Lullaby Transcript

Written By: Tim Minear
Directed By: Tim Minear

This episode originally aired on November 19, 2001

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Previously on Angel:

Darla sees Liam for the first time - brawling at the pub.

Darla: Who is he? - He's magnificent.

Darla turns Liam in the alley.

Darla: I could show you, things you've never seen.

Shots the China flashback.

Darla: We were together for a hundred and fifty years. - We shared everything.

Angelus and Darla trapped in the barn in France.

Angelus: Who's this man Holtz?

Darla: A vampire hunter.

Angelus: How does he keep finding us?

Angelus bites Holtz wife.

Angelus: We have message for your husband.

Angelus at Holtz mercy in Rome.

Holtz: You remember Caroline?

Angelus: Pretty lass, hearty screamer?

Sahjhan visits Holtz in England.

Sahjhan: It'll be over two hundred years before you can find either Angelus or Darla. I want your word you will show them no mercy.

Angel sees human Darla in a crowed LA park for the first time.

Angel: That's her. Darla. She's back.

Angel and Darla making out.

Darla: God doesn't want you! But I still do.

Angel waking up after.

Darla: You still have a soul!

Angel stops Darla from staking him.

Angel: Get dressed and get out.

Darla stand up from the barstool, hugely pregnant.

Angel: This is impossible.

Darla: Tell me about it - Daddy!

Wes: You're carrying a boy.

Darla: Great.

Lilah to Linwood: No one seems to know *how* Darla could be pregnant.

Wes: The Nyazian Prophecies speak of a Tro-clon, that brings about the ruination of mankind.

Lilah: The scroll it's recorded on, seems to be missing.

Darla having contractions in the backseat of the car.

Wes: Her water's broken. This is for real.

W&H's commando enter the Hyperion.

Linwood: We got to get this baby before anybody finds out.

Holtz walk into the Hyperion. Linwood sees him on the monitor.

Linwood: I don't care who that man is. Take him out. Take him out now.

Angel walks into the carnage left in the lobby after the fight.

Holtz: Angelus? - I've been looking for you.

Angel: Holtz. - My god.

Holtz: You have no god, demon.

Angel: The Tro-clon - the prophecy - raised up from darkness to bring darkness. That's you. Holtz, whatever brought you here...

Some of Holtz' gGapplar demons stand up and catch Angel's wrists and neck in some metal clamps on the ends of long sticks, holding him fast.

Holtz: You did. - You and your demon bitch. - For two hundred years I slept. For two hundred years - I dreamt of nothing - (Lays a sword against Angel's throat) but this moment.

Angel: Which would explain why you look so well rested.

Holtz pulls the sword back: You haven't changed.

Angel: Actually, I have. While you were sleeping, a lot changed.

Holtz: Really?

Holtz throws something at Angel's face (Holy water?), and his face morphs into vampface for a split second, then back to human.

Holtz: Somehow things seem the same to me.

Angel: You're wrong.

Holtz puts the sword tip against Angel's throat again: I *will* have justice.

Angel: No. - I don't think you will. - There is no justice for the things I did to you.

Holtz: You didn't do them to me. And you didn't do them alone.

Holtz turns away and addresses the other Grapplar demons.

Holtz: Find the female. If he's here, Darla can't be far. (Turns to look at Angel) Or are you going to tell me *that's* changed, too?

Darla is screaming with pain in the backseat of Angel's convertible.

Gunn: She's gonna pop right here.

Wes: The contractions, they're coming more frequently now.

Cordy holding a stake: You think?

Wes: Angel's not back with the scrolls yet. I'd feel a lot better if we had the ancient prophecies to guide ?us.

Cordy: Please! Women have been giving birth without ancient prophecies for years!

Gunn: What we could really use right about now is some Vaseline and a catcher's mitt.

Darla lets out another scream.

Fred: I don't think she's ready to deliver yet, but she's moved into the active stage of her labor.

Wes looks around: We have to go. We can't stay here. It's too exposed. Angel should have been back by now.

Gunn: Something must have happened.

Wes: Now it's up to us to protect Angel's unborn child. - Darla, we're trying to take you out of here. Relax. The trick is to breathe. Something like this: (Wes demonstrated short panting breaths) Heh, heh, heh, hoh, hoh, hoh, heh, heh, heh...

Darla: I! Don't! (Sits up and sends all four of them flying backwards, away from the car, morphing into her vampface) Breathe!

Darla breaks down in a fit of crying.

Intro

Holtz is riding hell for leather through the night, intercut with flashes of his wife and daughter.

He bursts into his house, kneels down beside the body of his wife and sees the two puncture wounds in her neck.

Holtz is sitting, crying into his hands.

Sarah: Papa? - Papa.

Holtz slowly lowers his hands: Sarah?

He turns and sees his daughter in the doorway, clutching her doll.

Holtz: Oh, Sarah!

Hurries over to hold her.

Holtz: Sarah.

Sarah: Mommy won't wake up.

Holtz: Shh... Quiet now.

He sits down, pulls her against him and begins to sing a lullaby.

Holtz: Sleep, my love, and peace attend thee, all through the night. Guardian angels god will lend thee, all through the night. Slow the drowsy...

He pushes the hair back from her face and sees two puncture wounds in the side of her neck.

Two of Holtz' men appear in the open door.

Man: Captain.

Holtz never taking his eyes off Sarah: Don't come in here.

Man makes a cross: Sweet Jesus.

Holtz: Get out!

The men back away and Holtz resumes singing.

Holtz: No forebodings (slowly backs away from his daughter) will alarm thee, all through the night.

Holtz sits down on a bench against the wall and watches as his daughter sit in the middle of the room, playing with her doll.

Holtz singing: They will keep all peril from you, all through the night...

Wolfram and Hart, night, Lilah, Linwood and Gavin are walking down a corridor. Linwood is holding a picture of Holtz.

Lilah: We've no idea who he is. We ran everything from the surveillance tapes through face and voice recognition and came up with nada. Whoever he is, he's not in the system.

Linwood: A new player.

Gavin: Or an old one.

Linwood: Go.

Gavin: Well, sir, he did address Angel as Angelus. That might suggest some sort of personal history.

Linwood: An old friend.

Lilah: Not likely. Angelus didn't have friends.

Linwood: What's the status of our surveillance?

Gavin: Still down, but we're working on it.

Linwood: And we've heard nothing yet from Commander Burke's team or from Dr. Fetvanovich?

Gavin: All units were successfully deployed at Angel's hotel. But that's all we know.

Linwood: Actually that's all *you* know. - I, on the other hand, know nothing.

Gavin: Sir?

Linwood: It's clear that *I* could *never* have been involved in such an ill-conceived and in the end botched operation.

Gavin: Because you were never here.

Linwood: That is correct.

Gavin: But *we* were.

Linwood: You were. - I'll expect a full report at Thursday's staff meeting, and be advised, when I hear about all this for the very first time I will be both shocked and appalled. (Gives the a smile) Good night.

Gavin: He's gonna crucify us.

Lilah: They don't crucify here. It's too Christian.

Angel is still held motionless by the metal grips while Holts admires one of Angel's swords.

Angel: You're still human. How'd you manage this?

Holtz puts the sword back into the weapons cabinet.

Holtz: So, the question becomes - now that I have you - what's the best way to get her?

Angel: Only dark magics could have brought you this far.

Holtz: She was always the trick, you know, not you. Darla was the unpredictable one.

Angel: Was it a demon - or something else?

Holtz points a stake at Angel's chest: What if I just - kill you now? Would she somehow sense it? Would she then come running? (Walks away from Angel) Would that bring her bursting through those doors, I wonder?

Angel: Did something come to you, or did you seek it out?

Holtz: She might show herself in the service of revenge. - It can be a powerful motivator.

Angel: Yes, it can. What did you have to give up for this second chance?

Holtz: Give up? (Turns to face Angel) I had nothing *to* give up. *You* saw to that.

Angel: We took a lot from you, that's true. But we didn't get everything. We couldn't take your soul.

Holtz: What do you know of a soul.

Angel: I know yours will be destroyed if you allow yourself to be used in the service of evil. - You're a good man, Holtz. A righteous man - and you're being used - for some purpose - other than justice.

Holtz: Could it be you really have changed? - I don't remember you ever pleading so cravenly before.

Angel: And I remember *you* used to work with men.

Holtz hits Angel hard across the face.

Gunn crouches down between Cordy and Fred.

Gunn: Smack him again.

Cordy gives the side of Wes' face a slight smack.

Wes: Ow.

Wes opens his eyes and slowly sits up, reaching one hand towards the back of his head.

Wes: That hurts.

Cordy: Well, you know what they say: birth -painful.

Wes: Yes, but generally for the mother, not the bystanders. How long have I been out?

Wes accepts a hand from Gunn to help him to his feet.

Fred: Not long, but we seem to be between contractions now.

They turn to look at Darla, how is sitting in the backseat of the car, gesturing while talking to herself and crying.

Cordy: Yep. She's been doing that.

Gunn: Hormones.

Looks in Cordy's direction as he takes a step back.

Wes: Come on then. (Walks towards the car) Darla? Darla, do you feel well enough to travel?

Darla nods.

Wes: Good.

Wes gets into the driver's seat. Everyone else piles into the front seat as well. Fred, the last to get in, ends up sitting half on Cordy and Gunn's lap.

Darla: Doesn't anyone wanna sit back here with me?

Cordy: We're good.

Gunn: Yeah, it's - comfy.

Darla: I promise I won't throw anyone out of the car. - Not while it's moving.

Fred: It's not that we don't trust you. I mean, we *don't* trust you. But the fact is, your water broke all over the back seat.

Darla: Oh.

Cordy looks at Wes: What? What are you waiting for?

Wes: I presume we have a tire iron in the trunk?

Gunn: Yeah, why? We got a flat?

Wes: And how about a hurling ax, or some sort of heavy mallet?

The turn to see what Wes is looking at: Grapplar demons stepping out of the shadows in front of the car.

Wes: Also a shotgun wouldn't be a terrible thing at this juncture.

They all turn to look behind the car. More Grapplar demons.

Holtz: Are you still concerned about my soul, Angelus? My vampire priest?

The door opens and a Grapplar comes in.

Holtz: Excuse me.

He walks over to receive the demon's report. Turns back to look at Angelus.

Holtz: You've got her. Good. Bring her in.

Angel watches the door as the Grapplar pulls in his captive.

Angel: Lilah.

Holtz: This isn't her.

Holtz walks over and throws some water in Lilah's face.

Holtz: She's not even a vampire.

Lilah wiping her face dry: No, I'm an attorney.

Angel: Let me guess: dead guys all over my floor - friends of yours?

Lilah: Look, if I'd known you were torturing him, I wouldn't have interrupted. Please, continue. I'll wait until your finished.

Holtz: When I'm finished, he'll be dead.

Lilah: Really?

Holtz: You say you're an attorney. You deal in man's laws, I deal in god's.

Lilah: Ah, right. A good guy.

Holtz: Do you know what he is?

Lilah: Yeah, I know. (Reciting) Vampire, cursed by gypsies who restored his soul. Destined to atone for centuries of evil, wacky sidekicks, yada, yada. I'd have him killed myself, except the people I work for have this (makes air quotes) 'policy.'

Holtz: Hm.

Lilah: Hmm.

Holtz turns to look at Angel: What does she mean 'cursed by gypsies?'

Angel: Long story, Holtz. I doubt it would interest you much.

Lilah: How about I go to my car for about twenty seconds? That should give you enough time in here. Then I gotta call some people to clean this mess up. I've got an early staff meeting in the morning.

Angel glances down and spots a grenade in the hand of one of the dead commandos at his feet.

Holtz: I can't allow you to leave.

Angel cranes his neck to glance at the elevator behind him while Holtz' attention is on Lilah.

Lilah: What do you mean? Of course you can.

Holtz: No. You said you work for the law.

Angel puts the tip of his shoe under the dead man's open hand.

Lilah: No, I didn't. I said I'm a lawyer. I don't care about the law.

Angel: Lilah?

Lilah: What?

Angel: Duck.

Angel flips the grenade up and catches the pin in his mouth. He shakes his head and the grenade flies free from the pin.

The top comes off the grenade as it lands on the floor and it explodes a moment later, blasting Angel back and throwing Holtz to the floor.

Holtz picks himself up and looks at the man-shaped hole in the elevator doors. He picks himself up, runs over to them and looks down the empty elevator shaft.

Holtz to his minions: Search the grounds! (To Lilah) Those men you sent to kill Angelus, they were each of them brave.

Lilah: Oh, good.

Holtz: They fought to the last.

Lilah looks at the bodies on the floor: Yeah, I get *that*.

Holtz: But send more, and I'll do the same. No one will have him but me.

Lilah: There weren't sent for Angel. This was meant to be a party for his girlfriend.

Holtz: You know of Darla?

Lilah: Sure.

Holtz: Tell me, these gypsies, did they curse her as well? Has she, too, been re-ensouled?

Lilah: Darla? No. She's free-range evil.

Holtz turns away with a nod: Hmm.

Lilah: Hey, if you do manage to catch up with her, I think maybe we can do some business.

Holtz looks back at her: The only business that I have with Darla is to send her back to the hell that made her.

Lilah opens her mouth to say more, but Holtz is already walking away.

Lilah: Yeah, okay. Whatever. (Pulls out her phone) Harvey? It's Lilah. I've got a job for you. Angel Investigations.

She leans on the reception desk and sees the remnant of the Nyazian scroll, picks it up and plays with it while continuing to talk.

Lilah: Yeah. Full cleaner service. (Stops to twist the piece of dark gray material and stares at it) Thanks.

Lilah puts her phone away, glances around and quickly picks up a picture frame lying on the counter and put it over the piece of the scroll and some memo pads. Glancing around the picks the whole stack up and turns to the doors.

Wes, Gunn and the girls a fighting the Grapplars while Darla just sits in the back of the car arguing with herself.

Wes: Keep the moving.

Gunn: Don't let them get behind you!

Darla shakes her head, gets up out of the back seat and slides behind the wheel.

Fred: Charles! (Gunn clobbers the Grapplar about to get Fred) Thanks.

Fred swings her bat at Gunn. He ducks and Fred's swing hits the demon behind him full across the face.

As the gang continues to fight, Darla starts the car. She puts it into gear and mows down the two demons standing in front of it. Slams on the breaks, backs over one of the Grapplars behind the car, then squeals out of there leaving the her defenders to stare after the disappearing car.

A slightly singed looking Angel comes up behind them and cranes his head to look over their shoulders.

Angel: What are we looking at?

Everyone turns to stare at him.

Break

Wes: 'Holtz?

Angel: Yeah.

Wes: The vampire hunter that tracked you and Darla...

Angel: Through the late seventeen hundreds, yeah.

Gunn: Sure it wasn't his great, great, great-grandson?

Angel: No it was him.

Fred: Maybe he's part of what's supposed to rain down ruination upon mankind. The Nyazian Prophecies did say that the Tro-clan was going to be a confluence of events.

Cordy: And the sudden appearance of an eighteenth century vampire hunter in the twenty first century does seem pretty confluey.

Gunn: You think he's here for the baby?

Angel: I don't think he even knows about it.

Fred: He wouldn't have to. That's the tragic beauty of a cosmic convergence. I-I mean, he just plays his own small part. He-he comes here looking for Angel and Darla, and in the process ends up finding Angel's unborn child, who, as it turns out, wasn't evil at all as we feared, but was actually meant to be some sort of Messianic figure. But Holtz kills it before it's even born and his vengeance somehow triggers the end of the world! (She smiles at the others, who just look at her) Or not! It could go either way. - Have you thought of a name yet?

Wes: We need to find Darla before Holtz does.

Angel: I can find her a lot faster on my own.

Wes: Of course.

Angel: If you guys could just find some place safe for her to have this baby, we'll come to you.

Gunn: We can do that.

Angel turns to go.

Cordy: Hey! (Angel turns back) Be careful.

Angel turns to go.

Wes: Angel. (Angel turns back) The scrolls, you didn't manage to...

Angel: No.

Angel leaves.

Wes: I'm sure we'll be fine without them.

A guy wearing white gloves is examining the remnant of the scroll in Lilah's office.

Man: Nyazian. Exquisite! I recognize the Ga-shundi cross-text. Quite a find! Have you any idea what this is worth?

Lilah: Hopefully enough to cover my ass. (Hands him the memo pad) Here, these notes should help speed things up a little.

Man: Ah! You had another translator work on this I see. - I don't recognize the handwriting but the idiom would indicate an Englishman.

Lilah: I don't know. I don't remember.

Man: It wasn't Worm Forsch in Ancient Symbols and Icons, was it? He's had his eye on my cubicle.

Lilah: No, it was somebody else. You don't know them.

Man: He's only got that one eye...

Lilah: Don't worry about it. Outside contractors. Now, I've highlighted the sections they seemed to be concentrating on.

Man: You *highlighted* an ancient Nyazian Scroll?

Lilah: In yellow.

Man: Hmm.

Lilah: So, can you translate it?

Man: When it comes to sacred prophecies it's always going to be more of an interpretation than a strict translation.

Lilah: I'm just looking for the gist here. What does it say?

Man: Let's see. (Looks through his magnifying glass at the symbols on the scroll) Bring... forth... appear... born... Uh! Something about a birth!

Lilah: What? What about the birth?

Man: It's unclear.

Lilah: Make it clear.

Man: Well, this should be fun!

Lilah: No. This shouldn't be fun, what it should be is done by morning - or I'll have your family killed.

Lilah leaves.

Holtz is back in the chamber he woke up in talking to Sahjhan.

Holtz: You knew. You knew and you didn't tell me.

Sahjhan: Okay! So I left out one teeny weeny little detail. It didn't seem all that important.

Holtz: Not important? Angelus with a soul?

Sahjhan: It doesn't mean anything!

Holtz: It means everything.

Sahjhan: See? This is *why* I didn't mention it. So Angel has a soul. Big whoop! So did Attila the Hun! Not to mention a heart as big as all outdoors when it came to gift giving. He is *still* a vampire! Angel, not Attila.

Holtz: He's not the same vampire.

Sahjhan: Of course he is! His hair is a little shorter, a little spikier. He's using product. But it's the same guy.

Holtz: No. He's changed. He's - different.

Sahjhan: Look. I don't know what kind of moral mind games you've been torturing yourself with, but can't let this soul thing get in the way of what you swore to do.

Holtz: Get in the way?

Sahjhan: That's what this is about, right? You find out Angel has a soul, now you're wondering if things are a little murkier - ethically speaking.

Holtz: Things - have never been clearer. Releasing his soul to suffer for all eternity only makes his destruction more just, more fitting.

Sahjhan: Oh. Well, then what's the problem?

Holtz: You've had me hunting the wrong prey.

Sahjhan: Ah! Right. Because an Angel with a soul is going to be a slightly different challenge from an Angel without a soul.

Holtz: I must know everything.

Sahjhan: Right. No, gotcha. My mistake.

Holtz: You've kept nothing else from me then?

Sahjhan: Ah. - No. - Nothing I can think of.

Darla is standing on top of a building looking over the city below, her hands cradling her pregnant belly.

Angel: You always did love a view.

Darla: Look at it. Listen to it. Can you smell it? This world. This horrible world. Why would anyone want to bring a baby into it?

Angel: To make it better, maybe?

Darla: Or to destroy it finally.

Angel: Why is it everyone insists on planning my son's future before he's even born?

Darla turns and walks past where Angel is standing.

Darla: Alright then, how's this? It doesn't have a future. Not with me.

Angel follows her: Darla...

Darla: Angel, I can't have this baby.

Angel: What?

Darla: I can't let it out. I-I can't.

Angel: Okay, not sure you have a lot of choice in the matter...

Darla: Look, I know. It wants to come out. I can feel it. It's ready. It's just - I can't let it. I can't let because... because...

Angel: You love it.

Darla: Completely. I love it completely. I-I-I don't think I've ever loved anything as much as this life that's inside of me.

Angel: Well - you've never *loved* anything, Darla.

Darla: That's true. Four hundred years and I never did - till now. - I don't know what to do.

Angel: Well, you-you'll do the only thing that you can do. - You'll have it. You'll have it and then...

Darla: What? We'll raise it?

Angel: Why not?

Darla: It's impossible.

Angel: This whole thing is impossible, Darla, but it's happening.

Darla: What do I have to offer a child, a *human* child, besides ugly death?

Angel: Darla.

Darla: You know it's true.

Angel: No. What I do know is that you love this baby, our baby. You've bonded with it. You've spent nine months carrying it, nourishing it...

Darla: No. No, I haven't been nourishing it. I haven't given this baby a thing. I'm dead. It's been nourishing me. These feelings that I'm having, they're not mine. They're coming from it.

Angel: You don't know that.

Darla: Of course I do! We both do. Angel, I don't have a soul. It does. And right now that soul is inside of me, but soon, it won't be and then...

Angel: Darla...

Darla: I won't be able to love it. I won't even be able to remember that I loved it. (Starts to cry) I want to remember.

Angel pulls her against him.

Angel: Shh...

Angel closes his eyes as he holds a crying Darla.

Lorne: Here?! She wants to have it here? Well, that's just a terrible idea. Can't you see I'm working my tush off trying to get ready for a grand re-opening? (To a girl carrying a big jar) Uh, ah, Gorsh entrails behind the bar next to the Maraschinos. I can't have *baby* here! I just had the booth simonized.

Cordy: Lorne, what do you want us to do? Tell Angel and Darla that they're not welcome here?

Lorne: No. No, of course not. Caritas is and will always be a Sanctuary. That is if *some* people ever finish the work they promised to have done three days ago. How's the job coming, Arnie?

Arnie: I think we'll have up on her feet by the time you open tomorrow night.

Gunn: New security system?

Lorne: Yeah, routes the new sanctuary spells together to prevent both human and demon violence, Creating a totally carnage free Caritas.

Arnie: But, ah, balancing that interspecies flux, a little trickier than I expected.

Lorne takes the leaflet Arnie is working from away from him.

Lorne: Uh-huh. That's not the only thing that's tricky around here. You hum while you work.

Arnie: Yeah, so?

Lorne: So? I just read you, buster! Which connection are you leaving unconnected to milk this job?

Arnie: You're questioning my work ethic?

Lorne: No, I'm firing you! Get out. Out. Git. Go on.

Lorne pushes Arnie towards the door.

Arnie: Hey, I'm union. You got to pay me for the full day.

Lorne: Out. I'll finish this myself. How hard could this be?

Lorne opens the leaflet.

Angel and Darla are standing beside each other on the rooftop, each facing a different way.

Darla: You won't let me hurt it, will you? You'll protect it, right? From me, I mean.

Angel's cell phone rings and he answers it.

Angel: Yeah.

Wes: We found a place.

Angel: Is it safe?

Wes looks over at the host working on the equipment.

Wes: I'm sure by the time you get here it'll be safe as houses.

Lorne: Okay. Try that.

Fred sighs and give Gunn a slight slap across the face.

Fred: Nope, still not working.

Lorne: Okay. Ah. - Try it now.

Fred slaps Gunn again.

Gunn and Fred: No!

Darla hunches over and leans against a post.

Angel: Hey - Darla? We should - get going. I feel a storm coming. You okay? Another contraction?

Darla: No. It's something else.

Lilah walks into her office.

Lilah: You got something?

Man: Yes. I believe I do. I have to say, whoever you had working on this before was very close. These notes were enormously helpful.

Lilah: That's great. What does it say?

Man: I can see he ran into trouble right here with the tense. Ga-shundi tenses are tricky little buggers! (Laughs)

Lilah: I'm riveted. The birth! What does it say about the birth?

Man: Well, actually, it's funny... it doesn't.

Lilah: What do you mean, it doesn't. But you said it did.

Man: Yes, I did say it did.

Lilah: But it doesn't.

Man smiling: In a way.

Lilah: I have a gun.

Man: The prophecy, it's not so much a birth announcement as it is an obituary.

Lilah: Obituary?

Man: Yes. The prophet is telling us there will be no birth.

Lilah: But are you sure?

Man: Oh, quite sure! 'For surely in that time, when the sky opens and the heavens weep, there will be no birth, only death.'

Lilah: Only death?

Man: Just death.

Lilah considering: Just death.

A slight smile plays across her face.

Break

Holtz is sitting in his house staring straight ahead. The two men form the night before have come back. It is now day outside.

Man: Captain. (Holtz doesn't move) Captain, we beg you. Let us take you out of this place. (Looks at Caroline's body) It's the devil's work.

Holtz: Not the devil. Just a demon.

The man looks over at Sarah cowering in a dark corner, clutching her doll.

Man: What are we going to do?

Holtz slowly gets up: Whatever we have to.

Holtz walks over to Sarah and picks her up.

Sarah: Papa, no! Please, no, papa! Papa, don't. Let me go!

Holtz caries her over to the door and out onto the roofed porch.

Sarah: No, papa. Papa, don't!

Sarah tries to cling to one of the porch's pillars, but Holtz pulls her away and pushes her out into the bright sunlight of the front yard. She turns back to look up at him, morphing into vamp face as she burns up in the direct sunlight.

Holtz stays and watches until she's gone then walks back into the house.

Wes is pacing. Gunn is sitting in front of the bar, playing his gameboy. Cordy is sitting on a stool behind him, reading a magazine. Fred is sitting beside Lorne reading the leaflet, while Lorne is still messing with whatever magic-machine Arnie was installing.

Lorne: Okay. Okay. I'm *convinced* I got it this time!

Cordy smacks the back of Gunn's head.

Gunn: Ow.

Lorne takes the leaflet away from Fred: Let me see that.

Angel supports Darla as he's leading her down the stairs.

Angel: Just a few more steps. That's it. Okay. All right.

Wes walks over to them.

Angel: Guys. A chair. Chair.

Wes pulls a chair out for Darla.

Gunn: Jeez, what happened?

Angel helps Darla into the chair: Easy.

Darla: Thanks.

Gunn looks from Angel to Wes. Angel motions with his head to the corner of the room and he and Wes walk away.

Cordy to Darla: You're welcome.

Fred: You gave us quite a scare. - But - I guess you're used to that, what with being a scary thing and all.

We hear thunder rumbling outside.

Darla: Yeah. I'm sorry about that. I don't know what got into me.

Darla starts to laugh quietly to herself as she looks down at her belly.

Angel: She's in a lot of pain.

Wes: How frequent are the contractions?

Angel: It's been... I don't know, maybe an hour?

Wes: An hour? She was well into the active stage of labor. I don't understand.

Angel: I don't either. She just - stopped having them.

Wes: But the pain she's experiencing?

Angel: She says she's experiencing something else.

Wes whispering: That's worrying.

Darla suddenly hunches over with a moan of pain.

Cordy: Angel!

Angel hurries to her side.

Angel: Darla?

Darla: Angel!

Lorne: Let's get her into my bedroom. Come on.

He and Angel help her up and lead her away.

Lorne: Easy. Easy now. Come on, sweetheart. We'll get you right in there.

Fred looks down at the chair Darla was sitting on as notices a little puddle of dark blood on the seat.

Sahjhan: It's time to get to work.

Holtz: You found him then?

Sahjahn: Tell him.

Arnie: Don't forget what we discussed.

Sahjhan: You'll get your money.

Arnie: I've heard that one before. You know, I've got mouths to feed. Plus a family. Some of them have mouths, too.

Sahjhan: Just tell him what you heard!

Arnie's eyes light up and he mimics Cordy: Lorne, what do you want us to do? Tell Angel and Darla they're not welcome here? (Mimics Lorne) No, of course not. Caritas is and always will be a sanctuary.

Angel waits at the door as Wes and Fred check on Darla lying on Lorne's bed, then walk over to him.

Angel: Is she gonna be okay?

Wes: She's tough as nails.

Fred: And immortal, so that's, you know, in her favor - health wise.

Angel: What about the baby?

Wes glances back at Darla, then walks out of the room. Angel follows him.

Darla lifts her head and watches the leave.

Angel: What? What is it?

Wes: Angel, I think you need to prepare yourself for the worst.

Angel: No.

Wes: The babies heartbeat is faint. Very faint.

Angel: What do we do?

Wes: I'm not sure there is anything we can do. Darla's body - it's not a life-giving vessel. I don't know that it's equipped to do what it needs to do in order to bring a baby to term.

Angel: So-so, what-what are you saying? We just let it die?

Cordy: Ah, what about a c-section?

Fred: Normally that's exactly what we'd do in this instance, but... the mystical forces that's been protecting the pregnancy...

Thunder rumbles outside.

Angel: ...is gonna end up killing it.

Wes: That's my fear.

Angel sighs, and rubs his eyes: This doesn't make any sense. I mean, this whole thing has been a miracle, right? You don't just get half a miracle, do you? - I mean, the powers - they brought her this far, they protected the baby all this time...

Gunn: We don't know that. We don't know that it's the powers that's been protecting it. Angel, I'm sorry, but what if what Darla's carrying *is* the thing in the prophecies? That scourge of mankind that's supposed to plunge the world into ultimate darkness? - What if - what if what's happening to Darla *now*, what if that's the powers? Finally stepping up to the plate and doing something for once!

Angel staring straight ahead: How? By killing my kid?

Angel walks towards Lorne's bedroom.

Cordy to Gunn: Do you always have to be so damned honest?

Cordy reaches out to slap Gunn on the arm, but her hand is repelled by a by blue force field.

Lorne: What? Hey! Hey, it-it worked! I fixed it!

The others continue to look glum.

Lorne: Ah, yay, me?

Angel stands in the doorway of Lorne's bedroom and looks at Darla for a moment before walking over and sitting down on a chair beside the bed.

Darla stirs, opens her eyes and looks at him.

Angel: Hi. How 're you doing?

Darla: He finally stopped kicking.

Angel: Did he.

He leans forward and lays one hand on Darla's belly.

Angel: I guess he figured he finally got your attention. - You called him a 'he.' (With a slight smile at Darla) I think that's the first time you've ever done that.

Darla: He's dying. (Angel's smile melts away, but he refuses to look away from her) Isn't he?

Angel after a beat: No.

Darla: You lied much better when you didn't have a soul. - I can feel the life slipping away from me.

Angel: Then don't let it. You have to fight for this. - Please.

Darla: I don't know how. My boy. (Strokes her belly) My darling boy. - I told you I had nothing to offer this kid. Some mother (there are tears in Darla's eyes) can't even offer it life.

Gunn gets up off his stool: Maybe I should go in there, apologize.

Wes takes hold of his arm: Best to just stay here, wait this out.

Cordy: I think both Angel and Darla just need a little time alone.

Fred: This isn't gonna end well, is it?

Lorne: Okay. Everybody's drinking. I'm buying.

He gets up from his chair and sees Holtz walk into the bar.

Lorne: Oh, hello.

Holtz looks Lorne up and down: Hello.

Lorne: We're not open at the moment. Why don't you come back tomorrow night? (Hands him a flyer) It's the grand re-opening. Here. Here's a flyer.

Holtz takes it: Thanks.

Lorne walks around the bar to pour some drinks.

Holtz takes a slow look around, the turns and walks out, singing quietly: Sleep, my love and peace attend thee, (Lorne starts to hum along) all through the night, guardian angels god will send you, all through the night...

Lorne's eyes suddenly widen and he drops the bottle and glass back onto the counter.

Lorne: Run!

Cordy: What's going on?

Lorne heading for the back of the club: Just run! Run.

The others get up and follow him.

A red metal barrel tumbles down the stairs and comes to rest just on the other side of the metal security doorway. A grenade bounces down the steps and comes to rest beside it. A beat later the grenade explodes and big fireball sweeps through the club, destroying everything in its wake.

Break

Angel is supporting Darla beside the bed as the others run in.

Angel: What's going on?

Wes: We're being attacked.

Angel: Attacked? I thought you had double protection sanctorium spells?

Lorne: I do. It's a thing with the door and the stairs and the world and the thing. Never mind!

Gunn: Apparently you can be outside and shove stuff in.

Lorne: I just said that.

A burning beam crashes through the ceiling beside Angel and Darla. Darla lets out a little scream.

Angel: It's Holtz.

Darla: What?

Lorne: Come on. We've got to move the bed.

The others go and help Lorne.

Darla: How's it possible?

Angel: He's here. I would have mentioned it before, but I didn't think it was the right time.

Darla sinks down onto a chair.

Darla: No. No, it's the perfect time.

Gunn as they pull out the bed: What's behind the bed?

Lorne: An old loading dock door. I had the whole place converted.

Wes: What's on the other side?

Lorne: An alley.

Darla: What we did to him.

Angel: I know.

Gunn: You got an ax, a hammer or anything?

Wes: Buddha head.

Hands it to Gunn.

Cordy: A rhino.

Hands it to Wes.

He and Gunn haul back with the statues and attack the wall.

Darla: That's why this is happening. His family, his children... - what that must have been like for him. Doesn't seem so funny now, does it?

Angel: Darla?

Wes: Angel, we could use some vampire strength here.

Angel: Cordy, Fred!

Cordy and Fred take his place with Darla.

Angel steps between Wes and Gunn who step aside and watch him batter down the wall with his fists and feet.

Holtz walks into the burning remains of the club.

A back alley lit by Chinese lanterns. Angel breaks through into it from Lorne's bedroom. Wooden shards fly as he enlarges the opening. Cordy steps through it, followed by Wes, Fred, Gunn and Lorne. Then Angel half carries Darla through it.

Darla: No. No. Go on. I can't. It doesn't matter anyway.

Angel: I'm not leaving you, alright? Easy. Alright. (Pulls out his keys and tosses them towards the others.) Go get my car. It's out front.

He lowers Darla to the ground and crouches down beside her.

Angel: I got you.

Cordy makes move to join him.

Angel: Go!

All of them turn and hurry off (Lorne is holding to pieces of cardboard over his head to keep some of the rain off himself), but after a few steps Fred stops and runs back to crouch beside Angel and Darla.

Angel: Fred, go with them.

Fred: It's okay. They'll come back for us.

Angel takes off his jacket and slings it around Fred's shoulders.

Angel to Darla: You're gonna be okay.

Darla: No. No, I don't think so. Once he's gone, I won't be okay. I won't be okay at all. - I don't know what I'll be. - Angel... Our baby is gonna die right here in this alley. - You died in an alley, remember?

Angel: I remember.

Darla: I wanna say I'm sorry. I wanna say it and mean it, but - I can't. - Aren't you gonna tell me it's okay?

Angel: No.

Darla: No? It's really not, is it? We did so many terrible things together. So much destruction, so much - pain. - We can't make up for any of it. You know that, don't you.

Angel after a beat: Yeah.

Darla: This child - Angel, it's the one good thing we ever did together.

Angel lifts Darla's hand between both of his and pressed it against his lips.

Darla: The only good thing.

Angel buries his face in his hands, still holding onto Darla's, takes a sobbing breath.

Darla: You make sure to tell him that.

Darla is holding one of the splinters of wood and buries it in her chest, gasping. Angel lifts his head and stares as Darla turns to dust.

Where Darla was there is now a naked human infant lying in the rain, crying.

Holtz steps into Lorne's bedroom with flames flickering all around him. Lifts his crossbow and looks around.

Angel carefully gathers up the baby.

Holtz steps through the hole in Lorne's wall into the alley. Lifts the crossbow and aims it at Angel as Angel slowly stands up, cradling the crying infant.

Fred hands Angel's jacket back to him and he wraps it around the infant.

Holtz is watching them over his crossbow.

Angel slowly turns his head and sees Holtz.

For a moment they just look at each other.

A Grapplar appears at the mouth of the alley behind. Angel looks from it to the baby (that has quieted down) to Holtz.

Angel's car pulls up behind two Grapplars at the other end of the alley and Wes gets out.

Holtz slowly lowers his crossbow, still looking at Angel cradling the infant against his chest.

After a beat Angel slowly walks past Holtz, Fred clinging to his right arm.

Holtz watches as Angel and Fred pass between the two Grapplars.

Sahjhan: Do it! Now's your chance. Do it! Finish it while you still can! You can't just let him walk away! Not now! Not after what you swore to me!

Holtz watches as Fred and Angel get into the car.

Holtz: I swore that I would show no mercy. (Watches Angel's car drive away) And I won't.