certainthings

Angel: Buffy, you know, I'm still figuring things out. There's a lot I don't understand. But I do know it's important to keep fighting. I learned that from you.
Buffy: But we never...
Angel: We never win.
Buffy: Not completely.
Angel: We never will. That's not why we fight. We do it 'cause there's things worth fighting for.

Kate: My whole life has been about being a cop. If I'm not part of the force it's like nothing I do means anything.
Angel: It doesn't.
Kate: Doesn't what?
Angel: Mean anything. In the greater scheme or the big picture, nothing we do matters. There's no grand plan, no big win.
Kate: You seem kind of chipper about that.
Angel: Well, I guess I kinda worked it out. If there is no great glorious end to all this, if - nothing we do matters - then all that matters is what we do. 'Cause that's all there is. What we do, now, today - I fought for so long. For redemption, for a reward - finally just to beat the other guy, but... I never got it.
Kate: And now you do?
Angel: Not all of it. All I wanna do is help. I wanna help because - I don't think people should suffer as they do. Because if there is no bigger meaning, then the smallest act of kindness - is the greatest thing in the world.

Angel: You're starting to feel it, aren't you? How close you are now ... to hell?
Spike: What if I am? Not like it's such a big, bleeding deal, is it? If a ponce like you could break out.
Angel: I never escaped from hell. All I got was a short reprieve. Not even sure how I managed that.
Spike: Oh, put your martyr away, Mahatma. Fred told me all about your great, shining prophecy. Pile up all your good deeds and get the big brass ring handed to you like everything else.
Angel: Except for one small catch. The prophecy's a bunch of bull. They all are. Nothing's written in stone or fated to happen, Spike. You save the world, you end up running an evil law firm.
Spike: Or playin' Casper with one foot in the fryer.
Angel: You think any of it matters? The things we did? The lives we destroyed - that's all that's ever gonna count. So, yeah, surprise. You're going to hell. We both are.
Spike: Then why even bother? Try to do the right thing, make a difference...
Angel: What else are we gonna do?
Spike: So that's it, then. I really am going to burn.
Angel: Welcome to the club.

Angel: Look, if you separate yourself from the ones you love, the monster wins.