The Party

 

ACT THREE

 INT. JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL – NIGHT

(BUFFY & SPIKE are kissing passionately. Eventually BUFFY pulls away, a look of shock on her face)

BUFFY

What…? What are we doing?

 SPIKE

(SMIRKING SLIGHTLY AS HE LEANS FORWARD TO KISS HER AGAIN)

Kissing luv.

BUFFY

(STOPPING HIM)

NO. No this is wrong. We can’t do this.

SPIKE

(CONFUSED)

Why not?

BUFFY

You know why not. I gave you a long list of reasons last week.

SPIKE
Yeah but… that was last week.

(He leans in to kiss her again, but she jumps up and moves and moves across the room away from him)

BUFFY

Spike no. I told you. I can’t handle this right now.

(SPIKE sighs as he moves closer to her. BUFFY moves away until she’s backed against the door. SPIKE continues to move forward until BUFFY is trapped between him and the door. He rests his arms either side of her)

SPIKE

Buffy. Stop thinking about everyone else for once and just do what you want to do.

(For a moment BUFFY looks as though she’ll give in, but then shakes her head)

BUFFY

No. Please try to understand.

(SPIKE closes his eyes and takes a deep, unnecessary breath, before backing away)

SPIKE

(GENTLY)

OK.

(They look at each other for a long moment before SPIKE continues)

SPIKE

Why don’t you try your friends again?

 

INT. SUMMERS’ KITCHEN – NIGHT

(JOYCE, GILES, WILLOW & TARA are in the kitchen. DAWN enters from the dining room)

JOYCE

Hi sweetie. Was that your dad on the phone?

DAWN

Uh, no. It was Angel.

WILLOW
Angel? Is something wrong? Does he need to speak to Buffy?

DAWN

Actually he wanted to wish me happy birthday.

WILLOW

Angel?

DAWN

I think it was Cordy’s idea. She’s got him doing all sorts of things to him less mopey. Seems to be working. He laughed at one of my jokes.

(GILES, JOYCE & WILLOW all share a look of surprise)

DAWN

(CONT’D)

Still, I asked him if he had received any suspicious large boxes recently, and he told me that Drusilla had arrived a couple of days ago and was currently locked away in one of the bedrooms. That’s when he and Cor started arguing, and he had to hang up.

GILES
Well I don’t imagine Cordelia is very pleased at having Drusilla around. Hopefully Angel will know what to do with her.

(The phone rings again and Dawn jumps t answer it)

DAWN

Hello… Buffy? Where are you? … Are you ok? … OK … Yeah, they’ll be there soon … It’s ok … Is Spike alright? … Good … Of course I care about you too, geez … Yeah, ok … Bye.

(Everyone’s attention is fixed on DAWN as she hangs up)

DAWN

(CONT’D)

Buffy and Spike are stuck at my school. She wants you to go get them.

 

INT. JUNIOR HIGH CLASSROOM – NIGHT

(BUFFY is sitting on a desk in a classroom, while SPIKE looks at the books on one of the shelves. He picks one up and starts to read)

BUFFY

(SCORNFULLY)

Don’t even try to tell me you read poetry.

SPIKE

Why wouldn’t I? Just because you yourself have no appreciation for culture and a frightening lack of knowledge about even the simplest things, doesn’t mean we all do.

BUFFY

For your information, I’m taking a poetry class at college, which I love more than anything I’ve done before. And Mr. Culture, I got 1430 on my S.A.T’s. It’s not my fault I don’t have time to…

SPIKE

Is that your answer to everything? I don’t have time. My friends wouldn’t like it. I’m only a poor lonely vampire Slayer, men don’t understand me. For God’s sake…

BUFFY

How dare you…?

SPIKE
I dare because I’m the only person that knows the real you. Stop worrying about your friends’ opinions, stop pushing people away when they want to help, stop denying yourself love.

BUFFY

(ANGRILY)

Oh we’re back to that. I’m surprised someone so intelligent and cultured would want such a hopeless case as me.

(There’s a silence as SPIKE calms down before he answers her, gently)

SPIKE

“If thou must love me, let it be for nought 

Except for love’s sake only. Do not say

‘I love her for her smile… her look… her way

Of speaking gently, … for a trick of thought

That falls in well with mine, and certes brought

A sense of pleasant ease on such a day’ –

For these things in themselves beloved, may

Be changed, or change for thee, - and love, so wrought,

May be unwrought so. Neither love me for

Thine own dear pity’s wiping my cheeks dry, -

A creature might forget to weep, who bore

Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!

But love me for love’s sake, that evermore

Thou mayst love on through love’s eternity.”

(BUFFY stares in shock, deeply touched and even more confused)

SPIKE

(CONT’D)

Buffy, I don’t love you because you’re beautiful and kind and witty. I don’t love you because you’re strong and care so passionately about other people. I don’t love you because of the blend of light and dark that exists within you. I don’t love you because of the way you fight or the way you protect your friends when they fight. I don’t love you because you see the best in people. I don’t love you because you keep giving me second chances. I don’t love you because of the music of your laugh, or the sunshine of your smile. I don’t love you for the way you dress, or the music you listen to, or your friends, or your family or your daft toy pig. I just love you. No reason. Nothing holding me back, nothing pushing me on. Just love. That will never change.

(BUFFY’S face shows confusion, but there’s also acceptance now. She accepts him and his love. She accepts her own feelings. Slowly she stands and moves towards him. He stays still, watching her intently. She stops in front of him, raises her arms and pulls his head down to hers, catching his lips with her own)

 

EXT. JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL – NIGHT

(WILLOW, TARA, ANYA & XANDER are all standing outside the school, discussing how to get in)

XANDER

Why didn’t she just break down a door?

WILLOW

She said she didn’t want to cause any more damage to school property. You know, after blowing up the high school.

(XANDER nods understandingly)

ANYA

Why don’t they just wait ‘til morning when someone opens the school?

WILLOW

It’s Dawn’s birthday. Buffy wants to be there this year. Especially this year as it’s

ANYA

The first one Dawn’s actually had?

(No-one answers, but they all look a little uncomfortable)

TARA

And Spike can’t exactly come out in the daytime can he? He’d be dust.

XANDER

OK, that’s one for leaving them until morning. I second. An? Will?

WILLOW

Xander! We are getting them out now. We’ll try and find a way of opening the doors without breaking anything.

(WILLOW & TARA move ahead to the main entrance; XANDER & ANYA follow reluctantly)

ANYA

Why don’t we just pick the lock? I know you can do it. I’ve seen it in movies.

TARA

D, d, do you know how to pick locks?

ANYA

No, but one of you must. Xander? Willow?

(They both shake their heads)

ANYA

(CONT’D)

I don’t believe this. What is the point of being a member of a Super-hero’s gang, if no-one knows how to pick locks?

(WILLOW & TARA roll their eyes at each other and go back to what they were doing, as XANDER turns to ANYA)

XANDER

Super-hero? You know I’ve never thought about it like that. (Pause) That’s cool!

WILLOW

Guys, concentrate. Buffy needs us.

INT. JUNIOR HIGH CLASSROOM – NIGHT

(BUFFY in no way needs help from any of the Scoobies. She and SPIKE are far too wrapped up in each other to pay any attention to anything else. BUFFY is leaning back over the teacher’s desk, with her legs around SPIKE’S waist. Her coat had been removed and the thin straps of her dress have been pushed off her shoulders. SPIKE has also removed his duster and black t-shirt and is kissing Buffy’s neck and throat. The Slayer’s head is thrown back, her eyes wide with pleasure. SPIKE moves back to her mouth and they kiss as he starts pushing the skirt of her dress up and her hands fly to his belt)

BLACK OUT

END OF ACT THREE