Shadow Stalker - 2.07 - Green With...

[Lex]

Series: Shadow Stalker
Episode: 2.07 – Green With…
Writer: Lex
Editor: Alex Hart

I do not claim credit for any of Joss Whedon’s creation and the featuring of his characters and episodes in this series is simply for my pleasure and not at all for financial gain as I do all this for free! All characters not affiliated with Jossverse belong to me, as do the plot lines. Season Two starts alongside Season 7 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Season 4 of Angel and is in affiliated with Rogue Redemption, (Amber); Chosen, (Heather); BtVS Seasons 8 + 9 and AtS Season 6, (Alex Hart); Broken Destiny (Joe); and Wishful Thinking (Ben); Raven (Alexander Brown).


SEPHY (V/O): Previously on Shadow Stalker.

The camera shows CHARLIE, CATE and MELODY discovering the first of three legends in the desert.

SEPHY (V/O): What I had hoped would never be revealed…was.

The camera shows DANTE discovering SOFIA’S body; LEIGH crying; LEIGH holding the gun in the alleyway; XAK and DANTE fighting; LEIGH holding ASHBY by his neck.

SEPHY V/O): And what they’d hoped would never happen…did.

The camera shows TOOLE, CATE and LANCE all in the kitchen; CATE looking depressed; LANCE watching her; They share a look.

SEPHY (V/O): And as a deadly triangle forms…

The camera shows various shots of TOOLE from Season Two.

SEPHY (V/O): …A man originally thought to be pure of heart, will demonstrate sin.

The camera finally finishes on TOOLE in DEMENTIA’S crypt gripping his fist so tightly that it begins to bleed.

FADE TO BLACK


TEASER

SUNNYDALE
PUBLIC SECTOR – EXT.GRAVEYARD – NIGHT

The camera shows a male vampire, running determined through the graveyard. He passes the screen. A few seconds after him arrives CATE, running after her with a stake in her hand, she is followed by MELODY who is now used to CATE’S speed. Both of them look more determined this time, they look serious, and their hair is tied back. The camera moves back to the vampire who ends up at a crypt wall, trapped. He looks back at CATE and MELODY who stand next to eachother. They look to one another. The male vamp rolls his eyes realising who they are.

VAMPIRE: Oh man, you two…

MELODY: (smiling) Us two.

VAMPIRE: It’s embarrassing no one’s killed you yet. What was it last week, a high heel through the heart? Barbie has no place on the playing field…

CATE: (to MELODY) Barbie?

MELODY: (angrily) Oh he did not…

CATE: I think he just did.

She turns to him.

VAMPIRE: (laughing) What ya gonna do? Make me some garlic ice cream full of happiness and smiles?

MELODY makes a mock shocked noise.

MELODY: Ooh, burned…

CATE: (upbeat) Well I was gonna cut off your head with my oh so handy nail scissors, but whatever works for you!

MELODY smirks.

MELODY: Oh no, that was so much better…

The VAMPIRE growls, now infuriated. He charges at CATE and lunges at her, she drops backwards and flips him over his head into a nearby grave elegantly, causing it to smash. MELODY helps her up.

MELODY: Nice moves.

CATE: Thanks, got that one from you.

They turn and smirk at one another before revealing two stakes from their sleeves. They charge at the vampire but they move off screen so we can’t see them. XAK moves into shot as we hear CATE and MELODY obliterating the VAMPIRE off screen. Various punches are heard from the girls while the VAMPIRE appears to be taking quite a beating from the tag team of CATE and MELODY. The camera still focuses on XAK, watching, laughing.

VAMPIRE (O/S): Ow! My hair!

CATE: Melody, the stake!

The sound of the VAMPIRE swiftly and satanically dusting behind the camera can be heard. XAK claps as the camera turns around to show CATE and MELODY moving back into shot, breathing slightly faster than usual.

CATE: Woo, what a rush!

MELODY: Yeah, I could get used to this!

XAK: (smiling) Not bad. That’s three nights of maximum kills and no damages, quite a change from last week.

The girls look extremely pleased with themselves.

CATE: Thanks, I think though we’re getting better you know?

MELODY: (scoffing) Yeah, can we get on to something more challenging?

CATE nods.

XAK: Woah, slow down. You only found out you were Potentials the other day. Relax. Especially you Mel…

MELODY: (confused) What, did I do something wrong?

XAK: Just try and be more cautious…

MELODY: Cautious? Pfft, I’m fine…

XAK looks down, slightly concerned, CATE doesn’t notice.

MELODY: Besides, we have to be ready soon right?

CATE: Yeah we have a war coming up?

XAK: I told you, whatever Buffy Summers is doing, has nothing to do with us, we can’t risk losing you both, we need you.

MELODY: Oh don’t worry, like we wanna preach with her choir anyway. Cate and I? We’re all up for saving this kid of yours from the evil hands of Wanky Turnpike.

CATE: Ew…

XAK smiles weakly, he blinks momentarily, as if a spasm of pain hit him.

MELODY (O/S): Last thing we need is another freak attack at The Bronze, while we’re all unprepared right?

XAK: (distant) I’m, uh, sorry and everything, I don’t want you two to…t-think that I’m ordering you or…

CATE: (not noticing) It’s totally cool! We’re so there for you and Charlie, and…

Before she says either TOOLE’S or LANCE’S names, she notices XAK in pain. So does MELODY.

MELODY: Xak?

XAK shakes off whatever he was feeling.

XAK: Sorry, headache I guess…

He stops, and screams in pain as he collapses to the floor. He grips the grass in agony…


CUT TO – UNKNOWN
UNKNOWN – UNKNOWN – UNKNOWN

There is a chanting heard. The room, wherever this room is, is filled with dark cloaked figures. They’re all moving in a circle around a bound book. The book; Xak’s contract. Each of the cloaked figures echoing words.

CLOAKED FIGURE #1: I Xakiel Thorn, commit my loyalty…

CLOAKED FIGURE #2: …A role as a field agent for the Wolf, the Ram, and the Hart…

CLOAKED FIGURE #3: …Breach of agreement that is contained in this contract, will result in the collaborative consequence…

Then a distinct voice is heard. Not an estranged whisper, and not from anyone in the room.

XAK (O/S): (echoing) I Xakiel Thorn bequeath my soul to the cause of evil, and may I fall to darkness should a dereliction occur in my honesty.

The cloaked figures stop, and turn to the centre of the circle they have been walking. Where the contract lay is now a jar. Before we can focus on the jar for too long, HERMES approaches from outside the circle.

HERMES: Thank you gentlemen. The Senior Partners will be most pleased.

In turn, all the cloaked figures nod. He nods back at them in respect and picks the jar up, staring at its contents and leaves the circle, holding the jar in a firm grip. The camera pans down HERMES to the jar. We can now see it is not an empty jar, but a filled jar. In it contains a white glowing mist. XAK’S soul…

FADE TO BLACK

END OF TEASER


OPENING CREDITS

SONG: MUSE - HYSTERIA

The camera shows a full moon in the night sky with the caption “SHADOW STALKER” tattooed
across the view. The words streak across the scene with a slight red tint as the music starts up.

The camera then cuts to CHARLIE walking down the street in her red dress towards XAK. The camera shows several quick cuts of XAK transgressing and eventually him killing CHARLIE.

The camera then shows XAK in a suit leaving the Wolfram and Hart building then to him in an alleyway, he looks dirty and unshaven and in dirty clothes. (The music below plays throughout)

“It's bugging me, grating me
And twisting me around”

CAPTION: MILO VENTIMIGLIA

The camera shows CHARLIE in her cell, scared and alone and then cuts to her standing in XAK’S apartment, and her eyes glowing a bright green.

“Yeah i'm endlessly caving in
And turning inside out”

CAPTION: ALEXIS BLEDEL

The camera then shows XAK and CATE both running down the streets of L.A desperately. The camera then focuses more on CATE and cuts to her in The Bronze serving drinks, and then to her standing next to MELODY, both their fists raised, in a battle-like pose. (The music below plays throughout)

“'Cause I want it now
I want it now
Give me your heart and your soul”

CAPTION: AMANDA SEYFRIED

The camera shows TOOLE punching someone to the floor and then to him looking through a barely opened door, his eyes widen. (The music below plays throughout)

“And i'm breaking out
I'm breaking out
Last chance to lose control”

CAPTION: ALAN TUDYK

The camera then shows DANTE sitting behind his desk smirking but quickly cuts to him holding something in both arms and looking out the window while the sun succumbs to darkness. (The music below plays throughout)

“Its hurting me, morphing me
And forcing me to strive”

CAPTION: CHRIS EVANS

The camera shows MELODY running through the prison in L’Azura and then to her sitting on a rock, sand surrounding her. (The music below plays throughout)

“To be endlessly cold within
And dreaming i'm alive”

CAPTION: ROSE MCGOWAN

The camera then shows LANCE sitting on the floor of the apartment laughing with someone and then to him clutching on to CHARLIE’S hand and shouting. (The music below plays throughout)

“And i want you now
I want you now
I feel my heart implode”

CAPTION: CHAD MICHAEL MURRAY

As the song comes to an end the camera shows various quick caps of CATE by a grave; SEPHY walking into the Underworld smiling; MELODY and LANCE falling through the L’Azura portal; DANTE staring into the darkness with black eyes, then finally to XAK walking through the graveyard at night. The camera moves up and shows a high angle shot of him walking away and the shape of the dragon streaking across the sky causing the screen to fade to black. (The music below plays throughout)

“I'm breaking out
Escaping now
Feeling my faith erode”

END OF OPENING CREDITS

[Lex]

ACT ONE

SUNNYDALE
LOUNGE – INT.XAK’S PLACE - NIGHT

CHARLIE walks in through the kitchen in a dressing gown. She gets a spasm of pain and groans, grabbing her moving stomach. LANCE appears from the bathroom, a toothbrush hanging out his mouth. He looks worried.

LANCE: Charlie are you ok?

CHARLIE: (groaning) Yeah, just Little Miss Kicks, doing her rounds.

LANCE moves over to her, helping her to the couch, surprised.

LANCE: Little Miss? As in girl?

CHARLIE: Well I don’t know the sex exactly, but don’t girl babies kick just a little more ass? Boy babies suck. I mean look at The Omen.

LANCE: Good point, we’ll be checking the babies scalp for multiple 6’s.

She laughs slightly and moves over to the sofa to sit down, while he looks around the quiet apartment.

LANCE: They still out patrolling?

CHARLIE nods.

CHARLIE: (nods, slightly annoyed) Life of the slayer…s…

LANCE: They’re not slayers yet. They may never be and, (noticing)…do I sense a tone of jealousy?

CHARLIE: (looking down, embarrassed) Would that make me unbelievably pathetic…?

LANCE: No not at all. It’s normal and plus you’re all hormonal right? Just don’t send us to like a world with shrimp or something.

She looks at him, giving him a half smile.

CHARLIE: I know it’s stupid. It probably is just my hormones. I’m feeling all sorts of weird things. Jealousy, fear…

LANCE: For them?

She nods, provoking a sympathetic sigh from LANCE.

CHARLIE: I worry about them too. I mean after everything I’ve gotten fairly close to them both now and I just don’t want them to go just yet…

She looks down again at this morbid thought.

LANCE: (slightly upbeat) Well look at me, eaten and flayed alive in a basement, I’m doing ok!

CHARLIE: I don’t know how you do it, sometimes even I struggle. Just being here, dealing.

LANCE looks down thinking.

LANCE: You take each day as it comes, besides, living with you guys? Why do you think Mel and I are dealing so well?

CHARLIE shrugs.

LANCE: You’ve been so welcoming. I mean after everything you made us feel at home.

She smiles, feeling pleased they both feel this way.

LANCE: So don’t worry about me. Ok? Just concentrate on that baby of yours. I’ve got enough excitement on my hands to keep my mind off things…

She smiles at him almost noticing a change in him. They’re both interrupted however as CATE and MELODY burst into the apartment carrying an unconscious XAK in their arms. CHARLIE stands, worried. LANCE does also.

LANCE: (to himself) Cue example…

CHARLIE: (worried) Oh my god, Xak?

MELODY and CATE move him to the sofa, and lay him down.

CHARLIE: (to CATE) What happened?!

CATE: I don’t know! He just said he had a headache, and he collapsed.

LANCE looks at MELODY, for a moment, she looks at him. CHARLIE moves to XAK’S side.

CHARLIE: Xak? Can you hear me?

There’s no response, of any kind.

LANCE: (confused) What’s wrong with him?

CATE and MELODY think.

MELODY: Maybe he has hypothermia, (confused) Wait a minute, how do you get hypothermia?

CATE: Water temperature? Isn't that what hypothermia means... (pondering) How do you get water temperature...

CHARLIE rolls her eyes, and looks at them, slightly annoyed.

CHARLIE: (seriously) You guys as Slayers…seriously!?

LANCE smiles at the clear lack of jealousy CHARLIE has at this moment in time over the Potentials. He glances at CATE who looks embarrassed. CHARLIE looks at XAK, the camera merely moves closer into XAK’S face. His eyes moving wildly behind his eyelids.

CHARLIE (V/O): (echoing) Xak…Xak…Xak…


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
DANTE’S OFFICE – INT.COFFEE SHOP – NIGHT

The camera shows a phone closing and being slammed down on to a desk. Then cuts to DANTE glaring deeply and sighing angrily.

DANTE: (shouting) Leigh!

From her bedroom, she rushes out, concerned.

LEIGH: What’s wrong?

DANTE: They have it, they have Thorn’s soul.

Her face drops.

LEIGH: (quietly) What…but they didn’t tell you? Well obviously they have now, but I mean before?

DANTE: Apparently I can’t be trusted with information anymore, or at least till I prove my trust.

LEIGH sighs, and looks away.

LEIGH: Well what are we gonna do? How can we punish Thorn if what we need is in their hands.

DANTE: (thinking, almost ignoring her) They won’t use it.

LEIGH: What, why?

DANTE: They don’t want what we want.

LEIGH: (figuring) Right…the baby…I forgot. Don’t we want what they want too?

DANTE: We need that soul regardless. It’s still pivotal.

LEIGH: (scoffing) Right and how do you propose we get it? Steal it?

DANTE: Exactly.

LEIGH: (an eyebrow raised) I was joking…

DANTE: They’ll never suspect it…

He runs to the door, hurriedly.

LEIGH: (protesting) Dante this is insane…

DANTE turns to face her.

DANTE: I’m getting a car, we leave in half an hour Leigh. You better be in.

She looks at him for a moment, then looks down.

LEIGH: Fine…I’ll do it.

DANTE nods and leaves the apartment. The camera pans around to LEIGH who is looking down, there’s someone behind her. It’s CHRISTIAN.

CHRISTIAN: Leigh…

She turns and looks at him, she sighs.

LEIGH: Did you hear that?

CHRISTIAN: Yeah, it’s bad. Does he know?

LEIGH: No, he has no idea.

CHRISTIAN: Are you going to tell him?

She looks at him, slightly annoyed, almost incredulous.

LEIGH: (upset) What that this whole “falling out” thing with you is just a ploy? That I had to fake the mourning of Sofia’s death? And that really what we’re planning is to destroy his life entirely?

CHRISTIAN looks at her, not really sure of what to say.

CHRISTIAN: (quietly) He’s already being taken down a peg or two…if you want to stop?

LEIGH: No, we’re seeing this through Chris, I have worked too damn hard. I have just about nothing to lose at all…I honestly don’t. So I’m doing this.

She turns and heads to her bedroom to pack some equipment. He hesitates for a moment, then turns to her.

CHRISTIAN: When this is all over with…then…

The camera shows LEIGH stopping at her door and looks down and his direction slightly but not at him. She still has her back turned.

CHRISTIAN: …Mourn then.

LEIGH: (whispering) I will…

She walks into her bedroom leaving CHRISTIAN looking on at her, hopeful.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
STOCK FOOTAGE – EXT. SKYLINE - NIGHT

The camera passes over the town as…

CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
STOCK FOOTAGE – EXT. SKYLINE – MORNING

…Morning swiftly arrives.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
LOUNGE – INT.XAK’S APARMTENT – MORNING

The door to XAK’S bedroom opens and CHARLIE enters into the lounge. She looks tired. Hearing the door close, CATE and MELODY emerge from the kitchen. They looks at CHARLIE sympathetically.

CATE: Did you not sleep at all?

CHARLIE: Not really.

MELODY: Hon, you need to rest. Don’t forget you’re pregnant.

CHARLIE: It’s hard to forget when you’re carrying around a kicking bowling ball 24/7.

CATE nods, as if she knows.

MELODY: Is he still…

She indicates the bedroom, and XAK.

CHARLIE: (sighing) Yeah. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. He’s not talked, or opened his eyes.

CATE touches her shoulder.

CATE: He’ll be ok.

She smiles, to reassure her friend. MELODY watches them both. The moment is interrupted by TOOLE entering the room from his bedroom in his pyjamas. He looks tired and irritated.

TOOLE: Can you girls keep the noise down, some of us are trying to sleep.

They all look at him. CHARLIE and MELODY look shocked and CATE looks angry.

MELODY: That “us” would be you…

CATE moves towards him.

CATE: (seething) Yeah, if you cared at all, “your best friend” collapsed last night.

TOOLE looks at them all one by one, confused.

TOOLE: What are you talking about?

CATE screams infuriated. She can’t take this anymore…

CATE: What the hell is wrong with you lately? Seriously!? I’m sick of this.

MELODY moves towards her. CHARLIE looks down.

MELODY: Cate…

CATE looks at MELODY, in defiance.

CATE: No!

She now moves towards TOOLE so they are really close to one another. He looks at her blankly.

CATE: I mean this Toole. Whatever the hell is going on with you, it ends now.

TOOLE looks down, hurt.

TOOLE: I don’t know what you mean.

CATE laughs almost, incredulous.

CATE: Did you even know?

He looks confused again.

CATE: I’m the potential…

She looks on the verge of violent tears. She turns and runs towards the front door. As she does, LANCE enters, carrying bags of shopping. He looks as she rushes past him. TOOLE goes to go after her.

TOOLE: (worried) Cate…stop!

MELODY stands in front of his way.

MELODY: I’ll go…

CHARLIE: I think that would be a better idea.

TOOLE looks at CHARLIE, worried. MELODY rushes after CATE, giving LANCE a quick annoyed look as she leaves.

CHARLIE: Seriously Toole, get a grip. We have more important things happening than you going awol…

TOOLE looks down, the camera moves in on his face.

CHARLIE: …I don’t know what’s wrong, and I wish you’d just let us in and help you.

TOOLE looks like he’s beginning to consider this option considering how thing’s are going.

CHARLIE: For all our sakes…


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
XAK’S BEDROOM – INT.XAK’S APARTMENT – MORNING

The sound of TOOLE protesting to CHARLIE’S argument can be heard in the next room as the camera passes up XAK’S still body. As the camera arrives at his head we can see that his eyes are closed. For a few moments his eyes stay closed, until they snap open. His eyes are black.

FADE TO BLACK

END OF ACT ONE

[Lex]

ACT TWO

SUNNYDALE
ALLEY – EXT.SUNNYDALE STREET – MORNING

SONG: ROB THOMAS – WHEN THE HEARTACHE ENDS

CATE is sitting in the alleyway, she’s looking down, depressed, upset and annoyed. MELODY appears from one side of the alleyway, and makes her way towards CATE. (The music below plays throughout)

“It's never easy and you never know
What leaves you crying
And what makes you whole
There ain't no way that I can hold it down
Falling to pieces
Forever in doubt”

She sits herself next to CATE but CATE doesn’t make any sign of acknowledging she is there. She simply stares ahead. After a moment she sighs.

CATE: Can you believe him?

MELODY: He’s a man hon. They tend to suck.

CATE: I thought he was different.

MELODY: He is, each man is different, and Toole being a man is therefore different.

CATE: I just don’t get it…

MELODY: We’re women, we’re not supposed to. Cate come on! We went through this in the 8th grade with the whole Percy West fiasco.

CATE almost smiles, MELODY smirks cheekily. (The music below plays throughout quietly)

“But it's alright
Why don't you tell me again
How you'll still be there
When the heartache ends
It's all right
Why don't you tell me my friend?
How you'll still be there
When the heartache ends”

MELODY: Come on. Let’s go have a girly day full of sugar and no boys.

CATE: (sighs happily) Just like the old days.

MELODY stands and gives out a hand to CATE who takes it. She now stands, smiling and begins to walk away down the alleyway with MELODY. The camera pans up watching them leave and the music continues to play but the lyrics don’t.

MELODY: Yeah, except without the murder, if that’s ok with you?

CATE: Oh sure. I mean we have enough of that nowadays anyway.

MELODY: Totally.


CUT TO – L.A
L.A STREETS – INT.WHITE CAR – AFTERNOON

The camera shows from the point of view of someone looking out the side window of the car. They’re looking at the entrance to Wolfram and Hart over the road. The music from the previous scene is playing softly on the radio.

DANTE (O/S): Yep, looks all boring and the same.

The camera cuts to show him wearing all black and looking out the window at the building across the road. Next to him is LEIGH. She is also dressed in black and has her hair in a ponytail. She is looking at blueprints and looks bored.

LEIGH: (sarcastically) So there are no friend-killing-rock-like creatures afoot? Woo!

DANTE turns to her, turning off the radio, slightly annoyed.

DANTE: What’s your problem?

LEIGH: Nothing.

DANTE: This little feud with Chris playing on your mind?

LEIGH: (sighing) Do we have to talk about him now?

DANTE: Just curious as to why you too don’t get on anymore.

LEIGH: (infuriated) Look the be all and end all of this is that Christian turned me down.

DANTE: (confused) Turned you down? What do you…

He figures.

DANTE: …Oh.

LEIGH: Yeah, so now you know why I wanna bat instead of pitch, so can we just drop this?

DANTE looks at her for a moment, then nods.

DANTE: Sure. Wait here, I’m gonna scope out the security.

He reaches into the back and retrieves a baseball cap and sunglasses. LEIGH laughs slightly.

LEIGH: (sarcastically, and more upbeat) Oh, much better. You’re invisible now!

DANTE looks at her with an eyebrow raised then opens the car door, and leaves the vehicle. LEIGH waits for him to leave for a second, then pulls out her cell phone. She dials a number.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
CHRISTIAN’S BEDROOM – INT.COFFEE SHOP – AFTERNOON

The cell phone on his desk is buzzing. The word “LEIGH” shines brightly on the screen. A hand reaches and picks it up. It’s CHRISTIAN. He answers it.

CHRISTIAN: Hello?

LEIGH (O/S): Chris, it’s me.

CHRISTIAN: Leigh, where are you?

LEIGH (O/S) In a rental car, white of all colours…sly or what?

He laughs.

CHRISTIAN: (confused) White is a colour?

LEIGH (O/S): I guess so. Depends how you look at it I guess. I mean in Vogue they might say that…

CHRISTIAN: (interrupting) What’s going on? You’ve nearly been gone a day?

LEIGH (O/S): Oh right, apparently we’re breaking in at dusk. Well I use the term “we” loosely, it’s mostly me.

She sighs.

LEIGH (O/S): Chris, what if this goes wrong, what if we’re caught?

He turns around and looks at the paperwork sprawled on his desk. Because of the angle, we can’t see what the paper work is.

CHRISTIAN: I promise you. It won’t go wrong. Dante’s a lot of things but he knows how to get out of sticky situations. Ok?

LEIGH (O/S): (sighing) You’re right. Ok, I’ll call you when I’m done.

CHRISTIAN: Ok, and Leigh? Don’t let him get the soul. Hold on to it…

LEIGH (O/S): You think I’m an idiot? Of course I will. See ya…

The sound of her hanging up the phone on the other end can be heard. CHRISTIAN looks at the phone for a minute before contemplating. The camera then tilts down to show that the paperwork is just doodles. Nothing important what so ever. He moves slowly over to his bed. He lifts up the mattress and underneath there is the file he and LEIGH stole from SOFIA’S office. The file about CHARLIE…


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
XAK’S BEDROOM – INT.XAK’S APARTMENT – AFTERNOON

XAK jumps up in bed. He looks around, breathing heavily. His eyes are normal, he just looks confused.

VOICE (O/S): You ok?

He looks to a chair in the corner and sees TOOLE watching him, worried.

XAK: Wh-what happened?

TOOLE: Cate said you were out patrolling with them and you just collapsed.

XAK thinks.

XAK: Weird.

TOOLE: What that me and Cate were talking or that you collapsed?

XAK: (quickly) Oddly, both.

TOOLE looks down.

TOOLE: (quietly) Is this the part where you drill me on what my problem has been, ‘cause your missus and half the apartment already beat you to it…

XAK looks at him, surprised. TOOLE has changed. He’s no longer the man who has trust issues, he’s the guy you have trust issues with…

XAK: (trying to understand) How about you just tell me what’s wrong? We can start there.

TOOLE looks away, scared almost of revealing to XAK everything that’s happened.

TOOLE: I can’t tell you…

XAK: Toole this is me, king of screwing things up-ville. How on earth could you trump killing your girlfriend? Wait…Cate’s not dead is she?

TOOLE: (laughing weakly) No…

XAK: Then seriously, what is it?

TOOLE: Look it’s not something I can just tell…

XAK: Why not?

TOOLE looks up at him, resolute.

TOOLE: Because I’m a hypocrite Xak. For months I didn’t trust you because there was a dark side to you I didn’t like. I held you at gunpoint.

XAK looks at him, remembering.

TOOLE: So right now I need to get over myself until I’m at a point where I can deal with what is happening to me…

He has tears in his eyes.

TOOLE: …Because right now, I am screwing up. I’m screwing up…

He breaks down and puts his head in his hands. XAK looks at him, but he doesn’t move to console him. He doesn’t know how. He doesn’t know how to console him when he doesn’t know what is wrong…so he just watches. Eventually he edges to the end of the bed but he hesitates for a moment.

XAK: Look, Toole. You wanna make amends, then do them. It’s never too late, not while we’re all still here.

TOOLE: (quietly) I don’t know how…

XAK: Well, firsts things first. The Bronze. You need to make a decision…are you still a part of the team?

XAK looks at him, TOOLE looks at him also. Unsure…what should he do?


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
LOUNGE – INT.XAK’S APARTMENT – AFTERNOON

Outside XAK’S bedroom, someone is listening. Listening to his brother’s tears. It’s LANCE.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
STOCK FOOTAGE – EXT. SKYLINE – EVENING

The camera shows that night is now creeping across the town, bringing with it a darkness unknown to the gang. A sordid, sinful darkness…


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
LOUNGE – INT.XAK’S APARTMENT – EVENING

MELODY and CHARLIE are huddled around a pizza on the table. CHARLIE takes a bite out of her slice; in the background the sound of a shower running can be heard.

CHARLIE: Is it wrong that I want to put engine oil on this pizza?

MELODY: Not really, pregnancy gives you weird cravings.

CHARLIE: Yeah I know but I feel like putting engine oil on everything. The bed, the kitchen floor, Xak.

MELODY raises an eyebrow flirtatiously.

MELODY: Now there’s a craving I can get on board with.

CHARLIE laughs.

XAK (O/S): You girls talking about me?

They both turn to show XAK standing in the doorway to his bedroom, he looks healthy, and slightly confused as to what they were both talking about.

MELODY: Well we were talking about you covered in engine oil but sure…

She eyes him up and down.

CHARLIE: Down girl.

She rolls her eyes, and turns to XAK.

CHARLIE: Should you be out of bed?

XAK: I’m fine, honestly.

CHARLIE raises an eyebrow.

XAK: Seriously Charlie. I feel fine. In fact I was thinking we should go and patrol, where is everyone?

MELODY: Cate’s asleep, shopping wore her out. That girl has no stamina anymore.

CHARLIE: Lance is in the shower and, as is usual these days, who knows where Toole is.

XAK: (remembering) Oh right. He’s at The Bronze. I think he’s changing you know. I do think he regrets the way he’s been acting. He wants to make amends, and this is a good start.

CHARLIE nods in agreement, happy that this may all be over with soon.

MELODY: (nodding) I guess so. Plus, keeping away from a pissy, sleepy Cate is probably best.

XAK looks at MELODY then to the door where CATE is sleeping, he thinks for a moment, unsure.

XAK: Well are you still up for a patrol?

MELODY jumps up.

MELODY: Damn straight. All this talk of engine oil has got my blood pumping. Come on!

She rushes to the door and XAK follows, looking slightly fearful of horny slaying MELODY.

CHARLIE (O/S): Whoa whoa whoa. Hold up!

They turn back to her. She’s stood and she’s putting on her jacket.

XAK: You’re coming?

CHARLIE: Yes. That is what the act of putting on my jacket would imply.

XAK: Why?

CHARLIE: Well while you’re watching Melody, who’s watching you in case you faint again?

XAK: And who’s watching you?

MELODY scoffs.

MELODY: The girl can transport people to other dimensions. I think she can hold her own.

CHARLIE nods, happily in agreement. XAK rolls his eyes, annoyed slightly, but more worried for CHARLIE’S well being.

XAK: Ok then…

CHARLIE smiles happily then takes his arm and they walk out together. MELODY holds the door as they leave and she leaves after them, slamming the door behind her. Instantly, CATE’S bedroom door opens and she comes out in pyjama bottoms and a tank top. She looks annoyed and tired.

CATE: Slamming the door? Seriously!?

The bathroom door opens.

LANCE (O/S): Did someone say something?

CATE looks towards the bathroom door. LANCE is standing half in the bathroom, with a towel wrapped around him.

LANCE: (embarrassed) Oh, hey.

CATE: (awkwardly) Hey, so I guess they’ve all gone out huh?

LANCE: Yeah, looks that way.

CATE’S eyes unwittingly keep looking at LANCE’S body.

LANCE: I think that’s my cue to put some clothes on.

CATE laughs, looking down slightly embarrassed.

CATE: I’m sorry…

LANCE: (smiling, cheekily) It’s fine. Listen, gimme two secs, then we can finish off that pizza, maybe open a bottle of wine?

CATE: (confused) Why?

LANCE walks towards her, gripping on to the towel around his waist.

LANCE: ‘Cause you’ve had it tough recently and you deserve a time out. If Melody’s speciality is shopping, let’s just say mine is food and alcohol.

She laughs and nods.

CATE: Ok then.

He smiles at her, and walks back into the bathroom. She blushes as she can’t help but appreciate his rippled body and his rugged and wet good looks. For a split moment she forgets who he is. She forgets who his brother is.

FADE TO BLACK

END OF ACT TWO

[Lex]

ACT THREE

SUNNYDALE
BAR – INT.BRONZE – EVENING

It looks fairly quiet in the club this evening. There are a couple of barmen at one end of the bar, but at the other end of the bar is TOOLE. He’s resting on the counter just staring blankly. What was he gonna do about The Bronze. He notices ASHBY approach him nearby, but ASHBY doesn’t say anything to him.

TOOLE: I’m gonna make it up to her.

ASHBY: Huh? Oh you’re talking to me?

TOOLE: Cate. I’ve gotta make it up to her, and everyone.

ASHBY looks slightly awkward.

ASHBY: (lying, expectantly) All due respects but I just work here, I’m not really the person to talk to…

TOOLE shrugs, ASHBY looks at him promisingly, hoping TOOLE would pry further.

ASHBY: (whispering, keenly) Although. Xak did tell me everything…

TOOLE: (worried) What do you mean?

ASHBY: Everything. You know, dragons, guns, lawyers, death…

TOOLE looks at him, shocked and surprised.

TOOLE: Why?

ASHBY: There was an attack here. Some woman held a gun to my head. We had to close early the other day ‘cause of, you know, short staff. It happened then.

TOOLE: Who, was it?

ASHBY: Some associate of…(thinking)…is it Dandy?

TOOLE thinks.

TOOLE: (seething) Dante…

ASHBY: Yeah, that’s it!

TOOLE looks down guiltily. If he’d been there to help, maybe he could have stopped Dante. His mind then thought of XAK. He hadn’t told Toole, and he couldn’t blame him, considering the way he’s been acting.

TOOLE: I’m sorry Ashby.

ASHBY: (confused) Why?

TOOLE: ‘Cause if I’d have been there, I could have stopped it. Nothing would have been different. We wouldn’t have been short staffed; everything would be normal…(thinking)…nothing different…

He thinks for a moment longer. Nothing is different. Nothing has changed, regardless of whether he’d gone to DEMENTIA or not. How did the experience with DANTE and her really change him?

ASHBY: Yeah it was scary and all but still it happened. I’d rather know than not be in the dark ya know?

TOOLE listens, and nods, taking it on board.

ASHBY: I mean it’s better to know everything. To know the truth, no matter how harsh the reality of it is.

TOOLE: Right.

ASHBY smiles, pleased TOOLE sees his point of view. TOOLE thinks for a moment, then smiles.

TOOLE: Thanks.

He begins to walk off. ASHBY looks confused.

ASHBY: Where are you going?

TOOLE: (smiling) Gonna get my life back.

He smiles, and walks towards the front door. ASHBY looks on, smiling slightly.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
LOUNGE – INT.XAK’S APARTMENT - EVENING

SONG: JET – LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE

LANCE and CATE are sat on the floor of the apartment. In between them is the pizza CHARLIE and MELODY were eating earlier. They’re eating it together and drinking wine. In the background the song merely plays softly, setting a suitable background noise to the event.

LANCE: Feel better now?

CATE: Shopping, wine, finally some good company, oh and sleep. Yeah I’m feeling better.

She smiles, he does too. (The music below plays throughout)

“Take my photo off the wall
If it just won't sing for you
'Cause all that's left has gone away
And there's nothing there for you to prove”

LANCE: You know he does care for you Cate.

She looks down, depressed.

CATE: I don’t know. I know he cared for me, but too much has happened. It’s like when Charlie died…so did we.

LANCE: Even if that’s true, she came back? She’s living and breathing. So can you and Toole. You can breathe again Cate…

CATE shakes her head. (The music below plays throughout)

“Oh, look what you've done
You've made a fool of everyone
Oh well, it seems likes such fun
Until you lose what you had won”

CATE: Not when he’s keeping secrets from me. I know he is.

LANCE smiles nervously.

LANCE: Look when Toole is ready to tell you everything about what happened with Dante he will, just give him time ok?

CATE looks at him, her expression shifts. She may have her moments, but even that one didn’t slip past her.

CATE: (quietly, almost scared) What do you mean? What happened with Dante…

LANCE looks at her, his eyes widen. (The music below plays throughout)

“Oh, look what you've done
You've made a fool of everyone
A fool of everyone
A fool of everyone”


CUT TO – L.A
DUNGEON – INT.WOLFRAM AND HART - NIGHT

The camera pans around the dungeons of Wolfram and Hart. They seem fairly quiet despite the many demons hidden away behind the many catacombs. Suddenly some spluttering is heard and on the floor one of the drains suddenly bursts open. Forced open by someone’s hands. A woman emerges in a black cat suit and she has her hair tied back. She looks immensely disgusted. It’s LEIGH. She touches her ear.

LEIGH: Cat Woman to Hell Boy, I’m in.

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) Good. Any problems?

LEIGH: (sarcastically) Oh no, just miles of friggin’ sewers to crawl through! Nice plan!

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) Just get to it Cat Woman, the Senior Partners probably know we’re here already.

LEIGH looks around cautiously.

LEIGH: I hate you so much right now.

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) Yeah ok, I understand. Kinda got it by my code name…

LEIGH smirks, but then she notices SOFIA’S old office. She walks to the door and looks inside. The lights are off, but for a moment she imagines things were the way they were. She imagines that she was coming down for a sneaky cigarette with SOFIA, and they would gossip about some hot new lawyer. She smiles.

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece, distantly and quiet) Leigh…Leigh?! Is everything ok…

She shakes off her smile.

LEIGH: (slightly choked up) Yeah?

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) Is everything ok?

LEIGH: (quietly) Yeah, fine.

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) Ok. Listen closely. The Senior Partners keep all their sacred and precious artefacts in the lower vault. I’m fairly certain it was empty last time I heard, so if Thorn’s soul is anywhere, it’ll be there.

LEIGH: Which is? Somewhere low…and safe?

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) Go into the elevator…

She looks around once more to check that the coast is clear, it is. She hurries to the elevator elegantly and presses the elevator button. Surprisingly the elevator comes fairly quickly. She swiftly moves inside.

LEIGH: Ok, what am I doing?

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) Ok press the number equivalent to the letters “l-o-w-e-r-v-a-u-l-t”…

LEIGH: (thinking) Ok so…5693782858…right?

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) Yeah that sounds about it.

LEIGH presses in the numbers.

LEIGH: (as she does so) If I get this wrong and die, I’m so in a mood with you…

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece, laughing) Ok.

As she presses the last number the lift lights go off and the lift begins to descend.

LEIGH: …Jesus…


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
ENTRANCE – EXT.GRAVEYARD – NIGHT

The sound of the music from the previous scene is abruptly interrupted by the sound of MELODY fighting. Once again she is fighting off screen and all we can see is CHARLIE and XAK observing her from the gates of the graveyard.

CHARLIE: Wow…

XAK: Yeah.

CHARLIE: She really kicks ass.

XAK: (laughing) You should see her and Cate together.

CHARLIE: (slightly sad) They’re good together then?

XAK: Perfect team, bitchy and kick ass.

She looks down, he notices. He touches her arm.

XAK: Don’t tell me you’re jealous?

CHARLIE almost screams, exasperated. She sits down on a nearby gravestone.

CHARLIE: Is it really that obvious?! First Lance and now you.

XAK: What did Lance say?

CHARLIE: Just that it’s probably my hormones, and right now I should just focus on the baby. Cate and Melody can handle themselves…blah blah blah…

XAK looks surprised, he puts an arm around CHARLIE.

XAK: Well, he’s right.

CHARLIE looks up at him.

CHARLIE: You think?

XAK: (looking her in the eyes) No, I know. Seriously. Babe you’re best out of it. We have enough to worry about…

He puts a hand down on her stomach, and looks deeper into her eyes.

XAK: In a few weeks this baby is gonna be here, and he’s gonna need both of us to take care of him, two people not destined to fight evil, but two people destined to care for him.

CHARLIE smiles and places her hand on XAK’S before she realises…

CHARLIE: Wait what, “he”?…“him”?!

XAK: Oh come on, boy babies kick just a little more ass.

CHARLIE blinks looking at him.

CHARLIE: Sometimes we’re so alike and unlike at the same time. It scares me.

XAK looks at her, questioning, but they’re interrupted…

VOICE (O/S): Hey!

They both turn to see TOOLE approaching them from the streets. He looks happy which immediately distracts them both from the gender argument of their child.

XAK: Not working?

TOOLE: It got quiet so I thought I’d just come find you guys.

XAK nods, accepting this. Wednesdays were usually a quiet night at The Bronze.

TOOLE: (looking around) Is Cate here?

He notices MELODY slaying a vampire. She dusts it, effortlessly.

MELODY: (shouting over) Nu uh. She was sleeping when we left.

She walks over to them.

MELODY: (to TOOLE) What dya want with her anyway?

TOOLE: I’m gonna make it up to her.

He looks at them all.

TOOLE: I’m so sorry for how I’ve been acting. There’s no explanation for the way I’ve been, the way I’ve treated you guys. I’m sorry…

He smiles nervously. XAK smiles, as does CHARLIE. MELODY just looks at TOOLE, wondering.

XAK: Hey it’s ok. I’m just pleased I didn’t have to pull out a gun or anything to sort you out.

CHARLIE: Yeah that wouldn’t have been pleasant.

TOOLE laughs.

TOOLE: Well I better go find her.

CHARLIE: (smiling, almost day dreaming) I think she’d like that. Shopping can only cure a Cate heart so much. She needs some Toole.

TOOLE looks confused, and hopes this is a good thing.

XAK: We’ll come back too.

MELODY makes an annoyed noise. XAK turns to her. He knows he should probably say something….instead…

XAK: (lying) Melody, there’s no point patrolling, you annihilate anything moving! You rock at slaying, deal with it!

She smiles happily and leaves with TOOLE. CHARLIE turns to XAK.

CHARLIE: Does she really rock at slaying?

XAK sighs, clearly unsure.

XAK: She’s good, strong for someone who technically doesn’t have any powers.

CHARLIE: I’m sensing a but?

XAK: But, she’s unpredictable. Last night for example, I called her on it. She just pfft it away.

CHARLIE: (sarcastically) Pfft it away?! Well what did the police say?!

XAK: (raising an eyebrow) I mean she doesn’t care. She’s a danger to herself an others, or at least a potential danger.

CHARLIE: (rolling her eyes) Ok ok, well what about Cate.

XAK: Cate’s different. When she slays she does it methodically, with a strategy. Melody is a bit of a rogue.

CHARLIE: (sighing) A rogue Melody on our hands? (mocking) I can't think of anything more dangerous.

XAK rolls his eyes.

XAK: I’m serious.

CHARLIE: Ok, well I’ll keep an eye out for anything weird. It’s not like I have anything to do nowadays except be fat and bloated.

XAK kisses the top of her head.

XAK: That’s my fat, bloated girl.

CHARLIE smiles, happily and they both leave. The camera watches them for a moment.

CHARLIE (O/S): Oooh, jealousy is gone.

XAK (O/S): That’s my fat, bloated, jealous-less girl.

CHARLIE (O/S): Oh, and it is so a girl.

XAK (O/S): Nu uh…


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
LOUNGE – INT.XAK’S APARTMENT – NIGHT

The music in the background has stopped playing now. CATE is pacing the room distraught.

CATE: Oh my god.

The camera turns around and shows LANCE looking at her worried.

LANCE: (frantic) Please Cate! You can’t tell anyone.

CATE: (annoyed, shouting) What that my “boyfriend” might be evil and that he went to some sugar mama to suck it out of him? Ok bad choice of words but still…

She paces, upset. He goes to stop her but she pushes him away.

LANCE: Cate…

CATE: (pointing her finger at him) And you! You kept this from us all as well. From me!

LANCE: I didn’t want to.

CATE: But that doesn’t change the fact that you did!

LANCE: He’s my brother Cate. I’d never intentionally hurt him, but I’d never hurt you…

She looks at him, blushing slightly, embarrassed. He notices.

LANCE: …Or anyone in the apartment.

CATE: How can I believe you…

LANCE runs up to her and embraces her, putting both hands on her arms so he has her firmly.

LANCE: Cate, please. He was so worried about scaring you all. He didn’t want any of this to happen. Please you have to believe me. He loves you.

CATE: I don’t know what to believe anymore…

LANCE: (questioning) Don’t you believe that?

Tears begin to rolls down her face.

CATE: How can I? It’s you saying it, not him. He doesn’t, he can’t…

She can’t finish her sentence. LANCE looks at her upset. He walks up to her and puts his arms around her, hugging her, and holding her tightly. She nestles herself into LANCE’S shoulder, crying. He shushes her and holds her closely.

LANCE: It’s ok…

Slowly she stops crying, ever so slowly, and as she does she slowly breaks away from his embrace. She doesn’t move far though. She looks up to him and he looks down on her. With the lack of music all we can hear is their breathing.

CATE: (whispering) No…it’s not…nothing about this is…nothing is ok…

He leans in, slowly and kisses her. She closes her eyes, briefly intoxicated. His kiss sending a shiver through her body, she hadn’t felt in a long time. A solace. The camera moves around them and holds at a side view. CATE pushes him away. As she does we can see that the front door is open and occupied. They turn to the door, gasping. Slowly the camera pans around, we can see MELODY. Her mouth is open, shocked. Next is CHARLIE who has a hand to her mouth. Behind her is XAK who isn’t looking at CATE or LANCE. He’s looking at the person next to him. The camera cuts to CATE and LANCE who look at him also. It’s TOOLE. He looks at them both, his mouth open, he looks in shock. He doesn’t know how to react. Slowly he feels his fist clenching…

FADE TO BLACK

END OF ACT THREE

[Lex]

ACT FOUR

SUNNYDALE
LOUNGE – INT.XAK’S APARTMENT – NIGHT

The scene is continued from the last act. TOOLE is still clenching his fist. CATE looks at him, her eyes filled with tears.

CATE: Toole…

LANCE looks at her then to him.

LANCE: Bro…

It’s this that makes him snap. TOOLE charges at LANCE and jumps at him, angrily. He pushes him to the floor and begins punching him repeatedly around the face.

CATE: (screaming) Toole! No!

TOOLE ignores her and continues punching LANCE.

TOOLE: (shouting at him) How could you do this to me!? Your own brother!

LANCE: (weakly) She needed someone…

TOOLE: And you just happened to be there!

LANCE: And you weren’t…

TOOLE rages and punches him again. CATE begins to cry and looks to XAK and MELODY for help.

CATE: (crying) Please, do something…

XAK and MELODY move to TOOLE and they pull him off his brother. LANCE’S face is a mess. There’s blood everywhere, and his eye is swelling. TOOLE shakes off MELODY and XAK who back off slightly. CHARLIE watches on, sadly. TOOLE turns to CATE slowly.

TOOLE: How could you do this!?

CATE stops crying abruptly, she looks to TOOLE, angry.

CATE: How could I do this?! Can you blame me Toole…

TOOLE: I know things haven’t been easy for us but this…with him?

CATE: (angrily) Not been easy? Understatement much? I have had to go through the death of my best friend, the resurrection of two friends, and the fact that I could be a Slayer all alone!

CHARLIE looks down, slightly upset.

TOOLE: Oh don’t bring that up. You wouldn’t come near me, now I know why.

CATE: (dramatically) Oh yes Toole! All the time he was dead, I was pining for the dead brother I’d never even met! Grow up…

TOOLE: I was still there.

CATE: (sarcastically) Good point. If you think about it, you’ve just balanced it out then. Nice one minute, an ass the next!

TOOLE: And so have you…

CATE: It was a kiss, I’m sorry but it happened. Things tend to happen sometimes when you’re desperate, don’t they? Just like…

She wonders whether she should say anything. A shiver runs through TOOLE, plagued by the contemplation that CATE may know everything. She looks at XAK for a moment, who watches them both with a glum expression. Would it be worth it? What would she get destroying TOOLE and XAK’S friendship…

CATE: …everything else.

LANCE breathes a sigh of relief, subtly. XAK and CHARLIE look at one another slightly confused. TOOLE looks at her upset, and she reciprocates. Looking at her, he can’t help but not say what he is about to.

TOOLE: I love you Cate…I was coming here to tell you how sorry I was for everything…

XAK and the others watch on, upset also. Is it really the end for CATE and TOOLE? She sighs, and looks down sadly. She walks past him, tired and upset. She stops as she walks past him and looks back at him.

CATE: (quietly) You know, I was nothing before you came along. Just some dead beat blonde who was being played by some goddess, bit of tooth candy for the local vamps and sleaze.

She smiles, recollecting at the next thought. He looks around at her, not sure where she’s going

CATE: And then you changed all that. You totally saved me. But now…

TOOLE: Now what?

She looks down, and away at him.

CATE: Now, I don’t know what you mean to me anymore. Things have changed.

She looks at him once more, blurry eyed.

CATE: (choking) You’re not the man I fell in love with.

She looks at him for a moment longer and then walks towards her bedroom door. She walks in and shuts it behind her. TOOLE looks down, his eyes filled with tears.

LANCE (O/S): I’m sorry…

TOOLE can’t even look at him.

TOOLE: Don’t even…

He’s so angry with his brother right now he’s afraid to finish the sentence. Instead he takes a deep breath and he walks through the, still open, front door. XAK goes to stop him but TOOLE deflects him.

MELODY: (to XAK) Don’t worry, I’ll go. I seem to be fix it lady today.

She looks quickly at LANCE before leaving. CHARLIE notices and watches her leave. The camera stays on CHARLIE, wondering.

XAK (O/S): (to CHARLIE, sighing) I’ll help Lance, maybe you should check on Cate?

CHARLIE: (distracted) Oh uh sure…

She looks at the front door, as XAK passes her to help up the wounded Emory.


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
ALLEY – EXT.SUNNYDALE STREET – NIGHT

This is the alley where the CATE was earlier. In the same way as before, except this time with TOOLE, MELODY approaches her friend in need and sits next to him, as he is situated, sitting, by the alley wall. She sighs and sits next to him.

MELODY: You ok…?

He looks straight ahead.

TOOLE: How wrong was I. I’ve screwed everything up.

MELODY: Don’t be so hard on yourself…

TOOLE: No I have. If I hadn’t acted the way I have been, then she wouldn’t have gone to him…

MELODY scoffs.

MELODY: (cutting him off) …It takes two to tango Toole. Or ok, three in this Oedipus relationship?

TOOLE: Huh…I slept with my mom and killed my dad?

MELODY looks up confused, an eyebrow slightly raised.

MELODY: Whatever, I only get half your family issues. Lance never really spoke about them much in hell prison.

TOOLE looks down, there’s nothing she can say to make this better for him.

MELODY: Look I’m not saying I agree with the whole punching of the brother thing, or shutting everyone out, but you’re forgetting one vital fact.

He looks at her confused.

SONG: SNOW PATROL FEATURING MARTHA WAINWRIGHT – SET THE FIRE TO THE THIRD BAR

MELODY: This is Cate we’re talking about. She that is of Clique-ness and so forth. This is what she does. I’ve known her a lot longer than you, and I know more than anyone that she can’t hold down a relationship. I mean God love her and all but I’m amazed this ship didn’t sink a long while back.

TOOLE: (shaking his head) I know what she was like, but she’s changed.

MELODY: Is what you saw tonight a changed woman?

TOOLE looks away thinking. The music plays as we see that somebody is watching MELODY and TOOLE talking. It’s CHARLIE. She watches, intently. What was MELODY up to? Was LANCE being genuinely nice to her this morning? She was beginning to wonder if she could really trust them both. After tonight, it seems anything is possible…(The music below plays throughout, quietly, then getting louder)

“I find the map and draw a straight line
Over rivers, farms, and state lines
The distance from here to where you'd be
It's only finger-lengths that I see
I touch the place where I'd find your face
My finger in creases of distant dark places”


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
CHRISTIAN’S ROOM – INT.COFFEE SHOP – NIGHT

CHRISTIAN is sat at a desk in his room. He’s looking at various pieces of paperwork. They’re surveillance photographs and documents. The camera moves in and we can see that the photos are of CHARLIE tied to a table in the dungeons of Wolfram and Hart. The documents; progressing and documenting her baby’s health. The records are deemed highly confidential. He looks at it at sighs, before picking up the telephone… (The music below plays throughout)

“I hang my coat up in the first bar
There is no peace that I've found so far
The laughter penetrates my silence
As drunken men find flaws in science”

CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
BATHROOM – INT.XAK’S APARTMENT – NIGHT

XAK is tending to LANCE’S wounds. Morally he feels he should be tending to TOOLE but he does so anyway. Neither of them speak, and LANCE can’t bring himself to look at XAK. Instead he stares at the floor and accepts the hospitality he doesn’t deserve. (The music below plays throughout)

“Their words mostly noises
Ghosts with just voices
Your words in my memory
Are like music to me”


CUT TO – SUNNYDALE
CATE AND TOOLE’S BEDROOM – INT.XAK’S APARTMENT – NIGHT

CATE is curled up on her bed. She’s crying intently and looks exhausted. She’s alone. No-one is with her, and she’s not sure whether or not she deserves it or not. Was what she did really wrong? She keeps asking herself over and over again in her mind. She doesn’t know…(The music below plays throughout)

“I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
I, I pray that something picks me up
And sets me down in your warm arms”


CUT TO – L.A
ELEVATOR – INT.WOLFRAM AND HART – NIGHT

The music comes to an end with a sinister twist as the camera shows the darkness of the elevator. Only the sound of LEIGH breathing can be heard as well as the moving of the elevator. Slowly the sound of the elevator moving stops.

LEIGH: Hell Boy, you best frickin’ read me loud and clear!

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) I do…what’s happened?

LEIGH: Oh nothing, you know just sitting in darkness.

The elevator doors begin to open. A small light floods the elevator. She looks into the room intently, amazed slightly.

LEIGH: Well there ya go…

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) What do you see?


CUT TO – L.A
LOWER VAULT – INT.WOLFRAM AND HART – NIGHT

The camera shows that in the room is a pedestal with a jar on it. In the jar is…XAK’S soul.

LEIGH: I see it, Thorn’s soul. It’s there, all cloudy and misty-like.

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) Well get it!

LEIGH: Isn’t the room alarmed?

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) Are you kidding? No one but high level personnel know about this room, the kinda alarms you’re talking about are deadly. The Senior Partners wouldn’t risk that.

LEIGH: You better be right…

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) Trust me.

LEIGH: (sarcastically) Oh ok, I’m convinced! Now shut up while I do this…

There’s no noise through her ear piece. Slowly she makes her way towards the pedestal. She keeps her eyes on it and looks at it with wide eyes. Slowly she reaches out for it. She has it in her hands. She holds her breath and closes her eyes as she lifts it off the pedestal gradually. She waits. Nothing.

LEIGH: Phew…

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) You got it?

LEIGH: (smirking) Cat got the cream.

DANTE (O/S): (through her ear piece) Good. Meet me at the rendezvous point…

LEIGH turns and goes to leave the room.

LEIGH: Will do, over and out Hell B…

As she puts one foot onto the elevator, the room fills with a blinding white light and various gun turrets rise from the ground and descend from the ceiling. LEIGH looks at them all in horror as a siren begins to blare loudly.

LEIGH: Oh fu-

FADE TO BLACK

CAPTION: TO BE CONTINUED…

END OF EPISODE


Cast:
MILO VENTIMIGLIA as XAK THORN
ALEXIS BLEDEL as CHARLIE ADRASTOS
AMANDA SEYFRIED as CATE RITTLE
ALAN TUDYK as TOOLE EMORY
CHRIS EVANS as DANTE TURNPIKE
ROSE MCGOWAN as MELODY HARP
CHAD MICHAEL MURRAY as LANCE EMORY

Special Guest Stars:
RON RIFKIN as HERMES
RACHEL MCADAMS as LEIGH SINCLAIR
JULIAN RHIND-TUTT as CHRISTIAN MCARTHUR
JAMIE BELL as ASHBY TORRENT


Special Mention:
ROB THOMAS – WHEN THE HEARTACHE ENDS
JET – LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE
SNOW PATROL FEATURING MARTHA WAINWRIGHT – SET THE FIRE TO THE THIRD BAR

[Lex]

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TRIVIA

- A fairly big episode I would say! Attack of the Coole! I told you, the honeymoon period is officially over. Do you think they can survive this? If so…how?

- Also Charlie’s starting notice something, but what?

- What is Christian doing with surveillance footage of Charlie?

- What is Melody playing at? Is she just telling the truth or is she really stirring things up?

- Uh oh…Leigh looks like she’s in trouble…how will she get out of this one? Or indeed…will she?

- So Cate knows about Toole’s secret, will she spill?

- This episode is a two parter…with an upcoming episode later in the series. You’ll see how it works when the time comes. It’s almost like a conclusion to some loose ends in this episode.

- Wrote this episode fairly quickly, with lots of songs in there. I kinda wanted this episode out quite soon because although it’s not so much plot driven, I haven’t messed with the characters and their relationships for a while….[cue evil Lex]