The Choice: Part 1
by Amish Boy
Characters and stuff belong to Joss and those nice people at WB. I own nothing ... And due acknowledgement must be paid to AleXander, without who's transcribing skills, parts of this fanfic would not have been possible! This is written like an episode off the telly. For the simple reason that I couldn't be bothered typing out long descriptions! Comments, suggestions welcome.
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Part One
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Scene: The Library: Buffy, Willow, Xander, Cordelia and Giles are sitting around the table. Giles is reading.
Giles: ... and he shall come to the Hellmouth, and the Slayer will have a terrible choice ... whether to face a great loss or a guilt she cannot live with ...
Xander: Now that's what I call a terrible choice, Cordy ... a tad more dramatic than choosing between Spring and Autumn colours.
He looks around for approval, then looks at Giles and nods at the book.
Giles: Thank you Xander ... as I was saying ... the Slayer will face a terrible choice ... I-I-I'm afraid it's rather unclear after that ... th-the-the book has suffered extensive worming ... most of the text is obscured ...
Xander: So do we take the book to a vet?
Giles: Xander! Please. This is serious ... it may be the most difficult thing Buffy has ever faced.
Buffy: Well aren't you Captain Comfort today? We'll deal ... we always do. I have my gang, right? (She looks at their serious expressions) I have you, right?
All together:
Willow: Of course!
Xander: Sure!
Cordelia: Autumn!?
Buffy: Well, two from three.
Willow: Who’s the "he" that's going to come here?
Giles: (looking at the book)Now that is strange, it-it says here that "the Slayer’s undead companions" ...
Buffy: Uh, Giles, hello? I think I've already faced that choice. You know, Angel, vortex, gut-wrenching misery ...
Giles: What? Oh, yes, yes I see. But I'm afraid that this text seems to be referring to something that's yet to happen.
Buffy: Great.
Giles: Yes, quite, but as-as I said the text refers to the Slayer’s undead companions. Plural.
Buffy: Huh?
Credits Roll
Scene: The lockers, Buffy is putting some books into her locker, Willow is standing behind her.
Willow: So who could the other companion be? Spike? Drusilla?
Buffy: Hardly. Anyway, Mickey and Mallory have left the building.
Willow: Oz then? I know technically he’s not undead, but does he get any points for werewolveness?
Buffy: Is that a word? In any case he’s *your* companion now. How’s that whole boyfriend thing going?
Willow: Oh, Buffy, he’s the best ... I can’t believe how lucky I’ve been ... I mean I know I’m not a guy magnet (Buffy rolls her eyes) ... well I’m not ...
Buffy: The important thing is, your an Oz magnet.
Willow: (smiling) An Oz magnet .... I like that!
They start to walk down the corridor.
Willow: Are you going to the Bronze tonight? The gang’s going to be there.
Buffy: Maybe later. I’ve got some pointy sticks that need delivering.
Willow: Some slaying ... (smiles) will Angel be there ...
Buffy: There’s a vague possibilty that I’ll be seeing at least one of my undead companions tonight ...
Willow: Cool.
Scene: The graveyard. Buffy and Angel are patrolling.
Angel: It's a quiet night ... not much activity ...
Buffy: Let's see if we can do something about that.
Angel: (smiles) And what would you suggest?
Buffy: Smooching ...
Angel: Kissing ...
Buffy: That's right Thesaurus Boy.
She pulls Angel close to kiss him. Just then a vampire leaps out from behind Angel. Buffy uses Angel to swing herself up and kick the vamp in the face. He reels back, Buffy follows, pulling out a stake. The vamps picks up a shovel and swings it at Buffy, she blocks and breaks the handle. The vampire spins and runs ... Buffy follows. The vamp disappears into bushes where there is a commotion and a pained grunt. Buffy runs in followed by Angel and finds Xander lying on his back, the shovel handle sticking out of his stomach ... his eyes are open, but he's not moving.
Buffy: Xander!
Fade.
Scene: Same again.
Buffy: Xander. Oh my God, Xander.
She kneels down next to him and props his head on her knees. Angel bends down next to him and feels for a pulse.
Xander: Buffy?
Buffy: Shh, Xander. We'll get help. Angel get help. Hurry.
Xander: Too late, it's too late ...
Buffy: (angry, scared) No! No it's not too late, don't you say that, don't you *say* that.
Angel: Buffy, I'm sorry he's right.
Buffy: (angry) Who died and made you Surgeon General?
Angel: I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Buffy looks up suddenly.
Buffy: You can save him.
Angel: (surprised, confused) What? How?
Buffy: Be his sire.
Angel: What? That's insane. He'll lose his soul ... you're not thinking straight ...
Buffy: Willow can give him his soul back. She gave you back yours. Please, Angel, there's not much time.
Angel: Buffy, what your asking ... it's not right. You must see that. He'd never forgive you.
Buffy: But he'll be here not to forgive me.
Angel: Buffy, think. Will you be able to live with this?
Buffy: (quietly) Angel, he saved my life. He brought me back after the Master killed me. I owe him everything.
Angel stares at her, then slowly lowers his head ...
Fade.
Scene: Same as before. Xander is lying on his back. Buffy and Angel stand over him waiting.
Angel: Buffy? Are, are you okay?
Buffy: No. (her eyes are filled with tears) Angel? What have we done? We did the right thing ... right?
Angel: I'm sorry Buffy, I just don't know. I ...
Xander jumps to his feet game face on. Lunges for Buffy. She does a roundhouse kick and knocks him unconscious.
Buffy: (groans) Xander ...
Angel: I'll take him to the library. You go find Willow.
Angel picks Xander up and moves off. Buffy stares at the ground before following him.
Scene: Library. Giles and Angel are there. Xander lies on the table.
Giles: (furious) Angel. This is insanity. What were you thinking. How could you've agreed to this, this ... dreadful act?
Angel: I couldn't refuse her.
Giles: That is as may be, but, and you have no inkling how much it pains me to say this, you should have let him die.
Angel: We couldn't let him die ... not when we could do something about it ... (he doesn't sound sure)
Giles: That is utter rot, and you know it. My God man, you've cursed him with immortality ... he can't allow himself to feel truly happy ever again.
Angel:(shouting) You think I don't know that?!
Giles:(shouting) I can't believe you did this ...
They start shouting over each other ...
Angel: What would you have done? You weren't there.
Giles: Fool ...
Angel: We had no choice.
Giles: I wish to God I was there.
Buffy enters the library with Willow. Both clearly have been crying.
Buffy: Giles! It's not Angel's fault ... it should be me you're blaming ...
Giles: Are you aware of what you’ve done.
Buffy: (Looks more sure of herself now) Yes.
Giles: But-but how could you think this was a solution. (calming down) You should have let him die.
Buffy: Giles, in my time here I’ve watched too many people die. Xander saved my life. My God, he brought me back after I had died ... I sent the man I love to hell ... it’s too much. I can’t deal anymore. I had the chance to keep him here ... and I took it ... (quietly) Would you have let Jenny die if you had a choice?
Giles: No! I-I-I mean yes ... (slumps) yes, I-I see ... well ... well, it’s too late change things now ... and I can hardly expect you to stake him?
Buffy stares at him.
Giles: No, quite ... then we must hurry and prepare the ritual. Willow, have you brought the necessary materials?
Willow: Yes.
Giles: You have an Orb of Thesulah?
Willow: Yes, my mom was using it as a paperweight.
Giles: A paperweight, um, f-fancy that.
Fade.
Scene: The library ... Xander still lies on the table, but now Buffy, Giles and Willow stand around him. Buffy is waving herbs and incense over a candle, Giles reads from a book in Latin and Willow is saying the curse in Romanian. The orb sits within a sacred circle. Angel stands in the background.
Willow: ... lasa orbita sa fie vasul care-i va transporta, sufletul la el!
Translation: ... let this Orb be the vessel that will carry his soul to him.
Xander sits bolt upright, staring straight up. We look down on him and see his eyes glow bright orange then fade. He slumps back.
Giles: Now we must wait for him to regain consciousness.
Buffy: How long?
Giles: I-I don’t know.
Buffy: Will, are you okay?
Willow: Yeah, yes. I’m just a little tired ... from-from working the ritual ... it’s tiring ... the ritual ...
Giles: I’ll make us a pot of tea.
Buffy: Careful Giles, your British is showing.
Giles disappears into his office.
Willow: I can’t believe this is happening ... not to Xander ... he’s always, he’s, he’s ...
Begins to cry. Buffy hugs her.
Buffy: I’m sorry, Will ... I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do ...
Angel: Willow, it’s not Buffy’s fault ... I didn’t have to do it. I could have refused.
Willow: Oh God, I’m not blaming you guys ... you did the only thing you could to keep Xander alive ... or-or at least around.
Buffy: I hope Cordelia sees it that way ...
Willow: Oh, Cordelia. I’d forgotten about her. Has anyone told her to get here?
Angel: You can’t.
Buffy: Can’t what?
Angel: You can’t bring Cordelia here ... in fact you two should leave as well.
Buffy: What! Why?
Willow: (realising, tears welling) Because we might make him happy ... Angel lost his soul when you two, when you and he, you know ... and Angel had a moment of happiness and contentment ...
Buffy: Will, I think only Cordy would do that.
Willow: No, it would take a lot less to make Xander happy than it would Angel. Right?
Angel nods.
Willow: Angel had a century of ruthless, bloody ... uh, well ... well he was pretty mean anyway. He has to live with that. Xander stole my Barbie and that’s pretty much the meanest thing he’s ever done. And you know Xander ... he’s always laughing and joking ... if we’re going to help him ... we’ll have to stay away.
We can see on Buffy’s face that she’s now realising what she’s set in motion. She and Willow leave.
Buffy: Bye, Angel.
Willow: Bye.
Angel: Buffy, Willow.
Giles comes back out carrying a tray with the tea on it. He looks surprised that Willow and Buffy have gone. Just as he’s about to say something to Angel, Xander groans. Giles and Angel look at Xander then back at each other.
Fade
Scene: Xander’s bedroom. He sits in a chair well back from the window, but looking out. It’s obviously morning, but he stays in the shadows. He looks very unhappy. The camera pans round him slowly. This is intercut with scenes of the other kids going to school, laughing in the corridors, playing with Frisbees outside. Bullet-proof by Radiohead plays.
Limb by limb and tooth by tooth
Tearing up inside of me
Everyday, every hour wish that I
Was bullet proof
Wax me
Mould me
Heat the pins and stab them in
You have turned me into this
Just wish that it
Was bullet proof
Music fades.
Mom: Xander, honey ... it’s time to go to school ...
Fade
Scene: Canteen. Buffy, Willow, Cordelia sit round a table.
Cordelia: How is Xander?
Willow: Giles said he went home last night ... he seems fine ... physically ... well apart from being, you know, dead.
Buffy: Does he remember anything?
Willow: Apparently he remembers everything.
Buffy: (groans)Oh God. ... Cordelia. Am I straight with you? I-I don’t think I could stand fighting with anyone just now.
Cordelia: I can’t say I’m happy Buffy, but right now Xander needs us working for him, not fighting amongst ourselves.
Buffy: Working for him?
Cordelia: Well there has to be some way you can cure him.
Willow: Cordy, if that was possible don’t you think Angel would have been cured years ago?
Cordelia: I don’t know what to think. I’m just so in shock.
A guy comes up to talk to Cordelia.
Guy: Hey, Cordy. Hear Xander’s in rehab ... that means you’re available, right?
Cordelia: Oh please, I can’t believe you just spoke to me. Now I’m going to have to go take a shower. I’ll see you guys later.
Buffy: Well, you still need a minimum safe distance from her put downs.
Willow: Come on, we better get to class.
Scene. Angel’s apartment. Angel and Xander are there.
Angel: She did what she thought was right.
Xander: How can *this* be right?
Angel: I know how you feel ...
Xander: Hey, no you don’t. You deserved this, okay? I didn’t. You spent a century being a blood sucking torturing fiend from hell ... what did I ever do?
Angel: You were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Xander: Really!? Ya think?
Angel: Why were you there anyway?
Xander: Seeing if Buffy was coming to the Bronze. Next thing, you’re dripping blood in my mouth. Thanks for that.
Angel: We really thought we were doing the best thing. Buffy is torn up about this. She said you brought her back, and that she owed you everything.
Xander: Oo be still my heart. Oh wait, it is. So her idea of repaying me was to get you to turn me into an undead fiend, much like yourself?
Angel: Now you’re being unfair.
Xander: Excuse me!? Hello? Unfair? I just had to explain to my mom why she couldn’t open the drapes this morning without me setting off the smoke detectors! And where are all my so called friends? How come they haven’t been visiting? I think I deserve at a least a bag of grapes.
Angel: They want to see you, they just can’t.
Xander: Uh huh. Why?
Angel: They might make you happy.
Xander: Trust me. Not something that’s likely to happen.
Angel: Are you willing to risk it?
Xander just looks at him unhappily.
Scene: Library. Buffy, Willow and Giles are there. Willow is at the computer. Giles is reading a book.
Willow: Nothing.
Giles: It’s as I feared Buffy. There simply isn’t anyway to return Xander to his previous, uh, self.
Buffy: Thanks guys. I had to try.
Giles: Are you, um, a-are you going patrolling tonight?
Buffy: Don’t worry Giles ... my life may provoke cries of "Oh the humanity" but as long as Pointy Teeth R-Us keep plying their trade I’ll be slaying.
Giles: Th-thank you Buffy. I know this is a difficult time for you.
Buffy: Plus there’s the upside of getting to pound on some vamps ... kinda of a couchless, pointy sticked therapy session.
Willow: I’ll go with you, I need to clear my head. It’s feels like it’s full of dust bunnies.
Buffy: Let’s go.
Scene: Graveyard. Willow sits on a tombstone while Buffy whales on a vampire. She’s really letting rip. Willow watches in something resembling amazement when suddenly she's thrown from the tombstone by a violent shaking. Earthquake. Buffy and the vamp stop and look at each other. A crack in the ground sprints between them. They look down at the widening gap and back up at each other. The sides crumble and both fall in.
Willow: (screams) Buffy!
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