Buffy The Vampire Slayer Episode Guide

As Buffy creeps down the stairs of the basement she has a new big evil to face, leaky pipes and a flooded basement. When the plumber announces his terrifying verdict, full copper re-pipe, the gang break the bad news to Buffy, she's broke.

Although Anya suggests that she should charge people for slaying (and why not Angel does), Buffy's first solution to her money and full copper re-pipe problems is to get a loan. The bank manager is not too sympathetic to her needs even after she saves his life when a bank-robbing demon attacks. Well he did get away with the money so you can see the banks point.

At the Magic Box Buffy trains while Anya tries to persuade Xander that now would be a good time to tell the gang about the engagement. Xander, obviously have a few post engagement jitters comes up with one unconvincing excuse after another. Meanwhile Dawn persuades Tara to let her help with the research and finds the demon they are looking for just before Giles walks back in.

After the first greetings Giles tells them that the demon, Mmm'Fashnik is a mercenary demon that commits it's demon deeds for money. Mmm'Fashnik himself in on his way to collect his payment from the new super evil in town. Jonathon, Warren and Andrew (Andrew being the brother of Tucker, the guy that sent devil dogs to destroy the prom a couple of years ago). Having robbed the bank for the super nerds, Mmm'Fashnik wants his payment, one dead slayer.

Super evil they are but their mission (to take over Sunnydale) didn't originally include murder and they are having their qualms but it's kill or be killed. Warren comes up with a solution and unbeknownst to the others gives Mmm'Fashnik the slayers address.

That night Mmm'Fashnik turns up at the Summers' home and, to Buffy's dismay, the fight is smashing up the house, as if she doesn't have enough money worries. Trying desperately to save any items she can and with the help of the ever-present Spike, Buffy forces the demon into the basement where she beats him with a piece of broken pipe.

Her house in bits Buffy ponders on the depth of her debt when the phone rings. Angel knows she's alive and they have to meet.

Cider

Now that she is back and alive, Buffy has to decide what to do with her new life.

She's thinking of going back to school but has missed final registration date so in the mean time what better than to take some classes with Willow and Tara. Sitting next to Willow in her Sociology class, Buffy finds that while she's been dead school and her classmates have moved on a bit, leaving her feeling rather left out.

Chatting after class Buffy is almost knocked over by Warren racing passed her, unbeknownst to her he pins a chip on her as he races past and that's when the whacky starts happening.

Firstly whole chunks of time seem to be missing from Buffy's life, school is over before she knows it and everyone is moving passed Buffy at a great speed. Dizzy and confused, Buffy finds her way to the table in the yard and hides under it. Safe under the table she soon finds the chip and removing it, finds that time has got back to normal.

Warren's attempt at freaking out the Slayer is over and Andrew is up next.

Buffy decides that going back to school is not for her and maybe construction is and Xander helpfully gives her a job on his site. Although her work mates aren't over impressed at having an itsy bitsy girl on the team they soon gain some respect for her as she lifts 2200 1b steel bars like they are plywood. Things are going rather well until a bunch of demons gatecrash and Buffy wrecks the place while killing them.

Having been fired by Xander Buffy walks out and notices the supernerd's van near the site.

Finding that construction really isn't the lifestyle for her, Buffy tries out retail and Giles gives her a job at the Magic Box. This time it's Jonathan's turn to test the Slayer and with the help of his Magic Bone he casts a spell and sends Buffy a customer. In order to break the spell Buffy must send the customer away satisfied.

Unfortunately what the customer really wants is an ancient mummy hand that appears to have a mind of its own. Buffy finds herself serving the customer again and again until she comes up with the solution. She will special order a new mummy hand and the customer goes away happy.

After a really, really crappy day Buffy heads for Spike's place where she discovers the joys of whisky and finds herself pouring her heart out to him, again. His solution of course is to kick some demon butt and find out who has being making the whacky happen. To Buffy's dismay, however, Spike ends up playing cards with the demons for kittens instead of kicking their butt's for information.

Way past the point of boredom, and rather drunk, Buffy leaves the bar to find the supernerd's van parked outside. Realising that they have been spotted the three send a demon to confront Buffy. By more fluke than judgement she gets in a good kick and the demon disappears in a cloud of smoke. Appearing at the other side of the van, the demon turns back into Jonathan and the three rejoice that they tested and faced the Slayer and survived.

The next morning Buffy wakes with a slayer strength hangover. Feeling sorry for herself she tells her tale of woe to Giles. She didn't get a job and she didn't find out who or what was trying to driver her crazy and she still has the bills to pay. Giles can't solve all her problems but he can and does give her a rather large cheque which she gratefully accepts.

Cider

It's Halloween, and the Magic Box is buzzing with costumed shoppers.

On the streets an old man returns home with a bag of goodies humming Pop Goes The Weasel. In his kitchen, a large pot boils on the stove, looking out of his window, he spots two costumed kids walking by. Laughing to himself he takes out a knife saying 'give them something special this year'.

The shopping day over, the team are exhausted and loll around the shop. Fondly watching Anya count the money and do a little dance with Dawn he let's slip 'I'm going to marry that girl'. Realising he has been overheard and feeling that the time is right he makes the announcement. Showing mixed emotions at the news, the scoobies decide to throw a party for them. It being such short notice they don't have time to trim up but Willow soon solves that and with a few words the places is full of streamers and lanterns. Giles gives her a disdainful look and Tara is definitely not happy. She is becoming increasingly concerned by Willows frivolous use of Magic and says so.

Sawn soon makes her excuses and heads of to stay at her friend Janice's as pre-arranged though Buffy is not too happy about this. But Dawn has other plans, to spend the night with Janice, her boyfriend and his pal, Justine. Dawn and Justin are immediately drawn to each other and she falls for him.

Hanging out on the streets, the four soon come to the old man's house, who is thought to be a bit crazy. The four squabble over who is going to play a trick, wanting to impress her new friends Dawn makes her way up the steps of the house to a pumpkin on the wall. She raises it above her head but is caught in the act and drops the pumpkin in surprise. The only man intimates that he was only joking around with them and invites them into the house. Here Justin follows him into the kitchen, vamps out and has a tasty meal.

Telling the others that he has stolen the man's wallet they leave the house and Justin and his friend discuss whether to just kill the two girls or turn them. The four split into couple and Dawn is soon admitting to Justin that she has been stealing for some time. Meanwhile his friend has stolen a car and killed the real owner.

The party in full swing, Buffy feels a little left out and goes to find Spike and take him up on a previous offer of patrolling together. Walking the streets by herself she looks wistfully at the couples who all seem to have places to go, until she is passed by an ambulance on its way to the blood drained now carless man. The party is soon interrupted by a telephone call from Janice's mum. Realising that Dawn and Janice are out and about on their own the scoobies split up to look for her.

Xander and Anya stay at Buffy's, Giles heads for the cemetery and Willow and Tara head for the Bronze. Here Willow casts a spell to try and find Dawn, Tara is disapproving again and soon walks out.

Janice and Dawn, themselves have found their way to the woods and it's not long before Dawn and Justin find themselves alone. The inevitable happens and they are soon kissing, as Dawn reaches for Justin's face he morphs into vamp mode.

Checking the cemetery, Giles soon finds Janice about to get bit by her so called boyfriend, the two fight and its not long before Giles has staked the vamp. With a little help from Janice he soon finds Dawn trying to run from Justin, he also finds himself rather surrounded by vampires.

Spike and Buffy (disgusted that her sister has been making out in the woods with a vampire she doesn't know) arrive and before too long the vamps have been dusted, with the exception of Justin who has managed to get Dawn on her own. Going in for the kill he discovers, too late, that Dawn is holding a sharp wooded pointed object.

Back at the Summers' house it's left to Giles to have words with Dawn about her behaviour. In their room Willow and Tara continue to bicker until Willow casts a forgetting spell and all is well again.

Cider

It's night-time again and, patrolling as usual, Buffy suddenly feels the urge to burst into song, what is more disturbing is that her victims and their victims join in. Through song Buffy reveals that she feels that live has no meaning anymore and she is just going through the motions, unfortunately the vamps appear to have figured out as much.

The next morning, at the Magic Shop Buffy finds that it's not just her that felt the need for bursting into song neither is it just the scoobies. They air their theories through song, Giles thinks it's a dancing demon, Willow thinks it's a kids nightmare, Xander thinks it could be witches, but quickly back-pedals and Anya of course thinks its bunnies (or maybe midgets).

While Willow and Tara are walking through the park a guy checks Tara out and Willow mentions it to Tara. Tara can't believe that anyone would be interested in her if she wasn't wit Willow. Tara then pours her heart out to Willow, singing that she is under her spell, not knowing just how close to the truth she is.

At the Harris household, Xander and Anya reveal sing a duet revealing their fears about their upcoming marriage and whether it will last. At Spike's, Buffy walks in on him singing of his love for her and the fact that he thinks she feels the same but can't admit it. If she can't love him he wishes that she would just let him rest in peace. Meanwhile the gang have discovered that people have been spontaneously combusting as well as singing.

Back at the Summers' house, Tara checks in on Dawn who unwittingly reveals to Tara that she and Willow had an argument. Tara, having found the herb Willow used to make the forgetting spell soon figures it all out. As Tara leaves Dawn starts singing until two demon henchman burst in and kidnap her. They take her to the Bronze to see their master, Sweet, who believes that she has summoned him. Sweet being the demon that is making everyone sing and dance. His plan, apart from making people combust through dancing, is to take Dawn to his kingdom and make her is Queen. Protesting to this Dawn let's slip that her sister is the Slayer. Sweet sends his henchmen to get her.

At the Magic Box, Buffy is training and chatting with Giles which makes him realise that she is relying on him too much and that he is standing in the way of her growing up and accepting her own responsibilities. He tries to tell her that he has to leave with a jaunty ditty, however, Buffy is too busy with her eighties Fame/Flashdance like exercise routine to hear a word he says.

As both Giles and Tara lament the fact that they cannot stay, the henchman turn up and announce that they have Dawn. Buffy and the gang are all ready to go to the rescue when Giles says that Buffy must go it alone.

Setting off to the Bronze alone Buffy feels the lack of her friends, though she is soon joined by Spike who cannot help but come to her rescue. Feeling that he might have done wrong by making Buffy go alone and also have put Dawn in danger, Giles admits that the scoobies are there to help Buffy and they too make for the Bronze.

At the Bronze Buffy is soon singing and dancing away to Sweet's delight, she is soon joined by Spike and the rest of the gang. Singing away, she reveals to everyone that she has actually been dragged from heaven and not hell.

Realising he has been defeated, and finding that it was actually Xander and not Dawn that summoned him, Sweet leaves with a song and all is most definitely not well that ends badly. A final group song is in order but Spike soon finds it is too much for him and leaves, closely followed by Buffy. Spike tells her she should go back inside and join in but she doesn't want to and they are soon embraced in a passionate kiss.

Cider

Whilst patrolling Buffy bumps into Spike who wants to talk about 'the kiss'. Buffy denies that there is anything to talk about and is about to leave him when they are accosted by a shark demon, Spike owes money to and his too thugs. As Buffy fights them, Spike disappears rather sharpish and realising Buffy is the slayer the three are soon on their way.

At Xander's the rest of the scoobies are discussing their newfound knowledge that rather than saving Buffy from a scary hell dimension they have wrenched her from hell. Willow's obvious answer to their problem is to solve it by a spell to make Buffy forget. This inevitably leads to bickering between Willow and Tara at which Xander and Anya discreetly leave them to it.

Tara tells Willow that she knows that Willow cast the memory spell on her and gives her and ultimatum. Go a week without doing any magic or Tara will leave. At the same time Giles is telling Buffy that he is leaving for England. She is not happy and feels deserted.

At the Summers house Dawn and Tara leave for a meeting at the Magic Box while Willow lies that she isn't ready and will follow then on. With the house to herself Willow cast another memory spell on Buffy and Tara. This one will work when the crystal she is holding turns black. Pocketing the crystal she arrives at the Magic Box with Xander just in time to hear Giles' announcement that he is leaving. While Giles is in mid speech Spike turns up in tweed hiding from the shark demon and. A flash back shows the herbs Willow left burning in the hearth spreading to the whole back and without warning the scoobies collapse where they stand.

When they awake, Anya and Giles find themselves asleep on one another as do Willow and Xander, they also find that their memories have gone, completely. Trying to establish who and where they are they soon come to some obvious conclusion. Giles and Spike, dressed alike and both with British accents must be father and son; waking up together and with Anya wearing an engagement ring, Giles and Anya believe themselves to be betrothed; waking up with each other and Willow wearing Xanders jacket, Xander and Willow believe they must be an item and Buffy and Dawn's bickering leads them to the only correct assumption, they are sisters.

Only their names remain to be discovered. Driving licences reveal most of their names, Dawn is wearing a necklace with her name on it, and Spike has a label in his jacket stating made for Randy. Having no name, Buffy makes up her own, Joan.

About to go out onto the street they run into shark demon's henchmen, which is where Joan learns she can fight and swiftly dusts the vamps. Taking charge, Joan sends Willow, Tara, Xander and dawn to the safety of the sewers, having learnt that they own the magic shop Giles and Anya stay behind to try and find a spell while Randy and Joan hit the streets to fight. During the fight they soon find out that Randy is himself a vampire, but a good vampire, a vampire with a soul, on mission to help the helpless and achieve redemption. Joan finds this a little lame.

Meanwhile Anya's spells have led to an influx of bunnies and a sword-fighting skeleton, while the rest of the scoobies have met vampires in the sewers. In the ensuing fight Willow drops the crystal from her pocket and Xander accidentally crushes it causing the spell to be broken.

That night, Buffy broods at The Bronze, Tara packs and leaves Willow and Giles boards the plane to England again. When Spike turns up at The Bronze, Buffy turns away, but it's not long before they are kissing again.

Cider

In an alley a couple are being threatened, always hot on the heels of the vampires, Buffy arrives only to find that the evil is in fact nothing more than a mugging. She's just starting to enjoy herself when Spike rushes in to save the day and gets a headache for his trouble. As the muggers run off Buffy and Spike start to bicker as usual.

Back at the Summers' house Willow is home alone, feeling the loss of Tara she pours out her heart to Amy the rat. Wishing she knew how to turn Amy back she suddenly realises that she is powerful enough to do it. It doesn't take her long before Amy is human and very naked on Willow's bed.

Meanwhile at the Sunnydale museum, Sunnydale's super evil trio are stealthily stealing a large diamond, and they would have gotten away with it too if it hadn't have been for that pesky security guard. Only they froze him.

Now that at Amy is back, human and clothed, although still feeling a little weird, she is ready to back to highschool and talk about going to the prom with Larry. There are a few things need explaining. Larry is a) gay and b) dead and highschool is well, burnt to the ground. Buffy arrives home to pour out her heart to Will, but the de-ratting of Amy sort of beats Buffy's, 'I keep kissing Spike' news.

Still adjusting Amy settles down to the news over a large plate of cookies and soon finds out about the frozen guard and the stolen diamond. Heading for the scene, Buffy runs into Spike and more bickering ensues. This time it is too much for Spike and, migraines notwithstanding, he throws a punch and knocks Buffy to the floor, only there are no migraines. Realising he feels no pain he fakes it as Buffy gets up. Believing that his chip has malfunctioned Spike goes on the hunt, but soon finds that, although hitting Buffy was no problem, his bark is still worse than his bite.

At the Magic Box, Willow, with a little help from magic computering (and I wish she would teach me that cos it would save me hours), gets the low down on the stolen diamond.

In their lair, The Troika are drooling over their new toy when Spike rushes in demanding that Warren examines his chip. The three are dubious at first, until Spike threatens the well being of the Bobba Fett action figure (and they realise that they have heads that can be ripped off too) they agree. Warren, however, finds the chip in full working order. The only explanation Spike can come up with (though he doesn't let on to the Troika), Buffy came back wrong.

Willow leaves the scoobies at the Magic Box still in research mode to check on Amy who she finds all ready to party so they head to the only place in town, The Bronze. So when Tara returns Dawn home from their date of movies and milkshake they find the house empty. Dawn persuades Tara to stay with her until one of the others return.

At The Bronze, Amy and Willow are having fun playing pool with their minds and Amy soon ends up with a date. She dances away while Willow is left alone. When Amy has had enough the two guys won't take no for an answer, they just want to dance. A shared look between the two witches and the boys are dancing again, only now they are dancing in cages in their underwear.

Their thirst for magic fun doesn't stop there, the music for starters leaves something to be desired, the party needs fancy dress, including a man dressed as a Strawberry, and for some reason what the place really needs is a flock of sheep.

The rest of the scoobies call it a night and as Buffy heads for home she encounters Spike and soon discovers his newly acquired hitting Buffy skills. As they fight he tells her that she has come back wrong, a little less human and that is why he can hit her. Buffy refuses to believe him and their fight takes them into a derelict building which their violence soon starts to bring down around them.

Walling Spike, Buffy suddenly kisses him, and this time the kiss leads to more than kissing and their passionate sex soon brings the building down around them.

Cider

Cartoons are on the TV and Tara and Dawn lay asleep on the sofa. Waking up they realise they are alone, no one came home last night.

Buffy wakes up next to Spike in the ruins of the building. Getting dressed she is a hurry to leave but Spike has other ideas.

Back at Buffy's, Tara is making funny shape pancakes when Willow and Amy turn up. Thanks to Amy's blabbermouth, Tara is soon fully up to date on the night's activities and just how much magic Willow has been doing since they broke up. Tara leaves as Buffy arrives looking slightly the worse for wear after her nights activities. Her excuse, monster-wrestling. No kidding.

Beat, Willow heads for bed, finding the bright light of day hurts her eyes she tries to shut the curtains but finds she's all magiced out and has to shut them magically.

At the Magic Box, Xander and Anya are researching, trying to find the diamond stealing demon. Anya, however, is more interested in what her bridesmaids should wear, cocktail dresses or burlap and larvae. Buffy doesn't look that impressed by either option.

That night Willow and Amy go out again, Willow's not too sure about being too actively magic after her day's experience but Amy says she knows this guy. They head off to find his lair and Amy finds what she is looking for down a dark alley. The mystical opening to Rack's lair.

Rack (who just happens to also be the vampire from the season 3 episode 'Helpless') leads them into his room. As his hands rub together magical sparks fly from them, he is instantly attracted to Willow's power. Holding his hand to Willow the sparks fly and as he 'tastes' her power, he sends her into a magical trance. Both Willow and Amy are soon an ecstatical magical trip. Willow final vision though is a little more than she counted on when a demon appears, she comes back down to earth with a bump and wakes up, exhausted, on her bedroom floor.

Sobbing she takes a shower and then heads for bed. Finding a box of Tara's clothes, she lays some on the bed, running her hand over them they form the shape of Tara, which she cuddles up to.

The next day, Dawn is making pancakes, Willow is feeling guilty for leaving her on her own the other night and offers to take her out for dinner and a movie.

Arriving home, Buffy finds herself alone but hears a noise upstairs, going into Willow's room she finds Amy routing through Willow's things and helping herself to a few items that she needs. Caught red handed she tells Buffy about Rack and that Willow has gone there with Dawn.

After taking Dawn for burgers, Willow makes for the movies, but finds herself heading towards Rack's. Saying she needs to make a quick stop, they find the mystical opening. Leaving Dawn in the waiting room she gets her magical hit as Dawn slowly watches time tick by, missing the movie.

Willow's trance again end with a vision of the demon and soon her and Dawn are back on the streets. It being late, Dawn just wants to go home, but Willow is up for a big night out. As they walk the down-town streets, Dawn becomes scared and with good reason becacuse the demon from Willow's visions soon pops up before them. He strikes out and hits Dawn, retaliating Willow pushes them over and they run from him. Realising that he is closing in on them Willow, steals a car and commands it to drive for her. They are getting away from the demon but Willow is out of control and drives the car straight into a wall. Dawn comes round and gets out of the car to find that Willow is unconscious in the driving seat and the demon has found them. Leaping over the car, he attacks Dawn.

Meanwhile, Buffy has enlisted Spike to help look for Dawn, being the upstanding citizen that he is, Spike know all about Rack and how to find him. Walking the streets, Buffy hears Dawn's screams and rushes in to the rescue. Buffy and the demon fight, suddenly the demon stops, surprise and pain on his face as he disappears in a cloud of smoke. The smoke clears to reveal Willow, sparks still flying from her hands.

With a cold look at Willow, Buffy goes to help Dawn and they walk off, Willow tries to apologise but Buffy tells her to back off and Dawn, not looking too good, slaps her round the face. Falling to the floor, Willow sobs out her apologies, truly sorry for the danger she has put Dawn in through her addiction to magic. Seeing her on the floor Buffy goes to her and tells her to get up, sobbing she tells Buffy that she can't stop the magic, that she needs help. Buffy is angry with her at first but as Willow throws her arms round her she cannot remain cold to her friend.

Back at home, Willow sits on her bed wrapped in a towel, Buffy comes to see her. They talk and, after asking after Dawn, who has a fracture, she tells Buffy how she has become addicted to magic and that is why Tara left. She promises to stop and as they talk Buffy tries to be supportive but is really thinking of her and Spike. 'It's over' they both agree.

That night Willow lies awake in bed, sweating and shaking, going through magical cold turkey, while Buffy also lies awake holding a cross.

Cider

Now that Willow has sworn to give up magic for good she enlists Buffy's help in the big clear out. Or should I say Buffy clears out as Willow watches. Feeling down the back of the sofa, Buffy finds Spikes zippo lighter reminding her of what she has sworn to herself. Meanwhile at nerd central the supernerd's latest project is an invisibility gun.

To keep her mind occupies Willow cooks breakfast while Dawn gets ready for school. The festivities are interrupted by the entrance of a blanket covered Spike, in search of his missing lighter. Although Buffy tells him not to come round any more it is clear that she is pleased to see him. Their tryst is disturbed by the entrance of Xander who's come (rather late) to pick up Dawn only moments before the social worker arrives.

With Spike in the front room and Willow's magic weed lying about the social worker doesn't get too good a first impression and soon leaves with threats of a recommendation that Dawn is no longer left under Buffy's care. Spike is not far behind after retrieving his lighter from her trouser pocket.

Feeling the strain Buffy attacks her hair with the scissors and the makes for the hairdressers.

Eager to play with their new toy the triad set out on another heist but run into Buffy with her new adorable hair cut. Warren turns his back for one moment only to find that Andrew and Jonathan have turned Buffy invisible whilst fighting over the gun.

At the Magic Box, Xander and Anya are discussing seating plans when invisible Buffy walks in and starts playing tricks on them with wooden balls and skulls, its obvious she's having more fun that she should be. Buffy leaves them to do the research while she goes off to have more fun. The consensus is that there's a spell involved and who's spells go wrong more than Willow's? Xander heads for the Summers' house to find Willow surrounded by books and a laptop and not too happy at the conclusion he has jumped to.

While the triad try to fix their now blown invisibility gun, Buffy pays a call on her new social worker, Doris. Sitting at her desk, working on the Summers' file, Doris is surprised to find her cup moving, then dancing of its own accord, when she starts hearing voices telling her to kill she leaves the room in a hurry. Buffy takes the opportunity to sabotage her file and leave a little message on the computer.

When Doris returns and presents her supervisor with the neatly typed file, she finds it only contains reams of paper filled with the words 'all work and no play makes Doris a dull girl'. It's not too great a shock when she is sent home and taken off the case. Her work here done, Buffy's next stop is Spike's crypt for some invisible sex.

Meanwhile, Willow has got on the case and (with the aid of some spray paint) has found some clues, an invisible police cone, fire hydrant, tyre marks and some black paint. Putting all together Xander recalls Buffy's black stalker van and takes the cone back to the Magic Box for more research. Here Xander hits the books again while Anya continues to puzzle out the seating plans. As they talk Anya tries to pick up the cone but finds that it has turned to goo, it doesn't take them long to figure out that Buffy could soon be goo too.

Xander is not the only one that has this sussed, Warren too has figured out the consequences of invisibility. Not wanting to be involved in murder, Jonathan and Andrew get scared and Warren leads them to believe that he will reverse the spell on Buffy.

Looking for Buffy, Xander's first stop is the crypt where he finds Spike in bed 'exercising', as they chat Buffy nibbles Spike's ears and Xander leaves more disturbed than when he got there. Realising that Buffy is only with him because she is invisible he kicks her out.

Buffy gets home just before Dawn and manages to seriously freak her little sis out who storms upstairs. Left to herself Buffy notices her ansaphone flashing and gets Xander's news.

Doing things the hard way has paid off for Willow and she finds herself at nerd central looking at plans for the invisibility gun, unfortunately she is both expected and captured by the now invisible triad and the trap is set for Buffy. The meet is at an arcade where the triad are bickering as usual. When Buffy arrives, Warren tells Buffy that she will die unless he reverses the gun and shoots her again. Before he can pull the trigger Willow spots that the gun is on the wrong setting and will, in fact, accelerate the goo process.

With this information Buffy proceeds to whoop their invisible arses and Willow re-visibles them all.

The fun all over, Buffy confides to Willow that she actually felt afraid of dying, they have both made big steps forward.

Cider

Over at Buffy's, Xander, Anya and Willow are chatting about the super-nerd trio and their recent disappearing act. As they talk Buffy appears all ready for her first day at work, in a rather dashing Doublemeat Palace outfit complete with a cow on a hat.

Buffy is soon settling down to her own private showing of the Doublemeat Palace employee induction video and after a short chat with Manny the Manager (it's not a joke it's just his name) and a tour of her new working environment, she starts her new life at the counter. As fun and challenging as this is, finding out the secret behind the secret ingredient in the Doublemeat Palace is much more so. After quick run down of the till from her counter buddy, Gary, Buffy's gets her first customer. A nice little old lady who comes to the Doublemeat every day for coffee and cherry pie.

Buffy's first working day drags slowly on and eventually it is lunchtime the scoobies arrive to offer her some moral support. Buffy airs her fears that something is not quite right, Manny the Manager is definitely weird, the other employees are basically automatons and then there's the secret ingredient. Xander (who's an old hand when it comes to fast food) assured her that this is the norm.

Buffy's day continues to drag by and is made a whole lot better by a visit from Spike, so the non-person she wanted to see. He tries to persuade her that this is not the life for her and she really should be out on the streets with him. Buffy's really not listening. Meanwhile, her new friend Gary is meeting a rather nasty fate whilst taking the rubbish out.

The next day Buffy arrives to work to find that Gary hasn't turned up and Buffy has been moved to grill duties. Whilst on her new learning curve (lesson one: how to get the grease out of your ears), Manny informs Buffy that she will be working a double shift as the grinder guy didn't turn up today either. Feeling it's time to take a break Buffy runs into Spike and they have quick passionless sex.

Xander is in his front room when a demon appears in front of him and informs him that she is here to tear him apart. Just as Xander is starting to get worried, Anya comes into the room and welcomes her old friend Halfrek the vengeance demon, who she has summoned not to kill Xander but to invite her to their wedding. As the two catch up, Xander feels it is in his best interests to leave them to it.

Still on the wagon, Willow, lays on her bed vigorously highlighting when Amy knocks on her door. She wants her cage for old time's sake. Noticing the Willow doesn't seem to be loving the whole magicless thing, Amy gives her a small gift by way of a magical boost and then leaves. Willow sparkles with her new powers and finds it hard to touch anything without bending or breaking it.

Now on grinding duty Buffy finds the remnant of a finger in the bottom of the grinder. She takes it to Manny who finds it difficult to explain and Buffy bounds to the conclusion that Gary has become the secret ingredient. Running into the dining area she grabs food from people and throws it to the floor shouting that it's human. She soon finds herself unemployed again.

At Xander's, Anya and Halfrek are done with the catching up and Halfrek is trying to sow seeds of doubt in Anya about her forthcoming wedding to Xander. Meanwhile Xander himself is playing cards with Dawn at the Magic Box when Buffy walks in carrying a Doublemeat medley and announcing that something is definitely wrong at the Doublemeat Palace. She wants to have the burger analysed to find out what that secret ingredient really is, unfortunately Xander has already eaten the burger.

Buffy heads back to the burger bar and Willow starts work on analysing what's left of the burger. To Xander's delight she finds no traces of human in the burger but there is something weird about it. It's a vegetable process.

At the Doublemeat Palace, Buffy finds a boot with a foot still in it and concludes that Manny has met the same fate as Gary. She also finds the nice little old lady who likes her coffee and cherry pie, unfortunately, she also has a taste for human and a nice big paralysing snake attachment that comes out of her head. Buffy falls to the floor under the snakey thing's paralysing spell and tries to crawl away. Outside, Willow tries to tell Buffy about the secret ingredient and while Buffy is trying to get away from the snake lady, Willow finds the drive-through mike and proceeds to tell Buffy all that happened with Amy.

Inside the burger bar, snake lady finds Buffy and starts trying to eat her, Willow has eventually found her way in, comes at snake lady from behind and chops her snake head off, which falls into the grinder.

The next day Amy arrives at Buffy's on the pretence of borrowing some detergents to clean up her new place, Willow turns her away and tells her not to come back, while at the Doublemeat Palace, Buffy returns her uniform to the new manager. Using her newfound knowledge about the secret ingredient she soon finds herself back in full time employment.

Cider

Spikes crypt, the bed is empty and neatly made, but Buffy and Spike are having just as much fun under the rug and when they've finished with the fun, they almost have a conversation. Spike has to spoil it all by calling Buffy an animal in bed and she's gone, well, she will be just as soon as she finds her underwear. Spike and his handcuffs, however, have other ideas.

The nerd trio are bickering as usual in their new basement hideout. Their latest unfoilable plan? a cerebral dampener, a handy little boys toy that will make any woman they should desire become their willing sex slave.

Her little romp over, Buffy is back at work and has arranged a meeting with Tara. In the office Tara is impressed by the nifty slogans on the wall but concerned that something is wrong with Willow. Buffy explains that there is nothing wrong with Willow but possibly something wrong with her. Spike can hit her and she thinks she may have come back wrong. She wants to find out more about the spell that brought her back and obviously she can't ask Willow.

Warren has taken his new toy to a bar to try it out and Andrew and Jonathan get to stay behind and watch via a camera link. Warren soon spots the girl he is looking for and, tired of their bickering, ditches his earpiece into a nearby glass. Approaching the girl, he sits next to her and comes out with the corniest chat up line he can think of. The girl turns to reveal that she is Warren's ex, Katrina, and is not at all too happy to see him. That is until Warren puts the whammy on her.

Buffy arrives home to find Xander and Dawn dancing in her room, at first she is concerned that there may be singing again but Dawn is only learning to dance in readiness for the upcoming nuptials. Home for the evening for once, Buffy passes on relaxation at the Bronze and opts for a night in with Dawn. Not used to the company, however, Dawn has made other plans.

At Nerd camp, Katrina, is all dressed up as a maid and ready for their every command. As always Warren gets first go and they are soon in his bedroom kissing. The cerebral dampener wasn't quite as strong as they thought, though, and is already wearing off. On coming back to her senses Katrina goes back to being not too happy, with threats of Gaol for all of them she tries to leave. Warren tries to stop her and as she heads for the stairs, grabs her and smashes her over the head with a nearby wine bottle, unfortunately, killing her.

After considering their options and finding that they cannot get rid of the body by supernatural means, Andrew and Jonathan are all for going to the police but Warren has no plans to go to prison and plenty of plans to get rid of the body and the slayer at the same time.

At the Bronze the others are dancing but Buffy doesn't really feel up to it, making for the balcony she watches the others dancing from above and is soon joined by Spike. After pointing out that she is not a part of the others' world anymore and always ends up in the dark with him he takes her from behind, telling her that she loves being able to get away with it right in front of their faces.

The next night Buffy patrols alone and finds herself outside Spike's door. Touching the door she stops herself from going in and leaves before Spike, having felt her presence, opens the door. Wanting to focus on anything but Spike she is thankful when a scream rings out in the woods. Heading for the sound she sees a girl being chased by two hooded demons, by the time she gets there they have vanished. Turning she sees Katrina sobbing on the floor, but she too vanishes and from nowhere Spike appears closely followed by the two demons.

As Spike and Buffy fight the demons, time appears to shift and change demons appearing and reappearing until she hits out and sees the girl falling down an embankment. Thinking she has pushed her she runs to the bottom to find Katrina lying there dead. Another Katrina watches from the cover of the trees. Reaching the bottom of the embankment Spike tells Buffy to go home and he will take care of this.

Warren and Andrew watch from their nerd van and are joined by the other Katrina who slowly morphs back into Jonathan. Their plan has worked.

Back at home Buffy isn't sleeping too well, dreaming of Spike and Katrina. Getting up she looks in on Dawn who wakes. Telling her she loves her, Buffy explains what has happened and that she has to go to the police. Exclaiming that she knows that Buffy didn't want to come back and doesn't want to be near her Dawn runs out. But Buffy knows what she has to do and goes to the Police Station where she is met by Spike who tries to stop her. He tells her that he went back and took care of it, that the police would never find the body. As usual though Spike's plans are not all they should be and the police have already found the body.

Buffy says she has to confess what she has done and Spike, foolishly trying to stop her, makes the mistake of calling her his girl. They fight and, knocking him to the floor, Buffy pounds his face until he can hardly see, telling him she will never be his girl. Walking into the station, Buffy over hears and officer on the phone giving Katrina's name. Putting, the body in the woods, the demons and Katrina together she comes up with Warren and leaves.

The scoobies are gathered at the Magic Box and Anya has found the demon that Buffy ran into in the woods, Rescindi, demons that can cause hallucinations and time to go all 'David Lynch'. Their next job; to find the trio.

But first Buffy needs to get the good news from Tara, she came back wrong, she had to have done otherwise why would she be sleeping with Spike. Tara gives her the news, there is nothing wrong with her, of course she came back a little different, but not wrong. Upset Buffy lets slip her relationship with Spike and tells her that the only time she feels anything is when they are together.

Cider

Another night, another evil to battle and Dawn's left on her own again. Out in the cemetery Buffy finds and is attacked by the evil, in form of a demon that seemingly disappears into thin air. During the ensuing fight Buffy grabs the demon's sword and thrusts it through its torso. Falling to the floor Buffy doesn't notice that the demon has disappeared into the sword. Getting up, she retrieves the sword and takes it home.

At the Magic Box, Xander, Anya and Willow are discussing Buffy's forthcoming but probably doomed birthday party. Bored of being on her own, Dawn arrives looking for company on her present buying excursion to the mall. As usual everyone is too busy to spend time with Dawn so she goes on her own.

Arriving home late, Dawn finds the house empty and, going to her room, empties her pockets of the proceeds of her latest shoplifting spree.

Next day at school Dawn is called out of class to see the school guidance counsellor who exactly resembles Spike's pre-vampire first love, Cecily. They talk and she soon gets Dawn to open up about how lonely she is and also a wish that she could make people stop going away.

At Buffy's the house is already for the birthday party, the banners are up, the nibbles are out and all that remains is for the guests to arrive. As well as the usual gang, Buffy has invited her new friend from work, Sophie and Xander and Anya have invited a date for Buffy. Tara is the first to arrive, after checking that Buffy is OK after their little talk the other day, Tara and Willow are left alone to share an awkward moment together.

The next arrival comes in the form of the uninvited Spike and his new demon friend Clem. Xander's friend, Richard is next and Spike is not too happy when he and Buffy go off together to help him park his car.

Finally its present giving time, a battery operated back massager from Willow, a shiny new leather jacket (complete with security tag) from Dawn and the piece de resistance, a new handmade weapons cabinet from Xander and Anya.

As the last arrival, Sophie, is safely shut in the house the guidance counsellor appears, morphs into Halfrek and grants Dawn's wish.

Inside its getting late, the party is in full swing, everybody is having fun, especially Dawn, and no one seems to want to leave. The fun goes on and turns into Monopoly and Poker (without kittens) and before they know its morning and its turned into a sleep over. Xander and Richard have to head off for work, Buffy and Spike have their inevitable argument but strangely still nobody is leaving. In fact seems to want to leave, or can't leave.

Even a group effort to move to the door proves unsuccessful and, realising they are trapped they all also realise that they have an elsewhere to be. Feeling neglected again Dawn storms out of the room and into her bedroom. Suspecting that maybe Dawn has something to do with their inability to leave the group follow her. Their accusations only make matters worse and Dawn screams at them to leave, which they do.

As Dawn is clearly not helping the only other option to get them out of there appears to be magic, they have a witch willing to assist in the form of Tara but no supplies. Which is where Willow has to confess that she did kinda keep a few things back, for emergencies. Tara agrees to help, but on her own.

In the kitchen Tara mixes her potion watched by Xander and Buffy while the others wait in the other room with an ever more confused Richard. In the kitchen Tara lights her potion and recites the command 'release', nothing happens, they are still trapped but the sword demon has found life and appears behind them, before they have time to re-act he has slashed Richard and disappeared into the floor. As Buffy bends over the bleeding Richard, the demon reappears, attacks Spike and vanishes into the walls.

They take Richard upstairs and lay him down, each finding their own corner in which to reflect. Upstairs Anya becomes claustrophobic and starts to freak out, coming downstairs for a drink Xander is attacked by the demon, Spike and Buffy fight it but it vanishes back into the walls.

As night draws in the gang begin to get scared, upstairs Dawn confesses her feelings of loneliness to Buffy and downstairs Anya finally cracks and yells at Willow to do something. Xander backs Anya up but Willow doesn't want to go back to magic as she thinks she won't be able to stop and Tara comes to her defence. Maddened Anya says she will do something herself and runs upstairs where Dawn is telling Buffy about her visit to the guidance counsellor and the little tiny wish she made. Meanwhile Anya is ransacking Dawn's bedroom looking for clues and soon finds Dawn's box of stolen trinkets which includes items from the Magic Box. Found out, dawn runs downstairs.

The truth is out now, not only has Dawn made a wish to a vengeance demon, she has become a kleptomaniac. Explaining that only the vengeance demon can lift her own curse Anya calls on Halfrek who appears only to stabbed by the demon who appears behind her. As she falls to the floor, Spike and Buffy fight the demon, just as he is disappearing back into the walls Buffy grabs his sword and, thrusting it through the wall, finds the demon who is sent back into the sword.

One demon finished off she turns to Halfrek and her pendant. Halfrek, however, has made a miraculous recovery and is rather averse to anyone touching her pendant. As Spike walks back into the room, there is a moment of recognition between Halfrek/Cecily and Spike/William but they both quickly deny knowing each other.

Halfrek goes on to explain that while Anyanka was the patron saint of scorned women, she is the patron saint of neglected children and wreaks vengeance on bad parents. She could hear Dawn's cries for help though no one else could. Stating that they all deserve the curse and refusing to lift it she leaves, or tries to leave. Realising that the curse is holding her prisoner as well she reluctantly lifts it and leaves.

As the gang prepare to leave, Willow tries to explain to Tara why she kept a few magical items. Tara understands and telling her she is proud of her for resisting the temptation to use magic, she takes the remaining supplies.

Finally Buffy and Dawn are alone together, another successful Buffy birthday bash over.

Cider

After rubbing it in that she has dropped out of college and is doomed to scrape grease for the rest of her life, Buffy's friend and colleague rushes of to night school leaving her with the pleasure of removing the chewing gum from under the tables.

Making her home through the cemetery, Buffy sings the jaunty Doublemeat Palace jingle, when she is attacked by a vampire. Taking the time to put Dawn's tea out of harms way the fight begins, but vampire is put off by the grease smell and cry's off. Put out by his comments Buffy stakes him as he is backing away.

Finally at home she finds Spike waiting for her as usual, she tries to refuse, she needs to get home to Dawn, but Spike, as always, gets his own way. When she eventually does arrive home Dawn is not too impressed with cold, squished Doublemeat burger for tea, again. So when Willow suggests The Bronze she is more than happy to go, if Buffy will let her. Buffy's not really up to it but lets Dawn go with Willow.

At The Bronze, Xander and Anya are still bickering over the seating plans and with only a week to go their nerves are becoming a bit frayed at the edges. Willow and dawn are having fun though, Willow being in a really good mood because things seem to be getting better between her and Tara.

While the others have fun at The Bronze, Buffy tries to get the grass stains out of her coat. She finally falls asleep on the sofa and is awakened by the garbage truck reminding her, too late, that its trash day. She runs out with the bags, but they have already been and gone. As she returns to the house he day just gets better and better when first she gets a rejection letter from UCSD, her re-application has failed, and then Dawn, having got breakfasted already heads off to school leaving Buffy with a large pile of washing up to do.

Another night on counter duties at the Doublemeat and Buffy serves her first customer Riley. Taken aback, Buffy is not making much sense, Riley, however is straight down to business. He has been tracking a demon that has led him to Sunnydale and he needs Buffy's help. Ditching her hat, she leaves with him.

The demon he has been tracking is a big one, a fast one, a deadly one, a fast breeding one and one that is right in front of them. They fight it but it is too fast and, knocking them both out its gone. It's not long before it appears again and then makes off but not before Riley has managed to tag it. Now they can track it for real, the rest of the chase is in Riley's nice flash car. Here he gives Buffy something a bit stealthier than her uniform to wear.

Meanwhile Xander and Anya's have nerves are finally at snapping point as they try to get to the airport in time to meet Xander's family and then back in time to meet Anya's demon friends.

Buffy and Riley follow track the demon to what looks like an old damn, holding on to each other they drop down and are attacked by the demon, finally managed to floor it they are just getting close when they are interrupted by Riley's wife. The introductions are barely over when the demon attacks again. Mrs Finn takes over the fighting while Riley fills Buffy in on the whole marriage thing.

As the demon floors Sam, Riley jumps in leaving Buffy to watch the husband and wife team in action. They don't appear to be getting anywhere fast so Buffy finds her opportunity and snaps its neck. Mission accomplished.

Unfortunately Riley hasn't completely filled Buffy in on the actual mission, they didn't want the demon dead, they wanted to track it to its lair and find its eggs before they hatch. Mission failed. They head back to Buffy's to re-group.

By the time they get home Buffy has managed to fill the gang in on the situation and they are all ready to dislike Sam and make digs at Riley for his disappearing act. Sam, however, is proving difficult to hate, swapping wedding ideas with Xander and including Dawn in their conversation as she and Riley give the low down on the demon.

They have been tracking this demon through many a town that it has laid to waste. It has now come to Sunnydale to nest and, once the demon eggs are hatched, lay waste to this town too. To make matters worse they have also found out about a dealer going by the name of the Doctor who has been stealing and selling these eggs.

For all her likeability Sam managed to alienate Willow (who is already willing to hate Sam as much she can on Buffy's behalf) by suggesting she do a locator spell. Explaining that she is a recovering spellaholic Willow walks out.

Sam's work all done Riley puts the plan to find the eggs in motion, Buffy and Sam will try to find the nest while Riley will look for the Doctor. Before the leave Sam even managed to win Willow round by telling her that she has known a couple of guys that got too deep into the dark arts but has never known anyone who is strong enough to give it up.

Out in the cemetery Buffy and Sam get to know each other and Sam tells Buffy about how she met Riley and how long it took Riley to get over her. The conversation then turns to Buffy and starts to get a little too close for comfort so, suggesting they split up, Buffy goes to Spike for information. Information of course soon turns into sex and they end up in bed, which is where Riley finds them some time later.

Spike is very much amused at their being caught by Buffy's ex, but Riley is not interested, he has found the Doctor and now wants to know where he is keeping the eggs. Spike, of course, pretends to know nothing about any eggs and Buffy tries to stick up for him commenting that Spike is far too incompetent to be the Doctor. Riley is convinced and soon finds the eggs in Spike's 'basement'. Here Buffy turns out to be right about Spike's incompetence, he's forgotten to freeze the eggs and now they are beginning to hatch.

Riley hands Buffy a gun but after a couple of unsuccessful shots Buffy has a better ides, getting out of there she grabs a hand grenade from Riley's belts and blows the baby demons up.

At Xander's, he and Anya hide in the bathroom while Xander's family fight in the other room. Left alone they finally resolve their wedding fears, they are of course terrified of the actual wedding but their marriage they are not scared of.

Their job done Riley and Sam prepare to leave. With a little time to themselves Buffy and Riley settle their differences and then it is tearful goodbye's all round.

The visit from her ex over Buffy pays another visit to Spike in his new burnt look crypt. There's no sex this time, finally admitting that she does want him but can never love him, she breaks up with him.

Cider

The wedding day has arrived at last and Willow and Buffy admire their nice green bridesmaid's outfits and begin to wish that they had opted for the traditional bloodlarva and burlap. Looking forward to the wedding, they reminisce at the great times they recently had at the rehearsal dinner where Anya passed her demon relations off as circus folk and Xander's dad threw up in Buffy's purse. Anya arrives, her big day here at last, the sight of her beautiful bridesmaid and Xander's best man bring the emotions out in her.

Meanwhile in the Harris camp things aren't going much better, Xander is missing a pair of cuff links and daddy Harris is already abusing Anya's family. Cousin Carol on the other hand, wearing Xander's cufflinks as earrings, quite willing to date one of Anya' charming relatives, after all when you are a single parent of her age and weight you can't be top choosy.

Out in the street the rain pours down as an old man with an umbrella materialises out of nothing and walks off down the street.

Inside Buffy helps Xander squeeze into his tux while Willow and Tara are having fun helping Anya dress and listening to her wedding vows. Looking gorgeous in her dress, Anya is becoming more than a little excited at the prospect of spending the rest of her life with her best friend.

The guests, human and non-human, start to arrive while Harris senior is chatting up the catering staff and heading for the bar. Among the guests are many old friends, D'Hoffyn arrives with Halfrek bearing a rather unusual and squirmy gift, while Spike has brought his good friend Clem along and a date. The party is underway and the two factions are ready to start bickering amongst each other.

Xander is finally all ready and his duties as groom commence with the meet and greet ceremony. Xander has just got into listening to his families complaints and is becoming confused by Dawn's news that one of the gifts has escaped when he is dragged away by the old man from the street who warns him he should not get married today.

To further Xander's bewilderment the old man tells him that he is Xander Harris from the future come to warn him. To convince Xander he is telling the truth he reveals a glowy sphere and takes him into a side room.

In the bar an ever more drunken Harris senior starts making a less than complimentary toast and the atmosphere is just starting to get out of hand when Buffy intervenes by leading Mr Harris away to introduce him to some nice strong black coffee.

In the side room, Xander Harris the elder tells our Xander that the sphere has magical powers and will show him what the future holds. Transporting Xander into the future we see him lounging in front of the TV, beer can in hand, watching the game in a dingy little apartment. Clothes and toys litter the room, his two children bicker and fight while Anya gets ready to go out, again. Forced to earn the money since Xander damaged his back fighting demons in what appears to have been Buffy's final battle, Anya is hosting make over parties.

The scene flips to further into the future, Xander, Anya and their now two grown up children fight over a meal out. His children and wife hate him and he is turning into his father.

The scene changed again, back in their apartment, the kids having left home, Xander and Anya fight, yet again over a meal, the resentment and bitterness of the last thirty years all pouring out. Fuelled by beer and anger Xander raises a frying pan and his about to hit Anya when the vision stops.

Explaining that he can stop this from happening but he cannot marry Anya, future Xander has done his job and the seeds of doubt already planted are fed and watered. Willow finds Xander pacing the kitchen floor, not quite ready to take his vows, while in the dressing room Anya is still practising hers in front of Tara.

The hall is ready, the guests are seated, the musicians playing and Buffy comes to fetch the bride but is pulled back by Willow at the last minute, Xander has gone. Buffy gets the job of stalling while Willow goes to look for him. As Anya goes over her vows one last time, Xander walks slowly in the rain.

The guests are becoming impatient and Harris senior is at the bar again, desperate to keep the fighting at bay Buffy provides the entertained with her charades and juggling skills. Anya, though, can't wait any longer and marches into the hall only to overhear Dawn telling her new demon friend that Xander has done a runner. The cat is out of the bag and the fighting starts for real.

Desperately seeking Xander, Anya is pointed in the direction of future Xander by Cousin Carol. Approaching him she asks if he knows where Xander is, telling her it is too late he reveals himself to be a large spiny demon, formerly Stuart Burns, philanderer. He's come to take his revenge on Anya for turning him to a demon and sending him to a hell dimension and boy has he done a good job. Telling her what he has done he then basks in her tears for a while before attacking. Buffy leaps to her defence and Xander re-appears in the nick of time to finish the demon off to a round of applause.

As the fighting between guests breaks out again, Anya shouts at them to take their seats, all is well again and the wedding can go ahead as planned.

Xander, however, is not so sure, he knows that what he saw wasn't real, but his fears that it could be are. He isn't ready to get married. As he turns and leaves, a teary-eyed Anya walks slowly down the aisle to the tune of here comes the bride.

That night, Will, Buffy and Dawn wonder what went wrong with the perfect relationship, Xander books himself into a hotel room and Anya is comforted by D'Hoffyn as he welcomes her back to the fold.

Cider

With a list of newly rented properties in her hand Buffy searches for the nerds latest hideout. The nerds themselves are going a bit stir crazy in hiding and having one of their usual bickers when the sight of Buffy peering into the upstairs of their new lair pops up ion their CCTV gives them something to really be scared about. Out comes Andrew's digerydoo and up pops a demon to distract the slayer. With the help of a car and a dustbin she almost has him until, grabbing her from behind he pokes her with a stick in the arm. In a flash Buffy finds herself in a mental institute being restrained by two doctors.

She awakes to find herself alone near the car.

At college Willow is working up the courage to accidentally bump into Tara. Spotting her intended prey she starts to make her move only to see Tara kiss another girl on the cheek. Turning, she runs out watched by Tara.

At the Doublemeat Palace, Buffy hears her name called and turns to find herself back in the institute. A flash and she is back in the diner and she's burnt all the fries.

She arrives home to find Willow checking for email from Xander, but he hasn't been in touch. As she closes her laptop, the door opens and in walks the man himself looking for Anya. Anya it seems has done a complete disappearing act, taking her clothes and even, god forbid, closing the Magic Box. Buffy and Willow, though are just pleased to see him safe and well. Trying to explain his actions Xander tells them that he still loves Anya and wants to be with her he just doesn't want to get married.

That night Buffy's on patrol in the cemetery as usual when she bumps into Spike, as usual. As they talk about the wedding that wasn't, Willow and Xander show. Always pleased to have a dig at each other Spike and Xander are soon squaring up and don't notice Buffy curling up in pain as she finds herself back in the institute. Huddled in a corner, confused and dazed Buffy asks where she is. The good doc explains that she has been in a mental institute for the last six years, Sunnydale is just a figment of her messed up mind.

Back in Sunnydale she falls to the ground as, in the institute, she turns to find she has visitors, her mum and dad.

In the cemetery, Willow and Xander help her to her feet and take her home where she tells them about the hallucinations she has been having. As Willow gets into research mode, Buffy falls back into the hallucination. She sits with her parents in the doctor's office. The doctor is telling her parents that there is a small possibility that Buffy might recover. For the last six years she has suffered from psychophrenia and has created a multi-layered delusional world where she is a hero, surrounding herself with friends and even inventing a sister. The introduction of that sister, however, has led to difficulties and now her imaginary world is starting to fall apart. Instead of creating fantastical monsters and gods to battle against she has now created three pathetic nerds from highschool that like playing with toys.

Speaking of pathetic highschool nerds, the three in question are celebrating the number that their latest demon friend has pulled on the buffster and plotting their next scheme which will help in their quest to take over the world. Jonathan, however, is starting to feel a little out of the loopy, especially when Warren and Andrew return from a secret shopping trip with boxes they are telling him nothing about.

Willow's research, meanwhile, has located the demon that attacked Buffy and the antidote needed to return Buffy back to normal. Buffy's not too enthusiastic though, the hallucinations have been getting her down and she confesses to Willow that when she first discovered she was the Slayer she told her parents about vampires and they sent her straight to a mental institute. Now she wanders if she ever really got out.

Meanwhile Spike and Xander are out bickering, with a little demon hunting thrown in.

Later that night Dawn brings Buffy a drink upstairs where she is lying in her room. Dawn sits on the bed as Buffy goes back into the hallucination. Sitting in her hospital bed with her parents beside her, Joyce is trying to bring her out of herself and back into the real world by admitting that she does not have a sister. Reaching out to touch her mother she finds herself back in Sunnydale with Dawn who has heard what has been said in the hallucination. Realising that she is not a part of Buffy's 'reality' she runs downstairs.

Xander and Spike have managed to knock out the demon and brought it back to Willow who has 'non-magically' cooked up the antidote. Willow and Spike take a non-too impressed looking Buffy the antidote and when Willow leaves her to it she finds herself alone with Spike. When asked not too nicely to leave Spike returns with some of his trademark home truths about their relationship. Amongst other things he tells her to start living he life and leaves her with an ultimatum, she needs to tell her friends about what she and Spike have been up to or he will.

Left with these thoughts, Buffy throws away the antidote and finds herself back in the institute telling the doctor's that she doesn't want to go back to Sunnydale, she wants to go home with her parents. In order to do this, says the good doctor, she needs to rid herself of the things that keep her going back to her delusion, namely, her friends.

Back in Sunnydale she gets up to learn that the demon is still in the basement and a plan is formed. Xander arrives to check on the patient to find Buffy in the kitchen, he soon finds himself beaten and thrown down the stairs to the basement where Willow lays bound and gagged.

Locking them in the cellar, Buffy returns for Dawn. Realising that something is wrong, Dawn tries to back away and find shut herself in her room, but Buffy kicks down each door she hides behind. Finding that hiding is no good, Dawn tries to reason with Buffy next, telling her that deep down she knows that Sunnydale is real and that Dawn is her sister. Buffy, however, appears to have common sense on her side, after all, what is more real? A sick girl in a mental institute, or a superhero that sleeps with a vampire she hates? Diving over the bed Buffy grabs Dawn who soon finds herself in the basement with the others.

Back in the institute Buffy is having a hard time killing off her 'imaginary' family and friends but her parents and the doctor are encouraging her as in Sunnydale she lets the demon loose in the cellar.

Upstairs, Tara has called round to speak to Willow but finds no one home, but a big ugly fight ensuing in the cellar. With a little magic, she soon has the scoobies untied as Buffy watches from behind the stairs flashing from one reality to the other and trying to fight her instincts to save her friends.

In the asylum Joyce tells her that she is strong enough to beat this, all she has to do is believe in herself. Calming Buffy, realises that her mother's words are right, she says her goodbyes and, in her basement in Sunnydale she gets to her feet and kills the demon. In the asylum she lies in a catatonic state.

Cider

Two vampires run through the cemetery followed closely by, not Buffy, but the supernerds on quad bikes, with large stakes protruding from them. The vamps make it through the cemetery gates and are starting to believe that they may have lost the trio Buffy and Spike join in the fight. Startled one of them drops a coin like disc, and Buffy, Spike and the vamps otherwise engaged Warren grabs the coin and the three make off unnoticed.

While Buffy fights with one vamp, Spike sits on the gates holding the other up by his jacket threatening to let him go unless Buffy agrees to tell her friends about them. Buffy appears unconcerned, hey, she locked her friends in a basement and tried to kill them and they still love her, what difference will a little Spike sex revelation make. Spike stumped and the vampires staked, Buffy leaves.

Meanwhile, in his apartment Xander sits with a beer listening to the music of pain again. Switching of the music he picks up his jacket and leaves. From behind the safety of a bush, Anya watches him walk down the street.

The next day gets off to a much better start, Willow manages to accidentally bumps into Tara outside her classroom and get herself a coffee date, Buffy and Dawn have a sisters day out shopping, only Dawn isn't allowed into any shop but the petstore Jonathan is having fun with their new disc and some bubbly chemical looking mixtures while Warren and Andrew plan to leave him just as soon as he is done.

Returning home Xander finds Anya sitting at the table. More than pleased to see her he tries to explain his action, telling her that he wants to make up for what he did. Anya brightens until she finds that he can't give her what she wants, she still wants marriage but Xander just isn't ready. Turning from him she morphs into Vengeance demon face and wishes he was never born, nothing happens. Changing back to Anya she turns back to face him and the wishes keep coming but nothing is happening. Realising that her new powers don't seem to be working she storms out.

Anya turns to her old buddy Halfrek for help who explains that one cannot a wish on behalf of herself, she has to get someone else to do it for her. Brimming with new inspiration, Anya sets off to do just that.

Willow and Tara are enjoying their coffee date when Anya interrupts them. Coming straight to the point as always, Anya points out that, being lesbians. Willow and Tara must hate all men so that's brings them nicely to the subject of Xander. Not succeeding there she finds Dawn at the Magic Box and Buffy at home but her powers of persuasion seem to having as much affect as her wishing.

Xander finally catches up with Anya at Buffy's but, frustrated that nobody wants to help her mete out her revenge she storms off. Xander wants to follow but Buffy stops him, pretty much frustrated himself he kicks out at a tree and finds himself breaking a creepy garden gnome. On close inspection, the gnome contains a hidden camera. So who would want to spy on Buffy day in, day in, Spike of course.

Any excuse to pay a visit to the crypt, Buffy is straight there with accusing words. Of course, Spike doesn't have the genius it would take to rig up something like that and Buffy knows it really.

At the Magic Box, Anya bemoans her lack of support from Xander's friends to Halfrek who needs to step in with the common sense again. Of course his friends won't help her, what she needs is someone Who hates Xander. Just as she is pondering as to who that could possibly be, in walks Spike. Halfrek leaves them to it.

Spike is there for a something to dull the pain that is loving Buffy and Anya has just the potion, a bottle of Jack Daniel's. A shot or two and the couple are complaining to each other about their ex other halves. But despite the rapidly diminishing bottle of Jack, Anya still can't get Spike to say 'I wish' in front of a sentence. By the time the bottle is empty they find they have more in common then they though and, of course, they end up having sex on the table.

With Spike of the suspect list, Buffy has turned to Willow's techno skills to find out who and where the camera is linked to. Suspects numbers two, three and four are, of course, Warren, Andrew and Jonathan. Willow gets to work on her laptop and soon finds a link and that there is more than one camera out there. More tapping and concerned looks find one at the Double Meat Palace, Xander's site, Willow's class and the Magic Box. Watching the screen Willow's face drops.

The trio have just managed to burn a rather important map of Sunnydale when the alarm sounds warning them that someone has tapped into their system. They start shutting it down until they get to the picture at the Magic Box, they stare in awe.

Seeing Willow's face, Xander and Buffy take a look at the screen at the same time as Dawn walks in to get an eyeful of the action. Xander is the first to leave followed by Buffy and Dawn, leaving Willow to notice the open weapons cabinet complete with missing items.

Xander heads off to the Magic Box big fighting axe in hand, while in their garden Buffy and Dawn have a heart to heart until Willow rushes out to give them the axe news.

At the Magic Box, Spike and Anya are getting dressed and acting a bit sheepish, with a half smile Spike leaves only to be confront by Xander and his axe. They fight, or rather Xander fights, and Spike is just about to meet the stake fate when Anya and Buffy get there to intervene.

The two ex-couples face up to each other. Xander expresses his revulsion that Anya has had sex with Spike but is soon stopped in his tracks when spike adds that it was good enough for Buffy. His world totally rocked, Xander walks off, followed by Buffy. Left to them Spike starts a wish at last but Anya stops him.

At Buffy's, Willow is lying on her bed when Tara walks in. she immediately burst into rapid flow talk, explaining how things can't be made right over a cup of coffee and how making up is a long process that they should just skip and go straight to the kissing part. Which they do.

Cider