XANDER: It's a loop...like the Mummy Hand. I'm doomed to replace these windows for all eternity. You know, maybe we should just board these up until things are less hellmouthy.

ANYA: (re: research) Nothing...and nothing. Cliff Notes to nothing. Nothing abridged...

WILLOW: Yeah, my search isn't turning anything up either. Are you sure this thing called itself The First?

BUFFY: Pretty sure. It claimed to be the original evil, the one that came before anything else.

ANYA: Please, how many times have I heard that line in my demon days? "I'm so rotten, they don't even have a word for it. I'm bad. Baddy bad bad bad. Does it make you horny?" (everyone stares) Or terrified. Whatever.

BUFFY: It wasn't a line. When I came up against this thing, I felt it. It was ancient and enormous. It nearly got Angel to kill himself. And if we don't rescue Spike soon, God only knows what the First'll get him to do.

XANDER: (RE: Andrew) I wish Sleeping Ugly would come to. He's been out all night.

ANYA: Yes, he was just starting to squeal when the spooky SWAT attacked. Said The First was held up at the Seal of...Danzar something?

DAWN: Hmm. Maybe he's just faking so he doesn't have to answer any more questions. (punches him in the face, stands back to observe) Hm. Or maybe he's in a fugue state.

BUFFY: Dawn.

DAWN: What?

BUFFY: He'll come to when he comes to. Keep reading. If we're gonna rescue Spike, we need to figure out how to fight this thing.

DAWN: (pouty) Anya gets to hit him.

WILLOW: Hey! Here, The First!...Bank of Delaware. Sorry.

BUFFY: Hand me the Watchers' Codecs again. (someone hands her an old-looking book)

JOYCE: Can I get you anything else, baby? How 'bout some tea?

BUFFY: (surprised) Mom? You're not real.

JOYCE: OK, is that, uh, slang, like you're not for real, or??

BUFFY: You're The First.

JOYCE: Oh, baby, you're so tired, you're not making sense. Maybe you should get some sleep.

BUFFY: No.

JOYCE: You can't win against this thing. Not if you don't rest.

BUFFY: Stop. Stop being like this. It's a lie.

JOYCE: I don't want to scare you, but I want you to take care. (slowly) You need to wake up.

BUFFY: What?

XANDER: You're dreaming. Buff, wake up.

BUFFY: Hm? Did you see it?

XANDER: There's nothing to see. You were just doing a little dream talking, that's all.

BUFFY: Oh.

XANDER: You OK? What'd you see?

BUFFY: Nothing. It was nothing.

• From Beneath You it Devours

written by: Marti Noxon and Douglas Petrie; Transcribed by: CariCranberry. edited by me.. Full transcript at:
http://www.buffyworld.com/buffy/season7/transcripts/132_tran.php