That's the tragic beauty of a cosmic convergence. I- I mean, he just plays his own small part. He comes here looking for Angel and Darla, and in the process ends up finding Angel's unborn child. Who, as it turns out, wasn't evil at all as we feared, but was actually meant to be some sort of Messianic figure. But Holtz kills it before it's even born, and his vengeance somehow triggers the end of the world! (pause, off everyone's looks) Or not. It could go either way. Have you thought of a name yet?
[Angel is still held motionless by the metal grips while Holts admires one of Angel's swords.]
You're still human. How'd you manage this?
[Holtz puts the sword back into the weapons cabinet.]
So, the question becomes, now that I have you, what's the best way to get her?
Only dark magic could have brought you this far.
She was always the trick, you know, not you. Darla was the unpredictable one.
Was it a demon? Or something else?
[Holtz points a stake at Angel's chest.]
What if I just kill you now? Would she somehow sense it? Would she then come running? [Walks away from Angel] Would that bring her bursting through those doors, I wonder?
Did something come to you, or did you seek it out?
She might show herself in the service of revenge. It can be a powerful motivator.
Yes, it can. What did you have to give up for this second chance?
Give up? [Turns to face Angel] I had nothing to give up. You saw to that.
We took a lot from you, that's true. But we didn't get everything. We couldn't take your soul.
What do you know of a soul?
I know yours will be destroyed if you allow yourself to be used in the service of evil. You're a good man, Holtz. A righteous man. And you're being used for some purpose other than justice.
Could it be you really have changed? I don't remember you ever pleading so cravenly before.
And I remember you used to work with men.
[Holtz hits Angel hard across the face.]
Now it's up to us to protect Angel's unborn child. Darla, we're trying to take you out of here. Relax. The trick is to breathe. Like this.
[Wesley demonstrates short panting breaths]
Heh, heh, heh, hoh, hoh, hoh, heh, heh, heh...
[sits up and sends Wesley, Cordelia, Gunn and Fred all flying backwards, away from the car and morphs into her vampface]
[Cordy, Wes, Fred, and Gunn all sit in the front of the convertible, leaving a very pregnant Darla alone in the back.]
Doesn't anyone wanna sit back here with me?
I promise I won't throw anyone out of the car. Not while it's moving.
It's not that we don't trust you. I mean, we don't trust you, but, the fact is, your water broke all over the back seat.
MMan
What are we going to do?
[Holtz walks over to Sarah and picks her up.]
SSarah
Papa, no! Please, no, papa! Papa, don't. Let me go!
[Holtz caries her over to the door and out onto the roofed porch.]
SSarah
No, papa. Papa, don't!
[Sarah tries to cling to one of the porch's pillars, but Holtz pulls her away and pushes her out into the bright sunlight of the front yard. She turns back to look up at him, morphing into vamp face as she burns up in the direct sunlight. Holtz stays and watches until she's gone then walks back into the house.]
[Darla is standing on top of a building looking over the city below, her hands cradling her pregnant belly.]
You always did love a view.
Look at it. Listen to it. Can you smell it? This world. This horrible world. Why would anyone want to bring a baby into it?
To make it better, maybe?
Or to destroy it finally.
Why is it everyone insists on planning my son's future before he's even born?
[Darla turns and walks past where Angel is standing.]
Alright then, how's this? It doesn't have a future. Not with me.
Angel, I can't have this baby.
I can't let it out. I-I can't.
Okay, not sure you have a lot of choice in the matter...
Look, I know. It wants to come out. I can feel it. It's ready. It's just... I can't let it. I can't let because... because...
Completely. I love it completely. I-I-I don't think I've ever loved anything as much as this life that's inside of me.
Well, you've never *loved* anything, Darla.
That's true. Four hundred years and I never did. Til now. I don't know what to do.
Well, you-you'll do the only thing that you can do. You'll have it. You'll have it and then...
This whole thing is impossible, Darla, but it's happening.
What do I have to offer a child, a human child, besides ugly death?
No. What I do know is that you love this baby, our baby. You've bonded with it. You've spent nine months carrying it, nourishing it...
No. No, I haven't been nourishing it. I haven't given this baby a thing. I'm dead. It's been nourishing me. These feelings that I'm having, they're not mine. They're coming from it.
Of course I do! We both do. Angel, I don't have a soul. It does. And right now that soul is inside of me, but soon, it won't be and then...
I won't be able to love it. I won't even be able to remember that I loved it. [Starts to cry] I want to remember.
[Angel pulls her against him.]
[Angel closes his eyes as he holds a crying Darla.]
No. No, I don't think so. Once he's gone, I won't be okay. I won't be okay at all. I don't know what I'll be. Angel... Our baby is gonna die right here in this alley. You died in an alley, remember?
I wanna say I'm sorry. I wanna say it and mean it, but I can't. Aren't you gonna tell me it's okay?
No? It's really not, is it? We did so many terrible things together. So much destruction, so much pain. We can't make up for any of it. You know that, don't you.
This child, Angel, it's the one good thing we ever did together.
[Angel lifts Darla's hand between both of his and pressed it against his lips.]
[Angel buries his face in his hands, still holding onto Darla's, takes a sobbing breath.]
The only good thing. You make sure to tell him that.
[Darla stakes herself, and her body crumbles into dust, leaving the crying newborn alive on the alley ground.]
Do it! Now's your chance. Do it! Finish it while you still can! You can't just let him walk away! Not now! Not after what you swore to me!
[Holtz watches as Fred and Angel get into the car with the newborn.]
I swore that I would show no mercy. [Watches Angel's car drive away.] And I won't.
