Episode 5 - Double Date
ACT ONE
INT. THE MAGIC BOX - DAY.
The Gang (minus Dawn) are gathered around the table.
Giles is talking on the phone.
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
So you think the Council found out
anything?
BUFFY
I hope so. I mean, these guys are
seriously tough.
XANDER
I miss the days when we had the
harmless, funny villains, only we've
never had any of those.
WILLOW
I thought the fear demon was pretty
cute, in a short, evil Napoleony
kinda way.
ANYA
(to Willow)
Couldn't you find anything on your
computer? Aren't you supposed to be
research girl?
WILLOW
I didn't exactly have a whole lot to
go on. What, you think I can type in
a few names and.. zing.. up comes
the profiles of all our demony
friends with a listing of their
favourite foods, colours and oh..
preferred methods of being killed?
ANYA
(to Xander)
See, she's using that voice again.
WILLOW
What voice? I don't have a voice..
(to Tara)
Do I?
XANDER
Okay guys. Time to dial it back.
TARA
Yeah. I mean, the important thing is
no one got hu..
WILLOW
(to Anya)
Besides, aren't you supposed to be
ex-demon girl. You've lived for
thousands of years. You've probably
buddied up with every evil demon in
existence.
ANYA
I haven't with you.
Xander and Tara are looking very uncomfortable.
WILLOW
(to Tara)
You see what she's doing?
(then, to Anya)
Oh..Oh I know what this is. She's
being all witholdy about her past
again, like with Olaf. What is it
Anya? Another ex for the ex-demon?
ANYA
You're the one that released Olaf,
what with your silly ball of
sunshine spell. Whatever happened to
that by the way?
WILLOW
Why don't you come closer and I'll
show you where I can..
BUFFY
Okay! End of Round One. Guys, we
don't need this right now, or ever.
Giles returns to the table after his phone call.
GILES
Yes, whoever these vampires are, we
need to remain calm and focused.
BUFFY
Whoever? The Council has nothing?
GILES
They're.. looking into it.
XANDER
So we carry on with our lives in
blissful ignorance?
GILES
Well, they are certain things we can
deduce from what we have already
observed. It seems they are wearing
some sort of battle armour which
protects them from stakes and
crossbow bolts. Thankfully, Buffy
appears to be strong enough to
penetrate the armour with her stake.
XANDER
Hooray for slayer strength.
BUFFY
The thing is, these guys are tough
one on one, but, fighting as a
group.. there's no way I can take
them all on, especially with Flix in
the mix.
TARA
Flix? You mean that white-haired
girl?
BUFFY
(nodding)
She's so fast. She's just this big
white blur of pain. I guess that's
why she doesn't wear the armour.
ANYA
Well, this has certainly brought a
smiley face to my day. Does anyone
have any good news?
BUFFY
Well, I kinda got the impression
that they just wanted to be left
alone.
XANDER
Hey. That's good right? Who are we
to deny them their right to their
privacy.
ANYA
Yes, and I'm sure in the meantime,
they'll just sit around, bake
cookies and play Mah-Jongg.
The group breaks up, meeting over. Anya returns to the
counter. Willow and Buffy continue to sit and talk.
Giles wanders to the training room. Xander taps Tara
on her shoulder and motions her to follow him. They
walk to a corner of the shop away from Willow and
Anya.
XANDER
So, how did you enjoy the floor
show?
TARA
Willow and Anya? Not so much.
XANDER
Yeah, those two don't have the best
history together. It's like a
chemical reaction, you know. You
leave them alone, and they're nice
and sane and calm but when you put
them together..
TARA
Big meltdown.
XANDER
Chernobyl big. I just want things to
be right between the two of them. I
mean, they're the two people who
make me the most happy in life. But
it's like I have to be either Willow
happy or Anya happy. They're never
the same thing. I want them to be
the same, you know, to mix?
TARA
I know.
XANDER
So, I've kinda come up with a plan.
TARA
A plan?
XANDER
Xander Master Plan A. We're going to
a Halloween Ball tonight.
TARA
Really?
XANDER
Yeah. I mean, the four of us have
been paired up for a while now but
we haven't really done anything
couply together. Maybe that's what's
been missing.
TARA
You think Willow and Anya will want
to do this?
XANDER
Well, An's been pestering me to take
her out somewhere tonight, so I
guess she'll be game. Meanwhile,
maybe you could try to convince
Will?
TARA
I don't know. I'm not really good
with the, you know, persuasion.
XANDER
You kidding? I've seen how Will is
around you. She'd do anything for
you.
Tara smiles, a little embarassed.
TARA
What if this doesn't work?
XANDER
Well, I'd have to resort to Xander
Master Plan B.
TARA
What's that?
XANDER
I'm don't know yet but it may
involve a rope and two chairs.
TARA
I'm sure things will work out. I
mean, however different the two of
them may be, they still have you in
common. That's enough.
Xander smiles. He's about to walk away but he stops
and turns to Tara.
XANDER
I know I should have probably said
this a long time ago but.. Tara, I'm
glad Will met you. You've been great
for her, for all of us. Just saying.
They both smile and Tara gives Xander a hug.
WILLOW (O.S.)
Hey, hands off my girl.
Tara and Xander turn to look and sees Willow walking
up to them, smiling.
WILLOW
Xander Harris, if I didn't know
better.
XANDER
Yeah, Will. Tara and I have decided
to come out and profess our true
love for one another.
TARA
Sorry sweetie, but there's just
something about a carpenter. He
works with wood, you know.
The three are laughing it up. Xander turns to see Anya
giving him the coldest stare, highly unamused. Xander
stops laughing.
WILLOW
(to Tara, not noticing
Anya's stare)
Ready to go?
Tara nods and they both exit. Xander looks sheepishly
back at Anya who turns away to do some random thing.
Xander sighs.
INT. WILLOW AND TARA'S ROOM - DAY
Willow and Tara are sitting on their beds, eyes
closed, performing their vessel spell. Their hands are
joined and clutching two bottles.
WILLOW/TARA
Vessel to vessel, water and sand,
the essence shall flow, through my
heart to my hand.
The spell works without a hitch. The liquid transfers
from one bottle to another.
WILLOW
We're getting so good at this.
TARA
Well, we've had plenty of practise.
WILLOW
Practice? Nothing to do with it.
It's you and me baby.
Willow goes to put the bottles away. Tara takes a
moment, then..
TARA
We should go out and celebrate or
something.
WILLOW
Yeah. We've been spell gals lately.
It'll be fun to let our hair down.
I'm in. Where should we go?
TARA
Well, there's supposed to be this
really cool Halloween Ball tonight,
up at the old Lockridge mansion.
WILLOW
(excited)
Halloween? Do we get to dress up?
Cause, you know, we could be all
literal and go as witches. Or.. or
there's this outfit I wore a few
years ago which I'm sure you'll
like. Only I sorta chickened out and
wore some other costume over it, and
then there was this whole business
where we all got turned into our
costumes and I just realised there
was a question at the start of this
monologue so I'll just stop now.
TARA
(smiling)
I think this Ball is of the non-
costume variety. But that doesn't
mean we don't get to dress up.
Xander said it was very formal and
we should probably..
WILLOW
Xander told you about this?
TARA
Uh huh. He and Anya are going too. I
guess it would be like a double
date.
WILLOW
A double date.. with Anya?
TARA
Oh Honey, please. It'll be fun.
WILLOW
I don't know. Anya and I are like
oil and water, me being the less
objectionable water part.
TARA
I really think you should give Anya
a chance. Tonight could really be
good for the two of you.
(a beat as Willow ponders)
Please, for me. I'll make it up to
you. You can show me that outfit,
you know, after.
The two share a sly smile.
INT. XANDER AND ANYA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Xander is dressed (very formal) and is sitting on his
bed watching as Anya holds up two dresses, one white
and one red.
ANYA
So, the white or the red?
XANDER
An, unless you've got a plate of
fish hiding behind those dresses, it
really doesn't matter.
ANYA
(softly)
Of course it matters. We're going
out on this romantic outing and I
want it to be special. I want to be
perfect for you.
(then tersely)
Now pick one!
XANDER
Okay, the red.
ANYA
(looking at the red dress)
Really?
XANDER
An. I thought you already picked a
dress. We were all set to go.
ANYA
Well that was before you told me
Willow was coming. I can't believe
you invited her and Tara. I thought
tonight was just about us.
XANDER
It is about us. It's just that
Willow and Tara will be there as
well.
ANYA
I'm sure if we book our honeymoon
now, we can get a discount rate for
four people.
XANDER
An.
ANYA
Never mind. Where's my ear-rings?
INT. WILLOW AND TARA'S ROOM - NIGHT
Tara is dressed to go out but is looking for
something. Willow is just about to head out the door
to go to the bathroom.
WILLOW
I think they're in the drawer, next
to the bed?
Willow exits. Tara starts rummaging through the
drawer.
She finds the ear-rings and goes to the mirror to put
them on. She accidentally drops one and it falls into
a box by the mirror.
She digs into the box, taking stuff out to reach the
bottom. In retrieving her ear-ring, she pulls out a
large envelope and a stack of pictures fall out.
She goes to pick up the pictures and notices they are
all happy pictures of Oz and Willow together. She
picks them up, stands and looks at them for a beat.
She hears Willow coming back and quickly puts the
pictures into the envelope and back into the box.
Willow enters.
WILLOW
Found them?
TARA
Yes. We should get there.
WILLOW
Yes, our evening awaits us.
EXT. THE LOCKRIDGE MANSION - NIGHT
to establish. - Stately but slightly creepy. Lights
are on and we hear muffled music.
INT. THE LOCKRIDGE MANSION/FOYER - NIGHT
ANGLE ON : THE FRONT DOOR
as we hear some knocking. The door opens to reveal a
guy and a girl, very casually dressed.
GUY
Hey. I heard there was this cool
party going on here.
DOOR GUY
May I see your invitations?
GUY
Oh! We forgot to bring it. Silly me.
I'm always forgetting things.
DOOR GUY
I'm afraid this party is invitation
only.
The door guy begins to close the door when the guy
aggressively blocks the door.
GUY
Hey. I don't want to be rough here
but if you don't let us in..
Door guy stares the guy down.
DOOR GUY
Well, if you insist. Follow me.
Door guy leads the happy couple in. There is music and
chatter going on in a large room to their left but
Door guy leads the couple up the stairs.
GUY
Hey, isn't the party back down
there?
DOOR GUY
This is a formal party. We'll have
to get you suitably attired first.
He leads them to a blue door. The couple enters. They
see what's inside. The girl screams. The guy tries to
leave but Door guy closes the door. The guy backs
away, cowering. We ZOOM IN on his terrified face.
BLACKOUT
END OF ACT ONE
CONTINUE TO ACT TWO