Prologue

1     EXT.   SUNNYDALE CEMETERY- NIGHT    1

All is quiet in the mist-shrouded graveyard. Suddenly, the peace is shattered as BUFFY pounds a VAMPIRE dressed like a Van Halen reject to the ground.

BUFFY

You know, it's probably none of my business but I just gotta ask...

The vampire lunges at her and she backhands it.

BUFFY

You smell this bad when you were alive?

She kicks the vampire into a headstone.

BUFFY

'Cause if it's a post-mortem thing, then boy, is my face red...

She flips him over the headstone and whips out a stake.

BUFFY

But just so you know, the fast-growing field of personal grooming has come a long way since you became a vampire.

Buffy somersaults over the headstone, stake raised and ready to strike. But the vampire seizes her arm as she lands, spins her around and plunges the stake into Buffy's abdomen. Her eyes go wide with shock and pain as she looks down at the stake protruding from her body.

Opening credit sequence.

ACT I

2     EXT.   SUNNYDALE CEMETERY- NIGHT    2

Resume. Buffy looks down in horror at the stake in her gut. She grips the shaft and, with a gasp of pain, pulls it out. Her sweater is soaked with her blood.

For the first time in a long time, Buffy feels fear. She turns and flees, trying to escape the vampire. The hunter had become the hunted. Her wound slows her, however, and she casts terrified glances over her shoulder.

Suddenly, the vampire leaps in front of her and she stops with a gasp, looking around desperately for an escape route.

ROCKER VAMPIRE

You're going? But you were having so much fun a minute ago!

Buffy brings the stake up but the creature easily knocks it from her grasp and tosses her against a nearby crypt. She doubles over in pain as the vampire picks up her stake and approaches with a predatory grin.

Buffy is helpless. She realizes that this is the moment she's been dreading but always knew would come. She's going to die.

As the vampire raises the stake for the killing blow, he's suddenly tackled to the ground by RILEY. He rains blows down on the demon and takes out a taser but the vampire knocks it from his hand before he can use it and takes off across the graveyard. Riley is about to give chase when he notices Buffy's obvious distress and rushes to her aid.

RILEY

Buffy! What happened?

She holds up her bloody hands, then collapses in arms, unconscious.

CUT TO:

3     INT.   SUMMERS HOME- BUFFY'S ROOM- DAY    3

Riley is applying first aid and dressing Buffy's wound.

BUFFY

I can't believe I passed out. Do you think I'm a total wuss now?

RILEY

Oh, yeah. I like a girl who can play a few hard sets of tennis with a major stab wound.

BUFFY

You said it wasn't that bad.

RILEY

I said I've seen worse. There's a difference.

BUFFY

Well, at least no major organs got kebabed.

RILEY

I still think you need to see a real doctor.

BUFFY

That would put me in a real hospital which would get my real mom real freaked out. I can't do it. Don't worry. Accelerated healing powers come with the Slayer package. And the boyfriend who comes complete with combat medical training? That's just a Buffy Summers bonus.

RILEY

So tell me about the bad guy- or guys. What do you think they were?

BUFFY

Vampire.

RILEY

How many?

BUFFY

One.

Riley is surprised.

RILEY

So... what? He was like a super-vampire or something?

BUFFY

No, he was the regular kind. He just beat me.

RILEY

That ever happen before?

BUFFY

I'm in the best physical shape of my life. I mean, if you're asking how it happened, I don't-

The door flies open and DAWN runs in.

BUFFY

Dawn!

DAWN

Sorry to interrupt the sex-capades. I just wanted to tell you that Mom's coming.

Riley hides the bandages and tape just as JOYCE enters the room.

JOYCE

Hi, Riley.

RILEY

Hey, Mrs. Summers. How're you feeling?

JOYCE

I'm fine, bordering on chipper and tomorrow planning on being obnoxious.

RILEY

(smiles)

Glad to hear it.

JOYCE

Buffy, when you have a minute I'd like to go over the grocery list for next week.

BUFFY

You got it.

JOYCE

(re: alcohol)

Are you disinfecting something?

BUFFY

Huh? Oh, uh-

DAWN

Mine! Some nail polish experiments are doomed before they even begin.

JOYCE

But you keep pushing the envelope, honey.

Joyce smiles and leaves, closing the bedroom door behind her.

DAWN

(smiles; to Buffy)

Did I just pull a Slayer-related Mom cover-up thing? Come on, who's the man?

BUFFY

You are. A very short, annoying man.

Stung, Dawn's smile fades.

BUFFY

If I show you something, you promise you won't tell?

Dawn crosses her heart and Buffy lifts her shirt to reveal the bandaged stab wound. Dawn is awed.

DAWN

Oh, cool! (off Buffy's look) I mean, gross!

BUFFY

And Mom cannot know. Okay? You'll help me with the household stuff?

DAWN

Oh, sure. I save your butt and you dump all your chores on me. (off Buffy's look) I got it. You're covered. We're good. Just lucky it's not bikini season.

Buffy smiles and strokes Dawn's hair.

RILEY

So Dawn takes household duty. I'll take tonight's patrol.

BUFFY

By yourself?

RILEY

Just a sweep.

BUFFY

Do me a favor? Will you take the gang along with?

RILEY

Okay. I will patrol with the group tonight.

DAWN

When do I get to patrol?

BUFFY

Not until you're never.

CUT TO:

4     EXT.   SUNNYDALE CEMETERY- NIGHT    4

Riley moves stealthily among the headstones, ducking from shadow to shadow. He pauses behind a large marble slab and raises his arm, fist closed, and pumps it up and down twice before moving further into the cemetery.

WILLOW, ANYA and XANDER follow about twenty yards behind him, munching potato chips and making no effort to conceal themselves.

XANDER

(to Willow)

What's with the hand move? Does that like mean something?

WILLOW

It's code. I think it breaks down to "choo-choo".

She mimics pulling a train whistle.

ANYA

It means to follow him. That, or wait here for him.

They watch Riley's covert movements for a moment, then Willow turns to Xander.

WILLOW

Ask.

XANDER

(yells)

Hey, Riley! What's the (hand gesture) all about?

RILEY

(exasperated)

It means yell real loud so the vampires who don't know we're coming will have a sporting chance.

XANDER

(to Willow)

See, now he's all mean and sarcastic.

WILLOW

That's because you were doing all the yelling, Mr. Stealthy-Pants.

ANYA

(to Riley)

It's their fault.

RILEY

Guys, I'm thinking if we split up, we could cover more ground. Tell you what? I'll take the cemeteries, you guys get the Bronze.

ANYA

Are we not being covert enough?

XANDER

We're sorry!

WILLOW

Sorry.

XANDER

We'll be sneakier. Promise.

He munches loudly on a handful of chips.

RILEY

Okay. Just ditch the chips and watch my back.

WILLOW

Done.

She reaches into the bag and grabs a handful of chips herself before setting the bag down. Riley moves off into the cemetery again.

XANDER

(to Anya)

You know what he's like? He's like a cat. You know, a big jungle cat. How come I'm not like that? It's just so cool.

WILLOW

(munching)

I think you're cool.

CUT TO:

5     INT.   THE MAGIC BOX- NIGHT   5

The reading table is piled high with books. GILES and Buffy are into some deep research.

GILES

Here's another one. Early 18th Century Slayer.

Buffy closes her book with a sigh and sets it on the stack.

BUFFY

Good. Let's hope she'll be more helpful than this last one.

GILES

Why? What does it say?

BUFFY

Same as all the others. Slayer called... blah, blah... great protector... blah, blah... scary battles... blah, blah... oops! She's dead. Where are the details?

GILES

Details? Well, it says this Slayer forged her own weapons.

He hands the book to Buffy.

BUFFY

Gotta love a gal with an anvil. But where are the details of the Slayer's last battle? You know, what made that fight special? Why did she lose?

GILES

You didn't lose last night, Buffy. You just-

BUFFY

Got really close. I slipped up, Giles. I've been training harder than ever and still I... (beat) And there's nothing in any of these books to help me understand why. I mean... look, I realize that every Slayer comes with an expiration mark on the package. But I want mine to be a long time from now. Like a Cheeto. If there were just a few good descriptions of what took out the other Slayers, maybe it would help me to understand my mistake, to keep it from happening again.

GILES

Yes, well, the problem is after a final battle, it's difficult to get any... well, the Slayer's not... she's rather...

BUFFY

It's okay to use the D-word, Giles.

GILES

Dead. And hence not very forthcoming.

BUFFY

Why didn't the Watchers keep fuller accounts of it? The journals just stop.

GILES

Well, I suppose if they're anything like me, they just find the whole subject too-

BUFFY

Unseemly? Damn. Love ya but you Watchers are such prigs sometimes.

GILES

Painful... I was going to say.

Buffy and Giles share a meaningful look.

GILES

But you're right. Accounts of the final battles would be very helpful. But there's no one left to tell the tales.

Buffy has a sudden revelation.

GILES

What?

CUT TO:

6     INT.   SPIKE'S CRYPT- NIGHT   6

Buffy shoves SPIKE against the wall and holds him there.

SPIKE

Ow! (beat) Wait. Not ow. You feeling all right, Slayer? This stuff usually hurts.

Buffy spins him around to face her.

BUFFY

Don't even start, Spike.

SPIKE

What do you want?

BUFFY