8 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LOUNGE 8
Andrew and Jody are engrossed in their books, sitting on the
sofa together. Their attention is turned to Buffy coming down
the stairs.
ANDREW
Wow.
JODY
Check out the hot mama!
Andrew nudges him.
JODY (cont'd)
Well dude, look at her.
Buffy turns to them.
BUFFY
I'm going out. I won't be gone
long. When Xander and Willow get
back, tell them to get started on
the research.
ANDREW
Okay, but where are you going?
She doesn't answer him. She leaves the house, almost SLAMMING
the door on purpose as she does. Andrew turns to Jody.
ANDREW (cont'd)
So, you wanna play D&D online?
JODY
And again with the geekiness.
ANDREW
I'm just --
He stops. Both of them look to the door leading down the
basement as a noise emanates from it.
JODY
What was that?
ANDREW
Uh... nothing?
JODY
I hope so.
CUT TO:
9 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - BASEMENT 9
The red energy withdraws from the room and crackles of what
looks to be electricity dissipate into thin air. The camera
follows a trail of blackish liquid until we come to a figure
- JEREKOV.
His eyes glow and eerie red as he checks himself over, his
cloak still intact.
JEREKOV
Free at last.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
10 INT. SHAW RESIDENCE - HALLWAY - EVENING 10
The door is already ajar and Buffy slowly pushes it open. She
closes it behind her and turns to see candles lighting the
way. She smiles softly, then proceeds up the stairs.
11 INT. SHAW RESIDENCE - BEDROOM 11
Buffy comes through, now holding a rose that had been left
for her. She begins to talk --
BUFFY
If I'd have known we were being
more romantic here I would have --
She stops, seeing Jackson motionless on the bed. She edges
closer to him.
BUFFY (cont'd)
Jackson?
(worried)
Jackson are you...?
She quickly rushes forward and checks his pulse. She looks
for any wounds but there are none. Then --
JACKSON
(shouts)
It's inside me!
He SPRINGS forward but Buffy is there to catch him. She looks
as shocked as he is, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
BUFFY
Jackson?
JACKSON
Whoa, I must have fallen asleep or
something... God that was a
horrible dream.
BUFFY
What was it?
JACKSON
(thinks)
Uh... I can't really remember. But
it felt like I was being...
violated.
BUFFY
So much for the romantic evening,
huh?
JACKSON
No. It was just a dream, Buffy.
Lets not read too much into it.
BUFFY
Dreams normally mean something. Or
at least, they do if your us.
JACKSON
Us?
BUFFY
People who are... different.
JACKSON
I'm not different. I'm just called
something I don't understand. I'm
not anything special.
Buffy lifts her hand and strokes his face, a smile forming on
her tired face.
BUFFY
You are to me.
Jackson's hand reaches up and takes hers in his. He moves in
to kiss her on the neck and she lets him. Both their hands
are interlocked, lowering themselves down their sides as he
massages her flesh with his tongue.
They fall back and the kissing becomes more intense. Buffy's
hands reach for his shirt, ripping it off his back, clawing
her nails into his skin.
Buffy stares up at the ceiling as Jackson kisses her neck.
She can see something forming, a darkness.
Then Jackson is in her face, looking down at her as he VAMPS
OUT. He lunges for her neck and BITES her, feeding off of
her. She doesn't cry out, she can't move. The darkness above
is enveloping them both.
Jackson lets Buffy slip through his arms, her motionless body
lying limp on the bed. He turns to a figure emerging.
EMMILY
(haunting voice)
Look inside. Fulfill your destiny.
Jackson's eyes WIDEN as he turns back to Buffy and sees her
body turn to ash. He SCREAMS --
SMASH CUT TO:
12 INT. SHAW RESIDENCE - BEDROOM 12
Jackson LUNGES himself forward in a startled panic.
JACKSON
It's inside me!
Buffy catches him from falling off the bed and looks as
shocked as he is.
JACKSON (cont'd)
Is this real?
BUFFY
Yeah.
He grabs her hand and looks her in the eyes, a serious tone
coming over him.
JACKSON
Something's happening to me, Buffy.
I'm seeing things, hearing things.
It's like I'm being shown something
and I don't know what it is.
BUFFY
Don't fight it. Whatever it is,
don't fight it. Go with it.
JACKSON
What if it's telling me to do
something bad?
BUFFY
What are you...?
JACKSON
Emmily came to me... I think.
Everything's a little fuzzy now.
She told me I was chosen thousands
of years ago, that my existence was
predicted. She told me you were
special to the Powers That Be and
that I was special to you.
BUFFY
She wasn't lying, then.
JACKSON
She told me to look inside, fulfill
my destiny... I don't know, Buffy.
Things are like Tina Turner's hair
in my head.
Buffy forces a smile, stroking his cheek.
BUFFY
We'll figure it out. I promise.
JACKSON
I know. I trust you.
CUT TO:
13 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LOUNGE 13
Jody and Andrew are reading through the books, as before.
Dawn is sitting in the armchair, doing the same. The front
door opens and in walks Willow and Xander, who are in mid
conversation.
XANDER
I'm telling you, Will, she was
checking you out.
WILLOW
Yeah, right, and that whole thing
she was talking about was just one
big hit on, right?
XANDER
Hey, don't ask me how the lesbian
mind works.
Willow playfully hits him on the arm.
DAWN
What's going on guys?
XANDER
Willow's a Goddess.
WILLOW
I'm not a... okay I am.
ANDREW
Frickin' mashed potatoes!
DAWN
You're a what?
WILLOW
It's no big deal, I just had a
follower approach me and give me a
gift. I'm not sure what it is
really.
Willow pulls out the amulet and hands it to Dawn, who
inspects it carefully.
WILLOW (cont'd)
See what you can find out?
DAWN
As always.
Dawn heads on upstairs with a couple of books under her arms.
Xander hangs his coat up and looks around.
XANDER
Where's Buffy?
ANDREW
She went out. She wouldn't tell me
where but I have a sneaky suspicion
she's with Jackson.
XANDER
Why?
ANDREW
Because I heard him invite her over
there earlier.
XANDER
That's a great power you've got
there, Andy.
ANDREW
I know.
Willow rubs her eyes and heads to the armchair, taking a
seat. Xander picks up a book and reads the title.
XANDER
"Dissection of the Cause: reasons
and motives of demon awakenings."
WILLOW
There's a thousand other books like
that. Better get stuck in.
XANDER
What about Kennedy? Shouldn't we
wait for her until we get stuck
into the whole researching?
WILLOW
She'll be at work all night.
XANDER
Right, okay. I've got my reading
cap on. All systems go.
The gang get stuck into their books as darkness begins to
fall.
CUT TO:
14 INT. SHAW RESIDENCE - LOUNGE 14
Jackson is sitting in the armchair, with Buffy sitting on his
lap in a sideways fashion. They are both reading their books
in the most unusual way possible.
JACKSON
Did you know in the K'C'Lai Tribe,
their Guardian has the power to
destroy all the oceans in the
world.
BUFFY
Huh.
JACKSON
You think I could do something like
that?
BUFFY
Lets not try it.
JACKSON
I must be evil. Buffy turns to him,
confused.
BUFFY
You're crazy.
JACKSON
I'm serious. Buffy, we've been
through almost all these books and
in each one, there's a reference to
a Guardian.
BUFFY
Doesn't mean you though, there are
a lot of Guardians in a lot of
other demon religion and --
JACKSON
Each one we've read about has been
evil. What are the chances I'm not?
BUFFY
Because I'm here, with you.
JACKSON
Don't you fall the evil ones?
BUFFY
It's not untrue... but I know
you're not. There's something about
you, something I'm drawn to, and I
can't put my finger on it but it's
not evil. It's beautiful.
JACKSON
You're quite the speech machine.
BUFFY
You think that's bad? Should have
heard me last year. Nothing but
long winded speeches all the --
JACKSON
(shouts)
Buffy!
She looks at him, his eyes gone a crystal blue. Something
catches her eye, the ring, GLOWING.
She looks spooked, but is THROWN off of him by an unseen
force, that also THROWS Jackson against the wall. Buffy
rushes to his side.
BUFFY
Are you alright?
JACKSON
Something's wrong.
BUFFY
Not arguing with you there.
JACKSON
No. I saw something.
(beat)
Someone dying.
BUFFY
Who?
JACKSON
I can't remember.
CUT TO:
15 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LOUNGE - NIGHT 15
Anya walks through the front door and quietly closes it
behind her, noticing that everyone in there is asleep. She
looks to the stairs to see Dawn coming down, all dressed to
go out.
DAWN
Hey, Anya. Haven't seen much of you
today.
ANYA
No. No, I've been, around.
Dawn accepts this but seems too distracted to care. She opens
the front door.
DAWN
I'll see you later.
ANYA
Yeah. Whatever.
The door closes. Anya stares at Xander sleeping in the
armchair, then looks at everyone there. A somber look grazes
her face as she turns and continues into the...
16 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - KITCHEN 16
Anya closes the door behind her and leans against it, facing
the window and the darkness outside. She looks down at her
hands and the BURN SCARS.
ANYA
What is this?
She moves to the work surface and pulls out a knife. She eyes
it, the blade reflecting the light.
Slowly she begins to move it down to her arm, pressing it
against the skin, almost cutting --
XANDER
Anya?
Anya quickly drops the knife and turns, covering it from his
view. She forces a weak smile.
ANYA
Hi. Nice to see you, again. Up and
awake.
XANDER
Are you okay?
ANYA
Peachy.
(beat)
I've just been... doing things.
XANDER
I get that. It must be amazing to
be able to do loads of things you
haven't been able to do before.
Like, you can go down a slide
without falling through it... or
you can eat things and drink
things... you can have sex again.
(beat)
Bet you feel like you're the
luckiest former demon in the world.
Anya stares at him, an uncomfortable silence. She turns away
from him.
ANYA
(lies)
That's exactly how I feel.
XANDER
Speaking of, do you wanna maybe go
upstairs and... you know?
Anya looks down at herself, at the scar on her hand. She
closes her eyes.
ANYA
I'll meet you up there.
XANDER
Okay.
He turns and rushes through the door, whistling as he does
so, oblivious to Anya's pain. She pulls out the knife again
but this time sets it back in the drawer.
ANYA
(somber)
I'm the luckiest former demon in
the world.
Her hands come up to cover her eyes as she quietly begins to
weep and she is so consumed in her emotions, that she doesn't
see Jerekov appearing from behind her, expressing a sinister
grin.
CUT TO:
17 INT. SHAW RESIDENCE - LOUNGE 17
Jackson is pacing the room, Buffy is standing nearby,
watching him.
JACKSON
I can't do this anymore. I have to
know what's going on.
BUFFY
We're trying, Jackson. Just sit
down and --
JACKSON
No. I'm becoming more irrational,
it's like I'm slipping away. I
won't go. I won't do that.
There's nothing I can't stop.
There's nothing I can't --
He stops, looking down at the ring. He brings it up to his
eyes as Buffy helplessly listens to his rant.
JACKSON (cont'd)
I know this, I do. It's in my mind
somewhere but it's not, cos it's
not my mind. It's something else,
something different. Merging.
Conflicting.
(beat)
Destroying.
BUFFY
Jackson. What are you --
JACKSON
(angry)
Don't you dare interrupt. I am
above you.
Buffy steps back, shocked. Jackson looks himself over in a
confused way.
JACKSON (cont'd)
Infestation. This is what this is.
We can't win like this. It was all
put in motion thousands of years
ago and I can't stop it.
BUFFY
What can't you stop?
JACKSON
(beat)
I don't know. Buffy, I don't know
what's happening to me.
BUFFY
Try to concentrate on what you saw.
JACKSON
Someone dying... someone... I don't
know who it was.
(beat)
Your house. There.
BUFFY
I have to get there.
JACKSON
I'm coming with.
BUFFY
You're not up to it.
JACKSON
I am. I have to be there. Buffy, I
can help you.
BUFFY
(hesitates)
Okay. First sign of trouble, you
get whoever you see to safety.
JACKSON
Always prepared.
She smiles at him, then they both EXIT the house.
CUT TO:
18 EXT. DOWNTOWN 18
The full moon is shining, glimmering on the streets below as
a small amount of rain begins to trickle down on the path.
Dawn carries on through, wrapping her coat around her some
more.
DAWN
Just what I need.
She comes to an alleyway and heads down it. She pulls out a
small necklace, with a glowing PEARL on the end of it. It is
shining a line if front of her and she follows it.
Coming to a stop, she notices a door. She pushes it open.
Takes a look around before entering.
19 INT. TUNNELS 19
Dawn finds herself in cave-like tunnels. She looks around,
extremely cautious, but continues through, the pendant
shining the way.
CUT TO:
20 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - KITCHEN 20
Anya is wiping a stray tear from her cheek, readying herself
to turn around and go upstairs but as she does turn --
JEREKOV
I never realized just how beautiful
you actually are.
ANYA
Who are... oh, it's you. You're
him.
JEREKOV
I'm free.
ANYA
Oh.
(realizing)
Oh. One of the most powerful
mortals to walk the Earth is free
from the dimension the white hats
put him in. Right. Great.
JEREKOV
All because of you. I must thank
you for that.
ANYA
Me? Why me?
JEREKOV
You instructed your lover to seek
me out, to make you mortal again.
And in return, I got something I
needed.
ANYA
And you needed freedom.
JEREKOV
(laughs)
No, I got out because you never
closed the portal correctly. First
mistake.
ANYA
And the second?
JEREKOV
Letting him trade his soul for your
mortality.
ANYA
Xander didn't trade his soul.
JEREKOV
He said he would give his life for
yours. His soul is his life. I have
that now.
ANYA
You can't do that. It's not fair.
JEREKOV
The funniest thing? I get his soul,
and I get to kill everyone here...
so it makes his little expedition
kind of pointless, doesn't it?
ANYA
So, you're gonna kill me?
Jerekov nods, a malicious grin forming.
ANYA (cont'd)
Well let me just say something
first.
JEREKOV
(thinks)
Go ahead. I don't have a problem
with final last words.
ANYA
Good. Because, firstly...
Anya suddenly SCREAMS out to anyone who will listen. Jerekov
stares at her, curious.
JEREKOV
Is that it?
ANYA
Okay, wait.
She SCREAMS again but this time Jerekov lunges for her,
grabbing her by the neck and pinning her against the kitchen
work top. He smiles as his hand presses against her chest, a
light beginning to form.
JEREKOV
Nighty night, sweetness.
As Anya's eyes FLICKER, we...
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
21 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - KITCHEN - NIGHT 21
As before. Anya is struggling with Jerekov but he suddenly
PUSHED away from her. We turn to see Xander lying on top of
him. He turns back to Anya.
XANDER
Get out of here!
ANYA
Xander, wait --
Xander turns back to see Jerekov has disappeared. He STANDS,
looking spooked.
XANDER
Who's the Houdini?
ANYA
You've forgotten already?
Xander thinks for a moment.
XANDER
That was the warlock?
The doors open to reveal Willow, Andrew, and Jody all rush
through brandishing weapons.
ANDREW
(shouts)
We're here to save you!
The three of them stop, looking around, only seeing Anya and
Xander.
ANDREW (cont'd)
Or not.
Suddenly the door SWINGS open again and in come Buffy and
Jackson, each prepared for a battle. They see what the other
three saw -- nothing.
BUFFY
Is everyone okay?
WILLOW
We heard Anya scream and...
Xander looks at them all, realizing he'd have to tell them
all the truth. His eyes move to Anya, who is look equally
bleak.
CUT TO: