Skin Deep
Teaser
Story by CN Winters and Zahir al Daoud
Written by CN Winters (additional writing by Susan Carr)
Produced and Directed by CN Winters
Edited by Susan Carr
Sound by CSR
Art Direction by Robert Kidman and CN Winters
Artists – Robert Kidman and CN Winters
Same Night as 59:23
Fade In.
Ext.
The Q – Night
A van pulled up to the curb where Kennedy waited with Skye and the remaining members of her team. The window of the van went to down to show Faith sitting behind the wheel.
"Heard the hero needs a lift," she said proudly.
Kennedy turned to Marie and pointed to Skye. "Watch her," she said as she stood up and made her way over to Faith who was now getting out of the van.
As Faith closed the door she turned to see Kennedy standing in front of her. Kennedy just looked at Faith for a long moment.
"What?" the older slayer finally asked.
The tiniest of grins came to Kennedy’s face. "You wanna spar this week…if you’ve got time?" she asked.
Faith began to smile but pushed it down. "I’d like that," she replied.
Kennedy nodded and began to turn but Faith put a hand on her arm. Kennedy looked down and noticed it before looking back at Faith.
"This is kinda how the mess started last time," Kennedy remarked casually.
As Faith pulled Kennedy into a hug she said, "Come ‘er."
Almost cautiously, Kennedy put her arms around and rested her chin on Faith’s shoulder.
"I’m sorry Ken," Faith told her sincerely.
"I know," was Kennedy’s only reply. She pulled away and motioned to the van. "Let’s get the gang loaded, okay?"
"Aye. Aye, Captain," Faith said saluting.
Fade To:
Int.
Terminal Tower Observation Deck – Night
Willow leaned over the railing, looking at the lights of the city spread out below her. The witch’s red hair unfurled behind her in the cold wind. Her face was expressionless.
"Ma’am?"
Slowly, Willow turned her head to see one of the council’s clean-up crew members behind her in the doorway yet she said nothing.
"We though you should know we’re just about finished here," he told her.
She nodded and began to walk back inside. "The secretary…"
"She’s in critical condition. She’s lost a lot of blood."
"Will she be okay?" Willow asked as they walked back into the office.
"We’ve got her started on a transfusion so we’re hoping we got here quick enough. Only time will tell." When Willow said nothing he asked, "Would you like a ride back to the council, Ma’am?"
"She can ride with me," a voice said from the doorway.
Willow and the crew member turned to see Rowena standing there. He simply nodded and left the room as he made his way around Rowena. Alone on the deck neither woman said anything nor moved toward each other.
"So who found it?" Willow finally asked.
"Ken. Not far from here actually so…you were close. I made the announcement over the radio but-."
"I was too busy dealing with the dead and dying here," Willow said coldly.
Rowena took two strides forward. "Marissa made a bad call," she said gingerly.
"A bad call? That’s it? Three people are dead and another might be…See this?" Willow said tugging at her shirt. "See these dark spots? It’s other people’s blood; blood that shouldn’t be here."
"Willow, tensions were high and-" Rowena wasn’t able to finish the thought.
"Don’t stand there and defend them," Willow warned waving her finger.
"I’m not," Rowena answered. "Marissa is suspended indefinitely at this point."
Willow turned her back on Rowena. "I need to ask you something and I need an answer." Rowena said nothing. "Do you still support the black ops squad? I gotta know."
"What they did tonight? No. What they might need to do someday in the future? Yes."
Willow shook her head and her bottom lip began to shake as she kept her back still turned from Rowena.
"I want to put it to a vote again," she said.
"The council has already voted on this issue," Rowena said diplomatically as possible. "The black ops squad needs to stay in place and…"
Willow turned around to face Rowena and she had tears in her eyes as well as some running down her cheeks. The sight stopped Rowena from continuing.
"I thought that’s what you would say," Willow replied.
"This isn’t personal Will," Rowena answered in a shaking voice.
"But it is," Willow replied. "It’s personal for those people that died here tonight, for their families that will never see them again. It’s personal for the slayers who should be slayers and not killers…A-And it’s personal to me…to us..."
Willow began to walk past Rowena and the watcher called out, "Hey…"
Willow stopped and shook her head before facing Rowena.
"I-I can’t do this anymore. I thought I could but I-I can’t."
"Willow, you can’t leave the council," Rowena answered concerned.
"I’m not," Willow replied. "I’m leaving you."
Rowena opened her mouth to speak but Willow didn’t wait for a reply. She simply continued on her journey from the room.
Fade Out
End of Teaser
Act One
Starring:
Lacey Chabert as Skye and Elijah Wood as Jeff
Guest Starring:
Mary Lynn Rajskub as Gina Burdeau and Barbara Bain as Mrs.Burdeau
Fade In.
Int.
Slayer Rec Room – Night
Rowena walked into the Rec Room to see watchers and slayers celebrating with each other as the stereo played in the background. She looked over and saw Kennedy quietly sipping from a blue colored cup, watching the festivities more than taking part.
Rowena walked over to where she was sitting and offered her hand.
"Well done," Rowena complimented.
"Thanks," Kennedy said sincerely taking her hand, although she didn’t smile.
"For someone who saved a huge chunk of the U.S. Midwest you don’t seem too happy," Rowena remarked as she took a seat next to Kennedy.
"We lost a girl tonight – Morgan," Kennedy answered and looked over to meet eyes with Rowena. "Saving the city’s nice and all but I wish everyone came home in the process."
Rowena let out a deep sigh and only said, "Yeah."
Kennedy began to look around. "Where’s Will?" she asked. "You were going to pick her up, weren’t you?"
"I tried," Rowena answered, "but she decided to come back on her own. We had…"
"…A fight?" Kennedy asked. "Will can be kinda pig-headed," she teased.
Rowena gave a ghost of a smile.
"Among other things, yeah, but…it wasn’t a fight. Not really…She was at the office building with Black Ops when…"
"All hell broke loose," Kennedy finished.
"In the cut to the point way that’s yours, yeah," Rowena said with a grin that only appeared briefly. "She’s…she’s pretty upset – with them, with what happened…with me." Rowena sighed again and ran her fingers through her hair. "Look, I didn’t come to unload. I just wanted to thank you for a job well done," Rowena said with a polite nod before she rose and started toward the door.
Kennedy quietly watched her leave.
Fade In
Int.
Watchers Council Cellblock – Same Time
Dawn walked slowly down the corridor toward the back of the cellblock where they were holding Skye. The sound of her heels on the cement echoed in the cold air.
"Hey baby," a voice from the last cell whispered over the sound of Dawn’s steps.
Dawn paused and then continued her journey, finally reaching the last cell. Skye was sitting on top of the gray blanket of the neatly made bunk. Her back was resting against the stone wall and she had her arms crossed on top of her pulled-up knees.
"How’d you know it was me?" Dawn asked.
"After all the nights we spent sleeping on top of each other?" Skye said with a grin. "I’d recognize the sound of your breathing even without the vamped up hearing."
Dawn stood looking at her former girlfriend. Finally, Skye pointed her chin at the bag the Watcher was carrying and asked, "That for me?"
Dawn looked down at the bag as if seeing it for the first time. "Yes," she answered holding the bag through the bars. Skye reached up and as she took it she gently caressed a cool finger along Dawn’s hand.
Dawn jerked away, pulling her hand back to her chest as if to ward off a blow and she slowly backed away from the bars until the wall stopped her.
Skye ignored the fear in Dawn’s eyes and opened the bag. "Aww honey, how sweet," she crooned lifting an insulated soup container from the bag. She pried the lid off and sniffed at the viscous red liquid slightly steaming in the chilled air. "Yum… sang de veau. Much better than the Miss Piggy Andrew’s been feeding me. What’s the occasion?"
Dawn shrugged and slid down the wall until she was sitting on the floor, her position mirroring that of Skye’s from a moment before. "Thought maybe you’d like something different," she answered. "I know how much you love veal…I mean, used to love."
Skye smirked and sipped the warm liquid. "Delicious," she said. "Thank you."
Dawn nodded and rested her chin on arms, watching as Skye finished her meal and then laid the container in the bag on the floor near the bars.
"Spike used to add fiber to his blood," Dawn said. "Said he liked the texture. Have you tried that?"
Skye leaned back against the wall again, looking at Dawn. A soft smile graced her face. "Haven’t really thought of it," she answered with a shrug. "I guess since the council will only feed me animal blood I’ll give it a try. It might make it a bit more palatable."
"What’s the difference?" Dawn asked. "I mean, humans are animals. Biologically, we’re the same as pigs or cows."
Skye sighed and leaned her head back against the wall, her eyes never leaving Dawn. "Humans have something that animals don’t," she finally answered.
"A soul, you mean," Dawn stated.
"No," Skye said shaking her head. "No, I know that’s what you’d like to think, but it’s more like they have purpose. Animals exist, humans live. It’s that spark of life that makes them so desirable to other vamps I think. We can survive on animal blood, but if they want to savor their unlives to their fullest, they use human blood."
The pair sat silently for a few moments until Skye finally asked, "Does it really bother you that much?"
"What?" Dawn asked.
"That I didn’t get back my soul before I came home?" Skye added.
Dawn stiffened. "Why didn’t you even try?"
Skye shrugged. "Why bother?" Before Dawn could answer she said, "I mean, what the hell is a soul anyway? Hitler had a soul. And I never noticed having one before I died, so why do I need it now?"
"Maybe to keep you from killing people for a start!" Dawn said, sarcasm in her voice. "I didn’t see you murdering your patients before."
"No," the vampire said calmly. "Then again, I never had a reason to kill anyone before. On the other hand, Dana did her own fair share of killing and she had a soul. Ever see the crime scene photos of the hospital she escaped from? What a bloodbath!"
"Liked that, did you?" Dawn sneered. "Maybe I’ll make some color photocopies for you to decorate your walls with."
"Be something to look at," Skye conceded with a grin. "I get what you’re saying Dawn but really…Dana did what she felt she had to do to escape…So did I…And as for Bonnie, who knows how many deaths she was responsible for? Real estate can be a cut throat business, I hear."
"So that makes it okay? Eye for an eye and all that BS?" Dawn said. Skye watched as a tear rolled down the watcher’s face and said nothing. "Dana killed those doctors and nurses so you draining her while she was helpless was justifiable homicide? And Bonnie? She was evil, so she had to die? Who’s next? Willow? Andrew? Faith? They’ve all killed, does that make them fair game too?"
"Well, if you look at it that way…"
"And what about that woman you seduced?" Dawn asked, her voice breaking. "Did she deserve to die, Skye?"
"No," Skye admitted. "She just made the mistake of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and trusting the wrong person."
Dawn sniffed and wiped her nose with her sleeve. "Did you sleep with her?"
"Yes," Skye admitted. "I was starving, Dawn," she explained in a low voice as Dawn sat against the wall and cried into her arms. "I was all alone, cut off from the support of those who created me and I was terrified of coming back here. Being around the slayers with their tempting blood filling my senses? I was afraid I’d lose control and attack one of them…or worse, you. I did the only thing I could think of."
"And you just had to sleep with her before you killed her?" Dawn sobbed. "Did you want to make sure she went out with a smile on her face? Was that supposed to make you feel better?"
"No," Skye admitted. "I couldn’t care less about her, Dawn. But I had to make her death look like a suicide or otherwise the council might have figured out who fed on her. She was just…you know, there."