Inside Out

Darla

This child. It's the one good thing we ever did together.

You'll become a higher being.

Cordelia

Me?

Cordelia

Get me out of here!

My apologies, my master.

Cordelia

We're having a baby.

Lorne

A mystical pregnancy right under my beak?

Fred

Having two part-demon parents might could explain the...woosh factor.

Cordelia

Connor, before our baby comes, I might ask you to do some things...for us.

Lorne

I have this cleansing abracadabra to clear my muddled mind.

Cordelia

Then you'll be able to read me? (smile tensely)

Lorne

(takes a white cloth off of a ball—a "Magic 8 Ball"—and shakes the ball) Has Cordy been a bad, bad girl?

Angel

All this time it was you, wasn't it?

Cordelia

Took you long enough to figure it out but nice turn with the Lorne bait. You know, there was a time I would've seen that one coming eons before it ever crossed your tiny little mind.

Angel

Because you're so clever.

Cordelia

On the scale of you to me, pretty damn.

Angel

Until now.

Cordelia

All good things. (sighs) So, what finally tipped off the great detective?

Angel

Tongue, slip of.

Cordelia

This, my sweet baby.

Angel

"My sweet." Same phrase the Beastmaster kept using when he was whispering in Angelus's head. Thought it was a bit femme for the booming macho act.

Cordelia

That's it? I get away with bringing the world down around you and two eentsy words tingle your spider sense?

Wesley

What we already knew. What he found out as Angelus. All the circumstantial led to you.

Angel

Just needed to be sure.

Cordelia

Little late to the table, but I might have a few scraps left.

Fred

Why are you doing this, Cordy.

Angel

This thing isn't Cordelia.

Cordelia

(smiles and shakes her head) Is that what you think, hero?

Angel

She would never hurt her friends like this.

Cordelia

Or maybe you just don't know me very well.

Angel

(walks up to Cordelia) I don't want to know you.

Angel

(through gritted teeth) Where's Cordelia?

Angel

Connor, wait! Cordy's not what you think.

(reaches his hand to Cordelia) Come on! (Cordelia takes his hand)

Angel

(struggling as the tranquilizers affect him) What... (falls to his knees) are... you? (falls forward, landing face down on the floor)

14 INT. LOBBY AT HOTEL / ANGEL INVESTIGATIONS - NIGHT Gunn walks into the lobby where Angel, Fred, Wesley, and Lorne are.

Gunn

(reading his pager) Sorry, just got your message. Being close to Electric Gwen can really screw your equipment. What... (looks up from his pager at the gang) the hell happened to you?

Fred

(holding an ice pack to her face) Cordy's evil. Nice suit.

Angel

It's not Cordy.

Wesley

We don't know that for certain.

Gunn

Whoa. Back it up for the new guy. (puts his pager back in his pocket) You saying popping mama threw you a beating?

Lorne

Kid Vicious did the heavy lifting. Cordy just mwa-ha-ha'd at us. (sips his drink)

Gunn

Why?

Angel

Beastmaster.

Gunn

You think she's working for him?

Fred

She is the Master.

Gunn

Guy steps out for a few hours, half the place goes super-villain. (sits beside Lorne)

Angel

Conner's not a part of this.

Lorne

Evidence upside my head to the contrary.

Angel

He's just... confused... again.

Fred

Now we know what she's been doing with him all this time. She was grooming him...

Wesley

...as her champion.

Gunn

She's the evil genius that's been two-stepping all over us. (shakes his head) How? And when? (takes Lorne's drink from his hands) Give me a sip of that. (drinks)

Lorne

Hey.

Fred

Has she been like this since she got back from that higher wherever?

Gunn

What about that amnesia thing? Was that a fake-out?

Wesley

Or a side effect. Descending to a lower dimension was probably disorienting.

Angel

Or maybe this thing was curled deep inside for the trip on some kind of, you know, autopilot. Look, all we know for sure is that the real damage didn't start until after Lorne's spell.

Fred

Oh, my God. We woke it up.

Lorne

That's what I read. That's what Wolfram and Hart sucked out of my noodle. It wasn't Cordelia's future. It was the smacker-jack surprise.

Gunn

Damn thing's been playing us right from the start.

Angel

From the inside... where it could do the most damage. Everything the Beast couldn't have done, it was this thing.

Gunn

Wait a minute. When Gwen and I came in, faux Cordy didn't have any blood on its clothes. How'd it abracadabra that?

Wesley

Lizzie Borden. It wasn't wearing any.

Gunn

Quick sponge down in the sink, and—

Lorne

Voila. Shower-fresh murder.

Angel

Taking out the Svear priestess was a lot easier. Slip out while the heroes are chasing their tails...

Fred

And the vision of the spell to re-ensoul you?

Angel

Misdirection.

Lorne

That explains why my mojo's been gunked up. Queen Bee-atch put the whammy on me.

Angel

And it let the monster out of the box.

Wesley

It was Cordelia. She murdered Lilah.

Angel

We don't know if it's really Cordy.

Fred

Or what she's got baking in her oven.

Gunn

Evil and pregnant? I'm guessing it ain't cookies.

Cordelia

Are you sure Angel won't be able to follow us?

I was careful.

Cordelia

How careful?

Why were they trying to hurt you?

Cordelia

(turns to face Connor) You know why. (beat) They're afraid of you, of me, what our love has created. They were gonna kill it and me if you hadn't come.

I didn't know where you were. I thought something bad might've happened. Followed your scent. But, I never thought... (shakes his head) How could he do that?

Cordelia

Because he hates you. I didn't wanna believe it, but he does. (walks around Connor) He hates you for being with me. He can't stand the fact that he lost, that he'll never know the feel of my touch or the warmth of my lips. (kisses Connor's lips) You were right about Angel. He's an animal, and he's turned everyone against us. (hugs Connor)

(whispers into her ear) I'll kill them all before I let them hurt you.

Cordelia

My sweet, sweet boy.

Wesley

Any luck?

Angel

I swept the area 'til daybreak, checked the sewer tunnels in case they went underground, picked up their scent half a dozen times but... (sits)

Wesley

If Connor doesn't want to be found, he won't. Wasting your time.

Angel

I'm getting good at that, huh? It was all there right in front of me. (looks at a sketch he drew of Cordelia) I couldn't see it. Thought of losing her to Connor—

Wesley

Did exactly what it was supposed to. Play on your emotions to cloud your judgment. (stands, walks to the window) Draw your attention away so this thing could continue to murder anyone it... Least you had a reason for letting it happen.

Angel

(stands) Wes, Lilah and I weren't exactly friends—

Wesley

You were mortal enemies. Why should you care what happened to her?

Angel

Because you did.

Wesley

(turns to look at Angel a moment, then turns his attention to the papers he was researching) There's nothing here. (Angel walks behind the desk) If this thing could obliterate all references to the Beast, it's very unlikely it would leave its own bio laying about.

Angel

What about pan-dimensional texts like the one Lilah— (looks at Wes, then looks down)

Wesley

I have Lorne reaching out to the black markets but it'll take time.

Angel

Great, another thing we don't have. (sits behind the desk)

Wesley

Then let's go to the source. Whatever happened to Cordelia, it took place after her ascension to the higher planes. Maybe the Powers might be able to—

Angel

Last couple of times I've asked the Powers That Be for help they made it pretty damn clear they weren't in the business.

Wesley

But at least one of those was to save Darla's life. A mass-murdering ex-vampire dying of syphilis? A strong "no" is hardly a shock.

Angel

You think the Powers couldn't see this thing was masquerading as Cordy? What it was doing to us? They didn't stop it because they didn't want to get their hands dirty. (beat) What we need is somebody who does. Somebody right in the middle of all this.

Cordelia

(looks around, sighs) More hooks? Great.

We could try to find someplace else.

Cordelia

No. This'll do for now. (Connor pouts) Hey, it's okay. We're going to be all right.

I know. I just—I can't believe he tried to kill you.

Cordelia

Connor.

Angelus could've tricked us again. And—

Cordelia

It was Angel. You know it was.

Everything he said about how I could help make the world a better place, about being a champion.

Cordelia

Lies... meant to keep you in your place where he can watch you, control you.

But Fred, Gunn, Wesley, even Lorne—I thought they were... good.

Cordelia

What does that mean, really? (walks away) Being good? Doing the right thing? By who's judgment? Good, evil—they're just words, Connor. Concepts of morality they forced around your neck to yank you wherever they please. You're with me now. You don't have to live by their rules. You remember why?

(smiles) 'Cause we're special.

Cordelia

That's right. We're special, and our baby is going to be extraordinary.

Fred

Scented candles, couple of broken pieces of the Muo-Ping, and some toiletries that smell way too pretty to be evil.

Fred

Not much to go on. As insidious lairs go, it kept Cordy's room nice and tidy. I think it even vacuumed.

Angel

Keep working on a way to locate this thing. If I'm not back in a couple of hours—

Gunn

You're dead, we're screwed, end of the world.

Fred

(smiles nervously) Or, you could stay here with us. Here's nice.

Angel

I've done this before. Don't worry. Walk in the park.

Angel

I really hate the park.

(startled) Oh! Angel, geez. Don't they knock in your dimension?

Angel

Sorry. Wasn't sure it was you.

Powerful demon Skip at your service. Hey, I—I got some more buffalo wings and, uh, the game's on at five if you want to just...

Angel

I'm a little pressed right now. When was the last time you saw Cordelia?

Who?

Angel

She told me you were her guide when she decided to become half-demon.

She did, huh? (shrugs) Okay, look, I wanted to give you the heads up but you know how the Powers are—always making with the big hush hush.

Angel

What do you know? (paces)

This is going to be really hard for you to accept but Cordelia has ascended to a higher plane.

Angel

Oh, I know. She's back.

Back?

Angel

Or at least something that looks like her.

Well, wait. Nobody comes back from paradise. Okay, a Slayer once, but that—

Angel

So you haven't heard anything.

Uh, not since her ascension. Oh, it was beautiful. Should've been there.

Angel

You were a part of that?

It's in the job description. As Cordelia's guide I'm there for all the important events.

Angel

Except her welcome back party. (suspiciously) So why didn't the Powers invite you to that one?

Mysterious ways. They can really drive a guy nuts.

Angel

Or maybe if you had known something you might've warned us. No, about the only one not keen on that slipping out is the one pulling her strings.

Not following you there, champ.

Angel

You said it yourself, you were there. (walks up to Skip) Guiding Cordelia to her ascension, seeing her off to a higher plane which is exactly where this thing needed her to be to make its move. So, I'm thinking either you've been played for a dupe like the rest of us or you've been in on this from the start, Skippy.

Angel, buddy, whatever's going on, I'm telling you true... (raises his forearm in front of him, triggers a dagger to be released from his armor) Not a dupe.

20 INT. DEMON CAVE LAIR - NIGHT Resume. Angel and Skip fight in earnest. Angel swings his sword, but it doesn't penetrate Skip's body armor. Skip knocks Angel's sword away and grabs Angel by the neck.

Not like last time, is it, monkey boy?

(walks toward Angel) You know, the worst part about signing on for this gig (punches Angel) was having to take a dive when you rescued that runt Billy from his box of fire. (kicks Angel across the room) I mean, come on! You really think a guy built like this would be so easy to drop? (walks up to Angel again) This time we do it for real, champion. This time... (grins) you lose.

Cordelia

He won't give up. You know that, right? He won't stop until he finds us.

Let him come. I can take him.

Cordelia

Come over here. (Connor walks up to Cordelia) I want you to know what you're fighting for. (pulls his hand to her belly)

(touches her belly, gasps) It moved.

Cordelia

Of course it did. That's what babies do when they're happy.

I'll make them.

Cordelia

You can't. They're too afraid. But maybe when they see how beautiful our baby is...

You think that would change how they feel?

Cordelia

Our baby's going to change everything, Connor.

How soon... before we can show them?

Cordelia

A week? Maybe two? (stands, walks away) But he'll find us before that. I know he will. He'll find us and he'll—

I won't let him. I promise.

Cordelia

I don't want you killing each other. That's never what I wanted. Maybe there's another way. A way to bring our baby into the world now—before anyone else can hurt us.

How?

Cordelia

I'll need some very special things. Do you think you can get them for me?

(walks up to Angel) Well, now, this is just embarrassing.

Angel

(struggles to stand) Tell me... what happened to Cordelia.

Or, what? You'll bleed on me some more?

You know, I've always wondered. How many chunks you gotta hack off a vampire before he goes all dust bunny?

Angel

(stands) Tell me what happened...

Yeah. Heard that part.

What are you, Tarzan? See, this is the nefarious meat of it, pal. You die never knowing what really happened to the woman you love. Gotta respect the classics.

(staggering) You really think that's gonna—

Angel

Yeah, I do.

Fred

Hey, here's something. Maybe I can—

Fred

—have an embolism!

Wesley

What happened?

Angel

We had words.

Lorne

Between the pummeling?

Angel

Whatever's happened to Cordy, he's a part of it. We need to bind him to this dimension. (groans and sits; everyone stands around gawking; Angel looks up at them) Before he wakes up would be nice.

Mmm... I really love virgins.

You all right?

He tried to kill—

I know. Did he hurt you?

No. No, you stopped him. Th-thank you. (crying) Thank you, oh-oh God, thank you so much. Th-thank—

Cordelia

She's perfect. Did you get everything else?

(softly) Yeah.

Cordelia

I know what your heart is telling you, Connor, but it will lie to you if you let it. You have to trust me. Be sad, mourn for her, but never forget the truth. She's one of them. One of the average, normal people that fill this world. But what we're doing will elevate her life beyond that and give her death meaning. Her blood for our baby. (looks at the girl) That's more than fair, (looks at Connor) isn't it?

Sand of the red palm. (chuckles) A child's trick.

Gunn

Then why don't you come out and play.

In time.

Angel

(with crossed arms) You'll have a lot of that after we make your accommodations a little bit more permanent. (walks toward Skip) Fred?

Fred

(holds an open book in her arms facing out, walks toward Skip) Sphere of the Infinite Agonies. Every second a lifetime. Should be able to whip one up in, um... twenty minutes.

Angel

Everything you know or she starts whipping.

Hey. (holds up his hands) Whoa. I'm just a merc. I go where the deal is and not getting stuck in one of those? Bargain. (beat) Anybody got a cig?

Angel

(paces) Cordelia. Where is she?

I don't know. This is your dimension, man, you tell me.

Angel

The real Cordelia. Not this thing that's been posing as her.

How'd I ever get spanked by such a chump nut. (looks Angel up and down and sighs) That thing which has turned your life into a burning ring of fire? She is the real Cordelia. (beat) Or at least she's in there somewhere. This whole thing...

Gunn

Is it Cordy or not?

Oh, it's her. She just ain't driving.

Angel

Something took control of her on the higher plane?

Drill a little deeper, Hoss. How you think she got there in the first place?

Wesley

You're saying her ascension was all part of this thing's plan?

No, Cordelia was chosen to become a higher being because she's such a pure, radiant saint. (scoffs) Puh-lease.

Cordelia

(chanting) Vanu'esh. Katahn darh'im. Vajra'ha'esh. Vanu'esh. Katahn darh'im. Vajra'ha'esh.

It's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you.

(cowering) Please...

Brought you some water.

(crying) I gotta get home. My mom's gonna be so mad.

(softly) I'm sorry.

(weeping) I won't tell anyone, I promise. Please, just let me go.

(stands) Somebody there?

Darla

(smiling sweetly) ...isn't that where a mother belongs?

29 INT. WAREHOUSE SOMEWHERE IN LOS ANGELES - NIGHT Resume. Darla has just appeared to Connor in the room where he is keeping the adolescent girl he abducted. Cordelia is in the next room, chanting. Connor stares at Darla in shock.

You can't be my mother.

Darla

(softly) I have her memories, her feelings. Isn't that what makes a person who they are?

(weeping in the corner) Let me go, please... (softly sobbing)

Darla

(walks toward the virgin girl) I know that sound, the look in her eyes, the smell of fear. (kneels beside the girl) I've nurtured it a thousand times (looks at Connor) in all the people that I've murdered.

My mother's dead. (the girl looks up at Connor)

Darla

(stands) And I'll always be a part of you. You shared your soul with me once when you were growing inside of me when I'd lost my own. You brought light to my shadow, filled my heart with joy and love. I'd never felt so close to any living thing as I did to my beautiful boy.

Why'd you leave me? (scoffs) Did you hate me that much?

Darla

Baby, no. I wanted to be with you more than anything.

You killed yourself. I wasn't even born yet. And you—

Darla

—did what I had to. My life for yours. I did so many terrible things, Connor, so much destruction, so much pain. You were the one good thing I ever did. The only good thing. I'd die every day for the rest of eternity for you. And this... (gestures to the virgin girl) is how you repay me?

(walks away) You don't understand. (turns toward Darla) We need her for our baby to keep it safe.

Darla

By anointing it in the blood of an innocent? You really think that safety can be plucked from the arms of an evil deed?

Good, evil. They're just words.

Darla

(shakes her head) Don't let this happen, Connor. Don't let my death mean nothing.

You really think it matters? I mean, nothing I tell you is gonna change what's gonna happen.

Angel

Cut the gloom and doom. What's taken over Cordy?

Something beyond your comprehension. To give it voice would rend your feeble brain into a quivering mass of—

Angel

(looks to Fred) Fred, infinite agony. (walks away)

OK, you got me. It doesn't even have a name.

Gunn

Then what do you call it?

Oh, Master or "Hey."

Lorne

Unspeakable horror for real this time.

Angel

Ah, it doesn't make sense. Cordy was made a higher being because she proved herself to the Powers by bearing their visions. This thing couldn't have—

Wesley

Unless it maneuvered her to inherit the visions in the first place.

Uh, oh. Better step on it. The rubes are catching up.

Angel

It wasn't just her ascension. Everything that's happened to Cordy in the past few years—all of it—was planned.

You really think it stops with her, amigo? You have any concept of how many lines have to intersect in order for a thing like this to play out? How many events have to be nudged in just the right direction? (looks at Lorne) Leaving Pylea. (looks at Gunn) Your sister. (looks at Fred) Opening the wrong book. (looks at Wesley) Sleeping with the enemy. (beat) Gosh, (chuckles) I love a story with scope.

Gunn

No way. We make our own choices.

Yeah, sure. Cheese sandwich here, uh, when to floss. But the big stuff, like two vampires squeezing out a kid?

Angel

Connor.

Wesley

An impossible birth to make one possible.

That's what the kid was designed for.

Lorne

(chuckles) To sleep with mother love?

Angel

To create a vessel.

Look out. The monkey's thinking again.

Angel

Being inside a human makes it vulnerable, doesn't it? That's why it had to stay hidden. Why it needed to create something stronger to pour itself into.

Gunn

Wait. So the big nasty inside of Cordy is going to give birth... to itself?

Circle of life. It's a beautiful thing.

Angel

How do we stop it?

That's the easy part, slick. All you gotta do is find Cordelia and chop her head off.

Angel

Has to be another way.

Sure. Stab her in the heart, kidney, couple pokes in the lung—

Angel

A way that won't kill Cordy in the process.

Takes a whole lot of cramming to get that much sweetness into a human. It's in every hair, every cell, every molecule of Cordelia's body and it ain't letting go 'til it got a brand new bag.

Fred

What happens to Cordy then?

Drained of her life force during labor. Those contractions are a real bitch.

Angel

It'll kill her?

Or she'll end up a head of cabbage.

Wesley

What do you wanna do?

The only thing you can do. Kill the woman he loves to save the world. Times like this? Really gotta suck being you.

Angel

How do I find her? (Skip doesn't answer; Angel walks forward intimidatingly) How?

Well, I'd go with the Bu'shundi ritual but, uh, you're gonna need a sacred Hutamin paw for that—

Lorne

Got it. (stands, goes behind the desk)

(shocked) What?

Lorne

Cordy—the real Cordy—kept one in her desk drawer.

Probably a knock-off. It's not some trinket you'd throw in a desk drawer—

Lorne

(Lorne pulls the item out of Cordelia's desk) She thought it was a back scratcher.

Angel

Get started.

Wait, wait. Uh, did I say "Bu'shundi "? I meant "Ru'shundi ". It's—it—whole different— (turns around in disgust) Crap.

They hate us... because we're special.

(crying, pleading) I don't hate you. Please.

Darla

They're scared because of what you've done not because of what you are.

They wanted to kill me when I was still inside of you.

Darla

(stands) But that changed when they saw you, held you in their arms, felt the warmth of your skin, the goodness in your heart.

And it will happen again when they hold my child. (looks at the girl) It's the only way.

Darla

You have a choice, Connor. That is something more precious then you'll ever know.

What choice? They're hunting us like animals!

Darla

(walks up to Connor) Because you're acting like one. As a vampire I killed without mercy or remorse because I didn't have a soul. What's your excuse?

(shakes his head) You think I wanna do this?

Darla

Then don't.

(nearly in tears) I have to.

Darla

Why? (gestures to Cordelia in the next room) Because she told you? There are things happening, Connor, things that I can't— (sigh) It has to be your choice. You can stop this.

Her blood for our baby's. It's fair, isn't it?

(weeping) Please, I wanna go home.

(yelling) Shut up!

Darla

This isn't you, Connor.

You've been gone a long time, Mom. How would you know?

Darla

Because we shared a soul. I feel the pain, the anger, the hurt, like it were my own. (walks up to Connor, looks him in the eyes) But most of all, I feel the good in you and no matter how much you're beaten or twisted or lied to, it's still there in your heart. I know it, and deep down, you know it, too.

Fred

What do you think he'll do?

Gunn

What he has to, like he always does.

Fred

Will it make a difference? We really are just pieces being moved around a board.

Gunn

Then we'll kick it over and start a new game. Look, monochrome can yap all he wants about no-name's cosmic plan, but here's a little something I picked up rubbing mojos these past couple of years. The final score can't be rigged. I don't care how many players you grease, that last shot always comes up a question mark. But here's the thing—you never know when you're taking it. It could be when you're duking it out with the Legion of Doom, or just crossing the street deciding where to have brunch. So you just treat it all like it was up to you—the world in the balance—'cause you never know when it is.

Fred

You been practicing that?

Gunn

(smiles) Little bit. (chuckles)

Lorne

Hug your neighbor, kiddies, we got it.

(scoffs) You're all puppets.

Wesley

Shut up.

Fred

Where is she?

Lorne

(looks at the map) Well, according to the scorch marks, downtown, meat packing district.

Angel

(comes out of the office) Good work. (takes the map from Lorne)

Gunn

Lets load up.

Angel

No, you're not coming, any of you. Whatever's taken over Cordy, it's still her inside. She's still our friend. She's still the woman I... I won't let you carry that. I can't.

Anybody got a hanky?

Fred

He's really gonna do it. He's gonna kill Cordelia.

Wesley

He doesn't have a choice.

Fred

Angel, wait! (runs after him, but Angel goes on out the door)

Yup, that'll go well.

(to the girl) Shhhhh. Shhh. It's okay.

Darla

You're all right now. Everything's going to be all right.

Cordelia

(walks into the room) What are you doing?

(frozen) Nothing. I, uh— (stands)

Cordelia

It's time. Take her in the other room.

Darla

Listen to your heart.

(to Cordelia) She didn't do anything. We should let her go.

Cordelia

No we shouldn't. We need her, Connor. Our baby—

Shouldn't be anointed with innocent blood.

Cordelia

(angrily) Anointed? Who's been filling your head with big, confusing words.

(turns away, paces) Just been thinking about it.

Cordelia

Or, maybe... a little birdie's been pecking at you behind my back.

Darla

(to Connor) She'll lie to you.

Cordelia

You know how much they love to use the magic, Connor. A spell for this, a spell for that.

Darla

Close her out, baby.

Cordelia

Whatever you're hearing, whatever you think you're seeing—it's a trick.

Darla

Don't let her in.

Cordelia

It's Angel.

Darla

No.

Cordelia

Trying to turn you against me with a cheap vision of— (looks to where Darla's standing) Darla.

(to Cordelia) You can see her?

Cordelia

I see the lies.

Darla

Connor, listen to me.

Cordelia

It's not her.

Darla

You have to let her go.

Cordelia

It's your father. This is how much he hates you.

Darla

I love you. Please.

Cordelia

Torturing you with this sad imitation of your dead mother.

Darla

(crying) Don't let her do this.

Cordelia

(pushing) Are you going to let them do this to us? Are you going to let them kill our baby?

Darla

(desperate) Connor, listen to me...

(yelling, crying) You are not my mother!

(weeping) No.

Darla

Please, don't do this Connor. Don't—

Cordelia

(remorselessly) There. That wasn't so hard, was it?

35 INT. WAREHOUSE SOMEWHERE IN LOS ANGELES - NIGHT The dead girl lies on the floor outside the circle, covered in blood. Connor stares at her. Cordelia is lying on bedding inside the circle.

Cordelia

Connor, we have to do this (writhes) while it's fresh. (rolling, grunting)

Cordelia

(chanting, writhing) Vanu'esh. Katahn darh'im. Vajra'ha'esh.

Cordelia

(chanting, weakly) Vanu'esh. Katahn darh'im. Vajra'ha'esh. ...darh'im...

Cordelia

Do it, Connor. (panting) Do it now. (panting) Do it now.

Gunn

Fred!

Fred

What's happening?

End of the world, cupcake— (walks toward Fred) for you.

Cordy! Something's wrong. We have to stop it.

Cordelia

No, it's coming. (laughs) It's coming. The beginning of a new world.

(laughs) What a bunch of pantywaists. (turns to walk away)

If you can't stop little old Skipper, you really think you got a chance against that?

Angel

She lied to you, Connor.

Cordelia

Don't listen!

Angel

To all of us. That's not Cordelia.

Leave us alone!

Cordelia

Kill him! Kill him, Connor!

What was that you were saying before? Something about infinite agony? Hmm?

You mind? I'm trying to work here.

Do those things ever work? I mean, really. (turns to look around the room)

(mumbles) Well, that ain't right. (collapses)

Angel

(punches Connor to the ground) You think I wanna do this? I don't have a choice!

Angel

I'm so sorry.

Angel

Oh, my God. (drops to his knees) You're beautiful.

(smiles) Angel.