(Exterior of the Summers house, day. Riley approaches the front door and finds it slightly ajar. He knocks and walks in.)

RILEY: (calling) Hello? Buffy?

(He takes off his jacket, then notices something on the floor and picks it up. It's a blanket. Cut to: Spike holding a pink sweater up to his face and inhaling deeply. He lowers the sweater, sighing happily.)

RILEY: What are you doing in here?

(Spike whirls around and we see he's in Buffy's bedroom. He quickly hides the sweater behind his back. )

SPIKE: What, me? I was um ... uh ... what are *you* doing here?

RILEY: Looking for the girl who's gonna rip your arms off when she finds out you were in her bedroom.

SPIKE: Oh yeah? Well ... me too.

RILEY: Were you ... were you just smelling her sweater?

SPIKE: (scoffs) No. Well, yeah, all right, I did. It's a ... predator thing, nothin' wrong with it. Just ... know your enemy's scent, whet the appetite for a hunt.

(He sniffs the sweater again)

SPIKE: Ah, that's the stuff! Slayer musk, it's bitter and aggravating!

(Spike presses the sweater against his face and makes angry growling noises. Riley snatches the sweater away from him, tosses it aside, then grabs Spike by the front of his shirt. )

RILEY: Out.

(As Riley hustles Spike out, Spike grabs a piece of lacy pink underwear from a drawer. )

SPIKE: Hey, watch it! Easy, you're bruising the leather! Look. I know for a bleeding fact the Slayer wouldn't mind me being here.

RILEY: Right. What's a little sweater-sniffing between sworn enemies.

SPIKE: Your girl in the habit of buying her enemies drinks? 'Cause she spent the better part of last night with me, (smugly) doing just that.

RILEY: 'Cause you guys are such tight pals.

SPIKE: Yeah.

RILEY: That's good. Tell me another.

SPIKE: Okay, how 'bout this one. Twice in recent memory, she's had the lover-wiccas do a deinvite on the house. Keep out specific vamps. Ever ask yourself why she's never taken my name off the guest list?

RILEY: (falters for a moment) Because you're harmless.

SPIKE: Oh yeah, right. (scoffs) Takes one to know, I suppose. Least I still got the attitude. What do you got, a piercing glance? Face it, white bread. Buffy's got a type, and you're not it. She likes us dangerous, rough, occasionally bumpy in the forehead region. (patronizingly) Not that she doesn't like you ... but sorry Charlie, you're just not dark enough.

(Riley scowls, grabs Spike, opens the door and thrusts Spike out into the sunlight. )

SPIKE: Hey ... Hey! Hey! Hey!

RILEY: Am I dark enough for you now?

SPIKE: Bloody pull me back in, you sod, I'm starting to sizzle!

RILEY: You don't know anything about Buffy, you never did. I'm the one who knows what she needs.

SPIKE: Oh yeah? That's why you're with her at hospital right now, giving her what she needs.

(he pulls Spike back inside)

RILEY: What are you talking about?

SPIKE: Don't you know, didn't she tell you?

RILEY: You tell me.

SPIKE: Mum's sickly. Buffy took her to the hospital for a bit of prod 'n probe. Bite-sized one went too. (needling) You know, it's-it's funny her not calling you about that. I've known since last night.

(Riley grabs Spike and shoves him outside. Sizzling noises.)

SPIKE: (OS) Blanket! Blanket!

(Riley kicks the blanket out and slams the door. He leans against the banister looking conflicted.)

• Buffy & Riley
• Buffy & Spike
• Riley vs Spike

written by: David Fury; Transcribed by Joan the English Chick (pisces@englishchick.com).. Full transcript at:
http://www.studiesinwords.de/86shadow.html