Restless

Restless

First aired May 23, 2000

Transcript by joan the english chick ([email protected])

DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters or situations. I merely transcribed what I saw and heard on the screen.

Note: This episode was unusual in that they showed "Previously on Buffy..." and then went directly into the opening credits, then began the episode without a commercial break. So the "teaser" came after the opening credits instead of before.

Shot of Adam.
Buffy: The Initiative created this thing and they can't stop it, but we will.

Giles Voiceover: Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer...

Overhead shot of Willow, Giles, and Xander doing the spell in "Primeval."
Willow Voiceover: Power of the slayer and all who wield it, last to ancient first, we invoke thee.
Giles lighting a candle.
Willow: Make us mind and heart and spirit join.
Shot of Willow's hand laying down a Tarot-sized card.
Willow: Spiritus, the spirit.
Shot of Xander laying down another card.
Xander: Animus, heart.
Shot of Giles laying down another card.
Giles: Sophus, mind.
Shot of Willow holding the last card.
Buffy: And Manus, the hand.

Shot of Buffy with bullets dissolving in front of her.
Buffy: You could never hope to grasp the source of our power.
Buffy reaching into Adam's chest and pulling out his power supply.
Adam falling over dead.

Wolf howl.

Opening credits.

Guest starring Kristine Sutherland, Amber Benson, Mercedes McNab, David Wells, Michael Harney, George Hertzberg, Emma Caulfield as Anya, Seth Green as Oz, and Armin Shimerman as Principal Snyder.

Written and directed by Joss Whedon.

BUFFY: Are you sure you'll be all right? Cause I can be there in the morning.

RILEY: (shakes head) It's just a debriefing.

(We see they're at Joyce's house, standing by the door. Giles is in the dining room. Willow sitting on the stairs.)

RILEY: They're not gonna make me disappear, and they're not pinning anything on me. I got Graham and a lot of the guys testifying I'm the reason they're alive. I might actually get out of this with an honorable discharge.

GILES: (eating something) In return for your silence, no doubt.

RILEY: Oh yeah. Having the inside scoop on the administration's own Bay of Mutated Pigs is definitely an advantage.

WILLOW: (cheery) It's like you're blackmailing the government. (They look at her) In a ... patriotic way.

(Riley smiles.)

RILEY: I'll call you when it's over.

(He and Buffy smooch.)

XANDER: (offscreen) Dinner is served.

(Xander enters with a bowl of popcorn. Joyce behind him.)

XANDER: And my very own recipe.

(Willow takes a handful.)

WILLOW: Ooh, you pushed the button on the microwave that says "popcorn"?

XANDER: (shakes head) Actually, I pushed "defrost," but, um, Joyce was there in the clinch.

RILEY: Well, you guys have fun tonight. (Extends his hand to Joyce) It was very nice meeting you.

JOYCE: (shakes his hand) It was nice meeting you ... finally.

RILEY: Bye.

BUFFY: Bye.

(Riley leaves. Buffy shuts the door behind him. We see Joyce is holding a bowl of peanuts.)

JOYCE: (to Buffy) Did you notice how pointedly I said "finally"?

BUFFY: (innocent face) No.

(They all go into the living room.)

XANDER: Let the vid-fest begin.

GILES: (to Joyce) You sure you won't join us?

JOYCE: No, you guys have your fun. (Buffy and Willow sit on the sofa, Xander on the floor) I'm tired. I can't believe you're not exhausted. Have you even slept since...

GILES: Still feel a little bit too wired.

WILLOW: Mm. Yeah, that spell, that was, that was powerful.

BUFFY: Don't think I *could* sleep.

(We see Buffy and Willow curling up on the sofa with blankets over them.)

XANDER: Well, we got plenty of vids. And I'm putting in a preemptive bid for "Apocalypse Now," huh? (Holds up the video)

WILLOW: (scowls) Did you get anything less heart-of-darkness-y?

(Joyce smiles, puts down bowl)

XANDER: Apocalypse Now is a gay romp! It's the feel-good movie of whatever year it was.

BUFFY: (not buying it) What else?

(Joyce and Giles exchange a smile and she heads for the stairs.)

XANDER: Don't worry. Got plenty of chick-and-British-guy flicks too. These puppies should last us all night.

(Shot of Joyce smiling at them as she climbs the stairs.)

(Shot of a hand putting a tape in the VCR and pressing Play.)

(Pan up to the TV screen. The FBI warning comes up.)

(Shot of Giles, Buffy, Willow, and Xander fast asleep in their seats.)

Commercial.

(The four still asleep. Giles in a chair, Buffy and Willow on the sofa, Xander on the floor. Zoom in slowly on Willow, clutching a red blanket against herself.)

(Fade to Tara's face. She appears to be lying on her stomach, resting chin on crossed arms. We see a bare shoulder.)

TARA: I think it's strange. I mean, I think I should worry that we haven't found her name.

WILLOW: Who, Miss Kitty?

(Shot of their kitten, playing with a ball of red yarn in slow-motion.)

TARA: You'd think she'd let us know her name by now.

WILLOW: She will. (Looking down at Tara) She's not all grown yet.

TARA: You're not worried?

WILLOW: I never worry here. (Smile) I'm safe here.

TARA: You don't know everything about me.

WILLOW: Have you told me your real name?

(Tara smiles.)

TARA: Oh, you know that.

(Willow smiles, reaches for something.)

(Shot of a paintbrush dipping into ink jars.)

TARA: They will find out, you know.

(Shot of Willow's face.)

TARA: About you.

WILLOW: Don't have time to think about that. (Frown) You know I have all this homework to finish.

(The camera pulls back so we can see Tara is lying face-down on her bed, naked, and Willow is painting on her back.)

TARA: Are you gonna finish in time for class?

WILLOW: I can be late.

TARA: But you've never taken drama before.

(Shot of Willow dipping the paintbrush again, moving it across to Tara's back, which is covered with Greek symbols.)

TARA: Might miss something important.

(Pause)

WILLOW: I don't wanna leave here.

(Tara twists back to look at her.)

TARA: Why not?

(Willow stands up, looking down at Tara. She turns away toward a dark red curtain. Walks over to it.)

WILLOW: It's so bright.

(Pulls back the curtain to reveal a brightly sunlit desert. The light falls on Tara, who looks over.)

WILLOW: (looking back at Tara, still holding the curtain open) And there's something out there.

(Shot of the desert, straggly plants, rocks. We briefly see something (someone?) moving, then it's gone.)

(Shot of the kitten stalking forward toward the camera, in slow-motion.)

(Cut to Willow walking down the halls of Sunnydale High, looking anxious. She walks up to Xander and Oz.)

XANDER: Hey.

WILLOW: (casual) Hey, guys. (Keeps walking)

OZ: Heard you're taking drama. (The guys walk after her)

WILLOW: Uh-huh.

OZ: It's a tough course.

WILLOW: You took it? (Walks up to a locker, starts trying to open it)

OZ: Oh, I've been here forever.

XANDER: So whatcha been doin'? Doing spells? (To Oz) She does spells with Tara.

OZ: Yeah, I heard about that.

(Willow still trying to open the locker.)

(Bell rings.)

WILLOW: (anxious) I'm gonna be late. (Walks off)

XANDER: Sometimes I think about two women doing a spell ... and then I do a spell by myself.

(Oz looks at him. Xander looks at Oz, then quickly away.)

(Cut to Willow entering the backstage area. Costumes hanging on a rack. People getting into costume. Makeup table with mirrors. Sound of an orchestra tuning up. People wearing all kinds of different costumes. Willow walks around looking lost.)

(Harmony runs up to her. She's dressed as a Swedish Milkmaid with two braids.)

HARMONY: Isn't this exciting? Our first production! I can't wait till our scene! I love you! Oh! (Hugs Willow. Suddenly drops the fake friendly act.) Don't step on my cues.

WILLOW: Production?

(We see Buffy peeking out through the curtain at the audience. She runs over to Willow and Harmony. She's dressed as the lead character in "Chicago": short straight black hair, short tight black dress.)

BUFFY: Ohmigod. The place is packed. Everybody's here! Your whole family's in the front row, (cheerful) and they look really angry.

WILLOW: There's a production?

HARMONY: (rubbing Willow's shoulders) Oh, somebody's got stage fright.

WILLOW: Isn't this the first class?

(Riley approaches, dressed as a cowboy.)

RILEY: Well, you showed up late, or you'd have a better part. (Smiling) I'm Cowboy Guy.

BUFFY: (to Willow) Your costume is perfect. (Whispers) Nobody's gonna know the truth. You know, about you.

WILLOW: (bemused) Costume?

BUFFY: (pouting) You're already in character! Oh, I shoulda done that!

(Stomps foot, turns away)

WILLOW: But how come there's - I mean, I was given to understand that a drama class would have, you know ... drama class. I mean, we haven't even rehearsed!

HARMONY: (snorts) Well, maybe some people haven't. (Smiles up at Riley)

RILEY: I showed up on time, so I got to be Cowboy Guy. (Harmony nods)

WILLOW: (to Buffy) I just think it's really early to be putting on a play. I, I don't even know what... (Eyes widen) This isn't Madame Butterfly, is it, because I have a whole problem with opera.

GILES: (offscreen) All right, everyone! (Buffy looks excited. Sound of Giles clapping hands for attention) Pay attention! (Everyone gathers around Giles) In just a few moments that curtain is going to open on our very first production. Now, everyone that Willow's ever met ... is out in that audience, including all of us. That means we have to be perfect. (Shot of Willow looking upset) Stay in character, (Willow sees something hairy behind a prop. She stares) remember your lines, and energy energy energy, especially in the musical numbers!

(Shot of Buffy looking really excited.)

WILLOW: (whispering) Did anyone see that?

GILES: Acting is not about behaving, it's about hiding. The audience wants to find you, (We see Harmony behind him, wearing vampire face, grabbing his shoulders and trying to bite him) strip you naked, and eat you alive, so hide. (to Harmony) Stop that. (She stops)

GILES: Now, costumes, sets, um, the things that you, uh, you know, uh, you, um... (Shot from above. We see the cast gathered, Harmony still jumping up behind Giles trying to bite him) you hold them, you touch them, uh, use them, um...

HARMONY: Props?

GILES: No.

RILEY: Props?

GILES: Yes! (Points at Riley) It's all about subterfuge. (To Harmony) That's very annoying. (To everyone) Now go on out there, lie like dogs, and have a wonderful time. (Shot of Riley looking excited) Now, if we can stay in focus, keep our heads, and if Willow can stop stepping on everyone's cues, (shot of Willow looking anxious) I know this'll be the best production of "Death of a Salesman" we've ever done. (To Harmony) Stop it. (Loudly) Good luck everyone! Break a leg! (Pushes through them and leaves)

(Excited chatter. Willow frowns.)

(Sound fades out. We still see the costumed students chattering and moving around, but it's silent. Willow walks through the crowd looking confused. To the side, in the darkness, she sees a bald man wearing glasses.)

BALD MAN: (whispers) I've made a little space for the cheese slices.

(He shows her a table with slices of American cheese laid neatly in a row.)

(Willow frowns. Eerie music starts up. Willow walks past a curtain. She's in a narrow tunnel made of red stage curtains on either side. She walks slowly through it. Creepy music. It's dark. Then Willow walks into a beam of light, and Tara is there.)

TARA: Things aren't going very well.

WILLOW: (agitated) No! This drama class is just ... I think they're really not doing things in the proper way, and now I'm in a play and my whole family's out there, and ... why is there a cowboy in "Death of a Salesman" anyway?

TARA: (frowns) You don't understand yet, do you?

(Willow frowns, looks around.)

WILLOW: (whispers) Is there something following me?

(Tara nods.)

TARA: Yes.

WILLOW: Well, what, uh, what should I do? The, the play's gonna start soon, and I don't even know my lines.

TARA: The play's already started. That's not the point.

(Willow looks alarmed)

(Cut to the stage. Riley on the left with hands on his belt. In the middle, Harmony wearing a yoke with buckets on either end. On the right, Buffy reclining seductively on a sofa.)

RILEY: (swaggers forward, pushes up cowboy hat) Why, hello, little lady. Can I hold those milk pails for you? (Laughter from audience)

HARMONY: Why thank you, but they're not very heavy. (Overacting) Why have you come to our lonely small town, which has no post office and very few exports?

RILEY: I've come looking for a man. (Looks directly into camera) A *sales*man.

(Cut to Willow looking anxious.)

TARA: (offscreen) Everyone's starting to wonder about you. The real you. If they find out, they'll punish you, I ... I can't help you with that.

WILLOW: Well, what should I ... what's after me? Is it something I-I was supposed to do? W-was I supposed to-

TARA: Shh. (Looking around)

(Willow looks around. Hears a buzzing noise.)

WILLOW: (whispers) What was that?

(Tara looks worried.)

(Cut to stage. Riley in the foreground facing the audience. Buffy in the middle ground facing Riley. Harmony in the background, sitting on the sofa, crying.)

BUFFY: (with contempt) But what else could I expect from a bunch of low-rent, no-account hoodlums like you? Hoodlums, yes, I mean you and your friends, your whole sex, throw 'em in the sea for all I care, throw 'em in and wait for the bubbles, men with your groping and spitting all groin no brain three billion of you passing around the same worn-out urge. Men! With your ... sales!

(She says all this in one breath without pause or inflection. Harmony sobs throughout and Riley stands expressionless.)

(Cut to Willow looking over her shoulder. She turns back and Tara is gone.)

WILLOW: (looking scared, whispers) Tara? Tara, okay, this really isn't fu-

(A stake or dagger slashes through the curtain right by her face. She gasps, turns away. A hand covered in rags reaches out of the other curtain, tries to grab her. She's knocked to the floor. She screams and covers her head with her hands. Another hand reaches for her.)

BUFFY: Will!

(Buffy leaning through the curtains to grab her.)

WILLOW: Buffy! Oh god.

BUFFY: Come on. (Helps her up and through the curtain. They're in a Sunnydale High classroom.)

BUFFY: Stay low. (They crouch down and creep between the desks) What did it look like?

WILLOW: I don't know. I-I don't know what's after me.

BUFFY: Well, you must have *done* something. (Frowning in disapproval)

WILLOW: No. I never do anything. I'm very seldom naughty. I, I just came to class, and, and the play was starting.

BUFFY: (straightens up) Play is long over. (Stares at Willow) Why are you still in costume?

WILLOW: Okay, still having to explain wherein this is just my outfit.

(Gesturing to her clothes)

BUFFY: Willow, everybody already knows. Take it off.

WILLOW: No. No. (Looks around nervously) I need it.

(Buffy rolls her eyes.)

BUFFY: Oh, for god's sake, just take it off.

(Spins Willow around and rips her clothes off.)

BUFFY: That's better. It's much more realistic.

(Suddenly all the desks have students in them. Buffy turns and goes to take her seat.)

HARMONY: See? Isn't everybody very clear on this now?

(We see Anya sitting next to Harmony, giggling. The whole class is giggling.)

(Shot of Willow in her nerdy schoolgirl outfit and long straight hair from BTVS first season. Holding some paper.)

ANYA: My god, it's like a tragedy.

(Shot of Buffy looking at Willow.)

OZ: (to Tara) I tried to warn you. (Gives Willow a disgusted look)

ANYA: (still giggling) It's exactly like a Greek tragedy. There should only be Greeks.

(Willow looks around the room nervously, looks down at her paper.)

WILLOW: (licks lips) My book report. This summer I, I read "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."

XANDER: (loudly, to ceiling) Oh, who cares?

(Willow looks hurt. Sound of giggling. Shot of Oz nuzzling Tara's cheek while she giggles.)

WILLOW: This book ha-has many themes...

(Something bursts onscreen and knocks Willow down. She screams.)

(Shot of Buffy putting her head down on her arms on the desk, looking bored. Sound of Willow screaming and the attacker growling.)

WILLOW: Help! Help me!

(Shot of Xander looking bored.)

(Shot of Oz and Tara giving each other conspiratorial smiles.)

WILLOW: Help me!

(Growling noise continues as Willow struggles. The creature/person attacking Willow has dark skin and long matted dark hair, and is wrapped in rags. It bends as if to bite her neck. Closeup of Willow's face with the dark hair half-obscuring it. Her eyes widen. The skin on her face wrinkles and her eyes cloud.)

(Cut to the real Willow on the couch, asleep, still covered with the red blanket, twitching and making noises as if choking.)

Commercial.

(Willow still twitching and gasping for air. Pan down to Xander who suddenly sits up.)

XANDER: I'm awake. I'm good. Did I miss anything? (Looks at Willow, who's still asleep and twitching)

GILES: (eating popcorn) Not very much at all really.

BUFFY: (eating popcorn) Bunch of massacring.

(Xander looks at TV, raises eyebrows.)

(On TV, a soldier carrying a gun walks through a forest.)

TV SOLDIER: We gotta keep going, men. (Panting) We gotta take that hill. (Xander looks interested) Damn this war!

GILES: I have to say, I really feel that "Apocalypse Now" is overrated.

XANDER: No, no. (Points at screen) It gets better.

TV SOLDIER: Men...

XANDER: I remember that it gets better.

TV SOLDIER: Oh my god. What's happened to my men? Ahhh!

(Buffy looks bored.)

BUFFY: Want some corn? (Holds out bowl to Xander)

XANDER: (turns head) Butter flavor?

BUFFY: New car smell.

XANDER: Cool. (Leans across Willow to take a handful) What's her deal? (indicating Willow)

BUFFY: Big faker.

GILES: (still looking at TV) Oh, I'm beginning to understand this now. It's all about the journey, isn't it?

(Xander rolls his eyes.)

XANDER: Well, thanks for making me have to pee. (Gets up)

BUFFY: You don't need any help with that, right?

XANDER: (heading for stairs) Got a system.

(Xander climbs the stairs. He emerges in the upper hallway. Joyce appears behind him, wearing a revealing red nightie.)

JOYCE: Hey.

(Xander turns.)

XANDER: Hey Joyce. Mrs. Summers. (Takes a step closer) We're not making too much noise down there, are we?

JOYCE: Oh, no. Anyway, they all left a while ago.

XANDER: Oh, I should probably go catch up.

JOYCE: (grins) I've heard that before.

XANDER: I move pretty fast. You know, a man's always after-

JOYCE: Conquest?

XANDER: (shrugs) I'm a conquistador.

(Pan across Joyce's breasts.)

JOYCE: (we see her face and hear her voice, but her lips aren't moving) You sure it isn't comfort?

XANDER: I'm a comfortador also.

JOYCE: (leans seductively against the door frame) I do know the difference. I've learned about boys.

XANDER: That's cool about you.

(Shot of Joyce giving him a seductive look.)

(Shot of Xander staring at her.)

JOYCE: (offscreen) It's very late.

(Shot of Joyce. Again we hear her voice although her lips don't move)

JOYCE: Would you like to rest for a while?

(Pan over to her bed with the covers turned down. Xander looks from it to her.)

XANDER: Um, yeah. (Confidently) I'd like you. I'm just ... gonna go to the bathroom first.

JOYCE: Don't get lost. (Slinks into her room.)

(Xander enters the bathroom, closes the door, lifts the toilet lid, unzips his pants. Suddenly he looks over and sees a lab full of a whole bunch of Initiative people watching him: scientists in white coats in the foreground, writing on clipboards, soldiers in the background wearing fatigues. Xander raises his eyebrows, zips his pants back up.)

XANDER: Okay, I'm gonna find another bathroom.

(Opens the door and leaves, still watching them over his shoulder. Crosses the hall and goes through the opposite door. Now he's in his basement, dark. The door at the top of the stairs is closed, doorknob rattling ominously.)

XANDER: (loudly) I didn't *order* any vampires.

(Knob rattles louder and louder. Then we hear pounding on the door.)

XANDER: (nervous) That's not the way out. (Backing away)

(Cut to a playground, daylight. Giles and Spike are swinging on swings, both dressed in Giles-type tweeds. Buffy playing in the sandbox.)

(Xander walks up.)

XANDER: Hey, there you are.

BUFFY: (putting sand in pail with plastic shovel) Are you sure it's us you were looking for?

(Giles smiles at her.)

SPIKE: Giles here is gonna teach me to be a Watcher. Says I got the stuff.

GILES: Spike's like a son to me. (They both smile and continue swinging)

XANDER: That's good. I was into that for a while, but... (nods toward the street) I got other stuff goin' on.

(Long shot of the ice-cream truck surrounded by kids.)

(Closer shot of Xander in the truck, wearing his striped shirt and hat, serving ice cream to kids.)

XANDER: (in playground) You gotta have something. (Looks at Buffy) Gotta be with movin' forward.

BUFFY: (like a proud little kid) Like a shark.

XANDER: Like a shark with feet and ... much less fins.

SPIKE: (like a proud little kid) And on land!

GILES: Very good!

(They keep swinging.)

XANDER: Buffy, are you sure you wanna play there?

(Buffy gives him a pouty look like a little kid told not to do something.)

XANDER: It's a pretty big sandbox.

BUFFY: I'm okay. (Suddenly we see her against the backdrop of the desert from Willow's dream. Rocks, sand, scraggly trees) It's not coming for me yet.

XANDER: I just mean ... you can't protect yourself from ... some stuff.

(Buffy looks directly at him. The playground backdrop is back.)

BUFFY: I'm way ahead of you, big brother.

XANDER: Brother?

(Buffy looks at him expressionless. Soft music: a woman vocalizing without words.)

(Spike and Giles swinging higher and higher.)

GILES: Go on, put your back into it! A Watcher scoffs at gravity. (They continue swinging. Woman continues humming.)

(Shot of Buffy still expressionless.)

(Shot of Xander squinting at her.)

(Shot of the other Xander in the truck, watching them.)

(Shot of the four of them from the truck-Xander's perspective.)

(Truck-Xander pulls back from the window, goes to the wheel, although the truck is already in motion: tree-lined streets going by. Anya is sitting in the passenger seat doing something with her hands.)

(Xander sits in the driver's seat. Anya looks at him.)

ANYA: Do you know where you're going?

(Xander looks at her, surprised.)

ANYA: I've been thinking about getting back into vengeance.

(We see her playing with a lollipop in its wrapper.)

(Xander takes his striped hat off, puts it on the dashboard.)

XANDER: Is that right?

ANYA: Well, you know how I miss it. I'm so at loose ends since I quit. I think this is going to be a very big year for vengeance.

XANDER: But ... isn't vengeance kind of ... vengeful?

ANYA: (petulant) You don't want me to have a hobby.

XANDER: Not a vengeance hobby, no! It's dangerous. People can't do anything they want. Society has rules, and borders, and an end zone. It doesn't matter if-

(He hears giggling, turns.)

(We see Willow and Tara in the back of the truck, snuggling and nuzzling. Both wearing exaggerated eye makeup.)

XANDER: Do you mind? I'm talking to my demon.

(Shot of Willow in a very short black bustier, Tara in a short black skirt and very revealing white blouse. Tara has one leg bent and Willow's hand is on her thigh. Both have heavy black eye makeup and thick red lipstick.)

WILLOW: Sorry.

(Xander stares at them. Both girls smile seductively at him. We hear Tara's voice although her lips don't move.)

TARA: We just think you're really interesting.

XANDER: Oh, I-I'm going places.

WILLOW: I'm way ahead of you. (Caressing Tara's leg.)

(Closeup of Willow and Tara grinning at each other, nuzzling. Willow whispers in Tara's ear. They both giggle.)

(Pan down to Willow's hand stroking Tara's thigh.)

XANDER: (riveted) Is that right?

(They look at him.)

WILLOW: Watch this.

(Willow puts her hand on Tara's waist. Tara puts her hand on Willow's shoulder. They lean toward each other.)

(Shot of Xander's wide-eyed face. We hear kissing noises and soft moans. Extended shot of Xander staring.)

TARA: Do you wanna come in the back with us?

(Xander stares open-mouthed.)

ANYA: Oh, go on.

(Xander stares at her. Sexy music starts.)

XANDER: I don't have to.

ANYA: I'll be fine. I think I've figured out how to steer by gesturing emphatically.

(Xander looks at the road, looks at Anya, looks back. Gets up.)

(Shot of Anya gesturing emphatically at the road.)

(Xander walks past the ice-cream-selling window in the side of the truck. Outside, we see more tree-lined streets rushing by. The girls are gone.)

(Xander walks to the back of the truck, climbs up onto a loft-like thing, past a big pile of newspapers and other random debris. He shoves a cooler out of the way, falls down onto the floor in his basement. Looks around, exasperated.)

XANDER: Girls?

(The upstairs doorknob begins rattling again. Xander walks forward nervously. Suddenly there's pounding on the door too. He looks up, scared.)

XANDER: (yells) I know what's up there!

(Pounding continues. He backs away, turns, sees the bald man holding up a plate of cheese slices.)

BALD MAN: These ... will not protect you.

(More pounding, growling. Xander goes past the bald man and out the back door.)

(Xander is in the Sunnydale High hallways, but the colors are all weird. Everything's purple and green. Weird noises like microphone feedback. Xander pushes his way past students talking in the halls. Looking over his shoulder, he can maybe see something through the other students' legs, chasing him.)

XANDER: Giles.

(Giles is leaning against a wall, dressed casually, holding an apple.)

GILES: Xander, what are you doing here?

XANDER: What's after me?

GILES: It's because of what we did, I know that. (Takes a bite of the apple)

XANDER: (shakes his head in confusion) What we did?

GILES: Hm. Now, the others have gone on ahead. (Points down the hall.) Now, listen very carefully. Your life may depend on what I'm about to tell you. You need-

(Giles' voice changes to a man speaking French. Sounds like the voice on a tape in a beginning language class. Giles continues talking and gesturing, but what we hear is the French.)

GILES: (French)

XANDER: What? Go where? I don't understand.

GILES: (??) Ce n'est pas le temps pour des jeux. [This is not the time for games.]

(Anya approaches.)

ANYA: Xander. (Fake French woman's voice) Il faut que tu viens avec nous maintenant. On t'attends. [You have to come with us now. They're waiting for you.]

GILES: C'est que j'ai vous dire. [That's what I said.]

XANDER: Honey, I don't... I can't hear you.

(Anya takes his hand.)

ANYA: C'est pas importante. Je t'escorte. [It's not important. I'll take you.]

GILES: Allons-y la. [Let's go.]

(Giles also takes Xander's hand, trying to pull him down the hall. A random guy goes by on a skateboard, pushes Xander down the hall)

XANDER: W-wait! Where we going? Where? (Looks over his shoulder as they pull/push him down the hall. Struggles.) Hey! (People in the crowd pick him up. In the crowd we can still see Giles with the apple in his mouth.) Let go! Hey! (The final "Hey" echoes.)

(Fade to Xander in green army fatigues, hands cuffed behind his back, moving through a forest. Asian-type music. Another guy in fatigues, holding a gun, is guarding him. An image of Xander's face is overlaid over the left half of the screen.)

(Fade to a dark room lit with red lights. Soldiers bring Xander in and he kneels. There's a cot at the right with a person on it.)

MALE VOICE: Where are you from, Harris?

XANDER: Well, the basement, mostly.

MALE VOICE: Were you born there?

(Camera moving toward the person on the cot.)

(Shot of Xander looking toward the cot, a soldier guarding him in the background. Xander nods.)

XANDER: Possibly.

VOICE: I walked by your guidance counselor's office one time.

(The person sits up partway and we see it's Principal Snyder, with a towel around his neck.)

SNYDER: A bunch of you were sitting there ... waiting to be shepherded.

(Xander looks confused, alarmed.)

SNYDER: I remember it smelled like dead flowers. Like decay. Then it hit me. The hope of our nation's future is a bunch of mulch.

XANDER: You know, I never got the chance to tell you how glad I was you were eaten by a snake. (Suddenly gets an "I shouldn't have said that" look on his face)

(Snyder sits up slowly. His face is all sweaty.)

SNYDER: Where are you heading?

XANDER: (shrugs uncertainly) Well, I'm supposed to meet Tara and Willow.

(Shot of hands lifting a wooden bowl.)

XANDER: And possibly Buffy's mom.

(Snyder's hands lifting water from the bowl and pouring it over his bald head.)

SNYDER: Your time is running out.

XANDER: No, I'm just trying to get away. There's ... something I can't fight.

SNYDER: Are you a soldier?

XANDER: (shakes head) I'm a comfortador.

(Snyder leans forward so his face is illuminated.)

SNYDER: (contemptuous) You're neither. You're a whipping boy. Raised by mongrels and set on a sacrificial stone.

XANDER: (nods) I'm getting a cramp.

(He stands, looks around. He's somewhere else. Around a corner we see the same dark-haired person/creature that previously attacked Willow. It's crawling or crouching behind a trellis. It growls. Xander backs away. We see he's in the courtyard outside Giles' apartment. He runs to Giles' door, opens it, enters.)

XANDER: Giles, it's here!

GILES: It's more serious than we thought.

(We see Giles and Buffy and Anya looking at Willow, who's in a chair still gasping and choking. They all ignore Xander. We hear what sounds like helicopter noises.)

XANDER: Giles!

BUFFY: I can fight anything. Right?

ANYA: Maybe we should slap her.

(Xander runs past them, down the hall that should lead to Giles' kitchen, but instead he comes out in Buffy's dorm. Students walking around, chattering. Harsh, jangly rock music with the helicopter noise as the percussion. Xander goes through the hallways and into Buffy and Willow's room.)

XANDER: Buffy?

(Hears growling behind him. He yanks open the closet door and goes in. Fights his way past the clothes and is in a dark room, horizontal-striped light like it's coming through Venetian blinds. He runs through dark brick-lined hall, comes out in his basement again. Stops, looks around. The music slowly fades out. There's still pounding on the upstairs door and the knob rattling. He goes toward it, up a couple of stairs, shaking his head.)

XANDER: (whispers) That's not the way out. (The door bursts open. Xander looks down at himself, then back up the stairs.)

VOICE: What the hell is wrong with you?

(Xander looks chastised.)

(We see a man silhouetted in the doorway above. It's Xander's dad.)

DAD: You won't come upstairs? What are you ... ashamed of us? Your mother's crying her guts out!

XANDER: You don't understand.

DAD: No. You don't understand. (Starts down the stairs, stomping angrily) The line ends here with us, and you're not gonna change that.

(Xander looking down, unable to look at his dad.)

DAD: You haven't got the heart.

(Suddenly Dad shoves his hand into Xander's chest. Xander looks down. The hand is covered with rags. He looks up, scared. We get a brief glimpse of a pair of feral eyes surrounded by dark stringy hair. Grey skin. The person growls.)

(The hand pulls Xander's heart out of his chest.)

(Cut to the real Xander writhing and gasping in his sleep on the floor. Pan across to Giles sleeping in the chair. Zoom in on Giles' face.)

Commercial.

(A pocket watch on a chain, swinging back and forth in front of a chest wearing Giles' tweedy conservative clothes.)

GILES VOICEOVER: You have to stop thinking.

(Fade to Buffy's face, looking pleased. The reflection of the watch moves across her face.)

GILES VOICEOVER: Let it wash over you.

BUFFY: Don't you think it's a little old-fashioned?

GILES: This is the way women and men have behaved since the beginning...

(We see Giles' apartment, with no furniture except one chair, which Buffy is sitting on. Giles stands in front of her with the pocket watch.)

GILES: ...before time. Now look into the light.

(Shot of the watch swinging.)

(Shot of Buffy's face. Suddenly she bursts out laughing.)

(Cut to a park at night. A hedge cut into the shape of an elephant, covered with Christmas-lights. People walking around. We hear a circus huckster calling out.)

(Buffy wearing overalls and pigtails, pulling Giles by the hand.)

BUFFY: Come on! Come on!

(We see Olivia walking beside Giles, pushing a baby carriage. But there's no baby in it.)

BUFFY: We're gonna miss all the good stuff.

OLIVIA: Does she always want to train this badly?

GILES: Well, it appears she's never heard the fable about patience.

(Buffy pulls them through crowds of people. Carnival booths, colorful lights.

OLIVIA: Which one is that?

GILES: The, the one about the fox, and the, uh, less patient fox.

BUFFY: (stops in front of a game booth) Here, I want to, I want to!

(Jumping up and down)

GILES: Yes, go ahead.

BUFFY: (turns to the booth. There's a big coffin with a fake-looking vampire standing behind it.)

VAMP: (bouncing) I am a vampire!

(Buffy throws a yellow ball at it, misses by a mile.)

GILES: (exasperated) Buffy, you have a sacred birthright to protect mankind. (Buffy turns to look at him, pouting) Don't stick out your elbow.

(Olivia sighs)

(Buffy looks chastised. She picks up another ball.)

VAMP: (bouncing) I am a vampire!

(Buffy throws, hits it right in the chest. It falls backward.)

VAMP: Ahh, you staked me!

(Buffy spins around, grinning with delight. Giles looks unimpressed.)

GILES: I haven't got any treats.

OLIVIA: For god's sake, Rupert, go easy on the girl. (Smiling)

(Buffy turns to get some cotton candy)

GILES: (to Olivia) This is my business. Blood of the lamb and all that. (Looks at Buffy) Oh, now you're gonna get that all over your face.

(Buffy turns. Her face is covered in mud. The color changes as if a negative were inverted.)

(The color goes back to normal. Giles frowns in confusion. His face goes blurry.)

GILES: I know you. (echoing)

SPIKE: (offscreen) Hey!

(Giles turns, sees Spike standing near the entrance to his crypt.)

SPIKE: Come on! (Gesturing) You're gonna miss everything! (Turns and goes into the crypt.)

Cut to Giles entering the crypt. Crying noises. Candles are lit all around.)

GILES: Don't push me around. You know I have a great deal to do.

(We see Olivia sitting on a coffin next to the baby carriage, which is lying on its side. She's crying.)

(Black & white shot of a bunch of people with cameras, and Spike looking past them at Giles.)

SPIKE: I've hired myself out as an attraction. (Strikes a threatening pose. The people ooh and ahh, camera flashes going off.)

(Color shot: Giles staring at Spike, Olivia still crying in the background.)

GILES: Sideshow freak?

(B&W shot: Spike flips up the collar of his coat.)

SPIKE: Well, at least it's showbiz. (Poses again. More oohs and camera flashes from the crowd.)

(Color: Giles moves forward, looks in confusion at Olivia, back in Spike's direction.)

GILES: (very confused) What am I supposed to do with all of this?

SPIKE: (offscreen) You gotta make up your mind, Rupes.

(B&W shot of Spike.)

SPIKE: What are you wasting your time for? (Pose, flashbulbs)

(Color: Giles turning to look at Spike again.)

(B&W shot of Spike.)

SPIKE: Haven't you figured it all out yet, with your enormous squishy frontal lobes? (Another pose, more oohs, flashbulbs)

(Color: Giles walking across the crypt.)

GILES: I still think Buffy should have killed you.

(B&W: Spike looks annoyed. He strikes a Jesus-on-the-cross pose. Very loud oohs, cameras flashing.)

(Color: Giles walking through crypt. The bald man stops him.)

BALD MAN: I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.

(He has cheese slices on his head and shoulders. He slides past Giles.)

GILES: Honestly, you meet the most appalling sorts of people.

(He walks on. In the background we see Spike still in Jesus pose, more flashbulbs going off.)

(Giles goes through a door and is in the Bronze. Young people talking, laughing, drinking. The stage is lit, but there's no band, and we hear no music. Giles walks over to a couch where Willow and Xander are sitting looking at old magic books. Giles is suddenly holding a book.)

GILES: I'm so sorry I'm late. There's a great deal going on. And all at once! (Goes to sit on a chair opposite them.)

(Willow nods.)

WILLOW: Don't we know it. Only at death's door over here, look at Xander!

(She pulls back Xander's jacket to show his ripped T-shirt and the bloody stain on his chest from having his heart pulled out.)

XANDER: Got the sucking chest wound swingin'. (Points at it, then at the stage) I promised Anya I'd be there for her big night. (Giles looks at the stage) Now I'll probably be pushing up daisies, in the sense of being in the ground underneath them and fertilizing the soil with decomposition.

(Shot of Giles' face in the foreground. In the background, we see Anya standing on stage in front of the mike, holding some papers.)

ANYA: Okay. A man ... walks into the office of a doctor. (Willow and Xander go back to their books) He's wearing on his head, um...

(Cut to Anya looking at her papers)

ANYA: Wait, there's, there's a, there's a duck. Is that right?

MAN IN CROWD: You suck!

ANYA: Quiet! You'll miss the humorous conclusion.

GILES: She's doing quite well.

WILLOW: Do you know this is your fault?

(While Giles talks, we still see Anya in the background telling her joke.)

GILES: We have to think of the facts, Willow. I'm very busy. I have a gig myself, you know.

WILLOW: (sighs) Something's after us. It's, uh, like some primal ... some animal force.

(In the background we see Anya doing a funny walk.)

GILES: That used to be us.

XANDER: Don't get linear on me now, man.

ANYA: And ... then the duck tells the doctor that there's a man, that's attached to my ass.

(Crowd laughs)

(Xander laughs)

ANYA: See, it was the duck, and not the man that spoke. (Smiles proudly. Applause)

(Xander applauds. Willow is still looking at her book. Anya turns and leaves the stage.)

WILLOW: Rupert. (Giles turns to look at her) You've gotta focus. You must have some kind of explanation. If we don't know what we're fighting, I don't think we stand a chance.

(Giles frowns, begins to sing.)

GILES: (sings) It's strange, it's not like anything we've faced before.

(He gets up. Suddenly there's a piano player and a guitarist onstage, accompanying Giles' song. People applaud as Giles walks toward the stage.)

GILES: (sings) It seems familiar somehow. Of course!

(Drums start up. Giles grabs the mike. We see there's both a guitar and a bass player. People cheer enthusiastically.)

GILES: (sings) The spell we cast with Buffy

Must have released

Some primal evil that's come back seeking (removes glasses)

I'm not sure what

Willow, look through the chronicles (Willow nods, reaches for another book)

For some reference

To a warrior beast

(He puts his glasses on, grabs the mike again. More excited cheering as the music swells.)

GILES: (sings) I've got to warn Buffy

There's every chance she might be next

Xander, help Willow (someone sings harmony on this line)

(Shot of Willow and Xander holding up cigarette lighters while reading the books.)

GILES: (sings) And try not to bleed on my couch I've just had it steam-cleaned. (music slows)

(Shot of people in the audience smiling, swaying, holding up lighters)

GILES: (sings) No, wait...

(Loud feedback. The mike goes dead and the band stops playing. Giles looks confused. He gets down on his knees and starts following the microphone cord backstage. He traces it to a big pile of tangled cord, digs in it and pulls out his pocket watch on its chain.)

GILES: Well, that was ... obvious.

(We see the dark-haired creature braced on the wall above him, holding a weapon.)

GILES: I know who you are.

(Another shot of the creature. Its weapon looks like a stake.)

GILES: And I can defeat you ... with my intellect. (We see the creature approaching from behind) I ... can cripple you with my thoughts. (It grabs his hair, puts a weapon against his forehead) Of course, you underestimate me. You couldn't know.

(Closeup of Giles' face with blood dripping down from his forehead. We hear his voice but his lips don't move.)

GILES: You never had a Watcher.

(Cut to the real Giles sleeping on the chair, twitching, dropping his glasses on the floor.)

Commercial.

(Fade in on Buffy sleeping on the sofa, covered with a green blanket. We see that she still has the cut on her forehead that she got in "The Yoko Factor.")

ANYA: (whispers offscreen) Buffy! Wake up!)

(Buffy opens her eyes. She's lying on her bed in the dorm room, on her side, facing Willow's bed. The cut on her forehead is gone. She frowns.)

(Shot of Anya lying in Willow's bed, under the covers.)

ANYA: (whispers) Buffy, you have to wake up right away!

BUFFY: I'm not really in charge of these things. (Closes eyes)

ANYA: (anxious) Please wake up. Oh please.

BUFFY: (opens eyes) I need my beauty sleep. So stop it, okay? (Rolls over onto her back)

(The creature is hanging from the ceiling above her. It snarls at her.)

(Cut to Buffy in her bed in Joyce's house, sitting up startled. The covers are rumpled around her. She lies back.)

(Cut to Buffy standing in the doorway of the bedroom, looking at the bed.)

BUFFY: Faith and I just made that bed.

(Shot of the bed, still rumpled but now without Buffy in it.)

TARA: (offscreen) For who?

(Buffy frowns, looks to her left.)

BUFFY: I thought you were here to tell me.

(Shot of Tara with her hair up, facing Buffy.)

BUFFY: (looking back at bed) The guys aren't here, are they? We were gonna hang out (looks at Tara) and, watch movies t-

TARA: You lost them.

BUFFY: No. (Looks confused) No. I think they need me to find them.

(Shot of the digital alarm clock next to the bed, showing 7:30 AM.)

BUFFY: (upset) It's so late.

TARA: Oh ... that clock's completely wrong. Here.

(Shot of Tara's hands holding out the Tarot card "Manus" (the hands). It has a picture of two hands crossed, one open, the other balled into a fist.)

BUFFY: I'm never gonna use those.

(Buffy's face in profile. Tara's face out of focus in background.)

TARA: You think you know ... what's to come ... what you are. You haven't even begun.

(Shot of the bed, now neatly made.)

(Buffy frowns.)

BUFFY: I think I need to go find the others.

(She leaves.)

TARA (softly) Be back before dawn.

(Fade to a school hallway. Can't tell if it's Sunnydale High or the college. It seems to have elements of both. Buffy walks through the halls wearing a flowered dress. She speaks to a random guy walking past.)

BUFFY: Have you seen my friends? (He shakes his head and walks on) They wouldn't just disappear.

(She looks around, walks down the halls. We see a row of lockers. Suddenly

Buffy notices a hole in the wall. The plaster is torn back, revealing a layer of bricks with a face-sized hole. She walks over to it.)

BUFFY: Mom?

(Joyce's face appears in the hole.)

JOYCE: Oh, hi, honey.

BUFFY: Why are you living in the walls?

JOYCE: Oh, sweetie, no, I'm fine here. Don't worry about me.

(Buffy frowns, tries to see inside the hole.)

BUFFY: It looks dirty.

JOYCE: Well, it seems that way to you. (Smiling) I made some lemonade, and I'm learning how to play mah-jongg. You go find your friends.

BUFFY: I, I think they might be in danger.

(Joyce starts to laugh. Buffy looks confused.)

JOYCE: I-I'm sorry, dear. (Giggling) Um, a mouse is playing with my knees.

BUFFY: I, I really don't think you should live in there.

(Suddenly she looks over and sees Xander climbing up some stairs. Looks like the stairs leading to the library in UC Sunnydale.)

JOYCE: Well ... you could ... probably break through the wall. (Buffy walks toward stairs. Joyce watches her go)

(Shot of Buffy's feet, wearing sandals, walking slowly down a hall.)

(Shot of two men sitting at a conference table, facing each other, in a room with high ceilings and plain gray walls. On the left wall is a big map of the world. On the right, a row of cabinets. There are two empty chairs. In the foreground we still see Buffy's feet.)

(Man on the left speaks. It's Riley.)

RILEY: Hey there, killer.

BUFFY: (offscreen) Riley? You're back.

RILEY: I never left.

(Buffy's feet walk closer, as does the camera angle.)

BUFFY: (offscreen) But how did the debriefing go?

RILEY: I told you not to worry about that. It went great. They made me surgeon general.

(Shot of Buffy looking surprised.)

BUFFY: Why didn't you come and tell me? We could have celebrated.

(Shot of Riley sitting in the chair, wearing a suit.)

RILEY: Oh. (Looks at the other man ) We're drawing up a plan for world domination. (Looks back at Buffy, pleased.) The key element? Coffeemakers that think.

(Buffy frowns.)

BUFFY: World domination? I-is that a good?

RILEY: Baby, we're the government.

(He swings around in his chair to strike a James Bond-like pose. The camera shoots him from below, through the glass tabletop. On the table we see a handgun.)

RILEY: It's what we do.

OTHER GUY: She's uncomfortable with certain concepts. (He's wearing a suit too, with no jacket.) It's understandable. Aggression is a natural human tendency. (Looks at Buffy) Though you and me come by it another way.

(Shot of Buffy with the dark-haired creature behind her.)

BUFFY: We're not demons.

OTHER GUY: Is that a fact?

(Shot of Buffy. The creature is gone.)

RILEY: Buffy, we've got important work here. (Same camera angle on Riley, the gun prominent in the foreground.) A lot of filing, giving things names.

BUFFY: (looks at other guy) What was yours?

OTHER GUY: Before Adam? (Shakes his head. Suddenly the lighting turns blue) Not a man among us can remember.

(Buffy looks around at the blue lighting. In the background we see shadows moving; we hear noises like emergency doors slamming shut.)

COMPUTER VOICE: The demons have escaped. Please run for your lives.

ADAM: This could be trouble. (He and Riley stand)

RILEY: We better make a fort.

ADAM: (nodding) I'll get some pillows. (Leaves)

(Buffy looks very nervous. Shadowy figures behind her seem to be moving closer. She looks down and sees her weapons bag lying at her feet. Looks up.)

BUFFY: (gasping anxiously) Wait! I have weapons!

She sits on the floor and opens the bag. It's full of mud. Buffy frowns, putting her hands in the mud and moving them around. Lifts her hands, covered in mud. Brings them up and smears the mud on her face. Reaches in for more, rubs it all over her face as the colors invert again like a photo-negative.)

(Suddenly the color returns to normal and Buffy looks up with her "I'm gonna kick your ass" expression.)

RILEY: (offscreen) Thought you were looking for your friends. Okay, killer...

(Shot of Riley wearing regular civilian clothes)

RILEY: ...if that's the way you want it. I guess you're on your own. (Walks off.)

(Buffy's still on the floor in the gray room surrounded by blue light. Suddenly a beam of sunshine lights her. She gets up and walks off.)

(Fade to Buffy's feet walking along a hallway, which turns to rippled sand like on a beach. She walks past a palm tree and is in the desert from before: rocks, scraggly bushes, sand. Again we hear the woman humming. Buffy walks down a hill. The camera zooms out and we can see more of the same landscape with mountains in the distance. A breeze ruffles her hair and dress.)

BUFFY: I'm never gonna find them here.

(She looks up and sees Tara far off, walking toward her. Tara has her hair up, wears a long pink skirt and matching top that exposes a lot of her stomach.)

TARA VOICEOVER: Of course not. That's the reason you came.

(Tara fades out and reappears closer, then this repeats. She stops walking.)

(Shot of Buffy and Tara standing about thirty feet apart, facing each other with miles of desert stretching out behind them.)

BUFFY VOICEOVER: You're not in my dream.

TARA VOICEOVER: I was borrowed.

(Shot of Tara standing with big rocks behind her. She wears a gold necklace.)

TARA: Someone has to speak for her.

(Shot of Buffy standing with rocks, bushes and mountains behind.)

BUFFY: Let her speak for herself. (We see the dark-haired creature walking up behind her.) That's what's done in polite circles.

(The creature moves around to in front of Buffy and we finally get a good look at her. It's a dark-skinned woman with dreadlocks and long sharp fingernails. Her face is painted with white or grayish paint, lines of black paint across her eyes, and she wears rags. She crouches low and walks around Buffy like a wild animal. She looks like a cavewoman.)

BUFFY: Why do you follow me?

(The woman shakes her head.)

TARA: (offscreen) I don't.

BUFFY: Where are my friends?

(Shot of the woman backing away from Buffy, still crouching down low.)

TARA: (offscreen) You're asking the wrong questions.

BUFFY: (firmly) Make her speak.

(The woman shakes her head again.)

TARA: (offscreen) I have no speech. No name. I live in the action of death, the blood cry, the penetrating wound. (The woman straightens up and looks Buffy in the eye.)

TARA: I am destruction. Absolute ... alone.

(Buffy frowns.)

BUFFY: The Slayer.

(The other woman looks at her.)

Tara: (offscreen) The first.

(Shot of Buffy's hand, holding a bunch of Tarot-shaped cards. In the one on top we see a scene of Giles, Buffy, Willow, and Xander in Joyce's living room watching TV.)

(Shot of Buffy looking at the card in her hand, with the mountains behind her.)

BUFFY: I am not alone.

(Shot of Tara in the background, the First Slayer in the middle ground, and Buffy's back in the foreground.)

TARA: The Slayer does not walk in this world.

BUFFY: I walk.

(Side shot of the three of them.)

BUFFY: I talk. I shop, I sneeze. I'm gonna be a fireman when the floods roll back.

(Shot of the First Slayer lifting her chin in anger.)

BUFFY: (offscreen) There's trees in the desert since you moved out. (The First Slayer shakes her head) And I don't sleep on a bed of bones.

(Shot of Buffy's face.)

BUFFY: (firmly) Now give me back my friends.

(The First Slayer speaks in a very low, hoarse voice.)

FIRST SLAYER: No ... friends! Just the kill.

(Shot of Buffy watching her.)

FIRST SLAYER: We ... are ... alone!

(The bald guy leans in between Buffy and the First Slayer, holding up two slices of cheese. He grins and shakes the cheese at Buffy, then retreats offscreen.)

BUFFY: That's it. I'm waking up.

(The First Slayer attacks her, pushes her to the ground and tries to bash her head on it. African drum music begins.)

(Buffy rolls the First Slayer off her and kicks at her. They both get up. The First Slayer punches her.)

(Long shot of Buffy falling backward from the punch, slow-motion. No music.)

(Music resumes and the action returns to real-time. The First Slayer tries to punch down but Buffy rolls to her feet and kicks her in the back. She kicks again but the First Slayer ducks. Buffy punches.)

(Long shot of the First Slayer falling backward from the punch, slow-motion. No music. The first Slayer starts to get up.)

(One last drum-beat as the action returns to real-time. The First Slayer gets up. Faceoff.)

(Shot of Buffy shaking her head.)

BUFFY: It's over. (Woman humming begins again. First Slayer shakes her head) We don't do this any more.

(Drums begin again. The First Slayer grabs her again and they roll down a sandy hill, clutching each other and rolling over and over as the drums continue.)

BUFFY VOICEOVER: Enough!

(Cut to Buffy waking up on Joyce's floor. She lifts her head and looks around. Pan across Giles, Willow and Xander sleeping in their spots. Buffy groans and starts to get up.)

(Growl.)

(The First Slayer lands atop Buffy and starts stabbing repeatedly at the floor with her stake. Shot of Buffy lying underneath the First Slayer, rolling her eyes.)

BUFFY: Are you quite finished?

(First Slayer pulls her stake out of the floor.)

BUFFY: It's over, okay? I'm going to ignore you, and you're going to go away.

(The First Slayer pulls back and Buffy sits up, then stands.)

BUFFY: You're really gonna have to get over the whole ... primal power thing. (walks toward the sofa)

(Shot of the First Slayer staring at her.)

BUFFY: (over her shoulder) You're *not* the source of me.

(She picks up her blanket and sits back down on the sofa next to Willow. Another shot of the First Slayer staring at her.)

BUFFY: Also, in terms of hair care, you really wanna say, what kind of impression am I making in the workplace? 'Cause-

(Cut to the real Buffy waking up on the sofa. The cut on her forehead is back. She looks around.)

(Shot of all four of them. Giles, Willow and Xander awake at the same instant. They all sit up and look at each other.)

(Fade to the four of them sitting around the kitchen table.)

WILLOW: The First Slayer. Wow.

XANDER: Not big with the socialization.

WILLOW: Or the floss.

GILES: Somehow our joining with ... Buffy and ... invoking the essence of the, the Slayer's power was an affront to the source of that power.

BUFFY: You know, you could have brought that up to us *before* we did it.

GILES: I did. I said there could be dire consequences.

BUFFY: Yes, but you say that about chewing too fast.

(Joyce enters, wearing a bathrobe.)

JOYCE: I'm, uh, guessing I missed some fun?

WILLOW: The spirit of the first Slayer tried to kill us in our dreams.

JOYCE: Oh, you want some hot chocolate?

(Everyone says "yeah" or "yes please.")

JOYCE: Xander?

XANDER: Yes, what, Joyce? (Nervously) Uh ... Buffy's mom.

JOYCE: Be my kitchen buddy again, help me carry? (Nods toward the kitchen)

XANDER: Yes. Sure. (Nervously) Buffy's mom.

Giles (to Buffy) You all right?

BUFFY: Yeah. I think I might jump in the shower.

GILES: You seem a bit, uh...

BUFFY: A little. (Pensive) The First Slayer. I never really thought about it. (Sighs) It was intense. I-I guess you guys got a taste of that, huh.

(Willow nods.)

XANDER: Yeah, from now on, you keep your Slayer friends out of my dreams. Is that clear?

(Buffy smiles.)

WILLOW: It's not good for the sleepin'.

(Giles shakes his head in agreement.)

BUFFY: Ah... (Gets up) Well, at least you all didn't dream about that guy with the cheese. (Walks off.)

(The others look up in surprise.)

BUFFY: (offscreen) I don't know *where* the hell that came from.

(The other three look at each other.)

(Cut to Buffy emerging from the stairs into the upper hallway. Walks down the hall toward the bathroom. Frowns, turns, looks into her bedroom. Walks into the doorway, looking at her bed.)

TARA VOICEOVER: You think you know ... what's to come ... what you are. You haven't even begun.

(Long shot of the darkened bedroom, with Buffy framed in the doorway. She slowly backs away, turns and walks out of sight.)

Executive Producer Joss Whedon.

End

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