Who Are You

"Who Are You?"

Transcribed by Joseph B

Written and directed by: Joss Whedon

Originally aired: February 29, 2000

Disclaimer: This is a transcript intended for anyone who cannot watch BTVS for whatever reason, to enjoy, as well as those who think transcripts are just cool, and as reference material for fanfic writers. Buffy and all copyrighted characters are the product of Joss Whedon and I have nothing but respect for him and those whose hard work is put into bringing us a great show. I did this of my own free time and will never make a dime from it.

Now let me add. If you are looking at this transcript, save it, copy it, send it to your friends. Unlike other transcribers, who I have nothing but respect for, if you see any mistakes that might be in this transcript, feel free to correct them, or if you just want to personalize it to suit yourself, by all means. Hell I do it.

~~~~~~~~~~~ Prologue ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Transcriber's notes: Tonight, the role of Buffy Summers will be played by Eliza Dushku. For the sake of this transcript, the transcriber will refer to Faith-in-Buffy's-body as just Faith and Buffy-in-Faith's-body as just Buffy.

Fade in. Night. Exterior shot of the Summers home, shortly after "This Year's Girl" ended. Several police cars are out in front of the house, strobing the neighborhood with their red lights. An ambulance is parked on the lawn, it's rear doors open and facing the house. A few curious neighbors have also gathered. A plainclothes detective (same one from last episode) is talking to the young woman he thinks is Buffy Summers. They're standing close to the steps of the front porch. Joyce Summers is walking out of the house and drapes a coat around her daughter's shoulders.

Detective: It's good you called. We've been looking for this girl since she broke out of the hospital.

Joyce: What's going to happen to her?

Detective: Well, get her checked out. If she's in stable condition, she goes to jail, pending trial.

Joyce: I just hope she gets some kind of help.

Behind them, the paramedics are wheeling a gurney out the front door. Faith's body is strapped to it. She's barely conscious.

Detective: The first thing is to keep her from hurting anybody else.

As it's taken past Joyce and her daughter the brunette looks at them with half-opened eyes. From her blurring POV she sees the younger blonde take her mother's hand and lift it, casually, to make sure she sees this. Then her vision fades as she loses consciousness. The paramedics load her into the ambulance.

Detective: Well, you guys will be safe now. We may have a couple of questions in the morning.

Joyce: Oh, uh, of course.

Detective: Thank you both. I'm glad we finally got the kid.

Faith: (sharply) She's not a kid. (sees the detective's surprised look) I just mean that she's very strong.

Detective: Yeah. This Faith chick-- definitely dangerous.

With that, the detective turns and walks toward one of the squad cars. Joyce heads back into the house, but Faith stands there watching the ambulance pull out of the drive way.

Faith: She truly is.

Faith turns, in her new body, and starts walking back to the house.

Wolf's howl. Buffy theme and credits roll.

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Part One ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fade in. Interior of the Summers home. The last of the police have left and Joyce is closing the front door. Faith is casually walking into the living room stretching her arms.

Joyce: Faith.

Startled, Faith spins around to face her, slight panic on her face. But Joyce has a thoughtful expression.

Joyce: Why do you think she's like that?

Faith: (offhandedly) Well, you know. She's a nut job. Heh.

Joyce: I just don't understand what could drive a person to that kind of behavior.

Faith: Well, how do you know she got drove? I mean, maybe she likes being that way.

Joyce: I'll never believe that. I think she's horribly unhappy.

Faith: Well, could be things are looking up. I mean, a little stint in the pokey, show her the error of her ways. (slight grin) I'm sure there's some big old Bertha just waiting to shower her ripe little self with affection.

Joyce: (shocked) Buffy!

Faith: (oops) I'm sorry, Mom. It's just . . . (crosses the room to Joyce playing "concerned daughter") when I think about how she might have hurt you, I just . . . I can't stand it.

Touched, Joyce smiles and gives her a big hug. Over her shoulder we can see Faith grimace in discomfort at this mushy affection. She pulls away and heads towards the stairs.

Joyce: (slightly hurt) Sorry.

Faith: (makes of show of stretching her shoulders) No, I'm just, uh, sore from the fight.

In front of the stairs, she faces her.

Joyce: I've missed you.

Faith: 'Cause I haven't visited, right? (smug) I knew it.

Joyce: I know how it is. You've . . . got so much in your life now.

Faith: I'm a busy little beaver. College and all.

Joyce: (nods) Of course. (hopefully) But, um, maybe we could spend some time together soon? Some night when I'm not being held hostage by a raving psychotic.

Faith: (pause) Count on it. (smiles) I'm gonna take a bath.

She turns abruptly and heads upstairs.

Cut to Faith in the tub, having a bubble bath. She sighs with her eyes closed. Then she raises her arms out of the water to examine them. She lifts her left leg straight up to look at it and smiles, caressing it with her hands. Faith lowers the leg back in the water and scoops two handfuls of suds and blows the bubbles into the air.

Cut to Faith looking at Buffy's reflection in the mirror, from the mirror's POV. Her hair is hanging wet on her shoulders and she has a towel wrapped around herself. She turns her head to the right then to the left. She leans towards the mirror for a closer look and scrunches her face. She relaxes her features then uses her index fingers to push her eyebrows high on her forehead. Next, she opens her mouth wide to stick her tongue out. Again she uses her index fingers to raise her top lip, looking at Buffy's very white teeth.

Cut to a few frames later, still in front of the mirror. Faith is speaking in a pleasant "stewardess" voice.

Faith: Why, yes, I would be Buffy. May I help you?

Cut to a few frames later.

Faith: (practicing) Buf-fy.

Cut to Faith sticking her tongue out again, head tilted to the side.

Cut to Faith running her fingers through Buffy's wet hair, then puts forth an admonishing finger as if speaking to a child.

Faith: (scolding) You can't do that! It's wrong.

Cut to a few frames later.

Faith: (sensitive) You can't do that, because it's naughty. (grimaces)

A few more frames.

Faith: (stern) Because it's wrong.

Cut.

Faith: (empathy) Because it's wrong.

Another cut. Faith is walking a few feet away from the mirror then suddenly whips around to face it, pointing at it with her hand in a gun shape.

Faith: (bad-ass tone) You can't do that! It's wrong! I'll kick your ass!

Cut to same shot. Still pointing at the mirror.

Faith: I'm gonna kill you!

Cut to Faith leaning closer to the mirror as a voice-over of evil laughter is heard and we--

Cut to the hospital. We see a burly male nurse come crashing across the room, hitting the counter, and he falls to the floor. He just had his ass thrown.

Faith's voice: (OS) Let me go! Let me go!

Camera pans and we see who appears to be Faith thrashing in a bed trying to free herself from the men who are holding her down. The doctor hurries away from the bed as a police officer, the detective, and two orderlies restrain the young woman. It's all they can do to keep her on the bed.

Doctor: Get me a sedative, NOW!

Detective: Hold her!

Buffy: (yelling) I have to go home! She's with my mother!

The doctor returns and clamps a hand on her arm to still it and shoves a syringe needle into her vein.

Buffy: NO!

Doctor: Just lie still.

Buffy: (weakening voice) You don't understand.

Detective: Keep holding her.

Her struggles quickly lessen as the drug takes effect.

Buffy: (fading) She's taken my-- my body.

Unable to keep her eyes open her head falls back.

Cut to Tara's dimly lit room. Willow is laying on the bed, hands folded across her stomach. Tara is sitting on the other side of the bed reading tarot cards.

Willow: I wonder where she is?

Tara: Who? Faith?

Willow: Yeah. I wish she would make a move. She's making my stomach all acidy.

Tara: But you think Buffy can handle her?

Willow sits up to face her.

Willow: I think so. (worried) But that doesn't mean Faith won't hurt someone else.

Tara: Well, you should be safe. Nobody knows you're here. I mean . . . they don't even know I exist, right? I know all about them, but . . .

Willow: Hey.

Willow puts a gentle hand on Tara's knee. Tara continues in a "no big deal" tone.

Tara: I mean, I mean, th-that's totally cool. I mean, it-it's good. It's . . . it's better.

But Willow can see through this.

Willow: Tara, it's not like I don't want my friends to know you. It's just . . . well, Buffy's like my best friend, and she's really special. And . . there's this whole bunch of us, and-and we sort of have this group thing that revolves around the slaying, and-and I-I really want you to meet them. But I-I just kinda like having something that's just, you know . . . mine.

Tara regards her silently for a moment.

Willow: And I-I usually don't use so many words to say stuff that little, but (laughs softly) do you get it at all?

Tara: I do.

Willow takes a deep breath.

Willow: I should check in with Giles, get a situation update.

She gets up and rounds the bed to the other side of the room behind Tara.

Tara: I am, you know.

Willow stops to face her.

Willow: What?

Tara looks over her shoulder at her.

Tara: (meaningfully) Yours.

Willow just smiles at this.

Cut to Buffy's bedroom. Faith is standing in front of the full-length mirror checking out Buffy's reflection. She's dressed in a long, sleek black tank top and black leather pants and boots. Buffy's hair is in wavy curls (her "Something Blue" hair). Reaching into the shirt, she adjusts Buffy's breasts to a more perky position then puts her hands on her hips to inspect the improved cleavage.

Faith: Not too bad.

Faith turns to Buffy's dresser and begins to search it. In the first drawer she opens she finds Buffy's passport and flips through it.

Faith: Score.

Cut to Joyce's room. Faith is on the bed speaking into the phone. Joyce's wallet is laying open in front of her and she's holding a credit card in her hand reading the numbers.

Faith: . . . 6-4-4-7. Uh, expiration, 5-0-1. (slips the card back into the wallet glancing at the door to make sure the coast is clear) Uh-huh. Yeah. (she pulls out a small bundle of dollar bills and stuffs them into her bra) Ten AM's your earliest flight? I'll take it.

She turns the phone off and puts it down just before Joyce walks in from the bathroom door.

Joyce: What are you doing?

Faith: Oh, just (grabs the stack of envelopes beside her) . . . getting my mail.

Joyce: Oh. Um, that was, um, Giles on the other line. He wanted you to meet your friends there. Said he had news.

Faith mulls this over and grins.

Faith: Yeah. I got some time to kill. (swinging her legs off the bed she walks over to the vanity table) I'll go see the gang. All my friends. (snatches up a lipstick resting on it) You don't mind if I steal this, right?

Joyce: Is that the Harlot?

Faith: (looks at it) Yeah.

Joyce: That's the same one Faith picked.

Faith regards Joyce's expression.

Faith: (tossing her the lipstick) Burn it.

Joyce catches it and watches her "daughter" leave the room. A confused expression on her face.

Cut to Buffy. She is in the back of a squad car regaining consciousness. She opens her eyes. Through her blurring POV we can see the car cruising down a quiet street somewhere in town. A uniformed officer is driving and the detective is in the passenger seat.

Detective: (glancing back at her) She's coming to. Man, I want this kid's constitution.

Buffy: (dazed) Faith.

Detective: Let's move it. I want to get her in before she's a hundred percent.

Cut to exterior shot. A red unmarked armored truck suddenly pulls out into the street stopping directly in front of them. before the cop can apply the brakes, the front end is smashing into the larger vehicle hardly putting a dent in its armored side. Immediately, the rear doors are thrown open and two men in leather coats jump out. Collins is holding an automatic pistol, equipped with a silencer, and keeps the two cops in the front seat covered, but they're out from the impact. The second man, Weatherby, is carrying a sledgehammer and smashes the window in the backseat. Collins uses the barrel of his gun to clear the window frame of loose pieces of glass and Weatherby reaches in to pull Buffy unceremoniously out of the car.

Weatherby: By order of the Watcher's Council, you are being taken into custody until such time--

Collins takes one of her arms and together they drag her to the armored truck. Still feeling the effects of the drugs, there is also blood trailing from high on her forehead from a cut she suffered in the crash.

Collins: Skip the speech.

Buffy cannot resist as they lift her into the back.

Collins: Let's go.

Collins slams the doors shut.

~~~~~~~~~~ Part Two ~~~~~~~~~~~

Fade in. The camera follows Faith as she opens Giles' front door and walks into his apartment. Willow is at the bar and we see Giles in the kitchen pouring himself a glass of what looks like orange juice. Xander walks into frame from the living room area.

Giles: Ah, Buffy. Good.

Faith: The Scooby gang's all here. Willow, Xander, and (sees Anya standing close to Xander) . . . everybody. What's up?

She hops on Giles' desk and swings her feet happily.

Giles: It's about Faith, not surprisingly.

Faith: Didn't Joyce tell you? I already kicked that ass. (slaps her fist into her palm)

Xander: I feel a high-five coming on.

Willow: Where is she?

Faith: (grinning) On her way to the big house. Cops took her off my hands about an hour ago. Poetic justice.

Anya: How's that?

Faith: Well . . . she did all those crimes and now she's being arrested. (frowns) I guess that's just regular justice. It's cool, anyway.

Giles: (stepping out of the kitchen) Unless I'm mistaken, Faith is no longer in police custody.

Faith: (hops off the desk) What are you talking about?

Giles: The Watcher's Council. They, uh, sent a retrieval team to capture Faith.

Faith: (sarcastic) Well, yeah. I mean, `cause it worked so well when Wesley tried it. (leans on the desk)

Giles: This is a special operations unit. They, uh, handle the council's trickier jobs: smuggling, interrogation, uh, wetworks.

Willow: What's wetworks?

Xander: Scuba-type stuff.

Anya: I thought it was murder?

Xander: Well, yeah. (lamely) But there could be underwater murder, with snorkels.

Faith: So they're taking her to England?

Giles: It'll be a long, long time before she returns.

Faith starts chuckling. It quickly becomes laughter and everybody stares at her.

Faith: (trying to stop) Sorry. It's just . . . I'm happy. Faith is evil.

Willow: (disdainful) Yeah. I hope they throw the book at her.

Giles: I'm not sure there is a-a book for this.

Willow: (innocently) They could throw other things.

Faith: (to Willow) I forgot how much you don't like Faith.

Willow: After what she's done to you? Oh, I wish those council guys would let me have an hour alone in the room with her. (a beat) If I was larger and had grenades.

Faith: (scornful) I bet I know what Faith would say to that.

Faith rushes forward, a large knife suddenly in her hand, and plunges the blade into Willow's stomach pushing her against the bar. Willow is too shocked to scream as Faith pulls the knife out and stabs her again.

Faith jerks her head up in a start as Anya's voice brings her out of that vision and she's still leaning against the desk.

Anya: (OS: to Giles) So what you're saying is that everything's fine?

Faith is just looking at Willow uncomfortably.

Giles: (OS) Oh, um . . . yes.

Willow notices Faith's expression.

Anya: (OS) Well, I'm glad you called us all here, because that information can never be conveyed by telephone.

Willow steps closer to Faith.

Willow: (concerned) What's up?

Giles: (OS) Well, I just thought it was, uh, best to convene, in case there were any loose ends--

Faith: I'd never let her hurt you.

Giles: (OS) . . . or things that we might have forgotten.

Willow: (smiles trustingly) I know.

Giles: (OS) But if you're, uh, keen to go, then, please, by all means. Go.

Faith regards her for a moment, then smiles.

Xander: (hugging Anya) We kinda have a romantic evening planned.

Anya: (smiling) We were gonna light a bunch of candles and have sex near them. (a flash of discomfort crosses Xander's face)

Faith: (knowingly) Well, we certainly don't want to cut into that seven minutes.

Anya: (hurt) Hey.

Xander: I believe that's my "hey." (to Faith) Hey!

Faith: (grinning) Lighten up. We're out of danger. (turns and walks towards the door) Everything's good.

Giles: We still have Adam to take care of.

Faith: (huh?) Yeah. (faces them) Adam. (casually) What's up with him?

Giles: I wish we knew.

Faith: Well, don't worry about it. I'll patrol tonight. As long as it takes. You guys have your fun. I'll be out there doing my job.

Off Faith's serious expression we--

Cut to the Bronze. The music is jamming and Faith is in the middle of the crowded dance floor gyrating wildly. A montage of shots of her dancing with several different people, male and female, having just about as much fun as was legally possible and still keeping your clothes on.

Cut to Faith still dancing as she leaves the dance floor, heading for the bar. We see Spike walking out from under the stair case and he doesn't see her until she bumps into him.

Faith: Ooo!

Spike: ("bugger it" sigh) Oh, *you*.

Faith: (a beat) And you.

Spike: What? Are you keeping tabs on me? You're gonna give me a hard time now?

Faith: (blinks questioningly) Um, do I usually give you a hard time?

Spike: (not amused) Very funny. Well, you don't have to worry about me drinking. (raises his beer bottle) Unless you're here to protect innocent beers.

He walks back to stand under the stairs. Faith follows him and leans an arm against a support.

Faith: You're a vampire.

Spike: (glaring) Was. And as soon as I get this chip out of my head, I'll be a vampire again. But until then, I'm just as helpless as a kitten up a tree. So why don't you sod off?

Faith: (nonchalantly) Okay. (starts walking away)

Spike: (pissed) Oh, fine! Throw it in my face! (she faces him again) Spike's not a threat anymore, I'll turn my back! He can't hurt me.

Faith: Spike? (recognition) Spike. (she starts to smile as she steps closer to him, until she's standing right in front of him) William the Bloody with a chip in his head. I kind of love this town.

Spike: (scoffs) You know why I really hate you, Summers?

Faith: (cheerfully) `Cause I'm a stuck-up tight-ass with no sense of fun?

Spike: Well-- (falters) . . . Yeah, that covers a lot of it.

Faith: `Cause I could do anything I want, and instead I choose to pout and whine and feel the burden of Slayerness? (shrugs) I mean, I could be rich. I could be famous. I could have anything. (a beat) Anyone.

She steps even closer, putting her hands on his chest, their faces only inches apart. Spike backs up until his back is against a support and Faith stays close.

Faith: Even you, Spike. (voice taking on a sultry tone) I could ride you at a gallop until your legs buckled and your eyes rolled up. I've got muscles you've never even dreamed of. I could squeeze you until you pop like warm champagne and you'd beg me to hurt you just a little bit more. And you know why I don't?

Their lips very close, Spike doesn't say anything but seems *very* interested in the answer.

Faith: Because it's wrong. (chuckles)

She steps around him backing off and Spike glares at her with dangerous eyes as she just grins back at him.

Spike: (menacingly) I get this chip out . . . you and me are gonna have a confrontation.

Faith: (just as menacingly) Count on it.

She walks away. In silent rage, Spike turns back around then spins and hurls his bottle against the wall where she had been standing just a moment ago. Still pissed, he turns and stalks across the club towards the door, stepping between a young couple, shoving them roughly aside. Before he can take another step the implant in his head sends pain shooting through his skull and he raises a hand to his head. As the pain subsides he continues on his way.

Cut to the sewers. Four vampires step into a tunnel that opens up to a musty cave. The leader of the pack is Boone, with his demon face, looking like a deformed younger cousin of Tom Cruise.

Boone: It's too crowded. We gotta hold out for a few hours, pick up a straggler. Some drunk. Can't be calling attention to (they stop when they see something in the cave) . . . ourselves.

Adam is standing in the cave looking at them in that aura of casual bad-assness he carries around.

ADAM: I've been thinking. About vampires.

Boone: (threateningly) This is my place.

ADAM: (unintimidated) You're place, yes. The sewers. You hide from them. Crawl about in their filth. Scavenging like rats. What do you fear?

Boone has a "you believe the *cajones* on this guy" look on his face and turns to the vamp flunky on his right.

Boone: Kill this guy already.

The vamp charges Adam with a growl. For his part, Adam just raises an arm in a "never mind" manner and catches the vampire by the throat.
As the other three vamps look on in "deep shit" wonderment, Adam continues as if not interrupted.

ADAM: You fear the cross. The sun. Fire. (looks at his captive) And, oh, yes . . .

He clamps his other hand on the unfortunate vamp's shoulder. Close up shot of Adam as we hear him rip its head off. Cut to Adam's feet and the vamp's body falls to the ground, quickly followed by its head and it's in mid roll when they both disintegrate to ashes.

ADAM: I believe decapitation is a problem as well.

Boone: You can have the place. I mean, we don't have to stay here anymore.

ADAM: You fear death. (Adam walks closer to them) Being immortal, you fear it more than those to whom it comes naturally. Vampires are a paradox.

Boone: (nervously) Okay. We're a paradox. That's cool.

ADAM: Demon in a human body. You walk in both worlds and belong to neither. I can relate. Come.

Adam puts a hand on his shoulder and Boone is more than a little anxious, but Adam just smiles at him.

ADAM: We have a lot to talk about.

Cut to rotating fade in on Buffy. Her head's moving as she regains consciousness and the camera pulls back as she opens her eyes with a start. She lifts her hands and finds she's chained up, still in the back of the armored truck. She sees Weatherby kneeling in front of her.

Weatherby: (callously) Well, it's awake.

Buffy: Who are you?

Weatherby: Council. We're taking you back to the mother country. Seems you've been a naughty girl.

Buffy: Listen to me. Y-you've made a mistake. I am not Faith. (from the open rear doors she sees Collins step into view) I'm Buffy Summers. Faith performed some kind of spell. She switched our bodies.

Collins: (stoically) Congratulations. No one's ever actually tried that one on me before.

Buffy: You have to find Faith. Call Giles! J-just get him here!

Collins: Giles doesn't work for the council anymore. For that matter, neither does Buffy Summers. And what you are, miss, is the package. I deliver the package. I don't much care what's inside. (to Weatherby) Come on.

Weatherby watches him walk away then turns to Buffy.

Weatherby: (angrily) He may not care, but I do. The Watcher's Council used to mean something. You perverted it. You trash. We should have killed you while you were asleep.

He spits in her face and Buffy jerks back as it hits her. She's shocked and hurt, but not without being more than a little pissed. She doesn't say anything as she watches him climb out of the armored truck and close the doors.

Cut back to the Bronze. Willow and Tara have just walked in and are making their way through the crowd.

Willow: (smiling) I can't believe you've never been here. The Bronze is the coolest place in Sunnydale. Of-of course, there's not a lot of competition. I think the vending machine at Bergen's came in second.

Tara: Y-you used to come here a lot?

They're standing near the pool table now.

Willow: We lived here. Me, Xander-- (stops when she sees something)

Group: (OS) . . . chug, chug, chug . . .

Willow: (surprised) Buffy?

Cut to the bar where Faith is with the group surrounding a tall guy chugging a bottle of beer.

Faith: (with group) Chug, chug, chug, chug, chug, chug-- ooh!

The guy chokes and loses half the beer in his mouth.

Willow: Wow. I-I didn't think she'd be here. Come on, I want you to meet her.

Willow takes her hand and leads her towards Faith. Faith is playfully shoving the guy away.

Faith: Back off. You're nothing but a disappointment.

Willow: Hey, Buffy.

Faith: Willow! And, uh . . . (sees Tara)

Willow: Buffy, this is Tara.

Tara: (nervously) Hi.

Faith: So we've never met? (relieved) Cool. Just . . . having a thing with names.

Willow: Tara was in my wicca group.

Faith: (not caring) Uh-huh.

She turns and heads over to the couches by the wall.

Willow: (following) So, what's up? Patrol a no go?

Faith drops herself down on a couch and kicks her boots on the coffee table, her knees splayed wide open. Tara sits in a chair and Willow sits on the arm of that chair.

Faith: Got tired. You know, the whole Faith thing. I let off some steam.

Willow: Good for you. You shouldn't work yourself too hard.

Faith raises her arms and folds her hands behind her head.

Faith: (grinning) That's my philosophy.

Willow: Anyone want a soda?

Tara: Water.

Faith shakes her head and Willow stands to get in line at the bar. Faith sees Tara watching Willow and sits up.

Faith: So you guys been hanging out a lot lately, huh?

Tara: (smiling) Yeah. She's, um, she's really cool.

Faith nods, a sly grin appearing on her face, then shakes her head as she glances at Willow.

Faith: So Willow's not driving stick anymore. (Tara stops smiling) Who would have thought? I guess you never really know someone until you've been inside their skin. (Tara's uncomfortable and lowers her head) And Oz is out of the picture? Oh. Never seen two people so much in love. (whispering) She just couldn't get enough of old Oz.

Tara: She, um, said he, uh, uh, w-w-w-w-w-w--

Faith: (cruelly) W-w-w-w-what? You gonna get that sentence out sometime tonight?

Hurt, Tara lowers her head again. Willow hurries back to them.

Willow: Buffy, guy in the corner.

Faith looks and we see a guy with his arm around a young woman's shoulders leading her across the floor.

Faith: Yeah. Good call.

Tara: (lifts her head) What?

Willow: Vampire.

Faith sits back again.

Faith: Wicked obvious. (sees Willow's expectant expression and realizes . . .) So I should slay him. (gets up)

Willow: You want help?

Faith: Nah, I got it.

Camera tacks Faith as she walks across the Bronze. Without stopping nor looking, she grabs a cue stick off the pool table on the way.

Cut to deserted backstage area. The guy is already vamped out and holding the young woman from behind, fangs buried in her neck. She's struggling weakly against him. Behind them Faith steps through the doorway and snaps the cue stick in half. She drops the smaller piece as she steps up closer.

Faith: Hey!

She clubs him in the back and the vampire lets go of the girl and she falls to her knees as he faces Faith. With the stick she blocks his swinging punches and kicks him in the side of the knee, making him bend forward. She grabs him by the back of the neck, pulling him in close, and slams the splintered end into his chest. Faith tosses him aside and we hear him combust before he hits the wall.

Not even breathing heavy, she steps closer to the girl and looks down at her. She's bleeding from the neck but it doesn't look like she lost too much blood.

Faith: (no big deal) You'll live.

Girl: (frightened) He was so strong! I--

Faith: (nonchalant) Yeah, well . . . he's gone now.

The girl touches the blood on her neck and looks at it. As Faith turns to walk away, she reaches out and catches her hand, stopping her.

Girl: (gratefully) Thank you. *Thank you.*

Faith: (unsure) Yeah. It's cool.

She turns, dropping the stick, and walks out.

Cut back to the Bronze. Willow sees Faith return and leaves Tara's side to meet her on the floor.

Willow: Everything poofed?

Faith: All's well in the world.

Willow: Tara's not feeling well. I'm gonna walk her home.

Faith glances at Tara who's looking uneasy with her arms crossed.

Faith: (knowingly) Yeah. You give her whatever she needs.

Willow: Are you gonna be in later, or are you going over to Riley's?

Shot closes in on Faith as she starts to smile at that idea.

Cut to dark nondescript warehouse. Panning shot and we see the armored truck where a loud banging can be heard coming from inside. Collins is walking across the floor giving the vehicle an unconcerned glance. The third man on the team, Smith, however, is tired of this and is opening up is attache' case to pull out a syringe.

Smith: (marching to the truck) This'll bloody keep you quiet.

He swings open the rear doors and climbs inside. Buffy is on her knees where she had been pounding her chains against the metal door behind the front seat. Smith reaches for her and Buffy grabs him and pulls him down, wrapping her chains around his neck. He cries out.

Buffy: How about this? I'll be quiet, and you can scream.

Collins and Weatherby run to the back and look inside. Buffy glares at them coldly.

Buffy: Now, you unchain me, very slowly AND politely, or I kill this guy.

Collins regards her coolly and lowers his gun.

Collins: When we go on a job, we always put our affairs in order first, in case of accident.

Buffy is shocked and glances down at the frightened Smith.

Smith: (choking) Collins...

Collins: (unfeeling) Sorry, Smithy.

He and Weatherby just walk away. Camera tracks them.

Collins: She's starting to bother me.

They stop a few yards away from the armored truck.

Weatherby: Getting her across the border is gonna be a lot more trouble than it's worth.

Collins: If the council can even get us passage. I'll call them. It's time for a contingency plan.

Behind them, Smith flies out the back of the truck and hits the floor hard, but he's alive. Collins doesn't even spare him a glance as he walks off, but Weatherby looks over his shoulder briefly before following.

Inside the armored truck Buffy has a worried expression.

Cut to Riley's room in Lowell House. He is sitting at his desk doing homework when he hears his door open behind him. He swivels in his chair to face it and sees Faith standing in the doorway, ankles crossed, leaning an arm against the frame. She plays with a strand of blonde hair as she looks at him.

Faith: Hi, baby.

~~~~~~~~~~~ Part Three ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fade in on Tara's dimly lit room. Tara opens the door and walks to the other side of the room, crossing her arms.

Willow: (closing the door) I'm sorry you're feeling all blechy. But we'll get together with Buffy another time. Sometime soon. (smiles) I think you'll really like her.

Tara: (faces her) She's not your friend.

Willow: (smile slips away) I may have overestimated the "you liking her" factor.

Tara: No, no. I mean, I don't (sighs) I don't think she's . . . her.

Willow: You lost me.

Tara: Well, uh, a person's energy has a flow, a unity. Buffy's was . . . was fragmented. It-it grated, like something forced in where it doesn't belong. Plus, she was, um, she was kind of mean.

Willow: So you think Buffy's not herself? Like she's been possessed or something?

Tara: I'm not sure.

Willow: You didn't sense a hyena energy at all, did you? Because hyena possession is just . . . unpleasant.

Tara: Do you have anything of hers?

Willow: Of Buffy's? Uh. Oh. (indicates her right hand) This ring.

Tara: I-I think there's a way we can . . .

Tara goes to her desk and opens an old looking book. Willow joins her.

Tara: The passage to the nether realm. There-there's a ritual. If you can find Buffy there, you should be able to see.

Willow: If it'll help her. (sees Tara's worried expression) What?

Tara: Well, the nether realm exists beyond the physical world. Accessing it is . . . It-it's kind of like astral projection. It's very intense. I'd have to be your anchor. Keep you on this plane.

Willow: I trust you.

Tara: It-it's not like anything that we've ever--

Willow: (smiling) I trust you.

Cut to Riley's room. How we left it.

Faith: You miss me?

Riley: I did, actually. Everything's okay?

Faith steps into the room and saunters over to him.

Faith: Everything's great.

Riley: What about Faith?

Faith: (as she sits straddled across his lap) Faith has won a fabulous trip to England, and I got the consolation prize, which is you.

Riley: (as she caresses his chest) So I don't have to worry about Faith showing up? Though I have to admit, I was kind of curious to meet her.

She holds his wrists as she dips herself back over his legs.

Riley: Or I was until about 30 seconds ago.

Faith: (sits back up) Oh, you wouldn't have liked Faith. She's not proper and joyless, like a girl should be. She has a tendency to give in to her animal instincts.

She playfully bites his bottom lip. He glances past her.

Riley: Door's open.

Faith: So?

Riley: So my fantasies don't tend to include a bunch of marines staring in at me.

Faith: Oh, maybe they could learn something.

She buries her face into the side of his neck. Riley wraps his arms around her as he gets up from the chair and sets her down. He clutches a hand lightly to his side as he walks to the door. Faith notices this.

Faith: You're hurt?

Riley: (groans softly as he closes the door) I'm not that bad, actually. I guess the, uh, drugs the professor gave me really did make me stronger. I'm healing pretty quick.

Faith: (putting her hands on her hips) Maybe we should take you for a test drive.

Riley: (grinning) I wouldn't say no.

Faith turns to the bed and panther-crawls across it giving him a fantastic view.

Faith: So. . . how do you want me?

Riley: (sitting on the edge) How do I . . . ?

Still on hands and knees, she turns around and slithers up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Faith: Yeah. What do you wanna do with this body? What nasty little desire have you been itching to try out? Am I a bad girl? Do you wanna hurt me?

Riley is giving her a serious look.

Riley: What are we playing at here?

Faith drops her arms and pulls back a little.

Faith: I'm Buffy.

Riley: Okay. Then I'll be Riley.

Faith: (in a huff) Well, if you don't wanna play--

She turns away to get off the bed but Riley catches her arm and pulls her back to him.

Riley: Right. I don't wanna play.

He kisses her tenderly. With the second kiss she responds by kissing him back.

Cut to Tara's room. Exterior shot looking in through the window. We can see Tara preparing a liquid mixture on the desk as Willow steps up to the window and closes the curtains.

Interior shot. Tara dabs her thumb into a small pot fill with a brown liquid. She presses her thumb gently to Willow's forehead, her lips, and then the center of her chest.

Dissolve to both of them sitting side by side on the floor but facing opposite directions. Their left hands are resting on their thighs and they're slowly swinging their right hands, their fingertips tracing an invisible half circle on the floor, in conjunction, forming a whole circle around them. They are chanting in a soft whisper.

Both: . . . flows through the river in me. The inward eye, the sightless sea . . . Ayala flows through the river in me. The inward eye, the sightless sea . . . Ayala flows through the river in me. The inward eye, The sightless sea . . . Ayala flows through the river in me. The inward eye, The sightless sea . . . Ayala flows through the river in me.

Overhead shot. We see a mist of rolling light appear from their hands and it forms into a circle around them.

The camera starts circling them. With the circle of light formed they stop swinging their arms. They raise their left hands and press their palms together. Their breathing becomes heavier and faster and the mystical circle starts rising around them. Their faces are damped with sweat as they look into each other's eyes. When the circle has risen above them, Willow falls back, the circle dissipating, and lands on the soft pillows behind her. Her back arches and she opens her mouth in a long breathless gasp.

Fade to white.

Fade in to Riley's room. The lights are off, the only illumination is from the moonlight shining through the window. The camera pans across the bed and we see them under a sheet. Riley in on top of Faith and they are still breathing heavy from making love and are looking into each other's eyes.

There's a questioning look on Faith's face.

Riley: (softly) I love you.

Faith doesn't respond to this.

Faith: (softly) Ugh. Get off. (breathing becoming claustrophobic) No. No. (voice starts echoing in her head) No! Get-get off! No! Off me! Get off!

By this point she is pushing desperately against him trying to escape.

Riley: Buffy?

Faith: No! No! Get--

She finally gets out from under him and just stands there in the dark, naked, confused, shivering. Riley sits up, the sheet over is lap.

Riley: (concerned) Buffy-- What? What's wrong?

Faith: (anxious) Who are you? What do you want from h-her?

Riley: (lowering his head) Should I not have. . ?

Faith: This is meaningless.

Riley: You're shaking.

Gets up with the sheet and wraps it around her. Faith flinches at his touch.

Riley: (soothingly) Shhh-shh.

He wraps is arms around her and she starts to calm down.

Riley: What happened?

Faith: (confused) Nothing. (relieved) Nothing.

Calming down she lets her head rest against his chest as he continues to hold her.

Cut back to the sewers. Adam's doing his impression of a demony Tony Robbins while the vampires sit and listen in apt attention.

ADAM: (pacing) I have a gift no man has. No demon has ever had. (faces them) I know why I'm here. I was created to kill. To extinguish life wherever I find it. And I have accepted that responsibility. You have lived in fear and desperation because you didn't have that gift. But it's time to face your fear.

Boone: (stands) Tell us what to do.

ADAM: (approaching) You are here to be my first. To let them know that I am coming.

Boone: (sincerely) We're ready.

ADAM: Then ask yourself, what is it? More than man. More than anything else. What is the thing you fear?

Cut to Riley's room. Morning. Camera pans up and we see Riley sleeping on the bed. Behind him Faith is standing, looking at his back. She has her leather pants and boots on and she's putting on one of his shirts over her black bra and buttons it. Flipping her hair out of the collar she glances at the alarm clock on the night stand. It reads 8:25.

With one more look at Riley, she turns to the door.

Cut to shot of Faith walking down the stairs. She's crossing the lobby towards the front door when Forrest Gates steps out of the hall behind her.

Forrest: Hope you left him alive.

She stops and faces him and doesn't know who he is.

Faith: What?

Forrest: Boy's supposed to be on the mend. I don't see you letting him get much rest.

Faith: I think maybe you should stay out of other people's lives.

Forrest: We've got a mission here. Back when Riley could still think for himself--

Faith: (bitterly) You've got a mission? I've been fighting demons since before you could shave.

Forrest: Yeah, you're a killer.

She steps up to him angrily.

Faith: I am not a killer! I am the Slayer! And you don't know the first thing about me.

Forrest: (coldly) You really care what I think?

Faith just looks at him as her anger fades.

Faith: No. I don't care. (raises her hands in front of her) God, I don't care.

She turns and hurries out the door. Forrest watches her leave.

Cut to the warehouse. Collins is sitting at a small table flipping close his zippo lighter. He puts it back in his coat pocket as he pulls the cell phone away from his ear and lays it on the table. Standing, he picks up his gun and pulls a silencer from his other pocket and steps over to Weatherby.

Collins: (equipping the silencer) They can't get us passage. They've ordered the kill.

Weatherby: Torch the place?

Collins: Get the gas.

Weatherby walks away to carry out the order and Smith follows Collins as he heads for the armored truck.

Smith: She could've killed me. She didn't.

Collins: Lucky you.

He levels his gunhand through the bars of the rear door window. Cut to Buffy lying stretched out on her back as far as the chains would allow. She swings her legs up and clamps her boots around his hand. She quickly draws her knees to her chest pulling Collins' arm through the window, slamming his face hard against the metal door. He falls away from the truck and hits the floor unconscious.

Smith just looks on in astonishment.

Inside, Buffy has the gun between her feet and raises her legs so she can grab it with her hands. She rolls onto her side and fires a couple of shots where her chains are bolted to the floor.

Outside, Smith is freaking, running across the warehouse.

Smith: (shouting) Weatherby!

Inside. Buffy's chains drop to the floor and she blows a couple of holes into the padlock on the steel door. She pushes it open into the front cab and sits down in the driver's seat. She starts searching for the keys.

Buffy: (hurried) Keys, keys.

Weatherby comes running back into the warehouse.

Weatherby: Stop her, you ponce!

As Smith runs to grab himself a weapon, Weatherby heads straight for the truck. Inside, Buffy has found the keys and sees him coming. She waits until he's close enough and opens the door slamming it in his face. He falls unconscious.

Buffy: (turning on the engine) Okay. I'm good at this.

Smith has gotten himself a gun from his case and is running back to the truck.

Buffy: (wrestling with the gearshift) Ooo! "Drive."

Finally in the right gear, she stomps on the accelerator and the armored truck peels out. Smith starts shooting, uselessly scoring all his shots on the truck's bulletproof hide. Then the truck smashes through the warehouse doors out into the sunlight. Smith runs to the doorway but stops there, because there's not a damn thing he can do about it.

~~~~~~~~~~~ Part Four ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fade in on the airport. Faith is at the ticket counter as the clerk types something on her keyboard. She's now dressed in a light blue long sleeve shirt and a long white skirt, carrying a large shoulder bag. There's a thoughtful look on her face as she waits for her ticket.

Clerk: (handing her the ticket) Okay, there you go.

Faith: Thank you.

Clerk: You're welcome.

Faith walks away from the counter towards the waiting area.

Cut to Giles' apartment. He's coming down the stairs from his loft. He has a section of the morning paper tucked under one arm and is carrying a dirty breakfast plate in one hand and three empty coffee mugs in his other hand. (I'm sorry, excuse me, but what the hell is he doing with three mugs? Were they left over from other times he's eaten upstairs or does he not believe in refilling the same mug? Okay, I'm done. We now return you to the transcript already in progress)

He's crossing the room towards his kitchen when his front door opens and Buffy steps inside.

Buffy: Giles!

Giles almost becomes the first man in history to have baby and almost drops his dishes as he sees "Faith."

Giles: (startled) Gaah!

Buffy: (cautiously) Don't move. Okay. Giles, y-you have to listen to me very carefully. I'm not Faith.

Looking for an escape route, he's slowly inching towards the hallway.

Giles: Really?

Buffy: Really.

Giles: `Cause the resemblance is striking.

Buffy: I know. Giles, you just have to-- (sees his subtle movement) Stop inching! (hurt feelings) You were inching!

Giles: Look, I-I know what you're going to say, and-and, uh--

Buffy: I'm Buffy.

Giles: (a beat) All right, I didn't know what you were going to say. But that doesn't make you any less crazy.

Buffy: Faith switched. I mean, she had some device. She switched our bodies. Giles, I swear. (imploringly, as she brushes a long lock of brown hair from her face) It's me.

Giles: W--um, if-if you are Buffy, (he puts everything down on his desk) then, uh, then you'll let me tie you up, w-without killing me. Until we find out whether you're telling the truth.

Buffy: Giles, Faith has taken my body, and for all I know, she's taken it to Mexico by now. I-I don't have time for bondage fun. (Giles is taken aback) Ask me a question. Ask me anything.

Giles: Who's president?

Buffy: We're checking for Buffy, not a concussion.

Giles: Oh, yes. Right. Um--

Buffy: (turns, sighing impatiently) This is-- (faces him again) Giles, you turned into a demon and I knew it was you! I mean, can't you just look in my eyes and be all . . intuitive?

Giles: (pointedly) How did I turn into a demon?

Buffy: Oh! `Cause, uh, Ethan Rayne. And-and you have a girlfriend named Olivia. And you haven't had a job since we blew up the school --which is valid, lifestyle wise. I mean, it's not like you're a slacker type, but (Giles seems embarrassed by this) . . . Oh, oh! When I had psychic power, I heard my mom think that you were like a stevedore during sex. Wh--? (off his look) Do you want me to continue?

Giles: Actually, I beg you to stop.

Buffy: What's a stevedore?

Giles: All right, let's . . . um, I need you to explain everything.

Buffy: And I will, *after* we get Faith.

The front door opens again and Willow and Tara rush inside.

Willow: Giles! (sees Buffy)

Buffy: Will.

Willow: Oh, my God.

Buffy: Willow, wait. You don't understand.

Willow: (casually) You're Buffy. You and Faith switched bodies. (to Giles) Probably through a Draconian katra spell.

Giles: (raises his eyebrows) She understands it better than I do.

Buffy: How did you--?

Willow: Tara. (to Tara) Tara, this is Buffy. Only really, this time.

Tara: (waves shyly) Hi.

Willow: (smiling) Tara's a really powerful witch.

Tara: (sheepishly) Not really.

Willow: No, really. She knew right away that you weren't you. So we connected with the nether realms to find out what happened. And we conjured this.

She opens the small jewel box in her hands and there is a small glowing emerald sphere inside.

Buffy: What is--?

Willow: It's a katra. Or the home-conjured version. (hands it to Giles) It-it should switch you back, if you can get a hold of Faith.

Buffy: (sighs in relief) Thank God.

The phone rings and Giles closes the box and hands it back.

Giles: I'll get it. (picks up the phone) Hello.

Buffy: Do you know where Faith is?

Willow shakes her head.

Giles: (into phone) Oh, yes. Uh, Buffy's here with, with me. Actually, she-she's, uh-- Oh, all right.

He hangs up and hurries into the living room area to the TV.

Giles: Xander. Apparently there's a report on the television.

He turns it on and the others gather round.

Newswoman: . . . and barricaded themselves in the church with at least 20 parishioners. (cut to TV and a church is in the background behind the woman) One of the few who escaped described the three men as frighteningly disfigured, (closing shot of Buffy as she listens) almost inhuman. So far, one escapee has since died of severe neck wounds.

Cut to the airport. Close up of Faith watching the same news report.

Newswoman: There is no report on the condition of the parishioners still trapped inside, but their assailants have vowed to kill all of them if police attempt to storm the church.

She looks down at the ticket in her hand then up at the TV again. Conflict in her eyes.

Cut to interior of said church. One vampire is sitting up on the pulpit. Boone is approaching the alter looking at the large crucifix hanging in the window above it. Vampires in a church, needless to say he's being a real schmuck.

Boone: It's hard to believe. I've been avoiding this place for so many years, and it's nothing. It's nice! (turns to face the frightened parishioners) It's got the pretty windows, the pillars . . . lots of folks to eat. (a few gasps from the folks) Where's the thing I was so afraid of? You know, the Lord? He was supposed to be here. He gave us this address. (sighs) Well, we'll just have to start killing off His people. (more gasps) See if He shows up.

Cut to outside the church where the cops are gathered as if God was offering free doughnuts. A police sergeant is just finishing a call on a cell phone and looks at the young man in front of him.

Riley: What'd he say?

Sergeant: (not happy) He said I should defer command to you.

Riley: Then you hold your men until the reserves arrive. This is a military situation.

Riley steps past the sergeant towards the church.

Sergeant: What, they got bombs in there?

Riley: Your men are not prepared to deal with them. Just trust me.

Riley marches towards the stone, roof-covered walkway leading to the side entrance of the church. He's looking very "Muldar-ish" in his dark tie and suit. He enters the walkway at the same time Faith rushes in from the other side, both heading towards the doors. Faith has changed out of the long skirt into a pair of jeans.

Riley: Buffy!

She's surprised to see him.

Faith: How many are in there?

Riley: We think there's three.

She considers those odds.

Faith: (turning) I can do three.

Riley: Not alone! Look, wait for the troops to get here. They're still mobilizing.

Faith: How did you respond so fast?

Riley: I didn't. (shrugs) I was just late for church.

Faith: Look, when the troops get here, send `em in. But I'm going.

Riley: (grabs her arm) I don't want you risking--

Faith: (sharply) Don't tell me what to do!

She just looks at him for a few seconds.

Faith: (forced conviction) I'm Buffy. I have to do this.

Riley: (nods) Then I'm coming with.

She considers this for all of one second and lightly hits him in the side. His response is immediate as he clutches his still healing wound.

Riley: (painfilled) Oww!

Faith: (bluntly) I can't use you. Someone comes out, you get `em to safety. (turning) Unless they've got fangs.

Riley doesn't look happy but stays there.

Cut to interior of church. The door opens and Faith steps inside walking to the center aisle. Boone is in the front row holding the preacher by the lapels, ready to snack, when he sees her and lets the man go. He moves into the aisle.

Boone: I told the cops, they send anyone in I start the whole massacre thing.

Faith takes a few steps down the aisle, her back to the second vampire guarding the front doors.

Faith: (shrugging) Well, I'm not the cops. I just come to pray.

Boone: Now's a good time to start.

Faith: (a couple more steps) You're *not* gonna kill these people.

Boone: (bored) Why not?

Faith: (meaningfully) Because it's wrong.

The second vampire charges her and she spins around to grab him and throws him into the air. He flies across the pews and over parishioners' heads and slams into a stone pillar. He drops to the floor like a sack of ugly.

Seeing this, the first vamp hops down from the pulpit and Boone regards her a little less smugged.

Boone: You're the slayer.

Faith: The one and only.

Cut to outside the church. The armored truck pulls up, Giles behind the wheel. The rear doors open and Willow, Tara, and Buffy jump out. The police sergeant rushes up to them.

Sergeant: You people, get out of here!

Willow: We've gotta get inside!

Sergeant: The police are handling this. Now just back off, right now!

Giles has rounded to the back to join them.

Willow: But we can't! We've gotta-- Y-you don't understand!

Giles and Buffy exchange a glance and he takes his cue.

Sergeant: Listen, you have to clear the area--

Giles steps up to the sergeant waving his arms, acting distraught, blocking Buffy from view as she sneaks around the other side of the armored truck.

Giles: (shouting) Damn it, man! We have to get inside! Our, uh, uh, (glances at Willow with a "what the hell I am doing" look) families are-are in there! Our, uh, m-mothers and-and tiny, tiny babies!

We leave Giles and his less than Oscar-winning performance and cut back to Faith inside the church. Boone is strolling up the aisle towards her.

Boone: You think we're afraid of you? We're not afraid of anything anymore.

Faith: Then let all these people go, and all three of you can take me on.

Boone: (standing in front of her) Heh. I got a better idea.

He takes a swing at her and she ducks the punch, quickly slamming a fist into his stomach following with a backhand with the same fist, and shoves him against a pew to roundkick him in the face. As he falls, the first vamp is charging her but she greets him with a back kick to the chest knocking him down. The second vamp is running along the top of a pew, coming at her, and Faith's roundkick sweeps his legs out from under him and he plays with the floor again. Her attention's on vamp one again and she raises her boot to stop his front kick, then batters him down the aisle with a devastating punching combination.

By this point the parishioners are evacuating to the exits in a very disorderly manner.

Faith breaks off a peace of wood from the panel of the bible holder on the back of the front pew and shoves the sharp end into vamp one's chest. Holding his jacket, she swings him around and tosses him into the air, spinning as he disintegrates into swirling dust.

Vamp two loses his faith (no pun intended) in Adam and decides to bail. He grabs an abandoned coat and drapes it over his head as he rushes out the side doors. Where he runs right smack into Riley and they tumble down the walkway. Buffy is in the street and sees this. The vampire pulls Riley to his feet and shoves him against a stone pillar and punches him in the face. Riley manages to get a hold on him, swing him around, and grabs the coat as he throws the vamp into the sunlight. He writhes on the ground for two seconds before he bursts into flames.

Riley: (holding up the coat) You forgot your coat. (drops it)

Buffy: Riley!

She runs to him and throws her arms around him.

Riley: Oh! It's okay, miss. Just get yourself out of harm's way.

Buffy: Riley. It's me! Uh-- (off his look) Never mind. How many are in there?

Riley: Well-- (stops and looks at her) Who are you?

Cut to inside. Boone catches Faith's stake hand and wrests it from her. It clatters to the floor as he shoves her against the front pew.

Boone: I have strength you couldn't dream of. (punches her hard in the face) Adam has shown me the way, (punches her again) and there is nothing--

He suddenly arches his back and she watches him turn into ashes to reveal Buffy standing there holding the fallen stake. She looks pissed.

At the sight of seeing "herself" something seems to snap in Faith and she throws herself at Buffy shoving her towards the alter. She punches her in the face and Buffy quickly retaliates with a left hook-spinning backhand combination, sending Faith against the railing. She follows through with a side axe kick but Faith blocks that and punches her across the face.

Faith suddenly becomes a mad flurry of punches that Buffy is hardpressed to block. When she tries to counter Faith ducks under her swing and, not missing a beat, shoves her against the alter and continues to throw punches. She succeeds in sending Buffy to her knees but she comes back up with an uppercut to Faith's face that finally makes her back off.

Buffy: You can't win this.

Faith: (enraged, with tears in her eyes) SHUT UP! Do you think I'm afraid of you!?

She grabs Buffy by the shoulders and throws her down on the floor hard. She quickly sits across her waist and starts slamming her fist into her face.

Faith: (screaming at herself) You're nothing! Disgusting! Murderous bitch! (grabs her head and pounds it against the floor) You're nothing! (starts punching her again) You're disgusting!

Buffy finally catches Faith's fist and their hands start to glow with the katra between their palms.

Then Buffy falls back off of Faith.

Faith is disoriented as she finds herself suddenly back in her own body and she gets unsteadily to her feet.

Buffy just sits there in shock and watches her run out of the church. Her cheeks are stained with Faith's tears and she clutches a hand to her pounding chest (possibly feeling Faith's residual emotions). On Buffy, we fade out.

Fade in on Riley's room. Later that day. Buffy's sitting on his bed. Riley is pacing the room. Buffy is just getting off the cordless phone.

Buffy: She's gone. Not a trace. Giles said the council guys have cleared out, too.

Riley sits down in a chair on the other side of the room.

Riley: I don't understand. How could she have--? (sighs) I mean, how's it possible?

Buffy: Magic.

Riley: There was something. I should've picked up on it. I should've just . . . (trails off, shaking his head)

Buffy doesn't say anything and just looks at him as she realizes . . .

Buffy: (finally) You slept with her.

He can't say anything for a moment.

Riley: I slept with you.

Buffy gets up from the bed and takes a couple of steps to the door but stops and just stands there.

Riley: Man, would I like to get my hands on her. (quickly) Not in a sex way.

Close up of Buffy's face on the right half of the screen. She's staring off at the wall, traces of tears in her eyes.

Buffy: (hollow voice) I don't think she's coming back.

Riley: (OS) I guess she's had her fun.

Buffy: (hollow) Yeah . . .

Slow dissolve and Faith's face appears on the left side of the screen and both Slayers seem to be facing each other.

Buffy: Fun.

Then Buffy fades completely and we're with Faith. Camera pulls back slowly and we see she is sitting in the corner on a hay-scattered floor in a wooden boxcar. Sunlight is shining inside through the wooden planks and the interior is jostling slightly as the train travels.

There is a lost look on her face.

Executive Producer
Joss Whedon

{This Year's Girl} {Superstar} {The Series 4 Index} {The Index}