buffy9x01
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.

[previous | bottom]
                                       ACT TWO

                                                               FADE IN:

        11     INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT            11

               Giles, Marie, Jackson Andrew, Jody, Anya, and Willow are all
               gathered around the big wooden table. Their attention is set
               upon Buffy, who is pacing up and down.

                                   GILES
                         I'm not sure I understand, Buffy.

                                   BUFFY
                         What's not to understand? I saw a
                         girl and somehow, I instantly
                         recognized her. Her name was Dawn.
                         Something about her just... I don't
                         know how to explain it.

                                   ANYA
                         Well then, that shall help with the
                         research.

                                   GILES
                             (re: Jackson)
                         And what role did he have in this
                         vision?

                                   BUFFY
                         It wasn't a vision! It was... she
                         was really there. Like, as solid as
                         you and me.

                                   JACKSON
                         But... you said I was there as
                         well.

                                   ANYA
                         Yes, Jackson, you were in the
                         cemetery. You should know that.

                                   JACKSON
                         No, I mean... in your vision or
                         whatever it was. You said I was in
                         it.
                             (beat)
                         What was I doing?

                                   BUFFY
                             (lying)
                         I don't remember. 

               Everyone exchanges glances. Is she crazy?

                                   MARIE
                         I think we should put this down to
                         exhaustion. Buffy, you have
                         obviously been working too hard.

                                   BUFFY
                         I'm not tired. I know what I saw.

                                   WILLOW
                         Maybe it was a dream.

                                   BUFFY
                         Huh?

                                   WILLOW
                         A vision. Buffy, you used to get
                         them all the time. When something
                         was going to happen, you would
                         sometimes dream about it first.

                                   BUFFY
                         Like when Spike and Drusilla tried
                         to kill Angel.

                                   ANDREW
                         Spike tried to kill... who's
                         Drusilla?

                                   ANYA
                         A vampire. Giles made out with her
                         once.
                             (off his look)
                         Xander told me.

                                   GILES
                         I was under her hypnosis!

                                   BUFFY
                             (irritated)
                         Guys! Focus!

               Giles shakes his head.

                                   GILES
                         I'm sorry, Buffy, but I really have
                         no solution to this. We are just
                         going to have to see what comes of
                         it.

                                   BUFFY
                         Great. Yes. Let's wait for the bad
                         guys to come to us, like we always
                         do. Like when Glory took... 

               She stops, searching for something to finish that sentence.
               Everyone looks to her.

                                   WILLOW
                         Are you okay?

                                   BUFFY
                         What did Glory come for?

                                   ANYA
                         The Key, Buffy.
                             (beat)
                         Oh, I know what it is. She's having
                         amnesia. It's all that sex with
                         Jackson.

                                   JACKSON
                         Hey!

                                   ANYA
                         Well think about it. When you two
                         first got groiny, you got amnesia.

                                   JACKSON
                         That was different... and not
                         relevant.

                                   ANYA
                         Just thinking outside the box here.

                                   BUFFY
                         No. I know what Glory came for...
                         what did it look like? 

               The entire gang rack their brains but none of them can come
               up with an answer.

                                   BUFFY (cont'd)
                         And when Willow went dark, I was
                         fighting with someone by my side. I
                         don't... remember who...

                                   JODY
                         Oh! Me and Andrew were so thinking
                         about this earlier.

                                   ANDREW
                         Yeah. What did Ulithios look like?

                                   ANYA
                         Well that's silly, it was... well
                         it looked like...

                                   WILLOW
                         It was... not as big as I thought
                         it would be...

                                   GILES
                         I think it's safe to say there is
                         some kind of a spell at work here.

                                   BUFFY
                         Our memories have been changed.

                                   WILLOW
                         Why? Why would someone change them?

                                   BUFFY
                         That's what we've got to find out.
                         Will, you think you could do some
                         kind of a spell to find out what it
                         is and who has done it?

                                   WILLOW
                         I guess. I'm not sure where to
                         start but I'll try. 

               She stands, heads towards the door, but stops.

                                   WILLOW (cont'd)
                         Don't I normally have someone help
                         me?

                                   ANDREW
                             (thinks)
                         Yeah... someone good with books. 

               Marie stands.

                                   MARIE
                         I'm good with books.

                                   WILLOW
                             (unsure)
                         I guess... you must help me. 

               Willow and Marie EXIT. Buffy turns back to the remaining
               members of the gang.

                                   BUFFY
                         So much for no demon activity.

                                   GILES
                         We don't know for sure a demon is
                         involved here.

                                   JODY
                         It could be a witch, like Willow.

                                   ANYA
                         Or it could be Willow.
                             (off their looks)
                         I'm just saying: when Kennedy died
                         she kinda went off the deep end a
                         little. Maybe she wanted to change
                         our memories.

                                   ANDREW
                         But why wouldn't she block
                         Kennedy's death out?

                                   BUFFY
                         It doesn't make sense.

                                   ANYA
                         Oh come on. Willow and spells going
                         awry go together like peanut butter
                         and roast beef.

               They all glare at her.

                                   ANYA (cont'd)
                         I'm having cravings.

                                   BUFFY
                         Willow wouldn't... I mean... she
                         wouldn't, right?

                                   GILES
                         She has tried to use magic whilst
                         grieving before, Buffy, and it
                         didn't turn out quite like she had
                         hoped.

                                   BUFFY
                         But she's different. She's grown.

                                   ANYA
                         Got any roast beef?

                                   BUFFY
                         Kitchen.

               Anya quickly rushes out. Jackson stands.

                                   JACKSON
                         Well, whatever this is, I killed
                         Dawn.

                                   GILES
                         Yes. We should all sleep.

                                   BUFFY
                             (to Jackson)
                         You killed... what did you say?

                                   JACKSON
                         It's going to be dawn? As in, sun
                         coming up soon. We should go to
                         bed, deal with this in the morning.

                                   BUFFY
                             (wigged)
                         Yeah, right. Okay.
                             (beat)
                         I'm gonna wait to see what Willow
                         finds.

                                   JACKSON
                         See you in a bit?

                                   BUFFY
                         Sure.

               They KISS before he exits, going up the stairs, following by
               Andrew and Jody. Giles hangs back.

                                   GILES
                         What is it?

                                   BUFFY
                         Huh? Nothing. I'm fine.

                                   GILES
                         No you're not.

                                   BUFFY
                             (smiles)
                         No, I'm not. I keep... that name
                         keeps coming up. 'Dawn.' I don't
                         know what it means. I think I'm
                         supposed to be doing something
                         about it.

                                   GILES
                         Well, you can't do anything until
                         you know what it is. If our
                         memories truly have been fabricated
                         then I'm sure Willow will find out
                         how.

                                   BUFFY
                         Why would someone want to change
                         our memories? What could have
                         happened that was so bad?

                                   GILES
                         I don't know, Buffy. But if it is
                         Willow --

                                   BUFFY
                         It's not. It's something else. I
                         feel it and I have to find out
                         what.

                                   GILES
                         We will. We always do. No matter
                         what happens, we always come out on
                         top.

                                   BUFFY
                         Yeah... it's just sometimes it
                         doesn't feel real. I mean, how can
                         we always win? How can we always
                         get through it? We save the
                         world... and party?

                                   GILES
                             (smiles)
                         I think there's a little more to it
                         than that. We've all lost people in
                         the battle.
                             (beat)
                         The main thing is to focus on the
                         task at hand.

                                   ANYA (O.S)
                             (calls)
                         Where's the peanut butter? 

               Buffy rolls her eyes and exits. 

               Giles looks to her, waiting for her to leave, then pulls out
               an AMULET from his pocket. He examines it for a moment, then
               tucks it away again, out of sight.

        12     INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - BUFFY'S ROOM                   12

               Buffy enters and softly closes the door behind her. She looks
               over to see Jackson asleep in the bed. She smiles, then goes
               to the window. Her hands reach up to pull the curtains to but
               as she does she catches a glimpse of something outside.

               We're looking out into the backyard. A shadowed figure creeps
               around, hidden by the various bushes.

        13     EXT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - BACKYARD                       13

               The door opens and Buffy sneaks out, stake in hand. She
               examines the garden, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. But
               as she turns to the door again she hears something -- --
               weeping. 

               Slowly turning back around, Buffy notices a crumpled heap in
               the middle of the grass. She steps closer, clutching her
               weapon, ready for anything. Or so she'd like to think.

                                   BUFFY
                         Hello?
                             (beat)
                         Are you okay?

               She reaches for the large black cloak and pulls it away from
               the heap. But as she does, her eyes narrow down on the
               kneeling body.

               She is looking down at herself, her clothes bloodied. The
               second Buffy looks up at her.

                                   SECOND BUFFY
                             (crying)
                         You let her die!

                                   BUFFY
                         Wha --?

                                   SECOND BUFFY
                             (screams)
                         You let her die! 

               She lunges at Buffy --

        14     INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - BUFFY'S ROOM - MORNING         14

               Buffy's eyes FLASH open as she almost hits the ceiling. With
               her heart pounding, she looks around, seeing Jackson lying
               next to her.

                                   BUFFY
                         What the hell was that? 

               She runs her fingers through her hair, breathing a sigh of
               relief, happy to be back in the real world.

        15     INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LOUNGE                         15

               Xander ENTERS, brandishing a box of donuts.

                                   XANDER
                         Rise and shine, I got donuts! 

               He turns to see Willow and Marie on the floor, waking up. A
               smile forms.

                                   XANDER (cont'd)
                         An all nighter, huh?

                                   WILLOW
                             (disorientated)
                         What... oh... we must have fallen
                         asleep.

                                   MARIE
                         Willow, you really wore me out.

                                   XANDER
                             (surprised)
                         And here's me thinking you had the
                         hots for Giles.
                             (beat)
                         Go Willow!

               Willow shoots him a look, helping Marie up.

                                   WILLOW
                         We were doing a spell.

                                   XANDER
                         Is that what the kids are calling
                         it these days?

                                   MARIE
                         Xander!

                                   XANDER
                         Sorry. Seeing two women on the
                         floor together tends to put my
                         brain in overdrive.

                                   WILLOW
                         Well, they do say men always think
                         with their --

                                   BUFFY (O.S)
                         What's going on? 

               They all turn to see Buffy coming down the stairs.

                                   XANDER
                         Donuts.
                             (beat)
                         And no lesbian action.

                                   BUFFY
                             (unsure)
                         Okay.
                             (re: the spell)
                         Did it work?

                                   WILLOW
                         We found something... there is a
                         fabrication of some kind but we
                         didn't get close enough to find out
                         what.

                                   BUFFY
                         So I was right. There is definitely
                         changes?

               Willow nods, as Xander looks on, a little confused.

                                   XANDER
                         What's going on?

                                   BUFFY
                         Anya didn't tell you?

                                   XANDER
                         No. I got home from work last night
                         and she was raiding the fridge for
                         some mustard...
                             (beat)
                         What's going on?

                                   BUFFY
                         I had a vision... or something. It
                         was of a girl, I think I know her.

                                   WILLOW
                             (interrupting)
                         And we think something has happened
                         to our memories.

                                   XANDER
                         How do you mean?

                                   MARIE
                         They have been changed, Xander.
                         Someone has altered them.

                                   XANDER
                         Really?

               He thinks about this for a moment. Him, Willow, and Marie
               exchanging looks. Buffy notices.

                                   BUFFY
                         What's going on?

                                   XANDER
                         Nothing. Why would you think
                         something is? I mean, nothing ever
                         goes on... right?

                                   WILLOW
                         Xander, I think Anya's on the
                         phone.

                                   BUFFY
                         The phone isn't ringing.

               Suddenly the phone RINGS. Buffy looks to it, a little
               freaked. Xander rushes to answer it, as the Slayer looks back
               to Willow and Marie.

                                   BUFFY (cont'd)
                         How did you know?

                                   WILLOW
                         Intuition.

                                   BUFFY
                             (suspicious)
                         There's something going on. I know
                         there is.

                                   MARIE
                         Buffy, you're overworked.

                                   BUFFY
                         Stop telling me I'm exhausted, or
                         tired, or overworked. I'm fine! 

               She stops, finally realizing what she really sounds like. She
               takes a deep breath.

                                   BUFFY (cont'd)
                         I'm sorry. It's just... I need to
                         know what I'm dealing with here.

                                   WILLOW
                         We'll find out what and we'll stop
                         it.

                                   BUFFY
                             (nods)
                         Okay. And you'll try the spell
                         again?

                                   WILLOW
                         Of course.

                                   BUFFY
                         Good.

               She goes to the front door.

                                   WILLOW
                         Where are you going?

                                   BUFFY
                         I've gotta speak to someone. In
                         private. I'll catch up with you
                         guys later.

                                   MARIE
                         Have fun.

               Buffy EXITS. Xander quickly puts the receiver down and joins
               the other two. Their eyes are all pinpointed on the door.

                                   XANDER
                         You think she knows?

                                   WILLOW
                         She's beginning to suspect.

                                   XANDER
                         What do we do?

                                   GILES (O.S)
                         We do it again.

               They all turn to see Giles enter, with the amulet in his
               hand. They all nod in agreement.

                                                             BLACK OUT.



                                   END OF ACT TWO
                                      ACT THREE

                                                               FADE IN:

        16     EXT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - DAY                          16

               Buffy rushes along the sidewalk and quickly enters the
               building, pushing past a lot of unhappy people.

        17     INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - BUFFY'S OFFICE               17

               The doors open and in walks Buffy, quickly followed by
               Matilda, who's carrying a PDA.

                                   MATILDA
                         I just need to know where you're
                         going to be all day so I can... 

               Buffy turns around, pushes out her arms, and ushers Matilda
               out, literally pushing her away. She SLAMS the doors.

                                   BUFFY
                         And stay out!

                                   MATILDA (O.S)
                         Okay!

               Buffy quickly rushes to her desk and rummages through some
               papers. She stops at one and reads it. Picking up the
               receiver, she dials a number.

                                   BUFFY
                         Angel, is that you?
                             (beat)
                         I know. It's just... I need you to
                         help me.
                             (beat)
                         I figured you'd be busy but I need
                         you to do a spell. I think my
                         memories have been changed.
                             (beat)
                         Willow's... I don't trust her, or
                         the others... it's hard to explain.
                             (beat)
                         Angel, I just -- 

               The phone goes DEAD. Buffy puts the receiver down and looks
               around as the lights go OFF. She's feeling seriously freaked
               now. As she heads to the door --

                                   JACKSON (O.S)
                         Buffy.

               She turns, seeing Jackson standing by the window, the light
               making him seem more like a silhouette. Buffy eyes him,
               unsure of what to make of it.

                                   BUFFY
                         How did you get here?

                                   JACKSON
                         Look, the others told me you were
                         acting strange, and what kind of a
                         fiance would I be if I didn't check
                         on you?

                                   BUFFY
                         But you were asleep. How did you
                         make it here before me?

                                   JACKSON
                         Buffy, you're being erratic.

                                   BUFFY
                         I'm being logical.
                             (beat)
                         What is happening?

                                   JACKSON
                         Nothing. You just need to get home.

                                   BUFFY
                         Why?

                                   JACKSON
                         Willow's done the spell. She knows
                         how to bring back your memories.

                                   BUFFY
                             (realizing)
                         My memories?
                             (beat)
                         I thought all of our memories had
                         been changed?

                                   JACKSON
                         Yeah, that's what I said.

                                   BUFFY
                         No, you didn't.

               She discreetly reaches for a silver letter-opener on her desk
               and pulls it behind her back.

                                   JACKSON
                         Buffy, listen to me. We have all
                         the answers back at the house. All
                         you need to do is -- 

               As he reaches for her hand she pulls out the letter-opener
               and slices it along his palm. He winces, pulling his hand
               back.

                                   BUFFY
                         I'm sorry, I didn't... 

               But then she sees there is no blood coming from his hand.

                                   BUFFY (cont'd)
                         What are you?

                                   JACKSON
                         I am Jackson Shaw, your husband to
                         be.
                             (angry)
                         And I am getting real pissed with
                         having to repeat myself. Now come
                         with me!

               He almost jumps on her but she KICKS him in the chest,
               knocking him back. She rushes to the doors, opening them, but
               sees all the employees waiting for her outside.

                                   MATILDA
                         Ms. Summers, you need help.

                                   BUFFY
                         Oh, crap!

               She SLAMS the doors again, only to be faced with Jackson. He
               wraps his hand around her mouth and drags her back, kicking
               and screaming. 

               The doors open and all the employees come in, lead by
               Matilda, who's carrying a needle, filled with a yellow fluid.

                                   BUFFY (cont'd)
                             (muffled)
                         What are you doing?

                                   MATILDA
                         This won't hurt, Ms. Summers. 

               She jabs the needle into Buffy's arm as the Slayer's eyes
               begin to close.

        18     INT. WHITE ROOM                                         18

               Buffy opens her eyes to find she is laying on a white bed, in
               a room with white floors, white walls, and a white ceiling. 

               She JUMPS up, seeing Giles standing by the door.

                                   BUFFY
                         What have you done to me?

                                   GILES
                             (shocked)
                         Buffy!

               Giles rushes to her but Buffy kicks him away. He picks
               himself up, soothing his arm.

                                   GILES (cont'd)
                         Buffy, you have to listen to me. I
                         don't know how much time we have.
                         You have to get to the Hellmouth,
                         it's the only way you will -- 

               He continues to talk but no sound is coming from his lips...
               and Buffy can't hear a thing. Everything around her starts to
               blur as her eyes close...

        19     INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - BASEMENT - NIGHT               19

               ... and open again to find herself on the bed, chained to the
               wall. She struggles but can't get free. Then she sees SMOKE.
               Her head turns to see --

               SPIKE. The platinum blonde vampire steps out from the
               shadows, cigarette in hand.

                                   BUFFY
                         Spike?

                                   SPIKE
                         Gotta say, love, this isn't exactly
                         the most romantic place to meet up
                         again.

                                   BUFFY
                         Spike, you have to get me out of
                         here. Something has happened to the
                         others.

                                   SPIKE
                             (smiles)
                         They're just protecting you. It's
                         what they're good at.

                                   BUFFY
                         Protecting me? What from? Needles,
                         chains...?

                                   SPIKE
                         The truth. Hurts like a bitch. I
                         should know.

                                   BUFFY
                             (distracted)
                         Giles told me I had to get to the
                         Hellmouth.

                                   SPIKE
                         Hm, Giles told you, huh? And you
                         trust him, do you?

                                   BUFFY
                         It was... I don't know. Spike, get
                         me out of these chains.

                                   GILES (O.S)
                         Buffy, please try to calm down. 

               She turns to see Giles coming down the steps, rubbing his
               glasses. He motions to Spike.

                                   GILES (cont'd)
                         Get out, Spike.

                                   SPIKE
                         Right.

               He rushes up the steps. Buffy looks on surprised.

                                   GILES
                         Buffy, you're going through
                         something right now.

                                   BUFFY
                         Yeah, it's called 'having all your
                         friends turn on you, inject you
                         with some sleeping thing, and chain
                         you to a wall.' I'd say that's
                         going through something.

                                   GILES
                         We haven't turned on you, Buffy.
                         This, all of this, is what you
                         wanted.

                                   BUFFY
                             (laughs)
                         Are you insane? You think I want to
                         be in the basement?

                                   GILES
                         Perhaps not in this particular
                         situation, but that is because of
                         your nature.

                                   BUFFY
                         What?

                                   GILES
                         Something happened three months
                         ago, the fight against Ulithios.
                         What do you remember?

                                   BUFFY
                             (thinks)
                         Jackson shot it... that's all.

                                   GILES
                         And you want to learn it all, don't
                         you? What the Key looked like, what
                         Ulithios looked like? You want to
                         because it is in your nature. You
                         have to know the answer to every
                         question, it's what we all love
                         about you.

                                   BUFFY
                         So tell me!

                                   GILES
                         That's not what you want. Deep
                         down. I know it. I feel it. What we
                         did... what you did... it is so you
                         can go on living. If you knew the
                         truth, you would fall, and what
                         kind of a Watcher would I be if I
                         let that happen?

                                   BUFFY
                         Giles... this doesn't make sense. I
                         know something is wrong. You can't
                         keep me chained to this wall
                         forever.

                                   GILES
                         I don't plan to. 

               As he says that, Willow, Xander, Andrew, Jackson, and Anya
               come down the steps. Xander is holding the amulet.

                                   GILES (cont'd)
                         Buffy, I need you to believe me
                         when I say the truth is more
                         hurtful than the lie could ever be.

                                   BUFFY
                         But I need to know the truth.

                                   XANDER
                         Forget it. You wouldn't wanna.

                                   BUFFY
                         Let me find out for myself! God,
                         you guys are all acting like... my
                         Mom died and I still fought. I
                         carried on and she was the most
                         important person in my life. No one
                         ever compared to her.
                             (beat)
                         If I got through that, what else is
                         there I couldn't get through? 

               They all exchange looks.

                                   ANDREW
                             (to Giles)
                         If she doesn't do it, we stop
                         living, right?

                                   GILES
                         Andrew!

                                   ANDREW
                         It's just, I like being alive.

                                   BUFFY
                             (re: Andrew)
                         What is he talking about?

                                   WILLOW
                             (thinks)
                         The cost of the spell we did. If
                         you don't repeat it, we will all
                         die.

                                   XANDER
                         We will?

                                   WILLOW
                         We will!

                                   XANDER
                         Uh, okay. Yeah, we will. Don't kill
                         us, Buffy.

               Buffy thinks about this but we can see she can't wrap her
               brain around it. She lowers her head.

                                   BUFFY
                         Giles, I've trusted you with my
                         life. Do you promise that this is
                         for the best?

                                   GILES
                         With all my heart. 

               Buffy accepts it.

                                   BUFFY
                         What do I have to do?

                                   GILES
                         Hold the amulet in your hands and
                         say 'forget.'

                                   ANDREW
                         Or you can just think it. 

               Giles shoots him a look.

                                   BUFFY
                         Okay.

               Giles motions to Xander, who passes the amulet to Buffy. She
               keeps it in her hands and closes her eyes.

                                   BUFFY (cont'd)
                         Giles?

                                   GILES
                         Yes?

               She opens them.

                                   BUFFY
                         You really should have tightened
                         the chains.

               Buffy breaks free, kicking Giles and Xander back. She flips
               over and rams an advancing Jackson into the wall behind her.
               She looks at Willow, Andrew, and Anya.

                                   ANYA
                         Oh penis!

               Instead of attacking them, Buffy makes a dash for it, but is
               blocked by Spike.

                                   SPIKE
                         Where ya going, love?

                                   BUFFY
                         You should have stayed in LA. 

               She jabs him in the ribs with her elbow, grabs him by his
               waist, and throws him down the steps. The others look on
               helplessly as she EXITS.

                                   ANYA
                         Well that went well in the sense
                         that it went very, very wrong!

                                   WILLOW
                         We need to get her to forget it
                         all. Otherwise we'll cease to
                         exist.

                                   SPIKE
                         Speak for yourself, I wasn't even a
                         part of the spell.

                                   GILES
                         You'll still die, Spike. Think
                         about it. Everything we see is here
                         because she wishes it.
                         Once she realizes the truth, it'll
                         all burn in hell... including us.
[top | previous | next]

Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.