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WESLEY (looks up at her, his eyes widening with hope once again, stands) If you stay here, you'll taste it every day, every second. (walks to the window) Look. Humans rule the Earth. (Illyria moves quickly to the window, concerned) They will last for millennia... like roaches crawling everywhere. (moves to stand behind her, whispering in her ear) Crying and sweating and puking their feelings all over you. (Illyria hangs her head) Go back. Sleep until the humans are gone. They are stupid and weak. They'll kill each other off and you can return to the world you deserve. (holds his hand to her shoulder, nearly touching it) Leave this shell. ILLYRIA (turns on him with a start) You seek to save what's rotted through. This carcass is bound to me. I could not change that if I cared to, but you have opened my eyes to truth. If the world is truly overrun by humans... (puts her hand on Wes's chest and effortlessly thrusts him across the room into a wall) then I have work to do. (leaves the apartment)
SPIKE (sits back, scoffs) Can't even get drunk. (cocks his head to the side, addressing Angel) Why would anyone ever make a bottle this small? (holds up his tiny bottle of Jack, stares at it) It's inhuman. (puts down the bottle, turns to Angel in earnest) Thousands would have died if we'd saved her.
HARMONY Can I help? (rubs her hands together excitedly) I'm really good at it. GUNN Thanks, but this is kind of personal. HARMONY Why do you think I want to help? Because I've got some kind of blood lust—well, OK, that, too, but Fred's my friend. We went out for drinks all the... once. And if Poindexter here had anything to do with hurting her, then I'm in for a big fat pound of flesh.
KNOX She's so much more than that now. Beyond flesh. Beyond perfection. I loved Fred. I really did. (Wes stares blankly as Knox talks) She had a warmth that took you in and held you until everything cold and distant melted away. She was the most beautiful, perfect woman I ever met. That's why I chose her. She's the only one that was worthy.
GUNN Wes, don't. We need him. I know how you feel— WESLEY Do you know? (chokes up) You didn't feel her die. (crying) She was shaking with pain and terrified and so brave. And she was better than anyone I've known, and better than... (with teary eyes, he glances at Knox, shaking his head) and she's gone.
WESLEY (still walking around the sarcophagus slowly) She was curious. That's why Fred didn't put it into containment immediately. (stops walking, stands at the head near the iris where Fred stood when she was infected) How things work. What makes them special. She was always searching for what other people couldn't see. She was just curious. I think I hate her a little for that. HARMONY (softly) Wes... WESLEY (authoritatively) Hand me the pry bar. HARMONY (grabs the pry bar and walks toward Wes) The girl of your dreams loved you. That's more than most people ever get. (hands the pry bar to Wes)
GUNN (looks Wes in the eyes) I couldn't go back... to being just the muscle. I—I didn't think it would be one of us. I didn't think it would be Fred. WESLEY (walks slowly toward Gunn) I understand not wanting to go back, (stops pointing the gun at Gunn) not wanting to be who we were. I understand it. And I can forgive it. (puts the gun down on a table covered with medical instruments) But you knew what was happening to her. You knew who was responsible and you didn't say anything. You let her die. (picks up a scalpel from the table and thrusts it into Gunn's gut) I'm less forgiving about that.
KNOX Not anymore. I'm with the king. (rubbing his hands excitedly) Open the gateway. Raise your army. Wash humanity from the face of the Earth and reclaim what was lost to you so many millennia ago, when the world was ruled by— ILLYRIA Be silent. KNOX (nods) Right. (bows) Sorry. (backs up) My bad
HARMONY How could you do that? To your friends? To Fred? GUNN Because I was weak. (scoffs) Because I wanted to be somebody that I wasn't. (shakes his head) Because I don't know where I fit. Because I never did. Because a thousand other reasons that don't mean a damn 'cause she's gone. (crying) She's gone... and she's not coming back because of me. (nods) I did this, and I'm sorry. (sobs) I'm sorry.
KNOX (nervously) Is that an issue? Is my life in peril, boss? King? ANGEL You're about as low as it gets, Knox, but you're a part of humanity. That isn't always pretty, but it's a hell of a lot better than what came before. And if it comes down to a choice between you and him, then yes, I would fight for his life, just like any other human's. Because that's what people do. That's what makes us— A gunshot echoes in the room. Knox looks down at his chest to see he's bleeding from a gunshot wound to the heart. He collapses. Wes is holding the smoking gun. ANGEL (turns to Wes, shakes his head) Were you even listening?
SPIKE Great. (sighs) Maybe we should send Gunn... before Wes has another poke. ANGEL (sits up, surprised) You're not leaving? SPIKE This is what she would have wanted. (looks at Angel) It's what I want. I don't really like you. Suppose I never will. But this is important, what's happening here. Fred gave her life for it. The least I can do is give what's left of mine. (looks out the window) The fight's comin', Angel. We both feel it... and it's gonna be a hell of a lot bigger than Illyria. Things are gonna get ugly. That's where I live.
WESLEY No. It wasn't just. (sighs, puts his hands on his hips) I'm probably the last man in the world to teach you what's right. ILLYRIA But you will. If I abide, you will help me. WESLEY (softly) Yes. ILLYRIA Because I look like her? WESLEY (looks at her with tears in his eyes, whispers) Yes. ILLYRIA (stands beside Wes, looks out the window to the lab below where her sarcophagus lies) We cling to what is gone. Is there anything in this life but grief? WESLEY (looks out at the lab) There's love. There's hope...for some. There's hope that you'll find something worthy... that your life will lead you to some joy... that after everything... you can still be surprised. ILLYRIA Is that enough? (looks at Wes) Is that enough to live on?