Cordelia has a vision about an ancient Ethros demon, which turns out to have been possessing a young boy, Ryan Anderson, for years. Angel, Wesley and Cordelia perform an exorcism that expels the demon from the child, but it escapes the trap they set and roams free to possess once more. Even worse, they learn that the mass-murdering Ethros demon does not pose the biggest threat to the Anderson family's well-being, their son Ryan is evil in his own right, the Ethros demon had been trying to escape from the boy. The boy then sets fire to the home trying to kill his family.
Wesley: "I'm a fraud. The Council was right to sack me. I'm surprised they didn't cut my head off!" Angel: "Kate, do you trust me?" Kate: "You know I do." Angel and Penn fighting. Angel looking down at Kate in his vamp face. Angel: "Because there's just some things in this world you're just not ready to face. Angel inspects a knife that Wesley has laid on the kitchen table in front of him. Angel: "The mark of Kekfadlorem. (Puts the knife back down) I've heard of it, but I've never seen it." Wesley: "A knife with that mark is the only thing that will kill a Kek demon. Could be very useful." Angel: "Especially if Kek demons weren't extinct." Wesley: "They are? (Sinks down into a chair across from Angel) Oh dear. Well, - perhaps there is one out there hibernating, eh? - Ready to wake at any moment and embark on a grisly rampage." Angel: "I'll keep my fingers crossed." Timer buzzes. Cordelia comes into the kitchen: "They're done! Nobody touch." Angel (to Wesley): "She's making brownies." Wesley: "Oh, is that what I smell? (Quietly to Angel) I thought I tracked something in." Cordy takes the pan out of the oven: "The recipe was handed down to me by my mother, who got it from her housekeeper. Plus, I improvised a little. (To Wesley) You're gonna love them." Wesley: "Me? Doesn't Angel - have to - get to try any?" Cordy cutting at the brownies: "They are brownies full of nutty goodness, not red blood cells." Wesley: "Oh, I wasn't thinking. (Aside to Angel) More of a drinker than an eater, I suppose." Cordy is having trouble cutting the brownies: "Maybe if he'd branch out into the solids, he'd keep a decent knife around." Cordy picks up the demon dagger still laying on the table and starts to cut the brownies with it. Wesley jumps up: "That is not appropriate! It's for killing extinct demons! Angel, make her stop." Angel smiling: "Cordelia..." Wesley: "That blade is very old. Who knows what kind of corrosive effect your cooking may have on it!" Cordy waves the knife at Wesley: "Corrosive effect?" Angel: "Cordelia, just put down the very sharp knife." Wesley (to Cordy): "Well, they don't smell right." Cordy puts the knife on the table (to Wesley): "I think Mr. Too-much-cologne is the pot calling the kettle stinky." Angel: "Cordelia, Doyle! (Wesley and Cordy turn to look at him) I mean, uhm - Wesley. (Long pause) Wesley. (Angel looks up but the others won't meet his eye) Let's just, uhm (Gets up) no more fighting, alright?" Angel leaves the kitchen and Cordy sits down at the table with a sigh. Cut to a house with a white picket fence. Ryan: "Where is it, Stephanie?" Stephanie: "What are you talking about? I didn't take anything! Give me that. Stop it!" Cut to two blond kids fighting inside the house. There are cardboard boxes stacked against some of the walls. Ryan: "You took one of my cards." Stephanie: "I didn't touch your stupid cards." Ryan: "What did you do with it?" Stephanie: "Stop it! MOM!" Mom comes in: " Okay, that's it." Ryan: "She took one of my cards." Stephanie: "I did not!" Ryan: "You did too! (Holds up a card) I had five of this one and now I only have four." Mom: "Well, there are children in India who only have three. Come on. It's time for bed anyway." Both kids: "Oh, mom, no!" Father from the door: "You heard your mother. (Stands behind his wife and looks at the kids) It's time for bed. Cut to the mother tucking Stephanie into bed. She closes the bedroom door and leans her head against it. Then turns to look up at her husband. Paige: "Do we have to?" Paige looks over at a door with Ryan's name on it. Camera pans down to show that it is padlocked shut. Paige steps to the side and Dad padlocks Stephanie's door. Intro. Cut to Cordy slowly stepping into Angel's office. He's sitting behind his desk, reading. Cordy: "Pretend to read any good books lately?" Angel: "Cordelia. I thought you went home." Cordy walks slowly into the office and sits down across from Angel with a sigh. Cordy: "You called him Doyle." Angel: "It just - happened. - I hope Wesley is okay with it." Cordy: "Oh, who cares about him! This is about Doyle. You-you never say his name!" Angel: "I say it." Cordy: "No, you don't. - Look you don't have to be* Joe Stoic* about his dying. I mean, I know that you have this unflappable vibe working for you, but... you don't have to do that for me." Angel: "I'm not unflappable." Cordy: "Great. So - flap." Angel gets up with a sigh, moves around for a while, Cordy watches him silently. Angel: "I miss him." Cordy: "Me, too." Angel: "I've been around death before - a lot! - I've lost people. I've killed people." Cordy: "And you *are* dead. (Angel looks at her) Sorry." Angel: "It shouldn't have happened. I shouldn't have let it happen!" Cordy: "Angel, it wasn't your fault. - It hurts." Angel: "Yeah." Cordy puts a hand up to her head: "No it-it really - really (Throws herself back in her chair) really!" Flash to a blurred vision of the two kids and their father - house number 1256. Angel goes to hold her: "Easy, easy. (Cordy comes out of her vision with a gasp) - What did you see?" Blend over into Angel and Wesley pulling up in front of the house in the convertible. Angel: "1256 - that's the house." Wesley: "Angel?" Angel turns to see Ryan in his pajamas walking towards the street. Ryan is about to get run over by a car coming down the street. Angel jumps out, runs across the street and tackles the boy off the street just in time. The car drives by, honking. Angel (to Ryan): "You're all right?" Ryan: "Yeah. (Sees that Angel the coat over his shoulder) You're bleeding. Are you going to cry?" Angel looks at his shoulder then back at the boy: "I don't think so. (Looks at his shoulder then away with a smile) I don't know. - Huh, - let me think. (Seriously) Ah, no - yeah - uh, no (smiles) not gonna cry. (Ryan smiles back) What's your name?" Ryan: "Ryan." Angel: "Ryan, you want to tell me what you were doing outside?" Angel and Ryan get up as the father comes running out off the house. Dad: "Ryan! (Grabs him by the shoulders) Son, you know better than this! (Glances up at Angel) Say 'thank you' to the nice man. You come inside!" Paige comes running, wearing a white bathrobe: "Ryan! (Hugs him) Oh, my God. Oh, my God. What happened?" Dad: "He was in the street. He almost got hit. Paige - he's fine." Paige hugs Ryan hard: "God, my baby." Dad: "It's cold. Let's just - get him inside." Paige (to Angel): "You saved him. Thank God you were here." Angel and the Dad look at each other. Dad: "Yeah. - Thank you." Angel: "It's okay. (Laughs and tousles Ryan's hair) Ha, scamp, isn't he?" Paige notices his shoulder: "Oh, you're hurt. Your shoulder. (The all look at Angel's shoulder) You come inside." Paige leads the way still hugging Ryan. Angel follows after a look at the Dad. The dad gives a sigh and brings up the rear. Cut to Paige cleaning Angel's cut and bloody shoulder. Paige: "Are you sure you don't want to drive you to the emergency room? I think you may need some stitches." Angel: "I'll be fine, really. - I'm not a big bleeder." Paige nods with a smile: "We just moved in. (Looks around) Still a little bit jumbled. It doesn't get any easier, you know. Every new place you have to start over. Finding friends - people to talk to." Dad slowly walks in: "Ryan's asleep. He's - out like a light." Angel takes the rag from Paige and holds it over his shoulder. Angel looking up at the dad: "Hmm, he seems like a nice boy." Paige nods and smiles: "He is. Thank you so much! (Laughs, while the dad sits down on the couch behind her, not looking too happy) That must have been about the millionth time I said that! (Angel smiles back at her) Really, thank you. If there is anything we can do for you. Money? Or (Points to her husband on the couch) Seth's an investment advisor. Do you need some advice?" Angel shakes his head: "No, nothing. But thank you." Seth with a smile: "Paige, honey, he probably just wants to go home and get cleaned up." Paige nods slowly. Angel: "So how do you think Ryan got out into the street?" Seth: "Climbed out the window." Paige after a beat: "We have burglar bars - but he must be able to fit between. We didn't think of that, didn't even bother checking." Angel: "So where do you think he was going?" Seth: "Going? He wasn't going anywhere." Angel: "So you think he was trying to get away from something." Seth: "What would he have to get away from in his own house?" Cut to Wesley inspecting the contents of a yellow trashcan sitting against the house, holding a flashlight and poking around in it with a stick. He pokes a doll and jumps when it says 'Mom,' dropping the flashlight on the ground. He lets out a sigh. As he crouches down to pick up the flashlight he notices that it is illuminating some streaks of yellow slime on the foundation. Wesley: "Oh dear." Cut to Angel sitting in the sofa chair, while Seth lights a cigarette. Seth: "This bother you?" Angel shakes his head: "No." Seth leaning back: "A lot of health nuts these days, you know? Like anyone needs to live forever." Angel with a slight smile: "No one needs that." Seth takes a drag from his cigarette as the two men just look at each other. Seth: "She'll be right back with the bandages and - then you can go." Angel: "Right. - Uhm - Paige was telling me that you were new in town. (Paige comes in to put a bandage on Angel's shoulder) Where did you - ah..." Paige: "What? (She stares at Angel's shoulder. It's almost completely healed.) This was *much* worse." Angel: "Uh, it's just a scratch. Uh, Seth was telling me where you lived before." Paige puts the bandage on: "Akron, uh - one winter there was enough." Seth: "You know what? It strikes me, you never told us your name." Angel: "Angel. - Jones. Angel Jones." Paige: "Angel." Seth: "Honey." Paige pulls two ceramic angels out of a box and shows them to Angel. Seth rolls his eyes up. Paige (to Angel): "See?" Angel: "Angels?" Paige nods with a smile: "I collect them! I think the angels are around us all the time, don't you?" Angel looks at the angels he's holding: "I-I think, uhm - there are - beings." Paige: "It's a nice thought. Like someone's looking out for us, keeping us out of danger. (Seth shakes his head) And tonight you really were our angel, weren't you?" Angel: "I think I was just in the right place." Seth: "It's getting late." Angel hands the angels back to Paige as Seth gets up from the couch. Paige to Angel as he gets up and puts on his coat: "Come to dinner." Seth: "Paige." Paige: "Tomorrow night. Say you will. Let us pay you back for looking after us." Seth: "We've taken up too much of Angel's time already." Angel looks at Seth, then Paige then back at Seth: "Can I bring something?" Seth doesn't say anything as Paige smiles up at Angel. Cut to Angel getting into the car. Wesley is sitting in the passenger seat. Angel: "Something is wrong in that house. - The wife wants to talk, but the husband keeps getting in her way. - I'm going to come back tomorrow night." Wesley: "Be careful." Angel: "I always am." Wesley holds up a vial filled with glowing yellow mucus: "Be *especially* careful." Angel takes it: "Plakticine." Wesley: "I found it all around the foundation of the house." Angel: "So now we know." Wesley: "Someone in that house is possessed by a demon." Angel hands the vial back to Wesley and starts the car. Stephanie watches them drive away from one of the windows. Cut to Angel's office. Wesley is closing the blinds as Angel walks in. Cordy (to phone): "Thanks for your help. (Hangs up the phone) Well, mama is telling the truth about Akron, and before *that* Miami and Baton Rouge, all within the last three years." Angel holds up the glowing vial: "Let me guess - couldn't lose the black cloud." He sets the vial on Cordy's desk and folds his arms. Cordy looks at the vial: "Like it was fitted with chin straps. Everywhere they go, there've been reports of disturbances and - yuck! -animal death? In Akron, a friend of the family - went missing. - He's still missing! (They all look at each other, then Cordy picks up the vial) What is this stuff anyway? Kind of pretty!" Wesley: "Uh, it's the bodily excretion of an Ethros demon." Cordy puts the vial down and folds her hands: "No one could have said - demon poo - *before* I touched it." Wesley: "Oh, it can't hurt you. Only the demon itself is dangerous." Cordy: "How dangerous?" Wesley: "Tends to go in for mass murder. - You've heard of Lizzie Borden? She killed her parents with an axe?" Cordy: "I remember the children's rhyme. And how come they're all full of death and cradles falling, and mice getting tails cut off? (Angel chuckles) Anyway, the whole thing needs a ratings system, don't you think?" Wesley: "Yes, well - what the rhyme doesn't say is that she was possessed by an Ethros." Angel: "An adolescent Ethros. (Picks up the vial) With this amount of Plakticine, we've got ourselves a grown-up demon." Cordy: "So someone in that family has got a squatter in their head. What do *we* do about it?" Angel throws the vial at Wesley: "Evict him." Wesley catches it: "Exorcism. (Angel nods) I'll look into finding someone who can perform one. Not too many priest go in for it much these days." Cordy: "But who do we exorcise? Which one is the demon?" Angel: "The father seemed kind of off. They were afraid of him." Wesley: "A father doesn't have to be possessed to terrorize his children. He just has to... (Takes a deep breath) We'll find out soon enough. The first step in confronting the demon is getting him to show himself. A little psylis eucalipsis powder ingested by the host..." Cordy: "And what? Dad goes 'grrr.' Head spins around?" Wesley: "Essentially." Angel: "Okay, so how do I get someone to eat - eucalipsis powder?" Cut to Paige opening the door for Angel. He's holding a plate covered with plastic wrap. Angel: "I made brownies." Cut to the family and Angel sitting around the table. Paige: "More Brussels sprouts, Angel?" Angel: "No! Thank you, I'm - full. Everything was - very good." Paige smiles as she clears off the plates. Seth: "The roast was a little dry." Angel: "No. It was full of - roasty goodness." Paige: "I think we're ready to try your brownies, Angel." Seth picking up his and Angel's plate: "I'll get the coffee." Both parents leave for the kitchen. Ryan quietly to Angel: "I didn't like the Brussels sprouts. They're gross." Angel to Stephanie: "You seemed to like yours." Stephanie folds back her napkin, revealing a Brussels sprout hidden in it. Angel laughs and she hides it again. Angel leans forward and whispers: "I buried one in my mashed potatoes, too." The kids laugh. Seth: "What are you laughing at?" Stephanie: "Angel's funny." Seth pours the coffee: "Yeah? He hides it well." Paige puts the plate with the brownies on the table: "Look kids. See what Angel made for us?" Everyone except for Angel takes a brownie. Stephanie takes one bite, makes a face and hides it in her napkin. Ryan eats his without making a face. Angel looks over at Seth as he holds the brownie posed in front of his mouth looking back at Angel. Paige puts her brownie down after the first taste: "Hmm, it's uhm - what's your secret, Angel?" Angel: "I use - uhm, chocolate. That's why they're brown - which gives them their name - brownies." Seth: "No hot chocolate for you kids tonight. *This* is your treat tonight." Ryan: "Dad." Stephanie: "That's not fair." Paige: "Kids. Shh. Company." Angel looks over out of the corner of his eye at Seth, who has finally taken a bite. Seth begins to choke and Stephanie screams. She is staring at her brother, who is growling and whose face is turning into a demon face. Cut to Ryan's head jerking around, then dropping onto the table. Paige jumps up and hugs him. Paige: "Oh God, Ryan, what's wrong?" Angel gets up: "You're son is possessed by a demon." Stephanie: "Ryan's bad. Ryan's always been bad." Seth: "Stephanie." Stephanie gets up and leaves. Paige: "Baby, - can you hear me?" Angel walks over to her: "Paige, listen to me - he's okay." Paige: "What do you mean, he's okay?" Angel: "I had to get the demon to show itself first." Paige: "You did this to him?" Angel: "The demon was already there, I just used the brownies to..." Paige: "You put something in our food. You poisoned him? (Angel looks over at Seth, who just looks back) What were you thinking? I thought you were here to help us. You are *not* an angel." Seth: "Paige, it's okay." Paige: "Seth, he did this to Ryan." Seth: "We both know that that is not true. What was wrong with Ryan has been wrong for a long time. (Gets up) Now you say you know how to help my son? (Angel just looks at him) Alright. What do you need?" Angel: "A phone." Cut to Paige huddled on the sofa with Ryan on her lap. Seth is sitting next to them stroking Ryan's back. Angel (to phone): "I found our demon. It's in the boy." Wesley on the phone in the office: "We're not ready. I found the name of a priest, but we're having a spot of trouble running him to ground." Angel: "I need for you to put together a binding powder. Everything you need is in the pantry. We can contain him until we get the priest. We're coming to you." Angel and Wesley hang up as Seth gets off the sofa. Angel to Seth: "How is she?" Seth: "She's just - (sighs) It's been so long." Angel: "This isn't gonna be easy." Seth: "For the last three years - it's been *all* I can do to hold this family together. - Now you come here and tell me there may be a *reason* for all the terror and confusion, and a way to end it? - Maybe you are an angel." Angel: "Can you get someone to come and stay with your daughter?" Seth: "Yes. Why?" Angel: "The rest of you are coming with me." Cut to Wesley sliding the grate of the elevator open. He takes Ryan from Angel and carries him over to Angel's bed. Angel (to Seth and Paige): "These are my assistants." Cordy: "Hi, I'm Cordelia. (Shakes Paige's hand) Sorry about the possession and everything." Seth: "Ah - Hello." Wesley covers Ryan with a blanket as Cordy picks up a big glass bottle and starts to draw a circle around the bed with the yellow sand that's in it. Cordy: "Oh, I wonder if I should put plastic down. Angel, are you expecting any big vomiting here? Because - I saw the movie." Seth and Paige look at Angel, who just raises his eyebrows at her. Cordy makes a face and gets back to drawing the circle. Wesley: "The binding powder will keep the demon under control - while Angel and I go to find the priest." Paige: "He doesn't need a priest." Angel puts a hand on her shoulder: "Paige - listen to me. - The only way through this is to let us help. - Look, your son is possessed. - Deep down you know this is true. - You know it." Wesley: "Cordelia will stay with you. We'll be back as soon as we can." Angel: "Do not break the circle. It's important. He'll try and get you to come to him. Don't do it. Don't touch him. - He's been exposed, and he's angry. - He'll kill you if he gets a chance, you got that?" Cordy: "Jeez, we got it! Circle, angry, kill, kill, kill. Go to church already." Angel and Wesley leave. Seth puts a hand on Paige's shoulder and she covers it with one of her own as the both look at Ryan laying unconscious on the bed. Blend into Wesley and Angel walking into a church. Angel trails a bit behind Wesley taking a deep breath as he looks up at the crucifix above the altar. The church is empty except for an old nun praying in the front pew. Wesley: "Ah, sister? Good evening. Sorry to disturb your prayers. I hope we didn't make you lose your place." Angel leans one hand on the end of the pew occasionally glancing up at the crucifix. Nun gets up (to Wesley): "Not at all. How can I... (Looks over at Angel) - You would come in to a place of worship?" Angel: "I'm not what you think." Nun: "No?" She tries to brush the cross on her rosary against Angel's hand and he quickly pulls his hand away. Angel: "Okay. (Swallows) Yeah, I am. - But I'm trying to help someone. A child. He's possessed by an Ethros demon." Wesley: "Which is why we need to find father Fredricks. I'm afraid it's rather urgent." Nun: "He's out behind the church." Wesley: "Thank you! (To Angel) Progress at last." Nun: "The last grave on the left." Angel: "He's - the father's dead." Nun walking up towards a side altar: "Six months ago a family came to father Fredricks. Their daughter was possessed with a demon. (Reaches to light some votive candles) A very powerful demon. - Father Fredricks saved the young woman - but he couldn't save himself." Wesley: "It, uhm, it was an Ethros demon?" Nun: "If the child you are trying to save really is possessed with an Ethros (Looks at Wesley) my prayers are with you (Looks at Angel) both of you. Because what you are dealing with is - very, very smart - and very dangerous. (Lifts her eyebrows at Angel) Even more dangerous than you." Ryan: "Mommy? Where are you? Mommy, I'm scared. - I need you. - Are you there?" Ryan is sitting up on Angel's bed. Paige is sitting at the kitchen table with Seth. Cordy is pouring them some tea. Paige to Seth: "Couldn't I just take him his toys, please?" Seth: "You heard what Angel said, Paige. We have to wait." Paige: "But why do we have to wait? Things were going really well this time, weren't they? - Couldn't we just keep on like it was?" Seth: "Paige, no. Not after Ohio." Cordy: "Ohio?" Seth after a beat: "A friend of ours - the kids used to call him Uncle Frank, died in a fire." Paige with a sob: "That was an accident. It wasn't Ryan!" Ryan: "Mommy, I'm scared. It's so cold in here. Mommy?" Paige tries to get up, but Seth grabs her arm. Seth: "And *that* isn't Ryan either. - Paige?" Paige settles back down: "I'm not going to him, okay? I'm playing by the stupid rules." Cordy: "Good! We can watch TV or play cards. You'll get caught up, you won't even hear your son's pain." Ryan: "Mommy, I need you. I'm so scared. Come here." Paige to Seth: "This is just too cruel." Cordy to Paige: "It's almost over. And Angel is good at this kind of thing, and Wesley... - Well, I'm sure they'll be right back with the priest. Cut to Wesley filling a glass bottle with water from the baptismal fountain. Angel: "You can't do it." Wesley: "I know the ritual and we have the supplies." Angel: "You've never done this before. Look, it takes tremendous strength - mental strength." Wesley: "Resistance to suggestion. Yes, I understand that. - I like to think of myself as possessing a certain..." Angel: "Wesley, you don't even have sales resistance. (Wesley looks up at him) How many thighmasters do you own?" Wesley: "The second one was a free gift with my 'Buns of Steel.'" Angel: "Father Fredricks was an expert. A demon just like this killed him." Wesley: "You're saying I can't do it." Angel: "That's right." Wesley looks away: "So our only option is (picks up a cross and tosses it to Angel) you do it." Angel instinctively catches it. It burns his hand and he hisses and tosses it like a hot potato. Angel sighs and exhales: "That was vulgar." Wesley: "But I believe I made my point." Angel: "All right. You'll do it. But I'm going to be right there with you." Cut to the yellow circle around Angel's bed. Paige standing in the door with Seth: "See, honey? Mommy's right here. I'm not going anywhere. Nobody is going to hurt you, sweetie. It's going to be okay." Cordy: "Paige, come away." Seth: "You wanted to see him, there he is - and he's gonna be fine." Paige: "He's not fine! Look at him, Seth. Look at him. He needs me." Ryan is laying huddled on his side under the blanket, still wearing the gray demon face. Ryan: "Mamma? I can't see. Something is wrong with my eyes and it hurts. (Paige looks up at her husband then back at Ryan) Why won't you help me?" Paige: "I'm here, baby. I'm right here." Ryan begins to growl and tosses on the bed. Paige strains to go to him, but Cordy and Seth manage to restrain her. Cut to Angel and Wesley walking into the upstairs office. Wesley looking at an open book in his hands: "The standard Latin seems to be the ritual of choice for an Ethros." Angel: "Good. Come on. (Wesley stops and Angel turns back to him) What?" Wesley: "I believe I know how the priest was killed. - When an Ethros is cast out it immediately seeks another body to inhabit. The Demon is expelled with such force that the newly inhabited rarely survives." Angel: "That's a problem." Wesley quietly: "I dare say." They hear the commotion as Cordy and Seth try to hold Paige back and hurry into the elevator. [SCENE_BREAK] Cut to Cordy turning from Paige as she hears the elevator. Cordy: "They're here. They're coming." Ryan: "Mommy!" Seth and Cordy watch the elevator come down while Paige takes advantage of their distraction to run to Ryan. Angel sees her: "No!" Seth: "Paige!" He and Cordy run after her, but the door slams shut in their faces and won't open. Angel tries to get out of the elevator, but the outside door won't slide aside. Cordy: "Angel!" Cut to Ryan stroking his mother's face as she leans over him. Ryan: "Mommy. I'm so glad you're here. (Takes her by the throat and starts to choke her) So glad." Cut to Paige struggling against Ryan. Seth and Cordy manage to get the doors open and Seth tries to break Ryan's hold on his mom. Seth: "Ryan, no! Ryan, stop it!" Cordy running back out: "Angel! (The elevator is back upstairs and she bangs on the button a couple of times) Hurry!" Angel and Wesley come running down the stairs. Seth: "Ryan, no. Let her go. Ryan, stop it! Stop it! Let her go!" Wesley runs in and holds a cross in Ryan's face, while Angel helps Seth to pull Paige away. Wesley: "Omnis spiritus in munde. In nomine dei!" Ryan screams and falls back on the bed. Seth cradles his wife in his arms. Wesley: "It's retreated back into the boy." Angel: "It's gone deeper." Wesley: "That's likely." Angel (to Paige): "Look, from now on you do exactly as I'm telling you, understood?" Paige nods, her hands wrapped around her throat. Cut to Wesley redrawing the circle with the yellow powder. Angel comes in, hands him a little black book then slowly backs back out and closes the doors. Seth is sitting on the edge of the daybed, where his wife is drinking a cup of tea. Angel walks up behind Cordy, who is sitting on the sofa looking through a book. Angel: "Anything?" Cordy hands him the open book: "Ethros demon - Ethros box." Angel looks at the picture of a box in the book: "Hmm, this is what's used to trap it." Cordy gets up and points out a passage to him: "It says right here the demon goes all dingy when it's forced out. Bad sense of direction or something. If you have one of these boxes, it'll go right into it." Angel reads: "There to be confined for a thousand years." Cordy: "Which ought to do it, right? Of course without one of these..." Angel: "The demon will try to make the jump to the nearest warm body." Cordy: "Right. - So you're safe anyway. (Angel looks at her) Maybe we can build one of these." Angel looks back at the book: "Ah, an authentic Ethros box is made of 600 species of virgin woods and handcrafted by blind Tibetan monks." Cordy thinks for a moment: "Nope. Don't know any." Angel writes an address on a piece of paper and hands it to Cordy. Angel: "Melrose and Robertson, between the yogurt shop and the Doggy Dunk." Cordy: "Blind virgin monks?" Angel: "No, Rick's Magic 'n' Stuff. If anyone in LA will have an Ethros box, it'll be Rick. (They look around as the light begin to flicker) Better hurry." Cordy leaves: "Okay." Paige runs up to Angel: "What's happening?" Cut to Wesley doing the exorcism. Wesley: "Omnis spiritus in munde. In nomine dei. Omnis spiritus in..." Ryan sits up on the bed looking at Wesley. Ryan in deep demon voice: "Your Latin sucks." Wesley splashes some Holy Water on Ryan then goes to pick up the book. Wesley: "I know your tricks. - You'll not deter *me* from what must be done." Ryan (in demon voice): "*You* do something? What makes you think you can do anything?" Wesley: "In odorem suavitatis. Tu autem effugare, diabole. Appropinquabit enim judicium dei." Ryan (demon voice): "You couldn't even 'watch!' (Wesley stares at Ryan) Everyone knows you got fired because you couldn't do anything right. Nothing is going to make him proud of you." Wesley: "Skimming the surface of my mind - *very* good. But a mere parlor trick. Here's one for you (Puts down the bottle of Holy Water and thrusts a cross into Ryan's face) How many crosses am I holding up? Omnis spiritus immunde. In nomine dei." Ryan in Wesley's voice: "All those hours locked up under the stairs and you still weren't good enough. Not good enough for Daddy, not good enough for the Council." Wesley blinks then looks back at the book: "Omnis spiritus - (Starts to flip the pages) Uh, that is to say." Ryan in demon voice: "Lose your place? What makes you think these people want you around any more than the others did?" Angel coming through the door: "Because I invited him here." Ryan in demon voice to Angel: "Then you're stupider than he is." Angel and Wesley look at each other then Wesley takes a deep breath, holds up the cross and starts again. Wesley: "Tu autem.." Ryan in demon voice: "Go ahead, Wesley, tell him why he's a fool to trust you." Wesley: "Effugare, diabole." Ryan in Angel's voice: "Tell him how you plan to kill him." Wesley to Angel: "That's not true." Ryan in demon voice: "Oh, no? He's more afraid of you than he is of me." Wesley lunges towards Ryan with the cross held high, scuffing the circle with his foot. Wesley: "I'll show you fear!" Ryan holds up his hand and the cross in Wesley's hand buries itself in the side of Wesley's neck. Wesley falls back, screaming and Angel runs over to him. Angel pulls out the cross and tosses it away, shaking his hand from the pain of the cross burning him, while Ryan looks on and laughs. Cut to Rick's Majick 'n' Stuff. Cordy is looking over some wooden boxes sitting on shelves around the store. Rick crosses his hands and bows: "Blessed be." Cordy: "Uh-huh. I need an Ethros box." Rick: "A lady who knows what she wants. Commendable." Cordy: "Yes, I'm great. Just pop it in a bag and I'm out of here." Rick: "I don't have one." Cordy: "You don't have one. (Rick shakes his head) Well, (Cordy looks around then points at a box on a shelf behind Rick) what's that?" Rick: "Good eye. That's a Shorshack box." Cordy: "What's the diff?" Rick takes the box down: "About 20 Dollars, and it's not available in a mahogany finish." Cordy: "Looks the same. Handcrafted by blind Tibetan monks?" Rick opens the box: "Pieced together by mute Chinese nuns. Now that's craftsmanship." Cordy: "Look, I have an Ethros demon and I need a place to put it. Will this work?" Rick: "Hmm, probably. Shorshack demon is a little smaller than your average Ethros, might be tight across the shoulders." Cordy: "Well, how big could the demon be? I mean, it's in a little bitty boy! - I'll take it." Rick: "A wise choice. I think you are going to enjoy this item. It's a quality item. Shall I have it gift-wrapped?" Cut to Paige putting a bandage on Wesley's neck in the kitchen. Angel: "That was too close." Wesley: "I let my guard down. It won't happen again." Angel: "You're not going back in there." Wesley: "Angel!" Angel: "It's too dangerous. He could've killed you, Wesley." Seth: "And my son? What about him?" The kitchen table begins to shake and the marbles roll out of their bag and spell out 'Save Me.' Wesley: "Angel, we don't have a choice." Doyle's voice comes from the bedroom: "The good fight, yeah?" The doors to the bedroom spring open and Ryan sits on the bed, laughing. Ryan in demon voice: "Guess who's here, Angel. He's talking to me right now. Doyle wants to ask why you couldn't protect him." Angel rips a strip off one of the kitchen towels, wraps it around his hand then picks up the cross laying on the table. Seth: "What are you doing?" Angel walking towards the bedroom: "Ending this." Cordy walks in holding the box: "They only had..." Angel: "Get it ready." Angel stalks through the bedroom door with Seth right behind him, while Cordy and Wesley hold the box open between them. Ryan in demon voice to Angel: "You let him die. Just like he's gonna let me die. (In Ryan's voice to Seth) Aren't you, Daddy? (Seth looks down and sees some smoke rising from Angel's hand despite the insulation of the towel) Two great protectors." Angel to Seth: "Get back." Seth backs away as Angel steps up to the bed and lays the cross on Ryan's chest. Angel: "Abrenuntias satanae?" Wesley and Cordy stand in the doorway with the open box. Wesley: "Do you renounce Satan?" Angel: "Et omnibus operibus eus?" Wesley: "And all of his works?" Angel: "Omnibus pompis eus?" Angel's hand is smoking pretty good by now, but he doesn't budge. Wesley: "And all his pomps?" Angel: "Exorcie te. Omnis spiritus immunde. Adaperiae! (Morphs into vamp face) Now get the hell out!" Angel steps back as Ryan writhes on the bed. Ryan begins to glow, the light hits the open box and shatters it. Cordy and Wesley turn as a wind races up the stairs. Ryan is laying on the bed, back in his human face. Paige runs in and hugs her son. Paige: "Ryan?" Seth runs after and hugs both his wife and Ryan at the same time. Angel, Cordy and Wesley stare down at the broken box on the floor. Cordy to Angel: "Oh-oh." Cut to Wesley scraping up some yellow slime with a tongue depressor upstairs in the office. Wesley: "Plakticine! - Clearly it came up the elevator shaft." Cordy: "So it's up here somewhere?" Angel: "No. Long gone by now." Cordy: "And good riddance to it." Angel: "No, not good riddance. It'll possess again." Wesley: "Maybe we shouldn't have been so quick to send the Andersons back home. It might attempt to repossess the boy." Angel: "I don't think so. Not right away." Wesley to Angel: "What are you thinking?" Angel: "Well, it had to expel a lot of energy to escape like this. - It'll need time to recharge." Wesley: "You're thinking the demon has taken on corporeal form." Angel picks up some weapons: "That's my guess. It can only absorb the elements it needs if it manifests itself physically. Which means, if we can find it in time (Throws Wesley one of the weapons) we can kill it. He'll be looking for a hostile environment - somewhere damp. Probably returning to primordial volcanic basalt for his regeneration." Cordy: "Huh?" Wesley: "Sea caves!" Cordy: "Why didn't he just say that?" Angel and Wesley leave. Cut to Angel and Wesley walking down a sea cave. Angel finds some mucus on the wall. Angel: "We're close. Come on." Wesley: "Angel - before we go any further - I just wanted to reassure you - in as much as we will be fighting side by side - what that demons said before.." Angel: "I know you're not planning to kill me, Wesley. - But you're willing to - and that's good. Now come on." They walk further down the cave tunnels and find the Ethros. Ethros: "You." Angel: "Didn't think this was over, did you?" Ethros: "You are a fool. You think to destroy me? You're dealing with forces beyond your comprehension." Angel, twirling his axe: "Yeah? Well, it's a hobby of mine." Wesley: "You great - putrescent - bully! Pick on an innocent child! You think you're impressive?" Ethros: "I am Ethros. I corrupted the spirits of men before they had speech to name me. - The child was but the last among tens of thousands, one more pure heart to corrupt, one more soul to suck dry." Wesley: "Well, chalk up one exciting failure. You didn't get that boy's soul." Ethros: "Hmpf, what soul?" Cut to Paige setting a cup of hot cocoa in front of Stephanie and Ryan. Ryan: "She has nine marshmallows, and I only have seven." Paige: "Well, we'll just have to write the Nestle bunny about that. (Kisses Ryan on the cheek) Drink up. It's way past bedtime." Ethros lowering its hood: "Do you know what the most frightening thing in the world is? - Nothing! That's what I found in the boy (Cut to Ryan staring at Stephanie as she drinks her hot cocoa) no conscience, no fear, no humanity, just a black void. I couldn't control him. (Back to the Ethros) I couldn't get out. I never even manifested until you brought me forth. I just sat there and watched as he destroyed everything around him. Not from a belief in evil, not for any reason at all." Cut to Paige leaning up against Seth with a smile: "He doesn't seem to remember any of it." Seth: "Good." Ethros: "That boy's mind was the blackest hell I've ever known." Angel: "The marbles, that was you." Ethros nods: "When he slept, I could whisper in him. I tried to get him to end his life, even if it meant ending mine." Angel: "You sleepwalked him in front of the car." Ethros: "I had given up - hope. - I know you bring death. I do not fear it. The only thing I have ever feared is in that house." Wesley: "Angel, he's with his family. We have to hurry." Ethros: "Yes, you do." Angel lifts his axe and we hear a scream as we cut away to Paige tucking Ryan in bed. Paige: "Good night, sweetheart." Cut to the outside of the house. Blend into Seth and Paige sleeping in bed. Ryan walks in and picks up the matches laying next to a pack of cigarettes on Seth's nightstand. Seth stirs as Ryan closed the door. Seth: "Ryan?" Ryan drives a wedge under the door to keep it from being opened. Paige sitting up: "What is going on?" Seth trying to get the door open: "I don't know." Ryan takes the phone of the hook and picks up a can of gasoline. Seth: "Ryan, open the door!" Paige: "Ryan - Stephanie?" We can hear the parents trying to talk to him in the background as he walks into Stephanie's bedroom. Seth keeps throwing himself again the door, trying to break it open, screaming at Ryan. Ryan pours gasoline on the floor in Stephanie's room. He sets the can down and lights a match. After a moment he drops the lit match and the gasoline goes up in a wall of flame with Stephanie's bed on the other side. Stephanie wakes up and screams as the smoke detector goes off. Ryan just stands there watching the flames. Seth and Paige come up behind him, see the wall of flame. Seth: "Stephanie!" Stephanie: "Mom, dad! Help!" Angel bursts in through the window and picks Stephanie up off the bed as Wesley appears behind the Andersons. Wesley: "Everybody out! Lets go! Go! Go!" Wesley picks up Ryan and pushes the parents down the hallway. Angel turns with Stephanie in his arms and jumps back out through the window. Cut to the outside of the house. There are firemen on the roof and an Ambulance and a couple police cars in the driveway. Kate shuts the back door of a police car. Ryan is sitting in the back seat. She walks over to where Angel and Seth are standing. Kate to Seth: "Social services will take over from here. They'll want to speak to your son alone first." Seth: "When will we get to see him?" Kate: "Not until tomorrow." Seth: "Well, what's gonna happen to him?" Kate: "We won't know until after the evaluation." Angel to Kate: "Thanks for coming by, Kate." She just looks at him for a moment, then nods and walks away. Seth watching as Ryan is driven away: "I won't be able to cover for him anymore. They're gonna want to know about Ohio - and everything. - I wanted to protect him." Angel: "I know." Seth looks over at Angel: "I was just trying to hold my family together." Angel looks over at where Paige and Stephanie stand together wrapped in a blanket and Seth looks over as well. Angel: "I think you did." Seth nods slightly at Angel then goes over and picks Stephanie up in his arms. The camera pans up as we watch Angel walk over to where Cordy and Wesley are waiting next to his car.
I've Got You Under My Skin