ACT ONE

INT. SUMMER'S RESIDENCE – KITCHEN – DAY

It's a bright, bustling morning in what remains of the Summer's household. Rays of sunlight beam into the Kitchen as BUFFY bounces back and forth from one cupboard to another, pulling out BOWLS and PLATES and various breakfast paraphernalia. Buffy and DAWN seem to have a mother/daughter thing going when it comes to breakfast. Or at least Buffy is working towards that end – Dawn seems to feel that she can pour her own bowl of cereal. She's probably right.

Dawn happens to be sitting at the counter munching happily on a bowl of whatever – lets say Lucky Charms. Which Buffy attempts to refill – as Dawn is eating.

CLOSE ON the bowl, which Dawn has to yank out of the way to prevent Buffy from refilling. Some charms (purple horseshoes, green clovers, blue diamonds) scatter across the table.

WIDEN to a admonishing Buffy and an annoyed Dawn.

DAWN
I'm fine.

BUFFY
Scientists say a healthy
breakfast is the key to
a productive day.

DAWN
Did they happen to mention
what eating a ton of sugary
cereal does for your day?
I ate two bowls already.
I'm fine.

BUFFY
Don't complain if you're
hungry later.

DAWN
Later I'll have lunch.

BUFFY
Well you can only have one.

Dawn growls in frustration. Buffy mops up the spilt charms. It's getting closer and closer to being all marshmallows and no cereal.

BUFFY
Straight to school.
And straight back – I
need to patrol tonight,
and I want to know
you're in before I head out.

DAWN
You know, I bet Tara
doesn't hassle Willow like
this every morning.

BUFFY
That's completely different.
Tara and Willow are old
enough to look after
themselves. Plus they're
powerful witches.

DAWN
And I'm what, five and unable
to feed myself or make my way
to school?

A knock on the door announces the arrival of GILES, who opens it up on his own. Seems he has a key.

ON THE Door, as Giles enters.

GILES
Buffy?
(sees Dawn)
Oh, good morning Dawn.
I believe that was your bus
which just drove by.

Dawn lets out another groan of frustration.

GILES
I'll give you a lift.

INT. WILLOW & TARA'S ROOM – DAY

Tara's standing in the doorway, arms crossed, waiting impatiently. Willow is… Willow is running about like a chicken with its head cut off.

TARA
We're going to be late.

WILLOW
Coming.

Willow starts towards her.

WILLOW
Wait.
No, I'm not.
Hang on.

She heads back, grabs her books, heads out again. Stops, turns back, grabs her keys, heads out again.

WILLOW
Alright. Ready. Set.
Lets go.

TARA
I think if we hurry we
might catch the last half of
the lecture.

WILLOW
(meekly)
Sorry.

TARA
And you skipped breakfast!
It's the most important meal
of the day!

EXT. CHURCH – DAY

Establishing shot of the Church – it's the same one from "Pangs".

INT. CHURCH – DAY

An opening peak up between the pews towards the alter. In the background, we hear voices – muffled, what is being said can just be made out. The church itself is empty save the source of the voices.

FATHER LEVACK
(O.S.)
Everything is in order.

GRILLANDUS
(O.S.)
Good.

As this conversation progresses, we track up the main aisle of the Church, hang a left at the alter, and come to the Rectory.

INT. CHURCH – RECTORY – DAY – CONTINUING

From outside the Rectory we look in, through the door. The room is almost completely dark – the windows have been covered.

In the doorway of the Rectory we see the outline of FATHER LEVACK, current pastor of the Church. His back is to us, but the priest's garb is unmistakable. He's the Exorcist stereotype of priests – Max Von Sydow style. WHITE HAIR, old. Reaching that point where you just might question that which your life was devoted to. Unlike the Sydow character, though, it seems Father LeVack has conceited defeat. He's conversing with a Vampire in a Church, after all.

It is from this point of view that we get our first significant glimpse of GRILLANDUS, and he is anything but what one would expect of a Vampire. Well, he's got the blacks down – but that's only because Grillandus himself is dressed in a PRIEST'S GARB. His black hair hangs to his shoulders, and around his neck – the glint of gold from earlier on – hangs a CRUCIFIX.

GRILLANDUS
You have done well, son.
Salvation will soon be
earned, and you shall live
forever in the glory of
the almighty Lord and Savior.

FATHER LEVACK
(obviously fearful of this creature)
Thank… yes. The names… the list
you asked for. On the desk.

GRILLANDUS
Very well.
You may leave.
Perform your traditional
duties. Tonight the hunt
for the infidels will continue.

With these words the door SLOWLY SWINGS SHUT – with no apparent move to close it made by either party. The shaken Father LeVack remains staring at it a few seconds before taking his leave.

EXT. MAGIC BOX – DAY

We follow DAWN, now free from school, to the Magic Box.

INT. MAGIC BOX – DAY

Through the door with her now, where she runs into WILLOW and TARA. GILES is restocking some shelves. From the look of things – BOOKS, CANDLES, various BOTTLES of magic-potion-like potions – the two witches are at work on some conjuring.

WILLOW
(looks up as Dawn enters)
Dawnie!

TARA
Hey Dawn.
School out early?

DAWN
Someone let a stink bomb
off in the café. They evacuated
the whole school and gave us
the day 'cus they couldn't get the smell out.

WILLOW
We could work a spell…

DAWN
And then I'd be back in boring
math class. Thanks but no thanks.
How come you guys are here?

WILLOW
(innocently)
We might have missed
a lecture. And then missed
another lecture because we
were a bit busy catching up on the
notes from the first lecture.
(beat)
But I swear it wasn't my fault!

DAWN
Uh-huh.

TARA
Want to watch us try this
spell? We're working
on a strength inducing
potion… something that will
get the adrenaline and stamina
up when fighting vamps.

WILLOW
Ve Vant to Pump You Up!

Dawn's reaction speaks for itself. L-A-M-E, but she'd never tell Willow that, she likes her far too much.

TARA
Well actually we want to
pump all of us up.
Buffy's got vamps down,
but when she goes up against
something bigger…
Plus, the rest of us…

WILLOW
We've got some nifty spells
but Xander and Giles would
probably appreciate something
like this.

GILES
(freeing himself from restocking for a moment)
I'm sure we would.
However, I do recall Buffy
saying something about
Dawn heading straight home
after class…

DAWN
Giles! I'll only stay a bit.
I'm out early, remember?
And I can help. I can
be like, your Guinea Pig.
Make me all strong and stuff.

TARA
Well we're not really at the testing
stage yet.

WILLOW
We'd be more likely to turn
you into a Guinea Pig.

DAWN
Well I'll stand back and watch
then. Can't get into much
trouble doing that. And I don't
want to be a new playmate for Amy.

With this she crosses the room, hops up on the counter, and picks up a small trinket – in the shape of a lightening bug – that had been lying next to the cash register, part of Giles' restocking efforts.

CLOSE ON the trinket, for a moment, in her fingers. Suddenly, it SPARKS – shoots light out, definitely of a magical nature.

ON DAWN as she drops it with a start. It sparks twice more then lies still on the floor.

DAWN
(meekly)
Sorry.

GILES
Dawn, please, I really wish
you wouldn't play with the
merchandise. At least pick something
that isn't quite so flammable. Contrary to
popular belief, that particular charm is
rumored to have started the fire that
leveled Moscow during Napoleon's
advance in 1812.

DAWN
How about I fiddle with
a pair of Chicken's Feet?
Those are cool, right?
(meekly)
And don't start devastating
infernos?

GILES
I suppose.
Just be on your way on
time. Otherwise Buffy
will be worried sick
and blame me when she
finds out… and then
she'll back out of helping
me rearrange the upper
level of the shop tomorrow.

The last part of this he says almost to himself, but the others catch it and Dawn rolls her eyes at it.

WILLOW
I'm sure she won't ditch you.

TARA
We'll help too if you want

WILLOW
And Anya will be around.

DAWN
Where is she?
(semi-sarcastic)
Doesn't she work here?

TARA
Spent the day scouting
wedding locations.

GILES
I gave her the day off.
One more conversation about
wedding dresses with her and
I was afraid I would snap.
Or possibly wind up modeling
some for her.

At this Dawn giggles, Willow can't help but let out a little one of her own, and Tara just smiles.

TARA
We'll head out with Dawn
once we finish up.

WILLOW
Let you have some
quality masculine time
to yourself, without
us gals bugging you
with dress talk and
feminine things.

GILES
Masculine time to myself?

WILLOW
That kinda came out
not so right.

GILES
I should say so.
Very well – I'll be in
the back for a spell.
I mean, for a period
of time. Not to conjure.
Well.

Seeing he's botched a perfectly good conversation for no good reason, he heads off.

Then calls back.

GILES
By the way, I've left
a bucket of water by
the-

CUT TO the door, which bursts open, and in runs Spike, covered in a smoldering blanket.

He throws the blanket to the floor, spots the aforementioned bucket of water, and pours it over the blanket, soaking the shop floor in the process.

GILES
Door in case Spike
decides to drop by
early again.

Spike perks up at the mention of his name.

SPIKE
Rupert! Good thinkin'
leaving the water by
the door mate. Makes my
entrance less Kentucky fried.

GILES
(exasperated)
You were supposed to
put the blanket in the bucket,
not vice-versa.

Giles heads to the back. A.k.a. Exit Giles.

SPIKE
(calls after him)
Oh. Right. Sorry.
(re: the group)
So. How goes the
struggle for right?
Still a spectacular pain
in the rear end?

TARA
We do what we can.

SPIKE
Uh-huh. I'd rather
do what I want.

DAWN
So what's up.

SPIKE
The usual.
Seekin' the slayer.

WILLOW
I've never seen a vampire
spend so much time with
a Slayer. Well maybe Angel. Still,
seems like a big warning bell.
BEEP – Trained killer
on a mission to destroy my
kind.

SPIKE
(defensive)
Not like she'd
off me. Chip, no chip. Don't
matter a bit. I've been good.
Haven't had a fresh meal in over
a year now. Think of me
as in recovery.

TARA
Where relapses are
deadly.

SPIKE
Well aren't you a morbid
bunch today? Here I bring
bright cheerful news for Buffy,
and all you ramble on about
is death and who I've eaten lately.

WILLOW
Force of habit.
So what's the good news?

SPIKE
Someone's been
feeding over by the church.
Drained blokes turning up.
Means one thing – new vamp in
town. Now, most of my kind avoid
holy places – seems there's
this strange aversion to
organized religion. So this
guy's interesting.

DAWN
That's good news?

SPIKE
Well you gotta love the M.O.
Besides, busy Slayer's a happy
Slayer, right?

Off their expressions as they all stare at him.

SPIKE
What? What'd I say?

TARA
A vampire hanging out near
the Church…

WILLOW
They don't tell you about that one
in the brochure. Vamps and Church.
What with the big crosses and holy
water… making the place all
holy… Definitely an exception
to the norm.

SPIKE
As I said – interesting M.O.
There's the odd vamp with a fetish
now and then – Angelus
had to have his missionaries,
some like to feed off priests
– but usually the ones going
for religious types are old
and powerful.

DAWN
This is how you intended
to cheer up my sister?

SPIKE
Well she's the Slayer!
It sounds fun to me.

DAWN
You need to get out more.

EXT. CHURCH – NIGHT

BUFFY hunts stealthily through the yard in front of the church. There really isn't much sign of activity however. Dark and quiet. That pretty much sums it up.

XANDER
(off-screen)
So Spike sent us to Church?

BUFFY
He sent us to patrol the Church.
I mean, he didn't send us.
I chose to follow his lead.

XANDER strolls into the frame.

BUFFY
And you chose to keep
me company. Thanks.

XANDER
I chose to keep my sanity.

BUFFY
Anya still in the wedding craze,
huh?

XANDER
Craze? More like a mania!
In fact, it's the Beatle mania
of weddings.

BUFFY
She'll get over it.

XANDER
No, she won't.
It's a wedding. She'll
go nuts with the planning,
we'll scrape by the expenses
thanks to my new job and
the sudden, well-timed,
spontaneous raise for Anya
courtesy of Giles – I really
need to thank him for that – and
(briefest of pauses, then sort of
dreamy – but not, repeat, not, cheesy)
then we'll be married.

BUFFY
Ok. So she won't get over it.
But you know what I mean.
It's going to be so good.
You'll see.
(pause of her own)
You know, of all of us…
The Scooby Gang…
I never though you'd
be the first one tying
the knot. I mean, don't take
it-
(there's no good way out of this for her)
I oops'ed.

XANDER
No, you didn't.
It's cool. I never
thought it would be me
either. I never thought about
it, period. Then, wham!
Whacked out bitch-God
goes on a rampage, and
suddenly life moves into
fast-forward.

BUFFY
She's a lucky woman.

XANDER
Glory?

BUFFY
Anya.

XANDER
(with a smile)
I know. But something
tells me I'm getting the
better deal.

BUFFY
Oh, I dunno…

This (Awkward? Gratifying? Just plain old happy?) moment lasts a second. Then:

XANDER
Glory being dead though – lucky
in its own special way. That "one
less psycho hellgod to deal with"
way.

BUFFY
No joking your way out of
compliments tonight. Anya's
lucky to get you. Any girl
would be.

It's quite possible that Xander is BLUSHING. Plausible even.

XANDER
Th-

From off-screen comes a LOUD SCREECH – the whine of a DOOR OPENING, but Buffy and Xander have whirled around, both with stakes in hand.

ON BUFFY AND XANDER – their expressions.

CUT TO the entrance to the Church. Standing in the doorway is FATHER LEVACK, looking small, innocent, priest-like. His black garb makes forms a silhouette in the doorway, the church within remaining relatively well lit despite the late hour. It's basically black silhouette, white backdrop. Few details.

FATHER LEVACK
Ms. Summers?
Buffy Summers?

Buffy and Xander approach the entrance slowly, cautiously – but not too cautiously. It is, after all, a Church – and along with it comes an image of safety. There's also some awkward fidgeting and quick hiding of the aforementioned stakes – of which Xander does a rather poor job, letting the end of it poke out, tenting his shirt.

BUFFY
Father, uhh…
Do I know you?

FATHER LEVACK
No, child.
I don't see how you
would. I did not attend
your mother's… services.
I had heard the worst about yourself,
but it seems as if you're in better
circumstances than had been thought.

BUFFY
Thank you. I don't believe I've
seen you… in the community
much.

FATHER LEVACK
Unfortunately, I don't
get to converse outside of my
own flock as much as I'd like.

BUFFY
Oh. I remember the old
priest here… sort of.

FATHER LEVACK
I took over the parish after
Father Gabriel….

XANDER
(cutting in)
Perished?

FATHER LEVACK
(taking no notice)
After Father Gabriel's untimely
demise. But in my, uh,
business - faith – it's hard
not to know of one
of the soldiers of the light.

BUFFY
Oh. You know, I don't
really consider myself much
of a soldier.

XANDER
Breast-plate gray – not
her color.

BUFFY
But I'm very pleased to
meet you.

This comes out rather corny – Buffy would rather be continuing on in her patrol – but Father LeVack takes it in stride. In fact, he wanders back into the Church, and Xander/Buffy have no choice but to follow him, for it seems like he isn't done with his sermon of sorts. Well, they could be rude, but…

INT. CHURCH – NIGHT – CONTINUING

FATHER LEVACK
I was just locking up.
Perhaps you'd like tea?
The Church isn't so
old fashioned.
I probably have some cookies
stashed away as well.

XANDER
Cookies. Very modern.
Actually I wouldn't mind a-

BUFFY
No thanks.
We can't really stay.

FATHER LEVACK
I see. You know, my
Lord normally wouldn't approve
of one so young wandering
about so late at night.

XANDER
(a little over-enthusiastically)
God watches out for us all, right?

FATHER LEVACK
But as you're the Slayer…
There have been such terrible
reports of late, from my flock…
Evil is at work in Sunnydale.

LeVack seems tired. Emotionally, more so than physically.

FATHER LEVACK
It always is.
Witches now, I am told.
Practicing maleficium, enacting
curses. Igniting Lord knows
what troubles.

Xander's pretty much dumbfounded at this point, and Buffy does the talking, as one-sided as the conversation is.

BUFFY
Witches?
Bad witches?

FATHER LEVACK
Why there's no other kind.
Her power, it stems from
Satan himself. Why just this
past week one of my parishioners
informed me that a witch had
brought hail upon her gardens.
Just hers, mind you – her neighbor's
property stayed perfectly dry.
Hail, though. The size of
golf balls.

BUFFY
Witches…

FATHER LEVACK
Oh my, yes. Vampires are
not the extent of Sunnydale's
unnatural side.

XANDER
Bad witches. Got it.
We'll keep an eye out.

FATHER LEVACK
See that you do.
Now, if there's no time
for tea, I must really
lock up.

He herds them both out the door.

FATHER LEVACK
Goodnight to you both.

And with that the large Church doors swing shut with a HEALTHY CRASH.

XANDER
Did that guy seem just a
tad too fourteenth century
to you?
(mocking Father LeVack)
A witches power stems from Satan!
Hail, hail I tell you, they made
it hail!
(back to regular Xander)
I'm surprised he didn't
spout off about the Sabbath
or mention something about
"bubble, bubble, toil and
trouble".

BUFFY
Xander, I'm shocked.

XANDER
Why? Come on Buff, Willow
And Tara are witches and they're
not bad. That guy was just-

BUFFY
Actually I meant I was shocked
that you were awake during our
grade twelve history class.
Personally I've forgotten most
of it. But yeah – a speech on
the Sabbath sounds like
it would be in the sequel –
if we ever talk to him again.

XANDER
Willow and Tara keep
me on my toes. And Anya.
The lot of them being all
history buffs…

BUFFY
And here Buffy's not a history buff.

XANDER
I just haven't heard a sermon
like that outside of a
textbook. Until tonight.

BUFFY
Me neither.

XANDER
And yet you're the University student.

BUFFY
Ex.

XANDER
(embarrassed, trying to make the save)
I'm sure you'll get-
(slightly panicked)
Vampire.

BUFFY
I get enough of those
already.

XANDER
Vampire.

REVERSE ANGLE to see GRILLANDUS, standing regally, the CROSS around his neck shining with an unnatural glint. His face betrays no emotion.

BLACK OUT

END OF ACT ONE