Season 1 | Episode 7 | Angel

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Episode Summary

On her way home from the Bronze, Buffy encounters three vampires, who’ve been sent to avenge the death of one of the Master’s minions. Just as they’re about to attack her, Angel appears and they begin to fight. Angel and Buffy manage to make it safely to her house, where she repairs the wound he got in the scuffle. He spends the night in her bedroom, sleeping next to her bed.

The next day at school, Giles identifies Buffy’s attackers as warrior vampires, and steps up her training in case a more serious melee takes place. Later that day, Buffy and Angel share a passionare kiss, but then to her horror, she sees that he is a vampire!

Angel meets up with Darla, who was his lover and partner in crime hundreds of years earlier. She chastises him for spending time with the slayer. Meanwhile, Giles identifies Angel as a 240-year-old vampire who came to America 80 years ago, living alone and never killing again.

Darla, anxious to do Buffy in, goes to her house and pretends to be a student planning to study with her. Buffy’s mother, Joyce, lets her in and Darla promptly bites her in the neck. Angel enters the house and tells Darla to let Joyce go.

Darla passes Joyce to him and he is tempted to bite her, but doesn’t. When Buffy enters, she sees Angel holding her mother and, assuming he is the one who bit Joyce, she tosses him out the window. This finally gives her the impetus to kill him, and she meets him at the Bronze with a crossbow. 

He explains that he did many heinous deeds over the course of his lifetime, but his soul has been restored and he is now haunted by them. Darla finds them together and tries to shoot Buffy. Angel impales Darla from behind and she turns to dust. When the Master finds out that Darla, his favorite, has been slain, he goes berserk, but the Annointed One comforts him.

Back at the Bronze, Angel and Buffy agree that despite their strong feelings for each other, it’s not realistic for them to pursue any kind of relationship. They kiss goodbye and when Buffy walks away, the imprint of her cross has been seared into Angel’s chest.

Shooting Script

Teaser
(NOTE: THE RE-CAP FOR THIS EPISODE will re-introduce the Master, the Child who rose in episode 5, and Angel and Buffy’s relationship.)
INT. MASTER’S LAIR – DARK
DARLA makes her way through the tunnel, stepping down into the church.
The child, COLLIN, sits tossing pebbles in the pool of blood. The Master watches him, his back to Darla. Sensing her, he speaks.
MASTER
Zackery didn’t return from the hunt
last night.
DARLA
The Slayer.
The Master barely controls himself, his hands clenching. His voice still calm.
MASTER
Zackery was strong, and he was
careful. And still the Slayer
takes him, as she’s taken so many
of my family. It wears thin.
(to child)
Collin, what would you do about it?
COLLIN
I’d annihilate her.
MASTER
Out of the mouths of babes . . .
DARLA
Let me do it, Master, let me kill
her for you.
MASTER
You have a personal interest in
this . . .
DARLA
I never get to have any fun.
MASTER
I will send the Three.
Darla reacts: apparently this is some big guns.
DARLA
The Three.
CUT TO:
EXT. – STREET – NIGHT
ANGLE: THREE YOUNG THUGS

Three BAD-ASS GANG-TYPES hang out on a deserted corner. You wouldn’t want to meet any of them on a dark street — or a sunny one. They see something o.s.
THREE OTHERS – STRIDING DOWN THE STREET TOWARDS THEM
THE THREE YOUNG THUGS
Straighten up, ready for trouble.
THE THREE OTHERS
Never slowing, break into enough light to see their faces. They’re vampires (dressed alike in a kind of medieval uniform) — the gang-types are bad-asses, these guys are stone killers and did I mention, they’re vampires.
THE THREE YOUNG THUGS
Hold their ground for about two seconds, then break and run, getting the hell off the street. THE THREE VAMPIRE WARRIORS
Stride past, heading down the street. They own the street.
INT. BRONZE – NIGHT
We HEAR a GIRL SCREAM! We hear someone say:
SOMEONE (O.S.)
Cockroach!
We SEE a bunch of kids near the bar trying to STOMP on something on the floor. WE PAN to a banner: FUMIGATION PARTY – FIND A COCKROACH, GET A FREE DRINK. We PAN back as the kids approach the bar — one of them drops a dead bug on it and smiles at the bartender as we MOVE TO:
BUFFY AND WILLOW
Sitting on the couches nearby. Buffy stirs her drink idly, lost in thought.
WILLOW
Hard to believe it’s the fumigation
party already . . .
BUFFY
Hmm?
WILLOW
It’s an annual tradition, the
closing of the Bronze for a few
days to nuke the cockroaches.
BUFFY
Oh.
WILLOW
It’s a lot of fun. What’s it like
where you are?
BUFFY
I’m sorry. I was just . . . thinking
about . . . things. And stuff.
WILLOW
Things and stuff. So we’re talking
about a guy.
BUFFY
Not exactly. For us to have a
conversation about a guy there
would have to be a guy for us to
have a conversation about. Was
that a sentence?
WILLOW
You lack a guy?
BUFFY
I do. Which is fine, most of the
time, but . . .
WILLOW
What about Angel?
BUFFY
Angel. Yeah, I can see him in a
relationship. “Hi honey, you’re in
grave danger, see you next month.”
WILLOW
He doesn’t stay around much, it’s true.
BUFFY
He disappears! Every time. Tells
me there’s trouble then poof.
Gone. But when he’s around . . .
It’s like the lights dim everywhere
else. You know how that happens
with some guys?
WILLOW
Oh yeah.
And Willow gazes off at
THE DANCE FLOOR – WHERE XANDER
is working out, dancing next to a RATHER PRETTY GIRL. Xander smiles at the girl. She nods (rather than smiles) back. He dances closer to her, shows her his best moves, then sees THE RATHER LARGE GUY who is, in fact, dancing with the girl.
Without skipping a beat, he dances out of their lives and off the floor nearly colliding with:
CORDELIA
Please keep your extreme oafishness
off my two hundred dollar shoes.
XANDER
Sorry. I was just —
CORDELIA
Getting off the floor before Annie
Vega’s boyfriend squashes you like
a bug?
XANDER
Oh, you saw that. Well, thanks for
being so understanding and — I
don’t know what everyone’s talking
about, that outfit doesn’t make you
look like a hooker.
Xander smiles, moves off.
ANGLE – BUFFY AND WILLOW
Xander moves up.
XANDER
Boy that Cordelia’s a regular
breath of vile air — what are you
vixens up to?
WILLOW
Just sitting here watching our
barren lives pass us by. Oh look,
a cockroach.
She STOMPS on something OUT OF FRAME. Xander looks from Willow to Buffy who’s lost in thought.
XANDER
Whoah, stop this crazy whirlygig of
fun. I’m dizzy.
BUFFY
All right, now I’m infecting those
near and dear to me. I’ll see you
guys tomorrow.
Buffy gets up.
WILLOW
Don’t go . . .
XANDER
Yeah, it’s early! We could, um, dance.
BUFFY
Raincheck. Night.
She goes. Willow holds her shoe (sole down so we don’t see the cockroach) up in front of Xander.
WILLOW
Want a free drink?
ANGLE – NEAR THE EXIT
As Buffy heads out, we TILT UP to the Balcony. He’s hidden at first, but he steps through some FOLKS to watch Buffy leave. It’s ANGEL.
ANGLE – BUFFY AT THE DOOR
Almost as if she can sense him, she turns, looks up.
HER POV – THE BALCONY
No Angel. Just party animals. Buffy exits.
EXT. CITY STREETS – NIGHT
Buffy walks alone. It’s creepy. A dim SOUND BEHIND HER alerts her senses. She slows, looks back. HER POV – EMPTY STREET
Buffy walks on. Again she hears a SOUND. She walks some more, stops, doesn’t turn around.
BUFFY
It’s late, I’m tired, I don’t want
to play games. Show yourself.
SOMETHING DROPS INTO FRAME behind her. She turns. It’s BAD-ASS VAMP NUMBER ONE (of the Three.)
BUFFY
You really should talk to your
orthodontist about a refund.
Buffy whips a stake out of her jacket. Moves in on the vampire. Raises it high to strike. Her wrist is grabbed from behind by ANOTHER HAND. A POWERFUL HAND. The OTHER TWO VAMPS are behind her.
The one with his hand on her wrist twists it painfully until she drops the stake.
BUFFY
Hey, ow, okay, I’m letting go. I
don’t want to fight all three of you . . .
She suddenly kicks one of them between the legs.
BUFFY
. . . unless I have to.
She elbows another as the BIGGEST AND MEANEST one slams her in the back — she stumbles into the first two who grab her, hold her fast.
BLACK OUT.
END OF TEASER
Act One
EXT. STREETS – NIGHT
Buffy in peril, as before. The meanest vamp, fangs bared, inches toward her neck when he’s grabbed by the neck —
VOICE
Good dogs don’t bite.
The meanest vamp turns, sees Angel — who smashes him in the face.
This distracts the other two — Buffy wrenches her arms free, grabs them by the hair and smashes their heads together.
Angel and the mean vamp trade kicks and punches. Angel’s fast and deadly. He ducks a punch and blocks a kick by catching the meanest vamp’s boot and hurling him back into
A WROUGHT IRON FENCE
Meanwhile, Buffy hits vamp 2, elbows vamp 3. Vamp 2 sweep-kicks her off her feet. She goes down. Angel closes in on the meanest vamp — but vamp 3 hits him from behind. He turns to battle vamp 3.
Buffy, on her back, kicks vamp 2, leaps to her feet, sees the meanest vamp RIP A POINTED IRON spike right off the wrought iron fence and come at Angel from behind.
BUFFY
Look out!
Angel spins, sees the spike, jumps back — not quite fast enough — he’s slashed in his ribs.
Buffy bolts to them as the mean vamp slashes again — and gets Buffy’s foot in his face, knocking him down.
BUFFY
Run!
They do, rounding a corner as the vamps struggle to their feet and give chase. EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREETS – NIGHT
Buffy and Angel run down the street. He’s holding his wounded side.
EXT. BUFFY’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Buffy and Angel run to the front door. The vamps are very close. Buffy opens the door, herds Angel inside.
BUFFY
Get in! Come on!
She is shutting the door as the meanest vampire leaps onto the porch, grabbing for her. She slams the door on his hand — it withdraws — and she shuts it. Looks out the window, worried.
ANGEL
It’s all right. A vampire can’t
come in unless it’s invited.
BUFFY
I heard that, but I never put it to
the test before.
She looks out and sees:
ANGLE: ON THE PORCH
The Vamps back into the darkness, but they don’t leave.
Buffy turns from the window to Angel, concerned about his wound.
BUFFY
I’ll get some bandages, take your jacket and shirt off.
She exits into:
INT. KITCHEN – CONTINUOUS
She gets the first aid kit. Angel follows her in, slipping out of his shirt. She takes a moment to register the fact of Angel naked from the waist up.
BUFFY
Nice tattoo.
He has a WINGED LION tattoo behind his left shoulder. She moves to him, bandages him under:
BUFFY
I was lucky you came along. How did
you happen to come along anyway?
ANGEL
I live nearby. I was just out walking.
BUFFY
So you weren’t following me? I had
this feeling you were . . .
ANGEL
Why would I do that?
BUFFY
You tell me, you’re the Mystery Guy
who appears out of nowhere — I’m
not saying I’m not happy about it
tonight — but if you are hanging
around me I’d like to know why.
She finishes the bandage, straightens up, quite close to him.
ANGEL
Maybe I like you.
BUFFY
“Maybe”?
They hear the SOUND of the front door opening.
INT. BUFFY’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Buffy bolts to the front door as JOYCE unlocks it, enters. Buffy scans the darkness for vampires, pulls her mom in.
JOYCE
Honey, what are you . . .?
BUFFY
There’s a lot of weird people out
at night, I just feel better with
you safe and sound inside.
(closes and locks door)
You must be beat.
JOYCE
I am. I hate inventory, we’re just
a little gallery but you have no
idea how much paper work —
BUFFY
Why don’t you go upstairs, get in
bed, I’ll make you some hot tea —
JOYCE
That’s sweet. What did you do?
BUFFY
What do you mean? I didn’t do
anything — I’m concerned about
your needs, can’t a daughter —
JOYCE
Hi.
Buffy follows Joyce’s gaze to Angel (shirt and jacket on) who has entered from the kitchen.
BUFFY
Oh. Mom, this is Angel, Angel this
is my mom. I just happened to . . .
run into him on my way home.
ANGEL
Hello, nice to meet you.
JOYCE
What do you do, Angel?
Angel hesitates, Buffy dives right in:
BUFFY
He’s a student. First year
community college. Angel’s been
helping me with my history. You
know I’ve been toiling there.
JOYCE
It’s a little late for tutoring.
I’m going to bed and, Buffy?
BUFFY
I’ll say goodnight and do the same.
JOYCE
Nice to meet you.
She heads upstairs. Off Buffy’s innocent expression.
INT. BUFFY’S HOUSE – FRONT DOOR – NIGHT
Moments later. Buffy holds the door open, talks (a little loudly) to NO ONE on the doorstep.
BUFFY
Good night, we’ll hook up soon and
do the study thing.
She shuts the door. Angel is inside, behind Buffy. She motions him to follow her upstairs. Up they go. Buffy and Angel slip in, she checks the hall, shuts the door. They speak quietly.
ANGEL
Look, I don’t want to get you in
any more trouble.
BUFFY
And I don’t want to get you dead —
they could still be out there. So,
one bed, two of us — that doesn’t
work — you’re wounded, you takeANGEL
I’ll take the floor.
(she gives him a look)
Believe me, I’ve had worse.
BUFFY
Why don’t you see if the Fang Gang
is loitering and keep your back
turned while I change.
He smiles, moves to the window, dutifully turns his back. She changes into her night wear under:
ANGEL
I don’t see them . . .
BUFFY
You know, I’m the Chosen One.
It’s my job to fight guys like that.
What’s your excuse?
ANGEL
Somebody has to.
BUFFY
Well, what does your family think
of your career choice?
ANGEL
They’re dead.
She stops, turns. She’s dressed in a t-shirt and p.j. pants.
BUFFY
Was it vampires?
ANGEL
(turns also)
It was.
BUFFY
I’m sorry.
ANGEL
It was a long while ago.
BUFFY
So this is a vengeance gig for you?
Beat.
ANGEL
You even look pretty when you go to
sleep?
BUFFY
(accepts the dodge)
Well, when I wake up it’s a whole
different story. Sleep tight.
She hands him a pillow, gets into bed. He takes off his jacket, lies down by the bed. They lie there in the moonlight for a beat.
BUFFY
Angel?
ANGEL
Hmmm?
BUFFY
Do you snore?
ANGEL
I don’t know, it’s been a long time
since anyone was in a position to
let me know.
She smiles: good. Off the two of them.
EXT. SUNNYDALE HIGH – DAY – ESTABLISHING
XANDER (O.S.)
He spent the night?
INT. LIBRARY – DAY
Giles (text in hand) paces, concerned as Willow, Buffy and Xander (who can not believe what he’s just heard) talk.
XANDER
In your room? In your bed?!
BUFFY
Not in my bed, by my bed.
WILLOW
That is so romantic.
XANDER
That is the moral decline that’s
eating our country out of house (off their looks)
You know what I mean.
WILLOW
Wow. Did you, uh, I mean did he,
uh . . .
BUFFY
Perfect gentleman.
XANDER
Oh come on, Buffy, wake up and
smell the seduction, it’s the
oldest trick in the book.
BUFFY
Saving my life, getting slashed in
the ribs?
XANDER
Duh. Guys’ll do anything to impress
a girl. I once drank an entire
gallon of Gatorade without takingWILLOW
It was pretty impressive. Although
later on there was an ick factor —
GILES
— Could I just steer this riveting
conversation back to the events
that took place earlier in the
evening? You left the Bronze and
were set upon by three unusually
virile vampires . . .
Giles shows her ENGRAVING in text: three WARRIOR VAMPS.
GILES
Did they look like this?
BUFFY
Yeah, what’s with the uniforms?
GILES
You encountered the Three —
warrior vampires, very proud and
strong.
WILLOW
How is it you always know this
stuff? You always know what’s
going on — I never know what’s
going on.
GILES
(points to pile of books)
Yes, well, you weren’t here from
midnight to six researching it.
WILLOW
No, I was sleeping.
GILES
(to Buffy)
You’re really starting to hurt the
Master, he wouldn’t send the Three
for just anyone.
(to Buffy)
We must step up our training with
weapons . . .
XANDER
Buff, you better stay at my place
until these Samurai-guys
are history.
(she tries to speak)
Don’t worry about Angel. Willow
can run over to your house and tell
him to get out of town fast.
GILES
Buffy and Angel aren’t in immediate
jeopardy. Eventually the Master
will send others but the Three,
having failed, will now offer up
their own lives as penance.
XANDER
And what if he doesn’t take their
lives?
GILES
Oh right, I forgot, the Master’s
such a kind and forgiving sort of
chap.
INT. MASTER’S LAIR
The Three kneel before the Master. Darla and Collin watch as the Meanest Vamp offers the Master a long and sharp impaling spear. The Meanest Vamp looks up, the other two keep their faces down (and thus out of prosthetics.)
MEANEST VAMP
We failed in our duty, our lives
belong to you now.
The Master puts aside the spear, moves to Collin.
MASTER
Pay attention, child, with power
comes responsibility. True, they
did fail, but also true: we who
walk at night share a common bond.
The taking of a life — I’m not
speaking about humans of course —
is a serious matter.
The Mean Vamp can’t help but look up for a moment, bright hope suddenly alive in his eyes.
COLLIN
So you would spare them?
MASTER
(glances at Darla, then:)
I am weary and their deaths would
bring me little joy.
The Master moves off with Collin.
ANGLE: DARLA
SHOVES the spear through the mean vamp from behind. Glee in her eyes.
MASTER
Of course, sometimes a little is
enough.
EXT. SUNNYDALE HIGH – DAY – ESTABLISHING
INT. HALL OUTSIDE LIBRARY – DAY
Sign on library doors: CLOSED FOR FILING – PLEASE COME BACK TOMORROW. In one of the little porthole windows, we see Giles’ face just before he lowers a cover blotting out both windows.
Giles locks the doors. He is in his shirtsleeves (rolled up), no jacket or tie.
BUFFY’S VOICE
Cool, a crossbow.
Giles moves to Buffy (who wears a sweatshirt and tight dark pants.) She is pouring over a large chest o’ weapons (nunchuks, swords, bow and arrows, etc.) She pulls out a deadly looking metal crossbow and several STEEL-TIPPED ARROWS.
BUFFY
(re: arrows)
And look at these babies, goodbye
stakes, hello flying fatality.
(looks around)
What can I shoot?
GILES
(takes crossbow from her)
Nothing. The crossbow comes after
you prove your proficiency with the
jousting poles which, incidentally,
training.
He tosses her a big jousting pole.
BUFFY
Giles, twentieth century, I’m not
gonna be fighting Fryer Tuck.
GILES
You never know whom — or what —
you may be fighting. And these
traditions have been handed down
through the ages, show me good,
steady progress with the jousting
and in due time we’ll discuss
the crossbow.
(dons padded headgear)
Now put on your pads.
BUFFY
I’m not gonna need pads for you.
GILES
(accepting her challenge)
We’ll see about that. En garde.
And Giles leaps into a pretty impressive jousting position. Buffy twirls her pole a couple of times then engages Giles.
They block and parry several times and then she wipes the floor with him, hitting him high, low and in the middle a bunch of times and knocking him flat on his ass. GILES – on the floor, breathing hard; takes off head gear.
GILES
Good. Let’s move on to the
crossbow.
EXT. BUFFY’S HOUSE – NIGHT – ESTABLISHING
INT. BUFFY’S DINING ROOM – NIGHT
Buffy and Joyce eat dinner (grilled chicken breast, veggies, bread).
JOYCE
I have to call the exterminator, I
heard mice or something upstairs
today . . .
BUFFY
I bet they’ll go away in a day or
so — are those new curtains?
Joyce turns to look. Buffy empties most of her chicken, etc. into a large plastic baggie in her lap. Joyce turns back.
JOYCE
Aunt Lolly made those when you
were five.
BUFFY
What am I thinking? I know what
I’m thinking, more protein. Your
chicken rocks, Mom.
Buffy gets up, serves herself some more.
JOYCE
We have an appetite tonight. So
tell me about this young man Angel.
When are you going to see him again?
BUFFY
(small glance upwards)
Soon . . .
JOYCE
He’s doing more than helping you
with your history, isn’t he?
(nothing from Buffy)
I mean you’ve got Willow for that,
plus I saw the way you looked at
each other. We’ve talked about
taking these things slowly. You
know how a glacier moves a few feet
every year? That kind of slowly.
BUFFY
Okay, so slower than you and Dad
took it.
JOYCE
Touche’. Do you want to hear the
lecture or do you know it by heart?
BUFFY
You were young, you were in love,
what you weren’t was through with
college, focused on a career
and . . . no help from the audience,
please, in possession of your own
identity.
JOYCE
That pretty much covers it.
(notes Buffy’s plate)
You cleaned your plate again?
INT. BUFFY’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
Buffy slips in, closes the door behind her. Steps into the room, looking for:
BUFFY
(softly)
Angel?
He appears out of the dark, startling her.
BUFFY
Don’t do that. Brought you some
dinner.
(holds up baggie)
It’s a little plateless, what’d you
do all day, anyway?
ANGEL
I read a little . . .
(indicates bookcase)
. . . and just thought about a lot of
things. Buffy, I —
BUFFY
— my diary? You read my diary?
She marches to the bookcase, holds up a diary that was lying open.
ANGEL
I —
BUFFY
(gesturing with diary)
— That is not okay, a diary is a
person’s most private place and you
don’t even know what I was writing
about, “Hunk” can mean a lot of
things, bad things, and where it
says your eyes are “penetrating” I
meant to write “bulgy”.
Angel smiles.
ANGEL
Buffy —
BUFFY
And for your information “A” does
not stand for Angel, it stands
for . . . Achmed, a charming foreign
exchange student and so that whole
fantasy part has nothing to do with —
ANGEL
Your mother moved your diary when
she came in to straighten up, I
watched her from the closet. I
didn’t read it, I swear.
BUFFY
(oh good)
Oh.
(oh god)
Ohhhhh.
ANGEL
I did a lot of thinking today, I
can’t really be around you . . .
She nods, absorbing this.
ANGEL
Because when I am . . .
BUFFY
Hey, no big. Water over the bridge —
ANGEL
. . . all I can think about is how
badly I want to kiss you —
BUFFY
— it’s under the bridge, over
the dam, kiss me?
ANGEL
I’m older than you and this
can’t ever . . .
(opens window)
. . . I better go.
BUFFY
. . . how much older?
He hesitates. They look in each other’s eyes.
ANGEL
I really should . . .
BUFFY
Go, you said.
He reaches for her, she moves to him. He takes her in his arms and they kiss, tender, tentative. Then it grows more passionate. And then he’s suddenly and a little violently trying to pull himself free.
Angel moves back and we see that he is a VAMPIRE. It’s sudden, shocking and Buffy lets out a mortal SCREAM. Angel dives out the window.
EXT. BUFFY’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Angel rolls off roof, hits the ground, and runs away.
INT. BUFFY’S ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Joyce comes running into the room.
JOYCE
Buffy, what happened?
BUFFY
Nothing . . . I saw a shadow.
Off Buffy,
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT ONE
Act Two
EXT. SUNNYDALE HIGH – DAY
KIDS arriving in the morning. A noticeably shaken Buffy walks with Xander, Willow, Giles.
WILLOW
Angel’s a vampire?
BUFFY
I can’t believe this is
happening . . . one minute we’re
kissing, the next minute . . .
(to Giles)
. . . can a vampire ever been a good
person? Couldn’t it happen?
GILES
A vampire isn’t a person at all.
It may have the movements, the
memories, even the personality of
the person it takes over, but it is
a demon at the core. There’s no
halfway.
WILLOW
So that’s a no, huh?
BUFFY
Well then what was he doing? Why
was he . . . good to me? Was it all
some part of the Master’s plan? It
doesn’t make sense.
She sits on one of the benches in front of school. Xander sits next to her.
XANDER
All right, you have a problem and
it’s not a small one. Let’s just
take a breath and look at this
calmly and objectively.
Buffy looks at him — he’s making sense.
XANDER
Angel’s a vampire, you’re a
Slayer — it’s obvious what you
have to do.
Buffy looks to Giles.
GILES
It is the Slayer’s duty.
None of them notice Cordelia approaching in b.g.
XANDER
I know you have feelings but it’s
not like you’re in love with him or
anything, right?
Buffy’s expression tells us she just might be. Xander loses his cool.
XANDER
You’re in love with a vampire?! Are
you out of your mind?
Cordelia is standing right next to him. Her eyes go wide and she gasps. They look up, realize she’s staring right at him.
XANDER
Not vampire, I mean . . .
(to Buffy)
How can you love an umpire?
Everybody hates them!
CORDELIA
(to someone O.S.)
Where did you get that dress?!
They follow her gaze past Xander to ANOTHER GIRL in the exact same outfit as Cordelia. Cordelia fingers her own dress.
CORDELIA
This is a one of a kind Todd
Oldham. Do you have any idea
how much it cost?
Cordelia marches to the girl, grabs at the back of her dress, trying to read the label.
CORDELIA
It’s a knock-off, isn’t it?
The girl backs away from Cordelia and they disappear into the morning throng as:
CORDELIA
It’s a cheesy knock-off. This is
what happens when you sign these
Free Trade Agreements . . .
ANGLE – Buffy, Willow, Xander and Giles.
BUFFY
And we think we have problems.
A BELL rings.
WILLOW
Oh boy, time for geometry.
(off Xander and Buffy’s looks)
It’s fun if you make it fun.
They move off.
INT. SCHOOL HALL – DAY
The last of several KIDS enter rooms and the hall is quiet. Except . . . for Xander at a drinking fountain. Drinking up a storm. A nearby CLASS DOOR opens, Willow exits.
WILLOW
Geometry’s starting.
XANDER
Yup.
WILLOW
But you’re out here drinking.
XANDER
Again I say, yup.
WILLOW
Something’s bothering you. Buffy.
XANDER
Buffy? Why would Buffy be
bothering me?
WILLOW
Cause you kinda got a thing there
and she kinda has a thing . . .
elsewhere.
XANDER
It’s just . . . this guy Angel, the
research is in, he’s a vampire —
still she likes him better than me.
WILLOW
She doesn’t like him ’cause he’s a
vampire, I know she’s not down
with that part.
XANDER
Love sucks. Ever since I was in
grammar school it’s the same old
dance . . . you dig someone, they
dig someone else. And then that
someone else digs someone else.
WILLOW
That’s the dance.
XANDER
I mean, I’m right for her. I’m the
guy. I know it. She’s so stupid!
She’s not stupid. But . . . it’s too
much. We’re such good buds, I’m
this close to her, and she
doesn’t have a clue how I feel.
And wouldn’t care if she did.
It’s killing me.
He exits into class. She stands alone a moment.
WILLOW
Gee, what’s that like?
EXT. APT. BUILDING – DAY – ESTABLISHING – (STOCK?)
INT. BASEMENT APARTMENT – DAY
Simple but coolly furnished, almost no natural light. A couple of very high windows with shades that open onto the SIDEWALK outside. The front door is unlocked and Angel enters. It’s dark in here but he instantly senses someone.
ANGEL
Who’s here?
DARLA (O.S.)
A friend.
Darla (who is never in vampire make-up unless indicated) emerges out of the shadows.
DARLA
Hi. It’s been a while.
ANGEL
A lifetime.
DARLA
Or two, but who’s counting.
ANGEL
What’s with the Catholic-School
Girl look. Last time I saw you it
was Kimonos.
DARLA
And last time I saw you it wasn’t
high school girls. Don’t cha’ like?
(twirls her plaid skirt)
Remember Budapest, turn of the
century, you were such a bad boy
during that earthquake.
ANGEL
You did some damage yourself.
DARLA
Is there anything better than a
natural disaster: the panic, the
people lost in the streets, like
picking fruit off the vine.
She moves around the apartment.
DARLA
Nice. You’re living above ground,
like one of them. You and your new
friend are attacking us, like one
of them. But guess what, precious,
you’re not once of them . . .
She grabs a pull-string on a shade, snaps it open. A BEAM of SUNLIGHT hits Angel who shouts in pain and jumps back.
DARLA
. . . are you?
ANGEL
No, but I’m not exactly one of you,
either.
She moves to him, close.
DARLA
Is that what you tell yourself
these days? You and I both know the
things you hunger for, the things
you need. Hey, nothing to be
ashamed of, it’s who we are, it’s
what makes Eternal life
worth living.
(caresses his chest)
You can only suppress your real
nature for so long . . . I can feel it
brewing inside you. I hope I’m
around when it explodes.
ANGEL
Maybe you don’t want to be.
DARLA
I’m not afraid of you. I’ll bet
she is, though.
She heads for the door.
DARLA
Or maybe I’m underestimating her.
Talk to her. Tell her about the
curse. Maybe she’ll come around.
And if she still doesn’t trust
you . . . you know where I’ll be.
She goes. Hold Angel.
INT. LIBRARY – DAY
Xander, Willow and Buffy sit at the table.
GILES (O.S.)
Here’s something at last!
Xander jumps about a foot out of his chair as Giles suddenly appears out of the stacks.
XANDER
Can you please warn us before you
do that?
Giles holds some aged DIARIES.
GILES
Nothing about Angel in the texts,
but then it occurred to me it’s
been ages since I read the diaries
of the Watchers who came before me.
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
That must have been so embarrassing
when you thought he’d read your
diary but then he hadn’t but then
it turned out he felt the same
way that —
(to Giles)
— I’m listening.
GILES
(re: one diary)
There’s mention over two hundred
years ago in Ireland of Angelus,
the one with the angelic face.
BUFFY
They got that right.
Xander snorts. Willow looks at him.
XANDER
I’m not saying anything, I have
nothing to say.
GILES
Does your Angel — this Angel —
have a tattoo behind his right
shoulder?
BUFFY
(nods)
A bird or something.
XANDER
Now I’m saying something. You saw
him naked?
WILLOW
So Angel’s been around for a while.
GILES
Not that long for a vampire, two
hundred and forty years or so.
BUFFY
(small laugh)
Two hundred and forty. Well, he
did say he was older.
GILES
(re: another diary)
Angelus leaves Ireland, wreaks
havoc in Europe for several
decades. Then, about eighty years
ago, a most curious thing
happens . . .
(re: third diary)
. . . he comes to America where he
shuns other vampires and lives
alone. There’s no record of him
hunting here . . .
WILLOW
So he is a good vampire. I mean
on a scale of one to ten, ten being
someone who’s out there killing and
maiming every night and one being
someone who’s . . . not . . .
GILES
There’s no record but . . . vampires
hunt and kill, it’s what they do.
XANDER
Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly.
BUFFY
He could have fed on me, he didn’t.
XANDER
Question, the hundred years or so
before he came to our shores, what
was he like then?
GILES
Like all of them, a vicious,
violent animal.
Off Buffy.
INT. MASTER’S LAIR
Darla is before the Master, importuning.
DARLA
Don’t think I’m not grateful, you
letting me kill the Three . . .
MASTER
How can my children learn if I do
everything for them?
DARLA
But you’ve got to let me take care
of the Slayer.
MASTER
Oh, you’re giving me orders now.
DARLA
Okay, let’s just do nothing while
she takes us out one by one.
MASTER
Do I sense a plan, Darla? Share.
DARLA
Angel kills her and comes back to
the fold.
MASTER
Angel. He was the most vicious
creature I ever met. I miss him.
DARLA
So do I.
MASTER
Why would he kill her if he feels
for her?
DARLA
To keep her from killing him.
Master smiles, he likes the plan. Turns to Collin:
MASTER
You see how we all work together
for the common good? That’s how a
family is supposed to function.
INT. LIBRARY – NIGHT
Buffy and Willow are studying. Or rather Willow is studying and Buffy is thinking about Angel.
WILLOW
Okay, so Reconstruction began,
when? Buffy?
BUFFY
Huh? Reconstruction? It began after
the, ah, construction which was
shoddy and so they had to
reconstruct —
WILLOW
After the destruction of the Civil War.
BUFFY
Right. The Civil War, during which
Angel was already like a hundred
and change.
WILLOW
Are we going to talk about boys
or are we going to help you
pass history?
(beat, shuts text)
Sometimes I have this fantasy that
Xander is going to just grab me and
kiss me, right on the lips.
BUFFY
You want Xander to . . . you got to
speak up, girl.
WILLOW
No, no, no. No speaking up. That
way leads to madness and sweaty
palms.
ANGLE – ONE OF THE DOORS IN BACK
It leads to more books. Darla appears, unnoticed, cracks the door to listen.
WILLOW
Okay, here’s something I gotta know:
when Angel kissed you, I mean before
he turned into . . . how was it?
BUFFY
Unbelievable.
Beat.
WILLOW
Wow. And it is kind of novel how
he’ll stay young and handsome
forever — although you’ll still
get wrinkly and die — oooo, and
what about the children — I’ll be
quiet now.
BUFFY
No, speak up. I’ve got to get over
him so I can . . .
WILLOW
So you can . . .?
Willow mimes “staking” someone and makes a stabbing noise.
BUFFY
Like Xander said, I’m a Slayer,
he’s a vampire.
(beat)
Oh god, I can’t. He’s never done
anything to hurt me. I gotta stop
thinking about this.
(opens text)
Give me another half hour, maybe
something will sink in. Then I’m
going home for some major moping.
ANGLE – DOOR IN BACK – Darla quietly removes a couple of books and leaves as:
WILLOW
The era of congressional
Reconstruction, usually called
Radical Reconstruction, lasted ten
years . . .
INT. BUFFY’S KITCHEN – NIGHT
Joyce works at the table, pouring over paperwork. Hears a NOISE, looks up. Nothing.
JOYCE
Buffy?
No answer. Joyce starts working again and there is another NOISE — outside, perhaps. Joyce stand, a little spooked. She goes to the back door, peers out the window. Nothing.
CLOSE ON: JOYCE
She turns, brow furrowed. Looks toward the hall. As she moves away from the window we see Darla is right outside the window behind her in full grinning vampire mode. A moment more and Darla moves silently and quickly from the window.
INT. DINING ROOM/FOYER – CONTINUOUS
Joyce enters, still looking around tentatively. The doorbell RINGS and Joyce jumps, startled.
Joyce goes to the door, looks through peephole, opens it. Darla, looking friendly and innocent (and unvamped), school books in hand, is on the front porch.
JOYCE
Hello . . .?
DARLA
Hi. I’m Darla, a friend of Buffy’s?
JOYCE
Oh, nice to meet you.
DARLA
She didn’t mention anything about
me coming over for a study date?
JOYCE
No. I thought she was studying with
Willow at the library.
DARLA
Oh, she is, Willow’s the Civil War
expert, but then I was supposed to
help her with the War of
Independence. My family kind of
goes back to those days.
JOYCE
I know she’s supposed to be home
soon. Would you like to come in
and wait?
DARLA
That’s very nice of you to invite
me into your home.
Her phrasing sounds a little odd, but not a big deal to Joyce.
JOYCE
. . . you’re welcome.
(Darla enters; re: paperwork)
I’ve been wrestling the I.R.S. all
night — would you like something
to eat?
DARLA
(studying Joyce’s neck)JOYCE
Let’s see what we have.
Darla follows her:
INT. BUFFY’S KITCHEN – NIGHT
Joyce rummages in cupboards, the fridge.
JOYCE
Do you feel like something little
or something big?
DARLA
Something big.
ANGLE – SHOOTING OVER JOYCE TO DARLA
We see that Darla is now a vampire!
EXT. BUFFY’S HOUSE – NIGHT
Angel walks up, moves to the front door, reaches for doorbell, thinks better of it, moves away. That’s when he hears the big SCREAM coming from the back of the house. He bolts to the back. INT. BUFFY’S KITCHEN – NIGHT
Angel bursts in. Darla has her teeth in Joyce’s neck. Joyce is weak and out of it, not cognizant of much.
ANGEL
Let her go.
Darla leans her head back, laughs, holding Joyce around the waist like a limp doll.
DARLA
I only took a little, there’s
plenty more. Aren’tcha hungry for
something warm after all this time?
Angel hesitates, starting to breathe a little harder.
DARLA
Come on, Angel . . .
Angel, breathing harder still, shakes his head “no”.
DARLA
Just say yes.
She heaves Joyce into Angel’s arms. Angel MORPHS into a vampire.
DARLA
Welcome home.
She fades back, leaving the two of them together. Angel doesn’t even see her go, he is staring at the pinpricks of blood on Joyce’s neck.
Darla slips out the door.
Angel shuts his eyes, trying to control himself. Opens them. Moves his head down toward Joyce’s neck —
BUFFY (O.S.)
Hi mom . . .
Buffy appears from the hall entry.
BUFFY
. . . I’m home.
She freezes, seeing Angel in vamp mode poised over her unconscious mother. Her eyes dart to the small but distinctive wound in her mother’s neck, then to Angel’s terrifying face. Off Buffy:
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
Act Three
EXT. BUFFY’S HOUSE – NIGHT
The house sits silent in the cool night.
ANGEL COMES CRASHING through the front window and lands in a heap on the lawn. He gets up, looks back.
BUFFY
(quiet hatred)
You’re not welcome here. Come near
us and I’ll kill you.
He looks at her a beat — then moves off into the night. Buffy watches for a second from the broken window, turns and runs:
INT. BUFFY’S HOUSE – KITCHEN – NIGHT
Buffy races to her mother on the kitchen floor.
BUFFY
Mom, mom can you hear me?
Joyce groans, she’s alive. Buffy grabs the phone, punches in 911.
BUFFY
(into phone)
I need an ambulance, sixteen-thirty
Revello Drive. My mother . . . cut
herself, she’s lost a lot of
blood . . . please hurry —
The back door opens and Willow and Xander enter.
XANDER
Hey, Buffy, we — Oh my god.
WILLOW
What happened?
BUFFY
Angel.
CUT TO:
EXT. HOSPITAL – NIGHT – ESTABLISHING (STOCK?)
INT. HOSPITAL – HALL – NIGHT
Giles moves down the hall fast, wheels into:
INT. HOSPITAL – JOYCE’S ROOM – NIGHT
Joyce is in bed, resting, a small bandage on her neck. Buffy is next to her. Willow and Xander stand nearby.
BUFFY
Do you remember anything, mom?
JOYCE
Just . . . your friend came over, I
was going to make a snack . . .
Buffy turns, glares at Giles, Willow and Xander.
BUFFY
My friend . . .
JOYCE
I guess I slipped and cut my neck
on . . . the doctor said it looked
like a barbeque fork, we don’t
have a barbeque fork . . .
(re: Giles)
Are you another doctor?
BUFFY
Mom, this is Mr. Giles.
JOYCE
The librarian from your school?
What’s he . . .?
GILES
I just came to pay my respects,
wish you a speedy recovery.
JOYCE
(a tad woozy)
Boy, the teachers really do care
in this town . . .
BUFFY
Mom, get some rest now.
Buffy gives Joyce a kiss on the cheek. Turns to go.
INT. HOSPITAL – HALL OUTSIDE JOYCE’S ROOM – NIGHT
Buffy, Giles, Willow and Xander exit into hall.
BUFFY
The doctor says she’s going to be
okay. They gave her some iron,
her blood count’s a little . . .
Buffy takes a moment to control her feelings.
GILES
A little low, it presents like a
mild anemia . . . you’re lucky you got
to her as soon as you did.
BUFFY
Lucky and oh-so-stupid.
XANDER
Buff, this isn’t your fault.
BUFFY
Oh no? I invited him into my home.
And even after I knew who he was —
what he was — I didn’t do anything
about it. Because I had feelings,
because I cared about him.
WILLOW
If you care about somebody . . .
(glance at Xander)
. . . you care about them. You can’t
change that just by —
BUFFY
Killing them? Maybe not, but it’s a
start.
A beat. No one’s going to argue with this.
XANDER
We’ll keep an eye on your mom.
BUFFY
Thanks. The Three found me near the
Bronze and so did he. He lives
nearby . . .
(starts to go, Giles stops her)
GILES
This is no ordinary vampire — if
there is such a thing — he knows
you, he’s faced the Three, I think
it’s going to take more than
simple stake.
BUFFY
So do I.
CUT TO:
INT. LIBRARY – NIGHT
ANGLE: THE CROSSBOW
Buffy pulls the crossbow and several steel arrows out of Giles’ weapons chest. Feels the point of an arrow — sharp. Locks an arrow onto crossbow — KA-CHING — it’s a killing tool.
CUT TO:
INT. ANGEL’S APT. – CONTINUOUS
Darla is working Angel, circling him as he sits brooding in a chair.
DARLA
She’s out hunting you right now.
She wants to kill you.
ANGEL
Leave me alone.
DARLA
What did you think? Did you think
she’d understand? That she would
look at your face — your true face
— and give you a kiss?
She says kiss close enough to be kissing him herself. They lock eyes.
CUT TO:
INT. LIBRARY – CONTINUOUS
Buffy comes out of the office loaded for bear, crossbow in hand and four shafts stuck in her belt.
She looks around for something to test it on. She stands near the check-out desk, sights on the back wall. Next to one of the doors in back is a poster of a senior boy (an anti smoking ad or some such.)
Buffy aims, pulls the trigger — VOOM! the arrow flies — and hits him in the heart with deadly force. Buffy, satisfied, slings the crossbow over her shoulder and heads out.
CUT TO:
INT. ANGEL’S APT. – CONTINUOUS
Darla is still at him, and it seems to be working.
DARLA
For a hundred years you’ve not had
a moment’s peace ’cause you will
not accept who you are. That’s all
you have to do. Accept it. Don’t
let her hunt you down, don’t
whimper and mewl like a mangy
human. Kill. Feed. Live.
He rises and SLAMS her against the wall, holding her wrists. An animal behind his eyes.
ANGEL
All right.
DARLA
What do you want?
ANGEL
I want it finished.
DARLA
That’s good.
(re: his hands on her)
You’re hurting me. That’s good,
too . . .
CUT TO:
INT. HOSPITAL – HALL – NIGHT
A NURSE moves past. Giles leans against the wall, thinking. Xander stands next to him in a bit of a daze, staring at Giles’ coat for a long moment.
GILES
What?
XANDER
Why do they call it tweed?
Willow emerges from Joyce’s room.
WILLOW
(to Giles)
Buffy’s mom is asking for you.
Giles disappears into Joyce’s room.
CUT TO:
EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS – NIGHT
Buffy hunts. She rounds a corner, sees someone moving along the street, keeping to the shadows. She follows.
EXT. BRONZE – NIGHT
Deserted. Big sign next to the door — CLOSED FOR FUMIGATION, OPENING BASH THIS SATURDAY! Buffy moves past, crossbow held down and somewhat out of sight in her hand.
She HEARS the sound of GLASS BREAKING above her. Looks up. Then moves along the side of the Bronze until she comes to a metal ladder attached to the sheet metal wall. She starts up the ladder.
CUT TO:
INT. JOYCE’S ROOM – NIGHT
Giles is next to Joyce who is still a little groggy.
JOYCE
She talks about you all the time . . .
it’s important to have teachers who
make an impression . . .
GILES
She makes quite an impression
herself.
JOYCE
I know she’s having trouble with
history. Is it too difficult for
her or is she not applying herself?
GILES
She lives very much in the now and
of course history is very much
about “the then”, but there’s no
reason . . .
JOYCE
She’s studying with Willow, she’s
studying with Darla, she is
trying . . .
GILES
Darla. I don’t believe I know . . .
JOYCE
Her friend, the one who came over
tonight.
GILES
Darla came to your house tonight,
she was the friend you mentioned
earlier?
JOYCE
Poor thing, I probably frightened
her half to death when I fainted.
Someone should make sure she’s all
right.
GILES
Yes, someone should, right away.
(heads for door)
I’ll do it.
And he’s out of the room.
JOYCE
That school is amazing.
INT. HOSPITAL – NIGHT
Giles moves out of Joyce’s room, fast, to Willow and Xander.
GILES
We’ve got a problem.
CUT TO:
INT. BRONZE – NIGHT
It’s empty. CAMERA DRIFTS UP to the balcony. Buffy lets herself in through the broken window. She prowls the balcony, crossbow in hand. Doesn’t find him.
She heads downstairs.
WIDER ANGLE – from the stage side — Buffy is small in frame as she creeps downstairs, crossbow ready. Something LARGE enters frame in f.g.
ANGEL – watches her move away from him, towards the bar.
BUFFY – sensing him, spins around, aiming towards the stage.
He’s not there.
She continues her prowl. Moves toward the bar. Hears the floor boards squeak from the direction of the dance floor. She aims the crossbow into the darkness, looking for him.
BUFFY
I know you’re there . . .
She aims the bow this way and that, trying to find him.
BUFFY
And I finally know what you are.
ANGEL’S VOICE
Do you . . .
She zeros in on the right side of the stage. But suddenly his voice comes from the left.
ANGEL’S VOICE
I’m just an animal, right?
BUFFY
You’re not an animal. Animals I
like.
She quickly shifts her weapon to the left. Angel steps out of the darkness on her right — and much closer than she (or we) was expecting. We see he is now a VAMPIRE.
ANGEL
Let’s get it done.
He charges her. EXTREMELY FAST. It takes her a second to adjust, but she does, bringing the crossbow up, sighting and FIRING! Angel hits the pool table and vaults straight up to the balcony as – –
The arrow shoots across the club, missing him. We HEAR it THWANG into a far wall.
Buffy loads another arrow, creeps around the pool table, aiming up into the dark hole. She sights one side of the hole, then another — then he drops down behind her from the stairs.
She spins. Too late. He knocks the bow out of her arms. She punches. He blocks. He punches, she gets hit. She lands a kick and punches him in the ribs where he was wounded. He HOWLS in pain and rage, leaps for her. Just misses as she:
Ducks and dives to the ground, scrambling for the crossbow, gets her hands on it.
He’s coming at her from behind. She spins, aims the crossbow. He stops. She’s got a good, clean shot. Off the two of them,
BLACK OUT.
END OF ACT THREE
Act Four
INT. BRONZE – NIGHT
Buffy and Angel face off as before.
HER FINGER begins to tighten on the crossbow’s trigger.
ANGLE – shooting over the steel-tipped arrow and crossbow into Buffy’s face. She’s gonna kill him. ANGLE – (C.G.I.) Angel’s vampire face. It morphs into his regular face.
ANGLE – Buffy. Seeing him this way, she hesitates.
ANGEL
Come on. Don’t go soft on me now.
Buffy tightens her finger on the trigger even more, then swings the crossbow wide and fires. An arrow sinks into the wall behind (and wide of) Angel.
She gets to her feet. They’re both angry, breathing hard.
ANGEL
(re: shot)
A little wide . . .
BUFFY
Why? Why didn’t you just attack me
when you had the chance? Was it
just a joke? To make me feel for
you and then . . . I’ve killed a lot
of vampires. I’ve never hated one
before.
ANGEL
Feels good, doesn’t it? Feels simple.
BUFFY
You play me like a fool. Come into
my home. And then you attack my
family . . .
ANGEL
Why not? I killed mine.
He starts closing in on her. She backs up ever so slightly.
ANGEL
I killed their friends, and their
friends’ children. For a hundred
years I offered an ugly death to
everyone I met. And I did it with
a song in my heart.
BUFFY
A hundred years.
ANGEL
And then I made an error of
judgment. Fed on a girl about
your age. Beautiful. Dumb as a
post, but a favorite among her clan.
BUFFY
Her clan?
ANGEL
The Romani —
(off her look)
— Gypsies. It was just before
the turn of the century. The
elders conjured the perfect
punishment for me. They restored
my soul.
BUFFY
What, they were all out of boils
and blinding torment?
ANGEL
When you become a vampire, the
demon takes your body. But it
doesn’t get the soul. That’s gone.
No conscience, no remorse . . . it’s
an easy way to live. You have no
idea what it’s like to have done
the things I’ve done, and to care.
I haven’t fed on a living human
being since that day.
BUFFY
So you start with my mom? Am I
supposed to feel honored?
ANGEL
I didn’t bite her.
BUFFY
Then why didn’t you say
something —
ANGEL
But I wanted to. I can walk like a
man but I’m not one. I wanted to
kill you tonight.
Buffy considers this, then, never taking her eyes off him, sets the crossbow down.
BUFFY
Then go ahead.
He looks at her. Then he just shakes his head.
BUFFY
Not as easy as it looks.
Angel almost smiles. Then:
DARLA (O.S.)
Sure it is.
Darla (in vamp make-up) appears from the back stage door. Strolls towards them, her hands girlishly clasped behind her back.
CUT TO:
EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS – NIGHT
Xander, Willow and Giles cross the railroad tracks near the Bronze.
WILLOW
We’re near the Bronze, what now?
GILES
Keep looking for her.
XANDER
Okay, here’s a question. Say we
find her. Say she’s fighting Angel
or some of his friends. What the
heck are we going to do about it?
GILES
We have to stop her before it’s too
late.
XANDER
You couldn’t just give her a cell
phone for Christmas, could you.
CUT TO:
INT. BRONZE – NIGHT
Darla, hands still behind her back, strolling towards them.
DARLA
Do you know what the saddest thing
in the world is?
BUFFY
Bad hair on top of that outfit? To love someone who used to
love you.
Buffy looks down at THE CROSSBOW on the floor. Edges towards it.
BUFFY
So you guys were . . . involved.
DARLA
For several generations.
BUFFY
Well you’re going to pile up a few
ex’s when you’ve been around since
Columbus. You are older than him,
right? One gal to another, you look
a little worn around the eyes.
Darla bares her fangs in a smile.
DARLA
I made him. And I brought him that
Gypsy girl . . . there was a time when
we shared everything.
(to Angel)
Wasn’t there, Angelus.
Buffy gets her foot on the crossbow.
DARLA
(to Angel)
You had a chance to come home, to
rule with me in the Master’s court
for a thousand years. You gave all
that up because of her, you love
someone who hates us.
Buffy looks over at Angel. He loves her?
DARLA
You’re sick and you’ll always be
sick and you’ll always remember
what it was like to watch her die.
(to Buffy)
You don’t think I came alone do
you?
BUFFY
I know I didn’t.
Buffy stomps on the crossbow, sends it flying up into her hands.
DARLA
Scary.
And Darla unclasps her hands, revealing the two Smith and Wesson .357 revolvers she’s been holding behind her back.
DARLA
(re: guns)
Scarier.
Darla casually fires!
Buffy DIVES under the pool table. Angel (Buffy’s arrow still in hand) takes a bullet and slams into the wall and slides to the floor.
BUFFY
Angel!
DARLA
Don’t worry, bullets can’t kill
vampires —
(re: Angel, writhing on the floor)
— they can hurt like hell,
but —
Darla fires at the pool table. The bullet takes out a chunk of it just above Buffy’s head. CUT TO:
EXT. STREET BY BRONZE – NIGHT
Willow, Xander and Giles have just stopped in their tracks.
XANDER
Did you just hear —
They HEAR two GUNSHOTS.
They take off.
CUT TO:
INT. BRONZE – NIGHT
Buffy hides behind the pool table. Angel, wounded, lies on the floor fifteen feet away. Darla closes in, guns in hand.
DARLA
So many body parts, so few
bullets . . . let’s begin with the
kneecaps, no fun dancing
without them . . .
She fires! Buffy pops up and gets off a crossbow shot of her own.
The arrow THWUMPS into Darla’s solar plexus. She regards it a moment, looks up, smiling.
DARLA
Close. But no heart.
She pulls the arrow out and drops it on the floor.
ANGLE – THE WINDOW UPSTAIRS – Giles, Willow, Xander crawl in. Peer down at the carnage below. Darla is pulling the arrow out, guns in hand.
XANDER
We need to distract her.
ANGLE: Buffy holds the crossbow, sees she is out of arrows.
ANGLE – GILES, WILLOW AND XANDER
XANDER Fast.
WILLOW
(shouts)
Buffy, it wasn’t Angel who attacked
your mom, it was Darla!
Darla turns, fires in their direction. They duck.
XANDER
Good, enough distraction!
BUFFY – rises and PULLS the pool table, yanking Darla off her feet. Darla lands on her back as Buffy PUSHES the table with all her might — the table flies back toward the stage. Buffy turns and runs to the counter —
ANGLE: DARLA
on her back on the table, firing continuously as it skids back —
ANGLE: BUFFY
The glass case shattering from the gunfire as Buffy flies over and behind it.
Giles spies a LIGHT MIXING BOARD near him. Giles scrambles to the light board, starts pounding and punching buttons like crazy. Spotlights go on, off and then a STROBE.
XANDER
I don’t think we can save her with
Disco Fever . . .
(entranced by:)
Oooo, strobes . . .
ANGEL – wounded, gets to his knees, tries to stand.
Darla looks around her, momentarily thrown, then advances again on Buffy, her movements oddly jerky in the strobe’s constant flash.
Darla fires — advancing on Buffy who crouches behind the bar.
DARLA
Come on, Buffy . . . Take it like a man.
Grinning, Darla fires again — in the strobe light we see Angel, steel-tipped arrow in hand, rise behind her. Angel plunges the arrow into Darla’s back.
ANGLE: THE LIGHT MIXING BOARD
Giles bangs on the console. The strobe stops. All that’s left in the room is moonlight and silence. Darla staggers, drops the guns. She turns to see:
DARLA
Angel . . .
Grabs onto him for a moment, then begins to slip. Hold the two of them until Darla falls, turns to dust. Angel looks down at the remains of his old lover, saying nothing.
ANGLE: BUFFY
Rises from behind the counter, looking at Angel. There is a long moment between them, then Angel steps back into total darkness. And is gone.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. MASTER’S LAIR
We see an old collection box being SMASHED. It is the Master, wielding the killing spear in a fury. He sweeps it around, knocking over a big candelabra (the candles all lit unless it’s a production problem in which case they’re not). Finally, with a roar, he sinks the spear into the earth — then almost hangs on it, exhausted with grief.
MASTER
Darla . . .
The boy approaches him, as calm as the Master is emotional.
COLLIN
Forget her.
MASTER
(turns on him)
How dare you! She was my favorite!
For four hundred years —
COLLIN
She was weak. We don’t need
her. I will bring you the
Slayer.
MASTER
(the anger gone)
But to lose her to Angel . . . He was
to have sat on my right come the
day . . . and now . . .
COLLIN
They’re all against you. But soon
you’ll rise and when you do . . .
He reaches up, gently takes the Master’s hand.
COLLIN
We’ll kill them all.
The Master smiles, comforted.
CUT TO:
EXT. BUFFY’S HOUSE – DAY – ESTABLISHING
EXT. BUFFY’S HOUSE – BACKYARD – DAY
Buffy dishes up a plate of healthy vegetables (including broccoli and beets) and carries it to Joyce (who looks fully recovered) at the table.
BUFFY
Here Mom, you gotta eat this. It’s
what the doctor said, to build up
your iron. How are you feeling?
JOYCE
I’m thinking I should say not so
good so you’ll continue to wait on
me hand and foot but I cannot tell
a lie: I feel fine.
BUFFY
Good. I was so worried about you, I
mean it actually made me feel sick.
If anything happened to you . . .
Buffy looks at her mom who puts her hand on Buffy’s.
JOYCE
Now you know how I feel about you
every minute of every day.
BUFFY
(beat)
I guess I do. Ouch, and now I am so
sorry for about a kazillion things
I’ve put you through.
Joyce smiles, they hug.
BUFFY
Now eat your vegetables.
JOYCE
I did!
BUFFY
Mom . . .
JOYCE
I had two big bites.
CUT TO:
INT. BRONZE – NIGHT
It’s crowded again, music and people milling about.
ANGLE – NEAR FRONT DOOR
Buffy (wearing cross), Xander and Willow enter.
XANDER
Ah, the post-fumigation party.
BUFFY
What’s the difference between this
and the pre-fumigation party?
XANDER
Much heartier cockroaches.
Buffy is looking around — for someone in particular, as Willow notices.
WILLOW
No word from Angel?
BUFFY
No. I don’t think he’ll be around.
It’s weird, though. In a way I
feel like he’s still watching me.
WILLOW
Well, in a way, he is. In the way
of that he’s right over there.
Buffy and Xander turn, with very different expressions. Buffy heads for Angel. Xander sits with Willow, deliberately turning his back.
XANDER
I don’t need to watch because I’m
not threatened. I’m gonna look
this way.
ANGLE – ANGEL AND BUFFY
ANGEL
I just wanted to make sure you’re
okay, and your mother . . .
BUFFY
We’re both good. You?
ANGEL
If I can go a little while without
getting shot or stabbed I’ll be all
right.
Beat.
ANGEL
Look . . . this can’t . . .
BUFFY
I know, ever be anything. For one
thing you’re like two hundred and
twenty-four years older than I am.
ANGEL
(nods, then:)
I just gotta . . . I gotta walk away
from this.
BUFFY
I know. Me, too.
But neither one goes.
BUFFY
One of us has to go here.
ANGEL
I know.
Still neither leaves. Then he shakes his head like he’s going to go but instead he bends to kiss her. And her arms go around his neck. And oh do they kiss.
ANGLE – XANDER AND WILLOW
XANDER
What’s going on?
WILLOW
Nothing.
XANDER
Well, as long as they’re not
kissing . . .
ANGLE – BUFFY AND ANGEL
Finally they break. She looks up at him, the cross he gave her glinting at her throat.
BUFFY
Are you okay?
ANGEL
It’s just . . .
BUFFY
Painful, I know . . . I’ll see you
around.
She turns and walks away. He watches her go, pain playing on his features.
PAN DOWN TO HIS CHEST
Where we now see the smoking IMPRINT OF THE CROSS she was wearing — burned into his chest. He takes a deep breath and goes.
BLACK OUT.
END OF SHOW

Transcript

Prologue ~~
In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer. The Master’s lair. Collin is tossing stones into the pool. He takes a few more from the Master’s hand. Darla comes into the lair.
Master: Zachary didn’t return from the hunt last night.
Darla: The Slayer.
Master: Zachary was strong, and he was careful. And still the Slayer
takes him… as she has taken so many of my family. (takes a breath) It
wears thin. Collin, what would you do about it?
Collin: I’d annihilate her.
Master: (inhales) Out of the mouths of babes…
Darla: (makes her way down) Let me do it, Master. Let me kill her for
you.
Master: You have a personal interest in this.
Darla: (disappointed) I don’t get to have any fun.
Master: I will send the Three.
Darla: (intrigued) The Three?
Cut to an alley. Three tough guys are lighting up cigarettes. The Three come around a corner at a steady, deliberate pace. The men see them coming and leave.
Cut to the Bronze. A cockroach is being chased along the floor. Boy: Get it! Go get it, right there!
Girl: I got it!
She holds the roach up to the bartender and drops it into his jar. Girl: Free drink, please.
The bartender nods his head and goes to get the drink.
Willow: Ah, the fumigation party.
Cut to Buffy and Willow sitting at a table.
Buffy: Hmm?
Willow: It’s an annual tradition. The closing of the Bronze for a few days to nuke the cockroaches?
Buffy: (not paying attention) Oh.
Willow: It’s a lot of fun… What’s it like where you are?
Buffy: (looks up and smiles) I’m… sorry, I was just… thinking about things…
Willow: So, we’re talking about a guy?
Buffy: Not exactly a guy. For us to have a conversation about a guy, there’d have to be a guy for us to have a conversation about. Is that a sentence?
Willow: (smiles) You lack a guy.
Buffy: I do. Which is fine with me, most of the time, but… Willow: What about Angel?
Buffy: Angel? I can just see him in a relationship. ‘Hi, honey, you’re in grave danger. I’ll see you next month.’
Willow: He’s not around much, it’s true.
Buffy: (looks dreamily) When he is around… it’s like the lights dim everywhere else. You know how it’s like that with some guys?
Willow: Oh, yeah! (looks over at Xander)
Xander is on the dance floor, making a fool of himself. He dances up to a girl.
Xander: Hey, Annie! (sees her boyfriend) Dino, just leaving! He backs away and bumps into Cordelia.
Cordelia: Ouch! Please get your extreme oafishness off my two-hundred dollar shoes!
Xander: I’m sorry, I was just…
Cordelia: …getting off the dance floor before Annie Vega’s boyfriend squashes you like a bug?
Xander: Oh, so you noticed.
Cordelia: Uh-huh.
Xander: Yeah, thanks for being so understanding.
Cordelia: Sure.
Xander: Y’know, hey, I don’t know what everyone’s talking about. That outfit doesn’t make you look like a hooker! (laughs)
He leaves the dance floor and goes over to Buffy and Willow.
Xander: Boy, that Cordelia is a regular breath of vile air. What are you vixens up to?
Willow: Just sitting here, watching our barren lives pass us by. (sees a roach) Oh, look, a cockroach. (stomps it)
Buffy lifts her eyes to see and then turns them back down. Xander: Whoa, well, let’s stop this crazy whirligig of fun! I’m dizzy!
Buffy: Alright, now I’m infecting those nearest and dear to me. I’m gonna call it a night. (gets up)
Willow: Oh, don’t go!
Xander: Uh, yeah! It’s early! We could, um, dance!
Buffy: Rain check? Good night. (leaves)
Xander lets out a breath. Willow holds her shoe up to him. Willow: Want a free drink?
Buffy makes her way out of the Bronze looking bummed. She passes the stairs. Angel is watching her go. Buffy senses something and turns to look. Angel is gone. She continues out.
Cut to the street. Buffy is walking home. She senses something and stops to look behind her. Nothing. She continues and walks past an alley. She hears a breath and stops.
Buffy: It’s late, I’m tired, and I don’t wanna play games. Show yourself.
One of the Three roars and drops down to the sidewalk behind her. She reaches into her coat, pulls out a stake and quickly spins around to stake the vampire. Another of the Three grabs her arm as she swings.
Buffy: (surprised) Wuh!
The third member comes up on her other side and grabs her other arm. Buffy: Ooo! Okay, okay, nice…
They pull her into the alley and up against a fence. The first one approaches her.
Buffy: Okay, okay… Look, I really don’t wanna fight all three of you… unless I have to.
She snap kicks him in the crotch, elbows the third, and tries to punch the second. He blocks her swing and thrusts his knee into her gut, slamming her into the fence. The other two recover and grab her again. The second one slowly approaches her with death in his eyes. Buffy is terrified and struggles to get away.
Opening credits roll. Buffy’s theme plays.

Part 1
In the alley. The vampire comes up to Buffy, grabs her head and moves in to bite. Angel comes up behind him, grabs him by the hair and pulls him off of her.
Angel: Good dogs don’t… (punches the vampire) …bite!
Buffy is surprised, but quickly regains her head. Using the support of the two vampires holding onto her arms, she kicks up with both feet and hits them both in the face with a straddle kick. One of them grabs her again and holds her against the fence. Angel continues to fight the other two, punching one and snap kicking the second. One of them pulls a piece of iron bar off of a window.
Buffy: Look out!
Angel turns around, only to be sliced in the chest with the bar. Buffy shoves an open palm into her assailant’s chin, pushing him off of her, punches him once in the gut and then slams both fists into his head. Angel is bent over in pain and is about to be stabbed again. Buffy quickly side kicks his attacker in the face, and he falls back away from Angel. She helps Angel up.
Buffy: Run!
They come running out of the alley. The Three get up and give chase.
Cut to Buffy’s street. She and Angel jump over the bushes in front of her house and run onto the porch. The Three are hot on their trail. Buffy gets the front door open.
Buffy: Get in! C’mon!
She rushes inside. Angel is right behind her. Buffy slams the door on one of the vampire’s hands. He struggles a moment, but pulls his hand back out. She slams the door shut and locks it. The vampire looks in through the glass. Another one looks in through the window.
Angel: It’s alright. A vampire can’t come in unless it’s invited.
Buffy: I’ve heard that before, but I’ve never put it to the test. (leans on the door, sees his wound) Oh… I’ll go get some bandages, just… take your jacket and your shirt off.
She heads into the kitchen. Angel looks out the window one last time and follows her. He takes off his jacket and his T-shirt. Buffy looks at him from behind and sees his tattoo of a griffin straddling a large “A” below his right shoulder. She brings over the first aid kit.
Buffy: Nice tattoo. (exhales) I was lucky you came along. (looks up at him) How did you happen to come along? (begins to bandage him)
Angel: I live nearby. I was just out walking.
Buffy: So, you weren’t following me? I just had this feeling you were. Angel: (smiles) Why would I do that?
Buffy: You tell me. You’re the Mystery Guy that appears out of nowhere. I’m not saying I’m not happy about it tonight, but… if you are hanging around I’d like to know why. (finishes bandaging)
Angel: Maybe I like you.
Buffy: Maybe…
They smile at each other. Buffy hears the door open and quickly goes to intercept her mom. She’s also worried about the Three outside. She pulls her mom into the house and closes the door.
Joyce: Hi! What are you doing?
Buffy: There’s a lot of weird people outside at night… Joyce starts toward the kitchen. Buffy comes after her.
Buffy: …I just feel better with you safe and sound inside. You must be beat.
Joyce: I am. We’re a little gallery. You have no idea how much…
Buffy: (interrupts) Well, then why don’t you go upstairs and get into bed, and I can bring you some hot tea?
Joyce: That’s sweet! (suspiciously) What’d you do?
Buffy: Can’t a daughter just be concerned about her mother? Angel comes into the living room behind Buffy. Joyce sees him. Joyce: Hi.
Angel: Hi.
Buffy: Oh! Okay… Um… Angel, uh, this is my mom. Mom, this is Angel. Uh, we ran into each other on the way home.
Angel: Nice to meet you.
Joyce: What do you do, Angel?
Buffy: He’s a student. (her mother gives her a disbelieving look) Uh, first year community college. Angel’s been helping me with my history, you know I’ve been toiling there.
Joyce: It’s a little late for tutoring. I’m gonna go to bed, and, uh, Buffy? (starts up the stairs)
Buffy: I’ll say good night and do the same!
Joyce looks back down at her daughter and nods.
Joyce: (to Angel) It was nice to meet you.
Cut to Buffy at the front door holding it open.
Buffy: Good night! We’ll hook up soon and do that study thing!
She closes the door. Angel is still there behind it. They go up the stairs and into her room. She closes the door quietly.
Angel: Look, I don’t wanna get you in any more trouble…
Buffy: And I don’t wanna get you dead. They could still be out there. (moves to the center of the room) So, uh, (realizes) oh… two of us, one bed. That doesn’t work. (faces him) Um, why don’t you take the bed? Y’know, you’re wounded…
Angel: I’ll take the floor.
Buffy: Uh, no, that’s not…
Angel: (reassuringly) Oh, believe me, I’ve had worse.
Buffy: Okay. Um, then why don’t you check and see if the Fang Gang is still loitering and, um, keep your back turned while I change?
Angel goes over to the window to have a look. Buffy goes to her closet and changes.
Angel: I don’t see them.
Buffy: Y’know, I’m the Chosen One, it’s my job to fight guys like that. What’s your excuse?
Angel: Uh, somebody has to.
Buffy: Well, what does your family think of your career choice? Angel: They’re dead.
She has finished changing and comes over to him.
Buffy: Was it vampires?
Angel: (faces her) I-it was.
Buffy: I’m sorry.
Angel: It was a long while ago.
Buffy: So, this is a vengeance gig for you.
Angel: (pauses) Y-you even look pretty when you go to sleep. Buffy: Well, when I wake up it’s an entirely different story. They go over to her bed. She hands him the comforter from it. Buffy: Here. Sleep tight.
He lays the comforter down on the floor next to her bed. She gets into her bed and he lies on the comforter.
Buffy: Angel?
Angel: Hmm?
Buffy: Do you snore?
Angel: I don’t know. It’s been a long time since anybody’s been in a position to let me know.
He turns his head to look at her. She smiles and settles in to sleep. Cut to the library the next day.
Xander: He spent the night? In your room? In your bed? Buffy: Not in my bed, by my bed.
Willow: That is so romantic! Did you, uh… I mean, did he, uh… Buffy: (smiling) Perfect gentleman.
The girls exchange smiles.
Xander: Buffy, c’mon, wake up and smell the seduction. It’s the oldest trick in the book.
Buffy: What? Saving my life? Getting slashed in the ribs?
Xander: Duh! I mean, guys’ll do anything to impress a girl. I-I once drank an entire gallon of Gatorade without taking a breath. (grins)
Willow: It was pretty impressive. Although later there was an ick factor.
Giles: (coming to the table) Can we steer this riveting conversation back to the events that happened earlier in the evening? (Buffy sits down) You left the Bronze and were set upon by three unusually virile vampires. (puts a book in front of her) Did they look like this?
Buffy: Yeah. What’s with the uniforms?
Giles: It seems you encountered the Three. Warrior vampires, very proud and very strong.
Willow: (to Giles) How is it you always know this stuff? You always know what’s going on. I never know what’s going on.
Giles: Well, you weren’t here from midnight until six researching it. Willow: No, I was sleeping.
Giles: Uh, o-obviously you’re hurting the Master very much. He, he wouldn’t send the, the Three for just anyone. We must step up our training with weapons.
Xander: Buffy, you should stay at my house until these Samurai guys are history.
Buffy: (turns to him) What?
Xander: Ah-ah-ah, don’t worry about Angel, Willow can run to your house and tell him to get out of town fast.
Giles: Angel and Buffy are, are not in any immediate jeopardy. Eventually the Master will send someone else, but in the mean time the Three, having failed, will offer their own lives in penance.
Cut to the Master’s lair.
Vampire: We failed in our duty, and now our lives belong to you.
He hands the Master a spear. The Master passes it to Darla. She starts to walk around behind the Three as the Master goes over to Collin.
Master: Pay attention, child. You are the Anointed, and there is much you must learn. (crouches beside him) With power comes responsibility. True, they did fail, but also true, we who walk at night share a common bond. The taking of a life — I’m not talking about humans, of course —
is a serious matter.
One of the Three raises his head in hope.
Collin: So you would spare them?
Master: Hmm. (gets up) I am weary, and their deaths will bring me little joy.
The Master begins to walk away, and Collin follows. Darla watches them go and smiles. She lifts the spear and dispatches the first of the Three. The Master stops and turns to Collin.
Master: Of course, sometimes a little is enough.
He looks over at Darla as she kills the next one, then continues away.
Cut to the school. Cut to the library door. Giles sets out a sign that reads ‘Library CLOSED for filing. Please come back tomorrow.’ Cut inside. Buffy is checking out the weapons cabinet.
Buffy: Cool! Crossbow! (lifts it out, sees the bolts) Huh. Check out these babies. (takes out a bolt) Hmm. Goodbye stakes, hello flying fatality. What can I shoot?
Giles: Um, nothing. The crossbow comes later.
He takes the crossbow from her and goes to put it back. Buffy is disappointed.
Giles: You must first become proficient with the basic tools of combat. (Buffy looks bored) And let’s begin… (comes back with two poles) …with the quarterstaff. Which, incidentally, will, uh, require countless hours of vigorous training. (hands her one) I speak from experience.
Buffy: Giles, 20th Century? I’m not gonna be fighting Friar Tuck.
Giles: You never know with whom or what you’ll be fighting. (puts on his head pads) And these traditions have been handed down through the ages. (grabs his staff) Now, you show me good, steady progress with the quarterstaff, and in due course we’ll discuss the crossbow. Put on your pads.
Buffy: (laughs) I’m not gonna need pads to fight you.
Giles: Well, we’ll see about that. En garde!
He makes several thrusts and she parries them all. She takes the offensive, pushes his staff to the floor and punches him in the face. She comes around with the staff into his back, and again to knock his legs out from under him. He falls onto his back. She stands over him.
Giles: (stunned) Good. Let’s move on to the crossbow.
Cut to the Summers house at night. Cut to Buffy coming into her room. She closes the door and looks around.
Buffy: Angel?
Angel: Hey.
She turns on her desk lamp.
Buffy: Brought you some dinner. It’s a little plateless, sorry.
She hands him a plastic bag full of food that she pilfered from dinner. He accepts it and looks at it.
Buffy: So! What’d you do all day?
Angel: Uh, I read a little.
Buffy looks over to her diary. It’s out of place.
Angel: And just thought about a lot of things. Buffy, I…
Buffy: My diary? You read my diary? (goes to put it in a drawer) That is not okay! A diary is like a person’s most private place! (comes back to him) I… You don’t even know what I was writing about! ‘Hunk’ can mean a lot of things, bad things. And, and when it says that your eyes are ‘penetrating’, I meant to write ‘bulging’.
Angel: Buffy…
Buffy: And ‘A’ doesn’t even stand for ‘Angel’ for that matter, it stands for… ‘Achmed’, a charming foreign exchange student, so that whole fantasy part has nothing to even do with you at all…
Angel: Your mother moved your diary when she came in to straighten up. I watched from the closet. I didn’t read it, I swear.
She just looks at him.
Buffy: Oh! (looks down, realizing what she just said) Oh.
Angel: I did a lot of thinking today. I really can’t be around you. (Buffy looks up) Because when I am…
Buffy: (looks down) Hey, no big. Water… over the bridge, under the bridge…
Angel: When I am all I can ever think about is how badly I want to kiss you.
Buffy: …over the dam… (looks up at him) Kiss me?
Angel: I’m older than you, and this can’t ever… I better go. Buffy: H-how much older?
Angel: I should…
Buffy: (approaches him) …go… You said…
They kiss. They kiss again. They kiss passionately. She puts her arm around him. The kiss goes on for several moments. Angel suddenly pulls back and looks away.
Buffy: What? What is it? What’s wrong?
He turns to face her and growls. She sees he has his game face on and screams. He takes a last look at her and jumps out of the window. He slides down the roof and off onto the ground. Buffy goes to the window and watches him run away. Her mother comes running into the room.
Joyce: Buffy, what happened?
She backs away from the window. Her mom takes her by the shoulders. She looks at her mom and shakes her head.
Buffy: Uh, nothing. I saw a shadow.
They both look out the window.

Part 2
The next morning at Sunnydale High. The team is walking up the steps from the street toward the building.
Willow: Angel’s a vampire?
Buffy: I can’t believe this is happening. One minute we were kissing, and the next minute… (to Giles) Can a vampire ever be a good person? Couldn’t it happen?
Giles: A vampire isn’t a person at all. (clears his throat) It may have the movements, the, the memories, even the personality of the person that it took over, but i-it’s still a demon at the core, there is no halfway.
Willow: So that’d be a no, huh?
Buffy: Well, then what was he doing? Why was he good to me? Was it all some part of the Master’s plan? It doesn’t make sense!
They’ve reached a bench where Willow and Buffy sit.
Xander: Alright, uh… (sits also) …you have a problem, and it’s not a small one. Let’s take a breath and look at this calmly and objectively. Angel’s a vampire. You’re a Slayer. I think it’s obvious what you have to do. (grins)
Buffy doesn’t react, so Xander looks up to Giles for support. Giles: (crouches down) Uh, it is a Slayer’s duty…
Xander: I-I know you have feelings for this guy, but it’s not like you’re in love with him, right?
Buffy looks away.
Xander: You’re in love with a vampire?! What, are you outta your mind?! Cordelia: What?!
He looks at Cordelia. She’s looking somewhere else, but turns to him.
Xander: (to Cordelia) Not vampire… (to Buffy) How could you love an umpire? Everyone hates ’em!
Cordelia looks back at another girl wearing the same dress she is.
Cordelia: Where did you get that dress? (pursues her) This is a one-of a-kind Todd Oldham. Do you know how much this dress cost? Is this a knockoff? (checks the label) This is a knockoff, isn’t it?! Some cheesy knockoff! This is exactly what happens when you sign these free trade agreements!
The two girls disappear into the building.
Buffy: You think we have problems…
Cut to the hall outside Angel’s apartment. He comes through the door and goes to his apartment door. He unlocks it and goes in. Cut inside. There
are a bunch of old books stacked along the wall. He closes the door and goes over to turn on a lamp. When he straightens back up he senses a presence.
Angel: Who’s here?
Darla: A friend.
He quickly faces the voice. Darla comes out of the shadows wearing a Catholic schoolgirl uniform.
Darla: Hi. It’s been a while.
Angel: A lifetime.
Darla: Or two, but who’s counting?
Angel: What’s with the Catholic schoolgirl look? Last time I saw you it was kimonos.
Darla: And last time I saw you it wasn’t high school girls. (flares the skirt) Don’t cha like? (approaches Angel) Remember Budapest? Turn of the century? You were such a bad boy during that earthquake.
Angel: You did some damage yourself.
Darla: Is there anything better than a natural disaster? (walks away) The panic. The people lost in the streets. It’s like picking fruit off the vine. (reaches the bed) Nice! You’re living above ground, like one of them. You and your new friend are attacking us, like one of them.
(walks to the window) But guess what, precious? You’re not one of them.
She draws the window blinds open, letting in a stream of sunlight. Angel is blinded, and he stumbles backward to get out of the light.
Darla: Are you?
Angel: No. But I’m not exactly one of you either.
Darla: (walks to the fridge) Is that what you tell yourself these days? She opens the refrigerator and sees the bags and bottles of human blood.
Darla: You’re not exactly living off quiche. (closes the fridge) You and I both know what you hunger for. (goes over to him) What you need. Hey, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s who we are. It’s what makes eternal life worth living. (smiles and touches him) Mm. You can only suppress your real nature for so long. You can feel it brewing inside of you. I hope I’m around when it explodes.
Angel: Maybe you don’t wanna be.
Darla: I’m not afraid of you. I bet she is, though. (starts to leave) Or maybe I’m underestimating her. Talk to her. Tell her about the curse. Maybe she’ll come around. And if she still doesn’t trust you, you know where I’ll be.
She exits the apartment, leaving an angry Angel behind.
Cut to the library. Buffy is looking through a book. So are Willow and Xander. Giles comes up behind Xander and startles him.
Giles: Here’s something at last.
Xander: Can you please warn us before you do that?
Giles: There’s nothing about Angel in the texts, but it suddenly occurred to me that it’s been ages since I’ve read the diaries of any of the watchers before me.
Willow: (to Buffy) That musta been so embarrassing when you thought he had read your diary, but then it turned out he hadn’t, but then he felt the same way… (Xander gives her a look) I’m listening.
Giles: There’s mention some two hundred years ago in Ireland of, of Angelus, the one with the angelic face.
Buffy: They got that right.
Xander: (clears his throat) I’m not saying anything, I have nothing to say.
Giles: Does this, uh, Angel have, um, a tattoo behind his right shoulder?
Buffy: Yeah, it’s a, it’s a bird or something.
Xander: Now I’m sayin’ something. You saw him naked?
Willow: So, Angel’s been around for a while.
Giles: Not long for a vampire. Uh, two hundred and forty years or so. Buffy: Huh! Two hundred and forty. Well, he said he was older.
Giles: (sits and looks through the diary) Angelus leaves Ireland, uh, wreaks havoc in, in Europe for, uh, several decades, and then, um, about eighty years ago, the most curious thing happens. He, he comes to, uh, to America, um, shuns other vampires, and, and lives alone. There’s, there’s no, no record of him hunting here.
Willow: So he is a good vampire! I mean, on a scale of one to ten, ten being someone who’s killing and maiming every night, and one being someone who’s… not.
Giles: I say that there’s no record, but, uh, vampires hunt and kill. It’s, it’s what they do.
Xander: Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly.
Buffy: He could’ve fed on me. He didn’t.
Xander: Question: a hundred years or so before he came to our shores, what was he like then?
Giles: Uh, like all of them. Uh, a vicious, violent animal. Cut to the Master’s lair.
Darla: Don’t think I’m not grateful, you letting me kill the Three. Master: How can my children learn if I do everything for them? Darla: But you’ve gotta let me take care of the Slayer. Master: Oh! You’re giving me orders now!
Darla: (walks away) Okay, then, we’ll just do nothing while she takes us out one by one.
Master: Do I sense a plan, Darla? (she turns around) Share… Darla: (walks back) Angel kills her and comes back to the fold. Master: Angel! He was the most vicious creature I ever met. I miss him. Darla: So do I.
Master: (considers) Why would he kill her if he feels for her? Darla: To keep her from killing him.
Master: Hmm. (to Collin) You see how we all work together for the common good? That’s how a family is supposed to function!
Cut to the school at night.
Willow: Okay, so let’s review.
Cut to the library. Buffy and Willow are studying.
Willow: Reconstruction began when? (looks up) Buffy?
Buffy: Huh? (comes back to earth) Oh! Um, reconstruction… Uh, reconstruction began after the… construction, which was… shoddy, so they had to reconstruct.
Willow: After the destruction of the Civil War.
Buffy: Right. Civil War. During which Angel was already, like, a hundred and change…
Willow: Are we gonna talk about boys, or are we gonna help you pass history?
Buffy looks up at Willow. She closes the book.
Willow: Sometimes I have this fantasy that Xander’s just gonna grab me and kiss me right on the lips. (huge smile)
Buffy: You want Xander, you’ve gotta speak up, girl!
Willow: No, no, no, no. No speaking up. That way leads to madness and sweaty palms.
Darla peeks out from behind the stacks.
Willow: Okay, so here’s something I gotta know. When Angel kissed you… I mean before he turned into… how was it?
Buffy: (smiles) Unbelievable!
Darla continues to watch and listen.
Willow: Wow! And it is kinda novel how he’ll stay young and handsome forever, although you’ll still get wrinkly and die, and… Oh, and what about the children? (Buffy looks at her) I’ll be quiet now.
Buffy: No, it’s okay. I need to hear this. I need to get over him so I can…
Willow: So that you can… (makes a stabbing gesture)
Buffy: Like Xander said, I’m the Slayer, and he’s a… vampire. God, I can’t! He’s never done anything to hurt me… (collects herself) Okay,
no, I need to stop thinking about this. Okay, let’s give another half an hour and maybe something will sink in. And then I’m going home for some major moping.
Darla smiles and backs away.
Willow: Okay. The era of the congressional reconstruction, usually called radical…
Cut to the Summers house. Cut inside to the kitchen where Joyce is doing her taxes and having coffee. She hears creaking on the porch outside and gets up to investigate. She looks out the door window and sees nothing. She opens the door a bit and still there’s nothing. She closes the door and heads to the front. Darla looks in, sporting her game face. Joyce walks slowly through the living room and hears a knocking on the door. She looks out, sees Darla in her human guise and opens the door.
Joyce: Hello?
Darla: Hi! I’m Darla? A friend of Buffy’s?
Joyce: Oh! (exhales) Nice to meet you.
Darla: (exhales) She didn’t mention anything about me coming over for a study date, did she?
Joyce: No, I thought she was studying with Willow at the library.
Darla: She is. Willow’s the Civil War expert, but then I was supposed to help her with the War of Independence. My family kinda goes back to those days.
Joyce: Well, I, I know she’s supposed to be home soon. Would you like to come in and wait?
Darla: (comes in) It’s very nice of you to invite me into your home. (smiles)
Joyce: You’re welcome. I’ve been wrestling with the IRS all night. Would you like something to eat? (starts to the kitchen)
Darla: (follows) Yes, I would!
She looks at Joyce’s neck. Cut to the kitchen.
Joyce: Let’s see what we have. Do you feel like something little or something big?
Darla: (vamped out) Something big!
Cut outside. Angel comes walking up to the house. He almost knocks, but then decides to leave. As he goes he hears Joyce scream. He runs around to the back door and kicks it in. He sees Darla biting Joyce.
Angel: Let her go!
Darla: I just had a little, there’s plenty more. Aren’t you hungry for something warm after all this time? Come on, Angel. Just say ‘Yes’!
She shoves Joyce into Angel’s arms so he can see the bite and smell the blood. He struggles with himself and looks away from the bite. Darla watches with a big smile. Angel looks up at her again with his game face on.
Darla: Welcome home!
She walks around them and leaves the house. Angel continues to struggle with himself. Buffy comes in from the dining room, and Angel looks up.
Buffy: Hey! I’m home.
She turns toward him and freezes with fear. Angel bares his fangs and growls.

Part 3
The Summers house. Cut to the living room window. Angel flies through it and tumbles over the porch, through the bushes and onto the lawn. Buffy comes over to the broken window and looks out at him as he gets up.
Buffy: You’re not welcome here. You come near us and I’ll kill you. Angel just looks at her. She goes back inside. He turns to leave.
Cut inside. Buffy grabs the phone, dials 911 and goes over to kneel by her mother.
Buffy: Mom! Mom, can you hear me?! (the operator answers) Yes, I need an ambulance, 1630 Revello Drive! My mother cut herself, she lost a lot of blood! Please, please hurry! (drops the phone) Mom!
Xander: Hey, Buffy!
She looks up to see Xander and Willow come in through the kitchen door. Xander: Oh, my God!
Willow: What happened?!
Buffy: Angel!
Cut to the hospital. Giles rushes down the corridor trying to find Joyce’s room.
Buffy: Do you remember anything, Mom?
Cut inside the room.
Joyce: Just, um, your friend came over… I was gonna make a snack… Buffy: (misunderstands) My friend?
Giles comes in.
Joyce: I guess I slipped and cut my neck on… The doctor said it looked like a barbecue fork. (looks at Buffy) We don’t have a barbecue fork. (looks at Giles) Are you another doctor?
Buffy: (looks to see) Oh! Um… No, Mom, this is Mr. Giles.
Joyce: Oh, the librarian from your school! (confused) What’s he doing here?
Giles: Uh, I-I just came to pay my respects, wish you a speedy recovery.
Joyce: Boy, the teachers really do care in this town. Buffy: Get some rest now.
She gives her mom a kiss, and they all go outside the room. Cut to the hall.
Buffy: She’s gonna be okay. They, they gave her some iron… Her, uh, blood count was a, a little…
Giles: …a little low. It presents itself like mild anemia. Uh, you, you were, uh, lucky you got to her as soon as you did.
Buffy: Lucky? Stupid.
Xander: Buff, it’s not your fault.
Buffy: No? I invited him into my home. Even after I knew who he was, what he was, and I didn’t do anything about it… ’cause I had feelings for him, because I cared about him.
Willow: If you care about somebody you care about them. You can’t change that by…
Buffy: …killing them? Maybe not. But I think it’s a start. (starts to leave)
Xander: Uh, we’ll keep an eye on your mom.
Giles: (chases after her) Buffy! (blocks her way)
Buffy: You can’t stop me. The Three found me near the Bronze and so did he. He lives nearby.
Giles: This is no ordinary vampire. (whispers) If there is such a thing. Now, he knows you, he, he’s faced the Three! I think this is gonna take more than a simple stake.
Buffy: So do I.
Cut to the armory in the library. Buffy loads the crossbow with bolts. Darla: She’s out hunting you right now.
Cut to Angel’s apartment.
Darla: She wants to kill you.
Angel: Leave me alone.
Darla: What did you think? Did you think she would understand? That she would look at your face… your true face… and give you a kiss?
Cut to Buffy in the library. She takes a practice shot at an anti smoking poster and nails the guy in the heart.
Darla: For a hundred years you’ve not (Buffy lowers the bow) had a moment’s peace because you will not (cut to the apartment) accept who you are. That’s all you have to do. Accept it. Don’t let her hunt you down. Don’t whimper and mewl like a mangy human. Kill! Feed! Live!
She has pushed Angel to the limit. He jumps up and shoves her against the wall with her arms pinned up.
Angel: Alright!
Darla: What do you want?
Angel: I want it finished!
Darla: That’s good. You’re hurting me. (smiles) That’s good, too.
Cut to outside the Bronze. Buffy has the crossbow held ready. She comes through a hole in a fence and goes toward the entrance. She hears glass breaking above her and turns to the noise. She looks around as she goes to the wall where there’s a ladder. She starts to climb.
Joyce: She talks about you all the time.
Cut to the hospital room.
Joyce: It’s important to have teachers who make an impression. Giles: She makes quite an impression herself.
Joyce: I-I know she’s having trouble with history. I-is it too difficult for her or is she not applying herself?
Giles: She lives very much in the ‘now’, um, and, uh, history, of course, is, is very much about the, uh… the ‘then’. B-b-but there’s no reason…
Joyce: She’s studying with Willow, she’s studying with Darla, I-I mean, she is trying.
Giles: Darla? I-I-I don’t believe I know, uh…
Joyce: Her friend, the one who came over tonight.
Giles: Darla came to your house tonight? Sh-she’s the friend that you mentioned earlier?
Joyce: Poor thing, I must’ve frightened her half to death when I fainted. Someone should really check and make sure she’s alright.
Giles: (gets up) Yes, someone should, right away. I’ll do it. (grabs his coat and leaves)
Joyce: That school is amazing!
Cut to the hall. He walks with Willow and Xander.
Giles: We have a problem.
Cut to the Bronze. Buffy comes down the stairs. When she gets to the bottom she quickly turns to have a look around. Angel backs into the shadows. Buffy hears a noise and pivots toward it.
Buffy: I know you’re there. And I know what you are.
Angel: Do you?
She faces his voice.
Angel: I’m just an animal, right?
Buffy: You’re not an animal. Animals I like.
She keeps looking around her. He growls and comes out of the shadows to face her. She trains the crossbow on him.
Angel: Let’s get it done!
He growls and begins to run. He jumps onto a pool table. Buffy follows
him with her aim and shoots, but misses. Angel jumps up onto the catwalk above. Buffy can’t see him in the shadows. He swings down and kicks her in the back, knocking her onto a pool table. She does a standing back kick at him behind her and sends him into the wall. She runs around the table and dives for the crossbow. She rolls onto her back and takes aim at him. He slowly gets up and growls.

Part 4
The Bronze. Angel is in his game face and Buffy has her crossbow trained on him. Angel morphs back into his human form.
Angel: C’mon! Don’t go soft on me now!
Buffy launches the bolt. It hits the wall next to him.
Angel: Little wide.
Buffy: Why? (gets up) Why didn’t you just attack me when you had the chance? Was it a joke? To make me feel for you and then… I’ve killed a lot of vampires. I’ve never hated one before.
Angel: Feels good, doesn’t it? Feels simple.
Buffy: I invited you into my home and then you attacked my family!
Angel: Why not? I killed mine. I killed their friends… and their friend’s children… For a hundred years I offered ugly death to everyone I met, and I did it with a song in my heart.
Buffy: What changed?
Angel: Fed on a girl about your age… beautiful… dumb as a post… but a favorite among her clan.
Buffy: Her clan?
Angel: Romany. Gypsies. The elders conjured the perfect punishment for me. They restored my soul.
Buffy: What, they were all out of boils and blinding torment?
Angel: When you become a vampire the demon takes your body, but it doesn’t get your soul. That’s gone! No conscience, no remorse… It’s an easy way to live. You have no idea what it’s like to have done the things I’ve done… and to care. I haven’t fed on a living human being since that day.
Buffy: So you started with my mom?
Angel: I didn’t bite her.
Buffy: Then why didn’t you say something?
Angel: But I wanted to. I can walk like a man, but I’m not one. I wanted to kill you tonight.
Buffy looks at her bow and back at Angel. She puts the bow down on the floor and approaches him. She offers her neck.
Buffy: Go ahead.
He just looks at her in silence.
Buffy: Not as easy as it looks.
Darla: Sure it is!
They turn toward the voice and see Darla coming out of the shadows. Cut outside. Giles, Willow and Xander are walking down a street. Willow: We’re near the Bronze. What now?
Giles: Keep looking for her.
Xander: I have a question: what if we find her and she’s fighting Angel and some of his friends? What the heck are we gonna do about it?
Cut to the Bronze.
Darla: Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is? Buffy: Bad hair on top of that outfit?
Darla: To love someone who used to love you.
Buffy: (looks at Angel) You guys were involved?
Darla: For several generations.
Buffy: Well, you been around since Columbus, you are bound to pile up a few ex’s. You’re older than him, right? Just between us girls, you are looking a little worn around the eyes.
Darla: (smiles) I made him. There was a time when we shared everything, wasn’t there Angelus? You had a chance to come home, to rule with me in the Master’s court for a thousand years, but you threw that away because of her. You love someone who hates us. You’re sick. And you’ll always be sick. And you’ll always remember what it was like to watch her die. (smiles) You don’t think I came alone, do you?
Buffy: I know I didn’t.
She kicks the bow up into her hands and aims it at Darla. Darla: Hmm, scary.
She produces two pistols from behind her back, one in each hand. Darla: Scarier!
She shoots Angel. He staggers back onto a post.
Darla: Oh, don’t worry. Bullets can’t kill vampires. Can hurt them like hell, but… (giggles)
Buffy retreats. Darla starts shooting at her. Buffy does a diving shoulder roll over a pool table and takes cover behind it. Cut outside. Giles, Willow and Xander hear the shots from inside the Bronze.
Xander: Did you just hear…
They run to find a way in. Cut inside. Buffy reloads the crossbow.
Darla: So many body parts, so few bullets. Let’s begin with the kneecaps. No fun dancing without them.
She caps off a few more rounds, and the pool table takes a few hits. Buffy pops up with the crossbow and takes a shot at Darla. She doubles
over when it hits her in the abdomen. Buffy watches as she straightens back up again.
Darla: Close, but no heart.
She grabs the bolt, pulls it out and tosses it aside. Cut to Giles, Willow and Xander crawling along the floor.
Xander: We need to distract her, fast!
Willow: (calls out) Buffy, it wasn’t Angel who attacked your mom, it was Darla!
Darla turns toward the voice and lets loose a hail of bullets as they hug the floor for cover. Angel pulls the bolt from the wall. Darla turns her attention back on Buffy and hops up onto the pool table. Buffy jumps up, grabs the edge of the table and pulls, knocking Darla onto her back. She pushes the table away and starts to run for cover. Darla fires off a few rounds as she rides the table across the floor. Buffy leaps for cover over a glass case in a dive roll as bullets break it all around her. The pool table has stopped sliding, and Darla gets up to look for Buffy. She hops off of it and advances on the counter while shooting. Giles gets up and messes with the lighting system controls. The strobes come on. Darla looks up at him and stops shooting. Buffy takes the opportunity to change position. Darla sees her move and lets loose another volley.
Darla: C’mon, Buffy. Take it like a man!
Angel comes up behind her, roars and plunges the bolt into her back. She is surprised and cries out in pain. She turns to look at her attacker.
Darla: Angel?
She falls to the floor and bursts into ashes. Buffy rises up to see. Angel looks up from Darla’s ashes at Buffy. She comes out from behind the counter. He looks at her a moment longer and then turns and leaves. Buffy is speechless and just watches him go.
Cut to the Master’s lair. He screams as he wields a tall candleholder and smashes it in anger. He flails out with his arms and knocks other things over. Finally he sinks to the ground in grief. Collin comes over to him.
Collin: Forget her.
Master: (looks up angrily) How dare you? She was my favorite. For four hundred years…
Collin: She was weak. You don’t need her. I’ll bring you the Slayer.
Master: (despondently) But to lose her to Angel! He was to have sat at my right hand, come the day. And now…
Collin: They’re all against you. But soon you shall rise. And when you do… (puts a hand on the Master’s shoulder) …we kill them all.
The Master smiles at him and gets up. Collin takes his hand and leads him away.
Cut to later at the Bronze.
Xander: Ah, the post-fumigation party.
Buffy: Okay, so what’s the difference between this and the pre-
fumigation party?
Xander: Much hardier cockroaches.
Willow: So, no word from Angel?
Buffy: Nah. It’s weird, though. In his way I feel like he’s still watching me.
Willow: Well, in a way he sort of is. In the way of that he’s right over there.
Buffy looks over where Willow is looking and sees Angel. She briefly looks back at Willow and then heads over to him.
Xander: I don’t need to watch because I’m not threatened. Just gonna look this way.
He and Willow sit at a table with him facing away from Buffy and Angel. Willow watches as Buffy makes her way over to Angel. The crowd is slow dancing to “I’ll remember you”, by Sophie Zelmani.
Lyrics: Did they know what they wanted / The times they kissed me? / And your hands / I held in mine
Buffy and Angel reach each other.
Angel: I just wanted to see if you were okay. And your mother. Buffy: We’re both good. You?
Angel: If I can go a little while without getting shot or stabbed I’ll be alright. Look, this can’t…
Buffy: …ever be anything. I know. For one thing, you’re, like, two hundred and twenty-four years older than I am.
Angel: I just gotta… I gotta walk away from this.
Buffy: (nods) I know. Me, too. (whispers) One of us has to go here. Angel: (whispers) I know.
They look at each other a moment longer and then close in to kiss. Their kiss becomes passionate. Buffy reaches her hands up to Angel’s neck.
Lyrics: Your eyes / That always make me shiver / Now they are closed / They just sometimes twitch a little
Cut to Willow and Xander.
Xander: What’s going on?
Willow: Nothin’…
Xander: Well, as long as they’re not kissing.
Willow just watches and says nothing. Cut to Angel and Buffy.
Lyrics: And your body / I could hold for an hour / It sent me to Heaven / With its heat and power
They separate.
Buffy: You okay?
Angel: It’s just…
Buffy: …painful. I know. See you around?
Lyrics: I’ll remember you / You will be there in my heart / I’ll remember you / And that is all that I can do / But I’ll remember
Buffy walks away. Angel watches her go. The camera pans down to his chest where her cross has left a deep burn.

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Marianne LeBlanc

Hi, I’m Marianne LeBlanc, and I started this unofficial fan site for the show. We are dedicated to providing Buffy lovers across the globe with all of the information they could possibly need about the show.

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