THE WILLOW AND SARA SERIES #1
SHATTERED ILLUSIONS
ACT SEVEN
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

INTERCUT TELEPHONE CONVERSATION � WILLOW & KENNEDY (CONT�D)

                           WILLOW
               Kennedy, calm down.  It�s not what
               you think.

                           KENNEDY
               Oh really?  I�m conveniently out of town,
               and you�ve got a woman in our bedroom in the
               middle of the night!  What am I supposed
               to think?

                           WILLOW
               Sara and I are just friends, I swear, she --

                           KENNEDY
               God, Willow, I can�t believe you are doing
               this!  I knew you were acting strange.  How
               could you do this to me?

                           WILLOW
               I�m not doing anything!  Sara is just a
               friend.  She�s going through a hard time
               right now, and I�m helping her out.  That�s
               all.

                           KENNEDY
               Oh, right.  And just how exactly are you
               �helping� her?  And just how long has this
               �helping� been going on?  All those long
               hours when you said you were at work.  God,
               I can�t believe you�re cheating on me!

                           WILLOW
               I�m not cheating on you!  I just met her
               this week.  Kennedy, baby, listen to me,
               please.  Sara and I are just friends.  There
               is nothing going on between us.

                           KENNEDY
                     (long silence first)
               This is the last straw, Will.

                           WILLOW
               The last straw?  What are you talking about?

                           KENNEDY
               It�s over.  You and me.  We�re finished.

                           WILLOW
               Kennedy, no!  It�s not over.  I don�t
               want it to be over.

                           KENNEDY
               You should have thought of that before you
               brought Sara home with you.  Good-bye,
               Willow.

                           WILLOW
               Baby, no, please!  Don�t hang up!  Don�t
               hang up --

Kennedy hangs up. 

INT. WILLOW�S HOUSE � THE BEDROOM - NIGHT

Willow stands there, shaking, crying, holding the phone in shock.

                           WILLOW
               I can�t believe this.  Kennedy...she...she
               just broke up with me.

                           SARA
               I�m so sorry.  I shouldn�t have answered the
               phone.  It was stupid.  I --

                           WILLOW
                     (gets really choked up)
               Oh, god...

                           SARA
                     (frantically tries to explain herself)
               I just thought, I mean, it was late, and I
               thought it might be an emergency or
               something.

Willow doesn�t answer, just has a pained look on her face.

                           SARA
                     (starts to move to leave)
               I should go.

                           WILLOW
                     (stops Sara from leaving)
               No, please.  Don�t go.  It�s not your fault.
               You were just doing what you thought was
               right.  I...ummm...I don�t want to be...I
               don�t think either of us should be alone
               right now.

                           SARA
               Are you sure?

                           WILLOW
               Yes, I�m sure.

Willow plops down on the edge of the bed, shoulders slumped.  Sara sits down carefully, near Willow but with a respectable distance between them.

                           WILLOW
               The last straw?  What was she talking
               about?  I mean, things haven�t been hunky-
               dory around here, but they weren�t that bad.

                           SARA
               I�m sure they weren�t.  She�s just upset.

                           WILLOW
                     (stands up suddenly)
               But why is she upset?  I don�t understand. 
               I told her we were just friends.  Why didn�t
               she believe me?  I mean, I told her there
               was nothing between us.

There is a long silence.  Then Sara gets up and moves to stand before Willow.

                           SARA
               Willow, I think we both know that there is
               something between us.

                           WILLOW
                     (emphatically defensive)
               No!  No, there isn�t!  We haven�t done
               anything!

                           SARA
               It isn�t about doing, Willow.  It�s about
               feeling.  Every time we�re together, I feel
               it.  Don�t you?

                           WILLOW
                     (stunned, then shakes her head)
               No...I....

Sara touches Willow, stroking her arm.  She brushes Willow�s face, then pushes Willow�s hair back over her ear, letting her fingers trail back down Willow�s neck.

Willow is definitely feeling it.  Her breathing gets very heavy and ragged.

                           WILLOW
               Please...don�t.

                           SARA
               (doesn�t stop the touching)
               Just tell me that you don�t feel it.  That
               you don�t feel exactly what I�m feeling
               right now.  Tell me that, and I�ll stop. 

                           WILLOW
               I...I can�t.

Willow won�t meet Sara�s eyes.  Sara lifts Willow�s chin, forcing Willow to look at her.

                           SARA
               Then why fight it? 

Sara kisses Willow tenderly.  Then Willow kisses her back more intensely.  Both of them reach for each other, pulling close together.  Eventually, their kiss winds down, and they pull apart, still touching, but breathing very heavily.

                           SARA
               Now you tell me: Does that seem
               like �nothing� to you?

                           WILLOW
               No, definitely not.  Definitely not a
               �nothing.�  I think we�re clearly dealing
               with a �something� here.  Oh, god.

Willow plops on the bed with her head in her hands.

                           WILLOW
               This is so screwed up.

                           SARA
                     (with hurt sarcasm)
               Thanks, that�s just what a girl likes to
               hear after a passionate kiss.

                           WILLOW
               I�m sorry, it�s just...complicated.
               Extremely complicated.

                           SARA
               From my point of view, things just
               got simpler.

                           WILLOW
               Well, they aren�t!  Nothing about this is
               simple!  My girlfriend just broke up with me
               over something that was nothing, only it
               turned out to be something, and that
               something is that I�m kissing my dead
               lover�s identical twin sister!  I�m
               expecting Jerry Springer to show up at
               any moment!

                           SARA
                     (angrily)
               I am not Tara�s twin!

                           WILLOW
                     (blurts unintentionally)
               Oh, yes you are!

                           SARA
               What are you talking about?

Willow realizes what she�s done and immediately regrets it.  This is not how she intended to tell Sara.  Willow clams up.

                           SARA
               Tell me!

                           WILLOW
               I...did some research on your family, and
               that�s what I found out.  You really are
               Tara�s twin sister.

Sara is in complete shock, extremely painful shock.

                           WILLOW
               I had to know...you know?  I mean, you
               looked so much like her.  I knew there had
               to be a connection.

                           SARA
                     (in denial)
               You�re wrong.  My parents would have told
               me.  So...you...are wrong.

                           WILLOW
               I�m not wrong.  I talked to the doctor who
               was there when you were born.  It�s true, I
               swear.  I can prove it.

                           SARA
                     (furious now)
               How dare you!  You had no business digging
               into my affairs behind my back! 

                           WILLOW
               I�m sorry, I just thought...that you
               should know.  I thought you should know
               the truth.

                           SARA
               The truth?  The truth is that you did it
               for yourself.  You�re trying to re-create
               your girlfriend in me.  Well, I am not Tara!  
               And I�m never going to be!

                           WILLOW
               I know that.  And it�s not like that.

                           SARA
                     (pulling her jeans and shoes on)
               God, I can�t believe this!  How could you
               think for one moment that I would want to
               hear this?  You tell me the people I thought
               were my parents -- the people I loved more
               than anything in the world -- that they
               weren�t my parents at all, that they lied to
               me my whole life...you tell me all that, and
               you expect me to what?  Thank you?  Well,
               thank you very much, thank you for
               shattering my world!

Now fully dressed, Sara grabs her stuff and rushes down the stairs and out the front door with a loud slam.  Willow is left standing on the stairs in shock.  She plops down on the steps and cries.

MONTAGE � WILLOW AND SARA CONTEMPLATING THEIR SITUATIONS

A Sarah-McLaughlin-like song provides the background music, something slow and sweet but very heart-wrenching, something about choices, decisions, mistakes, forgiveness, that kind of thing.  About eight hours pass.  Unobtrusive images of clocks (or of other time indicators) can be interspersed to note the passing of the hours.

-- Willow still on the stairs in her robe,
   looking devastated
-- Sara walking quickly along a street, then
   stopping and leaning against a wall, crying
-- Willow, now dressed and downstairs, holding
   the panda
-- Sara, now home, plopping on her couch
-- Willow walking around the living room,
   stopping at a happy picture of herself and
   Kennedy
-- Sara opening her pack and finding the Polaroid
   of herself and Willow at the fair
-- Willow moving to another picture, the same one
   that Sara had looked at earlier, the one of Buffy,
   Willow, Tara, and Dawn at Buffy�s old house
-- Sara digging in her pack again, this time finding
   the stack of Willow�s pictures that they had been
   looking at while at the fair: Tara and her mother,
   Tara and Willow as the happy couple
-- Willow back upstairs, looking first at the picture
   of Tara that was in her dresser drawer, then holding
   the doll�s-eye crystal that Tara had given to her
   early on in their friendship
-- Sara thinking hard, then making a �I�ve made a
   decision face,� then leaving her apartment.

EXT. WILLOW�S HOUSE � DAY

Sara returns to Willow�s house and knocks on the front door.  Willow opens the door, and a very awkward moment ensues.

                           SARA
               Hey.

                           WILLOW
               Hey. 

Willow doesn�t move out of doorway to invite Sara in; she just stands and stares.

                           SARA
               Can I come in?

                           WILLOW
               Oh!  Yeah, sure. 

INT. WILLOW�S HOUSE � THE LIVING ROOM - DAY

Willow steps aside and lets Sara in.

                           WILLOW
               Sorry.  I�m just...surprised.  I didn�t
               expect to see you...again...ever.

                           SARA
               Well, I have something I want to say,
               so...here I am.

                           WILLOW
                     (expects the worst)
               Okay.

                           SARA
               I just wanted to say that...that I get it.
               Why you did what you did.  And I�m not mad
               or anything, not at you anyway.  I�m not
               happy about what you told me, but I don�t
               blame you.

                           WILLOW
               You should.  I was meddling in something
               that was none of my business.

                           SARA
               It is your business, Willow.  This is as
               much Tara�s history as it is mine.  You had
               every right to investigate it.  Tara is a
               part of you.

                           WILLOW
               Yes, she is.  Still, I shouldn�t have told
               you like that.

                           SARA
               It�s all right.  I just don�t understand why
               my parents didn�t tell me.

                           WILLOW
               I think I can help you with that.  If you�ll
               let me.

                           SARA
               Okay.

INT. WILLOW�S HOUSE � THE LIVING ROOM - LATER

Willow and Sara are on the couch with all of Willow�s research on the table.  Willow has apparently told Sara all she knows.

Sara looks at a sheet of paper then puts it down in shock and disbelief.

                           SARA
               Gosh.  This is so unbelievable.  I feel like
               I�m starring in a soap opera.
                     (smiles weakly)
               Or, at the very least, a Lifetime movie.

                           WILLOW
               Yeah.

                           SARA
               I mean, it�s so freaking tragic.  I find
               out that I have this whole other family.
               A father and a brother, but they�re
               bastards.  And a mother and a sister, but
               they�re...dead.  Oh god...I feel so alone...

Sara starts to get choked up again.

                           WILLOW
               Hey...hey...it�s okay.

Willow takes Sara into her arms and hugs her tightly while she cries.  She strokes Sara�s hair soothingly.

                           WILLOW
               You�re not alone.

Sara cries for a moment, then stops and pulls back.  Willow still holds Sara�s arms.  Then she touches Sara�s face, gently wiping her tears away.  They both smile.  As their smiles fade, Willow moves her face close to Sara�s, intending to kiss her.  Sara lets her get almost there, then she moves to meet her.  They kiss, tentatively at first, tenderly, then deeply, passionately.  They are so into each other that they fail to hear the front door open.

Kennedy walks in and sees Willow and Sara making out on the couch in the living room.

                           KENNEDY
               Willow?  What the --

At Kennedy�s voice, Willow and Sara abruptly separate.  Willow stands up, fiddling with her hands.  Sara just shrinks down and tries not to be seen.

                           WILLOW
               Kennedy!

                           KENNEDY
               I am not believing this.

                           WILLOW
               Kennedy...uhhh...what are you doing here?

                           KENNEDY
               I live here...or at least I used to. 
               God!  I can�t believe I rushed back here,
               thinking we could --

                           WILLOW
               Kennedy --

                           KENNEDY
               Well, let me at least take a look at the
               bitch you were so nicely �helping� just now.

Kennedy comes around the couch to look at Sara.  Sara has her head down.

                           KENNEDY
                     (to Sara)
               Come on! 

Sara raises her head, finally refusing to be intimidated.  When she shows her face, Kennedy falls back in shock.

                           KENNEDY
               Holy --  Geez --  Oh, god...is that -- ?

                           WILLOW
               No!  It�s not --

                           KENNEDY
               Oh, god!  Willow, what did you do?

                           WILLOW
               Nothing!  It�s not Tara.  I know it
               looks like her, but it�s not.  This is
               Sara.  She�s...she�s...

                           SARA
               I�m Tara�s twin sister.  Okay?

                           KENNEDY
                     (still in shock)
               Tara had a twin sister?

                           SARA
               It was a surprise to me, too, believe me.

                           KENNEDY
                     (now over her shock)
               Well, isn�t this just peachy-keen?  
               Now you�ve gotten what you�ve always
               wanted, huh Willow?  Tara all over again.

                           SARA
               I�m not Tara!

                           KENNEDY
               Butt out, doppelganger!

                           WILLOW
               This isn�t about Tara!

                           KENNEDY
               Isn�t it?

                           WILLOW
               No!  This is about you and me.

                           KENNEDY
               There never was any �you and me.�
               Not really.  How could there be? 
               You never let me in.  You never
               let go of Tara.

                           WILLOW
               Oh yeah?  Well, I have done nothing but
               work at this relationship -- only to have
               you push me away.  You spend more time
               being the Slayer, dusting vampires and
               killing demons, than you do with me.

                           KENNEDY
               Oh, and your tendency to eighty-hour
               weeks at your office -- that was just a good
               work ethic?

                           WILLOW
               No...I...

Willow gives up and hangs her head.  She and Kennedy have reached the end of the argument.  There�s really nothing left to say.  They know it�s over.  It�s been over for a while, really.  Willow crosses her arms over her chest, then lifts her eyes to Kennedy.  They share a very long and deeply pained look which is followed by a look of resignation.

                           KENNEDY
               I�ll send for my stuff.

Willow just nods, tears rolling down her cheeks.  Kennedy turns and walks solemnly out of the house, leaving Willow and Sara alone.

Sara looks at Willow, who seems frozen in place.  Sara gets up and goes to Willow.  She touches Willow�s arms gently, and Willow falls into her arms.  Willow cries for a moment while Sara holds her.  When Willow�s crying subsides, they separate.

                           SARA
               Willow, I�m so sorry.

                           WILLOW
               It�s okay.  I think...this was a long
               time coming.  Doesn�t make it any easier,
               though.

Willow and Sara sit down on the couch.  They don�t speak for a few moments.

                           WILLOW
               Look, Sara, I --

                           SARA
               I understand.  I�ll go.

                           WILLOW
               No.  That�s not what I --
                     (taking a deep breath)
               I don�t know what this is between us,
               but it�s there, and it�s strong, and I
               can�t deny that.

Sara merely nods.

                           WILLOW
               But I have to be honest...I�m afraid.

                           SARA
                     (taking Willow�s hand)
               I know.  I am too.  But I�d really like
               to see where this goes.  Something tells
               me it�ll be worth it.

Willow thinks hard for a moment, then smiles in acceptance.

                           WILLOW
               Okay.

Willow leans into Sara and lets her hold her.

                           WILLOW
               This feels so good.  I�m so tired.

                           SARA
               Me too. 

They sit quietly together, content just to snuggle.  They are both getting very sleepy, but especially Willow.

                           SARA
               Ummm...Willow?

                           WILLOW
               Hmmm?

                           SARA
               What did you mean when you said
               Kennedy was the Slayer...dusting
               vampires...killing demons?

Willow�s eyes immediately fly open, fully alert.  She has a �Gulp� look on her face.

                           WILLOW
               Oh, boy.

INT. WILLOW�S HOUSE � THE LIVING ROOM - LATER

Willow and Sara are sweetly asleep on the couch.  Willow has her head in Sara�s lap, and Sara has her arm wrapped around Willow. 

The phone rings and wakes them up.  Willow sits up and answers it.

INTERCUT TELEPHONE CONVERSATION � WILLOW AND BUFFY 

                           WILLOW
                     (groggily)
               Hello.

                           BUFFY
               Hey, Will, what�s up?

                           WILLOW
                     (becoming alert now)
               Hey, Buffy!  Not much, just working, hanging
               out, you know, same ole, same ole.  Well,
               actually, not all of the ole is the same...

                           BUFFY
               Listen, Xander and I are throwing our
               Scooby Party tonight.  You got my message,
               right?

                           WILLOW
               Yes, I got your message.

                           BUFFY
               We were hoping you and Kennedy could
               join us.

                           WILLOW
               Well...uhhh...we can�t.  �Cause there is
               no more �we.�

                           BUFFY
               What?

                           WILLOW
               Kennedy and I broke up.

                           BUFFY
               Good grief!  Willow, why didn�t you
               call me?  I knew something was up when you
               left that �no emergency� message!  What
               happened?

                           WILLOW
               It kind of just happened, like today.  And
               it�s a long story.  Too long for a phone
               call.  Why don�t I tell you when I get
               there?

                           BUFFY
               So you�re coming, then?

                           WILLOW
               Definitely.  I have a lot to tell you.
               Besides, I have something I want to
               show you.

She says this while taking Sara�s hand and smiling at her.  Sara smiles back.

                           THE END

GO TO WILLOW AND SARA SERIES #2: SOULMATE

Send Feedback to Author