Buffy 701The Third Antichrist

by ScarletNicky

This is the first episode of an alternate Season 7. If you want to help plan and write this with me, send me an e-mail.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 7.01-The Third Antichrist

Writer: ScarletNicky



Author's Note: This is the beginning of an Alternate Season 7. I'm looking for writers who want to participate in planning and writing it with me. Sort of an AU-ME. We have a website and everything. E-mail me at FantomBlu2@aol.com if you're interested. Now on to the fake script.

ALYSON HANIGAN (V.O.): Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer:

FROM "CRUSH"

SPIKE: I lov-

BUFFY (desperate): DON'T! ...say...don't.

FROM "FOOL FOR LOVE"

BUFFY: It wouldn't be you, Spike. It would never be you.

She tosses a wad of money at him. It scatters over him and the ground. Her expression is filled with contempt.

BUFFY: You're beneath me.

FROM "TABULA RASA" Buffy and Spike are kissing, clutching at each other desperately.

FROM "HELLS BELLS"

ANYA: So, we're ready now. Let's go get married.

XANDER: I... I'm not.

She looks at him, confused.

XANDER(cont'd): I'm not ready. I can't. Ahn, I'm sorry.

Anya sits alone, still in her wedding dress. Her face smeared with tears and mascara. A hand rests on her shoulder, comforting her.

D'HOFFRYN: It's time you got back to what you do best, don't you think?

Anya looks up at him. But her face reveals no decision.



FROM "ENTROPY"

TARA: There's so much to work through. Trust has to build again.it's a long and important process and can we just skip it? Can you just be kissing me now?

Willow stands as Tara moves to her and they kiss, passionately. They interlock fingers, holding on to each other as tight as they can. Not letting go.

FROM "SEEING RED"

SPIKE: I know you feel like I do. You don't have to hide it anymore.

He moves to kiss her. She gently tries to stop him.

Now Spike is on her, pinning her against the back of the tub, oblivious to her pain and cries. His kisses are desperate, forceful.

SPIKE: (kissing her) Let it go... Let yourself love me...

BUFFY: (over) Stop it... please... stop...

He tears at her robe, getting it open.

BUFFY: Stop!

She kicks him back, hard. He smashes into the opposite wall, cracking the plaster and crashing to the floor.

Spike looks up at her, realizing just how far he crossed the line.

SPIKE: Oh God. Buffy... I didn't -

BUFFY: Ask me again why I could never love you.

Blood splatters against the front of Willow's white shirt. CU on her horrified face. Tara stares at Willow's bloody shirt, trying to make sense of it.

TARA: Your shirt...

Tara collapses to the floor. Willow kneels over Tara. Tara is unmoving, lifeless.

WILLOW: Tara? Come, on baby. Get up. Please. Tara...

She raises her head. We see the pain and fury. Her eyes have gone completely black. The look on her face says somebody's going to pay.

FROM "VILLAINS"

SPIKE (darkly): Bitch is going to see a change.

WILLOW: Bored now.

With a flick of her arm, Willow sends a bolt of fiery energy that rips open Warren's skin. He skinless body slumps forward.

Buffy, Xander and Anya emerge into the clearing. Stunned. Warren's skin hangs from the trees.

Willow turns to face her friends.

WILLOW: One down.

FROM "TWO TO GO"

Willow gets up in Dawn's face.

WILLOW: We'll all be a lot happier without having to listen to all your constant whining.

Dawn starts to tear up, fighting her fear.

DAWN: Willow... stop...

WILLOW (mocking): "Mom!" "Buffy!" "Tara!" Waah! It's time you went back to being a little energy ball.

Dawn stands trapped against the wall as the room crackles with Willow's energy.

ANYA (to Xander): I really can't hurt you. So I'll just have to settle for hating you.

WILLOW: Oh, Buffy. You really need to have every square inch of your ass kicked.

Willow sidekicks Buffy, sending her flying through the counter, shattering the glass.

FROM "GRAVE"

WILLOW (tears starting to flow): Stop...

She fires a blast of magical energy at Xander, but he keeps coming.

XANDER: I love you.

Xander kneeling next to Willow, holding her as she cries.



ANYA: Xander?

GILES: Yes. It was he that got to her in time. (looking at her) He saved us all.

Buffy moves close to Dawn again.

BUFFY: I got it so wrong. I don't want to protect you from the world - I want to show it to you.

SPIKE: So, give me what I want. Make me what I was... so Buffy can get what she deserves.

VOICE: Very well.

A REPTILLIAN HAND reaches out to Spike's bare chest

VOICE (cont'd): We will return your soul.

As the hand touches him, Spike's eyes glow and he throws his head back and SCREAMS in agony...



TEASER

EXT. - THE PARK. NIGHT.

ALEX GLASS (16) and his little brother BENNY (10) are walking rapidly through the park.

ALEX: Hurry up. We're supposed to be back by now. Mom and Dad are so gonna kick my ass for not getting you back home before dark.

BENNY: Well, if they really wanted me home before dark, they'd buy a Playstation so I didn't have to go to Michael's to play.

ALEX: Somehow I don't think that logic will mean much to them.

BENNY: What's the big deal, anyway?

ALEX: The big deal is you know how things are around here. People go missing. Especially kids. And-

BENNY: Aww, look Alex.

Alex hears a little whimper and turns around. There is a dog behind them. Benny is closest to it. As it approaches, we can see that it has an injured leg it is holding up. It stops and looks at Benny, it's eyes begging. It licks at the injured leg and whines again. Benny goes over to it.

BENNY: Don't be afraid, doggy. I'll help you.

He slowly reaches his hand out to the dog. It starts to lick. Its eyes gradually become less friendly, but Benny doesn't see this. The eyes become yellow. Suddenly, Benny screams and pulls his hand back. It's burned.

ALEX: Benny, get away from that thing!

The thing is no longer a dog at all. It's unclear exactly what it is. It seems to be changing shape, and its saliva is burning steaming holes in the ground. The form grows taller, the head becoming serpentine, the rest a lump of writhing tissue.

Alex tries to run to his brother's aid, but it's all happening too fast. A cut back to Benny and all we see is a blur of talons, teeth and fire. All we hear is screaming. As the screams of Benny and Alex merge into one:

Blackout.

"BUFFY the VAMPIRE SLAYER" theme plays with credits. Stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendan, Emma Caulfield, Alyson Hanigan, James Marsters and Michelle Trachtenberg

Note: Elizabeth Anne Allen, Amber Benson, Anthony Stewart Head, George Hertzberg, Juliet Landau and Mark Metcalf are listed among the guest stars.



ACT I

EXT. - Scene opens on Buffy's face. She is in a dark place and appears to be struggling with something. Her face is wrenched.

BUFFY: Aahh!

Some kind of dark, syrupy liquid spits on her face, coming from whatever monster she is fighting. More of it, globs, begin to pour on her face.

XANDER (O.C.): Hang on, I've got you!

Xander pulls Buffy out of danger.

.from under her car. She is covered in oil and holding a wrench in her hand.

XANDER: I think it's time we had that talk.about what the oil pan is for.

Buffy slumps her shoulders as she makes her way back into her house. Xander walks with her.

INT. - Buffy's house.

Buffy comes into her bedroom, wearing a bathrobe. Her hair is still wet. Xander is cutting on the stereo as she walks in. We can hear it in the background. She collapses across the bed, and Xander sits down next to her.

XANDER: Why are you looking so droopy and defeated?

BUFFY: Because I'm droopy and defeated.

XANDER: Ah, the terrifying villains of automotive repair.

BUFFY: Give me an mm'cookies demon any day.

XANDER: Why didn't you just call me?

BUFFY: I'm tired of bothering you to fix every little thing around here. You've got plenty going on with your company. Y'know, doing jobs for clients that can actually pay money.

XANDER: The company's going great, I can pay the bills. Speaking of which.

Xander tosses a stack of letters and such onto Buffy's bed. She sighs and winces.

XANDER (cont'd): The mailman says hello. Well, actually, he asked me if you'd died. He also said he didn't have room to stick one more piece of mail in the box. Care to explain?

BUFFY: Oh yes. There's a simple explanation. I haven't been to the mailbox in a few days. (smaller voice) weeks.

XANDER: And why haven't you been to the mailbox?

BUFFY (pitiful voice): I don't like the mailbox. It scares me. I'm afraid something awful and horrifying and festered might be waiting in there for me.

XANDER: Like what?

BUFFY: Like bills.

Xander surveys the pile of mail. Leafs through it.

XANDER: I don't know how to tell you this, but it looks like your worst fears are realized.

BUFFY: Ohhh.see? If I don't go to the box then I don't have as many bills to pay.

XANDER: Uh, no. You have just as many bills to pay, only now you owe late charges with them.

BUFFY: You're using logic again. Knock it off. That has no place in this conversation.

XANDER: Why don't you let me help you with those bills? I can afford it now, and I seem to be all out of women to spend money on at the moment.

BUFFY: You're wanting to be my sugar daddy?

XANDER: Don't worry. I'm not expecting any sugar. I just want to help. I don't like to see you stressed out about money. Slaying's stressful enough as it is.

BUFFY (smiling): In contrast to me, you look far less droopy these days. What's the big secret of your success?

XANDER: I don't know. I mean, on the outside it looks like things have never been worse for me. My best friend is in depression over trying to end the world, and me and Anya still haven't been able to work things out. But inside.things are better. I feel like I've finally beaten my personal demons. The things that caused me to fail in the past. I've always doubted myself. And wondered if I belonged.

BUFFY: Xander, how could you think you didn't belong?

XANDER: Well, think about it. You're the Slayer. Anya has demon powers. Willow and Tara were witches. Dawn's a mystical ball of energy. I'm just me.

BUFFY: Just you is pretty special, Xander. You face the same things the rest of us do, and without super powers. Things that would make all those jocks we went to high school with crap their pants and run. And you never lost heart. You never quit.

XANDER:

Thanks. Maybe that's why I've learned to have faith in myself.

BUFFY: Ah, saving the world does that for you. Take it from one who knows.

XANDER: Saving the world? I wasn't trying to do that. I was just trying to save Willow.

BUFFY: Well, you certainly tried a novel approach. Love. Who woulda thought that would work? And why didn't I think of--? Oh yeah, I forgot. Love and tenderness aren't my style. I'm all about the kicking of the ass.

XANDER: None of us have ever doubted your ability to love, Buffy.

She looks at him doubtfully, then changes the subject.

BUFFY: So what about Willow, anyway? Fill me in.

XANDER: You know what worries me? The rest of us were trying to deal, to put last year behind us. She wasn't. Just sitting in that room over at my apartment. Staring blankly.

BUFFY: Well, Giles said she's going off to some house in the woods. Something about some powerful witch training her on using magic responsibly.

XANDER: And she agreed to go. That's progress, I guess. But did you hear who arranged it? Amy. In fact, it's Amy's grandmother they're going to see.

BUFFY: Enabler Amy?

XANDER: The very same. Supposedly, she's decided to kick, too. Or at least find more constructive magical outlets. I don't like it, though. Can Willow really get over going nuts by hanging out with someone who's.?

BUFFY: Gone nuts?

XANDER: Yeah.

BUFFY: Must have been all that running on the wheel, never getting anywhere.

Xander gives her a funny look.

BUFFY: Wait a minute. Mom's side?

XANDER: Oh yes. The woman who gave birth to that witch that tried to banish you to the cornfield back in tenth grade. Amy says her grandma's a good witch, though. I just wish I knew what was going on with them. They should be getting there about now.

EXT. - WILLOW'S parents' lawn.

WILLOW ROSENBERG is lying out in the sun on a very hot summer day. She is wearing a pink and yellow bikini and lying on a beach towel out in her yard. At first, she appears to be asleep, then she raises up as if from a dream. She looks around, a little confused. She looks at the trees beyond a nearby yard. A large black bird is perched atop the tallest one. It looks like a vulture. It's staring at her.

She looks next door, and everything is normal. A girl even younger than Dawn is coming back from the mailbox, walking toward her house. Further down the street, there is something else. Willow strains to make it out. A shape. It becomes clearer. It is a man, standing near the end of the street, next to the stop sign. A man, or maybe a woman. From this distance, we can't tell.

The air begins to turn misty and it inexplicably becomes darker outside. The girl next door has gone inside. The figure at the end of the street is wearing a long brown coat of some sort. No, it's not a coat. More like a cape. A hood covers the face. Wait. Isn't it Summer?

A look back across Willow's street reveals dark clouds coming over the trees. The wind is blowing hard now. But the vulture is still there.

CU on the vulture. It's eyes open. They are red, like digital lights. It's mouth opens with a shriek.

She looks back down the street. The shape at the stop sign begins to stalk toward her, not running, but with the purposeful gait of a Jason Voorhees. Rain begins to pour, and visibility is low now.

Willow gets scared, stands up to run, but when she turns around, her house is no longer there. Instead, there is a misty forest. She runs into it, through some trees. In the midst of them is a fairy-tale house. A mansion that slightly resembles a castle. She goes to open its door, but it opens on its own before she reaches it. Willow looks inside, shocked. Then we see why: it's TARA.

TARA: There you are. Come in.

Willow turns around, still upset, then back to Tara.

WILLOW: There's a-

TARA: Oh, I-I know. But you'll be safe here.

Willow doesn't question Tara. She just comes inside and Tara closes the door.

WILLOW: Baby.?

Willow's sad look shows that deep down she knows this can't be real.

Tara smiles sadly at her.

TARA: Yes, this is a dream, Sweetie. But that doesn't mean it isn't real. I can still protect you. I want you to always remember that.

WILLOW: You can protect me?

TARA: Yes. It'll be hard and confusing. There'll be trials. And a sorceress, and a girl, and a snake.

WILLOW: Like a fairy tale?

TARA: Yeah, kinda like that. Except real.

Willow looks past Tara at the huge dark living room behind her. There are also stairs that go up, seemingly forever. It is a vast place.

TARA: I would show you more, but there isn't time. You're almost there.

Tara goes and looks out the window.

TARA: You can go home now. No one's really out there.

Willow looks back outside. She still sees the misty forest and the rain, not her sunny front yard.

WILLOW: But that's not my yard.

TARA: Oh, y-yes it is. It's just a trick. See.

Willow looks out the window again. The forest is gone. She can see her parents' yard again.

TARA: I love you, Willow. But I won't say goodbye. Because we will see each other again. Soon.

WILLOW (interprets this): I'm going to die.

TARA (shaking her head): I'm pretty sure that's not what I meant. Just promise me you won't believe in anything except yourself.and me. No matter how things look. No matter what you think is possible.

WILLOW (whisper): Okay. I promise.

TARA: I'll always be near you. And when you need me the most.that's when I'll be there.

WILLOW: How will I know--?

TARA: You'll know. Just close your eyes and think of me, and you'll see me.

Willow opens the door and walks back into the bright sunshine and across the yard. She sees her own body, lying asleep in the sun. There was never a storm.

She awakens:

CUT: DAY - in a car, heading down the interstate. She has been sleeping in the passenger seat. She looks over at AMY MADISON, who is driving.

AMY: Glad you're awake, sleepy witch. You missed your turn to drive.

WILLOW: S-sorry.

AMY: It's okay. We're there now. There's my grandmother's house.

The house comes into view. Of course it's the same one from the dream.

Zoom on Willow's worried look.

Amy stops the car at an iron gate. The house looms in the distance behind it, as we see from Willow's POV. Outside the car, Amy is talking into a phone at the post.

Overview: We see the car pulling down the driveway, stopping. The girls, small now from this view, walk from the car up to the door and inside. It's as if the house has swallowed them.

INT. - THE MANSION

AGATHA ALLEN, Amy's grandmother, greets them in the doorway, smiling.

AGATHA: Hello, honey. Give your grandmother a hug. It's been years since she's had one.

She hugs Amy, and Willow's face shows a measure of relief. This lady isn't that scary after all.

AMY: Sorry, Grandma. But you know how Mom was. And then I was-

AGATHA: A rat. Yes, I heard about that.

The old lady's face turns regretful.

AGATHA: Your mother was my greatest failing. But now I have another chance.

Amy smiles proudly, but Agatha isn't looking at her. She's looking at Willow.

AGATHA: So you're the Willow Rosenberg.

WILLOW: Well, I don't know about the. Certainly a, though.

She's self-conscious. This is Season 1-4 Willow we're seeing. She feels small and young again in the presence of Agatha Allen.

AGATHA: Now, no need to be modest. I heard you almost destroyed the world.

AMY: Grandma!

Willow looks down, embarrassed.

AGATHA: Just getting that awkward stage out of the way. The thing that everybody was scared would be brought up. Now it's up.

Although Willow is still staring down, Agatha bends to look her in the eye.

AGATHA (cont'd): Deal with it. We're not here to dwell on the past. (looks back and forth at both girls) No Satanic temples, no rats. This is about the future. I have a feeling it's going to be a good one. So welcome to my home, Willow Rosenberg. You girls.you make me feel (looks at Amy) young (now at Willow) and powerful again.

Willow looks uncomfortable again. Agatha is looking at her like Rack had when they first met.

AGATHA: Let me show you to your rooms.

INT: MAGIC BOX - DAY

Scene: Training Room in the back of the Magic Box.

GILES is shown briefly, instructing DAWN, as she punches and kicks the heavy bag.

CUT TO: Inside the store.

Xander walks through the front door. Anya speaks before looking up to see who it is.

ANYA: Sorry, we're clos-oh, it's you.

XANDER: Yeah, it's me. I just came to see how you were getting along.

ANYA: Well, I would answer you sincerely, but I'm pretty certain this is one of those situations in which I am expected to lie and say whatever will be the least troublesome for the other person. So, to be polite, I'm fine.

XANDER: If I wanted polite, I wouldn't have even come to see - well now, that's just coming out all foolspeak.

ANYA: Your native tongue. So how is Willow?

XANDER: About the same. But there's hope. She's taken some sort of sabbatical.with Amy.

ANYA: The rat? That should be therapeutic.

XANDER: Yeah, I have misgivings about that, too. So do Giles and Buffy. But we're glad to see she's at least being proactive.

Anya nods.

ANYA: Well, I'm so glad she's trying to get better. After all, we must love and accept Willow unconditionally. I mean, what's a little murder and mayhem if someone's been your friend since-

XANDER: You're STILL jealous of Willow? I can't believe you could still envy her after what she's been through. You know, it's pointless to wish bad on Willow. She's already been hurt as much as anyone can be. She was almost destroyed.

ANYA: I was almost destroyed, Xander! And YOU were! And Buffy and Dawn and Giles. My shop! Willow was the DESTROYER!

XANDER: That wasn't really Willow-

ANYA: Is THAT what you're telling yourself? Is that the official Scooby Party line? It wasn't really Willow? God! It most certainly WAS her, Xander. You're being an idiot if you won't let yourself see it.

XANDER: You don't understand-

ANYA: Yes, I do understand. She's human and your friend, therefore if she does evil, then it's not really her. I, on the other hand, am a demon, so even if do good, it doesn't count. I'm starting to understand really well, Xander!

XANDER: That's not they way I think of you, Anya. Stop putting words in my mouth.

ANYA (calmer): Just answer me this, then. And I need the truth this time. When we were together, were you settling? Did you ever wish you were with Buffy or Willow instead?

Xander walks over to her and meets her face to face, looking her in the eyes, taking both of her hands in his.

XANDER: Anya, I swear to you that every minute I spent with you, I was with the one person on this earth I most wanted to be with. And I won't ever regret a single one of those minutes.

She is touched, threatening to tear up.

ANYA: But you didn't believe in me.

XANDER: Oh, I did, Anya. I did. I just didn't believe in me.

ANYA: I did. I believed in you. But you hurt me.

XANDER: Ahn.

ANYA: Oh yes, I forgot. Humans hate honesty at a time like this.

XANDER: You're right. Maybe now's the time for honesty.

Suddenly, she's not so sure that's what she wants. She looks worried. He's going to say something bad, isn't he?

ANYA: Okay, Xander. What do want to say.honestly?

XANDER: I know without a doubt our love was real, Anya. More real than anything in my whole life. But I don't know if we can get that back. Or if we should.

Silence. She tries to compose herself. It appears to be ending, and she wants to preserve some dignity. She wants it to be mutual, not just a dumping.

ANYA: I still love you, Xander.But I hate you, too, in an approximately equal measure.

XANDER (sad chuckle): Well, I don't hate you.But I don't think I'm in love with you anymore, either.

Anya turns around to hide her tears. This is the most devastating thing he could have said.

XANDER: But I'm sorry. I wish I could take back all the hurt I've caused you.

Her back remains turned to him as she leans against the Magic Box's counter, choking back sobs. He realizes her position, and decides to leave quietly, sparing her dignity.

He makes it to the door, and she hears the bell jingle as it opens. She turns around, despite showing him her tears.

ANYA: Xander?

He turns back to look at her.

ANYA (cont'd): Thanks for saving the world.

Xander looks into her face and sees pride there: pride in him.

XANDER: I had to. You were in it.

He leaves and she breaks down into the sobs she'd been holding back.

EXT. - Xander outside the doorway. We can hear her crying inside, and so can he. He winces at the thought of causing her more pain and his inability to do anything for it.

INT. - Back inside: Dawn comes out of the back room, sweating after her workout. Anya turns back to some paper work in the store, not letting on how upset she is.

ANYA: Hi, Dawn. How was your session?

DAWN: Great. I kicked hella ass, as usual.

ANYA: That's nice. I haven't heard hella in years.

DAWN: Heard it on South Park. Among other things. Was somebody here? I thought I heard you talking to someone.

ANYA: Uh, it was just a customer.

DAWN: Isn't it past closing time?

ANYA (falsely perky): Yes, but you know me. I never pass up a chance at revenue.

Dawn looks at her skeptically, noticing the redness in her eyes. But wisely, she says nothing.

DAWN: My training with Giles is going great. I feel just like Buffy must have all those years ago.

Dawn sits in one of the chairs and gets pensive.

DAWN (cont'd): I'm afraid he's thinking about going back to England again. All he'll say when I mention the future is 'we'll see.' He doesn't seem to be making any plans that have to do with, you know, here. And he's acting restless.

ANYA: Well, Buffy's getting back to her spunky self. I guess he figures.

DAWN: I don't want him to go. He kinda feels like my Watcher now, too. Do you think if I made a wish that he wouldn't go away, you could-?

ANYA: Have you already forgotten your sister's marathon birthday party?

DAWN: Oh yeah. Well, I just meant the country, not the house.

ANYA: I've learned my lesson, Dawn. The last wish I granted caused an evil Willow to show up. And you know as well as I do how bad those can be.

DAWN: I'll say. You know, the rest of them just want to sweep all that under the rug like nothing ever happened. Well, I can't. I can't forget how she said everybody'd be better off if I just went back to being a little green ball of energy.

ANYA: She said that?

DAWN: Yeah. She said that. And then she tried to make it happen.

ANYA: Well, I know as well as anyone how the desire for vengeance can consume you.

DAWN: I guess so. Speaking of vengeance, I'm surprised you passed it up after that wedding fiasco. Well, I know there was that thing with Spike, but I kinda expected Xander's nutsack to blow up or something.

Anya looks thoughtfully, as if this sounds appealing.

ANYA: No, Dawn. Castration won't heal a broken heart. However deserved and entertaining it can sometimes be. And anyway, I've decided vengeance is overrated. I got my chance to hurt Xander back. It didn't feel nearly as good as I thought it would.

DAWN: A vengeance demon who thinks vengeance is overrated. What a crisis of faith that must be.

Giles enters the shop and Dawn gets up to leave.

DAWN: Oh, well, gotta book. Bye, Giles!

Before leaving, Dawn leans over to Anya.

DAWN (whisper): Talk him into staying.

GILES: Goodbye, Dawn. Excellent progress today.

Dawn smiles and exits. Giles and Anya stand there a minute. The awkward silence is loud. Finally, Anya breaks it.

ANYA: So, Giles. Don't leave!

GILES: I-I beg your pardon?

ANYA: Oh, I'm no good with subtlety. Dawn's afraid you're going to leave town. She wants you to stay. She said for me to talk you into it. How'm I doing?

Giles chuckles softly.

GILES: Wonderfully, Anya. Nice segue, incidentally.

ANYA (big smile): Thanks, I think.

GILES: What makes her think I'm leaving? I didn't say that.

ANYA: So you're not going back to England?

GILES: I didn't say that, either. I suppose I will at some point.

ANYA: When is some point? Is it when Buffy is in the Slayer retirement home and Dawn is married with two-point-four energy blobs and Xander is.sitting around by himself, and I'm.sitting around by myself, or is it.?

GILES: It may be sooner than that.

ANYA: Why?

GILES: For the same reasons as before.

ANYA: But nobody ever really understood those reasons. And you saw how things fell apart without you.

GILES: Yes, but that was because no one was willing to accept responsibility, least of all Buffy. But I believe that is changing. Anyway, I thought you would want me to go. As I recall, last year you were practically ushering me through the door.

Anya looks a little embarrassed at that being brought up.

ANYA: That was then. I was being narrow-minded and self-centered. Which seemed perfectly reasonable at the time.

GILES: You seem to have changed a lot. I've seen the difference. Especially when I was injured. You've matured so much.

Anya can't help but smile a little at this.

ANYA: Well, it was about time, I figured. After several thousand years, you know. Even a vengeance demon has to grow up sometime.

GILES: Perhaps your demon status is only a technicality. What you do with that power is what's important. You haven't really been a demon for quite a while now, Anya. And you should be very proud of the woman you're becoming.

Now Anya is blushing like Fred.

ANYA: Wow. I'm not used to people saying nice things like that to me. Unless it's someone who's expecting to have sex with me. You aren't expecting to have sex with me, are you?

GILES: Heavens, no, Anya! All I-

ANYA:

That was a joke, Giles.

Giles relaxes, a little embarrassed.

GILES: Oh, I see. Well, I must be going. I'll be assembling the entire group here later tonight. There's a matter of urgency I have to bring before you all.

ANYA: Okay. See you then.And thanks for what you said.

GILES: Of course.

He turns and opens the door, but her voice stops him on the way out.

ANYA (sincerely): Don't leave, Rupert.

He just studies her face, thinking.

Fadeout.



ACT II

INT. - THE MAGIC BOX. The whole group is assembled: Anya, Buffy, Dawn, Giles and Xander.

GILES: I assume you all have some idea why I summoned you here.

XANDER: Well, Giles, we have alcohol in the fridge, several attractive people of both sexes, and I'm pretty sure I've seen some playing cards and a Twister board around here somewhere, so do I even have to state the obvious?

GILES: Maybe next time, Xander.

BUFFY: The child murders?

XANDER: Oh well, there's that. Wait, what child murders?

GILES: Last night two young children were found slaughtered. The police have virtually no leads, but it sounds similar to the murder of the little boy a few days ago.

DAWN: His brother's in my class. I don't know him very well, but they say he's taking it really hard. I think he was with him when it happened.

GILES: He was? Then he must have seen the killer.

DAWN: He told some kind of tale, but nobody believed him. I heard it was pretty wild. They said he was delusional and in shock and must have imagined some of it.

GILES: I need you to talk to him, Dawn. Find out what he saw.

DAWN: Okay. That'll be easy enough. He's always staring at my legs, so I'm sure he'll-

BUFFY: Wear lots of clothes when you talk to him, Dawn.

DAWN (smiling): Sure thing. But why children?

ANYA (off-hand, uncaring): Oh, lots of ritual sacrifices involve the slaughtering of young children. It's probably just one of those.

They look at her like they can't believe her lack of concern. She realizes this.

DAWN: O-okay. So you want me to talk to Alex and find out what's doing this so we can stop it. Check.

ANYA (overcompensating): Yes, we must stop this evil demonic killer before more precious small humans die!

They all give her another WTF? look.

ANYA: What? I'm being empathetic!

GILES: Not that the deaths of children aren't terrible enough, but I'm afraid they may be a harbinger of something even more dreadful to come.

DAWN: What do you mean?

GILES: There was a symbol left on the ground near the bodies. Like a calling card. It matches one found at the Glass child's murder scene. Only this time, there are bite marks on the victims. This makes me think a cult of vampires may be involved.

Giles opens one of the old books laid out on the table. The place had already been marked, and he quickly flips to it.

GILES: Although it's not an exact match, I believe I've identified the symbol.

Giles holds up the page for all to see. Next, he holds the newspaper up. There is an artist's rendering of the symbol. It sort of looks like a dragon.

BUFFY: Okay, what does the symbol mean?

GILES: It was used to identify a being known as Mabus. His name has appeared occasionally in ancient writings over the past few centuries, although the tales are mostly legend. There is no compelling evidence that he even existed at all.

BUFFY: Maybe he didn't. Maybe this vampire cult just needed a symbol and adopted his.

GILES: I would like to think you're right. But something else has come to light that makes me take the Mabus legend more seriously. He also features prominently in the writings of Nostradamus.

XANDER: The guy who predicted the end of the world?

GILES: The same. Nostradamus was a French seer with an amazing track record. He named Mabus his third antichrist. The first two were Napoleon and Hitler, and they both came to pass.

BUFFY: So, does that mean he's human, since they were?

GILES: It's possible he will appear as a man, but he will likely be possessed by a demon. I have come to recognize some unsettling similarities between the writings referring to Mabus and an unnamed threat discussed in the Codex. And if I'm correct, then Mabus' time may have arrived.

DAWN: What makes you think?

GILES: The Codex says that 'in the days of the Reborn, the Formless Evil, the thing that should not be, but is, shall return to claim its source.

XANDER: Reborn? Is that a reference to Buffy being brought back from the dead?

GILES: Yes, I believe so. That is what drew me to the passage. But there's more. The Codex goes on to describe some event called the Transfiguration. Somehow, the acquisition of this 'source' will allow this being to perform this Transfiguration, although there is no discussion of what it entails.

BUFFY: And why do you think this has anything to do with this Mabus character?

GILES: Because the same symbol appears in the Codex, connected with the Formless One.

BUFFY: Let me guess. When he performs the Transmutation-

GILES: Transfiguration.

BUFFY: --Whatever. This is not of the good, right?

GILES: According to all my resources, it will make him God.

BUFFY: A god? Like Glory? Great. I had to die to stop her. I'm not the Catwoman, Giles. I'm gonna run of out lives here pretty soon.

GILES: Not 'god' with a small g, Buffy. 'God' with a big G.

XANDER: As in "Let there be light?"

GILES: As in "Let there be darkness." Eternally. And suffering and pain. If Mabus completes his Transfiguration, it will mean the end of the world as we understand it. And the beginning of the world as he wants it to be. Which is not a worldI wish to live in. But at least we have a little to go on. We have the coordinates of the source's location, as well as a description of the setting in which he will first encounter it.

XANDER: Bet I won't need three guesses to figure out which town it's in.

GILES: One should suffice.

XANDER: At least when you live on a Hellmouth, you never have to travel to an 'away' apocalypse.

DAWN: Get to the important part. How do we stop it?

GILES: To perform his ritual, Mabus must first gain possession of this 'energy source,' within which his power is stored. He will then siphon the source's energy and use it to become omnipotent.

ANYA: I think I missed the stopping it part. I'm sure it was in there somewhere.

GILES (gravely): According to the Codex, we won't.

Silence descends on the Magic Box for a few moments as dread sinks in and settles.

BUFFY (excitedly): But the Codex has been wrong before-sort of.

XANDER (snaps his fingers): Yes! Like when it said Buffy was going to be killed by the Master! Well, technically, she was, but after I revived her, she went on to slay him.

GILES: I agree, Xander. We might as well proceed with the assumption that there is still some hope of stopping him. Our best course of action would be to prevent Mabus from acquiring this source.

BUFFY: So all I have to do is find some object I won't recognize and keep it away from a creature that I won't be able to identify?

GILES: Well.y-yes.

BUFFY: I'll get right on it.

They all start to get up and leave.

DAWN: Maybe I'll be able to help with the 'what the creature looks like' part. I'll talk to Alex Glass tomorrow at school.

XANDER: I'll give you a ride.

BUFFY: Wear lots of clothes!

Anya comes over and whispers to Dawn.

ANYA (whispers): I'm not ready for the world to end. Wear a thong.

Dawn laughs.

BUFFY: Oh, didn't you say it tells us the setting where this Mabus will find his source? Well, since we don't know what it looks like, maybe we can just wait for him to show up looking for it.

GILES: I'm afraid that might be our only recourse. But you won't enjoy waiting for him there.

EXT. - THE SCHOOL YARD, DAY.

Dawn comes out of the high school, carrying her books. She sees Alex Glass, and hurries over to him. She is wearing a short skirt.

DAWN: Hey-it's Alex, right?

ALEX: Uh, yeah.

He looks surprised she's talking to him.

DAWN: Um, I want to talk to you.

ALEX: Okay. About what?

DAWN: Well, it's hard for me to say.

He looks at her expectantly.

ALEX: Well, hey, just go ahead. I mean, you can say anything to me. Well, what I meant was-

DAWN: It's about your brother.

Alex looks disappointed. And a little mad. He was hoping for something else.

ALEX: Oh. I should have known. I don't want to talk about it anymore. How many times do I have to say it? I told the truth and nobody believes me!

DAWN: I'll believe you.

ALEX: Why would you believe me?

DAWN: Let's just say I'm pretty hard to surprise. I know about this town, and I've seen a lot of things.

ALEX: This town. Yeah. There's always been something weird about this place. But this.this was.

DAWN: Was what, Alex?

ALEX: Why does it matter? Why do you want to know?

DAWN: Because somebody needs to do something about it. And I might know somebody who can.

Alex studies her, trying to size up her credibility.

ALEX: Okay. Here it is. Take it or leave it. We were walking and Benny was just a few steps behind me. I'm supposed to keep him close, especially after dark. Because even though the grown-ups never talk about it, I think deep down they know something's wrong in Sunnydale, too. You know?

Dawn nods.

ALEX (cont'd): And anyway, he turned back because there was a dog. Benny loved animals.and somehow I think it knew that. I think it was reading his mind.

Alex's lip is quivering now. This is hard for him, and Dawn puts a reassuring hand on his.

ALEX (cont'd): It was hurt, and he went over to help it.but then it changed.

DAWN: Changed? How?

ALEX: It changed into something else. Something that wasn't a dog at all. Wasn't anything I'd ever seen before. I told him not to touch it, but he was too close, and it touched him. It was like it was cutting him and burning him at the same time.

Dawn's look shows this is an even weirder story than she was expecting.

DAWN: And what do you think it was?

ALEX: I don't know. It was like a combination of things.or people.or.I dunno. (looks up at her, determined) But I want to kill it. Somehow, I want to pay it back.

INT. - DAY, AGATHA'S MANSION

There are no pentagrams or Wiccan symbols present. Just three women sitting on a barren floor. Amy and Willow are facing Agatha.

AGATHA: I think I should lighten the mood. Maybe tell you girls a story. This is a story about hope. Or maybe it's about despair. I used to think I knew which, but now I can't be sure. This story is true. I know because I made it up myself and I'm no liar.

As Amy and Willow look at each other curiously, the world around us begins to dissolve. It is replaced by:

A PICTURE BOOK. The title is: STRAWBERRY, and has a pretty red-haired girl on the cover. During Agatha's story, we see the events depicted by the pages of the book.

AGATHA (V.O.): A long time ago in another dimension much like our own, there was a beautiful princess.

We see the first page of the story. The Princess is drawn to look like Buffy. She is dressed as a knight, however, and is shown battling a great dragon. Others are with her: a handsome man wearing glasses, dressed like Merlin the Magician. There's a teenage boy and a teenage girl. There is also a young man dressed as a jester, and another all in black with blonde hair. A witch is also present, with red hair and a scarlet robe.

AGATHA (V.O.): But don't think this is your ordinary story. This princess needed no knights to save her. In fact, she was the greatest warrior in her kingdom. She fought off invading armies and slew beasts. But one day, she angered even the gods themselves.

The Princess is shown facing off against an angry disembodied head in the sky. It looks like a lot like Glory.

AGATHA (V.O.): And the brave Princess defeated the evil goddess, but the victory came with a price, as the princess herself died in the effort.

Next page: The Princess is drawn lying amidst wreckage, her friends all crying around her. It looks just like the end of "The Gift," except for the medieval costumes.

AGATHA (V.O.): And the entire kingdom mourned for her, but there were some who decided mourning wasn't enough. The Fool, who was really no fool at all, and his friend The Witch, whose name was Strawberry, decided to bargain with the Fates for the Princess' return.

Next page: There are three people sitting around a wooden table, discussing something. Strawberry is holding a cat, stroking it. The Fool is there, as well. Next to him is a creature that looks a lot like Anya, except she is veiny like Anyanka.

AGATHA (V.O.): But of course whenever one does business with the Fates, there is a price to be paid.

Agatha turns another page in the fairy tale book. We see it close up. Strawberry is looking at the sky, holding out her arms, as if offering to the heavens. She is standing in a pasture filled with cows, horses, goats, chickens and other assorted animals.

AGATHA (V.O.): Strawberry offered the gods their choice of her finest animals as a sacrifice. She asked them which they wanted. She would butcher any of them if it would bring back The Princess.

She turns the page. Everyone is jubilant, standing around the Princess' death-bed. The Princess has awakened. The people are all laughing and smiling (except the Princess herself, who only looks confused).

AGATHA (V.O.): The gods answered her prayer even before she had finished praying it, and the life flowed back into the body of the Princess. Strawberry was happy and proud at her accomplishment, and the people all hailed her as a hero.

Next page: The Witch is smiling, surveying her animals.

AGATHA (V.O.): Then when Strawberry realized that not a single one of her animals was missing, she praised the Goddess for Her kindness and mercy. But then when she returned to her home.

Agatha turns the page. We see Strawberry crying, holding the cat.

AGATHA (V.O.): .she found that her pet housecat, the one thing she loved even more than the Princess, even more than life itself, was dead.

Amy's face registers shock that her grandmother would tell this story to Willow. Willow is also stunned, visibly upset and confused, on the verge of tears. Agatha meets her eyes.

AGATHA: She never considered that the Fates might take away the animal that was least valuable in trade, but most valuable in her heart.

Another page: Strawberry is raging at the sky, power crackling off her.

AGATHA (V.O.): Now the young Witch cursed the Goddess and the Fates, declaring that she would worship the devil!

Next page: The Witch is firing lightning bolts and the people are fleeing in terror. A bolt has even struck the Princess, who has fallen, her body smoking and unconscious. The castle is on fire, wreckage everywhere.

AGATHA (V.O.): She grew to resent the Princess, even trying to destroy the very kingdom itself. And she would have succeeded, too. But only the Fool was wise enough to figure out how to stop her, for he was not really a fool at all.

The Fool is drawn kneeling at the Witch's feet, badly injured. Still, he wraps his arms around her legs in a gesture of love. Strawberry has lost her fury, now looking sad and beaten.

Agatha's hands turn the page. Now we see the Fool and The Witch embraced, sobbing together, as Willow and Xander had in "Grave."

Agatha closes the book.

AMY: Grandmother.?

WILLOW (angry): And what was the point of telling me that story? Are you saying I killed Tara? That she was punished for me bringing back Buffy? Why do you call me the same thing Rackddid? And where did you get that BOOK?

AGATHA: The point is that magic always has consequences. Always. You must never forget that. And as far as the book goes.well, as you can see, there are many more pages. And I have read them all. And tomorrow, I will read more of them to you.

WILLOW: I don't think I want to hear them.

AGATHA: Oh, yes you do, child. The most exciting chapters are yet to be come. There is more love, another beautiful girl, there's also a snake, maybe a mermaid. And lots and lots of magic and triumph. You won't want to miss it. Well, I must retire for now. When you're my age, you have to go to bed several times a day.and pray you can fall asleep before you need to pee again.

Agatha gets up. The girls get up too, figuring story time must be over. Amy and Willow exchange nervous looks. On her way out of the room, Agatha turns back to Willow.

AGATHA: Did you ever wonder why we so rarely find our happy endings? It's because our expectations very rarely resemble reality. And we never realize the important moments of our lives while they are happening, or our greatest gifts when they are offered to us. There's a reason for that, too. It's the story of how stories began. I've heard it said that all our lives were planned out in advance. Scripted eons before we were born.

The following story plays out on screen in a cartoon as Agatha provides the voice-over.

AGATHA (V.O.): A young angel was dispatched to carry all the pages of all those stories to earth. If she had succeeded in her task, I suspect our lives would have all had storybook endings. But unfortunately, she fell during her descent, and the pages scattered to the winds. She frantically tried to put them back in order, but the pages weren't numbered, for this was before the days of numbers.

CUT: Back to the room. The cartoon ends. CU on Agatha.

AGATHA: And she reassembled all the pages, but unfortunately, some of the pages from one story would get mixed up with the pages of another, and vice versa. And some of the characters got merged with others. Who knows which ones, but I get the feeling maybe the beautiful girl in the red cape and the Wicked Witch got mixed together. Maybe the Princess rejected her prince because he looked too much like a demon. Maybe one of the princes got mixed up with the Big Bad Wolf.

Agatha fixes Willow with a disturbing glare.

AGATHA: Yes.I'm quite certain that is what happened. Goodnight, girls.

Fade to Black.



ACT III

EXT. - THE CITY DUMP. NIGHT. Buffy and Dawn are standing around amidst the trash, waiting for Mabus to arrive.

BUFFY: Wow. Your friend Alex's story does sound pretty crazy. Must be true.

DAWN: Of course.

BUFFY: Battle-scarred Sunnydale veterans like us'll believe about anything, I guess.

DAWN: Yeah. But why did he have to pick the smelliest place in town for the big confrontation?

BUFFY: I guess this is where the source is. Anyway, this is just the kind of place those sickening behemoths always hang out. It could have been worse. It could have been the sewer.

DAWN: I guess. Wonder which piece of garbage is the source?

BUFFY: Search me. I still can't believe I let you come here to face the hideous cut-and-burn monster. Some well-meaning social worker should hang me from one of those trees over there.

DAWN: Buffy, we've been through this. You said you wanted to show me the world, not hide me away from it. Well, this is our world.

Buffy looks around at the trash dump.

BUFFY: What a depressing thought.

DAWN (laughs): Y'know, I can see your point. This is the kind of place where you just expect an evil disgusting thing to pop up at any minute.

SPIKE (O.C.): Hi, Pet! Had a feeling you might show up here.

They recognize the voice before they see him. When he emerges from the shadows and under the nightlights of the trash heap, neither of them knows how to react. They are both stunned.

DAWN: Spike? You're back??

Buffy is shocked, too. There's so much to sort out with him, but this isn't the time.

BUFFY: I so don't have time to deal with you right now, Spike. So whatever you're doing here, do it somewhere else.

SPIKE: Fair enough. Soon as I take what's mine.

BUFFY: You already tried that, remember?

SPIKE: Always think it's about you, don't you, Slayer?

BUFFY: That's because where you're concerned, it always is. I'm serious, Spike. I don't have time.

SPIKE: Meeting someone? What's he look like? What's his name?

BUFFY: Jealous?

SPIKE: Are you sure you'd know him even if he was standing right in front of you?

BUFFY (nervous): What are you getting at? Why are you here? Are you stalking me again?

SPIKE: You picked the place. I'm just here to retrieve my source.

Buffy's face shows her confusion.

BUFFY: Huh? You're claiming to be Formless Thing or whatever? That's ridiculous. How do you even know about him?

SPIKE: Went on a walkabout. Met someone. He showed me some things. Demons have souls, too, pet. Just not human ones. Mine's very old. Been passed down through several bodies before this one. Centuries. I was once very powerful. No love's bitch. No Slayer's lapdog. Now I'm reclaiming my power. Becoming what I once was. And then you'll get what you deserve.bitch.

BUFFY: All right then, let's do it.

She gets in fighting stance.

SPIKE: Are we dancing again, luv, or is it for real this time?

BUFFY: This is the last dance, Spike.

SPIKE: We better make it memorable, then. C'mon, Slayer, give it to me good this time.

BUFFY: You want me, here I am. And this time I won't have any problem doing what I should have done a long time ago.

DAWN: Neither will I. Not after what you did. Not now that I know what you are! I can't believe I ever thought you were my friend.

BUFFY: But again, why here?

SPIKE: Again, because this is where the source of my power is. You chose the place.

BUFFY (confused): But I'm just here because that's where the Codex said the enemy would be.

Both look puzzled at this. Spike shrugs.

SPIKE: Hm. Well.Self-fulfilling prophecy, I guess.

BUFFY: Okay, so where and what is this source, so I can go ahead and kick your ass and take it home?

SPIKE: Where is it? Why, you were nice enough to bring it to me FROM home.

BUFFY: What are you.?

Realization hits her. She and Dawn look at each other.

BUFFY: Dawn.

DAWN: B-but I'm not a 'source.' I'm not the key anymore, remember?

SPIKE: You're not Glory's key anymore. That doesn't mean you're not mine.

BUFFY: Have you forgotten, Spike? You can't beat me. And even if you could, you can't hurt Dawn. The chip, remember?

Drusilla emerges from the shadows.

DRUSILLA: Hasn't our boy told you, yet? Shame, Spike, leaving out such important and glorious details.

SPIKE: Ah yes, about the chip. I don't think that's gonna to be a problem anymore. After-effect of my little jaunt, it seems. And anyway, I've got Dru to take care of the platelet. So I'm all yours, lucky girl.

Dawn vs. Dru? Buffy doesn't like those odds. She lunges at Spike, trying to take him out quickly, but he spins behind her and grabs her in a chokehold. Buffy fights to get free.

SPIKE: That's right. Struggle. I like that. Think the Nibblet's doing any better with Dru? I'm through being your willing slave, Slayer. And after I've drained the source and claimed my power, I'll make you MINE.

At this thought, Buffy gains strength. She elbows Spike in the head and turns around to face him, delivering a powerful roundhouse punch. Spike is knocked off his feet and flies backward.

A quick cut finds Dru hypnotizing Dawn with her fingers, just as she'd done to Kendra years earlier. Dawn has slipped easily under Dru's spell and into a trance.

BUFFY: I'll never be your slave, Spike! I'll never be your anything.

SPIKE: You'll do whatever I want. After my transformation, I'll be omnipotent.

BUFFY: After the transformation I'm going to give you, you'll be impotent!

They mix it up again. Buffy comes out on top, but as she's preparing to stake Spike, she hears Dawn's voice:

DAWN: Buffy!!!!

Buffy turns around to find Drusilla behind Dawn, holding her, a blade-like nail against the terrified girl's throat.

DRUSILLA: Uh-uh, Slayer. Mummy's changing the rules. New game, it is.

Buffy freezes. What can she do? Spike laughs in triumph as he gets to his feet.

SPIKE: I have my key and I'm gonna rule this world, Slayer, and nobody can prevent it.

BUFFY: Somehow I'll stop you, Spike. I don't know how yet, but when this Transfiguration comes, I'll stand against you.

SPIKE: Then you'll be standing in your grave.

Suddenly, he lifts the remains of an old discarded piano, something he shouldn't even be able to pick up. He tosses it at Buffy. She tries to shield herself, but it crashes down, pinning her. He then piles various heavy objects down upon her. She starts digging out from the rubble.

SPIKE: Well, isn't this appropriate? I seem to remember you dropped a musical instrument on me once, as well.

BUFFY (weakly): Spike, no. Please. I'm the one that humiliated you. Do what you want to me, but Dawn's innocent. Don't hurt her!

SPIKE: Looks like I overestimated you. Again. Like when I said you weren't the begging type. This makes the second time I've heard you beg.

Spike and Drusilla leave, carrying a squealing Dawn with them. Buffy tries to rise and go after them, but she can't. Almost as an afterthought, Spike turns back to her.

SPIKE: And Buffy.I wouldn't want you to miss my big show. Be at the mansion at midnight. You know the one. You and the Great Poofter spent many a night there, I'd wager. Do it for me, pet. It just wouldn't be the same without you.

BUFFY (in tears): Dawn.no.

CUT TO: THE MAGIC SHOP-INT.

GILES: He's back? It was really him?

BUFFY: It was him, without a doubt. And he's back just like he was when we first met him. Cocky and evil. Except he's even stronger. He could have never picked up that piano before. And now he's got Dawn.

XANDER: He's not back like that, Buffy. He's always been like that. It's your attraction to him that kept you from seeing it.

Buffy just looks down, pondering this.

BUFFY: You're right. I should have killed him a long time ago. If I had, he wouldn't have Dawn now. It's my fault. They're going to kill her and it's my fault.

Buffy sounds hopeless, defeated. Xander gives her a gentle hug.

XANDER: I'm sorry, Buffy. The last thing I want to do is to lay blame or make you feel worse. And I'm sorry I was right about Spike.

BUFFY: But you were right about him. And I won't be confused about that again.

GILES: Regardless of who is right about whom, it is clear that we'll have to find some course of action. He may already be performing the Transfiguration. If so, it will be too late for Dawn, and maybe for all of us. When he completes it, he will be unstoppable. Godlike.

BUFFY: He's not doing it yet. It happens at midnight.

XANDER: And he just told you this?

BUFFY: Yeah, he did.

ANYA: What exactly did he say?

BUFFY: He said he plans to use Dawn to perform his so-called transfiguration in the mansion where Angel used to live. He's going to kill her unless we walk into a trap.

ANYA: So.?

BUFFY: So we walk into a trap.

ANYA: But why would Spike tell you where and when he's performing the ritual? He knows we'll try to stop him.

BUFFY: He wants us to. He thinks we can't stop him and he wants us to have to watch. It makes it.better for him. He's bitter. He says he wants to give me what I deserve.

XANDER: Well, I say we go give HIM what HE deserves.

GILES: But here's the part I can't reconcile: How does this mesh with the story the Glass boy told Dawn?

Buffy's look shows she'd forgotten all about that.

BUFFY: It doesn't. I guess he was just in shock when he saw vampires. Remembered it wrong.

Giles doesn't quite buy it.

GILES: Perhaps.

BUFFY: It doesn't matter. We have to play Spike's game. We have no choice.

EXT. - OUTSIDE ANGEL'S OLD MANSION

Anya, Buffy, Giles and Xander are outside the mansion, walking up to the door.

XANDER: So this is the place?

BUFFY: He said the mansion where Angel used to live. Look, it's even got his dooflatchy on it.

They look at the side of the mansion. The dragon-like symbol is painted there, very large. Can't miss it.

GILES: Something doesn't fit. I still don't see how Spike could be Mabus. That entity is at least hundreds of years old, if not thousands. And grand plans of world domination have never interested him before.

BUFFY: He said he'd been on some vision quest. Found his calling. He's been resurrected lots of times. Something like that. Anyway, who cares? Let's just kill him and get Dawn.

ANYA (scared): You make it sound so simple.

BUFFY: Simple. Yeah. Things have finally gotten simple for me where Spike is concerned. He's the vampire. I'm the Slayer. How could I have forgotten? All right. Here goes.

Suddenly, Alex Glass runs up to them, a shotgun in his hands. Anya sees the gun and screams. Xander simply yanks the gun out of his hands.

XANDER: Who are you, kid?

ALEX: I'm-I'm Alex. Where's Dawn?

BUFFY: She's inside. Now what are you doing here?

ALEX: I've been following you.

GILES: I would ask why, but I'm far too busy. (pats him pedantically) Go home, son. We're doing something that doesn't concern you.

ALEX: It does concern me. And I'm not going home. I know what you're doing. You're gonna face it.

BUFFY: You have no idea what's on the other side of that door.

ALEX: Yes, I do! I'm the only one that does! It killed my brother!

ANYA (over-acted): So you must be Alex. I'm so sorry for your loss.

BUFFY: No. You don't know, Alex. Dawn told me that story of yours. Well, it wasn't like that. It wasn't a slouching, hulking, steaming thing. Just some guy I know. But he's a guy you don't want to meet. And he might have friends with him.

ALEX: I'm going-

The door opens on its own. The lights are out. Cautiously, they all go inside, Xander points a flashlight with one hand, shotgun in the other. Nothing happens. Tension builds.

Suddenly, flamed lanterns ignite all over the building. We can see now, although the light is a little dim. Weapons are all over the mansion's walls. Vamps everywhere.

Vampires come flooding toward them. Buffy faces them, a stake in each hand. The old Buffy is back, fighting vamps and staking left and right with abandon. Ashes fill the air around her as she stakes, punches and kicks furiously.

Xander fires the shotgun a couple of times, then it is knocked from his grasp.

Buffy is about to be blindsided, when Giles hits the vampire from behind. It turns around pissed, but he shuts up its growl with a quick staking.

A vampire goes down as Xander whacks him. He kicks down yet another and bends down to apply the staking. Xander fights like soldier-Xander now.

Giles stakes another vamp, then turns to pull one off of Anya.

Alex tries to throw a punch, but he is clearly terrified, in over his head. One vamp takes him out with a jab to the nose. Another picks him up, but does not bite him.

The tide is turning, and it isn't for the better. Giles is being double- teamed and tackled by two vampires. They pound away and Giles disappears under a hail of blows.

As she is engaged with an opponent in front of her, someone hits Buffy in the back of the head with something heavy. Dazed, she tries to turn and fight, but a fist connects with her face. Slo-mo, like in the final battle of "The Wish." Her stake flies through the air. Buffy falls to the floor with a heavy crash. She's nearly out of it, but tries to raise her head. She sees Spike looking down at her, smiling.

SPIKE: Let me lend a hand, luv.

BUFFY'S POV as Spike's fist comes toward her. Loud SMACK.

Blackout.



ACT IV

INT. - THE MANSION

BUFFY'S POV: The scene opens blurry. It gradually comes into focus for us as Buffy wakes up.

FULL VIEW: We see that Buffy is chained to the wall of the mansion, just as she had been in "Enemies." She looks around to find she isn't the only one. Alex, Anya, Giles & Xander are each chained to the walls of the spacious room.

Dawn is lying on a table in the middle of the room, tied down, looking like a virgin sacrifice from a Satanic horror movie. Spike and Drusilla stand next to Dawn and in front of Buffy, flanked by their vampire henchmen.

BUFFY: I know how things ended with us. But Spike, how could you do this to me? How could you do this to Dawn?

She isn't trying to reason with him anymore. She just wants to understand.

Drusilla's body snakes around Spike's suggestively, her hands caressing him.

DRUSILLA: You rejected our boy. Now he's back where he belongs.

SPIKE: I sure am, my princess. Back to stay.

BUFFY: Then it was all a lie? You never loved me? I was right about you! I knew you couldn't love!

DRUSILLA: 'S not about love, my sweet. 'S about forgiveness. You could never forgive our poor Spikey for being bad. But I can forgive him for being good. (to Spike) As long as it NEVER happens again. Or mummy would be very cross, indeed.

SPIKE: Never again, ducks.

They kiss, making Buffy grimace. Dawn just cries in despair at his betrayal. Spike walks over to Dawn and places his hands above her. He appears ready to perform the ritual, whatever it is. Inexplicably, steam begins rising off of Spike and he pulls out a crystal object. Some sort of sphere.

ALEX (crying): We're all gonna die, aren't we? We're gonna die just like my brother.

ANYA: Well, you just had to come.

SPIKE (rapturous): Ahh, yes, the key's power seeks me out. Draws me toward it.

Buffy finally realizes what was bugging her earlier. She blurts it out to no one in particular, not even sure why it matters.

BUFFY: Spike! He's wearing his duster! But that's impossible! He left it at my house.

DAWN: Buffy!!!

XANDER: Go ahead. Prove my point. I always told them you were nothing but a filthy animal.

Spike turns around to address them.

SPIKE: Sorry, but reverse psychology doesn't work on psychopaths. At least not now that I've embraced my inner Big Bad.

BUFFY (quiet, determined): Listen to me, Spike. Because no matter what happens, I want you to know this. You are the most disgusting creature I've ever met in my life. That I ever believed any differently is the stupidest thing I've ever thought. Letting you touch me is the most loathsome thing I've ever done. You are a sick, demented coward. A rapist and a murderer. And the worst mistake I ever made is not putting you down years ago like the mad dog you are.

Suddenly, the Spike that is holding Dawn BURSTS INTO ASHES. Drusilla and the other vamps are shocked. They turn to face.ANOTHER SPIKE? He's holding a long jagged piece of wood. A look at Buffy, Dawn and the Scoobies shows that they are just as surprised. The sphere is on the floor, unbroken and unnoticed.

SPIKE: Can't disagree with a word you said, love. (to the vampires) All right, wankers. You've had your best shot. Now it's my turn.

BUFFY: Sp-Spike? What's going on!

SPIKE: Yes, Dru. What is going on? And who was that bloke who was almost as good- looking as me?

DRUSILLA: Just a substitute.until I could get the real thing back. And now you're here!

She moves to embrace him, but he shoves her away.

SPIKE (looking around, speaking to everyone): Angel's place?? You thought I'd move into that blighter's house? What a pisser!

VAMPIRE: But I thought you...?

SPIKE: Yeah, well, don't hurt yourself. I can see thinking it'n your strong suit.

FEMALE VAMPIRE: He must be destroyed!

SPIKE: I have been, doll. Don't you fret about that.

The vampires attack Spike. He's whirling through them, fists flying, eyes blazing, vamp bodies and dust flying.

DAWN (from the table): Is it you, Spike??

SPIKE (busy fighting): It's complicated, Nibblet!

Spike is down to one attacker. They are grappling, the vamp holding Spike's arm to keep the stake away. Spike leans over and bites into the other vampire's throat. The other vamp falls to his knees, then on down as his hands go limp. Spike applies the stake, then turns around. He's in vamp- face, blood pouring out of his lips and down his chin. He grins, enjoying the kill. He's truly a monstrous sight.

SPIKE: I've changed. Can't anyone see the difference?

The remaining handful of vamps back away, afraid to take him on. Drusilla edges closer, though.

DRUSILLA: You wouldn't hurt mummy, would you, Spike?

SPIKE: Well, not usually, no. But if that bleeder weren't me, then I'd wager you aren't Drusilla. So, mummy, let's have at it, then.

DRUSILLA: It is me, Spike. He promised if I joined him, he'd bring you home to me. And in a way, he did. Now you're here. It can be like it once was. You can be what you used to be.

SPIKE (sad smile): Funny. That's exactly what I used to think. But I was wrong.

Spike pulls out a blade and cuts Dawn's ties. She jumps up, but just stares at him, still looking undecided about Spike. He hands her an axe, one of the many weapons hanging on the mansion wall, and she moves over to Buffy, starting to hack at the chains. He notices Dawn's apprehension.

SPIKE: Don't blame you, Li'l Bit. I've given you good enough reason to hate me, I imagine.

Buffy, still chained, tries to get Spike's attention.

BUFFY: Spiiiike! Behind you!

We see what Buffy sees. Spike has celebrated too soon. Behind him, the ashes that had been his doppelganger start to regather, becoming another creature. He turns around to find.The Master.

MASTER: Note to self. Hire more competent lackies. Well, no matter. This won't interfere with my fun. After all, they were just decoration. So, Spike, ready to play the hero? Save the humans? You heard what she thinks of you. Think she'll love you then? Maybe a grateful shag?

SPIKE: What do you know of it?

MASTER: Oh, more than you think, William. Much more than you think.

Spike looks uncomfortable at the Master's suggestion.

MASTER (to Buffy): So you're the new Slayer. You're not as pretty as the last one.

BUFFY (offended): I was the last one, dumbass!

MASTER: Oh, well. Sorry. Guess you've aged. Okay, thralls! Fair fights are overrated! Seize them!!

Dawn screams as a couple of vamps grab her before she is finished chopping through Buffy's chains with the axe.

Here they come again. Spike jumps on a table and fights. He's punching and staking again, but soon the numbers get to him and he is overwhelmed, pulled off the table. He struggles against them. Buffy strains against her chains to no avail. And The Master walks calmly over to Dawn.

Spike struggles even more desperately as The Master grabs Dawn by the hair. The chained Scoobies are yelling and screaming in frustration and fear. The Master pulls the sphere back out.

MASTER (to Spike): You failed her before, didn't you? Now, you've failed her again.

Dawn's desperate eyes look at Spike, who looks back at her with the same panicked expression he'd had in "The Gift."

SPIKE: Oh, God, Dawn! NO!!

Drusilla surveys the scene with a worried look, then makes a decision.

DRUSILLA: NOOOOOOO!!!!!

Drusilla runs over to the three vamps who are holding Spike and jumps on one's back, her long, sharp fingernails clawing his eyeballs. He screams and loses his grip on Spike.

Spike makes it count. With his right arm free, he reaches out and grabs one of the torches that have been providing the dim lighting. He slings it into the vampire behind him, setting him on fire. Then he punches the one next to him, knocking him off-balance.

Off to the side, Drusilla has her fingers buried into the eyes of the vamp she'd pulled off of Spike. He is screaming in agony. Her teeth rip into his throat.

The Master just waits as Spike charges him, stake poised to slay.

Buffy throws all her strength into breaking free of her chains, which had been weakened by Dawn's chopping at them with the axe. They shatter as she frees herself and runs for Dawn and The Master.

Spike gets there first, but The Master drops Dawn and grabs Spike, spinning him and easily slamming him into the wall. He loses his stake.

SPIKE (struggling): Buffy.get.Dawn.go!

Spike screams. He's burning. Steaming drops of liquid coming off the Master's body are dripping to the floor, causing it to dissolve. It's like acid. But Buffy doesn't waver. She now has enough time to strike. She picks one of the weapons off the floor, breaks it in half, and shoves it through the Master from behind.

He turns around, wood protruding from his chest. Buffy is stunned. The Master only smiles and backhands her to the floor, steaming liquid burning the floor near her feet.

Buffy lies in a heap on the floor, looking up at the triumphant form of the Master, which now seems to be dissolving, melting. Buffy looks around. Dawn has cut Xander free.

BUFFY (to Xander): Okay. New plan. We can't beat him. Take Dawn and go. I'll hold him off as long as I can. Then you take her to Willow.

ANYA: But Buffy, Willow nearly destroyed the-

BUFFY: Exactly. And that's the kind of power you'll need. And maybe it's like Glory. Maybe if I hold him off long enough, he'll miss his time and-

SPIKE (weakly, through intense pain): No.Let me hold him off. I can't ever put things right with you, Buffy. At least let me do this.

BUFFY: Hold him off? You won't last five more seconds.

The Master interrupts with laughter.

MASTER: So touching, all this self-sacrifice. But as much fun as your deaths would be, they would only delay the inevitable. And I really want ALL of you to witness the Great Transfiguration. That's why you were invited. It's truly an experience not to be missed. So we'll continue this at another time. I want to do it up right. But don't worry, I'll be around. In fact, you never know when I might be standing right next to you.

Cut to: Xander, who is now using the axe to cut free the rest of the Scoobies, starting with Giles.

Cut back: The Master starts to change again. He morphs quickly into Xander, then Dawn, then Giles, then Anya. So fast he's mostly a blur, only holding each form for half a second or so.

Metallica's "The Thing That Should Not Be" begins to play. This version is edited.

Messenger of Fear in sight. Dark deception kills the light. Hybrid children watch the sea. Pray for Father, roaming free.

Fearless Wretch. Insanity. He watches. Lurking beneath the sea. Great Old One. Forbidden site. He searches. Hunter of the Shadows is rising. Immortal. In madness you dwell.

Crawling Chaos, underground. Cult has summoned, twisted sound. Drain you of your sanity. Face the thing that should not be.

The creature begins to grow taller and wider, changing shape and color. The ground starts to crack and more of the acidic liquid pours off him, burning sizzling holes into the floor. The Scoobies, now free, start backing up. Buffy pulls Spike away.

We see their amazed looks, then switch back to what they are seeing.

Their enemy has become some kind of hybrid of animals. It has a catlike body, with spots like a leopard. The feet are those of a bear. The head takes shape, resembling that of a lion, and it roars wrathfully. A column of ten horns starts on the head and flows down the back.

Quickly, the features dissolve into the mass, then begin to reform again. It becomes a dragon, or at least something resembling one. The eyes are glowing red, the body now scarlet and reptilian. Seven dragon heads sprout from the body. It is a sight of graceful deformity. Buffy is the closest, and she has to dodge back to avoid its swishing tail, which is slamming into the walls, peeling plaster. It threatens to grow too large for the mansion.

The mouths open and close, maws of dripping death. Buffy stands firm.

BUFFY: Here's the part I don't get. Why the children? What did that have to do with your ritual?

Mabus' mouths speak wit wet, raspy, inhuman voices. The different mouths alternate speaking the words during the sentence.

MABUS: Nothing, really. The death of a child just brings so much.anguish. Anguish, fear, dread.increase my power. I can feel yours now. (to Alex) And especially yours.

ALEX: You killed my brother, you son of a bitch! And I'm gonna kill you!

Dawn gives Alex a 'you gotta be kidding' look.

XANDER: Admire the large testicles, kid, but escaping this place with your life would be impressive enough.

BUFFY: And how did you know to use Spike to.? Alex was right, you were reading our minds, using our fears against us.

GILES: What the hell are you.Mabus?

MABUS: Mabus? Are they still calling me by that name the crazy Frenchman gave me? Want to know what I am? Over the years, I have assumed the role of Satan and other characters of man's mythology. But who and what am I really?

It morphs again, the heads withdrawing, changing, becoming one. ADAM. The human Adam from "Restless," speaking a line Buffy's heard before in a dream.

ADAM/MABUS (cont'd): Not a man among you remembers.

It continues to morph, the body as malleable as putty, until it is an unidentifiable mass. Then it fades, becoming intangible, just a giant void. It is like a shadow in the shape of the dragon/lion/leopard/bear that had come before it. Then it dissipates, and is gone. Everyone stands there, stunned.

XANDER: Oh, God.

ANYA: Unless we're lucky.

BUFFY: Spike, when did you--?

But she turns to find that he is gone. So is Drusilla.

ALEX: Was that the Devil?

GILES: Yes. I believe it was.

Blackout.