ACT FOUR
FADE UP
INT. DARK ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Bill stands ominously in the doorway. The Girl is afraid.
Buffy is afraid for her.
BILL
What's the matter girly girl?
Don't you wanna unwrap your gift?
Bill doesn't wait for an answer. He rushes the closet.
Buffy tries to block the way, but Bill goes straight through
her and grabs the Girl. The Girl YELPS. Bill drags the
Girl out of the closet and tosses her on the bed. He SMACKS
her.
BILL
Shh. Relax. This is gonna be a
blast.
Bill reaches into his pockets and pulls out a cigarette and
lighter. The frightened Girl peers up through her
eyelashes, tears welling in her eyes. Bill lights the
cigarette and indulges a few puffs. He positions himself on
the bed, lowering on top of the Girl. He takes a long puff
and, with an evil grin, blows the smoke into the Girl's
face. She COUGHS.
BILL
Ain't that cute.
Buffy WAILS in the background. Bill LAUGHS. His hand with
the cigarette moves down the length of the Girl's body to a
spot in between her legs.
BILL
Can you feel the heat?
Bill promptly burns the Girl's inner thigh with the
cigarette. The Girl CRIES OUT in terrible pain. Bill
covers her mouth with his hand. He tosses the cigarette,
leaving behind a sizzling red mark. His hand goes to his
pants. He unbuttons, unzips.
Close on the Girl's eyes. Bill GRUNTS. Her eyes widen.
Her SCREAM is muffled by Bill's hand.
The bed shakes, hitting the wall again and again. Bill's
body almost entirely covers the Girl's, the faint PLEADINGS
from the Girl audible.
Buffy can only watch in absolute horror. She's in shambles
on the floor, crying uncontrollably.
BUFFY
Enough. Please...I can't take this
anymore. Please. Stop.
VOICE (OS)
Easy for you to say.
Buffy's head snaps up. Now in the room is Faith. Her Faith.
BUFFY
Faith? Is it--is this--
FAITH
--must be nice to have people
regularly listen to what you're
sayin'.
(beat)
In this world, words don't exist.
What good are they if nobody
listens? They don't listen. They
don't care. Whether you're
pleadin' with the scumbag to stop
rapin' you, or askin' God for the
millionth time to get you the hell
outta here...
BUFFY
Why couldn't you just tell me? Why
do it like this?
FAITH
How do you put this into words?
Buffy has no answer.
FAITH
Fifteen years. If I couldn't do
something as simple as use the
words "I" "LOVE" "YOU" in the same
sentence for fifteen years...what
makes you think this would be easier?
BUFFY
I don't...I had no idea...that it
was like this.
FAITH
Ain't really the first thing that
comes to mind when you wonder about
childhood memories. Be glad this
is it for your experience. First
time you're seein' it--last time
you're seein' it. I lived it.
Every day, I see it--feel it--hear
it...and bein' a fuckin' slayer
makes it worse by makin' the
sensations all the more powerful!
Buffy slowly gets off the floor. She approaches Faith, the
dark slayer waiting without emotion. Buffy brings her hand
to Faith's face. She gently combs her fingers across smooth
skin. Faith leans in to the touch.
BUFFY
I'm never going to forget this.
Not just because it's so horrifying
and tragic and reprehensible...but
because it happened to you.
Faith exhales shakily.
BUFFY
I--
(pause)
--sweetness, wake me up. Please.
I don't want to do this here.CUT TO:
INT. BUFFY'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Buffy wakes with a start. Her breathing rapid. Her cheeks
are stained by tears with some still escaping her eyes.
Buffy massages her face, rubs her temples, grasps her hair.
She's flustered, disheveled. She slides out of bed and
walks over to the window. No snow. She looks over at the
clock on her nightstand--it's 3:00 am. She rushes to the
dresser, pulls out a pair of jeans and a blouse and places
them on the bed. She flicks on the light. She opens the
door and is startled by the presence of Faith in the
hallway, staring profoundly at her.
BUFFY
I was just about to come see you.
FAITH
Kinda figured that. What kinda
girlfriend would I be if I didn't
accommodate my woman?
Buffy pulls Faith into a passionate kiss. Faith melts into
it. Buffy is more needy. When they separate, they stay
locked in an air-tight embrace.
BUFFY
You don't have to tell me you're
not like the others. I never felt
for them what I feel for you.
FAITH
It was easier with them.
BUFFY
Since when do I prefer life to be
easy?
FAITH
I'll give ya that one.
Buffy disengages. She takes Faith's hand and guides her
further inside the room, closing the door.
BUFFY
You didn't have to use a slayer
dream.
FAITH
I told you the score Buffy...
BUFFY
All you had to do was give a little
room to let me work. I would've
accommodated you--what kind of
girlfriend would I be if I didn't
do that for my woman?
Faith SNIFFLES.
BUFFY
Could've told me one step at a
time. You have me for as long as
you want me Faith--and I hope that
lasts an eternity. I wasn't asking
you to spend every day for the rest
of our lives spelling out every
detail. Just establish a starting
point. That's the way it should be
with everything in our lives.
Faith wearily sits on the bed.
FAITH
Shoulda seen this coming. Instant
regret. Even all this shit is
better in dreamland.
Buffy's stung by that. She gets on her knees in front of
Faith.
BUFFY
I'm glad you showed me. All of it.
Learning everything in one night is
something I would've avoided, but
experiencing it the way I did
helped me understand...it was so
horrible sweetness.
Buffy's eyes water, her bottom lip trembling. She calmly
slips her hand onto Faith's. Their fingers entwine.
BUFFY
I am so, so sorry Faith.
FAITH
What for? You were a nag about the
talkin' thing, but I don't care.
You had nothin' to do with my past.
BUFFY
(emphatically)
No--you're wrong. The OTHER ONE?
Faith adorns a shy half-smile.
BUFFY
You came into town, looking for
me--wanting to do right by me while
still being you. And I rejected
you. Rejected and resented and
discouraged and pushed and...hated.
Faith flinches.
BUFFY
I never gave you the chance you
deserved. I contributed not only
to a new world of hurt for you, but
I added onto what you left behind
in Boston. I hate myself for not
supporting you. I hate myself for
choosing others over you. I hate
myself...
(MORE)
BUFFY (CONT'D)
(breaking down)
...for trying to kill you.
Faith does her best not lose it. Buffy's hands snake move
to the hem of Faith's shirt. Buffy lifts the shirt up,
revealing Faith's bare midsection. Pronounced around her
navel is a thick scar. Buffy stares at it in anguish. She
ever-so-lightly fingers it eliciting a GASP and shivers from
Faith. Faith's eyes flutter shut, tears still managing to
escape. Buffy is riveted by the scar. She continues
fingering it for a while before dropping her hand onto
Faith's lap. Buffy leans downward and replaces her fingers
with her lips. Her crying grows heavy. She lays numerous
butterfly kisses up and down the scar, then one long kiss.
Faith runs her hands through Buffy's hair, caressing and
comforting her.
BUFFY
I'm so sorry. For what they
did...and for what I did. I'm
sorry. I love you so much. I love
you.
Buffy falls apart completely. She clings to Faith, her face
buried in Faith's midsection. Happiness flashes on Faith's
face.
FAITH
Buffy, it's okay.
Faith tilts Buffy's head so the duo can look at each other.
Buffy's face is red, in disarray. Faith still admires her
as if she's the most beautiful thing alive.
FAITH
I've never felt this good in my life.
Buffy is in pleasant shock. Faith raises Buffy so they're
face to face. They gaze deeply at each other for what seems
like an eternity. At the same time, they move in for a
soft, loving kiss filled with understated passion and
intensity. When they finally break apart, their faces
remain mere millimeters apart.
BUFFY
I want to make love to you.
FAITH
I--I don't know how. Never done it.
BUFFY
You love me?
FAITH
More than I could ever say.
BUFFY
Then you got part of it down already.
Buffy kisses Faith. They stand without separating and move
further onto the bed. Buffy pulls back.
BUFFY
Let me show you.
Faith nods. Buffy kisses Faith again. As the lovers lay
down together:
FADE OUT |
