Act 2
Fade In:
Int.
Watchers Council – Infirmary – Private Room – Moments Later
Jen walked into the room alone, making sure the door was closed behind her. Her brother lay directly to her left, bruises all over various parts of his body. Slowly, she moved toward his bedside as he raised his bed slightly higher.
“Can we talk?” Jen asked.
“Depends. You didn’t come here to finish the job, did ya?” Alex wore a slight grin, but Jen wasn’t joyful in the slightest as she shook her head. Picking up on her mood, he added seriously, “We’re cursed, sis. All of us, I’d figure. It would go a long way in explaining all the weird shit lately with our Moms.”
“So now you see it?” Jen asked.
“Once you’re looking, it’s hard not to see it,” Alex replied. “Again, it’s the curse.”
Jen didn’t say anything. Her bottom lip began to tremble, which was then followed by a full on sob.
“Use your words, Jen,” he told her gently. She still didn’t say anything, continuing to cry. “Come here, dumbass,” he added playfully as he held out his hand to her.
The insult didn’t seem to hurt or anger her. In fact, she grinned slightly at the words and closed the distance. She took his hand in hers. He gave her a firm squeeze.
“I forgive you,” Alex said. “Even if you don’t forgive me.”
Jen began to cry again and pulled away, but Alex looked at his sister with a curious expression.
“You don’t need to tell me you’re sorry,” she cried.
“I threw you through a window,” Alex reminded her.
“And I nearly beat you to death.”
“Okay, so we’re both terrible,” he teased.
Jen still wasn’t amused. “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. You didn’t deserve this. Maddie didn’t deserve this. Liz neither. I just…I don’t know why I had that reaction…I don’t know why for months…” Jen fumbled with her words, searching for what to say. “I’m not in love with you, okay? You’re my twin and that’s creepy AF if I was. It’s just…I’m scared.”
“Of what?”
Jen sniffed and cleared her throat. “Of losing you.”
“How are you going to lose me?” Alex asked in genuine interest.
“Sometimes it feels like you’re all I’ve got at home. Moms are always busy with work, and it’s super important work. I get that. Sophie and Jake are still kids, so not much in common there. All I’ve got…” Jen began to tear up again as she trailed off. “…is you,” she finally added in a small voice. “I don’t want her taking that away. I don’t want anyone taking that away, because I won’t have much left.”
Alex found himself tearing up. ” Hey…Again, dumbass, it’s the curse,” he told her, in a failed attempt at a light-hearted tone. When she didn’t react, he added, “For what it’s worth, I need you, too.”
She cleared her throat again. “If we’re all cursed, why are you so much more sane then?” Jen asked.
He shrugged. “Magic?”
“Now who’s the dumbass,” Jen muttered.
Alex chuckled slightly, but quickly stopped, holding his side in pain.
“Listen. I’ve spent my life learning about spells and curses and you name it. I know how powerful they can be. You’re a slayer. For example, how do you kill a Vutch demon?”
“Fire,” Jen said instantly.
“Exactly, I can name any demon and you straight up tell me how to kill it with no hesitation. The reason is, you’ve been training for years to be a slayer. I’ve been training for years in magic. That’s my strength. So let me state for the record, regardless of what happens with Maddie or anyone, I’m not leaving you. And again, for the record, I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at Zorgy. She’s manipulating us, and we need to destroy this bitch already.”
Jen looked like she might be on the verge of crying again, but didn’t say anything. She just nodded her head. “Well, everyone wants to see you, but I had to see you first because, well, I did, okay? I didn’t want my words lost in a mountain of well wishes.”
“I understand,” he said sympathetically. “Really, Jen. We’re not enemies. That’s Zorgy, so we have to focus up, right? Stay on target?”
Jen sniffed then squared her shoulders and put her head higher. “You’re right. Zorgy done fucked around with the Rosenbergs and she’s about to find out.”
“Before I’m besieged,” Alex said, motioning Jen toward him, “help raise me up?”
Jen came toward the bed as Alex pressed the button to bring it into a more upright position. Once it stopped, he motioned to his pillows and she worked on arranging them behind him
“I love you, bro,” she said with a slight whimper, her voice just above a whisper.
“Love you too, sis,” Alex said as he patted her hand that still held the pillow. “Now, I’m ready for my adoring public.”
Jen finally had a genuine grin as she walked toward the door. “You’re such an ass,” she muttered. Alex simply snorted in response.
Once Jen peeked out, the trickle of family began to make their way inside with Rowena in the lead. Despite the influx of people arriving, Alex kept his eye on Jen affectionately as she did the same.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Robin’s Apartment – Moments Later
“Can we watch Jurassic Park next?” Jake asked excitedly.
“The old one!” Sophie added. “Not the Chris Pratt one.”
Faith didn’t seem sure what to say. “Well, a lawyer gets ate by a T-Rex, so I’m not sure if your folks would like–”
“Actually,” Nikki interrupted, “Sophie watched Aunt Ken’s kid turn into an octopus that tried to eat us all, so…” She let the sentence hang.
Faith motioned to the television. “Jurassic Park it is.”
There was a slight jingle at the door, and Faith shot to her feet. She motioned for the kids to stay back, but then released her breath when she saw Robin walk in the room.
“Sorry,” he apologized when he saw them all at high alert. “Zorgy is gone,” he told the room.
“Dead?” Nikki said hopefully as Jake and Sophie nodded.
“No, she just went home. Point is, she’s gone and you’re all okay.” He looked at Nikki. “You’re in charge until we get back,” he said, before he motioned Faith to follow him outside.
As Nikki nodded and picked up the remote, Robin led Faith out by the elbow.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Hallway – Moments Later
“Christ,” Faith sighed. “How many did we lose to her this time?”
“None,” Robin replied. Faith appeared surprised. “She played us. She basically walked out.”
“Well, that’s good, I guess. Why the one-on-one, then?” she asked as she motioned between them.
“The Council is cursed,” he said. “Willow figured out that the amulet you brought to Karaoke was a totem detector.”
“‘Yo, I’m an art doctor, not a watcher. What the hell’s that?”
“Uh, cursed object detector. Buffy’s making the rounds and plans to make her way to us eventually, but that’s not why I pulled you out here.”
“Look, I’ll stay with the kids if you need me,” she said.
“Thank you. I do,” he said. He stepped closer and lowered his voice just above a whisper, “The Rosenberg twins tried to kill each other tonight.”
In an equally quiet voice, Faith said, “Somethin’ tells me you’re not just being over-dramatic.”
“Correct. It’s not a euphemism. They literally tried to beat each other to death. When Shannon heard the news, she mentioned that around that time, Zorgy was rambling about Cain and Abel. We think that, in addition to the totems, she worked some heavy mojo too.”
“How bad are they?”
“Alex is in the ER. Jen is mortified…well, that’s not really a strong enough word. More like traumatized. Liz tried to break it up, and Jen went after her, too, but not as bad. The Coven did triage on Alex, and he’s conscious, but still…it’s bad.”
“Oh shit,” Faith sighed.
“I still have things I need to do tonight, so I was hoping you’d look after them. We don’t want the kids knowing anything yet so…?”
“Absolutely,” Faith said. Robin nodded, but he still seemed a bit shaken. Faith didn’t wait. She pulled him close and he returned the hug. “Go do your thing. I’ll take care of them,” she assured him.
“Thank you,” he said as he pulled back and began to walk away.
“Hey,” she called out. She made a motion with her hand like she was on a telephone. “Twins?” she said softly.
He nodded in understanding. As he rounded the corner, Faith took a calming breath and then opened the door. In a cheerful voice she said, “Let’s watch some raptors eat a guy who looks like Steve Irwin.”
From inside the room, Sophie and Jake could be heard asking, “Who’s Steve Irwin?” as Nikki giggled.
Faith sighed as she cleared the threshold and began closing the door. She said, “Again with the old.”
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Alex’s Infirmary Room – Moments Later
Xander and Buffy walked into Alex’s room, which was overrun with well-wishers.
“Looks like the gang’s all here,” Xander said.
“That’s good,” Buffy said. “That will make my job a bit easier. Well, only if you have your totems on you.”
“What?” Rowena muttered, but no one seemed to hear her.
“Anyway,” Buffy continued, “how are you feeling, Alex?”
“Sore, but healing,” he answered. “Aunt Dawn and Aunt Skye are making plans for the Coven to come up tomorrow morning and give me an extra boost.”
“Mighty good of them,” Buffy answered.
“Why wouldn’t we?” Dawn said, sounding offended. “He’s our nephew too, ya know?”
“It wasn’t a criticism,” Buffy snapped back.
Rowena said nothing, but she closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance at the bickering siblings.
“Oh, speaking of magic,” Buffy continued. “I come bearing good news and shinies!” She pulled the amulet from her purse and looked around the room at all the people. Her eyes fixed on Giles and she walked a few paces over, put it around his neck and then addressed the room. “Well, Willow figured it out. It’s a totem detector. Zorgy’s been manipulating Council members through magic.” She turned back to look at Giles, and that’s when she noticed that nothing was happening with the amulet. It wasn’t glowing and seemed to move freely on his neck.
“So how does it work, exactly?” Rowena asked.
Buffy cocked her head in curiosity as she looked at the amulet.
“Well, usually it glows and then you can’t take it off until you no longer possess a totem.” She turned back to Giles and added, “Maybe you weren’t cursed, or you already lost the totem. Are you able to take it off?”
Giles reached up and pulled the amulet easily off his neck. Before anyone could say anything, Martin took it and put it around his own neck.
“Me next!” he said excitedly.
Liz snorted. “Leave it to Marty to put an unknown artifact around his neck.”
“What?” he asked her. “Aunt Buffy already explained how it works. No mystery there.”
“Yeah,” Buffy added, “we know how it works, or at least we did. I’m surprised that you don’t have a totem. Sure, you’re not a chosen watcher like your sis, but you’re with the Council as a student.”
He shrugged and took the amulet off, then tossed it over to Liz. “Put it on,” he told her.
“You’re not the boss of me,” she reminded him. “You’re the little brother, so I tell you what to do, not the other way around.”
“Please. Enough,” Rowena sighed. “Jen and Alex; Buffy and Dawn; You and Marty. I’ve had my fill of siblings at war tonight.”
“Fine,” Liz said. “In the spirit of peace, I’ll put it on.” With that, she draped the amulet around her neck and, again, nothing seemed to happen.
“Maybe we broke it?” Xander suggested. “Like it’s good for five totems and then it runs out of energy?”
Liz took off the amulet and handed it to her mom. Becca looked confused.
“Why me?” she asked. “It didn’t work for any of you.”
“Humor us,” Liz said.
Becca shrugged and then put the chain over her head. As soon as the amulet hit her chest, it began to glow. The room looked on in wonder, except for Buffy and Xander.
“Again,” Becca began, “why me? Seriously. Why not them?” she said, pointing to her family of Council members. Suddenly, Becca’s handbag began to glow. Buffy pushed the table next to Alex’s bed toward her.
“Empty your contents. We need to see if it’s the purse or something inside it.”
Becca did as Buffy instructed, but nothing else glowed except the bag. Buffy began to grin and extended her hand. “I’ll bet you twenty dollars where you got that.”
Becca took Buffy’s hand and said, “Why do I feel like I’m about to lose twenty bucks?”
“On three, we say it together,” Buffy coached her. “One. Two. Three.”
Both women said, “Amazon.” Buffy added, “Double or nothing says it’s been within the last year and a half.”
“I’m not losing another twenty.” Becca grinned. “But yes, I just bought it about a month ago.”
“Just throw it away,” Buffy told her. “Once you cease to possess it, the curse is broken.”
Becca walked over to the trash bin and dumped the purse inside. A few seconds later, she put her hand against the wall as a means of support. Giles quickly closed the distance between them to steady her.
“A-are you all right?” he asked his wife. She simply nodded at first.
“Yes,” she answered. “You do still want me,” she said, with an air of certainty in her voice. “You’re not in love with someone else.”
“Of course. I was being honest,” he chuckled.
“Wait,” Liz said, getting the room’s attention. “Why enchant my mom but not the other Giles fam? That doesn’t make any sense. I mean, I feel completely normal, so I’m not shocked it didn’t work for me, but–”
“But you weren’t normal,” Jen interrupted.
“What?” Liz asked.
“You weren’t normal,” she repeated. “Not until you came back from New York last year. Before that you were…do I have permission to swear?” she asked the adults. They all seemed to grumble in agreement. “You were a fucking asshole.”
“Gee, thanks,” Liz retorted.
“No, you were! You were skipping school, skipping band practice, shoplifting, sneaking out, hell, stealing cars–”
Giles and Becca both exclaimed, “What?!” at the same time, with Giles adding, “Grand theft auto is a prison sentence.”
“And an awesome game,” Xander muttered.
“I didn’t steal cars,” Liz clarified. “I just borrowed them without asking first. I put every single one of them back exactly where and how I found them. So it wasn’t grand theft auto, you have to have the intent to deprive the person of the use of the car permanently, so technically…”
She cut herself off when she saw the look her father was giving her.
“Every…” Becca trailed off and asked, “how many cars?”
“Does it really matter?” Liz deflected. “I think Jen was trying to make a point.”
“My point is, I think you were cursed, but you lost your totem. Maybe the rest of your family, too. So think real hard, Liz. Did you go to New York with something that you didn’t come back with? Anything? A sweater? A toothbrush? A hairbrush…?”
Liz looked confused, but Rowena appeared quite the opposite. A look of realization washed over her face.
“There was something,” Rowena told her.
Smash Cut To:
Int.
New York City – St. Paul’s Chapel – May 2022
“Liz!” Rowena shouted and pointed behind her.
Liz shot around to see Gabrielle standing there. “I overheard that priest, so I know you have something I need, little girl. Pretty clever of him to hide it here, I must say,” the angel told her.
“You mean this?” Liz said, acting like she was showing her the box before casually tossing it over her shoulder.
It cleared the railing and began falling below. Shannon broke into a run to catch the falling box, while Gabrielle rushed Liz. When she knocked Liz aside, the necklace around Liz’s neck snapped away, falling down to the pews.
At the same time the young watcher slipped over the edge. But she caught one of the banners adorning the railing at the last moment. As she teetered on the edge, Rowena took off into a run toward the stairs, grabbing one of the slayers to take with her.
Smash Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Alex’s Infirmary Room – Present Day
“I can’t think of anything I lost,” Liz said to the room.
“Think harder,” Rowena said. “You mentioned losing something on that trip. We talked about it at your recent promotion party,” she prompted. “Remember?”
Liz thought for a moment and then exclaimed, “Oh! My guitar pick necklace!” She then began to think, “…Which I bought on Amazon…which my mom didn’t know I lost and you were trying to protect me just now and I ratted myself out. God, I can be dumb. But yeah…Amazon. The worst. Amirite?”
Buffy nodded and added, “Yep, it’s the same place I got my picture frame, where Xander got his contractor pencils, where Grace got her office chair, where Becca got her purse and where Willow got her hair clip. Oh, speaking of,” she said as she turned to Rowena, “Will wants us to have a private convo before I do you.”
All the kids in the room snickered and Xander snorted. “Ya just can’t stop hittin’ on the lesbians tonight, can ya?” he cracked.
Buffy smiled and pointed to Rowena. “She knew what I meant.” Rowena puckered her lips, causing Buffy’s eyes to bulge out of her head. “Err… anyway, my whole point was that, since all these items were purchased from the same vendor, that seems like more than a coincidence.”
“I’d concur,” Giles said.
“Let’s circle back to this lost pick,” Becca asked her daughter. “Which guitar pick did you lose?”
“Permission to curse?” Liz asked.
“Permission denied,” Becca retorted. “When your hubby saves the world a lot, you tend to meet many grateful artists. I might be able to get another one if I know whose pick you lost.”
Liz mumbled something that was practically unrecognizable.
“Sorry, we didn’t catch that,” Becca prompted.
In a voice just above a whisper, Liz said, “It was your Prince pick.”
Becca cleared her throat and then said, “Yeah, that one might be difficult.”
“Hey,” Liz tried to say in a cheerful voice, “since I’m on a roll of disappointing people I love, let me keep this misery train rollin’. Joe Sterling contacted me tonight, and the record company passed on us.”
The band members all spoke at the same time, with Marty asking, “Why didn’t you say something?” Jen saying, “You should have told us,” and Alex asking, “So what now?”
Liz held her hands up in defense. “I didn’t say anything because I wanted you guys to have fun tonight and, well, that didn’t go as planned. Anyway, Joe suggested maybe doing a tour while he keeps scouting labels. Of course, if Zorgy gets her way, this entire conversation is moot. So right now, breaking curses seems more important than anything else.”
“Excellent point,” Buffy said, and then motioned Jen toward her to put the amulet on her.
“Sure,” Jen told her. “You can put it on me, but I know what my totem is. It’s under my bed.” Buffy put the necklace on her and it glowed instantly. Jen then added, “You know, too.” Buffy continued to look confused, so Jen went on. “So does Aunt Ken.” Slowly, a look of understanding materialized on Buffy’s face. “On three,” Jen said. “One. Two. Three!”
“Cleats!” they both said. Jen added, “I renounce my demon shoes!!”
“Cleats?” the room seemed to ask at the same time. A few seconds later, the amulet stopped glowing. Jen opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead, her knees started to buckle, and she was about to go down when Rowena and Buffy caught her from either side. They guided her to the vacant chair next to Alex’s bed.
“Wow. That’s…Wow,” Jen said as she shook her head. She looked over at Alex and began to tear up. “Oh, Alex.”
“We’re okay,” he told his sister sincerely. “We’re gonna be fine.”
“How did you both know it was a pair of shoes?” Dawn asked Jen and Buffy.
“Slayer dream,” Jen said.
“You had a slayer dream?” Rowena asked. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“You’re not slayers,” Jen replied defensively. “I went to slayers. Anyway, my shoes, in the dream, glowed the same color as Becca’s bag.” She gripped the side of her torso for a moment, continuing to look at Alex. “I’m sorry…for lots of stuff, but especially tonight. I ruined something you were really looking forward to. The way I behaved…’it’s unforgivable.”
Alex continued to almost squint as she looked at his sister.
“Come closer,” he told Jen, ignoring her remark and waving her forward. She did as he asked, and he reached out. Rather than taking her outstretched hand, he felt her side instead. “Turn,” he told her, pointing to the wall at the end of his bed. When she didn’t move, he said, “Please.” She did as he asked, and he moved his hand up toward her spine and shoulder. “You’re hurt,” he told her.
“I’m not worried about me,” Jen said.
“Jen, I think you’re bleeding. Have the docs checked you out?”
Everyone in the room started looking at each other for confirmation.
She shook her head. “What’s the point?” she said despondently.
“The point? You could die,” Alex stressed.
“I deserve that,” she whimpered.
“What?!” Alex exclaimed as the room burst into various voices of dissent.
“No, you don’t,” he added firmly above the other voices. Without delay, he pressed the nurse call button.
“Hello,” a voice called out. “Did you call?”
“Yes, my sister is having a medical emergency here in my room. Get someone now please.”
“Right away,” the nurse replied.
Dawn and Skye both moved over quickly and started to feel Jen’s back.
“Does everyone have to feel me up?” Jen asked.
Dawn and Skye ignored her and continued to touch her back.
“Do you feel it?” Alex asked them. “Or am I misreading it?”
Both witches nodded. “Good catch, Alex. There’s a lot of blood pooled back here,” Dawn said. “Why didn’t you say something?” she asked Jen.
“I’ll get a wheelchair,” Marty said as he promptly left the room.
“Excellent idea,” Giles commended him.
“I-I didn’t notice,” Jen told Dawn.
“Is she still bleeding?” Rowena asked worriedly. She stood in front of Jen, her hands on her daughter’s upper arms, ready to catch her if need be.
Skye shrugged. “Hard to say.”
The nurse came into the room and asked, “What’s the emergency?”
Alex motioned to his sister. “We think she has internal bleeding. She was never examined tonight.”
The nurse nodded as Marty walked in with the wheelchair. “M’lady,” he told Jen, “your chariot awaits.” With a sweeping gesture of his hand, he motioned her to sit.
“You’re all overreacting. I’m a slayer. I heal,” she told them.
“True,” Dawn said, “but make us all feel better by still getting checked out.”
“If for no other reason than a transfusion,” Skye added. “Seriously. You’re low on blood.”
“How do you know?” Jen challenged her.
Skye made a sweeping gesture and said, “I know blood. I’m a vamp.”
“And a witch,” Dawn supplied.
“And a witch,” Skye repeated. “And your aunt, so put your butt in the chair and get yourself to radiology, stat…Isn’t that how they say it on all the medical dramas?”
With a grin, Jen took a seat and Marty took control of the chair and as he told the nurse, “Lead the way.”
The nurse walked out, Marty pushing Jen behind her. Buffy turned to Rowena.
“You can go with them, or we can find your totem. Entirely your choice.”
Rowena seemed torn, but then said, “I want a clear head when I see Jen…Totem.”
Buffy nodded and then motioned to Rowena. “Come with me.”
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Rowena’s Office – Same Night
Once they were inside, Buffy put the two chairs in front of Rowena’s desk so they were facing each other. She motioned for Rowena to have a seat in one, while Buffy took a seat on the other. Once they were seated, Buffy put the amulet in her lap and extended her hands to Rowena, who took them.
“Okay,” Rowena said reluctantly, “why do I feel like you’re taking extra steps with me?”
“Because I am,” Buffy replied matter-of-factly. “Your wife requested it. She asked that, before I put this on, I tell you that she loves you no matter what and she wants to be with you always no matter what. Okay?” She clutched Rowena’s hands for emphasis. Rowena nodded and Buffy continued, “She also said you’re going to feel mortified, and that’s okay. Well, not that she’s okay, meaning happy you’re mortified. I mean–”
“I know what you mean,” Rowena chuckled. She began to turn a bit more serious. “I’m ready.”
Buffy nodded and then put the necklace around Rowena. Instantly, it was aglow, and the pair began to look around the room. Both of their sets of eyes settled on Rowena’s cat thermos, which was giving off a steadily brighter and brighter green hue.
“Damn it,” Rowena sighed. “I really love that thermos.” She reached up and snatched her wig off.
Buffy grinned. “Hey, at least it wasn’t one of those.” She pointed to the wig. “I’ll bet you twenty dollars where you got it.” Rowena chuckled in response. “Come on. Take the bet. I’m giving everything I win to the Fallen Slayer Fund.”
Rowena just nodded and then motioned to Buffy with her hands. At the same time, they both said, “Amazon!”
Buffy looked over at the thermos. She said, “It’s still glowing. You haven’t renounced it yet. You love it that much?” Rowena shook her head, tearing up a little. “You’re afraid of what happens next?” Rowena just nodded. Buffy leaned closer and said softly, “No matter what, she loves you.”
Rowena looked at Buffy for a moment and then she closed her eyes. The light illuminating the thermos suddenly went out, and the necklace stopped glowing at the same time. Rowena’s entire body began to fall forward, but Buffy pushed her back into the chair, keeping her upright. After a few moments, a look of sheer terror mixed with embarrassment crossed her face. Buffy didn’t wait for an invitation. She pulled Rowena into a hug and that’s all it took for the older watcher to break down into tears.
Buffy just tightened her hold and repeated, “Remember. No matter what.”
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Infirmary – Private Room – Night
A shadow grew behind the opaque pane in the door, like a blot of ink swelling on parchment. The knob turned slowly, with a faint click, and the fluorescent light and gentle noise of the clinic crept into the darkened room.
Carefully, Grace peered around the door and whispered, “Jen?”
Her eyes landed on Alex, deep asleep on his back. His hands were clasped on his chest and his head hung to one side. She looked over at the bed beside him, Jen’s, but it was empty.
Grace took a step into the room with a small clang as the large bag over her shoulder grazed her crutch. She grimaced and again glanced over at Alex, who did not stir. She blew out a sigh of relief, but it was fleeting as she looked around the room.
“Jen…”
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Cafeteria – Moments Later
Still toting the bag, Grace entered the cafeteria and scanned the sparsely populated tables. Her fingers tapped the canvas strap slung over her shoulder as she popped her tongue a few times, seemingly lost in thought. As she turned to leave, she did a double take out of the window.
Jen sat with her back to the window, her blonde ponytail catching both the night breeze and the light.
Cut To:
Ext.
Watchers Council – Grounds – Moments Later
Her shoulders hunched, Jen kept her head down and red eyes to the ground. She sniffed and gulped, her forehead pinched with her hands stuffed in the pockets of the hoodie that she had over a hospital gown.
“So…” Grace began upon her arrival.
Caught off guard, Jen jumped slightly and looked up at Grace standing beside her.
“Shouldn’t you be in bed, resting?” the watcher asked.
Jen shrugged. “Doctors said the bleeding stopped. I had the choice of staying here or going home.”
“Yet here you are,” Grace said. “Why not go home to your own bed?”
Jen shrugged again and nodded toward the building behind them. “I’ve always been with him since we shared a womb without a view. Why stop now?”
Grace grinned. “Slayers love their quips…Can the very cool, but very tired, aunt join you, or is this a teenage angst thing?”
“Uhh…” Jen stuttered and hastily averted her eyes back to the ground.
“C’mon, Jen, I actually do need to sit down, so…”
“Oh… oh, right, umm, yeah, sorry…” Jen quickly scooted along the bench as Grace took a seat beside her with a palpable sigh, taking her arm out of the bag strap and propping her crutches up against it on the ground.
For a moment neither said anything, the only sound between them was that of Grace blowing out a puff of air and Jen sniffing.
“I…I am, you know. Sorry…” Jen gulped.
A small smile appeared on Grace’s face. “Let’s chalk it up to a collective sorry, yeah?”
“What I’ve said…what I’ve done…I…I’ve wanted to kill him when he ate the last of the popcorn, but…this time I wanted to kill him. Like, if he wanted to be with other people, I-I didn’t want anyone to have him. How sick is that? I…”
“Not your fault.” Grace licked her lips and swallowed. “Well, not totally.”
“But I did it… Alex knew. He stopped fighting, but not me.”
“Cursed by the horned bitch,” Grace squared her shoulders.
“It’s corny AF, but I wasn’t kidding. Alex and I have never once spent a night away from each other. I don’t want to start now, not after everything.”
“You’re right, it is corny.” Jen shot Grace a look but found a smirk on her face as she elbowed her. She rolled her eyes in relief. “But why should tonight be any different?” Grace asked softly.
“I’m…I’m going back but…but…” Jen doubled over, taking her hands out of her hoodie and burying her face in them. “What have I done…”
Grace shuffled over a bit closer to Jen. She went to put a hand on the girl’s shoulder but stopped short. “When you think about it, it’s abuse. She took what’s inside us and amplified it. Made us our worst selves.” She carefully examined Jen’s face while she spoke. “Pitted us against each other. Piece of work, but, you know, kudos. It’s certainly a plan.” Carefully, she placed her hand on Jen’s shoulder.
She recoiled slightly and looked up at Grace. She sniffed, blinked and, then, smiled. “S-so what was y-your totem?”
“My chair.”
Jen stifled a laugh. “Okay, that is pretty funny.”
“Right? Your Aunt Buffy got a kick outta that too. But sad, since my back really loved that chair. Standing desks from now on. Well, after…” Grace slightly raised her injured leg in front of them. “Yours?”
Jen looked down and pointed to her shoes, clicking her heels together.
“Yeah, okay, don’t do that,” Grace told her. “I could do without a hell portal opening right about now.”
With a sigh, Jen rested her head on Grace’s shoulder.
“It doesn’t excuse what we did, how we acted, what we said, but it is a reason.” Grace took a deep breath. “Maybe the point of all this is to prove that we can be better? That even when under the influence, we can do good. Speaking of…”
“Oh yeah, I was going to talk to you about that. Not sure how just yet, but I’m paying for the damages.”
“Hell yeah you are, lady, there’s a hi-vis vest with your name on it in the janitor’s closet.”
“Seriously, I’ve got babysitting savings and it’s yours. A-and I’ll sweep and I’ll…well, I don’t know how to replace glass, but there’s gotta be a video on YouTube, so…”
“Damn, run-on sentences really are genetic for you Rosenbergs, huh?” Grace chuckled. “It’s cool, we’ll get you on aisle five clean-up when we know that there’s still gonna be an aisle five.”
The pair did not say anything for a moment and then Jen added, “I don’t wanna admit it but…I’m scared. Of Zorgy. Of what’s to come. Sometimes I just wish I could make a blanket fort with Alex like we did when we were kids and just hide. Some brave slayer, huh?”
“You’re allowed to be human,” Grace told her sympathetically.
Jen was quiet for a moment. “There’s going to be an after, right? There has to be. ”
Sitting up straighter, Grace swallowed. Her mouth lightly hung open for a second before she cleared her throat and answered. “We’ve got a lot of making up to do but…we’re going to get it done. I’m going to make sure of it. And scared? Oh, you’re not alone. I’m terrified.”
“Really? You don’t…haven’t…you don’t seem scared.”
“I’ve burnt a lot of bridges thanks to that bitch, played right into her hand. I’m worried I’m not going to be able to fix ’em in time, but…lemme fill you in on something between us, okay?”
“Okay?”
“I was where you are I-swear-so-not-so-long-ago, ’cause I can’t be this old, but…scared young woman? It me,” Grace waved a hand up and down herself.
“It me isn’t a meme anymore.”
Grace rolled her eyes. “Oh, God…point is, fetus, I can relate. More than you know. Chosen watcher? Underling to your mom? Coming here? Everything with magic going bye-bye? Being the Chair? Terrifying. But here’s the thing: we’re bitches who get stuff done and we endure.” She smiled, then frowned pensively, before adding, “You’re a lot like her, you know?”
Her brow knit, Jen sat up. “Who?”
Grace cast her eyes up to the sky, then smiled as she looked back at Jen.
“Oh. Casey.”
“Except at the first sign of a problem, she had a beer. Guilt? Beer. Any emotion? Beer. Or a punch. Or sex, she was…she was certainly something. And you are, too. But please not with the sex, or the booze. I still remember babysitting you and your brother while your moms…”
“…had sex?”
“Quite possibly, yeah.” They both smirked, and Grace tightened her grip on the young slayer. “She was also a fighter. And she loved, fiercely. And I think that’s why she’d want you to have this.”
She shifted her weight and brought her large shoulder bag up onto her lap. Finding it sealed, she released a short, sharp sigh from her lips and then began to unzip it with slightly trembling fingers. Grace folded down the synthetic material, making it crinkle, to reveal Casey’s old World War I helmet.
For a brief moment, Grace held her gaze on its dull green and brown speckled tint, and then looked at Jen as she pulled it from the bag and passed it to her.
Jen blinked and gulped back her surprise. “Oh, I…oh, I don’t think…”
“I think,” Grace said. “Casey didn’t give a – and don’t tell your Moms I swore in front of you – a fuck what people thought of her. She was proud of who she was, one of a kind slayer, just like you. Your Mom saw something in me, and I see something in you. Now I’m not going to be all ‘follow your preordained birth rite’, ’cause, hell, I didn’t want to initially, but I want you to know that whatever you decide to do, you go do it, Jen’s way, okay? If that’s slay all the things, kick all the soccer ball-things, or rock band all the things, whatever. But what you must do, ’cause I am kinda your ultimate boss and don’t you forget it, is…is do something that I have never done…but something that Casey always, always did.”
“What’s that?” Jen’s voice was almost a whisper.
Grace’s eyes welled with unfallen tears. “Be kind to yourself.”
Jen’s breathing shuddered, and she blew out a small puff of air. Then, with the slightest of smiles and nods, she replied. “Okay…so long as you do, too.”
The tears broke, but not her voice. Grace nodded. “Okay.”
Jen gripped the helmet, and Grace leaned her head against hers. They sat silently, looking out at the grounds. A squad ran past in the distance on night maneuvers, the track field lit up, as the world seemed to churn ever onwards.
“You do know that Liz is gonna steal this, right?” Jen added dryly.
“Seriously, what is it with her and hats?” Grace remarked with a snort.
Jen grinned and shrugged.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Alex’s and Jen’s Infirmary Room – Moments Later
Slowly, Jen opened the door to their hospital room, soldier helmet in hand. She began to grin at the sight before her. Alex had constructed a blanket fort between the two beds, and he was seated on his pillow inside of it.
“Did you hivemind eavesdrop on me?” she asked with a growing smile.
“Nope. You know I can only hear when you let me,” he said, shaking his head. “I know it’s been a few years since we did this. I just figured we could both use it right now.” He patted the vacant pillow beside him.
She took the invitation and crawled inside, helmet in hand. When she sat, she rested it in front of her.
Alex motioned toward it. “Looks familiar.”
“Aunt Grace gave it to me.”
“Casey’s,” was all Alex said. After a beat, he continued, “You know Liz is gonna steal it.”
“Yep,” Jen giggled slightly and then turned to examine him closer. “You look better.”
He nodded. “And totem free,” he added. “After I got accessorized, Ma called from home to say my PS5 controller was glowing.”
Jen nodded and then looked at the blankets surrounding them. “Good job. Looks sturdy. But why?”
“It’s the secrets place, remember? The spot where we could say anything and we promised we’d never judge.”
Jen pursed her lips for a moment and asked, “Is this the part where you tell me you’ll never really forgive me?”
“No,” he said firmly. “This is the part where I tell you I’m scared out of my mind. Sure, the Council’s been through this kinda stuff before but…I really want to run away right now. Get as far away as we can. Let the grownups handle it. But then I think about Aunt Buffy and Ma and how they didn’t run at our age. They were brave and they fought, with only Liz’s dad and the Scoobies. And yeah, we’ve been training for this for years, but it feels like…”
“Do or die, with a heavy leaning toward die,” Jen finished. Alex nodded. “Aunt Grace is scared, too. Me, well, I definitely wanna run…Vamps are one thing, but this…”
“It’s up to us to save the world,” he said. Jen nodded in agreement. “I’m glad you stayed tonight,” he told her.
“We’ve always slept under the same roof regardless of where that roof was, so why stop now,” she said as she bumped shoulders with him. “Speaking of, we should probably get some sleep.”
Alex moved his hands together, and when he pulled them apart, a deck of cards was there. “One game of Go Fish before the apocalypse, for old times sake?”
Jen smiled. “Deal me in.”
Fade To:
Int.
Undisclosed Location
The room was dark as a female hand reached up to a switch. Immediately, the room filled with fluorescent light to reveal a soundboard. The fingers then hit a few buttons and tweaked a few knobs, creating a slight click and hum for an instant.
Pull Back:
Int.
Giles House – Recording Studio – Continuous
Liz threw her hair over one shoulder as she took a seat on one of the four chairs in her family’s basement recording studio, her back to the door. She adjusted the guitar strap on her shoulder and then pulled the mic a bit closer. Unseen by her, at the bottom of the stairs just outside the studio stood Giles and Becca, who looked at each other and then their daughter. For the moment, they stood still.
Liz began to strum and then hum. After a few strums, Giles and Becca made their way into the studio, wordless. Upon arrival, they each picked up a guitar and started to play along. Liz didn’t stop when she saw them come in. She just continued to hum with a melancholy grin on her face.
Fade To:
Alex and Jen were inside their hospital blanket fort, playing cards. Alex appeared to say something funny. Jen laughed and covered her mouth, then she looked around, hoping she wasn’t heard.
V.O.: (“Patience” Acoustic Cover by First to Eleven) Shed a tear, ’cause I’m missin’ you
I’m still alright to smile
Alex smiled as he reached out and slapped her knee playfully before putting down one of his cards.
Girl, I think about you everyday now
Fade To:
Willow grinned as she held Joyce, rocking her gently in a recliner as she fed her a bottle.
Was a time when I wasn’t sure
But you set my mind at ease
There is no doubt you’re in my heart now
Fade To:
Jake and Sophia were sound asleep in their sleeping bags on the floor. Right behind them, on the sofa, Nikki rested her sleeping head on Robin’s shoulder. He grinned at her and turned his head slightly to the right to reveal Faith in the same pose as his daughter, but on his other side. Robin grinned wistfully before he kissed Nikki on the head. Pausing for a moment, he looked over at Faith and kissed her head too.
Said, woman, take it slow
It’ll work itself out fine
All we need is just a little patience
Fade To:
Xander instructed two annoyed looking slayers in track uniforms where to position a piece of plywood at the broken window.
Fade To:
Back at Willow’s house, she strapped Joyce inside a vehicle, then stood up. Once she was upright, Buffy pulled her into an embrace.
Said, sugar, make it slow
And we’ll come together fine
All we need is just a little patience
Fade To:
Rowena stood in her office. In one hand, she held a frame with a picture of her and Willow at their wedding. She grinned for a brief moment. In her other hand, she held a glass of a light brown liquid, neat, that she raised for a sip.
(Patience)
Fade To:
Alone, Lisa put up the last of some hanging drinkware, but stopped for a moment to wipe the bar with a towel.
Fade To:
Jeff stood in a Council hallway looking indecisively between two branches, before deciding to go left.
I sit here on the stairs
‘Cause I’d rather be alone
If I can’t have you right now, I’ll wait, dear
Fade To:
Maddie sat on a sofa in the glow of a television set. She perked up, as if she heard someone about to enter, and looked toward her front door. Not seeing someone come in, she looked disappointed. She took a bite of her mac and cheese, then looked at her phone briefly before putting it down again.
Sometimes, I get so tense
But I can’t speed up the time
But you know, love
There’s one more thing to consider
Fade To:
A riveted Brell wore a look of grave concern as he and Belizet sat at a kitchen table. His son pantomimed the evening’s events, including Alex tossing Jen through a window.
Fade To:
Marty walked into the basement and stopped when he saw his family all playing. A smile slowly grew on his face.
Said, woman, take it slow
And things will be just fine
You and I’ll just use a little patience
Fade To:
Jeff entered Grace’s office to see her wheelchair, but no Grace. After a brief moment, he continued down the hall.
Said, sugar, take the time
‘Cause the lights are shinin’ bright
You and I’ve got what it takes to make it
Fade To:
Marty came into the sound booth, grabbed the last guitar and entered the room. He gave his sister a nod, and Liz looked over at him as she continued to sing.
We won’t fake it
I’ll never break it
‘Cause I can’t take it
Liz nodded to her father, and Giles nimbly played the main guitar solo with its slides and bends as the rest of the family played back up.
Fade To:
At the Stake & Crossbow, Lisa put the key in the lock and then tried the door for good measure before walking away.
Fade To:
Becca continued to admire her children and husband as he played.
Fade To:
Rowena sat in her car at the Council, hands wrapped tight around the wheel, but she still didn’t put the car in motion.
Fade To:
Buffy arrived back at her apartment, with Joyce in tow. After a few moments, Xander came from the hallway to greet them.
Fade To:
Maddie looked at her phone again and checked the messages. She tapped on the name “Alex” to see no new messages. With a frown, she put it face down next to her on the sofa.
Fade To:
As the guitar break resumed, the entire Giles family played together and Liz’s voice broke slightly as she began to sing…
Little patience (Becca and Liz sing)
Need a little patience, yeah
Just a little patience, yeah
Some more patience
Liz looked like she was on the verge of tears as she sang. She sealed her eyes shut and began to wail…
I’ve been walkin’ the streets at night
Just tryin’ to get it right (a little patience)
Fade To:
Jeff came to a standstill, and Grace did the same when they spotted each other on opposite sides of the hallway. Seeing Grace on crutches, Jeff quickly closed the distance between them.
Fade To:
Liz continued to sing, tears rolling down her cheeks.
It’s hard to see with so many around
You know I don’t like bein’ stuck in the crowd (could use some patience)
And the streets don’t change, but maybe the names
I ain’t got time for the game, ’cause I need you (gotta have more patience)
Fade To:
Wordlessly, Jeff pulled Grace into a hug and held on until she started to pull away. He kissed her cheek and then her lips. After a brief moment apart, she kissed him back.
Fade To:
In the studio, Liz continued to cry and play guitar as she sang, along with her family.
Yeah, yeah, but I need you
Oh, I need you (all it takes is patience)
Oh, I need you (just a little patience)
Oh, this time
When they all strummed the last chord, Liz erupted in tears as everyone else gently put down their guitars. Liz, for her part, held onto her guitar like a life jacket. She turned to Marty.
“I’m so sorry,” she sobbed.
“For what?” he asked her as he moved closer.
“I blew your deal. I asked for too much,” she told him. “I couldn’t be patient. I wanted too much, too soon.”
“Hey,” he said as he moved closer and unhooked her guitar strap, taking it from her. She didn’t protest, but she didn’t move either. Marty handed it to his mother, who was approaching from the left as Giles approached from the right. “We’re all together on this,” he told her. “And you were right. With their deal, they’d own us forever. So pardon my French,” he said as an aside to his parents. “Fuck Visage Moon Records. Besides, it’s a stupid name for a label. Why’d we want to associate with a company with that dumb name?”
Liz grinned slightly and nodded, although not convincingly. She then looked sad and asked, “After tonight, do we even have a band? I mean, demon invasion notwithstanding.”
“Pff,” Marty scoffed. “Are you kidding? The fights between Mick and Keith are legendary. ‘Course, I don’t think Keith ever threw Mick through a window, but I’m sure there were times he wanted to.”
The grin on Marty’s face made Liz grin and snort in amusement. “True, but I just don’t know where we go from here.”
Becca tossed Giles a look of concern, and he put his hand on his daughter’s shoulders.
“Get some rest tonight,” he told her and then turned to Marty. “Both of you,” he added as he put his arm around Liz. “Tomorrow is a new day, so maybe you’ll find some inspiration by the end of it. Take it day by day, if need be, and if that doesn’t work, then hour by hour and if that doesn’t work, minute by minute.”
Liz nodded and then leaned into his embrace.
Cut To:
Int.
Rosenberg-Allister House – Living Room – Same Time
Willow was on the sofa, looking at her tablet, when she heard the front door open. Quickly, she put it down and moved toward the foyer, calling out, “Buffy, did you forget someth–?”
She stopped when she saw Rowena standing there, still dressed in her formal wear from the dance. Her attire was a bit disheveled, with spots that appeared to be dirt or blood…or both. The watcher looked exhausted, and the wig she left in earlier that night was now discarded. There were dark circles under her bloodshot eyes; her nostrils and upper lip red.
Both women seemed frozen as they stared at each other. Slowly, Willow breached the distance between them and when she got within an arm’s length, she only asked one question.
“Long night?”
Rowena’s bottom lip started to tremble and she muttered, “Long year. But it’s gonna get better, right? Buffy said you promised.”
Willow pulled Rowena into her embrace and whispered, “I promise, baby.”
Rowena tightened her hold on her wife and rested her head on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
Willow held her for a few moments and then pulled back and took Rowena’s face in her palms, “Me too.” She kissed her softly on the lips, which Rowena returned in kind before they rested their foreheads against each other.
Fade To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Media Center – Next Day
A tablet showed a scene of a captured Zorgy who was looking back and forth between Willow and Shannon, a growing smile on her face as she said, “Tell ya what, I’m not exactly quaking in my sneakers over here. ‘Cause, when it comes right down to it, your biggest slayer won’t stop my army.”
Liz paused the video and went back ten seconds.
“Tell ya what, I’m not exactly quaking in my sneakers over here. ‘Cause, when it comes right down to it, your biggest slayer won’t stop my army.”
Her brow furrowed. She hit rewind again as she moved the tablet closer.
“‘Cause, when it comes right down to it, your biggest slayer won’t stop my army.”
Liz cocked her head to one side and then played it again.
“…your biggest slayer won’t stop my army.”
Slowly she began to grin as she waved her finger at the screen. She stood up, taking the tablet with her.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Rowena’s Office – Moments Later
Liz knocked on the closed door. When she didn’t get an immediate response, she called out, “Ro? Can I come in?” and began to turn the doorknob. When the door was open, she didn’t cross the threshold or peek inside. “Are you decent?” she teased.
“Depends on who you ask,” Rowena retorted.
Liz then entered the office to see several boxes all over the office. About half of the books had already been taken off the shelves.
“Still leaving?” Liz asked, looking around.
Rowena didn’t answer. “Can I help you?” she asked out of curiosity rather than annoyance at her presence.
“Actually, I might be able to help the Council. Y’know, the place that you still work, as of today. I’ve been watching the Zorgy tapes.”
“That debacle was a huge time waster that killed two slayers and nearly killed my kids.”
“I can’t argue with the slayers or the kids part of that statement, but the huge waste of time part…maybe not.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because she told us where her invasion is gonna come through. More specifically, she told Shannon and Willow.”
Rowena looked confused. “What?”
Black Out
End of Act Two