Apocalypse, Nowish

TEASER:

RECAP:

ANGEL (V.O.) Previously on Angel:

1    INT. 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:

2    INT. 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:

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

PROFESSOR SEIDEL Winifred Burkle.

FRED Thank you, Professor.

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

Cut to:

4    INT. 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:

5    INT. 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:

6    INT. 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:

7    INT. 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:

8    INT. 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:

9    INT. 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:

10    INT. 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:

11    EXT. 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:

12    INT. 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:

13    INT. 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:

14    INT. 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.

END RECAP.

The Start Of Episode

PROLOGUE:

15    INT. 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:

16    INT. 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.

CONNOR Chocodiles. And some other stuff.

CORDELIA What?

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

CORDELIA No. These are great.

CONNOR 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)

CONNOR 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.

CONNOR Yeah, I know.

CORDELIA Thank you.

CONNOR 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.

CONNOR Panic, scream, nut.

CORDELIA Probably.

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

CORDELIA I'm OK.

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

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

CONNOR What?

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

CONNOR Just a dream.

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

CONNOR 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.

CONNOR What is it?

CORDELIA Oh, G—

CONNOR Are you all right? Cordy!

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

Fade to black.

ACT I:

17    INT. 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:

18    INT. 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.

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

GUNN How long's this been going on?

HOUSE 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.

HOUSE 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:

19    INT. 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:

20    INT. 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:

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

LILAH Hard day at the office?

WESLEY I've had worse.

LILAH What happened?

WESLEY Bugs.

LILAH 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.

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

WESLEY (rolls eyes) Lilah.

LILAH (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?

LILAH (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.

LILAH 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?

LILAH 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:

22    EXT. 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:

23    INT. 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.

CONNOR Hey.

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

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

ANGEL Yeah, she is.

CONNOR 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.

CONNOR 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—

CONNOR Dad, please?

Cut to:

24    INT. 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.

ACT II:

25    INT. 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.

CONNOR 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:

26    INT. 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:

27    INT. 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.

LILAH (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:

28    INT. 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.

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

ANGEL Close the door.

LILAH 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.

LILAH 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.

LILAH (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.

LILAH 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.

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

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

LILAH Not big on sharing.

ANGEL Think I'm joking?

LILAH 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?

LILAH (sits at desk) Chanel?

ANGEL (stands) Fear.

LILAH 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—

LILAH 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—

LILAH Like he knows anything.

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

LILAH (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:

29    INT. 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.

CONNOR 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.

CONNOR About the vision.

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

CONNOR Where?

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

CONNOR So you were gonna go face it by yourself.

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

CONNOR 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.

CONNOR 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?

CONNOR Because you're important.

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

CONNOR 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.

CONNOR 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)

CONNOR And I have to go with you.

CORDELIA No, it's dangerous.

CONNOR That's why I'm coming.

Cut to:

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

CONNOR 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.

CONNOR (stops walking) They already have.

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

Cut to:

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

CONNOR What is it?

CORDELIA This place. I've been here before.

CONNOR In your vision?

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

CONNOR 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.

ACT III:

32    EXT. 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:

CONNOR 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:

33    INT. 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:

34    INT. 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:

35    INT. 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:

36    INT. 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.

WAITRESS 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.

WAITRESS 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.

WAITRESS 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:

37    INT. 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.

CONNOR (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:

38    INT. 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:

39    EXT. 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.

ACT IV:

40    EXT. 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.

BEAST 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:

41    EXT. 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:

42    INT. 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.

CONNOR What's happening?

CORDELIA I don't know.

CONNOR 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.

CONNOR 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.

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

CORDELIA Connor, it's not you.

CONNOR (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.

CONNOR 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:

43    INT. 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:

44    EXT. 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:

45    INT. 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:

46    INT. 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:

47    INT. 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:

48    EXT. 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.

Cut to:

Closing credits.