First Date

December 16, 2002 (WHITE)

Written by: Jane Espenson
Directed by: David Grossman

Teaser

INT. ROBSON'S FLAT

<already shot>

We see what happened when that BRINGER attacked GILES:

Giles is kneeling over Robson.

Robson sees what's coming and passes out before Giles' fancy move.

The blade comes swinging at the back of Giles' head. Giles grabs it blind and uses its own momentum to cut off the head of the Bringer who swung it.

As Giles stands over what appears to be two dead bodies -- one his friend and colleague, the other a headless Bringer corpse, we pre-lap:

GILES (V.O.)
It was extraordinary good luck, of
course...

EXT. CEMETERY - NIGHT (NIGHT 1)

We come out of flashback to find BUFFY, GILES, KENNEDY, AMANDA, and a new Potential CHAO-AHN, out on patrol in the cemetery. The Potential Slayers all have stakes, but they're not focused on the dangerous darkness around them as they walk. They're all listening, riveted, as Giles continues his exciting story.

GILES (CONT'D)
... and years of training, don't
forget that, but I honestly feel the
largest part of it was instinct.
Instinct and reflexes. There's a
certain wary watchfulness I've honed
over the years. Almost like another
sense-

GILES is BLIND-SIDED, TACKLED TO THE GROUND AND OUT OF FRAME BY SPIKE who flies in from the side.

BUFFY
Spike!

Angle on Spike and Giles, untangling themselves on the ground, getting to their feet. Spike is not in vamp-face.

SPIKE/GILES
Hey!

SPIKE
You're not The First! 		GILES
You're not in pain!

GILES
What?

SPIKE
Anya said you were The First. Said
you were evil. You're supposed to be
all, y'know, go-through-able!

GILES
Then why'd you tackle me, you burk?
What was that supposed to do?

SPIKE
I... huh... didn't think 'a that.

GILES
And, more importantly... you hit me!
Why didn't your chip go off?

Everyone looks to Spike and Buffy... who shift uncomfortably.

SPIKE
Yeah, well..

BUFFY
Well, when we were in the
Initiative...

SPIKE
There was a choice...

BUFFY
To repair the chip or just remove
it...

GILES
You had it removed?! You removed the
chip.

BUFFY
Yeah.

There is a beat of shocked, stunned silence. Then:

AMANDA
What's a chip?

After another beat.

CHAO-AHN
(subtitled; in
Vietnamese or
whatever the actress
speaks)
I don't understand a word any of you
are saying.

END OF TEASER
Act One

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - BUFFY'S ROOM - DAY (DAY 2)

Early the next morning. Buffy is in her room, deciding on a pair of earrings. She's considering hoops when she looks up to see Giles standing in the doorway.

GILES
You know this is very dangerous.

BUFFY
You've just heard horror stories,
that's all. Wear hoops and they'll
catch on something, rip your lobes
off, lobes flying everywhere...

GILES
That's not what I mean.

BUFFY
You mean Spike not having a chip.
Free-range Spike.

GILES
Buffy, I have to ask. Why on earth
did you make that decision?

BUFFY
I guess it was instinct, like you
were talking about.

GILES
What? I made that up! I knew the
Bringer was behind me because his
shoes squeaked! Buffy, it's crucial
that we keep these girls safe, and I
can't even keep track of the dangers:
The First, the Bringers, random
demons and now Spike?!

BUFFY
And the principal.

GILES
What?

BUFFY
Oh, nothing much, just, he was in the
school basement with a shovel, acting
kind of evasive. And he's got a "too
charming to be real" thing going on.
I'm gonna look into it.

GILES
Well, that sounds very responsible of
you. Balances out the vampire-on-the-
loose issue.

BUFFY
Nothing's really changed, Giles.
Spike had a chip before, remember?
When The First made him kill and sire
those people?

GILES
We have no way of knowing if his chip
was functioning then. A new chip
might be able to restrain him should
The First attempt to activate him
again.

BUFFY
It doesn't matter. The girls aren't
in danger from him. He wouldn't let
that happen. I trust him.

GILES
Well, of course you trust Spike. He
has slaughtered thousands, and
therefore probably knows all about
how not to do it.

BUFFY
He has a soul now, Giles. That's
what's going to keep him from hurting
anyone. I'm going to trust that
before I trust some chip we already
know can go bad on him.

GILES
Buffy...

BUFFY
He can be a good man, Giles. I feel
it. But he's never going to get
there if we never give him a chance.

Giles hesitates, not sure if he wants to get into this conversation:

GILES
I want better for you.
(off her look)
Your feelings for him are coloring
your judgment. I hear it in your
voice. That way lies a future with
a great deal of pain. I don't want
that for you.

BUFFY
Giles, if you're saying there are
sparks between him and me, you're
wrong. Spike and I haven't-- things
are different since he came back.
Just look in his eyes and you'll see
he's changed. There's... there's a
person in there now.

GILES
I see what's happening. It doesn't
matter anymore if you're... if you're
physical with each other. There's a
connection there. You rely on him
and he relies on you. That's what's
affecting your judgement.

BUFFY
You think I'm losing sight of the big
picture. But I'm not. When Spike
had that chip in him it was like,
like having him in a muzzle or
something. It feels wrong. We can't
beat evil by doing evil. I know that.

Buffy turns to head out.

GILES
(called after)
I hope you're right. You're gambling
with a lot of lives.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - STAIRS/ DINING ROOM / KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

Walking fast, still amped up from her conversation with Giles, Buffy walks briskly down the stairs.

In the entryway, Kennedy has hold of WILLOW's hand and is trying to tug her up the stairs. Willow resists, playfully.

WILLOW
You're luring me. I know when I'm
being lured.

KENNEDY
No, really. It's important.

WILLOW
You're trying to get me alone and,
you know, kiss or something...

KENNEDY
And that's not important?

Willow laughs and let's herself be tugged onto the stairs.

DAWN crosses through (dining room to living room), eating cereal from a bowl.

DAWN
(under breath)
Sure, kiss her. What harm can that
do?

And DAWN EXITS.

Kennedy and Willow pass Buffy, who heads into the dining room, heading for the kitchen. She still has a full head of steam.

ANDREW and ANYA are in the dining room, sitting at the table. Andrew is also having cereal. Anya is just talking to him. We hear a snippet:

ANYA
...just left, so I had to walk down
the aisle, in the big white dress, to
tell everyone the wedding was off.
And they were all looking at me with,
like, such pity--

ANDREW
I saw the same thing on a Lifetime
Movie special event! It was
terrible! You were Dixie Carter.

BUFFY keeps moving, heads into the kitchen, pours coffee. (A new microwave, still in its box, sits on the counter.) Then:

BUFFY
(convincing herself)
My judgment is clear.

She drinks some coffee. Even more convincing:

BUFFY (cont'd)
Absolutely no sparks.

INT. LUMBER YARD / HARDWARE STORE - DAY

SPARKS! We're close on something that's throwing out lots of 'em... a saw cutting through a metal pipe, perhaps.

WIDEN TO REVEAL that we're in a lumber yard, where a number of young men are watching a demonstration of the sparky item in question. One of them is XANDER, wearing protective eyewear and looking interested. After a beat, his attention is drawn to a young woman nearby, who is looking around a display of ropes, a little confused. She's holding a loop of rope.

Angle on the young woman. This is MAYA. Xander approaches, removing his eyewear.

XANDER
Can I help? You seem kinda confused.

MAYA
You aren't wearing a red apron.

XANDER
Confused but sort of randomly
observant.

MAYA
Sorry. I just mean... you don't work
here, right?

XANDER
Oh, right. No, just helpful. I'm
Xander.

MAYA
My name's Maya. And I guess I could
use some advice. I can't even figure
out if I've got the right kind of
rope...

XANDER
That depends what you need it for.
Something, like, functional around
the house, or you know, recreational?
(catching himself)
By which I mean, for example, boating
or mountain climbing, not tying
someone up for funky sexy fun...

Maya laughs. Xander plays off his embarrassment:

XANDER (cont'd)
In conclusion, rope can be useful in
various ways.

MAYA
I have a kayak.

XANDER
And again with the random. I like it.

MAYA
Sorry. I need to store my kayak. So
I was thinking maybe I could, sort
of, suspend it from the ceiling of
the garage with ropes and maybe a
pulley or a... winch-thing?

XANDER
Not a bad plan. You'll need stronger
rope than that. Want to go bowling
with me tonight?

MAYA
What?

With a smile:

XANDER
Oh, you're the only one who gets to
be random?

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL - OFFICE AREA - DAY

Buffy moves stealthily from her cubicle into Principal Wood's office.

INT. PRINCIPAL WOOD'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Buffy looks around at Wood's stuff. Files on his desk, diplomas on his walls, books on his shelves...

BUFFY
Now, if I were a sign of being evil,
where would I be?

She sees a foot-locker sized chest against a wall and goes to it, curious. She's got a hand on it, ready to open it when WOOD ENTERS.

WOOD
Buffy?

BUFFY
HEY! Principal Wood! It's you!

WOOD
Looking for something?

BUFFY
YES! File folders! And mechanical
pencils. I wanted to write on a file
folder with a mechanical pencil.

WOOD
The supply cabinet in the outer
office has those things.

BUFFY
Oh... so this isn't the... the supply
cabinet. Right. Well, thanks!

Buffy is almost out the door when he stops her.

WOOD
Hey, Buffy.

BUFFY
Yes?

He steps over close to her.

WOOD
What are you doing tonight?

BUFFY
Preparing for tomorrow's counseling
sessions.

He smiles charmingly.

WOOD
No, really.

BUFFY
Watching a reality show about a
millionaire.

WOOD
Well, then... I'd like to take you
out to dinner if that's all right
with you.

Buffy is a little shaken... did he catch her? What's he up to? She hesitates.

WOOD (cont'd)
You don't have to. I'm certainly not
saying "come to dinner if you enjoy
having a job."
(realizes)
I may have to make up a little
document saying I didn't say that and
have you sign it.

BUFFY
I'd... sure, I'd be happy to have
dinner with you.

WOOD
I'll draw up the paperwork.

Buffy exits, looking dazed and worried.

After a beat, Wood closes the door. Then he removes an ornate knife from under his suit coat and uses a handkerchief to wipe it clean of (red) blood... puts it in the chest, which we now see is full of other nasty looking weapons (mostly ornate knives and sabers, no stakes.)

END OF ACT ONE
Act Two

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY

After school. Buffy is talking to Willow. Willow is folding socks from a laundry basket. They're talking excitedly.

WILLOW
He asked you out to dinner?

BUFFY
Yeah. Isn't that weird? He's a
principal. A young hot principal
with earrings, but a principal. Why
do you suppose he asked me out?

WILLOW
Well, I assume it's not 'cause he
likes your company.

Buffy shoots her a look.

WILLOW (cont'd)
Unless it is.

BUFFY
I don't know. When he looks at me,
he's like intense, you know? There's
eye contact with all four of our
eyes. He could be interested, right?

WILLOW
Sure. You're a frisky vixen.

BUFFY
Or it could be work-related. Maybe
I'm getting promoted for doing a good
job.

Willow laughs at the idea. Then catches herself.

WILLOW
Oh. Right. That would make sense
too.

BUFFY
Or maybe he knows I suspect he's up
to something, and he's taking me out
to kill me.

WILLOW
You'll have to dress for the
ambiguity.

BUFFY
It's not even that his behavior's
that suspicious. But there he is,
right over the Hellmouth all day
every day. It's gotta be like being
showered with evil, only from
underneath.

WILLOW
Not really a shower.

BUFFY
A bidet, then. A bidet of evil.

WILLOW
Can we go back to the eye contact?
I mean, Buff, if he really is
interested in you... are you
interested back?

Buffy considers. Then.

BUFFY
Good god, how many socks are in there?

Willow looks. She's been folding socks this whole time.

WILLOW
They're the Potentials'. Turns out,
they each have two feet.

BUFFY
Well we'll see about that when the
fighting starts.
(beat)
I didn't mean that.

WILLOW
But you did duck the question. Are
you interested in Principal Wood?

BUFFY
Oh, Will. I don't know. He's very
good-looking. And funny and solid
and... normal, so not the wicked
energy, which is nice, because I
don't want to be attracted only to
the wicked energy... unless he is
wicked, in which case, is that why I
like him?

WILLOW
I'm gonna wait for that sentence to
come 'round again before I jump on.

BUFFY
Anyway, yeah. I like him. And it
might be good for me.

WILLOW
Right. You could move on.

Buffy looks at her sharply.

BUFFY
Move on? Does everyone in this house
think I'm in love with Spike?

WILLOW
I meant move on from this imposed
super-self-reliance. Let someone get
close.

BUFFY
Oh--

Front door opens.

BUFFY (cont'd)
(quickly)
Hey, someone's home!

Xander enters and hurries over, excited.

XANDER
Guys! Guess what happened?

WILLOW
Buffy got a date!

XANDER
No! I did!
(then)
Fine. Way to steal my thunder.

BUFFY
Sorry. It's Principal Wood and I
think he's aligned with The First.

XANDER
Also, like, ten years older than you,
right?

WILLOW
Which makes him, like a hundred years
younger than your "type."

BUFFY
Yay, someone who doesn't remember the
industrial revolution.

WILLOW
I think they're gonna end up making
out. "Oh, Principal Wood," she'll
gasp, "I love your lack of wicked
energy..."

BUFFY
Be quiet, Willow, or we're gonna make
you talk about your new girlfriend
who you hold hands with under the
dinner table and think we don't
notice.

WILLOW
(quickly)
How 'bout yours, Xander? Is she evil?

XANDER
Well she's interested in me, so
there's a good chance. But I'm
hoping for the best. We're going
bowling and she has a kayak. Hey,
that's a lot of socks.

Giles enters through the front door with Chao-Ahn. They both carry shopping bags. They join the others in the living room, but don't sit down.

GILES
Dear Lord, I hate that mall. The
clerks are rude and everything in the
food court is sticky.

WILLOW
Looks like you found her some stuff.

XANDER
That's gotta be rough, getting just,
like, pulled outta your home, told
you're a Potential Slayer, no chance
to bring anything...

GILES
And this language barrier is
formidable. I was concerned because
my Cantonese's a little... thin...
and then it turns out she speaks
Vietnamese, which is... thinner. But
we muddled though. And, as I
suspected, ice-cream is the universal
language.

CHAO-AHN
(subtitled)
Like many from Asia, I am lactose-
intolerant. I'm very uncomfortable.

BUFFY
(to Giles)
What did she say?

GILES
She is grateful to be in a land of
plenty.
(loudly to Chao-Ann)
LET'S GO PUT AWAY THE NEW CLOTHES.

They exit Chao-Ahn following Giles resignedly, leaving Buffy, Xander and Willow alone again.

BUFFY
Hey, Will, I wonder if you can do a
computer check on Principal Wood for
me. See what you can find?

WILLOW
Sure. I'll have the Potentials help
out. It'll be a learning exercise.
Want me to check out your girl at the
same time, Xand?

XANDER
Nope. I'm going in blind. I'm gonna
be an optimist about this. Why look
for trouble? If it's gonna find you,
it's gonna find you.

And the camera travels to the kitchen where we find...

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - KITCHEN - CONTINUING

Andrew setting the clock on the new microwave (the now-empty box sits on the floor.) He's consulting the manual.

ANDREW
"Getting the most out of your new
microwave." Ooh, nice.
(flipping pages)
"clock, comma, setting the" page 3...

JONATHAN/FIRST (O.S.)
You don't need a manual! It's
intuitive!

Andrew whirls, startled, to see JONATHAN. The manual shoots out of his hand, he turns so fast. Jonathan is wearing the black outfit in which he died - but not cut or stained or dirty.

JONATHAN/FIRST (cont'd; O.S.)
There's a button marked "clock set,"
for pity's sake. What kind of a nerd
are you? No wonder you crashed your
jet pack.

ANDREW
Oh! Oh! Get thee behind me! I
rebuke thee!

Andrew fumbles in his pocket, pulls out a small cross (a few inches tall.) He thrusts it at Jonathan.

ANDREW (cont'd)
Take that, The First!

Jonathan sighs.

JONATHAN/FIRST
Look, you monkey...

Jonathan PUTS HIS HAND RIGHT THROUGH THE CROSS.

JONATHAN/FIRST (cont' d)
Ooh! Ow! It burns as it passes
ineffectually through me! I'm not
corporeal, remember? Also, not a
vampire. So, a cross?

Andrew puts the cross down.

ANDREW
What do you want from me, Jonathan-
slash-The-First?

JONATHAN/FIRST
I have an assignment for you. An
assignment from beyond the grave.

ANDREW
I follow Buffy's orders now. I'm
redeeming myself for killing you...
I mean, for killing Jonathan.

JONATHAN/FIRST
Really? Why? So you can earn a spot
on her little pep squad? You think
she'll ever let you in? You're a
murderer.

ANDREW
Confidentially, a lot of her people
are murderers. Anya and Willow and
Spike...

JONATHAN/FIRST
Interesting. And you're the only one
that she makes seek redemption? Does
that seem fair to you?

ANDREW
I guess not.

JONATHAN/FIRST
You know we're headed toward a fight,
don't you?

ANDREW
Yeah.

JONATHAN/FIRST
What do you think the world's gonna
be like after that? News flash,
there's not gonna be a Slayer-gang
anymore. But there is going to be
evil. And as long as there is evil,
I live. And as long as I live, you
can dwell at my side.

ANDREW
That sounds nice.

JONATHAN/FIRST
And your assignment won't be hard.
They're just little girls.

ANDREW
You want me to hurt the girls?

JONATHAN/FIRST
Not all of them. Not Dawn, not Anya.
Not Willow and not your friend Buffy.
Just the Potential Slayers.

ANDREW
That's horrible! I'm going to scream
and get Buffy in here.

Andrew draws a big breath for screaming with.

JONATHAN/FIRST
She can't see me. I'll still be
here, and I'm gonna keep talking 'til
you hear what I have to say. So
listen up, okay? The girls must die.

Andrew lets out the breath.

ANDREW
I could never do that. All those
girls, all that blood. I didn't like
the stabbing before.

JONATHAN/FIRST
You don't have to stab. This'll be
easy. Andrew, think about it.
Willow brought something to this
house. Something good. Something
you can use.

ANDREW
The new microwave.

JONATHAN/FIRST
The gun. I want you to think hard.
Where did they put the gun?

And Andrew thinks.

ANDREW
Hmm.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - BATHROOM/HALLWAY - LATER

In the bathroom, Anya is helping Buffy by scrubbing at a stain on Buffy's blouse.

ANYA
I don't think it's really a date,
that's what I think.

BUFFY
Well, it is unclear. That's why I
chose a top that says "I'm
comfortable in a stodgy office or a
swingin' casual setting or killing
you because you're a demon."

ANYA
It also says "I spilled grape juice."
I'm not sure I can fix this.

BUFFY
Oh, okay.

Buffy takes off the blouse. She's wearing a lacey bra underneath. As she does this, Anya continues:

ANYA
I wasn't talking about your date
anyway. I'm talking about this sham
date of Xander's. I think this is
part of plan to make me jealous.

BUFFY
(wryly)
But it's not working. ANYA
Are you nuts? Of course it's
working! Observe my bitter ranting!
Hear the shrill edge of hysteria in
my voice!

BUFFY
Oh. Okay. Look, I've gotta pick out
another top...

ANYA
Fine, go. Leave me to stew in my
impotent rage.

Buffy hesitates in the doorway, unsure if she should leave Anya alone. After a beat.

ANYA (cont'd)
I'm also gonna pee, so you should
probably go.

Buffy exits into the hall, wearing the bra and carrying the blouse. She's startled to find Spike there. Her first instinct is to hide her half-dressed state, but she realizes there's no point.

SPIKE
You look nice.

BUFFY
Oh. Thanks. Traditionally, one
wears something over this.

SPIKE
Heard you got a date.

Buffy casually covers herself with the stained blouse.

BUFFY
That's not clear, I've got this
whole theory about a promotion. Or
he's evil.

SPIKE
Buffy, I'm all right.

BUFFY
You don't have to...

SPIKE
What? Be noble? I'm not. I really
am all right. You think I still
dream of a crypt for two with a white
picket fence? My eyes are clear.

BUFFY
(tiny bit
disappointed)
Good. I'm glad. Thank you.

SPIKE
(tries a little joke)
Don't care for picket fences anyway.
Bloody dangerous.

BUFFY
Right. And, hey... you should do
this too. Go out sometime I mean.
There was the girl you took to Xander
and Anya's not-a-wedding.

They might even realize at this point that they're causing each other pain... but they can't stop.

SPIKE
Right. There's always girls who like
the look. Bad boy, you know, does it
for some of 'em.

BUFFY
Sure I can see that.
(beat)
I... gotta go. I don't wanna be late.

INT. BOWLING ALLEY - NIGHT

Xander is sitting at the bowling alley snack counter, drumming his fingers nervously and looking at the clock. The clock reads 8:30. It should read like he got stood up.

Xander looks around, and is clearly surprised when he sees Maya approaching. He gets up to meet her. (He shouldn't touch her so we can play a certain joke later.)

XANDER
Maya, hi! I was afraid you weren't
coming.

MAYA
We said eight-thirty, right? Did you
think I was gonna stand you up?

XANDER
Well, it would be kinda karmic.

MAYA
What?

XANDER
Forget it. I'm glad you're here.
You wanna get a lane?

MAYA
Sure. Or we could sit here and make
fun of others as they bowl.

XANDER
(realizing)
You don't bowl.

MAYA
Not really. But I am good at
pointing and mocking. Are you
disappointed?

XANDER
Will you be pointing at or mocking me
at any point?

MAYA
Not when you can see me.

XANDER
Then I'm in.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Willow is at the computer. Dawn and Kennedy and Amanda look on. Kennedy leans on Willow's shoulder - they're clearly a couple.

DAWN
Nothing? No records or certificates
or college transcripts?

AMANDA
Looks like the only stuff in the
system about Principal Robin Wood is
super recent. Like, since he moved
to Sunnydale.

WILLOW
I've Googled 'til I just can't Google
no more. He's not in there.

KENNEDY
Well, that's suspicious.

WILLOW
And it doesn't leave a lot of
options. Either this guy has lived
completely under the radar his whole
life, or he only recently came into
existence, or maybe he just took on
a new identity, or he's a computer
whiz who covered his own tracks.

After a beat.

DAWN
That sounded like kind of a lot of
options.

Anya enters, Giles following.

GILES
Anya, calm down. They're educational.

Anya marches over to Willow and hands her a stack of large white cards.

WILLOW
What's this?

ANYA
Giles made them for Chao-Ahn and now
she's locked herself in the bathroom.
There's a lot of girls up there and
they're starting to complain.

GILES
Those are flashcards. I made them to
facilitate her training. Chao-Ahn
never had a Watcher, and with the
language problem...

WILLOW
You showed her these?

Willow holds up two of the cards... they show vocabulary words with drawings of the style Giles used in "Hush."

The one labeled "BRINGER" shows an eyeless figure slashing a small girl with a long knife.

The one labeled "VAMPIRE" shows the same girl being neck- bit, blood drops scattering.

GILES
I wanted her to understand the
seriousness of her situation.

Dawn picks up another and looks at it. This one is labeled "TUROK-HAN," and it shows the Ubervamp standing over the girl who lies IN TWO PIECES at his feet in a pool of blood.

DAWN
Holy crap.

GILES
Perhaps I'll rethink the approach.

WILLOW
Meantime, you wanna join us in the
researchy? We're trying to invade
Buffy's date's privacy.

GILES
Buffy has a date?

ANYA
Oh yes, didn't you hear? Everyone
has a date. Buffy has a date,
Willow's been completely making out
with this girl...

Anya points at Kennedy.

KENNEDY
Hey!

ANYA
...and Xander's out with some
hardware store whore. It's date-fest
two-thousand-and-three!

WILLOW
Buffy's actually investigating
Principal Wood. It's not a date.

GILES
(mollified)
Really?

WILLOW
It might be a date.

GILES
For god's sake! How can anyone be
thinking about their social life?
We're about to fight the original,
most primal evil, and these girls are
all in mortal danger!

ANGLE ON GILES from some distance away... someone's POV.

GILES (cont'd)
Didn't you see the flash cards?!

ANGLE ON: the doorway. Andrew watches them surreptitiously -- that was his POV we saw. And he's looking somewhat like he might jump out and shoot everyone.

GILES (O.S.)
This isn't right!

EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT

Principal Wood and Buffy and both dressed for their date. Buffy carries a small evening purse. They have just turned into an alley. It's not dirty or especially narrow, but it's dark and it's an alley (no dumpsters or stacked crates.)

Buffy hesitates.

BUFFY
This isn't right.

WOOD
I know it doesn't look promising, but
I swear this place is great, the best-
kept secret in town. It's just down
this way.

They head into the alley.

BUFFY
Well, it is one of the nicer dark
alleys.

WOOD
I promise, it's just a little
further.

THREE VAMPS JUMP OUT RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM, vamped-out and snarling.

THEN two other vamps (FOR A TOTAL OF FIVE) EMERGE FROM THE SHADOWS ALL AROUND THEM. THEY ARE SURROUNDED!

The three in front charge at Buffy. (We lose track of Wood here, and just follow Buffy's actions.)

She vaults over one to land on the back of another, staking him through the back, and landing on the ground on all fours when HE DUSTS under her, then kicking out with her feet from that position to repel the other two...

She pulls a stake from her purse and DUSTS a second one. But is blindsided by the last one and lands flat on her back.

She flips to a sitting position and DUSTS the last one from there.

She turns on Principal Wood.

ON BUFFY FOR:

BUFFY
You set me up! You son of a what?

HER POV:

Principal Wood is fighting two vamps, stake in hand. He dusts them, DUST-DUST, fast and efficient.

He helps Buffy up.

WOOD
I guess we should talk.

END OF ACT TWO
Act Three

EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT

Where we left them. Wood has just helped BUFFY to her feet.

WOOD
The restaurant's right there.

He points. Buffy looks. Sure enough, there really is a nice looking little Bistro just around the corner at the end of the alley.

BUFFY
Uh...

INT. BOWLING ALLEY - NIGHT

Xander and Maya continue their date. The snack counter in front of them is littered with soda cans and food wrappers.

MAYA
And you still have to see her, like,
every day?

XANDER
Yeah. But I guess that's good.

MAYA
How is that good? I mean, it sounds
like she never lets you forget what
happened.

XANDER
Well, it's on her mind right now, I
think, because our anniversary just
happened. I mean it would've been
our anniversary. And maybe I
shouldn't be allowed to forget it.
I did... It was a bad thing. It hurt
her a lot.

MAYA
And if you'd gone ahead with it,
married her even though you had
doubts... would that've been better?

XANDER
I guess not.

MAYA
It sounds to me like, in the long
run, you're both better off.
(smiles)
I know it turned out good for me, and
that's what really matters, right?

He smiles, then hesitates, touches her arm, checking for tangibility. She looks confused.

MAYA (cont'd)
What--

XANDER
Never mind. We're good. I should've
taken you on a nicer date than this.

She smiles.

MAYA
Well, I can think of something fun to
do.

INT. BISTRO - NIGHT

BUFFY and Wood are being seated at an intimate candle-lit table in this romantic little French restaurant. They set aside their menus.

BUFFY
Ooh, nice place and how the hell did
you do that?

WOOD
I've had a little practice. Never
took on two at once before, but I've
taken out a vamp here or there, and
some demons.

BUFFY
Just kinda... freelance?

WOOD
Freelance. Yes, I guess that would
be a good way to put it.

BUFFY
And you know who I am?

WOOD
You're the Slayer.

BUFFY
Right. So... I'm guessing you work
in an office about fifteen feet over
a Hellmouth because you love
educational administration.

WOOD
I actually do enjoy the work, but
you're right, I maneuvered myself
into that school, that office, just-
like I maneuvered you there. The
Hellmouth draws the bad things in
close. And now we're headed for
something big, Buffy, and I need to
be here when it happens. I want to
help.

BUFFY
So I wasn't hired for my counseling
skills?

Wood laughs. Then off her look.

WOOD
They're valuable too.

BUFFY
Why didn't you tell me about you
earlier?

WOOD
I wasn't sure about things yet.

BUFFY
You weren't sure you could trust me.

WOOD
No. I wasn't sure I was ready yet.
Ready to jump into the fight.

BUFFY
And now you are?

WOOD
Now the fight is starting. Or
starting to start. And I don't have
time to worry anymore. I have to do
something.

Buffy considers.

BUFFY
You knew I was the Slayer before you
got here.

WOOD
Yes.

BUFFY
How? How do you know about Slayers?

WOOD
Right. Okay. See, when I was a
little boy I had a mother who was
one. The one. The Slayer.

BUFFY
You're-- My god. I didn't know any
Slayers had children.

WOOD
I don't know of any others. Anyway,
she was killed when I was four. I
remember her a little, but it's
fuzzy, you know?

BUFFY
Something got her? A demon or a...

WOOD
A vampire. I went through this whole
avenging son phase in my twenties,
but I never found who did it. So now
I just dust as many of 'em as I can
find. Figure eventually I'll get
him. That's probably why we got
jumped. I'm not very popular with
the bumpy forehead crowd. Bet you
aren't either.

BUFFY
Not most of 'em, no. Are you... do
you have Slayer powers? I mean, I
just... I'm floored by this... I
don't even know what to ask.

WOOD
I don't have powers. No super-
strength or mythic responsibilities.
Just a guy with a few skills because
her Watcher took me in and raised me.

BUFFY
In Beverly Hills.

WOOD
See now, that detail takes the edge
off my Little Orphan Robin story, but
yeah, that was true.

BUFFY
So you decided to tell me.

WOOD
That's right.

BUFFY
In a darkened little romantic French
restaurant.

WOOD
Um, yeah I'm not sure how that
happened.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Andrew is talking with Jonathan/First in the living room.

JONATHAN/ FIRST
Did you find the gun?

ANDREW
Yes. It was in Buffy's underwear
drawer. She has nice things.

JONATHAN/FIRST
Show me.

ANDREW
Well, I didn't take 'em, but there
were thongs and also regular
underpants--

JONATHAN/FIRST
Show me the gun.

ANDREW
Oh. Here.

Andrew picks up a paper bag and opens it so Jonathan can look inside (without touching the bag) -- the gun is there.

ANDREW (cont'd)
She tried to shoot Kennedy with that.
(realizing)
Hey, shooting Kennedy. Isn't that
weird?

JONATHAN/ FIRST
It's great. There's gonna be panic
and fleeing when you start firing, so
you're gonna hafta get 'em all
trapped somewhere like the basement.

ANDREW
And we're killing them because...

JONATHAN/FIRST
Because they're the future of the
Slayer line. When they're gone, the
line is gone.

ANDREW
Uh-huh, uh-huh. Hey, why not have
Spike do it? He's the one with the
trigger.

JONATHAN/FIRST
It's not time for him yet. You can
wait for the next time they're
training in the basement. But don't
just rely on a locked door to keep
'em in, you'll need more.

ANDREW
Okay.
(probing)
Say, do you have any weaknesses I
should know about, if I'm gonna work
for you? Like kryptonite or
allergies...?

JONATHAN/FIRST
What are you asking?

Andrew is toying dangerously with the gun-bag now, trying to be super-casual.

ANDREW
Oh, nothing. Are you made out of the
evil impulses of humans? So, like,
if everyone was unconscious at the
same time, you would fade away?

Jonathan stares at him...

JONATHAN/FIRST
You're asking a lot of questions.

ANDREW
Well, yes. Because I'm evil and I
want to do the best I can at that.
So I want to know stuff. Like, when
do we kill Buffy?

JONATHAN/FIRST
Are you wearing a wire?

CUT TO:

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - BASEMENT - NIGHT

Where Willow, Kennedy, Amanda and Dawn are sitting at a table in front of listening equipment (some kind of radio receiver I imagine?) Willow has on headphones and frowns, concentrating.

Suddenly, Willow jumps and rips the headphones off.

KENNEDY
What's going on?

WILLOW
The First. It screamed...
(then)
I think it knows about the wire.

DAWN
I didn't hear that. They're just in
the next room.

AMANDA
But you heard it over the wire?

WILLOW
Only that. The whole rest of the
time, Andrew's voice is fine, but in
between is just silence or static.

DAWN
I guess that's what you'd expect.

AMANDA
Poor Andrew. He must be scared.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUING

Andrew and Jonathan are where we left them.

JONATHAN/FIRST
You think you can trick The First?
You think you can squirm free? I
hold you, Andrew. I made you do this.

Jonathan presses his hands to his belly, then turns them palm out to Andrew. His hands are red with blood.

JONATHAN/FIRST (cont'd)
Jonathan suffered. He was your
friend and he trusted you, and he
spends eternity in pain because of
what you did.

ANDREW
No!

Andrew is staring, terrified at Jonathan.

ANDREW (cont'd)
What's happening to you?

ANGLE ON JONATHAN. He's looking bad, decomposey, flesh starting to rot...

JONATHAN/FIRST
This is what you did to him. Took
away everything that he was and left
him like this. You started down a
road with that action. You have to
keep going.

Andrew stares at Jonathan... steeling himself. He makes a decision. A big hero moment. Low and calm and measured:

ANDREW
(steely)
Stop looking like Jonathan. You're
not him. You're The First and you're
trying to get me to shoot innocent
girls. But I won't do it. I'm good
now and after the fight is over I'm
going to pay for killing Jonathan.

JONATHAN/FIRST
You're gonna pay for more than that.
Know why? Because the biggest,
baddest, first evil in the world is
angry with you.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - BASEMENT - CONTINUING

Willow, Kennedy, Amanda and Dawn still there. Willow is putting the headphones back on. A WHISPERING FILLS THE ROOM -- IT'S JONATHAN'S VOICE, but altered -- raspy, spooky.

JONATHAN/FIRST (V.O.)
You think this was smart?

WILLOW
I'm hearing something.

Kennedy takes the headphones off Willow.

JONATHAN/FIRST (V.O.)
You think you can trick me, women?

KENNEDY
It's not in the headphones. It's out
here.

JONATHAN/FIRST (V.O.)
You only hear what I want you to
hear. You only see what I want you
to see.

And Jonathan appears in front of them, truly hideous now, an asymmetrical lump of rotten flesh. Amanda SCREAMS.

DAWN
Go away!

JONATHAN/FIRST
So many dead girls. There will be so
many.

And Jonathan FADES AWAY.

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL - BASEMENT - NIGHT

We see all of this at once: Xander, his face bruised, has his hands tied over his head and he is being hoisted by Maya's newly hoisted rope on the same device that Spike was tortured on. Beneath his feet is the SEAL OF DANTHALZAR, which is now uncovered again. (A shovel leans against the wall.)

Maya, now wearing a slinky midriff-baring dark-priestess outfit, is doing the hoisting by pure brute strength -- it's not even difficult for her.

XANDER
(resigned)
I knew it. See, I knew it.

MAYA
Thanks for your help selecting the
rope. The one I'd picked out wasn't
strong enough.

XANDER
Yeah. That would've been bad.
(then)
Listen, is this because I'm friends
with Buffy?

MAYA
Who's Buffy?

XANDER
The Slayer.

MAYA
(impressed)
You know the Slayer?

XANDER
Forget it. Are you affiliated with
Vengeance Demons?

MAYA
No.

XANDER
Competitive witches?

MAYA
No.

XANDER
Did you hatch out of a praying mantis
egg in the old high school?

MAYA
Gotta say no.

XANDER
This can't just happen. It can't
just keep happening that demon women
are attracted to me!

MAYA
You seemed like a nice guy, that's
all. Do the ropes hurt?

XANDER
Yes.

MAYA
(cheerful)
Good.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Willow, Kennedy, Amanda, Dawn and the pale huddled Andrew are briefing Anya and Spike and Giles on what just happened with The First.

WILLOW
(to Anya, Spike,
Giles)
So, we're thinking, it didn't go too
well.

Andrew is holding his shirt up and Dawn is peeling the tape off his chest that holds the wire in place.

DAWN
(re: tape removal)
You shoulda let me do this fast.

ANDREW
No, I hate that. Ooh, ow.

SPIKE
You tried to record the ultimate
evil? Why? In a complex effort to
royally piss it off?

KENNEDY
Guess we succeeded pretty good, huh?

ANDREW
Oh, god. I never should've gone in
wired. Redemption is hard.

GILES
Back to Spike's question. Why did
you try to record it?

ANDREW
(re: tape)
Ouch.

WILLOW
To study it, see if we could figure
something out from what it was
saying. Because, guys, we've gotta
face it, we know nothing about The
First.

ANDREW
(again with the tape)
Ow. Eep.

ANYA
Well, now we know not to record it.
So that's something.

SPIKE
Why'd it appear to...
(can't think of name)
...this one, then? Thought it was
s'posed to be pulling my strings.

Dawn is finished removing the wire. Andrew rubs his chest.

ANDREW
It said it wasn't time for you yet.

As Spike absorbs that non-comforting news, the girls exchange looks -- they know this means Spike could be a danger to them.

ANDREW (cont'd)
I'm frightened and my chest hurts
where the tape was.

DAWN
It's okay, Andrew. You did good.
You stood up to it, that's really
amazing.

ANDREW
(to Dawn)
Thank you. You're a peach.

ANYA
I wasn't here but I imagine it was a
very manly display of
hyperventilating. What did it want
you to do, anyway?

ANDREW
Shoot all the girls.

DAWN
Shoot girls?

ANDREW
Not you. Just the Potentials.

DAWN
(relieved)
Well that's something anyway.
(coverinq)
Something tragic.

GILES
This proves my point. This is a
crucial time. We need to circle our
wagons and stop doing things like
going out on dates while there's
imminent gunplay! Willow, call
Buffy, get her back here. We have to
dispose of that gun and figure out
our next step.

SPIKE
I can go get her--

WILLOW
I'll call.

Willow has her phone out, and is about to dial, when it RINGS.

AMANDA
Bet that's her. Sometimes you're
thinking about calling someone--

WILLOW
No. It's a text message. Oh! It's
from Xander. It's one of our signals.

AMANNDA
Signals?

WILLOW
It's a system we set up a while back.
Like, codes.
(looking at phone)
This is either the one for "I just
got lucky, don't call me for a while"
or "my date's a demon who's trying to
kill me."

KENNEDY
You don't remember which?

WILLOW
It was long time ago!

DAWN
If we play the percentages...

GILES
Something's eating Xander's head.

ANYA
Say, that's gratifying.

ANDREW
Buffy will know what to do.

SPIKE
I'll go get her--

Willow is already dialing the phone...

WILLOW
That's okay.

A PHONE RINGS. Everyone looks around. Buffy's phone is lying on an end table.

WILLOW (cont'd)
That's not good.

SPIKE
I'll go get Buffy. She's gonna be
worried about the boy.

PRE-LAP:

BUFFY
Oh my God!

INT. BISTRO - NIGHT

Buffy and Principal Wood are sharing a dessert.

BUFFY
Oh my God, this is the best thing I
ever had in my mouth.

WOOD
Isn't it good? They soak the pears
in brandy. Here, you need a bite
with the sauce...

He loads up his own fork and offers it across the table for her. She leans in, and has his fork in her mouth when she becomes aware of SOMEONE STANDING AT THE TABLE.

Her mouth still on Wood's fork, she looks up to see Spike. (By the way, he's not wearing his duster.)

BUFFY
(mouth full)
Schpike!

She pulls back, swallows her mouthful.

BUFFY (cont'd)
What's wrong?

WOOD
Is there a problem?

Spike doesn't look at Wood, keeps his eyes on Buffy.

SPIKE
It's Xander.

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL - BASEMENT - NIGHT

Xander is now suspended about six feet off the floor from loops of rope around his chest and waist and legs, parallel to the floor and facing down, like a stored kayak. Maya stands looking up at him.

MAYA
(plucky)
Well, this is gonna work great.

XANDER
Look, I've... I know what happens if
that Seal down there gets all
excited. I don't think you
understand what you're getting
yourself into.

MAYA
The Seal opens up and a vicious feral
vampire creature comes out. A Turok-
Han of my very own.

XANDER
Well, then, you do understand, but
what makes you think that's, like, a
good idea?

MAYA
The end is coming. The final fight.
And everyone is hearing the drumbeat.
It's telling us to pick our partners,
align ourselves with the good or the
evil.

Maya turns away from camera to pick up a sword leaning against the wall When she turns back her EYES ARE YELLOW (scary contact lenses.)

She thrusts the sword up at Xander, stabbing him in the chest. Xander SCREAMS.

BLOOD RUNS DOWN THE SWORD AND DRIPS ONTO THE SEAL.

MAYA (cont'd)
I couldn't do this without you,
Xander. Thanks for the great date.

END OF ACT THREE
Act Four

INT. PRINCIPAL WOOD'S CAR - NIGHT

Principal Wood drives. Buffy next to him. Spike in the back seat.

BUFFY
You sure he's at the high school?

SPIKE
Willow did a locator spell. Useful
stuff.

WOOD
I'm not surprised. That school's at
the center of everything.

BUFFY
Can't this thing go any faster?

SPIKE
Buffy, he's got it floored.

There's a beat of silence.

BUFFY
How much further is it?

WOOD
Ten minutes.

More silence.

BUFFY
(to Spike)
Principal Wood is the son of a
Slayer, isn't that interesting?

SPIKE
Yes it is.

BUFFY
Don't see much of that.

More silence.

WOOD
So, how do you two know each other?

BUFFY
Um, Spike works with me. In the
struggle against evil, you know.

WOOD
Cool.

A very long beat, in which it keeps looking like someone is going to say something. But they don't.

INT. PRINCIPAL WOOD'S OFFICE - NIGHT.

Buffy, Spike and Wood enter the office.

BUFFY
...If she's got him here, it'll be on
the Hellmouth, right under us.
(to Wood)
You got weapons? Not stakes, and not
arrows, it's gonna be tight down
there. We need blades.

Wood opens the weapons chest. He picks up the knife we saw earlier and hands it to Buffy.

WOOD
My best one. I took out a Durrith
Demon with it myself yesterday.

Buffy tests the blade as she says.

BUFFY
Thanks.

Wood picks up a similar knife for himself.

WOOD
(to Spike)
Help yourself.

Spike picks out a knife much larger than Wood's.

SPIKE
Let's go.

INT. SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL - BASEMENT - NIGHT

Xander is still hanging and dripping blood. Maya looks on, her eyes still a creepy yellow.

The Seal is just starting to glow and shift as...

Buffy sails into frame, catching Maya with a dramatic high kick.

XANDER
(weakly)
Buffy?

The kick sends Maya flying back, smashing into the waiting Spike. But Maya is very strong and she manages to get hold of Spike, crushing him in her arms.

Wood is making his way across the room to Xander, and he looks over to see:

SPIKE YELLING with pain, and goes into VAMP-FACE.

ON WOOD: freezing as he realizes:

WOOD
He's a vampire.

Buffy is charging in to free Spike...

BUFFY
(to Wood)
Get Xander!

Principal Wood stands on the Seal and starts cutting at the ropes that suspend Xander. Xander's blood drips around Wood's feet.

ANGLE ON THE SEAL, and Wood's feet, as the SEAL begins to GLOW AND SHIFT.

ON BUFFY AND SPIKE as they fight Maya. She throws BUFFY across the room with a backhand, and sends Spike flying with a kick...

BACK TO THE SEAL. Wood staggers. A triangle of the Seal is cracked open, and a TUROK HAN ARM APPEARS. It grabs at Wood's leg!

But Wood manages to free Xander and THROW HIM away from the seal, cutting off the supply of blood.

The triangle slams shut, severing and crushing the arm!! The Turok Han SCREAMS.

Buffy and Spike rally against MAYA. Spike's face is cut and bleeding, but they're working well together.

Spike launches himself at Maya, hitting her high, and knocking her back. Buffy is ready, and when Maya flips to her feet, BUFFY swings her blade...

Cutting Maya's head off. The headless body MORPHS into A LARGE SCARY HEADLESS DEMON which collapses and dies.

ANGLE ON: Wood, who is kneeling over Xander on the floor. He watches closely to see what happens next. Which is...

BUFFY goes to Spike. Not looking around first to check on Wood or Xander. Her first priority to check Spike's injuries, make sure he's all right. Spike is doing the same for her... looking into her eyes. It's a brief moment, but very intimate.

Wood clearly recognizes it for what it is -- Buffy and Spike have some kind of attachment. His jaw clenches... disappointed and disgusted.

Then BUFFY is at his side...

WOOD
I think your friend's gonna be okay.

Spike joins them and Wood moves pointedly away. Spike notices.

Buffy smooths back Xander's hair.

BUFFY
Hi, Xand. I'm here.

XANDER
(weakly, to Buffy)
So how's your date going?

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - LATER

It's very late now. Dawn is standing just inside the open front door, looking out.

Inside the living room, Willow and Andrew are watching Anya pace worriedly.

ANYA
(fretful)
It's after two. I can't believe
Buffy hasn't brought him home yet.
His slut ate him up.

WILLOW
His slut didn't eat him up. Besides,
I thought you were all angry at him.

ANYA
My feelings are changeable but
intense.

ANDREW
I understand your fear, Anya. I know
fear myself, you know, because I
enraged that primal force.

ANYA
Yes, but you deserve to be in
trouble. I didn't kill anybody.
(beat)
Well, not directly or irreversibly.
Lately.

Giles enters carrying a glass of milk.

GILES
They're still not back?

ANYA
I'm worried. I think we need to go
find them. Xander could be injured
or trapped or eaten up...

GILES
It is very late. Maybe a little
reconnaissance isn't out of the
question.

Chao-Ahn enters, wearing her bathrobe, looking scared.

CHAO-AHN
(subtitled)
Why is everyone up? Are the
flashcard monsters attacking?

GILES
She says she can't sleep.
(to Chao-Ahn,
offering)
I MADE MYSELF SOME WARM MILK. YOU
CAN HAVE IT!

Chao-Ahn looks with alarm at the milk, and turns to go.

CHAO-AHN
(subtitled, exiting)
You're trying to kill me!

GILES
(to the others)
She's shy.

Dawn reacts to something she sees outside.

DAWN
They're back! Here they come!

Anya hurries to her.

ANYA
Is Xander all right?

DAWN
He looks okay.

ANYA
Damn him!

Buffy, Spike and Xander enter. Xander is clearly fine. Cloth is wrapped around Xander, over his torn shirt, as a makeshift bandage, but he's not weak, he's full of vinegar.

The others go to him, except for Anya, who sulks on the sofa.

WILLOW
What happened?

BUFFY
Principal Wood's a demon-fightin' son
of a Slayer.

ANDREW
Neat.

WILLOW
(that isn't what I
meant)
Okay. What happened to Xander?

XANDER
What do you think happened? Another
demon woman was attracted to me! But
I've got the answer! Willow! Gay me
up! C'mon! Let's gay!

WILLOW
What?

XANDER
You heard me. Tell me what to do.
I'm mentally undressing Scott Bakula,
that's a start, right?

ANDREW
(dreamy)
Captain Archer.

XANDER
C'mon Willow, let's get this gay show
on the gay road. Help me out here!

BUFFY
(amused)
What if you just start attracting
male demons?

DAWN
Clem always liked you.

ANYA
(muttered)
Serve you right.

GILES
Children. Enough.

XANDER
I'll need stylish new clothes...

GILES
STOP!

They all stare at Giles.

GILES (cont'd)
Have you learned nothing from
tonight's assorted chaos? There's no
time for fun and games and quipping
about orientations.

Giles picks up the flashcards that are still lying on a table where they were put earlier. He holds them up. The "Bringer" one is on top.

GILES (cont'd)
These aren't a joke. This is what
happens. Girls are going to die. We
may die. It's time to get serious.

INT. SUMMERS' HOUSE - LIVING ROOM. - LATER

It's now even later and the room is darker. Buffy sits alone, slumped, thinking...

Spike enters, approaches quietly. Sits next to her.

SPIKE
Anyone tell you about what happened
'round here tonight?

BUFFY
Willow did. The First is back in the
mix.

SPIKES
It talked to the little boy. Said
it's not time for me yet.

He pauses, but she doesn't say anything.

SPIKE (cont'd)
I should move out. Leave town.
Before it is time for me.

BUFFY
No. You have to stay.

SPIKE
You got another demon fighter now.
Son of a Slayer at that.

BUFFY
That's not why I need you here.

SPIKE
That right? Why's that then?

BUFFY
Because I'm not ready for you not to
be here.

Spike looks at her, trying to read that.

SPIKE
And the principal? How's he fit in?

BUFFY
He's a guy on our side. I can't turn
away from that. Something tells me
I'm gonna need lots of help.

INT. PRINCIPAL WOOD'S APARTMENT - BATHROOM - NIGHT

Principal Wood is washing his face at the bathroom sink when he senses someone behind him. He turns to find his mother NIKKI standing there, looking just as young and just as cool as she did in that subway car in "Fool For Love" when she was killed.

NIKKI /FIRST
You look good.

Wood stays calm, very still.

WOOD
You're not my mother.

NIKKI/FIRST
I give you a compliment and you don't
say thank you? Did I raise you that
way?

WOOD
You didn't raise me at all.

NIKKI/FIRST
Well, I was dead.

Wood WALKS THROUGH HER and turns in the doorway, looking back at her. WITHOUT ANY SENSE OF HER HAVING MOVED, SHE'S NOW FACING TOWARD HIM.

WOOD
You're The First. Why are you here?
Why now?

NIKKI/FIRST
'Cause you're coming up in the world.
You've been taking the demons out.
Makes a mother proud.

WOOD
Think how pleased she'll be when I
help take you out. Until it's time
for that, I've got no use for you.

Wood starts to turn away.

NIKKI/FIRST
Would you like to know who killed me?

Wood turns back.

NIKKI/FIRST (cont'd)
I know you tried to find him. But
one vampire out of so many. And not
much to go on.

WOOD
You don't know anything.

NIKKI/FIRST
Is that right? You can check it out
after I tell you, check the timing,
reread what the witnesses said, the
people in the subway station...

WOOD
Who is it?

NIKKI/FIRST
You met him. You know him. You
fought at his side.

That gets to Wood.

WOOD
Spike.

Nikki smiles.

NIKKI /FIRST
And what do you say?

WOOD
(softly)
Thank you.

BLACK OUT.

END OF SHOW