Faith beating up a vampire.
Faith: I'm Faith.
Giles (VO): Previously on Buffy The Vampire Slayer...
Mayor's Office.
Mayor: Open your present.
Faith: (Opens it, takes out knife) This is a thing of beauty, boss.
Mayor: That look on your face is my reward.
Giles: (VO)We have a rogue Slayer on our hands. I can't think of
anything more dangerous.
Buffy fighting Faith on a rooftop. Buffy punches her then plunges a
knife into her gut. Shot of truck below. Faith falls onto it.
Cut to: Hospital. Faith in a bed looking ill. Mayor next to her bed.
Doctor: It's a wonder she's alive at all with the blood loss. There's
virtually no chance that she'll ever regain consciousness.
Buffy fighting in a room.
Riley: You're really strong. I like it.
Walsh standing next to Adam on a bed.
Walsh: I've worked too long... too long to let some little bitch
threaten this project.
Giles' apartment. Giles talking to Buffy.
Giles: Maggie Walsh...set you up?
Cut to Buffy in a dark room.
Buffy (VO): Maggie wanted me dead didn't she?
Buffy tries blaster. Doesn't work.
Door slams behind her.
Cut to Adam's room. Walsh being skewered from behind by Adam.
Walsh: Adam.....
Walsh slumps to ground.
Adam: Mommy.
Initiative. Riley to Forrest.
Riley: Why does it bug you so much that I'm hanging with her?
Forrest: It bugs me that she's using you to infiltrate our operation.
Riley: You saying she's a spy?
Cut to Riley, shaking and looking ill.
Riley: I don't know what's going on...who the bad guys are...
Cut to Riley and Buffy fighting Adam.
Riley is injured by it. Forrest picks him up.
Forrest: Escort them out.
Carries Riley off.
Riley: Buffy....
Buffy watches him being taken away. Screen fades to white.
Faith and Buffy making a bed. Folding clean sheet.
Buffy: They smell good don't they?
Faith: What?
Buffy: Clean sheets. Like summer.
Faith: I wouldn't know.
Buffy: Right. I forgot.
Faith: I noticed.
Buffy: I wish I could stay, but...
Faith: Oh, you have to go.
Buffy: That's just what...
Faith: Little sis coming. I know.
Buffy: So much to do before she gets here.
They walk around to end of bed.
Buffy: Now I really have to...
Faith: So go. Don't let me keep.
Blood drips from Faith onto bed.
Fait: Damn. Just when we'd made it so nice. (They look at knife in
Faith's gut) Are you ever gonna take this thing out?
Lingering shot of knife. Buffy rips it out. Faith flinches.
Cut to hospital monitors showing heart beat etc.
Across to Faith lying in a bed. Still asleep. Lighting strikes.
Credits begins.
Xander's basement. Xander looking at blaster.
Xander: So, here it is. The latest in state-of-the-art combat
technology. I gotta say, it doesn't look that complicated.
Buffy: So can you repair it?
Xander: Sure. As soon as I get my master's degree in advanced starship
technology. (Slams down blaster.)
Willow: Well, why don't we experiment? Press some buttons, see what
happens.
Giles: I'd like to veto that.
Xander: Second. It's called a blaster, Will, a word that tends to
discourage experimentation. Now, if it were called the Orgazmater, I'd
be the first to try your basic button press approach.
Buffy: Just tell me. Can you repair it or not?
Xander: I'm working on it, I'm working on it. (Continues to work on
it) I blow a whole in my mom's exterior patch then the neighbours will
not be pleased.
Buffy sits down with face in her hand.
Giles: Are you alright? (Goes to sit next to her) You've been
patrolling round the clock for three days straight now. I thought you
could use some...
Buffy: What? Some rest? There's a demonoid killing machine out there
Giles, it doesn't only work the night shift.
Giles: I was going to say perhaps you could use some backup, but
um....now you mention it, building up your strength may not be a bad
idea.
Buffy: Just get the blaster working. That's all the strength I need.
Willow: Are you sure?
Buffy: Why? Because ray guns aren't in the Slayer handbook? Well, you
haven't seen this Adam thing. He's the Terminator without the bashful
charm. He's deadly, and the last time we met, he kicked my ass.
Willow: Oh no, blast away, by all means. I only meant....no word about
Riley?
Comes and sits with Buffy.
Buffy: They keep telling me that he's fine. That's all they'll say.
Willow: Maybe they're telling the truth.
Buffy: Maybe. I don't even know what the Initiative's version of
"fine" is. I mean, they could be forcing him back onto medication or
torturing him for all I know.
Giles: From what we've seen, I doubt they'll be trying to hurt him.
Buffy: The only thing I know for certain is that my boyfriend is
locked away and I'm not helping.
Lots of sparks come out of blaster. Xander recoils.
Willow: Maybe Giles has a point. I mean, Riley is their top gun
guy. Doesn't make sense that they'd hurt him.
Buffy: All I know is that the Initiative has all those brain-washy,
behaviour modification guys.
Willow: So?
Buffy: So what happens when they start not liking his behaviour?
Cut to Initiative infirmary. Riley's hand reaches for piece of Buffy's
bandana. Gets out of bed, grunts in pain. Pulls a shirt on. Starts to
walk out of the room. Guard comes towards him.
Riley: Stand down, soldier. (No response) Stand down before I put you
down.
Forrest comes over.
Forrest: (To guard) You heard the man. At ease.
Looks at Riley. Riley returns the look, then starts to walk away.
Forrest: The shish kebab that walks like a man. Looks like you're
feeling better. Walking around, threatening people and all that.
Riley: He was in my way. I got places to be.
Forrest: Really. And where were you thinking of going?
Riley: You know where I'm going.
Forrest: (Sighs) Don't even tell me you're headed to that girlfriend
of yours. (Gets in Riley's way) Look at you. One good injury and
you're back in intensive care to stay.
Riley: You wouldn't understand.
Forrest: How about you explain it to me then?
Guard comes up behind them.
Guard: We all friends here fellows?
Forrest: Absolutely. Riley here was about to explain why he's leaving
us so very quickly.
Riley: I don't explain. Because I don't have to. I'm the one in
charge.
Forrest: Things change.
Riley: Do they?
Forrest: Hey! In case you failed to notice, we're in a world of hurt
around here. Now's the time for us to band together, not go flying off
our separate ways.
Guard: Forrest has a point, Riley.
Forrest: We have a problem, we deal with that problem. You know, the
most important part of the equation now is that we keep said problem
within the family.
Riley: Family? Is that what we are? Step aside.
Forrest stares him down.
Cut to Faith's hospital bed. Slowly moving towards her from high
above.
Quick flash of sun above trees.
Back to bed. Continue to move towards her. Then longer shot of trees,
moving camera down the ground. Cut back to bed, now quite close to
her. Further shot of trees, then goes black. Close up of her face in
the bed.
Faith (VO): Think it's gonna rain?
Cut to Faith and Mayor having a picnic in the park.
Mayor: Nonsense. It's a beautiful day. Now eat your sandwich.
Faith: I dunno. It just always seems like it starts raining about now.
Mayor: You're too young and too pretty a girl to start wearing worry
lines on your face. (Picks worm off blanket) Hey there, little
fella. I dunno where you belong, butit's not here with us. (Chuckles)
There you go. (Puts the worm back in the soil. Talks to Faith again)
Y'see, there's nothing gonna spoil our time together. Who wants cheese
cake? (Chuckles)
Faith looks down and smiles, then suddenly looks up behind the Mayor.
Faith: NO!
Buffy comes up behind the Mayor. Runs him through with Faith's knife.
Buffy: (To Faith) I told you I had things to do.
Faith looks terrified and crawls away.
Cut to her lying in bed again. Zoom in further.
Cut to Scooby Gang looking for Adam at night.
Willow: Spread out.
Buffy: Not too far.
Xander: So not a problem.
Buffy walks around a tree. Shines torch upwards and sees horribly
mutilated body in the tree. Rest of group see it. Cut to basement.
Buffy: I've never seen anything like that.
Xander: And I can go a long healthy stretch without seeing anything
like that again.
Willow: It had to be Adam who killed it, but why?
Buffy: He's studying biology. Human, demon, whoever he can get his
hands on and take apart.
Willow: He's finding out what makes things work.
Xander: I really don't want to be around for the final exam.
Buffy: It's not coming to that. The Initiative created this thing and
they can't stop it. But we will.
Xander: Question: Will hiding in a cavern with stockpiled chocolate
goods be any part of this plan?
Buffy: No.
Xander sits next to Willow.
Xander: (To Willow) Told you.
Willow: What's first?
Buffy: Riley. I'm not leaving him down there with the people that
created this thing. I don't care how many guns they have, I'm going
in. Okay. Will, I need you to hack into their security mainframe and
buy me a ten minute shut down of operation systems.
Willow: That could be...
Buffy: Tricky. Not impossible. If you can't do it online, then use
magic. Xander, any gear you've been saving for a rainy day, I want you
to give to me.
Xander: You want stealth stuff?
Buffy: No, we tried sneaking in. This time, we're gonna use force. I
figure I'll go in through the elevator shaft, use the cable as
towlines. Then blast open the facility doors and find the infirmary.
Riley: Am I really worth all that?
Buffy: (Spins around) Riley! (Hugs him. He flinches) Oh God, I'm
sorry! Did I hurt you?
Riley: No, a giant skewer through the rib cage hurt me. That was just
a reminder.
Buffy: How did you get out?
Riley: I walked.
Willow: They didn't try to stop you?
Riley: Oh, they did. Repeatedly. But then I told them they couldn't
keep me without a major ass-kicking, one way or another. So here I am.
Xander: That's.....great...Riley, and y'know...there's no polite way
to ask you this, but...uh....did they put a chip in your brain? (Looks
at his head)
Riley: Beg your pardon?
Buffy: Forget it. We're just happy to have you back.
Willow: Yeah, we were pretty worried about you for a while, mister.
Riley: Me too. Hey, I know my behaviouir was pretty out there...
Willow: Forget it. Tell you what, you two crazy kids take down a
killer cyber demon hybrid thingy and we'll call it all even.
Riley: Taking down Adam's gonna be tough. There's no way to predict
what he'll throw at us.
Buffy: You're here. Whatever comes, we can handle.
Cut to dark street.
Fait running down it looking very afraid. Buffy walking after her.
Faith runs through a graveyard.
Cut back to Faith asleep in hospital.
Cutto graveyard. Noises all around Faith. Buffy getting closer
wielding Faith's knife.
Cut to Faith asleep, zoom closer to her face.
Cut to Buffy still walking after Faith, then to her asleep, then to
Faith running through the graveyard and falling into an open
grave. Buffy comes up to it and looks down at her. Buffy falls away
and the screen fades the black. Shot of the ground near the grave,
then Faith claws her way out of the hole and looks up into the stormy
sky.
Cut back to hospital bed. Faith's eyes snap open.
Fade to Commercial Break.
Faith lying awake listening to hospital noises. Looks at monitors,
then at tube in her hand. Lifts hand up and clenches it into a fight
fist.
Far shot of bed. Faith throws the covers aside, rips out the monitor
cable and leaves. She is pulled back by tube in her hand.
Faith: (Yanks it out) Owch.
Faith walks down the corridor. Woman comes up to her.
Woman: Excuse me. You know how to get to third floor west?
Faith: What?
Woman: I see....you need some help or something?
Faith: Graduation.
Woman: What?
Faith: Graduation. I gotta get to Sunnydale High School graduation
NOW.
Woman: Well, you can't. I mean, Sunnydale High School isn't even there
anymore.
Faith: What day is it?
Woman: Friday.
Faith: What date? The date.
Woman: February 25th.
Faith: What year?
Woman: Maybe I should get you a nurse...
Faith: What happened to the school?
Woman: Don't you just wanna....
Faith: Just tell me.
Woman: Well, it was a tragedy really. Lots of students died. The
Principal, the Mayor. I really think maybe I should get you some help.
Closeup of Faith's face.
Cut to Faith walking outside the hospital wearing the woman's clothes.
Buffy (VO): Y'know, I never stopped thinking about you.
Cut to Buffy and Riley.
Riley: Me neither. All I had in there was this one little part of
you. (Gives her bandana piece)
Buffy: It's just the scarf part of me really.
Riley: Sure it is. Just knowing you were out there...that you
cared...I think we're being watched.
Buffy: I dunno. Does the Initiative do that?
Riley: Maybe.
Buffy: You seem a little...somewhere else. Is there anything I can do?
Riley: Give me an order. That's what I do isn't it? Follow orders.
Buffy: You don't have to.
Riley: Don't I? All my life that's what I've been groomed to do. They
say jump, I ask "How high?", I get the job done. Just don't know if
it's the right job anymore.
Buffy: I know how you feel. Giles used to be part of this Council. And
for years all they ever did was give me orders.
Riley: Ever obey them?
Buffy: Sure. The ones I was going to do anyway. The point is, I quit
the Council. And I was scared. But it's okay now.
Riley: Now, see, that's where you and I are different. I just suck at
the whole gray area thing.
Buffy: It's a choice. Go back in there and make some changes from the
inside. Or you can quit the team, fight demons in your own way.
Riley: You make it sound so simple. I don't even know what my way is.
Buffy: Well, it's time to find out.
Riley: I'm a soldier. I got a way, which one of them?
Buffy: Good man. (They kiss. She sits in his lap, kisses him again.)
Riley: What're you doing?
Buffy: I am looking for brain washy chips in your head.
Riley: Heh....finding any?
Buffy: Not sure. But I should probably keep looking just in
case. You've been strong long enough, Riley Finn. I'm here for
you. And we're gonna find this demon, and we're gonna kill it
together. And in the mean time, you are gonna stop torturing yourself.
Riley: Sure about that?
Buffy: It's an order. (They kiss again)
Cut to hospital. Doctor talking to nurse. Police officer watching.
Doctor: What do you mean she just wasn't there?
Nurse: I don't know. I came to check the monitors like I always do at
eight o'clock. Eight o'clock is my shift, I got here on time.
Officer: You found the bed in this condition?
Nurse: Haven't touched a thing.
Doctor: Get the duty rosters and check the log. I wanna know exactly
what happened. Coma patients do not just get up and walk away.
Nurse: We are checking every room on every floor.
Officer: Walk me through this one more time. You knew this woman was
wanted for questioning on a series of murders and there's no security
on this wing?
Doctor: You don't understand. There's no way that girl was gonna wake
up.
Officer: Doctor...
Doctor: This can't be happening...
Nurse2 comes in.
Nurse: Did you find her?
Nurse: Another woman, unconscious and badly beaten. And she's been
stripped.
Officer, Doctor and Nurse2 leave in a hurry. Nurse goes to phone,
dials a number.
Nurse: (Into phone) It's happened. Send the team.
Cut to Faith walking through streets, gets to window of Giles'
apartment.
Giles: (From inside) The problem for me seems to be why Adam ahs
stayed dormant as long as he has.
Willow: When he's not making performance art out of other demons, that
is.
Riley: He's probably working off an autonomic power source. And
because he's straight out of the box, he needs to charge up a while.
Shot of Faith at window.
Buffy: Okay, what's he charging up for?
Xander: Based on the clues, I'll go with killing spree.
Riley: And that's a best case scenario. I suppose a little fire power
would be a good idea right now. (Activates blaster Xander had been
messing with, much to Xander's amazement)
Xander: Hey! How'd you do that? Is there like an On/Off button
somewhere here?
Riley: Blasters are easy. Adam won't be.
Willow: Since Professor Walsh designed it, any chance she left
instructions lying around somewhere? (As she says this, Buffy kisses
Riley and Faith reacts)
Buffy: Well, if she did, they're gonna be in the Initiative. (Faith
continues to stare at Buffy and Riley)
Giles: Which we can't get into without mounting a major offensive.
Riley: Speak for yourself. (All look at him.) I'm just saying.
Giles: I must admit, a man on the inside would be...
Buffy: A really good idea. Are you sure you wanna be double agent guy.
Riley: I'm not exactly sure what you'd call me, but I will share
information. (Faith is still looking at Riley.) It's the least I can
do.
Xander: Riley's right. It is the least we can do.
Phone rings. Giles answers it.
Giles: Hello. What? Yes, she is. (Motions to Buffy) Um...it's for you.
Buffy: (Looking surprised)Hello? (Faith watches her expectantly) What
sort of emergency? (Looks unhappy) No, I haven't. (Faith leaves) Thank
you, I'll let you know. (Puts phone down)
Giles: What is it?
Buffy: It's Faith. She's awake. (All look surprised) She beat someone
up, took her clothing and disappeared out of the hospital. No-one
knows where she is.
Xander: I'd say this qualifies for a "Worst Timing Ever" award.
Willow: What do we do?
Giles: Well, we have to find her.
Willow: What about Adam?
Xander: I'd hate to see the pursuit of a homicidal lunatic get in the
way of persuing a homicidal lunatic.
Buffy: Well, Faith's not exactly low-profile girl. I'll patrol and
wait for her to make a move.
Giles: But then what?
Willow: Oooh! I have an idea! Beat the crap out of her!
Xander: Good plan.
Buffy: Good on paper. But we still have a decision to make. Do we hand
her over to the cops? They wouldn't know what to do with a Slayer even
if they knew we existed.
Willow: What about the Council?
Xander: Been there. Tried that. Not unlike smothering a forest fire
with napalm as I recall.
Giles: Well, the Initiative, they do have containment facilities.
Xander: One word: Evil.
Buffy: There's no way around it. Faith is back, and whether I like it
or not, she's my responsibility.
Willow: Yeah, too bad. That was out first coma ever.
Buffy: We have no idea where she is. We don't know what she's
thinking, what she's feeling...
Xander: Who she's doing.
Buffy: She could be terrified. Maybe she doesn't even remember. Or
maybe she does and she's sorry and she's alone hiding somewhere.
Giles: Well, perhaps there's some form of rehabiliatation we just
haven't thought about.
Willow: And if not, ass-kicking makes a solid plan B.
Buffy: I'm not going to rule it out. First thing, we need to find
her. Then we can take it from there.
Riley: Who's Faith?
Cut to University campus the next day. Buffy and Willow walking along.
Willow: What did you tell him?
Buffy: The truth? That she's my wacky identical cousin from England,
and whenever she visits hi-jinks ensue?
Willow: It's good you guys have such an honest relationship.
Buffy: No, I told him the story. I vagued up a few bits, but no
flat-out lies.
Willow: That's fair. How'd you handle the Angel-y parts?
Buffy: I did some editing. It's not that I'm trying to hide anything
from Riley, it's just that's a longer conversation, and I had a
Faith-hunt to do.
Willow: Any luck?
Buffy: Couldn't find her. Don't know exactly where to place that
little up-continuum.
Willow: At least you're not alone on this. I bet every cop in
Sunnydale is out there looking for her right now.
Buffy: Pressure's definitely on. I'm telling you, if I were her, I'd
get outta Dodge post hasty.
Faith turns from looking at the noticeboard.
Faith: But you're not me.
Fade to Break.
Faith: So, check you out B. Nice, the big girl on campus thing's
really working for you.
Buffy: I've been looking for you.
Faith: I've been standing still for eight months, B. How hard did you
look?
Buffy: Are you alright?
Faith: Five-by-five. It's that thing about a coma. Wake up all rested
and rejuvinated. And ready for payback.
Buffy: So much for pleasantries, huh?
Faith: What did you think, I'd wake up and we'd go for tea? You tried
to gut me, bonny.
Buffy; You'd have done the same to me if you'd had the chance.
Faith: Lets have another go at it. See who ends on top.
Buffy: It doesn't have to be like this, y'know.
Faith: Actually, I think it has to be exactly like this.
Buffy: Faith, these are innocent people.
Faith: No such animal.
Buffy: I guess it was too much to hope that you'd use your downtime to
reflect and grow.
Faith: I could say the same about you. I mean, you're still the same
better-than-thou Buffy. I mean, I knew it somehow. I kept having this
dream, I'm not sure what it means, but in the dream the self-righteous
blond chick stabs me, and you wanna know why?
Shot of Willow taking her backpack off her shoulders.
Buffy: You had it coming.
Faith: That's one interpretation, but in my dream, she does it for a
guy.
Willow comes towards Faith from behind her, wielding the bag.
Faith: (To Willow) Try it red, and you'll lose an arm. (Back to Buffy)
I wake up to find the blond chick isn't even dating the guy she was so
nuts about before. I mean, she's moved on to the first college
beefstick she meets. Not only has she forgotten about the love of her
life, but she's forgotten about the chick she nearly killed for
him. So that's my dream. That and some stuff about cigars and a
tunnel. But tell me, college girl, what does it mean?
Buffy: To me? Mostly, that you still mouth off about things you don't
understand. (Sirens) Uh-oh. I guess somebody knows you're here.
Faith punches Buffy around the face. They fight as the Police
approach. Willow attacks Faith from behind, she turns and is grabbed
by Buffy. She breaks free.
Faith: You took my life, B. Payback's a bitch.
Willow: Look who's talking.
Faith: See you around.
Faith runs off, throws a police officer aside, runs over their car and
runs over a field pushing people aside with Buffy in pursuit. Faith
leaps over a wall. Buffy looks over it to find Faith has disappeared.
Cut to a staircase at University. Willow and Tara going down them.
Willow: Thanks for ocming with. Hunting for a psychopathic superbitch
is definitely in the above and beyond category.
Tara: It's okay, really. So, what do we do if we find her?
Willow: Run, flee, maybe skedadlle. We're not here to engage. This is
strictly recon.
Tara smiles.
Willow: What?
Tara: You said "recon". You're like "Cool Monster Fighter"!
Willow: Well, technically, Faith isn't a monster. And as far as
fighting, I'd be lucky to bruise her fist with my face.
Tara: Oh.
Willow: What?
Tara: Face-punching, I'm not so good with the whole..(Imitates
throwing punches rather badly)
Willow: Swimming?
Tara: Violence.
Willow: Don't worry, we're sure to spot Faith first. She's liek this
cleavagy slut-bomb walking around "Ooh, check me out, I'm wicked-cool,
I'm five-by-five."
Tara: Five-by-five? Five what by five what?
Willow: See, that's the thing. No-one knows. Buffy can handle Faith
and you're plenty safe with me.
Tara: So, um.......we recon till nightfall?
Willow: Then the ritual hiding begins.
Cut to Xander and Giles in the streets looking for Faith.
Xander: The point being I could be the target here. Faith finds
Mr. Xander Harri still in town, she goes tighter than cat gut. Got a
lotta pent up feelings there. I'm only saying.
Giles: (Wearily) Yes, I'm sure.
Xander: See, I can't be held responsible for the effect I have on
women.
Giles: No...
Xander: See, Faith and I have this little thing between us called
history...
Rattling. They look around. Xander charges the blaster. They go
towards the sound. Spike comes out of the darkness.
Xander: Spike?
Giles: What are you doing here?
Spike: Me? Hey, I'm not the one out of place here.
Xander: For your information, smarty, we've got a rogue Slayer on our
hands. Real psycho-killer too.
Spike: Sounds serious.
Giles: It is. What do you know?
Spike: What do you need?
Xander: Her. Dark hair. Yay (Indicates) tall, name of Faith,
criminally insane.
Giles: Have you seen her?
Spike: Is this bird after you?
Xander: In a bad way, yeah.
Spike: Tell you what I'll do then. I'll head out, find this girl, tell
her exactly where you are and then watch as she kills you. (Sees their
looks of surprise and irriatation.) Can't any one of your damn little
Scooby club at least try to remember that I hate you all? Just because
I can't do the damage myself doesn't stop me from aiming a loose
cannon your way. And here I thought the evening be dull.
Xander: Go ahead. You wouldn't even recognise her.
Spike: Dark hair, this tall (Indicates), anme of Faith, criminally
insane. Like this girl already.
Xander and Giles watch him leave.
Xander: We're dumb.
Cut to another new woman watching Police helicopters flying
around. Pan around. Faith is walking around the streets. About to go
into a shop selling blades. See a police car coming around the
corner. She ducks into a corner. Some kind of monster comes up to her.
Monster: Faith! Your friend sent me. I got a little rememberance from
him.
She beats the monster up and takes the case from him. Then another
police car comes around the corner. She goes quickly up a ladder,
dodging his searchlight. Once up the ladder she opens the case.
Mayor: Hello Faith. If you're watching this tape, it can only mean one
thing. I'm dead. And our noble campaign to bring order to the town of
Sunnydale has failed. Utterly and completely. But on the other hand,
heck, maybe we won. And right now, I'm on some jumbo monder in the
Richard Wilkins surrounded by a bunch of kids sitting Indian style and
looking up at my face filled with fear and wonder. (Laughs) "Hi kids!"
(Faith smiles) But the realist in me tends to doubt it. Now, Faith, as
I record this message you're sleeping. And the doctors tell me you
might never wake up. I don't believe that. Sooner or later you will
wake up, and when you do, you'll find the world has gone and changed
on you. I wish I could make the world a better place for you to wake
up in. But, tough as it is to accept, we both have to understand that
even my power to protect and watch over you has it's limits. See, the
hard pill to swallow is that once I'm gone, your days are just plain
numbered. Now, I know, you're a smart and capable young woman in
charge of her own life, but the problem, Faith, is that there won't be
a place in the world for you anymore. By now I bet you're feeling very
much alone. But you're never alone. You'll always have me. (Picks up
box) And you'll always have this. Go ahead. Open the box. (Faith takes
box from the case and looks at it.) Don't worry. It's not gonna
bite. That's my job. (Laughs) Go ahead. Open it. (She does so)
Surprise! You won't find these in any gumball machine! See, when
you've been around as long as I have, you amke friends. And some of
them forge neat little gizmos. Just like the one you're holding right
now. (She looks at it) And here's the good news. Just because it's
over for my Faith, doesn't mean she can't go out with a bang. (He
looks down and laughs sadly. Faith looks sadly at the device.)
Buffy (VO): She's a very dangerous woman.
Cut to Buffy's dorm. Buffy and Riley talking.
Riley: Okay, I get it. Faith bad. Do I look like I'm arguing?
Buffy: Not yet. But you always make that innocent face right before
you start.
Riley: Figured it out, huh? Damn. It took my mom twelve years to catch
that one. All I'm saying is, if you're in trouble, I wanna help.
Buffy: You can't.
Riley: Give me one reason why.
She throws him a ball. He barely catches it and flinches in pain.
Buffy: That's one.
Riley: Alright, I'm not exactly action guy, but there's gotta be
something I can do other than sit around waiting for you to pummel
this gal.
Buffy: Riley, the fact that you just called Faith a "gal" only proves
that you don't know her.
Riley: Never seen anyone get under your skin this way before. What
exactly did she do to you?
Buffy: It's a long story.
Riley: I'm from Iowa. We drive four hours for our High School football
game. Try me.
Buffy: I told you, okay? She hurt me and people I care about. And did
I mention the psycho killer part?
Riley: There's something you're not telling me.
Buffy: Riley, I have to go. She's out there.
Riley: Alright. I'm just saying. I think you're holding out on me.
Buffy: Riley, this isn't a joke. There's a criminally insane woman out
there with super-powers who thinks I'm responsible for ruining her
life. I know Faith. She'll come after me and she'll come after the
people I love.
Cut to Joyce Summers' house. Knock on the door. Joyce goes to answer
it. It's Faith.
Faith: Hi Joyce.
She pushes Joyce down, comes in and shuts the door.
Faith: Mind if I come in.
Fade to Commercial Break.
Faith going through Joyce's makeup drawer.
Faith: Ruby sunset....burgendy skyline...harlot. Mmmmmmm, way to go
Joyce. Now, normally I wouldn't be going for something this dark. But
I read in some magazine that eight months in a coma will damage a
girl's natural skin tone. (Puts on lipstick) Good thing pale is in
this year.n Or was it last year? (Finishes, kisses mirror.) Anyway,
for real now. I wanna ask you something, and I want you to promise to
be honest, and to not spare my feelings just because I could kill
you. You promise?
Joyce: I promise.
Faith: OK. (Finishes with hair) How do I look? (Poses)
Joyce: Psychotic.
Faith: Mmmmmmm. I was shooting for sultry, but hey. Bet I know what
you're thinking.
Joyce: Really.
Faith: You're thinking "You'll never get away with this!" Moi?
Joyce: Actually I was thinking "My daughter is going to kill you
soon."
Faith: That a fact?
Joyce: More like a bet.
Faith: Whoa. You got a pair on you, Joyce, I like seeing that in a
woman your age. Guess you can afford to talk that way. I mean, in the
world according to Joyce, Buffy is gonna come crashing through that
door any minute. But, look what I found. (Goes over and picks up some
letters, comes over to Joyce. Reads adresses.) Buffy Summers, Buffy
Summers, Buffy Summers, Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. Lotta letters. She hasn't
been by in a while, huh? And you'd think, with a crazy chick like me
on the loose, crazy chick with a wicked grudge against her no less,
she'd call, give you a heads up. But Buffy's too into her own deal to
remember dear old mom.
Joyce: You don't know the first thing about Buffy. Or me.
Faith: Don't I? I know what it's like. You think you matter, you think
you're a part of something and you get dumped. It's like the whole
world is moving and you're stuck. It's like those animals in the tar
pits. It's like you just keep sinking a little deeper everyday and
no-one even sees.
Joyce: Were you planning to slit my throat any time soon?
Faith: Don't tell me you don't see it Joyce. You've served you
purpose, squirted out the kids, raised her up, and now you might as
well be dead. Nobody cares, nobody remembers, especially not Buffy
fabulous superhero. Sooner or later you're going to have to face
it. She was over us a long time ago Joyce. Too busy climbing onto her
new boytoy to give a single though to the people that matter. I mean,
you're her mother, and she just leaves you hear to die. (Grabs knife)
Buffy crashes in through the window and punches Faith.
Buffy: Hi mom.
Joyce: Hi honey.
The fight continues. As the Slayers fall downstairs, Joyce calls 911.
They roll down the stairs and clmaber to their feet.
Faith: Thought I'd go after the queen marine didn't ya? He's a
cutie. Looks like he could use a good roll in the sack.
Buffy attacks Faith and knocks her down.
Buffy: You're not his type. He's not big on sleaze.
They fight and Faith gets Buffy against a wall by the neck.
Faith: He's probably just never tried it.
Buffy: Going for the boyfriend again? That's tired.
Faith: Just something to remember me by once I've moved on.
They fight and Faiht is thrown across the table.
Buffy: Ever occur to you, Faith, that the reason we forgot you is
because we wanted to?
Faith smashes stuff and throws it at her.
Cut to Giles entering his apartment. Finds some guy waiting for him.
Guy: Hello Rupert.
Giles looks shocked. Guy looks calm.
Cut back to fight. Faith attacks Buffy, then hears the Police and
tries to run.
Buffy blocks her and punches her around. Faith opens the Mayor's
device and blocks one of her punches with it. Small energy
discharge. When it stops, both Buffy and Faith look shocked. Then
Buffy punches Faith out. Joyce comes to her.
Joyce: You okay?
Buffy: All things considered.
Joyce: (Sees Mayor's device) What is that?
Buffy: Weapon of some kind. (Crushes it underfoot) Didn't work,
whatever it was.
Police come.
Joyce: Oh, the Police.
Buffy looks at Faith.
Buffy: She's their problem now.
Joyce: You sure you're okay?
Buffy: Five-by-five.
Lingering shot of Buffy's face.
TO BE CONTINUED
This Year's Girl
Transcribed by Joseph B
Written by: Doug Petrie
Directed by: Michael Gershman
Originally aired: February 22, 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 to white.
A white sheet descends and we see Buffy draping it over a bed. She is
in her bedroom at home making her bed. Through the windows it looks
like its late afternoon as sunlight shines into the room.
Buffy: (smoothing the edges) They smell good, don't they?
The camera pulls back and we see Faith on the other side of the bed,
matching Buffy's movements.
Faith: What?
Buffy: (smiling) Clean sheets. Like summer.
Faith: I wouldn't know.
Buffy: (stops smiling) Right. I forgot.
Faith: I noticed.
Buffy: (hesitantly) I-I wish I could stay, but . . .
Faith: Oh, you have to go.
Buffy: It's just with . . .
Faith: (knowingly) Little sis coming. I know. So much to do before
she gets here.
They've worked their way to the foot of the bed now and are beside
each other.
Buffy: (regretfully) Now I really have to--
Faith: So go. Don't let me keep--
She stops as she hears something. She looks down and sees that two
drops of blood have hit the sheet, a dark red on the clean white. Two
more drops quickly follow.
Faith: (looks at Buffy) Damn. Just when we made it so nice.
She straightens and looks down at her body as she faces Buffy. She
lifts her eyes to meet Buffy's, whose expression has suddenly become
stoic.
Faith: (concerned) Are you ever gonna take this thing out?
She indicates to her abdomen. Close up of Buffy's hand wrapped around
the handle of Faith's large knife; the one Buffy had stabbed her with
(*Graduation Day). We cannot see the blade because most of it is in
Faith's stomach and blood is seeping from the wound.
Buffy's face is emotionless as she gazes into Faith's eyes. A second
later, she suddenly jerks the knife upwards. Horrified, Faith opens
her mouth in a silent scream.
Cut to a close up: the screen of a heart monitor. It is beeping
steadily with the heartbeat it's monitoring. The camera pans to show
us a drab, blue wall with the paint peeling showing plaster. The room
is dimly lit. There is an IV stand next to the bed, the tube leading
to the comatose patient lying there.
Faith is in a room that obviously doesn't see much human presence.
From a window we cannot see, lightning flashes outside and splashes
across her face.
Faith continues to sleep.
Wolf's howl. Buffy theme and credits roll.
~~~~~~~~~~ Part One ~~~~~~~~~~
Fade in. Close up of an Initiative taser rifle. The top panel of the
weapon is off and hanging to the side, trailing wires, as Xander
examines the inside with a pair of pliers in his hand.
Xander: So. Here it is. The latest in state-of-the-art combat
technology. I gotta say it doesn't look that complicated.
The camera pulls back and we're in Xander's basement. He has the
weapon on the counter. Willow is standing next to him with tools in
her hands should he need them. Buffy is standing behind them. Behind
her, Giles is seated on the couch folding a basket of laundry on the
coffee table.
Buffy: So can you repair it?
Xander: Sure. Just as soon as I get my masters degree in advance
starship technology.
Frustrated, he drops the pliers on the counter and lets the rifle fall
on its side.
Willow: Well, why don't we experiment? (eagerly) Press some buttons,
see what happens.
Giles: (folding a pair of boxers) Uh, I-I'd like to veto that.
Xander: Second. It's called a blaster, Will. A word that tends to
discourage experimentation. Now if it were called “the orgasminatorâ€
I'd be the first to try you basic button-press approach.
Buffy: Just tell me, can you repair it or not.
Xander: I'm working on it. I'm working on it.
Buffy turns and walks towards the couch. Xander rights the rifle
again and picks up a screwdriver.
Xander: But if I blow a hole in my mom's azalea patch the neighbors
will not be pleased.
Buffy sits down on the couch and rests her head on the palm of her
hand, tiredly.
Giles: You all right? (he moves to sit closer to her) You've been
patrolling around the clock for three days straight. Perhaps you can
use some--
Buffy: (lifts her head) What? Some rest? There's a demonoid killing
machine out there, Giles, that doesn't really work the night shift.
Giles: I was going to say, perhaps you could use some back-up, but, um
. . . now you mention it. Gathering your strength might not be a bad
idea.
Buffy: (to Xander) Just get the blaster working. That's all the
strength I need.
Willow: Are you sure?
Buffy: Why, because rayguns aren't in the Slayer Handbook? Will, you
haven't seen this Adam thing. H-he's the Terminator without the
bashful charm. And he's deadly. And the last time we met he kicked
my ass.
Willow: Oh-- no! Blast away, by all means. I only meant . . . No
word about Riley? (sits down in a chair next to the sofa)
Buffy: (sits back, crossing her arms) They keep telling me that he's
fine. That's all they'll say.
Willow: Maybe they're telling the truth?
Buffy: (worried) Maybe. I don't even know what the Initiative's
version of fine is. They could be forcing him back onto medication
and torturing him, for all I know.
Giles: From what we've seen I doubt they'll be trying to hurt him.
Buffy: The only thing I know for certain is that my boyfriend is
locked away, and I'm not helping.
Cut to Xander. His back is to us. He's leaning over the blaster when
it suddenly lets out a big spark. He does a short electrocuted dance
as he holds it in his hands and a puff a smoke is rising from the gun.
Willow: (unaware of this) Maybe Giles has a point? I mean, Riley is
their Top Gun guy. Doesn't make sense that they'd hurt him.
Xander has let go of the blaster and turns to face the others with a
wide-eyed “I just hurt myself†expression on his face. He's wavering
on his feet, still feeling the effects of the shock, and sees nobody
noticed what happened. Without a word he turns around and picks up
the weapon again to continue working on it.
Buffy: The Initiative has all those brainwashy behavior modification
guys.
Willow: So?
Buffy: So what happens when they start not liking his behavior?
Cut to Initiative: medical ward. Close up of Buffy's red scarf lying
on a counter. Riley's reaches out to take it and closes his fist
around it. His right hand is bandaged up. The camera pans and we see
him lying on a bed. His abdomen is also heavily bandaged. He pushes
himself to a sitting position, groaning and putting a hand against the
wound in his side. After taking a couple of breaths he stands up,
grabbing a shirt, and puts it on as he heads out.
Cut to the door leading into the infirmary. There is a soldier
standing guard. At Riley's approach he turns around a stands in front
of the doorway.
Riley: Stand down, soldier.
Riley starts buttoning up his shirt and a second later realizes that
the guard hasn't moved.
Riley: (conversationally) Stand down before I put you down.
The soldier still doesn't move and before we can find out what Riley
would've done about that, Forrest walks up.
Forrest: (to soldier) You heard the man. At ease.
The soldier returns to his original position. With a glance at
Forrest, Riley steps out of the doorway and starts walking down the
corridor with a noticeable limp. He continues to button his shirt.
Forrest falls into step with him.
Forrest: The shish kebab that walks like a man. Looks like you're
feeling better, walking around, threatening people, and all that.
Riley: Man was in my way. I got places to be.
Forrest: Really? And where were you thinking of going?
Riley: You know where I'm going.
Forrest: (exasperated sigh) Don't even tell me you're heading toward
that girlfriend of yours. (steps out in front of him) Look at you.
One good conjugal visit and you're back in intensive care to stay.
Riley: You wouldn't understand.
Forrest: (crossing his arms) How ‘bout you explain it to me, then?
Graham walks up from behind Riley.
Graham: We all friends here, fellas?
Forrest: (looking at Riley) Absolutely. Riley here is about to
explain why he's leaving us so very quickly.
Riley: I don't explain. Because I don't have to. I'm the one in
charge.
Forrest: Things change.
Riley: Do they?
Forrest: Hey! In case you failed to notice, we're in a world of hurt
around here. Now's the time for us to band together. Not go flying
off our separate ways.
Graham: Forrest has a point, Riley.
Forrest: We have a problem, we deal with that problem. You know the
most important part of the equation now is that we keep said problem
within the family.
Riley: Family? Is that what we are? (a beat) Step aside.
Forrest doesn't look like he's about to do that, but unfortunately we
have to--
Cut to Faith's room. An overhead closing shot of her lying in the
bed. It alternates with another shot of a cloudy sky, as thunder
cracks, threatening rain. The sun can be seen trying to shine
through. Camera pans down to a tree line of a spacious park. Close
up of Faith. Her pupils are moving under her closed eyelids.
Faith: (VO) Do you think it's gonna rain?
Cut to Faith, in the park, laying on a picnic blanket, barefoot. She
is wearing a light blue shirt and a bright pink skirt. Mayor Richard
Wilkins is laying on the other side of the blanket, eating a sandwich.
Faith is just picking at the grapes on her own plate.
Wilkins: Nonsense. It's a beautiful day. Now eat your
sandwich. (wipes his mouth with a napkin)
Faith: I don't know. It's just . . . it always seems like it starts
raining right about now. (eats a grape)
Wilkins: You're too young and too pretty a girl to start wearing worry
lines on your face.
He sits up as he sees something.
Wilkins: Well, hey, hey hey.
Picks up a small grass snake that was slithering across the blanket.
Faith frowns as she sees it.
Wilkins: Hey there, little fella. Heh. I don't know where you
belong, but it's not here with us. (chuckles as he sets it down
pointing towards the grass) There you go. (to Faith) You see? There's
nothing that's gonna spoil our time together. Who wants cheesecake?
(light laugh)
Faith smiles as he turns to open the picnic basket. Horror suddenly
fills her expression.
Faith: NO!
Buffy is suddenly standing in front of Wilkins. She's in black
clothes and a long dark coat. She has Faith's knife in her hand and
swings the blade down across his throat, and he gags. Before he can
fall she thrusts the knife into his chest. She pulls it out and lets
him fall and her emotionless gaze fixes on Faith.
Buffy: I told you I had things to do.
Faith is terrified and starts backing away. In a panic, she turns and
flees on her hands and knees. Buffy is holding the blood-covered
knife raised at the elbow and calmly stalks after her.
Cut to the woods. Night time. Buffy, Willow, and Xander are on
patrol, each carrying a flashlight.
Willow: Spread out?
Buffy: Not too far.
Xander: So not a problem.
Willow and Xander split from Buffy as they reach a clump of bushes.
The camera pulls back as we track Buffy's progress. Behind her we see
two trees and a pair of red legs, with clawed feet, tied to them.
Willow and Xander's flashlights are visible on the other side of the
trees. Buffy hears a crackling sound a turns. Her eyes widen as she
looks up. Willow and Xander are already gaping at the sight of the
crucified demon (looked like a Fyarl) suspended high between the two
trees.
Buffy shines her light on the body and sees the demon was eviscerated.
It was sliced down the middle from its neck to lower abdomen, its
flesh pulled open wide and also tied to the trees. We see that all
the internal organs have been removed and the ribcage and spine are
clearly visible. The demon must have been sliced open on the back as
well becau
