Episode 7 - Yes, Virginia..
ACT TWO
EXT. THE MAGIC BOX- DAY
to establish.
INT. THE MAGIC BOX/TRAINING ROOM - DAY
We see Buffy and Christopher training. Christopher is
holding the punching bag while Buffy is punching and
kicking it.
BUFFY
(while training)
I'm just saying. Maybe if you eased
up a little, they'd warm to you a
little more. You know, loosen that
stiff upper lip.
Christopher ignores Buffy.
BUFFY
(still punching and
kicking)
I mean, seriously, you're out-
Gilesing Giles, Giles version one
even. I don't know, maybe you could
spend more time with them. Oh! You
could come to the Bronze tonight and
hang.
Christopher stops Buffy by pulling the bag away from
her.
CHRISTOPHER
What are you doing?
BUFFY
Doing? Nothing. Just, you know,
making conversation.
CHRISTOPHER
Listen. I'm not here to join your
little circle of friends.
BUFFY
I know, but.. it's just that they
don't get you yet. They can't see
that you're on our side, you know?
Christopher reacts just a little to this last
sentence.
CHRISTOPHER
Let's continue.
Christopher moves away from the punching bag and goes
to pick up two poles. He throws one to Buffy who
catches it.
BUFFY
Ooh. Little John.
(noticing Christopher
getting ready to spar)
Shouldn't you wear some padding?
CHRISTOPHER
When you can show me that you can
hit me, I'll consider it.
Little raise of the eyebrows from Buffy.
The two face each other, poles ready in their hands.
BUFFY
You know, this is all very Sherwood
Forest. Or..or that time when Daffy
and Porky Pig squared off and Daffy
kept trying to remember his moves,
you know, 'Guard! Turn! Parry!
Dodge! Spin! Thrust!'..
(off Christopher's look)
not that you'd know anything about
that, of course.
CHRISTOPHER
Buffy.
BUFFY
(serious)
No, I'm ready.
Buffy and Christopher spar with the poles. Buffy
confidently blocks Christopher's attacks.
BUFFY
(while sparring)
Hey, this is kinda fun.
CHRISTOPHER
You know you can't protect them.
BUFFY
(lowering her pole)
What?
CHRISTOPHER
Dawn, your friends, everyone that's
important to you.
Buffy stands stunned for a second. Christopher attacks
with the pole. Buffy only just managing to parry the
attacks away.
CHRISTOPHER
(while continuing to
attack)
You're not at all what I expected. I
came to Sunnydale expecting to see a
slayer but all I see is a whining..
(blow hitting Buffy)
self-involved..
(blow hitting Buffy)
irresponsible little girl.
Buffy reeling backwards from the thrusts and the
words. Christopher catches her legs with his pole and
flips her to the ground.
CHRISTOPHER
How can you expect to protect them?
Buffy is still stunned, on her back. Christopher
stands over her for a beat, then extends his hand to
help her up. Buffy takes his hand and is pulled up.
CHRISTOPHER
(calmer)
Lesson number one. Never let your
emotions get involved when you're in
a fight. You must never lose focus.
You must always stay focused on the
objective.
BUFFY
Objective?
CHRISTOPHER
To kill your opponent. The vampires
have you at an advantage Buffy. You
want to know how to defeat them? You
become them. It's the only way
you're going to win.
(slowly circling Buffy)
Emotions weaken you as a fighter,
they make you vulnerable and
unfocused. You have to shut it off.
BUFFY
During the fight.
CHRISTOPHER
What?
BUFFY
You have to shut it off.. during the
fight.
CHRISTOPHER
Right. That's what I said.
They regard each other for a beat before Christopher
gets into fighting stance again.
CHRISTOPHER
Again.
Buffy and Christopher begin to spar again. Buffy,
looking more focused, confidently blocking but not
really attacking.
CHRISTOPHER
(while sparring)
Don't hold back.
Buffy still resists, not going all out.
CHRISTOPHER
Come on! Is this how you're going to
fight when they attack? From what
I've seen, these new vampires are as
strong and agile as you are.. and
they are better trained. Now bring
it out! Show me the real you! Show
me!
Buffy lets herself go. Focused and determined, she
attacks with a new fervour. After a few moves, she
manages to dislodge the pole from Christopher's hands,
then violently slams her pole across his face,
knocking him down.
Buffy stands over Christopher watching coldly as
Christopher wipes the blood from his nose.
CHRISTOPHER
(looking at the blood on
his hands, then to Buffy)
Good.
Buffy looks a little disturbed at what she has done.
Christopher gets up and walks away. Buffy stares down
at the blood left on the training floor.
Giles enters the training room. He takes a look at the
scene before him. Christopher packs up his gear and
walks past Giles.
CHRISTOPHER
(winking, still a little
blood from his nose)
All yours mate.
Christopher exits. Giles walks towards Buffy while
Buffy goes to a corner to get a piece of cloth.
GILES
What happened?
BUFFY
Nothing. I asked Chris to help me
out with some training, that's all.
Buffy goes back to where the blood stain is and gently
wipes it away with the cloth. Giles stands over and
watches her. Buffy notices.
BUFFY
It's only blood.
Buffy gets back up and takes the cloth with her back
to the corner. Giles looks concerned.
BUFFY
So, any word from the Council? Have
they found out anything yet?
GILES
I'm afraid not. I think something's
going on over there that's
disrupting their operations.
BUFFY
Trouble back in the old Dart?
GILES
Yes, some kind of internal strife.
It's rather a mess.
BUFFY
Great, Council Christmas chaos. Just
what we need.
Buffy puts away the cloth. She notices the training
dummy in the centre of the room. It has a merry red
Santa hat on it and a white beard attached. She also
sees various Christmas decorations in the training
room. Giles sees what Buffy is looking at.
GILES
(re the dummy and
decorations)
Anya.
Buffy rolls her eyes.
GILES
(off Buffy's reaction)
I don't necessarily think it's a bad
idea. It was rather drab and
colourless in here and since it is
Christmas..
BUFFY
Good plan in theory. But, this is
the training room Giles.. you know,
the place where we take Slayer 101,
with a Double Major in pain and
death.
Buffy gestures to the Santa dummy.
BUFFY
Call me crazy but beating up Santa?
Kinda takes the edge of.
GILES
Anything the matter?
BUFFY
I'm just not Christmas girl this
year, that's all. No big. I mean, we
all can't be like Anya.. or Dawn
even.
GILES
Dawn?
BUFFY
Yeah. I know she acts all cynical
and grown-up and everything, you
know, telling everyone she's too old
to believe in Santa Claus. But
there's a little part of her that
still does, that still believes.
(smiling)
Just once in a while, when she
thinks no one is watching, you get
to see it.
GILES
And you? Do you believe?
Buffy shrugs. She goes to sit down on the bench. Giles
joins her.
BUFFY
She still talks to her you know, to
Mom. I think she has actual
conversations with her.
(struggling)
But.. I just.. Giles, why can't I
hear her? Why won't she talk to me?
Giles puts a comforting hand on Buffy's arm.
BUFFY
Does that make me a terrible person?
I have to be, I mean, for a daughter
to think that her mother isn't..
Buffy begins to absent-mindedly play with the cross
around her neck.
GILES
I know you Buffy. There is nothing
but good in you. It doesn't make you
a bad person, if you don't see it.
Many people can't. There aren't any
easy answers.
BUFFY
No Giles, there are no answers.
There's just faith, and that's
something I don't have.
A beat as the two sit silently.
BUFFY
But I'm glad Dawn does.. It must be
such a feeling.
We PULL BACK from Buffy and Giles and PAN to the Santa
training dummy.
We prelap :
MALE SINGING VOICE
(rather tinny sounding,
singing 'Santa Claus is
Coming to Town')
'You better watch out, you better
not cry, better not pout, I'm
telling you why..'
INT. SUNNYDALE MALL - DAY
MATCH CUT : A SINGING SANTA DOLL
MALE SINGING VOICE
'Santa Claus is coming to town'
WIDEN :
as the doll continues to sing, we reveal a beaming
Anya with her face next to the doll, bopping along to
the music.
ANGLE : WILLOW, DAWN AND TARA
reaction shot. Looking a little bemused, sharing a
look.
WILLOW
Anya..
Anya holds up her hand. Hang on.
MALE SINGING VOICE
'Santa Claus is coming to town'
The Santa Doll finally finishes its song. Anya turns
off the switch at the back of the doll.
ANYA
Isn't it great? I'm thinking of
starting a collection. You know, we
could line them all up in a row and
then get them all singing at the
same time. Wouldn't that be fun?
The four begin to walk through the mall. Busy and
filled with Christmas decorations. Christmas music
being piped through the place. Anya is carrying bags
of stuff.
WILLOW
(looking at the doll)
Fun? Sure, in a really annoying and
borderline disturbing way.
ANYA
(holding the doll up)
C'mon. This here is Christmas cheer
in its purest form.
WILLOW
Yeah, Christmas cheer brought to you
by the good people at Energizer and
the mass production factories of
Taiwan.
TARA
(to Anya)
You're really into all this aren't
you?
ANYA
What's not to like?
(looking around)
Everbody's happy and consumer
spending is at an all-time high.
It's the Christmas potpourri, you
know, the smell of Christmas pine
mixed with the subtle fragrance of
used currency.
WILLOW
Aw stop, I'm gonna start tearing up.
ANYA
Think what you like, but 'X'-mas is
at the top of my all-time list of
favourite national holidays.
Certainly better than those scary
holidays, like Easter.
WILLOW
But weren't you the one who told us
last year that Santa was a child-
disembowelling demon?
ANYA
Oh that. I've made a resolution.
From now on, come Christmas time, I
choose to believe that Santa's belly
is filled with joy and happiness..
and, you know, not children.
DAWN
(to Willow)
You're not into Christmas?
WILLOW
Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be
all Grinchy. I guess it just doesn't
mean as much to me as it does to the
Whos in Who-ville.
ANYA
Oh, you can fake it.
WILLOW
I'm sorry?
ANYA
You don't have to believe to get it.
Most people don't really see a
Kringle in their Christmas, but
they're still all kind and merry and
festive.
The four continue to walk past the festive shop
windows.
TARA
(to Dawn)
So, you ready for tonight?
DAWN
Totally. Summer's Sitting Service
all set to go.
TARA
I know you'll do great.
DAWN
Yeah. Buffy's not the only Summers
girl who can be responsible.
(to herself)
It's not so hard.
(a beat, then)
Do you guys wanna come over for
Christmas. I mean, you don't have to
stay long..
WILLOW
We'll totally be there.
Tara and Anya nod in agreement.
DAWN
(smiling)
Thanks. It's just that, for me,
Christmas is about family and you
guys are like, part of our family.
It means a lot.
TARA
Do you think we should include
Christopher?
DAWN
I don't know. I know Buffy's
starting to warm to him and all
but..
WILLOW
there's the part where none of us
trusts his evil Councily ways.. but
I guess, it's Buffy and Giles' call.
TARA
No one really deserves to be alone
this time of the year. I mean, none
of us really know him. Maybe, you
know, there's a part of him that we
haven't seen yet.
INT. CHRISTOPHER'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
CLOSE ON : A PILE OF REPORTS ON A DESK
CHRISTOPHER (O.S.)
Yes Mr Sandring, things are
progressing.
As the conversation continues, We PAN over from the
reports, to a glass of Scotch, to the phone, up the
extension cord to Christopher, sitting at his desk,
talking into the receiver.
MR SANDRING (O.S.)
(British voice)
We need to be sure that the slayer
is on our side, that we can control
her.
CHRISTOPHER
I understand Sir. I don't think we
need to worry.
MR SANDRING (O.S.)
Of course we need to worry. There is
no room for chances. Remember, we
have the fail-safe in place, if
things should not work out.
Christopher is silent for a beat, a brief sign of
doubt across his face.
MR SANDRING (O.S.)
Do you still have it?
CHRISTOPHER
Yes Sir, I have it.
MR SANDRING (O.S.)
If the time comes, you know what you
have to do.
We hear a click as Sandring hangs up on the other
side. Christopher hangs up the telephone.
Christopher reaches into his pocket and produces a
key, which he uses to unlock the desk drawer. He pulls
out something from the drawer (which we don't see) and
he stares down at it for a long time, lost in thought.
We hear a knock off-screen. Christopher does not hear
it, still looking down at the object in his hands.
Giles enters and sees Christopher at the table but not
what he is looking at.
GILES
Christopher?
Christopher hurriedly puts the object back into the
drawer and then casually stuffs the reports on the
desk into the drawer as well. Giles notices.
CHRISTOPHER
Rupert. Can I help you with
anything?
Giles produces a bottle of Scotch from behind his
back.
GILES
A Christmas offering.
Christopher gets up and takes the bottle. He looks at
the bottle and then at Giles, appraising him.
CHRISTOPHER
You realise this is how the Greeks
got into Troy.
GILES
(turning to leave)
If you don't want to..
CHRISTOPHER
Ease up mate. Just a little joke.
Come and have a drink with an old
friend. I think you'll find that
even the most unlikely people can
get into the Christmas spirit.
INT. A COSTUME SHOP - NIGHT
ANGLE ON : A FESTIVE CHRISTMAS DRESS
as someone is holding it up to the camera. The person
lowers the dress, revealing Harmony.
HARMONY
This is great! I'll take it.
CUT TO :
A wider shot showing Harmony alone in a costume shop
with a young female salesperson.
SALESPERSON
Why don't you try it on and see how
it looks in the mirror.
HARMONY
That's okay. I have a thing about
mirrors.
SALESPERSON
Oh I know. Sometimes I simply can't
look at myself in one of those.
HARMONY
I know the feeling.
Harmony takes a furtive look around the shop, then
turns to the salesperson. She takes a longing look at
the girl's neck.
HARMONY
Now, let's discuss the price.
SALESPERSON
(looking down at a chart)
Okay, now let's see.. that'll be..
Harmony looks like she is about to vamp out and attack
when we hear the doorbell ringing off-screen. Harmony
turns to see Xander walk into the shop. Xander is
carrying various packages and bags. She quickly hides
her face.
XANDER
(cheerily, to the
salesperson)
One Santa suit for Harris.
SALESPERSON
Oh yes, I have it right here.
The salesperson gets the suit from under the counter.
Harmony, in the meantime, is inching away from them,
towards the exit.
SALESPERSON
(noticing Harmony)
What about your costume?
Harmony ignores her and exits the shop as Xander looks
on, suddenly interested.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE COSTUME SHOP - NIGHT
ANGLE : HARMONY
as she breathes a sigh of relief as she exits the
shop. She takes a few steps away when..
XANDER (O.S.)
Well, who do we have here? If it
isn't the most pathetic vampire this
side of Pity-ville.
Harmony rolls her eyes, turns towards Xander to see
Xander completely weighed down by packages, bags and
the Santa Suit. She looks at Xander disdainfully, an
arm on her hip.
HARMONY
Xander Harris. I see you're still
being a good little pack mule for
Buffy.
XANDER
(ignoring the jibe)
You may have slinked away that night
at the reunion but you're not
getting away from me this time.
Xander starts awkwardly searching through the bags for
something, clumsily trying to keep the Santa suit off
the ground.
XANDER
..as soon as I find my stake..
HARMONY
Oh, save the macho posturing for
your girlfriend.
XANDER
Fiancee.
HARMONY
Really? Well, how does that saying
go? There's a demon born every
minute? I'm sure she was the pick of
the litter.
XANDER
(looking up from his
search)
Hey! No one talks about my An like
that.
HARMONY
Ooh. I'm so scared. What are you
going to do? Run home to tell Buffy?
Xander goes back to searching through all the bags,
looking up once and again to check on Harmony.
XANDER
(to himself)
I know I have a stake in here
somewhere.
(then to Harmony)
What exactly are you doing back here
in Sunnydale anyway? Still pining
for Spike? Cause, you know, he's
moved on.
HARMONY
Spikey? Pfft. That dye-job was so
yesterday. I realise now that
certain relationships are just
unhealthy. I like have to step out
of everyone's shadow and become me,
Harmony..
Xander looks up bewildered. Why are you sharing?
HARMONY
..you know, and embrace the true me
and.. why am I telling you all this?
XANDER
I second that.
HARMONY
By the way, where have all the vamps
gone? You guys haven't slayed them
all have you, cause that would
totally blow.
XANDER
(suddenly realising
something)
Wait a minute! You were in there
trying to rent a party dress. Let me
tell you now that there's only one
party in town tonight and if you
think you're going to invite
yourself..
HARMONY
Please. Like I would fill myself up
the night before Christmas. If you
have to know, that dress was for my
own little Christmas party.
(off Xander's look)
What? I can celebrate Christmas if I
want to. I totally don't see how me
being a vampire changes things.
XANDER
Harm, perhaps you are unfamiliar
with the notion of Christmas? You
know, the day we celebrate the birth
of Christ?
HARMONY
Oh, I just leave that part out. I'm
only angling for the fun party
stuff.
XANDER
(still rummaging)
Well, if anyone even shows. I just
know it's gonna be one dead party,
which if you think about it is kinda
appropriate.
HARMONY
Hey! It's totally going to be a
rocking party. I sent out the word
and.. and you'll see, all my vampy
friends are so going to show. I'm
not going to let your prejudiced
views affect me.
XANDER
Whoa! Prejudiced? I only have issues
with the part where you're a
soulless blood-sucking creature of
the night. The rest of your
personality is just an annoying
bonus.
HARMONY
Well, I know I don't discriminate. I
don't care what blood-type a person
has, it all tastes the same to me.
XANDER
You know, it's a real shame you
missed the reunion cause you
would've been the first person ever
to be voted the person most changed
and the person least changed.
Xander gets down on his knees to rummage through even
more bags. Where is that thing?
HARMONY
(mostly to herself)
Well, humans, vampires, what's the
difference?
(resigned)
I'm still me. I thought once I
turned all evil, I would be, you
know, powerful.. respected. But I,
like suck at sucking. I guess the
Harmony part of me was too strong.
Harmony shakes her head and turns to go.
ANGLE : XANDER
on the ground, not having heard Harmony's last speech.
He finally produces a stake from one of the bags. He
grabs it and leaps up in an aggressive pose.
XANDER
A-ha!
Xander looks around to see Harmony has dissapeared. He
loosens up, a little confused.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE BRONZE - NIGHT
to establish.
INT. THE BRONZE - NIGHT
The Christmas Eve party in full swing. Many revellers
on the dance floor, loud music blaring, big Christmas
decorations, big Christmas tree, sparkly lights.
ANGLE : MISTLETOE GUY
A reveller with a drink in his hand and wearing a
piece of wire on his head. On the end of the wire,
hanging above his head is a mistletoe. Mistletoe guy
is trying to chat up a female partygoer.
MISTLETOE GUY
So great party huh!
Woman ignores him.
MISTLETOE GUY
You wanna drink? I can get you
something.
Woman ignores him.
MISTLETOE GUY
(pointing to the
mistletoe)
Hey, Look! Mistletoe!
Woman walks away. Mistletoe Guy shrugs, move along and
tries again with his next target.
MISTLETOE GUY
(to the next woman)
Great party huh! You wanna drink, or
some food? I can get you something.
Sasha turns around.
SASHA
(smiling)
I'm famished.
Sasha takes Mistletoe Guy's arm and leads him to a
quieter part of the club.
MISTLETOE GUY
(pointing to his
mistletoe)
Oh look. Mistletoe!
Sasha looks at the mistletoe, back down to the guy and
smiles.
BLACKOUT
END OF ACT TWO
CONTINUE TO ACT THREE