THE WILLOW AND SARA SERIES #1
SHATTERED ILLUSIONS
ACT THREE
By DragonWriter17
 

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: All of the materials borrowed from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel belong to Joss Whedon and to the entities and companies associated with their creation.  I have borrowed them for creative and entertainment purposes only.  No compensation has been or ever shall be received for the writing below.  No copyright infringement is intended.

My Website: http://dragonwriter17.net/ 

Feedback: Yes, but only if it�s of the non-flamey variety: DragonWriter17@aol.com

Distribution: Mystic Muse and my personal site above.  (If you are interested in posting this on your site, please contact me first for permission.)

Spoilers: All seven seasons of BtVS, but especially Seasons 6 and 7.

Pairings: Willow/Kennedy, Willow/Other (Sara)

Author�s Notes: (1) This story is in screenplay format, not in fiction format.  It is the first of a series of screenplays intended to reunite Alyson Hannigan and Amber Benson in several spin-off TV movies that focus on the character of Willow.  However, they feature a new character for Amber Benson: Sara.  (2) Since the Willow and Sara Series is designed to be a true spin-off, it does employ only canon background material.

Number of Chapters: 7 acts

Complete: Yes

Summary: Two years ago, Willow lost the love of her life to a stray bullet that was meant for someone else.  She's recovered from her loss and even moved on to a new relationship.  Then a chance encounter brings her face-to-face with a stranger who looks exactly like her dead girlfriend.  What does she do?  This is the situation in which Willow Rosenberg, best friend of Buffy, finds herself.  It�s been a year since Sunnydale bit the dust, taking the Hellmouth with it.  But the danger is far from over--as Willow discovers in her new life with a new job in a new city, all without her best friends Buffy and Xander conveniently nearby.  A computer geek by day and a warrior witch by night, Willow leads the crusade against the local forces of darkness.  Aiding Willow in her fight are Kennedy, her current girlfriend and now a bonafide Slayer; Andrew, a former member of the Evil Trio, now reformed; and Ruby, a psychic advisor whose gift of Sight is very real.  The battle against evil isn�t the most difficult aspect of Willow�s life, however.  The hardest part is deciding what to do about her budding friendship with (and growing attraction to) Sara, her beloved Tara�s look-alike.  By the end of the movie, Willow will be forced to choose in a way she never expected.

ACT ONE       ACT TWO       ACT THREE       ACT FOUR

ACT FIVE       ACT SIX       ACT SEVEN

EXT. THE DOUBLE-X BAR � RESUME

Sara is still cowering in front of the Jerk with Willow behind her.  When Sara doesn�t respond, the Jerk moves closer.

                           JERK
              I said, Make me, bitch!

Sara suddenly raises her head and smiles deviously.

                           SARA
              Okay.  If you insist.

Sara throws one punch, then a second, both of which the Jerk blocks, but she comes back with a hard kick to the groin, sending the Jerk to the ground. His friends show surprise, but don�t move.  The Jerk groans and writhes for a moment, then manages to regain his voice.

                           JERK
                    (to his cohorts)
              Get them, you idiots!

Willow and Sara are smiling at the Jerk�s discomfort, then quickly lose their smiles when the Jerk calls his friends.  Willow and Sara run away, with the Jerk�s cohorts following.  They round another corner.  Willow lets Sara run on ahead, then she uses magic to throw garbage cans in front of the men chasing them, making them all fall down in a big heap.  Then she catches up with Sara, and the two women get away.

EXT. ELLIE�S RESTAURANT � NIGHT

Willow and Sara run raggedly, then stop, exhausted.  They are breathing hard and looking back behind them.

                           WILLOW
              I think they�re gone.  We should be
              okay now.

                           SARA
              Oh, god!  That was so awesome!  Did you
              see me nail that jerk?

                           WILLOW
              Kind of hard to miss, Ms. Rambo.

                           SARA
              What�s the matter?  Did I scare you?

                           WILLOW
              A little.  I wasn�t expecting you to --

                           SARA
              Kick him in his crown jewels?

                           WILLOW
              Well, yeah.

                           SARA
              Look, I learned a long time ago that you
              can�t let people intimidate you.  If you do,
              they�ll just walk all over you.

                           WILLOW
              I guess I�m not much for confrontations.

                           SARA
              Me neither.  It�s not like I go looking
              for fights.  But if some jerk messes with
              me, I am going to stand up for myself.  I�ve
              even been taking self-defense classes.  You
              should think about taking some.

                           WILLOW
                    (laughs, then shakes her head)
              No way.  I would be such a spaz at something
              like that.

Sara chuckles, then motions towards the restaurant.

                           SARA
              Well, I think this is my stop.

                           WILLOW
              Yeah, I guess it is.  I had a really
              great time tonight...homophobic jerks
              notwithstanding.

                           SARA
              Yeah, me too.  We should do this
              again sometime.

                           WILLOW
              Hey, how about tomorrow night?

                           SARA
                    (excited then remembers)
              Oh, I can�t.  I work the late shift
              tomorrow.  But I�m free Friday night.
              I get off at seven, like today.

                           WILLOW
              Okay, I�ll meet you here when you get
              off work then.

                           SARA
              Okay!  See you.

                           WILLOW
              Bye.

Sara walks off slowly while Willow watches her.  Sara turns and waves, and Willow waves back.  Clearly, the two women are reluctant to leave each other�s company.  Sara then turns back around and starts for home. 

INT. WILLOW�S OFFICE - DAY

Andrew and Willow are each working in their respective places.  Willow�s on the phone with a customer.  Her computer screen shows a newspaper article about the house fire that killed Sara�s parents.  Headline reads �Husband and wife die in tragic fire, Ten-year-old daughter survives.�  The accompanying photo shows a ten-year old girl cowering as emergency personnel hover about her.  Willow prints. 

                           WILLOW
                    (into phone)
              Well, you are so welcome.  If you need
              help with anything computer-like, you
              know who to call.  Okay.  Bye.
                    (hangs up, then to Andrew)
              You just about done with JayCo�s new
              desktop?

Point of view switches to reveal that Andrew, who had originally looked like he was hard at work, is actually playing a video game.

                           ANDREW
              Ummm...yeah...just about done.

                           WILLOW
              Good.  They want that installed today.

Willow gets the copy of the article from her laser printer.  She starts to read it out loud quietly to herself.

                           WILLOW
              �Firemen responded to a house fire at
               311 Elmwood at 11:15 last night.  They
               were unable to contain the blaze, and it
               destroyed the entire house.  Killed in the
               fire were husband and wife, Collier Connor,
               47, and Marion Connor, 45.  The Connors�
               daughter, Sara, aged 10, was able to exit
               the house without serious injury.  An
               investigation about the cause of the fire
               is underway.�

Willow sadly stares at the photo.  She touches the photo near little Sara�s face.

                           WILLOW
               Oh, Sara.

Willow puts the article aside and continues her research. 

She finds a copy of Sara�s official birth certificate from Orange Sands and prints it out.  She sees Sara�s name, her mother�s name, and the date: October 16, 1980.  She also sees the name of the doctor who signed: Dr. Abraham Meeks.

She hacks into multiple databases.  She finds out that both Marion Connor and Dr. Abraham Meeks both worked at the same place: Safe Harbor Shelter for Battered Wives.  She also locates medical records on Marion Connor.  She discovers multiple visits to fertility clinics, none successful.

She gets out a road map and marks a place on it.  Then she stands and gathers her belongings as if to leave.

                           WILLOW
               I�m going out.  I�ll be back after --

The phone rings, interrupting Willow�s comment to Andrew.  She answers the phone.

INTERCUT TELEPHONE CONVERSATION � WILLOW AND DANA

                           WILLOW
               Computer Magic.  This is Willow.

DANA is calling from her bedroom.  During the conversation, she keeps looking over her shoulder as if she is guarding from being overheard.

                           DANA
               Willow?  Willow Rosenberg?

                           WILLOW
               Yes.  Who is this?

                           DANA
               It�s Dana, Dana Kellum, from
               UC Sunnydale.

                           WILLOW
                     (doesn�t recognize Dana)
               Ummm....

                           DANA
               We were in Wicca group together?
               At least for a little while.

                           WILLOW
                     (remembers)
               Oh, Dana!  Yeah, I remember now.
               What can I do for you?

                           DANA
               I need help.  Some magic kind of help.
               I heard you had moved here, and I know
               you�re the go-to gal when it comes to
               real magic.

                           WILLOW
               Look, I really don�t do that much
               magic anymore.  I had this sort
               of...addiction problem with the magic.
               I kind of went a little whacky there for
               a while.

                           ANDREW
               More than a little!

                           WILLOW
                     (to Dana, but glaring at Andrew)
               I try not to use it unless I�m in a
               life-or-death type of situation.

                           DANA
               This is a life-or-death situation.
               It�s my dad, Willow.  Can you at least
               meet with me and hear me out?

                           WILLOW
               Okay.

EXT. THE PARK � DAY

Dana and Willow are sitting at a picnic table in a secluded area of the park.

                           DANA
               Thanks for meeting with me.

                           WILLOW
               Sure.  Tell me what�s going on.

                           DANA
               It�s my dad.  I think he�s in trouble.

                           WILLOW
               What kind of trouble?

                           DANA
               Evil stepmother kind of trouble.

                           WILLOW
               Evil stepmother?  I�m assuming you aren�t
               using the term �evil� metaphorically?

                           DANA
                     (shakes her head)
               Definitely not.  Her name�s Thessaly.
               See, my parents are divorced, they�ve been
               divorced for some time.  I live with Dad. 
               He has never dated anyone since he and Mom
               split up.  Then, just the other day, I come
               home from school for break and find Dad not
               only dating this woman but allowing her to
               live at our house!  And he says they�re
               engaged!

Willow gives Dana a look that says �Sounds normal to me, haven�t heard anything �evil� yet.�

                           DANA
               I know what you�re thinking, but this is not
               normal.  My dad and I are very close.  We
               talk on the phone practically every day when
               I�m away.  He stopped calling about a week
               before I came home.  Before that, he never
               once mentioned anything about Thessaly. 
               Don�t you think that�s weird?  That he would
               invite her to live with us and not even tell
               me?

                           WILLOW
               Yes, I�d say that was �weird,� but I still
               don�t see how any of this could be
               considered �evil.�

                           DANA
               You wouldn�t say that if you met her.  
               Thessaly is...she�s just creepy.  I know I�m
               not a witch of your caliber, but I�m
               definitely picking up bad vibes from her.

                           WILLOW
               What else?

                           DANA
               My dad is not himself.  It�s like
               he�s...under her thrall or something.  I�ve
               got a bad feeling about this, Willow. 
               Thessaly is up to no-good, I�m sure of it. 
               She�s gonna hurt my dad, I just know it. 
               Please...will you help me?

                           WILLOW
               Okay.  I�ll help.  I know a ritual we can
               do, a �revealing� spell.  It should give us
               an idea of what we�re up against.  Let me
               look up the details and call you later.

                           DANA
               Thank you!

INT. WILLOW�S HOUSE � NIGHT

Willow is in the living room getting ready to go to Dana�s house.  She is packing a bag.  She includes both computer repair equipment/tools and magic supplies.

EXT. DANA�S HOUSE - NIGHT 

Willow knocks on the front door.  THESSALY opens the door.  She is a tall, very thin woman, with a stern face.  She is impeccably dressed.  She wears a lot of expensive jewelry.  She has very long fingernails.  She gives Willow a very icy stare.

                           THESSALY
               Yes?

                           WILLOW
               Ummm...I�m Willow...from Computer Magic.

Thessaly just stands there, not moving from the doorway.

                           WILLOW
               I�m here to fix Dana�s computer?

Thessaly still just stands there.

                           DANA (O.S.)
               Thessaly?  Is that Willow?

Thessaly merely inclines her head.  Then Dana appears at the door.

                           DANA
               Hey, Willow.

                           WILLOW
               Hey.

Thessaly reluctantly steps aside and lets Willow enter, but she glares at Willow the entire time. 

                           DANA (O.S.)
               Come on in.  My computer�s upstairs, in
               my room.

INT. DANA�S HOUSE � DANA�S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Willow and Dana have just stepped inside Dana�s bedroom.  Dana shuts the door.  They both exhale like they�ve been holding their breath.

                           WILLOW
               God, she is creepy.

                           DANA
               I told you.

                           WILLOW
               Did you get the stuff?

Dana nods.  She first hands Willow a silver bracelet; it is antique but expensive-looking.  Then she hands Willow a picture; it is a snap shot of Thessaly, surreptitiously taken.

                           WILLOW
               Okay.  Let�s do this.

Willow lays out a square with a crystal on each corner, very much like the one used in �Good-Bye Iowa.�  She grinds the mixtures to be used.  She places the bracelet and the picture in the square.  She pours part of the mixture into Dana�s hand and the other mixture into her own hand.

                           WILLOW
               You invoke Thespia then turn it over to me. 
               When you hear me blow my mixture onto the
               square, you do the same, okay?

                           DANA
               Okay.

Willow and Dana assume meditative positions and close their eyes.

                           DANA
               Thespia, we walk in shadow, walk in
               blindness.  You are the protector of the
               night.

                           WILLOW
               Thespia, Goddess, Ruler of All Darkness, we
               implore you.  If this one be a creature of
               darkness, reveal her nature to us now.

Willow blows her mixture on the square, and Dana does the same.  The two women watch as a mystical mist swirls around them then settles on the square.

                           WILLOW
               With your knowledge, may we go in safety.
               With your grace, may we speak of your
               benevolence.

The mist collects around the picture, duplicating its image in the mist.  Slowly, the image in the mist begins to change, from a human face to a demonic visage, one with red eyes and a mark on the forehead: an X with a large circle in the upper quadrant and small black dots in the remaining three quadrants.

INT. DANA�S HOUSE � THE STUDY � CONTINUOUS - NIGHT

Thessaly suddenly snaps her head up from her book.  She growls and her eyes glow yellow.

INT. DANA�S HOUSE � DANA�S BEDROOM � CONTINUOUS � NIGHT

Willow and Dana are still watching the image in the mist.  Suddenly, it becomes alive and growls at them.  Then the entire ritual blows up in their faces.

GO TO ACT FOUR