A Fighter's Love by Cheri
Chapter Two
Fade in on Hyperion
Wesley arrives and finds the door standing open and the lobby dark. He scans around outside before stepping cautiously through the doorway.
Wesley:
Fred? (timidly) Fred! It’s me Wesley.
He realizes he’s alone and checks for any sign of what may have happened. He walks to the counter and leans over to look behind it. His face shows growing worryand stress as he begins the climb up the stairs in search of his former allies.
Cut to Sunnydale
Willow is in her room when Buffy enters.
Buffy:
I don’t want to see you leave Will. (sits next to her) There’s nothing I want more than to be the one to help you through this. But…
Willow:
But it’s not your choice.
Buffy:
Right.
Willow:
I don’t want it to be mine either.
Buffy:
I know.
Willow:
Buffy, can you please stop saying that?
Buffy:
What?
Willow:
I mean, I believe you’re trying to help and all, and maybe if I were back to being the same Willow I was before…well, before. Then maybe I could take it. But if I hear you say you understand or know how I’m feeling one more time.
Buffy:
Sorry.
Willow:
(stands up) No! You don’t get to be sorry here Buff. I’m the only one that gets to be that now. And you know what? I’m still not sure I am.
Buffy:
Willow please.
Willow:
Stop it! (starts to cry) I don’t deserve that either! I don’t want your pity, or your understanding or your consolations! I don’t deserve any of it.
Buffy watches her friend cry and has no idea what to
say.
Cut to Summers living room
Dawn:
So what happens now Giles?
Giles:
Nothing actually. Not until Willow takes the necessary
step.
Xander:
You mean the step you can’t help her with?
Giles:
I’ll ignore your sarcasm per usual Xander.
Xander:
I’m sorry Giles. I know you’re here to help all of us, especially Willow. I just hate being helpless.
Dawn:
Imagine how Willow feels.
Giles:
She’s far from helpless Dawn. The magicks are still in her, though dormant at the moment. Given enough down time, they would continue to build until the evil takes over the power she took from me.
Xander:
And then what?
Giles:
Do you really have to ask?
Cut to LA
Fred and Gunn are driving in his truck.
Fred:
I know this is what he said. He repeated Cordy’s instructions. I’m positive this is the place.
Gunn:
How can you remember that? I can’t remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday much less some phone conversation I overheard almost a week ago.
Fred:
Well, it’s a good thing you have me then isn’t it?
Gunn smiles at her comment and takes his eyes off the road for a minute.
Fred:
Gunn! There! Stop!
Gunn:
(startles) What? Where?
Fred:
There! Pull over there!
Gunn:
(stops the truck) Angel.
Fred:
(jumps out of the truck) Come on Gunn! Hurry!
Cut to Sunnydale
Buffy:
What can I do Willow?
Willow:
Don’t you get it? Or maybe you don’t want to. You’re the Slayer, you think you can fix anything. Well, for once, just let someone else fix it. Let me fix this.
Buffy:
(sways a bit and grabs head before stumbling back one pace) Oh God.
Willow:
Are you kidding me? You’re going to fall out just because you can’t play hero? I get it Buffy. You know what I’m going through. You’ve lost people you love. Hell, you’ve killed people you love. I guess…
Buffy:
(snaps head up to look at Willow) What did you say?
Willow:
(closing eyes) No. (frowns) I have to go. I can’t do
this. Buffy, it wasn’t me.
Buffy:
No Willow wait. I’m not talking about you. Something’s happening to me. Something’s wrong.
Willow:
I know. I’m wrong. But I’m going to be right. (looks at the floor where Tara had once laid) I want to be right again. I want to go with Giles.
Buffy:
(too weak to argue and still holding her head, closes her eyes trying to focus) Willow, can’t you feel it?
Willow:
(opens her mouth to respond but before she can, a hole opens around her feet and she falls through the floor) Giles!
Cut to Ocean
Scene opens on Angel still in box looking still impassive and unresistant.
Angel V.O.:
I wasn’t afraid for myself. Just as I could get to nothing, nothing could get to me. Connor was meticulous in his plan of ensuring my protection from something so undeserved as death. No, he wanted me left here, in this darkness to suffer, to wonder, and to relive. Reliving every moment with and without a soul. It was amazing how quickly 250plus years could be relived when one was completely alone. I wondered what he was doing to my friends, to Cordelia. (a slight tremor in his head is visible to camera) Cordelia. I tried to picture her, at first I told myself it was the panic and despair that prevented me from succeeding. But then I saw her. I began that night on the beach waiting for Cordy to come to me, finally, but the moment I sank into the water, I could only see her. What does it mean? She was gone for so long. She had her own life. I told her to do that. I wanted that for her. I didn’t have to close my eyes. I didn’t have to want it. I didn’t have to understand it. I never did understand when she was involved. Yet, down here,
under the earth, hidden away, sealed in my son’s tomb, I could only see Buffy.
Cut to Sunnydale
Buffy’s knees stop holding her weight and she falls backwards onto the bed just as she steps toward the hole that Willow just disappeared into. Her eyes roll back and finally her lids close. She sees him just before the black comes.
Cut to LA
Wesley knocks on Cordy’s apartment door. There’s no light or sound coming from inside but the door opens instantly. No one is there to greet him.
Wesley:
(Stepping inside) Thank you Dennis. (mumbles) I guess you didn’t get the “Wesley is the enemy” memo.
A light comes on and Welsey surveys the room. Clothes are strewn everywhere and he walks to the bedroom to find more of the same.
Wesley:
Well, if I didn’t know better, I’d swear this was pre-date preparation.
A picture floats through the air and stops in front of Wes.
Wesley:
(takes it in his hands) What’s this Dennis? Oh I remember this. The three of us took this just after my decision to stay in LA. My God, look at us. (looks up into the air) Why are you showing me this? What does it mean?
Wes watches as the clothes begin to be thrown about the room. Some moving to check the mirror and then being tossed to the floor again. Next, the curling iron comes up from the counter and then lipstick.
Wes:
Are you saying, wait, Dennis, was Cordy going for a date? (silence) But it wasn’t me obviously. (looks at the picture in his hand) Oh my. Well, things have certainly evolved in my time away I see. So Cordelia and Angel had a date. So why is this important?
A calendar is ripped from the wall and floats into Wes’ face. Next a pen appears and a date is circled.
Wes:
This was the date of their…date?
The calendar is pushed against his chest.
Wes:
(taking it in his hands) And she hasn’t been back? Fred said they left them. Cordy and Angel left them? What about Connor?
Another picture floats in front of Wes’ face.
Wes:
I know Dennis. I know you want her back. I’ll find her. I swear I’ll do everything I can to find her…all of them.
Wes puts the picture of Cordelia in his shirt pocket and heads out the door.
Cut to Sunnydale
Xander:
Buffy!
Dawn:
Buffy!
The two run into the bedroom and see her lying on the bed unconscious.
Dawn:
Oh God! Buffy!
Xander:
(sitting next to her on the bed and lifting her head) Buffy! Wake up! Where’s Willow?
Dawn:
Buffy!
Buffy startles and frowns and slowly opens her eyes.
Buffy:
Xander?
Xander:
Where’s Willow?
Buffy:
Willow?
Dawn:
Buffy, Giles just disappeared. Willow wasn’t with him and he was just gone!
Buffy:
Giles?
Xander:
Buffy what happened? Did you see what happened to Willow?
Buffy:
(moaning and sitting up) She fell.
Dawn:
(glancing around) Fell where?
Buffy:
(pointing) through the floor.
Xander:
What did she say? Did she say anything before she fell?
Buffy:
(thinking hard)
She wanted to go with Giles. She called his name. She called him right before I saw him.
Dawn:
You saw Giles?
Buffy:
No…I saw Angel.
Xander:
Huh?
