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Hilary
Episode to follow “Like Father Like Son”
Prologue
Cut to an encampment of The Knights of Byzantium in a forest in Sunnydale at night.
A group of Knights are standing in a circle around a young man who is kneeling in the middle. The Lead Knight standing in front of him is resting his sword on top of the young man’s head as he chants.
Lead Knight: The Key is the link, the link must be severed.
Other Knights: Such is the will of God.
Lead Knight: Do you Gabriel swear before the brotherhood of the Knights of Byzantium to avenge their forefathers and the forefathers before them.
Gabriel: I do.
Lead Knight: Do you vow to destroy the beast and any links of the beast even at the cost of shedding your own blood.
Gabriel: I do.
Lead Knight: Then repeat the sacred vows.
Gabriel: The key is the link, the link must be severed, such is the will of God.
ACT 1
One month after the funeral
The Magic Box – Afternoon Time
It’s a stormy afternoon. Anya is putting up new inventory, Tara and Willow are doing homework at the round table. Xander comes running in from the storm.
Xander (grinning from ear to ear) I just love storms. Aren’t they just the best? Walks over to Anya whose smiling also and gives her a big kiss
Anya breaks the kiss and says:
Anya: (helpfully) I could order a conjuring powder that would make it rain every day.
Xander: No, get out of here, … you could? How much is it?
Willow and Tara are now looking up from their homework at Anya and Xander like they’ve both lost their minds.
Willow: Since when did rain become a “good”?
Xander: Since my line of work made it quite impossible and messy to work in.
Willow: Oh.
Tara: Do you still get paid?
Xander: Well….no. (to Anya) Better hold off on the conjuring power
An.
Giles comes from the back.
Giles: Xander, I’m glad you’re here. I just got a call from Dawn she needs a ride home from school and I need to leave I have an appointment with someone, could you pick her up?
Xander: Sure no problemo, but wasn’t Buffy suppose to…
He stops in mid-sentence when he sees the “don’t go there” look Giles is giving him.
Xander: Like I said, …on my way now.
He reaches over the counter for Anya and gives her another kiss.
Xander: I’ll be back
He leaves.
Willow and Tara exchange a worried look.
Giles: Willow was Buffy in school today?
Willow: (shakes her head with a worried look) No. I talked to her yesterday on the phone right before she was going out to patrol and she said she was going but … she was a no show.
Giles looks concerned as well.
Giles: Anya watch the shop, I’ll be back after while.
Leaves
The tension in the Magic Box is thick as he leaves
Tara:(breaks the silence) Wonder who he’s meeting.
Willow (upset and frustrated) Don’t know. He’s been so quiet lately you know with how Buffy’s been and all.
Lets out an exasperated little yell.
Willow: Oh! Why can’t we do something, we should be doing something…anything then just sitting here like a bunch of useless bumps on logs.
Willow looks at Tara desperately with tears in her eyes
Willow: Tara you’ve been through this before, tell us what can we do to help her get through this, (sobs) you know… make her like she was before?
Tara gets up from her chair and walks behind Willow’s, puts her arms around her and hugs her.
Tara: There’s really nothing we can do, honey, these things just take..time. To us a month has gone by and things seem like they should be moving on, but to Buffy, it still feels like yesterday.
Willow crying now, nods. She wipes the tears from her face and pats Tara’s arm.
Willow: Your right.
Anya is just watching Willow and Tara from behind the counter. She closes the book she's writing in and says.
Anya: I just wish I could understand, this is all so strange to me. Why can’t we do something for Buffy, why * can’t * we just go up to her house and knock on her door and tell her Hey!.. We liked you better before.
Willow: Anya! How can you say that?
Anya: Well… it’s true, because before it wasn’t uncomfortable to be around her, the room didn’t get all tense like it does now. I miss how we all could laugh and be sarcastic and have fun. And now, it’s not. Now when Buffy’s around everything's all business no play, and not only that but when I watch Buffy, I just… hurt….(gets tearful too) because she hurts.
Willow: (with kindness, quietly) It’s called caring about someone Anya, it’s called being a friend.
Anya: Really? (smiles) I’m a friend now?
Willow gives Anya a small smile in return and nods.
Cut to Xander pulling up in front of Dawn’s school. She’s standing out front. He gets out of his car and waves, she sees him and runs over to his car.
Xander: Hey there doll face, need a lift?
Dawn: (concerned) Where’s Giles?
Xander: Had a previous engagement,(flattering) but me, I cleared all my engagements when I heard it was for you (winks).
Dawn: (smiles) Oh gee…I feel so special now.
Xander: As you should.
He opens the car door for her with a big gesture, she laughs and gets in.
Cut to Giles he is standing at the front door of the convent, he rings the bell a tall nun answers.
Giles: Hello, I’m hoping you can help me. I am looking for a nun who helped a friend of mine about a month ago. She was brought here by someone anonymously with a (points to his head) a, a head wound? Would you happen to know who it was who took care of her?
Nun: Why yes, I remember that night, that would be Sister Agatha, come in, I’ll get her for you.
Cut to Xander and Dawn, they are walking into her house together.
Dawn: (to Xander worried) Could you wait here a sec. I’m going to go see if Buffy’s upstairs.
Xander: (smiles) Sure.
He watches her ascend the stairs and his smile fades to a look of concern.
Dawn: Buffy!
Walks into Buffy’s room, the curtains are closed it’s dark Buffy is lying on her bed asleep Dawn looks over at her alarm, the radio is playing loudly. She runs to the bed in panic and shakes her sister.
Dawn: (hysterical almost) Buffy?!
Buffy wakes up slowly.
Buffy: Dawn? What are you doing here, didn’t I just take you to school?
Dawn: That was seven hours ago!
Buffy leans up on her arm and reaches over for her clock
Buffy: What? Looks at the time. How can that be, I only laid down for a little nap before class. I set my alarm…
Dawn: Apparently you slept through it.
Buffy: Apparently. Great, I missed all my classes. (Rubs her eyes and slowly gets out of bed.) And now it’s almost time to patrol.
Dawn: (yells) Patrolling again?! That’s all you ever think about anymore, it’s all you ever do!
Cut to Xander he is listening to all this downstairs.
Buffy is up now and making her bed.
Buffy: That’s not true.
Dawn: Is so true. How late were you out till last night…what time did you come home? Do you even remember?
Buffy is quiet not answering.
Dawn: It didn’t used to be this way, you never used to stay out all night.
Buffy: Dawn…stop. Go to your room and do your homework. We will talk about this later.
Dawn storms out goes to her room and slams the door. Buffy leaves her room and heads down the stairs and stops short when she sees Xander at the bottom of them.
Buffy: Xander,.. what are you doing here?
Xander: Dropping Dawn off.
Buffy gives him a guilty look.
Buffy: Thank you. I’m sorry, I set my alarm but I guess I just overslept somehow. (trying to blow it off) It’s no big, I was just out really late last night.
Xander: How late? (Making her stop in front of him and looking her in the eye)
Buffy: What?
Xander: All night late?
Buffy: (avoiding eye contact) I don’t really remember.
She turns and walks away.
Buffy: I have to fix dinner now, would you like to stay?
Xander: (obviously upset) No, that’s okay, I’m eating dinner with Anya.
You’ll be at the meeting tonight, right?
Buffy: (Stops turns and looks at him defensively) Of course.
Xander: Good, then I’ll see you there.
He turns and leaves.
Cut to the convent. Giles is sitting at a large table in a dining hall with Sister Agatha.
Giles: Well, this is so awkward, I’m afraid…I, I don’t quite know where to start.
Sister Agatha: Let me help. You’re a watcher and you’re here about your slayer and to ask about the slayer before and how I knew her.
Giles: (shocked) Why, yes, how’d you know?
Sister Agatha: (smiles) The minute you told me your name. Victoria told me all about you.
Giles: (looks down, uncomfortable) She did.
Sister Agatha: Yes, she did, you were, to say the least, very important and very dear to her. It broke her heart not to be able to contact you. She knew it would mean your job and she couldn’t let that happen. She knew as well as I that you had to be in the council’s good graces so they would pick you as the next watcher.
Giles: (sadly) She was right. You see she abandoned the council, went into hiding, she was avoiding a disciplinary action due to a rule she had broken. For years we lost her, didn’t know where she had gone. We never found her, we only knew she had died when the next Slayer was called. How did you two meet?
Sister Agatha: How isn’t as important a question really as why. She was part of my calling, I was led to be of service to her, long before I met her. I knew she would come to me for help and when she did, I had been prepared.
Giles: And exactly what did she come to you for help on?
Sister Agatha: She was in the same trouble your Slayer is currently in. She was lost and overtaken by her own true nature.
Giles: I’m sorry, but, what do you mean by her true nature?
Sister Agatha: The nature of a killer, the destroyer inside her that drives her to be the Slayer. It had taken over and was pushing out her own humanity. In the beginning when the first slayer was created, it is how they were, much like men lived as animals in earlier civilizations, the slayer lived as…
Shot of Giles and the Primal Slayer as she is holding the knife to his forehead in his dream in “Restless”
Giles: ..a destroyer, primal with only the instincts of…
Sister Agatha: An animal. Yes.
Giles: How do you know so much about slayers?
Sister Agatha: (laughs) Why the church has records, of course, much like I suppose the Watchers Council. The church has always kept very close tabs and extensive accounts on all the Slayers just as they do the Saints. We consider them co-workers and heroes, if you will, to our cause.
Giles: I see, I never knew that. So you are aware of the problem then.. that I am here to seek help for, for my Slayer, for Buffy?
Sister Agatha: Oh yes.
Giles: Then please, tell me, what do I need to do to help her. She’s changing so fast. And also since the loss of her mother recently she’s barely the girl we used to know and love anymore.
Sister Agatha: Yes. I can imagine. When the nature is given into as I believe Buffy has done through her loss, it takes over very suddenly like a compulsion or an obsession it pushes her humanity deeper down and takes over with one goal in mind. To kill. To do her job.
Giles: Yes that’s it exactly…please tell me what do we need to do to help?
Sister Agatha: I’m afraid you’re not going to like the answer.
Giles: Oh please, I’ll do anything. We’re all quite desperate.
Sister Agatha: Well then in order to help your slayer, you are going to have to let her go.
ACT 2
Scene cuts to The Summers kitchen. Buffy and Dawn are eating dinner. Dawn is obviously very upset with Buffy. They are sitting across from one another.
Buffy: So, I guess you’re not talking to me.
Dawn just glares at Buffy then goes back to eating.
Buffy: Dawn, I said I was sorry…it’s not like I did it on purpose and I promise, it won’t happen again.
Dawn: Whatever.
Buffy: Did you finish your homework?
Dawn: Mostly. I have to watch a movie, The Crucible. My friend Lisa got her mom to rent it. I was wondering if you could drop me off at her house after dinner?
Buffy: Sure, I’ll do it on my way to the meeting.
Cut to outside the kitchen window. The young knight that was kneeling in the circle in the beginning is now standing in the shadows watching the two girls in the window. He is dressed in jeans and a long sleeved navy t-shirt. The only thing that resembles the knights is the tattoo on his forehead.
Cut back to Giles and Sister Agatha.
Giles: I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you mean by that.
Sister Agatha: It means that your slayer needs more help then what human aide can provide. The help she needs will have to come from the source who created that power, the one who gave it to her in the first place.
Giles: You're talking about… (takes off his glasses and looks up).
Sister Agatha just nods. Giles takes out a handkerchief and cleans his glasses with it.
Giles: Well you see that could be a bit of a problem, I’m not even sure that..a…Buffy believes in well, a…God.
Sister Agatha just laughs. Giles looks at her confused and puts his glasses back on.
Sister Agatha: Doesn’t matter, she doesn’t need to right now.
Giles: How so?
Sister Agatha: He believes in her.
Giles just looks at her and doesn’t say a word.
Sister Agatha: It’s all planed Mr. Giles every bit of it, even this seemingly downfall your Slayer is now taking is all a very necessary and vital part of the plan, not only meant for her good but the good of the world as well. This is the reason you will have to let her go. And although you are very much meant to help her in other areas of her job, you are not meant to help her in this. There is another, a once opposing force not of this realm, meant to guide her. He was chosen and put in her path by the Powers that be and will be there when she makes the choice that only she can make. The choice to ask for help and willingness to learn about who she really is, where she comes from, what she is meant to do. A sort of Guardian if you like. Do you understand what I’m saying.
Giles: (reluctantly) Yes…I believe so. But then you’re saying we’re all just suppose to sit back and wait and watch Buffy get lost in this downward spiral until she gets desperate enough to seek help from this er…um…guardian?
Sister Agatha: In a way, yes. But you can be doing other things to help her and the current situation.
Giles: Like what?
Sister Agatha: Well like things I already imagine you’ve been doing, researching the current evil, helping with her new responsibility as a parent, those sorts of things. And there is one thing that I can tell you that I know will need to be looked into soon.
Giles: And what would that be?
Sister Agatha: There is an order of Knights that have been spotted recently in the woods outside of Sunnydale. At one time they belonged to the church but broke off quite sometime ago when their radical belief system strayed away from the belief system of the church. They are the Knights of Byzantium. Have you heard of them?
Giles (nods) Yes, Buffy ran into a gang of them a while back. They told her they were her sworn enemies now. But that was the last we saw of them. We’ve done some research, but were unable to uncover much of anything, they are a very secretive order. All we know is that they have been around since the Empire of Byzantium. And it looks as if the order started around 330 AD. Their sole purpose is to destroy the beast.
Sister Agatha: I could probably find more for you. I’ll research it and get back to you.
Giles: Yes, that would be very helpful thank you.
Sister Agatha: Please don’t mention it, it will be an honor to be able to help. And if you have not seen them recently, all the more reason for concern, you see they gather in numbers and then attack. If you haven’t seen them by now , I have a feeling you will be seeing them very soon.
Cut to Buffy and Dawn. They are getting into the family car. The knight, Gabriel, is waiting now in his own car. He starts up his engine and proceeds to follow Buffy.
Cut to Glory’s minions in Glory’s pent house. There are three of them. They are sitting in a circle with a map performing a ritual.
Dreg chanting:
Dreg: Oh powers of the underworld, powers of the world beyond, please point us to our charge, find for us our Magnificent Glorificus, light our way so that we may go and humbly fall at her most beautiful and well moisturized feet.
He throws a powder on the map. For a moment it lights up a spot on the map in the Nevada area. All the minions lean in for a closer look and bump heads they lean back and the lighted spot is gone.
Dreg: I see, she is ahead of us. She is already in the position of the Great Alignment. We must go soon, but first…. we must find and bring her the key.
Cut to Buffy dropping off Dawn.
Buffy: What time do you need me to pick you up.
Dawn: (with an attitude) You won’t need to. I’ll have Lisa’s mom take me home.
Buffy: (a little hurt by her coldness) That’s fine, but then I want you to call me on my cell and let me know when you’ve gotten home…Okay?
Dawn gets out of the car with out looking back says.
Dawn: Okay.
Buffy calls out the passenger window after her.
Buffy: Dawn, I will see you later, we’ll talk then.
Dawn doesn’t say anything, Buffy drives off.
Cut to Willey’s. Spike is sitting in a booth with a bone marrow sucking Lie-Ach demon (the one from the ep “Family”) Spike has a bottle of beer in front of him that he’s nursing.
Spike: Saw what the Slayer did to your brethren. Damn pity.
Lie-Ach demon grunts furiously.
Spike: Yes my point exactly, if it hadn’t been for that Glory chippie sending your kind her way, none of it would have happened.
Lie-Ach demon grunts more furiously. Spike just listens and then takes out a cigarette.
Spike: Couldn’t agree with you more….so here’s the plan…
Cut to the Magic Box. The Scoobies minus Anya are all sitting around Buffy walks in, the room gets tense.
Giles: Good Buffy, you’re here. I guess we can all get started.
Buffy sits down at the table next to Willow.
Giles: Willow, were you able to find anything in regards to Ben’s address.
Willow: No, I’m afraid I didn’t. I hacked into the hospital records but all I could find was a terminated file. No information. We check the apartments in the area and even went searching for the names on the mail box. Ben’s last name was Wilson. Pretty common, but no luck.
Buffy: What about his co-workers.. you know at the hospital. I got to know some of them while Mom (looks far off for a moment then comes back to) was there. I could go talk to them.
Tara: Willow and I already tried that. Said we were friends and all and that he had disappeared. We were wondering if they heard from him or knew where he lived. No one knew.
Xander: Looks like Ben and Glory are both tied one and one in the ad mysterium column.
Giles: Not only that but we still have no more clue as to exactly where they come from what their purpose is or what we can expect next.
Buffy: This is so frustrating. As long as we are clueless then Glory has the power. We become the controlled.
Willow: (nods) With Glory and Ben as the “controllees”
Buffy: We need to know more…We HAVE to find out more! What Ben did by leaving town bought us some time. We have to use it to our advantage.
Cut to Willy’s and Spike and the Lie-Ach demon.
Spike is writing on a small piece of paper. The demon is grunting something at him while he writes. The camera pans to the paper as he finishes, there’s an address written on it.
Spike: Very well then, now that I have her address, I’ll take care of the rest.
Spike grins at the demon. Shot of the demon nodding vigorously and grinning evilly with his long forked tongue sticking out.
Cut to the minions. They are still in Glory’s apartment.
Dreg: In order to find the key we will have to take something from the Slayer that she values. I believe Glory told me she has a sister. Yes, that should do nicely, we’ll take her sister and hold her for ransom. Jinx write a ransom note, Tag, we’ll need a rope.
Cut to the Magic Box.
Giles: It’s too bad the Council can’t seem to come up with more.
Buffy: But I know who we haven’t looked for yet that might have all the answers.
Xander: Who would that be Buff?
Buffy: When I discovered Glory doing the chant on the snake that turned it into….
Xander: Snakezilla?
Buffy nods
Buffy: She had this crusty looking monk with her, that was doing the chanting…I think I remember, she called him Dreg. I could go to Willy’s and look for him there or see if anyone’s seen him before.
Giles: Good idea. Her being a god and all it would make sense that she would have minions. They’d definitely hold the answers to many of our questions if she did.
Buffy: If you guys don’t mind, I’ll leave the meeting early and head that way now. I’m anxious to get a started.
Giles: Very well then, go on. There isn’t much else to talk about. I might have some more information on the Knights of Byzantium. We’ll start on that.
Buffy: The Knights of tack and slash?
Giles: Yes. We’ll discuss it and update you on any thing we discover.
Buffy: Sounds like a plan.
She leaves.
The gang just falls into silence. All of their faces show concern.
Giles: I know you all have been very concerned. I have some information that might be of help. Something I’m not wanting Buffy to know just yet. Can you all promise not to tell her.
They all nod.
Buffy is outside. The Knight is in his car watching her. She starts to get in her car but then stops and heads for a warehouse across the street. She walks in and sniffs, as if she’s smelling something in the air.
Buffy: (sing-songy) Come out, come out where ever you are. (she grins evilly) Come on, I can smell you.
A barrel to her right begins to shake and quiver. Buffy walks over to it and picks it up like a light piece of styro-foam and throws it to the side, revealing a lone stoner looking vamp.
Buffy: Whatcha doin?
Stoner Vamp: H- H- H- Hiding…or, (looks at the tossed aside barrel) I was.
Buffy: Hiding from who?
Stoner Vamp looks at Buffy like she’s crazy.
Stoner Vamp: Uh…you?
Buffy: (fakes astonishment) Me! Hiding from me?!
Pulls out a stake grabs the stoner vamp and slams him against the wall.
Buffy; Now why would you be hiding from me? I’m not going to hurt you.
Rams the stake through his heart he falls to dust. She has a very crazed look in her eyes.
Buffy: Much.
ACT 3
Cut to Dawn. She is at her friends house at their front door about to leave.
Lisa: Are you sure you want to go. The movies not even half way over yet.
Dawn: I’ve seen it before, and I read the book a couple of times last year before it was our assignment. I’m just not feeling well. I really just want to take a little walk and go home and call my sister. We’re suppose to talk tonight and well….I’m sort of mad at her.
Lisa: I understand. Are you sure you don’t want my Mom to take you.
Dawn shakes her head.
Dawn: No, it’s okay really, I’d rather walk.
Lisa opens the door
Lisa: Okay then, see ya tomorrow at school.
Dawn: See you at school.
She leaves and begins to walk down the street and cuts through the park. The minions are hiding on the carousel. Just as Dawn walks by they pounce on top of her, throw her to the ground and begin to tie her up.
Scene cut to Spike. He is at the door of Glory’s pent house. He looks down checks the address again and knocks on the door. No answer.
Spike: Oh well, guess I’ll have to do THIS. (he kicks the door hard it swings open) Spike looks around at the posh place.
Spike: Wow, nice digs. Good to be a hellgod.
He looks around turns on a light and nods with approval. On an end table by the couch he spots a gold statuette. He walks over and picks it up, looks it over and whistles. He looks around and puts it in his coat pocket. He walks away only to come back to the spot three seconds later. He takes the statuette out of his pocket and puts it back down.
Spike: Really sucks having a conscience.
Cut to Buffy. She’s at Willy’s now standing at the bar talking to Willy.
Buffy: Need to know if you have any information on a crusty monk looking demon named Dreg or on a blond human looking woman named Glory.
Willy: No, but he might. (points to the bone marrow demon who’s playing pool now.)
Buffy: Oh yeah? Hmm. Fought his kind a couple months back. I wondered if they were connected with Glory. How do you know he knows this Dreg thing I’m looking for?
Willy: Well, I don’t but heard the guy he was with tonight mentioning this Glory person's name to him when I served him a beer earlier.
Buffy: What guy.
Willy: You know him, platinum blond, steely blue eyes.
Buffy: Spike!
Willy picks up a mug, turns around and draws a beer from the tap for a demon.
Willy: Yeah that’s the guy. Not really liked much around here no more. Demons all say he’s into killing his own kind now. I say whatever floats your boat you know.
Willey turns back around but Buffy’s gone.
Cut to Glory’s apartment.
The three minions carry a struggling Dawn into the pent house and close and lock the door. Camera cuts to Spike who is in Glory’s bedroom going through drawers. He closes the one he has open quietly and sneaks off to hide in her huge dressing room behind some hanging clothes.
Dreg: To Dawn. Be still please, we do not wish to hurt you, we only wish to find the key.
Dawn only struggles harder. She manages to bring her hands up which are tied in front of her and pull his hair. Dreg yelps.
Dreg: Ow!
He pulls away from her quickly.
Dreg: I see we’ll have to do this the hard way. Jinx, Tag put her in the shackles Ms. Glory keeps in her dressing room.
The two minions drag Dawn to the dressing room and they take her tied up hands raise them above her head and put a leather shackle cuff on both wrists. She tries to scream through the tape they have put on her mouth.
They leave to the family room area and close the bedroom door. A hand reaches around Dawn and covers her mouth.
Spike: Shhh. Half pint, it’s me.
Dawn looks up at Spike in first shock then relief.
Scene cut to the Magic box.
Willow: So did the nun say who this guardian person is suppose to be.
Giles: No she didn’t say.
Xander: And she said this Victoria, the slayer before went through the same thing. And you knew her?
Giles: Yes and yes. I only kept quiet about her all these years because of the controversy of it all, that and the fact that I cared for her deeply. It’s still a bit painful to talk about.
Willow: Well you don’t believe this nun do you? You’re not going to listen to her and just stand by and let Buffy go through this…are you Giles?
Giles: (sadly) I don’t really see how we have any other choice.
Willow: Do so,(a bit exasperated) we have lots and lots of… choices.
Willow looks at Xander but he can't see what she’s saying. She looks at Tara, no support there. She looks at Giles. His expression is resolved, she gives up.
Scene cut to Spike and Dawn.
Spike moves around Dawn and gently takes the tape off her mouth.
Dawn: (she whispers) Spike! What are you doing here?
Spike: Oh, just looking round for clues, really not important now, best get you out of here.
He is undoing the shackle now, he pulls her arms down in front of her and unties the ropes. When he's done Dawn rubs her wrists.
Dawn: And how are you going to do that.
Spike: Um…(he stoops down and undoes the ropes on her legs and looks up) Hadn’t thought about it much yet. Think I’ll improvise. (grins) Wanna watch?
Dawn nods and smiles.
Spike: Very Well then.
He gets up and heads for the bed room door he opens it and storms into the living room taking all the demons by surprise. Cut to the living room the first demon in alarm squares off with Spike. Spike picks him up and throws him against the wall. The minions head slams against it, he passes out. The other minion picks up a long stone statue and brandishes at Spike like a bat. Spike walks up and gives him a come on gesture. The minion swings, Spike ducks, he misses.
Spike: Here let me show you how it’s done.
He takes the statue from the minion and swings hard with it and hits him in the head and throws the statue down.
Spike: (to the passed out minion) There…see? Like that!
The third minion has seen enough. He opens the front door, runs out and runs away.
Spike: (disappointed) But we were just getting started!
He turns and walks back into the bedroom where Dawn is standing close by the doorway just watching.
Dawn: (in awe) Wow, that was cool!
Spike: Come on now, best get you home.
Cut to Buffy: She is in the cemetery now. She is walking with purpose and stake in hand toward Spike’s crypt. It’s dark. She opens the door and takes out a flashlight.
Buffy: Spike!
She shines the flashlight around his crypt and sees that all of his stuff is gone. A look of disappointment crosses her face then anger. She walks out and slams the door.
Cut to the Magic Box.
Giles: As I said earlier, I was able to find out some information about the Knights from Sister Agatha. She has a source who told her they were spotted recently camped out in some woods nearby. They could be dangerous. She said they are known to grow in numbers first and then attack.
Xander: Oh great, that’s just what we need, Knights in shining armor that don’t believe in acting like (shrugs) …knights in shining armor.
There's a knock on the shop door. The closed sign is turned.
Giles: I wonder who that could be.
He leaves and answers the door. He opens the door and Gabriel is standing there.
Giles: I’m sorry sir, we’re closed.
Gabriel: Are you Rupert Giles.
Giles: Why yes.
Gabriel: Please I simply MUST talk to you tonight!
Scene cut to Spike and Dawn. They are walking through the playground area now, almost to Buffy’s house.
Spike stops at the swing set and sits down for a minute on a swing, facing Dawn he takes out a cigarette and lights it.
Spike: So tell me what happened again?
Dawn: I was walking home from my friend's house…
Spike: (interrupts her) In the dark!
Dawn: Well…yes.
Spike: And what did I tell you about the beasties and little red riding hoods like the likes of you?
Dawn: Jeez, don’t get all parental on me. She only lives around the block!
Spike: Sorry, go on.
Dawn: And they jumped me from the carousal. They kept talking about how they were going to use me to get Buffy to bring them the key. That they didn’t have much time. That’s really all I caught. Listen…. I’m really grateful you rescued me and all but you CAN not tell Buffy, she’ll kill me.
Spike: Really, any one ever tell you it’s not good to hide things from people?
Dawn: Well…yeah…but do you promise…not to tell.
Spike: Well, as long as you promise me one thing.
Dawn: What's that?
Spike: Promise me you won’t tell your sister you saw me.
Dawn: And what happened to the not nice to hide things lecture? What were you doing there anyway? Looking for clues to what?
Spike just raises his eyebrows and looks at her.
Spike: What do you think?
Dawn: Clues about… me?
Spike: That and this Glory bird.
Dawn: (in disbelief) But why? Why would you want to help us after we’ve been so mean to you?
Spike: Long story. (Pretends to look at a watch) And Oh, look at the time, best get you home.
He throws down his cigarette and gets up, they leave.
Cut to the Magic Box
Giles lets Gabriel in.
Giles: Why of course, please do come in.
Gabriel enters and sees the rest.
Giles: It’s alright, any thing you have to say to me, you can say to them.
Gabriel: All right then. My name is Gabriel. I am the last of the order of the Monks of Dagon.
The rest of the Scoobies look at him in disbelief.
Scene cuts to Spike walking through the cemetery. A leg snaps out from behind a tree and trips him. He falls flat on his back. He looks up and a very angry Slayer pounces on top of him and straddles him stake in hand.
Buffy: You are going to tell me exactly why you are snooping around for information about Glory and (holds stake and rams it threateningly towards his heart) you are going to tell me now.
She has that crazed look in her eyes again.
ACT 4
Scene cuts back to Buffy and Spike.
Spike: A..well, well….I can tell you but you sort of have to…
Buffy: Have to what SPIKE!?
Spike: Sort of have to ask first for my help….it’s this whole rule thing I don’t quite understand..
She looks at him like he’s crazy and takes the stake and holds it threateningly to his chest while she grabs him by the throat.
Spike; But…But..
She relaxes her grip on his throat,
Spike: Seeins how you're probably just going to kill me and all, I think maybe the rules can be broken.
He reaches down to his coat pocket. His hand brushes Buffy’s leg.
Startled she grabs his throat again.
Buffy: What the hell?
Spike struggles to speak, she relaxes her grip again.
Spike: Relax! I’m just reaching down to my pocket. He pulls out the piece of paper from his pocket. To give you this. He hands it to her. She takes it with the hand that was previously choking him.
Buffy: What * is * this.
Spike: Glory’s address. Thought you might need it.
Buffy looks at the address and then looks at Spike in disbelief.
Scene changes to.
The Magic Box
Gabriel is standing before them at the round table. They all listen in amazement.
Gabriel: I have come to act as Guardian for the key. I have joined the Knights of Byzantium in order to act as a double agent and protect the key from their wrath.
Giles (in disbelief) You know about the key!? What it’s origins are..what it’s meant to do?
Gabriel: Why..yes.
Giles: Willow, hurry, call Buffy on her cell phone right away.
Willow takes a cell phone out of her purse and begins to dial.
Scene cut to Buffy. She is still on top of Spike, stake in hand.
Buffy: And I’m sorry, I’m suppose to believe you are handing this information over out of the…oh, how did you put it that one time…the evilness of your heart?
Spike: (hesitates)…Well, no, that’s not it at all really….he trails off.
Buffy’s cell phone rings. She pulls it out of her coat pocket with her free hand that is still holding the piece of paper he gave her.
Buffy: (to Spike) Hold that thought.
She uses the other hand that’s holding the stake to push the send button. Spike doesn’t move.
Scene cuts to Willow:
Willow: Buffy? (to the others smiling,) I got her. Buffy it’s important you Have to come back to the Magic Box right away. A monk of … of…thinks for a minute
Giles: Dagon
Willow: Ooo right Dagon is here. He’s about to tell us about the key!
Buffy: (surprised) Hold him there, DO NOT let him leave, I will be there in five minutes.
Buffy hits the off button and puts the phone back inside her coat. She looks down at Spike who is now just looking up at her enjoying the scenery.
Buffy: (She sees how he’s looking at her) What are you doing?
Spike: Lying here waiting to die I s'pose.
Buffy: * That* is not what I meant! Where’s your car?
Spike: Round the corner.
Buffy: Good, I need you to give me a lift somewhere before I kill you.
Gets off Spike and stands up. Spike stands up as well.
Spike: (straightens out his coat) Alright then…if I must.
Shot of Spike and Buffy arriving at his car. There’s stuff all over the front seat he opens the passenger door.
Spike: You’ll have to excuse the mess.
He grabs a pile of things and throws them over the seat.
Spike: Sort of in between places.
Buffy taps her foot and rolls her eyes. But since you're going to be killing me and all, (he steps out of the way of the door and holds it for her) guess I wont have to worry about that now….raises his eyebrows at her teasingly, will I?
He is standing very close to her. She takes the stake and raises it. He laughs and backs off and walks to the other side. Buffy gets in.
Scene cuts to Magic Box.
Giles: Do you know information about the Knights of Byzantium as well?
Gabriel: Yes I do. I have information on both orders and am anxious to help and share anything I can with you if it will help protect the key.
Scene cut to Dawn. She is holding a phone dialing a number.
Buffy's cell phone rings. She pulls it out of her coat once again and answers it. Spike is driving her to the Magic Box.
Buffy: Hello?….Dawn! Are you home now?
Dawn: Yes. When will you be here?
Buffy: I will be there in no less then an hour. I will talk to you then.
Buffy hangs up the phone. Spike says nothing he just keeps driving.
Buffy:You're being uncharacteristically quiet. So, why did you get this address? Planning to go tell Glory that Dawn’s the key? Because I have to tell you Spike if you were, chip or no chip, you're one dead vamp.
Spike:(sarcastically) Well, sort of hard to tell a hellgod where her precious sought for key is when she’s out of town …isn’t it?
Buffy: How did you know that?
Spike: I just knew.
Buffy: Then what the hell were you doing snooping around for her address?!
Spike: Contrary to popular belief…(yells) I was trying to help!
He glares at Buffy in anger. She glares back. She looks in the back of the car and sees all of his stuff.
Buffy: Then* why * were you leaving town?
Spike: I'm not leaving town I'm, just moving out to a… you know…real place. Just sort of have to get a job first.
Buffy: A job (starts to laugh) ….Spike getting a job…Okay now
I know you're lying.
Spike: What’s so funny.
Buffy: Oh nothing, apart from the actual acting responsible and all…
Spike: Yeah…well laugh all you want..it’s what my plans are and kill me or not you can’t make me leave town. Sorry Slayer, I’m here to stay, …whether you or your friends like it or not.
They pull up in front of the Magic Box. He looks at her stubbornly. She returns the look. She opens the door gets out of the car and slams the door.
He calls after her out of his open window as she walks into the Magic Box.
Spike: What..no good night kiss?!
Buffy continues walking and ignores him
He smirks and drives off.
Cut inside the Magic Box. Buffy walks in, still looking angry.
Gabriel is seated at the table now. He stands up as Buffy enters. Giles does the introductions as Buffy is looking at the Knight intently and slowly walking towards him.
Giles: Buffy, this is a…Gabriel. He is a monk….
He doesn’t even get to finish the sentence before Gabriel is slammed down on the table with an enraged slayer hovering above him with a very sharp knife that seems pulled out of thin air.
Buffy: You’re not a monk you’re one of them!
Gabriel: I..I..can explain….
Giles: BUFFY…Stop!
Buffy: (to Giles still trained on the monk) He’s not a monk Giles, he’s one of those Knights. He has a tattoo exactly like them.
Xander, Willow and Tara are all sitting at the table that Buffy has the Knight pinned to. They look at each other and are all stunned by a very out of control Slayer. Buffy looks as if she’s about to kill him. She holds the knife threateningly at his chest.
Willow: (trying to speak calmly) Buffy…listen to Giles. You haven’t heard the whole story.
Buffy: (shoots an angry glare at Willow) Giles, explain and I will listen, but I am * not * letting him go.
Giles: Gabriel has joined the Knights covertly in order to gather information on their operation so that he can better protect the key. He is the last monk of the order of Dagon. One of two that got away before Glory killed them all. He has almost all the answers about Glory and about the Key that we have been searching for. (Giles says this part evenly) Buffy, please put the knife down and let him go.
Buffy lets up her grip takes the knife away and Gabriel stands up, out of breath and very frightened.
Giles (apologetically) I’m sorry Gabriel. Are you all right?
Gabriel has caught his breath.
Gabriel: No need to apologize. I now know that we chose well when we picked the Slayer to protect the key.
Buffy has stepped back from Gabriel and the rest. She is standing with the knife still in her hand.
Gabriel looks at Buffy.
Buffy: (nods) Go ahead, I’m listening.
Gabriel: (to Buffy) What your watcher just told you is true. I can prove it. I know about a talisman created and given to you. The knights could never have that knowledge, I swear.
Buffy: Go on.
Gabriel: The Dagon Sphere. The last monk that died left it for you to find and you found it. You have it. It’s a round object….
Buffy: nods …that glows…yeah we still have it. (relaxes her death stare a bit more) Keep talking.
Gabriel: On the day of the Alignment you will need it along with the key to send Glory back through her portal and lock her out of this world forever.
Buffy: And exactly when might this day be?
Gabriel: That we don’t know. But what we do know is how the key will need to be used.
Buffy: (defensively) Do you know what the key is now?
Gabriel: Yes, your sister, Dawn. We sent her to you.
Buffy: (angry) And you expect me to just hand her over to be used as some instrument to lock out a hellgod?!
Gabriel: It’s not like you think. I promise your sister will not be harmed, but yes she will need to be present.
Giles: Buffy…please just try to calm down and listen. All he has told us so far makes sense. Hear him out.
Buffy remains her stance.
Buffy: Fine. I want to hear it then, all of it..who this Glory witch is, where she comes from why she’s here and why I’m part of the plan.
She walks over and sits on a stool next to the counter maintaining her steely gaze she lays the knife down on the counter. Giles is behind her now. Buffy does not notice him as he walks over quietly and takes the knife from the counter.
Gabriel: (sits down on a chair at the table facing Buffy) As far as when Glory entered this world, no one knows for sure, but what we do know is in the time of the Byzantium Empire, she appeared, just when the gods and idols of Rome where being torn down in favor of Christianity. She is said to have chosen the Empire for its riches..it’s goods.
Xander: Makes sense. (everyone looks at him) Well…you have to admit the chick owns some pretty expensive looking dresses.
Willow: Xander, how would you know?
Xander: Come on, you don’t date Cordelia Chase and “not* know originals when you see them.
Giles: Xander, please not now.
Xander: Sorry, (sheepishly) I’ll just shut up now. Please continue your…knightleyness.
Gabriel: She used her powers to cause destruction and chaos in order to lute the city and in doing that she made an enemy of the church and an enemy of the Knights of Byzantium. Many lives were lost in the battle. The church came to our order to seek help from a powerful monk involved in magic at the time, he was their only hope. He set forth to develop a spell to take her powers which he used to form the key.
Buffy: Dawn. Dawn is Glory’s powers?
Gabriel (nods) Yes, she is.
The room gets quiet for a moment while this sinks in. Gabriel continues.
Gabriel: Glory had a brother Ben that appeared also at this time. There was said to be a sibling rivalry between the two, no one really knows about what. All we know is that when the monk was able to confront Glory and use the spell, he also cast a curse on her and her brother. Since he could not destroy a god, he destroyed her existence by locking it to her brother and was able to make her brother, who was not near as powerful as she, submissive and human.
Xander: Hence why Glory and Ben are one.
Gabriel: The curse had all sorts of clauses, one being that when and if Glory was able to break through her prison inside Ben, she would be too insane to use what powers she might have left. This worked well for many centuries until Glory met up with an evil demon monk order.
Giles: Glory’s minions?
Gabriel: (nods) Yes, they took her in and taught her how to drain the power of the human mind and gain her sanity and some of her powers back.
Tara: Hence how she became a brain sucker.
Gabriel nods
Gabriel: The problem was the more she drained humans, the less the power would last and eventually she would subside and Ben would be the sole being for hundreds of years at a time.
Willow: ( to Giles) That must be why the Queller dates were sporadic.
Giles nods at Willow
Gabriel (continues) She has been very strong the past year, stronger then ever before. But her time is running out and there is an alignment of her world to ours that only happens every thousand years. She is trying to find the key because she believes it is her way to unlock the curse so she will have enough power to open the door and unleash her dimension on ours.
Giles: Which is why the Knights of Byzantium want the key destroyed.
Buffy:(defensively) And is that what the key…my sister is for?
Gabriel: Yes, she is… but what Glory does not know and what even the Knights of Byzantium do not know is that the key is meant to be used as the underlying power to suck her and her dimension back out of this world and lock it out. The Knights of Byzantium do not understand the key's purpose and having grown over the centuries into a very radical order, they only have one goal.
Buffy: To destroy the key.
Gabriel: Yes. That’s why I joined them to protect the key from the inside. I came to tell you that they are growing in numbers as we speak and building an army to find the key. They will not stop at anything.
Buffy: Giles, we HAVE to get Dawn out of town now! Tonight!
Giles: Well Buffy, I’m not sure if…
Gabriel: It wouldn’t be harmful to do so. We only have to make sure she is close enough to obtain should we need her when the day arrives.
Buffy: (to Gabriel) Look, I still do not trust you.
Gabriel: It’s understandable.
Buffy: And if Dawn is to be used in any way it WILL be on MY TERMS.
Gabriel: Of course.
Buffy: You’ve had your say. I listened. Go back to the Knights and
do the job you say you came to do..with THEM. It’s * my * job to
protect the key. If you obtain information that will be helpful to us
then come and tell us.
Gabriel nods and gets up from his chair.
Gabriel: I fully understand why you wouldn’t trust me. I promise my soul purpose in this life is to protect the key any way I can. I will not let you down.
With that said, he leaves.
Once he’s gone the Scoobies all turn their attention on Buffy. The tension in the room fills.
Giles: Buffy, where do you plan on taking Dawn?
Scene changes to the Summers home. Dawn is in the living room staring at the TV. She hears Buffy come in through the front door.
Dawn: I’m in here.
Buffy: (sternly) Dawn, pack a bag.
Dawn: What? Buffy what’s wrong?!
Buffy: I’ll have time to fill you in on the details later.
Dawn stands up and walks towards Buffy.
Dawn: (with a stubborn stance) Tell me what’s going on first.
Buffy stops for a moment and looks at her sister. Tears fill her eyes. She walks over and hugs her sister then puts her hands on he shoulders and faces her.
Buffy: A monk came tonight, one of the ones who….created you. He told us all about you.
Dawn: (frightened) He told you…what I am?
Buffy: (more stern) Yes, and we don’t have time. Now please, go and pack a bag.
Dawn: Where are you taking me?
Buffy: To Angel.