The Slayer Years - 1.04 "Bloodbath"

[TheSlayerYears]

The Slayer Years
A whole new playground... A whole new destiny

TEASER

FADE IN-

INT. THE LABORATORY ? GILES HIGH ? TIME UNKNOWN


SPOTLIGHT on FRED as she walks around in the room, carrying a chart and taking notes each in a while as she stops at different stations. She's dressed in jeans, a red shirt and the lab coat.

UNFAMILIAR VOICE: "Ma'am?"

PANNING OUT to show us a young technician standing a few feet away with a box in his hands.

FRED: [turning around] "Yes, Miles?"

MILES: "This just arrived with the mail." [holding out the box] "It's addressed to you."

FRED: "From who?"

MILES: "It doesn't say." [beat] "But it cleared the customs so no need to worry."

Fred snorts and reaches out for the box, which she turns carefully in her hands, examining it with caution.

FRED: [under her breath] "It's too small?"

MILES: "Huh?"

FRED: [shaking her head] "Nothing." [dismissive smile] "Thank you, Miles."

SPIKE: [o.c as Miles turns to leave] "Thank you, Miles, what?"

The CAMERA SPINS AROUND to reveal SPIKE and RIVER entering the lab. The first clothed strictly in black; black chinos and a black shirt.
River stalks behind this vision in black dressed in her blue dress and boots.

FRED: "How was the patrol?"

SPIKE: "Well, I didn't get killed, and she? [pointing at River] "?didn't kill anyone... I'd say it was a good patrol."

RIVER: [exclaiming happily] "I threw up all over Spike!"

[Fred raises an eyebrow]

SPIKE: [shrugging] "Bint can't hold down the liquor."

FRED: "Spike, you didn't?"

SPIKE: "It was only one glass?"

RIVER: "Seven!!"

SPIKE: [to Fred] "Can I kill her?"

FRED: "What do you think my answer is?"

SPIKE: [hopefully] "Yes?"

FRED: [patting his arm sympathetically] "No."

RIVER: "Tastes disgusting? and warm? and shiny." [smiles]

Fred rolls her eyes with a smile. Spike looks down at the box in Fred's hands and then looks up at the scientist with a frown.

SPIKE: "Secret admirer?"

FRED: "What?"

SPIKE: "The box." [inkling towards it] "It says ?To Fred with love."

FRED: "It does?"

FOCUS on Fred as she turns the box in her hands and the written words come into our view. And indeed, someone has written those words in a beautiful cursive handwriting.


FRED: [sighing] "Best see what it is?"

Fred begins opening the box- -

- -River shrieks and backs away from the both of them ? earning confused stares from Spike and Fred as she does.

RIVER: [whispering] "Ghosts?"

FRED: "What?"

FOCUS on the box as it's opened: from within there's a roaring cry and then an unseen force knocks Fred back, causing her to fall down to the floor and land heavily on her butt with a thud.

A WIDE SHOT of the room as the figure of a young woman suddenly begins to appear in front of our heroes. It's a lovely woman; with long black hair and a slender figure dressed in jeans and a grey turtleneck. And she's incorporeal.

WOMAN: [angrily] "I will bathe in the blood of those who killed me!"

And with that she disappears out through the window ? leaving the silent laboratory.

SPIKE: "Bloody hell?"

END OF TEASER

STARRING:

James Marsters as Spike
Amy Acker as Fred Burkle/Illyria
Jessica Biel as Raine Harris
Michael Weatherly as Drew Giles

and

Summer Glau as River Tam

GUEST STARRING:

Sarah Downing as Moira the Ghost
Alexis Denishof as The First

[TheSlayerYears]

ACT ONE


FADE IN-

INT. BOARDROOM ? GILES HIGH ? TIME UNKNOWN

The room is filled with people; at least three Watchers, a couple of witches and maybe five young slayers. And of course FRED, DREW, RAINE, RIVER and SPIKE.

SPIKE: "I hate ghosts."

DREW: "Really? That's weird, cause I thought everybody just loved ?em."

RAINE: "Shut up, Drew."

DREW: "You first!"

RAINE: "No, you first!"

DREW: "Stop being so ?"

RAINE: "Shut up!"

DREW: "God, why are you such a ?"

RAINE: "Pain in my ass, ?s what you a ?"

[They bicker like this for about two seconds. Fred's looking a mite angry, and is about to interrupt them to shout ? but someone beats her to the punch.]

RIVER: "Enough!!!" [she shouts, and stands up from her seat, walking around to the other side of the room] "Acting like a bunch of gorram children, you are! Only seventeen, she is, but she knows that you're acting like gorram two-year olds! Supposed to be a warrior and a leader ? ?stead you're just a gorram? a g? gor?"

[River finally runs out of steam and leans against the wall, half asleep.]

PAUSE.

SPIKE: "Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with loony on this one."

FRED: [glares at Raine and Drew] "Now if you two wouldn't mind?"

The slayer and her watcher look significantly abashed. Fred glares for another moment and nods before she continues.

FRED: "Okay then. Now Lily said that she traced the spectre over some hotel by Old Hancock Park, but she's not sure."

RAINE: "By Old Hancock? you mean the Hype?"

SPIKE: [looks confusedly at Raine] "What's this about?"

RAINE: "Really old building? like shouldn't-be-standing kind'a old. Most of the letters are all worn off, ?cept the first four. Kids call it the Hype, like the letters on it ? we used to dare each other to go inside, like it was a haunted house or something."

FRED: "Seems it actually is one now."

SPIKE: "You think it's worth checking out?"

FRED: "Its energy fields points to a passive repulsion which points to the fact that it could very much be our friendly' ghost that resides in the mansion."

PAUSE.

SPIKE: "So... you think it's worth checking out?"

FRED: [sarcastically] "I'm sorry. Yes. Passive repulsion is good."

RAINE: "Okay then. Drew, Spike? [pensive look in River's direction] "?loony ? you're with me on this one."

DREW: "What about Fred?"

RAINE: "She's not."

FRED: "I'm staying behind to make sure that the school is safe. If the ghost decides to make an appearance."

SPIKE: [mumbling] "Not to mention that the box was addresses to you in the first place."

[Raine glares]

FRED: [sweet smile] "Spike?"

SPIKE: "Yeah?"

FRED: "You'll need this." [handing him a powerful looking gun]

FOCUS on Spike as he examines the weapon and then lifts a quizzical eyebrow at the young scientist.

SPIKE: "Now see, I don't think this will do much good. She is after all incorporeal."

FRED: "It's a plasma gun." [at his stare] "It is specifically modulated to dissolve the particles that the ghost exists of."

SPIKE: "Look, I don't speak smartass?"

FRED: [sighing] "It will get rid of the ghost."

SPIKE: [smirk] "Now, why didn't you just say so in the first place?"

FRED: "Raine?"

RAINE: "Okay, let's get a move on before Fred gets all homicidal rage on Spike."

The team moves towards the door, with Spike looking over his shoulder at the weary Fred.

SPIKE: "Be safe."

FRED: [longing gaze] "You too."

FADE OUT-

FADE IN-


INT. TATUM'S OFFICE, GILES HIGH

HIGH ANGLE down at TATUM GILES as he sits behind his desk. The distinguished Watcher looks very much like a man in power ? wearing a dark grey three piece suit and his hair carefully combed back.

THE FIRST: [as Wesley] "Did she get it?"

FULL SHOT of the room as THE FIRST appears from thin air in front of Tatum, the very picture of Wesley Wyndam-Price before his death.

TATUM: [looking up] "She got it."

THE FIRST: "Excellent."

DOLLY SHOTS as The First walk around in the room, stopping every now and then to look at some pictures or diplomas.

THE FIRST: "So everything is going on well then?"

TATUM: [nodding] "Yes, all according to the plan."

THE FIRST: "And neither one of them have any clue what we have in store for them?"

TATUM: [shaking his head] "No." [frowning] "I can see why our plans will affect the vampire, but?" [hesitating] "Is it really necessary to involve Ms Burkle in them?"

MEDIUM SHOT as The First turn around to glance over at the man with narrowing eyes.

THE FIRST: "You care about this mortal?"

TATUM: "She is one our brightest? centuries of knowledge combined with the intellect of a God. She is a genius ? I'd be hard pressed to get anything done without her?"

THE FIRST: [sneering] "A God? She is only a friction of what she would be ? what she should be. The essence of Illyria may still reside but that has no meaning if the god king is not reborn."

TATUM: "And the vampire? He will do anything in his power to keep Fred safe."

THE FIRST: "When he realizes that Illyria might return?" [sneer] "Isn't that the beauty of it all? Either he chooses to save Fred and banish Illyria forever ? or he will let Fred die so that his beloved can return to his side. Either way, we win."

PAUSE.

TILTED SHOT at The First as he walks over to the window to gaze out into the night.

THE FIRST: "And so it begins?"


FADE OUT-

FADE IN-

INT. FRED'S QUARTERS, GILES HIGH

EYE LEVEL SHOT of FRED as she raises a shacking hand that holds a syringe and flicks the plastic to stir the liquids within. Then PANNING OUT as she presses the needle against the skin in her arm, penetrating it and emptying the syringe.

THE FIRST [as Wesley]: [v.o] "Fred?"

ANGLE on Fred as she drops the syringe and with wide open eyes look around the room ? which is completely empty except for herself. In her sudden fright she slips into her old Texas drawl from decades ago.

FRED: "Who's there?" [they-er]

SILENCE.

FRED: [to herself] "Gosh I must be losing it?"

A WIDE SHOT of the room as the young woman walks over the carpet and places herself in front of the mirror that hangs on the wall. She lifts a hand to trace her features while not letting her eyes of the reflection that mirrors her every movement.

THE FIRST [as Wesley]: [v.o] "Fred?"

Fred swirls around to face an empty room. Looking like a lost little girl, she wraps her arms around herself and starts rocking back and forth on her heels.

ILLYRIA: [v.o] "Is there anything in this world but grief?"

EXTREME CLOSE UP on the lone tear that trickles down Fred's pale cheek.


FADE OUT-

[TheSlayerYears]

ACT TWO


EXT. THE HYPE, LOS ANGELES

CLOSE UP on the bewildered expression in SPIKE'S face.

SPIKE: "No bloody way? dear God, I should've known?"

RAINE: [o.c] "What?"

MEDIUM SHOT of the four of them, Spike, RAINE, DREW and RIVER, as they stand in a line looking at the old ? really old, building in front of them.

SPIKE: [shaking his head] "It's the old Hyperion." [at their stares] "The hotel Angel owned."

RAINE: "Angel? The Angel?" [emphasising] "Oh?"

DREW: [whistling] "No kiddin'."

SPIKE: "O, the irony that the ghost should be here."

RAINE: "Are we sure that the ghost is in that building?"

A howling noise is heard from inside the building.

DREW: "Ghosts, man. They creep me out."

RAINE: "Yeah. I mean there's gotta be something wrong with people that didn't go towards the white light. What, where they lazy or something?"

SPIKE: "Hey!!"

RAINE: "Hey, that light? At the end of the tunnel? Guess what? You should go towards it!!"

[Spike glares coldly at them]

SPIKE: "Let's go."

STEADICAM as the four of them walk up the stairs and enters the building through the trashed door that bravely hangs on its hinges-

-- they stop just inside and gaze around the dusty and dark lobby. The place is a total mess, with open spaces where the floor should've been and holes in the ceiling and smashed furniture all over the room.

SPIKE: "Cosy."

RAINE: "Wonder what happened here."

DREW: "Time." [beat] "Time happened."

SPIKE: "And I reckon a lot of other things."

RAINE: "Spike, go check the rooms on this floor while the rest of us take the other floors."

FOCUS on Spike as the vampire nods and start walking towards what once was ANGEL'S office.
The vampire has only taken a few steps when the floor beneath him suddenly gives in and he falls with a surprised yelp.

A WIDE SHOT of the room as the other three run over to look down the gaping hole - -

- - their POV as Spike as he lies unmoving in a pile of debris and dust.

RAINE: "Spike!!"

DREW: "Hey man, are you alright?"

NO RESPONSE.

RAINE: "Spike?"

SPIKE: [muffled] "Whose idea was this? I'll kill ya."

CUT TO -


INT. THE HYPE, LOS ANGELES

DOWNWARDS ANGLE from the top of the stairs as DREW and SPIKE walks side by side up to the secondth floor, with RAINE and RIVER close behind.
The silence is suddenly disrupted by a squeaking sound as River walks in a loose plank.

DREW: [over his shoulder] "Shhh! We're being stealthy!"

[Spike glares coldly at the watcher]

DREW: "Uh-oh. You've got the, ?I want to beat the living crap out of the Drew-man' look in your eyes."

RIVER: [tilting her head] "It's close."

DREW: [quickly] "What is?"

SPIKE: [calmly] "How close?"

RIVER: [distant look] "Real close."

FOCUS on Drew as he stares widely around him, looking very much peeved about the fact that a ghost might be close to where he stands.

DREW: [whispering] "Do you have the gun ready, Spike?"

NO RESPONSE.

DREW: "Spike?"

SILENCE.

DREW: [lamely] "Wha??"

PANNING OUT to a WIDER SHOT to reveal that Drew is all alone.

DREW: "Uh oh?." [Drew looked around confused and panicky] "Help??"

OVER-THE-SHOULDER-SHOT as the ghost appears behind the Watcher - -

- -

CUT TO-

INT. THE LABORATORY, GILES HIGH

SPOTLIGHT on FRED standing in front of a computer, carefully studying the wide array of pictures of young girls passing by on the screen in a quick paste.

FRED: [triumphantly] "There she is!!"

LILY: [o.c] "Who?"

ZOOMING OUT as LILY walks over to Fred and stares at the young woman in the picture that is frozen over the screen. It is rather obvious that it is the female ghost that's on the picture.

FRED: "Her name was Moira Callahan."

LILY: [leaning in closer] "It says that she was murdered a couple of years back." [beat] "The police found her body in an abandoned building." [silently] "The only evidence of who the murderer could have been was a sample of skin particles under her nails."

FRED: "Did they find out whom it belonged to?"

LILY: [shacking her head] "No. They found a match to a man named Callum Moore, but they never found him."

FRED: "Callum Moore?" [frowning] "Wasn't he a?"

LILY: "The rapport says that she had severe cuts inflicted on her torso and that she had a wooden stake right through her chest." [meeting Fred's eyes] "No? You don't think??"

FRED: [slowly] "She was a slayer."

A CLOSE UP on the shocked expression in their faces - -

CUT TO-

INT. THE HYPE, LOS ANGELES

- - DREW turning around to face the angry ghost. His scream echoes through the building.

MOIRA THE GHOST: [grinning] "I think I saw your life flash by in your eyes." [beat] "Watcher."

DREW: [backing away] "Watcher?" [innocent look] "What Watcher?"

MOIRA: "I will kill everyone of your kind. I will swim in the pools of your blood and wallow in the agonising screams from your dying breaths as I tear out your throats?"

SPIKE: [entering the screen] "'nuf with the poetry, ghost." [running a hand down his chest] "Getting me all hot and bothered, you are."

MOIRA: [wheezing] "Vampire."

And with that she vanishes into thin air with a tiny pop sound ? leaving Drew with a shocked expression all over his features and Spike with a frown in his handsome face.

SPIKE: [looking at Drew] "Just like the whelp you are. A demon magnet."

NO RESPONSE.

SPIKE: [waving a hand in front of Drew] "Are you all right?" [pause] "Are you emotionally traumatized?"

DREW: "No? No, I think I'm fine?"

SPIKE: [turns away] "Well bloody thanks for ruining my fun."

DREW: "Wait!" [as Spike stops] "She was? She was a slayer, wasn't she?"

ANGLE on Spike as he walks away from the scene.

DREW: "Spike!"

SPIKE: [over his shoulder] "Yeah. She was a slayer alright."

DREW: "Oh my God?"

FADE OUT-

FADE IN-


INT. THE HYPE, LOS ANGELES

A WIDE SHOT of an unknown room. All four of the team members is gathered there, scattered all over the room. Drew stands in front of a window holding the plasma gun, River is circulating the room while Spike and Raine stands on the side, looking at the wall.

RAINE: [slowly] "There's a draft here."

SPIKE: "There's another room behind there? don't remember it from before, but hey ? I wasn't around here much."

RAINE: "I have a feeling that our friendly ghost might hide behind there."

DREW: "Excuse me." [holding up a hand] "Am I the only one who thinks it might be a little bit odd to kill of a ghost of a slayer?"

RAINE: [incredulous stare] "She wanted to rip your throat out." [to Spike] "Still can't believe you had to save him."

DREW: "I will try to ignore that." [insulted posture] "But she is? was a slayer after all. Shouldn't we be trying to find out why she wants to kill us?"

SPIKE: "Drew?" [beat] "Don't clutter up a clever scheme with morality."

TILTED SHOT of Raine as she leans forward and tries to loosen one of the planks that separates the room that they're in from the one on the other side. She struggles for a while ? her face getting redder and redder by the minute. And then she gives up and backs away.

RAINE: "We need to get a crowbar or something. These planks are sitting way too tight for me to take them down."

[Spike rips them off with his bare hands.]

RAINE: "Or we can do that?"

SPIKE: "Some slayer you are ? can't even think to rip up a bloody board?"

RAINE: "Okay then, Spike: you'll go first."

SPIKE: "Why me?"

RAINE: [thoroughly fed up with his attitude for the past? forever] "I'm the Slayer here. You're a vampire. An old one, yeah, but I don't think that's something to be super proud of. That means you do what I tell you. When I say, ?move' you move. When I say ?stop' you stop. When I say ?jump', what do you say?"

SPIKE: [raises an eyebrow] "Ladies first."

The two of them is pushed aside as River pressed herself in between them and disappears into the gaping hole in the wall.

SPIKE: [shouting into the hole] "I didn't mean that literally." [afterthought] "Well, I did, but?"

RIVER: [o.c] "b?n d?n!!"

SPIKE: "Hey!"

RIVER: "Hun dan."

SPIKE: "Who are you calling an idiot, huh? At least I'm not the one spacing out 99 percent of the time!!"

RAINE: [pushing his shoulder] "What the hell are you waiting for? Go after her!"

SPIKE: "You know what? Make me!"

DREW: "Uh, guys?"

TIGHT SHOT of Spike and Raine as they stand face to face, both determent to not back down.

RAINE: "I should have staked you a long time ago."

SPIKE: [snorting] "I would have liked to see you try, slayer."

DREW: [o.c] "Guys?"

RAINE: [sneer] "You're such a? such a?"

SPIKE: "?uptight bitch is what you are."

RAINE: [forming her hands as claws] "You?"

DREW: [distressed] "Guys!!"

Spike and Raine turn in unison towards the Watcher.

CHORUS: "What?!!"

A WIDE SHOT of the scene to reveal Drew standing in the middle of the room ? without the plasma gun.

SPIKE: [narrowing eyes] "What happened to the gun?"

DREW: "Some demons took it."

PAUSE.

SPIKE: [deadly voice] "Demons took it?" [beat] "And how, exactly, could they take it from you?"

DREW: "Uhm? they were pretty fast?"

And all hell broke loose - -

- -

SPIKE: [yelling] "A buggering moron is what you are, Watcher!!"

RAINE: "How the hell could you lose the gun, Drew? You held it in your arms!"

DREW: "Well sorry for not being perfect!!"

RIVER: [stepping out into the room] "Bizui."

SPIKE: "No, you shut up!"

RIVER: "Nimen dou shi sagua!" [waving her arms] "Shouting and making noises when best to stay silent we are. Like children you are. Bickering and fighting over nothing."

RAINE: "Nothing?!" [fuming] "That gun was the only thing that could kill the ghost!"

[River rolls her eyes]

RIVER: "Yeah, and you, the Slayer and the Vampire just let it get taken! Bickering too much to even notice some rutting demons coming in and beating up the Watcher!"

SILENCE.

DREW: [quietly, insulted] "I didn't get beat up, really?"

TILTED SHOT of Spike as he reaches for his pocket and takes out a device that looks like a tiny computer chip.

RAINE: "Whatta' ya doing?"

SPIKE: "'m calling Fred." [at her stare] "We need reinforcements."

Spike pushes down a little button and a image of Fred is instantly projected in the middle of the room. [Hologram of some sorts]

SPIKE: [mumbling] "Gotta love the future."

HOLOGRAM FRED: "What is it?"

SPIKE: "The plasma thing was stolen."

HOLOGRAM FRED: "What?! How could this happen?"

RAINE: [scowling] "Ask?"

SPIKE: [interrupting] "Doesn't matter. The fact is that the gun is gone."

FOCUS on the holographic image of Fred as she seems to think things over. Then she nods as if reaching a conclusion.

FRED: "I'm coming over there. While you wait for my arrival you can split up in teams and begin searching for the gun."

SPIKE: "Uh,. Fred, there's something you should know about this place?"

FRED: "What is it?"

SPIKE: [second thought] "Nothing." [beat] "See you soon."

The hologram shuts off and Spike places the chip in his pocket once again, with a pensive expression in his face.

RAINE: "You didn't tell her?" [as he looks up] "She used to live here, didn't she?"

SPIKE: [nodding] "Once upon a time."

DREW: "So? How shall the teams be decided?"

Spike and Raine turn around and sends the man cold glares.

DREW: "Oh." [looking at River] "I guess it's you and me then?"

RIVER: [sarcastically] "Shi ma?"

A CLOSE UP on the sad expression in the young Watcher's face.

DREW: "Ah, crap?"


FADE OUT-

[TheSlayerYears]

ACT THREE


INT. THE HYPE, LOS ANGELES

A LONG SHOT of a corridor as SPIKE and RAINE comes walking towards the CAMERA.

RAINE: "So there I was; fighting a bunch of vampires with a case of bad PMS and a critical shortage of tampons."

SPIKE: "You know, as much as I'm enjoying this recent bonding thing we've had going on, you might try to remember that I'm a guy."

[Raine gives him an evil glare]

SPIKE: "Fine, forget I said anything," [sigh] "Please, Raine, tell me all about your menstrual cycle."

RAINE: "So, as I was saying: a critical shortage of tampons?" [fading out]
- -

CUT TO-

- - DREW and RIVER walking side by side down another dark corridor. Drew seems slightly uncomfortable with his companion while River is happily humming on a tune.

DREW: [mumbling beneath his breath] "Just my luck."

RIVER: "What is?"

DREW: "Heard that did you?" [sigh] "No offence, River, but you're kind'a sporting the title as the looniest slayer ever alive. It doesn't spark much confidence to be frank."

RIVER: [tilting her head] "You're afraid of me." [smiling] "Fang xin, Drew, I will not hurt you." [zoning out] "Not yet anyway."

DREW: "Er? thanks??"

RIVER: [pointing ahead] "The demons went that way."

DREW: "Really?" [looking in that direction] "How do you know?"

RIVER: "I just do."

And with that she speeds up her paste and Drew is left behind with a weary expression. Then he sighs and runs up beside her.

RIVER: "He doesn't hate you."

DREW: "What?"

RIVER: "Spike." [furtive glare] "He just teases you to make sure that you're prepared for what's to come."

PAUSE.

DREW: "You seem remarkably lucid now, River."

RIVER: [beaming smile] "'s a faze. It will pass."

DREW: "Great." [whimpering sound] "I wish Fred was here?"


FADE OUT-

FADE IN-


EXT. THE HYPE, LOS ANGELES

SPOTLIGHT on FRED standing in front of the HYPE with a pale face and wide eyes as she stares at the old building.

FRED: "Dear heavens?"

We follow her with a STEADICAM as she starts to pace back and forth, sometimes coming to a halt to stare at the Hype with narrowing eyes.

FRED: [ranting, slipping slightly into her Texas drawl again as she panics] "No, not possible? Some kinda cosmic joke?"

She comes to a halt and turn around so that she faces the stairs leading up to the entrance.

FRED: "I can't?" [makes a move to walk away]

ILLYRIA: [v.o] "When the world met me - it shuddered. It groaned and knelt at my feet?"

ZOOMING IN on Fred as her back stiffens and she lifts her chin high. It takes a little while, but then she faces the building again and this time she walks up to the entrance with definite strides.
She enters into the trashed lobby and as she does so, it is almost as if she passes through an invisible energy field: she seems strangely suspended in mid air for a moment and there's some kind of breeze that blows her long her away from her face.

AN EXTREME CLOSE SHOT at Fred's face as she open her eyes to reveal that they're completely neon blue. A creepy smile spreads over her lips.

FRED: [with Illyria's voice] "This will do."

PANNING OUT as the woman walks gracefully over the floor and heading towards the stairs - -

CUT TO-

- - Fred turns a corner and finds herself face to face with SPIKE and RAINE. She comes to a halt and tilts her head as she let her eyes roam over the two of them. Her eyes are the only things bearing the appearance of Illyria.

FRED: "Did you find the gun?"

RAINE: "No."

SPIKE: [narrowing eyes] "Fred??"

ANGLE on Fred as she blinks and focus on the vampire. Now her eyes are back to their normal colour.

FRED: "Yeah?"

SPIKE: [shaking his head] "'s nothing. For a moment?" [frowning] "It was nothing."

RAINE: [raised eyebrow] "Okay?"

FRED: "You know what I'm thinking right now?"

RAINE: "No??"

[Fred looks at Spike]

SPIKE: "Well, I'm not bloody Matt Parkman, am I?! I can't read minds!"

RAINE: "Who?"

FRED: [sighing] "I'm thinking that Raine should go and find out where Drew and River are and then bring them back to the room where the additional room is."

RAINE: "Okay."

As Raine walks off, Fred turns her full attention to Spike ? who studies her with a strange expression in his face.

FRED: "What is it?"

SPIKE: [shrugging] "You're not spacing out."

FRED: "Why would I space out?"

SPIKE: "Seeing as you have a kind of history with this building?"

FRED: [calmly] "Memories and echoes of a past long forgotten. This is not the place of which she dwelled?"

BAFFLED SILENCE.

SPIKE: "What??"

FRED: [blinking] "What..?"

SPIKE: "Did you just??" [big eyes] "Are you? you?"

FRED: [looking at him as if he's crazy] "Who else would I be?" [beat] "Are you sure that you're alright, Spike?"

SPIKE: "Yeah? Yeah, I'm alright."

UNKNOWN VOICE: "Are you sure, vampire?"

ZOOMING OUT into a WIDE SHOT of the scene as one unclassified species of demon rounds the corner and comes to a stop in front of the two of them ? holding the missing plasma gun in a tight grip.

DEMON: "'cause I would think the fact that you'll soon be having your dust blowing in the wind would make you sort of? I don't know? jittery?"

SPIKE: [snorting] "Jittery?" [the Big Bad smirk] "I wouldn't think so, mate."

DEMON: "No?"

SPIKE: "Give us the plasma gun."

DEMON: "What plasma gun?"

SPIKE: "Fred, rip his arms off."

ANGLE on Fred as she takes a step forward towards the demon. We can see her eyes flare neon blue ? as can the demon, but this fact is totally lost to the vampire standing behind the young scientist.

DEMON: [yelping] "Oh, you mean this plasma gun."

Fred takes the gun carefully from the demon and hands it over to Spike, who steps forward to take the weapon.

DEMON: "So I'll just be going?"

FOCUS on Fred as she moves with incredible speed and places herself in front of the surprised demon. Without hesitation, she places her hands on either sides of the demon's face and twists it cleanly of his neck. Then, as the body crashes to the floor, she throws the head into a dusty corner.

SPIKE: [shaking his head] "Was that really necessary? It didn't seem to pose a threat?"

FRED: "It was an abomination and served no purpose to us alive." [dismissive wave] "We have the gun now and can kill the ghost."

SPIKE: "Okay, I knew something was different!!"

A MEDIUM SHOT as Spike steps forward and twist Fred around so that she comes face to face with him.

SPIKE: "What's wrong, Fred?"

FRED: "Nothing is wrong, Spike." [face softening] "I'm just a little off my game being back in this place."

SPIKE: "But you said that you were okay with it."

FRED: [frowning] "I did? I must have been spacing out then."

SPIKE: "U'huh." [suspicious glare] "Are you?"

DREW: [o.c] "Fred!! Oh, by the graces of?!"

RAINE: [o.c] "Oh, shut it, Drew!!"

RAINE, DREW and RIVER enters the frame.

FRED: "Hey, guys."

DREW: "You're here! And you have the gun!!"

SPIKE: "Exceptional skills of observation you got there, Watcher."

The room is suddenly filled with a ringing noise ? coming from Spike's pocket. The vampire sighs and picks out the chip and the image of TATUM GILES appears in the middle of the room ? right where River stands.

RIVER: "Shiny."

SPIKE: "River? Get out of the way."

TATUM: [as River moves] "Have you found the ghost?"

FRED: "We've found the location where she is, sir."

TATUM: "But she isn't dead yet?"

DREW: "Well, technically she is dead?"

TATUM: "Drew."

DREW: [looking down] "Sorry, sir."

FRED: "Sir? This ghost, she was a slayer."

TATUM: "I know."

RAINE: "Huh?" [perplexed] "You knew?"

TATUM: "This happened before my time? Apparently this slayer, Moira Callahan went rogue ? teamed up with a bunch of demons and tried to bring down the Watcher's Council. It backfired tough and her Watcher found out about her evil plans. He took matter in his own hands and convinced some of the other Watchers to help him in the assassination of Moira."

PAUSE.

TATUM: "Sending you the holographic recapturing of the crime scene?"

FOCUS on the hologram as Tatum fades away to give place of the image of a dark room. The walls are splattered with blood and in a pile of blood on the floor, lay the body of a young girl [Moira] with her head twisted in an unnatural angle. Her clothes are almost torn completely off her body and she has cuts and bruises all over her pale skin. And a stake protrudes from her chest ? right where her heart is.

A shilling scream echoes through the room?


FADE OUT-

[TheSlayerYears]

ACT FOUR


INT. THE HYPE, LOS ANGELES

BLACK SCREEN.

A shilling scream echoes through the room.

FADE IN-

Everyone turn in unison to look at the ghost that materializes in front of them. She in turn has all her focus on the disturbing image that the hologram makes.

MOIRA: "Lies!" [she cried] "All lies!! They killed me because I refused to obey their orders? They murdered me?"

DREW: "Spike, shoot her!!"

ANGLE on Spike as he stands motionless, looking at the ghost with compassion written all over his features.

RAINE: "Spike!!"

MOIRA: [focusing on Spike] "You know, don't you?"

TILTED SHOT as she makes her way over to the still vampire. She stops in front of him and lifts a hand as if to caress his cheek ? only that her hand passes right through his skin.

MOIRA: "You know what it's like, to be less than you were."

RAINE: [stern voice] "Spike!!"

MOIRA: "You need to listen? I didn't do those things?"

SPIKE: [silently] "I know."

MOIRA: "I wouldn't be their obedient puppy anymore and they decided that I was expandable."

RAINE: "Oh, for the love of?!"

Spike is violently pushed aside by Raine as she rips the gun from his hands. He doesn't have time to react as she aims at Moira and presses the trigger.

SPIKE: "No?!"

Moira's eyes meet Spike's for what seems to be an eternity, then the room is filled with the sound of the gun blast and the ghost easily ducks out of the way.

MOIRA: [grimly] "You can't win this, you know. You can't touch me."

Raine charges at her again, but Moira sweeps through her easily. Drew charges as well, trying to aid his Slayer, but he is spun about by her and collapses onto a pile of wood and metal. His shoulder is wounded. Raine gets back up and takes a few pointless swings at Moira.

MOIRA: "You're just a human. You're just alive. You don't know what that means?"

Raine swings a couple more times, and is spun around as Drew was, collapsing once before jumping up again.

MOIRA: "You don't know how hard you have to try?" [dodging a punch from Raine]. "Just to stay real?" [dodging a kick] "Just to be able to survive as a goddamn ghost?" [Raine punches twice, and misses both times,] "To be able to hurt the people who killed you? to kill them back? to touch them at all?"

Raine charges her, but Moira just glares, landing a vicious kick to the Slayer's stomach. Raine flies across the room, baffled, and is knocked unconscious by a falling beam that collapses from the wall she crashed into.

MOIRA: "You have to really want it."

CUT TO-


INT. TATUM'S OFFICE, GILES HIGH

? TATUM standing in front of the window with his back to the office. Then a sound from the door makes him turn around as LILY walks in.

LILY: "Sir." [she bows her head respectfully] "You wanted to speak to me?"

TATUM: "Yes." [he sat down behind the desk] "I want you to do a spell for me, my dear."

LILY: "A spell?"

TATUM: [nodding] "I want you to locate someone."

LILY: "A locator spell?" [wrinkled forehead] "But, sir? That kind of spell is well within the limits of your power. Why do you need me??"

TATUM: "The one who I want locates is someone of great importance. And she is far too long away for my mere powers to summon."

LILY: "There's a summoning as well?"

TATUM: "You will perform the spell, Lily."

PAUSE.

LILY: "I understand." [beat] "Who will I be summoning?"

TATUM: "The slayer Moira."

A CLOSE UP on the shocked expression in Lily's face.


FADE OUT-

FADE IN-


INT. THE HYPE, LOS ANGELES

A WIDE SHOT of the room, to reveal DREW and RAINE being down for the count for the moment.

SPIKE and FRED is facing the angry ghost, while RIVER is kneeling beside the whimpering Drew and pressing a hand to his shoulder.

MOIRA: "Surrender or it will end for you as it has for your friends."

SPIKE: "Moira?"

FRED: "I would like to see you try."

MOIRA: [raising an eyebrow] "You doubt me? Unwisely of you."

FRED: "I cannot let you succeed with your plans. The Watcher's Council is not responsible for your unfortunate death. It was your own actions that led to your fate."

MOIRA: [screaming] "Wrong!!"

SPIKE: "Not helping, Fred."

ANGLE on Moira as she turns her attention towards the vampire.

MOIRA: "You know the truth." [pleadingly] "Make them see the truth! I knew of you? I knew all about Spike. William the Bloody. I heard about everything you did for us ? for the Slayers! You know what happened; please? you have to keep fighting for us?"

SPIKE: [shaking his head] "Even if I do? what do you think will happen?"

The ghost comes to a stand still as she stares at the weary vampire, her features softening as tears starts running down her pale cheeks.

MOIRA: "I will find peace."

SPIKE: [silently] "That I can sympathize with."

MOIRA: "Then you will help?"

SPIKE: "With killing every Watcher in the Council?"

MOIRA: "Yes."

SPIKE: [shaking his head] "Cannot do that, pet."

FOCUS on Spike as he reaches down to pick up the plasma gun that lies on the floor in front of him. He calmly takes aim at the ghost.

SPIKE: "You see; I am a Watcher also."

A SHOT of the shocked expression in Moira's face ? before her features twist into that of wrath and deadly intentions.

MOIRA: "Then you'll die too, traitor."

FRED: [as Moira charges at Spike] "Spike!!"

SPIKE: "Okay, Neo ? dodge this."

Spike pulls the trigger and the blast hit Moira squarely in the chest ? sending her flying into the wall and then dissolving into a million particles. They seem to be slowly falling towards the floor ? then there's a sudden breeze that swirls them around and it all vanishes into thin air.

SILENCE.

RAINE: [waking up from the floor] "I thought her name was ?Moira'?"


FADE OUT-

FADE IN-

INT. TATUM'S OFFICE, GILES HIGH

SPOTLIGHT on a particular spot in the office; suddenly a whirling dust cloud appears in the middle of the room, slowly revealing the features of a screaming MOIRA as her body takes form. [Much like how Spike appeared in front of the ?fang gang' in Ats 5x01 Conviction.]

TATUM: [o.c] "Welcome, Ms Callahan."

PANNING OUT into a WIDE SHOT as the old Watcher stands up behind his desk. Behind him, with the back against the room, stands THE FIRST ? looking like Wesley Wyndham-Pryce. He also turns around to look calmly at the disoriented woman.

MOIRA: "Wha?" [wetting her lips] "What happened?"

TATUM: "You died, my dear." [walking towards her] "But we saved you."

MOIRA: "You?" [gasping for air] "What??"

FOCUS on the young woman as she lifts a trembling hand to her face. Then she blinks and stares with wide open eyes at the other two.

TATUM: "Yes."

He reaches out and takes her shaking hand in his big, squeezing it gently.

TATUM: "You're alive, Moira."

MOIRA: "Alive?"

A TIGHT SHOT of her face as she begins to cry, whispering thanks to God that she's alive and real.

THE FIRST: "Yes. And we have a mission for you."


BLACK OUT-


END OF EPISODE