Buffy the Vampire Slayer - A Virtual Season 7 - Episode 15

Reapers

by The Devious One (letsrocket_1998@yahoo.com)
Follow the Virtual Season 7 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer by The Devious One Productions at https://deviousone2002.tripod.com/vir7season.htm.

Buffy and all characters who have appeared in the syndicated series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, together with the names, titles, and backstory are the sole copyright property of Mutant Enemy, the WB, UPN, and of course, Joss Whedon himself.  No copyright infringement was intended in the writing of this fan fiction.  All other characters, the story ideas and VR season itself are the sole property of the author.  This story cannot be sold or used for profit in any way.  Copies of this story may be made for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright notices.

NOTE:  All works remain the © copyright of the original author.  These may not be republished in any way, shape, or form without the written expressed consent or acceptance of the author of the story.

SPECIAL NOTE:  The whole concept of the Reaper belongs to the writer, producers, and director of the film "Blade 2".  I just borrowed the Reaper idea for this episode.  No harm intended.

(Anthony Steward Head VO)
"Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer"

The normal Previously on Buffy music cues up.

Various scenes from different episodes are now shown.  They are in the order as follows.

A small compilation of scenes from 'Ties That Bind' and 'The Boss', depicting Xander and Anya's slowly rebuilding relationship, as well as the troubles Willow and Tara have been going through as they try to renew the relationship they had before Tara's tragic death.  Scenes from the same episodes regarding Buffy and Spike's relationship are shown.

And then, scenes from the episode 'Beneath You' are shown.  The scenes that are shown are the young woman in Germany being killed by the robed figures and the words she spoke that led to Tara's vision of her.  Also shown are the scenes of the worm creature attacking Nancy and Buffy's saving her, followed by the ending sequence of scenes between Buffy and Spike.

Next, scenes from the episodes 'The Test' and 'Selfless' are shown.  From the scenes of Xander and Dawn being captured by the Boss's people to the meeting with Warren and the Boss and including the fight involving Buffy, Willow, and Tara against the six demons, Willow's use of dark magick and Tara's newfound power making an appearance, to Spike saving Xander and Dawn and ending with the Boss's manipulation of Spike during the final scene where Spike attacks a homeless woman.  And the scenes depicting Anya's last wish and her fight with Buffy are shown.

Scenes from 'Revelations' are shown, showing the Harbingers attacking the Gang and taking Spike, and the final scene, in which the Source rises up a hideous beast that is a true full blooded vampire.  And then, scenes from 'Inner Demons' are shown, showing Willow and Tara's battle with Rack to Spike's torment by the Source and the Ubervamp.

And next, scenes from episode 10 'The Sacrifice, Part 1' is shown.  The scenes shown are the Ubervamp's hunting of Buffy, Giles, Anya, Dawn, Willow, and Tara, followed by the conversation Willow and Tara had about possibly leaving Sunnydale when the big battle is over.  The scene showing Buffy's victory over the Ubervamp is shown, followed by the Source's interactions with the demon sorcerer Kronell.  A couple more scenes are shown of Kronell completing the ritual with Warren's unexpected appearance towards the end and ending with the Source's visit to the Council of Watcher's headquarters in London and the Harbingers attack against Xander, Andrew, and Jonathan at Xander's apartment.

Following those scenes are scenes from the episode 'The Sacrifice, Part 2' are shown.  Beginning with the gang finding Xander, Andrew, and Jonathan unconscious, to Buffy, Xander, and Giles's meeting with the Old Woman, to Buffy's slaying of Kronell, and with the climactic scenes of saving Tara and Buffy's fight with Warren, and ending with the appearance of Michael, and the sad goodbye Tara made to her friends as she left with Michael to return to the Higher Realms.

Just after those are shown,  the next scenes are shown from the episode 'Alternate Possibilities' showing Buffy's time in the parallel reality.  Showing the Coalition of Demons and Vampires, Buffy's meeting with Willow and Xander and later Tara and then the subsequent battles with Angelus and Spike.  The compilation ends with showing the scenes of Skips final words to Buffy and then Tara's shocking reappearance at the Magic Box.

And next, scenes from the episode 'Lost Memories' are shown.  The scenes are showing the explanations to Tara about her history with the Scoobies as well as her interactions with the Source at his mansion. Then, we see the fight between the Scoobs and the Source's minions before ending on scenes of the Source's speaking with the Dark Mystics and Spike's arrival at the Summers House with Ravnos.

Then finally, scenes from the VS7 episode 'Restoration' are shown.  The scenes that are shown are depicting the events of Ravnos's explanation of the Final Apocalypse to the gang, Tara's and Giles's meeting with the Great Oracle, and ending with the showing of the battle where the ritual took place.  The final shot in these scenes shows the Source's smile as he glances at a resting Glory sleeping on a bed.

EXT. The Summers Residence, Willow & Tara's Bedroom - Night.

It is night time in the city of Sunnydale, the home of the Hellmouth.  The light in the bedroom of the two witches is on and as the shot opens, we hear the unmistakeable sounds of a female person moaning.  The shot opens on the floor of the bedroom, where we see a discarded piece of clothing, a shirt.

The shot slowly pans upward towards the bed and we hear the moaning continue.  For several more moments, this continues until we finally reach the bed and we see who is doing the moaning and why the moaning is taking place.

TARA is stretched out on the middle of the bed, laying on her stomach and resting her face on the pillows.  From her exposed back, we see that she is not wearing her shirt.  Straddled over her hips is her girlfriend, WILLOW.  Willow has her hands on Tara's shoulders and is doing her best to give Tara a very thorough backrub.

Willow is giggling at the moaning sounds coming from Tara's mouth.

Tara
Stop laughing.

Willow
I'm sorry baby.

Tara
(a pause)
It's not funny.

Willow giggles again.

Willow
The sounds you make when I give you rubs! (she laughs at the pout) And I just love it when you pout.  It's so sexy!

Tara's pout continues.

Tara
Well, you know the best way to get rid of it.

Willow
Of course.

Willow leans down, her upper body covering Tara's bare back and she kisses Tara's lips, continuing with the contact for several seconds before she leans back, but stays with her position of laying on Tara.

Willow has her cheek pressed against the skin of one of Tara's shoulders and her eyes are closed.

Tara
Know what...

Willow
What?

Tara
I like having all my memories back.  I like remembering all the backrubs you've given me....or remembering the first time you gave me one.  It would've been a big loss not to have those.

Willow opens her eyes and takes a breath.

Willow
I'm glad you have those memories back too.  I'm glad for a lot of things.

Tara
Me too.  I'm glad I'm back here, with you.

The witches fall silent and let the security of their intimate closeness surround them like a thick coat keeping out the cold.  After a moment, Willow rubs her cheek against Tara's shoulder.

Willow
Tara?

Tara
Yeah, Will?

Willow
You wanna go out tomorrow night?

Tara
You mean....like a date?

Willow
(smiling)
Yeah, we haven't done the dating thing in so long.  I think it might be fun to get back into it.  We can go to the Bronze and dance a little, maybe do a movie before that.  Then, come back here...

Tara
(smiling as well)
Do a spell?

Willow
That's definitely an option.

Tara
Provided the Source kinda stays quiet like he has been lately.

Willow
Yeah well...we haven't really seen anything from him since that ritual. (a pause) Do you think Buffy's right?

Tara
About G-Glory?

Willow
Mm hmm.

Tara
I wanna say no because I hope she's wrong, but I have a feeling she's right. (another pause) I don't wanna face Glory again.  Not after what she did to us the last time.

Willow
Well, if it is true, we'll face her, together. (to herself, whispering) And I'll do whatever it takes to protect you.

Willow's breathing deepens as she begins to fall asleep on Tara's bare back.  The shot pans close to Tara's face.  A look of sadness colors her features and we see that she did indeed hear Willow's whispered words.  She bites her lower lip.

Tara
(a whisper)
That's what I'm afraid of, Will.

The reality of the situation weighs heavily on both.  Though the Source has been quiet during the last two weeks, the possibility that Glory is once again living on this plain has not been pleasant for the witches.  They have both had to deal with the memories and emotions of what Glory did to them in the past.  Both witches kept a hope that things would not get any worse than they currently were.

Cut to:

INT. Very Dense Jungle, Unknown Location - Night.

The shot opens on a hand of a white man as he runs, hurriedly, through some very dense jungle.  Grass that goes higher than the man's head is being shoved aside as the MAN hurries through it.  The shot stays on this man for several seconds before the shot slows and goes backward to reveal what appears to be another man, wearing black leather from neck to foot, running after the first man.

We see the hands of the second person and we see that they are pasty white with sharp nails at the fingertips.  We hear a snarling sound come from the second individual's mouth as he nears the man.

The shot flips back to the first man as he breaks free of some dense grass and runs into a clearing.  Just as he clears it, the second person is airborne, flying out of the grass and into the air, gaining height and distance as he quickly lands on the first man, driving them both to the ground.

The man with the pasty skin holds the man by the shoulders and exposes the neck.  The shot stays away from the pasty white skin man's face as we see the figure nearing the neck of the man.

Suddenly, we hear several shots ring out.  They hit the man with the pasty skin and it leaps off the man and tries to run off, but can't as we see that several uniformed INITIATIVE SOLDIERS have emerged from the forest, surround it and the man on the ground.  Without waiting a beat, the soldiers remove caps off of their weapons and several beams of UV light shine from their weapons and onto the individual in the leather clothing with the pasty skin.

In a matter of seconds, that individual bursts into flames and is soon left nothing but burnt bones and dusty remains.  A few seconds later, one of the soldiers turns around and we see someone in black begin to walk forward.  This individual is wearing black combat gear with a black flak vest over his chest.  He has a dark hood over his head.

As this person nears where the other man is still on the ground, he pulls the mask off to reveal that it's RILEY FINN.  Riley turns around and we see that his wife SAM FINN is talking with another soldier.  Riley turns to the other man.

Riley
You can get up now.

Cautiously, the man gets to his feet and turns around to look at the soldiers.  And it is then that we know that he's a VAMPIRE, but the morphed face.  Without missing a beat, Riley pulls his nightstick like weapon with a wooden stake in it and stakes the vampire, turning him into dust.  Riley shakes his head and looks at a SOLDIER that walks up.

Riley
Well...what have you got for me?

Soldier
That was definitely one of the strays.

Riley
There were three strays....where are the other two?

Sam walks over, dismissing the soldier.  The soldier walks away.

Sam
I just spoke with our liaison officer.  He just got Intel that the other two strays have left a clear trail as to their whereabouts.

Riley
And that is...

Sam
(looking at him intently)
The trail they're leaving indicates they're heading to Sunnydale.

Riley is silent for a few moments.  He takes a few deep breaths.

Riley
Whew, back to the Hellmouth huh? (a pause) Hope Buffy'll be happy to see us.

Sam just shakes her head as Riley stares at the remains of the creature that had an intent on feeding off the vampire.

Cut to:

Opening Credits:

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Nicholas Brendan

Allyson Hannigan

Emma Caulfield

Michelle Trachtenberg

James Marsters

&
Amber Benson as Tara

Gratuitous Group Shots

Special Guest Stars
Marc Blucas
Ivana Milicevic
Danny Strong
Tom Lenk
&
Anthony Steward Head as Giles

Cut to:

EXT. The Magic Box, the Training Area - Day.

The shot opens and we see BUFFY standing in the center of the training room, a crimson colored silk blindfold covering her eyes and part of her forehead.  She has her long blonde locks tied into a ponytail at the base of her neck.  She's wearing a pair of her black workout pants with a short sleeved white t-shirt on.

The shot pans out and around to reveal that GILES is standing near the far wall, facing Buffy.  He stands next to a table with several daggers and knives on it.  He picks up one.

Giles
Are you ready, Buffy?

Buffy
I'm ready.

Giles
Alright, remember just one thing.  Concentration is the key to this exercise.

Buffy nods and flexes her hands, taking several deep breaths.  Giles waits a few seconds before he raises his right arm and lets the knife fly.  The knife went through the air, right for Buffy's head.  It barely made a sound, but as it reached her, Buffy knocked it out of the air with a negligent swipe of her hand.

Giles continued the exercise, taking other daggers and knives and throwing them at her, sometimes two or three at once.  Expertly, Buffy used her Slayer concentrated senses and felt each piece of steel or metal coming straight for her and dodged each one of them.  After she knocked the last one away with a kick of her foot, she pulled her blindfold up.

She looked over and saw Giles leaning against the wall, making a few marks on a small notepad he held in his hand.

Buffy
I take it I did good, huh?  Last time, a few of those knives got me.  This time, not a one!

Giles
Yes, very much improved.  Your concentration level is at the highest point I believe we'll ever achieve.  We'll get started with staff work tomorrow.

Buffy
Why the staff?  I don't get it.

Giles
(looking at her)
Buffy, there are going to be times when a stake, a sword, or axe isn't going to be enough.  You've done a good job learning to adapt to your environment, but you need to know how to use all weapons.

Buffy
Okay fine....I just don't see how learning the staff is going to help when this whole thing with the Source happens.

Giles
Trust me Buffy, in time these techniques will improve your skill.  Just trust me on this one.

Buffy nods and pulls the blindfold off of her head and walked over to the sitting bench near the far wall.  She sits down and exhales a deep breath. Giles takes a moment to regard her, then walks over.

Giles
Something on your mind, Buffy.

Buffy
A lot of things are on my mind.

Giles
Feel like sharing?

Buffy takes a moment of silence to think about it.

Buffy
I've just been thinking about...about this Final Apocalypse...about this trip you said you have take next week...about Tara getting all her memories back and all.  Just...things.

Giles
Well, it is good for Tara to have all those memories back.  I think having them, being able to remember those special moments she and Willow have when it's just the two of them...I think it'll help her and Willow get close again.  Like they used to be.

Buffy
Mm.

Giles
Plus, this trip, I believe, will benefit us in the long run. (a pause) If my contact is correct in what he told me on the phone yesterday, then we will have a better way to combat the Source.

Buffy
I know, trust me I know Giles.  It's just...with everything going on...with Glory possibly being back...I don't want anyone I love away from me.

Giles smiles at her and squeezes her shoulder in silence.

Giles
I won't be gone long, Buffy. (a beat) Get cleaned up and changed.

Giles turns and walks out the door to the front area, without looking back.  Buffy watches him go for a moment, then her eyes widen when we see another visitor emerge in the vacant doorway.  It is TARA.  She is dressed in a dark blue sweater with light blue stripes on the sleeves. She wears a pair of dark blue jeans as well.  Her hair is combed into a neat order away from her angular face.

Buffy
Oh...hey Tara.  Willow's not here.

Tara
(a little pause as she shuffles her feet)
Oh, I know.  She's out front with Dawnie. (a pause) Actually, I wanted to talk to you.

Buffy
Me?

Tara
Y-yeah.  Um, I have a request.

Buffy's eyebrows raise up and she gets to her feet.  Never in all the time she'd known Willow's girlfriend had Tara ever asked anything of her.  To see Tara here and doing that now was a little surprising.

Buffy
Okay Tara...what is it?

Tara is silent for a few moments, then she speaks and her words are a shock to Buffy.

Tara
I need you to teach me....teach me how to use the sword.

Buffy
W-what?

Tara
I know...I know this must be surprising.

Buffy
Tara, I can't teach you the sword.

Tara
Why?

Buffy
Because...I just can't.  The moment you learn how to use it...it changes you.

Tara
Buffy, ever since that ritual, I've had to face something. (a pause) Like or not, Glory is back and she's eventually going to come after us.  You, because you beat her.  But she's going to blame me and Willow a great deal.  I-I can't protect Will with just magick. I need to be able to do more.  Please Buffy...j-just a few lessons.  That's all I'm asking.

Buffy
(taking a deep breath)
Okay Tara.  I'll only teach you how to defend yourself using the sword.  But I won't teach you how to engage a fighter.  Just defense.

Tara
That's fine.

Buffy
(looking into Tara's eyes)
Does Willow know about this?

Tara
(staring straight back, unflinching)
No.

Buffy
And your not going to tell her?

Tara
Buffy, she can't know.  With everything that's happened in the last two years, she's dangerously close to using dark magick again.  I have to do whatever I can to make sure that doesn't happen.

Buffy
I think keeping this secret is a mistake, but it's your call Tara. (Tara nods at her) When do you want to begin?

Tara
Tomorrow when Will's at her classes.

Buffy nods and Tara turns to leave the training area.  As the blonde walks away slowly, Buffy can't help but wonder if this secret Tara's decided to keep is going to cause problems between her and Willow somewhere down the road.  Buffy cares, not only for Willow, but for Tara as well.  And to see what Tara is willing to do, it makes Buffy respect the blonde that much more.  She shakes her head and grabs her bag to take a shower at the training room's dressing room.

Cut to:

INT. Underground Crypt, Time Lapse - Mid Day.

The shot opens on the inside of a chamber that's underground, beneath a crypt at one of Sunnydale's cemeteries.  The chamber leads to a tunnel that's a part of a system of tunnels that goes throughout the city.  As the shot pans around, we see a group of about eight VAMPIRES lounging around, talking, some playing cards, etc.

There are two entrances to the chamber and as we watch, two figures step into the entrances and, as it happens, the exits.  They are wearing black leather from head to toe and, though we can't see their faces, we see their hands.  They are the same pasty white skin color as the creature from the dense jungle terrain.

The vampires don't seem to notice the two creatures in leather that stands at the entrances.  Instead, they continue to do what they were doing.  Seeing that they were ignored, one of the creatures kicks a pebble that's on the ground, making a sound as it rolls across the chamber floor.

This gets the vamps' attention.  They spring to their feet and look at the creatures in black.  The head vamp is a person once called NICK and he glares at the creature.  Nick is a blonde haired vampire.  The creature steps forward, exposing his face to the light and to us as the shot stays on it's face.

The creature is bald, pasty white skin throughout with pointy ears.  The creature's eyes are blood red and there is a scar running from the middle of it's bottom lip down just past the chin.  Nick nears the creature as the other vamps are weary of the other creature at the other entrance/exit.

Nick
What the hell are you?

Suddenly, the creature snarls and something happens.  We soon discover that the scar is not a scar at all.  The creature cranes it's head back and it's mouth opens on both sides of the scar, exposing sharp canine like fangs that extrude from it's gums.  These are longer and much more lethal looking fangs than that of regular vampires.

The creature dives right at Nick, grabbing him and latching onto his neck.  From the other side, we see the other creature quickly do the same, attacking the other vampires in earnest.  The shot slowly pans down to the rock and pebble covered ground of the chamber, a splatter of blood touching it as we hear the screams of the vamps and we...

Crash Cut to:

Commercial Break.

Cut to:

EXT. A Sunnydale Cemetery, Near the Crypts - Night.

The shot opens from the break and we see BUFFY, SPIKE, WILLOW, and TARA walking through the mostly vacant cemetery, armed with stakes and talking as they patrolled.  The topic of discussion, of course, was Tara's being out on the patrol.  Tara was dressed in the same clothing as before, only she had her wool looking jacket that goes down past her knees.  The last time we saw this particular jacket was in 'Wrecked'.  Willow is wearing a pair of dark red jeans with a lighter red colored t-shirt tucked into it and her crimson jean jacket over her shoulders and arms.  And Spike is wearing his usual black getup, without the jacket however.

Beside the witches, Buffy is wearing a pair of black jeans with a long sleeved black sweater on, untucked at the jeans.  She has her hair not restrained, but combed anyway.

Willow
I still say you should have stayed home, that's all.

Tara
Will, I wanted to come out on the patrolling, okay.  I'll be fine. (a pause) How can I not be with you to keep me safe.

Willow
If you really wanna be safe, then lemme walk you home.  You'll be safer there than out here.

Tara
And have you walking out here by yourself, I don't think so.

Buffy
(smiling)
Boy, Dawn was right.

Willow
Right about what?

Buffy
She told me the other day that you two bicker like an old married couple.  I didn't understand it when she said it, but boy do I now.

Willow smiles and Tara just looks down, a blush coloring her cheeks.  Spike watches on, the corner of his mouth pulling upward in a grin.  The four continue to walk on, looking for any vamp to rise out of the ground or any vamp or demon strolling through the cemetery.

Buffy
So guys, I hear you two are going out tomorrow night, right?

Willow
Oh yeah, you know, a movie, some dancing, a little romance to cap the night off.

Tara
It's going to be a great night.

Spike
(off screen)
Y'know, provided there aren't more attacks from the Source and all.

Buffy looks at him.

Tara
H-how are you with the torture and all?

Spike
Me?  Oh I'm back to my ole self now.  Just can't wait until this whole Final Apocalypse thing is over and done with.

Buffy
I hear ya loud and clear.

A rustle in the bushes up ahead of them stills any further conversation and Buffy creeps forward, the first to notice it.  She nears the bush where the sound emanated and reaches out with her free hand, the other holding her stake.  Just as she touches the bush, we see a figure jump out from the bush and tackle Buffy to the ground.

Shot on the figure.  It is revealed to be one of the CREATURES that attacked the crypt of vamps earlier.  Within moments, we see others break from a nearby crypt, surrounding the four.  As one of the creatures, looms near, we see that it's NICK, only now he seems to be like the creatures, bald, pasty skin, red eyes with the scar.

And they are all dressed in black leather.  They attack Buffy, Spike, Willow, and Tara.  Buffy and Spike rely on their natural strength and speed to fight the creatures off.  Willow and Tara, however, fall back on their magicks to defend themselves against the creatures.

There are ten creatures in total attacking.  Two creatures go after Buffy.  She kicks one away in the chest and uses her stake, embedding it in the chest of the other creature, it looks at the stake, rips it out and snarls.  It backhands Buffy, knocking her down.  It's canine like mouth opens and it prepares to attack her.  Before it can, however, Spike grabs it by the back of it's jacket and throws it back.

Spike kicks one creature and punches another across the face, smashing his knuckles into it's face.  It rolls away.  Across the way a little, Willow whispers a quick chant and a flash of red energy hits two creatures, knocking them away.  She turns to look at Tara, and sees her lover knocking a creature down with a similar chant.  But she sees a creature coming close to Tara's back.  She is about to whisper another chant to knock it down, but movement catches her eye and she looks over.

The shot pans around and we see two beams of UV light shoot right at that creature's face.  It snarls as smoke seams on it's face.  It runs away into the shadows of the night.  The other creatures soon follow, leaving the four relatively unharmed.  Willow goes over to Tara, making sure she is alright.

Buffy and Spike walk over, but their eyes are on the direction of the source of where the beams of UV light came from.  We pan around to see to figures in black walking over.  As they near, moonlight shines over them and in the dim light, we see RILEY and SAM FINN walk over.  Buffy stares at them in shock.

Buffy
Riley.

Riley glances at Spike, then keeps his gaze on Buffy.

Riley
Hello Buffy.

There is a brief moment of silence as they look at each other.

Spike
Somehow, I'm gettin the impression, you know what those things were.

Riley glares at Spike, still hostility in his eyes when he sees the platinum haired vampire.  Sam walks over.

Sam
We should get to your house or that shop you sometimes stay at.  Your going to need to sit down when we tell you about those things.

Buffy
Okay.  Will, Tara, you guys okay?

Willow has her right arm around Tara's shoulders and the blonde has her left arm around Willow's waist.  They are, in effect, holding on to each other, surviving the recent attack.

Tara
We're okay.

Buffy
Let's go, then.

Cut to:

INT. The Summers Residence, the Living Room, Time Lapse - Night.

The shot opens on BUFFY's face and we pan back and around to reveal that the gang has all gathered together at the house.  We see XANDER, ANYA, and DAWN sitting together on the couch.  GILES has brought a chair from the dining room and he is seated on it.  BUFFY is sitting on one of the two recliners.

WILLOW is seated on the other recliner, leaning back with her legs extended out.  TARA is sitting on the floor, seated between Willow's spread legs and leaning back against the chair and Willow's body.  Willow has her feet resting against Tara's hips and Tara has her hands on Willow's shoed feet while Willow has her hands resting on the blonde's shoulders.

RILEY and SAM are standing and Riley has a file folder in his hand.  They have also brought chairs in to sit on from the dining room.  Riley sits and after a moment, Sam joins him in sitting.

Riley
(looking through the folder)
Those creatures that attacked you...they are called Reapers.

Buffy
Reapers.

Riley
Yes.  Simply put, you can call them a type of...super vampire.

Buffy
We've been up against super vampires recently, those things were not like 'em.

Riley looks at her for a moment, but lets the comment slide.

Riley
Anyway, let me tell you what we know about them. (a pause) About six months ago, Sam and I were in Australia, taking care of a nest of vamps that were feeding on a small village.  The message was from General Nash.

Sam
(interrupting)
He's our ranking officer.

Riley
We were to report in immediately.  Once we did, he gave us a new mission.  We were to go to Russia because the son of a major business tycoon there had disappeared and the father wanted to know what happened to him.

Xander
And they brought in the military?

Riley
Sam and I aren't really military anymore.

Sam
A few days after we left Sunnydale last year, we were enlisted, with a few others, to become part of a secret installation.  We deal with demons, vampires, and other creatures of night that mess with certain...shall we say...public figures.

Giles
So, your mercenaries in a sense.

Riley
If that's what you want to call it, sure. (a pause) Anyway, this business tycoon, he heads a company that runs several science labs and things of that nature.  Our job was to find his son and, if possible, return him to his father safely.

Sam
Things didn't turn out that way, unfortunately.

Riley
Through our investigating, we learned that the son had been attacked by just a regular, run of the mill vampire.  And he'd been turned.  We never found the vampire that turned him, but we found the son.

Buffy
What happened?

Sam
Remember the company we told you about, well, we discovered that the company....well, they had been experimenting on vampires for many years.

Anya
Experimenting?

Riley
Yes...seems the father wanted to know how vampires ticked...wanted to know about their DNA, their biology.  We found out that they'd taken a vampire and, through DNA splicing, they had changed this vampire's DNA and turned him into something much worse than a vampire.

Willow
A Reaper.

Sam
Yes...what a Reaper is essentially...is a genetic mutation of a vampire.  The Reaper needs blood every few days to survive, which is unlike vampires.  And, also unlike vamps, they have venomous poisen in their fangs.

Riley
Once they bite a victim, the venom turns the victim into a Reaper.

Xander
God.

Sam
That's not all.

Riley
These Reapers...they don't feed on humans....they feed on vampires.  There's something about vampire blood that they need to sustain their lives.  And those Reapers you fought tonight, they were vampires before this.

Giles
Are you saying that these Reapers are from Russia, then?

Sam
(shakes her head)
No, unfortunately, only two of them are actually from overseas. (a pause) See, when we figured all this out, we started trailing the original Reaper.  He had already turned a pack of vamps and he became leader.  Only, somewhere along the line, three of them strayed from the original pack, so we had to take care of them before more Reapers were made.

Riley
And of those three, one strayed away and we were able to track it to the Amazon rainforest.  We killed it just recently and we found that the other two have left tracks indicating their travels here.

Dawn
I don't understand, why have they come here?

Riley
We're not sure.  Perhaps it's the Hellmouth? (a pause) Whatever the cause, we have to kill all of them now because otherwise, Sunnydale could be infected by a new race of creatures.

We pan upward to see the somber scene of everyone looking distressed at this late bit of news.

Cut to:

INT. Underground Crypt, Time Lapse - Night.

The shot opens and we see the ten REAPERS dwelling together.  None of them are talking, just mainly staying on the ground.  A few of them, we now see, are surrounding something.

We pan in closer and we see that there are four vampires, who have already been bitten, in the middle of the stages that will turn them into Reapers.  The vampires' skin are turning white before our eyes and their molecular biology is changing, the scar is slowly appearing on their chins.

The Reapers make snarling sounds as more numbers are added to their ranks.

Cut to:

Commercial Break.

Cut to:

EXT. Mostly Empty Parking Lot - Night.

The shot opens from the break on the pavemented ground and we see two sets of feet walking along a deserted parking lot.  The shot pans upward and we now see that BUFFY and RILEY are walking towards what is the only vehicle in the parking lot.  It is a BLACK VAN.

Buffy
If we're picking up weapons that work against these things, why didn't you want the others along?  I mean, they're risking their lives just as much as I am.

Riley
I understand that, Buffy.  But I just wanted you here because there are a couple things Sam and I didn't say back there.  Some things I couldn't say in front of them.

Buffy stops.

Buffy
What are you talking about?

Riley
It's top secret information about where these Reapers come from.  This kind of information can't leak out, Buffy.  And, I know I can trust you to keep that secret.

Buffy shakes her head.

Buffy
You saying you can't trust my friends?

Riley
With information like this, yes that's what I'm saying.  I don't like saying it, but it's true.  I mean, look at Spike for instance.  After all he put you and your friends through, you went ahead and slept with him and now, he acts like he means a lot to you.

Buffy
(a hard look on her face)
Things are different now, Riley.  I was really messed up then and besides, Spike's different now.  Remember how I told you about Angel?

Riley
(rolls his eyes)
I remember you said the vampire had a soul.

Buffy
(choosing to ignore the disdain in his voice at the mention of Angel)
Well, a little while back, Spike went somewhere and got his soul back from some demon.  I don't have all the details about it, but the fact is, he's got a soul now.  He's still a vampire, but he's not going to go out and hurt people like he used to.

Riley
You saying you trust him?

Buffy
No.  I'm saying he has the potential to earn that trust.  Trust isn't something that's just handed out, Riley.  You have to earn it by showing your trust in something or someone.  It took me a long time to trust you.

Riley
I know.

Buffy
So, what's this top-secret info you have?

Riley exhales, glad of the change in topic.

Riley
(after they begin walking again)
A few weeks ago, Sam and I led our team into a small village where the original pack had been sighted.  They had already deserted, but we found one vamp who'd been turned.  For some reason, this particular vamp's DNA biology rejected the Reaper venom and it was killing him.  Sam had the vamp brought to one of our facilities in Russia and we performed an autopsy on it.

Buffy
I take it you found something interesting?

Riley
Indeed. (a pause) The vamp's biology had been changed enough for us to see what makes these Reapers so strong.  The natural strength of a vamp is enhanced much more once it becomes a Reaper.  Plus, a very thick bone casing is created to protect the heart.

Buffy
Meaning...

Riley
If you stake it, you won't get past the bone.

Buffy
How are we supposed to kill these things?

Riley
We know that sunlight kills them and the bone isn't completely around the heart.  If you can penentrate it's heart from the side, you can kill it that way.  Also, we've figured out that a powerful UV light, similar to the energy that makes up the sun, can do the same.  We've killed a Reaper using the UV lights.

Riley opens the back doors to the black van and pulls close to him a crate.  He opens the lid.  Shot of the interior of the crate.  We see several round shaped objects.  Small clear spheres are inside with metal wiring around them.

Buffy
(touching one)
What are these?

Riley
These are UV bombs.  This is how we're going to get rid of these things.  The latest Intel Sam got was that the Reapers found a rock chamber beneath one of the cemeteries in Sunnydale.  So, we know where they are, we just have to go and burn 'em to death.

Buffy
Wait, wait, wait....none of this info is really that secret.  What's the deal, Riley?

Riley sighs heavily.

Riley
Alright, the businessman that owns this company that first designed the Reaper?  We found paperwork that's tied to a secret society of people you are familiar with. (Buffy scrunches her eyebrows) The Council of Watchers.

Buffy
What?

Riley
Yeah, imagine my surprise.  Apparantly, the experiments that created the Reaper was part of something called the Genesis Project.  And this Genesis Project was headed up by a Quentin Travers.

Buffy shakes her head, looking off into the distance.  A question weighed heavily on her.  Why would the Council of Watchers create the Reaper?

Before anything else could be said, Riley's walkie talkie beeped.  He picked it up.

Riley
Yes, this is Finn?

Sam's Voice
It's me.  I've given everyone the weapons. We're ready to head over there when you and Buffy are ready.

Riley looks at Buffy.

Buffy
Let's go.

Riley
Alright Sam, meet us over there in ten minutes.

Cut to:

INT. Cemetery in Sunnydale, Time Lapse - Night.

The shot opens on WILLOW'S face.  She is kneeling on one knee in between SAM FINN and TARA.  They are both looking anxious, waiting for Buffy and Riley to arrive.  Just behind the three, we see XANDER, GILES, ANYA, and DAWN in the same kneeling position, waiting.

We pan across and we see a REAPER walking across the field, into the crypt that houses the underground chamber where the rest of the REAPERS are currently dwelling.  A second later, we hear movement from behind the group and BUFFY and RILEY emerge.  Riley and Buffy and both carrying a bag of the UV bombs.

Sam has given Dawn a smaller bag of the same bombs, while she's given Xander and Giles rifles with the UV lights attached to a scope.  And she's given the same rifles, only lighter weight ones to Anya, Tara, and Willow.

Buffy
Is that the one?

Sam
That's it.  We just saw a Reaper go inside.  They may have increased their size by now.

Xander
Well, then when this is over, we won't have as many vamps to worry about.

Riley
Always thinking positive.

Xander
It's about the only thing I'm known for.

Anya
(sotto)
Not the only thing.

Xander gives her a look.

Riley
Where's Spike?

Willow
Before Sam told us where they were hiding, Spike volunteered to check out some other place.  He went.

Riley
Alright, if he shows up, hope he can defend himself.  Here's the plan.  We're all going to go into the crypt together.  We STAY TOGETHER.  If you notice anyone missing, tell someone and we'll stop until we find them.  Once we find where they're all gathered, we're going to put every one of the bombs we have inside the chamber and get out as quick as we can.

Buffy
Without setting them off!  Are you insane!!

Riley
Buffy, I have a remote detonator.  Once we're out of the crypt, we'll activate the bombs.  Anya, Willow, and Tara will keep the guns drawn on the Reapers.  If you notice that they've spotted us, start opening fire and we'll just drop the bags and run.  Everyone got it.

They nod and Riley marches forward without another word.  As they near the crypt, Buffy primarily, can't help but notice how Riley just acted like the bossy one when it's usually the Slayer who does that.  She shakes her head and keeps ahold of her bag, following Riley silently.

Seconds tick by as they enter the crypt and walk inside.  We pan around to see the inteior of the crypt.  It looks much like all crypts do. It's dark, cobwebs all around the walls, rock pebbles scattered along the floor.  Riley walks over to where the tomb is and he hefts it off the top.  The shot goes to the bottom of the tomb.

There isn't one.  There are just steps that go downward.  Riley motions them forward, he goes first.  Buffy stays until everyone else has gone first.  After Sam goes, she goes and inches her way down after everyone else has gotten off the steps.  Now, they are in a tunnel similar to the Source's underground tunnels.

For the next several moments, they inch their way forward until they come to an opening.  Beyond that opening is a large antechamber.  The shot of the antechamber confirms that the Reapers, now twenty in size are there, not really doing much.  It appears as if they are waiting for orders from something or someone.

They appear to be nothing more than drones or soldiers for someone with more authority.  Riley notices this and, staying in the shadows, nods to the others who have the bombs.  They slowly open their bags and take out the bombs, laying them just inside the antechamber, along the walls.  Shot of Anya, Willow, and Tara.  The three women nervously have their weapons aimed at the Reapers, trying to see if the creatures have detected their presence.

So far, they have not.

Riley, Sam, Dawn, and Buffy finish laying out the UV bombs and as quietly as they can, they depart and exit the crypt the way they came.  It is many moments later when they are back where they were before, looking at the crypt where the Reapers still are.

Riley reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his detonator remote.  He looks at the crypt for several silent seconds before making his decision.  He glances at the remote, then presses his gloved thumb over the button.

For a moment, nothing happens out of the crypt.  Then, a split second later, a bright, incredibly bright, flash of bright blue light emanates from every hole and empty space of the crypt.  Cracks in the walls, the windows, the door, any empty space if filled with bright light for a few moments, before the entire crypt explodes.

The explosions knock them all back a few steps from the force of the blast.  They recover after a moment.

Willow
Is-is it over?

Dawn
That was pretty fast.

Buffy
And a little too easy if you ask me.

Riley
That's all we really had to do.

Sam
Just get rid of the Reapers.  It didn't have to be as hard as we might have made it out to be.

Tara
So, t-that's it, then?

Riley
Yep.  Mission parameter is we're done here.  Thanks for helping us out, Buffy.

Buffy
You can't stick around to talk for a little while?

Sam
Sorry, we have stuff that need to be taken care of.

With a few more goodbyes said, Riley and Sam walk away from the group of Scoobies.  The two soldiers stay silent as they leave the cemetery and walk toward the highway.  A large and very black military van pulls up in front of them.  The side to the van opens and the Finns get inside, on route to leave Sunnydale once again.

As Riley gets in, he glances at the back of the van in silence, but doesn't say anything.  He was just doing his job after all, keeping the Slayer and her friends occupied after all.  We slowly pan around to show what Riley was looking at.

There is a black chair bolted to the floor of the van and strapped to that chair by the arms and legs is SPIKE.  His mouth is taped shut.  On the far side of the van is a computer setup with a soldier reading some stats of Spike's vitals.  He turns to Riley.

Soldier
Agent Finn, the General wants to know how things went?

Riley
Tell General Nash, the Reapers are taken care of and Hostile 17 is back in custody.

Soldier
Yes sir.

Spike stares at Riley, slightly afraid.  Well, more afraid than he's ever had reason to be.

Riley
Sorry Spike...it was just orders.  We needed a vampire with a soul.  And we had orders never to touch Angel because of his importance.  You, on the other hand, your just not important at all.

Riley smiles as Spike glares at him.

Cut to:

Commercial Break.

Cut to:

EXT. The Magic Box, 24 Hours Later - Morning.

The door to the Magic Box opens with the bell at the top ringing.  ANYA, who is at the register, looks over as WILLOW and TARA enters the shop giggling at something one of them said.  The witches walk over to the round table where everyone else is gathered.  Though the shop is open, they are talking about Riley and Sam's rather sudden departure.

Buffy
I still don't get it, I mean....they made this big deal about the Reapers, then they just leave.

Xander
Well, their job was done, after all.

Buffy
This whole thing just feels funny, that's all.  Like, I don't know, like something else was going on last night.

Giles
Well, to be honest, I'm more worried about this issue with...what did Riley call it...the Genesis Project?

Buffy
Yeah.

Giles
And the fact that Quentin heads it.  How I was never aware of this is very disturbing.

Buffy
Well, maybe you should call Quentin yourself when you leave for this meeting of yours.

Giles
I think I will Buffy.  Because I want to get to the bottom of this Genesis Project myself.  I just hope he's not going to give me the run-around like he's been prone to do in the past.

Willow stands up after a moment and collects her bag.  She looks at Tara and the two witches walk toward the door.

Tara
How long is your class, sweetie?

Willow
Well, I have three.  I should be done by three today.  You ready for that date?

Tara
Oh, I can't wait.

Tara surprises Willow with a kiss near the door.  Then smiles at Willow's expression.

Willow
Oh..

Tara
Liked that, did you.

Willow
I loved that.

Tara
Wait till tonight after the date.

Willow
I'm gonna love that, too.

Tara
I'll see you after your classes then.

Willow
Bye.

Willow slips out and Tara, still with a smile on her face, turns around and sees quickly hidden grins on her friends faces.  She blushes and walks back over, silently raising her eyebrows at Buffy in a meaningful look.  Buffy rises and walks to the training room, Tara following along silently.

After they enter the training room, Buffy opens the black chest near the far wall and extracts two swords.  She hands one to Tara and keeps the other for herself.  She looks at Tara holding the sword, a slightly concerned look on her face.

Buffy
Never thought I'd see this.

Tara
What?

Buffy
You.  You're probably the most peaceful and kind member of our group and to see you holding the sword....it's not very pleasant for me right now with seeing you like that.

Tara
I'm sorry for requesting this of you, Buffy.  But I have to.  If it comes down to it, I want to be able to defend my life and Willow's when magick fails.  And eventually, magick will fail.  It has before.

Buffy
Let's get started. (a pause) In case you haven't figured it out, yet, I don't like this whole thing.  No matter how small it is, you shouldn't keep secrets from Willow.

Tara
I know, but this one is needed.

Buffy
I hope your right, because secrets only hurt the ones you love.

Tara looks at the floor, feeling that Buffy's right, but also feeling deep down that keeping this secret from her beloved Willow will benefit them both in the long road.  She lifts her head and focuses on Buffy as the lesson begins.

And while that is happening, we slowly begin to....

Fade to:

INT. Along the Street in Sunnydale, Time Lapse - Morning.

We fade from the previous shot to the sidewalk along a street.  We pan back and up to reveal WILLOW, a determined look on her face.  She walks up the sidewalk, nowhere near the campus of UC Sunnydale.  There is an old house near the corner and Willow walks up the sidewalk to the house and reaches the steps.

She opens the old and decrepit door to the house and enters the house.  As we follow her movements, we see that no one lives in this home.  She walks into what used to be a dining room.  There is a table in the center of the room.  Willow sets her book bag down and talks the books inside out.

Shot of the books reveals that they are mostly books for her different classes at the university.  One, however, is familiar to our viewing eyes and should not belong in that bag.  It is a leather volumed text with ancient symbols etched all along the surface.  In the center are two words in gold coloring.

Thos words are DARKEST MAGICKS.  Willow pulls the book closer to her, taking deep breaths.  She closes her eyes and focuses on only thoughts of Tara, of her and Tara.  She opens her eyes and looks at the book again, pulling a small golden key out of her back pocket.

She takes the key and unlocks the small lock along the side of the book and the book opens, some of the pages flapping along.  Willow takes a deep breath.

Willow (to herself)
(whispering)
This is to protect us both, Tara.  This will protect us.

Like Tara, Willow is holding a secret from her beloved.  But unlike Tara, this secret could be the key to separating them forever.

Two women, two secrets, and a past that will eventually come into play once again in the near future.  Willow looks at the page and sums up her courage, reading the ancient text.

Blackout.

End of Episode 15 - Reapers
End Credits.