Open on the Bronze. Pan down to reveal Dawn asleep on the pool table. She suddenly jerks awake, sits up, begins to do a ballet dance.
She leaps down off the pool table and is confronted by one of the mask minions. They do a ballet-ish dance that basically represents Dawn trying to escape and the demon stopping her. The other two demons appear and join the dance. They surround Dawn as she huddles close to the floor. Then they fling her and she goes sliding across the floor, stopping beside the stage. We see Sweet's feet in red pants and black-and-white dance shoes. They begin to do a tap-dance number, dance down the stairs and toward Dawn... Meanwhile the camera moves up to reveal Sweet. He dances around to the other side of Dawn.
Song: "That's What It's All About."
SWEET:
Why'd you run away?
Don't you like my ... style?
He snaps his fingers and his red suit turns to a blue one.
"He doesn't seem very intimidating," Xander says slowly.
SWEET:
Why don't you come and play?
I guarantee a...
He reaches up to his face, pulls off his mouth and holds the disembodied mouth in Dawn's face. She stares in shock as the mouth continues singing.
SWEET: ...great big smile.
"That's… disturbing," Buffy made a face.
The mouth disappears from his hand and reappears in its normal place.
SWEET:
I come from the
Imagination
And I'm here strictly by your
Invocation [holds up a scroll covered with writing]
"You summoned him?" Buffy asked Dawn.
"No- no, I didn't! I swear!"
So what do you say?
Why don't we dance awhile?
He dances over to Dawn, gestures at her, then dances away again.
"Hey, at least he doesnt seem like he's gonna hurt me… right?" Dawn's voice squeaked.
SWEET:
I'm the hot swing
I'm the twist and shout
[tapdances]
"You gotta say… the guy's got moves," Xander smiled nervously, the tension of the room was high.
When you gotta sing,
When you gotta ... let it out.
[shot of the three minions dancing to the tune]
You call me and I come a-running [dances back toward Dawn]
I turn the music on
I bring the fun in
[makes a string-pulling gesture at Dawn, who gets up]
"Ahh, it's the spell, I swear!" Dawn said.
"We know Dawnie," Tara said.
Now we're partyin'
That's what it's all about. [chuckles]
He dances toward Dawn and she dances backward.
SWEET: 'Cause I know ... what you feel, girl.
He puts his arms around her and they dance together. Dawn looks scared.
SWEET: I know just what you feel, girl.
He spins Dawn away, she dances a few steps away from him.
DAWN: (spoken, nervous) So ... you're like a good demon? Bringing the fun in?
Sweet laughs, shakes his head "no."
Anya laughed. "Of course not!"
SWEET:
All these melodies ... [Dawn sits]
They go on too long
Then that energy
[minions doing a dance-fight]
Starts to come on way too strong
All those hearts laid open, that must sting
"He's talking about people saying things that they wouldn't normally say when they're singing, right?" Buffy asked, looking at Giles.
"Yeah, like Spike singing about you," Xander responded.
"Or you and your girlfriend singing about each other," Spike snorted.
[a door appears beside Sweet, he reaches for the knob]
Plus, some customers just start combusting
Sweet opens the door and a charred smoking corpse falls through it. Dawn stares in horror.
SWEET:
That's the penalty [dances back over to her]
When life is but a song.
[dancing up very close to Dawn, she looks very nervous]
"It's weird… I'm there… and in danger… but at the same time I'm not there at all," Dawn pondered.
You brought me down into this town
So, when we blow this scene
Back we will go to my kingdom below
And you will be my queen
Sweet makes a gesture and Dawn's clothing turns to a satiny ball gown.
"What's he gonna do now?" Dawn asked, horrified.
"Don't worry, we'll stop him," Buffy consoled her.
SWEET:
'Cause I know what you feel, girl [dances up onto the stage]
DAWN:
No, you see
You and me
Wouldn't be very regal
Anya had found some popcorn and was chewing loudly, captivated by the show in front of her.
SWEET:
I'll make it real, girl [dancing around the stage]
DAWN:
What I mean
I'm fifteen
So this queen thing's illegal
"Woo, nice going Dawn!" Xander cheered.
SWEET: [jumps back onto the floor]
I can bring whole cities to ruin
And still have time to get a soft-shoe in
DAWN:
Well, that's great
But I'm late
And I'd hate to delay her
SWEET: [dancing around her]
Something's cooking, I'm at the griddle
I bought Nero his very first fiddle
"Who's Nero?" Dawn asked.
"Um, I believe he was a Roman emperor," Giles responded absentmindedly, like the others he was watching intently.
DAWN:
She'll get pissed
If I'm missed
See, my sister's the Slayer
Xander looked at Anya. "Wait, where did you even get popcorn?" She shrugged.
Sweet stops in mid-kick, looks surprised, stops dancing, turns to Dawn. End of song "That's What It's All About."
SWEET: (spoken) The Slayer?
DAWN: (nods, nervously) Yuh-huh.
"I've played that card myself," Xander joked, but looked down when everyone looked at him weird. "I mean, not with the sister bit, but-" Anya stuffed some popcorn in his mouth.
SWEET: (chuckles, turns to minions) Find her. Tell her ... tell her everything. (Dawn looks nervous) Just get her here. I want to see the Slayer burn.
Dawn looks alarmed.
SWEET: (sings) Now we're partying. That's what it's all about.
Cut to the workout room. Giles holds a large piece of wood. Buffy kicks it in two.
GILES: Good. Good.
BUFFY: I feel like I should ... bow, or ... have honor or something.
Spike snorted.
GILES: It may seem hokey, but we need to work on precision and concentration as much as power. (goes to put the wood down) We're still not sure what we're facing.
BUFFY: (puts one leg up on the horse, stretches) Oh, you'll figure it out. I'm just worried this whole session's gonna turn into some training montage from an 80's movie.
GILES: Ah. Well, if we hear any inspirational power chords, we'll just lie down until they go away. (picks up a towel) Anyway, I don't think we need to work that much on your strength.
BUFFY: Yeah, I'm pretty spry for a corpse. (doing a handstand on the horse)
GILES: (pauses) Have you spoken to Dawn about that incident at Halloween?
Buffy leaps down from the horse, frowns.
BUFFY: Oh. I thought you took care of that. (stretching her arms)
Dawn looked down. Could her own sister not bother to be there.. To, maybe, teach her stuff?
GILES: (softly) Right.
BUFFY: (oblivious) What would I do without you?
Giles looks pensive, turns and begins to walk toward a set of weapons in a display case on the wall.
"Bloody hell, this is gonna be a song," Spike mumbled.
BUFFY: Okay. I'm ready.
Song: "Standing In The Way"
GILES:
You're not ready for the world outside
You keep pretending, but you just can't hide
[picks up something from weapons case]
I know I said that I'd be standing by your side
[walks toward Buffy]
But I…
"Giles?" Buffy asked uncertainly.
Giles throws a small knife at Buffy. She leans backward, lets it fly past her.
GILES:
Your path's unbeaten and it's all uphill
[throws another knife, which she deflects with one hand]
And you can meet it, but you never will
[walking back toward the weapons]
And I'm the reason that you're standing still
Willow looked down. Tara was mad at her… and what's up with Giles?
[looks at her as she stands waiting]
But I...
[walks back, throws another knife, Buffy kicks it aside in slow-motion]
I wish I could say the right words
To lead you through this land.
"Giles, you aren't leaving, are you?" Xander asked. Giles just motioned towards the screen.
[Buffy still kicking in slo-mo]
Wish I could play the father
And take you by the hand [reaching out his hand, then pulls it back]
Wish I could stay here
But now I understand
[walks closer as Buffy does a handspring and then a split in slo-mo]
I'm standing in the way.
As Giles continues singing, we cut to the magic shop. Tara walks in as Willow has her back turned. Willow doesn't see Tara.
Tara understood what she was doing on screen.
GILES: The cries around you, you don't hear at all
Tara walks quickly toward the back, crying, looking at the herb in her hand, begins to climb the steps to the loft.
Everyone was tearing up, except for Anya who was still munching on her popcorn happily.
GILES: 'Cause you know I'm here to take that call
Cut back to the workout room. Giles walks around the perimeter in regular speed as Buffy does flips across the center of the room in slo-mo.
GILES:
So you just lie there when you should be standing tall
But I…
Anya frowned at the empty popcorn box, but grinned when it refilled itself, and she didn't think twice before eating more.
[Buffy punching the punching bag in slo-mo as Giles walks around her]
I wish I could lay your arms down
And let you rest at last
Wish I could slay your demons
But now that time has passed
Wish I could stay here
Your stalwart, standing fast
But I've been standing in the way.
Buffy walks right up in front of Giles, shaking her hair out, still in slo-mo.
GILES: I'm just standing ... in the way.
"Giles…" Buffy blinked the tears out of her eyes. "You- you haven't…"
End of song "Standing In The Way."
Buffy returns to regular speed.
BUFFY: (spoken) Did you just say something?
Cut to the loft. Tara looks through a book. She holds the piece of dried herb up to a picture of the same herb.
Close shot on the book. The herb is labeled "Lethe's Bramble. Used for augmenting spells of forgetting and mind control."
"You- you didn't. After what I've been through?" Tara shouted.
"I'm- I'm sorry!" Willow said, although they both knew the real fight would be on screen.
Song: "Wish I Could Stay"
TARA: (same melody from her previous song)
I'm under your spell
God, how can this be?
Playing with my memory
Spike subtly lit a cigarette.
[turns, goes to the edge of the loft and looks down]
You know I've been through hell
Willow, don't you see?
[below, we see Buffy go over to Willow and greet her]
There'll be nothing left of me
You made me believe.
[Giles emerges from the back, overlaps with Tara's last word]
GILES: Believe me, I don't wanna go
GILES/TARA: And it'll grieve me 'cause I love you so
"Ah- you guys make a good duet," Xander joked, trying to lighten the mood.
[shot of Willow and Buffy talking, oblivious to the singing]
GILES/TARA: But we both know
Tara comes down the stairs and Giles sits at the table as they sing.
GILES
TARA
Wish I could say the right words
To lead you through this land
Wish I could play the father
And take you by the hand
Wish I could trust that it was just this once
But I must do what I must
I can't adjust to this disgust
We're done and I just
GILES/TARA:
Wish I could stay
Tara nodded slightly as she avoided eye contact with Willow.
[Tara reaches the ground level, Giles stands up]
Wish I could stay
Wish I could stay
[They both walk toward the front of the store. Another shot of Buffy and Willow talking]
GILES/TARA:
Wish I could stay...
"I, uh, really don't like this song thing," Buffy bit her lip as she wiped away a tear.
End of song "Wish I Could Stay."
Tara and Giles stand side-by-side as their song ends. Suddenly Spike bursts into the magic shop pulling one of Sweet's minions. Everyone turns to look.
SPIKE: Lookie lookie what I found.
"Oh, Spike's back," Xander said.
"Helping you," Spike grumbled.
TARA: Is-is this the demon guy?
WILLOW: (happily) Tara!
Tara ignores her. Willow looks surprised. Xander and Anya emerge from the back.
SPIKE: Works for him. Has a nice little story for the Slayer, don't you? Come on, then. (shoves the minion forward) Sing.
"See? Helping."
The music swells up dramatically as if to introduce a big musical number, but the minion simply speaks in normal voice.
MINION: My master has the Slayer's sister hostage at the Bronze because she summoned him and at midnight he's going to take her to the underworld to be his queen.
GILES: What does he want?
MINION: (indicates Buffy) Her.
Spike now obnoxiously slurped from a cup. "What are you drinking?" Buffy asked with disgust.
"Root beer, it wasn't like I was going to take the pepsi," Spike replied like it was obvious.
"What?"
"The doll that brought us here made us menus, Anya has popcorn," Spike said. Buffy sighed.
SPIKE: (scoffs) If that's all you've got to say, then-
Spike tries to grab the minion but he breaks free and runs off.
SPIKE: (surprised) Strong. Someday he'll be a real boy.
BUFFY: So. Dawn's in trouble. Must be Tuesday.
"Hey!"
TARA: I-I just left her for a few minutes.
BUFFY: Oh, it's not your fault. So what's the plan?
XANDER: Plan, schman. Let's mount up.
GILES: No.
ANYA: Uh, Dawn may have had the wrong idea in summoning this creature, but ... I've seen some of these underworld child bride deals and, and they never end well. Well, maybe once.
Xander kissed Anya's cheek.
WILLOW: We're not just gonna stay here.
GILES: Yes we are. (looks intently at Buffy) Buffy's going alone.
SPIKE: (disgusted laugh) Gah! Don't be a stupid git. There is no-
GILES: If I want your opinion, Spike, I'll- (pauses to consider) I'll never want your opinion.
WILLOW: A little confusion spell could-
Tara shook her head sadly.
TARA: No! (Willow looks surprised) I mean, I don't think it'll help.
SPIKE: (to Buffy) Look, forget them, Slayer. I've got your back.
I don't want Spike right now! Spike is the last thing I want! Buffy thought.
BUFFY: I thought you wanted me to stay away from you. Isn't that what you sang?
XANDER: Spike sing a widdle song?
ANYA: Would you say it was a breakaway pop hit or more of a book number?
XANDER: Let it go, sweetie.
SPIKE: (to Buffy, angrily) Fine. I hope you dance till you burn. You and the little bit.
Dawn flinched when Spike said that.
Spike exits. Buffy looks at Giles.
BUFFY: You're really not coming.
GILES: (walks up to her) It's up to you, Buffy.
BUFFY: (upset) What do you expect me to do?
GILES: Your best.
Buffy stares at him.
"I can't believe we would… leave her," Willow thought.
Cut to the street. It's dark, red lighting. Some people are doing an angry dance-fight. Pan down to focus on a garbage can with a fire burning inside it.
Buffy walks up in foreground, holds her hand out to the fire.
Song: "Walk Through The Fire"
BUFFY: (verse one)
I touch the fire and it freezes me
I look into it and it's black
Why can't I feel? [looking at her hand]
My skin should crack and peel
[turns to glare at the camera]
I want the fire back!
I need to help her, Spike thought. Why am I not helping her?
Cut to the Bronze. Smoke swirls as Sweet shoves Dawn into a chair, goes to sit in another chair beside her. Dawn looks scared.
BUFFY: (verse two)
Now through the smoke, she calls to me
To make my way across the flame
Xander squinted at the screen. Did he really just let Buffy leave? He wouldn't do that!
[cut back to Buffy standing on the street]
To save the day
Or maybe melt away
I guess it's all the same
Giles wasn't sure he had made the right decision. He should go after her!
(refrain)
So I will walk [starts to walk] through the fire
'Cause where else can I turn?
I will walk through the fire
And let it-
Cut to Spike sitting in an alley smoking a cigarette.
SPIKE: (verse three)
The torch I bear is scorching me
Buffy's laughing, I've no doubt [takes a drag]
Buffy looked down.
I hope she fries
I'm free if that bitch dies!
[tosses cigarette away angrily, then jumps up]
I better help her out. [starts walking]
Yeah, Spike thought. He knew he wouldn't leave her.
Cut to the Bronze.
SWEET: (refrain)
'Cause she is drawn to the fire.
SWEET:
Some people
SPIKE:
She will
SPIKE/SWEET:
never learn.
Spike was unaware of Buffy smiling at him.
[Spike walking down the street. Sweet standing up in the Bronze]
SPIKE/SWEET:
And she will walk through the fire
And let it-
Cut to the magic shop. Willow and Tara sit at the table not looking at each other. Giles stands behind the counter.
GILES: (bridge)
Will this do a thing to change her?
Am I leaving Dawn in danger?
Is my slayer too far gone to care?
Giles avoided everyone's gaze on him.
XANDER:
What if Buffy can't defeat it?
ANYA:
Beady Eyes is right, we're needed!
Xander chuckled. "I love ya too, hairy toes," he whispered.
Or we could just sit around and glare. [looks at Willow and Tara]
Giles comes out from behind the counter, gives Willow and Tara a look. They get up, and they all start walking toward the door.
ANYA/GILES/TARA/WILLOW/XANDER: (refrain)
We'll see it through
It's what we're always here to do
So we will walk through the fire
"Awe, I love you guys," Buffy said.
Is she talking about me too? Spike thought.
Cut to Buffy walking alone through an alley.
BUFFY:
TARA: (descant)
So one by one, they turn from me
I guess my friends can't face the cold
But why I froze, not one among them knows
"What do you mean we don't know, Buff?" Xander asked.
And never can be told.
What can't we face...
If we're together?
The following sequence has Sweet split-screened with the Scoobies as they walk along the street singing. Basically whoever's singing at the moment is on screen.
SWEET:
BUFFY:
ANYA: She came from the grave much graver
SPIKE: First he'll kill her, then I'll save her
TARA: Everything is turning out so dark
SPIKE: No, I'll save her, then I'll kill her
WILLOW: I think this line's mostly filler
GILES: What's it gonna take to strike a spark?
So one by one they turn to me
The distant redness as their guide
That single flame
Ain't what they had in mind.
It's what they have inside.
Going through the motions
Walking through the part
Buffy's eyes watered, and it didn't go unnoticed by Spike.
BUFFY:
SWEET:
These endless days are finally ending in a blaze
She will come to me.
BUFFY, ANYA, GILES, SPIKE, TARA, WILLOW, XANDER:
And we are caught in the fire
[Buffy walking down the street alone]
The point of no return
So we will walk through the fire
[The Scoobies walking down the street. A fire engine goes by behind them with lights flashing]
And let it
Burn
Let it burn
[Spike jumps over a fence, is in an alley]
Let it burn
Let it burn!
Buffy kicks down the door of the Bronze. It smashes to pieces.
SWEET (spoken) Showtime! (chuckles)
Blackout.
"I do hope there's another song," Anya yawned,
"Yeah, gotta love em," Spike grumbled.
Act IV
Buffy walks into the Bronze, looks around, sees Sweet and Dawn sitting in chairs on the stage.
SWEET: I love a good entrance.
BUFFY: How are you with death scenes?
"She can't deny me now," Spike thought, "She saw how much I helped her."
Sweet just chuckles. Buffy walks a little closer.
BUFFY: You got a name?
SWEET: I've got a hundred.
BUFFY: Well, I ought to know what to call you if you're gonna be my brother-in-law.
DAWN: Buffy, I swear I didn't do it.
BUFFY: Don't worry. You're not going anywhere. (Sweet looks at her) I am.
"What?" Willow whispered. Spike looked mildly alarmed.
DAWN: What? (Sweet looks interested, sits forward)
BUFFY: (to Sweet) Deal's this. I can't kill you? You take me to Hellsville in her place.
SWEET: (scoffs) What if I kill you?
BUFFY: (deadpan) Trust me. Won't help.
Willow shrugged.
SWEET: Hm, that's gloomy!
BUFFY: That's life.
SWEET: (chuckles) Come now, is that really what you feel? Isn't life a miraculous thing?
BUFFY: I think you already know.
Song: "Life"
BUFFY: (verse one, ballad-like melody)
Life's a show
And we all play our parts
And when the music starts
"Glad I missed this song," Spike rolled his eyes.
[unbuttons her jacket, opens it]
We open up our hearts.
[drops jacket to the floor]
It's all right
If some things come out wrong
"Awe, that's sweet," Willow said.
[looks over, sees the minions holding pool cues]
We'll sing a happy song
And you can sing along.
"Ooh! I wanna sing along!" Anya smiled.
The beat changes to a harsh hard-rock tune with lots of electric guitar. The minions attack.
BUFFY:
Where there's life [grabs pool cue from minion, hits him]
There's hope
Every day's [elbows second minion]
A gift
Spike snorted.
Wishes can [kick]
Come true
Whistle while [punch]
You work [blow with pool cue]
So hard [blow]
All day [throws pool cue, impales third minion]
Back to the original ballad melody.
BUFFY: To be like other girls.
Giles looked down, did Buffy understand that? She was singing something very deep.
Giles, Anya, Xander, Willow, and Tara run in.
BUFFY:
To fit in in this glittering world. [Sweet watching, listening]
Don't give me songs.
GILES: (spoken) She needs backup. Anya, Tara.
"Yay, I'm gonna dance!" Anya stretched, nailing Xander in the face.
BUFFY: Don't give me songs.
Anya and Tara take up positions behind Buffy to be her backup singers and dancers. The three of them move in sync.
BUFFY:
Give me something to sing about.
ANYA/TARA:
Ahhhhh…
Tara glanced around the dark room and wondered. She loved Willow, with all her heart, and she had introduced her to the scoobies, who are great, but Willow was playing with her memory.
BUFFY:
I need something to sing about.
ANYA/TARA:
Ahhhhh…
"Maybe it would be best, to say goodbye for now," Tara thought as she looked at the row of people beside her.
More dancing. The hard-rock beat returns. The girls dance to it for a minute, then return to the first dance and the ballad.
BUFFY: (verse two)
Life's a song
You don't get to rehearse.
And every single verse
Can make it that much worse.
"I could publish these songs and become rich and famous!" Xander thought.
[Anya and Tara stop dancing, move to background]
[Buffy puts up a hand as if to shield herself from the sight of her friends]
Still my friends
Don't know why I ignore
The million things or more
I should be dancing for.
Spike tilted his head, why was he not there? And was Buffy going to reveal that she as in heaven, it certainly looked like it was leading up to it.
Back to the hard-rock tune. Buffy continues dancing alone.
BUFFY:
All the joy
Life sends
Family
And friends
All the twists
And bends
"Okay," Willow thought. "This is kinda catchy."
Knowing that
It ends
Well that
Depends
Back to the ballad melody.
BUFFY:
On if they let you go
What? Dawn thought. She wasn't saying...
[looking around at the Scoobies]
On if they know enough to know
[walking up the steps to the stage]
That when you've bowed
You leave the crowd.
Willow was confused. Wasn't Buffy thankful that they saved her? She was in hell- an untold hell dimension!
Xander was piecing it together.
She walks up onto the stage, looks back at the others, then at Sweet still sitting. He makes his string-pulling gesture. Buffy walks right up to him.
BUFFY: (verse three, new melody)
There was no pain
No fear, no doubt
Till they pulled me out
Willow put her hands over her mouth. Buffy- she hadn't been in… heaven, had she?
Of Heaven.
Xander gulped. He knew, even before she said it. To be somewhere as wonderful as heaven and then immediately be thrown into your mortal body in a coffin in the ground… Buffy had been through more than they'd thought.
[looks back at the others. Giles and Xander looking surprised]
So that's my refrain.
[Willow looking horrified]
I live in Hell
"No, no no..." Willow whispered.
[Xander looking horrified]
'Cause I've been expelled
From Heaven
I think I was in Heaven
[Willow looking horrified]
So give me something to sing about.
Spike was looking at Buffy- his Buffy, not the Buffy on the screen. She wasn't looking at the screen either.
[whirls around to look at Sweet]
Please
Give me something…
"No," Dawn thought. "It couldn't be… Her big sister, who always took care of her… had been pulled out of heaven."
Giles didn't know what to do, or say… He just took in a deep breath… and cleaned his glasses.
Sweet shakes his head. Buffy gives a desperate look, turns and flips off the stage onto the floor. The hard-rock tune returns with the electric guitars playing a wild riff. Buffy dances, faster and faster. Dawn watches in dismay. Sweet leans forward expectantly.
"Am I going to burn?" Buffy asked.
Buffy spins wildly round and round and round, smoke begins to curl off her.
Suddenly Spike appears, stops her by grabbing her upper arms. Buffy gives him a desperate unhappy look.
Xander breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe it was selfish, but he wanted her here, with the scoobies.
SPIKE: (verse four, same melody as verse three)
Life's not a song
Life isn't bliss
Life is just this
It's living
Buffy looked at Spike, who to her surprise was looking at her. She shot him a smile.
[brushes hair back from her face]
You'll get along
[Dawn stands up]
The pain that you feel
You only can heal
By living
Dawn wanted to hug Buffy- but she was processing things, Dawn knew to stay away. For this song, at least.
[Buffy looks about to cry]
You have to go one living
So one of us is living.
Buffy stares at Spike. Dawn walks forward to the edge of the stage.
DAWN: (spoken) The hardest thing in this world ... is to live in it.
Buffy looks at Dawn, then back at Spike.
Shot of Tara trying to comfort Willow.
Tara isn't here to comfort me now, because of how stupid I was," Willow thought.
Last few chords. End of song "Life's A Show."
Sweet applauds.
SWEET: Now that was a show-stopping number. (Buffy and Spike turning to look at him) Not quite the fireworks that I was looking for.
WILLOW: Get out of here.
SWEET: Mm, I smell power. (stands) I guess the little missus and I should be on our way. (Dawn backing away from him in fear, sitting back down)
Dawn gulped.
GILES: That's never going to happen.
SWEET: (chuckling) I don't make the rules. She summoned me.
DAWN: (to Sweet) I so did not. (to others) He keeps saying that.
SWEET: You have my talisman on, sweet thing.
Where could she get a talisman, the Magic Box maybe? Buffy thought.
Sweet reaches to touch the necklace Dawn is wearing. She cringes in fear, cowers away from him.
DAWN: (very nervous) Oh, but, no, I, I, um, uh, this, at, at the Magic Box, on the floor, I was, I was cleaning, and I ... forgot ... but ... I didn't summon anything.
SWEET: Well now, that's a twist.
"If it wasn't her, who summoned him?" Giles asked.
GILES: If it was in the shop ... then one of us probably...
Beat. They all look around at each other.
Slowly Xander raises his hand.
ANYA: Xander?!
Buffy giggled a little, would Xander have to be his Queen? Unbeknownst to her, Spike was smiling at her, as was Giles.
XANDER: Well, I didn't know what was gonna happen! I just thought there were gonna be dances and songs. (to Anya) I just wanted to make sure we'd... we'd work out. (nervous smile) Get a happy ending.
SWEET: (chuckling) I think everything worked out just fine.
XANDER: Does this mean that I have to... (gulp) be your queen? (Anya looks anxious)
SWEET: It's tempting. (Xander looking apprehensive) But I think we'll waive that clause just this once.
"See? Everything worked out, guys!" Xander said nervously.
Xander is intensely relieved. Everyone else just continues watching Sweet.
SWEET: Big smiles everyone! You beat the bad guy.
He does a quick spin.
Song: "See You In Hell"
SWEET: (same tune as his first number)
What a lot of fun
You guys have been real swell
[chuckles, begins dancing]
Buffy sighed, It's sad my life makes such a good tv show, she thought.
And there's not a one
Who can say this ended well
[Buffy and Spike watching]
All those secrets you've been concealing
[Willow, Tara, Giles, and Xander watching]
Say you're happy now,
Once more with feeling.
Willow sniffed.
Now I gotta run
See you all...
He turns into a ball of light that swirls around their heads, leaving a sparkly trail. They watch it go.
SWEET: ...in heeeeeeell!
"It's- it's over, right? All the songs?" Xander asked.
End of song "See You In Hell."
Everyone stands around looking kind of shell-shocked.
Dawn walks across the stage in foreground with the others in background.
Song: "Where Do We Go From Here?"
DAWN:
Where do we go ... from here? [walks to the steps and down]
"Yes! Another song, and I made it happen!" Dawn said excitedly, making a few smile.
BUFFY/SPIKE:
Where do we go ... from here?
Willow looked at Spike and Buffy. Looking at it, the two had chemistry, but Spike wasn't good for Buffy, and Buffy hated Spike, so it would never happen.
GILES:
The battle's done
And we kind of won
GILES/TARA:
So we sound our victory cheer
Where do we go from here?
ANYA/XANDER:
Why is the path unclear
Why aren't I leaving, Spike said. This is such a stupid song.
When we know home is near?
They all move to stand in a line side-by-side.
ALL:
Understand we'll go hand in hand [all join hands]
But we'll walk alone in fear. [all release hands and walk off in different directions]
GILES:
Tell me!
"We should start a singing… what's it called when you have seven people who sing?" Anya asked.
ALL:
Where do we go from here?
When does the end appear?
They all make a dance gesture with their arms.
Close on Spike. In the middle of singing "appear" he suddenly stops, scoffs, puts his arm down.
SPIKE: (spoken) Bugger this.
Spike turns and leaves. The song continues without him.
Buffy giggled.
ALL:
When do the trumpets cheer?
The curtains close on a kiss, god knows
Cut to outside. Spike exits and begins walking down the street.
ALL: (faintly) we can tell the end is near.
Buffy comes out of the Bronze after Spike.
BUFFY: (spoken) Hey.
Buffy knew what she was going to do, and the scoobies wouldn't like it.
ALL: (faintly) Where do we go from here?
End of song "Where Do We Go From Here."
SPIKE: (spoken) You should go back inside. Finish the big group sing. Get your kum-ba-yayas out.
BUFFY: I don't want to.
Spike sighed, Buffy never knew what she wanted.
SPIKE: (sighs) The day you suss out what you do want, there'll probably be a parade. Seventy-six bloody trombones.
BUFFY: Spike...
SPIKE: Look, you don't have to say anything.
BUFFY: (sings) I touch the fire and it freezes me.
"Oh, great," Buffy whispered.
Spike looks surprised. They walk toward each other.
SPIKE: (sings) I died...
BUFFY:
SPIKE:
I look into it and it's black
This isn't real
But I just want to feel
So many years ago.
But you can make me
Feel
Xander looked at the screen, horrified, were they going to...
As they hold the last note on "feel" they walk right up to each other. They finish the song and kiss passionately.
ALL: (singing) Where do we go from here?
Spike couldn't believe it. It was clearly Buffy who initiated the kiss!
The words "The End" flash on the screen, then an image of curtains that draw closed over Buffy and Spike as they continue kissing.
Blackout.
Buffy tried to look innocent.
Everyone started talking at once.
"Buffy, he has no-"
"She can't have seriously-"
"I mean, give her a break-"
"I can't imagine that-"
Buffy smiled and looked at the now black screen. "Could we watch some more?"
Silence.
"Uh, I mean, sure! Yeah, but this will be your past. Very, very far back," the voice said, blasting from the speakers
Buffy smiled. It was nice watching herself do stuff.
"How do we know you aren't slowly killing us?" Giles asked.
"You don't, I guess, but I would never kill you guys. My name's Lynn, by the way. Now… play."
And the screen lit up.
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~ giraffesplaycello
