(Joyce's bedroom)

FAITH: Ruby sunset....burgendy skyline...harlot. Mmmmmmm, way to go Joyce. Now, normally I wouldn't be going for something this dark. But I read in some magazine that eight months in a coma will damage a girl's natural skin tone. Good thing pale is in this year. Or was it last year? Anyway, for real now. I wanna ask you something, and I want you to promise to be honest, and to not spare my feelings just because I could kill you. You promise?

JOYCE: I promise.

FAITH: OK. How do I look?

JOYCE: Psychotic.

FAITH: Mmmmmmm. I was shooting for sultry, but hey. Bet I know what you're thinking.

JOYCE: Really.

FAITH: You're thinking "You'll never get away with this!" Moi?

JOYCE: Actually I was thinking "My daughter is going to kill you soon."

FAITH: That a fact?

JOYCE: More like a bet.

FAITH: Whoa. You got a pair on you, Joyce, I like seeing that in a woman your age. Guess you can afford to talk that way. I mean, in the world according to Joyce, Buffy is gonna come crashing through that door any minute. But, look what I found. Buffy Summers, Buffy Summers, Buffy Summers, Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. Lotta letters. She hasn't been by in a while, huh? And you'd think, with a crazy chick like me on the loose, crazy chick with a wicked grudge against her no less, she'd call, give you a heads up. But Buffy's too into her own deal to remember dear old mom.

JOYCE: You don't know the first thing about Buffy. Or me.

FAITH: 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 and you're stuck. It's like those animals in the tar pits. It's like you just keep sinking a little deeper everyday and no-one even sees.

JOYCE: Were you planning to slit my throat any time soon?

FAITH: Don't tell me you don't see it Joyce. You've served you purpose, squirted out the kids, raised her up, and now you might as well be dead. Nobody cares, nobody remembers, especially not Buffy fabulous superhero. Sooner or later you're going to have to face it. She was over us a long time ago Joyce. Too busy climbing onto her new boytoy to give a single though to the people that matter. I mean, you're her mother, and she just leaves you here to die.

(Buffy crashes in through the window and punches Faith.)

BUFFY: Hi mom.

JOYCE: Hi honey.

• Buffy & her mom
• Faith vs/& Buffy

written by: Douglas Petrie; . Full transcript at:
http://www.buffyworld.com/buffy/season4/transcripts/71_tran.htm