Act 1


 

 

 

Guest Starring:
Elizabeth Anne Allen as Amy Madison, Brad Dourif as Brell, Elijah Wood as Jeff, Indigo as Rona, Felicia Day as Vi and Stephanie March as Bonnie

 

Fade In:
Int.
Watchers Council – Robin and Faith’s Bedroom – Morning

Robin woke to the sensation of being rocked by a gentle wave. He opened his eyes. Faith lay with her back to him, shifting and muttering in her sleep.

He smiled at her and ran his hand along her bare back, down to her waist.

“Mmmm. Hey, babe…” she mumbled.

“Hey…” He answered, planting a kiss on her shoulder.

She turned toward him, blinking in the morning light. She watched as his expression turned from sleepy bliss, to confusion, to incredulity.

“What?” she asked, coming to full wakefulness.

“You…” he shook his head violently and refocused his eyes. “You look – you’re – Faith?”

“Robin?” she mocked back.

“You – you look – young…er.”

“Younger than you? I hope s –”

“No. You look years younger th-than…” he trailed off.

Faith laughed at him. “What’s up with you, Ace?” she said, rolling over and swinging her legs off the bed in one graceful move. “It’s afterglow.”

She stopped suddenly and turned back to him. Leaning over him, she bent down and stared seductively into his eyes. “And yes, you’re just that good!” She moved as if to kiss him, but instead straightened up with a laugh at his still-shocked expression.

Her laughter quickly dissipated and her smile fell when she caught sight of herself in the dresser mirror. “What the – daaamn…”

Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Xander’s Bathroom – Same Time

Xander scratched at the side of his face and yawned widely. He slumped toward the bathroom sink, muttering. “Not-so-hairy-Harris-today,” he noted, thoughtfully rubbing his fingertips over his chin and cheek.

One more great yawn escaped him as he began to lather shaving cream between his hands. With the flat of his hand, he started to smear the foam onto one side of his face, then finally looked into the mirror. He stood, frozen, with his hand to his face, his jaw hanging open at the sight. He stared harder. His eyes flew wide open when he saw they were both the same color.

Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Willow’s Bedroom – Same Time

The knock at the door brought Willow out of a sound sleep. “Oh, mom,” she groaned. “It’s Saturday, as in no schoo–”

A second knock brought her around to full consciousness. She gave a little laugh at herself for the flashback.

The third, urgent knock prodded her out from under the covers.

“Coming!”

She half-ran through the living room at the worried sound of Xander’s voice calling her name. She flung the door open to find him and Faith on her doorstep. “Hey…” she greeted uncertainly. “What’s…”

She looked back and forth between them. “Hey, Faith…you do something different with, like, your hair…” she looked at Xander, “and your eye…?”

“Holy yearbook picture, Batman,” Xander remarked to Faith as they both stared at Willow.

“Well that answers the question if it’s just us,” Faith remarked as she pointed to Willow.

The corners of Willow’s mouth quirked upwards. “Heh. Uh…huh?”

“Take a gander, Will,” Xander said. He pointed her to the mirror on the wall.

She went to the mirror and stared into it for many seconds. Without warning, she spun quickly and ran into the bedroom.

“Will! Will, wait!” Xander called after her. He and Faith ran into the bedroom to find her flinging her clothes out of her dresser.

“Oh, Goddess!” she cried. “Please no bibs, no bibs, no bibs…”

Fade In:
Int.
Becca’s Bedroom – Later that Morning

 

Giles rolled over and smiled as he looked at the blonde beside him. “Good morning,” he said softly. Then he kissed her.

“See? I kept my promise of someday,” she teased as she snuggled into his shoulder. Before she could say anything else, the phone rang and she reached over.

“Leave it,” Giles told her.

“It might be the Council,” she said as she picked it up. “Hello?”

As Becca listened to the voice on the other side of the phone, Giles began to kiss her neck and bite at her earlobe. “Yeah…hold on a second.” Becca put her hand over the receiver. “It’s Willow,” she told him.

“Bloody hell,” Giles sighed, taking the phone as Becca got up. He put the phone to his ear and announced, with no welcome or introduction, “Anything short of an apocalypse can wait.”

“Rupert!” Becca chastised quietly with a smile. She returned to sit at the corner of the bed in her robe.

Giles looked a bit confused as he listened. “Okay, okay. So it’s not dire, exactly. I have time to have breakfast. I mean, I would like to speak to the beautiful woman I just spent a wonderful evening with and not run out like a one-night stand…all right. We’ll be there in an hour.”

Giles hung up with a sigh. “Duty calls,” he told Becca as he pulled the sheets away. “Will you come with me?” he asked.

“After last night…I’d just about follow you anywhere.”

Giles gave her a wicked grin before lightly kissing her on the lips.

Cut To:
Int.
Becca’s Bedroom – Moments Later

“It’s probably Willow,” Giles sighed as he looked over at Becca, some breakfast items set before him at the small bedroom table. His temple rested on his hand. “It wouldn’t be the first time she’s inadvertently done spells with similar affects.”

“Now, now,” Becca tsked with a finger. “No being grumpy papa bear,” she warned.

Giles gave a small grin and pulled her hand over, kissing the back. “No, I will behave. I had a wonderful night last night, so I promise to cease all discussion on this matter for the risk of ruining it. Of course, an encore this morning would have been nice.”

Becca smirked and moved to sit on his lap. “Are you saying I’m not satisfying enough?” she teased.

“When it comes to you, my dear, I just might become the definition of insatiable.”

Becca hummed contentedly as Giles kissed her neck. “You know, you did tell her an hour,” she said, nodding back toward the bed. With that, Giles lifted Becca into his arms. She giggled all the way there.

Fade In:
Int.
Watchers Council – Kitchen – Same Morning

Andrew absently set a fresh pot of coffee on the table as he continued to stare at Willow.

“It has to be a spell, Giles,” Willow said, her eyes flickering nervously under the weight of Andrew’s stare and silly grin. “And it had to be last night because Faith, Xander, and I were all together at the bar.”

“Then perhaps it was something or someone at the bar

“Morning, everyone,” Rowena cut off Giles’s comment as she and Kennedy briskly entered the kitchen. “Hi Becca,” Rowena acknowledged the older woman. Becca nodded her head and smiled lightly.

Rowena got herself a coffee mug from the cabinet, but Kennedy stopped in mid-stride upon seeing Willow.

“Giles,” Rowena said, pouring herself some coffee, “I got a call back from Robson about the need for more slayers here at the Cleveland Council. He said he’s sending all the slayers from Europe over to us.” She paused to take a sip and sighed.

“Hm?” Giles replied, “Oh, yes, yes. That’s – that’s fi –”

“You know,” she said, looking at him over the rim of the coffee mug, “If I didn’t know Robson better, I’d say he was shirking his responsibility – taking advantage of our situation to relieve him of his charges.” She chuckled and took another sip. “Can’t say I blame the man, a handful of watchers and all those European slay –”

Kennedy, mouth open and still staring at Willow, backhanded Rowena in the arm. Rowena turned sharply at this, then followed her slayer’s  gaze to the forlorn threesome – Willow and Faith, seated, and Xander standing, propped against the kitchen counter near them.

Rowena blinked, but recovered quickly. “Spell get away from you, Will?” she asked, intrigued. Then she smiled, “Is this what you looked like in – high school? The three of you?”

“Except for the dorky clothes the wacky Wiccan wore, yeah,” Faith shrugged.

“We don’t know how this happened,” Willow told her. “But somehow, while we slept…we’re like…kids. Again. And I thought I’d never see those days again!” Willow added in frustration.

“Come on,” Faith told her. “You got to admit it’s kinda cool. We get to be younger, but already have the knowledge from our mistakes. It’s like a major do over. Some people might kill for a chance like this.”

“Oh sure,” Xander said sarcastically. “The cracking voice, the acne, the wet…” Xander trailed off. “Point is, this might not be as great as you think.”

“I’m thinking something happened at the bar,” Willow offered to Rowena.

Rowena frowned. “Wait a minute…last night at the bar? But I was with you, remember? And I’m no younger, am I?”

Willow shook her head just as Rowena began to touch her face, checking.

Kennedy found her voice. “Maybe it’s one of those stupid glamours. Hey, Faith! You look younger than me!” She began to laugh.

“Stuff it, Brat.”

“No,” Willow answered, “it’s not a glamour. If it were, we wouldn’t all have the same problem. I honestly think it has something to do with where we were last night.”

“But why isn’t Ro younger?” Kennedy asked.

“Well, maybe she wasn’t there at the right, uh, wrong time…or maybe it wasn’t a spell. Maybe it was something else like…” Willow paused and turned to the duo, asking, “What did we all do that Ro didn’t?”

Realization came over Xander’s face. “Oh no. Not – you don’t suppose…”

“Bad beer?” Willow offered. Xander nodded.

“You mean something you were eating or drinking might have caused this?” Rowena asked.

“Yeah, but we were only drinking last night, so it would’ve had to be something in that beer.” Xander answered.

“That can’t be it.” Rowena shook her head. “I had some, too, remember? Unless you had more than one pitcher –”

“We didn’t,” Willow replied.

“And you ate nothing at the bar?”  Rowena asked.

Willow shook her head.

“Hmm…sounds like someone’s cast a spell to make you all young again,” Rowena offered. “Have there been any other reports in the city of reverse ageism?”

“Not yet, from what I pulled down a half hour ago. You saw how crowded they were. I’m sure someone would have gone to the hospital by now.”

“Whose agenda would include making you all high-schoolers again?” Becca asked. “I mean, it makes no sense. Besides, the only ones here who knew you in high school are Giles and Andrew.”

“And just before anyone breaks out an accusing finger, I have NOT played with any spell books recently. Besides, I’d never do any kind of spell like that,” Andrew said. “Even though it is kinda cool to see Willow as a cute, cuddly teenager aga –”

Seven pair of eyes all looked sharply at him.

“That still leaves the question unanswered,” Giles said, refocusing the discussion. “And brings up another: who would have a reason, or even the power, to even cast such a…”

His voice trailed off as Willow looked up at him knowingly.

“Amy,” she said. “Maybe she got loose and…”

“Right, right then. We’ll need to…” Giles stared at the youngsters.

Willow sighed. “I’m gonna go hit the books. There’s gotta be a reversal spell for this.”

“I’ll go with,” Xander said to Willow. They both looked at Faith.

“I’m not book gal. ‘Sides, Robin’s waiting for me upstairs. He’s kinda freaked and wanted a chance to pull himself together.”

“All right,” Giles said as the three departed the kitchen. “I’ll be along to help,” he called after Willow and Xander.

“I need to open the shop,” Becca told Giles. “But I want you to call me if anything happens or if you need my help.”

“And what if I just need you?” he said quietly.

She smiled and kissed him gently on the cheek.

Andrew, watching them, sighed loudly.

“Don’t you have something to burn?” Giles asked him irritably.

“Come on, Ken. Let’s see if we can dig up any information on this Amy person,” Rowena called to her slayer.

“I have to get some more bread from the big freezer downstairs. Make sure that doesn’t boil over, please,” Andrew said. He pointed to a pot on the stove before leaving the room. He left to see to his housekeeping duties and Becca smiled a goodbye at Giles.

“Rowena, would you please stay a moment?” Giles asked.

Kennedy nodded to the watchers, “I’ll get started at the terminals.”

Giles waited until everyone had left and then turned to speak with her. “After speaking with Robson, what do you think?”

Rowena gave a heavy sigh.

“That bad?” Giles asked.

“No,” Rowena said quickly. “Just a bit disorganized, like the right hand doesn’t understand what the left is doing. I just hope that request we put in for all English-speaking Slayers was truly heard and understood.”

Giles paused a moment. “We could always propose your idea to the group,” Giles told her.

“Not right now. Let’s wait until those slayers get over here and do a little question and answer session with them; get some inside information into Robson’s set up.”

“We have to tell Willow at some point,” Giles mentioned.

“And we will, but…before we go any further with the idea let’s see what we learn. If it looks unavoidable, and perhaps a necessity, then we should say something to her, but not before. I don’t want to get her all in an uproar over nothing. You know how she gets sometimes.”

Giles gave Rowena a knowing grin. “Yes, well, Willow can be quite passionate now and then. I understand.”

Rowena did a double take and put her hands on her hips. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Excuse me?” Giles asked, honestly confused.

“That look on your face. What is that supposed to mean? That I owe Willow some type of foreknowledge because of something that might or might not happen? Robson could pull it all together and it would be moot. I’d be getting her upset over nothing.” Giles opened his mouth to speak, but Rowena cut him short, “Or does it mean something else?” Rowena asked defensively.

“I-I didn’t realize I had a look,” Giles stuttered, confused by the outburst and seemingly unsure if it was his turn to talk yet. When Rowena didn’t say anything, Giles pressed on, “And what, precisely, are you talking about?”

“What am I talking about? Willow’s passion? Come on! I’m not totally blind here, you know?” Rowena told him as she began to pace around the room. “But…any relationship outside of the Council, you know, watcher to watcher…it could mean a big conflict of interest at some point. Oh and let’s not forget the fact that her ex-girlfriend has been my slayer. Isn’t that a great way to build watcher and slayer trust? And – and besides, it’s not like I even have an interest in women anyway. It’s not like I sit in a bar scoping out babes, unlike some people. I’m not out with my friends hoping to score. I’m not out period. And for the record I am not a lesbian because thoughts don’t count when…”

Rowena continued to pace in silence. Giles regarded her with confusion, leery of what to say next. Finally, he cleared his throat and said, “I’m going t-to go out on the proverbial limb and say something is bothering you, yes?”

Rowena stopped walking and scowled in his direction. Giles raised an eyebrow and leaned away slightly.

“No, everything is fine,” she told him. “Let’s just go figure out what turned our associates into teenagers again.” She left the room without looking back.

Shaking his head for a brief moment, Giles followed.

Fade In:
Int.
Watchers Council – Marsha’s Dorm Room – Day

Willow knocked on the door and stepped inside.

“Hey, kiddo,” she called out. making the young slayer look up from the book she was reading.

“If that isn’t the pot calling the kettle.” Marsha grinned. “Any news from the Coven?”

“No, not yet. I came by to see if I could steal some of your clothes.”

“Sure,” Marsha said as they walked over to her small closet. “How about this?” she asked, holding up a pair of bib overalls.

Willow examined them with despair for a moment. Then she simply sighed and stuck out her hand to take them.

Fade In:
Ext.
Streets of Cleveland – Evening

“Ken, behind you!” Faith cried. She lifted both feet to knock one vampire back, while another pinned her arms behind her.

Kennedy, already staking a vampire of her own, spun effortlessly to face yet a fourth vampire, cleanly staking him as his fingertips grazed her shoulder.

“Ken! More company!”

At Faith’s cry, Kennedy turned to see three more vampires approaching at an easy, confident walk.

Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Library – Same Time

Willow sat in the largest chair in the room – a wood-framed, leather reading chair Giles had ordered for himself when they had finally gotten the library operational. She swung her legs back and forth under it as she searched through the books stacked on the floor in front of her.

“I’m doin’ a donut run,” Xander announced.

“You haven’t even had supper yet,” she told him as she continued to read.

“I might look younger, but you’re not my mom,” he teased.

“Sure you’re old enough to drive?” she quipped and looked up to smirk at him. She frowned quickly as she realized he was indeed no longer old enough to drive.

“How are you two getting along with the – dear lord.” Giles paused in the doorway. He took his handkerchief out of his pocket and began to clean his glasses.

Willow and Xander looked at one another, then back at Giles.

“What? Giles? What is it?”

He smiled, almost sadly. “It’s like being in Sunnydale all over again – you were both so – you a-and Buffy – all so very…” He turned away. “It’s amazing the three of you survived,” he said, turning back to them. “I’d forgotten just how young you truly were.”

“Sounds like G-Man’s got puberty-envy to me,” Xander said.

“And how truly annoying,” Giles replied. “Have you found anything?”

“J-just this one charm…it might…you know, slow down the process a little. Speaking of which, do we look a little younger now?” she asked Giles.

He looked closer at them. “Not too much. It’s really hard to judge.”

Willow shook it off. “Anyway, if we can find a charm that might delay things it would give me more time to find a reversal. But I’m starting to worry here, Giles. I have all my memories intact, the last twenty-one years, but…”

Willow looked up at Giles.

“But what?” Giles knelt down by her and searched her face.

Willow released a heavy sigh. “I think it could be stress. A race against the clock anxiety but…I couldn’t remember which volume had the charms and glamours. I really had to think hard about it. I mean…Giles, what if I really can’t do magic? I mean – sure, I-I almost ended the world and everything. A-and, yeah…Coven training a-and all that. But w-what if I-I really can’t this time.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Xander stepped over to them. “Giles, she’s kidding. Will, you’re the baddest bad-ass witch this side of –”

“Xander, do be quiet!” Giles snapped at him.

“Willow,” Giles began, resting his hand lightly on her shoulder.

“Here, Will.” Xander tossed a pencil to her. “Show him your stuff. Make it float.”

Willow glanced nervously at Giles, then at Xander.

“C’mon, Will. Float it to me. Right here! There’s an extra jelly donut in it for you if you do,” Xander encouraged her.

“Xander!” Giles chided.

But Willow had already begun to float the pencil. It lifted up from her lap and hovered out before her and Giles.

“See that,” Xander said, “Bet you thought she couldn’t –”

The pencil dropped and clattered on the floor.

“Okay,” Xander said nervously. “No kidding around now. Send it on over.”

Willow looked at the pencil again but it wouldn’t move. “Oh, Goddess!” she exclaimed softly. “Giles, I’m losing my powers. What am I going to do without my powers? How am I going to fix this?” she began to say in a rush.

“Just calm down, we’ll figure this out. Where’s Faith? Maybe we should –”

“Oh man,” Xander answered. “She’s on patrol with Ken, and if Willow is losing her powers then maybe…”

Realizing what Xander was alluding to, Giles’s expression dropped and he raced to the intercom. “Rowena?” he called into the speaker.

“Yes,” she answered, concerned about hearing the desperation in his voice.

“Get on the handset! Bring Faith back in from the field immediately!”

Cut To:
Ext.
Streets of Cleveland – Same Time

Faith reached her arm back and backhanded the vampire in front of her. She delivered the blow fiercely, but the vampire only moved slightly. He started to laugh and grabbed her by the lapel, tossing her like a rag doll to the ground.

Faith’s pained cry distracted Kennedy just long enough for the vampire in front of her to knock her off balance. Kennedy hit the ground and rolled quickly onto her back, staking the vampire as he threw himself onto her. He exploded into dust, coating her from head to foot.

Kennedy spat out vampire dust and quickly leapt to her feet in time to see Faith back on her feet, attempting a roundhouse kick, only to miss the mark. The vampire caught Faith’s leg in mid-air and sent her spinning violently to the pavement. Faith landed with a sickening grunt as Kennedy staked the last vampire. She was racing to Faith before the vampire finished disintegrating.

Kennedy knelt by Faith and reached out, rolling the prone Slayer over. Faith retched as her breath came back to her. Blood and spittle dotted her lips.

Kennedy looked stunned. “C’mon,” she said, lifting Faith to her feet. Faith’s clothes hung loosely off her body.

“I’m getting younger,” Faith said.

Kennedy made no answer.

“How bad is it?” Faith asked.

“You’re not hurt that seriously, but –”

“I mean my age,” Faith said impatiently. “How old do you think…?” Kennedy looked warily at her and sighed. “Twelve? Thirteen…?” Faith offered when Kennedy said nothing.

At Faith’s look of surprise, Kennedy said, “No. No. Sixteen or…fourteen, at least…”

Faith nodded. “Makes sense. I’ve lost my slayer powers…”

“It’s okay, Faith,” Kennedy said, trying to sound optimistic. “Look, maybe you’re just tired, that’s all, and –”

“No! I nailed that vamp with all I had and barely turned his head…Giles is so gonna be all over my ass when he finds out I’m patrolling like this.”

“Well, guess that makes you the brat now, huh?” Kennedy said, worry poking through her grin as she helped Faith hobble toward home. Just then Rowena’s voice crackled over the receiver. “Team one, check in.”

“Team one,” Kennedy answered. “Go ahead.”

“Get Faith back to the Council now. She may be getting even younger and if that happens she could be in harm’s way.”

“Copy that,” Kennedy answered.

“This is not good,” Faith muttered.

“Don’t worry, Willow will fix this.”

“Think for a moment, Slick. How did they know I could be in trouble? I’m willing to bet I’m not the only one losing my super skills here,” Faith answered as they started to jog from the alley.

“Don’t worry about that just yet. If there’s a way, Willow will find it,” Kennedy tried to reassure her partner. “Let’s just get you home.”

They turned the corner to find six more vampires standing in their path and both women ground to a halt. From the right side, three more approached.

“Why do I sense an ambush here?” Faith muttered.

Kennedy watched for a brief moment as the demons started to close the distance between them. “Because that’s what it is,” Kennedy told her. “Try to stay at my back.”

With that, Kennedy charged ahead,  with Faith on her heels – or at least trying to be. The normally-older slayer found her steps couldn’t match that of her usually-younger companion.

Kennedy pulled both her stakes and used them like a set of brass knuckles. She punched the two closest vampires, knocking them to the ground, as she jumped up and kicked a third. With deadly accuracy, she hurled one stake into an approaching vampire’s chest as she whipped her other hand around to stake the closest one standing next to her.

As the three vampires to the right decided to join in, Faith turned in their direction. Pulling her stake, she lunged at the closest one and struck his heart as both of them fell to the ground.

At the same time, Kennedy did a roundhouse kick, taking two of her vampires off their feet. She looked over to see the two remaining vampires tangling with Faith and closing in on the rapid-deaging slayer as she struggled to get back on her feet. Kennedy threw the stake in her hand, burying it in the chest of one of Faith’s would-be attackers. She then moved into a handstand and used her feet to kick the vampire above her in the face.

With only one vampire left to face, Faith now had two stakes in her hands. They met eyes and circled each other. She heard the sound of two vampires dusting behind her, one right after the other, but her eyes never left the vampire in front of her. She threw one of the stakes, but it bounced off his chest and he started to laugh. With a determined expression, Faith charged and ducked his fist, pushing the wood through his chest. He exploded into dust with a disappointed look on his face. With all three vampires now dead, Faith ran toward Kennedy.

The other slayer ducked a swing, making the vampire spin away from her. She wasted no time stabbing him in the back before tossing the stake into his comrade like a throwing knife.

Breathing heavy, Kennedy watched him turn to dust. She quickly moved down to pick up her stake. “That’s it,” she told Faith. “We get to the main street, we’re hailing a cab.”

“No argument here,” Faith said as she handed Kennedy her extra stake back.

Fade In:
Int.
Council Library – Night

Giles held the pencil between his fingertips, looking over it into the down-turned eyes of a very young and frightened Willow.

Xander came up closer to them, his pants cuffs dragging on the floor.

“Giles,” she whispered, not looking up. “How old…I mean, young, do you think we are now? Do you see anything different about me?

“I can’t be t-too sure, really. But…” he looked up at a boy he recognized, but never knew, as Xander. “I’d say the two of you are now about, well, when you factor in that you still have all your memories, although you seem t-to be minus your magic powers –”

“Thirteen,” Xander’s high voice resonated with a grimness beyond its years.

Willow looked up and their eyes met.

“Don’t worry, Will,” he straightened and stood tall. “Who watches out for you?”

“You do,” she replied quietly.

“Right,” he said more assuredly and crossed his arms. “And how long am I gonna?”

“Forever-long,” she replied softly, as if by rote.

Giles blinked, head bowed.

Xander smiled innocently at her. “Okay, now that that’s settled, I’m gonna go see if Robin’ll do the donut run. I don’t think I could reach the pedals. Well, maybe there. If the line’s real long at the shop, getting back might be the real problem.” He punched Willow in the arm and quickly shuffled out of the room.

Giles raised his head and smiled gently at Willow. “We’ll find the reversal spell,” he told her. “By week’s end, this will all be but a bad memory.”

“Week’s end? Do you really think we have that long? Let’s be honest, Giles, if we continue at this rate,” she said in a small voice, “we’re gonna be zygotes then, if we’re lucky.”

Giles put his arms about her gently and held her.

Fade to Black

 

End of Act One

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