By Melville
Page One
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(Scene: The Summers living room, night. Buffy, Dawn, and Willow are strewn across various chairs. The T.V. is on, and schoolbooks are open, but all are obviously too tired to watch or read.)
Willow: You think it's even worth the effort to go to bed?
Buffy: Only one way to find out.
W: Research the possibility and issue a position paper?
B: Go to bed, Willow.
W: Trying to get rid of me, huh?
B: No just sending you ahead on a fact-finding mission. If this going-to-bed thing works out, send back word and we can do it, too.
W: I'll do the recon. 'Night, Dawnie.
Dawn: G'night.
(Willow exits upstairs)
D: Poor Willow. I think she's lonely.
B (ruefully): There's a lot of that going around.
D: She's unhappy.
B: See previous comment.
(Dawn makes a face at her)
(Silence)
D: We should do something.
B: It's too late and I'm tired.
D: No, I mean we should do something for Willow. She misses Tara.
B: That's not our business, Dawn.
D: They're our friends. And Tara's lonely, too.
B: Just being lonely isn't a good enough reason to be with someone. Believe me, I know.
D: Is that why you were with Spike?
B: That, and...other things. Come on, we should go to bed, too.
(cut to: later that night, Buffy's room)
Buffy wakes with a start. She hears music, but can't place where it's coming from.. She gets out of bed and stumbles sleepily to the door of Dawn's room.
B: (pounding on door) Dawn! Turn it down! I'm trying to sleep!
Dawn emerges, just as sleepy
D: It's not me.
Willow comes down the hall
W: Where is that coming from?
B: I think from the walls. It's...the house.
D: But what is it?
All listen
*I've got sunshine, on a cloudy day. When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May*
W: Motown?
*I guess you say, What can make me feel this way? My Girl, My Girl, My Girl...*
Next morning, Summers house. The music is still playing. Buffy, Dawn, and Willow have been joined by Xander, Anya, and Tara. All are researching.)
*Everybody's got a hungry heart, everybody's got a hungry heart*
Xander: Hey, more Springsteen! Gotta love a house that plays The Boss.
Anya: Yes. I'm glad it played "Kitty's Back".
All stare.
A: What? I like to listen to the classic rock station.
B: Has anyone found out _why_ this is happening?
W: Just that it's only this house. Once you get beyond your front porch, you can't hear the music. And it's not happening anywhere else as far as we know.
B: Nobody singing or dancing until they burst into flames? Well, I guess that's an improvement.
D: Ooo, here's a good song!
She gets up and starts to dance around, joined by Xander.
*Let's stay together (gether, gether), Loving you whether, whether, Times are good or bad, happy or sad*
B: Guys! Cut it out! Not funny!
X: Come on, Buff, relax. A house that plays you love songs doesn't seem all that sinister.
B: I'd still like to know why it's doing it.
Tara: It could be a curse. If it is, I could lift it.
W: But wouldn't that be easier if you knew who placed the curse?
T: Yes. Buffy, any ideas?
B: My first thought was Spike, but it's not really his style. He doesn't like magic, he doesn't trust it.
T: Still, somebody should talk to him. Maybe he'd admit it.
B: I...
D: I'll go. He'll tel me the truth.
B: You are _not_ going to see Spike alone! Xander...
X: I'm on it. Let's go, Dawnster.
(they exit)
B (to Tara): You're sure it's a curse?
T: That seems most likely. Why?
W: You think it might be something else?
B: I...don't know. I think...I don't know.
W: Buffy, what is it?
B: You can't tell Dawn, but, I think it's...my Mom.
(Spike's crypt. Dawn and Xander enter)
D: Spike! You here?
X: Of course he's here. It's daytime. Where's he gonna go? Spike!
Spike: (entering from lower floor) All right, all right. No need to wake the dead. Well, look at this. I must really have gone down in the world. The Slayer only sends the junior varsity when she needs me now.
X: No need to get your snark warmed up, Spike. We only have one question.
D: Did you put a curse on our house?
S: Curse? What kind of curse?
X: Music. It's playing love songs 24/7.
S: (laughs) I'll bet The Slayer is enjoying that!
D: Did you do it?
S: (snorts) As much as I'm sure big sis would love to think I did, she'll have to get her ego boost somewhere else. I don't do curses. Not to insult your country of origin, but I have no confidence in Magic.
(stops short when he sees the stung statement on Dawn's face, and realizes what he just said.)
S: Oh, listen, Platelet...
D (coldly): No, that's alright. I know where I came from. The same place as you.
S: What...?
D: Sure. One day some vamp bit a man and killed him. The next day, you show up in his body, with his memories. Where did you come from?
Spike has no response. Dawn holds her cold glare for an extra moment, then turns and leaves.
X: Guess there's no more to be said here. (exits after her)
S: Damn!
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