Act I: Scene 1

Camera opens turning in their "headquarters" apartment. Everyone is there. Most of them are staring at the purring Ghostly Cat in Willow’s lap.
(Willow smiled down at the cat, lightly ‘petting’ it.)

WILLOW: This is so neat!

DAWN: Well I like it.

XANDER: And big plus that it’s not a zombie, since, hey. Been there done that.

BUFFY: Uh uh. An appartment totally free of dead-raising masks.

ANDREW: Zombies?

XANDER: Yeah. Buffy’s welcome home party a few years ago was attacked by hordes of them. Her mom had a mask that raised the dead. It was...a night full of property damage.

ANDREW: That’s so cool! Were they looking to eat your brains? Were they all slow and jerky and stuff? Did they smell bad and drip puss?

DAWN: Eww.

BUFFY: They were just dead. I don’t think they were really interested in brains. Besides. I'm sure there'll be plenty of other evil things that want to break my nice new furniture instead though.

ANDREW: Well, I still say cool. (To willow) Can I touch it?

XANDER: You want to touch Buffy's furniture? Is this a crazy fanboy thing?

ANDREW: No, the cat dumbass!

BUFFY: Dawn, you really shouldn't teach him bad words.

(Willow shrugs, and Andrew squats down next to her, reaching out to ‘pet’ the cat. He jumps when it looks at him, and his fingers go through it.)

ANDREW: That feels, like really strange!

WILLOW: Yeah, kind of like your hand’s got pins and needles only not so oogy.

BUFFY: Not that I’m saying this is a terrible thing...but, doesn’t anyone else find this really weird?

(Everyone nods.)

KENNEDY: It doesn’t exactly look like a slayable offence...not that we could slay it.

DAWN: Hey, you can’t slay it! It's not an evil demon or anything.

BUFFY: No one’s slaying the dead cat, Dawn.

(Kennedy moves to reach out to touch the ghost cat too, and it turns and hisses at her. Kennedy jumps back a little.)

KENNEDY: Oh, you have got to be kidding me! Andrew can pet it but I can’t?

(Willow frowned, reaching up to her forehead, as she feels dizzy.)

WILLOW: Woo...

BUFFY: Willow, you sure your alright?

(Kennedy moves to put a hand on Willow’s back.)

KENNEDY: You’re not looking too good, hon.

WILLOW: I’m just not feeling too well...(she gives a little nervous laugh) Maybe it’s the building. I just can’t sleep and I’ve been getting dizzy.

KENNEDY: You should go lie down.

WILLOW: Yeah...you're right...but, I should be in research mode, shouldn't I?

BUFFY: Don't worry, Will. We can be pretty confident that she's not Hell Kitty.

ANDREW: More like, 'Hello Kitty' ---

All turn to Andrew with eyebrows raised --

ANDREW: (in lower voice) Hello Kitty FROM THE GRAVE.

All shake heads.

(Willow smiles weakly, and gets up to go back to bed. The cat follows her out the door. Andrew looks after her and sighs dramatically.)

ANDREW: It’s not fair. Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for a Familiar?

(Buffy raises an eyebrow at him.)

BUFFY: A what?

ANDREW: A Familiar. (Sees the blank looks all around, besides Xander, who’s avoiding looking at Andrew) It’s an animal companion, that witches or wizards get. (Still blank looks) You guys don’t know anything, do you?

XANDER: So, like you and Warren, huh? Only you were, like, his over-familiar.

ANDREW: I followed Warren because I...was evil at the time and I'm very sorry now and anyway we were discussing that ghost cat, which is a Familiar. I think.

BUFFY: English, Andrew. Most of us, (glances at Xander) with one notable exception, don’t speak geek.

XANDER: Hey.

DAWN: Just, what do you mean, Andrew?

ANDREW: Fine. It’s just that’s what I think Willow’s got now. I mean, she IS a witch.

XANDER: But she’s not practicing anymore...at least not much...I don't think.

ANDREW: That doesn’t matter. She’s always going to be a witch, even if she never does a spell again. And witches get Familiar sometimes. It’s like, so cool, and maybe if she’s got one now then next it’ll be my turn and I can get a neat bat or something--

KENNEDY: Andrew!

ANDREW: What?

KENNEDY: What do they DO?

ANDREW: Oh! Right, they follow their masters around and do they’re bidding and stuff. They’re like more intelligent than normal animals. So you can like, tell them to do stuff and they will. And if they’re high enough level they get really cool, like they can help you with spells and stuff! They can warn you about coming danger, they can stand guard if you tell them you can communicate with them with your mind...they’re supposed to guide you and I had this one wizard once...

BUFFY: Reality, Andrew.

ANDREW: Well...they’re real too. Honest.

(Everyone let this sink in for the moment.)

BUFFY: Oh. Well that sounds relatively harmless. But are they usually dead?

ANDREW: Um...no. Not usually. Usually if your Familiar dies it’s a bad thing. Like you can go into shock and stuff. Or you could die. It’s a magical jolt to the system....

(Cut to Willow, who is lying down, Camera pans around the bed, and she’s lying there looking very ill. The cat stretches and curls up next to her. Willow’s eyes slip shut, and light tendrils of blue light can be seen wafting off of her as the camera pans back.)


Act I: Scene 2.

NIGHT. Scooby central. BUFFY and KENNEDY sprawled in chairs after a long session. Soda cans, paper plates, etc., showing that there've been a number of people at it for a long while.

BUFFY: …So…now all we have to do (she pulls herself up in her chair) is map out the patrol routes for tomorrow.

KENNEDY: (looking up to the clock) Look, it's late. We can leave them for the morning.

BUFFY: Hmm, no. We really should polish this off tonight.

KENNEDY: It's not like we have a deadline. We're not the ones working for an evil law firm.

BUFFY: Kennedy, you know how some things aren't relevant? That's a good example.

KENNEDY: Ok, but two in the morning? That's really time for bed.

BUFFY: It was never time for bed in Sunnydale. And this is the city that never sleeps.

KENNEDY: (ever so slight sly grin) Did I say anything about sleep?

BUFFY: (gets up, taps KENNEDY on feet) Come on. It'll be like a coloring party. Colored pencils, paper…

KENNEDY: I was never much for art hour. Or pyjama party stuff.

BUFFY: How about death stuff? Just because our world saving's getting into double figures, doesn't mean we can slack.

KENNEDY: I'm always ready to slay. You know that.

BUFFY: But being the slayer, it's not just about instinct. You know that too.

KENNEDY: If it's too late for route mapping, it's definitely too late for speeches. I've been training since I was old enough to hold a stake. I know you've got the experience. But I'm not that green.
I know what I'm doing.

BUFFY: You think you do.

KENNEDY: (alert now) OK. What's the deal, Buffy?

BUFFY: The 'deal'? The deal is -- look, Kennedy, you want more responsibility, you want to lead? Help me lead.

KENNEDY: OK. I'll help. But I'll do it in the morning. (she starts to get up)

BUFFY: Kennedy -- okay, I don't want to go into this.

KENNEDY: I think we're already into it. Tell me.

BUFFY: You're a good, a really good fighter. A risk-taker. But you cut corners. If something's inconvenient, you find someone else to do it. Or you wait til you want to do it.

KENNEDY: And . . . ?

BUFFY: And I just want to get through something with you for once without this...

KENNEDY: (eyeing BUFFY, takes a different route) Maybe you're right. I want my schedule to be mine. Or maybe it's ...

BUFFY: Just what?

KENNEDY: It's like you still have an apocalypse-sized chip on your shoulder. And you want the head mutineers to remember they screwed up. That we walked blind into a trap and straight into a bomb. That you always know better.

BUFFY: That's not -- that's not it.

KENNEDY: (crosses arms, squares) Fine, it's not it. Then there's no problem, is there? So let's call it a night?

BUFFY: (beat) OK. We're both tired. And you'll have it done in the morning, right? Seven-thirty too early for you? (KENNEDY starts to speak, but BUFFY cuts her short with a cutting smile) Sounds good, pleasant dreams.

(Kennedy looks angry about this, and walks out, shutting the door hard behind her. Dawn walks in from the computer room and leans against the wall, looking at Buffy sympathetically.)

DAWN: Sucks being the grown up one, doesn’t it.

(Buffy nods.)

BUFFY: I mean, it’s not like I’m a slave driver...I just want everyone to know where they’re going and what to do if they’re chased by demons. I mean, in Sunnydale it was easy. Run a block and a half and you’re at someone’s house or the Magic Box, or somewhere else where you found someone to help.

(Dawn smiles.)

DAWN: Hey, at least it’s not me you’re lecturing this time. So, when are you going to teach me how to fight, anyways?

(Buffy sighs.)

BUFFY: Dawn, with all the new Slayers around...

(Dawn shrugs.)

DAWN: There's always something new around. It's not like our lives'll magically get less complicated. I’m just thinking, Buffy, that I’m in this, you know. The whole battle against evil thing. I’m your sister and it’s never going to go away. So it just makes sense for you to teach me stuff.

(Buffy thought, then smiled.)

BUFFY: Oh sure, make sense at me.

(Dawn smiles.)

DAWN: See you tomorrow, Buffy. Goodnight.

BUFFY: ‘Night, Dawn.


Act I: Scene 3.

INT. WILLOW AND KENNEDY'S APPT., MORNING

(Willow pads out from the bedroom, stretching, still in her pajamas. She has her blanket with her and the ghost cat is preceding her into the living room.

She flops onto the couch, grabbing a book from the coffee table and opens it carelessly. The ghost cat hops up onto her stomach and curls up, purring. She looks at it for a long moment, then decides to just let it be, and starts reading.

After a moment of peace and silence the cat starts hissing. Willow puts her book aside and looks at the cat on her lap. It springs onto the coffee table, still hissing.

As Willow turns to look at what’s got her upset, the camera pans to show that the room is full of ghosts, all just standing there staring hard at Willow. Men, women, a couple of kids, too shadowy to make out their clothing, but their eyes are intense.

Willow fumbles her book, dropping it to the floor as she practically falls off of the couch, blanket flying.)

WILLOW: OH my Goddess!!

(she gasps, hand to her chest, then, after a moment, she frowns. The camera pans back around. The ghosts haven’t moved. They still just stare.)

WILLOW:Um...Hello?

(She glances to the cat, who seems to have calmed slightly, but is pacing back and forth across the coffee table between Willow and the ghosts.)

WILLOW: Can I help you? (beat) Or should I be banishing you to the hell from whence you...(she tails off, her eyes darting between the ghosts. She's not panicing, but she's freaked by their dour intrusive presence)

(She waits. The ghosts don’t move. They continue to stare. )

WILLOW: Did you need something? Um...(tentative) Peace of mind? (Still no answer, and Willow waits, then frowns) Vengence? (pause) A staring contest? Cos, you've clearly got the edge. (still no answer) At least you're not tossing the new furniture around. Thanks, the non-gesture, much appreciated.(Shot of the ghosts, still unmoving, staring at Willow.) You know, for the unquiet dead, you're kinda quiet (Sighs, Annoyed) Well, if you're gonna be all silent portent-y, I'll just get back to my book. Ok?

(The closest ghost starts to reach out a hand towards Willow, who rears back, but the cat hisses and claws at the ghost’s hand. The ghost flinches back. The ghosts all lean down as one to glare at the cat, who hisses again and stands still, glaring back.

Suddenly a phantom wind whips through the room, blowing papers off of the tables, Willow’s book under the couch, her hair all over. She's pinned back against the couch, eyes shut.

When the wind fades and Willow opens her eyes again again, the ghosts are gone.

Except for the cat, who hops back over to her lap, curls up, and starts purring again. Willow looked down at it, bewildered, then reached down to pet it tentatively.)

WILLOW:Thanks. Don't know what ya did there but...thanks.

(Willow petted the cat for a moment, then frowned, looking like she's got a headache, and lays down to sleep)


Act I: Scene 4

Shot of Willow napping. The tendrils can be seen coming off of her again, but they disappear when Kennedy flips on the light. Kennedy walks into the bedroom and nudges Willow.

KENNEDY: Willow...wake up, sweetie.

WILLOW: Huh? (Sits up, blinking) What time is it?

KENNEDY: Around eight. That was some nap. Come on.

WILLOW: Where are we going?

(Kennedy grabs her hands and pulls her up, smiling.)

KENNEDY: To the roof. It’s really pretty up there and we haven’t had any quality alone time you know.

(Willow smiles, and allows herself to be led to the roof. The cat follows. They get outside, and Kennedy walks Willow over to the edge, where they stop and look down at the lights for a few long moments.)

WILLOW: Wow. It’s really beautiful.

KENNEDY: Yeah. I came up for some air and it was so pretty I thought you’d want to see it.

(They smile and look at each other, then kiss. Kennedy pulls back and smiles.)

KENNEDY: So, you too sick for some more quality alone time?

(Willow smiles.)

WILLOW: I think I can handle it.

(They turn hand in hand to walk back to their apartment, but Willow gasps and stops short. Camera pans around to the opposite ledge of the building. Standing on the edge is a girl no one’s seen before. She’s wearing a long nightgown, and her arms are held out away from her body. Willow rushes forward.)

WILLOW: Miss! Wait!

(The girl glances over her shoulder, and then back over the ledge. She silently falls forward, dropping off the ledge.)

WILLOW: NO!

(Willow and Kennedy rush to the ledge, and camera pans up at their confused faces as they peer over the edge. They turn to look at each other.)


Act I: Scene 5.

Cut to ‘headquarters’’ apartment again. Buffy, and Kennedy are sitting in the living room. Willow stands, staring out the window, the cat absently trying to play with her shoelace. Willow is looking pale and very shaken.

WILLOW: She was just...gone, Buffy.

BUFFY: Gone. Like gone how?

KENNEDY: Like not there gone. How many forms of ‘gone’ do you know of? She jumped right off the roof. That’s pretty gone.

WILLOW: She just disappeared. She didn’t hit...or at least, I’m pretty sure New York isn’t so desensitized that they’d let a splatted girl lie on the sidewalk all night and not call the cops or something. I still don’t see any lights or anything. She never hit.

BUFFY: Maybe she...flew away?

KENNEDY: I didn’t hear any wings or anything. In fact...I didn’t hear anything. She didn’t say a word, and she never screamed.

WILLOW: Do jumpers scream on the way down?

BUFFY: Willow...

(Willow turns around to face the room.)

WILLOW: (quietly) No, really. Do they? I mean you have to really hate yourself to do something like that. There are so many quicker ways to do it, like a gun? Bang...done. But jumping? I mean you have those endless seconds to watch and think about it. Those few moments to regret what you’ve done. I think they scream.

KENNEDY: Jesus, Willow.

(Buffy looks down. She shuts her eyes, and the camera closes in on her, and it flashes to The Gift, her running and jumping. She doesn’t say anything, but she clenches her fists and bites at her lower lip. Buffy looks pointedly away from Willow, shaking lightly.)

WILLOW: (visibly shakes herself and turns to Buffy, not noticing her obvious tension) It was just so creepy, Buffy. She turned and looked at us...or at least I think she did. I don’t know. It happened so fast. I...

(Willow’s eyes widen, and the camera pans back to a full room shot, where we see people starting to walk through the walls, and all through the apartment. Buffy and Kennedy jump up, and look around for a few moments. They’re broken from their frozen places by Andrew bursting into the room.)

ANDREW: Oh god they’re in here too!

(Andrew goes to a corner and covers his head with his arms. Willow, Buffy and Kennedy look at him.)

KENNEDY: Andrew, what–

(They hear screaming, and Willow, Buffy and Kennedy rush to the hallway. Camera on their wide-eyed reaction, to pan back the full hallway, showing ghosts walking up and down the halls as well, passing into the apartments and seeming oblivious to them. A second scream has Kennedy and Buffy running up the hallway to Buffy’s apartment. Inside is Dawn, backed into a corner, looking panicked. Dawn jumps and lets out another yelp as a ghost walks through her.)

DAWN: Buffy, how do we stop this?

(Buffy strides to her, it visibly making her twitch whenever a ghost passes through her. Xander pokes his head in from the hallway.)

XANDER: What the hell is going on...(shudders) god that’s freaky!

(They exchange looks when suddenly, all the ghosts disappear, and there’s a loud ‘thump’ heard. Xander turns around, to look up the hallway towards the sound.)

XANDER: Willow!

(He dashes up the hallway to a fallen Willow. Andrew is standing just inside the ‘headquarters’ apartment, looking spooked. Xander kneels next to Willow.)

ANDREW: She just fell.

(The others arrive as Xander turns her over.)

KENNEDY: Willow!

XANDER: (harsh) What do you mean she just fell?

(Andrew looks uncomfortable.)

ANDREW: I saw her lean against the doorframe when Buffy and Kennedy took off, and she looked like she was trying to do a spell. I saw a flash, then...then she just...fell. She’s ok, right?

(Buffy was feeling her forehead as Xander checked her pulse.)

BUFFY: She’s been feeling sick. Maybe this was just too much for her. (She bends closer to Willow’s face) Will?

KENNEDY: Out of my way!

(Kennedy pushes everyone away from Willow, scooping her up and carrying her back to their apartment without another word.)


Act I: Scene 6.

Cut to the gang sitting in the headquarters, looking at each other. Kennedy has not come back.

DAWN: So...that was...creepy.

BUFFY: Yeah...

XANDER: I’m getting flashbacks to the frat house jungle...only no you and Riley making like bunnies in the next room.

(Buffy sighs and rolls her eyes.)

DAWN: Eew.

BUFFY: Well, so are we dealing with ghosts? I don’t remember ‘haunted’ being on the building’s specs list.

ANDREW: Well they looked like ghosts.

XANDER: And how often have you seen ghosts?

ANDREW: Well, not very often, but once or twice. I think.

XANDER: You think?

ANDREW: I didn’t like, stop and ask.

(Buffy shakes her head.)

BUFFY: Ok, so we’ve got a Casper problem.

DAWN: Hey, maybe that’s what was keeping us up all night.

(Buffy smiles and nods.)

(Dawn smiles back.)

DAWN: And maybe they’re the ones who messed with your make up.

XANDER: Ghosts these days, always wearing too much makeup.

BUFFY: Ok so we think we have randomly manifesting ghosts that like to make noise and move stuff. Didn’t people die in Poltergeist?

XANDER: No one died in Ghostbusters.

ANDREW: They may have died in the street-crushing scene. There was a big crowd of people–

XANDER: Doesn’t count, it wasn’t an on screen death.

ANDREW: Oh! And on House on Haunted Hill, like, almost everyone died.

XANDER: Only one guy died in The Haunting, though...well...unless you count the chick too, but she willingly sacrificed herself so I don’t think that’s technically a countable death... Most people made it out of 13 Ghosts. Only evil people and Dennis died. And he looked pretty ok with it anyways.

ANDREW: That movie makes me queasy...the lawyer in half thing? (thinks) Jack died in The Shining.

XANDER: But! He didn't die from the ghosts. It was the hotel the whole time. He was possessed...er...sort of. Plus the boiler blew him up, technically.

ANDREW: But the hotel was possessed BY the ghosts then--

(Buffy clears her throat.)

BUFFY: Am I gonna have to point out the difference between reality and the movies AGAIN, boys?

(Xander grins)

XANDER: To be fair, but, in our lives...not so cut and dried.

BUFFY: Ok, that’s true. Well, we’ll just need a research party then.

XANDER: I can’t tomorrow. I’ve got a bunch of things to fix in this building lined up. And let me tell ya. For as nice looking a building like this is? It’s got a lot wrong with it.

BUFFY: I can’t either; I have to take all the little slayers out and map out our patrol route.

(Dawn and Andrew look at each other.)

DAWN: You’re sticking us with this, aren’t you.

(Buffy smiles sweetly.)

BUFFY: Yep! And Willow of course. Have fun!

(Everyone heads to bed, muttering about something.)

Cut to commercial.

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Season 8, Scattered OUT NOW! by me!