Buffy Vampire Slayer s-script

After Life

August 8, 2001 (White)

Written by: Jane Espenson

Teaser

EXT. SUNNYDALE STREETS - NIGHT (DAY 1)

XANDER, ANYA, WILLOW and TARA make their way home through the streets of recently-occupied Sunnydale. They walk quickly past looted stores and cars with broken windows.

WILLOW
She's at home. She has to be.
We just have to get there.
And she'll be there.

TARA
This is the fastest way?

XANDER
Absolutely.

TARA
You're sure?

XANDER
Hey, I've done a lot of fleeing
through these mean streets.
I know all the short-cuts.

ANYA
I don't like this.

They pass a smoldering car fire. Anya points at it.

ANYA (cont'd)
That's on fire. Fire is rarely a
sign of imminent safety.

WILLOW
I wish we were there already.

XANDER
Hey, hey, don't worry, ladies,
I'll get us there just fine. My
senses are primed for danger,
and nothing's gonna HOLY CRAP!

A group of THREE DEMONS ON MOTORCYCLES roars out of an alley, nearly hitting Xander. He jumps out of the way.

ANYA
Oh! Xander!

XANDER
(shaky)
I'm okay.
(counts silently)
Four. Four limbs. Doing good.

The group starts walking again. Xander, legs shaky, stumbles a little.

XANDER (cont'd)
(weakly)
Doing fine.

ANYA
At least the demons almost
hit you on the way out of town.

XANDER
Yeah, now that their leader's
gone they seem to be making
with the big skedaddle.

WILLOW
It was Buffy, right? We saw her
and she was really Buffy.

TARA
Yeah.

WILLOW
And she was okay. She was Buffy.

ANYA
Sure, from what I saw before
she ran off in a completely
not-like-her way. Other than that
she was exactly Buffy.

WILLOW
Right. She was fine.

ANYA
I was being sarcastic. I think we
screwed it up and she's broken.

WILLOW
No! She's not broken! She's
just disoriented from being
tormented in some kind of hell
dimension. Probably tortured and...
It's like, we don't even know how
much time passed there for her,
possibly years. That's not something
you get over…
(suddenly)
Oh my God.

Xander jumps, looks behind him for motorcycles.

XANDER
What? Where?

WILLOW
What if she never gets over it?

ANYA
And you think of this now?

TARA
What are you thinking, Willow?
That she's ... that she's not right?
Or maybe, like, dangerous?

EXT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - NIGHT

BUFFY stands in front of her house, looking up at it, her expression blank. DAWN stands nearby. She's not looking at the house. She's looking nervously at Buffy.

DAWN
Home! See?

Buffy doesn't answer.

DAWN
You're back home. We're
all okay now.

We PUSH IN on Buffy, looking empty and lost.

BLACK OUT.

END OF TEASER

Act One

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE MINUTES LATER - NIGHT

Buffy is standing in the entryway of the house, very still, very quiet. Dawn enters after her and closes the door behind them. She looks at Buffy apprehensively.

DAWN
Home again, home again...
(weakly)
Jiggety jog.

Buffy steps into the living room.

BUFFY
It's different.

DAWN
A little. Willow and Tara
live here now, and we ... we
didn't do much...

Buffy looks at a PHOTOGRAPH OF JOYCE on a table.

DAWN (cont'd)
We moved the chairs ... took
out some of the little tables--

Buffy has turned and headed into the dining room. Dawn trails after her.

The dining room has changed. One end of the table is set up as a computer work station.

DAWN (cont'd)
This is the same. Except the
computer stuff, that's Willow's,
obviously. We eat at the other end...

Buffy is already gone, heading up the stairs. Dawn looks after her, feeling that she's not doing a very good job as tour guide.

DAWN (cont'd)
(lamely)
Obviously.

Dawn heads up the stairs after Buffy.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Main street - the same one the Slayerettes walked through in the Teaser. Spike cruises through slowly on his stolen MOTORCYCLE. He looks around frantically.

SPIKE
Dawn!

He keeps going.

SPIKE (cont'd)
Gotta be somewhere, gotta be
somewhere.

He accelerates ...

SPIKE (cont'd)
Dawn!

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - UPSTAIRS BATHROOM - NIGHT

Dawn is standing with Buffy at the sink. Buffy is wearing casual clothes now, a button-up shirt hangs open over a camisole. Buffy's hair is combed and pulled back.

Dawn is washing the dirt from Buffy's face with a washcloth.

DAWN
There you are. Knew you were
under that dirt somewhere.
Remember what Mom used to
say? "Either wash that neck or
plant potatoes."

Buffy doesn't react.

DAWN (cont'd)
Yeah... I never thought it was funny either.

Dawn looks at the shirt.

DAWN (cont'd)
You want to button that up, or...

Buffy looks down at her hands. Dawn looks down too, sees the damage to Buffy's hands.

DAWN (cont'd)
Oh. Ow. We should take care
of that.

BUFFY
Okay.

DAWN
I'll do the shirt. Then we can do
your hands ...

Dawn starts to button Buffy's shirt.

DAWN (cont'd)
Here we go. See how nice you look...

Buffy walks away, just pulling out of Dawn's hands and heading into the hall.

INT. WILLOW AND TARA'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER - NIGHT

Buffy enters and looks around the room.

It's Joyce's old room, refurnished per the two-part season premiere. AMY THE RAT is in her cage.

Dawn enters.

DAWN
Mom's room. I know it's really
different now.

BUFFY
Willow and Tara. This is their room.

DAWN
Yeah, well. It seemed like it made
sense. No one was using it, and it's
the biggest. But, you know, now that
you're back, we'll have to figure out
what to do ...

Buffy is already turning to leave, but Dawn gets in front of her, blocks the way.

DAWN (cont'd)
Buffy? You wanna, like, stop? We can
sit down and talk. I mean, I'm trying to
be all this-happens-all-the time about this,
but I'm really kinda freaking out and I
don't know what to do.

Buffy's attention drifts inward. Then she shakes herself out of it, tries to focus.

BUFFY
What else is different?

DAWN
You mean, with the house, or...

Buffy shrugs.

DAWN (cont'd)
Um. Let's see ... Giles. It's so
weird. He left. Today. Because
you were-- He'll come right back.
I'll call him. Someone will call him.

BUFFY
Okay... what... Um...

Buffy loses focus again...

DAWN
What what?

BUFFY
What ... What will you say to him?

DAWN
I dunno... It'll be interesting.
We could do it now, put you
on the phone, "Hi, Giles, guess
who this is?" Give him a heart
attack.

Dawn starts laughing from the image, but mostly from the tension, on the edge of losing it. Buffy doesn't laugh, just watches. Dawn's laugh peters out.

DAWN (cont'd)
Or, you might not be in the mood for
prank calls.

There is the sound of the front door opening below them, rushed heavy footfalls ... Dawn stops laughing. And Buffy is, instantly tense and alert.

BUFFY
What's that?

DAWN
It's okay.

SPIKE (O.S.)
(called, urgent)
Dawn? Dawn! You here?

DAWN
See? It's just Spike.
(calls)
I'm here!

Dawn heads for the stairs. Buffy follows.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - FOYER - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

SPIKE is standing in the entryway as Dawn comes downstairs. He's out of breath, just recovering from near-panic.

SPIKE
(to Dawn)
Thank God. You scared me half
to death... or more to death. I
could kill you!

DAWN
Spike.

SPIKE
I mean it. Could rip your head
off one handed and drink from
your brain stem.

DAWN
Look.

He sees Buffy coming down the stairs behind Dawn.

SPIKE
Yeah? I've seen the bloody bot
before. Didn't think she'd patch up--

He stops. Stunned, staring at Buffy. For a very long beat.

DAWN
She's kind of-- She's been through a lot,
with the ... death. But I think she's okay.

Spike is still staring.

DAWN (cont'd.)
Spike? Are you okay?

SPIKE
I'm... what did you do?

DAWN
Me? Nothing!

He looks Buffy up and down, making sure she's okay.

SPIKE
Her hands.

DAWN
I was gonna fix 'em. I don't know
how they got like that.

SPIKE
I do. Clawed her way out of a
coffin, that's how.
(to Buffy)
Isn't that right?

Buffy looks at her hands as if they belong to someone else.

BUFFY
I ... Yes. I had to do that.

SPIKE
Done it myself.

He's just looking at her, lost in it. He pulls himself back.

SPIKE
We'll take care of you. C'mere ...

Spike leads Buffy into the living room.

SPIKE (cont'd)
(to Dawn)
Get me some stuff, mercurochrome,
bandages.

DAWN
'kay.

Spike leads Buffy to the sofa. They sit. Spike reaches for her hands, and we see that his own are shaking. He takes her hands, but he doesn't look at them. Just holds them and looks at her face.

BUFFY
How long was I gone?

Spike has to clear his throat, find his voice.

SPIKE
Hundred forty-seven days yesterday... um,
one-forty-eight today. 'Cept today doesn't
count, does it?

Buffy nods.

SPIKE
How long was it for you...
where you were?

BUFFY
(thinks, then:)
Longer.

Dawn steps in carrying a box of Band-Aids and a tube of disinfectant.

DAWN
Got the stuff.

Dawn is putting the first-aid stuff down on a table next to Spike where Xander, Anya, Willow and Tara enter through the front door and enter the living room.

WILLOW
Is she here?

Buffy stands up, startled. Spike backs to the edge of the room.

ANYA
She's here!

WILLOW
Buffy!

TARA
Are you okay?

DAWN
(to the others)
You knew she was back?
How did you know?

Spike exits, but no one is looking at him.

EXT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - FRONT YARD - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

Spike emerges from the house. He looks fine as he steps off the porch, starts to cut across the lawn. But when he reaches the tree, he stops, leans his back against it ... He starts to cry.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Willow, Tara, Anya, Xander and Dawn are gathered around Buffy.

XANDER
What do you remember?

WILLOW
Are you in pain?

TARA
What do you know about what
happened?

Buffy cringes backwards from the onslaught.

DAWN
Hey!

Startled, everyone looks to Dawn.

DAWN
Back off! Let her breathe!

Dawn gets between Willow and Buffy, stares Willow down.

DAWN
You did this. What did you do?

WILLOW
A spell. We did a spell.

DAWN
Is she going to be okay?

BUFFY
I'm okay.

Again all heads turn back to Buffy.

BUFFY (cont'd)
I'm going to be fine. I remember--I
was-- You brought me back.

XANDER
How long were you gone? I mean, how
long for you?

BUFFY
It ... it seemed like forever.

TARA
Oh, Buffy, I'm so sorry.

DAWN
What are you saying? Are you saying
she was somewhere? Like, in hell?

ANYA
A hell-dimension. Same torture, less religion.
(to Buffy)
What was it like?

DAWN
No! She shouldn't have to talk about it!

BUFFY
It was ... I can't -- I couldn't leave.

XAN'DER
It's okay. You really don't have to
do this, Buff.

Buffy looks at him helplessly. He feels the pressure.

XANDER (cont'd)
Hey, do you want something?
Anything? Pizza? I'll get you pizza.

ANYA
Mmm. Saucy. Buffy likes pizza.

WILLOW
She doesn't want pizza.

Dawn sees how overwhelmed Buffy is.

DAWN
Guys. Back off.

WILLOW
Dawn's right. Let's just be quiet.
Let Buffy tell us what she needs.

They all fall silent and stare at Buffy. She shifts uncomfortably.

BUFFY
I think... I want to sleep.

TARA
That's a good idea. You should sleep.

WILLOW
Yeah. Long day. But, Buffy... be
happy. We got you out. We really
did it.

Buffy looks at Willow. Is she going 'to say "thank you"? A beat.

BUFFY
Tired.

ANYA
Well, yeah. The jet-lag from hell has
gotta be, you know, the jet-lag from hell.

BUFFY
My room is still ...

DAWN
Yeah. Yes. It's your room.

Buffy heads up the stairs. The others look at each other.

WILLOW
She's fine! Normal! She used to go
to bed all the time!

EXT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - FRONT YARD NIGHT

Spike leans against a tree near the porch, in the shadows, crying with confusion and relief.
Xander and Anya emerge from the house onto the front porch.

ANYA
(to Xander)
I think Willow's wrong. I don't
think she's especially normal at all.

XANDER
She just got back. Give her time.
I bet, in a week, she'll be our little
Bufferin again.

ANYA
Oh yes, because six or seven days,
that's really all you need to get over
eternal hell experiences.

Xander notices the figure by the tree.

XANDER
Who's that? Spike?

Covering quickly, Spike dries his tears as they get closer.

XANDER (cont'd)
What are you doing out here? I hope
you're not going to start up your
whole obsession thing now that she's
around--

Without warning, Spike grabs Xander and slams him up against the tree, leans into him. Spike winces with chip-in-head pain.

SPIKE
Ow!

XANDER
Ow!

ANYA
Hey!

SPIKE
You didn't tell me. You brought her
back and you didn't tell me.

XANDER
Well, now you know.

SPIKE
I worked beside you. All summer.
Hundred and forty-seven bleedin,
days. I saved your sorry lives, all
of you.

ANYA
Um... thank you and please stop
pressing against my boyfriend?

XANDER
We didn't tell you. It was ... we
just didn't, okay? Maybe you should
stop being a problem for a second
and just be glad that she's back..

SPIKE
Listen. I've figured it out. Maybe
you haven't, but I have. Willow
knew there was a chance she'd come
back wrong. So wrong that you'd
have to-- that she'd have to get rid of
what came back. And she knew I
wouldn't let her. If any part of it was
Buffy, I wouldn't let her. That's why
she shut me out.

XANDER
What are you talking about? Willow
couldn't do that!

SPIKE
That right?

XANDER
Look, you're just covering. You can't
tell me you're not happy. Look me in
the eyes. Tell me that seeing Buffy
alive wasn't the happiest damn second
of your whole existence.

Spike doesn't have an answer for that. He lets Xander go. Spike turns to walk away. He heads for his MOTORCYCLE, parked at the curb. As he goes:

SPIKE
The thing about magic? There's
always consequences. Always.

Spike gets onto his cycle. Starts it. Xander and Anya exchange a worried look.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - BUFFY'S ROOM - NIGHT

Buffy stands motionless in front of a mirror. She doesn't seem to register her own face in front of her.

She startles at the sound of footsteps in the hallway, gasping and stepping away from the door.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT

Willow, in pajamas, walks casually down the hall to her own room. She enters and closes the door.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - WILLOW AND TARA'S ROOM - NIGHT

Willow enters to find Tara in her nightgown, brushing her hair.

WILLOW
Hey.

TARA
Did you get through to London?

WILLOW
Yeah. He's going to head back as
soon as he can. Probably... I'm not
sure, maybe a couple days.

TARA
How'd he take it?

WILLOW
Um. I'm not sure. Glad, but ... kinda
weirded out, you know? Which I get.
Lots of "dear lords… I think I actually
heard him cleaning his glasses.

Willow gets into bed. Tara looks at her.

TARA
Are you worried?

WILLOW
Worried? Tara, it worked fine. It's
all good.

TARA
Hey, Will. This is me. It doesn't all
have to be "good" and "fine." This is
the room where you don't have to
be brave and I still love you. If you're
worried you can be worried.

Tara turns out the light and gets into bed next to Willow.

WILLOW
I'm not ... unworried. What happened,
that's gotta be intense. That has to
change you. When Angel came back?
Buffy said he was wild. Like an animal.

TARA
Buffy isn't like that.

WILLOW
Yeah.

TARA
But?

WILLOW
But ...everything. I guess ...

Willow points at her head.

WILLOW
It's just a little noisy in here
right now.

TARA
Yeah? Let me hear?

Tara puts her head next to Willow, cheek-to-cheek, listens. Willow smiles gently. Tara pulls back, returns the smile.

TARA
I can't hear it. Tell me about it.

WILLOW
Well, there's a little voice that's so
proud of what I did. And there's
one that says it was a huge mistake,
that she'll never be right again. And
then the first one -- it's a chatty one -
it says that people get over all kinds
of things, and Buffy's way stronger
than people. And then the second
voice is all like, "Oh yeah? Sez who?"
and then the first voice gets all
defensive--

TARA
Wow. I have this voice that says
you're not gonna get much sleep
tonight.

Tara wraps herself around Willow.

TARA
Is this good?

WILLOW
Yeah. I think it makes it quieter in here.

They lie quietly for a beat.

TARA
You know what I think? I think we
were all assume-crash-positions.

WILLOW
What-huh-now?

TARA
It's, it's, it's like ... we were all
tensed up, like we were expecting
it to screw up. We weren't prepared
for it to actually go right.

WILLOW
Yeah.

A beat, then:

WILLOW
Tara?

TARA
(sleepy)
Yeah?

WILLOW
If it did go right? Wouldn't she
be ... happier? Like, wouldn't she be
so happy we brought her out?

TARA
I'm sure she is.

WILLOW
(not buying it)
Yeah...

TARA
You thought she'd say thanks? Be
more grateful?

WILLOW
Am I a terrible person if I say yes?

TARA
Give her time. She'll get there.

WILLOW
Right. No need to be in a big furry hurry.

TARA
Exactly.

They lie quietly.

TARA (cont'd)
Are you listening for her?

WILLOW
A little. She's right next door.
If something wasn't okay... I
need to know if something isn't okay.

TARA
I'm sure it's okay.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - BUFFY'S ROOM - NIGHT

Buffy is still fully dressed. She's sitting on the edge of the bed. Back straight, hands folded, like she's in a doctor's waiting room.

There is a framed photograph on the dresser: a picture of Buffy, Willow and Xander. Buffy gets up, picks up the picture. She carries it over to a wall where other snapshots are taped up, or hanging in frames -- these include a number of pictures of Buffy with Xander and Willow and also Tara and Anya. She looks at them, trying to connect herself to the girl in the photos.

She is looking at the framed photo when THE FACES CHANGE. They turn into faces of death: decayed, skeletal, empty eyed. She looks up at the other photos. The same thing is happening in each of them. Buffy and her friends become corpses.

Buffy closes her eyes for a second. When she looks again, the pictures are normal. Buffy continues to stare at them, expressionless.

BLACK OUT.

END OF ACT ONE

Act Two

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - WILLOW AND TARA'S ROOM - NIGHT

Later that same night. The room is dimly lit by moonlight. Willow and Tara are asleep. Suddenly something hits the wall over their heads with a crash -- a candle in a glass candle holder. It showers glass on them. Tara screams and they both sit up, terrified.

Buffy, still dressed, stands in the darkness at the foot of the bed. Hands clenched, body tense.

WILLOW
Buffy?

BUFFY
What did you do? Do you know
what you did? You're like children!
Your hands smell of death! Bitches!
Filthy little bitches, rattling the bones,
Did you cut a throat? Did you pat its head?

Buffy grabs a crystal ball off the dresser and throws it at them. Willow and Tara just manage to duck it, and it smashes against the wall.

BUFFY (cont'd)
The blood dried on your hands, didn't
You were stained. You still are.

TARA
Oh God, oh God, oh God.

BUFFY
I know what you did!

Willow jumps out of bed and hits the lights.

The room is empty. No Buffy.

The candle in its holder and the crystal ball are whole, sitting where they started. Tara looks around her in the bed.

TARA
No glass. There's no glass.

INT. BUFFY'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER - NIGHT

Darkness. The door cracks open, letting in a bright trapezoid of light from the hall.

It falls across Buffy, lying sound asleep in bed in her pajamas.

Willow and Tara look in from the doorway, confused and frightened.

INT. WILLOW AND TARA'S ROOM MOMENTS LATER NIGHT

Willow and Tara reenter their room.

WILLOW
Okay, what in the frilly heck is
going on?

TARA
Maybe we dreamed it.

WILLOW
Right. Right.
(realizing)
Wrong.

She points at their heads.

WILLOW (cont'd)
Different brains.

TARA
Oh, yeah.
(beat)
What was it talking about? Did you
understand it?

WILLOW
I understood the words, but ... no.

TARA gasps, looking at something over Willow's shoulder.

Willow turns to see ...

WILLOW'S POV: A SHADOWY DISTORTION ripples across the wall of the room, toward the door. It disappears.

WILLOW
What was that?

TARA
There's, there's something in the house.

WILLOW
What is it? Could it hurt Buffy?

TARA
I don't know.

WILLOW
I'm gonna call.

Willow grabs the phone, dials.

WILLOW (cont'd)
I hope Xander's up.

INT. XANDER'S BEDROOM/WILLOW AND TARA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Xander and Anya lie in bed.

ANYA
(softly)
Xander? Are you up? I can't sleep.
Play a word game with me.

No answer from Xander. He's sleeping fine.

ANYA
(little louder)
Xander? You awake? I'm going to
describe an adjective with accurate
but misleading clues, and then you
have to guess it.
(then)
Xander!

Nothing. The PHONE RINGS.

ANYA (cont'd)
Well, that oughtta do it.

Xander is awake, fumbling for the phone.

XANDER
Huh? What? Do what?
(into phone)
Hello?

INTERCUT WITH WILLOW IN HER ROOM.

WILLOW
It's me, Willow. Tara and I were
just attacked.

XANDER
Attacked? A vampire?

Xander sits up, on the edge of the bed. Behind him, we can see Anya getting out of bed, heading casually for the door.

WILLOW
It was Buffy. Or something that
looked like her.

Tara is leaning in close to the phone as Willow holds it ...

TARA
Like she was possessed.

WILLOW
Then she just disappeared. And we
saw something... a little ... there's
something in the house.

Back in Xander's room...

XANDER
(intense)
In the house? All right. Willow. You
need to get out of there. Get everyone out.

Anya steps back into frame in the doorway behind Xander. (NOTE: The shot is not framed in such a way to make us anticipate her appearance.)

HER EYES ARE BLANK-WHITE AND SHE IS CUTTING HER FACE WITH A BUTCHER'S KNIFE.

SHE FLOATS TOWARD XANDER [NOTE: this is not a wire gag, just a close-up of Anya gliding toward camera.]

She starts laughing...

XANDER (cont'd)
(into phone)
Go wake up Buffy and Dawn. Don't
make a big deal, just-

Xander, hearing Anya laugh, looks around behind him and sees her.

XANDER (cont'd)
Gahhhhhh!

Xander drops the phone. He jumps to his feet, grabs for the knife, gets it away from her.

Anya collapses, unconscious at his feet. If we see her face, we should see that the cuts aren't there any more.

A LITTLE BULGE ZIPS AWAY FROM THEM UNDER THE CARPET. It's gone.

EXT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - BUFFY'S BACK YARD - MORNING (DAY 2)

Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya are gathered in Buffy's backyard. Tara and Xander sit on the only two lawn chairs. Anya tries to balance on the arm of Xander's chair. Willow is perched on the edge of a decorative planter or wall.

XANDER
It was very bad. Very very very very
very very bad. Bad.

ANYA
(re: Xander)
He's all traumatized.

WILLOW
Well, whatever it is, it's not a
traditional haunting, 'cause it's
not limited to one specific place
and there's not, you know, a dead
person.

TARA
Not anymore.

ANYA
I bet it's a hitchhiker.

XANDER
A hitchhiker?

ANYA
Standard way to travel between
alternate dimensions. Some
thing-ama-demon sees someone
moving between worlds, and grabs
on for the ride.

WILLOW
You mean some Hell beastie rode
back with Buffy. Like ... we're
responsible for this.

TARA
Assume crash positions.

XANDER
What?

TARA
Nothing.

ANYA
I think we shouldn't've brought Buffy
back. I knew it was going to go badly.
I should've said something.

WILLOW
Hey, you know what, yeah! You
should've! At least you could've
mentioned the "highjackers" so
we could stop 'em!

ANYA
They're hitchhikers, not highjackers,
and I thought you knew! It's basic
stuff! You're supposed to be the
all-powerful witch, which--

XANDER
Witch-witch?

ANYA
Witch, which raises the question,
why are you having us skulk around
and meet in the backyard like ...
like conspiracy squirrels? Sitting on
this arm is making my buttocks hurt.

WILLOW
Buffy's still asleep.

TARA
We want her to get all the rest she can.

XANDER
Okay, fine. But what are we going to
do? I mean, I'm feeling the need for
some vigorous doing, you know?

WILLOW
It's okay. We kill the beastie and
all is good, we're rolling in puppies!
(then)
Right?

XANDER
Can we do that? Kill it?

BUFFY (O.S.)
Are we killing something?

They look up to see that Buffy has entered from the house, holding a mug of coffee. She's wearing jeans and a t-shirt.

Her fingers have band-aids on them now. Willow and Tara are still jumpy from their encounter last night.

WILLOW/TARA
Yah!

They recover.

WILLOW
Buffy! You're not supposed to
be up!

TARA
How are you feeling? Are you okay?

ANYA
It's all right if you're still plagued with
nightmarish visions of Hell.

Buffy, smiles, seems like her normal self.

BUFFY
I'm fine. I'm really...

Buffy takes a long pause, loses the smile, gets it back -- it's suddenly clear that it's an effort.

BUFFY
I fixed my fingers. Used little Band-Aids.

WILLOW
Oh, we should've done that. Sorry.

BUFFY
Uh-huh. So what are we killing?

ANYA
A demon you brought back from Hell
with you.

BUFFY
Oh.

WILLOW
It's not like she's making it sound.
A little haunting-type stuff. Boo-
scary, then everything's normal.

TARA
You shouldn't worry about it.

BUFFY
Wait. Last night. Something
happened--

She loses focus. Xander goes to her, touches her on the arm to try to bring her back.

XANDER
Buff?

BUFFY
Um... the photographs. Of us.
They changed.

TARA
How did they change?

BUFFY
They were dead. I mean, we were
dead. Like dead bodies. Then
they were okay. I thought maybe it
was me. That I was going crazy.

ANYA
Maybe you are! Because of Hell!
(Off Willow's glare, meekly)
No. You're fine.

WILLOW
You are. Buffy, we're so glad.

XANDER
Yeah. This thing, this haunting thing,
we'll fix it, and then we'll still have you
back, which is ... it's so important.

WILLOW
Yes.

TARA
It's wonderful.

Willow and the others look expectantly at Buffy, anticipating her happiness.

BUFFY
We should work and figure this thing out.

Well-hidden disappointment all around -- no happy gratitude from Buffy.

WILLOW
Right.

ANYA
Can we go somewhere with cushions?
Let's go somewhere with cushions.

INT. MAGIC BOX - NIGHT

Buffy, Xander, Anya, Willow and Tara doing the research thing. Anya's chair has a cushion. Buffy is staring at a book, but doesn't seem to be seeing it. Dawn looks over Tara's shoulder at a legal pad with a hand-written list on it.

DAWN
What's the list?

ANYA
Possible hitchhikers.

XANDER
(explaining)
Demons that might have come out of
Hell at the same time Buffy did.

DAWN
(reads)
Skaggmore demons, Trellbane demons,
Skitterers, Large and Small Bone-
Eaters ...

Dawn thinks about that.

DAWN (cont'd)
If we get to pick, I say we go with
the Small Bone-Eaters.

ANYA
That just means they prefer eating
things with little bones.
(beat)
Like you.

WILLOW
That's just what we have so far.
Five species of demons that have
been known to move transdimensionally.
Two of them may be invisible in
this dimension and two others can
perform spells to alter perception.

ANYA
That's four. What's the other one like?

TARA
Kinda like the others, only dripping
with viscous fluid.

DAWN
Eww.

XANDER
So should we concentrate on how to
kill those or should we try to find more?

WILLOW
I'm not sure. I guess ... Maybe some of us
could keep going finding more, and the others--

BUFFY
I miss Giles.

WILLOW
Oh. He's coming back. I talked to him.
I know I'm a kinda poor substitute, but
until then, we'll get it done ...

Buffy stands up.

BUFFY
I think I should patrol.

Willow flinches a little, taking it as a sign that Buffy doesn't have faith in her research.

WILLOW
I know we'll find something soon!

BUFFY
Yes.

Buffy is already heading for the door.

XANDER
Do you want us to go with you?

ANYA
We could do that.

BUFFY
No. I need to go. Um, I know you're
worried. But I ... I feel like I have to
get out. Sorry.

DAWN
You should go.

Dawn turns toward the exiting Buffy, back to the others.

ANGLE ON: DAWN

DAWN (cont'd)
(calling after)
Don't worry about me. I'll be safe
here with the others.

Unseen by anyone (except, you know, the TV viewers), Dawn SLOWLY SMILES. HER EYES ARE WHITE.

BLACK OUT.

END OF ACT TWO

Act Three

EXT. CEMETERY NIGHT

Buffy patrols alone. But she doesn't have a stake in hand, and she doesn't scan her surroundings. She just walks.

INT. MAGIC BOX - NIGHT

It's very late. Willow, Tara, and Xander are still researching, exhausted -- heads on hands. Dawn is looking at the shelf of books. Anya enters, carrying take-out cups of coffee.

ANYA
I found a 24-hour place for coffee.
Remember that bookstore? Well
they became one of those books-and-
coffee places and now they're just
coffee. It's like evolution only without
the getting-better part.

She sets the drinks out on the counter.

ANYA (cont'd)
(as she sets out the drinks)
Coffee, coffee, coffee and
(ta-da)
Hot chocolate for Dawn.
(to Dawn)
You're too young for coffee.

Dawn whips her head toward Anya. Dawn's eyes are WHITE.

DAWN
Idiot.

Startled, everyone turns to look at Dawn.

ANYA
(quickly)
You can have my coffee.

Dawn's blank eyes scan the group.

DAWN
All of you did it, Stupid children,
Did you think the blood wouldn't
reach you? I smell the death on you,
LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE!

Suddenly Dawn ROARS FIRE AT THEM. They dive to the side, and the flames CATCH SOME OF THE BOOKS ON THE TABLE ON FIRE.

Dawn collapses to the floor, unconscious.

TARA
Dawn!

XANDER
Fire, fire, fire.

Xander grabs the cushion from Anya's chair, uses it to smother the flames.

WILLOW
Oh my God, oh my God.

As in Xander's apartment, a (CGI) bulge zips away... only now it isn't under a carpet. The bulge forms in the store's linoleum floor, and ripples away, leaving the floor undamaged.

Willow and Tara are helping Dawn to sit up. Anya watches as Xander puts out the last of the fire with the now-singed cushion.

ANYA
(sadly)
I liked that cushion.

WILLOW
That was it. Like Buffy. Only with fire.

XANDER
Is she okay?

ANYA
Did I look like that? I hope I
didn't look like that.

WILLOW
No, I'm sure you looked really
glamorous cutting up your face.

Dawn opens her eyes. They're normal again.

DAWN
What happened? What's going on?

WILLOW
You'll be okay.

ANYA
I bet you experience some dry-mouth.
(explaining)
Fire.

DAWN
Was it ... did the demon thing have me?

TARA
It's okay. It's okay.

XANDER
Yeah. It's gone.

ANYA
Yes. But where did it go? I mean, evil
things have plans. They have things to do.

INT. SPIKE'S CRYPT - LOWER LEVEL - NIGHT

Spike is in the lower level of his crypt, where the Buffyshrine used to be. It's decorated like an apartment now: chairs, tables, etc.

Spike is pacing, leather coat billowing and snapping as he turns.

Without warning he spins toward the wall. HE PUNCHES THE WALL.

SPIKE
Dammit!

His hand is scraped and bleeding. He looks at it. A sound escapes him... a sob? He starts to laugh a moment of relief and release.

Suddenly, there is a noise upstairs. He tenses, looks up.

He grabs a nasty-looking knife from a wall-mounted collection of arms. He heads for the ladder, starts to climb.

INT. SPIKE'S CRYPT - UPPER LEVEL - NIGHT

Spike emerges at the top of the ladder. He sees Buffy standing, back to him, looking around at the new furnishings. Spike goes over to her, stands directly behind her.

SPIKE
(softly)
Buffy?

She turns around, sees him standing there, notices the knife in his hand, but doesn't react to it.

SPIKE (cont'd)
(gentle)
You should be careful. Never
know what kind of villain's got
a knife at your back.

BUFFY
Your hand is hurt.

SPIKE
Same to you.

BUFFY
Right.

Spike puts down the knife.

SPIKE
Willow's getting pretty strong, isn't
she? Bringing you back. Hard to
get a good night's death 'round here.

Nothing from Buffy -- Spike can't figure out how to fill the pause.

SPIKE (cont'd)
You can sit, if you want. Got
furniture. You should see the
downstairs, too. Quite posh.

Buffy sits. Spike sits opposite her. She keeps staring at him. He takes it as an accusation, responds to it ...

SPIKE (cont'd)
I do remember what I said. The
promise. To protect her. If I'd
done that ... even if I didn't make
it, you wouldn't've had to jump.
(beat)
I want you to know I did save you.
Not when it counted, of course.
But after that. Every night after that.
I'd see it all again, do something
different. Faster or more clever, you
know? Dozens of times, lots of
different ways ...
(beat)
Every night I save you.

He looks at her again. Her stare is the same, vacant. He realizes she's not there to accuse him.

They sit quietly. Not talking.

INT. MAGIC BOX - NIGHT

Anya and Dawn have both fallen asleep, heads down on their books. Tara and Willow are still paging through books. . Xander is looking toward the windows. Tara takes a break, comes over to the windows by Xander.

XANDER
It's getting light out. Buffy's probably
on her way home from patrolling.

TARA
I like sunrise better when I'm getting up
early than when I'm staying up late, you
know? It's like I'm seeing it from the
wrong side.

XANDER
Mmmokay.
(then, softly)
Hey, Tara. This is probably crazy,
but I was talking to Spike ...

TARA
(smiling)
Really? You two mix about as well as
Satyrion seed and powdered turtledove.

XANDER
Mmmokay again. But, thing is,
Spike made me think. The spell
we did. It's having consequences,
isn't it? I mean, it sure seems like it.
And I was wondering... did you know
this might happen?

TARA
No!

Xander glances back toward Willow.

XANDER
Do you think... could someone have
known?

TARA
Willow's a talented witch and she'd
never do anything to hurt anyone.

XANDER
I know, I know. Backing off quickly,
see, hands in the air, I just mean--

WILLOW
Thaumogenesis!

Startled, Xander and Tara look over at Willow. Dawn and Anya are both jolted awake.

ANYA
She's possessed!

WILLOW
Thaumogenesis.

DAWN
(to Anya)
You're right.

WILLOW
I'm not possessed. It's just, I
think I figured it out. This isn't
a demon we let out. This is a
demon we made.

XANDER
We made a demon? Bad us.

WILLOW
Thaumogenesis is when doing a
spell actually creates a being. In
this case it was, like, a side-effect,
I guess. Like a price.

DAWN
What?

WILLOW
Think of it like, the world doesn't
like you getting something for free.
We asked for this huge gift -Buffy -
and the world said, fine. If you get
that, you have to take this too ... and
it made the demon.

ANYA
Technically, that's not a price.
That's a gift with purchase.

DAWN
If you made a demon how come
we don't see it? I mean, we just
see us. Doing stuff.

WILLOW
I think it's out of phase with this
dimension. Its consciousness is here,
but its body is caught in the ether
between existing and not existing.

TARA
It doesn't have a body... so it's
borrowing ours ... It borrowed
Dawn and Anya ...

WILLOW
Or it's manifesting copies of them,
like it did when Buffy came at us ...

TARA
It's using them to do stuff. To scare
us, attack us.

XANDER
So we need to uncreate it, right?
Get it the rest of the way out of our
world.

ANYA
He's right. Return the unwanted gift.
Metaphorically it works out exactly right.

Willow is looking through the books ...

WILLOW
Uh-huh. Except ... it's linked to the spell.
When we send it away, it's like the spell
doesn't exist. Like it never happened.

DAWN
(softly)
Like it never brought Buffy back.

WILLOW
Yes.

Dawn is in control here, quietly hurt, demanding attention.

DAWN
You can't do that. You can't think for
a second that you're going to do that.

ANYA
Dawn--

Dawn doesn't take her eyes off Willow.

DAWN
If you think you can give her back to
me and then take her away again... No.
That's worse than if you'd never brought
her back. You can't mess with people's
lives this way! What about what would
happen to her? You'd send her back to
where she was, hell or whatever?

WILLOW
No. Dawn, we're not going to do it
that way.

Dawn turns to the others, appealing to them.

DAWN
How can you let her do this? How can
you even talk about letting her go? I
thought you loved her too!

TARA
We do. Honey, you're not listening.
She said we'll find another way.

XANDER
We will.

DAWN
Then do it!

Willow is looking through the book again.

WILLOW
Wait. Dawn. Everyone hold on.

She looks up, smiles.

ANYA
What? Why are you smiling?
(to Xander)
That's inappropriate.

WILLOW
Because it's temporary.

XANDER
What is?

WILLOW
The demon. It's going to dissipate.
The only way it can survive on our
plane is if it was to kill the subject
of the original spell.

TARA
It would live if it killed Buffy?

WILLOW
Right, but that's not gonna--

ANGLE ON: XANDER

HIS EYES ARE WHITE.

XANDER
Thanks for the tip.

Xander collapses to the ground, unconscious. Another CGI bulge zips away.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - FOYER - NIGHT

The empty foyer. There is the sound of a key in the lock. The door opens. Buffy enters, looking tired, emotionally empty.

She heads up the stairs. After she clears the frame, something (CGI) forms in the entryway, a swirling milky-white cloud. It wafts up the stairs, becoming more solid as it rises, resolving into the still-misty form of a woman.

BLACK OUT.

END OF ACT THREE

Act Four

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE BUFFY'S ROOM - NIGHT

Buffy enters her room. She still looks detached. She goes to look at the photographs again. As she takes a step toward them...

The white woman-demon attacks her. At first it's nothing more than a cloudy white arc that slams into her chest, driving her back.

Buffy hits at it, but her fists just scatter the mist, harmlessly.

The demon speaks in a watery female voice.

DEMON (V.0.)
You don't belong here.

Another arc projects from the mist, this time becoming more solid... a clenched white fist that whips Buffy head around.

DEMON
Did they tell you you belonged here?
Did they say this was your home again?
Did they say there would be room for you?

It strikes at her again. This time Buffy catches at it, has it in her grasp for a second before it dissolves.

DEMON (cont'd)
Were you offered pretty lies, little girl?

The mist swirls around Buffy, surrounding her. We get the impression of two thin arms forming to crush her like a coiling snake.

DEMON (cont'd)
Or did they even give you a choice?

INT. XANDER'S CAR - NIGHT

Xander, Anya and Dawn in Xander's car. Xander drives. Anya is in the passenger seat, Dawn in the back.

DAWN
Xander! Drive faster!

XANDER
I can't!

DAWN
I could drive faster and I can't drive!

ANYA
She's right. You're like a snail. A
snail that is driving a car very slowly.
(urgent)
Come on! Give it the lead foot! We've
got to help Buffy with that demon you
sent after her!

XANDER
I did not send the demon -- I was
possessed! The demon used me to
eavesdrop on our conversation-

ANYA
Great. So now what? We can only
talk in anti-demon secret code?

XANDER
Good-gay idea-yay, An-ya-ay

DAWN
Stop talking in wrong Pig Latin and
drive! Buffy's in trouble!

XANDER
It's okay, Dawnie. Willow and Tara
are doing a spell.

DAWN
It's not gonna send Buffy away, is it?

XANDER
No, of course not. It's just that she
can't fight this thing while it's all ...
misty. So they make it more solid,
and then Buffy can kick its newly-
corporeal ass.

DAWN
You sure it'll work?

XANDER
You bet. Piece of cake.

ANYA
Right. Easy peasy.
(under breath/to Xander)
Hurry.

INT. MAGIC BOX - NIGHT

Willow and Tara sit on the floor in the darkened room. Their hands are joined. They chant.

WILLOW/TARA
Child of words, hear thy makers.
Child of words, we entreat.
With our actions did we make thee,
to our voices wilt thou bend...

INT. BUFFY'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER - NIGHT

Buffy is being gripped by the bands of mist. They solidify, turning into thin white arms. Buffy breaks the grip and spins to face the demon.

It's half-formed, limbs solid, but the head and torso still swirling and cloud-like. It is thin and female.

But it's strong. It knocks Buffy to the ground with a punch. She lands sprawling, one arm going under her bed.

The demon takes a menacing step toward her -- its foot is bare, its ankle thin and bone-white.

INT. MAGIC BOX - NIGHT

Tara and Willow continue:

WILLOW/TARA
With our potions thou took motive,
with our motions came to pass.
We rescind no past devotions,
give thee substance, give thee mass.
(repeating... )
Child of words, hear thy makers ...

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - BUFFY'S ROOM - NIGHT

The demon continues to advance. Curls of dusty white smoke rise off its thin still-misty body. Buffy brings her arm out from under the bed. She's holding a battle-ax.

Buffy sweeps the ax through the cloudy body. The demon laughs a female, bubbling, disembodied laugh.

DEMON
You're the one who's barely here.
Set on this earth like a bubble.

Buffy cuts through the demon, which is more solid this time, the mist seems heavier, like oily smoke.

DEMON
You won't even disturb the air when
you go.

ANYA, DAWN AND XANDER BURST IN.

The demon turns its half-formed head to look at the newcomers.

BUFFY
Go! Take Dawn out of here!

Anya and Xander turn to try to move Dawn away. Dawn doesn't move.

INT. MAGIC BOX - NIGHT

Willow and Tara continue:

WILLOW/TARA
... we entreat ...

Tara breaks off, gasping, as a nimbus of light surrounds Willow. Tara looks at it, stunned. Willow opens her eyes.

They are DARK WITH MAGIC.

WILLOW
Solid.

INT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - BUFFY'S ROOM - NIGHT

As it turns back to Buffy, the Demon becomes completely solid. It looks like a drowned woman. It is deathly white, with a cracked surface, brown corpse-like teeth, deep blackshadowed gorey-like eyes and floating tangled white hair.

DEMON
(triumphant)
I am here!

Buffy SLAMS the demon with the broad side of the ax blade. For the first time it takes a solid blow. Buffy lunges after it and hits it with a flurry of kicks.

The demon knocks Buffy back. Buffy struggles to keep a hold of the ax.

Buffy pops back to her feet, raises the ax...

DAWN
Buffy! Kill it!

Buffy swings the ax.

We hear it hit the solid body.

ANGLE ON: XANDER, ANYA AND DAWN

As their eyes follow the arc of a severed head falling. (We don't see the head.) They react to what must be a pretty gory show: Xander and Anya turn away.

XANDER
Ooph.

ANYA
Oh.

DAWN
Huh. That's probably the sort of
thing I'm not s'posed to see, right?

EXT. BUFFY'S HOUSE - MORNING (DAY 3)

Days later. Beautiful sunny California morning. Dawn emerges from the house, wearing a backpack, ready for school. She heads toward the sidewalk. Buffy, carrying a brown lunch bag, runs out of the house after Dawn.

BUFFY
Dawn!

Dawn turns back, a little alarmed.

DAWN
What's wrong?

BUFFY
Lunch.

DAWN
You made me lunch?

Buffy nods. Dawn takes the lunch.

DAWN
Wow. Thanks.

BUFFY
You better go. You've been out
since I ... got back. Go catch up.

Buffy tries a smile and a teeny joke:

BUFFY
You know what they say, those who
fail history are doomed to repeat it
in summer school.

Dawn smiles back, then hugs Buffy, grateful for the effort more than the lunch.

DAWN
Thank you.

Buffy shrugs. Dawn looks at her closely.

DAWN
Are you okay?

BUFFY
(smiles)
I'm going to start charging people
money to ask me that.

DAWN
Everyone's been doing that, huh?

BUFFY
Lil' bit.

DAWN
They care about you a lot. When
you were gone ... it was bad when
you were gone. But it'll get better
now. Now that they can see you
being happy. That's all they want.

Buffy nods, takes that in as Dawn heads for the bus.

INT. MAGIC BOX DAY

Anya is at the cash register. Xander leans on the counter near her. Willow and Tara look
casually at the merchandise.

Buffy enters.

Everyone looks up eagerly.

WILLOW
Buffy! Hey!

XANDER
You get Dawn off to school okay?
Cuz I was thinking if you need me
to pick her up--

BUFFY
That's okay. I've got it. Look, guys ...
There's this thing. And I'm just gonna
say it.

They look at her, waiting.

BUFFY
You brought me back. I was in a place ...
I was in Hell. I don't ... I can't think
much about what it was like. But it felt ...
I felt like the world abandoned me there.
And then suddenly you guys ... You did
what you did.

TARA
It was Willow. She knew what to do.

Buffy smiles. The others smile gamely back.

BUFFY
So you did that. And the world came rushing
back. So... thank you. You guys gave me the
world. Thank you. I can't tell you what it
means to me.

Willow and Tara have some tears. Xander, too, possibly, in a manly way.

BUFFY
I should have said it before.

WILLOW
(through tears)
You're welcome.

XANDER
Welcome home, Buffy.

Willow and Xander hug Buffy.

EXT. ALLEY - CONTINUOUS - DAY - MINUTES LATER

Spike is in the alley, leaning against the wall, having a smoke. Buffy enters from the store's side door.

SPIKE
Buffy.

BUFFY
Spike. It's daylight and you're ...

SPIKE
Not on fire? Sun's low. IS shady
enough here.

Buffy nods.

Spike sits on a packing crate, gestures to the space beside him. She sits down next to him.

SPIKE
I was gonna go in, but I overheard
you and the Super-friends sharing
"a special moment" and I came over
a bit queasy.

He throws down his cigarette butt.

SPIKE
Say, aren't you leaving a hole in the
middle of some soggy group hug?

BUFFY
I wanted a little time alone.

SPIKE
Oh. Right then...

He heads for the alley entrance. He reaches the edge of the sunshine -- realizes -- turns back.

BUFFY
That's okay. I can be alone with you here.

SPIKE
Thanks ever so.

BUFFY
Right.

SPIKE
Buff? Slayer? You okay?

She looks at him, blinks, tries to pull it together.

BUFFY
I'm here. I'm good.

SPIKE
Buffy, if you're in-- if you're in
pain. Or if you need anything... If
I can help you...

BUFFY
You can't.

SPIKE
Well, I haven't been to a Helldimension
just of late, but I know a thing or two
about torment

BUFFY
I was happy.

Beat.

SPIKE
I don't ...

BUFFY
Wherever I ... was ... I was happy.
At peace. I knew that everyone
I cared about was all right. I knew it.
Time didn't mean anything, nothing
had form... but I was still me, you
know? And I was warm and I was
loved... and I was finished.
Complete. I don't understand about
dimensions or theology or any of ...
but I think I was in heaven.

Spike stares, takes it in. She looks at him.

BUFFY
And now I'm not.

SPIKE
Buffy--

BUFFY
I was torn out of there. My friends
pulled me out. And everything
here is bright and hard and violent...
Everything I feel, everything I touch...
this is Hell. Just getting through the
next moment, and the one after that...
knowing what I've lost ...

She's said too much. He's speechless as she rises, starts out of the alley. She pauses, not even looking back.

BUFFY
They can never know. Never.

She looks at him. He nods almost imperceptibly.

She goes.

BLACK OUT.

END OF EPISODE