A Fighter's Love by CheriChapter Twelve
Fade in on Hyperion Cut to Lobby Wesley: You don’t comprehend the risks involved here. Xander is searching through the weapons cabinet. Anya: How bad can they be? She’s human. A mere mortal. Lilah: That’s right. What can I do? Fred: You mean other than the pre-existing heinous? Xander: Got it! (Holds up key) Wesley: Xander, you must listen to me. I understand the importance of learning about Spike’s…changes. But Lilah is beyond evil. She would sooner kill all of us than to look at us. Who knows what she would invite here? She could call forth some heretofor unimaginable weapon of destruction. She is not offering to help Spike out of the kindness of her heart I assure you. Xander steps closer and stands over the ladies. Justine: (to Lilah) Say something. Lilah: (looking up at Xander) He’s right. Fred: See! Dawn: But you said… Lilah: Listen sweetheart, I offered to find out aout your friend over there because it might affect me and the people I work for. I don’t give a rat’s ass about helping any of you. Wesley knows me well. (looks at Wesley and smirks) Intimately, if you will. Wesley shuffles nervously and Fred notices. Lilah: However, what he doesn’t realize is I want to find out the answers to this, not to mention the whereabouts of Angel and his Gal Friday just as much as you if not more. My firm has spent millions on Angel. If I came in with knowledge of another being with a soul, it would shake that place to the foundation. Not to mention, I would prove myself anew to the senior partners. So yes, I don’t have any desire to help you, but fortunately for you, helping you is helping myself. So what’s it gonna be? Its your play. Fred: How can you live with yourself? Lilah smiles and shrugs. Xander: I think I’m gonna have to go with the lesser of two evils here. Wesley: Perhaps you should ask your companions how they feel. Dawn: Don’t have to ask me. I want to know. If she can help us, I say we do it. Fred: I don’t trust her. Wesley: I’m with Fred. Anya: I don’t think you should use Spike as some sort of leverage against one another. Xander: I’m trying to help him Anya! (frowns) Wait, did I just say that? Spike: Will everyone please stop blubbering on as if I’m not in the room? Everyone shuts up to look at Spike. Spike: I want to know what’s wrong with me. I was given a soul. It may not have been what I planned, but it’s what I have. And I have these bloody feeling and thoughts running like mad through every pore of my body and I want to tell her! But she went to see after HIM! Now I’m stuck here with searing pain at the drop of a bleeding hat and listening to all of you go on about what’s best. I’ve had it! Do you hear me? I may not be the person any of you want to even look at much less help, but please! (stumbles weakly-then speaks softly) Please. Everyone stares awkwardly at the sight. Dawn: He’s right. Xander, we have to know the truth. And we need to know the truth before Buffy gets back. She’s got too much to deal with as it is. Fred: And we have to find Angel and Cordelia. Even if Buffy is with Angel, we still don’t know what happened to Cordy. Anya: And Willow and Giles. We don’t know exactly where they are either. Wesley: What’s happened to Willow and Giles? Justine: Sounds to me like your little teams are falling all to hell. Guess that’s what happens when you choose the wrong side. Wesley: What happened to you being tired of fighting? Here I thought you might have actually learned something. Justine: From you people? Not likely. And with all the time you’re wasting here, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re too late to be of any use to anyone. Especially Angel. Wesley: (eyes narrow) Xander, take off the cuffs. Xander: Excuse me? Wesley: Remove the handcuffs. Now. Xandr does it quickly and Wesley grabs Justine by the hair dragging her across the floor. Fred: Wesley! Wesley: Make sure Lilah makes the call. Then watch her closely. Justine: Ow! Stop it! Let me go! You can’t just… Wesley: (reaches the door to his office still holding the struggling woman by the hair) I’ll be done shortly. The door closes and the others stare at one another in shock at wesley’s sudden brutality. Lilah: I’d keep a close eye on that one if I were you. Hanging on to sanity by a thread if you ask me. Xander: I don’t think anyone did. Fred, phone! Fred throws the cordless and Xander catches it in one hand to hold it out to Lilah. Xander: Make the call.
Cut to Plant Gunn: Oh God. He and Buffy are looking down at angel shaking, sweating and half growling in the box. Buffy: Angel? You’re okay. They’re gone. Angel: No. Buffy: Yes. We killed them. We’re going to get you out of here. Gunn? They begin to search for a way to open the lid. Gunn: They welded it shut. Buffy: We have to get it open. Angel: No! Buffy: (startles) What? Angel: You can’t let me out. Gunn: What’s up man? (smirks) You digging it in there? I thought coffins weren’t your thing. Angel grows angry at Gunns remark and lashes wildly from side to side. In an instant the last of the chains breaks and he raises up to press his face against the hole. He gets the scent of them and vamps out. Buffy stands instantly and pulls Gunn back as well. Gunn: It was just a joke. Buffy looks in the direction of the container of blood that had been knocked from her hands earlier. Gunn: No wonder those dudes with the jewelry in their heads put you in there. You’ve got a serious attititude. Angel begins beating and kicking from the inside furiously shaking the box anew. He growls and spits and writhes to get free. Buffy: Gunn stop. Gunn: What’s his deal? You’d think he was itching to take a bite. Buffy: They didn’t put him in there. Gunn: Hmm? Buffy turns to see Connor still standing on the other side of the room. Buffy: You did this. Gunn: What? Buffy: (walking closer and away from Angel) You believe he killed that man and you wanted to punish him. You put him in this box and left him here. Gunn: No. He wouldn’t. he couldn’t. Connor: It would not have been torture to leave him here, so easily found. Buffy has a flash of standing on the beach, watching the water, holding her stomach, then seeing Connor watching her. Buffy: (holds her stomach again) He was in the water. Gunn: Will you please finish a thought? What are you talking about? Buffy: You didn’t want him to die. You wanted him to suffer. You found the ultimate torture. Gunn finally catches on as he looks form Buffy to Connor to the Box and back to Connor. Gunn: Oh no. Please tell me you didn’t do this to him. To your own father? Connor: He is not m… Buffy’s hand around his throat cuts off his words. Gunn: Whoa! Buffy! Not like this! Not Angel’s Boy! Buffy stops the pressure but holds on. Buffy: How long? Do you have any idea what’s left when a vampire can’t feed? You may very well have turned him into a beast! Connor: (covers Buffy’s hand with his own trying to pull loose) He…already…was. Gunn: Oh man, what now? It’s been…(looks at the box still moving) too long. You saw him. If he gets out of there he’s liable to suck us all dry. Buffy: Don’t say that! Connor: (finally wriggling loose and rubbing his throat) He’s right. He drank Holts just before he went in. He will be more thirsty than ever. Are you willing to die for him? Buffy is silent listening to the sounds coming form across the room. Suddenly, they jump at the sound of the first hinge popping loose from the box. The rattle becomes frenzied as he tried harder. Gunn: That can’t be good. Connor: He’s stronger than ever. The demon has consumed him. Gunn: Buffy? Buffy: Gunn, take Connor. Get back to the hotel. Gunn: What? I’m not leaving you here. Buffy: This is what I do Gunn. I can handle this. I know Angel. Gunn: But what if it’s not Angel? Buffy: (smirks) I know him too. But I can’t have you guys to worry about. It has to be like this. Gunn: And how are we supposed to know if you need help? Buffy: If we come back, it’s fine. If we don’t, it will be too late anyway. Gunn: What kind of plan is that? What if he kills you and then goes out looking for dessert? Buffy: Trust me Gunn. It will either be both of us leaving here together or me coming back alone. I’ve done this before. Connor: Why do you risk your life for a beast? Buffy: And why do you claim righteousness when you are the one that turned him? Gunn: (interrupting) Are you sure about this? She nods. Buffy: Go to the others. Make sure they’re safe. Wait for me…us there. Gunn: If you’re not back in an hour, I’m coming back. Buffy: Give me two. If I’m not back by then, you can come back and clean up the mess. Angel growls loudly and the three startle. Gunn takes Connor by the arm and heads out of the building. Buffy walks first to find the container and then back to the box. She sets it on the ground and then leans over to look at Angel. He calls out in pain and she puts her hand over the opening. He calms down slightly as he takes in her scent. After a moment his face transforms back to human and they make eye contact. Buffy: You’re going to be okay. I’ll help you like before remember? Angel: Buffy. Buffy: Yes, it’s me. You have to fight it Angel. Do you hear me? Angel: Too hungry. Buffy: You have to help me. Angel: Hungry. Buffy: Angel listen! Between the two of us, we can break these hinges. But you have to work with me. She stands and plants her feet gripping the edge of the lid by the remaining brackets. Buffy: Angel now! He begins pushing at the same time she pulls. They both strain and yell out with the effort. After a moment Buffy is exhausted. She looks down and sees Angel sharing her thought. They both close their eyes and draw one last effort. Buffy doesn’t se him change. He vamps out and suddenly the hinges pop loose on one side. Buffy opens her eyes just as he leaps from his prison. He knocks her down hard in his haste. He runs past her, stops and turns around. Buffy: Angel? At the sound of her voice, he charges. She extends her arms and bends just as he nears her. She grabs him just above the ankles and uses his momentum to lift him up and over her head. He flips and lands unceremoniously on his back as she spins. She doesn’t’ see his leg tangle with hers and she pitches forward. She lands squarely on his chest and their lips almost touch in the confusion. He growls and flips her over onto her back straddling her. She shrinks under his gaze and he bends to smell her. Buffy: Angel…please. His eyes fall to her neck and he lowers his head slowly out of camera’s view. A muffled sound is heard.
Cut to Empty place Tara: Where did she go? Giles: My God. Tara: What? What’s happening? Giles: Tara, look at them. She’s winning! Tara: Who’s winning? Willow? Giles: No. Cordelia.
Evil Willow: How are you…what are you doing? You’re supposed to be ridding yourself of me, not taking my power. Willow/Cordy: What do you think we’re doing? Evil Willow: But… Willow/Cordy: (glowing even brighter) You have nothing left. Evil Willow: No! She begins to fade but fights to stay. Her eyes lose their blackness and she stumbles. The glow begins to leave Willow and moves to the point where the two are connected. Soon the glow only encompasses Evil Willow and the arms of both drop. Willow shields her eyes from the light as does Giles and Tara. In front of their eyes Evil Willow changes back to normal. The glow begins to shrink until there is only one bright shining ball of energy. Its pure white and it expels itself from the body in a split second. At the same time, Willow flies back as the energy hits her in the chest. Tara and Giles struggle to refocus their eyes once the glow has gone completely. Giles sees where Evil Willow had stood, Cordelia is now there breathing deeply. Tara sees Willow seemingly hurt and rushes to help her. Cordelia: No Tara. Willow and Tara both look at her in surprise. Willow: What did you say? Cordelia: Tara thinks you need her. Tara: She does. Willow can’t see Tara or Giles and seems confused. Cordelia: Stand up Willow. Willow stands slowly not breaking eye contact. Willow: What did you do? Cordy: What I was brought here for. You needed help and I gave it. Your two sides are merged. Willow: So I still have the magicks in me? Cordy: No. I was with you when she struck out at you. When she was empty, I went to her. I sent back what you are. Everything else is gone. Don’t ask me anything else, cause I’m not sure of the small print myself. Willow: And Tara? Cordy: She was with you the whole time. She’s watching you now. Just close your eyes. Willow closes her eyes and Tara is there. She can’t hold back and begins to cry uncontrollably. Willow: Oh Baby. I’m so sorry. Tara: Ssshh. I’m okay Willow. I can be now that you are. Willow: I can’t do this without you. (sobs) Tara: Yes you can. You do it for me. For us. Your friends need you. The world needs you. Willow: I’m no good to anyone anymore. I’m just me again. No power. Tara: You’re right. You’re just Willow. You’re just a woman who can change the world. You already did it for me once. Without magic. You can be part of something bigger than all of this. I will always love you Willow. And I’m proud of you. Willow drops on her hands and knees sobbing. Cordy and Giles look on sympathetically. Willow: Tara… Tara: I’m always with you sweetheart. Don’t ever forget that. Willow: No! Don’t go! Please don’t leave me! Not again! Cordy: Willow, open your eyes. Willow shakes her head stubbornly. Cordy: Willow. She slowly raises her head and opens her eyes. Now its Giles and Cordy standing in front of her. She looks around as does Giles. Tara is gone. V.O.: It is time. The three look up at the sound. Cordelia: Time for what? V.O.: The trials are completed, the tribunal has chosen. Giles: Chosen? V.O.: She will receive her punishment. Willow stands up slowly. Willow: There’s more?
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