The next day.
Cut to: Spike sleeping on his cot. Alone.
Cut to: Faith sleeping in Willow's bed. Alone.
Cut to: The living room. All is quiet. Giles and Dawn and Andrew are sitting around looking through
books. Giles is on the couch, Andrew is laying on his stomach on the floor. Dawn is sitting on the floor
next to Giles, her legs folded.
The silence is broken by a crash and then a bang. The occupants of the living room look up. Then they
look at each other. Before anyone could speak Faith came running down the stairs. The same time that
Spike came running upstairs.
Spike/Faith (at the same time): Where the hell is Buffy/Willow?
The two look at each other and then back at their audience.
Spike starts talking about his issues.
Faith starts talking about hers.
"STOP IT!!!!" Dawn shouted. "You guys have already given us enough of a headache and it's only
9:00."
"Where's Willow?" Faith asked urgently.
"I don't know. She's not upstairs?" Dawn answered in her usual Dawn tone.
"No. She didn't leave a note, no sign of her."
"Same with Buffy. Just up and left."
"That's not like them. They'd tell someone, right?" Faith looked at Spike.
"Right. Maybe they've been kidnapped." Spike looked at Giles and Andrew for suggestions.
"Maybe you're over-reacting a bit." Giles took off his glasses and began cleaning them.
"Buffy NEVER gets up this early, even when she was in school. Something's not right."
Spike and Giles began arguing, and Faith took this opportunity to leave the house.
She walked out onto the porch wearing boxers and a tank top. The slayer sat on the porch and pulled her
cigarettes out of the waistband of her shorts. She looked at the pack and took one out. As she was about to
light it, she felt a hand on her shoulder. The slayer instinctively tensed up.
"Hey. I'm sure they're ok. They're probably off somewhere together."
"Hey Dawnie. I'm sure they are."
"But that's not what's bothering you, is it?"
"Willow had terrible dreams last night. I heard her talking in her sleep. I tried to wake her, but I couldn't.
Then she started crying."
"What was she saying?"
"I dunno Dawnie. It was hard to understand her." Faith flicked the butt of her cigarette into the grass. "I
think Buffy had nightmares last night too."
"What makes you say that?"
"I dunno. Since I became a slayer, I've been kinda connected to Buffy somehow, like a slayer intuition or
something. I can feel when something's wrong with her."
"Do you feel anything now?"
"Nothing bad. I think they're ok. We just don't know where they are."
"Hopefully they'll turn up soon so we can yell at them."
"Hell, yeah." Faith stood and thanked Dawn. Then she turned and walked back into the house. "Might as
well get some sleep, since there's nothin I can do about it." Faith said to herself.
She ascended the stairs, and took herself to Willow's bed.
--------------
Cut back to the porch. Dawn is still sitting there, her elbows resting on her knees. Her fisted hands are
under her chin.
"Hey lil' bit."
"Hey Spike."
"You ok?"
"Yeah. Just thinkin'."
"'Bout what?"
"Did Buffy have any weird dreams last night?"
"I don't know. I'm not in her head."
"I know, but you were with her, did she talk in her sleep at all?"
"When I sleep, I sleep like the dead.
Dawn rolled her eyes. "Guess I'll have to hit the books...again."
-------------
Dawn was browsing through her books in the kitchen when Kennedy and Vi walked in.
"Hey Dawn." Vi smiled. "What ya doin?"
"Yeah, kid, what's all the racket?"
"Willow and Buffy are missing. I'm trying to research the First. find out if there's a connection."
"Willow's gone? I'm gonna KILL Faith." Kennedy said through clenched teeth.
"Kennedy, chill out. It's not Faith's fault."
"How do you know for sure?"
"Cause Faith's still here—and because Buffy's gone too."
"I don't know where they are, but it's daylight. They're probably fine." Dawn said blankly as she went
back to her book.
"Kennedy, what if they're just out for a walk or something?" Vi asked innocently.
Kennedy folded her arms in frustration and stomped off to the living room.
----------------------------
Cut to:
All we see is black, but we can hear crashing noises. Guns firing, explosions, screams, and then
something that sounds like people fighting.
"Will, be careful! Stay behind the tree or he'll see you." Buffy whispered.
"Buff, you don't have to whisper. It's just a video game."
We see Buffy standing next to Willow who are both standing in front of an arcade game. They appear to
be in the mall, which, due to the evacuation of the whole town, is also empty. They have several shopping
bags around them on the floor.
"See! I told you he'd get you."
"Only because you distracted me."
"Yeah- right. Just admit it, you were never good at Duke Nukem."
"Ok, so what. You're the fightin' gal. I'm the run and hide gal."
"Will, don't say stuff like that, you're a fighter."
"In a majicky way."
"But you're still a fighter."
"I'm not...... but thanks." Willow gave a little half smile.
Buffy walked over to a bench and sat down. "Will, you are a fighter. After everything you've been
through...and all of it because of me. You're strong, stronger than I could have been."
"Buffy, I—" Willow walked over to the bench and sat next to her best friend.
"You're not the slayer. You weren't chosen for this. Yet you stay by my side. You've always had the
choice to leave, but you didn't. That makes you strong. And even when I wanted to quit, I couldn't
because it was, IS my calling, my destiny............When you pulled me out of heaven...I knew it was
you. I knew you were the only one strong enough to do something like that."
Willow just lowered her head. Tears began to fall from her eyes as the slayer spoke. Willow didn't know
what to say.
"I thought I was being punished. And it wasn't until this year, the past few weeks that I realized; I have to
be here...I wanna be here. I want to see Dawn grow up. I want to –Will, you're crying..."
"I pulled you out of heaven...I took you away from that. You would be in a better place today, right now,
if I didn't..."
"Will, Willow, look at me. It's done. It can't be changed. I was mad, so mad at you. But I've been seeing
things that make me glad to be alive again."
"What kind of things?"
"Dawn, fighting that vampire. Dancing with her, checking out guys with her. She's becoming a woman,
and I get to be a part of that."
Willow just sat silently. She felt guilty but glad at the same time. Guilty for doing that to Buffy; but glad
that Buffy was able to find something worth living for. Willow broke the silence with a question that had
been on her mind for quite some time.
"How can you just forgive me? After I went all overboard and tried to end the world... How can you
forgive that?"
"You weren't yourself Willow. You were juiced up on the most powerful majicks."
"But it's still there, that power. All that majick, I still have access to it."
"Will, I've seen your dark side. But I've also seen your bright side. I need that bright side to help me in
this battle."
"What if I go evil again? What if I can't handle it and I give in to that power?"
"Then I'll just have to kill you." Buffy joked. "Ok. I'm sorry. Come on. Let's get this stuff back home.
Good idea, stealing all this stuff from the mall. I mean, it's just gonna go to waste if the world ends, so we
might as well...God, I'm so morbid."
Willow was silent as Buffy talked on. How could she make light of this situation. Willow was scared, and
her best friend didn't seem to care.
"Buffy, we're gonna have to make a couple of trips to the car to get all this home."
"Think we went overboard?"
"Nah." Willow smiled at Buffy. The girls walked off to the car; their arms loaded with clothes and
supplies.
-------------
Back at the Summers' residence...
Willow and Buffy arrive to find Dawn and Kennedy arguing on the porch. Kennedy saw the car pull up,
and jumped with happiness.
"Willow!" Kennedy cheered, "You're alive!"
Willow ignored the potential. Kennedy's expression changed back to anger. Willow walked up to Buffy
and whispered with a smile, "Go easy on 'em."
"Dawn, Are you ok?"
"Yeah."
"Kennedy, get in the house." Buffy commanded.
"But, but Faith tried to kill you guys and...and..."
"Kennedy, give it a rest." Willow said coldly. "Faith didn't do anything."
Kennedy rolled her eyes and mumbled something under her breath.
Spike looked out onto the porch. "What the bloody hell is goin' on here?"
"Dawn, thanks for not sayin' anything."
"What? She knew- You knew about this?"
"Sorry Spike." Buffy said with a smirk.
"Women." Spike muttered as her headed to the safety of the basement.
"Let's get this stuff inside. Dawn, gather everyone in the living room."
Cut to: Spike sleeping on his cot. Alone.
Cut to: Faith sleeping in Willow's bed. Alone.
Cut to: The living room. All is quiet. Giles and Dawn and Andrew are sitting around looking through
books. Giles is on the couch, Andrew is laying on his stomach on the floor. Dawn is sitting on the floor
next to Giles, her legs folded.
The silence is broken by a crash and then a bang. The occupants of the living room look up. Then they
look at each other. Before anyone could speak Faith came running down the stairs. The same time that
Spike came running upstairs.
Spike/Faith (at the same time): Where the hell is Buffy/Willow?
The two look at each other and then back at their audience.
Spike starts talking about his issues.
Faith starts talking about hers.
"STOP IT!!!!" Dawn shouted. "You guys have already given us enough of a headache and it's only
9:00."
"Where's Willow?" Faith asked urgently.
"I don't know. She's not upstairs?" Dawn answered in her usual Dawn tone.
"No. She didn't leave a note, no sign of her."
"Same with Buffy. Just up and left."
"That's not like them. They'd tell someone, right?" Faith looked at Spike.
"Right. Maybe they've been kidnapped." Spike looked at Giles and Andrew for suggestions.
"Maybe you're over-reacting a bit." Giles took off his glasses and began cleaning them.
"Buffy NEVER gets up this early, even when she was in school. Something's not right."
Spike and Giles began arguing, and Faith took this opportunity to leave the house.
She walked out onto the porch wearing boxers and a tank top. The slayer sat on the porch and pulled her
cigarettes out of the waistband of her shorts. She looked at the pack and took one out. As she was about to
light it, she felt a hand on her shoulder. The slayer instinctively tensed up.
"Hey. I'm sure they're ok. They're probably off somewhere together."
"Hey Dawnie. I'm sure they are."
"But that's not what's bothering you, is it?"
"Willow had terrible dreams last night. I heard her talking in her sleep. I tried to wake her, but I couldn't.
Then she started crying."
"What was she saying?"
"I dunno Dawnie. It was hard to understand her." Faith flicked the butt of her cigarette into the grass. "I
think Buffy had nightmares last night too."
"What makes you say that?"
"I dunno. Since I became a slayer, I've been kinda connected to Buffy somehow, like a slayer intuition or
something. I can feel when something's wrong with her."
"Do you feel anything now?"
"Nothing bad. I think they're ok. We just don't know where they are."
"Hopefully they'll turn up soon so we can yell at them."
"Hell, yeah." Faith stood and thanked Dawn. Then she turned and walked back into the house. "Might as
well get some sleep, since there's nothin I can do about it." Faith said to herself.
She ascended the stairs, and took herself to Willow's bed.
--------------
Cut back to the porch. Dawn is still sitting there, her elbows resting on her knees. Her fisted hands are
under her chin.
"Hey lil' bit."
"Hey Spike."
"You ok?"
"Yeah. Just thinkin'."
"'Bout what?"
"Did Buffy have any weird dreams last night?"
"I don't know. I'm not in her head."
"I know, but you were with her, did she talk in her sleep at all?"
"When I sleep, I sleep like the dead.
Dawn rolled her eyes. "Guess I'll have to hit the books...again."
-------------
Dawn was browsing through her books in the kitchen when Kennedy and Vi walked in.
"Hey Dawn." Vi smiled. "What ya doin?"
"Yeah, kid, what's all the racket?"
"Willow and Buffy are missing. I'm trying to research the First. find out if there's a connection."
"Willow's gone? I'm gonna KILL Faith." Kennedy said through clenched teeth.
"Kennedy, chill out. It's not Faith's fault."
"How do you know for sure?"
"Cause Faith's still here—and because Buffy's gone too."
"I don't know where they are, but it's daylight. They're probably fine." Dawn said blankly as she went
back to her book.
"Kennedy, what if they're just out for a walk or something?" Vi asked innocently.
Kennedy folded her arms in frustration and stomped off to the living room.
----------------------------
Cut to:
All we see is black, but we can hear crashing noises. Guns firing, explosions, screams, and then
something that sounds like people fighting.
"Will, be careful! Stay behind the tree or he'll see you." Buffy whispered.
"Buff, you don't have to whisper. It's just a video game."
We see Buffy standing next to Willow who are both standing in front of an arcade game. They appear to
be in the mall, which, due to the evacuation of the whole town, is also empty. They have several shopping
bags around them on the floor.
"See! I told you he'd get you."
"Only because you distracted me."
"Yeah- right. Just admit it, you were never good at Duke Nukem."
"Ok, so what. You're the fightin' gal. I'm the run and hide gal."
"Will, don't say stuff like that, you're a fighter."
"In a majicky way."
"But you're still a fighter."
"I'm not...... but thanks." Willow gave a little half smile.
Buffy walked over to a bench and sat down. "Will, you are a fighter. After everything you've been
through...and all of it because of me. You're strong, stronger than I could have been."
"Buffy, I—" Willow walked over to the bench and sat next to her best friend.
"You're not the slayer. You weren't chosen for this. Yet you stay by my side. You've always had the
choice to leave, but you didn't. That makes you strong. And even when I wanted to quit, I couldn't
because it was, IS my calling, my destiny............When you pulled me out of heaven...I knew it was
you. I knew you were the only one strong enough to do something like that."
Willow just lowered her head. Tears began to fall from her eyes as the slayer spoke. Willow didn't know
what to say.
"I thought I was being punished. And it wasn't until this year, the past few weeks that I realized; I have to
be here...I wanna be here. I want to see Dawn grow up. I want to –Will, you're crying..."
"I pulled you out of heaven...I took you away from that. You would be in a better place today, right now,
if I didn't..."
"Will, Willow, look at me. It's done. It can't be changed. I was mad, so mad at you. But I've been seeing
things that make me glad to be alive again."
"What kind of things?"
"Dawn, fighting that vampire. Dancing with her, checking out guys with her. She's becoming a woman,
and I get to be a part of that."
Willow just sat silently. She felt guilty but glad at the same time. Guilty for doing that to Buffy; but glad
that Buffy was able to find something worth living for. Willow broke the silence with a question that had
been on her mind for quite some time.
"How can you just forgive me? After I went all overboard and tried to end the world... How can you
forgive that?"
"You weren't yourself Willow. You were juiced up on the most powerful majicks."
"But it's still there, that power. All that majick, I still have access to it."
"Will, I've seen your dark side. But I've also seen your bright side. I need that bright side to help me in
this battle."
"What if I go evil again? What if I can't handle it and I give in to that power?"
"Then I'll just have to kill you." Buffy joked. "Ok. I'm sorry. Come on. Let's get this stuff back home.
Good idea, stealing all this stuff from the mall. I mean, it's just gonna go to waste if the world ends, so we
might as well...God, I'm so morbid."
Willow was silent as Buffy talked on. How could she make light of this situation. Willow was scared, and
her best friend didn't seem to care.
"Buffy, we're gonna have to make a couple of trips to the car to get all this home."
"Think we went overboard?"
"Nah." Willow smiled at Buffy. The girls walked off to the car; their arms loaded with clothes and
supplies.
-------------
Back at the Summers' residence...
Willow and Buffy arrive to find Dawn and Kennedy arguing on the porch. Kennedy saw the car pull up,
and jumped with happiness.
"Willow!" Kennedy cheered, "You're alive!"
Willow ignored the potential. Kennedy's expression changed back to anger. Willow walked up to Buffy
and whispered with a smile, "Go easy on 'em."
"Dawn, Are you ok?"
"Yeah."
"Kennedy, get in the house." Buffy commanded.
"But, but Faith tried to kill you guys and...and..."
"Kennedy, give it a rest." Willow said coldly. "Faith didn't do anything."
Kennedy rolled her eyes and mumbled something under her breath.
Spike looked out onto the porch. "What the bloody hell is goin' on here?"
"Dawn, thanks for not sayin' anything."
"What? She knew- You knew about this?"
"Sorry Spike." Buffy said with a smirk.
"Women." Spike muttered as her headed to the safety of the basement.
"Let's get this stuff inside. Dawn, gather everyone in the living room."