buffy8x10
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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TEASER
FADE IN:
1 EXT. CLEVELAND - CITY CENTRE. EVENING. 1
To the tune of 'Christmas In Heaven' by Monty Python. An
overhead shot, panning down to look over the city as a light
snow fall patterns the streets with little white flakes.
We're looking over towards the main shopping mall as the
streets fill up with happy shoppers, hugging each other for
warmth in the snow.
We sink to street level and start to walk forward, couples
and families passing by either side of us until we get to a
sweet little scene - ANDREW and JODY, side by side, looking
up through a shop window at a giant cardboard standee of
Scott Bakula as Enterprise's Captain Archer. Andrew has a
pair of big grey earmuffs on against the cold.
ANDREW
Magnificent..
JODY
Yeah, it's getting a lot better.
ANDREW
So heroic..
JODY
Plus, Jolene Blalock does have a
damn good body. For a Vulcan.
ANDREW
(sighs)
Well, we'd best be getting on. I've
got to get presents for..
(reads list in hand)
Xander, Buffy, Willow, Dawn and
Anya.
JODY
No Kennedy?
ANDREW
I'm thinking of getting her and
Willow something together. Kennedy
kinda scares me, so maybe I should
keep contact down to a minimum in
case she gets into a bad mood and
annihilates me.
JODY
You're the only guy I know who can
use the word 'annihilate' in
everyday conversation, you know..
ANDREW
It's a gift.
JODY
You're kind of a geek. But I knew
that.
Andrew looks back up at the standee and salutes. Jody
chuckles as the two walk away.
2 EXT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE. EVENING. 2
Establish shot. Buffy's house is wearing a few bits of
Christmas decoration, modest compared to the huge, freakish
light show of decoration next door's place is wearing.
3 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - FRONT ROOM. EVENING. 3
Buffy looks out through one of the front windows towards next
door's illuminations. Various shades of bright light flash on
and off, lighting up the whole lounge. Xander is sat on the
sofa, half-watching the TV.
BUFFY
Maybe they're trying to signal to
aliens or something?
XANDER
You think? I thought it was
actually quite subtle compared to
Old Man Henriksen's holographic
Halloween display from a few years
ago.
BUFFY
(laughs)
Oh yeah, the ones I tried to fight
that night..
XANDER
I never would have thought watching
you repeatedly try to stake a
hologram would be so entertaining.
That ranks as one of the Top Five
Most Blonde things you've ever
done, you know.
BUFFY
A girl's gotta have goals.
There is a knock at the door. They exchange a 'Are you
expecting anyone?' Look before Buffy moves to answer it.
She opens it to find the breathless form of RILEY FINN stood
in the doorframe.
RILEY
Buffy.
BUFFY
Riley?
A moment of stillness as they both just stare at each other
for a real long time.
BUFFY (cont'd)
What are you...?
RILEY
Please, Buffy. Can I come in?
BUFFY
(beat)
Uh... yeah.
Riley hurries inside and heads for the sofa, obviously tired.
Xander gets up and casts a wary eye between him and Buffy.
RILEY
Sorry for not giving you a heads up
about this.
BUFFY
No big. It's not like I'm not used
to random people showing up at my
house in trouble, anyway.
XANDER
What's with the whole A-Team
routine this time?
There is a long beat, Riley not looking at either of them
before he speaks again.
RILEY
I killed my wife.
Buffy and Xander exchange a shocked look. Then we focus on
Riley's face before we...
BLACK OUT.
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
4 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - FRONT ROOM. EVENING. 4
Riley nods as Xander hands him a mug of coffee and sits down
opposite him. Once upon a time Xander thought a lot of Riley,
but his loyalty to Buffy means he's cautious with him now,
after Riley's disappearing act a few years back.
Buffy stands, arms crossed, wanting to get to the bottom of
this so she can get back upstairs to Jackson.
BUFFY
So start talking. I'm sure there's
a lot we've got to catch up on.
RILEY
Buffy, I-
BUFFY
(interrupts)
No, Riley, save it. We already went
over all the 'you running off to
fight demons' thing when you showed
up in Sunnydale with your now dead
wife in tow. What we need to hear
now is just what the hell is going
on!
XANDER
Yeah, it's quite a revelation
you've hit us with here, big guy..
RILEY
I know, and I'm sorry. I still
don't know what to make of it all
myself, everything's been happening
so damn fast..
BUFFY
Pick it up from the last time I saw
you.
Riley nods.
DISSOLVE TO:
5 EXT. MILITARY BASE - SOUTH AMERICA. DAY. 5
A busy base - jeeps and trucks roll past and helicopters fly
overhead as we pan up to the military compound, a wire fenced
enclosure with several large barracks and a bigger HQ
building rising out from the middle of them. Teams of troops
march past as we watch.
6 EXT. MILITARY BASE - BARRACKS. DAY. 6
We pick up Riley and two other men from his squad, JEFFERS
and DIRKLEY, two other strapping young lads, walking along
and chatting, all in combat fatigues and body armour.
They stop as SERGEANT APONE appears round a corner before
them, and the trio salute him sharply. Apone is a well built
black guy in similar combat get up.
RILEY
Good morning, sir!
APONE
At ease, men. Ready for today's
patrol, Riley?
RILEY
Yes, sir! Recon suggests that a
nest of the arblok demons is within
striking distance. Should be a
quick in, quick out mission.
JEFFERS
With all the requisite blasting and
killing in between, that is.
Apone chuckles and motions to Riley.
APONE
Over here, marine, just need a
quick word in your ear. You two,
get over to the chopper, you'll
move out soon as Riley joins you.
JEFFERS & DIRKLEY
Yes, sir!
They jog away as Apone leads Riley to a quieter corner, one
arm round his shoulder.
APONE
How are things going then, Riley?
RILEY
All good so far, sir.
APONE
Great, good to hear that, son.
(beat)
Listen, I know things haven't been
great for you and Sam recently, so
I just wanted to make sure you
weren't going out on this run for
the wrong reasons.
RILEY
Absolutely not, sir. My personal
life has no bearing on my duty
here.
(beat)
And what reasons would those be?
APONE
This is going to be a tough
mission, Riley, and I'd hate to
think that one of my best men was
needlessly exposing himself to
extra danger just to try and burn
off some frustrations..
RILEY
I can promise you that is not the
case, sir.
APONE
Good. Okay soldier, get over to
that chopper and don't come back
till that nest is gone.
RILEY
Yes, sir!
Riley salutes and jogs off. Apone watches him go, looking as
though he hasn't really believed what Riley said.
7 INT. HELICOPTER - CARGO BAY. DAY. 7
We're riding with Riley and the rest of the squad in the
troop compartment of the helicopter. The marines are
finishing suiting up, loading weapons, applying camouflage
paint and putting goggles on.
RILEY (V.O.)
My squad was heading out into the
jungles on a mission to wipe out a
nest of local demons - the jungles
out there are swarming with demonic
nests at the moment, and we were
there to stop it spreading out into
populated areas.
BUFFY (V.O.)
You've been doing that since you
left - exactly how many demons are
there out there, anyway?
RILEY (V.O.)
Lots. Trust me.
8 INT. JUNGLE. DAY. 8
The sound of the helicopter overhead fills the scene as we
watch an empty section of dense jungle. Rappel lines drop
into view and Riley slides down, hopping down to the floor as
five of his squad follow him.
Riley signals for them to spread out and they take up a star
formation, rifles loaded as they pace forward stealthily
through the undergrowth.
RILEY (V.O.)
We'd found the location of a nest
or arblok demons, tough critters
who can multiply very quickly if
left unchecked.
XANDER (V.O.)
And by 'checked' I take it you mean
'blown apart by big automatic
rifles,' right?
RILEY (V.O.)
Pretty much.
We stay on Riley as he pads forward, eyes scanning all around
him for any evidence of the creatures. He stops and kneels to
the floor, picking something up.
It's a grey scale, still glistening, obviously fresh from one
of the demons.
Riley stands, looking round for any more tracks. We hear a
loud SNAP from behind him, and he spins round, rifle ready.
Jeffers is there, arms raised, having just stepped on a
particularly noisy twig. He shakes his head and shrugs,
grinning. Riley rolls his eyes and turns back round.
As he gets his back to us there is a ROAR from in front of
him, and we see that one of the huge, ape-like arblok demons
has snuck up on him.
Riley tries to raise his rifle but the beast is too quick - a
claw lashes out and knocks Riley to the ground.
We stay with him as the demon bounds past us towards Jeffers,
and there is an off camera yell of pain before he goes
silent, followed by a dull thud.
Riley stands and turns round, but covers his mouth in disgust
as we see a pair of boots belonging to the unfortunate
Jeffers in frame.
RILEY (V.O.) (cont'd)
The mission didn't go according to
plan. Arblok demons are fierce
natural hunters, and once our cover
was blown, the squad suffered heavy
casualties.
Riley tears off after the demon as we hear gunfire and shouts
coming from all around - things seem to have taken a turn for
the worse for the squad. Riley races through the undergrowth
in pursuit.
Huffing with exertion, the demon's powerfully-built body has
it whipping through the jungle at high speed.
Still better than the average human after his Initiative
funded improvements, Riley is able to keep up with the demon -
just. He sees a shot come up and raises his rifle, firing
from the hip while still running.
A bullet catches the demon, and with a howl it stumbles and
rolls to a stop on the ground.
Riley catches up to the monster, lying wounded on the floor,
breathing hard. He walks carefully up to it, rifle ready -
even wounded, these monsters are still dangerous.
Riley aims for a clean head shot, when with a growl the demon
leaps up, swats the rifle out of his hands and pins him back
to the ground.
Riley struggles to keep the demon's powerful jaws from
closing round his neck as it presses down on him.
BUFFY (V.O.)
Riley, while all this is very
exhilarating..
9 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM. NIGHT. 9
Riley is demonstrating how he fought off the demon, a pillow
substituting for it. Xander looks rapt with interest but
Buffy less so.
BUFFY
When are we actually going to get
to the point? You show up at my
house, out of the blue, telling me
that you've killed your wife, and
you're here telling us about
stalking monsters in the rainforest
like some adolescent 'Predator'
fantasy?
A long beat. Xander looks like he's about to say something
but decides better of it, and Riley puts the pillow back down
and nods.
RILEY
Just trying to set the scene.
BUFFY
It's set. Get on with it.
10 EXT. MILITARY BASE - BARRACKS. NIGHT. 10
Riley and what's left of his squad troop slowly into frame,
all looking the worse for wear - cuts, bruises, gunk over
their armour, smudged cammo paint - and none of them speak as
they know they've lost several comrades in battle today.
Riley takes a turn towards his quarters and walks alongside
one of the large buildings until he reaches a staircase.
Heading up it to the second floor of the building, he fumbles
for his keycard and swipes it in the lock.
With a merry 'bip' and a green light, the door to Riley's
quarters opens. He pushes the door wide.
11 INT. MILITARY BASE - RILEY'S QUARTERS. NIGHT. 11
The medium-sized room is dark as Riley steps inside and
closes the door. He stands and takes a deep breath before
gently placing his keycard on the desk by the door. He
reaches up and flicks the light on.
There is a scrabble of covers as two people are suddenly
jolted to life by the light coming on - Riley's wife, SAM,
and another marine, FELLOWES.
The colour drains from Riley's face for a moment before anger
takes a hold of him. He shudders visibly, the rage swelling
in his chest.
Sam holds up a hand to try and placate him, knowing that
Riley looks ready to blow his stack.
SAM
Riley, wait, now hold on, this is-
RILEY
(interrupts; furious)
What the hell is going on??
SAM
We were.. I mean, I was..
Fellowes is already out of the bed and starting to get
dressed, not taking his eyes off of Riley.
Sam bows her head and then looks back up with a hostile
expression.
SAM (cont'd)
Get with the program, Riley. You
and I haven't been working out for
a long time now. Ever since you saw
that Slayer girl again, you've been
somewhere else. And if you weren't
going to come anywhere near me, I
had to get my kicks somewhere
else..
12 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM. NIGHT. 12
Buffy looks a little more sympathetic by now.
BUFFY
She really said that?
RILEY
She was right, in a way.
XANDER
What, the part about you still
being hung up over Buffy?
There is an awkward silence as Xander realizes he's just put
his foot in it.
XANDER (cont'd)
Uh, I suddenly have to be somewhere
else very urgently. Have fun, you
guys.
He gets up and hurries upstairs, leaving the two ex lovers to
it.
BUFFY
So.. then what happened?
13 INT. MILITARY BASE - RILEY'S QUARTERS. NIGHT. 13
Riley takes a step across the room towards the bed, but
Fellowes is one step ahead of him and races forward,
grappling Riley and the two fall to the floor. Riley
struggles with the man, knocking chairs and the table over as
they fight.
Sam screams at the two of them to stop from the bed until
Riley stands and swings his fist back, looking down at
Fellowes to land another punch.
There is a CRACK sound, and as Riley slowly turns round we
see that his fist has struck Sam at an awkward angle, and as
blood starts to pour from her nose, her eyes glaze over and
she slumps back on the bed.
Riley, eyes wide, stumbles backwards, staring in shock at
Sam's blood on his knuckles as Fellowes picks himself up and
runs over to the fallen Sam.
FELLOWES
Oh god.. Sam! Sam, wake up! Sam!
Sam!
We stay on Riley as he falls into a sitting position, still
dumbfounded at what he's just done. We fade away from the
scene to black.
FADE TO:
14 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM. NIGHT. 14
Buffy and Riley are closer now, she has a sad look in her
eyes as he finishes his story, his head bowed and his whole
body slouched downwards. She reaches out a hand to touch his
and he looks up, his eyes misting over as he tears up.
BUFFY
I'm so sorry.. what did you do?
RILEY
I didn't know where to go. I
couldn't stay on the base, I'd have
been court martialled in a
heartbeat. I took off and managed
to get back into the States.
Sunnydale isn't what it used to be.
BUFFY
(smiles)
Yeah, the town really fell to
pieces a while back. Bad
neighborhood anyway.
RILEY
A little detective work got me a
forwarding address for you, and I
tracked you to here. And this is as
far as my plan goes, I'm out of
cash and out of options.
BUFFY
Well.. I don't know what I can do.
I mean, fighting monsters and
saving the world is no problem, but
looking after wanted men?
Maybe I'd better go rent 'The
Fugitive' and take notes.
RILEY
I just need a place to stay for a
few days. I can get to more money
but not right away, and once I get
it I'll be out of the way again.
BUFFY
Is that a good idea? I mean, maybe
you should contact the base, try to
explain what happened..
RILEY
No good. Fellowes was never too
keen on me, probably why he ended
up with Sam in the first place. If
I try to go back there he'll have
me in a cell before I can even open
my mouth.
BUFFY
Isn't there anyone else who can
help?
RILEY
I've gone to the only person who
can help.
A long beat before Buffy realizes he means her.
BUFFY
Oh. Uh, okay. Right. Well, we need
a plan, then. We need a way to keep
you undercover because-
JACKSON (O.S.)
Buffy?
Jackson's voice calls down from upstairs. Buffy winces and
turns to answer him?
BUFFY
Yeah?
JACKSON (O.S.)
Oh, nothing, just making sure you
were still around, it's gone quiet
up here.
BUFFY
I'm just with, er, an old friend,
Jackson, I'll be up in a minute.
JACKSON (O.S.)
Okay.
Buffy turns back to Riley, who isn't sure where to look.
RILEY
Jackson?
BUFFY
It is a long and increasingly
complicated story.
RILEY
With you, it'd have to be.
BUFFY
Look, I'll set you up in the spare
room up here, I've been sleeping
around all over the place just
lately, it seems.
A pause - that didn't come out right at all!
BUFFY (cont'd)
Uh, I mean, not sleeping around, I
mean, just sleeping, you know..
around.
RILEY
(smiles)
I get it, it's okay.
Buffy nods and gets up to head back upstairs to see to
Jackson, leaving Riley on the sofa.
As she gets one foot on the stairs, Riley calls out to her.
RILEY (cont'd)
Oh, and Buffy?
BUFFY
Yeah?
RILEY
Thanks. For everything.
She smiles back and heads upstairs.
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
15 INT. CLEVELAND SHOPPING MALL. NIGHT. 15
Late night shoppers Andrew and Jody are still out and about,
now with a few bags each full of goodies. Happy Christmas
carol muzak pipes out from the speakers overhead as Jody
stops outside a computer game store and looks enviously in at
the consoles on display. Andrew sighs.
ANDREW
Boys and their toys..
JODY
(without looking round)
I could say the same about you and
your Xena action figures.
ANDREW
Those are all collectors items!
JODY
Yeah, but collected by who?
ANDREW
By people with taste and a high
amount of disposable income. Like
me.
JODY
Which reminds me, how does your
living arrangement work, by the
way?
ANDREW
You mean at Buffy's?
JODY
Yeah, how'd you manage to wrangle
staying rent free in a nice place
like that? You must have pulled a
few strings and scratched all the
right backs for that one!
He pretends to scratch Andrew's back and tickles him a little
- Andrew giggles and swats at him with one of the bags as
Jody laughs.
ANDREW
No, Buffy and I, we go way back.
JODY
I bet you do.
ANDREW
No, I mean.. We were all involved
in something pretty major a few
months ago, and out of that we all
kind of owe each other something.
JODY
You're making yourself sound like
the Californian Mafia or something!
ANDREW
I'd rather be Yakuza. Better suits
and I bet they get free manga too.
We move away from the two of them and round a corner to pick
up Dawn, who is wandering along and eyeing up all the
fabulous outfits in the hideously expensive designer stores.
Her hands are pressed against the glass like a child in a
candy store.
DAWN
They will be mine.. oh yes, they
will be mine.
16 INT. CLEVELAND SHOPPING MALL - ATM MACHINES. NIGHT. 16
Dawn turns a corner and down into a small corridor which
holds the toilets for this floor and a pair of plain ATM
machines.
She waits while the person in front of her finishes, giving
her chance to root through her bag for her wallet, and she
steps up when the person moves away.
We glance over her shoulder and see a dark shadow zip past
behind her - the angular walls around her leave plenty of
hiding places.
Dawn spins round, having sensed something behind her. There's
no-one there, so she turns back to the ATM.
Dawn yelps with shock as there is suddenly a MAN standing
next to the ATM, his arm leaning over it.
MAN
Well hey there, cutie, didn't mean
to scare ya.
DAWN
Uh, that's okay.
(beat)
Did you want to use the machine
first?
MAN
Nah, I'd rather wait for you to do
it.
Dawn eyes him carefully - she doesn't need Slayer Sense to
know this is suspicious. She reaches out with her card but
freezes as the man shifts slightly.
We see the glint of a knife blade beneath his jacket as he
moves slightly, his hand ready on the handle.
ON MAN
MAN
So why don't you be a good girl and get out all the cash you
can, then hand it over and walk away.
DAWN
Look, you'd better get out of here.
My sister will show up any second,
and she-
MAN #2 (O.S.)
(interrupts)
She's probably got a nice, fat bank
balance too. Sounds perfect to me.
Dawn turns again - the second man was hiding round a corner
and steps out, hands crossed in front of him as he backs up
his colleague.
Dawn realizes she's got nowhere to run. She could try and
fight, but it's a big risk.
She starts to put her card into the ATM, but as she taps in
her number her eyes shift to the mugger for a second. We hear
an audible beep and the mugger glares down at her.
DAWN
Oh, silly me, I put my number in
wrong. Must be the stress. I'd
better try again.
MAN
(angry)
Don't try to play me, little girl,
we can do this the hard way if
that's what you want!
He shows a little more of the knife. Dawn tries to stay calm
as she taps her number in - wrong again. She looks blankly up
at the Man.
DAWN
Now look what I've done, if I get
it wrong again, it'll take my card
away!
MAN #2
Ah, come on, let's get out of here!
MAN
Quiet!
(to Dawn)
Alright, put the damn number in
this time or you'll be carrying
that pretty little nose around with
you the rest of the day!
He leans in closer, more threatening, and Dawn uses that as
the opening she was looking for to suddenly SLAM her palm
into his chest, forcing the knife against his chest.
The man roars with pain and staggers backwards, but his
colleague is ready and steps forward, grabbing Dawn from
behind. She SCREAMS!
As her shriek echoes through the place, every single light in
the area SMASHES! Shreds of glass falling to the ground.
Dawn is as shocked as everyone else but she takes advantage
of the man's confusion to stamp down hard on his foot and
then drive her elbow back into his chest.
He drops, winded, to the floor, and Dawn takes flight,
running off screen as fast as she can. As she disappears from
view, the lights come back on.
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.