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Never Leave Me October 23, 2002 (WHITE) Written by: Drew Goddard Directed by: David Solomon |
| Teaser |
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INT. SUMMERS' HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
We're continuing where we left off in Episode Eight -- same night, a
little later. Xander uses a tape measure to measure the window frames (the
glass has not yet been replaced.) Willow, Dawn and Anya work on cleaning
up the wreckage.
So the basement was filled with bodies? WILLOW DAWN Willow nods.
And we're waiting... for what, exactly? Him to do something crazy? WILLOW ANYA WILLOW ANYA Xander doesn't want to talk about it. He focuses on his work.
I have a house to put back together. ANYA EXT. SUNNYDALE STREET - NIGHT Black boots walk along the street. We move up the body, we see the black outfit, black leather duster, the cocky swagger... We get to the face and reveal ANDREW. Dressed up like the Spike of old. Trying desperately to look cool. Warren falls in step beside him.
(claps his hands together) All right! Looking good. How do you feel? ANDREW WARREN ANDREW WARREN ANDREW WARREN Warren motions to his chest. Andrew tries to touch him... and his hand PASSES right through Warren's chest, as though Warren were a ghost.
Cool. WARREN ANDREW WARREN Andrew grows noticeably more anxious.
I just don't think I can kill anybody else. Warren MORPHS into Jonathan.
Oh, will you stop worrying about that? ANDREW JONATHAN ANDREW JONATHAN Andrew's becoming more and more anxious.
I can't do it. I can't do it anymore. JONATHAN ANDREW JONATHAN BUFFY (PRE-LAP) INT. SUMMERS' HOME - BUFFY'S ROOM - NIGHT CLOSE ON ropes being tightened. Pull back to reveal Buffy tying Spike to a sturdy chair in her bedroom.
We're gonna get to the bottom of this. She works on lashing his hands to the chair arms.
We just can't take the chance -- SPIKE She stops. Looks at him. He nods at the ropes.
You're doing it wrong. The knots'll give. They share a look.
(grim) Pull me tight. They stare at each other. Then Buffy YANKS the ropes as tight as she can.
BLACK OUT.
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| Act One |
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INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL - PRINCIPAL'S
OFFICE - DAY
Principal Wood sits at his desk, talking to two troublemakers (let's
call them GRIMES and HOFFMAN.)
Now we can settle this one of two ways: You can help repaint the walls or I can suspend you and report the incident on your permanent record. HOFFMAN PRINCIPAL WOOD He stands up, walks around to the front of his desk.
I could suspend you, but that would mean calling your parents, alerting your teachers, filling out paperwork, and possibly talking to the school board. All of which sounds positively exhausting to me. (pause) No, I think it would be much easier if I just called the police and let them deal with it. The boys look at each other, unsure what to make of him.
In case you're wondering, now's the part where I'm not bluffing. The boys do a double-check with each other, then nod.
We'll repaint it. PRINCIPAL WOOD There's a knock at the door. Principal Wood looks mildly perturbed.
(to boys) Excuse me. He walks over and opens the door, finding Dawn.
Miss Summers. DAWN PRINCIPAL WOOD DAWN PRINCIPAL WOOD DAWN PRINCIPAL WOOD DAWN Pause.
Thank you. That's very helpful. DAWN GRIMES PRINCIPAL WOOD DAWN INT. SUMMERS' HOME - KITCHEN - DAY Buffy is on the phone.
I need to find him as soon as possible. He's not answering any of his numbers.
INTERCUT WITH:
INT. WATCHERS' COUNCIL BOARDROOM - DAY Close on QUENTIN TRAVERS.
Miss Summers, the Council does not keep track of our... lapsed employees. Ever since Mr. Giles pulled up his stake in Sunnydale, we've not made it our business to follow his every move. BUFFY Quentin thinks about this.
I suppose, if you feel the matter is urgent, we could look into it. BUFFY (curt) I'd appreciate it. Thank you. QUENTIN He hangs up the phone. Thinks for a moment. As he does, we widen to reveal he's sitting at the head of a large boardroom table, surrounded by several other Watcher-types (including some people from Checkpoint) who are all looking grim and listening intently. We're in the council's War Room -- an old, collegiate-type English wood building with walls covered in maps and charts and diagrams. Tasteful wooden file cabinets line one of the walls. Quentin looks at the others.
The girl knows nothing. He turns his attention to a MAP on the wall. We ANGLE on it -- it's a large, ominous map of the world covered in black and red dots.
And we need to find Rupert Giles as soon as possible. SPIKE (PRE-LAP) INT. SUMMERS' HOME - BUFFY'S ROOM - DAY Spike sits tied to his chair. He's going into serious blood withdrawal. He's sweating, breathing hard, half-lucid. Buffy sits across from him.
Can I do anything? Spike shakes his head. Tries to keep himself under control.
You should probably -- He's unable to finish, jaw clenching. He presses his face into his shoulder. Buffy mistakenly thinks he's trying to wipe the sweat off his face.
Here -- She leans forward to help him, and as she gets close, Spike VAMPS and bites violently at her. She jerks back. He keeps snapping and biting at the air. Pure animal. No sense of the man whatsoever. He flails in his chair. Crazed. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - HALLWAY - DAY Buffy talks to Willow in the hallway outside her room.
He's been feasting on humans for weeks. I think he's in major withdrawal. We need to get him some blood. WILLOW Buffy thinks about it.
No... we should probably ween him off humans. He'll have to make do with animal blood. WILLOW BUFFY WILLOW BUFFY Willow moves to leave, waits a beat.
How's it going in there? BUFFY WILLOW Pause. Buffy considers her answer. Then:
I'll be okay. We hold on her for a moment.
She won't feel a thing. INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL - BASEMENT - DAY We're in a dark, nondescript part of the basement. Andrew and Warren stand side-by-side, looking down at something (we don't see what.) Andrew holds a large knife in his hand.
Just do it fast. Andrew nods.
Cut her deep, cut her quick. It'll be over before she knows what hit her. ANDREW WARREN Andrew nods. ANGLE on what they're looking at: a cute little PIG (about the size of Babe.) It sits there, happily looking up at Andrew. ANGLE Warren and Andrew.
Babe 2: Pig in The City was really underrated. WARREN ANDREW ANGLE the pig. It's cute. ANGLE Warren and Andrew, both staring at the pig.
You're Conan. You're the Destroyer. Andrew starts nodding.
It's you against nature. You're the hunter. You're primal. You live off the land. Andrew's nodding, he's feeling it.
You're Andrew. Everyone knows you. You play by your own rules. It's kill or be killed -- ANDREW Andrew LUNGES with his knife after the pig. It darts out of the way. Andrew lands on the ground in a heap. He tries to stand up, gets himself caught up in the folds of his leather coat, and falls flat on his face again. The pig runs around. Andrew rights himself, chases after the pig.
(exasperated) You gotta corner it... Andrew runs around. The pig keeps getting the best of him.
Stay between it and the hall or it's gonna... Andrew gives a DEATH CRY and pounces again, knife swinging. He misses the pig, hits the ground (or the wall) hard. He crumples in a heap. The pig scampers away down the hall. Warren looks to the heavens in frustration.
That was the worst attempted pig slaughtering I've ever seen. Andrew looks up at him from the ground.
(winded; frustrated) I'm not very good at stabbing. (beat) Isn't there some other way we can get blood?
CUT TO:
INT. BUTCHER SHOP - DAY We're at the counter of a butcher shop. Lots of meat everywhere. A surly BUTCHER mans the counter.
Number eighty-seven! Reverse angle to reveal Andrew, still in his coat, looking nervous and severely out of place. He holds up his ticket, steps forward.
I'd like twelve pork chops, two pounds of sausage, (rushed) Eightquartsofpigsblood, three steaks, um, a halibut... uh, some... toothpaste... The Butcher looks at him like he's an idiot.
This is a butcher shop, Neo. We don't sell toothpaste. ANDREW BUTCHER The Butcher goes to fill the order. Andrew waits uncomfortably for a few beats. He tries to nod hellos to the handful of people waiting around him. He has guilty written all over his face.
CUT TO:
Andrew, paying for a big paper grocery bag of meat at a cash register. He's nervous, eager to get out of there. He picks up the bag (it's big, he has to use both arms) and turns fast, hurrying out of the store, not looking, and barrels full speed into a similarly unaware WILLOW. They both go crashing to the ground. The contents of Andrew's bag go flying everywhere. ANGLE Andrew. He breathes in sharply. ANGLE Willow, recognition crossing her face. Wide shot: the two of them, on the ground, amidst a mess of meat and quart bags of blood, staring at each other, not knowing what the hell to do. In the background, the surly Butcher (either not noticing the Willow and Andrew mess or not caring) calls out the next number.
Number eighty-eight!
BLACK OUT.
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| Act Two |
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EXT. BUTCHER SHOP - DAY
Andrew runs out the front door of the butcher shop. Willow comes
running out shortly thereafter, hot on his heels.
Hey! Wait! EXT. ALLEY - DAY Andrew rounds the corner and runs into a dead end/wall. Willow's right behind him -- she grabs him by the back of the neck.
Wait a minute! Andrew whips around, hands covering his face, cowering.
Don't kill me! WILLOW ANDREW WILLOW ANDREW Willow, who up until this point has been mostly confused and suspicious, becomes hurt, angry. We see pain on her face.
(softly) What are you doing here? ANDREW WILLOW Andrew thinks about this. Shit.
I am bad. (nodding) I'm bad. I'm evil. He frantically tries to figure out what to do. Grows some spine.
But I am protected by powerful forces. Forces you can't even begin to imagine... (beat) Little. Girl. Willow doesn't say anything. Andrew's still very anxious.
If you harm me, you shall know the wrath of He that is darkness, and terror. Your blood will boil and you will know true suffering. (pause) Why don't you do us both a favor, and turn, and walk away. (beat) Stand down, she-witch, your defeat is at hand -- WILLOW Andrew shuts right up.
I am a she witch. A very powerful she-witch. (beat) Or... "witch" as is... more accurate. (beat) I am not one to be trifled with. Though she's bluffing, we see real anger shine through in her speech.
You think you frighten me? With your dress-up? With your cribbed speech? (pause) I destroy souls. Andrew stands there, eyes wide in terror
You want to play games? I'm begging you to play games with me. (pause) When I'm finished with you, you'll be on your hands and knees praying for Warren's fate, pleading for Warren's fate. It's hard to tell if she's bluffing anymore.
I am Willow. I am Death. If you don't do exactly what I say, I will bring your nightmares to reality. (pause) Now what say you to that? INT. SUMMERS' HOME - LIVING ROOM - DAY BAM! Willow shoves Andrew through the front door by the scruff of his neck. He's carrying the grocery bag from the butcher's shop. Xander's in the living room, putting in new window glass. Anya and Dawn are helping him.
Look what I found. XANDER WILLOW Andrew's beginning to suspect he's been had.
(to Willow) Your hair's not even black anymore... XANDER ANDREW XANDER INT. SUMMERS' HOME - DAWN'S ROOM - DAY Xander tosses Andrew into a chair and begins to tie him up (nothing too elaborate, we're going to undo him in a bit.) Anya stands nearby, holding Andrew's coat, going through the pockets.
Careful with my coat. It's expensive. ANYA She stares at him, drops his coat on the ground. Steps on it.
Hey -- XANDER He pulls the ropes tight.
Ow! Ow ow ow ow -- XANDER ANDREW Xander pulls up a chair, straddles it backwards. Anya stands behind him, arms folded, glaring.
Here's the thing -- I don't believe you. ANDREW XANDER Andrew thinks about this.
Yeah... okay. XANDER Andrew spits his answer out way too fast, as though he's been rehearsing it for the last half hour:
I-fell-in-love-with-a-beautiful- vampire-girl-down-in-Mexico-and-now- we're-trying-to-make-a-go-of-it-on- the-straight-and-narrow-and-put-our- lives-back-together-here-in-Sunnydale. Anya EXPLODES.
You think this is a game, junior!?! She grabs him, starts shaking him.
People are dying, our friends are in danger -- Andrew whimpers in fear.
Ahhhh -- Xander looks genuinely surprised at Anya's behavior.
Hey -- ANYA She slaps him, hard, across the face. Andrew screams in pain. Xander shoves himself in between the two of them.
Hey! Anya. She breathes hard, fury splashed across her face.
(firm) Can I talk to you outside for a second? Anya breathes. Andrew whimpers, tears starting to flow. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - BUFFY'S ROOM - DAY Buffy holds a quart bag of blood up to Spike's mouth (he's in vamp-face.) He's bitten straight through the bag and drinks from it hungrily, a starving animal. Buffy's face betrays no emotion. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - BATHROOM - DAY Xander and Anya hurry into the bathroom, each bursting with excitement.
Did you see that? I actually made him cry. XANDER ANYA She shakes her hand like it's stinging
I wasn't sure if I should slap him, but then he made me want to slap him so I thought, "Slap him." XANDER ANYA XANDER ANYA Buffy walks in. Anya doesn't miss a beat, nods to her, all tough and NYPD Blue-like.
What's the status with your guy? BUFFY She leans up against the wall, rubs the back of her neck.
But we'll get there. (nods towards Dawn's room) How's your guy? ANYA Xander goes with it.
He's primed. He'll be ready to pump in no time. Anya and Buffy look at each other. What? Xander looks at the ground.
He will give us information soon. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - BUFFY'S ROOM - DUSK Buffy walks in. Spike's no longer in vamp-face. He looks exhausted, beaten, but coherent.
Better? Spike nods.
Good. Spike looks around. It seems hard for him to talk.
I don't remember anything. BUFFY SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE BUFFY Spike thinks about it.
Things have been wonky for me ever since I got back. Ever since... BUFFY Spike nods.
Figured that's what it was like. Been so long since I had it. BUFFY Spike laughs.
"Saw a man about a girl." Buffy bristles ever so slightly at this. Spike pretends he doesn't notice.
Sought this legend out. Went to the other side of the world. Made a deal with a demon. BUFFY SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE BUFFY Spike hesitates, then decides to say it.
Meaning I've come to redefine the words "pain" and "suffering" since I fell in love with you. Buffy's taken aback by his abruptness.
How can you say that? SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE Buffy bristles, but doesn't back away.
Yes. SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE INT. SUMMERS' HOME - DAWN'S ROOM - DUSK Andrew sits, red-faced, apprehensive. Xander walks in carrying a glass of water. He sets the glass down on the nightstand, walks to Andrew, who flinches when Xander gets near him. Xander begins to untie him.
How's your face? Andrew looks at Xander warily, rubs his wrists once they're free.
Okay. XANDER He picks up the glass of water, offers it to Andrew.
You thirsty? Andrew sizes him up, not knowing what to think... but then takes the glass and drinks. He keeps his eyes on Xander.
That chick's psycho. Xander exhales.
You don't know the half of it. She's a Vengeance Demon, you know. She's bad news. ANDREW Xander tries very, very hard not to let this shake him.
She's killed more men than smallpox. ANDREW XANDER ANDREW XANDER ANDREW XANDER He adjusts, thinks about it.
She killed him. But she did it real slow. See, first she stopped his heart. Then she replaced it with darkness. Then she made him live his life like that. He still had to go... do his job and see his friends and get up in the morning and go to bed at night but he had to do it all... empty. (beat) With nothing to look forward to. Ever. ANDREW XANDER ANDREW XANDER ANDREW XANDER ANDREW XANDER ANDREW From outside the door:
YOU LYING SON OF A BITCH! The door flies open. Anya comes CHARGING into the room like a bull. Andrew starts yelling in fear.
You're gonna tell us what we need to know and you're gonna do it right now -- XANDER Anya goes for Andrew's throat, knocking him over backward in his chair. Xander mock-tries to break them up.
Get off me Harris! She shoves Xander back and SLAPS him hard across the face. Xander grabs his face in pain and (away from Andrew's gaze) gives her a look: Ow! What the hell are you doing? She winces. Sorry about that. Then she puts her mean face back on and turns and POUNCES ON Andrew.
C'mere, pipsqueak! Andrew SCREAMS under her assault.
Get her off me! I'll tell you! I'll tell you what you need to know! INT. SUMMERS' HOME - BUFFY'S ROOM - DUSK Buffy and Spike, mid-conversation. We HEAR Andrew's muffled cries and some violent THUMPS pour through the walls into Buffy's room. Buffy frowns.
Excuse me a second. Spike nods. Buffy gets up, opens the door, leaves the room. As she shuts the door behind her, REVEAL The First, in the form of Spike now standing in the room with us. He walks over and addresses Spike in the chair.
Well, we've got ourselves a problem. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - DAWN'S ROOM - DUSK The door swings open. Buffy sticks her head inside.
Everything okay? Reveal the scene she's looking at: Dawn's room, trashed. Furniture flipped over. Xander, sitting against the wall, holding his face. Anya, on top of Andrew on the ground, one hand around his neck, the other arm in mid-strike, about to hit him again. Andrew, wide-eyed, looking at Buffy for help, shaking his head frantically -- no, everything's not okay.
Fine. Buffy nods.
Okay. She shuts the door. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - HALLWAY - DUSK We're with Buffy as she shuts the door to Dawn's room. As soon as the door's closed, the muffled sounds of violence begin again. Andrew screaming, glass-breaking. Buffy walks to her room, places her hand on the doorknob... and stops. Realizes she can hear Spike talking to someone on the other side. CLOSE ON Buffy as she puts her ear up to the door.
-- what do I do job half done never send a boy to do a man's job -- We hear Spike LAUGH. Then his ramblings turn into SINGING.
(singing) " -- Oh don't deceive me, Oh never leave me, How could you use a poor maiden so -- " INT. SUMMERS' HOME - BUFFY'S ROOM - DUSK Buffy walks in. Spike's changed completely. Where he was once exhausted, jaded, broken, he's now sunny, pleasant. He sits up straight in this chair, smiles when he sees Buffy.
Who are you talking to? SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE Buffy's totally weirded out.
Are you okay? SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE He nods to the blood bags on the nightstand.
Would you mind? Buffy's on guard, This is weird... She keeps her eyes on Spike, crosses over to the nightstand. She reaches down to pick a bag up, takes her eyes off Spike momentarily, and as soon as she does he EXPLODES out of the chair, shattering the sturdy chair to splinters. Vamp-faced (we don't need to see the morph, we can do it in a cut, this all happens fast), he attacks Buffy, punching her and knocking her across the room. She hits the wall and goes down hard. Screaming in animal rage, Spike turns toward the wall separating Buffy's room from Dawn's room... INT. SUMMERS' HOME - DAWN'S ROOM - DUSK Anya's got Andrew up against the wall. He's spilling his guts.
But we needed more blood to activate the Seal of Danzal -- WHAM -- Spike's arm comes blasting through the wall, right near Andrew's head. Anya jerks back in surprise. WHAM -- Spike's other arm comes tearing through. He grabs Andrew by the throat/chest and YANKS. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - BUFFY'S ROOM - DUSK Spike TEARS Andrew completely though the wall into Buffy's room. He holds Andrew's body up and BITES DEEP into his neck.
BLACK OUT.
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| Act Three |
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INT. SUMMERS' HOME - BUFFY'S ROOM - DUSK
Right where we left off. Spike feasts on Andrew in the middle of the
room.
Buffy struggles to get to her feet. She rights herself, runs over, and
TEARS Spike off Andrew. She throws Spike across the room.
Andrew drops to the ground, holding his neck.
Xander and Anya rush in. Anya looks to the fallen Andrew, Xander stands
on guard, backing up Buffy.
Spike's crazed, insane (still in vamp-face). He rushes at Buffy -- his
moves aren't thought out. He's a cornered animal. She parries his attack,
dodges, and UPPERCUTS him, sending him flying back.
His head hits the wall with a dense THUD and his body drops to the
ground.
Buffy steps forward. We see Spike on the ground from her POV. He's
dazed, bleeding. No longer in vamp-face. He doesn't seem to know where he
is.
We see up from Spike's POV: Buffy approaching slowly; Xander, Anya,
Andrew, behind her to one side; behind her on the other side stands THE
FIRST (as Spike) staring down at us, shaking his head in shame.
Buffy steps forward (we're still in Spike's POV) and KICKS Spike
brutally right in the face.
And everything goes BLACK.
INT. SUMMERS' HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Buffy debriefs a concerned Willow and Dawn in the living room.
He didn't seem to want anything to do with me. He just knocked me aside and charged at the wall. WILLOW Buffy shakes her head. Xander and Anya walk down the stairs into the room.
How's what's-his-name?. XANDER Buffy shakes her head.
I don't know. (beat) Spike and I were talking, and he was fine -- well, he wasn't fine, but he was... Spike -- and then I went to check on you guys and when I came back it was like he was... (thinks) ..a completely different person... WILLOW Buffy shakes her head.
He was talking to someone up there -- I heard him through the door. He was having a conversation... (thinks) And then he started singing. ANYA BUFFY XANDER Everybody looks at him.
The horse? XANDER He starts thinking about it.
It's a brainwashing term. It's how the military makes sleeper agents. They brainwash operatives and condition them with a specific trigger -- like a song -- to drastically change their personalities at a moment's notice. (beat) I'm fairly certain it's how Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated. WILLOW XANDER He walks around, he's on a roll.
We've had ghosts haunting us, right? Well, what if Spike's ghosts have figured out how to do more than just haunt him? What if they've figured out how to control him? BUFFY DAWN BUFFY XANDER BUFFY She turns to Willow and Dawn.
You two -- I want to know what did this to him. Spirits, ghosts, demons -- search the lot of 'em. Look for anything that might haunt or control people like this. (beat) I need to know exactly what we're up against. INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH - PRINCIPAL WOOD'S OFFICE - NIGHT Principal Wood is at his desk. It's late, it's dark. He puts some files in his briefcase and heads for the door, turning the light off behind him. INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH - HALLWAY - NIGHT Principal Wood walks through the hallway carrying his briefcase. He seems to be the only one left in the school, and now he's calling it a day. As he's walking out, he passes the door to the basement, and something causes him to pause. Hmm. He turns back and opens the basement door. INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH BASEMENT - NIGHT Principal Wood (still carrying his briefcase) walks through the dark basement. He doesn't seem lost; he seems to know where he's going. INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH BASEMENT - ANTECHAMBER - NIGHT Principal Wood walks into the antechamber, looks down and sees Jonathan's decaying body (not too decayed -- just a little rough around the edges) sprawled out on the Seal of Danzaithar, exactly where we left him in Episode Seven. Principal Wood studies Jonathan's body for a beat, his face betraying nothing. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - BASEMENT - NIGHT We're in the basement. It's dark, moonlight casting harsh shadows. Spike's on the ground, somewhere between conscious and unconcious. He's been chained to the wall, manacles attached to each wrist and ankle. His face has dried blood on it from his encounter with Buffy. Buffy comes down the stairs carrying a rag and a bowl of water. She crouches down next to Spike, sets the bowl on the floor, and begins washing the blood off Spike's face with the rag. Spike starts to regain consciousness, looks around a little, shame, fear on his face. He doesn't say anything for a while, just looks at Buffy, watches her wash him. Then:
(softly) Did I hurt anybody? BUFFY SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE BUFFY Spike thinks about this. He's scared, not in control.
(softly) I don't remember... BUFFY SPIKE BUFFY He stops her from washing him, becomes a little more coherent, tries to sit up.
Something's messing with you. Some ghost, or some demon -- we're not exactly sure what -- has figured out how to control you. Spike's mind starts racing.
I've got the gang researching it right now. Xander's got this theory that you're being triggered -- SPIKE BUFFY She looks at him. He's serious. No emotion. Just cold hard logic.
Buffy, you have to kill me. BUFFY SPIKE She starts to understand what he's saying, grows somber.
(nodding) I was in the cellar with you. I saw what you did. SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE Spike steps forward until the chains are taut.
I used to set up shop in their houses... I used to be so good at it -- I knew how to damage them just enough so that they could still cry when I... (pause) Because it wasn't worth it if they couldn't cry. BUFFY SPIKE He rattles her.
This is me, Buffy You have to kill me before I get out. BUFFY SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE He paces back and forth (as much as he can in the chains.) He falls in and out of shadow.
We both know the truth, you and I. He falls into full shadow.
You like bad men. He begins to pace again.
I don't mean troubled men. I don't mean brooding men. (pause) I mean, you like men who hurt you. BUFFY SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE Spike RAGES at his chains.
You have to kill me. (pause) I am destroying everything around you. I am killing off every piece of you that is good and pure. (pause) And in the end, after everything is gone and you have nothing else... I will come for you and I will -- BUFFY She begins to pace.
You don't even know you. Was that you who killed those people in the cellar? Was that you who waited for those girls? Was that you who tried to rape me? SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE Buffy gets close enough to him so that when he strains as hard as he can against his chains (as he will when he says his next lines) he's only inches away from being able to touch her.
There's a man in there underneath that monster. A man who -- even when he had no soul -- SPIKE BUFFY SPIKE BUFFY Buffy's words take Spike by surprise. He falls back, his chains go slack. We see it play out on his face, a brief flicker of hope, and then the lights go out and -- BOOM! The basement window/door EXPLODES inward. A black hooded figure (like we've seen in previous episodes this season) comes crashing into the room. Before Buffy has time to react, he's on her -- CRACK -- hitting her across the face with the staff he's carrying, sending her flying across the room.
Buffy! INT. SUMMERS' HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT BOOM! BOOM! More hooded figures come CRASHING in through the living room windows -- this all happens really fast, like a precision military strike. The front door is KICKED IN off its hinges. Willow and Dawn, who had been in the living room doing research, SCREAM as they're suddenly showered with broken glass. Hooded figures SWARM around them. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT Xander and Anya are already on the move toward the screams in the living room when: BOOM! a figure comes crashing through the kitchen door and CRACK hits Anya right in the back of the head with his staff. She drops to the ground. Xander wheels to confront him and CRACK he's hit from behind by another hooded figure running in from the other way. As Xander's body drops, the two hooded figures step forward. Their hoods fall back (they can even pull them back if it feels more natural.) We see their faces for the first time: They're the Bringers (the scary guys with symbols for eyes from AMENDS.) Off their faces we:
BLACK OUT.
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| Act Four |
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EXT. FIELD - NIGHT
We're in a nondescript field -- seemingly the middle of nowhere.
Principal Wood, his tie loosened, his shirt sleeves rolled up, works
tirelessly digging a grave by the light of his car's headlights.
He's all but finished, standing deep in the hole. A few last
shovel-fulls and then he climbs out and walks over to where JONATHAN'S
BODY is laid out nearby.
He drags Jonathan by the feet and tosses his body into the hole.
He looks down at it, his face still revealing nothing.
A few beats, then he begins to shovel dirt on top of it.
INT. SUMMERS' HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Chaos unfolding.
A Bringer rushes Willow while another one goes after Dawn.
ANGLE Willow. The Bringer swings his staff at her, Willow dodges, does
a spell.
Propel. She BLASTS the Bringer across the room. ANGLE Dawn: Bringer charging her, she drops to the ground and flips him with his own momentum, sending him crashing into the wall. ANGLE Willow: wheeling to help Dawn when CRASH! Another Bringer comes in through the window. Before Willow has time to react -- WHACK -- he hits her with his staff, two-handed, across the throat. She flies back, hits the wall, drops to the ground. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - BLUE ROOM - NIGHT CRASH! Buffy comes flying through the door to the basement, shattering it to pieces. She lands hard in the hallway. The Bringer she's fighting comes jumping through the hole in the door, staff in hand. He swings at her on the ground. She rolls, flips up to her feet (their momentum should carry them through the middle hallway to the foyer.) INT. SUMMERS' HOME - FOYER - NIGHT As he charges her again, she's ready for him. She uses his momentum, SLAMS him hard against the wall, catches his staff as he's dropping it and WHACK hits him across the face. Just as he drops, two more Bringers come flying through the front door and hit Buffy from behind, driving her hard into the stairs. One keeps running, heading straight upstairs, while the other raises his staff and WHACK hits Buffy right across the face. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Dawn battles her Bringer -- we're towards the back of the living room, near the Blue Room. He swings his staff at her, she catches it and elbows him HARD across the face. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - DAWN'S ROOM - NIGHT A terrified Andrew (whose neck is bandaged) works frantically on the bed to untie his ropes (his hands and feet are both tied.) The Bringer comes into the room, sees Andrew, and drops his staff. Andrew's eyes go wide. He starts to scream. The Bringer reaches into his robe and pulls out TWO KNIVES. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - FOYER/STAIRS - NIGHT The Bringer on the stairs hits a dazed Buffy again across the face and then takes off running up the stairs. Buffy rolls, regains her balance, sees him running away up the stairs and chases him. OMITTED INT. SUMMERS' HOME - HALLWAY - NIGHT The Bringer runs into the hall, Buffy hot on his heels. She grabs him from behind, he wheels around, strikes out at her. She dodges and kicks him right in the face -- CRACK -- and then spins and ELBOWS him across the jaw -- CRACK. He goes down hard. As he drops, she hears Andrew screaming:
Help me! Help me! INT. SUMMERS' HOME - DAWN'S ROOM - NIGHT Buffy runs into the room just in time to see the Knife- Bringer lunge at Andrew on the bed. Andrew dodges at the last possible second. The Knife-Bringer rears back, tries to stab him again. Buffy catches his arm, spins him around. He SWIPES at her, kicks her, knocking her back. They circle each other. He's got his knives. He swipes, swipes. ANGLE Andrew, working frantically to untie his feet. ANGLE Buffy. She circles with the Knife-Bringer... As she turns, her back to the door, a second Bringer appears in the doorway, sees the action, and pulls out his own KNIVES. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Dawn approaches the Bringer she's knocked to the ground. She's holding his staff. She spins it up, ready to crack him across the head, and he SWEEPS her legs out from under her. CRASH, she hits the ground hard. He's on her in a second, holding her down by the throat. She's choking, clawing, trying desperately to get away. She stares up at him in fear, we get a good look at his scary face. He reaches into the folds of his robe, pulls out a knife. He raises his arm, stabs down, when WHAM! A groggy, pissed-off Xander cracks him across the back of the head with a staff. The Bringer drops, Xander hits him again -- CRACK -- right across the face. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - DAWN'S ROOM - NIGHT Buffy, weaponless, in the middle of two Knife-Bringers. They circle, she's on guard, trying to figure out her move. They swipe. She dodges. They swipe. Andrew, who's been in the corner, finally gets his feet untied (his hands are still bound, though.) He decides to make a run for it while The Knife Bringers are occupied. He runs for the door. As he does so, WHIP-FAST Buffy reaches out and grabs him as he runs by. WHACK! She uses him as a battering ram (old Jackie Chan gag) holding him by the shoulders and driving him into the Knife- Bringer's chest. Andrew and the Knife-Bringer crack heads together and the Knife-Bringer, stunned, drops back against the wall. She wheels, still holding Andrew by the shoulders and does the exact same thing to the other Knife-Bringer. WHACK! She tosses Andrew aside and rushes one of the Knife-Bringers. She grabs him by both arms and rips the knives out of his hands. In one motion, she stabs with one arm across her body and plunges a knife right into the Bringer's stomach. As she does this, the other Bringer rushes her, and she stabs him in the stomach with her other arm (this should end with her arms crossed and a knife in each Bringer's belly.) She then pulls both knives out, uncrossing her arms in a slashing motion, and slashes each Bringer again with the opposite knife. They drop to the ground, dead.
Buffy! Xander runs into the room, staff raised, ready for action. He sees Buffy, and the bodies, and makes a face. Buffy's still in fight mode, ready to move. She looks at Xander.
Dawn? XANDER Buffy realizes what they were after.
Spike -- INT. SUMMERS' HOME - BASEMENT - NIGHT Buffy and Xander come rushing down the stairs. The room is empty. Camera FINDS empty, broken chains on the ground. INT. SUMMERS' HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Aftermath. Dawn's tending to Anya on the couch, Willow's tending to herself and assessing the damage to the house. Buffy and Xander come walking through the living room.
They were so fast, organized -- BUFFY Buffy walks over and examines the body of the Bringer Xander offed. She crouches down next to it.
(getting it) We were just in the way. Buffy takes a good look at the Bringer's face. A chill runs down her spine -- her worst fears being confirmed.
I know these guys... She stands up, thinks.
I've fought them before... Her mind races.
We aren't being haunted. This isn't some demon. It's all the same thing -- Spike's ghosts, the people you guys saw, from beneath us... It's all the same thing. (softly) I know what we're up against. She pauses, scared. She has everyone's full attention.
(scared) The First. EXT. WATCHERS' COUNCIL - NIGHT Establish an English-old-school type building. INT. WATCHERS' COUNCIL BOARDROOM - NIGHT The place has been RANSACKED. Maps are torn off walls, file cabinets are emptied, overturned. Our Watcher-types from before are there. The atmosphere is frantic -- Some of the Watchers look as though they've been beaten up, subdued, others are cleaning up the mess, talking on phones excitedly, and just generally looking English and grim. Through this all walks Quentin. He surveys the damage, a grave look on his face. A fellow Watcher-type (call him BLAKE) briefs him.
...they took our files, wiped out our records. We've lost contact with operations in Munich, Switzerland, and Rome and we've got casualty confirmations coming in from as far away as Melbourne. Blake looks at Quentin, fear apparent on his race.
Sir... we are crippled. Quentin looks at him, tries to calm him.
It's all right, Blake.. "We are still masters of our fate, we are still captain of our souls." Winston Churchill's words give Blake resolve, as they do all British people.
Yes sir. Quentin surveys the room, steps forward.
Ladies and gentlemen... He gets everyone's attention.
Our fears have been confirmed. The First Evil has declared all out war against this institution, and its initial volleys have proved to be most effective. (pause) I, for one, think it's time we struck back. The Watchers nod in agreement.
Get me confirmations on all remaining operatives. I want visuals and tacticals -- highest alert. Get them here as soon as possible. He paces, he's on a roll.
Begin preparations for mobilization. Once we're accounted for, I want to be ready to move. WATCHER #1 QUENTIN Everyone looks at him, nods grimly.
My friends, these are the times that define us. Proverbs, 24:6. "For by wise counsel, you shall make your war. Everyone seems strengthened, resolved.
Now let's get moving. We've got work to -- As he talks, he turns and opens up the map cabinet behind him. As he does so, we hear an audible CLICK and -- EXT. WATCHERS' COUNCIL - NIGHT BOOM! The Council Building EXPLODES in a big fiery mess. INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH BASEMENT - ANTECHAMBER - NIGHT OVERHEAD SHOT: Bringers throw Spike's shirtless, battered body down onto a carved, wooden/metal symbol.
You'll have to excuse the imagery... We're in the basement antechamber. Torches light the space. Bringers work industriously over a contraption they've assembled around the Seal of Danzalthar. We don't get a clear look at it yet -- we see wood, chains. Whatever it is, they appear to be fastening Spike to it. The First, in the form of Spike, surveys the scene with pride. The Bringers pull Spike's arms out at his sides.
But I've always been a bit of a sucker for the ol' classics. Bringers place large metal nails up against Spike's wrists. Other Bringers raise hammers... WHAM! They nail Spike's arm to the symbol. Spike SCREAMS in pain.
Hey, don't look at me that way. I wanted to do this more subtle like. My Harbingers have a tendency to call attention to themselves. WHAM! They nail Spike's other arm. Spike SCREAMS and SCREAMS.
You're the one who couldn't hold his end of the bargain. You're the one who couldn't take care of what's-his name, you're the one who had to make breakthroughs and learn something about himself. First/Spike circles around. Shrugs.
So now here we are. He MORPHS into Buffy She smiles, kneels down close next to Spike on the ground.
I have to admit, though. This way's much more fun. The Bringers working on Spike pull out knives, begin to cut down his chest (we don't see exactly what they're doing, we play it mostly off Spike's face.) Spike screams, his terror reaching crescendo. The Bringers pull chains and begin to HOIST the symbol up into the air. Spike is lifted upright and then begins to rise as the Bringers pull the chains tight. He rises up, up. This should end with Spike (and the symbol he's attached to) hanging high up in the air, directly above the Seal of Danzalthar. We see that the Bringers have cut symbols into his chest. Blood begins to flow from his wounds. First/Buffy looks up at him. Smiles.
To be honest, I'm getting a little tired of subtle. Spike's blood begins to drip down onto the Seal. As it does, the Seal begins to ILLUMINATE, as it did in Episode Seven.
I think it's time we brought some authority to our presence. The Seal, illuminated, begins to SHIFT (like the box in Hellraiser) and then OPENS UP. There seems to be nothing down there but a deep, black hole... The Bringers begin to CHANT. MAGICAL LIGHT begins to shine up through the hole in the ground. The Bringers continue their chant. And then from the depths rises a horrible, terrifying UBERVAMPIRE (details TBD.) The Ubervamp comes fully out of the ground, and we're left with a final shot (let's get as much of this as we can -- it should look epic): Spike, nailed to the symbol, bleeding, broken; the First/Buffy looking evil; Bringers spread out, chanting, looking scary; and a crazed, animal Ubervamp standing in the middle of it all. The Ubervamp ROARS in fury.
BLACK OUT.
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