Author's Note: This was written for Script Frenzy 2011 and is meant to be the first in a 5 or 6 episode mini-series set between the end of the television show and the start of the Season 8 comic. The first episode is complete (though Act Four needs a rewrite before posting) and will be put up one act at a time. Enjoy!

The characters are Joss's, not mine, but I thank him for the opportunity to play with them for a bit.

TEASER:

EXT - LONDON STREET - NIGHT

Exterior shot of a comfortable-looking restaurant from across the street.

INT - RESTAURANT - NIGHT

Four WOMEN are sitting at a table inside the restaurant. They all look to be in their forties. One of them - OLIVIA - is an attractive African-American woman. All four of the WOMEN are laughing.

WOMAN ONE

(having trouble getting words out through her laughter)

And then he ... then he ...

OLIVIA

(laughing too)

Careful now, luv. Don't hurt yourself.

WOMAN ONE holds us a finger ("give me a moment, dears") and takes drink of her tea followed by a few deep breaths.

WOMAN ONE

So, after he proposes -

WOMAN THREE

On the second date.

WOMAN ONE

(nodding)

On the second date. He tells me that his mum can't wait for us to move in with her. She has plenty of room and will happily watch the babies - plural! - once they start coming along.

All four WOMEN erupt into laughter again.

WOMAN THREE

Babies? How old are you again?

WOMAN ONE

Hush!

WOMAN TWO

I don't know, though. Man-child may still beat out boring.

WOMAN THREE

(shudders)

Boring men! God, is there anything worse?

WOMAN ONE

(to OLIVIA)

Liv? Didn't you date a librarian?

OLIVIA nods.

WOMAN TWO

A librarian? The epitome of boring? How bad was that?

OLIVIA

Not bad at all, actually. He was ... most definitely ... anything BUT boring.

WOMAN ONE

(leaning forward)

Ooh! Do tell!

WOMAN THREE

So what happened there?

OLIVIA

(suddenly somber)

He died.

EXT - LONDON STREET - NIGHT

The four WOMEN are saying their good-byes in front of the restaurant. OLIVIA she walks off down the street alone.

EXT - LONDON STREET - NIGHT

OLIVIA is walking down the street and we hear a FOOTSTEP somewhere behind her. She hears it too and stops for just a moment then starts walking faster. We hear another FOOTSTEP and OLIVIA starts running. She passes an alley but ignores it, still running ... until ...

Ahead of her, down the block, we see a tall SILHOUETTE step out of the shadows and start walking toward her. OLIVIA spins around to run back the way she came and sees another figure, an unsavory-looking THUG, closer than the other SILHOUETTE, moving toward her.

She runs into the alley.

EXT - ALLEY - NIGHT

OLIVIA runs down the alley, following it as it turns and then comes to a dead stop as she almost runs face-first into a chained wire-fence gate.

OLIVIA

Bollocks!

She spins around and sees the THUG slowly approaching her, a dangerous grin on his face.

THUG

'ullo, luvvie.

OLIVIA

Stay away from me!

THUG

Or what? You'll scream? Go 'head.

(beat)

Jus' makes it more sweeter for me.

He steps toward her and she swings her fist at his face. At first it looks like she missed (we didn't hear any kind of flesh-on-flesh smackage) but then he GROWLS and we see two bloody scratches across his cheek. OLIVIA holds up her fist and we see keys sticking out between all of the fingers.

OLIVIA

Is that sweet enough for you?

The THUG GROWLS again and his face vamps out.

THUG

Yer gonna pay for that, bitch!

MALE VOICE (OFFSCREEN)

(enunciating slowly with an American accent)

You-are you're. Go-ing to. Not 'yer gonna'.

The THUG looks up, surprised, and then turns to dust. Behind him, we see ROBIN WOOD, tall black stud, wearing a black leather (non-biker) jacket and holding a stake.

WOOD (CON'T)

And they say WE butcher the language?

OLIVIA chuckles slightly and begins to recover, relaxing her stance and dropping her fist.

WOOD (CON'T)

Are you all right, Olivia?

OLIVIA

(suddenly wary again)

How do you know my name?

WOOD

We've been looking for you.

OLIVIA

Who ... ?

OLIVIA stops, stunned, looking past WOOD at something.

OLIVIA (CON'T)

(whispering)

Rupert.

EXT - ALLEY - NIGHT

We see RUPERT GILES, wearing a hat and overcoat, has just turned the corner in the alley.

GILES

Hello, Olivia.

END TEASER