~~~~~~Prologue~~~~~~

It is a clear night – so clear you can see the stars – and there is not a soul in sight. The door to The Bronze is slightly open but there is nobody about. There is a slight breeze – leaves are blowing on the ground. Suddenly the door bursts open. A vampire dressed in biker gear – spikes, leather, short-sleeved waistcoat - bursts out carrying a girl. The vamp kills her, lets her slump to the ground and wipes his mouth on his bare arm. Behind him, more vamps appear from The Bronze, slapping each other on the back and laughing, then they move off. Suddenly loud music starts up from inside The Bronze – they interrupted the party. Loud voices can be heard from inside and a group of young kids walk down the alley and into The Bronze. All is still – apart from the music – when a bright fire suddenly shines into the alley. We see a shadow step out of the portal and we get a close up of Veronica. She looks around and the fire disappears. Close-up of Veronica’s face – she’s not a vamp but she’s dressed all in black. There’s something about her – She’s EVIL. Someone walks into The Bronze and she steps back into the shadows. Her eyes follow Anya walking into The Bronze alone. Veronica steps forward and smiles an evil grin.

Veronica: Home sweet evil home.

Black Out.

Cut to outside the Summers’ house at night. Cut to inside the Summers’ house. Dawn - through the living room doorway – is sitting on the sofa watching TV with Willow. They are both eating chips. The bowl is between them. They are engrossed in a programme on TV.

Cut to inside The Bronze. Anya is sitting in The Bronze, alone. Cut to outside The Bronze. The backs of a pair of legs step out of another fiery portal. These are Jennifer’s!

Black out and Buffy’s opening credits roll.

~~~~~~Prologue~~~~~~

Outside the Summers’ house at night. Cut to Buffy’s living room. Buffy walks into the living room with her weapons in her hands (or possibly a bag.) She steps in front of the TV and Dawn and Willow stick their heads either side of her so they can see the screen. Buffy walks to the doorway of the living room and turns around.

Buffy: I'm off guys. Wanna come?

Willow tries to speak, but has her mouth full of chips.

Willow: :(swallows) Nah, the TV is calling me.

Dawn: Ooh, yeah!

Dawn jumps up off the couch and nearly knocks over the bowl of chips. Willow catches it and glares at her.

Buffy: (to Willow) I lost out to the TV. Huh. (to Dawn) OK missy, get ya coat!

Buffy turns around and makes her way to the front door.

Buffy: (shouts to Willow) We'll try not to be late

Willow: Stay out as late as you want!

Dawn walks out the living room, grabs her jacket and stands back in the doorway beside Buffy. Buffy turns back to Willow.

Buffy: (smiling) We'll try not to be late. (to Dawn) Come on Dawny

Dawn sees a beautiful sword propped up by the door.

Dawn: Nice.

Buffy opens the door and sees Xander stood on the doorstep, his hand up as if he is about to knock.

Buffy: (surprised) Hey. Whats up?

Xander puts his hand on the back of his head.

Xander: Uh, I kinda lost Anya! (to Dawn) Hi Dawn.

Dawn: Hey Xander.

Buffy: You lost Anya?

As Buffy stands in the doorway facing Xander, he sticks his head around the door.

Xander: (shouts to Willow) Hey Will, any chips for me?

Dawn watches through the living room door as Willow looks in the bag. She scrunches it up.

Willow: Empty. I think we have ice cream though.

Xander: Ooh ice cream!

He walks inside.

Xander: Hey Will. What flavour was that again?

Willow: That Moosetracks stuff, but it can wait.

Buffy closes the door and walks back into the living room.

Buffy: Xander! You go and find her right now! (sighs) Come on Dawn

She walks back to the door and opens it.

Buffy: (shouts) See ya guys!

She steps outside.

Willow: (off camera) Bye Buffy.

Dawn gazes at the sword.

Dawn: Coming.

She steps outside.

Buffy stops at the top of the steps but doesn’t turn around.

Buffy: Don't even think about it young lady!

Dawn: What? It's a nice sword.

Xander: (off camera) Hey Buff!

Buffy turns around and sees Xander at the door.

Xander: Bring back some Cookie Dough ice cream please?

Buffy: On it. (to Dawn) It may be nice but whatever you're thinking, the answer is no!

Dawn: (to Xander) We won't bring it back, but we'll get some!

She smiles a big evil grin.

Dawn: (to Buffy) I just wanna take it with us!

Buffy nudges Dawn with her elbow.

Buffy: (to Xander) Yes, we will bring some back.

Xander: Thank you!

He disappears back into the house.

Buffy: Dawn, we don't need a sword for fighting vamps!

Dawn: But I like swords!

She pouts.

Buffy: Since when? (off Dawn’s look) Don't do that!

She stops.

Dawn: Please can we take the sword?

She pouts again.

Buffy: If I say yes, will you stop pouting?

Dawn pouts and nods.

Buffy: (sighs) Yes we can take the sword.

She starts to walk away down the path. Dawn smiles an ‘Yes-I-got-my-own-way’ smile, steps back inside and lifts it. She steps back outside. Willow comes to the door behind Dawn on her way to the kitchen.

Willow: Bring me some ice cream!

Dawn: Sure thing Will.

Willow smiles and goes into the kitchen. Buffy turns around and walks back up to Dawn. She puts arm around Dawn.

Buffy: Come on, we’ve gotta go.

Dawn shuts the door and starts walking down the path with Buffy.

Dawn: (looking up at the sky) Ooh starry night!

Buffy: Yep. Good night for vamps. I got a feeling we're gonna be pretty busy tonight. You sure you're ready for all this?

Dawn: Yeah.

She swings the sword around.

Dawn: Cool.

Buffy: (dodging out the way) Careful Dawn! Y'know, you're s'posed to wait for the baddies to come to you! Anyway, just be careful, huh?

Dawn: I'll be fine!

Cut to the legs we saw before – in the same place - step away from the portal and walk into the bronze. Jennifer enters The Bronze and looks around. She then walks up to Anya.

Jennifer: Hi.

Anya: (a little drunk) Hi.

Jennifer: How you doing?

Anya: Hmm…(she looks around) I'm alone and I am very drunk. What do you think?...Who are you anyway?

Jennifer: I'm Jennifer.

Anya: Hi. I'm Anya.

Jennifer sits down next to her.

Anya: So how's your life?

Jennifer: Great. Except I'm single and I'm supposed to stop my s-somebody from doing something.

Anya: (not paying attention) Oh cool.

She finishes her drink and orders another.

Jennifer: Are you drunk?

Anya: Very!

Jennifer orders a water and takes a sip.

Cut to Buffy’s living room. Xander is sitting next to Willow on the couch, watching TV.

Xander: So Will. (punches her arm) Hows...er...things?

Willow: Fine. But I'm watching TV, so keep arm punchage to a minimum.

Xander holds his hands up in protest.

Xander: Arm punchage stopped! So er...what are you watching?

Willow: The Vampire Journals on Sci Fi. It's cool.

Xander: Hey, is Buffy on there?

He snorts, laughs to himself then off Willow’s look, stops abruptly.

Willow: Go find Anya. I'm watching this and you continue to joke.

She looks at the TV and sees one of the biting scenes.

Willow: Ew!

It shows the TV screen and all the messy biting scenes!

Xander: Anya or that? (re. TV) I'll take my chance with Anya.

He starts to stand up but then sits back down.

Xander: Uh, any idea where she might go?

Willow: Bronze probably.

She looks at the biting again.

WILLOW: Grosssss...

She hits him on the arm.

Willow: Go!

Xander: Hey, I'm gone, I'm gone.

He gets up and leaves.

Cut to the Bronze. Anya and Jennifer are at the bar.

Anya: So, what brings you here?

Jennifer shrugs and orders a beer.

Jennifer: Geez, I'm under-age and they still let me drink? Sad.

Anya looks at her closely.

Anya: Underage?

Jennifer: Yeah. Bet you couldn't tell?

Anya: Nope. (she sighs) I think I'm gonna go.

Jennifer: Bye then.

Anya stands up and walks towards the door. She bumps into someone – it’s Xander.

Anya: Oh, I'm so sorry!

Xander: Hey don't...(realizes) Where the hell have you been? And don't say The Bronze cos I can see that and I'm angry! Can you tell I'm angry?

Anya: What are you angry about?

Jennifer watches from the bar as Xander takes Anya by the arms.

Xander: I don't know why I'm angry...Yes I do! You walk off and I think you might be dead and I find you here on your own drunk again and how do I know you're not going to run back to Spike like you did last time?

Anya: Spike was there and I was trying to get him to make a wish. But you really think I'm going to go to him? Never again. And why do you even care?

Xander: You think I don't care? An, we were going to get married for God's sake, of course I still care. You may be a demon but I don't wanna see you drink yourself into...into...into this!

Anya: Then why did you leave?

Xander: Why did I leave?

Anya: Yeah. Remember? You left me! I owe you nothing.

Xander: All my life I've had trouble with girls - Cordelia, Miss French, Buffy. I just wanted to make sure we were right together and when I saw that guy...I just freaked!

Anya’s eyes begin to get teary. Xander lifts her chin so she’s looking at him.

Xander: Hey come on. You're not supposed to cry over me, you're supposed to get revenge, huh?

Anya: Xander, it's just...

Xander: What An? It's just what?

Anya: I love you so much.

Xander: What?

Anya: I love you. No matter how much I try not to, I can't help it.

Cut to Jennifer, smiling.

Cut to Xander.

Xander: Anya! I love you too! I never said anything in case you cast a spell on me! Why didn't you say something?

Anya: Because I thought that you didn't. I thought that's why you left, and that was why you proposed to me before the end of the world. Because you wouldn't have to go through with it.

Tears stroll down her face.

Xander: Shush Anya! I've always loved you! And yeah, maybe I did propose cos it was the end of the world, but I would have gone through with it no matter what! Even in heaven!

He wipes her cheeks.

Xander: Please don't cry!

Anya hugs him. Cut to Jennifer. She pays for her drinks and leaves, smiling. Xander hugs Anya back and looks over his shoulder at Jennifer as she leaves.

Xander: You know that chick?

Anya: I was talking to her earlier.

Xander: Look, how about I take you home to Buffy's and we can talk there?

Anya: (nods) Alright.

Xander: Alright. You got a coat?

Anya: Not with me. Why?

Xander: Come on, we have to walk.

He takes off his coat and puts it around her shoulders.

Xander: Here, take mine.

Anya: Okay, thanks.

Xander takes her hand and leads her outside.

Anya: (looks at the sky) Wow. Pretty.

Xander: Pretty? Is this the beer talking or Anya?

He looks up at sky with Anya.

Anya: Me. And it wasn't beer; it was hard liqueur...What did you want to talk to me about anyway?

Xander: Well, we'll sober you up so Anya doesn't do anything she'll regret, OK?

Anya: What kind of things would I regret?

Xander: Well, when I say you, I really mean me!

Anya: What kind of things would you regret?

Xander: Hurting you again...(he stops walking) Look...(he looks at her) I know I hurt you, but I want to make it right again. I hate to see you hurting. Especially when you can't get revenge on me!

Anya: You don't want me to get revenge on you, trust me on this one.