Reunion Transcript

Written By: Tim Minear and Shawn Ryan
Directed By: James A. Contner

This episode originally aired on December 19, 2000

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Previously on Angel:

Angel: There are forces at work here that you know nothing about.

Kate: You think I'm gonna stand by while you and your playmate finish the game?

Kate: Police. Nobody move.

Kate shoots at Angel, Angel bites her, Kate see Menlo's gun pointed at her.

Angel whispers: Stay down or they'll kill you.

Kate slides to the floor and after a moment her eyes drift shut.

Kate puts her hand over the bite mark as she looks out the window next to her desk.

Holland: Darla. How are you?

Darla: I'm fine, Holland.

Angel: They brought her back and now I need to know why. Why like this? Why human?

Angel: You've been given a second chance. Don't throw that away before you have the opportunity...

Darla: I'm dying.

Lindsey: Syphilitic heart condition. Terminal.

Angel: I'm not gonna leave you. Every moment you have left, I'm gonna be by your side. You're never gonna be alone again.

Lindsey and his goons burst in, taser Angel, restrain Darla.

Lindsey: How did you think this would end?

Dru walks in and vamps Darla while Angel watches, unable to prevent it.

Gunn walks into the Hyperion's lobby supporting Angel. Through the doors to the garden court we can see that it is bright day outside.

Gunn: We're almost there. We're almost there. Yo! Anybody home?

Cordy hurrying down the steps: Oh my God! Angel!

Wesley: What happened?

Gunn: I don't know. He's been kind of in and out. I only got half the story. The half that didn't make sense.

Wesley: Angel?

He walks Angel over to the sofa, with Wesley helping on Angel's other side.

Angel: It's no, it's no time. No, no time.

Wesley: Okay. Okay. Let's sit him down here.

They drop Angel onto the sofa.

Cordy: Where was he?

Gunn: Coming from the motel.

Cordy: *Darla's* motel?

Angel: Should have heard them.

Gunn: I managed to get him to the truck without him bursting into flames or anything.

Wesley: He's hurt.

Gunn: Place was a wreck. Something went down there, something not good.

Wesley: Angel?

Angel: I was just so - so tired.

Cordy: Where is Darla?

Gunn: I don't know. She wasn't there.

Cordy: I knew it. She did this to him. I knew she couldn't be trusted!

Angel: She's dead.

Cordy: What?!

Angel: I should have stopped them. They made her drink.

Wesley: Angel?

Angel: She didn't want to. You think - that you can resist, but then it's-it's-it's too late.

Wesley: Someone made Darla drink?

Angel: It was her.

Cordy: Okay, way too many pronouns here. Who's 'her'?

Angel pushes himself up off the couch: Drusilla.

Cordy: Drusilla's here?

Wesley: Good Lord.

They follow Angel into the office.

Gunn: Who's Drusilla?

Angel starts to look through his desk for something.

Wesley: Angel? - Angel...

Gunn: Am I right in guessing this Drusilla got a set of teeth on her?

Wesley: Yes. She's a vampire.

Gunn: I think I'm starting to get the picture now.

Angel slams the drawer of his desk shut. Cordy winces.

Wesley to Angel: Perhaps you should sit down.

Angel: I have to find her.

Cordy: Drusilla?

Angel starts to search through a cabinet behind the desk.

Gunn: She probably ain't in *there*.

Cordy: He's delirious.

Angel: I can save her.

Wesley: Save whom?

Angel: Darla.

Wesley crouches down beside him while Angel continues to frantically search through the cabinet.

Wesley: Angel, if what you've been saying is so there's no saving Darla. It's too late.

Angel: It's not too late!

Wesley puts a hand on Angel's shoulder: It is! She's dead already and come nightfall she will rise again.

Angel: She won't. (He stands up spinning a big wood stake in his hand) I can save her from that.

Intro.

Gunn is pacing while Wesley is working on the laptop.

Gunn: Okay. I'm still trying to get this family tree straight. - Darla sired Angel.

Wesley: Correct.

Gunn: And Angel sired this Drusilla?

Wesley: Back when he and Darla were together, yes.

Gunn: But before Angel got his soul back, right?

Wesley looking up: Certainly.

Gunn: Now these lawyers, they brought Darla back as human. Now this Drusilla-vamp goes and bites Darla?

Wesley: So it would seem.

Gunn: Making her a vampire again.

Wesley sitting back: That's the cosmological upshot, yes. Darla's human self has died and sometime before dawn, unless Angel can stop it, she will rise again, a soulless demon.

Gunn: So that means...

Wesley goes back to typing: The clock is ticking.

Gunn: No, no, what I'm saying is, that means the granddaughter remade the grandmother.

Wesley: Oh... - yes.

Gunn: Man, somehow that weirds me out more than the whole bloodsucking thing.

Angel walks in, grabs a clear container of blood out of the small office fridge.

Wesley: How do you feel?

Angel takes a drink: What do you got?

Wesley: Uhm, sunset is at 5:47 P.M. which is (looks at his watch) *was* six minutes ago, and sunrise is at 6:15 A.M.

Angel has almost finished the blood in the container.

Angel: It could happen anytime before then. (To Cordy) Anything?

Cordy gets up from behind the desk she has been sitting at and comes over.

Cordy: Lindsey McDonald's assistant says he *is* in the office, but he's in a meeting. Has been all day.

Angel: Right.

Angel sets the unfinished container of blood on the table next to Wesley and goes to put on his coat, while Gunn looks down at the blood.

Wesley: Angel, you realize you can't go into those offices undetected.

Angel: And I'm not going to. That's what they want me to do.

Wesley: You don't believe you'd find him there anyway.

Angel: I was at the only meeting Lindsey McDonald had today.

Cordy: So where are you going then?

Angel turning to go: To his home.

Gunn: I'll go with you.

Wesley gets up: Yes. We all will.

Angel: No. You're all staying here.

Cordy: You can't go in uninvited, remember? You need *us*!

Angel: Not this time.

Cordy: So, what's the plan? Stand outside his door and make remarks?

Angel: He already invited me in once. This time when I kick that door down, I go through it - alone.

The three of them watch Angel leave.

Lindsey's apartment high-rise, night.

Angel kicks in Lindsey's door and stands in the doorway surveying a completely cleaned-out apartment.

Slowly walks in, looking around, shaking his head, moistening his lips and swallows.

Behind him a woman appears in the open door to the hall.

Woman: Excuse me. The open house isn't until Saturday.

Angel: The man who was living here, do you know where he went?

Woman walks in: Moved.

Angel: When?

Woman: Ah, the truck was here yesterday.

Angel: Did he leave a forwarding address?

Woman: Well, I really - can't give out...

Angel: This is an emergency. It's regarding a - a mutual friend who's in need of some immediate - medical attention.

Woman: Well, he's asked that I - forward everything to his place of employment. - Do you know where that is?

Angel: Yeah. (Starts to leave) - Thanks.

Woman: This is about the - cousin, isn't it?

Angel turns back: Cousin?

Woman: That sweet, but very odd English girl who was visiting him?

Angel: Yeah. Yes, it is.

Woman: I knew that pregnancy was in trouble the moment she told me about it. Thin as a rail. Couldn't be healthy - for the baby.

Angel: She said she was having a baby?

Woman: She was very excited about getting the nursery ready for the birth. I offered to show her some two-bedroom...

Angel (to himself): Of course. Dru would want the ritual.

Woman: ...but she wasn't interested. I-I think she wanted something on the west side anyway. She insisted that her daughter would be born near the stars.

Angel: Stars.

Woman: Well, she's foreign. I explained to her you can live your whole life in Los Angeles and never even see a star.

Dru pushes open an overhead window with a long rod, looking straight up into the camera.

Dru: I can hear them singing to me.

We get a shot of the starry night sky then see Lindsey looking at Darla's body laid out on top of a greenhouse table.

Lindsey: So this place works for you?

Dru: Oh, yeah. (She moves one hand in a circular motion above Darla's body) Grandmother is very pleased with it. - I can tell. - Aren't you, Grandmother? (Leans down over Darla) My daughter.

Lindsey: Can she hear you?

Dru turns to him: She's *dead.*

Lindsey: Oh - of course.

Dru: Shh, just for now.

Lilah walks in, followed by Holland.

Lilah leaning in close to Lindsey: Think maybe *now* you've got a shot with her?

Lindsey: Lilah...

Lilah: Don't let me interrupt you.

Holland: Drusilla, you are positively glowing.

Dru: I'm going to be a mummy.

Holland: Yes. Yes, you are. Is there anything you need? Anything at all?

Dru: No.

Holland: Well if you find you do, you know how to get in touch with us. Now we would all *love* to - stay for the birth, but we have a previous engagement we must prepare for.

Dru: I have preparations to make myself.

Holland: Of course you do, and we'll leave you to it then.

Holland leaves, gathering Lilah up with a look, then notices that Lindsey, instead of following, is just standing there looking down at Darla.

Holland: Lindsey?

Lindsey: Ah, maybe I should stay.

Holland: This is a *family* matter, Lindsey. We best leave it that way.

Lindsey hesitates for a moment as Dru starts to sing to Darla, then follows Holland out.

Dru: Run and catch, run and catch, the lamb is caught in the blackberry patch.

Dru looks down at Darla and starts to giggle.

Cordy hands Angel some sheets of paper.

Cordy: Okay, here's the list of local cemeteries, funeral homes and mausoleums.

Gunn: You telling me we got to go to every one of these places and start digging up fresh graves?

Angel: Drusilla will want to put the body in the ground.

Wesley: Angel, are you certain about this? A burial isn't necessary for a newly made vampire to...

Angel: It would be for Drusilla. She's a classicist.

Cordy: She's a loony.

Angel: Forget mausoleums. Stick with cemeteries, something with a view of the night sky.

Cordy: So, just outside cemeteries then.

Angel turning away: Yeah.

Gunn: Doesn't narrow it down much.

Wesley: If it's just a burial she's after - one doesn't need a cemetery for that, I'm afraid, just - *dirt* really.

Cordy: Still not narrowing. Whole planet? Pretty much made up of dirt.

Angel: Maybe I'm looking at this wrong. - Dru doesn't see this thing as a death - but as a birth. She talked about getting the nursery ready.

Wesley: Angel, I fear you may be looking for a logical pattern in the rantings of someone who doesn't think logically.

Angel: Soil. - Soil near the stars. She said she wanted to be near the stars. She used to - talk to the stars. She spent *hours* in my garden in Sunnydale, communing with the night sky.

Gunn: Maybe she didn't mean baby nursery. - Well you said she liked the garden. Plant nursery's got the dirt - the view - and it's more of a birthplace than a death place. Maybe if we look for one up high that'll be it.

Cordy: Maybe look for one that has a relationship with Wolfram and Hart.

Wesley: Large firm like theirs, they may do business with a corporate supplier.

We get an outside shot of Dru's greenhouse, sitting on top of a building. Angel drops down onto the roof and walks towards it.

Inside he finds a large seedbed table filled with dirt. He runs his hands over the surface of the dirt then carefully starts to brush some of it aside at one end of the table, revealing the head of a shroud-wrapped body. He carefully pulls the thin shroud back to reveal Darla's face.

He stands there, looking down at her for a moment, then pulls a stake out of his pocket. He slowly raises it with both hands, never taking his eyes off Darla. Hesitates for a moment, then raises his hands over his head and stabs down - just as Dru hits him over the head from behind with a shovel throwing him down across the seed-table.

Angel turns to look who's attacking him and gets hit again, dropping him to the ground.

Dru: That's not a fitting gift at all for our newborn grandmummy.

Angel tries to get up and she hits him over the head again, sending him back on all fours groaning.

Dru: I saw you coming, my lovely. The moon showed me. It told me to come into the twentieth century.

Angel slowly getting up: It's the Twenty-first century, Dru.

Dru: Hmm, I'm still lagging.

She kicks the shovel up under his chin, throwing him back against the wall, just as Darla wakes with a gasp.

Angel and Dru fight, and Angel is finally giving as good as he gets, while Darla is sitting up behind them, gasping and staring around the room. Angel breaks the shovel handle off in Dru's hand, knocks her down and rushes over to the table with the broken wooden handle raised, ready to stake Darla, only to see the empty indentation of her body in the dirt. He looks around for her, when he's suddenly grabbed by his throat and lifted about a foot off the ground - by Darla.

He tries to remove her hand from his throat but can't budge it.

Dru: Now everybody's home.

Break.

Angel is still dangling in the air.

Dru: Baby's up from her little nap.

Darla looks around at Dru and Angel chops down on her extended elbow, breaking her grip on him, and throws her headfirst into some planters. He quickly picks up his stake and heads for Darla, but Dru tackles him and gets the stake away from him. He kicks her off and jumps back to his feet. Dru throws him on top of one of the tables and tries to stake him with the broken shovel handle, while he rolls his upper body from side to side to avoid her stabs. Angel kicks Dru off and just manages to grab a hold of Darla before she runs out of the greenhouse. He pulls her back, and Darla turns his own motion against him, crashing them both into the table. The two of them shoot up, smashing the glass in the ceiling with their heads, then Darla tosses Angel across the room.

Dru: Grandmum.

Dru puts a hand on Darla's shoulder, but Darla just tosses her away. Darla sees Angel getting back up and runs towards him and tackles him backwards through the glass wall of the greenhouse, landing them both outside on the roof.

Dru jumps out through the hole and Darla, now in vamp face, tackles her to the ground and shakes her while Dru just laughs.

Angel pulls Darla off Dru and tosses her across the roof, bends to pick up a stake, then goes to stake Darla. But he hesitates when he sees her, back in human face, looking around herself in confusion then up at him.

Darla: Angel?

Angel pulls his arm back to stake her, but again Dru tackles him, throws him back against the greehouse. Darla gets up and runs to the edge of the roof, looks over, gets up on the edge and steps off just as Angel is getting back up. Angel runs to the edge and looks down to the street (about four to five stories below?) but there is no sign of Darla anywhere.

Angel looks around the roof for Dru, but she has vanished as well.

Angel comes hurrying back into the lobby where the others are waiting for his return.

Cordy: How'd it go?

Angel: Everyone gear up. Grab something sharp. We need to move fast.

Cordy: I'm gonna guess not great?

Angel: They're out there, both of them.

Wesley: So you did find them, then? Where are they now?

Angel: I don't know.

Angel hands a weapon to Gunn.

Cordy: But you know where they're going to be?

Angel: Not exactly.

Angel throws a crossbow towards Wesley who just catches it.

Wesley: But yet you have your suspicions?

Angel: Actually, I don't.

Cordy: So it's more like a hunch.

Angel: Wouldn't say hunch.

Angel hands Cordy a stake.

Cordy: Would you say inkling? Please tell me you could at least say inkling.

Angel: For the moment anyway, they're separated. If we can find one of them before they join up again, we have a good chance of stopping something very ugly before it starts.

Angel sheathes a sword and takes it with him as he walks towards the exit.

Wesley: Yes, but Angel, I don't think the four of us in one car patrolling a city of ten million people is going to yield results.

Angel turns back around: You're right. Which is why we're going to follow the one solid lead we have - we're going to Wolfram and Hart.

Angel turns to go but Cordy stops him.

Cordy: Hitting the pause button. Wolfram and Hart, as in vampire detectors, crack security system and armed guards? Nice plan, General Custer.

Angel: Drusilla's insane, deadly, not in a good mood. Darla - she needs to feed soon, okay? And once she does she's gonna be that much stronger. Now we got two options: either we go back to the people who brought them both here in the first place, or we sit around, waiting for the bodies to start piling up. - I decided not to wait. Anyone wants to join me - my car's outside. If not, that's fine too.

Gunn after a beat: You had *me* at 'everyone gear up.'

Angel: Let's go.

Angel turns to go with Gunn right behind him. Cordy looks at Wesley, then the two of them follow them out as well.

At Wolfram and Hart, Holland walks into Lindsey's darkened office.

Holland: Lindsey - my wife wants to know if you're bringing a date - to the party this evening. Something about how many crab cakes to order.

Lindsey: No, I don't have a date.

Holland takes a step closer to him: You've been doing stellar work, Lindsey. Don't think the Senior Partners haven't noticed.

Lindsey: Well, I'm happy to hear that, sir.

Holland: But your hard work isn't all they notice. It's also important to have - healthy attachments - outside of the office. Now I know our roles here don't allow much time to socialize. - Find the time.

Lindsey: Yes, sir.

Holland: Now. Don't be late this evening. I'm uncorking a case of 1928 Chateau Latour.

Lindsey with a smile: I wouldn't miss it.

Holland: We've all worked very hard. Nothing wrong with appreciating our success.

Holland turns to go but stops in his tracks when Dru steps out of the shadows, carrying a doll with her.

Dru: I drank Chateau Latour once. (Holland looks over at Lindsey) It tasted like lion's blood.

Holland to Dru, who shrugs slightly: Drusilla. I apologize (looking at Lindsey) I didn't realize you were here. (To Dru) I trust everything went as well as you hoped.

Dru: I'm very worried about Grandmum. - The building was quite tall - you know?

Lindsey: Darla's a survivor.

Dru: Angelus wasn't happy in the least.

Holland: *Angel* found you? (Looks at Lindsey) Well, not unexpected. How did he fare?

Dru has her eyes closed and is swaying in a circle: Angelus is on his way here now. (Lindsey and Holland look at each other. Dru gasps and smiles) He's *very* cross.

Holland: Well, I wouldn't worry too much about that. We've taken precautions. (He walks over to Dru, who is sitting down, cradling her doll in her lap) The important thing is that we reunite you with your baby.

The phone rings and Lindsey picks it up.

Lindsey: Yes? (Listens and hangs the phone back up) General alert. (Heads for the door) There's an untagged vampire in the building.

Holland: Perhaps we should take our guest to security.

Lindsey opens the door and Darla is standing in front of it, breathing hard.

Lindsey with a slight smile: Darla.

Darla steps up to him, smells his neck and puts her hands on the sides of his face.

Holland: Lindsey, no sudden movement.

Darla: Warm.

Suddenly she tosses Lindsey across the room. Dru smiles and holds out her arms to her. Darla grabs a hold of her hand and runs back out of the room, dragging Dru behind.

Holland to the phone: Let them leave the building without incident.

Lindsey picks himself back up, pushing his desk chair off him.

Holland: *Healthy* attachments, Lindsey.

Lindsey stares after him as he leaves.

Angel, driving his convertible, Gunn in the passenger seat, is speeding through the streets of L.A. tossing Cordy and Wes around in the back seat.

Wesley: There's no good to be done if we don't get there in one piece.

Angel: We don't have much time.

Cordy suddenly gets hit by a vision.

Wesley: Angel, pull over.

Angel: I'll slow down, all right?

Wesley: No! Pull over. She's having a vision.

Angel looks back at Cordy.

Gunn, eyes on the road: Tell me it ain't us she's seeing, wrapped around a lamppost.

We get blurry flashes of a guy holding a gun.

Cordy: It's in the other direction. Turn around.

Angel: We're almost there!

Wesley: Angel!

Angel: She should have done this before we left the hotel.

Wesley and Gunn: Angel!

Angel: Maybe it's a false alarm.

Cordy gives him a mean look, pulls out a stake, holds it up, aimed at him, then puts it back down. Angel spins the car around on the street and heads in the other direction.

Darla and Dru are heading down a crowed sidewalk with Darla tossing Dru around.

Dru: Did I do something to displease you?

Darla tosses Dru on the sidewalk. A guy tries to help Dru up, but Darla tosses him aside, then grabs a hold of Dru and tosses her over a parked car onto the road. Dru stands up, only to get hit by a honking car. Dru rolls down the street a ways and a blonde woman gets out of the car and hurries towards her as Dru slowly gets back up. The woman takes one look at Dru and runs off as Darla comes and slams Dru down on the hood of the car.

Dru: Grandmother, what?

Darla hits her, making her stumble into the path of another car that manages to swerve around her, tires screeching.

Darla grabs a hold of Dru again.

Dru: Don't be angry.

Darla slams her up against the side of the car.

Darla: Why?

Dru: For you. All for you. I thought it was what you wanted - to be saved.

Darla looks at Dru (a guy in red pickup truck keeps honking his horn to get them to move out of the road) and slowly takes a step back, letting her hands drop from Dru's shoulders.

Dru crying: All alone. All alone in the dirt. - We've lost our way and the little worm won't dance if he's told to. (Starts to sob) No. No.

Darla pushes Dru's hair out of her face, then slowly takes her in her arms to comfort her, softly stroking her hair and letting Dru cry.

The guy gets out of the pickup.

Guy: You two wanna move it out of the street? (Dru and Darla turn to look at him, pulling slightly apart) Yeah, that's right, sweetheart. Why don't you and your girlfriend take the make-out session on home. (Darla walks up to him) The rest of us have lives.

Darla looks him up and down, shakes her head and vamps.

Darla: Not for long.

She grabs him and feeds, drops him to the ground and turns back to Dru with a smile, back in human face.

Dru: You're all new again.

Darla: Let's go shopping, hmm?

She takes a hold of Dru's hand and the two of them walk off down the road, giggling.

Break

A boombox is playing loud heavy metal music. There is a patched together poster covering the wall and candles, a turtle shell and other paraphernalia set out on the workbench in front of it.

The guy from Cordy's vision is sitting before it cradling a gun.

Guy: Morgog - I worship you. - Ruler of the universe, I will throw out my worthless life to you - Morgog... (Angel and Co. walk in and he spins his chair around to face them) What do you want?

Wesley: We're here to help.

Guy: No! I-I have to do this. Morgog commands me. (Angel throws at look a Cordy and shakes his head) His will be done. Morgog... (As Angel walks towards the boombox, sitting on top of a barrel) Don't! (Angel stops) Stay back.

Cordy to Angel: Easy, Boss. This kid's ready to snap, crackle *and* pop. I felt it in my vision. We've really got to handle this one with care. You know, delicate... (Angel throws the boombox at the altar, causing the guy to dive off his chair and ending the music) ...ly.

Guy comes up on his knees: Jeez! Oh, jeez!

Angel grabs the gun and twists it from his hand.

Angel: Listen I'm not here to hurt you, kid, okay? And Morgog's not the way. (Dumps the bullets out of the gun into his hand) Morgog couldn't find his way to his hairy spine-hump without a roadmap! So, don't go killing yourself, he's not worth it. And you've got, you know (looks around the garage) a million - reasons - to live - I bet. Okay? (Tosses the gun into a barrel of used oil) Got it? Good.

Cordy crouches down by the guy, cradling his right hand while Angel walks away. Wesley steps in front of him.

Wesley: Angel, we're not done here.

Angel: I am.

Wesley: The Powers That Be must have had a good reason for sending us here.

Angel: I don't have time to figure that out.

Gunn: Maybe that's the plan. Maybe they're trying to keep you from going on this mission.

Wesley: In any case *that* young man still clearly needs our help!

Angel: Go help him. I got more important things to do, okay?

Wesley looks at Gunn as Angel walks out.

Dru is giggling, walking her fingers down a clothes rack in the Panache Boutique. She picks a black, sheer piece and turns to Darla.

Dru: Can I have it? Can I?

Darla: Of course, dear, but a little color would bring out your eyes more. Such pretty eyes.

Dru: Men are drawn to them.

Darla: Aren't they, though? Oh. (Hands Dru a hat) Here.

Dru puts it on and we hear a phone ringing.

Dru: Oh. I'm ringing. - Do you hear it? (Starts to dance in place) I'm ringing - all - over! (Darla watches her for a moment then reaches down into the front of Dru's dress and pulls out a cell phone.) Oh, yeah. I forgot about that.

Darla opens the phone: Hello, Holland.

Holland: Darla. (We see that he is in Lindsey's office and Lilah and Lindsey are there as well) Feeling better I trust?

Darla: Like my old self again.

Holland: Splendid. I understand you girls have been on a little spree.

Darla: Hmm, is that a problem?

Holland: Oh, on the contrary (We see Darla looking down at the drained body of a woman) As a matter of fact, I was just thinking - why settle for a spree, when you could have - a - say - a massacre?

Darla: A massacre?

Dru licks her lips and smiles at Darla: Ooh, I like the sound of that.

Holland: Now, of course you'd have the full weight and support of Wolfram and Hart squarely behind you.

Darla: I appreciate that Holland.

Holland: Oh, not at all, Darla. That's what we're here for.

Darla hangs up the phone as Dru poses in a red coat with a thick fur trim.

Dru: Do you like it? Am I pretty then?

Darla: As a picture. Now if we could only get some shoes to go with it. Oh, excuse me, Miss? (Steps over the dead body and looks down at a whimpering woman who is pulling herself along across the floor) Any shoe suggestions for my friend's ensemble? (The woman just keeps crying) I said, excuse me-customer with a question here!

When the woman still just keeps sobbing and crawling, Darla puts her bare foot on her back and reaches down and snaps her neck.

Darla: Service in this place is really unacceptable.

Dru plays with her hair then bends to examine a necklace, while Darla goes back to looking at dresses.

Lindsey's office.

Lilah: Those two should keep Angel busy for some time.

Lindsey: Yeah, until he kills them.

Holland: Oh, I think he'll find that course of action more difficult than even *he* realizes. - Regardless, Lilah's correct. We won't have to worry about Angel anymore.

At that moment Angel, holding on to a rope, crashes through the window into Lindsey's office, scattering glass everywhere, then jumps to grab a hold of Lindsey.

Angel: Dru and Darla, where are they?

Holland: Angel! I don't believe we've had the pleasure. (Offers his hand) Holland Manners.

Angel: I'd be careful who you offer that hand to, Mr. Manners. You might just lose it. Isn't that right, Lindsey?

Lindsey: There's worse things to lose, aren't there?

Angel pushes Lindsey away and turns to Holland.

Angel: So you're the one pulling the strings around here?

Holland: A few of them. I am division head of Special Projects.

Angel: Special projects like Darla.

Holland: Oh, Darla's just a tool. Means to an end. (Angel steps closer to Holland as the door opens and a bunch of security guards file in and surround Angel) You're the project.

Angel quietly: I can crush the life out of you before they even lift a finger.

Holland: Oh, I'm sure you can. Just as sure as I am that you won't.

Angel: Won't I?

Holland: You don't kill humans.

Angel: You don't qualify. You set things in motion, play your little games up here in your glass and chrome tower, and people die - innocent people.

Holland: And yet I just can't seem to care. (Angel stares at him and Holland smiles ever so slightly) But you do. And while you're making threats, wasting time, crashing through windows, your girls are out painting the town red, red, red.

Angel: Where?

Holland: Well, that would be telling. In any case you may want to hurry. So many lives hanging in the balance, waiting for their champion to save them.

Angel glances around him at the guards holding Tasers and stakes at the ready.

Angel: Hm-mm. As if you're just gonna let me walk out of here, huh?

Holland: As a matter of fact, I am. You misunderstand us, Angel. We don't want you dead - yet. If we did - you wouldn't be standing here. (to the guards) Would you please escort our guest out of the building. (to Angel) I would - walk you out myself, but I'm running a little late for a wine tasting at my home, and - just so we're clear on the matter - you're not invited.

Holland walks out. Angel tenses as the guards push him towards the door but then lets them lead him out.

The guards and Lindsey escort Angel out the front door of Wolfram and Hart.

Lindsey: I'll send you a bill for the window and the shirt.

Angel: Yeah, you do that, and after I stop Darla and Dru (two cops come up and handcuff Angel's hands behind him) I might come back to pay you in person.

Lindsey: Yeah, go do your little champion of justice thing and then come back and see me - if you make bail. Give him a nice holding cell, officers. With a window - southern exposure preferred. - The firm may not want you dead, but I'm cool with it.

The cops push Angel into the back of an unmarked cop car - with Kate sitting in the back seat.

Angel: Perfect. (The car pulls into traffic) - So, how do you want to do this? Should I escape now or wait till you transfer me to another holding cell, because I'm really not...

Kate: Two people were just murdered in a clothing store at Fifth and Hill. Preliminary reports say that two women were spotted leaving the scene. One of them matches the description of your pal Darla. - They're not done, are they?

Angel after a beat: No. - Why are you telling me this?

Kate: Because I don't think I can stop them. - Maybe you can. (To driver) Pull over.

She pulls out a key and Angel twists so she can unlock his cuffs. The car stops and Angel looks at Kate for a moment, then gets out.

The doorbell rings at the Manners mansion and Catherine goes to answer it.

Catherine: Lindsey, welcome!

Lindsey hands her some flowers: Good evening, Catherine.

Catherine: Thanks. Come on. Holland's downstairs lording it over his wine cellar. (They both laugh) These are lovely. Thank you.

Holland holding a glass of wine is surrounded by men and women in business suits scattered around a nicely appointed room.

Holland: And the Senior Partners have informed me that they are very, very pleased - with the work our division has been doing. (Lindsey enters and a wine steward hands him a glass) Things have been progressing nicely - and ahead of schedule - I might add. I would be remiss without extending well-earned praise to the two members of our team who have made it possible (holds up his glass): Lilah Morgan and Lindsey McDonald.

Everyone drinks and some also say a soft Hear, hear.

Lilah: Thank you, Holland.

Lindsey sets his empty glass on the wine steward's tray.

Holland: Now it's no secret that our work is but one small element in a much larger, greater plan - one which the Senior Partners hope t...

We hear footsteps and Holland looks over at the open door. Everyone turns to look as well and sees Dru and Darla, dressed in their newly acquired clothes, walking in.

Holland with a forced smile: Ladies. How...

Darla: Your wife was kind enough to invite us in, Holland.

Holland: Ah.

Dru: Very sweet she was - like clover (licks a bit of blood from the corner of her lips) and honey.

Holland's smile disappears.

Darla: Just think of it as our way of giving you what you want.

Holland: What would I...

Darla: I believe you said something about - (Darla looks over at Dru and they both go vamp face) - a massacre.

Break

Angel walks up the sidewalk to the yellow tape roping off Dru and Darla's shopping spree. He passes between the cop cars parked in front of it and one of the plainclothes detectives gives him a hard look as he walks by.

In the store there is a person taking crime scene photos and a black cop gathering up a broken necklace from the floor into an evidence bag. He straightens up and scans the store behind him in the mirrors right in front of him. No one is there but as he bends back down to his work we see that Angel is actually standing right behind him.

Angel looks around for a moment, then moves on.

In Holland's wine cellar, vamp faced Darla and Dru survey the gathering.

Dru: Pretty lawyers all in a row.

Holland: I'm glad you're alive Darla. I'm glad we were able to save you.

Darla: Are you? I guess you really care about me as a person. I guess I owe all of you. - The *whole* team.

Darla chuckles. Dru is walking up to Lilah, who is sitting on a chair a pace away from Lindsey.

Dru running her hand along Lilah's jaw: You have beautiful skin.

Lilah: I moisturize.

Dru bends down so her face is level with Lilah's: That was very thoughtful of you.

Darla steps up close to Holland: You - brought me back as human - a dying one at that. Let me wallow with a soul, then sent me crawling back to Angel, begging him to restore me.

Holland: Which he should have done right away. - But I miscalculated, I - I thought he cared more than he did.

Darla: Like you do.

Darla giggles.

Dru: Grandmum won't eat (lifts both hands up besides her head and opens and closes them a couple of times) the double speak.

Darla: No. No, she won't eat *that.*

Angel walks through a curtain into the hall with the store's fitting rooms. He carefully opens one of the doors to reveal a woman crouching in one corner, her hands pressed over her ears. She gasps at the sight of him.

Angel: It's okay. It's okay. It's all over. They're gone now.

Woman not looking at Angel: They killed those people.

Angel: I know. The police are here now. They're gonna take care of you. - You were in here the entire time.

Woman, nodding slightly: I needed a new dress for the office party. This one was too expensive, but - I couldn't make up my mind and then... I kept thinking they were gonna come in here to kill me, too.

Angel: I know. - Did you see or hear any of it?

Woman: I mostly heard. - I guess I was lucky 'cause of the party.

Angel: You'll be okay. You'll make your party.

Woman: No. Their party. They were in a hurry to get to it.

Angel: They said something about a party?

Woman nods slightly: A tasting.

Angel after a beat: Why don't you just, uhm, go on outside and find an officer. - You'll be okay.

He holds out a hand to her and she slowly gets up and lets him help her past him.

Woman: Thank you.

She looks down at the store's dress she is still wearing as she walks past him.

Woman: It was just too much.

Dru: I hear the sirens. (sniffs) They don't know if the world will be there in the morning.

Lilah quietly to Lindsey: Do you hear the sirens? Are-are the police coming?

Lindsey looks back at her and shakes his head slightly: No. - She senses what this place was built for.

Holland: Ah, yes. Drusilla, you're quite right. This was originally a bomb shelter in the fifties. We had it converted. Wine has always been *my* - passion.

Darla giggles.

Dru: People - huddled together, crouching in fear.

Holland: Yes, yes. I imagine that's what it would have been like in a war.

Darla: No. Now. - She means now.

Holland: Aha. (Chuckles) I guess I stepped into that one. - Listen Darla - I am *sorry* that you had to suffer, but look at what's come out of it. - You've been restored. You're a superior being. You can have anything you want. And there's not a person in this room who won't work (looks at the lawyers then back at Darla) round the clock - to see that you get it.

Darla: Hmm. Gung-ho, are they? Because all I'm sensing right now is big, stinky fear. (Smiles in Holland's face then turns to Lindsey) But not from you. (Walks over to him) Do you know what I'm getting from you, Lindsey? (Leans in close to his neck, exposing her fangs as if to bite him, then pulls back) Nothing. Why aren't you afraid?

Lindsey: I don't know.

Darla: You could die here. Chances are you will.

Lindsey: I know.

Darla: And you don't care.

Lindsey: I care. - I guess I just don't mind.

Holland with a forced laugh: No one's going to die here. This is just a friendly get-together amongst colleagues. (Dru is dancing around Holland's back) We're all on the same - side.

Darla with a sigh: I love this room. Dru, honey, in our new digs (goes over to Dru to put one arm around her and another around Holland) we *have* to put in a people cellar.

Holland smiles, but the smile fades quickly.

Angel walks up to the open front door of the Manners mansion and sees a blood trail on the beige carpet, leading to where Catherine is lying on the floor.

Catherine lifts her head a little: Help us.

Dru: Daddy's home.

Angel walks down the steps to the cellar, stops outside the open door to the former bomb shelter.

Darla: Angelus. - Here for the tasting?

Dru: Look what we have for you. (Angel doesn't react) It's not Daddy. It's never Daddy. (Hisses at him) It's the Angel-beast.

Darla: Come to punish us?

Dru: Yeah, yeah. (Lifts her hands as if they were tied above her head) Spank us till Tuesday (growls) We promise to be bad if you do.

Holland: Angel....

Angel to Darla: I'm sorry I didn't get to you in time.

Darla: I'm not.

Dru caressing the side of her face: He's soul-sick. Not even thinking about his own family. (Pulls one of the men over by his hair) Only thinking about them.

Darla takes a step towards Angel: Come on, love. I never did get that good-bye kiss.

Angel: You will. - But not tonight.

Lilah getting up: For god's sake, help us.

Holland: Angel - please. - People are going to die.

Angel: And yet, somehow, I just can't seem to care.

Holland watches wide-eyed as Angel shuts the double doors on them. Darla turns to caress Holland with a big smile on her face.

Holland: Angel? P-please we can negotiate. We...

Angel slides the lock on the door shut.

Dru takes a step forward: Daddy.

Lindsey has a slight smile creasing his face.

Darla pulls Holland down and bites him.

Angel unhurriedly walks up the steps from the cellar, ignoring the screams and sounds of fighting coming from the cellar.

Angel is sitting behind his desk with Wesley, Gunn and Cordy sitting on the other side of it.

Wesley: And you - just walked away?

Angel: No, I walked to my car and then I drove away.

Gunn: You didn't do *anything*?

Wesley: You allowed Darla and Drusilla to have free reign.

Angel: I didn't bring either one of them into this. They did.

Wesley: You could have stopped them.

Angel: And I will.

Cordy: When? After they've finished off all the people you don't like?

Wesley: Angel, while it's certainly true that these lawyers brought this on themselves - what you did is...

Cordy: ...is wrong.

Gunn: You went too far.

Wesley after a moment: We've all been worried about you, and I guess it's fair to say we all share some of the blame. - We should have spoken up sooner.

Gunn: And louder.

Cordy: You have to change the way you've been doing things. - Don't you see where this is taking you?

Wesley: Listen to her! Right now the three of us are all that's standing between you and real darkness.

Gunn: Best believe that, man.

Angel quietly after a beat: I do. - You're all fired.

Angel gets up and walks away while the other three sit there like frozen statues.

FADE TO BLACK