(We see the nurse rendezvous-ing with some thugs in a helicopter. Cut to Faith, wandering the streets. A demon flags her down)

Demon: Faith! A friend sent me. I got a little remembrance from him--

(When he's close enough she grabs him, breaks his neck and takes the manilla envelope he was bringing her. She breaks into a pawnshop and loads the tape that was inside the envelope into a VCR. A image of the Mayor plays back on the screen.

MAYOR: Hello Faith. If you're watching this tape, it can only mean one thing. I'm dead. And our noble campaign to bring order to the town of Sunnydale has failed. Utterly and completely. But on the other hand, heck, maybe we won. And right now, I'm on some jumbo monitor in the Richard Wilkins museum surrounded by a bunch of kids sitting Indian style and looking up at my face filled with fear and wonder. (Laughs) "Hi kids!" (Faith smiles) But the realist in me tends to doubt it. Now, Faith, as I record this message you're sleeping. And the doctors tell me you might never wake up. I don't believe that. Sooner or later you will wake up, and when you do, you'll find the world has gone and changed on you. I wish I could make the world a better place for you to wake up in. But, tough as it is to accept, we both have to understand that even my power to protect and watch over you has it's limits. See, the hard pill to swallow is that once I'm gone, your days are just plain numbered. Now, I know, you're a smart and capable young woman in charge of her own life, but the problem, Faith, is that there won't be a place in the world for you anymore. By now I bet you're feeling very much alone. But you're never alone. You'll always have me. (Picks up box) And you'll always have this. Go ahead. Open the box. (Faith takes box from the case and looks at it.) Don't worry. It's not gonna bite. That's my job. (Laughs) Go ahead. Open it. (She does so) Surprise! You won't find these in any gumball machine! See, when you've been around as long as I have, you make friends. And some of them forge neat little gizmos. Just like the one you're holding right now. And here's the good news. Just because it's over for my Faith, doesn't mean she can't go out with a bang.

• Faith & the Mayor

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