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Hilary
ACT 1
(Episode that follows The Choice)
PROLOGUE:
Giles place. Giles is sitting at a desk and Buffy is sitting on a chair next to him holding ice to her head wound. It’s still bleeding a bit.
GILES: (gently) Buffy are you sure that I shouldn’t take you to the emergency room, that cut …looks like it needs stitches.
BUFFY: No, the nun told me a doctor’s already looked at it.
Looks up at him sees his concern.
BUFFY: (reassures him) I’m fine. What are you doing?
GILES: Well, now is as good a time as any to tell you, I suppose.
Buffy looks at him questioningly.
GILES: Buffy, your mother when she first got diagnosed came to me and told me her wishes,…for her arrangements, …(says carefully) should this day come.
There’s new tears in Buffy’s eyes.
GILES: She asked me if I would handle them….make sure they were, taken care of and of course .. I agreed.
Buffy nods.
GILES: (a bit uncomfortable, changes the subject) Tell me again what happened?
BUFFY: Well, I told you, I went on patrol and was jumped by three vamps. I dusted the first two but the third pulled my feet out from under me and the last thing I remember is hitting my head hard on the corner of a marble tombstone. Then I came to in this convent, and this nun was sitting beside me taking care of my wound.
GILES: (nods) Did she tell you who had brought you there.
BUFFY: No. She told me they didn’t want me to know. And then she began talking about this other stuff, I don’t quite remember and then she called me…Slayer.
GILES: She knew you were the Slayer?
BUFFY: Yes, she said because she knew the other .
GILES: (a look of dismay begins to form on his face) The other who?
BUFFY: The other Slayer before me….Victoria. Was that the Slayer before me Giles?
GILES: (dismay is replaced by worry) Yes. It was. He looks off from Buffy and down.
BUFFY: How come you never told me about her Giles, did you know her?
GILES: Looks back up at Buffy (hesitantly) Yes,.. I did.
Buffy looks at him as if she is waiting for more.
GILES: Uh..It’s late, last time I checked Dawn was sleeping soundly upstairs on my bed, why don’t you go up and join her. I’ll take the couch.
BUFFY: (Resigned) Yes, I will. I don’t want her to wake up alone.
She stands up. He is looking off in the distant. She takes his hand.
BUFFY: Giles?
GILE: (Looks back at her) Yes Buffy?
BUFFY: Thank you.
He nods, she leaves.
ACT 1
Spikes crypt.
Shot of Spike sleeping on the lid of the tomb, pillow underneath his head. Shot of his face close up.
Fade to Victoria’s face. The background is black she is shaking him, laughing and teasing him.
VICTORIA: Rise and shine my sweet lovely..rise and SHINE!
SPIKE:(eyes still closed, states firmly) No.
VICTORIA: (taunts) Come on,….(perturbed) Oh.. *Come *on!
SPIKE: (more adamantly), I told you Victoria, I don’t need your help!
As he says this he sits up and glares in anger. But she is now standing at the crypt door. She opens it a crack a bright light comes streaming in. Spike raises his arm and protectively shields himself. Victoria says teasingly with laughter in her voice:
VICTORIA: So you think you know… what’s to come (she smiles)…who you are… (she opens the door wide to reveal a brightly lit desert)…..you haven’t even begun.
She holds her hand out to him.
SPIKE: But Vic, you know I can’t go ……
Scene changes..Spike is standing alone in the middle of the desert…
SPIKE: …out there… (frantically looks down at himself theres no smoke…no fire he looks up at the sun)
A woman is humming in the background. He looks up at the sky and shades his eyes. The sun momentarily blinds him until he only sees white. He looks down in front of him and the Primal Slayer comes into focus. She is standing before him. There is now a strange snare like noise in the background.
SPIKE: …do I know you?
Scene changes he is being pinned to a crate by Angel dressed in 18th century clothing.
ANGELUS: You can't keep this up forever. If I can't teach you, maybe someday an angry crowd will. That... or the Slayer.
Scene changes to Spike looking down at his legs which are moving in, then out, in then out. He is dressed in tweeds and sitting on a swing he looks over and Giles is swinging next to him , Xander is to his left. Buffy is sitting in the middle of a sandbox dressed in a bright top and jeans her hair down. She is talking to Xander. Spike can’t hear them. He looks over at Giles in confusion.
GILES: ( encouragingly) Go on, put your back into it! A Watcher scoffs at gravity!
Spike looks down at his legs and stops them, his swing begins to slow down until it comes to a stop he remains seated in it and rests his feet on the ground, his hands still on the chains. He looks at the sandbox again. In the back ground the woman resumes humming. Shot of Buffy in the sand box she is standing now her back to both him and Giles. She is leaning on a pool table which is now situated in the sand box. He sees a double of himself standing closely to her, seductively. He watches himself try to take a pool cue away but she grabs it with lightening speed back from him.
SPIKE: Lesson the first: a Slayer must always reach for her weapon.
He watches as his double’s face shifts to his vamp guise.
SPIKE: I've already got mine.
Both his double and the pool table disappear and it’s just Buffy sitting directly in front of Spike now, Indian style in the middle of the sand box looking intently up at him.
Spike gets off of the swing walks over to Buffy, steps into the sand box and stoops down in front of her…she looks up at him with out expression and says:
BUFFY: Teacher.
Spike reaches out and touches her face. She does not flinch at all and continues to look at him the same way.
SPIKE: There is so much I have to teach you. Your history, your power ... what your body is capable of...
Buffy disappears.
Dressed in his usual black garb, Spike is stooping now on the desert sand his hand is still reached out but it is touching nothing now. He looks up and the Primal Slayer is standing above him. Stake in hand. He stands up facing her.
SPIKE: *Who * are you?
SLAYER: Opposition.
He looks at her in confusion and slowly shakes his head denying her response and says:
SPIKE: No….Balance.
SLAYER: Mortal enemy.
SPIKE: No…Kindred… The Slayer.
SLAYER:(Angrily in a husky voice) You should not be here. Creatures of the dark cannot walk in the the light! (She hunkers down and raises her stake at him ready to attack)
SPIKE:(shrugs) Get over it luv. (squinting he looks up at the sky then back at the Slayer ) Things change. (He grins and raises an eyebrow)
He pounces on her and they begin to roll in the sand. They come to the bottom of the hill and stop, Spike lands on top. He looks down, the Primal Slayer is gone and has been replaced by Buffy. He raises himself up on his hands and looks down at her.
Buffy: (from beneath him) Your wealth lies here (caresses his forehead)... and here (slowly moves her hand down to his heart). In the imagination and... spirit.
SPIKE: I was obsessed. To most vampires, the Slayer is the subject of cold sweat and frightened whispers. But I never hid. Hell,(grins down at Buffy) I sought her out.
BUFFY: (Rolls on top of him and grins back) You walk in worlds the others can't begin to imagine.
SPIKE: But you were right… (looking ashamed) I am beneath you.
Buffy rolls off of him and lies next to him. They both are looking at the sky now.
Shot of the sky
Shot of Buffy looking up. Shot of his hand now lieing on the ground. Without moving from her position on her back she reaches out and takes it.
BUFFY: No.
She looks over at him. He looks back, emotions pouring out on his face, in his expression.
BUFFY: (small smile, reassuringly) The same.
Shot of Spike looking up and smiling then looking over at Buffy. She is gone, Primal Slayer is back in her place. She rolls on top of him and stradles him. She holds her knife up ready to plunge it into his heart. He flips her over she goes flying down yet another hill. He stands up and watches her roll. She lands on all fours like a cat. He laughs and says.
SPIKE: (out of breath) All this time I thought I knew. (begins to laugh harder) Bragging about my kills singing about how it was * such * a good day! (speaking louder to the slayer at the bottom of the hill making emphatic hand gestures ) How could I have been * so * stupid…so wrong…so BLIND?! Pledging my alligence to self and evil when all along there was this? How could I have been such a fool to think that was a good day when it was really the worst day but now this…..THIS!..IS A GOOD DAY!
He says this to the sky which disappears into a stucco ceiling. He looks down and there is a group of vamps sucking from a victim chained in shackles. The smile quickly changes on his face his look turns to disgust. He hears a woman’s voice from behind him.
VICTORIA: Does that mean you’ve made your choice William.
She is standing at the doorway a few feet behind him.
SPIKE: (He does not take his eyes off the scene, his look turns from disgust to revulsion he winces and closes his eyes a tear falls)
VICTORIA: This is it. The time has come. There will be no turning back.
Spike still not facing her his eyes still closed.
SPIKE: Yes… I’ve made my choice. (he opens them and looks at the scene again.)
VICTORIA: ARE you sure?
SPIKE: Yes…YES, I’m sure! This disgusts me, (turns to face her) I can’t GO BACK….(quieter) even if I wanted to.
Turns to look at the scene again the victim screams Spike winces.
SPIKE: (looks down in shame and shakes his head no, very quietly) Its not in me anymore.
VICTORIA: Then if that is true, (walks closer to him) ..if you really can't go back…(she is standing directly behind him now) then you realize you must go, forward.
He turns to face her. The door behind her is open now to an alleyway.
SPIKE: (He is looking out the door) But forward where, luv, ? What will I do, (looks at her ) what…will I ..be?
VICTORIA: What you were always meant to be. Destined to be.
SPIKE: Destined..to be? Destiny…I have a destiny?
VICTORIA: Yes William (she smiles at him, reaches up and wipes the tear from his face ) you do. (Takes her hand away and steps back a little) Cant you see it, feel it, realize it in every fiber of your being?
SPIKE: Demons have…destinies?
VICTORIA: (Laughing) Yes …. Yes! Since the beginning of time, there have been two realms, evil and good. Each realm had their citizens, those being demons like you William and angels…like me. And the Power that is….the only power that will ever be…. Made them both….rules them both….it creates a balance. Do you understand what I’m saying?
SPIKE: ( Smiles and laughs softly) Like Ying and Yang?
VICTORIA: (Pleased) Yes, exactly. Do you see?
SPIKE: (confused) I don’t know….I think.. and I want to believe with all my heart VIC I want to believe that something as wonderful, as honorable as that could be true… but it just can’t be, it’s impossible, a disgusting creature like me doesn’t deserve such a destiny.
VICTORIA: (She shakes her head) No…no your wrong William…anything is possible. Tell me….just tell me what you believe your destiny is?
SPIKE: To be her teacher…(hesitantly)..her guide?
VICTORIA (nodding as he says this) Yes, William you’ve got it.
SPIKE: But what about Giles, he’s her watcher! Isn’t that what he’s for?
VICTORIA: Yes, he is, but Buffy needs you both.
SPIKE: How, Buffy is stronger then any slayer I’ve met, she really doesn’t need either one of us.
VICTORIA: (nods) That is what * she * thinks and has the world around her believing but,.. it’s not true. She needs Giles, her sister, her friends, both present ….and past.
SPIKE: (a little jealous) You mean Angel.
VICTORIA: (quietly) Yes Angel.
SPIKE: (Looks as if he’s just been slapped)
VICTORIA: And…you William in time you will be to her what you believe, It is not only predestined and inevitable but …it is so much more.
SPIKE: More?
VICTORIA: Yes but that is not for me to explain. My job is to show you the path you have chosen so you can begin your first steps.
(He looks above her out the door. The alley way has turned into a rugged thorny path that leads back down into the desert.)
SPIKE: I don’t know Vic, it looks too hard, too barren…too….
VICTORIA: Rocky?
Spike looks back at Victoria and nods.
VICTORIA: The road to redemption always is. And I’m afraid the first step is going to be the hardest.
SPIKE: What’d you mean?
VICTORIA: Every act with Buffy from this point on will have to be selfless and anonymous… and not only that but… you will have to sit for a long time on the side lines and wait until….
SPIKE: Until?
VICTORIA: She comes to you.
He looks around. He is in his crypt again. He is crying when suddenly the Primal Slayer jumps him from behind throws him to the floor and pounces on top of him.
SPIKE: ( Looking up at her as she threateningly holds the knife to his throat.) Look, ENOUGH. We don’t * do this * any more!
The slayer stops what she’s doing and looks down at him in confusion
SPIKE: Kapeesh? Friends now..OK? Amigos…? Pushes her off she rolls to the ground and he walks away from her back to his tomb and begins to lie down back on top of it. And as a friend, by the way…I feel it’s my duty to tell you…you really should consider changing your hairstyle. .. I mean COME ON…Dreads?….they’re just so…5 years ago….(he says this in disgust)
He lies down. The camera pans to a white shroud hanging over the arched window in his tomb. A strong wind opens the door and blows in through the crypt the shroud falls to the ground. The camera pans to the sunbeams shining in on the real Spike who is still asleep. The noise of the shroud falling awakens him he opens his eyes to find he is bathed in pure sunlight.
Enlightenment
ACT 2
Shot of a prison.
Cut to Faith. She is lying on her cot in her cell. There are books scattered all around her and one is lying open resting on her stomach, her hand on top of it. A guard unlocks her cell and wakes her up and tells her she has a visitor. He escorts Faith into the visiting room. She sees that her visitor is Angel and looks out the window, it's daylight. She looks at Angel in confusion and walks up and sits down in the chair at the glass partition, she picks up the phone.
Faith: (confused) Angel, what are you doing here?
Angel: Came to see you. What..not glad to see me? (smiles)
Faith: (the confused look is replaced with a small smile) No…it's not that it's just… (turns her head toward the window five feet away)
Angel: Not expecting to see me this time of day?
Faith: Well..yeah. (looks down and then back up at him)
Angel: (with a straight face) Shoulda seen the look on the front desk guy’s face when I came running in still smoking.
Faith looks at him in dismay.
Angel: (breaks out in a grin) There's a parking garage underneath.
Faith: (realization) Oh. (grins back settles back in her chair and starts to play with the phone cord) Course I'm glad to see you,… it's been awhile.
Angel: I know.
Faith: Where ya been?
Angel: Been busy. Things were good. And then they weren’t good. And now they’re…
Faith (finishes for him) Good?
Angel: (nods)
Faith: That’s…good.
Angel: Really sorry I didn’t visit sooner.
Faith: (shrugs) S’okay.. Been busy myself lately.
Angel: Busy doing?
Faith: Reading…. A lot.
Angel: Reading what.
Faith: Different stuff. Mostly books my counselor gives me.
Angel: Oh yeah, (hesitantly) how's that going?
Faith: (smiles big) Great!
Angel: You like her?
Faith: Oh man…she's awesome.
Angel: Good, …that's really good.
He gets quiet and just looks at her with a proud look on his face. She looks back at him questioningly.
Faith: What?
Angel: Nothing.
Faith:(coaxing) Come on give, what's the "Aw" look for.
Angel: It's nothing, I'm just…proud of you.
Faith: (she looks down) proud of me…why?
Angel: Cause your accepting help.
Faith: Yeah,(looks away from him) help you offered a long time ago that I should have taken … if I had….then maybe…(looks back at him, ashamed)
Angel: Don't go there..Faith. You made mistakes. We all do.
Faith: (uncomfortable) Really * really * big mistakes.
Angel: Take if from an expert, don't beat yourself up.
Faith: Why, cause it doesn’t help?
Angel: No, … more like just a really big waste of time.
Faith: (small grin) Yeah, you're right. (puts her hand up to her mouth and tries to cover a small yawn. Looks at him a little embarrassed) Sorry.
Angel: Am I keeping you up…. Or am I just that boring?
Faith: (laughs) Well, it is only six.
Angel: Sorry, guess I’m still on vamp time.
Faith (rolls her eyes ) I just got woke up by this really weird dream last night. Had a hard time going back to sleep.
Angel: Oh yeah, tell me about it.
Faith: (amused) Why, gonna try the psych thing, point out all my issues? (raises her eyebrow at him)
Angel: (small laugh) Try me.
Faith: It’s nothing…it was just this dream about me in the desert with this really perturbed and scary looking blond bitch…and for some reason she really * really * reminded me of Cordelia.
Angel: (soft laugh) Maybe it * was * Cordelia.
Faith: Huh?
Angel: Well she does have blond hair now….sorta. What else happened?
Faith: * Cordelia * ! …has blond hair now?!
Angel: Faith..the dream?
Faith: Oh…yeah, well, basically, this really strong wind comes crashing
in my cell window, picks me up by the throat, slams me against the wall
and strangles me until I grow so weak, I pass out and then I come to in
the desert with Blondie.
Stops and looks down self consciously
Faith: Well?
Angel: Well what?
Faith: What’d ya think? You know…Freud me.
Angel: Well… I think it means….
Faith: Yeah?
Angel: I think it means you’re really weird.
Faith: (looks down grins) Gee, thanks.
Cut to a gas station. Shot of Spike coming out of the station wearing a grey shirt, black jeans and very dark shades. He's looking down at a newspaper he's holding in his hands. He gets in his car throws it on the seat next to him and takes off.
Faith: So you really came all this way in broad daylight just to see me?
Angel: Of course! (grins sheepishly) and well…
Faith: Yeah, come on, spill.
Angel: I have an appointment in a couple of hours with some guy that Cordy set up a couple blocks from here. Something about .. he called and wanted us to investigate his daughter's boyfriend. Sounds like he might be a vamp.
Faith: A vamp in a romantic relationship with a human?
Angel: (looks down) Yeah…strange I know but, (looks up with a hint of hurt in his eyes) it's been known to happen.
Faith ( looks back at him with a little guilt) Angel, I'm sorry… I didn't mean….
Angel: No it's okay. I know.
Faith: Speaking of,(hesitantly) have you seen her?
Angel: Not since last year. (uncomfortable) She's sorta..you know.. moved on. (He looks away, more hurt shows through)
Faith: And you?
Angel: Found out I have my own special preordained path to follow.
Faith: You mean like a destiny.
Angel: Yeah…(smiles) something like that.
Cut to magic shop.
The whole scoobie gang is there minus Buffy and Giles. Anya is at the register bending over the counter sadly studying a crystal she is holding in her hand. Willow is standing next to her talking on the phone to Giles. Tara and Xander are sitting quietly at the round table facing Willow and listening to her conversation.
Willow: Don't worry Giles. We're watching the shop. We…we thought that would be a way we could help.
Giles: Yes, it helps very much Willow. Thank you.
Willow: Where…where's Buffy?
Giles: Sleeping
Willow: And Dawney?
Giles: The same.
Willow: (hesitantly, tears in her eyes) That’s good, right Giles…(stutters) I-I-Isn’t that good?
Giles: (gently reassures) Yes Willow, that’s good.
Willow: (trying to keep from crying) And…the…the funeral. (puts her hand over her mouth to hold back a sob, looks over at Tara and Tara nods encouragingly. Willow smiles.) Have you made the ah..arangements?
Giles: Yes. Everything is taken care of. It will be held the day after tomarrow.
Willow: The day after tomorrow. Okay. What can we do to help?
Giles: Nothing more then you are doing now, that I can think of.
Willow: Should we wait here? Or should we come over in a couple of hours? Will….will you call us when Buffy wakes up?
Giles: Yes. I will. I’ve been up all night myself and it’s nearly noon. I’m going to sleep a little and as soon as she wakes up, I’ll call you.
Willow: O..okay…. we’ll be right here. She nods reassuringly as she hangs up the phone and looks at the rest.
Scene cuts to the new Angel Investigations. Cordelia is standing by the door, purse on shoulder with a very peeved look on her face.
Cordelia: * Hello * Starving now! Would you two * please * quit being so difficult and make up your minds?
Wesley: Difficult? It’s Gunn here whose being difficult, I already told you what I want.
Gunn: Me! Well at least I’m not all Mr. Hold The Lettuce and The Mayo Get Extra Tomatoes Make Sure It’s on Rye and ..oh, yeah..see if they have any Grey Poupon! (says the last part in a horrible overdone British accent) And what the hell’s Chi-tea anyway?
Wesley: You don’t know what Chi-tea is?
Cordelia: (exasperated) O.K. That’s it!! I’m leaving and you're both getting tuna salad for all I care.
She turns and opens the door to leave and almost stumbles on a folded newspaper lying in the doorway. She looks down and sees something circled in red. She leans over and picks it up.
Cordelia: (cries) Oh..Oh no!
Wesley: (startled) What..what is it Cordelia.
Gunn: Vision (stands up and runs to her side) it’s a vision!
Cordelia turns before he gets to her. There are tears in her eyes.
Cordelia (sadly) No…not a vision.
Shot of Angel walking into Angel Investigations. It’s dark out. The gang is waiting for him all of their faces are somber.
Angel: (smiles trying to joke) What’s wrong you guys….did someone die?
Cordelia: Angel, You might want to sit down.
Enlightenment
ACT 3
Cut to Buffy. She is lieing on Giles bed holding Dawn. They are both curled up together in a sort of spoon fetal position.
Close up of Buffy's face.
Scene changes. Buffy is lieing in her own bed. She is talking frantically in her sleep.
BUFFY: Mom! Mom! Mom Mom Mom-
It's morning time. She wakes up with a start sits straight up and screams:
Buffy: MOM!
Joyce comes running to Buffy's door still in her robe. She runs to her side.
Joyce: (frantic) Buffy! Honey, what? What's wrong?!
Buffy turns and grabs Joyce and buries her face in her shoulder.
Buffy: Oh..MOM..it was so horrible, it was just H-H-HORRIBLE!
Joyce: What honey, what? (makes Buffy look at her)
Buffy: I came home from the Bronze to see if you needed me to pick Dawn up from school and, and, there were flowers…on, on the table, by the door, they were from Brian.
Buffy looks at Joyce and gives her a small smile mixed in her hysteria. Joyce calms a bit and smiles back. Then Buffy's expression becomes frantic again.
Buffy: Then , Then….(sobs) I walked in the living room and you were on the couch…..d-d-dead. (last part is barely audible)
Buffy begins to sob deeply and grabs her mother hugs her fiercely.
Joyce: (Stunned) Honey..honey. (pulls Buffy from her grasp and makes her look at her) I'm fine…see?
Buffy nods.
Buffy: (Looking at Joyce's face she reaches up and touches it) Okay…(quieter) ok. (is trying not to hyperventalate) (very quiet) okay. (Takes her hand away and starts to calm)
Dawn is now standing in the doorway.
Dawn: (worried) What's wrong?!
Joyce: Nothing honey, Buffy just had a bad dream, everything's fine now. Looks down at Buffy, right?
Buffy: (hesitantly) Right.
I have an idea, why don't you two sleepy heads come downstairs and I will fix my famous pancakes?
Buffy ( nods) Okay.
Dawn nods as well and turns to leave.
Cut to the kitchen. Buffy and Dawn are dressed now and sitting at the table finishing up eating their pancakes with Joyce.
Joyce: This is so nice we haven't done this in a long time.
Buffy (smiles) I know. We should do this more often.
Dawn: Yeah, but need to make sure there's plenty of blueberry syrup next time Mom. (glares at Buffy) syrup hog!
Joyce: (smiles) Duley noted.. more syrup.
Buffy gets up and puts her dish in the sink.
Joyce: Well…in light of Buffy's dream this morning I thought it would be good if we could…you know…talk about it.
Buffy: (turns around to face her Mom) No….no Mom, So * not * a good.
Joyce: Now honey, hear me out.
Buffy remains standing. Dawn looks up from her plate puts the fork down and listens intently.
Joyce: I know that all is well now, but there is something I have been putting off telling you both until the time was right.
Buffy and Dawn both begin to look worried.
Joyce: After the operation the doctors told me that it's possible I could have what's called an aneurism, clotting which results from complications of the surgery.
Shot of Buffy, her face is now pale.
Shot of the parmedics mouth:
Paramedic: ….she probably felt…
Buffy: (yells) MOM!…no, STOP!
Joyce looks at Buffy in alarm, stops gets quiet.
Joyce: I know how difficult it is for you both to hear these things and believe me it is not any easier on this end in telling about it but there's just something I want to tell you, let you know if anything…should…happen.
Buffy is looking at Joyce like she is fixing to loose it, a severe expression of fear has now settled on Dawn's face.
Joyce: (continues, to Dawn) Dawn, I know we haven't said much about discovering who you are and how you really feel about that but I want you to know that no matter how you came to be, it does not change the fact that you are still very much my daughter and very,very much like me when I was your age. I was always the book worm, always curious wanting to know how things worked, why things were. There is no mistake, you ARE mine.
Dawn with tears in her eyes, runs over and hugs her mother. Joyce stops and hugs her, rubs her back and kisses her on the cheek then looks up at Buffy. Buffy has tears in her eyes. Her expression has grown frantic.
Joyce: (to Buffy) And Buffy. This is the hardest part I have to tell you but please just listen.
Buffy nods reluctantly.
Joyce: If anything were to happen to me at all, I want you to become like Dawn's mother raise her, as your own, and Dawn…(Dawn stops hugging her and looks up) I want you to respect Buffy then as you do me and listen to her, let her take care of you, mind her. I know it will be hard because..she's still your sister, but, she was after all chosen to protect you.
Buffy and Dawn both nod in agreement.
Joyce: Look, I know we weren't a super church going family. But Buffy you have to know there is another realm of good, I mean you fight the realm of evil on a daily basis, so, you have to know there is another side to that…right?
Buffy: (nods) A Higher Power, guiding us.
Joyce: (smiles) Yes, exactly. And I want you both to know that I truly believe with all my heart if you both just simply make a choice to acknowledge that as a fact, and believe in it… It will not only guide you, and protect you, but it will also put you where you need to be, put people in your path that are meant to help you, teach you…...(looks at Buffy) sometimes even from the most unlikely sources… and make sure that you'll always always have what you need when you need it. (she smiles at them both and reaches out for Buffy who goes to her mother. Joyce holds them both tightly) I love you both so very much.
Buffy and Dawn are crying and saying we love you too Mom.
Shot of Buffy and Dawn lieing in Giles bed. They both wake up at the same time:
BUFFY & DAWN: (in unison)…."Mom."
Enlightenment
ACT 4
Scene Opens to Angel Investigations. Cut to Angel, looking very sad and shocked.
Angel: But how?
Cordy: Well, I called Giles and found out that apparently last Fall Joyce started having severe headaches and when she went to the doctor they did a cat scan and discovered a tumor.
Angel: A brain tumor?
Cordy: Yes, (tears in her eyes) Joyce had an operation shortly after and the doctor’s said they had removed the tumor.
Angel: So how’d she die?
Cordy: Complications from the surgery caused an aneurysm, and that’s how she died.
Angel looks like he’s been hit in the face with a brick wall. Doesn’t respond at first just sort of sits and lets that sink in. Then looks up and says
Angel: We have to go there, I’m leaving now, who’s coming?
Cordy: I’m am.
Wes: (still in the wheel chair) Me too.
Gunn: I have an idea. Since this is someone you all know and I don’t you three go and I’ll stay here and watch the shop.
Wes: Are you sure Gunn.
Gunn: Yeah go on, been to more then my share of funerals and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it matters to the person’s whose lost that you’re there even if..that’s all you are.
They all nod and get up to leave.
Giles Place
The gang is there now. Buffy and Dawn are up. Buffy is sitting on one end of the couch, still dressed in the sweats from the night before, her head wound is much better, just a bruise now. Dawn is curled up against her with her head on her shoulder. Buffy is stoking her hair. Willow and Tara are sitting at the other end of the couch, just watching Buffy and Dawn. Xander and Giles are sitting in chairs across from them. Anya is standing in the back by the kitchen, away from the rest.
Giles: Buffy, while you were asleep, Cordelia called. She found out somehow and told me she would tell Angel. I’m sure once she tells him, he’ll be on his way.
Buffy: (Looks at Giles and gives him a small smile.) That’s good, I’d really like to see him. (quietly)
Willow: Giles, did Cordelia tell you how she found out.
Giles: I didn’t think to ask.
Willow: (Nods in understanding and looks back again at Dawn and Buffy.)
Scene change to Angel, he’s driving his convertible, top is down, Cordy is sitting next to him and Wes is in the back.
Angel: So tell me again, you were going to get lunch and…
Cordy: And I opened the door and found the paper.
Angel: That’s strange, who would have left it there?
Wes: Some one who obviously didn’t want to be discovered.
Angel: Exactly, but why. Who do we know that knows Buffy that would want to give us the news but wouldn’t want to be discovered?
Cordy: Well whoever it was we think it had something to do with a call that Gunn took earlier in the day.
Angel looks at Cordy.
Angel: A call?
Wes: Yes just a couple of hours before noon, Gunn got a strange call from a man with a British accent asking for our address. Gunn gave it to him and asked him what he wanted it for and the man hung up.
Angel: A man with a British accent.
Cordy: Angel, do you think it was someone from the watcher’s council?
Wes: The Watchers Council? I highly doubt it. One of the strictest rules of all is not to get personal on any level with the Slayer. That’s why they fired Giles, remember. As a matter of record, most Slayers were taken from their families as soon as they were called. It’s only been in recent history that that practice was ended.
Angel: So if not the Watchers Council then who? Who do we know that knows Buffy that has a British accent besides Giles?
Cordelia: Spike!
Angel: Cordelia, it was broad daylight when this person left the paper on the door step.
Cordelia:( put out ) Well…you asked who else and that was who came to mind..geez, details…details.
Cut to a Flower Shop in Sunnydale. The shop keeper is about to close he is turning the sign when Spike comes through the door.
Shop Keeper: Sorry sir, we’re closed.
Spike: You have to do one more order, please, it’s for a friend, her mother’s just died.
Shop Keeper: Sure, come one in, I can do one more order.
Giles place.
The doorbell rings. Giles answers Angel is standing there. Both Buffy and Dawn get up from the couch and run to him and hug him. Angel looks down at them both, tears are in his eyes. He kisses the tops of both of their heads and says,
Angel: I’m so sorry.
Scene changes to Cordelia and Wes they are still sitting in the car.
Cordelia:( Looks back at Wes) Should we go up now? (tears are in her eyes again)
Wes: No, let’s give them a second. These things are always a bit ackward it’s best to just take things slow.
Cordelia: I know, I hate not knowing how to act, what to say. I’ve never lost someone so close to me. I just can’t imagine what she must be going through.
Scene changes to Buffy and Angel walking through the cemetery.
Angel: Are you sure you want to do this tonight, Buffy, I mean, I could do it for you, you know, I still remember the routine.
Buffy: (looks up at him and smiles) Thank you, that’s sweet but for some reason patrolling is all I want to do right now. It’s like I can’t think of anything else.
Angel: Oh, I see, you’re using it.
Buffy: Using it for what?
Angel: You’re using it for a coping mechanism.
Buffy stops walking and looks up at him questioningly
He looks down at her with understanding.
Angel: It’s understandable.
Buffy: (Shakes her head) I don’t know. It’s just so weird. Yesterday Tara, Willow’s girlfriend…she lost her mother when she was seventeen…she told me that I might react in strange ways, and have periods where I feel like I’m loosing it and she was right, that’s exactly how I feel, like I’m on the brink of…loosing it. But somehow when I go into Slayermode the pain is gone and sanity returns.
Angel: I think it’s part of the slayer package. You know along to super fast physical healing it also comes with being able to separate from your emotions and feelings when your on duty…I guess.
Buffy: I guess, could be. And that would be good right, I mean, if that’s the case, I feel a little guilty and inappropriate but I’m thinking that I still have to do my job and if that comes with the job then it falls in the plus column right?
Angel: (looks doubtful) Not sure, I think it depends.
Buffy: Depends on what.
Angel: Depends on how you use it.
Scene changes to the next day. The camera pans down on the funeral scene. We see Buffy standing by her mothers grave, holding Dawn, the scoobies are surrounding her along with Cordy. There are other people there, the preacher is performing the ceremony.
Camera cuts to Angel. He is standing in the shade of the Church porch with Wesley looking on the scene from a distance.
Wes: How do you think she’s taking it?
Angel: As well as can be expected…I suppose.
Wes: You don’t sound too convinced of your own statement.
Angel: No. I meant what I said, it’s just last night, when we were patrolling Buffy and I ran across a demon in one of the crypts. He was performing some sort of ritual when we busted in on him and Buffy and I took him down together. But it was Buffy who in the end cut his head off with the axe.
Wes: Yes and then?
Angel: And then she just kept chopping, over and over again in this frenzy, I had to stop her.
Wes: It was probably just a reaction. You know like putting one’s fist through a wall.
Angel: Yeah, you’re probably right, but it scared me Wes, I’m worried about her.
Wes: Yes, I think we all will be for a time. We’ll have to make sure we do a weekly check in with Giles…you know to see how she’s doing.
Angel: That’s a good idea.
Angel looks back to the funeral scene but is distracted by a bleach blond man he sees opposite he and Wesley also taking in the scene from a distance, in the sunlight.
Angel: Wes…that man that called yesterday, who’d Cordelia say she thought it was..you know… last night in the car?
Wes: Spike?
Angel: Points out the man in the distance to Wesley. Do you see that guy over there.
Wes: You mean the blond standing off from the funeral watching from a distance?
Angel: Just checking, if you see it too, then I think,(looks away from the man and back at Wesley) Cordelia was right.
Wes: How could that be possible?
Angel: Don’t know.
Turns from Wesley to look back at the man but he’s gone.