Act Three

The library. Willow and Xander are there, and have found out that Buffy has gone to fight the Master.

Xander: She what?

Willow: I told you there was something going on with her.

Xander: And she knew about this prophecy of yours? (Giles nods) Aw, man, what do we do?

Giles: We stay calm, first thing.

Xander: Calm?

Willow: I think he's right.

Xander: I'm sorry, calm may work for Locutus of the Borg here, (indicates Giles) but I'm freaked out, and I intend to stay that way.

Willow: Xander...

Xander: How could you let her go?

Giles: As the soon-to-be-purple area of my jaw will attest, I did *not* *let* her go!

Willow: Well, how can we help her?

Ms. Calendar: Uh, I'm sorry to bring this up, but we also have an apocalypse to worry about?

Xander: Do you mind?

Willow: How come she's in the club?

Ms. Calendar: Hey! Once the Master gets free, the Hellmouth opens, the demons come to party, and everybody dies.

Xander: Uh, uh, I don't care. I'm sorry, I don't. Right now I gotta help Buffy.

Giles: We don't even know where she's gone.

Xander: No. But I can find out.

Cut to the tunnels. Collin guides Buffy in. She has the crossbow up and ready. He leads her down some stairs and into a round side tunnel. Cut to Angel's apartment. There's knocking at the door and Angel comes to answer, wondering who it could be.

Angel: Oh. Look who's here.

Xander: Mind if I come in? (comes in)

Angel: (closes the door) Make yourself at home.

Xander: She's gone.

Angel: Whadaya mean?

Xander: Buffy, she's gone to fight the Master.

Angel: He'll kill her.

Xander: Rumor has it. Only we're not gonna let it happen.

Angel: Well, what do you propose we do about it?

Xander: Look, I know you can find this Master guy. He's underground, right? Take me to him.

Angel: You're way outta your league, kid. The Master'll kill you before you can even breathe. If you're lucky.

Xander: How can I say this clearly?

He holds up a cross. Angel growls. Xander advances toward him, and he backs off until he falls onto the couch.

Xander: I don't like you. At the end of the day, I pretty much think you're a vampire. (lowers the cross) But Buffy's got this big old yen for you. She thinks you're a real person. And right now I need you to prove her right.

Angel: You're in love with her.

Xander: Aren't you?

Cut to the library. Giles comes out of the stacks with an armful of books.

Giles: The Master is as old as any vampire on record. There's no telling how powerful he'll be if he reaches the surface.

Ms. Calendar: Okay, here's my question: the Hellmouth opens.

Giles: Yes.

Ms. Calendar: Where? If he's underground, and it's right where he is, where's it gonna open?

Giles: Good point. Uh, well, look, you have a look through the Black Chronicles... (hands her one of the books)

Ms. Calendar: Okay.

Giles: Uh, Willow? Willow?

Willow: Huh?

Giles: (sits down at the table) Could you look through the local histories, please. Check for any common denominators, uh, locations of incidences and such.

Willow: Right, okay.

Cut to the entrance of the Master's lair. Collin stops, and Buffy looks at him. He points down below, inviting her to enter, and leaves the way they came. Buffy watches him go. Then she turns and makes her way down to the floor below. She looks around. There are hundreds of candles burning everywhere.

Master: Welcome.

The Master's voice seems to be coming from all directions.

Buffy: Thanks for having me.

The Master steps into the light to look at her.

Buffy: Y'know, you really oughtta talk to your contractor. Looks like you got some water damage.

Master: Oh, good. The feeble banter portion of the fight. Why don't we just cut to the...

Buffy spins around and launches a bolt in the direction of his voice. With his lightning reflexes the Master catches it in mid-flight right in front of him at chest level. Buffy quickly reloads the bow.

Master: Nice shot.

Cut to the tunnels. Xander and Angel reach an intersection and stop. Angel looks in both directions, trying to remember the way. He remembers and walks past Xander.

Angel: (quietly) This way. (looks at Xander) What?

Xander: You were looking at my neck.

Angel: What?

Xander: You were checking out my neck! I saw that! (starts following)

Angel: No, I wasn't!

Xander: Just keep your distance, pal.

Angel: I wasn't looking at your neck!

Xander: I told you to eat before we left.

Cut to the Master's lair.

Master: You're not going to kill me with that thing.

Buffy: Don't be so sure.

Master: You still don't understand your part in all this, do you? You are not the hunter. You are the lamb.

Cut to the library. Giles and Ms. Calendar are at the table studying their volumes.

Giles: Well, let's think about this, then. The vampires have been gathering, they know he's coming, they will be his army.

Ms. Calendar: Do you think they'll gather at the Hellmouth?

Willow: Well, the last time the Master tried to rise was the Harvest.

He sent a bunch of vampires to get him fresh blood.

Ms. Calendar: Well, where did that go down?

Giles: The Bronze.

Willow: The Prom!

Giles: We have to warn them.

Ms. Calendar: (stops Giles) No! We'll go. You have to concentrate on demon killing. My car's in the lot.

Willow and Ms. Calendar start out of the library.

Giles: Stay close together, and for goodness' sake, be careful!

Willow: We will.

Cut to the Master's lair. Buffy is slowly walking around, searching for the Master. She comes upon a dead and rotted body. She continues her search.

Buffy: You know, for someone who's all powerful, you sure do like to hide.

Master: I'm waiting for you. I want this moment to last.

Buffy: Well, I don't.

She searches for a few moments longer, then the Master suddenly comes to stand right behind her.

Master: I understand.

She turns around and the Master knocks the crossbow out of her hands. He grabs her by the neck. Cut to the school parking lot. Ms. Calendar digs in her bag for her keys as she and Willow head for her car.

Willow: What if they get to the Bronze before we do? (looks behind them)

Ms. Calendar: (looks up and stops) Don't need to worry about that!

Willow: (catches up) Why not?

Ms. Calendar: 'Cause they're not goin' to the Bronze.

They look out onto the field and see a hoard of vampires approaching. They look across the parking lot and see more of them. They turn to go back and see even more of them blocking their way. They're surrounded. Cut to the Master's lair. He has his hand around Buffy's throat. She swings up with her arm, knocks his hand away and starts to run. He holds his hand out toward her and she freezes, caught by his hypnotic powers. She looks back at him and can't move. He approaches her, making slow twisting motions with his hand. He comes up behind her, gently takes off her leather jacket and lets it fall to the ground. Buffy is panting hard with fear.

Master: You tried. It was noble of you. You heard the prophecy that I was about to break free and you came to stop me. But prophecies are tricky creatures. They don't tell you everything. (whispers) You're the one that sets me free! (gloats) If you hadn't come, I couldn't go. (whispers) Think about that!

Buffy is frozen with fear. The Master waits a moment longer and then bends down and bites her at the base of her neck. He drinks a few sips and lets her go.

Master: Oh, God! The power!

Buffy falls to her knees.

Master: And by the way...

She falls face down into the pool of water.

Master: I like your dress.

He steps over to the edge of his confines and pushes against the field. He forces his hand through, and his confines break down in a burst of light and energy. He starts up and out of his lair. Cut to the tunnels. Angel and Xander see the light coming out of an adjoining tunnel.

Xander: What was that?

Angel: It's too late. He's gone up.

They break into a run for the Master's lair. Angel gets there first, looks around and spots Buffy. He scrambles down to the floor and rushes to her as Xander reaches the lair's entrance. Xander stops and stares at Buffy in the pool. Angel reaches her and quickly pulls her out of the water. He holds her and tries to listen for breathing. Nothing. He looks up at Xander.

Angel: She's dead!

Xander looks down at them and swallows hard.

Act Four

The Master's lair. Xander comes down to Angel and Buffy.

Xander: No. She's not dead.

Angel: She's not breathing.

Xander: But if she drowned, uh, there's a shot! CPR!

Angel: You have to do it. I have no breath.

Xander takes off his jacket and lays it over her. He kneels down by her face and looks at her a moment, then puts his mouth on hers and blows into her lungs. He lets go and begins to pump her chest.

Xander: C'mon. C'mon!

Cut to the school parking lot. The vampires are advancing on Willow and Ms. Calendar.

Ms. Calendar: Why are they coming here?

Willow: Not caring!

They hear a car screech to a stop behind them.

Cordelia: Get in!

Cut to the Master's lair. Xander breathes into her lungs again and continues to pump her chest.

Xander: C'mon! Breathe! Breathe!

Angel looks down in sorrow, then looks back up. Xander keeps pumping.

Xander: C'mon!

After another moment Xander stops pumping. Angel believes her lost. A second later Buffy opens her eyes wide and draws a breath. She lies still for a moment as she looks around with her eyes.

Xander: Buffy!

She turns her head to the side and coughs out a bunch of water. Xander and Angel look at each other and smile. Xander puts his hand on Buffy's forehead and strokes it gently. She looks up at him, surprised to see him.

Xander: Buffy.

Buffy: Xander?

Xander: Welcome back.

Cut to the school parking lot. Ms. Calendar and Willow run into the car.

Cordelia: I was sitting where Kevin and I used to park, and all of a sudden these things are coming at me!

They all scream as a vampire jumps on top of the car.

Ms. Calendar: What do we do now?

Willow: We've gotta get to the library!

Cordelia: Library! Great!

She burns rubber and makes a fast U-turn, throwing the vampire off of the roof of her car, and heads toward the school building. The car's engine races as Cordelia guns it toward the doors.

Willow: Of course, we generally walk there.

They crash through the doors and into the hall. Cut to the library. Giles hears the noise.

Giles: What the...

Cut to the halls. The car comes crashing through another set of doors and skids to a stop in front of the library. Cut inside. Giles gets up from the table. Cut to the hall. Vampires are running into the hall as the girls get out of the car, screaming as they run into the library.

They push the doors closed just as the vampires get there. Cut inside.

They lean against the door.

Giles: What's happening?

Ms. Calendar: Guess!

A vampire punches through the small round window in one of the doors and grabs at them. Giles grabs a bookcase and carries it over to the door. Willow grabs a sign and starts hitting the vampire's arm with it. Giles gets the bookcase in place. He grabs the copier and pulls it over, too.

Giles: Why are they coming here?!

Cut to a shot of them from the back of the library. A green tentacle is worming its way up through the cracks in the floor. Cut to the roof of the library. The Master opens the roof access door and walks out. He looks at the view around him of the town at night and smiles. He exhales, walks to the edge of the roof and holds his arms out as he surveys the scene.

Master: My world! Oh, my beautiful world!

Cut to the Master's lair. Xander and Angel help Buffy up.

Xander: Easy. Easy.

Buffy: (standing now) The Master?

Angel: He's gone up.

Buffy starts to go.

Xander: No. You're still weak.

Buffy: (stops) No. No, I feel strong. I feel different. (looks back at them) Let's go!

Cut to the library. They pile more things in front of the door. Giles looks at the back of the library and sees vampires trying to get in.

Giles: (points) They're coming in through the stacks!

Ms. Calendar: (to Willow) C'mon!

She and Willow run to the back of the library.

Ms. Calendar: The bookshelves!

They lift a bookcase against the French doors that lead to the stacks and lean against it.

Giles: My office...

He goes to secure his office, leaving Cordelia alone at the main doors. The tentacle inches toward Willow's leg. Another vampire punches through the other library door window and grabs Cordelia's arm. She screams.

Cordelia: Somebody help!

Cut outside. Buffy marches determinedly toward the school with Xander and Angel close behind.

Xander: So, how do you know where the Master's going?

Buffy: I know.

A vampire tries to block their way into the school.

Buffy: Oh, look, a bad guy.

She punches him on her way by, and he falls flat on his back. Cut inside to the stairs leading to the roof. Buffy comes around the corner in the hall.

Buffy: Okay, you two wait here, keep the rest of the vampires off me.

Xander: Right.

Buffy: Angel, better put on your game face.

Angel: (vamped out) I'm ready.

Buffy: One way or another, this won't take long.

She looks at them both once more and then heads up to the roof. Cut to the library. Cordelia hits the vampire's hand and then bites it. The vampire screams and lets go.

Cordelia: See how *you* like it!

Cut to the back.

Willow: This won't keep 'em out for long!

She looks down and sees the tentacle wrap itself around her ankle and screams loudly. Ms. Calendar grabs hold of her.

Ms. Calendar: GILES! GILES!

Giles comes running out of his office in time to see a huge, green, multi-headed and tentacled demon burst through the floor.

Giles: The Hellmouth!

Cordelia can't believe what she's seeing. The creature has three heads and reaches all the way to the ceiling. Cut to the roof. The Master looks in through the skylight and claps his hands idly.

Master: Yes. Come forth, my child. Come into my world.

Buffy: I don't think it's yours just yet.

The Master turns his head and stares at her in surprise.

Master: You're dead!

Buffy: I may be dead, but I'm still pretty. Which is more than I can say for you.

Master: You were destined to die! It was written!

Buffy: What can I say? I flunked the written.

The Master growls and reaches his arm out to try his hypnosis on her again.

Master: Come here!

Cut inside the library. Willow screams as the Hellmouth creature tries to drag her away from Ms. Calendar.

Ms. Calendar: GIIILES!

Giles grabs an ax from the table and rushes up the stairs to their aid.

Ms. Calendar: GILES!

He swings it into one of the heads, and the creature roars in agony as the women continue to scream. Cut to the roof. Buffy slowly approaches the Master, apparently hypnotized. He grabs her by the throat again.

Master: Did you really think you could best me here when you couldn't below? (lets go of her neck)

Buffy: (looks at him curiously) You have fruit punch mouth.

Master: What?

She swings a wide hard punch to his mouth, and he falls down.

Buffy: Save the hypnosis crap for the tourists.

As he gets up she does a swinging roundhouse kick that connects squarely with his face. He swipes at her and she jerks back, but he manages to slice her with his fingernails across her upper right chest, drawing blood. She punches him in the kidney. He punches her in the jaw. She tries to punch him again, but he blocks her and punches her in the face, sending her flying backward into the wall behind her. Cut inside. Giles swings again with the ax and hits the creature. He tries again, but this time it knocks him off of the mezzanine and onto the large table below. It breaks when Giles hits it, and one side falls over onto its end, leaving a huge spike pointing upward. Cut to the bottom of the stairs. Two vampires attack Angel and Xander. Angel starts to fight the one while the other jumps on Xander's back. He holds his cross up to her and she jumps off. Angel stakes the one he's fighting and Xander punches out the other. Cut to the library. One of the creature's heads hovers above Giles. Another one faces Willow and laughs. Cut to the roof. The Master is ready to continue fighting. Buffy launches herself into a front tuck over his head and lands between him and the skylight. She kicks him in the side with a side snap kick, but he quickly turns around and grabs her by the neck again.

Master: Where are your jibes now?

She looks behind her and sees the upended table through the skylight.

Master: You laugh when my Hell is on Earth?

Buffy: You're that amped about Hell... (grabs him by the neck) Go there!

She lifts him up and flips him over herself and through the skylight. He falls down and is impaled on the table. He slowly turns to ash until only his skeleton is left. Buffy watches from above. Giles gets up. The Hellmouth creature quickly disappears back into the floor. The vampires are all gone. Cut to the main library doors. Cordelia pushes the last of the junk away from them and pulls the door open for Buffy, Angel and Xander. They all walk over to the Master.

Giles: The vampires?

Cordelia: Gone.

Angel: The Master?

Giles: Dead. The Hellmouth is closed. Buffy... Buffy?

Buffy: Oh, sorry. It's just been a really weird day. (smiles)

Xander: Yeah! Buffy died, and everything!

Willow: Wow! Harsh.

Giles: I should have known that wouldn't stop you.

Buffy smiles up at him again.

Ms. Calendar: Well, what do we do now?

Giles: I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd like to get out of this place. I don't like the library very much anymore.

Xander: Hey! I hear there's a dance at the Bronze tonight. Could be fun.

Cordelia: Yeah!

Willow: Buffy?

Buffy: Sure! We saved the world. I say we party! (looks down at her dress) I mean, I got all pretty.

Ms. Calendar: And what about him? (indicates the Master)

Buffy: (looks at the Master) He's not going anywhere. Loser.

They all start to go and chatter. Buffy trails the group.

Giles: (to Ms. Calendar) I'm not dancing, though.

Ms. Calendar: We'll see.

Willow: (to Angel) You can come with us, Angel.

Buffy: I'm hungry.

Xander: So what's the story with the car?

Cordelia: Oh, that was me, saving the day!

Willow: (to Angel) Get something to drink.

Buffy: Is anybody else hungry?

Willow: (to Angel) Well, no, don't do that. Just hang.

Buffy: I'm really, really hungry.

Angel hangs back with Buffy.

Angel: By the way, I really like your dress.

Buffy: Yeah, yeah. Big hit with everyone.

The camera pans back and up for a shot of the Master's skeleton from above.

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