Episode 3 - Fathers and Daughters
ACT TWO
EXT. SUNNYDALE CAMPUS - DAY
Picking up from where we left off.
ANGLE : TARA
as she looks a little shocked at seeing the old woman.
ANGLE : OLD WOMAN
as her eyes closed and she shudders, as if receiving
jolts of energy. She then opens her eyes, calm and
composed and smiles at Tara.
TARA
I'm sorry. I didn't see you. Are you
okay?
OLD WOMAN
Fine now dearie. Fine I am. They
have shown me the way. The way is
clear.
The old woman turns around and starts pushing her
trolley away from Tara, humming a lullaby.
Tara looks on, a little confused. She exits the frame.
INT. CHRISTOPHER'S APARTMENT - DAY
CLOSE ON : CHRISTOPHER
as we see him looking down intently on something. We
hear a knock off-screen.
CUT TO :
a wider shot showing Christopher sitting in a chair in
front of a table. He hurriedly puts the object away
into a drawer and locks it, carefully pocketing the
key.
It is a spartan apartment. The curtains behind him
have been drawn close and the light is on.
Christopher gets up and walks to the door and opens
it. It is Giles.
CHRISTOPHER
Hello, Rupert. Did you forget
something?
GILES
I came here to ask you, as a friend,
why are you here?
Christopher turns and walks back into the room. Giles
follows.
CHRISTOPHER
Friends? Are we friends?
GILES
We were once. We still can be.
CHRISTOPHER
Fine. I'll play along. Being such
good friends, I'll tell you the
reason I'm here.
There is a beat as Giles waits expectantly.
CHRISTOPHER
I'm here to learn from the great and
wonderful Mr Rupert Giles, the
finest Watcher the old country has
ever produced.
Giles walks away. He takes off his glasses.
CHRISTOPHER
to bathe in his wisdom, to soak up
his intellect..
GILES
(angry)
Christopher..
CHRISTOPHER
to merrily fluff about within this
lovely love nest he's set up with
the slayer.
Giles loses his temper. He slams Christopher into the
wall, sticks his elbow against his chest and gets into
his face.
GILES
You better start being straight with
me or by God..
Christopher laughs.
CHRISTOPHER
Hello Ripper. Long time no see.
With a quick and powerful move, Christopher releases
himself from Giles' hold and pushes him away.
CHRISTOPHER
Knew you were in there somewhere.
Christopher goes to pour himself a drink.
CHRISTOPHER
I didn't believe it, you know, when
they first told me.
GILES
What?
CHRISTOPHER
When they first told me about what
you were doing here in Sunnydale.
How you were handling the slayer? I
said to them, that's not Giles. He
wouldn't let himself get too close
to the slayer. He would never get
himself emotionally involved. That's
one of the first things he taught
me.
Giles sits down, still looking at Christopher.
Christopher sits on the table with a drink in his
hand.
CHRISTOPHER
So, when they gave me the chance to
come to Sunnydale, I took it. I had
to see with my own eyes.. And there
I found myself, having a wonderful
little chat with the slayer, teasing
her watcher as a daughter would to
her father.
Christopher drinks up and shakes his head.
CHRISTOPHER
Is that what you are? Are you her
father? Do you tuck her in at night
and kiss her bad dreams away?
GILES
You know very well I'm not her
father. I wouldn't know the first
thing about raising a child. But
there's a difference between keeping
a certain distance and shutting
oneself off completely from one's
emotions... You've changed
Christopher, ever since Jessie.
Christopher's face goes very hard.
CHRISTOPHER
(angry)
No mate. I think the whole point is
that you've changed. You want to
know what I'm doing here. I'll show
you.
Christopher reaches into a bag as he talks.
CHRISTOPHER
You see, it's true that they sent me
here to gain some experience. But
they also sent me here for this.
Christopher holds up a stack of papers.
GILES
What is it?
CHRISTOPHER
Reports. Pages and pages of blank
pieces of paper ready to be filled
out. You see, there are some in the
Council who feel that your slayer is
not working out. She's too
independent, too disrespectful, and
too bloody emotional. Now, with the
death of her mother, there are some
who worry that she will cease to
become effective as a slayer. I'm
here to fill those people in, to
prove them right or wrong.
GILES
What could they possibly do? They
can't fire me again.
CHRISTOPHER
Remedial measures mate. Change is
only natural.
Giles has heard enough. He gets up and starts to
leave.
CHRISTOPHER
You should know, that none of us
holds anything against the slayer.
The fault lies entirely with her
watcher, and anything disagreeable
that may happen will be entirely as
a consequence of his failure as her
watcher. I just thought you should
know mate, because we are such..
good.. friends.
The two stare at each other for a beat.
GILES
(sincerely)
I'm sorry about Nicole. I'm sorry I
couldn't come back for her funeral.
CHRISTOPHER
(quietly)
Everbody's sorry mate.
We prelap:
WILLOW (V.O.)
Don't be sorry, just try it again.
INT. THE BRONZE - DAY
CLOSE ON : A PAIR OF HANDS HOLDING A LARGE BALL OF
MULTI-COLOURED RIBBONS.
WIDEN :
to reveal a teenage boy in a magician's hat and cape
on the stage of the bronze looking very remorseful.
There are magic props on a table in front of him.
CUT TO:
shot of Willow looking over her shoulder to the boy.
She is on a ladder hanging some streamers.
WILLOW
Don't worry Michael. You're doing
fine. Just, um.. keep practising.
In the background, we see Michael starting again.
Willow finishes hanging the streamers and steps down
the ladder and walks to Buffy who is at a table,
helping out with some decorations.
BUFFY
A magic act at a party filled with
witches? Not at all tacky.
WILLOW
I know, it's just that he's the
little brother of one of girls in
the Wicca group, and he's kinda just
starting out with his magic act.
Willow turns her attention to the sign she's writing
on the table. As she talks, we see in the background
Michael chasing a stray pigeon which Buffy observes.
WILLOW
This way, he gets to try out his act
in front of a group of people who
are all supporty. Besides, he's
really not that bad. I'm sure he'll
be fine.
BUFFY
(turning back to look at
Willow)
Uh huh.
(looking around)
Wow. This place is really turning
into something. I mean, the
streamers and banners. How'dya
manage all this in between your
classes?
WILLOW
No big. It's just a simple matter of
remaining cool, calm and..
Willow looks up and notices something off-screen.
WILLOW
(to someone O.S., yelling)
Hey, you! Yes, you with the platter.
There better not be shrimp on that
again because I specifically.. I saw
that look!.. Yeah, you better walk
away.
(back to Buffy)
um.. and collected.
BUFFY
Okay, Miss Hyde, what's the deal?
Doctor Summers is in and taking
calls.
WILLOW
Nothing. It's just that I want
tonight to be perfect, better than
perfect. If perfection was the Mona
Lisa, tonight I want her smiling,
with teeth, capped even.
BUFFY
Worried about Tara? You know, with
this whole thing with her Dad coming
back to town?
WILLOW
I guess. I mean, even after how he
treated her all these years, I think
that, deep down, she still loves
him. I think some part of her always
will. He's her Dad, you know?
BUFFY
I know.
WILLOW
And all she really wants is for him
to accept her, to be proud of her.
It's something I can't ever give her
Buffy.
Buffy reaches out and touches Willow's arm, consoling
her.
WILLOW
Why do things hafta be so messy?
BUFFY
Fathers and daughters Will. It's
always messy.
INT. A BAR - DAY
ANGLE ON : A GLASS
as it is filled with liquor.
WIDEN :
to reveal Mr Maclay sitting at a bar, the bartender
pouring the drink. Mr Maclay is writing a letter.
He finishes the letter, looks at it for a beat. He
then stuffs the letter into an envelope. He writes
something on the envelope.
ANGLE ON : ENVELOPE
to see that he has written Tara's name on it.
BARTENDER
(noticing the letter)
Wife or daughter?
MR. MACLAY
What?
BARTENDER
When a man comes in here and orders
three glasses of Scotch to help him
write a letter to some dame, she's
either his wife or his daughter.
MR. MACLAY
Daughter.
BARTENDER
Ouch. You see, I could have helped
you if it was your wife. They're
easier to figure out. With
daughters..
(he shakes his head)
there's a part of you in them, you
know? You share the same blood. You
two are the only people who can
figure it out.
Mr Maclay nods to the bartender, taking another drink.
BARTENDER
All I can offer you is this.
Whatever you need to say to her, do
it to her face. It's too easy to
hide behind written words and three
glasses of Scotch.
The bartender leaves to tend to another customer. Mr
Maclay puts the envelope aside and takes a drink. He
reaches into his coat pocket, pulls out a photograph
and stares at it.
He stares at the photograph for a beat, a lot going
through his head. He shakes his head and puts the
photograph back into his pocket.
He picks up the envelope, gets up and heads for the
exit.
BARTENDER
(to Mr Maclay)
Wish you all the luck Bud.
Mr Maclay turns back to look at the bartender. For the
first time, he notices the strange green gills on his
neck. The bartender smiles. Mr Maclay exits.
EXT. SUNNYDALE STREET/OUTSIDE THE BAR - DAY
Mr Maclay tears up the envelope and throws it in a
bin.
As he strides down the street purposefully, he sees an
old woman coming towards him, pushing a squeaky
shopping trolley filled with bags, humming a lullaby.
Mr Maclay regards her with disdain. The old woman
looks up at him with her grey eyes and smiles.
Mr Maclay walks by, but then stops and turns to look
for the old woman but she has dissapeared into the
crowd. He seems a little unnerved.
INT. THE MAGIC BOX - DAY
CLOSE ON : TARA
with her eyes closed, deep in concentration, softly
whispering a chant.
TARA
Vessel to vessel, water and sand,
the essence shall flow, through my
heart to my hand.
CLOSE ON : WILLOW
eyes closed, deep in concentration, joining in the
chant, again softly.
WILLOW/TARA
Vessel to vessel, water and sand,
the essence shall flow, through my
heart to my hand.
The chant continues for a few more seconds, then..
ANGLE : TARA
as she opens her eyes, looks at Willow.
ANGLE : WILLOW
as she opens her eyes, looks at Tara, and then her
eyes look down.
CUT TO :
a wide shot, showing Willow and Tara sitting at a
table in the Magic Shop. Their hands are joined but
are also holding two bottles. A full, unopened bottle
of soda on the left and an empty, closed bottle on the
right.
The Magic Box is closed for the day. Xander is sitting
on the counter drinking from a bottle while Anya is at
the register sorting through the money. Buffy and Dawn
are sitting at the table watching.
DAWN
(to Willow and Tara)
Nothing happened.
WILLOW
(dissapointed)
No.
TARA
I'm sorry. It's my fault. I'm having
trouble concentrating.
WILLOW
Oh No. Don't blame it all on
yourself. I think I was kinda off
too, you know, what with Anya
counting off the money behind me.
ANYA
Hey! Giles needs me to add up the
takings at the end of the day. I'm
sure he'd appreciate what I'm doing
more than what you two are up to.
This is a place of business. A Magic
shop is no place to try out spells.
(off their reactions)
Oh you know what I mean.
XANDER
What's up with that spell anyway? I
mean, you're trying to move the soda
from one bottle to another?
WILLOW
Vessel. From any two vessels.
XANDER
Okay, vessels. But what's the point?
I can do that too. Watch!
Xander takes a giant swig from his bottle.
XANDER
(talking in between gulps)
See.... From Vessel.. to..
Xander suddenly spits out some of the soda and starts
coughing. Soda is sprayed onto his shirt and a little
onto Buffy.
XANDER
(in between wheezes)
Wrong tube.. wrong tube..
DAWN
Gross.
BUFFY
(looking at the soda on
her top)
I'll see that and raise you a -
Xander, I'm so gonna kill you.
XANDER
(to Buffy)
Sorry, sorry.
(looks at his own shirt)
Oh Man. I've got soda all over my
new happening party shirt. I gotta
go wash this off.
Xander gets off the counter and heads for the
bathroom.
WILLOW
(yelling to Xander)
Anyway, the spell isn't meant to be
practical.
(softer, to Buffy and
Dawn)
It's just a test of synchronicity
and control of our powers, you know,
between me and Tara.
TARA
Yeah, it's kinda like floating the
rose but only more advanced.. and
um.. wet.
WILLOW
(smiling at Tara)
Our minds have to be perfectly in
tune with each other. We kinda have
to become one person.
DAWN
That's so cool.
BUFFY
I still say the floating rose was
prettier, much more TV friendly.
WILLOW
(to Tara)
Wanna try again?
Tara nods happily, reaching out with her hands. Willow
takes them and they hold on to the bottles on opposite
sides of the table.
WILLOW
(closing her eyes)
For the spell to work, we have to be
perfectly calm and concentraty.. so
no distractions, OK?
Anya makes a face, sighs, and puts the money away.
Willow and Tara try again, faces deep in
concentration, chanting the same chant.
WILLOW/TARA
Vessel to vessel..
CLOSE ON : THE FULL BOTTLE OF SODA IN THE LEFT
FOREGROUND
as the soda slowly drains away. FOCUS on the empty
bottle in the right background as it slowly fills with
the soda and Dawn's amazed face as she looks at it.
DAWN
(quiet but excited)
It's working! It's working!
Xander returns, rubbing his shirt with a piece of
cloth, oblivious to the action.
XANDER
(re the shirt)
Man, that was lucky. Salvage
operation complete, Xander party
shirt intact.
Buffy and Dawn turn around and shooshes Xander.
XANDER
What? What's happening?
Xander notices the bottles and leans in for a closer
look.
XANDER
Wow. That is nifty.
From off-screen we hear the door-bell ring. Only Anya
notices. She turns to look.
ANYA
(to Tara, matter-of-
factly)
Tara, your evil Dad's here.
ANGLE : MR MACLAY
looking at the group at the table.
ANGLE : TARA
startled, looking up and almost jumping out of her
seat.
ANGLE ON : THE FORMERLY EMPTY, NOW HALF-FILLED BOTTLE
as the soda suddenly rises very quickly and spurts out
of the bottle like a geyser.
ANGLE : XANDER
just standing there, being drenched with soda, a lot
of it resting on his shirt. He has a 'I knew that was
going to happen' face.
Tara gets up and nervously walks towards her father.
TARA
Dad.
Willow turns around in her seat and watches with
concern.
MR. MACLAY
Tara. I thought we could step
outside and talk.
Tara looks unsure. Buffy and Dawn stand up and take a
few steps towards Mr Maclay, as does Xander, game
faces on. Willow gets up and stands beside Tara. Mr
Maclay looks at the tableau in front of him.
MR. MACLAY
(trying again)
Tara?
BUFFY
(to Tara)
You don't have to.
TARA
(to the gang)
It's okay.
She slowly walks to her father, arms hugging herself.
They exit the shop. Willow walks over to the window,
watching them.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE MAGIC BOX - DAY
Tara and her father exit the shop and they sit on a
bench just outside the shop. They sit quite apart from
each other. There is an uncomfortable beat.
MR. MACLAY
Tara, I've decided to leave early..
And I'm not heading out east just to
see your Aunt. You see, I've sold
our home.
Tara looks up, a little shocked.
MR. MACLAY
There's no reason to hold on to it.
Donny moved out a few months ago to
live with his girlfriend and you've
made your position clear about not
coming back. I didn't much feel like
living by myself in an empty house
built for four.
TARA
Dad, I didn't know.
MR. MACLAY
So I'm heading out east to see if
there's any work for me there and
I'll end up where I'll end up.
Tara looks a little troubled.
MR. MACLAY
Don't worry. Now that I know where
you are, I can send you some money
from time to time, especially now
with the money from the house.
TARA
That's n-not it. It's just that
things aren't d-done between us.
MR. MACLAY
But they are, Tara. There's nothing
left to say. When your mother died,
I knew that I lost you as well. She
was the only reason why you stayed..
and the only link I ever had with
you.
Tara looks sadly at the ground. Mr Maclay reaches into
his pocket and pulls out the photograph.
MR. MACLAY
Here, I wanted you to have this
before I left.
Tara takes the picture and looks at it.
TARA
It's Mom.
MR. MACLAY
(pointing)
and that's you. It was taken the day
you were born.
TARA
She looked so happy.
Tara stares at the picture for a beat. Mr Maclay sits
impassively.
TARA
(quietly)
Dad? Did you ever l-love her?
Mr Maclay looks at Tara for a beat. Tara can't hold
his gaze and looks back down at the picture.
MR. MACLAY
(looking back out at the
street)
I remember the first time I ever saw
your mother. She was wearing this
bright red and white sun-dress and
this big yellow hat.
(smiling)
She always loved her hats.
Tara looks at her father, amazed at seeing him smile
so warmly.
MR. MACLAY
There was a bright blue sky and she
was standing on the lawn of her
mother's house, waiting to leave. I
remember that precise moment as
being the happiest of my life,
knowing that this was where I
belonged, that she was the one.
Tara smiles just a little.
MR. MACLAY
It's funny how your memory works
because I don't remember what the
house looked like, or even the name
of the street.
A beat.
MR. MACLAY
But I remember the colours. There
were so many colours.. such
beautiful colours.
Another beat before Mr Maclay breaks out of his
trance, suddenly remembering where he is.
MR. MACLAY
But that was before..
(turning to Tara,
earnestly)
Tara, listen to me. I want you to
stop your witchcraft. It's evil and
unnatural. It changed your mother
and turned her against me. I want
you to stop practising and leave
this unholy place. Evil surrounds
you Tara and..
TARA
(calm but stern)
Dad. No.
MR. MACLAY
Tara..
TARA
This is my life. It isn't evil or
unnatural. It just is. This is where
I belong. Dad, this is where I'm
happy.
Mr Maclay looks at Tara, a little angry but says
nothing. He gets up to leave.
TARA
(standing up)
Willow's throwing me a birthday
party tonight. M-maybe you could
come?
MR. MACLAY
No. I think it's best for both of us
if I just leave.. Good-bye Tara.
Mr Maclay walks away. Tara looks on.
CUT TO:
a wide shot. We see Willow coming out from the shop
and walking to Tara. She is consoling her. We PULL
BACK to reveal the old woman looking at them from
across the street.
OLD WOMAN
You see? You see? There she is and
there he goes. Visions never lie.
Soon now my pets. Soon it will
happen. The two witches will part,
no longer together. That is the key.
The key to their power.
ANGLE : TARA
OLD WOMAN (O.S.)
Something strange. Something
peculiar. From her, a second vision
I did see.
PAN TO : WILLOW
standing next to Tara.
OLD WOMAN (O.S.)
A vision which yet confounds me.
ANGLE : OLD WOMAN
OLD WOMAN
No matter, no harm, tonight the
witches two..
(turning to look at her
shopping trolley)
will become one.
ANGLE ON : SHOPPING TROLLEY
where nestled within two large bags, we see the eyes
of the two creatures staring up at the old woman.
BLACKOUT
END OF ACT TWO
CONTINUE TO ACT THREE