TEASER
FADE IN:
INT. SUMMERS APARTMENT - DAWN'S BEDROOM - DAY
DAWN is attempting to pack a suitcase as she dials the
telephone. She walks to her closet and looks into it while
the phone rings. She starts to grab clothes and toss them
onto the bed.
Finally, someone picks up the other end.
INTERCUT WITH:
INT. WILLOW AND XANDER'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY
XANDER is walking through the room, sorting through some
mail. He holds the phone to his ear with his shoulder.
XANDER
Hey, Dawnie.
DAWN
How'd it go last night?
XANDER
You know how it is. Romantic dinner,
moonlight stroll through the park,
some playful banter between chats
with homicide detectives and then a
battle with the undead before going
home and the scary stuff happens.
DAWN
Uh-huh... So, what did she say?
XANDER
She said yes. I am officially a
fiance.
DAWN
(big smile)
This is so cool. It's like my big
brother and sister are getting
married. Minus the disturbing and
illegal parts. Best part is, we can
stop talking about this behind her
back. I hate plotting like that.
Makes me feel evil.
XANDER
Really? I kinda like it.
DAWN
Have you guys set a date?
(MORE)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Where are you doing it? Can I be the
best man, or the maid of honor, or
the best man and maid of honor? I'm
really good at multi-tasking. Like
right now, I'm packing and talking
on the phone at the same time.
She looks at the bed and notices that there's a pile of
clothes that she hasn't touched since she put them there.
She winces and gets back to packing.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Okay, bad example.
XANDER
I'm gonna assume you forgot about
the packing, so that was funny.
DAWN
So? The date? The place? The job
assignment?
XANDER
Date's sometime in the future. Place
is someplace that is not the backyard
because that'd be very TV cliche.
Job assignment is that we're reviewing
the applications and will get back
to you shortly.
DAWN
Coulda just said "I don't know."
XANDER
Coulda. Didn't.
There's a pause in the conversation. Dawn finally stops
packing and stands up, getting sentimental.
DAWN
I'm happy.
XANDER
Me too.
DAWN
Celebration dinner on me, as soon as
I get there.
XANDER
Which would be when again? I don't
do the e-mail thing so Willow has
all of this info.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.
DAWN
Leave tonight. Couple hour layover,
and then to Sunnydale. Should be
there before the rooster takes his
bow.
XANDER
Cool. I'm looking forward to seeing
you. Place feels kinda empty without
everyone here.
DAWN
I miss you guys too.
Dawn looks at her watch.
DAWN (CONT'D)
I gotta go. I wanna try to call Will
before I have to get gone.
XANDER
'Kay. See you soon.
DAWN
Bye. Love you.
XANDER
Same here, kid.
DAWN
I'm not a kid.
Xander smiles.
XANDER
No you're not. Bye.
DAWN
Bye.
They both hang up. We stay on Dawn as she dials the phone
again. She puts it to her ear.
INTERCUT WITH:
EXT. SUNNYDALE HIGH - DAY
WILLOW walks out of the school and starts to cross the yard
when her phone rings. She looks at the caller ID and smiles.
She pushes a button and puts the phone to her ear.
WILLOW
Hey, Dawnie.
Dawn begins to jump up and down as she screams into the phone
in one of those girlie joy shrieks.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.
Willow moves the phone away from her ear, trying to regain
her ability to hear.
INT. WATCHER'S COUNCIL BUILDING - GILES' OFFICE - NIGHT
GILES walks into his office and shuts the door behind him.
He walks to his desk where he sits and looks down at his
desk calendar. He takes a red marker and puts a little dot
in the corner of previous day's date, January 2.
He flips over the calendar. On the back of the calendar is a
number of notes, printouts and images of dead demons. There
is also a small map of the world, on which Giles marks a
spot in England. He puts the marker down and removes several
photographs from his coat pocket. They are pictures taken in
the woods where Buffy killed the group of demons in the
previous episode. Giles tapes one of the images to the back
of the calendar and puts the others in a file folder.
He flips the calendar over again. His mind drifts toward
Buffy, filling him with curiosity and concern.
He rubs his tired eyes with his hand and sits back in his
chair.
GILES
(whispered)
Where are you?
EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET - NIGHT
A VAMPIRE slams onto the street and TURNS TO DUST.
BUFFY stands beneath a streetlight, looking at THREE MORE
VAMPIRES who start to back off in fear.
Buffy raises her Scythe and looks at the vampires. Everyone
involved knows what is about to happen but before she moves,
a strange feeling comes over her. She pauses for a moment.
She turns her head slightly to the side as though feeling
something behind her, but doesn't look back.
The vampires look at each other, taking note of her
distraction. They decide to run.
As the vampires turn around, the Scythe swiftly moves across
each of their necks. Their heads roll back as they TURN TO
DUST. Buffy now stands in front of where the vampires stood.
She still seems distracted, but that doesn't slow her down.
Finally, she shrugs off this odd feeling and starts to walk
away.
ANGLE ON : THE GROUND NEAR THE STREETLIGHT
As Buffy's shadow moves away, the feet of a male step into
the light. He wears black boots and black pants.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.
We PAN UP, seeing a long black coat, and finally his face.
He is ANGEL.
FADE TO BLACK:
END OF TEASER
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
INT. HANK'S CAR - DAY
HANK sits behind the wheel, driving down the highway as Dawn
sits in the passenger seat.
HANK
You have your ticket?
DAWN
E-ticket secure.
HANK
And you packed everything you need?
DAWN
Yup.
HANK
But not too much, right?
DAWN
Nope. My walls remain covered and
not a moving box to be seen. I am
coming back, Dad.
HANK
I know. I just worry.
DAWN
You don't have to.
HANK
It's what I do best these days. Not
really sure when that happened.
(beat)
You know, if you need something I
can ship it.
DAWN
Thanks. I think I'm covered.
HANK
And you have money?
DAWN
A giant wad of hundred-dollar bills
sticking ever so slightly out of my
purse, so as to attract muggers and
various charitable orginazations
which will squander the money on
tropical vacations and political
slam-campaigns.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.
HANK
Just checking.
DAWN
I know. It's kinda sweet. A little
annoying, but sweet.
HANK
I'm done, I promise.
DAWN
Thank you.
HANK
I hear it's nice in LA. Warm and
sunny.
DAWN
As per usual.
HANK
Yup. And of course everyone has a
cell phone there.
(beat)
Did you bring your cell phone?
DAWN
Yup.
HANK
Good. Call me when you land. And be
careful. People on cell phones usually
aren't paying attention to what
they're doing. They can be dangerous.
DAWN
I'll be sitting in an airport, not
speeding down the PCH.
HANK
Right. I know. Sorry. I promise I'm
done this time. No more hassling
you.
Dawn just nods this time.
HANK (CONT'D)
You were joking about the hundred-
dollar bills though, right?
INT. WILLOW AND XANDER'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY
Xander is sitting on the couch with a number of folders
sitting on the table in front of him. He's skimming through
one of the folders, making notes in it. He's also writing
notes in a notebook.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.
Willow walks into the room.
WILLOW
Working?
XANDER
It's what we Watchers do best.
WILLOW
Do you really count as an official
Watcher?
XANDER
God, I hope not.
Willow sits next to him and looks at the folder in his hand.
WILLOW
I remember that guy. All those droopy
ears and the mullet. Wonder what
ever happened to him.
Xander closes the folder and puts it down.
XANDER
As long as he's not anywhere near
me, I don't care. Just adds to the
paperwork.
Xander leans back and rubs his eyes.
WILLOW
Tired?
XANDER
Too much work. My demon eye is
throbbing.
WILLOW
Would dinner and a movie help at
all?
XANDER
Sorry, but I can't. I want to get as
much done as I can before Dawn gets
here.
WILLOW
Fine, but you're missing one heck of
a scifi adventure.
XANDER
I'll catch it another time. I haven't
even started the Gachnar file.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.
WILLOW
Well, it should be a short report.
(indicating with her
fingers)
The guy was only like this big.
XANDER
Turn your phone to silent. I'll text
message you if I ever get done.
WILLOW
Done. Bye.
Xander waves as Willow walks out of the room, and out of the
house. Once she's gone, he turns back to his files. He opens
a new folder and skims it's contents. He makes a couple of
notes in the folder.
EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT
Buffy walks through the alley as drops of water fall around
her. Remnants of rain that has been over for minutes, but
which has left no evidence of it's existance on Buffy herself.
Finally, she stops walking. That feeling coming over her
again. She turns her head slightly, as though listening to
something behind her.
From the shadows ahead of her, PRAX appears. He is a very
threatening looking demon with rippling muscles and a face
which looks like it's been pulled tighter than Joan Rivers'.
He wears jeans and a t-shirt, but no shoes. He looks Buffy
up and down. She ignores him.
Prax smiles, pulling his face tighter and causing his skin
to tear and bleed on his forehead. When he speaks, it's with
an Irish accent
PRAX
Slayer. I've heard about you.
He steps closer to her, looking her up and down.
PRAX (CONT'D)
Obviously those reports have been
exagerated. I guess some demons like
to make you sound bigger than you
really are. Makes them look less
pathetic.
Buffy still isn't looking at him. Her eyes drift toward the
ground as she ponders her next move, which is a thought
completely unrelated to Prax.
Prax reaches toward her and strokes her hair.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.
PRAX (CONT'D)
But you're just a small thing, aren't
you? Frail to the eye. Soft to the
touch. Not the most "here" person
I've ever met either.
Prax waits for an answer. None comes. He grows impatient.
PRAX (CONT'D)
Look, I was ready to do the whole
"witty banter" routine, but if you're
not into it, that's fine. We can get
this over with.
He shows his teeth again, which look normal enough until
they TURN INTO FANGS. All of them. Razor sharp fangs, which
are longer than vampire fangs. His EYES TURN RED and blood
drips from them.
His muscles tighten all over his body and his veins look as
though they might break through his tightened skin. The skin
on his left arm rips and blood drips down his elbow. Blood
also soaks through his shirt, suggesting that more rips have
occurred. This guy is not something that you would want to
meet in a dark alley.
He raises his fist and swings at Buffy. He hits her with all
of his strength which would normally send someone flying,
vampire slayer or not. However, Buffy isn't exactly normal
anymore. The hit doesn't phase her at all. She's still not
paying attention to Prax.
Prax is annoyed now. He raises his hand and CLAWS GROW from
his fingers, sharp as the teeth in his mouth. He swipes at
Buffy, slashing her face open, but the WOUNDS HEAL as quickly
as they form.
BUFFY
I feel you. I know you're here.
PRAX
That's what I was going for.
Buffy finally looks at Prax. He's not who she was talking to
and he just just a nuisance now. She punches him in the face
O.S., which makes a nice SQUISHING sound. We then hear him
drop as she turns her attention back to the shadows behind
her.
BUFFY
I was talking to you.
Her face betrays no emotion as she continues to speak into
the shadows.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
Show yourself.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.
ANGLE ON : THE SHADOWS
As Angel emerges from them, looking Buffy squarely in the
eyes.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
You've been following me for a while
now.
ANGEL
I have.
BUFFY
Why?
ANGEL
You know why.
Angel looks down at the Scythe.
ANGEL (CONT'D)
Is this the part where you kill me?
BUFFY
No.
ANGEL
Good. That would have been a bad
thing.
BUFFY
It's... Good to see you.
ANGEL
You're a hard person to track down.
I've looked in all of the phone books.
Even Googled you a couple of times,
but most of the results were for
porn sites.
(beat)
Which I didn't click on.
BUFFY
You should have stayed away.
ANGEL
You know that wasn't an option. People
are worried about you.
BUFFY
They shouldn't be.
ANGEL
They don't have a choice. You can't
just vanish off the face of the earth
and expect the people who love you
to move on.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.
BUFFY
I don't have time for phone calls.
ANGEL
Make time.
BUFFY
It's not mine to make.
ANGEL
Buffy, listen to me--
BUFFY
Buffy doesn't live here anymore.
Angel's confused now.
ANGEL
Whah? Wait... Is this some kind of
possession thing?
BUFFY
No.
(beat)
I was being metaphorical.
ANGEL
Oh. Okay.
BUFFY
I don't have time for phone calls
and birthday parties. This isn't
some desk job where I can put in for
time off and stock options.
ANGEL
So you turn your back on them?
BUFFY
I turn by back for them. Do you have
any idea what I have to deal with? I
am the last Slayer. Possibly ever.
ANGEL
I got the memo.
BUFFY
Well, did you read the small print
that mentions the plagues of demons
covering this planet just waiting
for me to die so they can take over?
This is war, Angel, and I'm the army.
ANGEL
You can't go into this war alone.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13.
BUFFY
Who's gonna back me up? You?
ANGEL
For one.
BUFFY
You couldn't keep up. You'd just be
holding me back and I don't have
time to baby you right now. I don't
have time to read documents and pull
all-nighters trying to figure out
how to kill one demon.
ANGEL
Nobody's asking you to. All I'm asking
for is a phone call every month or
so to let us know that you're not in
a ditch somewhere. It has been known
to happen.
(beat)
Do you have any idea what your family
is going through? Your friends?
BUFFY
How many times have they been
kidnapped and held hostage? How many
times have demons used them to get
to me? How many times have they been
possessed, or put under some kind of
spell? I don't have the option of
family anymore. They'll know I'm not
dead by the fact that the world is
still spinning.
WOMAN (V.O.)
Around and around.
INT. AIRPORT TERMINAL - DAY
A woman, ALICE CARTER and her husband TOM CARTER are standing
next to a wall near the terminal. Both are in their 30's,
and very normal looking middle-class people. Alice is crying,
and hers is the voice that we heard.
ALICE
It's like some carnival ride, and I
just want to get off. I can't take
it anymore.
TOM
We're getting help. This will be
over soon.
Alice smirks.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14.
ALICE
That's what they say, isn't it? That's
what they always say. All of the
best doctors and all of the best
equipment and we still have no idea
what is wrong with them.
They look over to the sitting area.
ALICE (CONT'D)
I can't stand to see her like this
anymore.
Tom takes Alice in his arms and holds her close to his chest.
TOM
I know.
(beat)
I know.
ANGLE ON : SITTING AREA
Near the wall where Alice and Tom are standing is this sitting
area. In this sitting area sits ARIEL. She is a five-year-
old girl, wearing a nice dress and with nicely brushed hair.
She is holding onto a stuffed animal tightly as she rocks
back and forth in her seat.
Next to her is GRAMMA. She is a thin, very old looking woman
with sunken eyes and a black dress. She is pretty much the
female version of the evil guy from Poltergeist II.
Gramma speaks very softly, with a strong southern accent,
looking straight ahead.
GRAMMA
They're talking about you, child.
They're always talking about you. Do
you know what they're sayin'?
Gramma looks to Ariel.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
They're sayin' that you're one sick
little girl, and they're right. All
the doctors in the world can't fix
what's wrong with you. They'll try
though. Oh, they'll try. They'll
strap you up to all kinds of machines
and count how many times you blink
in one hour to see if it fits their
statistics and data. Blink once too
many and they'll buzz you clear into
next week.
(beat)
But don't you fret, little girl.
(MORE)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
Gramma's here with you and there
ain't a power alive or dead that's
gonna make me leave your side. You
just remember that.
PAN UP to see the terminal door as PASSENGERS start to exit
the plane. Among these passengers is Dawn. She exits carrying
one bag in her hand, and another on her back.
She looks around the airport for a sign telling her which
way she should be heading.
Finally, she sees the proper direction and starts to walk to
the right. As she walks, she pulls out her cell phone. She
turns it on and dials a number. She puts the phone to her
ear.
INTERCUT WITH:
EXT. SUNNYDALE MAIN STREET - DAY
Willow is window shopping when her phone rings. She answers
it.
WILLOW
Hello?
DAWN
Hey, it's me.
WILLOW
Hey. Where are you?
DAWN
LA. I'm here for a few hours.
WILLOW
That has to be boring.
DAWN
I have reading to do anyway. I just
wanted to call so I'd look all cool
and occupied as I walk through the
airport. I usually feel awkward and
goofy.
WILLOW
Okay. I'm not sure what to say to
that.
DAWN
I'm just going for a cooler spy-guy
persona this time. Right now, anyone
watching me is wondering who I'm
talking to and why I'm walking with
such urgency.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16.
WILLOW
You're walking with urgency?
DAWN
Yeah. Y'know, that whole "on my way
to someplace important" walk that
they do in movies. I could totally
be in slo-mo right now.
WILLOW
This is a very strange discussion
we're having.
DAWN
Yeah, but it makes sense in my head.
WILLOW
I guess that's all that matters.
(beat)
Remind me to introduce you to my
mother. I think she'd like you.
DAWN
Anyway, I guess that's all I have to
say. Just checking in.
WILLOW
Call me when you're about to take
off again.
DAWN
Will do, boss.
(then)
That's my important business woman
mystique.
WILLOW
I thought you were spy-guy.
DAWN
I was. Now I'm business woman-guy.
WILLOW
Okay. I'll... talk to you later.
DAWN
Bye.
Dawn hangs up her phone, but continues to fiddle with it,
looking very occupied as she makes her way through the
airport.
As she walks with her eyes on the phone, she doesn't see a
MAN in her path. She bumps into him and quickly loses all of
her mystique.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
17.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Oh, God. I'm sorry. I didn't see
you.
MAN
(turning)
That't fine. I was--
As he turns, we see his face. Dawn is shocked to see RYAN
CRANE standing in front of her, equally shocked to see her.
DAWN
Ryan.
FADE TO BLACK:
END OF ACT ONE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18.
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
INT. AIRPORT TERMINAL - DAY
Dawn and Ryan are standing where they were when we left them,
still taking in the shock of seeing each other.
Dawn smiles.
DAWN
Ryan.
(beat)
Which I've now said twice.
Ryan is not smiling at all. Seeing Dawn is confusing to him,
and causes a rush of emotions, but none of them spark a smile.
He backs away from her, shaking his head. Telling her to
stay away. He then turns and walks away, leaving Dawn alone
and confused.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Good to see you too.
Dawn looks around the airport, having lost track of where
she was going. After a moment, she gathers her senses and
starts to walk again.
INT. GILES' FLAT - NIGHT
Giles walks into his home and removes his jacket. As he turns
on the light and walks into his living room, he stops to
look around.
The room is perfectly kept. Not a pillow out of place, and
not a sign of dust to be seen. It's well decorated. Filled
with many heirlooms, and certificates, and other various
knickknacks that he has gathered over his lifetime. Things
which would make any man proud of his life.
As he looks over this room, however, all that he can see is
that it's empty. All of his life's work and his many
accomplishments have led him to an empty home to come back
to at night, and no friends to be seen on the same continent.
There's a KNOCK at his door. He turns with a slight glimmer
of hope in his eyes, which quickly turns to puzzlement. While
he may be happy to actually have someone to talk to, he also
knows that there would be no good reason for someone to be
dropping by unexpectedly.
He walks to the door and opens it. When he does, he finds
MARGE standing on the other side, holding an envelope.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19.
GILES
Marge? What are you doing here?
MARGE
Two things. First...
She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a cell phone. She
hands it to Giles.
MARGE (CONT'D)
You forgot your phone. "Forgot" may
be the wrong word, actually. Seeing
as how it's never left your desk
drawer.
GILES
I've never really warmed up to them.
Always being... reachable.
MARGE
Yes. Reachable. That's exactly what
they're for. So that when a notice
comes into the office five minutes
after you leave, you can be reached
and told about it.
GILES
Are you all right? Come in.
Giles moves aside and Marge walks in.
GILES (CONT'D)
What's happening?
MARGE
Here. Read for yourself.
She hands Giles the envelope. He opens it and pulls out a
piece of paper.
MARGE (CONT'D)
Oh, and we're supposed to believe
that this came after you left, just
by coincidence. You left three hours
after normal business ended!
Giles skims the paper.
GILES
(still reading)
Our office is being taken off of the
search for unified demon groups?
(reads on for a moment)
It's being reassigned to tactical?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20.
MARGE
Unbelievable, isn't it? The one job
of any substance that we've been
given and it's taken away from us.
They wouldn't even have this
information if it weren't for you.
GILES
I don't understand. How can they
believe that tactical would be the
better place for this? They have the
researching skills of a...a... Xander.
MARGE
I'm sorry?
GILES
You wouldn't get that. I just couldn't
think of anything better to say.
MARGE
So it looks like we're back to
babysitting the interns and reading
newspaper clippings, hoping for some
sign of the missing Slayer.
Marge stops herself now, remembering that Giles isn't just
any other Watcher, and the Slayer isn't just any other Slayer
to him.
MARGE (CONT'D)
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--
GILES
It's okay. I agree. We shouldn't be
sitting around, waiting for her to
show up.
MARGE
So what do we do?
GILES
I don't know.
They stand in silence for a moment, trying to figure out
what comes next.
MARGE
Drink?
INT. WATCHER'S COUNCIL BUILDING - HEWITT'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Mr. Hewitt walks into his office, locking the doors behind
him with the touch of a button next to them. He walks to his
desk and sets a folder down on it as he grabs a remote control
and pushes a button which brings the TV screens around the
room to life. They display images of dead demons.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21.
Some images are of the recent slaying in the woods. Mr. Hewitt
studies these images for a few moments, thinking deeply on
them.
He picks up his phone and hits a speed-dial number.
INTERCUT WITH:
INT. WILLOW AND XANDER'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY
Xander is still sitting on the couch. He's now writing in a
notebook when the PHONE RINGS. He answers it.
XANDER
Hello?
MR. HEWITT
Mr. Harris? This is Daniel Hewitt.
XANDER
Mr. Hewitt, hi. I wasn't planning on
calling you until Monday.
MR. HEWITT
Yes, I know. I was hoping that you
might have something to show me today.
XANDER
Today? I'm sorry, but I don't. I'm
still working on those... Papers
that you wanted me to write. I haven't
even typed them up yet.
MR. HEWITT
I understand that. However, I was
hoping that you might have a sample
that I could look at. Just to make
sure that we're seeing this project
in the same light.
Mr. Hewitt opens the folder on his desk.
MR. HEWITT (CONT'D)
I've seen a few of Mr. Giles' journal
entries that were interesting. We
can pick one of those subjects. How
about this... Glorificus? I've read
the notes that we have on her, but
I'm eager to see what you have to
say about such an interesting subject.
XANDER
Glory? I--um... I haven't even started
on that file yet. I was working in a
chronological order. I don't suppose
I could interest you in a blurb about
Adam?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
22.
MR. HEWITT
No.
(beat)
How about if I give you until Monday
to write up that report on Glorificus?
That should be plenty of time to
write down all of the information
that you have.
Xander is obviously thrown off by this, but doesn't want to
get in trouble with the boss.
XANDER
Yes, sir. I will try to have that
report for you by Monday.
MR. HEWITT
Good. I look forward to reading it.
Until then...
XANDER
Wait. I just... I wanted to ask if
you've heard anything about Buffy.
Have there been any more sightings?
Mr. Hewitt looks up at the screens.
MR. HEWITT
We've heard some rumblings. Nothing
specific.
XANDER
Any word on a location?
MR. HEWITT
Like I said, we only have rumors
really. They lean toward England at
the moment.
XANDER
England. Got it. Thank you.
MR. HEWITT
Whatever I can do to help you and
your friends.
XANDER
Thank you, sir.
MR. HEWITT
Good--
(looks at watch)
--day, Mr. Harris.
Mr. Hewitt hangs up.
We stay with Xander as he hangs up the phone.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
23.
XANDER
Glory. Why'd he have to pick Glory?
(beat)
Stupid Glory and her stupid scabby
minions.
Xander gets up and walks out of the room, toward the kitchen.
INT. WILLOW AND XANDER'S HOUSE - BASEMENT - DAY
Xander walks down the stairs of the basement. There is a
work bench set up at the bottom of the stairs. The rest of
the basement is a blur of boxes and tarp-covered furniture.
Xander walks to the work bench, which also has a peg-board
hanging behind it. He removes the board from the wall,
revealing a map of the world that has several flat-topped
thumbtacks sticking into it. He sticks another tack into the
map, over England. He then replaces the peg-board and starts
back up the stairs.
XANDER
Stupid Glory and her curlier-than-
thou hair.
He turns off the light as he leaves the basement.
INT. AIRPORT TERMINAL - DAY
Dawn is in the sitting area of a terminal now, reading a
book entitled "Medieval Demonology And The Modern Slant"
The seats behind her are empty, as is most of this terminal
for some reason.
RYAN (O.S.)
"Ryan, I don't have a lot of time to
say the things that I want to tell
you, so I will have to do the best I
can and settle for sounding crazy..."
Dawn looks back and sees Ryan sitting behind her. His back
is to her as he speaks, and he doesn't turn around.
RYAN (CONT'D)
"Demons are real. Vampires,
werewolves... Everything that you
ever feared but knew couldn't possibly
exist. That's why we came to Bear
River and why we have to go back to
Sunnydale. I wish that I could explain
all of this and have it make sense,
but I can't. All I can tell you is
that there are people in this world
that are willing to give their lives
fighting these demons and I'm one of
(MORE)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24.
RYAN (CONT'D)
them. I don't know if I'll ever
come back or if I'll ever see you
again, but I wanted you to know this.
I'm tired of lying to everyone I
care about. Look around you. See it.
Be careful."
DAWN
You read the letter.
RYAN
Yeah. I looked at it once or twice.
Sounded pretty crazy though, so I
shrugged it off and moved on. That
is, until I remembered that Sunnydale
was supposed to be a giant hole in
the ground. Then that virus was all
over the news. Girls dying everywhere,
and the reporter was live from the
giant hole in the ground.
DAWN
There's so much that I can explain.
Why that happened. How it happened.
RYAN
How 'bout explaining why you never
bothered to come back.
DAWN
I was going to.
(beat)
You told me not to. I thought it
might be easier--
Ryan chuckles at this.
RYAN
Seriously? This is your story?
DAWN
It's true.
Ryan finally turns to look at her.
RYAN
I broke up with you, Dawn. I didn't
know I was sending you off you some
demonic war. You tell me all of this
and then you just never come home.
How am I supposed to not think that
you were one of those girls?
(beat)
Did you know that Jenna died?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
25.
DAWN
I was there. I saw it.
(tears up)
I watched all of those girls die.
RYAN
Her parents went crazy. At first
they couldn't even find her and then
they get this phone call telling
them that she's in California.
(beat)
Her little brother was crying because
he blamed himself for her death. If
it weren't for him, she wouldn't
have run away.
(beat)
You saw the girls die, but you didn't
have to watch what happened next.
You didn't have to stare at a ceiling
every night, wondering if someone
you cared about was still alive.
DAWN
(barely a whisper)
Yes I did.
RYAN
What?
DAWN
I did have to worry. I still have to
worry. Look, I know that I dropped a
pretty big bomb on you before I left
and I'm sorry about that, but don't
you dare try to make me the bad guy.
Don't you dare try to assume that
you knew what was going on.
Ryan backs off a little, seeing that Dawn is truely upset by
something that happened that night.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Those girls that you saw on the news
all had names and faces, and I knew
a lot of them. They were Slayers.
Born to fight those demons that I
told you about. Only one of those
Slayers lived through that night and
I do lie awake every single night,
worrying about her.
RYAN
Buffy.
Dawn just nods and the struggles to hold back tears.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
26.
RYAN (CONT'D)
I didn't know.
DAWN
It's fine. Whatever. Let's just forget
that we even saw each other, okay?
Go home and forget everything that I
ever told you. You're better off not
knowing.
They turn away from each other and sit in silence.
After several moments of reflection, Ryan turns back to Dawn.
RYAN
It's not okay. I don't want to forget.
Dawn looks at Ryan.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Tell me what happened.
INT. WILLOW AND XANDER'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT
Xander is at the counter, making a sandwich. He's tired and
not in a happy mood.
Willow walks through the back door, smiling and bubblie.
WILLOW
Hey there, fiance. Whatcha doin'?
She sees that he's making a sandwich.
WILLOW (CONT'D)
If I knew you were okay for dinner,
I'd have made something.
XANDER
Just a quick break and then back to
work.
WILLOW
Work? More?
XANDER
Have to.
WILLOW
Blow it off. C'mon. We're engaged.
We should be celebrating. Let's go
someplace romantic, huh? We could go
bowling.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
27.
XANDER
You have no idea how much I wish I
could. I just can't. Mr. Hewitt wants
me to have a full write-up on Glory
by Monday.
WILLOW
Glory? Why her? She's so...
(beat)
And she tried way to hard to be scary.
XANDER
Random pick, I guess. I didn't ask
too many questions.
WILLOW
Probably smart, considering that the
Council might get annoyed and have
us both chopped into little bits.
This Hewitt guy kinda freaks me out.
XANDER
At least you're not working for him.
The guy's like Quentin Travers on
meth or something.
WILLOW
Are you sure you need this job?
XANDER
As sure as I am that we need this
mortgage.
WILLOW
I'm working now.
Xander puts his arm around her.
XANDER
You gonna be my sugar-momma?
WILLOW
Why not? You could be a stay at home
dad when we're married.
XANDER
Wow. Kids. Neat.
WILLOW
Am I rushing? I'm rushing.
XANDER
No. No, not rushing. I just never
had those thoughts out loud before.
WILLOW
And are they happy thoughts?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
28.
XANDER
They are. Just so long as we don't
have to give our firstborn to the
Council.
(beat)
I knew I should have read that
contract before I signed it.
Willow smiles as Xander takes a deep breath. He picks up his
sandwich.
XANDER (CONT'D)
Back to the coal mines.
WILLOW
Good luck. If I can help at all, let
me know.
XANDER
Maybe. You could explain that whole
brain-sucking thing.
He kisses her on the head and walks out of the room. She
watches him go, wishing that he didn't have so much work to
do just now.
She then looks to the counter where the bread bag is still
open, the used butter-knife is resting, the cheese wrappers
are tossed and the lunch meat remains. She grows annoyed.
WILLOW
Damnit.
She starts to clean up.
WILLOW (CONT'D)
Do I look like your mother? No.
INT. WATCHER'S COUNCIL BUILDING - HALLWAY - NIGHT
Mr. Hewitt is walking down the hall, carrying several papers.
His CELL PHONE RINGS. He pulls it out of his pocket and looks
at the number on the caller-ID. It reads : GILES, RUPERT.
Mr. Hewitt puts the phone back into his pocket as he reaches
the office. He has no intention of dealing with Giles tonight.
As he reaches his office door, he taps a button on the side
of the door, and the door slides open. He walks inside.
INT. WATCHER'S COUNCIL BUILDING - HEWITT'S OFFICE -
CONTINUOUS
The door closes behind Mr. Hewitt as he enters the dark room.
He looks around and sees several of the TV screens flickering,
giving the room an almost strobe light-like effect.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
29.
MR. HEWITT
Hello?
A voice fills the room. Female. Strong English accent.
FEMALE VOICE
Twenty chickens, all in a patch. A
wolf swoops in and picks one to
snatch.
MR. HEWITT
Who is that? Who's there?
A FIGURE walks across the room, stopping just in front of
Mr. Hewitt. As the light flashes on her face, we can see who
she is. It is DRUSILLA.
DRUSILLA
That's what she does, you know? Plucks
us off, one by one. Like feathers
from a chicken.
MR. HEWITT
Drusilla.
Mr. Hewitt looks back to the door, but it is closed. He is
alone with her.
DRUSILLA
Door's locked. Building's empty, but
for the few below. We're all alone.
MR. HEWITT
Why are you here?
DRUSILLA
Because of her.
MR. HEWITT
The Slayer?
DRUSILLA
She moves across the world, killing
us as she goes. We huddle and hide
in caves to avoid her, but our time
is coming.
MR. HEWITT
I don't know what you want me to do.
DRUSILLA
I want you to stop it.
MR. HEWITT
How? I can't keep track of her any
more than you can.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
30.
DRUSILLA
But you know her secrets.
(finger over lips)
Shh.
Drusilla licks her finger as her hand moves away from her
face and she walks around to Mr. Hewitt's back. He doesn't
turn. He doesn't want to provoke her.
DRUSILLA (CONT'D)
Daddy's with her now. Do you know
what that means?
Hewitt doesn't answer.
DRUSILLA (CONT'D)
It means that she's going to be very
angry come sunrise.
MR. HEWITT
Do you know where she is?
DRUSILLA
It doesn't matter where she is. All
that matters is where she'll be.
Mr. Hewitt turns to face Drusilla.
MR. HEWITT
Where?
DRUSILLA
Right where we want her.
Hewitt swallows hard. He shakes his head and then looks
Drusilla squarely in the eyes.
MR. HEWITT
We're not ready.
Drusilla smiles.
FADE TO BLACK:
END OF ACT TWO
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
31.
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
INT. AIRPORT - MAGAZINE SHOP - NIGHT
Alice is standing near a magazine rack. She's not reading
anything. She's just standing there.
Ariel is off to one side, with Gramma. Ariel doesn't say
anything. She doesn't look at anyone. She keeps her eyes on
the ground.
Gramma, however, is more talkative. She looks around the
airport.
GRAMMA
So many people just goin' about their
lives. Rushin' off on business trips,
and vacations. How many of them do
you think are being shipped to the
funny farm?
Gramma bends down to Ariel and looks her in the eyes. Ariel
is scared of her.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
But don't worry, child. None of them
is lookin' at you. Not a one would
even mind it if you was to drop dead
right here in this spot.
Gramma smiles big.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
Don't fret none. You ain't dyin'
here. Mm-mm. You're goin' back up in
that sky in one of them big metal
boxes. Couldn't get out even if you
wanted. Scream all you want and still
can't escape it. Do you know what
lives up there? All kinds of monsters.
Just as many as down here. Pickin'
apart at the plane, just tryin' to
get it to go down.
Ariel starts to cry. Alice looks at her and bends down to
her level.
ALICE
Come on, sweetie. Don't cry. Not
now.
ARIEL
She's here, Mommy. She's here.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
32.
ALICE
There's nobody here but us.
ARIEL
But she is! She's here and she says
that the plane is gonna crash and we
can't get out!
An OLDER MAN standing nearby looks in their direction. Alice
sees him and tries to smile it off. The man goes back to his
own business and Alice turns back to Ariel.
ALICE
Ariel, that's enough. No more of
this. There is nobody else here.
There is nobody talking to you. It's
in your head.
ARIEL
But she's not in my head! She's real,
Mommy!
GRAMMA
Yes I am. Don't you forget it neither.
ALICE
Ariel, stop it.
GRAMMA
(singing)
Goin' up in that sky. Kick and scream
and cry and cry. Plane falls down
and hits the ground and little girls
will surely die. Yes, little girls
will surely die.
Gramma laughs now and claps her hands together. Ariel begins
to sob and latches onto her mother.
ARIEL
Make it stop! Make her stop, Mommy!
GRAMMA
Mommies die to, child. Ain't nothin'
she can do to stop it. Surely as she
couldn't save that brother of yours.
(pats belly)
And mmm, was that boy good. 'Specially
toward the end when he was pullin'
his hair all out and scratchin' at
the walls till his nails pulled clean
from the fingers.
Ariel puts her hands over her ears and yells to keep Gramma's
voice away.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
33.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
Hide all you want. Won't help none!
ARIEL
Go away! Go away!
ALICE
(embarrassed)
Ariel, stop yelling. Please stop
yelling.
ARIEL
Help me, Mommy!
GRAMMA
Can't help you, child. Can't even
see your ol' Gramma.
Gramma laughs. Tom walks up and sees what's happening.
TOM
Again?
ALICE
I can't do this. Not again.
TOM
We're almost there.
ALICE
And what makes this place any
different?
TOM
It just is.
Tom doesn't believe what he's saying any more than Alice
does, but he has nothing else to say to her.
ALICE
How much longer are we stuck here?
TOM
I don't know. The flight's been pushed
back another two hours. Something
with the plane.
ALICE
Two hours? What are we supposed to
do for two hours?
TOM
I don't know.
Alice looks at her watch.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
34.
ALICE
We could drive there in three.
Tom thinks it over. Finally, he nods. They head out. Gramma
follows.
GRAMMA
I love a car ride! I ever tell you
about the ways a girl could die in a
car?
INT. AIRPORT TERMINAL - NIGHT
Dawn and Ryan are still sitting in their chairs, talking.
Dawn's finishing up a story.
DAWN
So she left. Just walked away and I
haven't seen her since.
RYAN
Damn.
(beat)
You think she's okay though?
DAWN
She's alive. I know that much.
Ryan thinks about this and lets it sink in.
RYAN
I had no clue.
DAWN
Not many people do.
Another somber moment and then Ryan smiles. Dawn thinks this
odd.
DAWN (CONT'D)
So this is funny?
RYAN
No. It's just weird. Vampires,
demons... I mean, I've known about
them for a while, but it's still so
crazy. I guess it's just one of those
things that doesn't sink in until
you see it first hand.
DAWN
Maybe. I don't know.
RYAN
What was it like for you? Seeing
your first vampire, or whatever?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
35.
DAWN
I honestly don't remember. I remember
Buffy telling me about them when I
was nine. Before she even told Mom.
I guess she was worried about me or
something.
(extended beat)
But that's not exactly the way it
really happened, so I guess I
officially saw my first vampire about
six or seven years ago.
RYAN
Not how it happened?
DAWN
(smiles)
Long, long story. Really long.
RYAN
You have someplace else to be?
Dawn looks at her watch and her eyes widen. She jumps up.
DAWN
Oh, God! My plane! It should have
been boarding by now.
She rushes over to where the arrival and departure listings
are displayed and scans the screen for her flight. She then
lets out a sigh as Ryan catches up, carring her bags.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Delayed. I'm here for another couple
of hours.
Ryan thinks for a moment and then decides on a course of
action.
RYAN
You said that Sunnydale was three
hours away?
DAWN
More or less.
RYAN
I have a car outside. You wanna drive?
Dawn's confused.
DAWN
You have a car? Why are you in the
airport then?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
36.
RYAN
(smiles)
Long story.
DAWN
Okay, so lead the way to your car
and tell me what's going on.
RYAN
Deal.
They start to walk.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Where do you want me to start?
DAWN
How about where we left off last
time?
RYAN
Do you want me to leave out the parts
where I burn your pictures and grow
angrier at you with every passing
day?
DAWN
Umm, no. That's the best stuff.
RYAN
If you say so.
(beat)
So you broke up with me and that's
when I first knew that I hated you.
DAWN
Good story.
(beat)
Wait, didn't you break up with me? I
seem to remember a whole "Don't come
back" speech. You said so yourself
just a little while ago.
RYAN
That was after you hadn't spoken to
me for a good long while.
DAWN
So, we were on a break.
Ryan laughs.
RYAN
If you say so.
(MORE)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
37.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Anyway, I was doing that whole
depressed, angry thing and not paying
attention to much for the next few
days. The news was full of stories
about that mystery plague that swept
the world, but I was too busy moping
about my ex-girlfriend to notice.
DAWN
Sweet.
RYAN
Not really. I did finally come out
of my funk and planned to tell you
off like any self respecting man
would do in my situation. That's
when I went to your house and found
the letter.
DAWN
You just went in?
RYAN
Well, the back door was open.
(beat)
After I threw a rock through the
window and unlocked it.
DAWN
You were going to vandalize my house?
RYAN
No. I was just worried. You had about
fifty newspapers in your front lawn.
DAWN
Sure.
RYAN
I was!
DAWN
Mm-hmm.
RYAN
Anyway, I found the letter. You
sounded more insane than before and
I wrote you off until I saw that
news report. Then things seemed a
little out of whack. That guy in the
alley that night. When we were
attacked.
DAWN
Vampire.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
38.
RYAN
See, I thought so. And then a few
other things started to look different
in town.
DAWN
Like Pleasantville when the color
got spread around.
RYAN
Exactly.
(beat)
That's how I started believing. I
read some stuff online but still
never saw anything that I could point
at and say "demon". So I just had to
deal with it on my own.
DAWN
You should have looked me up. Sent
me an e-mail. Text message my cell
phone.
RYAN
I thought you were dead. Especially
after your house burned down.
DAWN
Wait... My house burned down?
RYAN
The one you lived in, yeah. A couple
of weeks after you left. Nobody knew
the cause, but they marked it up to
old wiring.
(beat)
Man, you guys had a lot of weapons
in there. I walked through some of
the debris and found about three
swords.
DAWN
Nobody else found them first? Fire
department?
RYAN
We're lucky if they put fires out.
They knew you guys were gone, so
they didn't bother to look through
the place too much.
DAWN
How did it really burn down? Do you
know?
Ryan shrugs.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
39.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Weird.
RYAN
You don't think it was the wiring?
DAWN
Possible, but not likely. What are
the odds that the Slayer's house
would burn down just after the Night
of Morel Divineh?
RYAN
I'm guessing small?
DAWN
Yeah.
RYAN
But... I just mean... The place was
really old. That's a pretty big
ingredient for fire, right?
Dawn takes the lead as they head through the exit.
DAWN
So naive.
EXT. AIRPORT PARKING LOT - NIGHT
Dawn and Ryan walk through the parking lot. Ryan is now in
the lead, seeing as how he knows where he parked.
DAWN
So, what else has been happening?
Any big drama? Anyone I know get
eaten?
RYAN
Not that I know of. I have been gone
for a few weeks though.
DAWN
Which brings me to the question of
the hour. Why?
Ryan thinks for a moment as he looks around the parking lot.
RYAN
You don't happen to see a '68 Mustang
anywhere, do you? Kinda cranberry
color. Convertable.
DAWN
No. Did you park it around here?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40.
RYAN
Oh, no. I just want one like that.
I'm the crappy Honda right here.
They walk up to Ryan's car, which is an old rundown Honda of
some sort. He opens the trunk and puts her bags in.
RYAN (CONT'D)
The door should be unlocked.
They walk around the car, toward their doors.
RYAN (CONT'D)
I say that as though there were a
chance they'd actually be locked.
They get into the car.
INT. RYAN'S CAR - CONTINUOUS
After buckling up, Dawn turns to Ryan.
DAWN
So, avoiding the question?
RYAN
Which question was that?
DAWN
Why you're here.
Ryan starts the car and begins driving.
RYAN
Right. Good question.
DAWN
C'mon.
RYAN
I was dropping off my sister.
DAWN
That's it?
RYAN
Yeah. More or less.
(beat)
We were on this roadtrip. She wanted
to go home early, so I dropped her
off.
DAWN
Why'd she want to go home? You're
okay, right? You're not sick?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
41.
RYAN
No, I'm fine. The trip's my last
hurrah before I ship out.
DAWN
Where are you going?
RYAN
Army, I think. I tried the whole
college thing and that didn't work
out, so I went back to the video
store for a while, but that sucked.
Then I got to thinking about the big
evil in the world and how to do my
part.
(beat)
I guess the Army doesn't do demons,
but it's still something, right?
DAWN
Yeah. And they do do demons. If you
ever need some strings pulled to get
into a top secret demon fighting
Army squad, let me know. I have
connections.
(beat)
You're really doing this though?
There's war. People die.
RYAN
This coming from you?
DAWN
Good point.
(beat)
So Kirsty left when you told her?
RYAN
Well, she'd been grumpy the whole
time. After she figured out that a
road trip would require a gas powered
automobile I kinda started to lose
her. The Army thing was just the
clincher.
(beat)
I don't think I'll be getting any
letters from her.
DAWN
She's that upset?
RYAN
Yeah. Not as bad as my parents though.
Did you ever meet them?
Dawn shakes her head.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
42.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Well, imagine Kristy times ten. She's
not talking to me, but they pretty
much disowned me.
DAWN
Seriously?
RYAN
Yeah.
(beat)
I'm sure they'll come around though.
It'll just take time.
DAWN
Right.
(beat)
Yeah.
There's a long silence. Finally, Ryan perks up.
RYAN
So, did I tell you that I dated Shelly
for a while?
INT. RENTAL CAR - NIGHT
Along a stretch of open desert-like area, Tom and Alice are
driving down the road. Neither one of them is very talkative.
In the back seat, Ariel is resting her head against the
window, watching the street lights go by as Gramma sits next
to her.
GRAMMA
My, how we're going fast. In my day
you'd have to kick a horse pretty
damn hard to get speed like this.
Gramma looks to Ariel. When she gets no response, she leans
a little closer.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
Not talking to Gramma? What kind of
manners is that? You oughta respect
your elders, child. Time was you'd
get a whoopin' for behaving like you
do.
Still no response from Ariel. Gramma takes a deep breath.
She looks out her window.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
Look at those lights flashing right
by. Speed. It's all about speed,
isn't it?
(MORE)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
43.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
All these cars and gadgets for you
kids today. Always on the go. Always
needin' everything right now.
Nevermind the fact that you're headed
face first for that brick wall. Oh,
it's coming and before you can do
something about it, your parts are
stretched thirty feet along the road.
Gramma waits for a response, but none comes. She looks to
Ariel, getting annoyed. She takes a deep breath and moves
on.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
Don't worry though. I'm sure your
Momma and Daddy will be dead long
before you. That's how it is mostly.
Before you know it, you'll be all
alone in this world. Why, I bet they
could die any minute now.
Gramma leans up and looks at the back of Tom's head.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
Yup. This one's gettin' close.
She grins and looks back to Ariel. Ariel looks toward her
father.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
That one got a rise out of you, didn't
it?
(beat)
Yes, this car sure does move fast.
One stray dog, or even an
unfortunately stupid squirrel and
your Daddy's face will see that glass
up there real close.
(beat)
Does he look distracted to you?
Ariel starts to tear up. She tries to hold it back, but Gramma
sees the crack in her armor.
Suddenly, there's a POP. The car swerves a little as Tom
struggles to keep control.
ALICE
What was that?
TOM
I think a tire blew.
ALICE
Are you kidding me? What else could
go wrong?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
44.
Tom looks up ahead and squints a little.
TOM
There's a diner. I'm stopping.
Ariel is keeping a fearful eye on her father as he handles
this problem. Gramma has her eye on Ariel.
GRAMMA
Close your eyes, dear. Close your
eyes and fall asleep quick.
Gramma looks out her window.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
Hurts less that way.
FADE TO BLACK:
END OF ACT THREE
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
45.
ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
INT. RYAN'S CAR - NIGHT
Ryan and Dawn continue to drive. They're on a stretch of
road not unlike the stretch that Tom and Alice were driving
on.
DAWN
I'm the first to admit, I have issues.
A lot of issues. I have more issues
than National Geographic. I heard
that line somewhere before, but I
forget where.
RYAN
So that's why you went to live with
him?
DAWN
Maybe a little. It definately helped
to have some family after Buffy left.
Someone to lean on like I did with
Buffy after Mom died.
RYAN
What about Xander and Willow? Aren't
they like family?
DAWN
Yeah. I did stay in Sunnydale for a
couple of weeks. Long enough for
them to buy the house and tell me
how welcome I was to live there.
Dawn tries to think of the right way to phrase what she's
thinking.
DAWN (CONT'D)
They're family. Closer than blood.
It's just that with Willow going
back to school and Xander... doing
other things, life was moving on.
Not so much demon hunting. Just normal
life stuff.
RYAN
And you were the third wheel.
DAWN
Kinda. It wasn't a group anymore, it
was them and me.
(beat)
I'm saying this wrong. It's just
hard to explain.
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46.
RYAN
I get it.
DAWN
Plus, the college I needed to go to
was near Dad. You'd think you could
learn all about demonology in
Sunnydale, but the really good
teachers tend to shy away from
Hellmouths.
(beat)
It's good though. I got to know my
father more. I even understand him
every once in a while, and now I
know where I get my keen ability to
ramble on for hours without making
an ounce of sense.
RYAN
Sounds like a good deal to me.
(beat)
Aside from the dead mother and missing
sister parts, and I meant that to
sound much more sensitive than it
came out.
DAWN
Don't worry about it. I'm not one of
those people who's all shy when it
comes to dark topics. I can laugh
about death as much as the next
person.
(then)
Hey, how many corpses does it take
to screw in a lightbulb?
RYAN
How many?
DAWN
None. They actually prefer the dark.
Ryan doesn't even smile a little. The car falls into a deadly
silence. Dawn knows that it was a bomb of a joke and tries
to recover as gracefully as possible.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Because they can see in the dark and
normal people can't.
(really long beat)
I started the joke before I had a
punchline. I had to think fast.
Ryan smiles as he looks straight ahead, at the road. He
doesn't smile at her joke. He's smiling because of her.
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47.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Sure. Laugh at my bomb of a joke.
RYAN
You know, I've spent the better part
of two years hating you.
DAWN
Umm... Okay.
RYAN
I have. Since before you left, when
you started avoiding me. Then with
that letter, and not calling me... I
hated you. Seriously, like, a lot.
Dawn's not sure what to do with this information.
RYAN (CONT'D)
And then I saw you in the airport
and it just went away. I tried to be
mad, and I tried to tell you
everything that I've been wanting to
say since you left but I couldn't.
It was just gone. One hour with you
and it's like nothing bad ever
happened with us.
Dawn breathes a sigh of relief. She still doesn't know what
to say, but in a good way now.
Ryan looks over and sees that she's stumped.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Sorry. I just had to say that.
DAWN
It was good.
RYAN
Really?
DAWN
Yeah, really.
RYAN
Well, you know... I did spend a lot
of time around chick flicks.
He looks up ahead and notices something.
RYAN (CONT'D)
Hey, are you hungry?
DAWN
You really have been away from me
for a while.
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48.
RYAN
Right. How 'bout a burger?
DAWN
Sounds good, but I'm buying.
RYAN
We'll see.
Ryan pulls into a parking lot.
DAWN
No seeing. I'm paying.
RYAN
Sure you are.
DAWN
Seriously.
INT. DINER - NIGHT
Ryan and Dawn walk into the diner and take a look around.
The place is nearly empty, except for Tom, Alice and Ariel
sitting in one of the booths.
The diner itself is old, but not too bad looking. Shiny chrome
and stools at the counter that don't have any patches or
anything like that. There is one WAITRESS working behind the
counter.
RYAN
Booth or counter?
DAWN
Counter. Seems weird to eat in an
old diner and sit at a table.
RYAN
If you say so.
Ryan lets Dawn go first as they sit down at the counter. The
waitress comes over to them. She hands them menus.
WAITRESS
Coffee?
RYAN
Please.
DAWN
I'll just have a glass of water...
(reads menu)
Ooh! And a chocolate malt.
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49.
WAITRESS
One coffee, a water, and a chocolate
malt.
DAWN
Don't worry about the water. I was
just trying to be girlie.
The waitress nods, pulls a coffee cup out from under the
counter and puts it in front of Ryan. She grabs the coffee
pot from behind her and fills the cup.
WAITRESS
The malt will take a sec.
The waitress goes off to make the malt, leaving Dawn and
Ryan alone. They look over their menus.
RYAN
Anything jump out at you?
(beat)
From the menu, I mean.
DAWN
Only about half of it. It'd probably
be more than half if they didn't
have a salad section.
RYAN
Well, don't hold back. Whatever you
want.
DAWN
Yeah, because I'm paying.
RYAN
This could go on for a while, couldn't
it?
DAWN
We should just put off this debate
until the check comes.
RYAN
Deal.
They continue to read their menus.
DAWN
Decide on anything yet?
RYAN
Probably just the bacon burger. Maybe
onion rings.
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50.
DAWN
Wanna split the bacon burger and the
fried chicken sandwich?
RYAN
You get fries.
DAWN
Done.
They put their menus down.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Well that was easy to slip back into.
ANGLE ON : TOM AND ALICE'S TABLE
Tom and Alice are sipping cups of coffee while Ariel picks
at a piece of pie without actually eating any of it. Both
parents are as mesmerized by the pie as Ariel. Probably
because neither of them wants to talk very much.
Ariel starts to tear up, but her parents say nothing. She
puts her fork down and sits back, trying not to cry.
Alice looks at her watch.
ALICE
It's been a half hour. Where are
they?
TOM
They're coming. It takes time when
you're in the middle of nowhere.
Ariel starts to rock herself back and forth.
ARIEL
No. No, no, no.
(beat)
Go away.
Tom and Alice remain silent, trying to not even look in
Ariel's direction.
Finally, Ariel looks up at her mother.
ARIEL (CONT'D)
Bathroom?
Alice looks around and spots the bathroom. She points to it.
ALICE
Over there. You go, sweetie. Daddy
and I will be right out here, okay?
Ariel gets up and walks into the bathroom.
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51.
ANGLE ON : DAWN AND RYAN
Both smiling as they discuss deep and meaningful topics.
DAWN
Umm... Four times.
RYAN
Four? You only saw "Revenge Of The
Sith" four times?
DAWN
Okay, five. You have to admit, it's
kinda the funniest movie ever.
RYAN
Well, yeah. Except maybe "Superman
Returns"
DAWN
Oh! I haven't seen that one yet.
RYAN
Seriously? It's like a really high
budgeted "Plan 9 From Outer Space".
DAWN
It's going on my queue tomorrow.
The waitress comes back with Dawn's malt. She places it in
front of Dawn.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Thanks.
(beat)
Is there a place I could freshen up?
The waitress points toward the bathroom.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Thanks.
(to Ryan)
Can you order?
RYAN
Sure.
DAWN
Cool. BRB.
(beat)
That really only works online.
She walks to the bathroom.
WAITRESS
(to Ryan)
Ready to order?
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52.
RYAN
Yeah.
INT. DINER - BATHROOM - NIGHT
Dawn walks into the bathroom and is about to enter a stall
when she hears Ariel crying. She looks over and sees Ariel
sitting on the floor near the sink.
DAWN
Are you okay?
Ariel doesn't respond.
CLOSE ON : ARIEL
Still crying as Gramma puts her face close to Ariel's.
GRAMMA
Go on. Tell the girl that mean ol'
Gramma's pickin' on you. She'll think
you're crazy just like the rest of
them do.
Ariel continues to cry, but says nothing.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
She can't see me neither, you know.
None of them can.
Dawn starts to walk toward Ariel, concerned.
DAWN
Are you hurt? Do you need some help?
GRAMMA
Scream, child! Scream bloody murder!
Gramma stands up now, looking down on Ariel.
GRAMMA (CONT'D)
Give them another reason to lock you
up. Then they'll cut that pretty
little head open and give those brains
of yours a nice stir. Makes it so
you can't feel a thing. I'll still
be there though. Now, who else can
you depend on like that?
DAWN
Me.
Gramma's eyes widen as she looks up at Dawn.
DAWN (CONT'D)
That's right.
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53.
Dawn swings at Gramma, but her FIST GOES THROUGH GRAMMA'S
FACE, and hits the wall behind Gramma. Dawn pulls it back,
in great pain.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Ow! Ow! Ow! Crap!
(to Ariel)
Run!
Ariel gets up and runs out of the bathroom.
GRAMMA
She won't get far. We both know I'll
find her.
DAWN
I think you're gonna be a little too
dead to find her.
GRAMMA
We'll see, child. We'll see.
DAWN (V.O.)
Gramma demon. Born Gretta Hagen,
1783.
Gramma walks toward the bathroom door. Dawn follows.
INT. DINER - NIGHT
Ryan is sitting at the counter, quietly sipping his coffee.
DAWN (V.O.)
Though once a religious woman, Greta
tortured and killed fourteen children
after the suicide of her oldest
daughter, born with deformities of
the face and hands.
Dawn runs out of the bathroom.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Stop her! Ryan, stop her!
Ryan looks up and sees nothing.
RYAN
Stop who?
DAWN
Her!
Dawn points toward Ariel's table. Ryan looks over there.
RYAN
The woman or the daughter?
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54.
DAWN
The demon!
Ryan perks up a little. He still sees no demon, but he stands
up.
The waitress looks on as Dawn yells.
DAWN (CONT'D)
My bag. Get me my bag!
Ryan grabs Dawn's purse off of the counter and tosses it to
her.
RYAN
What are you doing? Where's the demon?
Dawn begins to dig inside her purse.
DAWN (V.O.)
Once the parents of these children
discovered Greta's crimes, they set
out to take her life. Insisting that
these children had teased her
daughter, and deserved to be punished
for her death, Greta knew that her
time was coming to an end. Realizing
her own guilt for turning a blind
eye to her daughter's suffering, and
the deaths of her victims, Greta
began fearing the pits of Hell. Greta
soon began to bargain with the
underworld for her immortal soul. In
exchange for sparing her eternal
agony, the demon D'Hyrn agreed to
take Greta into his employ.
ANGLE ON : ARIEL
Watching Dawn attempt to keep Gramma away from her. Gramma
watches Dawn with amusement.
GRAMMA
Ain't gonna save the child. You'll
only prove my point.
Dawn is still digging. She tosses makeup, her wallet, and
her cell phone to the floor, unable to find a weapon.
DAWN
The one day I don't have a weapon on
me!
She tosses a cross to the floor. Gramma sees this and
flinches. Dawn notices this.
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55.
DAWN (CONT'D)
You flinched.
Dawn looks down and sees the cross. She picks it up and holds
it out. Gramma recoils.
DAWN (CONT'D)
I'm guessing you don't like this
very much. Probably wouldn't want to
touch it then.
Dawn tosses the cross in Gramma's direction. Gramma smacks
it out of the way and then looks back to Dawn with fear in
her eyes. Dawn smiles.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Smile, Grams. You're about to meet
your maker.
Dawn punches Gramma in the face. This time her fist hits
Gramma with full force. Gramma stumbles back.
DAWN (CONT'D)
I'm guessing he's not too happy with
you.
GRAMMA
No. You can't do this.
DAWN
'Fraid I can.
Dawn attempts to kick Gramma in the gut, but Gramma grabs
her leg and pushes Dawn back. Dawn stumbles into a pie case,
sending it to the floor with a crash.
The waitress continues to watch what happens. She doesn't
have much expression, she's just watching the show.
RYAN
Dawn!
Ryan rushes to Dawn's side and helps her recover.
DAWN
Ryan open your eyes. See her.
RYAN
Where?
Ryan looks around the diner, but sees nothing. Finally, he
begins to squint a little.
DAWN (V.O.)
Set to roam the earth, Greta was
renamed Gramma and began terrorizing
(MORE)
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56.
DAWN (V.O.) (CONT'D)
small children, causing them to go
insane. Inflicting the same darkness
and agony on her victims that her
own daughter had been forced to
suffer.
RYAN
Holy crap.
RYAN'S POV
Gramma walks toward him.
DAWN (V.O.)