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 orgasminator”

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.