ACT TWO
FADE IN:
9 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LOUNGE - EVENING 9
The front door is wide open as Xander brings in the last
suitcase and set it down beside the first suitcase. Total:
two. Kennedy, Willow, and Dawn are arranging the furniture,
taking the sheets off and revealing the beautiful furniture.
Buffy enters through the Kitchen.
BUFFY
I'm not the only one who thinks it,
right?
Everyone looks to her.
BUFFY (cont'd)
There's gotta be a catch. This
house is just too good to be true.
WILLOW
Maybe you're just lucky.
BUFFY
Yeah, maybe. No! I don't get lucky.
Hello, died twice.
KENNEDY
And still alive. That's lucky.
BUFFY
No. That's magic.
XANDER
And CPR. Don't forget the CPR.
Buffy smiles at him.
BUFFY
Never will, Xand.
(beat)
But have you seen the size of the
bedrooms? And two of them have en
suites. En suites!
WILLOW
It's not evil, Buffy. It's just a
house.
DAWN
Nothing more, nothing less.
BUFFY
Okay, but when we get swallowed by
the walls, don't say I didn't warn
you.
Willow falls back on the sofa. She quickly twitches and pulls
out the scythe from beneath her, grimacing. She rests it on
the coffee table and leans back.
WILLOW
So, Andrew's in town.
XANDER
Don't remind me. Seriously. Please.
KENNEDY
Does he not take a hint?
XANDER
I think he can, he just choses not
to. A little sad though, I guess.
KENNEDY
Yep. He's one sad boy.
XANDER
No, I mean, cos he's got no family,
no friends, nowhere to go. He
thinks of us as his...
DAWN
Kidnappers?
XANDER
Well there was that one time we
took him as a hostage but what I
mean is, we're all he's got. A
pause.
BUFFY
So I was thinking of maybe moving
the sofa next to the fireplace.
DAWN
What? No way. We've gotta show that
thing off. It's...
WILLOW
Homely.
DAWN
And plus, we have this habit of
blowing all the lights, so that
would be a good backup.
BUFFY
No. There will be no breaking of
the furniture. That is a tradition
we are leaving dead and buried in
Sunnydale.
XANDER
Bad choice of words.
BUFFY
Huh?
XANDER
Dead and buried things always come
back to bite you in the ass.
SMASH CUT TO:
10 EXT. GRAVEYARD - NIGHT 10
It's peaceful out here. A distant memory from the Sunnydale
graveyards. The headstones are all in perfect condition. It's
quiet. Silence.
SMASH!
An arm pushes through the dirt and reaches out in the air. It
grabs hold of the earth and pulls itself out from the grave.
The grubby and very hungry vampire, CHARLIE, narrows his eyes
on the horizon. Looking for fresh meat.
CUT TO:
11 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - DAWN'S ROOM 11
The room is cluttered with things. Surprising, considering
Dawn's possessions were destroyed along with Sunnydale. The
girl herself is dancing away to Stacie Orrico's "Stay True,"
as she unpacks her clothes and folds them away into the
drawers. Buffy knocks on the wide open door but Dawn doesn't
hear her. She goes to the CD Player and turns it off. Dawn
jumps back in surprise.
DAWN
Geez! Sneak much?
BUFFY
Actually I walked and knocked. No
sneaking.
DAWN
Well, don't do it again.
BUFFY
Okay. I shall no longer walk nor
knock.
Dawn shoots her a look.
BUFFY (cont'd)
I - uh, spoke to Dad earlier.
DAWN
You... what?
BUFFY
Had to give him the new address.
DAWN
Like he cares.
BUFFY
He does. In his own self centered
way, he does. I had to anyway,
whole thing with social services.
DAWN
Right.
BUFFY
He wanted to know how you were.
DAWN
Don't.
BUFFY
What?
DAWN
He didn't ask that. He doesn't care
about me or you. I just cares about
the latest fling he's having.
BUFFY
Dawn. I know you're not in the
place where you can forgive him for
what happened but you've got to
realise that without Mum, he's the
only parent we have. Dawn shakes
her head.
DAWN
I got you.
Buffy smiles, almost a tear in her eye.
DAWN (cont'd)
If you wanna talk to Dad then
that's fine. I'll only hold a
grudge until you pay me off with
chocolate.
BUFFY
I-
DAWN
(interrupting)
Seriously. Talk to him.
BUFFY
No. I really don't want to either.
DAWN
Huh? What about all that talk about
him being the only parent we have,
and blah blah blah?
BUFFY
I was just trying to make you feel
comfortable about talking to him if
you wanted to and I do not go "blah
blah blah!"
DAWN
(smiles)
Sometimes you do.
BUFFY
Do not. Ugh, you're such a pain in
the ass.
DAWN
Freak.
BUFFY
Loser.
They exchange a smile as Buffy closes the door behind her.
CUT TO:
12 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - XANDER'S ROOM 12
Xander is rewiring the sockets in the room. He looks to the
door as Buffy knocks. He motions for her to come in.
XANDER
I've been here one hour and I'm
already fixing things.
BUFFY
Why do you think I wanted you to
live with us?
XANDER
Cos I'm a one-eyed carpenter and
you felt sorry for me?
BUFFY
That too.
A SPARK flies from the socket and Xander jumps back in shock.
He quickly turns to Buffy.
XANDER
Okay, enough of that.
BUFFY
I can't believe it. We're here. Big
bad Cleveland... the city above the
second known Hellmouth.
(beat)
Is this what we're gonna be doing
for the rest of our lives? Going
round in circles? Destroy one
Hellmouth, move to another. Destroy
that one, move to another.
XANDER
You don't have to, Buff. You're not
the only chosen one anymore.
BUFFY
I still kinda am. We're gonna be
getting Slayers through that door.
Girls we're gonna have to train.
I'm the only Slayer who's had the
most experience... I guess I've
still got a calling.
XANDER
Buffy, you'll always have a
calling. Powers or not. It's who
you are. I couldn't imagine you
just being a normal girl-
BUFFY
(interrupting)
Woman.
XANDER
Right. I couldn't imagine you being
a normal woman, without a mission.
It's not who you are.
She smiles at him once again. For some reason, it's always
his words that matter the most. The heart of the operation.
BUFFY
What about you?
XANDER
Me? I'm doomed to follow you
around, giving advice, cleaning up
the broken furniture, and fixing
the smashed windows. That's my
calling.
BUFFY
You're more than that.
(beat)
You're my strength, Xand. You're
what's kept me going all this time.
You once told me I was your hero.
I'm only that because of the faith
you have in me. You're never afraid
to challenge me. Not scared to take
me on when you know I'm wrong, even
though I could break every bone in
your body.
(beat)
Without you... I'd be dead.
XANDER
And the ironic thing about that is,
it's true.
BUFFY
Got a little intense there, didn't
it?
XANDER
It's the moving home thing. Does it
to everyone.
Buffy gets up to leave.
XANDER (cont'd)
Buff.
BUFFY
Yeah?
XANDER
You're still my hero.
BUFFY
(softly)
I know.
She flashes a smile and then leaves. Xander watches as the
door closes behind her. He takes a moment before returning to
the socket he was working on.
CUT TO:
13 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LOUNGE 13
Willow and Kennedy are still unpacking things. Mostly, it's
the things that came with the house. Kennedy turns to see the
full moon out of the window.
KENNEDY
It's bright.
WILLOW
Huh?
KENNEDY
The moon. It's full. Big and
bright.
Willow notices and smiles a little. Obviously thinking about
the times she used to calculate when the next full moon would
be.
KENNEDY
Night of the werewolf, right?
WILLOW
(shocked)
What?
KENNEDY
I know, Will. Xander filled me in
on the pre-gay Willow.
WILLOW
Xander told you about Oz?
KENNEDY
Yeah.
(beat)
What was it like? Dating him?
WILLOW
(uncomfortable)
It was... like many heterosexual
intercourse... I'm not comfortable
with this, Kennedy.
KENNEDY
I didn't mean the sex, Willow. I
meant... was he like An American
Werewolf In Paris?
WILLOW
Um... no. More like, an American
werewolf in America.
(beat)
I don't know. It was... Oz.
KENNEDY
You loved him, didn't you? Willow
nods.
KENNEDY (cont'd)
So what happened?
WILLOW
I...
KENNEDY
You don't have to tell me if you
don't want to.
WILLOW
It's not that, it's just... Oz went
away to overcome the werewolf.
KENNEDY
And it didn't work?
WILLOW
No, it did. He came back and he
didn't transform. It was like a
miracle. Everything I ever wanted
was there.
(beat)
It was just the wrong timing.
Kennedy is about to speak but Buffy comes through the door.
She grabs the scythe from the coffee table.
BUFFY
I was thinking about hanging this
on the wall.
Kennedy nods and grabs her coat.
KENNEDY
I gotta go.
WILLOW
Where?
KENNEDY
To see a man about a job.
She kisses Willow on the cheek and exits. Buffy watches her
go, then returns her focus on Willow.
BUFFY
Everything all right?
WILLOW
Yeah, it's... peachy.
(beat)
It's just been a real long day.
BUFFY
I guess. Thanks for helping, Will.
I don't know what I would have done
without you today.
WILLOW
Right, with all the arranging and
rearranging I've done.
Buffy puts the scythe back down.
BUFFY
Hey, you've been great. I just
can't wait for things to get back
to normal. You know, patrolling,
dusting vamps, slaying demons,
saving the world.
WILLOW
(adds)
Without dying.
BUFFY
Yeah, that'd be a plus. There's a
short silence.
WILLOW
Buffy, um... what are your plans on
the employment market?
BUFFY
My plans? Well, I was thinking and
I guess charging people for saving
their lives isn't such a bad idea.
I mean, Angel does it.
Willow looks a little appalled by this.
BUFFY (cont'd)
And I'm joking of course. Truth is,
I haven't really given it that much
thought. I just wanna get the house
sorted first... make sure it's not
evil.
WILLOW
You're not gonna let that drop are
ya?
BUFFY
My spider sense is tingling all
over. If it's not the house then
the only other alternative is that
one of us is about to become evil.
WILLOW
Not me. I've done my part for the
forces of darkness.
BUFFY
Hey, we've all been there.
WILLOW
You haven't.
BUFFY
Feels like I have. I went to a
scary place after... you know...
but, I'm over it too. This is a
fresh start. I real life.
(beat)
You think Principle Wood will give
me a glowing reference? Willow
laughs, then -
WILLOW
(serious)
Oh, yes, of course.
BUFFY
He might not. I did threaten to let
Spike kill him.
WILLOW
You know, that's the first time
I've heard you mention his name for
a long time.
BUFFY
Robin?
WILLOW
Spike.
BUFFY
Oh.
WILLOW
It's okay to talk about it, Buffy.
I know Spike wasn't exactly... but
you felt for him, didn't you?
BUFFY
(somberly)
Yeah. Yeah, I did.
(beat)
But he's gone and it's over. I
can't dwell on it. Spike's gone and
he's never coming back. At least I
can say that in the end, he really
was a champion... and I really did
love him.
There's a sudden SCREAM from Xander. Buffy and Willow drop
what they are doing and race through the door.
CUT TO:
14 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - XANDER'S ROOM 14
Xander is lying on the floor, hunched up by the bed. He looks
to the door as Buffy and Willow rush through.
WILLOW
Xander!
BUFFY
What's wrong?
XANDER
Nothing... apart from the being
electrocuted!
Willow kneels beside him and Buffy can't help but snigger a
little at his hair -- sticking up.
XANDER(cont'd)
I think we need to call in an
electrician.
BUFFY
Good idea.
WILLOW
Xander, you coulda killed yourself.
XANDER
Yeah, nothing unusual there then.
Buffy shakes her head.
BUFFY
I'll get you a drink.
XANDER
Make it a strong one.
BUFFY
Coffee it is.
She exits. Willow helps Xander onto the bed. She inspects his
frazzled hand.
WILLOW
You're just like a child, you know
that?
XANDER
Sorry, Mommy.
WILLOW
I'm not always gonna be around to
take care of you, you know.
XANDER
Yeah you are, Will.
Buffy comes back in and hands Xander a glass of water. He
looks at it.
XANDER (cont'd)
That's a very weak and cold coffee.
BUFFY
Turns out we need a kettle to boil
the water.
XANDER
We don't have one?
BUFFY
Nope. Hence the water.
XANDER
We need to stop being poor. How do
you feel about marrying a
millionaire for his money?
CUT TO:
15 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - DAWN'S ROOM 15
Michelle Branch's "Here With Me" is now blasting out of the
CD Player now as Dawn gets more and more carried away with
the dancing and unpacking. She's almost finished, the room
looking more like a room now. She pulls a pair of jeans out
of a suitcase and slings them over the cupboard door but they
fall off.
She bends down to pick them up but when she gets back up she
SCREAMS! A ghostly figure stands right in front of her.
FIGURE
(distorted)
Leave this place!
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
16 EXT. CLEVELAND DOWNTOWN - NIGHT 16
The camera pans a neon sign "NO MAN'S LAND." It's a
nightclub. The fire exit doors open and out walks Kennedy.
She looks around, no one in sight.
KENNEDY
Guess I'm a working gal now.
She smiles to herself and continues to walk. She cuts through
an alleyway, which is when something tells her she's not
alone. She slows down a little, without looking behind her.
Another set of footsteps trail behind her. She hears them.
Suddenly she stops, swings her right arm behind her and
pushes her elbow into the stalker's neck, pinning him against
the wall.
ANDREW
(gasping)
Don't hurt me!
Kennedy releases him.
KENNEDY
Andrew? What the Hell are you
doing?
ANDREW
Being terrorised by you! What, you
just go around hitting people like
that?
KENNEDY
Only the people who follow me
through dark alleyways.
(beat)
What do you want?
ANDREW
Nothing. I was walking. You just
happened to be in front.
KENNEDY
Whatever.
She turns to walk away. Andrew quickly catches her up. She
doesn't look his way.
ANDREW
Where you heading?
KENNEDY
Back to Buffy's. Where everyone is
getting the new house straight.
ANDREW
Oh, good. I... I guess that's just
a close friends thing, right?
KENNEDY
Right.
ANDREW
And I bet they're all just hanging
out and... you know, having fun.
KENNEDY
Sure.
ANDREW
So... I should probably walk you
back. It's a dark night and no girl
should have to walk these streets
alone, even if they are a Slayer
and have superhuman strength.
KENNEDY
Whatever, Andrew. Just stop with
the talking.
ANDREW
Okay. No more talking. Got it.
They continue through the alleyway and out into the streets,
which are deserted.
ANDREW (cont'd)
So what's her house like?
Kennedy comes to a sudden stop. Andrew turns to her, a little
curious.
ANDREW (cont'd)
What?
KENNEDY
You might wanna take a back seat,
Andrew.
ANDREW
What? Why?
(sees)
Oh, right. I'm stepping back now.
Charlie, the vampire seen before, is standing in front of
them. His clothes blood soaked. He's fed already.
Kennedy pulls out her stake and takes her fighting stance,
shooting the vampire an icy stare. She doesn't approach him.
She's learnt to wait for them to come to her.
ANDREW (cont'd)
Kennedy. Stake him.
KENNEDY
Shut up.
She returns her attention to the vamp.
CHARLIE
I've already had a starter. You two
will be the main course.
KENNEDY
Try it.
CHARLIE
I smell power.
(beat)
You're a Slayer.
KENNEDY
Pretty quick. I like that. It's
more challenging.
CHARLIE
Enough talking, bitch. Time to die.
KENNEDY
My thoughts exactly.
She is on one side of some trash cans, Charlie on the other
side. She jumps, grabbing a trash can and flipping herself
over the pile, landing on her feet -- and still holding one
of the cans, she brings it over her head and SMASHES it into
Charlie's head.
The vampire is now wearing a trash can helmet. Kennedy powers
out a side kick to the head, smashing through the trash can
to hit it. Charlie flies back into the wall.
Andrew watches anxiously from the safety of the shadows. His
movements are simulating Kennedy's, as if he were playing a
computer game.
Kennedy is under Charlie, struggling to keep him from killing
her. Her hand sweeps the ground, coming up with a trash can
lid. She slams it into his head, pushing him off, then
pulling out a stake and jamming it into his chest -- but
she's missed the heart.
Charlie kicks her off and climbs the ladder on the side of
the building, trying to escape. Kennedy sees him.
She runs, jumps -- grabs his leg as she lands on the ladder
and swings her legs up -- -- and kicks him in the head,
sending him flying to the ground. He lands hard.
Looking up, Charlie can see Kennedy looking right back down
on him, a glint in her eye.
Kennedy jumps on him but he kicks her off. He rushes her but
she pulls open the fire exit door on the side of the building
and slams it into his face -- she grabs her stake as he falls
back -- and impales him through the heart. He's real dead.
She takes a moment, breathing hard. Quiet in victory. She
looks at Andrew and smiles.
KENNEDY (cont'd)
I love it when they fight me.
ANDREW
That was... you're amazing!
KENNEDY
I know.
SMASH CUT TO: