Story by Dan Joslyn and DragonWriter17
Written by Dan Joslyn, DragonWriter17, Susan Carr, Xanwilbuf, and CN Winters
Produced and Directed by DragonWriter17
Edited by Lilly and Dan
Sound by CSR
Art Direction and Art by CN Winters
Cover Art by Matt
One Week After The Events of "Unbound"
Fade In:
Int.
Watchers Council – Gray Sector Magic Lab – Day
Mira wound her way through the warren of stations and labs in Gray Sector until she came to the lab that housed most of the Council’s magical research. The door was open, so Mira stepped inside. She found the lab seemingly empty.
"Anybody home?" she called out.
"In here!"
The voice came from a small storage room in the back of the lab. Mira headed that way. She found Katherine doing an inventory on the magical supplies.
"Mira, hey!" Katherine greeted warmly while continuing her work.
"Hey, Katie," Mira replied with a smile.
"Are you looking for Livia?" Katherine asked.
"Uhhh, no," Mira answered. "I’m looking for you, actually."
"Oh." Katherine seemed surprised, but she instantly stopped what she was doing and walked over to where Mira was standing. "What’s up?"
"You know that magic test you and Jo did to figure out which slayers to train?"
"Yeah..."
"Just how accurate is that thing anyway?"
"Ummm, pretty accurate, but I wouldn’t say a hundred percent or anything. Why?"
"Something happened when I was fighting Cassandra," Mira said. "Not when we were at the base. It was here, on the Council grounds, before she blipped away."
Katherine had an expression of deep concern on her face. "What happened?"
"She had zapped me frozen, right, and she was just merrily choking the life outta me, when all of a sudden she stopped, like she sensed something. She put her palm over my heart and said, ‘You have magic in you. Did you know that?’ "
Katherine was fascinated. "Really?"
Mira nodded. "She said that it was trapped, a genetic flaw or something. She offered to free it for me. If I would join her, of course."
"Wow." Katherine’s eyes were wide. She didn’t know quite what to make of this news.
"Was she telling the truth?" Mira asked. "Is there a way to find out? I mean, magic runs in my family...supposedly." She said this last word with disgusted sarcasm.
"I don’t know," Katherine told her, "but I bet we can figure it out if you’re willing to work with me."
Mira’s eyes lit up. "Oh, absolutely! Just tell me what to do."
"Well, let me do some research, and then we can set up an appointment. How’s that sound?"
"Perfect. Thanks, Katie."
"No problem. Glad to help."
When Mira didn’t leave right away, Katherine took the opportunity to bring up a subject she was curious about.
"Sooo...how’re things with you and Livia?"
Mira sighed and rolled her eyes as if she had anticipated the question. But she didn’t blow it off; she answered honestly.
"It’s kinda weird," she said, "but we’re trying. I figure it’s better to have a best friend with a crush on me than to not have a best friend at all."
"How do you feel about Livia? Is there more than friendship on your side of the equation?"
Mira averted her eyes and gave a helpless shrug. "I don’t know. I’m not sure."
Katherine’s voice took on a gentle tone. "T-that's okay....Maybe you should think about what you do know?"
Mira considered the question. When she finally spoke, her brow was furrowed, and she was staring off into space. "I know that not a day goes by that I don’t think of her. I know that when we weren’t speaking I was miserable and that I couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. I know that I would give my life to save hers." Mira looked over at Katherine. "Is that love?"
Katherine smiled and said, "Yes, but you knew that." Then her expression grew serious. "The question is...Is it the same love that Livia feels? Only you and Liv can answer that."
Mira smiled slightly and nodded, but worry was in her eyes.
Voiceover, Jocasta: "What?!! Are you insane?!!!"
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Jocasta’s Office – Same Time
Jocasta shot an incredulous look at Antonia, who sat in the chair next to Jocasta’s desk. Despite her best friend’s reaction, Antonia appeared unmoved.
"Nooo," she replied smoothly. "I am not insane. I just want to get married as soon as possible, that’s all."
"In a month?!!" Jocasta blustered. "A month?!! You can’t plan a wedding in a month!!!"
"Sure we can."
"No, no...i-i-it’s not possible," Jocasta insisted, beginning a panicked pace around the room. "You have to find a dress, choose colors and music and words, you have to find a minister a-a-and a church...oh my God! Renting a church has to be done months in advance! There’s no way we can—"
Antonia got to her feet and stopped the redhead in mid-rant. "Look, if I play my cards right, finding a church and minister won’t be a problem."
Jocasta gave Antonia a skeptical glare, wondering what the blonde had in mind.
Fade Out.
One Month Later
Fade In:
Int.
Watchers Council – Gray Sector Lab – Afternoon
Mira and Katherine were in their third week of working together. No one but Jocasta was aware of their sessions. Mira didn’t want anyone to know—just in case they turned out to be fruitless.
At the moment, Mira and Katherine sat cross-legged, facing each other, their eyes focused on a feather hovering in the air between them. When it settled onto the floor, Katherine looked at Mira.
"Did you get what it feels like?" she asked.
Mira nodded.
"Okay, try again," Katherine told her.
Mira fixed her gaze on the feather and concentrated. A full minute went by. Sweat broke out on Mira’s forehead. Still, the feather did nothing.
"Arrgghhh!" Mira growled, slamming her fists onto the floor in frustration and jumping to her feet.
"It’s okay, Mira," Katherine reassured as she also stood. "We’ll get there."
"Get there?" Mira shot back angrily. "How’re we gonna get there? I’m not even here yet! I can’t get from here to there because I’m nowhere!"
"I know it’s frustrating, but—"
"No, you don’t know, Katie," Mira accused. "It all comes so easy to you and Jo. Hell, you two could probably just twinkle your nose and cast a spell." She gave her head a rueful shake. "I’m done." She turned and headed for the door.
"Mira, we can’t stop now..."
Mira ignored Katherine’s plea.
"Don’t forget!" Katherine called out. "We’re leaving at 8:00 tomorrow morning!"
"I got it!" Mira shouted back before stomping out of the lab, slamming the door behind her.
Cut To:
Ext.
Strange Landscape – Day
Mira’s battle cry went on until her lungs gave out. She brought the Scythe, blood staining its blade, down from above her head.
She stood atop a tall, craggy mountain, cloud tops kissing its peak. Below her thousands, maybe millions of demons stretched from horizon to horizon across an endless plain. Many wore armor and wielded blades of strange design. Storm clouds covered the sky, lightning jumping between their dark ramparts.
Mira turned to look at Livia. She was lying awkwardly on the ground, motionless. Mira’s face betrayed nothing.
"Is she dead?" Mira asked.
"That’s really all up to you, isn’t it?"
Mira whipped around to see a young woman standing in front of her. She was thin, with long brown hair. She looked maybe twenty, except for her eyes, which spoke of a far deeper understanding of things than is usual among teenagers. Her hair flew behind her in a sudden wind, and when she moved, it was with a grace that verged on floating.
"Aurora?" Mira said in surprised awe. "But you’re—"
Aurora shrugged, apparently nonplussed by her ‘dead’ status.
"What the hell is going on?" Mira asked. The world was deadly silent around them, despite the gathering storm above and the slavering army below.
"Things are coming," Aurora said. "Bad things. Really, really, really bad th—"
"I get it," Mira snapped.
"Do you?" Aurora silently stepped over to a large, jagged black rock and sat down on it, looking away from Mira and out over the plain. "Are you ready?"
"No," Mira replied instantly. "I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t know where I’m going."
"This is where you’re going," Aurora told her. "It’s destiny. It’s the one thing you can’t fight."
They could hear a howl in the distance, the roar of the army climbing the mountain. It was growing louder by the moment.
"Aurora, I’m scared," Mira pleaded.
"You should be," was the reply. "When all this is over, Mira the Vampire Slayer will be no more."
Mira’s eyes widened.
Then Aurora said, "We’re gonna be late." But it wasn’t Aurora’s voice coming out of her mouth.
Mira cocked her head at the girl. "What?"
Cut To:
Int.
Mira’s Quarters – Bedroom – Morning
"I said, we’re gonna be late, and it’s gonna be your fault."
Mira was being shaken awake, and when her eyes fully opened, she found Katherine standing over her, a hand on her shoulder. The brunette shot a confused look around the room.
"Did you forget to set your alarm or something?" Katherine asked.
Mira sat up and rubbed her eyes. "I guess so."
Katherine turned to leave the bedroom. "Well, hurry up. Jo and I swore to Toni that nothing would stop this wedding from going off without a hitch."
Mira groaned as Katherine closed the bedroom door behind her. Then she crawled out of bed, stretched, and walked over to her dresser. She glanced over at her dress hanging on the closet door.
She let out a heavy sigh. "Well, I might as well get this over with."
Black Out.
End of Teaser
Starring:
Lindsay Wagner as Velika Petrova, Bonnie Hunt as Veronica Wyndham-Pryce, Felicia Day as Finola Dunn, Harris Yulin as Morgan Travers, Jensen Ackles as Cooper Reed
Guest Starring:
Michelle Trachtenberg as Aurora Summers and Amy Acker as Dr. Elizabeth Burkle
Fade In:
Int.
Hovering Transport Ship – Cargo Bay – Day
The huge cargo bay of the hovering ship had been transformed into a wedding chapel covered in white and silver decorations. Save for the occasional glimpse of dark steel and the vehicle’s slight vibration, there was no indication that this space was for anything other than an ordinary wedding.
The guests sat in rented white-clad chairs arranged in two long but narrow rows. The wedding party stood at the front before a metal-wrought trellis woven with live white roses and flanked by stands of glowing candles.
Presiding over the ceremony was Admiral Walker Kinsey, a long-time friend of the family. In front of him were Lex and Antonia, who watched, rapt, as he went through his prepared text. Standing beside Lex were Sebastian and James. Standing beside Antonia were Jocasta and Katherine.
When Admiral Kinsey reached the end of a particular passage, he nodded at Lex, who nodded back and then turned to Sebastian, who handed him the ring he had been holding. Then Lex turned to face Antonia. His smile was wide and full of emotion as he took her hand in his. The silver band twinkled in the candlelight as he slid it halfway onto her finger.
"I, Lexington Harris, take you, Antonia Allister, to be my wife from this day forth until the end of the world." He slipped the ring the rest of the way onto Antonia’s finger. "Which hopefully won’t be tomorrow," he added in jest.
A soft chuckle from the audience broke the silent moment. Antonia returned his smile. "It better not," she murmured in mock warning as she gave Lex a tug on the sleeve of his tux.
Admiral Kinsey cleared his throat and drew the attention of the distracted bride and groom. Antonia blushed and turned to Jocasta, who took the bride’s bouquet in one hand while using the other to pass over the ring. Jocasta slipped the silver band into her cousin’s palm and gave her hand a soft squeeze. Antonia smiled and then turned back to Lex.
She beamed at him for the longest time before once again the admiral had to intervene with a throat-clearing.
"Sorry," she said, shaking her head slightly. Then she straightened up and looked Lex right in the eyes as she took his hand in hers. "I, Antonia Allister, take you, Lexington Harris, to be my husband...to be with me forever, through every moment we’ll share, until our last breaths on this Earth separate us." She slid the ring on Lex’s finger, and the two joined both their hands.
Admiral Kinsey smiled and closed his book. "By the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife!"
As applause echoed through the transformed cargo bay, Lex pulled Antonia to him, his eyes never leaving hers. "I love you," he whispered as his lips met hers.
While bride and groom indulged in a lengthy kiss that was definitely less than chaste, the admiral let his voice boom over the applause. "I am proud to announce the joining of the Harris and Allister houses into one!"
As the applause became cheers, Lex and Antonia finished their kiss and turned to the crowd of family and friends—giddy smiles plastered all over their newlywed faces.
Cut To:
Int.
Reception Hall – Later
After the ceremony had been completed, the transport had set down in the parking lot over which it had been hovering. The guests had piled from the cargo bay and into the reception hall right next to the ship. With enough food and drink for an army, the reception was well under way.
"Toni, I never knew you could look so...well..." Lucy Allyn paused for a moment, taking in the splendor of her friend’s white dress.
"Like a girl?" Jocasta joked as Lucy’s eyes grew wide.
"I didn’t mean it like that," Lucy quickly responded. "Jo, I swear you are such a tart. Anyways, congratulations...Mike and I are so excited to have another married couple to hang out with!"
Lucy dragged Antonia into a tight embrace and rocked her back and forth several times. As she pulled away, she gave one last glance at Antonia and kissed her briefly on the cheek. Then Lucy rejoined her husband, Mike.
Jocasta leaned over to whisper in Antonia’s ear. "Boy, more time with the Allyns...I’m so envious," she snickered.
Antonia shot Jocasta a dirty look, but the redhead only grinned unrepentantly. Then they saw Katherine and Livia walk up to them.
"Out of all the customs to keep, the meet-and-greet reception was the one you thought was wise?" Livia questioned.
Antonia sighed as she glanced over at Lex, who was hugging his parents. "It was his mother’s idea," she stated. "And since we didn’t get married by a priest..." She trailed off, and the two slayers got the picture.
"Hey, I thought the whole ship ceremony was an awesome idea," Livia added. Katherine nodded her agreement.
Antonia smiled widely. Then her attention was drawn to Lex, who was waving and making his way over.
"We’ll catch ya later," Jocasta said as she and the two slayers stepped away.
"Well, hello, Mrs. Harris," Lex said silkily as he pulled Antonia in for a kiss. While he had her close, he whispered into her ear, "Think we can sneak away and get you out of that dress for a bit?"
Antonia laughed and pulled back, gently stroking Lex’s hair as she looked into his eyes. "As much as I would love to do that," she said, nodding at the crowd around them, "I don’t think they would appreciate the guests of honor disappearing on them."
Lex rolled his eyes in mock defeat. "Fine."
Cut To:
Int.
Reception Hall – Same Time
Livia left Jocasta and Katherine and made her way over to Mira, who was standing alone in the back of the room, leaning against a small table set against the wall. Although the two slayers had mended their friendship in the previous month, things were still somewhat awkward. After exchanging simple "heys," Livia took the spot next to Mira, also leaning against the table.
"You look good," Livia said without looking in Mira’s direction.
Mira glanced briefly at Livia and then said, "Thanks. You too."
After a long pause, Livia crossed her arms and said, "But if I don’t get out of these shoes soon, I’m gonna get cranky."