Wrecked

(October 29, 2001)

Written by: Marti Noxon

Directed by: David Solomon

Teaser

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE -LIVING ROOM - DAY

It's early morning. DAWN and TARA, who fell asleep on the couch in front of the TV, wake. Look around groggily. A happy cartoon plays on the television.

DAWN
What time is it?

Tara checks her watch

TARA
Almost seven. God, I just closed my
eyes for a minute-

DAWN
(re: TV)
-and now there's cartoons.
(shifts uncomfortably)
Plus, I have the mother of all-night
wedgies.

TARA
(very concerned)
Uh oh.

DAWN
It's not tragic. I'm sure as soon as
I stand up-

TARA
No, Dawn - why didn't anyone wake us
up? Where is everyone?

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - DAY

Dawn and Tara peer through the doorway into Buffy's room. See her made bed. Then Dawn moves to the open door of Willow's room. Tara, uncomfortable, hangs back. Dawn pokes her head into Willow's room - sees that it, too, is empty and the bed is made.

DAWN
Willow didn't come home either.
(anxious)
They were out all night. Where are
they?

Tara moves to Dawn. Puts a reassuring hand on her, trying to hide her own concern.

TARA
I'm sure they're fine, Dawny. I'm sure
they just... lost track of time.

INT./EXT. BASEMENT OF WRECKED BUILDING - DAY

We MOVE ACROSS a heap of rubble that lies in the basement of the abandoned building where we last saw Spike and Buffy. The floor and much of the house collapsed into the basement, allowing patches of sunlight to stream into the wreckage...

Now BUFFY sits up out of the debris, awake. Her hair is a "morning after" mess and her torn top barely covers her enough to be TV safe... She's got a few serious scratches and bruises, and she looks dazed, disoriented.

A beat, and SPIKE also sits up. His lower half is hidden by debris, his upper half most definitely naked. He also looks out-of-it, spun. And he also has his fair share of battle scars.

BUFFY
When... When did the building fall down?

SPIKE
Dunno. Musta been sometime between
the first time and the...

Spike tries to remember how many times, exactly. Buffy's eyes widen. It's all coming back to her.

BUFFY
Oh.
(then)
Oh my God.

BLACK OUT.

END OF TEASER
Act One

INT./EXT. WRECKAGE OF BUILDING - DAY

Back in the down and dirty with Buffy and Spike. Buffy, blouse buttoned and skirt now on, searches the debris anxiously. She moves like she's been through the fight of her life, stiff and sore. Spike, still appearing quite naked, stays reclined in the rubble, watching her in that way he does. He's in deep. Deeper, now.

BUFFY
Shoe. I need my shoe.

SPIKE
What's the hurry, luv?

BUFFY
The hurry is, I left Dawn all night
and don't call me "luv."

SPIKE
(stung)
Didn't seem to take issue with it
last night. Or with any of the other
little nasties we whispered.

Buffy takes this in, freaking. Last night. SO wrong. And SO completely, mind-numbingly wild. Everything she's needed. Escape. Release. Ecstasy. With Spike.

BUFFY
Can we - not? Talk?

Spike can't hide his disappointment at her attitude.

SPIKE
I just don't see why you have to run
off so quick. I thought we could...

BUFFY,br> Not gonna happen. Last night was the
end of this freak show-

Spike's expression hardens and he sits up and catches Buffy by the wrists, yanking her toward his naked self. She holds herself away from him.

SPIKE
Don't say that.

BUFFY
What do you think is going to happen,
Spike? We're gonna read the paper
together? Play footsie under the...
rubble?

Spike's hand disappears below frame, starts caressing her. She looks affected, despite herself.

SPIKE
Not exactly what I had in mind.

Buffy weakens for a beat. Then she finds her resolve, HITS HIS hand away.

BUFFY
Stop-

SPIKE
Make me.

He moves to touch her again, she hits him away again. They end up in a tussle, sexual tension building until they can't take it. They kiss - it heats up faster than a microwave. Goddamn. She lies on top of him - feels him respond - which SHOCKS her back to herself. She pulls away.

BUFFY
No. No. I have to...

SPIKE
Stay. I'm stuck here. Sun's up.

They're both drunk with it. Hot, pressing against each other. They kiss again.

BUFFY
Oh, God...

Spike whispers-

SPIKE
I knew. I knew - the only thing better
than killing a slayer would be fuc-

Buffy, alarmed, cuts him off - jerks away from him.

BUFFY
What? That's what this was about?
"Doing" a slayer?

SPIKE
Wouldn't throw stones, pet. You seem
to be quite the groupie yourself.

Infuriated, Buffy pushes off him.

BUFFY
Shut up-

SPIKE
I'm just saying, vampires get you hot-

BUFFY
No. A vampire got me hot. One. But he's gone.
You're just convenient.

This hits Spike like a slap in the face. His expression goes cold. Unembarrassed, he stands up.

SPIKE
Before you go voicing any more of
your theories, you might do well to
remember that I can hurt you now.

BUFFY
Right. Because I came back all
wrong... Know what's really wrong
with me? You.

Spike, furious, finds his own pants, steps into them. (We'll use cuts to Buffy and such to make all this tasteful, I'm sure.)

SPIKE
So, what? You go back to treating me
like dirt until the next time you get
an itch you can't scratch?

Buffy ignores him, still searching for her other shoe

SPIKE (cont'd)
Well, forget it. Things changed last night.
I'm done being your whipping boy.

BUFFY
Nothing changed. It was a mistake-

SPIKE
Bullocks. It was a bloody
revelation. You can act as high and
mighty as you like, but I know where
you live now, Slayer. I tasted it.

BUFFY
Get a grip, Spike. Like you're God's
gift-

Buffy sees her shoe, moves to it, but Spike is on her - his tone dead certain.

SPIKE
Hardly. Wouldn't be nearly as
interesting, would it?

He's right again. They're locked on to one another now. The energy between them buzzing.

BUFFY
Let me go-

SPIKE
I may be dirt, but you're the one who
wants to roll in it, slayer. You
never had it so good as me. Never.

Buffy takes this in, shaken. It's true. She shakes him off.

BUFFY
You're bent-

SPIKE
Yeah. And it made you scream, didn't
it?

Buffy, freaked, backs away from him. Her tone deadly.

BUFFY
I swear, if you ever tell anyone
about this, I will kill you.

Spike sobers, getting the seriousness of her threat.

SPIKE
Right.

A beat. Then he lifts her lacy panties.

SPIKE (cont'd)
You gonna want these too?--

SMASH. Buffy' s hand comes into frame and clocks him. She moves out into the light, leaving him stranded.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

Tara and Dawn, both worried, prepare breakfast - trying for some normalcy.

TARA
Pancakes?

DAWN
Uh, sure.
(then)
Should we call Xander? What if
they're all in a ditch somewhere?
Ditches are bad. Mom always used to
talk about the ditches-

TARA
Nobody's in a ditch. We'll call, but
let's give it a little more time
before we wake them up.
(re: pancakes)
Funny shapes or-

The back door opens and WILLOW AND AMY come rolling in, looking worse for their night out. They are in mid-talk.

AMY
...that last guy, I couldn't believe
what you did. How's he going to eat?

WILLOW
It'll probably wear off in a day or-

Willow stops. Sees Tara at the stove. The air is immediately thick with tension.

WILLOW (cont'd)
(to Tara)
Hey.

TARA
Hey. I just... Buffy didn't come
home. Either. So...

Tara glances at Amy, devastated at the sight of this chick Willow brought home. She has no idea who she is. Willow picks up on it.

WILLOW
Oh. Hey! This is Amy. Amy, Tara.
Tara, Amy.

AMY
(to Tara)
How you doing?

TARA
(not getting it)
Fine. I...
(moves to leave) I'd better g-get going.

WILLOW
Amy. Amy the rat.
(to Amy)
Sorry.

AMY
No. That's fair. I was a rat.

Tara looks at Amy with amazement. Then to Willow.

TARA
When...

Willow's about to answer, but Amy beats her to the punch, talking fast, a little hyper...

AMY
Last night. It's nuts. Everything's
so different. I mean, the Bronze for
one thing... And Willow! She's a
freakin' amazing witch now. I
couldn't keep up with her last night-

Tara's expression hardens. Will sees this.

WILLOW
Amy-

AMY
It's true. I mean, I can do some
transmogrify, but she's messing with
dimensions and everything. It was
awesome. This blowhard dude? First
she made his mouth disappear, thank
God, and-
(off Tara's stare)
-I'm talking too much. Sorry. But
it's just, you know, been me and a
bag of pellets for the last few years
so-

TARA
No. It's fine. It's just... I
really do have to go.

Upset, Tara heads for the front door, via the dining room.

WILLOW
Tara, wait, you left some clothes and
stuff. I saved them for-

TARA
I'll get them later.

Tara keeps going. Bumps into BUFFY who is just corning in. Buffy looks pretty wrecked, bruised and limping.

WILLOW
Tara-

But she's gone, leaving Will upset. Before Buffy can comment, Dawn is all over her.

DAWN
Buffy! Where were you? Are you okay?

Buffy can barely look at them.

BUFFY
I'm fine-

DAWN
You're not. You're all limpy and
sore-

Buffy looks both alarmed and guilty at this.

BUFFY
I'm not. Sore. I just had a...
fight, all-nighter kind of deal.

DAWN
Figured. I knew that's why you
didn't call. (then)
So what's the big bad? Should we be
worried?

BUFFY
No. I think you guys are safe.
(changing subject)
Tara was here.

WILLOW
I guess she stayed over with Dawn.

BUFFY
You guess? Where were you?

WILLOW
We were out. We kinda lost track of
time and...

BUFFY
Oh.

WILLOW
I mean, I never would have if we
thought you weren't coming home-

BUFFY
No, I know. It's... I mean, it
wasn't intentional. And everybody's safe. (to Dawn)
You are, right? You're okay?

DAWN
Yeah. I mean, I think my pancakes are
burning, but-

Now they notice some smoke coming from the grill. Willow moves to the stove. Shuts it off. Stares at Tara's handywork for a beat too long.

DAWN (cont'd)
Tara was making...

WILLOW
I - I've got to get some sleep.

BUFFY
Me too. I'm kind of...

AMY
Yeah. I should get home. Dad's
expecting me. He promised to save me
a bunch of melon rinds and stuff for
breakfast.
(off their looks)
Kidding.

WILLOW
Okay. I'll call you later?

AMY
Yeah. Good.

Amy leaves.

BUFFY
(to Dawn)
You sure you're alright? I'm sorry.
About everything.

DAWN
It's okay. Go get some rest. You're
beat from monster wrestling all
night.

Buffy tries not to dwell on the unintentional entendre.

BUFFY
Right. Thanks.

She gives Dawny a weak smile and heads out. Willow follows.

WILLOW
Yeah. I'm going to crash too. Night
Dawny.

Both Buffy and Willow exit, leaving Dawn alone with her burnt breakfast. Dawn looks a little lost.

DAWN
No problem. I'll just... go find
some awake people.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - WILLOW'S ROOM - DAY

Willow, exhausted and sad, enters the room and lies down. It's too light - so she sits up and raises a hand toward the curtains.

WILLOW
(Latin)
Claudete.
WILLOW
(English)
Close.

Nothing happens. She tries again

WILLOW
(Latin)
Claudete!
WILLOW
(English)
Close!

Nothing. Finally, Willow gets up and draws the curtains herself. Then she lies back down, looking a little concerned. Why isn't her magic working?

INT. MAGIC BOX - DAY

It's later. Buffy, XANDER and ANYA are researching. Buffy's at the counter, trying to lose herself in work. While Xander and Anya are at the table, surrounded by books. Xandertosses one into the pile, frustrated.

XANDER
These demons are all starting to look
alike. Reptile, reptile with horn,
reptile with gills...

ANYA
(nose in her book)
Hmmmmm.

XANDER
And I'm still finding nothing of the
"steal a diamond, freeze a guy"
variety.
(sighs/then)
Ayn. Hand me that one next to you.

Anya's too engrossed to hear him. She doesn't budge

XANDER (cont'd)
Great. We're not even married yet and you've
already stopped listening
to me...

Xander leans across the table and pulls the book to him. A BRIDAL MAGAZINE falls out of it. Anya looks up from behind her book, sheepish. Xander SNATCHES the tome out of her hand - she's got another BRIDAL MAGAZINE hidden behind her book.

XANDER (cont'd)
Anya!

ANYA
I'm sorry, but this is pointless!
We've been researching forever and
we're not even close to finding out
who robbed that museum-

Now Buffy wanders over, drawn by their squabbling.

BUFFY
What's up?

XANDER
Anya's got a theory. Martha Stewart
froze that guy-

ANYA Don't be ridiculous! Martha Stewart
isn't a demon!
(authoritative)
She's a witch.

XANDER
Please, as if she-
(stops)
Really?

ANYA
Of course. Nobody can do that much
decoupage without calling on the
powers of darkness-

BUFFY
Hey. This is fascinating, really,
but we've got work to do-

ANYA
I certainly do. I still haven't
decided whether to put my bridesmaids
in cocktail dresses or the
traditional burlap and blood larva-

XANDER
The traditional what?

ANYA
I was a demon for a thousand years,
Xander. You can't just expect me to
turn my back on all the ways of my
people-

BUFFY
Can I weigh in on the whole me
wearing of larva-

ANYA & XANDER
(together)
No!

ANYA
(to Xander)
At least I'm not asking you to
perform the groom's rite of self-
flagellation-

BUFFY
Guys! Please. There's something out
there-

XANDER
There is. And much as I hate to
admit that my bizarre bride-to-be has
a point - we're getting nowhere, Buff.
Maybe it's time to try something new.
Hit the streets. Get Spike on it-

Buffy reacts a little too strongly to this suggestion.

BUFFY
No. No Spike. And we don't need to
hit streets. We just need to stay
put, away from... distractions.
We'll figure it out.

ANYA
What about Willow? Can't she do
something?

BUFFY
Maybe, but she's home sleeping.

XANDER
Sleeping? She sick?

BUFFY
She was out late. With Amy.

ANYA
(to Xander)
And I'm bizarre? At least I didn't
dump you to hang out with an ex-rat.

BUFFY
It's not like that. Willow's just...
trying to help Amy through the
transition-

XANDER
And make herself a new playmate to do
magic with. Someone who won't
monitor her, like Tara-

BUFFY
Willow's a grown up. Maybe she
shouldn't be monitored-

XANDER
So you think Tara was wrong? To
leave-

BUFFY
I didn't say that, I just...

Buffy, agitated, continues - and as she works herself up, it becomes clear that she's talking as much about herself as she is about Willow.

BUFFY (cont'd)
I just think we should stop talking
about Willow this way. Okay, she's
going through something. But we're
not her, you know? I mean, maybe she
has reasons she's acting this way...
And what if she has crossed a line?
We all do stuff. Stupid stuff. And,
then we learn. We learn and we don't
do it again. I mean, really, who are
we to be all judgey?

Buffy stops - realizing that she's been in monologue mode. Anya and Xander watching her, a little perplexed at her outburst.

XANDER
Not judgey, Buff. Just observey.

ANYA
Yeah. All we're saying is - she's
acting different. She isn't herself.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Willow, dressed a little edgier than we're used to seeing her, is heading out for another night with Amy. They move down Sunnydale's main drag, turning heads.

AMY
God, I'm so glad you called. I had
to get out of the house.

WILLOW
Already? So, things with your dad...

AMY
Bizarre. I guess after I disappeared
he just decided to start over. He's,
like, this new guy with a new wife
and a new baby. And I'm this reminder
of all his old stuff.

WILLOW
What did you tell him? I mean, about
where you were?

AMY
I didn't think he'd buy the rat
thing, so I told him I got abducted
by aliens.
(off Willow's stare)
Kidding! God, what's up? Did
sarcasm die while I was a rodent?

WILLOW
Sorry. It's just, I guess I didn't
expect you to be in a jokey mood.

Amy's eyes flash angrily. We see a hint of the anarchy that's boiling under her skin.

AMY
I want to have fun, Willow. I've
been in a cage.

WILLOW
(guiltily)
There was a little ball. And you
seemed to enjoy playing with those
cardboard toilet paper rolls-

AMY
As cages go, it was fine. But I was
still confined. I've got lost time
to make up - and if people don't get
it, screw them.

Willow takes this in, relating.

WILLOW
Well, I do. Get it. Totally.

AMY
So what do you want to do? Gonna be
hard to top last night.

WILLOW
Yeah, I don't even think I can. I
felt awful today. And I couldn't do
magic. It took all day for my powers
to come back... We should probably
take it easy.

AMY
I've got a better idea.

WILLOW
What?

AMY
There's this guy. He knows spells
that last for days. And the burn-out
factor is, like, nothing.

Willow takes this in, intrigued

WILLOW
Really? He's a warlock?

AMY
I guess. But I'm not kidding you, this
guy will blow your mind. He'll take you
places you can't even imagine.

WILLOW
Is it dangerous?

Amy grins.

AMY
Would that stop you?

EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT

Now Amy and Willow are walking in a bad part of town. Definitely creepy. Amy senses something, stops in front of a dirty alley.

AMY
This is it.

WILLOW
Where? I thought you said the guy
lived around here.

AMY
He does. You can't feel it?

WILLOW
What do you-

Amy takes Willow's hand and raises it.

AMY
Here.

Willow starts at something she feels, unseen by us.

WILLOW
It's... hot.

AMY
Come on.

With that, Amy STEPS THROUGH AN INVISIBLE PORTAL and disappears. Scared and excited, Willow takes a deep breath and follows suit.

INT. DEALER'S PLACE - OUTER ROOM - NIGHT

Willow and Amy EMERGE THROUGH THE PORTAL into a dingy two room apartment. The first room functions as a waiting room, with tattered couches and a couple of old chairs. A few strung-out looking folks hang on the couches, eyeing the fresh-faced girls suspiciously as they enter.

AMY
Isn't that cool? His place is
cloaked.

WILLOW
(nervously)
Yeah..

AMY
Moves all the time, too. Keeps Rack
out of trouble.

WILLOW
Rack? Whose-

She stops as the door to the second room opens and RACK, A SCARY-LOOKING WARLOCK, steps into the room. He has fucked-up eyes and dark magical energy crackles from the ends of his fingers. He's simultaneously repulsive and seductive. Physically, he's no looker. But his vibe is nasty and powerful. As soon as he steps into the room, the jonesing folks start pleading with him-

J