8 EXT. PEACHY'S CAFE - DAY 8
Andrew's scream continues, a hand seizing him by the
shoulder. He quickly turns to see his boss, GILL, standing
right before him. Andrew looks back at the blue liquid, then
to Gill.
GILL
Andrew, you're late for --
Andrew's eyes peer down to his hands as blood seeps from a
very fresh wound.
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
9 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - BUFFY'S OFFICE - DAY 9
Buffy's standing by the window, staring out at the busy
population below.
BUZZ! Her head spins to the telephone on her desk. She
hesitates for a moment, then moves to it, pressing a button.
BUFFY
Uh... hello?
JOSH (V.O)
We've got a Mr. Shaw here to see
you, Ms. Summers. She smiles
briefly.
BUFFY
Send him in.
A moment later the door opens, revealing JACKSON. He greets
her with a smile, then closes the door behind him.
BUFFY (cont'd)
Couldn't stay away, huh?
JACKSON
Can't help it. It's like you're a
person magnet.
BUFFY
More of a demon magnet, really.
He looks over the paintings, then moves to the bookshelf. He
pulls out a few seemingly random books, inspecting them.
JACKSON
So this is it. Charleston & Smithe.
I remember when they built this
place. It was a couple years back --
didn't look like much. Just another
eyesore in a city full of 'em.
BUFFY
It's pretty nifty now though, huh?
And look.
She points towards the window.
BUFFY (cont'd)
I have the best view in the whole
building.
JACKSON
Yeah...
(beat)
Buffy.
BUFFY
Stop.
JACKSON
What?
BUFFY
We're gonna go into the whole "I
like you, you like me, but the
demon side of your life isn't what
I envisioned and I don't know if I
can deal and blah!"
(beat)
Or, something. But let's not,
Jackson. Either you're in or you're
out cos I can't --
JACKSON
I'm in.
She snaps her head to him, a little surprised by his sudden
retort.
BUFFY
You are?
JACKSON
I haven't known you that long. I
don't know you very well. I have
this whole issue with trusting
people, ever since Rick...
(hesitates)
Ever since Rick was killed.
Buffy moves towards him, slowly. Curious but not trying to
press the subject.
BUFFY
Who was he?
JACKSON
My partner. I was a cop, and on a
drug bust we were stabbed in the
back -- literally, actually.
Crooked guy named Michaels.
(quickly)
Anyway, that's not what I'm getting
at. I just couldn't trust anybody
after that.
He pauses for a moment. Looks at her.
JACKSON (cont'd)
Until you.
She raises her eyebrows -- curious
JACKSON
I've been there to help you rid
your house of evil, or whatever
that was. You ended up slaying a
vampire on our first date. We
fought side by side against that
demon last week... I never thought
it was the life I'd choose but if
you're in it, that's what I want.
BUFFY
(hesitates)
So what does this mean? He pauses,
unsure.
JACKSON
Do you believe in fate, Buffy?
BUFFY
Uh, I... I don't know... I never
really -- why?
JACKSON
I think you and I were destined to
meet, to be thrown into these
circumstances...
(quickly)
And plus, we look great together.
BUFFY
Ken and Barbie move over.
JACKSON
Actually, they've split.
BUFFY
I heard about that. Total outrage.
Beat.
JACKSON
Buffy, would you... is there any
way we can cut the crap and just
kiss?
Her eyes widen, shocked, but she can't help but curve a smile
at him.
BUFFY
I've told you about my previous
boyfriends, right? Two died, one
left town.
JACKSON
I don't care.
(beat)
I just want to hold you.
She steps closer to him, her eyes locked on his. The
tension's unbearably thick. Buffy's hands slowly working
their way onto his arms, his hands holding her waist. Then --
The door BURSTS open, and Jackson and Buffy spin to see an
elderly woman, GLADYS COMBS, striding through the office,
curlers still in her pearl white hair.
GLADYS
(to Jackson)
Get out.
Jackson, stunned, turns to Buffy, who's just as shocked.
GLADYS (cont'd)
(to Buffy)
Hey, lady, clock's ticking. We
don't all get paid as much as you
suit wearing people.
BUFFY
What -- ?
GLADYS
(interrupting)
Oh, would you look at that!
She rushes to the window, her reflection gleaming back at
her... not pretty.
GLADYS
My sister's come to see me.
Buffy turns to Jackson, giving him a "what the hell?" look.
Her eyes fall back on Gladys, talking to her own reflection.
BUFFY
Had to be a counselor, didn't I?
CUT TO:
10 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LOUNGE - DAY 10
Dawn is still lying on the sofa. Xander is in the armchair,
going over the local paper. He spots something.
XANDER
Two more remains have been found in
the crater of Sunnydale. They're
assuming they're human.
DAWN
(saddened)
That's horrible.
(beat)
God, don't tell Willow.
XANDER
Huh?
DAWN
She's still mourning the death of
Miss Kitty Fantastico. You know,
town caving in, didn't really have
time to pick the cat up.
XANDER
Right. She should just get a new
one.
DAWN
(shocked)
Xander!
XANDER
Joking! Joking.
DAWN
Not just that though... it was her
and Tara's cat.
(beat)
She was theirs.
XANDER
(sorrowful)
Yeah.
(beat)
But she's got Kennedy now. Okay, so
she's a little bossy and...
confrontational...
DAWN
Must be some childhood trauma
thing. Either that or the Slayer
crap again.
XANDER
And the kitty comes out clawing!
Dawn whimpers a little.
XANDER (cont'd)
Sorry. Bad analogy.
DAWN
I like Kennedy. I do. But she's
just so --
The door bursts open and Andrew rushes in. Xander and Dawn
quickly turn to him.
ANDREW
(panicked)
He's after me!
XANDER
What? Andrew, calm down.
ANDREW
Jonathan, slash, the First, slash,
Freddy Krueger!
Dawn and Xander exchange looks. She stands, dragging her
quilt along with.
DAWN
I'm going to bed. Too sick to be
dealing with him.
She exits. Andrew lowers himself onto the sofa, looking
horrified. He turns to Xander.
ANDREW
I'm not making it up. I swear.
XANDER
Okay, Andrew. Whatever it is we'll
just --
(remembers)
Uh-oh... I was supposed to go over
to Willow's and watch "Apocalypse
Now."
(beat)
We'll deal with it later.
He jumps up and hurries through the door. Andrew sits, alone,
playing the event repeatedly in his mind.
There's a KNOCK at the door. He's unsure of whether to answer
it. The knocking continues. He finally stands and opens the
door. It's JODY.
ANDREW
Um... who are you?
JODY
I'm Jody, Dawn's friend.
ANDREW
Oh. Hello. Bad time to come, pal.
I'm being hunted by the Springwood
Slasher.
Jody forces a smile. Who is this loon?
JODY
The Springwood -- who?
ANDREW
Freddy Krueger!
JODY
You do know that Freddy Krueger is
a fictional character, correct?
ANDREW
Have you seen "New Nightmare?"
Andrew looks him up and down, sizing him up. As his eyes meet
Jody's, he realizes he too is doing the same.
JODY
So, uh, can I come in?
ANDREW
I think Dawn's asleep.
JODY
Really? Cos, I'm sure she wouldn't
mind waking up for me. Andrew folds
his arms.
ANDREW
What's that supposed to mean?
(suspiciously)
Are you dating Dawn?
JODY
No way! I mean... she's not my
type.
ANDREW
(stammering)
Oh, and... uh... what is... I mean,
what would you be looking for...
His eyes sink to the floor. Then they return to Jody. There's
a strange kind of expression on both their faces.
ANDREW (cont'd)
If you were looking for anything...
what would that be?
JODY
(smiles)
You know Britney Spears?
ANDREW
Yeah.
JODY
She's not my type either.
Andrew smiles a bit. Anya suddenly appears behind him.
ANYA
Andrew, stop drooling.
ANDREW
What? I wasn't...
(to Jody)
Come in.
Jody enters and goes through as Andrew shuts the door. Anya
keeps her eyes fixed on him, icy and cold.
ANDREW
Wasn't drooling.
ANYA
Oh please, you're like a dog to a
bone.
(beat)
Now leave his bone alone and get
Dawn.
She walks off, following Jody. Andrew's embarrassed... or as
embarrassed as Andrew can possibly get. He edges closer to
the stairs and quietly calls out.
ANDREW
Dawn, Jody's here.
(quickly)
Oh, no answer. Must be out like a
light!
He hastily follows the others into the Lounge, suddenly
forgetting all about his nightmarish encounter.
CUT TO:
11 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - BUFFY'S OFFICE - DAY 11
A jumbled nattering flows over the scene as Buffy sits back
in her big leather chair. A yawn escapes her lips as she
briefly turns to the window.
Gladys has pulled up a chair, looking very comfortable, still
talking to her very own reflection. We MOVE CLOSER to her.
GLADYS
And so I said: "No, officer, you
don't understand. I found the
murder weapon in my underwear
drawer."
(beat)
They didn't believe me so I was
taken to a lovely home where there
were lots of people. They were very
lively and we had lots of medicine.
Buffy shakes her head, bemused by the woman. She pulls closer
to her desk and takes out some files.
Goes over the documents as the door opens. She turns to see --
CLEM! He's wearing a big black coat, hat, and sunglasses. A
disguise, presumably. Buffy almost leaps out of her chair.
BUFFY
Oh my God. Clem!
She hugs him as he pulls off the glasses and hat. He beams a
smile at her.
CLEM
Well, look at you.
BUFFY
How did you -- how are you?
CLEM
Alive. Thanks to you. Nice work
stopping that apocalypse by the
way. I had complete faith in you.
BUFFY
Yeah, I got that... you know, from
the way you escaped town.
CLEM
Well, it was the biggest baddest
evil.
BUFFY
It's okay, you did the right thing.
(beat)
So, how did you know where we were?
CLEM
Ah, well, I was staying in New York
when I bumped into Rhona. Sweet
girl. She told me what you guys
were doing here and I couldn't help
but pay a flying visit.
BUFFY
Wow... just that you're here, I
mean...
(fake professionalism)
So you're not staying?
CLEM
I wish I could, but I've got a
vacation to Barbados planned.
Planning on getting this skin
tanned and toned. Buffy looks at
his sagging skin.
BUFFY
You'll have your work cut out for
you.
Clem turns to see Gladys, still chatting away to herself by
the window.
CLEM
What's up with her?
BUFFY
She's crazy. It's okay though, I
get paid by the hour so as long as
she keeps talking, I'll be rich!
CLEM
So you're a fully fledged
counselor. Didn't see that one
coming.
BUFFY
Oh, I took a course, you know. Did
loads of work and got my degree...
(beat)
Okay, so my qualifications were
faked using some funky mojo but
hey, it's all the same thing.
CLEM
And how's Xander and Willow, Anya
and Dawn?
BUFFY
Xander lost his eye but got it
back. Right now he's searching for
a new job... moving to Cleveland
has kinda messed everyone's work
slashcollege life up. Willow's
dating Kennedy, you know, the
Slayer you met in that bar once.
(beat)
Dawn's at the new school and
Anya's... well, Anya's a ghost.
CLEM
Oh... so, the usual then?
Buffy nods as Gladys suddenly bursts out LAUGHING. Both Buffy
and Clem turn to her.
GLADYS
Oh, Mavis, you are a devil! Buffy
sighs.
CUT TO:
12 INT. WILLOW AND KENNEDY'S APARTMENT - LOUNGE - DUSK 12
Willow's lazily lying on the sofa, watching some cartoons on
TV. She yawns, her eyes threatening to close for the night.
She quickly forces herself to perk up.
WILLOW
Ack! Roadrunner, your teasing is
going to be the death of you!
There's a KNOCK.
WILLOW (cont'd)
(calls out)
It's open.
Xander opens the door and comes in. He broadens a smile at
the wiccan, then tosses some popcorn bags and DVDs onto the
table.
XANDER
Well look at you, living the high
life.
WILLOW
I'm being lazy Willow today.
XANDER
You ready to watch some DVDs?
WILLOW
And by that, you mean --
XANDER
(nods)
"Apocalypse Now."
WILLOW
(unenthusiastic)
Yay.
CUT TO:
13 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LOUNGE - DUSK 13
Anya, Andrew, Dawn, and Jody are all in the Lounge. Dawn's
going over some books, sitting very close to Jody on the
sofa. Andrew's on the armchair.
DAWN
Anya, I don't think there's
anything in any of these books.
ANYA
You're lying.
DAWN
What? I'm not.
JODY
(to Dawn)
She's really a ghost?
DAWN
Yeah, never thought she'd be more
annoying dead than alive.
ANYA
Hey! Standing right here!
ANDREW
(disinterested)
Hey, when's Buffy getting back? I
need to tell her about my attack.
DAWN
After dark, and you weren't
attacked.
ANDREW
I so was -- Look!
He pulls out his hand to reveal the slash mark. It's nothing
major, just a few scrapes.
ANDREW (cont'd)
And, why does Buffy's counseling
office have like, fifteen plus
floors?
DAWN
Buffy said the company deals with
all sorts of... stuff.
ANYA
Okay, we're not so much
researching, more talking about
irrelevant things like Andrew's not
so-muchattack.
DAWN
Anya, could you just not be so self
centered for at least an hour!
God, you'd think for someone who
deserves what you got you'd be a
little more --
ANYA
You think I deserve this? Dawn
realizes what she just said.
DAWN
(stammers)
I didn't... I mean... what I said,
I didn't mean to...
ANYA
No. You said it. You think I
deserve to be a ghost forever.
DAWN
Anya, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have
said that.
Andrew stares at them for a moment, then gets up and moves to
the door.
ANDREW
I need to go pee.
SMASH CUT TO:
14 INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH - BASEMENT - NIGHT 14
It's dark in the lower grounds of the school. Andrew and
Jonathan are digging... the Hellmouth Seal is partially being
uncovered... Andrew stops and looks up.
JONATHAN
What are you doing?
ANDREW
This is hard and I'm all sweaty.
JONATHAN
Come on, we have to do this.
ANDREW
I just -- I hope Buffy knows how to
destroy it. She's good with
stopping things.
(beat)
Like that time she stopped Tucker
from killing everyone with his Hell
Hounds. And when she blew up that
big snake...
JONATHAN
Andrew, we spent the last few years
trying to forget about High School.
Why are you trying so hard to
remember it all?
ANDREW
I don't know. I guess I miss it.
Like all the people... the ones
who'd pick on me and call me little
monkey boy. And the cheerleaders,
they were hot. Especially that
Chase girl... I liked her. And, the
jocks, who would stuff me in my
locker every week. I miss Mr
Gandall. He was my favorite
teacher. He used to say all these
thing about molecular --
JONATHAN
Andrew! All those people you just
talked about. Not one of them cares
about you. They don't miss you,
they don't like you. You are a
little monkey boy, and plus,
weasel!
(beat)
They don't want to talk to you and
won't blink an eyelid if you died.
None of them are sitting around
going, "Oh, I wonder what Andrew's
doing right now." They don't care.
ANDREW
Well, I still care about them.
That's why I'm here.
Andrew gets back to the digging, finding the moral strength
inside to ignore the sweat dripping off him.
JONATHAN
No. You're here because you're the
First's bitch.
ANDREW
What?
Andrew looks up to see a horrifying sight. Jonathan is all
bloodied and cold, much like a walking corpse. He's carrying
the dagger again.
JONATHAN
You killed me!
The dagger comes right up and THRUSTS into Andrew's stomach.
He falls back --
SMASH CUT TO: