6x13
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.

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                                       TEASER

                                                               FADE IN:

         1     EXT. BOY'S HOME - NIGHT                                  1

               A small, feeble house stands in what appears to be an rough
               part of town. Lawns are saturated with empty liquor and beer
               bottles. Scattered debris lines the roads.

               A single light is burning within the home and as we slowly
               creep toward that window, we can see that it's a dismally
               decorated living room. 

               Peeking in through the randomly exposed gaps in the blinds,
               we take in the aberration that is this family's home. A few
               sparingly placed pictures appear to be the only objects in
               the room that contain the slightest bit of ornate value and
               hang against dingy, off white walls. 

               An impressive collection of beer bottles sit alongside a worn
               out recliner in the far corner. A once magnificent fireplace
               stands adjacent to the recliner and has apparently been
               transformed into a makeshift trash can. As we curiously watch
               the barren living room a --

               CRASH!

               Interrupts the eerie silence as an empty liquor bottle
               explodes against the living room wall and signifies the
               beginning of the night's activities.

         2     INT. BOY'S HOME - LIVING ROOM                            2

               From inside the living room, we focus on a dimly lit hallway
               that leads to the rest of the house. For a moment, the
               hallway stands empty until a man strides into view. 

               HALKEN hurries through the living room and grabs a beer from
               an ice chest that sits by his chair. Though from behind he
               appears human, subtle variations on the face along with a
               slightly protruding set of horns on his forehead, give way to
               the fact that he is most definitely the carrier of demon
               blood. 

               Directly behind him entering the room, is AMANDA, his wife.
               She is a short, attractive, blonde woman in her early
               thirties adorning an unattractive, cheap bath robe that was
               most likely purchased from Wal-Mart. She seems infuriated as
               she follows Halken into the living room.

                                   AMANDA
                             (pointing to the beer)
                         I guess that you think this will
                         solve all of your problems?!

                                   HALKEN
                         Not by a long shot. To solve all of
                         my problems, I would need a witch
                         to turn back time to the day that I
                         met you so I could run like hell in
                         the opposite direction!
                             (holding his beer up)
                         But this is a start. Maybe I'll
                         meet a witch when I go to the store
                         for more!

                                   AMANDA
                         You're not getting any more!

                                   HALKEN
                         Oh... but I am.

               He picks up the empty ice chest.

                                   HALKEN
                         Because this...

               He hurls the ice chest across the room towards Amanda.

                                   HALKEN
                         ... is empty!

               She dodges the ice chest, but takes a portion of the icy
               water. And SCREAMS in anger.

                                   AMANDA
                         This is the last time that I take
                         any of your crap!

               She scoots across the room with near amazing speed and SLAPS
               Halken's face. He slowly turns his head back to face her and
               merely glares at her for several seconds before smiling a
               deranged smile.

                                   HALKEN
                             (slowly)
                         I was hoping that you'd do that.

               He reaches back and SLAPS Amanda to the ground. As she begins
               trying to get up, he grabs her by the back of the robe and
               hurls her half way across the room. He confidently paces
               toward her, preparing to finish the job before a YELL nearly
               shakes the room.

                                   VOICE (O.S.)
                         Leave my mommy alone!

               Halken turns to see his son, BENJAMIN, standing just within
               the shadows of the menacing hallway. The boy appears to only
               be about ten years old and wears his pajamas as he confronts
               his son of a bitch father.

                                   HALKEN
                         You'll get your ass straight back
                         in bed if you know what's good for
                         you, boy!

                                   AMANDA
                             (trying to sound normal)
                         Ben... just go back to bed,
                         sweetie.

               Ignoring his mother's orders, he steps out of the shadows of
               the hallway to face his father.

                                   BENJAMIN
                         No! You're not going to hurt my
                         mommy anymore.

                                   HALKEN
                             (angrily)
                         Fine. I had other plans, but... I
                         guess you can just serve as the
                         appetizer.

               Halken nearly bursts into a sprint towards the child, but the
               kid wisely turns and runs himself. The boy disappears from
               view as Halken merges with the shadows in his dash down the
               hall.

         3     INT. BOY'S HOME - BEN'S ROOM                             3

               Ben runs through the open doorway and into the familiar
               confines of his room. He shuts the door behind him and
               promptly locks it before slowly beginning to back away from
               the door. The room lays silent for a beat, before:

               THUD!

               Echoes throughout the room. The door was nearly dislodged
               from its hinges. Three more times within the next few
               seconds, the door is attacked, but the door somehow manages
               to maintain its composure. 

               After a brief eye, however, the storm comes back in full
               force as the door FLIES open. In the open doorway -- nothing.

               After a short while, Ben cautiously walks toward the door.
               Just as he is within inches of the door --

               Halken abruptly pops into view. Ben jumps off of the ground
               in fear and quickly retreats across the room and slumps down
               in the corner. He sits there, shivering, as Halken smiles
               devilishly at the boy.

                                   HALKEN
                             (sounding absurdly evil)
                         Here's daddy...

                                                             BLACK OUT:



                                    END OF TEASER
                                       ACT ONE

                                                               FADE IN:

         4     INT. HYPERION - ANGEL'S OFFICE - DAY                     4

               ANGEL sits stoically behind his desk with the morning
               newspaper held firmly in front of him -- partly reading the
               day's headlines and partly ignoring SPIKE'S ongoing stories.
               Spike lounges comfortably in the chair opposite, recanting
               the previous nights activities.

                                   SPIKE
                         So I told the daft bastard that if
                         he didn't give her purse back, I
                         was going to rip his stumpy, ill
                         figured arms from his body and
                         pummel him to death with his own
                         sodding limbs!

                                   ANGEL
                             (not paying attention)
                         Uh huh.

                                   SPIKE
                         And then do you know what he says
                         to me...?

                                   ANGEL
                         I'm sure you'll tell me.

                                   SPIKE
                         You damn right I'm going to tell
                         you, because this is the best part
                         of the entire bloody story.

               As Spike prepares for the grand finale of story hour, a faint
               noise can be heard near Angel's door. He looks up from his
               paper to see Amanda standing nervously at the door with a
               fresh couple of bruises on her face.

                                   SPIKE (cont'd)
                         That ignorant shaft had the gall to
                         say to me that he didn't think I
                         could do it!

                                   ANGEL
                         Spike...

                                   SPIKE
                         I know, I know... the nerve. So
                         there I am tugging like a sailor,
                         trying to detach this poor sod's
                         arms from his body and the whole
                         while the girl is screaming...
                             (in a girlie voice)
                         ...just let him go! Please just let
                         him go!

                                   ANGEL
                             (earnestly)
                         Spike!

                                   SPIKE
                             (gesturing his actions)
                         Hang on, this is a good bit. So I
                         turned to her and said, this son of
                         a bitch tried to rob you, and
                         you're feeling bad over him losing
                         an appendage?!
                             (laughing)
                         But she was crying and carrying on,
                         like a damn newlywed Romagon demon!

                                   ANGEL
                             (nearly yelling)
                         Spike!!

               Spike seems oblivious, or apathetic rather, to Angel's words.

                                   SPIKE
                             (laughing)
                         So I gave in... because that's when
                         I realized that I can't be a
                         sodding champion if I frolic about
                         tearing body parts from your random
                         street thugs. So I had to settle
                         for a good old fashioned thrashing.
                             (stopping to think)
                         I don't think I killed him, but
                         then again you can never be sure. I
                         really should have stuck around.
                         I'm trying to keep count of the
                         death toll these days. You know...
                         so I can work out how many pathetic
                         bastards I have to save in order to
                         stay out of the pit.

                                   ANGEL
                         Spike, will you give it a rest?

                                   SPIKE
                         What?! I'm done. Jesus, I have to
                         listen to every one of your
                         stories! I listened to you for a
                         hundred years and you can't hear me
                         for two minutes? I don't have to
                         take this shite - you can get
                         stuffed, mate!

               Spike gets up and turns to leave, but sees Amanda who has
               been standing there the entire time.

                                   SPIKE (cont'd)
                         Oh-

               Angel shakes his head in disdain as Spike looks for the
               words.

                                   SPIKE (cont'd)
                             (to Amanda)
                         So... we're Angel Investigations.
                             (points)
                         That's Angel. He's a witless,
                         brooding, fool of a secretary, but
                         he does have tidy penmanship. So
                         you tell him what you need, he'll
                         write it down and I'll get on it.
                         Till then...
                             (to Angel)
                         ... sod off!

               Spike exits the room and leaves Angel forcing a calming smile
               for Amanda's sake. Angel continues his smile for several
               seconds while trying to think of a way out of the situation.
               Finally, he pushes the page button on his phone:

                                   ANGEL
                             (into the speaker phone)
                         Security... that crazy guy from the
                         insane asylum down the street is
                         back. Could you please escort him
                         off of the premises?

               Angel sits back in his chair, not expecting a response
               before:

                                   SPIKE
                             (through the speaker)
                         Go to hell, you bloody tyrant!

               Angel forces his best smile before we cut to:

         5     INT. HYPERION - STAIRS                                   5

               Spike walks upstairs towards one of the rooms, but on the
               way, senses something. He looks curiously around the lobby
               for a moment and then down the hallway, but quickly dismisses
               it as nothing. As he turns to walk away, however, he hears a
               vague sound from down the long hallway.

         6     INT. HYPERION - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY                         6

               Spike walks cautiously through the halls, not knowing what to
               expect, but with an eerie as hell feeling.

                                   SPIKE
                             (nervously)
                         I've seen this movie.
                         If I see those sodding little girls
                         on their tricycles, so help me God,
                         Cleveland here I come!

               As Spike walks past one of the many doors down the hallway,
               one of them swings open. Instinctively, spike turns, and
               swings a punch --

               ILLYRIA grabs his hand from the air and stares blankly at
               him.

                                   SPIKE (cont'd)
                         Jesus Christ Vince Neil! Are you
                         just trying to kick start my bloody
                         heart?!

               Illyria merely stares back. Spike looks inquisitively around
               the vacant hallway several times before asking:

                                   SPIKE
                         What the hell are you doing up here
                         anyway?

                                   ILLYRIA
                         Nothing! Leave me be vampire.

                                   SPIKE
                         You can't fool me. I know what
                         you're doing up here...

               Illyria stares at him curiously for a moment, almost as
               though she's been busted.

                                   SPIKE (cont'd)
                             (promiscuously)
                         You've got a little sex toy up here
                         haven't you? Don't be shy introduce
                         us to the lucky bloke! I'm sure
                         that-

               Illyria grabs Spike by the throat and lifts him from the
               ground.

                                   SPIKE (cont'd)
                             (gasping)
                         Right! My... mistake then. I'm just
                         going... to go... back downstairs.

               Illyria drops him on the floor and he walks away, rubbing his
               throat.

                                   SPIKE (cont'd)
                         Bleeding lunatic. Thinks just
                         because she was a supreme being
                         that she can throw people around
                         any damn time she feels like it!

               Illyria watches him walk away and all the way down the stairs
               before opening the door again and to reveal a room full of
               FRED'S clothes and belongings. 

         7     INT. HYPERION - FRED'S OLD ROOM.                         7

               Illyria closes the door, but as it swings to, there is
               WESLEY, arms folded, watching Illyria start to pace around
               the room, examining everything. He grins, as though his
               suspicions have been confirmed.

                                   WESLEY
                         Don't tell me, you're considering
                         making a shrine to a fallen
                         warrior, now that you've taken
                         control of her body?

               Illyria whips round to face him, furious.

                                   ILLYRIA
                         You dare to spy on me? If you were
                         of flesh, I would tear out your
                         eyes and make you swallow them, so
                         that you could see your insides as
                         I tore-

                                   WESLEY
                         Please.

               He waves a hand dismissively at her and strolls over. Illyria
               blinks, taken aback by him.

                                   WESLEY (cont'd)
                         The centuries-old tough talking
                         really doesn't suit you any more,
                         Illyria. If you want me to help you
                         understand these feelings you're
                         having, then graphic threats of
                         violence aren't really the answer,
                         are they?

               Illyria opens her mouth to answer, but then like a scolded
               child bows her head and nods. She rubs her arms.

                                   ILLYRIA
                         Every day, it feels as though she
                         is beside me, looking over my
                         shoulder, watching everything I do,
                         trying to guide me. I believe she
                         wants to come back, perhaps make me
                         more like her...

               Illyria turns round and fixes Wes with those big blue eyes.

                                   ILLYRIA
                         And I believe she wants to love you
                         again.

               Wes blinks - that caught him out!

                                   WESLEY
                         She... Fred told you that?

                                   ILLYRIA
                         Not in words. In emotions. Which,
                         as we have already established, I
                         am less than an expert at
                         interpreting.

               Illyria turns suddenly and walks right up to Wesley, briefly
               reaching out for him, then remembering he's incorporeal and
               drawing her hands back.

                                   ILLYRIA
                         When we make you flesh again, I
                         wish...

               She trails off. Wes beckons for her to continue.

                                   WESLEY
                         Yes?

                                   ILLYRIA
                         I wish to know what love feels
                         like.

               Wes chuckles and rubs the back of his head.

                                   WESLEY
                         I'm hardly the man to talk about
                         love, Illyria, I was never really
                         one for what you'd call 'normal'
                         relationships, what with-

               Illyria raises a finger to his lips to silence him.

                                   ILLYRIA
                         You do not understand. I wish to
                         know what physical love feels like.

                                   WESLEY
                         I... see.

                                   ILLYRIA
                         I... I would take her form for you,
                         if that is what you wish?

                                   WESLEY
                         Why me?

                                   ILLYRIA
                         Because you are the only one this
                         shell wants.

               Wes looks away, his head spinning, and without another word,
               he turns and walks back out through one of the walls. Illyria
               reacts as he leaves.

                                   ILLYRIA (cont'd)
                             (quietly)
                         Wesley?

               Illyria stands alone in silence for several moments before we
               cut to:

         8     INT. HYPERION - ANGEL'S OFFICE                           8

               Angel sits in much the same position that he previously had
               with SKYE leaning against the wall a few feet from his side.
               Amanda sits in Spike's recently departed chair, telling Angel
               her story.

                                   AMANDA
                         It's getting hard to hide the
                         bruises on me... or on Ben.

               Angel listens solemnly while Skye watches with a mixture of
               grief and fury stricken across her face.

                                   AMANDA 
                         Last night was the worst that it's
                         been in a while. Benjamin couldn't
                         go to school today, so I just had
                         to make sure he was okay at a
                         friend's house, and I...
                             (hesitantly)
                         ...is that all you need to know?

                                   ANGEL
                         Ma'am, this sort of thing-

                                   SKYE
                         I have a question.
                             (beat)
                         Why did you marry a low life,
                         abusive, self-centered asshole of a
                         demon in the first place?!

               Amanda appears almost shocked and angel looks a little taken
               by surprise himself.

                                   AMANDA
                             (defensively)
                         It wasn't always like this! It used
                         to be-

                                   SKYE
                         Yeah. I'm sure he just changed over
                         night. Why are you defending him?!

                                   ANGEL
                         Skye...

               Skye looks to Angel, but one look into his eyes and she backs
               down. 

                                   ANGEL
                         Look, Amanda. I would really like
                         to help, but this isn't the type of
                         thing that we do here. We're an
                         investigation firm. I'm afraid that
                         we couldn't do a thing for you. We
                         don't serve justice. We
                         investigate. The best thing that
                         you can do is to go to the police.

                                   AMANDA
                         I've been to the police!

                                   ANGEL
                         What did they-

                                   AMANDA
                         They did a conclusive investigation
                         and determined that there was no
                         wrong doing. They were in the house
                         for ten minutes and left!

                                   ANGEL
                         Ma'am, I'm-

                                   AMANDA
                         Do you have children, Mr. Angel?

                                   ANGEL
                             (reluctantly)
                         Yes. I do.

                                   AMANDA
                         How would you feel if you had no
                         control over what was happening to
                         them? Would you do anything in your
                         power to help your child?

                                   ANGEL
                         I've been in that situation, and-

                                   AMANDA
                         No you haven't. Not like this. I
                         need to-

                                   SKYE
                             (forcefully)
                         Ever tried leaving him?

                                   AMANDA
                         I can't. I couldn't- how would I
                         live? How could I support me and
                         Ben?

                                   SKYE
                         That's your concern? You've got a
                         thin argument lady. How do expect
                         us to help you if you won't help
                         yourself?

               Angel curiously eyes Skye as she continues her attack on the
               woman, before we cut to:

         9     INT. HYPERION - OUTSIDE ANGEL'S OFFICE                   9

               Through a nearly closed door, we watch Amanda sitting alone
               in Angel's office.

                                   SKYE (O.S.)
                         I think we should take the case.

               Angel and Skye are talking quietly just outside the door.

                                   ANGEL
                         Why? So you can continue your quest
                         to get her to burst into tears?

                                   SKYE
                         What? No, that's... That's not what
                         I was trying to do.

                                   ANGEL
                         I don't know if you noticed or not,
                         but you were being just a little
                         bit insensitive in there.

                                   SKYE
                         I know, it's just... women like
                         that really piss me off.

               Angel watches her, waiting for the rest of the story.

                                   SKYE
                         They want to whine and complain
                         about these guys and at the end of
                         the day, she'll go back home to
                         him. She has no respect for herself
                         and more than that- no respect for
                         her son.

                                   ANGEL
                         Well, she came  here. She's
                         obviously trying.

                                   SKYE
                         'Trying' would be to leave his
                         sorry ass!

                                   ANGEL
                         It's not always that simple.

                                   SKYE
                             (sarcastically)
                         Yeah. It kind of is.
                             (beat; agitated)
                         Are you going to take the case or
                         not?

                                   ANGEL
                             (thinking)
                         I don't know. I mean, what would we
                         do? This isn't exactly our forte.

                                   SKYE
                         I thought your deal was helping the
                         helpless?
                             (motioning to his office)
                         Take a look in there. That's about
                         as helpless as helpless gets.

               Angel stands before her, obviously torn, for several more
               seconds.

                                   ANGEL
                         I don't know. Until we figure out
                         something to do, there really is no
                         need for us to take the case.

                                   SKYE
                         Well that's good, because I know
                         what we should do.
                             (beat)
                         We should bust into the house
                         tonight and take the kid, before
                         that son of a bitch can do any
                         damage more permanent than he
                         already has.

                                   ANGEL
                             (sarcastically)
                         I don't see that working out.

                                   SKYE
                         Why?!

                                   ANGEL
                         For one thing, it's against the law
                         to take a person's child.

                                   SKYE
                         Spike almost beat a guy to death
                         last night. I know we're in LA, but
                         that's got to be at least frowned
                         upon!

                                   ANGEL
                         And what do you suggest when we get
                         the kid? Pack him off to a Watcher
                         foster home like we did with the
                         last one? We can't start an
                         orphanage in the hotel. I somehow
                         doubt that Social Services is going
                         to allow a group of vampires and an
                         ancient demon living in our
                         friend's body to take in stray
                         children off the street!

                                   SKYE
                         Angel, please. We can't leave the
                         kid to fend for himself. We have to
                         help him.

               Angel stands for several seconds, not making a move before
               Amanda slowly opens the door from within his office and steps
               into the lobby alongside them.

                                   AMANDA
                             (impatiently)
                         Can you people help me or not?

                                   ANGEL
                         I-

                                   AMANDA
                         Because I talked to a man from a
                         local law firm today who said that
                         he could help me.

               Angel and Skye exchange curious glances.

                                   AMANDA
                         The only reason I stopped here is
                         because I heard that you guys
                         are... proficient in this area.

                                   ANGEL
                             (knowing the answer)
                         This law firm... it wouldn't happen
                         to be Wolfram and Hart, would it?

               Amanda stares at him inquisitively for moment's time.

                                   AMANDA
                         How did you know? They told me-

                                   ANGEL
                             (quickly)
                         We'll take the case.

               As Skye beams happily at Angel, we cut to:
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.