Originally broadcasted 12/16/03

Fade In:
Int.
Watchers Council – Lobby – Day

Faith sat on the floor rocking Rachel in her arms, softly calling down to her.

“Come on, kiddo,” she said, resting the girl’s head back down on the floor. “Wake up.”

Vi and Rona both looked on in shock as the other slayers and watchers-in-training all began to gingerly come to their feet. Quickly, Vi shook off her distress and raced to the front door, stepping outside. She looked east and then west but found no trace of Jeff or the Vutch demon. With a heavy sigh, she stepped back inside to see that Faith was now blowing in Rachel’s mouth. After a moment she came back up and began pumping on the girl’s chest.

“Don’t you friggin’ give up!” Faith yelled at the dead girl, her pushing becoming more frantic.

A hand appeared on Faith’s shoulder, but she pushed it away.

“It’s too late, Baby,” Robin called down softly.

“No,” Faith said, pinching Rachel’s nose and exhaling three times into her mouth. She sat up again and tried to push once more.

“She’s gone, Faith.” Robin tried to reach out again, but this time Faith rose up and pushed him forcefully away.

“No!” she yelled at him.

Andrew looked up from his dead demon friend, who he was holding in his arms, as others in the room also stared at Faith and Robin. Robin didn’t say anything at first. He just watched as Faith’s chest rose and fell from her labored breathing.

“I’m sorry,” he told her sincerely.

“What the hell do you know?” Faith shouted at him, before running back toward the Slayer Dorm.

Instead of giving chase, Robin looked for a moment at Vi and Rona and motioned to them. “See to the ones you can still help,” he said solemnly. Both women nodded and began checking around the room.

Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Slayer’s Quarters – Moments Later

Faith pushed her way into the weight room and fell to her knees, crying. She didn’t stay in that position long, though. She darted to her feet and, in one swing, ripped the punching bag clear from its riggings. Not having anything else to hit she began picking up loose weights and tossing them across the room. Weight after weight flew through the air, hitting the back wall and shattering the mirror that hung there. Shards flew everywhere until a bleeding, sobbing and exhausted Faith collapsed to the mats.

Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Lobby – Same time

“Jeffrey?” a voice called out from the second floor landing. “Where’s Jeffrey?”

His mother raced down the steps. Robin rushed to meet her.

“Mr. Wood,” she said as if a bit relieved to see a friendly face, “Where’s Jeffrey? Did you see what took him? Did –?”

Robin cut her off. “Just calm down, okay?”

“I need to find him,” she stressed.

“And we will,” Robin countered. He took her by the elbow and led her back upstairs. “I’ll tell you what we know, alright?”

From below the landing, Willow was kneeling next to Kennedy’s limp form.

“Sweetie, can you hear me?” Willow asked.

Slowly, Kennedy opened her eyes, but she didn’t move. “They got Jeff, didn’t they?”

Sadly, Willow nodded. “And Rachel’s dead,” she added.

“Son of a bitch,” Kennedy hissed.

By this time Rowena and Giles arrived at Willow’s side to check on Kennedy’s status.

Giles sat across from Willow, while Rowena went to the slayer’s feet.

“Can you raise your hand for me?” he asked.

Kennedy did as he asked. From below, Rowena went to Kennedy’s feet and pulled off her boot. “Can you feel that?” Rowena said, poking Kennedy’s sole.

“Feel what?” Kennedy asked.

Rowena grabbed her ankle and pressed harder. “That?”

“No,” Kennedy answered, concern rising in her voice. “Willow?” she said, gripping her lover’s hand. Kennedy looked like she was going to start hyperventilating. Giles reached an arm down to her.

“Shh,” he said in a soft, quiet tone. “Relax, Kennedy. Just relax.” He nodded toward a bag of supplies a watcher-in-training had brought in and she pulled it over to them. Giles left only for a moment and came back up to Kennedy’s side holding a syringe.

“What’s that?” Kennedy asked as he tapped the needle, getting it ready.

“It’s just a mild sedative,” he told her. “We need you to stay still and calm. It will only last a few hours, given your slayer skills, alright?”

“Willow?” Kennedy asked again, the fear rising even higher in her voice.

“It’ll be okay,” Willow said, kissing her forehead as Giles administered the shot. “We won’t let anything happen to you. I won’t let anything happen, okay? Just relax, Sweetheart.”

Willow put her head next to Kennedy’s and stroked her hair. “Shhh. Just close your eyes,” she whispered in Kennedy’s ear. After a few moments Kennedy did, her breathing slowing down as she slipped into unconsciousness.

“She’ll heal, won’t she?” Willow asked as she righted herself again to face Giles. She looked down to Rowena, before looking back at Giles. “She’s a slayer, so she’s got slayer healing, right?”

“I don’t know of any documented cases of this kind of thing happening, Willow. I-I can’t say for sure,” Giles told her.

“Well look it up,” Willow insisted. “We’re the friggin’ Council. We should know these things.”

“We will,” he said, trying to assure her, “but first we need to see to the others.”

Giles stood up and turned around, putting the medical supplies back. That’s when Willow noticed the blood on the back of his head.

“You’re bleeding,” Willow told him.

“Lots of people are bleeding,” he countered. “So let’s get Kennedy securely moved to the infirmary and see to the others.”

Fade In:
Ext.
City Park – Day

Kennedy knew she was asleep. She was sure of it, but the dream seemed so real, so vivid. She was walking around a fence by the sidewalk, as if she was looking for something. What it was she couldn’t comprehend but there was something important she had to find.   As she searched, she heard a feminine voice behind her say, “You won’t find what you’re looking for there.”

Kennedy rose and turned around to face the stranger. She was certain she’d seen the woman before, and then she remembered she had. It was from a photograph Willow had.

“Tara,” Kennedy said with certainty.

Black Out

 

 

End of Teaser