Episode 3: Lady Sings the Blues

Buffy Episode 147 - "Lady Sings the Blues"

Season 8, Episode 3 by the Powers to Be:
Written & Directed By: WolframandHart & Ravynhyght
Assistant Writers: Joe, Taffy 13 & Whitenight
Promo Designer: Joe




SPOILER WARNING: This episode reflects on events in AtS season 5, up to episode 13

#Disclaimer#

I do not own the characters in this story apart from Claudia Gorman and Hugo Jackson*, nor do I own any rights to the television show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel the Series". They were created by Joss Whedon and belong to him, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Television, Kuzui Enterprises, 20th Century Fox Television, WB and UPN Television Networks.
*Touch them without permission and you’ll be eating your food through a straw for years to come.

PREVIOUSLY on "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER"

Drusilla: Do you love my insides? The parts you can't see?
Spike: Eyeballs to entrails, my sweet. That's why I've got to study this Slayer.

CUT TO:
The scorched rubble of the pipe organ where Spike is buried Drusilla grabs him by the arm and pulls him up by the arm and holds him off the floor.

DRUSILLA: Don't worry, dear heart.

CUT TO:

FIRST SLAYER: You love with all of your soul. It's brighter than the fire ... blinding. Love ... give ... forgive.

CUT TO:

BUFFY: Tell me you want me.

SPIKE: (whispers) I always want you.

CUT TO:

BUFFY: I love you.

SPIKE: Thanks for sayin' it.

CUT TO:

CLEM: I don't think anyone's gonna be able to stop it. I mean, I'm sure you'll do fine. Complete confidence in you. Heh. Uh, if anyone can do it, you can, because you...rock! If you save the world, I'll come back, we'll have drinks. When. When, I mean. When you save the world.

CUT TO:

RILEY: There's been a spate of disappearances in the Central Park Area.

SAM: We’d like to move you all there and set you up

RILEY: And a school . . . To train the new slayers

CUT TO:

CLAUDIA: So mine is a high and lonely destiny is it?

GILES: Not so lonely. After all, there are a hundred or so of you, you know.

GILES: Are you able to leave today?

CLAUDIA: I handed in my resignation. My suitcases are packed. I’m ready.

Teaser

INT. JAZZ CLUB

BUFFY is sitting at a round check-clothed table in a Jazz club with WILLOW, XANDER and CLAUDIA, the English slayer from episode 2. The girls are dressed up – Buffy’s wearing an off-the-shoulder dress, Willow has her hair all piled up elegantly – and XANDER’s in a sharp suit. On stage, a beautiful woman with long auburn hair and emerald eyes is swaying to the music while the band play an instrumental chorus of “That Old Black Magic”. The gang are sipping cocktails.

CLAUDIA: (leaning over to talk in Buffy’s ear) I must say, this isn’t exactly how I pictured life as a slayer.

BUFFY: Giles gave you the “sacred responsibility, certain death” pep talk huh?

CLAUDIA: Something along those lines.

XANDER: (leaning over the table) Well hey, you never know, there could be a vamp or two here tonight with your name on it. If you’re looking to flex those slayerly muscles.

CLAUDIA: (sipping at a Manhattan) The only thing I mean to flex tonight is this straw.

BUFFY: God yes. Mi totally piace fa niente.

CLAUDIA: Oh, you speak Italian!

BUFFY: That's pretty much all I know. Well, apart from ordering pizza which translates as...pizza. I lived in Italy for a while. But it was Dawn who was the language meister. (taps Xander on the hand, smiling with excited memory) Oh, remember that one time, I was slaying an Italian demon, she was even translating my quips.

XANDER: Though, don’t think your witty use of daytime TV references really crossed the cultural barriers.

BUFFY: (shrugs) Sometimes, I’m not just there to make the demons laugh.

WILLOW: (dreamily, absorbed in the music and the atmosphere) Does anyone else still find that a weird idea? The fate of the world occasionally not being in our hands?

BUFFY: (with a happy sigh) Yeah, weird. But kinda nice.

XANDER: Where’s Ken? She taking up the ol’ ancient mythical burden tonight?

WILLOW: (Nodding) Soon as I mentioned jazz, she volunteered for patrol.

XANDER: (clicking his fingers) Not a hep cat?

WILLOW: Not so much. More of a skate punk cat.

XANDER: Dr Seuss meets Blink 182 huh?


Their voices fade into the music as the camera pans round to the stage. The SINGER parts her lips sexily and begins to sing. Her voice is sweet and throaty

SINGER: That old black magic has me in its spell, that old black magic that you weave so well.
Those icy fingers up and down my spine
That same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine.

Cut to a HANDSOME MAN in the corner, staring over at the Scoobs’ table. The camera follows him as he walks over and smiles at Buffy.

GUY: Would you like to dance?

He holds out his hand in an old-world gesture. He’s hot, he’s stylish. Buffy’s charmed and smiles at him.

BUFFY: (getting up) Sure. Why not?

SINGER: The same old tingle that I feel inside, and then that elevator starts its ride
And down and down I go, round and round I go, like a leaf that's caught in the tide.

The guy takes BUFFY’s hand, leads her onto the dance floor and they start to dance.

GUY: What’s your name?

BUFFY: Buffy.

GUY: Buffy . . . you know, Buffy, you’re a beautiful girl.

BUFFY: (cheeky smile) So I’ve been told. So, Mr smooth talker, what’s your name?

GUY: Let’s not talk about me.

BUFFY raises an eyebrow.

BUFFY: I guess you’re not from New York then?

The guy shrugs and doesn’t answer. He’s looking at her intently. BUFFY doesn’t notice, she’s looking over his shoulder as they dance.

SINGER: I should stay away, but what can I do?
I hear your name and I'm aflame

GUY: (whispers) I love you.

BUFFY: Huh?

GUY: (holding her closer, speaking louder) I think I’ve always loved you.

BUFFY: (pushing him away) Ok, are you drunk, or just creepy?

SINGER: Aflame with such a burning desire that only your kiss can put out the fire.
For you're the lover I have waited for, the mate that fate had me created for.

GUY: (reaching out to her as she backs away) Please! I need you. My heart’s yours (grabs her arm)

BUFFY: (shakes him off, begins to walk away) No, my restraining order’s yours.

GUY: You’re just so beautiful! I almost can’t bear to look at you.

He hurries after BUFFY, who’s disgusted.

BUFFY: Really? Don’t then.

SINGER: And every time your lips meet mine, darling, down and down I go, round and round I go In a spin, loving the spin I'm in, under that old black magic called love.

GUY: I can’t bear to look….my eyes….you’re too much.

(Buffy glances over her shoulder, about to say something. Cut to close up of the man’s face. His eyes are glowing)

GUY: My eyes!

Suddenly, the MAN’s eyes are white hot, streaming with liquid for a moment. The camera cuts to BUFFY’s horrified face. There’s a pop and a splat and we hear the thud of a body hitting the ground. Cut to shot of BUFFY’s feet. An eyeball rolls to a standstill by her shoe.

WILLOW and the others run up to BUFFY’s side

BUFFY: (grimly) Don’t you just hate it when people roll their eyes at you?

Wolf Howl, Buffy's theme plays.
Opening credits roll.


Starring:

Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Anne Summers
Nicholas Brendon as Xander Harris
Michelle Trachtenberg as Dawn Summers
Tom Lenk as Andrew Wells
Anthony Stewart Head as Rupert Giles
Alyson Hannigan as Willow Rosenberg

Special Guest Star:
Rosamund Pike as Claudia Gorman
James Lance as Hugo Jackson
James C. Leary as Clem
Julianne Moore as The Lady


Very Special Guest Star:
James Marsters as Spike
Juliet Landau as Drusilla

__________________
EPPY 8:"SCATTERED", OUT TODAY!

"Bloody brilliant! The opening scene sets the standard and it keeps right through to the 'bloody' dramatic ending - literally." - Ferdy M on Scattered.

Last edited by Joe Sweden on 05-23-2004 at 03:52 PM