made me greener.

Angel

If Wolfram and Hart hadn't extracted it, you'd be a paler shade of dead.

Lorne

Yeah, well, remind me to send 'em a fruit basket. (sips his cocktail, phone rings) Mm. Saved by the continuous bell. (stands, walks to front desk)

Angel

You've been logging the calls?

Lorne

Every last squishy one.

Angel

(to Lorne) Grab a map, start marking the locations. See if they're concentrated in any one area. (to Wes and Gunn) Whatever's happening, whatever Cordy's seen, the answers are in these pages. We need to figure this out.

Cut to:

HOTEL / ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT Wesley, Gunn and Angel are still sitting on the couches, trying to decipher the data contained in the papers on the table in front of them.

Gunn

We're never gonna figure this out.

Angel

We have to keep trying.

Wesley

Normally I'd agree, but this is a waste of time.

Angel

It's all we have.

Wesley

Then we must be missing something. This is gibberish. Bits and pieces of glyphs, archaic languages, symbols - all jumbled together.

Angel

Do you recognize any of them?

Wesley

Uh, heat, fallen, shrine, flesh...none of it makes any sense.

Angel

Ah, we gotta keep at it until it does.

Gunn

(stands) You know, maybe we should just take a step back. (walks around)

Angel

We don't have time. Cordy said whatever's happening is going down right now.

Wesley

Then perhaps you should have addressed this earlier. (flips through pages) We could sift through this muddle from now 'til doomsday, whether that's tomorrow or a thousand years from now -

Gunn

(standing behind Wes now) Wait, go back. The last sheet, flip it back.

Angel

(stands, walks to look) What is it?

WESLEY I don't see anything.

GUNN 'S cause you're looking too close.

Gunn lines up two of the papers, showing a triangular symbol that's completed when they are lined up properly. Plus, the pattern of the symbols and glyphs aren't nonsensical after all. There are areas that are more densely written on than others. Gunn grabs a stack of the papers from Wesley, pushes the coffee table out of the way, and starts arranging the papers on the floor, matching up the denser areas which start to form lines.

Gunn Ok.

So what the hell is it?

Zoom out to show that, when arranged properly, the papers form a symbol that looks like a square with diagonal lines connecting opposite corners (forming an "X" pattern within the square). Wes, Angel and Gunn stand and stare at it.

Angel

The Eye of Fire.

Wesley

Ancient alchemical symbol for fire.

Angel

And destruction.

Gunn

You had me at fire.

Lorne

Um, boys? (holds up map) I hate to be the little demon that cried apocalypse nowish, but uh...

Lorne gestures to the map with a marker. He's plotted the locations of the disturbances with a red dot for each call, and the dots have formed a square.

Cut to:

DINER - NIGHT Fred's sitting alone in a booth at an all-night diner, nursing a cup of coffee. The waitress comes up to her, carrying a pot of coffee, and refills her cup.

WAITRESS I'll give you one more, and then I am cutting you off.

Fred

Oh, sorry. I can pay for the next one.

WWaitress

It's not the free refills that I'm worried about. It's you vibrating into another dimension after a tenth cup.

Fred

Nobody wants that.

WWaitress

Why don't you call him? You've been sitting here all day. He's probably worried sick.

FRED I don't know what I'd say.

WAITRESS I think hello'd probably do it. I've seen the way he looks at you when you two come in here. That man would do anything for you.

FRED I know.

WWaitress

So cheer up. Whatever's going on - as long as you've got love - it can't be that bad.

The building starts to shake like there's an earthquake. Fred gets out of the booth and crouches on the floor, pulling the waitress down with her.

Fred

Get away from the window.

Cut to:

ATTIC AT NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - NIGHT Cordelia's sitting on the bed next to Connor, tending to his wounds. They have a minor earthquake too.

CONNOR I gotta go. I've gotta stop it.

Cordelia

Yeah, getting yourself killed should really slow that thing down. (looks at his badly bruised side) Oh, God. I think you broke a couple of ribs.

CONNOR I've never been broken, not even in Quor-Toth. I didn't think I could be.

Cordelia

You're hurt because of me. Because I thought maybe I still had some grand higher purpose, that me being here could actually... make a difference. Now I know better.

CConnor

(shifts to face her) All you know is that that thing can hurt you, and if it tries again, I will find a way to kill it.

Cut to:

HOTEL / ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT Angel's drawing diagonal lines, connecting the corners of the square formed on the map when Lorne plotted the incidents. Angel points to where the lines cross.

Angel

That's it.

Lorne

What?

Wesley

The focal point of the disturbances.

The building shakes like there's an earthquake.

Angel

Whatever's coming, that's where we'll find it.

GUNN I know that area - the old Kimball building's down there. They did a retro on it, put a club up on the roof. The, uh, Sky Temple or something.

Lorne

Yeah, yeah, I've heard of it. Watering hole for the tragically hip. Actors, models, all the hot mamas and yamas.

WESLEY A shrine of the flesh. (looks at Angel)

Angel

So, who's thirsty? (walks to weapons cabinet)

Gunn

Let's do it. (follows Angel)

Lorne

(still sitting at the desk) Hey, I know location's everything, but, um, maybe we should hold off on the down-payment 'til we know what we're dealing with or how to stop it.

Angel

If it's alive, we kill it. If it's not, we bury it. (throws crossbow to Wesley) You in?

Cut to:

SKY TEMPLE CLUB ON KIMBALL BUILDING ROOF - NIGHT Angel, Wesley, Gunn and Lorne walk up to the club entrance armed and ready to fight, but when they see the Beast, they stop dead in their tracks. Still hulking and intimidating even when compared to Angel and his gang, the Beast chuckles at the sight of them. It's standing inside a square made from human bodies that have been laid out in formation. At the center of the square, the Beast is holding a man in the air, dangling him by the foot. The way the body hangs, it forms sort of an "X" shape.

Lorne

Ooh, uh, I'm gonna need a bigger arrow.

Fade to black.

Pt IV:

SKY TEMPLE CLUB ON KIMBALL BUILDING ROOF - NIGHT Resume. The Beast sees Angel and gang standing at the entrance to the rooftop club. The Beast throws the man he's holding across the room before focusing his attention on Angel's gang.

Angel hoists his sword and runs toward the Beast. Gunn flanks him on the right, while Wesley and Lorne are on the left with crossbows aimed. Angel swings the sword at the Beast, but it has no effect - when the sword contacts the Beast's skin, there's a pinging sound, but it doesn't cut or penetrate the skin. Angel continues to try using the sword on the Beast, but to no avail. Eventually, the Beast takes the sword away from Angel, discards it, and throws Angel across the room where he collides with a column, shattering it to pieces.

Gunn hurls the battleaxe at the Beast, but the Beast catches it easily, bending the blade in half and throwing it back at Gunn.

Angel recovers from his fall, stands, and wields two smaller axes. Angel swings them at the Beast's legs, arms, head - but they don't hurt him at all.

Wesley and Lorne shoot arrows from their crossbows at the Beast, but the beast deflects them with his forearm, changing their trajectory such that the arrows hit Angel instead. Angel doubles over in pain as one arrow lands in his belly and the other in his upper right shoulder.

The Beast looks around at them all. Wesley and Lorne are reloading the crossbows when the Beast picks up Angel's body and throws it at them, knocking them off balance.

Gunn goes for the Beast with a sword, hacking mightily at its head, again to no avail. The Beast grabs Gunn by the throat and throws him across the room.

Wesley reaches both hands inside his coat, pulling out two automatic handguns. He shoots them, two at a time, at the Beast's chest and head with no effect. He throws them down, and reaches for the shotgun at his side. Wesley fires at the Beast's chest, causing it to flinch a bit, but the shots don't appear to damage it. He fires again at the Beast's face, causing the Beast to fall down, landing on its knees. Wes aims the shotgun at its face at close range, but the Beast just looks up and smiles at him. The Beast grunts and pushes the shotgun away before hurling Wesley across the room. The Beast chuckles.

Angel

Might wanna hold the gloat, chuckles. (pulls the arrow out of his shoulder) We're just getting started.

Angel lunges for the Beast, engaging him in hand-to-hand combat. They exchange punches, when the Beast punches Angel so hard, it sends him backwards through the air in a back flip. Angel lands on his feet on an awning, in vampire face now. The Beast groans. Angel jumps down from the awning, landing in front of the Beast. They fist-fight again, but Angel manages to knock the Beast down to his knees. Angel grabs a dagger from his leg-holster and points it at the Beast's strange yellow eyes. It's eyes widen, and Angel hesitates, unable to plunge the dagger into its eyes because it's got a grip on Angel's arm now. The tables are turned as the Beast stabs Angel in the right shoulder. Angel groans in agony, blood dribbling down his mouth, as he involuntarily reverts to human face. The Beast looks knowingly at Angel.

BBeast

Do you really think she's safe with him?

The Beast takes Angel and hurls him out into the city, well beyond the edge of the building they're on now. Gunn stands and screams.

Gunn

No!

Lorne looks panicked. The Beast kneels on one knee, punching the floor at the center of his human square, sending a trail of fire out along the floor in the shape of the Eye of Fire symbol. A shock wave emanates from the area, knocking everyone back a few feet. Lorne is thrown back, but lands on a glass skylight and falls into the room below. Gunn and Wesley are knocked down, but still on the rooftop. The fire is tall now, taller than the Beast. Wesley sits up in time to see the Beast leap straight up into the sky, riding the fire that he created. Wesley goes over to Gunn, who's lying unconscious on the floor. Lorne is conscious now. Wesley carries Gunn away from the fire.

Cut to:

RANDOM STREET IN LOS ANGELES - NIGHT Angel is lying on the ground, in the street somewhere in the city. He rolls over, still in pain and bloody from the encounter with the Beast. Weakly, he reaches over to pull the implement out of his shoulder, wincing. He convulses in pain while looking at the sky.

Cut to:

ATTIC AT NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - NIGHT Connor and Cordelia are standing next to each other, looking out the window at a shaft of fire that's shooting straight up into a red circular cloud in the sky right over downtown. The column of fire is sucked up into the cloud where it disappears and the clouds close. Still glowing, the clouds now rain tiny fireballs all over the city. They stare in disbelief.

CConnor

What's happening?

CORDELIA I don't know.

CConnor

It's him, isn't it? It's that thing.

Cordelia

We don't know that.

CONNOR I should've tried harder. I should've stopped it.

Cordelia

It was too strong. This isn't' your fault.

CConnor

What if it is? What if that thing is - chose the place where I was born. Is that why it's here - because of me?

Cordelia

(looks at him) No.

CConnor

(shakes his head) I was never supposed to happen. The child of two vampires. What if -

Cordelia

Connor, it's not you.

CConnor

(looks at her) You don't know that.

Cordelia

Yes, I do. In my heart. (touches his face, brushes hair away) It's not you, baby. It's not you. Not you.

With the hand she used to brush hair from his face, Cordelia pulls Connor's face closer and kisses him tenderly and passionately.

CConnor

Why - why did you - ?

Cordelia

Because I don't think it matters anymore. I know how you feel about me, Connor. When I think about what you've - (touches his face tenderly) you never had a childhood, or a family or friends or anything that's real, and if this is the end, I want you to have something that is.

Cordelia puts his hand on her waist and they embrace and kiss each other passionately.

Cut to:

OFFICE IN KIMBALL BUILDING - NIGHT From the office in which he landed, Lorne watches through the window in horror as the fireballs rain down on the city.

Cut to:

SKY TEMPLE CLUB ON KIMBALL BUILDING ROOF - NIGHT Wesley's holding Gunn's limp body in his arms, having carried him to a sheltered part of the club. Wesley's watching the sky.

Cut to:

DINER - NIGHT Fred's watching the fire rain down from the sky from inside the Diner through the Levelor blinds. The waitress and other patrons are freaking out. Fred's trying to get a hold of someone on her cell phone, but she doesn't get through. She looks at her cell phone, hangs up, and continues staring out the window.

Cut to:

LILAH'S OFFICE AT WOLFRAM AND HART - NIGHT From her office, Lilah watches the fire rain come down outside. She's wringing her hands nervously, then rubs her upper arms as if shivering.

Cut to:

ATTIC AT NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - NIGHT Connor and Cordelia are in bed together, making love. Lying on top of Cordelia, Connor kisses her tenderly amid gentle undulations under the sheets.

Cut to:

ATTIC AT NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - NIGHT Zoom outside through the window. Fire rain is falling down all around, and Angel's there, on the roof of a nearby building, looking into the attic, where he can see Connor and Cordelia in bed together making love.

CCut to

Closing credits.