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- Back - Episode 152: " Scattered " - Season 8, Episode 8 #Disclaimer# We do not own the characters in this story, nor do we own any rights to the television show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel the Series". They were created by Joss Whedon and belong to him, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Television, Kuzui Enterprises, 20th Century Fox Television, WB and UPN Television Networks.
BUFFY and XANDER are standing with TARA in an art gallery. BUFFY: Choice? This isn't a CHOICE. This is BAIT, Xander. It would be a choice if I could go and you could stay, but it's not that way. I meant what I said. I don't want it. Not even for a moment. XANDER: (bitter) What would Buffy do? What she always does -- chooses for her friends. CUT TO: TOWER FROM THE GIFT CLAUDIA: Dawn, he's -- he's lying! He has to be! CUT TO: TOWER, LATER DAWN: I'm not changing it -- ANY of it. I don't know why you did all this or who you work for, but it didn't work. It's over. Stop the spell now. Take us back. CUT TO: STERN’s BOOK SHOP GILES: Buffy? Xander -- what's wrong? XANDER: (bitter) Our little test -- multiple choice from hell. FADE IN, CLOSE-UP on a MAN's HAND holding a CEREMONIAL KNIFE with many nasty-looking twisty symbols on it. ETHAN V.O.: It's the ancient way. "One girl, in all the world, chosen to stand against the forces of darkness CLOSE-UP on an outstretched palm of a young woman, the edge of a red sleeve above her wrist, as ETHAN moves the blade above her palm. ETHAN V.O.: The moment I saw you, I was sure you were the one. CUT TO: Camera shot of BUFFY’S face, eyes wide CUT TO: MARYANNE raising a gun, pointing it at Riley. BUFFY: No! BUFFY raises her stun gun but there’s a movement and a flash of metal behind MARYANNE as KENNEDY thrusts with a sword – piercing MARYANNE’S body. CUT TO: SCOOBY HQ XANDER: Claudia’s a spy. BUFFY: [snorting with disgust, turns to Giles] Who for…? Sudden horror passes over BUFFY's face. BUFFY: For the slayers? CUT TO: HALLWAY SCOOBY HQ BUFFY is standing perfectly still. RILEY is standing in front of her with his arms by his side. BUFFY: Angel made a deal with Wolfram and Hart. And I made one with you. I’m starting to feel a parallel lives vibe. CUT TO: ROOFTOP, NIGHT BUFFY takes FAITH by the shoulders and turns her quickly, shielding her from the coop with her body. A loud gut-wrenched sob breaks from FAITH and the girls sag to their knees together, clutching at one another. The camera pans round to the coop, then moves forward through the bars and comes to rest with a brown hand just in shot. Blood is spreading out on the ground like a spilled glass of wine. Episode Begins Open on a stationary shot of the Scoobies all sitting in Scooby Central living room. All the available seats are taken, and some people sit on the floor. The camera pans around them, the lighting is overly bright, and no one’s looking at one other. Close-up shots of everyone’s faces as the camera circles the group. ANDREW appears shaken and pale. OZ sits hunched forward in his seat, leaning on his arms on his legs. XANDER opens his mouth to say something more than once, each time he stops and says nothing. WILLOW and KENNEDY are sitting on the couch together, WILLOW’s head resting on KENNEDY’s shoulder. WILLOW’s eyes are shut, KENNEDY stares off at the ceiling. DAWN sits on the other side of KENNEDY, petting LENORE absently, she’s still sniffling and dabbing at her eyes. BUFFY sits on the floor leaning on the couch front next to WILLOW. BUFFY is looking across the room with empathy in her eyes. Camera pans across to show that she is looking at FAITH. FAITH is sitting against the opposite wall, knees up and her arms wrapped round them. Her face is damp and puffy, eyes piggy with run mascara. She’s staring off ahead, her face raw with vulnerability. Her expression wavers, like she might cry again, but the tears don’t come and her face fixes, staring. Silence for thirty seconds as the camera slowly pans back to full room view. The silence is shattered by GILES, who enters and shuts the door behind him. All turn to face him but FAITH and BUFFY, who keeps her eyes studying FAITH. GILES removes his glasses and looks at everyone for a long moment before speaking. When he does speak, he doesn’t look at the group but vaguely, making the most of his myopia and blinking into the room. GILES: I’ve done what was necessary. There’s a murmur. BUFFY seems about to say something, but doesn't. GILES: Claudia's still in there isn't she? (He nods towards the bedroom) No breaks for freedom? BUFFY nods, GILES appears satisfied. ANDREW: Was it Ethan? GILES: One can only assume… ANDREW: Assume makes an ass out of…(embarrassed by the loudness of his voice and the jarring tone, speaks quieter) How…did he? How did he get up there without us knowing? GILES: I don’t know. (glances at FAITH) But we can talk about this…later. Everyone looks in different directions. FAITH makes a small noise, and BUFFY shifts her hands, sliding them over her knees and looking at FAITH. Silence descends again. GILES moves into the kitchen area and leans on the sideboard, putting his glasses down there. XANDER: So...and I don’t mean this to sound cold, but what now? (Beat) Technically, this is murder. (BUFFY shoots him a look) Maybe we should just let the police deal. (beat) Ok, so they can’t. So….what now? GILES: We need to think this through rationally. Calmly. The camera pans round as they speak slowing but never stationary, over WILLOW… WILLOW: Yeah, I mean, these aren’t demons. We… Camera…down to KENNEDY…. KENNEDY: (quietly) They’re just girls. Past BUFFY, who looks up at KENNEDY…round to XANDER…. XANDER: So that’s it? We just...sit around? …Camera comes to rest on GILES. GILES: Hardly, Xander. (trying to stay level, but there’s a waver in his voice) We merely have a lot of work to do before we go charging in headfirst. FAITH is still glazed, eyes to the floor. BUFFY half gets up as if to go to her, but sits back down thinking better of it. She’s quiet, but her eyes are full of thoughts. XANDER gets up abruptly and paces, running his hands through his hair. XANDER: Sounds eerily like letting him get away with it. OZ: (looks up, eyes following XANDER) Or just being smart. (He is ignored) GILES: Xander, we will do something. Merely, Ethan appears, for once in his life, to have a plan. So… BUFFY: (firmly) We need one of those too. GILES: Meanwhile, there are other duties. (to XANDER) This may be a poor time to bring it up… but I’ve set up interviews for you, Willow and Buffy this week. Slayers…stragglers from Willow’s location spells…and…one of the girls, Ethan’s girls. XANDER shakes his head. XANDER: Great. So instead of going after murderers we’re going to run out and take résumé’s. And we know one. "What are your strengths?" "Being psychotic and helping to kidnap and murder people." ANDREW: Xander? XANDER: What? ANDREW: Why are you taking this so personally? XANDER stops and gives ANDREW a look. All eyes are on them – not FAITH’s though. She’s still unmoving, unreactive. ANDREW: (eyes on XANDER, not noticing the extra attention) Why are you like, all Crusader Xander? (He asks, honestly not understanding) Did you even know him well? (XANDER frowns, and most of the attention turns to him.) You...you hardly blinked when Anya died. XANDER: What? ANDREW: (still confused, but his voice is thick as he thinks about Anya) Have you even talked about her? Said her name? XANDER: That’s... (He trails off, then kicks the wall, making half the room jump at the sound.) BUFFY: Xander... XANDER: Don’t. (Pause) Look, I’m going to go do something besides sit on my ass. There’s some maintenance I can do in the laundry room. (walks to the door.) KENNEDY: At eleven o’clock at night? XANDER: Yes. XANDER slams the door, and there’s a shot of everyone staring at each other, then most of them getting up to wander in different directions. FAITH remains seated, staring. (Wolf Howl, Buffy's theme plays.) Staring: Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Anne Summers Special Guest Stars: With: Icons and more! Season 8, Ready, Unsteady! Go read! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-03-2004, 04:15 AM #2 Join Date: Sep 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACT I EXT. CEMETERY, NIGHT. Camera pans in on a cemetery and we see Faith walking through it with a stake in hand looking around, eyes darting, hunting for signs of a prey. She spots something moving near a tree and runs over to it. It's just a trick of the light. We see someone walk up behind FAITH It's a good-looking girl, high cheekbones and shaggy fashionably cut black hair and dark eyes. She eyes FAITH critically. Then vamps out. FAITH doesn't react, except to tighten her grip on the stake ever so slightly. VAMP: See I won't be taking your clothes when I kill you. FAITH doesn’t answer, just starts circling her. VAMP: (disbelief) Wait, you wouldn't be one of those...are you a Slayer? Tsk. That’s so mass market. Unless…you’re not Buffy are you? FAITH carries on circling, a hint of first slayer about her silence. But with an undercurrent - she's not quite here. VAMP: Guess not. I heard she was more...quotable. FAITH attacks with a kick to the chest, sending the vamp backwards into a headstone. She runs over to stake the VAMP it but it catches the stake and punches her in the face. FAITH lands awkwardly, hurting her back and the VAMP follows up, punching her in the face again, then kicking her in the stomach as she lies balled on the ground. The VAMP straddles FAITH, punching her again in the face then leaning back a moment as FAITH groans. VAMP: Die slient then. The VAMP moves in to bite her, but FAITH pushes her up, suddenly, so she staggers back. FAITH swings wobbles to her feet, swinging her stake towards vamp's trendy shirt, but she catches it, pushes FAITH backwards. The VAMP snarls. FAITH pulls the vamp down onto the ground as she falls backwards, the stake flailing in the air behind the vamp, who's giggling slightly. But FAITH closes her eyes, brings the stake down into the VAMP's back. The VAMP dusts, still with a disdainful look on its face. As FAITH sits, panting on the cemetery grass, the camera pans in closer, homing in on her face. She glances down, then stares at the camera. Her eyes are wet, not quite crying. Her cheeks are bloody, beginning to swell. Her face keeps pinching in pain, then, after a few moments of hardly breathing, she lets out a choked sob. The camera pulls back and circles round her. From behind, we see her shoulders jerk as giant sobs wrack her. Fade to black. CUT TO: FAITH is curled up on one end of the couch, blanket over her and drawn up to her neck. She’s cleaned up, though bruises can still be seen on her face, and a few light cuts. She stares off at nothing, while bustling sounds can be heard. DAWN enters the room. DAWN: OH! DAWN stops short, hand to her chest. FAITH does not react. DAWN frowns a little. DAWN: Sorry, you scared me. I didn’t think you’d be up yet...did you see Buffy leave for her interview thing? (FAITH does not react) She was probably in a hurry. Did she say when she was getting back? (No reaction.) Faith? (DAWN frowns deeply, and her next statement is quiet)...Faith? Cut to the wall FAITH is staring at. There are pictures on it. Random
ones people have bought and photos taken since moving to New York. Mostly
just things to cover the bareness of the walls – a postcard of Coney
Island, a picture of BUFFY and WILLOW drinking brightly-colored cocktails,
a map of Manhattan with pictures of tourist landmarks, a print of a Dali
picture with melty clocks. DAWN: Faith are you ok? CUT TO: CLAUDIA is sitting in front of GILES’s desk, her hands in her lap. GILES is standing, looking out of the window. He turns to face her, his face like bottled thunder. GILES: (evenly) Now. What are we going to do with you? He pauses and begins to walk slowly over to his desk, each step menacing. He keeps eye contact with her as he sits down in his chair. He puts his hands on the table, palms down. CLAUDIA waits, keeping her nerve under his glare, but full of apprehension. GILES: You’re in trouble, Claudia. CLAUDIA: I know. GILES: I’m not sure you do. CLAUDIA’s brow furrows. She can’t guess where this is leading. She bites her lower lip ever so slightly. GILES leans forward, hands still on the table, a sneer-tinged expression. GILES: We’re the white hats. The cavalry. We save peoples lives, every so often, we save the world. But… He sits back down, leaning on the arms of his chair, still keeping those steely blue eyes fixed on CLAUDIA. GILES:…you know it's not as simple as that. CUT TO: Stationary shot of FAITH, shaking her head, and finally focusing on DAWN. Camera moves out to show them both. FAITH: Sorry...what? DAWN: Um...I asked if you were ok. What happened to you? (She reaches out to brush FAITH’s bruised cheek) FAITH: (this brings her back to the present, and she shakes herself) Yeah, sure. Fine. (She pauses, realizing DAWN was asking about the bruises. She looks away) They’re nothing. Leave it alone. DAWN: (uncertain) Sure...um...I was going to make some food, did you want some? You look like, pale, and you should eat something. When did you eat last? FAITH: (frowning) I don’t know...I’m not hungry though. DAWN: But you should. Be hungry...I could make us waffles. We have frozen ones, so, don’t worry, I can’t really screw those up. (DAWN tries a smile for her, but she’s obviously flustered.) FAITH looks at her, then away. FAITH: Thanks. But no. DAWN sighs, then sits on the couch with FAITH. DAWN: I felt like that...after mom died. Well...after I stopped feeling nauseated every time I thought about...(she trials off, then starts again) But...you should eat. I’ll make it non-toxic and everything, what do you say? FAITH: (picks at the edges of the blanket) You don’t have to do this. DAWN: Do what? FAITH: Try to...I don’t know, take care of me? DAWN looks at her for a long moment, then sits back further away on the couch. DAWN: I’m not trying to take care of you. I’m just talking to you. Possibly annoying you. But I thought you might need someone to do that. And to force-feed you waffles. It’s the American way of death. This actually gets a little watery smile out of FAITH. CUT TO: INT. GILES’s OFFICE CLAUDIA: Mr. Giles, whatever I can do to... She's interrupted by GILES banging his fist violently on the table, wrath in his face) GILES: Whatever you can do? What makes you think I should trust a bloody word you say? CLAUDIA: I want to help! GILES: You're a traitor. An incompetent one. There’s a moment of silence. GILES: I don't mean to waste much time on you. But I wanted you to know something. CLAUDIA: (not sure if she should speak) What...Mr. Giles? GILES stands, walks round the desk, a panther grace to him we don't usually see. There's something feral in him. He stops and leans over her, whispering in her ear. GILES: I want you to know....Put one foot wrong…and I’ll show you my other face. The side of me that people don’t often… He narrows his eyes, inspecting her closely. GILES: Let's put it this way. I'm 52 years old. Every year, I greet a new apocalypse. Sometimes more than one. Ask yourself why I'm not dead yet. GILES straightens up and walks to a chest of drawers. He picks up a crystal, looking at it disinterestedly. GILES: Of course, I could just turn you over to…your people. CLAUDIA: Please. Don’t. GILES balls his fist round the crystal, walks back to his desk and sits down. The only sound comes from a clock ticking. GILES: That’s right. Because you don’t HAVE any people any
more. All you have is us. GILES: You’re dismissed. INT. SUMMERS’ APT., DAY The phone rings, and DAWN gets up to answer. DAWN: Hello? MICK: Hey, Dawn. What’s up? DAWN: (watching FAITH, who isn’t looking at her but down at her still mostly full plate) Not much, what’s up with you? MICK: We wanted to know if you wanted to go out for a while. Get some lunch or something. Walk around. Generally cause minor bits of trouble. DAWN: Oh...like when? Buffy’s not back yet... FAITH: (still not looking up) If you want to go out, Dawn, go out. I’m fine. DAWN: Hold on, Mick. (Puts phone to her shoulder) You sure? I was going to stick around with you and– FAITH: (finally glances to DAWN, and tries a weak smile which doesn’t do very well) I’m fine, kiddo. (DAWN gives her a look) Ok, not all sunshine and light, but never was, right? (Sighs) I’ll be ok. I can sit around for a day without a babysitter, really. DAWN: Babysitter? Faith, I wasn’t trying to– FAITH: (cuts her off) I know. I’m not offended, Dawn. I know what you’re doing. It’s appreciated. But I’m fine. Go out with your friends. DAWN: (looks torn for a few moments, then at another nod from FAITH, she goes back to the phone.) Still there? MICK: Yeah. DAWN: Where are we meeting? FAITH gets up and puts the dishes on the counter, walking out of the room. DAWN’s eyes follow her, still concerned. CUT TO: INT. HALLWAY outside SUMMER’s APPARTMENT DAWN: Hey. OZ: (nods) Dawn. DAWN: I'm going out for a bit. Will you do me a favor? ...could you stay with Faith? OZ: I would but I was just heading out. DAWN: Where to? OZ: Walking. See if I can find anything out. DAWN: (looks at him a moment) Anything's better than just sitting around, huh. (OZ doesn't answer but doesn't deny either) Oh...Oh! Andrew! He's got nothing to do I bet! He didn't have class today. OZ: (gives the near-expression of amused) Yeah. He'll be perfect. DAWN: (not getting his 'sarcastic' voice) Yeah...talk to you later, Oz. OZ: Later. (he shakes his head as he watches her go, then after a moment of debate, he ducks in to SUMMERS’ APARTMENT. CUT TO: INT. SUMMER’s APARTMENT OZ pops his head round the door and enters. FAITH is on the couch. OZ: Faith. FAITH: (looks up. There’s a long pause) Hi. Moment of uncomfortable silence. OZ: How are you doing? FAITH just stares a moment. FAITH: Fine. Five by five. OZ: (quiet) Just checking. FAITH: (looks at him, her expression softening somewhat) I'm ok. OZ: (nods) Alright then. (Pauses, then gives her a short wave and leaves) INT. ANDREW’S APARTMENT Camera opens up on ANDREW with his back to the door, has several mannequins draped in fashionable clothing placed in attentive somewhat suggestive positions. He holds a yellow legal pad which he consults as he practices his lecture. ANDREW: . . . for, can there be any tie more intimate than that of eater and eaten? -- Wait, change that --(ANDREW scratches out a phrase and writes and starts again) . . . Any tie more intimate than that of the predator and the prey? (Satisfied smile) But, of course, learning is a two-way process. Tamara, would you like to share your views? ANDREW-FALSETTO: I think you’re the best teacher I’ve ever had Mr Wells. ANDREW: (clears throat, mock-modest shuffling) Really Tamara, I meant about the matter in hand….what is the relation of the slayer to those she is sworn to defend? What happens when she fails to protect them? And in extreme cases, when it is someone even closer--- ANDREW turns sideways, gives his hair a shake out of his eyes, begins to make a grand gesture, sees DAWN. He jumps, startled. ANDREW: Don’t you knock?! DAWN: (raising an eyebrow) Don’t you close the door? And-- ANDREW: I'm . . . just jotting some thoughts . . . while they're fresh -- DAWN glances at the mannequins. DAWN: New students? ANDREW: I know, it seems quirky -- DAWN: (shrugs) So, you named your dolls? I sing hallelujah with my lack of surprise. ANDREW: -- and I'll return the clothes – and hey! DAWN: Never mind. (beat) Andrew, I need you. ANDREW spreads out his arms in a generous gesture. ANDREW: Naturalmente, il mio buon bambino, qualche cosa! What is it? DAWN: I’m going out for a while. Faith, she needs someone in the room. Go sit with her, just be around. ANDREW: (lofty, philosophical, knowing) Of course. Someone who also knows the path from evil and darkness to redem- DAWN (cutting him short) Cut the lame noir killer-like-me routine. She just needs someone in the room to rattle on about nothing. That puts you on top of the list. ANDREW: Distract her with calculated trivialities and whimsical observations of no import. Yes, of course, of course . . . (beat, losing his ultra educated tone and sounding confused) why again? DAWN: Um…Wood? (Giving him a look since this is obvious.) ANDREW: (shakes his head) Sorry. I’ve been distracted lately. DAWN: If lately is since birth, then yup. ANDREW: Well...is she still being--weird? DAWN: Weird?! ANDREW: She's just all quiet and strange. She’s supposed to be—more badass? DAWN: (narrows her eyes) She just found her boyfriend brutally murdered. ANDREW: (squirmy) Yeah, but shouldn't she be, like, seeking vengeance and raining down righteous...(stops at DAWN's fierce look) DAWN: Andrew, please do this. ANDREW: Why me? DAWN: No one else is home. ANDREW: (deflated) Oh. DAWN: (a little reproachful) It’s really important, Andrew. ANDREW: (puffs up) Important, huh? Like, getting the tractor beam generator down important? DAWN: (blinks) ...sure. Why not. Yes. That important. Please. ANDREW: (like a man accepting a mission) I’ll do it. DAWN: Thank you. I’ll be back later. Just...sit with her. Talk to her. (Turns to leave) ANDREW: (suddenly panicked after a moment) Hey, wait! What do we have to talk about?
GILES: Yes, Faith, hello. I was just calling to...did you sleep well? How are you doing? (Pause) ...yes I suppose you're right. I was just...yes. I'll be back this evening. Did you need anything? (pause) Alright, I'll have someone stop on the way home for you. Try to get some rest. Goodbye. (hangs up) KENNEDY: (eyes GILES) What did you think she'd say? GILES: What? KENNEDY: Boyfriend. Dead body. How do you think she is? GILES: (frowns) Kennedy. KENNEDY: (holds up a finger to ward off his tone) I'm not saying that to be a bitch. I'm just saying that if I were Faith, I wouldn't want everyone and their watcher asking me how I was doing. I mean...what can you say? GILES: I only wanted to check on her. Faith has never been the most stable girl. CLAUDIA: Expecting her to do something rash? GILES: (looks at her as if he isn’t going to explain, the relents) Expecting her to fall apart, more likely. Losing a loved one—like that--- CLAUDIA: (reluctant to speak out of turn) Will she—lash out? GILES: No. I believe Faith won't –revert. But she will be needing a lot of support in the coming days. KENNEDY: What does she need? GILES: For people to be around her. Let her know she can count on our support whatever— KENNEDY: No, you said you'd have someone pick something up for her. What does she need? GILES: Oh. (beat) Clothes, actually. She didn't exactly have time to pack. KENNEDY: I'll go. GILES: I think-- KENNEDY: You're so not going to buy anything she'll like. I will. GILES: (pauses, then nods) Thank you, Kennedy. CLAUDIA: I could go as well. GILES looks at her a long moment, sternly. CLAUDIA: It's shopping, not guarding the crown jewels. It'll give me my first little job on your good side. GILES: Fine, go then. (to KENNEDY) Keep a good eye on her, and don't be away for long. KENNEDY: Sure. (waits) GILE: Well? KENNEDY: You don't actually think I've got any money, do you? (GILES gives her a look) My credit cards are already maxed out. GILES sighs, pulling out his wallet, muttering. KENNEDY: Relax Giles. It’s dirty government money. Better to get rid of it. CUT TO: JANIE is coming out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped round her as ETHAN opens the door to the bedroom from the outside. She jumps back, pulling the towel round her and reaching for a weapon with the other hand, but she relaxes when she sees who it is. ETHAN: Feeling jumpy? (JANIE nods) It’s to be expected. After everything that’s happened. JANIE: Excuse me, I better…(she gestures to her towel) ETHAN: Oh, of course. As JANIE goes back into the bathroom, ETHAN’s eyes linger on her bare shoulders. ETHAN: Janie, you know…you must feel free to tell me what you’re feeling. We hear JANIE zipping up her jeans and the door opens. She comes out with wet hair, wearing jeans and a vest top but bare feet. ETHAN sits on the bed and looks at her sympathetically. She walks over and comes to sit by him. Suddenly, she bursts into tears. ETHAN looks shocked for a moment, then shimmies closer to her on the bed and puts an arm round her. The camera begins to pan around them in a circle. JANIE: (through her sobs) I’m sorry…I just…he sounded…when he screamed…he sounded…oh God! ETHAN: Shh…shhh…it’s ok…I’m here. JANIE: (breaks off her sobs to look at him) You think I’m weak. ETHAN: No. Never think that. You’re strong. (His fingers stroke her bare shoulder.) You stayed strong…and every cut you made in his flesh…You were cutting into something evil. Something without a soul, without goodness. JANIE looks away, sniffling. ETHAN takes her by the shoulders. ETHAN: (firm) Listen to me! By draining its blood, you took away its power. That type of demon casts a spell, makes its victims believe it to be human… JANIE: Perhaps Buffy believed…that thing was human? That’s why she… ETHAN: I’d like to believe that. (shakes his head) Yes. I wish I could. JANIE: (straightening up, causing ETHAN to take away his arm –
reluctantly) So (takes a deep breath) ETHAN: One they shall not forget in a hurry, dear heart. JANIE stands, she’s fidgety. JANIE: But…what do we do now? What next? ETHAN: You should rest (he gets up) I said I would meet with the other girls. (he smiles at JANIE) I’ll come back for you this evening. We’ll need to move on. CUT TO: INT. WAREHOUSE, DAY ETHAN is standing in front of TASHA – the heavy-set slayer, with dark hair is breaded with African beads - TORI – slim, red head with lots of freckles, - SHAMEEKA – Indian, narrow-shoulders, – and SARAH – blonde, shorter. ETHAN: Last night's work far from depleted their ranks. We have to deal with yet another creature of darkness, another hellbeast -- a werewolf. (The girls exchange worried glances.) Not any werewolf either -- but one capable of altering its form at will, at any time, not subject to the phases of the moon. SHAMEEKA: Lucky wolf. TASHA: Yeah, I hoped that having Slayer-resistance to pain would mean no cramps but it just seems to -- ETHAN: (sharply, headmasterly) This isn't a matter for flippancy. The combination of bestial ferocity and human awareness is a different danger. Perhaps even worse than that posed by vampires. Unlike vampires, they can pass on the demonic infection with no more than a single bite. SARAH: (quietly) They're harder to fight? ETHAN: They require much more skill to bring down. TASHA: We have the skill. ETHAN: Have you? TASHA: Don't you trust us? What about Janie? ETHAN: Never mind Janie. (beat) You've accomplished a great deal. But supposing one of you were to be bitten? SHAMEEKA: We wouldn't. ETHAN: The outcome would be terrifying. TASHA: Terrifying -- ? how -- ETHAN: I shudder to think -- a powerful young woman—a slayer--turning into a feral creature . . . I don’t know who could handle that kind of power. The SLAYERS exchange conspiratorial looks. ETHAN: But the risk of letting him remain with Buffy is far greater. But if you were to capture him, bring him to heel -- a werewolf is only partly demon, it's possible he could be brought over to our side... SHAMEEKA: We'll do it. SARAH: Whatever it takes. The camera pans in on SARAH’s face. A look of determination is there. Commercial Break: Icons and more! Season 8, Ready, Unsteady! Go read! 12-03-2004, 04:16 AM #3 Join Date: Sep 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACT II XANDER sits across the table from a WOMAN. She is overweight, and not very attractive. She looks to be in her late thirties. There’s a plate of cookies on a low table between them. She smiles at XANDER with an attentive look on her face. Camera very slowly pans in a circle around them. XANDER: So, Miss Mosby. I’m Xander Harris. WOMAN: Debbie, dear. XANDER smiles. XANDER: Debbie it is. (She smiles rather blankly at him.) XANDER waits, then clears his throat to continue. XANDER: Well Debbie, you’re a Slayer. DEBBIE blinks. XANDER: You have super strength now...you heal quickly...this was confirmed over the phone, right? She smiles again, still blank. DEBBIE: Oh yes that! Sorry dear. What’s that you called it? The camera pans behind XANDER’s head, quick fade and when the camera resumes it’s over BUFFY’s shoulder, continuing the circular panning. INT. ANOTHER ROOM BUFFY: Tiffany? TIFFANY: Yeah, I heard. Slayer. Whatever. BUFFY tries to keep herself patient. BUFFY: Well, with being a Slayer, there comes a lot of responsibility... TIFFANY sighs and rolls her eyes, pops her gum, and looks at BUFFY. TIFFANY: Can I go now? BUFFY: We’re not done with the interview yet, Tiffany. You agreed to this. TIFFANY: Actually, my mom did. She said something about prep school or something. (Rolls her eyes) BUFFY: (gritting her teeth slightly before continuing) There’s a school where we’re training Slayers. (Puts a pamphlet on the table in front of TIFFANY, who ignores it.) TIFFANY: I’ve already got a school. Camera pans behind BUFFY’s head, quick fade, camera resumes over WILLOW’s shoulder, camera continues panning in a circle around them. INT. SMALL ROOM WILLOW: Marie, don’t you want to get out of here? We—the school—we can help you. Ethan manipulated you, but we can show you—help you—to use your powers… MARIA: (leans forward, glaring) Ethan manipulated me? But who forced this life on me? These powers—I did not ask for! WILLOW: (blinks) Marie, we had to– MARIA: No! Are you like this now? Some freak? WILLOW shakes her head slowly. MARIE sits back, still fire-eyed. MARIA: (cold) I thought not. Now I am this...(she flares again) this thing! I cannot go back-- You did not think of this, did you! Of what you would destroy! WILLOW: (sounds a little shaken) There were—circumstances. You don’t understand– MARIE: Non. There are circumstances YOU do not understand. Like my life suddenly being...this…not mine. Camera pans behind WILLOW and back around to XANDER’s room again, continued circles. XANDER: But, Miss Mosby... DEBBIE: Debbie, dear. XANDER: Debbie. Being a slayer, there’s demons, vampires, and you’re meant to-- DEBBIE: Oh, dear. (pats his hand) Quite the imagination on you, young man. (smiles brightly, looking off into space) Oh think of the good I can do! Hooligans robbing convenience stores...well they won't get away with me around! Oh I shall have to make a costume! XANDER: (looking lightly disgusted) Your powers are meant forprotecting the world from demons. There’s the police for the—hooligans. DEBBIE: Oh, but they aren’t enough. The criminals are everywhere! And I’ve watched enough Lifetime. They always get off. Or they simply aren’t caught and they go on to do far worse things. (excited) With my powers—there’s so much I can do to help people. DEBBIE gets up and smiles at XANDER. She leans over to pat his cheek. DEBBIE: Thank you, Xander. It was nice to meet you. I have to get started! XANDER: Debbie, wait! I don’t think you understand. DEBBIE: I didn’t fall off the turnip truck yesterday you know. (She smiles condescendingly) Now I’ll just be off. I have preparations to make. You have a good day now. DEBBIE exits the room, muttering excitedly to herself. XANDER watches her go, stewing. But he doesn’t get up. After a moment he suddenly lashes out, kicking the table which jumps and slides away a few feet. He sighs and puts his head in his hands. Camera pans around again back to BUFFY’s room, continuing the circle. BUFFY: Don’t you want to help people? TIFFANY: Help who? BUFFY: The whole world? TIFFANY: By doing what, fighting (makes airquotes) “monsters”? Whatever. This is SO not my problem. I didn’t ask you guys to give me weird powers. You deal with the dumbass (airquotes) “monsters”. I’ve got a date to get ready for. BUFFY: A date? You know, without the Slayer you wouldn’t have a date to go on! Or a world to go on dates in. TIFFANY: Yeah? Well...like, you guys did it without me before, right? BUFFY: Yes, but– TIFFANY: You can do it without me now. Not my mess. Later. TIFFANY gets up and leaves, without a backwards glance. BUFFY glares after her then sighs, slumping in her seat and looking at the untouched pamphlet. She picks it up and looks at it, then crumples it into a ball, throwing it at the wall. Pan around back to WILLOW’s room, continued circle. WILLOW: (sighs, and tries to start over, but she’s clearly upset) Ok, Marie, you’ve been through something, something bad. But we want to help you--- MARIE: And that is what Ethan said before he…deserted. Can you train me to live a normal life? WILLOW opens her mouth to speak, but Maria stands up, leaning on the table over her. MARIE: You presume so much. You cannot heal this with all your psychoanalyze. You had no right to do this to me—to anyone. Now you come here with your school and your offer to help ME? You cannot justify...you cannot. MARIE lets out a string of curses in French, crossing her arms and looking away. Then she turns her glare back on WILLOW. WLLOW waits, watching. MARIE: This is so typique of your country! You think you are so superior, that you solve the world’s problems! You cannot! (Her voice drops to a low growl) What gives you the RIGHT to come here to ask me to fight your wars, when you did this to me. (She doesn’t wait for an answer, and instead moves to the door, knocking sharply.) We are finished! The door opens and she is led out by a guard. WILLOW watches her go, pained expression on her features. She looks near tears. She bites her lower lip, and looks away. GUARD: Are you done here, ma’am? WILLOW: (quietly) Yes.
Shot of Oz walking. The camera comes up behind him. He’s walking in street lined with warehouses, no one around. Side view of Oz walking, building cuts into view, and shows two of Ethan’s Slayers, SHAMEEKA and SARAH peering around the building at him. Shot of the opposite side, another Slayer, TORI. Overhead shot as Oz stops. Up ahead of him is the fourth, TASHA. She’s holding an axe, towering over him. Camera pulls back, and circles. TASHA: Havin a nice night, wolf boy? OZ looks around as he sees he’s getting surrounded, the other Slayers coming out of hiding to circle him, all holding weapons. He doesn’t move position, however. OZ: Was. (Looks at them all) So. Ethanettes. The girls continue to circle. SHAMEEKA: He’s kinda cute. TASHA: He’s not very---macho. OZ still hasn’t moved into a defensive stance, just shoving his hands into his pockets and appearing deceptively relaxed. OZ: Not so much. We supposed to fight I take it? SHAMEEKA: He catches on quick. TASHA: For a hellbeast. SARAH steps up closer to OZ, hesitant, holding her axe in front of her. OZ leans back slightly, wary. SARAH: Now--Show us your real self. OZ looks around at all the girls, sighs, and closes his eyes. CUT TO: INT, Summers Apartment. Camera opens on a shot of Andrew and Faith sitting on the couch. They are on opposite ends of it, sitting silently. ANDREW: (Clears throat) So...um...how are you doing? FAITH: (flat) My lover was murdered. Yesterday. ANDREW: (Silence) Oh. Right. Um...I how...that...um...(beat) yeah. FAITH: (sighs) Look you don’t have to be here. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do. ANDREW: (Perks up) Really? FAITH: Yep. ANDREW: You really think I have better things to do? FAITH: (looks at him) Yeah, go do them. ANDREW: Oh...well I don’t actually. It was just nice of you to think I did. FAITH stares at him a moment, completely unsure what to say to this. Andrew smiles brightly at her. ANDREW: So, did you like, want something to eat? (FAITH groans) Ok! Food is a no go (beat) Do you want to come over to my place? We could watch movies. I just got the Star Wars trilogy again, cause, I had to re-buy after collapso-town ate my old ones—and, like, thousands of dollars worth of really rare collectibles. Buried under a million tonnes of rubble. And what did they say? (His voice turns mocking) ‘Andrew, you can get new ones”. New! And I can’t help thinking, maybe I could’ve gone back for them. I mean, we had a whole bus. And Buffy can run really fast, maybe she could’ve…It was brutal! Talk about...(embarrassed) Not like having your boyfriend...(but the pain hits him again) but I am NEVER gonna find another Fett like that one! With the stand—and after we saved it from Spike—and, it’ll be like a hundred dollars on ebay...but it's not the money, even though I don't have any of that. But the others, they were all like "What? It's just a bunch of plastic toys", and they SO didn't get that it's more than that. (looks sincerely at Faith) Those toys were like... FAITH: If you say friends, I'll have to kill you for your own good. They sit in silence for a few long moments. FAITH: I’m not getting rid of you, am I? ANDREW: No. FAITH: (After a long moment of silence) I haven’t seen Star Wars in a long time. ANDREW beams at her. CUT TO: INT. SHOP, DAY The camera moves in through the shop door. There is hard rock music playing in the background, and the predominant color of the clothing is black. KENNEDY and CLAUDIA are sifting through the clothes, and KENNEDY already has a few items over her arm. CLAUDIA: What about this? (She holds up a pair of vinyl pants, and the camera starts to circle the girls) KENNEDY: Yeah, those’re good. (Goes back to looking) CLAUDIA: (puts it over her arm, and looks to Kennedy for a long moment, opening her mouth several times before speaking) Kennedy…I wonder…How can I start to--get back into their good graces? KENNEDY: (glances up, speaks sharply) “Their?” CLAUDIA: (takes a step back) Sorry, I didn’t mean to imply-- KENNEDY: Whatever. Our. To get back into our good graces... (thoughtful) Being honest here, not sure you can. You took our trust and pissed on it. (she says this matter of factly) And, the way things are, it’s not like you’re top priority. Or any priority. CLAUDIA: (looking away) I know. But I— KENNEDY: (points to a black vest top) Pass me that one, would you? CLAUDIA nods and passes it. KENNEDY: I don’t get you. Why the sudden switch? Why’re you so keen to help us all of a sudden? Saving your ass? CLAUDIA: No I—I see there’s no point in saying “this is genuine” given what I’ve done. But I want to help. KENNEDY: And here you are. (she smiles, softer) CLAUDIA: Observing you all—as an outsider--I saw how you all gave so much. (smiles) The sort of thing you normally only see on telly, that. KENNEDY: (sarcastic) Yeah, we’re all just perfect like that. CLAUDIA: I didn’t say perfect. Though, glass houses and all that. Just...I’ve never seen people like all of you. You even have people like Xander, who have no earthly business taking part in the fight with evil. He’s got nothing but a positive attitude and apparently the ability to do competent carpentry. KENNEDY: He also gets the token boy award, and…he saved the world… CLAUDIA: By talking. Yes, he did mention that. On a number of occasions. KENNEDY: I’m not sure you’ve earned sarcasm privileges yet girl. CLAUDIA: No. KENNEDY: (nods a little, and goes back to looking at clothes) But. Keep at it. The honesty thing’s working for you. CLAUDIA: Noted.
The two girls in front of OZ move towards him as one comes up from behind, then the camera goes into slow motion as OZ ducks down and then leaps into the air. As he does this the camera focuses on him for he begins to turn into the wolf as soon as he starts to duck down and by the time he leaps into the air he is in wolf mode and sails over the heads of the slayers. TASHA: (Shouting at the others as they stare in awe of OZ.) Get him! They attack one after the other, kicking and punching at the werewolf. He’s no match for them and they beat him down, and keep kicking and punching until he’s is no longer moving. They stand in a circle round him, and when the camera pulls back, it circles them. The freckled slayer, TORI, looks to TASHA. TORI: Are you sure we should do this? Ethan told us… SHAMEEKA: Yeah, this could get messy. SARAH: (looks round the circle, resolute) We’re slayers. It’s not just about taking orders. We need to—take the initiative. SHAMEEKA: But maybe he’s testing our loyalty? SARAH: (shakes her head) Ethan wants us to be our own—make our own choices. We should prove that we’re strong enough. (Looks at them all again) We’re slayers. (She repeats) I want to do this. Are you too much of a coward? SHAMEEKA: Coward? She bends down, abruptly, next to the wolf and places her hand in OZ’s mouth, then punches down on the jaw. She winces. SHAMEEKA: There. It’s done. She stands back. SARAH goes next, and then TASHA. TORI holds back, the camera on her worried face. Then her eyes widen. TORI: Sarah! The camera pans around to SARAH. She’s shaking, slowly at first, as if in shock or with cold, then more violently. TASHA: No! (she moves towards the shaking girl and catches her as she falls to the ground.) TORI: (stands unmoving, her body language vulnerable. Her voice is tiny like a child’s) What’s happening? (Backs away a few steps, talking to herself, a little hysterical) It’s not...this can’t be happening it’s not even a full moon...(backs up more and shouts to the twitching girls) It’s not even a full moon!! TASHA starts to shake too, as SARAH’s clothing begins to rip and hair begins to grow on her face. She makes half growl sounds like she's in great pain. Camera pans round to OZ. We see his face and torso, half-way between wolf and human as he raises his head, weakly, to see the girls changing. OZ: (Weakly.) Oh god. (His head drops.) CUT TO: INT. ANDREW’s APARTMENT FAITH is sitting on the couch. She’s looking at the television, where a movie is paused. There's a tentative knock on the door, and BUFFY peeks her head in. BUFFY: Faith, how are you doing...and...(lightly confused as she looks around as if she’s making SURE it’s ANDREW’s place) how are you doing it here? FAITH: (looks over, sighing heavily, voice a little tight) I'm fine, B. And I'm watching a movie. BUFFY: With Andrew? FAITH: Yes. BUFFY: ...ok. Just-- FAITH: Checking. I know. Five by five, B. Just watching a movie. BUFFY: (nods) Ok. Good. I have some stuff to do, then I'll come get you for dinner, ok? FAITH nods, and BUFFY leaves. ANDREW walks back in with a ridiculously large bowl of popcorn, and two sodas. He hands one to FAITH, sets the bowl on the middle cushion of the couch, and sits on the other side. ANDREW smiles happily, and takes a remote control and hit’s play. The movie starts back up again. ANDREW: Now see that guy there? He’s not in the movie as a major character, he’s one of the Bounty Hunters. But I used to have the book about him. He was really cool. I wish he’d been in the movie more. FAITH: (opens her can of soda and takes a drink, then eats some popcorn) There’s…books? ANDREW: Oh tons. There are even encyclopedias just of Star Wars characters, their backgrounds, who they were related to where, when they appeared, if they appeared, everything. Did you know that Princess Leia got a light saber later? And she and Han had kids? Super Force babies? (He nodded) Three kids total. And she named the third one Anakin. Though he died a big hero. But their twins, a boy and a girl, they were cool and Jedis. (He stops, realizing he’s gone off on a tangent, and he looks a little embarrassed, getting back to the point) Princess Leia was awesome though. FAITH: (glances at him, actually a little amused) Yeah? (Beat) I had my Leia thing. ANDREW: Uh -- Leia, uh, thing? FAITH: Not after I was ten, obviously .. but yeah, I did...You know, cinammon buns, white dress...well technically it was just a nightgown, but...(shrugs) ANDREW: (lighting up) Oh, yeah, I....definitely didn't do that. But, you? Wow! FAITH: Yep. (Nods, watching the tv again) ANDREW: You are a beautiful person. Tell me more! Did you fall for the rogueish charm of Han Solo, though you knew he would never love you like you loved him? FAITH: Um…no. It was just Leia (looks embarrassed)...she could handle herself (said somewhat defensively) She was a Princess but she still ran around with the Rebels, ya know? She didn’t just sit back with a pretty pink dress and wait for Prince Charming to come up and rescue her. She went out and fought. ANDREW: (in awe) That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever heard you say. FAITH: (smiles a little amused half smile) You need to get out more. (Pauses, seeming to get hit with her situation again, and her eyes cast down, and when she speaks again, her voice is more subdued) Let’s just watch the movie. CUT TO: EXT. MEATPACKING DISTRICT, DUSK The camera moves round the slayer-wolves as they get to their feet. TORI stops a moment, a hysterical giggle startling the night. She starts backing away again from the huge hulking, snarling forms. Far bigger than OZ – even the smaller wolf that was SARAH. They’re twitching, biting at the air, obviously off, something’s wrong with them. The camera starts to pan in circles around them. The larger wolves stare at the TORI, drooling and snarling as what’s left of their ripped clothing falls away from their bodies. Their bodies continue to jerk and twitch, nearly like a perpetual seizure. TORI: (whines) No... One of the creatures barks at her and jerks forward. TORI breaks off and begins to run. The three newly wolfed slayers turn their heads in her direction and quickly run after her down the alley. CUT TO: INT, Xander’s apartment BUFFY and WILLOW sit at the kitchen table. LENORE is on the table, tail switching back and forth, eyes on WILLOW. XANDER gets them drinks. He sets them down in front of them then sits as well. They are all silent for the first few moments. Each looks upset. The camera starts to pan around them in a circle, and continues as the discussion goes on. BUFFY: Well aren’t we happy and we know it? I take it your interviews didn’t go well either? XANDER: I was hoping you two were just crabby from traffic. WILLOW: Mine was awful.(idly pets LENORE) XANDER: Damn New York cabbies...(WILLOW gives him a dark look he misses) BUFFY: I was about two seconds from slapping mine. (off XANDER’s look) Not the cabbie. Little miss whatever the bubblgum slayer. XANDER: Well I got some old lady– BUFFY and WILLOW look up, a little shocked. BUFFY: Old? Like, white hair and cane old lady? Granny the Senile Slayer? WILLOW: God, it’s worse than we thought! BUFFY flashes WILLOW a look. BUFFY: Worse? I wasn’t thinking worse—how old? XANDER: Not Miss Parker old. Old like…youngish mom old…‘Cept I don’t think she was a mom. (Shakes his head) Doesn’t matter. She was just blowing me off in the nicest possible way. (at their looks) ...not that way. Like she wasn’t really getting a word of what I was saying through that thick wall of hairspray. (shakes his head, looking angry again) Oh no. She got the powers bit. But she wants to run out and fight crime. BUFFY: Huh? XANDER: With a costume. BUFFY: Please don’t say lycra. XANDER: She didn’t go into fabrics. So, we’re looking at a supergirl without the hotness or the ability to fly. (beat) Or the sense to tie her shoes. (He shook his head) She’s giving me fear-- If there are more Slayers out there like her? Watch out world. Road. Hell. Paving slabs of intenty goodness. BUFFY: Are you sure we can’t persuade her? Reason with her. XANDER: (snaps) I’m not stupid, Buffy. Don’t you think I didn’t try? BUFFY: (frowns) I didn’t mean it like that, Xand, I– XANDER: (cuts her off) No. She can’t be reasoned with. She called me young man a lot and told me I’ve got, (air quotes) quite the imagination. WILLOW and BUFFY look down. BUFFY: Well...I guess--at least she cares. That she’ll do...something, with her powers. Instead of Tiffany. She just—she’s just going to carry on as if none of this happened. XANDER: Yeah, it’ll be great for Dear Debbie to care right up until she gets herself or someone else killed with the vigilante routine. (to BUFFY) You know how to fight, you know how to pull it when you hit someone who can’t take it. She doesn’t. BUFFY: But at least she-- XANDER: There’s no at least here. There’s an uncomfortable silence. BUFFY: (sighs, looking like she's got a headache. she rubs the bridge of her nose) Willow...you’ve been really quiet. Share. WILLOW: (looks up from petting the cat, distracted, distant) My girl was—Ethan’s girl. Marie. Giles found a place to keep her after—with Riley being prison guard non grata. XANDER: Our headmaster. He knows all the cool dungeons (beat) Was she all Bertha? WILLOW: No. (beat) She was just so angry. BUFFY: Angry? (Frowns) Why? WILLOW: (makes eye contact with the both of them in turn, sitting straighter) Because we thrust this upon her. She didn’t ask for these powers and we ruined her life. (almost whisper) I ruined her life. BUFFY: Willow! XANDER: Well...it’s too late to do anything about it now. BUFFY: Xander! XANDER: What, you just going to say people’s names? There’s a solution to all the world’s problems. WILLOW looks truly pained at this. BUFFY makes to say something angry but stops and turns to WILLOW. BUFFY: (visibly collects herself) Are you ok, Will? Whatever her deal is, this is NOT your fault. WILLOW shrugs, going back to petting LENORE. XANDER: And again with the constructive. This blame and shame deal is getting old. WILLOW: (standing)..I think I’m going to go lay down for a while...I’m not feeling so well. BUFFY gets up looking down angrily at XANDER, who looks away. She puts an hand on WILLOW’s arm, but WILLOW moves away, nods and leaves, LENORE hopping down from the table and following. BUFFY drops her hand. She and XANDER sit and stand in silence. CUT TO: INT. JOE’S CONEY ISLAND RESTAURANT, NIGHT DAWN, MICK and BOBBIE are sitting at a table, MICK & BOBBIE are picking at a plate of French fries in front of them while DAWN stares off into space. MICK grabs a few fries and dips them into a small plate of mustard in front of him While BOBBIE looks at him with a look of disgust, the camera starts to slowly circle the table. BOBBIE: But, not liking ketchup...that's like...not saluting the flag! It's, like, Un American. MICK: (to DAWN) They make you salute the flag at Slayer School? DAWN: No. (she shrugs, staring off) BOBBIE: Maybe they should. Or...never mind. I guess they're not big on saluting, what with having this vendetta against the overnment. MICK: (shrugs his shoulders.) I steer clear of Politics. BOBBIE: Dawn, what IS happening with your sister and the army? DAWN doesn't answer. MICK waves a hand in front of her face. MICK: Ground control to Major Dawn...hallo?...Dawn? DAWN: (startled) What? MICK: Are you ok? BOBBIE: You seem kinda...un-here. DAWN: Oh yeah, all good. (Grabs a few fries and dips them in ketchup. MICK tries to feed her some, she turns away. MICK takes it as playful DAWN then glares) Get off! Just...Faith. BOBBIE: The girl from Ohio? DAWN nods then kinda zones out again. MICK eats fries, oblivious. MICK: Hey, you think Andrew would want to go see Spiderman 2 with us again? It’s at the dollar theater now. (DAWN gives him a look) What? He’d want to go, it would be his tenth time. BOBBIE: He saw the first one 34 times. MICK: I'll get the tickets then. BOBBIE: (quietly) Dawn. Um...how can you be ok? They just found someone...you knew...dead... How can that not bother you? BOBBIE: (to MICK) And you, you cleaned the...scene. Didn't it make you want to toss your cookies? (Realizes this might sound insensitive, looks embarrassed) MICK: Not really, I’m used to seeing blood and guts from gutting deer during hunting season. I just pretended it wasn’t (gulps slightly) human blood. (Takes some more fries.) BOBBIE: How can you two adjust so quickly? There was a (whispers) corpse on your building! MICK shrugs. DAWN: (tone distant) I've seen a lot of those It gets old. You grow a skin. BOBBIE: (looking a little sickened, she says quietly) I don't want to get like that. DAWN: (looks sharply at her) What you want, doesn't really come into it. Not if you carry on hanging round with me and mine. I'm pretty much a grim reaper magnet. But I can't just go to pieces or it would be me and my puddle of self pity for the rest of my life. BOBBIE: (looking a touch hurt) How do you both stay so calm? I'm...terrified. I'm all churned up, and it's not even someone I knew. DAWN: (stares off again, back to being distant) Can't answer for Rain Man here. But it’s just the Scooby way. They sit in silence for a moment, staring at the fries. DAWN’s face is blank. CUT TO: Then three quick flashes of fur pass in front of the camera and we can see the shadows of the three wolfed slayers tackle the girl as she screams in horror and you can hear the ripping of fabric and the shredding of human flesh, gurgled cries for a brief instant before the voice cuts out. A terrible growling and snuffling fills the air as the camera pans round to the three wolves, clustered round something. They’re eating. Suddenly, they stop and look up, still twitching. Camera pans around
to see OZ-wolf, he growls, then leaps. Icons and more! Season 8, Ready, Unsteady! Go read! 12-03-2004, 04:17 AM #4 Join Date: Sep 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACT 3
FAITH is standing in an authoritative pose in the center of the room. Every available chair and bit of floor space is taken up by potential slayers, watching her, expectantly. FAITH: (To the girls) Here’s the part where I make a speech. The girls listen in rapt silence. FAITH stands still, her eyes engaging with various girls, as if she’s addressing them all, but she’s saying nothing. This goes on for a few moments. Some of them are smiling and nodding to each other, admiringly. DAWN’s sitting on the sofa, taking notes. FAITH: So, that’s your destiny. AMANDA: Wow! RONA: Works for me MOLLY: I can’t believe Buffy never told me that! FAITH: She had other things on her mind. AMANDA: Oh, I know this one. Buffy was with a boy and she forgot to save the world. It’s a thing. FAITH: Buffy won’t forget. But she does lose it over guys some times. Mad bad and dangerous to know guys. We're opposite like that.(turns to DAWN) Are you getting this all down? You’ll need it later. I don’t think I can remember it all. (looks at the girls) Any questions? MARIE the French slayer stands up at the back of the room. She’s holding the scythe. MARIE: What about this? WOOD walks in front of FAITH WOOD: Mind if I field this one? FAITH: Be my guest. (calls) Is the tea ready? OC MALE VOICE: Coming Faith! WOOD: (taking the scythe and facing the room of girls) Good morning class! GIRLS: Good morning principal Wood. WESLEY enters, holding a tray of tea. WESLEY: Who’s for tea and biscuits? GIRLS: Me me me! WOOD: Aww, I didn’t have time to explain! FAITH: (putting her arm round him) Never mind. You can do it some other time. They don’t need to know what it means. They’re slayers. WESLEY: And it’s all brutally simple. You stick the sharp bit in the evil demons. FAITH: School’s out. Time for bed. The girls all get up dutifully and leave the room. FAITH walks down the corridor, which stretches on and on into darkness. She looks back and can’t see anything. FAITH: Robin? The tunnel widens and FAITH is standing in a candlelit church, full of incense smoke. FAITH is wearing a prim white dress and pumps, white gloves on her hands. FAITH: Well, this was a wrong turn. The camera circles FAITH as she walks slowly, reverentially up the aisle. Her feet make a loud echoing noise on the stone floor. WOOD walks from behind a pillar. He’s wearing black trousers and a dark shirt, which is open to the waist. WOOD: Want to go again? FAITH: I don’t think this is the place to get bouncy. WOOD: (cheeky smile) You’re really not yourself are you Faith? FAITH: I’m versatile. FAITH walks towards him, the camera circling. WOOD walks towards the altar, beckoning. He stands by the altar and slips off his shirt. FAITH stands on the lower step of the altar area. FAITH: What’s this? Church of the latter day Chippendales? WOOD: This is my body. WOOD leans against the altar, his hands by his sides. FAITH looks him up and down, her eyes dragging on his body like a mouth on a cigarette. FAITH: I remember it. The camera circles round FAITH, back to the altar. Wood is gone. FAITH is kneeling, her hands clasped, mouth open as if to receive communion. FAITH looks to her left. BUFFY is there, smiling at her knowingly. Buffy: It’ll only hurt for a moment. A very loud ticking noise begins. FAITH and BUFFY look suddenly down at the altar steps. There’s a bomb, counter on 00:02. The girls stare at each other in helpless shock as the scene whites out to unbearably loud ticking. Sharp cut to FAITH sitting up straight and shocked on ANDREW’s couch, KENNEDY and CLAUDIA are looking her way, puzzled. KENNEDY: You ok? FAITH: (shocked and disorientated) Dream…bad..dream. CLAUDIA: (breaking into the uncomfortable air of the room) We’ve brought you clothes. FAITH: (sitting up better, still looking very distracted and disturbed) What...oh...thank you. ANDREW: (coming in from the other room quickly) Hey…what are you doing? She’s...er...was, sleeping. KENNEDY: (holds up shopping bags) We come bearing clothing. ANDREW: Oh. Um...yeah. (Looks flustered) KENNEDY: (amused) What, we interrupting something? ANDREW: No! (flustered) It’s just...she’s been tired all day and she just got to sleep... KENNEDY: (smiling) Well who would have pictured you as mom? ANDREW: I was just–shut up. CLAUDIA: (hands FAITH a bag, offering a strange smile momentarily, which she drops after realizing it isn't working out very well for her) We attempted to save you from Giles’s taste. I hope we did well. FAITH: (looking in the bag, muttering) I’m pretty sure anything you picked out would be better than what he’d get me. There’s a tap on the door that’d been left open, and Willow pokes her head in. She looks tired. WILLOW: Faith, hi. How are you doing? FAITH: (glances over) Hi, Willow. Fine...just tired. WILLOW: (nods) You should maybe get some sleep then. ANDREW: (mutters) Which I finally got her to do thank you very much before the clothes fairies decided to wake her up. FAITH: Yeah...I will. WILLOW: I’ll see you later. (Leaves) KENNEDY: (watches WILLOW, frowning) Maybe I should go check on her... CLAUDIA: Aren’t we supposed to go back to check in with Mr. Giles? KENNEDY: (distracted) Yeah...I’ll drop you off, ok? She looked stressed. CLAUDIA: I can go alone. KENNEDY: Giles probably wouldn’t like that. Let’s go. (CLAUDIA sighs) See you later, ok Faith? FAITH: (nods) Yeah...later. (KENNEDY and CLAUDIA walk out, and Andrew stands with his arms crossed, looking at FAITH) ...what? ANDREW: You should get some sleep. Or...or food. Or something. FAITH: Yeah…(cracks a smile) matron. CUT TO: EXT. ROOF, SCOOBY HQ, NIGHT Camera pulls up behind an arm opening the door to the roof, pans around to a shot of WILLOW, who is sitting on the ledge from episode 2 where the girl jumped off the building. She’s sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest, looking off at the city lights. LENORE sits beside her, tail twitching as she gazes up at WILLOW. She turns to look at the newcomer, then back to WILLOW. KENNEDY walks up to her, leaning on the ledge. Silence for a few long moments. KENNEDY: How did the interview go? (Silence) What are you doing out here, hon? (beat) Thinking about…you know. WILLOW does not look at her, she just continues to stare out. Camera starts to pan in a circle around them. WILLOW: (when she speaks, her voice is quiet and strange) I was thinking about that girl. The one we saw right before the ghosts came. KENNEDY: What about her? WILLOW: Maybe she just wanted to see it coming. I thought...that it was a self hate thing. But maybe not. Maybe she just needed to see it. KENNEDY: (worried) Will... WILLOW: (cutting her off) They didn’t see it coming. I think maybe that made it worse. KENNEDY: (exasperated) Willow, what are you talking about?! The cryptic isn’t helping! WILLOW: The potentials. I mean, not you and the others who were there. But, all those girls who just suddenly had strength and powers, from nowhere. They had no warning, nothing. Just... (She finally looks towards KENNEDY) She was right. We had no right. KENNEDY: Who was right? (Shakes her head, forgetting it, then trying to sound comforting) Willow, sweetie, we had to. Remember? The First? End of the world? WILLOW looks back out over the city. WILLOW: Yeah. But do you remember the Shadow men? KENNEDY: Of course I do. Created the first slayer. I don't get what you're... WILLOW: Well, they forced that demon stuff, that oozy power stuff into a girl, without asking. They...yeah, they violated her. Is this ringing any bells? KENNEDY: Willow! What you did was nothing like... WILLOW: (again cutting in, voice reminiscent of Dark Willow) Oh wasn’t it? (Shakes her head) No. It was everything like. (tone returning to distressed/angry but less sharp) You said we did it to save the world? Well, big ditto for the shadow guys. They thought they were doing the right thing. But they had no right. And neither did we. There's silence for a moment. KENNEDY: This is all abstract stuff Will. We have to think, we did something good, whether or not we had the right or whatever. We did something good. WILLOW: (bitterly) Yeah? How many lives did we destroy with that spell? I met just *one* tonight. And I can’t even imagine how many others like her there are. KENNEDY looks sideways at her and then down. KENNEDY: We had to. WILLOW: We should have found something else. KENNEDY: There wasn’t time. WILLOW: That doesn’t make it better somehow. (beat) I found out—I think-- the other day. (she glances at KENNEDY) I think the spell killed—babies. KENNEDY: (alarmed) What? WILLOW: The location spells kept--- I found some then they were gone—I couldn’t work out what was happening. But I’ve been reading—reports of babies are dying for no reason. KENNEDY: That happens. What makes you think---? WILLOW: A hunch. The timings. The fact that they’re all baby girls. And, with old…older women turning—I can’t help thinking. I think it’s the spell. They can’t handle the power and they die. KENNEDY: But Willow, you can’t be sure. WILLOW: No. But even the possibility? It makes my skin crawl. We thought we were giving power but really…maybe we were just… KENNEDY: (softly) Oh god. WILLOW: (bitter laugh as her lower lip starts to tremble and tears well in her eyes.) Yeah...somehow? I don’t think she’s listening to us. (She draws in a sharp breath, trying to stave off tears.) And the Slayer line? What if this kills it off? Like, if all the new ones die at birth, won’t that mean there won’t be any anymore? We tipped the balance and made everything WRONG. KENNEDY: Willow, I know what you’re saying, but you don’t understand, we HAD to do that spell. Otherwise the world would have ended. Then, no babies, no nothing. WILLOW: (whispers) What if we didn’t? It was Spike who closed the Hellmouth...what if all that we needed to do was have him there at the right time? And we did the spell for nothing? What if we were wrong? (Tears start falling) It’s all wrong now and I don’t know how to fix it, Kennedy. I don’t know how to fix it and it was me. I did this. KENNEDY: (puts her hand on WILLOW’s back) Willow... WILLOW: (soflty) Don’t touch me. KENNEDY takes her hand back and looks off. LENORE walks through WILLOW to put herself between the girls. KENNEDY: (less sure) We had to. WILLOW: I don’t think it matters. (Sniffles and looks down, starting to rock her self a little bit) Camera pans back over the city lights, as the sounds of WILLOW crying begin. CUT TO: INT. LOBBY OF SCOOBY CENTRAL BUFFY walks down the stairs into the lobby. SAM is standing there, military-stiff, looking apprehensive but professional. BUFFY wrinkles her nose in disgust and says nothing, makes to turn back up the stairs. SAM: Buffy, we need to talk. BUFFY: No, you need to leave. BUFFY steps up to her, menacingly. SAM stands her ground, arms by her sides, growing more confident despite BUFFY’s aggression. The camera starts panning around them in a circle. SAM: I know you’re angry with Riley, and with us. But we’ve both got a job to do. The same job. BUFFY: Being the Slayer is NOT a job. You can quit any time you like. I'd really recommend now. SAM nods, then looks BUFFY in the eye. Her body language is more relaxed, almost pleading. SAM: I’m here to negotiate. BUFFY: (pursing her lips into a thin line) So, Riley sent you to talk to me woman to woman, huh? I'm touched. She takes a step, SAM touches her arm. BUFFY shrugs her off, like she's a bug. SAM: None of this is personal. We’re all working towards the same goal, and we need to pull together. I’m sorry, but you need to understand… BUFFY holds out her hands in a gesture of firm rejection, proceeds to lay down the law in a steely voice full of danger. BUFFY: You have no idea what I need. You don’t know me, or my friends. You can’t imagine what I’ve been through, or what we’ve achieved. Whatever we need, we don’t need you, and I don’t need (gestures at SAM) this. Leave. SAM: Buffy you have to... BUFFY shakes her head and turns back up the stairs. CUT TO: ANOTHER ALLEY, NIGHT. A human shout is heard from offscreen, and the sharp cocking of a gun. Gunshots ring out, one taking Oz in the shoulder, the other ripping through the SLAYER-WOLF and hitting OZ-WOLF in the arm. The smallest SLAYER-WOLF tears off at the sound. A sharp yelp is heard from the SLAYER-WOLF and she lets go of him, and OZ-WOLF takes the moment to rake his claws across her neck, killing her. The human scream sounds again, and OZ-WOLF snaps his attention in the direction the last SLAYER-WOLF ran, then heads that way. CUT TO: INT. SCOOBY CENTRAL HALLWAY Camera follows XANDER as he gets to ANDREW’s apartment and walks in. FAITH is lying on the couch, half asleep but she’s startled awake again. XANDER: (looking very uncomfortable) Hey, Faith. FAITH: (frowning, rubbing her eyes) Hi. (Said kind of snippy) XANDER: (awkward) So, hangin with Andrew today, huh? FAITH: Yep. Everyone decided I needed a babysitter. He got stuck with the job. XANDER: (stands for a moment, wondering what to say) Fun time? FAITH: (gives him a look) Yeah it was a blast. Best time of my life. Think I'll move in here. XANDER: Yeah. Watched a lot of Star Wars, huh. FAITH: (looks kind uncomfortable) Did you want something? XANDER: (pauses) How are you doing? FAITH: (glares at him, she looks terribly unhappy) Jesus I’m FINE! Why can’t people just leave me alone?! XANDER: I was just seeing how you were! Excuse me for giving a damn! FAITH: Well you know what Xander? I SUCK. That’s how I am. I’m absolutely HORRIBLE. I just found the guy, the first guy I wanted for more than his beautiful black ass...dead. Oh yeah. And not only dead? But beaten, tortured, THEN murdered in---(she flinches) Thanks, Xander, thanks for bringing it up. AGAIN. XANDER: I was just asking! FAITH: Well that's my answer. Have a nice day. XANDER: Oh, listen up, you-- ANDREW rushes into the room from the kitchen. He’s wearing an apron that says ‘Jedi Master’ on it. He’s got various bits of flour and other such food things on him. He looks between the two. ANDREW: What’s going on? Faith is Xander bothering you? XANDER: (to ANDREW) Right yeah, cuz I'm the villain of this whole thing. Since you know, we’ve got our resident saint here. ANDREW: Hey! FAITH: Leave it Xander. He's harmless. XANDER: Yeah. Harmless. Tell that to Jonathan. Harmless murderer just like… FAITH: (hurt/angry, she hops up, camera starts to circle around the three) You son of a bitch. You screwed up son of a bitch. XANDER: What, you gonna hit me? Go ahead, take your best shot. FAITH: You’d actually like that, wouldn’t you? ANDREW: Enough! Stop it both of you! XANDER: Or what? You'll get flour on me? You're a waste of space Andrew. Just...get back to the kitchen. ANDREW: That's sexist! (then looks nonplussed, realizing the sex thing is the wrong way round) FAITH: Leave him alone! XANDER: Fine, yeah, defend him, go for my throat. Everybody does. ANDREW: Xander! XANDER: No, I didn’t deserve her little pot shot when I was just asking her how she was. And I’m sick of being dumped on. So no. Not going to stop it, Andrew. I’m justified here, not that you care, jumping right in and taking her side. ANDREW: Xander, Faith’s just been through– XANDER: A lot, yeah, got that part. Didn't miss it with the dead body on the roof. Faith, your boyfriend's dead. Yeah. You're going through hell. Well who here hasn't? Quit attacking people because you think you should've saved.... FAITH grabs XANDER by the shirt front. XANDER: Go on! You know you want to. Cuz, that's how you deal with things, isn't it? Hurting people. FAITH: (lets go of XANDER) And you deal with things how, exactly? By not? Isn't that what this little tirade is? ANDREW: Why are you shouting? I don't get... XANDER: (glares at ANDREW, tone condescending) Then get out. This is grown up time. FAITH: Xander. Got stuff to say to me say it to me. Got more acid to pour on? Go for it. Want to bring up my past? Sure, cause that’s where you live. XANDER: And now you know what it is to have someone taken away. ANDREW tries cutting in, but FAITH speaks over him. FAITH: What? Are you saying I deserved this?! XANDER: I’m saying I no longer give a rat’s ass how you’re doing, Faith. I’m glad we had this little talk. Really cleared things up for me. FAITH: And what exactly did it clear up, huh? XANDER: That you really are just a cold hearted bitch. FAITH: You want to see cold, look in the mirror. Name Anya ring any-- XANDER: (visibly flinches) This is SO not about her. (beat) This is about you. Did you try hard enough to save him, Faith? You loved him? And here you are not doing anything. Not even trying---no, I’m suddenly not so sure you did. FAITH looks about to say something else, but ANDREW steps up. ANDREW: (surprisingly strong) Xander that is ENOUGH. XANDER: Got something to add, Mr.-I-wasn’t-there-for-all-the-really-bad-stuff? ANDREW: Yes. Where is all this coming from? What's your problem? XANDER: My problem? (pause) MY problem? Her! ANDREW: What, because she's killed people and stuff? Big deal. She’s been through a lot. And...and I don’t care if she’s an ex bad-guy. So am I. So’s lots of people...like..like Willow. You're all nice to her. And what about Anya? (XANDER flinches again) Yeah. She was once a bad guy too. But you know what? (XANDER opens his mouth to speak but ANDREW keeps talking) She died saving my life. And she, (he points to FAITH) was down there fighting the armies of hell with her bare...stake and Spike was, like, a mass murderer and he died to save the whole world and you're acting all freakazoid, like Faith's the only person with a dark past. So yeah I have something to add. Back off. (FAITH appears a little shocked, looking at ANDREW) XANDER: You don’t know anything. You're going to give lectures now? Wow, I should've been taking notes of those wise words from... ANDREW: (interrupts, voice still oddly calm and strong) Listen. I may not be, like, a mastermind, and maybe I’ve not been around for very long, and...and I may be pretty useless, but right now even I see that you’re just taking things out on Faith cuz she's here. She’s not your problem. You’re being like Anakin Skywalker when– (actually cuts himself off this time, and just pushes on) you’re just taking things out on her. Hard silence descends for a few long moments, camera stabilizes on a shot of all three. FAITH is looking pointedly away from XANDER who is staring hard at the floor. ANDREW keeps a level glare on XANDER. XANDER looks up, meets ANDREW's gaze, glances to FAITH, then turns to walk out without a word. He slams the door, and the second the sound is heard, ANDREW sags to the floor, all the bravery spent. FAITH sinks down with him after a moment, leaning on the front of the couch. She looks at ANDREW. FAITH: (a little awkwardly) Didn't know you had'm. ANDREW: (looks up, confused, still shaken) Huh? FAITH glances to his crotch. ANDREW: Oh. FAITH: Now I know you do. Silence as ANDREW puzzles this out, face flickering between offended and proud finally he just shrugs. ANDREW: (tentative) ...I made cake. You should eat something and I thought...that...with the cake...and... Faith: (tired smile) Ok.
COMMERCIAL BREAK: Icons and more! Season 8, Ready, Unsteady! Go read! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12-03-2004, 04:18 AM #5 Join Date: Sep 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Act IV ETHAN and JANIE are sitting in a parked car in a motel parking lot on a deserted road. JANIE looks shell-shocked. She turns to ETHAN. JANIE: What can we do now? It's over. They killed them all....those evil bitches... ETHAN: (puts a hand on her arm) Shhh....it's going to be ok. JANIE: How's it going to be ok? How? ETHAN looks at her through narrow eyes. His face is unreadable. ETHAN: Things will change. Trust me. JANIE: pulls her hand away, crosses her arms in her lap, her shoulders rising defensively. She looks out the car window. JANIE: (angry, tears in her eyes) Evil's WON! Buffy and her minions. They've killed our people...who knows what they're going to to do next? ETHAN: Come inside, Janie. Let’s get inside. He opens the car door, walks round to her side and opens the door, taking her hand and helping her out. She's shaking, confused. CUT TO INT. MOTEL ROOM ETHAN is standing in front of JANIE, his hands holding her arms. The only light is coming from the street lights outside. All is quiet. The camera pans around them in a circle. ETHAN: (hushed) Janie. I’m going to ask something of you. Something…so big, I’m not sure I can… JANIE: (earnest) What…is it Ethan? ETHAN swallows and looks her in the eyes with tenderness. ETHAN: Your life. JANIE flinches, but she doesn’t step away. ETHAN: I’ve asked you to risk your life before, and you gave…But it wasn’t enough. We failed. (he looks sterner now) You failed. JANIE: (stepping back) What…but you said…? ETHAN shakes his head, keeping eye contact, lifts his hand slowly and gently and brushes her face with his fingers. ETHAN: Shh. I’m not blaming you. But what we’re up against…These aren’t vampires, demons…these are are people who consciously chose to do…terrible things. There needs to be a balance. (beat) I want you to do something wonderful. JANIE looks up, serious and resolute. She inhales, sharply. JANIE: How? ETHAN: Oh, dear child. (he takes one of her hands in his) There must be purification. (he reaches inside his jacket with the other hand and pulls out a dagger) Sacrifice. (he presses the dagger into JANIE’s hand. He closes his fingers round her hand) JANIE: I…I don’t understand…how this will work. ETHAN: I think you do. ETHAN moves behind her, letting go of her hand for a moment, running his hands down her arms til he’s embracing her with his hands on her hands as she clutches the dagger and glances over her shoulder at him. ETHAN: You’ve seen evil, Janie. JANIE: Yes. ETHAN: (whispers in her ear) The only way to purification…to goodness…is through giving…everything. JANIE: Yes. JANIE closes her eyes as his arms embrace her closer. Her fingers shift on the knife. JANIE: Yes. I…I want to make things right. ETHAN: You are the slayer Janie. You are the one. JANIE is breathing hard. ETHAN exhales with her, they’re breathing together. JANIE holds the dagger away from her body, blade towards her. The camera moves closer to her face. Her eyes snap open. V.O ETHAN: (softly) This is your gift. JANIE lets out a whimper, tears springing to her wide eyes. Her breathing gets ragged and she jerks a little. The camera pulls back as ETHAN supports her, moving round in front of her, cradling her. JANIE: (through gasps of breath her voice is strained, tears leaking from her too wide eyes) It hurts...Ethan... Her gasps get shorter and shorter, then she sighs and her head sinks onto his shoulder. He strokes her hair. ETHAN: (whispers in her ear) Thank you. CUT TO: INT. HALLWAY, SCOOBY HQ Camera gets to the SCOOBY HQ APARTMENT, and there’s blood on the doorknob, the door standing ajar. Sounds start as the camera follows inside. It’s the sound of a shower running in the bathroom, and trailed from the front room and down into the hall to the bathroom are huge bloody patches left on the floor. The bathroom door is also left open, steam pouring out of it. Blood smears the white tile floor, and the lip of the tub. The camera moves around to behind the half drawn curtain, and we see OZ. He is lying curled on his side on the bottom of the tub, shaking, facing away from the camera. The water’s washing some blood away, but he’s a royal mess. Gashes cover him, and he’s still bleeding. The gunshot to his arm has torn through the muscle and it's rivering blood. There's a messy, large exit wound on his back from the shoulder shot. Huge bruises are blossoming on his skin where it’s not broken and bleeding, and the camera pans over him so we see his face. His eyes are squeezed shut. He’s starts to cry quietly, curling further into a ball, and the camera moves to the water, following the blood to the drain. The camera pulls in there, where we see the blood swirling around the drain with the clean water. It gets overwhelmed with the blood, blocking out the clear water, and it gurgles down the drain. Credits Grr Arg
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