Means to an End

Means to an End

by Desiree Einez

This is my take on the episode "Epiphany" I've added to the original script, no infringement is intended. I have a story and have been writing along with what's been going on this season. I hope you enjoy.

Dreama is still reeling after Lindsey's betrayal of their love, by standing by Darla. This time it looks like Dreama really is going to end it all.

"Epiphany"

"Angel" episode #38 (originally aired Febuary 27th 2001)

Written by Tim Minear

Directed by Tom Wright

Co-Producer: Tim Minear - Consulting Producer: Marti Noxon – Consulting Producer: Jim Kouf - Producer Shawn Ryan - Co-Producer: Skip Schoolnik – Executive Producers: Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, Sandy Gallin and Gail Berman – Executive Producers: Fran Rubel Kuzui and Kaz Kuzui – Produced by Kelly A. Manners

Disclaimer: "Angel" is (c) 2000 by the Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. "Angel" is produced by Mutant Enemy, Inc., Greenwolf Corp, Kazui Enterprises, and Sandollar Television for Twentieth Century Fox Television.

There wasn't a 'previously on Angel' segment as such, just something like a promortional recap of the whole arc to date with a narrator bridging some of the gaps between the cuts used in it (some of which were even from later on in *this* episode, not from prior episodes at all). I've decided to include the dialogue of it, but I'm not sure if this was actually put together by the staff or was something the WB did to promote the whole story.

Lindsey: "We don't want him dead. We want him dark."

Wesley: "There are forces that can make Angel revert to Angelus, the vampire he was before he got a soul."

We see a part of the dream sequence between Buffy and Angel from "Amends" ending with him vamping out.

Narrator: "He turned his back on humanity to seek revenge on the one that damned him into eternal darkness."

We see Angel drop the cigarette to light the gasoline, the flame racing towards Dru and Darla. Then a picture of Darla in the alley just before turning Liam into a vampire.

Lilah: "For god's sake, help us!"

Holland: "People are gonna die."

Angel closing doors: "I just can't seem to care."

Kate: "The victims were locked in that wine cellar with their attackers and I think I am *done* helping you now."

Wesley: "What you did..."

Cordy: "...was wrong."

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

Angel: "You're all fired."

Narrator: "With no allegiance to good or evil, he deserted his trusted allies."

Wesley gets shot.

Angel looks at Wesley lying on the bed in the hospital through the window from the corridor.

Cordy: "Wesley doesn't need you right now. *We* don't need you."

Narrator: "He falls further and further from grace."

Holland: "The world doesn't work in spite of evil. It works because of us."

Darla: "What are you doing?"

Angel: "It doesn't matter. None of it matters."

As Darla and Angel go at it we get a voice over form Wesley: "There are forces that can make Angel revert to Angelus."

Narrator: "And now - an all new Angel."

The camera pans form the curtains in the open window, billowing in the wind of the thunderstorm outside, over some books dropped on the floor, over their discarded clothes and up to the bed. Angel and Darla are lying on the bed asleep, Angel on his back, Darla on her side with her back to him.

A loud crack of thunder rings out and Angel suddenly sits up with a gasp.

Angel, barefoot, wearing his pants, his shirt only half on, staggers out into the rain through the open balcony doors and drops to all fours. Looks up as lightning crashes overhead.

Darla sits up in bed.

Angel, still on all fours is shrugging on his shirt.

Angel: "Oh god."

Darla: "Don't fight it my love."

Angel's head snaps up as Darla, wrapped in a sheet appears in the open door behind him wearing a slight smile.

Darla: "Just let it happen. It'll only hurt for a minute."

Intro

Angel: "Oh god. Oh god."

Darla: "Yes. Yes, I know. It was the same for me. The soul is gone but it leaves a bitterness. It'll pass."

Angel looks up over his shoulder at Darla. Climbs to his feet and staggers a step back from Darla, staring at her.

Darla: "What you need is a fresh kill. Hot human blood will wash away the foul memory of it. I promise."

Darla reaches up to touch the side of Angel's face, but Angel's hand shoots up and catches her wrist, arresting the motion, while he stares at her.

Darla: "What? - What is it?"

Angel: "You saved me."

Darla: "Yes. - But I *was* going to kill you tonight. Take you out of this world the same way I brought you into it. But I didn't have to. You gave yourself over so completely, Angelus. I felt you surrender."

Angel shaking his head slightly: "I gave you everything I had left."

Darla with a smile: "Yes."

Angel: "I am - so sorry."

Darla: "You don't have to be."

Angel: "But I am. (Takes her hand and lifts to lay against the side of his face) I am sorry."

Darla shaking her head slightly: "What?"

Angel: "I am sorry, Darla."

Darla shaking her head harder: "No..."

Angel: "You saved me. Sorry I couldn't do the same for you."

Darla: "Let go of me! (Pulls her hand free and backs away) You still have a soul."

Darla runs back into the room and sees the rumpled bed. Turns back to Angel, who slowly followed her in.

Darla: "But we..."

Angel: "Yeah."

Angel sits down on the foot of the bed and begins to put on his shoes.

Darla: "And you..."

Angel: "I know."

Darla: "Then I..."

Angel: "Three times."

Darla: "You're not evil. I-I don't understand. - Was I... Was it... not good? (Lets out a short laugh) Well, I don't accept that. You can not tell me that wasn't perfect. Not only have I been around for four hundred years, but I used to do this professionally. And *that* was perfect. (Grabs his arm and tries to drag him back to bed) We'll go again."

Angel pulls free and gets up, backing away.

Angel: "No. No. We can't. You know we can't. - We're finished."

Darla: "Finished? Why? What, because you suddenly decide? You know an hour ago you wanted this. You weren't tricked into anything. I didn't seduce you. You *wanted* it!"

Angel: "Yeah. And it *was* perfect, Darla. - It was perfect despair."

Darla just stares at him.

Angel, no longer looking at her: "And you were the reason. You've always been the reason. You were the thing that made me what I am, and - I thought - if I could save you, I'd somehow - save myself, but - but I was wrong. And when I failed..."

Darla: "Stop it!"

Angel: "When I *failed*, you saved me. And I have to thank you for that. There is nothing I can do for you now, Darla. I can't even hate you."

Darla: "You knew this would happen, didn't you? You made me trust you! - You made me believe!"

As Darla says the words they echo in Angel's head in Kate's voice as she talks on the phone: "You made me trust you. You made me believe."

Angel turning to go: "We're done. Let yourself out."

Darla hurries after him, picking up a piece of wood like a stake.

Darla: "Where are you going?"

Angel turns and catches her wrist on the down swing.

Angel: "You did me a favor tonight. Now I'm gonna do one for you. Get dressed and get out. Because the next time I see you I will have to kill you."

Angel turns and walks out as Darla stares after him.

Angel bangs on the door to Dreama's apartment.

Angel: "Dreama. Dreama! Dreama, open the door! Dreama!"

Dreama is lying on the floor, unconscious. A steady beeping is coming from the phone lying next to the empty whisky bottle and scattered pills and pill containers.

Angel kicks in the door and rushes to her side.

Angel: "Dreama."

Angel touches his fingers to the side of her neck, moves his hand in front of her nose and mouth, reaches to pick her up.

Angel is turning on the shower. He is standing in the shower, holding Dreama (both fully dressed) under the spray of water. After a few moments Dreama begins to cough.

Angel: "All right. Cough. All right. That's it. Come on."

Holds her against him as she coughs, resting his face against the top of her head for a moment.

Dreama, dressed in dry clothes, but hair still wet, looks at herself in the bathroom mirror, then turns to face Angel, standing behind her in the open door.

Dreama: "Thanks. - Now get out."

Walks past him.

Angel just stands there for a moment.

Lindsey enters his apartment. Turns on the light and sees Darla standing next to the window, looking out over the city.

Lindsey: "Darla... I've been calling here all night. Why haven't you answered?"

He drops his stuff and walks over to the window drawing the curtains closed.

Lindsey: "Get away from the window. It's not safe."

Stands close behind her.

Lindsey: "They called an emergency meeting tonight - after what happened. - The official order on you is to stake on sight."

Darla walks past him. Sits down on a chair and looks at something in her hands.

Lindsey: "You should have told me what you had planned. I would have talked you out of it - helped you. I don't know."

Lindsey closes the rest of the curtains, walks over to Darla.

Lindsey: "Things are getting complicated for us now."

Darla: "Yes. Yes, I believe they are."

Lindsey: "We should probably clear your stuff out of here. Move in my bedroom. I just think it'd be best for us..."

Darla is still looking at her hands, twisting the big ring Angel killed the Senior Partner for between her fingers.

Lindsey: "Darla, what's wrong? (Sees the ring) What is this? (Takes it from her) Where did you get this?"

Darla shrugs: "What's the difference? Doesn't work anyway."

Lindsey: "No, of course it doesn't work, because after Angel stole it there was a disenchanting ceremony. It took half the meeting. How did you get this?"

Darla after a beat: "It was my payment."

Lindsey swallows: "Your payment? What are you talking about?"

Darla: "What do you *think* I'm talking about, Lindsey?"

Lindsey: "I don't know!"

She just looks at him and after a beat he turns away. Stares down at the ring then back at her with a frown.

Lindsey: "What happened?"

Darla: "Nothing. - Nothing happened. - My god, nothing at all."

Lindsey: "Tell me. I have to know."

Darla: "You want details, Lindsey? Is that what you want?"

Lindsey: "Yes. I want details. - I need to know everything. All of it. - What did he do to you?"

The Caritas bar, deserted, chairs up on the tables. Someone is ringing the buzzer, repeatedly. The host, wearing a golden house robe, walks over to the bar.

Host: "Alright, alright. - Alright, already!"

Pushes a button which apparently opens the door to the person still ringing the buzzer.

Host: "I'm not deaf, you know? Jeez, keep your pants on!"

Angel walks in.

Host: "Well, I see we're a little late with *that* advice."

Angel sits at a table as the host is fixing some drinks at the bar.

Angel: "I probably should have killed her."

Host: "Eh, kill her, give her cab fare, whatever. The point is, you've turned a corner. (Comes walking over tot he table, carrying two drinks) Well, yay you. Zuzu's petals. It's about time. And between you and me, if it had taken you much longer to hit your bottom, I was gonna kick it."

Host sets the drinks on the table and sits down across from Angel.

Angel: "I'm still not sure I understand what happened."

Host: "What's to understand? You think you're the first guy who ever rolled over, saw what was lying next to him and went 'Guyeah!' And you're not. Believe me. - It's called a moment of clarity, my lamb. And you've just had one. Sort of appalling, ain't it? To see just exactly where you've gotten yourself?"

Angel: "I don't know how to get back."

Host: "Well, that's just the thing. You don't. You go on to the new place. Whatever that is."

Angel after a beat: "I don't know if I can. - I-I've done - things. - Questionable things."

Host: "Yes, you have. But-but you didn't kill those lawyers, Angel. That was slated to happen with or without you. The Powers were just trying to work it so it'd be without you, that's all. You weren't much help in that department were you, Sparky?"

Angel: "I wasn't much help? If they wanted me to stay away, why didn't they just tell me?"

Host: "Would you have listened? - Besides, what makes you think they didn't? Over and over and, as for example, over?"

Angel: "Well, they could've been a little bit more specific!"

Host clears his throat: "Isn't this just the sort of 'tude that got you where you are now? I think I'm speaking for everyone when I say if all you're gonna do is switch back to brood mode, we'd rather have you evil. Then at least - leather pants."

Angel shakes his head: "What now?"

Host: "What do you mean?"

Angel: "Well, how do I fix this. I mean, what do the Powers want me to do?"

Host: "Does it *look* like I'm hearing voices? Because I'm not. I'm not your link with the Powers, Angel. I never was. You got rid of that when you fired your crew. - Yeah, that's gonna be the hardest part of all of this, you know."

Angel: "Yeah."

Host: "And there is a chance, a *good* chance you won't be able to put this back together. It just... well, it depends, really."

Angel: "Yeah, whether they'll even talk to me."

Host: "No, actually it depends on whether they live through the night. And I got to tell you, at the moment, the odds? Not good."

A taxi pulls up in front of the Sharp's house and Cordy gets out. Cordy sees that the house is completely dark and stops on the sidewalk. Looks at the taxi pulling away, back at the house.

The door to the house is partly ajar and after some knocking Cordy peeks into the house.

Cordy: "Hello? Mrs. Sharp? (Inches her way in) Anybody home? Cordelia Chase here. - Uhm, I hope you haven't gone to bed already. - Took me a little longer to get here than I expected. - Hope that doesn't mean you changed your mind about paying your bill, which I - I just happened to bring along with me. - Hello?"

Takes a few steps deeper into the house and looks in through the doorway into the kitchen to see the Sharp's bodies lying on the floor there.

Cordy ups a hand to her head as she gets a blurry vision of her trying to leave the house but encountering a Skilosh demon instead.

Cordy, takes a deep breath, gets up and hurries to the door only to recoil from the sight of a Skilosh demon standing right there, blocking her way.

Cordy: "That was helpful!"

The Skilosh growls at it jumps at her.

Break

Cordy, sitting back against the wall in the Sharp's house, slowly comes to. Touching the back of her head she gets on all fours.

Skilosh: "Human."

Cordy lets out a startled yell and looks up.

Skilosh: "Destroyer of our Spawn."

Cordy: "Destroyer of your... Have we met?"

Skilosh: "The others. You will make them come to us."

Cordy: "Huh? What others?"

Skilosh: "Three are responsible. Three must pay."

Cordy: "Look, I think you must have me confused with someone else. I haven't destroyed anyone's spawn. Promise."

Two more Skilosh come in and speak to the first one in Skilosh. As the first Skilosh turns around, Cordy gets to see the back of its head for the first time.

Cordy: " Hey! You've got a third eye in the back of your head just like that little girl did -before - we - destroyed your spawn."

Skilosh to Cordy: "We've located the wheel-ed one. Where is the other?"

Cordy: "Wheel-ed one?"

Wesley rolls around his apartment in his wheelchair. Takes the stack of books off his lap and sets it on a side table, not noticing the demon outside his window watching him with the third eye on the back of its head.

Wesley picks up some dishes and puts them on his lap. Stops as he hears some banging followed by an indistinct but rather upset voice talking. Continues his way towards the kitchen. Again there is banging and the voice gets a bit louder, though no more understandable.

Wesley rolls his chair back against the wall, ignoring the dishes spilling form his lap in the process. Looks around, sees the demon outside his window just ducking away.

Wesley rolls over to a walk-in closet and after some trouble gets the door open and wheels inside. Can't quite reach the shelf above his hanging clothes. Tries to stand up, but sinks back with a groan. Grabs the broom and uses its handle to move the shotgun resting on the top shelf. It falls off the shelf, hitting him in the process but he manages to hold onto it.

He cracks it open to find that it is not loaded. Looks at the box of shells up on the shelf. He manages to knock them down using the broom, but the box lands on the floor spilling shells everywhere.

Wesley pushes two shells into the double barrel and closes the gun. Rolls back out of the closet. Stops with his back to the door to the hall and aims the gun first at the window, then at the doorways leading to the other rooms in turn, then back at the window.

The door behind him crashes open and Wesley spins around, gun aimed one handed, to find Angel standing in the hallway.

Wesley: "Angel!"

Angel is looking past Wesley, shifting on his feet, but doesn't come in.

Angel: "Invite me in! I've never been here before, Wesley, you have to invite me in!"

Wesley lowering his gun: "Well, perhaps if you'd shown a bit of interest..."

Angel still looking past Wesley: "Wesley..."

Wesley turns to look over his shoulder just as one of the Skilosh crashes in through his window.

Wesley: "Yes. No. Absolutely. I invite you in. *In* I invite you!"

Angel rushes past Wesley, spinning his chair around in the process and engages the two Skilosh demons.

Angel: "Do you know what these things are?"

Wesley: "I believe the third eye indicates adult Skilosh, though this is the first time I've had occasion to..."

Having temporarily knocked both demons across the room, Angel leans down on Wesley's chair.

Angel: "How do I kill them?"

Wesley: "Well, uhm, there are a number of ways..."

One of the Skilosh tackles Angel away from Wesley and knocks him into the wall.

Angel: "Wesley!"

Wesley: "Yeah, right, yes, uh, ah, (the other Skilosh grabs Wesley by the neck) hack it to pieces!"

Angel grabs an ax mounted on one of Wesley's walls, kicks his Skilosh away and knocks the other away from Wesley with the ax. Then follows it where it landed behind the sofa and hacks it to pieces, splattering the wall with thick yellow gore.

The other Skilosh launches itself at Wesley, and he brings up his shotgun and fires. Yellow gore spatters Wesley's face as the demon is thrown back by the blast.

Wesley looks at it lying on the floor, steaming slightly, with plaster from the ceiling raining down on it.

Wesley: "I think I got it."

Angel is getting up, having finished his demon. Wesley takes off his glasses and squints up at the ceiling.

Wesley: "I can only pray Mrs. Starns isn't at home."

Wesley and Angel look at each other. A smile starts to spread over Wesley's face but disappears into a frown as Wesley looks away.

Wesley putting his glasses back on: "What are you doing here."

Angel straightens up, the slight smile on his face vanishing with a sigh.

Lindsey and Darla are sitting at opposite ends of his couch, not looking at each other. Lindsey gets up and takes off his jacket. After a moment Darla glances in the direction he left.

Lindsey comes back, throws his jacket down and drops a set of keys on the table. Stares at Darla, who's looking down, for a moment then goes to open a closet.

In it there are some of Darla's clothes on hangers, next to his own. He digs down into the back of the closet and pulls out some cowboy boots. Rips off his tie, picks up the boots and slams the closet door shut.

Wesley is sitting in the passenger seat of Angel's convertible, holding a cell phone to his ear.

Wesley: "She's not picking up."

Angel: "She wasn't at home before either. (Wesley turns to him with a frown) I-I stopped by there - before I went to your place."

Wesley: "Oh. Did you. Just keep going straight."

Angel: "So, ah, I guess you're probably wondering why I'm, you know, (slight laugh) back?"

Wesley: "It hadn't really occurred to me. You're gonna want to take a right turn shortly."

Angel: "I know how to get to your offices, Wesley."

Wesley: "Oh yeah, of course. You did pop by. - Stole a book."

Angel doesn't say anything.

The car hits a bump in the road and Wesley winces.

Angel: "I'll try to avoid the bumps."

Wesley: "I appreciate that."

Angel: "Actually, it's kind of funny. I-I recently got a - a gut wound myself. (Wesley stares at him with a frown) Not - not a gunshot wound like you got there. But, uh, it's kind of a - antique - sword (Wesley just keeps staring at him) is what it was. (Wesley turns back to watch the road) Went deep. - Yes, it did. - Hey, guess who stabbed me?"

Wesley: "Darla?"

Angel: "Yeah. - Actually kind of a funny story. The whole reason I had - this epiphany... (Looks over at Wesley staring straight ahead) Alright, so why don't you just tell me about these Skilosh demons."

Wesley: "Very well. We at Angel Investigations were recently contracted by a family to investigate the sudden appearance of a mysterious third eye on the back of their young daughter's head."

Angel: "Oh, really? You kept the name."

Wesley after a beat: "Pardon?"

Angel with a slight smile: "You kept the name: Angel Investigations."

Wesley: "We're gonna change it."

Angel's smile melts away: "Go on."

Wesley: "In any event, I diagnosed the girl's condition as infection by a Skilosh."

Angel: "With your books."

Wesley: "Yes."

Angel: "Yeah, you were always so good with your books. Made it looks so easy. When it isn't."

Wesley: "Skilosh, a notoriously violent, asexual, self-replicating species of demon, has the distasteful habit of injecting its demon spawn into the cranium of a human host. One of the key diagnostic symptoms being the tell-tale third eye on the back of the host's head. If this condition is not arrested in time a newborn Skilosh will erupt, fully grown, from the skull of its human host."

Angel: "But you guys, you saved the little girl."

Wesley: "Yes, we did."

Angel: "You did a good thing."

Wesley after a beat: "Thank you."

Angel: "Welcome."

The Skilosh at the Sharp's house is talking to some others and Cordy makes an attempt to back away while its back is turned, only to have it spin around and growl at her.

Cordy: "I'm guessing 'hey! Look behind you!' is really not gonna work, is it?"

Skilosh: "Two more have been destroyed."

Cordy: "What? Oh, no! Wesley, Gunn, you - you killed them? - You horrible, ugly, three-eyed..."

Skilosh: "Three must pay."

Cordy: "Oh! Two of *you* have been destroyed. (Relieved breath) Okay... (Frowns) Oh. That's bad... (The Skilosh stare at her) I'm sorry?"

Skilosh: "More must rise."

Two Skilosh grab a hold of Cordy.

Cordy: "Oh. Oh, no. Hey! Hey, hey. Wait a second. Guys!"

Skilosh: "More must rise!"

Cordy: "No, no. No more must rise. Honest. Listen, I've been impregnated by demon spawn before. Let's just say, didn't really work out."

An ugly, three pronged tongue starts to protrude out of the demon's mouth as he leans closer to Cordelia.

Cordy: "Oh, god. Please don't do this. Please, no. Ah!"

The other two demons turn Cordy around and hold her head down.

Cordy: "No! Let go! Please. Ah! No. Let go!"

The pronged tongue connects with the back of Cordy's head and she screams.

The door of Angel Investigations with the hours Mon - Thur 10 - 6, Fri 10 -9, Sat 9-9, Sun closed, stenciled on it.

Wesley, sitting in his wheelchair looks at the window as a car drives by.

Angel comes out of the back of the offices.

Angel: "She's not here."

Wesley: "That doesn't bode well."

Wesley looks back out of the window as car lights pass it again.

Wesley: "That's the third time that truck's passed by."

Angel: "Well, maybe she's just out on a date or with her friends or something."

Wesley: "That's unlikely."

Angel: "It's Friday night, Wesley."

Wesley: "So?"

Angel: "So, we are talking about the same Cordelia Chase, right?"

Wesley turns to face Angel: "That's correct."

Angel: "Knowing her..."

Wesley: "But you don't. You don't know her at all. For months now you haven't cared to. Otherwise you might have realized that our Cordelia has become a very solitary girl. She's not the vain, carefree creature she once was... Well, certainly not carefree. - It's the visions, you see. The visions that were meant to guide you. You could turn away from them. She doesn't have that luxury. She knows and experiences the pain in this city, and because of who she is, she feels compelled to do something about it. - It's left her little time for anything else. - You'd have known that - if you hadn't had you head firmly up your... place that isn't on top of your neck."

Angel quietly after a beat: "We have to find her."

Wesley: "Yes, we agree on that. She could be in grave danger."

Angel: "And even if she's not..."

Wesley looks at Angel, but Angel's attention is on something else.

Angel: "Something's coming."

Wesley: "Turn off the lights. The Skilosh may have followed us here."

Angel turns off the lights and picks up the ax he pulled off Wesley's wall earlier. Both of them back against the walls.

We hear footsteps coming closer. A shadow falls across the open door to the street and two legs walk into frame.

Wesley turns on the light and Gunn spins around to face him.

Wesley: "Gunn! - What are you doing here?"

Gunn: "I was passing by. Saw the lights was on. Besides, I work here."

Wesley: "But - I thought you'd gone."

Gunn: "Gone? Well, yeah, gone, but that don't mean I wasn't coming back! (Looks at Angel) What, you didn't think I was gonna abandon you like this guy, did you?"

Angel looks down.

Wesley, smiling: "No. Certainly not."

Gunn and Wesley exchange an elaborate handshake ritual.

Gunn: "Come on, English! You know you my man!"

Angel: "So, ah, I see you guys have bonded."

Gunn: "Happens when you fight shoulder to shoulder."

Wesley: "Or rather hip to shoulder these days."

Gunn: "This man took a bullet for me!"

Wesley: "Ah, it was nothing!"

They do the handshake ritual again.

Gunn: "So, what's he doing here?"

Angel: "Went and saw the host of Caritas. He said my friends were in danger."

Gunn to Wesley: "So, what's he doing here?"

Wesley: "He had an epiphany."

Gunn: "Aaah. Well, I saw you turn off the lights and hiding. What's up with that?"

Wesley: "There was a demon attack, at my home."

Angel: "I saved him."

Wesley: "We thought perhaps we'd been followed."

Gunn: "Demon attack?"

Wesley: "Skilosh, I'm afraid."

Gunn: "As in the back-of-the-head type demon? I thought we got rid of that."

Wesley: "We did. Which is why I believe we are being targeted for retribution by the tribe."

Gunn: "Where's Cordy?"

Wesley: "We don't know. Not here."

Gunn: "You checked her pad?"

Angel: "I stopped by there earlier."

Gunn: "You enjoying your visit to nineteen seventy three? (Picks up a memo pad) I meant her message pad."

Angel: "Oh, right. That's a good idea. (Angel picks up a pencil) Oh, here, use this. You can make a rubbing of the impressions she left. See what the last thing was that she wrote."

Gunn: "Or we could just read the carbon."

Angel drops the pencil back on the desk: "Or you can do that."

Gunn: "Directions."

Wesley: "Let me see."

Gunn pushes Angel out of the way and brushes past him to hand the pad to Wesley.

Wesley: "Yes, I know that address. It's the Sharps. (To Angel) The family, whose daughter we treated."

Gunn: "Looks like she wrote that down tonight. (To Wesley) You think she went there?"

Wesley: "Why else would she take the original?"

Gunn: "What do you think they'd do?"

Wesley: "While I hate to imagine, we better be prepared. (Rips the carbon off the pad) The de-oculation powder is in my desk. Get it."

Gunn: "Alright."

Angel: "Guys - guys, d-does it make sense that sh-she would go there in the middle of the night without calling either one of you?"

Gunn and Wesley: "They owe us money."

Angel: "Lets go."

Cordy is waking up on the floor of the Sharps house. Looks around and winces, but pushes herself up on all fours. Looks straight at us and stops as we see the Skilosh standing at a window behind her.

Cordy: "Oh god. You're still here. You're not leaving, are you? And no one's coming for me. No one's expecting me any place. No-no one's gonna miss me! - And how come I can see you? (Reaches her hands to the back of her head) Oh. Oh, no! Oh..."

Gets up to look at herself in a mirror than turns around and pulls her hair away from the blinking eye in the back of her head.

Cordy: "Oh, no."

Angel is driving down the road. Checking his side mirror form time to time. Gunn is sitting in the passenger seat, Wesley in the back.

Wesley: "What is it?"

Angel: "I don't know. Nothing I guess."

Gunn: "So, you had an *epiphany*, did you?"

Angel: "Yeah."

Gunn: "So, what you just wake up and bang?"

Angel: "Well, it was sort of the other way around."

Gives Gunn a smile.

Gunn: "Well, that's good, you know. That's real good that you can have one of those. Ain't that good, Wes? 'cause you know, epiphanies, they handy. - When do you think you might be having another one?"

Wesley: "Gunn..."

Gunn: "No. No. I'm interested. You know, 'cause they could strike at any time. Could be the next time you see one of them lawyers, you get all epiphanied off right back at 'em."

Angel: "No."

Gunn: "No? You don't think so? - Well I hope you don't go having another one before we get to Cordelia, because if something happens to her... I mean, something bad, I just might have *me* and epiphany."

A Skilosh demon drops out of a tree into the car and grabs Wesley. Gunn jumps up in his seat and kicks it off Wesley. The demon rolls off the back of the car and Angel swerves the car and stops in the middle of the road.

Gunn to Wesley: "You okay?"

Wesley: "Yes."

Angel stares into the side mirror as the Skilosh slowly picks itself back up and is joined by two more of its kind.

Wesley: "Angel? (Looks back and sees the demons) We should probably go."

Angel keeps staring in the mirror.

Gunn: "Yo, Angel!"

Angel gets out of the car: "You guys go ahead."

Wesley: "What?"

Angel: "Just go! I'll handle this. If we don't take them out they'll flank us once we get to the house."

Pulls Wesley's ax out from the back seat.

Angel: "And then I'll meet you there. (Gunn and Wes exchange a look) I'll *be* there. Just get to Cordelia. That's all that matters.

Wesley taps Gunn's shoulder and he jumps into the drivers seat. The car peels out of there as Angel goes to meet the three Skilosh, who after a beat run off in different directions.

Angel hears a car engine roaring behind him and turns just in time to see an old red pickup run over him full speed.

The pickup stops as Angel tries to pick himself back up.

Angel: "Jeez..."

And artificial hand slams the pickup into reverse and Lindsey looks back over his shoulder as he guns the truck, running over Angel again, just as he makes it to his feet.

Break

Gunn peers into the window of the Sharp's house and sees Cordy sitting on a chair and a Skilosh standing in front of her. Wesley is trying to wheel up beside Gunn, but one of his wheels keeps spinning without traction. Taps Gunn on the arm and points down, spinning the wheel. Gunn reaches over and pulls the wheelchair up beside him.

Wesley: "Thank you. What do you see?"

Gunn: "She's in there."

Wesley: "Is she..."

Gunn: "Yeah, she's alive."

Wesley: "Are you sure?"

Gunn: "Yeah. Her eyes are open. All three of them."

Wesley: "Oh dear."

Gunn: "Wait a minute, three more!"

Wesley: "Eyes?"

Gunn: "Demons."

Wesley: "Oh. The tribe's gathering. The gestation maybe nearly complete. We haven't much time. Where is he?"

Lindsey's pickup slams into Angel, knocking him down. Lindsey puts it back into drive as Angel staggers to his feet again, and drives the truck in a tight circle around Angel. Angel hurriedly limps towards the side of the street, begins to run, but Lindsey runs into him again, sending him flying onto the sidewalk.

Gunn: "Man, that's gotta hurt."

Wesley: "Well, it's gonna hurt a lot more when the thing that's gestating inside of her hatches, I can assure you."

Gunn: "Try not to say the word 'gestating' anymore. And how long are we gonna wait for Angel?"

Wesley: "We're not."

Gunn: "Good."

Wesley: "Well, why should we?"

Gunn: "We shouldn't."

Wesley: "We've been doing fine without him, haven't we?"

Gunn: "I'd say so."

Wesley: "Right. So he suddenly reappears, orders us to sit and wait and we just do it?"

Gunn: "Hell, no!"

Wesley: "No. For all we know he had another change of heart."

Gunn: "That's true."

Wesley pushes himself up out of his wheelchair.

Wesley: "We're not going to sit idly by, we're going in there (groans) and we're - saving our friend."

Gunn: "I say lets do this."

Wesley: "One more thing."

Gunn: "What's that?"

Wesley: "I'm toppling over."

Gunn catches a hold of his jacket and pulls Wesley back up right.

The pickup comes to a squealing stop and Lindsey gets out, wearing jeans, a thick, plaid flannel shirt and his cowboy boots, watching Angel crawling along the side of the road. Lindsey reaches inside the cab and takes out a sledgehammer. Walks over to Angel.

Lindsey: "You're gonna tell me everything."

Hits Angel with the sledge to the chin, rolling him over onto his back

Lindsey: "Everything you do with her."

Hits Angel again.

Lindsey: "All of it."

Kicks Angel.

Lindsey: "You're gonna tell me."

Angel: "Why?"

Lindsey: "Because I wanna hear it from you."

Hauls back with the sledge and slams it down into Angel's gut.

Angel curls up around his gut with a groan then rolls onto all four in an effort to get back up. Lindsey slams the sledge down on his back, dropping him back to the ground.

Lindsey: "Tell me!"

Hits him again.

Lindsey: "Tell me! - Tell me!"

Angel: "No."

Lindsey swings the sledge one handed like a polo mallet and hits Angel under the chin. Angel spins onto his back and ceases to move.

Lindsey walks back to his truck, reaches into its bed and picks up a stake. Turns to find Angel standing right behind him.

Angel: "I'm sorry Lindsey."

Angel hits Lindsey with a hard right, and the sledge and stake go flying. Lindsey pushes himself back up using the side of the truck for support.

Angel: "I really am."

Hits Lindsey in the kidneys, then turns him around.

Angel: "I'm sorry she'll never love you."

Knees him in the stomach, then pulls him back up against the side of the truck.

Angel: "I'm sorry you're gonna have to live with that."

Hits him with a left hook. Picks him back up.

Angel: "I'm sorry I didn't try harder to help you when you came to me."

Smacks him against the side of the truck.

Angel: "I'm sorry you made the wrong choice."

Hits him with a right hook, dropping Lindsey to the ground. Lindsey sees the stake lying on the ground and reaches for it. Angel picks up the sledge and brings it down in an overhead arc, smashing Lindsey's plastic hand to pieces. Lindsey freezes, staring at his shattered hand. Glances up at Angel.

Angel dropping the sledge: "Could have been the other one. Just be glad I had an epiphany."

Lindsey stares up at him with a frown.

Angel: "Mind if I borrow your truck?"

Kicks Lindsey across the chin, knocking him out.

Cordy is sitting in the sharps house rubbing her temples as the Skilosh speak to each other in demon speak. Suddenly straightens up.

Cordy: "Gunn!"

Wesley's head pops through the door behind her.

Cordy: "Wesley!"

Wesley with a smile: "We came to rescue you."

Cordy: "I knew you would!"

A Skilosh pushes each of them into the room and we can see that their hands are tied behind their backs.

Gunn: "But then they caught us coming in the back door."

The Skilosh lets go of Wesley and he almost topples over. The demon catches a hold of him and pulls him back up right.

Wesley: "Thank you."

Lindsey's old pick up is speeding down the road.

Skilosh: "More must rise."

It's pronged tongue starts to protrude from its mouth.

Gunn to Cordy: "This gonna hurt?"

Cordy: "A lot."

Lindsey's pickup races down the street, onto the front lawn, and right at the Sharp's house.

The Skilosh turns and steps towards the window as the truck lights shine into it.

A shot of Angel behind the wheel, then the truck smashes through the wall of the living room, and into the lead Skilosh, sending it flying out the window across the room.

The other Skilosh let go of their prisoners and converge on the truck. Angel slams the door open into the first one then goes after them with Lindsey's sledgehammer.

Gunn pulls a folding knife out of his boot and uses it to cut the ropes around Wesley's wrists. Wesley returns the favor while Angel keeps whaling away at the Skilosh.

Wesley helps Cordy to sit up, and sprinkles some powder onto the back of her head while saying something in Latin.

The powder rains down on the blinking eye, which shivers, closes and disappears.

Cordy touches the back of her head just as Angel, having dispatched the last of the demons, hurries over and kneels down in front of her. He looks pretty beaten up, and has some blood dripping from his nose, but he's smiling at her.

Cordy: "Angel... Hi."

Angel: "Hi. - You okay?"

Cordy: "No."

Angel's smile melts away into worry: "You're not?"

Cordy: "No. - You really hurt my feelings."

Gunn and Wesley help Cordy up, and Angel watches as the three of them walk away.

We get a shot of the license plate on Lindsey's truck (Oklahoma T-42633) in bright daylight. The camera pans up to look in the drivers window and out through the cracked windshield to show us Lindsey, still in his cowboy gear, and looking slightly beat up, walking up to the front of it. He pulls a piece of paper out from under the windshield wiper. All it says is 'Thanks.'

Lindsey enters his apartment.

Lindsey: "Darla?"

Sees that she has cleaned out all her stuff.

Night. Dreama and Angel are sitting side by side outside in the garden court of the Hyperion.

Dreama: "Nothing, hurts more than my husband's betrayal. You think I'd be so use to it by now, I feel like such an idiot."

Angel: "A lot of that going around."

Dreama: "I would have given him anything, he didn't realize. I would have been happy so I thaught if I could only make him happy. I couldn't in the end he wanted her....."

Angel: "He used you Dreama, and Darla used him. he doesn't see that now, may never.

Dreama: "God, does it ever stop hurting?"

Angel, still looking pretty beat up: "It doesn't."

Dreama: "I'm a pretty together girl Angel, why do I feel that I'm nothing without him?"

Angel: "It doesn't mean anything. In the greater scheme or the big picture, nothing we do matters. There's no grand plan, no big win."

Dreama: "You seem kind of chipper about that."

Angel: "Well, I guess I kinda - worked it out. If there is no great glorious end to all this, if - nothing we do matters, - then all that matters is what we do. 'cause that's all there is. What we do, now, today. - I fought for so long. For redemption, for a reward - finally just to beat the other guy, but... I never got it."

Dreama: "And now you do?"

Angel: "Not all of it. All I wanna do is help. I wanna help because - I don't think people should suffer, as they do. Because, if there is no bigger meaning, then the smallest act of kindness - is the greatest thing in the world."

Dreama: "Yikes. It sounds like you had an epiphany."

Angel: "I keep saying that. But nobody's listening."

Dreama: "Well, I'm pretty much convinced, since I'm alive to be convinced."

Angel: "You are such a wonderful person.....Lindsey doesn't deserve you, just my opinion."

Dreama: "Thank You, I really needed to hear that, really. I'm *not* headed towards another pillathon. - I'm very grateful. - I never thought you'd come for me, but... I got cut a huge break and I believe... - I don't know what I believe, but I - have - faith. - I think maybe we're not alone in this."

Angel: "Why?"

Dreama: "Because I never invited you in."

Wesley is sitting behind the desk at the new Angel Investigations. The phone rings and Cordy comes over to answer it while Wesley hands her the memo pad.

Cordy: "Angel Investigations. We help the helpless. How can we..."

She looks up and sees Angel, still looking beat up, slowly edging his way in through the front door.

Cordy: "...help you? - Check is in the mail."

Hangs up, as Gunn comes up behind her and all three of them stare at Angel standing there.

Angel: "I'm sorry."

Wesley grabs a hold of a walking stick and pushes himself up out of his chair and comes around to stand in front of Angel.

Wesley: "Before you say any more I think I should tell you, we've all discussed this, and none of us are ready just yet..."

Angel: "It's okay, Wesley. I don't want you to come back and work for me."

Wesley: "Oh. I see."

Angel: "I wanna work for you."

Gunn: "You wanna work for us?"

Angel: "Yeah. I do."

Wesley: "Why?"

Angel: "Because I think I can help."

Cordy: "How do we know we can trust you?"

Angel: "I guess I'll just have to earn that."

Cordy: "No."

Gunn and Wesley turn to look at her.

Cordy: "No. No. No! Ahh."

Cordy reaches up to her head as she is hit with a vision.

Cordy: "The usual big scary rising up in a housing project in Topanga, and - why is it that I am not on the floor this time?"

Camera pulls back to reveal that Angel is standing behind her.

Angel: "I got you."

Cordy looks back at him, then back at Gunn and Wesley.

Cordy: "Maybe *he* should drive?"

Wesley after a beat, with a slight smile: "Let's go."

He and Gunn turn to head out the door.