TITLE: HOME (stupid title, subject to change...) AUTHOR: Katriena Knights SPOILERS: Deep Down, mostly. RATING: TV-14 DISCLAIMER: Not mine, fooling around. NOTES: This is written in screenplay format, not to be pretentious or anything, but just as a writing exercise and an experiment in learning to use my screenwriting software. PLEASE LMK how the format is translating--if it's not working I might have to just throw it on a web page and send a link. ANGEL "Home" TEASER FADE IN: INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - NIGHT FRED and GUNN enter, cozy but disturbed. FRED I can't believe he actually did it. GUNN I know. It's a mind-blower, huh? FRED I mean, he swore he would never-- GUNN I know. And now we have to deal with the consequences. He breaks loose from Fred to hold open the door while ANGEL backs in. He carries a large box. GUNN Hey, man, you need some help with that? ANGEL Nah, I got it. He maneuvers backward through the door. The box is big and awkward but not heavy, at least not for him. FRED Where should we put it? ANGEL In the office. GUNN Are you nuts? In the office? We'll never get anything done. Angel is all the way into the lobby now, the box visible. It says "27 COLOR TV" ANGEL This is for work purposes only. I told you. Angel carries the box into-- INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - OFFICE - CONTINUOUS Angel sets the box on the floor and starts to clean off a spot on top of a bookshelf. ANGEL We watch the news. Local. That's it. GUNN Jeez, Dad. I wanna watch cartoons. FRED And football. GUNN Football? You like football? They share a gooey moment. Angel pulls the TV out of the box and sets it on the shelf, plugs it in. ANGEL Okay, now we need an antenna or something. GUNN A dish. We need a dish. ANGEL For local news? We can get reception without it, right? FRED I want to watch football. Angel turns the TV on and flips the channels using a knob or keypad on the TV. ANGEL We watch the news. With Cordelia gone, we need some way to find people who need us. GUNN Yeah, cause there's so much on the news about vampire nests and rogue demons. Angel continues to flip channels. ANGEL You have to know what to look for. He leans back, looks at the TV. The picture is snowy. He smacks the side of the TV. ANGEL This picture is terrible. GUNN We need a dish. ANGEL And there's no news on. FRED It's not the right time. Angel flips channels again. ANGEL I thought there was a news channel. GUNN Not local. You're gonna need a dish. Or cable. FRED Can we get cable here? Angel finally has a good picture. It's a Victoria's Secret commercial or somesuch. ANGEL I thought you had to pay for porn. FRED It's an underwear commercial. ANGEL But those women. They're naked. FRED They have on underwear. You really need to get out more. GUNN We need a dish. EXT. LOS ANGELES - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING Flashy cuts. EXT. BAR - NIGHT It's a trendy bar somewhere trendy. Three 20-somethings emerge, two women and one man, pass through the crowd of people still waiting to get in. The 20-somethings careen drunkenly off each other as they walk together down the sidewalk. MAN Damn. What time is it? WOMAN #1 Time to throw up. They laugh. WOMAN #2 Time to go home. MAN Time to pee. They laugh hysterically. This guy's a riot. Or else they're really, really drunk. MAN I am so stinking drunk. He staggers into a nearby alley, unzipping. Apparently he wasn't kidding about that peeing thing. WOMAN #1 (on TV) (to Woman #2) Okay, so, you're leaving now, right? WOMAN #2 I'm sorry? WOMAN #1 I saw him first. So you're leaving. WOMAN #2 He doesn't even like you. Maybe you should leave. Woman #1 gets in Woman #2's face. WOMAN #1 I don't think so-- A SCREAM from the alley interrupts them. They are frozen for a beat. Then an ARM flies out of the alley and lands between them. They stare at it, then at each other, too freaked to scream. Big, scary GROWLS from the alley. Out rolls the man's HEAD, disturbingly unattached to the rest of his body. Now the women scream. And run. But too late. A big, dark, growling THING runs out of the alley. The women scream some more. Hideous screams change to abrupt silence as the beast wipes camera. EXT. ALLEY - ABOVE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS Someone watches from the top of the building overlooking the alley. It's CONNOR, and he looks about as scared as it's possible to look. BLACK OUT. END OF TEASER ACT ONE EXT. - CITY - ALLEYWAY - ABOVE - NIGHT Connor leaps from building to building. He follows the beast. His face is hard with determination but there's still fear in his eyes. The beast stops below him, rooting in a Dumpster at the end of the alley. Connor pulls a knife and LEAPS down onto the creature's back. EXT. - CITY - ALLEYWAY - NIGHT Connor lands on the beast and stabs it viciously several times before it flings him off. Unfortunately, the stabbing seems to have just pissed the critter off. It slashes at Connor with razor-sharp claws that rip through Connor's shirt, leaving parallel gashes across his stomach. Connor gathers himself, flings himself at the beast's head. He grabs it around the neck and hangs on, stabs into the creature's neck several times. The beast roars and flings Connor against the wall. Connor tumbles to the ground. The beast snarls and lunges toward him. Connor rolls aside at the last minute. Pulls himself to his feet and runs, obviously in terrible pain. EXT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - OFFICE - LATER Angel, Fred and Gunn sit in front of the TV. They stare, horrified but entranced. Strange, ululating music comes from the TV. ANGEL This is the weirdest thing I've ever seen. Gunn looks shell-shocked. He turns his head to one side to view the horror at a different angle. ANGEL And I have seen some weird, let me tell you. FRED This is why they should outlaw cable access channels. GUNN Damn. That is just wrong. ANGEL Is there going to be news? He gets up to change the channel. GUNN Do you not know how to use a remote? ANGEL A remote? Was there a remote? FRED It must be in the box. A news program appears on the TV. ANGEL Ah. Here we go. News. He sits down. An anchorwoman announces the headlines. ANCHOR (on TV) (on TV) In our lead story, three people were found dead in Englewood today. The two women and one man have not yet been identified, but early reports indicate they were dismembered. ANGEL There, see? A lead. GUNN You sure? ANGEL C'mon! Dismembered bodies? Right up our alley. He stands, rubs his hands together. He's stoked. ANGEL Let's go. EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT - LATER Connor staggers down the alley. He sags against the wall. Looks at his hands. They're covered with blood. He slumps to the ground. EXT. ANGEL'S CAR - DRIVING - NIGHT The Angelmobile is underway. Top down. Angel drives. Fred and Gunn are in the back. Angel's gone from stoked to overly grim--possibly moreso than usual. GUNN How d'you plan to find this thing? FRED Can you smell it? ANGEL Not yet. Fred and Gunn look at each other. FRED (sotto, to Gunn) Do you think he's okay? GUNN He's just missing Cordy. ANGEL Guys. I can hear you. FRED (still sotto, to Gunn) Does it really suck working for a vampire? GUNN Yeah, pretty much. Angel looks a little less grim, more distracted. ANGEL Yeah, I miss Cordy. I hate it we haven't been able to find her. FRED We all miss her, Angel. ANGEL And I know we need to keep looking, but I don't know where to look anymore. GUNN We'll find her. She can't have just-- ANGEL And I just feel so--unfocused lately. FRED (to Gunn) I thought he said he could hear us. Angel's lost in his own little world. ANGEL I just thought--if we could find some people we could help-- GUNN (sympathetic) Yeah, we get it, bro. Now you really think there's a demon we can whack? ANGEL Yeah, I do. GUNN And how we gonna find-- A huge GROWL and the beast LEAPS out right onto the hood of the car. Startled, Angel swerves wildly. OFF FRED and GUNN freaking out-- FLASHY CUTS TO: EXT. WOLFRAM AND HART OFFICES - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING INT. WOLFRAM AND HART OFFICES - CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT Several staff members, including GAVIN, sit around the table. LILAH enters briskly, tosses a manila folder or two onto the table and sits in her new seat in the head chair. LILAH I suppose we've all heard by now. GAVIN That there's a monster loose in Englewood? LILAH (cutting) Excellent job, Gavin. I'm glad to see you watch the news. She eyes the assembly. LILAH What they didn't tell you on the news was that this thing appeared literally out of nowhere. And that after it killed those three people, it was seen pummeling the hell out of a teenage boy who miraculously survived to run away. GAVIN Connor. LILAH That's right. Now, the little demon- spawn is wounded, so he's vulnerable. I want us to get to him before his father does. GAVIN And do what with him? LILAH That will be determined when we have him. (then) I have a medical team standing by. Her cold look indicates the medical team won't be there to tend to Connor's wounds. OFF GAVIN: EXT. ANGEL'S CAR - STREET - MOMENTS LATER The car skids to a halt and the beast slides up the hood to slam its ugly, fangy face into the glass right in front of Angel. Angel reacts (holy shit), recovers quickly and VAULTS over the windshield onto the hood, KICKS the beast in the face. The beast flies back off the car and hits the pavement. GUNN Angel! From the backseat of the car, Gunn tosses Angel a big-ass axe. Fred brandishes a taser. Gunn grabs his big hubcap axe and vaults over the side of the car to join Angel. The beast lurches to its feet, shakes its head. Blood bubbles out where Connor stabbed it, but the wounds don't seem to be slowing it down much. Gunn and Angel face off against the beast, slashing and hacking. But it's agile and very, very angry. It dodges most of the axe blows and those that do connect don't make much of an impression. The beast grabs Angel and throws him a good distance. Gunn fights hard, tries to hold the thing off. GUNN Angel! Angel gets up, kinda slow. He looks dazed. ANGEL I'm good. He staggers back into the fray. Swings his axe and hacks off one of its claws, which goes flying. The beast SNARLS in pain and rage and lifts its wounded but still dangerously clawed hand, ready to sweep through Gunn and Angel-- And rears back with an agonized HOWL. Gun and Angel step back, taken off-guard. The beast flings its head back and forth, up and down. The movement reveals Fred clinging to its back. She's after it bigtime with the taser. GUNN Oh, my God! Fred! Angel has assessed the situation and storms in, hacks the beast hard in the chest. The axe goes in deep. Angel wrenches it loose and draws back for another blow as he's splattered with non-red blood. The beast has had enough. Shakes itself violently. Fred FLIES off its back. Gunn runs, half-breaks her fall with his body as they go down together. The beast runs. Its tail flips behind it as it goes, whacks Angel and knocks him on his ass. Angel sits up, shakes his head. ANGEL Everybody okay? He gets up, dusts himself off, stares thoughtfully in the direction the beast ran off in. GUNN Yeah, I think we're good. Gunn checks Fred tenderly, helps her to her feet. GUNN (to Fred) Don't do that ever again. FRED I kicked its ass, huh? GUNN (to Angel) Any idea what the hell that thing was? ANGEL (realizing) Connor. Gunn looks at Fred. What the hell? GUNN Huh? ANGEL Connor fought that thing before we did. FRED Are you sure? ANGEL Yeah. It had Connor's blood on it. He heads back toward the car. ANGEL He's hurt. We gotta find him. Off a concerned Fred and Gunn: EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT Connor crawls the length of the alley, leaving bloodstains behind him. He forces himself to his feet and out onto the sidewalk. EXT. STREET - LATER Angel and Gunn toss their weapoons back into the car. Angel tosses the keys to Gunn. ANGEL You guys drive back to the hotel. I'll track him on foot. Fred, maybe that geiger counter thing you made can still track him. FRED Angel, are you sure this is a good idea? ANGEL You don't think that thing'll work? Angel totally doesn't get it. GUNN Yeah, he might not appreciate you running him down. ANGEL He's hurt. FRED He's also dangerous. ANGEL I'm not leaving him out there to die. GUNN You sure he's hurt that bad? ANGEL There was a lot of blood. Fred and Gunn watch Angel walk off. FRED I guess you're not the alpha dog anymore. GUNN Just the sane dog. FRED Word. GUNN I told you not to say that. EXT. STREET - NIGHT Connor pulls himself to his feet, half-staggers across a street. EXT. STREET - ELSEWHERE - NIGHT Angel tracks Connor. He pauses, looks around, realizes where he's going. Pulls his cell phone out of his pocket. ANGEL (into phone) Gunn! You at the hotel yet? INTERCUT: Gunn on phone, walks with Fred. GUNN (into phone) Not yet. INTERCUT: Angel. ANGEL I'll meet you there. EXT. - LOS ANGELES - NIGHT Flashy cuts to: EXT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING EXT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - LATER Angel enters, looks around as he comes down the stairs. And sees-- A trail of blood smeared on the floor, leading to Connor, who is face down a few feet away from the pouf. ANGEL Connor. Angel run to him. Drops to the floor next to him, gently turns him over, cradles him. Connor's head falls back, limp. Angel shifts to support his head, carefully pats his cheek. ANGEL Connor. Connor, talk to me. Connor shifts--he's alive. Angel looks down, sees the blood that soaks Connor's shirt. ANGLE: THE FRONT DOOR As Fred and Gunn enter. FRED After what he did, why should we help him at all-- Sees Angel. She and Gunn freeze for a beat. FRED Oh, my God. Angel looks back at her, stricken. FRED I'll get bandages. She runs behind the reception counter. GUNN I got blankets. He heads for the stairs. Angel crouches alone in the middle of the big, empty lobby, cradling his wounded son. ANGEL (desperate) Connor . . . END OF ACT ONE ACT TWO INT. WESLEY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Wesley's making tea. There's a KNOCK on his door. He looks at his watch, then goes to open it. Lilah stands in the hallway. LILAH Is this a bad time? WESLEY Is there ever a good time? He steps back, though, so she can come in. So she does. LILAH Tea. How...quaint. Wesley gives her a look. Is she going to get to a point? LILAH So, have you heard anything from your friends lately? Wesley gives her a tolerant smile. WESLEY Not very subtle, Lilah. LILAH What do you mean? WESLEY I thought we had an understanding. If you want to come here for sex, that's fine. Information--no. Lilah smiles. She knows she's fumbled. LILAH I was just asking. Out of concern. WESLEY Yes. As you say. He goes back to his tea. A beat. LILAH (cautious) So...are you still up for the sex? He smiles at her. LILAH It'll have to be quick--I'm actually in the middle of something. Wesley just sips his tea. Seductively. Off Lilah's self-satisfied smile: EXT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - ANGEL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Angel enters, carrying Connor. Connor's still limp. The mood is one of fevered urgency as Angel lays Connor down on the bed. Fred enters behind him, carrying first aid supplies. FRED How is he? ANGEL He's alive. He's breathing. She sits on the other side of the bed, drops her bandages. FRED Let me. She pulls Connor's shirt open and starts to work on his wounds. Angel stays out of her way but he can't sit still. ANGEL Can I help? She hands him the bandages and tape. FRED He's lost a lot of blood, but look-- these are healing already. Gunn comes in, carrying blankets. ANGEL He's gonna be okay. But he sounds like he's trying to convince himself. FRED Gauze. Angel hands her a piece of gauze. As she positions it over Connor's wounds, Connor stirs. CONNOR Dad... ANGEL Connor. Hang on-- Connor struggles to speak through the pain. CONNOR That thing... I couldn't... ANGEL Shh. It's okay. He's in full-on Dad mode. CONNOR I have to-- ANGEL It's okay. We'll take care of it. Connor subsides, closes his eyes again. ANGEL (to Fred) Can you watch him a minute? FRED Sure. Angel heads for the door, looks at Gunn to follow him GUNN No way. I'm not leaving her here alone with him. ANGEL He's unconscious. GUNN Uh uh. FRED It's okay, Charles. ANGEL (realizing) Are you two not okay with this? GUNN Amazing powers of perception you got there, Angel. A beat. Angel waits for an explanation. GUNN After what he did to you, you just let him come crawling back here? ANGEL Yes. GUNN I don't-- ANGEL He's my son. Now you gonna come help me get this bookwork started or am I gonna have to do it myself? A beat. Eyelock between Angel and Gunn. Angel turns and exits, angry. Gunn shakes his head. GUNN (to Fred) You okay by yourself? FRED He's unconscious, Charles. Gunn nods, exits. Fred tapes down the last bandage. She looks at the unconscious Connor for a beat, then moves the pile of bandages aside to reveal her taser. She picks it up and sits watching Connor, taser in her hand. EXT. WOLFRAM AND HART OFFICES - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT INT. WOLFRAM AND HART OFFICES - MEDICAL BAY - NIGHT Very cold and chromy. Lilah addresses three doctors in surgical garb. LILAH This child looks human, but he isn't. What I want from you is to find out exactly what he is. We haven't gotten the opportunity to get close enough-- Her cell phone rings. She answers it. LILAH What? (beat) What? He got away?! (beat) Perfect. There will be hands removed over this one, believe me. She closes the phone in disgust and storms out. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - OFFICE - NIGHT Angel peruses the shelves, pulls out a couple of big tomes. Gunn enters, still angry. GUNN I don't get you. Angel throws the books on the desk. ANGEL What's to get? GUNN Every time you reach out to him, he bites. Why do you keep reaching? ANGEL He reached this time. GUNN Just because he had noplace else to go. ANGEL Yeah. He has noplace else to go. Gunn gets it. Resigned, sits at the desk. GUNN All right. GIve me a book. Angel heads back toward the lobby. ANGEL I'll send Fred back down to help you. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - ANGEL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Fred sits quietly, holding the taser. Doesn't take her eyes off Connor. Connor stirs. CONNOR Dad... Fred straightens, alert. Connor opens his eyes and looks at her. CONNOR Fred? FRED How do you feel? CONNOR It hurts. FRED It was healing already when I taped you up. You'll be fine. Connor sits up with a grimace. CONNOR Where's my father? FRED You came here for help, didn't you? Connor just looks at her. She's not happy. He sees the taser and looks back at her face, wary now. FRED Last time you were here, you were all, "That thing is not my father." Now you're bleeding a little and it's, "Oh, where's my daddy?" If nothing else about Connor is genuine, his fear certainly is. CONNOR I didn't know where else to go. FRED So he can be your dad when you need him. Just not when he needs you. CONNOR Are you going to hurt me? Because if you are, I'd just as soon get it over with. FRED You had something to do with that beast, didn't you? Connor says nothing. A painfully strained beat, then: ANGLE: THE DOOR As Angel enters. He registers Connor. Also sees the taser in Fred's lap. ANGEL Connor. You okay? CONNOR Been better. ANGEL Yeah. You were pretty torn up. (then) If it makes you feel any better, it kicked my ass, too. Connor smiles a little. It's almost a moment. CONNOR I didn't know where else to go. ANGEL You were right to come here. Fred belatedly tries to hide the taser, but Angel's look tells her he already saw it. ANGEL Do you know where it came from? CONNOR No. He's lying. Angel knows it. INT. WOLFRAM AND HART OFFICES - CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT Another staff pow-wow. Lilah is not happy. LILAH A missed opportunity, people. Completely blown. GAVIN What do we do now? LILAH We have to contain this thing before it eats half of Los Angeles. Now, go. Find out what it is and get it dead. All leave except Gavin, who stops by Lilah. GAVIN Didn't expect it to backfire quite so spectacularly, did you? She glares at him. LILAH The boy brought this on himself. Gavin just nods wisely and leaves. Off Lilah's glare: INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - ANGEL'S BEDROOM - LATER Angel sits on the bed now, on the other side of Connor, while Fred watches from her previous position. CONNOR It just came out of nowhere. I had no time to stop it. And it killed those people. ANGEL So you tried to stop it. CONNOR I tried. ANGEL (slowly) Connor... But before he can confront Connor, Gunn bursts in. GUNN There's been another killing. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - OFFICE - LATER Angel, Fred and Gunn grimly watch another special report. Connor sits nearby wrapped in a blanket. He looks better. ANCHOR (on TV) With three people dead in Englewood and another five in east LA, the police are very concerned about the exact motive of this violent serial killer. As the report/TV show continues in b.g.: ANGEL (to Gunn) Did you find anything at all? GUNN Zip. There's just not a lot on hell dimensions at all. ANGEL They tend not to be very well documented. FRED We need-- Gunn stops her with a look. ANGEL No, Fred's right. We need Wesley. A beat. GUNN I'll go. ANGEL No. He heads for the door, then turns back, looks at Connor. ANGEL (to Connor) Fred's still packing that taser. Fred looks sheepish--she's been hiding it behind her leg. ANGEL You know she's not afraid to use it. Connor nods. Angel exits. Off Connor, cowed: EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT The beast hunches at the end of the alley. Much ripping, slurping and tearing. His meal is in shadow, but it's a human body. The beast STRETCHES upward, wolfing down an entire dismembered leg and exposing the place where Angel's axe thwacked into it. The wound shimmers, then disappears. It lifts its declawed hand--the claw grows back. END OF ACT TWO ACT THREE INT. WESLEY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Wes is on the phone. Behind him his TV is on, showing a special report on CNN. The sound is muted, but the pictures indicate the story is about the LA killings. He has his sleeves rolled up and there are books strewn over the living room table. WESLEY (into phone) I see. Eight bodies since last night? (beat) And are the mutilations similar? A knock on the door. Wes goes to answer it. Opens the door. Angel stands in the hall. Wes turns and walks back across the room, still talking on the phone. WESLEY (into phone) I see. So what is the current theory? Angel starts to walk in the door, but hits the "No Uninvited Vampires Allowed" threshold and bounces back. Stands fuming a little, watches Wes wind up his conversation. WESLEY Frankly, I think that seems highly unlikely. Yes, I'm sure you're doing the best you can. Stands now with his back to Angel as he hangs up the phone. Wesley looks thoughtful. A beat. ANGEL (hurt) You uninvited me. Wes turns around. WESLEY Yes. It seemed prudent. (then) You know, after you tried to kill me. A tense beat. ANGEL Why did you just leave? WESLEY I was done. ANGEL So you don't care at all anymore. Is that it? WESLEY Is that why you're here? Because you care? Angel is hurt by this. Mostly because he has to admit: ANGEL I need your help. WESLEY Ah. Surprising. And another tense beat. ANGEL Look, Wes, I'm sorry. WESLEY Would you even be here to apologize if you didn't need my help? ANGEL If I had three seconds to breathe between demon infestations and people trying to kill me, yeah. WESLEY You don't breathe. ANGEL You know what I mean. Look, can I come in? (taps the invisible barrier) This is awkward. Wes considers. WESLEY All right. Come in. Angel does, but it's not really any less awkward. WESLEY I'm going to take a wild guess and assume this has to do with the eight dismemberment killings? ANGEL Yeah. Wes grabs a couple of the books from the living room table, holds them out to Angel. WESLEY Good. Then I'm a few steps ahead of you. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - OFFICE - LATER Fred looks at the books now, while Gunn sharpens a big knife. Connor, wrapped tight in his blanket, sits nearby. His head jerks as he drifts off to the rhythmic sound of Gunn's honing. Connor dreams. Disjointed, scary images resolve to: EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT Connor's POV--two suited figures. Faces shadowy, indistinct. CONNOR (O.C.) Are you sure this is right? SUIT #1 This is what you will need. The scene blurs and shifts. EXT. ALLEY - LATER Connor's POV. A circle of lit candles on the ground. A bloody chunk of something--an organ, maybe a heart--in the middle of the circle. Connor speaks O.C. in a demon language. A flare of light obscures the candles and the beast appears, GROWLING. SMASH CUT TO: INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS Connor jerks awake with a shout. Fred and Gunn both jump. FRED Are you okay? CONNOR Bad dream. Gunn eyes him, goes back to his knife. INT. WESLEY'S APARTMENT - MOMENTS LATER Wesley pulls a few more books from a shelf and hands them to Angel. Stops to page through one. Wes rubs at the scar on his neck. Angel looks at Wes, at the scar. Wes holds the book out to Angel (with his left hand), open to a large picture. WESLEY Did it look something like this? Angel takes the book but his attention goes to another scar--the unhealed mark across Wesley's arm. Wes realizes what he's looking at and withdraws his arm, self-conscious. ANGEL I didn't bite you. WESLEY No. ANGEL I couldn't remember. WESLEY You were too weak. ANGEL You still wanna tell me you don't care? Wes manages an uncomfortable moment of eye contact. It's all very strained. Angel looks at the book. ANGEL It was bigger than this. More teeth. He picks up another book. ANGEL I think Connor had something to do with it. Surprised, Wes looks up. WESLEY Connor? ANGEL Yeah. It tore him up pretty good. WESLEY Where is he? ANGEL At the hotel. WESLEY Do you think that's wise? ANGEL He's hurt. WESLEY You should take these books back, then. See what you can get him to tell you. ANGEL You could come. Wes indicates the books he's already given Angel. WESLEY These have about as much information as you're likely to get on the darker hell dimensions. He walks Angel to the door. Angel reaches out, touches Wesley's wounded arm. ANGEL Thank you. He leaves. Wes starts to close the door behind him, then stops. WESLEY Any news of Cordelia? Angel shakes his head. Off Wes: INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - OFFICE - LATER Connor sleeps again. He twitches and makes odd noises, as if he's fighting something in his sleep. Gunn's still honing that knife. Fred watches Connor. Kind of protective, but more wary. FRED I wonder what he's dreaming about? GUNN Somethin' nasty. Fred watches another beat, then leans over to kiss Gunn. Just for comfort. A noise from the lobby. Fred and Gunn look at each other. They both get up and exit to-- INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS Angel has just come in with the books. He walks to the reception counter, lays the books down. FRED You saw Wesley? ANGEL Yeah. FRED How is he? ANGEL He's good. (notices) Where's Connor? GUNN Sleeping in the office. Angel nods. ANGEL Crack the books. This is where we're gonna find it. He walks back toward the office. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - OFFICE - CONTINUOUS Connor still sleeps. Angel enters, silent, looks down at him, then squats, still looking. Flashes for a moment on a memory: Baby Connor's peacefully sleeping face. Back to the present. Teenage Connor's frowning sleeping face. Angel touches him, so gentle, brushes his hair back from his forehead. ANGEL Connor. (again) Connor. Connor blinks, opens his eyes. Connor POV: Angel's face comes into focus, dark and serious. Connor jerks the rest of the way awake. Fear in his eyes. ANGEL (gently) How you doing? CONNOR Better. ANGEL Good. We need your help. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - MOMENTS LATER Fred pushes a book toward Gunn. FRED I think this is it. Gunn looks. GUNN Yeah, I think you're right. Angel and Connor enter from the office. Connor's a little shaky on his feet. Angel hovers behind but doesn't try to help him. ANGEL (to Fred and Gunn) You find something? GUNN Yeah, I think we did. He and Fred come to Angel with the book as Angel follows Connor to the pouf. Connor sits down. Wary, watches Angel as Angel takes the book from Gunn. Angel looks, shows the book to Connor. ANGEL What do you think? CONNOR That looks like it. ANGEL Good. Then that's progress. Angel kneels in front of Connor. Serious but restrained, like he's trying not to scare the kid. Connor looks scared, anyway. ANGEL You need to tell us what you know. CONNOR I...I told you. I don't know where it came from. ANGEL (careful) I think you do. Fred and Gunn watch, concerned. Gunn tenses, ready for a confrontation. CONNOR I don't-- ANGEL (easy) Don't lie to me, Connor. Connor looks at Fred and Gunn as if he thinks they might help him. ANGEL Connor. Look at me. Connor does. ANGEL Tell me the truth. Do you know where this thing came from? CONNOR Yes. (beat) I summoned it. END OF ACT THREE ACT FOUR INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS As before. Gunn stares at Connor, takes a menacing step forward. GUNN You summoned it? Are you freakin' nuts? CONNOR They told me it would open a portal to Quor-toth. ANGEL "They" who? CONNOR Some guys. They helped me do the spell. ANGEL What did they look like? CONNOR I don't know. Guys. In suits. FRED (realizing) Guys in suits. ANGEL Yeah. (to Connor) Can you describe them? CONNOR I don't know. They were guys. A beat as Angel digests this. ANGEL Can you tell me exactly how you summoned it? Points at the pages of the book. ANGEL Is this the ritual? INSERT: BOOK. A picture of a circle of candles, a large heart in the middle. Like Connor's dream. Connor nods. Angel looks at the book. ANGEL (careful) This ritual takes a human heart. Did you kill somebody? CONNOR No! They gave it to me. They told me it was a cow's heart. He looks imploringly at Fred and Gunn, sees the disapproval, especially from Gunn. Fred looks distressed. Back to Angel--cool, evaluating. ANGEL All right. FRED Do we need a heart to send it back? ANGEL Yeah. So we have to kill it instead. GUNN Is that possible? ANGEL Yeah. He looks at the book. ANGEL There's a poison. We put that on our weapons, it stops the wounds from regenerating. FRED It regenerates? Off Angel's nod: GUNN Then whatever damage we did to it-- ANGEL Is no help to us now. (to Connor) You up for this? CONNOR I don't know. ANGEL We're gonna need you. He stands. ANGEL I don't know if Gunn and I can take it by ourselves. (then) Plus this is your screw-up, you gotta clean it up. CONNOR I didn't know-- ANGEL Doesn't matter. (to Fred) Check him out. Get him some fresh bandages, painkillers or something. (to Gunn) Gunn, you're with me. Angel and Gunn head up the stairs. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - LATER Fred peels a bloody bandage off Connor's stomach. He winces but makes no sound. Fred looks at his face, worried, then at the wound she's just uncovered. FRED This looks a lot better. You heal fast. No response from Connor. FRED An advantage of having vampire parents, huh? Connor's look goes cold, but he still says nothing. FRED (trying) It's nothing to be ashamed of. I mean, my parents are whacky, too. CONNOR I'm not like him. Fred lays a new bandage against Connor's stomach. FRED You could only hope to be like him. She finishes taping him up, under his resentful glare. Picks up pills and a bottle of water from the nightstand, gives them to him. FRED Drink up. I declare you fit to fight. Resentful, Connor takes his medicine. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - ANGEL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Angel and Gunn anoint their weapons with a glowing green Vaseline-like substance. GUNN Damn, this stuff stinks. ANGEL As long as it works. GUNN Y'know, it's real scary you had all the stuff to make this just hangin' out in a drawer. He picks up a small jar with some of the glowy ointment inside. GUNN And this? Little Vaseline bombs? Stroke 'a genius, man. No response from Angel, carefully readying his axe. GUNN You trust him? ANGEL No. GUNN Good. INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - LATER Fred and Connor come out of the office. Connor rubs his abdomen, winces, but keeps moving. Angel and Gunn come down the stairs. Angel tosses Connor a sword, which Connor catches reflexively. Angel is ready to kick some ass. ANGEL Let's go. EXT. ANGEL'S CAR - DRIVING - NIGHT Angel's driving. Everybody's bored. GUNN Well, where is it? We been drivin', like, an hour. ANGEL The last sighting was right in this area-- And again--the beast charges out into the street right in front of them. Angel swerves, barely misses the creature--slams the car into park and they all vault out to face the beast. Power shot--the four of them lined up ready to kick some demon booty. INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - LILAH'S OFFICE - NIGHT Lilah broods. She looks at her watch. The phone rings. LILAH (into phone) Hello-- Oh, my God, you're kidding-- Can I get a video feed? Turns to her computer. A second later, grainy video cell phone picture appears on the monitor of the gang going at it with the beast. LILAH This I gotta see. EXT. STREET - LATER Connor, Gunn and Angel shoulder-to-shoulder, hacking the hell out of the beast. It's going much better than last time, as the weapons inflict much more efficient and permanent damage. Connor flags, but Angel flanks him, protecting him but letting him get his licks in. From the car, Fred has a bag from which she throws a little jar of goo toward Angel. FRED Heads up! Angel reaches up and grabs the flying jar without even looking. Pitches it right at the beast's head. The jar explodes, making a nice-sized hole. Fred cocks her arm to toss another. FRED Charles! Gunn glances back just long enough to intercept the jar, then tosses it. Another nice-sized hole erupts in the creature. Angel charges in and lands several heavy blows with the axe. The beast is bleeding heavily now and finally slumps to the ground. INT. WOLFRAM AND HART - LILAH'S OFFICE - LATER She still watches on her computer screen. The beast heaves, blows out one last breath and subsides. Angel lifts his axe to behead it-- LILAH (not entirely happy) Un-freaking-believable. EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS Angel has the axe lifted. Pauses, lowers it, looks at Connor. Connor looks at Gunn, then at Angel. Steps forward and does the honors, hacking the beast's head off (O.C.). FLASHY CUTS TO: EXT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT INT. ANGEL'S HOTEL - LOBBY - LATER The gang limps in. Connor limps most of all, but nobody helps him. He doesn't look like he wants help. Nevertheless: ANGEL (to Connor) You okay? CONNOR Yeah. They all collapse on the pouf, weapons in a pile on the floor. GUNN Hint for the day, kid. Guys in suits? Don't trust 'em. FRED (to Angel) Do you really think it was Wolfram and Hart? ANGEL Of course it was. He gingerly touches the back of his neck, comes back with bloody fingers. ANGEL This was meant to kill the both of us. Leans back, exhausted. GUNN I thought they wanted to keep you alive. ANGEL I'm thinking there's been a change in management. A moment of silence as they catch their breath. Fred looks at Connor. FRED Connor... He looks at her, surprisingly non-hostile for a change. FRED I don't understand. Why would you want to go back there? Angel lifts his head. He wants to hear this, too. CONNOR I... (struggling) Because when I was there, I knew where I belonged. They all absorb this. ANGEL You could have belonged here. He just lets that fall into the silence. Connor looks away, stung. ANGEL You still could. Connor says nothing. After a beat, Angel gets up. ANGEL Well, I'm starving, so anybody who's, say, offended by my eating habits might want to leave. He walks toward the kitchen. Connor watches for a beat. A struggle on his face. Then he gets up, heads for the door. Angel turns to watch him go. ANGEL Connor. Connor stops. Doesn't look back. ANGEL You wanna stop by sometimes when you haven't just summoned an eviscerating demon from a hell dimension, that'd be good. A beat. Connor's face softens--just a little. He heads up the stairs and out the door. Off Angel's resigned disappointment: EXT. CORDELIA'S GLOWY PLACE Cordelia is in the vast, beautiful glowy place where we last saw her. She seems a little glowier. She yawns. CORDELIA I'm sorry, but I really don't understand how my perpetual boredom and glowiness is helping anyone whatsoever. There is no answer. CORDELIA Hello? Is there anybody here besides me? Still no answer. CORDELIA Y'know, if this is Heaven, I am so not impressed. And no answer. CORDELIA Hello? (beat) Hello?! (beat) HELLO!! BLACK OUT. THE END