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Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: SIT Shannon meets Caleb and get's Caleb's "message" to Buffy, Faith's arrival at the Summers home, Buffy's vendetta warning to Wood, Buffy closes the door in Giles' face, Caleb's battle with Buffy and killing of two SIT's, Caleb puts out Xander's eye.
Daytime on a Sunnydale street and it is a mass evacuation. Cars are in almost a gridlock, with items of furnature and bags strapped to their roofs. People are making tracks outta Sunnydale as Buffy walks listlessly in and out of the crowd of cars, she's in a slight state of confusion. "Hey you!" Buffy hears from a car. Clem greets her (with him sitting in the seat of a red New Beetle) and the two talk and lightly joke about how everyone is panicing, as if they've never seen an apocolypse before. Clem says this one is different, it's giving off bad vibes. Clem starts to say that no-one can stop this one, then backtracks when he realizes he's talking to Buffy, not to hurt her feelings. He then makes the suggestion to her that she might wanna get out of town this time, then tells her to take care of her self as the two say a final goodbye. Buffy walks on, the same dazed expression on her face (Clem's character does most of the talking in this scene, probably because SMG had a noticably sore throat).
Opening Credits: Nothing new.
Still daytime on the Sunnydale streets. Now Giles and Willow stand in front of the police station talking to a cop. The officer talks to Giles as if he's some sort of "inspector" from INTERPOL, hoping that the files he's handing Giles will help in the case. The cop then starts to question "wait... who are you again?" "I'm with the inspector" Willow says, staring the cop right in the face, a feignt whisper of magical sounds is heard. The cop then repeats that he hasn't had much contact with INTERPOL. The three then notice a raving madman talking about the end of the world being hauled into the precinct, then the cop re-iterates his offer of help to "Inspector" Giles and Willow. he then begins to question their presence again, but Giles and Willow beat a hasty retreat.
Willow says it's a good thing they left, her control was beginning to fade. She asks what was wrong with the cops. Giles says it's the Hellmouth being open again, it's effecting everyone strangely. Willow says she wants to get to Xander and the two head off down the street with the newly obtained files.
Back with the cop, two other cops get his attention, showing him a sheet announcing another fugitive is on the loose and wound up in Sunnydale. "Yeah? Sounds like a situation that needs some justice" he says suspicously...
Xander sits up in a hospital bed with a large bandage covering his left eye. Willow sits on his bedside and Buffy stands a little inside the doorway, giving him information the doctor told her (no damage to the surrounding bone, the meds he's on might cause some discomfort, he should watch his diet, etc.). Buffy talks somewhat nerviously, unsure of herself, while Xander says he can't taste anything and wonders when his other "super" senses are going to kick in. Buffy then says after some lab reports come back, he might be released as early as that evening, which they all smile uneasily at. Buffy then hints that she's gotta get back to work on the information Willow got and she thanks Willow for the files as she picks them up. Willow is taken aback a little at this, saying that there were going to be card games (nudge nudge, wink wink, look at Xander, look back). Buffy uncomfortably says that they really should get working on the information, and Xander says it's ok, he'll see her later that evening "lacking depth perception of course. Buffy leaves as Willow takes his hand.
"Guess you're stuck with me, huh?" Willow starts to do the distraction thing by listing things they're going to do (games, food, etc.) when Xander interrupts her with "I think I need a parrot." He wonders where his pirate outfit is, so he can complete the look. Willow smiles and suggests getting a peg leg, maybe the hospital has a two body parts for the price of one deal. Xander smiles and says the best part is that no-one will ever have to make him watch Jaws 3-D again. Willow almost laughs but emotion is starting to take over in both of them. She starts to say that he won't have to do something else, but can't complete the sentence as tears swell up in her eyes and she grips Xander's hand in comfort. Long, emotional silence before Xander quietly says "Willow... please don't...." Willow nods in affirmation, trying to be tough and show strength in the situation.
"And so we know that a battle is coming... UberVamps galore!" Anya is in the basement of the Summers home, addressing all of the gathered SIT's in a sort of instructional/informational class. Andrew stands off to her side, writing key words on an easil as Anya addresses certain points off of notecards ("Ubervamp" "Hard to Kill"). Anya says she's gotten some information from her sources, one of which is that Ubervamps CAN be staked through the heart, but their skin is tough (Andrew draws a quick picture of an Ubervamp, then writes "Steak", crosses out his mistake, puts "Stake"). She doesn't really have all of the SIT's attention. They look bored, confused, and sometimes scared at the information she presents as she continues to say that while Sunlight will kill an ubervamp, they're not gonna come out in it (Andrew draws a picture of the sun) and that the Ubervamps have claws that they use to shred flesh (Andrew writes "teeth claws"). Rona then interrupts, saying that the Ubervamps are scary enough, but now she's more concerned with Caleb. Anya admits that they don't have much info on him yet, then shuffles through her notecards, trying to find the right thing to say. She then has her speech:
"I know you're all upset, and I myself would much rather be sitting at the bedside of my one-eyed ex-fiancee than killing time here with you people here in this overcrowded and, might i say, increasingly ripe smelling basement, and I would be too, if not for a certain awkward discussion he and I recently had right over there on that cot, immediately following some exciting and unexpected break-up sex. (some of the girls get squicked by this and move off the cot as Andrew writes "Breakup sex" on the easel) But, I need to give him some space, so I'm doing what I can do, contributing what i can, and so will all of you. You still need to know this information. You can't stop just because something else is trying to kill you too."
Kennedy has had enough and walks upstairs into the kitchen where Faith sits alone, munching on a bag of chips. Kennedy asks if she has enough to share. "I'll trade you for a carton of cigarrettes and some soap" Faith says, then adds "Sorry, habit" and hands the chips to Kennedy. Faith wonders why Kennedy isn't downstairs with the others in "class". Kennedy says probably, then Faith congratulates her on playin hooky and says that Anya's technique might be a little different than Buffy. Amanda then emerges from the Basement and wonders if they're gonna get quizzed on Anya's sex stuff. Faith says that she always can shut Anya up when she brings the sex up by reminding her that she had Xander first! Kennedy then wonders what the hell good any of the class does when Caleb is running around loose. Faith asks if they have any info and both Kennedy and Amanda say no, no research helps.
Buffy walks in the front door and calls out to the others. Dawn immediately comes up behind her and asks how Xander is. Kennedy, Amanda, and Faith walk in from the kitchen and all assemble in the dining room. Uncomfortable about the subject of Xander, Buffy tells Dawn that he's fine and may come home that evening. Buffy starts distributing papers from the files she brought to Kennedy, Amanda, and Faith and they read that Caleb has had a history of violence, giving them a place to start. All sit at the table and start going over the files as Dawn continues to ask Buffy how Xander is. Buffy is now silent on the subject and Faith picks up on her unease, so she suggests "pipsqueak" Dawn go and get the other things that Giles found. Dawn uneasily leaves as others pour over the info. Buffy starts reciting some stats about Caleb, and Kennedy finishes with the ill-timed "The ability to render a Slayer useless with just one punch." This visibly hurts Buffy and Kennedy is VERY apologetic, but Buffy says it is ok. Buffy then says she has to go to the High school and pick up the rest of her things as the two SIT's head back downstairs and Faith continues with the files.
The halls of the High school are now darkened and deserted, with trash and open lockers everywhere. Buffy walks silenty down the hall, looking at the emptyness of the place. She enters her office and looks at her desk, picking up a picture of herself, Xander, and Willow from better times, all smiling and youthful (the same picture seen in the episode after "Anne" who's name I forget). "Oh now look... things don't go exactly your way so here come the waterworks... ain't that just like a woman." Calebs voice is heard. Buffy looks up and there he stands, grinning evilly at her.
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Buffy stands and slowly backs alittle ways away, ordering Caleb to get out. Caleb chastises her for being rude. Caleb comments on how empty the school is and turns it into more religious talk as Buffy slowly backs up to a drawer and tries to sneak her hand inside. Caleb notices and tells her not to try anything, it didn't do her any good last time. Caleb then asks about "poor, sweet Xander" and offers to put out his other eye to finish the job. "Go near Xander again and i will END you" Buffy says with pure hatred in her voice. Caleb gets angry and easily flips the desk between he and Buffy aside with one hand "mind your manners." He says that he warned her once, then that she should relax and let history remember them as part of the "great, sweeping tide of change." He asks why she would wanna get in the way of something like that? "I guess I'm just ornery..." she answers then slugs him hard, sending him reeling back a few steps, but Caleb laughs off the punch. The two start fighting, but it's short lived as Caleb easily picks Buffy up by the throat and tosses her through an office window, sending her crashing hard against the hallway wall. She lays unconscious as Caleb walks up to her "I'll see ya soon little lady..." and he then walks off.
Nighttime in the kitchen, Dawn and Giles are going over photographs of a nearby Mission with a magnifying glass. Andrew walks in and starts complaining about how Faith ate his last Mozzerella Hot Pocket. Dawn ignores Andrew and tells Giles that the Mission has been seemingly abandoned with little or no vandalism. Andrew continues his rant, opening up the freezer and pulling out an empty box that says "Andrews, please do not eat." Just then Giles notices something in one of the pictures and he walks into the living room, with Dawn and Andrew in tow.
Andrew rambles on about the loss of his Hot Pocket before Giles tells him "Shut up. Pay attention." Then Giles asks Dawn what she sees in the photograph and hands it to her. He points out the back wall and Dawn notices something that at first looked like a knot-hole, but now is revealed to be the symbol on Caleb's ring! Giles tells Amanda (who is sitting looking all forlorne with other assembled SIT's in the living room) to go get Spike from the basement. Amanda walks off as Faith walks in, saying that it sounded like there was news. She pops the last of a Hot Pocket in her mouth which gets an icy glare from Andrew nearby.
Spike walks in and asks "what's up, Rupert?" kind of coldly. Giles says he has a mission for Spike, which makes Spike wary, seeing as how the last mission was an attempt on his life. Giles says this one is genuine and shows him the picture of the Mission with Caleb's mark on the back wall. Giles says he wants Spike to go because he needs someone who can take care of themselves. Spike starts to walk off determined as Andrew interrupts "Can we address the food stealing issue soon?!?" this gives Giles a bright idea: "Take Andrew." Spike and Andrew both aren't happy with the idea, but Giles says there may be demons and he is somewhat an expert on them, and Dawn says that Andrew has always wanted to get out of the house more. Andrew then smiles as he trots off happily after Spike on their "mission." Dawn turns towards Amanda and the other SIT's and tries to re-assure them that they've got "something" now and things will be all right. Faith gets up and says that in the meantime the troops have gotta just sit there and feel crappy. Dawn says they need to keep occupied. "Yeah... I know how to keep them occupied..." Faith says with a smile.
Lights, loud music, and a bumping and grinding Faith. The scene is the Bronze and Faith has taken the SIT's out for a little "down time." (Note: I believe the band that plays during these final moments at the Bronze is "Nerf Herder", the originaters of the Buffy theme song.). Faith dances with 4 guys, Various SIT's play pool, dance, and sip drinks, and Kennedy dances with Dawn as they comment on what kind of band plays during an apocolypse.
Buffy arrives home, still shaken and bruised from her Caleb encounter. She enters an empty living room and wonders where everyone is. Giles notices her from the dining room and asks if she's hurt. Buffy talks briefly about her Caleb encounter, then asks how the police files worked out. Giles awkwardly says they did find evidence that Caleb had established a foothold somewhere and that he sent Spike to look into it. Buffy's gaze is cold, almost disbelief, as she asks if it was a mission from which he expected Spike to return alive. "Yes... I sent Andrew with him." Giles answers quietly. "Again i ask the question" Buffy retorts.
Giles defends his decision to send Spike, saying Buffy wasn't around to make the decision. Buffy says he sent away the one person that has been watching her back. "We're all watching your back." Giles fires back. Buffy says it doesn't feel like it. Buffy then gets up and looks around, asking where Faith and the girls are? Giles says that Faith thought they needed a little time off so, with hesitation, he mentions that Faith took the girls to the Bronze. Buffy's eyes go wide, then she charges out the front door.
"You know what I figured out tonight? Every High School in this country smells exactly alike!" Caleb enters the wine celler and addresses Buffy/the First. Buffy/the First asks if Caleb layed the proper groundwork. Caleb says that he believes Buffy got the message.
"This girl is so COOL!" Amanda starts on a "cool" rant about Faith before Faith notices she's drinking and asks her her age. Amanda says she's 17, which prompts Faith to take her drink away and get her a 7-up. In walk 4cops from the Bronze's front doors and immediately approach Faith, saying very roughly that they have to take Faith in for outstanding warrants. Faith tries to calm them down by offering them a drink and a dance, but they won't have any of it as one of them grabs her from behind. Dawn and the other SIT's take notice and start to approach, but the cops draw their guns in rough fashion and act tough. Faith tells the SIT's and Dawn it's ok, she's got it, as she is escorted roughly out by three of the cops, a fourth stays behind, closing the door, blocking the SIT's from exiting. "I'm not going back to jail" says a struggling Faith as the cops let her go. "Who said anything about jail?" one of the cops answers as all three pull and cock their guns.
Commercial break: Windex makes it SHINE!
Faith instantly starts the ass-kicking, disarming the cops, but soon they get the upper hand and start beating her with billyclubs.
Dawn and the other SIT's try to go outside, but the lone cop blocks the doorway roughly with his shotgun.
More Faith fighting, back and fourth. Sometimes she's doing good, sometimes bad.
Dawn faces off against the cop again, saying he can't stop them. The cop cocks his shotgun and fires at a light, spooking all the Bronzers. He roughly tells them the best thing they can do is stay back. Rona says the Cops are really getting hellmouthish. The SIT's get in his face with "No", then Kennedy kicks the shotgun out of his hand. Other SIT's kick him here or there before Dawn jumps on his back like a madwoman. The exit no-longer blocked, Kennedy and Amanda rush outside to find Faith being savagely beaten with billyclubs by the three cops. They join the fight and, after some tough punches and kicks, just beat down the three cops. "Faith! What are you doing?!?" Buffy comes running up just as the fight ends. Faith says it was just blowing off steam, but it turned out differently. Dawn and the other SIT's now rush outside and Buffy looks at them all, surprised. Buffy tells the others go get home now, including Dawn. Buffy wants to talk to Faith alone.
Buffy is pissed, wondering what Faith was thinking? The girls were drunk and fighting! "seemed like a good idea at the time!" is Faith's answer. Buffy says she understands that they needed to blow off some steam but this was too much, especially the fighting. Faith fights back, saying that they were bored, that nobody got hurt, and that Buffy doesn't even really know the girls. Buffy says that they're not ready to learn from Faiths mistakes, they're children, which makes Faith say they're not children. Buffy says it's not the point and she starts to walk off. Faith calls after her "what about the Vineyard?" This halts Buffy as Faith continues "how safe were they after you dragged them off to face Caleb? How safe was Rona or Amanda or Molly?!?" This gets Buffy's ire up and she punches Faith to the ground out of anger. Faith looks after Buffy not knowing what to do.
On Spike's motorcycle, Spike drives through the night with Andrew on the back (wearing a football helmet). Andrew wants to stop for road-trip food, but Spike says it's not a road trip, it's a covert operation. Andrew continues by saying even operatives eat curly fries, they're really good. Spike says they're not as good as those Onion Blossom things. Andrew says "it's an onion... and it's a flower... i don't understand how such a thing is possible..." Spike then goes into a description of how an Onion Blossom is made, sounding quite the homemaker, then ending with "Tell anyone we had this conversation I'll bite you." Andrew agrees as they drive on into the night.
Out on the front porch, Faith takes a smoke as Principal Wood arrives, wondering if the "big meeting" has started yet. They introduce themselves as Wood notices Faith is a little brused up. Faith says the bruises mostly came from cops, but one came from someone "who thought she was a cop." They both know she's talking about Buffy without actually saying her name. Wood says that Buffy told him about her and Faith's past turmoil, then Wood asks how she's changed and he says he senses that she's worried about Buffy. Wood adds he can read people pretty well.
Faith then starts to then question him, wondering how he can move around so easily and calmly at night with all the stuff going on around. Faith says he might be lookin for a fight, and she adds she can read people pretty well too. Then a car pulls up and interrupts their conversation.
At a Mission, Spike opens a door to a darkened room with Andrew behind him. They find the place eerily deserted and Andrew says that kind of place gives him the creeps. Spike says they now have something else in common. Suddenly a door bursts open and a robed figure rushes into Spike. It tries to attack Spike with a punch but Spike easily throws the figure into a wall. Spike then looks down at the figure and noticing something odd, pulls back the figure's hood to reveal a normal man (not a Bringer), who has a burn mark in the side of his face in the imprint of Caleb's ring.
All of the SIT's, along with Dawn, Giles, Faith, and Wood are gathered in the living room. A "Welcome home Xander" banner hangs on a wall. All assembled hear the front door open and see Xander escorted in by Anya and Willow. "We didn't have time to do anymore. You have to pretend there's a big party here" Kennedy says. Dawn emotionally rushes forward and embraces Xander, holding onto him tightly. "That's ok. Parties in this house... I usually end up having to re-build something" he quips. Buffy then walks in from the foyer, welcoming Xander home. SIT's fill in behind her to where we now have a very crowded room listening to Buffy's latest speech.
Buffy says she found out some things about the celler. Buffy knows that they had a hard time there before, but now she knows what they have to do. She announces they're going back in, which gets stunned looks from those gathered.
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Spike kneels down to a paniced, confused man who is obviously scared. "Tell me about the mark." Spike tries to talk to him, asking if he's part of Caleb's faction. The man hurredly says no, then saying he can't talk about it. Andrew then decides to try being the "bad cop" in a good cop/bad cop senario, saying "Can't is a four letter word..." Spike interrupts Andrew, telling the man that they're trying to fight Caleb. The man then says no one can stop him, no one can fight him, no one can run from him. "RUN is a four letter word..." Andrew starts again, then corrects himself. Spike ignores Andrew again and wants the man to talk. The man says he'll do better, he'll show them, as Spike helps him up.
The man (a priest) tells the story of how Caleb arrived one evening seeking shelter and food. They walk down a hallway up to a statue of the Virgin Mary. He tells how Caleb revealed to them a hidden room that not even the priests new about. Pressing a hidden switch, the statue swings aside to reveal a dark room with tapestries on the walls. The Priest tells that Caleb was looking for something very specific and then he found writing on the wall behind one of the tapestries (it was in Latin or Greek, but I couldn't tell what it said). The priest continues to tell how Caleb read the inscription and then totally went berzerk, burning his symbol into the man's face and slaughtering his fellow priests while he himself hid. Andrew tells the Priest that running away probably saved his life, then asks what the inscription says as Spike approaches it with a candelabra. "It is not for thee. It is for her alone" Spike reads.
Buffy starts to tell the assembled troops about her visit from Caleb at the school (which gets Dawn worried, but Buffy says she's fine). Buffy says because of that visit she's figured something out. Buffy says they spent all that time worried about the Seal and the Hellmouth but then wondered why Caleb isn't guarding them? She reasons that bad guys always go where the power is and that Caleb and his Bringers have been camped out at the Vineyard, so that's where they're going to go. They're going to go and take the power away from Caleb. This news gets mixed reactions from the assembly, then Faith breaks the silence "or... in the alternative... how bout we don't? I'm not going back into that place without proof, and neither should you, and neither should they!" she says as she points out the SIT's. Buffy says she knows it's not going to be easy, but Wood interrupts, saying that Faith had the floor. Faith says it might work out good, but she wants something she can see. Buffy asks Faith if she came there to fight. Faith counters, saying they're all fighters, but they don't want to just go off chasing after... "Windmills" Giles finishes her sentence. Giles and Wood both think it's a hell of a lot to ask of them. Buffy is starting to lose control, wondering why after 7 years together why they can't trust her.
Giles brings up Buffy's not trusting them from earlier. Buffy then gets defensive, wondering if Giles sent Spike away to ambush her. Rona then speaks up, saying that she's sick of Buffy's deal with Spike, and that Buffy seems to be so obsessed with beating Caleb she's willing to take extreme risks without thinking. Buffy tries to say that's not what she's doing, but Kennedy says it sure seems like it to the rest of them. Kennedy starts on a "People are dying" rant when Willow interrupts, which makes Kennedy shoot back to Willow "why are you always standing up for her?!?" Willow calmly says she's not. Buffy questions this, which makes Willow say that she's worried about Buffy's judgement.
Buffy says that she's sorry that the situation couldn't be a democracy, but democracy's don't win battles. She says that they need a single voice, someone to issue orders, someone to lead them. "And it's automatically you. You really do think you're better than we are." Anya interrupts, questioning why Buffy is the leader, pointing out that she didn't work for everything that she has, it was just given to her. Anya says Buffy isn't better than they are, just luckier. "I've gotten us this far..." Buffy says, trying to defend herself. "But not without a price" Xander retorts, almost in pain at what he has just said. Buffy continues, saying that she does want input and wants to talk strategy but that this is the plan, they have to be together on it. Giles says emotionally that they are obviously not together on it, which makes Buffy fire back that they then just have to fall in line and get with the program, saying she's still in charge. Rona questions why that is? Buffy says almost matter-of-factly because she's the Slayer. Rona points out that Faith is a Slayer too. "Wha??? Whoa whoa, so not what I had in mind..." Faith backs away a bit, saying that while she thinks Buffy should take a break, she isn't the one they want. Kennedy then suggests they put it up to a vote to see who wants Faith as their leader. Buffy says they can't because she hasn't had a chance to pal around with the girls, get them drunk, and that she should have equal time to bake them cookies, braid their hair "learn their names..." Faith finishes for her.
Buffy accuses Faith of loving the rest of the group go against her and wants to know if it's fun to take everything away from her? Buffy starts to bring up Faith's past, asking the SIT's if they know how much Faith loves killing people. Giles repremands her, saying that's enough. Faith then speaks up, saying that she's not trying to take away anything from her, that she came there to fight the bad guy. "I don't know if I can lead, but the real question is... can you follow?" Robin then says they should vote.
Buffy is hurt and defensive, looking around the room for help. She is met with either cold stares or turned glances, even from Willow and Xander. Buffy stands by her beliefs, saying she knows she's right about her plan, and she doesn't want to watch Faith lead them into some disaster. Dawn then slowly rises and talks straight to Buffy "then you can't stay here. Buffy I love you, but you're right... we have to be together on this. You can't be a part of it. So I need you to leave. I'm sorry, but this is my house too." Buffy still looks around in shock, then turns and heads out the door on emotional overload. "Ding dong, the witch is dead.." Rona quips, but Dawn quickly tells her "SHUT your mouth."
Buffy slips on her jacket, trying to choke back tears, as Faith comes out behind her, trying to apologize, saying she didn't want it to go down like that. "Don't..." Buffy says. Faith starts up again, but Buffy continues "Don't be afraid to lead them. Whether you wanted it or not, their lives are yours. it's only gonna get harder. Protect them. Lead them." With tears in her eyes, Buffy looks at Faith. Faith nods her understanding and turns to go back inside. Buffy starts to walk down the nighttime sidewalk alone, slowly.
Grrr... Arrrg...