CASSIE
So, (Willow turns to look) this is the UC library, huh? It's so big. Hey.
WILLOW
I know you. I mean, I saw your picture.
CASSIE
(walks out from behind the stacks to Willow's table) Yeah, I know, it's kinda weird 'cause we never really met.
WILLOW
Or kinda weird because your're really dead.
CASSIE
Yeah well... (laughs)
WILLOW
Did I fall asleep?
CASSIE
No, no, I'm here. I mean, not-not here here... it's kinda complicated. Kind of ironic, too, you know. I wrote all that intense poetry about the end, and here I am again. Chatting you up.
WILLOW
Yeah, ironic.
CASSIE
I knew this would completely freak you out. It's just"” (sits at Willow's table) she asked that I come talk to you. It's important.
WILLOW
She?
CASSIE
Don't worry. I'm not gona hurt you or anything"”
WILLOW
Who asked you? What are you talking about?
CASSIE
She says she still sings.
WILLOW
What?
CASSIE
Remember that time on the bridge when you sang to each other? Well, she says even though you can't hear it, she still sings to you.
WILLOW
Tara?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
WARREN
Nice job.
ANDREW
There you are. I'm scared out of my frickin' gourd here.
WARREN
(laughs) Take it easy. Take it easy.
ANDREW
Do you have any idea how hard it's been to act this cool?
WARREN
Calm down, you're doing great. All specs are within parameters.
ANDREW
You keep leaving me. I hate it when you leave me. One time you died, and I ended up a Mexican.
WARREN
We've been over this. Now, that death thing was all part of the master plan. Come on, "If you strike me down..."
ANDREW
(doing an impression) "I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine." (laughs) Of course. Do you think, maybe, Willow could kill me, too?
WARREN
Hey, don't worry. If short round pulls off his end of the bargain, we'll both become gods.
ANDREW
(turns to look down hall where Jonathan went) (doing an impression) "That boy is our last hope."
WARREN
(walks forward to stand beside Andrew) "No, there is another."
ANDREW
(looks at Warren) Wait, really? Who's our last hope?
WARREN
No, I was just going with it. It was a thing. He's our last hope.
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WILLOW
Tara, is it you?
CASSIE
She's sorry she couldn't come herself.
WILLOW
Why didn't she? I don't understand... I mean, if you can manifest yourself
CASSIE
She just can't.
WILLOW
Why not? I don't understand.
CASSIE
Because of what you did.
WILLOW
What?
CASSIE
You killed people. You can't see her. That's just how it is. I'm sorry.
WILLOW
But"”But she's talking to you? And-and she can hear me? (starts to cry, looks up) Tara? Tara, I miss you. I miss you so much. (to Cassie) Can she hear me? What's happening. Did she say anything? What? Did she go away?
CASSIE
She's crying.
WILLOW
No. No, don't cry. Don't cry, sweetie. Talk to me.
CASSIE
She misses you, too. She wishes she could touch you.
WILLOW
Me too. Oh, me, too. Oh, God, Tara, it hurts so much. Everyday, it's like this giant hole, and it's not getting better.
CASSIE
It will. It can.
WILLOW
How? You're gone.
CASSIE
But you're not. You're strong, like an Amazon, remember?
WILLOW
I do. I remember.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
WILLOW
I don't know where to start. Um, after Warren shot you"”you know all about that, what happened? It was horrible. I was horrible. I"”I lost myself, the regular me.
CASSIE
Well, you were grieving.
WILLOW
A lot of people grieve. They don't make with the flaying. I hurt so many people.
CASSIE
It was the power.
WILLOW
I am the power. It's in me. Did I mention the random destruction of property? The Magic Box is not so much a box now"”
CASSIE
The power is bigger than you are.
WILLOW
I know, but"”
CASSIE
Things are more clear where Tara is, where we are. We can see your path, and you have to stop. You can't use magic again, not ever.
WILLOW
Black magic, of course. But Giles says it isn't as simple as-as quitting it all cold-turkey"”
CASSIE
It's too dangerous. You can't take the chance that you'll lose control.
WILLOW
I-I don't want to. I-I can't. I never want to cause that kind of pain.
CASSIE
Of course you don't.
WILLOW
So, I won't. I'm gonna be OK.
CASSIE
She says...
WILLOW
What?
CASSIE
You're not gonna be OK. You're gonna kill everybody.
Willow stares at her.
Fade to black.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
WILLOW
I'm gonna what?
CASSIE
That's why I came. We needed to warn you.
WILLOW
You saw my path? W-what do you know? What"”what did you see?
CASSIE
You don't want to know what we saw.
WILLOW
Oh, God!
CASSIE
But if you stop"”completely. No more magic.
WILLOW
Right. Right. Stop. W-what about Giles? He made it seem like it was just as dangerous for me to quit completely, like I'll go off the deep end again"”
CASSIE
You can't. If you do so much as another spell"”
WILLOW
I tried to stop. I-I tried. What if I can't do this?
CASSIE
Don't think that way.
WILLOW
Well, how can I not? You're telling me I'm gonna murder all my friends. I'm not strong. I'm not an Amazon. I'm just me.
CASSIE
Well, there is one thing"”one thing you could do to stop it.
WILLOW
(eyes wide) What? Anything.
CASSIE
And you could see her. You wouldn't have to talk through me.
WILLOW
(softly) Tara?
CASSIE
That's what you want, isn't it?
WILLOW
Of course.
CASSIE
So go. Be with her. Everybody will be safe, and you'll be together again. It's not that bad. Really. It's just like going to sleep.
Willow suspects that something's wrong. She stands cautiously.
WILLOW
Who are you?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
JOYCE
Things are coming, Dawn. Listen, things are on their way. I love you, and I love Buffy, but she won't be there for you.
DAWN
What? Why are you"”?
JOYCE
When it's bad, Buffy won't choose you. She'll be against you.
The vision of Joyce starts to fade.
DAWN
No! No, don't go! Please, don't go!
Joyce disappears entirely. Dawn, still sitting in the middle of the living room floor, sobs.
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CASSIE
Suicide thing was too far, huh? Hmm. You seemed so ripe.
WILLOW
Tell me who you are.
CASSIE
(leans forward) I stand by my opinion. The world would be a better place if you took a razorblade to your wrist"”
WILLOW
Stop.
CASSIE
I can see it now. (stands) Candlelight, the Indigo Girls playing, picture of your dead girlfriend on your bloody lap.
WILLOW
Stop it!
CASSIE
(mocking) Oh, baby, you left such a big hole. It hurt so bad. (serious, leans in) You don't know hurt. This last year's gonna seem like cake after what I put you and your friends through, and I am not a fan of easy death. Fact is, the whole good-versus-evil, balancing the scales thing"”I'm over it. I'm done with the mortal coil. But believe me, I'm going for a big finish.
WILLOW
From beneath you, it devours.
CASSIE
(leans back) Oh, not it. Me.
Cassie sports a wicked grin, and then her skin rolls back, and her jaws flip back and she's turning inside out until she's a floating ball of flesh, then"”poof!"”she disappears altogether. Willow's left just standing there in front of the library table.