American Dreams

Do You Talk? 

You know, Talk? Me human. Boy. Elliott. Ell-i-ott. Elliott. Coke. See, we drink it. It's, uh... It's a drink. You know, food? These are toys. Little men. This is Greedo. And then this is Hammerhead. You see, this is Walrus Man. And then this is Snaggletooth. And this is Lando Calrissian. See? And this is Boba Fett. Look. They can even have wars. Pffz! Plzzaz! Plzzaz! Aah. And look. Fish. The fish eat the fish food, and the shark eats the fish, but nobody eats a shark. See, this is Pez. Candy. 

You see, you eat it. 

You put the candy in here, and when you lift the head, the candy comes out. 

You want some? 

This is a Peanut. 

You eat it. 

But you can't eat this one 

'cause this is Fake. 

This is Money. You see? 

We put The Money 

in The Peanut. 

You see? Bank. 

And then... 

This is a car. 

This is what we 

get around in. 

See? A car. 

Hey! Hey, wait a second. 

No. You don't eat them. 

Are you hungry? 

I'm hungry. 

Stay. Stay. 

I'll be right here. 

OK? I'll be right here.

She's under restraint.

What? Who's restraining her?

There are many arms about her.

She thinks it's Safe. 

Quickly! Who is she more threatened by,

You or Your Husband?

Neither! 

Steve decides The Punishment.

The Children know that.

That's not fair. I've never hit her.

Fight later!

Steven, make Carol Anne answer you!

Carol Anne? 

It's Daddy.

Be cross with her —

Be angry with her,

or 

You'll never see her again.

Carol Anne, I Want You to Answer Me!

Tell her if she doesn't answer you, 

she'll get a spanking.

Come on, I've never 

spanked The Children.

Honey, please, just tell her.

Carol Anne?

Answer Your Parents 

or You'll get

a real spanking 

from both of us!

Mommy, 

Help Me!

She's away from Him.

Maladaptive Perfectionism

“You know, the whole thing about perfectionism. That perfectionism is very dangerous, because of course if your fidelity to perfectionism is too high, you never do anything. Because doing anything results in — It’s actually kind of tragic because it means you sacrifice how gorgeous and perfect it is in your head for what it really is. And there were a couple of years where I really struggled with that.

I played serious tennis when I was a child. I played it enough to start to feel like it was beautiful.

You were 17th in the United States Tennis Association Western Section when you were 14 years old…

That sounds very impressive. That’s a regional ranking and it means that I was probably 4,000th in the nation for my age group.

But could you have been better? Was it a matter of choice that you didn’t pursue it?

I perhaps could have been somewhat better. One of the interesting things about playing competitive sports as a child is that you confront your own limitations rather starkly at a certain point. For the first couple of years I was very good and was regarded as promising. And then after I developed for two or three years it became very clear exactly how good I was going to be, which is I could probably be a good college player but that I was never going to have professional potential or anything.

And so you passed up on it?

I didn’t pass up on it. I kept playing. But there’s a difference between training. I mean the people who seriously, seriously play devote their lives to it sort of the way monks do. I mean you don’t date, you go to bed at a certain time, you eat certain ways, you practice 10-12 hours a day. And I mean, the difference between practicing three hours a day and practicing 12 hours a day is everything. And I certainly never— I never trained seriously after the age of 16.

Were you also, at that point, attracted to other things, like writing?

I wasn’t all that attracted to writing originally. I read a great deal. My parents read a great deal. I do know that as my interest in tennis waned, my interest in academics increased. I mean, I started doing my homework in high school and discovering that it was somewhat fun. And then in college I barely even played on the team because just classes were much more interesting.

But then there’s also the drug factor here, which plays a major role in this book…

Yeah.

You know, it’s real interesting. I was a very difficult person to teach when I was a student and I thought I was smarter than my teachers and they told me a lot of things that I thought were retrograde or outdated or B.S.

I’ve learned more teaching in the last three years than I ever learned as a student. And a lot of it is that when you see students work where the point, whether it’s stated or not, is basically that they’re clever, and to try and articulate to the student how empty and frustrating it is for a reader to invest their time and attention in something and to feel that the agenda is basically to show you that the writer is clever.

All the kind of stuff, right, when I’m doing my little onanistic, clever stuff in grad school, that when my professors would talk to me about it, I would go, “Well, they don’t understand. I’m a genius, blah, blah, blah, blah.” Now that I’m the teacher, I’m starting to learn — it’s like the older you get, the smarter your parents get — now I’m starting to learn that they had some smart stuff to tell me.

You’re probably further victimized by all of this because certain kinds of students will gravitate to your class. And those are people who think that they’re kindred spirits.

Yeah, in a certain way. Although the only way that I’m well known at Illinois State is that I am the “grammar Nazi.” 

And so any student whose deployment of a semi-colon is not absolutely Mozart-esque knows that they’re going to get a C in my class, and so my classes tend to have like four students in them. It’s really a lot of fun.

The crew reports to a giant room full of simulator holopods, and are greeted by a Pandronian named Shari yn Yem, and gives them a brief motivational speech, before telling them that the crew will enter the pods and be tested in situations that previous Starfleet crews have experienced, and that each test has an amount of points that can be earned. Yem, tells them that to better evaluate the readiness of the crew, the ranks of the crew will be switched around, with the ensigns being tested as high ranked officers, and the senior officers being tested as ensigns. The crew start to enter the pods in excitement, eager to experience what it's like to be in command, as Freeman and her senior officers believe that they will pass their tests easily, since the duties of the lower decks will be very simple.

"Mirror" Mariner

Mariner enters her pod, and is given a scenario in which she finds herself in the mirror universe, and must find her way back home. At first, Mariner gets immersed in her part, but decides to try and deviate from her objectives, hoping to infiltrate the Terran Empire, and dismantle it from the inside. However, as she tries this, the test docks points from her score for deviating 

Tendi enters her pod, and is told to assist a paralyzed Klingon in a ritual suicide. Tendi tells the Klingon that she is not allowed to cause any harm, which results in a docking of her score. Seeing this, Tendi pulls out a hypospray, ready to give him a quick and painless death. The Klingon demands for her to use his ceremonial blade, and when she objects, her score is further lowered. The Klingon, furious that she is refusing to honor his culture, tries to take his blade back, but falls off the bed. Two nurses run into sickbay, and ask why the Klingon isn't dead yet, and begin to try and assist him in his death, but the Klingon's backup organs begin to heal him, and they give up, much to the Klingon's dismay. Tendi apologizes as the test ends in failure.

Mariner finds herself in an old west town in her next test, and immediately gets points deducted as she tries to go to the saloon. She looks over and sees her group mounting horses, and she goes over to one. Confident that she can ride it, as she took lessons in the past, she climbs up, but the horse gets agitated and bucks her off, and tramples her, resulting in another failure.

Rutherford's test puts him in the engineering section of a refit Constitution-class starship, where the warp core is in the process of a breach. Rutherford moves to try and enter the core to stop the breach, but the handle of the door burns his hand due to the radiation. Rutherford gets an idea to take his boots off to cover his hands, and open the door that way, and is successful, but unfortunately, he takes too long, and the ship explodes, resulting in his test failing.

Boimler is put in a test in which he must fight off the Borg, and escape a Borg cube. Boimler successfully fights off the Borg drones, and makes his way through the cube, before coming upon a chamber of Borg babies, however he chooses to enter a shaft above the chamber, which leads to a room with a Borg sphere that he uses to escape the cube. The Test ends with him passing, but Boimler is unhappy that he only scored a 79%. Eager to do better, he asks if he can take The Test again, and The Computer warns him that if he gets a failing score, he will be locked out of The Test. Undeterred, Boimler restarts The Test. He fights off the drones, but upon finding the Borg babies, he takes them with him before escaping on the sphere. He once again passes, but scores only 83%, making him want to try again. He retakes the test, and rescues even more babies, along with a couple drones, before escaping on the sphere, resulting in a score of 84%. Boimler, getting frustrated, tells the computer to restart the test.

Mariner is about to start her final test in which the entire crew has been afflicted with polywater intoxication. While she is not enthusiastic about the nature of the mission, she tries to pump herself up, and enters the mess hall to see the crew completely naked, and involved in a huge orgy. Rutherford can be seen, possibly with ensign Castro. Mariner tries to ignore it all, and talk everyone out of their outrageous behavior, but is unsuccessful. She sees Boimler showing off his genitals, causing her to run out of the mess hall to see Steve Stevens spanking Ransom, while holding him on a leash. Shaxs then runs up to her, while T'Ana clings to him. Unable to take the lewd nature of The Test anymore, Mariner runs to an airlock and blows herself and the crew into space, no longer caring about passing the test.

As The Test ends, the ship's average score falls to 37%.

Mariner wonders where Boimler is, and Rutherford replies that he heard he was still taking his test. Mariner speculates that he probably failed like them, and is just too embarrassed to admit it. 

(Boimler is still in his drill with the Borg, retaking the test again and again, altering his approach each time, managing to score as high as 94%, placing him in the top 10%, but he's still unsatisfied with the score, and continues to retake the test.) 

For the crew's final test, a joint exercise between the senior officers and the lower decks crew will be simulated on the bridge. They are instructed to steal the Cerritos from Spacedock to save Spock from the Genesis planet. Mariner takes the command chair, and has Ransom get them some coffee before instructing Freeman to take them out of spacedock. As they approach the doors, Shaxs gets up and starts to stretch, as his back hurts from sleeping in the cramped quarters of the lower decks. However, as he continues to stretch, Mariner is reminded of how he looked fully naked in her final test, and is visibly disturbed. Freeman speculates that she's remembering her bad experience with the horse, which angers Mariner, and she tries to send Freeman to the brig. The two start to quarrel, and pay no attention to the test, resulting in their ship colliding with the space doors, and ending the test in failure in a record time.

Freeman tries to get the crew to do more drills and improve their score, but since the entire crew has been locked out of the tests due to their failing scores, there is nothing they can do to improve them. She is about to submit the finalized scores, when Mariner notes that one test is still active. Boimler is still in the drill with the Borg, trying to score higher than 98%, and Yem wonders what he's still doing in there, but notes that one passing grade will not save their scores. 

Realizing that if the drills aren't finished, the scores cannot be finalized, Mariner contacts Boimler in the holopod.

Boimler is about to finish the drill, having finally achieved a perfect 100% after saving most of the Borg crew, beating the Borg Queen in chess and teaching her empathy. Freeman orders him not to finish the drill, and Mariner tells him that Yem is trying to deliberately fail them, and that as long as he's in The as rill, she cannot finish until he finishes. Understanding, Boimler continues to interact with the drill, despite it lowering his score to 99%, much to his disappointment.

Freeman and Mariner rush to the bridge, as Yem wonders what they're trying to do since they're just delaying her finalized scores, and torturing Boimler in the process. Freeman expresses faith in her crew, noting that despite them being on a smaller and more insignificant ship, the crew is tougher than most. Yem boasts that she's read all about life on a starship and the work in space, and doubts that they are anymore reliable than any other crew she's tested. Freeman notes that Yem has read about it all, but has never really experienced it in person. 

Mariner : 

Boimler, can you hear me? 

FINAL SCORE : 100%

Boimler : 

Hey, Mariner, I was just about to close out this drill. 

I finally got A Perfect... 

Capt. Freeman: 

DON’T you finish that drill, Ensign. That's an order! 

Boimler : 

Captain, but I beat the Borg Queen at chess, 

and I taught her Empathy. 

Capt. Freeman: 

Just stay in that drill!

 The crew is counting on you. 

Mariner : 

Yeah, Shari Bing Bang is trying to screw us, 

but she CAN’T until your drill is over. 

Just keep Borging! 

Boimler : 

I'm on it. 

DRONE :

Resistance is Futile. 

FINAL SCORE : 99%

Boimler : 

Aw, man.

Boimler : 

Come on, Mariner, 

whatever you're doing up there, hurry! 

AAH! Borg Queen! 

Uh, how-how's The Empathy? 

The Borg : 

We were able to assimilate it. 

 

FINAL SCORE : 76%

Boimler :

No, no, no, no, no, my SCORE! 

The Male Mother

The radar on Wes' boat beeps.

Wes: 

Solid contact. Definitely metallic."

Justine: 

Probably more junk. Could be anything down there."

Wes: 

Better have a look then.

Wes tosses a diving mask at Justine, who catches it.

The beam of Justine's flashlight plays across the lid of Angel's coffin, illuminating his pale and cracked face, 

and making him blink.

Wes and Justine watch as the ship's hoist slowly hauls the coffin aboard.

Wes lights a blowtorch and burns through the welds securing the sidebars.

Wes: 

Justine. Come on.

Wes slides the bars out and he and Justine lift the lid off the coffin. Wes cuts the steel cords holding Angel immobile.

Justine: 

Congratulations. 

You're the big hero. 

Maybe your friends will throw you a party. 

I wonder what the cake's gonna look...

Suddenly Angel's hand shoots up and grabs Wesley by the throat. Angel's eyes snap open. His brow draws together in a slight frown as his eyes focus on Wes.

Break

Wes takes a hold of Angel's hand, and Angel lets him pull it away and lay it back down on his chest.

Wes lays Angel down on the table in the main cabin and pulls out some glass jars filled with dark liquid.

Justine: 

Blood?

Wes: 

Animal.

Wes lifts Angel's head and tries to get him to drink some of the blood.

Justine: 

What's the hurry? 

It's not like he's going anywhere.

Wes: 

A vampire can exist indefinitely without feeding, but the damage to the higher brain functions from prolonged starvation can be catastrophic.

Angel starts to cough.

Wes: 

Slowly.

Justine: 

All the energy you've wasted to save that thing. For what? 

A happy ending? Everything like it was? 

He hates you. They all do. 

And they're never going to take you back.

Connor walks into the lobby of the Hyperion to find Gunn and Fred sitting on the settee waiting for him.

Connor: 

Is this going to be the yelling thing again?

Gun and Fred stand up.

Fred: 

No. No yelling.

Connor: 

He looks like he's gonna yell.

Gunn: 

I do not.

Connor: 

He always looks like he's gonna yell.

Gunn: 

I'm not gonna yell!

Fred: 

Where have you been?

Connor, walking past them: 

Out.

Gunn: 

We were worried.

Connor stops and turns back to them.

Connor: 

I'm sorry. I shouldn't run off alone. 

You'd think I'd know that by now.

Gunn: 

It's that big, thick mellon!

Gunn taps the side of Connor's head, smiling.

Gunn: 

Your dad's got one just like it.

Connor's smile melts away.

Gunn: 

Angel's always flying off, getting himself into trouble.

Connor: 

I'm not like him.

Gunn: 

You're not as strong yet, but...

Connor: 

Like I care what you think?

Gunn: 

What did you say?

Fred steps between them: 

It's been a long night. Why don't you go wash up.

Connor looks from Gunn to Fred.

Connor, quietly: "I'm fine."

Fred and Gunn watch Connor take the stairs two at a time.

Gunn: "I try to be nice and you see what he does? He just keeps pushing. It's like - it's like he wants me to lose it."

Fred: "He's testing you. With Angel gone, you're the alpha male."

Gunn: "Damn straight."

Fred leaning against Gunn's chest: "Don't let it go to your head."

Gunn, pulling her closer: "That's not the direction it's flowing."

They kiss. The phone rings and Fred pulls back.

Gunn: "Let it ring."

Fred, leaning in for another kiss: "What if it's a client?"

Gunn pulls away with a sigh: "Then the big dog better close the deal."

Gunn picks up the phone: 

Angel Investigations.

Angel is lying on the table in the ship's cabin a rolled up blanket under his head another covering his body.

Angel: 

Why is it like this?

Lorne: 

Well, that's the age-old, bubby. 

I'll fire you off a postcard if I'll noodle the answer.

Angel: 

Life should be Beautiful and Bright. 

But, no matter how hard I try, 

everything I touch - turns to ashes.

Lorne: 

Well, there goes that encouraging hug I was planning. 

Snap to, buckaroo. 

The only one turning to ashes is that patricidal pup of yours. 

Hell, I'd take him out myself if I wasn't just a crappy hallucination.

Wes comes down the stairs: 

How is he?

Lorne: 

How do you think?

Justine: 

He won't shut up.

Angel: 

I have to stop him.

Lorne: 

You wanna bitch-slap sour-puss over there for practice? 

I'm your cheering section.

Wes walks up to the table.

Wes: 

Angel?

Angel: 

I have to do it.

Angel tires to get up and Wes puts a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

Wes: 

Shh. You need to rest now.

Lorne, singing: 

Hush, little baby, don't say a word. 

Mamma's gonna buy you a mockingbird. 

And if that mockingbird don't sing...

Angel looks up and sees Connor standing over him.

Angel: 

I should have killed you.

Wes looks down at Angel as Justine breaks out laughing.

Justine: 

And me without my camera.

Wes: 

He's been down there too long. 

Pig's blood isn't enough. 

He needs more substantial nourishment.

Justine: 

Like what?

Justine, handcuffed to the wall, 

stares wide-eyed at the knife Wes pulls out.

Justine: 

Oh, screw you. I'm not feeding that thing."

Wes: 

Your blood's too thin.

Wes slices across the inner side of his left forearm then moves to the table and holds the cut down over Angel's lips. 

Angel's hands come up and he holds Wes' arm in place as he drinks, but he doesn't morph into his vamp face.

Lilah is alone in the meeting room. 

She stands behind Linwood's chair and caresses the headrest. The doors open and Lilah moves down to a place about halfway down the table as people move to take their seats.

Linwood: 

Alright, we've got a lot of ground to cover, 

so let's get right to it. 

Let's talk about Lilah. 

Everybody had a chance to review her file? 

(Nods around the table) 

Good. Recommendations?"

Lilah raises a hand: 

If I could just have a few minutes to explain...

Gavin: 

I think your record speaks for itself.

Linwood: 

Volumes. Your failures at Wolfram and Hart outstrip your successes by and uncomfortable margin. 

Perhaps you would fair better at a less central office."

Gavin: 

One of the third world dimensions maybe.

Lilah whispers: 

I'm sorry.

Linwood: 

What was that?

Lilah: 

I said, I'm sorry. I've made mistakes, 

but fear was never one of them.

Linwood: 

Is there something you would like to share?

Lilah: 

Why haven't we contained the vampire offspring for study?

Linwood: 

We're assessing that situation. 

Lilah: 

The same way you're assessing Angel? 

Then why aren't we trying to pinpoint Angel's location?

Linwood: 

Lilah, this is my corner of the sky. 

I decide when the sun rises and when it sets. 

Lack of long-term vision has always been one of your shortcomings.

Lilah stands up, holding a Palm-pilot and stylus.

Lilah: 

And lack of courage has always been one of yours. 

You're afraid - of Angel and his son. 

And that's the reason for your daring strategy of 

'wait and see', isn't it? 

You're afraid. And fear breeds weakness.

Linwood: 

Oh. I'm hurt. Is that really what you think of me?

Lilah: 

Yes. And Mr. Suvarta agrees with me.

Linwood: 

You spoke to a Senior Partner?"

Lilah: 

He was really very helpful. 

He had some great hints on office furniture.

Linwood: 

This is outrageous! 

Are you actually telling me that you went over my head?

Lilah touches her stylus to the palm-pilot in her hand. 

We hear an electronic beep - then a blade whips out of the backrest on Linwood's chair slicing quickly and neatly through his neck.

Lilah: 

Just under it, actually.

Linwood's head, staring eyes fixed, slowly tumbles forward and rolls down the table.

Lilah: 

Mr. Suvarta didn't think Linwood's sky was sunny enough. 

You're all reporting to me now. 

(Sits down) 

Get out.

Everyone quickly and quietly gets up and files out the room.

Lilah: 

Gavin.

Gavin freezes. Lilah gives him a slight smile, then indicates the decapitated head with her stylus.

Lilah: 

Please - remove that.

Connor is stretched out on the bed in his room playing a handheld video game. There is a knock on the door.

Connor: 

What?

Fred is standing in the open doorway, holding a tray with a sandwich and glass of milk.

Fred: 

Brought you a snack.

Connor: 

I'm not hungry.

Fred laughs: 

You're always hungry.

Fred walks into the room and Connor lowers his game.

Connor: 

What is it?

Fred: 

Bologna.

Connor: 

No tomatoes?

Fred: 

No tomatoes.

Connor sits up and reaches for the tray, but Fred pulls it back.

Fred: 

What do you say?

Connor looking at her: 

Thank you.

Fred: 

Your welcome.

Connor tears into the sandwich. 

'Fred sets the tray down on the nightstand 

then strokes Connor's hair.

Connor: 

Is he still mad?

Fred: 

What so you think?

Connor, softly: 

Sorry.

Fred: 

I can't imagine what you've been through, Connor, 

being taken away by Holtz, raised in that place. 

It must have been horrible. 

I know you're still hurting but - 

I promise -- it's not nearly as much as 

you're gonna hurt for what you did to Your Father.

Connor stops chewing and looks up at Fred, who pushes a tazer against his chest and fires. Connor arcs back in pain.

Break

Connor sits in the office, tied to a chair with Fred standing over him, tazer in hand.

Fred: 

You think that's what Angel felt? 

When you did it to him? Did he scream like you?

Connor: 

Why are you doing this?

Gunn: 

Nah-ah. Don't even try it.

Fred: 

We got a call form an old friend tonight.

Gunn: 

Been playing a little Ahab. 

He's out there right now puttering around on his boat.

Fred: 

With Angel.

Connor stays quiet.

Gunn: 

That's right, Sparky, 

Daddy's coming home. 

And I'm guessing there's going to be a spanking.

Fred: 

He's been down there, all alone, for three months - 

and you knew!

Gunn: 

Is that what you did to Cordy? 

Stuff her in a box some place?

Fred: 

How could you do that to us? 

(Fred steps closer to Connor the tazer in her outstretched hand shaking a little) 

We took you into our home. 

We cared for you, and all this time... 

How could you do that?!

When Connor only looks at her, 

Fred suddenly buries the tazer against Connor's chest. 

Connor arcs back, screaming.

Fred: 

How could you do that?!

Gunn pulls her back: 

Fred!

Fred buries her head against Gunn's shoulder and starts to cry.

Wes deposits Angel in the passenger seat of his car then looks down at Angel's pale and cracked face. 

Angel's eyes drift open and their eyes meet.

Justine: 

He'll turn on you!

Wes closes the passenger door and walks around to get into the driver's seat.

Justine: 

He won't be able to help it. That's what he is. 

Sooner or later he will turn on you - and all your friends!

Ignoring Justine, who is handcuffed to a net-draped railing, Wes gets into the car, buckles up and starts the engine.

Justine: 

You're just gonna leave me here?

Wes holds up the keys to the cuffs, looking at her, then tosses them at her feet.

Wes: 

You can continue to be a slave, Justine - 

or you can live your life. 

Your choice.

Wes drives off, leaving Justine behind.

Fred is sitting in a chair in the outer office with Gunn rubbing her back.

Fred: 

I would have done anything for him. 

Now all I wanna do is hurt him.

Connor, through the open door of the inner office: 

Go ahead. Hurt me some more, Fred.

Fred: 

Shut up!

Connor: 

You think I care? You get used to it.

Fred gets up: 

You don't feel anything, do you? There's nothing inside.

Connor: 

Why don't you open me up and find out."

Fred: 

How could you do that to your father?

Connor: 

That thing is not my father.

Gunn quietly: 

Yes, he is.

Connor: 

He got what he deserved.

Fred quietly: 

And how soon before we deserved it?

Connor just looks at her.

We hear the lobby doors open and Fred and Gunn run out to see Wes, one of Angel's arms draped over his shoulder helping Angel down the steps into the lobby.

Wes: 

I believe you're looking for this.

Angel raises his head and looks at them.

Fred: 

Angel.

Gunn and Fred hurry towards them 

and Gunn helps Wes lead Angel to the settee.

Fred: 

Oh, my god.

Gunn: 

Is he gonna be all right?

Wes: 

In time - maybe.

Angel drops onto the settee with a groan, his head rolling to the side against the headrest.

Gunn: 

He's out of it.

Fred: 

Oh god.

Gunn: 

It's okay.

Fred: 

Look at him.

Gunn: 

It's gonna be okay.

Angel slowly looks up at them. 

Wes begins to back away from them towards the doors.

Fred: 

What do we do? Wesley...

As Angel's eyes slide shut again, Fred turns, 

only to see that Wes is already on the landing.

Fred: 

Where are you going?

Wes stops and turns back.

Wes: 

I'm done here.

Gunn: 

What took you so long to tell us about Connor?

Fred: 

You knew what he could do to us."

Wes: 

You're human. He wouldn't have hurt you. 

I thought you were safer not knowing.

Fred: 

We were safer? 

You really don't care anymore, do you?

Wes only turns to walk towards the door.

Wes: 

He'll need more blood. 

I'm fresh out.

The door closes behind Wes. Angel lets out a sight groan.

Fred: 

It's okay. God, he's freezing.

Gunn: 

I'll get some more blankets.

Gunn turns to go, but stops as we hear the sound of a chair toppling coming from the office.

Fred: 

Connor!

Gunn and Fred run for the office. Connor is waiting for them and easily tosses Gunn to the side. Fred tries to tazer him, but he grabs it away from her and uses it against her instead. Fred drops to the floor in a heap. Connor turns - only to find Angel standing in the doorway.

Angel: 

Sit - down.

Connor backs up a little never taking his eyes off Angel.

Connor: 

You're too weak to take me."

Angel: 

You really think that?"

Connor looks at Angel for another moment, then turns, picks up the chair, slams it down on the floor, and sits facing Angel. Gunn begins to stir and sit up. Angel lowers himself into a chair across from Connor with a slight sigh.

Angel: 

So - how was your summer? 

Mine was fun. Saw some fish. 

Went mad with hunger. 

Hallucinated a whole bunch.

Gunn quietly helps Fred back to her feet. 

Connor's eyes never leave Angel.

Connor: 

You deserved worse.

Angel: 

Because I killed Holtz - except I didn't. 

I tried telling you that while you were busy offshore dumping me, but I didn't know the whole score. 

Holtz killed himself. 

Actually - he had your buddy Justine do it with an ice pick. 

Just to make you hate me."

Connor after a beat: 

Even if - you still deserved it.

Angel: 

What I deserve is open to debate. 

But understand :

There is a Difference between 

wishing Vengeance on Someone - 

and Taking it.

So, now - The Question becomes : 

What Do You Deserve....?

Connor suddenly jumps up from his chair 

and runs for the door, but Angel intercepts him, 

tossing him against the wall.

Angel, calm: 

Daddy's not finished talking.

Angel crouches down next to where Connor sits, 

scrunched up against the wall.

Angel: 

Wesley told me everything that's been going on. 

So, as far as I'm concerned what you deserve 

rests on One Answer: 

(Angel leans in closer) 

Did you do something to Cordelia?

Connor: 

No.

Fred: 

He's lying.

Connor, looking at Angel: 

No, I'm not.

Gunn: 

No way she just happened to disappear the same night.

Connor, never taking his eyes off Angel: 

I'm telling The Truth, okay?

Angel, quietly: 

I know. 

I can Tell.

Angel slowly straightens up 

and backs away a little.

Angel: 

I've done enough lying for me to be able 

to know The Difference. 

The Truth has a better sound to it, 

less nasal, you know? 

Get up.

Connor stands up.

Angel: 

What you did to me - was unbelievable, Connor. 

But then, I got stuck in a Hell Dimension 

by My Girlfriend one time for a hundred years, 

so three months under The Ocean 

actually gave me some perspective. 

Kind of an M. C. Esher perspective - 

but I did get time to Think. 

About Us, 

about The World. 

Nothing in The World 

is The Way it Ought to Be. 

It's Harsh, and Cruel. 

But That's Why There's Us -- 

Champions. 

It doesn't matter 

Where We Come From, 

What We've Done or Suffered, 

or even if We Make a Difference. 

We Live as though The World 

was What it Should Be, 

to Show it What it Can Be. 

You're not a part of that yet. 

One Day, I Hope You Will be. 

(Angel moves to stand in front of Connor) 

I Love You, Connor. 

(Quietly, after a beat) 

Now get out of My House.

After a beat Connor leaves and Angel lets out a slight sigh. 

We hear the lobby doors close. 

Angel sways on his feet then leans against the wall. 

Fred and Gunn run over to him.

Fred: 

Angel!

Angel: 

All that Talking really takes it out of you.

Fred: 

You need rest.

Angel: 

I need Cordy - now. 

Wherever she is, 

whatever she's going through, 

we have to find her.

The picture blends into a panorama of glowing, heavenly clouds. 

We close in on a bright, white light. 

Cordy's face becomes visible in the center of it as heavenly music swells.

Cordy: 

God, I am so bored.