This Year's Girl (1 of 2)
Written by Douglas Petrie~ Directed by Michael Gershman
In a dream, Buffy and Faith put clean sheets on a bed, and suddenly blood from Faith begins to drip onto the white sheets. Buffy's holding a knife in her stomach and shoves it in further. Xander is checking out the Blaster gun from the Initiative, but he doesn't have the knowledge to fix it. Giles is concerned about Buffy because she's been patrolling non-stop for days without finding Adam. Buffy is worried about Riley because she still hasn't seen him. Xander accidentally shocks himself with the Blaster, but no one notices. Riley wakes up and tries to leave the hospital but Forrest and Graham try to talk him out of it.
At the hospital where Faith is in a coma, Faith is dreaming about having a picnic with the Mayor. Buffy arrives, slits the Mayor's throat and stabs him. On patrol, Buffy, Willow and Xander find a demon strung up on a tree opened up like a dissection experiment. Buffy explains her plans for getting Riley out, but it turns out it's not necessary as he has gotten away from the hospital and is there in Xander's basement with them. Faith continues to dream about Buffy chasing after her with her large knife. Faith falls into an open grave and engages in a fight with Buffy. As Faith climbs out of the grave in her dream, she awakens from her coma.
Pulling free of the tubes in her body, Faith walks out into the hospital halls and encounters a girl. She thinks it's still the day of Graduation, but the girl informs her of the date and what happened at the graduation ceremony. Faith leaves the hospital in the girls' clothes. Riley and Buffy talk about their jobs working to fight the forces of evil. Buffy tells him he has a choice in what he does with his life. At the hospital, a detective talks with members of the hospital staff. They find a girl, beaten up and striped, but no Faith. A nurse makes a call, asking for a team to be sent out.
Faith walks around Sunnydale looking at all the things that have changed. The Scooby Gang talks about their plans to attack Adam while Faith watches and listens from outside a window. A phone call informs Buffy that Faith is awake and on the loose. They talk about how they're going to deal with her, but conclude that they'll have to see what condition she is in first. On campus Buffy and Willow run into Faith. The two Slayers talk about what happened and fight briefly before the cops arrive and Faith runs.
Willow brings Tara along with her to search for Faith. Xander and Giles go searching the streets for Faith and Adam but instead encounter Spike. He's not willing to help them, but instead help Faith find and kill them all. A helicopter lands, three men carrying briefcases exit and after conversing with the nurse, they go into the hospital. Faith is approached by a demon that tries to give her a gift, but she kills him and runs off with the box. At her old apartment she watches a video tape of the Mayor and then opens a box from him that contains a special gift.
Buffy and Riley talk about Faith but Buffy doesn't want to tell Riley everything about what happened with Faith. Faith arrives at Buffy's house and punches out Joyce. Keeping Joyce her captive, Faith doesn't think Buffy will arrive, but is surprised when Buffy flies through the window. The Slayer's have an incredible fight that travels through almost every room of the house while Joyce calls the police.
Giles finds the lights don't work at his apartment but a lamp turns on and the three men with briefcases are there. Faith puts the gift from the Mayor on her hand and grabs Buffy's hand. A light flows through them and Buffy punches Faith. Buffy smashes the gift from the Mayor, a metal contraption from the Mayor and when Joyce asks her if she's okay, Buffy responds, "Five by five." They switched bodies.
To be continued...
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Last Updated: 5-19-00