THE WILLOW AND SARA SERIES #1
SHATTERED ILLUSIONS
ACT TWO
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://www.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

After a long moment, Sara is still standing and waiting on Willow to give her order, but Willow is still staring, frozen, speechless.

Sara is dressed in casual clothes, jeans and a shirt, but over them is an official waitress apron with name tag.  Her long blondish-brown hair is braided in the back.

                          SARA
              What�s the what?  The special?  The soup
              of the day? 

                          WILLOW
              Tara? 

                          SARA
                    (teases, tapping her name tag)
              You need to get your eyes checked, Red.
              It�s Sar-a, not Tar-a. 

                          WILLOW
              Sara.  Your name is Sara? 

                          SARA
              Last time I checked my driver�s
              license, it was. 

                          WILLOW
              You...uh...wouldn�t happen to have
              a twin sister named Tara, would you?

                          SARA
              Nope.  Only child.  Just me, myself,
              and I.

                          WILLOW
              Are you sure?  Of course, you�re sure,
              what a stupid question.  Are you sure? 
              �Cause you look exactly like my...like
              a friend of mine.

                          SARA
              Her name must be Tara, then?

                          WILLOW
              Yeah.
                    (stares again)
              You look...gosh...I just can�t --

                          COOK (O.S.)
              Sara!  Pick up!

                          SARA
                    (cuts Willow off, but not rudely)
              Hey, I�d love to chat about my
              look-alike, but I�m kind of on the
              clock here.  Do you know what you want?

                          WILLOW
              Ummm...no...what do you recommend?

Sara looks around to make sure no one will overhear, then leans over and whispers in Willow�s ear.

                          SARA
              Eating elsewhere. 

                          WILLOW
              Well, I�m feeling adventurous today.
              I�ll take my chances here.  Let�s see.
              I�ll have the...

Willow closes her eyes and randomly drops her index finger on the menu.

                          WILLOW
              ... �10-alarm chili, guaranteed to
              singe your nose hairs.�

Willow makes a whining sound and gives Sara her best �please help me� look.  Sara chuckles and smiles.

                          SARA
              How about the soup and salad?

                          WILLOW
              Good answer!  I�ll have that.  Oh,
              and some iced tea, please.

                          SARA
              You got it.

Sara walks away toward the kitchen.  Willow is in her booth, shaking and breathing hard, still shocked by what has occurred.

INT. ELLIE�S RESTAURANT � DAY - LATER

Willow is sitting before a very cluttered table full of half-eaten food items.  It�s clear that Willow has extended her time in the restaurant by ordering as many additional menu items as possible, and of course, having ordered them, she felt obligated to eat them, so now she�s absolutely miserable.  She has a coffee cup in front of her, which she�s staring into.  Sara comes to the table with a coffee carafe in her hand.

                          SARA
              Need a refill?

                          WILLOW
                    (covers her cup protectively)
              No!  No.  Thank you.  I couldn�t drink
              another drop.  In fact, I think I�m
              going to float away on a tide of coffee.
              No wait.  I wouldn�t float.  I�d sink
              because of all that food I ate and all
              that coffee I drank.  I�d sink just like a
              rock.  A big...huge...coffee-filled...rock.
              I�m sure I mixed my metaphors in there, but
              I�m not thinking right at the moment.
              I�m too miserable.

                          SARA
                    (leans over, whispers in Willow�s ear)
              I warned you. 
                    (straightens, leaves ticket)
              Here�s your ticket.

                          WILLOW
              Thanks.

There is an awkward pause as the two women make eye contact, then Sara smiles and starts to back away.

                          SARA
              I hope you come back soon.

                          WILLOW
              Thanks, I will.  Hey, wait! Ummm, what
              time do you get off work?

                          SARA
                    (definitely interested)
              Why do you want to know?

                          WILLOW
              Ummm...uhhh...I thought maybe we
              could...uhhh...talk or something,
              maybe get a cup of coff --
                    (realizes what she�s said)
              -- ffee.  That was stup --

                          SARA

              I get off at seven.

Sara smiles and lifts her eyebrows, clearly flirting.  Then she backs away from Willow�s table, turns, and walks away.  Willow smiles lightly as she watches Sara leave, then she picks up her ticket and smiles broadly.

INT. WILLOW�S OFFICE - DAY

Willow rushes into the office and goes immediately to her desk.  Andrew is wondering about his lunch.

                          ANDREW
              Hey, what did you get me?

Willow totally ignores Andrew and picks up her phone and dials a number.

                          ANDREW
              Did you forget my lunch?

The phone rings on the other end, and Willow waits.

                          WILLOW
                    (confused, to Andrew)
              Huh?

                          ANDREW
                    (annoyed)
              My lunch?

                          WILLOW
                    (to Andrew)
              Oh, gosh, I�m sorry!  I forgot.  I --

Willow hears the phone being picked up and turns attention to the phone.

                          BUFFY (V.O.)
                    (in answering machine tone)
              Hi!  You have reached the home of
              Buffy and Dawn --

                          DAWN (V.O.)
                    (as if yelling behind Buffy)
              That�s Dawn and Buffy!

                          BUFFY (V.O.)
                    (to Dawn) 
              Okay!
                    (then back to answering machine tone)
              You have reached the home of Dawn and
              Buffy.  Please leave a message.

                          WILLOW
                    (to phone, after the beep)
              Buffy!  Oh, and Dawn.  I...ummm...oh,
              never mind.  I�ll tell you later.
              No emergency.  Bye.

Willow hangs up and immediately starts another call.  She  quickly punches the numbers, listens to the phone ringing, then hears the phone picked up.

                          XANDER (V.O.)
              Hello?

                          WILLOW
              Xander!  You will never believe --

                          XANDER (V.O.)
                    (as if he can�t hear Willow)
              Hello?  Hellllll...llllooooh?

                          WILLOW
              It�s me.  Willow.  Can you hear me?

                          XANDER (V.O.)
                    (after a short pause)
              Psych!  Gotcha!  I�m not here, so
              leave a message.

                          WILLOW
                    (hanging up angrily)
              I fall for that every time!
                    (stopping, thinking)
              Oh!  I know!  I�ll call Giles.
              No wait.  He�s in England, eight hours
              ahead.  Too late.  Damn!  This sucks! 
              I have news, and I don�t have anyone
              to tell!

Andrew clears his throat to call attention to himself as if to say �you can tell me, hint, hint.�  Willow looks his way, rolls her eyes, and turns away.  Then she starts thinking and cuts her eyes back at him, considering telling him.

INT. WILLOW�S OFFICE - SAME

Willow is now sitting right next to Andrew, telling her story in a very animated fashion.

                          WILLOW
              I am telling you she looked just like
              her, just like Tara.  It was like...seeing
              a ghost.

                          ANDREW
              Do you think she was a ghost?

                          WILLOW
              Last time I checked, ghosts don�t wait
              tables at greasy diners.

                          ANDREW
              Oh, right.  Do you think you�ll
              see her again?

                          WILLOW
                    (smiling broadly)
              I know I will.  I�m meeting her tonight
              after she gets off work.

                          ANDREW
              Ohhh.  While the Slayer�s away, the
              Witch will play.

                          WILLOW
              No!  It�s not like that.  I just...I just
              want to know more about her, who she is,
              where she comes from.  Maybe she�s related
              to Tara and doesn�t know it.  I�m going to
              find the connection -- or at least a logical
              explanation, I hope.

INT. WILLOW�S HOUSE � THE BEDROOM - DAY

Willow is getting ready to go see Sara, nervously trying on clothes and checking herself out in the full-length mirror.  When she�s finished getting dressed, she goes to her chest of drawers where a jewelry box sits.  She gets out some earrings and puts them on. 

She touches the doll�s eye crystal, then picks up the picture of Tara sitting behind it.

                          WILLOW
                    (to the picture of Tara)
              I�m going to see your look-alike, Tara.
              What do you think of that?

The phone suddenly rings, scaring Willow.  She quickly replaces the picture and then answers the phone.

INTERCUT TELEPHONE CONVERSATION � WILLOW AND KENNEDY

                          WILLOW
              Hello?

                          KENNEDY
              Hey.  Just got settled in at the house.
              I thought I�d call and let you know I
              made it okay.

Willow is very nervous, like she�s been nearly caught with her hand in the cookie jar; her voice is choppy and overly-cheery.

                          WILLOW
              Good!  I�m glad.  Your flight okay?

                          KENNEDY
              Yeah, it was fine.

                          WILLOW
              Good!  I�m glad.  Your folks okay?

                          KENNEDY
              They�re fine.  They even asked about you.

                          WILLOW
              Good!  I�m glad.  Your flight okay?

                          KENNEDY
              Willow, are you all right?

                          WILLOW
              Yes!  I�m fine!  Just fine.  I am
              finely fine.  Fine as fine china I am. 
              Ha, ha, I sounded just like Dr. Seuss
              then, didn�t I?  Ha, ha.

                          KENNEDY
              You don�t sound fine.  You sound
              kind of...flustered.

                          WILLOW
              Coffee!  Too much coffee!  Yes,
              that�s it, I�ve had entirely too
              much coffee today!  Y-y-you know how
              I get when I�ve had too much caffeine.

                          KENNEDY
              Well, get decaf next time! 

Kennedy chuckles.  Willow echoes her chuckle with her own nervous and entirely too loud laughter.  Then Kennedy sobers, and Willow follows suit.

                          KENNEDY
              Listen, honey, I�m sorry about last
              night.  I was being a total bitch, and
              I�m sorry.  I�m sorry that I left
              on such a sour note.

                          WILLOW
              Oh, it�s okay.  I understand.  Really.

                          KENNEDY
              I knew you would.  And I do know that I
              can count on you.
                    (small awkward pause)
              Well, I better go.
                    (then recites)
              I miss you, and I love you, and I�ll
              talk to you soon, okay?

                          WILLOW
              Yeah, sure.  Love you, too.  Bye.

Willow hangs up.  She lets out a deep breath and hugs the phone to her chest, looking very worried.

EXT. ELLIE�S RESTAURANT - DAY

Willow is outside the restaurant, pacing back and forth nervously, looking at her watch.  It reads 7:15.

Finally, Sara comes out of the restaurant.  She takes off her apron and name tag and places them in a small backpack.  Willow smiles broadly.

                          WILLOW
                    (smiling and waving)
              Sara!  Hey.

                          SARA
                    (also smiling)
              Oh, hey.  Ummm...I didn�t get your
              name earlier.  Dumb, huh?

                          WILLOW
              Willow.  It�s Willow.

                          SARA
              Neat name.  Sorry I�m late, by the way.
                    (disgustedly)
              Chad wanted to chat.

                          WILLOW

              Who�s Chad?

                          SARA
              My new boss.  He is so clueless!  I guess
              I�m just going to have to tell him
              point-blank, �Chad, I�m gay.  You have
              no chance with me what-so-ever.�

                          WILLOW
              Oh.  You�re gay...too.

                          SARA
              Well, duh!  Didn�t you know that?
              I knew about you the minute I saw you.

                          WILLOW
              Ummm...well...no, I didn�t even --
              Wait.  You knew just by looking at me?

                          SARA
              Ditto the �duh.�
                    (a confused pause)
              If you didn�t know I was gay, then
              why did you ask me out?

                          WILLOW
              I didn�t.  Ask you out, I mean.  Not the
              out-on-a-date out anyway.  It was more of a
              hey-let�s-be-friends...out-asking...thing. 
              That�s okay, isn�t it?

                          SARA
                    (surprised, then disappointed)
              Oh.  Ummm...yeah...it�s okay.
                    (a pause, then cheery)
              So, where are you taking me on our
              let�s-be-friends date?

                          WILLOW
              Somewhere we can talk.

EXT. ICE CREAM PARLOR � NIGHT

Willow and Sara at a table on the sidewalk.  They each have ice cream.  They seem relaxed, already comfortable in each other�s presence. 

                          SARA
              So, tell me about my look-alike.  I
              know her name�s Tara, but that�s about
              it.  Do you have a picture of her?

                          WILLOW
                    (reaching for her wallet)
              Yes.
                    (then stopping)
              No.  Not with me.  I used to have one
              in my wallet, but...I�ll just have
              to bring it to you and show you.  Then
              you�ll see what I�m talking about.  You
              look exactly like her.  It�s uncanny,
              really.  You could be her twin.

                          SARA
                    (joking, conspiratorially)
              Maybe I am her twin.  Yes, that�s it! I�m
              her long-lost twin sister, separated at
              birth by some inexplicable soap-opera-like
              tragedy. 

                          WILLOW
                    (joining the joke)
              No, I know what you are.  You�re
              her clone! 

                          SARA
              Yes!  The product of some secret
              government experiment!

                          WILLOW
              Or...or...a pod person! 

                          SARA
              Or a doppelganger from another dimension!

                          WILLOW
                    (not joking now)
              No!  Not a doppelganger!  Please.
              Doppelgangers are...they can be...really
              ...skanky.

                          SARA
              You�re weird. 

Willow makes a slightly hurt face.

                          SARA
              I mean that in a good way.  You�re an
              interesting kind of weird.

                          WILLOW
              That�s reassuring.

                          SARA
              So, where is this Tara person friend
              of yours I�m cloned from?  I think I�d
              like to meet her.

                          WILLOW
              Oh.  She�s...ummm...she�s...dead.

Willow looks very stricken for a moment.  Then she recovers and is apologetic.

                          WILLOW
              Sorry, I guess I should have mentioned
              that earlier. 

Again, Willow�s face falls, deep pain and sadness very evident.

                          SARA
              She was your girlfriend, wasn�t she?

                          WILLOW
              Yes, she was.

                          SARA
              What happened to her?

                          WILLOW
              She was murdered.

                          SARA
              Oh my god!  When did this happen?

                          WILLOW
              Almost two years ago.

                          SARA
              No wonder you freaked when you saw me.

                          WILLOW
              Yeah.

                          SARA
              Well, I hope they got the bastard
              who did it.

                          WILLOW
              They did.  He got what he deserved.

Willow looks away.  Sara does the same.  They both fidget awkwardly until Sara breaks the silence.

                          SARA
              Have you been going out with
              anyone since...since Tara?

                          WILLOW
              Ummm...yeah.  I�m seeing someone
              now as a matter of fact.

                          SARA
              Oh.

                          WILLOW
              Her name is Kennedy.  She�s visiting
              her parents this week.  She�s...she�s
              really great.  What about you?

                          SARA
              Definitely single at the moment.  And not
              particularly happy about it either.

Once again there is an awkward silence.  Sara and Willow just cast nervous glances at each other for a few moments.

                          SARA
              Hey, why don�t we go to the Double-X?

                          WILLOW
              The Double-X?

                          SARA
              Yeah, it�s not far.

                          WILLOW
              Okay.

EXT. STREET OUTSIDE THE ICE CREAM PARLOR - NIGHT

Willow and Sara leave the ice cream parlor and start walking to the Double-X.  They talk on the way.

                          WILLOW
              So, you said you were an only child.

                          SARA
              Yes.

                          WILLOW
              Me too.  Sometimes I felt like I was the
              not-even-there child.  My parents didn�t
              really pay much attention to me.

                          SARA
              I had great parents.  They doted on me,
              spoiled me like crazy.

                          WILLOW
              That must�ve been nice.

                          SARA
              It was.
                    (smiles weakly, then pauses, saddened)
              While it lasted anyway.

                          WILLOW
              What do you mean?

                          SARA
              My parents died when I was ten.

                          WILLOW
                    (stops walking)
              Oh, Sara, I�m so sorry.  I didn�t
              mean to bring up a painful subject.

Sara tries to be convincingly strong, but it�s clear that she was hurt very deeply by this event.

                          SARA
              It�s okay.  I...it was a long time ago.
              It...it was a...house fire.  I....ummm...
              I got out, but they...they didn�t make it.

                          WILLOW
                    (squeezes Sara�s arm)
              I�m so sorry.

                          SARA
                    (pulls away)
              Like I said, it�s okay.  It was a long
              time ago.

Sara starts walking again.  Willow follows.  They turn down another street. 

EXT. STREET NEAR THE DOUBLE-X BAR � NIGHT

Willow and Sara walk in momentary silence.  In the background, several men hang out beside a car.  They are drinking beer.  They watch Willow and Sara walk by.  Willow and Sara don�t seem to notice.  They turn another corner.

                          WILLOW
              What were their names?  Your parents,
              I mean.

                          SARA
              Collier and Marion.  Collier and
              Marion Connor.

Willow accepts this new fact, then goes deep into thought for a moment.  Then she makes the connection.

                          WILLOW
                    (grins)
              So you�re...

                          SARA
                    (as The Terminator)
              ...Sara Connor.

                          WILLOW
              Oh, that is so wild!
                    (as The Terminator)
              Sara Connor.
                    (herself)
              I feel like I should pull out a large
              caliber weapon and blow you away.
                    (embarrassed)
              Oh, gosh, that came out so wrong.

                          SARA
              Don�t worry about it.  I knew it was a
              joke.  You�re really funny, you know?

                          WILLOW
              Funny as in you-make-me-laugh or funny
              as in you-frighten-me-terribly?

                          SARA
              The first one, you numb-skull!  Well, here
              it is: the Double-X.

EXT. THE DOUBLE-X BAR � NIGHT

It is a small bar, tucked away at the end of a dead-end street.  A few cars line the road.  Music can be heard from inside.  A large neon sign blinks above the door: �XX�. 

Sara opens the door and holds it for Willow.  Willow enters and Sara follows.

INT. THE DOUBLE-X BAR � NIGHT

Willow is sitting at a table in the back of the bar.  She is fidgeting a little.  She looks around the place. 

There�s a bar plus tables and chairs, a jukebox, a couple of pool tables, and a dart machine.  Lesbian paraphernalia is sprinkled here and there: female-female symbols, labrys, rainbow pride, artsy pictures of women, etc.  Music is playing from the jukebox.  There are a few other women around: one sits at the bar where Sara is now picking up their drinks, a couple dances together by the jukebox.

Sara returns from the bar carrying two light beers.  She sets one in front of Willow, then plops down in her chair and takes a good swig.

                          WILLOW
              Thanks.  So, tell me something else about
              you, like, where were you born?

                          SARA
              Orange Sands.  I grew up in San Mattea,
              though.  When my mother was pregnant
              with me, she and my dad were on the
              road coming back from a trip.  I wasn�t
              supposed to be due yet, but I came early. 
              My mom had me right there in the car on
              the side of the highway.  Wild, huh?

                          WILLOW
              No doubt.  Were your parents from
              San Mattea?

                          SARA
              I guess so.  I don�t really know.

                          WILLOW
              How did you end up here?

                          SARA
              You sure ask a lot of questions.

                          WILLOW
              Sorry.  Just trying to get to know you.

                          SARA
              Enough about me.  I want to hear more
              about you.

                          WILLOW
              Me?  Not much to tell really.  I was
              born in Sunnydale, went to high school
              in Sunnydale, even went to college in
              Sunnydale.  I�d probably still be in
              Sunnydale if it hadn�t been --

                          SARA
              Gobbled up by the earth?

                          WILLOW
              Well, yeah.  Nicely put.

                          SARA
              Were you there for the big quake?

                          WILLOW
              Yeah.  I barely got out in time.

                          SARA
              Wow.  I saw the pictures on TV.  Nothing
              but a crater left where Sunnydale used
              to be.

                           WILLOW
              You should�ve seen it up close and
              personal.

                           SARA
              No thank you!  So, what happened after
              you escaped the quake?

                           WILLOW
              Well, when I left Sunnydale, I came here
              and started my own business.

                           SARA
              What do you do?

                           WILLOW
              I work with computers.

Sara suddenly pulls back in her seat, putting her left and right index fingers into the position of a cross in a warding-off gesture.

                           SARA
              Back!  Back!  You evil geek monster!
              You seek to destroy humanity with your
              demonic devices of deception!  They
              promise to help you, to make your life
              easier, but all they do is make your
              life a living hell!  Back, I say!

                           WILLOW
              I�m sensing some slight computer
              animosity here.

                           SARA
              You�re very perceptive.

                           WILLOW
              So I�m told.  By the way, I fix computers.
              I make them better.  Think of me as the
              Computer Exorcist.

                           SARA
              Oh, well, that�s okay then.  Hey, maybe
              you should put that on your business cards!

                           WILLOW
              Maybe I will.  You know, you�re pretty
              funny yourself.
                    (as The Terminator)
              Sara Connor.

EXT. THE DOUBLE-X BAR � NIGHT

It�s a couple of hours later.  Willow and Sara exit the bar.  It�s dark, and they are going back up the dead-end street. 

When they turn the corner, they see the men that they had overlooked earlier in the evening.  The men are still hanging out by that car and are still drinking beer.  They watch Willow and Sara as the two women walk towards them. 

Right when they are about to pass by, the JERK walks around the car and steps in front of them, stopping them.  The rest of the men stay on the other side of the car and watch with amusement.

                           JERK
              Check it out, fellas.  Looks like we got
              ourselves a couple of lesbos walking down
              our street.

Sara puts herself between Willow and the Jerk.

                           SARA
              Get out of our way and leave us
              alone, jerk-wad!

                           JERK
              Make me, bitch!

The Jerk leans toward Sara menacingly.  Sara shrinks down and steps back and drops her head, as if scared.

GO TO ACT THREE