Buffy VS Dracula
Real Me
The Replacement
Out of My Mind
No Place Like Home
Family
Fool For Love
Shadow
Listening To Fear
Into The Woods
Triangle
Checkpoint
Blood Ties
Crush
I Was Made To Love You
The Body
Forever
Intervention
Tough Love
Spiral
The Weight of The World
The Gift
79 Buffy vs. Dracula
80 Real Me
81 The Replacement
82 Out Of My Mind
83 No Place Like Home
84 Family
85 Fool For Love
86 Shadow
87 Listening to Fear
88 Into the Woods
89 Triangle
90 Checkpoint
91 Blood Ties
92 Crush
93 I Was Made To Love You
94 The Body
95 Forever
96 Intervention
97 Tough Love
98 Spiral
99 The Weight of the World
Buffy awakes next to Riley and quietly rises. Suddenly she is running headlong through a cemetery in pursuit of a vampire. She quickly overtakes him and finishes him off. Then she returns to Riley's side and resumes her sleep.
Riley and Buffy frolic on the beach while Xander, Willow, Anya and Tara sit and reflect on the fact that that they are not the action figures of the team. The lovers only quit when Buffy manages to destroy their football and the hunger pangs of the adolescents must be satisfied. Xander's inability to get the grill started causes Willow to lend some magical assistance. She takes the compliments humbly, until a sudden downpour forces her to protest her innocence.
In the stormy darkness, two moving men are unloading crates outside of a stone castle. One crate is dropped and broken open revealing only dirt. Suddenly a hand breaks out from the crate and strikes one of the men down.
The next day, Willow is finished helping Giles install a scanner to his laptop so they can archive the numerous texts that they study. Giles is anxious to start the work and Willow reflects that Giles has been at loose ends for quite a while since he lost his job at the High School Library (056 - Graduation Day, Part II). Giles admits to Willow under oath of secrecy that he is thinking of returning to England. He doesn't think that Buffy needs him anymore. Willow protests his importance to the group, but he takes it as just her being polite.
Buffy's mom is disappointed that Buffy must run out on patrol right after having dinner. Buffy protests that it's an obligation and not fun, but when we watch her fighting a vampire in the cemetery later, it does seem as if she's into it. As she fights, a mist swirls and thickens into a face. When she strides away from the pile of dust that was her opponent, the man compliments her on her hunting ability. He steps from the shadows wearing a long black cloak, long black hair and a thin pale face with deep lines (very Crow-ish). Buffy is surprised and somewhat amused when he introduces himself as Dracula.
As they walk through the cemetery, Willow tries to confide Gile's secret to Xander without really telling him anything and while deflecting Xander's prurient desire to hear secrets about Willow and Tara's private life.
Buffy at first suspects that this man is another fake, one of several wannabe's that she has met. He assures her that she should recognize him as surely as he knows who she is. Buffy is pleasantly surprised as Dracula tells her that she is world-renowned in certain circles, which is the reason that he has sought her out. She is a killer worthy of his attention. She protests that she is one of the good guys, but Dracula hints at her hidden dark side. Buffy ends the discussion by striking at him, but he transforms into a mist and quickly reappears behind her. She strikes again, but he disappears. Suddenly Xander and Willow show up. Before Buffy can convince them to leave, Dracula reappears. At first Xander mocks Dracula's Old World clothing and accent, until Buffy introduces him and then Xander tries to be more respectful. Dracula postpones their meeting, turns into a bat and after harassing them a bit, flies away.
The group gives Giles, Anya, Riley and Tara a report of what happened for the twentieth time. The girls begin to talk about how sexy Dracula presented, which seems to upset Tara and Xander, especially when Xander learns that Anya has an evil past with the Count. Giles is uncertain how much of the Dracula legend might actually be real, but Willow is quick to rave about Giles' ability to find out the truth. Riley and Xander both prefer the more direct approach to killing Dracula, perhaps out of jealousy. Everyone leaves for home and Riley and Buffy agree to sleep separately tonight.
Xander silently seethes as Anya glowingly recounts the time that Dracula complimented her on her Vengeance Demon work. Unseen, they are stalked by a gray wolf. After Xander and Anya part, Xander is approached by the Dark Prince. He quickly succumbs to Dracula's mind control. Despite Dracula's distaste for Xander, even in his slavish state, he will use Xander as a spy.
Riley seeks out Spike for some information on Dracula. Spike thinks that Dracula is a show-off and besides he owes Spike eleven English Pounds. Riley tells Spike that Drac is after Buffy. Spike suggests that Riley look into big fancy houses with slaves for a staff. Also, unlike other vampires, Dracula must sleep in his native soil. Riley thinks he should check out mansions, but Spike suggests that he play it safe and quit now.
Buffy sleeps in her mother's house, in her old room. A mist flows in the window and she awakes to find Count Dracula standing over her bed. He takes her off-guard with his gracious manners and his insistence that she is a lot like him. It's his turn to be taken off-guard when he sees the marks that Angel left on her throat (056 - Graduation Day, Part II). Dracula dismisses Angel as unworthy of her or he would be with Buffy now. He plays on her memory of Angel's embrace and his bite. Dracula slowly leans into her and bites deep into her neck.
The next morning Buffy finds two puncture wounds on the left side of her neck. At Giles' house the group meets and Willow reports that most of the legends of Dracula are true. Riley tells them that he learned that the Count is used to high-living. Xander keeps trying to throw the others off track without letting slip how devoted he is to Dracula, but not doing a very good job. Willow tells them that Dracula has turned feeding into a psychological game - he likes to play with his food. Xander spots a spider and begins to do an impersonation of Peter MacNicol in Mel Brook's Dracula, trying to eat the spider without anyone seeing him. Buffy now decides on the direct approach and leaves to deal with Dracula.
Riley follows her and dares her to expose her neck for inspection. When Riley overcomes her resistance, everyone sees the truth. Buffy tells them that she has been influenced by Dracula, but she still thinks that she can fight him. Riley thinks that she has transferred some of her love for Angel to Dracula, but she protests that isn't so. They all agree that Buffy should hide while they deal with the Count. Xander volunteers to take her in. Willow will revoke Dracula's permission to enter Buffy's house, which they figure out came from Joyce, Buffy's mom.
Anya is griping as usual that she has to stay with Xander and Buffy instead of looking for her old friend Vlad. Xander finally throws Anya in the closet and tells Buffy that he is supposed to deliver her to Dracula. She agrees to go.
Xander delivers Buffy to Dracula at the castle. When they are alone, Buffy makes a brave face, brandishing a stake, but with a word from Dracula, she puts it down.
Outside Giles and Riley are both surprised that they never before noticed this large castle on the outskirts of Sunnydale. Inside they split up to search for the Count.
Dracula is telling Buffy that she doesn't want to kill him. That she wants to give in to the only other person who can relieve her loneliness and help her reach her true potential as a killer - an immortal killer. Then he offers a taste of his blood.
Riley finds Xander, whom he quickly subdues. Giles enters a dark room, only to fall several feet to the sunken floor. Lying there recovering he can hear animalistic sounds in the dark. Slowly from the shadows, the Three Sisters emerge and begin to caress and undress Giles.
Dracula offers Buffy a chance to taste what vampires are desperate for, without being transformed, on this occasion. He suggests that she desperately wants to drink blood. He then echoes the words first spoke by Tara, in the dream world where Buffy fought the First Slayer (078 - Restless). He tells her that she cannot know what she is going to become in the future - a future, which has barely begun. She takes his hand and begins to suck on his bloody arm. In a flash, she sees herself and the First Slayer in various combat scenes. She also sees her own blood flowing inside her. She rises up and punches him off of her. Dracula is surprised at her resistance and tries to regain his influence over her. She tells him that her true nature is now apparent to her - She is The Slayer and will not give in to his evil temptations. And they begin to fight.
Riley finds Giles and throws him a cross. As the Sisters retreat, he rescues a Giles that is somewhat reluctant to be saved.
Buffy and Dracula fight viciously. Both are powerful, quick and inventive. Dracula finally decides to retreat. He turns into mist and begins to reform on the upper level of the room, near a window. Buffy manages to grab her stake and close the distance. She is there when Dracula reappears and drives the stake into his chest. Dracula falls down the stairs and changes to dust. Giles, Riley and Xander arrive and Xander is upset that he can't get revenge for Dracula taking advantage of him, like so many bad guys have in the past. They all leave together.
In a few moments, the swirling mist begins to form again. Dracula is restored, but instantly, Buffy drives her stake into his heart again. She tells him that she's seen enough movies to be prepared for his return. He falls as a pile of dust and in moments the mist begins to swirl again. But a threat from Buffy, who has not left, is enough to make the mist disappear.
The next day, Buffy and Giles meet privately at his house. Before he can tell her about his plans to leave the country, she confesses that she hasn't needed him as a Watcher for a while. Giles agrees, but she goes on to tell him that lately, she has begun to turn into a secretive hunter/killer instead of an avenger or a protector. She wants to know more, she sees knowledge as her salvation from the darker side of the Slayer trade. She needs help and guidance. She admits that maybe a Slayer does need a Watcher. And, of course, she wants it to be Giles. Giles no longer has something that he wants to tell her.
Later that day, she tells her mother of her plans to go out with Riley. As she enters her room, she is surprised to see a young girl, about fifteen, with long straight brown hair. Joyce calls to Buffy to take her sister out with her. Both young women immediately protest.
Giles' voice is calm and measured as he talks Buffy into a meditative state. She stands feet spread apart, before a short wooden pedestal. Then, in one smooth motion, she performs a handstand and is perfectly poised on the wooden block. After a few moments she raises her right arm and maintains her vertical line while balanced on one hand. As the seconds pass, Giles discerning stare approaches awe. A short distance away someone attempts to add a crystal to a delicately balanced group of three. The entire set collapses in a noisy heap and, distracted by the sound, Buffy comes crashing down onto the floormats. As she recovers, her sister Dawn's face pushes in close to hers and whines for a new place to go.
The next morning, Dawn is writing in her diary about the dangers and loneliness that come with being the sister of The Slayer. At the kitchen table we hear a continuing monologue as Dawn belittles Buffy's life despite obviously being jealous of her. Both young women are horrified to discover that their mother intends for older sister to take Dawn Back-to-School shopping. Buffy protests that she intends to shop with Giles at the Magic Shop for supplies to use in her new regimen of training, but Joyce won't be dissuaded. Riley arrives and as he lovingly greets Buffy, Dawn wonders how far they have gone together and if Riley will ever stop calling her "kid". Once alone, Riley is surprised to find that Buffy thinks his visit is a surprise. She forgot that they promised to get together, but he quickly forgives her and encourages her to pursue her calling.
Buffy and Dawn cruise down the street in Giles' bright red sports car. Dawn is not very happy with Giles, who is very, very, very old, but perhaps that's because she doesn't think that he likes her, since he mostly scolds her to be quiet and sit still while he trains Buffy. Giles reminds Buffy that the learning and training will not be easy, just before he begins to complain about the automatic transmission in his new convertible. Giles admits that since he hasn't worked in a long time, he was looking for a change. When Dawn spots Willow and Tara, Giles leaps at the chance to show-off his new car.
Both of them are on their way to the Magic Shop. Dawn's voiceover tells us that she thinks Willow is wonderful and likes Tara as well. Dawn casually mentions that she once told her mother that she's interested in the same things Willow and Tara are - she meant witchcraft, but Joyce seemed upset, which echoes a recurring theme, witchcraft as a code word for Willow and Tara's relationship.
Willow is delighted to hear that Buffy is getting serious about something and getting a "work ethic", until she hears that it means Buffy won't be able to be in her drama class. They are interrupted when they notice the Magic Shop seems unusually quiet and dark. Inside Willow literally trips over the body of the owner. Buffy quickly rushes Dawn outside to avoid exposing her to the gruesome details. Dawn peers through the window until an unsettling street person approaches her ranting about cats. When she tries to scream, he puts his finger to her lips and tells her that he knows what she is and she doesn't belong here.
A short time later, Tara emerges from the shop and finds Dawn sitting around the corner from the shop entrance. Tara tells her that the owner is dead and that "non-Scoobys" like her and Dawn should just wait until the others finish their investigation.
Inside the fantastic four have determined from the obvious evidence that more than one vampire was involved. A quick check of the inventory and Willow finds several things missing, including a text about The Slayer. As Giles looks over the books, he is surprised to find out how lucrative the little shop can be, which is why there is never trouble in getting a new owner. Buffy reminds him that they often have to get a new owner, since the monsters in Sunnydale, make this a risky job. Giles is undeterred as he advises Buffy to begin her search for the vampire pack, while evaluating the Magic Shop as an enterprise. Willow reminds Buffy that she is stuck with Dawn. Giles notices a missing artifact - a cheap porcelain unicorn.
Harmony is congratulating her minions on the raid and thanking the brown-noser who stole the unicorn for her. She sired these vampires, but she doesn't seem entirely in charge as they bully her to tell them when she plans to kill The Slayer. She finally tells them that it will be tonight and they seem happy.
Back home that night, Joyce is ready to kill Buffy for not only blowing off the shopping but taking her little sister to a murder scene. Now due back at work, Joyce accuses Buffy of wanting to go out with Riley, instead of babysitting her sister. Buffy insists that she should be patrolling. Buffy finally suggests that they ask Xander to baby-sit and Dawn quickly agrees.
Dawn is all smiles as she answers the door for Xander. He can do no wrong in her eyes, except, of course, by bringing Anya with him. Anya arrives bearing a trio of classic games classics.
Tara is worried about Dawn, as she tells Willow that Dawn probably feels left out of the group - that she's an outsider. Willow quickly realizes that Tara is talking about herself. Willow assures her that she is accepted, but Tara insists that the others have been together so long, that she doesn't really feel the same camaraderie. Willow hugs Tara and repeats her reassurances with feeling. Tara seems happy, but pulls away when Willow tells her that she's now one of the good guys. Willow suggests that they need to come up with some kind of initiation ritual or a membership ring, but Tara tells her it's not necessary. Tara does repeat the same concerns about Dawn, but Willow tells her that Buffy will take care of Dawn.
Buffy is venting to Riley about how irritating her sister is and how her mother is no help. Riley pushes to find out the source of this tension and Buffy admits to feeling stifled because Dawn is always around. Riley suggests that Dawn might be an admirer of Buffy's, but she doesn't buy. Buffy also admits to being jealous of Dawn's life, because she gets to grow up normally and doesn't have to start worrying about how to save the world at a young age.
Dawn is venting to Xander and Anya about how irritating her sister is and how her mother is no help. Xander pooh-poohs Dawn's concerns, but she still thinks romantic thoughts about him, until Anya interrupts. Anya is upset at all the money she is stuck with, until Xander tells her that she is winning the game. All of which is interrupted by a rock through the window. A note attached tells them that Harmony has come to kill Buffy. Xander enjoys standing in the doorway and telling Harmony that she failed even to find The Slayer. Harmony and her armed gang cannot enter the house without an invitation and Xander relishes irritating Harmony, including laughing in her face. In the give and take of insults, Dawn makes the mistake of daring Harmony to come inside the house.
Harmony instantly transforms into her vampire state and attacks Xander. Dawn and Anya retreat, as Harmony sits on Xander chest and punches him. Frustrated at not being able to find a weapon in The Slayer's house, Anya tries to attack Harmony with a lamp, but is brushed aside. In the momentary break this gives Xander, he manages to raise his feet and kick Harmony out of the door, which they quickly close. Harmony leaves with the threat to carry out her threats later.
Buffy is all giggles as Xander tells her about Harmony and her minions. She stops laughing when she hears that Harmony has a standing invitation to enter her house.
Harmony and her minions are walking through town complaining about how the night has turned out. They do not know they are being stalked until one of them is punched unconscious. Spike is ready to take on the whole bunch. When he sees Harmony he is momentarily surprised. They pass the time pleasantly until one of her minions reminds her that Spike is the enemy of other inhumans. Spike doesn't bother to explain that there is a chip in his head that now prevents him from harming humans and since he is still, after all, evil he's got to take it out on someone. Spike is definitely surprised that Harmony has a gang and definitely amused to hear that Harmony intends to kill Buffy. He tries to warn her, but she is confident in her plan. Spike quickly tells her that the kidnap-Buffy's-friend-and-lead-her-into-a-trap plan is worthless. Harmony denies that that is her plan. As Spike walks away, Harmony warns him that one day she will track him down and kill him, but she doesn't sound very mad at him. Then she announces to her gang - a new plan.
Xander and Riley watch as Buffy prepares weapons to assault Harmony's gang. As they plead the case for calm, she rants about how her sister's carelessness could get them all killed, as Dawn listens from the next room. Buffy has no patience with the argument that Dawn is too young. Buffy feels that Dawn should know by now that you have to be careful in the Summers' house. Besides, treating her like a child has made her dependant and stupid. Dawn leaves, close to tears, before Buffy calms down. Dawn runs past Anya in the kitchen and out the back door. Dawn just wants some time alone, but Anya catches her and reminds her that it's too dangerous outside right now. Anya is proven right when she is knocked back into the kitchen and Dawn is kidnapped. Buffy, Xander and Riley find Anya on the floor and, despite a bad head wound, she manages to tell them that Dawn is in danger.
Dawn is chained to a wall as Harmony again explains her plan. Her gang is not happy about not getting to eat Dawn, but Harmony is insistent that her plan requires them to wait.
Buffy strides into Spike's mausoleum hide-away and without a word punches him in the nose. Spike's first impulse is to lie about seeing Harmony, but another punch convinces him to tell Buffy what he knows about Harmony's hideout. She leaves him with one last fist to the face.
Harmony is venting to Dawn about how irritating her gang is. Dawn can sympathize with the lack of appreciation Harmony feels. They are interrupted when Harmony's gang arrives to tell Harmony that they have changed the plan to killing both her and Dawn now. Harmony is slow to realize that she has lost control and almost begs for another chance. As she is brushed aside, a gang member approaches Dawn. She warns him that Buffy will kill him if he touches her. In a joking mood, the vampire reaches out with his index finger and touches Dawn's shoulder. Then the gang begins to laugh. The next sound is the stake being driven through his heart. He turns to dust to reveal Buffy. She warns Dawn to close her eyes so she won't see what's about to happen. Harmony tries some lame super-villain boasting, but the gang interrupts by attacking Buffy. Buffy quickly kills two more of them. While she is insulting Harmony, the biggest member of the gang slips behind Buffy. Dawn's warning is just in time, as Buffy turns to face Mort's attack. Mort's size and strength work to his advantage. Harmony runs away as Buffy tries to subdue the giant monster. He manages to close his massive grip on her throat and pick her off the ground. Flailing with her legs, Buffy's foot brushes a possible weapon. She breaks free and somersaults a few feet back. Mort falls back against the cave wall. Buffy picks up and stabs Mort through the heart with a kiddie-size unicorn.
As she frees Dawn, Buffy warns her that she is in big trouble. Dawn threatens to get Buffy in trouble with their mother. When they get home, they tell their mother nothing of what happened that night.
The next day, Dawn writes in her diary that Buffy was probably afraid of getting into more trouble, but it was good that she didn't say anything. Meanwhile, despite Buffy's warnings about the pitfalls of the retail business and the short life expectancy of Magic Shop owners, Giles is preparing to open his new business - part-storefront and part-Slayer Workshop. Buffy marvels at his energy and Giles admits that he was so bored when not working that he watched the soap opera, Passions, with Spike, which must forever remain a secret. As Buffy emerges repeatedly from the back room to tell Dawn not to move, Dawn reflects that she may have a surprise in store for Buffy if she thinks that Dawn is an ordinary little sister.
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Buffy, Xander, Anya and Riley are watching a Kung Fu movie. Xander apologizes for not being able to offer any munchies, but he has limited culinary ability in his basement apartment. To make matters worse, his parents arrive home upstairs and begin a embarrassingly loud argument. Xander begins to get the idea that he should move. Riley interrupts Buffy's study of the violent saga of the Crusades to interest her in the violent saga of the movie. He starts massaging Buffy's shoulders. Encouraged by Buffy response, Xander decides to try the hands-on approach with Anya. Unfortunately, she is still recovering from a dislocated shoulder at the hands of Harmony's minions (080 - Real Me) and she ends up yelling at him. Buffy quickly becomes critical of the fighting technique of the movie stunt men. The noise of fighting from upstairs becomes louder and even Anya begins to feel sorry for Xander.
On a more interesting note, a big demon with black rotting skin and green glowing veins is performing a ceremony that he hopes will result in the death of the Slayer.
Willow joins the gang to search for an apartment for Xander. He is not encouraged because he has nothing to offer in the way of credit or references, except those that he hopes to fake. They enter a big, white, sunny apartment and Anya instantly falls in love with the place. A brunette woman in a business suit, the agent for the apartment building, enters. Xander is a little intimidated by the application form she presents, because he has so little to put on it. He is also worried about the required credit check and the amount of deposit money needed up front. He pulls Anya aside to explain that he just can't afford to sign the lease, because his construction job is coming to an end. Anya is louder and more upset and demanding than normal. After embarrassing Xander in front of everyone she storms out.
Giles is organizing the inventory in his new Magic Shop, when he is startled by the big demon that wants Buffy dead. Forced to improvise he attacks the demon with a statuette of a fertility god, but the demon brushes him aside. With no Buffy to kill, the demon leaves.
Later Giles tries to re-enact his encounter, but he is forced to admit that his attack did little damage. Xander happily reminds him that they all warned him that the Magic Shop was dangerous. Giles finds a reference to his visitor, a Toth demon, and the sole survivor of his race. He is strong, strong-willed and very clever for a demon. To protect Buffy, Riley is ready to kill the Toth, right away. Giles' only clue to finding the demon is how he smelled.
Later that night at the Sunnydale Dump, the gang searches for a demon and finds Spike scavenging for something to brighten up his crypt. While they are distracted, the demon attacks from behind. He uses a short metal staff as a weapon, shooting destructive balls of light from one end of it. He misses a couple of times, before he gets a chance to hit the Slayer. Xander pushes her aside and takes the shot full in the chest, knocking him backward into a pile of refuse. As they rush to his side, the demon gets away. They help Xander to his feet and slowly, painfully walk him home. No one notices that left behind in the pile of refuse is... Xander Harris!
The next day at the dump, Xander wakes up. He makes his way home, but no one answers the door. Peeking through the basement window he sees himself getting dressed. He tries to call Buffy for help from a pay phone, but then he sees himself walking down the street. Buffy answers, but Xander hangs up and pursues himself.
At the Summers' house, Dawn is enjoying irritating Buffy as her older sister tries to spend some kissing time with Riley. Their mother is not interested in getting involved in their carping.
In his crypt, Spike dresses up a mannequin in a blonde wig so he can pretend he is killing Buffy.
Xander arrives at work and is called into the boss' office. He is still being pursued by himself. Xander watches through the window as Xander's boss explains that he is very happy with Xander's work and would like to keep him on, after the current project ends, with a promotion to head of Internal Carpentry and a raise. As he watches, Xander is upset that the boss isn't firing Xander and notices that Xander keeps using a shiny coin to reflect light into the boss' eyes. Xander thinks that Xander has somehow bewitched the boss.
Xander signs a lease for the new apartment, while his pursuer listens outside the door. Xander is somewhat charming to the leasing agent and he plays with a coin in his hand. As the reflected light plays over her face, she begins to flirt with him and leaves her personal phone number with an obvious invitation. After she leaves, Xander calls Anya. She listens as he talks to her answering machine and invites her to meet him at the apartment later. When he leaves the apartment, Xander attacks him, but he manages to knock Xander down and escape.
Xander picks himself up from the hallway floor and decides he would be better off looking for Buffy. When he arrives at Giles' home, he can see Xander through the window, telling the others that they have to hunt down and kill the other Xander. Outside, in the pouring rain, Xander is horrified when he hears Buffy tell Xander that she will deal with Xander.
Soaking wet and still wearing yesterday's clothes, Xander barges in on Willow in her dorm room and pleads for a chance to prove that he is Xander Harris. A confused Willow agrees. He begins to tell her things that only the two of them could know, including that they watch a Charlie Brown Christmas together every year and then Xander does the "Snoopy dance". Willow is still confused, but she believes he is Xander. Relieved, he begins to tell her what happened. She quickly corrects him when he tries to tell her that he woke up in the City Dump, because they all walked him home last night. He tells her about the bewitching Xander who is turning his friends against him.
Giles wonders whether a demon is impersonating Xander. Xander insists that they just kill it and Riley agrees. They all agree that the other Xander is probably Toth.
Xander is ranting to Willow about an evil robot Xander that has taken his place, until Willow suggests that Xander might be Toth, and then Xander instantly agrees.
Buffy agrees that Xander should meet Anya at the new apartment so he can keep her there and protect her from the evil Xander. It's better if he stays home tonight, because Buffy doesn't want to kill the wrong Xander.
Willow agrees to look for a cure so they can snap Buffy out of whatever spell Xander has her under. Xander bemoans the fact that he can't really help her and despite Willow's protest he laments how little he contributes to the gang. He is depressed because it seems that the other Xander is better at living his life than he is. Willow desperately tries to reassure Xander, but he sounds almost suicidal, as he wonders if the other Xander doesn't have more right to live than him. He wonders what he has in his life that is worth living for and then he remembers... Anya. Xander realizes that she could walk into a trap. Willow is surprised at his depth of feeling for Anya as he focuses on how to save her, but she wonders why it took so long for him to realize the danger. He asks her to consider how upsetting it is to have an evil twin. She should keep working on a way to reveal Toth and he will find Anya. After he leaves, Willow thinks that she handled having an evil twin much better than Xander (Buffy #3.16 "Doppelgangland").
Xander arrives at Anya's but all he finds is the telephone message that Xander left. He desperately begins to search the dresser drawers.
Xander tells Anya that he got the apartment for her and she kisses him in gratitude. He asks if she saw him around today, but it only confuses her. They settle onto the carpet and Xander suggests that they christen the new apartment. Anya wants to talk future improvements in their lives, but she has a hard time remembering what things happy human couples strive for. She is upset because she is beginning to realize that she is human now and could die in a half-century no matter what. Xander quietly suggests that she's also upset because she was recently hurt and she's being forced to face her humanity - she scared. He can't promise that they will always be together, but he tells her that the thought of growing old with her doesn't upset him at all. Then he makes his move and Anya doesn't resist.
Suddenly, Xander rushes into the apartment, totally confusing Anya. Both Xanders appeal for her recognition. Anya sides with the Xander with whom she has just spent a few romantic moments.
Back at Giles', Buffy and Riley are developing a search plan, when Willow bursts in and tries to explain that the Xander they know is the wrong one. She is convinced that her Xander is the one and only. Riley and Buffy reflect that Xander did seem more self-assured than they are used to from Xander. That's when Giles makes a discovery. He finds a reference to the weapon that Toth used. It's purpose is to split an opponent into two beings with his strongest and weakest qualities separated. Toth planned to easily kill the weaker Buffy, thereby dooming the stronger, since both must be re-joined in order to survive. Neither Xander is evil and neither of them can be killed without killing Xander.
At Xander's new apartment, Xander has decided to throw this irritating imposter out of his apartment. Suddenly, Xander pulls the gun he got from the clothes dresser in Anya's apartment. Anya grabs the gun and all three of them struggle for control.
As Riley drives an impatient Buffy to the rescue, she begins to wonder if Riley wouldn't prefer a weaker Buffy, a non-Slayer Buffy. Riley assures her that he is in love with her totally and he doesn't want her to change a thing.
The stronger Xander is holding the pistol on the weaker version, when Buffy and Riley arrive. Buffy firmly asks Xander for the weapon and with a flourish he opens the revolver and salts the floor with bullets, before handing it over. Anya asks Buffy which Xander is real and the Xanders begin to argue again. Buffy shoves them together and explains the situation. Rather than embarrass the weaker Xander they are vague about how the qualities of the person are divided up. He accuses the stronger Xander of using a flashing coin to cloud people's minds and discovers that it's merely a flattened nickel that Xander found and likes to play with. The weaker Xander takes a sudden liking to the novelty coin. Before they can leave for Giles' house and Xander's cure, Toth blasts through the door. He attacks again with the magical rod, but only succeeds in ruining Xanders' carpet. Riley grabs him from behind and manages to knock the rod from his hand. Riley fights well, but eventually is knocked down. Buffy and Toth fight furiously in the center of the room. She eventually manages to knock him down, Riley throws her a sword and she finishes the job - and Xanders' cleaning deposit.
Identically dressed the Xanders invite the women to admire the abundance of Xander. He asks them to stop when they start closely comparing the matching imperfections in his face. Riley, for a moment, expresses the wish to use them as lab rats, until the look on everyone's face silences him. Anya is intrigued and asks to be allowed to use the boys for sex before they are made one again. At least one Xander finds the idea unsettling and Giles encourages everyone to ignore Anya's musings. The Xanders start to talk together like old friends. As they begin the reversal spell Willow explains that by ending Toth's spell, they will snap back together, as they should be. After an incredibly simple incantation, Xander finds himself alone. Anya is disappointed.
Buffy and Riley are helping Xander move. For a moment, Xander reflects on the memories contained in the basement apartment, until he realizes that most of them are terrifying. Anya is healthy now and much more optimistic about the future. Xander imposes on her to do some lift and toting and with some grumbling she agrees. Alone with Riley, Xander kids about his relationship with Anya, but Riley can tell that they have something real together. Riley admits that he's crazy, desperately in love with Buffy, but, of course, she doesn't love him. Buffy waltzes into the room and smooches her honey, as Xander stands as if in shock and considers the impact of what Riley just said.
Like a bird of prey, Buffy sits perched on top of a stone mausoleum, looking over a graveyard. Suddenly she swoops down to the ground. The freshly-buried corpse doesn't even make it out of his grave before Buffy buries a stake in his underground heart. Another vampire leaps from the fresh earth that fills his grave. Buffy fights the vamp until Riley cuts in. He stakes the creature and seconds later a bigger male vamp arises. Before Buffy can attack him, Spike cuts in on her action. Out for some evening fun, Spike beats the monster mercilessly, but he let's his guard down and Buffy shoves a bleeding Spike aside to dust the pouncing inhuman. Even when Buffy is chewing Spike out for interfering, Riley butts in. Repulsed by Spike licking up the blood dripping from his nose, Buffy leaves with Riley in disgust. Riley is jazzed and wants more action, but neither of them think that killing Spike would be much fun. Spike remains behind threatening dire and oddly poetic threats against the Slayer. Then he turns and strides away, before falling into an open grave, with a howl of pain.
Willow is ecstatic when Buffy begins to discuss the French Revolution with her while walking down the hall at their college. Buffy assures Willow that she is still the brains of the outfit and laments the fact that going to college and pursuing a career aren't as easy as the Hollywood make it look. To take a break from brainwork, she decides to take in some physical training.
Giles and Xander are building shelves for Giles' new store, called The Magic Box. Meanwhile Anya and Tara work over the inventory on the shelves. Tara thinks that the store could use a fortune-teller and Willow thinks that she should do it, but Tara is too shy to agree. Buffy, Xander and Giles enter her new playroom. Suddenly she is tackled and wrestled to the ground by Riley. When she picks herself up she marvels at the large open gym, complete with punching bags, exercise equipment, gymnastic props, targets and an assortment of wall-mounted weapons.
Inside Spike's crypt he is watching a soap opera and ridiculing the characters for the bad decisions they make in life. Harmony arrives nearly shaking with fear that Buffy is after her. She thinks that Buffy considers her a terrible threat and is coming after her (#063 - The Initiative). She needs Spike's help to hide out. Spike is obviously sly when he asks her how badly she needs him, but when she slowly realizes what he means and she quickly agrees. Spike paints a terrible picture of what will happen to her if she doesn't kill Buffy first. He reminds her that because of the computer chip that the Initiative put in his head (#080 - Real Me), he cannot harm any humans, so she must do it. But he does agree to help any way that he can.
Buffy and Riley are basking in the afterglow, but Riley is full of energy and isn't ready to quit.
The next morning, Joyce is fixing Dawn some breakfast. She approaches with omelets, but stops and swoons. She looks at Dawn, but suddenly doesn't recognize her. Then she falls to the floor, unconscious.
A young intern gives Buffy and Riley a vague answer as to the cause of her mother's fainting. As they talk, Dawn plays with the doctor's stethoscope. When she places it against Riley's chest the beating of his heart literally sounds like the hooves of a galloping horse.
A woman doctor is adamant that Riley should check himself into the hospital, but he is just as stubborn about leaving. Buffy is scared for him, but he won't listen to her advice. He reminds her that he was experimented on by the Initiative (#070 - Goodbye Iowa) and that just may be how his heart beats. Joyce is ready to go and Riley encourages them all to leave.
At home, Joyce intends to rest on the couch, but she is worried about Riley. Buffy reassures her mother, but later in her room she discusses her worries with Willow. She wonders if the former members of Initiative might be able and willing to help Riley, but she isn't sure how to contact them. Dawn hits on the idea that if they really are undercover spies, then just say what you want to tell them when they are watching. Buffy quickly leaves.
Buffy enters Riley's place, but he isn't home. She picks up the phone and over the dial tone she can hear suspicious clicks. She asks for help for Riley and hangs up.
Riley is a basketball demon as he plays on a neighborhood court. He takes a break when he notices Graham, his surviving friend from the Initiative, watching the action. Graham is accompanied by two "Agents". Graham tells him that it is imperative that Riley allow their doctor to fix him. Riley is not enthusiastic about trusting the government doctors that feed him drugs and put an implant in his body without his knowledge. Graham tells him that they are giving him no choice. Riley agrees, but attacks his friend and escapes.
When Graham finally goes to Buffy, she is scornful of the government's methods and motives. Graham reveals that Riley's metabolism is supercharged and his pain centers are dampened, but his body cannot remain like that for long without a heart attack. A doctor waits at the hospital, but time is running out.
Meanwhile, Riley wanders the caves outside Sunnydale.
Buffy gathers her friends. Xander and Anya will search the docks. Willow suggests that she and Tara search the bomb-out High School, where Riley once hid (#075 - New Moon Rising). He might find it familiar. Buffy realizes that the old Initiative complex might seem more like home to Riley. Giles suggests that Spike might be helpful in the confusing maze of caves. Buffy wonders what nasty thing Spike is up to.
Spike is winning an irritating game of Twenty-Questions. When Buffy pounds on the door, a terrified Harmony hides in a cement sarcophagus. Buffy pays Spike to find Riley, but she also tells him the short version of the entire story. She threatens Spike as well, and he agrees to help.
At the hospital the doctor tells Graham that Riley's chances of surviving are hard to measure, but not good. Graham is attacked and subdued by Harmony and Spike informs the doctor that he has another operation in mind, literally.
They break into a medical school and the doctor protests that his skills may not be sufficient to remove the chip from Spike's brain. Spike makes clear that the doctor's life, as well, depends on the outcome of the operation.
Willow and Tara tour the dark wreckage that was once Sunnydale High. In order to provide light, Willow casts a spell that causes a small bit of fireworks and then lights up the entire hall. Tara is impressed by Willow's magic skills.
Buffy finds Riley beating his fist against the rock wall of the caves. He is bleeding but he can't feel any pain. Buffy pleads with him to accept Graham's help. Riley is not only worried about the operation being an honest one, but if it is successful he won't have the strength and stamina to keep Buffy interested in him. She is resentful that he would think so little of her, of himself and, most of all, of their relationship. She is almost in tears as she tells him that no one knows her as well as him. If she just wanted a strong guy, she would be with Spike. She needs Riley and wants him, so much that she won't take no for an answer. He gives in.
Meanwhile, the doctor that they are relying on to save Riley is trying to remove the chip from Spike's brain, even with Harmony babbling on mindlessly. Finally Spike, under only local anaesthetic, has to threaten Harmony to provide the nervous doctor with some peace.
Buffy and Riley find the victims of Spike and Harmony's assault on the hospital. Graham tells them that it was Hostile 17, which was the Initiative's designation for Spike. Buffy quickly realizes why Spike needed a surgeon. Riley is obviously beginning to tire. Buffy tells Graham to call out the cavalry to search every place in Sunnydale with medical facilities. As she and Riley leave, Buffy lets loose with a string of threats for what will happen to Spike when she finds him.
Spike is just finishing up a string of threats for what will happen to Buffy when he finds her. Harmony observes the operation through a haze of cigarette smoke, but she can still see the chip inside Spike's brain. The doctor points out a "No Smoking" sign and the dim-witted Harmony scrambles for a place to snuff her butt. The doctor finishes and begins to close the wound so Spike can inflict many more on Buffy.
As the doctor puts in the last few stitches to Spike's amazingly perfectly groomed hair, Spike decides to snack on the doctor before seeking the Slayer. Suddenly Buffy and Riley enter the room and a four-way face-off results. The doctor tries to escape but Buffy wants him close-by. Harmony draws first blood with an accidental crossbow arrow to Riley's right thigh. Riley is supercharged, but obviously physically stressed as he and Harmony charge each other. In a few moments, Spike manages to gain the advantage over Buffy and goes for her throat. Before he can bite, he experiences a terrible pain in his head. They both realize that the doctor has double-crossed him. Buffy knocks Spike off of her, but Riley collapses clutching his heart. Buffy rushes to his side giving Spike and Harmony the chance to flee, but not before Spike confronts the doctor. The scared healer admits to fooling Spike rather than killing him in an operation he wasn't competent to perform. Buffy calls the doctor to Riley's side.
As Spike and Harmony run through a graveyard, he rants against the Slayer. He is enraged to the point of smashing headstones. He thinks that Buffy tortures him on purpose, making his life a nightmare. He vows that it will end soon.
Riley spends a few moments with the recovering Riley, but she must see to her mother. Riley seems to take it hard when she leaves him alone in the makeshift operating room.
Riley and Graham walk together. Graham demeans Riley's life in Sunnydale. He thinks that Riley used to be someone and now he's a Buffy hanger-on. He invites Riley back into the Initiative group, but Riley walks away in silence.
Spike is sleeping through the day when Buffy, as usual, barges in to his crypt. She has decided to finish Spike off. She is surprised when Spike agrees. He tells her that she torments him and that he would rather be dead than to have to see her again. He rips off his shirt and offers his bare chest to the Slayer. She raises her stake and leans into him. When she hesitates he grabs her, pulls her to him and kisses her passionately. She submits for a few moments, but pulls back and recoils from the kiss. Then she slowly draws closer and kisses him passionately. Spike profess his deep love for her and wakes up next to Harmony terrified at the thought that the dream that betrays him might be true.
Several months ago, in a European monastery, a terrified group of monks hide behind a massive door, which is being battered by a powerful force. They barely manage to complete a spell before they fall into the hands of the enemy.
Buffy takes on a Motorcycle vampire. He's a tough customer, but really no match for the Slayer. Their fight takes them onto an industrial property and as Buffy leaves the scene, after dusting the monster, she is stopped by a night watchman. He assumes she's looking for a rave in one of the abandoned warehouses. She quickly agrees to leave, but the guard surprises her by asking if she lost a small ball that glows yellow. She doesn't know what it is, but she takes it anyway.
Buffy's mom is still suffering ill effects from her fainting spell (#082 - Out of My Mind), so Buffy makes her breakfast, which her little sister is quick to take credit for. Buffy seems jealous as her mother mothers Dawn. Joyce practically throws Buffy out of the house when she hears that Giles' grand opening of The Magic Box is today. Upset at Joyce's fawning over Dawn, Buffy drags her sister away to the opening.
Buffy enters the magic shop to find Giles bedecked in a silly maroon Wizard's outfit, complete with white stars and a pointed hat with a chin string. Without a word, Buffy's look convinces Giles to go back to tweed. Giles is embarrassed to admit to Dawn's questioning that the shop is already open, but there are no customers yet. He is tuned in enough to Buffy to realize right away that something is wrong and she describes her mother baffling illness. Riley and Willow arrive and she is disappointed that Giles isn't wearing his wizard suit. Buffy pulls the glowing ball from her bag and asks their help in unraveling the mystery. Riley suggests that they patrol together tonight in search of clues and after some hesitancy Buffy agrees. For spite, Dawn betrays Buffy's reservations about patrolling with Riley since he now has only human strength. In the awkward moment, Riley retreats to the training room. Before Buffy can rush Dawn out the door, Willow pleads for mercy for Dawn. Buffy is upset at her antics and jealous that she gets so much quality time with their mother, while Buffy is stuck being the grown-up. She wishes Dawn had never been born.
The sisters are still bickering when they arrive home to find Joyce obviously suffering. Buffy rushes to get her mother some medicine. As she leaves the hospital pharmacy, she meets the doctor that treated her mother, wheeling in an obviously disturbed man on a stretcher. The doctor is surprised to see Buffy restrain the agitated patient so easily and kids her about being a superhero. The man grabs Buffy's arm and rants that the medicine will not help, nothing seems to help. Buffy recognizes the night watchman. The madman tells Buffy that she will not escape them, in fact, her family will not escape. Buffy wonders about the cryptic warning as they wheel the man away.
Back at the abandoned warehouse, the sole surviving monk marks a map by candlelight. Suddenly a huge metal door shudders with a loud pounding. The monk is terrified and dreads the approach of the "Beast". The massive door begins to buckle and finally flies free of the wall, leaving a gaping hole through which passes a young blonde woman in a fiery red dress and heels.
Giles is giddy after his first customers. But Willow comes up empty on tracing the glowing orb. Anya comes in complaining about the prices and her lack of money. She offers to help Giles make contact with better suppliers at cheaper prices. Buffy comes in and tells them that her mother may be under a spell, in fact, they all may be. She thinks that the night watchman is tuned into reality, the reality that no one else can see, so we think he's crazy. Giles is skeptical, but willing to look at the possibilities, in hopes of curing her mother, by finding someone for Buffy to kill.
Meanwhile, the blonde Beast is ranting to the bound and gagged priest. She is frustrated at being stuck in a mortal reality. She sounds like a spoiled socialite, but the monk's reaction makes it clear that she is to be feared. She removes the monk's gag and demands that he tell her the location of the Key. She abuses him, but all he does is resist and beg for death. In frustration, she talks even faster and more irrationally until she sounds manic. With a glowing light, she magically drives her fingers into the skull of a captured security guard. He suffers until she removes her hands and he falls senseless to the ground. She seems much better now.
At Giles' shop, business is booming. Giles is driven to distraction by the many demands of serving all of the customers. Anya is behind the counter dismissing customers that have already paid, until Xander arrives to counsel her on retail etiquette. Buffy quickly explains to Xander that her mother is bewitched, but they have no clues to the cause. Anya remembers a spell that induced a trance-like state that allows the subject to see traces of magic energy. Giles is skeptical that Buffy can achieve the proper level of meditation, but she is motivated by the desire to save her mother and she won't be dissuaded.
At her house, Riley quickly realizes that the tasks Buffy gives him to help with the spell are a transparent smokescreen to make him feel needed. He assures her that he has made the adjustment to being weaker. They kiss good-bye and he leaves her to her ritual. Buffy makes the preparations and settles into a lotus position. Her sister Dawn pesters her through the door, until she tires and goes away. Buffy sits still as the hours pass. She sits without motion, through the day and deep into the night. Eventually, she rises into a world of haze and unnatural colors. She walks through the house looking for mystical clues. Everything seems normal, even Buffy's mom seems better. Joyce decides to go out for a while, but before she does she notices that Buffy seems strangely distracted. Behind her, Buffy sees a family portrait on the wall and is stunned to see the image of her little sister Dawn, fade in and out of the picture. Every picture that includes Dawn has her flickering in and out of existence. After her mother leaves, Buffy cautiously approaches her sister's room. Inside, Buffy can see the image of two rooms alternating. One is a typical teenage girl's hideaway and the other a storeroom of stacked boxes and furniture. When Dawn arrives to complain about Buffy invading her space, Buffy watches as her sibling fades in and out of reality.
Buffy grabs Dawn and demands that she confess what is going on. When Dawn threatens to tell mom, Buffy throws her against the wall. The tension is broken when Giles calls. The shop is buzzing with customers, but despite the distractions Giles manages to tell her that she found a Dagon Sphere, an icon used to ward off an unspecified ancient evil. Giles warns her to approach such a powerful evil carefully as she plans to revisit the warehouses. She doesn't tell Giles what she discovered about her "sister", because she realizes Dawn is listening. She leaves, but tells Dawn she will be back before Joyce returns.
Outside she is surprised to find Spike smoking behind a tree in her front yard. She punches him before demanding an explanation. He covers by saying he was just out and about, but she doesn't believe him. He makes feeble excuses for being in the neighborhood, but she doesn't have time for him. Before he leaves, he makes several catty remarks about Riley and about Buffy's life. After he leaves, Buffy notices a half a pack of cigarette butts on the ground behind the tree. She doesn't notice Dawn in the window, watching her.
Buffy approaches the warehouses with flashlight in hand. Inside, she finds the damage from the ruptured vault door.
Joyce's mom arrives home early, feeling badly, to find Dawn waiting for her with a cup of tea.
Buffy finds the monk and tries to free him as the Beast sneaks up behind her. Buffy isn't surprised and spins to grab the woman by the throat. With a backhand swipe, the blonde hurls Buffy across the room to fracture a cement wall.
The gang at the Magic Box are recovering from their exhausting day, except for Anya who is full of energy and ideas for tomorrow. A tired Giles offers her a job and, pleasantly surprised, she accepts, quickly warming to the idea of being employed. Giles tells Willow and Xander of Buffy 's plan to search the warehouse and assures them that she will be fine as long as she doesn't rush in.
Back at the warehouse, Buffy is breaking another cement wall with her face. The Beast complains about the amount of time it is taking to kill Buffy and suggests ways to make it end more quickly. Buffy mounts a rally, but it isn't enough to save her, only enough to tip off the monster that she is dealing with no ordinary human. When the beautiful creature throws Buffy near the monk, Buffy grabs the wounded man and runs for a large window. She hurls them both through it, using her body to cushion his fall. The Beast is angered to the point of stamping her feet, which causes the already damaged cement and steel walls to collapse, burying her, at least temporarily.
Despite Buffy's pleas, the monk can go no further. She begs him to continue to safety, but he must stop and tell her to protect the Key. If she doesn't keep the key from the Beast, many more lives will be lost. The Key was only a form of energy until the monk and his companions were forced to hide it from the Beast. They molded the energy into a person and sent that person to the Slayer so she could protect it. Buffy realizes that the holy man is talking about Dawn. The monks created the memories that make them all think that Dawn is real. In fact, now Dawn is real, a real human girl, that Buffy must protect. Dawn is innocent of any deceit, she doesn't even realize the truth, only Buffy knows as the monk quietly dies.
Returning home, Buffy finds her mother and the Key sitting on the couch together. An angry Dawn leaves the room and Buffy follows. She apologizes to Dawn who protests that Buffy hurt her arm. Buffy apologizes again. Dawn tells her of a fantasy that she has that Buffy is adopted and not a real member of their family. As Dawn heaps abuse on her, Buffy remembers that Dawn has always done that. The false memory stops Buffy and reminds her of Dawn's special status. She sits with her new sister and gently strokes Dawn's hair as they both worry about "their" mother.
As their kitten frolics, Tara tells Willow a story. Willow tells her lover that she is a valuable member of the team and flirts with Tara until she comes to bed. Willow figures that Buffy must have had a quiet night or they would have heard from her.
Meanwhile, Buffy is finishing telling Giles that Dawn, whom everyone believes to be her little sister, is actually a key to a mysterious portal that Buffy must protect from falling into the hands of an even more mysterious evil and powerful woman. They are the only two people to know the truth. Giles mentions Buffy's father as a place to hide Dawn, but Buffy tells him that her father has abandoned the family and left the country. She shares a memory of how painful their parent's separation was on Dawn, and even though she knows the memory to be a fake, she still finds it compelling. Buffy decides to keep the truth a secret from everyone else and she vows to protect Dawn from the evil that she knows is coming for them.
Back at the empty factory a young blonde woman in a bright red dress and heels, Glory, the Beast that is seeking the key, brushes the cement and steel that buried her aside. She is not very happy with Buffy.
At the college, everyone helps Buffy move back to her mother's house, even though as Anya constantly reminds her, they just helped her move to this single dorm room a few days ago. Xander and Riley rough-house as Giles plays scowling adult guy and Tara smiles at their camaraderie. Buffy is making excuses to move home so she can better protect Dawn when she almost panics because Dawn is out of her sight for a few moments. The conversation turns to how to defeat Glory and Tara makes a lame joke, which causes her to leave the room from embarrassment. Willow comes in and reminds the gang that they are expected at the Bronze tomorrow night to celebrate Tara's birthday.
The doctor that treated Buffy's mother, Ben, is talking with an orderly about the recent epidemic of people going crazy. He goes into the doctor's locker room where a demon lurks. The creature has ivory white skin, open sores on his face (including the tip of his nose) and a forked tongue. Before he can pounce on the doctor, Glory pounces on him and takes him away.
At the Magic Box, Anya is so happy about having a real job that she's scary. Buffy and Xander arrive, talking about how they are not very excited about Tara's party, but feel a duty to Willow. Giles has no idea of the menace that they face and Buffy can provide no more details. As Buffy and Xander hit the books, they both confess to having no idea what kind of present Tara would like, because they don't know her very well. They wonder how many wiccas will be at the party and whether it will be awkward and again it sounds as if they are really discussing lesbians instead of witches. Xander suggests that a workout might do Buffy good.
Buffy and Spike are fighting ferociously. They tangle together with a flurry of punches and kicks, but Spike's chip, that prevents him from harming humans, causes him no pain. The scene shifts to Spike and Harmony finishing the act of sex and it's clear that Spike was fantasizing about fighting the Slayer while he was shagging Harmony.
Giles is disappointed both that Buffy and Xander haven't made any progress in finding a reference to the monster and that they are in his magic shop, but can't think of a gift idea for a witch. A dull-acting customer interrupts to ask some irritating questions about magic. As they try to deal with him, Willow and Tara arrive. The young bearded man stops Tara and says that he is her brother.
Tara introduces her brother, Donny, to Willow, Buffy, Giles, Xander and Anya. She begins to stutter when she speaks. Her brother kids her about how many more friends she has now then when she was growing up. An older man and a young woman enter the shop and Tara introduces her father and her Cousin Beth. Her father, Mr. Maclay, invites her to dinner, makes his excuses and her family leaves. Tara isn't very forthcoming about her relatives and suggests they get to work.
Riley greets Buffy when she arrives at her mother's house and she promises to thank him for helping her move later. Riley wonders what is going on when Buffy forbids Dawn from having dinner at a neighbor's house. He becomes upset when he realizes that Buffy is lying to him about something or at least keeping secrets.
Tara arrives at her room to find her father already waiting for her. He is upset that she decorates her room with magical artifacts. He had hoped that she would outgrow her interest in mysticism. He tells her that the family came because her twentieth birthday is significant. He doesn't believe her when she tells her father that her friends know what it means. He hints that her mother changed on her birthday. He demands that she return home with them before she looses control and turns evil. She meekly protests that she has no evil thoughts, but he isn't convinced. He goes so she can prepare to leave in the morning. He reminds her that her family loves her, but her friends will reject her when she changes.
Glory is tormenting the demon that she captured. She refers to the Lei-ach demon as a bone-marrow sucking demon reduced to preying on the weak and sick. Glory asks for information on Buffy and is humiliated when the demon tells her that she fought a Vampire Slayer. She teases and commands the demon to gather his friends to kill Buffy.
Willow arrives home and tries, without success, to convince Tara to come to an evening meeting of the gang. After Willow leaves, Tara goes to the magic books.
Buffy, Giles, Willow, Xander, Anya and Dawn are all gathered in the shop around a back round table as Tara hides in the next room and casts a spell on them. She blows a magic powder into the room that swirls around and touches each of her friends on the forehead.
Riley is having a drink at Willie's Place as the bartender warns him about frequenting places where his enemies drink. A pretty brunette comes on to Riley and over drinks she invites him someplace private. Riley knows that she's a vampire however.
Harmony almost catches Spike obsessing over a blonde mannequin head as she returns from shopping. She tells Spike about the Lei-ach gang's plan to attack Buffy and Spike leaves claiming that he wants to watch the Slayer die.
Tara meets Cousin Beth on the campus grounds. Beth offers to help Tara pack, but Tara doesn't intend to leave. Beth accuses Tara of being selfish, ignoring her family and denying what is about to happen to her. When Tara tells Beth that her friends will not find out the truth, Beth realizes that Tara has cast a spell on them. Beth threatens to tell Tara's father, but Tara protests that the spell is harmless, it only prevents them from seeing her demonic side.
Buffy is stretching in the training room when there is a knock on the shop door. Willow answers but she doesn't see the three demons standing on the doorstep in front of her.
Beth asks Tara to consider what an evil thing she has done by bewitching her friends. She insists that Tara apologize to her friends and come home with her family.
The Lei-ach demons have free run of the shop as no one can see them. Finally they find Buffy in the back room. She is confused because she can hear their footsteps as they try to creep up on her. One of them emits a low growl before he pounces which gives Buffy enough warning to grab and hold off her invisible assailant. She calls for help, but her friends are forced to fight off unseen foes as well. Spike arrives in time to see Buffy in a difficult spot and jumps in to help her. Buffy goes into the next room to check on her friends. Spike is disappointed that she doesn't thank him, but she doesn't see him either. Buffy calls for her friends to be silent so she can hear their foes. Tara arrives just in time to warn Buffy of another demon attack. Tara begins to reverse her previous spell. She barely finishes before one of the demons knocks her down. No longer handicapped, Buffy attacks the demon. Tara's family enters the shop and the demon moves towards them, but Buffy gets the advantage and breaks the creature's neck.
Spike kills a demon in the back and emerges to tell them they were fighting Lei-ach demons. Tara admits the truth and begs forgiveness for trying to hide the truth about herself. Her father tells them that the women in Tara's family are all part-demon and that makes their magic possible. They all realize that Tara bewitched them and put them at risk. She apologizes again and offers to leave, but Willow speaks up in defense of Tara's right to make a mistake. Her father insists that only her family can control her. Willow asks Tara for the truth about their relationship and Tara insists that it wasn't a lie and that she doesn't want to leave. Buffy offers to let her father take Tara, if he is willing to fight her and everyone else in the room. Spike speaks up to remind everyone that he doesn't care. When her father demands an explanation, Buffy tells him that Tara's a part of their family now.
Anya innocently asks what kind of demon Tara's family has in them, but the question confuses Tara's relatives. Spike's twisted mind hits on the truth first. He punches Tara and then suffers the head-splitting pain that the chip inflicts on him when he attacks a human. Tara is human and the demon legend is a trick used by the men of the family to control their women. Spike admires the ploy. Giles invites Tara's relatives to leave and Tara agrees. Cousin Beth challenges Tara as to whether losing her family makes her happy and Tara's smile answers her.
Tara's birthday party is going full blast and we are treated to various scenes of our heroes enjoying the happiness of being together in good times. Willow calls Tara out for a slow dance. Tara admits to being afraid of losing Willow if she revealed the truth, but Willow admires the fact that Tara overcame her upbringing. The couple close their eyes and hold each other tight. As they lose themselves in the perfect moment, they slowly rise and hover about a foot off the floor, in each other's arms.
Buffy is enjoying herself as she knocks a vampire, dressed like a reject from a '70s heavy metal rock band, all around a cemetery. Her fun is short-lived, however, as she attempts to stake the vamp only to have the creature suddenly twist her arm until the stake is plunged deep into her own stomach.
Shocked and seriously wounded she manages to knock the vamp away and draw the stake from her abdomen with a wet sucking sound. Then, she begins to run. The vampire heads her off and prepares to finish her with her own stake, when Riley attacks the monster and drives him off. He reaches Buffy just as she passes out into his arms.
They are in her room with the morning sun shining in when Riley finishes a battle dressing over her wound and she expresses confidence in her body's supernatural ability to heal. She is less confidant when she has to admit to him that one normal vampire very nearly finished her career as the Slayer. Dawn barges into the room in advance of Buffy's mother. Riley tries to distract Joyce from noticing the medical supplies as he asks her about her recent illness (#082 - Out of My Mind). When pressed, Dawn covers by saying that she is using the alcohol and swabs to remove a nail polish experiment. After Joyce leaves, Buffy is forced to thank Dawn and take her into her confidence about her injury. Riley volunteers to patrol for Buffy tonight and she makes him promise to take the "Scooby Gang" with him. Despite Dawn's eagerness, Buffy insists Dawn will never patrol.
Riley skulks around the graveyard as Willow, Xander and Anya follow. Riley uses military hand signals to communicate with his followers. They stand in the middle of a clearing, noisily eating potato chips and wondering why he is waving his arms around. At Willow's urging, Xander shouts across the grounds, asking Riley the meaning of his gesturing. Riley snaps at him and they are forced to promise to act sneakier and get rid of their chips.
Buffy and Giles are at the magic shop researching how Slayers die. Buffy is upset that none of the legends give specifics of the Slayers' last battle. Giles tries to reassure her but Buffy is struggling with the fact that despite her increased training regimen, she was almost killed by a nominal threat. Her study of Slayer lore seems to hold no clues to avoiding the fatal mistakes of previous warriors. Buffy lashes out at the Watchers for being too dainty to record messy details about the Slayers' death, but Giles quietly suggests that the Watchers would be too grief-stricken to continue their chronicle. There's a brief look between the two that reminds them both that despite his reserved nature; Giles is deeply devoted to her. The problem as Giles sees it, is that no one survives to tell the tale. Then a thought occurs to Buffy.
Spike is surprised when Buffy shows up at his crypt and begins to strong-arm him in a gentle way. He is more surprised when she tells him that she wants to hear the stories of the Slayers that he has slain.
Buffy is buying Spike beers at the Bronze and offering hard cash if he tells her how he killed two Slayers. He scoffs at the idea that she should be concentrating on the moves in the last battle. He holds out for an order of Buffalo wings before divulging more. He notices her soreness and teases her about getting hurt. She insists that she is fine, but he insists that she wouldn't be here with him if she really were fine. He reminds her that he has always been a bad boy.
London, 1880: William sits in the middle of a cocktail party, struggling with a rhyme. He occasionally brushes his long curly blonde hair from his schoolboy glasses. He is desperate to find the words as he admires a society girl, Cecily, from across the room. He rises to join her and a group of party-goers discussing the recent disappearances in the city. William tells them that his thoughts are of beauty and not darkness. An obvious bully snatches William's papers from him and begins to read his poetry to everyone. The rhyme is, of course, awful and worse, gushing with love for Cecily, although not by name. She rushes away and he follows. The crowd has a good laugh and mentions that his nickname is "William the Bloody" because of bloody awful poetry. And another prefers a railroad spike in the head to William's work. William tries to talk to Cecily, but she is quickly horrified to find herself the object of his affection. He begs for a chance to court her, but she coldly dismisses him as beneath her. As she turns her back on him William sniffles back his tears.
Walking down the cobblestone streets, ripping at his pages of poetry, William literally bumps into three strangers, a man and two ladies. He snaps at them, but they seem to ignore him.
Sitting on a bale of hay in a stable William continues to tear his writings into smaller and smaller pieces. A dark woman appears and poetically asks William why he is so troubled - it's Drusilla! He tries to shoo her off, but she persists, first complimenting his vision then describing her mad visions concerning him. He is wary as she approaches. She is obviously taken with him, especially his imagination. He begins to fall under her erotic spell. He barely moves when she changes into her vampire form and bites deep into his neck. After a few screams, he almost seems to find pleasure in her bite.
Sunnydale, Now: When, Riley spots the vampire that stabbed Buffy, the gang follows him to a crypt where a gang of vampires are drinking and laughing over Buffy's wounding. Riley suggests that they delay going inside until the daytime, when the vamps will be asleep.
Spike is knocking pool balls around as he tries to explain to Buffy what it is like to become a vampire. He tells her that you feel stronger and evidently more arrogant.
Yorkshire, 1880: Angel has his hand wrapped around Spike's throat and wonders why he doesn't just kill him, but lets him go. Angel and Darla are upset with Spike because he draws too much attention to them and eventually forces them to hide and/or flee. Angel argues for subtlety and even artistry in their attacks. Spike is unrepentant. His style is up-front and full of attitude. As Drusilla and Darla watch, Angel quickly overpowers Spike and holds a stake to his chest. Spike is still cocky and Angel lets him up, warning of the dangers of getting cornered by a mob or having to face a Slayer. Spike asks what a Slayer is.
Sunnydale, Now: Spike admits to being young and full of zest when he became obsessed with Slayers. When Buffy asks how he killed his first Slayer, Spike makes a quick move and manages to grip Buffy's arm and throat. He reminds her that she must keep her weapons close, because vampires already come fully equipped with theirs. He releases her and tells her that vampires really have nothing to fear... except the Slayer.
China, 1900: Spike, in vampire face, battles a young Chinese woman who has a slashing sword and martial arts moves. Outside, the Boxer Rebellion has the town's population fleeing amid flames and ruins. The Slayer manages to slash Spike above the left eye, creating his familiar scar, before he disarms her. The Slayer is quick, nimble and inventive with her fighting moves, while Spike relies mostly on sheer power and ignoring the Slayer's punches. She pins him and almost stakes him, but an explosion from outside knocks her aside. Spike manages to disarm her again and as she reaches for her stake he gains the advantage and drives his teeth into her throat. With her dying breath she asks for her mother's forgiveness, but Spike doesn't understand her. He tosses the body aside and exalts in the thrill of killing a Slayer. Drusilla finds Spike, evidently aroused by drinking the Slayer, and, as a part of their foreplay, she sucks the blood from one of his fingers.
Afterward, they meet Angel and Darla. Angel doesn't seem happy to hear of Spike's accomplishment, but Spike offers to let Angel kill the next Slayer. The mad Drusilla seems to pick up a particular scent of fear, but Angel urges them to leave the town to the war. As the townspeople panic around them, two English couples stride confidently through town, with Spike practically walking on air.
Sunnydale, Now: Buffy is disgusted as Spike still relishes his ancient kill and calls it the best night of his long life. He challenges her to deny that she gets excited from killing vampires. He also reminds her that the odds are against her; that no matter how many bad guys she kills it only takes one of them getting lucky to finish her. She is still confident that she can handle almost anything, but he suddenly punches her stab wound. He suffers a sharp pain from the government chip that the Initiative put in his head (#063 - The Initiative), but her pain and surprise succeed in making his point. The crowd comes to a halt and choking back the pain, Buffy challenges him to continue with the lesson. He grabs a pool stick and tells her to follow him outside.
At the vampire gang's mausoleum, the vamp is still telling his friends about his victory over Buffy, when Riley walks in alone. In a few seconds, Riley manages to stake the vamp that injured Buffy and before the other vampires can react, he drops a hand grenade and runs. Before the vamps can follow, an explosion rips through the crypt.
In the alley behind the Bronze, Buffy and Spike begin to fight. She quickly pins him against a fence and he reminds her that she's there to hear his stories. She wants to hear how he killed his second Slayer. Before he tells her, he swings several times at her head, but she is able to rapidly duck each punch. He tells her that since he knew that doing that would not hurt her, the chip in his head did not react. To show the difference, he changes into his vampire visage and moves to attack her. Before he can even take a step, the chip cripples him with pain. Buffy presses her attack and threatens him with a stake to get the story from him. He agrees to tell her how he killed his second Slayer and shows her how it began by throwing Buffy over his head.
New York City, 1977: A punked-up Spike battles a young black woman, in a short Afro and a long black raincoat. They are the only passengers in a speeding subway car. As we watch the furious battle, Spike frequently interrupts to make a point with Buffy. He thinks that this Slayer had some of Buffy's fighting style. As Spike and the Slayer on the subway car punch and kick each other, Spike and the Slayer in the alley spar in a re-enactment of the old battle. Spike compliments the 70's Slayer skill and beauty. He also thinks that he could have battled or, danced as he calls it, all night long with her. He reminds Buffy that for her the dance never stops, her life is on the line every day. He also tells her that part of her actually desires the terror. The 70's Slayer pounces on Spike as he lies on the floor. She delivers several blows, but when the train car passes through a dark span, it is Spike on top when the lights return. The 70's Spike seems to pause to tell Buffy that death is her craft, she trades in it everyday. He also thinks that part of her wonders about the peace that death must offer. As he raises up the black Slayer's head so he can break her neck, he tells Buffy that all the techniques and strategies cannot save her, because eventually all Slayers give up the will to live, to continue the fight. As he strips the dead woman of her long black coat, he tells Buffy that the only reason she has survived so long is because her family and friends give her an anchor and a reason to go on. But eventually, she'll succumb to the desire for death.
Sunnydale, Now: Spike continues his dark teasing of Buffy by telling her that if she decides that she can't go on, even for an instant, Spike will be there to do the job. He wonders if Buffy will find dying as enjoyable as the last Slayer he killed. She threatens Spike to get him to leave, but he dares her to try. As he taunts her, she becomes more silently furious. His look softens and he moves as if to kiss her and she seems more scared of that prospect. He covers by grabbing her and pulling her close with a threatening look. He invites her to dance. She shoves him down and tells him that even if she were ready to give into death, he would never be the one she would turn to. She throws the money that she offered him over him and the ground with a dismissive gesture. And for the second time, William hears the woman he wants, tell him that he is beneath her. As Buffy walks away, Spike once again stifles his tears and his look turns to hatred.
Back at his crypt, Harmony tries to make sense of what Spike is upset about, as he retrieves a double-barreled sawed-off shotgun. Harmony is worried that Spike will lose if he goes against the Slayer. She reminds him that the chip won't even let him aim the gun at a human being; he'll be helpless. He assures her that he is willing to withstand any amount of pain, to kill Buffy. As he leaves, Harmony reminds him that he couldn't kill Buffy when he didn't have a chip, what are his chances now?
South America, 1998 (obviously between Buffy #034 - #062): Drusilla is bugging Spike about not killing Buffy. Spike protests that he made a deal with the Slayer to save Drusilla and Buffy is too far away now to affect their relationship. Spike accuses her of consorting with disgusting demons to punish him. Standing with them is a Chaos Demon in a white suit with huge antlers on his head that drip slime all over him. He apologizes for being the third wheel in their relationship and makes a retreat. Mad Drusilla tells Spike that he no longer interests her, since she sees Buffy's image impressed all over Spike and he won't just kill Buffy for her.
Sunnydale, Now: At home, Buffy finds her mother packing and Joyce tells her that because of her illness she has to go into the hospital for a CAT scan. She also admits for the first time that she may have a serious health problem. Buffy goes onto the back porch and sits on the steps quietly crying. Spike approaches her brandishing the shotgun, with anger on his face. He cocks the weapon, but when Buffy looks up and he sees that she has been crying, his face again softens and he asks what is wrong. She doesn't want to talk about it. He lowers his gun and offers his help. Buffy is too depressed to answer. So Spike sits next to her on the steps and softly pats her on the back. And then the two enemies sit together in thoughtful silence.
Joyce Summers is fed into the CAT scan machinery, while her daughter and pseudo-daughter wait nervously outside. To pass time, Dawn wonders how a piece of medical hardware got named after a cat. Buffy almost snaps at her, but stops herself and tries to comfort Dawn instead.
At the Magic Box, Giles and Tara are admiring his new phone book advertisement, when Willow, Xander and Anya arrive. Xander is loudly complaining about Riley blowing up the nest of vampires that they had planned to attack as a team (#085 - Fool for Love). Giles agrees it seems reckless, but it did save the others from combat. Anya agrees and congratulates herself on losing her desire for carnage, since she became human. Giles suggests that they continue to research the mysterious, powerful woman that Buffy ran up against when she found out the truth about Dawn (#083 - No Place Like Home). Willow wonders where she could be hiding and Xander speculates that villains usually go for bare, abandoned locations.
In a lavishly decorated room, the monster known as Glory is being worshipped by a short troll-like creature, called Dreg. Dreg is fawning over her, obviously terrified, as he presents her with a scroll containing an ancient spell. With a few additional items she can cast the spell. Glory assures him that she will get what she needs, as she rips out the advertisement for the Magic Box.
Riley approaches Buffy's front door, only to find it slightly open. He finds a blanket inside the door and hears noises upstairs. He finds Spike in Buffy's room, breathing in the aroma from one of her sweaters. Spike covers by claiming it's a predator-thing - getting the scent. Riley hustles him out, but not before Spike grabs a pink dainty from an open dresser drawer. At the front door Spike tells Riley that he spent the night having a heart-to-heart with Buffy (#085 - Fool for Love). When Riley doesn't believe him, Spike asks why Buffy has never used a spell to revoke Spike's invitation to enter her home as she has sometimes done in the past. Riley opines that Spike is not a threat and Spike suggests that Riley is not threat enough to keep the Slayer interested in him. Enraged, Riley drags Spike onto the porch into the sunlight, without his blanket, and, as Spike sizzles, Riley insists that only he can give Buffy what she needs. Spike wonders why Riley isn't at the hospital then and curious Riley pulls Spike back into the house, to find out more. Spike tells Riley that Buffy's mother is very sick, that they are doing tests today, that that is where the family is and it's strange that Spike knows, but Buffy didn't tell Riley. Riley throws Spike out of the house and stops to think about this development.
Riley finds Buffy at the hospital. She is glad to see him and tells him that she didn't want to say anything, because they don't know what's going on. She asks him to sit with Dawn while she checks on her mother, and Riley looks somewhat depressed at being sent away again. Joyce is with the doctor and after he leaves, she tells Buffy that there is a shadow on the pictures of her brain, which the doctors want to explore through an operation.
The gang at the magic shop is frustrated at the lack of information about their new foe. Tara speculates that perhaps the monster isn't a run-of-the-mill threat, but something so old and deadly that no one has recorded the details of her existence. Willow remembers that the glowing sphere that Buffy found near the woman's old hiding place, the Dagon's Sphere, was designed to repel "that which cannot be named". They wonder if the menace is older than spoken language. As Giles wonders how they can track a creature without some clues, he turns and come face-to-face with Glory. Only Buffy knows what she looks like, so Giles blithely sells her the necessary items to complete her spell and thanks her for her business, before telling the others that a being as powerful as her won't hide for long.
At the hospital, Riley tries to comfort Buffy, when the doctor comes in to talk to her. He tells her that Joyce has a brain tumor, as he goes on about the medical implications, Buffy's eyes glaze over. She returns to herself when the doctor starts talking about the prognosis. He tells her that the symptoms, such as mood-swings, loss of motor control and others may show up quickly. They don't yet know if an operation can help her. He tries to encourage Buffy with a discussion of modern treatment methods, but she doesn't find it encouraging that only one out of three patients have a positive outcome. The doctor is called away by Ben, an intern whom Buffy met when her mother first came to the hospital. He admits to faking the interruption to give Buffy a chance to deal with her shock. He suggests that Buffy take a break from the hospital and pull herself together. After he leaves, Buffy tells Riley that she wants to use magic to help her mother. Buffy assigns Riley to take Dawn to school and tell her nothing about their mother's condition. She goes in search of Giles, leaving Riley alone again.
Back at the magic shop, Anya is going through the receipts when she discovers that Giles sold a Khul's amulet AND a Sobekian Blood Stone to the same customer. She marvels at Giles ignorance, because he doesn't seem to realize how dangerous the two are together. Giles tries to dismiss the danger since the spells that used those items are long lost and surely the young woman he sold them to, doesn't have incredible power required to use them. Suddenly, they all realize who the young woman was, everyone but Xander that is.
Riley has taken Dawn to the park and she tells Riley of her false memories of her 10th birthday party at the park with just Buffy and her mother. Riley tries to cheer her up. In gratitude, Dawn tells him that Buffy is glad to have him around and besides Riley doesn't get Buffy as nervous and scared as Angel did. Riley seems to take that as bad news.
Buffy is asking her friends for mystical help for her mother. Giles tries to tell her that sometimes meddling can make illnesses worse, especially conditions as delicate as brain tumors. Anya lets slip that they have already made one big mistake today and the others must confess that Giles sold their enemy some big, bad mojo. Khul was a high priest of the Sobekites, who were reptile worshipers. Based on the clues, they think that Glory intends to create a Cobra monster. Buffy rushes off to try and find Glory, despite the others' warnings that she may not be prepared to face such a powerful foe.
At the Sunnydale Zoo, Glory and Dreg break a cobra out of its glass cage and begin to perform the spell in the reptile house. Buffy attacks without warning and manages to get in a few shots, before Glory begins to throw her around the room. Dreg continues the spell and when Glory smashes Buffy through a glass cage, she returns to completing the spell. The cobra becomes a large, human-snake creature that stands upright about six feet tall, but ends in a long thick tail that coils on the floor. Buffy recovers and quietly retreats as Glory instructs her monster to search the shadows and find The Key, which the creature's unnatural sight will recognize and then return to tell Glory where to find it.
Riley arrives at the magic shop to be told that Buffy is off in search of Glory. Riley is upset at Buffy's rushing into danger and Xander sarcastically compares it to rushing into a nest of vampires alone. Xander suggests that Buffy needs a tangible something that she can fight when she's upset, but he doesn't know what Riley is looking for. Before Riley leaves he starts to tell Xander where he can be found if Buffy needs him, but decides that that probably won't happen.
At a church the Cobra creature searches for The Key.
Buffy calls Giles from the hospital where she is stealing cold packs to help her bruising. She tells him about the Cobra monster, but she doesn't know its purpose. She asks Giles to protect Dawn from harm and the truth about their mother's condition. Then she settles into a hospital chair to wait for her mother to wake.
Meanwhile, Riley sits in Willy's Place drinking alone, until Sandy, a pretty, young vampire that he rebuffed before (#084 - Family) joins him. At the hospital, Buffy sits by her mother's side as the doctor breaks the news. At first Joyce takes it hard, but she puts on a brave face for Buffy's benefit. In a quiet spot, Sandy snuggles close to Riley. He doesn't resist as she changes into her vampire face; in fact, he offers his neck to her. After a few moments allowing her to drink, Riley stakes her into dust. At the park, the Cobra seems to pick up Dawn's scent.
Buffy returns to the Magic Box and hugs Dawn. As Dawn gathers her things to go, the others talk. Sudden the Cobra busts through the shop window and knocks a heavy shelf over onto Buffy. It approaches Dawn, who stands screaming, and then it rushes out of the shop. Buffy realizes that the Cobra recognized that Dawn is The Key and is going to tell Glory.
Buffy runs after the creature as it slithers quickly down Main Street. Giles in his red BMW convertible catches up to Buffy in an alleyway and they pursue the monster.
Glory is having a temper-tantrum waiting for her Cobra to return with the location of The Key, while worried that time is running out on her mission.
When the Cobra takes off across an open field, Giles drops off Buffy to continue the chase. She grabs a length of chain from a broken barrier and leaping from a rock, catches the Cobra around the throat. She rides the creature like a bucking bronco until she finally manages to choke it. She relaxes her grip, but the snake rises up and throws her off its back. In a rage, Buffy jumps onto the reptile and begins beating it with a series of right crosses that continue long after the monster lies still.
Within sight of Glory's fancy hideout, Buffy continues to pound the dead beast, as Glory looks out in vain for some sign of her Cobra.
Back at the hospital, Joyce prepares for the task of breaking the news to Dawn. As Buffy and Riley talk in the hall, he tries again to take her into his arms and comfort her. Buffy protests that if she lets herself cry, she won't be able to stop and with a word from her mother she goes inside to join her family, again leaving Riley standing outside alone.
The Summers women are enjoying a quiet moment cuddled together around the Mommy, in her sick bed, as they critique the hospital food. Her doctor arrives to let them know that Joyce's brain surgery is scheduled in two days. After he leaves, Joyce is depressed at the idea of waiting so long for the operation, but her girls jump to the task of cheering her up. When Joyce suggests that Buffy, at least, should take a break from bedside duty to go Slayer patrolling, Buffy tells her that Riley and the gang are filling in for the Slayer.
Giles, Willow and Xander are fighting desperately for their lives against two women vampires. Willow is knocked down before she can finish off one of the demonic duo, but she rises to stake the vampire threatening Giles. They are all exhausted and Giles must catch his breath before he can join Willow in attacking the remaining vampire, which is about to kill Xander. Giles almost stakes Xander, but Willow manages to stab the vampire. Celebrating her double victory, a weak-kneed Willow is carried away by her friends, as they wonder why Riley wasn't there to help.
In a flophouse, reminiscent of a crack house, Riley lays on an old bare mattress as a vampress, whom he has hired, sucks blood from his arm.
Willow arrives at the hospital with Christmas gifts for everyone, and despite a bad headache Joyce encourages her to hand them out. As Buffy and Willow talk about schoolwork, Joyce suddenly interrupts with a weird statement. Everyone looks worried, but she seems unaware that she said anything. Leaving her to rest, Buffy explains to Dawn that the weird things their mother might say are a symptom of her brain tumor. On their way out, an obviously mentally disturbed patient points at Dawn and babbles that there is no picture or data where Dawn is; that there's no one in there. The man is the night watchman that was held prisoner by Glory several days ago (#083 - No Place Like Home). Some people lead the man away. The intern Ben approaches to find out what the patient said to them and tells them that there are so many people in town breaking down mentally that all the hospital can do is send them home for their families to take care of them.
That night Willow and Tara lie out in a sleeping bag on a rooftop. Willow's a little depressed from her hospital visit and begins to point out traditional constellations. Tara shares with Willow some of the ones that she made up herself as a child. As they watch, a bright meteor flashes across the sky and lands in some nearby woods.
At the landing site, we seem to be looking through someone or something's eyes as it crawls from the wreckage and hides in a tree, when the night watchman from the hospital wanders near. As the incoherent man passes under the tree's branches, a short dark creature leaps onto his back.
As the EMTs rush a stretcher-bound patient into the Emergency Room entrance, the creature crawls along the ceiling unseen. It has short arms; no legs; an insect-like shell on its back; red eyes and a mouth overflowing with big pointed teeth.
Buffy's mother becomes impatient with the nurse call button and speculates that like the crosswalk buttons at the street intersections, this button is not hooked up to anything. Buffy tries to reassure her, but seems surprised at the idea that the crosswalk buttons don't work. Joyce's doctor, Dr. Kriegel, arrives and they tell him that they have made the decision that they want to take Joyce home until her operation. Although Kriegel resists the idea, he gives in and warns Buffy that it will be very difficult for her to give constant care to her mother. Buffy assures him that at home Joyce will be safe and well cared for. Outside the room, Dawn sits in a chair waiting as the meteor creature scurries along the ceiling, still unseen.
The whole gang, Giles, Willow, Xander, Anya, Tara and Riley are walking through a field, searching for the meteor. Riley thanks the gang for calling him and Xander testily reminds him that the last time they went on patrol they were almost killed because he wasn't there to help. They find a deep, smoking furrow in the ground and an object that seems hollow and broken open: none of them think that that is a good thing. They spread out to see if they can find a clue as to what was inside the meteor. Willow soon finds the dead night watchman and recognizes him from the hospital. Riley can find no marks on the body, but pulls some thick goo from the corpse's mouth. They are almost overcome by the sickening smell that follows. They want to call Buffy, but feel that they cannot bother her now. At the thought of searching the dark woods for the killer, everyone decides that researching the phenomenon is a better idea - everyone except Riley. He protests that he isn't good at research and would prefer to investigate the crime scene further, but he assures them that he has no intention of tackling any unknown monsters. As they leave, Willow tells Giles that she's tired of being the one who finds the bodies (#080 - Real Me). After they leave Riley makes a cell phone call and tells the person at the other end to contact Agent Graham Miller, Riley's friend from the Initiative (Buffy #063 - #077).
In the hospital mental ward, several patients are restrained in bed. One seems particularly upset as the nurse tucks him in, turns off the light and leaves the room. In the dark, the man hears noises as the meteor monster crawls across the floor. The creature leaps onto the man's chest and spits clear slime over his face, as the nurse at the desk ignores his cries for help.
Buffy is getting the medications and instructions for caring for her mother from Dr. Kriegel, as the alien watches. Joyce begins again to say outlandish things, but the doctor manages to get her attention back to the present and the family leaves together. When they arrive home, Joyce reacts painfully to the lighting, so Buffy and Dawn dutifully go through the house, turning off all the lights.
As Riley waits by the crash site, a black helicopter swoops in carrying a four-man team in black camouflage lead by a Major Ellis. Graham kids Riley because he usually calls Buffy for help. Riley explains to the Major that the goo in the victim's mouth is a protein alkaloid that seems to have choked the man to death. When Ellis asks Riley if he has ever come across this method in an inhuman, Riley points out the meteor/capsule and tells him that this has nothing to do with anything from Earth. Ellis suggests tracing the protein signature, but Riley thinks that the goo breaks down too fast and instead they should look for an extraterrestrial radiation track. Ellis agrees.
Buffy and Dawn sit watching television in the dark as the creature crawls along the ceiling. When they hear a noise they find Joyce in the kitchen. She has the idea of cooking breakfast, but she quickly realizes that she isn't herself and let's them take her back to bed. Buffy administers a sleeping pill and, with Dawn, tucks her mother into bed. Suddenly Joyce looks at Dawn oddly and pulls away from her. She tells Dawn that she is nothing but a shadow, a thing that doesn't belong here. As Dawn runs away, Joyce is instantly a concerned mother again, calling after her. Buffy reassures her mother and leaves her to rest. Buffy tries to reassure Dawn that Joyce is just sick, but Dawn begins to wonder about the other times that disturbed people have told her that she doesn't really exist (#080 - Real Me). Buffy and Giles are the only ones that know that Dawn is really The Key, a magical artifact that the evil Glory is desperately searching for. An order of monks magically transformed The Key into Dawn, created false memories of her past and sent her to Buffy for safekeeping, before Glory killed them all. But Buffy also knows that although she was artificially created, Dawn is now a real human girl that totally believes she is Buffy's little sister and Joyce's child. Buffy sticks with the mental illness story and tries to convince her "adopted" sister to ignore their ramblings.
At the college's Astronomy section of the library, Xander ponders the relative size of the planets Saturn and Mercury compared to automobiles of the same name. Irritated, Giles calls him back to work. They don't find any evidence of a recent invasion of meteorites, but historical records indicate that in times of increased mental illness, ancient people prayed to the heavens to send them a cure. A being, called a Queller, was summoned to quell the tide of madness, even at the cost of the madmen's lives. Comparing outbreaks of mental illness with reports of strange meteorite activity seems to be a match and the team figures that Glory had a hand in bringing this Queller to Earth. Willow still wants to call Buffy, but she settles for calling Riley.
Riley is at the hospital and she tells him what they have discovered. He doesn't tell Willow that an Army team is with him, but he does tell her that the people in the hospital mental ward have all been killed. Willow worries about Joyce, but Riley assures Willow that she is safe at home. He thinks the Queller is still in the hospital, hiding in the ductwork. He asks Willow to call if they figure out the best way to kill it. She offers to send over the gang, but Riley hangs up on her.
Dawn covers her ears and Buffy turns up the radio in the kitchen as they both try to block out Joyce's mad ranting to herself. While trying to do dishes, Buffy fights desperately to keep from breaking down in tears. Joyce is actually ranting at the Queller, which is perched on the ceiling over her bed.
Graham tracks the creature to the parking lot, where the trail disappears. When Riley realizes that the monster probably followed a mental patient out of the hospital, he suddenly knows where to look for the killer.
The Queller drops onto Joyce and spits slime onto her face. Her agitated cries finally bring Dawn to check on her. When Dawn sees the creature on top of her mother, she bravely grabs a wooden coat rack and knocks the alien away. As Joyce slides the hardening goo off her face, the Queller begins to chase Dawn. It scurries on the floor after her, as she reaches a room and slams the door shut. In the kitchen, Buffy cannot hear Dawn's scream. Dawn manages to reach Joyce's room and starts to close all the doors, as Joyce wipes the remaining slime from her face. Before closing the last door, Dawn screams down the hall for Buffy and this time she hears. Racing up the stairs, Buffy reaches Joyce's room and Dawn warns her about the creature. Buffy tells her to keep the doors shut. As soon as she shuts the door, Buffy is jumped by the Queller, which knocks her down the stairs and scurries away. Inside Joyce's room, she tries in her own mad, frantic way to comfort a terrified Dawn.
Buffy moves cautiously through the first floor of the house. She retrieves a long, menacing carving knife from the kitchen. She is startled when Spike emerges from her basement. She wants to know why he is skulking around her house and he claims to be stealing junk for his crypt from her basement, but she notices photographs of her in his hand. Before she can get more answers from him, the Queller attacks Spike. Spike is freaked out by the short, vicious creature. Shortly, after Spike's thrashing around knocks the knife from Buffy's hand, the Queller turns on her. The creature makes shrill bird-like screeches as it knocks her down. She manages to get free and Spike throws her the knife, before the monster again jumps her. She stabs the Quellor's thick back several times before the beast is killed. As Spike helps her to her feet, the home is suddenly invaded by Riley and the Army squad. Buffy rushes upstairs to comfort her family and hold them close.
Ben leaves the hospital and gets into his car. In the back seat sits Dreg, the short, troll-like demon that helped Glory raise her Cobra monster (#086 - Shadow). Dreg is subservient when he addresses Ben. Ben orders him out of the car and in answer to Dreg's question as to why Ben summoned the Queller, Ben tells him that he is cleaning up Glory's mess, as usual.
Joyce is being prepped for surgery. When the nurse leaves the room, Joyce hesitantly asks Buffy about Dawn. With her illness, she can't be absolutely sure, but she has come to believe that Dawn is not her daughter. Buffy admits that is true. Joyce somehow realizes that Dawn is important to the entire world and that in some way she belongs with the Summers. Joyce still feels an emotional attachment to Dawn and makes Buffy promise her that no matter what may happen that Buffy will love and protect Dawn as if she really were a member of their family. Of course, Buffy quickly agrees. As they hug, Joyce wonders what she would do without Buffy and the frightened look on Buffy's face makes clear that she is wondering what she would do without her mother.
Buffy and Dawn lean on each other, with their friends in the background, as Joyce is wheeled down the hall to the operating room.
Dawn sleeps across hospital chairs with her head in Buffy's lap. Giles, Willow, Xander and Riley wait with Buffy while her mother, Joyce, undergoes brain surgery to remove a tumor. Everyone is nervous, but Riley tries to cheer Buffy up by suggesting that the doctors wouldn't take so long if Joyce's condition were hopeless. Just then Dr. Kriegel emerges.
The doctor tells them that they were able to remove all of Joyce's tumor and barring any unexpected problems, she should make a full recovery. It's hugs all around and Buffy almost disables the doctor with her enthusiastic embrace.
Over dinner, Dawn tells Xander and Anya stories about growing up with Buffy - none of them know that all of their memories of Dawn older than a few weeks ago are false (#083 - No Place Like Home). Xander takes suggestions on what to do tonight. Anya is quick to suggest that they play the game of Life, which evidently she is good at winning. Xander suggests a movie and they look over the listings. When they find one that offers a chimp playing hockey, Anya decides she desperately wants to see this spectacle. Dawn tells them that they don't have to make a fuss, since she's only staying over so Buffy and Riley can have noisy sex at her house. Xander tries to convince her otherwise, but Anya doesn't support him. Anya, disappointed, asks Xander if that means that they can't have noisy sex tonight.
Buffy and Riley dance close together in her darkened living room. She tells him that she is finally relaxed after a long time. Riley compliments her on the strength that she showed, not even crying once. She tells him that she did cry actually. She leans her head on his shoulder and he seems unhappy over her revelation, perhaps remembering when she refused his offer of a shoulder to cry on (#086 - Shadow). She is happy to be with him now and the words stop as our view of the lovers fade into a scene of them making love under the sheets.
Outside of the house, Spike stands in the front yard, smoking, presumably by the same tree that Buffy caught him lurking behind before (#083 - No Place Like Home).
Later, as Buffy sleeps, Riley slips from the house. Taking an interest, Spike follows Riley to a run-down building.
Buffy tries to sell her mother on the idea of wearing a wig over her skull scar, but Joyce holds out for a simple scarf. Joyce tries to sell Buffy on the idea of going out with Riley instead of staying inside the hospital with her all day. Buffy assures her mother that Riley is always available and she almost lets slip that they might have sex later, but covers it by saying they are doing Bible Study. With some sarcasm, Joyce let's this outrageous lie go by, rather than ask about the truth.
In a hotel room, Graham and Major Ellis discuss an apparent situation in Belize where demons are breeding. Graham suggests that Riley would be a good man to have on the team, but he might be difficult to recruit. Ellis wonders what could keep Riley in Sunnydale.
Buffy is barely sleeping when she hears her bedroom door open and close. Expecting Riley, it's Spike that answers her instead. She warns him not to continue coming into her house. He protests that he wants to help her, but becomes distracted wondering if she has any clothes on. She threatens to throw him out, but he convinces her that he has something she needs to see. When he realizes that she wants him to turn around so she can dress, he scoffs at the idea that he's interested in seeing her body, but when his face is turned, her nearness and nakedness obviously affect him.
Spike takes her to the building that Riley entered. Inside it looks reminiscent of a crack house, but instead humans are mainlining vampire fangs, as they surrender themselves to paid bloodsuckers. Spike warns Buffy not to start any violence, since they have something else to see. The sights obviously make Buffy nervous. A vampire challenges Spike when he tries to take Buffy upstairs, but Spike deals with him easily. Through the wrecked building, Spike leads Buffy to a certain door. Buffy opens the door to find Riley, sitting on a bare mattress on the floor, encouraging a vampress to bite his arm harder. Buffy catches a gasp in her throat and Riley looks up. The lovers stare at each other across the darkened room.
In shock, Buffy runs from the room. Spike only lingers to tease Riley with some "I'm only trying to help" insincerity. A vampire tries to stop Buffy, but she hurls him across the room. Spike catches up to her outside and offers that she needed to know. The look she gives him is not one of gratitude. As she runs down the alleyway, Spike appears to be troubled, perhaps by the pain he has caused her tonight. Riley tries to follow, but he is stopped by the same vampire that approached Buffy. He realizes that she is the Slayer and is upset with Riley for bringing her to ruin his business. Riley knocks the vamp down and escapes.
Buffy arrives home in the early morning light. She still appears to be stunned.
Riley arrives home to find Ellis, Graham and some others waiting to make him an offer. They are forming a strike team to wipe out a village of demons making trouble in Belize. Ellis assures him that there are no research or political games involved, just simple search-and-destroy grunt work, which they all can appreciate. He offers Riley a slot if he meets the helicopter at midnight.
At the Magic Box, Giles is upset with himself for commercializing the holidays. Anya is upset at finding more chicken feet in the inventory, when they can't sell the ones they've already got. She tries to think of promotional ideas to unload them, which leads Giles and Willow to kid about their Christmas chicken feet memories. Anya accuses them of secretly not liking her and mocking her behind her back about her learning to cope with being human. Willow protests their innocence, but Anya is on a roll, giving herself credit for the store's success. Giles doesn't argue with her very strongly. When Willow tries to claim some credit for helping, Anya accuses her of getting in the way. Xander finally jumps in to play peacemaker, but Anya accuses him of siding with Willow instead of the woman who, among other things, bathes him. Xander admits that Anya washes him, but only as foreplay. Giles finally jumps in to beg them to stop.
Buffy rushes in to ask about the nest of vampires that cater to strange human needs. Willow and Xander are surprised at this new twist, but Anya tells them that that news is centuries old. She says that some humans get a thrill from the bite. Giles contributes that there are some attracted by the danger and the darkness of the act. Anya also says that from the vampires' viewpoint, they get paid for drinking blood and it doesn't attract as much attention as a bunch of dead bodies. Finally, Giles adds that there is considerable risk from imposters that kill their victims anyway and accidental death. Buffy is angry to find that Giles already knew about this abomination, but he tells her that he hadn't seen any cases since he was young and certainly didn't know about it going on in Sunnydale. Buffy has her determined face on and she tells them that she's going after them. She is surprised when Giles suggests that maybe she shouldn't. He sees greater threats that Buffy should be working to stop and views it as a gray area, since the bitten are willing victims of their own foolish desires. Buffy reminds him that people do get killed and she is a Vampire Slayer after all. Xander recommends forming a strategy for attacking the group of vampires and makes the mistake of suggesting that they wait for Riley. Buffy tells them to follow her or not, she's going anyway. Giles, Willow and Xander follow, of course, leaving Anya to, literally, mind the store.
They find the building abandoned and Buffy has no patience with her friend's counsel to have patience. She flings a small gas grill against some curtains, igniting a raging fire. Giles and the others pass worried looks between themselves.
Spike is in his crypt taking a pull on a wine bottle, when Riley crashes in. Riley throws Spike up against a beam and punches him. Spike tries to remind Riley that he is to blame for his own problems, but Riley doesn't care. He pulls a stake and drives it into Spike's heart.
Spike howls in pain several times before he realizes that he isn't turning to dust. Riley pulls the stake and shows off his wood-grain plastic stake. He warns Spike to stay away from Buffy or Riley really will kill him. Spike admits that he's interested in Buffy, but he doesn't believe Riley has a future with Buffy anyway. Riley grabs a fistful of Spike's wound, causing him to yell again. Through the pain, Spike tells him that they both know Riley isn't Buffy future or he wouldn't be messing with vampire whores. Riley releases him. Spike opines that Buffy needs a boyfriend with an evil side. Spike, even admits that he probably won't be successful in pursuing Buffy, but Spike is compelled to try. They both agree that they would like to kill the other, before Spike throws Riley the wine bottle and they sit down for a drink together. Spike further admits that he is sometimes jealous of Riley's physical relationship with Buffy, but he also pities Riley's inability to really reach Buffy. All things considered Spike decides that he still envies Riley. Riley thinks it's ironic that he's considered the lucky one.
Buffy is furiously pounding a full-size punching bag in her training room. Outside in the shop, Xander watches Anya count receipts. Xander is worried about Buffy. Riley arrives and asks them to leave so he can be alone with Buffy. Anya thinks that he's interested in sex and recommends that they try the vaulting horse. Xander convinces her that that is not what Riley is here for and she suggests that maybe Xander would like to make love, but he tells her he has some things to do.
Buffy warns Riley that she is in no mood to talk to him, but he persists. She threatens him, but he welcomes the chance to talk or fight, whatever she wants. She finally agrees to hear him out and he tries to explain that he felt he was getting even for Buffy getting bit by Dracula (#079 - Buffy vs. Dracula). It upset him and made him wonder why she seemed to be attracted to vampires. She rejects this argument as blaming her for his actions. As he tries to explain his actions, it sounds reminiscent of any lover explaining why they have strayed. Buffy finally asks what the vampire whores offered that she lacked. Riley tells her that they needed him. He got to feel like someone was interested in him because he had something to offer them, even if it was his blood. He was the object of their hunger, their existence. He became attracted to their desire for him. Buffy insults the idea that he was anything more than a meal to those women, but Riley insists that he knows how much they needed him, because that's how much he needs her. She argues that she feels the same towards him, but he presses that she keeps him at a distance.
He's upset that Buffy didn't call him, when her mother got sick. Buffy sees this as a bruised ego, but Riley implores that all he wanted to do was to help her through the crisis, to be by her side. Buffy protests that she has to stay strong and independent because she's the Slayer and she thinks that what upsets Riley is that she is the stronger of the lovers. He admits to having some trouble with that, but it's not their real problem. She emphatically insists that she is holding nothing back; that this is everything she has to offer and maybe that's just not enough for Riley. Perhaps that is their problem. He tells her about the Army offer and she becomes angry because she thinks that it's unfair to put this deadline on their relationship, she sees it as an ultimatum. She tries to leave and he tries to stop her. He invites her to hit him, but she refuses. He tells her that unless she can give him some hope for their love, then he intends to leave. She silently walks out the door.
As Buffy walks through an alleyway she is surrounded by the pack of vampires whose dive she torched. She warns them, but they continue to move in on her. She punches a few, until she takes a large splinter of wood from one of them and then she quickly proceeds to kill one after another, including three in about two seconds. The sole remaining vampire is the woman that Buffy saw feeding on Riley. The vampress is clearly terrified of the Slayer. Buffy backs off and the woman flees down the alley. Buffy hurls the piece of wood like a spear and dusts the woman in mid-stride.
Suddenly, Xander is there, asking if Buffy feels good now. She is still angry and turns away from him. Xander follows her into a warehouse. He reminds her that she is running from her problem. She thinks he is unaware, but Xander realizes that Buffy and Riley's relationship is in serious trouble. He doesn't understand why she couldn't see trouble coming. She paints a picture of Riley cheating on her with vampires and making demands that she must meet or he'll leave her. Xander only wants to know if she wants Riley to stay. She protests that its out of her hands, besides its unfair of Riley to put her in this position. Xander thinks that the only thing that's important is - does she want Riley to stay?
She asks if Xander wants her to beg Riley to stay, but Xander thinks that she should do anything she has to if she really wants him to stay. She thought she had Riley figured out and Xander takes that as meaning that she depended on him to be there whenever it was convenient for her. Buffy compares that to Xander's relationship with Anya, which she thinks means convenient sex for Xander. Xander refuses to let her change the subject. He tells her that she has been treating Riley like a rebound boyfriend, while Riley has given up everything he ever knew to be with Buffy. (Presumably referring to the fact that Riley turned on the Initiative at great personal risk, left the Army to stay in Sunnydale and practically became Buffy's sidekick, a role that ill-suited him.) Xander views it as pretty petty that Buffy is not even willing to ask Riley to stay. If she doesn't love Riley, then let him go. But if she loves him, really needs him, then she better act fast, because time is short. Buffy runs from the warehouse.
Riley stands on the helicopter pad, watching and waiting. The blades begin to turn, as Buffy races as fast as she can. Reluctantly, Riley gets into the craft. It has barely left the ground when Buffy reaches the pad. Only a few feet over her head, she desperately yells at Riley, but he cannot hear her over the engines. His eyes fixed straight ahead he does not see the frantic young woman on the ground below, as the copter turns and picks up speed. Buffy is left to shuffle home, a blank gaze frozen on her face.
In their bedroom, Anya stands silently as Xander professes his love for her - his deep, powerful love for her. He loves everything about her, including the way she makes him feel when she's near. He finishes by telling her that he just wanted to let her know. She practically leaps into his arms.
Buffy arrives home to a darkened house. She starts up the stairs, but sags and sits with the same blank stare. Miles away, Riley Finn sits in the helicopter also staring out into the darkness.
Xander and Anya lie in bed together, discussing Riley's sudden departure (#088 - Into the Woods). Anya asks Xander for some warning if he decides to run out on her, preferably a warning that leaves time for her to stop him. Anya recalls that back when she was Anyanka the Vengeance Demon, the same women would repeatedly end up requesting that a man that wronged them be punished, until it was pretty clear that the men weren't the problem. Xander figures that two relationships that end badly aren't really a trend, but he does wonder how Buffy is dealing with her loss.
The courtyard of a small convent is seen at night. Several nuns are inside, but they each go off in separate directions leaving one nun slowly walking past the fountain. A lock of blonde hair sticks uncharacteristically from the side of her headpiece. The sound of running footsteps draws closer and suddenly Buffy and a vampire are fighting in the courtyard, knocking the young sister aside. It takes less than a minute for Buffy to slay the vampire, discard her stake and help the nun to her feet. Stunned by what she has just seen, the sister tries to answer Buffy's numerous questions about what it's like to live the life of a nun.
In her training room, in the back of Giles' magic shop, Buffy is pounding on hand targets that Giles is wearing as he scolds her for dropping her shoulder and telegraphing her right punches. They also discuss the fact that Giles is going to visit the Watcher's Council in England and see if they have any information on the newest menace, Glory (#083 - No Place Like Home). Giles' eyes begin to glaze over as he remembers the resources available in the Watchers' Library. Buffy calls him back to earth. When Giles begins to really nag her about the shoulder, Buffy misses the target and cuffs Giles on the side of the neck, while apologizing for what doesn't look like an accident.
That brings an end to the physical workout, but they continue to discuss whether consulting the Watchers is a wise idea. Buffy stresses how critical it is that they not suspect that Buffy's sister, Dawn, is really a mystical Key that Glory is seeking - not just because it increases the risk of Glory finding out, but Buffy also doesn't trust what the Watchers might do with the information. Giles agrees, but he also counters that the more he can tell them about what Glory wants, the better the researchers can zero in on any record of her. They would both prefer not having to involve the Watchers, but Giles reminds her that they have exhausted his collection of books and, without Riley, they no longer have a contact with any government resources.
With the mention of Riley's name, Giles automatically apologizes to Buffy but she assures him that she's recovered from the horrible pain. When Giles begins to sound more upbeat, she seems to kid him about still being crushed, leaving an unclear impression of how she really feels. He offers to stay, but she feels that the information he might gain is important.
Buffy, Giles, Willow, Xander, Anya and Tara gathered around the round table near the back of the shop going over the final details of Giles' absence. Anya is looking forward to being in charge of the shop for a week, but Giles seems hesitant. Buffy assures him that they will make sure things are taken care of and Willow volunteers to help. Anya is confused, since she is the store's only employee, she fully expects to be in charge and Xander speaks up in her behalf. Giles confesses that his main concern is that she lacks people skills. Anya assures him that she can bribe and flirt with city inspectors, if necessary. Willow again assures Giles that she will help make sure that everything is okay. Anya complains to Xander about Willow interrupting. Giles leaves to change his airline tickets to return sooner. To change to a more pleasant topic, Xander asks Buffy to tell them about any killing that she did last night. When Buffy tells them that she met a nun that let her try on nun clothes, Xander regrets changing the topic.
That night at home, Buffy finds her mother up and dressed, which is a change for the better, since her operation (#088 - Into the Woods). Joyce defends herself against Dawn's claim that her bathrobe had begun to smell from being worn so much. Joyce lies down to rest. Buffy and Dawn go to Buffy's room and Dawn peppers her with questions as Buffy looks through a magazine. Dawn notices that Riley's pictures have been taken down and admits that she would have done it sooner. Buffy at first denies that she was ever angry with Riley, then confesses that she was, but she didn't want to be rid of him. Dawn says that Riley's leaving was so sudden, but Buffy tells her that everyone else seemed to know that their relationship was in trouble, except her. Dawn wonders if part of Buffy's pain is due to the fact that she might have prevented the breakup if she had noticed in time. Buffy teases Dawn about being too smart. Buffy agrees that a large part of what she obsesses over is her mistakes. Dawn comforts Buffy that things will get better and then, perhaps because of her young age, she wonders if that is really true. Buffy takes over the role of comforter, assuring Dawn that generally heartaches heal with time and perhaps one day Riley will return to her and give her a chance to correct her mistakes of the past.
Spike is holding a box of chocolates before the top half of a blonde mannequin and practicing what he wants to say to win Buffy's heart. He's obviously worried that she will hate him for exposing Riley's taste for vampire women (#088 - Into the Woods). Giving only one side of the imaginary talk, Spike is quickly arguing with the dummy. He begins to shout and scream at the ungrateful torso, finally hitting it with the chocolates and knocking it down. Composing himself he picks up the dummy, puts it back in place, picks up the tousled box of candy and calmly begins again.
At the Magic Box, Willow and Tara are collecting ingredients for a spell. One item reminds Willow of Amy, the rat, which Willow has been trying, for some time, to restore to her true form, as a young girl (#045 - Gingerbread). Evidentially all she has succeeded in doing so far is perhaps increasing the rodent's intelligence, if Willow's right about the rat looking sneaky lately. When Anya questions her, Willow tells her that she is working on a variation of a spell, which allows Willow to light a dark room (#082 - Out of My Mind), that would allow Buffy to create artificial sunlight as a weapon for killing vampires at night. Anya is upset that Willow is taking stuff off the shelves and "doing things" while Giles is gone. Tara smiles as Willow compares Anya to the fish in "The Cat in the Hat", which constantly nagged that the Cat shouldn't do anything while the parents were away. Willow describes how even the fish ended up being a prop in the fun, which in some way explains why Willow couldn't have another fish for a pet until she was eleven. Anya is upset that they are talking about a book that she couldn't possible have read because she was a child at least a century before Dr. Seuss. She also accuses Willow of stealing the ingredients for her spell. Willow admits that she isn't paying for the stuff, but she assures Anya that Giles would approve of what she's doing, then she offers to teach Anya a few magic spells. Tempted Anya admits that she misses the magic powers she had as a demon. Then she accuses Willow of using peer pressure to try to tempt her into bad habits. With a smile, Willow begins to float a few items around the shop, as Anya whines for her to stop.
Xander arrives and both women immediate appeal to him to be on their side of the argument. Xander doesn't want anything to do with being in the middle. Willow argues that with Giles away, if she fails, he won't have to know about it, besides she isn't doing any harm. From the mixing vessel, Willow takes a pinch of dust and throws it on the counter. With a puff of smoke, the cash register disappears. Anya freaks out. With a word, Willow makes the register reappear, but it looks like its been partially destroyed. Anya quickly checks the money inside and can't believe that Willow would take chances with it. Willow begins to mimic Anya's formal way of talking and her concern for money over people. Anya appeals to Xander to stop her. Disgusted with both of them, Xander leaves them to work out their differences. Willow immediately tries to get Tara on her side, but Tara retreats as well.
Later, Willow mixes ingredients, as Anya keeps a running tally of the cost of each. Finally Willow tells her that quiet is important to the spell and Anya agrees to stop talking. Willow pours the mixture from a small green vessel into a larger golden metal urn. Anya interrupts again and Willow pleads for silence. She begins the incantation. Shortly a small sparkling ring of red and yellow light floats out of the urn and hovers, slowly growing in size. Anya purposely interrupts and Willow snaps at her. Willow tries again, but Anya won't be quiet. Willow turns and begins to argue with Anya as the floating ring grows larger, redder in color and begins to wobble unsteadily. The ring dips and brushes some vials lying on the glass counter. There is a lightning-like crackle of white-blue light and a big, green monster, with foot-long horns curving out of his temples and reddish-orange hair and a beard, appears in the middle of the store. He growls at the women, who cower together behind the display case. He then uses his huge war hammer to smash up the shop, on his way out the door. Willow admits that he isn't quite what she was trying for.
Buffy and Tara are signing Buffy up for a course in Greek Art, that she will share with Tara. They joke together like old friends about the teacher who spits when he talks. The only other course that will fit a hole Buffy has in her schedule at two in the afternoon is about Central America and that would constantly remind her of Riley off fighting monsters with the Army. Buffy claims that she's almost philosophical about Riley leaving, as if it were meant to be, which she comments ironically is usually used to describe bad news. She suggests that they retrieve Willow and eat. Tara tells her about the argument earlier and how Xander got mad at them and left. Buffy seems concerned about Xander and Anya, but Tara assures her that it was a minor quarrel, that caused Xander to leave. Buffy begins to get upset that Xander walked out on Anya, but Tara tries to explain that he didn't really leave her, that it was minor. Breaking down into tears, Buffy worries that minor things can become major things that could destroy Xander and Anya's love. Tara tries to calm her, but Buffy is inconsolable and hugs Tara weeping over the beauty of Xander and Anya's love.
With Anya driving Giles' new red BMW convertible and Willow reading magic parchments, they follow a trail of destruction in search of the big green thing. Willow is impressed that she was able to create such a creature, but Anya is sure that it was somehow imprisoned in one of the crystals on the store counter and Willow just freed it. Willow refuses to take the blame and insists that it must be Anya's fault. As Willow tries to find a way to reverse the spell, she snaps at Anya to put the top up on the car, so the pages she is trying to read will not blow around. Anya tells her that she doesn't know how to do that, she just now figured out the brake. Willow is horrified because Anya didn't say she couldn't drive earlier, but Anya argues that she didn't know if she could drive or not, until she tried. Willow refers to the beast as an Ogre, but Anya quickly corrects her and calls it a Troll. Anya speeds up and Willow worries that Anya might crash the car. Anya nags that Willow should have listened to her since Giles left her in charge. Willow thinks that Giles was wrong about that. Anya reminds her that Xander agreed, but Willow feels that Anya forced him into it. As they speed around a corner, some of the pages blow out of the car.
Xander literally bumps into Spike at the Bronze. Xander immediately tells Spike to shove off, which, of course, encourages the vamp to hang around and irritate Xander. Spike wonders if Xander's obvious depression has something to do with Buffy, but Xander tells him it doesn't. When Spike presses to make sure that Buffy is all right, Xander wonders why Spike would care. Spike pretends that he doesn't.
Buffy and Tara have found the destruction at the shop, but no sign of Willow or Anya. Her fear for Willow has Tara on the verge of tears, but Buffy takes her hand and suggests they look for a trail of destruction.
A crowd on Main Street watches in fear as the Troll knocks aside a Dumpster and shouts his threats against the town's dwellings, crops and daughters. Just then he picks up the scent of ale.
At the Bronze, Xander and Spike are playing pool and talking about women. Xander complains about getting caught in the middle of the fights and that his friends still aren't comfortable with his relationship with Anya. Spike sympathizes and compares it to his love for Drusilla. Xander understands that because Dru's quite mad. Spike again brings up Buffy and soon begins to argue his case for revealing Riley's secret, but Xander doesn't know what he's talking about. The Troll bumps into Spike and both him and Xander gawk at the creature's size. The Troll picks up a keg of beer with one hand, bites a hole in the side and drinks it dry. Before Xander can retreat to find Buffy, the Troll asks him if he knows where there are any babies to eat. Spike suggests the hospital, but Xander distracts the Troll by suggesting some bar food and more drink. Disappointed with Xander's ideas, the monster drinks a second keg as Anya, Willow, Buffy and Tara arrive.
Spike tries to talk to Buffy, but Anya interrupts to tell Buffy that Willow released the Troll. Anya tells Willow to try the reversal spell, but the Troll interrupts complaining that Anyaka is always trying to ruin his fun, just like when they dated. Anya is forced to admit that he is Olaf, an old boyfriend and her first vengeance victim. She changed him into a Troll and thereby won the opportunity to become a Vengence Demon. The Troll argues that the wench he dallied with while dating Anyaka didn't mean anything to him. He vows to kill Anya. He also has a grudge against witches for they were the ones that trapped him in a crystal for centuries. He decides that Willow must die as well. Willow tries a spell, but it doesn't work. Before she can chant another the Troll charges and Buffy leaps into battle, closely followed by Spike. The Troll is powerful and manages to knock Buffy off of him. He uses his hammer to destroy the support columns for a second story platform. The structure falls, endangering people on the platform as well as people below.
Buffy manages to lift a heavy wooden piece off of her chest. The Troll has fled and Buffy assigns Xander to track him. She tells Anya and Willow to return to the shop and find the correct spell to send him back where he came from. After they leave, Buffy helps free people trapped under the heavy debris. She is surprised to see Spike forming a makeshift pillow for an injured woman. When she questions him, he points out that he is merely trying to comfort the injured and, despite all the blood around, he has not tried to drink any, because Buffy would be upset. He can't win, because Buffy is angered by Spike wanting credit for not taking advantage of the wounded. She walks away in disgust, leaving the forlorn vamp to wonder what he has to do to make points with her.
As Willow gathers any book that might have a helpful spell inside, Anya gathers up more of the materials that she says Willow stole to cast the release spell. Willow snaps at Anya for her continued rudeness. She admits that at first Anya was new at being human and didn't know how to act, but that excuse is wearing thin with Willow, since Anya has been human for a while now. Anya claims that lots of rules, including courtesy, are stupid and besides she's not the worst human around. Willow agrees with that, but worries that Anya could go back to her demon ways and try to exact vengeance on Xander one day. Anya begins to argue that it is very difficult to turn someone into a Troll, but then she realizes that Willow is really worried about Xander. She assures Willow that she would never hurt Xander, but Willow reminds Anya that vengeance was her reason for living for a century or so. Anya reminds her that that was when she was a demon, but Willow states that Anya's thirst for vengeance was what made her into a demon and besides women don't have to use demonic powers to do a pretty good job of destroying a man.
Anya thinks that Willow is more dangerous, since she was also offered the job of Vengeance Demon (#065 - Something Blue) and she is practicing powerful magic that doesn't always work right. Besides, Willow's lips came between Xander and Cordelia (#042 - Lovers Walk), so Anya thinks that Willow is jealous of her relationship with Xander. Willow reminds Anya that she is gay now, which is the first time that Willow has stated it so bluntly. It makes no difference to Anya, because Willow grew up with Xander and will always know him in ways that Anya never will, making it seem as if Anya is the jealous one. Both women argue that they have no desire to see Xander hurt. They are interrupted when Olaf knocks down the door to the shop.
The Troll's upset that he has to interrupt his pillaging to kill the two girls, before they can discover a spell to recapture him. He throws both of them into some shelves behind the sales counter, just as Xander arrives. He leaps to their defense, but of course, he has little success against the hulking monster. He doesn't give up, but before he is seriously injured, the Troll begins to admire his guts and offers him a chance to save one of the women. All he has to do is decide which one should die. Xander resists making a choice, so the Troll breaks his right wrist. Despite the pain, Xander will not choose. The Troll decides to kill Xander instead. Anya begs Olaf to kill her instead of Xander. Willow tries some magic dust and a short spell, but only succeeds in making the cash register disappear again.
Buffy arrives and engages the monster in combat as Anya yells to separate him from his hammer, which is the source of his great strength. Willow tries to come up with a spell and instructs Anya to irritate Olaf enough to give Buffy a break. Anya hurls insults at the beast as Buffy hurls punches, but neither have much effect. Willow chants in Latin, but Olaf's hammer merely glows momentarily. Olaf knocks Buffy aside and begins to yell at Anya that she hasn't changed a bit from the shrew he once knew. Anya barely manages to dodge Olaf's hammer. Willow manages to complete a spell that causes his hammer to glow and fly across the room, out of his grip. Seizing the opportunity, Buffy once again charges the Troll, but is easily knocked aside. She looks at Anya surprised, but Anya tells her that Olaf still has regular Troll strength, which is considerable.
Buffy continues to try beating the Troll or containing him, but Olaf is just too strong. Olaf asks why Buffy is bedeviling him. Is she trying to save Xander and Anya? Even if she does, that doesn't mean that she can save their love. Olaf thinks that Anyaka is a fickle girl that will soon break the weak and fragile Xander's heart anyway. Enraged at Olaf's attack on love, Buffy attacks with renewed vigor. As she begins to have some success, her friends are encouraged. Xander asks Anya if she really dated that guy and she admits its true, but she likes Xander much better. Anya also admits that Willow loves Xander, but not in a way that threatens their relationship.
Buffy finally succeeds in knocking Olaf unconscious and, a short time later, Willow successfully sends Olaf back to Troll Land, or at least as close as she can get, given the difficulty of being accurate with the spell. Anya lists a variety of bizarre dimensions that Olaf could end up in, including a world without shrimp. Buffy is just glad he's gone and she got a war hammer out of the battle. She places the hammer on top of the glass display case and it breaks through, destroying the sales counter. Buffy reflects that despite all the damage to Giles' shop, at least she was able to save Xander and Anya and their relationship. Considering the beauty of their love brings Buffy close to tears.
In Buffy's dining room, Giles considers how bad things would have been if he had been gone longer. Buffy offers that they would have cleaned up with some help from Willow's magic if they had the time. He thinks that considering Willow's magic mistakes, it's a good thing they didn't get a chance to try. Joyce joins them bearing tea and wonders why the Watchers requested Giles make a trip to London when they have no records of Glory to share with him. He figures that they may have information that they didn't realize was about Glory, until he supplied them with more details of what they should be looking for. He is hopeful that they will discover something that will help. Buffy is worried that they may discover the truth about Dawn. Sitting in the room are the only three people that know that Dawn was created from a mystical Key, that Glory is searching for, to complete her evil plans. Some monks formed the magical object into a real human girl, gave her a false history and sent her to be Buffy's sister, so Buffy could protect her from Glory (#083 - No Place Like Home). Just on the other side of the wall, Dawn comes down the steps in time to hear her name mentioned by the others. She hesitates and listens as they worry about what could happen to Dawn if the truth about her were revealed.
Buffy apologizes to the Scooby Gang for not keeping up the housekeeping as they meet in Buffy's living room. Finding one of Riley Finn's sweaters left behind her couch doesn't help the mood any and Xander quickly suggests that they start the meeting. Giles begins with the news that the Watchers are sending a delegation, presumably with information on Glory. Buffy tries to explain to a naive Tara why that news upsets her so. Besides a history of conflict with the Watchers Council, she can't tell them that her main fear is that the Watcher's will stumble across the secret that her little sister, Dawn, is actually The Key, an ancient mystical artifact that the current evil menace, Glory, needs to complete her nefarious plans (#083 - No Place Like Home). Only Buffy, Giles and Buffy's mother, Joyce, are aware of Dawn's true nature, but Dawn is suspicious, having overheard whispered conversations (#089 - Triangle). Dawn sneaks down the stairs so she can listen in on the meeting and presumably learn more about the secret that involves her. Joyce catches her before she hears much and shoos Dawn off to her room. Buffy is panicky that Dawn is spying on them, but everyone else thinks that that is normal for Dawn. They don't realize that all their memories of Dawn growing up are false. Giles thinks that if the Watchers can help stop the powerful Glory then their visit will be worthwhile.
Meanwhile, Glory looks anything but powerful as she huddles on the floor of her lavish home, sweating and breathing heavily. She looks like a junkie needing a fix. Two of her robed henchmen rush into the room with a captured mailman. One of them helps Glory over to the frightened man and she first caresses his face and then drives her fingers magically into the man's head. Bright yellow light shines from where her fingers enter the man's skull. Glory's scream blends with her victim's into one mournful tone. After a few seconds both of them fall to the floor. Glory quickly regains her composure after the "feeding". The mailman gets to his feet with sunken eyes and he sweats heavily. As he begins to babble and wander away, Glory scolds her henchmen for waiting so long to fulfill her needs. Then one of her followers, Dreg, tells her that the signs indicate that she needs to find The Key quickly if she intends to use it. Glory is unconcerned because she is certain that Buffy can tell her where The Key is, all Glory has to do is force her to give up the secret.
Giles is warning a consumer about following proper spell-casting techniques when a phalanx of Watcher personnel invades the Magic Box. Quentin Travers begins to talk to Giles as six strangers begin snooping about the shop. Travers' tone is imperious and accusatory without really saying anything. Some of the Watcher personnel comment on how dangerous some of the items in the store could be. One of the men announces to the customers that the store is closing temporarily. Giles accuses Travers of judging the enterprise before even learning anything about it. When introduced, Anya blurts outs a cover story about being raised in Iowa. She fears that if the Council discovers that she used to be a Vengeance Demon that they will deal harshly with her. Travers tells Giles that the purpose of their visit is to review Buffy's situation. They do indeed have information about Glory that is important, but they won't release it to Buffy until they are satisfied as to her training and capability to deal with the info. Giles assures him that Buffy is working hard at her lessons.
Buffy is working hard at staying awake as Professor Roberts lectures on Rasputin. Her professional interest is peaked when they discuss how hard it was to kill the "Mad Monk" [Poisoned, shot twice and eventually drown in a frozen river]. She remarks on reports that witnesses saw Rasputin after his supposed death. The history teacher is not impressed with such speculation. Buffy rebuts that history sometimes changes as what we used to believe is contradicted by further discoveries. Sometimes the unbelievable turns out to be the truth. The professor quickly loses patience with Buffy's version of history. He mocks Buffy's interest in arcane knowledge like which historical figures seemed to sleep during the day and only awake at night. He sarcastically instructs her to sit quietly and learn the real history.
Later, Buffy confuses her vampire opponent by mocking the history professor while fighting. Her venting is interrupted when Spike jumps from the shadows to stake the vamp. Spike waits for Buffy's gratitude and instead is berated for interrupting. He suggests that she's just upset over the loss of Riley. As Buffy tries to walk away, Spike follows, irritating her with possible reasons that she can't seem to keep a boyfriend. After he finally leaves, Buffy stands alone in the quiet graveyard and seems to consider the same question.
The intern, Ben, is walking down a hospital hallway when he is hustled into a room by Dreg. Dreg tells him that Glory needs to know anything that Ben knows about the Slayer. Ben is surprised to hear that Buffy is the Slayer. Dreg asks for personal information on Buffy that Glory can use against her.
Giles is trying to explain Buffy's fighting style to Travers, when Buffy walks in the door of the magic shop. Realizing it's too late to run, Buffy reluctantly meets the Watchers. Travers announces that the Council plans an extensive review of everything in the Slayer's life. He reminds Buffy that the one constant in the fight against evil has been the Council, supplying guidance and instruction to a parade of often changing Slayers. He tells her that unless she cooperates with them, they will not give her the vital information they have on Glory. Giles vehemently objects to this method of exerting control over Buffy, but Travers suggests that they have other methods that they haven't used yet, like getting Giles deported. He implies that Buffy needs a lesson in real power and how it is used by grownups.
A battered Dreg tells Glory that Ben is not going to help with her plans. She becomes upset at Ben's reluctance. Dreg's fear is obvious as the volatile Glory pouts and whines. To his relief, Glory merely decides to find the Slayer on her own.
Buffy and Giles are commiserating over their lack of leverage in dealing with the Council. Giles warns Buffy that the Council is expert at manipulating bureaucrats and government systems to achieve their ends. Buffy's not worried about any physical test, it's the mind games that concern her. She also worries that she hasn't handled the Glory situation well. Giles assures her that she has done the best that anyone could. She begins to fear that she isn't up to the challenge, that she's fooling herself about her abilities and that the Council will abandon her to face Glory without any clue as to how to defeat her. Giles suggests that it's the Council that should be judged for withholding possibly life-saving information to coerce her. Unfortunately, Buffy cannot risk losing Giles, so they have no choice for the moment.
Anya babbles her way through a fake life history before she is asked the first question by the Council personnel. Willow and Tara are very nervous but they quickly work up the courage to declare their love for each other, before the interviewer can explain that he really wants to know about their relationship with Buffy. Xander is proud of his contribution to the fight against evil, until the interviewer points out that he and Anya are both untrained amateurs. The man asks Xander whether Buffy often needs help in defeating her enemies, as Willow and Tara try to come up with the perfect answer to that question. They are all over the map with their answer, obviously trying to zero in on what the interviewer wants to hear. He flusters them further by asking them about their official skill rating and membership in any recognized witches' organizations. Willow and Tara try to bluff their way through. A woman questions Spike as two Council members hold a cross and crossbow. Spike casually mentions that Buffy pays him to help her and sometimes lets him drink the blood of terminal victims, the last part being, of course, a lie. He bad-mouths Buffy and suggests that if she doesn't turn things around soon, she'll be seeking him out for comfort. The woman is confused by Spike's relationship with Buffy, considering that Spike is a vampire and something of a Vampire Slayer slayer. Spike learns that the woman has studied him as a part of her training and she appears charmed as Spike begins to flirt with her in hopes of learning how Buffy is scoring.
The first physical test for Buffy is to defend a dummy from an attacker, while blindfolded and listening for jiu-jitsu instructions in Japanese. Buffy tries to cope with Travers' shouted commands, Giles' awkward translations and the man swinging an ax at her. Buffy finally decides to block out the distractions and concentrate her senses on the attacker. She succeeds in defeating the foe, but not before he throws his ax into the chest of the dummy Buffy is guarding. When she removes the blindfold, Buffy is horrified to see that the dummy is dead and she babbles an apology for injuring the mock attacker. She makes excuses and asks for a retest, but Travers suggests that they test her fighting strategy and critical thinking later in the evening.
Dejected, Buffy returns home to find Glory in her living room.
Glory comments on the decor as she walks around exploring Buffy's living room. Buffy makes her way to the fireplace, but as she grasps the poker, Glory is instantly and silently behind her. Glory warns her that they are only talking, if violence begins, Buffy will die. Glory takes a seat and demands the location of The Key. As she drones on about how Buffy has no choice but to tell her, Dawn innocently walks into the room, behind Glory. Dawn freezes and from the looks on Buffy's face, realizes that there is danger. As Glory is explaining how she will kill Buffy, Dawn tries to tip-toe from the room. But Glory calls to her. Buffy asks Glory to keep Dawn out of it, but Glory will not be deterred. Glory tries to get Dawn to tell her the location of The Key, but she doesn't know it. As Glory tries to raise sibling resentment, Dawn angrily tells Buffy that one day she will figure out what secrets are being kept from her. Buffy orders Dawn up to her room and Glory does not protest. After Dawn leaves, Glory compliments her spunk and tells Buffy that she will kill Dawn and everyone else that Buffy loves, before her eyes. Glory warns Buffy that soon someone will die horribly, unless Buffy surrenders The Key. Glory leaves and Joyce emerges from hiding in the hallway. Buffy tells her to start packing.
Spike is startled from a sound sleep by the arrival of the Summers family. Amazingly, Buffy asks for Spike's help in protecting her mother and Dawn. He is the only one she can turn to that might have enough strength and fighting ability to keep them safe. Spike tries to be a gracious host, but his crypt is not quite furnished for visitors. Before Buffy leaves, she starts to speak to Spike, but he stops her and tells her that her "or else I'll stake you" warnings are hardly worth repeating. After Buffy leaves, Spike is brusque with his guests, warning them not to interrupt his story, the soap opera, Passions. Joyce instantly recognizes a fellow fan and they talk animatedly together about the storylines as Dawn rolls her eyes.
Willow, Xander, Anya and Tara are relegated to an upper level storage area as they watch the Watcher minions' continued inspection of the Magic Box. Giles assures Travers that, even though Buffy is over twenty minutes late that she will arrive.
Buffy hurries down an alleyway. She is tackled by someone covered in Medieval chain mail. Two more opponents emerge to surround her. The first man carries a small broadsword and the others twirl shiny metal staffs. Buffy doesn't have time for this, but her foes attack anyway. They are quick and well-trained but Buffy is faster, stronger and more imaginative. After defeating them, she unmasks one of her attackers and is surprised to find a mere man, with an emblem displayed on his forehead. He claims to be a Knight of Byzantium, and they are out to get Buffy. Buffy wonders if they are allies of Glory, but he knows about The Beast and scorns the idea that they would help her. Their Brotherhood has sworn to destroy The Key and that means they must destroy Buffy. The man warns her that they will send as many soldiers as it takes to kill Buffy, even if it takes an army. The man expects Buffy to kill him and for a moment she lowers the sword threateningly, but then she dismisses him and he runs for his life.
When Buffy arrives at the shop, Travers is ready to begin the review, but Giles instantly notices the sword she carries and assumes the worst. She confirms that she was attacked. When Travers tries to continue, Buffy stops him. She informs him that there will be no review. When one of the Watchers begins to protest, Buffy informs them that there will be no interruptions. She will not cooperate with a test designed for her to fail. She explains that lately a lot of people have been trying to tell her that she's worthless. She's finally realized that the opposite is true. The people trying to get her to surrender to them are the ones that desperately need something that only she can supply. That gives her power over them. Glory keeps saying that she could easily kill Buffy, but she can't because she needs Buffy to give her The Key. The Watchers keep telling her that she needs to work for them, but without a Slayer, they are powerless. Without her, their lives are meaningless. When the Watcher tries to argue again, Buffy, in one smooth motion, picks the sword off the table and slings it at the man. It embeds in the wall with a loud metallic ring, just missing his chest. She reminds everyone that she wants no interruptions. Her friends sitting on the edge of the upper floor are enjoying the show.
Buffy realizes that the Watchers have no outlet for whatever information they have on Glory, unless it's to publish it in some lunatic fringe newsletter. They need The Slayer for their knowledge to become action. She begins to instruct them on how things will go from now on. They are going to become absent advisors. They will continue researching Glory and any contact will be through Giles who will be restored as Buffy's official Watcher. An unsubtle reminder from Giles and Buffy instructs them to pay Giles back wages from the time he was fired [two years ago (#046 - Helpless)]. Buffy will continue to work as she always has, with the help of her friends. The woman Watcher hesitantly interrupts and, fearful of being skewered, she insists on pointing out that the young people are just that - teenage civilians. Buffy points out that Willow and Tara are powerful witches and Anya is an ex-demon with a thousand years of experience. Another Watcher pushes that Xander is pretty worthless. Buffy reminds them that Xander has fought more monsters than all them, combined, have ever seen. Xander's chest swells with pride as Buffy tells them that they are a team and that's not going to change. The individual members can consider if they want to be a part of a Watcher's organization that works for Buffy, instead of the other way around but she faces Travers and, calling him by his first name, insists that he answer now, whether the Watchers organization will obey. After a few tense moments of hesitation, Travers gives in. The Scooby quartet, in the balcony, cheers and Giles calm exterior almost cracks with glee.
Travers mentions to Giles that they discovered a bottle of single malt scotch behind the incense while inventorying the store. Giles at first thinks he is being accused of something, until he realizes that Travers is asking for a drink. Before anyone has a chance to relax, Buffy demands to be told at least what kind of demon she faces in Glory. Travers tells her that Glory is a God.
Sitting at the round table in the Magic Box, Buffy suggests canceling her 20th birthday party. Willow, Xander, Giles, Anya and Tara agree that they face some difficult times, but canceling a party would be too cruel. Their current nemesis, Glory, and two other beings were Hell-Gods ruling one of the worst demon dimensions, one of thousands of different dimensions that border our own reality. Buffy wonders why a God seems so limited in power - Glory is impressive but hardly god-like. Giles theorizes that being trapped in a mortal body limits the exercise of her full power. But she is still invincible, unstoppable and quite mad. She is being driven mad by living in our dimension so her only recourse is to suck energy from the brains of humans, leaving their minds destroyed. Willow and Tara volunteer to look for magical defenses and weapons. Anya brags about her knowledge of demon dimensions, which she considers superior to Giles', and offers to do research.
Xander wonders that if Glory is so desperate to find The Key shouldn't they try to find it first. Buffy and Giles try to discourage them, but the others can see that it's a logical course of action to stop Glory's plans. Buffy admits that she and Giles knows where The Key is. Willow and Xander are particularly disappointed that they weren't trusted with this knowledge, especially since they are used to sharing the danger. Buffy finally begins to tell them that her little sister Dawn is actually The Key.
In a field, three men stand in a circle facing a small fire, dressed in medieval chain mail and holding sword handles like crosses before their faces. They chant about destroying the link by destroying The Key. They are challenged by five short beings in brown robes, with pole-axes - worshippers of Glory. There is a brief battle but the smallish creatures cannot compete with the trained warriors from the Brotherhood of the Knights of Byzantium. In short order, only one attacker remains, Jinx. A Knight prepares to end Jinx's life, but as the sword descends, the blade is seized by a pretty blonde in a red dress - Glory. In a few seconds, the tables are turned and one remaining Knight finds himself at Glory's mercy... and she doesn't have any.
The next day, Dawn comes across Willow and Tara spreading enchanted powder in front of the Magic Box to create a mystical alarm system. Willow tells her that the Summers' house has already been protected. Dawn wants to help, but Willow and Tara are obviously worried about involving The Key in their mystical workings. Dawn's response reveals that she can tell when she's being brushed off. Dawn goes inside and the magic early warning system is finished as the symbols drawn on the ground disappear in a golden rising light.
Xander and Anya unsuccessfully try to hide their nervousness at being around Dawn. Xander over-compensates by doing baby talk and tickling her. Anya is so awkward that Xander rushes her out of the room. Giles makes notes in his Slayer's Chronicles as he suggests they increase the difficulty of Buffy's workouts. Dawn's attention is drawn to the secret diaries, but Buffy unintentionally distracts her from seeing where Giles secrets them. Dawn wonders what's going on with Glory who invaded their home (#090 - Checkpoint). Buffy puts her off and Dawn complains again about being left out of the action. Dawn kids that Buffy's jealous because Glory is prettier, but Buffy must be chicken because Glory didn't seem that tough.
Glory is torturing the remaining Knight, trying to get the location of The Key. She then rubs her body against her prisoner, teases him and magically drives her fingers into his head, feeding on the energy the flows around her fingers.
Buffy is opening presents as the gang gathers with Dawn and Buffy's mother, Joyce, in her living room. Anya quickly makes a nuisance of herself wishing she could have the gifts instead. Dawn's gift is a framed picture of her and Buffy, taken several years ago when they visited their father at the beach. She has pasted shells they collected together onto the frame. Buffy is touched by the sentimental present, but all except Dawn are painfully aware that those moments never happened. All of them have fake memories of Dawn, for Buffy and Joyce going back to her birth, which were created by the monks when they cast the spell making The Key into Buffy's little sister.
Later, Buffy, Giles and Joyce are in the kitchen talking about whether Dawn might pose any danger to them herself, when Buffy notices Dawn lurking around trying to eavesdrop. Dawn joins the others in the living room and complains that she can feel the mood in the room change when she comes in. Buffy, Giles and Joyce come back into the room as Anya goes into some detail explaining that they were actually talking about sex. Dawn runs to her room, frustrated and angry that no one will tell her what is going on.
Dawn climbs down the side of the house and is surprised to almost walk into Spike. He is standing in her yard, smoking a cigarette and holding a gift-wrapped box. Dawn is amused at the idea that Spike, a vampire, might have a present for Buffy's birthday, especially a beat-up box of chocolates [presumably the box that he was practicing his approach with (#089 - Triangle)]. Spike tries to intimidate her, but she won't go along and claims to be badder than him. She brags that she intends to rob the Magic Box. Spike suggests that there are a lot of nasties on the dark streets of Sunnydale and Buffy would be upset if something happened to Dawn. She claims to be tough, but obviously considers the unknown dangers and invites Spike to a break-in.
Dawn complains when Spike's lock-picking skills are not up to par. He reminds her that he doesn't normally leave the door standing, when he breaks in, but he's finally successful. He's disappointed to learn that they are there to steal a book. She searches around the spot where Giles was standing and quickly finds a hidden drawer in the sales counter.
They sit in candlelight as Spike complains about Giles' tiny handwriting. Dawn finds a record in the ledger of Tarnis, one of the founders of the monastic Order of Dagon, the guardians of The Key. Spike thinks that all monks need a fanatical purpose to replace their sex drive. He finds Olaf's troll hammer ( #089 - Triangle), but isn't strong enough to lift it. Dawn finds reference to The Key's other-worldliness and how only those outside of reality can see it. Spike tells her that that could mean psychics or the mentally deranged. Dawn recalls that several disturbed people have accused her of not really existing. She reads further that mystical creatures, especially those based on dogs or snakes, can track The Key. She remembers when the giant snake creature crashed into the magic shop (#086 - Shadow). She stops reading and Spike takes the book from her hand. He reads on and they both discover that Dawn is The Key.
Back at the house, Buffy is commiserating with Willow and Tara that Riley didn't even send a birthday card. She hopes that he was prevented by security precautions for his secret demon-fighting mission (#088 - Into the Woods). Suddenly, they notice Dawn entering the room holding a knife and bleeding heavily from a slashed wrist. Buffy and Joyce run to her but she is unconcerned with her injury. She is confused, scared and angry because of confusion about who or what she really is.
A short time later, Giles offers to stay, but Buffy shoos everyone out, so the family can deal with the crisis. She joins her mother in Dawn's room. In answer to Dawn's questions they tell her that, instead of being fourteen, she is really only six months old. Buffy and Joyce try to reassure her, but Dawn lashes out that her life, her family and their love is a lie. She can't trust anything she knows to be true about herself. She screams at them to leave her alone.
The next day, Buffy is desperate to find out more about The Key. She feels that Dawn needs to know her true nature to fill the vacuum caused having no real memories. Clues, like cigarette butts, at the Magic Box quickly point to Spike's help in Dawn's break-in and discovery.
Spike is sitting cross-legged on top of a cement sarcophagus when Buffy barges into his crypt. She pulls the lid out from under him and when he tries to climb out, she uses the slab to pin his chest against one wall of the coffin. She demands answers and Spike protests that he had no idea what was going to happen. She lets up and he flings the cement top aside. He tells her that he was only trying to protect Dawn during her nighttime raid, that there was no way anyone was going to stop her from finding out forever. It's Buffy's fault that Dawn found out instead of being told by her family. Buffy's just looking for someone else to blame. She leaves without a word.
Joyce tries to get Dawn up for school, but she is too depressed. She feels detached, uninvolved and scornful of her life. She won't even let Joyce touch her. Finally, to escape Joyce's mothering presence, she decides to go to school.
At the hospital, Ben is delivering pills to the psych ward when he sees the Knight that Glory captured, babbling and tied to a bed. Ben is the young doctor that first saw Joyce when she became ill (#082 - Out of My Mind). The markings on the man's forehead tell Ben who the man is. The pointy-eared, pointy-nosed Dreg is suddenly there to tell Ben that he needs to band together with Glory now that the Knights are in Sunnydale. Ben isn't convinced and warns Dreg not to bother him again with Glory's demands.
In the evening, Dawn is in her room looking over her diaries, painfully aware that they are not real. All her recorded childhood memories are lies. Downstairs Joyce wants to rush to her side and Buffy thinks that they should give her time. Dawn sneaks to the head of the stairs to hear Buffy and Joyce. Joyce tells Buffy that Dawn lashed out in school and got suspended. Buffy argues that from Dawn's point of view, nothing really matters because she's not real and they aren't her family. Dawn runs away crying and starts trashing her room. She picks up her diaries and after a moment's hesitation, begins to rip them up.
Joyce is horrified at Buffy assessment and Buffy tells her that she doesn't believe that Dawn doesn't matter, but that must be how Dawn feels. Joyce thinks that that is why they should hold Dawn closer and shower her with love and support. Buffy still feels that answers to her past would help her through the torment better. Joyce argues for a little sisterly compassion in the meantime. A squealing alarm is heard and Buffy fears that Glory is attacking, but Joyce recognizes the smoke detector. In Dawn's room they find her diaries burning in a wastebasket. Dawn is gone.
The gang, and Spike, gather at the magic shop. Buffy quickly hands out search assignments. Dawn wanders the streets and at a playground remembers Buffy as a young girl pushing her on the swings. Every memory seems to cause her pain.
Xander searches with Giles, marveling at the completeness and detail of the fake memories. Giles wonders what a several thousand-year-old mystical energy source is like in its true form. He comments that huge armies have fought battles over control of The Key. Xander can't help but brag, by pointing out that The Key has a crush on him.
Spike irritates Buffy by pointing out that you shouldn't go around yelling out the name of a person that you're looking for if they are trying to hide from you. Apparently blaming herself, Buffy admits that Spike was probably right about telling Dawn the truth before she had a chance to find out on her own. Spike assures her that Dawn would still have run away, because she is still a fourteen-year-old girl trying to deal with her bizarre heritage. He sincerely tries to make Buffy feel better by reassuring her that they will find Dawn. Buffy isn't sure what to do after they do.
Dawn sneaks into the hospital psychiatric ward. She tries to get one of the patients to reveal what they see when they look at her. The Knight recognizes her as The Key. She tries to learn more from him, but the Knight only wants to destroy her. He thinks that will make him holy for fulfilling God's will. Dawn flees from him and meets Ben in the hallway.
Ben takes her to a break room and serves her hot chocolate. Dawn starts to tell an old hot chocolate memory, but recalling that her memories are lies, stops before she finishes. Ben wonders if Joyce is sick again. Dawn sarcastically tells him that "her mother" is okay. Ben offers to call Buffy instead, but Dawn denies having a sister. Ben agrees that sisters can sometimes drive you crazy, he knows from experience. She tells Ben that she doesn't really exist. When she mentions Glory, Ben suddenly realizes that Dawn is The Key. Dawn wonders how Ben knows about Glory and The Key, but he is desperate for Dawn to leave before Glory arrives. He warns Dawn that somehow Glory knows what he knows and therefore she could be there any second. Dawn is confused. Ben can sense Glory's approach. He grabs her and in mid-sentence he transforms into Glory.
Glory discards Ben's scrubs and dons a red dress from a locker in the dressing area. Dawn looks for an escape route, but, without looking, Glory warns her that she doesn't have a chance. Faster than the eye, Glory is across the room face-to-face with The Key. Glory wants to know what Dawn and Ben were talking about and Dawn realizes that Glory doesn't know yet. A security guard comes into the break room, but Glory breaks his neck in a second. She suggests that they go somewhere where they won't be interrupted.
The searchers meet in a cemetery, but no one has anything to report. Buffy worries that, even without Glory, Sunnydale is no place to be a runaway girl. She decides to check the hospital.
In a lab room, Glory tries to threaten and bribe Dawn into revealing the location of The Key. When Dawn asks for a description Glory tells her that it was once a pretty green energy swirl, but now she doesn't know. Dawn suggests that Glory tell her more in hopes of figuring out the truth and after some consideration Glory agrees.
At the information desk, Buffy and the team hear about the discovery of the security guard's body.
Glory tells Dawn that The Key is slightly younger than Glory and she's been around forever. She also claims that The Key is evil, but admits that may not be true. Dawn asks about the lock that The Key is used on and Glory begins to get suspicious of Dawn's motives. She wonders if Dawn was conspiring against her with Ben. Angrily she accuses Dawn of knowing nothing helpful. She begins to rant and appears to be suffering. She decides to suck Dawn's brains and send Buffy a warning in the form of a demented sister.
The team bursts into the room and Buffy engages Glory. Spike is right behind her. As he holds Glory and Buffy punches her, Spike thinks that Glory isn't so tough. But Glory breaks free and throws Spike across the room, where he lands unconscious. Buffy gets in a few good punches and a kick before she signals Giles, but his crossbow bolt bounces off Glory. She is mocking their efforts when Xander hits her from behind with a crowbar to the head that surprises her. She throws Xander into Giles taking them both out of the fight.
Willow and Tara are working a spell as Glory announces that she is going to begin killing them starting with Dawn. She throws the pointed end of the crowbar at Dawn like a spear, but Buffy leaps into its path and takes the missile in the upper chest. It doesn't go deep, but removing it is very painful. Glory moves between Willow and Tara. They cover her with sparkling dust and Willow claps her hands with a shouted command. Glory vanishes and Willow falls to the floor. Tara rushes to her side. With her nose bleeding and obviously overcome from the effort, Willow explains that she teleported Glory away to parts unknown.
High above Sunnydale, where the lights of the city are little tiny dots, Glory reappears. She barely has time to realize that she is in trouble before her fall begins. By the time she reaches the ground she is a glowing streak falling from the heavens.
Giles points out that Willow took a great risk with such a dangerous spell and Willow agrees she doesn't look forward to having to do it again. Buffy is concerned for Dawn, but Dawn is still angry and withdrawn. Buffy emphatically tells Dawn that they are sisters. She holds up Dawn's hand, which was cut during the fight. She holds her own hand against her chest wound until it's bloody. She presses their hands together in a blood ceremony. She pledges that Dawn's blood is Summers' blood, that they are sisters and the past is unimportant, from this point on, they are family. Dawn leaps into Buffy's arms and they hug together desperately.
After they recover, Dawn remembers that Ben tried to help her, but she can't recall the details of what happened. Something has caused her to forget Ben's strange relationship with Glory. Buffy just wants to get Dawn home to mother, but Dawn is worried about how much trouble she must be in for starting a fire. Buffy assures her that because of her trauma for a limited time Dawn can get away with just about anything.
The Bronze is celebrating a re-opening, due to Olaf the Troll wrecking the place (#089 - Triangle). Willow and Xander dance with their honeys and, for once, Buffy sits on the sidelines. Spike plops himself down to whine, as usual. He complains about the prices going up and the fried onion flower being taken off the menu, until Buffy interrupts to remind him that they are not friends and he has no business plopping down next to her and passing the time of day. Offended he starts to leave and then remembers to remind Buffy that he helped in the fight with Glory at the hospital (#091 - Blood Ties). She points out that he wasn't much help. He argues that his good intentions should earn him some respect. Just then, Xander returns to hassle Spike about taking his seat. Spike stalks off sullenly.
Xander offers to buy the drinks because he just got paid. Horrified he sees that his money has been stolen off of the table. All eyes turn to Spike buying a beer at the bar and Xander is off after him. When Buffy asks, Willow admits she is still suffering headaches from the teleportation spell she used to break up their battle with Glory. Unfortunately, she had little choice, since Glory was winning easily. Buffy begs them to forget about Glory for one night.
Through the crowd Buffy spots Ben, the intern that first saw her mother when she had her headaches (#082 - Out Of My Mind). She goes to him and thanks him for trying to help Dawn before Glory arrived. She doesn't yet know that Ben has a mysterious relationship with Glory. Xander is berating Spike for stealing from him, but Spike isn't impressed. He's watching Buffy talking and laughing with Ben.
At the Sunnydale Train Station the porter stands by as an evening train arrives. The train slows to a stop, but only deathly silence follows. There are no passengers gathering their things and disembarking - no signs of life at all. The porter boards the train and walks through a passenger car, chilled by the sight of the dead bodies. Blood is splashed across each passenger. A noise attracts his attention and suddenly the porter is running through the car terrified and screaming for help. He doesn't get any.
Buffy returns home and finds her mother, Dawn and Giles in the living room. Joyce accidentally admits to being a little scared without Buffy but Giles doesn't allow it to damage his ego. Before he goes, Buffy quietly asks if he thinks that they are ready to begin treating Dawn like a fourteen-year-old kid again. She wonders if Dawn has recovered from the shock of learning that until six months ago she was a mystical artifact called The Key, that Glory is now seeking to advance her dark schemes. Giles recommends that family life return to normal as soon as possible and Buffy immediately yells at her sister for borrowing her clothes. Dawn pleads innocence but Buffy is sure Dawn has taken her blue sweater.
In his crypt, Harmony almost catches Spike fondling a blue sweater. She tries to seduce him, but he isn't interested. She tries to entice him by suggesting that they role-play, which does seem to interest him. Harmony wears a straight blonde wig and a familiar blue sweater as she waves around a stake and does a horrible acting job, playing at Buffy. Spike doesn't care, he tackles her and presumably wackiness ensues.
Willow and Tara discuss "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" as Buffy follows them on campus. Willow wants a happy ending, but Tara realizes that that would reward Quasimodo for acting selfishly. Willow tries to draw Buffy into the conversation, but she is strictly coasting. When pressed she confesses that the closest she's gotten to the reading assignment is watching the Disney version, but than says that she's kidding. She snatches a newspaper from a student's hands when her eyes are drawn to the story about six people killed on the train.
Spike emerges from an underground portion of his crypt, to be startled by Dawn. She wonders if the hole leads to underground tunnels for sneaking about town during the day, but Spike won't reveal anything. He tries to get her to leave, but no argument will win. She even smiles when he claims to be planning evil deeds. She resents him treating her like a child and reminds him that she never had a human childhood.
Spike thinks that how you start out life really isn't that important to where you end up and she compliments his insight. She admits that she likes the way he's blunt and honest with her. He excuses the others as trying to protect her from harsh reality. He chokes on his cigarette and acts insulted when Dawn tells him that she feels protected when he's around. She tells him that even Buffy worries about Spike as a potential enemy and he wants to hear more about what Buffy thinks of him.
Buffy arrives home to find a worried mother, so she sets out to search for Dawn.
It's after dark as Dawn sits in Spike's candle-lit crypt while he tells her scary stories from his past. He starts going into detail about massacring an entire family, including tracking down the youngest in her hiding place. They are both startled when Buffy crashes in the door. She is shocked to find Dawn sitting with Spike while she is rounding up help to look for her. She demands answers but Dawn insists that Spike finish his story. Obviously nervous, Spike quickly makes up a happy ending for the little girl hiding in the coal bin.
On their way through the cemetery Buffy scolds Dawn for hanging with Spike. When Dawn speaks up to defend him, Buffy realizes that Dawn may have a crush on him. When Buffy tries to argue against the idea, Dawn argues that Spike's chip that prevents him from harming humans (#063 - The Initiative) is the equivalent of a vampire like Angel having a soul. Buffy cannot get through to Dawn, but she denies having a crush anyway. Even if she did, she tells Buffy that Spike is in love with The Slayer. Buffy is stunned.
Buffy and Xander investigate the crime scene on the train, trying to determine the type and number of attackers. Buffy is also interested in clues as to Spike's affection. After several attempts she manages to ask Xander about Dawn's theory. Xander is delighted at the idea of a lovesick Spike tormented by Buffy, but he thinks that if its true its just one of Spike's passing fancies. He's much more worried when he hears that Dawn may have a crush on Spike, because that means he's no longer Dawn's adolescent obsession. They both leave the train car without noticing tucked, in the overhead, a Victorian doll with a red ribbon blindfold.
Buffy is bothered to find Spike in her kitchen hanging out with Dawn and laughing over Joyce's stories about working at the gallery. He tries to interest Buffy in some information but she puts him off. When he offers a lead on the train murders, she can't refuse. He offers to show her the location of the killers and a short time later they are parked in a car downtown staking out a building.
Buffy feels incredibly awkward as Spike offers her a drink from his flask and tries to start a conversation about the music of the Ramones. The moment is interrupted when two vamps go into the building. Inside, just the sight of the Slayer causes both vamps to flee in fear. Buffy surveys the room and realizes that the two vamps have been here a long time and did not arrive on that train.
Spike gives himself away when, without realizing it, he holds open the door for Buffy on their way out. Unable to explain why he would do such a thing, Buffy challenges him for the truth. She wants to know if this fake tip was an excuse to spend time with her in some kind of twisted dating ritual. His lame protests reveal the truth and Buffy is horrified. Spike tries to convince her that there is potential for a relationship between them. Buffy is absolutely convinced there is not.
Spike claims to be capable of good but Buffy thinks that having the chip so long has programmed him and he will revert to type if given a chance. He claims to have real feelings for her, but she doubts that vampires, lacking souls, have any real feelings. He angrily tells her that his feelings are certainly real and he knows that he lov... She doesn't let him finish. She warns him not to say the words. She tells him that there is no possibility and walks out on him, despite his protests to stay and talk.
Thoroughly rejected again, as he was over a hundred years ago by the scornful Cecily Addams (#085 - Fool for Love), Spike returns home, head hung low, to find the same answer to his pain he found long ago... Drusilla.
She quickly brings Spike up to date on the doings in Los Angeles (Angel #032 - Reunion). She tells him that she and Darla have teamed up to vex Angel and she wants him to complete the set that they formed back in Victorian times. L.A. is "been there, done that" for Spike and he tries to convince her that he's happy in Sunnydale. Dru's psychic powers can sense the chip in his head and how it hinders him.
Spike rages against his condition, but Dru tells him that he shouldn't believe in science because it lies to you. She believes that Spike's nature can overcome any man-made device. She presses Spike's hand to her breast and reminds him of the evil personality that she loves. He tries to describe to her the terrible pain that he suffers when the chip goes off, but she asks him to remember that a leash can't keep a wild animal from being dangerous.
Harmony arrives to interrupt them and she immediately assumes that the woman is a surrogate Drusilla, which Spike hopes to add to their Buffy sex games. She reminds him that she won't participate in any ménage à trois unless there are no other women, with the possible exception of Charlize Theron. Spike tells her that this is the original article. Harmony becomes even more incensed. She accuses Dru of abandoning Spike in a terrible emotional state. Dru allows Harmony to babble on for a while, but with a wave of her hand, Spike grabs the insolent girl by the throat and hurls her across the room. Harmony is surprised at being thrown out and Spike tells her that he's decided to change.
Buffy is at home discussing the Spike situation with her mother and Willow. Buffy can't recall encouraging Spike in any way, besides thrashing him occasionally, which may count as foreplay to him. Buffy assumes that Spike is not a threat, but Willow and Joyce aren't sure. After a while Buffy begins to doubt that she was direct enough with Spike when she told him there was no way. Willow encourages her to meet Spike one more time to make sure she burns all the bridges.
Spike and Dru arrive at the Bronze as, on-stage, Sara Lov sings the haunting vocals of Devics' "Key". Dru notices a couple on a catwalk, high in front of the stage. They are necking, oblivious to their surroundings.
Joyce and Willow are encouraging Buffy as she prepares to confront Spike again. Before she leaves she decides to ask Willow for one favor.
Spike and Dru approach the couple unnoticed. Dru quickly snaps the neck of both young lovers and throws Spike the girl's warm body, as she dines on the boy. Spike hesitates and Dru watches him expectantly. After an obvious internal struggle, Spike changes to his vampire form and then there is no hesitation to feed on the woman's corpse.
Buffy can find no sign of Spike in his crypt quarters. She removes the stone slab covering the hole that Dawn must have told her about. Underground Buffy finds remnants of rotted coffins and skeletons. To her horror she also finds a small shrine devoted to her, decorated with dozens of photos and a mannequin wearing a straight blonde wig.
She emerges to find Spike waiting for her with blood on his lips. Buffy faces Spike but doesn't anticipate Dru behind her with a large cattle prod. Buffy is knocked to the floor and cradles her arm after the first blast. She barely has time to realize how much trouble she is in, before Dru shocks her again and knocks her out. Spike is ready to end things and Drusilla gleefully hands him the prod. Spike pokes Dru with the device and knocks her unconscious.
Buffy awakes to find herself chained up and Dru tied to a column. Spike proclaims his love for Buffy and she recoils in disgust. Spike is almost poetic as he describes his obsession with the Slayer. It causes Dru to giggle because she realizes that when she sensed the Slayer hanging like a shadow over Spike over two years ago, she thought it was because he hated her so - now she sees the truth (#085 - Fool for Love).
Buffy argues that vampires can't feel love because they don't have souls. Dru argues that they can indeed fall in love, even if they aren't very good at picking whom to fall in love with. Spike offers to dust Drusilla, but Buffy thinks that murdering to prove his love shows how twisted Spike's version of love is. He is astounded that Buffy doesn't see how big a sacrifice he's willing to make. He becomes tender as he tries to describe what Dru's mad dark love has meant to him. Buffy pretends to be disinterested in his ramblings. Spike threatens to allow Dru to kill her unless Buffy will admit that there may be hope for their love. She insults and scorns him.
Spike loses control and screeches at the injustice done to him repeatedly by women. He blames Dru for his return to Sunnydale after she left him. Because of her he has a chip in his head and the Slayer in his heart. He agrees with Buffy that a relationship between them is crazy, it's beyond belief, but he's helpless. He begins to wonder if he wouldn't be better off with both of them dead. Just then he is shot in the back by a large crossbow arrow. He looks up to see Harmony adding her two cents to the debate. She hits him in the face with the butt of the crossbow and nags him about how bad he has treated her. When she tries to reload, he manages to knock the crossbow from her hands and fight her hand-to-hand. Perhaps he is injured from the arrow, but he has a surprising difficult time with Harmony. While they struggle Buffy and Drusilla try to escape their bonds.
Dru pulls free of her ropes first and attacks Buffy. Despite being suspended in chains, Buffy manages some defense using head-butts, kicks and gymnastic maneuvers. When Dru does manage to gain the upper hand, Spike knocks Dru aside and frees Buffy. Dru mourns the Spike that she has lost. She can see now that she can't reach him and she slips away. Harmony also gives Spike the big kiss-off in her own feeble awkward way. When they're alone, Buffy just knocks Spike across the room. He slams into the Buffy shrine leaving it in splinters.
He catches up to her as she strides purposefully home. He still wants to talk about them, but she just wants him out of her life. She tells him flat-out to stay away from her, her family and her friends. He will no longer be tolerated. He still tries to gee-whiz his way into a conversation. She reaches her house and goes in the front door. He tries to convince her that she can't get rid of him that easy when he walks straight into an invisible barrier at the doorway. She merely looks at him as it sinks in that Buffy has had Willow perform the revocation spell. He is a vampire who no longer has an invitation to enter. Then she closes the door in his face.
Buffy is driven to distraction by finding out that Spike is attracted to her (#092 - Crush) as she pounds a punching dummy and Giles strives to come up with the right answers to her ranting. She pounds furiously on the padding, until Giles asks her to calm down and Xander reminds her that he is wearing the huge padded suit that she is beating on. Instantly sorry, Buffy quickly removes Xander's helmet and tries to comfort him despite his obvious discomfort. Giles goes for ice, as Buffy wonders why men she beats on are attracted to her.
Xander tries to convince her that she is not the problem, but Buffy's confidence is obviously shaken by her recent love troubles (#088 - Into the Woods). Xander sincerely tells her that she has too much to offer to not be discovered by the right man someday. She hugs him and he regrets that through the padding he can hardly feel it. Then he suggests that love just doesn't thrive on top of a dimensional gateway to evil, like the Hellmouth.
In downtown Sunnydale, a car lets out a pretty brunette woman. She is grateful for the ride and the man cautions her against walking alone in this part of town. When he asks her what she is looking for, she responds that she's looking for true love.
Joyce is showing off her newest evening dress as her daughters tease her. Both of them are unhappy when they contemplate their mother's intentions towards her date, Brian. Their mother is nervous as a schoolgirl, as she contemplates her first date in a long time. When Joyce asks for her opinion, Buffy humorously suggests that she's the last person to give advice to the lovelorn. Joyce tries to reassure her and Dawn reminds Buffy that she might meet someone at the party she's attending tonight. In the meantime, they have more time to obsess over Mom's dress.
Anya and Tara walk along the campus together as they discuss their comfort level with computers. Anya thinks that at 1100 years old, she's made quite an adjustment to accept computers. Tara is depressed by the bad spelling online and Anya is excited and apparently successful at online investing. They are approached by the mysterious brunette girl who asks them the whereabouts of Warren. Her manner is rather stiff and abrupt as the young woman questions everyone in her path. Anya and Tara continue with Anya bragging about designing an ad for the Magic Box on the computer, one that features her face prominently.
Buffy and Xander dance at the party as Anya brags to Willow and Tara about how nice she is for letting her boyfriend dance with Buffy. Buffy wanders to where Ben can't help but notice her and then acts surprised when he does. He tries a lame joke, which Buffy over-laughs to. They seem to be typical young people getting to know each other. Anya marvels at the workmanship that goes into weaving the Chex in Chex Mix until Xander tries to explain snack food manufacturing. He is interrupted by the arrival of the mysterious brunette. One other young man notices the girl and runs from the room.
Anya tells Xander that she and Tara saw the woman earlier and, in her awkward way of speaking, Anya explains that the woman has an awkward way of speaking. The running man, Warren, collects his date and leaves the party. The young woman approaches everyone even the dancers on the floor asking for Warren. Willow and Tara join Xander and Anya to discuss the strange woman. When Xander suggests that the woman is too pretty to be alone, Willow quickly agrees which causes a brief scene between her and a jealous Tara.
Spike arrives and tells Buffy that he has no intention of leaving town or even her vicinity. If she wants to be rid of him, she will have to get physical. Her venomous reply convinces him to move away for now. Ben appears and unenthusiastically offers to thrash Spike, but Buffy declines his offer. Ben shyly offers his phone number. Buffy gushes that she just ended a relationship badly and Ben suggests that he's willing to take the risk, so Buffy promises to call for a coffee together. Spike wanders away from watching the two and tries to interest the mysterious brunette, April, into something that he whispers in her ear. She is so offended that she picks Spike off the ground and throws him several feet through the front window of the dorm house.
Shocked Spike listens as the young woman explains that Warren is her boyfriend and what Spike suggested would be improper with anyone but Warren. Spike retreats into the night. Buffy stops the young woman and compliments her on throwing Spike, but suggests that things may have gone too far. April throws Buffy across the room. April apologizes for hurting Buffy, wishes her well with her relationship and leaves.
Buffy nurses her arm as she meets with Willow, Xander, Anya and Tara to discuss April. All immediately agree that they are dealing with a robot looking for Warren, perhaps her inventor. Willow will find a list of Warrens in Sunnydale to investigate, but due to the late hour they agree to start tomorrow.
Buffy relieves a grateful Giles from babysitting Dawn. He has a number of objections, but admits that Dawn's teen music, junk food diet and talk of boys has exceeded his limits. Buffy tells him about the robot slam-dunking Spike and offers to discuss it further, but Joyce arrives home bubbling from her date and Giles beats a quick retreat. Buffy teases her mother about not getting a goodnight kiss on the porch but Joyce drives her away with teasing about having a wild night of sex.
It's 3:30 A.M. as April works her way down the street, knocking on door after door, looking for Warren.
The team is gathered around the round table at Giles' magic shop discussing April. Xander compliments April's specs and they tease each other for a bit, until Willow finds information on her laptop for Warren Mears. He's an old classmate that moved to a nearby Technical College and whose parents still live in Sunnydale. Buffy decides to investigate but Giles recommends caution. He wonders if April was built for some evil purpose, but everyone agrees that she's a sex toy. When Xander tries to wax poetically about having a sex slave, the women quickly stare him down. Buffy has no regard for someone so sleazy, but Willow suggests that loneliness can drive people to desperate lengths. Tara is sympathetic as she considers the sadness of never having someone to share things with. The conversation makes Buffy self-conscious.
A short time later, Buffy calls the phone number Ben gave her. At the other end of the phone, Glory has just finished an apparently painful transformation into Ben. He answers and accepts an invitation to coffee tomorrow night with Buffy. After he hangs up he realizes he's wearing one of Glory's red dresses.
At Warren's house he is hurriedly packing as his girlfriend, Katrina, questions him about the sudden decision that they should leave town. He is pulling her out of the house when they meet Buffy at the front door. When Warren tries to dismiss Katrina and orders her to be silent while he talks to Buffy, his girlfriend storms out of the house.
At the Magic Box, Dawn wonders if this robot is related to Ted (#023 - Ted) who dated Joyce for a while before being destroyed by Buffy. In keeping with her lifetime of implanted memories, Dawn recalls the events, even though she wasn't there (#091 - Blood Ties).
Xander opens the door so the gang can leave, but Spike wearing a blanket in the bright sun and beating off the flames, rushes into the shop. Giles tells him to leave and Willow tells him that they are looking for a way to keep him out of the shop even though it is open to the public. Xander thinks it's more fun just to throw him out and Anya suggests the window. Even Dawn is angry with him. Spike tries to convince them that Buffy didn't tell the whole truth about what happened between them.
Giles removes his glasses, pushes Spike against a bookcase and puts on a threatening look that he rarely shows, but he reserves for people harassing Buffy (#018 - Halloween & #036 - Dead Man's Party for two examples). With deadly seriousness, Giles tells Spike that they are not his friends and they will not be used by him to get close to Buffy. He throws Spike his blanket and suggests that Spike get past this phase. Spike draws breath for a reply but looking at Giles stern visage convinces him to leave without protest.
Meanwhile, April continues to ask methodically about town for Warren.
Warren is explaining to Buffy all the usual symptoms of an adolescent unable to relate to women, that caused him to build April, but Buffy is not warming up to him. Buffy is skeptical when Warren tries to explain that he built her to be the perfect woman. But Warren must admit that having a woman, who would never say no, didn't turn out to be as attractive as he initially thought. Instead, Warren found himself drawn to Katrina, who is a fellow engineering student that is unpredictable and argumentative. Buffy is shocked to find out that Warren's solution to the problem was to walk out on April without warning and hope that her power would run down before she decided to find him. He is surprised that somehow April has lasted this long.
Katrina anger is apparent as she walks quickly through a playground. A wide-eyed April stops her to ask about Warren. Katrina informs her that, no matter how many women are interested in Warren, he is Katrina's boyfriend. Katrina tries to walk away, but April grabs her and wants an explanation. As Katrina tries to get away, April squeezes harder, until something pops.
Spike is angrily throwing the remnants of his Buffy shrine into a box.
Buffy and Warren search for April. Buffy is upset to find that Warren thought to build a woman that felt pain if she didn't respond to his call. They find April still on the playground, holding an unconscious Katrina off the ground by her neck. April explains that she only wants Warren to be happy. Under Warren's instruction, April hands Katrina to Buffy who quickly finds that Katrina is still alive. Warren tries to convince April to go back to his dorm room and wait for him, obviously hoping her power will run out. Buffy presses him to tell April the truth. As Warren tries to explain, April searches her programming for a response to this unexpected input. He finally manages to say that he doesn't love her. April's threatening response causes Warren to accuse Buffy of stealing his heart.
April throws Buffy several feet and then breaks the board of a see-saw to use as a weapon. Buffy manages to take the board and put a hole in April's stomach surface, but the battle is difficult against the metal opponent. Katrina regains consciousness and is horrified to find her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend is a do-it-yourself kit. She runs away from him and Warren chases after her. April gets the advantage over Buffy and holds her by the throat, but her dwindling power makes her incapable of fighting on. April is suddenly weak, helpless and scared.
Buffy and April sit on the swings together. April tells Buffy that she isn't designed to cry because good girlfriends don't blackmail their boyfriends by crying. She has examined her situation but she can't make out any logic out of it. She was design to love Warren and without him she is purposeless. She continues to slip away as her vision fades. Buffy obviously begins to feel badly for the deceived, misguided young woman. She assures a worried, nearly blind April that if Warren returns she will make sure that he finds her. April wonders if Warren is testing her ability to obey and she decides that she will wait for him no matter how long it takes.
Buffy begins to comfort April by telling her positive things that Warren said about how much she loved him and how proud he was of her. April smiles as Buffy's words convince her that Warren will soon return and make things right. April begins to repeat a series of cliches about staying optimistic. Her voice slows and stops as she fades away and Buffy sits for a while beside her dead friend.
Xander is explaining to Buffy how to set a window in its frame as he repairs the dorm house. She doesn't follow him, but compliments his newfound competence at carpentry. Buffy is still wistful about April's plight. She sees it as a metaphor for people desperate to be in a relationship no matter what the cost. She calls Ben's number and records a message on the answering machine canceling their coffee date. Glory hears the message and refuses to believe the obvious until her worshipper, Jinx, points out that Ben must be pursuing The Slayer. Glory seems disappointed that Buffy turned "them" down.
Warren is at home on the phone still apologizing to Katrina, but she hangs up. Warren is startled to find Spike lurking behind him. Spike tells Warren that he wants a girl robot built and he hands over his box of Buffy pictures as a blueprint.
Buffy arrives home to find flowers from Brian sitting at the door. She calls out but there is no answer. Then she sees, lying half-on and half-off the couch, her mother lying motionless with unblinking eyes.
Buffy arrives home to find flowers from Brian, her mother's new suitor, sitting at the door. She calls out but there is no answer. Then she sees, half-on and half-off the couch, her mother lying motionless with unblinking eyes.
Its the Christmas season as everyone gathers around the dinner table while Joyce takes compliments for her cooking. She takes plates into the kitchen with Buffy and Giles as the others talk. They ask Dawn about writing to Santa Claus and she tells them that she's too old to believe in that. Anya informs them that, to the contrary, Santa has been around since the 1500's and, though he goes by different names, he does fly reindeer and goes down the chimney on Christmas Eve to visit little girls and boys... and disembowel them.
In the kitchen, a burnt pie upsets Joyce and Giles suggests opening more wine. Buffy reminds them not to get too carried away, as they did when they were enchanted by Band Candy (to the point of having sex... twice (#040 - Band Candy). Giles quickly walks away as Joyce, laughingly, scolds her daughter for embarrassing him. Buffy tries to cut the singed pumpkin pie, but it slips off the counter and falls to the floor.
Joyce lies with her eyes open, not even breathing. Buffy tries to wake her but there is no response. She calls 911 and gives them the address. She answers a few questions and then the operator begins to instruct her in CPR. Buffy remembers the procedure and drops the phone. She begins to breathe for her mother and starts chest compressions. Suddenly she hears a cracking sound and, scared, she picks up the phone again. The operator assures her that cracking a rib is not unusual, but in the emergency, it is nothing to worry about now.
She tells Buffy that help will soon be there and asks if Joyce responded to the CPR. Buffy tells her that her mother is cold and the tone of the operator's voice changes. The operator refers to the body and Buffy tells her that its not a body, its her mom. She wonders if she should warm her mother up, but the operator tells her to just wait until the ambulance arrives. Buffy thinks she hears them and rises to look out the window, lowering the phone.
After staring out the window a few seconds, Buffy is unnaturally calm as she tells the 911 operator that she has to call someone and she hangs up. The numbers on the phone seem huge as Buffy tries to concentrate enough to auto-dial the number. Giles answers and Buffy merely tells him that she needs him because "she" is at the house. When Buffy hangs up, she hears the ambulance. In some part of her mind that's still working, she notices that Joyce's skirt is slightly disheveled and she makes sure that her mother's clothes are adjusted before the paramedics rush in.
The men are business-like as they carry in their equipment and start to assess the situation. They lower Joyce to the floor as Buffy tells them that she found her in that condition. When one of them refers to "bagging her" Buffy panics, but they assure her they are talking about a breathing aid. Under their questioning, Buffy tells them about Joyce's recent brain tumor operation (#088 - Into the Woods). As she notices that the heart monitor is not beeping, she assures them that her mother is fine now.
Suddenly Joyce coughs and begins to breathe. They are quickly in the ambulance and the paramedics are amazed at this miracle. The doctors check her out and Joyce thanks her daughter for saving her.
Her fantasy ends abruptly as Buffy watches the men work in vain to revive her mother. They finally pause and one of the men tells Buffy that her mother is dead. Buffy focuses on his chest as he assures her that there was nothing she could have done. Off-hand the most likely cause is a blood clot from her surgery, which probably killed her quickly. Then, they get another emergency call, which requires them to leave right away. They tell her to wait for the coroner and not to disturb the body. When the paramedic asks, Buffy tells him that someone is coming to be with her. He grabs his stuff, expresses the appropriate amount of sorrow and leaves. Buffy automatically wishes him luck in saving the next victim.
Buffy gazes at her mother's body on the floor. She starts to walk back to the kitchen, but in the walkway between the living room and kitchen, she falls to her knees and vomits. She rises and walks to the back kitchen door. She opens the door and she can hear the far-off sounds of children playing and laughing. There is no color in her face and she is covered with a thin sheen of sweat. She retrieves a paper towel and tries to clean up the hallway. She contemplates the growing wet spot as the paper towel soaks up the mess.
Giles arrives at the front doorway, which is open, and asks what is happening. Buffy calmly tells him that the coroner is coming. Then, she decides that she needs to go to the school to talk to her little sister, Dawn. Confused, Giles finally sees Joyce. He goes to her and tries the same things that Buffy tried at first. Buffy becomes agitated telling him to stop. She finally shouts at him that they're not supposed to disturb the body. As if hearing the words for the first time, the pain and horror begin to show in her face. Giles rushes to her and holds her.
They zip Joyce into the traditional black plastic bag, as Dawn weeps. Dawn is in the girl's restroom at school crying over her latest terminal embarrassment. A young black girl, Lisa, tries to assure her that she's making much worse out of it. Dawn recently had a mild breakdown after finding out that she's actually a mystical artifact known as The Key, which was magically transformed into Buffy's little sister so she would be under the Slayer's protection (#091 - Blood Ties). Because of that she now has to suffer all the rumors about being psycho from the venal minions at her school, especially her arch-enemy Kristie. Dawn dries her eyes and they set off for class.
In art class, Dawn gets to work on a canvas next to a good-looking boy, Kevin. They make polite small talk and Lisa writes a note to tease Dawn. Kevin asks about the rumors that Dawn cut herself [which as far as they go are true]. Dawn denies it, but Kevin admits that he can understand it. That sometimes, when he's under extreme stress, he can understand it. Dawn admits that she went through a difficult time and now Kristie wants to take advantage of it. She is pleased that Kevin doesn't think much of Kristie either.
Buffy arrives and talks to Dawn's teacher. Dawn is telling Kevin a story but Buffy interrupts the punch line. Dawn can tell right away that it's something bad and her charcoal pencil trails off the page. She leaves the room with Buffy, but in the hallway she refuses to go any further until she finds out what's wrong.
The art class has big windows instead of a wall and the people in the class, as well as, students in the hallway can sense something bad is about to happen. Buffy starts gently, but Dawn quickly interrupts, wanting assurances that their mom is all right. As Buffy explains, from inside the classroom, we see the sorrow grow in Dawn's face. Her sobs can be heard through the glass. She begins to argue with Buffy that she knows her mother is all right and then she collapses to the floor. For a long time, the only sound is Dawn crying "No", over and over again.
The coroner unbuttons Joyce's blouse and uses scissors to cut the slip. Tara silently watches Willow, as she silently contemplates the sweater in her hand. Xander and Anya drive silently together to the dorm. When they stop, Xander invites Anya to come up with him and she reminds him that he's double-parked, but he decides that today he doesn't care. Willow tries to decide what to wear, but she is hopeless. She is obviously obsessing over the clothes to avoid the pain. Nothing seems right.
She's especially aware of her role as Buffy's best friend, constantly reminding Tara that she has to be supportive and wear something expressing support. She begins to get angry with herself and cry over the fact that she doesn't have appropriate clothes for a death. Tara finally grabs her and kisses her lovingly. Willow almost loses it again when she thinks about poor Dawn, but Tara helps to calm her. Tara pledges that together they will survive this tragedy, like strong amazons. Willow finds comfort and strength in the imagery. But she still wishes she could find her blue top that Joyce liked.
Walking through the halls, Xander admits to Anya that he isn't sure what is expected of them. Anya asks him repeatedly, but he's rather quiet. When they reach the room, Willow and Xander share a long hug. Willow is afraid to begin crying again and Anya tells them it was strange seeing Xander cry earlier. They stand together in the room, but no one seems to know what to do next. Anya asks first and they plan to go straight to the morgue. When Tara asks, Xander assures her that in the Scooby Gang you quickly learn where the morgue is. Willow starts changing clothes again.
Xander wonders if Glory had a hand in Joyce's death. Despite Giles' assurances, relayed by Tara, that it seems a natural death, Xander begins to get angry at Glory. Willow reminds him that if Joyce were meant to be a warning, then Glory would make sure that they knew that she did it. Xander decides that doctors are to blame and starts a tirade against them. He seems to need someone to blame and finally, Willow offers to fight him. Seeing her point, Xander calms down, kisses her forehead and admits that he's afraid of her.
Anya asks whether they will have to see the body and Willow is disturbed by the question. Willow again reconsiders her clothes. Tara volunteers to check the laundry room for the blue top. After she leaves, Anya asks about the autopsy. Willow finally pleads with her to stop asking questions, but Anya can't. Willow tells her that the questions she's asking are inappropriate, but for the first time Anya's voice cracks as she explains that she doesn't understand what they're supposed to do. Obviously in a great deal of emotional pain, she cries as she tells them that she can't understand human mortality and no one will explain to her why someone she liked is suddenly gone forever. She can't comprehend the fact that death comes so suddenly, quietly and unexpectedly to humans. It makes no sense to her and she wonders, in grief, why it is so. Quietly, Willow tells her that no one knows why.
Xander tries to comfort Anya, but she withdraws to a corner chair. Xander paces the floor as they wait together in silence. After a few seconds, a loud thud is heard. Willow and Anya look up to see Xander's fist in the wall near the door. They go to see if he is injured and he admits that he can't get his hand out of the wall. Anya is angry that he could have seriously hurt himself. When Willow asks, Xander says that he actually felt better for a second and Willow envies him. Tara returns without the blue top. When he removes his hand, Xander's knuckles are covered in blood. Anya quickly washes his hand and Willow decides they should leave, because they have to support Buffy. On their way out, Anya asks how they're supposed to do that, but no one answers. Outside, Xander's car is being ticketed.
The coroner finishes with Joyce's body. He removes his bloody rubber gloves and apron. He puts on a white coat for talking to the family. The morgue is in a wing of the hospital, at the end of a long dark corridor. Connected to the corridor is a busy hallway. In a nearby waiting area, Buffy's extended family gathers with hugs and sad looks. Even Anya sniffles as she surprises Giles with the intensity of her grip on him. When the doctor emerges, Buffy and Dawn approach to hear the news. Giles is right beside them. Dawn wants to see her mother, but Buffy puts her off.
The coroner tells them that an aneurysm in the brain, near Joyce's surgical site, almost certainly killed her. Joyce had been warned about the risk and the fact that it took her so fast she couldn't call for help indicates that it was probably quick and painless. He assures Buffy that no matter what anyone did, it wouldn't have helped. The fantasy scenes of saving her mother still replay in Buffy's head. She wants to be sure that her mother didn't suffer and as the doctor speaks, Buffy is certain that she hears him say that he's just trying to make her feel better.
Giles volunteers to deal with as much of the bureaucracy as possible. Buffy tells the others of the final report. Dawn starts to ask something, but changes her mind and goes to the bathroom instead. Buffy thinks that Dawn resents the fact that Buffy was the one who told her about the news and wonders if Dawn actually believes their mother is dead. Anya suddenly blurts out that she's sorry for Joyce's death because Joyce was nice and now everyone is in pain. It's awkward, but obviously heartfelt and Buffy sincerely thanks her for the sentiment.
Willow suggests something to eat or drink and Buffy wonders if Dawn needs something. Willow, Xander and Anya go off in search of snack machines, leaving Buffy and Tara sitting together in the waiting area. Buffy actually apologizes to Tara for the inconvenience, but Tara tells her not to worry. Buffy tries to explain how difficult it is to think, let alone deal with all the people trying to be helpful. Tara admits that she knows what it's like to lose your mother, she was only 17 when it happened. She talks of the terrible mix of thoughts and emotions that flood your mind at a time like this, things you can't really explain to others. Tragedies have different affects on each person, but Tara offers Buffy any help she can give. After a few moments, Buffy asks if Tara's mother died suddenly. Tara at first says no, but reflects that in a way the loss is always sudden.
Dawn emerges from the restroom and, apparently, decides to look for the morgue. She finds it easily and goes through the double doors, bolting them from inside. She walks towards her mother's body, in the back, under the big surgical light. She reaches for the sheet, but hesitates. Behind her, one of the dead male bodies rises as a vampire. Dawn becomes aware of him as he comes up behind her.
The rest of the team returns with armloads of junk food. Buffy isn't hungry, but they ask about Dawn. Buffy tells them to wait and she walks to the bathroom. She seems to sense something as she decides to enter the long dark corridor instead. As she walks down the hallway, her pace increases with each step. Soon she can hear Dawn's faint screams.
Buffy crashes through the bolted doors and, with some difficulty, manages to pry the vampire off of a struggling Dawn. Dawn hits their mother's stretcher when she falls and pulls the sheet partially back. Buffy struggles with the monster. Dawn, looking up from the floor, can see her mother's blonde hair over the edge of the table. Buffy finally manages to dust the vampire with a surgical saw and some applied force to his neck.
When she recovers, Buffy sees Dawn still staring at Joyce's body. Dawn rises to her knees where she is eye-level with Joyce's blank, staring face. Dawn asks if their mother is cold and Buffy tells her that their mother isn't here anymore. Dawn wonders where her mother has gone and then reaches out to feel her cold, dead face.
Buffy walks among caskets in a darkened room. Coming to one, she slowly opens the lid. Dawn, Giles and the Funeral Home Director enter to see if she's selected one for her mother. The Director compliments her choice, but when they begin to leave, Dawn stands still. Buffy regrets bringing her to the funeral home. Dawn insists that she's fine but seems unable to voice what she is feeling. Both sisters stand apart with their arms crossed, until Buffy decides it's time to go. Dawn still hesitates beside the casket.
Later, at the Summers' home, Buffy and Giles go over the funeral details while Dawn, Willow and Xander listen and kibitz. They are somewhat surprised by the fact that Joyce did not want a wake following the ceremony. Dawn is disappointed to learn that she was left out of Buffy and Joyce's "what if" conversations about Joyce's funeral. Xander tries to encourage Dawn to eat, but she isn't interested. Giles handles a phone call and Buffy wonders if her father will ever call them. She has been unable to find him at any of the numbers she has, but she left messages everywhere. So far he's a no show.
She goes back to considering how the invitations should be worded. Dawn wonders what follows the funeral and can't face the thought of just returning to the house. She gets permission to stay overnight at Willow's after the funeral. It seems strange to Buffy, but she agrees.
Leaving the Summers' house, Willow tells Xander how she visits her mother more often lately. Xander is surprised and offended to see Spike coming up the walkway with flowers. He makes clear that he will not allow Spike to use Joyce's death to try to worm his way into Buffy's good graces. Spike becomes passionate as he tries to explain that he really liked Joyce, he wanted to leave the flowers on the porch in honor of her. Joyce had been a good and gracious hostess when he visited and she didn't treat him with contempt like the others, she had class. Xander is unconvinced and Spike throws the flowers to the ground in disgust, walking away. Xander is still fuming when Willow points out that the flowers have no card - no one would have known they were from Spike if they hadn't seen him.
Buffy sits on her bed in the darkness of the early morning light. Further down the hall, Dawn sits in silence in her room.
Buffy and Dawn stand to one side of the grave, backed by their five closest friends, as the Minister's voice drones on. There are a few dozen people in attendance. After the ceremony, people disperse until only Buffy and Dawn are left. Dawn leaves with Willow and Tara, after Buffy assures them that she is all right. Buffy stands silently at her mother's graveside until the gloom of nightfall begins to darken the sky. Footsteps approach and take their place by her side. Angel apologizes for not reaching her sooner and she takes his hand.
Willow and Tara are trying to console Dawn, but she has no patience with their cliches about life and death. When they ask Dawn what she would like to do, she tells them that she wants them to raise her mother from the dead.
Xander and Anya have just finished making love. Anya thinks that sex is somewhat different now. With a new awareness of the cycle of life and death, she is tuned into the life-affirming aspect of sex. Xander worries that she's thinking about making babies, but she agrees that they aren't ready for that. But she is more aware of the possibilities beyond physical pleasure for romantic love and sex.
Willow and Tara are trying to talk Dawn out of her deepest desire. First, they try to convince her it's impossible. Willow tells her that there are books that discuss such spells, but always with grave warnings as to the consequences. Tara argues that all witches have taken an oath that prohibits them from manipulating the forces of nature for personal gain. They only succeed in convincing Dawn that it is possible. She becomes angry with them and withdrawn because they won't help her.
Buffy and Angel sit together under a tree in the graveyard. She tries to explain that as bad as the funeral was, facing the future seems more terrifying, because she will have to resume a normal life without her mother's strength to help her. She begins to entertain thoughts of guilt over whether she could have prevented her mother's death if she had arrived home sooner or hadn't had an initial rush of panic (#094 - The Body). She also worries about having to be responsible for Dawn from now on. Angel tries to reassure her that she has within her all she needs to deal with the tragedy and even if she doesn't she has friends to see her through it.
As dawn nears, Angel offers to remain in Sunnydale for a time. Buffy thinks that they would be making a mistake since she is so vulnerable, but he tells her that he will take responsibility for maintaining control. They draw together and kiss passionately for a time. When their lips part, they both have a difficult time regaining their composure. She tells him to leave and he reluctantly agrees. She thanks him for helping her through the most difficult night of her life and he holds her again, until he absolutely has to leave.
Jinx, a groveling servant of Glory, approaches Ben outside the hospital. Glory knows that Ben invited Buffy out (#093 - I Was Made To Love You) and wants him to try to get information on the location of The Key. Ben is upset that Glory would try to use him to further her mad schemes. In the course of arguing with Jinx, Ben lets slip that The Key is an innocent person. To prevent Glory from learning this, Ben takes Jinx's dagger from his belt and stabs the minion.
Dawn won't get out of bed and tells Willow and Tara that Giles will give her a ride later. The older women prepare to leave for classes. Willow considers Dawn's sad face and as she walks out the door, she uses a magical hand motion to pull one of the books, on a shelf across the room, out in front of the others. As soon as the door closes, Dawn picks up "The History of Witches" and begins to read about resurrection.
At the Magic Box, Dawn volunteers to work as a form of therapy. Anya, at first, is nervous about letting Dawn work at the shop, but with a word from Giles, surprisingly, Anya reverses herself and makes an effort to overcome the urge to guard her domain. Dawn asks about what things in the shop are so dangerous that they need special permission. Obviously not a parent, Giles thinks it's a good idea to tell this young teen all the things that shouldn't be messed with. He helpfully points out an upper level storage area that contains the most powerful stuff.
When he suggests that he teach her the cash register, Anya can't resist feeling uncomfortable again, but she distracts herself with a customer. Giles carries some boxes into the back, leaving Dawn unattended. Dawn wastes no time, climbing the ladder into the restricted area and stuffing a book and vial into her backpack.
In the dark of night, Dawn kneels by her mother's graveside and scoops dirt into a jar. She is startled by Spike, warning her not to try any spells requiring more that dirt from the grave or she will be raising a zombie. She tries to act innocent, but she can't hide the stolen, infamous book she is reading from. Spike offers to help her.
At his home, Giles settles in with a drink and listens to the original 1967 vinyl of "Disraeli Gears" by Eric Clapton and Cream. He plays the psychedelic love song, "Tales Of Brave Ulysses", which he and Joyce listened to when magic candy made them think that they were teenagers again - the night they made love (#40 - Band Candy).
Spike takes Dawn to an expert on resurrection and such, named Doc. As they walk, Dawn accuses Spike of trying to get to Buffy by helping her. He insists that Dawn never tell Buffy what he is about to do or she will kill him. He tells Dawn that he is helping because he thinks that the "Summers women" have had it hard enough.
Glory is wondering why Jinx is late, when two other minions carry him into her lavishly decorated lair. When he tells her that Ben attacked him, Glory literally pulls her hair out in anger. Jinx gasps out that The Key is a person. Glory compliments Jinx's loyalty to her in the face of death. Jinx expression looks surprised at the idea that he might still die, or be allowed to die. As Glory celebrates this latest clue, Jinx passes out. She instructs her servants to save him, so he can tell her the news again.
A black cat prowls a living room cluttered with books and papers. Dawn and Spike enter and Spike calls out. A frail, gray-haired man in a house robe emerges and recognizes Spike for a vampire right away. Spike explains the situation and Doc recommends a potion to heal Dawn's grief instead. Dawn refuses all alternatives. Doc suddenly snatches a hair from Dawn's head and studies it. He proclaims Joyce a good prospect with strong genes. As he hums a refrain from "Peter and the Wolf", he searches his shelves. Dawn is startled to see a small, gray reptilian tail poke briefly from the back of Doc's robe.
Dawn explains that she has a book, but can't understand the instructions. Doc explains that she needs the egg of a Gora demon to finish her spell. Gora demons like the Hellmouth and nest around it. Dawn offers to buy one, but Doc tells her that ingredients for a resurrection can't be had so easily. She will also need a photo of Joyce. He explains the rest of the spell and tells Dawn that after it's done, Joyce won't appear instantly, but her mother will return. If Dawn fails, destroying the photo used in the spell can reverse it. He offers no guarantee as to whether Dawn will be successful or what condition Joyce will return in.
He tells them to enter the sewers at Tracy Street to find a Gora nest. Dawn begins to count out money, but Doc declines payment. He shakes Dawn's hand and asks her to return to tell him how things turn out. As she looks into his kindly face, the whites of his eyes disappear and he looks at her with cold, totally black eyes. Startled she pulls back her hand and they quickly leave.
When they reach the sewer entrance, Spike argues that Dawn should remain behind. She dismisses that idea and volunteers to grab an egg while Spike distracts the demon. She enters the sewer with Spike following, complaining that's she as stubborn as Buffy.
They find a Gora asleep beside its nest. The Gora is a gray, dinosaur-like creature with a small, oblong head and large dorsal fin. When Spike awakes the creature and it raises up, he realizes that the demon has three heads, each with very nasty-looking teeth. The Gora also has short, powerful forearms and a long flexible tail. The creature towers over Spike and he has to close in with an ax when Dawn makes her move for the egg. Dawn snatches her purplish, spotted, football-shaped prize and, with her clear, Spike sticks his ax into one of the monster's necks.
As they run up the twisted rocky steps Dawn stumbles and smashes the egg. The yellow yolk and sky-blue egg "white" flow down the rocks. Spike tries to convince her that another try without a weapon is too dangerous, but she won't be stopped. She rushes back to the nest and only a frantic effort by Spike hurling large rocks keeps the beast from chewing her up. As Dawn grabs another egg, the Gora manages to knock down Spike with its tail and close one set of jaws on his left hip and side, forcing him to scream in pain. Dawn gets the egg and Spike frees himself. As they retreat, Dawn tries to apologize, but Spike tells her not to apologize for being successful. Later that night, in her room, Dawn offers up the egg as a sacrifice during the spell.
Willow is obsessing over her new journal, trying to record every detail of the day. She can even remember her lover, Tara, having two sunny-side up eggs, which reminded Willow of breasts. Tara suddenly notices that "The History of Witches" is missing. Willow pretends ignorance and tries to convince Tara that Dawn wouldn't take it. But Willow thinks that it's a good book on the subject of resurrection and that it might help Dawn to read it. Tara worries that there's too much sensitive information that could lead the wrong people to a real resurrection spell. Babbling nervously, Willow denies any knowledge of the missing book, but agrees that they should act quickly to inform Buffy. Buffy arrives home to a ringing telephone.
Buffy finds Dawn as she completes the spell. Eager to greet their mother Dawn rushes downstairs. Buffy finds the picture, confirming her worst fears. She follows Dawn to the front door and tries to convince her that resurrection spells can have disastrous results. Dawn starts to tell Buffy about Doc's opinion, but Buffy interrupts demanding to know who helped her and how to stop it. Dawn grabs the picture from Buffy and retreats into the living room. Buffy follows and argues that it's not fair to their mother to attempt resurrection.
Dawn thinks that her need for her mother outweighs all other considerations. She feels isolated. She accuses Buffy of withdrawing from her and leaving her to face the loss alone. Buffy tries to protest, but Dawn's passionate accusation makes it clear that it's true from her point of view. She accuses Buffy of not caring enough to even cry over Joyce's death and treating their mother's death like an unpleasant clean-up job. Buffy slaps Dawn hard.
Instantly sorry, Buffy struggles to explain that she has used the details of the funeral to avoid dealing with the loss or facing an uncertain future. She cries as she says that she feels like she has to have all the answers now, like their mother did. She is terrified of the job of taking care of both of them and she pulled away so Dawn wouldn't see how lost and frightened she is. Dawn is now sympathetic to her sister's plight.
A shadow slowly shuffles past the curtains of the large windows in the living room, a misshapen shadow similar to Joyce Summers. A few seconds later there is a knock at the door. When Buffy says "Mommy?" the word conveys that she now sees the magically resurrection of Joyce as the answer to all her problems. She rushes to the door, obviously eager to give up her responsibilities and avoid facing the future.
When Dawn calls after Buffy, her expression shows that she is finally beginning to realize the dire consequences of what she has done. She seems to know that Buffy's confidence, her psyche, her emotional well-being could all be destroyed by opening the door. Dawn hesitates for a moment and rips the photo in half. Buffy flings open the door to find an empty porch.
Buffy stands in the doorway for a moment searching the darkness. Then Dawn rushes to her. The sisters hold each other, breaking down in tears, collapsing on the floor and crying out their grief.
Giles is helping wash the dishes. When they're alone, with a look, Buffy tells Giles that Dawn still needs some time to recover from their mother's death (#094 - The Body ). Buffy admits to still having some rough times herself. Giles suggests that Buffy return to her training to help restore a routine, but she is hesitant. When Giles presses, she begins to admit her reservations.
She is wondering what kind of life it is to be constantly fighting for your life; what does that do to an individual? She worries that being The Slayer will make her into an obsessive warrior that can't cope with everyday life nor have normal relationships. She fears that she is beginning to harder her heart to her sister, friends and lovers, in order to be a better fighter. Giles wants to protest, but she continues, citing Riley and Dawn as examples of loved ones that she should have reached out to but didn't (#088 - Into the Woods and #095 - Forever). Then she voices concern that she didn't do enough to show her mother how much she loved her.
Giles tries to reassure her on that point. Buffy wonders, though, if working towards being a better Slayer, a better warrior, doesn't drive one away from relationships, doesn't make one hard and insensitive to others. As an example, she tries to express how difficult it is for her to simply say that she loves Giles. She feels a lot of concern over this problem.
Giles tells her that sometimes when troubled, Slayers have gone on vision quests. Giles knows of an appropriate place in the desert to seek her answers. Buffy doesn't want to leave Dawn with the danger of Glory so close, but Dawn joins them and insists that they will all be better off if Buffy resolves her dilemma. Buffy takes the opportunity to tell Dawn that she loves her. She is so emphatic that Dawn quickly becomes uncomfortable. Buffy tells her that love that makes you feel weird is better than no love at all.
Spike is gazing lovingly on Warren's latest creation, a electro-mechanical Buffy. Warren is a genius robot-maker, especially women, whom Spike coerced into making for him a Buffy(#093 - I Was Made To Love You ). Warren is anxious to get away, but Spike isn't yet convinced that Warren has delivered the goods, until Robo-Buffy opens her eyes and runs to Spike's lips.
Glory is depressed that things are not going her way. Ben is against her and Buffy still hides The Key. Her minions try to reassure her that they now have a valuable clue in their search, provided by Ben, that the key is an innocent person. She reminds them that time is running out for her plans, she is trapped on Earth far from her hell dimension and she shares a body with her adversary, Ben. She instructs her minion to watch Buffy's every move. She wants them to find out who is new in Buffy's life and observe how she treats others for clues as to which of them may be The Key. She seems to think that The Key must be a new person in Buffy's life without realizing that the monks that transformed The Key could have also created a false past for that person, like they did for Buffy's sister, Dawn, when they created her (#083 - No Place Like Home).
Giles drives Buffy into the desert, his bright red BMW convertible looking alien among the rocks and cacti. They stop and Giles retrieves some artifacts from the trunk. The landscape looks similar to that where Buffy fought the First Slayer in her mind (#078 - Restless). Giles explains that the sacred place is near, but even he doesn't know the exact spot. He will perform a ritual and metaphorically hand Buffy over to a spirit guide, who will take her the rest of the way. When Buffy asks about the ceremony that Giles must perform, he is forced to admit that it is embarrassingly similar to dancing the "Hokey-Pokey". Watching him perform it is even sillier than you imagine.
Spike is sparring with his Buffy-oid, as a form of foreplay. He seizes her and they playfully teases each other about how evil and dangerous he is. She throws him through the air, to land on his bed. She jumps on top of him with a stake but quickly surrenders to him and you can guess the rest.
Giles sits in the center of a circle of twigs reading aloud from a book of unknown language, as Buffy wanders the desert. She hears a growl and sees a mountain lion where a second ago there was nothing. She follows the prowling animal. The cat leads Buffy to the exact spot where she fought the aboriginal First Slayer.
Xander, Anya, Tara and Dawn are gathered at Willow and Tara's place. Tara finishes a warning spell for the apartment, but admits that Willow is much better than she is at magic and would do a better job. Anya suggests that she and Xander blow off their scheduled patrol and stay in. Tara tells of a TV show on the Salem witch trials that she and Willow wanted to see and Anya, speaking from experience, comments that, of course, the tribunal never did manage to catch any real witches, they used magic to escape. Outside the window, one of Glory's servants watches and listens.
Spike and Stepford-Buffy lie together as they repeat what sound like well-rehearsed words of love. The mechanical Buffy is really a bad actress, but Spike doesn't mind, as she alternates between fear and desire. When she asks if he wants a playback of the scene, it ruins the illusion and he instructs her to act more like Buffy, to be Buffy.
Willow leaves class followed by a robed figure loyal to Glory. Meanwhile, the Buffy-atron dresses and leaves a slumbering Spike to begin her Slayer patrol. In the desert, Giles drinks from a thermos, as the cold night air descends the desert. Buffy sits on a rock, on the verge of sleep.
Electro-Buffy meets Xander and Anya on patrol, her database files quickly tell her who they are. She speech is incredibly awkward, but Xander barely has time to wonder about it, before Spike comes stumbling out of the trees. He's obviously winded from chasing the Buffy-ator and he has to keep avoiding her attempts to snuggle while he tries to get Xander and Anya to go away. Suddenly four vampires come out of the woods at them.
During the fight, Glory's toadies watch the Buffy-amation's concern for Spike. After the battle, Spike insists that they've done enough and Xander and Anya should go home. His Buffy agrees. After they leave, Buffy-ette notices that she's still hot and bothered from the fight. They are quickly in each other's arms. A short distance away, Xander wonders why someone didn't tell him that Buffy's vision quest was done and what came out of it. Anya is unconcerned, but Xander worries that she still seems a little strange, maybe an after-effect of the quest. Then he realizes that Buffy didn't ask about her sister. When they stop, they can hear gasping and moaning. They sneak back to find Buffy-doll riding on top of Spike, with her skirt covering their coupling.
The witch trials are only depressing Willow as she and Tara snuggle on the couch. Xander and Anya arrive and confirm that Dawn is asleep before sharing the horrifying news. Willow is the only one that seems willing to trust Buffy, somewhat. Xander decides to find Buffy and bring her back. Anya suggests a good hard slap like they do to hysterical people in the movies. Xander does tell them that he will knock himself unconscious if he sees such a horrible sight again.
Buffy tries to sleep on her rock. She hears a noise and instantly she is awake and alert. There is a large, tall fire in front of her and the First Slayer crouches on the other side of the flames.
Spike and Robo-Buffy are interrupted by a noise. Spike instructs the machine to hide until he comes for her. Xander arrives and tells him that the jig is up. He thinks that Spike is taking advantage of Buffy's grief over her mother's death. Spike thinks that even if it were true, he wouldn't be a gentleman if he turned her down. Xander grabs Spike and tells him that Buffy's friends will do whatever it takes to protect her, even if it means hunting Spike down and killing him.
Jinx, one of Glory's top grovelers, interrupts the two. Spike wonders if the many brown-robed gnomes are with Xander. When one of the minions punches Xander, Spike leaps to the attack, but they manage to knock out Xander and overwhelm Spike. They think that Spike is The Key and they carry him off to Glory.
Buffy recognizes the figure, but a voice in her head tells her that the form that appears to her is unimportant, the spirit guide is within. Buffy asks about love, true love, but the guide already knows the questions for which Buffy seeks answers. Does protecting humanity eventually prevent her from being fully human? ...From being able to fully experience love? The spirit says that Buffy is full of love, a bright overwhelming love that Buffy is afraid to embrace. Buffy seems confused by the answer. The spirit tells her that love can cause pain but that she should gain strength from the pain she endures and embrace it, instead of trying to shut it out. That she should love, give and forgive even if she risks emotional pain. If she follows her true nature, it will eventually lead her to her gift. This only causes more questions.
The Buffy-atron emerges from her hiding place and doesn't see an unconscious Xander as she goes in search of Spike. Willow is surprised to see Buffy at her door so late. They go onto the balcony to talk without waking anyone. Buffy-oid's database instantly brings her up-to-date on Willow, including the fact that she is gay from 1999 to the present. Buffy-ette is frantic to find Spike and Willow tries to be supportive while still getting Buffy-amation to consider whether she' making a mistake. Willow becomes distressed when Stepford-Buffy offers to draw diagrams of the many ways that she loves Spike. Willow reminds Robo-Buffy that vampires are a no-no and that at least Angel had a soul. When Buffy-matic speaks of Angel, her programming sounds like Spike's resentful barbs. Willow becomes confused by Buffy-verks disjointed answers, but they are interrupted by the arrival of Xander.
He gathers everyone and tells them that Glory's men have kidnapped Spike. They realize that Spike could reveal to Glory that Dawn is The Key. Robo-Buffy is no help in coming up with a plan. Tara is left with Dawn and the others go to Buffy's house to arm themselves right away.
Buffy is still trying to make sense of the spirit's revelation. She wonders about the promised gift. Will she give or receive it? The spirit tells her that death is her gift. Buffy rejects this idea, pained at the reminder of her mother's death. She thinks of killing evil as a necessity, not some kind of warped gift. The spirit has given its answer however and disappears along with the fire, leaving only ashes.
The groveling ones deliver Spike to Glory, but she quickly realizes their mistake. The Key is innocent and pure, which vampires are not. She can't even suck his brain for sustenance. Spike is glad to hear this and quickly confirms how non-innocent he is. Jinx insists that the Buffy they saw went to great lengths to protect Spike. He obviously means a great deal to her. Glory is intrigued and when Spike gets insolent, the pretty young blonde gives him an uppercut that throws him across the room and into the wall, hard. She picks him up, using his lower lip as a handle. She throws him onto a big round bed and straddles him. She mystically drives her hand into Spike's chest and rummages around as he screams in agony.
The gang arrives at Buffy's house and goes to the weapon's chest in the living room. Willow asks Buffy-oid for some suggestions as to what to do next and she has no idea except that she wants to save Spike. Willow finds an excuse for Buffy-tron to go upstairs. After she leaves the others wonder how to tell Buffy that they don't want to save Spike, they want to kill him before he can reveal the secret. Buffy arrives and is surprised to see everyone in her living room. The others are surprised to see how fast she changed clothes. She tells them that death is her gift. Buffy is confused as the others try to voice their concerns about her having sex with Spike. Finally Robo-Buffy joins them to say that Spike belongs to her.
Buffy is upset that the others didn't spot the robot right away like they did with Warren's last model, April. She takes it personal that they couldn't tell. She's even more upset when they realize that Spike must have made her made for his plaything. Then Electro-Buffy reminds them that they have to save Spike from Glory. Buffy knows what to do next and she tells her team to stock up on weapons.
Spike's face is a bloody mess as he hangs by his wrists. Glory approaches with a knife and slices a long diagonal on his left breast, as he howls in pain. She wonders if she can peel his skin like an apple. Spike gives in and promises to reveal The Key.
Giles is impressed by the Buffy-amation, but upset with Spike for not teaching her how to say Giles' name without a hard "G" sound. Buffy, Robo-Buffy, Giles, Willow, Xander and Anya are gathered at the spot where Buffy killed Glory's snake creature. The monster had tracked down Dawn, as The Key, and was rushing back to report to Glory when Buffy intercepted it. Buffy reminds her counterpart that they intend to kill Spike to protect Dawn. Electro-Buffy agrees, but strongly recommends that Buffy check out Spike when he's nude. The team splits up to search for clues.
Glory feeds Spike a glass of water and then breaks the glass on his face. She demands answers. Spike is stressing the chains wrapped around his wrists, trying to weaken them. He slowly confesses that The Key is actually game show host, Bob Barker. Glory becomes upset with Spike's resistance. He laughs at her and goads her, while trying to increase the slack in his chains. He calls her an idiot and when she declares herself a God, Spike makes fun of her hair. He continues to insult her until she performs a roundhouse kick that knocks him free of his chains and through the wall behind him. Before Glory's robed servants can catch him, Spike staggers to the apartment's elevator doors. He pries them open and tumbles into the shaft landing on the roof of a descending elevator car. He manages to reach the ground floor only to find Glory's gang waiting for him. He struggles to his feet and prepares to face them, when Buffy and Xander arrive on the scene. [In this scene, the role of Xander Harris is played by Nicholas Brendon's twin brother, Kelly Donovan. No, I'm not making that up. - OB]
Spike collapses as the battle begins. Giles and Robo-Buffy arrive to help. Buffy-oid rushes to see Spike, but when Giles calls for help, the mechanical Buffy is closer and she doesn't hesitate to attack the henchman choking Giles. The minion hits the robot hard with a crossbow to the head and Buffy has to knock out the foe. Buff-atron begins to spark and falls. Upstairs Glory's minions are making excuses for their failure to recapture Spike. A few seconds later, their screams echo in the halls.
Back at Buffy's house, Willow looks over the insides of the robot. Buffy thinks that the face looks fake and the others humor her. Giles and Xander (Nicholas Brandon again) arrive and tell them that they deposited Spike in his crypt, but he was too beat up to tell them if he revealed Dawn's secret. Anya doesn't think that they can trust him to tell them the truth anyway. Everyone agrees, but it's vital that they know if Glory is on to them. Willow finds the damaged sections of Buffy-matic and thinks she can fix it, but a look from Buffy heads off any more talk of that. Xander has to admit that he almost feels sorry for Spike losing his toy, considering how badly he was tortured by Glory.
Buffy arrives at Spike's crypt and tells him that his wounds look sexy. Spike asks where Robo-Buffy has been and she tells him that Willow had to fix her. She offers to resume their lovemaking marathon, but he needs to heal some. She asks him why he was injured and he explains it was to prevent Glory from getting The Key. She offers to tell Glory where to find The Key to protect Spike and he yells for her to stop. Coughing up some blood he instructs her never to reveal that secret because he doesn't want to be responsible for destroying Buffy by allowing anything to happen to Dawn. He would rather die first and almost did.
She gives him a kiss and Spike realizes that she is warm and living. They look at each other for a few moments before Buffy turns to leave. He asks about Buffy-atron and she tells him to forget that obscenity. He tries to make excuses but she cuts him off. He hangs his head as she berates him for indulging in a fantasy. But before she leaves she tells him that his willingness to be tortured to protect her and her sister is real and will be remembered.
Buffy is visiting her professors to process her paperwork for withdrawing from the College. She obviously regrets the decision, but she explains that taking care of her little sister, Dawn, has to take priority. She hopes to be able to return next semester.
Ben arrives at the hospital to find out that he has been missing for two weeks. He can't explain that he shares a body with his sister, Glory. That they are both Gods from a hellish dimension that borders ours - just one thin reality away. That Glory is quite mad and doesn't care about anything but finding The Key and causing more destruction. Ben wants to keep his job, but he has no way to excuse his behavior. As he cleans out his locker, he rants at how unfair life is treating him. Soon, he begins to swoon and protest what is about to happen. As he cries out his own name in an attempt to preserve his identity, he transforms into Glory again. And she decides that it's feeding time.
Glory relaxes with a bubble bath in a rather small tub. Three of her minions hover, with blindfolds on, around the rim of the tub. She allows them to grovel for a while, before lecturing them on their failure to bring her The Key. Then, she instructs them to give her all the details of what they observed of Buffy's life and she will determine who The Key is based on their account.
Buffy and Dawn are in Dawn's Principal's Office. Buffy is horrified to find out that Dawn has been skipping school lately. Principal Stevens is sympathetic to the fact that they just lost their mother (#094 The Body). When she hints that there is more to Dawn than meets the eye, both Summers women become nervous. In the back of their minds, they are both scared that someone will discover that Dawn is actually the mystic artifact known as The Key, that Glory is looking for. But Stevens is merely referring to the fact that Dawn could be a great success at school if she were motivated enough. Buffy is trying to reassure Stevens that she will turn things around, when the Principal requests that Dawn leave the room.
Willow and Xander are chilling at the Magic Box as Anya obsesses over two browsing customers. Anya explains that she has come to the realization that besides being human, she belongs to the group of humans known as Americans. She is proud to have a human heritage to call her own, especially one with such a great tradition as capitalism. She praises the profit-oriented system and disparages the couple as not being patriotic, since just looking doesn't promote capitalism. She then begins an attack on the French for being anti-American. Xander finally has to stop her and basically, but gently, tell her to stop being a bigot. She decides to go over and convince the couple to buy something.
Buffy and Dawn arrive. [When the two women are seen in this shot walking together, it is striking, at least to me, that they almost the same heights. Since Sarah is 24 and Michelle is 15, it seems clear that Buffy (who just celebrated her 20th birthday) will soon be looking up to her little sister. - OB]
Xander tries to cheer her up about dropping out of school, but she insists that it's just temporary. He tries to be supportive, but the very word brings juvenile images to his mind, like bras and supporters, but he gets the message across. Buffy asks Willow to help Dawn with homework and then requests some private time with Giles.
In the back physical training room, Buffy expresses her fears to Giles that she won't be able to cope with being Dawn's surrogate mother. Giles tells her that she needs to impose discipline on Dawn. Buffy is so uncomfortable with the idea that she practically begs Giles to do the job for her. When she says that Dawn will obey him, he snorts at the idea. He reminds Buffy that she never listened to him. She insists that she does listen and he recommends that she listen close to what he has to say now. It's Buffy's duty now; she's Dawn's only surviving family and it's in Dawn's best interests that she does it now. Buffy responds to the idea that Dawn needs for Buffy to live up to her responsibility. After one last try to convince Giles, she pledges to be strong and firm and motherly.
Buffy emerges from the back to find everyone lying on the floor in a triangle shape while Dawn stands in the middle. Everyone is giggling and Buffy immediately accuses Dawn of not doing her homework like she was told. Giles, Xander and Anya quickly wander away, but Willow remains by Dawn's side to defend her. She insists that they were working on geometry, using their bodies as examples and just made a few math puns that got them laughing. Dawn protests that it was helping her learn, but Buffy sternly decides that they should leave.
As Dawn angrily retrieves her books, Willow tries to appease Buffy. Buffy tells Willow that Dawn's schoolwork must come first right now, but Willow argues that they weren't interfering with that. Willow reminds Buffy that accusing her of being anti-learning is silly. Buffy admits that she's very worried about everything. Willow suggests that she unwind by visiting a World Culture Fair being held; she can relax without relaxing her emphasis on education. Buffy tells Willow that her life has to be dedicated to Dawn now and not herself.
Glory is smiling as she gives her followers final instructions on how to capture The Key.
Willow and Tara are in Willow's dorm room. Tara thinks that Buffy's stern attitude is understandable, but Willow thinks that it's extreme and likely to lead to more rebellion from Dawn. Tara remembers when her mother died, how she had to care for her younger brothers. She thinks that Willow doesn't really understand the situation. Willow becomes upset that Tara doesn't seem to think that her opinion matters. Willow hesitates to go further, but when Tara presses, Willow admits that she thinks that of Tara a lot. Tara has been living on her own longer, she's known she was a lesbian longer, she's been a witch longer than Willow - Willow feels like "the junior partner".
Tara insists that Willow is a much better witch, for example, so good that it's scary. Willow worries at Tara's description of her power. She worries that on some level Tara is scared of her. Tara tries to take her words back, but Willow insists that even though the Psych Professor was killed in her own mad scheme before the course completed, Willow still recognizes when someone accidentally speaks the truth. Tara protests that she trusts Willow with her life, but Willow can sense she is holding back. Tara finally admits that things in Willow's life are changing so fast that she's concerned that she won't fit in with the woman that Willow is becoming.
Willow realizes that Tara's real concern is that Willow may decide one day that she's no longer interested in women, or in Tara. Willow is offended that Tara would question their relationship or her commitment to it, so deeply. Willow tells her that she can't prove that she's a lesbian by the number of relationships she's had because she's only ever loved one woman - Tara. Then, Willow walks out.
Glory's henchmen sneak around the Summers' front porch as Buffy and Dawn are in the dining room. Buffy is folding laundry and suggesting a full color chart of Dawn's chores complete with gold stars. Dawn is not enthusiastic about the idea. Buffy tries to stress how important it is that Dawn co-operate with her. Dawn argues that since her life isn't real why should she worry about school - her knowledge up to this point was given to her magically, maybe there's a magic way to skip school entirely. Buffy finally tells her that if she doesn't do well in school the authorities will remove Dawn from Buffy's care. Principal Stevens explained to Buffy when they were alone, that one of the conditions for Buffy to be Dawn's guardian is that Dawn passes her classes. If she fails, Dawn could be handed over to a foster family.
At the Multi-Cultural Fair, Tara sits alone on a park bench. Willow sits alone on pillows in a dark corner of the Magic Box. At the fair, Tara feels a feminine hand slip into hers and their fingers intertwine. Tara smiles as she turns expecting to see Willow, but is horrified to see Glory instead.
Giles notices that Willow is unhappy and Willow explains that she and Tara are fighting. They have never argued before and Willow is deeply depressed. Giles assures her that soon the fight will be over and they will get own with their lives together, knowing it's sometimes okay to quarrel. Giles walks to the back door, behind the sales counter and smoothly opens the door enough to reveal one of Glory's slaves. Giles then slams the door into the small brownish man's head and neatly knocks him down. He hustles the minion to a chair. Anya recognizes him as one of Glory's followers. Giles is calmly threatening as he assures the lackey that he will tell them of Glory's plans. Giles asks Willow and Anya to retrieve some string to tie up the man. When their backs are turned there is a loud cracking sound and the minion begs to be allowed to confess. There is no outward sign of what Giles must have done to the toady, but it was convincing.
He tells them that he is assigned to watch them while Glory retrieves The Key. He mentions that Glory is after the witch and they realize that Glory thinks Tara is The Key because she's the newest member of their group. Willow is running before the little man finishes talking. She shouts to Giles to have Buffy check Tara's room while Willow tries to find Tara at the Fair.
Tara is Glory's prisoner. Glory squeezes Tara's hand and there is a crackling sound as Tara suppresses a cry of pain. Glory instructs her to act natural or Glory will have to begin killing everyone around them. Glory delights in torturing Tara with the thought of how many innocents in the crowd will die if she doesn't cooperate. Blood begins to ooze from Tara's hand as Glory maintains the crushing pressure on it. Glory licks Tara's blood from her hand and then spits it out. She realizes from the taste that Tara is not The Key. In her madness, she accuses Tara of lying to her.
But Glory hopes that Tara will tell her who is The Key. She crushes Tara's hand some more and threatens to drive her fingers into Tara's brain. Glory describes the sensation of being brain sucked as being trapped in a dark little room with all kinds of creepy crawlies that torment you so much that you can't even think about escaping. And the feeling goes on forever. But the pain and the threat of even more, will not make Tara speak. Tara muffles her agony and gives Glory a defiant stare.
Willow sees her lover across a crowd of people. She tries to reach her but must work her way past the mob. She begins to chant a spell, but has trouble getting it right. Willow can see glimpses of Glory's hands deep in Tara's head as she moves through the crowd. Before she can reach Tara or complete the spell, it is over and Willow holds a confused, demented Tara in her arms as she weeps for her lost love.
The group without Buffy and Dawn has gathered again at the hospital. The doctor explains to Willow that Tara will have to sleep overnight at the hospital for observation. Buffy arrives and tells them that she deposited Dawn with Spike, so Buffy is free for as long as they need her.
Spike is escorting Dawn through some of the underground caverns near Sunnydale. He tries to lift her spirits, but his limp and healing face are a constant reminder of the threat that Dawn faces (#096 Intervention). As Dawn wallows in her depression, Spike's expression is the most gentle and sad it's ever been. Dawn admits that she thinks of herself as the threat. She's forced to watch everyone around her get hurt trying to protect her; she's responsible for their pain. She thinks of herself as evil, since she brings suffering to everyone. Spike dismisses her wild ideas. He knows quite a bit about evil and she doesn't fit the bill. She wonders, however, if she can ever be a force for good and Spike doesn't think that being good is so important.
Tara's hand is heavily bandaged and the nurse wheels her away. Xander has to stop Willow from running after her. Willow confesses to being lost without Tara, to the point of not being able to sleep. Anya volunteers to help by taking Tara's place in bed, then realizes how awkward the offer sounds. Buffy consuls Willow to be patient. Willow decides that she is going to get her revenge on Glory. Buffy tries to stop her, but Willow counters every argument with her anger. Willow thinks that her magic may be a match for Glory. She becomes angry at Buffy for not doing something. She wonders who has to be hurt before Buffy will act. Willow finally agrees with Buffy's conclusion that they don't have any way to fight Glory right now. She walks away dejected.
Willow enters the Magic Box at a run and heads straight for where the most dangerous items are stored. She throws books from the shelves and throws weapons in a bag. Secreted behind a row of books she pulls out, not a book of dark magic, not a book of darker magic, but the book of Darkest Magick. She uses a blade to strike the book's lock, the cover flops opens and the pages flap around as if alive.
Glory is at her lavish lair, enjoying the aftereffects of consuming Tara's mind. She is assuring her slavish men that Buffy will not try to attack them even now. Glory thinks that all she has to do is kill all of Buffy's friends until she finds The Key. The room begins to shake and darkness descends. The front doors fly open and Willow levitates into the room about a foot off the floor. The irises of her eyes are jet-black as she chants a spell that encases Glory in an invisible field that makes it hard for her to move. Willow then unleashes bolts of lightning with each hand that causes Glory to cry out in pain.
Buffy has joined Spike and Dawn in the underground. She tells them about Willow's anger and how she talked her out of it. Spike doesn't seem convinced that it's that easy. Buffy doesn't want to believe it, but Spike thinks that anyone would fight back, even against impossible odds, if provoked enough. Dawn convinces Buffy by asking her what Buffy would do if Glory hurt Dawn; doesn't Willow love Tara as much as Buffy loves Dawn? Buffy runs after her friend.
Willow's power shatters the mirror in the room and bombards Glory with the sharp fragments. They shred her dress, but do no harm to the blonde Goddess. Glory begins to mock Willow's efforts. She slaps Willow across the room. Willow's bag magically slides to her side and opens. About a dozen knives rise from the bag and fly at Glory. At super-human speed, she knocks them all away. Willow begins another spell, but Glory throws a coffee table at her, knocking her down.
Willow is panting and her lip is bleeding as she finishes a chant that causes a tentacle to grow from the carpet and encircle Glory's foot. With a kick, Glory disintegrates the tentacle. Willow is beginning to weaken as Glory grabs her by the chin. Willow will not yield as she spits in Glory's face. Glory picks up one of Willow's knives and threatens to pin her to the wall with it.
As Glory pulls her hand back, Buffy grabs her wrist. Glory is amused to see Buffy, until Buffy begins to land some hard blows. It only throws Glory off temporarily and she quickly begins to fight back. Buffy kicks a couch at Glory, to gain some time then she grabs Willow and runs. Willow manages to repeat the spell that held back Glory at first. As they escape, Glory yells after them that this fight isn't finished yet.
At Tara's room, Buffy, Willow, Tara and Dawn are picking through sandwiches for lunch. Willow begins to spoon-feed Tara and Dawn volunteers to take over. Willow tells Buffy that the hospital gave her a lot of medicine and said that Tara may have to be tied down at night. Willow assures them that her love and devotion are enough to do whatever it takes to help Tara. It's unspoken that Tara may remain like a child forever, but Willow is firm that nothing will make her abandon "her girl". Buffy and Willow share a moment of sisterhood, knowing that they each now have someone besides themselves to which to they have dedicated their lives. Willow kisses Tara's forehead with her declaration of love.
Suddenly, one wall of the room is ripped away. They are on the ground floor and Glory stands outside. She reminds them that their fight isn't over. Tara begins to panic and Dawn tries to calm her. Tara sees Dawn as The Key for the first time and begins to babble about her pure, bright green glow. Glory slowly smiles as she realizes that she has found The Key.
[We begin exactly where the last episode ended. Buffy, Willow, Tara and Dawn are in Tara's room. Glory has ripped out the exterior wall so she can get at our heroes. While Dawn was trying to calm her, Tara recognized and revealed Dawn as The Key.]
In a panic, Buffy grabs Dawn and throws herself backward through the room's wooden door into the dormitory hallway. Willow raises her hand and with a quick chant pushes Glory back with invisible force. Buffy and Dawn run across the campus, desperate to escape. Glory runs right through a wall into a lounge area. She is a blur as she crosses the room and races onto the campus grounds. Dawn falters and Buffy picks Dawn up into her arms. Carrying her sister, Buffy leaps over park benches in a mad dash, but they could never hope to outrun Glory.
She heads them off at a street and asks Buffy for any last words. Buffy's "last" word is, "Truck." Unconcerned that she is standing in the street, even Glory is not fast enough to avoid the tanker truck that slams into her head-on. Buffy and Dawn do not hesitate to resume their flight. Glory is knocked through the air and lands on a car roof, crushing it. She is, of course, unharmed, but before she can continue the chase, she begins to shout and protest. Suddenly, Glory transforms into Ben.
The entire Scooby Gang is gathered at Xander's apartment. Dawn is bragging about their escape, until Buffy tells them that it was sheer luck. She still doesn't know why Glory didn't continue to pursue them, but she stands at the window with a nervous, watchful eye. Giles tries to be upbeat, but Buffy will have none of it. Buffy is convinced that Glory is unstoppable. Everyone is surprised almost to the point of shock when Buffy's only plan is to run. She won't listen to any alternatives. She instructs them that from this point on they are on the run and they should try to gather whatever they can in the way of supplies while she finds some transportation.
A gnome-like female follower of Glory, named Grodi, is distress over the damage done to Glory's dress as she talks to Ben at Glory's lavish apartment. Ben cannot tell her anything about what Glory was up to before the transformation. When he reacts with anger to the mention of Glory's name, the follower tries to remind him that he is forever tied into Glory's existence. Ben explains that he wanted to settle into a life as a doctor, because he feels that they get to see more of humanity in all its forms. He wanted to be a student of human nature and a healer. He wonders if he can find a combination of drugs that will suppress Glory from appearing. He's well aware that if she gets her way, she will become all-powerful and he will be destroyed. Perhaps if he can destroy The Key first, Glory will be stopped.
They gang stands nervously on a street corner and waits for Buffy. Anya is very anxious, but Giles tries to be reassuring and Xander looks to "Sgt. Rock" comic books for bravery and inspiration. A large, old, boxy Winnebego, perhaps a Chieftain, pulls up and the door opens. The windows are covered with tin-foil, except for a small rectangle at the driver's window, and Spike sits behind the wheel wearing welder's goggles. Giles and Xander want to throw Spike out, but Buffy is inside and she snaps at them that there will be no debate. She retreats to the back bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Spike turns to drive and they are off and running.
Two men sign their friend out of the hospital. The patient, Orlando, is the Knight of Byzantium that Glory brain-sucked (#091 Blood Ties). The three men travel to an isolated wood where they met an older man with a wicked facial scar wearing medieval garb, General Gregor. He welcomes his comrades. Orlando is simple-minded, but he manages to convey to the General that The Key is now in the form of a little girl. The General calls to his men and dozens of similarly garbed warriors follow him in his quest to destroy the Slayer and The Key.
Giles is taking a turn driving. All, except Buffy, sit around the camper's small kitchen table, trying to figure out where they are running to. Spike complains that Giles is driving too slowly, Giles complains that the cruiser is old and under-powered, while Xander complains that he is getting motion sickness in the traveling kitchen. Spike regrets not stealing a sports car and escaping with just Buffy and Dawn. Xander and Spike do their quarreling thing, until Xander retreats to sit beside Giles. Giles must admit that Spike's power might be needed. Xander worries that Buffy isn't in a good frame of mind and might not be making the best decisions right now. Giles continues his role trying to reassure Xander that everything will work out.
Willow has found some spells that create barriers, but the team will have to stop moving before they can be used. In her child-like state, Tara accidentally singes Spike when she innocently peeks through the sun-drenched blinds. Willow quickly apologizes for her and, for once, Spike doesn't lash out. He shrugs off the injury and seems sympathetic towards her. Tara becomes distressed and rants about the approaching darkness.
In the Sunnydale hospital, Glory's other victims lie in the Psych ward. Each of them begins to rant about the darkness, in unison with each other, and apparently with Tara. A couple of Glory's minions are doing some divining and predict that victory will soon be within Glory's grasp.
The camper travels through desert wastelands, as Dawn invites Buffy to amuse herself watching Anya try to cook in the moving kitchen. Dawn tries to thank Buffy for all that she has done, but Buffy doesn't feel like accepting the praise. She's depressed over their plight and the fact that she was forced to run. Dawn tells Buffy that no one has done as much for her as Buffy has. Buffy almost sounds like a little girl lost as she lists the long series of setbacks she has suffered recently - Glory, Riley, Tara and, of course, their mother. Dawn assures her that things can't get worse. An arrow flies through the window and into the wall near Buffy. She quickly accuses Dawn of jinxing them.
About a dozen Knights on horseback pursue them. As they close in, arrows begin to fly in the windows and poke through the aluminum and wood walls. Giles asks about weapons and Spike reminds him that the RV can be a weapon. Willow protests that they shouldn't harm the horses and Buffy agrees, but whispers to Giles to do whatever it takes. Giles tries to zigzag to keep the riders from closing in on the sides. A Knight grabs the ladder on the back of the vehicle and climbs to roof. He stabs his sword into the cabin from above, just missing Xander's head. When he stabs near Spike, the vampire grabs the sharp blade with his bare hands and will not allow the Knight to withdraw his sword. Spike suggests that Buffy do something.
Xander gives Buffy a boost through a small skylight and she reaches the roof just as the Knight manages to pull his sword from Spike's hands. Spike's scream of agony can be heard over the horses and the motor. She begins to fight the Knight as, inside, Dawn bandages Spike's badly cut hands. Buffy manages to knock her opponent from the roof, but the others are using grappling hooks to pull themselves up the sides. Anya leaps to the rescue with a frying pan, when one tries to climb into the kitchen window. Buffy is fighting desperately against two more that have reach the roof.
She fights off the attackers and they seem to have escaped, but Giles suddenly sees one riding straight at them with a spear. The Knight throws his spear through the driver's window and deep into Giles. Giles looses control of the vehicle. Buffy is thrown from the roof and looks on, in horror, as the huge RV turns too fast and tips over, crashing onto its side.
The team is a sad sight as they limp down the road to an abandoned gas station. Buffy and Xander practically carry Giles. Spike smokes some as he tries to hide from the sun under a blanker. Willow continues to tend to Tara. Inside, everyone wants to know what they're next plan is. Buffy is desperate to keep moving after a brief rest, but she has no idea where to go and Giles is so badly wounded that Willow fears she can't help him. Buffy needs a few moments to think, but a flaming arrow through the window means that they Knights have already caught up to them again.
Willow tries to form a barrier spell, while Buffy and Spike block the door with an old coffee vending machine. Dozens of Knights surround the building and begin pounding holes in the boarded up windows and even the cement walls. A Knight enters through a back door and Spike attacks him, but then is knocked to the ground by the pain from the chip in his head that prevents him from harming humans(#063 - The Initiative). Buffy has to subdue the infiltrator and the General who follows. Willow finishes her spell and the invisible barrier pushes the surrounding Knights back several feet. One of the Knights orders forth the Clerics. They tell him that Willow's wall is very strong, but they are confident that they can bring it down. Inside Willow thinks that she may have bought them half-a-day, but there is no certainty with the Clerics outside working against her.
As night begins to fall, Buffy tries to learn more from Gen. Gregor. The General coldly tells them that Dawn must be destroyed. Buffy warns him that if he even looks at her sister the wrong way again, she will kill him. Gregor thinks Dawn's death is ordained by God. Buffy tries to argue for compassion for the innocent soul that lives in Dawn. Buffy wants a truce, but Gregor will not budge from his crusade.
Tara suddenly becomes agitated and tries to escape. Willow pleads with Buffy for some way to help her lover. Tara and the mental patients in Sunnydale are all mumbling about time. A nurse attempts to calm the patients, but they break their restraints, over-power her and escape. Outside the desert gas station, rather than watch his comrade suffer under Glory's mental influence, the temporary leader of the Knights stabs Orlando to death.
In a quiet moment, Buffy apologizes to Giles for the mess she has gotten them into. Despite the pain, so bad it seems difficult for him to breathe, Giles continues to support Buffy. He praises her in glowing terms and assures her that he is immensely proud of the Slayer that she has become. She's on the verge of tears when he slips back into unconsciousness. With determination in her voice, she tells Willow to make a doorway in the barrier.
Buffy and Xander approach to talk to the Knights. Buffy asks if they will allow a doctor to treat Giles, but they are not sympathetic since ten of them have already died in the battle. The leader scoffs at the idea that he would help those that are protecting The Key - he sees them as helping the beast, Glory. Buffy is ready to fight them, but Xander steps in. Referring to the code of honor in war, memorialized in Sgt. Rock comic books, he pricks the Knights with their own sense of honor, daring them to live up to it. And he reminds them that their General is Buffy's prisoner.
Willow uses magic to reactivate a pay phone and Buffy calls someone for help. Later that evening, Ben drives up to the gas station to find the Knights waiting, eerily lit by campfires. Inside he tends to Giles wound. He also assures Buffy that he wanted to see her again. Spike walks away in disgust.
After he's done, Ben recommends that Giles get to a hospital. Buffy apologizes for getting Ben into the strange situation, but he assures her that he has seen stranger and he's not about to leave her now.
Spike struggles to light a cigarette using an old-fashioned Zippo lighter with his bandaged hands, until Xander finally helps him. Xander reminds Spike that he doesn't like him, but asks about his injured hands. Spike thinks that they're all in for a lot worse. He wants to try to escape, using the General as a hostage. Even if they don't all make it alive, he thinks it's the best chance for some to escape. Buffy overhears and quickly nixes any talk of sacrificing anyone else. She's determined that they will all survive this. She gives them an assignment to keep them busy.
The General gloats over their troubles, until Buffy punches his face. Buffy and Gregor share their knowledge that Glory was one of three Gods running one of the worst of the Hell dimensions, which along with many other unpleasant dimensions, lies across a mystical barrier from our world. Gregor then goes on to tell Buffy that Glory's fellow Gods grew scared at her growing power and her growing evil. They fought her and forced her from their dimension into ours. She was forced into the body of a mortal man, which is her only weakness - killing the man will destroy Glory. Glory is working to gain control over the man as well, forcing her own personality out for longer periods of time.
Dawn interrupts them and asks for information about herself... about The Key. Gregor tells her that her origin is still a mystery, but she is almost as old as Glory, who has been around forever. She is a being of unimaginable power and The Brotherhood of the Knights of Byzantium has been trying for generations to destroy her before her power can be used. Gregor tells of the monks of the Order of Dagon, who thought that The Key could be a force for good, but only ended up being wiped out by Glory.
Dawn wants to know her purpose and the General tells her that she can lower the barrier between Glory's dimension and our own. This will allow Glory to return to her home universe and resume her evil ways. Buffy doesn't think that that sounds so bad, let Glory torment her own kind instead of mankind. Gregor points out that it's not that simple. Dawn won't merely open a door into Glory's realm; she will bring down all the barriers between dimensions. They will tumble in on each other and it will lead to the destruction of everything that exists across all the multiverses. That is Dawn's sole purpose.
Later, when the sisters are together, Dawn tries to wrap her mind around the idea that she embodies the destruction of the universe. Buffy is quick to remind her that she is not a destroyer of worlds, but Dawn is now haunted by the awareness that she has the potential. She is more scared than ever, but Buffy again assures her that she will do whatever it takes to protect Dawn.
The General tries to entice Ben to help him with the promise of surviving the battle and the chance to save the universe - all he has to do is strike down Dawn. Gregor doesn't know it, but it is also the only way that Ben can save himself from Glory.
Dawn is standing beside Giles as Ben checks on his condition. She blames herself for all that has happened. While he prepares a syringe, Ben tries to comfort her with the knowledge that some things are no one's fault, they're just terrible things that happen to people who don't deserve them. He approaches Dawn from behind with the needle, but passes her by and gives Giles the injection. He then begins to shake and drops the syringe. He runs to the door and begs to be let out of the building. But it's too late and he transforms into Glory.
She is pleasantly surprised to find herself surrounded by all the ones that are hiding from her - except for General Gregor. She throws a hubcap at him and it embeds in his chest instantly killing him. Spike leads the charge, closely followed by Xander. She knocks them both back and out of the fight. Before Willow can even begin a spell, Glory knocks Buffy into her. Anya is no match as Glory grabs Dawn and runs outside, straight into Willow's barrier.
It only stops her for second. She punches the invisible wall, hard, and a hole opens. She pulls Dawn through and it seals before Buffy can reach it. She bounces off the barrier. The sounds of battle and screams of the Knights can be heard. Buffy runs inside and screams for Willow to take down the force field. It only takes a few seconds, but when Buffy returns outside, the Knights are dead in a scene of bloody carnage. Glory and Dawn are gone.
The others rush outside and are stunned at the slaughter. After a few seconds, again Spike reacts first, rallying them to take Ben's car. Willow calls to Buffy to get moving, but Buffy merely stands looking dazed. She plops down on the ground and stares in silence at the bloodshed. Her eyes glaze over with tears and Willow's voice sounds a long way off as Buffy succumbs to shock and a deep, deep depression.
Glory's minions are quickly packing her things and arguing among themselves. Glory is irritated by them, but for some reason doesn't feel like killing them. After twenty-five years of being trapped in a human body, she has finally obtained The Key and the means to return to her hellish realm for revenge on those that banished her. She still is not content and she asks for Dawn's advice. Buffy's sister Dawn, a.k.a. The Key, sits in a chair - bound, gagged and terrified.
Back at the abandoned desert gas station where they fought the Knights of Byzantium and Glory (#097 Tough Love), the Scooby Gang, along with Spike, considers their next move. Spike has hot-wired Ben's car to get it started. It has been about a half-hour since Glory took Dawn from them. Xander encourages Willow to try to talk to Buffy again. Willow tries calling to her, but Buffy sits in an unresponsive, catatonic state.
Spike wonders if Buffy has suffered permanent brain damage. Xander thinks that they should try to get Dawn back from Glory regardless, but Spike wants Buffy to lead them. Willow and the others have no idea how to deal with Buffy's condition. Spike takes the direct approach, grabbing Buffy and trying to reach her by shouting at her and slapping her, even if it does cause the chip in his head to produce blinding pain. Xander grabs him and they begin to scuffle.
Willow's face takes on a look of grim determination. With a single word, her magic forces Spike and Xander apart. She tells them that they can settle their differences after the end of the world, right now they have work to do. Willow begins to issue orders with an air of confidence and authority similar to that that Buffy assumes in times of danger. She tells them that they are going back to Sunnydale. She instructs Xander to take Giles to the hospital. She assigns Anya to care for Tara. She orders Spike to find Glory. She also tells Spike that if he tries to attack Glory without informing the others of her location, that he will answer to Willow. The tone in her voice and stern look on her face assures everyone that she is deadly serious. No one challenges her leadership. Willow assigns herself to saving Buffy.
Tara begins to become agitated again and Willow tries to comfort her. Spike asks what they should do if they find Ben. Willow doesn't think that a doctor can help Buffy. Spike agrees that Buffy doesn't need a doctor that can turn into Glory. All the humans are confused. None can grasp what Spike is trying to say. They wonder what possible connection there could be between Ben and Glory.
Spike reminds them that Ben changed into Glory right in front of them. The humans just look more confused. Spike becomes agitated as he recaps for them how Ben came to help Giles' injury, eventually changed into Glory and took Dawn. The others can comprehend that he is telling them that Ben and Glory are connected somehow, but they cannot imagine how, even though Spike just told them. Spike finally realizes that all humans are under a mystically influence to forget Glory's secret identity. It becomes comical as every time they understand the situation, they forget it a split-second after the realization.
Glory hauls Dawn into a workshop where all the workers bow at her presence. The workers presumably are escaped mental patients, now in Glory's thrall. She takes Dawn to a back room where a robed figure starts to paint Dawn's face. Glory is in a bad mood and dismisses the priest, Minion. He protests that he must anoint The Key, but Glory sends him away. She wipes most of the black marks from Dawn's forehead and then settles in to gloat over her victory.
Dawn is terrified and begs for Glory to release her. Glory tries to reassure Dawn that all her woes will disappear when her mortal flesh is ripped from her body as a part of opening the barriers between dimensions. Dawn shows a flash of defiance and Glory is surprised to feel insulted. Glory wonders why she was trying to comfort Dawn at all. She worries that she is beginning to be infected with human emotions. She becomes angry at Dawn for being the source of her discomfort. She recalls the priest to resume the anointing. She tells Dawn that tomorrow they will drain every drop of blood from Dawn's body, thereby activating The Key and causing the walls between dimensions to fall.
At Xander's apartment, Willow lays out magic supplies. She admits to Anya that she isn't entirely sure that she can succeed in curing Buffy. Anya reminds her that the spell is a very dangerous one for both Buffy and Willow. Willow spends a moment with Tara. Anya assures Willow that she will care for Tara and then becomes concerned when Willow seems unsure about how long the spell will take. Anya does manage a fake smile and with obviously forced cheerfulness she wishes Willow "Good Luck". Willow kisses her lover, Tara, on the forehead and then she goes to the bedroom.
Inside, she lights a couple more candles and then sits facing Buffy. After a few seconds of silent concentration, there is a flash of white light and Willow finds herself in the Summers' home. The walls are painted different colors and the furnishings are unfamiliar, but it's definitely their home in Sunnydale. In the living room is a little blonde-haired girl about seven years old that greets Willow by name. Willow says hello to little Buffy.
Spike searches Glory's abandoned apartment. All he finds is the bedroom that Ben used.
Willow asks little Buffy why she is here and tries to get her to agree to come with Willow. Little Buffy tells Willow that today is a big day. They are interrupted by the arrival of Buffy's mother and father. Joyce Summers is carrying a baby and Willow realizes that this is supposed to be the day the Dawn was brought home from the hospital. It's a fake memory, implanted by the monks that transformed The Key into Dawn so the Slayer would protect it from Glory. But like all their memories of Dawn, it's difficult not to treat them as real. Little Buffy is upset that she isn't the baby of the family anymore and at first rejects the newborn. But Joyce quickly brings Buffy around by letting her hold Dawn and reinforcing Buffy's important new role as the big sister.
Footsteps call Willow's attention to a scene of the adult Buffy placing a book on the shelf at Giles' magic shop. In the blink of an eye, Willow next finds herself in the desert before a raging bonfire.
Giles and Xander are leaving the hospital. Giles is surprised to hear that Willow is using very advanced magic to explore Buffy's mind. Xander tells Giles that all the mental patients in the hospital have escaped. Spike meets them to report no results from his search of Glory's. He lights up a cigarette, while standing in front of a No Smoking sign, and suggests that there is a demon with specialized knowledge that might be able to help them. Spike and Xander leave to contact Spike's source. Spike casually mentions finding Ben's clothes at Glory's and Xander is again surprised to hear that Ben and Glory are somehow connected. Just for fun, Spike slaps Xander on the side of the head and they both suffer a sharp pain. Spike explains again about Ben and Glory.
Glory is miserable. Ben's memories and emotions are starting to invade her mind. She remembers Ben going out to the desert to help Buffy and her friends. She asks if Dawn remembers what happened. When Dawn tells her that she remembers Ben changing into Glory, Glory becomes distressed that the magic that protects her secret and separates her from Ben is fading. She changes into Ben for a few seconds and then back to Glory. Glory orders the priest to exorcise Ben from her being, but he tells her that is impossible. Glory grabs Dawn by the throat and decides to use The Key right away.
Willow is witnessing the meeting between Buffy and the spirit guide that Buffy sought during her vision quest (#096 Intervention). The spirit tells Buffy that death is her gift, which surprises and confuses both Buffy and Willow. Willow again hears footsteps and watches Buffy put the same book on the same shelf at the Magic Box. The moment lingers for a few seconds before Willow is transported to Buffy's house again. She watches Buffy walking through the upstairs hallway. Buffy doesn't answer Willow's call.
Glory's followers are trying to convince her that it's a bad time to kill Dawn. She finally relents when they tell her that she will ruin her own plans if she acts hastily. She sends everyone but Dawn away. Glory asks Dawn how humans cope with the jumble of thoughts and emotions that run through their minds, not to mention their hormones. Dawn isn't in the mood to talk, but Glory presses and Dawn tells her that some people enjoying being human. Glory thinks that all humans must be mad, considering the state of the world and the human condition. She thinks that it's another indication of her superiority over all things mortal. Dawn still thinks that Buffy will prove Glory wrong.
Willow tries to convince Buffy to leave with her or at least to talk to her. They enter the bedroom at the end of the hall, Joyce's room. The floor is grass and in place of Joyce's bed is her grave complete with headstone. Buffy reminds Willow that death is Buffy's gift. The statement only confuses Willow, but Buffy seems confident. They go into Dawn's room and Dawn in lying in bed with her eyes open. She appears to be having trouble breathing. Buffy tells Willow that death is Buffy's purpose, it's what she is. Buffy places a pillow over Dawn's face and, despite Willow's protests, presses down until Dawn stops struggling.
Glory is ranting at Dawn when suddenly she changes into Ben. Dawn wants Ben's help to escape, but he seems lost in a hallucination. As he recounts a terrible memory, it seems clear that he is recalling Glory's slaughter of the Knights of Byzantium. Her memories are starting to intrude on his consciousness and he is horrified at what Glory has done. A knock at the door brings them both back to the immediate problem. Ben knocks the priest at the door unconscious and he escapes with Dawn, promising to separate from her before he changes back to Glory.
Willow thinks it's strange that she's back at the beginning of her odyssey into Buffy's mind, talking to little Buffy again. Willow watches the replay of baby Dawn's arrival at home. The scene is interrupted once by the vision of book-shelving Buffy.
Doc calls out that his door is always open. Spike and Xander enter to enlist Doc's help in defeating Glory. Suddenly Xander blurts out that Ben is also Glory. The magic that prevents him from remembering that fact is fading. Spike quickly recaps the situation for Doc. Doc remembers Dawn from when she got the magic to resurrect her mother. Somehow, he's certain that Dawn didn't go through with the spell. It seems to takes Doc a moment to remember Glorificious, but when he does he recommends that they stay out of her way. Spike tells him that Glory has Dawn and they are determined to stop her. Doc doesn't have any thing that will help them, but he knows a fellow in China that might be of use. Spike becomes suspicious and wonders if Doc hasn't moved to block their vision of the thing they really need.
Doc springs through the air and across the room. He grabs a sword. He knocks Spike down and uses a supernaturally-long tongue to push Xander back into a wall. Doc admits that he is a worshipper of Glory. He throws a small wooden box into his raging fireplace. Doc grabs Spike and begins to gloat. Xander recovers and knocks Doc away. Spike retrieves the box from the fire and Xander manages to drive the sword into Doc's chest. After they leave, the dead Doc's eyes open.
Buffy and Willow are back in the upstairs hallway. Willow stops her this time and tells her that she must stop killing Dawn. Buffy calmly assures her that she did indeed kill her sister. Willow tries to convince her that it's all in her mind, but Buffy can't understand. Buffy resumes her routine of visiting her mother's grave in the bedroom and then killing Dawn.
Dawn and Ben find an alley to hide in. Dawn hits Ben over the head, knocking him unconscious. She apologizes to the sleeping Ben and runs from him. She only gets a couple of steps before Glory gets up in Ben's place. Glory is upset at the memory of getting hit over the head. She threatens to hurt Dawn in many ways that won't shed any blood. Before she can carry out her threat, Ben assumes control and struggles to keep it. The two beings argue with each other as their body does quick changes between the two.
In desperation, Ben breaks a bottle and threatens to let Dawn's blood spill over the ground. Ironically, Glory gets control and protects Dawn from Ben. Glory thinks though that Ben is incapable of murdering Dawn. Glory tempts Ben with the idea that he can become an immortal after Glory separates from him, if Glory helps him. He rejects her offer, admitting that he can't kill Dawn no matter what the temptation. Glory tells him that immortals don't suffer from guilt or other human failings and then she gloats that she is going to win anyway. Ben assumes control and grabs Dawn. As he hauls her away he apologizes for what he must do to save himself. He turns Dawn over to Glory's minions.
Buffy and Willow leave Joyce's room, with Willow practically begging Buffy to stop killing Dawn. When they reach Dawn's room, however, they are in the magic shop instead. Buffy and Willow watch Buffy shelving the book over and over again. Willow wants to know the significance of this event. The Buffy with Willow protests that Willow doesn't want to know. Willow reminds her that it's Buffy that keeps bringing Willow back to this scene.
Both Buffys begin to explain that it was at this moment in her life that Buffy realized that she couldn't defeat Glory - that Glory was going to win. Buffy knew that and not only accepted it, but welcomed the possibility. The fighting and conflict would be over then. Buffy would no longer be faced with the responsibility for doing the impossible. [She almost seems to be agreeing with Spike's theory that at some point all Slayer's welcome death as a way to end their constant battle against evil (#085 Fool for Love).]
She imagines that there would be a period of sorrow and grieving, but then her life would go on. She feels guilty for wanting it even at the cost of Dawn's life, but she admits that some part of her just wants it to be over. Because of this she thinks that she may have unconsciously hesitated or in some way caused Dawn to fall into Glory's hands. She is convinced that she gave up her sister to Glory - that Buffy killed Dawn.
Willow admits to agreeing with Spike for once, some one just needs to yell at Buffy to get over it. Both Buffys are suddenly paying attention to Willow. She tells them that Buffy is suffering from simple guilt. That Buffy has felt responsible for the entire world since she was girl in High School. She may have given into a momentary lapse after years of steadfast dedication, but that doesn't mean that she should give up.
Buffy still thinks that she's responsible for Dawn's death. Willow reminds her that Dawn isn't dead yet and Buffy is her only hope. Buffy is still consumed with doubt that she can stop Glory. Willow then agrees that Buffy IS killing Dawn. Willow turns to leave and Buffy asks where she is going. Willow once again has a determined look on her face as she tells Buffy that she is going to fight Buffy's fight. She invites the Slayer to come along.
In Xander's apartment, the two women still sit facing each other. Suddenly both of them awake from their trance. Buffy begins to weep and Willow holds her friend.
The rest of the gang has gathered at the magic shop. Buffy and Willow arrive. Buffy, in charge again, first confirms that Spike and Xander have recovered the text of the ritual from Doc and that Ben and Glory are the same person. Giles tells her that he has studied the scrolls and can find only one way to stop Glory. He explains that if Glory drains Dawn's blood, at the required time and place, then the barriers between dimensions will collapse and nothing but destruction and chaos will reign. There is only one way to prevent the ceremony - Buffy will have to kill Dawn.