Final Thoughts by Cheri

Chapter 19

 

Fade in Cave – Int.

Cordy: You really don’t want to do this Buffy.

Buffy: Oh but I do Cordelia. You’ve been asking for this since day one. But you’re right about one thing.

Cordy: What’s that?

Buffy: I don’t have to do it myself.

A minion jumps Angel from behind knocking him against the wall.

Another jumps Spike who pushes Willow out of harms way.

Cordelia turns to help but is stopped by an ubervamp emerging from the shadows.

Angel tosses the one he’s fighting across the ground and moves to help Connor. Buffy kicks him and he drops to one knee looking up at her.

Buffy: I’m afraid I can’t let you do that Sweetie.

Spike is backed up against the cave wall with his own weapon’s handle being held against his throat. He reaches out and gouges the things eyes until it’s grip loosens. He grabs the handle and swings, decapitating it instantly.

The ubervamp looks at Cordelia carefully before making his move.

Lorne: You’re supposed to be scared of her remember?

Cordy: Something’s different.

Willow: It’s this place. There’s too much evil focused here. We’re not on a level playing field.

Lorne is grabbed by still another and he bends to dump it over his shoulder instinctively.

Lorne: (proud) Hey, look at me! (no one notices) So what now?

Cordelia: I’ll tell you what now.

She raises her hands and closes her eyes. Willow places a hand on her arm, stopping her.

Willow: Not yet.

Willow says a quick incantation and a mystical buffer is placed between the vamp and Cordelia.

Buffy: Somebody’s cheating.

Angel: Listen to me Buffy. You can stop this. It’s just magic. Your soul was taken by magic, Willow can help you.

Buffy: I don’t think Willow will be much help to anyone.

Willow: You don’t get to make that call.

Buffy: Maybe not. But what about her?

She points and Willow looks over to see Tara walking toward her.

Tara: Willow? Oh God, I’ve been looking for you everywhere.

Willow’s eyes fill with tears and Buffy smiles.

 

Cut to Street – Exterior

Faith and Giles stride in front. Wesley walks alongside Lilah eyeing her warily.

Lilah: (without looking at him) Are you trying to burn a hole or what?

Wes: I don’t understand you.

Lilah: And this strikes you as odd?

Wesley: Why would you risk everything to help us? If the senior partners discover your betrayal, you’ll suffer worse than any alternative the First might come up with.

Lilah: Some things are worth the risk.

Wes: Is it your mother? You’re protecting her?

Lilah: She’s a reason.

Wes: But not the reason.

Lilah: I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.

Wes: You know mine.

Lilah: (sighs) Save the world for the good and pure, blah, blah blah.

Wes: You’re free to leave anytime you choose.

Lilah: You’d like that wouldn’t you?

Wes: (pauses) I don’t understand you.

Giles: (stops and spins around) Oh for bloody sakes! I can’t stomach this dribble any longer!

Faith: Giles.

Giles: No! Why must every sodding apocalypse be buried under everyone’s personal issues? Does no one learn from past mistakes?

Faith: (tugging his arm) Giles.

Giles: (swats her hand away) Perhaps I could ask the First to give you two a moment to work through, and I use the following term loosely, “relationship”? This entire mess we’re all in, no, the mess the entire world is in can all be boiled down to fauder for that awful Springer chap!

Faith: (interrupting loudly) Yo, G!

Giles: I beg your pardon!

He turns to scold her and sees what she’s looking at.

The beast stands at the end of the block facing them.

Wesley: It’s him.

Faith: Wow, you’re quick. Why do I get the feeling him being outnumbered isn’t gonna matter?

Wesley: Because you heard of our first encounter with him.

Lilah: And why aren’t we running?

Giles: It wouldn’t do any good.

Lilah: But that might.

They look past the beast and coming around the corner are Xander, Fred, Gunn and Dawn.

The group stops at the sight of the beast and Xander notices the others just as the beast senses the addition and turns to face them.

Angle on Xander’s group

Dawn: I told you we shouldn’t have come through town.

Gunn: We’re here to fight Dawn. Not run scared into the night.

Xander: Maybe we can take turns distracting it.

Fred looks to Wesley standing by Lilah.

Fred: What’s she doing with them?

Gunn: Keep your enemies close.

Dawn: Why isn’t it coming after us?

Gunn: Good question.

The Beast gives the answer that both groups have been asking. He raises a fist and drops it on the pavement sending two separate trails of fire speeding towards them. Faith jumps out of the way and Giles dives in the opposite direction.

Lilah pushes Wesley out of the way and leaps as fast as she can.

Fred grabs Dawn’s hand and pulls as they both fly against the wall of the closest building. Gunn hurdles the fire and lands safely while Xander gets singed a bit before the fire passes by him and destroys a tree directly behind him. He jumps up and down to stomp out the flame on his boot.

Dawn: Xander!

Xander: I’m okay. I’m okay. Gunn?

Gunn: (picking himself up and brushing off) I’m good. Where is he?

Fred: He’s gone. Why would he just go?

Xander: Cause it’s no fun killing us quick. Big Ugly likes to keep us jumping…literally.

Dawn: Or he got what he was after.

Gunn: Huh?

Dawn points and they all look to see the others recovering from their own escapes. Wesley rolls over and sees Lilah laying on the ground. Giles, Wesley and Faith all stand and look at Wesley going to help Lilah up.

He touches her shoulder and she doesn’t move.

Wesley: Lilah.

He rolls her over and sees it. She groans and opens her eyes weakly.

Giles: Good Lord.

Faith: Ouch.

Lilah sucks in a ragged breath as Wesley moves Lilah’s hand. The blood seeps from the wound and he cringes at the sight of the glass embedded in her stomach.

Faith looks around and spots the discarded dressing mirror someone had discarded against a building and Lilah had collided with in her haste to escape the flames. It lay shattered in pieces, the largest of which was now impaled in the woman on the street.

Wesley: Don’t talk. We’ll get help.

Giles: He’s gone. He just left.

Faith: Maybe he got what he was after.

Wesley: We have to get her to a hospital.

Giles: We can’t afford to lose the time Wesley.

Wes: She’ll die!

Faith: And we’ll all die if we don’t get to that cave.

Wes: She got you out Faith!

Lilah’s hand raises and Wes looks down at her. She reaches to touch his face and he takes her hand in his.

Lilah: (coughs once) No. Time.

Wes: I’ll make time.

Lilah shakes her head and pulls her hand loose grimacing in pain.

Lilah: Better this way. It would know. Don’t show your hand.

Wesley: You could help.

Lilah: (pauses) I am. You just can’t see.

Giles and Faith discreetly walk away to join the others in the middle of the street.

Lilah coughs again and blood drips from her mouth. Wesley wipes it away without thinking.

Cut to Group

Gunn: How bad is it?

Faith: Bad.

Fred: We have to get to Angel.

Dawn: And Buffy.

Giles: Where’s Anya?

Xander: Broken. She’s off the roster.

Giles: Faith, you should go with Xander and Fred and head there now. I’ll stay with Wesley and Dawn.

Gunn: I’ll go with Fred.

Giles: Could you stay here? I’m sending a slayer with Fred, she’ll be safe. We may need some muscle on our trip there.

Gunn: I guess. How far behind them will we be?

Giles looks at Wesley.

Giles: Not far.

 

Cut to Cave – Int

Willow: Tara.

Tara: I’ve been waiting for you. I knew you’d come to me.

Willow: You can’t be her.

Tara: I saw what you did for me. When I died, I saw what you did. And I knew you loved me.

Willow: What I did was wrong.

Tara: No, you let them convince you. But it was right and just.

Willow: I said you can’t be her.

Tara: I don’t understand. Don’t you love me?

Willow: (eyes turn black) Get out of her.

Tara: (Smiles) Make me.

Cordelia: Don’t let it control you. It’s what it wants.

Tara: (looks at Cordy) And what do you want? What is your purpose here?

Cordelia: You’re going to find out very soon.

Tara: Do you think They sent you back to help? They sent you back because you screwed up.

Buffy: Color me shocked and appalled.

Tara: You weren’t worthy. You weren’t what They thought you’d be. And look at you now. A glo-worm in love.

Connor: Leave her alone.

Tara: And what are you going to do about it? Look at you chained up like an animal. Some warrior you are.

Connor glances over to see Buffy watching him carefully.

Buffy: Enough with the monologue already. Can I kill someone now?

Willow: Buffy no.

Buffy: Oh shut up. I’m not gonna pick you Will. You and I have too much fun left to have. (looks at Lorne) But you…

Angel: I’m not gonna let you do that.

Buffy: Really? Interesting.

She pulls a dagger from her back pocket and jumps up practically hurdling Angel to land next to Connor. She grabs him by the back of the head, pulling his hair.

Connor: Aaughh!

Angel jumps up and prepares to lunge.

Buffy: (placing dagger against his throat) Uh-uh-uh. Don’t be stupid Angel. He’d be bleeding out on the ground before you got close.

Cordy: You’re going to be sorry you did that Buffy.

Connor: Stay out of this Cordelia.

Buffy: (laughs and presses harder) Yeah Cordelia, listen to your boy toy. Don’t want to have his blood on your hands do ya?

Angel: Leave my son out of this.

Buffy: Listen to you, all fatherly and such. Guess the whole Vamps can’t have children was just an excuse to dump me then wasn’t it?

Angel: This was never supposed to happen.

Buffy cringes and drops her head as if in pain. Connor looks at her worriedly while Angel tries to figure out what’s happening.

Tara: It’s taking too long.

Willow: I told you, get out of her. Change.

Tara: And I told you to come make me.

Buffy: (head snaps back up) Ok, that’s it! You.

Lorne: Me?

Buffy: Get out.

Cordelia: What?

Buffy: You don’t belong here. I want the ones from before. I want them all here. I want them to see.

Lorne: I’m sorry sweetpea, but I don’t get it. You want me to get someone for you?

Buffy: (pierces Connor’s flesh and blood drips) Bring the ones from before.

Angel: Connor!

Connor: Ow. (struggles but stops when it only makes the dagger press further) Dad.

Willow: Do what she says.

Lorne: I’m still not clear on what she’s saying!

Willow: Find the others. Tell Giles exactly what Buffy said. He’ll know what to do.

Lorne: Alone? (Cordy, Angel and Willow all look at him exasperated) Ok, ok, alone it is. I could use some me time anyway. (starts to back up) I’ll just go then. No slicing and dicing while I’m gone okay?

He looks at everyone one last time before turning and running out of the cave.

Cordy: Alright he’s out. Now let Connor go.

Buffy: Do I need to remind you who makes the calls here?

The ubervamp breaks through the spell and attacks Cordelia. She falls against the wall and he snarls before lunging. He doesn’t reach her though. Instead his head is snapped back by a blow from Angel. He stumbles back once and turns his attention to his attacker.

He rakes his fingernails across Angel’s shirt ripping it open and leaving marks on his chest. Angel is fast enough to prevent too much bleeding and Buffy smiles.

Tara: Aren’t you going to do anything? (smiles) No, because I’m here. You care more for me than them. You always did.

Willow: Wrong.

She holds up a hand and sends a ball of energy towards her and Tara disappears.

Cordy: Did you kill it?

Buffy: There’s not a it to kill Moron. When are you folks gonna catch on? This isn’t stoppable, or beatable or killable. It’s always been here, but now it’s gonna take over. No more balance. We win.

The ubervamp steps away from Angel and closer to Buffy.

Buffy: Go after the demon. Make sure he finds them. And if he doesn’t…kill him slow.

The vamp leaves and Willow faces Buffy once again. She bends to release Connor’s hands and yanks him up to stand next to her.

Willow: We have to get her out of here.

Buffy: Still trying to save me are you? Sorry. Not interested.

Angel: Don’t make me choose between you and my son Buffy.

Buffy: I’m not interested in your choice. I’m only interested in your pain Angel. Like telling you that Spike here gave it to me better than you ever did.

Angel glances at Spike who seems disgusted by Buffy’s words.

Spike: Stop it.

Buffy: Whoa, never thought I’d hear those words out of your mouth.

Connor whispers something in Buffy’s ear and she drops her head.

Cordy: Connor? What are you doing?

Connor: Whatever I have to.

Angel: Connor.

Buffy raises her head and looks at Angel in a strange way. They seem to stare at one another for minutes until finally she opens her mouth to speak quietly.

Buffy: Help me.

Angel: Buffy?

She drops her head again and twists Connor’s arm behind his back. The dagger against his throat loosens but he doesn’t move.

Buffy: Noo!

She takes off dragging Connor with her down a dark passageway.

Spike: What the bloody hell was that?

Cordy: We have to go after them.

Angel: No.

Willow: No?

Angel: I’m going. You all stay here.

Spike: Still trying to be the bleeding hero are you?

Angel: I have a connection Spike. Wether you like it or not, she’s out to hurt me. Not you and not anyone else, at least not like she wants to hurt me. So you go. Find Lorne and the others. Willow’s right. It’s too much in here.

Cordy: So why are you going further? She wants you to get trapped down here with it Angel. She wants to destroy you and Connor.

Angel: And I’m not going to let her.

Spike: You can’t fight this alone.

Angel: That’s why you’ll bring them. She said she wanted the ones from before. Not Lorne. And I’m assuming not Fred and Gunn.

Willow: Or Anya. She’s looking for the ones in the beginning.

Angel: The first time she died. And everything since has been piling on. But the First is affecting her. There’s only one thing better than a dead slayer.

Willow: One that’s come back from the dead.

Cordy: Twice.

Spike: Three times actually.

Angel and Cordy look at him.

Willow: Last year. It was a whole bullet thing.

Cordy: See? Guns are never the answer.

Angel: So each time she was brought back, it put her closer to the First. And now she has no soul. I saw the look in her eye. For an instant, it was Buffy. That means something is still here from the harness. You have to find it Willow.

Willow: I can try.

Angel: Spike, you go find Giles. And Xander. That’s who’s missing.

Cordy: I’m going with you Angel.

Angel: No Cordelia. It’s not safe. You are just rediscovering your power. You have to save your strength for when it’s needed. Whatever you are, whatever They made you, it was for this moment.

Cordy: It said I was punished.

Angel: Not punished. This is a test. And you’re going to pass. Now go and protect Willow, help her save Buffy.

He takes off down the passageway and Spike leaves reluctantly. Willow waits for Cordy to look at the empty passage for a moment before they both head outside.

A strange light fills the empty cave for a few seconds before dissipating into dark.

 

Cut to Street

Xander, Faith and Fred are walking towards the woods when Lorne jumps out at them.

Faith raises a stake and almost delivers the blow when Fred grabs her hand.

Fred: No!

Lorne: Geez! Little antsy with the fists of fury aren’t we?

Xander: You cant jump out at people like that man.

Lorne: Sorry. (looks around) Where’s everyone else?

Fred: Not far behind. Lilah was hurt.

Lorne: Lilah? And we care?

Faith: That was my question.

Xander: Where did you come from?

Lorne: The First’s frontyard, that’s where. Angel sent me for you. Well at least I think so.

Faith: You think?

Lorne: The big bad formerly known as Buffy wants the ones from before.

Xander: The who’s from where?

Lorne: I’m guessing you’re not clear on the meaning either.

Faith: Are we supposed to be?

Xander: maybe not yet.

Fred: Uh-oh.

Faith: What?

She looks to see what Fred and Xander have noticed and sees the Beast and the ubervamp side by side several yards away.

Faith: Oh look, he made a friend.

This time there’s no time for thought, the vamp starts jogging towards the group and everyone scatters. Except for Faith. She stands strong and takes the first blow easily. Her head snaps back and she returns with her own harsh blow to it’s chest. It doesn’t make a dent. She does a back flip to dodge a kick and it comes right after her.

She lands squarely and extends her fist connecting with it’s jaw. It stumbles back half a step and growls angrily.

The others watch from a distance, wanting to help but not sure how. When Faith gets knocked to the ground and the vamp steps over her straddling her, Xander starts to step forward. Before he can advance far, Faith brings up a boot and pulls a weapon from the side. She stabs up and it drops on top of her. She wraps both hands around it and flips it over so she’s on top and it’s face is in the pavement.

She raises a hand and stabs downward with all her strength. The vamp convulses once as the blade buries itself up to Faith’s hand in the back of his neck. He dusts out and she stands still holding the shank and smiling.

Fred and Lorne join Xander walking towards her.

Faith: Shankmaking 101 courtesy of Pen State. I knew it’d pay off.

Xander: Handy skill.

Everyone has forgotten that the vamp wasn’t alone. By the time Lorne remembers and looks, it’s too late. He’s there and picks Faith up by the neck.

Fred: No!

Faith kicks furiously trying to free herself but it’s futile. The beast grows tired of her thrashing and tosses her across the street. Her head hits the brick wall of a building and makes an awful cracking sound. She falls limp to the ground.

Xander: Faith!

The beast grabs Xander by the arm and turns with him.

Fred rushes forward beating it with both fists as hard as she can.

Fred: Let go of him! Leave him alone you big ugly demon spawn!

Lorne: Fredkins, stop!

The beast turns to look at the woman breathing hard.

Beast: You’re not from before.

Xander takes a swing but the beast holds tight to his arm. Xander looks at Fred once more before being dragged down the street. Fred and Lorne exchange a look before running to check on Faith.

 

Cut to Street

Wes: Lilah, you can’t want to die like this.

Lilah: (Shakes head) Wasn’t my plan.

Wes: You should never have come here. I should never have come to you for help.

Lilah: Don’t say that. (coughs) You showed me. Made me believe. Buffy has a chance. She’s strong. Stronger than me. She’ll fix it.

Wes: How? She’s without a soul.

Lilah: You’ll see. Same reason as me. It’s always worth the risk.

Her eyes start to close and Wes shakes her.

Wes: Lilah! Don’t do this! Lilah, what’s the reason?

She opens her eyes painfully and looks up at him. She opens her mouth to answer but doesn’t have the strength. Instead, she smirks one last time as her head lolls sideways and Wes knows she’s gone.

Angle on Giles, Gunn and Dawn.

Dawn: Did she…? Is she…dead?

Giles: Ssh.

Gunn: We need to get moving.

Giles: Give him a moment.

Wesley lays her head gently on the ground and stands.

Wesley: He’s right.

Dawn: Are you okay?

Wes: No Dawn, I’m not. None of us are. Not until we bury this thing.

Gunn: (under his breath) Vengeance in the name of Lilah. Never thought I’d see it.

Giles: We really should move.

Wes takes one last look at Lilah’s corpse and steps over her.

Wes: Damn the First.

He strides past the others and picks up a machete off the ground to lead into battle.