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Date Posted: 13:51:50 07/31/02 Wed
Author: Jeanny & Dawneen
Subject: Act III
In reply to: Jeanny & Dawneen 's message, "Act II" on 13:50:23 07/31/02 Wed

ACT THREE

Scene XIII: Int. Magic Box, Night
XANDER and ANYA regard one another. XANDER is in awe, he can’t believe she’s there - but then he shakes it off.

XANDER
You’re not here - you can’t…you’re a ghost.

ANYA walks up to XANDER.

ANYA
Can a ghost do this?

ANYA pulls him into a kiss. XANDER returns it, putting his arms around her, but than pushes her away.

XANDER
Okay, not a ghost - cross that box out. But that still
doesn’t prove you’re real.

ANYA
Then what am I?

XANDER
I don’t know - some sort of hologram, maybe?

ANYA
(annoyed)
This look like the Starship Enterprise? Because you’re
not exactly Captain Picard, babe.

XANDER
Check. Not a hologram. Okay...there’s a rational
explanation. Think!

ANYA
Why is it so hard for you to accept the fact that I might
actually be here?

XANDER
(backing away a bit, raw with emotion)
Because I want it - I want you here so badly. And…

XANDER chuckles nervously.

XANDER
(con’t)
I forgot. I’m cracking up. This is all a dream; I’m
gonna be waking up soon.
(pinches himself)
Ow. Yup, gonna be waking up in my bed - by myself.

ANYA
(hurt)
Xander, it is me. I am here. You were right - this stupid
shop is cursed.

XANDER
Stupid...but you love the shop!

ANYA
Loved it until it got all burned up and I got trapped here.
Hello? Not liking the being trapped, remember?

XANDER
I do...Anya, I’m -

ANYA
Sorry? Save it. I need more from you then empty
apologies. I’ve found a way to get out.

XANDER
(cautiously)
Which is?

ANYA
Don’t worry about that, What matters is where I’m
going...or actually...well, let me put it this way. There’s
a spell that can free me, but there’s a catch...or two.
Three on the outside.

XANDER
(sarcastically)
And when isn‘t there?

ANYA
Xander, I’m serious. If I do this, I won’t ever be able to
come back to this dimension.
(at his face falling)
That’s okay, because the one the spell will bring me to
is far better than this measly one. The reason why I’m
here, the reason why I’ve been trying to reach you …
I need you to help me, but more than that I need you
to come with me.

XANDER
Come with you?

ANYA
To a much better place, honey. We can be happy
there, and safe, and together, always.
(a beat, then tearfully)
You’re the only one who can save me now. Please
help me. You’re my only hope.

ANYA gives him a pleading desperate look. XANDER regards what she has said. He’s definitely touched that ANYA needs him. But XANDER remembers - this is the Hellmouth.

XANDER
Ahn, I’m grateful you came to me - I am. And I wanna
help you.

XANDER starts to walk backwards, going for the door. He’s getting a bit nervous.

XANDER
(con’t)
But I think I better…you know…go get Buffy. Maybe
Willow.

Scene XIV: Summers House, Early Evening

We see DAWN sitting glumly, an open book in front of her but the dim lights and her faraway stare tell us she’s not really reading. BUFFY is watching the front door anxiously. Front door opens and BUFFY jumps to her feet anxiously.

BUFFY
Finally! Oh, hey Will.

WILLOW
Finally? Am I late? I’m sorry. I didn’t think I was late...

WILLOW walks through, carrying a pizza box with a couple of books balanced precariously on top. BUFFY and DAWN are clearly disappointed.

BUFFY
No, you’re not the one who’s late.

DAWN
Will. Hi.

WILLOW
Hey Dawnie. Little help, somebody?

DAWN hurries over and takes the books off the pizza, which Willow deposits on the coffee table with a sigh.

WILLOW
Thanks...
(frowning)
Why is it so dark in here? Where’s Xander?

DAWN
The question of the night.

BUFFY hurries to turn the lights on.

BUFFY
Shoot, the lights! I didn’t even realize...Dawn, how
have you been reading?

DAWN
Reading? I’ve really just been worrying, like you. It’s
contagious, you know. But it doesn’t strain the eyes.

WILLOW
(back to the point)
Xander didn‘t come over? Did he call?

DAWN
Nope.

BUFFY
(hopes dashed)
I was kinda hoping he’d talked to you.

WILLOW
He did. He said he’d come...he wasn’t Mr. Enthusiasm
about it, but he promised me...I don’t like it, Buffy. It’s
not like him to ditch a research party, even if he has
been mopey boy...

DAWN
He’s been weird since the funeral. Really not very
Xandery. Kind of all in his own head.

BUFFY
I know...I tried to talk to him, but he...I have a bad
feeling about this. I think we should go find him. And I
mean now.

DAWN
Okay. I’ll put the pizza in the fridge...

BUFFY
No...one of us should stay here, in case he shows. The
lights were off, he might have thought we’d cancelled...

DAWN
Without telling him, because that’s just like us...
(heavy sigh)
Fine. I’ll wait here. But-

BUFFY
We’ll call you. As soon as we know anything.
I promise.
(to WILLOW)
I’ll go to his place.

WILLOW
I’ll check the Magic Box, his new home away from
home.

BUFFY
Good. If I don’t find him at his apartment, I’m gonna
cut through a couple of cemeteries, see if he’s doing a
bit of slaying on his own. I’ll meet you at the shop.

DAWN
But...what about Saria?

BUFFY
What about her? Maybe I’ll get lucky and be able to
take care of her too.

DAWN
But...

BUFFY
(gentle but with determination)
Dawn, I’m not going out to hunt her down, but I am the
Slayer. And whatever else she might have been, she’s
a vampire. And I will have to face her. I hope it won’t
be today, because frankly, I just want to find Xander
and know he’s okay.

WILLOW
(fretful)
Right. No slaying, Finding. Now?

DAWN
You better go.
(at BUFFY’s hesitation, holding up her book)
I’ll be okay. Holding down the fort, doing the
research thing. Lights on.

DAWN settles back on the couch, holding up her book, and BUFFY smiles gratefully before heading out. DAWN waits until she’s certain they’ve gone, then stands up, tossing the book absently onto the coffee table before running out the door. The camera stays with the book, which slides off the table and winds up lying open but half-hidden under the couch. We see that it’s open to a drawing of SARIA in the arms of a vampire.

Scene XV: Int. Magic Box, Night

XANDER has almost reached the door. ANYA is right on his heels.

ANYA
No, please don’t go. You can’t go! Don’t leave me,
Xander. Not again.

ANYA grabs XANDER’s arm just as his hand touches the knob. We see XANDER’s fingers slip off the knob as ANYA pulls XANDER into an embrace.

ANYA
We don’t need them.

XANDER
Need who?

ANYA smiles coyly and kisses XANDER.

ANYA
That’s a good boy. Now about the spell -

XANDER
No problem, just tell me what we need.

ANYA
Oh, nothing big really - just your average run-of-the-mill
sacrificial victim is all.

XANDER
What - who? Why?

ANYA
Duh, the blood, silly - it’s always about the blood,
can’t get anywhere these days without it.

XANDER
Well, I’ll just run out to the local blood bank and get
some than…I mean, if it’s only blood that it requires.

ANYA
Nooo, it has to be fresh...

XANDER
Okay, we’re back to crazy. And also, even more
disturbing, I’m worried we’re all gonna start singing
again...and there’ll be a giant plant...

ANYA
Shhhh...my love, there’s nothing to get so upset about.
You just have to trust me.

XANDER
I do, I...

ANYA
You don’t need to worry. I’m telling you, once the ritual
is complete and you’re with me, you’re not gonna care
about what you left behind. Or what you had to do to
get here.

XANDER opens his mouth to protest, but ANYA draws him back into a passionate kiss. XANDER immediately calms down, relaxing into her as they continue to kiss. As the two slowly slide down out of frame, we see the charred remains of the store.

ANYA
(o.s.)
Besides if you truly love me, there shouldn’t be any
question to how far you’d be willing to go.

Scene XVI: Interior Spike’s Crypt, Night.

Shot of crypt door, slowly squeaking open. We see DAWN enter and bounce down the stairs. SPIKE is sitting in his recliner facing away from the door, watching an old black-and-white movie on his television. It’s an old monster movie. DAWN stops behind his chair as SPIKE turns the television off and jumps up to greet her.

SPIKE
(smiles)
‘Ello, Little Bit, what brings you into my neck of the
woods?

DAWN
Need your help. You’ve been to China, right?

SPIKE
Been lots of places. Why?

DAWN
Ever heard of a slayer named Saria?

SPIKE
A slayer named Saria?
(Dawn nods)
In China?
(Dawn nods again)
Anything special bout this particular slayer?

DAWN
From what I’ve come across, she was not only a slayer
but she may have been sired by a vamp. If that’s true,
than I’m guessing you must have at least heard about
it. I mean, a sired slayer would be big news to vamps,
right?

SPIKE
Might have heard rumors over the ages of
somethin’ along that line. What’s this really about?

DAWN
(sighs)
All right, look - I’m not supposed to tell you this…
but - what the heck - I think you should know. This
Saria chick, well, she’s kinda here. As in Sunnydale.
But, Spike, you never heard it from me, ‘kay? If Buffy -

SPIKE
(scoffs)
Oh, is that how it’s gonna be now, eh? What - did the
last few years evaporate while I was gone? Buffy and I
had…we had a chance, once. Than that bloody
commando ex of hers came slitherin’ back and got her
all weepy over the past. Now she won’t even give me
that chance I rightfully deserve.

DAWN
Riley? You’re blaming Buffy giving you the big brush
off because of - Riley? Right, as if.

SPIKE
The wanker said somethin’ to her. I know he did cuz
right after he and his missus left, she came an’ ended
it between us.

DAWN
Okay, I’ll give you that. But that little sexual smackdown
with Anya on the table in the Magic Box? Gotta say,
didn’t help your case any.

SPIKE
Hey, how the hell was I suppose to know that Big
Brother would be watching, huh?

DAWN
What - you were hoping that you could screw around
on Buffy with Anya and - get away with it?

SPIKE
Wasn’t like that, I...

DAWN
You think Anya would keep the secret - not a chance.
She’d have thrown the whole stupid thing in Xander’s
face.

SPIKE
Oh, funny you should bring up Xander - there’s
someone who stands absolutely no realistic chance
with the Slayer but gets all her rabid attention. Doesn’t
he get it? After all these years, observing the carnage -
doesn’t he know she’s one with the darkness? Hell,
even Finn got it - Buffy only loves men who can compete
with her, us monsters. Buffy’s addicted to killers.
Goofy-boy would do better to remember what she is
before he tries to win her heart. Not that he stands a
cold chance in Hell though.

DAWN
You don’t know Buffy at all, do you?

SPIKE
Do you?

DAWN
I know she was right about you. You’re not a part of us
anymore.
(SPIKE opens his mouth and she points at him)
Your choice, not Buffy’s. And as far as Xander’s
concerned, at least he would never try to...

SPIKE
Oh, but I knew that was coming. Well, come on. Say it.
(sneering)
Come on, girl. You’re more than old enough. Can’t you
say what you‘re accusing me off?

DAWN
(struggling against tears)
Buffy knows she’s always safe with Xander. And she’ll
never have that with you, will she?

DAWN storms out. Camera stays on SPIKE.

SPIKE
(shouting after her)
Oh yeah? Well I wouldn’t be so sure. Boy’s not right in
the head these days, is he?

CUT TO:

Scene XVII: Ext. Spike’s Crypt, Night.

DAWN runs out and stops, brushing away tears with the back of her hand. She takes a deep breath, turns and nearly runs into a coyly smiling SARIA. DAWN gasps.

SARIA
Well, hello there.

Scene XVIII: Ext. Magic Box. Night.

WILLOW is standing in front of the front window, trying to peer through the dirt and cracks. It is hard, but she finally sees XANDER. He is rising up from the darkened floor, his clothes disheveled slightly. As WILLOW is about to breathe a sigh of relief, she instead grasps as another figure rises up alongside Xander - a shimmering ANYA. WILLOW backs a few steps away from the window, looking briefly down to her handbag as she searches and finds her phone.

SWITCH TO: The phone screen. We see BUFFY’s pre-programmed number displayed and WILLOW pushes the SEND button.

PULL BACK: WILLOW brings the phone to her ear and as she turns around - XANDER is directly in her face, menacing look on his face.

CLOSE UP: WILLOW’S face. Eyes wide in terror.

FADE OUT

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