BUFFY: How did you guys let ... How did this happen?

GILES: We thought she stayed with you.

ANGEL: They must have grabbed her when she hit the ground. Buffy, I'm sorry.

BUFFY: Look, it's nobody's fault, okay. We just need to focus and deal. Oz, I swear I won't let them hurt her.

XANDER: We go back. Full-on assault.

GILES: They'll kill her.

WESLEY: We're assuming they haven't already.

BUFFY: No. No, they know what she means to us. She's too valuable as long as we still have the box. We trade.

WESLEY: We can't.

BUFFY: No, it's the safest plan. (to Giles) It's the only way, right?

GILES: It might well be.

BUFFY: Look, we call the Mayor and arrange a meeting.

WESLEY: This box must be destroyed.

XANDER: I need a volunteer to hit Wesley.

WESLEY: Giles, you know I'm right about this.

BUFFY: Wes, you want to duck and cover at this point?

WESLEY: Damn it, you listen to me! This box is the key to the Mayor's Ascension. Thousands of lives depend on our getting rid of it. Now I want to help Willow as much as the rest of you, but we will find another way.

BUFFY: There is no other way.

WESLEY: You're the one who said take the fight to the Mayor. You were right. This is the town's best hope of survival. It's your chance to get out.

BUFFY: You think I care about that? Are you made of human parts?

GILES: Alright! Let's deal with this rationally.

BUFFY: Why are you taking his side?

The outbursts of Buffy, Giles, and Wesley clash for a moment, then Wesley's voice breaks out of the babble.

WESLEY: You'd sacrifice thousands of lives? Your families, your friends?

Oz has been sitting through all this. He gets up and walks behind Wesley.

WESLEY: It can all end right here. We have the means to destroy this box.

Oz picks up the pot for the box-destroying ritual and throws it into a display case, smashing both to shards. Everyone looks at each other.

BUFFY: Giles, make the phone call.

• Scoobies

written by: David Fury; . Full transcript at:
http://www.studiesinwords.de/53choices.html