Author: Jennifer
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer do not belong to me, but to Joss Whedon and UPN.
Spoilers: Post-Lessons (Season 7 opener) References to Fool For Love and Season 6
Summary: School basement. Dawn. Buffy. Newly souled and questionably crazy Spike.
Feedback: I'd love some : )
Author's Notes: It's in a script format (more detailed of the littler things, though), but I've kind of forgotten exactly how it works, so it may be some wrong. And, plus, the little poem about William the Bloody is from the original final scene of Beneath You, although, I altered it some.

JUST NEED TO

1          INT.            SCHOOL BASEMENT – MORNING

Camera goes slowly down grim, gray corridor. The sound of water dripping is heard softly in the background. The camera moves past two large RATS and turns the corner revealing

DAWN
Buffy, I get what you were telling me now.

She pauses a moment as we
CUT TO: BUFFY, her eyes are tired and mournful as she listens to her younger sister.

DAWN (cont'd)
Spike isn't good. He will never be good.

A beat. The camera is still on BUFFY and we see her wince slightly at the words.

DAWN (cont'd)
Are you taking that back?

CUT TO: DAWN, her eyes are wide and she sounds exasperated

DAWN (cont'd)
After what he did…*tried* to do?

Pause. DAWN flails out her arms and gently stomps her foot on the cement floor.

DAWN (cont'd)
He tried to rape you!

CUT TO: BUFFY, who's had enough

BUFFY
But he didn't!

She pauses, her arms firmly at her sides. There are no sounds, omitting the drips of water that seem to be louder as no words escape from neither sister. BUFFY's eyes remain locked onto the younger girl's. Sighing…

BUFFY
And… (searching for words) Look, Dawn, last year…(beat) I've done things that I'm not proud of at all.

CUT TO: LONGSHOT of BUFFY and her sister. The slayer's eyes flicker to something behind DAWN. BUFFY's voice is subdued

BUFFY (cont'd)
Oh…the things I did to him –

DAWN (Interrupts, a tint of anger in her eyes)
No, you listen to me! What he did was UNFORGIVEABLE!

CUT TO: BUFFY, her gaze lowers to the floor, her face blank

OS - DAWN (cont'd)
He tried to FORCE himself on you! There is nothing you could've done that is worse than that!

CUT TO: DAWN, she looks as if she is about to cry, as her voice gets louder

DAWN (cont'd)
What can you have done that was even POSSIBLY, REMOTELY close to tha —

She stops abruptly when she hears something behind her, mouth still hanging slightly open.

OS – MALE VOICE: BRITISH
Used my love, abused my body, and screwed me 'til I cried.

DAWN slowly closes her mouth and turns, just as slowly, to look behind her. The camera moves to show SPIKE, he is in the shadows, sitting on the ground. His knees are to his chest and he leans on the dirty wall. As we move closer to him, we see his roots are evident, his curly hair, and his black shirt unbuttoned revealing deep gashes on his chest.

SPIKE (muttering)
It's a poem. Of sorts.

SPIKE's head is down. His left elbow rests on his left knee and his right elbow is tucked between his thigh and stomach as his right hand runs through his messy hair.

SPIKE (cont'd)
William the Bloody Awful Poet, died and he didn't know it (chuckles), but he skips down the lane, bad dog, good dog, it's always the sodding same.

He giggles at his poem, then stops abruptly as if he's been slapped

SPIKE (cont'd)
Poetry. Poetry. Poetry…

He continues his babblings as we CUT TO a shot of all three. BUFFY is still blank as she stares at SPIKE. DAWN's anger has been replaced my slight horror, confusion, and shock-though she is not surprised the vampire is there, surprised at what the vampire is saying. She turns back to BUFFY, only to jolt back around when SPIKE suddenly yells
CUT TO: SPIKE

SPIKE
ENOUGH WITH THE POETRY!

His head buries deeper into his knees and hand as his words crack and break

SPIKE (cont'd)
Butterflies wings wilt and the pretty puppies run away, like they do.

CUT TO: DAWN with BUFFY in the back ground. The focus is on DAWN as confusion etches in deeper. As the focus switches to BUFFY, we see a range of emotions on her. Confusion, sadness, and a touch of concern?
CUT TO: SPIKE

SPIKE (cont'd)
(Stronger) And it's dark and bright, and I'm stuck in the middle.

He bangs his head back against the wall and his left arm falls from his knee to his side, hitting the ground with a soft thud. Immediately, as his hand touches the ground, he brings it up to his chest and pushes. His head moves back and forth twice, eyes closed, banging the wall each time.

SPIKE (cont'd)
Oh, God… Oh, God…

CUT TO: BUFFY and DAWN, they both stare at SPIKE. The dripping water is all of a sudden very loud again. The bell signaling class was starting rings and startles DAWN. When the ringing ceases, it's a couple of moments before someone speaks
CUT TO: BUFFY, her voice is soft

BUFFY (to DAWN)
You don't want to be late for class. (Beat)
You should go.

CUT TO: DAWN, she is now facing BUFFY. Her eyes are watery.

DAWN
B-Buffy…?

CUT TO: SPIKE, still in the same position, but now his cheek is pressed against the wall and his hand are tugging at the collar of his shirt. He pushes is back behind, seemingly trying to disappear into the gray stone (err…cement…THE WALL).

SPIKE
No, no, no, no…

CUT TO: CLOSE-UP of BUFFY and DAWN. BUFFY's eyes go from behind DAWN and back. Her voice is stern, yet still quiet

BUFFY
Dawn go.

CUT TO: SPIKE, pushing against the wall, he is now shaking his head while his right hand is on his temple, his fingers pushing hard into his skin. His eyes are shut tight.

SPIKE
The water burns too deep. I'm afraid I can't see.

CUT TO: DAWN, she turns back towards SPIKE
CUT TO: BUFFY, her voice isn't as strong.

BUFFY
Dawn, please, go.

CUT TO: DAWN, looking at SPIKE sadly
CUT TO: SPIKE, his eyes are still shut tightly, causing wrinkles to form around his eyelids. Both of his hands are now pressing against his temple. His back is pushing so hard into the wall, he's not really kneeling anymore. He is breathing

SPIKE (voice cracking)
Pleading now…(beat) pleading, pleading…

A pause.

SPIKE (cont'd)
(voice cracking) PLEASE!

SPIKE bangs his head loudly back.
CUT TO: DAWN, who jumps a little, then slowly walks away. Her footsteps echo through the basement
CUT TO: BUFFY and SPIKE

He drops back down to the floor. SPIKE stopped pushing. His eyes are finally open. BUFFY takes a few tiny steps toward him. SPIKE is looking at everything, but her. She decreases the size of the gap between them and slowly kneels in front of SPIKE.
CUT TO: CLOSE-UP of SPIKE, looking towards the side, still breathing. BUFFY comes into view and her hand reaches up and stops, an inch away from his face. Hesitating, BUFFY gently strokes his cheek. SPIKE closes his eyes and leans a little to her touch and lets out a shaking, un-needed breath. BUFFY's voice is soft and breathy

BUFFY
Spike…

She lets her hand climb into his hair, then trail back down to his cheek.
CLOSE-UP: SPIKE, the warmth of BUFFY's hand seems to calm him.

OS - BUFFY
Why do you come back?

SPIKE opens his eyes and blinks at her, as if the answer is the most obvious thing in the world

SPIKE
Love…Buffy…(beat) It's you.

CUT TO: CLOSE-UP of BUFFY. Her face show an unreadable emotion

OS - SPIKE (cont'd)
Always you…

Tears fill her eyes. She is now even more depressed than before. Of course it's her. He loves her. And she wonders why she never believed him until now.
CUT TO: CLOSE-UP of SPIKE. He gently takes her hand from his cheek and places her palm against his lips and closes his eyes once again. No soft kiss, just her palm softly against his lips. He only utters one word.

SPIKE
Why?

CUT TO: CLOSE-UP of SPIKE and BUFFY, taking her hand slowly away from him. His eyes open. Blue meets green. Their voices almost inaudible and the water is still dripping in the background

BUFFY
'Why' what?

SPIKE
Why do you come back?

CLOSE-UP: BUFFY.

FADE OUT.