The Party
ACT TWO
INT. SEWER – NIGHT
(BUFFY
and SPIKE creep slowly along a dimly lit sewer tunnel. SPIKE’S attention is
focused ahead, while BUFFY seems less than thrilled at being there)
BUFFY
What
are we doing here?
SPIKE
(SHORTLY)
Demon.
BUFFY
Is
this like the time you took me to see Riley having his blood sucked by vampire
whores?
(SPIKE
twists his face at the mention of Riley, but doesn’t answer)
BUFFY
(CONT’D)
Or
like last time when we spent half an hour waiting for two useless vampires
and then…
(SPIKE
has stopped and turned around to look at her. He’s staring at her now, one
eyebrow raised)
SPIKE
Yeah?
BUFFY
(BACKING
DOWN)
Never
mind. Why are we looking for demons here?
SPIKE
(CONTINUING
ALONG THE TUNNEL)
They’ve
set up camp under the Junior High School.
BUFFY
Why?
SPIKE
(SARCASTICALLY)
They
have a healthy thirst for knowledge… Look they eat kids alright.
BUFFY
(SIGHING
AS SHE CONTINUES TO FOLLOW SPIKE ALONG THE TUNNEL)
I
hate my life.
(The
Scoobies, DAWN, JOYCE & GILES are gathered by the door at the far end
of the room)
Where
did Buffy and Spike go?
Demon.
Oh.
Do you think I should wait for them to come back before I open my presents?
(LAUGHING)
I
don’t think they’d mind if you started without them.
(DAWN
runs off without answering, her friends gathering around her as she starts
to unwrap her gifts. The Scoobies hang back with JOYCE and GILES)
I
can’t believe she’s fifteen. It feels like only yesterday we were bringing
her home from the hospital.
ANYA
Though to be fair, it was only seven
months ago.
Yeah
they grow up so fast. One moment they’re a green ball of energy, the next
they’re a teenage shaped ball of energy.
The
whole idea of Dawn not really being, you know… still kind of freaks me out.
JOYCE
And me. But she’s still my baby. (GLANCING
AROUND) Speaking of my babies, where’s Buffy?
(BUFFY
is struggling through a trapdoor in the boiler room, something is holding
one of her legs in the sewer tunnel, while SPIKE helps to pull her up)
Spike,
hurry!!!
(SPIKE
steps closer, wrapping his arms around BUFFY’S waist. She in turn puts one
arm around his neck and holds onto his arm with the other. They pull back
sharply from the creature and it lets go, sending the vampire and Slayer crashing
to the floor, with BUFFY on top of SPIKE)
(INNOCENTLY)
Was
it good for you?
(BUFFY
rolls her eyes and jumps up, quickly shutting the trapdoor, forcing the demon
back. She stares down at SPIKE who is still lying on the floor)
(BREATHING
HEAVILY)
Well
that was fun. Any more bright-ideas William?
SPIKE
(JUMPING UP)
How
about, not calling me that?
Oh,
I’m sorry William. Touching a nerve am I?
(WALKING
TOWARDS THE DOOR)
I
thought you were going to stop being a bitch to me.
Not
when you lead me to my death, dumbass.
(GLARING
AT HER)
Are
you dead?
(BUFFY
glares back but doesn’t answer)
There
you are then. I didn’t know it was going to be that bloody big did I? I was
just trying to help.
(PUSHING
PAST HIM)
Well
next time, don’t.
SPIKE
(CALLING AFTER HER AS SHE RUNS UP THE
STAIRS)
Fine
(PUSHING
THE DOOR OPEN)
Fine!
(JOYCE
is sitting on the back porch. GILES exits the kitchen behind her and sits
down next to her)
GILES
They seem to be having fun.
JOYCE
It’s always nice when they can have times
like this. Just being normal kids. Not that they’re really kids anymore. I
can’t believe how much they’ve all changed in five years.
(SMILING)
Yes,
I know what you mean. Sometimes I feel superfluous, but then I think about
one of them having to struggle alone and…
It
hurts.
(GILES
just smiles sadly in agreement. He waits a moment before broaching the next
subject)
Did
Buffy tell you what happened with Spike?
Not
really. She said he told her he loved her, she went to assure him that she
never would and came back saying that everything was fine and they were going
to be friends. Why? Is something wrong?
No,
not really. It’s just that I don’t trust him. I don’t believe he loves her
and I’m worried he’ll hurt her.
He
won’t.
GILES
You can’t know that Joyce.
Yes
I can Rupert. He’s had an open invitation to this house for three years and
he’s never hurt any of us, even before that thing was put into his head. I
trust him. Buffy trusts him, and I trust her.
(GILES
sighs, knowing he’s not going to win an argument on the subject)
Very
well. I trust her too. I’m sure she knows what she’s doing.
(BUFFY
& SPIKE are standing in the corridor of the Junior High School. It’s completely
deserted for the night)
What
the hell are we going to do?
Find
a way out?
We’re
locked in. The only way out is the way we came in and there is no way I’m
facing that thing again tonight.
Guess
we’re stuck here then.
Oh
no. I am not spending the night here with you. It’s Dawn’s birthday. I have
to get back.
Break
one of the doors down then. You know, use your super Slayer strength and –
(HE MOTIONS A KICK)
I
am not destroying any more schools. I promised myself when I graduated and
had to blow up the high school, that I would never hurt another school as
long as I lived.
SPIKE
(SMILING)
I
wish I’d been here for that.
BUFFY
(UNENTHUSIASTICALLY)
Yeah
it was a hoot. Can you focus on the problem at hand?
SPIKE
(TAKING
HIS CIGARETTES FROM HIS DUSTER POCKET AND LIGHTING ONE)
Calm
down Buffy. Why don’t you just ring your mates and get one of them to come
down and… you know? Do some of their magic Scooby stuff.
(BUFFY
is frowning at the smoke, but she nods at the suggestion)
OK.
That’s a plan. Right.
(She
starts off down the corridor and SPIKE follows. Suddenly she stops and turns
back to him)
(CONT’D)
Do
you know where the principal’s office is?
(The
phone is ringing, DAWN runs to answer it. WILLOW is about to pick it up but
DAWN stops her)
It’s
ok. It’s probably my dad.
(WILLOW
smiles and moves away so Dawn can talk privately with her father)
(EXCITEDLY
ANSWERING THE PHONE)
Hello.
(HER FACE FALLS AND SHE SEEMS DISAPPOINTED) Oh. Hi Angel. Did you want to
speak to Buffy?
Actually
we wanted to speak to you.
(O/S)
Me?
It’s
your birthday isn’t it?
Yeah,
but I didn’t think you’d know that.
Well
Cordelia reminded me. She wanted to say…
CORDELIA
Hey.
I wanted to do it. Give me the phone.
(ANGEL
hands the phone over to CORDELIA)
CORDELIA
(CONT’D)
Hey
Dawn. Happy fifteenth.
(O/S)
You remember me?
(CONFUSED)
Of
course. Why wouldn’t I remember you?
(She
looks up at ANGEL, who frowns at her, also confused)
(DAWN
settles down on the stairs to tell her story)
Well…
(BUFFY
is holding the phone to her ear. SPIKE is sitting on the edge of the principal’s
desk.)
(HANGING
UP THE PHONE)
It’s
engaged.
(BUFFY
sinks down into the principal’s chair)
(CASUALLY)
Then
we’ll try again later. Look there’s nothing you can do Buffy. We may as well
just relax.
I
can’t relax.
Why
not?
(She
looks at him for a long moment, before looking away)
Nothing.
(SMIRKING)
Don’t trust yourself around me?
BUFFY
Could you get over yourself for like, a second?
SPIKE
(MOVING CLOSER)
Come on Summers. You know you want me.
(SPIKE is kneeling in front of her. They’re staring at each other intensely)
BUFFY
(NOT VERY CONVINCINGLY)
I don’t.
(SPIKE raises one eyebrow, telling her he’s not convinced, before closing the gap between them and kissing her)
BLACK OUT