Wolfram and Hart bring in Darla to tell her about her condition. She had been dying when she was turned by the Master, and since being brought back to life, she has retained this syphillitic heart condition. With Angel unwilling to turn her, Darla looks for a vampire to turn her. Before she succeeds, Angel stakes the vampire Darla finds, and tells her he will help, refusing to believe that becoming a vampire once more is the only solution. After confirming the condition by "interrogating" Lindsey, Angel takes Darla to Caratos to sing to the Host.

The Host tells Angel of a way he might be able to help, but one that will likely cost him his life. Together Angel and Darla go to the location they are told, and Angel is forced to make a leap of faith into an empty pool. Some kind of door opens, and the pair are taken to a chamber where a kind of butler tells them that they will prepare for the three tests now.

Angel defeats a demon to walk through a door. He then traverses a corridor lined with crosses and patches of sunlight and opens a door at the end after getting the key from holy water. Finally he accepts death by staking to save Darla. The third test is stopped though as death is not necessary, merely the willingness to die for another. The valet then attempts to give Darla life.

Having died several times already, and revived by Wolfram and Hart, Darla is already living her second chance, making the valet fail in his attempt. Angel was the first to finish the trials, but he leaves with Darla still just as likely to die as before. Things are about to get much worse though.

Back at Darla's room in a motel, Angel promises to be with her until the end, and Darla tells him she understands everything he went through now, and how hard it must have been to do it alone. However, their unity is short lived as Wolfram and Hart storm in, stunning Angel, and forcing the vampire Drusilla to turn Darla back into a vampire.