DVD Caps This Year’s Girl 
Story Line
An astral plane conversation between Buffy and Faith opens up the beginning of four episodes regarding Faith's return and ultimate redemption (2 BtVS and 2 Angel). Things seem happy enough on the Slayer's plane. Both Faith and Buffy are making up a bed for 'Lil Sis' i.e.: Dawn. Buffy is apologetic, as she has to go because of 'Lil Sis'. She has 'things to do'. Faith understands completely but Buffy is still feeling bad about it. Blood dripping on the crisp white sheets spoils both Slayers
moods though. Logically, Faith looks up at Buffy and asks her if she's ever going to ". . .take this thing out." (Meaning the knife that's lodged in her stomach). The truly scary part is Buffy's cold stare.
Cut to a life support monitor and Faith, still in her coma. Lightening flashes and we go to the opening credits. The next pick-up point still has the lightening. A view of a stormy sky interwoven with Faith in the hospital, cuts back to a wonderful dream sequence that tells us that the Mayor is still very much on Faith's mind. However, so is Buffy.
The scene is set at something that Faith clearly desires in real life. A picnic with someone who cares for her. It seems idyllic enough. Faith notices the storm clouds and asks the Mayor: "Do you think it's gonna rain?" The Mayor refutes the notion, saying: "Nonsense. It's a beautiful day. Now eat your sandwich." Faith replies with: "I don't know. It always seems it starts raining right about
now." The Mayor looks to her and says: "You're too young and too pretty a girl to start wearing worry lines on your face." Faith smiles. Once more, the Mayor reinforces her and makes her happy. A small grass snake appears on the blanket. The Mayor picks it up saying: "Well hey hey! Hey there little fella. I don't know where you belong, but it's not here with us." He gives a small laugh and releases it. He then leans back and looks to Faith, saying: "You see? There's nothing that's going to spoil our time together. Who wants cheesecake?!" He again smiles, turns and opens the picnic basket. He doesn't see what Faith sees. She screams "NO!" But it's too late. Buffy has knifed the Mayor. Buffy looks coldly at Faith and says: "I told you I had things to do." (Referring to the astral plane conversation). Faith scrambles and starts to crawl away.
We then cut to 'real life', we see Faith lying in bed, still—except for REM (Rapid Eye Movement). Weaving in and out of the dream state beautifully . . .we have Faith's dream tell is what's occurring in reality. (Meaning her coming out of the coma to consciousness). Back in the dream, it's suddenly become night and Faith is running, terrified, from Buffy, who is walking after her—knife gleaming in the moonlight. While still running, Faith looks back and still sees Buffy. Because she looked back, she doesn't see an empty grave in front of her. She falls in. Buffy slowly walks toward a terrified Faith who is looking up at Buffy. Buffy jumps in
after her. We don't see it—but we can hear a fairly quick fight. The rain starts (yippee) and it's Faith that crawls from the grave. Standing, welcoming the rain and letting it wash the dirt of her, Faith has been triumphant. Lightning flashes, Faith wakes 'in real life'. She's out of her coma.
Faith pulls of the monitors, rips out the IV and walks down a stark, dark corridor. A young woman enters and asks for directions. Faith, suitably confused, simply says 'What'?. The young woman notices Faith's gown and bare feet. Realizing that Faith is a patient, she asks her if she needs help. Faith cuts her of, telling her that she has to get to Sunnydale High's Graduation. The young woman tells her that she can't. That the High School isn't even there anymore. Faith finally gets it. She asks the woman for the day, date, and explanation of what happened to the school. The woman obliges. Not liking what she's been told, specifically the Mayor's death, Faith attacks the young woman, (unseen) takes her clothes and heads off into the night.
At the hospital, a seemingly normal everyday nurse, a doctor and a detective discuss the 'who-what-where-why-how' of what happened. We learn that there was 'no way' Faith was going to wake. We also learn that she's
wanted for questioning in a 'series' of murders (!). An orderly rushes to them, telling them that another woman has been found beaten and stripped. The detective and doctor rush off. The nurse makes a phone call. Simply saying: "It's happened. Send the team."
When we next see Faith, she's looking at the burned wreck that is Sunnydale High. She then walks through the town, perhaps seeing if anything else has changed. Seemingly, nothing has. Faith's next, and obvious, port of call, is Giles'. She hides outside the window and peeking in, a metaphor for how it always was from Faith's point of view, listens to the gang's conversation about Adam. More importantly, she can't help but note that Buffy's got a new boyfriend (she goes while Buffy is on the phone being informed of her escape).
The next day sees Faith at the college campus and confronting Buffy. Willow, as usual, is also there, keeping her distance. Faith opens the conversation (after overhearing Buffy's comment about 'If I were her, I'd get out of Dodge post hasty') with: "You're not me." Buffy's slightly stunned. Faith continues: (this is the real reason she wants to talk) "So. Check you out B! Nice. The 'Big Girl On Campus' thing is really workin' for ya." Buffy merely says: "I've been looking for you" Faith replies with: "I've been standing still for eight months, B. How hard ya look?" Buffy looks down at the ground—guilty. She looks back to Faith and asks: "Are you alright?" Faith smiles: "5x5. That's the thing about a coma. You wake up all rested and rejuvenated and ready for payback."
Buffy, realizing Faith's ticked, says: "So much for pleasantries, huh?" Faith, slightly amused, comes back with: "What you think; I'd wake up and we'd go for tea?! You tried to gut me, Blondie." Buffy counters: "You'd have done the same to me if you had the chance." Faith moves closer to Buffy and smiles: "S'let's have another go at it. See who ends on top." Buffy counters with an almost sincere: "It doesn't have to be like this you know." Faith rebuts with: "Actually, I think it has to be exactly like this."
Buffy takes a quick scan of the campus and says: "Faith. These are innocent people." Faith also looks around and replies (honestly from her point of view): "No such animal." Smugly sighing, Buffy says: "I guess it was too much to hope that you'd use your downtime to reflect and grow." Faith turns it right around: "Could say the same about you! I mean you're still the same old 'better than thou' Buffy. I mean, I knew it somehow. I kept having this dream, I'm not sure what it means, but in the dream this self-righteous blonde chick stabs me and you wanna know why? " Buffy is stony. She replies simply: "You had it coming" Faith again counters well: "That's one interpretation. But in my dream, she does it for a guy." Faith is aware that Willow is trying to sneak around the back of her. Without taking her eyes of Buffy, she stops Will, merely by saying: "Try it, Red, and you lose an arm."
Getting back to Buffy, she continues: "I wake up to find that the blonde chick isn't even dating the guy she was so nuts about before. I mean, she's moved on to the first college beefstick she meets. And not only has she forgotten about the love of her life—she's forgotten all about the chick she nearly killed for him. So, that's my dream. That and some stuff about cigars and a tunnel." She smiles and continues: "But, uh, tell me college girl. What does it mean?" Buffy, again smug, replies: "To me? Mostly that you still mouth of about things you don't understand." Faith seems a little wounded. Then sirens wail in the background. Buffy says: "Uh oh! I guess somebody knows you're here." Faith punches Buffy. Buffy retaliates. They spar a while. Willow (laughingly) hits Faith with her bag. Faith actually goes for Willow, but Buffy moves between Faith and her best friend and pushes Faith back. Before Faith flees, she gives Buffy a parting threat. "You stole my life, B. Payback's a bitch." Willow interrupts with: "Look who's talking." Faith ignores her, but addresses Buffy with: "See you around.". She then sprints away, over a police car (kicking a cop down on her way) and disappears. Buffy gives chase, but to no avail.
In the interim, the 'nurse' walks out to a landing helicopter and sees the CoW's 'wet works' team disembark.
Nightfall sees Faith wondering the streets once more. She stops at the shop she and Buffy broke into last year (Bad Girls). She regards the hunting knives in the window. At that point, she sees a police car. Not wanting to attract attention, she blends with a group of teens and walks away. She makes her way to an ally, where a demon calls her name. She's so jumpy she doesn't wait to hear what he has to say. She breaks his neck and takes the package he was carrying, that was intended for her, anyway. Seeing lights, and noting it's another police car, she quickly makes for the nearest fire escape and climbs, once again evading
the police.
Knowing it's a video, Faith breaks into (unseen) a T.V. repair shop. She inserts the tape, only to see the Mayor staring back at her, jovial as ever (nice subtle acting on Eliza's part here). She watches the video. He's in his office. He greets her and goes on to tell her, that if she's watching the tape, it can only mean he's dead. He goes on to tell her that while he's recording it, she's 'sleeping' and the doctors think she'll never wake. He tells her that he doesn't believe them. He says that when she does wake, she'll find things have changed and that he (obviously) can no longer protect her. He touchingly tells her he bets she feels 'very much alone'. However, he goes on to tell her that she's never alone and she'll always have him. At that point, he picks up a black box with a silver 'gizmo' inside. It's a small silver thing that isn't dissimilar to a Zippo lighter with 3 key chains attached. The same box was with the tape. Faith opens it and regards the 'gizmo' (as the Mayor calls it). He tells her that " Just because it's over for my Faith, doesn't mean she can't go out with a bang!" Faith looks to the T.V. once more-wondering.
Faith makes for Buffy's. Joyce answer's the door. Faith smiles and says: "Hi Joyce . ." and proceeds to knock her out. Faith holds up (with an uncaring Joyce) in the latter's bedroom. She goes through Buffy's mom's drawers, checking out her lipsticks. Joyce merely sits on the bed, offering no advice or guidance for Faith. After checking out a couple of lipsticks, Faith notes: "Harlot! Hmmm. Way to go Joyce! Now, normally I wouldn't be going with a color this dark, but I read in some magazine eight months in a coma will damage a girls natural skin
tone." She applies the lipstick. "Good thing pale is in this year. Or was it last year?" She kisses the mirror, leaving a lipstick kiss.
She puts on her jacket and turns to Joyce: "Anyway. For real now. I'm gonna ask you something and you gotta promise you'll be honest and not spare my feelings just 'cause I could kill you. You promise?" She looks to Joyce who replies: "I promise." Faith straightens herself and asks: "Okay. How do I look?" Joyce replies: "Psychotic." Faith, unfazed replies: "Hmm. I was shooting for sultry, but hey. . .Bet I know what you're thinking!" She approaches the bed Joyce is sitting on. Joyce asks: "Really?" Faith mocks Joyce: "You're thinking. . .'You'll never get away with this'. Warm?" Not in the least nervous, Joyce replies: "Actually, I was thinking my daughter's going to kill you soon." Faith counters with: "Is that a fact?" Joyce hits back with: "More like a bet." Faith smiles and says: "Whoa! You gotta a pair on you Joyce! I like seeing that in a woman your age. Guess you can afford to talk that way.—You see, in the 'world according to Joyce' Buffy's gonna come crashing through that door any minute." Joyce looks worried. Faith waits for a comeback. There is none.
Triumphantly, Faith grabs mail from the dresser. "But. . .Look what I found!" She jumps onto the bed beside Joyce and reads the names of the mail. All addressed to Buffy. "Lotta letters. She ah, hasn't been by in a while, huh? And you'd think, with a crazy chick like me on the loose, a crazy chick with a wicked grudge against her no less, that she'd call and give you a heads up! But Buffy's to into her own deal to remember dear old mom." Joyce replies: "You don't know the first thing about Buffy or me." Faith gets of the bed and begins pacing. She becomes serious and says: "Don't I? I know what it's like. You think you matter, you think you're a part of something and you
get dumped! It's like the whole world is moving, but you're stuck. Like those animals in the tar pits? It's like you keep sinking a little deeper every day and nobody even sees!" Faith is emotional at this point. Joyce is callous. Faith is being serious and Joyce glibly asks: "Where you planning to slit my throat anytime soon?"
Faith disregards her lame attempt at humor. She goes on: "Don't tell me you don't see it Joyce! You served your purpose. You squirted out the kid, raised her up and now you may as well be dead! I mean, nobody cares! Nobody remembers! Especially not Buffy-fabulous super hero. Sooner or later you're going to have to face it. She was over us a long time ago Joyce. She was too busy climbing onto her new boy-toy to give a single thought to the people that mattered! I mean, you're her mother and she just leaves you here to die!" At this point Faith has picked up a knife. A split second later, Buffy crashes through the window, taking Faith down. Mother and daughter exchange hello's before Faith gets up again.
Both Slayers fight once more. Buffy all but drags Faith out of Joyce's room while Joyce dials 911. The Slayers exchange blows in the hall, before both falling down the stairs. Upon getting up, Faith goads Buffy with: "Thought I'd gone to the clean Marine, didn't ya? He's a cutie! Looks like he could use a good roll in the sack." Buffy starts the fight again. Pausing to get Faith where can hurt her most. Attacking her self esteem: "You're not his type. He's not big on sleaze." Faith starts up the fight this time. Faith tries a comeback: "He's probably just never tried it." Buffy retaliates with: "Going for the boyfriend again? That's tired." Faith smiles and counters with: "Just something to remember me by once I've moved on."
Again, they fight. Both Slayers slide across the dinner table. Faith lands at one end, but Buffy went off the side. Once again, Buffy hurts Faith verbally: "Ever occur to you, Faith, that the reason we all forgot about you is because we wanted to?" Furious, Faith picks up a vase and tosses it at Buffy. She then pulls out a drawer and tosses that. Cutlery falls from it. Including knives. Faith grabs one and goes for Buffy.
In the meantime, the wet works team have let themselves into Giles place. "Hello Rupert."
Back at Buffy's, Buffy ducks Faith's knife. The police that Joyce called are on their way, as they can hear. Faith goes for the gizmo. Buffy runs after her. It wouldn't be a Faith/Buffy fight without one of them going through glass. This time it's Buffy's turn, as Faith opens a glass door to buy herself time. Buffy runs through it. She recovers quickly. Both fight, but Faith finally makes it to the mantelpiece where she's left the gizmo. She puts it on and grabs Buffy's hand. Not knowing what to expect, both Slayers are stunned. It appears that Buffy is the first to recover. She knocks Faith out for the count. Joyce arrives in the lounge asking if she's okay. Buffy replies: "All things considered." Joyce is puzzled by the gizmo and asks "What is that?" Buffy replies: "A weapon of some kind. Didn't work whatever it was." She then smashes it into oblivion. Continuing banging on the door lets dim Joyce tell us "the police are here." Buffy looks to an unconscious Faith and says: "She's their problem now." Once more, Joyce asks if she's alright. Buffy replies: "Five by five.". To be continued....