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Date Posted: 23:46:21 05/24/02 Fri
Author: ZachsMind
Author Host/IP: adsl-208-191-200-136.dsl.rcsntx.swbell.net / 208.191.200.136
Subject: [PG] "You Slay Me" 2/2 (finished rough draft, with ending)
In reply to: ZachsMind 's message, "[PG] "You Slay Me" 1/? (working title I'm not married to it)" on 20:40:26 05/24/02 Fri

ACT III

The scene is the training room. The one in the back of the Magic Box. Willow is strapped down on a sturdy looking table made of hard wood and metal. She's being held fast and tight with leather straps and chains. She's unconscious and still glowing a little green, but the glow is slowly subsiding. Giles can be seen in the darkness walking around the table, double checking the fasteners.

The camera starts with a shot level with the table. It circles around the table less than 45 degrees to reveal a single folding chair to the side of the table and then as Willow begins stirring, the camera angle floats up and over Willow until we can just see her face.. her eyes still closed. We hear Giles chanting some curious magic mantra over and over.

The glow completely goes away. Giles' stops chanting and slowly makes his way around the table to the chair. Willow's eyes flutter awake.

Giles: Ah. Good. You're awake.

Willow: (sleepy. in some minor pain.) Ever the english speaking the obvious kinda person. (she attempts to move, inadvertently testing the restraints) Hey! What gives?

Giles: I'm terribly sorry Willow but this is just a precaution. Based on what you've told me in the past and what I've researched, (camera reveals that Giles' eyes are still glowing green. He is not wearing glasses) I felt it was necessary to restrain you.

Willow: Wha? Dammit! Lemme go!

The following dialogue cuts back and forth between a shot over Willow's body facing the sitting Giles, to a shot over the table revealing a comfortable bust shot of Willow on the table. Giles occasionally plays with his glasses, but he never puts them on.

Giles: Sorry. Can't quite let you go just yet.

Willow: What did I do?

Giles: You admitted it yourself. You attempted to kill all your friends, including myself, in an alternate reality. And in this reality you've allowed Angel to die, which you said didn't happen in the reality you claim to have come from. If all this is true, I've noticed you looking strangely at Oz & Buffy recently, and I can't take any chances on further loss of life.

Willow: Look! I said I was sorry!

Giles: About Angel?

Willow: Yes!

Giles: What about those you killed in your own reality?

Willow: I never killed Buffy or Oz!

Giles: But you said you almost destroyed the world before you blacked out.

Willow: Oh! Well! Maybe I was just exaggerating?

Giles: (smiling curiously) I think not. (he picks up a book from the floor)

Willow: Look I told you everything! Two years ago! I know we haven't talked about it in awhile! I'll say it again! I'm not lying to you.

Giles: I'm not accusing you of lying, Willow.

Willow: Nine years ago now I met Buffy in high school and I was just a nerdy little kid who liked computers and she slayed vampires and I got to know her and we became friends and I helped her with you know what she does and I got involved in black magic and did some things that yes I regret now but Warren killed my girlfriend Tara so I went a little - I went a little crazy I'll admit that but that was a long time ago now and now I'm stuck in this reality and I'm the slayer and Buffy's been tinkering with magic and she's got Oz and hey! I'm okay with that! I mean I'm gay now!

Giles: Are you sure you're okay with that?

Willow: Yes! Lemme go!

Giles: This Tara you just mentioned. I don't think you've mentioned her before.

Willow: Well you haven't met her yet. She doesn't show up until we go to college.

Giles: College? (he notes something on a pad as he looks in the book on his lap)

Willow: Yeah I join a wiccan group. I mean uh, Buffy will join a Wiccan group, and then she'll get to meet..

Giles: Buffy's most decidedly not gay.

Willow: Well I didn't act gay at the moment anyway and..

Giles: You've mentioned that Anya isn't Anya.

Willow: What?

Giles: You've slipped that before. I believe it was about six months or so ago.. (he flips a couple pages in his notepad) yes about six months ago you called Anya Cordelia. I asked you why. You said in confidence that in your reality Anya was some sort of demon.

Willow: A vengeance demon.

Giles: Yes. And Anya didn't appear until you and Buffy and Xander go to college.

Willow: Right.

Giles: But that there was someone named Cordelia who should be where Anya is.

Willow: Yes that's true look I can't help the other temporal anomalies that are going on. Maybe someday Cordelia's gonna show up and she'll be the vengeance demon and if that happens Gods help us cuz Cordelia as a vengeance demon's gonna be somethin' lemme tell ya.

Giles: I doubt we'll get that far. I'm hoping we resolve this tonight.

Willow: Resolve what?

Giles: I did some research and there's never been an example of a vampire slayer experiencing this kind of temporal disturbance, but there's this coven in Devon, England.

Willow: There is?

Giles: Don't interrupt me, girl.

Willow: Sorry.

Giles: In the early 1930s, the Coven participated in an attempt to extracize evil energies from a little girl who several years later admitted to experiencing her childhood all over again but through the eyes of her mother. There have since been several similar instances. It's a side-effect of some exorcisms of dark mystical energies.

Willow: So you think that's what happened to me?

Giles: I believe that is what is happening to you now. This is a most precarious and complex situation. Have you ever studied Quantum Mechanics?

Willow: Well, I've read a bit about it. Quantum theory is interesting but I got caught up in.. other things.

Giles: Like studying dark magicks?

Willow: Well. Yeah.

Giles: Silly girl.

Willow: Hey!

Giles: There's a theory in Quantum Mechanics called the Many Worlds Theory. That every possible reality that could be concieved by any entity anywhere in the universe actually exists in a literally infinite number of alternate realities that coexist simultaneously.

Willow: Yeah. I think I've read about that. Sounds lame.

Giles: Yes, well, either that theory is correct and your soul has somehow jumped alternate realities as a side effect to your foolishly toying with the physical laws of nature by accumulating enough dark magicks to threaten to destroy the world from which you are from, or that theory is incorrect.

Willow: And what if that's true?

Giles: Then that would mean myself, the Buffy I know, the Xander, Oz, and every living thing in this reality are merely figments of your imagination, and I for one feel uncomfortable entertaining that thought to say the least.

Willow: S-so you're not gonna kill me?

Giles: Well, Willow. To be fair the only way to test this theory is to kill you.

Willow: What?

Giles: See, if you die, and I still exist, then that means you are the soul of a woman who attempted to destroy the reality from which you stem. By killing you I will have protected my reality from the day when you go off on a wild apocalyptic killing spree.

Willow: But what if you're a figment of my mind?

Giles: I've thought about that at great length, and I've come to the conclusion that if I'm just an illusion of yours and nothing more, I simply don't wish to exist, because you make a poor slayer, Willow.

Willow: Ack!

Giles: You are diligent and studious. You do your work and have been exquisite in your training, but when push comes to shove the choices you make out in the field have caused more vampires to escape, more victims to continue being victims, and the property damage has been tremendous!

Willow: Hey! Buffy didn't do any better! She kept Angel alive and he almost destroyed everybody!

Giles: I don't care about Angel. In recent memory he's the only vampire you've managed to kill, and that was by doing absolutely nothing! When I kill you, another slayer will come to take your place and she couldn't possibly be any worse than you have been.

Dawn: (off camera) get away from her!

Giles looks away from Willow and towards the door, then stands up and away from the chair and table in abject horror, his eyes still glowing green.

CUT TO shot of the door from the perspective of over Willow, who's still strapped to the table. Dawn stands there in front of the other Scoobies, a large gun pointed at Giles. The others are similarly armed and make a lovely tableau. They appear determined to stop Giles and protect their friend.

Giles: Oh dear. You don't understand.

Anya: We understand all too well you pervert!

Oz: I hung around after everyone else left, and saw you carry an unconscious Willow to the car.

Willow: Oz! You saved me?

Oz: Sure.

Xander: I don't know who you are, green glowing eyes impostor, or what you've done with OUR Giles, but we're gonna mop the floor with you!

Giles: (incredulous. lost) But SHE's the impostor!

(Buffy & Oz rush to the table and begin removing the restraints. Dawn takes a few steps cautiously but with great confidence towards Giles.)

Buffy: HER eyes ain't the ones glowing!

Anya: Just stay right there pervert or we'll make you wish you were dead!

Xander: Unless you are already, then we'll make you wish you were alive again so you could. ah, die again!

Anya: (beat) that sucked Xander.

Xander: Yeah I gathered that.

Oz: Okay I got her legs free. Buffy how you coming with the arms?

Willow: Thank you so much, guys!

Buffy: (finishing off the restraints of the last arm) Hey. I know if the tables were turned you'd do the same for me.

Willow: You bet!

Giles: Alright! Fine. You got me. It's a fair cop.

Dawn: You better believe it buster.

Giles: But who exactly have you got? Do you know?

Xander: A fake impostor green glowing eyes Giles meanie is what we've got.

Giles: You're so very very wrong!

Giles begins glowing a dark greenish black glow, and begins morphing.

Dawn: Stop that! I'll shoot! I swear to God I will!

Giles: You wouldn't shoot your own sister, would you?

The morphing completes, and Giles is gone. In his place is DARK WILLOW. Who laughs maniacally, then reaches out and in one swift move disarms the shocked Dawn and wraps her arm around Dawn's neck, taking her hostage.

Willow jumps off the table and takes a defensive stance. The other scoobies fall in line behind her.

DARK WILLOW: Take one step and I'll kill your sister, Slayer!

Willow: She's NOT my sister!

The other Scoobies do a doubletake simultaneously.

HARD BLACK.


ACT IV

The scene is Devon England, some weeks after the events of the season six finale. It's dusk on the city streets. The camera focuses on some steps that lead up into what appears to be a stone gothic church. A taxi cab drives up and stops at the foot of the steps. We see Buffy & Dawn exit the cab wearing rain slickers, as it's a little drizzly. They pay the driver, and then rush up the steps. At the top of the stairs, a dashing Giles in a trenchcoat stands there to greet them, he quickly ushers them inside.

CUT TO Coven Temple interior. It's dark with lots of candles lighting the way. A beautiful echo to the words of the characters. With just a glance one feels an enriching and deep history. Though dimly lit, the decor and ambiance is one of light fighting shadows and winning. We hear the footsteps of Giles, Dawn & Buffy as they approach the camera from a great distance. At first they are siholetted against the open door to the outside, then as that closes the camera angle shifts to one that's more accustomed to the dim lights. Dawn & Buffy are obviously still trying to get their eyes to acclimate. Giles isn't noticing a problem.

Giles: It's good of you to come.

Buffy: Thank you for paying our way.

Giles: Was the plane ride tolerable?

Dawn: I don't know why *she* had to come!

Buffy: Hey!

Dawn: Didn't you say Willow was calling for me and NOT her?

Buffy: Ever the bickering sisters, aren't we?

Giles: Actually at this stage in her rehabilitation, the more familiar voices she hears perhaps the better.

Buffy: You sounded distressed over the phone.

Giles: She's taken a disturbing turn Buffy. I was hoping we could do this without you, and I would only have summoned you if I thought the situation was this dire. When she called out for Dawn, she suddenly just shut down. Now I must warn you, she's not going to look very good. She's been fed only water and soups, and her entire system flushed of any toxins.

Dawn: Didja give her an enema?

Buffy: Dawn!?

Dawn: Well I am still a little upset at some things she said to me when she was all dark and evil. I hope she at least got an enema.

Giles: (stops short before a large ornate double door) Now before we go in I must ask you to leave any negative feelings you have here. The intent here is not to send negative energies her way, but to try and distill out of her any negative energies she's already committing to herself.

Buffy: What do you mean?

Giles: Well remember Buffy I told you that we may never get Willow back the way she once was. She's committed murder. One doesn't walk away from that and retain the innocence and optimistic outlook on life that has been our Willow's staple personality.

Buffy: Understood.

Dawn: Did you get all of Dark Willow out of technogeeky funny things on my t-shirts Willow?

Giles: We've managed to extract all presences of evil from her, and she's been completely drained of any mystical energy for the past several days. That was the hardest part, since some of the magicks inevitably leech onto one's soul presence as a rule. The only thing that's keeping her from returning to us now is her.

Buffy: I don't understand that part.

Giles: She's physically healthy despite her appearance as you'll soon see. With some physical rehabilitation, she should be able to walk out of here in a week, but mentally she's still fighting through something. The circle of wiccans who have been keeping vigil around her have gotten impressions and images of what's going on inside her, but she's deep inside her own psyche. Some of them believe her soul has even been jumping back and forth between this world and.. somewhere else?

Dawn: Where?

Giles: (shrugs) we honestly don't know.

Giles opens the doors with a nondescript fluorish.

CUT TO an inner sanctum. On the floor is a pentagram encased in a large circle. At the edges of the circle stand twenty women in cloaks and hoods, keeping vigil. In the very center of the candle lit room an almost naked Willow (gauze hangs from her breasts and pelvic area. It appears that at one time she was almost completely covered. Some gauze still lays in the center o the floor) floats near motionless in a trance like state, her eyes rolled back in her head revealing only whiteness in her eye sockets. Her head thrown all the way back, exposing her throat towards the ceiling.

No woman breaks the circle. Another member of the coven approaches the women from the darkness holding a couple bowls large enough to place a foot in. She motions for them to remove their footwear and helps them. She immerses their hands and feet in a lightly colored liquid.

Buffy: What is this?

COVEN FOOTWASHER: Shh!

Giles: (whispering) please do not argue. Do as she requests.

Buffy almost says something, but then just nods. Dawn rolls up her pantsleeves and dutifully allows her feet to be washed, as another coven follower appears from the corners and annoints her hands with similar liquid. Once their hands and feet are symbolically washed, they are motioned into the center of the circle. Willow floats before them, her head a couple feet higher than theirs.

Dawn looks back at Giles who remains outside the circle. He makes a hand motion near his lips like a puppet, motioning for Dawn to speak.

Dawn: uh, Hi Willow?

Willow: (her head starts and bucks straight up. Her eyes are still rolled back in her head) D-Dawnie!?

A slight murmur can be heard from the room. Other robed women approach the circle and take the hands of those already there, so that the circle is completely surrounded by coven robed women holding hands. Giles stands alone in the distance outside the circle. Buffy & Dawnie both look around a little self-conscious.

Dawn: Yes Will. It's me. Dawn.

Willow: Tell them you're not my sister!

Dawn: What? (she looks at Buffy, who shrugs and then nonverbally offers encouragement) Uhm.. well we're friends but you're not my sister.

Willow: See? I told you! (pause) they don't believe me.

Buffy: Who's they?

Willow: You, Buffy. You and Oz and Xander and Anya. Giles isn't here anymore because he tried to kill me.

CUT BRIEFLY to Giles.

Giles: (whisper) I did?

CUT back to Buffy, Dawn & Willow inside circle.

Willow: Yes you did but that was years ago now. Well you weren't you then so it's okay. You were really me, but we straightened all that out. We beat the other me up and she ran away, but she keeps coming back, and we still can't find you Giles. Where are you?

Giles: I'm right here?

Willow: (starting to cry, as if she hasn't heard his voice in years, but she's still lost in her trance.) Giles? Is that really you? Oh gods it's you! Come here I need a hug!

Obediently, two of the closest circle robed coveners to Giles break the circle and motion for him to join them. He tries to take their hand but they motion for him to enter the circle. Awkwardly, he begins removing his shoes and reaches for the footwasher lady, who for the first time smiles at him and motions him to just move forward.

He walks up and stands behind Buffy & Dawn, who are just looking at Willow incredulously.

Giles: (after a long pause) I'm here, Willow.

Willow: Can I get a hug?

Giles: (without moving) I'm hugging you Willow. Do you feel me?

Willow: Oh yes! It's good to see you. It's good to see your eyes. They're not glowing.

Giles: No my eyes are not glowing.

Willow: That's good. The last Giles his eyes glowed green and then he turned into me and tried to kill all of us, but we chased her away. But she's still out there somewhere. We think she got Oz. We can't find him.

Dawn: Can I hug you too, Will?

Willow: Of course, Dawnie!

Dawn goes to hug Willow literally, but Giles puts a hand firmly but gently on her shoulder.

Dawn: (beat) I'm hugging you Willow.

Willow: (all smiles but still in trance) I'm hugging you too. Gods it's glad to see you guys! It's been so long.

Giles: Did you cut your hair?

Willow: Yes! Thank you for noticing, Giles. You've always been so observant.

Buffy: It's why we call him the Watcher.

Willow: Buffy?

Buffy: Yes?

Willow: Tell them I'm not the slayer.

Buffy: What?

Willow: Please tell them I'm not they slayer. They've been thinking for the past fifteen years that I'm the slayer and I tried to tell Giles but then he tried to kill me. I tried to tell you to take over for me but then you turned into me and tried to kill me. After awhile I just stopped telling people because then they'd either die or disappear and I'd come back and kill me. And I don't mean me I mean the other me the other me that did all those bad terrible things. I don't want to be the slayer anymore. I'm tired of being the slayer. It hurts. It hurts so much. I'm so sorry I envied you all those years I didn't mean to but I thought..

Buffy: (tears in her eyes) You're not the slayer Willow.

Willow: Oh gods. Thank you. I-I couldn't carry it anymore. It hurts so much.

Buffy: I always told you you didn't have to be super Willow. You were always so super just being you. You are super. You always have been super. We want you back, Willow.

Giles puts a strong but gentle hand on Buffy's shoulder.

Dawn: Where are you, Willow?

Willow: What's left of the Magic Box.

CUT TO the destroyed Magic Box. Willow stands there in an outfit identical to what was worn during the season finale, but it's all white and not black. Her hair is lightened. She stands there and Dawn, Buffy and Giles stand motionless several feet away from her. Dispersed about the scene are Anya, Xander, Oz, and others. Clem, Spike, Cordelia, etc. They stand or sit about in the tableau. Only Dawn, Buffy & Giles appear as they do in the circle. The others each appear to have something remarkable but subtle different about them from how we remember them. Oz may be bald. Xander may be wearing a doublemeat palace uniform. They're familiar and yet unfamiliar.

Willow: So much has happened. I lost Angel. Oh gods I'm sorry about that, Buffy. I forgot I was supposed to be in love with him. Since I didn't understand this reality yet. I didn't know that was my place. I thought you were going to fall in love with Angel, but you fell in love with Oz. Oh it's been so confusing.

Buffy: So you lost him?

Willow: I wasn't where I should have been to save him. Like you were. You were in the right place at the right time. So many times. I've been unable to keep up with you. So so many have died. I make a bad slayer, Buffy. I could never be you.

Buffy: And I could never be you.

During the following dialogue, the scene shifts back and forth between the destroyed Magic Box to the Coven circle, to other scenes in which visually alternate realities can be imagined.

Willow: But you had been me. Or the other you was me until I told her to stop being me and start being you and then she became me and tried to kill me.

Dawn: (whispering) wow she's really far gone.

Buffy: I could never be you, Willow! You're too special. The world doesn't need you to be me or me to be you. The world needs you to be you. It needs me to be me?

Willow: Is it okay to be me again?

Buffy: We'd be really happy to have you back as you, Will. Really happy.

Willow: First you have to tell them.

Buffy: Tell them what?

Willow: Dawnie. You tell them. Tell them all the bad mean things I said to you. I'm sorry I wish I could take it back but I can't. They need to know why I'm so bad. Why I had to leave. Why I have to leave now.

Dawn: It's okay. I know you didn't mean it.

Willow: I did mean it. Then. I was wrong. I can't take it back. I don't mean it now. I love you, Dawnie. I did mean it then. Tell them.

Dawn: (looks down at her feet, then back up at Willow) You told me we'd be better off if I stopped being me. If I started being a little ball of energy. But it's okay. I forgive you.

Willow: (screams. pause. crying) Gods I'm so sorry Dawnie.

Dawn: It's okay.

Willow: (her eyes pop open. We see her irises for the first time) No it's not okay! I was sooo bad to all of you to me to everyone Tara would hate me now.

Dawn: Tara would NEVER hate you!

Willow: Please don't forgive me. Why did I keep doing that to myself? To you? To everyone I love? I don't deserve--! Please don't forgive me.

Dawn: I could never hate you! Please come back!

Willow: (slowly floats to the ground and then falls to her knees before them) Please don't forgive me! Please! I'm so wrong! I thought I could save the world by destroying it! I thought I knew everything! I knew nothing!

We're now back permanently in the coven circle world. Willow raises her hands pleading to Dawn & Buffy. She looks directly at them for the first time.

Willow: Please don't forgive me! Oh gods! Everything I did! Warren! Aaah! Rack! Jonathan! ..That other one! I killed them! Oh gods! Osiris I'm so sorry! Oh please don't forgive me! I don't deserve!

Buffy & Dawn fall to their knees with her and hug the stuffings out of her. Giles stands over them, tearing up but trying to maintain a strong front. He bends down on one knee and puts his hands on them, consolingly.

Willow: Please don't forgive me! I don't deserve! Please don't forgive me! I don't deserve! Please. Please..

Buffy: We forgive you. I love you. We love you Will. Please come home. Please come back to us.

A few of the robed coven women approach them, and delicately help Willow back to her feet. They put a robe around her and escort her away. Dawn & Buffy are now hugging each other. Giles remains stolid and comforting.

Buffy: What happens now?

Giles: The worst is over. She's back in this reality. Out of her head. Out of whatever hell she manifested. Now she has to face her actions of this reality.

Dawn: I don't understand. Where was she?

Giles: Well, metaphorically, she was lost in an ocean during a storm, and needed a lighthouse to find her way back.

Buffy: So she's back?

Giles: Her journey's not over, but now she knows the way.

CUT TO wide overhead shot to reveal the Coven sisters escorting a tired but walking Willow off into the shadows. Buffy, Dawn & Giles are still kneeling & hugging in the center of the pentagram circle.

FADE BLACK. END CREDITS.

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