22 INT. CAVES 22
Dawn exits the tunnels and comes into some prehistoric
looking caves. She shrugs, expecting nothing less. In the
middle of the rocky area is a fire. She nears it.
VOICE (O.S)
You come in search of truth.
Dawn stops in her tracks, looking around, but there's
nothing.
DAWN
I do.
VOICE (O.S)
You are but a girl. What do you
expect from us?
DAWN
Exactly what I seek.
A beat.
DAWN (cont'd)
The others, they're too consumed in
their lives to look for the flaws.
Something's going on and I need to
find out what.
VOICE (O.S)
The balance has tipped.
DAWN
Yeah. The spell Willow did, that's
what it is, right? When she gave
all those girls their power.
VOICE (O.S)
It was the witch. And now The
Source will act upon the advantage.
DAWN
So it really is coming.
VOICE (O.S)
No, child. It is already here.
Dawn takes a moment to consume the information. She pulls out
the amulet Willow gave to her.
DAWN
I looked this up. It is of great
importance to some.
VOICE (O.S)
True. The D'hora Amulet was once
the greatest creation of the
demons. But now its energy wavers.
DAWN
Because it has been put in the
hands of the mortals.
(beat)
I will give you this back. But only
if you tell me more. A beat.
VOICE (O.S)
We have a deal.
(beat)
What do you want to know?
DAWN
Tell me about Jackson Shaw.
CUT TO:
23 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - DINING ROOM 23
The gang are sitting around the table, all looking at Xander
and Anya. There's a long silence before --
JODY
(to Anya)
And you knew about the dangers?
ANYA
I didn't know he would try to take
Xander's soul.
XANDER
Yay?
BUFFY
Great. So, we have an amazingly
powerful warlock out there
somewhere who will try to take
Xander's soul and in the process
wants to kills us all too.
ANYA
I didn't know that would happen. I
just wanted to be... human again.
WILLOW
I can't believe you summoned that
kinda power. Magic's dangerous.
Hello, turned me evil.
ANYA
I keep saying, I didn't know --
WILLOW
I wasn't talking to you.
She turns to Xander, who gets it. He lowers his gaze, looking
ashamed of himself.
BUFFY
Doesn't matter how he got here, we
have to get him back. I mean, those
wiccans put him in that dimension
for a reason, right?
ANYA
Because they feared his power.
(beat)
And he was a bit evil.
BUFFY
Willow, you think you can put him
back?
WILLOW
I'll try. I'll need some help
though.
ANDREW
Enter Andrew.
WILLOW
Fine. That'll do.
Willow and Andrew stand, head towards the door but stop to
hear the final piece of the objective. Buffy turns to
Jackson.
BUFFY
Are you sure you saw someone dying
in this house?
JACKSON
I'm not sure of much, Buffy.
XANDER
Wait. You're getting premonitions
now?
JACKSON
Apparently so.
Buffy looks around and GRABS the Scythe off the wall.
BUFFY
We can't leave the house. We have
to all stick together.
(beat)
Where's Dawn?
XANDER
She...
ANYA
She went out. I saw her earlier.
BUFFY
(rolls eyes)
I can't look for her and protect
everyone here.
JACKSON
I'll find her.
(to Willow)
You can do one of those locator
spells, right?
WILLOW
Yeah but...
JACKSON
What?
WILLOW
Well, it's just... I mean...
ANYA
What she means is: Last time you
were alone with Dawn, you tried to
break every bone in her body. Which
doesn't exactly fill us with happy
thoughts.
(beat)
Or some of us anyway.
JACKSON
I won't harm her... I was... I
won't.
BUFFY
I know.
(to Willow)
Find her.
Willow nods.
CUT TO:
24 INT. CAVES 24
Dawn is standing still, almost motionless, contemplating what
she has been told. She looks down at the amulet in her hands
and throws it in the fire.
VOICE (O.S)
You must leave now.
DAWN
But I... I don't believe you. How
could that be right?
VOICE (O.S)
It is how it is.
DAWN
I can't watch that happen. I won't.
VOICE (O.S)
You cannot stop it, child. By
hearing this you have already
altered the progress of events.
DAWN
So what now?
VOICE (O.S)
Now, you leave.
Dawn's expression is a painting of shock. But she doesn't
argue. She turns on her heels and heads back to the tunnels
in which she came.
25 INT. TUNNELS 25
She continues through the damp tunnels, her concentration
lost in what she has heard.
EMMILY (V.O)
I'm sorry about your life, how it's
been, how it'll end. It wasn't
supposed to be this way.
CUT TO:
26 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - BASEMENT - LATER 26
Willow is holding a book open in front of the rectangle on
the wall. Andrew is sprinkling some kind of dust around it.
Buffy, Xander, Anya, and Jody all come down the steps.
BUFFY
How long now?
WILLOW
I don't know. Closing a portal is
as hard as opening one and... I
don't know how much it's going to
take.
ANYA
Well you have to do it.
WILLOW
Yeah, I figured that one out all by
myself.
BUFFY
(sighs)
Well, looks like Mr Warlock isn't
coming back tonight so I guess
we've got enough time to --
JEREKOV (O.S)
Think again, Slayer.
Buffy turns to see Jerekov appear from the shadows. She rolls
her eyes with another sigh.
BUFFY
Why did I have to say that?
JEREKOV
You can't protect the boy. He is my
property now.
XANDER
Me? But you were so nice last time
we met.
(beat)
Okay so you made me choose between
my life and my girlfriend's but
still, not the grand schemer of
evil.
JEREKOV
Foolish children. Playing your
games. You think you know love. You
think that's love in your blood?
Each and every one of you is
tainted.
ANYA
Leave us alone, Jerekov, or we'll
put you back in that dimension.
(beat)
Well, we're going to anyway so you
might as well back down now.
JEREKOV
Ah, yes. The witch.
He turns to Willow, who steps back, a little nervous in his
presence.
JEREKOV (cont'd)
You have power.
(beat)
I have more.
He THROWS Willow against the wall with a crackling red
energy. Andrew rushes to her, heaped in the corner. Buffy is
suddenly in his face.
BUFFY
Wanna see mine?
She takes a SWING at him, Scythe in hand, and wallops him
across the face. He JERKS back, then turns to her, impressed.
JEREKOV
Not enough.
Buffy FLIES back, landing right next to Willow, but she
doesn't stay down. She JUMPS to her feet and CHARGES at him,
impaling the spiked end of the Scythe in his leg.
He ROARS in pain. She takes this moment to swing round and
kick him in the back, sending him CRASHING to the ground.
BUFFY
You want more?
She bring the Scythe down and lands it into his back. She
doesn't pull it out, just looks to the others with a smile.
BUFFY (cont'd)
Guess we don't need to open that
portal after all. He was easier to
kill than I thought.
XANDER
Uh... Buffy...
BUFFY
Yeah?
Xander motions for her to look behind and she does, seeing
Jerekov holding the axe -- angry.
JEREKOV
Bring it, bitch.
He THROWS the Scythe down as Buffy charges him again. He
knocks her back with ease. Buffy, on lying the ground, turns
to Willow.
BUFFY
Get it open!
Willow nods and starts chanting as Andrew cautiously
sprinkles the dust again. Buffy ROLLS and rushes the warlock
once again.
CUT TO:
27 EXT. DOWNTOWN 27
The place is a big contrast to what it was earlier. When
night falls, the people scatter. Dawn walks through the
streets, not paying any attention to anything around her.
As she crosses the road we see a car pull up and Jackson hops
out. He sees her immediately.
JACKSON
(calls)
Dawn.
No response. She continues across the road and doesn't see
the headlights flash on her body.
JACKSON (cont'd)
(shouts)
Dawn!
He heads towards her but a car KNOCKS her into the air. She
almost does a somersault, then comes CRASHING down to the
ground.
Jackson stops, his eyes widening in fear. He rushes to her
side, his hands crawling along her wrist, searching for a
pulse.
JACKSON (cont'd)
Oh, God, no. No... Dawn, get up...
Dawn, please...
(shouts)
Somebody call an ambulance!
The camera zooms out on Jackson frantically trying to revive
her as a crowd of people, who have come from nowhere at all,
start to gather.
CUT TO:
28 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - BASEMENT 28
Buffy SMASHES into the wall and slumps down, a groan escaping
her lips. Jerekov comes towards her with a menacing form. He
GRABS her by the throat and pins her against the wall.
JEREKOV
You have power, it is true, but you
do not understand its source.
BUFFY
(muffled)
A little help here people!
Xander comes to her aid but Jerekov uses his other hand to
send him FLYING through the air.
JEREKOV
You challenge me with children,
killers, and weak mortals.
(beat)
I was once a God to mortals.
BUFFY
Yeah?
She kicks him in the GROIN. He winces in pain as she
spinkicks him back.
BUFFY (cont'd)
I've fought a God. She lost. And
you know what? You're gonna lose
to.
She goes to him but he uses magic to push her body to the
ceiling, sticking it in place.
JEREKOV
I do not lose. I will have his
soul.
(beat)
We have deal for pity's sake!
He heads towards Xander but is suddenly JUMPED by Anya. She
WRAPS her arms around his neck, refusing to let go. He tries
to shake her off but she clings with determination.
ANYA
You can't have his soul!
(beat)
Not when you haven't even given me
mine!
Jerekov finally throws her off and she FALLS to the ground.
He looks down at her.
JEREKOV
You have a soul. It's just too
buried beneath to be found.
Xander's eyes dart to Anya as her pain has finally come out.
He starts towards her but Jerekov snaps his body round and
pushes Xander back with a hell of a lot of force.
JEREKOV (cont'd)
Yours, is mine.
His hand presses against Xander's chest but suddenly a ray of
RED LIGHT attaches itself to the warlock.
He turns to see the portal has been opened and is sucking him
in.
JEREKOV (cont'd)
No. This isn't how it's supposed to
go.
ANDREW
Deal with it.
As he and Willow step back, the portal sucks Jerekov back in
and closes behind him, the rectangle erasing itself from the
wall. Buffy comes CRASHING back down from the ceiling. Xander
looks to Anya, who is lying on the ground, wallowing in her
own misery.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT THREE
ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
29 INT. CLEVELAND HOSPITAL - DAWN'S ROOM - MORNING 29
Dawn is lying motionless in the hospital bed, her eyes open,
and transfixed on Jackson, who is sleeping in the armchair
beside her. The door opens and Buffy walks in, with two cups
of coffee.
BUFFY
You're awake.
DAWN
(groggy)
Just.
BUFFY
Quite a ride you had last night.
DAWN
I wouldn't call it a ride.
Buffy leaves a cup next to Jackson and sits with Dawn on the
bed, taking her hand.
BUFFY
What were you doing?
DAWN
Last night? I went to the seek the
truth, about everything, about what
is going on here.
BUFFY
How did you know where to go?
DAWN
I'm research girl, it's what I do.
I came across a passage on these
beings that could give us
information but I couldn't go
without a trade.
BUFFY
(concerned)
What did you give them?
DAWN
The pendant Willow got from one of
the girls who follows her magic. It
used to be a conductor of power, it
would channel a being's essence and
amplify it but it's been dormant
too long. They can't do anything
with it.
BUFFY
Quite the knowledge girl.
DAWN
Like I said, it's what I do.
BUFFY
So what did they tell you?
DAWN
(shakes her head)
I don't remember. It's like... that
part of my brain has been wiped.
BUFFY
You and Jackson finally have
something in common then.
Dawn turns to the sleeping Jackson with an icy stare. Buffy
catches it.
BUFFY (cont'd)
He saved your life.
DAWN
No... he didn't. He was just there
to get someone to call an
ambulance.
BUFFY
You're wrong.
(beat)
It's called CPR, Dawnie. I guess it
works best on us Summers girls.
DAWN
He did that?
BUFFY
(nods)
He's not a bad guy.
Dawn looks at Jackson once again, confused. She turns back to
see Buffy stand.
DAWN
Where are you going?
BUFFY
I'm gonna see when we can get you
out of here. I'll be right back.
She exits. Dawn eyes the man next to her.
CUT TO:
30 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - ANDREW'S ROOM 30
Jody is sitting on the windowsill, staring out into the light
of day. Andrew comes in with two ice creams.
ANDREW
You okay?
JODY
Yeah. I'm cool.
(beat)
It's just... wow.
ANDREW
What?
JODY
I don't get it. How you guys can
keep doing this stuff.
ANDREW
It's what we do.
(beat)
Buffy once told me it was all about
the fight, and whether you're ready
to give your life for it, cos in
the end that's what it could come
down to.
(beat)
Are you ready to jump in?
JODY
I am. I really, really am. But how
can you keep this so hidden? People
should know about it, people should
know what you fight for, how you
fight... how you save them.
ANDREW
That's what I used to think. But
you grow to understand that it's
not about recognition or... it's
about the fight. Everything is
about the fight.
(beat)
As much as we say we do it because
we have to, it's not. We do it
because we can, and we help.
JODY
It's like you're super heroes or
something.
Andrew forms a smile.
ANDREW
We're not the heroes. Buffy,
Willow, Xander... they are.
(beat)
I'm not a hero.
Jody raises his hand to touch Andrew's face.
JODY
You're my hero.
Andrew's face lights up like a flash of light. He takes
comfort in Jody's words and on them, we...
CUT TO:
31 INT. HOSPITAL - CORRIDORS 31
Buffy walks aimlessly through the corridors, thinking
everything over. She stops, seeing Jackson exit Dawn's room.
She heads towards him.
BUFFY
You're awake.
JACKSON
Looks that way.
BUFFY
You okay?
JACKSON
Yeah.
(beat)
What did the Doctors say?
BUFFY
She's gonna be fine. Minor
injuries. She's gonna be all right,
thanks to you.
JACKSON
Right time, right place.
BUFFY
I think she forgives you for trying
to kill her before.
JACKSON
Always a bonus.
They exchange a smile as background music begins to play.
Nelly Furtado's "Try". Buffy takes him by the hands.
BUFFY
You saved her. I don't know what I
would have done if I'd have lost
her.
JACKSON
Hey, I saved the world, remember?
This is nothing.
BUFFY
This...
(beat)
Is everything.
They lean in for the kiss.
FADE TO:
32 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - KITCHEN 32
Anya is standing, gazing out of the window [it's like a
theme!], with the background music carrying through to this
scene. Xander enters, comes up behind her and takes her
hands.
XANDER
I love you.
ANYA
I love you too.
XANDER
We'll get through this. You know
that right?
ANYA
I do... I just wish I felt it.
She turns around to him, her eyes weepy.
ANYA (cont'd)
I don't know how to feel.
XANDER
It doesn't matter. Cos I'm gonna be
right here with you, forever.
ANYA
Promise?
XANDER
Always.
Xander wraps his arms around her, holding her in her moment
of weakness.
ANYA
We should go.
XANDER
In a minute.
He doesn't let go of her, keeping her in his arms, for always
and forever.
FADE TO:
33 INT. HOSPITAL - DAWN'S ROOM 33
Dawn is still in the bed, staring up at the ceiling. She's as
motionless as she would be if she had died. The music comes
out from the background and it's all we hear now, the words
ringing through, taking over the scene.