ACT FOUR

EXT. WAREHOUSE – NIGHT

The exterior of the warehouse looks, well… like it's some old warehouse. Brick. Has walls. Probably a door someplace. Someplace we should be seeing, since it BURSTS OPEN, HITS THE WALL, and out comes XANDER – stake in hand, doubled over. He tosses a look back over his shoulder. In front of him lies the parking lot.

At nearly the same time, a familiar RED CONVERTIBLE drives into the picture. Screeches to a halt. GILES' CAR – driven by WILLOW. TARA is next to her, ANYA in the backseat.

ON THE CAR – occupants exiting.

WILLOW
(re: Anya)
See? Much better than
when you drove.

ANYA
Barely. I'd be
seasick – if at sea.
(re: Xander)
Xander!

XANDER
An! Will.
Giles?
Giles' car. You
stole Giles' car?

WILLOW
Not stole. Borrowed.

TARA
He gave us the keys
before he left. Said
we could, you know,
use it if the need arose…

WILLOW
I'd say it arose.

SPIKE now stumbles out of the doorway, gash on his shoulder.

SPIKE
Red.

WILLOW
Yeah?

SPIKE
Car. Red car.
(catching his breath, then
re: Xander)
Ok. For the record – next
time we team up,
watch where you bloody
well swing. Ponce.

XANDER
Said I was sorry.

SPIKE
So we got wheels.
Hit a snag – no Drusilla.

TARA
We found Buffy.

SPIKE
Where at?

ANYA
Outskirts of town.
Willow can track her.

SPIKE
Well. One for two ain't
bad.

XANDER
Let's roll.

SPIKE
Let's roll?

XANDER
I just felt the need
to say it.

INT. GILES' CAR – NIGHT

XANDER at the wheel, WILLOW next to him. SPIKE looks somewhat uncomfortable between ANYA and TARA.

SPIKE
Why's the whelp driving?

XANDER
You said your arm
was sore.

SPIKE
You sure you know where
we're going?

ANYA
Directional spell.

TARA
It'll allow
Willow to sense Buffy
for about the next hour.
She's kinda like… a big
compass now. Except
instead of North-

SPIKE
She'll always point
to Buffy.

Tara nods.

XANDER
(calling back over
the drivers seat)
So what's the story?
Find them, charge the place?
Ass whuppings all around
at the hands of a super-strong,
vamped up Slayer?

WILLOW
We can't harm Buffy.
We just need to separate
Dawn…

SPIKE
If there's still
a Dawn to separate…

Off their looks.

SPIKE
Bout time you considered
the fact that Buffy's
not in control – the
demon is. It's been out
having a hell of a romp,
and there's no guarantee…

ANYA
But so long as you get Buffy.

SPIKE
I happen to like Dawn.
More than like. Care for.
Somethin' bout Summers
women – they don't put on airs.
Sides, the girls got courage.
And I owe her.

Peers up at the speedometer.

SPIKE
Step on it, you're
not drivin' Miss Daisy.

XANDER
Spike – make that
bold step into 1999
and drop the tired
jokes. We're going
fast as we can without
careening off the
road in a horrible crash,
which we can do if
you'd really like,
but it won't do
Dawn or Buffy any
good.

SPIKE
Just hurry.

INT. BURNED OUT BUILDING – NIGHT

Back at the BOB (isn't that catchy? I thought so). DAWN is now strapped to the table. BUFFY'S in a chair, legs drawn up to her chin. She's rocking gently. DRUSILLA is preparing a ritual – she has a VIAL OF BLOOD FROM THE CYNAID in one hand, a VIAL OF HOLY WATER in the other.

ON DRUSILLA. Pops the cork. Pours the HOLY WATER over Dawn's forehead. The girl squirms. There isn't much leeway in the ropes however.

DRUSILLA
Still.
There. All clean.

DAWN
Let me go.

BUFFY
Why can't I eat?
Just a little.
She looks ever so
delectable. Hunger
is consuming…
(stops a minute)
Do you think I'm
too thin?

DRUSILLA
Soon. You'll drink.
So will she. And we'll
be a happy little
family. In spite
of my William.

BUFFY
Spike? He's fun.
Can we have
a game with him?
He never let me finish,
before.

EXT. BURNED OUT BUILDING – NIGHT

A nice wide view informs us that the gang has arrived. Car pulling in and all that.

INT. BURNED OUT BUILDING – NIGHT

Back with DRU, BUFFY, and DAWN. We pick up the conversation pretty much where we left off.

DRUSILLA
Now watch, Elizabeth.
The next of your kind.
Your kin. Isn't she
darling? Men will
loose their heads over
her.

Drusilla then POURS THE BLOOD OF THE CYNAID OVER DAWN. Dawn, for her part, struggles some more, but again, it's hopeless.

DRUSILLA
Bathed in power.
(then, carrying something of a tune,
and it's not spell-related but insanity)
Four & Twenty Blackbirds.

DAWN
Please…

Last minute pleading never hurts.

DRUSILLA
You'll wake up soon.
A new girl.

She bends over Dawn and SINKS HER TEETH INTO THE GIRL'S THROAT. Drinks deep. Holds her gently. When she's too weak to move, Dru undoes the cords tying her down. Dawn lies on the table – alive, but barely. She then brings a small ornate knife out of the folds of her dress, and draws it across her wrist.

CLOSE ON Drusilla's wrist, held over Dawn's lips. Blood trickles down, drips over the mouth of the young girl, and she inadvertently swallows. Spits a bit in a vein attempt to prevent the inevitable, then, having had a taste, clamps on to Dru's arm and drinks deep.

WIDEN to take in the whole scene. It seems somehow perverse.

DRUSILLA
(near-whisper)
Family.

It always was ever so important to her.

SMASH CUT TO:

One of the windows, and my are they grand as far an entrances go today. This one (it's boarded, mind you, and the glass itself has long since departed) SPLINTERS INWARDS, and through it comes SPIKE – a rather risky move on his part, all things wooden and sharp considered – followed by XANDER.

XANDER
(seeing Dawn on the table)
Dawnie!

ANGLE ON DRUSILLA and BUFFY, who both let out a hiss.

Back to Spike and Xander, and the women have now filled in behind them, Willow and Tara flanking, Anya holding up the rear.

DRUSILLA
(admonishingly)
Naughty children.
Interrupting us. You
needn't be so rude.
We mean to share...

SPIKE
'Nuff with the games, Dru.
No more. Give over.
I know you've got the
cure for all this.

DRUSILLA
Cure? There's no cure
for this disease before me.
Nothing to save you from
yourself. You really want
to play the hero... why,
Spike? What didn't you
have, before?

SPIKE
(re: Buffy)
Her.

Drusilla HOWLS in response, and Spike launches himself at her. She draws blood, but from her dress he draws what they need – a vial, yellowish, presumably the antidote.

As this happens, Tara breaks out the magic works. Focusing on Buffy, she utters a sole command.

TARA
Restrain.

Lo and behold, Buffy is stuck in place, taken out of the action for the time being. Dru and Spike, however, are between the languishing Dawn and the Scoobies.

WILLOW
Spike!
(catches his attention)
I think... I think
Dawn drank.

Her voice is cracking, face terrified.

ON DAWN – On the table. She's still conscious.

ANYA
Is there enough for both?

Her question goes unanswered.

Bleeding from the cheek where the sharp nails of Drusilla have opened a wound, he twists open the top, drops in the hair from his pocket, recaps and shakes. Serve chilled with fish or fowl. He gives the vial to Xander, and must then return to fending off Dru.

SPIKE
(to Xander)
Give it to the bit.

XANDER
You mixed it with Buffy's-

SPIKE
GIVE IT TO DAWN!

As he fights Dru, we're treated to a voice-over, and it's of Spike himself, back in "The Gift".

SPIKE
(V.O.)
It's always about Blood.

SPIKE
(holding off Dru from the others, and seeing

Xander still frozen)
GIVE IT TO HER!

And finally Xander snaps out of it and comes through. Only Dru and Spike are still between the Scoobies and Dawn.

XANDER
Dawn! Head's up!

Xander TOSSES the antidote to Dawn, who catches it – barely.

XANDER
Drink!

She's just aware enough to drink. Her body SURGES on the table, rife with pain for a moment. A moment later she seems much more vibrant. Rolls off the table and onto her feet.

Spike and Dru remain at a stalemate.

Instead of tears or the expected fifteen-year-old girl/damsel in distress look of well... distress, she's all determination. She faces Buffy, stares her down, but it's not defiance, but love that glows in her eyes.

ON Buffy, and at this moment we hear both the First Slayer and Drusilla again, though we don't see the First Slayer at all, and Dru never parts her lips.

FIRST SLAYER/DRUSILLA
(V.O.)
Love is your Gift.

It comes as a single line, they're identical this time.

Then the first Slayer alone.

FIRST SLAYER
You're full of love.

Buffy's eyes flicker again, but she is still retrained. Until:

TARA
Release.

The wall comes down, and she lunges at Dawn – who stands her ground. The older sister drinks from the younger, then, but it's not exactly violent. It's an embrace.

Dru manages to get the upper hand a moment, and tosses Spike aside. She retreats, as far back from the gang as possible.

ON XANDER, who yells, but Spike restrains him when he tries to rush the girls.

SPIKE
No.

XANDER
(desperate)
She'll kill her.

SPIKE
She won't.

ANYA
She's healing.

It seems Anya has caught on long before her fiancée.

ANGLE ON BUFFY and DAWN – the elder Summers sister (as far as mortal years are concerned) releases the younger from her grasp. Willow rushes to their aid, Spike and Xander hover just behind her, Tara and Anya hang back, giving them some space.

ANGLE DOWN, on the lot of them. Dru has, amongst the commotion, made her exit. The rest are circled around the table.

WILLOW
(note of concern – major concern)
Buffy...?

It's something of a question. Buffy and Dawn are now slumped over the table, holding each other.

BUFFY
Will? What ha-
(she remembers something)
Dawn.

DAWN
(smiles)
Right here.

She runs a finger along the gash in her neck. Not a gash, really, but two small puncture wounds. She collects a dab of blood on her fingers, and holds them between the two of them, the others looking on.

ANGLE ON DAWN AND BUFFY, and Dawn's fingers, which are the focus of the shot.

DAWN
Summers' blood.

FADE OUT

INT. SUMMER'S RESIDENCE – NIGHT

BUFFY rests on the couch in the living room, wrapped in some blankets, looking more snug than ill, though there's little doubt that she's winded from her ordeal. With her are TARA, WILLOW, and DAWN. Dawn, herself having seen better days, rests her head in Buffy's lap.

ANGLE on the kitchen, from which enters ANYA, carrying STEAMING BOWLS OF CHICKEN SOUP. Chicken. It MUST be CHICKEN!

ANYA
(all smiles)
Here!
(offering bowls)
I come bearing chicken soup.
They say it's good when you're
sick. I suppose it'll work
with slight cases of
death as well.
At least until Xander
gets back from the all
night pharmacy with
the painkillers.

DAWN
(taking a bowl, and quietly)
Thanks Anya.

Buffy for her part mumbles some thanks, takes a spoonful – and manages to slop most of it onto her cocoon of blankets. She pouts.

BUFFY
Ugh. No fun.
This is definitely no fun.

DAWN
Slob.

BUFFY
Yeah? Well if I'm a slob
then you're... the slob's
sister.
(off blank stares)
I'm really off my game
tonight.
Where's Spike?

WILLOW
No idea. None
whatsoever. I think
he took off.

She's a horrible liar.

TARA
He... felt it would be best
if he wasn't around you for
a bit. While you mended...

BUFFY
Why? Because his
psycho ex turned
me into an uber-vamp?
(laughs)
Please. Like I'd be
so petty. Drusilla is

insane. It's not like
we didn't already know...
I mean, what kind of
person would I be
to hold that against
Spike...

SPIKE
(Off Screen)
Glad you're so
amicable pet.
Dawn, you good?

Spike walks over to the younger girl, and pets her hair back gently. She peers up at him, smiles – there's still a bit of a crush there.

DAWN
I'm good.

BUFFY
(re: Spike)
I knew you were hiding.

SPIKE
Like I'd really let you
out of my sight luv.
Just wanted to let
you calm.

BUFFY
Don't worry.
I'll be plenty calm –
when I'm kicking your ass!

Buffy SPRINGS forth off the couch, dropping the blankets, and tackles Spike, hitting him, but it's light-hearted, she's not really into it. They drop to the ground, wrestling a bit. The others just watch them go at it, Dawn with a sly smile.

BUFFY
You are so dead.

SPIKE
What else is new.

He flees from the room, and the Slayer gives chase. CUT TO:

INT. XANDER'S APARTMENT – NIGHT

Open on XANDER and ANYA. In the bedroom, getting ready for bed. Changing, yawning, looking busy. Idle hands do the devil's work, idle actors are overpaid.

We're coming in on a conversation in progress.

XANDER
She hit him with a toilet brush?

ANYA
Uh-huh.

XANDER
And he took it?

ANYA
I think he felt kind of bad
about the whole
vamping thing.

XANDER
And I missed it.
I hate being the guy
who gets stuff.

ANYA
Well you're the only
one with their
own car. Such is
the price of success.

XANDER
A car is only a sign
of success when it has
less than twelve years
of rust.

ANYA
Yes honey.

She kisses him and flops into bed.

ANGLE ON the night table, and the clock. It STILL SAYS 7:30.

Xander notices this. Hits it on the top in an attempt to fix it – it's the American way.

Nothing.

ANYA
Xander?

XANDER
Clock's busted.

He peers behind the table.

XANDER
Wait. No, just unplugged.
Wonder why the numbers
stuck. Must be a battery
backup or something.

ANYA
(sleepy)
Great backup, didn't work.

Xander plugs it back in.

The numbers flicker. Then they start to FLASH BY. 7:30 – 3:65 – 0:00 – 5:01 – 6:22 – 1:30. These are the only numbers we see, there are others that flash by too quickly. It sticks on 1:30. Blinking.

XANDER
(puzzled)
Huh.

Hits the SET button or whatnot. Sets in the real time – 4:22.

ANYA
You're making me restless.
Sleep already.

Xander climbs into bed, leans over, and kisses Anya. Settles in for the night.

XANDER
Love you.

ANGLE ON the clock. 4:22. Xander can be seen to the side, in the background. It FLICKERS again for a moment. 1:30 – 0:00 – 4:22. Remains on 4:22.

BLACK OUT

END OF SHOW