FFred
Okay. So he survived an unspeakable hell dimension. Who hasn't? You -- you can't just leave him alone in the streets of Los Angeles!
“Benediction” · Season 3
In this episode: Holtz (3), Fred (2), Lorne (2), Connor (2), Puppet Angel (1), Charles Gunn (1), Groo (1)
(Connor enters the motel room, carrying a newspaper and junk food from the now broken vending machine.)
I found food in a big metal box outside. - Dad?
Oh, good boy. You got it. Now. Let's have a look at the date. (Stares at the paper mutely for a moment) Days. We've been gone only days.
FFred
Looks like we've been following Angel's son's emissions the whole time!
Now there's a sentence I don't ever need to hear again.
FFred
But this is good, right? It means there was no big scary that came out of the portal...
(Sees Holtz)
How 'bout a short scary?
Oh, hey, kiddo. I didn't see you there. You looking for your dad? Come on. He's upstairs. I'll show you the room. - This way.
I'm not going anywhere with you, demon.
I'll tell you what, since you were raised in a hell dimension by a psychopath, and since that happens to be a topic that I know a little something about, we'll just let that slide. Now I'll fetch your pop for you.
Filthy demon.
Actually, that's UNCLE filthy demon to you. It wasn't that long ago, like a week, I was changing your diapers, you little...
[Holtz is sitting at the table in the motel room. He folds a piece of paper and sticks it into an envelope.]
I can't recall. Would you require an invitation for a place like this?
[Angel is standing in the open door behind Holtz.]
Public accommodation? [Steps across the threshold] No.
No. You'd think I'd remember something like that. It would have seemed important once. Details begin to escape me.
[Angel gives the door a push so it closes behind him then grabs Holtz by the throat and slams him up against the wall.]
You stole my son.
I kept your son alive. You murdered mine.
[After a beat Angel slowly backs off and withdraws his hand from Holtz' throat.]
I was different then.
Yes. So was I. You feel remorse. You feel remorse yet you can't express it.
You want me to say I'm sorry? How can I? It wouldn't mean a thing.
It would mean a little. Not much, but it would be something.
Then I'm sorry. For whatever little it might mean. It's all I've got.
[Angel stands still, looking straight ahead, not at Holtz.]
Not all. You had a son. So there it is. I thought by depriving you of that son it would allow me some measure of justice. I was wrong.
Taking Connor from me was never justice. It was vengeance.
Or maybe vengeance is what I do now. Give back what I took.
What?
I'm an old man now. I have nothing to offer the boy. You can give him what I can't: his purpose. But every time you look upon his face every time he calls you 'father' you will be reminded of that which you took and can never give back. And if that is vengeance, I find I have no taste for it. [He picks up the letter and holds it out to Angel.] All I ask is that you give him this. It's not sealed. I expect you'll examine it. You should.
Why are you doing this.
I thought I'd made that plain. I love my son. (Angel closes his eyes for a moment) And this is the only way I know to ensure that he will go on loving me.
[Angel takes a hold of the letter and turns to look at Holtz. After a moment he pulls the letter out of Holtz' hand and turns to leave.]
He won't accept this at first. He'll try to find me. He never will.
[Angel opens the door and slowly walks out.]
[voiceover] Dearest Stephen, this is a most difficult letter for me to write. You mean more to me than anything in this world or any other. But your best interests must come first, which is why by the time you receive this, I will be gone. I hope one day you will be able to forgive an old man's weakness, which compels him to say these things in a letter. But to attempt a good-bye in your presence would be impossible for me. I fear I would never let you go. And I must let you go. I know that if I didn't you would only end up hating me. And that I could not bear. Your destiny lies with Angel. I know that now. You will have a better life with him. I'm comforted by that certainty and the knowledge that with him you will discover your true purpose and come to know who it is you are meant to be. My only prayer is that I have prepared you well enough for whatever lies ahead. I trust that I have. Be brave. Lovingly, your father.
[about Angel doing nothing with regards to Connor's return] Sometimes nothing is the best something. If a thing's meant to be, sometimes it's best to just let it happen, rather than try to force it.
GGroo
But if a thing is meant to be, how can it be forced?
Well, I guess it can't.
GGroo
And if a thing is not meant to be?
Well, then it really can't. Just 'cause someone hops a dimension or two is no guarantee things will work out. [realises that this also applies to Groo's relationship with Cordelia] Well, aren't you just sneaky with the subtext?
GGroo
[walking towards the exit] It is a beautiful day. If my princess asks, tell her I have gone for a walk. [stops walking; turns to face Lorne] If she asks. [leaves]
These quotes come from Wikiquote's Angel pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.