[Transcript of "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" episode Killed By Death at buffyology.com.]
In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.
Close in on the top of the perimeter wall. A pair of hands hook over the top, and BUFFY pulls herself up. She coughs while she pulls her legs over and jumps down the other side. When she hits the ground, she falls off balance and has to use her hands to keep from toppling over. Every now and again she sniffles. She pulls a stake out of her jacket. She puts her hand on her forehead and moans as she stands up. Slowly she starts to make her way across the graveyard.
She walks through the cemetery, still sniffling and rubbing her nose. She senses something and tries to concentrate while she slowly approaches a small mausoleum. She raises her stake and jumps around the corner, ready to strike at whatever's lurking there. XANDER and CORDELIA scream and jump reflexively backward. Xander holds tightly onto his own stake. WILLOW and Cordelia shove crosses in Buffy's face.
Non-vampire. Plus two.
Annoyed, Willow puts her cross away.
Hi.
Man, Buffy! My whole life just flashed before my eyes! (beat) I gotta get me a life.
What are you doing here?
What are you doing here?
Well, I'm patrolling!
Buffy, you're sick.
No, I feel fine. I mean, I'm... the world's spinning a little bit, but I like it's kinda like a ride.
Half the school's out with this flu. It's a serious deal, Buffy. We're all concerned about how gross you look.
I'm touched. Really. But I have work to do.
Buffy, come on, one night of rest is not going to kill you.
No, but it might kill somebody else.
Xander points at her with the stake.
You mean Angel might. Buffy, this is not the time to challenge Angel for the Ultimate Fighting championship. He's at full strength, you're only half a Slayer.
Yeah, but I'm still the Slayer. And as long as I am, Angel's not going to kill anybody else.
Aw, c'mon. Just one more.
ANGELUS attacks from behind her, running right past Buffy, straight for Cordelia, and tackles her to the ground. Buffy grabs him by the back of his coat and pulls him off of her. She spins him around and swings at him with her stake. He blocks her with his arm, and twists hers until she drops the stake.
Not feeling well, lover?
Buffy punches him and he tries to kick her, but she grabs his foot and shoves his leg up, flipping him hard onto his back.
That helps.
Angelus gets to his feet and comes for her. She swings at him drunkenly, her illness affecting her reflexes. He easily evades her blows and seizes her by the throat.
You know, you being off your game's kind of taking the fun out of all this.
He punches her in the face and she stumbles backward again.
Nope, still fun!
He punches her in the gut, then grabs her by the neck and shoves her around and into the column of the small mausoleum. She is dazed and tries to regain her balance, but doesn't get a chance because Angelus wastes no time punching her in the face and knocking her flat on her back. He gets on top of her and pins her arms down.
Uh-oh. This does not look good for our heroine.
As he lowers his fangs to her neck, Willow throws Xander's jacket over his head then quickly backs away. Xander rushes in and grabs Angelus' covered head, punching him and kneeing him twice in the face. Angelus falls over onto his back and Willow and Cordelia produce their crosses, holding him at bay until he backs off.
Take a walk, overbite.
Buffy gets to her feet. Angelus slowly backs away.
We'll have to do this again sometime.
He turns and walks off.
Buffy, are you okay?
She puts her hand to her forehead.
I told you guys to leave, I... (dizzy) I... oh...
She falls to the ground unconscious.
Buffy!
Buffy?
Opening credit sequence.
Pan from an empty gurney past the admissions desk and over to the entrance. Xander rushes in with Buffy in his arms. Willow and Cordelia are right behind him.
We need help!
Somebody, please, now!
An INTERN approaches them.
What happened?
They all speak at once.
XANDER, WILLOW and CORDELIA
She fell. The flu. She fainted.
A nurse wheels the gurney over.
The flu, fainted and fell. She's sick, make it better!
It's going to be okay. Let's get her up.
Xander lays Buffy out on the gurney. The intern takes out his pocket light and checks Buffy's eyes for a response. The nurse takes notes while he speaks as they start to wheel her into the emergency room.
Patient's unconscious... pupils are unequal and unresponsive.
What does that mean?
Is she going to be okay?
Please, you gotta give us some room.
DR. WILKINSON arrives on the scene, taking over.
What do we have?
High-grade fever, possible fractures.
Get her into Trauma 1, give her a CBC, Chem 7, type and screen.
Right.
The intern and nurse push her through the swinging doors into the treatment rooms beyond. The group tries to follow but Dr. Wilkinson blocks their way.
I'm sorry, you can't go any further.
Someone should be with her!
I'm sorry! You can't go any further.
She backs in and closes the door in their faces.
I'll call Giles, tell him what happened. (to Cordelia) You call Buffy's mom, tell her not what happened. Just get her here.
As the girls head for the phones, Xander watches through the window in the door as the doctor and staff wheel Buffy into Trauma 1.
Later. Cordelia, Xander, GILES and Willow are sitting in chairs in the waiting room, silent and worried. The elevator door opens and JOYCE rushes over to them.
Where is she?
She's still in the emergency room.
I want to see her.
They won't let us in there.
Dr. Wilkinson walks through the door at that moment.
Mrs. Summers?
Yes?
I'm Dr. Wilkinson.
Is Buffy okay?
We were able to stabilize and--
Is she okay?
She's going to be fine.
Thank you.
Good. Good. That's good.
I want to keep her here a few days, though. She still has some healing to do.
The group is waiting for Buffy to be brought up from the emergency room. When they see her coming they all approach the gurney. She has an IV needle in her right hand and her left forearm is wrapped in an elastic bandage.
Buffy? Hi, sweetheart.
Hey, Buffy, we're all here.
Hey. Here we are. It's all of we. Are we taking me home?
She tries to sit up and the doctor gently pushes her back down.
No. Buffy, you need to lie down, honey.
Yeah? Lie at home. My bed is better than any bed that's... not my bed.
She's still a little out of it.
Shhh! Hospital zone. No singing.
She'll feel better after she's been here a while.
No! Let me go. Look, I want to go.
The orderly, two nurses and Dr. Wilkinson struggle to get her to lie back down. Buffy puts up a fight.
Buffy, what's wrong?
No! No! Let me go!
I think she wants to go.
They manage to push her back down on the bed.
No, don't do that! Stop it!
Hold her steady!
Giles, tell them!
I got her.
The vampires! I need to kill the vampires!
This'll help you relax.
She puts a needle against Buffy's inside elbow and injects her with a sedative. Xander shoots Giles a concerned look as Cordelia cringes and looks away.
Ow! No!
Buffy falls back and breathes heavily.
It's gotta be the fever.
Yeah, it made her delusional.
They're out there!
Yes well, we'll get those vampires later. (to Joyce) I hear it's best to play along.
The sedative takes effect and Buffy begins to relax. One of the nurses checks her IV. Her mother leans in and strokes her hair.
Honey, listen...
I wanna go home.
It's going to be okay. I promise.
Please don't make me stay here...
I promise.
Buffy is wheeled into her room and the door closes. Xander looks in through the narrow window and after a moment turns to Giles.
That was a new experience. I'm not used to seeing Buffy scared like that.
Yeah, she just hates hospitals. Ever since she was a little girl.
What happened?
When she was eight, her cousin Celia died in a hospital. Buffy was alone with her at the time.
Yuk!
Yeah, they were very close.
Wow, and she was eight?
Well, it looks like she's asleep. I should go call her father.
Joyce heads toward the nurse's station. Giles goes with her.
I think there's a phone...
Thank you for coming. I really appreciate the way you look out for her. All of you.
Well, we're very fond of her. The telephone.
He starts to move off and Joyce stops him.
I hope I'm not out of line, but... I wanted to say how sorry I am about that teacher, Ms. Calendar. Buffy said you were close.
Giles nods and looks away in pain.
Thank you.
Buffy's been so down since it happened. I mean, she never gets sick.
Well, I'm sure she'll be... she'll be fine.
I'm sorry, I babble when I'm nervous. I just wanted to... well, if you need anything...
Thank you. (quietly) Thank you.
He walks off, leaving Joyce to make her call.
Outside Buffy's door.
Do you think she's going to be okay in here?
I don't know. Lysette got her nose done here and she came in looking for the Gwyneth Paltrow, and it looked more like the Mr. Potatohead.
She steps over to the door and looks into Buffy's room.
Cordy...
Buffy's not here for cosmetic surgery.
No, but while she's in here, she might as well get that thing done. (off their looks) You know, that thing on her face? You know that thing.
Do you think Angel will attack Buffy in here?
He can come in, it's a public building.
That's true.
Am I the only one that's noticed that thing?
Buffy stirs in her bed. The clock on the nightstand changes to read 2:27. The IV slowly drips into her arm and the LED on the heart monitor blinks steadily. Pan down to Buffy's face. She takes a deep breath and she wakes up, blinking her eyes several times before looking over at the door. It's standing open and a young boy
is there, silently staring at her. A few moments later he starts off down the hall and a tall MAN in a black suit and hat follows him.
CU on the man. He glances into Buffy's room as he walks by and she sees his horrifying face. It's twisted and disfigured: his nose is long and bent to a point, his teeth consist of long fangs and his fingers are grossly elongated. He looks after the boy and continues to follow him out of view. Buffy raises her head in disbelief and slowly sits up. She gets out of bed and steadies herself, preparing to stand. She ties her robe closed and walks out of the room.
The hallway is deserted except for the janitor mopping the floor. As she walks she flashes back to her youth and the corridor is suddenly brightly lit.
We see Buffy as a little girl, about eight years old. She walks down the bright but deserted hallway. CU on her face as we
YOUNG BUFFY's POV of a cart of surgical instruments.
Young Buffy, nervously walking down the corridor. She approaches her cousin CELIA's room. Sunlight is pouring brightly through the door. She hesitates, then goes in.
Young Buffy walks in and slowly moves over to the curtain pulled around Celia's bed.
Buffy is back in her hospital bed. The clock on the nightstand changes to read 2:27. She stirs and wakes from her dream. Her door is open but there's no one there and she slowly sits up. She feels the IV in the back of her hand and looks down at it, then pulls the tape off and the needle out. After steadying herself for a moment, she pulls herself out of bed.
Buffy is walking down the hall in her robe. It's deserted except for the janitor mopping the floor. She pauses when she hears coughing coming from the next room and looks in. A WOMAN is tucking in an old man and comforting him.
You'll be fine. Is that better?
In the next room, an old woman is sitting on the edge of the bed with her face in her hands. She moves on past a security guard who eyes her suspiciously.
Buffy walks toward the door as two orderlies wheel a child covered with a sheet out of the ward.
Man, I hate it when you lose the young ones.
They move down the hall past Buffy. She looks sadly at the gurney as they go by. She turns back to the children's ward door and slowly approaches it. She can hear Dr. Wilkinson and DR. BACKER arguing in hushed tones.
I'm just saying, step back on the dosage until we can analyze the results.
There isn't time. I should think that would be clear to you by now.
Buffy peeks into the room and sees them arguing.
The normal course of treatment--
They aren't responding to the normal course of treatment. Look, they're getting worse.
Raising their temperatures is poten--
Dr. Wilkinson! I have the consent of the parents.
They're desperate! They don't understand what you're--
You know what, if you have a problem with my methods, just take it up with the board.
I have!
Buffy has heard enough, and turns to go. There in front of her is RYAN, the little boy she saw in her dream accompanied by a little girl. She stops and they look at each other, silently.
He comes at night. The grownups don't see him. He was with Tina. He'll come back for us.
Who?
Death.
Buffy looks at the two kids in disbelief.
Xander is sitting on a chair in the waiting room across from the nurses' station down the hall from Buffy's room. There are two police officers talking to a security guard. Nurses and orderlies are going about their tasks. Angelus comes walking out of the waiting room from the elevator bearing some white flowers and whistling a few bars from Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Xander looks up to see who's coming and quickly gets up to bar his way.
Visiting hours are over.
Well, I'm pretty much family.
Xander tries hard to stay cool.
Yeah. Why don't you come back during the day? Oh, gee, no, I guess you can't.
If I decide to walk into Buffy's room, do you think for one microsecond that you could stop me?
Maybe not. Maybe that security guard couldn't either. Or those cops... or the orderlies. But I'm kinda curious to find out. You game?
Buffy's White Knight. You still love her. It must just eat you up that I got there first.
You're going to die. And I'm going to be there.
Angelus slaps the flowers against Xander's chest.
Tell her I stopped by.
He gives Xander one final baleful look and then heads back to the elevator. Xander shudders, covers his mouth and lets out a sigh of relief.
Celia is on the bedroom floor covered with pillows and writhing around, pretending to be trapped under a pile of snow and ice.
Help me, help! Avalanche! Help! Help! I'm trapped! Avalanche! Help! Help!
Young Buffy runs in through the door and strikes a heroic stance with her hands on her hips.
Power Girl to the rescue!
She kneels down and starts to toss the pillows aside as though they're huge, heavy blocks of ice.
Help me! Help! Help! Please, help!
Buffy throws the last of the pillows off Celia and she sits up.
You saved me! Thank you, Power Girl!
The two girls embrace.
You're safe now.
Young Buffy enters Celia's hospital room. She slowly approaches the curtain around the bed and opens it enough to look in at her cousin. She steps through. Celia is lying there, peacefully asleep.
Buffy wakes with a start.
Good morning.
Buffy moans, rubs her eyes and sits up.
Could've fooled me.
How are you feeling? Looks like your fever's gone down.
Well, good! Thanks for having me. Let's try and keep in touch.
She tries to get out of bed. Wilkinson pushes her back and inspects Buffy's bandaged arm.
Not so fast. Hmm.
Good 'hmm' or bad 'hmm'?
Swelling's... gone! Does this hurt?
Nope.
Amazing.
The doctor checks the chart.
Well, then I should probably go, right?
No. Soon. We have to make sure that fever is gone. That's a strong virus you have. Maybe not as strong as you, but...
Is that the same virus the kids have?
Before Dr. Wilkinson can answer there's a knock on the door.
May we come in?
The group peeks in from the hallway.
Please! Maybe you can keep our patient from bolting. (to Buffy, stern) Rest! Hmm?
The doctor leaves her with her friends. Xander hands her a bunch of balloons.
Flowers for milady.
I think they call those balloons.
Yeah, stick 'em in water, maybe they'll grow.
Not to be outdone...
She sets school books on the bed.
Homework!
It's my way of saying, 'get well soon'.
You know, chocolate says that even better.
I did all your assignments. All you have to do is sign your name.
Chocolate means nothing to me.
Willow steps back and looks over at Cordelia.
Nobody told me I was supposed to bring a gift. I was out of the loop on gifts.
Giles hands Buffy a bag of grapes.
It's tradition among... people. Grapes. Well, did you pass the night well enough?
A nurse comes into the room and walks around the bed.
Not really. Something happened I thought you...
The nurse checks Buffy's IV.
You know what? Let's take a walk.
Willow is pushing Buffy in a wheelchair while the others walk alongside.
Now, this part I could get used to.
Do you want me to go real fast? (off Giles' look) Not that I would.
We were discussing... stuff.
Yes, stuff. You know, a girl died here last night.
How?
Well, the flu.
Flu doesn't exactly sound monsterrific.
I know. But there's this Dr. Backer and he's been giving them these experimental treatments. I'm not sure what he's up to, but he's a little creepy. And then there was this kid, Ryan. He said he saw something.
Saw what?
Death.
Death?
The Death? As in, 'it is your time'?
Buffy, a frightened child...
Yeah, but I thought I saw something. I'm not sure, I was really out of it, but...
But you do know that you saw Death.
Did it have an hourglass?
Oh, if he asks you to play chess, don't even do it. The guy's like, a whiz.
Maybe it wasn't Death. Maybe it was something else.
So this isn't about you being afraid of hospitals because your friend died and you want to conjure up a monster that you can fight so you can save everybody and not feel so helpless?
Cordelia, have you actually ever heard of tact?
Tact is just not saying true stuff. I'll pass.
Your mom did tell us about your cousin.
This has nothing to do with that. This little boy Ryan is afraid of something, something real. As long as I'm forced to stay here, I'm going to find out what.
So is this the part where we say, "What can we do to help?"
The place is deserted. Cordelia and Xander quietly come in.
You had to ask that, didn't you?
They walk over to a filing cabinet and Xander starts thumbing through the records.
It'll be cake. Just gotta figure out what killed this little girl Tina, we'll be out. Five minutes tops.
This is what happens when you're compassionate toward sick people. They take advantage of you.
Uh-huh. Buffy almost died just to put you out.
I didn't want to be the first one to say it.
He finds nothing and points to the next filing cabinet.
You there. Me here.
Right.
Xander moves around the corner while Cordelia opens the cabinet he indicated. Suddenly a SECURITY GUARD appears next to her and she starts.
What are you doing here?
Willow and Giles walk in.
So, where do we start?
Hmm? Oh, I don't know. Maybe look into the history of the hospital, bizarre incidents, that sort of thing.
I'm sensing a little less than full committal here.
Oh, I suppose so. Cordelia may be Homerically insensitive, but she may also be right. Death and disease are things-- possibly the only things-- that Buffy cannot fight. It's only natural for her to try to create a defeatable opponent. Especially now, after... after Jenny.
That's true. But on the 'we live on the Hellmouth' side, these kids may have seen a monster.
What, a monster that grown-ups can't see? Doesn't ring a bell. (beat) Unless...
Unless?
Well, sometimes small children do see something we adults don't: us. Our true selves our... hidden faces.
So the kids might be afraid of a regular person? (realizes) Like the weird doctor!
Stanley Backer was his name, no?
Let's look him up.
She runs over to her laptop.
Cordelia has the guard wrapped around her finger. She smiles sweetly at him and pretends to be interested as he leans against the wall and talks.
You know, most people think that security guards are just guys that failed the police exam. But that's not me. This is my career.
Stereotypes are so unfair.
I did take the fireman's exam, though. I didn't do so good.
She slides her fingers along his badge.
Oh well, you know, I think that security guards are way sexier than firemen. They're all sooty.
Well, this is where all the action is anyhow. I'm all the time restraining people.
Xander behind the storage cabinets. He's found the file he wants and is waiting and listening for an opportunity to slip out.
Mmm, how thrilling. Do you ever get scared?
'Fear is for the weak.' That's my motto. Either that, or 'Live in the now.' I haven't decided yet.
I bet you see a lot of tragedy. You know, like that little girl?
Oh, one of Dr. Backer's patients. Dr. Backer's a great man. He understands the real truth about children.
What's that?
Sometimes they die.
Cordelia closes her eyes, trying to hide her shock. Xander bumps into the cabinet and the security guard looks around, drawing his baton.
What was that?
You know, I didn't hear anything. You know, you have the most... perfect nose I've ever seen.
He turns back to her. She giggles and runs her finger over his forehead and down the length of his nose. Behind the guard, Xander steps over to the door, quietly opens it and goes out.
You must work out.
The guard gives her a ridiculous sexy growl.
Yeah.
Cordelia smiles and nods, trying to suppress her laughter.
Xander waits around the corner for Cordelia.
Could you make just a little more with the touchy-gropey?
Jealous?
Of Rogaine boy? (chuckles) I don't think so. Here, take this to Giles, okay?
What about you?
I'm going to stay here.
Oh, right. Your obsession with protecting Buffy. Have I told you how attractive that's not?
Cordelia, someone's got to watch her back.
Yeah well, I've seen you watch her back.
What is that supposed to mean?
Well, I was using the phrase 'watch her back' as a euphemism for 'looking at her butt.' You know, sort of a pun.
Oh! Right. (gets the insult) Hey!
Well, you do.
Jealous?
Fine. Watch my back.
She walks past him and down the hall. He instinctively tilts his head to check out her butt as she goes.
Buffy stops by the door and looks into the room. Ryan is sitting at a table drawing a picture with crayons. Buffy walks over to him.
Hey. Remember me?
You shouldn't be here.
Why not?
Contagious.
Nah. I already got what you got.
She sits down next to him and Ryan goes back to drawing his picture.
Oh what, you think because I'm a grown-up? Believe me, I'm not that grown up.
She takes a look at his picture. It's of the hideous monster that he's seen coming after the other kids. Buffy briefly flashes back to the creature in her dream.
He'll come again tonight.
Ryan, listen to me. I'm not going to let this thing hurt you. Any of you. Grown-ups don't believe you, right? Well, I do. We both know that there are real monsters. But there's also real heroes that fight monsters. And that's me.
He looks away and goes back to drawing his picture.
Can't fight Death.
Willow is surfing for information on her laptop. Giles is standing behind her looking over her shoulder. Dr. Backer's medical database file comes up on the screen.
Our Dr. Backer has something of a rap sheet.
Reprimands for controversial experiments, risky procedures, a malpractice suit. Looks like it was dropped suddenly.
Factor in Buffy's observation that he gives her the... wiggins...
This may be our death guy?
I just wish I knew what he was doing to these children.
Backer is deep into his research and mutters under his breath. He looks up from his printouts and steps over to the refrigerator. He opens it, pulls a specimen from a rack, checks the label and marks it. He puts the test-tube back, closes the fridge and reaches for a reference volume on his desk. He sits back down as he quickly leafs through it and finds the page he wants, jotting some notes down.
Yes. Yes.
Xander is waiting out his self-imposed sentry duty. He nearly nods off, but jerks awake. A bag of Krispy Kreme doughnuts plops down onto the table in front of
him. Reveal Cordelia as she sets down a tray with two cups of coffee. Xander looks up at her as she sits down. She looks back at him, then, without a word, turns her attention to a copy of Cosmopolitan. Xander reaches for one of the coffees.
Dr. Backer makes his way into the children's ward. Reveal Buffy waiting behind the doors, staring at him suspiciously.
Backer walks in and scans the various beds as he makes his way over to a particularly sick child. The boy is asleep. He checks his watch and looks at the child for a moment. The boy lets out a labored breath. Dr. Backer raises a syringe, taps it twice and depresses the plunger until the fluid squirts out. He takes the IV line and pushes the needle into the stopper. Behind him he hears a muffled laugh and turns to look but sees nothing. He looks back at the boy again. Suddenly he's hit in the back and knocked around by some invisible force.
He is hit in the chest and cries out in pain. Ryan sees what's happening from his bed and cowers in fear. Dr. Backer is choking. Four deep slashes appear on his lab coat and blood wells up, soaking his clothes. On the wall, we see a shadowy figure slashing at the doctor. He screams, and blood sprays onto the wall. Ryan cowers further under his covers.
Buffy slowly approaches the door to the ward and looks in, but she jumps back as Dr. Backer flies out onto the tiled floor. He groans and she bends down to help him but something pushes her away and throws her back into the wall. She hits hard and slides to the floor, unconscious. Dr. Backer is lifted by the arms and dragged down the hall, out of sight.
Buffy is in bed looking at the picture Ryan drew. The grapes Giles gave her are on a plate on the table. Giles appears in the doorway and knocks. Buffy looks up as he, Xander and the girls come into the room. Willow closes the door behind her.
Well, it looks as if you were on to something.
I know.
The girl Tina-- it's apparent that she died of the fever, simple enough, but her records show her improving and then suddenly deteriorating without any apparent cause.
So we checked Dr. Backer out. This guy was not a solid citizen.
It wasn't Backer. He was clean.
What do you mean 'clean'?
What do you mean 'was'?
He's dead. This thing killed him and not with kindness.
She hands Giles the picture.
You saw it?
No, it's invisible. I saw Backer nearly shredded and the thing knocked me down. But it's real. Which means I get to fight it.
This is your work?
No, one of the kids.
Oh. Well, it would help if we knew what it was. It's invisible to you, but the children can see it.
But you said you did see something the other night.
Yeah, but I was pretty delirious. I mean, it doesn't make any sense. Why would I see it then and not last night?
The door to the room opens and Buffy's mother comes in.
Good morning.
She sets down the bag she brought with her.
Oh, looks like I interrupted a secret meeting.
They all laugh nervously.
You sure didn't!
Honey, I just talked to the doctor and she said I can take you home.
No. I should stay here.
But honey, I thought you'd be raring--
I think my symptoms are flaring up.
She doesn't look well.
'Cause I'm not well. I feel all oogy.
Increased ooginess. That's a danger signal.
Are you sure?
Oh, yeah, but just for a day... or so.
Okay, well, I'll talk to the doctor.
She heads back out of the room. Cordelia closes the door behind her.
So what's the drill?
Giles, see if you can get a mug shot on that guy. I need to know what I'm fighting.
Right. Yes.
I'll check Backer's office. See if I can find any Post-Its marked 'why a monster might want me dead.'
Sounds like a plan.
Course, if I find anything, I won't know what it means so, Will...
Oh yeah, I'm good at medical stuff since Xander and I used to play doctor all the time.
No, she's being literal. (off Cordelia's look) She used to have all these medical volumes and diagnosed me with stuff. I didn't have the heart to tell her she was playing it wrong.
Wrong? Why? (to Buffy) How did you play doctor?
I never have.
Cordelia raises her eyebrows at Buffy and clears her throat.
Fascinating though this is...
Yeah, right. Go!
We'll call you if we... know something.
He heads out with Cordelia and Xander close behind.
Know something soon.
The three of them start toward the waiting room.
I'd best head for the library. Research beckons.
I'm on sentry duty. Angel won't show till sundown, if at all, but maybe I'll get lucky with this Death guy.
He's invisible.
Yeah, but if I see a floating pipe and a smoking jacket, he's dropped.
Well, you two stay alert.
They stop outside the waiting room.
Finding out who this thing is takes priority. Cordy, you should go with Giles.
Why do I have to have... (off Cordelia's look) Good thinking. I could do with a research assistant.
Let's go, Tact Guy.
Yes.
Be careful.
He nods and sits down in the chair across from the nurse's station as they get in the elevator and the doors close.
Ryan opens the door and looks out into the hall. The only person there is the security guard checking locked doors. Ryan steps back into the ward and closes the door.
Buffy opens the door and pokes her head inside. Seeing that it's empty she opens the door further to let Willow in, checks the hall and closes it behind her. She starts to looks around and checks out the reference volumes on the shelves. Willow looks over the papers on his desk.
It's weird going through his things. Look, he didn't finish his coffee. Guess he won't.
Yep, another person I wasn't in time to save. It's too bad Angel didn't put me in the hospital sooner. There's something I never thought I'd hear myself say.
Hey, wait. I think I have something.
Hmm. Sherlock.
Okay, this makes sense. Dr. Backer was trying to inoculate the kids with a controlled dosage of the same virus they already had. (off Buffy's look) Oh, raising their temperatures to burn the fever out of them.
Would that work?
According to this it was starting to. So he really was trying to help the kids.
Until that thing stopped him.
Giles and Cordelia are going through a stack of books on the table. He has Ryan's drawing for comparison. She turns a page and finds a picture of a nasty-looking demon.
Eww, what does this do?
What?
She pushes the book toward him.
What does this do?
It extracts vital organs to replenish its own mutating cells.
Wow! What does this one do?
It elongates its mouth to engulf its victim's head with its incisors.
Ouch. Wait, what does this one do?
It asks endless questions of those with whom it's supposed to be working so that nothing is getting done.
Boy, there's a demon for everything.
He slaps down Ryan's picture and gets up from the table in disgust. He takes off his glasses and rubs his forehead.
I don't even know if we're on the right track. Since this... miscreant has only been seen by select individuals, there's a chance we won't ever find a picture of it.
Well, it's not in here.
She closes her book and on the cover is a drawing of the monster they are seeking. Giles looks down at it and puts his glasses back on. She follows his gaze and looks closer at the book's cover.
Cordelia is on the phone with Buffy.
It's called Der Kindestod.
Who is this?
It's me. I've got your monster!
Where's Giles?
Looking up stuff.
Well, can you put him on?
Hey! I found your guy, okay? Just listen.
Right.
The name means 'child death'. This book says that he feeds off of children by sucking the life out of them. Eew! But anyway, afterwards, it looks like they died because they were sick.
So it did kill Tina.
Yeah, that's my take. 'Cause it would be looking at the children's ward as basically an all-you-can-eat kind of thing, y'know.
Backer was curing the kids and taking away the Kindestod's food.
Hence, the sliceage.
Giles enters with another book.
I found a picture of how it kills. Let me talk to her.
Cordelia looks at the picture.
Oh! Eww!
What?
Oh! You should see this thing! The way it does its thing, I mean, eww! Why do I let you guys drag me into this stuff?
She hands the phone to Giles and leaves the room.
Buffy? Are you still there?
Hanging on every eww.
The Kindestod gorges by sitting atop his prey, pinning it down, helplessly. Then he slowly draws out the life. It must be horrifying for the victim.
Buffy has a thousand-yard stare.
Buffy? Hello?
Young Buffy pulls aside the curtain around Celia's bed.
Celia?
Celia wakes and starts to scream. She holds her hands in front of her as if trying to push something away.
What's wrong?
Celia keeps screaming at the top of her lungs in complete terror.
I don't know what to do, Celia!
Celia continues screaming and swats with her hands at something unseen.
Help! Help! Help! Somebody help!
Get it off of me!
Come on, Celia!
Get it off of me!
The bright and empty hall outside Celia's room is deserted. No one is coming in spite of all the screaming.
Buffy holds the phone to her ear and stares off into space.
Buffy, what is it?
Thanks.
It killed Celia.
Your cousin?
We have to get this thing, Willow, before it gets any more kids.
You will. We will.
But how? I can't even see it.
You saw it once.
Did I? Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. I mean, I was crazed with that fever. Who knows...
The refrigerator door opens and the light goes on.
Buffy, think about this.
I have. Lots of thoughts.
She crouches down and searches through the test tubes.
It's crazy.
The fever. That's how you see the Kindestod. That's why Celia could see it. That's why Ryan still can. It's the only way.
She finds the right one and stands up.
But how are you going to fight this thing with a 107° temperature?
I guess we'll find out.
She uncaps the tube and raises it to drink the serum. Willow quickly stops her.
Buffy!
Willow, I'm going to do this.
Buffy, that's 100% pure. It'll kill you in an instant.
Oh. They really should put that on the label.
Willow reaches into the refrigerator for a bottle of drinking water and grabs a beaker that's sitting on top. Buffy closes the fridge while Willow sets the beaker on the desk and opens the bottle.
It needs to be diluted.
She pours some water into the beaker and closes the bottle.
Okay, but this better work fast.
Willow takes the test tube and draws some of the serum into a dropper. She holds it over the beaker and lets a single drop fall in.
Faster than that.
Willow looks up at her, worried, but drop some more into the water. Buffy takes the beaker, holds it up and looks at it, then over at Willow.
Here's to my health.
Then she gulps it down.
Willow and Buffy come around the corner and head into the children's ward. Buffy is already feeling the effects of the virus and walks unsteadily, breathing heavily. Willow supports her.
Oh, god. I'm not sure this was such a good idea.
Hang in there. You'll be okay.
Okay. I'm okay.
They reach the door to the ward and Buffy looks in through the door's window. The beds are all empty.
The kids. They're gone.
Ryan leads the kids from the children's ward in an attempt to escape from the Kindestod.
Come on!
Hold me!
Keep quiet!
Willow and Buffy look around in confusion.
What could have happened?
I don't know. Maybe we're too late. Maybe they moved. (feels her forehead) Maybe I don't... I'm burning up!
She looks back into the room and starts to see something, an indistinct shape, moving among the beds.
Will?
What?
I think it's in there.
A form begins to unfold in the room as if unwrapping itself from the reality around it. It moves toward one of the beds and suddenly the Kindestod is clearly visible to Buffy. It looks into a bed and finds it empty. Buffy stares at it through the ward's window. As the monster examines another bed, it notices her staring. It straightens up and looks directly at her. Buffy's eyes go wide with fear but it merely giggles maniacally and doffs its hat to her. It eyes her for another moment, then turns and walks out the back door to the ward. As the Kindestod closes the door, we close to a CU of a sign on the door: Basement Access.
Buffy frantically tries to follow, but the door to the ward is locked and the virus has weakened her enough so that she can't break it open.
It's going after them! We gotta get 'em.
Dr. Wilkinson rounds the corner and sees Buffy and Willow.
Buffy?
Okay, we'll get 'em in a second.
What's wrong?
I... she's not feeling well again.
Wilkinson puts her arm around Buffy.
You should be in bed.
No, no, it's not that bad.
No, you're coming with me.
Buffy jerks free.
No!
She pushes the doctor away and starts to run down the hall. Willow starts to follow.
She's sorry!
Wilkinson has no idea what the problem is, but she doesn't like it. She walks to a nearby phone and dials.
Security, come to the children's ward. We have a situation.
She hangs up and runs after the girls.
Buffy and Willow reach a hallway intersection and rush through a set of double doors. Security guards are coming. They head the girls off at the intersection, one of them brandishing a baton.
Okay, come on now. We can do this the easy way.
The two girls look at each other, worried, then Willow has an idea and starts to swat at herself with her hands.
Frogs! Frogs! Get 'em off of me!
The two guards head for her, assuming she's the reason they were called.
Oh, my god, frogs! Get them off of me! Please, help!
Buffy edges around the corner and quickly runs down the other hall.
Get 'em off! FROGS! Frogs! Oh, my god, horrible frogs!
Dr. Wilkinson rushes through the doors.
Get 'em--
Not her, the other one!
Willow looks up, completely calm, and shrugs.
No more frogs!
The guard gives her a frustrated look, then turns to his partner.
C'mon!
They head off after Buffy.
Xander is sitting at his post in the hall across from the nurse's station. Buffy around the corner and bumps into the wall, delirious from her fever. Xander looks up, sees her and runs to her.
Buffy, are you okay? Did Angel--
No. We need to get to the basement.
The Kindestod is looking around for signs of the children.
The children are weaving their way through the hospital's boiler room.
Shh!
They find a secluded corner and huddle together.
I'm cold.
Here.
He takes off his robe and drapes it around the girl.
Here. We're gonna be safe in here.
Look!
The Kindestod appears behind Ryan and the children scream in terror.
What?
It yanks Ryan away from the others.
Xander supports Buffy as they hurry down.
You don't know how to kill this thing.
I thought I might try violence.
Solid call.
They head down the tunnel.
The Kindestod is holding Ryan up and examining him. He and the other kids are all screaming. It throws Ryan aside and he hits the concrete floor hard.
Ryan tries to get up and the monster growls as it slowly comes for him. It kneels and leans over him, taking hold of his head to steady him. The boy watches as the monster's eyes bulge out and split open. They extend from their sockets down toward Ryan's forehead. The monster drools heavily and licks its hideous lips in horrible anticipation. Its eye-tendrils make contact with Ryan's forehead and begin to drain his life essence.
Suddenly its eyes snap back into their sockets as the Kindestod reels from a blow to the head. Buffy stands over it with a length of steel pipe held at the ready.
You make me sick.
The Kindestod stands up and faces her and she swings the pipe again, but this time the monster blocks and knocks the pipe from her grasp.
Although Xander can't see the Kindestod, he sees that Buffy is fighting something and uses the distraction to go to Ryan and help him up off the floor. He carries the boy over to the other kids.
Due to her fever, Buffy is not in top form as she fights the Kindestod and it quickly gains the upper hand and punches her twice in the face, then throws her against a nearby steam pipe.
Xander finds the other children and starts to herd them away from danger.
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! Hurry!
He follows them, throwing a worried glance at Buffy on the way. She swings twice at the monster, but her blows are weak and easily avoided. It grabs her again and throws her into another pipe. She recovers quickly, spots a raised grating and hops up onto it. She takes the measure of the Kindestod and then jumps from the grate, landing a hard kick to its head. It stumbles back and falls to one knee as she lands on her feet. As it struggles to stand up, she kicks it repeatedly.
Having shepherded the kids to safety, Xander returns to help Buffy. To him it looks like she's fighting the air. She spins around and lets out a grunt of pain, obviously reeling from a blow. The monster seizes her shoulder and backhand her across the face. He takes her by the throat, lifts her and throws her into a wall. Buffy is dazed and lies there stunned and unmoving. The Kindestod reaches down for its hat, brushes it off and puts it back on. Buffy recovers from her daze but not in time to escape as it kneels and reaches for her head. It holds her steady with both hands as its eyes extend outward and split open like before. Just as the tendrils are about to make contact with her skin, she reaches up and takes its head in both hands, giving it a sharp twist. The monster's neck snaps loudly, and it falls over dead next to her. Breathing heavily, Buffy stands up and looks down at the Kindestod's prone body. Xander approaches her.
Are you okay?
Actually, I think I'm starting to feel better. Let's...
She takes a step, but loses her balance and falls into Xander.
Oh!
He puts his arm around her and they helps her out of the basement.
He's dead right? I mean, I heard something snap.
That would be his neck.
You're not going to yak on me, are you?
Joyce walks in with a sandwich and a glass of juice.
Here you go, honey. Peanut butter and jelly, without the crust... just the way you like it.
She sits on the bed next to Buffy and puts the glass on the nightstand. Buffy is lying back, comfortably.
And the juice?
Two parts orange, one part grapefruit.
That's my drink.
I measured it exactly.
Pull back from Buffy to reveal Xander lounging on the bed next to her, munching on chips and watching TV. Buffy inspects the sandwich.
Oh, mom?
Mmm-hmm?
I wanted crunchy peanut butter.
Oh, sorry.
Pull back further to reveal Willow on the floor next to the bed surrounded with pillows.
And I said extra jelly.
Anything to help my daughter get well.
Willow holds out her glass.
Oh, and while you're up, could I get a refill? It's just, I'm so comfortable.
Of course.
Thanks.
Xander holds up the empty bag of chips.
Oh, and another bag of Cheesy Chips.
You ate the last one.
No, there's another bag hidden behind the raisins.
I'm on it.
Your mom's tryin' to Bogart the cheesy chips. What's that all about?
Joyce comes back into the room holding an envelope. She hands it to Buffy.
Oh, Buffy, here. This came in the mail.
She reads the return address and smiles as she opens it.
It's from Ryan.
The boy from the hospital?
Buffy takes out the paper inside and unfolds it. Joyce looks down at it.
Oh, he drew you a picture.
Cut to overhead shot of the picture: Buffy standing over the Kindestod with her foot on its chest. The monster's neck is split open and blood is gushing out.
How... nice.