Announcement

**TheSlayerYears** · 01-09-08, 01:59 PM

ACT ONE

FADE IN-

FLASHBACK-

EXT. THE ALLEY BEHIND HYPERION, LOS ANGELES

AIR SHOT down at the alley to show the commotion that goes on down there. There are demons of various races all over the place, roaring their battle cries and with every intention of slaughtering everything and everyone that comes in their way.

ZOOMING DOWN at one figure [SPIKE] as he skewers one particularly nasty looking demon with his sword, a plastered grin on his bloodied face ? like as if he's trying to display some bravado while fighting against what must be the definition of unbeatable odds.

And suddenly he is knocked down, falling to his knees, by a huge demon with red skin and horn protruding from his skull. [No, not Satan. Although the resemblance is uncanny?]

DEMON: "Say your last words, vampire."

OVER-THE-SHOULDER-VIEW as Spike spits out blood and looks up at the triumphant demon with narrowing eyes.

SPIKE: "Illyria."

DEMON: "What now??"

A WIDE SHOT as ILLYRIA shows up behind the demon and shovels her fist straight through his chest - -

- - the surprised beast looks down at the fist sticking out from his ribcage before his eyes roll into the back of his head and he falls forward to the ground, pretty much a goner.

SPIKE: [getting up] "Thanks, luv."

ILLYRIA: "Charles is dead."

SPIKE: [eyes softening] "'m sorry. It was a good kid."

ILLYRIA: "I feel grief for him as I did for Wesley, though not quite so much." [grimly] "I wish to do more violence."

The two of them turn to face the battle once again.

SPIKE: "Well isn't that her phrase of the day?"

END OF FLASHBACK-

INT. SPIKE'S QUARTERS, GILES HIGH

ALL LIGHT on SPIKE sitting in a chair with a glass of liquid in his hand. It's not blood and by the amber colour of its contents it's safe to assume that it is scotch.

SPIKE: [voice over] "It was a suicide mission from the get go, any fool knew that. We all went into that battle not expecting to walk out of it alive. And I welcomed the idea. I truly did?"

Spike lifts the glass to his lips and takes a good sip of the liquor.

SPIKE: [v.o.] "But those old ponces had other plans for me."

ZOOMING OUT as the blond vampire groans, tossing the glass across the room. It hits the wall with more force than one would have guessed and shatters, while Spike leans back and closes his eyes. Behind him we see a calendar. The date is January 19th, 2170.

SPIKE: "Other bloody plans entirely?"

FLASHBACK-

INT. A NIGHTCLUB, ROME, ITALY

SPIKE walks through the club, his eyes solely on a dancing figure in the crowd, her blonde hair visible across the room.

SPIKE: [v.o.] "Okay, so when Angel and I said we should move on? maybe I lied."

He starts passing slowly though the dancing crowd.

SPIKE: [v.o.] "But after that battle? a two month long battle that ranged around the City-of-bloody-Angels? she didn't come. That Faith girl came ?cause of Angel, but Buffy didn't come. Didn't make sense; I had to find out what was going on."

Someone bumps into him. SPIKE glares, and they back off damn fast.

SPIKE: [v.o.] "Not that I wanted her there, no? I wanted her out of the bloody way and safe. But Buffy? my Buffy? she wouldn't have taken that. She'd've come?.She'd've fought?"

He finally gets to the blonde figure, who whips around, sensing a vampire is close. He grabs her by the arms before she gets the chance to move, and looks at her face.

We see her face as well. And it's most definitely not Buffy Summers.

SPIKE: [angry] "Where is she?"

The FakeBuffy looks startled, then scared, then angry. She brings her knee up, making him wince, and pushes him toward the exit.

FAKEBUFFY: "Outside."

SPIKE: "Gladly."

EXT. A NIGHTCLUB, ROME

As soon as they step outside, SPIKE turns around sharply and grabs her by the shoulders again. She swings her leg up and hits him in the head, and they exchange a few more violent blows, before he pins her to the ground.

SPIKE: "Where is she? What'd you do to her - "

FAKEBUFFY: "Quiet, vampire. Or I dust you in less than a second."

SPIKE: "Enough with the bloody threats ? where is Buffy?"

SILENCE. She looks confused, for a moment, but it's clearly a distraction ploy as she then tries to headbutt him. Spike simply rolls his eyes and pushes her down harder before her skull can impact on his.

SPIKE: "You think I don't know that move? Bird, I killed the girl who invented that move. Now where is she and who the bloody hell are you?"

FAKEBUFFY: "I'm Buffy. I'm the Slayer?"

SPIKE: "And I'm Yoda."

FAKEBUFFY: "You'll never get to her? you'll have to go through an army of us first?"

SPIKE: "Wait? wait, you're protecting her?"

A moment of severe confusion passes. SPIKE sighs and finally lets the girl up, backing away out of arm's reach.

SPIKE: "Look, luv, no punches at the mo': I think we started off on the wrong foot, um? you're a Slayer, right? Can you call Andrew?"

FAKEBUFFY: "Andrew?!"

SPIKE: "Or the Bit? Dawn ? s'she still with you lot?" [She doesn't respond] "Look, does the name Spike mean anything to y ? "

FAKEBUFFY: "Spike?" [disbelieving] "You're Spike?" [She puts her hands on her hips.] "I thought you'd be taller."

SPIKE: "Yeah, and I thought you'd be Buffy."

FAKEBUFFY: "What? Oh? yeah. Sorry about that. I've had this gig for months now. Pose as The Slayer and all. There's two of us, I think. The other one's underground. I don't know where the real Buffy is, but I get to sleep with the Immortal, so I kinda like my job as is?"

SPIKE just stands there, incredulous.

SPIKE: "Right? so? you've been doing this for months, you said?" [She nods. He scowls and starts walking away.] "Lying bastard?"

FAKEBUFFY: "Wait, where're you going?"

SPIKE: "I have a geek to kill."

FAKEBUFFY: "Oh." [Pause.] "Can I help?"

END OF FLASHBACK-

FADE OUT-

**TheSlayerYears** · 01-09-08, 02:01 PM

ACT TWO

INT. SPIKE'S QUARTERS, GILES HIGH

SPIKE: [v.o.] "Of course, I didn't actually end up killing Andrew? the Bit stopped me. We talked a lot. I didn't know whether to laugh my arse off or cry like I was her mum when she told me she'd be going to Berkeley in the fall. She said she couldn't tell me where Buffy was? she didn't even know herself. Sounded right put-out about it too. I didn't see Buffy for years. After Sunnydale, ?cause apparently the girl I saw with Angel in Rome wasn't even her."

A WIDE SHOT of the room to reveal SPIKE standing by the window when a knock is heard on the door.

RAINE: [o.c] "Spike, are you coming? It's time for patrol!"

SPIKE: [turning around] "'m coming."

He walks over to the door and opens it.

CUT TO -

EXT. UNKNOWN PARK, LOS ANGELES

TILTED SHOT of SPIKE and RAINE walking side by side across the moonlit park, their pace slow and their posture relaxed.

RAINE: "So what is a girl supposed to do when her date runs screaming out through the door just cause she, very nicely, asked him to strip down and put on some damn handcuffs?"

SPIKE: "Raine?"

RAINE: "No, seriously."

SPIKE: [sighing] "Personally I've always been pro handcuffs, so I would say that you would just have to find a new bloke to exercise your kinks on." [beat] "And please don't confide in me anymore. Not ever."

RAINE: "But?"

As Raine rambles on her voice starts to fade away and the FOCUS is on Spike.

SPIKE: [v.o.] "Slayers. A breed of their own, to say the least. Always tormenting me. This one's not any different. Although she does lack some of the style Buffy had?"

RAINE: [ranting on] "?when a guy buys you a drink and then automatically expects that you'll put out?"

A CLOSE UP on Spike as he rolls his eyes.

SPIKE: [v.o.] "I must be cursed." [beat] "And I'm not channelling Angel here."

RAINE: [o.c] "Spike."

SPIKE: [v.o.] "Okay, maybe I'm brooding a little bit. But can you blame?"

RAINE: [o.c] "Spike!!"

SPIKE: [impatiently] "What?!"

A WIDE SHOT as the blond vampire turns around ? only to see Raine struggling in the grip of a tall, gangly and grey-skinned demon.

SPIKE: "Oh."

Spike makes a quick move and manages to free the slayer from the demon's grip, dragging the irritated woman to his side.

DEMON: "Grukh nah keh're!!"

SPIKE: "Come again?"

DEMON: [in English] "Vampire scum!!"

Dramatic music sets it, crescendo, zoom in on SPIKE's face, and suddenly the music cuts as he says?

SPIKE: "?Well, ?m not the one that makes the Freddy Krueger look cuddly."

FADE IN -

EXT. UNKNOWN PARK, LOS ANGELES

DEMON: "Give me the girl, vampire. She's my prey."

The demon makes a move to take a hold of Raine once again, but both Spike and her takes a few steps back.

SPIKE: "Back off, ugly! The girl's with me."

[Raine kicks Spike's leg]

RAINE: "What? No!!"

DEMON: [grinning] "I'm sure you'll be happy together."

RAINE: "What the hell are you waiting for, Spike?! Kill it!!"

DEMON: [laughing] "I would like to see him try!"

SPIKE: "Hey, for your information, I happen to be humanity's last great hope."

DEMON: "I pity them."

SPIKE: "Now, that's an insult!"

RAINE: "He looks awfully big Spike?"

DEMON: "Hey!!"

SPIKE: [muttering] "It's a she, pet."

RAINE: "Really?" [eying the demon] "Nope, couldn't tell."

The demon roars angrily and charges at the young woman, arms stretched out for the kill - -

- - Spike steps in front of the slayer and delivers an impressive upper-cut to the demon's face ? making it stumble back a few steps. It shakes its head and sends the vampire a grim look.

DEMON: "You will die for this, vampire."

SPIKE: "Like I never heard that before."

Spike moves incredible fast, executing a perfect roundhouse kick that hits the demon in the chest and knocks it down on the ground. Before it even has the time to react, Spike bends down and with an effortless motion with his hands he breaks its neck.

RAINE: "Phew, it smells!"

SPIKE: [v.o.] "As I said; slayers."

RAINE: "Let's go and get some dinner. I'm itching for some dim sum. You?"

SPIKE: [raised eyebrow] "You should thank me for saving your life, ya know."

RAINE: "Nope. And by the way, how did you now that the demon was a she?"

SPIKE: "Smelled it. She was in heat. Pheromones all over the place."

RAINE: "Well, that has a squick-factor of, like, a million. You should really just stop saying that stuff? ever.

They continue walking away, SPIKE faster than RAINE.

SPIKE: [v.o.] "Like I said: Slayers. Always overreacting. ?Specially her? I mean, so I disappeared for a bit; no big thing. It was only a little while..."

CUT TO ?

FLASHBACK.

EXT. ALLEYWAY ? LONDON

It's a very sharp cut, which makes it appear for a moment that it's still happening in the present, not in the past. But it's clearly not, as we see the REAL BUFFY's fist flying at SPIKE's face. SPIKE falls over, in pain.

SPIKE: "What the hell ? "

Another punch. He falls again. A LOW-ANGLE shot of a very angry BUFFY.

BUFFY: "Get up."

SPIKE: "?Buffy?" [She kicks him now.]

BUFFY: "Seven years, Spike!?"

SPIKE: [v.o.] "Okay, maybe not a little while." [BUFFY kicks him again]

BUFFY: "Seven years you've been alive, and I don't get a phone call?" [And again.] "Not even a ?Hi, I'm alive, sorry for the inconvenience', huh? Not a ****ing?" [another kick, and he flies into a wall] "?word from you to tell me you're alive? I have to find out from Dawn, who, by the way, thought I already knew!"

SPIKE: "Buffy? luv?"

BUFFY: "Shut up, I'm not finished!" [SPIKE falls silent, waiting patiently.] "I only heard you were still alive two years ago! Two years! I've been looking for you that whole damn time? hell, Xander had to take over the whole base in Scotland! About a thousand Slayers, Spike, and I left them to come look for you!" [She kneels down in front of him] "D'you know what that means, Spike?"

SPIKE: "Pet, could you tell me after you stake that one in the corner? Thanks very much, luv."

We pan to a bedraggled looking Vampire with several limbs broken, barely moving in the corner of the alley. BUFFY groans, stands up, stakes the vamp and returns to SPIKE.

SPIKE: [quick smile] "Still fighting the good fight, eh?"

BUFFY pulls SPIKE up by the lapels of his jacket.

BUFFY: "I'm not done talking! It means I'm angry, Spike! It means I'm damn furious that you left me like that! You come back, what, three months after Sunnydale, and you don't even let me know?!" [She tries to ignore the tears in her eyes, still raging on.] "All of these things I've been doing? I thought I

could have my own life now! I thought I could live for me now, but I can't! I can't, and you're not even here! You're dead! You're dead, and I'm alone

again! And I have to take care of a thousand Slayers who need me and you're not even here anymore!" [She's screaming now, the tears falling down her face as she pounds on his chest tiredly.] "You're dead, you? you just left and? God, Spike, don't die again? please?"

SPIKE takes hold of her wrists as Buffy cries. He holds her in his arms and they slide to the ground. She cries a few moments more.

CLOSE UP on BUFFY's face.

BUFFY: "I love you."

SPIKE: "Yeah, I figured."

We hear the vague thump of Buffy hitting him again. He winces, but smiles at the same time.

SPIKE: [v.o.] "Best damn moment of my life, that was."

FADE IN-

(Continuing the Flashback)

INT. BUFFY'S HOTEL ROOM, LONDON

SPIKE and BUFFY lie together in bed. Her eyes are closed. SPIKE is stroking her hair with a smile, holding her.

SPIKE: [v.o.] "This woulda been it?"

BUFFY: "I thought it was a dream?"

SPIKE: "What, pet?"

BUFFY: "Is it a dream, Spike? ?m I gonna open my eyes and have somebody looking at me funny, saying? " [imitating an annoying teenage girl voice] "?Buffy, why were you moaning in your sleep?'"

SPIKE: [smirks] "Did a lot more than moan, I recall."

BUFFY: [eyes still closed, she chuckles] "Okay, so there was more than moaning. But that doesn't answer my question." [Pause] "Is this a dream?"

SPIKE: "If it is, luv, let's hope you're under one of them bloody ?Cinderella' type spells where you sleep for 179 years or something like that."

BUFFY: [opens her eyes and sits up] "It's ?Sleeping Beauty.' Actually, that happened to me about five years back?"

SPIKE: "?what?!"

BUFFY: "Oh, no, but it wasn't a true love thing. I just had ta be kissed by someone who really cared about me? in a non-friend way."

SPIKE: [Glaring] "Who was it? I'll kill him!"

BUFFY: "Calm, Spike, it doesn't matter? well, it doesn't matter cause she was a she, and I don't really go for she's."

SPIKE: "She was? a? she."

BUFFY: "Yeah."

SPIKE can't help it ? he starts laughing.

BUFFY: "Stop laughing ? Satsu was very sweet!" [she's laughing a little herself] "Stop it, Spike?"

SPIKE laughs and leans over to kiss her again. They kiss for a few moments longer, leaning back on the bed again? when there's suddenly a loud crash at the door, which slams open, revealing?

DAWN: "Buffy! We've been looking everywhere, you can't just drop off the face of the earth to go looking for oh my God?"

BUFFY: [outraged and embarrassed] "Dawn!"

DAWN: [looks away]"Omigod? omigod; naked? Spike, naked Buffy? nakedBuffy, nakedSpike?

BUFFY: "Dawn, get out!"

DAWN: "Aghh!!!"

A very traumatized DAWN runs from the room. SPIKE is trying not to laugh while BUFFY is incredibly embarrassed and extremely frustrated.

SPIKE: [v.o.] "Yeah, that would take this outta the Best Moment running."

END FLASHBACK.

BLACKOUT.

**TheSlayerYears** · 01-09-08, 02:04 PM

ACT THREE

FADE IN-

INT. SPIKE'S QUARTERS, GILES HIGH

SPIKE: [v.o] "Buffy and I? We had a good life together. Sure, there were some fights? but in the end, we were happy."

SPIKE stands up and walks over to the fireplace, reaching for something on the mantle. It's a small box, surrounded by dust, which he picks up to reveal a photo. We geeks can recognize it as one that had been around the Summers' residence for years; of Joyce, Buffy and Dawn.

SPIKE: [v.o] "That bloke?? He messed all that up."

FLASHBACK-

EXT. HYDE PARK, LONDON

DOLLY SHOTS as SPIKE and BUFFY walk hand in hand, the slayer a vision in her black silk dress and Spike handsome in cargos and a black shirt.

BUFFY: "Picnic in Hyde Park under the full moon? Ya sure now how to romance the ladies."

SPIKE: [grinning] "Yeah."

The two of them walk silently for a while ? seemingly content with just being in each others company.
As they step out on a boardwalk ?

BUFFY: "Spike?"

SPIKE: "Yeah, pet?"

BUFFY: [unsure posture] "Angel told me about the Shanshu."

SILENCE.

BUFFY: "Spike?"

SPIKE: "He did, did he?"

Buffy stops him by laying a hand on his arms and they turn around so that they stand face to face.

BUFFY: "Were you ever gonna tell me?"

SPIKE: "Tell you what? That there is a slight chance that I could become human?" [shaking his head] "No, Buffy, I didn't tell you."

BUFFY: [slightly hurt look] "But why?"

SPIKE: "'cause what if it's not true? I didn't want you to get your hopes up."

BUFFY: "Spike!! You could become human. Do you understand how major that is?"

SPIKE: "See; you're all jazzed up ?bout it, luv." [beat] "This is why I didn't tell you. ?cause I wouldn't bare it to see the hope in your eyes dim when I can't be the man you want me to be."

BUFFY: "What are you talking about, Spike?! You are the man I want you to be."

Spike shakes his head and begins to walk again. Only a second later Buffy joins up at his side, sending furtive glances in his way.

BUFFY: [lopsided smile] "Hey, you." [as he looks at her] "What about that white picket fence??"

SPIKE: "Buffy?"

BUFFY: "No, I mean it." [sincere look] "I want ? whatever life it is ? a life with you, Spike. the whole shebang."

SPIKE: [v.o] "Bint always knew which buttons to push?"

END OF FLASHBACK-

INT. SPIKE'S QUARTERS, GILES HIGH

SPIKE: [cont. v.o.] "?to make me think I was the luckiest bloke on Earth."

TILTED SHOT of the blond vampire as he puts down the picture and starts pacing back and forth.

SPIKE: [v.o] "But other times she could make me feel like I was in hell."

RAINE: [through the door] "Spike? There's a meeting in thirty minutes!!"

SPIKE: [v.o] "She's not the only one?"

RAINE: [o.c] "Spike?"

SPIKE: "'m coming!!"

Spike walks towards the door - -

- - A WIDE SHOT of the boardroom as Spike walks in; FRED is standing in front of the whiteboard looking all businesslike in her lab coat and the hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. DREW and RAINE are sitting at the middle of the massive table ? seemingly bickering over something. The young watcher is wearing the same outfit from before but the slayer has changed into jeans and a white blouse.

SPIKE: [eyes darting across the room] "Where's the rest?"

FRED: "This doesn't concern them."

SPIKE: "No?"

FRED: "No." [focusing on him] "This meeting is about how you've been acting lately."

FOCUS on the grim look in Spike's face.

SPIKE: "Yeah, what of it?"

RAINE: [snorting] "Gotta admit you've been acting all loco lately."

SPIKE: [v.o] "So what? They have no idea?"

FRED: "Spike?"

SPIKE: [v.o] "?No idea what it's like to have happiness in the grasp of your hand and then?lose it."

FLASHBACK-

EXT. OXFORD STREET, LONDON

ZOOMING IN on SPIKE and BUFFY walking hand in hand down the street, looking smitten as ever as they steal furtive glances at each other.

BUFFY: "Spike?"

Suddenly the air is filled with the sound of a car horn and screeching tires and a man screaming: ?Look up!'

SPIKE: "What??"

PANNING OUT as a car comes at them in high speed.

BUFFY: "Spike..!!"

ANGLE on Buffy's hands as they violently push the vampire out of range from the vehicle. The CAMERA stays with Spike as he slams into the pavement with a disgruntled moan.
The air is filled with screams, the sound of metal tearing apart and Buffy's cry of pain.

SPIKE: [blinking confusedly] "Buffy??"

Spike struggles to get up on his feet - -

WOMAN: "Someone call for an ambulance!"

- - and run over to the crashed car.
A FULL SHOT of the scene reveals Buffy lying under rubble of metal ? we recognise it as being a part of a door.

SPIKE: [distressed] "Buffy!!"

The blond vampire kneels at the rubble and starts casting aside the parts ? clearly ignoring the cuts that this causes to his hands. Finally reaching through to her, he pulls her out and into the street.

SPIKE: "Buffy?"

FOCUS on his hands; bleeding, sliced apart by the glass when he'd dragged her out from the wreckage.

A FULL SHOT of the scene and the two: The front of Buffy's dress is saturated in blood, and more blood is poring out from a gaping wound in her chest. There is also a bloody froth on her lips. Spike presses a shaking hand against the wound on the chest and raises a wild gaze to Buffy's face.
Her lips move.

BUFFY: "I love you."

SPIKE: "Know you do, kitten," [pressing forth a smile] "Love you too."

Buffy's eyes seem to shine in response. But then her body started to convulse and her eyes hold so much fear and desperation as they meet Spike's.

BUFFY: [gasping] "Spike?"

SPIKE: "Don't? Don't you dare?"

From a distance we hear the sound of sirens approaching.

He pulls away to look down at her with tears in his eyes.

SPIKE: "Buffy?"

BUFFY: "Take care of Dawn for me. And the rest?" [coughing blood] "Promise me."

SPIKE: [nods] "I promise." [sad smile] "Til the end of the world."

BUFFY: "Tell them? tell them that I'm cookies."

Spike frowns at this, but obviously doesn't want to push the matter any further ?

SPIKE: "You can tell them yourself? The ambulance will be here soon."

Buffy smiles with effort.

CUT TO. ? INT. HOSTPIAL HALLWAY

BUFFY is being wheeled on a gurney, down the hall quite fast. There's a doctor and another attendant or two running alongside her with SPIKE. SPIKE looks thoroughly determined to be with her through the last ? to see this through and make sure it turns out okay. After all, he always does.

ATTENDANT: "Sir," [she lifts her hands up to stop Spike] "You're going to have to wait out here."

SPIKE: [Utterly confused] "What?!"

The attendant runs forward as a security guard stops SPIKE instead.

SPIKE: "No! No, I have to be there with h ? "

GUARD: "You'll get the area contaminated ? make her sick. You'll only hurt her."

Spike stops dead at this. Prior to this news he seemed to be about to knock the guard over, but now he simply steps back, looking hurt.

SPIKE: [v.o.] "I was used to hearing that, I suppose? that I'd only hurt her." [He starts walking away] "But I thought we were past that?" [Walks through a set of doors to the front of the hospital. He takes out a cigarette and lighter] "Stupid bloody bint? tried to save me from a bloody car. She shoulda known I'd be okay? I'd be fine? but she?"

Spike's hand is shaking, making it difficult to light the cigarette. But he finally manages and takes a long drag.

Spike: "Sh- she's a slayer? she'll be fine." [to himself]

SPIKE: [v.o.] "But a slayer's only human? and Buffy more than most. I should've remembered that."

DOCTOR: [v.o.] "Her immune system was? surprisingly strong."

CUT TO ? INT. HOSPITAL ROOM

SPIKE stands in the room, staring at the empty bed. The DOCTOR is speaking to him, trying to work past the pain the vampire is clearly in.

DOCTOR: "We got her stabilized at first? her heart was working? but she lost a lot of blood. We gave her a transfusion, but? she fought it off. Treated it as a foreign agent. It was her type? We tried another ? the one your company supplied. From her sister. She fought that off too, within a few hours. It was startlingly similar ? we'd like to run some tests?"

SPIKE: "No."

DOCTOR: "But Ms. Summers's sister? she could have a similar condition which?"

SPIKE: "No. I won't have it. Won't have her treated like a bloody lab rat? not after this."

SPIKE: [v.o.] "That and I didn't want her getting? hurt more. She'd lost her sister 4 times now: the Master, Glory, that bullet? and now this. I wouldn't let Dawnie get to thinking about her blood again? about her being the Key. She did anyway though."

CUT TO. ? INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY

A gurney is being wheeled away with a cloth covering BUFFY's body. SPIKE stands, watching, his face blank. Through the window into another room we see someone crying. They turn around ? it's DAWN. She screams, runs out of the room, sobbing, though we can hear none of it. She grabs at the gurney, trying to hold on to Buffy, trying to pull back the cloth. Someone holds her back. They garb her arms and pull her to them, and as we pan up we see that it's Spike. He holds her to him.

SPIKE: [v.o.] "She still blamed herself for Buffy's death? said it was the Key in her blood didn't let Buffy live, even though Buffy'd rejected the blood from before that. Girl almost killed herself two weeks later. We stopped her well enough though. Kept her safe. Kept her loved. Pulled her out of grad school ? she went to work at the Council until she was? better."

Dawn is still sobbing into Spike's arms as he holds her.

SPIKE: [v.o] "Everything I loved in the world was lost to me in just a day."

END OF FLASHBACK-

CUT TO. ? INT. BOARDROOM, GILES HIGH

SPIKE: [v.o] "?but still, here I am."

A WIDE SHOT of the room and all the characters in play.

FRED: "You just haven't been? here. We're worried ? it's dangerous out there and if you don't pay attention ? "

SPIKE: [angrily] "You think I give a damn?"

DREW: [raised eyebrow] "The truth hurts doesn't it."

SPIKE: "Yeah, so does this."

And the vampire's fist connects with the Watcher's jaw.

FADE OUT-

**TheSlayerYears** · 01-09-08, 02:05 PM

ACT FOUR

FADE IN-

FLASHBACK-

INT. DEMON BAR, UNKNOWN DIMENSION

A WIDE SHOT of a crowded bar. The room is filled with demons of various sizes and species.

SPIKE: [v.o] "So what if I pulled another vanishing act?"

PANNING IN on SPIKE sitting at the end of the bar, a glass of? well something in his hand.

SPIKE: [v.o] "Didn't give them the right to send their tracking dog after me."
[beat] "I mean? I was happy." [another pause] "Sort' a?"

Spike brings the glass to his lips and takes a powerful swig of the red liquid in it. Then he shakes his head as if the content is stronger than he's used to.

SPIKE: "Yet they sent someone to find good ol' Spike." [gruffingly] "But why did they have to send her?!"

ILLYRIA: [o.c] "You grieve still?"

PULLING BACK to a WIDER SHOT to reveal ILLYRIA standing behind Spike, looking superior as always.

SPIKE: [sighing] "'Lo, Blue." [turning around] "I take it that this isn't a social call?"

Illyria looks around the room disgustingly, as if even being in a place like that is below her pride. Then she focuses a cold stare at the dishevelled vampire, scrunching up her nose as she does.

ILLYRIA: "You smell. Much like Wesley did after drinking that poison."

SPIKE: "Well, thank you."

SPIKE: [v.o] "Trust it to the Ice Queen to call it down to what's important."

ILLYRIA: "The elder Watcher?" [seemingly searching for a name] "The one called Rupert Giles sent me to find you,"

SPIKE: [raised eyebrow] "He did, huh?"

ILLYRIA: [glaring at a demon ? who quickly skidders away] "Yes. He, and the others," [dismissive wave] "I was insulted by being ?assigned' their menial tasks? told them as much."

SPIKE: "Which one'd you hurt?"

ILLYRIA: "The small one ? he spoke too much."

SPIKE: [chuckles] "Andrew?"

ILLYRIA: "Yes."

ILLYRIA: "I said I would go to you, if only to find my pet. I have been left without amusement for 10 of your human years now? I tire of it."

SPIKE: [v.o] "She was of course crazy to think I would just go without a fight."

END OF FLASHBACK-

INT. HALLWAY, GILES HIGH

A LONG SHOT of the hallway as SPIKE comes walking down with a grim look in his face ? and FRED trailing a few steps behind.

FRED: "Spike, wait!"

She reaches him and stops him with a hand on his arms.

FRED: [concerned] "Tell me what's wrong!"

Spike turns a wild glare towards her, so intense that she releases her grip on him and takes a step back.

FRED: "Spike..?"

SPIKE: "Don't you know? Can't you remember?"

FRED: [dawning look] "Spike?"

SPIKE: [shaking his head] "No. Not today, Fred."

There's a brief pause as the two of them just stand face to face, looking at each other with weary expression. Then - -

FRED: "'m sorry."

- - and she turns to leave, disappearing around a corner.

SPIKE: [v.o] "If only the other one had been more like her?"

FLASHBACK-

INT. DEMON BAR, DIMENSION UNKNOWN

A WIDE SHOT of the room; the floor is littered with dead demons. The only two being standing is SPIKE and ILLYRIA. The latter with the struggling vampire in a tight grip ? pressing him up against a wall.

ILLYRIA: "Did you really believe that you could win over me, vampire? It is useless to resist."

SPIKE: [spitting blood onto her face] "Bitch."

ILLYRIA: [unwavering] "You will return to the human realm with me, half ? breed. They require your assistance with the Key."

ANGLE on the bewildered expression in Spike's face as he seizes to struggle and only stare back at the god king with wide eyes.

SPIKE: "What? The Key, I though they were done with that?"

Illyria makes a sweeping movement with her hand and a whirling portal instantly opens in the middle of the room. Spike's head turns quickly in that direction and now he seems down right frightful.

SPIKE: "Hey now, that's cheating!"

Illyria drags him with her and steps through the portal ? that closes behind them in an instant.

END OF FLASHBACK-

FADE IN-

INT. ATRIUM, GILES HIGH

MIDDLE RANGE SHOT of SPIKE as he sits on a stone bench, turning something over and over in his hands while he gazes out into the stillness of the night.

SPIKE: [v.o] "Didn't have a say there really. When Queen Blue wanted something she made sure that it was done her way. She brought me back to the world that had caused my nothing but grief and heartache?" [beat] "Didn't matter that the rest of the ?Scoobies' ? heck, even Giles himself, seemed glad to have me back. The bit was having trouble with her? keyness. After Buffy died she buried herself in work? started losing herself. Got a bit loony sometimes? half of the time she wasn't even really my Dawn, and when she was? I could barely look at her. She reminded me too much of Buffy. "

ZOOMING IN on the item Spike's holding: a piece of soft blue fabric. He smells it, and looks disappointed; the scent has long since fainted. We recognize the cloth as?

QUICK SHOT ? Spike stealing up Buffy's blue cashmere sweater in ?Crush'

SPIKE: [v.o.] "I only stayed there to take care of her?"

BACK TO SHOT ? ATRIUM, GILES HIGH

SPIKE: [v.o.] "I'd had a little experience in dealing with crazy birds? was crazy myself for a while, so t'made sense too. But time passed? they grew old, had to watch from the shadows while they buried each one of them in the light. Red, the watcher, the boy, Andrew, my nibblet? They were all gone?"

PANNING OUT as Spike gets up and starts walking towards a door.

SPIKE: [v.o] "Nothing mattered anymore." [beat] "At least not for years."

The door closes behind him.

SPIKE: [v.o] "But that is a completely different story."

FADE OUT-

INT. SPIKE'S BEDROOM, GILES HIGH

ZOOMING IN on SPIKE as he lies under the covers in his bed ? seemingly asleep.

SPIKE: [v.o.] "Sometimes it seems like it happened to someone else, like maybe it was a story I heard. Even though I know it happened, sometimes I can't help feeling that she's not really gone, that she's still out there, and I just hope she's okay."

[DREAM SEQUENCE]

INT. BUFFY'S BEDROOM, LONDON

A TIGHT SHOT of SPIKE and BUFFY lying under the sheets on her big bed. It appears as if they've just been doing the naughty thing and now they're gazing dreamingly into each others eyes. [Enough to send one into a sugar coma?]

SPIKE: [frowning] "Are you real?"

BUFFY: [smiling] "Isn't that my line?"

SPIKE: "But?" [wrinkled forehead] "You're dead? You died?"

FOCUS on Buffy as she raises a hand to caress Spike's cheek.

BUFFY: "Whether I died then or today or fifty years from now, it was always going to happen. I was always going to love you. And I was always gonna die. I was a Slayer, Spike."

SILENCE.

SPIKE: [whispering] "Are you coming back?"

BUFFY: "When I'm ready."

SPIKE: "I'll be waiting for you."

Buffy leans over to kiss him - -

- - and fades away ? leaving him alone on the bed.

SPIKE: [v.o] "Happy birthday, luv?"

BLACK OUT-

END OF EPISODE.

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The Slayer Years - 1.05 "About Buffy"

The Slayer Years - 1.05 "About Buffy"

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