9 INT. CLOCK WORKSHOP 9
The trap door opens. Willow hoists herself up, looking around
as the incessant ticking of the clocks continues. She doesn't
even notice it anymore, used to the sound. She looks around,
alone.
WILLOW
Trinkets? Taledraw --?
TATTLES (O.S)
Teach!
Willow almost jumps out of her skin at the sight of TATTLES,
the scruffy little girl of the Circle.
WILLOW
Hey, Tattles.
TATTLES
You're back again.
WILLOW
I know, it seems like only a day
ago I was here.
TATTLES
You were just here, Teach. Time has
no meaning in this place. You know
that.
WILLOW
Of course. Look, I need something
in the library --
TATTLES
Can't go in there.
WILLOW
Why?
TALEDRAW (O.S)
Business.
Willow spins around to see TALEDRAW, dressed not unlike a
native American, complete with bow and arrow.
WILLOW
What kind of business?
TALEDRAW
Never you mind!
TATTLES
Taledraw! You have to show respect
for our Teach. She does not yet
know.
WILLOW
Know what?
TATTLES
(hesitant)
You cannot go into the Grand
Library today, Teach. Let's play a
game instead.
WILLOW
No. I need some help. I've been
feeling something... I couldn't
tell the others, I didn't want to
scare them
TALEDRAW
(to Tattles)
She feels it.
TATTLES
I know she feels it. She just told
me!
WILLOW
Okay... so what am I feeling? What
is this --?
TRINKETS (O.S)
He plays with time.
Willow turns to see Trinkets holding another clock, but the
face on this one is SMASHED.
10 INT. HARRIS RESIDENCE - KITCHEN - DAY 10
Xander is standing by the kitchen worktop as Anya ENTERS
carrying a cake of some kind, followed by Buffy.
ANYA
Look, Xander. Buffy is here. And
she brought me a gift.
(pleased)
Pie! I love her.
(to Buffy)
You are a dear friend and are much
welcomed in our home. Please be
comfortable.
BUFFY
Uh... okay.
Anya, smiling and seeming like on drugs, EXITS. Xander offers
Buffy a beer but she is quick to decline.
XANDER
So she gave you a tour?
BUFFY
We saw every single room. It really
is a great house, Xand.
XANDER
Yeah, it's a step up from the
apartment in Sunnydale. Of course,
that's now rubble so a ditch
somewhere is a step up.
BUFFY
A ditch is nice. This is better.
XANDER
(beat)
So how you holding up?
BUFFY
I'd be all right if people stopped
asking me that.
(then)
Sorry. I'm being Lil' Miss Snappy.
I'm good, easing my way back
into... the real world. A slow but
I'm told necessary process.
XANDER
Buffy... I don't mean to bring
anything up for you in the memory
sense but... what are you going to
do about Jackson?
BUFFY
(emotionless)
What about him?
XANDER
You have to see him at some point.
BUFFY
I don't know. I guess I have to
talk to him at some point --
XANDER
No, see, you don't. I know I've
always been the one to hate your
boyfriends, and I don't hate
Jackson, but you don't owe him
anything, Buffy.
BUFFY
I do. What he did was because I
bought him into this life of demons
and death. If anything, we owe him
our lives.
XANDER
So you're thinking about continuing
the relationship?
BUFFY
My mind's too confused to
contemplate anything at the moment.
If I see him, I'll talk to him. But
if I don't, well, then time can
only build a bridge. Or something
to that effect. There's a general
time theme.
11 INT. POLICE STATION - JACKSON'S OFFICE 11
Jackson is going through some paperwork at his desk,
frantically looking over every last word. There's a KNOCK at
the door, then Dan ENTERS.
JACKSON
Dan, good. I've been looking over
Bill Hughes' record. He's been into
some dodgy dealings. Theft,
hijacking, suspected arsonist.
(beat)
Seems the widower isn't exactly as
innocent as we initially thought.
DAN
Jackson, that's got nothing to do
with the case. Let it go, man.
JACKSON
I can't. I just keep picturing his
eyes.
DAN
(sighs)
Well, we've still got the driver in
the cells. You wanna do the
interrogation or shall I?
JACKSON
You've got the driver?
DAN
Yeah... of the bus that hit the
mother and son.
JACKSON
Wait... bus? No. It was a car. A
hit and run.
DAN
No. They'd just got across the
street when a bus lost control and
hit them. Come on, Jacks, you
brought the driver in here just
last night. You telling me you
don't remember?
Jackson rises from his chair, completely and utterly confused
with what his partner is telling him.
JACKSON
No. They were hit in the street,
when they were crossing the road.
The driver didn't stop... we have
witnesses!
DAN
Yeah we do. They all say the same
thing... the bus swerved onto the
sidewalk and crashed into them.
(concerned)
Are you okay, bud?
JACKSON
No. Something's not right here. It
wasn't like this.
(beat)
It's been changed.
DAN
What?
Jackson looks down at his watch, lost in his own thoughts and
theories.
12 INT. CLOCK WORKSHOP 12
Trinkets and Willow are standing on the scaffolding,
overlooking the giant board game. There are countless
figures. Mortals, demons, some indistinguishable.
And on one square there is a fury of RED ENERGY.
TRINKETS
(points)
You see that?
WILLOW
The energy?
TRINKETS
(nods)
It is a fragment of power. Not
nearly as big as yours. A mortal.
Just a mortal. But the forces he
wield are big and strong. Like a
hurricane.
WILLOW
A warlock?
TRINKETS
He is playing with time, Teach. But
he is throwing the world into
chaos. The earth cannot withstand
such alterations, it does not
understand it.
WILLOW
Just tell me what's going on. The
'in-your-face' way, okay?
TRINKETS
I feel his heart. It is aching,
Teach, it hurts cos he has lost the
things he cares about the most.
This pain has blinded him, he is
oblivious to the chaos he is
causing.
(beat)
Time is a tricky thing to master,
and he is far from completion. He
tries to fix it but it's not
broken. It is how it is but he
won't accept it.
WILLOW
He's trying to change the past?
TRINKETS
(nods)
Soon the dimensional walls
protecting the earth dimension will
fall and many more will collide.
The world will be subject to much
havoc. You must stop him.
WILLOW
Tell me where he is.
TRINKETS
He is where you live. I can't lock
onto his heartbeat, it's too
erratic. You must find him and stop
what he is commanding. Before the
world falls.
WILLOW
I will.
Willow offers a reassuring smile before closing her eyes. The
screen becomes engulfed in BRIGHT WHITE, her eyes remaining
closed...
13 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - WILLOW'S ROOM 13
... and flicker open again. Willow looks around, finding
herself dressed in normal attire now, and makes her way to
the phone by her bed. She dials a number.
WILLOW
Xander, is Buffy with you?
(listens)
We've got a problem. I think we're
gonna need the Slayer.
14 INT. POLICE STATION - JACKSON'S OFFICE 14
Jackson is rummaging through the paperwork he was going over
only a short while ago. Dan is hovering beside him.
JACKSON
Look, see.
He shows him a file.
DAN
What?
JACKSON
It's been altered. Something has
changed. I was reading these less
than an hour ago and they were
completely different.
DAN
Jackson, I think --
JACKSON
Don't tell me I'm going crazy or
that I need to see a shrink... or
either of those suggestions. I know
what I'm saying and I know it
sounds a little whacky but it's
also the truth. You have to believe
me.
DAN
Okay. I do. I believe you saw what
you saw but what I'm seeing right
now tells a whole different story.
JACKSON
No. Those people were in a hit and
run. We were searching for the
driver of a blue escort.
DAN
I'm sorry but no, we weren't.
JACKSON
God, what is going on? The vehicle,
the place, the files, it's all
changed.
DAN
As if by magic, right?
JACKSON
No, not --
He stops himself, suddenly realizing.
JACKSON (cont'd)
Magic.
DAN
I was joking there, Jacks. No such
thing as magic. Trust me, if there
were, I'd be getting me a whole lot
of action right now.
Jackson grabs his jacket and heads out the door. Dan is left
alone, ignored as if he didn't exist.
DAN (cont'd)
Okay... what the hell?
15 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LOUNGE - LATER 15
Buffy, Willow, Xander, Anya, and Andrew are gathered around
in the lounge. Our Scooby Gang. A little less than the
previous year.
XANDER
So you're saying somehow this guy
is leaping back through time trying
to change something?
WILLOW
Yes.
XANDER
And you know this because some
little kids told you in a clock
shop?
WILLOW
They're not really kids but... uh,
yeah.
XANDER
I might sound a little crazy here
but who else is not getting this?
Andrew raises his hand.
WILLOW
Look, the Circle consists of these
three beings, who look like kids,
but they're not. They powerful.
More powerful than anything I've
ever seen. They're got so many
resources at their command --
BUFFY
So why don't they get off their
immortal asses and do something
about this? Why is it always down
to us?
WILLOW
Buffy --
BUFFY
No. I'm serious. You go back to
them and tell them we're not doing
it. They'll have to do it
themselves.
ANYA
That's not the way it works, Buffy.
You know that.
BUFFY
Well, I think it's time the higher
powers started to listen to our
needs instead of the other way
around.
WILLOW
Buffy... if we don't do something,
the world will end.
BUFFY
So, it's another Tuesday night in
Cleveland.
XANDER
And we thought Sunnydale was bad!
ANDREW
Buffy's got a point. Why should we
be the ones always getting our
hands dirty. I think it's time we
took a stand and said no to low
paid lackeys! Now who's with me?
(off their looks)
Just me, huh?
WILLOW
This guy... he's hurting. I think
someone he loved has died and
that's why he's trying to change
the past.
ANYA
Maybe we should help him.
Everyone looks to her.
ANYA (cont'd)
I just mean, Kennedy, Dawn, if we
helped him we could get them back.
Just a suggestion.
BUFFY
Could that work?
WILLOW
Uh, I... don't know but that's not
the issue. We can't mess with time,
it's something that's just not
meant to be played around with.
BUFFY
But if we help, you could use your
magic... you're really powerful,
Will, and --
WILLOW
Buffy, no! I'm not sure I could
even if I wanted to.
BUFFY
You don't want Kennedy back?
XANDER
Buffy, I don't think we should
really be talking about this.
BUFFY
I think we should. If there's even
a remote chance I could have Dawn
back here with me now, I'll take
it.
WILLOW
Even at the cost of the world?
ANYA
Buffy, Jackson killed Ulithios to
save the world.
WILLOW
And it's done. Once it's done
there's no going back.
Buffy looks at them all, glaring eyes looking back at her.
She breaks.
BUFFY
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get
all... whatever.
WILLOW
It's all right, Buffy. We
understand.
BUFFY
(beat)
So, how do we find this guy?
WILLOW
Shouldn't be too hard, I can use a
locator spell to find the magicks
he's conjuring.
BUFFY
Good. You do that and, Will... time
is an issue here.
WILLOW
I'll be as quick as I can.
ANDREW
'Time is an issue.'
(smiles)
Nicely punned.
Buffy checks them all over once more before walking away,
expressionless.
16 EXT. HUGHES RESIDENCE 16
A car pulls up outside the house. Jackson steps out, looking
over a piece of paper, confirming the address.
He's got the right one. As he slips the paper in his pocket,
he pulls back his jacket, and reveals a pistol tucked into
his belt.
With a deep breath Jackson takes the long walk up the
driveway, checking through some of the windows before
knocking. All the lights are off though, there doesn't appear
to be any sign of life.
He goes to KNOCK but stops, just millimeters away, seeing
that the door is already ajar. He pushes it open...
17 INT. HUGHES RESIDENCE - HALLWAY 17
... and walks into the complete darkness. He fumbles around
for a light switch and, flicking it, sees the house is a
mess. He turns to walk into the next room but --
BANG!
Jackson DROPS to the floor, crumpling like he has no bones in
his body at all. Standing over him is Bill, holding a
baseball bat, breathing hard.
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
18 INT. HUGHES RESIDENCE - ATTIC - NIGHT 18
Jackson begins to come to, finding himself strapped to a
chair in the attic. Scanning the area he sees Bill in the
shadows, lurking like a hunter to its prey.
JACKSON
(groggy)
Untie me.
BILL
You came here to stop me.
JACKSON
Yeah, I did.
BILL
How did you know?
JACKSON
(thinks)
I'm different.
BILL
Do you know how much preparation
has to go into one jump? A lot. I
have to be completely as one with
the universe, something that
doesn't come easy. I knew there was
a spark in you, I felt it when I
grabbed your neck. There's life
running through your veins... not
your life.
JACKSON
That's great but seriously...
(struggles)
... untie me!
BILL
I keep trying to go back to save
them, to find a way for them to
survive, but every single time I
fail. Did you know, in my time,
they've been dead for weeks? Yet, I
see them every time I go back and
it seems like they're not gone at
all. They're only a jump away.
(beat)
I've been unnoticed, till now, of
course. Somehow you know.
JACKSON
Look, whatever you're doing, trying
to change the past... it won't
work. The world works as it should
and if you try to tamper with the
laws of nature, you'll end up
regretting it.
BILL
Posh talk for a simple detective.
JACKSON
Listen... I lost my fiance, a long
time ago. I loved her... I loved
her. I would have given anything to
be with her and yeah, if I knew
about magic back then I'd probably
have done the same thing you're
doing right now.
BILL
So where's the right and wrong
lecture?
JACKSON
There isn't any. There is no wrong
in grief. But the consequences of
your actions will come back to bite
us all in the ass. Trust me, I've
been dealing with consequences for
a long time now.
(beat)
Even though Kelly died... I moved
on. I never once forgot about her
but I found someone else. Okay, so
Buffy isn't exactly the poster
child for happy ever after, but she
had the brightest soul I've ever
seen.
(beat)
Just because your wife and son have
died, it doesn't mean you won't
have more of what you've lost.
A beat.
BILL
Touching. Really, it was. Almost
brought a tear to my eye. But let's
get real here. I'm not going to
listen to some pep talk about how
I'll get over it. For weeks I've
been running it through my mind...
how to stop it. The world seems to
be working against me but I can
cheat the system, I know I can.
(beat)
I've come to realize I need someone
in their place.
JACKSON
Look, just let me out of this and
I'll let you walk. I won't arrest
you or --
BILL
(continuing)
Because every time I try and save
them, they end up dying a different
way, at a different time. It
doesn't work because the balance
needs to be respected.
Jackson struggles some more, desperately trying to get free
but there are some very thick ropes on him.
BILL (cont'd)
So I need someone in their place,
someone to die instead of them.
It'll work, it has to work.
JACKSON
You'll be a murderer.
BILL
But I'll have my family. Don't tell
me you wouldn't do the same. This
fiance of yours... you would kill
to have her back, no?
JACKSON
No. Because if I had her back, I'd
never have known Buffy. And even
though that ended with me having to
kill the thing that walked and
talked like her sister... I
wouldn't prevent our meeting for
anything.
BILL
You love this girl.
JACKSON
More than... yeah, I do. I'd give
her the world and then some.
BILL
You'd kill for her then?
JACKSON
No. You know why? Because I'm a
decent person.
Sure, I killed Ulithios but... that
was to save the world. I never
meant to --
He stops, suddenly realizing everything he's saying. He's not
speaking to Bill, he's assuring himself that what he did was
right.
BILL
Regardless, I'd kill for Mary and
Mickey. I'd kill a thousand men to
have them back.
(beat)
But it won't take a thousand. It'll
just take one.
He eyes Jackson, who finally gets it.