Starring: David Boreanaz as Angel, Charisma Carpenter as Cordelia Chase, Alexis Denisof as Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, and J. August Richards as Charles Gunn

Guest starring: Elisabeth Rohm as Kate Lockley, Christian Kane as Lindsey McDonald,
Stephanie Romanov as Lilah Morgan, Sam Anderson as Holland Manners, Julie Benz as Darla, Juliet Landau as Drusilla

Original air date: December 19, 2000

Written by: Tim Minear & Shawn Ryan
Directed by: James A. Contner

Gunn is nearly carrying Angel into the Hyperion lobby through the basement stairs and calls for help. Gunn tells Wesley and Cordelia that he found Angel at Darla’s motel room and the place was a mess and there was no Darla. Gunn was barely able to get Angel to Gunn’s truck without Angel bursting into flames. Wes tries to find out what happened from Angel but Angel’s pretty delirious. Angel talks in disjointed sentences but manages to give Wes, Cordy and Gunn a rough outline of what happened: Angel couldn’t save Darla, and ‘they’ made Darla drink. Finally Angel explains that Drusilla sired Darla. Both Cordy and Wes are disturbed by that news but Gunn has no idea who Drusilla is. Angel is really agitated and goes into his office looking for something. Angel keeps talking about finding her and saving her. Wes points out, however, that Darla has been sired and at nightfall Darla will rise again. But Angel thinks he can save Darla from rising - by putting a wooden stake into her heart.

A bit later Gunn is talking with Wes and Gunn is trying to unknot Angel’s family tree. Gunn tells Wes that he is more freaked by the fact that the granddaughter (Drusilla) resired the grandmother (Darla) than by the fact that vampires suck blood. Angel comes in and asks for an update. Wes gives Angel the times of sunset and sunrise and Cordy tells Angel that, according to Lindsey’s assistant, Lindsey has been in a meeting all day long. Angel knows that Wolfram & Hart wouldn’t hide Darla at their offices and figures that he can get answers from Lindsey at his home. Gunn, Wes and Cordy want to go with Angel but Angel insists that they stay behind. Cordy tries to convince Angel that he will need them to go into Lindsey’s apartment but Angel tells them that Lindsey invited Angel into his apartment once already. The invitation still stands so Angel can bust down the door and go in without a new invitation.

Angel breaks down the door to Lindsey’s apartment and finds the apartment empty. The landlady comes by and explains that Lindsey moved out the day before. Angel asks for a forward address and the landlady tells Angel that all of Lindsey’s mail is being forwarded to his work address. The landlady asks if this has anything to do with Lindsey’s English cousin. The landlady tells Angel that she knew the “pregnancy” was in trouble the minute the cousin started talking about it. According to the landlady the cousin was very excited about preparing a nursery for the birth, somewhere under the stars. Angel thinks that Drusilla would want “the ritual.”

Across town Drusilla is opening a shade and looking at the stars, marvelling that she can hear the stars singing to her. Lindsey and Drusilla are in some sort of greenhouse look at Darla’s lifeless body which is surrounded by flowers and plants. Drusilla tells Lindsey that grandmother is very pleased with the location. Holland and Lilah come into the greenhouse and Holland compliments Drusilla - according to Holland Drusilla is ‘glowing.’ Holland is paying a courtesy call to make sure Drusilla has everything that she needs for her ritual. Holland, Lilah, and Lindsey leave Drusilla alone with her grandmother/daughter Darla. Drusilla is singing to Darla as she arranges Darla’s body for the ritual.

Back at the Hyperion Cordy has lists of cemeteries, funeral homes and mausoleums that she gives to Gunn, Angel, and Wes. According to Angel, Drusilla would want to put Darla’s body in the ground because Drusilla is a classicist. Wes thinks that Angel is stretching things, trying to find logical connections when Drusilla doesn’t really think logically. Given the huge number of cemeteries in and around the L.A. area Cordy and Gunn don’t think they stand a ghost of a chance of finding Darla before sunrise. Angel starts to reconsider. According to Angel, Drusilla sees the ritual as a birth process and getting a nursery ready. Angel also remembers that when Drusilla was in Sunnydale (see BtVS season 2) Drusilla used to spend hours in Angel’s garden talking to the stars in the sky. Gunn thinks that maybe they shouldn’t be thinking “baby” nursery, but “plant” nursery. Gunn reminds everyone that plant nurseries have soil, that plant nurseries are more about beginnings than deaths, and that if they can find a nursery up high (near the stars) they may be on to something. Cordy suggests they look for a plant nursery with a connection to Wolfram & Hart. Wes suggests a good place to start might be a corporate supplier.

Angel ‘drops in’ on a greenhouse atop a building in downtown L.A. Inside the greenhouse Angel finds a large plant bed filled with newly moved soil. Angel starts moving some of the soil and finds a shrouded body underneath. Angel pulls away the shroud and finds that it’s Darla. Angel looks at Darla and takes a stake out of his jacket. Angel prepares to bury the stake in Darla’s heart but Drusilla sneaks up behind Angel and hits Angel several times with a shovel. As Drusilla and Angel fight Darla wakes up. Angel finally gets away from Drusilla and tries to drive a wooden stake into Darla’s heart to find that Darla’s no longer in the plant bed. Angel looks around but doesn’t see Darla anywhere that is until Darla grabs Angel by the throat and lifts him off the ground by about three feet. Drusilla distracts Darla for a second and Angel breaks Darla’s hold. It’s a melee - Drusilla is trying to stake Angel, Angel is trying to stake Darla, and a newly risen Darla is attacking both Angel and Drusilla. At one point Angel has the opportunity to stake Darla but when he looks at Darla Angel hesitates. Darla manages to escape by jumping off of the building and, when Angel looks back, Drusilla is nowhere to be found.

Angel returns to the hotel and tells everyone to grab something sharp and pointy. Angel doesn’t know where they are, doesn’t even have a hint, but knows that Darla and Drusilla are separate. Angel wants to find either Darla or Drusilla and kill them so that Darla and Drusilla can’t join forces. If that happens things will get might ugly. Angel proposes that they go to the one place that is a lead - Wolfram & Hart. Cordy doesn’t think this is a good plan, what with Wolfram & Hart’s vampire detectors and all. Angel tells all of them they really have just two choices now - either they follow the one lead they have or wait around while the bodies start to pile up. Angel tells them that he’s decided not to wait and if the others agree, his car is outside. Gunn tells Angel that Angel got Gunn’s attention at “gear up.” Reluctantly Cordy and Wes follow Angel and Gunn to the car.

At Wolfram & Hart Holland stops by Lindsey’s office. Holland compliments Lindsey on his recent work and tells Lindsey that his recent work has been noticed by the Senior Partners. Holland also tells Lindsey basically that ‘all work and no play makes Lindsey a dull boy.’ Holland encourages Lindsey to start forming ‘healthy attachments’ outside of the office. Holland reminds Lindsey not to be late to the party this evening and Lindsey assures Holland that he wouldn’t miss it for the world. Before Holland can leave Lindsey’s office Drusilla steps out of the shadows. Holland asks Drusilla if things went well in the greenhouse. Drusilla tells Holland that she’s worried about Darla and that Angelus wasn’t at all happy. Drusilla also tells Holland that Angelus is on his way to Wolfram & Hart now. Lindsey answers his phone and finds out there is a general alert in the building - there’s an unknown vampire in the building. Lindsey opens his office door to find Darla. Darla grabs Lindsey’s head and smells his neck and Lindsey is loving it, until Darla throws Lindsey across the room. Darla rushes in the office, grabs Drusilla’s hand, and the two of them run out of Lindsey’s office with Drusilla giggling the entire time. Holland calls security and makes sure that Darla and Drusilla leave the building without being stopped. Before Holland leaves Lindsey’s office Holland makes a point to tell Lindsey “healthy attachments.” Lindsey’s pissed.

Angel is driving his car like a maniac and Wes reminds Angel that it does no one any good if the four of them don’t arrive at Wolfram & Hart in one piece. Just then Cordy grabs her head and Wes, who’s sitting next to Cordy, tells Angel to pull over because Cordy is having a vision. Cordy’s vision is about a man with a gun and Cordy tells Angel to drive in the opposite direction. Angel doesn’t want to be distracted from his quest to stake Darla and doesn’t take Cordy’s vision seriously until Cordelia pulls her wooden stake out and threatens Angel. That gets Angel’s attention and he turns the car around.

On the streets Darla is tossing Drusilla around like a rag doll. Drusilla doesn’t understand why Darla is angry. While thy are standing in the middle of the street Darla finally asks Drusilla why Drusilla sired her. Drusilla tells Darla it’s what Drusilla thought Darla wanted, to be saved. An impatient driver starts honking his horn at the two vampires standing in the road. Drusilla tells Darla that Drusilla is all alone and Drusilla starts crying. Darla holds Drusilla close as the impatient driver starts telling Drusilla and Darla to get out of the street. Darla walks up to the driver, vamps out, and Darla has herself a good, long drink. When she’s finished Darla suggests that she and Drusilla go shopping and the two walk down the street hand in hand.

In a garage a young man is praying to Morgog, ruler of the universe, and vowing give Morgog his ‘worthless life.’ Angel, Wes, Cordy and Gunn arrive and find that the young man is holding a gun. Cordy warns Angel that they have to tread carefully because this man will snap quickly. Angel is a little impatient and really doesn’t care what Cordy has to say. Angel picks up the man’s stereo and throws it across the room. Then Angel quickly disarms the man and tells him that Morgog is a pretty crappy demon who isn’t worth the man’s life. Angel tosses the man’s gun into a barrel of oil and heads for the door. Wes stops Angel and tells him that the Powers That Be must have sent Cordelia the vision for a reason and that their work isn’t finished here. Gunn suggests that the PTB might have sent Angel to the garage to prevent him from making a big mistake chasing after Drusilla and Darla. Angel doesn’t care - he is fixated on stopping Darla. Angel leaves a dumbfounded Wes, Gunn and Cordy behind.

Meanwhile Darla and Drusilla are having a little fun shopping for dresses. As Darla and Drusilla try on hats Drusilla hears a ringing noise. Drusilla starts to dance to the ringing and Darla reaches into the top of Drusilla’s dress and removes a cell phone. That’s where the ringing is coming from and it’s a little disappointing for Dru. Darla answers the phone and immediately says hello to Holland Manners. Holland suggests that Darla and Drusilla shouldn’t settle for a little “spree,” like killing just the driver and the shopkeeper (who happens to be dead at Darla’s feet) but that Darla and Drusilla might have a little bit more fun if they have a massacre. Drusilla likes the sound of a massacre and Holland assures Darla that if she and Drusilla go for a full massacre Wolfram & Hart would support Darla and Dru. Darla starts the massacre by killing the second shopkeeper.

At Wolfram & Hart Holland has just finished hanging up the phone and he is with Lilah and Lindsey. Lilah thinks that Darla and Drusilla will keep Angel busy for quite some time but Lindsey thinks that Angel will kill them relatively soon. Holland, on the other hand, has a different idea. Holland thinks that Angel will find it more difficult than he realizes to kill either Darla or Drusilla. Just then Angel crashes through a plate glass window into Lindsey’s office. Angel demands that Lindsey tell him where Drusilla and Darla are. Holland interrupts Angel’s threats and introduces himself to Angel, and Angel tells Holland to be careful who he offers his hand to. When Lindsey won’t tell Angel where Darla and Drusilla are Angel turns to Holland. Holland tells Angel that he is Division Head of Special Projects, and Angel is Wolfram & Hart’s only special project. Angel tells Holland that he can crush Holland’s skull before the guards could blink an eye but Holland tells Angel that Angel would never do that - Angel doesn’t kill humans anymore, but Angel isn’t sure that Holland qualifies. Angel is really pissed that Holland has been using Drusilla and Darla to get to Angel and, in the process, many humans have died. Holland doesn’t care about any of them, but Holland knows that Angel does. Holland also thinks that Angel is wasting a great deal of time threatening Holland’s life while Drusilla and Darla are having themselves a little massacre. Angel asks if Holland is just going to let Angel walk out of the building and Holland tells him yes. After all Wolfram & Hart doesn’t want Angel dead, at least not quite yet. Holland asks the security guards to escort Angel out of the building and Holland tells Angel that he is late for a wine-tasting party at his house.

The security guards bring Angel out of the Wolfram & Hart building and Lindsey comes along for a casual taunt. Outside Angel is met by some L.A. police officers who arrest Angel. As a parting shot Lindsey tells Angel that even though Wolfram & Hart doesn’t want Angel dead Lindsey wouldn’t mind it. As Angel is placed in the squad car he finds Kate sitting next to him, which doesn’t thrill Angel in the least. Kate fills Angel in on the two shopkeepers that recently died and tells Angel that one of the women leaving the scene matches Darla’s description. Kate asks Angel if Darla and Drusilla are done and Angel tells her that they aren’t. Kate doesn’t think that she can stop Drusilla and Darla, but she thinks Angel might be able to. Kate tells the driver to pull over and she unlocks the handcuffs around Angel’s wrists and lets him go.

Lindsey arrives at Holland’s home and is greeted by Holland’s wife, Catherine. Catherine shows Lindsey to the wine cellar where Holland is holding his party. Holland is giving a little speech about Wolfram & Hart’s pet project and how well it’s going. Apparently the Senior Partners are very happy that the project is ahead of schedule and Holland attributes this progress to Lindsey and Lilah. Holland stops in mid-speech, though, to find Darla and Drusilla at the door of the wine cellar. Darla tells Holland that his wife invited them in and Drusilla tells Holland that she tasted like honey and clover. Before this news can really sink in Darla tells Holland that she and Drusilla are here to fulfill Holland’s wish - Holland’s going to get his massacre, right now.

Holland is trying to save his hide by telling Darla how happy he is that Darla was saved, which Darla doesn’t believe for a second. Darla is really pissed that Holland orchestrated Darla’s resurrection, allowed her to struggle with her soul, then sent her crawling back to Angel.

Meanwhile Angel arrives at the shop where Drusilla and Darla had their little shopping spree and does some looking around. As Angel is snooping he finds a shopper cowering in a dressing room in the back of the shop. Angel comforts the shopper and tells her that the police will take care of her. The shopper tells Angel that Drusilla and Darla were on their way to a party and Angel puts two and two together and figures out that Darla and Drusilla are on their way to Holland’s. Angel brings the shopper out front to the police then takes off for Holland’s house.

At Holland’s house Holland is still trying to convince Darla that Holland had Darla’s best interests at heart even though Holland may have made a mistake or two along the way. Darla doesn’t buy Holland’s crap for a second. Darla knows that the lawyers in the wine cellar are very afraid, except maybe for Lindsey. Darla tells Lindsey that she’s not sensing any fear from him. Lindsey tells Darla that he cares if he does, but Lindsey really doesn’t mind.

Angel arrives at Holland’s house and finds Holland’s wife dying in the entry way. Angel goes to the wine cellar where Darla and Drusilla greet him. Darla asks Angel if he’s here to stop them. Angel apologizes for not getting to Darla in time, but Darla’s not sorry. Darla tells Angel that she never got that good-bye kiss and Angel tells her that she will. . . but not tonight. Lilah and Holland plead with Angel to help them but Angel is unmoved. Angel shuts and locks the doors to the wine cellar leaving Darla and Drusilla in with a roomful of Wolfram & Hart lawyers. Holland is still trying to spin this to his advantage, promising Angel that they can negotiate some sort of deal, all while Darla leans toward and starts to bite Holland’s neck. Angel walks up the stairs and out of Holland’s house to the screaming of the lawyers locked in with two hungry vampires.

At the Hyperion Angel explains what happened to Gunn, Wes and Cordelia. The three of them are shocked by Angel’s actions, especially how calmly Angel told the story. Wes tells Angel that he could have stopped Darla and Drusilla but Angel replies that Wolfram & Hart started the whole mess themselves. Angel tells the three that he will stop Darla and Drusilla and Cordy wants to know when - will Angel wait until Darla and Drusilla have killed all the people that Angel doesn’t like? Cordy is very disgusted with Angel’s behavior. Cordy, Gunn, and Wes agree that Angel went too far, that he shouldn’t have let Darla and Drusilla kill a room full of people. Wes admits that some of the responsibility for Angel’s actions might be theirs. Gunn, Wes and Cordy have been worried about Angel but they didn’t speak up and, when they did, they didn’t speak up loud enough. Cordy wants Angel to change because of where Angel’s behavior might take him - to a place of real darkness. Angel believes that he could wind up in a dark place, so he fires them all and walks out of the room. Angel, Gunn and Cordy are stunned into silence.