When She Was Bad
Prelude
In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand
against
the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the
Slayer.
The cemetery. The camera pans across it and over to the sidewalk
along
the border.
cream cone and takes an occasional lick.
Xander: It's your turn.
we loved a lifetime's worth.'
Xander: Terminator.
Xander: Um, oh, okay, I
got one. (imitating Charlton Heston) 'It's a
madhouse! A mad...'
Xander: Can I finish,
please?
Xander: '...house!'
(indicates she may answer)
Xander: Well?
Xander: Do I even have to
dignify that with a guess?
Xander: Well, what else do
you wanna do? We already played rock, paper,
scissors. My hands cramped up.
gonna strain...
Xander: (interrupts)
Y'know, I just gotta say that this has been the
most boring summer ever.
She steps over to the wall and hops up to sit on it.
Xander: I'm just so
restless! I'm actually looking forward to school
startin' up again.
we both know who is a Vampire Slayer?
Xander: Please, I'm so
over her. Did she, uh, mention when she might be
gettin' back? About which I do not care.
went to
Xander: Well, she's
probably with her dad having a good time.
Xander: Well, okay, there
might be some interest. I'm a man. I have
certain desires, certain needs...
Willow: Uhhh! I don't
wanna know.
Xander: I got a movie for
ya! (taps her nose with his ice cream)
Willow: (surprised)
Xander!
Xander: You're Amish! You
can't fight back... 'cause you're Amish! I
mock you with my ice cream cone, Amish guy!
Willow: Witness. (pouty)
My nose is cold.
Xander: Let me get that
for ya. (leans in to lick off her nose)
Willow: Xander! (stops
him)
Xander: I'm sorry, I can't
help myself. Your nose looks so tasty.
He reaches up with his napkin and gently wipes off her nose. He
takes
much longer than he needs to and looks into her eyes. He brushes
his
hand against her cheek. After another moment he starts to move in
for a
kiss. She responds in kind and tilts her head. They stop just
short of
making contact and linger there a moment. Xander finally begins
to pull
back, and when he does he sees a vampire standing on the other
side of
the wall. Willow notices his glance and looks, too. She screams
and
jumps off of the wall as Xander pulls her away from the vampire.
Xander: Willow, go!
He puts himself between her and the vampire. She doesn't go, but
watches
as he punches the vampire in the face. The vampire isn't fazed.
He grabs
Xander and tries to bite. Xander struggles with him to keep from
being
bitten. After a few moments of wrestling a hand grabs the vampire
by the
shoulder and pulls him off of Xander. It's a girl, and she
punches the
vampire in the face, knees him in the crotch and flips him over
onto his
back. She turns to Willow and Xander.
Buffy: Hi, guys!
The vampire gets up. Buffy turns her attention back to him and
kicks him
in the chest, sending him flying into a tree, where he gets
impaled on a
dead branch and bursts into ashes. She turns back to Willow and
Xander.
Buffy: Miss me?
Opening credits roll. Buffy's theme plays.
~~~~~~~~~~ Part 1 ~~~~~~~~~~
On the sidewalk.
Willow: Buffy!
Xander: Hey! (hugs her)
Buffy: Hey. Hey, Will!
(hugs her)
Xander: (hugs Buffy again)
Man, your timing really doesn't suck.
(laughs)
Willow: When'd you get
back?
Buffy: Uh, just now. Dad
drove me down. And I figured you two losers
would be getting into some kind of trouble.
Willow: I think we had the
upper hand. I-in a subtle way.
Buffy: Does either of you
even have a cross? Very sloppy.
Xander: Well, it's been a
slow summer. I mean, that's the first vampire
we've seen since you killed the Master.
Buffy: It's like they knew
I was coming back.
They start to walk.
Xander: So, what about
you? How was your summer? Did you slay anything?
Buffy: No. Uh, just hung
out, partied some, shopping was also a major
theme.
Xander: Well, you haven't
lost your touch. That vampire...
Buffy: I did kinda whale
on him, didn't I?
Xander: (notices) I like
your hair.
Buffy: (giggles) So, how
did you guys fare? Did you have any fun
without me?
Xander: No.
Willow: Yes!
Xander: Uh, our summer was
kinda yawnworthy. Our biggest excitement was
burying the Master.
They stop walking.
Willow: That's right, you
missed it. (points) Right out by that tree.
(Buffy looks) Giles buried the bones and we poured holy water and
we got
to wear robes.
Xander: Very intense. You
shoulda been.
Willow: Have you seen
Giles?
Buffy: Why would I do
that? I'll see him at school.
Xander: Man, I'm really
glad you're back.
Buffy: (looks at the tree
again) Me, too.
Cut to Buffy's room. Her dad is helping her mom unpack her
things. Joyce
opens a suitcase and looks through it.
Hank: Okay, then. This is
the last of it. (puts another suitcase on the
bed)
Joyce: More clothes?
Hank: Oh, do shoes count
as clothes?
Joyce: How much shopping
did you let her do?
Hank: Oh, I just thought I
was saving you from the big back-to-school
clothing nightmare. (unzips the suitcase)
Joyce: My nightmares of
Buffy in school have nothing to do with
clothes. Did she manage to stay out of trouble in L.A.?
Hank: She did, yeah. She
was, um... you know, great.
Joyce: But?
Hank: She was just, I
don't know, um... distant. Not brooding or
sulking, just... there was no connection. The more time we spent
together, the more I felt like she was nowhere to be seen.
Joyce: Hence the shoes?
Hank: (hands her the
shoes) I may have overcompensated a little bit.
Joyce: Hmm.
Hank: It's so strange. You
know, at least when she was burning stuff
down I knew what to say.
Joyce: Well, welcome to my
world. I haven't been able to get through to
her for so long. I'll just be happy if she makes it through the
school
year.
Cut to Sunnydale High.
Cordelia: It was a
nightmare, a total nightmare.
Cut to her and two friends coming down some stairs and walking
across
the quad.
Cordelia: I mean, they
promised me they'd take me to St. Croix, and
then they just decide to go to Tuscany. (exhales) Art and
buildings? I
was totally beachless for a month and a half. No one has suffered
like I
have. Of course I think that that kind of adversity builds
character.
Well, then I thought, I already have a lot of character. Is it
possible
to have too much character?
Snyder: The first day
back. It always gets me.
Giles: Yes.
Cut to the two of them walking along the colonnade.
Snyder: I mean, it's
incredible. One day the campus is completely bare.
Empty. The next, there are children everywhere. Like locusts.
Crawling
around, mindlessly bent on feeding and mating. Destroying
everything in
sight in their relentless, pointless desire to exist.
They stop. Snyder looks around, observing the students.
Giles: I do enjoy these
pep talks. Have you ever considered, given your
abhorrence of children, school's principal was not, perhaps, your
true
vocation?
Snyder: Somebody's got to
keep an eye on them. They're just a bunch of
hormonal time bombs. (takes two steps away from Giles) Every time
a
pretty girl walks by every boy turns into a gibbering fool.
Giles spots Jenny coming towards them.
Giles: Ms. Calendar!
Jenny: Mr. Giles!
Giles: Well, I, uh, um...
Hello!
Snyder: You see the way
these kids gaze at each other... all moony.
Jenny: It's good to see
you.
Giles: Yes.
Snyder: You think they're
thinking about learning?
Giles: Uh, were you headed
to the, uh, faculty room?
Jenny: Sounds like fun!
They head off to the faculty room leaving Snyder behind.
Snyder: I try and tell 'em
about the important things in life.
Discipline, responsibility, punctuality. Might as well be talking
to
myself.
Cut inside to the halls. They walk through the student lounge.
Giles: How was your
summer?
Jenny: Extreme. I did
Burning Man in Black Rock, ohhh, such a great
festival, you should've been there. They had drum rituals, mobile
sculptures, raves, naked mud dances, you would've just... hated
it with
a fiery passion!
Giles: I can't imagine
finding any redeeming, uh... (stops at the base
of the stairs) Naked?
Jenny: Hmm. And you
probably spent all summer with your nose in a book.
Giles: Yes. I suppose
you'd consider that frightfully dull.
Jenny: Depends on the
book. (smiles)
Willow and Xander come down the stairs. Buffy is not far behind
them.
Willow: Giles!
Xander: Yo! G-man! What's
up?
Giles: Nice to see you.
And don't ever call me that.
Jenny: Hi, kids.
Willow: Hi!
Buffy arrives now, too.
Giles: (to Buffy) How are
you?
Buffy: Live and kicking.
Willow: Buffy killed a
vampire last night.
They all look around to see if anyone overheard.
Buffy: Uh, I think you can
get a little more volume if you speak from
the diaphragm.
Willow: Sorry.
Jenny: (quietly) We've got
vampires? I thought the Hellmouth was
closed.
Giles: Well, it's, it's
closed, but not gone. The mystical energy that
emanates from it is still concentrated in this area.
Xander: Which means we're
still the undead's favorite party town.
Giles: I wonder if they're
here for any purpose, particularly.
Buffy: You're the Watcher.
I just work here.
Giles: Yes, I-I must
consult my books.
Xander: Oh, eight minutes
and thirty-three seconds, pay up. (Willow
hands him a dollar) I called ten minutes before you'd consult
your books
about something. (to Willow) Thanks.
The bell rings.
Willow: We better get to
class.
They all start making their way to their classes.
Giles: Oh, uh, Buffy! (she
looks back) Uh, I realize you've only just
returned, but when you're ready I-I think we should start your
training
again.
Buffy: I'm ready. I'll see
you after school. (starts to go again)
Giles: Well, I-I-I
understand if, if you want a few days to...
Buffy: I'm ready. (leaves)
Cut to the library after school. Buffy does tumbling and kicking
exercises that take her all around the library. Then they
continue
training with the quarterstaff. Buffy swings it at Giles' hand
pads. He
retreats as she hits. He ducks a swing but she continues around
with the
quarterstaff and knocks him back into the chairs by the table.
Next she
practices her punches on the wooden punching dummy. She has a
flash of
the Master and begins to go crazy on it, throwing continuous
rapid
punches.
Giles: Buffy, that's
enough.
She keeps whaling on the dummy.
Giles: Buffy!
She kicks it, and it breaks.
Giles: Uh, safe to say
you've stayed in shape.
Buffy: (breathing hard)
I'm ready. Whatever they've got coming next,
I'm ready. (bunches her hair above her head) Yeah.
Cut to an old brick warehouse. Cut inside.
Absalom: We have been put
down, kinsmen. We have lost our way. We have
lost the night. But despair is for the living. Where they are
weak, we
will be strong. Where they weep, we rejoice. Where they bleed,
(laughs)
we drink! Within three days a New Hope will arise. We will put
our faith
in him. (looks over at Collin) He will show us the way.
~~~~~~~~~~ Part 2 ~~~~~~~~~~
The student lounge. Buffy is upstairs on a couch, off in her own
world.
Willow and Xander come up the stairs to her.
Xander: Buffy! (no
response) Buffy!
Buffy: (back on earth)
Fine! I'm fine.
Xander: Good! It's good
that you're fine.
Willow sits on the couch opposite Buffy. Xander steps past Buffy
and
sits on the couch next to her.
Willow: What were you
thinking about? (gets out an apple)
Buffy: Nothing.
Xander: Oh, c'mon, you can
tell us. We're your bosom friends! The
friends of your bosom!
He gets a power bar out of his bag.
Willow: Xander.
Xander winces at his power bar. Willow frowns at her apple. They
toss
them to each other over the table.
Buffy: I wasn't thinking
anything, really.
Willow: What'd you do last
night?
Buffy: Mm. Slept. I had
weird dreams.
Xander: Dreams are
meaningful.
Willow: Tsh! Tell me about
it. The other night I dreamt that Xander...
Uh, I-it wasn't Xander. I-in fact it wasn't me. It was a friend's
dream,
and she doesn't remember it.
Buffy: I bet she doesn't.
Giles: (finds them) Buffy!
Buffy: Giles! (gets up)
What is it? You look worried.
Giles: This vampire
activity, I think I know what they're up to.
Buffy: Well, we'll deal
with it.
Giles: I hope it's that
simple.
Buffy: It is not to worry.
Trust me.
Giles: Oh, I don't know. I
mean, (chuckles) I've killed you once, it
shouldn't be too difficult to do it again.
Buffy: What?
Giles takes a hard backhand swing at her face, knocking her down
onto
the table between the two couches. He gets on top of her and
begins to
choke her. Xander and Willow just sit on the couches and chew
away at
their food. Willow smiles at Xander. Buffy reaches up to Giles'
face and
tries to push him off. She claws at him, and suddenly pulls off a
mask,
revealing the Master underneath. Buffy stares up at him in
wide-eyed
terror.
Cut to Buffy's bedroom. She wakes from her nightmare with a
start. She
looks around and over at her open window. She sits up and rubs
her face.
When she looks back at her window again Angel is there, leaning
against
the sill.
Buffy: Hello.
Angel: Mind if I come in?
Buffy: Be my guest.
Angel: How are you?
Buffy: Peachy. So, is this
a social call? It is kinda late. Or, well,
it is for me, anyway. What is it for you, lunch hour?
Angel: It's not a social
call.
Buffy: Ah. So, lemme
guess. That means grave danger. Gosh, it's good to
be home.
Angel: I'm sorry. I wish I
had better news.
Buffy: So, some of your
cousins are in town for a family barbecue, and
we're all on the menu!
Angel: The Anointed One.
He's been gathering forces somewhere in town.
I'm not sure why.
Buffy: Guess I'll find out
soon enough, huh?
Angel: You don't sound too
concerned.
Buffy: I can handle
myself. Besides, I could use a little action
anyway.
Angel: Don't underestimate
the Anointed One just because he looks like
a child. He has power over the rest of them. They'll do anything
for
him.
Buffy: Is that it? Is that
everything? Y'know, 'cause you woke me up
from a really good dream.
She turns away from him and lies back down.
Angel: Sorry. I'll go.
(turns around to go, but pauses) I missed you.
Buffy: (turns to the
window) I missed you?
Angel is already gone. "It Doesn't Matter", by Alison
Krauss, plays in
the background.
Lyrics: It doesn't matter
what I want / It doesn't matter what I need
Cut to Joyce's Jeep the next morning on the way to school.
Lyrics: It doesn't matter
if I cry
Joyce: How are your new
classes?
Buffy: Good.
Lyrics: Don't matter if I
bleed
Joyce: Good. Is there the
slightest chance that if I asked you what was
wrong you would tell me?
Lyrics: You've been on a
road
Buffy looks over at her mother.
Joyce: Course not. It
would take all the fun out of guessing.
Lyrics: Don't know where
it goes or where it leads
Cut to the halls at Buffy's locker.
Willow: Angel stopped by?
Wow. Was there... Well, I mean, was it having
to do with kissing?
Buffy: Willow, grow up.
Not everything is about kissing.
Xander: (to Willow) Yeah.
Some stuff's about groping. (to Buffy) It
wasn't about groping?
Buffy: Okay, hormones on
parade here? It was pure shoptalk. Remember
vampires, pointy teeth, they walk by night, am I ringing a bell?
Willow: What did he say?
Buffy: Oh, something's up.
(closes her locker) Nothing I can't handle.
They begin to walk down the hall to class.
Xander: Oh, hey, did you
guys hear that Cibo Matto's gonna be at the
Bronze tonight?
Willow: Cibo Matto?
They're playing?
Xander: No, Willow,
they're gonna be clog dancing.
Willow: Cibo Matto can
clog dance? (gets a look from Xander) Oh,
sarcasm, right.
Xander: We should attend,
no?
Cordelia comes out of class and engages them in the hall.
Cordelia: Oh, look, it's
the Three Musketeers.
They look at each other, not sure what to make of that.
Buffy: (to Xander) Was
that an insult?
Xander: Kinda lacked
punch.
Willow: The Three
Musketeers were cool.
Cordelia: I see your
point.
Xander: I woulda gone with
Stooges.
Cordelia: Well, I just
meant that you guys always hang out together.
So, did you guys fight any demons this summer?
Willow: Uh, yes! Our own personal
demons.
Xander: Uh, such as, as,
as lust and, uh, thrift!
Buffy: I would have to go
with Stooges also.
Cordelia: What are you
guys talking about? I'm talking about big
squiggly demons that came from the ground? Remember? Prom night?
With
all the vampires.
Buffy: Cordelia, your
mouth is open and sound is coming from it. This
is never good.
Xander: No. (takes
Cordelia aside) It's, see, we can't mention that
stuff in front of other people, Buffy being the Slayer and all.
Willow: You haven't been
talking about our little adventure all summer,
have you?
Cordelia: Are you nuts? Do
you think I would tell people that I spent
the whole evening with you? Besides, it was all so creepy. That
Master
guy? And all the screaming? I don't even like to think about it.
(to
Buffy) So your secret's safe with me.
Buffy: Well, that works
out great. You won't tell anyone that I'm the
Slayer, and I won't tell anyone you're a moron. (leaves)
Xander: Now, that was a
good insult.
Willow: A little too good.
Cordelia: What's up with
her?
Cut to the Bronze that night. People are gathering and going in.
Cut
inside. Cibo Matto is on stage playing "Spoon".
Lyrics: Don't, don't want
the boys
Cut to Willow and Xander sitting at a table. She has a cup of ice
cream.
Willow: I just think
something's up is all.
Lyrics: Don't, don't note
the heat
Xander: Willow, you're
paranoid.
Willow: Buffy's never
acted like this before. Ever since she got back
she's... different.
Lyrics: Can't find a
spoon...
Xander: Buffy's always
been different.
Willow: She's never been
mean.
Lyrics: ...that we have
had
Xander: (exhales) Any sign
of her? She said she was coming.
Lyrics: The sugar cubes...
Willow: No. The band's
cool, though.
Xander: Yeah, cool.
Lyrics: ...can melt our
mouth / We belong, yes, to-to-together
Willow dips her nose into her ice cream and smiles, trying to get
Xander's attention.
Lyrics: We belong, yes,
to-to-together / We belong, yes, to-to-together
Xander: (looks at her) You
got somethin' on your nose.
Lyrics: We belong, yes,
to-to-together / We belong, yes, to-to-together
The smile disappears from Willow's face, and she wipes the ice
cream off
with her napkin.
Lyrics: We belong, yes,
to-to-together
Cut to the cemetery. Dissolve to the tree where the Master is
buried.
Four crosses mark his grave. A shovel stabs into the dirt and
starts to
dig. Another one joins in. The camera pans around to Absalom,
Collin and
two others watching the first two vampires dig.
Absalom: (to the other
two) Don't just stand there. Dig! We have to
hurry.
The other two get on their knees and begin to dig. The ground
burns
their hands.
Vampire: The ground is
consecrated! It burns!
Collin: Dig.
The two vampires continue digging by hand. The grave is shallow,
and
they soon unearth the Master's skull.
Cut to the Bronze. The band starts their next number, "Sugar
Water".
Lyrics: The velocity of
time... turns her voice into... sugar water
Buffy walks into the Bronze. Angel sees her come in and goes over
to
her.
Buffy: Hi.
Angel: Hi.
Buffy: So, is there danger
at the Bronze? Should I beware?
Angel: I can't help
thinking I've done something to make you angry. And
that bothers me more than I'd like.
Buffy: I'm not angry. I
don't know where that comes from.
Angel: What are you afraid
of? Me? Us?
Buffy: Could you
contemplate getting over yourself for a second?
There's no 'us'. Look, Angel, I'm sorry if I was supposed to
spend the
summer mooning over you, but I didn't. I moved on. To the living.
She heads over to Willow and Xander's table. Cordelia watches her
go by,
and wonders about her attitude.
Lyrics: I'm on a concrete
way / The wind is blowing...
Buffy: Hey!
Willow: Hi.
Xander: Hey.
Lyrics: ...to the
north-northwest
Willow: What's wrong with
Angel?
Buffy: Beats me.
Lyrics: It smells like
sands of the southern island
Buffy: (to Xander) Let's
dance. (pulls at his shirt)
Xander: Ooo-kay. (is
pulled by his shirt to the dance floor)
Lyrics: When a black cat
crosses my path
Buffy and Xander begin to slow dance. Her movements are very
sensual.
Lyrics: A woman in the
moon is singing to the earth / A woman in the
moon is singing to the earth / La la la, la la la la la la / La
la la,
la la la la la la
Buffy turns around and spoons in against Xander, pulling his arms
around
her waist. She grinds her hips and shoulders against him.
Lyrics: La la la, la la la
la la la / La la la, la la la la la la
She reaches up with her hand and strokes his face. Angel looks on
jealously. Willow watches in disbelief. Buffy continues her
grinding.
Lyrics: I'm riding on a
camel that has big eyes / The buildings are
changing into coconut trees / Little by little
Buffy turns to Xander and tilts her head up to his, close enough
to
kiss.
Buffy: Xander? Did I ever
thank you... for saving my life?
Lyrics: When a black
cat...
Xander: No.
Lyrics: ...crosses my path
Buffy slowly slithers around him, making sure not to lose contact
with
his body.
Lyrics: A woman in the
moon is singing to the earth
Buffy: Don't you wish I
would?
She breaks off, leaving him standing there. Xander isn't sure
what to
make of it all, but he knows he doesn't like it.
Lyrics: A woman in the
moon is singing to the earth
Buffy goes back to their table and retrieves her jacket.
Lyrics: La la la, la la la
la la la
She walks past Cordelia as she makes her way out of the Bronze.
Angel
follows her with his stare.
Lyrics: La la la, la la la
la la la
Xander is still standing on the dance floor, upset and unsure how
to
react.
Cut outside. Buffy exits the Bronze and walks down the alley at a
quick
pace. Cordelia follows her out.
Cordelia: Buffy. (Buffy
stops) You're really campaigning for bitch-of-
the-year, aren't you?
Buffy: (turns to face her)
As defending champion, you nervous?
Cordelia: I can hold my
own. You know, we've never really been close,
which is nice, 'cause I don't really like you that much, but...
you have
on occasion saved the world and stuff, so I'm gonna... do you a
favor.
Buffy: And this great
favor is...
Cordelia: I'm gonna give
you some advice. Get over it.
Buffy: Excuse me?
Cordelia: Whatever is
causing the Joan Collins 'tude, deal with it.
Embrace the pain, spank your inner moppet, whatever, but get over
it.
'Cause pretty soon you're not even gonna have the loser friends
you've
got now.
Buffy: I think it's about
time you start minding your own business.
Cordelia: It's long past.
Buffy: (turns and goes)
Nighty-night. (flips up her hood)
Cordelia: I'll just see if
Angel feels like dancing.
She is suddenly grabbed by two vampires coming out of the shadows
and
dragged into an adjacent building.
~~~~~~~~~~ Part 3 ~~~~~~~~~~
A basement. The two vampires force Cordelia down the stairs. At
the
bottom they shove her into the room. She's frightened and looks
around.
She takes a step sideways and bumps into a hand. She looks down
and sees
that it's Jenny. She crouches down to see if she's okay, but
Jenny is
unconscious.
Cordelia: Ms., Ms.
Calendar? Oh, God, Ms. Calendar?
Cut to the cemetery. Buffy is going to check out the Master's
grave.
When she gets there she finds it dug open and his bones exhumed.
She
steps back slowly, and thinks she sees the Master out of the
corner of
her eye. She quickly turns to look, but no one's there.
Willow: She's possessed!
Cut to the student lounge. Giles is getting a soda from the
vending
machine.
Giles: Possessed?
Willow: That's the only
explanation that makes any sense. I mean, you
should've seen her last night. That wasn't Buffy.
Xander: Are we overlooking
the idea that she may be very attracted to
me? (gets looks from the others and concedes) She's possessed.
Giles: Possessed by what?
Willow: Aaaaa possessing
thing!
Giles: (sarcastically)
Well, that narrows it down.
He takes a sip of his soda and winces at its sweetness.
Xander: Well, you're the
expert. Hey, maybe when the Master killed her
some... mystical bad guy transference thing happened.
Willow: That's what it was!
I mean, why else would she be acting like
such a b-i-t-c-h?
Giles: Willow, I think
we're all a little too old to be spelling things
out.
Xander: A bitca?
Giles: (not surprised by
Xander's misunderstanding) Yes. I suggest
that, uh, the explanation for her behavior may be something more,
more
mundane.
The bell rings and the students around them begin to leave for
class.
Giles: (sits) She may
simply have what you Americans refer to as
issues. Uh, her experience with the Master must have been
extremely
traumatic. Well, she was, for at least a few minutes, technically
dead.
(Buffy appears in the door) I-I don't think she's dealt with that
on a
conscious level. (Xander notices Buffy) She's convinced herself
that
she's invulnerable... for the very reason that she feels...
Xander: (interrupts)
That's a very interesting point about trout, you
just brought up now.
Buffy walks up to them.
Giles: Trout? (notices
Buffy) Trout! Yes, trout, i-is a fish. Good
morning. Did you sleep well?
Buffy: Like a rock.
Master's gone.
Giles: I'm sorry?
Buffy: The Master. I went
by his grave last night, and they have a
vacancy.
Giles: Good God!
Willow: What would
somebody want with Master bones?
Xander: A trophy, a
horrible conversation piece?
Buffy: They're gonna bring
him back. They're gonna bring the Master
back to life, and I seem to recall you telling me he was history.
Giles: Buffy, I-I-I've
never heard of a-a revivification ritual being
successful.
Buffy: But you've heard of
them? Thanks for the warning.
Willow: Well, Buffy, Giles
did bury him and...
Buffy: Look, this is
Slayer stuff, okay? Could we have just a little
less from the civilians, please?
Xander: Okay, that's just
about enough!
Buffy shoots Xander a look.
Snyder: (interrupts) I
believe some of us have class? And some of us
have jobs.
Giles: Y-yes, well, I'll,
uh, I'll see you all, uh, in the library
later. We'll, we'll continue this discussion.
Willow: About trout.
The kids leave. Snyder watches them go.
Snyder: There're some
things I can just smell. It's like a sixth sense.
Giles: No, actually that
would be one of the five.
Snyder: That Summers girl.
I smell trouble. I smell expulsion, and just
the faintest aroma of jail.
Giles: Well, before you
throw away the key, you might consider giving
her the benefit of the doubt. She may surprise you.
Snyder: You really have
faith in those kids, don't you?
Giles: Yes, I do.
Snyder: Weird.
Cut to the library after school.
Giles: Alright, alright,
I-I-I've got something. It's Latin, so bear
with me. Uh, to revive the vampire they need his bones, uh...
w-which
they have, and, um, the blood... this is very unclear, of the
closest
person... uh, someone connected to the vampire.
Buffy: That'd be me.
Giles: Perhaps.
Buffy: We were close. We
killed each other. It really promotes
togetherness.
Xander: Well, is there
anything on when the ceremony might take...
A rock comes crashing through a window.
Xander: Whoa!
Buffy catches the rock in her hands. It has a note wrapped around
it and
kept in place with a bracelet.
Buffy: This is Cordelia's.
(takes off the note) 'Come to the Bronze
before it opens, or we make her a meal.'
Xander: They're gonna cook
her dinner? (gets looks from everyone) I'll
pretend I didn't say that.
Willow: What do we do?
Buffy: (exhales) I go to
the Bronze and save the day. (starts to go)
Xander: I don't like this.
Giles: Nor I!
Buffy: (turns back) Yeah?
Well, you guys aren't going.
Willow: What do you mean?
Buffy: I can't do it
anymore. I can't look after the three of you guys
while I'm fighting.
Willow: Well, what about
the rest of the note?
Buffy: What rest of the
note?
Willow: The part that
says, 'P.S. This is a trap'?
Giles: You'll be playing
straight into their hands. (takes off his
glasses)
Buffy: I can handle this.
Willow: Stop saying that!
God, what's wrong with you?
Xander: Cordelia may be
dead.
Buffy: This is my fight.
She leaves and grabs her coat and bag on the way out. Willow just
watches her go. Xander shakes his head. Giles puts his glasses
back on.
Cut to the alley outside the Bronze. Buffy senses Angel as she nears
the
entrance.
Buffy: Y'know, being
stalked isn't really a big turn-on for girls.
Angel: (behind her) You
need help. Someone to watch your back.
Buffy: Sure you don't mean
my neck?
Angel: (comes around her)
Why are you ridin' me?
Buffy: Because I don't
trust you. You're a vampire. (gets a look) Oh,
I'm sorry, was that an offensive term? Should I say 'undead
American'?
Angel: You have to trust
someone. You can't do this alone.
Buffy: I trust me.
Angel: You're not as
strong as you think.
Buffy: (gives him a
challenging look) You think you can take me?
Angel: What?
Buffy: Oh, c'mon! I mean,
you must've thought about it. What would
happen if it ever came down to a fight, you vampire, me the
Slayer, I
mean, you must've wondered! Well, why don't we find out?
Angel: I'm not gonna fight
you.
Buffy: Come on! Kick my
ass!
Angel: Don't you have
somewhere to be?
Buffy: I do.
Angel: Well, you're
wasting time.
Buffy: Just stay out of my
way. (walks around him to the entrance)
Angel: Happy to oblige.
Cut inside. Buffy comes in and looks around as she slowly walks
through
an empty Bronze. She comes upon a girl crying in a corner. She
stops.
Angel appears behind her.
Buffy: That's not
Cordelia.
The vampire laughs and turns around.
Vampire: Cordelia couldn't
make it.
Buffy: Where is she?
Vampire: I'm not supposed
to tell.
Angel: I don't like this.
Buffy: Don't like what?
Angel: There's the bait.
Where's the hook?
The vampire attacks, and Buffy flips her over onto her back on
the floor
and pins her down with her foot.
Buffy: You're right. Why
would they send just one?
Cut to the library. Giles is continuing his research.
Willow: I still think we
should've gone with her.
Xander: Buffy's about to
lose it. I think we should be trying to reach
minimum safe distance.
Willow: Xander, you know
it's a trap!
Giles: Ah! Ah, ah, ah! Uh,
uh, the Latin is, is translated from the
Sumerian, a-a-and rather badly. Closest to the Master actually
translates as 'nearest'. Physically. The, the, the person or
persons who
were with him... when he... (looks up) It is a trap.
Several vampires appear on the mezzanine level above.
Giles: It just isn't for
her.
~~~~~~~~~~ Part 4 ~~~~~~~~~~
The Bronze. Buffy binds the vampire's wrists
Buffy: Watch her. Don't
kill her unless you have to. (shoves her over
to Angel)
Angel: Buffy! What's goin'
on?
Buffy: I'll be back.
Cut to the library. Buffy comes rushing in, and stops short when
she
sees that the place is a shambles. The camera pans through the
room to
the center table, which has been tipped over onto its side.
Behind it
Xander regains consciousness and gets up, using the table for
support.
Buffy: Xander!
She rushes over to him to help, but he shakes her off.
Buffy: What happened?
Xander: (out of breath)
Vampires. The ones you could handle yourself.
Buffy: Where are the
others?
Xander: I don't know.
(angry) I don't know what your problem is, what
your issues are. But as of now, I officially don't care. If you'd
worked
with us for five seconds, you coulda stopped this.
Buffy: (turns away) We, we
just have to think. Where would they have
taken them?
Xander: (vehemently) If
they hurt Willow, I'll kill you.
She turns back to him and looks at him seriously.
Buffy: Why did they take
them and not you?
Xander: Giles said the
ritual was, um... They needed people who were
close to the Master. Physically close. When he, uh...
Buffy: The ones who were
with the Master when he died.
Xander: Giles, Willow,
Cordelia...
Buffy: Ms. Calendar.
Xander: Odds are they've
got a complete set by now.
Buffy: We need to find out
where.
Xander: How?
Cut to the Bronze. Buffy is interrogating the female vampire. She
throws
her down onto the floor.
Buffy: One more time:
where are they?
Vampire: You're too late.
Your friends are dead.
Buffy: (lifts her back up)
Tell me where they are!
Vampire: (laughs) What are
you gonna do? Kill me?
Buffy: As a matter of
fact...
She throws the vampire onto a pool table.
Buffy: ...yes. (yanks off
her necklace) But since I'm not gonna kill
you any time soon, the question becomes...
She drops the cross into the vampire's mouth and covers it with
her
hands.
Buffy: ...how are we gonna
pass the time till then?
The cross burns in the vampire's mouth, and she shakes her head.
After
several seconds Buffy pulls the cross back out.
Buffy: So. One more time.
Cut to the warehouse. Cut inside. Collin carries a black case
past the
Master's skeleton, which has been laid out on a table. Absalom
takes it
from him.
Absalom: Begin.
Another vampire starts pulling on a chain, and Willow, Giles,
Cordelia
and Jenny are moved along an overhead conveyor to hang upside
down and
unconscious above the Master's bones.
Absalom: Behold, these
four mortals.
Buffy comes into the warehouse through a side door. Angel and
Xander
follow her in.
Absalom: Witnesses to our
Master's wretched demise. They will breathe
their last this night. The blood that pours from their throats
will
bring NEW LIFE to the old one. We gather for his resurrection.
For the
dawn of this new hell.
Buffy looks up at the four of them hanging upside down.
Xander: (in a low voice)
Buffy! Buffy! (she faces him) We gotta do
something now!
Buffy: You two get the
others out of here.
Angel: We need you to
distract the vampires.
Buffy: Right.
Xander: What are you gonna
do?
Buffy: I'm gonna kill them
all. (turns to her task) That oughta
distract them.
Cut to Absalom, holding a Kuhkri, a long, curved knife.
Absalom: For the old one.
For his pain. For the dark.
Vampires: For the dark!
Absalom kisses the blade. Cut to one of the vampires. A stake is
suddenly thrust through him from behind, and he instantly turns
into
ashes. Buffy stands there now in a fighting stance. Absalom looks
at her
in disbelief and then roars. Three vampires begin fighting her.
She
easily keeps them at bay. Angel and Xander seize the opportunity
to
climb the ladder to the platform above to get the others off of
the
conveyor. Buffy continues to fight the vampires below. Absalom
takes
Collin and ushers him out of the warehouse. He comes back in and
sees
Angel and Xander pulling on the chain, bringing the others back
over to
the platform.
Absalom: The sacrifices!
Stop them!
A vampire responds to Absalom's command and runs to the ladder to
the
platform. Buffy continues to fight below as Angel and Xander keep
pulling on the chain. Absalom looks around and then rushes out of
the
warehouse. Buffy keeps fighting. She does a flip over some wooden
boxes,
grabs one on the way and smashes it onto a vampire's head. She
kicks the
vampire in the face, knocking him down and breaking a few pieces
of wood
off of the box. She gets tackled by another vampire. On the
platform
above Giles, Jenny and Cordelia are already off of the conveyor.
Angel
and Xander lift Willow off as well. Giles rolls on the floor in
semi-
consciousness. They lay Willow down and tend to them all. A
vampire
finally makes it up to the platform and growls. Angel looks at
him with
his game face on and growls back. The vampire attacks, and Angel
rushes
to meet him. They fight. Below one of them is on top of Buffy.
She
reaches up with a broken piece of wood and jams it into the
vampire's
back, and gets ash all over herself. The vampire she knocked down
before
with the box gets up and rushes to attack her. Above, Angel and
his
opponent fall through a poorly covered hole in the platform.
Jenny is
awake now and crawls over to Giles, who is also awake now and
trying to
sit up.
Giles: Are you alright?
Jenny: Yeah, I'm okay.
Giles: Where's Buffy?
Xander is at the edge of the platform holding a still unconscious
Willow
with his arm and watching the fight below.
Xander: Uh, she's working
out her issues.
Buffy is still fighting a vampire below. Underneath the platform
Angel's
attacker tries to jam a piece of wood into his chest, but Angel
stops
him and jams it into his instead. Buffy kicks the vampire she's
fighting
into a storage rack, and he goes down with it. Absalom shows up
again in
the doorway with a large sledgehammer.
Absalom: ENOUGH!
Buffy turns to look at him. The other vampire gets back up.
Absalom: Your day is done,
girl. I'll grind you into a *sticky* paste,
and hear you beg before I smash in your face.
Buffy: So, are you gonna
kill me or are we just making small talk?
Absalom raises the sledgehammer in indignation and yells as he
begins
his attack. The other vampire rushes at her from the other side.
Buffy
calmly looks at the tall wooden torch post in front of her,
breaks it
off and turns it a few times in her hands. The vampire impales
himself
on the broken end and crumbles into ash. Absalom runs into the
burning
end and is set ablaze. He backs up and screams as the flames
spread over
him. He makes a last desperate attempt to get Buffy and raises
the
sledgehammer over his head, but is too late as the flames engulf
him and
instantly burn him up. The sledgehammer falls to the floor with a
loud
clang. Buffy drops the post and looks over at the Master's
skeleton. Cut
to the platform above. Willow is awake now.
Willow: It's over.
Xander: No, it's not.
Cut below. Buffy bends down and picks up the sledgehammer. She
slowly
walks over to the Master's skeleton and looks at it a moment.
Then she
swings the hammer back behind her and arcs it directly into the
Master's
skull, shattering it to pieces. She keeps whaling on the Master's
skeleton as Willow, Xander and Giles look down from above. Angel
comes
up behind her and watches her continue until there's nothing left
on the
table. She stops and bursts into tears, dropping the sledgehammer
to the
floor.
Angel: It's okay. It's
okay.
Buffy turns around and leans into him, crying into his shoulder.
Angel
gently holds on to her as she cries. Xander, Willow and Giles
continue
to watch from above. Willow briefly looks up at Xander.
Cut to the school the next day. Jenny and Cordelia walk across
the quad.
Cordelia: What an ordeal.
And you know what the worst part is?
Jenny: What?
Cordelia: It stays with
you forever. No matter what they tell you, none
of that rust and blood and grime comes out. I mean, you can dry
clean
till judgment day, you are living with those stains.
Jenny: Yeah that's the
worst part of being hung upside down by a
vampire who wants to slit your throat: the stains.
Cordelia: I hear ya!
Giles and Buffy come walking the other way on the other side of
the
quad.
Buffy: I don't think I can
face them.
Giles: Hmm? Of course, you
can.
Buffy: I can't! What am I
supposed say? 'Sorry I almost got your throat
slit. What's the homework?'
Giles: Punishing yourself
like this is pointless.
Buffy: It's entirely
pointy. I was a moron. I put my best friends in
mortal danger on the second day of school.
Giles: What are you gonna
do? Crawl inside a cave for the rest of your
life?
Buffy: Would it have
cable?
Giles: Buffy, you acted
wrongly, I admit that. But believe me, that was
hardly the, the worst mistake you'll ever make. Uh, that wasn't
quite as
comforting as it was meant to be.
Buffy: Well, points for
effort. (the bell rings) See ya.
Cut to class. Buffy comes in, sees Willow and Xander and stops.
Willow
sees her come in. Xander, facing Willow, notices her look up and
looks
over, too, but goes back to what he's doing on Willow's desk.
Buffy
walks over to an empty desk next to Willow.
Willow: Hey, Buffy.
Buffy: Hey.
Willow: We saved you a
seat.
Buffy looks at them both and sits down.
Xander: There's a rumor
going around that, uh, Mr. Cox is the most
boring teacher in the entire world. Like, I think he won a belt
or
something.
Buffy: Like, yes.
Willow: Well, I hear he
nods off a lot. So that's a plus.
Xander: So, we Bronzin' it
tonight?
Willow: Wednesday, it's
kinda beat.
Xander: Well, we could
grind our enemies into talcum powder with a
sledgehammer, but, gosh, we did that last night.
The two of them give Buffy big smiles. She smiles back.
Xander: Hey, I got a plan:
how 'bout miniature golf.
Xander: Okay, uh,
miniature tennis! A very tiny form of tennis that we
could invent...
They make small talk until class begins. The camera slowly pans
around
them.
Cut to the warehouse. Collin surveys the damage Buffy has
wrought. He
looks all around him at the pieces of bone strewn all over the
place.
Collin: I hate that girl.