Final Thoughts by CheriChapter 20
Fade in Cave passageway Angel comes around a corner and sees her with his son. Angel: There’s nowhere left to run. Buffy looks around wildly and sees she’s cornered. She pulls Connor tight against her. Buffy: I’ll snap him like a twig. Connor struggles a bit looking his father in the eye. Angel: No you won’t. Buffy: Don’t push me. Angel: Come on Buffy. Killing him quick wouldn’t be any fun. I thought you wanted to make me suffer. Killing him would just make me angry. Buffy: You’re right. Torturing him while you watch would be much better. She twists his arm and Connor groans a bit. Connor: I can’t believe you’re wasting time with him. Angel: Connor shut up. Connor: No. She’s out to make you suffer because she thinks you loved her before. Buffy frowns in thought at these words. Angel: Don’t try and help Connor. You don’t understand. Connor: I think it’s Buffy that doesn’t understand. Buffy: What are you blubbering about? Connor: You want to punish him. You think if you hurt me or make him see his true love without a soul that he’ll suffer? But you’re missing one important point. Buffy: What’s that? Connor: He doesn’t love you anymore. Angel is shocked that Connor said this and looks at Buffy for her reaction. Buffy: Nice try. But these two fools will always love each other. It’s what they do. It was the spell. Angel: What spell? Connor: Spell or not, he loves someone else now. However it came to be, it doesn’t change his feelings. Angel: I really don’t think this is a good idea Son. Buffy’s head drops and she loosens her grip on Connor. It’s enough of an opening for him to take advantage. He spins away from her knocking her hand off him and pushes her against the wall before standing directly in between her and Angel. Connor: Look at you. You can’t even do this right. No one notices but the strange light from before enters passage and hovers over them. Connor: What’s wrong Buffy? I thought you had no soul. Why would you care that Angel forgot about you long enough to get another vamp pregnant and fall in love with Cordelia? Angel: Connor! Buffy looks up suddenly and Angel recognizes the pain on her face.
Cut to Mansion Willow is bent over the dead shaman with a hand on his chest. Cordy: What exactly are you doing? Willow: If I can find his center, I might be able to feel what’s left of Buffy’s soul. If there’s something here, I can do a completion spell that might be able to reinstate the harness. Cordy: But I thought we didn’t know where the harness was? Willow: We don’t. But once the soul is intact and concentrated, I can track Buffy through the soul. It will lead me to it. Cordy: (looking around) I can’t believe Angel used to live here. It’s so mauseleom-y. Willow: Sshhh. Cordy rolls her eyes and steps away to survey what’s left of the mansion. She sees a strange burn pattern in the floor. Cordy: What’s this? It almost looks like… Willow: I’ve got it. Cordy: What? That soon? Willow: (standing) This one was powerful. To still have that much energy left after death is nothing to sneeze at. Cordy: Good for him. So you know where Buffy’s soul is? Willow: Not quite. I need to set up the track. Give me a minute. She starts to walk and Cordy sees she’s sitting right in the middle of the mark. Cordy: You might wanna…forget it. Willow sits crosslegged and closes her eyes taking deep breaths. After several moments she extends a hand with her palm up and a small glowing light appears hovering over it. Cordy takes a step back. Willow opens her eyes and smiles when she sees it. Cordy: What’s that? Willow: That is my link to Buffy. I called on the seeds of the earth and love to show a connection between us. Buffy and I share something since she came back. The magicks I used to bring her here, it bonded us. Her being is part of me. Now that we know the soul is still here, my link will lead us to it. Cordelia: Well isn’t that just special? Are we going now? Can you tell it to hurry up? Willow sends Cordy a glare and she shuts up. The women walk slowly after the floating light.
Cut to Cemetary The beast is dragging Xander along the ground. He struggles to keep up but its useless. Suddenly he stops walking and Xander tries to get his bearings. Xander: We’re stopping? That’s right, we’re stopping Buddy! (struggles under the weight of the beast’s arm) And we’re letting me go too. So get to it! Spike: Well isn’t this a sad sight? Xander looks up from under the Beasts arm and sees Spike standing alone in front of them. Xander: Spike? Spike: If you wanted a new mate, you should have come to me. I mean really, is this your idea of fun? Xander starts to smart off when the beast interrupts. Beast: Ones from before. Spike: Yeah I was there remember? Why is it the more powerful the demon, the less brains they have? The Beast growls and step towards him so Spike ducks and runs around him. Spike: Listen Chap, if you want to have a go, you’re gonna have to free up both hands. Cause I’ll be damned if I go down to a guy who’s only fighting with one. The Beast takes a step and lifts the arm that holds Xander. Spike watches it waiting for it to let go and doesn’t see the other hand coming. It knocks him off his feet and through several headstones before he comes to rest. Xander: (mumbles defeatedly) And damned you are Spike. The Beast turns and begins the walk to the cave once again.
Cut to Street Faith is just coming to and Fred and Lorne help her up. She reaches up to feel the blood on her head. Fred: Are you okay? You took quite a hit. Faith: Definitely one of the top three. Lorne: We should get that checked out. Faith: (looks around) Where is everyone? Fred: Giles took Wes, Dawn and Gunn on to the cave. Faith: We have to get there. Lorne: Whoa slow down there Miss Slayer pants. We can’t go back to the cave. Faith: What? Lorne: The girl wants the ones from before. Namely Xander and Giles. If you go barging in there stakes swingin, I’m gonna assume it wouldn’t be good. Fred: But Charles is with Giles. And Dawn and Wesley. Are they from before? I doubt it. Faith: So I go after them. Fred: You mean ‘we’ go after them. Faith: No. I work better alone. Always have. You two should go back to the house. Wait for word. Lorne: Don’t you mean wait to be killed? Faith: You’ll be safer there, trust me. This thing is focusing all it’s energy on turning Buffy and killing the rest of us. No offense, but you two don’t have enough power to be worth the distraction. Fred: I can help. Lorne: Unfortunately I can’t. Listen sweetie, I know you’re worried about your boy (he pauses and adds) s. But she’s right. Why don’t we go check up on the poor girl who had her shoulder crunched? She probably could use our help. Fred: Tell me you’ll bring them back safe. Faith: If I can’t, then I won’t be back at all. Can you find your way back to Buffy’s? Lorne: We’ll manage. Faith nods and takes off down the street. Lorne puts an arm around Fred and pulls her gently in the opposite direction.
Cut to Cemetary Spike is up and dusting himself off when Giles, Wesley, Gunn and Dawn approach. Dawn: What happened? Spike: That bad Lucifer imitation is what bloody happened. Giles: You saw the Beast? Spike: Quite the deduction Sherlock. Wesley: Why didn’t he just kill you? Spike: Don’t know. Wasn’t too interested in killing Xander either. Dawn: Xander was with him? Spike: Isn’t that why you’re here? Giles: We were headed for the cave. Wes: We’re headed after the First. The Beast is just a bonus. Gunn: So does any one want to tell me why this Beast is suddenly about not killing us all? Faith: I think I can answer that. Giles: Faith, you’re hurt. Faith: Yeah, it seems to be how the Beast gets off these days. Leaving us wounded but alive. Wes: It’s following the First’s instructions. It has to be. Gunn: So my next question is why isn’t the First about killing us? Faith: It’s not the First pulling the strings Guys. It’s Buffy. Dawn: NO! Giles: What do you know Faith? Faith: I just left Lorne and Fred. Gunn: What do you mean you left them? Faith: Don’t worry, they’re fine. They’re headed back to wait it out. Wes: Fred wouldn’t just give up. Gunn gives him a look. Faith: Lorne told me why he came looking for Xander and Giles. Giles: Just us? Faith: Buffy wants the ones that were here from the beginning. She’s already got Angel and Willow, she sent him to bring Xander and Giles. I guess the uber and the Beast were in the race too. Gunn: Where’s the uber now? Faith: Dust. I took care of it. So it’s just us and the beast left. Giles: But if she’s looking for those in the beginning, that means no you. Faith: I figured that part. But I think we all know I’m not going anywhere. Wes: Neither am I. Dawn: Me neither. Giles: Perhaps Fred and the Lorne fellow have a point. Gunn: Which is? Giles: We can’t all go in there. If something goes wrong and we don’t make it, the world’s hope will be gone along with us. There should be a reserve. Dawn: And you think Lorne and Fred are the great hope? Wes: No they’re not. We are. Gunn: Sorry, not getting it. Wes: We’ve thought all along that the two were connected and the only way to defeat them was to join together. But it was the opposite. Buffy is sided with them now. That leaves us. Giles: Angel, Willow, Cordelia, Xander and myself. We were there in the beginning. Wes: The rest of us came later. And with each of us, the power grew. The balance shifted. When Buffy dies, each time she died, it was a chance for the balance to be corrected. But it never happened. Giles: This isn’t just about destroying the Slayer line. It’s about destroying Buffy’s line. She included all of us in her world. She gave us each power that wasn’t supposed to be. And now the First wants it back. Dawn: But it has Buffy. Without Buffy we’re nothing. Wes: That’s not true Dawn. Look around you, think of those who aren’t here. The strength of our teams, the bonds between us, the common purpose tying us all together, it’s all led us here. Lilah said she had reasons. It was the same reason as the rest of us. We don’t think only of the battle, we think of each other. Every decision is only made after thought to it’s ramifications for the rest. Lilah was thinking of us (to himself) of me. Giles: (pressing on) Buffy is the leader, she’s a slayer, but her greatest power came not from that. Not from her gifts, but from us, from all of us. We tipped the scales. It’s our fault that this is happening. Gunn: Hey man, I never tipped nothing. I fight bad guys, that makes me a good guy. It’s simple. Wes: Simple to us, not to the dark side. You fought valiantly for years Gunn, but they kept coming. Then Angel found you. When you joined Angel, your power grew. Just as I and Cordelia. She’s a higher being for God’s sake! None of these things would have happened if not for Buffy. Angel would never have come to LA, Cordelia, me, you, even Fred, none of it would have happened if not for Buffy. Faith: I hate to punch a hole through your theory but I’m still a slayer. And Buffy didn’t decide that. Giles: Didn’t she? Why were you called Faith? It was because Kendra died. Kendra died because Buffy did. Don’t you see it’s all tied together? We’ve been fighting against the First to hold on to those ties. But what if we give it what it wants? Dawn: You’re scaring me. Wes: Nothing to fear more than the alternative. Buffy wants the ones from the beginning, then she will have them. The rest of us will wait. We will be together and we will fight when called. But the First needs to see that the power is not only Buffy’s. Just because Buffy is crossed over doesn’t mean we all lose our strength. Gunn: So we’re going back? Giles: Wesley will take you all back to the house to be with the others. Spike: I’m not leaving her in there. Giles: No you’re not. I’ll be with her and the others as well. Spike you’ve changed more than any of us. You know what you need to do. Spike: I don’t have to like it. But some of what they said actually made sense. About as much sense of any of this past few days has. So, I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. Wesley: Thank you. Faith: I’m not sitting this one out. Spike and I can go as back up just to scope it out. Wes: I don’t know if that’s a good idea Giles: She’s a slayer. Its all she knows Wesley. Wesley: Very well. Dawn, Gunn you come with me back to the house. Giles can go on and give Buffy and her new friends the full deck they want. Spike and Faith will fall back and approach on their own to be of help if needed. But no one must go in that cave other than Giles. Do you understand me? Faith and Spike nod reluctantly. A silent moment as they all look to each other communicating without words. Giles is the first to step away. Dawn watches him until he’s gone from view. She’s petrified it will be the last time she sees him. Wesley takes her hand and follows Gunn away from the cemetery. Faith and Spike wait for several more moments without speaking. She looks at him and sees the muscle in his jaw working overtime. Faith: You think it’s been enough time? Spike: You think I care? They exchange a look, former enemies now sharing a common respect and determination. They begin the walk to the cave.
Cut to Cave Angel: Buffy? Buffy is still looking at him. She’s so conflicted, her pain is mirrored on Angel’s face. Connor: He calls her a champion. They fight together, share a destiny. That’s what they all say. Angel: Connor stop! Buffy seems to snap out of it and stands up. Buffy: You used me. Said you loved me. It was all lies. Angel: Buffy, listen to me. This isn’t what you think. I don’t know what Connor’s doing but… Connor: I’m telling the truth Dad. Don’t you think she deserves at least that? Angel: (turns to speak to Connor privately) Can you please stop pissing off the girl without a soul Son? Connor: (smirks) All the pain you’ve caused, all the bloodshed, it ends here, with a girl. Buffy: Where are they? Angel: Who? Buffy glazes over again and runs full force into Connor knocking him against one wall and doing the same to Angel as she runs over him to get out. Angel looks at Connor in a very fatherly manner. Angel: I don’t know what the hell that was just now, but you and I are going to have a serious Father-Son if we survive. Connor: I know what I’m doing. He takes off after Buffy and Angel follows exasperated.
Cut to Outside Willow and Cordelia are still following the light when Cordy begins looking around. Cordy: Why is this so familiar? Willow: You lived here for 18 years Cordelia, of course it’s familiar. Cordy: No Wiccan Wonder-girl, I meant… They step through some trees and see it. They’re back at the cave. Cordy: I thought we were going to find her soul first. Why are we here? Willow: (frowns) It can’t be. I know it worked. Cordy: So then why did your little firefly lead us back to face Buffy without her soul? Willow: It didn’t. (pause) It’s here. It was here all along. Cordy: Come again. Willow: Cordelia, Buffy’s soul is harnessed here. There’s something here that’s controlling it. Cordy: Newsflash Willow. The only ones here are…oh no. Willow: We left three people in that cave Cordelia. One of them has control of the harness, and it’s not Buffy. Cordelia: Oh no.
Cut to Cave Buffy runs into the main room with Connor right on her tail. Angel is only seconds behind. Through the opening comes the Beast dragging Xander. He dumps him at her feet and she smiles down as he looks up at her. Buffy: There you are. Xander: (stands up rubbing his sore arm) Long time no see. Still evil? Buffy: Still useless? Xander: I’m gonna take that as a yes. (sees the others) Hey. Angel: Xander. Buffy: (turns to Angel) You wanna pretend to care about him now? Angel: Buffy don’t. Buffy: (sneering) Buffy don’t, Buffy don’t. Can you stop repeating yourself? Xander: Why the personal attention Buff? I mean, it’s sweet you missed me and all but… She backhands him hard across the mouth and he stumbles back against the Beast. Buffy: (to Beast) You. Find the rest of them. Kill them all. Except Giles. If they aren’t from before, they die. The beast nods silently and steps back into the night. Buffy: Now we just have to wait. Xander: For? Buffy: For the rest. They’ll be here soon.
Cut to Outside Cave Cordelia and Willow hide in the bushes as the beast makes his way past them and into the darkness. They are about to stand when a hand touches Willow’s shoulder. Cordelia squeals and grabs it as her hand begins to glow. Giles: Aauugh! Cordelia lets go quickly and her and Willow see him standing behind them. Giles: Good Lord woman, what was that? Cordelia: (shrugs) Not sure. It’s my gift. Giles: (rubbing wrist) Well don’t share it with me ever again ok? What are you two doing out here? Cordelia: Hiding from Mt St Helens leftovers. He just came out and headed out on the hunt. Willow: I found Buffy’s soul. It’s harnessed and we tracked it here. Giles: How is that possible? Cordy: There’s only one way to find out. She steps in front and heads for the cave. Giles and Willow exchange a look before following her.
Cut to Cave Buffy faces off with Connor, Angel, and Xander. Footsteps are heard and they all turn to see Giles, Willow, and Cordelia enter the room. Buffy: Hail hail the gangs all here. Willow’s light has gone on to join with the strange light that has been following the other three. Connor sees it as does Willow. The others are distracted. Cordy: Connor isn’t part of this. Let him go. Buffy: You’re right Cordelia. He’s not part of this, he’s the product of this. He’s living proof of the mistakes I intend to rectify. Angel: You’ll have to kill me before I let you hurt him. Buffy: Promise? Giles: Buffy, the First is using you. Buffy: That seems to be the theme of this apocolypse. Willow: I found your soul Buffy. This gets her attention and she spins. Buffy: What? Willow: Someone in this room is controlling it. Look around you, one of us holds the key to saving you. Everyone exchanges glances. Angel looks at Connor who returns his gaze. Connor (voiceover) I know what I’m doing. Buffy: And I hold the key to destroying us. Who’s gonna go first?
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