buffy9x19
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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TEASER
FADE IN:
1 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - BEDROOM. DAY. 1
Looking in on XANDER, his back to us as he stares at
something before him, hidden from view. As we slowly circle
him, the voices of the other people in the Summers house can
be heard.
BUFFY (V.O.)
He's been in there for days now...
that can't be good for him, can it?
Shouldn't one of us do something?
ANDREW (V.O.)
Um, maybe we could try-
BUFFY (V.O.)
Not now, Andrew.
We're sideways on with Xander now, and he has his chin
resting on his hands, his gaze still locked on whatever's off
screen.
We continue our circuit as the voices downstairs carry on
with their conversation.
GILES (V.O.)
He's lost a lot in the past week,
Buffy, we all have. With Anya and
then Willow gone, it must be-
BUFFY (V.O.)
(interrupts)
Don't say 'gone.' Willow isn't
'gone,' she's ascended. There's a
difference.
(beat)
Right?
ANDREW (V.O.)
What do we know about these, um,
Circle people she's gone to join? I
mean, really?
The voices fall silent in contemplation as we end up at
Xander's back again.
This time, our viewpoint starts to rise, reaching towards the
ceiling and craning forward as the voices start up.
MARIE (V.O.)
One of us needs to go and talk to
the poor lad.
There's not many of us who can
imagine what he must be going
through at the moment - first he
gains a daughter but loses his
wife, and then his best friend
leaves for good to go and be some
sort of Higher Power?
BUFFY (V.O.)
(getting angry)
You think I don't know all that?
You think it doesn't tear me up
just thinking about what he's got
to get through? I know as well as
anybody that things just get
harder! You try and push through
each day but you never get away
from it all, you never find
yourself with any kind of...
Buffy's voice trails off, and as we continue our look in on
Xander, we finally catch a glimpse of what's before him.
Sitting in a cot imported from the Harris Residence is HOPE,
the tiny, wriggling baby daughter who made her way into
Xander's life just over a week ago.
BUFFY (V.O.) (cont'd)
... Hope.
ANDREW (V.O.)
We can always find hope. Even if,
you know, it means we have to
accept what we've lost and move on.
There's a beat of silence. Xander just carries on staring at
Hope, and the look on his face clearly tells us that he has
absolutely no idea what to do, think or say at this moment.
He is totally lost.
BUFFY (V.O.)
Okay, somebody remind me never to
let Andrew talk to any of us when
we're depressed...
GILES (V.O.)
Buffy, Andrew has a point. Xander
has people around him who've
survived their loss and the grief
that came with it, and someone in
particular who's probably the only
person in the world that he'd
listen to right now.
There's another beat of silence. SOFIA steps into the doorway
of the bedroom, but Xander doesn't look up.
She looks in on him, her heart breaking as she feels the
sadness radiating off him.
BUFFY (V.O.)
Why does 'someone' always mean 'me'
around here?
GILES (V.O.)
I just meant-
BUFFY (V.O.)
No, you're right, it's okay. I'll
go talk to him, or just sit in
silence with him, or... Whatever.
I'll just go do it.
(beat)
That's what I do best.
Sofia takes one cautious step into the room, wringing her
hands.
SOFIA
Xander?
He doesn't answer, and she takes another step forward. She's
about to speak again when BUFFY appears in the doorway and
lays a hand on her shoulder.
Sofia turns, and Buffy smiles at her - she'll handle this.
With a nod, and a last glance at Xander, Sofia leaves the
room, and Buffy walks over to the other side of Hope's cot.
Xander still doesn't look up as Buffy sits on the edge of the
bed, the cot between her and Xander. A long beat passes
before she speaks.
BUFFY
Hey.
XANDER
Hey.
BUFFY
Mind if I sit?
XANDER
(shrugs)
Go ahead.
Buffy looks down at Hope and smiles as the baby gurgles
happily, shifting in the cot. Her tiny fingers clutch at the
edges of her blanket.
XANDER (cont'd)
Buffy?
BUFFY
Yeah?
XANDER
(beat; looks up)
What do we do now?
Buffy looks back at him, then slowly smiles and shakes her
head.
BUFFY
I don't know.
Xander nods, seemingly satisfied with this answer, and the
two of them go back to looking down on Hope as we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
2 INT. JACKSON RESIDENCE. DAY. 2
JACKSON is asleep in his bed, the curtains drawn. Somebody
walks into his room, hidden by the shadows, pauses to peer
down at his dozing form and then heads for the curtains.
The room floods with sunlight as they are flung open,
revealing Jackson's wayward sister SHANNA.
Jackson grunts and comes to, blinking blearily and putting an
arm up against the invading sunlight.
JACKSON
Mmf?
SHANNA
C'mon, Jackson, it's morning! Don't
you have to go do cop stuff?
JACKSON
(yawns)
Day off...
(sniffs)
What's that smell?
SHANNA
Oh, I, uh, made breakfast. You
still like pancakes and syrup,
right? I mean, I guess you must do
because I found, like, four bottles
of syrup in the fridge...
JACKSON
(confused)
You made... breakfast?
(beat)
Are you high?
SHANNA
(grins; quietly)
Not for a long time now.
JACKSON
Huh?
SHANNA
Look, you just make your way
downstairs when you're ready, I'll
keep things warm, okay?
Shanna turns and heads out of Jackson's room, leaving the
still-bemused Jackson watching her go.
He pushes himself upright in bed and checks his alarm clock,
groaning when he sees how comparatively early it is.
As he rubs his tired eyes, we cut to:
3 INT. CIRCLE - GRAND LIBRARY. DAY. 3
WILLOW stands proudly in the middle of the slowly-rebuilding
Grand Library, looking out across the still-scorched arches
and shelves, stretching off in all directions.
All around her, the Library is full of activity - wooden
planks and stone blocks float through the air, slotting
neatly into spaces to continue the repairs to the walls and
shelves, while overhead the sunlight flowing down into the
hall is gradually blocked out as roof tiles float upwards and
lock into place, reassembling the canopy.
Willow remains, hands on hips, keeping a careful eye on
everything as TATTLES skips up behind her, looking around at
the busy activity with a devilish grin.
TATTLES
What'cha doin?
Willow, miles away, JUMPS as Tattles speaks, looking round
and down on her.
WILLOW
I told you, Tattles, don't do that
to me! You're the best sneaker
upper in the world, that's a given,
no need to keep trying to prove it!
TATTLES
(giggles)
Okay. Is the Library done yet?
WILLOW
(sighs)
Kinda. The walls and roof are
almost back up, once that's done I
can start on putting the books back
where they need to be.
Tattles looks to her right - and waiting to be put back on
the shelves is a mountainous pile of books - all shapes and
sizes, all colours and thickness - heaped messily in an empty
part of the hall. Tattles bites her lip and looks back across
to Willow.
TATTLES
So... How long till it's done?
WILLOW
A long time yet, even with all the
magic. Are we in any kind of rush?
TATTLES
Huh? Oh, no! No rush. I just want
you to start being the Teach
properly, and you can't do that
without the Library working!
WILLOW
You just leave it to me. Sooner
this is done, sooner I can take
five minutes out to go see Xander
again!
Tattles beams up at Willow again and skips out of the
Library, leaving Willow to her work.
As a large section of shelf CLICKS into place overhead,
Willow glances over at the pile of books.
WILLOW (cont'd)
Guess I'd better get started...
She aims her hand towards the books, and with a shake that
dislodges several stray piles, a clump of them are lifted
into the air by an invisible force.
Concentrating, Willow guides the books towards her through
the air, maneuvering them between unfinished shelves and
piles of timber.
She looks away for just a moment - long enough for the edge
of the cluster of books to SCRAPE loudly against one the
shelves.
Willow looks back, realises her mistake and gently lowers the
books to the floor.
WILLOW (cont'd)
Oops...
She jogs over, inspecting the damage. A chunk of wood
panelling has been torn away from the back of one of the
shelves, but the damage isn't too bad.
Willow crouches to scoop up the broken piece of wood, but as
she starts to slot it back into place, she spots something.
Frowning, she peers into the hole left in the shelf - and is
surprised to see a small package, wrapped up tightly in
yellowing paper, strapped to the inside of the shelf itself.
She reaches in, and with a tug pulls it free.
Willow checks over her shoulder, making sure that none of the
other Circle members are around, and then starts to unwrap
the parcel.
Peeling the paper away, which has been there for some time,
she reveals a small set of black books, roughly the size of
diaries or journals.
As Willow turns them over in her hands, puzzled, we cut to:
4 INT. JACKSON RESIDENCE - KITCHEN. DAY. 4
Jackson trudges down the stairs and into the kitchen of his
home, still pulling on a dressing gown, as the fully dressed
Shanna busily prepares a fresh batch of pancakes.
Jackson sits down at the kitchen table as Shanna drops a
plate of hot pancakes and syrup in front of him. He looks
from them, to her, and back, still bemused.
JACKSON
Alright, what's going on?
SHANNA
(evasive)
Nothing! Can't a sister make her
big brother some breakfast if she
wants to?
JACKSON
A normal sister, yes. Not you.
SHANNA
Hey! Just because-
JACKSON
Shanna, save it. Since you just
dropped yourself back into my life
a few weeks back, I've barely seen
you. You spend all day and all
night in your room - at least, I
think you do, for all I know you're
off hitting your old dealers again,
or maybe you-
Shanna SLAMS down a coffee mug in front of him, startling
Jackson. He looks up at her - she's trying to control her
anger, her eyes closed.
After a moment, she shivers once and looks down at him again,
speaking quietly.
SHANNA
I don't do that any more.
JACKSON
I'd like to believe you, Shanna, I
really would.
But you've lied to me about it
before, and no amount of pancake
breakfasts is going to get you out
of that.
Shanna slumps and heads back over to the kitchen counter.
Jackson cautiously tries a piece of pancake - and it's good!
He munches absently on one as he studies her.
JACKSON (CONT'D) (cont'd)
Alright, so let's say you're
telling the truth. You're clean,
you've not been getting into any
trouble, and you showing up here
was just a happy coincidence. Then
explain to me how you knew about
that demon that almost killed Buffy
a few weeks back? If you hadn't
gotten it out of her in time, she'd
be dead, but you never told me how
you knew what to do.
Shanna stays at the kitchen counter, her back to Jackson.
SHANNA
It's cold.
JACKSON
Huh?
SHANNA
The coffee. It's cold, I thought
you'd be up by now.
Jackson glances down at the coffee mug in his hand, and then
stands and walks over to Shanna, still holding it.
JACKSON
Shanna, come on. Talk to me.
SHANNA
It's... You wouldn't understand.
I've seen stuff, things I don't
even-
JACKSON
Trust me, I'd get it. I've found
out that Cleveland isn't exactly
the quiet little town I thought it
was.
SHANNA
Is it because of her?
JACKSON
Who, Buffy?
SHANNA
(nods)
What is she, like, a vigilante or
something?
JACKSON
(grins)
Kind of. Let's just say she knows
what's out there, same as you
apparently do.
Shanna tries to get back to washing up her breakfast dishes,
but Jackson gently turns her round to face him.
JACKSON (cont'd)
Where have you been, Shanna?
SHANNA
(beat)
I was-
Jackson's phone RINGS, and he glances round. When he looks
back at Shanna, the moment for conversation has passed.
She gets back to the dishes, and with a sigh he reaches for
his phone, which is inside his jacket, hanging on the back of
the door.
JACKSON
Hello?.
BUFFY
(filtered; through phone)
Oh, hey, it's me.
JACKSON
(glances at Shanna)
Buffy, hey. How's everyone doing?
You know, after-
BUFFY
(sighs)
Not good. Are you busy? I could use
another pair of hands round here.
If you've got work, then it's fine,
I just-
Jackson grins before he interrupts her.
JACKSON
It's fine. I'll be over in a few
hours if that's okay, I've just got
some stuff to take care of first.
BUFFY
Okay, thanks. Bye.
He hangs up, and absently takes a sip from his mug of coffee.
As he gulps it down, he turns to Shanna.
JACKSON
Thought you said this was cold?
Seems warm enough to me!
Jackson puts the mug down and leaves the kitchen, heading
back upstairs as Shanna looks down at the mug, puzzled.
5 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM. DAY. 5
Buffy heads in from the kitchen to find GILES sitting on the
sofa, dozens of papers spread out all around him. He's
studying them, his attention flicking from one to the next.
BUFFY
Gee, Giles, what did you do, bet on
every game in the country?
GILES
(distracted)
Yes...
(beat; looks up)
Sorry, what?
BUFFY
Never mind.
Buffy heads over to take a look, grabbing the nearest sheet
of paper and reading. It's a set of plans, detailing a large
complex of buildings.
Buffy stares oddly at it before Giles reaches for it, and she
hands it back.
BUFFY (cont'd)
What's all this?
GILES
These are the various documents I
need for my presentation to the
Council.
BUFFY
Presentation? What for?
Giles looks up as Sofia enters the living room.
GILES
Ah, just the girl. Both of you, sit
down, you should hear this.
Bemused, Buffy and Sofia exchange a glance and then sit.
GILES (cont'd)
Now then. As you're both very
aware, when we destroyed the
Sunnydale Hellmouth, Willow
unlocked the power of the Scythe to
create a whole new line of Slayers.
SOFIA
(wry)
I did happen to notice that, yes...
GILES
Since then, the Council has been
overwhelmed trying to both recover
these new Slayers from all over the
world, several of whom are younger
or older than average, and also to
train them. Put simply, there
aren't enough Watchers to go
around, and the Council expressed
their concerns that we'd end up
with many more examples of how
Faith started off if we didn't do
something about it, and soon.
SOFIA
Faith, isn't she the Slayer who-
BUFFY
(interrupts)
Yeah, she did. Long story. Giles?
Seeing his cue to continue, Giles locates some more papers
and hands them over to the girls.
GILES
Well, with this in mind, I planned
out several possible solutions to
the situation, and I'm pleased to
announce that the Council have
backed my preferred proposal.
Giles smiles at them, and Buffy nods, waiting for him to
continue.
BUFFY
And...?
GILES
Oh, and, the result is in the plans
you have in your hand.
Buffy and Sofia look at the planning diagrams before them.
GILES (cont'd)
(proudly)
What you're holding are the
blueprints to the Slayer Academy.
SOFIA
(slowly)
Slayer... Academy?
GILES
A purpose built, fully equipped,
modern day training facility,
designed to guide and instruct the
hundreds, perhaps thousands of new
Slayers in everything from combat,
Slayer history and demon lore to
more curricular subjects like
maths, science and English.
BUFFY
Let me get this straight - you're
building a boarding school for the
new Slayers?
GILES
(smiles)
Precisely. What do you think?
BUFFY
(struggling)
Uh, well, it's very-
SOFIA
(brightly)
It's a fantastic idea! When will it
be ready?
Seeing that Sofia is more enthusiastic about this, Buffy
stands and starts discreetly edging out of the room.
GILES
Construction is currently underway,
we're converting a defunct grammar
school campus in England. The
Council has approved a certain
allocation of cash, and some of the
deals I brokered with other
organisations have provided the
additional income we needed.
SOFIA
What 'other organisations'?
GILES
Not the Initiative, don't worry.
Several private groups, people who
have an interest in safeguarding
the Earth. Ex-Watchers with their
own businesses, wealthy warlocks
and witches, anybody I could find
who was willing to help out.
SOFIA
This sounds incredible! Do I get to
go?
GILES
Well, naturally, I was planning on
asking you, so-
SOFIA
(smile drops)
Oh, no, I can't, I'm sorry.
GILES
(frowns)
Why not?
SOFIA
I can't leave Xander and Hope. Not
yet.
Giles nods, understanding, as Buffy steps back over.
BUFFY
Xander's got all of us, Sofia, he
won't be on his own.
SOFIA
I appreciate that, it's just...
(beat)
I want to know that he's going to
be alright. Especially now Willow's
gone, they seemed very close. I
don't want to leave him until I'm
sure that he's going to survive.
You do understand, don't you?
Buffy smiles, reaching out to squeeze Sofia's hand.
BUFFY
I get it.
(to Giles)
How long till the Academy's built?
GILES
Another few months is the current
estimate.
BUFFY
(to Sofia)
Reckon that's long enough for you
to make sure Xander's okay?
SOFIA
(smiles)
We'll see.
BUFFY
Okay, Giles, we're going to leave
you to your paperwork. Jackson's
coming over later, I think he'll be
a big help with Xander.
GILES
How is he doing now?
Buffy glances towards the stairs and sighs.
BUFFY
Not so good.
We dissolve from Buffy's concerned look to:
6 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - BEDROOM. DAY. 6
Xander is now lying on the bed, curled up in a tight ball.
His eyes are red - he's been crying until very recently.
Hope, conversely, is fast asleep, dozing peacefully in her
cot like nothing was wrong at all.
Xander looks down at her still, one hand resting on the edge
of her cot.
XANDER
(softly)
Why did you go? Why did you have to
leave me again?
He closes his eyes - fresh tears run down his cheeks, but as
Hope gurgles and stirs, waking up again, Xander opens his
eyes, looking at Hope with a mixture of relief and
desperation.
XANDER (cont'd)
(soothing)
Hey, come on, little lady. It's
okay. Daddy's here.
Xander starts to gently rock her cot from side to side, and
as Hope settles back down to sleep, Xander shuts his eyes
again, still fighting off the tears.
From his miserable expression, we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.