buffy9x17
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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TEASER
FADE IN:
1 INT. HOSPITAL - ROOM. DAY. 1
XANDER is sitting by a hospital bed in the quiet, peaceful
room that also holds his wife, ANYA, and their new born baby.
Xander looks worried, reaching across with both hands to
shake Anya, who appears to be in a deep sleep.
XANDER
(increasing panic)
Anya? Anya! Anya, wake up! Come on,
honey, wake up!
The baby starts CRYING, and Xander stands, wiping his hands
through his hair as he grows more frantic by the second.
XANDER (cont'd)
Anya? Anya, come on!
He tries to shake her again, but Anya won't wake up. She
looks peaceful, her eyes firmly closed despite Xander's
attempts to wake her.
Xander steps away from the bed, his hands covering his mouth,
then he dashes to the door of the room, throwing it open and
yelling into the corridor beyond.
XANDER (cont'd)
Help!! Somebody, help me!
We cut outside to:
2 INT. HOSPITAL - CORRIDOR. DAY. 2
As Xander's frantic voice echoes down the hospital corridor
towards her, BUFFY snaps her head round, alert.
BUFFY
Xander?
With her are GILES, MAX, MARIE and SOFIA, who had all been
walking away from Xander and Anya's room, and as they
exchange glances Buffy takes off, sprinting back down the
corridor.
She vaults past a stray patient in a wheelchair, and bounces
off the wall to dodge a pair of nurses emerging from one
room, reaching Xander in seconds.
3 INT. HOSPITAL - ROOM. DAY. 3
Buffy hustles into the room with Xander, looking down at
Anya, her eyes widening as she twigs that something is wrong.
The baby still cries, and Xander wrings his hands, absolutely
lost, nervously looking all around. Buffy grabs hold of his
shoulders, looking into his eyes.
BUFFY
Xander, what is it? What's
happened?
(glances at Anya)
Is it Anya?
XANDER
She- she won't... She won't wake
up, Buffy, she won't wake up, I
tried to get her to wake up, but
she won't...
Buffy hurries across to Anya as two NURSES rush into the
room, the first leaning back out into the corridor as soon as
she spots Anya.
NURSE #1
We need a crash cart in here, stat!
BUFFY
Hurry! You have to help her!
The second nurse gently scoops up the still-bawling baby and
places her back in her cot, moving her out of the way. A
DOCTOR darts into the room.
DOCTOR
What's the problem?
XANDER
She won't wake up!
BUFFY
Please, you have to help her, we
don't know what's wrong, she-
NURSE #2 (O.C.)
No pulse.
The other nurse is at Anya's side, checking her pulse,
lifting Anya's eyelids and shining her penlight into her
eyes.
NURSE #2 (cont'd)
Pupils fixed and dilated.
DOCTOR
Alright, we don't have any crash
carts available down here, we're
gonna have to get her up to the ER
straight away!
XANDER
(horrified)
Oh, God!!
DOCTOR
Alright, everybody, clear out of
the way, please.
The second nurse clanks up the handrails either side of
Anya's bed, and with the help of the other nurse starts to
wheel the bed out of the room.
Buffy grabs Xander and follows them out.
4 INT. HOSPITAL - CORRIDOR. DAY. 4
Giles and the others are standing outside as Anya's bed is
wheeled into the corridor, the nurses aiming for a nearby
lift.
GILES
Oh, no... Xander? What happened?
XANDER
(breathing rapidly)
I don't know, we were just- just
talking, and then she asked me
something, and I said yes, and then
she... then she...
BUFFY
Never mind that now, come on!
The lift doors open, and Anya's bed is pushed inside. Buffy
calls to the doctor as the doors close.
BUFFY (cont'd)
What floor?
DOCTOR
Next one up, the third!
Buffy breaks for the stairs, dragging Xander along, bounding
up the staircase two at a time.
Sofia looks round as another nurse wheels the baby's cot out
of the room.
SOFIA
Where are you taking her?
NURSE #3
Back to the nursery, honey, don't
worry. You go on and follow your
friends!
Sofia looks from the stairs to the baby and back, then
sprints for the staircase, quickly followed by Giles and
Marie.
Max is left behind, standing alone in the corridor. He waits
a beat, then sighs.
MAX
Marie was right... it never ends
for this lot!
He starts toward the staircase, and as he reaches it, we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
5 INT. HOSPITAL - ER. DAY. 5
The emergency room doors BLAST open as Anya's bed is wheeled
inside. Her bed is set alongside the main operating table,
and after a count of three the doctor and the two nurses
heave Anya across from the bed to the table.
They immediately start fussing around her, one nurse wheeling
over a crash cart with the heart defibrillators, another
preparing a syringe as the doctor opens's Anya's mouth,
peering down her throat and preparing to insert a breathing
tube.
As the doors swing closed, Buffy and Xander appear outside,
Xander out of breath from his dash up the stairs.
6 INT. HOSPITAL - OUTSIDE ER. DAY. 6
Xander watches, his mind reeling, as the doctor charges up
the shock pads and ZAPS Anya, her body jolting on the table.
A heart monitor has now been connected to her, but the
monotone beep it emits tells us her heart isn't beating.
XANDER
(dazed)
She was just talking... she was
right there, talking to me, and
then- then she just said, she just
said...
BUFFY
What? What did she say?
Xander closes his eyes, trying to suppress a sudden surge of
tears.
XANDER
She said, 'I'm sorry.' Then she
just lay back, and...
Xander trails off as Sofia, Giles and Marie join them.
XANDER (cont'd)
(looks round)
Where's the baby?
SOFIA
She's safe, she's being taken back
to the nursery. I'll go keep an eye
on her.
She turns to go, but Buffy lays a hand on her shoulder to
stop her.
BUFFY
Come right back. We're gonna need
everyone here.
Sofia nods, then dashes out of view. Marie watches the scene
unfolding in the ER as the doctor starts chest compressions
on Anya, her hands going to her mouth before she clutches at
Xander's arm.
MARIE
Oh, goodness... Xander, are you
alright?
XANDER
(staring at Anya)
She can't leave me. Not again. She
can't. I won't let her!
(shouts)
I won't let her leave me again!!
Xander starts to charge towards the ER doors, but Giles grabs
him and manages to hold him back.
GILES
Xander, you have to stay calm! Let
the doctors do their job!
XANDER
Do their job? My wife's dying!! I
can't just stand here and do
nothing!
Xander shoves Giles out of the way and steps forward again,
but this time Buffy steps in his path. The stern look in her
eyes stops Xander dead in his tracks.
BUFFY
Xander.
He stares back at her, his eyes flicking up to look into the
ER and back at Buffy, then at last he nods and takes a single
step back.
We cut from the gang watching the frantic efforts of the
doctor to:
7 INT. HOSPITAL - ROOM. DAY. 7
We're back inside the room Xander and Anya were in, which is
now empty - except for a tiny ball of yellow light which
suddenly appears in mid-air.
In a FLASH, the light expands to form a human shape, and as
it fades away, it reveals WILLOW to us. She blinks, trying to
get her bearings.
WILLOW
Whoo! Okay, teleporting, kinda bad
for the whole balance thing...
Willow looks round, frowning as she sees that the room is
empty.
WILLOW (cont'd)
Huh, that's weird... Did I get the
wrong room?
She steps out into the corridor.
8 INT. HOSPITAL - CORRIDOR. DAY. 8
Willow looks up and down the nondescript corridor, looking
for any sign of Xander and the others, as Sofia comes
barrelling down the staircase.
WILLOW
Oh, Sofia! Hey!
Sofia skids to a halt and looks round, jogging over to
Willow.
WILLOW (cont'd)
What's going on? Where is
everybody?
Sofia is tearful, and Willow can tell straight away that
something has gone badly wrong.
SOFIA
It's Anya, she-
WILLOW
Oh, no. Where are they?
SOFIA
Upstairs, in the ER, third floor!
I've got to go, I've got to make
sure the baby's okay...
Sofia turns and barrels away from Willow, who stands alone in
the corridor for a beat before taking a deep breath and
closing her eyes.
After a beat, she opens them again and looks around - she
can't teleport here, there are too many people around!
She glances towards the lift and hurries over to it.
9 INT. HOSPITAL - ER. DAY. 9
The heart monitor is still flatlining as the doctor, propped
up on the edge of the table to apply the rhythmic heart
compressions to Anya, wipes sweat from his brow.
One of the nurses keeps squeezing the bag over the breathing
tube in time with the compressions, as the other nurse keeps
an eye on the equipment.
NURSE #2
(off monitors)
Still flatlined.
DOCTOR
Ten cc's of adrenaline!
The nurse hurries to ready the syringe as the doctor glances
up at the clock on the wall.
10 INT. HOSPITAL - OUTSIDE ER. DAY. 10
Xander rubs his hands together as he watches the doctor at
work, transfixed. Tears are rolling down Buffy's cheek as she
watches, and behind her, Giles and Marie are holding each
other's hands out of instinct, not even seeming to realise.
XANDER
She's gonna be okay. She's gonna be
okay. She's gonna be okay.
The lift PINGS once behind them, and Willow dashes out of the
elevator to join them. She throws her arms round Xander as
she looks into the ER.
WILLOW
Oh my God, Xander!
XANDER
It's okay, Will, she's gonna be
fine. Any second now. I've seen
this a million times. Her heart
gave out, but they can just zap it
on back to life. That's how this
works.
Inside the ER, the doctor glances up at the clock, then nods
again to the nurse by the defibrillator.
He leans back as she shocks Anya again, her body jolting up
and down on the table - but the heart monitor still reads
flatline.
The doctor hesitates, looking at each nurse in turn.
He looks down at Anya again, that same peaceful expression
still on her face, the other nurse continuing to squeeze the
air bag.
The doctor lowers his head and steps down from the table,
peeling off his latex gloves.
NURSE #1
Thirty-seven minutes since she
coded, doctor.
DOCTOR
(beat)
Alright, that's all we can do.
Outside, Xander's jaw drops as he sees that the doctor has
stopped.
He shoves the ER doors open and barges inside, heading
straight for the doctor.
XANDER
Why are you stopping? What are you
doing! Get back on there! Shock her
again!
DOCTOR
(raises hands)
Mr. Harris, I'm sorry, we've done
everything we can.
XANDER
No... No! No, you can't! Keep
trying! Keep trying!
One of the nurses steps before Xander as Buffy dashes into
the room as well, each woman taking an arm each and trying to
pull Xander away.
Buffy can't control her tears, but manages to speak.
BUFFY
Xander... don't...
XANDER
(quiet)
She can't die...
(shouts)
She can't die! She can't die on me
again! Do something!!
The doctor looks down at Anya, then nods slightly to the
other nurse, who switches off the heart monitor.
The doctor heads round the table to Xander, whose eyes are
locked on the still form of Anya.
DOCTOR
Mr. Harris, there's nothing more we
can do.
XANDER
(softly)
No...
Buffy tries to pull Xander away again, but he stays firm,
before a gut-wrenching SOB bursts from his mouth, and in a
flood of tears he sinks to his knees.
Willow is soon in the room with him, throwing her arms round
his neck and joining him, kneeling on the floor, the two of
them sobbing together as Buffy steps back, staring at Anya's
body.
The doctor lowers his head again, sadly quite familiar with
scenes such as these. He steps over to Buffy.
DOCTOR
We just need a moment to clear
everything away, then you can come
back in.
Buffy nods, afraid to speak in case she starts to cry again.
The doctor manages a sympathetic smile, pats her once on the
shoulder and steps past her, pulling off his apron.
Buffy looks down at Xander and Willow, who are bawling their
eyes out, squeezing each other for some kind of support.
We pull away from the scene as Buffy look again to Anya's
body, back towards the doors where Giles stands with Marie,
who is also crying, her head buried in Giles' shoulder as he
holds her, his eyes closed.
Max crests the stairs at last, seeing Giles and Marie
together and frowning darkly at them both.
We cut from the ER down to:
11 INT. HOSPITAL - NURSERY. DAY. 11
Sofia is looking out across an array of cots, each one
holding a tiny, wriggling baby, paying close attention as the
nurse from earlier gently lays Anya's baby down in one of the
few empty cots.
She leaves the room and joins Sofia on the other side of the
glass separating the corridor from the cots.
NURSE #3
That's an absolutely beautiful
baby. Are you part of the family?
SOFIA
What? Oh, ah, no, I'm just... I
think I'm a close friend. I'm
keeping an eye on her for now, the
mother's upstairs. There were...
complications.
The nurse pats Sofia sympathetically on the shoulder.
NURSE #3
It'll all work out for the best,
honey. There's a higher plan at
work when it comes to this sort of
thing, all we are is passengers,
along for the ride.
Sofia manages a smile but soon looks back to the baby, her
heart breaking as she watches the infant.
NURSE #3 (cont'd)
Does she have a name?
SOFIA
I don't think she does. Not yet.
NURSE #3
Well, I hope you think of one soon.
It's just not right, beautiful baby
like that with no name of her own!
The nurse walks away, leaving Sofia to her vigil over the
baby. Sofia presses a hand against the glass, unable to take
her eyes off the baby.
SOFIA
(quietly)
Look at you. You don't have any
idea what's going on, do you...
(sighs)
I just hope you were worth it,
young lady!
We leave Sofia watching the baby, and cut away to:
12 INT. CLEVELAND PD - JACKSON'S OFFICE. DAY. 12
JACKSON is on his cell phone, waiting for the other person to
connect.
After a few moment, he gives up, snapping the phone closed
and tucking it away.
He looks up as his office door opens, and DAN steps in,
holding two cups of coffee and a bag of donuts. He grins
broadly down at his partner.
DAN
Come on, Jacks, we're about to head
out! You're gonna miss all the
action!
Jackson gives Dan a wry smile as he stands, reaching for his
jacket.
JACKSON
'Action'? We're going on a
stakeout, Dan, you and I both know
that's just going to mean fifteen
hours spent sitting in a car, with
me listening to how bad your jokes
get as the day rolls on.
DAN
Are you kidding? We are guaranteed
some action tonight, old school 'A
Team' style!
Jackson raises an eyebrow at him as he steps past Dan, out of
his office.
13 INT. CLEVELAND PD - CORRIDOR. CONTINUOUS. 13
We pick the partners up again as they head away from
Jackson's office.
JACKSON
Last time you said that, we spent
all night watching an empty
warehouse, waiting for some dealers
to show up who were busy getting
arrested three states away!
DAN
So I'm not always right, big deal!
Jackson throws a grin at him as Dan sips his coffee and
passes the second cup to Jackson.
JACKSON
Can I get that last statement in
writing?
DAN
We're guaranteed a bust tonight.
I'd put money on it. And then, if
we're lucky, we may be able to
shoot at some bad guys. With guns.
(chuckles)
Being a cop is cool.
JACKSON
Being a cop means knowing you only
use your gun when you have to, and
you know that.
Jackson pauses for a moment - possibly remembering a time
when he was forced to use his guns, and the trouble it caused
afterwards. Dan notices his thoughtful look and nudges him.
DAN
Okay, change of subject. Did you
speak to Buffy yet?
JACKSON
No, her cell phone's off, I can't
reach her. I hope she's okay.
DAN
I'm sure she's just fine. How are
things going with you two anyway?
Jackson chooses his words carefully as the two step into a
waiting elevator.
14 INT. CLEVELAND PD - UNDERGROUND CAR PARK. DAY. 14
The lift doors open to reveal the two cops again, and they
continue their conversation as they exit the lift.
DAN
Seriously? You think things might
be back on between you?
JACKSON
I don't know... maybe. I don't want
to push it right now, things are
still just rolling along, nice and
easy.
DAN
Nice and easy?
JACKSON
Nice and easy.
DAN
(laughs)
That's not your style and you know
it! Hey, anyway, how's your sister?
JACKSON
Shanna? Better. She still hasn't
said much about where she's been,
but when we get a break tonight I'm
going to go meet her for a quick
coffee, see if she's more active by
night or something.
DAN
Sounds good.
Dan sips his coffee as they reach Jackson's car, and Jackson
smirks as he takes his keys from his pocket.
DAN (cont'd)
What?
JACKSON
No.
DAN
'No' what?
JACKSON
No, I'm not going to introduce you
to her.
DAN
(innocently)
To who?
Jackson smirks again as they get into the car.
15 INT. JACKSON'S CAR. CONTINUOUS. 15
Jackson fastens his seat belt as Dan gets in.
JACKSON
To Shanna, that's what you were
going to ask.
DAN
(offended)
I was not!
(beat)
Well, okay, maybe I was thinking
about it, but-
JACKSON
Still no.
DAN
Oh, come on! We never meet any
chicks any more, what harm could it
do?
JACKSON
(counts off on fingers)
One, she's my sister. Two, she's my
sister, and three, she's my sister.
Dan chuckles, sipping his coffee as Jackson starts the car
and starts to drive away.
DAN
You're a hard, cold man sometimes,
you know that?
JACKSON
Hey, I'm just looking out for both
of you. I wouldn't wish Shanna on
anybody I liked, and I wouldn't
wish you on anybody I liked
either...
Jackson grins and flicks on the radio, and from that, we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
16 INT. HOSPITAL - OUTSIDE ER. DAY. 16
Everyone except Xander is standing outside the ER, the
downcast looks on their faces saying it all. Sofia is the
first to speak after several moments.
SOFIA
(cautious)
At least the baby's okay.
Willow nods, SNIFFING loudly as she wipes away the wetness
round her eyes.
WILLOW
Yeah, that's something.
BUFFY
I can't believe it... After
everything he went through to get
her back...
Willow glances over her shoulder, back into the ER itself.
WILLOW
I don't know what we're going to
do, Buffy. I really, really don't.
GILES
What Xander needs right now is for
all of us to be strong for him.
Heaven knows, he'll be feeling weak
right now. We need to support him,
help him get through this.
(to Buffy)
The same way we all did when you
lost your mother, Buffy.
Buffy nods, glancing inside the ER briefly.
BUFFY
Yeah. But knowing how that felt,
remembering how it just left a hole
inside me that nothing could fill
up again...
(looks into ER)
... this isn't going to be easy.
For him or any of us.
The others all look into the ER, and we cut across to:
17 INT. HOSPITAL - ER. DAY. 17
Xander sits at the edge of the operating table, the ER now
largely empty, the monitors and other devices tidied away
against the walls.
'Gorecki' by Lamb plays on the soundtrack. Anya's body lies
on the table, a sheet draped across her up to her neck, the
breathing tube removed.
Xander just stares at her, not moving, trying to find
something to say.
He reaches out and takes hold of one of her hands, squeezing
it tightly, working his fingers across her skin.
XANDER
I can't believe you're gone again.
(beat)
That's the only thing I can think
of to say.
He lowers his head for several moments, trying to focus his
thoughts. When he looks back up, there's a tear in his eye.
XANDER (cont'd)
I thought this was it for us, you
know? We'd made it. We'd survived
everything. The end of the world a
few times over, losing you and
getting you back, making that deal
to get your body back again,
blowing my first chance to get
married to you...
(beat)
I really thought there wasn't
anything else the world had left to
throw at us. When I found out we
were gonna have a baby, that...
that just made it all worth it. You
know? It was like, after everything
bad we got through, all the
troubles, the fights, the bad guys,
all of that, we had our reward. The
world looked down on us at last and
said 'here, take this. You earned
it.'
Xander gently lays her hand back down and stands, moving
closer to her head. He strokes her face tenderly, a faint
smile on his lips, not speaking for several moments.
XANDER (cont'd)
Our baby's never going to have to
go through what we went through.
I'm going to make sure of that.
Nothing is ever going to hurt her,
or take her away, or make her lose
the things and the people that she
loves. Not ever.
Determination crosses Xander's face, and for a moment he
almost loses it again, coming close to tears, but with a
shudder he fights the emotion back down.
He leans down and kisses her once on the forehead, standing
back and smiling down at her.
XANDER (cont'd)
I promise.
He takes a step back, taking a deep breath.
XANDER (cont'd)
I don't want to say goodbye,
because I know that wherever you
are right now, you're probably
looking down on me, ready with some
wise ass remark, completely ruining
my attempt at a heartfelt speech,
so...
He trails off. He looks down at her body one last time.
Sunlight is filtering in from the windows high overhead,
making the white sheets she's wrapped in glow softly.
Xander opens his mouth to speak again, but with a sad smile
and a shake of his head, realises there are no words he could
ever use that would sum up what he's feeling.
After another beat, he turns and walks slowly out of the ER.
We pull away from the scene as he pushes the doors open and
exits, and as we look down on Anya, we dissolve to:
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.