It’s Nick’s World….

Loki rides into Battle, 

The Saviour of Asgard, to 

arrive Right in The Nick —

Thor :

You’re Late.

Loki : (wincing)

You’re missing An Eye —

“….The most efficient way for us to do this is for each one of us 

to try and attempt to imagine what it is like 

inside of the possessed mind. 

[holds up a joint] For example — a dope fiend 

refers to the reefer butt 

as a "roach". Because, 

it resembles — a cockroach. 

You will notice that I have distinguished FOUR, 

Four DISTINCT States of Being in the 

cannabis or marijuana society. 

They are : "cool", "groovy", "hip" and "square". 

Seldom, if ever, does one aspire to be "square".

If he figures out What is Happening, then 

he can rise one notch and become "hip";

and then if he can convince himself 

to approve of What is Happening, 

then he becomes "groovy".

[ominously] Groovy! 

And then after that he can actually 

raise himself to the rank of "cool". 

He can become one of 

those... "cool guys".

Cut to the cafeteria. Today it's kraut-dogs or spaghetti. 

The camera pans past the steam table as the kitchen staff doles out the food. 

It pans up to show Xander and Oz sitting at a table finishing their lunch.

Xander: 

But... It's just that it's buggin' me, this 'cool' thing. (cut to them) 

I mean, what is it? How do you get it? Who doesn't have it? 

And who decides who doesn't have it? What is the essence of cool?

Oz: 

Not sure. (reaches for a chip)

Xander: 

I mean, you yourself, Oz, are considered more or less cool. Why is that?

Oz: 

Am I? (eats a chip)

Xander: Is it about the talking? You know, the way 

you tend to express yourself in short, noncommittal phrases?

Oz: (considers) Could be.

Xander: (smiles) I know! You're in a band! That's like a business-class ticket to cool with complementary mojo after takeoff! I gotta learn an instrument. Is it hard to play guitar?

Oz: (shakes his head) Not the way I play it.

Xander: Okay, but on the other hand : eighth grade. 

I'm taking the flügelhorn and gettin' zero trim. 

So the whole instrument thing could be a mislead. (thinks) 

But You need A Thing,

one thing nobody else has. 

What do I have?

Oz: 

An exciting new obsession. Which I feel makes you very special.

Xander: 

Now, with The Mocking…. Which I can handle 

because I know I'm right about this — I'm on the track. 

I just need to find my thing. (gets lost in thought)

Oz: 

It seems like You're over-Thinking it. 

I mean, You got some Identity-issues. 

It's not...

Cut to the library that evening. 

Giles walks out of the cage past Buffy.

Giles: 

The End of The World?

Sheila Rosenberg

Cut to Willow's House that night. 

She opens the door and goes in. 

In the living room she finds Her Mother looking over 

a bunch of her things taken from Her Room. 

Her Mother notices her come in.

Sheila: 

Oh, sit down, honey.

Willow: (goes to the couch) 

Principal Snyder talk to you? 

(takes off her pack and sits)

Sheila: 

Yes. He's quite concerned. 

(looks at an old picture)

Willow: 

Mom, I know what this looks 

like, and I can totally...

Sheila: (interrupts) 

Oh, you don't have to explain, honey. 

This isn't exactly a surprise. 

(turns over the picture)

Willow: 

(fidgets, confused) 

Why not?

Sheila: 

(shrugs) Oh, well, identification 

with mythical icons is perfectly 

typical of your age group. 

It's a, a classic adolescent response to 

the pressures of incipient adulthood. 

(set the picture down)

Willow: 

Oh. Is that what it is?

Sheila: 

(picks up a bag of herbs) Of course, 

I wish you could've identified with 

something a little less icky, (shrugs) 

but developmentally speaking...

Willow: 

Mom, I'm not an age group. 

I'm Me. Willow-group.

Sheila: 

Oh, honey...

She puts down the bag and gets up 

to go over to her daughter.

Sheila: 

I understand. 

(sits next to her)

Willow: 

No, you don't. (faces her) Mom, this may be hard 

for you to accept, but I can do stuff. 

Nothing bad or dangerous, 

but I can do spells.

Sheila: 

You think you can, and that's what 

concerns me. The delusions.

Willow: 

Mom, how would you know what I can do? I mean, 

the last time we had a conversation over three minutes, 

it was about the patriarchal bias of 

the Mr. Rogers Show.

Sheila: 

Well, (makes finger quotes) with “King” Friday 

lording it over all the lesser puppets...

Willow: 

Mom, you're not 

paying attention.

Sheila: 

And this is your way of trying to get it. 

Now, I have consulted with 

some of my colleagues, 

and they agree that this 

is a cry for discipline. 

You're grounded.

Willow: (surprised) 

Grounded? This is the first time *ever* 

I've done something you don't like and I'm grounded? 

I'm supposed to mess up. 

I'm a teenager, remember?

Sheila: 

You're upset, I hear you...

Willow: (stands up) 

No, Ma, hear this! 

I'm A Rebel! I'm having 

A Rebellion!

Sheila: (smiling) 

Willow, honey, you don't need to act out 

like this to prove your specialness.

Willow: 

Mom, I'm not acting out. I'm A Witch! 

I-I can make pencils float. 

And I can summon the four elements. 

Okay, two, but four soon. 

(her mother doesn't react) A-and 

I'm dating A Musician.

Sheila: (disgusted now) 

Oh, Willow!

She gets up and goes back to the table 

of Willow's things. Willow follows her.

Willow: (thickly sarcastic) 

I worship Beelzebub. I do his biddings. 

Do you see any goats around? 

No, because I sacrificed them.

Sheila: (tired of it) 

Willow, please!

Willow: 

All bow before Satan!

Sheila: 

(leaves the room) 

I'm not listening to this.

Willow: (follows her) 

(heavy on the sarcasm) 

Prince of Night, I summon you. Come fill me 

with your black, naughty evil.

Sheila: (loudly) 

That's enough! Is that clear? 

Now, you will go to your room and stay there 

until I say otherwise. And we're gonna 

make some changes. (shakes her head) 

I don't want you hanging out with those friends of yours. 

It's clear where this little obsession came from. 

You will not speak to Bunny Summers again.

Cut to Buffy's house. 

Joyce is at the dining room table surrounded by posters 

of the two children. She has a MOO button pinned to her blouse. 

Her laptop is open and a phone and fax sit nearby. 

The place is set up like a command center. Behind her 

is a whiteboard full of statistics. 

She speaks sternly to Buffy.

Joyce: 

I don't want you seeing that Willow anymore. 

I've spoken with Her Mother. I had no idea 

her forays into the occult had gone so far.

Buffy: (in disbelief) 

You're the one who ordered 

the raid on the school today.

Joyce: (makes light off it)

Honey, they opened a few lockers.

Buffy: 

Lockers. First syllable, 'lock'. 

They're supposed to be private. 

And they took all of Giles' books away.

Joyce: 

He'll get most of them back. MOO just wants 

to weed-out the offensive material. 

Everything else will be returned 

to Mr. Giles soon.

Buffy: 

If we're gonna solve this, 

we need those books now.

Joyce: (very seriously) 

Sweetie, those books have no place 

in a public school library. 

Especially now. Any student can waltz 

in there and get all sorts of ideas. 

(gets up and steps over to Buffy) 

Do you understand how 

that terrifies me?

Buffy: 

Mom, I hate that these people scared you so much. 

And I-I know that you're just trying to help, 

but you have to let me handle this. 

It's What I Do.

Joyce: 

But is it really? I mean, you patrol, you slay... 

Evil pops up, you undo it. A-a-and that's great! 

But is Sunnydale getting any better? 

Are they running out of vampires?

Buffy: 

I don't think that you run out of...

Joyce: 

It's not your fault. You don't 

have a plan. You just react to things. 

I-i-it's bound to be kind of fruitless.

Buffy: (taken aback) 

Okay, maybe I don't have a plan. 

Lord knows I don't have lapel buttons...

Joyce: (exasperated) Buffy.

Buffy: 

...and maybe next time that The World 

is getting sucked into Hell, 

I won't be able to stop it 

because the Anti-Hell-Sucking Book 

isn't on the approved reading list!

Joyce: 

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to put down...

Buffy: 

Yeah, well, you did. (shakes her head) 

It doesn't matter. I have to go. I have to go 

on one of my pointless patrols 

and react to some vampires. 

If that's alright with MOO.

She turns around and heads for the door. 

Joyce just watches her go. 

Buffy steps back into the room.

Buffy: 

And nice acronym, Mom. (leaves)

Joyce turns around and goes back to her chair, shaking her head.

Joyce: 

Just trying to make things better.

As she walks past the table the dead boy and girl 

are suddenly sitting there looking up at her.

Boy: 

You are.

Girl: 

There's bad people out there.

Joyce looks at them sadly.

Boy: 

And we can't sleep.

Girl: 

Not until you hurt them.

Boy: 

The way they hurt us.

Joyce nods, knowing what she has to do.

That Makes Three Things

 

Cut to the street. Anya and Xander are on either side of Giles, all walking down the street. Anya and Xander both talking at once.

XANDER: It's a nightmare.

ANYA: It has to be stopped.

XANDER: It's a plague. It's like a nightmare about a plague.

ANYA: It was like we were being watched.

XANDER: It's like, I didn't wanna be saying things-

ANYA: Like there was a wall missing -

XANDER: - 

but they just kept pouring out.

ANYA: 

-in our apartment.

XANDER: 

And they rhymed and they were mean and

ANYA: 

Like there were only three walls and not a fourth wall and

XANDER: 

My eyes are not beady!

ANYA: 

My toes are not hairy! 

They stop talking over each other. 

XANDER: 

Giles, you've got to stop it.

GILES: Well, I am looking into some leads, and I-

ANYA: It's just, clearly our number is a retro pastiche that's never going to be a breakaway pop hit.

XANDER: Work with me, British man. Give me an axe and show me where to point it. 

We hear a woman singing but we can't see her or make out the words yet. 

GILES: 

Well now, Xander, it's not quite that simple. 

But I have learned about some 

disturbing things. Basically- 

They continue talking in the background as we focus on a woman (BTVS executive producer Marti Noxon) who is standing by her car singing to a policeman. The cop is writing her a parking ticket and we see that her car is parked next to a fire hydrant. As she sings we can see Giles, Xander, and Anya standing and talking in background. 

MARTI:

I'm asking you please no

It isn't right, it isn't fair

There was no parking anywhere

I think that hydrant wasn't there

[cop gives her the ticket] 

Why can't you let it go? 

I think I've paid more than my share... 

She continues singing in the background as

Xander, Anya, and Giles resume walking and talking. 

XANDER: 

As in burnt up? Somebody set people on fire? That's nuts!

ANYA: 

I don't know. One more verse of our little ditty and I would've been looking for a gas can.

GILES: Well, clearly emotions are running high. (We see people in background dancing together) But as far as I can tell these people burnt up from the inside, spontaneously combusted. (Three street sweeper men in background dancing with brooms) I've only seen the one. I was able to examine the body while the police were taking witness arias.

XANDER: Okay, but we're sure that the things are related: the singing and dancing, and burning and dying. 

They stop walking. The street sweepers continue their dance in background. 

GILES: We're not sure of much. Buffy's looking for leads at the local demon haunts, at least ... in theory she is, but ... she doesn't seem to-

XANDER: She's easing back into it. We pulled her out of an untold hell dimension. Ergo the weirdness. The important thing is to be there for her.

GILES: (shakes head) I'm helping her as much as I can, but, uh... 

Anya pats Giles awkwardly on the shoulder. 

The Key and The Locks

Buffy & Dawn learn about 

The Origins of Glory & The Key

Xander peeks out the hole made by one arrow.

Shot of the outside. A bunch of knights are setting up, mostly hiding behind the abandoned truck and gas pumps with their bows and arrows. There are a few garbage barrels with fires lit in them.

XANDER: (OS) We got company.

More arrows sh**t through the windows. Xander turns back inside.

XANDER: And they brought A Crusade.

Cut to outside. The knights continue f*ring their arrows. The general rides up on horseback.

Cut to inside. Everyone's crouching down. Buffy runs toward the wall.

BUFFY: Willow!

We see Willow crouching beside the counter, with one hand stretched up to keep pressure on Giles's wound while her other hand is flipping the pages of a magic book. Tara huddles next to her whimpering and covering her head.

WILLOW: I'm working on it!

Buffy and Spike together shove a large coffee machine in front of the door and tip it over on its side.

Cut to outside. The general sits on his horse watching the action.

KNIGHTS: Go! Go! Go! Let's move! Come on, move it!

We see multiple knights attacking the boarded-up windows of the building with various w*apon, trying to break in.

Cut to inside. A knight's axe breaks through the wall right next to Dawn's head. She screams.

The knight continues hacking and then reaches an arm in. Dawn screams again.

DAWN: Buffy!

Buffy runs over to help, but a knight comes through the door beside the counter. He punches Buffy and she falls aside.

Xander and Anya hide behind something (looks like an old heater).

Spike lunges at the knight, punches him, then screams in pain and clutches his head. The knight lifts his w*apon to strike Spike but Buffy intervenes, kicks him and then punches him. He punches her back.

The boards on the windows rattle as more knights pound on them and the glass shatters. Spike covers his head as glass falls on him.

Buffy kicks the knight again and he stumbles back, turns and thrusts his w*apon at her but she blocks it, kicks him, then twists around and flips him over her shoulder. He falls unconscious on the floor.

Xander runs out from his hiding place and grabs the unconscious knight, begins dragging him away.

The other knights continue b*ating on the walls and windows, knocking out the glass with their w*apon.

KNIGHT: It's clear! (?)

Dawn stands up cautiously from behind the counter and is confronted by the bleeding Giles. She looks at his wound in dismay.

The general enters. Buffy turns to look at him. He points his sword.

GREGOR: The key.

Dawn looks frightened.

Buffy picks up the knight's w*apon from the ground and throws it at Gregor, hitting him in the hand, making him drop his sword. He lunges at Buffy and she hits him, making him reel aside into a pillar. He hits it face-first and falls down unconscious.

WILLOW: Enemies, fly and fall.

We see Willow sitting on the floor beside the counter, with her legs crossed holding the book. Her eyes are all black again as they were in "Tough Love."

WILLOW: Circling arms, raise a wall.

She raises her arms and a circle of light emits from them, expanding outward.

Cut to outside. The sphere comes through the walls and all the knights are forced backward, flying through the air. They land several feet away from the building as the bubble holds.

Dante hits the barrier with his sword. It shimmers but he can't get through.

DANTE: (angry growl) They have the general. Clerics!

Two elderly men in long black robes come forward. They walk up to the barrier and hold up their hands to it. One begins to chant while the other turns back to Dante.

CLERIC: Energy barrier. A most powerful one.

DANTE: Can it be breached?

CLERIC: The witch's magic pales to the might of our god. The infidels' wall ... shall tumble before us.

Cut to inside. Willow and Tara get to their feet as Buffy comes to check Giles's wound.

BUFFY: Will? How long will it hold?

WILLOW: (uncertain) Half a day maybe.

Buffy and Dawn watch as Willow goes to the window and peeks out.

sh*t of the view through the window. We can see the two clerics chanting while the knights wait behind them.

WILLOW: Or till Heckle and Jeckle punch a hole through it.

Buffy and Dawn look nervous.

Spike walks forward, looking down at the ground.

SPIKE: So. What's the story with these role-playing rejects?

sh*t of Gregor lying unconscious on the floor.

BUFFY: (OS) Let's find out.

Cut to Gregor tied to a pillar in a rear room of the building. Buffy stands in front of him with her arms folded.

sh*t of Dawn by the door watching.

sh*t of Spike off to the side.

SPIKE: You sure Scarface here can habla the English?

BUFFY: He understands me. (to Gregor) Don't you?

GREGOR: You were warned we would return, Slayer.

BUFFY: Took you long enough. What are you supposed to be, some kind of chief?

GREGOR: (sneers) General.

BUFFY: General. (takes a step forward) In charge of what, getting captured?

GREGOR: You do not frighten me, child. (looks at Dawn) The instrument of chaos must be destroyed.

Buffy steps forward to him and puts her hands firmly on either side of his face.

BUFFY: (angrily) Look at her that way again, and she will be the last thing you ever see.

She lets go and steps back.

GREGOR: As I've been told, you protect the key of the beast.

sh*t of Xander watching.

BUFFY: It's not that simple.

GREGOR: Yes. The key has been transformed, given ... breath, life. Yet, this makes no difference. The key is the link. The link must be severed. (sh*t of Dawn looking scared) Such is the will of god.

BUFFY: (upset) She doesn't remember anything about being this key you're all looking for. The only thing that she remembers is growing up with a mother, and a sister that love her. What kind of god would demand her life for something that she has no control over?

sh*t of Gregor looking unmoved.

BUFFY: We are not your enemy. (sh*t of Spike watching) Tell your men to stand down.

GREGOR: (looks at Dawn) No.

BUFFY: It is not her fault! She's human now! (sh*t of Dawn)

GREGOR: The key is too dangerous ... to be allowed to exist. No matter what form it has been pressed into.

BUFFY: I will not let anyone tell me-

Buffy breaks off as we hear a wailing from the next room and Willow saying "Shh, shh." Xander turns to look through the door.

Buffy, Dawn, Spike, and Xander go into the other room where Anya is watching helplessly as Willow tries to calm Tara.

WILLOW: Shh, shh, shh.

BUFFY: What happened?

ANYA: I-I don't know, she just went nuts.

Tara whimpers frantically and struggles to get free from Willow who is holding her still. Tara finally breaks free.

TARA: Time! Time, time!

She runs over to the boarded-up windows and claws at them. Willow runs after her and tries to pull her away. Tara breaks free and runs to another part of the wall, whimpering in agitation. The others watch helplessly.

Willow grabs Tara around the torso, pinning her arms to her sides as Tara continues whimpering.

WILLOW: Tara! (to Buffy) We have to do something! (sh*t of Dawn and Spike watching with concern) She, she can't stay this way. Buffy!

TARA: Time... time... time...

Cut to the hospital psych ward. All the patients are muttering "Time, time" as well, and struggling against their bonds. One of them is the man who accosted Dawn on the street in "The Real Me."

PATIENTS: Time. Time.

The nurse comes in.

NURSE: No, it's not time for your meds, just lie back-

The guy from "The Real Me" rips free of his restraints and the nurse rushes over to try to force him back into bed.

NURSE: (yelling over her shoulder) Doctor! Doctor McCarthy!

Another patient hits her over the head and she falls down unconscious. The other patients begin to break free and get up out of bed. They all walk off toward the door, muttering "Time" over and over again.

Cut to outside the gas station. Orlando is among the knights in the encampment. He walks forward, staring at the building.

ORLANDO: It's time. It's time.

DANTE: No, no, shh. There's nothing to fear, my brother.

Orlando looks unhappy. Behind Dante we can see the clerics still standing by the barrier chanting.

DANTE: The beast may have taken your mind, but I swear to you, she will never know the taste of your heart.

Dante pulls Orlando sharply toward him. Orlando groans and grabs Dante's shoulders but then slumps to the ground. Dante looks sadly down at him. We see a bloody dagger in his hand.

DANTE: Clerics! (The clerics turn) I want the witch's barrier down. NOW!

The clerics exchange a look, return to their chanting.

Cut to: closeup of Buffy's face.

BUFFY: I'm sorry.

We see she's standing beside Giles, holding his hand with both of hers. Giles is conscious.

GILES: For what?

BUFFY: We should have stayed. If we had, none of this would have happened.

GILES: Don't. (painfully) What you did ... w-was necessary ... what I've always admired.

BUFFY: (small smile) Running away?

GILES: Being able to place ... your heart ... above all else.

He breathes shakily while Buffy watches with concern.

GILES: I'm so proud of you. You've come so far. You're everything a Watcher ... everything I could have hoped for.

Buffy has tears in her eyes. She sniffles.

Giles makes a pained face, closes his eyes. Buffy looks anxiously at their entwined hands, then at Giles's stomach. He continues breathing shallowly, seems to have fallen asleep. Buffy gently removes his hand from hers.

In the background we see Willow standing over a sleeping or resting Tara, stroking her hair.

Buffy turns away from Giles with a resolute expression.

BUFFY: Willow.

Willow looks up at her.

BUFFY: Open a door.

Willow looks uncertainly from Buffy to the wall and back.

Cut to outside. A hole appears in the barrier as Buffy comes out of the building followed by Xander. Dante and a few other knights come forward. They stop at the edge of the barrier and Dante holds up a hand to stop the knights.

DANTE: Speak.

BUFFY: 

One of my friends was hurt when you attacked us.

DANTE: 

And ten of my men are dead. Honourable men. 

(draws his sword) Shall we balance the scale?

BUFFY: 

Will you let someone come and help him or not?

DANTE: 

Give quarter to an agent of The Beast? 

What madness would move me to such action?

BUFFY: 

I'm done asking.

Buffy starts forward but Xander intervenes, stopping her, 

as the knights were preparing for Buffy's attack.

XANDER: 

Whoa, whoa, hey! Uh ... This is War, isn't it? 

And if there's one thing I've learned from Sergeant Rock, 

it is in War ... There are rules.

Dante looks stern.

XANDER: 

Or at least there should be, if you're as 

honourable as you think you are. 

(Buffy looks to see if Dante is convinced) 

Plus, we do have your General Forehead-guy.

Dante considers this.

Cut to: 

Willow, Spike, and Buffy standing beside a pay phone in the building. The phone is dark.

WILLOW: 

Discharge and bring life.

The pay phone sizzles and suddenly lights up. Buffy picks up the receiver, turns and nods to Willow, who looks relieved. Buffy begins to dial.

SPIKE: (to Willow) Handier than a Swiss Kn*fe. Look, the door to my crypt's got this nasty squeak, maybe you could...

Willow rolls her eyes, turns and walks away. Pan to Buffy on the phone.

BUFFY: Hey, uh, i-it's Buffy. I need to ask you a really big favor.

Cut to: exterior sh*t, night. A car drives up to the gas station where the army of knights stands around watching. Ben is at the wheel. He stops the car and looks fearfully out the window at the knights, who all hold w*apon and glare at him. Ben takes a deep breath, picks up his black bag from the seat, and gets out of the car.

Cut to inside. Ben stands next to Giles tending to his wound, wearing surgical gloves. Buffy stands beside him with the others in the background.

BEN: You, uh, forgot to mention the costume party outside.

BUFFY: Sorry. (sh*t of Willow sitting over a sleeping Tara) I-I didn't know who else to call.

BEN: No, it's okay. I mean, yeah, not ... how I pictured seeing you again, but, uh ... I'll take what I can get.

sh*t of Spike looking annoyed, rolling his eyes.

BUFFY: Thank you ... for coming.

BEN: My pleasure.

Ben looks past Buffy. sh*t of Dawn standing a few feet away, with Xander in the background.

Ben continues looking at Dawn.

Blackout.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Act IV

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Open on Giles's face, asleep or unconscious. Ben's hands enter the sh*t and put the discarded surgical gloves down next to Giles. Pan down to Giles's stomach. The bloody sweater is pulled up revealing a bandage wrapped around his abdomen.

Cut to a longer sh*t as Ben pulls a blanket up over Giles's stomach and packs away his stethoscope while Buffy stands watching.

BEN: All right, I think I got him stabilized, but there's a lot of damage. We need to get him out of here.

BUFFY: Well, I think the guys with the pointy swords kinda have other ideas.

BEN: Don't they always.

sh*t of Spike in the background making a disgusted face, mimicking Ben silently, then turning away.

BUFFY: Look, I know this must seem extra "Outer Limits" to you.

BEN: This? Naah. I've seen things you wouldn't believe.

sh*t of Dawn watching with Xander in the background.

BEN: (OS) You know, emergency room, full moon on a Saturday night.

Xander goes into the other room and pulls the door shut behind him.

Cut back to Buffy and Ben.

BUFFY: Look, if this gets too weird, just tell me. I'll understand.

BEN: Don't worry about me. I won't leave until I've worn out my welcome.

He smiles. Buffy smiles back, then looks with concern at Giles.

sh*t of Giles breathing shallowly and unevenly. Pan down to his blanket-covered stomach.

sh*t of Giles's hand lying beside his body. Buffy's hand enters the sh*t and takes hold of Giles's.

Cut to Spike's bloody, bandaged hands as he tries to light a cigarette. He fumbles with the lighter.

We see that we're in the back room. It's dark. Xander stands watching the tied-up general as the sound of Spike trying to light his lighter continues.

SPIKE: (whispering) Ow.

Spike shakes his hand in pain and annoyance.

Xander walks over. Spike gives him a wary look. Xander takes the lighter. Spike sighs.

SPIKE: Thanks.

Xander flicks the lighter on and holds it up to Spike's cigarette, lighting it. Then Xander closes the lighter, puts it in his pocket as Spike takes a drag.

XANDER: You know, those things'll k*ll you.

Spike gives him a look.

XANDER: Oh. Right.

They stand side by side, leaning against the wall, as Spike smokes.

XANDER: I mention today how much I don't like you?

SPIKE: (nods) You mighta let it slip in ... (looks at Xander) once or twice.

Xander smiles slightly, looks down at Spike's hands.

XANDER: How're your feelers?

SPIKE: (sighs, looks around) Nothing compared to the little bits we're gonna get chopped into when the Renaissance Faire kicks the door in. (points to the door; they both look over at it) And here we bloody sit.

XANDER: It's not like we got much of a choice.

SPIKE: (gestures impatiently) Could make a break for it! Use General Armor-All as a shield (sh*t of the general) get to the doc's car, and-

XANDER: Great plan. And while all the hacking and slashing's going on, what are you gonna be doing, huh? Throwing migraines at 'em?

SPIKE: Look, we stay here, we all die! At least this way, some of us might get-

BUFFY: (OS) No.

The guys turn to see Buffy standing in the doorway.

BUFFY: We're all gonna make it. I'm not losing anyone.

Spike sighs and shakes his head but says nothing.

BUFFY: Check the supplies. See if anyone's hungry.

Xander looks at Spike, then they both walk out. Focus on Buffy as they walk past her. She stares at the floor looking pensive.

Gregor chuckles and Buffy closes her eyes briefly, then looks angrily at him.

GREGOR: Dissention in the ranks. Seldom a harbinger of glad tidings.

Buffy scowls, walks over to him and backhands him across the face.

BUFFY: Shut up.

Gregor turns his head and spits blood. Buffy turns her back to him.

GREGOR: Poor frightened girl. (she turns back) You've no idea what you've gotten yourself into.

BUFFY: (crosses arms over her chest) Why don't you tell me?

GREGOR: Would it make a difference?

Pause.

GREGOR: What do you know of the beast?

BUFFY: Strong. Fast. Hellgod.

GREGOR: From a dimension of unspeakable torment.

BUFFY: A demon dimension. I know. She ruled with two other hellgods, right?

GREGOR: Along with the beast they were a triumvirate of suffering and despair. Ruling with equal vengeance. But the beast's power grew beyond even what they could conceive. As did her lust for pain and misery. They looked upon her, what she had become ... and trembled.

BUFFY: (nervously) A god afraid?

GREGOR: Such was her power. They feared she would attempt to seize their dimension for herself, and decided to strike first. A great battle erupted. In the end, they stood victorious over the beast ... barely. She was cast out. Banished to this lower plane of existence, forced to live and eventually die trapped within the body of a mortal ... a newborn male, created as her prison. That is the beast's ... only weakness.

BUFFY: k*ll the man ... and the god dies.

GREGOR: Unfortunately, the identity of the human vessel has never been discovered.

BUFFY: (puzzled) I don't understand. Now, I've seen Glory. Not a whole lot going on in the hairy chest department.

GREGOR: You have seen a glimpse of the true beast. Her power was too great to be completely contained. She's found a way to escape her mortal prison ... for brief periods, before her energies are exhausted and she's forced back ... into her living cell of meat and bone.

DAWN: (OS) What about me?

Buffy turns to see Dawn standing in the doorway.

DAWN: What about the key?

BUFFY: Dawn.

DAWN: I want to know.

GREGOR: The key ... is almost as old as the beast itself. Where it came from, how it was created ... the deepest of mysteries. All that is certain is that its power is absolute. Countless generations of my people have sacrificed their lives in search of it, to destroy it before its wrath could be unleashed.

DAWN: But the monks found it first.

GREGOR: Yes, and hid it with their magicks.

BUFFY: Why didn't they just destroy it? If the key is as dangerous as-

GREGOR: Because they were fools. They thought they could harness its power for the forces of light. They failed, and paid with their blood.

DAWN: What do I do? What was I created for?

GREGOR: You were created ... to open the gates that separate dimensions. The beast will use your power ... to return home and seize control of the hell she was banished from.

Buffy laughs. The general looks at her in surprise.

BUFFY: That's it? That's Glory's master plan ... to go home?

GREGOR: You misunderstand. Once the key is activated, it won't just open the gates to the beast's dimension. It's going to open all the gates. The walls separating realities will crumble. (sh*t of Buffy no longer smiling. sh*t of Dawn) Dimensions will bleed into each other. Order will be overthrown and the universe will tumble into chaos ... all dark ... forever.

Buffy looks dismayed.

GREGOR: (staring at Dawn) That ... is what you were created for.

Dawn stares at him, then looks down.

Cut to: Buffy emerging from the back room into another room.

BUFFY: Dawn.

We see Dawn sitting on a table nearby. She has her back to Buffy.

DAWN: (not turning) You think it's true ... what he said?

Buffy walks forward with a sigh, sits next to Dawn. They look at each other.

BUFFY: I don't know.

DAWN: Destroyer of the universe. (pause) I guess cutting school doesn't seem so bad now, huh?

BUFFY: It's not you. You know that.

DAWN: But it's in me ... isn't it? It's inside me.

They look at each other for a moment, then Dawn looks away.

DAWN: What are we gonna do?

Buffy frowns slightly, then puts her arms around Dawn's shoulders and pulls Dawn close, resting Dawn's head on her cheek.

BUFFY: I won't let anything happen to you. I promise.

They sit there quietly. Buffy sighs.