Note: This episode was unusual in that they showed "Previously on Buffy..." and then went directly into the opening credits, then began the episode without a commercial break. So the "teaser" came after the opening credits instead of before.

Shot of Adam.

Buffy: The Initiative created this thing and they can't stop it, but we will.

Giles Voiceover: Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer...

Overhead shot of Willow, Giles, and Xander doing the spell in "Primeval."

Willow Voiceover: Power of the slayer and all who wield it, last to ancient first, we invoke thee.

Giles lighting a candle.

Willow: Make us mind and heart and spirit join.

Shot of Willow's hand laying down a Tarot-sized card.

Willow: Spiritus, the spirit.

Shot of Xander laying down another card.

Xander: Animus, heart.

Shot of Giles laying down another card.

Giles: Sophus, mind.

Shot of Willow holding the last card.

Buffy: And Manus, the hand.

Shot of Buffy with bullets dissolving in front of her.

Buffy: You could never hope to grasp the source of our power.

Buffy reaching into Adam's chest and pulling out his power supply. Adam falling over dead.

Wolf howl.

Opening credits.

BUFFY: Are you sure you'll be all right? Cause I can be there in the morning.

RILEY: (shakes head) It's just a debriefing.

(We see they're at Joyce's house, standing by the door. Giles is in the dining room. Willow sitting on the stairs.)

RILEY: They're not gonna make me disappear, and they're not pinning anything on me. I got Graham and a lot of the guys testifying I'm the reason they're alive. I might actually get out of this with an honorable discharge.

GILES: (eating something) In return for your silence, no doubt.

RILEY: Oh yeah. Having the inside scoop on the administration's own Bay of Mutated Pigs is definitely an advantage.

WILLOW: (cheery) It's like you're blackmailing the government. (They look at her) In a ... patriotic way.

(Riley smiles.)

RILEY: I'll call you when it's over.

(He and Buffy smooch.)

XANDER: (offscreen) Dinner is served.

(Xander enters with a bowl of popcorn. Joyce behind him.)

XANDER: And my very own recipe.

(Willow takes a handful.)

WILLOW: Ooh, you pushed the button on the microwave that says "popcorn"?

XANDER: (shakes head) Actually, I pushed "defrost," but, um, Joyce was there in the clinch.

RILEY: Well, you guys have fun tonight. (Extends his hand to Joyce) It was very nice meeting you.

JOYCE: (shakes his hand) It was nice meeting you ... finally.

RILEY: Bye.

BUFFY: Bye.

(Riley leaves. Buffy shuts the door behind him. We see Joyce is holding a bowl of peanuts.)

JOYCE: (to Buffy) Did you notice how pointedly I said "finally"?

BUFFY: (innocent face) No.

(They all go into the living room.)

XANDER: Let the vid-fest begin.

GILES: (to Joyce) You sure you won't join us?

JOYCE: No, you guys have your fun. (Buffy and Willow sit on the sofa, Xander on the floor) I'm tired. I can't believe you're not exhausted. Have you even slept since...

GILES: Still feel a little bit too wired.

WILLOW: Mm. Yeah, that spell, that was, that was powerful.

BUFFY: Don't think I *could* sleep.

(We see Buffy and Willow curling up on the sofa with blankets over them.)

XANDER: Well, we got plenty of vids. And I'm putting in a preemptive bid for "Apocalypse Now," huh? (Holds up the video)

WILLOW: (scowls) Did you get anything less heart-of-darkness-y?

(Joyce smiles, puts down bowl)

XANDER: Apocalypse Now is a gay romp! It's the feel-good movie of whatever year it was.

BUFFY: (not buying it) What else?

(Joyce and Giles exchange a smile and she heads for the stairs.)

XANDER: Don't worry. Got plenty of chick-and-British-guy flicks too. These puppies should last us all night.

(Shot of Joyce smiling at them as she climbs the stairs.)

(Shot of a hand putting a tape in the VCR and pressing Play.)

(Pan up to the TV screen. The FBI warning comes up.)

(Shot of Giles, Buffy, Willow, and Xander fast asleep in their seats.)

(The four still asleep. Giles in a chair, Buffy and Willow on the sofa, Xander on the floor. Zoom in slowly on Willow, clutching a red blanket against herself.)

(Fade to Tara's face. She appears to be lying on her stomach, resting chin on crossed arms. We see a bare shoulder.)

TARA: I think it's strange. I mean, I think I should worry that we haven't found her name.

WILLOW: Who, Miss Kitty?

(Shot of their kitten, playing with a ball of red yarn in slow-motion.)

TARA: You'd think she'd let us know her name by now.

WILLOW: She will. (Looking down at Tara) She's not all grown yet.

TARA: You're not worried?

WILLOW: I never worry here. (Smile) I'm safe here.

TARA: You don't know everything about me.

WILLOW: Have you told me your real name?

(Tara smiles.)

TARA: Oh, you know that.

(Willow smiles, reaches for something.)

(Shot of a paintbrush dipping into ink jars.)

TARA: They will find out, you know.

(Shot of Willow's face.)

TARA: About you.

WILLOW: Don't have time to think about that. (Frown) You know I have all this homework to finish.

(The camera pulls back so we can see Tara is lying face-down on her bed, naked, and Willow is painting on her back.)

TARA: Are you gonna finish in time for class?

WILLOW: I can be late.

TARA: But you've never taken drama before.

(Shot of Willow dipping the paintbrush again, moving it across to Tara's back, which is covered with Greek symbols.)

TARA: Might miss something important.

(Pause)

WILLOW: I don't wanna leave here.

(Tara twists back to look at her.)

TARA: Why not?

(Willow stands up, looking down at Tara. She turns away toward a dark red curtain. Walks over to it.)

WILLOW: It's so bright.

(Pulls back the curtain to reveal a brightly sunlit desert. The light falls on Tara, who looks over.)

WILLOW: (looking back at Tara, still holding the curtain open) And there's something out there.

(Shot of the desert, straggly plants, rocks. We briefly see something (someone?) moving, then it's gone.)

(Shot of the kitten stalking forward toward the camera, in slow-motion.)

(Cut to Willow walking down the halls of Sunnydale High, looking anxious. She walks up to Xander and Oz.)

XANDER: Hey.

WILLOW: (casual) Hey, guys. (Keeps walking)

OZ: Heard you're taking drama. (The guys walk after her)

WILLOW: Uh-huh.

OZ: It's a tough course.

WILLOW: You took it? (Walks up to a locker, starts trying to open it)

OZ: Oh, I've been here forever.

XANDER: So whatcha been doin'? Doing spells? (To Oz) She does spells with Tara.

OZ: Yeah, I heard about that.

(Willow still trying to open the locker.)

(Bell rings.)

WILLOW: (anxious) I'm gonna be late. (Walks off)

XANDER: Sometimes I think about two women doing a spell ... and then I do a spell by myself.

(Oz looks at him. Xander looks at Oz, then quickly away.)

(Cut to Willow entering the backstage area. Costumes hanging on a rack. People getting into costume. Makeup table with mirrors. Sound of an orchestra tuning up. People wearing all kinds of different costumes. Willow walks around looking lost.)

(Harmony runs up to her. She's dressed as a Swedish Milkmaid with two braids.)

HARMONY: Isn't this exciting? Our first production! I can't wait till our scene! I love you! Oh! (Hugs Willow. Suddenly drops the fake friendly act.)

Don't step on my cues.

WILLOW: Production?

(We see Buffy peeking out through the curtain at the audience. She runs over to Willow and Harmony. She's dressed as the lead character in "Chicago": short straight black hair, short tight black dress.)

BUFFY: Ohmigod. The place is packed. Everybody's here! Your whole family's in the front row, (cheerful) and they look really angry.

WILLOW: There's a production?

HARMONY: (rubbing Willow's shoulders) Oh, somebody's got stage fright.

WILLOW: Isn't this the first class?

(Riley approaches, dressed as a cowboy.)

RILEY: Well, you showed up late, or you'd have a better part. (Smiling) I'm Cowboy Guy.

BUFFY: (to Willow) Your costume is perfect. (Whispers) Nobody's gonna know the truth. You know, about you.

WILLOW: (bemused) Costume?

BUFFY: (pouting) You're already in character! Oh, I shoulda done that! (Stomps foot, turns away)

WILLOW: But how come there's - I mean, I was given to understand that a drama class would have, you know ... drama class. I mean, we haven't even rehearsed!

HARMONY: (snorts) Well, maybe some people haven't. (Smiles up at Riley)

RILEY: I showed up on time, so I got to be Cowboy Guy. (Harmony nods)

WILLOW: (to Buffy) I just think it's really early to be putting on a play. I, I don't even know what... (Eyes widen) This isn't Madame Butterfly, is it, because I have a whole problem with opera.

GILES: (offscreen) All right, everyone! (Buffy looks excited. Sound of Giles clapping hands for attention) Pay attention! (Everyone gathers around Giles) In just a few moments that curtain is going to open on our very first production. Now, everyone that Willow's ever met ... is out in that audience, including all of us. That means we have to be perfect. (Shot of Willow looking upset) Stay in character, (Willow sees something hairy behind a prop. She stares) remember your lines, and energy energy energy,

especially in the musical numbers!

(Shot of Buffy looking really excited.)

WILLOW: (whispering) Did anyone see that?

GILES: Acting is not about behaving, it's about hiding. The audience wants to find you, (We see Harmony behind him, wearing vampire face, grabbing his shoulders and trying to bite him) strip you naked, and eat you alive, so hide. (to Harmony) Stop that. (She stops)

GILES: Now, costumes, sets, um, the things that you, uh, you know, uh, you, um... (Shot from above. We see the cast gathered, Harmony still jumping up behind Giles trying to bite him) you hold them, you touch them, uh, use them, um...

HARMONY: Props?

GILES: No.

RILEY: Props?

GILES: Yes! (Points at Riley) It's all about subterfuge. (To Harmony) That's very annoying. (To everyone) Now go on out there, lie like dogs, and have a wonderful time. (Shot of Riley looking excited) Now, if we can stay in focus, keep our heads, and if Willow can stop stepping on everyone's cues, (shot of Willow looking anxious) I know this'll be the best production of "Death of a Salesman" we've ever done. (To Harmony) Stop it.

(Loudly) Good luck everyone! Break a leg! (Pushes through them and leaves)

(Excited chatter. Willow frowns.)

(Sound fades out. We still see the costumed students chattering and moving around, but it's silent. Willow walks through the crowd looking confused. To the side, in the darkness, she sees a bald man wearing glasses.)

BALD MAN: (whispers) I've made a little space for the cheese slices. (He shows her a table with slices of American cheese laid neatly in a row.)

(Willow frowns. Eerie music starts up. Willow walks past a curtain. She's in a narrow tunnel made of red stage curtains on either side. She walks slowly through it. Creepy music. It's dark. Then Willow walks into a beam of light, and Tara is there.)

TARA: Things aren't going very well.

WILLOW: (agitated) No! This drama class is just ... I think they're really not doing things in the proper way, and now I'm in a play and my whole family's out there, and ... why is there a cowboy in "Death of a Salesman" anyway?

TARA: (frowns) You don't understand yet, do you?

(Willow frowns, looks around.)

WILLOW: (whispers) Is there something following me?

(Tara nods.)

TARA: Yes.

WILLOW: Well, what, uh, what should I do? The, the play's gonna start soon, and I don't even know my lines.

TARA: The play's already started. That's not the point.(Willow looks alarmed)

(Cut to the stage. Riley on the left with hands on his belt. In the middle, Harmony wearing a yoke with buckets on either end. On the right, Buffy reclining seductively on a sofa.)

RILEY: (swaggers forward, pushes up cowboy hat) Why, hello, little lady. Can I hold those milk pails for you? (Laughter from audience)

HARMONY: Why thank you, but they're not very heavy. (Overacting) Why have you come to our lonely small town, which has no post office and very few exports?

RILEY: I've come looking for a man. (Looks directly into camera) A *sales*man.

(Cut to Willow looking anxious.)

TARA: (offscreen) Everyone's starting to wonder about you. The real you. If they find out, they'll punish you, I ... I can't help you with that.

WILLOW: Well, what should I ... what's after me? Is it something I-I was supposed to do? W-was I supposed to-

TARA: Shh. (Looking around)

(Willow looks around. Hears a buzzing noise.)

WILLOW: (whispers) What was that?

(Tara looks worried.)

(Cut to stage. Riley in the foreground facing the audience. Buffy in the middle ground facing Riley. Harmony in the background, sitting on the sofa, crying.)

BUFFY: (with contempt) But what else could I expect from a bunch of low-rent, no-account hoodlums like you? Hoodlums, yes, I mean you and your friends, your whole sex, throw 'em in the sea for all I care, throw 'em in and wait for the bubbles, men with your groping and spitting all groin no brain three billion of you passing around the same worn-out urge. Men! With your ... sales!

(She says all this in one breath without pause or inflection. Harmony sobs throughout and Riley stands expressionless.)

(Cut to Willow looking over her shoulder. She turns back and Tara is gone.)

WILLOW: (looking scared, whispers) Tara? Tara, okay, this really isn't fu-

(A stake or dagger slashes through the curtain right by her face. She gasps, turns away. A hand covered in rags reaches out of the other curtain, tries to grab her. She's knocked to the floor. She screams and covers her head with her hands. Another hand reaches for her.)

BUFFY: Will!

(Buffy leaning through the curtains to grab her.)

WILLOW: Buffy! Oh god.

BUFFY: Come on. (Helps her up and through the curtain. They're in a Sunnydale High classroom.)

BUFFY: Stay low. (They crouch down and creep between the desks) What did it look like?

WILLOW: I don't know. I-I don't know what's after me.

BUFFY: Well, you must have *done* something. (Frowning in disapproval)

WILLOW: No. I never do anything. I'm very seldom naughty. I, I just came to class, and, and the play was starting.

BUFFY: (straightens up) Play is long over. (Stares at Willow) Why are you still in costume?

WILLOW: Okay, still having to explain wherein this is just my outfit.

(Gesturing to her clothes)

BUFFY: Willow, everybody already knows. Take it off.

WILLOW: No. No. (Looks around nervously) I need it.

(Buffy rolls her eyes.)

BUFFY: Oh, for god's sake, just take it off.

(Spins Willow around and rips her clothes off.)

BUFFY: That's better. It's much more realistic.

(Suddenly all the desks have students in them. Buffy turns and goes to take her seat.)

HARMONY: See? Isn't everybody very clear on this now?

(We see Anya sitting next to Harmony, giggling. The whole class is giggling.)

(Shot of Willow in her nerdy schoolgirl outfit and long straight hair from BTVS first season. Holding some paper.)

ANYA: My god, it's like a tragedy.

(Shot of Buffy looking at Willow.)

OZ: (to Tara) I tried to warn you. (Gives Willow a disgusted look)

ANYA: (still giggling) It's exactly like a Greek tragedy. There should only be Greeks.

(Willow looks around the room nervously, looks down at her paper.)

WILLOW: (licks lips) My book report. This summer I, I read "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."

XANDER: (loudly, to ceiling) Oh, who cares?

(Willow looks hurt. Sound of giggling. Shot of Oz nuzzling Tara's cheek while she giggles.)

WILLOW: This book ha-has many themes...

(Something bursts onscreen and knocks Willow down. She screams.)

(Shot of Buffy putting her head down on her arms on the desk, looking bored. Sound of Willow screaming and the attacker growling.)

WILLOW: Help! Help me!

(Shot of Xander looking bored.)

(Shot of Oz and Tara giving each other conspiratorial smiles.)

WILLOW: Help me!

(Growling noise continues as Willow struggles. The creature/person attacking Willow has dark skin and long matted dark hair, and is wrapped in rags. It bends as if to bite her neck. Closeup of Willow's face with the dark hair half-obscuring it. Her eyes widen. The skin on her face wrinkles and her eyes cloud.)

(Cut to the real Willow on the couch, asleep, still covered with the red blanket, twitching and making noises as if choking.)

(Willow still twitching and gasping for air. Pan down to Xander who suddenly sits up.)

XANDER: I'm awake. I'm good. Did I miss anything? (Looks at Willow, who's still asleep and twitching)

GILES: (eating popcorn) Not very much at all really.

BUFFY: (eating popcorn) Bunch of massacring.

(Xander looks at TV, raises eyebrows.)

(On TV, a soldier carrying a gun walks through a forest.)

TV SOLDIER: We gotta keep going, men. (Panting) We gotta take that hill.

(Xander looks interested) Damn this war!

GILES: I have to say, I really feel that "Apocalypse Now" is overrated.

XANDER: No, no. (Points at screen) It gets better.

TV SOLDIER: Men...

XANDER: I remember that it gets better.

TV SOLDIER: Oh my god. What's happened to my men? Ahhh!

(Buffy looks bored.)

BUFFY: Want some corn? (Holds out bowl to Xander)

XANDER: (turns head) Butter flavor?

BUFFY: New car smell.

XANDER: Cool. (Leans across Willow to take a handful) What's her deal?

(indicating Willow)

BUFFY: Big faker.

GILES: (still looking at TV) Oh, I'm beginning to understand this now. It's all about the journey, isn't it?

(Xander rolls his eyes.)

XANDER: Well, thanks for making me have to pee. (Gets up)

BUFFY: You don't need any help with that, right?

XANDER: (heading for stairs) Got a system.

(Xander climbs the stairs. He emerges in the upper hallway. Joyce appears behind him, wearing a revealing red nightie.)

JOYCE: Hey.

(Xander turns.)

XANDER: Hey Joyce. Mrs. Summers. (Takes a step closer) We're not making too much noise down there, are we?

JOYCE: Oh, no. Anyway, they all left a while ago.

XANDER: Oh, I should probably go catch up.

JOYCE: (grins) I've heard that before.

XANDER: I move pretty fast. You know, a man's always after-

JOYCE: Conquest?

XANDER: (shrugs) I'm a conquistador.

(Pan across Joyce's breasts.)

JOYCE: (we see her face and hear her voice, but her lips aren't moving) You sure it isn't comfort?

XANDER: I'm a comfortador also.

JOYCE: (leans seductively against the door frame) I do know the difference. I've learned about boys.

XANDER: That's cool about you.

(Shot of Joyce giving him a seductive look.)

(Shot of Xander staring at her.)

JOYCE: (offscreen) It's very late.

(Shot of Joyce. Again we hear her voice although her lips don't move)

JOYCE: Would you like to rest for a while?

(Pan over to her bed with the covers turned down. Xander looks from it to her.)

XANDER: Um, yeah. (Confidently) I'd like you. I'm just ... gonna go to the bathroom first.

JOYCE: Don't get lost. (Slinks into her room.)

(Xander enters the bathroom, closes the door, lifts the toilet lid, unzips his pants. Suddenly he looks over and sees a lab full of a whole bunch of Initiative people watching him: scientists in white coats in the foreground, writing on clipboards, soldiers in the background wearing fatigues. Xander raises his eyebrows, zips his pants back up.)

XANDER: Okay, I'm gonna find another bathroom.

(Opens the door and leaves, still watching them over his shoulder. Crosses the hall and goes through the opposite door. Now he's in his basement, dark. The door at the top of the stairs is closed, doorknob rattling ominously.)

XANDER: (loudly) I didn't *order* any vampires.

(Knob rattles louder and louder. Then we hear pounding on the door.)

XANDER: (nervous) That's not the way out. (Backing away)

(Cut to a playground, daylight. Giles and Spike are swinging on swings, both dressed in Giles-type tweeds. Buffy playing in the sandbox.)

(Xander walks up.)

XANDER: Hey, there you are.

BUFFY: (putting sand in pail with plastic shovel) Are you sure it's us you were looking for?

(Giles smiles at her.)

SPIKE: Giles here is gonna teach me to be a Watcher. Says I got the stuff.

GILES: Spike's like a son to me. (They both smile and continue swinging)

XANDER: That's good. I was into that for a while, but... (nods toward the street) I got other stuff goin' on.

(Long shot of the ice-cream truck surrounded by kids.)

(Closer shot of Xander in the truck, wearing his striped shirt and hat, serving ice cream to kids.)

XANDER: (in playground) You gotta have something. (Looks at Buffy) Gotta be with movin' forward.

BUFFY: (like a proud little kid) Like a shark.

XANDER: Like a shark with feet and ... much less fins.

SPIKE: (like a proud little kid) And on land!

GILES: Very good!

(They keep swinging.)

XANDER: Buffy, are you sure you wanna play there?

(Buffy gives him a pouty look like a little kid told not to do something.)

XANDER: It's a pretty big sandbox.

BUFFY: I'm okay. (Suddenly we see her against the backdrop of the desert from Willow's dream. Rocks, sand, scraggly trees) It's not coming for me yet.

XANDER: I just mean ... you can't protect yourself from ... some stuff.

(Buffy looks directly at him. The playground backdrop is back.)

BUFFY: I'm way ahead of you, big brother.

XANDER: Brother?

(Buffy looks at him expressionless. Soft music: a woman vocalizing without words.)

(Spike and Giles swinging higher and higher.)

GILES: Go on, put your back into it! A Watcher scoffs at gravity. (They continue swinging. Woman continues humming.)

(Shot of Buffy still expressionless.)

(Shot of Xander squinting at her.)

(Shot of the other Xander in the truck, watching them.)

(Shot of the four of them from the truck-Xander's perspective.)

(Truck-Xander pulls back from the window, goes to the wheel, although the truck is already in motion: tree-lined streets going by. Anya is sitting in the passenger seat doing something with her hands.)

(Xander sits in the driver's seat. Anya looks at him.)

ANYA: Do you know where you're going?

(Xander looks at her, surprised.)

ANYA: I've been thinking about getting back into vengeance.

(We see her playing with a lollipop in its wrapper.)

(Xander takes his striped hat off, puts it on the dashboard.)

XANDER: Is that right?

ANYA: Well, you know how I miss it. I'm so at loose ends since I quit. I think this is going to be a very big year for vengeance.

XANDER: But ... isn't vengeance kind of ... vengeful?

ANYA: (petulant) You don't want me to have a hobby.

XANDER: Not a vengeance hobby, no! It's dangerous. People can't do anything they want. Society has rules, and borders, and an end zone. It doesn't matter if-

(He hears giggling, turns.)

(We see Willow and Tara in the back of the truck, snuggling and nuzzling. Both wearing exaggerated eye makeup.)

XANDER: Do you mind? I'm talking to my demon.

(Shot of Willow in a very short black bustier, Tara in a short black skirt and very revealing white blouse. Tara has one leg bent and Willow's hand is on her thigh. Both have heavy black eye makeup and thick red lipstick.)

WILLOW: Sorry.

(Xander stares at them. Both girls smile seductively at him. We hear Tara's voice although her lips don't move.)

TARA: We just think you're really interesting.

XANDER: Oh, I-I'm going places.

WILLOW: I'm way ahead of you. (Caressing Tara's leg.)

(Closeup of Willow and Tara grinning at each other, nuzzling. Willow whispers in Tara's ear. They both giggle.)

(Pan down to Willow's hand stroking Tara's thigh.)

XANDER: (riveted) Is that right?

(They look at him.)

WILLOW: Watch this.

(Willow puts her hand on Tara's waist. Tara puts her hand on Willow's shoulder. They lean toward each other.)

(Shot of Xander's wide-eyed face. We hear kissing noises and soft moans. Extended shot of Xander staring.)

TARA: Do you wanna come in the back with us?

(Xander stares open-mouthed.)

ANYA: Oh, go on.

(Xander stares at her. Sexy music starts.)

XANDER: I don't have to.

ANYA: I'll be fine. I think I've figured out how to steer by gesturing emphatically.

(Xander looks at the road, looks at Anya, looks back. Gets up.)

(Shot of Anya gesturing emphatically at the road.)

(Xander walks past the ice-cream-selling window in the side of the truck. Outside, we see more tree-lined streets rushing by. The girls are gone.)

(Xander walks to the back of the truck, climbs up onto a loft-like thing, past a big pile of newspapers and other random debris. He shoves a cooler out of the way, falls down onto the floor in his basement. Looks around, exasperated.)

XANDER: Girls?

(The upstairs doorknob begins rattling again. Xander walks forward nervously. Suddenly there's pounding on the door too. He looks up, scared.)

XANDER: (yells) I know what's up there!

(Pounding continues. He backs away, turns, sees the bald man holding up a plate of cheese slices.)

BALD MAN: These ... will not protect you.

(More pounding, growling. Xander goes past the bald man and out the back door.)

(Xander is in the Sunnydale High hallways, but the colors are all weird. Everything's purple and green. Weird noises like microphone feedback. Xander pushes his way past students talking in the halls. Looking over his shoulder, he can maybe see something through the other students' legs, chasing him.)

XANDER: Giles.

(Giles is leaning against a wall, dressed casually, holding an apple.)

GILES: Xander, what are you doing here?

XANDER: What's after me?

GILES: It's because of what we did, I know that. (Takes a bite of the apple)

XANDER: (shakes his head in confusion) What we did?

GILES: Hm. Now, the others have gone on ahead. (Points down the hall.) Now, listen very carefully. Your life may depend on what I'm about to tell you. You need-

(Giles' voice changes to a man speaking French. Sounds like the voice on a tape in a beginning language class. Giles continues talking and gesturing, but what we hear is the French.)

GILES: (French)

XANDER: What? Go where? I don't understand.

GILES: (??) Ce n'est pas le temps pour des jeux. [This is not the time for games.]

(Anya approaches.)

ANYA: Xander. (Fake French woman's voice) Il faut que tu viens avec nous maintenant. On t'attends. [You have to come with us now. They're waiting for you.]

GILES: C'est que j'ai vous dire. [That's what I said.]

XANDER: Honey, I don't... I can't hear you.

(Anya takes his hand.)

ANYA: C'est pas importante. Je t'escorte. [It's not important. I'll take you.]

GILES: Allons-y la. [Let's go.]

(Giles also takes Xander's hand, trying to pull him down the hall. A random guy goes by on a skateboard, pushes Xander down the hall)

XANDER: W-wait! Where we going? Where? (Looks over his shoulder as they pull/push him down the hall. Struggles.) Hey! (People in the crowd pick him up. In the crowd we can still see Giles with the apple in his mouth.) Let go! Hey! (The final "Hey" echoes.)

(Fade to Xander in green army fatigues, hands cuffed behind his back, moving through a forest. Asian-type music. Another guy in fatigues, holding a gun, is guarding him. An image of Xander's face is overlaid over the left half of the screen.)

(Fade to a dark room lit with red lights. Soldiers bring Xander in and he kneels. There's a cot at the right with a person on it.)

MALE VOICE: Where are you from, Harris?

XANDER: Well, the basement, mostly.

MALE VOICE: Were you born there?

(Camera moving toward the person on the cot.)

(Shot of Xander looking toward the cot, a soldier guarding him in the background. Xander nods.)

XANDER: Possibly.

VOICE: I walked by your guidance counselor's office one time.

(The person sits up partway and we see it's Principal Snyder, with a towel around his neck.)

SNYDER: A bunch of you were sitting there ... waiting to be shepherded.

(Xander looks confused, alarmed.)

SNYDER: I remember it smelled like dead flowers. Like decay. Then it hit me. The hope of our nation's future is a bunch of mulch.

XANDER: You know, I never got the chance to tell you how glad I was you were eaten by a snake. (Suddenly gets an "I shouldn't have said that" look on his face)

(Snyder sits up slowly. His face is all sweaty.)

SNYDER: Where are you heading?

XANDER: (shrugs uncertainly) Well, I'm supposed to meet Tara and Willow.

(Shot of hands lifting a wooden bowl.)

XANDER: And possibly Buffy's mom.

(Snyder's hands lifting water from the bowl and pouring it over his bald head.)

SNYDER: Your time is running out.

XANDER: No, I'm just trying to get away. There's ... something I can't fight.

SNYDER: Are you a soldier?

XANDER: (shakes head) I'm a comfortador.

(Snyder leans forward so his face is illuminated.)

SNYDER: (contemptuous) You're neither. You're a whipping boy. Raised by mongrels and set on a sacrificial stone.

XANDER: (nods) I'm getting a cramp.

(He stands, looks around. He's somewhere else. Around a corner we see the same dark-haired person/creature that previously attacked Willow. It's crawling or crouching behind a trellis. It growls. Xander backs away. We see he's in the courtyard outside Giles' apartment. He runs to Giles' door, opens it, enters.)

XANDER: Giles, it's here!

GILES: It's more serious than we thought.

(We see Giles and Buffy and Anya looking at Willow, who's in a chair still gasping and choking. They all ignore Xander. We hear what sounds like helicopter noises.)

XANDER: Giles!

BUFFY: I can fight anything. Right?

ANYA: Maybe we should slap her.

(Xander runs past them, down the hall that should lead to Giles' kitchen, but instead he comes out in Buffy's dorm. Students walking around, chattering. Harsh, jangly rock music with the helicopter noise as the percussion. Xander goes through the hallways and into Buffy and Willow's room.)

XANDER: Buffy?

(Hears growling behind him. He yanks open the closet door and goes in. Fights his way past the clothes and is in a dark room, horizontal-striped light like it's coming through Venetian blinds. He runs through dark brick-lined hall, comes out in his basement again. Stops, looks around. The music slowly fades out. There's still pounding on the upstairs door and the knob rattling. He goes toward it, up a couple of stairs, shaking his head.)

XANDER: (whispers) That's not the way out. (The door bursts open. Xander looks down at himself, then back up the stairs.)

VOICE: What the hell is wrong with you?

(Xander looks chastised.)

(We see a man silhouetted in the doorway above. It's Xander's dad.)

DAD: You won't come upstairs? What are you ... ashamed of us? Your mother's crying her guts out!

XANDER: You don't understand.

DAD: No. You don't understand. (Starts down the stairs, stomping angrily)

The line ends here with us, and you're not gonna change that.

(Xander looking down, unable to look at his dad.)

DAD: You haven't got the heart.

(Suddenly Dad shoves his hand into Xander's chest. Xander looks down. The hand is covered with rags. He looks up, scared. We get a brief glimpse of a pair of feral eyes surrounded by dark stringy hair. Grey skin. The person growls.)

(The hand pulls Xander's heart out of his chest.)

(Cut to the real Xander writhing and gasping in his sleep on the floor. Pan across to Giles sleeping in the chair. Zoom in on Giles' face.)

(A pocket watch on a chain, swinging back and forth in front of a chest wearing Giles' tweedy conservative clothes.)

GILES VOICEOVER: You have to stop thinking.

(Fade to Buffy's face, looking pleased. The reflection of the watch moves across her face.)

GILES VOICEOVER: Let it wash over you.

BUFFY: Don't you think it's a little old-fashioned?

GILES: This is the way women and men have behaved since the beginning...

(We see Giles' apartment, with no furniture except one chair, which Buffy is sitting on. Giles stands in front of her with the pocket watch.)

GILES: ...before time. Now look into the light.

(Shot of the watch swinging.)

(Shot of Buffy's face. Suddenly she bursts out laughing.)

(Cut to a park at night. A hedge cut into the shape of an elephant, covered with Christmas-lights. People walking around. We hear a circus huckster calling out.)

(Buffy wearing overalls and pigtails, pulling Giles by the hand.)

BUFFY: Come on! Come on!

(We see Olivia walking beside Giles, pushing a baby carriage. But there's no baby in it.)

BUFFY: We're gonna miss all the good stuff.

OLIVIA: Does she always want to train this badly?

GILES: Well, it appears she's never heard the fable about patience.

(Buffy pulls them through crowds of people. Carnival booths, colorful lights.

OLIVIA: Which one is that?

GILES: The, the one about the fox, and the, uh, less patient fox.

BUFFY: (stops in front of a game booth) Here, I want to, I want to! (Jumping up and down)

GILES: Yes, go ahead.

BUFFY: (turns to the booth. There's a big coffin with a fake-looking vampire standing behind it.)

VAMP: (bouncing) I am a vampire!

(Buffy throws a yellow ball at it, misses by a mile.)

GILES: (exasperated) Buffy, you have a sacred birthright to protect mankind. (Buffy turns to look at him, pouting) Don't stick out your elbow.

(Olivia sighs)

(Buffy looks chastised. She picks up another ball.)

VAMP: (bouncing) I am a vampire!

(Buffy throws, hits it right in the chest. It falls backward.)

VAMP: Ahh, you staked me!

(Buffy spins around, grinning with delight. Giles looks unimpressed.)

GILES: I haven't got any treats.

OLIVIA: For god's sake, Rupert, go easy on the girl. (Smiling)

(Buffy turns to get some cotton candy)

GILES: (to Olivia) This is my business. Blood of the lamb and all that. (Looks at Buffy) Oh, now you're gonna get that all over your face. (Buffy turns. Her face is covered in mud. The color changes as if a negative were inverted.)

(The color goes back to normal. Giles frowns in confusion. His face goes blurry.)

GILES: I know you. (echoing)

SPIKE: (offscreen) Hey!

(Giles turns, sees Spike standing near the entrance to his crypt.)

SPIKE: Come on! (Gesturing) You're gonna miss everything! (Turns and goes into the crypt.)

Cut to Giles entering the crypt. Crying noises. Candles are lit all around.)

GILES: Don't push me around. You know I have a great deal to do. (We see Olivia sitting on a coffin next to the baby carriage, which is lying on its side.  She's crying.)

(Black & white shot of a bunch of people with cameras, and Spike looking past them at Giles.)

SPIKE: I've hired myself out as an attraction. (Strikes a threatening pose. The people ooh and ahh, camera flashes going off.)

(Color shot: Giles staring at Spike, Olivia still crying in the background.)

GILES: Sideshow freak?

(B&W shot: Spike flips up the collar of his coat.)

SPIKE: Well, at least it's showbiz. (Poses again. More oohs and camera flashes from the crowd.)