|
|
Buffy the vampire slayer "A NEW MAN"
Transcribed by Joseph B
Written by Jane Espenson
Directed by Michael Gershman
Originally aired: January 25, 2000
Disclaimer: This is a transcript intended for anyone who cannot watch
BTVS for whatever reason, to enjoy, as well as those who think
transcripts are just cool, and as reference material for fanfic
writers. Buffy and all copyrighted characters are the product of Joss
Whedon and I have nothing but respect for him and those whose hard
work is put into bringing us a great show. I did this of my own free
time and will never make a dime from it.
Now let me add. If you are looking at this transcript, save it, copy
it, send it to your friends. Unlike other transcribers, who I have
nothing but respect for, if you see any mistakes that might be in this
transcript, feel free to correct them, or if you just want to
personalize it to suit yourself, by all means. Hell I do it.
~~~~~~~~~~ Prologue ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fade in to room 214 in Stevenson Hall. It is night. Soft music is
playing. Interior is dark except for Buffy's bedside lamp, and Riley
and Buffy can be seen lying on her bed, above the covers (fully
dressed), but to say they were only "making out" would be like saying
the sun is only kinda bright. You hardly need to hop to reach the
conclusion they're headed for.
Riley: (between kisses) We're not expecting anyone, are we?
Buffy: Willow said she was going to be at the science library all
night.
Riley: Is that right?
They resume. On the brink of Steven Bochco territory, Riley slips his
hand up the back of Buffy's shirt and begins to lift it but Willow
pisses off most of the male viewers, as well as some of the female
viewers, by barging into the room, breaking the mood.
Buffy: Uh, apparently not.
Buffy stands up and straightens her shirt.
Willow: (worried) We got trouble.
Buffy: (serious) What is it?
Willow: I was in the rec room. It came through the window.
Riley: Vampire?
Willow: Vampires don't breathe fire.
Cut to hallway, first floor. Buffy, Willow, and Riley round the
corner. Buffy is carrying a rifle-size crossbow.
Riley: I should call for backup.
Buffy: No time.
She hands him the crossbow and motions him down the adjacent hall and
he splits from them towards the other door into the rec room. Buffy
arms herself with a stake from her bag. She does not look happy as
she and Willow head for the door.
Buffy: We have to make this fast. I have better things to do tonight
than kill.
Opens the door and steps inside the rec room which is in total
darkness. A second later the lights come up and we and Buffy see that
it is a surprise party for her 19th birthday (says the large banner
hanging across the ceiling) and a crowd of people yelling:
Everybody: SURPRISE!!!
Which Buffy is and quickly hides her stake. Riley rushes in through
the door on the other side of the room, but attention is on Buffy so
he hides the crossbow without anybody noticing it. In the crowd we see
Xander Harris, Anya, Rupert Giles, and several other faces (we might
recognize as extras from previous seasons).
Willow: (smiling) Guess you won't be killing anything tonight, after
all.
Buffy: (sly grin) Don't be so sure.
Wolf's howl. Opening credits and theme playing.
~~~~~~~~~~ Part One ~~~~~~~~~~
Fade in to the party, well on its way. The table is lined with cake,
snacks, punch, etc. Pan to Giles, Xander, and Anya gathered around the
soccer table. Giles has a paper plate with cake and a cup of
punch. He's talking around a mouthful of cake as Xander and Anya
listen to him.
Giles: Yeah, this is a lively space. It's like the activity room we
had at public school.
Two male students move in on the soccer table and Giles picks up his
cup and steps away.
Giles: Sorry (chuckles) I, uh, one time I, uh, I was up to a little
bit of a prank with the dart board--
Anya: (to Xander) I'm bored. Let's eat.
Xander: (sternly) Anya, we've talked about this.
Anya: (to Giles) I'm sorry, that was rude. Please continue your
story. (seems proud of herself as she looks to Xander) (then quietly)
Hopefully it involves treacle and a headmaster.
Giles: (not amused) Go and eat.
Anya hurries off and Xander gives Giles an apologetic look before
following.
Dissolve to later. Giles is sitting in a chair against the wall,
alone, looking a bit uncomfortable as the party continues around him.
Willow walks up to him with another paper plate of cake.
Willow: (handing him the plate) Giles! Hi. Are you having a good
time?
Giles: (standing) Yes. Yes. There's, uh, a lot of new faces here,
aren't there?
Willow: Yeah. Mostly kids from the dorm. A couple of Riley's friends.
Buffy walks up with Riley.
Buffy: (happy) Hi, Giles.
Giles: Buffy. Happy Birthday.
He balances his plate and cup to let her hug him.
Buffy: Thank you.
Giles: (smiling) Nineteen. It's hard to believe, isn't it?
Buffy: There's somebody here I want you to meet. Uh, this is Riley
Finn (he steps forward and Giles needs to put down his plate to shake
his hand) . . .. my boyfriend.
Riley: (as Giles gives Buffy a surprised look) It's very nice to meet
you, Mr. Giles. Did you help plan this? It was quite a surprise.
Giles: (to Riley) The first of many. Uh, been . . . dating long?
Buffy: Giles was the librarian at my high school.
Riley: Ah, I've seen the library. It's gone down hill since you left.
Giles: (chuckling) Yes. I-I-I'm embarrassed to say that I actually
miss it at times.
Riley: So, you're retired?
Giles: (frowns) I'm sorry?
Riley: Or . . . you're working somewhere else now?
Giles: (slightly embarrassed) Well, not, uh . . . sort of between
projects, uh, right now, uh, it's a personal--
Buffy: Oh! Oh, look. Giles has no cake.
Riley: Oh, here. Here, I'll get you a piece.
He hurries off to make the cake run. Willow must have already moved on
because Buffy and Giles are alone. Giles still seems to be recovering.
Buffy: Oh, he's just nervous. But this is so nice. Having everyone
together for my birthday. Of course, you could smash in all my toes
with a hammer and it will still be the bestest Buffy Birthday Bash in
a big long while.
Giles: Right. A-a-actually, Willow a-a-and Xander did all the
planning. I'm not sure I would have gone with the surprise party.
(smiles) You know, you have enough things jumping out at you in the
dark.
Buffy: Professor Walsh says that adrenaline is like exercise but
without the exorbitant gym fees.
Giles: (a beat) Very whitty.
Buffy: You should meet her. She's absolutely the smartest person I've
ever met.
Giles: (feeling a bit slighted) Perhaps we should have invited
Professor Walsh to the party? (takes of sip of punch)
Buffy: Oh, no. I mean, she's like forty. She's got better things to
do than hang out with a bunch of kids.
Giles feels even more out of place, but Buffy doesn't pick up on his
discomfort. Riley returns with another piece of cake and hands it to
him.
Riley: Here you go, sir.
On Giles' expression cut to--
--exterior of Harris home, next day. A plain looking one-story house.
Cut to interior of the basement: abode de Xander. Spike is seen
walking back and forth as if looking for something to pack in his bag,
cigarette in his mouth. Xander is standing on the other side of the
room and Anya is lounging on the recliner, browsing a comic book.
Xander: (impatiently) You own nothing. This shouldn't be taking so
long.
Spike: Hang on. Let a fella get organized.
Spike sees a radio and picks it up.
Xander: That's my radio!
Spike: And you're what? Shocked and disappointed? I'm evil!
Anya: (putting comic aside) So, what kind of place are you looking
for?
Spike: I don't know. Maybe a crypt. Some place, you know, dark and
dank. But not as dark and dank as this.
Anya: Heh. It's pretty depressing, isn't it?
Spike: I've known corpses with a fresher smell. In fact, I've been
one. (flicks is cigarette away)
Xander: That's it! Let's go.
Xander marches to him about ready to drag his ass out.
Anya: Wait. (gets up and unplugs the tall three-head lamp and brings
it over to him) I want to give you something for your new place.
Xander: That's my lamp.
Xander takes it back from her and returns it to its original spot.
Anya: A gift is traditional. I've read about it.
Xander: That's among friends. With bitter enemies we don't give them
my lamp.
Spike: It's not gonna have electricity anyway. It's a crypt,
remember?
Anya: What about running water? A fridge to keep your blood fresh?
Spike: (a beat) No.
Anya: Well, that's gotta suck. You should just get a hotel room or
something.
Spike: (considers) Demon girl's got a point. I need fresh blood. If
I had a few bob for a room with an honor bar--
Xander: Out! Before I get the Slayer over here to kick your ass out!
Spike: (sighs, picks up his long coat) Don't know why she didn't come.
Say good-bye, shed a few tears.
Xander: Well, she has an appointment with somebody who's actually
still *scary*!
Cut to Professor Walsh's office. Walsh is sitting behind her desk and
has a serious expression on her face.
Walsh: So, the Slayer.
Buffy: Yeah. That's me.
Buffy is sitting in front of Walsh's desk, looking a tad nervous, with
Riley standing slightly behind her left shoulder.
Walsh: We thought you were a myth.
Buffy: Well, you were myth-taken. (smiles but sees that neither are
gonna laugh and stops)
Walsh: And to think all that time you were sitting in my class. Well,
most of those times. I always knew you could do better than a B
minus. Now I understand your energies were directed in the same places
as ours, in fact. It's only our methods that differ. We use the
latest in scientific technology and state-of-the-art weaponry and you,
if I understand correctly, poke them with a sharp stick.
Buffy: Well, it's more effective than it sounds.
Walsh: Oh, , I'm, heh, quite sure of that. As I'm just as sure that we
can learn much from each other. I'm working on getting you clearance
to come into the Initiative. I think you'll find the results of our
operation most impressive. Agent Finn here, alone, has killed or
captured-- how many is it?
Riley: (note of pride) Seventeen. Eleven vampires, six demons.
Buffy: Oh . . . Wow. (trying to sound impressed) I mean, that's
. . . seventeen.
Walsh: What about you?
Buffy: Me?
Walsh: How many hostiles would you say you've slain?
Glancing back and forth between them, Buffy is considering, and from
her expression we--
Cut to Giles's apartment. He's dusting inside one of his book cases.
He stops as he suddenly remembers something. He holds the feather
duster between his teeth and takes an old tome from the shelf. He
opens it and sits down on a cushion footrest. He reads then does a
calculation with his fingers. He removes the featherduster.
Giles: "Third new moon after the . . . nine-hundredth feast of
Delthrox." Oh, (stands up) crap.
Cut to moments later. Giles is at his work desk gathering supplies
and putting them in his bag as he talks on the phone.
Giles: No, we can't wait for her, Willow. The demon Prince Barvain is
going to rise tonight. Well-- Where is she, exactly?
Cut to UC Sunnydale campus. Still daylight. Buffy and Riley are
walking outside approaching a large flowing fountain. Riley has a
stunned expression on his face.
Riley: Wow.
Buffy: Those are my best stories. And I didn't tell you the "Buffy
breaks her butt" stories.
Riley: But you've killed a-- You did the thing with that-- Uh, you
drowned. And the snake! Not to mention the . . daily . . slayage of
(pause) Wow.
Buffy: It's no big, really. (cheerfully) Hey, who wants ice cream!
Riley: Buffy. When I saw you stop the world from, you know, ending
. . . I just assumed that was a big week for you. Turns out I suddenly
find myself . . . needing to know the plural of "apocalypse."
They've rounded the fountain and continue walking.
Buffy: Look. If you've been fighting since you were fifteen you'd
have a hefty resume' too.
Riley: (shocked) Fifteen!?
Buffy: (winces) I know, "wow." The point is, that, that we have
different amounts of experience. You know. And plus, I do have that
whole preternatural Slayer strength deal.
Riley: (nodding) I've seen. Don't get me wrong. The girls I grew up
with could hold their own. But . . . I'm not even sure I could take
you.
Buffy stops and looks up at him.
Buffy: That all depends on your meaning.
Riley smiles down at her.
Cut to Professor Walsh's office. She is standing behind her desk busy
looking over some papers. There is a knock on the door.
Walsh: Yeah?
The door opens and Giles steps inside.
Giles: Professor Walsh, I presume. You're hard to find. These--these
halls are quite the labyrinth. I felt like Theseus and the Minotaur
in the . . . labyrinth.
Walsh: (a beat) Can I help you with something, Mr. . . . ?
Giles: Giles. Rupert. (walks over and offers his hand, Walsh shakes
it) I'm looking for Buffy Summers. I'm, uh, a friend of hers. And I
was her high school librarian.
Walsh: I'm sorry, Buffy's not here. But if I see her . . .
Giles is looking at Walsh's framed credentials hanging on the wall.
Giles: Buffy's been very influenced by your cause. She quotes you
quite often. (smiles) Sometimes she sounds like an introductory
textbook herself.
Walsh walks past him to put something in the file cabinet next to him.
Walsh: (returning to her desk) I don't lecture from the text book.
But I'm glad she's inspired by the material. She's bright. All she's
really been lacking is encouragement in the academic sect.
Giles: Oh, uh, I think it's best if-if. . . if we let a young person
find their own strengths. If you lead a child by the hand then they'll
never find their own footing.
Walsh: And if it's true about hiking, ergo, it must be true about
life.
Giles: (removing his glasses to polish them with a handkerchief)
That's not, uh . . . I'm just saying Buffy is, uh, well she's not the
typical student. Once you get to know her, she's a very unique girl.
I hope you're not going to push her.
Walsh: I think I do know her. And I have found her to be a unique
woman.
Walsh rounds to the front of her desk to sit in a chair facing him.
Giles: "Woman." Of course. How wrong of me to choose my own words.
Walsh: She's very self-reliant, very independent--
Giles: Exactly!
Walsh: --which is not always a good thing. (this causes Giles to
pause) I think it can be unhealthy to take on adult roles too
early. What I suspect I'm seeing is a reaction to the absence of a
male role model.
Giles: (squinting) Absence?
Walsh: (standing) Buffy clearly lacks a strong father figure.
Giles is speechless. Walsh decides to end the conversation.
Walsh: I'm sorry, I have things to do. I'll tell Buffy her *friend*
was looking for her.
Walsh moves back behind her desk to continue working and off Giles'
slighted expression we--
Cut to a cemetery at night. Xander and Willow are at Giles'
sides. They are walking in a quick pace to keep up with him.
Willow: This prince/demon guy was supposed to rise at sunset so aren't
we, like, late?
Giles: Of course if I hadn't had to search the globe for our Miss
Summers and do battle with that harridan. . . .
Xander: And if you hadn't gotten lost on campus afterwards . . .
Giles: Never mind. I'll just have to take care of it myself. I've
vanquished a few demons in my day without her. Of course, it wouldn't
surprise me if we're entirely too late. Demon on the loose, carnage
everywhere.
They've reached a large mausoleum and step inside through the wrought
iron gate. Cut to interior shot of them opening the inner door walking
down the foyer steps. They see the place is in order, except for a
lot of cobwebs decorating the walls.
Xander: Your better demons will clean up after themselves.
Giles: (confused) I don't understand. (moves to the center of the
chamber, scanning with his flashlight) Umm, there should be ruptured
earth and-and broken stone. Oh, well, apparently it hasn't happened
yet. A bit of luck.
Giles sets his bag down on the floor and opens it to begin pulling out
his supplies.
Willow: Or, you know what I bet? I-I bet the Initiative took care of
it.
Giles: Who?
Xander: Oh, Riley and his guys. Probably all over it.
Willow: Yeah. It has that "too neat" look. They must have cleaned up
the place.
Giles is looking at them, at a lost.
Giles: What?
Willow: Oh, they read hot spots. Areas of otherworldy energy. (looking
around) They must've picked this place up days ago.
Giles stands up and faces them.
Giles: Stop, both of you. Uh, what, uh . . . What are you talking
about? W-what's the Initiative? What. . . what on earth does it have
to do with Buffy's new boyfriend?
Giles raises the flashlight almost to their faces as Willow and Xander
exchange a nervous glance.
Willow: You know. I'm sure you know. Riley's one of the commandos.
Giles: (exasperated) What?! Well that's marvelous, isn't it? (turns
away in a fit) Here I am, spent weeks trying, uh, t-to get a single
scrap of information about our mysterious demon collectors and no one
bothers to tell me that Buffy's dating one of them?! (faces them) Who
else knows?!
Xander: No one. No one else knows this. (pauses) Anya, and that's it!
Willow: (sheepishly) And Spike.
Giles: Ssspike?! Spike knew?
Xander: Only the basic stuff. You know, that Riley is a commando and
Professor Walsh is in charge.
Giles: (furious) Professor Walsh!? That fishwife!?
Willow: You know, she's actually not that bad once you get to-- (sees
Giles' look) So, th-the demon is probably a little late. W-we'll just,
you know--
Giles: Oh, forget it. Go on. You two clear off. I'll just stay a
little longer just in case.
Willow: You sure? 'Cause we can stay.
Giles: No. Go.
Eager to escape his wrath, Willow and Xander beat feet out. Giles sits
down on a stone bench in silence for a few seconds.
Giles: Who am I kidding?
He stuffs his supplies back in his bag and hurries to the door.
Giles: (muttering) Nothing is gonna happen.
He leaves closing it behind him and all is quiet for a moment. Then
we see the back of a man wearing a gray trench coat step into the
frame looking at the closed door.
Ethan: I wouldn't say that. (cut to front closing shot of Ethan
Rayne) I wouldn't say that at all. In fact, Ripper, old mate, I'd say
something rather interesting was about to hap--
Shot of the door opening again and Giles shining the flashlight
inside.
Giles: Did someone--?
Ethan: (caught) Oh, bugger! I thought you'd gone!
~~~~~~~~~~~ Part Two ~~~~~~~~~~~
Just as we left things. Giles is stepping down to Ethan's level. He
doesn't look happy to see the other English man.
Giles: Ethan Rayne. You have no idea how much thrashing you is gonna
improve my day.
Ethan tries to bolt past Giles, but Giles clubs him in the gut with
the flashlight and Ethan falls forward. Giles jerks him back up and
is ready pummel him, raising a fist. Ethan has his hands up to ward
off attack.
Ethan: (scared) No, no, no! Wait! Hang on! You-you can beat the crap
out of me. Go ahead, I can't stop you! (Giles cocks back his fist)
Or-or you can listen to what I have to say. Find out what's going on.
Giles: What are you talking about?
Ethan: Something bad is happening. Bad for both of us.
Giles: Bad for you. (cocks fist again)
Ethan: No, no, no! Listen! You have to listen! You're going to need
time to prepare!
>From Giles' "ready to kick Ethan's ass" expression we--
Cut to a bar. Dimly lit, slight honky tonk feel to it. Juke box
playing music in the background. Ethan and Giles are sitting at a
booth as a waitress is serving them their draft beers. Ethan is
removing his coat.
Ethan: Brilliant! Now isn't this more fun than kicking my ass?
Giles: No.
Ethan: Oh. It's more fun for me.
Waitress moves away.
Giles: (raising his glass) Just tell me what you want to tell me.
Ethan: (mock hurt) Oh, so crass. We used to be friends, Ripper. When
did all that fall apart?
Giles: The same time you started to worship chaos.
Ethan: Oh, religious intolerance. Sad, there. I mean, just look at
the Irish troubles. (annoyed, Giles starts to rise to leave) Oh, hang
on, I'll tell ya. (Giles settles down again) Something happening in
the darkworlds. It's always been rumors out there but . . . only one
thing's coming through clear.. That something's harming demons and
it's not the Slayer. Know anything about it?
Giles: (takes a drink) What are they saying?
Ethan: Heh, you know demons. It's all exaggeration and blank verse.
"Pain as bright as steel" things like that. They're scared. There's
something called "314" that's got them scared most of all. The kind of
scared that turns to angry. I know we're not particularly fond of each
other, (Giles chuckles scoffingly) Rupert. But we are a couple of old
mystics. This knew outfit, it's blundering into new places it doesn't
belong. It's throwing the worlds out of balance. And that's way beyond
chaos, mate. We're headed quite literally for one hell of a fight.
Cut to close up of Buffy throwing jabs at the camera. High shot: we
see she is sparring with Riley on workout mats, circling each other.
He's dressed in sweats and a T-shirt. Buffy's in a white long sleeve
shirt and blue jeans, with a scarf wrapped over her long flowing
hair. She throws a few more jabs and he blocks them and counters with
a one-two combo Buffy easily ducks under. They continue to circle.
Buffy launches three roundkicks in quick succession. He blocks the
first two then sidesteps the third gets up behind her and wrapping his
arms around her.
Riley: (smiling) Are you pulling back?
Buffy: (grinning) Are you?
Riley: (shrugs) Maybe a little.
Buffy suddenly spins out of the hold and Riley is thrown off his feet,
spinning before hitting the mat on his back. He looks up. Buffy is
smiling down at him.
Buffy: Maybe a little, too.
Riley smiles and kicks himself to his feet. They begin to circle
again.
Riley: I'll go all out if you will.
Buffy: Are you sure?
Riley: (serious) Here we go.
Riley steps in with a combination of hard swinging hooks that Buffy is
quick to block. She ducks under his last punch and captures his legs
in a scissor hold and takes him down with her. Riley quickly rolls out
of her legs and scrambles to his feet. Buffy is quicker and is
waiting for him. She hits him in the chest with a side kick that
launches him into the air. He flies across the room over a gymnastic
pommel horse and lands on a thick fall cushion. The impact upsets
another large cushion leaning against the wall and it falls on top of
him.
Cut to Buffy. Shocked expression at what she did.
Buffy: Riley!
She runs over to him and tosses the cushion off of him.
Buffy: Are you hurt?
Riley sits up, hand on his chest. He looks winded. Definitely
humbled.
Riley: I, uh, (groans) I don't think so.
Buffy: I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean to, uh--
Riley: (sounds unsure) It's fine. I'm good.
Riley offers a slight grin and Buffy seems to feel better.
Cut back to Giles and Ethan. Everything is almost the same except
that their table is cluttered with glasses and shot glasses, mostly
empty, and they are both stinky drunk. They seem on the verge of
passing out.
Giles: (faltering voice) You know what gets me? This is what gets
me. Twenty years I've been fighting demons. Maggie Walsh and her
Nancy-ninja boys come in and six months later, demons are pissing
themselves with fear. They never even noticed me.
Ethan: (drunkenly) Who's Maggie Walsh?
Giles: Oh, she's awful. She said I was an absent male role
model. Absent my ass. I'm twice the man she is.
Ethan: (OS) You know you're really very attractive.
Giles: Hm?
He sees that Ethan is talking to the waitress, who is serving them
another round. He starts writing something on a piece of paper.
Ethan: Here's my name and number. (hands it to her) You give me a
call, I'll show you a good time.
Waitress: (unimpressed) Yeah, thanks.
She departs.
Giles: We gotta face it, we've changed. We'll not you . . . you're
still sadistic and self-centered.
Ethan: (toasting himself) Here's to me.
Giles: The world has past us by. Someone snuck in and left us a
couple of has-beens in our place. This Initiative, I mean, their
methods may be causing problems, but they're getting the job
done. Where am I? I'm an unemployed librarian with a tendency to get
knocked on the head.
Ethan: Well, we won't have to worry about that anymore now, mate.
(serious tone) When you went to the loo I slipped a small pellet of
poison in your drink. You'll be dead in an hour.
Dramatic pause as the words sink in for Giles and he seems to sober.
Ethan: Just kidding!
They both burst out laughing, blood alcohol returning to their high
intoxicated levels.
Giles: (calming down) I'm gonna feel like hell in the morning.
Ethan: Relax. Enjoy the night. We're just a couple of sorcerers. The
night is still our time. Time of magic.
They raise their glasses in a toast.
Giles: To magic.
Cut to Tara's dorm room: dorm unknown, room number unknown. It is
very dim. The walls are black and strewn with a string of white
Christmas lights that give the place a mystical look. Tara is
kneeling on the floor pouring white powder, sand, or salt in the
design of a four-point star in a circle. Willow is holding a red rose.
Willow: (sitting across from her) I'm glad you wanted to get
together. I know it's late.
Tara: Thanks. (a beat) I was happy you called.
Willow places the rose on top of the circled star.
Willow: We'll start out slow.
Tara sits and Willow reaches her hands out to her and the blonde girl
links hands with her.
Tara: Okay.
Willow closes her eyes and Tara follows suit. They sit there for a
few seconds in silence.
Tara: Willow?
Willow: Yeah?
Tara: (eyes opening) Start out slow doing what?
Willow opens her eyes.
Willow: (in a soft voice) Oh. We're gonna float the rose. Then use
the majiks to pluck the petals off, one at a time. It's a test of
synchronicity. Our minds have to be perfectly attuned to work as a
single delicate implement.
Tara: (a moment, then smiles) Cool.
Willow: And it should be very pretty.
They hold hands again and close their eyes. They are in deep
concentration and a bright light comes to life on the circled star. At
the same time a soft breeze sweeps through the room and the rose
starts to shudder. Slowing it begins to rise. When it is shoulder
level with the girls they open their eyes and look at it. They release
each other's hands.
Tara: (softly) It worked.
Willow: (softly) Now for the hard part. The petals.
They begin to concentrate again looking at the rose when the rose
suddenly shoots off across the room. Surprised, they stand and watch
as the rose ricochets off the walls a few times and have to duck to
avoid it. It finally comes straight down on the four point star and
we see that it is petalless but smoking.
Willow: (shocked) What the heck was that?
Tara: I don't know, but, uh, the petals are off. (chuckling)
Cut to exterior shot of Giles' apartment building, morning. Giles'
Citroen is parked by the curb. Cut to interior shot, Giles' loft. An
alarm buzzer goes off and we see a body moving under a sheet on the
bed and the alarm is shut off. Dissolve to shot of panted legs walking
down the stairs.
Giles: (yawning) I feel like hell in the morning.
We see Giles reach the landing and stop in front of a small mirror
hanging on the wall while he releases a big yawn, stretching his
arms. We see that Giles is a demon! Light brownish tan skin, with long
horns sprouting from the sides of his forehead, curving back and
around his really long, hairy, ears, ending in sharp points next to
his cheeks. As he yawns he shows us a set a fangs much like a
vampire's. He smacks his lips when the yawn is done and finally opens
his sleepy eyes and sees his new form for the first time.
Giles: (eyes popping wide open) Uh! Wha-- Wha--(touching his horns)
No!
Leaning closer to the mirror he puts a hand on the wall and his now
clawed hand goes through it. Giles is in a state of disbelief as he
pulls his hand back out and absently rests it on the stairs' banister.
It's instantly rip from the railing. He looks at what he did.
Giles: Damn!
He takes the final steps down to the first floor and throws the
banister down, where it hits a chair and shatters it. He's looking
around, confused, then is struck by a thought.
Giles: Ethan.
Giles' voice has taken on a low gravelly sound. He goes to pick up
the phone and it shatters in his hand before he can lift it to his
ear. He drops it and moves to pick up his shirt from the floor. He
struggles to get into the sleeves and when he tries to shrug into it
his now jutting, ridged, spine rips it down the middle.
Giles: (grimacing) Oh, and I liked that shirt!
He trades the shredded shirt for a thick flannel blanket and wraps it
around his shoulders as he heads for the door. He grabs the handle
and the door comes off its hinges, but Giles is beyond caring at this
point and steps outside.
Cut to Buffy. She and Willow are having breakfast in the Rocket Cafe
on campus. We haven't seen Buffy in this good a mood in such a long
time it's almost scary. She is happily stacking her pancakes on her
plate.
Buffy: I like pancakes 'cause they're stackable. (looks at Willow's
plate) Ooo, and waffles 'cause you can put things in the little holes
if you wanted to.
Willow: (laughing) You should always have a new boyfriend. You're so
much fun right now.
Buffy: Hey. I didn't hear you come in last night. Where were you?
Willow: (quickly) The chem lab, by myself. (a beat) I-I was trying
this new spell; floating a rose, when all of a sudden (motions with
fork) zing, zing, zing! Like all over the room. It was like a
rose-based missile.
Buffy: Yikes.
Willow: I know. I think there's something out there. I-I felt this
presence.. This dark majiks energy blocking the spell. It's new.
Buffy: Someone else doing majiks?
Willow: Maybe. If so, it's someone pretty powerful.
Buffy: Hmm. I'll tell Giles about it. Or maybe I'll tell Maggie. She
seemed kind of interested in learning the mystical side of the whole
demon hunting biz.
Willow: Tell Giles. He's feeling a little hurt right now. (Buffy
frowns in question) How come you never told him about Riley being a
commando?
Buffy: I did. (Willow shakes her head) I didn't?
Willow: He says no. He's feeling neglected and out-of-the-loopy.
Buffy: Well, I didn't at first because Riley said not to. And . . and
then "meow" cat out of the bag and I-I guess I just forgot that he
didn't know. (cheerfully) I'll make it up to him when I see him.
Tomorrow. I'm spending today with Riley.
Willow: Oh, yeah. I forgot that's what you always do on the days when
the earth rotates.
Buffy: (smiling) It's just going so well, right now. I think. (stops
smiling) I hope. (grins sheepishly) I sort of kicked him across the
room last night.
Willow: Uh, that's not good.
Buffy: Well, we were sparring and he said not to hold back. And he's
a little dented. But he said he was okay with it and I think he's
okay with it --do-do you think he's okay with it?
Willow: I'm sure he is. I mean, if he's not . . . you know, you had
to do it. He's right. You can't walk around pretending you're less
than you are. It wouldn't be right for you to hold back.
Buffy: Right. (frowns)
Willow: What?
Buffy: (a beat) I held back a little.
Cut to Xander's basement. Giles quietly opens the door and steps
inside. He walks under the clothesline of drying underwear and sees
Xander sleeping in bed.
Giles: (surprised) Still asleep? (sees the clock) It's ten thirty in
the morning.
He moves forward and leans down to gently shake the bed.
Giles: (whispering) Xander. Xander, wake up.
Groggily, Xander turns on his side and looks over his shoulder at him,
eyes still closed.
Xander: (sleepily) Mom?
Giles: No, it's not mum. Now, when you look at me . . . you may be a
little alarmed but there's no need, it-it's me. Giles. Now, Ethan has
turned me into a demon and I need your help.
Xander slowly opens his eyes.
Giles: Hello. Yes, it's me.
Giles: (Xander's POV: speaking a demon language)
Xander: AHHH!
Xander jumps out of bed and backs away.
Giles: Xander, listen! Don't you understand me?
Giles: (Xander's POV: speaking demon language)
Xander: (shouting) Demon! Demon!
Giles: (Xander's POV: speaking demon language)
Giles: Please, don't you understand? (Xander starts grabbing pots and
pans from his shelves and throws them at him) No, no! Don't! Xander!
Xander, calm down! Ow! You're just a little overwrought. Oww!
Giles: (Xander's POV: growls in frustration and runs out the door)
Xander: That's right! Run for your life!
Cut to Giles outside in broad daylight, running across a lawn.
Children are playing and Giles is stepping on their toys scattered on
the grass. Kids are frightened and a mother is reaching for her child.
Giles: (panicked) Oh, God. I'm sorry!
Mother: (grabbing her child) Call 911!
Giles: (running away) Bloody humans!
~~~~~~~~~~ Part Three ~~~~~~~~~~
Fade in to panning evening shot of Sunnydale. Cut to courtyard of
Giles' apartment building. Buffy is leading the way down the steps
with Xander, Willow, and Anya.
Buffy: So it had pointy things. What kind of pointy things?
Xander: The pointy kind. And tufty ears. Oh, and it might have a
sauce pan shape bruise. (trails off as they stop)
Willow: Giles will know what it . . . was.
They see Giles' door is off its hinges leaning against the inside
wall. They hurry in.
Buffy: Giles?
Xander goes halfway up the stairs to check the loft.
Buffy: Looks like Xander wasn't the only one to get a visitor today.
Xander: (coming back down) He's not upstairs.
Willow: Oh, God, Giles.
Buffy: Okay. There's a demon and Giles is gone. But it doesn't mean
that he's hurt. I mean, there's no blood anywhere so maybe the demon
just took him somewhere?
Anya is picking up Giles' ripped shirt and holds it up for inspection.
Anya: (mildly) I think it ate him up.
Buffy, Willow, and Xander become more worried.
Cut to a cemetery. Giles is lumbering through, still wrapped in his
blanket, in a miserable mood. He walks past a stone mausoleum and does
not notice Spike holding up a measuring tape to one of its walls. The
vampire sees him and moves out behind him in a casual BMF strut.
Spike: Well. What do I spy with my little eye? (Giles stops) A demon.
That would be . . . oh, right . . . the things I can kill.
Giles: ("why me?" tone) Spike. Wonderful. A perfect end to a perfect
day.
Spike: (frowning) Giles?
Giles: (turning around, fists up) Go on, then. Let's get on with the
fighting-- You understand me?
Spike: Of course I understand you.
Giles: I'm speaking English?
Spike: No, you're speaking Fyarl. I happen to speak Fyarl. And
. . . by the way, why the hell are you suddenly a Fyarl demon? You
just come over all demony this morning?
Spike steps back to the mausoleum, pulling out his smokes. Giles
follows him..
Giles: As a matter of fact, I did. Thanks to Ethan Rayne. You have to
help me find him. He must undo this and then he needs a . . . good
being killed.
Spike: And I'm just supposed to help you out of the evilness of my
heart?
Giles: Y-you help me and I-I don't kill you.
Spike: Oh, tremendously convincing. Try it again without the
stutter. (takes a drag)
Giles: Money. I could pay you money.
Spike: (steps closer and flicks cig away) Oh, I like money. How much?
Giles: A h-hundred dollars.
Spike: A hundred dollars? You'll have to do a lot better than that.
Two-hundred.
Giles: Fine.
Spike: (surprised for a second) Right, then.
Giles: Right, then.
Spike: So what's first? (grinning) I run and tell the Slayer what
you've gotten yourself into?
Giles: No. When I find Ethan I can clear all this up without Buffy
ever having to find out that anything happened to me at all.
Giles starts out of the cemetery and Spike follows.
Cut to Giles' apartment. Xander is sitting at Giles' desk looking
through several open books. Everyone is looking through books. Willow
is holding a book for him.
Xander: Okay, that's a giant vulture. I'd have mentioned it if it was
a giant vulture.
Willow steps away to keep searching.
Willow: Buffy, even if we figure out what kind of demon got Giles --I
mean, how are we gonna find it?
Buffy: We'll figure it out. (shows a book to Xander) Oh, this one has
tufty ears.
He looks at the page and dismisses it with a wave. They all look
towards the door when they hear a noise outside.
Willow: (whispering) What was that?
Buffy moves quietly to the door pulling out a stake. The door moves
and Buffy cocks back the stake and --
It's just Riley.
Riley: Buffy?
Buffy: Riley. What are you doing here?
Riley: There were 911 calls from a couple of different
places. Including here.
Xander: You get 911 calls?
Riley: We have a tap into the system. It flags things with possible
nonhuman causes. (Xander shakes his head in dismay and continues
researching) We check them out. (to Buffy) What are you doing here?
Buffy: This is Giles' apartment. He's missing. The calls, did anyone
see what did it?
Riley: Negative. No. Neighbors just heard, you know, growling,
things breaking. Sounded like a struggle.
Willow: Poor Giles.
Buffy: We'll get him back.
Riley: What are you working on?
Buffy: Uh, we have stuff. Pictures . . .
Anya: (helpfully) We have nothing.
Riley sees Buffy's crestfallen expression as she leans against the
wall and puts his hands on her shoulders.
Riley: I'll help. The whole Initiative. We'll do whatever you need.
Buffy: Thanks. I just wish I knew what I needed. I keep thinking,
"let's ask Giles" and then I remember.
Xander: He'd be great right now. He'd find himself in a second. Nobody
is cooler in a crisis.
Cut to Giles' Citroen. Giles is in the passenger seat and Spike is
behind the wheel, wrestling with the gearshift. The car sounds like
it's being murdered.
Giles: If you can't find third gear, don't try for third gear!
Spike: I'm doing my best. I don't know if I'm driving this thing or
wearing it.
Giles: It's perfectly serviceable.
Spike: (laughs) Funny hearing a Fyarl demon say "serviceable." Had a
couple of them working for me once. They're more like "Like to crush.
Crush now?" Strong though. You won't meet a jar you can't open for
the rest of your life.
Giles's growls.
Spike: (looks at him) What was that? Did you growl?
Giles: No. Listen, about this Fyarl demon. Do-do I have special
powers? Like setting things on fire with my sizzling eye beams?
Spike: Well, you got the mucous thing.
Giles: What? Mucous?
Spike: Paralyzing mucous. Shoots out through the nose. Sets on fast.
Hard as a rock. Pretty good in a fight.
Giles: Are you making this up?
Spike: (sly grin) Maybe. But hey, you feel a sneeze coming on, you
warn me.
Giles: (growls) Turn here.
He slams his arm against the door for emphasis and Spike makes a left
turn. The Citroen makes it's disapproval of this known with the
grinding of gears..
Giles: Down shift! Down shift!
Spike: Calm down, will you?
Giles: I'm not sure I can. I feel like I'm changing.
Spike: (sighs) Fine with me. So long as you pay me.
Giles: (growling quality) I really like this feeling. Sort of mindless
need to destroy. This anger and rage.
Spike: Good times. Go with it.
Giles: (almost normal voice again) No.
Spike: Oh, it's fun. I can't do it, do it for me. Now let yourself
go.
Giles: I refuse to become a monster because I look like a monster. I
have a soul. I have a conscience. I am a human being. Oh, stop the
car!
The Citroen pulls to a stop at the corner of Main Street and we see
that Professor Walsh has just crossed the street. Giles hops out of
the car, without his blanket, and creeps up behind her. When he's
close enough he roars and waves his claws in the air. Walsh looks
over her shoulder and (surprising for the evil Bitch Monster of Death)
screams like a woman and runs for her life as Giles chases her down
the street, pass the Espresso Pump. He stops halfway down the street
but Walsh continues to flee. Giles hurries back to the car ignoring
the gaping stares of a few pedestrians.
Giles: (closing the door) Right. Let's go, then.
While we're still laughing our asses off, we go back to Giles's
apartment. Our gang is gathered around the sofa. Xander, Willow, and
Anya are sitting on the cushions and Buffy is sitting on the arm of
the sofa (really long couch). And Riley is standing behind it. Xander
points into the book he's holding and passes it to Willow.
Xander: That's the thing that attacked me.
Willow: A Fyarl demon. Sort of a foot soldier type, works for other
demons lots of the times. Very strong . . . ugh! And hey, mucous.
Buffy: Mucous?
Riley: (cell phone beeps and he pulls it out) Agent Finn, go ahead.
Buffy: How do I kill it?
Willow: Silver. A weapon made of silver.
Riley: Yes. I understand. (hangs up) The demon attacked Professor
Walsh. Got out of a small, gray car. A Citroen.
Willow: It stole Giles' car.
Xander: Why would a demon steal a car?
Anya: Why would a demon steal *that* car?
Buffy: A demon that steals a car has a reason. A purpose. But it
doesn't sound like these Fyarl demons are really big independent
thinkers. So, Will, the spells that are going wrong . . . could they
be caused by someone using majiks to control a demon? Making this
Fyarl demon attack Giles?
Willow: Yes. Yeah, that would draw in a lot of dark energy.
Buffy: Okay. (standing) Willow, Xander: stay here. Who's ever
controlling this demon may call and ask for a ransom. Give them
anything they want.
Xander: You got it.
Rounding the couch and stepping towards Giles' desk.
Buffy: Riley, you and I are going to the magic shop. Maybe they
needed supplies. Uh, something silver . . .
She looks on the desk and picks up a letter opener.
Riley: A letter opener? It's not very sharp.
Buffy: Then I'll have
to put some muscle behind it.
As they leave the apartment--
Cut to the seedy place Giles and Ethan got smashed. Spike is on a
stool, his back to the bar, the same waitress standing in front of
him. He throws back a shot and places the glass on the bar.
Spike: (suave) Two of them. English like me. But older, less
attractive. One of them gave you his number.
Quick shot of Giles sitting at the end of the bar, looking on, hidden
under his blanket.
Waitress: I threw it out. I mean, I took one look and saw that he was
staying at that rat trap. No thanks.
Spike: Which rat trap?
Waitress: The one by the highway. The Sunnydale Motor Inn.
Spike: (smiles) Thank you.
Cut to the magic shop where Buffy is kicking in its door (again). She
hurries inside with Riley following, and they go behind the register
counter.
Buffy: Okay. Credit card slips, sales receipt. Help me look.
Riley: (disapprovingly) You shouldn't have done that to the door.
Buffy: I do not have time to play by the rules tonight.
Riley: I have a master key. It opens every shop on Main Street.
Buffy: Oh. Well . . . next time, absolutely.
Buffy opens a drawer and is flipping through credit card slips.
Riley: I don't know what I'm looking for.
Buffy: I do. (rips free a slip) (pissed, dumps the slips back in
drawer and slams it) "Ethan Rayne."
Riley: Who's that?
Buffy: (handing it to him) Professional bad guy. He's gotta be the guy
that made the demon attack Giles. (Riley's pulling out cell phone) At
least we know who we're looking for.
Riley: (into phone) Command, are you there?
Buffy: What are you doing?
Riley: (into phone) It's agent Finn. I need a search. Local hotel
registrations matching the name Ethan Rayne. R-A-Y-N-E. Call me
back. (flips it close)
Buffy: (maybe impressed) You can do that?
Riley: It'll take a couple of minutes.
Buffy: Get in the car. Be ready to go.
He starts to follow her out of the shop.
Riley: Buffy. (she stops to face him) Earlier, when I talked to
Professor Walsh, she gave me very specific orders.
Buffy: Yeah?
Riley: She said when we located the demon I . . . I'm not supposed to
bring you along.
Buffy: (not missing a beat) Oh. (turns to leave)
Riley: Uh, what are
you doing?
Buffy: (faces him) I'm *going* to the car.
Riley: Buffy, I can't take you with me.
Buffy: You're not taking me with you. I am going and I am letting you
come along.
Riley: Buffy, it's not really your call. This is a military operation
now.
Buffy: (steely) Then call out the troops. Because nothing less than
that is gonna stop me. This demon did something to Giles and I'm
gonna kill it.
She leaves and Riley has no choice but to follow.
~~~~~~~~~~~ Part Four ~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fade in on our English demons in the Citroen. Giles is growling
softly.
Spike: How ya feeling, mate?
Giles: (growling quality) Like snapping necks until everyone is dead.
Spike: Now that sounds like a Fyarl demon. Good for you.
Shot through front of the windshield. We see a set of bright
headlights pull in behind the Citroen. Spike sees this through the
rearview mirror.
Spike: Hey, picked up a tail.
Giles: (almost normal voice) Yes. Just a little one. It hurts when I
sit.
Spike: I mean someone is following us. Humvee. Military.
Giles: Well speed up. Lose them.
Spike: I got it floored. Why'd you buy this car?
Giles: Well do something. If they catch us, we'll both end up in a
lab!
Spike: It's getting closer.
Cut to exterior shot. A second humvee suddenly swerves in front of
the first, closer to the Citroen.
Spike: And it's got a friend!
Giles: Damn!
Giles slams his arm against the door but his fist finds the window and
shatters it.
Spike: Oh, sure! Dismantle the getaway car. That'll scare them.
Giles: Then slow down and I'll jump out. They'll follow you.
Spike: Hold on. These commandos. They're the same guys that are after
me too.. Maybe I want you around to split their attention a bit?
Giles: I'll pay you another hundred dollars.
Exterior shot. Citroen screaming ass (as well as it can) around a
corner and the side passenger door opens to let Giles tumble out onto
the street. He rolls towards the sidewalk as the car continues and is
on his feet and heading for the shadows by the time the humvees come
tearing after Spike.
Cut to exterior shot of Sunnydale Motor Inn (which looks like the same
motel Faith stayed at). Cut to interior of Ethan's room. He is busy
packing his suitcase to haul ass out of town when Giles smashes
through the door. Almost shitting a brick, Ethan turns and is
frightened by the site of the pissed off demon growling at him. Then
recognition hits.
Ethan: Giles?
Ethan sees that Giles is deep in "like to crush" mode and backs away
at his approach.
Ethan: Now-- it-it-- calm down! (gets on the bed trying to escape)
It's okay. Good Giles.
Giles reaches for him and Ethan dodges him, jumping off the bed. It
seems like he might make it past him when Giles grabs him.
Ethan: No! No! Don't kill me!
Practically a mindless Fyarl demon now, Giles gets him by the throat
and lifts him in the air.
Ethan: (choking) I can't undo you if you kill me!
But Giles doesn't seem to care and flings him across the room where he
crashes head-first into a night stand, shattering it to pieces. That's
when Buffy and Riley rush in and see the situation.
Ethan: (to Buffy) You've got to stop it! It killed Ripper and now it's
trying to get me!
Buffy: (glaring at Giles, but to Riley) Don't let him go.
Giles takes a step forward and Buffy knocks him back against the wall
with a spinning back kick.
Buffy: (very pissed) What did you do to him? What did you do?!
What
about Spike? Oh, yeah. The humvee chase is still in progress. Spike is
definitely enjoying himself as he pulls the wheel sharply to the side,
making the decrepit Citroen fishtail around a corner. The humvees are
still on its ass. Spike takes another sharp turn and this time the
lead humvee looses control and spins out forcing the second humvee to
screech to a halt before it hits it.
Spike: (looking in rearview mirror) You just try and stop me, you
stupid jar-- (CRASH!!!)
The Citroen crashes into the side of a building.
**NOT AIRED IN FINAL CUT OF EPISODE
The driver's door opens and Spike staggers out.
Spike: I can kill demons. I can crash cars. . . . Things are looking
up!"**
Back to Ethan's room. Giles charges Buffy and shoves her against the
wall. She retaliates with a hard right cross. Ethan, trying to escape,
hits Riley with a right cross. Riley --showing considerable
restraint-- just grabs him and throws him against the dresser twisting
his arm behind his back. Buffy is executing a jumping front kick,
knocking Giles back.
Ethan: (watching) You're only going to make him angry.
Which seems true as Giles just keeps getting back up no matter how
many times Buffy knocks him down. Ethan tries to escape again,
elbowing Riley in the face, but Riley grabs him again, slamming him
into the wall before he could reach the door. Giles takes a swing at
Buffy who ducks and slams several punches to his face. When Ethan
takes another swing at him, Riley takes a few seconds to beat the crap
out of him. He smashes an elbow into Ethan's face and punches him in
the stomach. Buffy is hitting Giles in the face with a roundkick and
Riley shoulder-flips Ethan to the floor, getting him in an arm lock
and pressing a knee against his face.
Back to Buffy and Giles: she is picking up a foldable stand as Giles
charges her with his large horns and traps his head in the leather
straps. Swinging him around she throws him to the other side of the
room. She tries to press her attack when Giles frees himself lifting
his head, smashing the curve of his horn into her face, and she falls
to the floor. Giles growls at her.
Buffy gets Giles' legs in a scissor lock and takes him down. Before
he can get up, Buffy straddles his waist with the letter opener in her
hand. She leans down close to him.
Buffy: *This* is for Giles!
Giles: For me?
With both hands, Buffy raises the weapon high above her head and slams
it down into Giles' chest. Giles' eyes open wide. Buffy is looking
into his eyes.
Buffy: (shocked) Oh, God! Giles!
Buffy pulls out the letter opener.
Giles: (from Buffy's POV: trying to say something in Fyarl)
Buffy: (pleading) Oh, God! Giles! Giles! I'm so--I'm so sorry! Please
don't die!
Giles: Actually, I feel quite well. Except for the rage.
Buffy sees that Giles doesn't seem to be dying and is relieved.
Buffy: (to Riley) I think he's okay. I--(frowning at letter opener)
is this thing real silver?
Cut to some time later. Riley is guarding the door speaking into his
cell phone. Ethan is sitting cross-legged on the floor, remnants of a
spell just completed in front of him. Buffy is standing behind him
holding him by the back of his collar. He's looking glum as he rests
his chin on his fist.
Ethan: (pouting) I really got to learn to just do the damage and get
out of town. It's the "stay and gloat" that gets me every time.
Buffy nudges him with her knee and walks across the room as Riley
finishes his call. We see Giles, normal again except for a very ugly
silk shirt he's wearing, standing in front of the dresser mirror
looking at himself. Buffy stands beside him.
Buffy: You okay?
Giles: (sheepishly) Oh, um, uh, embarrassed, mostly. Ethan's
wardrobe's not helping any. (faces her) Uh, how did you know it was
me?
Buffy: Your eyes. (off his look) You're the only person in the world
that can looked *that* annoyed with me.
They share a touching moment. Ethan gets to his feet.
Ethan: Is this gonna go on much longer? I'd rather like to be going.
Buffy: (crossing her arms) And why would I let you go?
Ethan: (pompously) Well, maybe because you have no choice. I'm human,
you can't kill me. What's a Slayer going to do to me?
Riley steps up behind him as a couple of tough looking MP's enter the
room.
Riley: (as Ethan is cuffed) By the authority of the US military,
you're being taken into custody pending a determination of your
status. (to MP) Take it from here.
Ethan doesn't look happy as they take him out of the room. Buffy and
Giles exchange a very happy look.
Riley: They'll, uh, take Mr. Rayne to a secret detention facility in
the Nevada desert. I'm *sure* he'll be rehabilitated in no time.
Giles: (grinning) Uh, if you don't mind, I'm just gonna --go and watch
them manhandle him into a vehicle.
He steps outside leaving Buffy and Riley alone. He steps close to
her.
Buffy: Thanks.
Riley: I told you I'd help.
Buffy: You did. If I'd had gotten here any later and if Giles had
killed Ethan, I . . . never would have gotten him back.
Riley: You'd find some other way. (pause) You're really strong. Like
Spider-Man strong.
Buffy: Yeah. But I don't stick to stuff. But . . yeah.
Riley: And you're in charge. You're like, make the plan, execute the
plan. No one giving you orders.
Buffy: (a beat) I'm the Slayer.
Riley: I like it.
Buffy: (smiles) Yeah?
Riley: But give me another . . oh . . week to get ready. And I'll take
you down.
Buffy gives him a slight "oh, yeah?" look and as they smile at each
other we--
Cut to Giles' apartment the next day. Buffy is sitting on the sofa,
legs curled, barefoot, with a throw pillow in her lap. She is
watching Giles hook up his new cordless phone.
Buffy: Nice phone.
Giles: Yes. Fabulous technology. See, if anyone has information I need
to know, they can, uh, simply tell me about it. (lifts the handpiece)
Through this ingenious speaking tube. I'm very excited.
Buffy takes all this with "I deserve that" acceptance.
Buffy: I am sorry, Giles. I really thought I told you about Riley and
the Initiative. And I know that it doesn't help. Look, I promise it
won't happen again. I will tell you everything.
Giles: (walking towards the couch, removing his glasses) Buffy, I
don't want to ask you to betray any confidences, and I certainly don't
want to interfere--
Buffy: Uh-oh, you have "but-face." (Giles narrows his eyebrows at her)
You look like you're gonna say "but."
Giles: (a beat) But . . . this, um, Initiative, I'm-I'm a little
concerned. Ethan's not exactly a reliable source but, um . . . I'm
not sure that he's wrong about them.
Rounds the sofa to sit down next to her.
Buffy: I'm not dating the Initiative. I'm dating Riley. He's a good
guy.
Giles: And I-I believe that. But he's part of something we-we don't
really understand.
Buffy: (knowingly) You sure you're not just saying this because you
don't like Riley's boss?
Giles: (as if offended) No! No. I'm not saying that at
all. (considers) Though I do . . . hate her quite a lot. But I want
you to have your personal life, but . . . keep your eyes open. Make
sure you know what you're getting into.
Off Buffy's expression--
Cut to the underground headquarters of the Initiative. Riley is
walking with Walsh across the large complex. In the background we can
see several lab techs and military personnel moving about as well as
the two parked humvees --that were unable to catch an old grampa car.
Walsh: So she walks in and the rules just suddenly break?
Riley: Umm . . . pretty much.
Walsh: Be careful with her. She reacts on instinct. There's no
discipline there. Her loyalties are uncertain.
They reach a metal security door.
Riley: You won't be disappointed in her. She's good at what she
does. She is the truest soul I've ever known.
Walsh: Oh, no (chuckling) oh, no! Spontaneous poetic
exclamations. Lord, spare me college boys in love.
Riley: I'm just saying she'll work out. You'll be proud of her.
Walsh: You want to know what I think? (pause) I think you're probably
right.
Riley smiles then moves off leaving Walsh who swipes an ID card
through a keypad and steps inside the security door. Cut to interior
we see Walsh walk a short distance down a white corridor and punch a
code into another keypad and slide the ID card through again. The
door she is standing in front of unlocks and she opens it and
disappears inside. It closes again and we see a number stenciled into
the door: 314.
Executive Producer Joss Whedon