BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

"They Come Back Wrong"

A clip from “No Place Like Home.” Glory bashing down the door at the warehouse, Buffy rescuing the monk.

A Clip from “Checkpoint.” Glory is at Buffy’s house.

Dawn begins to walk in.

Later in “Checkpoint.” Buffy is outside the magic shop with a Knight of Bizantuim.

Later in “Checkpoint.” Buffy and the Watcher’s Council are at the magic shop.

Clip from “Family Ties.” Dawn standing outside the living room with a dagger.

Later in “Family Ties.” Dawn is at the hospital with Glory.

Clip from “Tough Love.” Glory is sitting with Tara on a bench at the multicultural fair about to brain-suck her. Willow sees them from a distance.

Glory’s fingers go into Tara’s brain, brain-sucking her. Cut to later in the episode, Willow is hugging Tara and crying.

A clip from “Spiral.” Buffy, Tara, Willow and Dawn are sitting on Buffy’s bed. Glory breaks down the entire wall. Tara looks at Dawn.

A look of discovery crosses Glory’s face, Buffy grabs Dawn and breaks through the door.

Later in “Spiral.” Several knights of Bizantuim are attacking the gang’s winibago. Cut to later in the episode, the gang is in a gas station, and the Knight’s general is tied up.

Later in “Spiral” a clip of Ben rushing towards the door in a panic.

Ben morphs into Glory.

A clip from “The Weight of the World.” Glory and Dawn having a “heart to heart.”

Cut to later in the episode when things start falling apart. Buffy beating the hell out of Glory with a giant hammer, Glory, beaten, morphs into Ben. Buffy frowns, and leaves him. Giles suffocates him. Cut to the tower, where Doc begins to slice Dawn. Cut a bit to Buffy grabbing Dawn, blood trickles off of Dawn’s leg into the air and begins to swirl around opening the portal.

Buffy looks down in horror at the forming portal. Cut to a few minutes later, Buffy is whispering in Dawn’s ear. Slow motion, Buffy runs and leaps off the tower, making a glorious debut into death.

Shows Buffy’s tombstone. It reads:

BUFFY ANNE SUMMERS 1981-2001 BELOVED SISTER, DEVOTED FRIEND

SHE SAVED THE WORLD

A LOT

Fade to black.

Reopen the brand new season with Willow, Tara, Xander, Dawn and Giles sitting in Giles’ living room. Everyone looks somber, Xander and Willow are holding stakes.

Dawn looks down, obviously fighting off tears.

Everyone again sits in silence, looking at each other uncomfortably.

EXT. The Graveyard. At first it seems like Buffy’s but a closer look reveals a name; Ben Tramers. Camera pans up and we see several of Glory’s old scabby minions standing around the gravestone. One of them was holding an egg that looked like the one Dawn had when she tried to raise her mother.

Fade to black.

BUFFY OPENER

INT. Buffy’s room, lights dim and the mood dismal. A poster of an ice skater hangs on the wall with one corner dis-attached and folding over. Sad music in the background. You might want to find your box of tissues. Dawn stands in the doorway, a shadow over her lost and exhausted face. A hand sets itself on Dawn’s shoulder.

Dawn and Giles in not-quite slow motion turn from Buffy’s room, and you get the feeling like the dim light goes out with their departure, into the realm of no-more. Tear-fest for Buffy lovers. The two walk down the stairs and out the front door. The scoobies are all waiting for them, like they didn’t have enough guts to go in. Giles and Dawn turn around and look at the house one last time.

Dawn refuses to answer, instead she folds her arms under her chest stubbornly and purses her lips. Xander looks at her with empathy obviously sharing her pain but unable to come up with any words of comfort.

The group slowly turns around and walks away from the house. The house looms behind them like in “The Haunting” as if it was living and sharing the same pain as everyone else. House fades away.

INT. Glory and Ben’s old apartment. Minions are rushing around like the devil himself is at their heels, picking up this, dusting off that.

The other minions stop what they are doing and simply stared at him amazed at his daringness to make such a comment.

The other minions simply stare at him, appalled and fearful. Minion #3 suddenly looks embarrassed.

Minions give each other strange looks for a second then go back to readying the apartment.

EXT. At the graveyard, a similar peaceful, calm look of the gravestone until we can once again recognize it as Ben’s. A small rustling sound can be heard, and we can see two fingers poking through the dirt like little earthworms breaking out above ground for the first time. They wiggle around for a second, then slowly elongate and become dirty hands, which are attached to upper arms, elbows, shoulders, and then a dirty, wild looking head makes it’s way out. Glory opens her eyes.

Glory quickly pulls the rest of her out as well, and stands on two dirty, wobbly legs. She looks down at herself and utter horror is seen in her bulging eyes.

INT. Dawn, sitting on the floor at Willow and Tara’s. Her back is turned at it looks like she may be silently crying. Willow and Tara look at each other concerned, sadness, hurt and longing apparent in their vacant eyes.

Willow eyes something on her bed and picks it up, running it through her fingers. It’s a pink hair bandana. She can no longer help it, tears well up in her eyes. Tara stands up.

Willow bursts out into tears, her strength obviously non-existent anymore as she buries her head on Tara’s shoulder. Tara glances at Dawn with concern for a moment, but Dawn is unmoving and she cradles Willow once more, raining kisses on her forehead. Tara closes her eyes, trying to hide the fact that she was crying too. Dawn remains still, but her shoulders begin to shake up and down in silent sobs.

INT. Xander’s apartment. Dark and dismal like Willow and Tara’s room, and Xander and Anya are sitting on the bed with their backs to each other in uneasy silence.

INT. Giles’ living room. There is something, a giant portrait of Buffy hanging on the wall. Giles is starting at it. He picks up a bottle of whiskey.

INT. Spike’s crypt. Spike takes a bottle away from his lips and tosses it angrily aside but with lack of force. He picks up the head of the mannequin he had of her often seen in season five.

Never thought I’d be so heartbroken over one of your kind.

Spike runs his hand gently over the mannequin face, obviously in pain. He gently sets the head on a chair and lets his face fall into his hands. He begins to sob.

Fade to black.

INT. Glory’s apartment. The minions have obviously finished their cleaning and are now just sitting around, looking bewildered, exhausted and defeated.

Suddenly an impatient knock is heard at the door. The minions literally jump out of their skins.

Minion #3 shakes his head at the others and rushes to the door. He takes a deep breath and turns the knob, slowly moving the door towards him. There, standing in the door, is a dirt covered, very angry looking Glory, in guy’s clothes no less. Her vengeful eyes are narrowed into tedious slits, and she is breathing heavily and slowly seemingly to maintain an obviously explosive temper. Minion #3 immediately moves aside to let her in. Carefully she extends one leg then the other and slowly closes the door behind her. The minions are on their feet with their hands behind their backs, ready to say how hi should she command them to jump. She scans them with her narrowed eyes.

Minion #1 immediately scurries to do that, obviously not comfortable enough yet to be too near to Glory. The other two look at her nervously, both at a loss for clever words.

Minions scurry off to do as their told. Glory tiptoes over to a chair as if she’s about to sit down and rest, but then looks at herself again and grimaces, deciding against it. Disappears behind her curtains to shed her clothes and get her bathrobe. Minions are seen readying her bath obediently, blindfolds ready to be put on at Glory’s command.

Skip to Glory being done with her bath and sitting by her big mirror at her vanity with a robe on and a towel over her head. She’s applying makeup to her face.

Glory picks up her hairbrush and tosses it to the wall, expecting it to easily make at least a dent with the throwing force of a god. Instead it barely stays in the air long enough to hit the wall. Glory holds out her arm and examines it with confusion, then picks up another stray brush and chucks that one. Obviously it was thrown a bit harder, but definitely not with the strength that she was used to. She takes a big breath and puts her hands on her hips, turning back to her minions.

The minions all glance at each other with confusion and fear. This can’t be good.

INT. Giles’ house, much the same as we left it last time. Dark, dismal, and Giles’ in a drunken’ depression. Old school rock is heard softly in the background, and suddenly there is a knock on the door. Giles sets down his bottle and drags himself to his feet, stumbling towards the door. He opens it.

One of those tearful Kodak moments. Both men’s faces are bleak and dark, as if this loss has ripped them in two and their other halves are lost. They just stand there for a minute looking at each other, silently sharing their immense pain. Giles moves aside.

Angel lowers his head and gingerly walks inside, as if bricks were tied to his feet and every step was an exaggerated movement only adding to his agony. Man and vampire both sit down on the couch and simply stare at nothing with vacant eyes.

After everything she’s done. She doesn’t deserve death.

Man and vampire sit in silence, merely pondering the wonder of a woman they both loved greatly in different ways. Just being there, having someone to share the pain with, seemed to help just a little.

Fade to black.

INT. Back in Glory’s apartment, she is in a rage and throwing anything and everything she can find, however lacking her old, godlike strength. The minions are merely standing about, covering their faces from flying objects.

In a frustrated heap, Glory suddenly sinks to the floor, crossing her legs and cradling her head like a young child who just spent all day looking for her favorite toy but never found it.

She suddenly jerks her head up, grabbing on to her curls and yanking hard on them

Her face momentarily twists in apparent agony, then she morphs into Ben.

Ben blinks from his sitting position and looks around the apartment in total confusion. The minions stop cringing in fear of flying objects, but look at Ben with worry and genuine fear. Ben stands up and puts his hands on his hips.

Anger crosses Ben’s face, and he steps to the right but his foot lands on Glory’s nail-filer.

Ben picks up the nail filer and tosses it, and it goes right through the wall. The minions stop in their tracks and simply stare with wide eyes, as does Ben. Obviously something strange is going on.

All the minions back up slightly, obviously afraid of Ben now that he has Glory’s godlike strength.

Ben goes off into a rage, tearing wildly at the dress Glory had put on and bellowing around the room. The minions all retreat, giving each other looks of defeat and worry. Good going, Minions!

EXT. Giles and Angel are walking to the gravesite. Angel of coarse looks glum, but Giles looks even worse considering he’s done this before. Angel hesitates.

Angel keep walking intending on heading towards Buffy’s grave, but Giles pauses near Ben’s with an unreadable expression on his face. After all, the guy did take a human life, seeing the actual gravestone is bound to put him in a cycle of guilt and bad memories. Angel stops at first appearing to be humble, but suddenly gets a frightened look on his face.

Man and vampire nearly stand and kneel where they were, obviously frozen with terror. Then Giles does something we’ve never seen him do. Giles faints.

INT. The entire Scooby-gang minus Buffy is in Giles’ living room, all looking emotionally exhausted, and worn out and generally uninterested in whatever this meeting was about. We don’t see Angel there at first, but he slowly walks out of Giles’ kitchen. The gang looks somewhat surprised to see him, but no one is tactless enough to try and make a fundamental greeting. Angel somberly sits down next to Willow on a spare spot of one of the couches.

Everyone glares at Xander with anger. This was not the time for any of his clever angel-cracks, and he suddenly seems to realize that as he looks down in embarrassment.

Giles takes off his sunglasses again and rubs his sweaty forehead, obviously still very shaken and fearful.

The entire Scooby-gang, already having been through so much, simply stare at him with blank expressions. At this point, nothing can shock them anymore.

Unable to take the news, Willow bursts into tears. Tara embraces her and pets her hair, tears escaping from her own eyes. There were no words of comfort anyone could offer, for in their hearts they all knew that Willow spoke the truth. Just then Dawn comes out of Giles’ kitchen and sees everyone crying.

Willow looks up at Dawn with a frightening expression of hopelessness. Dawn’s face falls and her knees nearly give in. She obviously knows that this pain, even though it was already unbearable, still wasn’t over.

Everyone hesitates, obviously not only afraid for her, but in a way afraid of her. Dawn stares at everyone individually, pleading with her eyes for someone, just one, to be honest with her. Finally she turns her gaze on Angel.

Utter horror crosses Dawn’s face, her eyes and lips trembling with morbid fear.

Fade to black.

INT. Again, Ben sitting on the floor at his and Glory’s apartment, sweating and looking like he’s in pain.

The minions all look at each other, nervous and frightened. Ben continues to sweat and shift uneasily, in obvious pain and discomfort. Then the door bursts open, and the minions drag in a man in a suit.

Ben looks at the man and shakes his head in a refusing way. The minions give each other more fearful looks. Minion #3 goes over to Ben as another two continue to hold him down.

The minions drag the man over to Ben, who looks at him confused. Ben tries to coordinate his body to scoot away from the man.

The minions ignore the man obviously, and two of them scuttle over to Ben, basically dragging him back over to the man.

A few other minions drag the man closer, and now he looks pitifully terrified.

However, instinct and need take over, and Ben’s expression changes into somber defeat. As the man tries to struggle and scurry away, the minions hold him fast and Ben lets his fingers sink into the man’s skull. For the first time ever, Ben drinks.

INT. Back at Giles house. The Scooby-gang is still sitting on the couches, looking very defeated. Dawn is crying, but silently, only letting tears slip down her cheeks. She doesn’t bother to wipe them away. Tara is still holding Willow, Xander and Anya still sitting side bye side and quiet, same for Angel and Giles.

He’s definitely got their attention now, everyone looking at him with a mixture of confusion and horror.

Maybe there’s a way we can get her there without harming Our world, or any of us.

Angel sits back, obviously shocked and hurt by what Willow said to him, and how hatefully she said it. Even Giles looks shocked.

Giles and Angel share a glance, obviously communicating some silent message about the conversation they had when Angel first arrived about bringing Buffy back.

An uneasy silence follows. As sad as it is, everyone knows it’s true. Glory was in an indirect way the cause of all their sorrows, and the mere thought of trying to help her disgusted them. But in their hearts, they knew that it might be the only way.

Angel gets up to leave, and Giles follows him to have a few private words. The rest of the Scooby-gang simply stare at each other.

Again they all look at Willow, shocked. Willow’s face is twisted in pure hatred such as they have never seen before, and it seems to scare them. Willow’s eyes burn with it.

Fade to black.

INT. Back in Glory’s apartment. Glory had morphed out again, and she was sitting on her bed with her knees pulled up to her chin, the first time she’s ever shown a lack of confidence. The minions were merely standing about, giving each other shared looks of deep worry. The nearly jump out of their skin as a brisk knock on the door is heard. One of them scurries over to answer it, and very mad looking Angel appears on the other side. He immediately tries to rush in, but runs into an invisible force at the door.

The minion looks back at the others helplessly and then at Glory, depending on his god to tell him what to do.

The minion’s eyes bulge out of his head.

Without wasting another second, Angel charges in and heads straight for Glory, putting his hands angrily around her throat. She tries to throw him off but what once was a simple act that didn’t need a tensed muscle, now was more than her human body was capable of. In a huff Angel releases her, still tough but obviously confused.

A look of confusion plays across her face. She didn’t know the details of what happened anyone after Buffy beat her with the giant hammer.

And then my dumb minions brought me back to this hellhole. I think I’m the one who deserves pity here!

I’m not here to argue with you over who deserves what.

I thought Vampires were supposed to kill the Slayer!

I just wanted to go home. This world destroyed, just a side thing. Not my main adgenda.

Glory narrows her eyes and glares at the vampire with a mix of hatred and also hope, and Angel stares back at her with disgust. The minions all stand about uncertainly, but ready to defend their precious god against this vampire at any cost.

Without another word, Angel turned around and walked out of Glory’s apartment. She watches him go, not moving and unsure of what to think.

The minions look at each other with fear and concern. Usually Glory would have them follow, but this accidental switch with her and Ben was taken farther than they thought. This .. could not be good.

INT. In the magic shop, the gang is assembled and not looking too happy about it. They’re sitting at the table supposedly in research mode, but no one had their hearts or minds into it. Willow sits with her arms crossed, obviously refusing to take any part in it. Tara is looking at her with concern, Xander and Anya were digging in the books. Giles was sitting, looking very sad and stressed out. Dawn was sitting in the corner, playing absentmindedly with a gem, obviously fighting off tears.

No one has the energy to chuckle at Xander’s attempt at humor, and for a moment he looks semi-disappointed about that. He shrugs it off and continues flipping through pages. Focus on Dawn again as unnoticed she slides a book off the shelf and carefully opens it. Her eyebrows widen and her lips part, obviously reading something she finds very interesting.

Giles reaches out an enraged fist and slams it against the table, knocking books in the air and sending everyone immediately into a fearful silence. For a moment his eyes seem to lock on everyone, silently warning them all that this wasn’t a subject of debate. Giles already proved that by killing Ben, there was no black and white when it comes to right and wrong. Dawn even jumped from the impact, the book fluttering shut out of paranoia and her sad eyes raising up to regard Giles.

Willow raises her fiery eye in a silent challenge, and everyone seems to hold their breath as they watch her and Giles silently face off. Suddenly, Willow leaps out of her chair.

Willow stalks towards the door and Tara stands up, staring after her in desperation.

Willow pauses and turns her head around to look at Tara with a blank expression. Tara bites her bottom lip, unsure of what to say now that she had her lover’s attention.

Tara looks at Willow, and then shifts her gaze with concern to the rest of the crew. Giles nods in silent understanding, and carefully, Tara stands up and saunters over to Willow. They leave together.

The room goes quiet again, and we see Dawn carefully pick up the book again and reopen it, engulfing herself in what is obviously something of interest.

EXT. Willow and Tara, walking back to their dorm.

The fire and anger that was tightly stretched across Willow’s face fades away as she talks, and is replaces by fear and sadness.

Tara reaches forward and embraces willow, rubbing her back and trying sooth the girl she loves, the girl who obviously had so much more under her layers than anyone else knew.

Both girls crying now, they fall to their knees on the sidewalk, embracing each other tightly as if letting go would mean the end of the world. Again.

Fade to black.

INT. Glory’s apartment again. Glory is sitting on her bed, her knees pulled up to her chin and she’s shaking softly, as if in the mist of a cold chill.

Minions look at each other with concern for their God’s strange, non-arrogant and almost depressed behavior, silently asking one another just how much the resurrection mix-up actually did effect her. One of the minion’s rushes to the closet and grabs a nice shawl, bringing it to Glory. She snatches it away from him, scowling.

Minions again share a worried look as Glory’s eyes slightly glaze over, seemingly lost in a world of pain and confusion.

INT. Magic shop, night time. Very somberly, Anya and Xander are still looking through some books at the table, Dawn still sitting in the corner looking in that same book we saw her with earlier, and Giles pretending to oversee everything. There’s a knock at the door, and Giles slowly goes to answer it. It’s Angel.

Angel quietly enters, keeping his eyes down and walks absentmindedly past Giles. Giles appears concerned.

Giles shoots Xander a look of warning, and Xander lowers his eyes back to his book sheepishly.

Dawn raises her eyes and slowly closes the book she was looking through, and then slowly stood to her feet. Giles turns.

Giles raises an eyebrow, obviously curious as to how Dawn knows this since he didn’t know that she once tried to bring Joyce back, but he has enough tact to not ask questions.

Anya and Xander both raise their heads out of the books they were searching through, looking like nothing could come as a shock to them anymore after all they’ve been through.

While they continue talking, Dawn walks back over the corner and using her foot, slides the book she had been peeking through behind the shelf, trying to keep it out of sight.

Giles sits down, trying to take all this in. So much has happened that he is appearing physically and emotionally drained, and the lines on his face show.

Fade to black.

INT. Glory’s apartment, Glory having been so stressed out lost her hold on her energy, and Ben was now sitting on the couch, literally seen shaking with fear and his face white as a sheet. The minions are standing around, looking nervous and drained.

Minions look at each other, sharing empathy and disappointment.

The minions’ jaws all drop, as if Ben had just said the most forbidden words in history. The first minion rushes forward.

Ben reaches back and belts one of the minions, forgetting apparently that he now has god-strength. The minion goes flying back, and actually breaks through the wall. Sheet rock crumbles, and Ben sighs with defeat, staring at his hand. He then sits down on the couch again, too frustrated to care that the other minions were still staring at him with fear.

INT. Magic Box. Basically picking up where the scene left off. Everyone seems quiet; thinking.

Angel nods to everyone and makes his way out, once again heading for Glory’s flat. Anya yawns, resting her head on her arm and Xander looks at her with silent concern. Giles stares blankly towards the door.

INT. Glory’s apartment, again. There’s a knock on the door. Ben sits up, narrowing his eyes.

Minions glance at each other with worry, and Minion #2 rushes forward to see.

Ben looks confused, since it was Glory who was here the first time he visited, he doesn’t even know who “the vampire” is. Having already been invited in once, Angel shoves the door directly into the minion and struts angrily inside, obviously looking for Glory. He sees Ben and stops, not prepared for that.

Angel suddenly reaches in his pocket quickly producing a fairly small dagger, and throws it full-force at Ben. It was too quick for him to be able to avoid it, but it merely bounces off him anyway. Angel sighs.

ANGEL

That.

Suddenly a cool Angelus-like smile plays across Angel’s face, and Ben looks almost apprehensive under the chill. Angel shakes his head softly, still smiling.

Ben’s face becomes dark and his sarcastic, defensive look fades. It’s obvious he does believe Angel. And he’s afraid.

A dark look of guilt crosses Ben’s face. He can’t deny what he had done, and what he would have to do again to survive.

A minion rushes forward, his face all frazzled.

Angel leaps forward and grabs him by his neck roughly, vamping out and trying to control his temper.

Ben only sighs, not making a move in the minion’s defense. His eyes glum he only watches, and Angel glances at him out of the corner of his eye.

Angel keeps staring him down with his yellow eyes narrowed in hatred. Close in on his face as the scene fades.

INT. The magic shop, the sun is just beginning to rise and everyone looks exceptionally tired with bags under their eyes. Xander and Anya have obviously given up looking through their books and are sitting at the table resting their heads on their hands. Dawn is sleeping in the corner, and only Giles is the one who seems to be attempting to stay awake. He is sitting at the register counter going through what looks like the store’s record books. Xander looks up lazily.

Giles’ head lurches up from his record books as if Xander had just yanked him out of something deep.

Xander stands up and Anya lifts her head.

Xander silently nods and goes over to Dawn, gently nudging her.

Dawn shifts her weight and opens her eyes with effort.

Dawn sighs heavily and untangles herself while Xander goes to collect Anya. While no one’s looking, Dawn reaches under the shelf where she kicked that book earlier and after glancing around one last time to make sure it was safe, stuffs it in her backpack. She scrambles to her feet as Xander and Anya approach her.

The three of them begin to make their way out of the magic shop single file, and Xander flips the sign. Giles watches them go with a sad look on his face.

The three begin making their way down the Sunnydale main street, staring up at the steadily rising sun.

Xander and Anya both stop, surprised by Dawn’s outburst after she’d been so quiet lately. A look of pity and remorse crosses their faces.

Dawn shifts the bag on her shoulders and glares at them pointedly. Anya looks down. She was getting better with words but in times of grief, she still had to struggle to find the right things to say. Instead of exchanging any more words, the three of them turned around and continued walking in silence.

INT. Tara and Willow’s apartment. Willow is sitting on the bed staring blankly at ‘Miss Kitty Fantastico’ and Tara is brushing her hair. Willow gets up slowly and walks over to their bookshelf, taking out the book that Dawn had used last season to try to resurrect her mother. Willow begins to turn the pages and Tara suddenly looks up.

Tara sets the brush down and walks over to Willow, giving her a sad look.

Tara slowly takes the book out of Willow’s hands, and Willow sadly lets her. Tara hugs her again.

The girls continue to hug, Tara rubbing Willow’s back in an attempt to sooth her. Tara can’t see Willow’s face, but her sadness vanishes momentarily to seething hatred. Then she closes her eyes again and the moment is gone.

INT. Glory’s place again. Ben is sitting on the bed again looking scared, then suddenly his eyebrows rise and he morphs into Glory. She glances around for a spit second with hope in her eyes, then seems to remember her situation and her face falls. Minions rush to her aid.

Sighing, Glory leans her head against the pillow rubbing her temples.

The minion smiled nervously, unsure of how to respond to that. Another minion rushes in with a glass of water in one hand, and his other palm up carrying something.

The minion hands her the Advil and the glass of water.

Glory tosses the pills into her mouth and swings some water, swallowing them. The minion waits to see if she wants more water, but since she’s not taking any more sips he gently takes it back for her. She pauses for maybe three seconds.

Glory groans again and lays her head back down on her pillow. The minions exchange a glance. God powers or no, she was still in a way the same Glory that they knew and loved. And at least that was something.

INT. The magic shop, Giles is still at the counter trying desperately to stay awake, but every few moments his eyelids would droop. He finally slams the book shut and sits up.

He pauses again, then grabs his coat and his keys, and leaves the magic shop.

INT. Xander’s place. Xander is crashed on his bed, and Anya is removing his shoes. Xander’s already sleeping.

Anya frowns, glancing at him and then glancing down to the engagement ring on her finger.

INT. Giles house. His hair is a greasy mess and he didn’t bother changing out of his clothes before he crashed on the couch. He’s sleeping too. The scene slowly fades and turns into Giles’ dream world. Giles is standing in seemingly the middle of no where, at the edge of a cliff, looking fairly beat up.

Into view comes the now-familiar form of the first Slayer.

Death, was her gift.

The form of the first Slayer fades away, as does the dream world. Giles suddenly awakes to someone knocking on his door. Sighing, he drags his body off of the couch and waddles to the door, opening it slowly with suspicion. A classy looking man in a business suit is standing in the doorway. The man holds out his hand.

Giles’ eyes bulge with surprise, jealousy and even hatred. He is frozen, unable and unwilling to reach forward and shake the man’s hand.

Fade to black.

END OF BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER