Teaser
INT. HYPERION HOTEL FOYER - NIGHT
The double entrance doors fly open and standing there is a LARGE BURLY MAN. He needs to be large and burly as he's carrying over his shoulder the unconscious body of
(we see as the LBM comes down the steps past the camera)
ANGEL.
(looking round the room: nobody there)
Dammit!
Cut to:
INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Montage of shots showing the LBM undressing Angel (tastefully of course), washing blood off various bits of him, bandaging him, pulling covers over him. Ends with the LBM sitting on the edge of the bed, turning to look down at the still-unconscious Angel.
Cut to:
Close up on the LBM's face. An expression full of tenderness. Also some minor cuts and bruises.
Cut to:
A view over the LBM's shoulder as he leans over and runs his hand down the side of Angel's face.
Cut to:
The LBM's face again as he suddenly turns, startled: he's heard something.
Cut to:
INT. HOTEL FOYER (AS BEFORE)
The LBM strides across the foyer to the steps. We see that one of the double doors has banged shut. He closes the other one; the camera, which has followed him up the steps, closes in on his back and we hear the sound of the doors being locked. The camera pulls back and we see PSYCHE, turning away from the door, looking down to see she's wearing the LBM's much-too-big clothes.
(to herself)
Why do I never get this right?
She starts down the steps, unbuttoning her jacket as she goes, and passes the camera which swings down to follow the trail of clothes that Psyche is leaving across the floor as she undresses.
Cut to:
INT. HYPERION HOTEL CORRIDOR - NIGHT
We see Psyche's back as she opens the door to Angel's room - from the shoulders up only, as she's now naked. The camera follows her in and we see Angel, as before, still unconscious (or perhaps now asleep).
(NB with a human, she'd have had to put him in the recovery position before she left the room, but I guess it doesn't matter with vampires.)
INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Psyche takes Angel's bathrobe from the back of the door as she closes it, slips the bathrobe on.
A beat as she stands looking at Angel in the bed.
She crosses the room to the bedside table, picks up the lamp and shines it directly in Angel's face. (One for the classical-allusion watchers here.) He doesn't stir. She puts the lamp down, turns it off. But there's enough light left to let us see her pull back the covers and slide into bed next to Angel. She puts an arm round him and snuggles close, her face against his neck.
(to Angel, who can't hear her of course)
More futile behaviour...
(out to the room)
Warming the undead.
Her eyes close briefly, then open again. She can't let herself go to sleep.
Act One
Over BLACK:
What is going on?
INT. HOTEL FOYER - DAY
Cordelia, hands on hips, stands looking down at the discarded jacket. Then seeing all the other clothes in a trail across the floor.
(rhetorical - there's noone else there)
We've got squatters here now?
Great!
She moves towards the opposite door, picking up the jacket, then the shoes as she goes. Pauses at the socks, decides against it (Ew!), moves to pick up the shirt and as she stands up
Crashes into PSYCHE, as she comes charging through the door. Psyche is wearing the rest of the LBM's clothes (T shirt, trousers with braces). They're much too big of course but she looks really cute. Cordelia surveys her, up and down.
(not her sort of cute)
So, this is the new look?
I have to tell you I
don't think it's working.
PSYCHE
Er...Cordelia, are there any,
sort of, women's clothes here?
Cut to:
INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR - DAY
Cordelia and Psyche outside the door to Judy's old room (from 'Are You Now...').
(opening door)
She was living here when
we first came. One look at
Angel though, and she just...
(a 'poof' gesture)
(Off Psyche's look)
But in a peaceful way...
They go in. The room is the same as it was in 'Are You Now...' except the bed has been stripped.
She was a vampire?
CORDELIA
No: just old.
She pulls open the closet doors. Inside, a rail of clothes on hangers. Both women reach in, grab a garment; but as they bring them out into the light the clothes fall to dust.
(exasperated)
Now what does that remind us of?
(Looks Psyche up and down again)
OK: shopping!
Cut to:
INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR (AS BEFORE) - DAY
Psyche closing the door, having a last look round the room. Considering. The two women set off down the corridor, the camera following them.
So what's the deal with
the clothes? You change
shape, don't the clothes
change with you?
PSYCHE
They should do,
but I'm out of practice...
Cut to:
INT. UPMARKET DRESS SHOP - DAY
Cordy and Psyche checking out some very fancy gear.
(holding a neat little number up in front of her)
See, all the time I was working
at the...at Living Dreams, I only
ever changed into other women.
Cut to:
INT. CHANGING ROOM - DAY
Cordelia as before, but Psyche is wearing a Marilyn Monroe-type dress (think subway grating, The Seven Year Itch).
Say I was Monroe, or -
or Lauren Bacall...
CORDELIA
Who?
PSYCHE
Well, most of the clients were...
older people...So I specialised in...
(Shapeshifter: out and proud|)
There's more to it than just
looking like a person, you know.
She lifts the skirt, as if a blast of air had come up from underneath. Lets it float down. She looks in the mirror. It would be nice if Marilyn could appear for a moment. Try her agent.
(getting bored: this is so before her time)
So, with the clothes...
PSYCHE
If I went for fairly, you know,
anonymous but sexy...
(puts her hands on her breasts, gives them a hike)
and stretchy...
(because the breasts she's got at the moment aren't very big)
I could get away
with not changing the
clothes as well. And
(a beat)
I got lazy, I guess.
(She sighs.)
See, when I shift, it's like -
can you waggle your ears?
CORDELIA
Excuse me?
PSYCHE
You need to think about it.
Think which muscles to move.
(puts her hands to her temples, fingers splayed)
So if you're gonna be,
I don't know - crossing your
eyes at the same time...
(she does so)
Cut to:
EXT. STREET - DAY
Cordelia and Psyche walking. Psyche is back in her T shirt'n'pants outfit.
It just gets more
complicated, d'you know
what I'm saying?
CORDELIA
(bored now)
Yeah...
PSYCHE
Don't knock it. We all
have our fantasies, you
know. Fantasies of desire.
Cordelia suddenly looks away. Psyche notices this: to change the subject
Don't you know some
cheaper places?
Off Cordelia's now-exasperated look, we go to
Blackout.
INT. ANGEL'S BEDROOM - EVENING
Close up on Angel's sleeping face. His eyes open. He's puzzled. Doesn't know where he is at first - or at least, he knows where he is but not how he got there. Sits up, looks round, as the camera pulls back to show the bed all smooth where Psyche was, the bathrobe folded neatly across it.
Angel leans over the other half of the bed, sniffs. He reaches for the bathrobe, pulls it toward him. Sniffs that. Looks round the room again.
He's still puzzled.
Blackout.
In which we hear
Are you going to tell
me what's going on?
INT. HOTEL FOYER - EVE
Psyche, wearing new but unremarkably female garments, is standing by the desk looking at the camera (Angel's POV).
Cut to:
Close up of Psyche, wondering what to say.
Blackout.
Act Two
INT. HOTEL FOYER - EVE
Angel and Psyche, as before.
I, I...you were being attacked.
ANGEL
Yes, I remember that part. And?
PSYCHE
A-and...I...
(whispers)
Why are you being so hostile?
(NB if Psyche is English, and I think she is, we have two different ways of pronouncing 'hostile' here.)
I'm not being hostile...
(Oh, yes, he is.)
PSYCHE
OK then, the next time,
(takes a breath)
the next time I see you
in trouble, I'll just...
I'll just, walk past, and
then I won't have to end up
(a beat)
like this...
Close up on Psyche as her face changes: still her own face, but with injuries - only they're much worse than the ones we saw on her LBM face. Girl's not playing straight here.
In long shot again, Psyche turns and bolts for the door, turns to look back as she goes through so we can see her face unblemished, but streaked with tears. The door swings to behind her.
Cut to:
Angel, looking after her.
But what I was wondering
was more: what were you
doing in my bed?
The doors open again and GUNN comes in.
Hey, dude.
ANGEL
Hey.
GUNN
What's with Little Miss
Who's-her-face? Came
barrelling past, nearly
knocked me down.
Didn't say a word.
ANGEL
Yeah. That was me.
Seems I was hostile.
He goes to the office fridge, opens it.
No kidding?
Angel takes out a bottle of blood.
See, I'd 'a gone with
sensitive, brooding...
Maybe troubled...
WESLEY
(coming through the door)
What's up with...
GUNN
Mr Hostile here. Upset her.
Angel drinks the blood, ignoring them.
So what happened last night?
GUNN
Beats me. Thought we
had us a rendezvous.
They both look at Angel.
I got ambushed. Don't
know who they were, only
that they were too many.
Luckily the Masked Avenger
was on hand.
Off their looks, he points to the door where Psyche went out.
A beat, till they get it.
She saved you?
ANGEL
Evidently.
GUNN
Jeez, man, I'm sorry...
(rolls his eyes)
Saved by a woman...
ANGEL
(like that's never happened before)
Actually
(a beat)
she was a man at the time.
Using the stunt double.
GUNN
Oh, man...I'll never get
used to this.
ANGEL
So I suggest we get on
out there and pick up where
we left off.
WESLEY
Right.
GUNN
Right.
They arm themselves with assorted hardware and head out the door.
Cut to:
EXT. HYPERION HOTEL (REAR) - NIGHT
As Angel's car drives away we see Psyche emerge from the shadows and go back into the hotel by the rear entrance.
Cut to:
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
In the car. Angel driving, Wesley in front, Gunn in the back.
I was wondering what you
guys thought about her.
GUNN
Who, Psycho?
(shakes his head)
Man...
WESLEY
(pedant mode)
The thing to remember about
shapeshifters is that, in the
modern age at least, they've
tended to live a subservient,
even parasitic existence...
GUNN
(freaked)
Parasitic?
Man...
WESLEY
They've grown to depend
on humans for...well, everything,
really. So although you'd
think their powers would
make them, well...
ANGEL
(get on with it)
...powerful...
WESLEY
...in fact what you often
get is someone who's so
anxious to please, anxious
for your favour, that
they can seem weak and,
and...almost fawning.
GUNN
Fawning?
WESLEY
Yes: like a fawn.
(a beat. Not many fawns, perhaps, in Gunn's experience.)
Like Bambi...
GUNN
(ah! Popular culture!)
Ah...
WESLEY
In his, er...more
fawnlike state.
ANGEL
I don't think she's weak.
What I don't understand is...
He turns the wheel abruptly and the car corners with a screech.
...what she's after.
Cut to:
INT. HYPERION HOTEL FOYER - NIGHT
Psyche stands at the counter, flipping through some papers, turned away from the camera. She's wearing a small backpack. Suddenly she tenses: there's something behind her that she (and we) can't see.
I'm not who you think I am.
VAMPIRE (OS)
(terrible part, this)
Yeah, you are.
Psyche whirls round, a letter-opener in her hand. She flings it towards the camera, but slightly to one side: as it whizzes past we can just see that it's spinning, very fast, on a horizontal plane. Oh yes: and at neck level.
A squelchy crunching sound is followed by a dusting sound.
No: I'm really not.
She reaches down behind the counter and comes up with a dustpan and brush.
Cut to:
INT. HYPERION HOTEL CORRIDOR - NIGHT
Psyche opens Judy's door and goes into the room. Pauses. We watch through the door as she turns on the light, goes over to the bed, unrolls the mattress, takes off the backpack, puts it down on the bed. She turns back towards the door, walks over and closes it in the camera's face. We hear it lock.
Blackout.
Act Three
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
A very small child, in night clothes, is standing looking up at the camera. (Angel's POV)
Now, where have you come from?
Cut to:
Angel, looking down at the camera. Wesley and Gunn appear on either side of him.
(baby talk)
What's your name?
GUNN
And where's yo' mama?
Angel picks the child up.
Hey!
ANGEL
What?
GUNN
This ain't another demon, is it?
He looks round, and we see that they're standing amidst a scene of mayhem and massacre, with demon bodies and piles of vampire dust galore. So it's after the fight that they were heading to at the end of Act Two and which we, with the economy of means that befits a television budget, have just failed to show you. Think 'sonnet'.
Not this one.
(to the child)
OK: where're we going?
The child points forward. They set off down the street. They pass Angel's car pulled up at the kerb and Gunn makes to get in, but Angel shakes his head, keeps going.
It won't be far.
Cut to:
EXT. OUTSIDE A HOUSE - NIGHT
It's a small, shabby house in a run-down neighbourhood.
Angel with the child, Wesley and Gunn are met by a FRANTIC WOMAN. She rushes from the house towards them.
FRANTIC WOMAN
Oh, God, where have you been?
Where have you been?
(to Angel)
Where did you find her?
ANGEL
We...
WOMAN
Oh, sweetie, sweetie:
Mommy was so worried.
(takes the child in her arms)
There, there, sugarpie.
The child is sobbing, her head on the woman's shoulder. Round the woman's neck is a necklace with an occult-looking pendant.
We hear another child start to cry OS. The woman turns her head anxiously towards the house.
I would ask you in but - er -
the house is in such a state...
WESLEY/ GUNN
(hurriedly)/ (hurriedly)
That's quite all right.../Hey, that's cool...
ANGEL
Are you sure you're OK?
WOMAN
Yes - Oh, yes, thank you.
I'm sorry...
She turns and runs into the house, the child looking back over her shoulder. The door slams.
The three men stand looking after her for a moment.
Anyone else got a bad feeling about this?
A phone starts to ring.
Cut to:
INT. HYPERION HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT
The phone is ringing. Cordelia picks it up.
Angel Investigations
(or whatever they're calling themselves this week)
When you're hopeless, we help...
(listens)
Ummmmmm...
Have you tried calling the police?
Cut to:
EXT. OUTSIDE THE HOUSE (AS BEFORE) - NIGHT
This isn't for us. She's human.
There are no demons here.
If there's something wrong,
it's a police matter.
They're a normal family.
Cut to:
INT. HOTEL - NIGHT
OK, so what's the address there?
As she writes it down, she's looking round, realising she's on her own.
(as she hangs up)
As usual, I have to do
everything around here...
Cut to:
EXT. OUTSIDE THE HOUSE AGAIN - NIGHT
Angel looking towards the house, sniffing the air.
Actually, I can smell...
WESLEY
Blood?
ANGEL
Smoke...
Cut to:
Angel breaking open the door. Gunn and Wesley charge in. Smoke and confusion.
Cut to:
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
Angel's POV (he can't go in): a room with a man and the woman struggling. He's trying to put out the fire and she's trying to stop him, but we can't tell that yet. Neither can Gunn and Wesley: Wesley pulls the woman aside and Gunn decks the bloke. Screaming. There are 3 children somewhere. Gunn and Wesley pulling down curtains, smothering flames. The woman doubled up, her arms across her head, sobbing. The man, on the floor, starts to come round.
Hey, buddy - invite me in,
why don't ya?
MAN
(groggy)
Sure...come on in.
Angel steps over the threshold, but it's all over. The fire is out. The woman continues to cry. The man starts to sit up, his hand to his head.
Cut to:
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
As before: Cordelia's POV. Angel, Wesley and Gunn are standing in a row in front of the house, each with a small child in his arms. Gunn has the baby. They seem pleased to see her.
Cordy!/Cordelia!/Unnnnnh...
Cut to:
Cordelia, holding up both hands.
Oh no. No no no. You found 'em,
you keep 'em.
Cut to:
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
It's quiet - too quiet.
Angel and the Woman are sitting at a table.
I just wanted us to be...
a family, you know?
To have what my friends have,
to be like them...But we moved here,
where I don't know anyone,
and it's so hot here, and...
and with Josh away so much...
I just didn't know who to turn to...
and I was afraid...afraid people
would find out...
ANGEL
(very gentle)
Find out what?
WOMAN
Why, that, that I couldn't -
handle it, and then...
(whispers)
They'd take the children away...
Sound rushes back as the shot widens to show that the room is full of people in uniform - firefighters making sure the fire is out, a police officer taking notes, paramedics tending the woman's husband...
Cut to:
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Social worker-types putting the kids in a car. They are, indeed, being taken away.
I just wanted to be normal.
The car drives away. We follow it, and fade out.
Act Four
Over BLACK:
We're none of us normal.
There's no such thing.
EXT. BENCH OUTSIDE HYPERION HOTEL - EVE
Angel and Psyche are sitting. Psyche is feeding the pigeons.
So how can we live normal lives?
ANGEL
Well, but you and I aren't human.
PSYCHE
But it's the same with humans.
There's no such thing as
a normal life for them either.
The problem they have is
when they think there is.
Cause they can spend their
whole lives looking for something
that doesn't exist.
At least we know it doesn't.
ANGEL
I guess...But don't you
think it's understandable
that they still long for -
I don't know, a home, children?
Ordinary things like that?
PSYCHE
So what is this,
50s sitcom land?
You're watching way too much TV.
ANGEL
Actually, I never really got the TV habit.
PSYCHE
Oh yeah, I know. You were before its time.
You made your own entertainment.
Let's see...
(starts to count on her fingers)
Killing, mayhem, killing,
massacres...killing...
ANGEL
(hurt more than angry)
Hey!
The pigeons fly up, with a clatter of wings.
I'm sorry.
ANGEL
That's what I have to atone for.
PSYCHE
I know.
Cut to:
INT. HYPERION HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT
Cordelia is tidying up her paperwork, adding a final touch to her report. Gunn is winding her up, leaning on the counter.
So you're telling me never?
(a beat)
I don't believe it.
CORDELIA
Oh please. Like I would.
Don't you know me at all?
GUNN
(shaking his head)
Gee - I thought I did,
but - just shows ya...
CORDELIA
I mean, why would I even
want to? It's so gross! Ew!
There's all the mess, the smell...
it's just icky.
GUNN
Could you be a bit more
specific about that?
CORDELIA
I thought 'Ew!' summed it up nicely.
GUNN
I don't know, though.
It can be kinda fun.
CORDELIA
Yeah, right.
GUNN
Just...now and then.
In the short term.
CORDELIA
C'mon, Gunn, who d'ya
think you're fooling?
I saw you! Saw you with the
kid, and you just couldn't wait to
hand it over. To anyone!
That's why I stood well back!
GUNN
(sorrowfully)
Cordelia, I'm afraid you just
ain't a normal woman.
CORDELIA
Too right, buddy.
Cut to:
EXT. BENCH OUTSIDE HOTEL - NIGHT
Angel and Psyche, as before. Not looking at each other.
Close up on Psyche, as she looks at Angel: solemnly at first, then a small smile. She looks down, still smiling.
Cut to:
Angel, who smiles too. They've made it up.
And anyway, not everyone
wants that kind of safe,
settled life. Do they?
There are people who crave
excitement and risk.
people who seek out danger.
Same as with music.
Some people go for easy
listening, and some...
ANGEL
Like it hot?
PSYCHE
Great movie.
ANGEL
Yeah.
PSYCHE
Shapeshifting leaves a bit
to be desired, though. Should've
hired me as adviser.
The pigeons start to fly down again.
They're really getting to
depend on you.
PSYCHE
You think?
(a beat)
Pigeons not noted for their
attention span. I doubt if they'd
remember me for half an hour.
(a beat)
If that.
ANGEL
Do you think they know
it's you? I mean, last time...
PSYCHE
(hard)
They don't care.
Pause.
Actually, you seem - I don't know,
different today, somehow.
PSYCHE
(laughs)
Yeah, that's why they call us
shapeshifters.
ANGEL
I don't mean to look at. I mean...
PSYCHE
Well, it's whatever works, you know.
Off Angel, thinking about this, we
Cut to:
EXT. HOTEL BALCONY - NIGHT
Angel and Wesley are looking out at the city.
You know what you
said before, about her
being weak and, and...
WESLEY
Fawnlike?
ANGEL
Well, forget it. Forget the
weak. Forget the fawnlike.
Because she's not like that.
She's not Bambi. Never was.
What she is, she's an
actress. She's had to be.
Whatever it was,
whatever she came from,
she's had to be.
Pause. The camera starts to move out.
And she's very good.
The camera moves out to show them standing on the roof of the hotel (or on a balcony maybe) looking out across the night cityscape. Then it pans down the building and stops opposite a window - the window of Judy's old room in fact - so we can see Psyche, also looking out.
The End
Copyright Jocelyn Rose 2001
The next episode of The Psyche Arc is THE JUDAS SYNDROME
posted by treefrogdemon at
1:30 PM
